Album 3 Invasion Earth

Quick update, still moving slower than preferred and not making progress.  This needs to turn around.

This album was a turning point.  We decided what type of music we wanted to make (so that ended the …live Vol1 – there were going to be vol 2s as we were zeroing in on the decision).  We included the last of these songs as this song kicked off the moment of clarity.  The goal was to set the mood for the music based on what the spacecraft were feeling.  It was decided that we needed to continue the story (as big changes were coming, and we needed to explain them).

For example, had the spacecraft not met the Aliens, then the sum total of their music would have been limited to those experiences.  Yes, it was enough to make up the first album (Making Music Now), but there would have been lots of songs that just sounded like Just Another Day Orbiting Earth.  So, this is where we decided to get into the story.  We needed to explain to everyone how the spacecraft were having experiences that they were making music to that were foreign to Earth or Earths orbit. 

With that, story it was.  We decided it was time to change the album covers.  The first 3 albums were going to just show one of the 3 spacecraft.  However, with the story going on, we thought the album cover should reflect the story.  So that brings us to this change (sorry to DarkStar who never got his own album cover).  This was supposed to be a picture from inside the aliens craft looking out the viewer and seeing the spacecraft (we put the Earth album in place of Earth). 

Rockin Around the Orbit Live V1

So, after trying some Funk and some Pop, we decided to do more of a Rock beat.  However, one thing that is obvious listening to them (which we determined while making this one) is that all three of them stray from the source.  Yeah, some elements of the target (Funk, Pop or Rock), but others not common to the theme.  We were already making our music.  The spacecraft already use almost all musical forms as inspirations (they have each had countless hours of music beamed through them). 

During the making of this song, DarkStar asked what’s up with this.  Let’s just make music.  We have already figured out what we want to sound like.  We included the track as the album was already short (should have been combined with the previous) and it marks our decision point to move away from this type of approach.

Just Another Day Orbiting Earth

This is one of my favorite songs.  It is what happens when we do not try to make anything happen, and just let loose and have fun.  Having said that, if the aliens did not come might have gotten a bit boring playing songs like this over and over again.  The premise here was just the spacecraft going old school (hence the analog sound).  Originally there were not going to even be drums, but DarkStar just felt they added to it.

And Then an Alien Spacecraft

So, the beginning of this one should sound familiar to Just Another Day Orbiting Earth.  Gone is the analogness and back is the digital sound of the Space Age Music Making machines.   This was obviously done on purpose.  They were just hanging out orbiting Earth and were surprised to see the spaceship approach.  It did come in quickly.

Invasion Earth

So initially when the spacecraft turned to face the aliens, the aliens mistook them for space emissaries and announced their plans for earth.  The music is different for the aliens than for the spacecraft (to set them apart).  In the end, the spacecraft convince the aliens that there is more to humans than just fear (so the aliens too the spacecraft off to put the Earth on trial. 

This ended up being the song that brought the Roland VT-4 into the fold.  I was questioned about what I was doing with my voice while singing for them.  I responded that I was trying to make the spacecraft sound different from the aliens (how I might imagine spacecraft would sound).  They told me that they do not have voices (it is not actual sound in space).  I should just use my voice.  However, that did not solve the problem of each having a different distinct voice.  The solution was to get the VT-4 voice changer (though it was not ready for the next album).

So that brings closes out Invasion Earth.  Stay tuned for Songs From the Silicon Heart.