Day 7

[kentucky_mcgiygas]

[ Instead of his normal morning announcements, this morning you awaken to… Ronald McDonald playing a lovely tune for all of you with his band. Audible even over the metal is a louder sound of scraping, and a low rumble that persists throughout the song. ]

[ Afterward, you'll find that a new hallway has appeared in the studio. Where there was once an empty wall, there is now a theater! And your tablets will display the rules for a brand new competition… ]

((BATTLE OF THE BANDS
Private posts
Contestant Roster & Status
Game navigation))

Comments

[manuscripture]

Oh boy, a band. My knowledge of the music of the last thirty years will come in handy too.

Who wants to win?

[ BIG TALK THERE where are lotus and mac ]

[keybroad]

This is happening. We'll be "the strongest links". Actually, that might be insulting to the guy named Link. What are your other name ideas.

[manuscripture]

No, we are going to be the strongest links. If I can find Mac, he'll pretty much do whatever I say as long as I have bare arms and a midriff.

What do you know how to play?

[keybroad]

[Her face stretches distinctively from raising her eyebrows and nodding at the same time. This is the first she's heard of Mac individually and when Rohan had spoken with her as recently as yesterday his name didn't come up. So within the space of last night did these two already...? Well, whatever they did was obviously without her around, it's their business. She answers the question.]

Just the keyboard. I can read music for sure, I can use that to play something new if I really have to. I'd rather not sing.

[manuscripture]

I've touched a guitar a few times. A keyboard would be useful. I'm not much of a singer either... That could be tricky.

[ Hm. ]

Do you know anybody here who can sing? The blonde idol girl is popular but I think she is tied up with literally the entire studio.

[keybroad]

Mac says he can sing but...........

Nobody else said to me, "I can sing." I think there's a chance, though, I obviously know other people, maybe I can ask around.

[manuscripture]

If he thinks he can do it, we might as well. That makes three people doing three different things.

Can you write at all? Lyrics?

[keybroad]

I can try. Do I write poetry on my own time, no, but I know about procedural generation, I know meter, I have a vocabulary. I'll do it if you don't want to, and I think we can agree Mac shouldn't.

What should we write about? Probably most of the stuff on the radio is about sex and/or love, do we go with the classics or differentiate ourselves.

[manuscripture]

I don't like trashy lyrics. That's where I'm stuck. It sounds like we may be going for a lighter rock feel swaying toward the classic rock genre.

History shows that you can get away with almost anything from writing about your girlfriend leaving you to a vague piece about a hotel that may or may not be an allegory for drug addiction, suicide, or whatever else that can be legendarily debated for two decades.

[keybroad]

Those are pretty dark themes... it makes sense, though. I think classic rock is pretty good, and it's versatile. Would it be too depressing to write about being trapped in a studio? None of us know each other from before, so we should draw on our common experiences for the band to have a cohesive mood. I'm picturing it not literally "I hate the king so much", something more vague like you were saying. A metaphor for, uh... How all musicians are struggling to express the human condition and escape isolated existence in the first place, or something.

[manuscripture]

That's where we go the metaphor or allegory route. Writing about being trapped here isn't depressing if you veil it thematically.

Take being trapped here... Compare it to something else right now. Think. Anything. Throw it at me.

[asspounder4000]

[Gestures with beer bottle.]

Got me there.

[keybroad]

Oh, you must be Mac. I'm Lotus, looks like we'll be working together. So, your musical strengths?

[asspounder4000]

Oh yeah, the gang and I did a Boyz II Men opening singing act once! ...No wait, the show was cancelled. But our practices sounded GREAT.

[keybroad]

Why... was it cancelled?

[asspounder4000]

Big flu outbreak.

[keybroad]

That big? Like everyone who was involved? Did a common food source get poisoned or something?

[asspounder4000]

Yeah the whole band got the flu. I mean, they did. We didn't get the flu, we just almost died because we stopped drinking for awhile.

[manuscripture]

[ Points. ]

Can you play an instrument? If so, you can have it. If not, I will teach you.

Then you can... [ uGhGhghh gross ] Look at my abs all you want.

[asspounder4000]

Sure, sure! I got Frank to buy this sweet guitar for me, I looked SUPER hot with it strapped on, it looked SO good. I strummed it once.

...Can I touch the abs too?

[manuscripture]

I've decided that I can take up the guitar. I feel far more qualified to have that position. Lotus says you can sing. Do you have proof of that? Go on. Right now.

[ Tapping his foot. ]

Your performance will judge what you touch.

[asspounder4000]

Okay, but I'm more of a group singer, you see, it was the harmony we really sold it on. [CLEARS THROAT.]

♫Motownphilly's back again
Doin' a little east coast swing
Boyz II Men going off
Not too hard, not too soft♫

[Not... the worst? But not better than average.]

[manuscripture]

[ Okay, he's making a face. It's not a bad one but it's... Something. ]

Alright, sold. You can sing. [ because they probably won't get better than that tbh ]

Lotus has the keyboard, I have the lead guitar, but we need one more thing...

Can you do two things at once? Because if you can pretend to hold a bass guitar, you can get extra points and we'll have something to go on. You know, like Geddy Lee.

[ this is asking a lot of poor, thirsty mac. ]

[asspounder4000]

Oh yeah! Appearance is like the most important thing. I could do like this whole thing with tight pants, tattered shirt, leather straps, and spitting blood. And we need a real nasty name, too. When I tried starting a band, I was going to name it Chemical Toilet.

[meatitfeedson]

You're a wealth of talent, huh? I'm working with my family, but I look forward to seeing what you come up with!