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 Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:08 am
Four girls selected from all around the world because they have that certain magic in their music….
Four women grown cynical after years of bitter experience in the music industry….
They gather together in a luxurious house in sunny California….
Trying to make something happen….
Coming soon! LYSG's first advanced literate roleplay!
UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
You can post if you would like to discuss the roleplay.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:53 am
This roleplay will be under construction for some time, but in the meantime I will be posting bits and pieces of it here. If you would like to make comments, suggestions, whatever, feel free - the thread is open for discussion.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:57 am
PlotIt was news around the world, on the front page of thousands of newspapers in dozens of languages. Queens and presidents of some of the most powerful countries in the world put off reading their national security reports to read the details. Some television and radio stations held a moment of silence.
The world’s #1 band, all-girl rockers Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ, had broken up.
Citing “creative differences” to the press, the four girls had their label, ☄Heavenƨend Music, issue a joint press release to explain their decision to the world. The press release said that “although the friendship shared by the girls is as strong now as it was the day the band was formed, creative exhaustion from too many consecutive hit albums and singles, and back-to-back-to-back-to-back world tours had taken its toll.” It claimed that the break-up was “not necessarily permanent, and should be thought of as a sabbatical by the members, allowing them to tap their other creative centres in solo projects.”
The writer of that press release will surely go on to work as a spin doctor for a prominent politician, or perhaps simply use her talent for manufacturing complete fiction directly and go into writing.
The truth, although only known to a very small group of people close to the band or working at the record label, is that the four members of Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ despised each other with a burning hatred that was biblical in its depth. Egos clashed in battles that were epic in scope, and it was a well-kept secret that the flashy make-up members would appear in from time to time was not a fashion statement, it was to conceal bruises and scratches from going it at it tooth and nail with other members. Money, drugs, artistic choices, royalty rights, and even the order in which their names were announced at a show would lead to bitter disputes, which the record label would have to step in and threaten legal action due to violation of contract in order to end, and then cover up so the media got no hint of the friction within the band. On many levels, the death of the band was a mercy.
But not for ☄Heavenƨend Music. Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ was their meal ticket, their cash cow. The entire company was built around them. Millions had been invested in Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ, millions which would now be lost completely except for the pittance that could be recovered by selling retrospectives and “greatest hits” albums. Whenever that much money is lost, someone has to become the scapegoat. That someone became Sam Niraniya.
~ ★ ♪ ❣ ♪ ★ ~
At the tender age of 20, Sam had scouted out the four girls of Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ, who at the time were “nobodies” – four young girls, two in their last year of high school, one in the first year of college, and one college dropout, none of whom had ever played a note professionally except for the drop out, who played nights in a seedy bar for tips. None of them had ever dreamt of hitting the big time as rock stars. But Sam had gone on a whirlwind world tour, stopping in at bars that had live music, shows put on by high schools, subway stations with people playing music for change – everywhere and anywhere that she might have a chance to hear someone perform – and these four had… something… some kind of magic… that Sam had seen in the way they carried a tune. She brought the four together, and introduced them to the sceptical record label, who did not believe that four nobodies picked up off the street from the four corners of the Earth by an intern talent scout could possibly impress them.
But they did.
Whatever Sam’s method, she was right. When those four played together, it was magic. By the time the new band had gotten to the first chorus of the sample song Sam had written for them, there was no doubt in the minds of anyone in that room. These girls… would be stars.
~ ★ ♪ ❣ ♪ ★ ~
For the first few years all had gone swimmingly. Sam had acted as the band’s manager leading them to almost instant world-wide success right from their first album. She made Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ more than just a hit, she made them a phenomenon, influencing an entire generation of future rockers, revitalizing a dying genre that many thought had been completely overwhelmed by electronic music and R&B influenced pop, and spawning a host of imitators and wanna-bes.
But even in those early days, there was friction. The true story of the intrigues that went on behind the scenes are known only to those involved, but whispers speak of love affairs within the band and management that went sour, of problems with alcohol and drugs, of disagreements over money and the artistic direction of the band, and more. Slowly Sam grew more and more disillusioned with the monster she had created. Even worse, although the four members of Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ were behaving like spoiled primadonnas, the record label’s interference was encouraging their nasty attitudes, pandering to them rather than helping Sam reign them in.
Finally, after six years, Sam said she had had enough, and took an extended vacation. If the record company wanted to manage Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ, then by God, let them. Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ broke up three months later.
~ ★ ♪ ❣ ♪ ★ ~
And so, Sam Niraniya became the scapegoat for the fall of Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ. Within days of the announcement of the break-up, an executive from ☄Heavenƨend Music was on her doorstep, with an ultimatum. Every talent scout for ☄Heavenƨend Music was required to find bands that generate a certain amount of profit each year. Most scouts have to find two or three new acts a year to meet that standard, but for six years, Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ’s profits alone had meant that Sam had not needed to find any new acts.
But now, the goose that laid the golden eggs had flown the coup. If Sam did not come up with new acts by next year that produce enough profits, she would be fired. And more than fired, she would have the break-up of Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ pinned on her, and would never work as a talent scout in the industry again.
At first, Sam tried to do things the way talent scouts traditionally did them, spending weeks digging through independent releases and demo recordings. She previewed dozens upon dozens of candidates. And while she found many that had talent, there was not one among them that gave her that same sense of finding magic as what she had felt six years ago. It just… was not the same….
For a long time Sam withdrew and sulked over a bottle – several bottles actually. Was the magic gone? Had Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ been a fluke? Was her heart no longer in the music? The executives at ☄Heavenƨend Music shook their heads sadly and began writing up her termination papers, figuring that she was either a has-been, or a never-even-was that happened to get freakishly lucky on the first try but could never replicate her success. Either way, in their eyes, it seemed that it was all over for Sam.
But when Sam heard that they were ready to give up on her, something in her sparked to life. She sent a letter to the executives at ☄Heavenƨend Music – the contents of which cannot be reprinted due to the extremely unladylike language used – telling them that she still had eight months… and they were damn well going to give it to her.
And then… she disappeared.
~ ★ ♪ ❣ ♪ ★ ~
Unbeknown to the record label, Sam went on a journey. It was a journey that she had first taken six years ago, and it was like the time since had never even happened. She left her Porsche in the garage, and pulled out the old, beat-up Pontiac Firefly she had driven back then, loaded it up with just a suitcase of clothes, her old pawn-shop Stratocaster and the first Yamaha keyboard she had ever owned.
She drove all over two continents, never stopping in one place for more than a day, sleeping most nights in the car, taking every chance to hear someone play that she could possibly find.
It took five months… five long months of hard travel, going days without rest….
But she found it.
She found the magic….
Four girls, four very different girls, all with the same spark. Sam invites them all to come together at her California home, in the hope that they can find it in themselves to bring the magic out, and to come together as a band. She prepares a team of experts from ☄Heavenƨend Music to work with them – along with an observer sent by the label to monitor the progress – to help them come together and find their sound, and their soul.
For Sam, it is her last chance to keep her career – but it is more than that… it is her last chance to believe that there is still magic in music, and not just the corruption and greed that comes with fame. If Project All Things Nice fails, her career as a talent scout is over… and her love of music, lost… forever.
For the girls in the band, it is their big shot to take the music in their souls and share it with the world… but first they have to overcome the challenges of working closely with complete strangers, the pressures of the industry, and the temptations that come along with fame. If they blow it, they go back to their lives… and have to spend the rest of their days regretting missing their chance to be able to make a living doing something they truly love, sharing their music with the world.
For the specialists sent by the record label, it is their only chance to find meaning in what they do – that what they do is not just about money-grabbing, but there is real heart behind the business, and real soul in the music. But first, they have to bring everything together, so they are no longer four very different girls with a handful of support staff, but one band – and to do that, they have to overcome their doubts about the girls and their cynicism about the business. If they cannot manage that, they will lose their love for what they do, and become part of the system – mindlessly turning out music without soul just to turn a buck – if they can even manage to work in the industry anymore afterwards at all.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:03 am
RolesThe ManagerCalm, cynical, driven, mischievous, sarcasticCreator of a super-band that betrayed her ideals, she has one chance to show that her first success was not a fluke. She has hand-picked four musicians and some support staff (those that were not selected by the record label), and sequestered them all in her luxurious California house in the hopes of sparking chemistry, and creating the next big act. But more than that, deep down she wants to believe that making music is about more than making money. The ObserverOrganized, crafty Sent by the record company to oversee the process, your job is to make sure that if Project All Things Nice fails, it does not cost the label too much money. You are there to keep tabs on the expenses, and remind everyone there that in the end, the idea is to turn a profit – this is not about fun. You will also be making frequent reports to the label about what is going on. You may or may not care about Sam or the musicians, or about making music at all. You may or may not know Sam personally, but you certainly know about her history with her old band. You may know the Image Consultant, but you do not know the Technician. The TechnicianDisillusioned, cynical For the last year or two, you worked with Sam and her previous band, seeing them at the worst and getting a taste of the worst of the greed and egoism in the music industry. You believe that the whole industry is like that, full of money-grabbing primadonnas who don’t care about the music at all, only the money and fame. When Sam asked you to help with Project All Things Nice, you agreed, not expecting much… but are curious to see what will happen with a group of fresh faces not yet tainted by fame. You know Sam quite well personally, though you may or may not be friendly with her. The Image ConsultantArtistic, dramatic, narcissistic You have worked with dozens of bands, some famous, some not, designing their look, their logo and their attitude. You feel personally responsible for all of their success, but at the same time just a bit cheated that they get all the money and fame and you get nothing, even though you practically made them who they are. To you, Project All Things Nice is another opportunity to mold a group into your own vision. You may have been selected by the label and not Sam, if you wish. You may know Sam personally or not, and you may know her reputation or not, but you are definitely not friends. If you were selected by the record label, you may know the Observer well. Band rolesThe band members are going to have slightly more flexibility in making their characters. First, pick a role (which basically means picking an instrument). Then select one of the ‘types’ below as your character type (and, of course, expand on it as you wish). I do not mind if more than one person uses the same type, but if everyone starts going for the same type, I will start saying no. Also, if two people go for the same type and then go and make pretty much exactly the same character – even if they play different instruments – then one will be denied. Your best bet is to use the OOC thread to discuss what you are doing with everyone else. If you want to come up with a completely new type, then feel free to do so. The Lead Singer (may play a backup instrument like 2nd guitar, or a keyboard, moderately well)
The Guitarist
The Bassist
The Drummer The Tortured ArtistArtistic, dramatic Part of you hates yourself for ‘selling out’, for saying yes to Sam’s offer. You would love to make music, but you want to do it on your own terms, and you do not want to be controlled by a record label. At the same time, if Project All Things Nice works out, you will be able to reach millions with your art. Part of you wants everything to be perfect at every rehearsal, the other part wants practice to fail. The contradiction is tearing you apart inside. One thing is for sure, you certainly do not like the record label stooges telling you how to play your music. Gets along best with: Technical Perfectionist Gets along worst with: Starstruck Fangirl The Starstruck FangirlEnthusiastic, naive You cannot believe your luck at being selected. You were a huge fan of Sugar★ɘɔɨqƧ, and to be given the opportunity to follow in their footsteps makes your head spin. In fact, everything about this – being signed by a major label, being part of a real live, popular (hopefully) rock bad… it is all just way too cool. It is all you can do to not gush 24/7 about how exciting it all is. Even if you or someone else flubs their rehearsal and ruins the groove, you do not care. You are just happy to be there. It bothers you when the others get too serious about it all – for you, it is a fun dream you do not want to end. Gets along best with: Trouble-making Goof-ball, Perpetual Wanna-be Gets along worst with: Technical Perfectionist The Technical PerfectionistDriven, uptight You take your music very, very seriously – you do not want to be a professional artist, entertainer or performer, you want to be a professional musician. You never miss a note; your pitch and timing are perfect. And you work very hard to be as good as you are. You do consider yourself an artist, but you have no time for the ‘emo’ theatrics of the Tortured Artist type. You do not care what you play, be it deep and complex, or bubblegum pop. You do not care about money and fame as much as you do about getting the respect of other musicians for your talent and skill. You want your name listed among the greats. And you expect your fellow band-mates to take the music as seriously as you do. Gets along best with: Tortured Artist Gets along worst with: Trouble-making Goof-ball The Trouble-making Goof-ballLazy, mischievous You like music, sure, but the real reason you took it up was because it made you a rebel, and you love being a rebel. You were the class clown, always pulling practical jokes and other pranks. For you, half the time is spent wondering whether Project All Things Nice is a hidden camera joke being sprung on you, and the other half the time is spent dreaming about how magnificent it would be to have an audience of millions for your next prank. You do not mind working to make the band come together, provided everyone has fun while they work at it – but when people start taking it too seriously, your attention starts to drift, and that usually means that trouble is about to start. Gets along best with: Starstruck Fangirl Gets along worst with: Technical Perfectionist The Perpetual Wanna-beShy, low self-esteem For you, music is the only way you know how to reach people, and if there is one thing you want badly, it is to reach people. You have self-esteem issues and before you took up music, never had any friends. It was your talent with music that first got you noticed, and now that you have tasted being somewhat popular, you crave it like a drug. Project All Things Nice offers you the opportunity to never be a nobody again, to always be popular, wanted and loved by millions – and it is an opportunity you cannot let slip away. At the same time, you want the esteem of your band-mates, too. Gets along best with: Trouble-making Goof-ball Gets along worst with: Tortured Artist
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:17 pm
I like the Idea... Could i be the lead guitarist for the band.. that is, when you start accepting profiles..
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:57 am
Of course! 3nodding But what kind of character will you be? Tortured Artist? Starstruck Fangirl? Technical Perfectionist? Trouble-making Goof-ball? Or Perpetual Wanna-be?
I am thinking that when this is finally made (and it will be a while, because there is guild stuff to be done first, plus I have to start "A Far Cry" and plus I have another RP almost ready to go), it shall be in Barton Town. But it will be an official guild roleplay, which means it will count towards your activity here.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:31 pm
hmmm... Somewhere between Tortured Artist and Trouble-making Goof-Ball, perhaps?
And my activity here should be pretty high 'til the end of summer
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:34 pm
Interesting! biggrin Well, as long as you are not just taking the good parts from both, of course.
This will roleplay will probably not start for a month or two at least. I have another roleplay that will start here first, and the serial to do, as well as guild stuff. But when it runs it will not require a massive commitment of time. It will be a small roleplay, with only a maximum of eight people, including me, and I shall not require more than a post a week.
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:45 pm
'course, what fun would there be if i took just the good parts?
Sounds like it'd be an easy enough RP.. Also before it can start you'd need people to be sending in apps/profiles anyway, right?
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