Salut,
Meilleurs voeux a tous pour cette nouvelle annee ! Merci a Douchan pour ses SMS ! Cote news le Tribute to Arjen est desormais disponible et ci-joint les commentaires d'Arjen Lucassen en personne ! Merci de les transferer a Hub at Alys !
A+
Seb.
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Objet : Revenge is SWEET ;-)
Hi vindictively tributing Ayreonauts ;-)
I got your tribute CD just in time for Christmas, what an AMAZING surprise, ho ho ho! What an honour, I'm not worthy...and I'm not even dead yet! ;-) And that's a really charming picture of me that you chose for the cover, hehehe... Okay, let's have a listen now to your revenge! Sebastien asked me in his accompanying letter not to listen with my professional 'ears of doom' (as Lori calls them), so I promise I won't. I'll just sit back, relax, and slide into your world! Here are some 'live' comments:
1] Intro:
Yay, nice spacey synths, evil sounds! This chronicle commences in the year 2004 AD, hehehe...Ha, Merlin's Will, haha, great twist in the lyrics ;-) I hear greetings from everyone all over the world 'on my answering machine'...oh gee, tears are welling up...must not tell anyone...hey, I'm bad you know... Great intro! Clock ticking...
2] Sail Away to Avalon
Ah, I believe I already heard this one some time ago. Hmm...the lead guitar style sounds vaguely familiar, maybe I can convince her to play with me in a band one fine day ;-) I recognise your voice, Joost, well sung, also the backingvocals. I know they are not easy in this song. Nice harpsichord, heavy 'Vinkish' bass sound. Cool Marimba, very original, and a warm sound! Excellent drum programming. Well done, noble men in shining armour, the journey has begun!
3] Dawn of a Million Souls
Nice beginning, guitars instead of trumpets and sweep synths instead of Hammond. Am I imagining it, or are the 'monk voices' chanting my humble name? Fat guitarsound, tuned in C right? Wow, real drums, even some of Ed's fills, great. Not an easy song to sing, Tomas, but you did it! Hey, acoustic guitars instead of the violins in the middle part, excellent. Great guitarsolo, nice sound. As you may have noticed I cut out this Michael Romeo solopart on Star One live, I didn't have the guts to play that part! Wow...you guys covered the whole song...what a show, hats off!
4] Actual Fantasy
Nice atmosphere. Great chorus/delay and panning effect on the vocals. I also like the acoustic guitar. Wow, you made a whole new, longer arrangement! Maybe I'll cover your cover one fine day, Michiel and Sebastien ;-)
5] Garden of Emotions
Nice 'sample and hold' synth in the beginning. Ha, I hear my favourite alien Forever! He sounds a lot like Marc here ;-) Hey, Douchan sings a lot better than that damned hippie dude on the album. Well sung also, Alys. By the way, you know Nightwish are looking for a new singer, do you? ;-) Cool double kick arrangements and drum fills. Wow, I also hear some evil grunts in the background! Good guitarsound and synthsounds.
6] Back to (on?) Planet Earth
Hey, different 'astronaut' samples. Oh yes, I remember this version, I already heard it some time ago. I love the way this is done, so different from the original. Very creative to turn this heavy, complicated song into a sort of ballad. And it works! Ah yes, it gets heavier later on, nice build-up. Well played and sung, everybody. Nice atmospheric ending. Again, I might steal this arrangement and use it myself one day
)
7] The Dream Sequencer - Morpheus' Birth
Nice vocoder in the beginning. Wow, this is a 'world music' tribal version, very original! Good guitarwork, nice sound. Well done, Sebastien, you really made this track your own. I like the strings following the guitar melody at the end, sounds very majestic.
8] Castle Hall
Ha, nice little organ intro! Wow, funky drums and slap bass. Well sung, Britta, watch out Irene ;-) Nice funky speed-up in the 2nd verse. I like the melancholic clarinet, didn't expect that! Hey, quite a jazzy intermezzo, can't remember writing that ;-) Fine version.
9} Ayreonesque
Wow, great 'wet' synth sounds. I really feel the urge now to blow the dust of my analogs (didn't use them this year) and play the shit out of them! Very inspiring indeed..
10] Into the Black Hole
Hey, this sounds HUGE! This is just Emiliano and Daniel? Wow... Great atmospere. I hear that wide Dickinson vibrato in the voice, excellent. Like the double tempo in the middle part. I will definitely steal that!
11] Carried by the Antilope
Oh shit, what am I to expect of this track with a title like that? I'm holding my breath...okay...come on....yep, it's weird allright. Sound like some cheesy christmas composition about Rudolf the red-nosed antilope! That vacuum cleaner solo is definitely cool though. Will you come and play that solo live on one of the shows next year, Michiel? Or even better, in my living room, and bedroom, and hallway, and...hehehe ;-)
12] The Shooting Company
Wow, quite different from the original again, very daring, psychedelic and inventive. Grande finale, heavy!
13] Lift Off
Ha, sounds like an accordion in the beginning, good idea! It sounds huge. Nice drumloop at the end. Well done, Sebastien.
14] The Dream Sequencer (Reprise)
Okay...let's see, I've got about 10 guitars...hmm...that makes 10 nice coffee tables. Coffee anyone?
Bonus: 15] Eyes of Time
Haha, I don't even recognise it! Ah, now I do. Sort of. Wow...did I write that? And will I ever forgive Emiliano? What are you on, amigo? ;-)
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Seriously though, this is really heartwarming for me. Thanks a lot for this great tribute. I'm so honoured... I never expected you lot to pull this off! But you did, you've got your revenge, the circle is complete. Also my compliments for the great artwork with the 5 cents coin, I'm willing to forgive you the photo ;-) You all must have put a lot of time and passion in this project (I speak from experience). I wish you all good luck and most of all fun in your musical careers, you have shown that there is a lot of talent and commitment there. And it's a good feeling to know that I inspired you all in some way. Thanks again, I really, really appreciate this, and I will show and play it to everyone who comes over here!
Best wishes,
Arjen.