Majic After Dark

Having been trolling ATS more frequently than usual lately -- presumably due to my interest in this Member Council business -- it has dawned on me that there is more to this notion of ATS as a “community” than just a label.

We really are an online community.

Though it may not seem like it, I tend to be a rather shy person and keep to myself in “real life”. Online, this is reflected in my reluctance to talk about personal details and a tendency to compartmentalize my online affairs.

As it is, many ATSers have already followed me through my spiritual awakening and watched with dismay as I began my career as a prophet. Indeed, folks who “know” me here may well wonder just what the bloody hell my trip is.

Welcome to the club.

Since I will probably be spending more time on ATS than usual over this upcoming summer (if that is at all possible), I guess it's time to let my hair down a little and share some of what I do when I'm not busy trolling ATS and flaming my fellow ATSers.

Majic And Me

I'm not a classic anime “otaku”. I like anime, but I'm not obsessed with it -- except for one show, which I'll get to later.

The story of how I got into anime includes the background of my mascot, the character “Majic” of the anime series Sorcerous Stabber Orphen. Anime fans may assume that my handle comes from the name of this character, but that's not true.

I adopted the name “Majic” because it is one of the cryptonyms for the “MAJESTYTWELVE” program, aka Majestic Twelve, MJ-12, et al. It was my unexpected acquisition of what I consider reliable information regarding that program and subprograms that led me to decloak as a non-registered lurker and finally become a true member of the ATS community last year.

Frankly, I was shocked that “Majic” hadn't already been taken on a site like this, but was not displeased.

Anyway, as I was searching for “Majic”-related images to use in my avatars, I discovered this spunky little fellow:



He is the sidekick of the star of the anime series he appears in, Orphen. Coincidentally enough, he is also named “Majic”, and that's how the two of us hooked up.

It was because this character's name is “Majic” that I bought a copy of the series and watched the show, and truth be told, that's the only reason I ever would have done so.

From Sorcery To Wings Of Gray

I rate Sorcerous Stabber Orphen as “so-so” on my anime scale. It's charming, but has some rather glaring flaws. However, once I finished watching it, I decided to buy some more anime and check it out.

As I mentioned above, I'm not an “otaku” by definition. However, when it comes to one particular anime, I am a total otaku, and that anime is Haibane Renmei. It is a story about haibane (“high bah nay”), a Japanese word meaning “ash wings” or “gray wings”.

Haibane are similar to angels, but hatch from cocoons in a walled city and though they have wings, they cannot fly. There's much, much more to it, but that's a starting point.

I don't know why, but I am absolutely infatuated with that show. I can't get enough of it and, in fact, I have rated it as my hands-down favorite visual media production of all time. I really love that show.

If you've been wondering what the “Team Haibane” business is in my avatar, that's what that's about. The image is a silhouette of Rakka, one of the characters of the show, drawn by yours truly and destined to grace my avatars forever.

I love that show so much that it has, for whatever reason, inspired me to do creative things I hadn't been able to do before in all my life.

Let's have a look at the fruits of my “problem” with haibaneholism.

Majic, Tell Me A Story

I'm finishing up a huge fiction project -- my first work of fiction since eighth grade, over thirty years ago (that last story sucked, by the way).

The project is a “sequel” to Haibane Renmei called Mado of Stone Mill, and tells the story of a boy who wakes up as a haibane in the town of Guri. Weighing in at a projected 130,000+ words, it is my magnum opus (a novel is 40,000+ words).

The basic text is about 98% done, but much editing needs to be done, and I do not wish to present that story here until it has been polished up much more than it is.

I expect to finish the first pass and prepare for editing sometime this month.

Majic, Draw Me A Picture

I used to sketch obsessively as a hyperactive kid. I suppose I would be labeled “ADHD” today, but frankly, I think healthy boys should have a hard time sitting at a desk all day. I mean, come on, people, they're boys!

Anyway, I never could draw people, and it really bugged me. After watching Haibane Renmei a bunch of times, I decided to try imitating the style, and am much happier with my “people skills”.

I need to work on it some more, but here are some examples:

Rakka

Haibane Lain

Uteki, aka Hikari

Although Haibane Renmei focuses on a “girls only” haibane nest, haibane can also be boys, if you were wondering.

But sketches aren't all I am inspired to create by this series.

Majic, Sing Me A Song

I am not a composer of music. I like to play bass and sing, and wanted to be a Big Rock Star when I was a kid, but I have never been able to write a decent song to save my life.

However, Haibane Renmei and the small fan community I hang with have inspired me to create some “kitsch” songs -- recorded totally tongue-in-cheek -- that glorify the Haibane Renmei community.

I find that I can only write songs when I'm in a frivolous mood, so all my original work is basically a joke. I find that delightfully poetic, for some reason.

Here are some examples of my playful approach to music. All of them are preliminary “musical sketches”, not finished songs, and all of them were recorded in “single sessions”, so they are a bit rough. And (insert lame excuse here).

So take these with my disclaimers and a grain of salt.

Note that they are in “wmv” format because I haven't found a free MP3 host site I care for:

Shia Haibane

I know it's hard to believe, but yes, I am an Original Gangsta and a Mofo P.I.M.P. from way back. I prefer to bust my rhymes old school. Props to Public Enemy, who gave us the word. In Shia Haibane I seek to represent, recognize and/or respect. Did I succeed? You decide.

Majic-Shia_Haibane

Haibane Nation

May Haile Selassie have mercy on my soul.

Majic-Haibane_Nation-Prelim-1

Kurobane

“Kurobane” is Japanese for “black wing”. In the world of Haibane Renmei, that is what I am, and what this song is about. The dead spots in the song are where I may drop in guitar solos later, if I ever bother to restring my guitars. I've been putting that off for months...

Majic-Kurobane-P2-VOC

Haibane X-1

This song is the reason I am no longer welcome in Rotterdam, at Yoko Ono's parties or as a guest on Sprockets. It is precision perfected, yet others are too mundane to see it. I am too far ahead of my time.

Majic-Haibane_X-1_P1

I have some other songs lying around, and plan to do a six-song concept album based on haibane (surprise!), called Wings of Gray, for an “album contest” this month, so if you like these and they don't cause you irreparable hearing or brain damage, I may post some more.

Post Scriptum

So there you go, a peek into a different aspect of my bizarre and inorthogonal life, and an insight regarding what I do besides alternately preach to and flame at my fellow ATSers.

I'm still a pretty shy person, so please don't take it the wrong way if I should suddenly clam up. I'm -- how you say in the English? Ah yes -- somewhat “moody”, to understate things.

But you already knew that.

Peace out yo.






All artistic work presented here is Copyright © Majic, All Rights Reserved, but may be freely copied and distributed for noncommercial purposes.

Awesome or Awesome-ness?

Muahahahahahahahahhahaa

Oh yes Majic you like totally rule. You pwnZ them all! Never heard of those anime's they seem cool might check them out. Awesoem art and music. Very good backround of yourself. Stop in chat sometime. But beware the chat-bot Cpr12r.

What a great backdrop on the story that is Majic! Incredible man! Don't clam up though...Soak up all the accolades with pride and use them as fuel!

You have an excellent voice among your many other talents! Keep it up - And if you find you need any proof readers down the road for your book, I'd be more than happy to lend a hand

How many of you other members are hiding secrets from us all?

I probably make the mistake of revealing too much about my private life here…lol

I really like the Kurobane song. With some prof production that could be pretty cool. I could definitely imagine it as the closing theme song to an anime flick. Very melancholy. Maybe drop it a key or two though so you're not straining to reach the notes when you jump up an octave.

I likey.

[edit on 2005/6/7 by wecomeinpeace]

Supplemental Outcome

My ego and I thank you for the kind words.

Definitely everything here leaves much for improvement. For the upcoming album contest, I plan to spend more than a single day on production, unlike in these cases, so once those start rolling out (if they ever actually do) they will hopefully sound more polished -- and feature some guitar solos to boot.

Here are a couple more songs for those whose with robust and forgiving ears. As above, they are “song sketches” and somewhat rough in the mix department, but not a bad deal for the price.

Between The Lines

An older song which is more ATS-oriented than the rest, this one features an unusually bad mix, the use of a cheap, road-grade dynamic mic (since replaced by a nice wide-diaphragm condenser mic for studio work) and guitars distorted almost beyond recognition. On the bright side, it has a rather gritty garage band feel which I find somewhat nostalgic. Hearing protection advised, even at low volumes.

Majic-Between_The_Lines-PRELIM1

She Flew Off With My Heart

This one came to me while in a mellow, Robert Plant-style mood ala Pictures At Eleven, and shamelessly bears some classic Plantisms. While imbued with strong haibane themes, I find it relaxing and potentially broader in appeal than some of my other haibane-inspired songs. You decide.

Majic-She_Flew_Off_With_My_Heart-P2-A

Of course, posting this stuff here is rather gratuitous and self-indulgent, but Such Is Mango.



Edit: Oops! I screwed up on SFOWMH-P2 and truncated the ending rather rudely. I have uploaded a newer version featuring a smoother fade-out. Sorry bout that.

[edit on 6/8/2005 by Majic]

More Haibane Silliness

Well, I stayed up last night recording a song, and did a few of sketches a couple of days ago, so I guess it's time to bump the vanity thread. ^

^

Wings of Gray Album ALS2 Special Release

Well, after plugging away for eleven days to slap together an entry for a rather silly but surprisingly fun contest, I have my very first album ever. Yay!

Now, in conversation, I can use phrases like “well, on my first album, I...” and “yeah, my first album was a real bear to record...” and so on. All while nonchalantly dusting my nails against my chest, of course.

Oh yeah, that's the stuff.

So what does this album sound like, exactly? Well, it was made in a hurry, and I had to cut a lot of corners to get it done by the end of July, and [insert lame excuse here], and...

Essentially, if you've been following my previous work, it sounds a lot like that.

The main difference is that I wrote and arranged the songs on Wings of Gray to promote a specific theme as clearly as possible, and I really laid it on thick. I added She Flew Off With My Heart to the album because it fits quite well with the theme.

The tracks have issues too numerous to name (such as being cut off at the end and the like), and many of the vocal tracks are first takes. Did I mention I was in a hurry?

All that said, I am majorly jazzed to have, at long last, made an album.

Is it a masterpiece? Oh hell no!

But it's mine, and I hope you like it.

Wings of Gray is available for download for the very reasonable price of FREE ($0.00 US) at:

music.majic-12.com

Enjoy! And, if you are so inclined, let me know what you think.