Good evening, everyone! Many of you know that we’re recording the fourth Division CD, “Control Issues” and have reached the part of our program where it’s time to record vocals. Tonight, I had the chance to go in and work on a fairly violent and very tense piece called “Gemini.”
“Gemini” was one of the first songs written for the CD and was even demo’ed a while back. Much like “Bloodletting” and “Soulmate”, “Gemini” has undergone several composition and vocal changes since that time. In fact, it’s probably the case study for the difference between how I sang a few years ago and how I sing now. It was also one of the keys that helped me shape the lyrical theme for Control Issues.
This song is about two brothers; one who has lived a near-perfect life with his parents. The other is a bastard child who was the product of an affair of their mutual father. When brother two comes calling, it wrecks everything brother one has ever valued. In the end, the two sides of the coin wind up on the furious path to mutual destruction.
“Gemini” was crafted from a story a friend of mine and I were writing a number of years ago, unbeknownst to many of the audience. We were great friends but wanted everyone to believe we hated one another, and so the characters were born.
To prep for the storytelling nature of this song (and others), I listened to a number of old radio programs, like Suspense, Inner Sanctum and The Whistler. The horror and irony behind these shows really created theater of the mind in the days before TV, and I wanted to tap into that same creativity. I also listened to great storytelling bands, probably none more closely than Iron Maiden.
Ok, I’m rambling, so I’ll head out now and keep everyone posted on the next sesions. Be well and love music!
One Love,
nK