Cadence smiled at his response and it only grew as he uttered his agreement to making music. She found herself liking Ezvin. He had a personality that drew people in and made them feel comfortable. He had spoken in a way few producers had. Not once had he mentioned money. This man was in the business for the right reasons. He was also kind of cute. Not that she would go any farther in a relationship with him; getting involved with band members or producers was a messy business. Since Kallisti though, she had been noticing men more. It was something she didn't understand.
"Perfect!" she said, turning to the band. "Which song should we baptize him with?"
"'Embrace You' needs an acoustic guitar?" Matt suggested, it was also his duet with her, which she knew was making him nervous. He was unsure about singing, but Cadence knew he could - and he'd be ready in time.
"Bright Star In The Sky," suggested Barry.
Cadence shook her head. "No - both too slow for a warm up."
She turned to Casey, who stood with a smile. "Shine on Me," she said, holding up the sheet music she had pulled from the bag.
The band agreed and Casey took the music and put it on a stand before Ezvin. "Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Key of B-flat, Ez!" Casey said with a grin, giving Ezvin a jovial slap to the shoulder. Cadence smiled. If Casey was acting like this around Ezvin, it meant he had passed her first test. Casey had known Cadence the longest out of any of them. They had been college roommates, and she was very protective of Cadence. "Ready Cade?"
Cadence put on her headset and the band did the same. "Alright - this may be a warm-up, but you know we record everything. Never know - might get it perfect the first time," the words were said with a playful smile. That was a very unlikely scenario.
Cadence got their acknowledgement and she nodded. Cara counted them off, the instruments joining in on the intro. The albums Cadence had mentioned to Ezvin weren't random. She had listened to the two albums almost exclusively while writing the songs for "Embrace You". It was an odd idiosyncrasy that Cadence had; the ability to listen to others while working on her own stuff. Never had she done it to this degree. The band, knowing this often asked for her ear worms while they were working too. As a result, Cadence could hear the influence of Brian May in Matt's playing. She could hear John Deacon and Paul McCartney in Casey's Bass. There was a little of Paul McCartney in Barry's keys, and some Ringo Starr mixed with Roger Taylor in the drums. It was the reason why Casey's pick was perfect to bring in Ezvin. Everything she had said with regards to crossing boundries and genres was encapsulated in this song. The song itself, remininsicent of the rock ballads of Queen, was outside her normal genre of pop, but not so far away that it would alienate her core audience. Despite the influences that were heard in the song, it was still Cadence - something unique. A fusion of two musical geniuses. Cadence smiled at the thought. Casey would say three musical geniuses - even though Cadence wouldn't go that far.
When it was time, Cadence joined in our her vocals. She was only singing on this one, her piano playing generally saved for the ballads. Cadence had no idea if Ezvin had ever seen her perform live or not. She wouldn't have put it past him to have watched videos regardless. It would have been a good idea for him to have an idea of what she did live before coming in, but had he seen any performances he would see that her stage persona was not different from that in the studio. The passion and energy were there, only diminished by the lack of choreography and screaming fans. Album or tour, the fans got 100% Cadence.
The song itself was about a light coming through the darkness, pulling the singer out of the abyss. To most, they'd hear a song about love, and that wasn't wrong, but to Cadence it held a deeper meaning. The song was about her mothers - the two women who had pulled her out of the dark abyss. The two women who had saved her life. That's what it meant for her, and that's the emotion she poured into it.
Along with being a warm-up, this would also be her sound check. Her headphones were set to hear the overall sound - essentially - she was hearing exactly what was being recorded. That was important to her. Her voice, a main component, was just that - a component. She needed to hear the whole sound - she needed to hear how the pieces fit together. She made eye contact with the engineer, pointed at Cara and gave a thumbs down. That wasn't odd. Drummers were loud. She also knew Cara wouldn't be phased by it; none of her band would. She then pointed at Barry, and indicated she needed a little more; then to Matt, a little less; and Casey a little less. Finally she pointed at Ezvin, the newcomer, and gave a thumbs up, indicating she needed more of him in the mix. Cadence had no idea if Ezvin would see that as the good sign it was meant to be.
The song came to an end and Cadence pulled her headphones off and turned to her band. They were all smiles and she was as well. "Well that gets the blood going, doesn't it?" she said, jumping a few times to release the residual energy. Finally she turned to their newcomer. "Well...what do you think?"
"Perfect!" she said, turning to the band. "Which song should we baptize him with?"
"'Embrace You' needs an acoustic guitar?" Matt suggested, it was also his duet with her, which she knew was making him nervous. He was unsure about singing, but Cadence knew he could - and he'd be ready in time.
"Bright Star In The Sky," suggested Barry.
Cadence shook her head. "No - both too slow for a warm up."
She turned to Casey, who stood with a smile. "Shine on Me," she said, holding up the sheet music she had pulled from the bag.
The band agreed and Casey took the music and put it on a stand before Ezvin. "Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Key of B-flat, Ez!" Casey said with a grin, giving Ezvin a jovial slap to the shoulder. Cadence smiled. If Casey was acting like this around Ezvin, it meant he had passed her first test. Casey had known Cadence the longest out of any of them. They had been college roommates, and she was very protective of Cadence. "Ready Cade?"
Cadence put on her headset and the band did the same. "Alright - this may be a warm-up, but you know we record everything. Never know - might get it perfect the first time," the words were said with a playful smile. That was a very unlikely scenario.
Cadence got their acknowledgement and she nodded. Cara counted them off, the instruments joining in on the intro. The albums Cadence had mentioned to Ezvin weren't random. She had listened to the two albums almost exclusively while writing the songs for "Embrace You". It was an odd idiosyncrasy that Cadence had; the ability to listen to others while working on her own stuff. Never had she done it to this degree. The band, knowing this often asked for her ear worms while they were working too. As a result, Cadence could hear the influence of Brian May in Matt's playing. She could hear John Deacon and Paul McCartney in Casey's Bass. There was a little of Paul McCartney in Barry's keys, and some Ringo Starr mixed with Roger Taylor in the drums. It was the reason why Casey's pick was perfect to bring in Ezvin. Everything she had said with regards to crossing boundries and genres was encapsulated in this song. The song itself, remininsicent of the rock ballads of Queen, was outside her normal genre of pop, but not so far away that it would alienate her core audience. Despite the influences that were heard in the song, it was still Cadence - something unique. A fusion of two musical geniuses. Cadence smiled at the thought. Casey would say three musical geniuses - even though Cadence wouldn't go that far.
When it was time, Cadence joined in our her vocals. She was only singing on this one, her piano playing generally saved for the ballads. Cadence had no idea if Ezvin had ever seen her perform live or not. She wouldn't have put it past him to have watched videos regardless. It would have been a good idea for him to have an idea of what she did live before coming in, but had he seen any performances he would see that her stage persona was not different from that in the studio. The passion and energy were there, only diminished by the lack of choreography and screaming fans. Album or tour, the fans got 100% Cadence.
The song itself was about a light coming through the darkness, pulling the singer out of the abyss. To most, they'd hear a song about love, and that wasn't wrong, but to Cadence it held a deeper meaning. The song was about her mothers - the two women who had pulled her out of the dark abyss. The two women who had saved her life. That's what it meant for her, and that's the emotion she poured into it.
Along with being a warm-up, this would also be her sound check. Her headphones were set to hear the overall sound - essentially - she was hearing exactly what was being recorded. That was important to her. Her voice, a main component, was just that - a component. She needed to hear the whole sound - she needed to hear how the pieces fit together. She made eye contact with the engineer, pointed at Cara and gave a thumbs down. That wasn't odd. Drummers were loud. She also knew Cara wouldn't be phased by it; none of her band would. She then pointed at Barry, and indicated she needed a little more; then to Matt, a little less; and Casey a little less. Finally she pointed at Ezvin, the newcomer, and gave a thumbs up, indicating she needed more of him in the mix. Cadence had no idea if Ezvin would see that as the good sign it was meant to be.
The song came to an end and Cadence pulled her headphones off and turned to her band. They were all smiles and she was as well. "Well that gets the blood going, doesn't it?" she said, jumping a few times to release the residual energy. Finally she turned to their newcomer. "Well...what do you think?"
Sometimes - People Are The Monsters