Song formerly known as “SnappleMann is an Asshole (part 1)”

NOTES: So uh…this song…yeah…Let me give you a little backstory.

Early February I decided I wanted to participate in the Dwelling of Duels of that month, the theme was Sports Games. I talked to Snappleman about it, and we decided to collaborate. We brainstormed several ideas but never settled on anything. Finally, Snappleman gets the idea that he and I should have an epic DoD battle, where he would cover the NBA on NBC theme, and I would do the NFL on Fox theme. Both are in video games. So we start trash-talking and I get pumped up. Snappleman sends me a link to the NHL on ESPN theme, which is likewise as epic and he tells me that he was going to add it to his song. Not about to let him one-up me, I added the MLB on Fox theme. The battle was ON!

…but Snappleman flaked out a day later and told me he wouldn’t do his song. I kept on trucking, because I was hoping that he would make the song 3 days before deadline (which he always does, mind you), but if he didn’t then I still had a cool song to enter. But time apparently was not on my side in February, and I found myself scrambling hardcore to finish up the track, and I was in Super-Punchfest mode the day of deadline to get tangible material in to compete. The shred section was meant to fill length and really didn’t add much musical content.

But, apparently I had another dilemma. Those sports themes were not created for video games, and there’s been a constant debate and grey area over at DoD about such songs. Not to mention, there was no section created on the DoD page to address music of this manner, but I was way too far in, I submitted, and prayed that Paragon would understand, and I threatened to kick his ass if he disqualified me.

So he did.

This is why Paragon is now the asshole. Without negotiation, my track was demoted to Alternate and taken out of competition. It was originally named “SnappleMann is an Asshole (part 1)” obviously because of aforementioned reasons, but also because this track is more of a beta track and I will develop it into the original vision I had for it. It’s not NEARLY the song I want it to be. Plus, it’s a parody of a couple of Snappleman’s song names: “Manning Up (part 1)” and “Where No Mann Has Gone Before (part 1)”

So just be wary. You might think this arrangement rocks, you might think it sucks, but do know there’s a LOT more to come and I guarantee it will give you chest hair and increase your testicular fortitude when you hear the final version.

NOTES: Oh boy. What is this crap? Yes, I took 3 of the most popular Surf instrumentals and made them Metal. Very metal. I think I’ll be adding Hawaii 5-0′s theme to it and some other stuff some time in the future, but now now. Either way, enjoy.

NOTES: I made this quick arrangement in about 30 minutes by request of my buddy Audi. This is an arrangement of the Airwolf TV theme song. And If you don’t know what Airsex is, don’t worry about it.

NOTES: Take On Me is a great tune. Perhaps poppy, but still a really rocking tune. Tony Mansueto gave this idea to me and I jumped on it. He did all the vocals and I did all the instruments. The vocal style is definitely an acquired taste and I wouldn’t be hurt if you didn’t enjoy the vocals. We did it for the lawls.

NOTES: The first version of this arrangement was done for "Shattered Discoball," a Disco to Metal conversion project on the Megadeth forums. This version is a re-recording of the old version. All instruments by me, vocals by Slay.

NOTES: Despite being my worst placing DoD track to date, it was still really fun to make this song. Ever since the first time I heard the original Knights of Cydonia song by Muse, I thought it sounded like Zelda metal. Only until recently did I try to turn that into a reality. During the DoD month that this for (February) I was very busy with many other things, and while I wanted to enter that month, I couldn’t do a lot of work. So this song came from that. As I was arranging it, I became very surprised at how well the songs went together, and you will be too. The reason why this song is under arrangements instead of video game covers is exactly that. It’s more of the Muse song than the Zelda songs, which ultimately led to it’s demise in DoD. I got my musical compadre Travis Moberg to do vocals in one night and a few hours of recording from never having listened to my version of the track, nor the vocal melody, nor the lyrics. On the spot. Way to go.

Lyrics:

Listen to me,
I’m the great Deku Tree,
Put the boy to the test
He must begin his quest

But how will Link win,
With his health almost gone?
Use the red potion
Or Ganon will waste you

No one’s gonna take Link alive,
Heart pieces will make him survive
The Triforce must return to the light,
He’ll use the Ocarina of Time.

NOTES: A pretty straight cover of Dethklok’s "Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle." This is also the first song I recorded using my POD X3 Live. The rhythm tone in this is a Dual Tone using my two main rhythm tones used when I used a Guitar Port. The riffs are a tiny bit different and drums are fairly different. Song has been updated recently with re-recorded Guitar and Bass and new Drums. I also brought in my buddy Andrew Johnsen to handle the vocals.

NOTES: This started out a cover of Malice Mizer’s "S-CONSCIOUS," but became pretty different. The bass line is the bass line from the Peter Gunn theme, I found the loudest, most obnoxious drum samples I could find, and for the feedback, I used a crappy microphone, first on a guitar amp, and then on the computer’s speakers as the song itself played. For the vocals, I used the same microphone through a distortion pedal.