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Of all the songs on OFD, the song Spirits has a deeper meaning to me. It is my practice to start with song titles for the most part, as they in turn create a mental image, a kind of conceptual road map which I then follow along and create the music accordingly. As I was pulling together all my samples for the OFD songs, I had originally thought of using samples from the awesome movie The Changeling starring George C. Scott, but for some reason it didn't happen that way. The following account is what actually happened. I can't explain any of it. I only know it happened. I only know that any of you who have OFD can experience the result as well. I have no idea if those people that claim to see apparitions or spectres, or feel cold spots, or live in haunted houses are telling the truth. It seems that most haunting experiences are very personal and difficult to document. What you are about to read is in fact documented, and though I have heard the song dozens of times I still can't explain it. Maybe somethings can never be explained?
Synthy's Believe It Or Not
I had pretty much completed stealing the samples for all of October's Fool Day. I had 2 tracks left to finish; Technostacy Island and Spirits. I decided to use The Bellero Shield episode for Technostacy Island since it fit very nicely with the theme of the song, so that left only the song Spirits to swipe some film samples for. I had planned to use The Changeling for the samples and since it was one of my favorite ghost genre films I was looking forward to watching it yet again. I don't know why I don't own this incredible film? I surely rent it enough to have paid for it. Anyway I went to the local video store I frequent for their 5 videos for $5 for 5 days special only to discover that The Changeling was rented! I figured I'd just go to Best Buy and finally purchase the video.
I pulled into the parking lot and headed towards Best Buy. Once inside I browsed the software section, and then meandered over to the cd racks. By this time I had forgotten why the hell I was here. After looking about the cds I wandered towards the back where the TVs were and was watching Jerry Springer (no idea what the show was about, but there were girls in bikinis), I then walked to the bargain bin video racks and remembered about The Changeling and why I was there... but it was too late as I was looking through the close-out videos. There was also a table stacked with videos that had been pretty well rummaged. As I started picking through the leftovers I found a double video that caught my eye. It was entitled "FROM BEYOND: Ghosts, Poltergeists, Demons and Spirits," and it was $2.99! (I think it was a show from the Sci-Fi channel or the Discovery Channel? One of those shows anyway.) I bought it and forgot all about The Changeling.
I got home and watched both videos in the 2 tape set. As I watched the footage, I had audio outputs from the VCR going into my computer and into Sonicfoundry's Soundforge. When I got a bit I liked, I would sample it into the computer and save it for later use in the song Spirits. I finally made it through both videos and had a bunch of samples to listen to and possibly work into the song Spirits. Later that night I was in the studio and loaded up the samples I thought would work the best. I wasn't worried about mixes yet, just parts that might fit within the time frames I had open. I found a couple that worked but since it was late I shut down and went to bed.
The next night I was doing my final mix on all the songs prior to dumping them into another program called Session 8. This is where I create my masters or final mixes for burning onto cd. I started around 8:00 PM and by the time I got to Spirits it was about 11:40. I remember this because I checked the time as I was concerned that it was too late to be blasting the OFD tunes over the speakers. Out of respect for my neighbors from India (who I know must think I am insane!) I decided to throw on the headphones. I hit the play button and was listening for audible hiss that might be the result of the samples I was using from the "FROM BEYOND..." videos. The samples I had finally settled on where these comments by this expert ghost lady and I was concerned that her denture noise might be too much. ;^) Well I got past her first speel and was listening to her second comment about possession when I heard it. I hit the stop button and scrolled back a few measures. I played it again and I heard it again. I took off my headphones and walked out of the studio a little freaked. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a Dr. Pepper and noticed the clock. It was a litte after midnight.
I wasn't sure what was happening, but I went back into the studio. I put on the headphones and cued up the sample. I listened many times. In the video, the ghost lady expert is sitting on a porch. It is daytime. There is an outside ambience happening as she talks, nothing weird at all. But now, in my studio, at the end of her speel, I could hear it. A child's voice says "help me."
If you listen really hard with headphones to her second speech about possession, I can't remember the time it occurs, but there is actually a child's voice at the end that says "help me" in the background just as she ends her comments! I thought "oh I know they put stuff like this on the video to scare people." Yeah right. The next day I listened to both videos with headphones and could not find any other instances of this type, also the child's voice saying "help me," is so low in the mix that anyone just watching the videos would not even here this. It is very subtle, but it is there. Can I explain it? No. How did I chose this exact sample out of two 30 minute videos? Why didn't I just buy The Changeling like I had planned? Out of all the videos in the close-out pile at Best Buy how did I zero in on this one? There weren't multiple copies on sale, as I remember it was the only one. Was it meant for me to buy? Was the child's voice, which isn't even 5 seconds long, meant for me to hear? Was it just a coicidence that I heard the sample at midnight? That I was wearing headphones? I have no idea. Maybe it all means nothing? Unlike most supernatural experiences this was not a solo experience. Any of you who have the OFD cd can experience what I experienced that night in my studio. I have no answers, only questions.
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