INGRID (ENGLISH VERSION)

OVER THE TOP

In the summer of 2013, the six of us returned to the studio to record our second album. Recordings took place at school once again, because we needed instruments that we didn't acquire, of course. That means, that we could find anything we needed at school. Fortunately we had two whole months available, as it was holiday time and obviously I had no lessons.

So, it was high time we showed each other what we had written and of course, time for me to lose the bet, because my music sounded like progressive rock combined with electronic and experimental music, that is exactly like I Robot. One morning, they left me at home sleeping and they obviously went at the recording session. Then, I was woken up by a call: "Who is it?", I said bleary-eyed.

"Hi, Ingrid, it's us. Come to the studio, now",  Vivian's voice was heard.

"But why have you left me sleeping?", I complained.

"Oh, stop complaining and come! Get ready and be here as quick as you can. Or you can ask your father to take you".

Fortunately, my dad eventually took me to school and during all the way he was talking to me about irrelevant stuff. I was only shaking my head, pretending I was paying attention to him, but in fact, my mind was thinking of other things. Eventually, he realised and asked me: "Is everything ok with the band?"

"Yeah!", I said. "However the other guys told me to come very quickly at the session, even though it was them the ones who left me sleeping. I'm sure they are cooking up something".

"They might have a surprise for you. Who knows?"

Entering the recording room, I realised that, while in a hurry, I forgot to bring my demo cassettes. However, it was proved that this wasn't needed at all. I found the others sitting around a computer with Vivian in the middle, who said when she saw me: "Good morning, little virtuosa". I remained still for a while, looking at them, as if I were an alien that just fell to earth, but Dina said: "Youngster, I'm afraid you lost the bet".

I seemed not to be able to grasp a thing, but Vivian showed me the cassettes. The cassettes with my own demos! These urchins boned them, that's why they left me sleeping at home!

"Well, this reminds me of progressive rock blended with electronic music. This is what Alan Parsons did for the first time", Vivian said.

"So....", I tried to complain.

"So, this is the best thing you could ever write. Congatulations! Now we can move to anooooother level and we are about to become a number one band". I started laughing at Vivian's  nonsense words. Then, she patted me on the back and whispered: "You lost the bet and I still expect to see your video".

And indeed, in the end they filmed me standing on a table and singing USSR anthem! And I can tell that this was a rather traumatic experience for me.

We spent the rest of the summer recording. As I previously mentioned, this album was composed by the whole band together. However, I had something in my mind, which belong exclusively to my own ideas. I didn't want us to do the same things that we did with Endless Quest, but have a musical style a bit over the top. I needed a teeming sound with every kind of instruments. For that, a Hammond Organ wasn't enough. Obviously, we could use it as the base of the songs, however the main melody should be given to other instruments. Even though I had always believed that I would never become inspired by heavy music, there was a band I was a huge fan of: Stratovarius. What they did and amazed me most of all, was that in their solos they were alternating electric guitar with synthesizers and they used to play these solos in a great speed. What I mean, is that I would love us to have something like this in our album, without that meaning that the beat would sound like metal.