What is the first thing one must do before entering an audition?
It is, of course, selecting or creating the song to be performed. However, this is a world where the lineage of band music does not exist.
That's right. To even step foot in an audition, we had to create a song from scratch.
—
The four of us, reunited, sat in a circle in the rehearsal studio, discussing music. Why four? Because this time, too, Ai joined our meeting. She even brought popcorn with her this time.
For a band to maintain its vitality over a long period, it's crucial for the members' dispositions to harmonize well. A band that relies solely on the creativity of one individual inevitably falls into a rut of mannerism.
Of course, I remember the songs I heard and played in my previous life to some extent, and even now, I'm at home transcribing the melodies in my head onto sheet music. But human memory has its limits.
In other words, my musical talent—borrowed from others—will eventually run dry. Truthfully, it's not even talent. In my past life, I was just a talentless hack with nothing but overflowing passion.
Fortunately, the three of us all have distinct styles.
Yokishi, the muscular drummer, favored a sound that, in terms of my past life, would be called heavy metal—fitting his appearance perfectly. Perhaps because he's a drummer, he instinctively leans toward a direction where the drums can be heavily involved.
"Big brother, I like it rough. If your gritty guitar tone was layered over my powerful yet technical drumming, wouldn't that be a masterpiece?"
Then there was our bald bassist, Tanaka Shuji, who possessed a taste reflecting his perfectionist personality. In terms of my previous life, it was like a mix of opera rock and progressive rock.
"Leader, if we make an album, I want to make music that fits a concept. Something grand like an opera with a clear narrative structure, but not too dated. I want us to be able to harmonize even the everyday sounds we make if the need arises."
To put it simply, he has the tastes of a mad scientist of the music world. Honestly, he seems like a lunatic. Can we even make a song that satisfies all those conditions?
'Their tastes are exactly like the auras they give off...'
Now it was my turn to speak.
"I like simple music. To be more specific, a song with a simple melody, seasoned with intense instrumental sounds and carrying a message. As long as those conditions are met, I'm an omnivore for any style."
Rock must be accessible to the public. Music that captures the zeitgeist in a way the masses can understand. Isn't the very root of rock 'n' roll—the core of rock—found in the 'Attitude' of resisting an unreasonable era?
"That all sounds good, but have any of you ever written a song?"
"Uh..."
"Well..."
I knew it. Even if they had, they wouldn't have written a song suited for a band. This is a world without bands, after all.
I stood up and addressed them.
"Let's each compose one song and discuss it again. Now that we know each other's styles, isn't it time to prove which style is superior?"
In reality, there is no hierarchy in music. But isn't it the nature of instrumentalists to stake their lives on their musical tastes? If I set them up to compete like this, they were bound to bring back great songs with fire in their eyes.
"Hey, Chrome Dome. I'll make sure not a single one of your songs gets used."
"Hey, Muscle-mon. Can you even hold a pen with those hands?"
Indeed. Though Shuji might usually be a coward, he was the type to lose all sense of fear when his pride in music was on the line.
The two continued their heated debate until their voices rose, nearly coming to blows.
'Don't you feel embarrassed with a thirteen-year-old girl sitting behind you eating popcorn and watching like it's an entertaining show...?'
In the midst of that, Ai, who had been quietly munching on her popcorn, spoke up and informed us of an important fact.
"But for the [Asayan] preliminaries, they judge you based on cover songs?"
"""Huh?"""
"Pfft, Kyahahaha! (≧∇≦)"
Ai clutched her stomach and laughed so hard at the three of us that she even dropped the popcorn in her hand. Looking at her reaction, she definitely knew and kept it to herself.