Pokémon Survey!

This is really long because I had far too much fun filling it out, but hey!


::THE PAST::
1.When and how did you first discover Pokemon?
I believe I was in second grade, and my father was driving my bro and I to class in his car— which had a television in the back. The second episode of Pokemon happened to be on, having just aired that weekend, and we were hooked instantly. Needless to say it was all I could think about for the rest of the week… and then some.

2.What was the first Pokemon you ever saw?
I want to say Pikachu, since that guy is everywhere, but it might actually have been Koffing… who was my ‘favorite Pokemon’ after I first saw the aforementioned episode, as he amused me greatly. I called him ‘Mister Coffee,’ no lie.

3.What was your first RPG Pokemon game?
Silver version. I wasn’t allowed to get a Gameboy until I was almost 10, which was just in time to start saving like a madman for it. My brother got Yellow version about a year prior, though, and after watching him, I couldn’t wait to have my own adventure.

4.What was your first non-RPG Pokemon game?
Oh geez, I have no idea… was it Pinball? Honestly, I’m only focused on the RPG and battle games.

5.What was your first starter?
Cyndaquil. I adored him. He also started my long-standing tradition: always get a male Fire starter, and always name him Fireball.

6.Did you ever trade with anybody other then siblings? What Pokemon?
I was ostracized by my classmates and had no friends, but I did have three brothers, although only one of them (my eldest bro, who saw that first episode with me) ever really traded (I traded him a Remoraid for something once, which came back and bit me hard— that fish evolved into his infamously awesome Octillery, who he regularly used to kick my butt in Link battles). However, I’ll never forget the one day in sixth grade when we were allowed to bring Gameboys to school— I traded my Moltres to this one kid in class for his ‘extra’ Celebi, who was level 5. I never, ever regretted it. I loved that Celebi more than anything.

7.Did you watch the TV show? Do you still watch it?
I watched it as much as I possibly could, but I stopped watching it after Master Quest ended as it started to get awfully repetitive. The charm of the first two generations never really came back, which is a shame. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the Isshu season when it airs, though.

8.What was your fav character? Human and Pokemon?
As a kid, Sabrina was my favorite character, because not only do I adore Psychic types, but my bros all insisted I looked like her, which was the bomb. Now my favorite character is Morty because not only is he supercool, but he uses Ghosts and I love those things so much you have no idea.
My all-time favorite Pokemon will forever be Celebi.

9.Did you collect the cards? Can you remember your first card?
Yes, and definitely. I wasn’t allowed to buy the cards at first, but I was so enamored with those monsters that I actually stole one from my classmate’s desk in 4th grade: a Nidoran♂. I felt so awful afterward that I practically wrote a speech for an apology, but the kid wasn’t really fazed and let me keep the card. Needless to say, I not only still have it, but I make it a point to raise myself a Nidoking in every game I get.

10.Did you ever get one of your Pokemon up to lv100?
Quite a few of ‘em, actually. I think my first one was either Celebi or Fireball (the Typhlosion), both on Silver.

11.Have you ever encountered MissingNo.?
You bet I did. I didn’t get Red until I was 11, but that thing and I were no strangers. My brother and I even used to write him into our comics as a villain, heh.


::PRESENT::
12.What are your favorite 1-3 Pokemon of each generation?
Only 3? Heck, I’m adding 1 extra for a Legendary slot because those dudes are BAMFS.
(I’m also skipping Gen V because I refuse to spoil B&W for anyone before they’re released)

Gen I - Gengar, Beedrill, Magmar, Mewtwo

Gen II - Misdreavus, Sneasel, Tyrogue, Celebi (duh)

Gen III - Banette, Shuppet, Mawile, Jirachi

Gen IV - Froslass, Gliscor, Togekiss, Darkrai


13.What are your fav 6 Pokemon to use?
I’m not going to answer this with a definite 6 as it changes from game to game… but I do try vehemently to get a Celebi and/or Banette on my team whenever possible. Plus I always seem to end up with a Beedrill and/or Togetic for some reason.

14.Fav Types? Why?
Ghost, Psychic, Fire and Bug. I really like insects, I have an obsession with fire/ mental phenomena, and Ghost Pokemon are just made of absolute win.

15.Out of your siblings/friends, are you the best at Pokemon?
That depends on which aspect you’re focusing on. Of my three brothers, one is a casual player, one makes it a point to beat every game within days/weeks of getting it (including getting as many monsters to Lv100 as possible), and the eldest is just fan-freaking-tastic at battling. Personally I focus on filling up my ‘Dex, but when it comes to my team I go all out. I love my monsters.

16.How many Pokemon do you have in your Pokedex currently? Which ones are you missing?
My current main game is Soul Silver (I still haven’t beaten the Elite 4 on Pearl but I’m not too happy with my file), and I currently have about 140 in my ‘Dex, with 7 badges.

17.Have you ever competed in a Pokemon event?
No; I’m still learning the IV/EV training thing and frankly, I’d rather lose myself in the game than turn it into a matter of ‘business’ in that respect. I tried that approach on Pearl, but it didn’t appeal to me, and it’s why I’m enjoying SS so much more.
I do regularly build around natures/ personalities, though, if that counts.

18.Do you have one of the legendary unobtainables (Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Deoxys)?
You bet I do! On Silver I had a legit Celebi and was trying to get a Mew before the battery died (she was one of the last 3 or 4 mons I was missing). On Ruby my Celebi and Jirachi are legit, but there have been no Deoxys events in my area so he’s still missing. On Pearl I have a legit Manaphy and Celebi, but once again there have been no local events… so I hacked the game to get Darkrai because Lord knows I adore that guy. Lastly, on Soul Silver, I have— get this folks— a legit Manaphy, Mew, and Jirachi so far (I don’t trade my Celebis as I’d rather have a unique one in every game).
I swear, if I have to drive to NYC at 3AM to get the G5 legendary, I will do it.

19.How many lv 100s do you have and what are they?
I have none on Pearl and I had a handful on Silver, which included my Typhlosion, Celebi, Lugia and Mewtwo. On Ruby I have my Blaziken, Jirachi and Rayquaza maxed out. Lastly, on SS all my dudes are still in the mid-40s so it’s going to be a while, but I’m willing to bet my Banette will be the first one there this time.

20.Who is your fav gym leader?
Besides Sabrina and Morty? I’d have to say Pryce. He’s an awesome guy.
Oddly enough, I don’t really remember any of the leaders from RSE or DPP, which is a shame (I remember fighting Wallace, though, as I was on my way to a music competition). I should find myself a copy of Sapphire and give that generation one last run… and Platinum’s the only RPG installment I don’t own yet, so…

21.What is your fav region?
I usually say Johto (for nostalgia), but actually, I strongly prefer Hoenn. It was beautiful… especially the whole area from Fortree to Lilycove. I swear I lived there.
Something tells me Isshu is going to be downright brilliant as well.

::YOU’RE THE TRAINER!::
22.What is your trainer name?
Jewel, of course!

23.What is your ID number (for the game you play the most of your fav)?
I still remember my old Silver ID… 54424. I had around 400 hours on it.
And what the hey; I’ll list all of them. Red is 15003 (used to be 59082), Crystal is 28056, Ruby is 23381, Emerald is 37305, Fire Red is 64338, Pearl is 04393, and Soul Silver is 27165.

24.Are you a trainer, breeder or other? Explain.
I’m a hardcore trainer, but since I wanna be the very best (like no one ever was), I’m also technically a collector since I’m bent on catching everything.
Otherwise you can just call me the Shuppetmaster. I have 46 of them.

25. Are you good or evil?
I am so good that Blisseys and Togekisses follow me in swarms— nah, just kidding on that part. I am a hardcore hero, however. FEAR ME, GIOVANNI.

26.If evil, which team would you belong to?
I wouldn’t. I don’t believe in their motives or methods.

27.Trainer stuff. (gender, age, species, clothes, anything special)
Gender: Nothin’, just like my Celebi
Age: 20
Date of Birth: May 7
Eye Colour: Brown (or white if I feel like it)
Hair Colour: Brown (see above)
Type: Supertrainer
Clothes: Black jeans, red sneaks, spiffy white+red short-sleeve top
Miscellaneous: I am overprotective of my Pokemon. If you hurt them I will end you

28.What is your fav Pokeball?
Cherish Balls and Luxury Balls; they’re gorgeous.

29.Where does your trainer live?
I’d love to live in Fortree because it is brilliant and I adore its location. I am partial to Ecruteak and Azalea though, because not only are they near Ilex and Morty, two very awesome things, but I live in a small forest-surrounded town anyway so I’d be used to it.
Otherwise I’d love to live in Arborville for obvious reasons.

30.What is the story behind your character? Example; past, why they became a trainer, destiny, etc.
It’s just me, love. At age 10 I was all “oh man this is gonna be awesome” and then I was hooked for life and a decade later here I am!

31.Does your character have a trademark or phrase? What is it, and why is it?
Unless you count my using affectionate terms with my monsters, I don’t have anything specific. I’m just a weirdo with a sense of humor and a killer team.


::POKEMON::

32.What is your Character’s main Pokemon? (like Ash’s Pikachu)
I’ll list the top one for each version, excluding Celebi and my Starters.
Red= Ultraking the ♂Nidoking / Silver= Zappy the Zapdos / Crystal= Cloudwing the ♂Azumarill / Ruby= Brilnimien the ♀Gardevoir / Emerald= Bauble the ♀Sableye / Fire Red= Fate the ♂Beedrill / Pearl= Neldoreth the ♂Roserade / Soul Silver= Gleam the ♂Banette

33.What is their name, age, level, gender, and personality nature? (as in naive, hardy, etc.)
I’m only filling ‘em in for the applicable monsters.
Brilnimien= Lv.96, caught on Rt.102 at Lv.4. Docile nature.
Bauble= Lv.46, caught in Granite Cave at Lv.10. Gentle nature.
Fate= Lv.54, caught on Rt.2 at Lv.4. Sassy nature.
Neldoreth= Lv.58, caught on Rt.204 at Lv.4. Quirky nature, thoroughly cunning.
Gleam= Lv.46, caught at Lv.2 at Lake Verity and traded. Rash nature, good endurance.

34.What is the reason for the name?
Ultraking= I daresay this is self-explanatory.
Zappy= Ditto!
Cloudwing= It’s just a random name that sounds awesome.
Brilnimien= It means “brilliant white maiden” in Elvish.
Bauble= The gems on her sprite reminded me of Christmas ornaments, which can also be called baubles, and I thought that was an adorable name for her.
Fate= He has a Butterfree sister named Destiny, so it was only fitting.
Neldoreth= It’s the name of a beech forest in Doriath, from the Lord of the Rings series.
Gleam= In December 2009, I had a dream in which I met a Banette named Gleam. This is him in game form.

35.What is the story behind the Pokemon?
Ultraking= He’s supposed to be the in-game version of that special Nidoran card.
Zappy= Come on, Zapdos are awesome. This guy carried me through both Red and Silver before both files were lost.
Cloudwing= I hunted down a Marrill for ages, and when I got this guy he became my team star. While the others were all around Lv30, he was almost at 70 and burned right through the Elite Four.
Brilnimien= She’s beyond words. I had no idea Ralts existed when I ran into her, and so I caught her and started leveling her up. The rest is history.
Bauble= I like Sableyes but never gave then a real shot in my team, so when I caught her I simply decided to change that.
Fate= I love Beedrills so I leveled up a Weedle and got this brilliant sonofagun.
Neldoreth= I caught a Budew, realized he was awesome, and started training like mad.
Gleam= See the hyperlink in the previous answer.

36.What level is it currently?
We just answered this. Their levels have not changed over the past 5 minutes.

37.What makes them unique? (What do they look like, can they talk, what is it’s true personality)
All of the Pokemon talk in my games. Don’t be hatin’. As for quirks…
Ultraking= He was in a relationship with CLL?!!, my Clefable (the original CLL?!! was my brother’s on Yellow, whose name was random. She became so awesome that we both now name all our Clefables after her). He was the ‘soft-hearted tough guy’ of the team.
Zappy= Zappy was my flier and probably my most beloved team member. He didn’t talk much but everyone on my team loved him. I miss him terribly.
Cloudwing= Cloudwing is a BAMF. I already mentioned his Elite 4 legacy, but besides that, he’s my closest friend on Crystal and made the game worth playing for me.
Brilnimien= The ‘second-in-command’ of my team, she has a very compassionate side but it’s hard to notice unless you really know her; she’s an incredibly tough gal and has gotten me through some seriously tight spots.
Bauble= She’s a little shy but she knows she’s my team leader, and so she doesn’t back down. Her best friend is Head Chala the Electrode, who is named after the Dragonball Z theme song.
Fate= Fate is a smart-mouthed, wisecracking maniac. He’s loud and talkative, never hesitating to spit taunts at opponents, and can cheer anybody up on a down day. He also adores Pokemon Centers, referring to them as ‘the healings’ and insisting he ‘receive them’ whenever possible. I’ve never had such a joker of a ‘mon before, and I’ve been seriously missing out.
Neldoreth= Like Fate, Neldy is the most extroverted member of my team, but what he lacks in the clown category he makes up for with his quirkiness. Neldoreth is a total drama king, and is obsessed with the art of the stage, frequently treating his battles like plays… in which he has the starring role, of course. There is never a dull moment around him.
Gleam= I love him to death. He’s the most mature member of my team and holds everyone together. He is very emotional, often jumping into decisions without using his head, but does have a healthy sense of humor, which is usually manifested in witty asides. Above all, he and I are incredibly close, and although I haven’t gotten too far in SS yet, I’m sure we have some amazing adventures just around the corner.

38.How long have you had that pokemon in real life?
Look at the release dates for the games they’re in, and that’s pretty much the year I got ‘em in… well, except for Ultraking. He’s from 2001.

39.What is your other Pokemon on the team and their names and genders.
I’m only going to list my three main games here; the others aren’t nearly developed enough— and I’ll leave out my Celebis because IMO they’re all the same gal!
RUBY= Fireball the ♂Blaziken, Relaxed nature, Lv100. The best Fireball ever and our team’s indisputable leader. / Shendu the Rayquaza, Lax nature, Lv100. A lovable bum who is obsessed with peanut butter. / Dolenanca the ♀Mawile, Gentle nature, Lv68. She hides her soft side under her sarcastic, action-oriented demeanor. / Aranodor the Groudon, Calm nature, Lv79. He’s slightly overweight and shy, but is a great dude. / Jirachi, Bold nature, Lv.100. She’s driven and emotional, and values her friends above all else.
PEARL= Button the ♂Honchkrow, Relaxed nature, Capable of taking hits, Lv58. A total mafia boss with a smoking problem, but a seriously nice guy underneath all that noir. / Miringiel the ♀Froslass, Sassy nature, Often scatters things, Lv55. She’s rather shy and passive-aggressive, but has a very sweet side. / Nienna the ♀Mismagius, Calm nature, Strong willed, Lv40. The nicest gal on my team, she’s smarter than she looks and is a bit of a tease. / Moradar the ♂Banette, Adamant nature, Strong willed, Lv40. Incredibly ‘random’ and hyperactive. He doesn’t like when things don’t go his way. / Heartbreak the Darkrai, Gentle nature, Quick to flee, Lv60. A bleeding-heart loner who is ridiculously sensitive. He’s a very deep thinker.
SOUL SILVER= Axel the ♂Magmortar, Bashful nature, Quick to flee, Lv44. He’s self-conscious about his appearance, but tries not to show it. He’s a real sweetheart and has a strong protective streak. / Sweeteamob the ♂Gengar, Modest nature, Quick to flee, Lv44. The trillest ghost in existence, he keeps up a ‘gangsta’ persona for fun but is a nicer guy than he lets on. He speaks in autotune. / Zenyx the ♂Togekiss, Lonely nature, likes to relax, Lv44. He tends to keep to himself but is a valiant character, not letting anyone mess with him or his friends. He’s also gay, which is an awesome first. / Ezekiel the ♂Beedrill, Calm nature, Somewhat stubborn, Lv36. Fate’s opposite in every way, Zeke is a levelheaded and intelligent guy. He is an extrovert, though. / Arjuna the ♀Quagsire, Docile nature, Often dozes off, Lv20. Our HM lady, she is rarely disturbed by anything and is content to just enjoy life one day at a time.

40.What is the relationship between your team of Pokemon?
Well, besides my giving them all epic amounts of love, we have these relationships:
RUBY= Brilnimien and Fireball are a couple and have been since I started the game. Shendu and Aranodor are bros for life. Jirachi wants a Deoxys boyfriend but she has to be patient!
PEARL= Button and Miringiel seem to be in a relationship, although Mirry won’t admit it outright. Nienna and Moradar are BFFs and constantly bug each other. Heartbreak is in a relationship with Jelly, my Mesprit, and is very shy about it.
SOUL SILVER= Zenyx has a minor crush on Sweeteamob which is adorable, and of course Gleam and I are inseparable. All the guys on my team are also total bros. Axel carried around my Manaphy egg when I got it, so when he hatched, Axel promptly ‘adopted’ him— and named him Rose. Exactly.


::MISCELLANEOUS::
41.What is your fav console?
XBox 360 and PS1. Nier and Klonoa FOREVS

42.Your view on the name, Wii?
Whatever works for you. I personally think it fits the ‘feel’ of the console better than the original Revolution title, as it’s a more ‘docile’ system than the latter suggests.

43.Are you getting Pokemon Black/White?
The day it comes out, boy. If there’s a midnight release I will be there for sure.

44.Have you decided on the starter you’ll use?
Pokabu, of course! He will be the 10th in a long line of Fireballs.

45.Have you ever thought a Pokemon was ‘sexy’?
That word isn’t in my vocabulary, but attractive is… and I will admit, I am attracted to Banettes, Darkrais and Celebis. You can punch me now.

46.How long have you liked Pokemon?
Since it hit American shores.

47.Do you go off your nut when someone says Pokemon and those who like it are gay?
I don’t flip out, but I do defend it… unfortunately I am super gay so that doesn’t really help towards that end, haha.

48.Do you like or hate Pikachu?
Ash’s Pikachu? I don’t mind him. He’s pretty cool.

49.In your room, how many pokemon items do you own, and what are they?
Besides all of these, I have three binders of cards, several old coloring books, a Jirachi plush, a Darkrai plush, several old Pokedolls, and other paraphernalia. Mmmyep.

50. What did you think of this Quiz?
It was fun— and it finally allowed me to talk about my insane monsters that I love so much, so thanks a ton!

 

Top 30 questions about my (current) Top 30

 

I last took this quiz in early 2009, when my music library was roughly 1/100th of what is is now, haha. Seriously, I have discovered so many beautiful musicians since then it's insane.

 

As a result, here we go.

 

1. How did you get into 29?

 

That is John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers, and they and I actually go WAY back. I first heard the song "Gloria: III. Vivace e Ritmico" back around Christmas in, what, 2002? I had no idea what it was, though, and I hunted it down for years. Patience is a virtue, though, and on October 19th 2009 (thanks to the magic of Google and iTunes), I found it! I wrote a little entry about it on my old Blurty if you want to read it, haha. So yes, great memories for #29. So yeah, that songs means a LOT to me, probably forever.

 

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22?

 

For Bersarin Quartett-- who is amazing-- it was St. Petersburg, and I first heard it on January 19th, 2010. I then promptly became addicted.

 

3. How many albums by 13 do you own?

 

13 is Nikakoi, aka erast, aka Nika Machaidze, who is awesome. I own his albums "Sestrichka," "Selected" and "Requiem for Deranged Robot," although the latter two are not listed on his artist page. I cannot find "Sentimental" anywhere as of yet, but I plan to.

 

4. What is your favorite song by 15?

 

15 is the genius known as Jeff Beck, and if it's not obvious that I adore Nadia, you obviously have not looked at my Last.fm listening stats. I grew up with this guy's music, by the way, thanks dad!

 

5. What is your favorite song by 5?

 

That's Midicronica, and my favorite song by them is probably s501. I also love Pillow jam and deep blue.

 

6. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?

 

The vast majority of Todd Rundgren's music makes me happy. I'd have to say Never Never Land holds the top spot for that mood. It's so sweet; it feels like my childhood and all the imagination it holds.

 

7. What is your favorite song by 10?

 

Ten is Ryuichi Sakamoto, and my favorite song by him is World Citizen, no contest. Prior to that it was The Sheltering Sky Theme (Piano Version), which was actually my first exposure to his work. My grandmother randomly gave me that soundtrack one day, not knowing what it was, and I immediately fell in love with the title track. There's a depth of emotion to it that I cannot put into words.

 

8. What is a good memory you have involving 30?

 

Aha, that's Craig Jessop, Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra At Temple Square, who are only this high up on the list because of Requiem: O Nata Lux. That song, besides having my favorite musical mood, is also what I happened to be listening to the first time my headvoice Leon sent us to one of his 'pocket' cathedrals... weird, I know, but it was beautiful. So that's what I think of. Honestly, I hope I always do.

 

9. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy?

 

19 is Guns N' Roses, and honestly, that might actually fit Street Of Dreams. I listened to that song obsessively while working on the "Bonds of String" OCT last year, so it's been permanently mind-linked to a few of those characters (KENZEL I AM LOOKING AT YOU). Plus I love Axl's vocals in that song... to the point where I actually headcanon Kenzel as having a similar voice, haha. It's true!

 

10. How many times have you seen 26 live?

 

That's Hard-FI, and I've never seen them live, but I would like to. I listened to them so much in high school; they feel like a cornerstone of that time of my life.

 

11. What is the first song you ever heard by 23?

 

A.C.T! I love these guys so much already. I first discovered them through researching Frost*'s similar artists on October 6th 2010, and the first song I heard of theirs was Imaginary Friends.

 

12. What is your favorite album by 11?

 

The only albums I own by Forgive Durden is Razia's Shadow: A Musical (Deluxe Version) and the instrumental version of the same. It has quite literally changed my life and so I am forever thankful that I found it... there's a huge story behind how that happened, too, but that's for another time. Suffice to say, it was completely "coincidental," but you all know there's no such thing as those!

 

13. Who is your favorite member of 1?

 

#1 is Frost*, the perpetual holders of that rank, and my favorite member is Jem Godfrey by default. He's an absolutely brilliant man and I look up to him highly.

 

14. Have you ever seen 14 live?

 

That would be Yoko Kanno, and no, I have not seen her live.

 

15. What is a good memory involving 27?

 

Nujabes will forever remind me of driving home from my old University around 11PM, windows down, and enjoying every moment of it. The cold air, the quiet night, the empty roads, the vast starry sky above, and the Samurai Champloo OST playing on loop. Honestly I treasure those memories so much.

 

16. What is your favorite song by 16?

 

My favorite song by Cousteau is Echoes. Seriously, go listen to it. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's also... well, right now, it's one of the top tracks I associate with Chaos 0 and I. It sounds like us, so much. Every time I hear it, it's like he's singing it to me... I can't express how that makes my heart feel.

 

17. What is your favorite album by 18?

 

That's Electric Light Orchestra, and I practically grew up listening to Out Of The Blue. It's their best album in my opinion. No complaints for it basically being the soundtrack of my childhood, haha! Kudos to my mom for playing it in the car so often, seriously. I'd be immediately transported into another world of musical wonder. I was always so amazed and enraptured by the sheer complexity and richness of their music-- it was unlike anything else I had ever heard.

 

18. What is your favorite song by 21?

 

Haha, that's Pocket Monsters, which is basically all of the Pokemon TV series' music. I don't know why it has such a high spot... nevertheless, my favorite song for that is セレビィの復活, from the 4th movie's soundtrack... obviously, with how much that movie, and Celebi herself, mean to me.

 

19. What is the first song you ever heard by 25?

 

I first discovered Keane through Somewhere Only We Know, after hearing it on the radio one sunny afternoon. I daresay many Keane fans probably discovered them that same way, haha. But yeah, there I was, with my little purple boombox on my mom's huge blue bed, flipping through radio channels, and suddenly that song burst through like the sunlight itself. Like ELO as a child, I'd never heard anything like this on the popular music scene, and it set the stage for the huge and imminent change of my life that was high school. I recorded that track to a cassette tape and looped it until I saved up enough allowance to buy the CD-- and yes, I looped that album for MONTHS. It became the soundtrack to all my Zatch Bell fanworks, actually, which I've never mentioned before. But yeah, it meant a lot to me, and probably will forever. So thanks Keane!

 

20. What is your favorite album by 2?

 

#2 is still Max Richter, and my favorite album by him is still Songs From Before. It's a lovely album, even though it's sadly short.

 

21. What is you favorite song by 3?

 

That is Square Enix Music (read: the NieR OST), and I adore Shadowlord's Castle (Memory). It is personally one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. The strange language of the choir, the haunting chords, that tragic organ accompaniment... it sounds like my soul, somehow. That whole darn ALBUM sounds like my soul, who am I kidding? 

 

22. What is you favorite song by 8?

 

As Tall as Lions has incredibly good music, but A Break A Pause is my absolute favorite. There's something about it that really resonates with me. ...That album also makes me think of Chaos 0 a lot, with the aching vocals.

 

23. How many times have you seen 17 live?

 

No, I have not seen erast live, but it would be incredibly interesting if I could do so. I wonder how the heck he would play that stuff live??

 

24. What is the worst song by 12?

 

I spent an entire day listening to Ed Harcourt's various albums when I discovered him (while walking in circles in the living room, good times) so I've heard most of his music... I can't speak for his worst, but there were some songs of his that I just did not like. Alligator Boy was one of them.

 

25. What was the first song you ever heard by 28?

 

My first and only exposure to Eriko Imura was through the PS1 soundtrack for Klonoa: Door To Phantomile. I love that game and its music to this day. I know I've been talking about "soundtrack of my life" stuff for a few artists already, but... this one takes the cake. This is the one that wasn't just background music for long drives or stories I was writing. Klonoa, both the game and its music, were my LIFE. I cannot understate that. That game felt like ME before I even knew how to express that resonance. Even just typing this, I'm honestly fighting back tears from the emotional weight of it. I thank God that we still have our PS1 and I can always revisit that beautiful, heartbreaking world, that feels like my very heart.

 

26. What is you favorite album by 7?

 

I need more music by Masashi Hamauzu, as I discovered him through the Final Fantasy XIII Original Soundtrack, and it is amazing. It is also my favorite album by him, as I only own one other. I've never played the game itself-- I'm not a fan of most RPGs-- but boy, I have probably listened to the soundtrack twenty times over. I repeat-- it is AMAZING. Hamauzu-sama has this unbelievably gorgeous skill with composition, with the rhythms and orchestration and moods... I am so inspired by his music. If I could learn to write music like him, I'd be blissed out for life, let me tell you.

 

27. What is your favorite song by 24?

 

Oh man, that's rifle recoil and I adore his music. His song, I love you in the open sea, means so much to me it hurts. It is, hands down, the love song for Chaos 0 and I. Forgive me for sounding overly sentimental but yeah, if we got married, that would be our song. It's that monumental. What's amazing about it, though, is that the song consists of three things-- his voice, a loop machine, and a keyboard. That's it. It's shockingly stark in its composition, but it's so, so beautifully sincere. There's a purity to it, to that unadorned performance, that makes it strikingly intimate. And the lyrics... if he admitted to taking them straight out of my thoughts, I would not be surprised in the least. I think I'm like... one of the only two people on the internet that know that song, too. Which is kind of perfect. It deserves to be something special, almost secret, to be treasured by those who recognize and respect its value. I'm sorry, I'm rambling. It just really does mean that much to me. So thanks, Jeff.

 

28. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy?

 

9 is my good friend J-MACHine, and his song ?!? makes me very happy. It's awesome. He writes brilliant music in any case.

 

29. What is your favorite album by 4?

 

Aha, and 4 is me, spinningcannon! I have a very random smattering of incomplete albums, but so far I'm proud of my work for the NiGHTS FFN OST-- mostly because of how much sheer time and effort has gone into it.

 

30. How many albums do you own by 20?

 

That's FreePlayMusic, however they're still up there. I don't own any complete albums from the site, only select songs that I liked.

 

I also think it's worth mentioning that poor Billy Talent is still lingering at #31, and that needs to change very soon because they are amazing.

 

Man I love doing these things, I want to write so much more about the music I love because geez, music means a LOT to me in my life. But that's something to look forward to in the future, then-- once I find even more music to love!

Until next time!