Volume 7 / Chapter 238

TL: LightNovelCafe

Editor: Isleidir

Colin and Kyung Min Ho waited for Jun Hyuk in the studio while focusing on practicing. Alvin Lee worked until late last night, finishing the recording for all 12 songs.

Alvin Lee’s lyrics started with his suddenly rising as a star while not being able to adjust to the change in his surroundings, and continued into an unstable time. With making more money than he could handle as the background.

The time he spent in the madness of alcohol, sex, and drugs as well as his time in rehabilitation with pain and ruin. Then his return as a normal person. The 12 songs were made with his true thoughts as a musician.

The music needed to be light rather than flashy to truthfully deliver the lyrics’ contents, so the result was blues, folk, and alternative rock.

For the 2 performers who long for the flashiness however, Jun Hyuk created 3 bonus tracks. Drums, bass, and guitar. The music placed each instrument at the front.

“Min Ho. You’re ready, right?”

Kyung Min Ho, alone in the recording booth, had headphones on and held up his drumsticks to signal okay.

“Then the music is going out. We’re starting now.”

As it is said that recording each instrument separately to mix later is not true band music, they recorded the 12 songs all at once.

But to preserve each person’s individuality for the instrumentals, Jun Hyuk did not even create scores for the bass and drum parts and left it entirely up to the two of them. Today’s recording was for them to play as they want to, and they were pouring out all of their workmanship to their liking.

If they just finish today’s recording and the mixing, Jun Hyuk and Alvin Lee’s album will be revealed to the world. President Stern and the record label need to spend their days busily from now on.

***

The new director from England, Louis O’Connell, had swept up all of the major film festivals with an experimental independent film. He listened to a CD with written on it, on repeat all day.

He had been opposed when he first received the proposition to produce the music video. He wanted to dedicate his attention to the Hollywood masterpiece he was currently in the last shooting of.

However, he could not refuse the record label when they even came directly to his house to ask if he would at least listen to the music. When he heard the CD in the car on his way to the filming location, he was so shocked that he could not focus on driving.

He had a gut feeling that the record would occupy Billboard charts through the first half of the next year and would take over the global market. Not a single song had been inserted for assortment, and they were all so good that each could be promoted as the title song. On top of that, the honest lyrics tugged at his heartstrings so much that he had the desire to make them into a movie.

He spent the entire day lost in Jun Hyuk’s music, and called the record label.

“Did Alvin Lee make the songs for this album himself?”

“No. Alvin only wrote the lyrics. The composer is Jun… Do you by chance know who he is?”

“Jun? The person who conducted the New York Philharmonic… the Korean kid who wrote Inferno? No, Maestro?”

“Yes. He’s the composer and took over the producing as well. Would you believe it if I told you he made the album’s 15 songs in just 3 days? He played the guitar himself as well.”

It is not rare for people to find sudden inspiration and write amazing songs within 1 or 2 hours. But he has never heard of someone making an entire album in 3 days, and finds it hard to believe.

“Wasn’t that Jun in classical music? Oh right. He released a jazz album too, didn’t he?”

“Yes. He’s the only maestro who isn’t tied down by genres.”

“I heard he’s one of the geniuses who may or may not appear every 100 years… I guess it was true.”

Louis O’Connell recalled how he felt when he first heard the CD for Inferno. He had not been able to get past the 1st part due to his fear or the unknown rather than pain.

“Ha ha. I see you like the album, Director. We have tremendous expectations as well.”

The record label official seems to be anticipating Louis O’Connell’s consent to directing the music video because of the way he is stuttering.

“Fine. I’ll direct the music video. And I don’t need a cent for the production fee. Instead, I have a condition… no, a request.”

Louis O’Connell slowly voiced his request, not condition.

***

Jun Hyuk’s band members finished up the studio work and started their busy schedules with the album jacket shoot, promotion, and press interviews.

“Jun. An interesting proposal came in.”

Tara quietly called Jun Hyuk out in the middle of a promotion poster shoot.

“We’re planning on making 3 songs into music videos, but the director is saying something unexpected. He’s asking you to take on the music for the movie he’s directing right now.”

“Huh? Movie?”

“So you’d become the music director for that movie. It would take about a month and a half because the filming is going to end soon and then they’ll be editing. Then work on the music would start because you’ll have to make the music while watching the movie.”

Jun Hyuk listened to Tara’s explanation and just blinked because he did not understand.

“Well… That director turned down the music videos at first because of his own movie, but he fell in love after listening to this album. And when he heard that you’re the composer, he made a formal request.”

“Why me? There are a lot of greats for film music.”

“Of course it’s because he fell for your music. And there’s the effect of Inferno.”

“What about Inferno all of a sudden?”

“The movie that he’s making now is a horror thriller. If he’s heard Inferno, is there any musician more appropriate? And the movie’s attribute music needs to come out quickly. I’m sure the fact that this album coming out in 3 days played a factor.”

The first item that a movie producer makes demands to a music director is time. The music needs to be created within the given time no matter what, because allocation and release schedules have already been decided.

Most cases of shooting are when they do not follow the schedules. The edited film goes to the music director in a tight moment, and the music director needs to compose, play, and record with a time limit.

Ennio Morricone handled this kind of murderous schedule to create music for over 500 films, and they were all famous. He is a great who can be called a great.

“A movie… Tara, what do you think?”

“Me? It’s simple. Watch the movie first and then make your decision. Isn’t it obvious? If you watch the movie and you want to make the music, do it. If not, you can turn it down. Like I always tell you, do what your heart says.”

Tara showed curiosity, but she told Jun Hyuk the best way to decide.

***

“I took a hit. He wants to make up his mind after watching the movie?”

“You think that’s it? If he decides to do it, we need to pay up a ton of money. And Stern Corporation will take all of the copyrights. Jun gets millions for a single concert. We need to give him an amount that’s proportional to that.”

Director Louis O’Connell’s manager recalled the amount that Stern’s side demanded and shook his head.

“What did the production company say?”

“Of course they’re for it. They were prepared to accept any conditions. They’re probably thinking that they’ll make back the money in promotions if Jun is the music director. And…..”

The manager looked over Louis O’Connell’s expression.

“Louis. If you look from an objective viewpoint, it’s right that you ask him. He’s easily called the 21st century Beethoven, and he’s already a verified maestro. You’re just a promising new director with a sense of production. You know who needs to come in bowing, right?”

Louis O’Connell let out a long sigh at the reality that his manager said.

“Damn it. I hate clinging to others.”

“Then look for a different music director. Aren’t there are a lot of good people?”

“You didn’t listen to Inferno, did you? That music is scarier than hundreds of horror movies. I thought Jun took years to create a piece because he rarely releases music as a composer. But that wasn’t the case. He’s incredibly prolific, and he just doesn’t release the music. How can I look for someone else when he can make the music for my movie in 2 or 3 days?”

His manager is right. As he spoke, he was able to figure out why he needs to be the one clinging to Jun Hyuk.

“Shall I set up a meeting? Oh right. First, accept the music video no matter what. The meeting needs to be a place for us to ask him to be the music director. Don’t ruin it by talking about a give and take situation or something like that.”

Louis O’Connell decided to listen to his resourceful manager. Hadn’t he made it all the way to Hollywood thanks to this manager?

A few days later, Louis O’Connell went to Jun Hyuk’s apartment. He was surprised that it was simple compared to the large Beverly Hills houses that stars live in.

“I heard that you’re still filming the movie. I’m sorry to have made you come all the way to New York.”

“It’s nothing. Aren’t you busier than I am? There isn’t much time left before your album comes out, is there?”

“Fortunately, we have Alvin who does the other activities heartily. The fans want Alvin more than they want me.”

Director Louis O’Connell praised him on the new album and then started bringing up the movie.

“Do you watch movies often?”

“No. Occasionally? I watched them often when I was in Korea, but I haven’t gone to the movies since I came to America. All I do is watch a few times on cable TV.”

“What’s the last movie you saw?”

Jun Hyuk touched his chin to think for a moment and frowned.

“I don’t remember the title… but it was a movie with Angelina Jolie. Something about a group of assassins that could make bullets bend?”

“Wanted?”

“Oh, that’s right. Wanted. It aired on cable TV a few days ago.”

When Director Louis O’Connell found out that Jun Hyuk rarely watches movies, he started to get nervous. Could his request to watch the movie before making a decision be his way of a mild refusal?

“And if you review that movie’s music?”

“The overall configuration was good, but the use of the full orchestration was a bit immature. Seven theme songs were made into four variations, but the orchestra version fell short. The piano and electric sound were good.”

Louis O’Connell had been expecting a simple answer of good or bad, and let out a low exclamation.

“Ah… Musicians really do analyze the soundtrack when they watch movies.”