h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Cool school, Fred! Sounds a bit like mine, except I'm not at an arts school.

What year are you in?

And if you're worried about changing schools, please don't be. The school I'm at now I started at the beginning of this year. That was a big step for me, cos I had to move away from home and everything...

I'm home at the moment now (holidays). It's getting like summer weather here.

I'm going into high school next year. Thats why I'm changing schools.

Astrailia (I have a feeling I spelt that wrong) sounds so cool. Someday I hope I can go ther. And see the kangaroos!

DUDE! your school sounds VERY cool! we had plain ol boring jr high before highschool... HIGHSCHOOL ROCKS!!!
cheers
ford

er... but I don't want to go to high school. Then I'll be associated with the "big kids" and I won't be little any more. WAAAAAAAAAA! I don't wanna grow up! I wanna stay a kid for ever!

Aw... screw this whole adult thing... I'm going to NEVER LAND! Weee-hooo!

How old are you, Fred? I've been wondering for a while.

(BTW, on something completely unrelated, I know what a Yeerk is. And I don't ever want to meet one. Especially if they decide to crawl in my ear.)

Hoopy! Did your read animorphs too? Yeerks rule dude! (Sorry, I alwys take up the oppasite position of every one else. I want to be weird to a rute for the unpopular side! WOOHOO! YEERKS!)

Oh... and I'm on my second year of being twelve. (I didn't want to become a teen so I decided to stay 12 for an extra year.)

Yeah, I had this obsession with them back when I was about 12 (which isn't that long ago, when you think about it...). I read every single one that was in my library, and then got really annoyed because they didn't have them all. My favourite character was always Marco. I liked Tobias too, though

Oh my gosh! I LOVE TOBIAS! I always have loved that name, and ever since I read the books, I've loved it even more. When/if I have a son... I'm going to name him Tobias! No matter what! His name will be Tobias! ...now watch have like, 21 girls, trying to get a son, just so I can name him that.

I did the same thing, with the library and all. Only I read them when I was 10. After I turned 11, I really didn't read them any more. I still like them... they just seem so juvanile. By the time I turned 12 i was reading the Hitchhikers guide non-stop. Right now I'm reading 'The long dark tea-time of the soal' by DNA. Very funny.

I only got into DNA last year, believe it or not. We'd had the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" book on our shelf ever since I can remember, but it was surrounded by all these other boring books, and for a while there I thought it was genuinely a book on astronomy, with a humourous title. It was only last year, after a prolonged bout of boredom that I picked it up and started to read... and the rest, as they say, is history.

I love Dirk Gently too - Fred, if you haven't already, buy the "Salmon of Doubt", a sort of tribute to Douglas Adams, with all this stuff he wrote throughout his life for various purposes. And at the end there's - wait for it - AN UNFINISHED DIRK GENTLY NOVEL! It's very cool.

DNA was working on it at the time of his death

Yes I've read it, I've also read the meaning of liff. and of course the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy!

Oh! Speaking of music... (I know we weren't but this convo is called that) I know hardly any thing about music. I dispise most "in" bands, mainly because either you can't understand the lyrics, or I've heard it too much. But, I'm actually starting to enjoy music now! I saw this really cool music video, and now I've suddenly realized what you can do with music. Now every time I hear something, I can't help myself but to think up all these really cool camera angles that would express the beat, or notice what beautiful poetry is in the lyrics. It's kind of sad really that I can't just listen to music for music. I have to relate it to the stuff I study/enjoy in school some how.

Any way, that's all beside the point. I have been inspired! I have an excelent idea for a music video, and seems as I know that in my editing class we're going to have to make one in the future, I thought I'd get a head start on it while I was interested. I already have an idea... I have the actors/ dancers and I have the equipment. All I need now is the music. Yes, I know what you're thinking,

"Why didn't you find the music first you idiot?!"

Well the answer in because, my brain doesn't think in chronological order. Any way. You all are music-ly talented, and probably know alot more songs than me. Have you heard or know of any songs, (I don't really care what kind of music, rock would be nice, but it doesn't matter) that the bottem line to the lysics is basicly, just dance, any way... what ever. Yeah it sounds strange but, my idea is to have it start out with a ballerina, then it's going to change to a hippy dancing, then some 70s disko dancer, then a futurisic/ really bad dancer. Ok... It's kind of hard to get my whole idea across here, but the idea is kind of suposed to be, that every one dances differently, but is all good for something....Am I making sence?

Ok... even if you do think this is a crap idea, please help me. I just need some music, so I can get an A, and maybe I can even enter it into a film contest, although I think they might make you use 'original' music, or ask the band's permission. But seems as I don't know any bands, or at least none that would write/lend me music... beside of course Midnight's band, but I don't know if 1: you guys have even started yet, 2: if you are willing to help me. But hey if you are, I'll be for ever indebted to you.

But any way, just try to give me some names of songs and bands that you think might work... cause Like I said... i'm clueless!

I made a music video earlier this year - we spoofed a bakery advertisement that's showing in Australia and did a mock ad of our school, showing all the worst aspects of it. They're really fun! But I'm the opposite to you, Fred - I pick the music first when I make a video.
Our band hasn't started yet because it's holidays and they're back in Melbourne and I'm at home which is really far from anywhere. The only place I've spoken to them is on the Net, and I've only had an ongoing discussion with one member. She agrees Space for Rent is a really cool name, so that's two-thirds of us convinced.

The best "dance" music I can think of is the "Rockefeller Skank" by Fatboy Slim. There's one called "Who Said (Stuck in the UK)", but I can't remember whose song it is. Those two are kinda techno, but I don't know if you'd like them. There's also "Stacked Actors" by the Foo Fighters that I used for one of my videos (not the spoof ad one, another one), and you could try something by Powderfinger (a really really awesome Aussie band who I love), maybe "Rockin' Rocks" or "Stumblin'". I don't even know if any of these songs will suit what you're trying to do, but you could always tweak the song with the computer and put in other stuff till it does.

I don't like many mainstream bands either, and especially not pop music. Hey, maybe you could try something by Evanescence (I don't define them as pop). They often have drifty sort of song beginnings and then go into rock, which would suit if you started off with the ballerina and went into other kinds of dancing. You could also do "Little Less Conversation" by Elvis - you know that remix some guy did a few years ago? I think it's kinda bordering on "poppy", but it's OK.

Hope that helps.

YES! THANK YOU! You are VERY VERY helpful! I'll try to find them online...

I really like Evanescence. I have alot of their songs, I actually was planning on using one, if nothing else worked. I like quite o couple of Fatboy slim songs too. Techno is fun. You can do alot with it. Thanks again!

Yeah... no offence or anything... but you probably should have found music first Fred. That Fatboy slim on is pretty good, I can only download it in RAM file though... just to warn you.

---Have a nice day!

Yeah... I can't find an MP3 either. I have real player so I can listen (I really love the stuck in the UK one by the way) but I can't burm RAMs onto a CD. So I can't edit them at school. I'm sure I'll figure it out though! THANKS AGAIN!

Dude, don't mention it! Music is my passion, it's my job to know stuff about it (well, not really, but I do anyway). I can't download RAM music files on my computer at home, and downloads are blocked at school, so I'm forced to resort to getting my music in other ways, ie buying it (shock!! who does that these days?) or borrowing from my friends. I've got a good collection now but there are some albums I still want, like most of Powderfingers' (I only have their latest one) and the John Butler Trio's "Sunrise Over Sea" and something by the Living End. Anything really by the Living End, because I don't own anything by them yet. (Oh, and most of Nirvana's albums as well, because I only own two of them...)

Oh my gosh! Buying them! What a great idea! I never thought of that. You're really smart Midninght!.... er where can I buy it. We've never heard of most of those band here. Or at least I haven't. I'm lost again.

They're alll Aussie bands, thats probably why you haven't heard of them. Probably the only way to get their songs in America is on the Internet. Don't worry if you don't know them... you're excused. I don't think many people anywhere overseas do. If you end up getting "Sunrise Over Sea", by the John Butler Trio, listen out for "Zebra" because it's a very cool song.

What did you end up choosing for your video? Or haven't you decided yet?

I had my friend (she's gonna be in the video) come over the other day. We listened to all the songs together, and we both really like the rockafella skank one and the stuck in the UK one. We agreed on the Stuck in the UK one, and thought the the "Rock Rocks" one might be good, only we couldn't listen to it because my PC wouldn't download it.

So I think it's gonna be "Who Said (Stuck in the UK)" And again, thank you very much!

Cool! Have you ever heard that song before I mentioned it to you? It was very big in Australia last year, but I think it's by a British band. You should download some Powderfinger if you can - just give it a go, you'll probably like it. You don't have to use it for your vid, just listen to it as music for music's sake.