First novel...

Some tales will never be forgotten..

Some legends live forever...

Because Evil...

...never dies.

 Michael Mandeville's
Terror


Evil Lives Within.



www.ranefiction.com
2008

Solidarity...

For those of you that have seen up to the end of 24 - Day 6, feel free to scroll down and watch the trailer that promises to be the most intense day yet.

Or better yet, don't.

News is starting to trickle in...seems the greatest show on television will not premiere in January thanks to the WGA strike.  As a wannabe writer I felt compelled to throw in my two cents.

First off, I'm totally in favor of people getting fair compensation.  So often today we see actors, directors, and most of all the MPAA swimming in gold like Huey, Dewey, and Louie's rich uncle.  The little people that actually work behind the scenes to make those films and television shows so great seem to almost go unnoticed.  Honestly, when was the last time you cheered for the WRITER of your favorite sitcom when they arrived at an awards show?  Truth is, they had about 85% more to do with the actual creation than any actor...and yet they're totally forgotten.

The strike, for the three percent that don't know, deals with residuals from the sales of DVDs and other digital media.  The writers want to be compensated for their work regardless of the medium, which is reasonable.  Those higher up, however, do not want to provide that.  And thus, the strike.

Yes I'm upset.  I'm a fan of 24 and other great shows affected by these actions, but am trying to put my bias aside.  I'm doing what I can to remind myself that its only fair they're justly compensated.

Still...there's that nagging thought at the back of my head.  Like a child tugging a pant leg for attention, it keeps pulling me back just when I'm about to see things the way I should.  It reminds me that these writers are living out my dream, and most likely making three times what I make.  I'm the one that hates his job and dreads getting up in the morning...while these guys get to live the good life.  But no, solidarity and all that.  I pull myself away from that annoying little thought and remember that it's only fair.

Although let it be known, I would take their job in a heartbeat, and for what I'm making right now.

Happy (belated) Halloween!

Dog gone it...

Yesterday I made a disturbing discovery.  I tp'ed back to my skybox and noticed something was missing...that usual squeaking sound.  Forgive me for not having time to offer a proper introduction, but the newest addition to my parcel is Punchy (pictured above).  Punchy is a very talented (read: well-scripted) dog that, to my surprise, nearly brings the same attachment a real dog can bring.  You can imagine my surprise when I discovered him missing.

An error message notified me that something, somewhere in RavKom, was trying to move onto a full parcel.  Ah-ha!  Sure enough it was Punchy, and I managed to tp to his location and found him stuck in mid-air (of all places).  

So the question now becomes, how did he get there?  Moxie Grumby had stopped by only hours earlier to check on him and he was fine (and provided the uber cool postcard you see above).  This scripted little pup can't open doors, walk through walls, or climb over balconies.  Moxie had tp'ed out, and yes, the doors to my skybox close on their own.  It leaves me with the suspicion that something forced him out.  As it is now, my land allows the rezzing of objects.  It's possible someone created something that brought me over the prim count and poor Punchy was exiled as a result.

As a general rule of thumb, when I'm on someone's land I check their prim count to be sure I'm not filling up too much space.  I would ask others to do the same on my land to avoid any future confusion.  To be honest I would hate to disallow the rezzing of objects or the running of scripts--that's what makes SL so much fun!  But seeing how I'm already chock full of prims already, I might just have to.  The alternative is a loose dog in RavKom, and really, who wants that?

The wheels on the bus...

Sometimes the best way to see SL is on a nice (not so) relaxing bus ride...

Thanks to Shagz Anubis for his mad driving skillz and to Coco for showing us all the cool stuff there is to see.  And as always, a big thanks to Moxie Grumby for inviting me!

24 - Day 7

A new kind of DJ...

I've already given my rant of the day, so how about a happy-thoughts chaser to follow it?

Being a DJ is a tricky thing, as you're no doubt aware.  Anyone who's ever tried it probably knows of the difficulty associated with perfecting a playlist.  BPM's need to be measured in order to sustain a constant beat throughout, and the songs chosen need to mix well together so as to take the audience on a musical journey.  After all, that's the fun of being a DJ--telling a story through music.  If your audience is able to take that adventure with you, a good time is had by all.

That said, I want go break the mold and say that there are other ways to perform.  I honestly believe in a new style of DJing, one that connects the DJ much more directly with his audience.  There are no physical tools required, and you don't need a keen ear.  All you need is the ability to "feel" your audience, to put yourself in their position and ask yourself what you would want to hear next.  

It's not as hard as it sounds, and is even easier with a fantastic crowd that provides plenty of positive feedback.  If I fall into that vibe, it's almost like making love to the crowd (and I mean that in a verrah figurative way, folks).  Both you and the crowd are in sync and letting the music carry you.  It's almost as though you're spiritually linked and let the take you wherever it might.   In a much more literal sense, you as the DJ can "feel" what should come next.  And when it does, your crowd responds in kind by going absolutely crazy; how did you know that was exactly what they wanted to hear???

I won't discredit the importance of the more technical aspects, but I won't dismiss a more free flowing, organic DJ style.  In fact, on a personal level I find my best shows are the ones where I throw caution to the wind and let the music carry me.  Although, the one caveat is that you can't get to that point without first establishing an audience.  Any DJ that expects to play whatever they want and get a positive response needs to stop dreaming.  It's a tough point to reach, but if you can set a pace and get an audience into your show,  you'll find they're much more open to letting you call the shots.  You in turn are guided by the music, and together everyone can have an awesome musical adventure.

At least, that's how I like to roll....

Rane Rants...

Ever watch a comedy with a group of people, and everyone was having a great time except one person?  That one guy that doesn't laugh, criticizes everything, points out every plothole, and is a general pain in the butt?  If you have, you probably know what I'm trying to say with this post...

Hosting a DJ event is no easy task.  A playlist must be handcrafted to suit a wide variety of tastes, without deviating too greatly from a location's "accepted" musical style; it's really a matter of pleasing all of the people, some of the time.  Not everyone can be happy with every selection, especially in sims that feature a wide variety of musical tastes.  Still, a good time can be had by all if people are willing to maintain a positive atmosphere.  

Atmosphere is everything, and no matter how politely stated a criticism may be, in the long run it does far more harm than good.  Think about it, imagine you're a listener enjoying a particular song, when along comes Joe Schmoe saying "AGH! NOT THAT SONG!"  You'll probably feel a little upset, and if you're the DJ, you'd wish they could have just kept it to themselves.

I would never single people out; I'm directing this thread (or plea, rather) to anyone and everyone.  Bad vibes can easily ruin a good time, and in a place like SL (where few are getting rich and most are just doing it for the love), a good time is a special thing.  So please, if you feel the need to crticise, either keep it to yourself or just leave the show.  Yes, as harsh as it sounds, I'd rather people just TP'ed out rather than ruining the experience for everyone else.

End of rant...and hey, it's Monday, I'm allowed.

Vipr...

Coolest pic of the week, srsly.

Photo skillz...

Gotta love my photography skills.  Always capturing the things that really matter.

Best. Show. Ever...

After a disappointing show at the Metronome friday night, last night's impromptu rave at Timeless Underground proved a smashing success!

If there's one thing I've learned being a DJ (and there are several) it's that a good crowd is key to a successful show.  How do you get a good crowd?  Well, it's a combination of things, and when these elements don't fall into place you can be left with a shoddy mess.  On the one hand, your DJ might not be up to par.  Perhaps he/she isn't playing what the crowd wants to hear; that's a surefire way to exterminate an otherwise roaring experience.  On the other, maybe the crowd's just not giving back as they should.  Remember, it's a 50/50 deal; it's the DJs responsibility to entertain, and it's the crowds' job to throw that energy back at them.

That's what's unique about the crowds of SL.  So often people have such varying musical tastes that it's almost impossible to read them.  When one person wants techno, another wants hard rock, and another wants whatever the heck tralsa is--you're left scrambling to create a mix of tunes that will at least please some of the people, some of the time.  Now if the crowd goes along with it, and enjoys at least 50% of what they hear, you're good.  Hopefully they return that energy even throughout the songs they don't care for and a good time is had by all.  

As I discovered last night, feedback is key.  When an audience sits there and says nothing, even for the songs they enjoy, you're left with a dull experience that eventually fades away.  On the other hand, when an audience cheers with applause as you play some long forgotten song, that really brings the life back and gets people pumped.  

That's how it was last night.

The crowd really gave back, and even if a song was played they had never heard, they seemed to go along with it and enjoy themselves just the same.  Was it just a better crowd than most?  Nah, things just came together a bit better.  And whatever the reason, Timeless Underground certainly rocked the house last night.

Death at Gen X...

Yes, it's true, yours truly was "killed" at Gen X With Gabrielle last night.  Oh sure, some would say lying in a pool of blood all night is in bad taste, but hey, this is how we get requests played!  As always a huge shout out to Gabi Riel for a fantastic show!

Formal meeting...

Yours truly was invited to a formal get together for members of the Jazzers Thingamabobber and Radio Riel last night (and naturally I made sure to wear my Sunday best).  The news?  The Jazz folks are buying an island!  That means the location of The Rock Factory will no doubt be moving, and from what I was told, Rock Factory 2.0 is going to be a lot bigger!

Now the question is, will it be big enough to hold my ego?

And the rave goes on...

WOO!

Last night Radio Riel was rocked to its very foundation as yours truly DJ'ed over at The Rock Factory!  For the first time in my short Radio Riel career, DJ Gabi cut the strings and let me hold the show on my own.  The party went from 7-9:30 SLT, cus you know The Rane Man can't leave without an encore or two, and a great time was had by all (natch).  

A big thanks to Moxie for her hosting services!  Being a host isn't easy, but really helps the DJ a lot.  When you're focused on your playlist and making sure everything's coming through nice and clear, you really can't be distracted by a dozen or so TP requests.  Worst of all, you have no way of greeting people that arrive, or helping them dance.  For that reason, and about a dozen more, a host is an invaluable resource.

My next scheduled Rock Factory show will be Sept. 28th, hope I see you all there!

RIP Dave Frey

A bit of sad news today from RL.  David Frey, a salesperson I worked with, friend, and overall nice guy passed away this past Saturday.

He was 39 and will be sorely missed.

Second Skin...

Yours truly had a little work done with a bit of help from the Moxster.  New hair, new skin, new walk--new man?

Amazingly, that same night we also became DJ Sidea's #1 fans.  That's the great thing about SL; you never know what to expect next.  You venture into a sim expecting one thing, and wham, you get a complete 180 and wind up having a blast regardless.  

A lot of folks have asked how I could enter SL, and after such little time go so far.  Well, yes, money helps.  Having a RL job and the ability to shell out a bit to buy the finer things in SL is nice, but it's definitely not required.  Like with RL, a little initiative goes a long way, only here it's even easier.  In RL my skills as a DJ would most likely be considered subpar (shoot, I couldn't create a decent playlist to save my life), but in SL I can really shine and work the crowd.  And in just a few months I've gone from listener to full-blown DJ, at both Timeless Underground as well as Radio Riel!

What else is there to say?

WOO!

Another Impromptu...

It's beginning to seem more and more like "Impromptu" is all me.  Yet another spur of the moment show at Timeless Underground brought about lots of fun, surprises, and the biggest crowd yours truly has seen yet!  

To get deep for a moment, it's amazing how surreal SL can be.  You can literally walk or drive from your virtual house to your virtual job, encounter friends along the way, and meet new people at every turn.  Some may consider SL an escape, but for me it's merely an extension of RL.  It's a chance to interact in a new environment, one you have complete control over, and one that lets you truly be you.  Just a game?  Sure!  But what's wrong with that?  Plenty of people play video games where they fight mindless hoardes of creatures (nothing wrong with that!) so what's wrong with playing a game where you make the rules?  Where winning or losing is all about going after what you really want?

I could go on and on, but SL has really taught me a lot about RL.  Both should be enjoyed to the fullest...although I'm going to watch RL DJ's a bit closer now.  WAY too much freedom behind that booth!

Supra in the sky with diamonds...

Twin Turbo Toyota Supra = $75,000
Platform in the sky = L5,000
Second Life = Priceless.

Rane Man Overload...!!!

The Rane Man will be making TWO official appearances in SL this week.

First up, Thursday night over at Timeless Underground, join yours truly and Moxie Grumby for a night of slamming tunes destined to bring the house down.

On Friday, rock the night away as yours truly transforms The Rock Factory into The Rane Man's Night Shift...feel free to request a TP, or just stay tuned to this site for where and when you can join in!

The definition of SL...

Strippers, a topless DJ, and a bunch of folks having fun, form the design of yet another impromptu rave!  Long story short, Mox needed a DJ cus things were pretty dull over at Enchante.  Now, true, let it be known this is not her typical hangout spot.  She was merely filling in for a friend.  Still, that's no excuse to let the party get dull, so yours truly joined in to spin a few wicked tunes.  

By the end of the night, the crowd seemed to enjoy themselves, and ultimately that's all that matters.  And the picture above, as Mox so rightfully put it, sums up SL perfectly.

The Rane Man Arrives...

Finally!

Yours truly was on-air via Radio Riel from 6-7SLT (9-10EDT) for the first time last night!  All I can say is WOW, that was fun!  A big thanks to DJ Gabrielle Riel for giving me the oppurtunity; who knew attending one rave could lead a guy so many places?

Also, a special thank you to everyone in attendance.  Without you guys there would be no Rane Man, and no Radio Riel.  I hope you all had an amazing time and I look forward to getting back onto the air/netwaves soon!

Thanks to Moxie Grumby for the last two pictures you see above!

Peace!

...RAVE TONIGHT!

Yes you read right, your very own Rane Man, DJ Rane Mokeev, will be spinning a wide assortment of tunes for your dancing enjoyment tonight at 7PM SLT.  Join us at Timeless Underground, or send Moxie Grumby an IM if you need a TP :)

See ya at the show!

Home sweet home...

YES!  Yours truly has finally rezzed his SL house, and man oh man is it "swank!"

Provided above for your viewing enjoyment, a shot of the house, as well as a pic of Moxie chillin' in the Supra(h).  Hey, what good's a sim if you can't tear it up with a few mean burnouts?!

A big thanks to my ever-so-kind neighbor Mirage!  My apologies for all the noise and smoke...

When all else fails...rave on!

Sure the crowd was small, but the fun never stopped at the impromptu rave hosted by Moxie Grumby and DJ'ed by yours truly.  If you missed it, fear not, this sucker was totally unplanned and happened on the spot!  But hey, that's just how it is in SL sometimes...

Thanks to Moxie, Tyler, and everyone else that stopped by!

...SKYDIVE!!!

Yes, yours truly went skydiving with Moxie Grumby a few nights back.  While the graphics at 4,000m aren't that awe inspiring, the sight of the approaching ground gives you a huge thrill.  This is probably something I'd never try in RL, but hey, that's what SL is for!

Please meet Natalie Moody...

Yours truly just got back from a great show by Sweden's own Natalie Moody!  You can check her out on the intertubes by visiting www.nataliemoody.com, or pay her a visit in SL!  She has an amazing voice and beautiful songs to share with everyone; I highly recommend you give her a listen!

ON AIR!...soon

Yes, yours truly held an impromptu, and totally guerilla show today at Timeless Underground.  For the three people there, it was great lol  Yes, many of you were expecting to hear yours truly tonight on Radio Riel...but sadly, it's not to be.  The show will be held in a PG sim, and let's face it, The Rane Man ain't PG (just read my comments further down regarding Live Free or Die Sof--er, Hard...)

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I try to be the next Howard Stern...the polar opposite actually.  But I'm ME, and I need to be ME when people first hear me.  Hopefully Gabs will give me a few hours to really shine, and even if it's the first and last time, I promise nothing short of an extravaganza.

Stay tuned, and be sure to check out Radio Riel's newest DJ, Dia, tonight at 7:15SLT!

***On a side note, I'm a big believer that pictures in blog posts in no way need to be relevant to the topic covered.

Timeless Underground...

Last night yours truly was invited to a rave hosted by Timeless Underground by the lovely, the talented, the oh so cool Moxie Grumby.  As with all raves in SL a great time was had by all, with yours truly enjoying a nice bottle of Jack Daniel's (SL version only, contrary to popular belief!) and even winning a raffle!  Woo!

A big shoutout to all in attendance, and for those interested, please IM Moxie and let her know
you'd like to be a part of the Timeless Underground group!  More fun is just around the corner!

Rane's big night...

The rumors are true!

Yours truly went on-air tonight, 7/8/2007, and spent a few minutes chatting with Gabrielle Riel about my origins in Second Life (including the infamous rave that started it all!).  If you missed it, fear not, with Gabi's permission I hope to soon return to the airwaves in proper fashion.

Beware, folks, The Rane Man cometh...

Rane and the Duchess...

Seriously, how lucky can one guy be?  Talk about a chance encounter...the Rane Man gets a chance to dance with the Duchess herself!

The tunes were slammin, the beats were bumpin, and the Duchess...well, gave her best "WHATever" look in that first pic :)

It's called RL...

If you're reading this, you probably have one too...

Note my comic strip, "View From A Cage," along with the 24 calendar and my coworker's passion for The X Files (quite the fan myself).  

Messy?  I prefer the term "busy."

Beginning of the end...

For those that were there, really nothing more needs to be said.  It was the night I bombarded the DJ with about a bazillion requests, and for whatever reason they didn't kick me out.  Oh how they should have...

...but I guess hindsight is 20/20 ;)

The Rock Factory...

Last night, the Duchess Gabrielle Riel gave yours truly the honor of hosting one of the coolest raves in a long time.  Yes that's right, we rocked out at The Rock Factory!

Thanks to all who stopped in; I hope you had as great a time as I did!  And a special thanks, as always, to Gabi for not only keeping us moving, but also playing those oh-so-important requests ;)

Now the question becomes...could The Rane Man actually make it on the air?  Stay tuned...

Live Free...or Die Hard?

http://www.vistech.net/users/screamer/livefree.htm