Volume 3 / Chapter 122
TL: LightNovelCafe
[TN: Hey guys! So I’m off to my X-country trip today. I wanted to leave you guys with a translation before I left <3 Enjoy!]
Jun Hyuk did not look at Coline and spoke quietly,
“Your band Violon is a bit old. Hey, don’t get mad. It’s not something bad. Your music has a strong feeling of heavy metals from the 70s and 80s. While the riff and melody are alternative rock.”
Coline also knew what Jun Hyuk was talking about. Old music. However, Coline loved the old music that showed each player’s grandiosity much more than he likes the simple and strong alternative rock of current times.
“The important thing is that you have to choose. You can do the music you want to and appeal to only the audience that will love your music. But if you’d like to match yourselves to a changed audience, you’ll need to get rid of that heavy metal feel.”
“We have our own color. Even if it’s old.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but it falls short to become a star with just your band’s color and the music you want to do.”
Jun Hyuk was known to give frank evaluations. It is also the most precise evaluation.
“The song is good. The only problem is what color you give that song. The important thing is that no matter what color you give it, the nature of it doesn’t change.”
Trees change the color of their leaves according to the season. A ginkgo tree that is green in the summer begins to yellow in the fall. However, there is no change to the fact that it is a ginkgo tree.
“Arranging doesn’t ever change the nature. So you have to make the choice. Are you going to maintain the present color and arranging it so it’s refined? Or do you want to make it refreshing by getting rid of all traces of the old heavy metal? Coline, I’ll do it the way you want.”
Coline yearning for success was greater than his desire to stick to his unique color.
“As you said… Jun, you take it in the direction you want since I’ve requested it of you. Our band Violon’s producer is you right now.”
After Jun Hyuk arranged each of Violon’s 5 songs, he even finished playing them himself. Unlike the last time he arranged for them, the band’s guitarist and drummer did not make any objections and started practice according to Jun Hyuk’s arrangement. They had received a call from a top agency because of Jun Hyuk. With a little more luck, they might be able to debut.
They were full of the thought that they could not throw away an opportunity from the heavens just because of their pride.
“Coline. I’m going to go first because I have something personal to take care of. I’m sure you’ll be able to perform this fine if you practice the arranged songs for two days?”
Coline and his band members exchanged looks for a moment before nodding.
“Then practice today and tomorrow, and let’s go to LA the day after. Tell the man from LA that he can go back first if he can’t stand the cold.”
“Okay.”
Jun Hyuk saw Coline focus on practice before leaving the studio and started walking quickly. Jun Hyuk arrived at the place where Coline and his band had recorded their first song.
“Hello, do you remember me?”
“Oh! Perfect boy. Of course I remember you. What brings you here? To record?”
“What? Perfect….?”
“Ha ha. That’s the nickname the people working at this recording studio gave you.”
Jun Hyuk smiled and said his reason for coming,
“May I use one of your recording booths? I’d like to use it today and tomorrow.”
“We’ll empty one no matter what. It’s a joy to listen to your music. So, is there anything else you need?”
“We’re only going to play the guitar and keyboard today. I brought the guitar, so just set a keyboard up. We’ll need both source and mixing for the tracks. We’re going to record the drums and bass tomorrow… please set up the bass guitar and drums with these.”
The engineer’s eyes widened when he saw the note Jun Hyuk handed over.
“What is this? How many tam-tams is this? Will his arms even reach?”
“Don’t worry about it. Is it possible to get this ready?”
“It is possible… but the bass guitar and the drum set… It’s too expensive. The renting fees will be high.”
“It’s fine since there’s no issue with the fees.”
“But what are you recording for 2 days?”
“What else could it be? Of course it’s music. We’re going to record 10 songs. Please pay attention. He he.”
All of the recording studio staff members’ jaws dropped. It is surprising when someone says that they will record 10 songs over two days, but it does happen. Poor musicians need to record as much as they can in the time that they rent the studio.
Their jaws dropped because of the guitar that came out of Jun Hyuk’s guitar case.
“That… That… It’s a custom. Who are you? Are you royalty in Asia?”
It is a shabby studio in a New York alley. In this place where amateur bands come to record, this is the first youth to come in with a guitar worth over $10,000. He had appeared in person with a guitar that everyone had only looked at and drooled over.
“It’s a gift from my father. And that’s how I came to New York. Alright, there isn’t much time. Let’s start quickly.”
Jun Hyuk put the headphones on in the recording booth and started playing. He had asked Coline for a simple intensity, but Jun Hyuk’s performance now was the opposite. He created a grand and explosive guitar phrase.
***
“Jun, it’s just 4 or 5 days. Why do you have so much stuff?”
“Oh, I have to go to Japan from LA.”
“Japan? Why?”
“I guess the album I released in Korea is doing well in Japan. I have to attend some promotion event and I’m going to see people I’ve missed.”
Hearing words like album, promotion, and Japan made Coline realize the reality that Jun Hyuk is a professional musician.
“You… really are a star in Korea. You’ve already broken through Japan.”
“Know that it’s an honor. There’ll be a day when your music goes flying off shelves just because I did the producing.”
Jun Hyuk laughed and spoke as if joking, but Coline thought that it could be a prediction of the future.
Los Angeles, the other half of American culture from New York.
If New York has the New York Philharmonic, New York Ballet Company, and New York Metropolitan Museum as its representatives of traditional art, LA is the place where innovative and experimental artists gather.
LA is the place that exhibits works that become social controversies and create echos without hesitation.
When Jun Hyuk and Coline’s party came out of the airport, there was no space for them on the platform for buses and taxis. There was a surging crowd from all over America, coming to LA to get out of the cold.
Jun Hyuk and Coline’s party was also in an uncomfortable situation because they did not know how they were going to get into the city with all of their instruments. While Coline and his band members were calculating how much it would cost to take two cabs, Jun Hyuk was on the phone.
When Jun Hyuk got off the phone, he gave a look to the band to follow him and took lead.
“Jun, where are you going? The taxi platform is on this side.”
Coline called for Jun Hyuk to stop while pushing a cart full of luggage, but Jun Hyuk’s response was entirely unexpected.
“Apparently the reserved limousine is here. They said there’s a lot of traffic on the road to the airport. Said it might take over 2 hours to get us into the city?”
“What? Limousine? What limousine?”
“Ah, I reserved it. To go to the hotel comfortably. We can’t suffer when we have big business to do.”
The driver of a long 6-seater limousine discovered Jun Hyuk waving his hand and bowed politely.