Brainstorming + Kimi Sae Ireba nani mo Iranai - Morning Musume's Swan Song to Reina

[star]

I found this while browsing YouTube.

I'm not sure how accurate it is, but if it is, most of it makes sense for a graduation single.

[AEUGNewtype]

I really like several Perfume songs and listen to at least a dozen rather frequently, but this MM doesn't sound the same. The voice processing is very different and not as high quality.

Perfume sounds more like a computer that tries to make melodies, whereas MM does still sound like girls (trying) to sing, but have a hard time because of their voices being processed in generic and cheap ways.

This is well-said, and I agree. They do go for an almost full-on synthetic sound with Perfume's processing, but it is much softer and less grating than MM or vocaloid. Or that damn Cat's Eye cover H!P did a few months ago *shudder* That cover could've been so good if they just LEFT THEIR DAMN VOICES ALONE.

However, they seem to be hitting the taste buds of more people with this kind of songs, since they sold some 85~110k copies of the last three singles, which is more than double of that the sold before. And right now H!P is milking that, even if I don't like it.

Yeah, hate to sound like a broken record, but, to answer with someone else's post:

Granted, their sales are higher, but I feel that has more to do with the various editions than the general public.

What? Guys, this "discussion about relevant stuff derails the thread" nonsense is, well, nonsense. This is the second time I've seen valid discussion of valid topic frowned on because it'll spawn extended posts. Yeah, I can get down with AEUG being a broken record, but the music breakdown discussion is directly related to the single.



But I also admit I'm the queen of long tangents on sort-of related topics, so maybe I'm wrong. But I still feel like it's a little ridiculous to say discussing the arrangement of the thread's topic is derailing it. Two cents.

I was going to comment on this too. I'm glad you beat me to it! Adding to this, isn't having an opinion and commenting on various aspects of the group and song part of the reason we open threads to each release? This would just be a news board if it wasn't. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' />

Thank. You. Guys.

I have a lot of thoughts on this and I'm having a hard time organizing them. Bear with me guys. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hahaha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hahaha:' />



First, I think there are both good and bad aspects of pushing each girl to have a distinct character. You've already described a lot of the good above - easier to market, easier to recognize the girls, etc. On the bad side, it turns everyone into actresses instead of people. They become molds. You expect every answer they're going to give or how they'll react to any situation (see: Momoko). It all works for a few years, but then those girls grow up and naturally as people probably change some. In the best situation, that's when they graduate and transition into a new character. In the worst situation they're so tied to that marketing gimmick that we get a Kago situation.



I'm not at all saying that the members now are more "real" and never fake anything for TV. I think an element of "faking it" is important to any celebrity's career. You have to find what about you is distinct and exaggerate it to a level that's noticeable. You have to know what's going to make people react and be drawn to you. But there has to be an element of balance to it if the person is going to stick around for a long time - and that seems to be what H!P is going for these days. The element of unity that you mentioned just can't be achieved when you have members rotating in and out all the time.



I do think the lack of variety opportunities is holding MM back and that a lot of the girls' personalities is hidden away in DVD Magazines and online shows. But what they lack is a sense of competition. I think that more than the forced characters is what really made the golden era girls shine. The girls now are all friends and love H!P and just want to hug.

Really interesting points, and I agree with pretty much all of it. This is largely why I enjoy Idoling!!! as an idol group in the last few years. After I realized their management gives them much more freedom to develop their own individual characters and break away from the pure actress aspect of it, they really inspire the girls to be their own comedian/variety/idol and I think it works wonders. They're a little predictable and standard when they first join, and you can feel that gap between older members and new recruits, but after doing their TV show for a short time, they start being shaped into all-around entertainers, not just a cute face for pictures and performances, and the gap starts to close.



They have the exact balance that you mentioned, which seemed to be prevalent in the "golden era" of H!P and it makes so much more staying power and somehow also allow for the sense of unity and individuality at the same time that I feel is missing from anything AKB or H!P now (outside of Berryz.) It feels these few unique groups (Berryz included) can turn on or turn off the whole group mentality when they need to, then turn on the full-force, individual and almost competitive attitude when it fits. So overall, their focus on the music and creating actual unique, dynamic entertainment personalities that aren't just cut-out idol tropes that modern H!P and AKB are chock full of is what really makes the difference for me.



Don't give me a bunch of shit about how you don't like what I like because most of you have proven to me that you aren't interested in giving anything else a chance, so its not even worth bringing it up. I'm not just writing a puff piece here, I'm not trying to "sway" people to other idols or something, just saying what I'd like to see more of in H!P and what I feel is missing. "Off-topic" or not (already a source of contention in this thread,) we've already got a lot of this discussion going here, and it related to what we feel from this current release (and maybe the last few as well) and it really doesn't deserve its own thread.

Jee-ZUS, I think I missed the invite to the poo poo party. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whatthe:' />

Best post in thread. Thread over.



Also, the title of this song makes me think of the Atari game "Barnstorming."

[Anderei]

Fan recording from the Hinamatsuri event.



I can't tell because of the quality, but it sounds like there's a backtrack, and obviously the super auto-tuned lines aren't being done live. Even with this LQ recording, Sakura sounds fantastic. She's so perfect. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/wub.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wub:' />

[tsukinobyouin]

Tsunku wrote a blog about the single (mostly the video). I'm sure he'll do a more detailed writeup later when b-sides are announced, but here's what he has to say:



- The dance deliberately takes the best parts of past songs and "brushes them up." The choreographer YOSHIKO apparently went with a theme of "It's different from everything up until now, but I still want to keep the spirit of recent songs going."



- The title was inspired by the idea of everyone needing to put their heads together to break free of the chaos and help Japan move forward. Read: Blah blah blah Tsunku babble.



- Originally he was going to go with "Buresuto" for short but in the end he went with "Brainstorming" (because he totally reads MMBBS and knew we all thought the song was about boobs).

[rob]

" isn't having an opinion and commenting on various aspects of the group and song part of the reason we open threads to each release? This would just be a news board if it wasn't"



There is a difference between fans exchanging opinions and ex-fans with huge rose tinted glasses on bitching and whining every time a new song is released.



<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... lesson.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />

[Purin-chama]

[quote name='rob' timestamp='1362374893' post='145976']

" isn't having an opinion and commenting on various aspects of the group and song part of the reason we open threads to each release? This would just be a news board if it wasn't"



There is a difference between fans exchanging opinions and ex-fans with huge rose tinted glasses on bitching and whining every time a new song is released.



<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... lesson.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />

[/quote]

Wow, seriously? Not to mention, it's a little childish you took this to another thread and have been making a stink when we actually are having discussions about the song and current MM. You're the only person I've seen complaining or making side comments about it. Normally, I ignore you, but you really have been getting on my nerves this time. Not everyone is going to like the same things, and it's not like AEUG, me, or whoever just said we hated MM or that the group was doomed (thanks for putting words in our mouths). I specifically mentioned various things about the current group that I do like that I didn't see previously in MM, but it's not enough to make me like these last few songs more than previous releases.



I've been following Hello! Project for half of my life. That's a lot of time invested to just give something up. I liked just about all the singles from 32-40, which was only 12 singles ago. I know you and AEUG have been around as long as I have been (even if it wasn't as much as it is now), so if you really have an issue with AEUG's posts, just ignore him. Simple as that. Other members have been doing that for while. Why can't you? All I've seen you post in this thread was trying to add fuel under the fire or some snide comment in regards to something we said. Besides ONE post (two if you include the one that just says, "I love this song <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' />"), everything else in this thread you have posted is about us complaining. Every post AEUG and I have posted has been regarding this release OR current Morning Musume until this very one.

[JPope]

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1362104541' post='145629']

What? Guys, this "discussion about relevant stuff derails the thread" nonsense is, well, nonsense. This is the second time I've seen valid discussion of valid topic frowned on because it'll spawn extended posts. Yeah, I can get down with AEUG being a broken record, but the music breakdown discussion is directly related to the single.



But I also admit I'm the queen of long tangents on sort-of related topics, so maybe I'm wrong. But I still feel like it's a little ridiculous to say discussing the arrangement of the thread's topic is derailing it. Two cents.

[/quote]



Was it the I'm-embarrassed-to-have-ever-been-a-fan or the everyone-who-isn't-me-praises-stuff-that-they-all-know-is-really-shit that you found most relevant? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hawhaw:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... wheely.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wheely:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /lmfao.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lmfao:' />



As far as my thoughts on this song, well, I called this back in September in the "Wakuteka Take a Chance" thread:



[quote name='JPope' timestamp='1346951937' post='133058']

Seems like they're trying to give MM a "sound," which is fine until it becomes old.

[/quote]



Actually, I don't think it's the sound that's old, it's the recycled motifs and components. I don't find this song to be offensively bad -- I don't find it to be bad, really -- but it's a bit of a disappointment after a pretty good run of singles.



I really do like the "sound" a lot, and it is unique in the idol pop genre, despite the bleatings of trolls to the contrary. There is more gold to be mined there, and I hope they can do the work necessary to find it as opposed to mailing it in like H!P has a tendency to do.

[roddyreta]

Having listened to the song more, I've grown to like it a lot.



Much better than Help me!! and the MV is certainly 100x better.



It does have recycled elements, but keep in mind there's probably another A-side, and it will most likely sound quite different.

[tsukinobyouin]

I'm confused - why do people keep saying there's another A-side? I do see that there are two regular editions, but isn't it more likely that the other one is a Reina solo edition like the Takahashi and Niigaki graduation singles?

[Anderei]

[quote name='TnB' timestamp='1362415954' post='146012']

I'm confused - why do people keep saying there's another A-side? I do see that there are two regular editions, but isn't it more likely that the other one is a Reina solo edition like the Takahashi and Niigaki graduation singles?

[/quote]



I think Sony has already said that one of the Regular (version A I believe) editions IS a Reina edition. People seem to be assuming it's a double A-side because Takahashi's graduation single was. CD Japan says each edition has three tracks, but I think it's more likely that it'll be the Brainstorming, one b-side that they all have, and then a third that depends on the version you have.

[Pflaume]

[quote name='JPope' timestamp='1362380066' post='145987']

Was it the I'm-embarrassed-to-have-ever-been-a-fan or the everyone-who-isn't-me-praises-stuff-that-they-all-know-is-really-shit that you found most relevant? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hawhaw:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... wheely.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wheely:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /lmfao.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lmfao:' />



As far as my thoughts on this song, well, I called this back in September in the "Wakuteka Take a Chance" thread:



[quote name='JPope' timestamp='1346951937' post='133058']

Seems like they're trying to give MM a "sound," which is fine until it becomes old.

[/quote]

[/quote]



You need to stop saying stuff I agree with.



It's relevant to the song, alright. It's also the same damn discussion I've had to wade through in every MM release thread for the last 5 years. IT'S NOT EVEN FUN TO READ ANYMORE.

[Shoujo Q]

I like how this thread cuts off on the main page and just says Morning Musume's Brains.



Zombies, zombies everywhere!

[showraniy]

[quote name='Plum' timestamp='1362423667' post='146020']

It's relevant to the song, alright. It's also the same damn discussion I've had to wade through in every MM release thread for the last 5 years. IT'S NOT EVEN FUN TO READ ANYMORE.

[/quote]



Not every negative comment is AEUG, and I think people are doing way too much associating AEUG with whatever negative comments were said in this thread. Specifically Pucchi said some good stuff IMO about the song's arrangement/formula/etc. So idk, if others hadn't jumped into the discussion and said interesting stuff, I could understand the groans. But there was a lot more said than the standard "hey this song sucks again" from AEUG.



[quote name='JPope' timestamp='1362380066' post='145987']

Was it the I'm-embarrassed-to-have-ever-been-a-fan or the everyone-who-isn't-me-praises-stuff-that-they-all-know-is-really-shit that you found most relevant? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':hawhaw:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... wheely.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wheely:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /lmfao.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lmfao:' />



[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1362104541' post='145629']

What? Guys, this "discussion about relevant stuff derails the thread" nonsense is, well, nonsense. This is the second time I've seen valid discussion of valid topic frowned on because it'll spawn extended posts. Yeah, I can get down with AEUG being a broken record, but the music breakdown discussion is directly related to the single.[/quote]

[/quote]



I'm not defending AEUG being a broken record. Just saying not every time a negative opinion pops up in the release threads is it directly related to AEUG or his opinions. And there's totally relevant, interesting discussion being shut down with people just trying to shut AEUG down.

[Anderei]

I honestly just recommend putting people on ignore if you're tired of reading their comments.

[neshcom]

[quote name='Anderei' timestamp='1362436583' post='146034']

I honestly just recommend putting people on ignore if you're tired of reading their comments.

[/quote]

Or even just ignoring them. I hate the idea that someone is unilaterally ignored by anybody else. Can we just not engage in things we know we aren't going to enjoy? We're talking (a little too meta if I'm honest) about the spirit of conversation and discussion and completely blocking anybody is an antithesis of discussion.



Just fucking respect each other. Damn. Let 'em not be fans. Let 'em whine. Let 'em criticize. Not like we don't give them shit when they're being shitty anyway. We've had this discussion too many times the past month. Can we just stop getting mad on the internet and talk about Brainstorming again?



[edit] I love you guys, so anything below a real, constructive back and forth or goofiness is a shame. I'm rarely ashamed of y'all, so let's just be human? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... pyeyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':puppyeyes:' />

[yuzuriha]

I love all of you!



This song is growing on me but I still like "Renai Hunter" and "HELP ME!!" better as far as the electro songs go.

[AEUGNewtype]

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1362436078' post='146032']

Not every negative comment is AEUG, and I think people are doing way too much associating AEUG with whatever negative comments were said in this thread. But there was a lot more said than the standard "hey this song sucks again" from AEUG.



Just saying not every time a negative opinion pops up in the release threads is it directly related to AEUG or his opinions. And there's totally relevant, interesting discussion being shut down with people just trying to shut AEUG down.

[/quote]



[quote name='neshcom' timestamp='1362438833' post='146038']

I hate the idea that someone is unilaterally ignored by anybody else. Can we just not engage in things we know we aren't going to enjoy? We're talking about the spirit of conversation and discussion and completely blocking anybody is an antithesis of discussion.



[edit] I love you guys, so anything below a real, constructive back and forth or goofiness is a shame. I'm rarely ashamed of y'all, so let's just be human? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... pyeyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':puppyeyes:' />

[/quote]



Main points are highlighted. If I was just coming here and saying "haha this is so dumb MM sucks" then I could understand shitty comments about being a "broken record" or "trolling" but when I'm adding actual discussion points and thought-out opinions about a song or the current state of the group, then ignoring what I say is doing just what was mentioned in the quotes, and avoiding actual discussion that could be had.



I like and respect pretty much everyone here, or I don't think I'd still be reading and posting here 10 years later. I don't come here insulting other people, I'm here to discuss things and have fun just like everyone else, but everyone decides that since they don't agree with my opinions, they have to shut down every single thing I say, and that's pretty insulting in itself, and also pretty telling of some people's personalities.



Contrary to popular belief, I don't insta-hate everything that MM or H!P does and just jump in here to piss you guys off, its just been harder and harder to find quality releases from them over the years after what I personally perceive as a great decline in their production quality and I express my opinions about it. You'll find plenty of threads here where I praise certain songs, releases, videos etc., but apparently those are just ignored when people read my posts or think of me in general, since I didn't like your favorite single from last year. Even if there are multiple releases in a row that I don't like, I don't just come in and say "this sucks," I actually try to explain why I don't enjoy it, which is far from being a broken record.



Anyway, let's get back to actually discussing the actual thread topic, this merry-go-round discussion of what we can and can't post here for the 4 millionth time is getting old.

[Anderei]

[quote name='yuzuriha' timestamp='1362440334' post='146039']

I love all of you!



This song is growing on me but I still like "Renai Hunter" and "HELP ME!!" better as far as the electro songs go.

[/quote]



Wako Taco > Help Me/Brainstorming > Renai Hunter > 123 for me as far as they go.

[Enmiz]

I feel like this thread needs a kitty picture.



I hope one or more of the b-sides are sung in a lower key so we don't have to hear the girls struggling to sing them live or shout-sing. I really like how Brainstorming doesn't seem to cause as much vocal trouble for the girls (Riho...). Buttttttt I haven't listened to that fan recording, so I may be changing my opinion soon.

[Shoujo Q]

[quote name='enmi' timestamp='1362446659' post='146049']

I feel like this thread needs a kitty picture.



I hope one or more of the b-sides are sung in a lower key so we don't have to hear the girls struggling to sing them live or shout-sing. I really like how Brainstorming doesn't seem to cause as much vocal trouble for the girls (Riho...). Buttttttt I haven't listened to that fan recording, so I may be changing my opinion soon.

[/quote]









This pretty much sums up this thread I think.

[Anderei]

Yeah, that's about right.

[rob]

However, they seem to be hitting the taste buds of more people with this kind of songs, since they sold some 85~110k copies of the last three singles, which is more than double of that the sold before. And right now H!P is milking that, even if I don't like it.

Yeah, hate to sound like a broken record, but, to answer with someone else's post:

Granted, their sales are higher, but I feel that has more to do with the various editions than the general public.

Renai Hunter had six versions and sold 41k in it's first week.



1,2,3 had seven versions and sold 100k in it's first week.



So forgive me for not seeing your point.



I think their cool electro style has appealed to a lot of people and their sales DOUBLING is proof of this.



However, and this is what I said in my first post in this thread I feel like they need to do something slightly different for the next one, but keep it within the general area/theme that they have built up over the last 4 singles.

What that could possibly be however.... I don't know.

[Anderei]

Eh, I hesitate to compare them to Momoiro Clover, who are completely dominating MM in terms of tv appearances, concert numbers, magazines and things like that. Their album is probably going to sell very well when it comes out next month too. They're also having a much longer chart life, which Morning Musume hasn't really accomplished yet.



I think the spike in sales is probably a promo thing more than anything else. UFP have finally decided to play the game, and it's working out well for them. With Renai Hunter and everything that came before it, there was little incentive to buy more than a single copy, or maybe two. Sure, this undermines the accomplishment to some, but everyone's doing it, so who cares? I cannot think of a single group that's getting very good numbers with only one A-side and one coupling track, and with no handshakes, posters, or extra PVs.

[rob]

[quote name='Anderei' timestamp='1362454234' post='146061']

Eh, I hesitate to compare them to Momoiro Clover, who are completely dominating MM in terms of tv appearances, concert numbers, magazines and things like that. Their album is probably going to sell very well when it comes out next month too. They're also having a much longer chart life, which Morning Musume hasn't really accomplished yet.



I think the spike in sales is probably a promo thing more than anything else. UFP have finally decided to play the game, and it's working out well for them. With Renai Hunter and everything that came before it, there was little incentive to buy more than a single copy, or maybe two. Sure, this undermines the accomplishment to some, but everyone's doing it, so who cares?

[/quote]



Yeh me too! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... joyful.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':joyful:' />



Despite the TV time they get, they still don't achieve sales better than MM still says a lot.



Exactly <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... umbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Anderei]

I think the more promo but same sales sort of implies that their fanbase is actually bigger (which is why people want them for their shows and photoshoots and why they got invited to Kohaku), whereas Morning Musume probably hasn't seen TOO much of an increase (although I know Sayu has noticed there are more girls) but rather have given wota more reasons to buy multiple copies. BUT HEY I LOVE MOMOCLO SO MAYBE I'M BIASED.



But like I said, it doesn't matter. Sales are sales.

[rob]

a 60 k increase is too much to just say the same 20k fans are buying more copies.....



Say for example renai hunter sold 40k, that would mean each fan bought about 7 copies each.



for 1,2,3 the figure jumps to 14 copies per person.



It's too big a jump to just say "lol multiple copies ftw"



It's pretty damn obvious that this new style has gained them a lot of new fans.

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='Anderei' timestamp='1362454234' post='146061']

I cannot think of a single group that's getting very good numbers with only one A-side and one coupling track, and with no handshakes, posters, or extra PVs.

[/quote]



Arashi, SMAP, Kanjani8. They do multiple b-sides, but usually only two editions, three at most. For whatever reason female idol groups seem to have to work a lot harder for the sale.



But I agree, sales are sales and I don't really care if they use this kind of marketing. More power to them for getting themselves out there. All of these handshake events and such have lead to MM doing a lot more magazine and television appearances (however brief), and that's a start at getting more people to take notice of you. If they can consistently get a few high ranked singles in a row, regardless of how they do it, they'll start to grab the attention of new people.

[al kusanagi]

People seem to forget that MM was doing the handshake thing a decade ago and they stopped it. Then it became the norm and they've brought it back. Hell, I went to handshake events to debut the 6th Gen.

[JPope]

[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1362436078' post='146032']

I'm not defending AEUG being a broken record. Just saying not every time a negative opinion pops up in the release threads is it directly related to AEUG or his opinions. And there's totally relevant, interesting discussion being shut down with people just trying to shut AEUG down.

[/quote]



Just stop. You're embarrassing yourself now.



Go read AEUG's first post in this thread and you'll understand why people pile shit on him. He could have easily made his point about the single without the insults and insinuation that anyone who disagrees with his opinion is doing so out of some ulterior motive completely unrelated to their actual opinion of the song. It's obnoxious, it's unnecessary and the only reason he continues to stinks up threads with this shit is that he's been allowed to do it for this long. Honestly, I'd have nipped this behavior in the bud a long time ago, but that's just me. If your area constantly smells like shit, people are just going to naturally assume that that's where the shit is supposed to go. You get what you give. Lots of people here are disappointed with this single, but only one is a piece of shit about it. AEUG has earned the treatment he gets here, several times over. He is the Boy Who Cried "Sucks!," which is why nearly nobody cares what he has to say about any MM single anymore.



Like Plum said, the act is old and not at all fun anymore. But it will continue so long as he's allowed to continue it, because this is what he wants to do.

[showraniy]

Ok, I'll just say this.



I'm not defending AEUG. AT ALL. I'm defending the people who responded to his posts. That's it. Good god. I'VE jumped on him for the same shit in another thread before, so I know that he can be condescending and all that. I don't know how my attempts to say this tactfully keep getting misunderstood.



I REALLY DON'T WANNA IRONICALLY DERAIL THIS THREEAAAD, so I like Brainstorming and want to see it live. Yaaay!