THE_VERY_BEST INDIE BAND (Vol. 1 Track 1)
(all tracks available for listening on spotify)

Fan: Oh my god! Inkuro ^[1] are absolutely amazing!

Fan: But today’s concert was packed! I wish they’d perform in bigger venues…

Fan: They’re only an indie band, they probably can’t afford anything much bigger than this, right?

Fan: Most live houses have about the same capacity anyways…but still, it feels like such a waste! They have such crazy talent, and they could get some really big crowds!

Fan: For real! Why don’t they just go pro?

Tobikura: Excuse me! Sorry! Uhm.. Please, make way!

[sfx: Tobikura bumping into fan]

Tobikura: Ah, I’m so sorry, are you okay?

Fan: Yes… I’m fine.

Tobikura: I’m really very sorry! Uhm! Please make way! Sorry, everyone!

Fans: (confused noises)

Fan: A guy in a suit…!

Fan: I know Inkuro has a lot of male fans, but… Well, I guess Inkuro’s fandom is really diverse!

Tobikura: With catchy melodies and relatable lyrics, they charm their audience with ease. This is the up-and-coming rock band, Impish Crow. And I, Tobikura Sora ^[2], am just one of those people captivated by them. This is the valuable story of how these crows learned to spread their wings and fly. Now then, let’s get started!

Tsugumi: ‘DIG-ROCK’

Impish Crow: ‘Impish Crow: Volume One!’

Tobikura: (deep breath)... Alright!

[sfx: Tobikura knocking, opening door]

Tobikura: Excuse me…! Huh?!

[sfx: loud guitar music]

Tsugumi: Toki! Stop it, stop!

Toki: (disgruntled) What is it now, Tsugu?

Tsugumi: Toki, it’s still off. Something’s up with it.

Toki: That’s just what happens when you have me playing the same melody over and over.

Mitsuru: Hmm… I also feel like something’s off, actually.

Tsugumi: See, Mitsuru gets it too! First off, you’re missing the main part that makes guitar appealing!

Toki: Then, maybe something more like this…?

[sfx: Toki repeating melody with a little more power, Tsugumi and Mitsuru humming]

Tsugumi: Something’s still wrong with it…

Toki: What do you mean by ‘something’? Come on, use your words! You’ve been awfully quiet, Hibari, what do you think?

Hibari: Oh, me? I don’t hate it!

Toki: But you don’t like it either, right?

Hibari: Of course not, Toki-kun, you’re thinking too much!

Mitsuru: It sounds pretty cool on guitar… but if I were to play it, it’d sound like this.

[sfx: Mitsuru playing the same melody on bass]

Toki: Ah, you’re right, it really is off. How do I put it… For something so noisy, it just sounds really plain.

Tsugumi: Right?! And the melody’s supposed to be the most powerful part. If it’s fundamentally wrong it doesn’t matter how much we play around with it, it’ll still sound wrong!

Toki: Oh, great, so we’re ignoring that you’re the one who wrote this melody, Tsugu?

Tsugumi: I’d much rather be wrong a million times than make a boring song!

Toki: I can agree with that, at least. If that’s the case, we’ve already got a catchy hook, so how about we leave it there and consider something else for a bit? As it is now we haven’t really got enough space in the music to make good use of the drums.

Hibari: I could always just hit the symbals over and over?

Toki: And what I said is that we should make good use of them, stop grinning like that.

Tobikura: U-uhm!

[sfx: angry footsteps]

Venue Manager: Oi, you guys, how many times have I told you to stop making a ruckus in the dressing room!?

Tobikura: O-Of course! I’m very sorry!

Tsugumi: Oh, Tobi-chan’s here!

Toki: Tobikura-san, yo.

Mitsuru: Hi there. Afternoon.

Hibari: You came! I didn’t even notice you…

Tobikura: I did try to catch your attention, but… 

Tsugumi: Still, what are you apologising for, Tobi-chan?

Tobikura: Well, that’s…

Venue Manager: Not just this guy, you should all be apologising! Don’t get all cocky just ‘cuz you managed to fill such a high-quality venue to 120% capacity, you damn brats! 

Toki: We’re very sorry. It means a lot to us that you help guide ticketholders, deal with complaints from your neighbours about the lines, and help to arrange everything for us on the day. You're always doing anything and everything to help us, so we’re incredibly grateful, and we’re sorry for causing you trouble. I truly apologise. 

Venue Manager: R-Right… If you’d said that first thing, I never would have gotten mad…

Toki: But sometimes when an idea hits us, we don’t want to lose it, so… we’re really sorry.

Mitsuru: Yeah. It’s unavoidable sometimes. Just recording humming the tune didn’t feel like enough.

Hibari: We can’t help that our heaven-sent angel of music Tsugu here is so impulsive! And look at it this way, if we keep making new songs, you’ll only get more and more customers, right?

Tsugumi: Right, right! If we have new songs you get more people through the door, and we get to have fun! And I mean, staff really shouldn’t be blowing their own horn by calling their venue “high-quality” now should they?

Venue Manager: (sigh) Jeez, you guys love talking back. Ah, whatever, I’ll let you get away with it today. But there won’t be a next time, got it?

Tsugumi: (sing-songy) Yees, we’re sorry…

Venue Manager: Hey, you, over there, the one always in a suit.

Tobikura: Eh? Oh, yes!

Venue Manager: You’re supposed to be in charge of those guys, so act like it! Give them a proper talking to or you’ll have a problem on your hands! Jeez…

[sfx: manager walking away]

Tobikura: Uhm! Uh? Thing is… I’m not actually their manager, I just want to be…

Tsugumi: We didn’t even do anything serious!

Toki: We still can’t risk getting kicked out.

Hibari: Losing something so convenient would be a shame.

Tsugumi: I know, but still! When I get ideas so suddenly I just can’t help it…

[sfx: Tsugumi loudly chugging a bottle of water]

Tsugumi: So, Tobi-chan, how much of the concert did you get to hear?

Mitsuru: He came in around the second song of the second half, I think.

Tobikura: Eh? You could see me?

Mitsuru: Yeah. It’s pretty easy to spot a suit in that crowd.

Tsugumi: You’ve got a good eye, Mitsuru!

Tobikura: I promise I had plans to be there for the whole thing, but…

Toki: Work keeps you busy, we get it, it’s all good.

Tobikura: Work is important to me, of course, but seeing you guys perform is just as important to me too! Even if you’re playing the same songs, no two shows sound alike!

Hibari: Just what I would expect from our number one fan!

Tobikura: Nobody can stop me when it comes to talking about Impish Crow’s strengths! You guys should really be more popular. In fact, I want to help you be more popular! On that note, on behalf of Dignity Production… won’t you debut with us?

Tsugumi: (copying his tone) No we won’t! 

Toki: Tsugu, manners…

Tsugumi: It gets the point across though, right?

Toki: But still…

Tobikura: (laughing) It’s alright, Toki-kun! I didn’t come here thinking changing Tsugumi-kun’s mind would be easy.

Hibari: You’re not easily discouraged, are you?

Tobikura: I haven’t been approaching you guys for five years just for show.

Mitsuru: It’s really already been five years since you first approached us?

Hibari: Oh, so that means you’ve been at DIGPro for five years now? 

Toki: So that’s why you’re so busy.

Tobikura: Not really. As a manager I’ve still yet to catch up to my seniors. Still, you guys have such a great musical talent, I refuse to let anyone else pick you up!

Tsugumi: You’re really pulling out all the stops!

Hibari: How capable of you! 

Tsugumi: But sorry, Tobi-chan. We still have no intention of going pro. Oh, crap, I’m gonna be late for my shift.

Tobikura: You have a part-time job? This late at night?

Tsugumi: Yeah! Convenience store. Right then, see you guys later!

Tobikura: Tsugumi-kun, best of luck!

[sfx: door opening, closing]

Toki: Tobikura-san, I’m… I’m sorry about him, as always.

Tobikura: It’s alright! I rather he be honest than give me a vague reply. It makes me even more determined!

Mitsuru: (short laugh) Tobi-chan never backs down.

Tobikura: I did barge in on you once again, though. I apologise as well.

Hibari: Don’t even worry about it! You really do like our music, don’t you?

Tobikura: Yes, I love it! What I really want is to help you guys spread your music to all sorts of people across the world. That hasn’t changed since the day we first met!

Toki: We really are very thankful for your offer, but…

Tobikura: It’s okay! I understand. Should your feelings never change, you’re free to keep turning me down. And if you do ever decide to go pro, I hope you’ll choose Dignity Production. Until that day arrives, I’ll never back down!