Vinyl Magic

Vinyl Magic ( Part one of the Musalchemist Chronicles.)

I.The alchemy

For long people have pondered the great mystery of the universe. As the
centuries pass and we delve deeper and deeper into the puzzle, we
discover there is more to it than meets the eye, or more particularly,
the ear. One of the most mysterious forces in the universe has to be
music: rhythm and tones seem to govern the laws of our cosmos most
intimately. Theories about the musical language of the universe are to
be found in many ancient cultures: the Baylonians, Egyptians, Jews,
Greeks, Hindus all had their theories.

The Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, conceived of the universe as
consisting of celestial bodies, whose motions created a musical harmony
of the spheres. It is said that after many years of disciplined study
and meditation, members of his mystical school were able to experience
these harmonies.

Plato used the Pythagorean principles of musical order to describe the
lost city of Atlantis. When Plato describes this city the verses are
flooded with mathematically exact language, reflecting a profound
musical analogy. Much later Kepler believed that the planets orbited
the sun at precise distances, and he hoped to reveal scientifically
that each of the planets emitted specific tones. known as Musica
Mundana: the music of the spheres.

Music is everywhere. Like ever-expanding ripples in a pond when a
pebble is thrown into it, all things are connected: the rythmic ebb and
flow tides of the sea, the rhythmic heartbeat of blood circulation
within our bodies, the rivers and springs, wind and birds, insects and
animals, and most particularly whales: those majestic creatures whose
songs form an underwater world of dreamy sounds; sounds that have
haunted sailors since man first built boats and sailed the seas. Known
to the native American Indians as the record keepers, the deep soulful
song of the whale has for long inspired a natural musical form from
which many composers have sought inspiration.

In short, music is an integral part of everything. It is a part of
every human culture on earth. Everybody likes music; it is a universal
language of communication. Music can break down cultural divides, music
can bring people together onto a common ground. Music is an alchemy, a
form of magik; and could it be that within music there is the elixir of
life?

II.The alchemist

Paul was a talented mixer. His business was to make vinyl records for
DJs on the clubscene. His music was good, highly original and very
sought after, though nobody apart from his friends and the DJs to whom
he sold his records knew much about him. He wasn't famous or in the
limelight; he was a talented shadow working behind the scenes, a
ghost-writer for the music industry.

Through selling his records he had accumulated a great amount of money,
and with this he had built himself a recording studio. Within this
studio there was a vast library of sounds he had collected over the
years with his minidisc recorder. Along with all kinds of synthesizers
and samplers, and a huge mixing desk in the centre, and the means to
produce his own vinyl records.

He hadn't produced a record for a while though and many famous DJs had
e-mailed him asking him when his next record was due to be released.
Over the past six months noone had seen or heard from him. He had
become a bit of a recluse, spending large amounts of time on his own;
going out for long walks in the forest and the countryside, collecting
sounds on his minidisc recorder. He would stay up till late at night in
his recording studio, experimenting with these sounds, mixing them,
weaving them, playing around with them. His mixing talent had grown far
beyond its original capacity. The sounds he was producing now, were
becoming very to the point, very real. He felt he was getting close to
the elixir of life, so close now to the one tune that could un-lock
everything, the one that could really take you there.

Paul was completely immersed in his mixing. He wasn't bothered about
fame or money, he just loved music. You see he was a scientist, he
experimented with sound like a scientist would experiment with test
tubes and bunsen burners in a laboratory. It was his one passion in
life. He was the Albert Einstein of music. An alchemist searching for
the elixir of life, the hidden magic of his art. All across the walls
were charts of detailed mathematical notation. Explorations of the way
rhythm and tone affects a person's mood at certain speeds and in
certain combinations.

Paul stood there at his mixing desk, headphones half on his head,
weaving the beats together; mixing in beat after beat, keeping the
flow, upping the tempo, pushing the energy further. As he weaved the
sounds together, he felt sweat forming on his brow, the music became
more and more surreal. He knew this was powerful magic he was creating,
but he couldn't stop: he had to go further this time, push beyond the
surreal psychedelia, beyond time and space, further than he had ever
gone before. He was feeling a little afraid, he had never gone beyond
this stage before. He had always pulled out, it was too scary. Beyond
here was the unknown, anything could be waiting there, he might never
come back. But tonight was different tonight he was going to complete
the journey. He began to hallucinate, the music began leaping about him
colourfully. He was seeing the music now, not just hearing it. His
hands began shaking, he was getting close, so close, he pushed it
further, further and further. Then suddenly he pushed through the
barrier and he hit the crescendo, the great peak he had been searching
for. Before his eyes and in his eyes, beyond his eyes; a timeless
eternal echo of an entity older than - deeper than time, greater than
time, that walks the very fabric of the stars, is the centre of all
atoms and forces and energy. This mysterious figure, a personification
of Nagual the great sea of dreaming and un-dreaming Tonal reality
walked before him and within him. The essence of life. Paul felt it
walk through each of his cells, through all the corridors of his mind.
It was his cells and the corridors of his mind. Great secrets, great
twisting unknotting patterns of quantum physics, all spilled out before
him. Parallel universes, all the myriad dimensions of the great diamond
multiverse. It was him, he was the diamond, he was the peak of
evolution, the snowy mountain peak of lifes continuous motion and aim.
The end of that motion and aim. Paul gasped in shock. It was wonderful,
amazing, even better than he had imagined. He felt exquisite rushes
flow through him: this was it, the elixir he had dreamed about, what he
had been searching for these past six months; what he had spent hours
mapping out with his mathematical knowledge. He had got it right, the
musical map had took him there: here it was the great secret to
immortality; the great secret many alchemists had dreamed of and
searched for, and he with his musical knowledge had opened it. He had
found the key to unlock the mystery. He felt that knowledge pulse
through him, this was immortality, no more would death or illness
plague him. He would be a God. He would live forever, but it wasn't
just immortality he had found, he had untapped something even more.
With the elixir came powers that defied reasoning. He felt his atoms
unlock and suddenly something went horribly wrong. He had eaten from
the tree of life. But had he stolen its fruit? Is it right for a man to
become as he was becoming, so soon. He realised maybe he wasn't ready
for such a great leap. He was going way too ahead. He felt the darker
rooms in his mind unlocking now. The dark secret, the twisted
madnesses, the horrors that are interwoven into and part of the human
psyche. The devils and the sickness that gives a man pleasure from
hurting something else. The choas and the self-destruction, the hate,
despair and the lust. This too opened out before him and wove itself
into him. Oh no its too much, no too much, must stop can't take it, too
much, he began screaming in anguish of soul. TOO MUCH!!! But it was too
late, he couldn't stop it now. He tried to stop the recording, he
reached out for the power off button, but before his hand could reach
it it dissolved and suddenly the music stopped and there was
silence.

III

Joe and Simon walked up to the off beaten track location. Just an old
barn that Paul had converted into his studio. It was quiet, eerily
quiet. " I wonder if Paul's in?" Joe asked.

" Dunno, look his car is parked. He must be."

They knocked on the door, there was no answer. They knocked again, the
door creaked open on its own. Joe and Simon looked at each other. They
stepped in his living quarters, a typical bachelor's pad: cups and wine
bottles and plates lying around everywhere. "Paul, you there?" Joe
shouted. No answer, it felt very spooky in there. They walked over to
the recording studio. It was empty like the rest of the barn, a pair of
headphones lay silent on the mixing desk. Simon walked over to
them.

"I'll go check see if he's still in bed." Joe said.

Joe walked to the ladder that went up to the loft where Paul slept.
"Paul you there?" Joe shouted up&;#8230; no answer. Joe climbed the
ladder and entered the attic. It was a spacious cosy room with a double
bed and hundreds of books scattered around everywhere. There was a big
skylight positioned above the bed, so that Paul could lie there on a
night and gaze up at the stars, but Paul wasn't there. Joe came back
down from the loft and went back to the recording studio. He shrugged
his shoulders, "Not there." He said.

Simon was holding a shiny new vinyl. " I think this must be his new
one, the one hes been working on all this time. He must have just
finished it." He said.

"Slap it on Sim lets hear what its like."

Simon went to put it on the turntable&;#8230;

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Simon.." a strange voice suddenly
said. Simon and Joe spun round to see Paul standing there looking at
them in a weird way. "Hey Paul good to see you, how are you mate?
Nobody's seen you in ages."

"Give me that." Paul said gesturing towards the record. Simon handed it
to him.

"Is that your new one Paul?" Joe asked enthusiastically.

"Yes it is&;#8230; my final one."

"Well let's hear it then, don't keep us in suspense." Joe said.

"Not yet, I have decided I am going to play it at a party. And I need
you to do me a favour. I need you to organise a big party for
me."

"Wicked, far out, yes a big party, sounds like a great idea."

Paul smiled at him mysteriously.

IV

It was a banging party, people whooping and clapping like they didn't
want it to end. The lights flashing their neon colours over the
dancefloor: people wildeyed and sweaty smiling happy.. buzzing. "
lovely party." Joe shouted.

" I know spliffing...." Simon shouted back.

"Wickedly fantastic."

"Totally there man.. I'am totally there.. safe as fuck."

"Whhhhooooooooeeeeeeee!" Joe yelled.

Simon began jumping up and down yelling with delight, letting his body
just move where it wanted, un-able to stop it moving to the beats:
spontaneous motion fuelled by euphoria, empathy and lots and lots of
hyperactive energy. People were whistling, hugging each other, loving
each other, seeing each other as if for the first time: suddenly
finding the ability to express well-meaning warmth and sentiments to
one another. Everyone nutted, smiling and happy, no longer stressed by
anything. Whatever thoughts had troubled them no longer did&;#8230;
all troubles forgotten now here in this sacred space. The hours passed
by so quickly&;#8230; nobody wanting those hours to pass by -
everybody enjoying, savouring, living fully every single minute of
them, sitting in the chill-out rooms talking deeply about things,
sharing deeply intimate feelings and sentiments with one another.
Holding hands, empathizing with one another, respecting and wanting the
best for each other. Laughing and joking and forgetting what they were
saying mid-sentence, monged and not caring, full of blissed outness.
All the problems of the world forgotten, dissolved in an egoless loved
up unity. Smiles and shining eyes everywhere, all equal here, a family
opening up to one another, expressing their souls powerfully. A
community again. Happy to stay like that, in their blissed out state,
for all eternity.

But the night always has to end, nothing lasts forever, and soon it
was drawing to a close: everyone was on the dancefloor for the last
dance - all still eed up and really giving it some: smiley madness of
the nocturnal highs, supernatural energy of the MDMA culture. Then six
a.m. was suddenly upon them, the main lights came on, and then a few
minutes later the music stopped. A sudden emergence of normal
everydayness made its presence felt&;#8230; time to go home. People
looking around a bit lost and confused still up on their pills, not
really ready to leave. Still wanting to carry on.

"Thank you all for coming," Paul said calmly down the microphone. "
Hope you had a good one&;#8230;" The crowds of people cheered and
clapped.

"One more." The voices started shouting from the dance floor. "One
more!" desperate voices cried, not wanting the party to end.

Paul stood there and smiled at them. Joe and Simon went up to the
booth. " Go on Paul give us one more.." they said.

"One more!" many voices pleaded with him.

"Ok," Paul said down the microphone, " But if you want one more I want
to hear some noise."

Lots of loud cheering and whistling.

"I can't hear you.."

People yelling and shouting, whistling smiling, laughing.. happy..
buzzing.

" Ok, I have decided that for my last number I will play my new record.
Not yet released, not heard by anyone. You are to be the first to hear
it, it's called Elixir of life."

Everyone cheered manically.

The lights went off and it was dark again. The music started, it was
slow and melodic, full of ambience, beautifully hypnotic. People stood
there loving it. It felt like it was being absorbed by the very fabric
of their being, it was such a haunting melody. Some had their hands to
their heads gazing up at the ceiling. Others closed their eyes and
swayed. Some sat down, to appreciate it more fully. It seemed the music
was talking about some deep sadness and mystery to do with the birth of
the world and the beginning of humanity, so deep and sentimental it
was. Tingling scalps and sweet rushes were felt by all. Then it began
to build up gradually, tenderly. Paul watched the people and grinned,
this was going to be a journey for them, as much as it had been for
him. The music felt like it was telling a story but without words, and
everyone began to see images in their minds: visions they had always
known but had forgotten about. Timeless universal knowledge pulsed from
the speakers. Then it kicked in, the deep bass began pounding. People
started cheering and moving, as if possessed suddenly by supernatural
dancing energy. Then the drums kicked in, really good drumbeats,
everyone was on their feet now, punching the air, wild-eyed and
excited. This was a really good tune, it was gonna be a hit all right,
a very popular record on the clubscene. The music got deeper and
deeper, more and more surreal. It began to grow ever more haunting in
its melody and more intense with its deep bass. Some people stopped
dancing and sat back down again overcome by powerful feelings. Others
danced even wilder, more intensely. Some people began to shake
uncontrollably. Simon looked at Joe. It felt like the world around them
was slowly dissolving. Then he saw bars of colour everywhere: it was
the music. " I don't believe it man." He said, " I'm fucking seeing the
music."

" Yeah and me," Joe gasped. Everyone looked around them in wonder,
everyone was seeing the music. " Jesus what's going on?" The music got
more and more intense, until it hit what had to be the peak. Everyone
on the dancefloor stopped dancing suddenly and stood there mesmorised.
The music seemed to slow right down suddenly and knowledge pulsed
across the dancefloor, ancient knowledge, powerful knowledge, the
mysteries of the universe unlocking before their very eyes, mysterious
patterns swirling all around them. But a terrible realisation dawned on
all who stood there. It was too much, unbearable, too much too soon.
Nobody could take it. Some people began sobbing uncontrollably, shaking
with powerful energy. Others shrieked in anguish holding their heads
wanting to get away but unable to move, frozen in this. " Stop!"
someone pleaded, but his voice drowned away into a mass of shrieking
voices and chaotic noise. People reached out to Paul to try and get him
to stop, desperate hands reaching out, but it was too late. Everything
dissolved and suddenly there was silence.

The doormen rushed in to see what all the commotion was about. Then
stood and looked around them in disbelief. The entire dancefloor was
empty, not a single person was on there.The room stood like a ghost
room, in eery silence. The DJ booth was empty and the neon lights
flashed silently to no music. They walked around the dancefloor amidst
the empty bottles and cigrette buts and shirts and jackets. All the
doormen looked spooked. Where had they all gone in such a short space
of time? What was all that shrieking about? None had left through any
of the doors. Each door and fire exit had a doorman stationed outside,
and none of the doormen had seen anyone leave the club. Where had the
bouncers who were supervising the dancefloor gone? Something weird was
going on here, like the twilight zone. This was something they had
never seen or heard of before.

In the newspapers the following week the story of the mysterious
dissappearance of two hundred and fifty four clubbers dominated the
headlines. What had happened? There were many theories, had they all
plotted with the doormen and the manager of the club to stage a great
hoax? Had they been abducted by aliens? Had terroists kidnapped them?
It was strange and eery like the Bermuda triangle and no questions
yielded simple answers. Friends and families grieved for their loved
ones. They began media fuelled campaigns to find them, and so one of
the greatest searches for missing persons ever conducted began, and all
who took part in that investigation felt a spine-tingling mystery that
defied all logic and reasoning. The doormen preferred not to talk about
it, they were spooked, really spooked. These people had vanished
without a trace, none had gone home, none were ever seen again.

Copyright ? Richard Cuthbertson2001