Nik Newark
PROJECT OCTOPUS
THE GIANT MUTANT RADIOACTIVE LOCKDOWN PROJECT
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED!
Welcome to this most ambitious music and video project, aiming to set a new record for the greatest number of people simultaneously singing a song about enormous freaky contaminated watery cephalopod (the current record was set by The Flying Pickets in 1984 with their single “Enormous Deformed Poisonous Cuttlefish”)
Hey, that sounds great! How do I get involved?
Easy peasy! Simply download the stems (big paperclip button on your right), import into your favourite DAW, overdub yourself singing, playing the bagpipes, xylophone solos and whatever, and then send me the recordings of your bits via wetransfer (send to nik.newark@me.com).
Or if you don't have much time, video yourself shouting "Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus!", and mail it to me :-).
Videos are good. I like videos!
But I don't have a DAW! What can I do?
No problem! Simply create an account at bandlab.com (it's free), and send me a friend request (my account name is niknewark), and I'll invite you to the project). From there, it's super-easy to add a new track, and overdub to your heart's content.
What are you looking for?
The most crucial thing are the backing vocals in the chorus (the call and response "giant GIANT mutant MUTANT - RADIOACTIVE OCTOPUS!" bits). But there's loads of other bits which would benefit from harmony vocals. And I'd really really like it if other people could sing the lead vocal!
Beyond that, guitars, fiddles, bass, drums, MIDI accordions, sumatran nose flutes and whatever else are all welcome. The bigger the racket, the better. And don't be restricted by whatever stems are already present - if you'd like to record a funk bass part or new drums etc, that'd be sweet!
Hold on, you said "video project"
I did? Well, we'd better make a video too then. If you have a phone or a webcam, then you have everything you need to record some video footage of you shouting "GIANT MUTANT RADIOACTIVE OCTOPUS" or playing an instrumental part. I don't mind if you're miming to a previously recorded part (the Musicians' Union isn't watching), or whether you're recording audio and video at the same time (though if you're doing the latter, make sure that only your part is being recorded, not the backing track - this probably means you'll need to wear headphones).
I can't sing, or play an instrument, but I like octopodes
You can express your tentactley nature in the form of a dance, dressing up as an octopus(?) or creating some artwork - they'll find their way into the video!
OK. Any other tips?
The lyrics are below.
The key is A major (with some D major, E major and a B major thrown in for good measure). None of your augmented 9ths here.
The tempo is a brisk 140bpm.
Download Stems
Bandlab
Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
When I went down to the sea today, I was looking for some action
A creature stirred beneath the waves, a freak of evolution
I didn’t mean him no harm but he looked alarmed
Bewildered and perplexed
A creature with too many arms, and way too many legs
He was a Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
Well he looked at me out of his eye, I thought he was going to eat me
I shut my eyes and prepared to die, but it turned out he preferred to eat algae
He was a writhing mess of arms and legs flailing in the sea
He put his tentacles around my neck and they began to squeeze
He was a Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
When he pulled me down I thought I would drown, I thought it’d be the end
With his tentacled leg around my neck but he just wanted to be my friend
He asked me in for tea and cakes, I shook his tentacle and I thanked him
But the tea was made from seaweed, and the cakes were made from plankton
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
So I went down to the corner shop (with my Radioactive Octopus)
For some chewing gum and a lolly pop (for my Radioactive Octopus)
Then I walked down to the liquor store (with my Radioactive Octopus)
After a couple of beers he was on the floor (Intoxicated Octopus)
He told me how he was conceived it was a dangerous strange attraction
His mother was an octopus who had her way with a nuclear reaction
And made a Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
Made a Giant Mutant Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!) Radioactive Octopus
He was a Giant (GIANT!) Mutant (MUTANT!)
Radioactive Radioactive Radioactive Octopus