Secret listening party in Milan!

[Sarina]

Wow Karin, nice report and SO detailed!

Thanks for sharing, now I remember things even better :thumb_yello:y

[mellody]

suzie i can assure you it sounds nothing like step by step! you may be right with spaceborne,makes more sense i guess. and iirc the sound of emily waa exactly the same as emd,yes.

[WeAreGolden*]

Thank you all for the detailed reports! It's so amazing that you got to be there, I'm really happy for all of you! I can't wait to hear everything *_*

[DerMoment1608]

Thanks for you detailed report, mellody. I especially like that you tell our impressions but also facts about the songs, so we can get a better picture about them.

 

Can't wait to hear them finally!

[mellody]

I can't help but think of the song from Wicked

 

indeed you're right with that. i didn't know that song before, but there was a question about it for mika, and tina played it to us in the car, and i think the melody when he sings the word "popular" is nearly or even exactly the same like in that song. i think it was lowell (akasaka here on mfc) who asked him about it, and mika answered that it's true and the reason why they did it that way was that he thinks priscilla renea has a voice like a cartoon character. and then something that it was about bullying, in a different way this time - like i said, it's a very happy sounding song. maybe someone else can remember the details of mika's answer to that question... i hadn't understood the question and it only made sense to me when tina told me afterwards!

 

HEROES is a sweet slow ballad but he's not sure it will be in the album.

 

it will be. that was the question i asked him, whether all those songs he played to us will definitely be on the album, as he had told me on monday at the m+g that he still hasn't decided on all songs yet and always does that last minute. mika and me had a little misunderstanding though... when he introduced heroes he said something about that the song will make the album, or *maybe* make the album, anyway that's what *i* understood, so i thought it might not be on the album. he probably said something different though. can anyone remember what he said about heroes when he introduced it, apart from it being a very raw version? and he said he'll finish it on monday, i think. anyway, i wanted to ask him about it but he misunderstood and told me again (for the 3rd time in 2 days... ) that all the songs were only raw versions. i wasn't able to explain to him what i meant. but he clearly confirmed that all the songs he played to us will be on the album.

 

I'm still curious at what happened to Overrated... :dunno

 

he knew that many mfcers would be there so maybe he didn't dare to hit us with that electronic version.

 

Were there no chairs? Who is Rich Isaacson?

 

there were some chairs and a sofa, but not enough for everyone. about rich isaacson, i wondered the same, who is he?

 

I'm sure she's not the only one. Universal italia notified their 10 + 10 winners only this morning :doh isn't it crazy? with all the people out of home for the gig and less prompt to check emails?

 

i had already wondered why it was only 30 people instead of 50. that really sucks that people couldn't go because they were notified too late! maybe they took so long for the translation from english into italian, or what?

 

then I say: TAKE OFF THAT HAT!!!!! NOW AND FOR GOOD!!!

 

:lmfao

 

agree.

 

Thanks so much for your report Mellody. It's really helpful information. Can't wait to hear the rapping! :teehee

 

it's a rather slow rap, tina said it reminded her of "young deenay", a female singer who was popular in germany at some point in the 90s - she also had quite slow raps in the 2 or 3 hits she had back then.

 

Thanks Karin for the detailed report! I admire how clearly you can remember everything! Lol, we have very different views of his new songs! Your two favorites are two mine least favorites :teehee And I thought the songs we already knew are very different recorded (especially UW which is so vulnerable live). I absolutely love it how he told about making of songs

 

of course you're right that the live versions of songs add something to it, the live band, the whole atmosphere etc., you can't get that across on a cd. i mainly meant that there weren't any parts of the songs missing - for example some of my faves like the "aaah-haaa" in the background for lola, or the "love, love, love, you're the origin of love" and "ey-oh-ey-oh-ah!" in tool, it's all there and not just added for the live version.

 

btw, someone also asked about the latin bit in tool and mika told us. the way i understood it, it's basically what you had figured out in the tool thread already - but i'll leave it to someone who knows latin to write it down. he said that the latin bit is mocking the mass he attended as a child, something along those lines... maybe someone else who was there can remember more details about what he said.

Edited July 26, 2012 by mellody

[robertina]

I think Fralovesmika asked about the Latin part, didn't she.

 

well, yes he said that it's just some rambling words in Latin which are meant to mock the Mass and the prayers he was taught to say as a kid. Not a real meaning in it.

 

practically it says MATER DEI MATER DEI MACHISMO (last word is not clearly latin )

SANCTU ESPIRITU and something else that I don't remember, maybe he as well

[DerMoment1608]

i mainly meant that there weren't any parts of the songs missing - for example some of my faves like the "aaah-haaa" in the background for lola, or the "love, love, love, you're the origin of love" and "ey-oh-ey-oh-ah!" in tool, it's all there and not just added for the live version.

 

Ah, I'm very happy about that I love these parts in the live-versions and was a little bit worried that they weren't included in the studio-versions.

 

Are the parts in TOOL only in the end (like in the Denmark version) or are they in the intro (and first chorus) as well (like in the Estonian version or the versions of Nice, Vienne...)

 

And does Lola start with the called "Lola" and "Aha", too?

[Christine]

i think it was lowell (akasaka here on mfc)

 

Oh I didn't realize akasaka was Lowell :doh:

 

there were some chairs and a sofa, but not enough for everyone. about rich isaacson, i wondered the same, who is he?

 

He's Mika's business manager, based out of New York.

[mari62]

indeed you're right with that. i didn't know that song before, but there was a question about it for mika, and tina played it to us in the car, and i think the melody when he sings the word "popular" is nearly or even exactly the same like in that song. i think it was lowell (akasaka here on mfc) who asked him about it, and mika answered that it's true and the reason why they did it that way was that he thinks priscilla renea has a voice like a cartoon character. and then something that it was about bullying, in a different way this time - like i said, it's a very happy sounding song. maybe someone else can remember the details of mika's answer to that question... i hadn't understood the question and it only made sense to me when tina told me afterwards!

 

 

 

it will be. that was the question i asked him, whether all those songs he played to us will definitely be on the album, as he had told me on monday at the m+g that he still hasn't decided on all songs yet and always does that last minute. mika and me had a little misunderstanding though... when he introduced heroes he said something about that the song will make the album, or *maybe* make the album, anyway that's what *i* understood, so i thought it might not be on the album. he probably said something different though. can anyone remember what he said about heroes when he introduced it, apart from it being a very raw version? and he said he'll finish it on monday, i think. anyway, i wanted to ask him about it but he misunderstood and told me again (for the 3rd time in 2 days... ) that all the songs were only raw versions. i wasn't able to explain to him what i meant. but he clearly confirmed that all the songs he played to us will be on the album.

I understood that he wasn't sure if the song would be on the album

[Sabine64]

Sorry, I know I´m late but I came back home only in the morning at 7.30 am and had to sleep a little bit and then I had to live RL for a little time.

 

Here is my little report.

 

As Robertina already told you we arrived in time and stood at the meeting point waiting in the shade and all I could think was " Yes!!!! It´s running in Mikatime :fisch:" I think we were there for 45 minutes before we went to the cafe/bar and when we arrived a photographer took lots of pics of us going into the bar ( I call it bar now, it´s easier ). In the first room we got told to leave our bags there and that they would search our bags for stuff to record the songs and that is was very important for the success of the album that the new stuff wouldn´t leak on the internet. Guilio said they would know that we fans would understand it and be helpful. Then we went inside the bigger room and everyone sat down. There were only a few chairs and the rest sat down on the floor. All the time the photographer took pics. Two minutes later Mika came in through a door from behind and looked around for a few seconds and then he went in front of us to say Hello and then he explained us that we would hear the latest version of the songs which doesn´t mean that the songs couldn´t be changed anymore because he changed a lot especially during the last week. He said that he was the only one who has the album right now and so he was the only one who would be able to play the songs to us but it wasn´t possible to play all the songs for us. Then he went to the back of the room and started with TOOL. Before he statred to play the songs he said, that it was the very first time he did something like that and believe me he was very very nervous.

Tool is only a little bit different to the live version. Lola is more different and you can hear the lyrics more clear than live. Underwater is nearly the same as he performs it on stage. Step with me is very catchy for me, he told us the little story about the castle before he started palying it. Mika told how they worked there for the whole week, every day they got new partners to write songs in the morning and record the songs in the afternoon and then they had to play the songs to all the others in the evening while dinner. He told us that his partner had a hangover that day and they got the worsest room of the castle and so he decided to right an easy song. I remember that the song has many background voices which I will need to discover by hearing it a lot ( that´s why I love One Foot Boy so much! ).

Kids and Sturdust gave me the goose skin more than once but in a very good way. I really like Popular which is a duett and I think both voices fit together very much.

Before he started Emely he asked if anyone of us is called Emely, we said no and he said " it´s a shame!" and started the song. He watched us and laughed about our reaction when we realized that it is EMD. I may be wrong but I understood after the French part " shut up she said to me...." and I find the song so funny.

Then he wanted to play us the first 30 seconds of Heroes and as it was in Mika time we heard nearly 90 seconds or so.

I really can say, for me every single song sounds quiet different, very fresh and there was not one song which I didn´t like.

I wasn´t sure if I saw Rich Isaacson but I thought I saw him.

 

When Mika was gone Hasi, Graciosa, Tiibet and me were in hurry to go to the airport. We thought we were in time for our flights but we totally forgot the controlls inside the airport and nearly missed our flights. But even we had missed them it would have been so worth to listen to the new songs and I can´t tell you how grateful I am that I got the chance to be there.

 

Btw everyone was well behaved, no one was screeming and it was a very nice situation all the time.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Sabine64

[Sabine64]

I understood that he wasn't sure if the song would be on the album

 

He said that all the song we heard yesterday will be on the album but it´s not sure if it will be a different version.

 

MYH will be on the album in a ifferent version to the version he already shared with us. He said he developed two versions and we will have the other one on TOOL.

[DerMoment1608]

@Rich Isaacson

He's Mika's business manager, based out of New York.

 

source of pic

 

David Munk, Jerry Blair, MIKA, Rich Isaacson, Jodi Marr, Denise Rich @Bitter end showcase, NYC, 2005

 

It's kind of funny in the context of "The origin of love" 7 years later that Mika is wearing a cross here

 

And Mika looks so young And his hair

[DerMoment1608]

Thanks for your report, Sabine! I really like reading the different reports because everyone writes some new, different pieces that he noticed while listening. It's like a jigsaw

[robertina]

It's the same for me, and I was there!

I love to read what the others think, cause thare was little time to chat afterwards, everyone had to run home.

[suzie]

suzie i can assure you it sounds nothing like step by step!

what a relief

 

the sound of emily waa exactly the same as emd,yes.

 

thanks:thumb_yello:

[mariposa]

First of all, I have to say that I still an't believe that I really was at the prelistening only yesterday. As someone has pointed out it's a dream come true. It felt so honoured to be there and get a chance to listen to the album tracks - almost 2 months before the album is going to be released! Couldn't wipe away that stupid smile I had on my face all day. I was almost as excited as if I was going on a blind date (or maybe even more ). At 3:30 pm we all gathered up at the meeting point....The weather was so hot, but we didn't care. It was lovely chatting along to so many lovely Mika fans trying to speed up time.

It wasn't until about 45 minutes later that we were lead to that restaurant thingie where the whole thing was gonna happen. It was a close walk though. We put down all bags etc. and Guilio told us about the "rules" (no recording etc.) and said that the fans would understand but the internet wouldn't. (True that!) We then moved on to another room where we all sit down as the playing of the album was only minutes away.

Then - all of a sudden - Mika appeared and sat down behind his computer and said hi. As people have already mentioned he said that so far he's the only one who has the latest versions of the songs - so he was the one playing them to us.

 

As my pen didn't seem to work I didn't take any notes during the songs - but decided just to try to "take them in" and enjoy them as much as possible. But many of the others have already written it all down so beautifully. So I only just have to add that it really was an amazing experience. I had to pinch myself more than once to make me believe I wasn't dreaming...From where I was sitting I had a good view on many others listening - and I loved watching everyone being so much into the songs - the fans, the Universal guys (They were singing along so much ), Mrs. P and Yasmine. The songs we heard were all different, but even at first listen I started to like them - Changing EMD to Emily is so funny. I almost shed a tear when I heard "Underwater" - it simply is beautiful. Looking forward to hear them all again.

 

@mellody: IIrc he said about "Heroes" that it's not sure that it will be the closing track of the album, at least that's what I understood.

(and it was me thinking that that rapping part in "Popular" sounds like Young Deenay, who was famous in Germany in the 90s ;-) )

 

Loved the stories Mika told as well as his answers to our questions. I dodn#t look at Mika when he played the songs - but some people told me that he was like in a "trance" throughout a song. This just reminds me that we can be so happy that Mika is doing things the way he like it, he make the music he loves and feels like doing, it's 100% Mika - that that's the way it should be.

 

It was such a great opportunity. THANK YOU and GRAZIE MILLE to everyone who made this happen.

 

It was lovely chatting to some of you after the prelistening exchanging our opinions etc. Loved it.

 

Such a great end to our little Mika adventure!

 

And the champagne was good, too. (That must be said. )

 

So good to hear that more people are getting theior chance to assist to a prelistening session tomorrow in London. Good times!!!

Edited July 26, 2012 by mariposa

[suzie]

I think Fralovesmika asked about the Latin part, didn't she.

 

well, yes he said that it's just some rambling words in Latin which are meant to mock the Mass and the prayers he was taught to say as a kid. Not a real meaning in it.

 

practically it says MATER DEI MATER DEI MACHISMO (last word is not clearly latin )

SANCTU ESPIRITU and something else that I don't remember, maybe he as well

 

that's not what they sing though .

they sing deus for sure and not dei - same meaing but different infliction...

 

I think he knows exactly why he that word 'machismo' in there but is unlikely start explaining it to people.

 

Anyway, hope after tonight we can put it together. We have parts correct already.

[robertina]

yeah Suzie, I'm totally unreliable. When I'm not interested myself I simply don't pay attention, even when it's Mika talking!

 

and mater deus is not correct anyway mater dei is

 

LOL!

[suzie]

Step with me is very catchy for me,.... remember that the song has many background voices which I will need to discover by hearing it a lot (that´s why I love One Foot Boy so much! ).

 

oh, I might like that, too then.

 

yeah Suzie, I'm totally unreliable. When I'm not interested myself I simply don't pay attention, even when it's Mika talking!

 

and mater deus is not correct anyway mater dei is

 

LOL!

 

Well, they might have proper grammar on the record

[kath]

Thank you all for your reports. What an amazing experience. It sounds great - really realxed.

 

I can't wait to hear Emily

 

Well done for asking that question Robi - it's the one on everybodies lips - but the answer is what was suspected isn't it - record company decision................mind you - having heard the recorded version of Origin, I am not so sure now.

[mellody]

Thank you all for your reports. What an amazing experience. It sounds great - really realxed.

 

I can't wait to hear Emily

 

Well done for asking that question Robi - it's the one on everybodies lips - but the answer is what was suspected isn't it - record company decision................mind you - having heard the recorded version of Origin, I am not so sure now.

 

the radio version from today is not what we heard yesterday though! we were already wondering on twitter what happened... did they change it to the worse on purpose cause they don't want the finished version out there yet, or is it just because they don't have a final radio mix yet?

[Lucrezia]

the radio version from today is not what we heard yesterday though! we were already wondering on twitter what happened... did they change it to the worse on purpose cause they don't want the finished version out there yet, or is it just because they don't have a final radio mix yet?

 

I think that they didn't want to share the original final version of TOOL... at least not now

[Sarina]

Article

http://www.sorrisi.com/2012/07/27/mika-fa-ascoltare-in-anteprima-ai-fan-italiani-il-nuovo-album-the-origin-of-love/

[mari62]

Article

http://www.sorrisi.com/2012/07/27/mika-fa-ascoltare-in-anteprima-ai-fan-italiani-il-nuovo-album-the-origin-of-love/

grazie!!!!

[Sarina]

grazie!!!!

 

I like the meaning of the last phrase "seems the happier above all was Mika himself"