Formed in 2002, razorblade oscilloscope is a musical collaboration
between Dani Wright and Alex Caithness. What started out as a high school bet soon grew into an epic conceptual spectacular. After turning down a
recording contract due to disagreements over creative control (you know the
story...), the project underwent a period of hiatus as its respective
contributors pursued their own endeavours.
This was a time of growth and experimentation. All was not completely
silent on the razilloscope front during this time, however it is fair to say
that the project lacked the coherency and direction it had during its Texan
heyday. Alex's work was most prominent during
this period; razorblade oscilloscope afforded him a space where he could
really explore new ideas without fear or restraint.
There was even a short period where more musicians were brought in and the
band actually considered a "live" sound! Needless to say, it didn't
last.
It is now 2009, and the duo have finally reformed with the express
purpose of writing the follow-up work to the seminal "so this is texas". It
is an exciting time for music. To celebrate the forthcoming release of this
masterpiece, they've decided to release the entire back-catalogue of
razorblade oscilloscope work, including some exciting never-before-heard
tracks from their quietis tempus. In addition, the new album will be
released for free right here at
http://www.razorbladeoscilloscope.com/.
This track is a retelling of "endsong" from so
this is texas, but from the aliens' point of view.
Well worth having a listen to "endsong" too if you
haven't heard it already.
It having been determined by the Intergalactic
Wildlife Trust (IWT) that the human race posed a threat
to other species on Earth, certain representatives are
dispatched to the planet to monitor the situation and,
if necessary, cull the human population to an extent
where it can't do so much damage. However, upon
arriving, they discover they are too late – the human
race has already destroyed the world.
Kid Viddy, seeing the alien ship land, spies an
opportunity. He watches the aliens disembark cautiously,
unsure whether they would welcome his arrival with relish.
As they explore the land surrounding the ship, Viddy sneaks
aboard. Hopefully he'll remain undetected until the ship
takes him somewhere civilised.
Now aboard the aliens' space vessel, Kid Viddy
watches the Earth shrink to nothing as the ship flies
away into space. He reflects on all that has happened,
and on all that he has left behind. There is sadness,
but also hope, as Viddy knows that there was no future
left for him on Earth but maybe, just maybe, he can
start a new life out here.
The aliens have detected an unauthorised life form
aboard the ship! Alarms sound, and Viddy knows he's
caught. He manages to evade the aliens for some time
before he's eventually caught.
There is but one member of the Quag'iën leader's
retinue who appreciates Viddy's worth as an intelligent
being: his chief concubine, Syrah. From the waterworld of
Mizul, Syrah has long felt stifled by her life on the desert
planet. She and Viddy quickly form an illicit relationship.
Together, they hatch a plan to escape the
Quag'iën homeworld and make their own life
abroad.
Back at the trading post where he was first sold, Viddy
looks for transport off the planet. He finds it in the form
of Kim Soo, a vagabond smuggler. Soo agrees to include
Viddy and Syrah in his next shipment out of Quag'myr.
Viddy, Syrah, and Kim approach Earth. As Kid Viddy sees
the continents of Europe and Africa rise before him he
breathes a sigh of relief, looking forward to his new life
back on his home planet, and considers everything he's gone
through to get here.
The trio land on Earth to discover that it has been taken
over by dinosaurs, who had until the disaster been biding
their time, waiting for the destruction of humankind before
they could take control once more.
The message goes out. Nobody knows from whence it
comes, but it is silent and insidious. Texas,
it calls, Go to Texas. Those who hear it cannot
resist its calling. In droves, they pack up and move
to Texas, by whatever means they can afford. Highways
are blocked up. Trains are packed full. The pull is
so strong that drivers, unable to stand the waiting in
traffic, abandon their cars and set to marching.
It is a long march for some, and tiring. Few
notice. The calling to Texas holds them now, and all
they can do is march. Many forget to eat in their
fervour, and simply fall dead by the side of the road.
The survivors continue the punishing trek to Texas.
Upon arrival in Texas, they set to work. They know
now why it is they have come. Texas is all. All
else is nothing. Without guidance or direction,
they each inexplicably understand their rôle in the
coming massacre.
While all this is going on, the rest of the world
remains blissfully unaware of what is happening. The
Texans have control of the media, and disallow any
footage showing the long march, the massive
construction, the industry of destruction. Life
continues as normal, free from care or worry. The
world is unprepared for what is to come.
Rumour begins on the internet. Certain underground
groups devoted to the exposure of conspiracies send out
the word: Texas is plotting. It spreads like wildfire
through IRC and Usenet alike, but barely
surfaces from channels frequented by conspiracy
theorists. The general populace simply can't – or
won't – believe that such a dangerous plot could be afoot
in America.
Prepared, the Texans make ready unleash their
destruction upon the globe. Texas is all. The
rest of the world will be destroyed. All else is
nothing. The time has come. Texas sends out an
announcement to all the peoples of the world. They are
given now choice in the matter. The end, for them, is
imminent.
The world responds in horror. Texas? Threatening
the world with extinction? It is untenable! And yet,
here it is. The United Kingdom sends an envoy to try
and settle matters. He is never heard from again.
Against all odds, it must be true. It's war.
Watching from his small television, Kid Viddy is
horrified. He realises there is no escaping it. This
is real. There will be nothing but Texas.
As war approaches, both sides prepare for battle.
Ships are armed. Fighter planes leave their hangars.
Sirens blare and footsoldiers march. This is a war
like no other in history. From all corners of the
world, artillery is directed at Texas.
It begins. As soldiers approach Texas, they realise
the entire state has been turned into a giant fortress,
with a great wall surrounding its perimeter and rising
as far as the eye could see. Tanks approach and fire
shots at the barrier, to no effect.
Suddenly, from within the walls, the Texan forces
flood out. Thousands upon thousand of them, marching
in rigid formation. Those that are felled fall
unnoticed. The remainder approach the Allied forces
with murderous intention.
From the very centre of the Texan citadel, rockets
fly in all directions. Explosions are carried to every
point across the globe. It is a massacre. Within one
day, the world is flattened by Texas.
The rain falls steadily on the smoking ashes of
the land outside of Texas. From the ramparts of the
citadel, Texans look out at their ravaged Earth with
deadened eyes. They are victorious. It is not joy
they feel, nor satisfaction; both are too emotionally
human for them to feel now. No, this destruction
merely brings to them a sense of "completeness", of one
step in the great plan they have become a part of
having been completed. With quiet diligence, they set
about restoring the the Texan fortress.
Europe. What was once a green and beautiful land is
now a raw, grey wasteland. Buildings are reduced to
rubble; trees to fuel for the fires that burn
throughout the region.
In a dimly-lit basement, a small television
flickers. It is playing and re-playing a small clip
from a tv commercial. Somehow, amongst all the
destruction, the signal has survived; however it isn't
long before it, too, is corrupted by the power of the
Texans.
The light from the TV wakes Kid Viddy. He stirs,
and groans. The pain is incredible. He can
remember... strange... broadcasts... Texas... the
war... Oh, God, the war! Forcing himself to his feet,
he wrenches open the hatch and staggers out of his
basement.
The land before him is bare, and flat. Where once
his view was blocked by the city around him, now he can
see for miles. And in all those miles, not one sign of
life. Horrified, he explores the remains of his city.
It is all gone. There is nothing but Texas.
Kid Viddy revisits all the places he remembers. His
old school lies in ruins. The café where he used to
work is now an unrecognisable pile of bricks. His
girlfriend's house, and all its inhabitants, are no
more. Viddy feels the bile rise to his throat as his
eyes well up with sadness.
As he mourns all those who have died and replays
memories of each place he passes in his head, sadness
is very quickly replaced by anger. The entire world
has been destroyed! This calls for retribution. Kid
Viddy runs to the river and grabs the first boat he
sees – a small rowboat. He sets to with the oars, with
one destination in mind: Texas.
As the fortress of Texas approaches, it dominates
the skyline. Torches flicker along its edges. Strange
noises emanate from within. Viddy approaches quietly
and sneaks inside.
Inside Texas, work has begun on the Texans' next
project: the annihalation of the very Universe itself!
Kid Viddy can't believe what he's seeing. Knocking out
a Texan worker, he steals his uniform and blends in
with the masses. Over the course of many weeks, he
works his way deeper and deeper into the Texan citadel,
leaving small errors in workmanship as he goes. Soon,
the fortress is destroyed from the inside. In the
ensuing mayhem, Viddy sneaks out of the fortress and
watches from a distance as it collapses.
For some days, Viddy wanders the wastelands of
Earth, searching for whatever food has survived the
apocalypse. There's not much, but he just about
manages to scavenge enough to stay alive.
One day, while sneaking up on a vole, Viddy is
startled by a bright light from overhead. A great
disc, a full kilometre across, seems to be hovering in
the sky above him. It lands, and, seizing upon the
opportunity, he sneaks aboard.
