Italy Starts A Prog Rock Band
It was bright and sunny that June day. Italy was walking the streets of the city, looking at all of the stores. Most people were simply going about their business, including Italy. The only difference was; while everyone else had things to do, Italy did not.
While the city was truly wonderful, in Italy's mind, it would be better if he had something to do. Walking down yet another street, he did find something which looked interesting.
It was a record store, and it looked like it was pretty empty. "ve…that looks perfect" Italy commented, and he walked right into the store.
The inside was very bare-bones, but there were a lot of shelves with vinyl records all sorted and everything. He immediately began looking through the multitudes, finding something that would be nice.
"Italy?" a familiar voice called, startling him to nearly dropping a record that was in his hands.
Italy turned around, and saw that it was England on the other end of the aisle.
"Interesting choice you have in your hands" England replied, motioning to the record labeled Yessongs that was in Italy's hands. "It seems to me that you might like it."
"But I don't have any money" Italy replied
"It's okay" England commented "consider it a gift between two countries. I will buy the record for you"
At this, England took Italy to the counter, and purchased the record for him. Italy immediately thanked England, then ran straight home, and immediately searching the entire place for a record player.
He found one in Germany's room, and immediately opened up the album, and saw that it was three full discs.
Three Hours Later
After a long day making cuckoo clocks, Germany came home, and to a surprising sound. It seemed like someone was playing music on his record player, and not with one of his records.
Running up the stairs, Germany immediately saw Italy listening to a record that was labeled "Yessongs," and was immediately excited.
"Doitsu, doitsu!" Italy called "look what England bought me!"
"I can hear it" Germany replied "what is it?"
"It's this band called 'yes', and they're really good." Italy replied "I know exactly what I'm gonna do. Ve, I'm gonna start a band"
Germany immediately gave the priceless look that was half disbelief, and half wtf.
The next day
As Germany was waking up and making breakfast, he was almost expecting to be pummeled by Italy for making breakfast; which was sausage as usual. Yet after five minutes of wafting aroma, no sign of Veneziano seemed to come.
Eventually; Romano appeared, coming down the stairs.
Germany was too busy cooking to really notice; at least until "Wha! What the crapola happened here?!" came straight out of Romano.
"What do you mean what's happening here?" Germany replied
"Where's Veneziano?!" Romano asked "He's always here this morning for breakfast!"
"I don't know" Germany replied "It is strange though"
"Yes!" Italy's voice called from the room above.
Immediately; both nations ran upstairs to Italy's room, where they saw him in front of a computer with what appeared to be a drum kit on the screen.
"I just bought enough instruments for three of us" Veneziano replied "We're gonna be a band! Ve! Ve! Ve!"
"Band!" Romano replied "You're kidding! What the crapola do you think you're doing?"
Italy breathed in, and began with:
Io cammino attraverso il deserto
Sto morendo di fame
Guardo in lontananza
è lo stesso
"Okay okay" Romano replied "Just don't hit that high note that'll break the glass"
"Will you two be in the band with me?" Italy asked "I need a bassist and a drummer for it to be complete"
Romano immediately thought about it. A band may seem nice; but spending all of that time on the road touring with his little brother. He eventually decided
"I'll do it" Romano replied "Just don't have me on drums"
"Ve!" Italy called "What about you Doitsu?"
"Oh, me" Germany replied "I have no musical talent at all. Thank you for asking"
It was on. It would be time to find the third person to make up their band.
Of course; that wasn't exactly the easiest of things to do.
At noon; both Italian nations were busy working on trying to find a drummer. They asked Japan "I do not know how to play the drums"
America was next "I only do lead"
England then came after with "I'd much rather be in my own band"
Then came France "rock and roll, not for me. Would you like to join my band though" and immediately gave the most perverted wink ever.
Then came Canada; who answered the door sick as all belief, and simply said he couldn't do it.
And it wasn't long until they ran out of the actual countries. It was frustrating to have spent the entire day and have wasted it.
As they were walking home; they saw a shipping crate collection by the house that clearly was labeled "fragile", and had Italy's name on the delivery tag.
And it wasn't until they inspected it further did they find none other than Seborga sleeping on top of what was obviously the crate containing the bass drum.
"What the crapola do you think you're doing!" Romano yelled, startling poor Seborga and making him roll off the crate and onto the ground.
"I simply noticed your instruments and was wondering if you needed a drummer" Seborga explained. At this; Italy and Romano both knew exactly what they had been looking for all along.
"We were actually looking for a drummer!" Italy called "If you'll be here in the morning; we can actually play!"
The Next Morning
As Germany was once again making sausage for breakfast; and the warm aromas were wafting through the air, something more was up. Not even Romano was awake. It was almost impossible to get what exactly was going on.
"Ve! Uno! Due! Tre! Quattro!" Italy shouted from the garage, and immediately after; the sound of rock music began to fill the house. It was long lines and measures of guitar attempts, basslines, and of course; a beat from the drums that was obviously rather well-done.
Germany made his way straight to the garage; and found all three Italian brothers in a rather unusual band attire, and obviously simply indulging in instrumentals. Italy was leading with the guitar, but wasn't quite there.
"Doitsu!" Italy called "We're a band!"
"You're very loud!" Germany replied, shouting over the amps that were about a foot tall that all of the sound was coming from.
Italy then realized what Germany was talking about; and turned to his brothers, saying "Take five" and at this, the music ended.
"Veneziano" Germany replied "I think it's great what you're trying to do; but your guitar skills aren't quite there. I wouldn't mind; if it wasn't so loud"
"ve?" Italy replied "Okay Doitsu!"
Italy then took his foot to the pedal train, and manipulated a dial "Let's go brothers!" he replied, shouting "Uno! Due! Tre! Quattro!"
And once again, the music started up again, and this time; there was a noticeable difference.
"I guess I'll eat all of the breakfast I made" Germany replied to himself, walking out of the garage and back into the house.
Two hours later
Having yet to belt out a single lyric, the Italian brothers were too busy indulging in instrumentals to even care. All of them had done about three solos each, and with two hours of just instrumentals, they immediately saw why Prog Rock was so much fun.
However; when America, walking past the house; heard the sound of the guitar, the result was immediately seen.
"Open up in there!" America replied, banging on the garage door. "I need to talk to you about your guitar!"
Romano immediately noticed, and while still playing base, asked "Do we let him in?"
"Okay" Italy replied, stopping the playing, and picking up the garage door remote, before opening the garage door.
"I heard your guitar from the street" America replied "I couldn't help but have to show you how it was done"
"I told you Germany was right!" Romano called, whacking his brother upside the head.
"I see how you're making the sound, but aren't making the notes" America replied "Let me show you how it's done"
America then began to show Italy the basics of music on the guitar, showing how each string had its own note value.
After just one runthrough; Italy got it.
"Thank you America!" Italy called, as America was walking out the garage. "And Uno! Due! Tre! Quattro!"
Italy then began doing the same tune; but this time; it was clear as a bell. Italy then began to sing
Io cammino attraverso il deserto
Sto morendo di fame
Guardo in lontananza
è lo stesso
Voglio mangiare
il pane della vita
Vorrei che per l'acqua
per salvare la mia vita
So che se si bollire l'acqua calda
e la miscela di acqua e farina
quindi aggiungerlo al piatto
mescolate tutto insieme
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
è il pane della vita
Vedo un fiore
crescente nella sabbia
cercando di close, si gira il mio occhio
lei ha pentole piene di grano
andiamo a sua tenda
accendere il fuoco
far bollire l'acqua
fare il pane della vita
So che se si bollire l'acqua calda
e la miscela di acqua e farina
quindi aggiungerlo al piatto
mescolate tutto insieme
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
lei e mi ubriaco sul vino
tornare alla sua tenda
facciamo magia
dalla luce della luna
tenda tra la sabbia
Non mi preoccupo
tenere i miei sentimenti
proprio tra me stesso
So quello che ho
l'amore più grande
tra tutti il mondo
lei era molto bella
siamo insieme
una bella grande famiglia
Ogni notte, nel deserto
facciamo la nostra cena
è il pane della vita
So che se si bollire l'acqua calda
e la miscela di acqua e farina
quindi aggiungerlo al piatto
mescolate tutto insieme
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
At the end of this; Romano immediately went with his "What the Crapola do you think you're doing!"
"What?" Italy replied, stopping the music "I only sang the lyrics I wrote last night"
"We can't sing about that!" Romano replied "Why is it that everything with you has to do with Pasta!"
"I didn't go all the way with the pasta subject" Italy replied "I made it all deep and storied, so people can listen to it over and over again"
"I liked the part where you two got drunk on wine and had sex" Seborga replied "That made the song worth it. I say we go with it"
"But! It's all about pasta!" Romano replied "Nobody else will want to listen to a song like this"
"I vote it stays" Seborga replied "I assume you vote too on this"
"C'i!" Italy replied "It stays"
"Alright" Romano replied "But I get to write the next song"
"Of course you can brother" Italy replied "Both of you can. I only need to sing it because someone doesn't like to sing"
"I'm fine just doing base" Romano replied "I assume you have backing vocal parts for us"
"c'i!" Italy replied "On the second part of the chorus; we all join in as one, and sing it together. And at the end; we go and do ad infinitum with the last part. So that's it in terms of backing vocals."
"Let's do this then" Seborga called, tapping his drumsticks together "Uno, due, tre, Quattro!"
At this; they began again, indulging in about five minutes of instrumentals before Italy decided to sing again. At the middle where it was "Tenda tra la sabbia!" they decided to do a few more solos.
At the end of that; Germany came out; and replied "It sounds like you guys have got it. I'll go get Japan and have him come over"
DING-DONG! The doorbell rang. Germany ran to the front door, and saw Japan carrying boxes that smelled really good.
"I came over and brought you all dinner" Japan replied
"Come to the garage" Germany replied "I have something I want to show you.
And at that; Germany took out two chairs, set them in front of the band, plopped Japan next to him, and motioned to the Italian band.
"Uno! Due! Tre! Quattro!" Italy called, and immediately; they began a chord structure that was eerily reminiscent of Siberian Khatru, though was completely different at the same time.
Io cammino attraverso il deserto
Sto morendo di fame
Guardo in lontananza
è lo stesso
(I walk through the desert
I'm starving
I look in the distance
is the same)
Voglio mangiare
il pane della vita
Vorrei che per l'acqua
per salvare la mia vita
(I want to eat
the bread of life
I wish for water
to save my life)
So che se si bollire l'acqua calda
e la miscela di acqua e farina
quindi aggiungerlo al piatto
mescolate tutto insieme
(I know that if you boil hot water
and the mixture of water and flour
then add it to the pot
mix it all together)
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
(you get the pasta
steaming hot pasta
you get the pasta
steaming hot pasta)
è il pane della vita
(is the bread of life)
Vedo un fiore
crescente nella sabbia
cercando di close, si gira il mio occhio
lei ha pentole piene di grano
(I see a flower
growing in the sand
trying to close, turn my eye
she has pots full of grain)
andiamo a sua tenda
accendere il fuoco
far bollire l'acqua
fare il pane della vita
(go to her tent
light a fire
boil water
make the bread of life)
So che se si bollire l'acqua calda
e la miscela di acqua e farina
quindi aggiungerlo al piatto
mescolate tutto insieme
(I know that if you boil hot water
and the mixture of water and flour
then add it to the pot
mix it all together)
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
(you get the pasta
steaming hot pasta
you get the pasta
steaming hot pasta)
lei e mi ubriaco sul vino
tornare alla sua tenda
facciamo magia
dalla luce della luna
(she and I get drunk on wine
return to his tent
do magic
by the moonlight)
tenda tra la sabbia
(tent in the sand)
Italy began to go into a deep, long guitar solo. He made his guitar whine and moan, using the whammy bar like mad, and making his instrument go wild. He then nodded to Romano, and immediately stopped playing his guitar.
Romano brought out a deep, pounding bass-line. He began to make it bounce and throb, making it sound like he was having a ton of deep, dancing fun.
Romano nodded to Italy, and then to Seborga. Both of them began playing minimalist chords, and letting Seborga take the drums to the next level, playing at almost destroying the kit from being pounded as such.
Seborga nodded forward, and immediately, the regular music resumed for about ten bars, and then the lyrics
Non mi preoccupo
tenere i miei sentimenti
proprio tra me stesso
(I do not care
keep my feelings
just between myself)
So quello che ho
l'amore più grande
tra tutti il mondo
(I know that I have
the greatest love
among all the world)
lei era molto bella
siamo insieme
una bella grande famiglia
(she was very nice
we are together
a nice big family)
Ogni notte, nel deserto
facciamo la nostra cena
è il pane della vita
(Every night, in the desert
we make our dinner
is the bread of life)
So che se si bollire l'acqua calda
e la miscela di acqua e farina
quindi aggiungerlo al piatto
mescolate tutto insieme
(I know that if you boil hot water
and the mixture of water and flour
then add it to the pot
mix it all together)
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
si ottiene la pasta
fumante pasta calda
(you get the pasta
steaming hot pasta
you get the pasta
steaming hot pasta)
After doing ad infinitum for a good three minutes; before doing five more minutes of final solos, the music ended.
Germany immediately began to clap like mad, while Japan just sat there silent.
"What are you doing?" Germany replied "Why aren't you clapping?"
"In my culture, silence is the greatest honor one can give to a performance" Japan replied.
"Bravo, bravo!" China's voice replied, and a new set of softer claps came from behind Germany
"What are you doing here?" Germany asked.
"I was walking by when I heard this little performance, and I couldn't help but picture them as the newest act for my record label, Red Star Records." China replied "I manufacture cheap items and export them for cheap. I recently got into the music business, and I now have the perfect act to launch into a business."
"That's great!" Italy called.
"Does your act have a name?" China asked
"We do" Italy replied, and all three nodded.
"Wait, you do?" Germany replied
"C'i!" Italy replied "We're 'Il Portalettere' "
"The postmen? That's great!" China replied "I'll set up session time and we can get started on launching your song really big." He paused "I see it now. I'll see