Erich: how can i pass that up? The only thing better would be shooting a fire arrow at your butt,thus lighting the roman candle. *puts hand to chin* think i could sneak a bow into wembley?

Karoliena: if you dress like robin hood,people would just assume its part of the costume.

Ryan: Personally, I do prefer shows that are simple rather than having crazy theatrics. That's likely due to the fact that I've gone my entire solo career playing with probably the lowest costing tour design for a mainstream artist in history, and I still make everybody sticking rich(er). I will be at that Wembley show, and I could or could not go with a guitar around my back, if need be it. Fuck it, I'll bring a guitar. If anything I will pull a Kanye on you guys.

Jason: Just... yes. This sounds awesome.

"Everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon..."

Most know the lead singer of Infinite to be an eccentric, but lovable, pop figure. Even the recent controversies of late in regards to drug habits and his contraction of Huntington's haven't done much to mar his public reputation. But something new is brewing, an event that could show fans of the public icon a side of his personality most had been unaware of. An article in Rolling Stone, entitled 'Quixotic or Neurotic?', was originally to be published for their February issue. However, Eric Quillington, and those close to him, have made efforts to prevent the piece from being released to the public. According to inside sources, the article describes Quillington as a frail, sickly, and bitter soul. The extent of the Huntington's symptoms are also revealed; constantly shaking in uncontrollable spasms, he loses his train of thought in a clear and constant display of short-term memory loss. But he also, according the article, appears to be irreparably damaged emotionally, and not just physically. Cursing everything from his illness to Greg Oldson. Not even the interviewer is spared from the onslaught. "I'll be dead before I'm thirty, but I don't think you cats will be too upset," Quillington reportedly said at one point, "The rag that you call a publication gave Blue Nebula a 1/5 star rating, right?"

Eric Quillington has, unsurprisingly, called the portrayal a fabrication. "I don't know why somebody would do this," he said to reporters in a voice that would occasionally crack with either sadness or anger, "It just... if you want to call me an untalented hack, that's fine. If you want to call me a man blessed with nothing but luck, that's fine. Because I agree with those negative statements. But I'm not this angry shell of a man they say I am. I'm leaving Infinite, I'm leaving the thing I love most. Which, y'know, sucks. And now there's... this. I don't want to sound like a whiny little cunt, but why would you kick someone when they're down?"

While Quillington's lawyers have threatened to sue for libel if the piece is published, Rolling Stone seems undeterred. "He can put on the waterworks if he thinks it'll get the public on his side," said one of the magazine's editors, "But it won't change the truth". Interestingly enough, the magazine's portrayal of Quillington has caused a split response among those close to him. Amelia Florentine has stayed in the dark about the issue, but that hasn't stopped the other two from speaking their minds about the matter. "I find it absolutely hilarious that he would cry in front of some reporters when a magazine decides that he isn't a god," Greg Oldson remarked, while Matt Roberts has threatened the author of the magazine article with the promise of violence. What this 'civil war' has done to the infrastructure of Infinite is up to interpretation, but the band's manager has promised fans that they will still be playing at Wembley next month.

Edited by user 15 January 2012 09:56:59(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

"I'm not very impressed with what I've written in the past, to be honest," Eric Quillington admitted in a recent interview, "They just sound like ramblings of a mad man. I mean, true, they actually are, but... I think, for my final album, it'd be nice to disguise that fact a little bit. Maybe I should actually try a little bit to write poetry, y'know? Some people think we are, or at least have the potential to be, this really artsy band. So, it might be satisfying to prove them right, just this once".

These words, cryptic as ever from one of rock's most enigmatic frontman, pinpoint to yet another change in direction from Infinite. This will come as a relief for those who were less-than-thrilled about the uncharacteristically basic guitar rock on Dancing about Architecture. Indeed, Quillington has reportedly abandoned playing instruments for the entirety of Light in Motion, giving much of the spotlight to the keyboard stylings of Amelia Florentine. This should come as no major surprise to fans, however, due to the swift public approval of her new position as the band's 'leader'. But all the hype of her becoming the new lead vocalist of the band may be for nothing, as it's been confirmed by Infinite that their fifth album will focus heavily on group harmonies. "It'll be our most Beatlesque, for sure," said Quillington, "Because it'd be a waste to just throw away the gift we have. I can sing, Amelia can sing, Greg can sing, Matt ca-... well, every group has their Ringo, right?" But, while parts of the album are inspired by such songs as 'Because', each singer will still be given their chance to shine.

As it has been stated last month, Light in Motion will be a concept album dealing with the separation between heaven and hell. Because the first half of the double album takes place while the narrator is living, the music will carry elements of genres Infinite has previously experimented with. But the second half, dealing with the afterlife, will be split between the nightmarish descriptions of Hell and the eerie tranquility of Heaven. With this synopsis in mind, the band's decision to split the vocalist duties among three individuals suddenly makes more sense; Amelia Florentine holds the spotlight, leaving Eric Quillington to describe the Inferno. "With this album, we run the risk of falling into cliches," explains Quillington, "And it's a very tight rope to walk. Almost every concept record that describes hell is really guttural, primal metal. It'd be really easy to just fall back into that, so what we're doing can become a very well-worn premise if not done properly."

In the non-musical side of Eric Quillington's life; the already-infamous character piece by Rolling Stone is set to be published next month. But the singer, who initially threatened to sue for libel, has backed off. This is because, in his own words; "I don't care too much at the moment, because I already know what will happen, so there's no point stressing over it. Rolling Stone will release the piece, and I'll probably decimate, just absolutely destroy, their head editor. Probably. Only probably."

John-"Only probably"? Are you going soft? Okay, I won't tease you; at least you can get a proper album released, unlike some of us.......

All stories have endings. Some are bright, some are joyful. These are the ones most common in works of fiction and fantasy; after the long, hard slog, the reader enjoys nothing less than a satisfying, happy closure. But the world isn't entirely comprised of euphoric sprints towards the finish line. Sometimes, an ending can bring nothing but misery. News and rumors of a recent, bleak ending have been spreading across the information highways for the past few hours like a creeping plague, but no major broadcasting channels have, as of now, confirmed the suspicions. Silence, it seems, is the best solution; to announce the tragedy would be as if to make it a concrete reality. As of now, it's merely a terrible joke, a cruel punchline. But reality is unavoidable, and by extension, so is the announcement of death. Last night, mere moments after his final concert with Infinite, Eric Quillington committed suicide in a backstage dressing room.

For the past several months, an air of death has been lingering around the frontman since his public announcement of contracting Huntington's, a hereditary disease that slowly, steadily erodes physical and mental abilities. Since then, he had kept ominously silent. Aside from the live performances at Times Square and the festival Total Annihilation, he disappeared entirely from the public. But even those two rare appearances did little to quell the worry over his well-being; his emotional breakdown during the acoustic performance of 'Styx' during TA5 has already become an infamous, Cobain-esque rock fable. Because of this, Eric's death will likely surprise none, and may even be considered by some to be inevitable. And yet, less than a year ago, such an outcome might have been considered impossible. Eric Quillington had, for the majority of his career, been something of a lighthearted eccentric, and such a brutal death would've been seen as completely out of his character. This was a man who became best friends with metal gods and dated pop-stars, not someone who intentionally overdoses on heroin. But, in the end, that's exactly what he did.

His life may have ended in tragedy, but future generations will hopefully look on at his life as one of triumphant highs and accomplishments. During his brief, five-year run in the spotlight, he released four experimental albums to increasing acclaim and recognition, and won countless awards for his contribution to rock. He rose from relative obscurity to a position where some consider him to be the 'face' of alternative music, much in the way that Jason Smith and Ryan Ross Hernandez are for their respective genres. And even when the cracks began to shine through, such as his infamous drug-addled stint on Big Brother, his personal relationships never faltered. The friendship between the frontmen of Infinite and Mind was said to be genuine and authentic, and the two even recorded an unreleased album together under the pseudonym 'Project Prometheus', for the simple joy that comes in making music. Quillington was also known to be close with two of his personal heroes, Ryan Ross Hernandez and Troy Mascenon, both of which gave the young musician guidance and advance throughout his short career. But, perhaps most important of all was his relationship with the pop artist Glamazon, said by many to be one of the rare successful celebrity relationships. It has been rumored that Eric even planned on proposing to her, before symptoms of Huntington's manifested themselves. Knowing this, one of Quillington's add-libbed lines during the performance of 'Styx' at TA5 makes perfect, heartwrenching sense; 'all my hopes, wasted on an unused ring..'

The exact motive and reason behind his death will most likely be debated throughout the years. Some will argue that Eric killed himself before turning into his mother, who also contracted Huntington's and lived through its later stages. Some will say that it wasn't suicide at all, and that the rock star had relapsed back into his heroin addiction. The conspiracy lunatics, on the other hand, will likely take inspiration from the 'Kurt and Courtney' theories, and say that Glamazon killed her boyfriend in an effort to win his riches. And all of these ideas, apart from the ridiculous latter, could be true. But now is not the time to find out why; now is the time to say goodbye. Matt Roberts, speaking to the stunned crowd at Wembley once Amelia Florentine read out Eric's suicide note, was the first to deliver his; "I was never able to measure exactly how much Eric meant to me in life. But I'll certainly be able to figure it out now that I can feel the weight of his loss," said the typically quiet, stoic bassist, with every word drenched in grief and anguish.

Respected around the world, cherished by music fans, and loved by close friends and family, Eric Quillington's death will be felt across the globe.



[OOC: Hopefully this won't come across as being anti-climatic. I just completely lost the inspiration and drive to finish 'Elliptical Patterns', so I figured that this will be the best way to finish my time on the forum. It's the first of two final posts; the next one will be up sometime tomorrow, and will deal with the aftermath of Eric's death.]

OOC: Sad to see a great RPer making their last few posts on the forum, but I've been amazed at the quality of each and every part so far, as well as all of your stuff during your time on the forum. Looking forward to the second part!

[Five years later...]




In the year following Eric Quillington's tragic end, Greg Oldson dropped out from the spotlight entirely. This was to be expected, of course; it had been widely accepted by the public that there was only one genuinely talented individual in Infinite. With him gone, what was left for the survivors to accomplish? This was a question that, at first, was answered with nothing more than deafening silence. But slowly, steadily, rumors began trickling into the world about where Oldson had kept himself cooped up; a recording studio. Most people, however, expected this to be related to Infinite's unfinished fifth album, Light in Motion. It was an album that, in the wake of Quillington's death, had steadily risen to become one of the most anticipated in recent memory. And if anyone was worthy of polishing the deceased singer's final music to a state worthy of public consumption, it would be the man he had shared a fruitful, though conflict-ridden, musical partnership. And yet, when Oldson's self-imposed exile from the world was finally over, he didn't reemerge with closure to the past, but a new, surprising leap into the future. His debut solo album, 'When the clock starts ticking…', a collection of stripped-down, bare-bones acoustic melodies, was the most radical departure one could possibly make from the experimental, daring works of Infinite's long-passed glory days. In a soft, fragile voice at times evocative of Quillington's falsetto, Oldson sang not about his fallen bandmate, but the exile he had forced himself through in the last year. It was an album focused on themes of separation and isolation, not death. The music was often cold and distant as a result, but it was obvious to anyone who listened close enough that a heart, however wounded, was still beating underneath the chilled exterior. Greg Oldson had separated himself, but not moved on, from his dark past. Because of this, when he resumed touring later that year, no Infinite songs were played during his sets, much to the dismay of some fans.

This type of expectation, to rehash the familiar hits of the 'good old days', would come to haunt Oldson for the next few years. It wasn't just the Infinite fans; critics around the world began using the former drummer as a whipping post. "Oldson, some would say insultingly, ignores his past, and in doing so largely forgets the wonders that Quillington was able to conjure up on a whim," says Rolling Stone, a magazine that had once dismissed Infinite as yet another cheap Radiohead knock-off. But even those that had once acclaimed Infinite found Oldson's emotionally-distant debut to be somewhat lacking. Away from his British homeland, however, Oldson managed to find surprising success. Several of his songs began featuring heavily on American radio-stations, and his club tour of the USA consisted primarily of sell-out venues. The peek of this unexpected 'Oldsonmania' was in the form of a petition to the Grammy's for the singer to be nominated in the category of 'Best New Artist'. "That, right there, proved to me that I had accomplished what I'd set out to do," Oldson later remarked, "There were people out there who listened to 'When the clocks start ticking' as if it were a genuine debut. I've never been a household name over in the States, so the kids were able to listen without all the baggage that comes from me being this sort of ex-Beatle figure. They listened with fresh ears, and so they judged the album on it's own merits."

This stateside success was a primary influence on the development of Oldson's second album. Although he was initially proud of the leap forward it represented, he had come to perceive the acoustic-flavored melodies as "one-note and monotonous". For his next album, he therefore sought a more varied and eclectic assortment of sounds. While themes of isolation from his debut carried over, Oldson looked to Infinite's past as a primary source of inspiration. Haunting, nightmarish instrumentals and the schizophrenic, frantic blending of genres that had been the band's specialty was revisited on Pretty Speeches, and the British press and fan-base responded with ecstacy at this return to familiar territory. But it was the final track on the album that received the majority of the attention. Lead by nothing more than a militaristic drum-beat and a simple, trickling piano melody, it features various soundbites and quotes spoken by Quillington throughout his short career cut together to create an accompanying rhythm. "If this little sketch of an acoustic song can connect with an audience of such diverse ages, cultures, and ethnicities… well, that’s all a former court jester can really hope for…" came an echo of Quillington from what felt like a lifetime ago, finally delivering the closure that Oldson had so often been criticized for neglecting.

With his stateside support still going surprisingly strong, and the disenfranchised UK fanbase finally satisfied with the various tributes to Eric Quillington found on Pretty Speeches, the prospect of Oldson's third album is being met with a level of anticipation not seen since the days of an Infinite release. But, while his second LP was released just over a year after 'When the clock starts ticking..', in order to keep the interest of America from fading, Oldson's third solo album is taking a much longer time to be released, due to the singer's interest in honing it to perfection. But, Greg Oldson has already revealed that his next collection of songs will be a massive departure from his already-varied solo career; "The first album was, looking back, an attempt to run away from the tragedy that had gone on less than a year previously. The second album was it catching up to me; you can't run forever, y'know? But I've laid my grief to rest. It's over. Infinite is nostalgia, beautiful nostalgia, but it will forever be the past. The dream's over, but I'm still alive. This next album will be my way towards the future."




"People often say I don't deserve to be the 'fourth member' of Infinite. Do you think they're right..?"

While the world anxiously waited to see what Greg Oldson's first move back into the musical world would be, Amelia Florentine was glanced upon with an obligatory, but bored, patience. It made sense, though. Oldson had been a part of Infinite since it's inception; Amelia joined them just as their world began to go up in smoke. She was seen, retroactively, as a useless component. Eric Quillington had intended her to be his replacement, but the band instead split ways after his death. Due to her lack of appearances on any Infinite albums, some fans even refused to acknowledge her place as a former member of the band. But none of this negativity seemed to affect her in the slightest. Less than a week after Quillington passed away, Amelia Florentine dove into work for a debut solo album, to distract herself from the tragedy that had just occurred. Faux Euphoria, released just over a year later, was intended to be a lighthearted distraction from the circumstances revolving around Infinite's end. It was uplifting, electronic pop-music, a striking contrast from albums like Insomnia and Dancing about Architecture. Regardless of it's intended effect, it was seen as a mockery by both critics and fans. "While Oldson ignores the memory of his fallen collaborator, Amelia Florentine uses this solemn time for music as an excuse to throw a dance party," said a biting review from an NME staff writer, before sarcastically adding, "Eric Quillington would be so proud". Pitchfork took the sarcasm to new levels; instead of publishing a written review, they merely posted a gif of Eric Quillington's tearful breakdown at Total Annihilation 5. The public considered the 'review' to be less disrespectful than Faux Euphoria. This intense wave of criticism even extended to her former bandmates; during one of her live shows, she was pummeled by an assortment of food from Greg Oldson and Matt Roberts. "I made that bitch an omelette," said Roberts during one of his rare interviews, "Bitches love omlettes."

Following such negative responses from what seemed to be all corners of the globe, Amelia Florentine dropped out of the spotlight for three years. This period of time did little to improve her ego, as she was not missed. On the four-year-anniversary of Eric Quillington's death, she quietly released a four-song EP on her personal website, free of charge. Amid all the tributes and memorial concerts that went along with such an occasion, the untitled EP was scarcely noticed. But slowly, steadily, the critics began to acknowledge it. The EP was primarily keyboard-led, and was a demonstration of the skills that initially led Eric Quillington to give her a place in his hallowed band. But this wasn't an effort on her behalf to show off, or to explain her motives behind that loathed solo album. Blank Slate, as the EP was eventually nicknamed by fans, was exactly that; a return to a time before expectations and criticisms. This time would be, as it turned out, childhood. The lyrics brought back images of nursery rhymes, and was sung in an innocent, wistful voice. It was met with a much more positive reaction than Faux Euphoria, although an collection of fart sounds would have, as well. In response to this small-scale success, Amelia Florentine has announced that this EP will be the first of five, and that the series will document all of life's major steps, from adolescence to old age. "I'm creating a new life for myself with these collections of songs," she said, "Free from past mistakes and misery."




Out of all those that have since emerged from the ashes of Infinite, it was Matt Roberts who no doubt had the most difficult time getting his personal life back on track. Much like his former bandmate Greg Oldson, he spent the immediate year after Eric’s death in exile. No interviews were granted, and the bassist quickly fell out of touch with those once close to him. Like Greg, Matt had fallen off the face of the Earth. Unlike Greg, this period didn’t end with a triumphant return to the spotlight, but in a botched suicide attempt. Fourteen months after Eric's death, the former bassist was admitted into the hospital under intensive care, during which his wrists were sewn back up. In response to this dramatic turn of events, Greg Oldson quickly cancelled all remaining dates on his tour, and flew back to Britain. "Half a lifetime ago, Matt Roberts stepped down from a tour with Reckoner so that he could visit me in the hospital after my car accident," said Greg, "It seems only fair that I repay the favor".

Over the next few months, while Matt Roberts recovered from both his physical and psychological scars, he arranged a music festival with Greg Oldson. It was the former drummer's idea; he saw it as the best way to distract Matt from his emotional torment. QuixoticMusic, as the festival was to be called, was initially a small scale, one-time event. Various of Eric Quillington's musical heroes, be they friend or mentor, performed a set. The night culminated with a special appearance from Greg and Matt, who played three Infinite songs in an acoustic setting (Faust, End and Begin, Lamenting Rinascita), and closed the set with a mocking, tongue-in-cheek song melody of Faux Euphoria. The response to this concert from fans was overwhelmingly positive, encouraging Greg and Matt to turn QuixoticMusic into an annual event. The venues, along with the lists of performers, slowly got larger and larger; the most recent occurred as a two-night concert at Wembley Stadium. Today, it is seen as the closest anyone can get to experiencing the magic that was once an Infinite concert. Matt and Greg, together as brothers in arms. It gives Roberts a drive and reason to keep living.

These days, apart from the annual appearance at QuixoticMusic, his life is spent in quiet solitude. He has expressed an interest in Eastern Philosophy and meditation, and says that they, "help keep the boredom at bay". As a result, Indian classical music has found its way into his stereo, to the extent that it's all Roberts listens to. Or, at least, most of what he listens to. Matt Roberts owns one of the sole copies of Light in Motion, and the album's songs can be heard chiming out his window on both Eric Quillington's birthday and the anniversary of his death. In Matt's own words; "We might get around to finishing that album someday. I think it'd be nice if Eric's voice echoed around the world, just one more time."

Edited by user 12 April 2012 07:40:15(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

OOC: That type of praise means so much to me; thanks, man! It's really nice to know that people actually enjoy reading the stuff that I've written, because it makes all the hard work worthwhile, haha.