Reported Failure @ Chaos Awards

"The human race is two-hundred-thousand years old. And it's all been building to this"

The stage is dark as a voice begins speaking. It is a deep man's voice. Random static and keyboard noise plays suddenly echoing and fading in and out. The crowd begins yelling as it is clear Reported Failure is about to play. The voice continues.

"If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

As the last word in the third stanza of Rudyard Kipling's famous poem finishes the lights go up in a hailstorm of noise from Reported Failure who have now taken the stage. The noise flows for about a minute. Billie Beckett, Vin Peters, Matt Collins, and Robert Edwards slam on their instruments. Billie shrieks nonsense into the microphone, screaming in an unknown, undying agony. The noise finally fades as Billie shouts "We are Reported Failure. We are change and rebirth." As he says this the first song, Lunar Utero begins.

"Breakdown the solemn walls I hold
Release the anguished world I sold
Step out of the rancid door inside
Take time to flaunt and change the tide
So I watch earth build epic monuments
With envy I wash it away at their expense
Pulled out with love I'll make my home
But im old cold and alone

I'll fall asleep in my bed
Wake up a new brand new man instead
I'll try this til I quit
til blood leaves my brain
You know I'd try a thousand times
So just keep me warm inside
Mother could you take me back
Hold my head to your breast til I'm not upset

So hold me. I'm a broken lock and you're the broken key
But fix me. Because I'm without alarm
Break the door. Salvage me. I'll be your charm

I left this world behind but now I just want to stay
So fix me up and make me another way
I didn't want to leave but I want to feel good
So salvage me and glue me like you should

Take this beaten heart
And make it more like the moon
So I can control my own life
So I can see my own sky
Make it bright and round
Let me build on my own ground
And control my seas
Let it be the light guiding me

I'll easily crawl back inside
if you try what I have in mind
Take me back to warm tunnels
Change my father before I'm old
Mother please if you could
Make my body how you should

So hold me. I'm a broken lock and you're the broken key
But fix me. Because I'm without alarm
Break the door. Salvage me. I'll be your charm

I left this world behind but now I just want to stay
So fix me up and make me another way
I didn't want to leave but I want to feel good
So salvage me and glue me like you should

I'm sorry if I've been a burden to you love
I've no excuse I know I've made eough... but

I left this world behind but now I just want to stay
So fix me up and make me another way
I didn't want to leave but I want to feel good
So salvage me and glue me like you should"

Billie is playing guitar through the song as he thrashes around stage. Vin and Matt take the liberty of moving around as often as they can prancing and jumping across the stage. THe energy is high for the bands latest single. Much of the crowd sings along but Reported Failure is putting more energy into the show than the crowd of award-show-goers. The song ends in a flood of guitar noise and slams on the cymbals. "Thank you." says Billie. "So Chaos Awards how are you tonight?" he says enthusiastically. The crowd replied politely with cheers. "This next one is called Crumbling." At the prospect of Reported Failure playing their biggest hit to date the crowd got more excited. The beat started. "Feel free to sing along" said Billie to the crowd.



"[Verse 1]
Crumbling
I am crumbling
From my limbic system
To the marble pillars
Ashes to ashes, it all falls down

Is this the end of my time?
When the only light in this dark
Is my flag that they're burning
ooh oh oh, ooh oh oh
ooh oh oh, ooh oh oh

[Verse 2]
Crumbling
I am crumbling
From the tremors of absent fathers
Violence, hatred, from self to the crowds
Ashes to ashes it all falls down

[Prechorus 1]
Is this the end of my time?
When the only light in this dark
Is my flag that they're burning

[Chorus 1]
Of many I found no one
no one who could save my life
Falling so heavy
Before it's done no one will even know why
Even know why

[Verse 3]
Crumbling
I am freedom falling
I am no one!
Shaking and trembling
From the horrors that I've seen
Ashes to ashes it all falls down

[Prechorus 2]
Is this the end of my time?
When the only light in this dark
Is my flag that they're burning

[Chorus 2]
Of many I found no one
no one who could save my life
Falling so heavy
Before it's done no one will even know why
Even know why

[Bridge]
Ooh oh oh, Ooh oh oh
Ooh oh oh, ooh oh oh
I am freedom falling
I am no one!
I am freedom falling
I am no one!
I am freedom falling
I am no one!
I am freedom falling
I am no one!

[Chorus 3]
Of many I found no one
no one who could save my life
Falling so heavy
Before it's done no one will even know why
Even know why"

The dynamic drum beat, unforgettable guitar, and haunting vocals fade out. The crowd cheers more enthusiastically than they had for the band so far. Billie went to the mic and started to talk: "We haven't actually played infront of crowds at all this year. This is the first time. a lot is changing for us as a band. Part of that is new songs so tonight were going to play two brand new ones for you. The first is called When I Talk To God." The song starts. It's simple. The bass and drums drive it along. Vin plays odd atmospheric tone that has become his signature style building a melody from seemingly meaningless noise. Billie sings as if he is another world. As he plays the song it seems like he is leaving the stage as if he is in some enlightened state beyond the Chaos Awards. The crowd, however, is confused. None of them know the song. It is mid-tempo and the crowd of Reported Failure fans that had been in the front were now slow and not knowing what to do. Some tried to get into it but nothing happened.



"Muhammad I shall ride with you
To Mecca I will ride
I'll spread your words to Africa
Oh I shall spread God's name

Moses help all my children
Plague spite the devil's crush
Save them all from Egypt
And I'll follow through Holocaust

Oh but when I speak to god
Its like he listening
But it's really not interesting
And when I speak to god
Its like he knows I'm sinning
But he has better things to be doing

And God, I'm afraid to love you
I'm so lost
I'd make the Ocean rise for you
As Jesus dies for you
But God I don't work that way
So I run away

Jesus you have died for me
But reborn to insincerity
Late to your last supper
Now blood costs thousands more

Oh now when I speak to god
I know he's rightful
He's listening but vengeful
And when I speak to god
His glory's unchanging
But his words are aging

And God, I'm afraid to love you
I'm so lost
I'd make the Ocean rise for you
As Jesus dies for you
But God I don't work that way
So I run away

So I sing
So I prey
I will climb I will float I will stay
So I sing
So I prey
I will swim I will fall I will say

And god, when I love
It's like its an enigma
Like it's my own sin
When I sing to god
I can reach heaven
I can burn hell and start again
When I sing to god
I'll fall off the earth
Die in the atmosphere
I just fell to love again
Yes I just fell to love again

I'll make the oceans rise for you
As Jesus dies for you
I will fall for you
As angels call for you
I fell to love again
I fell to love again"

There is a confused murmur from the crowd as the song ends. Billie can be seen exchanging glances with Matt and Vin. They shrug. Seeming spiteful Billie goes straight into the next song layered by a stinging bassline and powerful lead guitar it is more fun for the fans but still it is slow. Billie can tell no one is interested but he sings anyway. Matt and Vin glide around stage and Robert is as full of energy as ever, but the crowd of celebrities is talking and disinterested. Billie just sings and plays.

"There's a room in your my house
It was boarded up and left for dust
It's nothing I should miss
There was a window a bed and an old rug
I remember growing up
I'd count my luck I was untouchable
now I cant sing what I dont sing with blood
The room is shut
The house is empty now

I cant fall asleep tonight
the hairs on my head are falling out
I could dream tonight
That the room could open and I'd sleep inside

It's not worth the love
I scratched into the walls
If it didn't hurt enough
I can watch as it falls
And there's a crack in the window
I'm breaking with my hands
I sing with my blood
I sing with my past
Goodbye innocence

In this catastrophe
This darkened sky and darkened heart
I search for harmony
It's my god's flesh and my god's blood
I remember hatred
It was cold and lonely but just a step
I cant breath when I'm empty
My lungs are calls and callous malcontent
breathe in
Then breathe out

I cant wake up some mornings
The legs on my body are weak now
I could crawl away
But I'll stand in honor of my dying breed

It's not worth the love
I scratched into the walls
If it didn't hurt enough
I can watch as it falls
And there's a crack in the window
I'm breaking with my hands
I sing with my blood
I sing with my past
Goodbye innocence

Yes goodbye innocence
Hello eternity
Hello dreaming
Goodbye to innocence
Hello my slow death
Hello mortality
Hello invention
I'm glad to meet you
I'm in a place
I don't know anything
I don't know at all

It's not worth the love
I scratched into the walls
If it didn't hurt enough
I can watch as it falls
And there's a crack in the window
I'm breaking with my hands
I sing with my blood
I sing with my past
Goodbye innocence"

"Well what the hell is this?" asks Billie. The crowd is silent not knowing whether to laugh or not. Matt just looks at Billie. "We came out here to play a few songs thats all. I guess this will be the last one. This is called Landslide." Billie turns his back on the audience. There is a slow, awkward silence. The sound of chatter in the audience is heard. Then an opening harmonic pattern mixed with piano is played. It is quickly revealed to be Fleetwood Mac's Landslide. Billie is still holding his guitar but he collapses to the ground creating a loud, sheering tone. It sounds off, but still the band plays. A small string section joins and Vin's guitar playing makes it very Reported Failure.

"I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
'Til the landslide brought it down
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?


Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too
And I'm getting older too
Oh, take my love, take it down
Climb a mountain and turn around"



At this point though, Billie stops. He just stops singing and stares down at his guitar. The crowd had appriciated the cover somewhat but now just seemed confused and doubtful again. Then something just came over Billie all the sudden and he started yelling in something that somewhat resembled the melody but was still so far away from it. "ahhhhh.... fuck the chaos awards and the tabloid assholes. All the guys who swore they'd protect the people and who said everything would be ok. Fuck everyone who ever said they loved me. Liars and whores. Fuck this crowd who doesn't understand the noise who thinks were just pompous hipsters being deep. AAAGH. fuck you. This shit is over. I'm done being exposed trying to pretend like complete strangers care about my problems. Kill yourself and no one cries, make one wrong word and everyone screams. STOP PRETENDING!" with this last bizarre scream Billie kicks his mic stands down unplugs his guitar and walks offstage. Robert stops his drums suddenly chucks his sticks hard into the crowd and Matt and Vin both follow Billie's lead unplugging their instruments which creates a loud unpleasant noise and leaving the stage. The crowd is buzzing now trying to understand what just happened.
Set-list
1. Lunar Utero
2. Crumbling
3. When I Talk To God
4. Goodbye Innocence
5. Landslide