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This is the first in a series of irregular updates covering the musical artists of the 27th and 28th centuries. Wing Commander has surprisingly detailed backstories for several different groups despite the fact that we never actually got to hear any of their music! In each update we'll first offer the in-universe capsule biography and then share all the sources behind it.
tHE lOVE aNIMALS (sometimes stylzed as tHE lOVEaNIMALS and The LoveAnimals) are a retro-folk technotronic female trio that became popular in the late 2650s. The group was formed by guitarist Uil Yth, an enigmatic figure whose philosophy opposed violence in any form and referred to their output their "musical vision". Their music was said to have a "smooth, synthetic sound". The performers played modern instruments but dressed in distinct retro clothing.
In 2669, tHE lOVE aNIMALS released "let sleeping breezes lie," a record that would reach tri-platinum certification. The band supported the album with a tour and on August 17, 2669 played in Vienna, Austria, Earth in a concert that was broadcast live to servicemen aboard carriers like the TCS Victory and on leave on Xanadu. This show was attended by then-Major Christopher Blair who identified tHE lOVE aNIMALS as his favorite band.
One member of the trio passed away in the years following the war. The survivors continued played as tHE lOVEaNIMALS. In 2681, they performed a selection of songs from their 2669 sleeping breezes tour at Commodore Blair's memorial service. Yth spoke to ISDN afterwards, saying that "Although I'm opposed to violence in any form it might take, I cannot deny that the actions Blair took in his life made possible the widespread distribution of our musical vision. I only hope our frequencies can tap the spectrum of the eternal, and reach his noble spirit."
The surviving pair split sometime after this performance but in 2691 they reuinted, now as The LoveAnimals, to perform a war tour in the wake of the ongiong Nephilim invasion. Tragically, both were killed in an alien attack. Uil Yth's guitar was rescued from the attack and would go on to become an object of pilgrimate for fans.
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tHE lOVE aNIMALS were introduced in the Wing Commander III manual, Victory Streak, in a classified advertisement about how Victory crewmen could purchase tickets for the Vienna concert. It's a great piece of lore because it offers so much in a few sentences; I especially love that it's "music from ten years ago" instead of the latest superstar.
RETRO-CONCERT
tHE lOVE aNIMALS are bringing their retro-folk technotronic show to the Victory via holo satellite next Tuesday evening at 2100 hours. Riding the crest of a tri-platinum release (let sleeping breezes lie), the female trio will be performing live from Vienna, Earth. If you enjoyed music from a decade ago, you can’t help but fall for the smooth, synthetic sound of this durable group.
Order your advance tickets now from req.ent.rec.victory – all orders will automatically be debited from your shipbank debit account.Kilrathi Saga revises this ever so slightly, modifying it to fit into that manual's scrapbook setup. The location is changed to Xanadu, the pleasure planet from End Run! And there's even a ticket included, indicating that Blair actually saw the group in concert. That makes sense as he's about ten years behind on his life in Wing Commander III!
CONCERT UPDATE
tHE lOVE aNIMALS are bringing their retro-folk technotronic show to Xanadu via holo satellite next Tuesday evening at 2100 hours. Riding the crest of a tri-platinum release (let sleeping breezes lie), the female trio will be performing live from Vienna, Earth. If you enjoy music from a decade ago, you can’t help but fall for the smooth, synthetic sound of this durable group.
Order your advance tickets now from req.ent.rec.victory – all orders will automatically be debited from your shipbank debit account.It actually makes quite a bit of sense that Blair was intended to be a fan of the band the entire time; Victory Streak goes through some lengths in its introduction to explain that its contents are personalized to the individual crewperson:
The articles and data contained herein were assembled by our new Quanntum 3 Artificial Publisher and reflect both your previous information solicitations and standard LS-c2 items recommended by TCN Headquarters for all relocated Wing Commanders. Additionally, the Quanntum 3 is designed to add personal touches to each month’s edition by including items that you may find of interest.
All entries are compiled from mail messages, newsgroup articles and GIFs (General Information Files) from the Shipboard Information Datanet (S.I.D.). Pertinent E.C.S. notes are given in italics.But that wasn't the end of tHE lOVE aNIMALS! The team at Mag Force 7 scoured Wing Commander's continuity for clever references for the CTCG and picked out the retro-folk trio as one. The "Retro folk group raises pilots' spirits" and provides three power points. They were finally illustrated by brilliant artist William Hodgson in a wonderful painting that's full of cool sci fi nonsense energy. He writes about the work:
16 x 20, mixed media on hardboard. Illustration for the Wing Commander III collectible card game, a great game created by an awesome group of people -- but arriving on the CCG scene at the wrong time to be as successful as it could have been. tHE lOVE aNIMALS were a "technotronic, retro-folk band of the 28th century," serving as a morale-booster in the game, when they toured the space fleet, cheering on the pilots and crews. I figured that some futuristic instruments could be offset by granny glasses and bell bottoms to get the effect.
The Secret Ops fiction brings back the band and names the founder with additional hints as to their general background. In Commodore Blair memorial announced we learn that they were in fact Blair's favorite musical group and that they will be playing at his memorial service.
Among the requested performers and speakers, tHE lOVEaNIMALS (noted as the Commodore's favorite musical group) will perform. Also expected to be present are Saranya Carr (noted for her portrayal of "Luna Jones, Jumpscout" in the late 50's and a guest aboard Blair's first ship the TCS Tiger's Claw), Senator James Taggart, Capt. Daniel Wilford, Maj. Todd Marshall and others.And then in Commodore Blair Remembered in Heroic Fashion we hear a little about the concert and we get a quote directly from guitarist Uil Yth. Not bad for a little bit of background lore!
The surviving members of the group tHE lOVEaNIMALS played a selection of music from the tour attended by then Major Blair in 2669. Uil Yth, the enigmatic founder of tHE lOVEaNIMALS made this statement, "Although I'm opposed to violence in any form it might take, I cannot deny that the actions Blair took in his life made possible the widespread distribution of our musical vision. I only hope our frequencies can tap the spectrum of the eternal, and reach his noble spirit."If Privateer Online had happened, we might have gotten one more appearance. The timeline that Origin developed for the project has the band reuiniting ten years after Prophecy but then being tragically killed in an alien attack. This wasn't just fluff text, you can imagine the location or the guitar described showing up in the game world as an item or a quest!
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Daily Life
“The LoveAnimals” reunite to do a war tour. They are killed in an alien attack. Uil Yth’s Guitar is saved and becomes an object of pilgrimage for fans.
