Beyond the Music: Branston the Eyrie by geovii |  |
NEOPIA CENTRAL - He's never written any songs. He's never performed at The
Tyrannian Concert Hall. Yet without him, the world of music just wouldn't be
the same. And while he himself is not a conventional musician, he demonstrates
the pinnacle of a musical art as old as rhythm itself. He is Branston, Lord
of the Dance Floor. This is his story.
Full of style, grace, and himself, Branston the Eyrie has carved out a career
from a line of work not fully appreciated by the musical world. Though now a
multimillionaire who hosts gigantic parties at his palatial NeoHome, Branston,
like many true stars, had to work his way to the top. As a child, Branston loved
music. But while his peers would admire the vocals of a particular singer or
the unequated skill of their favourite guitarists, Branston was drawn beyond
all that. His passion was music in and of itself, and the idea of expression
through it. He felt music should have style and flair, something one had to
see firsthand to experience fully. Possessing little talent in singing or playing
an instrument, Branston opted to choose a different path: dance.
"Dance," he says, "is really the truest form of self expression. It requires
no special equipment, no previous training, and no talent (although talent certainly
does help, I can tell you). Sure, I've got good looks, lots of money, and the
biggest medallion collection in all of Neopia, but that's not why everyone loves
me. It's because I've mastered the ultimate form of artistic expression. They
come to see me because I have turned myself into a living, breathing masterpiece.
I am poetry personified, the muse made flesh."
Branston's choice of hobby branded him for the rest of his youth. Throughout
his childhood he was looked down upon as "that freaky dancing Eyrie". He made
few friends, and was shunned as an outcast by most of the more popular kids.
This, however, served only to strengthen his resolve. In a bold and daring act
of pluck, Branston joined his high school dance club, where he was eagerly welcomed.
Uni Tina Saltiero, now retired, was instrumental in helping to bring out Branston's
full potential.
"I remember the year Branston joined the dance club. There weren't too many
boys in that year. In fact, I don't remember there being any year where there
were many boys. But Branston... well... he had to be one of the most involved
students I've ever had. He was always out there, right there in the middle of
all the action. Never a wallflower, that one. The other dance students took
quite a liking to him, as I recall. He was very charismatic, very 'in charge',
you know? When that boy was around there was never a dull moment."
During his time with the dance club, Branston learned to develop his skills
and utilise his talents effectively. At every performance, Branston stunned
the school with his incredible footwork and rhythm. Suddenly, he was no longer
ostracised but idolised. People actually wanted to be friends with him. "We
used to think he was weird," a fellow student remembers. "I mean, dancing...
come on. We all thought it was ridiculous. But then we saw him perform. Those
of us whose jaws weren't by our feet decided to shut our mouths pretty quick."
But Branston's real break didn't come along until late in his junior year at
the Neopia University of Performing Arts. He had entered a local talent show
at the encouragement of Saltiero and his fellow students, who were confident
he could score himself a trophy. As chance would have it, the show was being
monitored by several talent scouts, their various employers eager for a new
star. It was a fortunate turn of events for young Branston, as his manager,
Ronald Stevenson the Nimmo, explains.
"That particular year was pretty stagnant for the entertainment business. It
was one of those transitional times, when all the old stars were starting to
fade out, and we needed some new ones. It happens once every few years. Naturally,
we were ready for it. Our agents were out early searching for something fresh.
When I saw that Eyrie up on stage I knew he was just the thing we were looking
for. Most of the other scouts ignored him, they wanted 'music'. Well, I used
to manage a disco and funk group before Branston came along, and I understood
that 'music' is more than what you hear. So did Branston, and that's what really
made him perfect for the dance business."
With Stevenson as his manager, Branston got his first taste of the big time.
Starting out with minor dance roles in various musicals, he early on proved
himself to be more than just another pretty face. Within months Branston the
Eyrie had accumulated a fan base of over 100,000. His smooth, fluid dance movements
coupled with his natural stage presence made him a force to be reckoned with
on the dance floor. By the time he had spent a year on-stage, he'd attracted
the attention of several noted musical talents, and was asked to make appearances
in several music videos. One of the most famous of these was Branston dancing
side by side with Michael Jetsam, formerly of the Jetsam Five, in the music
video for his song "I Just Want to Dance".
The future was looking bright for Branston the Eyrie. He had fame, fortune,
and a fan club. His life became a whirlwind of excitement in the limelight.
From extreme dance parties to being chased down on the streets by hundreds of
adoring fans, Branston had it all.
And that was when Branston's whirlwind became a downward spiral.
Cheat! Neopia's most popular card game. High stakes, high prizes, and, for
Branston, high thrills. It was during a stay at Neo Vegas when Branston discovered
his near career-ruining vice. An innocent game of Cheat turned into a three
hour losing streak as Branston gambled away thousands of Neopoints in the largest
all-out Cheat binge ever. When the smoke cleared, Branston's losses totaled
a whopping 26,915 NP. But that didn't stop him in the least.
"You get that with some stars," said Stevenson with a sigh. "For some, it's
outrageous luxuries. For others, it's the stock market. I even had this one
guy who did Purple Spotted Shrooms. It's a sad, sad world. But Branston, he
really took the cake. I never saw anybody waste so much money! He must have
really loved that game, because any sane person would have called it quits well
before their fifty-seventh consecutive game. Especially if they lost all of
them."
Branston had become a compulsive Cheater, throwing away thousands on a whim.
Never content to play the game for less than an hour, he became notorious in
many Cheat circles for his reckless plays and careless abandonment of any sort
of logic. He played the game any chance he got: on planes, in his limo, in the
dance studio, and even at home. And, contrary to the age-old adage that practice
makes perfect, Branston's Cheat skills never appeared to improve no matter how
many times he played. This did not faze him in the least, however. He made sure
that all his performances put him somewhere in the vicinity of a Cheat parlour,
where he would miraculously lose every game he played. His friends and family
tried everything to get him to stop, but no passionate plea, no impenetrable
logic, could distill his fervour. In short: he was hooked.
In a last ditch effort to get him to stop, they sent him to join Cheaters Anonymous.
He was kicked out that very same day for causing an uproar when he pulled out
a deck of cards and suggested they all get together and play a few games. "A
few of the newer additions went into total relapses," one CA member reported.
"It was too much for them to handle."
It was at that point that they knew it was a hopeless cause. It was Stevenson's
terrible responsibility to give the ultimatum: either Branston stop his compulsive
gambling or lose his career. Without their knowing it, this was exactly the
wake up call Branston needed. They had unwittingly aroused the only thing stronger
than his love of Cheat, and that was his ego. Not willing to give up the spotlight,
Branston made a show of depositing his ubiquitous deck of cards in the nearest
rubbish bin, and he personally saw the garbage truck off with his best wishes.
"Life has gotten a lot better for me after that," he confesses. "I admit it,
that game nearly destroyed everything I've worked for. I don't know what I would
have become if I hadn't made the decision right then and there, but I'm sure
it wouldn't have gotten me here." He gestures about him, indicating, with a
flashing smile, his luxurious, golden walled NeoHome.
Branston still plays the occasional game of Cheat every now and then, but his
ambition has dissipated dramatically. He no longer risks losing the money he
used to, even though he could probably afford it now. His main concern, he says,
is his image, and losing millions is not the kind of image enhancing behaviour
he values. Instead, he now regularly throws gigantic parties, where he, of course,
is the main attraction.
Just recently, Branston has decided to open up a chain of dance schools in
order to pass down his skills to the next generation. He is currently training
a select group of talented Neopets to work as instructors of his unique dancing
style.
"Nobody lives forever, and I don't want to be forgotten when I'm gone. My fans
have brought me so much, and I plan on giving back a little of what I know.
It's a gift far more valuable than any old lock of my beautiful hair, it's a
genuine piece of Branston the Eyrie, a part of my very soul. I'm going to teach
them how to be beautiful on the inside, just like me. Of course, nobody can
be as beautiful as me, but they'll be a lot closer than anyone else."
When asked if he would tell us the most important thing he learned throughout
his career, Branston had only this to say:
"Good looks and talent can get you far. Most people stick a 'but' in there
somewhere, followed by some philosophical stuff about hard work or something,
but I prefer leaving it as it is. No sense making things more complicated than
they have to be, right?"
This episode of Beyond the Music is sponsored, as always, by the Neopian
Times Appreciation Guild. Looking for a guild that's out of sight? For
people who like to read, draw, and write? Then The Neopian Times Appreciation
Guild is the place for you! |
