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SPEAKER_11: This is 99% invisible. I'm Roman Mars. I don't have a favorite podcast. It'd be too unfair. There are too many I like. It is hard to choose just one. But when people ask me that question, I always make sure to mention the radio topia show Song Exploder. I think it is the perfect concept for a podcast. If you haven't heard it, my friend Rishikesh, your way, he interviews musical artists and gets them to break down a song into its component parts to show how it all came together. It's recently been adapted into a Netflix TV show is so much fun to watch. I hope you check it out. And we love Song Exploder here on the show so much that in a meeting a few months ago, we thought, what if we tried to do that for one of our own songs? You might know that we have our own composer here at 99 P.I. Her name is Sean Real and hiring her was one of the best decisions I ever made. I love that we have our own in-house composer. I love working with Sean and Sean works with all the producers to score our episodes with original music that she writes and records right here in Oakland. So on this episode, we are bringing you a tribute to the brilliant podcast Song Exploder and our brilliant composer Sean Real. And we're calling it Sean Exploder. It's the story of a song that Sean wrote for Avery Tuffleman back when she worked here. It's called The Loom and it's the first song in Avery's spinoff series, Articles of Interest. And to tell the story of the song, you really need to start at the beginning of Avery and Sean's relationship. I'll let Sean take it from here.
SPEAKER_08: Hi, my name is Sean Real. I'm the composer for 99% Invisible. I've been with the show for four years now, but before that I was playing music in bands and making a living walking dogs. Dog walking is actually mostly driving and picking up dogs. So like a lot of listening to stuff in the car and at a certain point you just like get like sick of music. So that's when I started like religiously listening to podcasts and I couldn't like refresh the feed fast enough. And the music was a big part of it too. Like I think like that was a big part of like what made it feel like this new kind of art for me. And part of me thought like I could write that music. But then I thought, you know, they probably just pull from some music library or something. There's not like one person who writes music for podcasts. And so then I would kind of just put it out of my head. I was getting to a point where working all day and then, you know, going home and trying to find the energy to work on music with my bands, little teeth in basement. The sustainability had run out. I was emotionally and energetically bankrupt. It's like trying to be like, there has to be a way out of this without like writing a hit song that's going to make me rich and famous. Like there has to be a way to make this a living. And then I met Avery.
SPEAKER_06: Hi, I'm Avery Truffleman. I am the host of the podcast The Cut from New York magazine. But for most of my life, I worked at 99 percent invisible. Sean and I met on OKCupid, which is now considered like the old fashioned way to meet someone. It's like quaint when you hear that someone met on OKCupid. It's like, oh, that's that's romance. You had to read a whole profile. One of the stupid questions OKCupid asked you is like, what's the first thing people notice about you? And I was like, my voice. And I think Sean responded and said something like, you know, I have a pretty signature voice, too. And so we started sharing these voice memos back and forth for like a long time before we ever met. We had this very like radio courtship. I remember like walking down to the office, like walking down Telegraph Avenue three miles, like blah, blah, blah, like leaving voice memos for Sean. One time I was just recording a voice memo and then I looked at it and I was like, oh, God, this is 45 minutes.
SPEAKER_08: I'm about to like send a 45 minute voice memo. And I texted you and I was like, this is 45 minutes. Is this too much? And you and you responded, you know, I'm about to get on the plane. Please send it now. I need something to listen to. I distinctly remember that. I distinctly remember being like download, download, download before the plane took off.
SPEAKER_06: Like we were it was so fun. Yeah. So we like exchange voice memos for a long, long time before ever meeting. And then we finally met. And I spent a lot of time like hanging out in Sean's house, going to Sean's shows, like getting to know all the band drama of Sean's band. We dated I think it was four months. We dated for a while. And then honestly, this musical relationship was sort of our way back to friendship. So I was working on this story called Miss Manhattan, and it was a story about the most famous model in all of New York. She appears on statues all over the city and also in other cities across America. She was a she was a famous artist model. And this was a story about one woman's life. And it was very dramatic and more cinematic than anything I tried to cover in the past. And I realized that a lot of the music beds we used were like these rhythmic jams that sort of keep you humming along. But this was a story with real high highs and low lows. Like I wanted it to be scored almost like a film. I didn't know a lot of musicians. And I thought of Sean.
SPEAKER_08: For Avery to be like, would you want to make some music for 99% Invisible? I was just like, whoa. It felt, yeah, it's like a dream come true. The thing that I thought could never actually be a real thing was actually possible.
SPEAKER_06: I mean, working with Sean felt like mixing paint for the first time. You know, before it felt a little paint by numbers. OK, well, you got you know, this is a this is a good song we like to use when things get happy and there's a good like plodding talky talk song. I used to call the genre thought core. That was like, then you had the plinky plunks. They're like boop, doop, doop, like music to talk over. And then Sean was able to address all of these different nuances and the ways the story can take a turn. You can have music that moves with the narrative. And I didn't even realize how badly I wanted that. You know, when you're talking about stories about buildings and stories about objects, it's like weirdly more complicated. It's not like and this is where it was sad and this is where it was excited and happy. It's always you know, it's like, oh, can we make it like a ponderous but a little dark? Can we make it exhilarating, but also a little sinister? They're just like, yeah, it felt like mixing paint. It felt like Sean was helping make new colors.
SPEAKER_08: I love collaborating with people and I think that's like one of the things I love so much about about this job, about working for the show, is that like everything that I write is like, you know, it's like it's for the show, but it's also like very much for the person who's like producing the episode. And over the years, I like worked with all the producers and was developing developing our like working relationships with like what what kind of music like works for which people like for example, Emmett or Vivian might ask me to make something that would highlight how silly or delightful something is. Katie might want music that is more neutral but has a cool beat. And I felt like I could always count on Avery to really, you know, want to pull me in a new direction, you know, to, to be like, let's do something experimental, you know, like, let's really blow their minds this time. And it was sad to think that and be losing that with Avery when she started working on Articles of Interest, which is the 99PI show about clothes. Avery was working with a different musician to score it, Ray Royal. But lucky for me, Avery decided she wanted to bring me back for this one crucial song.
SPEAKER_06: I wanted to start off with a launching point like why talk about textiles at all. And it began with the origin of the computer and the computer punch card, which came from a loom. A loom was arguably the first computer was the first to have an automated form of weaving and that's where the punch card came from that eventually led to the computer. And so this felt extremely like wheelhouse 99PI. That's a cool fact. That's a cool story to get people into the series. And then as I was learning about punch cards, I was like, Oh, this is also the same technology that makes music boxes, it would be kind of cool to have a music box sound so that people will be like, Oh, punch cards. I know what those are. If you've seen a player piano or a music box, it's that exact same technology where there's a hole or not a hole, you know, basically the equivalent of one or zero. And that decides if there's going to be a note there or not. So I turned to Sean and I was like, could you make a music box song? And immediately I was like, Oh, yes, like, I want to do that. Like, okay, how can I make a music box kick ass? And Avery didn't just want, you know, something that sounded like a music box, Avery wanted the real thing.
SPEAKER_08: So she gave me this children's make your own music box kit. So I like ordered it to the office like, all right, here's the music box I ordered for you. Go make a song for articles of interest.
SPEAKER_08: And the music box isn't really like an instrument so much as it's a machine. You program it by punching holes in these little punch cards. And then you run those through it as you turn the hand crank and the holes from the punch cards trigger little tines in the music box. Each time produces a note and you have to punch the holes in exactly the right place to get the right note and also get the right rhythm. I didn't want to, you know, start punching holes until I knew what the song was, you know, what I wanted the song to sound like. And so I started out by making a few demos on the computer using a digital instrument in place of the music box. And I was really thinking, you know, like, I was really thinking of this as like a way to introduce this new series with a bang. Like, you know, like, how do I, how do I like make a walk on song for Avery?
SPEAKER_03: But then, then pretty quickly I was like, this is kind of cheesy actually and I'm leaning in a little too hard to that.
SPEAKER_08: And actually the music box part is barely in this demo. And so then I came up with another idea that was like, you know, a lot more driven by the music box, you know, and sounded more like a music box.
SPEAKER_08: But then I thought it sounded too much like a music box. Like, it just makes me think of every music box you see in a movie is like a porcelain ballerina slowly spinning and I was just like, how can we make it sound, you know, a little more unique? How can I make the music box actually feel like it is less of a toy and more of like an instrument? How can I make it like, like a valid instrument in an orchestra? And so that's where the third idea came from.
SPEAKER_08: It's interesting, this one like kind of accomplishes on paper all of the things I wanted to do, you know, make a music box, lead an orchestra, except that it like, it kind of lost that sort of like kicking ass, like walk on song feeling. But then someday later, I was in the shower, and I just like, started hearing this kind of like circular melody in my head, you know, and I there was like this line in the episode like in the script about going around and around like the punch guard programming for like a player piano or, you know, or a music box or an old computer. And I was like, Oh, I think I have it. And so I just like ran to my keyboard to like, to just like get this idea out. The way the notes, you know, circle around, it feels, you know, it kind of feels to me like, like turning the crank of the music box. But remember, I wrote this on the computer. So the next step was to program the actual music box that Avery gave me to play the part. I took my time because, you know, I wanted to be really careful and make sure I wasn't gonna punch any holes in the wrong places. But eventually I finished poking holes in the paper, and I tested it out. And I think what was really magical was just hearing like this music that I had made in the ephemeral computer world being made by this tangible little machine. I don't know, I felt like I had really made something. And the next step was to record it. And I wanted the music box to start out slow, and then you know, kind of gradually speed up. And so to do that, I recorded a few different takes at different speeds. And the first one I did was really slow. You can actually like really hear the little gears turning and the little like squeak from the crank. I really like loved that sound. That was when you can like hear component parts of a sound like you don't just hear like the sound but you hear what's making the sound. I love hearing like the strings of like a violin or something like that kind of scrape of the bow. Maybe I could have done some kind of stuff to like lessen the squeak but I love the squeak I just wanted to let it be as squeaky as it was. And then I did another one that was a little bit faster. And I had a tempo in mind that I wanted to build to that I wanted the other instruments to come up over. And in order to get it to go that fast, I had to like crank it really fast and this tiny little crank is not very ergonomic so I'm just like, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.
SPEAKER_08: And it was like there was a moment where I was like, I'm not going to be able to keep this up like consistently enough to have like a consistent rhythm. It's just going to sound like a mess. So I had to practice it a lot before I could like get a get a good recording of like the fast take. I'm not sure if like you know anybody would like listen to that. The music box on its own and think like driving, but like, when I hear that, I like hear that that that that that that that that that's what the rhythm is doing to me, those are like this that's the syncopation that like that I can hear in my head. And so that's naturally how I started playing the next instrument. I really love contrast in music. So I wanted the next instrument that you hear to be like the polar opposite of the music box, so I got my stand up bass and just started like going that that that that that that
SPEAKER_08: like choppy, you know, just like driving eighth notes. And then I really wanted to like emphasize that chop. So I also like did a really high note on the bass so that the the cutting, that cutting rhythm would be like unmistakable or something. And so then just, just as I brought in this like harsh choppy bass in order to counter the pretty little music box, I wanted to counter that choppy sound with long, very pretty tones from the cello. This cello belongs to one of my old bandmates, and she was nice enough to let me borrow it for this. It just has this really like full and woody sound that I love.
SPEAKER_08: I had all these other ideas for other instruments to come into and like, bring it to the next place and like have a huge crashing ending. But something that I've like consistently learned from this job is that less is more. And a lot of times, it makes like just as much sense or more sense, you know, to get something that's good, and then quit while you're ahead. And now I really love how this song ends. I'm really happy with how it ended up. I felt like with just like these few little components, I had really accomplished the things I had set out to do, which were making the music box feel bigger and badder than it, you know, than you normally think of it, and making a song that matched and played off of the content of the story. And giving Avery this opening and closing of a chapter song for her opening and closing of a chapter series. And when I was getting ready to play it for Avery, I always have just like a little bit of worry that like, okay, like, I know I'm proud of this, but like, the real test is like, showing it to the producer, getting notes, getting my ego like checked a little bit. So like, even even with how proud I was of it, I was still protecting myself a little bit. I was ready to sort of be like, okay, it doesn't mean that you're a bad musician. It just means that this is a process.
SPEAKER_06: The process of making articles of interest was really all over the place. And I remember one day, I was feeling like really scared and nervous about articles of interest. And if it would all come together in time, and I remember Sean being like, Hey, I want to show you something. And she brought me into her office. And from my memory, you played the song for me, and it was just like, already done. It was like, immaculate conception. Perfect. And I remember the minute you played it for me when the bass kicked in, I started crying. And I was like, Sean, it's perfect. And I remember it made me feel so calm. I was like, Oh, maybe this will be good. Like maybe this series will be good. And then putting it under that moment when like Roman handed the series off to me, it was like, Oh, yeah, like this is this is great. This rules.
SPEAKER_11: When you crank the gear of a music box, you can make the tune go as fast or as slowly as you want, as you spin the little handle around and around and around. The music is read from the series of little bumps like braille producer Avery truffleman. These little bumps stick up and they hit a series of times, which create a song.
SPEAKER_06: And it's funny, like, I hear this song being used in other 99 PI episodes sometimes. And I always get really possessive. I'm like, Hey, you know, like you're dancing with my girl. Like what? I mean, it's a great song. I don't fault anyone else for using it. It's like an amazing song. But I do feel I do feel like I will duel you, sir. Like, she is mine. The song.
SPEAKER_08: So a bit after after articles of interest was finished, and it was becoming more clear that Avery would be leaving the show at some point. You know, I had the music box and I felt like Avery should have it. I felt like I wanted Avery to be able to hold on to this physical token of like the best that our working relationship had brought us. And so I had a friend of mine actually make a little wooden case to put the little music box machine inside of. And so I had like an actual like, you know, like nice little wooden music box that I that I gave to Avery as a gift. And I have the box here. It's the music box.
SPEAKER_06: If I keep playing it, it's going to make me cry. Like honestly, this is my little rosebud moment. And I oh my God, I hear this music box and it makes me think about open. It's like the most beautiful song in the world.
SPEAKER_06: Sorry.
SPEAKER_11: And now here's the loom in its entirety.
SPEAKER_03: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_11: Yeah. This bonus episode of 99% invisible was produced by Emmett Fitzgerald and mixed by Bryson Barnes music very clearly by Sean Real additional music by Penina Eilberg Schwartz. Special thanks this week to ash Clayton Sophia Bell, and our good friend Avery truffle. Avery now hosts the podcast The Cut from New York magazine. It is fantastic. If you don't already listen to it, I highly recommend you listen to it because you need more Avery truffle in your life. I mentioned this in the intro, but Rishi's podcast has recently been turned into a Netflix show. And although I continue to think that song exploder is the perfect concept for a podcast, I'm here to tell you that it works incredibly well on television too. There are episodes up right now with Alicia Keys and Ty Dolla Sign and REM. I have been enjoying them with the boys. They are great for the whole family. We have a very special announcement of our own. We produced a seven inch record of music that Sean has written for the show over the past few years. So if you've ever wanted to hear 99 PI music on its own without me talking over it. I highly recommend this album. The seven inch is a beautiful object. It's filled with gorgeous instrumental music that's great to work to or to cook to or to do dishes to or just to help you relax in your apartment. I do have a digital version that you can download when you pay a little bit of money, but I also, I really hope you get the record. The record is really special. I think it would make a great gift this holiday season. You can purchase Sean's seven inch right now. Just click on the shop tab and our website at 99 PI.org. Speaking of new stuff coming up after the break, we've got an extended preview of a brand new 99 PI spinoff series that is dropping next month. Stay with us. 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SPEAKER_10: A little over five years ago, I moved across the country to take a job in beautiful downtown Oakland, California. I didn't realize I was part of a trend, but I was. Thousands of other people were also moving to the Bay Area for work. The cost of rent skyrocketed, and over the course of about five years, homelessness in the county where I live doubled. All over town, you can see the effects of this almost as if a tidal wave of wealth washed people out of their houses and into the streets, into tents and RVs and cars.
SPEAKER_02: I know these people right here. I know these people right here. I know them people right there. All homeless. All homeless in their cars.
SPEAKER_01: They're renting not apartments, not bedrooms, beds for twelve hundred a month near the college. That's outrageous. It's hard to get out of this when you're homeless. You don't know what your life is going to be the next two hours. You know, it just like swallows you up.
SPEAKER_03: Mom. Yeah. You know what to think about? What you think about that? We need a house.
SPEAKER_10: Given just the sheer scale of homelessness all over the U.S., but in the Bay Area in particular, you could be forgiven for thinking there was no system in place to address it. But you'd be wrong. Thank you so much for helping. How can I assist you today? Yes, me and my 11 year old son is homeless.
SPEAKER_10: There is actually a system to help people out of homelessness, but it doesn't help everyone. What does it take to be priority for them? I don't understand it.
SPEAKER_09: So they get you on the list. They're very good at getting people on lists.
SPEAKER_10: How this system works is confusing and opaque. Some might say Kafkaesque.
SPEAKER_09: It's all a huge mystery. I mean, we're like, you know, professionals here. You know, we have law degrees and we can't figure out what's going on and can't get a hold of people. I spent a long time trying to understand this system.
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, it feels a little bit like the Wizard of Oz. I guess my first question is, like, are you the wizard? Is this Oz? I do. I do have a map of Oz.
SPEAKER_10: There are hundreds of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in the United States, and COVID could make things even worse. So what are we doing about it? According to Need is a special documentary series from 99% Invisible that looks at the system we have to get people back inside. Find it in your 99 PI podcast feed on December 1st. So when are you going to do anything? Wrap all of this up? Like, what is 99% Invisible? Like, is it a magazine? Is it a radio? Like, what are we doing?
SPEAKER_03: I am so excited for you to hear Katie's new series. It is incredible. Just keep up to date on this feed and you will get it automatically.
SPEAKER_11: We are a project of 91.7 KALW in San Francisco and produced on Radio Row, which lives in various corners of North America, but is centered in beautiful downtown Oakland, California. We are a founding member of Radio-Topia from PRX, a fiercely independent collective of the most innovative listener supported 100% artist owned podcasts in the world. Find them all at Radio-Topia.fm. You can tweet me at Roman Mars and the show at 99PI.org on Instagram and Reddit too. You can order our first book, the 99% Invisible City at 99PI.org slash book. We have links to purchase it anywhere you get your books, including signed editions and the audio book too. For all your other 99 PI needs, look no further than 99PI.org.
SPEAKER_03: From PRX.
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