Skip to content
Answering Your Questions About Reactor: Right here.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Everything in one handy email.
When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

Reactor

At the end of April, Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Ben Folds, and OK Go’s Damian Kulash holed up in a studio in Allston, MA with the intent of writing and recording 8 songs in 8 hours. The project, titled “8in8,” was done as a gesture of how music can function commercially in a digital age. (And, we assume, because it sounds like a lot of fun to do.)

The group ended up recording a 6 song album, “Nighty Night,” in the space of 12 hours. You can listen to the full record streaming on Amanda Palmer’s site.

The Creative Commons-released material and somewhat egalitarian nature of the project has led to the online SFF and rock communities picking up the music and using it to craft their own original works. Below the cut, we list the coolest videos that have grown out of the project so far!

“Because the Origami”

Ben and Kaley Jacobson were so inspired enough by this 8in8 song they shot an original video for it starring their daughter Holly. (Holly herself is a child actor, you can see her reel here.) The video wonderfully captures the intent of the song, telling its story with the same understated grace that the song’s lyrics portray. They even got a real, live pony for it!

 

“The Problem With Saints”

In a similar fashion, the Young Sisters put together this live action video depicting Neil Gaiman’s sole vocal contribution to “Nighty Night.” We were tickled by the ingenuity of the two sisters and the earnestly genuine spirit of the piece. (Also, where’d they get a French flag?) Sandman fans will notice a familiar cameo very early on….

 

“Nikola Tesla”

Sometimes all you need is cardboard. This dedication to electrical engineer/general mad scientist Nikola Tesla, sung by Amanda Palmer, gets a live-action video treatment here from YouTube user “AllyourbasicGerrard.” Absent live ponies or French flags, the two women utilize a large amount of cardboard scavenged from their neighborhood in a variety of ingenious ways. Cardboard moustaches, cardboard hearts, cardboard wires… the creativity on display adds an enormous layer of charm to the punk rock ditty.

 

“I’ll Be My Mirror”

Even artists are getting in on the action. DeviantArt user “vassekocho” channeled her illustration talents into creating the above video for “I’ll Be My Mirror.”

 

“One Tiny Thing”

The 8in8 song “One Tiny Thing,” sung by Damian Kulash, becomes a sort of silent, impressionistic piece in this video from YouTube user “omegashock.”

 

“One Tiny Thing”

One of the fantastic things about the 8in8 project are the interpretations one can apply to these songs, regardless of the media or form of expression. Here, Miranda Lennox improvises a dance to “One Tiny Thing.”

Seen anything else? We didn’t find any prose interpretations of the group’s songs, although we didn’t look specifically for any. Add your faves below in the comments, or follow the project on Twitter.

UPDATE:
Ok, Stubbs, I’m breaking in with one more “The Problem with Saints” (Irene takes over the controls unsupervised. Grammar police on standby!) This one by 21crayonmonster is super charming.


Stubby the Rocket is the mascot and often random voice of the Tor.com staff. It wishes 8in8 had recorded a song about rockets, but understands if that subject just didn’t come up at the time.

About the Author

About Author Mobile

Stubby the Rocket

Author

Learn More About Stubby
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments