The Side Project

by TheDoctor

First published

Vinyl Scratch starts a sideproject with a few friends hopeing to get her fanbase to grow

Vinyl scratch's musical project is at a standstill. She is lacking a fan base and ideas for new music. Than an idea strikes her, why not start a side project tell her musical block passes!
So with that she gathers up a few friends and gets to work setting up a new band!
Of course things dont always go according to plan, With The Doctor and Derpy always running off for some unknown reason and Octavia falling madly in love with a center somepony, vinyl is going to have a hard time even getting this idea off the ground

The beginning of something great

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The air is thick and muggy as vinyl stands on the stage, the crowd is cheering, the noise is deafening, and vinyl would have it no other way. Vinyl lives for this. Making music, having a roaring crowd watching her work her magic. Her song ends with a well timed bass drop that nearly blew out one of her speakers. She laughs as she lets the noise die down so she can build up into her next song, once the noise has died down all the way she yells out to the crowd.
"Come on, I have seen Preschoolers get more wild than you!"
She frowns as she is met with almost little to no response but chooses to think nothing of it as she goes right into her last song.



Once Vinyl finishes her song she packs her stuff up and makes her way to the bar the crowd cheers for the next artist as as they make there way onto the stage, the headlining band. She smiles as she sits down on one of the hard bar stools and orders a mug of cider. It was mostly luck that she got to spot opening for this band, she has been in Ponyville for almost three years now and just seems to have become just another local act, but she plans on changing that one day. She will get huge and never have to worry about paying rent or food or anything.
As she dreams the bartender returns with her drink and says. “That will be two bits…”
Vinyl nods and gives the colt the money. “How did I do tonight?”
The bartender gives a shrug and says. “Honestly I think your act is getting old.”
Vinyl blinks and asks.”What do you mean but that?”
The bartender shrugs.”Well, you play the same set every week or so, I am just saying you need to try something new if you every want your music to take off…”
Vinyl finish off her drink and says.”Well who ask you…“Than adds.“And get me another drink!”
The bartender shrugs and refills her mug.


Vinyl sits alone for about an hour, not to much happens until a gray Pegasus mare finds a seat right next to her. Its hard for vinyl to see what she looks like in the poor light of the bar and the best she can make out about her is her yellow mane.
The mare smiles warmly and says.”You were great tonight up there!”
Vinyl who is still trying to get a good look at the new mare says. “Hmm?”
The gray mare smiles still.”You did great on the stage, with your music!”
Vinyl smiles some and says.”Thanks, nice to have a bit of support.” After saying this her mug raises up to her mouth covered is a light blue glow that is the result of a simple levitation spell.
The gray mare smiles.”My name is Derpy Hooves, its nice to meet you!”
Vinyl nods.”The name is vinyl, but if you seen me play I am guessing you knew that…”
Derpy smiles and says.”So whats it like making music for a living?”
Vinyl sighs.”Its great, as long as other ponies will listen you it…”
Derpy looks a bit surprised and asks.”But you play here all the time, don’t you have some kind of a fan base?”
Vinyl sighs.”When I first started I started to look like i was going to bet big but I never took off... And it does not help that I haven't wrote anything new in a year. Guess everypony is starting to forget about me and move on…”
Derpys frowns.”Why don’t you just write some new stuff, maybe release a new record?”
Vinyl sighs.”Yeah, but there is still the matter of writing the new songs… Not too easy when you have not ideas”
Derpy smiles.”Well if you ever need any help I would be more than happy to help, I myself am not a half bad musician.”
Vinyl nods her head and asks.”What do you play?”
Derpy smiles.”Drums mostly, Well I play a bit of everything but I really like the drums!”
Vinyl smiles.”I will be sure to get a hold of you when I start recording!”
Derpy smiles.”Thanks a lot for the talk but I need to get going. Have alot of mail to deliver tomorrow, if you ever need me deliver the mail at your apartment complex at about two!”
Vinyl blinks." Well...that's a bit creepy that you know where I live.."
Derpy just smiles as she makes her way out of her seat and than out of the poorly lit bar.
Vinyl herself does not stay much longer, after another drink she gathers up all of her stuff from the stage and makes her way back home.





Vinyl makes it back home in a very short amount of time even with the fact that she may have had a bit to much to drink. She laughs as she stumbles into the kitchen of the small apartment and rummages though her refrigerator. After some time she has composed herself a nice sandwich and a glass of water. Its not long before Vinyls roommate, Octavia is awoken and stumbles out of her room. “You are the only pony I know that is able to wake up another pony by eating a sandwich…”
Vinyl shrugs and keeps eating her sandwich.
Octavia sits down and asks.”Well I can tell there is something wrong you, or you would be going on about something that happened tonight. What happened?’
Vinyl sighs.”Somepony up and said my act is getting old, and he might be right!”
Octavia nods.”Well its been almost a year since you have even wrote a new song, perhaps you should try something new!”
Vinyl sighs and says.”Any bright ideas?”
Octavia smiles.”Perhaps you should try something other than you electronic music.”
Vinyl sighs and says.”Maybe you are right…”
She thinks to her self for a few seconds and her face lights up a bit.” Yes,we need to do something different, something new and fresh!”
Octavia blinks.”Wait, I was just joking. You better not go starting some rock and roll side project!”
Vinyl smiles some more.”That might work…Yes rock and roll is good!”
Octavia frowns now.”There is no way you are going to start a band, you are loud enough on your own!”
Vinyl grins.”What if I let you play some of your strings for the band, maybe some guitar, your cello perhaps. Your fanbase is not much better than mine and this would help get your name out there!”
Octavia nods.”Well...Yes, it might be nice to get my name out there a bit more…”
Vinyl smiles as she grabs on of her guitars off of the wall and plucks at a few cords.”See starting another band will be good for both of us, you know get are names out there!”
Octavia nods and says.”Perhaps, but we are going to need more than the two of us. Any ideas for who is going to sing, or drum, or play bass?”
Vinyl smiles.”I know a drummer.”
Octavia nods and asks.”Who is it?”
Vinyl smiles and says.”Ill tell you tomorrow at about two."
.

Coming together

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As Vinyl awakes the next day she rolls over and checks the clock on her bedside, it reads "12:45". Vinyl rolls her way off the bed onto the floor, the shock of the fall helps wake her up. After spending several minutes on the floor she finally drags herself out of the room and into the small room that serves at the apartments living room. As she expected Octavia is already ready for the day and is preparing her lunch. Vinyl pulls herself closer to the kitchen but stops to ask her roommate. "Don't you normally go to that fancy restaurant downtown for lunch?"
Octavia looks up from her sandwich making and says."Well sometimes one just needs a good sandwich...That and I am a bit broke..."
But this point Vinyl has pulled herself onto the counter and has her head under the coffee machine waiting for it to release the next life giving drop of coffee into her awaiting mouth.
Octavia just facehoofs before going back to making her sandwich.
She has known Vinyl for most of her life but is still not use to her strange way of doing things.
After about an hour Octavia is finished with her lunch and Vinyl is awake for the most part.
Octavia is the who brakes the silence, felling a need to speak ."Well I think I will be heading out, need to order some new strings for my cello."
Vinyl quickly spits out a mouthful of coffee and throws herself in front of the door the try and stop her friend from leaving.
Octavia who is still on the other side of the room says. "Most ponies would just ask for me to stop. But tell me, what do you need me for?"
Vinyl holds a hoof up and proclaims. "You must meet the drummer for are new band, remember?"
Octavia sighs and says."Ah, you still remember that..."
Vinyl smiles."You could use the money also, you said it yourself that you need money!"
Octavia nods slowly and asks."So, where is this new drummer?"
Vinyl looks at the clock on the wall and says."One second."And with that she bolts out the door...




Octavia has enough time to make herself a pot of tea before vinyl returns with a grey mare.
Vinyl smiles."Octavia, this is are new drummer, Derpy hooves!"
The mare is grey in color, with strange eyes that seem to want to drift away from each other.
Derpy lets out a laugh."Well,its nice to meet you. I have a friend who loves your stuff Octavia."
Octavia smiles."Well thats nice to know that I still have a few fans."
Derpy frowns some."But your new record was huge in Canterlot..."
Octavia blinks."I have not released a new record in three years..."
Derpy lets out a nerves laugh but is cut off by Vinyl who says."Hey, maybe we should do a bit less talking and a bit more planning." The three set up a drum set for Derpy and test her skills. After about a hour of this they decide to try playing together, so thats what they do, vinyl plays the guitar, and Octavia swaps between the guitar and cello. much to all of there surprise they dont sound all that bad, they would go as far to say they sound good together.



After there jamming as one may call it the three begin talk of there new band.
Derpy is the first to pipe up. "I have a friend who is good on the bass and piano, I can bring him around next time we do this!"
Vinyl smiles."Great, Now we just need a name, and somepony who is able to sing!"
Derpy smiles and says."My friend is also a good singer, he may not say so but he is!"
Octavia says to Derpy."Well your friend is a man of many skills."
Derpy keeps smiling."Yeah. He is the one i was telling you about, the one who likes your music!"
Octavia beams."Well I look forward to meeting him!"
Vinyl who is tired of this talk about Octavia's fans says."But we still need a name."
Octavia sighs."Well dont look at me, I dont know what you should call a rock n roll band..."
Derpy's face lights up."Oh I have one, why not the flaming fire birds!"
Vinyl nods."Thats not bad, but what about something cool like, The lords of the junkyard!"
Derpy thinks for a second."Thats not to bad.."
Octavia says with a smug look on her face."Why not, The Best Stupidity Has To Offer."
Vinyl and Derpy look at each other and nod."That's a good one." Says Derpy.
Vinyl nods."Yeah, I think it works!"


Octavia Facehoofs but at that moment the front door is slammed open and a brow stallion runs in. "Hurry Derpy, the cybermen are invading manehatten again!"
Octavia is shocked, never before has she seen a more hansom stallion in her life. With his hansom brow fur and his soft blue eyes. Than a thought goes though her mind. "What if he is Derpy's friend, that would be great..."
Vinyl on the other hoof is looking at Octavia, and laughs to herself as her friends falls in love with this random pony.
Strangely enough the only thing to go though Derpy's mind is the thought of a giant muffin...
The brown pony runs up to Derpy and shakes her. "Come on, we need to get going!
After a few seconds Derpy's face lights up."Oh, Hi Doctor. I was just about to come and get you, we are starting a band and you need you to help!"
Octavia grins more."So he is the one she was talking about."
The Doctor nods."Yes, yes but we can do that later, if we dont go now that city will burn!"
Derpy nods and gathers her stuff."Sorry to leave in such a rush, duty calls I guess."
The Doctor smiles and says."I hope to meet you two later, Allons-y!"
With this The Doctor and Derpy take off down the hallway.
Octavia lets out a sigh and slides down into her chair. "Did you see him Vinyl..."
Vinyl trys to keep a straight face."Yes, what about it?"
Octavia lets out a sigh."I don't know...he was just so hansom, and he likes my music!"
Vinyls grins."Yeah, but did you see the way he talked to Derpy, I bet those two are close, maybe even dating!"
Octavias face grows grim."Don't you dare say that, We were meant for each other and nothing will stand in are way!"
Vinyl smiles."Well have fun with that. "I think I am going to go for a walk and find some food!"
Octavia just nods as she dreams about how her and The Doctor are going to fall madly in love...