A Victorian Experience with Alien Rock
The city of London was perpetually filled by the usual 1888 fog – though, on that Tuesday, it was much thicker than usual, it swirled around gas-lamps, with the echoing ‘clip-clop’ of horses pulling their carriages or carts, many of the citizens were safely ensconced indoors pondering tea or the latest scandal.
Then; a sound, one unlike anything ever heard within the British isles, it ripped through the atmospheric gloom; a high-pitched warbling whine that rapidly descended into a cacophony of distorted guitar riffs.
From the sky, not with a gentle descent, but a dramatic stage-diving plummet came a strange object, a vessel from the stars, it was sleek, almost entirely like that of a massive saucer, it was a pulsating chrome-plated monstrosity complete with flashing neon lights, it landed with a shuddering ‘THUD’ that rattled every teacup and window-pane within the three-mile radius, it had embedded itself firmly in plain view of the locals despite London’s narrowed streets, despite its size, it strangely still manage to avoid tearing down buildings, though it had quiet clearly lost its ‘rounded’ shape.
Suspiciously, it looked closer to that of some kind of stage now – a ramp hissed downwards bathing the confused and terrified citizens in a retina-searing violet light, out came four figure, strutting about, clearly taller than any man and their skin shimmering with iridescent scales – their heads were adorned with gravity-defying hair like tendrils in hues of magenta and lime green.
They wore would could only be described as interstellar spandex – glitter encrusted and utterly scandalous.
This was the ‘Mischievous Nebula and Noise’ – a intergalactic rock band currently on a galactic-tour, their target audience; the Unsuspecting Civilisations of primitive worlds.
“Greetings carbon-based lifeforms!” boomed one voice – his voice echoing with an unnatural reverb, gesturing grandly to the bewildered onlookers who had begun to cautiously emerge from their homes clutching nightcaps and umbrellas “Prepare yourselves for sonic ecstasy”
Before anyone could either faint or call for a constable – though many clearly considering it, the strange alien beings retrieved their instruments, the lead strapping the guitar as it glowed with an inner-cosmic fire.
The Drummer – a multi-limbered creature settled behind his equipment – “One, Two, Three and Four!” the lead; ‘Nebula’ shrieked, and a wall of sound just simply erupted, it was a primal, distorted feedback, heavy bass lines that vibrated the internal organs, the drums hammered with a force of meteor showers.
Mrs. Williams, known for her delicate constitution immediately swooned into a pile of coals while David Sampson peered from his window; his face a look of confusion as he simply raised an eyebrow, noting the extraordinary decibel level.
The strange alien visitors remained utterly oblivious to the widespread terror and confusion; they merely continued to gyrate wildly, their sprangled outfits catching the light before ‘Nebular’ launched himself into a guitar solo – a small street urchin that watched, accustomed to much less exciting specacles found himself tapping his foot, mesmerized.
A lone bobby; a Constable Reginald Hampshire finally arrived blowing his whistle with all the futile indignation he could muster “’Ere now!; what’s all this racket about, you are disturbing the peace!”
‘Nebula’ paused – his eyes narrowed “Peace?” he repeated “We are bringing peace through the universal language of loud, glorious noise!, your primitives are clearly uninitiated”
There was a moments pause before ‘Nebula’ continued “Let us elevate your primitive souls!” he shouted before resuming
The constable simply stared at the flamboyant aliens as the crowd of bewildered Victorians continued to watch with a strange fascination; as the vessel they came in began to pulsate again, Reginald blinked “Right” he muttered “I’m going to need a bigger whistle, and most likely a good lie-down”
Deciding their work was done; that the locals where clearly overwhelmed by their brilliance, the Alien Musicians gave a final ear-splitting chord and with a collective bow and a blinding flash of multi-coloured lights, they re-entered their vessel which soon lifted back up reassuming its original shape and setting off skywards, leaving behind a bewildered populace and the linger scent of ozone.
The streets would never quite be the same again from that day.
Written By: Westley H.
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