Figment News » Industry Heavyweights

formerwageslave, Current Heavyweight!

eric — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:39:16 +0000

It’s hard to believe that formerwageslave has only been playing Figment for a little over a year. His almost total domination of the Figment Hot Albums chart (seven #1 albums) has quickly made him one of the most successful Figment players in the history of the site, and he’s certainly one of the fastest players to notch over 100 album sales for a band (Lucifer and the Long Pigs.) While his success on the charts hasn’t scored him a major contest win just yet, he did win the 2011 Album Cover of the Year Figgie, tied for third in this year’s Album Cover Design Contest, and was a finalist in the 2010 Metal Concept Album Contest. He also accepted and met the first Figment Challenge!

But accolades aside, formerwageslave is our latest player to be made an Industry Heavyweight for any number of reasons.

First of all, his design work speaks for itself. Whether it’s industrial techno or Viking Metal you can immediately identify the vibe of one his band’s the minute you lay eyes on them. Or should I say when they lay their eyes on you!

His writing skills are evident in the song titles, band/album descriptions and news that he creates for each of his bands, and are every bit as important as his design skills. With song titles like “Slow Dance With A Steak Knife” and “Ethergoddess Kiss” is it any wonder that Vorpal Queen has dominated the charts? And when his Viking Metal band Vengeance Burns Eternal felt snubbed after receiving only one Figgie nomination his band responded by saying, “We have been notified that our noble band has been shunned from this so-called awards ceremony, save for a nomination for Dagur’s silly slogan. We will not forget this day! We would gladly roast the judges on spits over open flames, then feast on their charred flesh. We would decorate our studio with their bones, and smear their brains upon our bodies like greasepaint. Should our next album be full of harmless pap involving angry fruit and lengthy hogs? Swina bqllr!” Priceless.

Another great thing about formerwageslave is his truly collaborative nature. Whether it’s his innovative collaboration with FuriousGrace on the “Within…” and “Without Screwtape’s Grasp…” double disc release, his work on the ZV & Janissary World Tour Poster or his involvement in the Deathklaat supergroup project, formerwageslave is not above working with any Figment player.

So congratulations formerwageslave! We’ll be depositing 15,000 pieces of lucre in your account as our way of saying thanks for all of your hard work. We hope you’ll embrace your new position the same way you’ve embraced Figment and will pass your knowledge as well as some extra lucre to the rest of our Figment community.

We’d also to thank ChildofAlma for doing such a great job as an Industry Heavyweight over the past few months.

A Heavyweight Child

eric — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:51:46 +0000

When we look for Industry Heavyweights on Figment we’re looking for players who really embrace every aspect of the game. From their design work and willingness to collaborate to their ability to create realistic back stories, news and albums, an Industry Heavyweight has to be a player who exemplifies how you “should play our game”. ChildofAlma is such a player, and we’re proud to announce that he will be our latest player to be named an Industry Heavyweight.

ChildofAlma has been a Figment player since early 2009, and in that time he’s created a string of well known Figment bands including Whispers to the Fallen, DeathBreth, Sanguine Symphony, Wakizashi, Beijing Bling, Disfigura, Dollhouse In Black and Chainsaw Homicidal MonkeyMan Overdrive among others.

But those bands pale in comparison to what might very well be his Figment masterpiece, The Forgotten Falling. Not only have TFF become one of the most successful bands on Figment, continually scoring top albums and tours, but they also have two of the best known fake musicians on Figment in Hayden Frasco and Miyako Rey.

ChildofAlma’s work extends far beyond his own bands however, as he’s one of the most collaborative players in the game. His work includes creating album covers for bands like Werewolf Concerto, contributing to supergroups like Coffin Lords, side projects like Manta Rey, and allowing his musicians to work on albums like Eccentric Arcade’s Epic

What’s even better to see is that as his bands have grown in popularity the quality of his designs, writing, etc. has continued to improve.

His growth and fair play make ChildofAlma the perfect Industry Heavyweight. So congratulations to him. We’ll be depositing 15,000 pieces of Lucre in his Figment lucre account to reward him, and hopefully he’ll reward you with his ability to award more lucre as an Industry Heavyweight.

The Darkling Heavyweight

eric — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:59:37 +0000

timmamba has been a Figment player since almost the beginning. His band Darkling may have been created in response to our first contest, but it’s the band’s quality and early influence on the Figment fake bands that followed in it’s wake that have made it a mainstay at the top of the Figment Top Bands chart from the moment of it’s inception.

While timmamba’s covers may lack some of the sophistication of other Figment players it’s his ability to create a mood that has made Darkling such a hit in our opinion. Who else could have taken mundane nature shots and used them to create album covers that are as dark and disturbing as anything created by real black metal bands who trade in anti-Christian and violent imagery? Who else has the writing chops to create a back story that is both ridiculous and believable all at the same time? Who else can create song titles like “Kick the Tyr and Light the Pyre”? No one, that’s who!

So while timmamba may not be one of the most prolific Figment players, an issue some of you on the site seem to have with some of the Top Bands, he has created a band that continues to dominate completely on it’s own terms, and for that reason we are naming him our latest Figment Player Industry Heavyweight. timmamba will be checking out all of your bands over the coming weeks and rewarding those bands/albums he feels merit the attention, whether it’s simply to provide some constructive criticism or to lavish extra lucre on those that he feels rightly deserve it.

We’d also like to take a moment to thank poppinfresh for being such a great Industry Heavyweight over the past month or so. We hope you’ll take a moment to thank him as well!

A Poppinfresh Heavyweight!

eric — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:29:01 +0000

When we created Figment, we wanted to create a site where people could use their imaginations to create their dream band. Whether it was to create a band inspired by their favorite “real” band or one that was completely unique was irrelevant, only that they used their imagination to the fullest. It was the former that brought Figment player poppinfresh to our attention and led to our decision to make him the latest Figment Player Heavyweight!

Poppinfresh not only created a band inspired by his clear love for the “real” band The Beatles, but put a spin on it that was not only fun, but incredibly detailed. The Bleatles, for all of their obvious comparisons to their inspiration, became their own band simply because of the incredible amount of detail poppinfresh employed in creating their back stories, albums, etc.

You don’t have to go any farther than the names of each member of the Fab Flock to see what we are talking about. John Lanolin, Poll McCardigan, George Aries-Son and Ramgoat Starr not only continue the sheep theme, but are clever without being cloying.

But it doesn’t stop there, the band’s incredibly detailed album covers, including the 2009 Best Album Cover Figgie Award winner “Abbey Fold” (created in collaboration with Figment player scarletto), not only pay homage to the band’s heroes, but also adds to their authenticity.

Much like the band’s inspiration, The Bleatles like to play with their fans. Whether it’s poppinfresh’s intention or not, placing obvious plays on such Beatles classics as “I Want Ewe (Sheep’s So Heavy)” on “Let it Baaa” instead of “Abbey Fold” or releasing “Let It Baaa” first, not only throws you for a loop, but also makes you wonder what he’s up to – is he merely grabbing the Beatles songs that are easiest to convert into sheep imagery, creating his own image of the band or is he trying to avoid slavishly following the Beatles discography to the nth degree? Regardless, it works because you end up studying each release for clues to his intentions in much the same way Beatles aficionados do with all of their records. In fact, it makes me wonder…is Poll dead?

For those of you who think poppinfresh is a one-trick pony though, think again. His soundtrack for the film “Inseperable: The Story of Chang and Eng Bunker” by Pickopp Andropov is a stunner!

So whether you are a dyed in the wool (sorry couldn’t resist) fan or a new devotee, I hope you’ll join us in congratulating poppinfresh on his appointment as our newest player Industry Heavyweight.

We’d also like to thank letswasteanafternoon for being our last Figment Player Heavyweight. There aren’t enough superlatives available to describe his work. So a simple thanks will have to suffice.

If you’re interested in finding out more about The Bleatles we recommend you read our interview with the band.

Heavyweight!?

eric — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:27:14 +0000

We are pleased to announce that the newest User Industry Heavyweight will be letswasteanafternoon! Or should I say, letswasteanafternoon!?

Most Figment players may know his Top 5 alternative band !? (pronounced Shock and Disbelief), but he’s also created the best-selling jazz band The Simulations, hard rock quintet Zurich’s Patriot, power pop quartet Diversions at the Cinema, indie rockers The Jupiter Archives and post-rock quintet Post Atomic Horror.

As diverse as his band’s are, letswasteanafternoon is also consistently talented when it comes to creating those bands. His ability to create detailed band descriptions complete with in-depth bios on each of the band’s members as well as thought-provoking album descriptions that truly give you a feel for the content of his band’s album, make him a player to follow if you’re looking to up your game. In addition, he created the label 8755th Street Cafe Records and has made Herbert Nickerson, the label’s in-house producer, a legendary producer in the mold of Tom Dowd.

His album covers are also well done and he continues to improve with each one. Whether it was the letterbox format he used for many of !?’s records or the highly-stylized covers he did for Diversions at the Cinema, his covers are striking and immediately speak to the music they represent.

It’s all these things, this mix of diversity and consistency, that make him an ideal Industry Heavyweight! So congratulations letswasteanafternoon! We’ll be adding 500 pieces of lucre to your account to say thanks!

We’d also like to thank RevSpike for serving as our last User Industry Heavyweight. His insightful critiques and wonderful enthusiasm was much appreciated by Figment players and admins alike! Thanks RevSpike!

The Righteous Reverend Heavyweight!

eric — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:18:25 +0000

We’re pleased to announce that as of today RevSpike will be taking over the reins of User Heavyweight for the month of January from thehoseman.

RevSpike’s irreverent, twisted and hilarious sense of humor can be seen in the bands he’s created including Fustercluck, The Frozen Cement Explosion, Dick, Creepy, The Flammables, Wonderschlub, Smug Fungus, Slobber Molecule and Byron Udderfly among others. His new label OEdible Media is not only a delicious play on words, but fast becoming a home to an ecclectic array of artists whose quirks are not only front and center, but celebrated.

Check out his band descriptions, in addition to being well written and funny, they also sport incredible detail, like publicity stills that are priceless.

His album cover design skills are also terrific. He clearly takes time to create images that are engaging and speak to his artist’s musical style. Not content to just troll the interwebs for found images, RevSpike often enlists his friends, and in some cases himself (the image above is the picture he used to create Creepy’s “The Devil Made Me Duet” cover), to populate his bands, creating fake artists that seem downright real.

Check out his recent covers for Smug Fungus, Slobber Molecule and Horst Oeuvre and The Hors D’Oeuvres (clearly he’s listening to our podcast – big points Rev). We can only hope he enters a poster in our Figment Concert Poster Contest!

He’s no slouch when it comes to new ideas either. Whether it’s producing the first video interview with our Figment News blog, or creating the first soundtracks for a breakfast cereal (Hey Lady! Ya Dropped Yer Kid!) and an underwear catalog (Under Here…), RevSpike is on the cutting edge of all things fake!

So congratulations RevSpike! Your work on Figment has earned you Heavyweight status and a big AMEN from all of us!

We’d also like to thank thehoseman for serving as our User Heavyweight last month. He did a great job reviewing albums and lavishing lucre on those bands he thought deserved it. My guess is we’ll see him earn the honor again soon, but in the meantime AMEN to you too brother!

thehoseman Cometh!

eric — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:19:44 +0000

All of us at Figment are pleased to announce that thehoseman has been selected as this month’s user Industry Heavyweight of the month. Why? The answers are myriad.

We could start by pointing out the incredible musical fantasy world he’s created in the form of Uncle Duff Records. Led by it’s iconic freak-rock impersario and ringleader, Zandergriff Miggs, it is in many ways one of the most complete “figments” on Figment. When at you look at the bands under the Uncle Duff umbrella – Zandergriff Miggs & The Parliament of Owls, Secret Scurrility, The Notorious A.i.G., AlphaHistamines, Stalker Channing, Gorgan Zola, The Elder Berry’s, Gunshot Love, Vortromeda, Agua Netz, Hanz Openschut, Grover “Neck-Bone” Clifton, Cerrnunos, Manifold Spaceport, Sludge Cartwright, REPLACEDmints, Serpentinuum, Van Q., Karkass, Gnome – he’s arguably created one of the most diverse, both musically and creatively, collection of artists on Figment so far. Not only are they diverse in scope, but the level of detail and craftmanship used in creating each band is simply staggering. When you encounter a band created by thehoseman I dare you not to walk away feeling as if you’ve encountered a new “real” band.

Furthermore, thehoseman is an incredible writer. Not only are his band and album descriptions a textbook example of how to create a backstory and style for a fake band (case in point – the band bio for Zandergriff Miggs and The Parliament of Owls), but his album reviews are among the best on the site.

Lastly, the creativity shown in his album covers is incredible. Whether it’s creating an homage to a “real” band (REPLACEDmints) or creating something entirely new (Karkass) his designs are always not only top notch, but really reinforce the band’s sound and ethos.

I suggest you take a look at his whole portfolio and become a fan of as many of his band’s as possible, because he’s truly an Industry Heavyweight!

We’d also to thank frizbee for being such an incredible Industry Heavyweight over the past month. His reviews have been nothing short of incredible and he’s really embraced the role while still putting out incredible stuff himself (check out Xenophilia Live and 3). So thanks frizbee!

A Heavyweight Frizbee

eric — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:34:30 +0000

So who is this month’s user Heavyweight? Well it’s none other than frizbee! You may know him better as the mastermind behind RA Records, and such bands as Eccentric Arcade, Coxswain Insignia, Neutron Emission, The Rubbers and Solomon X. Lambert.

His design work is top-notch, as evidenced by his 3rd place finish in our 2009 Figment Album Cover Design contest. His label RA Records has signed Fait Accompli, Dark Brotherhood and Lady Annabel, and Eccentric Arcade’s Xenophilia Tour with Fait Accompli was one of the first full-scale joint tours on Figment.

When it comes to promoting his bands he’s no slouch either. He was the first Figment user to create a Twitter account for one of his bands, and the first to begin recording vlog posts on YouTube.

Needless to say he’s industry heavyweight material! So congrats frizbee! Visit his profile page and check out all of his incredible work and be on the lookout for his reviews, etc.!

We’d also like to thank javdoc for his work as an Industry Heavyweight last month.

Doc Heavyweight

eric — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:07:48 +0000

Well, it’s time to announce the lastest user Heavyweight and we’re happy to say that javdoc will be taking over the reins from overground as of today! Javdoc has an impressive Figment resume: he was the winner of our Figment Concept Album Contest 2009; finished fifth in our 2009 Figment Album Cover Design Contest; won a Band Merch Award; was the first Figment user to create a Music Festival on Figment – Merchants of Metal Festival I and MoM II, and the first to launch a magazine, New Metal Masters. More importantly, he was the first to reach 10,000 pieces of lucre.

His bands include Zeroth, Rastapharaohs, Amish Militia, Crimson Eye, Blackened Skull Ensemble, Lords of Winter, Supercrusher and The Funky Caboose among others.

He’s a gifted graphic designer with an incredible eye for album cover images, writes great band/album descriptions, song titles and album reviews, and is a master marketer. In short, he’s an Industry Heavyweight! So check out his stuff and work hard to impress him!!!

As for overground, thanks for all your hard work as an Industry Heavyweight over the past month!

Heavyweights!

eric — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:28:33 +0000

Here on Figment we are always in search of experts who can provide our users with feedback on their fake band creations. We call these people Industry Heavyweights and you can tell who is a Heavyweight by looking for this icon. If you see the “H” pick by their name that user is an Industry Heavyweight and if they become a fan of your band, buy or listen to one of your albums or provide you with a review/shout you’ll earn more lucre than if an normal user did the same.

Up until now, the only people we’ve made Industry Heavyweights are people who work in the music industry or the media, but starting today that changes. From this point forward we will making one user who we feel has earned it an opportunity to be an Industry Heavyweight for one month. He/She will be able to throw their weight around and reward those bands they feel deserve it and provide reviews to any band they see fit on the site. Needless to say this person has to be someone who has distinguished themselves on the site, so not only will we be making them an Industry Heavyweight, but we’ll also be paying them a one-time fee of 500 pieces of lucre for their expertise!

So who is the first user to receive this award? None other than the mastermind behind Fait Accompli – overground. Overground has been a Figment user for over a year now and has systematically built Fait Accompli into one of the strongest and most popular fake bands on Figment. We are continually impressed by his work and are thrilled to make him the first user to be named an Industry Heavyweight. Congrats overground, start throwing your weight around!