ShoneDoc 2 of 3. (Click here for part I)
Brian Lane speaks
The first interview about Shone.
(Photo via @spaghettisandwich)
Shone: the announcement
A group of about 30 or so people went to The Piazza at Schmidts at 6:30 as instructed by Levi’s last letter. A video played on the outdoor screen there, featuring the clown from an earlier video. First, he gave us the album release date: February 5. He then instructed those in attendance to enter a nearby restaurant to find a birdhouse. That birdhouse was found quickly; it contained 10 jump drives, each with the song “Baby Shakes” on it, as well as a jpg file that says “nine parts will uncover the cover,” a reference to the 9 packages that are being sent out. (So far, 3 of the 9 have been received.)
There was also a letter from Levi in the birdhouse, with great news: there would be a listening party at nearby Creep Records. Those in attendance (and nearly 100 more watching via livestream) were able to hear the record in its entirety.
This video shows the video announcement and the birdhouse being found.
![(Photo via @cointossgirl)
Heatthing.com updated with a new video at 12:38am EST, early Wednesday, January 16.
The messages [Imgur gallery of screenshots] in the video were:
- Ten contInue the cHApTer; each with something else.- a sleeve- to share- an invitation.- a location.- an announcement.- 823- thE cIty of bRothErLy LoVE- your heart is in debt to me
After that invisible ink message, we knew letters 2, 3 and 8 would be important. Letter 8/10 (“an announcement”) was received in Philly overnight Thursday into Friday, and it contained coordinates leading to The Piazza at Schmidts. The girl who received the letter was unable to explore those coordinates Friday due to work, so Staci (@cointossgirl) ventured over to check out the area, while many of us in the absolutepunk thread looked up what stores were in the area. We decided the print shop or record store were most likely to be the place the coordinates were leading to. The print shop was closed, so she waited a few minutes for the record store to open, and finally was able to go in and ask if Levi had left anything. “You mean Brand New?” asked the employee. This got people thinking Brand New was involved, but I was guessing that the name Brand New had been dropped just to get the people working in this store to allow them to leave something there. Brand New is a band people know (or could easily Google) and Shone is not. Now it just seems like the guy was trolling; he was apparently texting Brian Lane throughout. Here’s Staci describing her experience:
The coordinates led to a record store at the Piazza called Creep Records. We dug through records for entirely too long. Erik, the guy at the store, was highly entertained by the entire thing. I think his “clues” made the search much longer than it needed to be but it was all in good fun. I recommend all of you stop in before the “announcement” on Monday. Erik was texting Brian Lane the entire time we were there. He said Brain drove down twice from NY, once to check out the store, and again last night to drop off the message. For those of you that don’t know anything about the Piazza, its group of apartment buildings around an open space, with restaurants/bars/cool stores. Of note, there is a video screen on the one wall…I wouldn’t be surprised if they use that for the “announcement.” That was fun . I’m glad I had the chance to go. Looking forward to whatever comes next!
If you’re in or near Philly, you might want to clear your plans Monday evening and head down to see what’s going on.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/f88805f65742dfba18bd0ef708d7d49c/tumblr_mgwn6dqhOX1qzs74ko1_500.jpg)
(Photo via @cointossgirl)
Heatthing.com updated with a new video at 12:38am EST, early Wednesday, January 16.
The messages [Imgur gallery of screenshots] in the video were:
- Ten contInue the cHApTer; each with something else.
- a sleeve
- to share
- an invitation.
- a location.
- an announcement.
- 823
- thE cIty of bRothErLy LoVE
- your heart is in debt to me
After that invisible ink message, we knew letters 2, 3 and 8 would be important. Letter 8/10 (“an announcement”) was received in Philly overnight Thursday into Friday, and it contained coordinates leading to The Piazza at Schmidts. The girl who received the letter was unable to explore those coordinates Friday due to work, so Staci (@cointossgirl) ventured over to check out the area, while many of us in the absolutepunk thread looked up what stores were in the area. We decided the print shop or record store were most likely to be the place the coordinates were leading to. The print shop was closed, so she waited a few minutes for the record store to open, and finally was able to go in and ask if Levi had left anything. “You mean Brand New?” asked the employee. This got people thinking Brand New was involved, but I was guessing that the name Brand New had been dropped just to get the people working in this store to allow them to leave something there. Brand New is a band people know (or could easily Google) and Shone is not. Now it just seems like the guy was trolling; he was apparently texting Brian Lane throughout. Here’s Staci describing her experience:
The coordinates led to a record store at the Piazza called Creep Records. We dug through records for entirely too long. Erik, the guy at the store, was highly entertained by the entire thing. I think his “clues” made the search much longer than it needed to be but it was all in good fun. I recommend all of you stop in before the “announcement” on Monday. Erik was texting Brian Lane the entire time we were there. He said Brain drove down twice from NY, once to check out the store, and again last night to drop off the message.
For those of you that don’t know anything about the Piazza, its group of apartment buildings around an open space, with restaurants/bars/cool stores. Of note, there is a video screen on the one wall…I wouldn’t be surprised if they use that for the “announcement.”
That was fun . I’m glad I had the chance to go. Looking forward to whatever comes next!
If you’re in or near Philly, you might want to clear your plans Monday evening and head down to see what’s going on.
Levi’s newest letters have invisible ink on them.
Two videos ago, there was the hint “the sleeve holds a piece.” These letters come inside this “sleeve” with Levi’s signature on them.
This message says friend your presence is requested for the rest of this message 8, 2, and 3 will uncover the time + place
Only 1, 5, 6 and 7 have been found. It looks like 2, 3 and 8 (823 is a number we’ve seen often throughout this campaign) will lead to a time and place for…something.
In addition to 7/10 being received yesterday, 1/10 and 5/10 were also received. Not only are they both part of this new series of letters, they share something else in common: they were all sent to addresses in Philadelphia. The last time a series of letters were all sent to a common location was the first (X/32) series and that ended with letters with additional letters with coordinates and a scavenger hunt. My guess/hope is that this series will end with something similar, and hopefully a new song will be found.
A new letter was received today from Levi Gudmundson.
The most interesting thing about this letter: it is number 7 in a series of 10. This is the first letter in what appears to be a new series of letters.
In Shone’s most recent video, text appeared saying “32 letters, but then ten more…” and in my post about that video I said:
32 letters refers to the first series, and “ten more” is intriguing. The pieces of the puzzle received are numbered in a series of 9 (the nine parts that will come together) so it will be interesting to see what the 10th is.
I was assuming that the 10 they referred to would be one letter added to the series of 9. It looks like I was wrong, and there is a third series. The first was 32, the second was 9, and now 10.
![Package 9/9 (“Bestial”) was received today in Greenville, South Carolina.Click-through for a larger photo of the canvas.
[See all posts tagged Shone]
It is the third in this series of nine to be received, along with 5/9 and 1/9.](http://i46.tinypic.com/15pibdz.jpg)
Shone update: new video, new package received, potential tracklist, a show in NYC!
Last night at 6:14pm EST, heatthing.com updated with a new video. It features a little bit of the previous videos (the windmill, clown, and monster appear) and some new information. On the bottom right of the screen is a link (“shall we?”) that leads to Ticketmaster. They’re playing a show at Mercury Lounge in NYC February 7. I’ll be there.
Text in the video:
Piano Wire Number 12
Metal Bones
Fischer King
Defender 237
Baby Shakes
Black Death
Kin
Slithering
Bestial
This appears to be a tracklist, considering “Piano Wire Number 12” is a confirmed song, and was written on the first package received. Package 5/9 was received yesterday and says “Baby Shakes” which adds to this theory. “Baby Shakes” appears fifth, so if this is the tracklist, it may already be in order.
Other text in the video:
“32 letters, but then ten more…”
“the city of brotherlylove”
“nine parts will come together.”
32 letters refers to the first series, and “ten more” is intriguing. The pieces of the puzzle received are numbered in a series of 9 (the nine parts that will come together) so it will be interesting to see what the 10th is. City of brotherlylove may refer to Philadelphia; perhaps another show to be announced soon?
Levi Gudmundson is back at it again.
For a dead guy, he spends a lot of time mailing cryptic letters and packages.
After going quiet for a few days, there was a new video on heatthing.com yesterday, called “Defender 237.” Here’s a gallery of screenshots from that video.
Today, we found out about a new series of letters. This time, instead of a letter and an art print, a bigger envelope contained a small wooden square and a note. It’s 1 of 9 pieces, and as Levi’s note says, all 9 will need to be pieced together to solve this. Also of note is that the package was sent to Virginia; every letter in the first series was sent to an address in New York.
How the Shone song was found.
It was found and first posted by a member of the vinylcollective board. He got a letter (photo 1) with coordinates, which led him to Extra Butter in Rockville Center, Long Island.
“I got there not really knowing what to expect, there were a few people inside. I told the first person that spoke to me that I was sent by Levi, he goes “oh great” and goes into the back, and brings me back a box wrapped in paper. I ran back to my car and opened it, and theres a painted box (photo 2) with a prepaid cellphone inside. (photo 3)
Well once I got home, I get a text from the Levi guy with another set of coordinates that sent me to some mansion/field house in Manhasset. I text him back when I get there and I get all of these weird cryptic clues. First he tells me to find a man made lake, with a woman in it. There’s caution tape everywhere and some people in the mansion, felt like I was trespassing or something hah. I find a pond with a woman statue and I text Levi back saying that I think I found it. Im soaking wet at this point! I get another text message about how he likes to make birdhouses, and to look for one that he left for me. Behind the pond there was a tiny birdhouse, like 20 feet about a fallen tree. I couldnt really reach the birdhouse, wasn’t going to jump on a wet tree and fall into a pond next to it!
Well I look around and right underneath the birdhouse (where the tree fell over), theres a mound of dirt in the hole with a stick in the middle of it like a grave or something. This seemed to be placed there as part of this “hunt”, so I dug down with my hands and found another box wrapped in shopping bags. I washed my hands off quick in the pond and ran back to the car.”
The box and its contents are shown in the last three photos, this is the song on that flash drive. The song is called “Piano Wire Number 12” and that is likely a Jaws reference.
Only 3 more letters from Levi Gudmundson were received today after 3 yesterday and 11 the day before, but today was a big day in the world of tracking Shone.
4/32
s l o w l y n o w. BREATHE.
breathing (is important, most especially
when you do nOt know what is
ahead)
13/32
lower
and
lower
the notes follow me
down
30/32
now let,s see…
OH, right/
so, here we are. back in the present.
still floating.
still s
i
n
k
i
n
g
d
o
w
n
.
the lights are fading. becoming distant.
—
Someone who got a monster print noticed there might be some writing beside the little critter. It looks like it says OH DEAR FORGIVE ME. Shone uploaded the photo to their Facebook; someone played with the color to make the scratchy writing more visible, and here’s a close up of that part of the photo.
—
Levi tweeted “coordinate your coordinates” and I’m not sure we were able to come up with just what he meant, but there was a brief push to get someone to go to the return address from the letters. There’s a bowling alley there, a studio and a MediaZone. We wanted someone to check box #270 (the return address) to see if there’s something there, since in the video last night, capital letters (and Morse code) spelled out TELL THE WORLD in a hint about giving someone a gift and sharing it. We then found out they closed at 1 (it was after 1) and are closed tomorrow. We thought maybe there’s something at the bowling alley, so I called asking for Levi Gudmundson and/or Shone. The girl had no idea what I was talking about.
—
I was going back through artist Matthew Reid’s blog (he created the monster in that print) and found a photo of him leaning against the car next to the door in last night’s video:
Later, someone found a photo from that very shoot:
It was posted by Dan Navetta (former member of The Movielife) of ApKmedia with the caption “back in ny after 4 days of Directing a bizarre project in the desert. so good to be home and clean.” It was posted last December. “Matthew Reid” and “Shone” are both tags on his post, which means that Shone has been in the works for a year at the very least. The video was shot in Bombay Beach, CA.
On January 9, 2011, Matthew Reid posted this: “In the near future I have an opening coming up, as well as more on that “super secret” project that you know nothing about!!!” That could be when he first got involved, which would make this something that’s been in the works for two years.
On June 13, 2011, Matthew Reid posted this: “I let Poughkeepsie at 4am, had a top secret meeting in the city the next day. I made some new Friends that night and I am looking forward to working with them (That’s all I can say for now.)” Friends with a capital F is something we’ve seen in this campaign, perhaps this was when he first got involved. There’s no way we can prove either of these is related, though.
We do know he was out in the desert with Dan last December, though.
Dan’s post was December 14, 2011. On December 15, 2011, Matthew Reid has this to say, and this photo: “Oh, and here is a random photograph from my recent top secret mission to the desert!”
The dates match up, this was him out there in CA with Dan. ApK tweeted: Sleep deprivation, full lunar eclipse, salton sea, long drives, Mojave desert, spotify, @iammatthewreid, @theupstudio,orig videos #apkallday on December 10. Matthew tweeted about it the next day. Bingo.
Confirmed at 12:53am: Brian Lane is the creepy clown. Here he is on stilts in a picture posted on Facebook on December 10, 2011.
This is a big, big project that has been over a year in the making.
11 letters from Levi Gudmundson yesterday, 3 more today. 18 more to be found…
12/32
back on topic. weightless. the lights continue to
p a a e f c l o c a t a e s m h n .
l y p r e t y r h S r t d y p o y [play a perfectly orcheStrated symphony.]
lulling me.
15/32
i don*t miss bre thing.
it has been minutes.
or
it seems that way.
but these lights. so delightful. so distracting.
19/32
every moment has brought me to this very second.
time for a FLASHBACK…
11 of the Shone / Heat Thing / Levi Gudmundson letters have been received and posted online. Here they are.
1/32
shall we pick up where we left off?
Alright…
unaware (but unafraid), my body fallS.
give into the forces that
pull me
DOWN…
5/32
as my body faLLs kcab, my eyes gently close shut. then… w a t e r. warm.
9/32
There Are subtle flaSHes Of lights, bliNking in the d istancE.
they exist
all aroundD me.
10/32
it is comforting. considering the situation i’ve found myself in a little comfort might not be such a terrible thing.
14/32
a trail to those who want from this particular experience.
16/32
they warm me with a peace i*ve never really known.
23/32
it made me uncomfortable, that CAT. a l w a y s w a t c h i n g m e .
26/32
reaction without hesitation can be devastating.
27/32
i found myself walking now. a hurriedpace. its heart was
rapidlybeating
the PuLsE cOuLd Be FeLt AgAiNsT mY bLoOdY hAnDs.
no thoughts.
quickly now.
okay. stop walking, look. into your Hands. then our eyes met. black. dilated and full of fear.
29/32
behind our home, the SUN is warm.
i*ve place it on a bed of sticks an d leaves.
then i went inside.
it,s okay it,s okay
it,s okay it,s okay
i was the GIANT.
my insides Felt Funny.
i did not cry.
32/32
there is still more to say, but it will be finished another t(I)me.
be patient
