Project Lore

His WoW-inspired lyrical creations each have started out as karaoke fodder "on stage, in front of a bunch of people in a bar that have no idea who Arthas or Sartharion are, and just stare at me like I am insane." Ryan Myers has been dreaming up the parodies in his head for years, he said, but it was just within the past couple of months that he decided to act on the impulse.

I first heard "Ninja Raiders" at the end of The Instance!, episode #141 (apparently I missed "Action Bars," which was played on episode #140). And the response was immediate. That night, I logged onto my main, got on Teamspeak, and sang along every time someone started belting out, "If you like it then you should have rolled need on it," and "QQQ♪..." Then I sought out the video, which Ryan made with his and his guildies' characters, along with "the assistance of a Party Grenade to make unwitting passers by part of the dancing shots," he said.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one enthralled. Ryan said he has gotten an "overwhelmingly positive" response to those two songs, and also to "Clint Felwood."

"After that episode came out, Ninja Raiders seem to spread like wildfire, through forums and trade chat. I'm guessing it was a little more successful since it is a real 'video'. I was a little embarrassed when it became popular... it's the first video I've made, so there's a lot of rookie mistakes in there, like leaving the cursor on the screen and whatnot. I'll be going back to make videos for the other two, so hopefully those will look less amateurish."

Here's a little more about the man behind the lyrics, 30-year-old (with "the body of a 29 1/2 year old") Ryan Myers, from the suburbs of Chicago, Ill.

Project Lore: How did you get into WoW?

"I've been playing for about 4 years. I downloaded the free trial just to give it a shot, though I was determined that I would never 'buy some stupid game that you have to pay for each month'. Well, you can see how well that plan worked out for me."

PL: What are you working on in-game?

"My main is Ember, an 80 night elf rogue on Aerie Peak. Though I have also been leveling a draenei shaman. I've been messing around with the Argent Tournament a bit, and just starting to get into Naxx (we have a very casual guild of just a few friends, so we're a bit behind). My friends have actually yelled at me to 'stop being creative and play more.' "

PL: How did you start making parody songs?

"I've been writing them in my head for years, but it's only recently that I started recording them. I didn't think anything would come of it, I just recorded 'Action Bars' while really bored one day, and then decided to send it off to the Instance just for the hell of it. I didn't think they'd ever even play it."

PL: Is anyone else involved in the creative process?

"No, though I do have to say that my wife gave me the first line of 'Clint Felwood' (if I didn't mention that, she'd kill me). Otherwise, it's all me. Except of course for my poor guild, that I force to dance while I film them."

PL: What kind of reaction have you gotten so far from anyone who's heard the songs?

"The reactions have been overwhelmingly positive... it seems like my only harsh critic is me. I know that my voice isn't the greatest, and I sing off key a little, so I get super self-conscious about that. But people don't seem to mind, they just dig the parodies. I always assume everyone will hate them, but that's never the case, thankfully."

PL: What's your favorite song you've done so far?

"Action Bars is still my favorite... not only because it was the first one I did, but also because it's about rogues, so obviously I identify with it the most. It's funny, I used to listen to the original song 'Handlebars' (by Flobots) all the time, but the other day when I tried to sing along with it with the real lyrics, I couldn't do it... I kept sliding back into Action Bars."

PL: Are any of your lyrics based on RL experiences?

"Ninja Raiders definitely, especially the 'hunter weapon' part. I've been part of some pugs where it is just mind blowing what some people will roll on. And I have heard the response of 'QQ more' on more than one occasion when someone was asked about their ninjaness... so I couldn't help but put it in as my own little revenge."

PL: Do you have any other upcoming songs that we can listen out for?

"I've got a couple bouncing around in my head, so there's definitely some on the way, I just haven't decided which one will be next. Ultimately, I'd like to have at least one song for each class. I'm heading to E3 next month, so I have made that a deadline for myself... I will have at least one more song and one new video done by then, if not sooner."

And here we have some of Ryan's favorite lyrics from each song:

Action Bars:
"I've won about a million Arathi Basins
make druids AFK in exasperation
they all try to heal with their restoration
but I just respecced to assassination"

Ninja Raiders:
"I need no permission, did I mention
everything is a hunter weapon...
don't tell me that you don't secretly
want to be just like me
and need every boe that you see"

Clint Felwood:
"the boomkin aura, I'll bust it out for ya
the fauna and flora all call me destroya"

So is anyone else a fan? You can bet I'll be waiting for Ryan's next lyrical nugget. In the meantime, go download MP3s of each song at his Web site, Roboguzu Entertainment. Share the love with your buddies, and let us know what you think!