_____ | |___ _ _ __ __ | |\ | | / __ |\/| |__| |______ | \| _|_ \__/ | | | | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) *** Date: April 14, 1994 *** Created, Compiled & Maintained by: Gavin Stok (gps@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au) Introduction ------------ Welcome to the Enigma FAQ, a document where I will give you as much explanation into Enigma as possible - the band, the people, the music, the other items, the success, and the meanings. This document gives full rundowns of each album and single released to date, the meanings behind some tracks, the people mentioned in some songs, and many other interesting pieces of information. When reading this FAQ, there are some things that need to be pointed out. Firstly, this FAQ only references CDs and CD maxi-singles. This is because the the cassette and LP versions generally either contain the same or only a certain tracks from their CD equivilant. Secondly, all references to UK releases also apply to Australian releases unless otherwise specified. Finally, if you have taken the effort to read this FAQ, then you may wish to join the Enigma mailing list! All you need to do is send a message to listserv@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au and in the body of the message (NOT the subject line) type "subscribe enigma ". For example, I would type "subscribe Gavin Stok". I hope you learn a lot about Enigma by reading this FAQ! GAVIN STOK ***************************************** **** SECTION 1: THE BAND/PROJECT **** ***************************************** What is Enigma? --------------- "Old rules and habits have to be rejected and dismissed so that something new can be created" stated Michael Cretu, and thus created the project Enigma at the end of 1990. You will notice that the title of this section is not "Who ARE Enigma?" but "What IS Enigma?". This is because Enigma, meaning mystery in Greek, is not a band but a project undertaken by Michael Cretu (better known as Curly M.C.). In the beginning, there was no promotion of Enigma or the first single, "Sadeness part 1". Even on the single itself there are no references to real names in the credits except for David Fairstein. This is because Michael Cretu's Enigma project was supposed to be a mystery where no-one knew the artists, just the music. As Michael Cretu explained in an interview on December 19 '90, he only wanted people to react spontaneously to the music. The mystery behind Enigma prompted rumours of exactly who the artists were on this debut single. Eager journalists mentioned artists such as Mike Oldfield and Alan Parsons, but it wasn't until a lawsuit was filed for supposed plagiarism (of stealing the idea of mixing Gregorian chant with hip-hop grooves) that the true artists of Michael Cretu and Sandra were revealed. While the fact that the mystery was now non-existent probably disappointed Michael Cretu, he cleared his name by winning the case, and also helped launch the debut album "MCMXC a.D." (Confirmation of Cretu's initial desire to keep the artists a mystery is further proven by the credits on the album and in a February 16, 1991 Billboard article where it is stated that in the press releases for the album that it was preferred for the producer to remain anonymous despite his name being known in Europe). In an interview published on December 19 '90 in Norway, Cretu stated that his starting point for Enigma was simple: he wanted to make music that he liked himself and that returned to the mysticism. He went on to say that there was nothing speculative in Enigma and that his goal was to break all common promotional rules. Talking about the music, he stated that it has neither verse, nor chorus, and that it's all based on a mood and an atmosphere. You will find that on "MCMXC a.D." Michael Cretu also worked with Frank Peterson (acknowledged as F. Gregorian in the credits), and on "The CROSS of Changes" he worked with Andy Hard (acknowledged as Angel in the credits), Louisa Stanley, Jens Gad, and Peter Cornelius. On both albums he worked with his wife, Sandra Cretu (not acknowledged on "MCMXC a.D." and acknowledged as Sandra on "The CROSS of Changes"), and David Fairstein. While it is speculated that Andy "Angel" Hard is a singer on "MCMXC a.D.", this fact has yet to be confirmed. NOTE: While Enigma is actually a project of Michael Cretu's, it is commonly referred to as a group in itself. For this reason, the rest of this FAQ will refer to Enigma as a group and not a project. Does Enigma plagiarise? ----------------------- Legally, the answer is 'yes'. As reported in the September 14, 1991 Billboard article "'Sadeness' Creator Settles Sample Suit", Polydor German lawyer Stefan Belfert revealed that Michael Cretu and Virgin Germany settled out of court with Polydor and BMG/Ariola over "unauthorised use of choral recordings on the Enigma album "MCMXC a.D."". The whole dispute arose from when Munich-based chor Kapelle Antiqua recognised its recordings of Gregorian choral works on Enigma tracks. The group sued claiming that Cretu had infringed upon its "right of personality" by distorting the records samples on the "Sadeness part I" and "Mea Culpa part II" album tracks and singles. The group was supposedly "personally offended" by the 'misuse' of its work and demanded a written apology in addition to financial compensation. Kapelle Antiqua was able to demonstrate that parts of its works were samples on "Mea Culpa". Virgin Germany went on to acquire authorisation for the retrospective use of the Polydor and BMG/Ariola masters and officially apologised to the original artists. Interesting to note is that no copyright infringement was involved in the case, since the Kapelle Antiqua recordings were in the public domain! [Information taken from Billboard article "'Sadeness' Creator Settles Sample Suit'"] Is Enigma 2 different from Enigma? ---------------------------------- It is interesting to note that the second album is by Enigma 2 and not Enigma. It is also interesting to note that the first single released from the album, "Return to Innocence", is listed as being from Enigma and not Enigma 2. So why the difference in names? Two reasons are: 1) That it is wanted to be expressed that "The CROSS of Changes" is a very different album in comparison to "MCMXC a.D.", notably in the sense that there is not a focus on Gregorian chants, panflutes, and all the other trademark instruments that appear on "MCMXC a.D.", but instead, a progression into different instruments and different origins such as the lapp chant. As Cretu said in a Billboard article from May 18, 1991, he would retain the Enigma name, but would take the music down a completely different path. 2) That the line up of musicians has changed considerably on "The CROSS of Changes", notably with the absence of F. Gregorian (an alias used on the first album for Frank Peterson). David Fairstein also has a much lower-key role on "The CROSS of Changes" than he does on "MCMXC a.D.", only assisting on 2 songs as against the 4 for "MCMXC a.D.". Finally, Curly M.C. from "MCMXC a.D." has also revealed himself as 'Curly' Michael Cretu, although he retains his alias for the single "Return to Innocence". Clearly it is seen that "The CROSS of Changes" is by Enigma 2 because of the great changes over time - in terms of musical style and/or the musicians used on the album. *********************************** **** SECTION 2: THE PEOPLE **** *********************************** Who is Michael Cretu (otherwise known as Curly M.C)? ---------------------------------------------------- Michael Cretu is a singer, songwriter, and producer, born on May 18, 1957, in Bucharest. He IS Enigma - the man who created the secretive project, releasing the first album in 1990. He has also worked with or for Sandra, Andy Hard ("Angel"), Peter Cornelius, and Hubert KaH, as well as doing his own solo albums. In 1965, Cretu' music career began when he entered "Lyzeum No. 2" in Bucharest, a college for young and gifted musicians. His main instrument was piano. In 1968, he went on to Paris to study for 5 months, and in 1975, at the age of 18, moved to Bad Homburg where he was successfully admitted to the Academy of Music in Frankfurt. Graduating in 1978 with distinctions, Cretu started working as a studio musician and arranging songs. His work paid off with him getting his first award in 1980, this one being gold for his work as a producer. Cretu released his first album, "Legionare", through Virgin in 1983. By 1985, Cretu had acheieved top chart positions as writer, producer, and keyboarder of Moti Special. He producer Sandra's first international #1 hit single "Maria Magdalena" and released another solo album called "Die Chinescische Mauer (The Chinese Wall" which was soon after followed by "The Invisible Man" which was the same album but with English lyrics. His success continued in 1987 when he worked as a producer for Mike Oldfield. In 1988 Michael Cretu married Sandra Lauer, and shortly after they settled in at the island of Ibiza in Spain where they still currently live. They own 2 properties there - an old farm house which is both their residence and studio (A.R.T. studio), and a renovated house in the centre of Ibiza Town which is a historical monument from the 18th century. It is in the basement of this house that Cretu has established a restaurant, and Cretu is known to often invite musicians to dine there. Cretu is clearly very happy where he lives for as he stated in an interview in Music Mag in January 1994, "I leave Ibiza only for taxes and for the new video". 1990 saw the release of Cretu's most popular album to date, "MCMXC a.D." under the alias of Enigma. Three years later came his first soundtrack work (for the movie "Sliver") and his much anticipated follow up Enigma album, "The CROSS of Changes" which had 1.4 million advance orders! In discussing his work, Michael Cretu has let it be known that he loved Bruckner's late Romanticism, that he used to want to be a concert pianist, and that "I started writing hits the day I sold my piano". He is a self-confessed night owl, and also a workaholic, this being seen by the fact that the production phase for "The CROSS of Changes" took 7 months with the computer log of his sound bridge often stating that recording sessions from 10pm to 11am occurred. During this whole period he rarely saw the sun, and didn't use either his new mountain bike or offshore racing boat (offshore racing is one of his hobbies). Instead he was busy in front on his 3 terminals, perhaps listening to one of hundreds of CDs with chants of different primitive races, sampling, synchronising, and cataloguing the sounds so that he could begin song writing. To ensure his unusual working rhythm is not interrupted and because of the unreliable power supply where he lives, Cretu has his studio's power supplied by his own generator. He also has two back-up generators so that his work will never be lost. [Most information supplied from Music Mag Article from January 1994 and information supplied from Virgin Norway] Who is Sandra? -------------- Sandra is a European pop singer, born on May 18, 1962, and well known for both her work with Enigma, and the fact that she is married to Michael Cretu! Sandra released her first single, "Andy, mein Freund", at the young age of 12, and at 16 joined 2 other girls to form the group Arabesque, which soon became popular in Japan. In 1985 Sandra began her solo career by releasing the album "The Long Play" through Virgin Germany. From this album she released perhaps her biggest hit, "(I'll never be) Maria Magdalena", along with "In the Heat of the Night", and "Little Girl". She followed up this album with "Mirrors" in 1986, which saw her releasing 5 singles - "Innocent Love", "Don't Cry (the Breakup of the World)", "Hi! Hi! Hi!", "Loreen", and "Midnight Man". 1987 saw the release of Sandra's first compilation, "Ten on One". The album was also released outside of Germany in 1988 with the title "Everlasting Love". From the album came the singles "Everlasting Love", and "Stop for a Minute" (from the soundtrack "Salu Palu"). In 1988, Sandra also released her next studio album, "Into a Secret Land". From this she released "Heaven can Wait", "Secret Land", "We'll be Together", and "Around my Heart". In between albums, she became a member of Member of Artists United for Nature and made a single in 1989 for this benefit. "Paintings in Yellow" was released shortly before the beginning of what was to be Enigma in 1990. She released 3 singles from this album, entitled "Hiroshima", "(Life may be) a Big Insanity", and "One More Night". While it was originally planned that a French woman would do the female vocals on Enigma's "MCMXC a.D.", Richard Branson, boss of record comapny Virgin, insisted that Sandra fill the role. The rest, as they say, is history! Following the success of Enigma, Sandra's 1992 album "Close to Seven" bought about the attention of many Enigma fans due to it being both sung by her, and written and produced by Michael Cretu (he also produced all the other Sandra albums by the way). Recorded at A.R.T. studios, the album had 3 singles released - "Don't be Aggressive", "I Need Love", and "Johnny Wanna Live" (which is actually from the "Paintings in Yellow" album). This album was followed shortly after by another compilation called "18 Greatest Hits", which contains all the above-mentioned singles except "Don't Cry" and "I Need Love". Who is Frank Peterson (otherwise known as F. Gregorian)? -------------------------------------------------------- Frank Peterson is best known for his writing work with Michael Cretu on Sandra's "Into a Secret Land" and "Paintings in Yellow" albums, and Enigma's "MCMXC a.D." album. By the fact that Peterson is not credited on Sandra's 1992 "Close to Seven" album or Enigma 2's 1993 "The CROSS of Changes" album, it seems fair to say that Cretu and Peterson have separated. The reasons for this are not known. Who is David Fairstein? ----------------------- David Fairstein has assisted Michael Cretu since 1990, when he helped write for Enigma's "MCMXC a.D." album. Since then he has assisted in writing one track with Cretu on Sandra's "Close to Seven" album, and two tracks on Enigma 2's "The CROSS of Changes". Who is Andy Hard (otherwise known as Angel)? -------------------------------------------- Andy Hard is a 26 year old singer from Munich. It is not known whether he did any singing on Enigma's "MCMXC a.D." album, but it is known that his vocals were used on "Return to Innocence" from Enigma 2's "The CROSS of Changes" album. In Europe in December 1993, he presented his debut album "Welcome to the Soul Asylum" which was produced by Michael Cretu and Jens Gad. Who is Peter Cornelius? ----------------------- Peter Cornelius is an Austrian singer and songwriter. An old friend of Michael Cretu's, he showed himself in a new light by contributing the electric guitar solo in "I Love You...I'll Kill You" on Enigma 2's "The CROSS of Changes". Who is Jens Gad? ---------------- Jens Gad is a former Q-singer, producer, and guitarist. He co-produced Angel's album "Welcome to the Soul Asylum" with Michael Cretu, supplied most of the guitar parts on "The CROSS of Changes", assisted in the Long & Alive Version of "Return to Innocence", and created the 380 Midnight Mix of "Return to Innocence". ********************************** **** SECTION 3: THE MUSIC **** ********************************** What does Enigma's music sound like? ------------------------------------ The music of Enigma is described as a "musical work with hardly anything in common with standard songs and their formats", and "a comparatively new collage of sounds, rhythm and feeling for time". The first album focussed on Gregorian chants combined with dance rhythms, while the second album, "The CROSS of Changes", is seen as a musical step forward, incorporating all the instinctive elements of "MCMXC a.D." yet doing so in a completely new guise, notably with the use of native song instead of Gregorian chant. In describing the music, Cretu stated in a May 18, 1991 article from Billboard: "Contrary to the usual record-company philosophy, people are open-minded and starved for something unique. This is music that is different from any other available at the moment. I think people have responded to that.". He goes on to say "With Enigma, I have created a complete piece of music that I wanted to let stand alone. There is a sense of mystery in the music that I want to leave untouched by the perceptions and preconceived ideas that come with the past history of a producer or a songwriter.". Later in the article he talks about the misconception that people have upon hearing "Sadeness" that the rest of the album is filled with Gregorian chanting, and defends this by saying that the album is a complete work with many different levels and sounds, "Sadeness" being only one piece of the puzzle. [Information mostly supplied from promotional material from EMI Australia] Who do Enigma sound like? ------------------------- To many people, Enigma is unique and there are no other groups who come close to the sound and style that they produce. To other people, Enigma is nothing more than dance music added to traditional sounds. A popular band that Enigma are being compared to at the moment are Deep Forest, mainly because that they too are seen as being nothing more than a dance and traditional sound combination (in their case, they bought traditional African and South American sounds from National Geographic). Some albums that have been recommended for people who like Enigma are: Deep Forest's "Deep Forest" Pascal Languirand's "Gregorian Waves" and "Ishtar" Praise's "Praise" Mouth Music's "Mo-Di" Vangelis' "1492" soundtrack Anything by Dead Can Dance Anything by B-Tribe What albums have Enigma recorded? --------------------------------- (a) MCMXC a.D. [1990] Cover: Black background with an inner square of art showing a monk and a cross on top of a mountain CD: UK - Silver with black writing US - Silver with yellow picture of Marquis de Sade Booklet: UK - Artist, title, and picture on 1 page, quotes on 1 page, and track listing with credits on 1 page US - Artist, title, and picture on 1 page, details of additional products available (T-shirt and sweatshirts) on 1 page, and track listing with credits on 1 page Tracks: 7 (3 with 3 separate parts) Playing Time: 40:21 This album was composed by Michael Cretu as a single extended song, and as such has several motifs that appear throughout the album, such as Gregorian chants, flowing strings, and Sandra's vocals. Other keys include the fact that the key changes sound similar from song to song, that 2 tracks ("Principles of Lust" and "Back to the Rivers of Belief") have the same drumbeats, and that the album ends with the same motif that started it. [Some information taken from Rob Berry's review from the Ambient FAQ] (b) MCMXC a.D. "The Limited Edition" [1991] Cover: Green marble background with an inner square of art showing a monk and a cross on top of a mountain CD: Australia - Silver with black writing Europe - Green with purple writing Booklet: UK - Artist, title, and picture on 1 page, quotes on 1 page, and track listing with credits on 1 page Tracks: 15 Playing Time: 60:27 This album is identical to (a) except that it also features 4 additional songs, each being a remix of the 4 singles that were released. It is hard to find in the US, reasonably hard to find in some parts of Europe, and easy to find in Australia. When the album first came out in Europe, it had a different cover, with a square hologram of the monk and cross on top of the mountain instead of the normal artwork seen on MCMXC a.D. It also had the words "DATA, ALPHA, MAMBO" imprinted on some pages of the booklet. This very limited edition of the album has not been seen in any other country, and is extremely hard to find these days. (c) The CROSS of Changes [1993] Cover: Black background with what appears to be the figure of a female in very light green surrounded by the background of a flaring sun in the background CD: Black with an ancient zodiac in white Booklet: Thick cardboard-like paper containing pictures on 6 pages, lyrics on 2 pages, ordering details on 2 pages, track listing on 1 page, credits on 1 page and quote on 1 page Tracks: 9 Playing Time: 44:16 The CD booklets are identical in each country, except that the first pressing of the European version has the sample credits written in black on green/black as against white on green/black for all other countries, that some of the sample credits have been removed on everything but the first pressing of the European version, and that the additional products (T-shirts, sweatshirts, bomber jacket, cap, and wrist-watch) are available in different countries with prices in the respective currency. NOTE: Full track details of the above-mentioned albums can be found in the 'EnigmaDiscog' file in the /listserv/enigma/Enigma directory at yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au. Alternatively, if you are a member of the Enigma mailing list, send a message to listserv@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au with the body of the message saying "GET EnigmaDiscog". What CD singles have Enigma recorded? ------------------------------------- (a) Sadeness part 1 [1990] Cover: Europe/UK - Black background with a circular inner showing the Marquis de Sade (as featured on the inner side of the cover to "MCMXC a.D.") US - Gray with maroon/green Cover Type: Europe/UK - CD single jewel box US - Fold out case CD: Europe/UK - Silver with black writing Mixes: Radio Edit Extended Trance Mix Meditation Mix Violent US Mix Playing Time: Europe/UK - 17:25 US - 20:29 The US version of the single has an extra track called "Introit: Benedicta sit sancta Trinitas" which is a Gregorian chant. The Violent US remix was released in the US, as against the Radio Edit which was released in Europe, the UK, and Australia. (b) Mea Culpa part II [1991] Cover: Europe/UK - Black background with a circular inner showing a lady with 2 metallic hands just below her face US - Ultra blue Cover Type: Europe/UK - CD single jewel box US - Fold out case CD: Europe/UK - Silver with black writing Mixes: Europe/UK - Fading Shades Mix Orthodox Version Catholic Version US - Fading Shades Mix Catholic Version Orthodox Version LP Mix Playing Time: Europe/UK - 14:13 US - 23:59 The Catholic version of "Mea Culpa part II" is the radio edit of the song. In the UK, a limited edition collectors box was released which had space for all 4 singles, plus a cardboard surround. It is not known how many of this box were released. The track listing is identical to the Australian and European versions. The US version of the single has an extra track called "Communion: O Sacrum Convivum A [Andrea Gabriel: 1565]" which is a Gregorian chant. (c) Principles of Lust [1991] Cover: Europe/UK - Black background with a circular inner showing 2 naked ladies from an 18th or 19th century painting seemingly about to kiss Cover Type: Europe/UK - CD single jewel box CD: Europe/UK - Black with brown and white writing Mixes: Europe - Album Version Everlasting Lust Mix Jazz Mix UK - Radio Edit Omen Mix Jazz Mix Playing Time: Europe - 13:21 UK - 16:41 The single also contains the Radio Edit of "Sadness part 1" in the UK. It was only released promotionally in the US. (d) The Rivers of Belief [1991] Cover: Europe/UK - Black background with a circular inner showing a naked lady sitting with her feet crossed and holding a sword Cover Type: Europe/UK - CD single jewel box CD: Europe/UK - ??? Mixes: Europe/UK - Radio Edit Extended Version Playing Time: Europe/UK - ??? The single also contains "Knocking on Forbidden Doors" from the "MCMXC a.D." album. It was not released in the US. (e) Carly's Song [1993] Cover: Australia - White background with a portion of it showing a scene from the film "Sliver" (the actual scene appears to be Sharon Stone orgasming) Cover Type: Australia - Cardboard sleeve CD: Australia - Silver with red and black writing Mixes: Australia - Jam & Spoon Remix Instrumental Playing Time: Australia - 17:34 The single also has the song itself, and a track called "Carly's Loneliness", which is simply a shortened version of "Carly's Song" with a different beat. Note that "Carly's Song" is NOT identical to that on the album "The CROSS of Changes" (as discussed later). The single has definitely been released in Australia, was not released in the US, and has not been seen in other countries despite it being made in Germany. (f) Return to Innocence [1993] Cover: Europe/UK - Black background with a circular inner showing a rune bomme (a handheld drum which the lapps use) in orange and yellow US - As above in orange and green and with the titles moved within the picture Cover Type: Australia - Digipak and cardboard sleeve Europe/UK/US - CD single jewel box CD: Silver with picture of reindeers and people hunting in yellow, and black text Mixes: Radio Edit Long & Alive Version 380 Midnight Mix Short Radio Edit Playing Time: Europe/UK - 20:18 US - 24:35 In February, 1994, the European version had its cover changed to become the same as the one which was released in the US. In March 1994, the Australian version of the single became available in the Digipak format. The US version of the single also has the Radio Edit of "Sadeness part 1". (g) The Eyes of Truth [1994] This is the next single release, due out in Europe on April 18. Details soon! NOTE: Full track details of the above-mentioned singles can be found in the 'EnigmaDiscog' file in the /listserv/enigma/Enigma directory at yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au. Alternatively, if you are a member of the Enigma mailing list, send a message to listserv@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au with the body of the message saying "GET EnigmaDiscog". Why did only 2 Enigma tracks appear on the "Sliver" soundtrack? --------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Cretu only submitted 2 tracks to the "Sliver" soundtrack because he declined his first Hollywood contract in order to produce "The CROSS of Changes". The producers of "Sliver" wished for Cretu to do the complete soundtrack for the film, but this would have meant that Cretu would have to live in Los Angeles for at least half a year. Not willing to do this, he submitted just the two tracks, and used one of them, "Carly's Song", for his album. [Information supplied from Music Mag article from January 1994] Is "Carly's Song" the same on both the single and album? -------------------------------------------------------- The answer to this is a definite no - there are many differences found between them. These include: NOTE: In the following, "Carly's Song" refers to the CD single version, and "Age of Loneliness" refers to the album verion. * A different underlying beat on each of them, "Carly's Song" being much deeper and focussed upon * Extra instruments used on "Age of Loneliness", including the reed and panflute * Extra segments included on "Age of Loneliness", including the introduction and middle part What samples were used on "MCMXC a.D."? --------------------------------------- While not credited, it is known that many samples are taken from the double album "666" by Aphrodite's Child - an old band which Vangelis used to be a member of. What samples were used on "The CROSS of Changes"? ------------------------------------------------- In the 3 years it took Michael Cretu to release "The CROSS of Changes", he worked his way through hundreds of CD's of native song, sampling, cataloguing and synchronising many sounds before he began his songwriting process. The album lists where some samples are gathered from, but not all, and on the first pressing of the European version, these credits are hard to read. This is what it says: Samples taken from: excerpts from the album "Songs From The Victorious City" performed by Anne Dudley and Jaz Coleman on China Records publ. EG Music/BMG Music Publishing/EMI Songs "The Calling" by APL taken from their forthcoming album on Beyond Records. Publ: Chrysalis Music Publishing Ltd. "Polyphonies Vocales Des Aborigines de Taiwan" "Mongolia Musique Vocale Et Instrumentale" "The Crossing" performed by Mind Over Rhythm on Rubble Records publ.: Rubble Music --- NOTE: On all but the first pressing of the European version, the "Polyphones Vocales Des Aborigines de Taiwan" and "Mongolia Musique Vocale Et Instrumentale" credits were not present. * The sample from "Songs From The Victorious City" is the Indian sounding instrument at the end of "Second Chapter" and beginning & end of "The Eyes of Truth" * The sample from "The Calling" is the swirling voice used during "Out From The Deep" Some of the samples not mentioned include: * The vocal 'ahhh'ing during the middle of "The Eyes of Truth" is from the start of the track "Ultraviolet (Light my Way)" from U2's album "Achtung Baby" * The underlying drum sequence of "The Eyes of Truth" is from Peter Gabriel's "Kiss that Frog" on the album "Us" * The middle rhythmic section of "The Eyes of Truth" is from Genesis' "Dreaming While You Sleep" * The beginning drum loop of "I Love You ... I'll Kill You" is from Genesis' "Fading Lights" * The beginning drum loop of "Silent Warrior" is from Genesis' "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" What is E-Magic and Euphonix? ----------------------------- On the credits page of "The CROSS of Changes" it is stated "Recorded with the big help and support of E-Magic and Euphonix...". E-Magic are the makers of the Atari and Macintosh software by the name of "Creator" and "Notator", which gives some clue as to the hardware and software Cretu used. Euphonix is a digitally controlled analogue mixer, worth around US$100,000. **************************************** **** SECTION 4: THE OTHER ITEMS **** **************************************** What videos have Enigma recorded? --------------------------------- A music video has been recorded for each single that Enigma has released, with the exception of Carly's Song. A video 'album' has been released. It is entitled "MCMXC a.D. - The Complete Video Album" and was released in 1991 by Vision Video Ltd. with reference VVD979. There is a film clip to every single track, and the whole video is continuous. In other words, it starts where the CD would start, and ends where the CD would end. The video is recorded in Hi-Fi Dolby sound. Expect to pay around US$35 for it. A version of the above video album has also appeared on Laserdisc. An import from Taesko Japan, it is identical to the video. It is a CLV, recorded in NTSC in digital stereo, and has reference SBLL-28. It also comes with an 11.5" x 11.5" "miniposter" of an image from the video (a person dancing, shown from head to knees, with the title and track listing of the Laserdisc on the left hip). The poster also has the Enigma logo in the top left and bottom left. Expect to pay around US$75 for the whole package. The music video to "Return to Innocence" was shot by director Julien Temple on the mainland of Spain. It has not yet appeared for sale. What promotional items have appeared for Enigma? ------------------------------------------------ In mid-March, 1994, promotional boxes were set up on counters in Australian CD stores. It's dimensions are 15.5cm x 27.5cm x 14.5cm. It is an open box which holds promotional booklets, with a top 'flap' at the back. On this flap is the cover of "The CROSS of Changes" with the Enigma 2 section placed on top of the picture, and the title centred below the picture. On two sides of the box is the picture, and at the very front of the box, is a small rectangular part with the Enigma 2 section once again, and the Virgin symbol on each corner. Inside this box were kept small booklets (they are the same size as CD booklets). The cover of the booklets are identical to the cover of "The CROSS of Changes". When opened, two pages face the viewer. The left hand side shows the track listing and is identical to that in the album's booklet. The right hand side has a grainy brown background, and has the Enigma 2 section at the top. Following this is the text: "Old rules and habits have to be rejected and dismissed so that something new can be created" states Michael Cretu, and thus created the project Enigma at the end of 1990. The Gregorian chants combined with dance rhythms created a wave of enthusiasm that swept everybody away - Bombay fortune tellers, London DJs, Bangkok markeyt tenders and Beverly Hills docters, lawyers and attorneys - all of them found their common ground in the music of Enigma. "MCMXC a.D." went on to sell over 7m copies world wide and continues to be one of Virgin Records best sellers. Enigma is a comparatively new collage of sounds, rhythm and feeling for time, it is a musical work with hardly anything in common with standard songs and their formats. Michael Cretu took over 3 years to produce the follow up to "MCMXC a.D." as he worked his way through hundreds of CD's of native song, sampling, cataloguing and synchronising many sounds before he could even begin his own songwriting process. "The Cross of Changes" is a musical step forward, but it nevertheless incorporates all the instinctive elements that "MCMXC a.D." does but in a completely new guise. "the C R O S S of changes" is released on April 4th. --- The page with the above text opens to show two more pages - the first is identical to the credits page from the album. The other page has the same background as the above text and contains the information required to reserve a copy of the album. Finally, on the back of the booklet, is the same page as on the back of the album booklet, displaying the quote by Jelaluddin Rumi. ************************************ **** SECTION 5: THE SUCCESS **** ************************************ How successful has Enigma been? ------------------------------- In most countries, Enigma's albums and singles have gone to #1. Needless to say, Enigma has made many sales and consequently earnt many fans. Below is a summary of the vital stastics of all Enigma albums and singles to date: HIGHEST HIGHEST OVERALL HIGHEST POSITION POSITION ALBUM/SINGLE COUNTRY RELEASE DATE POSITION DATE(S) IN 1991 MCMXC a.D. UK Dec 9 '90 1 Jan 26 '91 34th Australia 2 Mar 29 '91 26th US Feb 12 '91 6 May 4 '91 May 11 '91 Sadness part 1 UK Dec 3 '90 1 Jan 19 '91 37th Australia 2 Mar 22 '91 23rd Mar 29 '91 US Jan 23 '91 5 Apr 6 '91 Apr 13 '91 Mea Culpa part II UK Mar 18 '91 55 Mar 30 '91 US Apr 24 '91 Apr 24 '91 Australia 55 May 10 '91 Principles of Lust UK Jul 29 '91 59 Aug 10 '91 The Rivers of Belief UK Dec 30 '91 68 Jan 11 '92 Carly's Song The CROSS of Changes Europe Dec 3 '93 2 Feb 23 '94 UK Feb 7 '94 1 Feb 19 '94 US Feb 8 '94 ?? 10 Australia Apr 4 '94 2 Apr 15 '94 Return to Innocence Europe Jan 4 '94 2 Feb 16 '94 UK Jan 17 '94 3 Feb 12 '94 Mar 5 '94 US Jan 31 '94 17 Apr 9 '94 Australia Mar 2? '94 24 Apr 8 '94 The Eyes of Truth Europe Apr 18 '94 Other interesting information includes: * "Sadeness part I" fell out of Billboard's Top 100 singles on June 15, 1991 * "MCMXC a.D." has sold over 7 million copies worldwide * "MCMXC a.D." has been on the US' Billboard chart for nearly 150 consecutive weeks since March 2, 1991. It had sold half a million copies by April 13, 1991, and one million copies by June 22, 1991 * "MCMXC a.D." has reached #1 in 24 of the 39 countries it was released in * "MCMXC a.D." has received a total of 46 gold and 18 plantinum records * Michael Cretu was the most successful Virgin arist in 1991/92 * "The CROSS of Changes" had 1.4 million advance orders [Information derived from the official charts of each country, including CIN BBC in the UK, ARIA in Australia, Billboard in the US, and Music & Media in Europe] ************************************* **** SECTION 6: THE MEANINGS **** ************************************* Is it true that "Sadeness" is about a particular person? ------------------------------------------------------- "Sadeness" is about Marquis de Sade. Marquis de Sade (pronounced sahd) was born in 1740 and died in 1814. He was a controversial French novelist and essayist whose works were considered so obscene that many of them remained unpublished until the mid-1900s. He is regarded by some as insane and offensive, and by others as brilliant and descriptive. Donatien Alphonse Francois Sade was born in Paris and started showing signs of mental disturbance in his 20's. This disturbance was shown through his scandals, acts of cruelty, and sexual behaviour. Sade spent most of the years from 1768 to 1803 in prison as a result of his writings and action. He was placed in an asylum in 1803, where he died in 1814. Some of Sade's better known works include Philosophy in the Bedroom (1795), and 120 Days of Sodom, which was not published until 1904. In his writings, Sade tried to show that criminal acts and sexual abnormalities are natural to human behaviour. Not surprisingly then, the word sadism comes from his name! (Sadism refers to the enjoyment of cruelty, usually for sexual gratification) These days, his works are used to illustrate certain psychological theories. It is interesting to note that on "MCMXC a.D." the track is called "Sadeness" (notice the extra 'e'), a reference to his surname. The single that was released however, was called "Sadness". [Information gathered from the World Book Encyclopedia] What do the lyrics to "Sadeness" mean? -------------------------------------- Below are the original lyrics for the track, as well as an English translation. The lyrics starting with an asterisk (*) are on the Extended Trance Mix only. The Extended Trance Mix can be found on the "Sadeness part 1" single. Sade dit moi Sade tell me Sade donne moi Sade give me Sade dit moi qu'est ce que tu vas chercher ? Sade tell me what is it that you seek? le bien par le mal The rightness of wrong la vertu par le vice The virtue of vice Sade dit moi pourquoi l' 'evangile du mal ? Sade tell me why the Gospel of evil? quelle est ta religion ou` sont tes fide`les ? What is your religion? Where are your faithful? Si tu es contre Dieu, tu es contre l'homme. If you are against God, you are against man * Sade dit moi pourquoi le sang pour le plaisir ? Sade tell me why blood for pleasure? * Le plaisir sans l'amour. Pleasure without love? * N'y a t'il plus de sentiment dans le culte de l'homme ? Is there no emotion in the cult of man? Sade es-tu diabolique ou divin? Sade are you diabolical or divine? Sade dit moi Sade tell me Sade donne moi Sade give me Sade dit moi Sade tell me Sade donne moi Sade give me Sade dit moi Sade tell me Sade donne moi Sade give me Is it true that "Callas Went Away" is about a particular person? ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Callas Went Away" is about Maria Callas, who was born in 1923 and died in 1977. She was an American-born soprano who become one of the world's best-known opera singers because of her fierry temperament and stirring singing & acting abilities. She made her debut in Athens at the age of 14, and made her U.S. debut in 1954 at the age of 31. "Callas Went Away" has references to Maria Callas in both the mentioning of her voice in the lyrics, and the use of soprano singing throughout the song. What do the lyrics to "Mea Culpa" mean? --------------------------------------- Below are the original lyrics for the track, as well as an English translation. Je ne dors plus I can't sleep anymore (The time has come) Je te desire I desire you (The time has come) Prends moi [*] Take me Je suis a toi I'm yours Mea culpa I'm guilty [**] Je veux aller au bout de mes fantasmes I want to go to the end of my fantasies Je sais que c'est interdit I know it is forbidden Je suis folle I am crazy Je m'abandonne I am letting myself go Mea culpa I'm guilty Je suis la et ailleurs I am here and somewhere else Je n'ai plus rien I have nothing more Je deviens folle I am becoming crazy Je m'abandonne I am letting myself go Mea culpa I'm guilty Je ne dors plus I can't sleep anymore Je te desire I desire you Prends moi [*] Take me Je suis a toi I'm yours Je suis la et ailleurs I am here and somewhere else Je veux tout I want everything Quand tu veux When you want Comme tu veux As you like Mea culpa I'm guilty [*]- what they are saying is unclear [**]- translation uncertain, believe 'I admit guilt' What does "Way to Eternity" from MCMXC a.D. remind me of? --------------------------------------------------------- "Way to Eternity" should remind you of the film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" since its melody line is taken from the theme to this film. What relation does the Bible have on "MCMXC a.D." tracks? --------------------------------------------------------- (a) The Voice & The Snake "The Voice & The Snake" has a direct link to the Relevations from the New Testament of the Bible. Revelations notably discusses the scroll with seven seals. When each seal was broken open, a particular result occurred - the first on the earth, the second on the sea, the third on the rivers, the fourth on the sun, the fifth on the beast, the sixth on the stars, and the seventh on the air. You will notice that this also relates to the first 'verse' of the track. Below is the references of the second 'verse', which details exactly what the result was, with the corresponding quote from the Bible: The earth turned grey "The first angel blew his trumpet. Hail and fire, mixed with blood, came pouring down on the earth. A third of the earth was burnt up, a third of the trees, and every blade of green grass" (Rev 8:7) The sea turned black "Then the second angel blew his trumpet. Something that looked like a huge mountain on fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea was turned into blood" (Rev 8:8) The rivers turned red "Then the third angel blew his trumpet. A large star, burning like a torch, dropped from the sky and fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water" (Rev 8:10) The sun turned cold "Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet. A third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that their light lost a third of its brightness" (Rev 8:12) The beast turned pale "Then I looked, and I heard an eagle that was flying high in the air say in a loud voice, 'O horror! horror! How horrible it will be for all who live on earth when the sound comes from the trumpets that the other three angels must blow!'" (Rev 8:13) The stars turned fast "Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet. I saw a star which had fallen down to the earth, and it was given the key to the abyss." (Rev 9:1) The air turned to poison "Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet... The horses' heads were like lions' heads, and from their mouths came out fire, smoke, and sulphur. A third of mankind was killed by those three plagues: the fire, the smoke, and the sulphur coming out of the horses' mouths" (Rev 9: 13, 17-18) (b) The Rivers of Belief "The Rivers of Belief" is essentially a continuation of "The Voice & The Snake" and "Knocking on Forbidden Doors" as it continues through the Revelations in the Bible. The first reference is shown where in the song it is sung "And when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, silence covered the sky". In Revelations 8:1, it is stated that "When the lamb broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour". The second reference is where it is sing "Take me back to the rivers of belief my friend. I look inside my heart. I look inside my soul. I promise you, I will return". The rivers are in reference to Revelations 22:1, where it is stated "The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb". The rest is in reference to where John falls down to his feet, ready to worship the angel. Here he is told "'Listen!' says Jesus. 'I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, and give to each one according to what he has done" (Rev 22:12). What is "Silent Warrior" about? ------------------------------- "Silent Warrior" is interpreted as Cretu's "position against the murderous insanity of colonisation and the combined genocide of the American Indians". [Information taken from Music Mag article from January 1994] What is "The Dream of the Dolphin" about? ----------------------------------------- "The Dream of the Dolphin" refers to an old saying of the shamens telling us that the dolphins have slept away the conquest of the land and envy man for it. This is how scientists explain why dolphins attack creatures of the sea but not humans. [Information taken from Music Mag article from January 1994] Conclusion ---------- So there you have it - as much information about Enigma as I could find! I would like to stress, however, that not all things in this FAQ have been verified by myself. Some answers are merely theories as to possible reasonings (this especially to the links to the Bible). References to other albums have not been listened to me, nor do I own every single item Enigma has ever released (unfortunately!). Essentially, do not take every single thing written in this FAQ as gospel! I would like to thank all those people who have contributed to the FAQ - your help was much appreciated and the information you supplied was priceless! I would especially like to thank Joar Grimstvedt who not only supplied a great deal of information but also was responsible for reading the many pre-draft versions of this document! Should you find any facts in this FAQ as wrong, or have any further information to add to this FAQ, do not hesitate to contact me. Arguments over more controversial points mentioned in this FAQ should be directed to the Enigma mailing list! Thank you for reading this FAQ and happy Enigma listening! GAVIN STOK Acknowledgements ---------------- This FAQ wouldn't have been possible without the help of the following people: Bjerke, Matthew: mattb@duckmail.uoregon.edu Burnim, Paul: paulb@cs.uq.oz.au Drukman, Jon: jdrukman@us.oracle.com Gray, Don: donpierr@netcom.com Grimstvedt, Joar: joarg@gribb.hsr.no Keller, Hartmut: keller@hermes.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de Masterton, James: hid009@cent1.lancs.ac.uk Scuglia, Jamie: jamies@bruce.cs.monash.edu.au Unoki, Toshie: tunoki@academic.csubak.edu Weiss, Chris: cweiss@netcom.com Other thanks go to: * Frank at EMI Records Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) * The staff of the records department at Myer Doncaster (Victoria, Australia) Feel free to contact me at: Gavin Stok 31 Brendale Avenue Internet: gps@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au Blackburn North Victoria 3130 Phone: +61-3-894-4889 Australia Fax: +61-3-879-6203