Fiction (Dreams in Digital)
by Orgy

Album: Vapor Transmission (2000)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The virtual world was encroaching on reality in 2000 when Orgy released "Fiction (Dreams in Digital)," a song that looks at what can happen when pixels on a screen become a priority. Lead singer Jay Gordon wrote the lyric after learning about a strange phenomenon in Tokyo.

    "I had heard that kids were committing suicide over these cartoon characters and stuff like that," he said in a Songfacts interview. "They were very upset if a show got canceled or something like that. I was fascinated by that whole phenomenon. They really idolize their icons."
  • This was the lead single from Orgy's second album, Vapor Transmission. They made a big impact two years earlier with their guitar-laced cover of "Blue Monday." Their industrial sound fell somewhere between nu-metal and goth, which was too confusing for most radio program directors, but they sold over a million copies of their debut album in America and were unquestionably cool. Two members - Jay Gordon and Ryan Shuck - got modelling gigs with Calvin Klein. They wore makeup and rocked it, taking the glam of hair metal into the new millennium.

    "Fiction" and the Vapor Transmission album didn't do as well as hoped, but sure kicked off with a big bang. Orgy threw a sybaritic bash at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Los Angeles that they called the Orgy Ball. The band performed to celebs like Tommy Lee, Courtney Love, Rod Stewart, and members of Cypress Hill, Korn, Backstreet Boys and Limp Bizkit.
  • Orgy's producer, Josh Abraham, was a key contributor to their songs and came up with most of the music for this song. He's credited as a writer along with the five band members.
  • The music video was directed by Nic Mathieu, who went on to make the 2016 movie Spectral. It's set in a futuristic world with a woman plugged into a mainframe, Matrix style.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.