PRIA

[The Pooka]

Fool's Gambit

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Description: Fool's Gambit is an American rock band that formed in South Dakota in 2006. The band has released six studio albums to date, accumulating sales of more than 20 million records worldwide, including shipments of 10 million in the United States, making them one of the world's fastest-selling bands of the new millennium. Their musical style has been described as a blend of hard rock and folk rock, with elements of post rock appearing in their more recent albums. They are as noted for their showmanship, theatricality and off-stage controversies as they are for their prolific musical output over a comparatively short career, and have been described as the millennial successors to the rebellious rock idol image popularized by bands like the Rolling Stones and Guns 'n' Roses.


Line-up: The original and current line-up consists of Guillermo 'Wily' Nakaidine as the frontman and drummer, Vincent 'Corby' Corbin as lead guitarist, and Remy 'Nancy' Mayeux as bass guitarist, pianist and synthesizer, with all three band members serving as vocal talents. Originally called 'The Tricksters', the band was renamed in 2007 by Corby, citing that their original name sounded too 'teenybopper'. In 2012, the band was joined for a brief stint by Canadian Folk-singer Whiskey Jack, but he quit later in the same year for undisclosed reasons. Whiskey Jack has still appeared periodically as a guest performer in following years.


Transport: When journeying abroad on one of their band tours across the country, Fool's Gambit makes a point to travel in style with their very own tour bus; a luxurious Entertainer Coach purchased and outfitted by Wily at extravagant cost. The band has officially dubbed it the "Foolmobile". Although they have an on-board driver, Wily is often the one seen at the wheel, considering it a matter of pride in his ownership. He is, it should be noted, not the safest driver on the road.


The Foolmobile is a full-sized coach, designed to carry as many as 18 passengers. It is fitted out with full galley facilities, a comfortable lounge and bunk beds to provide every amenity for the band and other passengers during the journey to the next gig or concert. The windows are tinted, allowing passengers to see out, but preventing prying eyes from peering in. The bus comes equipped with TV and video games in every bunk, 3G internet access, a coffee machine, air conditioning and most importantly, ample storage space for the band's most important equipment.

Discography

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Thief of Tongues (2006) - Their debut album released in early February, Thief of Tongues was noted for its experimental blend of hard rock and folk rock, and its many obscure references to Mesoamerican mythology. Wily was the chief songwriter, having reportedly conceived of several songs before he even approached Corby and Nancy to form the band. Black Feet was issued as the album's first single, with an accompanying music video of the band's live performance at the Blackjack Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. The single and music video received heavy airplay on both radio and television, becoming a huge hit during the summer of 2006 and reaching the top of the charts in the US.


The Tricksters (as the band was called at the time) toured extensively in support of their debut album, embarking on a year-long Tricksters Tour across North America. By the end of their cross-country trek, the band had made a name for themselves on the national stage.

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Feast of Fools (2007) - The first album to be released under the band's new name, Fool's Gambit. Feast of Fools was more firmly rooted in classic rock traditions, and is considered their most 'conventional' album. It had a denser, darker instrumental style than Thief of Tongues, with song lyrics that explored themes of horror, anarchy and the parallels between the cruelties of the civilized world and the savagery of the wilderness. The singles Cozen and Pied Piper's Paradox were very well received in the US, with the former receiving No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the latter peaking at No. 3 in the US single charts.


After Feast of Fools, the band spent the next two years shut away in the studio, working on their next big album. They emerged only for the occasional concert gig, including the acclaimed Feast of Fools at Death Valley held in December of 2008, which saw an estimated 30,000 attendees travelling into the middle of the Mojave Desert to attend the show.


Drunken Stargazer & Strangled Loveheart (2009) - Having produced enough music for two albums during their long break from touring, the band decided to split their new catalog into a Tall Tale Duology, releasing Drunken Stargazer and Strangled Loveheart within a week of each other. Jointly written by all three band members, the songs in both albums are notable for being influenced by their disparate cultural backgrounds, containing references to Native American and African American folklore, Mexican, Creole and French Quebec culture, as well as various elements of old fashioned Americana. Both albums were immensely successful and debuted at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively in the Billboard charts, a feat accomplished only twice before in musical history. The albums spent 97 weeks in the chart. The singles 'Shooting Star, Kiss Goodbye', Slow Fade Away and Fried Chicken Sermon have proven enduringly popular. The music video for Slow Fade Away in particular has become the band's highest grossing single and became the most requested video on MTV between 2009 and 2012.


Following the success of their Duology, Fool's Gambit went on tour for almost the entirety of 2010. The Tall Tales Tour was a financial success and achieved lasting fame, but became overshadowed by a number of controversial occurrences surrounding the shows. There were two riots, one reported case of a stalker managing to break into the tour bus before being detained by police, and several incidents caused by the band members themselves which nearly had them brought up on assault charges. Nancy was arrested for substance abuse in 2010 just as the tour was finishing up, though he managed to avoid jail time.


Ambivalence (2012) - The band's next studio release came after a year long hiatus in the wake of their now-infamous tour, and coincided with the addition of a new band member, Whiskey Jack. Notable for being the first album to incorporate the more ambient and subdued elements of the post rock genre, Ambivalence is arguably the band's most experimental album, and unfortunately their least successful. Despite initial success, Ambivalence did not nearly match the sales of their Tall Tale Duology. The chart-topping single Vanity Null was their saving grace, but the band were disappointed by the album's comparatively lackluster reception. Shortly after the album's release, Whiskey Jack left the band, though on apparently friendly terms as he would return to perform with Fool's Gambit as a guest star during a number of gigs.


Sword Swallowing Saint (2013) - Their latest album has been considered a return to form for Fool's Gambit, and some have gone as far as to call it their magnum opus. Sword Swallowing Saint has blown away all of the band's previous records, topping national sales charts within days of release. The album's singles, Psychopompous, Epistolary Pistol and Ventriloquescent have consistently topped US charts for weeks, while the album itself debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The band has reached the height of their popularity, and they have no intention of going downhill from there.

 

[Killigrew]

When darkness did reign in the land of the Brave


One intrepid fae found his way into this land


His sword did dance, and the light he did shave


And gently it fell, touching upon the ground


Touching, too, the electric contraption, a slave


To mankind, but by this caress, it did become


A point to marvel, an artistry to embrace


Indeed, all shall look upon this and wonder


And esteem most high the mind that writes


These words of glory!

 

[The Pooka]

Wily

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Name: His proper name, Guillermo Nakaidine, is rather unwieldy. Hence he usually goes by his stage name Wily.


Role: American rock-star, international celebrity, millionaire playboy, media recluse, amateur anthropologist. Drummer, lead singer, songwriter and co-founder of the rock band Fool’s Gambit. Also a client, sponsor and volunteer field-agent of the P.R.I.A. Agency.


Description: Wily is a personable young man who appears to be somewhere in his early twenties. He is an Amerindian of mixed Mexican and Navajo heritage, although he sees himself as a cosmopolitan in spite of his cultural leanings. From his rich caramel skin to his luxurious black hair to his smoldering amber eyes, Wily virtually embodies the 'tall, dark and handsome' stereotype - and what's more, he knows it. His vanity borders on narcissistic personality disorder. He maintains a fairly trim build, exercising just enough to stay smooth and strapping without developing too much muscle tone. Being meticulous in his grooming habits, he is always clean-shaven and wears his hair long, loose and fastidiously tidy.


Wily tends to dress in alternative fashions, always keeping abreast of prevailing countercultural styles, and setting a few popular trends of his own. His current mode de faire consists of a tawny denim jacket worn open over a rotating repertoire of vintage rock shirts, skinny jeans and cowboy boots. He often indulges in his penchant for beads, feathers and buffalo hide, accenting his wardrobe with a miscellany of Native American accessories - including sashes, bandanas and scarfs adorned with colourful tribal patterns, as well as a range of bangles, necklaces and earrings. When performing with his band he likes to anoint himself with tribal warpaint, with his trademark being a thick yellow stripe across the middle of his face.


Wily's voice is effortlessly musical and magnetic; a rich, smooth, harmonious baritone that carries across a room at the pitch of a murmur. Even in casual conversation his voice sounds lyrical, as if he were in perfect control of every lilt, every cadence, every dulcet tone in his speech. As a singer and the lead vocalist of his band, he is pitch-perfect and capable of emulating a stellar array of vocal styles. From the faintest whisper to the most soulful howl, he is gifted with an astonishing vocal range. As for his speaking accent, it is largely homogenous American, coloured with the faintest Latino inflection. Sometimes there is a trace of something else in his accent, something old and exotic and a little too diffuse to identify.


Wily moves as melodiously as he speaks. He walks with an obvious swagger, stands with a posture of carefully cultivated coolness, and does not so much sit down as drape himself over a chair like a blanket. There is a strange loping grace in the way he operates at times, an element of something predatory. His facial expressions tend towards the cocksure and he is rarely without some species of smile on his face, ranging from lopsided smirks to broad grins. Sometimes his smile comes with a flash of sharp white teeth, like the briefest glint of sunlight on the edge of a knife. When he's curious or listening attentively, he has a habit of quirking his head to the side, like a dog perking up an ear.


Personality: Wily is young and rich and famous. Few can aspire to the heights of rock-stardom without becoming at least a little bit self-absorbed in the process. Fortunately in Wily's case, he was already an arrogant little punk even before he started Fool's Gambit, so the musical success didn't so much go to his head as it did put a little more wind in his already billowing sails. Wily has always been brimming with confidence and charisma; a flamboyant jokester with a sarcastic streak a mile wide and a habit of pulling off outrageous stunts. As a singer, dancer, musician and humorist of considerable talent, he values entertainment as the fundamental crux of his reality; all the world is his stage.


As with many controversial young pop-idols, Wily has an uncanny knack for getting himself into trouble. He is no stranger to the usual vices that plague celebrity culture, adhering with gusto to a decadent lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Yet somehow, despite indulging in all manner of mischief, he manages to emerge from most debacles unscathed by rumour windmills and undetained by legal authorities. If anything, his seedy reputation has only fed into the popularity of his band. The media circus surrounding Fool's Gambit and their exploits have done little to curb Wily's own ostentatious behaviour, although at the same time he seems unusually camera-shy. Considering the way he has cultivated his infamous public persona, some have begun to wonder if there isn't more to Guillermo Nakaidine than your typical rock-star rebelliousness.


Wily's character exhibits a few peculiar contradictions. Accounts of his unpredictable behaviour have gotten to the point where some have speculated that he suffers from a genuine personality disorder, although others shrug it off as being part and parcel of his image as an eccentric rock star. Wily's commanding stage presence contrasts sharply with his off-stage demeanor. He clearly revels in his musical fame and glory, but he also appears to be deeply uncomfortable with public scrutiny. He shies away from the media, and even refuses to do interviews for talk shows, radio stations or magazines. He has submitted only once to an online interview for a celebrity webcast, in which he spent the entire time taunting his interviewer with obscure references to old Charlie Chaplin shorts.


In spite of his rampant ego, Wily tends to treat strangers and friends alike with the utmost courtesy. He can be considerate of others at his own expense, and tenders himself to serious situations with surprising sensitivity. He's not exactly humble, but nor is he entirely self-serving. While his various impetuous escapades are the stuff of tabloid infamy, in private he seems like quite a laid-back, easy-going person. There are times when his recklessness borders on self-endangerment, but his soulful song lyrics have demonstrated that he can also be rather wise beyond his years. There have even been rare accounts of him donating large sums of money to a number of charitable causes - often involving natural, historical or cultural conservation movements.


Perhaps the most scandalous facet of Wily's public image is his promiscuity. If the reports are anything to believe, Wily really gets around. Of the three members of Fool's Gambit, he is by far the most notorious for being a casanova. His hedonistic appetites, though somewhat exaggerated by the media, remain a dominant aspect of his persona. He has been labeled both a lady-killer and a man-eater. His band-mates have testified to the string of whirlwind affairs their drummer has entertained with various notables of either gender, leaving behind a number of broken hearts in his wake. Wily himself has remained as taciturn about his legendary love-life as he has about every other aspect of his life, but he has at least gone on record to declare himself "a relentless omnisexual".


As is often the case with musicians, Wily has more than a few idiosyncratic mannerisms. He has a predilection for practical jokes, matched by the other two-thirds of Fool's Gambit. Together, the trio have more than lived up to their band's name. Wily is particularly fond of pranking his own fans, and has even managed to scare away countless devoted groupies who've overstayed their welcome in the band's tour bus with his infamous 'eggs over easy' trick. He is also known for religiously watching re-runs of classic cartoons, with the old Wile. E Coyote and Roadrunner shorts being his favourite (presumably he adopted his stage name Wily from the former character). He despises pajamas and sleeping underneath a blanket, preferring to curl up on top of a bed in his underwear. He is fond of chewing on things while he's pondering or mulling over song lyrics, and can often be seen with a pencil or toothpick in his mouth. He has an annoying habit of stopping the tour bus in the middle of the street just to pick roadkill off the asphalt for a grilled snack, and claims to love the taste of cat meat.


Spirituality: Wily is something of an Animist, but it is a non-denominational world-view to which he subscribes. His spiritual beliefs are fairly broad in keeping with his indigenous background. He incorporates elements of Mexican and Native American mysticism in his personal approach to animism, practicing the veneration of animal spirits, nature spirits and ancestor spirits, as well as the celebration of the worldly cycles of life, death and rebirth.


Specialty: Wily is very knowledgeable in matters of Mythology, although his expertise is purely amateur as he holds no academic degree in religious studies. His particular erudition is focused on Central American belief systems (especially ancient Aztec mythology and modern Mexican folklore), as well as the Amerindian traditions of the Southwest, West Coast and Plains regions of North America (prominently those of the Apache, Navajo, Sioux and Arikara tribes). He also entertains a more casual fascination with American urban legends and cryptozoology.


Weakness: Wily's mythological know-how is primarily occidental, not so much oriental. His grasp on eastern legendry is noticeably more shaky than his confidence in the area of western myth and legend. In subjects relating to the paranormal and parapsychological, he is capable of little more than a layman's basic knowledge. His understanding of ufology extends little further than what he's absorbed by watching old television shows like the Twilight Zone and the X-Files.

Spoiler

Coyote

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A.K.A. Huehuecoyotl (Old Old Coyote; Aztec Nahuatl), Coyotlinahual (He Whose Disguise Is The Coyote; Aztec Nahuatl), Atse'Hashke', Ma'ii (First Scolder; Navajo Coyote), Akba-Atatdia, Isakawatee (First Doer; Old Man Coyote, Crow Tribe Coyote), Pek'i'cash, Ch'amak, W'ash (Mayan/Yucatan Coyote), Mica, Micaksica (Lakota and Dakota Coyote), Talapus, Italipas (Chinook Coyote), Maslum (Algonquin Coyote), Wayaha (Cherokee Coyote), Sk'elep (Secwepemc Coyote), Sheheke (Mandan Coyote), Isily (Cahuilla and Cupeno Coyote), Jamul (Achumawi Coyote), Sinawava (Chemehuevi Coyote), Telipa (Yakima Coyote), Yelis (Coos and Alsea Coyote), Mikasi (Omaha Coyote), Ko-ha-a (Klamath Coyote), Motsa (Hidatsa Coyote).


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