ΑΛΛΕΣ ΒΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΕΣ
"Fingers Crossed"
- Λεπτομέρειες
- Savvas Sinodinos - 23 Δεκέμβριος 2008
May 2007... A few months before Radiohead made their in rainbows album available as a digital download directly from their site, encouraging the listener to determine whether and how much he should pay and long after independent web record companies and bands of smaller caliber than radiohead had launched similar models of music distribution, we (fingers crossed) were on tour, on board to the Island of Crete. While enjoying a plate of "bugiourdi" (a Greek specialité) at the restaurant of this so called cruising palace, we decided that we were at last ready to release a full length album. So, after turning down 2 record contracts coming from 2 major Greek labels we also decided that our album would be offered for free directly from our website, (www.fingerscrossed.gr) in a package which would include music, artwork, liner notes, lyrics, mp3 compressed at 192kbps (and 320 kbps after email) and a story written by us and describing the process of the creation of the album, as well as the reasons that urged us to attempt a release of this kind... something like a suicide note, which you are now reading.
On July 2007 the recordings of the album, which was yet to be named "Hopscotch" began, taking place at Sca studios with music engineer and co-producer Thodoris Zeukilis. Thodoris is a friend of ours, a steady partner and a person, whose aesthetic judgment is greatly trusted by us. He works like a dog and keeps evolving, instead of relying on his past achievements, because of his deep and personal restlessness. He also often cares for the artist’s material and songs more than the artist himself and treats recording and engineering as an art, rather than a “microphone setting” guide. To sum up, the album was not produced by Rick Rubin, neither its mixing took place in Sweden, nor was it mastered by Ted Jensen. Everything took place at Polydroso Chalandriou(an Athens district). 100% genuine Greek product....like feta cheese. Consequently, this choice wasn't made because of lack of money, but due to our determination and will to cooperate with people, that share similar experiences and level of obscurity with us. Those people’s work we want to project and them we want to project us through their achievements.
Minas (guitar) was declared
recordings champion scoring 10hrs of recording, with Yannos (guitar)
finishing at second place scoring 11hrs, while third place and forth
place were covered by Vironas (bass) and Serafeim (drums) with 12 and
14 hrs respectively. Dimitris (vocals) finished last after 50 hrs of
recording. Add to that over 100 hrs of editing, mixing and mastering,
during which we regularly stacked ourselves in a car parked outside the
studio, just to listen to the ongoing recording through a common sound
system, and now you have an album. And now the odyssey begins...
April 2008…Under the pressure of our own desire to release the album before summer, we assigned the artwork to our friend Achilles Pistonis, He delivered us a masterpiece, but unfortunately it wasn’t exploitable in its digital form. At the time, one of us was completing his compulsory military service, while the rest of us were concerned about the rest of the details of the album and about things that expressed our pettiness such as: to be the first band to attempt such a thing in Greece, a concern that actually downgraded the importance of our attempt itself…And suddenly during all these silly thoughts a serious medical problem reappeared to one of us, forcing us to reconsider our priorities in life in general, but also the concept of time.
In the middle of this hurricane we decided to use as an album cover, a drawing by Anna Psaroudaki, which had been made for a previous promo of ours. This drawing was processed and edited by Philip Kaponis , who finally managed to transform it into a complete artwork package. Photos from our live performances were taken by Gregg Roumeliotis, who is the only photographer, who managed to capture our energy on our shows under very difficult circumstances (low lighting and constant movement). The studio photos were taken by Aristotelis Roufanis. Both of them are two photographers, whom we are friends with, and want to promote their work and be promoted through it as well. We also shot a video clip for our virtual single "Veronique" with our friend and film director Constantinos Antonopoulos, who welcomed us at his home and captured with his lens our complete absence of talent towards the camera.
As far as the developing of the site was concerned, we ended up doing it ourselves. That happened due to our inability to spot a web designer who would believe in our concept and charge us less than 1500euros. (Yes, we are insinuating something about web developers!!) Lastly we pressed 500 CDs at the very helpful Fabel Sound. These Cds will be used as promos and will also be sold during our concerts, as a recollection of the music experience itself. We should note that during this process we paid royalties to the Greek collection society (A.E.P.I) only to collect them back in the near future. So that's pretty much the story until today.
Fingers Crossed – Hopscotch. Is it an underground record, with a D.I.Y mood, which punches in the gut the record companies and a band with wisdom gained from anarchist movements…???? Certainly not... Hopscotch is a pop- mainstream album, which overrides the record companies, who are currently more puzzled than a teenager, because they don't have anything to offer right now, and is the product of a band that believes in the change of means. And by change of means we do not mean the change from the CD to the mp3, like from vinyl to CD, but the general change of the music environment. Of course we would like this model to be profitable for us, but had we sorted this out we would be having this “conversation” giving a lecture at Cambridge or Stanford University and not through our humble website.
In conclusion, after a year of
extreme work, lots of kilometers, medical problems, military service,
immigration and something like 13.000 euros poorer, would we do it
again??
“In a heartbeat….”
With sincere love,
P.S. The next time that your family and your friends are gathered on your birthday and you are called to blow the candles, do not consider this as a silly western custom., Instead look around you, and realize that these few suckers, which are present at the moment will always be there for you, even if things won’t work so well. And if someone sends you a happy birthday text message saying "I wish you health for you and your family…, …be well with the people you love" do not think of it as a mere formality but as coming from a deeply mature friend.
May 2007... A few months before Radiohead made their in rainbows album available as a digital download directly from their site, encouraging the listener to determine whether and how much he should pay and long after independent web record companies and bands of smaller caliber than radiohead had launched similar models of music distribution, we (fingers crossed) were on tour, on board to the Island of Crete. While enjoying a plate of "bugiourdi" (a Greek specialité) at the restaurant of this so called cruising palace, we decided that we were at last ready to release a full length album. So, after turning down 2 record contracts coming from 2 major Greek labels we also decided that our album would be offered for free directly from our website, (www.fingerscrossed.gr) in a package which would include music, artwork, liner notes, lyrics, mp3 compressed at 192kbps (and 320 kbps after email) and a story written by us and describing the process of the creation of the album, as well as the reasons that urged us to attempt a release of this kind... something like a suicide note, which you are now reading.
On July 2007 the recordings of the album, which was yet to be named "Hopscotch" began, taking place at Sca studios with music engineer and co-producer Thodoris Zeukilis. Thodoris is a friend of ours, a steady partner and a person, whose aesthetic judgment is greatly trusted by us. He works like a dog and keeps evolving, instead of relying on his past achievements, because of his deep and personal restlessness. He also often cares for the artist’s material and songs more than the artist himself and treats recording and engineering as an art, rather than a “microphone setting” guide. To sum up, the album was not produced by Rick Rubin, neither its mixing took place in Sweden, nor was it mastered by Ted Jensen. Everything took place at Polydroso Chalandriou(an Athens district). 100% genuine Greek product....like feta cheese. Consequently, this choice wasn't made because of lack of money, but due to our determination and will to cooperate with people, that share similar experiences and level of obscurity with us. Those people’s work we want to project and them we want to project us through their achievements.
Minas (guitar) was declared
recordings champion scoring 10hrs of recording, with Yannos (guitar)
finishing at second place scoring 11hrs, while third place and forth
place were covered by Vironas (bass) and Serafeim (drums) with 12 and
14 hrs respectively. Dimitris (vocals) finished last after 50 hrs of
recording. Add to that over 100 hrs of editing, mixing and mastering,
during which we regularly stacked ourselves in a car parked outside the
studio, just to listen to the ongoing recording through a common sound
system, and now you have an album. And now the odyssey begins...
April 2008…Under the pressure of our own desire to release the album before summer, we assigned the artwork to our friend Achilles Pistonis, He delivered us a masterpiece, but unfortunately it wasn’t exploitable in its digital form. At the time, one of us was completing his compulsory military service, while the rest of us were concerned about the rest of the details of the album and about things that expressed our pettiness such as: to be the first band to attempt such a thing in Greece, a concern that actually downgraded the importance of our attempt itself…And suddenly during all these silly thoughts a serious medical problem reappeared to one of us, forcing us to reconsider our priorities in life in general, but also the concept of time.
In the middle of this hurricane we decided to use as an album cover, a drawing by Anna Psaroudaki, which had been made for a previous promo of ours. This drawing was processed and edited by Philip Kaponis , who finally managed to transform it into a complete artwork package. Photos from our live performances were taken by Gregg Roumeliotis, who is the only photographer, who managed to capture our energy on our shows under very difficult circumstances (low lighting and constant movement). The studio photos were taken by Aristotelis Roufanis. Both of them are two photographers, whom we are friends with, and want to promote their work and be promoted through it as well. We also shot a video clip for our virtual single "Veronique" with our friend and film director Constantinos Antonopoulos, who welcomed us at his home and captured with his lens our complete absence of talent towards the camera.
As far as the developing of the site was concerned, we ended up doing it ourselves. That happened due to our inability to spot a web designer who would believe in our concept and charge us less than 1500euros. (Yes, we are insinuating something about web developers!!) Lastly we pressed 500 CDs at the very helpful Fabel Sound. These Cds will be used as promos and will also be sold during our concerts, as a recollection of the music experience itself. We should note that during this process we paid royalties to the Greek collection society (A.E.P.I) only to collect them back in the near future. So that's pretty much the story until today.
Fingers Crossed – Hopscotch. Is it an underground record, with a D.I.Y mood, which punches in the gut the record companies and a band with wisdom gained from anarchist movements…???? Certainly not... Hopscotch is a pop- mainstream album, which overrides the record companies, who are currently more puzzled than a teenager, because they don't have anything to offer right now, and is the product of a band that believes in the change of means. And by change of means we do not mean the change from the CD to the mp3, like from vinyl to CD, but the general change of the music environment. Of course we would like this model to be profitable for us, but had we sorted this out we would be having this “conversation” giving a lecture at Cambridge or Stanford University and not through our humble website.
In conclusion, after a year of
extreme work, lots of kilometers, medical problems, military service,
immigration and something like 13.000 euros poorer, would we do it
again??
“In a heartbeat….”
With sincere love,
P.S. The next time that your family and your friends are gathered on your birthday and you are called to blow the candles, do not consider this as a silly western custom., Instead look around you, and realize that these few suckers, which are present at the moment will always be there for you, even if things won’t work so well. And if someone sends you a happy birthday text message saying "I wish you health for you and your family…, …be well with the people you love" do not think of it as a mere formality but as coming from a deeply mature friend.
Μάιος 2007... Λίγο πριν οι radiohead καταστήσουν διαθέσιμο το in rainbows για απευθείας download από το site τους, παραινώντας τον ακροατή να ορίσει το αντίτιμο αυτής της συναλλαγής και αρκετό καιρό αργότερα, αφότου ανεξάρτητες διαδικτυακές δισκογραφικές και μπάντες μικρότερου βεληνεκούς από τους radiohead είχαν εφαρμόσει αντίστοιχα μοντέλα διάθεσης της μουσικής, εμείς (fingers crossed) βρισκόμασταν κατά μέσου περιοδείας και συγκεκριμένα στο πλοίο προς Κρήτη. Τρώγοντας λοιπόν μπουγιουρντί στο εστιατόριο του πλωτού ανακτόρου ,αποφασίσαμε ότι πια ήμαστε έτοιμοι να κυκλοφορήσουμε ένα full length album. Απορρίψαμε λοιπόν τις προτάσεις από δύο μεγάλες ελληνικές εταιρίες και καταλήξαμε ότι το album μας θα διατίθετο δωρεάν από το site μας, σε ένα πακέτο συνοδευόμενο από τα εξώφυλλα, εικονογράφηση, στίχους , mp3 (192 kbps και 320 kbps κατόπιν ξεχωριστού email), καθώς και ένα κείμενο, το οποίο θα περιέγραφε την πορεία δημιουργίας του δίσκου και τους λόγους για τους οποίους καταφεύγουμε σε αυτόν τον τρόπο διάθεσης...κάτι σαν σημείωμα αυτοκτονίας, το οποίο και τώρα διαβάζετε.
Τον Ιούλιο ,λοιπόν, του 2007 ξεκίνησαν οι ηχογραφήσεις για το album, το οποίο έμελλε να ονομαστεί Hopscotch (κουτσό), στα Sca studios με ηχολήπτη και συμπαραγωγό το Θοδωρή Ζευκιλή.Ο Θοδωρής είναι φίλος μας και σταθερός συνεργάτης μας και είναι ένας άνθρωπος, του οποίου την αισθητική εμπιστευόμαστε, δουλεύει σαν σκύλος, βελτιώνεται και προχωρά συνέχεια λόγω ανησυχίας και δεν επαναπαύεται στις δάφνες του, νοιάζεται σε σημεία περισσότερο για το υλικό σου από ότι εσύ ο ίδιος και τέλος αντιμετωπίζει την ηχοληψία ως τέχνη και όχι ως οδηγό τοποθέτησης μικροφώνων. Συνεπώς, την παραγωγή δεν την έκανε ο Rick Rubin, η μίξη δεν έγινε στη Σουηδία αλλά ούτε και το mastering o Ted Jensen.Όλα έγιναν στο Πολύδροσο Χαλανδρίου. Μιλάμε για ελληνικό πράγμα...σαν τη φέτα. Αυτή η επιλογή, λοιπόν, δεν έγινε λόγω έλλειψης χρημάτων, αλλά επειδή επιθυμούμε ως συνεργάτες μας ανθρώπους με κοινά με εμάς βιώματα και αναφορές, με τους οποίους μοιραζόμαστε το ίδιο επίπεδο αφάνειας και την επιθυμία να προβάλλουμε ο ένας την δουλειά του άλλου.
Πρωταθλητής ηχογραφήσεων αναδείχθηκε ο Μηνάς (κιθάρα) με 10 ώρες ηχογράφησης, δεύτερος ο Γιάννος(κιθάρα) με 11, τρίτος ο Βύρωνας (μπάσο) με 12, τέταρτος ο Σεραφείμ (ντραμς) με 14 και ουραγός ο Δημήτρης (φωνή) με 50. Προσθέτουμε σε αυτές πάνω από 100 ώρες μίξης και mastering, κατά την διάρκεια των οποίων γράφαμε τη μίξη σε cd και στοιβαζόμασταν έξι άτομα σε ένα αυτοκίνητο έξω από το studio για να την ακούσουμε σε συμβατικό ηχοσύστημα και έχουμε ένα cd έτοιμο. Και κάπου εδώ ξεκινάει η Οδύσσεια...
Απρίλιος 2008...Κάτω από την πίεση της επιθυμίας μας να κυκλοφορήσει το album μας πριν το καλοκαίρι αναθέτουμε το artwork στον φίλο μας Αχιλλέα Πιστώνη, ο οποίος μας παραδίδει ένα αριστούργημα, το οποίο ωστόσο δεν ήταν αξιοποιήσιμο στην ψηφιακή του μορφή. Και ενώ ασχολούμαστε με όλα αυτά, καθώς και με μικροπρέπειες του τύπου: να είμαστε οι πρώτοι που θα εισήγαγαν το εγχείρημα εν Ελλάδι, οι οποίες υποβίβαζαν τη σημασία της ίδιας της κίνησης και της μουσικής μας και ενώ ένα μέλος μας βρίσκεται στο στρατό επανεμφανίζεται σοβαρό πρόβλημα υγείας σε έναν από εμάς. Επόμενο, πλήρης αναθεώρηση τον προτεραιοτήτων μας στη ζωή γενικότερα, καθώς και της έννοιας του χρόνου...
Καταμεσής αυτού του κυκλώνα αποφασίσαμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε για εξώφυλλο ένα σχέδιο της Άννας Ψαρουδάκη για παλιότερο promo μας ,το οποίο επεξεργάστηκε και διασκεύασε ο Φίλιππος Καπώνης και το μετουσίωσε σε πλήρες γραφιστικό πακέτο. Για τις live φωτογραφίες φρόντισε ο Γρηγόρης Ρουμελιώτης , ο οποίος είναι ο μοναδικός φωτογράφος που κατάφερε να απεικονίσει την ενέργεια μας στα live κάτω από δύσκολες συνθήκες φωτισμού και κίνησης, ενώ για τις υπόλοιπες ο Αριστοτέλης Ρουφάνης. Δύο φωτογράφοι, οι οποίοι είναι φίλοι μας, θέλουμε να προβάλουμε τη δουλειά τους και να προβληθούμε μέσα από αυτούς. Επίσης, γυρίσαμε και ένα video clip για το εικονικό μας single Veronique με το φίλο μας και σκηνοθέτη Κωνσταντίνο Αντωνόπουλο, ο οποίος μας φιλοξένησε και με το φακό του κατάφερε να συλλάβει την παντελή έλλειψη ταλέντου μας προς την κάμερα.
Όσον αφορά, τώρα το κομμάτι της δημιουργίας του site μας, καταλήξαμε να το κάνουμε μόνοι μας γιατί δεν καταφέραμε να εντοπίσουμε web designer, ο οποίος θα πίστευε στο εγχείρημα μας και θα μας χρέωνε κάτω από 1500 ευρώ. Ναι , αυτό είναι νύξη προς τον κλάδο. Τέλος, τυπώσαμε 500 cd, κάποια από τα οποία θα χρησιμεύσουν ως promo και κάποια θα πωλούνται στα live ως ανάμνηση της μουσικής εμπειρίας, στην πολύ εξυπηρετική Fabel Sound. Να σημειωθεί ότι κατά τη διάρκεια αυτής της διαδικασίας πληρώσαμε δικαιώματα στην Α.Ε.Π.Ι για να τα επιστρέψει αυτή αργότερα σε εμάς!!!;;; Και κάπως έτσι φτάνουμε στο σήμερα...
Fingers Crossed - Hopscotch. Ένας δίσκος underground, με διάθεση D.I.Y ( do it our self), γροθιά στο στομάχι των δισκογραφικών εταιριών και μία μπάντα με αποστάγματα αναρχικής ιδεολογίας;;; Όχι...Ένας δίσκος pop-mainstream που παρακάμπτει τις δισκογραφικές εταιρίες, οι οποίες στην παρούσα φάση είναι πιο πελαγωμένες και από έφηβο, γιατί δεν έχουν τίποτα να προσφέρουν και μία μπάντα που πιστεύει στην αλλαγή μέσου. Και με την αλλαγή μέσου δεν εννοούμε την μετάβαση από το cd στο mp3, όπως από το βινύλιο στο cd, αλλά μία ολόκληρη αλλαγή περιβάλλοντος. Φυσικά το μοντέλο θέλουμε να είναι βιοποριστικό για εμάς, αλλά αν το είχαμε ανακαλύψει και αυτό, αυτή η διάλεξη θα γινόταν στο Cambridge ή στο Stanford και όχι μέσω της ταπεινής σελίδας μας.
Καταλήγοντας ,λοιπόν, μετά από
ένα χρόνο υπερβολικής δουλειάς, χιλιομέτρων, προβλημάτων υγείας,
στρατιωτικών θητειών, μεταναστεύσεων και κάποια 13.000 ευρώ φτωχότεροι,
θα το ξανακάναμε; Και βέβαια...
Με ειλικρινή αγάπη,
Fingers Crossed
YΓ. Την επόμενη φορά που στα γενέθλια σας θα συγκεντρωθούν η οικογένεια σας και οι φίλοι σας και κληθείτε να σβήσετε τα κεράκια σας, πριν το θεωρήσετε ένα σαχλό δυτικό έθιμο, κοιτάξτε γύρω σας και σκεφτείτε ότι αυτά τα λίγα κορόιδα που είναι εκείνη τη στιγμή παρόντες θα είναι πάντα εκεί, ακόμη και αν όλα πάνε κατά διαόλου. Και αν κάποιος σας στείλει ευχετήριο μήνυμα το οποίο θα λέει :<<υγεία για σένα και τους δικούς σου...Να είσαι καλά με αυτούς που αγαπάς .>>μην τον θεωρήσετε τυπικό ή διεκπεραιωτικό αλλά βαθιά ώριμο...
May 2007... A few months before Radiohead made their in rainbows album available as a digital download directly from their site, encouraging the listener to determine whether and how much he should pay and long after independent web record companies and bands of smaller caliber than radiohead had launched similar models of music distribution, we (fingers crossed) were on tour, on board to the Island of Crete. While enjoying a plate of "bugiourdi" (a Greek specialité) at the restaurant of this so called cruising palace, we decided that we were at last ready to release a full length album. So, after turning down 2 record contracts coming from 2 major Greek labels we also decided that our album would be offered for free directly from our website, (www.fingerscrossed.gr) in a package which would include music, artwork, liner notes, lyrics, mp3 compressed at 192kbps (and 320 kbps after email) and a story written by us and describing the process of the creation of the album, as well as the reasons that urged us to attempt a release of this kind... something like a suicide note, which you are now reading.
On July 2007 the recordings of the album, which was yet to be named "Hopscotch" began, taking place at Sca studios with music engineer and co-producer Thodoris Zeukilis. Thodoris is a friend of ours, a steady partner and a person, whose aesthetic judgment is greatly trusted by us. He works like a dog and keeps evolving, instead of relying on his past achievements, because of his deep and personal restlessness. He also often cares for the artist's material and songs more than the artist himself and treats recording and engineering as an art, rather than a "microphone setting" guide. To sum up, the album was not produced by Rick Rubin, neither its mixing took place in Sweden, nor was it mastered by Ted Jensen. Everything took place at Polydroso Chalandriou(an Athens district). 100% genuine Greek product....like feta cheese. Consequently, this choice wasn't made because of lack of money, but due to our determination and will to cooperate with people, that share similar experiences and level of obscurity with us. Those people's work we want to project and them we want to project us through their achievements.
Minas (guitar) was declared
recordings champion scoring 10hrs of recording, with Yannos (guitar)
finishing at second place scoring 11hrs, while third place and forth
place were covered by Vironas (bass) and Serafeim (drums) with 12 and
14 hrs respectively. Dimitris (vocals) finished last after 50 hrs of
recording. Add to that over 100 hrs of editing, mixing and mastering,
during which we regularly stacked ourselves in a car parked outside the
studio, just to listen to the ongoing recording through a common sound
system, and now you have an album. And now the odyssey begins...
April 2008...Under the pressure of our own desire to release the album before summer, we assigned the artwork to our friend Achilles Pistonis, He delivered us a masterpiece, but unfortunately it wasn't exploitable in its digital form. At the time, one of us was completing his compulsory military service, while the rest of us were concerned about the rest of the details of the album and about things that expressed our pettiness such as: to be the first band to attempt such a thing in Greece, a concern that actually downgraded the importance of our attempt itself...And suddenly during all these silly thoughts a serious medical problem reappeared to one of us, forcing us to reconsider our priorities in life in general, but also the concept of time.
In the middle of this hurricane we decided to use as an album cover, a drawing by Anna Psaroudaki, which had been made for a previous promo of ours. This drawing was processed and edited by Philip Kaponis , who finally managed to transform it into a complete artwork package. Photos from our live performances were taken by Gregg Roumeliotis, who is the only photographer, who managed to capture our energy on our shows under very difficult circumstances (low lighting and constant movement). The studio photos were taken by Aristotelis Roufanis. Both of them are two photographers, whom we are friends with, and want to promote their work and be promoted through it as well. We also shot a video clip for our virtual single "Veronique" with our friend and film director Constantinos Antonopoulos, who welcomed us at his home and captured with his lens our complete absence of talent towards the camera.
As far as the developing of the site was concerned, we ended up doing it ourselves. That happened due to our inability to spot a web designer who would believe in our concept and charge us less than 1500euros. (Yes, we are insinuating something about web developers!!) Lastly we pressed 500 CDs at the very helpful Fabel Sound. These Cds will be used as promos and will also be sold during our concerts, as a recollection of the music experience itself. We should note that during this process we paid royalties to the Greek collection society (A.E.P.I) only to collect them back in the near future. So that's pretty much the story until today.
Fingers Crossed - Hopscotch. Is it an underground record, with a D.I.Y mood, which punches in the gut the record companies and a band with wisdom gained from anarchist movements...???? Certainly not... Hopscotch is a pop- mainstream album, which overrides the record companies, who are currently more puzzled than a teenager, because they don't have anything to offer right now, and is the product of a band that believes in the change of means. And by change of means we do not mean the change from the CD to the mp3, like from vinyl to CD, but the general change of the music environment. Of course we would like this model to be profitable for us, but had we sorted this out we would be having this "conversation" giving a lecture at Cambridge or Stanford University and not through our humble website.
In conclusion, after a year of
extreme work, lots of kilometers, medical problems, military service,
immigration and something like 13.000 euros poorer, would we do it
again??
"In a heartbeat...."
With sincere love,
P.S. The next time that your family and your friends are gathered on your birthday and you are called to blow the candles, do not consider this as a silly western custom., Instead look around you, and realize that these few suckers, which are present at the moment will always be there for you, even if things won't work so well. And if someone sends you a happy birthday text message saying "I wish you health for you and your family..., ...be well with the people you love" do not think of it as a mere formality but as coming from a deeply mature friend.
