My 90s Band “Mistake” Reborn Through AI (No Regrets)
⚙️ Tool(s) Used
Mureka – for music generation (melody, vocals, instrumentation)
DistroKid – for music distribution (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)
Figma – for album cover and banner artwork
Spotify for Artists / Apple Music for Artists – for backend access and bios
🎯 Creative Goal
In the 90s, I was part of a band called Mistake. We were just three young adults in Austria, recording songs on cassette about love, heartbreak, and everything that felt like the end of the world at the time. That was all we had to worry about.
Our sound was somewhere between Cat Stevens and Nirvana. Warm melodies with rough edges and lyrics scribbled in notebooks that felt like therapy.
Somehow, we made it onto Austrian radio Ö3. And when I say that, I mean they played one of our songs one single time. It was all we needed to believe we were on our way.
We had recorded the album Behind the Moon on cassette because a proper CD master back then cost 30,000 Austrian Schillings. That was about $2,500, which was completely out of reach for a few broke kids with a tape recorder.
Now, 30 years later, I decided to give those songs a second chance. Not as a reissue of gritty garage recordings, but as reimagined pop songs created using GenAI tools. I wanted to see what today’s technology could do with yesterday’s ideas. And maybe share something that never really had a chance to be heard (Now available on Spotify)
🧠 Approach
Revisited the original song lyrics from Behind the Moon and selected five that could translate to AI-based arrangement
Used Mureka to generate instrumentals, moods, and vocal styles that matched the spirit of the originals — often choosing synth-pop, alt-rock, or lo-fi indie templates
No instruments, no studio, no bandmates — just the lyrics, a prompt, and a browser
Designed updated cover art and Spotify visuals in Figma, balancing nostalgia with modern style
Uploaded everything through DistroKid, which handled the full distribution pipeline across all major streaming platforms
📈 Outcome
Mureka handled the vibe better than expected, with some songs somewhat capturing the spirit of the originals — but occasionally veered into awkward phrasing or overly polished pop
The emotional rawness of the original trio’s chemistry couldn’t be replicated — this was my solo AI remix of our past
DistroKid made distribution shockingly easy — tracks went live within 2–3 days
Creating new artwork and branding gave the project a fresh but respectful reboot
It didn’t just revive the songs — it rekindled memories of being a young creative fueled by nothing but ideas, friends, and tape hiss
📷 Output Gallery
Song: No Way To Go by Mistake
💡 Key Takeaways
AI can’t replicate human memory, but it can collaborate with it
Mureka is a fantastic sketchpad for resurrecting or reinterpreting past creative work
You don’t need a label or studio to put music into the world anymore — just a DistroKid login and a bit of grit
For old bands with unfinished business, this might be the most cathartic way to bring songs back
🗒️ Creative Rating
🔥 Creativity Potential: 5/5
🤖 AI Quality / Realism: 3.5/5
😅 Time vs. Reward: 5/5
🧪 Would I Use It Again?
Yes — 100%. Not only to revisit past work, but also to experiment with new ideas fast. For legacy artists or anyone sitting on notebooks of unused lyrics, this could be a second chance to release what you never could before.
