#(let the records show that i am not a great singer)

[vcrnons]

thank you @woozification for tagging me for receiptify!!

i had no idea what was gonna come up on this so i’m lowk pleasantly surprised !! (apparently i have been streaming the life out of brat & iichliwp lmao)

tagging (with zero pressure<3) : @justsomekpopstuff @chwedout @lee-sanghyeok @taeiltual @wqnwoos @raplinenthusiasts @eoieopda 🩵

[lonelyasawhisper]

Queen: A Night At The Garden

Kris Nicholson, Creem, 1st May 1977

Queen's music is like strong mouthwash. It takes my breath away but that initial rush is as temporary as it is abrupt. This probably has something to do with the discrepancy between what Queen is and what Queen would like to be. Queen IS a good studio band-cum-variety show with a flair for novelty, a patent on mock opera and Rock of Gibraltar guitar harmonies. What they would like to be is a good studio band and a great live act. Unfortunately they've mastered a studio perfection that does not lend itself to accurate live interpretation. Whether or not they choose to approach the two mediums separately, the fact remains: kids are amazed at Queen records and they expect to be doubly amazed by their concerts.

If Queen—without the assistance of tapes—could reproduce their studio sound live, they'd certainly be one of the most impressive bands on the rock scene. But they can't and they aren't and it's the vocals that cause most of the problem. They'd need at least five Freddie Mercurys [Aaargh!—Ed.] to do it right. (Imagine Mercury quints; five golden-throated, leotarded, stiffly posed fools.) If only Freddie Mercury could sing two notes at a time!

There is a gadget known as a harmonizer that provides a delayed echo and allows Freddie to harmonize with himself, but this effect has its limitations and is reserved for special occasions like "Killer Queen" and Freddie's spotlight solo in "White Man."

Lacking a consistently believable production of their music, the least Queen could do is compensate for aural imperfections with visual delights. Try as they might, their use of flash pots and strobe lights is old hat and the five basic postures in Freddie's crude ballet are amateur still life, pale in comparison to the volume and the ideas of the band's music.

Let us proceed to the actual scene of a Queen concert and see if we can discover just what keeps this band alive.

It is February 5th at Madison Square Garden. I see a sign bobbing and weaving through the upper aisles of the arena. At first it looks like it's moving of its own free will and then two heads become visible at either end of the banner. This is a familiar one. In three-foot high letters it boasts, "Queen is King." Behind and way above me, up in those seats in the clouds, (that us rock writers never get stuck in) there are two more signs held by fans. They read: "Queen A Night At The Garden" and "Queen Takes My Breath Away."

I wonder how many of these kids have seen Queen before. Will they be disappointed? Darkness sets in. The PA system blasts solo piano recital music that eventually fades into a tape of one of those majestic guitar intros Brian May likes to embroider around the beginning of his songs. The first chords of "Tie Your Mother Down," hit like thunder, maybe even induce butterflies in the stomach, temporarily.

The image of Freddie Mercury strikes. Decked in some kind of baggy white karate jump suit the singer looks sexier than he ever did in those ridiculous striped suspender shorts. For a moment Freddie has me believing that he's cut his overbearing physical exposure from the act. But by the third song he's stripped down to a second skin of white, commonly known as leotards. In Freddie's case they're pain in the ass leotards. Every five minutes he becomes distracted as a leotard strap shimmies down his shoulder. He searches for a moment when he can inconspicuously slide it back up before the whole damn thing falls off. Unfortunately Freddie is not cool about it. By the end of the set I'm almost more intent on calculating the next time a strap will drop and how he'll get it back up, than I am on hearing the music.

Freddie is a strange cookie on stage. He waves his magic wand (actually it's a mike stand but you can use your imagination) and the flashpots explode. No big deal. Personally I think the Wizard of Oz had better flashpots and that movie was filmed decades ago. Freddie addresses the audience, "Listen my darlings, let me do the talking for a change." Yecch! Too coy. I don't believe him.

"Somebody To Love" comes early in the set. This is what is called strategy. It comes early in the set because it's impossible to do justice to in concert. If everything else goes right, by the end of the show the kids will have forgotten how punchless the live version is in comparison to the lush production that stole thousands of AM hearts.

Deep down, underneath the black nail polish, there is some talent.

Besides Freddie, the only really visible member of Queen is Brian May. May is the exact opposite of Mercury— a real Yin-Yang combination. In the words of Chuan Tzu, "The perfect negative principle is majestically passive (May). The perfect positive (Mercury) is powerfully active...the interaction of the two results is that harmony by which all things are produced." Somehow it DOES work.

Wanna puck? Monreal Mercurys owner displays the franchise's new uniform. (Note the hand-tailored sleeves and custom-fitted mouthpiece).

May appears silent and serious. He plays guitar as if he were studying constellations. There is nothing silly about him. Even the starch in his Elizabethan white shirt fits. He looks elegant, contemplative, (a misplaced 18th century poet?) and yet he plays with all the erotic energy and guts of the heaviest and dirtiest of rock 'n' rollers. You could say he doesn't look like he sounds. But this inconsistency serves to make his character all the more enchanting.

During "Brighton Rock" Brian takes a long solo. With the use of two echoplex systems he manages to produce the sound of three guitars. It's a well-crafted solo with lots of showmanship and lots of clean, thoughtfully executed riffs. He hardly moves while he's playing. All the energy is flowing from head to fingers. It's one of the few moments in Queen's set where nothing threatens to cancel out the emotion of his playing. Looking back on this a moment later, it's easy to understand what Brian has in mind when he says, "I want to be good in the sense of being more expressive."

Queen dares to attempt May's Mccartneyish " '39." It doesn't fare too well. Freddie sings it. Freddie sings all the songs. Funny, on the record Brian sings " '39." Maybe he feels that singing would be too much of a diversion while he's playing guitar.

In introducing "You Take My Breath Away," Freddie announces, "Maybe next time we'll come back with an orchestra." (While he's at it I hope he remembers to bring a choir, too.) Freddie adds, "You are what we call our sophisticated rock audience." Is he laughing because he knows it's a joke or is he uneasy because that's what he'd like to believe?

Imagine (Freddie) Mercury quints; five golden-throated leotarded, stiffly-posed fools.

Meanwhile the set has been embellished with intermittent gimmicks; a roadie hands a triangle to bassist John Deacon to hit one solitary note. What drama! Brian May plays a ukelele for five seconds during the band's instrumental version of "Bring Back Leroy Brown," etc. etc.

Freddie's vocal exhibition in "White Man" is impressive. He manages to sound like a voice and an instrument at the same time. It offers substantial evidence that deep down, underneath the black nail polish, there is some talent. Too bad he has to mask it in such demeaning external distractions as his unsteady Ian Anderson pose and his off-time dances to the music.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is the evening's anti-climax. When the song reaches the really ornate vocal rounds Freddie disappears from the stage and all twenty thousand of us are left sitting in the dark. It's like faking an orgasm (need I say that the real thing is so much better?). Of course this maneuver is done so that Freddie can change his costume but it doesn't sit too well with me, not to mention the fifteen-year-olds behind me who think they're being ripped off. After all, they can hear the record at home. They want to see Queen do the humanly impossible, and when they're slipped a fast one they know it. "This is unforgivable," says one kid. "Yeah, they're gonna haveta do somethin' big to make up for that," his friend replies. Hear that, boys? You can't fool Mother Nature.

Freddie returns in black tights. He looks much better in black, especially now that he's got one of those real slick short hairstyles. White is too feminine. Again, strategy saves the day. The kids have been screaming for "Stone Cold Crazy" all night and now, when they're feeling cheated, "Stone Cold Crazy" will pacify them.

"Stone Cold Crazy" is perhaps one of the most breathless hard rockers that Queen does (on record) but somehow it loses its bite when a series of strobe lights begin to flash to the beat and eventually wind up totally off-beat, turning the frenzied effect into gaudy confusion.

Freddie dedicates "Keep Yourself Alive" to the audience. "Liar" is followed by "In The Lap Of The Gods." There are two encores, so l'm told. I didn't stay for them. I came to see if Brian May still knew what he was doing—I didn't need any more Mercury shenanigans.

We turn now to the scene of the post-Queen party. It's held at Oh Ho So in So Ho and it's so-so. Freddie is reputed to have a fascination for the Oriental and that's as good a reason as any to jam 500 press people into a 250 capacity restaurant. The food in this joint is really good, I come here all the time. But food is not what I'm interested in. Standing well over six-feet-tall, Brian May is easy enough to spot but he's busy holding court. I can barely justify barging in on the ladies in waiting, the men in waiting, the fans in waiting...later.

"Yeah, I know Frampton sold millions of records, but I don't think you can capture the whole thing outside of a studio."

In the meantime my friend Liz and I have decided that we're going to corner Freddie and ask him what brand nail polish he wears. She sees someone she knows who knows who we want to meet (Freddie) and she manages to get introduced while I play voyeur. Alas, the best-laid plans of mice and women... Freddie's nails aren't black or white. They're just old plain old fingernails. But, we do manage to find out that Freddie has been asked to pose with Mr. Pumping Iron himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Whether or not the event will take place is still a mystery. Freddie wasn't giving any clues.

Queen poses at left, shortly after Brian May's guitar mysteriously exploded sending slivers of wood and steel into the eyeballs of the rest of the group, causing temporary blindness. The matter is under investigation by Scotland Yard. Below, Roger: "Aye likes to put me boogies in me pant cuff 'cause it keeps 'em clean...Wot about it?"

Freddy: "Aye think ee wants one on 'is lens, eh?"

After at least an hour of anxious waiting for parking space beside Brian I finally score. Yes, he remembers doing the interview last year, but he says I look different. Yes, it must be the glasses. I don't have them on tonight. I'm blind as a bat but you know what they say about girls who wear glasses.

Pulling no punches; I explain to Brian that I'm doing a Queen story for America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine. I am totally understanding as he apologizes, "We haven't been doing interviews 'cause we're so busy. We're playing all big concert halls and we're in a different city every night. We travel about five hours every day. It's just too hectic." If he wasn't such a nice guy I'd be saying, bullshit, everyone else does it, but he is SUCH a nice guy and I sympathize with every word he says. Two points for the power of smooth talking.

I proceed to find out that the next album will NOT be named after a Marx Brothers movie, that Groucho owns an official Queen II jacket and that Queen will be meeting him in L.A. Rock on Groucho!

On the subject of the band's incessant use of gimmickry, Brian comments, "A Day At the Races can be seen as an extension of A Night At the Opera". Though last year Brian's favorite album was Queen II, this year he professes to like A Day At The Races despite its similarities to Opera. He had once expressed discontent with Opera due to the switch of emphasis from guitar riff-based rockers to experiments with instruments like the Toy Koto, the genuine aloha ukelele and "Good Company's" guitar jazz band, not to mention Freddie's obsession for music in the movie musical genre.

A Day At The Races is the first self-produced Queen album. Previous albums had been stamped with both the band's name and that of Roy Thomas Baker—the man who served as scapegoat for numerous accusations regarding overproduction. A Day At The Races bears a pattern of excess remarkably similar to that of A Night At the Opera. Of producer Baker, Brian said: "We grew together and now we've got our own things to do. We always had a lot to say about the production anyway," he added, hinting at the possibility that Queen's vices have long since been self-inflicted.

Considering the vast amount of time and money spent on studio technique it is not surprising to discover that even before May had heard the influential playing of guitarists like Page and Hendrix, he was fascinated by Phil Spector's productions. "They were very emotional and very slushy," he explains with a gleam in his eye. Strange combination this romanticism, this background in astronomy, this technician who built his own guitar from the wood of an antique fireplace, this man whose songs are to him "very personal." Strange that all these experiences convene in one brain and come out with a split vote, half in favor of the schmaltzy sentimentality of numbers like the Beatle-ish "Long Away," the other half thrashing out in malevolent waves of heavy sound and male chauvinism, witness "Tie Your Mother Down."

Getting back to the matter of production. Brian recognizes the discrepancy between the live and studio version of a song like "Somebody To Love." It doesn't seem to bother him. Being dead set against the possibility of a live album, why should he worry as long as he's so busy filling big arenas that he doesn't have time to do interviews. Still, his heart is into making good studio recordings. "If we did a live album, it would have to be really good, but I can't imagine it. I think live albums are a cop out." He pauses and smiles, "Yeah, I know Frampton sold millions of records, but I don't think you can capture the whole thing outside of a studio." This was all said with a degree of sincerity that I'd like to believe but a conflicting report challenges his position. Reliable sources seem to believe that Queen is considering the possibility of recording live in Japan this summer with the able assistance of none other than Roy Thomas Baker.

So Queen and success have met. So far the two are getting along. A year ago Brian May proudly announced that the only tape the band used was "God Save The Queen" at the beginning and ending of concerts. "We don't like the idea of using tapes as backing tracks," he explained. Considering the role tapes play in their current show, suffice to say times have changed.

A year ago Brian believed there were things Queen could do in a small theatre that they could never do in Madison Square Garden. "When you start playing those places you have to change your whole act. A group can become like a picture in a frame. Communication in arenas is much more difficult and needs to be approached carefully." Now that Queen is playing only big arenas Brian expresses a feeling of comfort within the new atmosphere, explaining that the band feels geared towards it now. Queen certainly manages to fill large halls with sound but whether they know it or not, they've not mastered a way of filling their new frame with a coinciding picture.

It's deadline day and devoted soul that I am I've taken it upon myself to listen to all the Queen albums in order. The first two are a breeze, Queen bouncing from melodic early Yes style to heavy Led Zep riffing and then on to the sledgehammer stance of Deep Purple at their most menacing.

By Sheer Heart Attack the seeds of gimmickry are planted and they begin to grow like a small malignant cancer. Freddie Mercury has stopped singing about mercury and biblical references are less frequent. The band's image becomes less majestic, more decadent, killer Queen, and then a complete turnaround with A Night At The Opera wherein the boys abandon guts for cutesy cleverness. It is by this album that Queen have become definitely Queen. Maybe the novelty twist is their only surefire approach to originality: heavy metal novelty? A Day At the Races, as accounted for earlier, is more of the same as Opera.

I can still hear Brian talking about Jimi Hendrix with a sense of awe: "He was the man." At the same time the image of Freddie comes into view. He is posing for pictures. He keeps an eye on his reflection in the mirror. He primps his jet black hair and snickers in a barely audible but intentional tone, "Got to keep up the image." It's hard to imagine a more diverse marriage of ideas. It's transient, it's experimental and it's confusing as hell.

Ever since their 1973 debut I've followed Queen. I've reviewed every album with enthusiasm and then somehow forgotten them until the next release reminded me that I like the last one. I get all excited when a Queen record comes out, but it doesn't last. What's the answer? Staying power? Preservatives? It's driving me stone cold crazy.

Retrieved from The Creem Archive

[putschki1969]

YKL vol.#20～Japanese Seal 20th Special～ Kanagawa Performance Broadcast

2024.06.09 Kanagawa・Kenmin Hall The second concert of this year's Yuki Kajiura live tour was broadcast last night on TBS Channel 1. The tour is titled “Special Japanese Seal” referring to the fact that no Japanese songs are performed. This exclusion does not apply to the encore section. User 蓝原延珠_ on Bilibili kindly provided their recording of the broadcast, you can watch it HERE. I was only able to download a 720p version (~1GB) of it but for the time being, it will do. I am eager to watch it and write a little report. Hopefully an HQ version will pop up in a few days. Without further ado, let's get going〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

overture〜アンチヒーロー〜Main Theme〜: Right off the bat, I'm noticing that the audio is quite dull and maybe even slightly tinny? Might be the specific recording but it's probably more a matter of the TV broadcasts generally having bad audio. That was clearly noticeable when you compared the Kaji Fes TV broadcast to the BD release. Anyway, we are off to a great start. Glad to see rito and Lino on stage from the get-go and not just for a couple of songs here and there. It always feels a bit awkward for them to have the status of "regular" members but only appearing on stage sporadically. I haven't listened to any songs from the Antihero soundtrack so this is all new to me. Classic YK, the type of song I will always gravitate towards. Beautiful harmonies. Enjoying the slight whine in Eri's voice, so emotional. Love when the epic part starts and you can hear an entire chorus in the background (maybe a bit too much studio magic going on here but I don't mind for grand sections like that). Must have been a real goosebumps moment at the live.

the four rings: Wow, this one is so good. Don't think I've heard it before. Not too familiar with the Heaven’s Feel OST tbh. Really getting goosebumps now. Although I will say that here, the post-editing is a bit overbearing, it seems to almost drown out the vocals of our songstresses. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds amazing and I am enjoying the hell out of it but I wonder how it was like at the venue (with presumably less studio magic). With six singers on stage, they can certainly achieve some powerful choral work but of course it would still pale in comparison to a larger choir. Nonetheless, this is an instant favourite. Hope they will perform it during the Asia tour leg. Although I kinda doubt it since they said that the setlist would be very different. But who knows, it's Fate/stay night so it's probably among the more-likely pieces to be performed among Yuki's huge repertoire. My guess is that they will stick to the most popular anime stuff because they know that will get the audience excited.

absolute configuration: Perfect transition. Never getting tired of this song. And I'm glad we are back to a more natural sound with less studio magic. Solid performance as always.

E.G.O: Have they ever performed this live for a home video release? I don't think so. It was included in one of the live complication albums (Fictionjunction 2010-2013) but I don't recall ever watching a live performance. I have to admit that I haven't even listened to the live audio track, must have dismissed it when I first got the album. I can understand why because it's not really my type of song. It's not bad but not my favourite either. Very old-school YK so that's fun. And there are a couple of nice Keiko parts, that's always a treat.

キッチン革命〜Main Theme〜: A completely new track from one of Yuki's most recent works. Definitely a perfect fit for a show called "Kitchen Revolution" XD Especially the percussion at the beginning. The harmony between Yuriko, Lino and rito works really well, they sound good together. Other than that, it probably won't become one of my favourite songs. Generally not a huge fan of Yuriko as main vocalist. No one does those gorgeous operatic higher harmonies like her but when the spotlight is on her, it's typically not my cup of tea.

voyagers: As far as I know, we only have the studio version and live audio from the compilation album as reference. No official live footage. The song has never really stuck out to me, it is okay but it's a bit too derivative of much better tracks from Yuki. Will keep it short so I don't trigger anyone. But it's definitely one of those songs where I prefer the version with Wakana. Joelle's vocals don't do anything for me here. But since I am not super invested in the song anyway, I can't say I care much.

Historia: opening theme: Beautiful rendition. Love that they brought all six vocalists back on stage for this. Naturally, I'm quite fond of Wakana's version once again (not least of all because this song will always have a connection to Kalafina) but Yuriko does a fanstatic job of singing her parts, admittedly, she has much better control so her voice sounds very crisp and lovely. Joelle provides great support here and their voices blend well together.

forest: Never been a fan. I didn’t like it when Wakana sang it and I don’t like it now that Joelle sings it. It’s not a bad song at all and Joelle sounds fine to me but it’s just not my cup of tea. Next.

My long forgotten cloistered sleep: Now THIS on the other hand I have always loved. I still remember everyone hating Wakana's live version during YKL Vol.#9 but I enjoy it quite a lot. It's true that it's probably not the best she has ever sounded but her vocals here certainly don't warrant all the nasty comments she has received throughout the years for that performance. Of course, I am also obsessed with that WaKei combo!! And you know me, I have a weakness for "lalala"s so this has definitely always been among my favourite YKL songs. As for this performance, I think both Wakana and Joelle are trying are little too hard to emulate Emily Bindiger's timbre. I personally don't think Emily Bindiger has a particularly nice voice so if anyone tries to sound like her, it's always a slight downgrade in my opinion. I'll just say this, if you are one of the people who say that Wakana sounds like a chipmunk in her version, you'll have to say the same thing about Joelle(¬_¬) Long story short, I don't mind this version with Joelle and Keiko. Still very enjoyable. Will definitely be listening to it on repeat.

I swear: Probably one of my least favourite Keiko songs but this is a decent performance. I might even like this more than some of the previous live rendition since it's a bit more delicate(?) I think.

fiction: Another song I could live without…The chorus is solid but it's not one of those songs I'd ever actively listen to.

I reach for the sun: Forever sad that they made Joelle the lead of this song. Keiko does a better job in my opinion and I like the song quite a bit more than "I swear". Overall, the English section has probably been the weakest so far, at least for me. I actually ended up fast-forwarding through most of it.

MC: This MC is quite interesting since Yuki asks her singers to share a story of something they are taking a break from right now. To explain the background of this question, it's a reference to the title of this year's tour: Nihongo Fuin = Japanese Seal ("fuin" basically means to seal up something. You are excluding it/taking a break from it/quitting it/etc). Lino says that despite being a huge lover of the sea, she has been taking a break from going to the beach and swimming in the sea during this summer because it might affect her voice negatively. Yuki has a funny response to that because she says that most of her songs have never really had a summer vibe and actually don't work very well in a summer atmosphere but for some reason, they have ended up always holding their annual tour during the summer time. Keiko has stopped drinking her beloved lattes for the past three months to prioritise her water intake. Gladly, she has overcome the worst parts of quitting already and is getting used to water. Yuki admired her stoic nature. Yuriko would typically refrain from certain things in preparation for a live tour but this year she has completely forgotten about that. About two weeks ago, she decided to quit ice-cream but she only did it half-hardheartedly because it was so hot that she ended up eating it anyway. So yeah, this is a big fail and it's really a "story of NOT taking a break from something" XD Joelle has stopped waking up early. Usually, she is the type to rise together with the sun but in order to increase her sleeping hours, she will wake up later when she is on tour. A restful sleep will help her body heal up and improve her voice. rito has quit chewing gum (and stopped eating certain chewy foods such as squid) because it's bad for your jaw and facial muscles. Kaori has taken a break from watching the drama "Anithero" (for which YK is composing music, the main theme having been performed as the intro of this live). Seems like the song is haunting her a bit too much and the story is getting to her. So once the tour is over and she is no longer singing the song, she will have an easier time watching the episodes. Yuki agrees that the main theme is quite haunting. Especially when she hears one of the singers rehearsing in the dressing-room right before a performance. Eri doesn't really have anything to tell the audience but she and Yuki briefly talk about the difficulties of learning so many songs with coined words.

Gaia: Wow, what a lovely song. Instant like. Really adore Eri here!! Such gorgeous high notes.

Credens justitiam: What a great team-up with Keiko, Eri, Yuriko and Joelle. Eri sounds great together here with Keiko. Does Yuriko sound a bit off here? I don't know. Not 100% into some of her parts.

hepatica: First time actively listening to this song. Very beautiful and tender. I feel like some of Yuki's KnK work might have been inspired by this song. Some parts immediately made me think of "Seventh Heaven".

godsibb: Waaah! Yes!! Always a joy to listen to this song. Glad everyone is on stage for a powerful finale.

Alone: I knew I would love this Pandora Hearts medley. I always do and this one is no exception. Flawless start.

Bloody rabbit: Some squeaky parts at the beginning but overall, solid.

Contractor: OBSESSED. One word. Perfection. There's a reason this is the performance I'm using for this post. I'm forever a slave to Keiko's solo part XD. Also, Eri is such a queen here! So cool!

zodiacal sign: This is the song where you can really tell that they are taking great care of Kaori's condition. No strenuous movements at all. How funny is it to see Rie joining the girls in their little dance?! Cute!! Super fun performance as always.

open your heart: Ughh, I do not like this song at all. They did "Sweet Song"/"paradise regained" for most of the other performances. Would have killed to get either of those two instead of "open your heart". Obviously, "Sweet Song" would have been perfect. From what I heard, the final concert with Kaori in July had an amazing and heart-warming performance of "Sweet Song".

En.Prologue〜このとほかやわらかい: Wish I could grow to love this song. It deserves my love, I know it. But I just can't get into it. But hey, it's a cool performance, I can't deny that. During her solos, Kaori sounds a bit nasal in my opinion. Nothing that takes away from the performance but it's certainly noticeable (throughout the live to be honest - at least during the few songs where she has a substantial solo part. I think you can also hear it during the main MC. Either she had a minor cold that day or it's just a symptom of her pregnancy. Lowered nasal resonance is actually a very common thing for pregnant women.)

En.Parade: Beautiful. No notes.

En.蒼穹の���ァンファーレ: Solid. Not a huge fan of the song though.

[purplecoffee13]

“N.I.B.” - Thin Lines Check in

“You are the first to have this love of mine. Forever with me till the end of time.” ~ N.I.B. by Black Sabbath

Summary: “a year later, the sole mention of Harry’s name has your life whirling upside down…”

Tropes: opera singer!Y/N x rockstar!Harry

Wc: 3k

Warnings: none really

A/N: Hey everyone! Here it is, the end of an era: the final part of thin lines. This series is my personal favorite. I love this story and its ending is perfect to me, but I am sorry if it is in any way unsatisfying or disappointing. I just didn’t want to change the ending I had in mind when I started this series. Okay, enough yapping, enjoy!

Series Masterlist

General Masterlist

"We think you show great potential, and we are certain we can get you more recognition with our help." The man across the table from you said. You were leaned back in your seat a bit, still the slightest bit skeptical of his words, despite the giddy feeling that was bubbling in your stomach.

You glanced at your manager, Sandy, who gave you a small nod. She'd told you the contract was good. There were no hidden traps or restraints when it came to your music making. Of course, you knew that as a beginning artist you would always have to compromise, but you didn't want your art to suffer from it.

A smile formed on your face, "I would be very interested to work with you. The contract looks great, I can't wait to create more music with you as my label."

The men across from you all gave you a variety of smiles, nodding at your acceptance to their offer.

"Well, let's sign then!" The CEO of the label, Frank Lowell, cheerily proposed. You let out a soft chuckle, observing as his assistant handed you the contract along with a pen. You slid the paper a bit to the right, where Sandy was sitting, to let her scan the document for any possible mistakes, but the twinkle in her eyes when she looked at you told you enough.

As soon as your signature painted the bottom of the contract, you realized, it was real. Your dream of getting signed by a record deal had just become reality. You fought the tears from rolling down your cheeks.

You turned around and gave your new manager a hug. If it weren't for Sandy, you would've never gotten a contract this flexible for a beginning artist. She was pure fire, and incredibly considerate towards you. The best thing that could've happened to you after the disaster that Reece was.

It marked almost a year since you cut him off, in every sense of the word. You realized that if you ever wanted to evolve, you needed to let go of all that was holding you back. There was no one holding you back more than Reece. Losing him— no, getting rid of him had given you a sense of freedom that felt so nice.

The emotional shackles with which you had tied yourself down to him weren't tokens of safety, they had been a weight on your ankle, and he had pushed you into the sea. You were lucky to have remembered how to swim in time, and you knew you couldn't give yourself the entire credit for it.

"Let's toast!" Frank said, handing you and Sandy both a glass of champagne. You got up from your seat and held the glass up high, along with the rest.

"To Y/N L/N and our promising time together!" He exclaimed, followed by some cheers and the sounds of glasses clinking against one another. You brought the champagne to your mouth and took a sip.

"And to Harry Styles."

You nearly choked on your champagne at the words of the assistant's words. You quickly swallowed the sip, and after a few coughs, you ask, "w— what?"

Frank only laughed, as if suddenly remembering whatever it was that his assistant was referring to. You were staring at him wide eyed, waiting for someone to explain. You hadn't heard that name in a year. Hadn't allowed yourself to think about it.

"Ah right! Bright lad, that Harry." He said.

You flicked your eyes towards the assistant, then to Frank, then to the assistant again. When it seemed like Frank isn't going to offer up any explanation, the assistant stepped in.

"Mr. Lowell was at the studio the other day to see the progress of an album of one of our artists, and Harry Styles was there. They were playing a song and Mr. Lowell and I thought it was our artist's song, but it turned out to be your single. He introduced us to your work, told us he once saw your performance at that opera you used to play in." He told you, Frank nodding intently.

The air seemed to have been sucked out of your lungs. You couldn't believe it. Of course, you had thought it was strange that such a prominent record label had contacted you, but then again your song did go viral, so you thought they maybe found you through social media.

For a second you were afraid that this was just a pity gift from Harry, but from what Frank and his assistant told you, it didn't seem so.

Still, you were wary. And you stayed wary throughout the rest of the time, despite acting your best not to seem it. About fifteen minutes later, Frank announced that he had to attend a different meeting, and the small celebration came to an end.

You shot a weak smile at Sandy, who was rambling about how great this was and how happy she was for you the entire way down with the elevator. You simply nodded along, pretending to listen. Deep inside, you felt guilty for not paying attention, but most of your mind was occupied with that one name.

Harry Styles.

"Y/N!" A voice took you right out of that mental spiral you felt yourself fall into. Your gaze flew to where the sound was coming from, and there you spotted him:your boyfriend.

It took a lot to wield a smile upon the sight of his face, and that made you feel terrible. What kind of horrible person did you have to be to be so affected by the mention of the name of a person you hadn't seen in over a year? Completely awful, you concluded.

"Darren, what are you doing here?!" You asked, letting him take you in his embrace. He lifted you up and spun your around.

Upon putting you down again, he said, "I wanted to celebrate this milestone event with my lovely girlfriend!"

You chuckled, planting a kiss on the lips of your sweet boyfriend.

Darren and you had been dating for five months now, and he was beyond sweet. A golden retriever kind of guy, something you had never really liked before. You had been alone for a while when you'd met him at a karaoke bar, where he'd just done an awful rendition of 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion. He had bought you a drink and you had chatted for a while, and at the end of the night he gave you his number.

At first, you didn't want to text him, because Darren wasn't exactly your type. But after some careful consideration and plenty of encouragement from your friends, you texted him anyway. Sweet guy that he was, he immediately took you to dinner, and you were surprised with how easily everything flowed. He liked you, he showed it, and he put in effort. It didn't take long for him to ask you to be his girlfriend.

After the drama with Reece and whatever it was that could possibly define your relationship with Harry, you figured that this was exactly what you needed. No games, no guessing, no girlfriends. So, you said yes, and you had been together ever since.

It didn't stop your from noticing the differences between you and him, though. He was way more established— stable if you will. There was still a lot of untamed wildness that resided in you, and you weren't sure for how much longer you could keep that locked away.

"I'm thinking, pizza at Joe's and inviting Zach and Chloe along— and Sandy." He whirled his head to your manager. "Sandy, wanna come too?"

She shook her head. "I have a dinner party with some long distance friends tonight, but have a lot of fun!"

"You too!" You said, hurrying over to her and giving her one last tight hug. "Thank you, I couldn't have done this without you.

"Give yourself some credit too, girl." Sandy replied sternly, an eyebrow raised. "And the next time I see you, you have to tell me about the time Harry Styles came to see you at the opera?! I need to know every last detail about that!"

Your stomach churned. "There's not much to tell, really..."

"I don't care, just milk it out." She chuckled. She turned to wave at Darren, and winked at you one last time before walking over to her car and driving away. That feeling of a thousand bricks hanging from your body wasn't getting any lighter, and you were afraid you might throw up.

In spite of that nagging feeling—the one of your body screaming at you to do that one thing that could make it go away—you turned around to your boyfriend and conjured a smile.

"Let's celebrate."

*****

The glasses of wine hadn't proven to be of any help in getting rid of that feeling that plagued you, so you had stopped trying after glass number three. There was no point in getting wasted if it didn't drown out the reason you were getting wasted for.

The entire night passed by you, as if you were watching it from behind a screen, and you felt horrible about the impact that one mention of his name had made on you.

So, you'd decided to do something about it.

The night ended at around one in the morning, with you having to carry Darren to his apartment and into his bed. He had let loose a little too much. You didn't quite mind— it's not like you were going all out anyway. Besides, he'd had a rough week at the firm he worked at, so he deserved a little break from it all. At least that way one of you could relieve some stress.

As Darren lay snoring, you fiddled with your keys in hand at the side of his bed. You weren't able to conclude whether doing or not doing what you were about to do was inducing more anxiety.

Be a grown up, you told yourself.

Taking a deep breath, you got up from the bed and headed to the door, downstairs and into a cab, giving the driver an address you hadn't thought you'd ever visit again.

******

Nini's still looked the same.

The types of people visiting hadn't changed, neither had the bouncer or the sign that hung above those stairs that led down to a sinful piece of your history. And as those bricks dissolved into something more exciting— jittery, you realized, you loved it.

You loved this club, and you loved coming here. The people might have been crazy, but it was fun and it was open and it was... free. You hadn't felt free in a while.

Technically, you were more free than ever. You weren't a bird caged by your manager anymore. No, you had flown right out of Reece's suffocating grip. But that was not what you meant.

It was this inner freedom that you now saw you had been missing this past year. This sexual, spiritual liberty that had somehow faded after you and Harry decided to stop seeing each other, causing you to reform to the standards of society again just when you had began to break loose from them.

You certainly hadn't felt freedom like the one people were experiencing in this club in a long time. You hadn't felt so free as to try drugs in a club, and fuck in places where you might get caught. Such as the balcony...

You looked up, suddenly remembering the place where you lost your virginity, and gulped when you found yourself eye to eye with the man who had taken it from you.

Fuck, shit, fuck!!!

You took your eyes off Harry, and rushed into the club. You couldn't possibly back down now, so you might as well get it over with quick. Rip it off like a band aid.

You took the exact route that Harry took that first time he brought you here. And as if you were living in a memory, there he stood, waiting for you in the doorway to the office upstairs. You looked over your shoulder—you didn't know why, it wasn't like anyone was going to judge here—and walked into the room.

The office looked the exact same as the last time you had been here, but nothing was the same.

"And to what do I owe this visit, sweetheart?"

God, the way the nickname rolled off his tongue. As if his mouth had been warmed up to the movements, as if he had last called you that just the other week and not, in fact, a whole year ago.

"I got a recording contract, at a record label." You told him, finally turning around and meeting his eyes. The slightest flicker of shock flashed through them, clearly indicating his surprise about not only the news, but also your visit.

"That's great, Y/N. Where?" He asked, his voice so genuinely happy. Your response was delayed, due to the fact that he called you by your first name, something he didn't do very often. Harry chuckled very softly at the stuttered reply that fell from your lips, knowing it was the effect his words still had on you. You let him study you for a while, knowing you had changed a bit over the year, before you finally asked that burning question.

"You— you didn't tell them to, did you?"

Harry squinted his eyes at you. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't tell them, to like... hire me or anything, right?" Your cheeks flushed, embarrassment filling your body before the answer had even left Harry's mouth. Your eyes stung but you restrained yourself from letting it go any further.

"You think I forced that record label to give you a contract?" He asked, and the words hit you like knives in your chest. Without daring to utter another word, you simply nodded.

"You have got to be joking."

Your eyes widened as Harry walked towards you, and grabbed your shoulders. He bent down a bit, leveling with you eye to eye.

"You've got to be fucking— sick or something." He scanned your face, frowning and feeling your temperature. "You do look a little bit delusional to me."

You couldn't help the small giggle that fell from your lips as you smacked Harry's hand away. "Stop it!"

Harry's lips formed in a smile, but his hands stayed on your face, both of them cupping your jaw as he rose your head ever so slightly to meet his eyes again.

"I didn't force that record label to sign you on. Your talent did that for you." He assured you. "Give yourself some credit."

You sniffed a laugh, and Harry's head tilted at the sound, not understanding what was so funny about this situation.

"Sandy— my manager said the same thing."

"I like your manager already." The gleam in his eye revealed enough. He was proud of you for leaving Reece, to have finally been done with that. You were happy about it too, and proud of yourself for doing so. But it was impossible not to look back on that and know that if it weren't for Harry it would've taken you longer to see how messed up your former manager was behaving.

The unspoken words that hung between the two of you instilled a layer of thickness to the air that made it difficult to breathe as you took in those green eyes that you occasionally still dreamed about. Harry was quick to try and fade the awkwardness away, something he'd never really rushed to do before. It made you wonder, if this impromptu visit of yours had made him... nervous?

"You've changed." He noted. "You look... more grown up."

"I have a boyfriend." You felt the need to announce, but it didn't shift anything between the two of you. You didn't know why you had expected it would. He went after you when you were in love with another man, why would a boyfriend stop him from holding your face in the palm of his hand?

"Of course you do." He grinned at you. It wasn't a taunting response, rather a pleased one. Like he expected you to, because you deserved to have one, and it was only natural for a girl like you.

"I miss you."

The sentence fled your mouth before you could even think twice. It was second nature to confess this thought. It was that feeling of those bricks, that terrible stomach ache you had been trying to ignore all day. You missed him. You missed this life, the chaos he introduced you to.

"I miss you too." He said with a lightness you hadn't expected but knew the meaning of. It was the kind that didn't lessen the impact of the statement, but made you realize the fixed truth. The one thing that had stayed the same. You couldn't be together.

"I should go." You whispered, despite every nerve in your body wanting to stay in that very office until the end of time. You took his hands off your face and slowly began to head for the door, when Harry's voice made you turn around.

"Y/N."

"Yes." You breathed, watching him struggle to bring that emotion that hid in his eyes to words. When it came out, it was strangled, but laced in sincerity.

"You're always gonna be mine, you know," he sighed. "to take care of."

A smile crept up your face, a sense of finality finally finding its way through your bones. A finality for hiding the way you really wanted to live. Messily, chaotically. You liked this rollercoaster so much, but you gave it up too early thinking it wasn't meant for you. But now you knew, this was your favorite ride. This was how you wanted to live.

"I know, Harry." You nodded your head slowly. "I'll see you around."

This time, you meant those words. You were going to see him around. And what would happen between the two of you was uncertain, but that was okay, as long as it made you feel free.

[fangirlingfromdownunder]

A Sweet Mishap - Chapter 30

Pairing - Jensen Ackles x Reader 

A/N: I just want to start by thanking everyone for all the love on this story so far. Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list. Please read the TW below and only read on if you feel comfortable doing so.

Potential Trigger Warnings: none (in this chapter)

A Sweet Mishap Masterlist | Main Masterlist

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

It’s still dark outside when my alarm starts blaring through the room causing me to wake up with a shock. I quickly reach over to shut it off and then look to my side where Jensen is laying on his stomach fully dressed. He rubs his face and blinks up at me.

“Mornin’ beautiful.”

“Mornin’ sleepyhead. You can go back to sleep if you want, I’ll just take a few to get ready.”

He sits up and stretches out. “Nah, I’ll walk you to work then head back to the hotel for a shower and change. What time do you finish? We can grab a quick lunch before your matinee, then I’ll drive you to the theatre?”

“Jens…I don’t-”

“I can be inconspicuous. I wanna talk to your boss anyway, I got a message from the director of the set you’ve been catering anyway.”

“Good I hope.”

He leans over and kisses my cheek. “Of course, they have a great manager running the program. He’s very impressed and I’m very proud.” He crawls over me, out of the bed and then slips into the bathroom.

I call out, “You’d better be quick in there, I really do need to get ready!” I get up and gather my clothes so I’m ready to go shower as soon as he’s done.

After a few minutes the door opens and he comes back out. He quickly pulls me into his arms and kisses my forehead. “All yours, Darlin’.” All I can think is that I could get used to starting my day like this. As he starts to pull away he says, “I’ll see what I can whip us up for breakfast.”

I look up at him. “You used my mouth wash, that was the rush?” I shake my head. “You’re adorable.”

“I’m sorry, I should have asked.”

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. Thank you for staying.”

“Go get ready before you’re late.” He kisses my head and pulls back before spinning me to face the bathroom. I shower, brush my hair and teeth and get dressed in almost record time not wanting to make him wait or waste any of our time together.

When I come out Jensen has two coffees and two plates with buttered toast on the island bench. He’s typing something on his phone when I sit down beside him. I don’t try to pry, I just sip the coffee. He puts his phone down, takes a bite of his toast and then looks over at me and asks, “So what time am I picking you up?”

“11:30, but only if you want to. I won’t have much time between my shift and the show.”

“I’ll bring lunch then, something quick, easy and light. Then a proper dinner between shows?”

“I won’t say no to that. But don’t go overboard of anything, you’ve already done so much. And I obviously haven’t got much to offer,” I say holding up my half eaten toast.

We both finish eating and then he kisses my cheek. “It’s alright. But uh…Do you know any decent cafes around here where I can get a little extra?”

“Maybe…” I glance at his lips which are close to mine before my phone sounds, alerting me that it’s time to go to my shift. I pull away and stand up. I dump our empty dishes in the sink, grab my bag and then hold my hand out to Jensen as he stands up.

“Are you sure? Us, going out there together, especially holding hands…There’s already rumors. People from the theatre must’ve been recording on their phones.”

“I don’t have time to worry about it right now, I’m gonna be late.”

“Alright, come on.” He takes my hand and we walk down to the Mamma Jo’s together. Before going inside he lets go of my hand. I unlock the door and let us inside. As if playing a part perfectly, he says loudly, “So, is your boss here? I got a message from Bob Singer.”

I hear Stewie’s office door creak open and I quickly turn to face him and control the situation, “Hey Stewie, sorry, I know we’re not meant to-”

Stewie cuts me off, “It’s okay, Kiddo, I got it. Just open as usual.” He then turns to face Jensen and holds out his hand to greet him, “I’m the owner, Stewie, let’s go talk in my office, it’s more private. This place’ll get full of uncaffinated people the second she flips that sign.” Jensen shakes his hand and then follows him into the office. 

I distract myself by arranging the till, filling the displays and prepping the coffee machines. Then I finally flip the sign. After a few minutes Stewie and Jensen come out of the office. Stewie comes over to me just before the customers start to realise we’re open and says, “Hey, Y/N, can you box up some stuff for this nice man to enjoy?” He looks over at Jensen, “Just let her know what you like, it’s on the house as a thank you for well, everything.”

“I’d be happy to pay,” Jensen says while looking at me.

Stewie looks at me and holds his hands up before quietly saying, “If you insist, but just tips for my best waitress and manager, nothing for the food.”

Jensen looks between us and smiles. “Works for me.” Stewie goes back into his office and then Jensen wanders around to the front of the counter and checks out the display. He quickly glances back over at me. “What’s good?”

I go to answer, but then my colleague shows up, so I put on my best professional acting, “How about I get you a selection? Any allergies, Sir?” He swallows heavily, bites his lip and then shakes his head.

I quickly place a few different treats into a box and hand it over to him. He slides his hand into his back pocket and I’m concerned he’s actually going to tip, but then he stops, leans in and lowly says, “Dessert tonight?”

I nod, and as he pulls away –despte knowing I’m playing with fire and that I shouldn’t– I say, “Enjoy your day, Sir,” with a bright smile. He shakes his head as he turns and walks out. Once he’s out of sight I turn my full attention to the slowly growing line and helping me colleague.

As we cross paths she says in a hushed tone, “You know who that was, right?”

I shake my head. “Just a customer. He was talking to Stewie when I came in, he just said to box him up something to go. I didn’t ask. Why? You think he might be one of the actors or producers from the show we’ve been catering?” I say attempting to play dumb.

“That was Dean Friggen’ Winchester!” She whisper-shouts.

“Oh, really?” I say as I walk back to hand a coffee to a customer with a smile while she works on making the next order. The next time we’re close enough to talk I ask, “Dean Winchester…Sounds familiar. Does he kill vampires or something?”

“Monsters! All kinds of monsters with his tall and sexy brother. Sam’s so angsty and brooding and sexy.”

I shake my head as I take the next coffee and go about my shift. She makes multiple comments throughout the shift as we pass each other. After a while I feel a bad about leading her on, but I know I can’t afford to be honest. However I do regret not just keeping my mouth shut. Once a couple more of our juniors arrive I finally do a quick briefing and then hang up my apron and clock out. The second I spot the black Range Rover on the street I smile and the exhaustion and regret slips from my mind. I get into the passenger seat and look over at him. His hair’s slightly damp and he’s changed into a black sweater and off-white Chinos.

“I checked it out, there’s a secluded park behind the theatre. I was thinking lunch there?” Jensen says as he pulls out from the curb.

“How are you real and why are you so set on me?”

He places his hand on my knee. “I’m definitely real, but I’m just treating you like any decent guy should. Your second question though is harder to answer. You’re just different, special…And I enjoy talking to you and spending time with you. You make my days better, you give me something to plan for, look forward to. But I uh…I don’t wanna overwhelm you. I know you’ve been through more than most.” He pulls a park overlooking the quiet park and then reaches over to the backseat. He pulls two sandwiches out of a bag and holds one out to me. “I wasn’t exactly sure what you like, but I hope it’s okay.”

“Thanks. I really can’t afford to be picky, so it’ll be great.” I unwrap the sandwich and take a bite, it’s nothing fancy, but it’s perfect; not too heavy before the show, but filling enough to make up for the meagre breakfast. After I swallow I look over at Jensen and say, “I enjoy spending time with you too. I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to make any jumps or official statements, but I’m working on it and I like where we’re at right now and the pace we’ve been moving at.”

“There’s no rush. I’m happy too.” He takes a big bite of his sandwich and after he swallows he says, “I uh…I didn’t get tickets to today’s shows but I want you to know that you’re gonna do great and that I’ll be waiting for you between them for dinner and then again after the one tonight.”

“That’s okay. It’s one thing to do the same show every night when you’re in it, but it would get boring if you see it too many times.” 

“I’d never get bored of watching you, but Grease…maybe a little. But instead, I’m gonna find us something great for dinner. How against eating out together are you? If it’s a hard no ‘cause of the paps then I’ll figure out something else.”

“Yeah, not yet…But I know a place, it’s not far. If you organise the food, I’ll give you directions.”

“Perfect.”

We both finish eating while sharing small talk. He tells me some fun stories from set and I tell him about my shift after he left.

When I come out after the matinee show, having taken my rightful and comfortable role back in the back, I find Jensen’s hire car at the back of the lot and I get in. He looks me up and down taking in my hair and makeup that’s still done to save time for the next show. “Hey there Beautiful. How was it?”

“Honestly…a little strange being back in the shadows after being the lead. But it was also less stressful. So, uh, dinner?”

“I have no doubt you’ll get the lead one day. Just enjoy soaking up all the experiences along the way. And yeah, I got it covered. Directions?”

“Yeah.” I put my seatbelt on and then navigate Jensen to one of my favorite places in New York. It’s a playground that’s full of hippopotamus statues. I know it can be busy at times, so I’m just hoping mothers with young kids are not his normal demographic, but even more than that I’m hoping it’s not a place that paparazzi would go looking for celebrities.

When we get there he grabs a bag from the backseat and then follows me. I lead us down one of the back paths to a secluded, grassed area under a tree. I sit down on the lush grass and lean against the tree. Jensen passes me the food and then sits across from me.

“If I knew we were having a picnic I would’a grabbed a blanket.”

I look around and then it dawns on me that I’ve taken a rich TV Star to an old park to eat on the dirt. I instantly feel ashamed and embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I should’ve come up with something better. I can’t believe I…when it’s just us sometimes I forget the life you’re likely accustomed to…“

He reaches out and gently squeezes my outstretched leg. “Hey, I don’t mind. It's been a long time since I had a picnic but I enjoy the outdoors and it’s quiet. I’m not complaining. It’s actually nice that you just treat me like a normal guy, I love my job but it doesn’t change who I am. And the fact that you generally don’t treat me any differently is probably what draws me to you so much.”

“I swear one day we’ll go somewhere that’s up to your standards.”

He pats my leg. “Who says this isn’t up to my standards? Who wouldn’t want to eat dinner in a park full of hippos?” He says as he gestures over at the playground full of cement hippo statues. “Now, shall we eat before we run out of time?”

I shake my head and let out a breathy laugh as I open the paper bag. I pull out the cardboard boxes and Jensen describes everything he bought. 

Once we finish eating, Jensen takes the rubbish to the bin and then comes back over and sits beside me. I scoot forward to let him lean against the tree and then he pulls me so my back is leaning against his chest while his legs are stretched out either side of me. His arms wrap around my shoulders holding me close. We both sit quietly together and watch the few children playing on the playground and riding fake hippos. 

After a few minutes he breaks our quiet, “Don’t take this the wrong way, it’s pure curiosity nothing more…but would you ever want kids?”

Without needing to think too much I nod. “With the right guy, at the right time, yeah. When I can afford to give them the life they deserve. You?

“With the right girl, at the right time…my work keeps me so busy, I’d need someone that can understand that, but I also want to be in a position where I wouldn’t have to miss so much.”

I place my hand on his knee and twist slightly so I can look up at him. “Are you sure you’re happy to wait for me?”

He looks down and meets my eyes, “Absolutely. Look…I’d ask you out right now, but I know you’ve been through a lot and you’re just finally getting the help you need. So I’m happy to wait and just be here for you until you’re ready.”

“Thanks. I want to be with you…I just-“

“I know. No rush.”

Knowing our time is almost up by the setting sun, I try to lift the mood back up, “Oh, you know do you?” I say teasingly as I squeeze his knee. 

He tilts his head down so his lips are near my ear. “As a matter of fact, I do. You wanna know why?” I nod and he continues, “Because you’re letting me hold you, you let me kiss you at times, and you continue to open up to me. But we’re doing this all at your pace.”

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Taglist: @stoneyggirl2 @hobby27, @n-o-p-e-never, @deansimpalababy,

@winchesterwild78, @kr804573, @chriszgirl92, @smoothdogsgirl

@speakinvain, @deans-baby-momma, @1967winchesterimpala

@lmg14, @superrey, @kamisobsessed

[turnstileskyline]

RockSound June 3rd, 2024 – Dallon Weekes Interview (Transcript under the cut)

hello all!!!! i am still taking a little tumblr break (gonna upload and dip) but my copy of the rocksound idkhow issue came so i wanted to get these photographed and transcribed because i know i have shaky hands. (if you spot any mistakes let me know and i'll fix them asap!)

Taking Over The World (One Show At A Time)

As they close out their UK headline tour, IDHKOW's Dallon Weekes reflects on the lessons learned from taking 'Gloom Division' out on the road.

Words James Wilson-Taylor

Photos Corinne Cumming

Now that the UK tour has come to an end, how are you reflecting on this latest run of shows? Well the shows were fantastic. All of the crowds were great and it was really exciting to be back there after, you know, COVID and the album delays and everything. It's felt like it was forever since we've been back. But to be able to go back with this new lineup that I have, it was pretty special. Because I feel like the live show has grown a lot. Being able to add more live musicians to it, and rely less upon synth tracks and things like that. To have people up on stage actually doing it live, we're a little more untethered, which, must like that tour itself, was pretty chaotic. But we seem to thrive on chaos. So it worked out. It was really fun.

Did it click together quite quickly with the new band? What were the initial live rehearsals like? It was really fun for me. My heart goes out to the guys who are playing for me because they had this whole catalogue of music to learn before we hit the road, but they are such professionals and so talented too and most of them live here around Utah where I'm from. Anthony, my guitar player, still is in LA. But whenever shows come up, he flies out here so we get some proper full band rehearsals. But to be able to have really professional musicians dig into the songs and learn how to play them and have some input as well is really invaluable to me because I always really enjoy when a live show has tiny deviations from the recorded versions of the album that you might have in your collection. Sometimes bands can go a little too far from that and it can be fun sometimes. But it can also be a bummer, it kind of depends on the song, I guess. But I like having small moments or extended bits, or maybe an idea that you got post recording an album, when you're all jamming it together and someone does something cool. And you go, 'Dammit, I wish that was on the record'. So you just put it in the live show and it makes for a cool experience, I think.

With the added band members, it gives you a little extra freedom to step away from the bass at moments and explore your position as a frontman. It feels good, but it's interesting too, because that was never on my bucket list. I never had that in mind for my life to be a frontman, or a lead singer. I just always wanted to make music and write and record and have that be my job. I've been lucky enough to have achieved that goal. But, you know, circumstances being what they are, I eventually landed into that role without having it as a goal, but it's something that I do enjoy. It's something I did years ago with Brobecks. But between then and now it's been more than a decade. So I think it took me a minute to sort of relearn that role and find myself in that role again, and luckily once it started rolling, it didn't take long for me to find that footing again. But there was that learning curve where I tried to remember how to be in this spot, rather than just filling a spot on the side of that stage just playing bass. So yeah, it's been fun to be able to put it down every once in a while and have a little more freedom to wander around or spill water bottles all over the stage, which is a bad habit of mine.

It also allows for a nice relationship with the audience. I mean, that's something you've always had – it almost feels like a conversation in places. It's a little secret club in a way for all these fans. That was the impetus when it started. Because this was a secret project, no one was supposed to know about it. And I really had no goals in mind for it other than to get some music out of my head and play it for a bunch of strangers that didn't know what other bands I'd ever been in and see if that art that I was making could stand on it's own two feet without waving some giant flag saying, 'Hey, everybody, I was in this band before, come and see what I'm doing.' There was something about that which felt really disingenuous and kind of gross to me. So starting this project in secret with this ridiculous band name that no one could ever find appealing made a lot of sense at the time. But as things snowballed – and what a wonderful problem to have, I'm talking about this like it's some sort of bad thing but it's not, it's a great thing – eventually it became too late to choose a more sensible band name. But, you know, band names are ridiculous anyway, so who cares? I guess the secret is just to not care. But yeah, finding that role again. It took a minute, but it's been a lot of fun. I'm enjoying it a lot.

In terms of the newer songs in the set, did playing them live and seeing the audience reaction change your opinion about them at all? It's a similar feeling for both me and the audience. Because the way that writing and recording music works now is different from how it was 20 years ago. You used to write your song, go out and play it every night, workshop it, tighten the screws on it, and then you go record it and put on a record. Now, with Youtube and streaming services and bootlegs and things, you have to keep a tight lid on this new stuff that you're working on until it's been officially released. So now, you write your song and you record it and then you learn how to play it afterwards. So taking those out into the world for the first time on stage after you've recorded it, I think it's a new experience for the audience and for the performers as well, because you get a handle on this new thing that you've already recorded. Then night by night, kind of like I mentioned before, someone might do something different. The song sort of evolves and changes a little bit from the way that you recorded it. I think there's a lot of fun to be had in that. Sometimes those things can only happen once you are in front of people and playing those songs. It's all a really organic process and I really enjoy that.

I guess the other thing you had to consider was how best to balance this new material, which pushed you into some new places musically, with the older songs that everybody knows. It's become a challenge now because when this thing started, I hadn't recorded or released anything. It was about four or five months of playing dive bars in secret and just denying that this was even a thing while I was recording. Then by the time we did have something out there, I think we put a song on YouTube first with no record label, no radio, nothing. Then that song just kind of took off. Then we were expected to fill an hour whenever we would go on tour and we had only released five songs. So learning that frontman role and stretching bits out and filling in our set with some covers and maybe some old Brobecks songs, that was the challenge. Now, the challenge has become picking a setlist that has bits and pieces of stuff that you love and that the audience would appreciate from the past and from the current record. So it's a different challenge now, but it's one that I'm enjoying. Revisiting stuff that is important to me from the past and things that I really like playing and stuff that the audience either needs to hear, because we're promoting it, or is stuff that I know they have responded to well in the past and that they'd like to hear. So it's a combination of different factors to make a decent setlist, I think, but I try to keep all that stuff in mind.

One particularly special moment at the London show was when Will Joseph Cook joined you onstage to perform your collaboration "Sunnyside'. That was fun. He's a London boy. The algorithm sent me some of his music a couple of years back and it was a song called 'Take Me Dancing', one of his songs from maybe four or five years ago. It was one of those songs that when you hear it as a songwriter, it's so good that it kind of pisses you off, you know? Dammit, that's good. So I reached out to him to see if he wanted to collaborate on some stuff, and it's been a great working relationship ever since. Then we just pass each other ideas back and forth all the time. He hit me up and asked if he could come to the London show and I said, 'Why don't you come out on stage and we'll sing this 'Sunnyside' song that we to wrote together'. He's like, fuck yeah, so we hooked up a spare microphone and ran it on soundcheck and then brought them out on stage for the set. It was a lot of fun to be able to do that. To play it live with the person who helped cowrite that was pretty special.

So you see that collaborative relationship continuing on more songs in the future? We hung out pretty much all day that day backstage and showed each other ideas that we have floating around. After I got home, I send him some more songs. So yeah, we're definitely going to keep that collaborative working relationship going. He's a good young man with a bright future.

You have also been able to bring some more Brobecks songs into your setlist and put a new, IDKHOW twist on them. Are there any more of those older songs you'd like to re-record or perform again? I've got a shortlist of maybe four or five old Brobecks songs that I think never really got a proper chance to be a proper song, you know, whether that was because we didn't have enough money to record it properly or get it mixed or mastered or even release it. Then I eventually released the songs in a vacuum and no one ever really heard it. But there's four or five I think that I would still like to give a proper chance to. It's not super high on the priority list. But it is something that I'm interested in because I am a fan of songs. And you know, probably more so than albums as a whole, I'm a song man. There are a few from the past that I think had some potential. But I would probably have to consider, you know, the passage of time in between when I first wrote them as a young man and, if I did rerecord and release, now there might have to be some lyric adjustments or something because I don't know how well some lyric choices when you're 22 would go over when you're 42. So there might be some rewrites in order. But revisiting some of those I think would be fun because this project and that project, they aren't unrelated to each other. I very well could have easily called this The Brobecks. But whenever I started this, putting a period at the end of that old project seemed like the right move and moving on to something new that didn't have any baggage to carry along with it. It felt like the move. But yeah, that doesn't mean that that stuff isn't still important to me. It's still very meaningful and I really love playing old Brobecks songs and I think that I always will.

Now that you have had some time to reflect since the release of 'GLOOM DIVISION', how are you feeling about that collection of songs now? It's interesting how your perspective changes on things. When I first recorded it, and was getting ready to release it, I was so excited and I thought this was the best work that I've ever done. Then even with the good reviews that it has gotten and the fan response, there was still more mixed reviews, or mixed feelings, about it than I thought there would be. But seeing that happen has given me a sort of step back, trying to be more objective, which is hard to do when you're making art, you know, because it really is for you. That's still number one for me whenever I make art. It is for me, and I want to like the thing that I'm making. That's the most important bit and if anyone else happens to like it, that's just a really great bonus. But I made this record and I loved it and I thought that surely everyone else would too. All of my favourite records and the things that I draw inspiration from are not popular records. These are not things that were at the top of the charts. You know, even on some of my top 10 Records of all time – Elvis Costello's 'This Year's Model' or The Flaming Lips or Ben Folds Five, all of my favourite stuff, these were never people that lived at the top of the charts. So, to me, the response kind of makes sense. As long as you're making something that you like, and you're not trying to play to the gallery, then whatever their response is, so be it.

UK artists in particular seem to have always had a big influence on you. I've been a sucker for everything British since I got into the Beatles, and if it was from the 60s and it was British then I was all about it. Even in the 90s, | was a big Britpop fan. In the post grunge-90s, Britpop in America was not the cool thing to be into, but I was all about it. Blur was my favourite. I loved Pulp and I liked Oasis too. That was my shit back in the 90s while everyone else was listening to Rage Against The Machine, which I can appreciate more now. Back then, I viewed it as the stuff my older brother and his friends were into and they're all bros. So I was being kind of a little hipster about it. But I love Rage now. But yeah, back then in the 90s, again I was into stuff that wasn't living at the top of the charts.

It must have been particularly exciting to finally come over here and play shows for the first time. Yeah it was very cool to be there finally and see where rock and roll...wasn't born but where it had been fine tuned and perfected. We may have done it first but I'm always of the mindset that y'all did it best. There's no pride in regards to, you know, who did what and when. I'm a fan of what y'all do. I love it over there.

One UK show that must stick in the memory was when you played Brixton Academy in 2016 with Panic! At The Disco just after David Bowie had passed away. That must have been quite a surreal but special moment. I remember waking up in my hotel that day to the news and being hit with it harder than I probably thought I would have ever been. I'd always been a big Bowie fan, but sometimes you don't really realize how much you like something until it's gone, which is kind of fucked up. So I woke up to the news that he had died and I cried a little bit, you know, which kind of surprised me. Then I went out walking the streets, because we had a full day before we had to be at the venue for soundcheck, and his music was everywhere. Walking past that mural that's down the street from the venue where people had made this makeshift memorial, there was this awesome sense of community. That was a great reminder about the importance behind art and behind music. All of these people walking the streets, they might not share anything in common, but at least for today, or that day, everyone's sharing this art that this man made. There's something so special about that. Whenever an artist passes along from this world, you hope that your art that you make continues to be enjoyed by people and that way you get to sort of live on and still impact people. So that's the hope. I certainly hope that's the case with me and I'm sure I'm not alone in that. Playing that venue in particular, or really any historical venue where I know for sure that someone I love has played there and has walked down this staircase to the stage just like I'm doing, I always think about that right before we're about to take the stage. There's something intimidating about it and something comforting about it at the same time.

Similarly, when you played Camden Electric Ballroom with IDKHOW, that is another venue with so much history. There is a plaque outside in memory of when Prince performed there. That's another reason why I really love playing in London because there's so many choices. You throw a stone and there's a gig happening somewhere and you have your choice of just about anything under the sun that you can go see. So the fact that there are people on the other side of the world that would choose to come see this project and watch us play the songs that I write here in my basement is nothing short of a miracle to me. This last round of shows that we played over there, particularly that last show in London, to be able to have that venue full of people is so special to me and does not go unappreciated.

[chemicallywrit]

Happy Audio Drama Sunday!! When I was a non-teacher adult I thought to myself, surely as a child I exaggerated the desperate need for summer break. Now that I am a teacher adult, I can admit that I was. Wrong. I need a break, but luckily I have time for this.

Here's what I listened to this week!

@ourstoriedinsight's season finale was this week and wow. Wow. The way this show so effortlessly dances on ideas of trust, truth, and ethics while telling a story of four (five? Sir George count?) ridiculous and reluctant heroes who have only a dead friend in common is staggering. This episode especially, as you can see how they really drew together against (and then with) Sage. I love them, your honor. And I would also let Rain be my lawyer. Everyone listen to Our Storied Insight.

Jeez louise @camlannpod, can you give a girl a break? I am so glad Gwaine’s okay, and I’m fascinated by the mistrust Peredur has for him, even after they tried to track him over hill and dale. And I am SO worried about what's about to happen next. I wonder what Dai's going to do about it. I wonder if he'll do anything (please, Dai, do something).

This week's episode of Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club had me rolling. Look, I knew the title going in ("It's French for A Horny Party") and I still cackled when the line appeared in the episode. Josie, I hope you continue changing for the better. Also it inspired me to make beans and rice for dinner and that was a wild success.

When Karim Kronfli showed up at the beginning of the season of Among the Stars and Bones, I was excited, but holy heck. The performances in this show. Oh, right, and the twist at the end--you know, I really should have expected things to get a million times worse, based on how last season went, but this is a MILLION times worse. How are they gonna get out of this one folks???

@keepitsteadypod KEEP IT STEADY IS BACK KEEP IT STEADY MY BELOVED. Things are REALLY going places between Zach and Gabe now and neither of them know it. I love high schoolers, they're so dumb. Admit you like each other, dummies. Shoutout to our great good school nurse trying to fight for kids, and I thought the reveal about Zach's past was remarkably done. I love this show.

In relistening news, Life with Althaar again (what's up, @geminicollisionworks!). I rarely relisten to shows, but this one is worth my while every time. Listen to Life with Althaar, a silly space sitcom that gets Not So Silly when the story decides to commit to the bit. Althaar, I would die for you.

Inn Between is truckin right along with 5.9 this week, which I found absolutely delicious to watch the actors bring to life. It’ll be outdone only by the episode next week. In zombie news, boy oh boy, this week we're doing some recording for The Dead that I'm very worried about but ready for the challenge of. It involves directing singers in a language I do not speak! Lol pray for me. If I can make it til school ends, maybe I'll have some other news as well! Keep a weather eye out.

Hey, want to help me satiate my sudden summer cravings for fun drinks? Buy me a ko-fi!

See y'all next week!

[musical-theater-mania]

Rating performances of "Stars"

I am deeply particular about Javert's character and deeply unsatisfied with many of the performances of "Stars" that are available on Spotify! So here are my thoughts:

Terrence Mann (Original Broadway Cast Recording) - 9/10. Listen. It's pretty good. I feel like he really gets into it at all the right times! That being said, I cannot STAND the lyric "Falling from grace, falling from grace". The first "grace" should be "god"!

Philip Quast (Live at Albert Hall) - 7/10. I cannot get past the "there" at the beginning. It's the first word and I hated it. You already turned me against yourself. I also feel like he can be a little breathy when he changes notes (both times he sings "You fall in flame" are good examples). Other than that though his tone is great! He gets a great dynamic range.

Roger Allam (Original London Cast Recording) - 3/10. Holy fuck I hated this one. I HATE what the orchestra is doing (especially in the beginning). Like what is that weird staccato pattern??? It is too early of a production of this show to feel like it needs to be doing something cute to stand out. Also I feel like at times he's trying to do cutesy little runs? And again it just doesn't feel like Javert. He's too serious for those frills. Also the ending pissed me off so much. Why are you petering out? You are supposed to be strong and vivacious! Can you not hit those notes???? What's going on with the lyrics????

Russell Crowe (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) - 4/10. Ok. I don't love what the orchestra is doing at the beginning, that part is too iconic. Also, his voice is just so gentle. I do not believe for a second that he is hunting down a fugitive of the law! Where is the fire! Where is the severity! Where is the last note! Seriously why did they remove the last note?????

Michael Ball (2020 Live Recording) - 6/10. Something about his tone feels kinda mellow? Like idk it just isn't as rich and powerful as I'd like this role to be. (It kinda feels like an overly edited Disney recording, which is funny bc it's LIVE.) He also constantly sounds like he's behind the beat. And I'm sure this is an intentional choice, but I don't like it! Again, Javert is SO regimented and severe that I feel like he would be aggressively on beat (which would then make "Javert's Suicide" even MORE powerful when he stops adhering as strictly to the beat)! I liked the growl on "never rest" though, that ate.

Earl Carpenter (2010 London Cast Recording) - 8/10. I don't love what the orchestra is doing in the beginning? Idk it just really throws me off. (Although they do slay the end!) Also sometimes it feels really rushed. They play too fast + loose with tempo for me. Javert is an EXTREMELY regimented man!

Philip Quast (Manchester Cast Recording) - 8/10. I liked this one MUCH better than the other one he did. Still don't love the "there" but it isn't quite as off-putting somehow. He also has way less of the breathiness! (Fun little aside: his vibrato is tighter than most of the other people on this list, which you can really notice in "lord, let me find him")

Bryn Terfel (Renée & Bryn) Under the Stars - 9.5/10. They really let the Welsh National Orchestra go wild on this one and you know what I liked it! It had the same vibe to me as when a singer does an opt up (it was selective spots that showed off their abilities without changing the nature of the piece or taking away from it). The tempo was a little faster than I would have chosen but I feel like it worked for the character/song. Bryn is also an incredible singer! His voice is stunning and so wonderfully expressive. He also has that wonderful bassy quality that is SO important to me in this role.

Jason Manford (A Different Stage) - 7.5/10. He sounds a little young to me? Like he's missing some of the grit/bassy quality that I want in this role but something about the performance feels soothing? Like it's easy to listen to idk. It does lose points because it is missing some of the fire and passion. He lets a little of it out at the end so I know that he has it in the tank when he wants to use it

[black-arcana]

TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN Reveals His Favorite Thing About Each NIGHTWISH Bandmate

In a new interview with Bear Wiseman of Off The Record, NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen was asked to name his favorite thing about each one of his bandmates, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley, singer Floor Jansen, drummer Kai Hahto and bassist Jukka Koskinen. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "They are the only other people in the world that I think about when I'm writing songs, because it's really important that they would be inspired about the stuff as well.

"I've known Emppu for more than 30 years, and he's just an incredible persona in the way that everything's always good with him," Tuomas continued. "He's the easiest-going bandmember there is. He does his job — his guitar playing is as professional as anybody — but other than that, it's always, like, 'Yeah, whatever.' 'Yeah, that sounds good. I'm fine.' He's so carefree, I'm almost envious about that because I worry about stuff constantly. So to get into his mind every now and then would be something else. He's a wonderful character. Same goes with Troy. He's just the most positive guy in the world. An incredible musician. Every time he enters the room, the room is filled with light and happiness and comedy. Yeah, he has definitely realized something thorough about life. Yeah, wonderful."

Tuomas added: "Floor is the best in the world in what she does. Really passionate about music, really understands the core of NIGHTWISH. And for me as a songwriter, that's such a relief because I know that whatever I do, whatever I want her to do, she's able to do. And a good example of this was when we recorded her vocals for this new album [the upcoming 'Yesterwynde']. We hadn't rehearsed once because we didn't have a chance. And we went to her home studio in Sweden. We had reserved two weeks for the recordings, and she was done in six days. Incredible, just incredible in what she does. Then Kai, too, again, the most amiable guy there is. I think he has like 25 guests on every single show we do and he doesn't know half of them. Yeah, everybody's his friend. So easy to be with. Pro musician, of course, obviously. What a drummer. But just fantastic guy. And same goes with Jukka. I mean, I've never, ever seen him angry or even agitated. He's just, like, 'Yeah, things will be okay. Let's talk about this.' And yeah, just a grounding personality. When you feel a bit agitated yourself, Jukka comes to you and you're, like, 'Oh, okay.' And a great bass player, of course. So lucky to be surrounded by these wonderful people. I really am."

NIGHTWISH's new album, "Yesterwynde", will be released on September 20 via Nuclear Blast. It marks the band's tenth studio LP, following on from the release of "Human. :II: Nature." in 2020.

In 2023, NIGHTWISH announced that the band wouldn't stage any tours in support of its then-unannounced tenth album. In a statement, Tuomas and his bandmates explained that "personal" reasons were the reason for the live hiatus and clarified that it had nothing to do with Jansen's then-pregnancy. The singer gave birth to her second daughter in October 2023.

In an interview with Metal Hammer last month, Holopainen said that NIGHTWISH still have no plans to tour after the release of "Yesterwynde".

"The reasons [for the live break] are personal," he said. "We're not going to go into it, but it was something that had to be done for this band to continue. There's no bad blood between the members, nothing like that. We just have to take a long breather."

The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", "Human. :II: Nature." was a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.

In August 2022, NIGHTWISH announced the addition of Koskinen as an official member of the band. Koskinen, who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences, had spent the previous year touring with NIGHTWISH as a session musician.

In November 2022, Jansen revealed that she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)

[raeii-of-sunshine]

Infodump about Will, please?

OMG ANON U HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY U JUST MADE ME. I PROMISE U MY FIRSTBORN FOR THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY

okok so first of all he’s a gemini (05/31/1994) which is crazy cuz i don’t think this man is capable of wearing a mask. he wears everything right on his face even if he’s not yapping about it. not very gemini of him tbh

SECOND also getting basic info out of the way he’s puerto rican and he has a lot of tattoos to pay homage to his heritage!! including the frog (a coqui) and hibiscus (amapola) tattoo on his neck, as well as i BELIEVE the aztec-style mural on his back!!!!

before he got into harder music like lamb of god, white chapel, etc, he listened to pretty tame rock like AC/DC. he actually played the guitar and the saxophone! he was in band in hs!! fun fact, his parents were NOT excited about him going from his “normal person music” to deathcore and other metal genres. one time when he was first learning how to scream (in the shower), his mom knocked on the door to ask if he was okay lmaooo. nowadays they’re all very proud of him tho!!

he has a tattoo of a goblin with his curly pink hair and gauges on one of his legs, eating ramen out of a skull bc he fuckin LOVES ramen. he’s also really big into anime and manga

he appeared several times on the youtube channel “the charismatic voice” to discuss his and other people’s vocal techniques, AS WELL AS letting them put a camera up his nose and down his throat to record him while he did all of his insane vocal techniques!! ANDDDD also did another video with them where they put needles in his neck to get an even more accurate recording of everything!! i couldn’t watch that one bc i can’t do needles ‘:D but it was probably pretty fuckin cool.

he is a really big fan of opera and is friends with one of the people from the charismatic voice named elizabeth, who is a vocal specialist and (used to be(?)) an opera singer. he made a whole video reacting to one of her very old opera performances and said that he really likes opera bc it’s like deathcore in the sense that there are SOOOO many vocal techniques used in every performance, much like the best deathcore vocalists out there !

elizabeth said in the putting-a-camera-down-his-throat video that one of the first things that she noticed about him when they met in the airport was that his hair was super animated and kinda flips around on his head like it’s got a personality of its own!!

example:: (him playing ping pong with elizabeth)

getting back into music, he’s said that he actually doesn’t listen to a ton of deathcore or metal music anymore, he’s more of an indie guy!! if he wasn’t in a deathcore band, he’d apparently be making indie music. and one of the main reasons he doesn’t listen to a lot of metal is so that any ideas for songs that he comes up with won’t be accidentally pulling from other songs so they’re more original. he also doesn’t usually try to force lyrics out of himself, he just kind of writes down things whenever he thinks of them (and it works quite well!!)

his first gig was in an old vaulted church building in new jersey (BECAUSE OF COURSE THIS MAN IF FROM NEW JERSEY) that no longer hosts gigs, and the acoustics were TERRIBLE bc of all the reverb from the vaulted ceilings. his first gig was fucking NERVE WRECKING but nowadays after the first couple of days of tour the pre-show jitters just go away??

ALSO he brings tea and an entire tea set to every venue!! and says shit like and i quote, “where am i gonna set up my tea party today?” he’s VERY serious about his vocal care! he drinks his tea, he has a bunch of fancy serums and other vocal products, and has a handheld nebulizer that he swears up and down by. <333 better self care routine than any of us out here tbh

he’s apparently always late to rehearsal lol. and he’s a cat person!! he’s literally so perfect <3

that is all that i have rn!! thank you so much anon you seriously made my fuckin day!!!!

[adamsvanrhijn]

Ok wicked thoughts for real. Spoilers somewhat

re: performances

Ariana Grande-Butera (as she is credited)'s soprano is very light, and they did lean into the pop sound when opportunities arose. Which you will be used to if you have seen any professional/equity circuit musical with a prominent soprano role in the last 15 years but if you've been listening to the cast recording a lot leading up to this I expect you'll notice it more than I did the first time around. I really enjoyed her performance personally!! (and frankly if you're expecting an og wicked performance you would have been disappointed anyway because They Do Not Make Them Like That anymore—but if you are a megafan who has seen multiple casts I think you will have heard Glindas who are not perceived as stunt casts who are less pleasant to listen to.)

Cynthia Erivo was great. I don't really have notes, I think everyone expected she would be good and she was.

Peter Dinklage did a good job. No notes

Jonathan Bailey.... Fantastic though I wish they let him be a little more legit. I assume he has it in him based on his resume but they went primarily pop rock for Fiyero. The vast majority of stage directors do this unless/even if they get a sparkling talent though; I'm not like mad about it at all. I actually think it's great that my main Thoughts capital t about the movie are the same ones I have about stage productions. (Also he has chemistry with everyone but I do legitimately think stage junkies expecting Fiyero eye candy may be disappointed with the costuming and choreography. This doesn't make it bad just something to be aware of.)

They split Morrible into two characters which was an inspired choice that improved the impact of the plot imo. Michelle Yeoh is not a singer but that role is frequently not a strong vocalist anyway. I didn't mind the speak singing for her like 2 total verses

Jeff Goldblum also not being a singer.... they cut down sentimental man and I am simply not complaining. Also a role that frequently doesn't have a strong vocalist.

Marissa Bode killed it, no notes

Ditto Ethan Slater

Big cameo was a little long but you can't hate it. It's The Big Cameo. Zero issues with the actual performances

Ensemble slapped. Incredibly strong dancing and singing. I haven't looked at the whole ensemble cast but I assume they pulled from the theater circuit. There were little cameos which were IYKYK and cute

Glinda's bestie situation was great, they did such a good job

Speaking of cast recording disappointment. The wizard will see you now 😐

everything else

I am going to be honest I don't remember what was in the book vs what they made up wholesale

Pacing was really good and it was difficult to notice in the moment what could be making it be double the length of the original. Arguably better than the stage show's pacing.

Lack of compromise of vocal quality despite resonant acting and live singing... 👌🏻

I think almost everything they added or changed worked! Exceptions.... Yellow brick road 😐 Cameo a little long as I said. A couple others but nothing that big a deal. I hope we get Glinda blue dress at some point in part 2 😔

I didn't mind how they broke up Defying Gravity but I do wonder if it could have been better if they hadn't? I didn't mind though.

Dancing Through Life was broken up in a way that made it work for the film medium in the way that a direct transfer wouldn't have been successful with imo. Also a phenomenal sequence.

I've seen a couple people say it's overchoreographed.... I thought the dancing was perfect personally.

I really appreciated that they actually treated it as a musical, where it doesn't really matter what is and isn't diegetic music and dancing and you don't need to pay attention to that, because it's a musical.

Use of montage and split screen was good!!

I think on the whole one of my big takeaways is disappointment about other musical movies of late, but also hope that things will be different moving forward... The bar is high now both for on screen performers with traditional stage worthy talent and for production style and value. This movie was obviously very expensive but I am referring more to the actual techniques and like, literal camera angles. It felt like they wanted to expand the reach of the musical and bring it to new audiences, as opposed to needing to Fix it to make it appeal to the mass market. There should be no question moving forward that a musical movie can be cast, filmed, and produced with special care and attention to the fact that it is a musical and be successful.

I think that sums it up but I could be misremembering things out forgetting stuff... I want to go see it again with a better sound system than the theater I was in lol and maybe feeling better than I was yesterday and maybe I will have additional nuance to my takes!

[cwritesforfun]

Eddie Roundtree x Fem!Reader: LOVE

You work closely with Rod and focus on booking bands for festivals. You know Teddy because you've attended rehearsals of different bands and he's always friendly with you.

Your First Name = Y/N Your Last Name = L/N Narrator = Julia Dunne (but Narrator for sake of the story)

**** the timeline is going to seem weird lol but I'm just writing what I want to write lol

Narrator: Could you just introduce yourself and what you do? Y/N: Of course, so my name is Y/N. Back in the '70s, I was attending college while also interning/assisting a festival booking agent. My boss, Mr. Murray, trusted me and was too high to do his job most of the time, so I got to find bands for festivals. It was amazing. I've always loved music and I love discovering new music even now. Narrator: And when did you meet The Six? Y/N: I met them as they were recording Aurora. Teddy invited me as well as their tour manager, Rod, who was someone I knew in the music industry to hear what they would be playing for upcoming concerts. I had heard Honeycomb and like the rest of the world, I was hooked by the new sound that the Six brought to the world. I was very excited, but I had to act professionally at the rehearsal. It was my job.

You arrive at the rehearsal, see Rod parking next to you, and you smile. Perfect timing. You shake hands with him before you both head inside to the rehearsal space. All heads turn our way.

Y/N: My first thought was how hot the whole band was. Eddie: Y/N was so beautiful. She was dressed so professionally and held herself so confidently when she first walked in.

Rod exclaims, "This is Y/N, she's a festival booking agent intern." Billy asks, "So, where's the other festival booking agent? The Mr. Murray." You answer, "Mr. Murray is unavailable today but will be present at the festival. To clarify, I am your primary point of contact regarding festivals and have the necessary authority to make decisions about festival lineups. If you have any doubts about my ability to do so, I can inform Mr. Murray that your band is not interested in playing festivals." Billy replies, "No no. You're great actually. I guess I just thought he would be here." You snap, "Learn to accept that people might let you down." Daisy replies, "Story of my life. My name is Daisy Jones."

Y/N: I was used to everyone thinking that I was too young and that I wouldn't be able to do my job. That's how so many bands were put on the blacklist for festivals. I would just label them as Uninterested. Do I regret snapping at Billy? No. I know the lead singer stereotype and also I wanted to book The Six. Eddie: I was in love with her. As soon as she stood up to Billy, I wanted to bow down at her feet and just praise her. Daisy: I liked Y/N. I liked her confidence in her position. It was refreshing to see young women who were taking over male roles. Billy: Y/N was right to snap. I shouldn't have assumed anything. Rod: I forget Y/N was only 21 when this happened. She seemed so mature in her responses.

The band sets up to play a few songs for you and Rod. You take a seat on the couch with Rod and he offers you a glass of champagne, which you gladly take. The band plays and you love it so much.

Y/N: I loved Daisy Jones and The Six. They were amazing, especially their new album. Each song brought something new and was collectively beautiful. Eddie kept meeting my eyes as he played. It was hot. Billy: After we played for Y/N and Rod, it was nerve-wracking. I didn't know what would happen or when. Rod said he knew we would sell places out. I was surprised how quick Y/N flipped through her binder and found a slot for us at 3 festivals. I shouldn't have doubted her abilities. She showed us how she picked them, why they aligned with our music, and how they would promote our music more. She clearly had a passion for festivals and music. Eddie: Y/N gave us all business cards with her number. Did I want to use it for personal reasons? Yes. Did I? Not yet. Daisy: I was the first one from the band to call Y/N on her personal phone. She seemed surprised to hear from me. See, Camila invited me to a house party with the rest of the band and I didn't want to show up alone. I knew the band liked Y/N and she was intimidating, so I invited her to go with me. She said yes. Y/N: Hahaha, yeah it was so weird. Usually, my first call from the band is someone claiming there is something wrong with their hotel room and that mine would be better. That one never works. They just want sex. I also get asked to become a groupie because bands love my energy at shows. So Daisy's call inviting me to a party was actually kind of nice. I shouldn't mix work with fun, but who cares? I was 21 and needed some fun in my life. I also didn't own a car, so sharing a taxi was fun. Daisy and I drank a whole bottle of wine.

Daisy drops the extra bottle of wine and we both just laugh then she seems annoyed. You exclaim, "Look, you still have the pineapple and I still have cookies. They don't need wine." She replies, "Yeah, but I feel like Billy will hold this against me." You reply, "Direct him to me then." She smiles.

We walk in and Camila is happy. She excitedly talks to us and gets us drinks. She seems sweet. Billy walks over and you can feel the tense energy in the room. He apologizes to you for what he said when you first met. You thank him and ask where the rest of the band is only to find out they are all outside.

You make your way outside, see more drinks, grab one, and then the rest of the band sees you. Warren pulls you into a hug, which you weren't expecting. Then Graham and Karen give you hugs. Then Eddie gives you one and you feel your heartbeat skip a beat. Great.

Graham asks, "So, how was the ride with Daisy?" You answer, "We drank a whole bottle of wine. It was good." Warren laughs and asks, "Have you heard any bands better than us for festivals?" You answer, "No, you all are my favorite. But, you can't tell anyone. It will ruin my job. I'm serious. If I find out one of you ruined this job for me, you're done." Karen says, "I think you need more alcohol." You nod and answer, "I do." Eddie: Y/N was intimidating. She was a smart and beautiful woman who didn't put up with anyone's shit. I was scared to talk to her. But, Warren convinced me to approach her and talk to her at that party. I was nervous as hell, but that conversation was good. We talked for a while and we got to know each other. Y/N: Eddie was so nervous and it was so cute. I was nervous too. I didn't want to slip up and ruin my job. I also was nervous about having a crush on a member of a band. I worked with several and I was worried he just wanted to use me for sex. Graham: I've never seen Eddie like that. He was with one girl for the whole party. He even called her a taxi to go home because she didn't want to spend the night. He was head over heels for her. Y/N: Eddie and I hung out just us two a few times before they went on tour. It was hard to get together because I was usually out of town or visiting bands and he was always rehearsing. I also went to another party at the band's house and I spent the night that time. I stayed in Eddie's bed next to him and that night was the start of our relationship. We both couldn't sleep and we both confessed that we liked each other. It was cute. Eddie: I still can't believe she liked me at the time. We went on a few dates, but then the tour was about to start. She was worried about my lifestyle during the tour and she told me that festival season kept her busy and that she was worried we wouldn't make time for each other. She also told me that it was okay if I slept with other girls because we weren't really in a relationship yet. I was falling in love with her at the time, but I hadn't fully come to terms with that yet. I told her she was the only one for me, but she didn't seem to trust me and I wouldn't have trusted me then either. I was still high or drunk all the time with no thoughts about the future. I wasn't the most trustworthy guy, but I wanted to be for Y/N. Trust is built and I know that. So, I agreed to a temporary break-up at least until the end of the tour if we still wanted to date at that point.

FESTIVAL STOP #1 ... 2 weeks into TOUR

Eddie: I was so excited to see Y/N again. I missed her and I realized I loved her when we were apart. I fell in love fast and that was scary to me because I knew that what I felt was real and what if she did not feel the same way. It was scary. When we pulled up to the festival in the middle of this desert, it was Mr. Murray waiting for us and I was so worried for Y/N. I didn't understand where she was and why she didn't greet us. I was worried she was fired or mad at me. Karen: I've never seen Eddie so worried or Billy so confused. You could tell that Mr. Murray didn't know the festival that well and Billy was annoyed about it. Eddie asked about Y/N at least 3 times. Mr. Murray just told us that she was our guide and we would see her later. I think Eddie had a lot on his mind and needed to see Y/N to be able to relax before the show. Y/N: Mr. Murray was hopeless. He was meeting the bands at the gate, but he wasn't giving them proper instructions. He would give them instructions on how to find the trailers and tell them when they were set to perform and that was it. I would have to find the bands long before their set and give them a proper rundown to make sure everything ran smoothly. I was running back and forth across the festival to make sure things went smoothly logistically. It was a nightmare of a day for the most part... Eddie was the light in my rather dark day.

You find Daisy Jones and The Six sitting outside the band trailers smoking. They all look so happy to see you and Rod says, "We had a great chat with your boss. I think Billy really enjoyed him." You glance at Billy who rolls his eyes. You laugh and exclaim, "That's why I'm here. I know you need a rundown and I'm here to make sure you know what to do for tonight. Is everyone ready?" They all nod and you talk them through the whole rest of the day/night. They ask questions and you're quick to clarify it all. By the end, they seem to understand everything and seem better off. You exclaim, "Great chat, okay, I'm going to find the 3 pm band. Their set is in 45 minutes and they have no crew nearby ready for setup. I will be back for you 40 minutes before your set unless Rod takes you to the stage." Rod says, "I don't mind. You seem busy. I know where to go and how to avoid crazy fans." You nod and you start to leave when you feel a hand on your wrist. You turn to see Eddie looking down at you with worried eyes asking you, "Can we talk?" You answer, "Sure," before you can stop yourself.

You lead Eddie to a quieter spot in the band area and he asks, "So... um... how have you been?" You sigh and ask, "Is this just to catch up? Listen, Eddie, today has been really stressful and my boss is making everything worse. If this isn't pressing, I need to go and fix this festival. If we need to talk, I will be off tonight and with you for a week. I can't wait to be off work and traveling with you for a week." He looks down at his hands and asks, "Was there anyone else while I was gone?" You take his hands in yours and answer, "No, there wasn't." He smiles and says, "Good. You're kind of it for me and I wanted to make sure we were on the same page." You press a light kiss on his cheek and say, "You're the only one for me too. I need to go, Eddie. You're going to play great tonight and I can't wait to see you perform live. I also cannot wait to travel with you. I do need to go." He kisses me on the cheek and says, "Thank you, and good luck. You got this, Y/N. I'll see you later."

Daisy Jones & The Six hit the stage. They're stunning. You swear, they just keep getting better and better. The audience goes crazy for them and you see so many silly fan signs about Billy. You even notice Mr. Murray enjoying the performance. You gave the band the sunset slot and

After their set, you're still double-checking everything for the headliner, but you notice the band lingering backstage. You run over to them, and ask, "Hey, if you guys want to watch our headliner, you can go upstairs to the second-floor view or you can watch over here. Whichever you prefer really." Daisy asks, "When are you free??" You answer, "Oh, I still need to make sure the headliner gets here and set-up for that is good. I can relax during their set, but then I have to make sure they get out of here just fine. I can't leave until it's all done. I have the name of the hotel you're staying at from Eddie and I can meet you all there after. I don't to keep you waiting." Rod says, "Dear Y/N, you will make one hell of a festival booking agent one day. I'm going to speak to your boss' boss about you." You say, "Thank you, sir. That's really kind of you." Mr. Murray storms over and says, "Y/N, we have an issue. Follow me." You wave bye to the band and follow your boss.

Y/N: They all stayed for the headliner. I left with them because Rod told my boss that they needed me that night. Mr. Murray didn't even fight him on it. I was happy about that. Narrator: What happened to Mr. Murray? Y/N: He was fired a few days after the festival. Most of the bands complained about him to their tour managers and their tour managers spoke to HR and HR spoke to his boss. I was called about the news while I was with Daisy Jones and The Six. I was also offered a pay increase until graduation and a full-time position after graduation. I would be able to view and sign the contract upon my return to work. Narrator: How was your week off? Y/N: It was one of the best weeks of my life.

You arrive at the hotel, happy to have a week off from work. You sit with the band in Daisy's bus eating burgers. You're still not sure how Rod knew your order. You were sitting on Eddie's lap on the couch next to Warren. Eddie has his arm wrapped tightly around your waist as if you were going to leave at any time.

Warren exclaims, "Y/N, Eddie asked your boss several times where you were earlier. Your boss didn't seem to want to answer that. I think he hated us. Because then Billy was sassing him and was annoyed too. Does your boss hate you or something?" You answer, "He didn't answer because he really had no idea where I was. I was running from stage to stage and to the trailers the whole day fixing his mess. It's his fault for not doing his job in the first place." Warren says, "You really helped Eddie relax before the show, Y/N. Did you guys have really hot sex or something?" You cough up some of the drink you were sipping on and Eddie says, "Dude, not cool." Warren shrugs and laughs then starts talking animatedly to a groupie. Eddie leans to your ear and whispers, "Let me know when you want to go. We have a hotel room for just us." I turn to face him and say, "That was very forward of you." His face blushes bright red and he says, "I wasn't saying that, but I mean I wouldn't mind that." You laugh and you lean in to kiss him on the lips, which he does.

You spend another hour or two with the band drinking and finally, you tell Eddie that you're tired. You take a shower together then get into bed. You lay your head on his chest and exclaim, "Just so you know, I'm really happy to be here right now." He asks, "Do you mean on tour, on break from work, or with me?" You answer, "All three, but mainly with you. I missed you a lot. I'm sorry I told you that we should part ways until the time was right. I was overthinking and overreacting to something that hadn't even happened." He kisses your forehead and says, "I missed you a lot too. I wrote a song about you. I also ... I think you should know that I'm falling in love with you and I can't stop myself." You look at him and kiss him on the lips. You say, "I'm falling in love with you too, Eddie. I want to hear that song one day when you're happy with it." He smiles and says, "You will, baby."

Eddie: We spent that night together and we were so blissfully happy. That was an amazing night. She loved me back. All was right in the world. Y/N: We were rudely awoken by Warren who came running into the room to tell us about the night he had. Eddie kept pulling me closer and closer the whole time as Warren spoke. Warren told us that our PDA was too much before he left. Eddie: I was happy. There was never enough PDA with the one you love. Warren: Haha yeah those two were attached at the hip the whole week starting that very first night and they were always kissing or touching in some way. I wanted that so badly. I wanted a girlfriend. My time would come just not yet. Y/N: The rest of that week was amazing. We had a great week together. When I had to return to work, Eddie and I both cried. The band drove me to the airport and I saw tears in all of their eyes. I loved to see that they loved me as much as I loved them. I truly loved that band, mainly Eddie. I got back to work and was promoted. It was great. I saw Eddie and the band at two more festivals. I didn't know that the last festival was going to be the last time I saw them all together as a band. I wish I had treasured that performance and that experience more. When Eddie left the band, he just showed up at my door. Eddie: I left and I knew where I had to go. I had to go to the one place where I felt at home and at peace. I went to see Y/N. She made me feel loved and appreciated. I love her. Narrator: I notice a wedding ring. Y/N: Eddie and I got engaged a year after the band broke up. Then, we got married a year after that. Warren was Eddie's best man and he was so happy for us. We were happy to have him there. Daisy and Karen showed up too. They were both so happy for us. Billy sent a present and a sweet note. Graham was also busy that weekend. Graham visited us with his wife once. Eddie was so happy at our wedding, and so was I. It was the best night of my life. Eddie: That wedding was the happiest night of my life. I married the love of my life. It was pure bliss. Warren: Eddie and Y/N's wedding was great. There was lots of booze, lots of dancing, and delicious food. Lisa and I had a great time there. Karen kept running on stage to play songs on the keyboard with the band, they loved it. Daisy was happy for Y/N and it was good to see her happy again. Daisy: I love Y/N. I wouldn't have missed her wedding for the world. Eddie is cool. I'm glad he and Y/N are together. Karen: I don't remember most of their wedding after 10 pm. I drank a lot and had a massive hangover the next day. I had fun. I was happy that Eddie found his soulmate. Y/N: Karen said I was Eddie's soulmate and it certainly feels like we were meant to be together. Narrator: And did you get the festival booking agent job? Y/N: Haha yeah I did. I run the place now. I still book festivals, but there is more flexibility with this job. I get to do what I love, which is something I am so proud to say. Eddie is a producer and he sends some of his clients to me for festivals. We love it when we see each other at work. We call each other work wife and work husband. Eddie: I love my job and I love seeing Y/N at work. My work and home wife forever and ever.

[pjsk-headcanons]

back from the void, got obsessed with the grind a bit too much (up to interpretation on which game) but heyyyy what did i misss

imaginarium phantom - theater SEKAI

-formed by nene, later joined by ichika, airi, and kohane

-starts with miku and luka

- consists of a large "circus tent" (???) and a small beach area outside (they dont go there until post 2nd anni

- there is a day/night cycle, but they only saw sunlight/moonlight/sunrise light through the cracks in the tent. there was onw time where they had to push a recording date later because some of the equipment got soaked

miku: lead actor. commanding and cheerful. like nene, she had stage fright and it comes back in parts when there are REALLY dramatic bits. she didn't want to be lead actress, but pre-first SEKAI visit the VIRTUAL SINGERS helped her she got over the fear. normal hair style and length, but the colour is REALLY BRIGHT (like neon. like burns your eyes a little bit)

rin: actress. really mischevious. she likes pretending to be the villain in all of the practice shows and also pranks her brother all the time. joins the SEKAI pre ~2nd anni. part of ichikas feelings.

len: set co-director. short temper and quick (the type of person who thinks work is a race). acts sometimes? gets pranked by rin a lot but lets it slide most of the time. part of airi's feelings. joins the SEKAI pre ~1st anni.

luka: director. soft spoken with an insane commanding presence (everyone gets spooked by her). was the one who formed the troupe, enjoys writing scripts n such. personality improves throughout the timeline (like niigo miku kinda??)

MEIKO: actress. hear me out. wine aunt theater MEIKO. it'll work out i promise. she's really caring but really gullible. likes acting dramatically. part of kohane's feelings. joins the SEKAI pre ~1st anni.

KAITO: actor. probably the most mature? not in a fatherly way but more like a concerned big brother than fusses over little papercuts (looks at tsukasa). really good at improvising. tends to the equipment the most. part of nene's feelings. joins the SEKAI post ~1st anni.

asking mod and anyone else if they have any questions about the au, because maybe that will get me more motivated to write faster. and YES i am planning on posting the designs. eventually...

as always, have a great day mod and anyone else who reads this :D

🌐 anon

.

[herrlindemann]

Bravo 05.06.1997, interview with Till

The halls burn at their concerts. With their spectacular fire show and their super hit 'Engel' (this week number 3 in the German single charts), Rammstein from Berlin rose to become the new stars of the German rock scene. Frontman Till Lindemann plays the wild man on stage: The muscular, broad-shouldered singer fires flamethrowers, lets showers of sparks spray and dances across the stage as a living torch - without batting an eyelid. In the BRAVO interview, on the other hand, the shrill 'fire devil' shows a completely different side. Till, who has recently dyed his hair silver, speaks softly, in a deep but gentle voice. He seems very thoughtful, almost shy — and he rarely smiles...

Rammstein landed their biggest hit with 'Engel'. How did you get the idea to sing about angels?

The text goes back to a fairy tale I heard as a child. A boy asks his dad about his deceased mother: "Where is my mommy now? » The dad replies: «She is now an angel in heaven. Look up at that star. There's your mommy now! » This story fascinated me. I could sense how lonely and vulnerable the boy must have felt without his mother.

Do you believe in angels yourself?

Anyway, I've never seen one. Richard always says my lyrics are childish and wise at the same time. I really am like a big kid — naughty but innocent. People always think I'm strong and badass. That's not true. I am sensitive and easily hurt — and romantic and passionate in love.

How did you grow up?

We lived in Schwerin in what was then East Germany. My parents are artists. They left me alone, I could do whatever I wanted. I was mainly interested in sports. I was good at swimming, so when I was ten I went to a sports school where I trained for an international career. At first everything went great. When I was 16, I went to Rome with the East German team for the European Championships.

Was that your first trip abroad?

Yes, anyone who went abroad in GDR times was king! We didn't have the freedom to travel back then. I was totally fascinated by Italy. After the competition I abseiled with a girl I met in Rome. I had no intention of running. The next morning I reported back to the team. Unfortunately too late. I got into big trouble and was interrogated by the Stasi. What I did was a crime for them. It was then that I noticed for the first time in what a slave system we lived in. After this trip, I was fed up with the system. I got out and became punk.

How long has Rammstein existed?

Richard, our rhythm guitarist, founded the group in 1993. At Rammstein all band members are equally important. The group can only function with this cast. If one of us gets out, it's over. The guys played in various Berlin groups like Feeling B and The Instabokatables until 1993. I got by in Schwerin as a basket weaver. From time to time I played drums in some punk bands for fun. Richard is an old friend of mine. My voice has always fascinated him. I used to sing out loud at work and he would listen for hours. One day he brought cassettes with new, super hard songs and told me to sing along. At first I didn't feel like it because I didn't want to go to Berlin.

But then you went to Berlin after all...

Yes, Richard talked to me for three days. Finally he convinced me. We then recorded the first demos in the apartment he and Schneider shared at the time. I always had to sing under a blanket because my voice woke the neighbors from their sleep. The three of us formed the core team. Paul, Flake and Olli came later when we won our first studio session at the Berlin Senate Rock Competition in the summer of 1993.

Where does the band name Rammstein come from?

At first we didn't expect to be commercially successful. For over a year we went without a name because we only played at friends' parties. When we signed the record deal, we had to come up with a name quickly. Someone said: "Rammstein. » We liked this name — «Ramm» and «Stein» express movement, strength and hardness. We knew nothing at all about the plane crash that happened in the 1980s at the military training area in Ramstein/Rhineland-Palatinate. We all come from the east and didn't notice anything about the catastrophe.

At the beginning of your career there were rumors that you were right-wing extremists...

Absolute nonsense! We have nothing to do with fascists. When Rammstein started, we seemed like a foreign body in the German music scene because we didn't conform to any cliché. We're just not easy-going heave metallers with long hair and short pants. People didn't know which box to put us in. The box on the right was obvious because we acted very tough and monumental, with long leather coats, shimmering metal, bare shiny skin and all that fire. We wanted to provoke people and do something totally crazy.

« Mein schwarzes Blut und dein weißes Fleisch, ich werd’ immer geiler von deinem Gekreisch. Der Angstschweiß da auf deiner Stirn, hagelt in mein krankes Hirn… » you sing on the number 'Weißes Fleisch'. Are such harsh texts also created out of sheer desire to provoke?

My texts arise from feelings and dreams, more from pain than from pleasure. I often have bad nightmares, waking up at night drenched in sweat from fear because I saw some bad bloody scene in my dream. My lyrics are an outlet for the emotional lava boiling over in my soul.

What scares you?

We all try hard to hide behind a well-mannered facade that we are ruled and guided by drives and feelings: by hunger, thirst, fear, hatred, greed for power and sex. Of course there is also a very strong positive force in us - love. Without them, humanity would have exterminated itself long ago. Drives and negative feelings are particularly dangerous when they are suppressed and hidden from consciousness. In my texts they are allowed to come into the open.

Are you a pyromaniac?

Fire fascinates me. I once brought two New Year's Eve fire breathers to a gig and lit them between songs. The fans cheered and I burned my hands. But I thought it was great that I didn't have to stand around stupidly between the songs, but had something to do. I made myself a gauntlet that could spit fire, then a fire arm. At one point, the fire department showed up behind the stage. On this occasion I learned that you need a ticket to play with pyro effects. So I took the firework exam.

How do you actually live privately? Do you have a girlfriend?

No, not at this time. None of the six of us have an intact relationship. We're just too much on the go. But I don't live alone. I am single father. My daughter's name is Nele and she's twelve years old: she's my everything - for me even more important than Rammstein!

[bimboficationblues]

Ska 🎶

I'm not super familiar with Jamaican/"first wave" ska, which is now something I should and will correct.

I am a medium fan of ska punk musically (that is, the 2 Tone and Third Wave periods) - I think that some white bands in the genre just have a vibe, call it the "Goldfinger Energy," that can be very offputting in a way that can be difficult to describe. I think that's just kind of the result of being from California the sorts of nostalgic or appropriative* emphases that ska placed in its styles and fashion, as it became much more "commercial"/amenable to pop crossover and decreasingly Caribbeanized. but I have always had a fun time at ska shows, the vibe is positive and the audiences are always passionate and enjoyable to people-watch in like a big city, you can see a bunch of different subcultures collide really noticeably which I think is interesting

*said mostly, but not entirely, neutrally

The Specials' debut record kicks ass and was also produced by Elvis Costello, who I love as a producer. The Selecter and the English Beat are also really great. I love Streetlight Manifesto to death, particularly their first and third records - when my dad wouldn't let me go see them (for logistical reasons rather than finger-waggy ones) and then they broke up I was so annoyed. Catbite is one of my favorite contemporary bands that I am really excited to see more from, and their lead vocalist is so fun. Fishbone are consistently underrated, though their ska influences kind of came and went. I am more into Jeff Rosenstock's recent power-pop/pop-punk/singer-songwriter stuff but I like when he digs back into his ska experience, and when he remade his whole album in the style it was proof he still had it. I like Operation Ivy and Rancid musically but I hate the bands as people because Tim Armstrong is a bad person and the rest of the band enabled him. I am not the biggest Sublime fan BUT 40 oz to Freedom is so sick to me despite some of its tacky or ill-conceived moments. Like I love how sloppy and raw and messy some of the performances and the sequencing are, and the songs still really stick in your brain. shoutout to Skatune Network/JER they're extremely cool.

[henshin-4]

Late 2019 I tore my soul in half and gave each half to a man I had never even met. Those men were Sakurai Atsushi and Fujisaki Issay. For four years they have owned those pieces of me, and in return they have blessed me with beautiful music and performances. Their work quickly took over my life, and now almost everything I do is related to them. They had given me a reason to live, something to always look forward to, something to love. Never before had I loved somebody nor their work so deeply, and I don't think I will ever love like this again.

I would have never expected them to die at such young ages. Issay, 61. Atsushi, 57. Neither would I have ever guessed they would die the same year, let alone so closely after each other. August 5th and October 19th. My soul is still divided, they each took their half of my soul to their grave with them, just like I am left with their works, now no longer in their hands.

I would do everything to return them to our world, even if they would then decide to retire. It is not only their work that was of importance to me, it was their lifes, knowing that they were doing well, happy, and having fun. I know death is inevitable and that it would have come for them eventually no matter what, but the time is not right. In ten or twenty years, maybe... Maybe then I could have accepted it, but not now, not while they were still so young, despite officially having been old.

Issay and Atsushi, both such inspirations. Issay, an openly gay man who felt like he did not necessarily have a gender. And Atsushi, a man who was not afraid to show his feminine side and affection to other men. The both of them were not afraid to show their emotions and speak their minds. They were truly people to respect and look up to. In a strange way, they were like parental figures to me, despite me also looking at them very... "respectfully".

Two men both beautiful in every way imaginable. Beautiful voices, beautiful faces, beautiful personalities/souls and for as far as I have been able to see, even beautiful bodies. Atsushi also had the best thighs I had ever seen on a man. Age had never taken that beauty from them, and they were both so kind and caring. Despite having been 57 and 61 years old they were both unbelievably stunning, not only on the outside, but on the inside too. In fact, I believe that their inner beauty shined through, and with every passing day it turned them more and more beautiful.

They have left us with so much to remember them by. Both BUCK-TICK as well as Der Zibet have such great discographies. BUCK-TICK, 23 albums, 46 singles, over 60 recorded tours and over 80 music videos. How many bands can achieve this? And if only Atsushi had lived longer, I am sure they would have done so much more. Der Zibet, 19 albums. Maybe they did not have as many singles, music videos and recorded tours, but their discography of music was surely not small. Besides that, Issay had so many projects on the side. PhI, Hamlet Machine, his solo album, ISSAY meets DOLLY, KA.F.KA.

And it was not only music that had become Issay's career, his life, it was pantomime too. His love for pantomime was undeniable as he often used it for performances with his band as well. I will always remember those little mime acts he would put up as they played the song Der Rhein. He also often talked about his love for pantomime. We may have only been able to see one performance of it, yet even through just one show you could see his passion. His mime career had started even earlier than his music career, and he actively worked on both until the day he died.

Sakurai Atsushi too had more than just BUCK-TICK. He had a solo album, SCHWEIN and The Mortal, growing his discography even further. Besides that, his special skill, that not many singers possess, was his ability to sing most of his songs even better live. And not only was he an incredible live vocalist, he too possessed a mesmerizing stage performance, gifting us either very magical, elegant and gothic performances, or something that could only be described as purely sexual. His moans will never leave my mind, and this is not a complaint. I only have to think about it and I can already see him ride a stage in thigh high stockings as he moans to either Sapphire, Mudai, or any of his other songs.

Something else I will never forget, for both Atsushi and Issay, is their smiles, their laughs and even how beautiful their voices were if they simply talked. They were both so cute with everything they did, truly adorable. Atsushi with his cats, they were his biggest love, his babies. Issay too was so cute with pets. Besides that they were both also funny, always able to make me laugh. They were just everything that was good.

Sakurai Atsushi and Fujisaki Issay, two very unique personalities that will not easily be found again, especially not in combination with their beauty, voices and skills. With their deaths, I have lost most of myself, and I feel empty. I hope the work they have left us with will be enough for me to fill this void that has grown inside of me, despite the fact that I want more, especially from BUCK-TICK as no other band will ever reach such perfection. It may be selfish and unrealistic, but I wanted them both to live and create forever.

That could have never been reality, but I would still have appreciated it if death could have waited 20 more years before it took the two most important people to me. It still feels unreal, how could they both die so soon? One of them was already difficult, yet both? It is as if I am a side character in somebody's horror fiction that Atsushi and Issay were the main characters of. It is worse than a nightmare, as a nightmare I could have woken up from.

BUCK-TICK's last album was Izora, an album with a cover art that symbolizes infinity. Their last music video was Mugen Loop, a video that truly was a loop, something that just went on forever. Despite the fact that BUCK-TICK will now most likely end, their music will exist for eternity, Atsushi’s voice will never disappear. The same counts for Issay.

I wish I could just tell them one thing, cause I want them to know how much they have meant to me. I know they can't hear me, but I'll still say the words and hope the wind carries them to wherever they are. All I would tell them is "thank you for everything you have done, for everything you have created." And I would tell them that the world misses them, and that I personally promise to always love them, even if I were to grow out of their music... which I am pretty sure will never happen. They will forever be my favorites, and their work will for always be part of my everyday life.

Sakurai Atsushi and Fujisaki Issay, thank you. I hope you both rest peacefully and without regrets. You have been perfect. I hope you two will take care of each other, wherever you are.