#20 feet from stardom

[vsthepomegranate]

Phew! (1973)

Claudia Lennear

[mr-divabetic]

" Some people will do anything to be famous. And then there are other people who just - will sing," Lisa Fischer said in the Academy Award-winning documentary, "20 Feet from Stardom." "It's not about anything except being in this special space with people and that is really the higher - calling, to me." My friend, the legendary backup singer Lisa Fischer, has supported the world’s biggest stars, including Luther Vandross, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Tina Turner, and Sting. Lisa captured my heart on my first Luther tour, "Never Let Me Go," in 1993. She was so friendly, funny, and approachable. During that tour, she enthralled audiences with the performance of her signature song, "How Can I Ease The Pain."   Over the years, I have seen her mold, caress, undress, and shape this song on many stages. The melody and lyrics are so beautiful that Lisa finds something new to bring to the song for each listen.  

After the "Never Let Me Go" tour,  she left to tour with the Rolling Stones, but our paths continued to cross in the most unexpected places. 

I met Lisa Fischer while working in the American Conservatory Theater's costume rentals department in San Francisco, CA. She came into our shop looking for a Halloween costume.

The next time we saw each other was in Europe. I took a brief hiatus from working with Luther Vandross to tour with Lionel Richie, who was opening for Tina Turner. Navigating the backstage area on the rolling hills of some outdoor venue, I spotted Lisa taking a break after a sound check. 

After Luther Vandross's stroke related to mismanagement of type 2 diabetes, Lisa would visit his rehabilitation center to sing with Luther as part of his occupational therapy. At my urging, she also agreed with Nat Adderley Jr. to perform a Christmas concert for the residents of Whispering Knoll. She dressed to the nines, and Nat accompanied her on a piano, singing traditional Christmas tunes in the main lobby. I remember several residents telling me that it was the best talent that had ever performed there! 

Of course, I, like everyone else, was thrilled that the enormous popularity of "20 Feet From Stardom" sparked Lisa's solo tour. Her live performances are electric. Last year, she performed the most incredible sonic rendition of 'Never Too Much" during her show. She's so captivating on stage that she easily erases my corny 6th-grade chorus memories of a song like "This Land Is Your Land" and turns it into a haunting, spiritual experience. 

She generously shared her talents with me recently on a holiday song collaboration. Our Zoom and phone sessions are a masterclass in songwriting. As a lyricist, I am grateful to her for opening my eyes to how a true artist interprets lyrics. It's been an incredible experience. 

“This would be scary if I felt like the real focus were on me per se, but in my head, in order to deal with it, it’s the music that’s really being presented; it is about the music flying. Not so much me,” she says.

[coastalqueries]

I think exactly zero people who follow me here will care but I am the kind of person who recognizes Steely Dan backup singers well enough to go "hey, isn't this Michael McDonald?", check the song credits, and learn in this manner that he became the Doobie Brothers frontman in their second wave of success

[sipthegossip-if]

SIP THE GOSSIP! is rated 18+ for explicit language, skippable sexual themes, drugs, alcohol consumption, extra marital affairs and more. Best to be avoided if romance and drama are not your cup of tea.

✭ DEMO (TBA) ✭ FORUM (TBA)

You had everything in the palm your hand since birth. Success kissed your feet, the billboards sang of your symphony and the public chanted your name.

Until they didn't.

After years of a blockbuster after a blockbuster— ignoring the fact they were all your uncle's productions— you found yourself tangled up in serious allegations that left your reputation in shambles.

You lost thousands of followers across all your social media accounts and all your endorsement deals.

But you persisted. After things were resolved, you tried getting back on your feet. Starred in movies that had no connection to your dearest uncle.

But here's the thing : they all flopped. Badly, at that.

And you found yourself once again, at the rock bottom. After some time of having disappeared from the public eye you have decided to make a comeback and do what you were always good at— use your connections to gain a spot in the upcoming, very much hyped romantic series TO THE MOON AND BACK.

You will do anything to get your stardom back even if it means getting your pretty hands a little dirty.

✭ Play as male, female or non binary. Straight or queer. Customise your brand and appearance.

✭ Choose the article that destroyed the reputation you spent years building.

✭ Engage in a scandalous & fiery romance off and on set!

✭ Use whatever means you can to avoid being teared to shreds on the internet.

✭ It's been long since you have acted. You haven't forgotten how to bring those tear ducts to use, have you?

✭ Give interviews. Because isn't that what the blizz and bling all about baby?

✭ Engage with your fans. If they still haven't forgotten about you, that is.

✭ Escape or annoy the unrelenting paparazzi.

✭ Customise your public persona. Do things that transpire behind cameras differ from on camera?

✭ Choose the plot of T2MAB.

✭ THE BODYGUARD : Kai D'melio. [he/him or she/her]

Single and in early 30s. Stoic and all business. It's hard to get a read of them. They are a constant in your life.

Tropes : Bodyguard romance, slow burn, yearning, "crush" route.

✭ THE VETERAN ACTOR : Shiron "Shay" Hill. [he/him or she/her]

Married and in mid 40s, they continue to be a social media sensation to till this day. A friend of you and your uncle. They are the one who introduced you to the director and producer of To The Moon And Back and helped you score the lead role.

Tropes : Extra marital affair, steamy.

✭ THE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER : Victor/ia "Vic" Alvarez. [he/him or she/her]

Single, former actor and in mid 40s. An incredibly close friend of Shiron. They have been attached at the hip since the two first began working together in the industry. All their works have proved to be the public's favourites and you hope that is also the case with T2MAB.

Tropes : Work romance, steamy, commitment issues.

✭ THE M/F LEAD : Alexis "Alex" Sinclair. [he/him or she/her]

Co-actor and in late 20s. Charming and titled 'Industry's Budding Star' by People's Magazine. They seem to have a tendency to flirt with whatever that breathes. It would serve you best to not get involved with them, judging from their messy dating history.

Tropes : steamy, commitment issues.

✭ THE SECOND M/F LEAD : River Fox. [he/him or she/her]

Co-actor, singer and in late 20s. After having caught their now ex partner cheating on them, they seem to have a hard time trusting people. The fact that they dislike you for the means you used to get the role and the consequences it led to, doesn't help either.

Tropes : Slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, melting the ice king/queen, forced proximity, kind guy/gal who's mean to only you.

✭ THE CAMERA(WO)MAN : Arlo Kent. [he/him or she/her]

Single loyal to you and in their early 20s. They get all starry eyed and overly enthusiastic at the sight of you. More often than not, you have caught them not so discreetly keeping an eye you. You can only hope they are merely star struck and nothing more.

Tropes : Stalker/yandere fluffy romance.

[mangle-my-mind]

@moonage-xx-daydream​ @silverfactory Lady Grinning Soul lore that I just discovered for myself

Soul singer and educator Claudia Lennear née Claudia Joy Offley. A former Ikette and backing vocalist for various acts and also said to be the inspiration behind Mick Jagger's "Brown Sugar" (along with Marsha Hunt) and David Bowie's "Lady Grinning Soul".

Claudia at Wikipedia and Jungle Room

[thetaoofzoe]

‘It Was Fun to Be Wanted by Someone Like Elvis Presley’: An Interview With Darlene Love

The gifted singer reflects on Elvis’s collaborative presence and his relationship to gospel music

by MICHAEL MUSTO August 7, 2018

The swaggering real-life Jeff Koons statue named Elvis Presley is hot again. Eugene Jarecki’s June-released documentary The King involves a road trip taken in Elvis’s old Rolls to survey his impact on the culture and determine that the American dream the singer represented is officially dead. (But oh, when it lasted!) Even darker is the film’s exploration of Presley’s appropriation of African-American culture, covering songs like “Hound Dog” — originally a non-hit for the brilliant Big Mama Thornton — and making them rock and sell. For singers like Thornton, the American dream never existed.

Enter powerhouse singer Darlene Love, who is represented on another new project, Where No One Stands Alone, a fourteen-track compilation of Elvis’s gospel work due out August 10 on RCA/Legacy. The L.A.-born minister’s daughter started singing in the church choir at ten, on the road to being scooped up by producer Phil Spector to belt hits like “He’s a Rebel,” “Today I Met The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” and “Christmas (Baby,Please Come Home).” The lead voice of such groups as the Blossoms and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, Love ended up working as a maid in the Eighties, but when she heard one of her old hits on the radio while she was scrubbing, it inspired her to get back into performing full-time. Her appearance in the Oscar-winning 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom was memorable, especially when it addressed the way Spector promised her a solo career, but gave other singers credit for her work.

I recently talked to Darlene about her backup singing for Elvis, and how she feels about the King’s relationship to the music he both co-opted and celebrated.

Hi, Darlene. What is some of the gospel work you did with Elvis?

There is “Let Us Pray,” the one from the movie we did with Elvis, Change of Habit. That was his last film.

It was in 1969, with Elvis as a doctor and Mary Tyler Moore as a nun.

We, the Blossoms, are in the first scene. And we were in his 1968 comeback special [Singer Presents … ELVIS].

His new gospel compilation album should be quite interesting.

They [recently] had me do some fill-ins, what we call ad libs, throughout the album to make it sound more gospel. I haven’t heard it yet. Hopefully it’s a wonderful thing.

Elvis went to church and listened to gospel singers to soak up what they did, right? 

Even today, it’s more mixed than it was in the Fifties and Sixties. Whites and blacks didn’t go to church together back then. What Elvis told me he would do — we had night service on Sunday night when we did what we called “praise songs.” A lot of them were songs he loved, what we called “hymn songs.”

We didn’t have air conditioners. We had pushup windows, with a little rope. Elvis said he would stand outside the church rather than going in, because they didn’t think black and white should be in the same churches together. He said he would listen through the windows. It gave him such a thrill. It’s a big difference between the way blacks sang gospel and the way whites sang gospel.

Do you feel he was dedicated to the music or he was just taking it for himself? 

I found out years later, when we were doing the comeback special, that his mother’s favorite music was gospel. He would always sing gospel around her. I think if he could have had a big career in gospel music, that’s where he would have been. But you can always make more money off secular hits. Elvis had 10 or 15,000 people come to his shows to see him. Today, they have mega churches that hold 25,000, but back then, you were doing great if you had 500 people.

I bet they have air conditioning now.

Oh, lord, yes. [Laughs] I lived in Texas for five years as a young kid with my father, and it was so hot we couldn’t even breathe. There was no air conditioning in church or the house. What a difference it makes to have a cool ensemble. You still sweat because of the energy, but back then, we were soaking wet, when we sang in church.

I love gospel music. If I had a calling — meaning from the Lord — just to sing gospel, I would have, but the secular music got to more people. I bet a lot of secular singers like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin felt the same way. They never paid us no money. “Do it unto the Lord.” “OK.” [Laughs] We would drive to the gigs and they’d give you an offering — gas money. They were hardly giving us a whole lot of money. But it was worth it, every penny of it. It was a wonderful experience singing gospel.

But was Elvis appropriating the music, or that’s just the way it was?

That’s just the way it was. A lot of people think a white person is copying the black person. He just loved the music and he was singing it the way he felt. He sang “Hound Dog” completely different than Mama Thornton. [Elvis’s version was rock, whereas Thornton’s was blues.] Even today, they take secular music and put it in gospel, and vice versa. You know, Elvis won three Grammys, and they were all for gospel records. 

What were your experiences like with Elvis?

One time, Elvis decided we’d all go to the movies. He bought this theater out that night.

What did you watch — Change of Habit?

Don’t even ask me. I don’t remember. [Laughs] We had a lot of free time when we were recording and when we were making the movie. That’s when the Blossoms and myself got a chance to know the gospel side of Elvis. He’d want to know the songs we knew. He’d get his guitar and say, “You know this song?” “Yes, we grew up on it.” He’d say, “Let’s do it.”

Was he funny or serious?

He was funny and he was serious sometimes. If he didn’t think he was doing great, he’d say, “Hey, girls, how’m I doing?” He was very, very funny. I call it that “country funny.” He would do his moves in the studio the way he was gonna do them onstage. It made it easy to be around him, but sometimes it was not easy because his bodyguards were keeping people from him. He wanted to be with the Blossoms, where he could pull out his guitar. We’d say, “We think you’d better go. You’re gonna get us in trouble.” We’d never forget, because he’d be giving us his personal time.

You’d just be hanging out and singing?

Yes! Whatever song he knew — “Amazing Grace” or “River of Jordan” or “Heaven Is a Wonderful Place” or “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” We called them hymns of the church. There was another one called “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” The Blossoms were known for their harmony. We’d harmonize with him. There’s something we had with Elvis that others didn’t have. It was fun to be wanted by someone like Elvis Presley.

He had tremendous respect for you.

Yes, he did. That was great. I always say he left us way too soon. He is where I plan to go one day, so I’ll see him again.

You were all rather young and great-looking. Was there any sexual tension in the air? 

There was. It could have been. But I was too scared to do anything.

You fool! [Laughs] Kidding. You wanted to keep it professional.

And I definitely did. Something about dating someone you’re working for, it takes away from that. “I know he’s never gonna look at me the same after this.” [Laughs] He’d start playing with me. He’d tap you on the shoulder or do a hip shake, and me and Elvis knew what that meant.

Flirting?

Yeah, I think so, and I think it showed his human side. I wasn’t bad-looking — and I was thin, too. [Laughs] He wanted to take out time and be around us. The reason we sang on his ’68 comeback special is he was the one that insisted that the Blossoms sing in the music section of the show.

So Elvis treated you better than Phil Spector did?

Oh my God, I’d say so.

That’s an easy one.

That’s a real easy one. Phil took advantage of me and my talent. With Elvis, he wanted us to work, and we got paid well. It wasn’t like Phil Spector cracking the whip and us running around!

[ladykailitha]

Royal Pain Part 26

Hello, and we have got to the end of the massive arc that culminated the last four chapters.

I also wrote this part before 24 and 25 because I couldn't figure out how to write Eddie having a hard time on tour, but the aftermath flowed from my fingers.

Also as a reminder this story is finished, I'm just posting on a regular schedule. This story is the longest fanfic I've ever written. Topping out at 58165 it's definitely longer than 50K fic I wrote for NaNoWriMo last year (Sandman, never finished or published.)

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6 Pt 7 Pt 8 Pt 9 Pt 10 Pt 11 Pt 12 Pt 13 Pt 14 Pt 15 Pt 16 Pt 17 Pt 18 Pt 19 Pt 20 Pt 21 Meta Pt 22 Pt 23 Pt 24 Pt 25

****

“You’ve been sitting on that sofa for an entire week,” Wayne growled. “Steve has called three times, your bandmates at least a dozen times each. Hell, boy Miranda has been calling concerned. So want to tell me what’s fucking got you so twisted?”

“I was given a choice out there on the road,” Eddie said, twisting his rings around his fingers. “Stay in Indy and play small time gigs for the rest of my adult life or go to LA and get an album and the chance at super stardom.”

Wayne sat down next him. “Sounds like a big decision to make.”

Eddie leapt to his feet. “That’s the problem. That’s what makes me so angry how fucking easy the choice is.”

Wayne cocked his head to the side. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate again, boy. Start talking.”

Eddie started pacing back and forth. “As much as I loved playing for so many people, I didn’t like that I could only connect with a handful of them and not even the good kind.” He rubbed his chin angrily. “I didn’t like how tired we all were. It was set up, sound check, play, break down and move on to the next fucking town. And that wasn’t including all the parties, interviews, and all that other shit.”

“That does sound exhausting, Ed.”

“I didn’t like how easy it was for them to tell me to drop Gareth as drummer just because he had trouble adjusting to the increased volume. The price of fame they said. Like it was so simple to throw away almost two decades of friendship for the sake of adoring crowds and hearing our music on the radio.”

“Oh, darlin’,” Wayne said softly. “They didn’t...”

“Oh they absolutely did,” Eddie raged. “I didn’t like how they thought that because me and Steve’s relationship was new that I would be able to find someone better. Someone who liked metal, someone who would be down for the ride.”

Wayne furrowed his brow. “That doesn’t sound like good advice.”

Eddie grabbed his hair pulled at it frustration. “The last straw was when they offered to let their tattooist to finish my back tattoo, because while my artist was good, theirs was better.”

He stopped abruptly and turned to face Wayne. “I picked Steve to do my tattoo on my back because he was the only one I trusted to make it meaningful. To understand the symbolism of making something of yourself when everyone is rooting against you. I made the decision before I fell in love with him and now that we’re a couple– and for them to just dismiss him like that? It made me so angry.”

“So what’s the problem? What’s got you so twisted around the bend?”

Eddie took a deep breath and let it out slow. “I’m fucking furious because I always thought that when fame and fortune came knocking I would throw open that door and march right through it. But now? Given the choice? I’m slamming the door in its face and walking away.”

Hot tears ran down his face. “And I don’t know why.”

He dropped to his knees and began to sob.

Wayne stood up and put his arms around his nephew’s shoulders, gently pulling him to his chest.

“Did that band you were traveling with say that?” he whispered into Eddie’s curls. “Because if they did, I swear to god I will burn every record and CD you have of theirs. Don’t think I won’t. I’ll delete them off your phone too.”

Eddie chuckled weakly. “No, no. They were kind. It was everyone else we met. Agents, managers, roadies, groupies, the people around Metallica every day.”

Wayne nodded.

“I was just constantly bombarded with hateful messages and the constant running at one hundred percent...” he whimpered. “I don’t want to do it.”

“Have you told your band that?” Wayne asked.

Eddie shook his head. “I don’t dare to. I was the one that was gung ho about the touring and everything. How do I tell them I don’t want to leave the comfort of Indianapolis and home?”

“Kinda like that,” Jeff said from the doorway. His arms were crossed and he was leaning against the frame. Peaking around him was Miranda with a concerned look on her face.

Eddie scrambled to his feet and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I’m sorry I’ve been a brat.”

Jeff took three giant steps forward and hugged him fiercely. “You’re not being a brat. You’re scared and trying to figure it all out on your own, but you don’t have to, okay? We’ve all been worried sick about you. But Steve especially. I’ll call all the boys down for a chat and you call Steve, okay?”

Eddie nodded.

He dialed the number he knew by heart.

“Baby?” he asked, unsure of the reaction he was going to get. He deserved to be yelled at. Cursed at. Broken up with. He’d hurt Steve the most with this little temper tantrum he’d been having.

“Eds?” Steve breathed. “Sunshine, are you okay? Wayne said you hadn’t been eating well or sleeping much. Say the word and I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”

Eddie’s lip began to quiver and tears spilled out of his eyes. “I need you. More than anything.”

“I’m on my way,” Steve said fiercely.

Eddie looked over at Jeff.

“Tell Steve Brian will swing by and pick him up.”

Eddie nodded and relayed the message back to Steve.

“I’ll be at my apartment,” Steve said. “I’ll have Robin arrange my schedule, don’t you worry about thing, baby.”

“Mm’k.”

“I love you, Eds.”

Eddie closed his eyes and breathed in the warmth of that simple phrase. “Love you, too, pretty boy. Come quick.”

“I promise.”

*

Steve piled into Brian’s car. It was the newest, having bought it right before they got picked up by Metallica. He had finally saved up enough money to replace his beater.

Gareth and Gethin in the backseat. Gethin had come up to Indy to watch his twin’s apartment while he was gone and just ended up staying. He was currently looking for a job so that he could move in with Gareth full time.

At least that what they said on the trip down. The twins and Brian were intent on filling the air with talk and Steve let them. He let them fill him in on the tour and everything that had been going on since they’d left.

Steve couldn’t be for certain, but it sounded like that touring hadn’t been fun for anyone. Even after a week of rest, he could still make out the circles under their eyes and how hunched over they were with just sheer exhaustion.

A feeling Steve felt all too well.

Gethin was pressed against his twin’s side and was rubbing his neck soothingly.

Steve looked at Brian.

His face was set, hard and unflinching. He was going to make the drive to Hawkins as fast as he could and still avoid the cops.

Steve was grateful Brian was driving because he didn’t think he would have made the distinction to avoid breaking the law. He would have gunned it and flipped off any cop that tried to catch him.

After awhile, Steve was getting the oddest feeling that Brian was used to speeding down this stretch of highway because there were points where he would slow down for a few miles and then speed right back up.

Soon enough they were pulling up to Wayne’s trailer and piling out the car.

*

Eddie sat on the sofa with Jeff and Miranda on either side of him, just hugging him.

Wayne was busying himself in the kitchen, getting ready to feed the hoard that was about to descend on his home.

The door opened up and Brian, Gareth, and Gethin all stumbled through the entryway. Eddie was on his feet in an instant, Jeff and Miranda not far behind.

And then the trio at the door parted and there stood Steve. Looking just as tired and worn as Eddie felt.

“Stevie?” Eddie asked, taking a step toward him uncertainly.

Steve threw open his arms and Eddie ran straight into them. They wrapped their arms around each other and just sobbed.

“I’m here, Eds,” Steve murmured into Eddie’s neck. “I’m here. I love you so much.”

Eddie lifted his head and kissed him hard. “I love you, too. I regret leaving you behind, sweetheart. It nearly killed me. Every song I wrote was about you. About missing you. I don’t even want to leave you ever again, I can’t.”

The silence that followed that statement was deafening.

Steve led Eddie back over to couch and sat them both down. “Tell us everything, babe.”

And so Eddie did. He told them everything. Everything he had told Wayne, everything that had been weighing on his mind since they started touring. It all just came out in a flood.

They all listened patiently.

“Why didn’t you tell us you felt like that while we were on the road?” Gareth asked. “I knew what they were saying about me, but I also knew you guys wouldn’t drop me. If you had me about that I would have been able to reassure you that I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

Eddie flushed with embarrassment. “I didn’t know how to bring it up, it was so vile, man.”

Jeff gave his hand a squeeze. “Well, I think that you did a bang up job telling us now and that’s what really matters.”

“Someone offered to ship me out to LA and record an album,” Eddie finally admitted. “Not the band, just me. I told him that I wouldn’t go without you guys and he laughed in my face. Told me to cut the dead weight and be a star.” He dragged his hands over his face.

“But there were other offers. Good ones. Ones that included the band, well most of it, anyway. Always under the proviso that Gareth be replaced either on tour or all together. They didn’t want to make any accommodations for him even though there is a drummer with one god damn arm!”

“So the options are,” Brian said, “stay in Indy doing what we’ve been doing, only better because of the money we got for doing this tour. Go to LA without Gareth. Go to LA with Gareth but only as a studio musician and take some person we don’t know on tour with us. Does that sound about right?”

Just then Gareth’s phone went off. He looked at it with a frown. It wasn’t a number recognized so he let it go to voicemail. He pulled it up after the notification popped up.

He listened to message with wide eyes. “Hey guys, I think we have another option.” And he played the message so everyone could hear.

“Hey, Mr Hughes,” the tinny voice said through the speaker. “This is Murray Bauman, I’m music producer, we spoke in Las Vegas. I think I have the perfect deal for you boys. You were telling me that touring was really hard on you and that if there was an option you wouldn’t do that. I know you weren’t speaking for all your band, but I could tell that they would do anything for you, all four of you being such good friends.

“So the reason for this call is that I own a small music company in Bloomington and boy do I have a deal for you all. You would make a record through us, we would sell and distribute the record, keeping a portion of the sales, of course. But you wouldn’t have to tour. You have a steady gig as I understand it. If your fans want to see you play, they’ll know where to find you.

“But give me a call, we’ll hash out the details. My phone number is 555-555-2080...” and then message beeped, signaling the end of the voicemail.

Eddie looked down at the phone and then back up at Gareth. “Oh.”

Gareth grinned. “We don’t even have to take his offer, but I vote we listen to it. Brian can bring Cecil.”

Brian nodded. “He’s only got a semester left of law school, but I’ll have him brush up on his contract law to be on the safe side.”

Jeff raised his hand. “All in favor of hearing Mr Bauman out raise your hand?”

Eddie, Brian, and Gareth’s hands shot up.

“Sounds good,” Jeff said. “You call him back and set it up and if it doesn’t work out we can vote again.”

Brian shook his head. “Nah. I think if it doesn’t work, we stick to Nightmare Holes. We took a swing at it and if it’s a miss then we tried. I thought I wanted the touring and everything that came with stardom, but like Eddie I learned I wanted the romanticized version of it. I’ll be happy playing in front of our friends for the rest of our lives.”

The rest of the band nodded.

Soon everyone getting up to go back to Indy, but Steve stayed behind, he would go back up with Eddie in the morning. They had things to discuss that went deeper then the band.

****

Part 27 Part 28 Epilogue

I told you I would fix it.

Also a little BTS, the reason in my head for why things went wrong on tour but immediately righted itself when Eddie and Steve met up again? Steve still has Eddie's lucky pick. ;)

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk ​@bookworm0690 @chaosgremlinmunson @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @plyerice27 @thedragonsaunt @sapphirecobalt-1 @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @justforthedead89 @emly03 @aizawa-emma @yikes-a-bee @redfreckledwolf @thesuninyaface @bookbinderbitch @archermightbegay @littlewildflowerkitten @scheodingers-muppet @hallucinatedjosten @ellietheasexylibrarian @anne-bennett-cosplayer @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @bestwifehaver @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @oldwitcheshat @nightmareglitter @tinyplanet95 @novelnovella @jonesn4coffee @slowandsteddie @awkwardgravity1 @steaddie-on

[elusivecagedmockingbird]

Not Warriors

[seokjin x reader] [1.4k+ lovers to strangers; breakup!au; angst, smut]

Now That We Don't Talk | Not In The Same Way | High

There's nothing left to miss Except the shots I take and phone calls from you

-

You have been glued to your bed, watching reruns of FRIENDS and overstuffing your face with low-fat soy ice cream. You were allowed to wallow, but you had a red carpet to attend in a couple of weeks.

You feel miserable, but you can't look it, so says your manager. She already had a fit when she saw the dark circles under your eyes—courtesy of losing sleep at night and crying like a river by day.

And so, you make amends by finally doing something active. Walking on the treadmill, your hand balances a pint of ice cream and the other finally turns on your phone.

It's been a week since you've turned off your phone, two since your bar brawl scandal blew up on social media, and three since you and Seokjin broke up.

The first thing you see is the bold 23 encircled in glaring red on the message bubble icon. Thinking nothing of it, probably spam messages, you open the app only to be greeted by messages from close friends and families—all with the same question, but in different tones: are you okay?

You almost burst into tears again.

You didn't think this would be you—a living cliché of a heartbroken woman in her late 20s, cutting people off all because of one guy.

But Seokjin isn't some guy.

For a time, you believed he was the one. Despite hiding from the spotlight and keeping your relationship on the down-low, the moments you shared together were genuine and wholly yours.

Until they weren't, of course.

Stardom had its price. One canceled dinner turned to two until it wasn't just dinner he was missing, but special shared occasions you once celebrated were forgotten, too.

As he gained attention, more people wanted his company. You were no longer a priority and you never dared to use that against him. Hard as it was, you understood that his time wasn't entirely yours. Hell, he missed lunch dates with his mother, too. But what broke your heart was finding out it wasn't just his time you shared with other people, but his devotion, too.

Your phone ringing breaks you out of your stupor. Blinking your tears away, you see Seokjin's name on your screen.

You freeze. And so do your legs that were walking on autopilot. The next thing you feel is your body hitting your gym floor—phone screen cracked and the pint of ice cream rolling beside you.

-

This is bad. Oh, so bad.

You'll surely get in trouble if your manager finds out where you are.

And who you are waiting for.

You were supposed to visit your doctor after falling ungracefully from the treadmill earlier, instead you rushed to buy a new phone and waited for Seokjin to ring again.

The familiarity makes you sad and laugh in pity. You waited for Seokjin a lot. You waited for the perfect time to reveal your relationship, waited for him to remember your anniversaries and dates and come home, and you waited for him as he lived out his celebrity life with the hope he would remember the life he has with you.

You had a reason to wait for him then. And here you are again. Waiting.

You hear a patterned knock—one that you know so well. It's something you and Seokjin came up with when one of you would sneakily visit the other.

A rush of nostalgia tugs at your heart. You wish you were meeting as lovers. Just like old times. But no, this isn't like before, is it?

You ponder on not opening the door. All it takes is a few steps back to the bed where you can sit yourself down and wait for him to leave. But before you could convince your feet to move, you heard your name called behind the door.

It sounded like a plea.

Seokjin was always compelling. You always, somehow, gravitated towards him. You think that was what lasted you to stay with him for a long time, despite the love and trust fading away with the years. You hesitantly open the door halfway, eyes downcast and you mumble his name, ready to make your own plea—please leave. If he truly loves you, he has to let you go. He already walked away from you countless times, now would be the one time you would be thankful if he does it again.

But he doesn't.

Seokjin pushes the door to fully open before he quickly enters the room. As soon as the lock clicks, Seokjin pulls you in for a kiss.

His lips invade yours—tongue dipping in the caverns of your mouth, teeth clashing and you eventually return his kisses. Lust clouds the room, eclipsing your rationality.

The hundreds of reasons you shouldn't be here with Jin aren't lost on you. Your friends and manager drilled those in your head and it made sense. But something about Seokjin and his hands pulling at your clothes was simultaneously tearing down those walls of reasons.

Seokjin's hard body collides with yours on the bed as soft as his lips that were now making its way down to your core. You grip his hair and push his head to rush him. The sound of him chuckling comes first, followed by a wet lick to your pussy.

You stutter out his name, back arching as your grip on him tightens. In return, he grabs your thighs and pulls your hips even closer to him. His head burrowed deep in you and his fluffy bangs tickle your pubic.

"M-missed you," his words came out garbled. His mouth busy sucking your clit as he works his tongue inside your pussy.

You missed him, too. Still do. Even though you've got your eyes on him, in the same room as him, and parts of your bodies are pressed so close, not even air could pass through, you still miss him.

But you doubt he misses you the same way.

"Ride m-my face," he commands, words escaping his mouth between hungry laps at your core.

Everything that follows is muscle memory. You gyrate your hips, smearing Seokjin with your spurting arousal and you feel the vibrations from his groans. Your legs remain locked in his arms. Your lover of the night sits up and tugs at his damp brief. You drool at the sight of his long hard thick cock springing free.

However this night ends, you would relish the feeling of having him inside you again.

Seokjin plunges his dick until his balls hit your ass. He was quick to silence your moans with his lips, hotel sheets cloaking the skin slapping against skin. The only thing giving you away was the loud thuds of the bedpost against the wall, going in the same rhythm as Seokjin thrusts his cock into your pussy.

You cry out his name and a series of love confessions follows, "I still love you, Jinnie," you cry out. He thrusts harder and faster with replies of ‘I know's’.

But does he really know, you wonder. You note the lack of alike sentiments—no, I love you too's, like he would respond before.

Stuck in the haze, you let the uncertainty linger. You take it as he fucks you like he still loves you too.

Your arms remain in a tight embrace and your lips glued to each other's necks, breathing each other in.

Like lovers do.

-

You're awakened with a tickling feeling on your cheeks—perhaps a morning kiss, much like the smooches Seokjin showers you with in the morning.

With eyes still closed, you blissfully hum as your arm stretches across the bed. Your hands are expecting to reach a warm body but they hang in the air as you open your eyes to peek. Your limbs drop as quickly as your heart does.

A dejected sigh is all you could let out. You think you've been dried out from the past few weeks of crying.

This is pathetic, really. You feel pathetic and start to pity yourself even more. You don't know why you could still believe he called to get back together. If there was one thing you learned from the recent months you and Seokjin spent—those months leading to your fallout—you'd know he's no longer the person you fell in love with.

Your friends were right. By the end of it, you turned into just another body who warmed his bed. Or in this case, wet his dick.

And so you make a decision. You're not sure if you're strong enough to follow through with this.

But all you know is this—right now, as a start—you push yourself to remember Seokjin as the man who shattered your dreams and left you alone to dust the smithereens.

The next time your phone rings and Seokjin's caller ID pops on your screen, you deliberately miss his call.

-

[thesupreme316]

Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side? EP.1

Genre: Feelgood, Angst, Slowburn

Pairing(s): Carmelo Hayes x Fem!Reader, Sasha Banks (Mercedes Mone) x Fem!Reader (Platonic), Bianca Belair x Fem!Reader (Platonic), Naomi (Trinity Fatu) x Fem!Reader (Platonic)

Summary: Y/N’s career and life is met with drama after she won the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Wrestlemania 38.

Word Count: 1,742

Supreme Speaks: FINALLY I HAVE STARTED THE SERIES! so i kind of lied in terms of the teaser, i was gonna input those things but I needed ✨drama✨. i will try my best to make this a slow burn series so bare with me. Thanks once again to @triscillal for the series premise/storyline and for trusting me with your vision. i hope you and everyone enjoys this. i hope everyone is doing well and remember you are loved and appreciated.

Warnings: slightly proofread, wrestling storylines (actions/reactions and participants) are changed, mentions of toxic relationship, please don’t take any negative depictions of characters to heart (i just needed “toxic” people) 

Taglist (if you wanna be a part of it, lemme know): @triscillal @wwenhlimagines @hooks-martin @diabloguapos @sheinthatfandom​ @hookerforhook​

January 2022- Royal Rumble

“She did it! Y/R/N did it! She’s going to Wrestlemania!” Michael Cole’s voice boomed from commentary as you pointed to Wrestlemania, making fireworks go off in the background. The crowd was on their feet, cheering. Happy tears were flying down your face, clouding up your vision. You got down from the turnbuckle and started walking to the stage, with the audience chanting “You deserve it!” in the background. You high-fived kids and thanked your supporters.

As soon as you got backstage you were tackled in a hug by Naomi (Trinity) and your cousin, Sasha Banks (Mercedes). You grinned as other people congratulated you, both friends and foes, including Charlotte Flair (who you eliminated last in the rumble). After completing an interview, you sat backstage with Trinity and Mercedes, discussing the plans for tonight and tomorrow.

“I’m so happy you won lil cousin.” Mercedes with a big grin. “I told Trin that if it wasn’t one of us, it had better been you.”

“Yeah girl, you truly deserve it,” Trinity said giving you a huge hug.

You debuted in WWE at 20, after being in the independent scene since you were 15 years old. You spent the latter part of your teenage years wrestling all over the world (specifically in Japan and the United States), so much so that you had to get your GED. But it was all worth it just to be able to stand in the ring. You won multiple championships and accomplishments in companies such as Stardom, Revolution Pro Wrestling, Shimmer, DDT, and Ice Ribbon; you quickly became popular in the wrestling community. But you always had a dream to wrestle in the WWE, especially alongside your cousin.

After being opted out of NXT, you debuted on Raw in 2016; before going on to win the Raw Women’s Championship 3 times and the Smackdown Women’s Championship twice. You’ve been toe-to-toe and head-to-head with the best, including Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Mickie James, and Mercedes. But like how it is to everyone on the roster, Wrestlemania is a very important event to you, and being able to have a guaranteed ticket to it; is the best thing in the world at the moment.

“Thanks, y’all! Do you know who was supposed to win this year?” You ask

Both Mercedes and Trinity made a face. Mercedes rolled her eyes while asking, “Who do you think?”

You exclaimed. “Ah, Miss Part-Time.”

“Exactly. At times, I wonder why she’s here.”

“No, because it’s the fact people who have been working here for almost a decade and they don’t get half of the opportunities that Ronda gets. It makes no sense.” You said to pack up some of your things. You had respect for Ronda, in terms of her UFC career. But as a wrestler (and sometimes as a person), you had little to no respect for her. As a person who has given up multiple aspects of her life just to have the opportunity to get in the ring, you were beyond disgusted and angry at her perspective of the wrestling industry and towards your friends (including Mercedes).

However, that is a story for a little bit later….Now, you have to focus on an actual champ.

“But enough about her. What championship are you going win at the grandest stage of them all?” Trinity asked nudging you.

You gave a small smile, filled with determination and mischief, and said, “I’m going to win that Smackdown Women’s Championship from Charlotte Flair.”

And in 3 months, you did exactly that…

April 2022 - Wrestlemania 38

Imagine how you felt winning the Royal Rumble….okay…now times those emotions by 10,000.

That’s how it felt as the confetti came down, fireworks sounded off, fans chanted your name, tears overwhelmed your face, and your newly won championship was wrapped around your waist by Charlotte.

“Y/R/N has truly become the Real Deal in the WWE! After beating Charlotte Flair in a legendary match, Y/R/N stands before you, on the glorious stage of Wrestlemania, as your new Smackdown Women’s Champion!” 


“Y/R/N! Congrats!”

“Great performance Y/R/N!”

All these sayings and more just filled your ears as you hugged your parents, who were there at ringside. As you walked up the ramp of Wrestlemania, you took in the last couple of moments of the crowd before being met with even more cheers from your coworkers; being pulled into hugs left and right. Then Mercedes, Trinity, and Bianca Belair hugged you while bringing you to the photoshoot area. You took multiple pictures with your friends before going to your locker room.

“Girl, we’re gonna celebrate tonight!” Trinity exclaimed.

“No, we’re gonna celebrate after you and Sasha win those tag titles,” Bianca said making you laugh. You smiled before looking at your phone, looking through all your notifications. But your smile soon became a frown as you didn’t see the one you were looking for the one you wanted. “He didn’t text yet?”

Sighing, you said, “Nope. He said he was gonna be here. I haven’t seen him yet.”

“All you need to do is turn around.” A voice said behind you. You turned around and immediately started to squeal, running towards the voice. As you jumped their arms, their body rumbled with a chuckle. It was your boyfriend of six months, Carmelo Hayes. “My baby is so cute.” He gave you a bouquet of roses, filled with your favorite colors.

“Awe, look at the happy couple.” Bianca cooed.

“Thanks, baby.” You smiled, kissing him on the cheek. You lead him over to a private corner real quick as your friends kept making kissing faces.

“I’m so proud of you. My little champ.” You could honestly say that Carmelo is the best boyfriend you’ve ever had. He was so sweet: buying you gifts, showering you with love, and ensuring that you get the best of the best. “So what are we doing tonight? I was thinking candlelight dinner in that nice restaurant downtown-“

“Um, actually, I wanted to either go out to drinks with the girls or just go to sleep honestly. But you are more than welcome to come out with u-“

His smile dropped. “Are you serious?” Carmelo said, raising his voice. “You rather hang with your friends than me?”

On other days, you could honestly say that Carmelo is an arrogant and envious man on a bad day. But you told him (and yourself) that you would love him no matter what. “No, it’s just I haven’t hung out with them in a hot minute.”

“Y/N, You never have time for me now.”

“What are you talking about? We hung out after Stand & Deliver, literally two days ago.” You rolled your eyes before briefly glancing towards your friends, who were standing with concerned faces.

“Yeah, that was after I lost-“ He paused before squinting at you. “So what you think you’re too good for me now?”

“What? No-“

“Just cause you have a championship now? You think you’re better than me?” He said getting closer to your face. Started to feel angry yet sad, and you just looked up at him. “Fine, go out. I don’t care. But I better not get a call tonight.” He said before stomping away from you, slamming your locker room door shut. Immediately, Bianca, Trinity, and Mercedes looked at you, with Bianca walking towards you.

“Are you okay?” Bianca said, rubbing your back.

“Yeah. He’s just having a bad day” You quietly stated. Were you? Yeah, only because it’s now a regular occurrence. It happens almost every time something good happens. You liked Carmelo, hell you like him more than the other people you were involved with. He always had this charm that convinced you to stay or to get over it after anything bad; it wasn’t your fault, and it wasn’t his (it never was). After a while, you decided not to let this little thing get in the way of a quote-on-quote good relationship. And now, you decided to not let him ruin your good night.

“I never liked him for you,” Mercedes said throwing her heels in her bag. Mercedes, being your cousin, was always protective of you. She tried her best to ensure that no harm could reach you, including men who she thought weren’t good enough for you. Seeing how you are now, it’s safe to say you never listen. Always drowning her out to go after anything heart first. “I always thought that he was a douche to a certain extent.”

“Talented,” Trinity started. “But a talented douche.” She finished as Mercedes nodded.

“Anyways!” Bianca started, rolling her eyes at your friends. “Get ready, 'cause we’re about to go out!”

Nodding, you walked away to take a shower. Around 30 minutes later, you got dressed in another outfit before leaving the locker with your friends in tow. You made it to the parking garage; and as you were about to turn the corner, you were face to face with a person who: one- you didn’t like, and two- who was going to be gunning for your new title soon. “Rousey.” You said with a monotone voice.

“Congratulations, champ,” Ronda said with emphasis on the last word. “You won the title on the grandest stage of them all. But you also won the opportunity to be the person I’m gonna beat for it. I say by Money in the Bank, I’ll be the new champion.” She smirked as you lifted a brow.

You slightly chuckled, “We’ll see about that. Don’t get it twisted, I’ve beaten you before and I can beat you again. And this-“ You motioned to your championship. “Will be just the icing on the cake” Ronda looked around at Trinity, Bianca, and Mercedes before deciding to walk away.

“I really don’t like her,” Mercedes said before putting her bags in the car. You followed before getting in the passenger seat. You whipped out your phone, which had more notifications than the last time you checked it. However, only two stuck out to you. Each of them makes your heart skip a beat and gives you butterflies in your stomach for different reasons.

“Y/N?” Trinity said pulling you out of your thoughts. You looked at her. “Are you ready for the trip?”

“Oh, yeah. I am.” You said looking back at the phone.

But truth be told, you weren’t ready. You weren’t ready for the trip of your career or life. 

Not at all.

Link to Part 2

[dweemeister]

December 13, 2023

By Pat Saperstein

(Variety) — The Library of Congress announced the 25 features joining the National Film Registry for 2023, with titles including “12 Years a Slave,” “Home Alone,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” Selected films must be more than 10 years old and are selected each year for their cultural, historic or aesthetic significance to preserve the film heritage of the U.S.

These are the 25 films in chronological order:

A Movie Trip Through Filmland (1921)

Dinner at Eight (1933)

Bohulano Family Film Collection (1950s-1970s)

Helen Keller: In Her Story (1954)

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Edge of the City (1957)

We’re Alive (1974)

Cruisin’ J-Town (1975)

¡Alambrista! (1977)

Passing Through (1977)

Fame (1980)

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

The Lighted Field (1987)

Matewan (1987)

Home Alone (1990)

Queen of Diamonds (1991)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

The Wedding Banquet (1993)

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994)

Apollo 13 (1995)

Bamboozled (2000)

Love & Basketball (2000)

12 Years a Slave (2013)

20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

E Rated Fics Masterlist (20)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / Part 13 / Part 14 / Part 15 / Part 16 / Part 17 / Part 18 / Part 19 /

Created: November 17th, 2023

Last Checked:-----

The Act-atetheredmind (ao3) Summary: The Victors are a new, up-and-coming band on a meteoric rise to stardom propelled by Katniss Everdeen's ethereal voice, Peeta Mellark's guitar-slinging charm, and the duo's undeniable chemistry on stage. Too bad they hate each other.

The Bet-amelia_day (ao3) Summary: When a sorority bet gets out of hand and becomes a campus wide sensation, Katniss and Peeta are both forced to deal with the aftermath.

The Blind Spot-amelia_day (ao3) Summary: When Katniss finds out about an oversight in the Nightlock's locker room, she decides to have a little bit of fun with Peeta.

The Boy in my Bed-juniebugg (ao3) Summary: Now that the war is over, Katniss and Peeta explore their relationship away from the prying eyes of the Capitol.

The Boy in The Woods-endlessnightlock (ao3) Summary: Katniss is angry with her mother, with her place in life. She goes to the woods to hunt and to gather. It's the place where she feels whole. Not so alone. The woods are said to be full of evil spirits. The stories keep the villagers away, which is fine with her, but all she's ever found is peace and tranquility there. She's never encountered anyone on her outings, until one day a golden boy appears.

The Boy Next Door-atetheredmind (ao3) Summary: Katniss has a new neighbor. He’s good-looking, sweet. But he’s too young for her. And she is definitely too pregnant for him.

The Christmas Play-thegirlonpeetamellark (ao3) Summary: Written for the Tumblr 'Prompts in Panem' 7 Day Challenge: Holidays. Katniss helps to put on the annual Christmas play for the church at the request of her father, Reverend Everdeen. Then she meets Peeta Mellark who makes her reconsider her stance on sinning.

The Contract-maktub (ao3) Summary: I knew by signing that dotted line that I was joining a desperate league of barely-adults willing to give up their bodies for the long-lived enjoyment of the few and the wealthy.

The Escort-atetheredmind (ao3) Summary: “Are you a clean, respectful, attractive man with a natural ability to sweep women off their feet? Are you in need of some extra cash? Call Capitol Tributes today to learn more—there are thousands of willing women eager to take YOU out for a night on the town RIGHT NOW!” Peeta Mellark is an escort, and Katniss Everdeen is just his client in desperate need of his company during wedding season. This is strictly a business arrangement; no funny business allowed. One problem: He wants her, bad.

The Exam-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: The last patient is always the most interesting case. Everlark.

[greensparty]

Thank You Tremolo Productions!

This past week, it was announced that the National Film Registry added 25 films to their registry for preservation. Among those films was Morgan Neville's excellent Oscar-winning 2013 doc 20 Feet from Stardom. I've written about Mr. Neville's films here: I named Won't You Be My Neighbor? my #1 Doc of 2018 and earlier this year I got to review Bono & The Edge: a Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman.

On Twitter (not calling it X - sorry not sorry), I tweeted to Neville's production company Tremolo Productions "Congrats on 20FFS added to the National Film Registry!"

Tremolo liked my tweet and re-posted it: https://twitter.com/GreensPartyBlog/status/1734985887249732089

Big Thanks Tremolo Productions!

[shoshiwrites]

I hope it’s okay I ask more than one for the top 5 ask game but: places you’d like to visit, fiction books, and documentaries!

It's always ok, thank you so much! <3

Places I'd like to visit

Scotland/England/Wales

The Pacific Northwest

Back to Normandy tbh, or Paris but on my own time in the fall

All the cafés in South Korea are calling to me, if I ever decide to do a trip that big!

Somewhere in eastern Canada, maybe Québec City?

Fiction books I've been so bad about reading and reading fiction

The Last Days of Summer, Steve Kluger

The Idiot, Elif Batuman

The Stationery Shop, Marjan Kamali

Good Night, Irene, Luis Alberto Urrea

Can I say another Steve Kluger book even though it's for teens? My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger.

Documentaries (not an expert here by any means and there are several on my list still but!)

20 Feet from Stardom (Morgan Neville)

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (Frank Marshall)

Shirkers (Sandi Tan)

Baseball (Ken Burns)

Listen I really liked It Ain't Over (Sean Mullin) which we watched last night

[Ask me my Top 5 anything!]

[stinkard]

i do stagehand stuff as a side gig, which usually means i show up to load stuff back into the trucks at the end of the night. this also means that for every show i work, i usually only hear the songs that i know from the artists that perform since i'm just there for the last hour. all the popular ones they play last. which i'm coming to realize is almost the perfect way to see a show

like i'm always backstage so i never see the guys running around performing or anything. but tonight i am technically getting paid to listen to mad world & probably head over heels and everybody wants to rule the world played live by the tears and fears themselves. grunt work traded for 100 Feet From Stardom and $20 an hour

[oldfilmsflicker]

new-to-me #241 - 20 Feet From Stardom

[anithikos]

THE GOSPEL OF WADE WYATT.

name: wade owen wyatt

aliases & nicknames: the machine, wrecking ball, W.O.W.  

age: 29

birthday: april 15

gender: cis male

pronouns: he/him

height: 6 feet 2 inches / 188 cm

build: athletic, toned hair: mousy brown, dyed black

eyes: hazel brown

+ traits: disciplined, conscientious, honest, patient

- traits: stubborn, cocky, envious, capricious marital status: single

occupation: professional wrestler zodiac sign: aries ​​ piercings: septum piercing, double eyebrow piercing (right), tragus piercing (right), double earlobe piercing (left), industrial piercing (left)

tattoos: b+w angel chestpiece, black + red abstract back piece, black scorpion, b+w book of revelation/apocalypse themed left arm sleeve, b+w octopus right half sleeve, b+w gears on upper left thigh, full colour tiger on right outer thigh, b+w sword on back right calf

scars: scar over nose bridge, scar on chest over left pectoral, scar across side of right ribcage

biography:

From the age of 7 when he first watched a WWC match on TV with his cousins, Wade knew he wanted to be a professional wrestler. It all seemed so exciting. Flips, kicks, suplexes, elbow drops, diving crossbodies, atomic drops, gutbusters, full nelsons, they all fascinated him. It was like watching comic book heroes and villains fight, or the closest equivalent with real people that he had ever seen. After that, he clamored for anything and everything to do with pro wrestling.

In his working class family, however, there were limited resources to spend on fulfilling his dream. Wade’s no nonsense ex military father thought it was a frivolous, childish phase that would pass. He discouraged him from pursuing pro wrestling, but did encourage him to be physically active and play sports. Instead he would play with his brother, 1v1 basketball, would play field sports with local kids at the park, and would swim at community pools. Once he got to middle school he was able to join his school’s track and field team for shot put, and the boys’ wrestling team. While it wasn’t pro wrestling, it was something his father would accept and could bring him one step closer to his dream.

In highschool he also discovered skateboarding, and was able to get a used board from a classmate for a decent price. He learned how to skate at the skate park and on the street outside his childhood home. This would help him diversify his athletic skills, and he got used to taking hard falls on the pavement. It built up his pain tolerance and his balance, skills that would become crucial to his eventual rise to wrestling stardom.

Wade continued to wrestle in high school, and began focusing more on his nutrition and fitness. He grew quickly, and with his father’s genetics and his athletic fitness regimen he quickly outclassed many of his peers in strength. When he graduated high school, he felt a need to channel his athletics into something in lieu of school sports teams. Without the money to go to college, he got a full time retail job at a sports supply store and started going to a boxing gym. One of the trainers there noticed him on the punching bags one afternoon and offered to train him as a boxer. 

Starting at age 19, Wade trained for the sport and began to enter matches. By 20, he had won his first major tournament and caught the attention of the combat sports world for his meteoric rise and strong form. Although his coach wanted to train him for an Olympic run, Wade had other ideas. Through the boxing community, he found other athletes invested in contact sports and their managers. He networked around until he found someone who could get him in the pro wrestling circuit. He began training shortly after his 22nd birthday to become a professional wrestler. He debuted later that year on the independent circuit in Canada as The Wrecking Ball. The Wrecking Ball was a powerhouse of a wrestler, and the persona leaned heavily on his boxing tournament experience and reputation. Wade worked tirelessly on the indie circuit, giving himself very few breaks. When we wasn’t wrestling, he was training. When he wasn’t training, he was eating and sleeping. He had little time to socialize, but he knew it would all be worth it. He knew he was good. He knew he had the skills and the looks to be a professional wrestler.

By 24, his social media presence and popularity among bookers and trainers was garnering him a reputation in the wrestling world. He upgraded his trainer to someone connected to WWC, World Wrestling Champions, getting one step closer to his goal of becoming a big time wrestling star. This new trainer saw his potential. Wade had the total package: the in-ring skills, the promo skills, the charm, the face, and the body. He just needed to make a proper TV debut. Finally, he got himself a good manager and agent. Before that his trainer was his manager, but the wrestling world was getting bigger for Wade and he needed a team. This agent and manager saw potential in him too, and flexed their own muscles to get him a brand new contract.

By 25, he’d signed a contract with WWC. He would debut under his own name, but with a new moniker: The Machine. Instead of being a generic tough guy, The Machine was a cocky antihero that the crowd would love to hate. He was arrogant on the mic, in his promos, but could back it up in the ring. The Machine was to go harder than necessary to win but still within the rules; The Machine doesn’t need to cheat to win.

After a run of non-televised shows where he was able to get the audience behind him, Wade was moved into the realm of TV-broadcast wrestling shows. He was put into the developmental league of WWC, New Blood, on their Wednesday night slot. At first he was a solid mid card wrestler. Some wins, some losses, no titles. But Wade knew he wanted more. He wasn’t content being stuck on the mid card on Wednesday nights. He pushed his agent, his manager, his trainer, anyone who he could to book him in better matches. What truly tipped the scales was when a more popular wrestler signed to New Blood forged a backstage friendship with Wade while training. Jorge Moreno, better known as El Diablo, formerly held the New Blood Men’s Championship belt for 6 months. He needed a tag partner, and asked Wade to work with him. He could see how much Wade wanted it, and could see how hard he worked at his craft. Wade didn’t want fame for fame’s sake. He wanted to further sports entertainment and the art of wrestling. So, with Jorge’s help, Wade did his first opening event: a championship tag match with Jorge by his side. The two won their match, and the tag team championship belts, and his alliance with Jorge would help to propel Wade to main event status.

As Wade’s star began to shine brighter, he saw more of what his industry and his company was really like. Money, fame, power, all of it brought out the worst in people. He would turn his head to some things, and let his stomach churn with others. Loyalty, dignity, honour, all that he was told to hold dear could only go so far when millions of dollars were on the line. He was told he had to make a choice: succeed on his own, or sink with Jorge. Without his tag partner, he never would have made it to the point of even being asked to step into a championship match so early in his tenure. He could stay loyal to Jorge, or look out for his own interests. He chose himself, and sacrificed his tag team for the shot at the men’s championship. 

He would hold that title for the next 5 months before losing it to one of the tag champions he had beaten months earlier with Jorge. He rode his momentum and crowd favour to better matches; tough negotiations would get him signed to a bigger brand. He would make his debut on WWC’s Monday night show, Rage. As a member of the Rage roster, Wade is working towards building a legacy of championships no matter what the cost.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

“DEAL WITH THE DEVIL IF THE DEVIL HAS A CONSTITUENCY — AND DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE HEAT.” — C.J. CHERRYH

verses: tba