#Clive Davis Institute

[euginemicah]

Lauren Davis Promoted to Associate Chair of NYU Clive Davis Institute

Lauren Davis, a veteran music business attorney, has been promoted to associate chair of New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Davis joined the institute’s full-time faculty in 2006, teaching courses on the legal and business aspects of the music industry, including intellectual property law. She has also lectured on social entrepreneurship and advancing equity and…

[mworldnews]

Taylor Swift's Academic Resonance: A Symphony of Study Across American Universities

American institutions have taken note of Taylor Swift’s cultural phenomenon in a harmonic fusion of popular culture and academia. With the 12-time Grammy winner’s impact on American pop culture reaching new heights, universities including New York University, Harvard, UT Austin, the University of Florida, and UC Berkeley have organized specialized courses that allow students to analyze Swift’s…

[reality-detective]

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙊𝙛 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙄𝙨 𝙂𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙚: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣

𝘼𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙨𝙝𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙆𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙣 "𝘿𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙮" 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙗𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧’𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜-𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙢𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙩����𝙣𝙮 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙥 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙. 𝙊𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 25, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝘿𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙛𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙇𝘼 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙞𝙖𝙢𝙞 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙩𝙧𝙖••𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙨, 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙮, 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 ��𝙞𝙢.

• ASU

• CEMEX

• McCain Institute.

• Thorn (Ashton Kutcher)

• NXVIM

• The Rothschilds

• The Bronfmans

During a 2019 episode of Hot Ones that recently resurfaced, Ashton was asked about the parties at Combs' house by host Sean Evans.

'I’ve got a lot I can’t tell,' he said, pausing for a moment before adding: 'I can’t tell that one either.'

Diddy, 54, and Ashton have been friends for decades and appeared together on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018 where he gushed about their bond.

'I was doing Making the Band on MTV, he was doing Punk’d and I gave him a call one day and said, "I heard that you are going to punk me and I just don’t think that’s a good idea,"' Diddy told Corden.

As you all can see many celebrities have been quiet about this P. Diddy drama. They know what they did at these parties and they know P. Diddy is not someone who is going to be reserved on who attended these parties if he is questioned on the stand through cross examination once the evidence is presented.

P. Diddy is loyal to no one but maybe Clive Davis & Lucien Grainge. But even they have been brought under scrutiny and its matter of time before they are brought within scope of how they were also participants in some of those parties. You know this case is heavy when all the passports were taken from not only P. Diddy but his children including the baby.

Another thing people have to consider is the fact that P. Diddy has been paying off victims for decades not to go to authorities. Not to say that some were threatened but many took the money and never followed through on what happened. But now P. Diddy no longer has the means to do so at this point. Which is why he was willing to offer his home and his mother's home up for the 50 million dollar bail. Which should imply to anyone that his money is tied up.

So he is in a very tight spot at this time. Which is what makes this case all the more damning to the network of high profile figures who are walking around in fear that they may be getting a subpoena soon. And ofcourse Ashton Kutcher is one of those people. But again I want to mention this for all those who are salivating at the mouth for P. Diddy to be tossed in the slammer. You are thinking way too small here.

The Royals

The Clintons

Barrack Obama

Naomi Campbell

The C!A

The Playboy Mansion

As a matter of fact Most people of influence are controlled with money, drugs, s•x scandals, and pedophilia. The C!A also used prostitution and homosexuality as blackmail and honeypot tools back when they constituted criminal offences and were considered socially scandalous. At Heffner’s Playboy Mansion, straight blackmail targets were lured with a promise of associating with scantily clad beautiful women and celebrities. Innocent targets were drugged and photographed with clearly underaged and/or male sex partners, and the staged photos were enough to create the leverage of control the CIA sought over the now-compromised targets. 🤔

[themuse-if]

Roxanne/Robbie Sawyer

The Frontwoman/The Frontman

Roxanne has more of a close up since I really love the make up look I did for her.

Roxanne/Robbie Sawyer | 18 yrs old | she/her or he/him:

Ro is a star, brimming with charisma and infinitely magnetic. Ro’s been singing since they could form full sentences and they don’t plan to ever stop. Though Ro has been singing for as long as they can remember they didn’t meet their bandmates and create The Rebel Rejects until the summer before their junior year of high school at music camp.

Even though they’re the frontperson and leader of the band they strive to keep the band a collaborative democracy and never a dictatorship. Come university application deadlines the band decide that no matter what, they had to stick together. When searching through schools and programs the vote for the NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music was unanimous.

Ro knows that if they truly want this punk band to make it to the top in this pop centered world, then they still have a lot to learn. Luckily Ro is even better under pressure. They intend to embrace everything university has to offer, and rise to the top along the way.

Scroll all the way down for a mini Q&A with Ro!

Top row left to right: Everyday, formal, activewear, sleepwear

Bottom row left to right: Party, swimwear, hot weather, cold weather

Top row left to right: Everyday, formal, activewear, sleepwear

Bottom row left to right: Party, swimwear, hot weather, cold weather

Ro Sawyer Q&A

Q: What's your sign?

A: I'm a proud Leo, and yes most of what they say is true.

Q: How tall are you?

A: Roxanne- I'm 5'2! Not that I let that stop me from commanding the stage. *smirk*

A: Robbie- I'm 5'8. 5'11 in my favorite boots. *wink*

Q: Name your top 5 bands?

A: Choosing favorites is tough, but if I have to, I'd say The Clash, Bikini Kill, Green Day, Sleater-Kinney, and The Slits.

Q: What's your favorite food?

A: Nothing beats a classic slice of pizza. Boring I know. *shrugs*

Q: What's your ideal date?

A: Picture this – a low-key underground gig in a hidden venue. We're just soaking in the tunes, dancing and feeding of the energy of the crowd. After that, maybe a casual wander through the city and just letting the night unfold naturally.

[panelshowsource]

new additions to the masterpost :)

hey all ~

along with the few panelist collections i soft-launched yesterday (🥹 thanks for enjoying them), there is some new content on the masterpost + secondary masterpost!

—

panel shows

bring the noise — complete series sky 1 series hosted by ricky wilson with nicole scherzinger, tinie tempah, joel dommett, katherine ryan

the guessing game — complete series bbc radio scotland radio panel show where guests are asked a series of bizarre questions; hosted by clive anderson and guests include alex horne, susan calman, hal cruttenden, matthew crosby, cariad lloyd, etc.

it's your round — complete series radio panel show where each guests invents the round to be won. hosted by angus deayton and guests include miles jupp, sara pascoe, rebecca front, josie long, bridget christie, tim key, etc.

richard hammond's brain reaction — complete series science-based panel show hosted by richard hammond alongside victoria coren mitchell, johnny vegas and ria lina

misc. tv

archiveologists — complete series two episodes of mash aka diane morgan & joe wilkinson re-voice archive footage to give us a twisted comedy spin on british social history and institutions in short 'information' films

beauty & the beast: a pantomime for comic relief (2021) pandemic era virtual panto starring lily james, oliver chris, sian gibson, kiell smith-bynoe, miranda hart, michael sheen, lee mack, etc.

imagine... jo brand: no holds barred (2019) documentary about the legend herself, featuring interviews with peter capaldi, alan davies, victoria coren mitchell, etc.

show & tell — complete series e4 series celebrating comic storytelling. each episode sees three comedians bring something to 'show' to viewers. hosted by chris addison and guests include roisin conaty, elis james, joe wilkinson, joe lycett, diane morgan, james acaster, etc.

staged — complete series david tennant and michael sheen didn't win a bafta for this but they should have

the complete stand up to cancer celebrity episodes of the great british bake off (i will work on the sport relief episodes!)

twenty twelve — complete series bbc mockumentary series accompanying the 2012 olympics, starring hugh bonneville and jessica hynes

who do you think you are? — david tennant

misc. radio

alex horne presents the horne section — complete series 2011–2014 bbc radio 4 series

party's over — complete series bbc radio 4 sitcom starring miles jupp as a prime minister coping with life after leaving office

women talking about cars — complete series victoria coren mitchell hosts an exploration of what cars symbolise to women today, including freedom, power, refuge, novelty and familiarity; guests include olivia colman, claudia winkleman, jennifer saunders, etc.

—

ps. icymi these are the masterpost additions from last week which are well worth checking out!

WATCH LINKS MASTERPOST / FAQ / TAGS / ASK

[bells-in-santa-fe]

ANTHONY'S STORY.

Anthony Wallace Moore is a New Yorker born on February 15, 1998. He grew up in a family with good conditions; his parents owned a very successful bakery, which provided a good life for the family. Anthony lived in New York until he was 12 years old, when he moved to Canada with his family, where they planned to maintain their business, allowing Anthony to grow up in a quiet place. His upbringing was always very gentle and loving, which gave him a strong sense of freedom. His relationship with his father has always been incredible; they used to listen to music together, influencing his good taste in music today.

Anthony started college studying Architecture, but as a confused young man, he couldn’t connect with the subject and ended up dropping out. After spending time without a clear direction and helping his parents with the bakery, Anthony soon realized that he really liked music. Listening to beats and lyrics had been a hobby for him when he was younger, so he decided to take charge of his life. After a long year of contemplating college, Anthony decided to enroll in a music college better known as the "Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music," where he improved his knowledge of music and became a producer. At first, it was complicated because he had to return to his hometown; New York felt intimidating for a young man who had been alone until that moment. Without family or friends, Anthony found himself forced to start his life over again.

[kamenstranger]

With this new season of Castlevania alleged creepy sex weirdo Warren Ellis was out as head writer, and Clive Bradley was in. Bradley is known primarily as a crime and horror writer, whose works I wasn't too familiar with before this. That, in addition to the events of season 4, left me with basically no expectations for what direction the show would go.

That said, The first episode perfectly sets the stage for the rest of the season. It is efficient without feeling rushed or over-stuffed. It is concise while covering a lot of ground.

We open on Richter being sent away to France for his protection, but in the process, his mother, Julia (Sophie Skelton), is killed by a powerful vampire, Olrox (Zahn McClarnon). Nine years later, in 1792, we find Richter (Edward Bluemel) with this adoptive sister, Maria Renard (Pixie Davies). Maria is a witch and a young revolutionary fanning the flames among the peasants, making her and her listeners targets for the literal bloodsucking cronies of the upper class. Although they pose no threat to our two heroes.

Richter and Maria right off the bat have a great sibling dynamic. While it would be a stretch to call this young cocky Richter level-headed, he has a comparatively cool demeanor to Maria's short fuse. Maria herself is a lot of fun. She is foul-mouthed and rebellious in a "burn the bourgeois" sort of way, which puts her at odds with institutions such as the church.

Still, the two meet with the local Abbott, Emmanuel (Richard Dormer), seeing as one of the attacking vampires mentioned a Vampire Messiah. Although the church is of no help.

After that excursion, there's a slight respite in Richter's domestic life, focusing on Maria and her mother, Tera (Nastassja Kinski). We see that Richter suffers from PTSD nightmares over his mother's death. He's awakened by an attack on the homestead by night creatures, something neither Richter, nor the rest of the household, has experience or knowledge of, resulting in a pretty brutal beatdown.

He's saved by the timely intervention of Annette (Thuso Mbedu) a former plantation slave who can manipulate rocks and metals; and Edouard (Sydney James Harcourt) a revolutionary opera singer. Both were looking for Richter in hopes of stopping this vampire messiah. Elsewhere, Olrox arrives in France to meet this messiah.

As I said, this episode covers a lot of ground. The back story for Richter, supporting characters and their relationships, major events being set up, more supporting characters to explore, and a lot of small character moments. That last one I think is the most important because there is a lot of that sprinkled throughout, along with some quick dialogue that explains small details. For example, when Richter is a child there's a quick line about how Tera isn't a vampire hunter. Richter is talented and has some training, but we see his limitations with the Night Creatures. There's some other stuff too, like Richter not having much thought on the current affairs of a classist system, but finding Maria and her mother good people with good intentions, so he stands by them. He has a good heart, but he perhaps doesn't think much about the world at large the same way Maria does.

Another small but appreciated bit is Annette's spear turning into dust and reforming as plates. You immediately pick up on her metal manipulation ability, and it's nice that Maria isn't the only one with unique magic (that being the Sì Xiàng.) Not to mention this also sets the ground for a much larger world of magic, like say, Richter's Item Crash abilities from the games. And yes, that is a key component because Richter lost his ability to do any magic after his mother's death.

In fact, episode 2 expands on that very thing while also explaining that Annette's powers came from her father's side, leading all the way back to her culture's God of war, Ogun (They don't specify which African Religion.) An inheritance of magic would become a running motif throughout this season. But That's just a small part of this episode.

The real meat of the second episode is the arrival of the Messiah's Emissary, Drolta Tzuentes (Elarica Johnson) to France, and Annette revealing the vampire messiah's name; Erzsebet Bathory. This triggers memories in Maria's mother that she had long kept secret. Tera was originally from Russia, part of a group of speakers helping a small village until they were besieged by vampires. Tera lost her sister to vampirism in the process and was forced to kill her. She fled until she reached France and was taken in by Emmanuel, hoping to leave that nightmare behind.

With their best lead being an Island chateau with nightly parties, Richter, Maria, Annette, and Edouard, skulk out the place in hopes of finding out where the night creatures are coming from. While spying on the partygoers, Annette spots her former slaver, Vaublanc, and nearly loses control of herself. Regardless, Vaublanc still takes notice and things quickly go south. The four flee an onslaught of monsters, but only three make it out. Edouard is overwhelmed and slain in the chaos. His body is brought to the Abbey along with other corpses to be made into night creatures in the cellar.

Unlike the slow methodical smith-like process of the 1400s, the demon forging process has become industrialized. Something I didn't care for much (at first) is that Edouard is turned into a night creature where it's basically just him but with monster appendages. So his midriff and face are perfectly normal. Everyone else turns into these barely recognizable monsters, but you know his features stay intact for future drama. We'll get back to that.

Episode 3 focuses on the group comforting Annette's loss, and her in turn opening up to the group about her past. Seeing her mother killed by Vaublanc, the awakening of her powers, her escape at age 16, and of course her meeting with Edouard. Edouard hid Annette from Vaublanc and brought her to a rebel militia in the mountains where she was trained to use her powers by a Seer, Cécile, and eventually aids in the uprising of Saint-Domingue. Although Vaublanc would of course escape. Annette is obviously very different from her game counterpart and for the better in my book. She's a proactive player here and the backstory given also connects both narratively and thematically to the setting and themes. It's also nice that Edouard gets some backstory laid out because we never really got a chance to explore him before his death. While this is still more in the service of Annette, it's at least something.

A smaller part of the episode is a homoerotic confrontation between Olrox and the Abbott's right hand, Mizrak (Aaron Neil) Olrox seemingly throwing a wrench into their plans for his own gain, planting a seed in the warrior's mind that Erzsebet will cast them aside when the opportunity arrives. Maria also introduces Annette to her revolutionary group, but are attacked by night creatures, Edouard among their ranks. One little twist is that Edouard maintains a degree of consciousness. He turns away from Annette, hides his face, and ends up attacking another creature that goes after her. In that regard, I consider his appearance to reflect that the process of the forge was perhaps flawed in some manner. But we have seen creatures display a degree of independence before, and memories of their past life as with FlysEyes. Whatever the cause, he's carried off with the remaining night creatures, Maria noting that they were heading in the direction of the Abbey.

Episode 4 follows up with Maria and Annette being hell-bent on assaulting the Abbey for answers, although Richter objects to the impulsive nature since they're unsure. Tera instead offers a more subtle approach with an alternate entrance to the cellar. In fact, she knows a little bit too much about the Abbey, something Richter takes notice of.

Olrox is also busy getting answers. From an afterglow chat with Mizrak to secretly investigating the demon forge and its workings. He even chats with Edouard while the Abbot is busy in a meeting with Drolta on their uneasy alliance. Trepidatious though it may be, both see a benefit. Emmanuel wants to purge the revolution for questioning and outright attacking the church. The Vampires want to maintain a ruling class and need a human to forge demons for an army. It's all about the status quo.

Drolta also has some good character bits here. I wouldn't call her particularly deep as a villain, she never becomes as interesting as Olrox. But she is a fun villain. Which, hey, that's more than I can say for her Bloodlines counterpart who was just a witch. You can also tell someone had a lot of fun designing all of Drolta's different looks, she has more outfit changes than anyone else and her aesthetic is fucking great.

All that said, Drolta and Emmanuel cross paths with our heroes, and a big chunk of the episode is a massive fight in the cellar. If you've read my previous Castlevania reviews you know I dislike regurgitating what's on screen followed by "done well" But this is a highlight of the season. We're at the midway point, the threads are starting to come together, and we're ramping things up with an amazing battle showcasing everyone's abilities brilliantly. In particular, we see how dangerous Drolta is. All this with a beautiful vocal performance by Edouard.

Amongst all this action are some story morsels; Tera is horrified at Emmanuel for one- although he does stop Drolta from going after Maria. Put a pin in that. There's also a truly heart-wrenching moment between Annette and Edouard where he begins to remember who she is. And if that wasn't enough, just when we're showing how fucking badass Richter can be with him finally handling night creatures, Olrox makes his presence known. And the utter looks of terror in Richter's eyes upon hearing his voice is so palatable.

The facial expressions this season are truly wonderful. Richter tells everyone to get the fuck out and runs for it, not stopping. And what I love is right after everyone has escaped, Olrox acts completely natural toward Drolta, saying he just got off the boat and the messiah is expecting him.

Ep 5 is split into three parts. One follows a frustrated Annette as she heads out and eventually tails Drolta's carriage until she meets up with Olrox. This segment is largely exposition while also trying to further convince Olrox of their cause. There's a lot of back and forth about rising and falling empires, something both Olrox and Drolta have seen their share of since their Aztec and Egypt days, respectively. It boils down to Drolta considering the natural order of things to be of rulers and subjects. The messiah can supposedly offer a permanent empire for Vampires to rule. After that meeting, and by complete happenstance, Annette ends up running into Vaublanc in the same graveyard. She uses her ability in possibly the most unique manner to trap the slaver in a cage of crosses. And for really no good goddamn reason at all, he gloats about Erzsebet Báthory's plans and her power. How she drank the blood of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet. Considering she's a solar goddess, all I'm picturing is the time Dracula bit Superman and blew up.

That somehow didn't happen but instead supposedly gave her the ability to block the sun. This ranting goes on until the sun rises and burns the lesser vampire to a crisp. Meanwhile, Emmanuel shows up at Tera's house. It's a similar case of back and forth, how Emmanuel is clearly engaging in horrible sacrilegious acts but he views it as an end justifies the means sorta way. I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here, but this is basically Emmanuel's character for the rest of the show. Becoming increasingly unhinged, but with a touch of self-awareness. His character has this uneasy combination of the deeper he goes, the worse he feels…but he can't stop. You wonder if it will ever be too much. Honestly, it makes for a more interesting human monster compared to the flat 200% evil priests of the previous Castlevania. Oh, it also gets revealed that he's Maria's father. Okay, that's not shocking from an audience perspective, it's painfully obvious what with Tera's comments, history, and the fact that there are only two adult blonds in the entire show. But from the Character's POV, it causes a rift between Maria and her mother.

Richter oddly has the least to do in this episode, yet he is perhaps the most interesting. After bolting and having a breakdown, he wanders aimlessly, gets a bandana from some revolutionaries smitten with his looks, and ultimately winds up at a bar. He's too poor for a drink, although an old man pays for a meal. And this is when things take a surprising turn. A vampire bursts into the bar looking for the old man. Richter reaches for the whip, but the old man has already taken it and quickly slays the vampire with ease.

Playing up an old fan theory, this is in fact Richter's Grandfather, Juste (Iain Glen). This one got me. The moment I saw a long white-haired man I figured it could be, but I was still pleasantly surprised they went there.

Episode 6 is another dense one, with Erzsabet making her horrifying arrival to France. Edouard meanwhile begins talking to fellow night creatures, one of whom, Jacques, recalls attending Maria's meetings. Speaking of, Maria visits Emmanuel in hopes of swaying the Abbott away from his path. I guess you could say she's presenting the choice of what sort of father he wants to be. I admit, it's slightly jarring that Maria would extend this offer in the first place given her utter disdain prior. I guess she wants to give the benefit of the doubt, but she's not exactly had a longing for a father figure as part of her character. Sure, she thought her father was dead until now, but it feels more like something thrown in so Drolta can secretly take notice and set up events for the finale. In fairness, Maria is impulsive, so I guess in that regard it still works. But… yeah I'm still iffy on it as a plot point.

Thankfully, the main core of this episode is much better by being centered on Richter and Juste. We learn why there was such dissonance with his daughter, and why he's kept away from Richter, how he became so broken. Juste once was the most powerful magic user of the Belmonts, the whip was almost secondary to him. But his wife Lydie and his best friend Maxim were both killed by a vampire. After that, he lost his magical touch. He lost hope. These tales of woe are cut short when elite vampire warriors sent by Drolta assault the duo, chaining Juste and separating Richter from the whip. Richter is restrained and prepared for execution. But something happens to Richter. A burning desire to not only live, but to protect the people he loves. That fire inside him grows and becomes literal.

What follows is less of a fight and more pure elegant destruction. Richter burning, freezing, and stabbing all the night fiends. I would also be remiss if I didn't mention this is backed with the one game cover for this season; Divine Bloodlines. Which is just exquisite. Beyond that, I just love this bit of character. Richter's strength, and consequentially what makes him contrast with Trevor and more directly Juste, is how he channels his trauma into something positive.

However, do not let the above distract from the fact that Olrox gets his own spotlight finally delving into his motivations. After all, he was once part of a great kingdom until the Spanish arrived. Does he see Erzsabet as just another god king which fools have pledged themselves to? Perhaps. We also get some insight into the lover Julia killed. A Mohican man who fought in the Revolutionary War, only to have his home stolen by those same people. The only thing that changed was who the colonizers were. But lest you think that makes Olrox too sympathetic, the only reason he lost his love is because he was turned into a vampire. Mizrak actually confronts him on this, asking if a choice was even granted. Of course, Olrox was too selfish for that.

Ep 7. Our penultimate episode, unsurprisingly, is mostly set up for the finale. Although a great deal is simply low-key character interactions, like the fallout between Maria with her mother over Emmanuel.

Richter also returns to the trio and has a nice quiet scene with just him and Annette, Richter apologizing for abandoning them and promising to help rescue Edouard. It's really the only scene the two have leaning into there being something between them, Annette admitting she was more worried about him than she wanted. It's rather cute and I love the subtle blush on Annette. But there's no time to kindle that spark. The four must prepare a full assault on the Abbey.

Less low-key is Erzsabet's plans being fully laid out. Olrox is nothing more than a servant to pay Erzabet tribute by conquering the Americas on her behalf. This submission is not something he takes kindly to, but he has little choice. Speaking of submission, Emmanuel is expected to do just that for the new messiah. A sacrifice of something dear to him; Maria.

As our heroes begin planning their attack on the Abbey, Maria voices concern over what could happen to Emmanuel. But as Tera bluntly puts it: he made his choice. Before they can continue, they're interrupted by an unlikely source, Olrox, who drops off Emmanuel's infernal tome. While this leads to a whole excursion, the gist is really quite simple; Olrox can't afford to get too involved with this subversion, Erzsabet is far more powerful than any know, and the Demon Forge can only be handled by humans. Whether or not they trust Olrox is irrelevant, this is their best bet at dealing a blow before Erzsabet can build an army.

That night, as Tera reads over the tome, Maria sneaks out and heads for the Abbey, hoping to give her father one last chance to have a change of heart. But it's to no avail, his mind is thoroughly poisoned and Maria is captured, breaking the last straw for Mizrak.

The following day, Tera figures out the solution to dealing with the forge, but it won't be easy. Destruction isn't possible, the only solution is sending it back where it came from; Hell. Annette will be needed to quite literally push the entire machine through a portal. Just as their plan is formulated, Mizrak arrives, warning them that Emmanuel is preparing to kill Maria. As they hurry to the church, the sun is suddenly eclipsed.

Erzsabet, true to the rumors, can call forth an eternal night.

This brings us to the season finale in episode 8. The four arrive in time to save Maria from the crazed holy man. Annette heads down to take care of the forge and also free Edouard, although he prefers staying with the night creatures, two of whom have regained their sentience and even protect Annette.

As Tera reads incantations to summon the portal to hell, Drolta and a small squad of vampires arrive at the church for Richter, Maria, and Mizrak to take care of. One thing for sure is that Drolta is a force to be reckoned with. Their previous fight was during the day, but now she's at full strength. Maria is giving it her all, and Richter is no slouch with his new magic. He even gets a few good licks in with his ice whip.

But things change when Erzsabet arrives. She has since transmogrified into a Sekhmet lioness appearance, and she is immensely powerful. None of the attacks launched at her can even make contact. Not Maria's guardians, not the whip, not the elemental magics. She casts everyone aside and heads right for Maria, which causes Tera to lose focus and close the portal. See, Emmanuel misunderstood. Bathory wasn't looking for a blood sacrifice, she was looking for someone to turn. Tera intervenes and begs to be taken instead of Maria. After all, she's a speaker and would be a powerful minion to have. Bathory accepts. I want to take a moment and say Tera's fate hits surprisingly hard. She's not the deepest character, we don't spend a great deal of time on her. But she's prominent enough to leave an impact. A flawed individual with the best of intentions and ultimately a good heart. I do want to give mention to Nastassja Kinski's performance, which is her first voice role. She gives Tera this soft-spoken kindly forlorn inflection that perfectly matches her complicated past. And to see that character turned and suddenly become this ravenous beast, feasting like a combination of starving infant and strung-out addict… it's beautifully sad. This is a show full of contrasts and Tera made a great contrast to Emmanuel, more so than Maria, I think. I don't believe Tera was under any illusions like Emmanuel. Her sacrifice isn't going to spare Maria, but it buys everyone enough time. Conversely, Emmanuel would give up anyone else with the assumption it would be worth it, even as it broke his heart. And make no mistake, his heart is breaking during this moment.

With the situation at its worst, the four make their escape as Drolta and her minions give chase. Drolta closes in on Richter, lunging after him.

Only to be met by a familiar sword. Understandably an elite vampire being taken out followed by a guy claiming to be the son of Dracula causes the rest of the vampires to flee. Alucard turns his attention towards Richter, hoping that he isn't too late. And that is one hell of a season finale. Goddamn.

If it wasn't clear by now. I thoroughly enjoyed this season. There are a few issues I have, mostly small and nitpicky stuff. But things are fairly damn solid and I don't have much major to complain about. One thing I do see criticized is some of the dialogue being "Cringy." It's not as bad as I had seen made out, but there are undeniably some dorky-ass wince-inducing lines. Some try too hard to be inspiring or funny. One example would be Richter going on a speech as his powers awaken and saying he was "gonna have a witty line… but fuck it." It just doesn't come off as earnest. I get the feeling that it's trying to evoke Ellis' form of vulgarity and irreverent humor- which itself sometimes fell face first. But there's nothing in here even close to "Eat shit and Die. Yes, fuck you." or "See? God Hates me." Nocturne thankfully avoids trying to be too much like its predecessor and is better for it. Although its own quirks occasionally stick out, it's nothing that ruins the moment. Probably the worst it gets was Annette's speech to the revolutionaries which isn't even a paragraph and about as inspirational as Marshmallow fluff is nutritious. Maria's overly enthusiastic reaction only highlights the lame awkwardness. Fred Hamton this was not. I suppose on a related note, it is worth talking about the themes of the series. The most notable of all these is how it interprets Vampires among the aristocracy, literally feeding on the lower classes. Not an original take by any means, but one that works and is great for the setting. Perhaps the most criticism I can levy towards Nocturne when it dips into the various class systems at play is how little it actually gets to delve into them, despite how constant they are. It does raise some interesting ideas and points, such as the uprising in Saint-Domingue, or how Olrox's Mohican lover was turned against by the Americans. It presents this idea that there are those that will always see themselves above others and the French Revolutionaries aren't really going to give a shit once all is said and done. A slave is beneath a peasant, an Indian beneath a colonist, a night creature beneath a human, a human beneath a vampire, and so forth. But as prevalent as that is, I don't think the series ever takes full advantage of those elements. The parallels are just that, parallels. Something repeated but never expanded upon in a meaningful way. Look, I'm in a post-Black Sun world. I realize nothing is going to compete on the totally radical scale by comparison. Still, while Nocturne is far from toothless, it doesn't have as much bite as it could. I will give credit to Olrox. I think he's the most interesting of the bunch in how these systems affect his compass. Driven away from his homeland by Conquistadors, his lover was driven from his by revolutionaries. Olrox himself is now part of a system of power- and yet he is still subjugated as nothing more than muscle to a more powerful figure within that system… who wants him to colonize.

As for everyone else… Man, this is a weird situation. For Richter, I don't think there's much that hasn't already been covered. I like his character and what they do with him. It's a fairly typical young hero journey, one that just got started in a lot of respects. He overcame is trauma, got his power back, and was met with something far stronger. He has quite a ways to go and more to learn. I think it's safe to say that applies to Maria, too. Perhaps even more so because she lacks a character-focused episode that doesn't center on her family. She was fine overall, but I'm more looking forward to the next season and the fallout of losing her mother to a fate worse than death, how that affects her, the relationships around her, and perhaps channeling it into becoming more powerful.

Curiously, Maria is down an animal buddy throughout this entire season. I'm not counting the doves/owls because I'm fairly certain they were considered redundant with huáng. But Shenlong is noticeably absent and I can only assume that's going to be Maria's big upgrade in the next season. I hope the same is true for Richter. As much as I appreciate seeing them get clever with the ice and fire abilities, I want to see things I associate with him specifically. The closest we get is the flame whip and a pseudo grand cross. Have him throw a bible and the page cut like razors or stick like Fulu talismans, 1,000 blades, hydro storm. Make that a part of him getting stronger, going beyond the traditional magic, and perhaps tie that in with some character stuff with Annette as their relationship blossoms. (As an aside. I can't help but think Tera being turned into a vampire is perfect setup to make the whip into a proper vampire killer ala Lament of Innocence.)

To give more credit where it's due, I also appreciate what's done with Annette by incorporating wider cultural elements into the setting, in addition to still being something that's a major part of her background. I'm hoping for more stuff with Annette next season because I feel aside from her origin tale she's easily overshadowed by Richter's journey feeling more full. Plus it's perfect opportunity to set up a family dynamic with the three.

Getting back to the magical angle, I also love that Erzsabet takes on a second form in relation to a God. That's very much in tune with how in the games Dracula could assume a form like Pazuzu. Likewise, Olrox can turn into a giant serpent, which is a nice twist on his lizard form from SOTN while giving some Quetzalcoatl-like qualities related to his own background. Hmm, that's another Sun God like Sekhmet…

But a lot of what I'm talking about here is setting and background stuff around characterization. And also shit I'm expecting/wanting next season because I've already covered most of the characters. Well, that, and as efficient as the story is, it does leave me wanting more. Which, yes, is a great thing. I enjoy these characters and want to spend more time with them. I feel it's at least appropriate enough to leave off where we do. But there is still a nagging part of me that hates that we have horribly short seasons with this franchise. As wonderful as the writing is at balancing the narrative and characters for a streamlined experience, it's still in the single digits. We only have 8 roughly 25 minute episodes and I struggle to say more than a few unique blurbs about any one character because of that short run. The plus side is they use every bit of that run time well, it's remarkable how much is done in that time. The downside is "barely scratched the surface" is a phrase I can apply to most of the cast. Richter is truthfully the only one with a proper fulfilling arc that still leaves room for growth. Annette sorta gets a spirit journey about using the full strength of her ancestors and forgiving Richter, but that's kinda it. Maria has some character stuff with her family, but it's not a journey in the same way as the others, despite the personal nature. We're going to have to wait until next season before deep-diving on Maria and Annette. To say nothing of Mizrak who barely has a speaking role. The more I think about it, the more I wish this was 3-5 episodes longer just to sink those claws in more. It almost feels like a show that is the best case scenario for when you cut out all the fat. As it stands, I'm still appreciative of what was done. 8 episodes were ordered and they did the best with those restrictions, that much I believe is certain. Maybe it's best to focus on what is rather than what could be, and what we got is still damn good.

Also damn good is the animation this season. So this is going to be a pretty sort section because I'm limited to 30 photos and I've got 4 other reviews talking about the animation in Castlevania. One thing I have to point out is that Netflix and many others are calling this an anime, despite the fact that outside Japan the term typically refers to animation which is at the very least produced by a Japanese studio. We won't get into the semantics of how that applies if the actual animating is outsourced to South Korea (Which Studio DR Movie is) Or the nuances of how styles have intermingled for decades. Honestly, I don't really care all that much. I'm just pointing it out because I find it hilarious that a show partly handled by a studio based in Austin, TX gets slapped with the Anime label because, and let's be real here, they're too insecure to call it a cartoon or animation outright. That's the only reason. Amazon does the same damn thing with Invincible, which is just embarrassing in my eyes. If the HBO Spawn was made today they'd be trying to do the same shit with that… especially since that was partially handled by Studio Madhouse… who outsources to DR Movie.

Anyway, we've got yet another change up this season with animation moving from Tiger Animation in Season 4 to the renowned DR Movie. Chances are you've seen their work somewhere before, as they're pretty big in both the Japanese anime and Western animation scene. They've done everything from the in-between shots on JJBA Diamond is Unbreakable, to additional work on the 2010 Young Justice series.

Of course, that's not to say they handled all of this. After all, Powerhouse Animation has been at this since the first season in 2017, and are damn impressive in their own right. If you've seen the Sonic Frontiers and Superstars animations, that was them.

While the gap between this and Season 4 isn't massive, the uptick is still very noticeable. Fights in particular stand out more with a strong sense of choreography to the battles. There's a good use of the environment with impactful kinetic energy. Shading and lighting are probably the best it's been, and at no point was there a glaring instance of what could be perceived as "corner-cutting." It's frankly gorgeous and perhaps the best so far.

What I have a harder time commenting on is the music, and man, I always feel trepidatious talking about Music in the animated series. Comparisons to the games are inevitable, and those have some of the most rockin' iconic beats of any game series. The show typically only has one game track represented per season, if that. Yet I also feel that's disingenuous to Trevor Morris and (this season) Trey Toy, who do great work. Yet often times it is very atmospheric and more subtle, which I have a hard time conveying that, aside from asking if you like Castlevania IV's approach. What I can say, aside from the obvious choice of Bloonelines, is that Lamento della Ninfa is the standout track this season. It's used a couple of times, mostly in the Abbey, and it is a truly beautiful piece that complements the battles yet is still a great track divorced from the context of the scene at play. I also feel bad saying that because it, like bloodlines, is a preexisting track. In this case a Claudio Monteverdi composition.

Since we're on the subject of vocals, I might as well talk about the voice acting. It's good. I mean what the fuck do you expect? We're on a sequel to a 4 season show, of course, they're going to get that right. I will say it's surprising that not a lot of the cast have voice-acting credits prior to this. Some have one or two, for others this is their first VA role, and they all do a damn fine job. Less surprising is that Zahn McClarnon is one of the stand-out performance to me. He is the most experienced of anyone in the cast, and ironically it's the role showing the least variety. But I would say it's the most complicated because Olrox has a very subdued, practically emotionless delivery. To impart that sense of control over oneself without being stereotypically monotone is remarkably difficult for a lot of performers. I can hear Olrox and immediately pick up he's weary from all the shit he's seen. Every now and then you'll get something dry and cheeky, or a cold threatening aura peeking through the unnatural calm.

The other standout is Sydney James Harcourt. As far as I'm aware, this is his first VA role. He is primarily a musical performer on and off Broadway. And yes, that means when Edouard sings, it's still Harcourt. So that amazing rendition of Lamento della Ninfa is him.

Final Thoughts.

Castlevania Nocturne quelled most of my fears about the series continuing on, and in some areas showed itself to be far more nuanced and interesting than its fore bearer. There are still critiques I have with the show- it seems an absurdly short season is a reoccurring issue with this franchise. But I can't deny that few shows can do so much in so little. I've seen 43 episode series do less with their characters, so make of that what you will. Whatever issues I have with the episode number, I'd rather them set up and wait than try to tackle too much in a season that clearly doesn't have the time. My only real concern going forward is Netflix's abysmal practices fucking the show over. Ya know, is it going to take a third season to get some characters a satisfactory amount of development?

Regardless, I can say that Nocturne's first season feels refined, and frankly more mature. It never goes above the means given to it, and despite some stumbles, it's not overly ambitious or clunky. Nocturne knows exactly what it wants and gets to it in the shortest amount of time. If season 2 can continue that trend remains to be seen. I'm at least confident the series is in good hands.

As always, thanks for reading, and reblogs are always welcome. You can find me on Bluesky @kamenstranger.bsky.social I have a Ko-fi if you'd like to throw a dollar at me. Happy Halloween!

[fredfilmsblog]

Frederator Networks interns, autumn 2015, left to right: Fred, Sam Lee (University of Michigan), Josette Roberts (SVA), Jenny Brent (SUNY Purchase), Judy Tam (SVA), Lisa Franklin (Brown), Liz Chun (RISD), Danielle Ceneta (Syracuse), Peter Carlson (Ringling) Photo by Kirsten Wagstaff

Why I like interns. 

This post is from 2015 when I was running Frederator Networks, a much larger company than FredFilms. But most of the sentiments (we now pay interns, when we have them, which is NOT NOW) continue to be true.

And, I have to say, the part I find most unlikely but most true is... interns are our mentors. Seriously.

There’s been a lot of squabbling in the press this year about interns, especially in the media and technology businesses. And since I’ve had rookie programs in place for several decades, it seemed like a good time to weigh in.

Science? Or The Beatles?

For me, it’s personal. Back in the day (my day, that is), there were no organized apprenticeship programs that I knew of to prepare me for the work life I was seeking. But a lot of helpful people gave me guidance, and I want to pay it forward.

I grew up in a science family, knowing I’d be a scientist too. And then The Beatles came to America, and like a lot of other kids, my world got turned upside down. Eventually, I became determined to be in the recording business as a record producer. The problem was I knew no one who could help. And so I started to make my own way, in what to me was an underground, secret society. As full time, liberal arts college student it the 70s, there was no NYU Clive Davis Institute, Full Sail University. No Mix Magazine, noTape Op. I was totally on my own. I found one class taught by an RCA recording engineer and producer, and one highly technical publication. I stumbled into private recording sessions, asked anyone who knew anything, bullied my way into record companies.

There were no internships. I hadn’t even heard the term.

There were dozens of nice people who helped me and taught me things along the way. I worked in hundreds of circumstances for free, making mistakes and successes along the way, basically creating my own training path. I figured things out, started a record company, got a gig here and there. I rubbed shoulders with enough world class experts to figure out I had staked out the wrong direction for myself, and by the time I was 30, found myself in the television business. It all eventually worked out for me.

But, if there had been someplace for me to start fathoming what was going on, somewhere where I could smell what the scene was, I could have learned things a lot faster, and maybe cordoned off my path into the right direction a little sooner.

Interns aren’t easy.

For years it was hard for us to attract interns. Most of my companies have been startups, or below the radar service organizations, not famous ones at that. We really had to search, reaching out to local colleges and putting our best foot forward, hoping to attract minimally interested candidates. (Things have changed dramatically, ever since we produced Adventure Time and started Cartoon Hangover. Now we have to cut things off when we get 250 applications per semester, for less than 10 spots). Occasionally, an eager high school student would show up and ask to stick around, and despite the anxieties of our lawyers and insurance carriers, we worked things out.

I couldn’t tell you the exact criteria we’ve used to select contenders. But, I must say, our highly subjective process has resulted in some stellar colleagues and often, friends.

And intern programs aren’t easy to administer. We’re not heavily staffed, so whomever is responsible for the program is usually fitting it into an already over packed work day. And frankly, most of the students come into our place eager, but really rough around the edges. Many have no real work ethic, daily discipline, or much of an ability to actually interact with the adults in the workplace. I mean, they’re kids, after all.

On balance though, from my limited perspective, while internships sometimes put a burden on our small staff, our company has come out all the richer. Especially these days, as the way young people set the agenda for technology use and innovation, having the innocent perspective of new faces streaming in and out of our offices makes us sharper, smarter, and fresher.

And based on the long term relationship we have with many of our past candidates, the benefit has definitely been in both directions.

Interns are our mentors.

“No one hires interns,” says a disgruntled one in a recent New York Times story in the aftermath of some of the unpaid intern lawsuits.

I’m of two minds about the discontent. On the one hand, it’s clear that many companies are using interns as unpaid labor. Totally unjust. And, there’s a good argument that unpaid internships often favor well off students. But, it’s also true that internship programs can cost companies in real opportunity cost and productivity losses, as time spent away from daily workflow. Definitely, interns can be a double edged sword.

At my company, we don’t pay interns as a matter of policy. [The policy changed at Frederator, and now at FredFilms, we will pay interns.] As a start up we’re thinly resourced as it is, and any extra dollars are needed to keep the wheels on the bus. But, more importantly to me, I want people who actually want to be at Frederator, not someone who just wanted something cool to do for a while. Not for nothing, it’s the same criteria we use for employees. If someone comes into our offices with no clue about who we are, what we do, and what we stand for, we show them the door. We’re not a place for people who work to live, we live to work.

All that being said, we work super hard to be fair. If there’s an intern job in the house that we would pay a freelancer to do, the intern gets paid. We also limit their time at the office to two or three days a week. That gives a chance for more people to get exposure, and it encourages them to be out in the world rather than cooped up with us old working folk.

At the end of the day, some interns are good, and some are really bad. And, it’s true, not all good interns get hired. However, I can say with great assurance that my companies hired interns 30 years ago, and we hired interns 30 days ago. I think it’s safe to say that fully 25% of our current, full time team started in our internship programs.

And honestly, the former interns are some of my very favorite colleagues.

The interns in my shops remind me of why I wanted to get working the minute I was done with schooling (actually, before I finished, but that’s another essay). They’re intelligent, they’re fun, they know things I’ll never know. Sure, I can give them some benefits too, but the thing they don’t realize is that while we’re mentoring them, they’re actually mentoring us.

Fair trade, in my book. I really like interns.

[womanexile]

Kinda curious...

How Harry Styles Became the World’s Most Wanted Man

Rolling Stone Magazine

BY BRITTANY SPANOS

"In person, Styles looks more like your best friend’s cute, sporty older brother than the gender-bending style icon he’s become. He’s left the boas and sequin jumpsuits in the dressing room, opting instead for a blue Adidas track jacket, gym shorts, and Gucci sneakers. His hair, often described as “tousled,” like he’s a renegade prince in a romance novel, is clipped back with a hair claw, a signature day-off accessory. "

"Those post-Wembley showers were especially gratifying. When One Direction, which Styles casually refers to as “the band,” played the stadium in 2014, he ended up with tonsillitis on the day of the show. “I was miserable,” he recalls. “We played the first one, and I remember I came off, got in the car, and just started crying because I was so disappointed.”

rollingstone.com/music/music-features/harry-styles-harrys-house-dont-worry-darling-my-policeman-cover-1397290/

Lol, her HS description- on purpose? Same person taught TS NYU class too. Pics nice.

Taylor Swift Course Launched at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute

Varety Magazine

BY Jem Aswald

02.22.2022

New York University’s Clive Davis Institute has introduced its first-ever course on Taylor Swift, which launched on Jan. 26 and continues through March 9.

"Taught by Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos, the class will cover Swift’s evolution as a creative music entrepreneur, the legacy of pop and country songwriters, discourses of youth and girlhood, and the politics of race in contemporary popular music, according to a rep for the program, who noted that the course has a long waitlist. Swift has been invited to speak to class, although the status of that request is still pending.

Chaired by veteran music writer and musician Jason King, the Davis Institute has included classes taught by Questlove,“Dilla Time” author Dan Charnas, Q-Tip, legendary producer-engineer Bob Power and many others."

She also provided the NYU transcript

Read Taylor Swift’s Inspiring Speech for NYU’s Class of ’22

"Today, you leave New York University and then you go out into the world searching for what’s next. And so will I," superstar says at Yankee Stadium

BY BRITTANY SPANOS

rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-nyu-speech-1355121/

Rolling Stone journalists know a lot more than what they write. They see the things we don’t. But they’ll keep an artist trust so that artists will continue to work with them.

[fashionbooksmilano]

Rebels

From Punk to Dior

Janette Beckman

Drago, Roma 2021, 240 pagine,  23 × 28 cm, English, ISBN  978-88-98565-46-7

euro 60,00

email if you want to buy :booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

Janette Beckman and Drago Publishing are proud to present ‘Rebels: From Punk to Dior,’ the first-ever monograph from the British-born, New York-based photographer. Covering four decades of photography the book serves as a stunning snapshot of Beckman’s significance in the world of art, photojournalism, music, fashion, and popular culture – but most prevalently, it’s a testament of her unique ability to extract beauty from the outliers of society. With written contributions from Beckman’s peers including academia’s Jason King, Chair of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music & Vivien Goldman Author & Professor at NYU; journalists Vikki Tobak, and co-founder of PAPER, Kim Hastreiter; visual artist Cey Adams; music legends Sting, Run DMC, Paul Weller, Salt-n-Pepa, Belinda Carlisle, and Slick Rick; and fashion’s Dapper Dan, Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri, Levi’s Chad Hinson – From Punk to Dior showcases Janette Beckman’s influence in her realm. In addition to publishing five books, Janette Beckman’s work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide and is included in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Museum of the City of New York, and the British National Portrait Gallery. She is represented by the Fahey Klein Gallery.

13/01/23

orders to:     booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

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twitter:         @fashionbooksmi

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[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 21st February 2023

Buckingham Palace

His Excellency Mr Pedro Antonio Serrano de Haro was received in audience by The King today and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the European Union to the Court of St James’s. Ms Ana Perez Kramer was also received by His Majesty. Her Excellency Ms Aïchatou Boulama Kané was received by The King and presented the Letters of Recall of her predecessor and her own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Republic of Niger to the Court of St James’s. Sir Philip Barton (Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs) was present. The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP (Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs) was received in audience by The King this afternoon. The Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover was received by His Majesty and delivered up the Insignia of the Order of the Garter worn by her husband, the late Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover. The King held a Privy Council at 4.30pm. There were present: the Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP (Lord President), the Rt Hon Sue-Ellen Braverman MP (Secretary of State for the Home Department), the Rt Hon David Davies MP (Secretary of State for Wales), the Rt Hon Alister Jack MP (Secretary of State for Scotland) and the Rt Hon Olukemi Badenoch MP. The Rt Hon Olukemi Badenoch MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Business and Trade (International Trade). Mr Richard Tilbrook was in attendance as Clerk of the Council. The Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP had an audience of His Majesty before the Council. The Rt Hon Sir Clive Alderton (Principal Private Secretary to Their Majesties) and the Rt Hon Sir Edward Young (Joint Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty) were in attendance. The Governor-General of Canada (the Rt Hon Mary Simon) had an audience with The King via telephone this evening. The Princess Royal, on behalf of The King, held an Investiture at Windsor Castle this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort were represented by the Earl of Rosslyn (Lord Steward and Personal Secretary to Their Majesties) at the Memorial Service for Dame Frances Campbell-Preston (formerly Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) which was held in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3, this afternoon.

Kensington Palace

The Princess of Wales this morning visited Oxford House Nursing Home, 204 Stoke Road, Slough, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire (Mr James Puxley).

St James’s Palace

The Earl of Wessex, Patron, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, this morning visited the Central Caribbean Marine Institute Coral Nursery, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. His Royal Highness this afternoon attended a Lunch given by the Premier of Cayman Islands (the Hon, Wayne Panton) at Southern Cross Club, Guy Banks Road, Little Cayman. The Earl of Wessex, Patron afterwards visited the Central Caribbean Institute Research Centre, Little Cayman. His Royal Highness, Patron, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, this evening attended a Reception on Little Cayman to launch the Coral Fund. The Earl of Wessex, Patron, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, later attended a Dinner at Southern Cross Club, Guy Banks Road, Little Cayman. The Countess of Wessex, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this morning participated in a Panel Discussion at the Ritz Carlton, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman. Her Royal Highness, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this afternoon attended a Lunch at WaterColours, 719 West Bay Road, Grand Cayman. The Countess of Wessex later visited YMCA Field of Dreams, Fairbanks Road, George Town, Grand Cayman. Her Royal Highness, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this evening attended a Dinner at the Ritz Carlton, Seven Mile Beach.

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal, Past Master, the Worshipful Company of Carmen, this evening attended a Joint Services Awards Dinner at Plaisterers’ Hall, One London Wall, London EC2.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, President, Crown Agents Foundation, this evening attended a Reception and Slava Concert in support of Ukraine at Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London SW1.

[mannytoodope]

Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove, the Philly native, is a percussionist, producer, and DJ. He is best known as the drummer and joint frontman for the rap group The Roots and has been the drummer for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. since 2014. When Questlove isn’t fulfilling his duties for The Roots or the Tonight Show, he is producing records for other artists. He is one of the producers of the Broadway smash-hit Hamilton. He won an Oscar for the documentary Summer of Soul about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. He works with several artists from different genres of music. Questlove is also an adjunct professor at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in New York. Questlove DJs a few gigs (when he has the time)and is known to be a bit of a foodie. Questlove is a talented drummer. Questlove may not rap too much, but he still plays a significant part in music and hip-hop culture.

[maggierogersmerch]

Maggie Rogers Merch

Margaret Debay Rogers is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Easton, Maryland. Her big break came when her song "Alaska" was played to Pharrell Williams during a master class at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Buy Maggie Rogers Merch Here!

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#maggierogersmerch #maggierogersmerchandise

[fallingformenow]

for the other anon she was doing a minor in psychology but didn’t finish it and she did a major in business https://x.com/cfletchernews/status/1684061189284700160?s=46&t=dFNzj6yMhI0Z5B2L99fuNA

but she specifically went to the clive davis institute at nyu which is for music? do you have a source on her majoring in business cause I'm curious now lol

tbh the way majors work in the us is so dumb imo like wdym you're gonna take a bunch of random classes for shits and giggles and then choose your major based on what word you like best

[hiphopraisedmetheblog]

Joey Bada$$ Appointed Artist In Residence At NYU Clive Davis: 'Class Is In Session'

Joey Bada$$: A New Chapter at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music In September 2024, Joey Bada$$ was announced as the first artist in residence at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. This appointment marks a significant milestone in the intersection of hip-hop, education, and mentorship. Joey Bada$$, renowned for his lyrical prowess and multifaceted artistry,…

[lboogie1906]

Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis, April 10, 1970) known by his stage name Q-Tip, is a rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract. He embarked on his music career in the late 1980s, as an MC and main producer of the influential alternative hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest. He co-founded the production team The Ummah, followed by the release of his gold-certified solo debut Amplified. He released the Grammy Award-nominated album The Renaissance and the experimental album Kamaal the Abstract.

He has appeared in various films such as Poetic Justice, She Hate Me, and Prison Song, the latter of which he co-wrote and played the lead role. As a DJ, he has hosted the Apple Music 1 radio show Abstract Radio since 2015. He was named the artistic director for hip-hop culture at the Kennedy Center and he became the instructor of a jazz and hip-hop course at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

He is one of the most acclaimed figures in hip-hop. AllMusic states that he “led a jazz-based hip-hop revolution during the ‘90s”, calling him “the best rapper/producer in hip-hop history”. About.com placed him #17 on their list of the Top 25 Hip-Hop Producers, and #38 on their list of the 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time. The Source ranked him #20 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.

He was born in Harlem, his family settled in St. Albans, Queens. He first met his friend Phife Dawg at church when they were both two years old. He began rapping after being encouraged by Phife Dawg.

He attended Murry Bergtraum High School, where he first befriended Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Afrika Baby Bam, and Mike Gee, with the latter two forming the hip-hop group Jungle Brothers. In high school, he participated in rap battles and went by the stage names J Nice and MC Love Child. He and Muhammad formed an MC and DJ duo, and using recording equipment provided by Muhammad’s uncle, they began making demos. They were joined by Phife Dawg, who rapped, and neighborhood friend Jarobi White; collectively, they were known as Quest. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence