#Cruisin' Records

[bandcampsnoop]

1/10/24.

Scott Yoder is a Seattle, Washington songwriter who clearly loves David Bowie and Ray Davies. Listening to 2022 release "Wither on Hollywood & Vine" you can't help but feel a 1960s/1970s nostalgia.

But, this doesn't sound at all like someone who's trying to recreate a sound. Rather, like The Tyde or The Lemon Twigs, he's using his skills and influences to help add to the genre of glam/rock/garage.

Yoder has releases on Annibale Records, Burger Records and a new release due on Cruisin' Records.

[buttholebuttonhole]

Hehehemuauahahahhaheeehee

[bearfoottruck]

I don't know if anyone here is a fan of the Boys Town Gang (I get the feeling I'm the only one), but I wanted to share this early 80s disco classic that merged two Diana Ross hits.

[starstruckpurpledragon]

So I have finally started some projects that I've been putting off for a.... long time. (Several years, tbh.)

I've begun recording all my cassette tapes and VHS tapes to digital.

For the cassette tapes I'm using Audacity (freeware) + a cassette player that is specifically designed to plug into a computer via USB - it sends the audio info in stereo as two separate microphone feeds - and if you put the tape in, rewind to the start, and then hit play (with Audacity recording) the tape will play to the end of side one, auto flip to side two and play to the end of side two. At which point it'll stop playing and I can stop Audacity from recording. It's pretty easy to get the whole tape recorded and then it's just a matter of going through and splitting the audio between songs and saving the songs as separate mp3 files. It's pretty easy, if a bit time consuming. I can have the tapes record while I work which is nice, since I don't have to pay too much attention to it; just make sure I stop Audacity's recording shortly after the tape finishes playing.

For recording the VHS tapes, I have an RCA to usb converter that came with a program that let's me record VHS to digital format to DVD. My test VHS was for the old Clue VCR Mystery Game that I snagged from my parents in college and simply never gave back. (Me explaining what I'm using for my test to my dad and him going 'huh, you know I think we've got one of those too... wait... you little thief' and I'm just 'yup, that's me. Also I want to steal all your cassettes'. So he's gonna find me all his cassettes.)

The Clue game will get saved to my home server both as one long file for the full hour tape and then chopped into sections which will probably be more playable. But the video is fun to watch for it's own sake (the characters descending into chaos as they try to kill each other is hilarious) and I've certainly been known to do so; thus having it in both formats is useful. I'm also going to figure out how to use the software I've got to create a dvd with chapters and the like so I can keep that in the box with the rest of the game parts - cards, a decoder for the cards, game sheets (which I'm gonna scan so I can print out extras), and the rules booklet. I know there was a sequel game so I'm going to see if maybe I can track that down for my own curiosity.

But while the game VHS will get fancy treatment, regular VHS tapes will just get cut down to just the movie and added to my emby server. I've only got a handful of VHS but they're cheap and it could be fun to poke around and pick up older movies that way. I'm admittedly more into the cassettes, but it's a fun to know that if I pick up a 'new' vhs or cassette now that I can work on them here and there to migrate them over to digital.

I've cut my recording of Cruisin' Classics VI into three mp3s already and I'm looking forward to being able to stick the whole thing on a cd so I can once again listen to it in my car. (My first car had both a cd player and cassette player.) And my dad has Cruisin' Classics IV in the box of cassettes I'll be 'stealing' from him this weekend. (Like any master thief, I announce my intentions beforehand to give the owners a fighting chance. But with my sidekick Estelle distracting them with cuteness and her demands to be petted and adored, I shall nevertheless get away with the box they will have left out for me to take home. hehehe)

I don't have any records or I'd probably get a turn table that would let me record them to my computer - or borrow the one my dad has. So, uh, you can see who I got the preservation bug from.

[slutforsnow]

High But Not Stupid

Oh my gods?? a one shot?? hell yeah <3 Thanos my love 💜 YUMESONA X THANOS

CW: Discrimination, 18+ implications, transphobia.

I hope the translator I used wasn't awful💔

Player 069 was.... unhinged, to say the least, and it wasn't just because he was the only American in a room filled with 455 other men and women. He was the only foreigner in the giant bunk room, and not to mention, he was a broke college student with terrible spending habits. Yet, Thanos wanted him on his team from day one.

The male had somehow snuck a butcher knife into the games and currently was spinning the blade between his fingers as Thanos & Nam-gyu drunkenly rambled about non-sense while being high, Thanos throwing in his rapping skills. Se-mi, Min-su & Cael watched them, talking amongst each other in rough English, the two teaching Caelus Korean to try and break down that language barrier.

It was just another couple of hours of waiting for the next game when Cael had to use the toilet and he begrudgingly pushed himself up.

"나는 화장실에 가고 있습니다. 잠깐 후에 돌아올게요," He told them, slowly pronunciating the words so he didn't mess up. [Translation: I am going to the bathroom. I will be back in a minute]

"Well done!" Se-mi told him, playfully swatting him on the arm. "좋아지고 있어요!" [Translation: "You're getting better!"]

Caelus gave her a smile once he mentally translated her words and walked off to the bathroom, but not before putting his knife on the bunk he had been sitting on.

Once he was passed the guard, he walked into the men's bathroom, only to be slammed into the wall, hitting the ground, his glasses sliding off his face clattering against the cold tiles.

"AUGH, HIJO DE PUTA," Caelus groaned, his ears ringing from the force of the fall. Muffled laughter came from above him as he tried to force himself up, only to be met with a kick to the stomach, which ripped a grunt of pain as he hit the floor again. [Translation: "SON OF A BITCH"]

"그녀의 진짜 목소리가 여기 있어요," An older man's voice said, snickering. [Translation: "There's her real voice"]

'Her,' the man had said. In Cael's buzzing head, that was a word he caught, and he groaned. Older men who were stuck in their transphobic ways and probably needed their dicks wet on a 'small foreign girl'. They just needed confirmation that Cael wasn't cisgender and seized the opportunity when Cael walked in.

He let out a shaky sigh, pushing himself up, coughing. Of course, he left his knife back with Se-mi. He left his knife behind the ONE time he truly needed it. Damn South Korea and its lack of anti-discrimination laws. Shaking his head, he pushed his hair out of his face, his vision blurry as he searched the floor for his glasses. Fuck, his vision must've been shitty if he couldn't find them on tiles.

"Looking for these?" *One of the men asked, holding Cael's glasses in front of his face, snatching them away when the American reached for them. "Ah, ah, not yet. You'll get them back when you do us a favor."

"For fucks sake-" Cael started, sitting up now, leaning against the stall divider.

But the younger was cut off when the familiar aiuns of random English broke into the bathroom. "Heyy, man, leave him be!"

"Thanos," Caelus said, laughing as he easily plucked Cae's glasses from the other two players. "Thank the gods you're here."

"Heard some whispers, spreadin' Caelus' name.; Lemme set the record straight, listen close, it's plain: Leave that trans guy alone, he's just cruisin' his own lane; He ain't botherin' nobody, livin' his true life free,; Got no time for drama, got more important company.; Don't be hatin', perpetuatin' foolish strife,; 'Cause last time I checked, Caelus rolls with Thanos, that's his lifeline!; Yeah, Thanos, the Titan, collectin' stones with glee,; Got Caelus by his side, a loyal friend, you see?; So back the heck off, keep your negativity away,; Before Thanos snaps his fingers and you vanish in a day!; Respect the pronouns, respect the space he holds,; Caelus ain't your problem, let the story unfold.; Mind your business, stay in your lane, it's the golden rule,; And remember, Caelus is protected by a very powerful tool!" Thanos rapped, taking the other 3 men by surprise.

Once the shock blew over, the older men grumbled, glaring down at Caelus before leaving. Thanos pulled Cae to his feet, rubbing his back. "You safe, okay? Thanos got you," He informed, handing Cael his glasses.

Not even attempting to get his brain unscramble, Cael just spoke in English. "Thanks, Thanos.. but how did you know to come check on me-?" He asked, looking up at the purple-haired man. He simply shrugged.

"Had a feeling. You also left your knife behind, which confused me," He replied. "I may be high, but I'm not stupid."

Cael just laughed, putting his glasses on. "Definitely not. Now to do what i came in here to do and shit."

@noxiousmelody @sevenratz

[rosettasgraveyard]

My cats also opens my door

But also you can open it with just pulling, you dont need to use the handle

Also what if nightmare had a daughter/daughters

I just want killers phone to ring, him picking up and just hearing this:

"Hiii, you're dads right hand man right? Or whatever its called-" "is that your dads friend? HI (insert whatever name i'll give the daughter)'s DADS FRIEND!" "girl shut the fuck up for like one second im trying to talk here! do you mind telling him i'll be at a friends house tonight?"

In the background just "BOY GIVE ME BACK MY HAIRCLIP BEFORE I BEAT YOUR ASS WITH MY HAIRDRYER" "WYM YOUR HAIRCLIP? THIS IS MINE!" "girl get off my lap for like one second i need to call my dad too i just remembered." "Tell him i said hi" "NO IT ISNT- oh wait yeah it is"

Half of my nightmare thingamabog lore is just whatever i think is funny, i have no thoughts <3 there is a rat instead of a brain in my skull

I got another but this is purely nightmares lover from their perspective to nightmare

Everything you do, I'm obsessed with you

I don't mean to scare, but you're just so cute

Every move you make, you're fucking sweeter than a cake

I wanna cut you up and put you in my oven just to bake

And everything you say is like poetry

Wanna drop you in boiling water drink, you like chamomile tea

I'd love to wipe these other bitches out, so it's just you and me

I wanna hug you like a bunny, wanna sting you like a bee

Also today i learned my older brother once pushed me out the bed because he wanted more room, since he didnt think there would be consequences.

Thanks dude i was 2 😔 go fuck yourself

Have a cat picture

Nice. I once watched my brother chase around a childhood friend with a knife.

And NM’s love is a massive simp. They probably like that he smells awful. /pos

{ @brokenramunebottle }

[loremaster]

CHAPTER 1 - Man Door Hand Nail Fur Door (Comic)

...aka the Zilara manifesto.

(tw: strangulation, suggestive themes) BOBA AU MASTERPOST: [link]

Yakou tells Yuma to go to the hotel and corral all the other detectives who have been sleeping soundly in the nice fancy rooms over there. Yuma, who got 3 hours of sleep on Yakou's creaky couch, says "Okay, sure thing, Dad." ((side note - wouldn't the train detectives have had rooms reserved at the hotel? Couldn't Yuma have had one of those?))

Instead of agreeing to meet up, they all send poor little Kokohead around the city doing side quests.

Pucci wants to know if Kanai Ward has any good symphonies; recordings of classical music are all well and good, but it's no substitute for the acoustics of a live concert hall. Closest thing Yuma can find is Aetheria Academy's chamber orchestra program. Musicians in Kanai Ward used to be part of a larger regional symphonic orchestra, but since Amaterasu locked off the city, they've had to resort to busking. Pucci seems disappointed, but resigns herself to checking out the high school girls' next concert anyway.

Aphex is cruisin' for a bruisin'. He spotted some suspicious movement in one of the districts on his radar (drug deals?), but every time he goes to check it out, he can't find out which people in the crowd are the suspicious ones. They must be afraid of Aphex's intimidating appearance, so Yuma goes in his stead to grill the people hanging around the square. Turns out they weren't dealing drugs, they were passing around anti-Amaterasu propaganda. They beg Yuma not to tell Aphex. Yuma goes back to the hotel to tell Aphex... who thinks anti-fascist action is cool, actually, so no need to do anything about those guys.

Melami wants to know about the local fashion scene, and is very curious about the dronebrellas she's seen around Kanai Ward. She sends Yuma to see what the big deal about them is, and once there, he gets roped into a long winding sales pitch for technology he can't afford. He relays as much of this as he can remember back to Melami, but once she hears they only come in one color, she decides she's not interested. What's the point if you can't customize it? Just get a regular umbrella. Or a rain coat. That's a much better way to show off your personality! Yuma tries not to scream about how much time he just wasted.

Zange shows Yuma a picture he took (with his mind) of a specific location in Kanai Ward, but can't quite remember where it was. Yuma has to go on a scavenger hunt to find the place that matches the picture and tell Zange how to get there. Zange assigns Yuma a numerical score based on how long it took him complete the quest (which is always too slow). This will be a repeatable quest/minigame with different locations every time.

As Yuma is about to leave the hotel, Zilch stops him. He offers a more formal introduction (since, you know, they didn't actually meet aboard the train) and volunteers (insists) to accompany the poor useless trainee as a senior detective, to show him how it's done.

Zilch has four animal companions with him at the moment: three caged mice and a dog named Bosch.

He doesn't seem to treat them very kindly, though. He isn't careful handling the mice's cage, and he orders Bosch around like one would speak to Alexa.

Anyway, Zilch and Yuma go look for the last remaining detective, Halara Nightmare. Canon ensues.

They run into The Boy and accept the quest to investigate the Nail Man murders. Halara needs some convincing.

At the church, Zilch makes a new friend, or so he thinks.

Zilch tactlessly asks the nun if her ears are natural or not, and starts bragging about how well his own surgery went. For the ears and tail, that is. The Nun doesn't like Zilch's attitude one bit. She watches him use his mice for spying and gets freaked out. The nun threatens to kill Zilch but he doesn't think she's serious.

Zilch says that he didn’t expect there to be a Metal Fox Church here, of all places. Yuma asks him to elaborate, and he says they’re a denomination that exists elsewhere in the world. The church near where he grew up was much larger and more spectacular than this one. The Metal Fox is a deity known for its fortitude and cunning, that offers protection from “hunters,” or persecution of any kind. Zilch doesn’t seem to believe in its teachings at all. #atheistpride

Meanwhile, the dog, Bosch, sniffs around and seems agitated by something. He can place the smells of all the church NPCs around the scene, but there's something else, too. Zilch barks the order - literally - for Bosch to track whichever scent doesn't belong, and the dog goes off on a solo mission.

Zilch has a plan to catch the Nail Man red-handed, but he won't tell what it is yet. He needs to prepare some stuff. So in the meantime, Yuma and Halara hold hands at several different crime scenes.

While Shinigami keeps blabbing about stripping detectives, Halara fucks off to who knows where and Yuma returns to the church to meet with Zilch. Zilch leads Yuma to the nearby woods and reveals his master plan to lure out the Nail Man by taking a doll with a slip of paper on it to the forest, and writing the name of someone for the Nail Man to kill...

"Yuma Kokohead," of course.

Yuma is terrified of being used as bait, but Zilch promises he'll intervene before the Nail Man can actually kill him, it'll be fine. So Yuma the pushover gets tied to a tree...

Halara unmasks the cloaked figure to reveal the priest of the Metal Fox Church, as they suspected. The priest begs for mercy - he was only trying to protect the people of Kanai Ward by purging it of corruption (and letting an innocent man take the fall for it)...!

Yuma thinks he might not have to rely on Shinigami's powers this time, but then...

Bosch leads them back to the church where Seth and his Peacekeepers are threatening Yakou.

And with that… it’s Mystery Labyrinth time!

Zilch’s voice is back to normal inside the Labyrinth. He seems oddly relaxed around Shinigami - because he insists this is not real and actually a dream. #atheist4lyfe

Yuma deduces that Zilch's name was written in the woods by the nun. She witnessed Zilch’s mistreatment of his animal companions and tactless assholery - but the thing that pushed it into murder territory was actually her recognizing the crest of the Alexander family on his fur coat. The full truth comes to light - the Alexanders have been known for generations as prolific trophy hunters. They “live alongside nature,” sure, but it’s a heavily controlled and subdued “nature.” This is antithetical to everything the Metal Fox Church stands for, so the nun, devout to her faith, believed Zilch to be an invasive threat to their way of life, and the peace of Kanai Ward.

And, since this revelation is taking place in the Mystery Labyrinth, of COURSE she gets a cool Mystery Phantom.

The gang also, like, solves the actual mystery.

Then once they find all the evidence they unmask the true culprit and his copycat, and the Priest's and Worshipper's souls are reaped.

Zilch is horrified. Somehow he didn't expect this was actually going to affect reality. Shinigami assures him that he won't remember any of the Mystery Labyrinth anyway, so...

Aaaaand eventually they do leave the Labyrinth. Halara is back to their usual steely exterior.

The masked priest in front of them drops to the floor dead. A scream from the church can be heard, presumably because the worshipper has just done the same. They go to check it out.

Then… Yomi shows up. He intimidates the group and doesn’t seem to deem any of the detectives worth his attention… until he notices Zilch.

Shinigami wonders if he recognized the Alexander family crest... but Yuma makes the connection and realizes Yomi might have had some sort of connection to the impostor on the train. That's pretty scary to think about. Was this the guy who tried to kill off all the Master Detectives coming into Kanai Ward? He seems dangerous...

Good thing Yomi has a devoted right hand to play around with. In front of everyone.

But anyway, regarding the Nail Man situation, Yomi decides to throw Seth under the bus, and punish him accordingly.

Bye Seth! Or should I say... Steve. :noes:

After his near-death experience, Zilch has a change of heart and decides he doesn't need a fur coat after all (seeing as it almost got him killed). Halara accepts it as payment for their services solving the case.... at least Zilch's half of it - Yuma still owes them a small fortune.

And with that the day is saved. Yuma plays a bit of baseball. Halara has a comfy new bed for their beloved strays. And Zilch... has a lot to think about.

-----

HELLO BOBA FANS!!! Thanks for your patience waiting for this update! I hope you can tell I've been working on this very hard (in between assignments for cartoon college)! The post didn't even fit all the images I made for this chapter - I'll be sure to post the other ones separately. At some point.

This chapter was an interesting challenge to write, trying to hammer down Zilch's character - how to make him distinct from his impersonator, but similar enough to lend credit to the impersonator. It took a while but I think I've finally landed on a solid backstory. I'll be posting more about him in the next installment of Boba AU - Zilch's Gumshoe Gabs. Then after that will be Chapter 2! Super excited to rub my gay little hands all over that one.

If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading! If you liked this, then please... I beg of you... draw me some Zilara ;_;

BOBA AU MASTERPOST: [link]

[cartermagazine]

Today In History

Born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 19, 1940, William “Smokey” Robinson is a prolific songwriter credited with 4,000 songs and 37 Top 40 hits.

Robinson founded The Miracles while still in high school. The group was Berry Gordy’s first vocal group, and it was at Robinson’s suggestion that Gordy started the Motown Record dynasty. Their single of Robinson’s “Shop Around” became Motown’s first #1 hit on the R&B singles chart. In the years following, Robinson continued to pen hits for the group including “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Going to a Go-Go,” “More Love,” “Tears of a Clown” (co-written with Stevie Wonder), and “I Second That Emotion.”

The Miracles dominated the R&B scene throughout the 1960’s and early 70’s and Robinson became Vice President of Motown Records serving as in-house producer, talent scout and songwriter.

In addition to writing hits for the Miracles, Robinson wrote and produced hits for other Motown greats including The Temptations, Mary Wells, Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye and others. “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “My Girl,” “Get Ready,” “You Beat Me to the Punch,” “Don’t Mess with Bill,” “Ain’t That Peculiar,” and “My Guy” are just a few of his songwriting triumphs during those years.

After Robinson left the Miracles, fellow member Marv Tarplin joined him on tour in 1973, and presented him a tune he had composed on his guitar. Robinson later wrote the lyrics that became his first solo top ten Pop single, “Cruisin’”. The song hit number one in Cash Box and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became his first solo number one in New Zealand.

CARTER™ Magazine

[ramshackle-ramblings]

Cater's gonna Cay

In which Alise parodies a song, and Cater overhears

This post contains words that may be objectionable to some readers. They are used in accordance to modern slang, and not to insult or belittle anyone.

"That's so pretty!" Cater exclaimed when Alise slid onto the bench across from him, setting the cupcake on the table in front of her. It was decorated with delicate sugar flowers and a tiny marzipan bluebird. "Wait, don't eat it yet! Let me get a picture."

He picked up his phone, and she moved to get out of the shot, humming "Cater's gonna Cay, Cay, Cay, Cay, Cay … " quietly as she did.

Cater paused and glanced at her confused. "Did you … " He took the picture quickly. "Did you just make up a song about me?"

"Ah, no," Alise answered quickly.

"You did," he grinned at her. "You totally did!"

"I definitely did not!"

"You have a song about Cater?" Mouse asked curiously.

"Noooo!" Alise buried her face in her hands.

"Is there more?" Cater asked, leaning his head on his hand and grinning in delight.

"I didn't write one," she mumbled into her hands. "I just took a song I already know, and changed the words a little. Someone else did the hard part." "I'd really like to hear it," Cater prompted, fidgeting with his phone. "You'd really like to record it," Mouse corrected him.

"That, too," he agreed.

"Fine," Alise moaned, lifting her head. "You ready?"

"I'm ready!" Cater centered Alise in the frame and pressed record.

She started to sing quietly;

He stays out too late Got nothing in his brain

"Hey!" Cater exclaimed, laughing.

Mouse set their fork down. The tune sounded so familiar. What was the song?

Alise shrugged innocently, and sang the next line;

That's what people say, mm-mm

It clicked for Mouse, and they picked up the line after;

That's what people say, mm-mm

He goes on too many dates

Cater grinned a little, and glanced at Trey. Trey raised an eyebrow at him.

But he can't make 'em stay

"What??" Cater yelped.

Alise just shrugged again.

At least that's what people say, mm-mm

And Mouse agreed'

That's what people say, mm-mm

They looked at each other across the table, and sang the bridge together;

But he keeps cruisin' Can't stop, won't stop movin' It's like he's got this music in his mind Sayin' it's gonna be alright

Alise hopped up onto the table, scanning the cafeteria for people;

'Cause Idia's gonna play, play, play, play, play And Cater's gonna Cay, Cay, Cay, Cay, Cay Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off

Alise pointed at Leona and mimed napping;

'Cause Leona's not awake, wake, wake, wake, wake

Leona rolled his eyes and proceeded to ignore her. Alise pointed at Trey;

And Trey just wants to bake, bake, bake, bake, bake

"Oh no," he shook his head. "I don't want to be a part of this."

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off He'll never miss a beat He's lightnin' on his feet

Mouse took the next line, adding reassuringly to Cater;

And that's what they don't see, mm-mm

Alise nodded in agreement;

That's what they don't see, mm-mm

He's dancin' on his own

Mouse took backup vocals;

(dancin' on his own) He makes the moves up as he goes (moves up as he goes) And that's what they don't know, mm-mm That's what they don't know, mm-mm

They poth picked up the bridge again

But he keeps cruisin' Can't stop, won't stop movin' It's like he's got this music in his mind Sayin' it's gonna be alright Lilia's gonna fly, fly, fly, fly, fly

Lilia popped in next to Cater, equal parts curious about what was going on and delighted to be included in the nonsense.

And Cater's gonna Cay, Cay, Cay, Cay, Cay Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off Vil is serving cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt

Vil, hearing his name, looked up to protest, but it was too late, and not wrong.

And Rook is on the hunt, hunt, hunt, hunt, hunt

"Mon Dieu," Rook chuckled. "She has a line for everyone!"

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off

"Can we please get off the table, now?" Riddle asked, his voice as strained as his patience.

[clickonstrangers]

What music have you been listening to recently? Any favorite songs you never skip?

hiii!!! uhhh idk probably Chonny Jash's Unplugged cover of K.K. Cruisin', Pattycake by Self, Soma by The Strokes, Cannon by Self (again), Sad Boys by Dazey and the scouts... especially Song About Me by TV Girl. I've been meaning to listen to more records lately but I've never felt the urge to

[cosmicjoke]

Banana Fish Drabble Request

This was a writing request that I recently completed for someone, and I thought I'd share it here:

The pigs had him.

He’d tried runnin’.  That’d been a mistake. 

Been a bigger mistake, gettin’ violent, tryin’ to break loose.  He’d caught one ‘a the bastards across the face, and gotten one ‘a the pigs billy’s across his knees for the trouble; gotten a bloody mouth.

“You nasty little whore,” the cop’d said, scruffin’ him by the collar like he was an angry cat, cuffin’ his hands at his back and shovin’ him into the back seat of the squad car.

Ash’s heart had hammered hard against his ribs, fear in his gut, even as he’d kicked at the seat in front of him and screamed profanities.

Papa Dino was gonna’ find out he’d been picked up for solicitin’.  He was gonna’ be pissed.  He was gonna’…

“Ash, kid… you alright?”

Ash’s eyes cut up to Captain Jenkins, seein’ the sorry look on his face, like he’s feelin’ bad for him.  Feelin’ guilty.

Ash sneers at him, leaning away.

“The fuck do you care, pig?” He spits, “You keep… keep haulin’ me in.  I ain’t hurt nobody.  It’s fucked, you pickin’ us whores up off the streets, like that’s the fuckin’ crime.  Don’t do nothin’ ‘bout the perves cruisin’ for us.  That’s some classic victim blamin’ there, Cap.  You probably think, hell, if it weren’t for us whores out there on the corners, wouldn’t be no pervs.  Like we create the temptation and they just can’t help their poor selves.  You and this whole department’s a fuckin’ joke, you know that?”

Jenkins’ got that sorry look still, lips pullin’ down at the corners.

Looks at him like he feel pity and Ash don’t want it.  He don’t want nothin’ from no pig.

“The fuck you want from me, Cap?” He finally demands, “You ain’t processed me yet, so I know you want somethin’.  Just spit it the fuck out already,”

Jenkins shakes his head.  He’s sweatin’.  Got a line of it tricklin’ down his temple.  What’s he got to be nervous for, Ash wonders. 

He was the one in the hot seat.

“You’re too smart for me, kid,” the captain tells him, and Ash feels sick.

Yeah, he was too smart.

Too smart for everybody.

All bein’ smart ever got him was hatred and unwanted attention.

All bein’ smart ever got him was men’s greed and lust.

“We need your help, Ash,” Jenkins finally admits.

“No,” Ash tells him immediately.

He ain’t doin’ this again.

He ain’t puttin’ himself in that position.

“Please, Ash,” Jenkins pleads, “this guy… he’s been pickin’ kids off.  He doesn’t even clean up, doesn’t try to hide it.  He just leave the bodies where he kill’s em.  Kids like you.  Street kids that nobody’ll miss…”

The captain seems to realize too late what he’s just said, his face goin’ pale.

“I didn’t mean that,” he starts and Ash laughs.

“Yeah you did, Cap,” Ash tells him, “and fuck, it’s true.  Don’t nobody want me, ‘cept pervs on power trips and pigs who think I’m good bait for a trap,”

Jenkins lips thin, and Ash can see the guilt rollin’ off him.  He wishes he’d save it.  He don’t want no ones pity or hard feelings.

“Please, Ash,” he begs again.

“I almost got killed last time I helped you bastards,” Ash says, voice flat, “so what are you gonna’ give me if I help you this time to make it worth it?”

He can already tell by the look on Jenkins face that he won’t be able to give him nothin’. And Ash hates himself. He hates himself, ‘cause he knows already he’s gonna’ accept, ‘cause he can’t… can’t just let some perv fuck keep killin’ kids out there. Not if there’s somethin’ he can do to stop it.

“… I’ll make sure you aren’t charged with solicitation,” Jenkins tells him now, as if that’s some sort’a consolation.

Ash scoffs, folding his arms.

“Could’a just left me alone for that,” he spits, “instead you wanna’ dress it up like you’re doin’ me a favor by not puttin’ another mark on my record,”

Jenkins looks away, shoulders slumping.

“… I’m sorry, Ash,” he says, sounding suddenly ashamed, “… I just… we can’t catch this guy… we don’t know what else to do,”

“… Yeah, you pigs don’t ever know what to do. You let kids like me pay for your fuck-ups, and then expect me to fix it for ya,” he shakes his head, “but fine, I’ll be your fuckin’ bait, Cap, so long as you let me go after. No… no callin’ up Dino to bail me out. You let me go, Scot-free,”

Jenkins looks relieved, a heavy breath punchin’ outta’ his lungs.

“Of course,” he promises, “whatever you need. And… and thank you, Ash,”

He holds his hand out, like he wants to shake on it or some shit, but Ash ain’t interested, ignoring it.

I’m a fuckin’ idiot, he thinks dismally.

Maybe he was always gettin’ screwed-over by life ‘cause the big brain between his ears wasn’t good for nothin’ that actually mattered.

//

It goes south.

He finds the man… or more like, the man finds him.  Big brute of a bastard, gets the jump on him, dragging him, kickin’ and screamin’, into a back alley.  Gets Ash pinned up against the rain-slicked brick wall.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Ash thinks as he struggles in the man’s hold.  Fuckin’ fallin’ asleep like that.  Wasn’t no excuse.  Didn’t matter if he hadn’t slept none the last three days.  Wasn’t no excuse, and now he was gonna’ pay the price.

The guys hand around his throat is like a vice, chokin’ the life from him, and panic takes Ash by the heart, a horror show of lights blinkin’ and poppin’ in his eyes as he struggles to breathe.

He can feel his legs, kickin’ frantic and desperate, tryin’ to get any kind of purchase, any kind of leverage.

But he’s no match for the brute strength of this freak, and Ash knows, if he don’t do somethin’ quick, he’s gonna’ die here, in some stinkin’ back alley hell hole, where nobody’ll ever find him.

He remember then, sudden and sharp, the knife tucked away inside his coat pocket.  Just a small switchblade, but it should be enough, if he aims right.

He goes for it, slippin’ his hand inside his jacket, fingers fumbling and spasming around the handle.  It slips from his grasp more than once, and Ash grits his teeth.  He can feel himself tippin’ toward unconsciousness.  He knows if he blacks out, it’s over.

Finally, he manages to get a good grip on the thing, pullin’ it free. 

He depresses the button, the blade springing free, and Ash don’t hesitate.

He slashes the thing, right across the fuck’s face, catchin’ him in the eye.

The man drops him and Ash falls, hard, to his hands and knees.

He convulses, body sucking desperately for air, strangled gasps and wretched coughs in between, the air burning like fire in his lungs.

He don’t got time for it.

His brain screams at him to get up.  Get up now!

He forces himself to, the man’s pained moans coming sudden to his ears.

Ash sees him, stumbled back against the opposite wall, grasping at his face.

Blood seeps between his thick fingers.

For a moment, Ash stares at him, frozen in place, his heart hammering against his ribs, blood in his eats.

Black spots dance across his vision, everything blurred into an indistinct haze.  Somewhere, he’s aware of the already aching pain of his crushed throat.

“… kill you,” the man is muttering, “I’ll fuckin’ kill you!”

Ash’s heart slams harder, and he realizes with a start he’s dropped his knife.

He don’t know where it went.

His eyes search the ground frantically, but he can’t see shit in this light, can’t get his vision to clear enough to see anything.

“I’LL FUCKIN’ KILL YOU!” The man screams, and suddenly he’s lunging at Ash, hands outreached, fingers curling like claws to grab him.

Ash catches sight of his horrible, twisted face, his left eye slashed wide down the middle, a congealed sludge, mangled in the socket, a mask of red over everything. 

He barely manages to duck underneath the man’s reaching hands, and then he’s gone, feet slamming, turning over fast he can make ‘em against the wet pavement, his breath like thunder in his ears.

He breaks from the alley and sprints down the street.

He hears the man behind him, running after him, and Ash’s heart is in his throat, a numb horror through his guts.

He can’t let this guy catch him.  Can’t.  He doesn’t wanna’ know what’ll happen if he does.

But he’s got no place.

No place to hide.

The cops weren’t in sight.  He’d ditched his ear-piece a couple nights back, not interested in havin’ a tail. 

He wishes now he’d kept it.

It flashes then, in his mind, the one place he can go.  The one place he’ll be safe.

‘Least, from this fucker, he will.  Safe from the pigs, too.

Dino.

He don’t want to.  Last place he wants to go.  But ain’t no way this fuck’ll ever find him there.

He breaks for the nearest subway station, then.  Can still hear the bastard at his heels, refusing to give up.

Ash’s knees are like rubber as he barrels down the stone steps leading underground, prayin’ to a god he don’t even believe in that there’s a train waitin’.

He almost chokes with relief when he sees there is, passengers milling slowly in and out.

Ash crashes into them as he pushes his way through the crowd, ignoring the cursed insults flying his way as he just barely makes it through the closing doors of the train.

He falls forward, collapsing into one of the seats, mouth hung open in gasping breaths, heart threatening to push itself from his chest.

His hands are numb as he buries them in his hair, leaning forward onto his knees.

He only realizes, minutes later, how violently they shake.

//

“Ash,” Dino greets him, the sick satisfaction in his eyes making Ash’s skin crawl, “how unlike you, to come without being called.  To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Ash swallows back the bile in his throat, shovin’ down the voice, tellin’ him this was a mistake.

“I just… needed to get off the streets for a while,” he lies weakly, and knows Dino don’t buy it.

He stands from his chair, eyes narrowing as he stares down at him, chewing absently on the end of his cigar.

“Did you, now?” He asks, stepping nearer, and Ash resists the urge to step back.

“Y-yeah, I just… things were getting hard,”

“Come now, Ash, you expect me to believe that?  You’re an old hand at surviving the streets these days, are you not?”

Dino stands right in front of him, now, towering over him, and Ash turns his face down, swallowing past his tightening throat.

Dino’s hand on his chin forces his face back up.

“Tell me the truth, boy, or you’ll be sorry.  You know I don’t appreciate your lies,”

Ash’s eyes burn, and he wills the tears away.

“… Someone was… was after me,” he confesses weakly, “he… he wanted to kill me,”

“Oh, and who might this man be?  One of your clients?”

Ash knows, if he lies now, and Dino finds out he was lyin’, he’ll be fucked.  Whatever punishment Dino was gonna’ hand out to him for gettin’ pinched by the cops, for agreein’ to work with ‘em, it wouldn’t be as bad as him finding out Ash’d lied to him about it all.

So he admits it.  One, long stream of word vomit, a sick nausea in his gut as he watches Dino’s eyes grow black with displeasure.

“I see,” he says, once Ash has finished, voice deceptively calm, “that is unfortunate, boy,”

Ash only sees Dino’s hand raise.

He doesn’t have time beyond that for anything before the back of it comes crashing down on him, the blow whiting his vision and sending his mind to black.

//

When he wakes, he’s in his room.

The room Dino makes him stay in whenever he’s here, Ash reminds himself.

He doesn’t need to check the door to know it’s locked from the outside.

His face is a rage of pain, the taste of blood in the back of his throat, and he reaches up tentative fingers to feel at his swollen cheek and eye, flares of agony through the tender skin as he presses against it.

Dino musta’ kicked him again after he’d passed out.

That means he was mad.  Whenever he hit Ash that hard… he was really fuckin’ pissed.

A headache throbs through his temples.

Shit…

He’d made a mistake, he thinks, comin’ here. 

He shouldn’t of… 

Should’ve taken his chances out there on the streets, even with that psycho after him, he…

He’d panicked. 

Wasn’t no way around that.

Comin’ to Dino, he’d let the fear get him.

And now he was here, and he wouldn’t be allowed to leave ‘till Dino allowed it. 

He already knows what’ll happen.  What Dino’ll expect of him tonight.

For a moment, there’s an agonized despair, crushing the breath from him.

And then… nothing.

It’s his life, he tells himself.

This is his life.

Dino will rape him, and that’s the way it is.

No use in cryin’ about it.

No use in complainin’.

He did it to himself this time, coming here when he shoulda’ known better.

He did it to himself.

Whatever comes now, he’s got no one but himself to blame.

[deadrlngers]

6 albums i've been listening to (+1 standout track)

tagged by @devilbrakers thank you sooo much ezra <3

nei letti degli altri - mahmood. nel tuo mare: this one is difficult because i'm putting on repeat a bunch of songs from this album A LOT and picking just one is crazy difficult so i picked the one i find myself going back to a lot. honorable mention to stella cadente. these two are the songs i relate the most so i'll cheat and mention both

the age of consent - bronski beat. smalltown boy: i've been in the mood for this album a lot lately..smalltown boy is a classic and it will forever be THE song to me

pizza kebab vol.1 - ghali (begging ghali to come up with normal album names fr). safi safi: i'm too weak for the songs where he mixes italian and arabic together so this is an easy pick fhdkfkjd

black celebration - depeche mode. stripped: of course i've been listening to my fave album ever of depeche mode..chosing one single track is like psychological torture but yeah. LET ME SEE YOU STRIPPED DOWN TO THE BONE!!!! LET ME HEAR YOU MAKE DECISIONS WITHOUT YOUR TELEVISION!!! LET ME HEAR YOU SPEAKING JUST FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!

pony express record - shudder to think. 9 fingers on you: how to pick just one song from this album literallyyyyy!!!!!!!! i've discovered them a few months ago and i still need to do a deep dive in their discography but this album is an obsession fr. bonus pick bc i can: own me

midnight cruisin' - kingo hamada. 抱かれに来た女: one thing you guys need to know about me is that i go CRAZY for city pop. when i need to do smth and i want music to vibe to, i put on a city pop album. lately i've gone back to this one bc i'm obsessed with this song specifically. i've been listening a lot to different albums by toshiki kadomatsu too but since my fave ones aren't even on spotify and i have to use youtube like i'm in 2010 again to listen to him i gave the sixth spot to smth else fjdfkjdfkjd

tagging: @primonizzutto @quickhacked @reaperkiller @pawnguild @risingsh0t

@sorceresslodge @eternalchant @ncytiri @saintalessia

@hibernationsuit @gothimp @tekehu and whoever else wants to do this!!

[therecordchanger62279]

TAKE TWO (7TH EDITION)

This time for Take Two, I thought we’d try something completely different. I don’t have countless albums by every artist in my collection. For many, I own only one or two records. And some of the genres in my collection aren’t very big at all. So, this time let’s Take Two in several different genres, along with two Various Artists collections in four of the major categories – Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Soul. After all, even a small collection needs some variety, right? None of the artists I’ve covered before will be included here. (For example, I did Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in Reggae, so they are excluded in the Reggae/Ska category. You also won’t find a Beach Boys record in Surf. Also, no Yuja Wang or Glenn Gould in Classical.) Once again, no boxed sets are permitted. Everything listed will be either a 2-record, or 2-CD set or a single record or CD. I’m also permitted to choose Various Artists collections in each of the niche genres, or I can choose albums by a single artist. Finally, we’ll expand this edition to 16 categories, rather than 10 because it’s unlikely I’ll revisit this format again.

Reggae/Ska: 1. Groove Yard -Various 2. Beat This! The Best of The English Beat. The first is the best single disc collection of Reggae I’ve ever seen. I have various artist Ska collections – several, in fact. But my favorite Ska band is The English Beat, and they aren’t on any of the collections. So, I’ll just take theirs.

Garage & Psychedelia: 1. Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 - Various 2. Summer of Love – Various. The first needs no introduction. It’s the best compilation in the history of the record business – four sides of classic Garage Rock. The second is a 2-record set from Rhino that nicely captures the groovy sounds of 1967.

World Music: 1. Greatest Hits – Francoise Hardy 2. Live at Monterey 1967 – Ravi Shankar. I’m a sucker for a beautiful French girl with a lovely voice singing softly in French directly to me. And while I generally don’t care for Rock musicians who co-opted Indian music for purposes of exploiting it, it did turn me on to the real thing, and I never heard it done better than by Ravi Shankar at Monterey.

Surf: 1. Surfin’ Hits – Various 2. Summer & Sun – Various. A pair of collections from Rhino that are pretty much all you need for fun in the sand and surf.

Comedy: 1. In Retrospect – Mike Nichols & Elaine May 2. At the Hungry i – Mort Sahl. Nichols & May did the kind of sophisticated, intelligent sketch humor that is a relic now, but still better than anything you’ll hear today. People who enjoy SNL should listen to Nichols & May to see how it’s supposed to be done. As for Mort Sahl, he was the finest stand-up comic doing political stuff I’ve ever heard. This album is very old, and unless you’re my age, the jokes would go right over your head. But nostalgia is a good enough reason for me to choose it here.

Spoken Word: 1. Cruisin’ 1965 2. A Guide Through the Chaos – Paul Kantner. The entire Cruisin’ series of 30-minute radio shows are among my favorite albums in my entire collection. But this one from 1965 features Robert W. Morgan on KHJ, Los Angeles, and take it from me – he was the best ever. My second choice has Jefferson Airplane founder Paul Kanter, a musician I have always admired, talking Airplane/Starship history along with politics, music, and whatever else was on his mind. Fascinating stuff.

Original Film Scores: 1. Little Women – Thomas Newman. 2. 3 Days of the Condor – Dave Grusin. Two film music categories here. This first one features my favorite musical scores composed for film. The music on each greatly enhanced what were already brilliant films.

Original Soundtracks (Songs): 1. 41 Original Hits from the Soundtrack of American Graffiti. 2. Looking for Mr. Goodbar – Various. This second film section spotlights soundtracks made up of existing music. I can’t imagine either of these films without these amazing soundtracks.

Classical: The Copland Album – Leonard Bernstein & The New York Philharmonic 2. Music from the Woody Allen Film “Manhattan” – George Gershwin (Composer); Zubin Mehta & The New York Philharmonic; Gary Graffman, piano. This was easy. My two favorite Classical composers are Aaron Copland, and George Gershwin, and their finest work is on display here done beautifully by both orchestras.

Christmas: 1. A Charlie Brown Christmas – Vince Guaraldi 2. Jingle Bell Jazz – Various (CD version). Again, an easy one. I’d almost bet 90% of the entire population that loves Christmas music would choose A Charlie Brown Christmas as their favorite. The second is the expanded CD version of a pair of Jazz Christmas records Columbia issued in the 1960s and 70s. Jazz Christmas music is my favorite holiday music, and this is the single best source for it.

New Age: 1. Blues from The Rainforest-A Musical Suite – Merl Saunders 2. Music For Airports – Bang On A Can. I have very little New Age in my collection, but I really love both of these. Bang On A Can’s rendition of Eno’s Music For Airports is very much like Eno’s original, but in choosing it, I can omit it from consideration when I include Eno in a future edition of Take Two. The Saunders album is just gorgeous, and will transport you to a rainforest, and you might even actually get wet. Hypnotic, soothing, and life-affirming.

Environmental: 1. A Day on Cape Cod – Summer Rain 2. A Week in Hawaii – Midnight Rainshower. I hope the sound of water is the last sound I ever have the pleasure of hearing.

Rock - Various Artists: 1. Rhythm of the Rain 2. More American Graffiti. The first is a compilation of rain-themed music on the Varese Vintage label. After Nuggets (see above), it’s my all-time favorite various artist collection. The second is NOT the soundtrack to the film sequel of the same name, but rather a cheap marketing idea that went very, very right. MCA collected another two records worth of great oldies from the late 50s/early 60s, and added a few of the Wolfman Jack voiceovers from the American Graffiti film NOT used on the original soundtrack. That decision puts this over the top as one of the best ever collections of that period of music.

Blues - Various Artists: 1. Chicago/The Blues/Today! – Various 2. Blues from Big Bill’s Copacabana – Various. The first on the Vanguard label collects some of the very best Chicago Blues of the 1960s. Junior Wells, J.B. Hutto, and Otis Spann along with their bands each get 5 cuts to show how great they are. There are two more volumes that followed that are almost as good. The second goes by different names including Folk Festival of the Blues. But it’s a club date at Big Bill’s Copacabana that has a few people you might have heard of – Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Sonny Boy Williamson and others playing live in a jam setting. Brilliant from start to finish. Its checkered reissue history does NOT do it justice. This is exactly the kind of album someone should issue in a deluxe edition, high-quality pressing with great packaging instead of yet another version of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.

Jazz - Various Artists: 1. CTI The Master Collection 2. Music with 58 Musicians Volume One. I really wanted the GRP 10th Anniversary Collection here, but it’s 3 CDs. So, I went with a 2CD set from another of my favorite Jazz labels, CTI. The second one is a 2LP set from the ECM label spotlighting some of their finest artists.

Soul - Various Artists: 1. Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974, Volume 7 1969-1974 2. 10 Years of #1 Hits. My first thought was a collection of Motown’s best stuff, but the only collection I have that is comprehensive is the 4CD box set. Not allowed. So, I chose a 2-record set of great Atlantic Records Soul music from a series of LPs they did celebrating the label’s anniversary. The 7th volume spotlights 1969-1974, exactly the period I wanted. And it’s all great. My second choice here is a single LP of killer #1 records from the 1970s on the Philadelphia International label – O’Jays, Billy Paul, MFSB, Teddy Pendergrass, and others.

That’s all for this 7th edition. We’ll go back to artists for the next one. I just compiled a very long list of artists who haven’t yet appeared in this series, and I think it’ll be a real challenge to Take Two. Thanks for reading The Recordchanger.

[projazznet]

Bobby Hutcherson – Cruisin’ the ‘Bird

Cruisin’ the ‘Bird is an album by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson featuring performances recorded in 1988 and released on Orrin Keepnews’ Landmark label.

Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone, marimba Ralph Moore – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone Buddy Montgomery – piano Rufus Reid – bass Victor Lewis – drums

[starstruckpurpledragon]

My first batch of my cassette digitization project is completed. Woo, I can record a few more to the computer tomorrow and start on splitting those up into tracks next. I'm putting the first of the four Eric Clapton cassettes (they're a set) in the next batch along with Cruisin' Classics VI and Beauty and the Beast.

I've picked out seven tapes for the batch and should get them all recorded over the next few days while I work. That's the easy part, of course. Splitting them into tracks takes more time and isn't really something I can do during the work day but I didn't pretty good progress doing a few tracks here and there on days when I didn't have the time to put a few hours into splitting tracks out and doing some spot fixes here and there.

Audacity's repair functions are useful but also (understandably) limited in what they can do. So I think some of the clickier tracks are just gonna be that way. I might go back and try to finesse a few of them later if it really bugs me - Natalie Cole's Nature Boy may very well get a second look down the line, that one's got a lot of clicks in there - but sometimes I have to pick between being able to amplify the track so it sounds better and cleaning up the background noise that comes from wear and tear of the tape over the years.

I've also had some fun playing with the fade options. The untitled tape turned out to be a mix my dad put together at some point with a lot of random songs on one side and some of his favorites from an Eric Clapton Live album on the other. And a few of those tracks started/ended abruptly with the audience clapping so I used some fade in/fade out adjustments to make the start and end of the track sound better without affecting the actually music portions of the tracks. I currently have Before You Accuse me stuck in my head, though, because it was on there three times. (I mean I like that song too, but did it need to be on there three times Dad? It was 45 min of tape per side of the cassette, surely there were two other songs you could have picked...)

I also may have wandered through some thrift stores/second hand stores this weekend and picked up some more VHS and cassettes for cheap. I was able to find Annie, which I could swear I used to have the VHS for but recorded off TV. And the Shirley Temple version of A Little Princess which probably isn't going to usurp the place of my favorite adaptation of that book but I've always wanted to see her version. Also found a Nat King Cole cassette to compliment my Natalie Cole cassette. (I now have father and daughter ^_^ )

[jules-has-notes]

2016 VoicePlay summer fun — campers, cruises, costumes, charity, and… cops?

The excitement of the spring months rolled right into the summer. After he'd had a few weeks of concentrated new-dad time, the other guys gathered up Layne and headed to Ohio.

They first returned to Port Clinton for a show at the Lakeside Chautauqua Auditorium, and spent the night at a vintage (possibly haunted) hotel. From there, they scooted down to Dayton to be the featured artists at Camp A Cappella.

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Ahoy, mateys

A week later, while the others took care of things at home, Geoff and Earl teamed up with three of their buddies from Echo — Erik Winger, Antonio Fernandez, and Deejay Young — for a quick cruise on the Royal Caribbean Allure to the Virgin Islands. During their time at sea, they crossed paths with Us the Duo, who had just finished opening for the North American and European legs of Pentatonix's world tour.

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No rest for the ambitious

They arrived home to an exciting milestone: 100K likes on Facebook! In the meantime, Eli did some session recording work, while Layne and Tony prepped for their next PattyCake video, and Layne worked on an additional side project. (Paternity leave was supposed to be less busy, dude!)

.

Runnin', runnin'

Once the guys were all together again, they got into production on projects for both PattyCake and VoicePlay for most of August. In between location shoots for "Will.of.Oz", they reunited with Emoni Wilkins to film their video for "I Love Me".

.

Cruisin'

At the end of the month, the guys grabbed Winger again, and boarded the Royal Caribbean Oasis for yet another voyage. Since they set sail on Geoff's birthday, they had a toast on board.

.

Almost as soon as they got home, they traded one guest for another, snagging Antonio for the middle leg of an eastbound Panama Canal trip on the Disney Wonder. (Though it seems that they were possibly getting weary from so much travel.) They also seem to have run afoul of the Mexican police on their way home, but I'm pretty sure the getting arrested part was just a joke.

.

Hop, skip, and a jump

After a few days of rest, they embarked on a series of quick trips. First they flew up to New Hampshire for the UNH A Cappella Fest. Next came a show in Iowa, and then a charity fundraiser in Chicago.

.

All about those babes

During their next stint at home, they made time for a little hanging without working. Most of the guys let someone else do the singing for once when they attended a local Meghan Trainor concert. The group included Layne, Cyndi, and their older girls; Cyndi's sister Steph and her elder daughter; Earl and Nick; and Tony.

Meanwhile, Eli spent some time with his own family to celebrate his sister's birthday, and Geoff got his domesticity on at home with Kathy.

.

Back to woOOOork

As summer wound down, VoicePlay prepared for their favorite time of year by finally filming a music video for their arrangement of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" off of their 2012 album "Once Upon an Ever After".

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All eh-board

They closed out September with a cruise on the Disney Magic from Nova Scotia to NYC and back. Since Tony and Layne were deep in production for their next PattyCake project (and Layne understandably wanted some more time at home with the baby), the rest of the guys called on both Winger and Antonio to fill in again.