#LEGENDARY WILL FURTHER ANNOUNCES IT IN THE FUTURE

[adm-starblitzsteel-4305]

What headcanons do you have for phrosphera?

My own Phosphera Headcanons!!!

(AN: Since Legendary scrapped her from GxK, I decided to add some little details about her)

Scientific Research:

Phosphera believed to be an Angel descended from the Sun God Horus and has her own worshippers back from BC.

Her iridescent feathered wings marked as one of the most fascinating beauty of the Egyptians (due to the colors rainging from red, gold, blue, and green).

She is a secluded Titan and is unknown about her whereabouts (Monarch theorizes she comes from the Hollow Earth in migration when fall comes).

Phosphera has also joined in the Titan War, who happens to be the Protector of the human civilization, including the Iwis.

No one knows where she was until today. Phosphera did not respond in King Ghidorah's Alpha Call in 2019.

There are some rare sightings about Phosphera's form seen flying from the Hollow Earth, though it may have to be confirmed.

Headcanon Interaction:

Phosphera respects Godzilla as the true King of the Monsters, she even loves chatting to the Queen of the Monsters, Mothra.

On Titan War, Ni was fascinated by Phosphera's astounding beauty and wants to claim her, but due to Ichi's decision about their job, he obeys him, on a condition that after killing all of the Titans who opposed him, they will claim Phosphera as their own, to Godzilla's disgust and anger.

She is haughty and sometimes really nice to meet those who are kind to her. She hates being untidy by herself.

A chatterbox and a huge gossiper, able to spread good information, and even inconsistent stuff that made the Titans want to time out of this.

She has no plans on becoming an Alpha.

She and Mothra were friendly rivals.

Phosphera typically loves hot seasons, especially summer.

Music is her primarily favorite past times when the humans presented her with offerings and prayers.

According to Phosphera, she dislikes Rodan because of his roguish attitude. Worse was Ni Ghidorah, who attempted to mate her.

[mariacallous]

Legendary Watergate reporters Woodward and Bernstein slam Washington Post for shying away from endorsement

"We respect the traditional independence of the editorial page, but this decision 11 days out from the 2024 presidential election ignores the Washington Post's own overwhelming reportorial evidence on the threat Donald Trump poses to democracy," the men wrote. "Under Jeff Bezos’s ownership, the Washington Post’s news operation has used its abundant resources to rigorously investigate the danger and damage a second Trump presidency could cause to the future of American democracy and that makes this decision even more surprising and disappointing, especially this late in the electoral process."

...

They're the latest to voice their displeasure with the Post for refusing to pick between Harris and Trump.

"This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty," former Washington Post editor-in-chief Marty Baron wrote on social media. "[Donald Trump] will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner [Bezos] (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage."

According to the Post reporters, Bezos, the owner of the paper and founder of Amazon, reportedly made the decision not to endorse, even though editorial board members at the paper had already drafted their decision.

Washington Post publisher and CEO Will Lewis wrote in a column on Friday that the lack of an endorsement was not an act of simpering fear by a billionaire and his lackeys, but was rather just the Post going back to it's original policy of not endorsing presidential candidates.

He reminded readers that the paper only began endorsing candidates in 1976.

“We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility,” Lewis wrote. “That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects.”

Bezos said he hired Lewis because of his "conservative bona fides" and that he liked that Lewis could play nice with "powerful conservative figures," NPR reported.

Robert Kagan, an editors-at-large at the Post and a constant critic of Trump, resigned on Friday after the paper refused to endorse. According to NPR, the general tenor of the newsroom following the announcement was negative.

A group of opinion writers at the Post explained in a column why they believe not endorsing was going to be a "terrible mistake."

“It represents an abandonment of the fundamental editorial convictions of the newspaper that we love, and for which we have worked a combined 218 years,” the column said. “This is a moment for the institution to be making clear its commitment to democratic values, the rule of law and international alliances, and the threat that Donald Trump poses to them — the precise points The Post made in endorsing Trump’s opponents in 2016 and 2020.”

[3rdeyeblaque]

Today we venerate Elevated Ancestor El-Hajj Malik El-Shabaz aka Brother Malcolm "X" Little on his 98th birthday 🎉

A minister, scholar, orator, & legendary Freedom Fighter- who infamously bore the name "X" to signify our self-liberation from the shackles of a European legacy forced upon us during Slavery -, we elevate Brother Malcolm as one of THE most prolific voices of freedom, justice, self-determination, & Pan-Afrikan unity in modern history.

Born into a legacy of freedom fighters, Brother Malcolm was raised on the cusp between Black Nationalism unity & White Supremacist terror. His father was a member of Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), in which he served as an orator publicly advocating for Black liberation before his murder.

Though a gifted student, Malcolm dropped out of school when a teacher ridiculed his aspirations to become a lawyer. He later drifted into a life of hustling on the streets of Harlem. He cleverly avoided the draft in WWII by making the outrageous declaration that he'd organize Black soldiers to attack their White counterparts which classified him as "mentally unfit to serve". After his burglary arrest in Boston, Malcolm faced 10 years in prison. Here, he found Islam via the NOI.

Upon his parole release, Malcolm took the name "X" as he began to serve in the NOI as a speaker, organizer, and minister. He quickly grew in his prominence & drew national attention after an expose on the NOI was aired on CBS. Both, Black & White Americans, saw the stark contrast in his/NOI views from that of other Black religious leaders/organizations of the time. Thus planting the first seeds of warped perception & fear.

Meanwhile, Brother Malcolm's personal views & interests slowly began to split from the leaders of the organization he'd come to love. Malcolm grew increasingly frustrated with the NOI's bureaucracy & outright refusal to join the Civil Rights Movement. His forbidden response to the assassination of JFK earned him a 90 suspension from the NOI; at which time he announced his departure from the organization.

In March 1964, he founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. Three months later, he founded a political group called, the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). Malcolm firmly placed Black Revolution in a global context of an anti-imperialist struggle here, in Afrika, Latin America, & Asia. This is what set him & his work further apart from any Black leader & organization in the U.S. at the time. And this is what sparked the breadth of his influence & mapped out the future of his work.

Brother Malcolm toured North & East Afrika as well as the Middle East Region in the late Spring of 1964. He met with heads of state from several countries (i.e.: Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria) before making his hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Here, he added "El-Hajj" to his Muslim name, "Malik El-Shabazz". This journey into the Motherland & Self brought Malcolm to the realization that his revolutionary vision/influence superceded any colour line.

Once he returned to the U.S, he infamously declared Pan-African unity amid struggle for freedom “by any means necessary.” This marked a turning point in Malcolm's life & revolutionary fight against White Supremacy on a global scale. He spent 6, albeit unsuccessful, months in Afrika petitioning the U.N. to investigate the Human Rights violations of Black Americans by the U.S. Government. From then on, threats to his safety and that of his family & the OUAA mounted. Still, he continued the fight until his assassination that was ultimately orchestrated & carried out by the CIA.

"If you’re not ready to die for it, put the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary" - Malcolm X

Today, Brother Malcolm rests alongside his wife at the Ferncliff Cemetery in upstate NY.

We pour libations & give him💐 today as we celebrate him for his incomparable leadership, love, commitment, & sacrifice for the socioeconomic & sociopolitical freedom of our people.

Offering suggestions: libations of water, read/share his work, & prayers from the Quran

Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.

[felassan]

Electronic Arts Q1 2024 Earnings Conference Call (August 1st)

This happened today and Dragon Age was mentioned in the opening Prepared Remarks section of the call (emphasis mine):

"To do more extraordinary things for our people, players and communities, our teams are building the strongest pipeline in the history of EA to drive multi-year growth. Over the next few years, we will launch numerous experiences that grow and deepen the fandom of our legendary IP. Our multi-year targeted investments toward our biggest opportunities include global titles like blockbuster storytelling from Dragon Age, incredible skateboarding gameplay and social connection from skate, and a revival of EA SPORTS College Football that celebrates the action, culture and tradition of the sport like never before. We’re also hard at work on a new experience from The Sims that will transform what players can do with creativity, a sprawling action adventure Iron Man game, a reimagination of Battlefield as a truly connected ecosystem, and the expansion of the Apex Legends universe across platforms, geographies, and modalities of play. The most recent reveal of our Black Panther project — set in a massive, explorable universe — marks the latest chapter in EA’s collaboration with The Walt Disney Company and the Marvel Games team."

[source and full Prepared Remarks transcript]

Dragon Age was then mentioned during the Q&A section of the call (emphasis mine):

Q: "Last quarter it was noted that players were concentrating their spend on major franchises. Just wanted to see first if there was any update to that? And then, Andrew, in your commentary you highlighted a goal for Apex as an experience across platforms, I'm assuming that includes mobile as well, so can you speak to how you envision potentially relaunching that title on phones and how the approach could differ to the prior game? Thank you." A: "Yeah, so let me touch on the first part. I do think we continue to see big titles getting bigger, and live services getting bigger, and certainly as a company with a broad portfolio of large-scale IP and large-scale live services, we believe that we will be long-term beneficiaries of that trend. You know, that doesn't mean that we won't build smaller titles over the course of time. There are these incredible stories that we believe should be told in the context of entertainment. We are focusing our investment so that we can build a cost-base around those that's appropriate, but we're also really getting behind our biggest opportunities, and as we've talked about, our strategy and building these experiences that entertain massive online communities. Our expectation is that will be a large scale growth driver for us. But, you know, when thought about the right way, games like, you know, Dragon Age, and Jedi, can tell truly blockbuster stories and really break into that top category of games. I think what we see today is the mid-tier and lower games that, you know, maybe did pretty well through Covid because people had a lot of spare time - they're the part of the industry that really aren't doing and performing as well. And as we think about our future, you should expect that we'll continue to focus our investments and our energy and our resources against these big opportunities because we do believe that is where the industry is trending."

[source: call audio webcast]

There were no further mentions of Dragon Age, Mass Effect or BioWare during the call.

Here is the latest Existing Live Services & FY24 Title Slate (announced titles), from the call's supporting documents -

[source]

The next EA earnings conference call - for Q2 2024 - is on November 1st 2023 at 2pm PT.

[source]

lastly, when the full transcript of this call becomes available I'll post the link/add it to this post. ^^

Edit: Here is a transcript of the full call.

[amorosebeing]

Team Snakemouth, What the Fuck?

I just wrote this in like 5 minutes. I am working on a different, MUCH larger fic if any of you all are curious. But anyways, I was just thinking about how absurd Team Snakemouth is from an outside perspective.

Warnings: Uh...swearing I guess?

The Explorer's Association was always an example of resilience. Of bugs that would work themselves to the shell year after year, decade after decade in hopes of reaching an elusive hope they may never see. Truly an inspiration, for the whole of the Ant of Kingdom, that is. Even if their activities sometimes seemed fruitless and vain, they would always go on in search of the legend that their home was built upon. 

And so it was both joy and worry that many of the teams within it held when they heard of new members. A duo (...or a trio? It seemed to depend who you asked.) just entered. And they did it by a special trial from Maki, foregoing the typical initiation ceremony. It was impressive, of course, that they conquered Snakemouth Den, but everyone needs great help before they can become legends like Maki or Team Slacker. Surely each team could help to guide them. Beginner's luck, and all that. 

Despite their novelty bringing along a clear lack of skill, it was also a strength. New bugs joining the association? New species, ideas, skills, backgrounds, knowledge, and hope? That was a boon in of itself. It only needed to be cultivated so this fledging team could reach further heights, perhaps even accomplish something as legendary as their fabled first mission. 

...It was quite the news to hear of them acquiring the second artifact, after word of the first had rolled all across the kingdoms. Truly, they would be revered in history. And religion; how exactly they came into possession of the Ancient Tablet was unclear, but given where it was supposedly located, there would certainly be many an acolyte coming to speak with them. 

It wasn't long until the public learnt of Team Snakemouth, along with many explorers, attending a special tour of the hives. It was clear that the Ant Kingdom had just made major victories, so perhaps Queen Elizant II simply found this a good time to strengthen alliances? It was a good sign, anyways. Perhaps such a fine closeness between the two kingdoms would last years. Perhaps even until another clue was found. 

Then the factory shut down in an emergency, and it seemed that the diplomatic efforts must be in a frenzy. At least the Ant Kingdom's explorers were willing to assist with the disaster. Not that they had much choice, given that they were locked in the factory just like everyone else, but still. 

And then Queen Bianca announced that the...'mission'(??) had been a success, and Team Snakemouth had been the ones to ultimately claim the third artifact. 

They would be...beyond legends now, as far as future historians would be concerned. Some of the finest explorers the land had ever seen, clearly. They had found all the artifacts on the path to the Sapling, and even beyond that, they had helped so many people among all the kingdoms. 

And it seemed they weren't even taking a vacation. Rumor had it they were investigating ruins in the Lost Sands, no doubt for more clues. 

For much of the Ant Kingdom, what came after that is a blur, scarcely recalled: Screams sounding through what should have been a peaceful day, wasps armed with strange weaponry breaking down gate after gate, all trailing behind a walking nightmare in bug form, wreathed in flame. 

Every artifact was claimed, and so it seemed that the path to the Sapling truly was just as far as ever. All they could do was recover from this chunk of history, and thank those who at least tried. 

But the Queen, despite everything, still held hope, and so they must press forward, even into a future that looked impossible. 

One last great act of diplomacy was needed, and Elizant delivered. She started to reforge her kingdom's ties with the Termites. Team Snakemouth, surely chosen for their prestige, accompanied her, and fought for... her honor, it seemed? The exact purpose was a little lost in the excitement of the crowd. 

Alliances were changing, some mending and others breaking. People were rising with a new hope. Rulers moving forward with a speed seen only in legends. A new age had come. 

Though before it could start in full, a final battle loomed. 

And, through it all, Team Snakemouth watched a god fall, stricken down by their hands. 

--- 

Celia couldn't believe how much Team Snakemouth had ultimately changed Bugaria. She was jealous, of course, not that she would admit that. She really didn't want to sound like a certain diva, they just...did a lot, okay? It's the same feeling she gets seeing how she works long nights investigating and Team Slacker can just throw a few dice in the tavern, easily discover something incredible, and then not do any other work for a solid week. It's...frustrating, is all. 

Maybe she should send a letter back home. She's hasn't sent a letter since Team Snakemouth joined, all those...how many years ago was it? 

The association has documents, so she merely takes a moment to check and- 

2 months and 3 days 

2 months 

It's only been 2 months 

Team Snakemouth, WHAT THE FUCK

[blowflyfag]

the Wrestler: Volume 26, 2009

Sapolsky Out, Pearce In 

A NEW ERA IN RING OF HONOR

Gabe Sapolsky was there from the beginning. Joining Ring of Honor in 2002 when the promotion was nothing more than an idea, Sapolsky lent his knowledge and skill to a growing business, turning it into the biggest independent wrestling promotion in the nation. But, just as quickly as the former-ROH booker rose, he was sent packing for something new

TEXT BT AL CASTLE

PHOTOS BY JOE ZANOLLE

AMONG THE COLORFUL characters of Delirious and El Generico, outsized personalities of Chris Hero an Nigel McGuinness, and intimidating frames of Claudio Castagnoli and Brent Albright, his presence was easy to miss. 

In fact, the stout, goateed man in a T-shirt and blazer may have been nearly invisible within the excitement that surrounded him, but perhaps more than any other person, Gabe Sapolsky was synonymous with Ring of Honor. 

That is until this past October, when ROH owner Cary Silkin shocked fans and wrestler alike by handing the company’s longtime creative head, Sapolsky, his walking papers. 

[Of course, Nigel McGuinness would be one to stand up for Sapolsky. It was Sapolsky who made McGuinness champion more than a year ago.]

It was an unexpected move that left ROH without the man who, for years, was widely considered one of the most creative minds in the sport. It also cleared the path for the emergence of a new creative force who hopes to leave fans asking, “Gabe who?”

The announcement came just hours after a live event in Edison, New Jersey, headlines by the Briscoe Brothers taking on visiting TNA tag team the Latin American Xchange. By most accounts, all was well in the world of ROH, and fans gave the show, organized by Sapolsky, a positive review. 

The next day, on ROH’s official website, fans read the words no wrestling employee ever wanted to have written about him. ROH thanked Sapolsky and wished “him well in all future endeavors.”

[Another way Sapolsky helped build ROH was with his ability to bring in outside talent. In his time with the company, he brought in many of the world’s best-known athletes, including legendary Japanese wrestler Kensuke Sasaki.]

The message knocked the wind out of ROH loyalists, to whom Sapolsky was as much a fixture in the company as the dented aluminum signs that adorn the ringside barriers. Many questions loomed: Was there a falling out between Sapolsky and management? Was it simply a matter of wanting to take the company in a new direction? What would become of Sapolsky? And who would replace him as ROH’s booker?

ROH management offered few immediate answers, declining to comment any further on Sapolsky’s termination or his replacement. For his part, Sapolsky also did not shed much light on the situation. Asked for his side of the story, Sapolsky told the newsday.com only that, “There really isn’t” one.

“There was no fight or hard feelings,” Sapolsky said. “I understand Cary’s decision. I love ROH and hopefully everyone will give the new direction a chance.”

The only information ROH officials gave about the new direction was saying the company “will be focusing on the stories and the talent in the ring.” Many fans felt that was exactly what Sapolsky had been doing. But days later, that direction became more clear when news surfaced that Sapolsky’s replacement as creative head would be perennial ROH antagonist “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce. 

Although some fans’ brows undoubtedly furrowed upon hearing the news, many quickly warmed up to the idea after learning more about Pearce’s resume. The 12-year ring veteran has been booking for the NWA for four years and is widely considered among the most knowledgeable students of the game in the entire ROH locker room. Having competed all over the world, including in WWE, and even once turning down a WCW contract offer, Pearce’s middle-of-the-card role in ROH belies a wealth of experience and wisdom, soem colleagues said.

“Adam may be a thorn in a  lot of people’s sides, but the guy eats, sleeps, and breathes wrestling. He knows his [stuff[,” said one longtime ROH competitor, who declined to have his name associated with any praise for Pearce.

With Pearce’s installation into the role also came word that ROH would be moving more toward a 1970s wrestling style. The direction seemed consistent with Pearce’s own style. A relic from the days of wrestling villains with flashy ring robes and less flashy offense, “Scrap Iron” Is a throwback in every sense. He is even a two-time holder of wrestling’s oldest title, the NWA heavyweight championship.

Some fans feared a radical overhaul of the ROH they loved under Pearce’s direction, but little change in the product was immediately noticeable. The ‘70s-inspired action fans did see, they seemed to mostly like–including a bloody dog collar grudge match between Austin Aries and Jimmy Jacobs during Pearce’s first weekend on the job.

But regardless of the job Pearce would go on to do, many supporters of Sapolsky felt the old adage about, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applied to Sapolsky’s track record before his release. Right up until the moment he left the company, many felt Sapolsky’s storytelling ability was as strong as it ever was–citing compelling recent storylines, including the brewing war between ROH heavyweight champion Nigel McGuinness and Bryan Danielson, the rise of Larry Sweeney’s Sweet & Sour Inc., and the Age of the Fall’s revolution from within the ROH locker room. 

[Some Sapolsky critics felt ROH had gotten away from its roots by featuring gimmick matches such as this three-vs.-one-vs.-three cage bout.]

“Certainly for me, and from all of the rest of the boys, we were all very happy with the way he did his job,” McGuinness told Chicago newspaper The Southern Star. “He was Booker of the Year. I’m world champion under his regime. Personally, I love the guy.”

Indeed, Sapolsky was voted Booker of the Year four years in a row by readers of The Wrestling Observer newsletter. Sapolsky’s knack for storytelling was not surprising, considering his pedigree. Before co-founding ROH in 2002, Sapolsky worked in the front office of ECW under the man who many people consider one of the greatest wrestling minds of all-time–Paul Heyman.

[Two-time former NWA heavyweight champion Adam Pearce (right) has a deep-seated background in wrestling history. The 12-year veteran has shown that he can brawl (above) as well as grind out technical bout (top). But, it’s Pearce’s wrestling IQ and booking skills that ROH owner Cary Silkin is hoping will help ROH successfully alter course.]

But some critics did feel Sapolsky’s best days were behind him, and the company was in need of a new direction. They noted that ROG had gradually gotten away from its fundamentals, leaving behind former staples of the company, including the Pure Wrestling championship and the once respected “Code of Honor,” which mandated the competitors show respect to officials and to each other, in favor of publicity-grabbing controversies. They included 2007’s stunt-heavy “Ladder War” featuring Kevin Steen and El Generico that many considered unnecessarily dangerous, and the much-lambasted “Simulated rape” incident involving Larry Weeney, Bobby Dempsey, and Allison Danger.

“Gabe’s a great guy, and ROH never would have come as far as it has without him. But it was time to move on,” said one ROH wrestler, who spoke under the condition of anonymity. “That’s not to say that we’re leaving Gabe behind. Gabe’s influence is going to be felt in Ring of Honor, and in all of wrestling, forever.”

[musicblogwales]

Chroma - 'I Wanna Be Where You Are'

Pontypridd, Wales bi-lingual alt-rock trio CHROMA are pleased to reveal the official video for their new single ‘I Wanna Be Where You Are’ out now via Alcopop! Records. The news comes ahead of a huge support slot with Foo Fighters for the band this week, and they also support Newport comedy hip hop troupe Goldie Lookin Chain on their forthcoming 2024 headline dates later this year, with limited tickets remaining. The track is the latest to be taken from the band’s gigantic Alcopop! Records 2023 debut album Ask For Angela. Commenting on the single, vocalist Katie Hall said: "This song is about limerence. It’s a new word I’ve learnt from the Lalala Let Me Explain podcast. It means to be emotionally and romantically infatuated with someone. It’s like when you have an intense crush on someone who’s not good for you. It’s not necessarily because they're a bad person, it’s because you’re in a bad place so you try to mask your problems with love.  In an age of modern technology, love and dating seems disposable. When I fall into limerence it’s usually because I feel lonely. I think it’s something a lot of people go through. We wanted to write a punk song about turbulent love that people could maybe relate to." The track comes with an official music video directed by Ren Faulkner, with artistic direction from the band's Katie Hall, movement director Bronwen Wilson Rashard, hair and makeup by Yasmine Davies, featuring model Emily Koko, styling by Alaw Griffiths and clothes by Rosie Evans. “One of the coolest things about being in a band is being able to creatively direct your own music video,” says Hall of the challenge. “The idea for ‘I Wanna Be Where You Are’ came from a hinge date I went on in Port Talbot. I’ve always been fascinated by the steel works every time we drove past that area as a kid, and it’s been on my music video bucket list.” “On the date we chatted a lot about the steelworks closing. It’s an estimated 20,000 jobs in the area. It’s hard to think of the pressure this puts families under during a cost of living crisis. I think Port Talbot is lush, the people and the place. The video also features Welsh designer Rosie Evans' clothes. I love Rosie’s work, and it’s been a dream of mine for some time to wear one of her corsets.” Recorded at Giant Wafer Studios, Llanbadarn Fynydd in the heart of Wales, CHROMA’s much lauded debut was produced and mixed by Steffan Pringle (Adwaith, Future of the Left, Boy Azooga) and mastered by Tom Langrish at E1 Mastering (IDLES, Fontaines D.C, DITZ) in London. The band recently presented an episode of S4C’s returning TV series Curadur, with Hall inviting some of her favourite bands and artists to join her Clwb Cysgu Cwl (Sleepover Club). Featuring performances from The Joy Formidable, Panic Shack and of course Chroma, the episode is available on catch-up via BBC iPlayer and S4C Clic. Riding high on a run of packed shows at SXSW Festival, FOCUS Wales, and a support slot with The Mysterines, the band announced their signing to Alcopop! Records in early 2023 and were recently hand-picked to support legendary US rockers Foo Fighters at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester on 15th June 2024 alongside Courtney Barnett. They also played further shows alongside Bob Vylan and more. The trio have just been announced as one of the latest patrons of the Music Venue Trust, and will support the work of the charity in sharing the importance of Grassroots Music Venues and their crucial role in the music industry's ecosystem. 2024 UK Live Dates:

SOLD OUT - MANCHESTER - Gorilla * SOLD OUT - PRESTON - The Ferret * 19 Sep - NORWICH - Epic Studios * SOLD OUT - NOTTINGHAM - Metronome * 19 Oct - NEWCASTLE - The Cluny * SOLD OUT - GLOUCESTER - Guildhall * 02 Nov - BRISTOL - SW * SOLD OUT - NARBERTH - Queens Hall * SOLD OUT - BIRMINGHAM - Hare & Hounds * 09 Nov - SWANSEA - Sin City * 16 Nov - LONDON - Electric Ballroom * SOLD OUT - BIRKENHEAD - Future Yard * SOLD OUT - NEWPORT - Corn Exchange * SOLD OUT - NEWPORT - Corn Exchange * * w/ Goldie Lookin Chain

[epicwinsft]

Unlock Fortnite Free Skins: Iron Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Wolverine Giveaway!

Are you a Fortnite enthusiast looking to enhance your collection with some of the most iconic skins? Look no further! We’re thrilled to announce an epic giveaway where you can win Fortnite free skins, including the highly sought-after Iron Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Wolverine skins.

How to Get Fortnite Free Skins

Participating in our giveaway is easy and gives you a chance to unlock these legendary skins without spending your hard-earned Fortnite V-Bucks. To enter, all you need to do is:

Like this video: Show your support by smashing that like button.

Subscribe to our channel: Stay updated on all future giveaways and Fortnite content.

Comment your Epic Games username: This is crucial so we can gift you the skin if you win!

Why You Need These Fortnite Free Skins

Each of these skins comes with unique features that make them must-haves for any Fortnite fan. The Fortnite Iron Spider-Man skin boasts high-tech armor inspired by the Marvel Civil War storyline, making you look unstoppable on the battlefield. Deadpool and Wolverine feature cell-shaded designs with both mask-on and mask-off styles, bringing comic book legends to life in your game.

These skins also include matching pickaxes, back blings, wraps, emotes, gliders, and more! Usually priced at 2,000 V-Bucks each or 3,600 V-Bucks for the full bundle, you can now get them for free through our giveaway.

How to Use Fortnite Free V-Bucks

While you’re here, don’t forget that you can use your Fortnite free V-Bucks for even more exciting in-game purchases. Whether you’re upgrading your current collection or saving up for the next big item drop, V-Bucks are your ticket to a fully customized Fortnite experience.

Support a Creator and Get Rewarded

As part of our community, we encourage you to support us by using our Support Creator Code: EpicWins in the Fortnite item shop. When you use this code, you’re directly helping us bring you more giveaways and exciting content.

Conclusion: Don’t Miss Out!

This is your chance to grab some of the most legendary Fortnite free skins without spending any V-Bucks. Like, subscribe, and comment to enter the giveaway, and make sure to use Support Creator Code: EpicWins before we gift you the skin!

Stay tuned for more updates, and good luck, Fortnite warriors! We’ll see you in the game, ready to dominate with your new skins.

[what-if-queen-camilla]

A Little Secret - Chapter 4

Here's my new chapter and I hope you like it :) Let me know what you think in the comments and vote in the poll for your preferred run of the story (poll will be posted seperately as announced earlier :))

"Hi baby!"Andrew greeted her and casually kissed her cheek. She hated it when he called her like that but at least he had shown up at all so she'd better not complain. "Hi Andy. Thanks for coming.", she replied, equally casual and took his jacket. She had asked him to come home for the weekend and, much to her surprise, he had agreed without any further condition, so she had tried to be a good wife - though this was probably the most ridiculous term under the given circumstances - cleaned and tried up the house all week and made his favourite food for dinner, her legendary roast chicken with some potatoes and fresh vegetables from the garden, as well as a bottle of his favourite wine and, until now, he seemed delighted. "Just what I need after a week full of chaos.", he sighed and took a sip of the wine. "Oooh, Milla, do we have something to celebrate?", he asked, looking at her in anticipation. Camilla felt a cold breeze running down her spine. Gosh, she had already messed it all up. Apparently, he was expecting some happy news from her - how on earth was she supposed to go ahead with her plan under these circumstances? Goodness, no, she had to. There was no other option and she wasn't going to be a coward this time. She had to be strong, for the baby. "Not quite.", she replied, taking a deep breath, looking at him very seriously. He stopped chewing and frowned his forehead. "You're sounding serious, my dear." "I'm afraid, I am.", she added. "Andy, listen, I… I am in… a situation…" 

"Are you fucking kidding me, Camilla?!", Andrew shouted at her, stood up, banging his fist on the table so that all the glasses and dishes and cutlery shook. Camilla winced and lowered her eyes in embarrassment and discomfort. What had she been expecting? Of course he wasn't going to be happy about the prospect of his wife having an illegitimate child with the Prince of Wales. "You know, I don't care whom you're dating or sleeping with, Camilla. God knows I have my… liaisons as well. But now… this… seriously, Camilla???" Every single word felt like a punch in her face. He didn't care. Had he ever really cared about her, had he ever really loved her? He didn't care. Of course, he had his liaisons as well, he'd always had, right from the start, yet she had always tried and hoped and even defended him… but he didn't care, he'd just said it himself, and though she didn't want it to affect her, it felt like a punch in her stomach. "Andrew, I did not plan this…", she tried to defend herself but he look at her reproachfully. "Could you not just use a bloody condom or something? Is your future King too cool to be cautious?! Fuck, Milla, I'd never have thought you'd be so damn stupid!", he screamed at her and she felt tears in her eyes again. She did not want to have this talk with him, not like that. It was so humiliating. "Don't talk to me like that!", she replied with a trembling voice and gave him a warning look. "You have no right to judge me! You're the one who ended our marriage with your 'liaisons', not me! And you were the one who-" She paused in order to swallow her tears. She didn't want him to see how much he was hurting her but it became harder by the second. "You were the one who kept telling me it was my fault that we couldn't have a third child without ever having seen a doctor yourself! You were so sure that it must have been me! Turns out, you were wrong!" She had meanwhile given up fighting against her tears and she actually didn't care any longer. Andrew was more than welcome to see what misery he'd put her into, how terrible he'd made her feel, not only now and then, in this very situation, but basically for the last couple of years. She had believed in love once, in marriage and family, but he'd managed to crash it all down, to rattle her entire life, her confidence, her belief and just everything she had ever wanted or felt good about. "Do you have any idea how I was feeling all those years?!", she screamed at him."What it did to me, the way you looked at me as if I wasn't good enough, as if I was the problem because, obviously, it was my fault that we couldn't have another child?" She looked at him with her teary eyes full of both anger and desperation. All of those years she had quietly endured it all but it had all broken free now and, somehow, it was a relief. Andrew stepped forward and towards her, his eyes had soften a bit and his hand reached out hers. She didn't refuse. "I'm sorry, Milla.", he said quietly and unusually genuine. "I'm going to think it all through and… come back to you tomorrow." With that, he turned around and went to his room. 

Camilla tried to realise what had just happened while she cleared the table and did the dishes in the kitchen. It all felt so surreal. She had never talked to her husband like that and somehow she was proud of herself, that she has finally spoken up and didn't let him put her down because, when she was true to herself, she had allowed him to do so way too long. No man had the right to treat a woman like that and nobody, no matter their gender, deserved to be treated like that. He'd never been physically violent towards her, he'd always been a good father for the children and of course had offered her a financially secure life. But with his constant affairs he had broken her heart a million little times and slowly but surely destroyed almost all of her self-confidence. And in that moment, she realised that somehow Charles had saved her in the same way that he always said she had saved him. He made her feel loved and beautiful and special again, he appreciated her the way she was and, for once in her life, at least in her married life, there was nobody else around who was prettier, funnier, cleverer or better in bed for whom she was left alone. No matter what Andrew was going to do, she vowed to herself, never ever would she allow him to bring her down and made her feel that she wasn't enough again. She was enough. She was pregnant again, for goodness sake! Back then, when they had tried and failed to have another one, she had been suspicious whether it could be because of the mumps infection they both had caught from Tom shortly after Laura had been born. Everyone knew that it could affect male fertility but Andrew hadn't listened. He was the man, he was strong and healthy and if they couldn't have another baby it could only have been her fault. Of course, she had gone to see a doctor and everything had been alright, but he had still refused to go and see one himself so they had buried their wish for another child and just gotten on with their life as a family of four. For the children, they were good parents, they were a team, they worked well together and genuinely enjoyed spending time with each other, as parents and friends, but not as husband and wife anymore. She had never really noticed how much she had been missing that part of a marriage until she had gotten back together with Charles and he'd made her feel all the wonderful things once again. Oh Charles… she missed him terribly and wanted nothing more than to cuddle up to him right now, be held by him, feel him, kiss him, smell him… a part of her wanted to grab the phone and call him, hear his soothing voice whispering all the sweet nothings to her that'd make her feel better, but another part new that, if she did, she wouldn't be able to keep her little secret any longer, so she just went to bed alone, silently crying until she fell asleep. 

"Okay Milla. Here's my offer.", Andrew announced almost solemnly when they met again for breakfast the next morning. "I have two options for you. The first is, you'll have the baby and it's going to be ours. The third child we've always wanted. I'll be the father, it'll have my name and nobody will ever know the truth. It will grow up in a loving family and lead a happy, normal life." Camilla looked at him in disbelief. That… sounded almost too good to be true. Surely there had to be a catch somewhere? Of course there was: "My one condition for this… agreement is that you will break up with your Prince and never see him again." "Andy, no…", Camilla interrupted with an almost begging voice. "You can't be serious… You can't ask me to do that, I…" 'I love him!', everything inside her screamed. 'And he loves me, too.' She couldn't imagine living without him anymore and neither could he imagine living without her, he needed her and she him. They had promised each other to always be there for each other from now… She couldn't leave him. That would break him. "Camilla, I don't begrudge you for having a bit of fun. But your relationship is way too serious and that'd be too risky. Imagine the baby resembles him. Would you be able to keep your mouth shut?" He looked at her provocatively and both of them knew the answer. Of course she wouldn't. "See. I'm not being cruel, I just want what's best for this innocent child and I'm sure that it's much better growing up as a legitimate son or daughter of a respectable British Army Officer than the fucking bastard of the Prince of Wales.", he casually added and Camilla winced. The bastard of the Prince of Wales. Hearing that felt like a slap in her face but, deep inside, she knew he was right. "It's up to you, Milla. If you can't do it, I see only one other option." He handed her a piece of paper with the phone number of a London private hospital. "They won't ask you questions." 

With that, he turned around and went outside, leaving her in complete desperation. The piece of paper still in her trembling hand, she sank down to the floor, crying. What on earth was she supposed to do?

...vote in the poll! :)

[thetruejerrycan]

Happy 1 year anniversary to Gungrave G.O.R.E!

A lot of you are probably scratching your heads right now wondering what the hell this is. Well, let's just say that an obscure PS2 series made its return after almost 20 years of inactivity. And Gungrave G.O.R.E feels like it picks up right after 2004's Gungrave Overdose in all but graphics.

To briefly provide some context, Gungrave is a series of third-person shooter games and is the brainchild of Red Entertainment and Yasuhiro Nightow, creator of Trigun. The player assumes control of Beyond The Grave (Grave, for short), a corpse who has been resurrected to enact his revenge on the organization that had him killed and to destroy the drug that made all of this possible, Seed. Equipped with two hand cannons named Cerberus and a transforming coffin-shaped weapon named Death Hauler, the player engages in stylish gunplay inspired by the films of directors John Woo and Robert Rodriguez, with Grave himself bearing resemblance to Antonio Banderas's character El Mariachi from Desperado.

Despite the game seemingly being made on a rather small budget, Gungrave G.O.R.E features an alumni of legendary game producers, with Yasuhiro Nightow (Trigun) returning as image director, Ikumi Nakamura (Ghost of Tsushima) creating many of the character designs, Tetsuya Shibata (Devil May Cry) and Yoshino Aoki (Mega Man Battle Network) composing much of the soundtrack, and select cutscenes being animated by Digic Pictures (Assassin's Creed).

Gungrave G.O.R.E has had a rather unique development, being a console game developed by a South Korean studio, Iggymob. I encourage you to check out this video by Blue that goes a little bit into how Gungrave G.O.R.E came to be and why the fact that this is a Korean console game is more interesting than it may seem. They've included their sources in the description for further reading.

Looking at what director Kay Kim has had to say about Gungrave G.O.R.E's development, you can tell this was a game developed by the fans for the fans. When Gungrave G.O.R.E was first announced, it was slated to be an open-world game similar to Dark Souls. Later, taking influence from the likes of Metal Gear Rising, Bayonetta, and Devil May Cry, it was decided that the game would revert to its original linear mission-based structure. Kim has gone on record to say that the original open-world version of the game was "terrible" and expressed concern that this isn't what a Gungrave fan who has been waiting 20 years for another installment would want to play.

This is not something that a greedy businessman who bought the rights to a long-gone game series to cash in on nostalgia would ever care about. Gungrave G.O.R.E, whether it's a good game or a bad game, is a passion project before anything else. When this game first released last year, it was rough and naturally received patches over time. And these patches universally only heavily improved the game, such as making Grave's moveset more versatile, making the controls more accessible, and heavily altering levels to the point where some sections such as those that required Grave to platform were simply removed.

The game is in odd state at the moment. The original release on consoles and PC were published by Prime Matter, and earlier this year they released Gungrave G.O.R.E: Ultimate Enhanced Edition on the Nintendo Switch, which includes "over 100 changes" to the game including further improvements to the game's controls, further alterations to level design, new mechanics, and extra playable characters such as Gungrave Overdose's Rocketbilly Redcadillac, and Harry MacDowell. This is odd because not only are these magnitude of changes exclusive to U.E.E, which is only on Switch, Iggymob self-published this release.

I don't know what the future has in store for Gungrave or Studio Iggymob, but let us take today and every day after to celebrate that Gungrave G.O.R.E even happened because of them. Thank you for being the reason my new favorite game series made such a kick-ass return, and godspeed on future endeavors.

[rabbitechoes]

some rlly exciting singles dropped this month, especially from totally unexpected artists!! setting the stage for some, hopefully, great records in the months to come. i was considering for july doing these singles & songs posts on a weekly basis and compiling them at the end of the month to seem a bit more on top of things, but idk!! either way, here's all of the songs i wrote about this month!!! to check out my thoughts on some of the albums, EPs, and mixtapes that came out this month click here!!! also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter <3

"Del Oro" - Floating Points

◇ released: June 4, 2024 ◇ genres: tech house, microhouse

This new single from Floating Points is a sleek tech house jam. I'm admittedly a bit unfamiliar with his work on the whole, besides his excellent collaboration with Pharoah Sanders from a few years ago. Hearing this definitely makes me want to dive further into his more electronic stuff. The little switch-ups throughout this song are just super exciting to me. Very, very well made. Hopefully this leads into a full album announcement soon.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Treat Each Other Right" | "Life" - Jamie xx

◇ released: June 4, 2024 | June 17, 2024 ◇ featured on In Waves (not yet released) ◇ genres: future garage, UK bass, funky house

Jamie xx and The XX have sort of flew under my radar for a long time, but this month I finally listened to XX's debut and I was absolutely floored by the production. One of the best sounding albums I've heard in a long time, incredibly influential too. That great production is also present on these two new tracks from Jamie xx's new album In Waves. I absolutely adore the sampling on "Treat Each Other Right," it's just so infectious. "Life" with Robyn is also pretty good. It's a more straight-forward jam, but very enjoyable. Need to go back and listen to his other albums in anticipation for this new one.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Petco" - Cassandra Jenkins

◇ released: June 4, 2024 ◇ featured on My Light, My Destroyer (not yet released) ◇ genres: indie rock, noise pop

Cassandra Jenkins is 3-for-3 on these new singles for her upcoming album next month. This one is a bit noisier than the other two, but it's also gorgeous. Jenkins has an ethereal presence on this track and the noisy guitars juxtapose that nicely. I also adore the melodies she writes, she's a very good songwriter. I'm very excited for this album, I have a feeling it will be her strongest work to date.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi" - Friko

◇ released: June 4, 2024 ◇ genres: art rock, chamber pop

This is definitely a cover of Radiohead's "Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi" from up-and-coming Chicago band Friko. I definitely heard this and experienced it. I kid a little bit, this is a decent cover, albeit a bit unnecessary. I'm probably just being a party pooper though, there's nothing wrong with it. I do love the added strings in this version, but I probably won't come back to this much.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"New Way Out" - Poppy

◇ released: June 5, 2024 ◇ genre: alternative metal

I have a complicated relationship with Poppy's music. She hasn't made anything I've outright hated, but few of her songs have left a lasting impression on me. "New Way Out" is kinda the same story. It's fine, enjoyable enough, but nothing I'm super invested in. I do think the chorus is very good, it feels epic. Maybe one day Poppy's music will click for me, but that day is not today.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Sublime Eternal Love" - Chrystabell & David Lynch

◇ released: June 5, 2024 ◇ featured on Cellophane Memories (not yet released) ◇ genres: ambient pop, ethereal wave

At the end of last month, legendary filmmaker David Lynch teased something new was coming on "June Five," well "June Five" came and we got this new single from Chrystabell and David himself. Lynch is no stranger to collaborating with singers, see his iconic collab with Julee Cruise, so this is pretty exciting. He has worked with Chrystabell in the past and she was even a prominent character in Twin Peaks: The Return, so there's history here. The song is chilling, it values atmosphere above all, but it captivates you. You just get lost in it and when you don't even realize it, the song is over. I'm a big David Lynch fan so I'm very excited for this. Chrystabell also confirmed on Twitter that the late Angelo Badalamenti performed on this album which is just so awesome.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"HOT ONE" | "BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE" - Denzel Curry

◇ released: June 5, 2024 | June 25, 2024 ◇ featured on King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 (not yet released) ◇ genres: trap, southern hip hop

Denzel Curry has a new album on the way, the sequel to his King of the Mischievous South mixtape he released when he was 17, and it sounds like he's getting back in touch with his roots. "HOT ONE" is a southern hip hop banger, pure and simple. It features good performances from TiaCorine, A$AP Ferg, and Curry himself. The beat sounds so classic, I love it. "BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE" is a bit weaker, but it's a freestyle - it's not gonna be as tight and focused. Still, Curry shines here. He sounds reinvigorated on these songs. Really looking forward to this project, if this single is any indication I think it'll be a very fun listen.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Russian Roulette" - Porter Robinson

◇ released: June 5, 2024 ◇ featured on SMILE! :D (not yet released) ◇ genres: indietronica, indie pop

Porter Robinson is one of those artists I just haven't gotten around to listening to for the longest time. This month I finally listened to his last album, Nurture, and was pretty impressed by it. This new single is very different from the stuff on that record, leaning much more heavily into indie pop. I like it! There's some very personal lyrics here and some silly ones, like the ones referencing Pitchfork's notorious review for that one Jet album. I'm looking forward to this new album! Glad to finally be on the Porter Robinson train.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Please Please Please" - Sabrina Carpenter

◇ released: June 7, 2024 ◇ featured on Short n' Sweet (not yet released) ◇ genres: yacht rock, contemporary r&b

"Please Please Please" is kinda the same story as "Espresso" from a few months ago like I am just left so indifferent by Sabrina Carpenter's music. I guess I can see why people are captivated by it, but I'm just bored. I'm so tired and jaded with the state of pop music right now which definitely isn't helping. I just want something exciting. Something cool and interesting ... PLEASE.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Genesis." - RAYE

◇ released: June 7, 2024 ◇ genres: UK hip hop, conscious hip hop, contemporary r&b

RAYE released a 7-minute cut, that is also split into three different parts, which details with her struggles with being in your 20s and constantly feeling like you're missing out on things you should be experiencing. Worrying about your place in the world and the world itself for that matter. I'm in the same boat, so the sentiment hits home for me. The song itself is good too, but I do wish it pushed things a bit further. I think the song would be more striking with some punchier production, but it's still a really solid song.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"All My Life" - Falling in Reverse & Jelly Roll

◇ released: June 7, 2024 ◇ featured on Popular Monster (not yet released) ◇ genres: alternative rock, hard rock, country rock

This is a song specifically crafted to kill me. This is an assassination attempt on my life. They should both be in jail for trying to murder me. Fuck this song.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Imposing Will" - NAILS

◇ released: June 10, 2024 ◇ featured on Every Bridge Burning (not yet released) ◇ genres: grindcore, metalcore

New NAILS track, you know what that means! Seriously, this band rules, but you know what you're getting into with this. A fiery apocalyptic flurry that's sure to blow you away, perhaps in the literal sense.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"LET THE VIRGIN DRIVE" - SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

◇ released: June 12, 2024 ◇ featured on YOU'LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING (not yet released) ◇ genre: neo-psychedelia

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE are returning with a new album in a few months and this lead single is very promising. I adore how this song sounds. That kind of classic psychedelia with some songwriting that has some bite to it. It's almost eery at points. Really digging this, can't wait to listen to the new album.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"don't rely on other men" - JPEGMAFIA

◇ released: June 17, 2024 ◇ genres: industrial hip hop, hardcore hip hop

JPEGMAFIA, perhaps the biggest name in experimental hip hop right now and also one of the most annoying people on the internet, has returned with a new collab with Freaky. It's fine, it's what you would expect from Peggy at this point. The beat is weird, he has confrontational bars, etc. etc. you get the picture. A lot of this song is a response to people's justified criticism of his recent collaborations with Ye on the Vultures album. I'm still a fan of his music, but he reeks of insecurity about the criticism he's been facing regarding this. Like I don't know man, maybe you built your image on calling out racists, neo-nazi metal bands like Burzum, and waiting for "Morrissey to fucking die, " only for you to turn around and post a pic of you and Kanye - who need I remind everyone was doing a PR tour about how much he loves Hitler and is CURRENTLY being sued by his former assistant for sexual harrassment - while he was wearing a Burzum shirt. Like this criticism isn't unfounded and deep down he knows that. He's kinda going through an insufferable phase right now, but hopefully he pulls through. Hopefully with more interesting songs than this one too.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Phoneglow" | "Eyes Go Blank" - Burial & Kode9

◇ released: June 18, 2024 ◇ genres: 2-step, future garage, footwork

Burial and Kode9 have released a joint single and it's pretty good! Both cuts are nothing too special, but they're nice listens. "Eyes Go Blank" might honestly be the standout for me here despite not being familiar with Kode9's work. It goes insane at some points. It's also nice to see Burial being so active as of late.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Favourite" - Fontaines D.C.

◇ released: June 18, 2024 ◇ featured on Romance (not yet released) ◇ genres: jangle pop, indie pop, indie rock

Fontaines D.C. have released another incredible single leading up to their new album in a few months. If the whole album is as strong as the last two singles, we're in for something truly special. The band dive into softer, more jangle pop sounds here to really great effect. This song just chugs along effortlessly, it's sort of captivating. Just a damn fine song. This is without a doubt one of my most anticipated releases of the year, super excited to hear Romance in full.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Road to Mandalay" - Laurie Anderson

◇ released: June 18, 2024 ◇ featured on Amelia (not yet released) ◇ genre: art pop

Experimental icon Laurie Anderson has announced a new album alongside this new single. Amelia is a concept album about .. Amelia Earhart which is a concept that I only think Anderson could pull off effectively. This song is weird and short, it feels mostly like a teaser, but it has that off-putting charm Anderson is known for. We'll see how this turns out!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"#19 (Stone in Focus)" - Aphex Twin

◇ released: June 18, 2024 ◇ featured on Selected Ambient Works Volume II [Expanded Edition] (not yet released) ◇ genres: ambient, drone, electronic

Richard D. James has come out of hiding to announce an expanded edition of his 1994 album Selected Ambient Works Volume II. Alongside that, "#19" was released on streaming services - which I learned soon after from bigger Aphex Twinheads than I, that this is a massive deal. Apparently the song has been dubbed by fans as "Stone in Focus" and it was a vinyl exclusive track for the longest time, bar from a video of the song on YouTube with a monkey meditating in the background. Yeah, this song is amazing. One of his most striking and serene ambient pieces. The lazy, but always timely, synths are just like heaven on the ears.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"The girl, so confusing version with lorde" - Charli XCX

🥇 BEST SONG OF THE MONTH

◇ released: June 21, 2024 ◇ genres: electropop, electro house, dance pop

Unprecedented feat in the history of these month in reviews where an artist wins both the coveted "BEST ALBUM OF THE MONTH" AND the prestigious "BEST SONG OF THE MONTH" all in the same month, but Charli XCX has done it. Her incredible album BRAT dropped this month with a song entitled "Girl, so confusing" which detailed Charli's contentious relationship with another woman in the industry. Many speculated on who it could be, but we got our answer with this remix. It was Lorde. The two then hopped on the remix and worked things out, Lorde giving a great performance here that was extremely sobering and quite devastating. It was just such a cool, sweet moment to see these two handle their issues in this public way that also elevates the song itself. In both versions of the song, Charli sings "And when we put this to bed / The internet will go crazy" and that they did. With rumors of a full BRAT remix album on the way at some point, I'm just so excited. This whole album rollout has been one of the best "events" in music this year.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"feelslikeimfallinginlove" - Coldplay

◇ released: June 21, 2024 ◇ featured on Moon Music (not yet released) ◇ genres: pop rock, synthpop

Coldplay's last album was their worst, plain and simple. A horrible, awkward mish-mash of styles with only a singular highlight that feels like an anomaly. So, did they correct course on this new single, the lead to their new album? I guess? It's a sweet, cutesy ballad that doesn't have much weight to it at all. I don't hate it, but I can't say I love it either. Just has me shrugging my shoulders. I guess we'll see how the rest of this album plays out, I'm not very optimistic at all.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Pour Me a Drink" - Post Malone & Blake Shelton

◇ released: June 21, 2024 ◇ featured on F-1 Trillion (not yet released) ◇ genres: country pop, contemporary country

Post Malone seems like a pretty charming guy, but it's hard not to look at this shift into country music cynically. We all saw those videos of pre-fame Posty singing Bob Dylan songs with his acoustic guitar, yet he still made a fortune occupying the hip hop space before transitioning into more alt-pop and pop rock sounds, now landing firmly in country. It seems like this is what he always wanted to do and that sucks, too many white rappers seem to view hip hop as a stepping stone to fame beyond it - look no further than MGK. Sooner or later, Jack Harlow will probably be making country music too. The bad news for Post is that he manages to stick out like a sore thumb in any genre he ventures into. He has no home and not in the cool way, it just feels awkward. This new song with Blake Shelton is further proof of that, it's simply fine. It feels both like a pastiche and a genuine attempt to make a good country song and it just ends up in the middle doing neither.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Reason Why" - SOPHIE

◇ released: June 24, 2024 ◇ featured on SOPHIE (not yet released) ◇ genres: dance pop, electropop, bubblegum bass

It's hard to understate the impact SOPHIE's passing had on the pop music ecosystem. We lost one of the most bold visionaries of our era far before she had reached her peak. To be honest, I still get emotional thinking about it - it's just incredibly tragic. SOPHIE's family, among other collaborators, recently announced a posthumous album of material she had given permission to be released. "Reason Why" is the first taste of that record, a song that's been beloved for years among her fans in the form of a leak and other live performances officially released for the first time. It's very good, definitely SOPHIE in pop mode as opposed to boundary-pushing experimentalist, but it's still so unique. Kim Petras gives a rare highlight performance here as does BC Kingdom. Really digging this track and I can't wait to hear the rest of the record. One of the few posthumous releases that doesn't feel predatory, this feels like it was made with love.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Common Loon" - Xiu Xiu

◇ released: June 25, 2024 ◇ featured on 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto With Bison Horn Grips (not yet released) ◇ genres: noise pop, space rock revival, noise rock

Xiu Xiu have announced a new album coming this September alongside this new single "Common Loon" and this might be my favorite song they've released this decade. It's a lot poppier than their last album especially, but whenever Xiu Xiu go pop they maintain that weirdness that makes them special. There's a brutality to it all regardless and that's the case here as well. The loud, abrasive guitar riff leading into the bludgeoning synths - ah, I needed this. Xiu Xiu have been one of the most consistent bands over the last few years especially, stretching back to Angel Dust, and it looks as if this next album could be another heater.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Getting No Sleep" - Tinashe

◇ released: June 28, 2024 ◇ featured on Quantum Baby (not yet released) ◇ genres: alternative r&b, future garage

I'm embarrassingly late to the Tinashe hype, but I'm here now!!! Following her big viral moment with "Nasty," she comes out swinging yet again with another very enjoyable R&B cut with a future garage edge. She has the most nonchalant hooks, but they just grab you. I feel like she's on the verge of a real big breakthrough, hopefully Quantum Baby is what catapults her to the next level.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Nomad" - Clairo

◇ released: June 28, 2024 ◇ featured on Charm (not yet released) ◇ genres: soft-rock, singer-songwriter

I wish I could get into these new Clairo singles more. Unfortunately "Nomad" also doesn't stick with me all that much as did her last single. They're fine, pleasant on the ears, but they just don't leave a lasting impression on me. These songs are just far too weightless for their own good. That chorus is cool though. I'm hoping maybe I'll eat crow when I listen to the full record in a few weeks, but this isn't shaping up to be all that exciting.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ thanks for reading :3

psssst. i made a discord server called COSMIACORD ... if u wanna join and have fun, talk about music, play fortnite, or whatever here's the invite :3 https://discord.gg/rsHMenTU

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

Backstage Auctions, Inc. has announced The Alex Van Halen Collection, the auction house's most anticipated and historical auction event of the year featuring the personal collection of legendary Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen.

Backstage Auctions says: "It is an unbelievable honor to represent one of the greatest rock drummers of all time and we could not be any more excited. Alex is the reason why so many people picked up a pair of drumsticks and this auction is a fantastic opportunity to see so many of his instruments and gear go to new homes. All of these pieces have a thick layer of magic 'Al' dust and we can only hope that it will bring boundless joy and thrills to their future owners."

The collection features over 350 lots, with a wide array of memorabilia, such as drum kits, snare drums, kick drums, road cases, drumheads, cymbals, gongs, sticks and mallets, personal items, record awards, autographed pieces and so much more. The auction is definitely one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for fans and collectors to own a piece of van halen history. Each lot sold will come with a personally signed certificate of authenticity from Alex, which is a collectible in itself.

Alex says: "I always have pursued the best possible sound, which drove me every single day, every single album, and every single tour to be on top of my game. I hope that passing on all these pieces will inspire current and next generations to be the best they can be. Now, let's have some fun — VAN HALEN style!"

Each piece featured in the auction is essentially a highlight item, but among the standouts is the legendary "5150" tour kit, the 2015 tour kit (and the last kit Alex ever used in concert),his personal collection of vintage RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) record awards, the exceptionally rare rosewood snare drums that helped define his signature sound, the eye-catching and iconic gongs, a kick drum from the early backyard party days, and even a piano from the Van Halen family home.

The auction is a celebration of a 40-year career that saw Van Halen sell nearly 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups in the history of music. Alex Van Halen's place in the pantheon of rock 'n' roll drummers is legendary. The incredible body of work that he created alongside his brother Eddie is memorialized in Van Halen's historic catalog of genre-defining music.

"I kept all these drums, cymbals, heads, and all other kinds of gear, instruments, and road cases in my warehouse for decades and it will bring me great pleasure to see them end up in the hands of my fans and fellow drummers," says Alex. "A portion of the proceeds will go to the Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship charity to further support the services they provide to those in need."

Alex and his wife have been longtime supporters of Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship. The organization's mission is to promote the welfare of at-risk youth and people with any type of physical, intellectual or cognitive disability by means of equine-assisted activities and therapies, and by providing instruction and education for all in equestrian-related social, vocational and recreational activities.

The auction will open up for bidding on June 1 and close on June 9.

[startswithabang]

Huge project announcement!

I'm so excited to announce that the Kickstarter for the big project I've been working on since 2021, the Encyclopaedia Cosmologica, is now live!

Two years ago, author and graphic designer Will Lidwell approached me about writing this book and doing the astrophysics calculations for it, while the legendary Jon Lomberg and Mark Garlick would illustrate it and Will himself would design it.

It was a brilliant idea and I got on board right away.

We decided that we'd start at the Big Bang and come forward in time, one page and 100 million years at a time, until we reached the present day: 13.8 billion years later.

It was an irresistible premise that I couldn't turn down. The four of us got really excited.

In late 2021, we ran an unsuccessful Kickstarter to launch the project. (It happens.)

But after it failed, we all decided we believed in the project enough that we would simply create it anyway, and convinced ourselves that "if we built it, backers would come."

And now we've not only built it, we've increased our ambitions further! We now start BEFORE the Big Bang, and after we reach the present day, we have five extra chapters: three on humanity's possible "tomorrows" and two that take us far, far into the cosmic future.

So please, consider supporting the Encyclopaedia Cosmologica and bring this beautifully designed, thoughtfully written, and gorgeously illustrated unique history of the Universe to your home and the shelf of someone you love.

Help me make this Kickstarter Campaign a great success!

[goofygoldengirl]

Results of the Sexy Evil Elf Shipping Poll

Tumblr has spoken on who is the sexiest, eviliest elf of all, but what elves do they like to pair them up with? After identifying the sexy evil elves in question, identifying their top pairing in their fandom, I posed the question out there, and 97 of you answered! I am here to announce the results and tumblr’s top sexy evil elf ship is:

#1 MELKOR/MAIRON (Angbang) from The Silmarillion

Arguably the first Tolkien ship in chronological order, Angbang, with the great evil Melkor, and his protgee Mairon, is the essence of temptation, seduction, loyalty, and devotion that culminates in a tragic end that fans were aware of before the ship even left port. It hits on every single dynamic that tumblr craves, no wonder it’s in the lead with 56%.

#2 Aaravos/Viren (Viravos) from The Dragon Prince

Another ship that plays with temptation and seduction, this dynamic between The Official Tumblr Sexy Evil Elf™ Aaravos, and the morally gray human mage Viren, straddles the line between did the writers actually imply that? and oh yeah they did baby. In the top two with 23%, they’re also one of the top pairings for The Dragon Prince fandom.

# 3 PRINCE LOTOR/PRINCESS ALLURA (Lotura) Voltron Legendary Defender

The only canon couple on this list with a total of 9%, fans of the newest Voltron series were drawn to the tragic circumstances surrounding the two, how they bonded over the past and plans to rehabilitate the future, to have it all end with death, or if you’re going further, deaths in plural.

 And in the final two, Jareth/Character of Choice from Labyrinth and Malekith/Dario Agger from the Thor Comics, were not as popular due to circumstances, but got love from their fans all the same at 6% and 2%.

And last but not least 4% of you stated that you had a sexy evil elf ship that was not mentioned, but unfortunately did not give a name.

Thank you for participating!

[felassan]

Article: 'EA Sports and EA Games Splitting Apart in Internal Shakeup'

EA is undergoing a major internal reorganization, with EA Games being renamed "EA Entertainment." Electronic Arts is undergoing a major internal shakeup, announcing today in a message from CEO Andrew Wilson that it is realigning its major studios and its leadership structure in an effort to "empower our creative teams." The reorganization includes splitting EA Games and EA Sports, with the former being renamed "EA Entertainment" in a signal that EA intends to expand beyond games where possible. "We’re building the future of interactive entertainment on a foundation of legendary franchises and innovative new experiences, which represents massive opportunities for growth," Wilson wrote in a message announcing the news. Laura Miele, previously EA's Chief Operating Officer, will take over as EA President of Entertainment, Technology, and Central Development at EA Entertainment, where she will work closely with Vince Zampella and other well-known executives. Cam Weber, who rose out of EA's football games, will continue to lead EA Sports. Both will enjoy expanded control over their respective labels intended to give them more oversight over budgets and decision-making flexibility. Wilson will continue to preside over both organizations as EA's CEO. The moves coincide with news that Chief Experiences Officer Chris Bruzzo is retiring, with EA Chief Financial Officer Chris Suh also departing the company. David Tinson and Stuart Canfield respectively will take over their responsibilities. The moves are the latest in what has been a major reorganization for EA. Earlier this month, we reported that Star Wars: The Old Republic is on course to move to a third-party developer, with many of its developers being given the opportunity to move elsewhere in the company. It's unclear whether the current reorganization will result in layoffs. As before, EA Sports will continue to look after the F1 series, which just releases, as well as PGA Tour and the newly-acquired Super Mega Baseball. This is on top of traditional blockbusters including Madden, the newly-renamed EA Sports FC, NHL, and the upcoming College Football reboot. EA Entertainment, meanwhile, will encompass Respawn, DICE, Ripple Effect, Ridgeline Games (Battlefield), Full Circle (Skate), Motive Studio (Iron Man), EA's Seattle studio, BioWare, and the EA Originals label. EA also includes numerous mobile games, including Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes and the recently-released Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth. While dramatic on the face of it, much of the current structure will remain intact, with Zampella continuing to lead Respawn and Battlefield. Samantha Ryan will likewise continue to be in charge of BioWare, Maxis, Full Circle, and Motive Studios. Apart from giving studios leaders more control over their respective domains, the big change appears to be centered on separating out EA Sports, which continues to be EA's biggest profit driver. EA's soccer sims in particular continue to be major money machines for EA, with FIFA 23 pushing the publisher near $2 billion in net bookings. "Over the coming months, Stuart, Laura, Cam, and David will partner closely with studio leaders to implement these organizational changes, further embedding dedicated capabilities into franchise teams and driving operational rigor," Wilson wrote, claiming that "EA's business remains strong."

[source]

[creationsbyjesska]

Legendary Dogs coming to Pokemon Sleep

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune Set to Debut in Pokémon Sleep!

Pokémon enthusiasts, get ready to welcome some legendary guests into your sleeping routine! The Pokémon Company has announced the arrival of the iconic Legendary Beasts—Raikou, Entei, and Suicune—to Pokémon Sleep, marking their debut in the innovative sleep-tracking mobile app. Legendary Debut: Raikou Leads the Way Leading the charge is the Thunder Pokémon, Raikou, known for its electrifying presence in the Pokémon universe. Originating from Pokémon Gold and Silver, Raikou will make its grand entrance into Pokémon Sleep in March 2024 as part of a captivating Research Event. Unlocking Raikou’s Mysteries: A Research Event Trainers participating in the Raikou Research Event will embark on a quest to unravel the secrets of this legendary creature's sleep patterns. By collecting samples of Raikou's mane throughout the event, participants will have the opportunity to exchange them for Raikou Incense. This special incense will allow researchers to delve deeper into Raikou's various sleep styles and behaviors. Electric-Type Pokémon Recommended To aid in the research efforts, Electric-type Pokémon will play a crucial role during the event. Trainers are advised to bolster their teams with Electric-type helpers such as Pikachu, Raichu, Jolteon, Pichu, Mareep, Flaaffy, and Ampharos. These Pokémon will prove particularly effective in assisting with the study of Raikou's sleeping habits. Special Functions and Rewards The Pokémon Company is also preparing additional functions and rewards to enhance the research experience for Pokémon Sleep beginners. These features will not only facilitate the exploration of Raikou's sleeping styles but also provide opportunities to forge a deeper bond with this legendary Pokémon. Stay Tuned for More Details While the event's start date and further details are yet to be unveiled, trainers can rest assured that exciting updates are on the horizon. Keep a lookout for future announcements as the Pokémon Company continues to unveil the full scope of the Raikou Research Event. Prepare for an Electrifying Experience! As anticipation builds for the arrival of Raikou and its legendary counterparts in Pokémon Sleep, trainers everywhere are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to embark on this thrilling research adventure. Get ready to dive into the world of Pokémon like never before and unlock the mysteries of sleep alongside these legendary creatures. Stay tuned for updates, and prepare for an electrifying experience in Pokémon Sleep! https://youtu.be/3MTQwHDMrcM?si=8qYZm2QuYldzMs8d Read the full article