#also the last song i heard of 2024 was imagine i don't remember who was singing it but the og is by john lennon

[elliscousland]

i hope everyone had a wonderful new year celebration!!! it's been a really wonderful year of friendships & creativity. i'm not always super good at putting the entirety of my feelings out there but i feel like this year has just been a time of self & mutual discovery w the people around me & for that i am so, so, so thankful. here's to all the new things we'll learn this year too <3

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I don't even know where the fuck to start, but I'll try to start somewhere.

1) He remembered. John Oliver remembered Cowgate. He didn't remember the Chocolate Milk Gang, but he remembered Cowgate. It sounds like Andy watched the video but John didn't, based on John naming people he thought were in the video, but not sounding sure about it, and Andy would confirm when he was correct. And John had a lot of it right. Conchords were on stage. DO'D was there. Kitson was there. John even remembered that he had the massive pipe.

John didn't remember Adam Hills, who was the only non-CMG member involved. I love Andy's explanation that Adam was... singing.

The big new information is that DO'D crowdsurfed with the cow at the end, and I think John had that wrong. I think he was conflating two things that happened on the same night, which is fair enough. Because in the Cowgate video, we see that they did crowd surf the cow out of there, but at the very end, after the cow's gone, we can see David O'Doherty on stage, high-fiving people over their accomplishment. So if he crowd surfed alongside the cow, he got back on stage very fast.

I think it's more likely that John Oliver is thinking of this, which happened earlier in that same night, the same event (you can tell it's earlier because the cow is still upright in this video, and because the Cowgate event was clearly the finale of the night):

I would have guessed that John Oliver would be more likely to remember the term "Chocolate Milk Gang" than the Cowgate night. Quite funny that it was the other way around.

2) Andy then brings up Zaltzhorse night from 2007, which was also a seminal moment in CMG history. This night happens to be well documented. Here's a picture of the listing from that night:

As you can see, it featured Kitson, DO'D, Andy Zaltzman, 2/3 of We Are Klang, and 4/3 of Pappy's Fun Club (this was before they lost a member). Marek Larwood wasn't there - Andy says in the Bugle clip that he thinks Marek was sick, but they said on the night that Marek had just gone back to London early, as this was the last Late 'n' Live of the festival. Cowgate was the final Late 'n' Live of 2003, and Zaltzhorse night was the final Late 'n' Live of 2007. I guess they save the crowd surfing for the last night of the run.

We Are Klang had a routine where Greg and Steve would out dances for their horse to do, and Marek Larwood, in a horse mask, would do them. Andy stood in for Marek that night, doing all the horse dances, and becoming the Zaltzhorse. At the end of the song, Andy jumped off the stage and crowd surfed. Here is a picture of that happening - you can see Greg and Steve on stage doing the song, and the man being held up by the audience, while wearing a horse mask, is Andy Zaltzman:

This was a fantastic night. Which I know because someone recorded an audio bootleg of it, and I usually try to be at least slightly discreet about my bootleg collection in public posts, but fuck it, I don't care about anything right now, and anyway it's from 2007, I can't imagine anyone getting in big trouble for that so many years later. I'm interested in how many years has to pass, since the time of the recorded event, for something to from "illicit bootleg" to "important historical preservation". But I think events from 2007 have passed that point by now.

It's one of my favourite audio recordings I've ever heard, of anything at all. Seriously, if I were to rank every bit of recorded audio I've ever heard, the one from the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh on August 28, 2007 would be in the top few. Incredible night. I was about to call it "peak Chocolate Milk Gang" - I guess I can't call it the peak of the CMG, since John Oliver was gone by then. But it was a pretty great night for the CMG. David O'Doherty and Daniel Kitson, at the end of the night, decide to escalate their 2003 rap battle into a wrestling match.

[saatmans]

About how I discovered Sleep Token:

Finding the Sleep Token brought something so incredible into my life. From a young age, I didn't have the opportunity to be who I am because I lived in a conservative home.

So when I left home a few years ago with a mix of problems, including the fact that I had spoken openly about being bisexual and had not been welcomed, I tried to find myself.

I've always been connected to music, metal more specifically. Regardless of the metal subgenre, there is something unique about the rhythm that fills who I have always been.

Last year when Evanescence came to Brazil, playing a show in my state, which is in the northeast of Brazil, I tried my hardest. It was my first show in my life and there I was thinking that finally I began to heal the wounds of the past. I also started studying English, I'm not fluent (yet) and I use Google to communicate because I love these four masked people who give life and give their lives for the Sleep Token .

That I met this year 2024 in January, with my return to my musical taste, a lot about ST ended up coming together with my algorithm and damn I'm so grateful because it changed the chemistry of the my heart.

There's something about Sleep Token that gives me back the vital force that music has always given me. From the type of sound, the lyrics, the performance, the concept, among other things. As soon as I heard them for the first time, I knew that something magical had happened to me that hadn't happened in a long time. Art has always been a fire within me, so much so that I am a writer.

The pandemic took precious time away from us, including people. Particularly, without music, without books and films and my cats I wouldn't be alive. So over the last few years my biggest end of year resolution is live. Serious, I never imagined myself reaching my 30s, today I'm 32 and I'm honestly happy to want to go further.

One day, I played Sleep Token's songs and wow, they have the soul that a good song requires. Also, ST is the kind of band that is a safe place. Especially for us girls and women and it is that there is so much hate towards them, that's why I made the meme of keeping the band in a pot of love, it's how some of us Brazilians talk about protecting those we love. It's not about imprisoning, that's never It's going to be love, okay?

Sleep Token is the first band since my adolescence (not that much I miss) that I feel like talking about, I have a certain hyperfocus on a certain drummer because that's what I wanted to be, but I was born with cerebral palsy and I don't know, maybe one day in an act of pure madness I'll try. But if not, it's for the next life.

I didn't want to create a new social network to talk about them, I remembered Tumblr and how good I feel here. So that's it, I'm writing in English translated by Google while I learn the language, but I won't let anything keep me from what I like really and I thank the ST fandom here on Tumblr for their love, you are very incredible.

I can't wait for the new rituals and to not lose my Brazilian way "Sleep Token come to Brazil!"

Xoxo, Pri. ❤️

[soweirdondisney]

I've heard that Disney+ will be removing some of it's content. Do you think there is any danger they will remove So Weird, or other disney channel shows or movies? I really hope not. The disney channel stuff was a huge part of the reason I got disney plus, since I probably own most of the theatrical movies anyway, so I don't need disney+ for that.

(For anyone who hasn’t heard the news, Disney plans to decrease what it creates for Disney Plus in the next two years AND remove content that doesn’t get a lot of views in order to save money. Think of what happened with Warner Bros./Discovery/HBO Max last year.)

I think there’s a 60-40 chance right now that So Weird could be removed. The DCOMs are probably safe though.

Disney Channel celebrated its 40th anniversary a few weeks ago and one of the PR tactics was to have ESPN ask a question about DCOMs and then have their other Disney-owned properties answer. I don’t believe they would have bothered doing that if they had it in mind to cut them out.

Also, Disney wants to cut royalties and music licensing fees. They’ve already gone through the trouble of replacing songs in their DCOMs (Bewitched in Rip Girls, Youngstown in Genius, etc.) and in the case of The Other Me where *NSYNC was replaced at launch now the movie is gone entirely.

So Weird’s original music belongs to Disney BUT it was only the second season - with SheDaisy and The Moffats - that went missing back in 2019. Those songs are "live" performances cut between scenes so the rights would have to be paid.

Other than EvD, who is mostly remembered but still out of the spotlight, there aren’t any “notable” stars. (No offense to Dionne and Mackenzie but it's safe to say Disney isn't keeping the roofs over their heads.) And despite the similarities and connections to Sulphur Springs, Halloweentown, Parallels, etc. the show is rarely included as recommendations along with them.  

Note how Double Teamed - with EvD and Levis costar Mack - isn't even first.

What might help is that the residual checks are small (i.e. budget friendly) and with the upcoming Goosebumps series, having So Weird as an original, dark 90s throwback could be useful if Disney wants to maintain some sense of history in their quasi-rebranding to “expand their audiences”.

Plus (no pun intended)

they did include it in their original launch lineup to begin with

we hear often from people who say they watch it frequently

so while little watched it is consistently so

season two did return shortly after

and it's been left alone since

to the point where our livestreams marathons haven't been hit with copyright takedowns

I imagine the highest payouts go to Henry Winkler for being an EP, but what monster would keep a check from that guy?

Then again, we've spent more time watching So Weird OFF Disney-owned platforms than we have with the last three years on one. And if WB can scrap a $90 million dollar movie now would be a great time for Disney to erase any memory pre-2001 in favor of "general entertainment".

As for other Disney channel shows, it might be a case by case basis. There's also the possibility of a "Disney" show moving to Hulu or vice versa until the merger is done. And that won't be until after January 2024. The news only broke this week.

Thanks for the question.

[animeraider]

Radio Free California - 2022 on Random Play and a few final thoughts for this FRUSTRATING year.

I thought about making a "best of" list, but I realized that I'd come up with something different every time I tried. So here is a highlight reel, cultivated from all of the 2022 RFC's. Feel free to put together your own list. I recommend putting this on random play for the best possible experience - I just went through all 51 episodes for 2022 and picked the ones that tickled my fancy at that moment. If I tried again tomorrow I would probably pick 246 different songs than are on this list. 

You should subscribe to my weekly playlists to get the full experience.

So what was your 2022 like? I usually do a recap of the previous year as my last blog post but I'm really not feeling it this time around. Face it folks, 2022 SUCKED. I had a decent career year with a couple of hit singles and videos plus my improvised piano album, and I got to see both Roger Waters and Bjork live (not on the same night), but overall...?

I mean, social media imploded and fragmented, led by the Chief Twit. The Previous Motherfucker is STILL hanging on all our necks instead of in prison where he fucking belongs. Far too many Americans embrace Fascism, Racism, and a large portion of the country is now a Hee-Haw version of The Handmaid's Tale.

I can't even imagine how weird it must be to be young in this country. My children grew up in one country and as of this year it no longer exists. They're not like those of us who are old enough to remember how it used to be. 

And just what the ever-lovin' FUCK is it with wanting to destroy power stations? This is supposed to start a race war? How fucking STUPID is that? It's like saying 1+2=Licorice. The sum is less than the parts.

Strangely enough, the Pandemic has put me in a position to leave, and I just might. I'm incredibly fortunate to live in one of the remaining pockets of sanity in this country and I don't want to leave, but I don't want to live in an isolated exception to the rule either. I'd rather the whole country be sane than just my little corner of it with with fascist fucks encroaching from all sides.

I have family in Canada, New Zealand and Spain - so I have options (although I don't speak Spanish). I also have possibly misplaced hope, so I have to admit that the decision isn't an easy one. I haven't made it yet, and there are other's I'd need to convince to come with.

The craziest part about all of this is that on a whole lot of specifics America had a great year. It's just that the terrible parts are so bad that they overwhelm the good parts.

I don't think there is a "best of" 2022 to be had. I think that this has been example after example of wasted talent, potential, and ability. I think of 2022 as a squandered year. There ain't no best to be had.

Now, there's two ways to look at that: To be depressed about it or to be determined to do better. I am choosing the second option.

Taking a step back from Social Media has given me something I hadn't even noticed I had lost: TIME. I reclaim my fucking time.

I have a new single coming out the first week of January and I'm going to focus on it for a bit, but then I'm going to hunker down and fucking FINISH this album that's been percolating for the past decade. Those of you who follow my music career have heard snippets of it, but only small snippets of it. I expect that promoting and performing that album is going to take up a lot of my time in 2023. I have tickets to see Arcade Fire on my birthday, so I'll take that day off.

And then I'm going to gear up for 2024, which I want to be my busiest and most productive year musically ever. There's a couple of reasons for that - a big birthday is coming up in 2024; one my own father didn't reach. Now I don't have his issues and expect to go on for decades yet, but I'm going to fucking CELEBRATE. I hope that the country will still be here for it. Another reason is that I have set a challenge for myself and it's a difficult one, but I damned well want to TRY.

I am absolutely awful at predicting the future, but I still want to try.

So let's shake off this past year, bury it, and roll up them sleeves and get to it. I fucking HATE Hee-Haw.

See you next year.

And because I love you, I leave you with my new single.