#and ig other times a studio is just too mid to really do anything that unique (so u have ppl saying all modern anime looks the same)

[guideaus]

sorry for the crop, these are screenshots from old posts i've made, anyways... idk how anime gets made, and i get it's probably hard to replicate the manga's original style, but i kinda wish that some manga got adapted with studios that could actually replicate the original style, or at least do something similar with the atmosphere. whether its a good or bad studio, it seems like they dont keep the original vibe.

tsukasa's first pov with jun yokada has him describing him as oppressive and then the scenes shown of the trailers with him in it so far don't really come close to that, and it's a shame

[lovingseventeenhours]

seokmin soulmate au where you’re both connected through nightmares from lack of sleep?

Ofcccccc!! Thank you for requesting! 💓💓

(((A/N - sorry this took five and a half years... work has been INSANE..)))

I Can’t Sleep

Pairing: Seokmin // Reader

Genre: Fluff with some angst ig

Warnings: nightmares, probably some swearing

You we’re running hand in hand with a stranger down a corridor, trying to find the exit of the haunted house, only to feel his grip loosen on your hand as you rounded yet another corner.

“Please don’t leave me!” You sobbed as you saw him turn around. His face made your jaw drop. “I won’t, just try to keep up.” You nodded and started running behind him again, until you felt a hand grab the back of your shirt, pulling you back towards him.

As you started screaming, you felt the world shift and suddenly you were wide awake, sat up straight in your bed. You felt around to make sure you were actually awake and not still in danger before you let out a deep sigh. “Shit...” These nightmares were seriously getting out of control.

- The Next Night -

As Seokmin went about his nightly routine he felt how tired he was, but he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping for quite a while, as his head was still racing from the events in the previous nights nightmare.

“Seok, it’s ok! If you have another nightmare, we’ll be here for you!” He shook his head. “It’s not that Soonyoung. There was a girl in my nightmare again..” Soonyoung nodded before responding. “The same girl from before?” Seokmin nodded.

“What if she’s important and I lose her in the nightmare?” Soonyoung shook his head. “You won’t lose her Seokie. Nightmares aren’t real. She’ll still be alive even if something happens to her in the dream. Hell, I have dreams where you die all the time! I remember once—”

Seokmin tuned Soonyoung out, and let his mind wander before he drifted off to sleep, unable to get the mystery girl off of his mind.

He jolted and suddenly he was side by side with her. Her. He looked at her and could see her face clearly. His eyes opened wider and he cleared his throat. This was the first time that he had been able to see her clearly, and he was head over heels. He knew he would do anything he could to make sure she got out safe this time.

“Grab my hand. If we start running now we’ll make it, I promise.” Seokmin held out his hand, and smiled when she grabbed it tightly. She smiled a little as she spoke. “I trust you. Now lead the way.”

They ran as fast as they could through the seemingly never ending hallway and finally they came to the same door from the night before. She grabbed the door knob, but still kept a tight grip on his hand. “Before we wake up, what’s your name?” He managed to breathe out, while trying to regain his composure.

“Y/N. Y/N Y/L/N”

As soon as she spoke, she turned the door knob and a bright light came through it, and suddenly his eyes were opening and he was awake. Seokmin wiped the sweat off of his forehead and rubbed his eyes. “Y/N.. I have to find her.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You woke up and smiled, but then remembered that you didn’t get his name. You huffed to yourself, and started getting your outfit ready for work. You were a photographer, and sometimes your hours went so long, you didn’t understand how you even got any sleep.

You had a new project today, and you didn’t have many details, but you were set to work with a music group. They were coming to your studio in an hour, and you hadn’t even gotten dressed yet.

You rushed through your morning routine, and made it to your studio in record time. You noticed the clock and realized you still had ten minutes before the group would arrive, so you sat back and called your friend, who was studying medicine.

“Hey girl. Can lack of sleep cause nightmares?” You heard your friend sigh. “Yes Y/N. It can. Stress, lack of sleep, bad eating habits. All of that.” You scrunched your face, and then thought about the stranger.

“Another question for you. What if you meet a random stranger more than once through your dreams?” You heard your friends chair move. “Like the same person, in multiple dreams?” “Yes.”

She paused for a few beats before responding. “Well, there is a theory that if you’re stressed enough, or lack enough sleep that you could see your soulmate in your dreams, but only if they’re equally as distressed as you are. Like I said though, it’s only a theory.”

You nodded your head, and said your goodbyes, preparing your studio with the remaining few minutes you had.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Seokmin followed behind the rest of the boys, he felt something oddly familiar about the small studio they were about to walk into.

“Vernon, have we been here before?” The younger boy looked over his shoulder at him before shaking his head. “I don’t think so. Ask coups hyung. He’s the one who made this appointment.”

He nodded and moved in front of vernon to tap Seungcheols shoulder. When he looked back he asked his question again. “No, she’s fairly new to the photography scene, and I love her aesthetic. Why?”

Seokmin shrugged his shoulders. “Dejavü I guess..” he fell back behind vernon with a yawn, and followed the rest of the boys inside of the building, admiring the photos that lined the walls. He was listening to the small conversations the other boys were having until a name caught his attention.

“Thank you again Y/N. I know it was kind of a last minute appointment.” He listened to your laugh, he saw your smile. It was really you. His jaw dropped and he stopped dead in his tracks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you welcomed the large group of boys into your studio, you heard them laughing and talking. They were lively and full of energy, except you heard a yawn. “Man whoever’s yawning I feel that..”

One of the boys, who you presumed to be the leader, stepped forward to greet you. “My name is S.Coups, I’m the group leader. I really am sorry for the early timing. Thank you again Y/N. I know it was kind of a last minute appointment.” You laughed and waved your hand. “Nothing I can’t handle!”

You watched the boys move more inside the room and you saw one not walking forward. You turned to him and felt all of the blood sink out of your face. It’s the boy from your dreams. Well, your nightmares. He had bags under his eyes, and it looked like you cut him off mid yawn.

“H-hi.” He started. You opened your mouth to speak but found your mouth too dry. He smiled a little and continued. “Are you tired from all that running?” You smiled back and nodded. “My legs are sore as hell..”

You looked down and felt a rush of courage and looked up quickly smiling wider. “So do you not sleep a lot?” He shook his head. “Not at all.” You laughed. “Me either.”

One of the boys looked between you and smiled at your handsome stranger. “Is that her?” He nodded. “Yeah it is..” His ears turned pink rather quickly and laughed again. “I never caught your name.. from last night when I told you mine....”

He smiled brightly at you and replied. “Seokmin. Lee Seokmin.”

[neverisalongtime-ja-blog]

Chapter 41: keeping distance

Hello everyone! Here we are once again with another #JoshAN chapter, tho the name of the fic is Never Is A Long Time I don’t use it as muchas I use JoshAn.

Before we go into this crazy love story I want to force you all to follow my girl Zara on Instagram because the author of Be My Getaway revamped her story and now is on whattpad 

♥ Zara IG ♥ Whattpad Story 

Read chapter 40

-          I thought we were done with the whole dating-musicians thing after Josh – Barbara told Anastasia at her house in Malibu.

-          He took you to Palm Springs at two in the morning?! – Mandy screamed. She was there too.

-          Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? – Barbara spoke to Anastasia.

-          How was sex? – Mandy asked and Barbara gave her a hard look – Oh come on! You want to know too.

-          It was elegant – Anastasia answered. That was the first word she thought of.

-          WHAT?! – Barbara and Mandy said at the same time.

-          Yeah… it was nice and sweet and gentle. It was elegant.

-          It was dreamy – Mandy talked supporting her face with her hands and smiling.  

-          What about Josh? – Barbara asked suddenly.

 At that moment, Anastasia realized she hadn’t thought about Josh for days.

-          I hope his thing with Lauren works out – Anastasia answered.

-          Really? – Barbara was shocked.

-          Yeah, I don’t really care. I haven’t talked to him in like a week.

-          My girl just made all her sixteen year old wet dreams true, Barb, give her a break! – Mandy was now hugging Anastasia and Barbara was laughing.

 The ultimate test was to see Josh again and keep her feelings at bay. And it was that time again… to go back on the road. She was tired, and she could see the rest of her band was tired too but something good was starting to happen, she had a bunch of songs ready and the guys in Dead Curse were so inspired to put music to those lyrics.

-          I’m excited. For real, these lyrics are different and I want to make an album that doesn’t sound like any we have done before – Anastasia said in a luxurious hotel in Rome. They were waiting for the Peppers there since they were performing in festivals in Portugal and Spain without Dead Curse. Now Anastasia and company had a week off to spend in the Italian city.

-          A real rock album – Eric said.

-          I feel that we’ve been touring for so long that we need to finally put a stadium-anthem record together – Mandy said.

-          Yeah! I want the same – Anastasia said.

-          I got a bunch of hard guitar riffs to dust off in my pantry – Nick smiled.

-          I feel like a mini Chad Smith and I wanna blast some drums – Eric was laughing now.

 Anastasia loved those moments when the band got together and just talked about their music, each one of them were so talented individually. They brought a lot of equipment and set it up on An and Mandy’s bathroom, it was the place with the best acoustics to record and as soon as each one got their instruments in hand the melodies started flowing in the most natural way.

 By the end of the week, they had five songs ready.

-          I think we should go to the studio on August and finish this thing – Anastasia said while the band was having lunch at a restaurant near the hotel in Rome.

-          Man! Are we going to launch another record this year? – Mandy said smiling.

-          It wasn’t planned but we are in such an inspirational rush! – Anastasia said.

-          We need to take advantage of it – Eric said drinking some wine.

-          I’m so happy! – Anastasia said. Things were going good for her, as long as she had the band and a place to make music she was pleased.

-          The Peppers arrive today here – Nick said after eating a pizza slide.

-          Have you talked to Josh? – Eric asked.

-          Nope – Anastasia said – But I’ve been talking to Richard almost every day – He was well aware of Anastasia while she was away. She smiled and kept looking at her phone.

-          Uh! Look at that smile – Eric said laughing – Your love life is a mess – Everyone laughed.

-          You know, last week I found out that the Hanson guys are still making music and they are all married with a bunch of kids each one. That made me realize that it is possible to have a stable love life while being in this business, so I’m pretty sure that the problem here is me.

-          Don’t say that – Nick said – Things with this Richard guy are going good so far.

-          I know, but… - Anastasia said.

-          But he’s not Josh – Mandy talked looking straight to Anastasia’s eyes. She knew her so well.

-          But I need to move on. Josh is not ready and Richard just makes me feel so good – Anastasia talked and saw Nick smiling.

-          You look happy. You look better and you have improved on your songwriting skills – He said.

-          But none of the songs are about Richard – She laughed.

-          Instead, there are a couple about Josh – Mandy talked again.

-          Well, cut it out with the Josh subject – Mandy’s tone was starting to annoy Anastasia.

 When they came back to the hotel, there he was, at the lobby. Josh. Wearing his Yankees cap with a matching Yankees tee shirt and huge black pants. He wasn’t wearing any outerwear, it was a really hot Italian summer, it kind of shocked Anastasia since Josh was always seen wearing a jacket. It hasn’t been that long since she saw him for last time but she could swear his hair was longer. He turned his head and crossed his eyes with An’s, looked at her for a few seconds and then turned his head away and walked to the elevator with his back to her. She knew what that meant; it meant he was angry, she knew him so well. She thought about going after him but some invisible force stopped her from doing it.

 That leg of the tour felt weird for Anastasia and her band. Live shows didn’t go well, the vibes were weird, the air was heavy and the lack of communication with Josh was driving her insane. Instead, she focused on recording some vocals for the new songs and changing the lyrics for others.

 The only show that was amazing was Lollapalooza in Paris. Dead Curse had always been a festival band so they felt comfortable playing in such stage. But after all, they were happy to play in places they never been before like Riga in Latvia and Reykjavik in Iceland. The tour was practically over at that point. They still had to play in some festivals but not together. By the last day in Reykjavik, everyone was so tired. Anastasia was at the hotel restaurant talking to Richard on the phone, she was having dinner with Mandy but her friend was already on her way to her room. Conversations with Richard were deeper every time and the relationship was definitely growing, she was so comfortable with the situation, she just didn’t have any doubts, it was so different than when she started with Josh and all the things that filled her head at that time. This was the opposite of that, so easy.

 Richard hung up the phone and then An started to walk to her room. On the hallway she saw Josh closing his door, he saw her too and a knot appeared on her stomach, so strong it hurt.

-          Hey – An managed to say and he gave her a half smile – Going out? – Josh nodded – I thought that maybe you wanted to talk. We haven’t talked much these past weeks.

-          I don’t feel like it. I’m going for a walk – He said passing by her on the way to the elevator.

-          Don’t you want me to join you? – She asked.

-          No. I prefer going alone – He answered and the elevator door closed on Anastasia’s face.

 Now he was rejecting her, and for some strange reason that made her feel worse.

-          He doesn’t know anything about my date with Richard in Palm Springs – Anastasia told Mandy when they were both in bed before sleeping.

-          Maybe he just knows that you are better with Richard and he wants to keep distance, for his own sake – Mandy answered – Last time you two talked you had this huge fight – Mandy looked at her friend – What do you wanna do?

-          What do you mean? – Anastasia knew perfectly what Mandy meant with her question.

-          What do you wanna do? – Mandy asked again.

-          I want to be with Richard – Anastasia answered – I feel is the right thing to do right now – Mandy smiled.

-          You didn’t even think about it.

-          I just feel it. I like him… a lot. He is growing on me and it’s like… it’s meant to be – Mandy hugged her friend with a smile – Do you remember all the doubts I had when this thing with Josh started?

-          How can I forget that? I feel so guilty.

-          No! It’s not your fault. But I don’t have any of those feelings with Richard – Mandy smiled again.

-          Richard is so different from Josh – Mandy said.

-          How?

-          Even though Richard is younger than Josh in age, he is such a man – The pink haired friend pronounced “Man” elongating the “a” – You know, like an actual adult man – Anastasia laughed – He even has a kid and all!

-          Yeah Richard is so much more mature that Josh, but what I like about Josh is just that, the youth in his heart, because he is pretty mature too if you think about it, his creativity, his art is mature enough.

-          Yeah, but… Richard is a man – Mandy elongated the “a” again - I know that we’ll be in the studio next month but we need to focus on the wedding planning. I’m going to get married in December.

-          So, has it been decided?

-          Peyton decided it and I love that month so I’ll have a winter wedding in Malibu. I have the first dress fitting in mid-August. I’m so nervous.

-          Can I go with you?

-          I would be offended if you didn’t.

-          I’ll cry.

-          I’ll cry if you cry – Both friends laughed.

 Josh didn’t speak to Anastasia even on the flight back. Truth was, she was stocked to see Richard again. He was traveling to London in a few days to do some promotion for his record so she wanted to spend those days with him.

-          I can stay in LA until Friday because I want to be with Elijah a couple of days before I leave – Richard told An when she called him from LAX to let him know she was in town.

-          Sounds cool! – She replied, getting in the van with the rest of her band.

-          Guess I’ll see you tomorrow – He said.

-          Sure! Let me know when you arrive.

-          Can’t wait – He said and she just could imagine him smiling and his dimples appearing on his face.

 They only spent three days together but they were so special. They had dates, he took her to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where a company was showing movies from the 80s and 90s at open sky, they had a picnic and watched “The Craft” one of Anastasia’s ultimate favorites. They had wine and ate cheese and ended the night at Anastasia’s bed. Sex with Richard was great, but it wasn’t as wild as with Josh.

-          I don’t want to leave – Richard said in the morning, resting his head on Anastasia’s shoulder while they were still in bed.

-          Go and see your son – Anastasia said stroking her hands through his hair, which was a little bit longer and it wasn’t combed back with gel as he used to have it. It was wild bed hair and it made him look incredible sexy.

-          I know. I’m going to miss you – He moved his head to be at Anastasia’s face level. He smiled. The gold chain he always wear shone when it was hit by sunlight – What are you doing to me, Anastasia Truman?

-          I’m just being cute and lovely for you – She smiled too looking straight to his eyes.

-          You are an expert. This is so strange for me. After being with the same woman since I was a teenager… - He still mentioned his ex-wife now and then and that bothered Anastasia but she could understand that they had a very long relationship.

 An didn’t answer; instead she kissed Richard, with passion, hard, trying to make him not forget her.

-          What are you going to do this month here in LA? – He answered trying to contain himself after that kiss.

-          I’m going to make a new record – She answered.

-          A new record! Already?! – She nodded – Wow, talk about efficiency.

-          We’ve been having a good inspirational rush. We don’t want to wait to put these songs out.

-          Can’t wait to hear them – Richard kissed Anastasia again – I’m going to leave.

 He got up of the bed and started to gather his clothes scattered around the room, he looked so funny doing it and Anastasia smiled. She got up from the bed too, grabbed an oversized sweater over a chair near to her and put it on.

-          I’ll call you – He said at the door of the house.

-          And I will answer – That was probably the cheesiest moment she ever had but he smiled.

-          I love you – He said, sound and clear without stopping to think about it.

-          I love you too – She didn’t even take a second to answer. Richard looked relieved by her answer and kissed her goodbye.

 She went next day to the studio in Hollywood with the biggest smile on her face.

-          Someone is happy today! – Mandy told her when she entered the recording room.

-          I just spent three days with Richard and it was magical – Anastasia was still smiling.

-          Well, Eric is about to destroy that smile – Nick said and Eric laughed.

-          Listen, I was thinking that we need help for the finishing touches on some songs and we need somebody outside this band that can give us an honest and different view – Eric said sitting behind his drum set. Anastasia knew what he was about to say next – I thought that Josh would be the right person for that job.

-          Do you want Josh to produce our album? – An asked.

-          Yes – Eric said.

-          But Josh is not speaking to me. He won’t agree.

-          He already said yes – Eric said and Anastasia’s chin went to the floor – He is going to be in New York for about two weeks, which will give us time to record so he can come and just adjust everything.

-          Wait, wait, wait… He said yes? – Anastasia couldn’t believe it. Josh’s sudden change of heart was making her ill.

-          If you don’t want to, I’m sure we can find someone else – Nick said.

-          No, no! I want to; I would like it to be Josh. It’s fine by me – It was going to be a strange situation but luckily with all the vocals recorded she wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time with him in the studio, she thought.

 They were trying hard to make the songs work, but nothing was going well for the band that day. Anastasia’s mind was blocked and so was the rest of the band.

-          What if we change studios? – Eric said at night after not accomplishing anything that day.

-          What do you mean? – Anastasia asked.

-          We can go to Rancho de Luna and do some recording there – Eric talked again. The idea of the dessert just made its way to Anastasia’s mind.

-          Richard told me about a studio in Las Vegas – An said.

-          The Battle Born Studios?

-          Yeah, that one! We can try it out too.

-          Yes! Let’s do a trip to Vegas. If we want to make this powerful show-inspired record what better place for big shows than Vegas?

 All Dead Curse members agreed and the little experiment began. 

[makbaes-archives]

Rockabye (3) - Jackson

pairing: jackson x reader rating: mature genre: angst, romance, smut warnings: alcohol mention, ‘exotic’ dancing word count: 2058 summary: life isn’t easy being a single parent, especially such a young one. but you do your best to make him happy and make sure his life is better than yours was, even if that means ‘exotic dancing’. he’s your entire world; the only man you’ll ever need. until you meet a certain idol who changes things almost as much as your son did.

Part 1 Part 2

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The workshop is sufficiently awkward for the first 20 minutes, until you forget who you’re teaching the choreography to. Your focus is more on the music and the dance and making sure everyone’s got it. It’s a relatively easy routine, one that can definitely be learned in two hours. By the end, you’re happy with how everyone is doing.

“Alright, good job everyone! Thanks for stopping by, and remember everyone’s always welcome!” You hug and wave off some of your regulars before grabbing a towel and dabbing your neck and face.

Jackson and the group of guys he came in with are gathering their things slowly when you hear, “So, how do you know Jackson?”

You turn around, mid sip of your water bottle, to find the boy with white-blond hair—Bambam, you’re pretty sure—looking at you expectantly.

“Um—”

“She’s friends with Henry. We saw her last night when we went out,” Jackson steps into the conversation before you can think of something. You give him a nod in thanks for coming up with something so quickly. You guess him going to a strip club isn’t exactly something you should talk about.

“Ohh, you were at the club with the dancers?” Bambam asks you.

“Bambam—” Jackson starts, but since it looks like he’s mentioned it already, you figure it isn’t a secret.

“Actually, I’m one of the dancers,” you supply, and you see Mark choke on his water in your peripheral. Jackson shoots him a look.

“So, you can dance on the pole? That looks so awesome. And really hard,” Yugyeom steps in and asks. You remember he was one of the better dancers of the group, catching on really quickly.

You nod and smile. “Yeah, I can. Takes a lot of core strength and practice, but it’s fun.”

One of the others—Youngjae—starts teasing Jackson. “Oh, did she dance for you?”

“For his friends. Jackson was a gentleman.” You glance at Jackson, smiling briefly at him. “Um, anyway, thanks again for coming by, guys. The next class will be starting soon, so we should probably head out.”

You gather your things and start heading out to the reception area. Yugyeom asks you about attending classes when his schedule allows, and you like how excited he seems about it. You’re giving him your info when you hear a screeching child.

Grayson is booking towards you when you turn, and your face lights up. “Mommy, mommy, mommy!!”

You bend down and scoop him up, peppering kisses all over his face as he giggles. You see Hana at the door of the studio smiling and waving to you.

“Mommy?” You hear behind you, and then one of the boys laughing. It stops abruptly at the sound of a smack.

“Hey, baby. Did you and Hana have a good time together?”

“Yeah, we went to the park! I fell off the slide and got this!” He shows you a scrape on his elbow.

“Oh, wow! You’re so tough, buddy.” You give it a kiss.

“Who are they?” Grayson points to the boys behind you, and you turn around and put him down.

“They came in for my dance class today, baby. Say hi and introduce yourself.”

“Hi, my name is Grayson! I’m 5 years old, and I wanna be a dancer like mommy!”

You laugh and ruffle his hair. He’s always been a talker and a charmer. The boys introduce themselves, and Grayson shows off some of his dance moves. It’s safe to say he’s won their hearts already, especially Jackson, who is crouching down and talking with him.

“Hey, we’re going to head back to the dorm,” Jaebum tells Jackson.

“We’ll meet you there,” Mark replies, giving him a nod and waving the rest of the guys off.

You stand up a bit straighter, wondering why Mark stayed behind, too. Hana gives you a confused look before stepping forward. “Hey, G, you want to go watch Miss Kim’s dance class?”

“Yeah!!” He yells, and you remind him about inside voices. He whisper-yells, “Yeah!” before running off with Hana.

“I’ll come, too.” Mark ends up following them, not before giving Jackson a wink.

Jackson stands and clears his throat, giving you a smile. “He’s cute.”

“Thanks,” you smile wide, looking after him as he runs off. When you look back at Jackson, he averts his eyes like he’s been caught staring. You suppress a grin. “Mark knows, doesn’t he?”

Jackson purses his lips together and looks embarrassed as he answers you. “Yeah… He’s my best friend. I had to brag to him about meeting this gorgeous, funny, smart girl who also gave me a lap dance.”

You do laugh then, hand moving to cover your mouth. When you stop, you ask, “You think I’m funny and smart?”

“And gorgeous,” he adds.

“Oh, I know that.”

He beams at you, and it’s such a beautiful smile that you can’t look away.

Bringing a hand up to rub at his neck, he shifts on his feet. “Um, so… your other job: you do it for him?”

Although a bit taken aback by the question, he doesn’t sound judgmental at all, so you aren’t offended. “I used to, yeah. Believe it or not, it’s actually a fun job 95% of the time. My coworkers are great girls, my boss is understanding, and yeah, I have creepy customers every now and then, but the good outweighs the bad.”

He nods, a smile on his lips again and a look in his gaze that almost reads as understanding. “What’s the saying? ‘If you find something you love to do, you won’t work a day in your life.’?”

“Exactly.”

There’s a moment where the two of you just stare at each other like blushing idiots, until Mark makes a reappearance from the hallway.

“Hey, JB just texted me. JYP wants to see us about some scheduling stuff. We gotta head out.” He turns to you and offers a bright smile. He’s honestly precious. “It was good meeting you, Y/N. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.” He walks past Jackson and out the door, but not before yelling back to Jackson. “Don’t forget to get her number, idiot!”

Jackson groans, and you chuckle and roll your eyes playfully. You just met Mark, but you like him already.

“I’m free for texting, talking, FaceTiming, dance lessons, and general fun having,” you say, holding out your hand expectantly. He chuckles as he hands his phone to you to enter your number. “Private dances are gonna cost you, though.” You wink at him before entering your info and taking a dorky selfie for the contact picture.

“There. All set.” You hand the phone back, and he pockets it, giving you a smile.

“I’ll talk to you soon, then?” He asks, backing up towards the door.

“That’s up to you.”

“Right.” Jackson ends up backing into the door. He laughs and opens it. “Bye, Y/N.”

“Bye, Jackson.”

When the coast is clear, and he’s out of sight, you lean against the wall and let out a sigh, unable to get rid of the ridiculous smile on your face. Your phone buzzes in your pocket, and you pull it out to see a text from an unfamiliar number.

Hey.

You grin and text back.

That was quick.

Wanted to make sure you had my number, too.

I do now. Prepare yourself for outdated memes at 3 in the morning.

Oh no, not you, too. How do I block numbers?

Who already sends you memes?

Bambam and Youngjae. It’s the worst.

I’ll be sure to up my game, then.

I regret this immediately.

No, you don’t.

No. I don’t.

Grayson and Hana come back, and Grayson taps on the screen, typing nonsense. You lock it before it sends anything and scoop him up as he squeals in delight.

“Who’s hungry for ice cream?”

“Me, me, me, me, me!!!”

--

You and Jackson text more often than you thought. You know he has a busy schedule, especially with their upcoming comeback, but he still manages to reply to you, even if it is 3am. A few weeks go by, and you’re itching to see him again. You can’t help but feel giddy at the thought of hanging out with him, just you and him, hopefully doing something that isn’t work related. Not that you don’t enjoy dancing, but there isn’t much room to really talk and get to know each other.

Swallowing your nervousness, you shoot him a text, asking if he’s free for coffee. It’s relatively early in the day, so he could very well be busy, but you ask anyway.

Jackson replies an hour later.

Hey, sorry. I was in the studio. Let me shower, and I’ll meet you in 30. Sound good?

Biting your lip, you try to not pull up that mental image as you type back.

Sure thing. See you there.

You send him the address of a quaint little café you love going to with Grayson, usually after your dance lessons. It’s small and mostly quiet, so you figure it’s a great place to talk. You grab your bag, filled with your outfits and make-up for work tonight and head out the door.

When you see him walk into the café, you smile and wave him over to the table you’ve acquired in the corner. He waves back and hurries over, sitting down in the comfy chair next to yours.

“Hey,” he says, a big smile on his lips.

“Hey,” you reply with a matching smile, and you two don’t notice that someone has walked up to you both until she clears her throat.

“Your coffee, miss,” the girl says and sets it down on the table in front of you.

“Oh! Sorry. Thank you.” Well, that’s embarrassing…

Jackson grins, holding back a laugh, and stands. “I’m gonna go order something. Be right back.”

He comes back a few minutes later with a coffee and a snack, and sits back down. You’re sipping your coffee as you reply to Hana’s text, then set the phone down and look at him.

“So.”

He quirks a brow. “So.”

“Soooo, tell me about yourself, Mister Super Star.”

Laughing, Jackson responds, “I’d rather talk about you.”

“What about me?”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Y/F/C. Yours?”

“Black.” You snort. “What? It goes with everything. Favorite food?”

“Y/F/F.”

“Really?”

“Shut up. Don’t judge me. What’s yours?”

“Dim Sum. Or chocolate.”

“And you judge my favorite food.”

“Who said I was judging you?”

The two of you end up laughing and talking for a while. You lose track of time as you both learn new things about each other. It still surprises you how easy it is to talk to him. Whatever qualities he has, the mix of them makes him so unintimidating, that you find yourself oversharing at times. But, he doesn’t seem to mind at all.

You’re both caught up in some story you’re telling, that you jump a little when your phone buzzes loudly on the table.

“Sorry.” You grab it and find a text from one of the girls you work with, as well as an email from your boss.

Dear staff,

I regret to inform you that I am no longer in charge. Due to financial complications, I am stepping down as owner. Thank you for many great years.

Sincerely,

Sang Kyung

You frown at the email, confused at the abruptness of his decision. You go to your messages and read the one from your co-worker. As you read the first one, several more start coming in.

Did you get the email??

Y/N, you have to come in now, it’s chaos

Mr. Sang is in trouble with some people about money idk the whole story

These guys just barged into the dressing room and his office and took over.

Some new guy is apparently taking over the club.

You sit up fully, and Jackson does, too, as he notices your expression.

“Everything okay?”

“I, uh, gotta go. I’m sorry,” you say, standing and shoving your phone in your bag. “I’ll talk to you later,” you give him and wave and run out the door. You don’t mean to be so quick, but you’re nerves kick in and you’re out the door before he can properly say good-bye.

When you finally get into work, you see the chaos your co-worker was telling you about. It isn’t pretty.

[vinylexams]

Dramathan - Into the Pink

I’m VERY excited to make this post because if you’ve been following VE for a while, you’ll recognize it as one of the only albums I’ve used this platform to help fund-raise to see it get pressed! Dramathan, or Jonathan as I know him, has been making noisy, DIY bedroom rock for a while now and Into the Pink is a big ol’ hunk of album with an even bigger story behind it. I won’t tell the story on his behalf, since there’s a pretty meaty interview waiting for you on our main website, but this album has a lot of backstory. Musically speaking, it’s really catchy pop-minded indie rock. It’s a little crunchy, it’s a little shoegazey, and it reminds me of the best-of-the-best college rock bands back in the mid and late 90s. Now, what’s even more exciting about this post is that it serves as your official heads up that I’ve also had a chance to interview Jonathan himself about this album and I’m including it in its entirety below the link to listen for yourself!

https://dramathantheband.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-pink

INTERVIEW:

Hi Jonathan! I’d love for you to tell us a bit about the album’s story and what you want us to know about the great music you’ve written here.

First of all, thank you! Not only for today, but for being one of the early supporters of this album. I’m aiming for brevity on this one because I know I have a lot to say! Into the Pink is my sophomore follow up to California Magick, both released on Kerchow Records.  It is an album I wrote and recorded in its entirety all by myself. It documents these past couple of years full of love, death, redemption, depression,fame, triumph, fame, and a life changing cancer diagnosis. Jayne Mansfield’s Pink Palace was the inspiration for the title and thought of moving into the house of love.  The remastered tracks are on Kerchow’s website and were the tracks used to press my new vinyl on pink wax! The vinyl can be purchased only through the Dramathan bandcamp.

Dramathan is a play on your name Jonathan, so tell us a little about that!

Like a lot of teens everything I experienced was just the end of the fucking world, a real costume drama. But in my defense my childhood was full of drama/trauma not completely of my own making. Yeah, I did wild things and was a chronic runaway. But what was I running away from? That’s the real question! But I digress. The short version is one day my mom called me that, it was funny and it just stuck. She was the only one who called me that for a long time.  It’s in the Urban Dictionary and they describe it as “an over dramatic gay dude” (which I may or may not had a hand in coining) but I think of it more now as queer who puts an end to the drama and cuts through the bullshit. It’s a bit strange having a band name or persona that’s actually ridiculously personal. That’s kind of a running theme in my life. I mean, if you see my IMDB I play myself on The Fine Bros. React channel on Youtube.  I’m lucky to have it though. It’s a name that really allows me to play to my moodiness musically and doesn’t pigeon hole me to a specific sound. Plus, It’s really the only good word play you can do with my name besides “Jon Not Thin” which is my IG handle, so there.

I shared a link to your GoFundMe page earlier this year to raise money for this pressing and also to help support your mother who is undergoing treatment for cancer. How has that campaign worked out?

In terms of funding, great. In term of community, it worked out better than anything I could have hoped for. I always thought I knew who my community was, but who it actually consisted of…well.. .that was a bit of a rude awakening.  People that I supported by showing up to their shows, donating money to, or by lending my name to their events were nowhere to be found. That was until the buzz around Into the Pink started! It was fans of music not fame that lifted me up from its inception.  There are so many people that claim to be supporters of poc-lgbtqia+-artists, so evolved in their inclusivity, but really are hypocritical or just surfing the trend for likes and followers.  And these are things that shouldn’t be made trendy, because the problem with making them trendy is that trends go out of fashion and we are here to stay!  These are real fucking people! The truth is people like me have to work twice as hard to get half as far in this industry.  My therapist would say “thoughts are things” and ask “Is this a narrative you’ve created?” To that I say, ‘Yeah , thoughts are things and people can create a narrative, but reality is a thing too!’ And the reality is Into the Pink is album that was created on the island of misfit toys. It doesn’t really fit into one genre and there are people that get it and love it!  Yes, I am aware that the story behind it resonates with a lot of people, but it wouldn’t be doing this well if it wasn’t a good album.  Here is where I show my hubris. The people who funded it know the back story, but the majority of people buying the vinyl don’t.  They want the music!!! I recorded this album all by myself, zero budget and on a phone! A damn phone, Nate! I had this one review where a sound engineer critiqued Into the Pink.  Not a rock journalist mind you, but a sound engineer.  They said things like “…not more than fuzzy guitars, drums and vocals…” well that’s what I had to work with! There was no producer and no studio! I love the Pixies but I’m not trying to be the Pixies! (another thing he threw out there, there are even references to the Sex Pistols which shows his musical pool to pull from).  Black Francis isn’t recording in his bedroom in between taking his mother to chemo. I did win him over though and at the end he recommended it. A fucking sound engineer! He said I did “a remarkable job with the tools he was working with” and that all my songs were “catchy” a term I used to hate but now embrace as one of my strengths. All this is extremely important for any artist to know (esp. marginalized ones) and I’m not afraid to speak on these things and really show my seams, because I want people esp. queer or people of color to know it’s hard, but also know that they can do it!!! So many people finally get through the door and get a seat at the table in this industry. But then they shut the door behind them, barricade it! Because they feel like there isn’t room for anyone else. FUCK THAT! I’m all about breaking down that damn door and holding it open for others like me.  I mean… the cream rises. You’re only afraid if you don’t have the goods. So, now I keep my circle tight, but right. Many of the campaign supporters were friends of React or Reactors themselves (Trudi, Ary, Faith and Jason). The trans community really stepped up and friends that know my mother.  They know my mom has spent her entire life helping people, fighting for gay/equal rights by being part of ACT UP, a Brown Beret who helped raised money for communities where people couldn’t pay for their families’ own funerals, and a social worker who always went above and beyond as an advocate for the people she was assigned to. It was time to give back to the woman who had given so much all of her life.

If it’s not too forward, how is your mom doing? I know we’re all sending her lots of good vibes and thinking of her as she goes through treatment!

It’s rough. I didn’t know that the heart could break so many times in a day. How many times until it’s just broken, ya know??? Some days I hear my mom’s very distinct laugh and I am so grateful for that day and then the next moment I find myself frightened I might forget it someday soon. I want people to know how hard it can be so they cherish every moment with their loved ones without being a total buzzkill. I live my life pretty publicly/authentically, but I can only tell my side of it. I will say she’s a fighting and kicking ass, but for once I wish things could just be easy for her.

Tell us a little about you, the musician.

Well… I’m an autodidact. Before I got into punk I listened to a lot of female R&B groups, oldies and those old school Jamz like “Lookout Weekend” by Debbie Deb. My mom played a lot of Pat Benatar, The Cars, and Janet Jackson around the house so I learned a lot about hooks from those artists, at least early on. But I picked up on how to write harmonies from bands like Veruca Salt not the Beach Boys!

What is your approach to songwriting? Who do you credit as some of your biggest influences?

I’m a fucking workhorse when it comes to music! For every song on this album there are at least two others that didn’t make the cut!  I will put out shit song after shit song until one feels right. (I shouldn’t say they were shit, but just weren’t up to my standards). I don’t wait for a muse to show up and guide my hands “Ghost” style. Sure, I get inspired, but I need to write and love doing so. This time though I stepped it up, I knew that I needed to write something people would buy! That’s the harsh reality of it.  I still create without an audience in mind with the exception of a younger me. Growing up I always wanted to hear songs about boys loving boys, magick, poc, etc. So, I create what I want to see more of in the world and share personal experiences in hope to lessen others’ alienation. I also didn’t listen to any music while writing this album! I did have a vision board that had pictures of Deborah Harry, Debi Martini (whom I dedicated the album to), Jayne Mansfield and Patti Smith. Also, a list of bands I love including: Hole, Huggy Bear, Red Aunts, Helium, Julie Ruin, Free Kitten, Kaito, Veruca Salt, Slant 6, Frumpies, and L7. It was less a vision board and more of a reminder. Like REMEMBER WHAT YOU LOVE LISTENING TO and WHY! Hole will forever be my number one influence, I think Courtney Love is an underrated lyricist even if a vast amount of people think she is an overrated anything else. It’s funny because I grew up listening to noise bands, red aunts, but what comes out of me is this weird alt. pop! I mean, I don’t know many noise bands with bridges and a hook. Go figure!

If you got to collaborate with one famous musician or band (alive OR dead), who would it be and why?

Patti Smith, but what would I bring to the table??? She’s a Poet laureate! I would just prostrate myself at her feet.

What made you want to press this album on vinyl and how did you get connected with your label, Kerchow Records?

That was always the goal from day one.  As a collector, why not my own wax? I read somewhere that on a digital format your ear/brain can get tired of the fixed sound. On vinyl it’s forever changing in the most miniscule of ways so it’s harder to tire of. We did do the cassette tape first because we weren’t fully funded and time was of the essence. The tracks weren’t mixed to my liking (my doing) but, I didn’t know how long we had with my mother. So, we released it just so my mother could see a tangible product.  Not to mention Kerchow is famous for putting out tapes so I am honored to be their first vinyl release. I know they did one before, but it was combined label release with two other labels. Into the Pink is their first solely Kerchow vinyl. I first met Nick Dolezal in Fresno through my then boyfriend, Taylor Rosario-Price.  Fresno is one of my hometowns. They have some of the best and worst people you will ever meet. Nick of Kerchow is one of the good ones. That is also how I met the brilliant Damaris Paz who made my vision for the cover come to fruition. All are amazing musicians/artists in their own right. I didn’t think they would be interested in my first album California Magick, because like I said before, my style didn’t really mesh with what I heard from their label or any for that matter, but I believe he was intrigued by how I was recording the songs before he heard the songs themselves. I didn’t even think to shop demos around for Into the Pink.  They believed in me before the Youtube success and I’m all about bringing people up with me. They believed in me from the beginning so I wouldn’t just do one release and leave… it’s called loyalty!

What does the vinyl format mean to you? If you’re a collector, how did you get started and what types of records do you like to collect?

I started in my teens with whatever I could find at thrift stores. “Sounds to make you shiver” was a good one and probably the scratched to hell “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac (which I still have). It started with riot grrrl releases! There was a time when whatever Kill Rock Stars put out without question, without hearing it, I would just buy it, because I knew it would be amazing. I have an affinity for the female voices so the majority of my collection is that.  I have thousands of pieces of vinyl. Not to sound to snobby, but I only buy NM or Mint vinyl now.

Do you have any white whale records that you’ve never been able to find?

I’m going to say something I never thought I would say but I pretty much have all the records that I want.  I know what your readers are thinking ‘well there you have it he’s not a real collector’, not true!  It changed throughout the years. When I was doing my tumblr 365 it was an og pressing of Live Through This, got it. Not to mention a white label candy heart promo copy of Hole demos and rarities.  Then it was all about getting them signed.  I have signatures by: Kat Bjelland, Mary Timony, Louise Post, Janet Weiss, Theo Kogan etc. I even got The Craft soundtrack signed by Rachel True. Believe me, there are still records I would like to have but I know where they are. I still need singles like  LaVern Baker “Voodoo, Voodoo”, Donna Lynn “I’d Much Rather Be with the Girls”, April Stevens “Kiss me tiger”, and Betty Lavette’s “Witchcraft in the air”  It’s a cash issue as I am sure it is with a lot of collectors. Also, there are records that aren’t on vinyl that I’m waiting for like, Frumpies “One Piece”, the Jawbreaker soundtrack, Juliana Hatfield’s “Made in China”, even Sheryl Crow’s self-titled album lol!

Last Question! What’s a bit of Dramathan trivia that you’ve never told anyone in print before!

Until this album I had never wrote songs about one particular person.  Even if it’s an it’s a very devasting break up song or about a boy (usually a diss track) it’s always snippets of many different experiences tied together.  I feel in doing so, like, when you compile many different experiences that feel similar it has a synergistic effect and a lot more people can relate. Collecting all the teardrops to make the tidal wave sort of thing.  Also, I feel like if I were to hone in on one person I would destroy them psychically! One song in particular is about my best bruja Lily. Who in my darkest hour showed up in my dream and I did the same in hers on the same night. She told me I “dream jumped” and as an avid student of the esoteric believe she saved me both in my dream and in real life because I was really depressed.

Also, I mention Angelyne in the album because we met for coffee and she drove me around Hollywood in her iconic pink corvette (for free I might add) and while writing L.A. Water I kept the pink quartz crystal she gave me in sight.