#and the fact that all five of them are together to form the best band of weirdos around?

[besly1]

RARHGHGHGHGHH I'VE FINALLY CAUGHT UP ON SEASON 3 AND IM SO MAD AND HAPPY AND RHGRHGHRGHRHGRHGH

[sturnsdarling]

teenage dirtbags, introduction

Skater!Matt needs help with his essay, and Overachiever!reader is the smartest girl on campus

vibe check: enemies(?) to lovers au, childhood acquaintances, no warnings this is just a blurb to set up the vibes.

1k words

A/N: This is just the intro to what I plan on being at least a five part series. I don't ship blair and dan but lowkey this is them (i've fallen down an edit rabbit hole and now i kinda ship them lol)

part one, part two , part three, part four

love and cigs, merc

You and Matt had never really liked each other, you were completely different people, and despite going through every grade together, and somehow ending up at the same college, you definitely wouldn't classify yourself as friends, or even acquaintances. Honestly, you couldn't stand him, with his boyish charm, eye watering smile and breezy attitude, he was insufferable.

Matt was interesting, to say the least. You never saw him without his head phones in and feet planted firmly on his skateboard. His wardrobe seemed to consist solely of dirty band tees, cargos that didn't fit him and beat up sneakers. He was the furthest thing from a scholar, his idea of an extra curricular activity being how many screws he could loosen in the Deans office before the man had a brain haemorrhage over his chair or desk falling apart every other day. Every grade he got was just above average, 'consistently uninspiring', as he called it, and despite the fact that he was actually quite smart, he never wanted to be anything other than exactly that, average.

You on the other hand, we're almost the exact opposite. Your grades were the highest in the entire college, the best they'd seen in years, actually. You ran multiple clubs, were the president of not one, but two societies; philosophy and classic literature; and tutored everyone from under to postgrads. You were clean cut and classic, pleated skirts with knee high socks and a collared shirt, tucked under a vintage sweater was your personal uniform; you looked as smart as you were. You were every schools dream, painfully smart and ridiculously driven, everyones favourite over achiever. From the bows in your hair, to the Plato or Dostoyevski tucked in your arms, all the way down to your vintage platform loafers, you were extraordinary.

The day it all started,

Your books were tucked neatly in size order against your chest, hair tucked behind your ears and knee socks tight against the bottom of your thighs as you headed to your second lecture of the day. The halls of the literature building were as busy as you'd expect it to be on a Wednesday, filled with people all going about their days and trying to sound as smart as possible in front of their new pretentious friends.

The sound of skateboard wheels against the brown linoleum echoed behind you, followed by the huffs and puffs of said pretentious people.

Matt rode through the halls, swerving through the students with ease as he tried to catch up with you, eyes trained on the way your hips moved in your pleated skirt. He called your name, and the sound of his voice made your eyes roll to the back of your head, so you kept walking.

Matt picked up his speed, pushing off with his leg to reach you. he called your name again, this time as he pulled up next to you, kicking his board up and holding it in his hand, jogging slightly to walk shoulder to shoulder with you.

"you walk way too fast" Matt said, only slightly breathless.

"people tend to do that when they have somewhere to be" you said, attitude thick in your voice as you kept your eyes trained on your destination.

Matt was looking at you, grinning at your consistency in hating him.

"where ya headed?" He said, stepping in front of you with a light jog, walking backwards and finally gaining your eye contact.

You huffed, a faux smile forming on your face in response to his cheesy grin.

"what do you want, Matt" you said, continuing your pace and slightly impressed at Matts ability to walk backwards without bumping into anyone.

"how do you know I want something?" Matt shrugged, squinting his eyes at you in bashful accusation.

"because we haven't had a conversation in... three years? and you look like you want something" You stopped walking, tilting your head to the side, "so what is it?" you looked him up and down quickly.

Matt pressed his tongue to his teeth with a smile, stopping in front of you, "I need your head"

Your face screwed up instantly, "I beg your pardon?" you scoffed.

Matt chuckled, shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck with his palm, "not like that, I mean, I need your brain"

You cocked your eyes to the side, waiting for him to say words that actually made sense, "I'm gonna need a bit more clarity than that, Matt"

"I need your help with an essay" Matt said, biting his plump lip slightly with pleading eyes.

"no" you shook your head with a scoff, stepping out from his figure blocking your path and continuing your stride down the hall.

"come on, y/l/n, please?" He jogged after you, "I'm desperate", gently pressing his shoulder against yours.

"why would I ever help you?" you scoffed, looking straight ahead and ignoring the sentiment of him still calling you by your last name after all these years.

"cause I'm desperate" Matt was looking at your profile, repeating his earlier claim, "and we're friends"

you scoffed again, "we are not friends, Matt" you said, rolling your eyes.

Matt searched his brain for an example of your friendship but came up blank, "okay, fine, we're not friends" he grinned, "but we've known each other forever and.... it's nice to help people" it was the only thing he could think of.

You ignored him, shaking your head with an uncontrollable smile attempting to form on your face at his persistence. Matt continued to walk with you, begging, pleading and saying your last name over and over again like an irritating child, telling you that you're the smartest person he knows, and that he'll fail without your help.

"whats the essay on" you rolled your eyes, giving in and looking to him.

"existentialism" Matt said, his ears perking up at your interest.

You huffed, stopping once more. People continued to rush past you and Matt as you stood face to face in the centre of the hall.

"if I help you, you'll leave me alone?" You questioned.

"absolutely" Matt nodded

you rolled your tongue over your teeth, deadpanning at Matt.

"fine" you said, bluntly.

"yes!" Matt cheesed, "you are an angel sent from heaven, thank you"

"come to my dorm tonight, seven o'clock and we'll get started" blatantly ignoring his compliment.

"I'll be there" Matt said, placing his board on the floor.

"it's the franklin building, room three, if you cant find it then i'l-" The sound of Matts wheels rolling away cut you off.

"i'll just follow the smell of vanilla and academic overachievement, I'll find you" Matt said from over his shoulder, skating away from you down the hall.

You rolled your eyes as you watched him weave in and out of students, dropping out of sight as he rode his board down the flight of stairs to the exit.

taglist: @sturniozalt@mattslolita@shaquilles-0atmeal@blahbel668@sleepysturniolo@le4hsblog @sarosfilms @joemamaaa42069 @2muchofaslvt @seluky10 @cherib3lla @jetaimevous @witchofthehour

[sinning5sos]

valentine | Luke

Requested: yeah baby! could you write a smut abt dom!luke and fem!reader, where they’ve been best friends for years and have had just the thickest romantic and sexual tension, and luke brings y/n on tour and while she’s front row dancing and just like feeling herself to valentine, luke finds it like super hot and after the show he finally does something about the tension between the two of them. i love your work and i think you’d be the perfect person to write this!”

tysm, i love you

fucking sick idea

Word Count: ~2.2k

The music was pulsing through the arena, your eyes never leaving the lead singer, your best friend and you were so proud of him. You couldn’t believe that they were on another tour, and thankfully your schedule at work allowed you to travel with them for a few shows in the states. 

You loved getting to see Luke do what he does, the fact that you’ve known him since you were kids and have gotten to see him grow into the confident man that he is, it made you ecstatic.

You’ve been a part of Luke’s life for a long time, you loved him dearly. The two of you became mates way back when you were just in your first year of school. The two of you had been stuck together since then, often spending time with the other. It was insane when Luke had started getting views on his covers, and even crazier when the band formed and started getting famous. 

When the band moved to the states, you couldn’t imagine not having him only five minutes away but Luke practically begged you to follow along. Luckily, you found a job nearby and your schedule was flexible for the most part. 

Honestly you didn’t even know how many times you had seen them perform at this point, but you knew that it just continued to get better every single time. 

His eyes found yours as they continued performing Valentine, one of your favorites from them. Luke’s vocals always killed, and tonight he was on fire again. You sang along, a small smile on his lips as he maintained eye contact.

“Got nothing but love for you, fall more in love every day. Valentine, valentine.” 

You zoned out as you continued dancing along, your hips moving gently to the beat as the song continued on. You felt a gaze on you, and looked up as Luke sang, it felt as if directly to you, his eyes burning into yours.

“It don't matter just as long as I get all you tonight”

You blushed as the song continued, and he sent you a cheeky wink as the crowd continued chanting along. Luke’s gaze moved away from you, and you lost yourself in thought. 

It could've been unintentional. It could’ve just been Luke being himself, a little flirt. It could’ve been something more. You were never sure with Luke, you never wanted to push the friendship past what it is.

The others always pointed out that the two of you flirted with each other, your other friend pointed out that it was annoyingly adorable how much the two of you looked at each other or how handsy the two of you were. Sure, there were drunken kisses or cuddling during movies or the occasional shared bed. You always knew you loved Luke, you just didn’t know what sort of love.

The concert wrapped up quickly, your thoughts swimming due to that tiny wink from him earlier. You were already backstage, in his dressing room and sat on the couch waiting for him to finish up. He always had his post show ritual, where as soon as he was off that stage, he was taking a shower and finding a way for his body to relax.

After a few minutes, the door finally opened and Luke pushed through the entryway. He immediately smiled as he dove onto the couch beside you. You curled right into his side, his arm wrapping around you instinctively. His fingers grazing the exposed skin on your shoulder. You sighed, feeling content as you leaned even further into him.

“How was the show?”

“Amazing as always Lu,” You said, turning in his arms so your head was now laying in his lap. He shifted his arm so it was across your chest and he held your gaze.

“It’s one thing to know that you’re always there in the audience but it was another to see you that close tonight. Dancing along to the music, you looked beautiful.” He murmured, and you felt your cheeks blush.

“I’m serious, I don’t say it enough.” He whispered and your blush deepened, “I don’t say a lot of things enough. God, you looked fucking incredible tonight.”

“Luke,” You sat up and turned to face him, about to say something but he pulled you close to him. He moved closer to you, his movements hesitant as his nose nudged against yours. You didn’t stop him.

“I need you,” He murmured against your skin, his lips barely leaving as he trailed down your neck and you whimpered into the empty dressing room, “Now.”

You nodded, your arms wrapping around him as you pulled him closer into you.

“I’m in, but I need to know that this won’t change us.”

“It’s going to change us, but for the better. Seeing you in the front, seeing you dance along to our music, it made me realize what I’ve always known all along. Why I begged you to move with us, why I need you with me on the tour.”

“I just need you,” He whispered, his lips finally meeting yours and he nearly melted into you. You tangled your fingers in his hair, holding him as close to you as possible and all thoughts were gone as the two of you continued kissing. This wasn’t the same type of kiss as before, there was something deeper there.

“Say yes,” He murmured, his nose nudging yours and you nodded, “Out loud. I can’t move on with myself if you’re not as into this as I am.”

“God, yes Luke, of course.” You whispered to him, and his lips met yours again. His kiss became more desperate, and his hands moved to the straps on your shirt and pushed them down. You leaned your body into him, quickly removing the top and suddenly feeling exposed beneath him.

“Fuck,” He breathed out, and you laughed at him as your fingers continued twirling in his hair.

“You’ve seen me in a swimsuit before Lu,” 

“Yeah but this is different. I get to finally act on every thought I’ve ever had,” He muttered, pulling his own shirt off as well. You unclasped your bra and pulled him back into you, your hands rubbing his shoulders and across his back as he trailed kisses down your chest. His teeth grazed over your nipple and you gasped quietly. This all felt so surreal, but damn it did he feel great.

He pushed your skirt up with his free hand, grazing your center slightly and your hips jolted into his touch. 

“So eager for you,” You whispered and he chuckled as he pulled your panties down and tossed them behind the couch. 

“Can I touch you?”

“Lu, I am entirely yours. Stop asking me, and just touch me.”

“Yes ma’am,” He murmured and you giggled as he kissed the inside of your knee and slowly trailed upward to your inner thigh, then to your exposed pussy. He kissed just above your core, his touch so light and you were craving more.

“Luke, just fuck me please.” You whimpered, and he paused to look at you. He licked his lips and nodded, before pushing himself down on the couch to adjust to a more comfortable position. 

“I will, just need to taste you first.” He muttered, and you were worried that he was going to be hesitant again but quickly started eating you out as if you were his last meal. He groaned as he pulled back for a second, before his tongue circled around your clit and your thighs twitched at how fucking good he felt. 

His tongue dipped inside of you, his nose nudging your clit as he continued eating you out. He pushed a finger inside of you and you threw your head back against the arm rest at finally feeling him. He pushed in another, and you felt yourself adjust to his touch as his tongue continued. 

“Fuck,” You breathed out and he winked at you again as he continued to eat you out and finger fuck you. Only an hour ago he was winking at you as well, and now look at how much things have changed.

“Gonna cum soon,” You moaned, and he added a third finger. At this point, you didn’t need to be warmed up anymore, and your orgasm was quickly approaching. Between everything that’s happened, you felt your thighs began to shake and you quickly came all over his face. 

You whimpered as he continued licking, nearly slurping and relaxed when he finally backed up. He sat up and made a big show of wiping his arm across his face and chuckled.

“Taste fucking sweet there darling,” He muttered and you giggled as you leaned up to kiss him, “But now I want to fuck you.”

“I want you bent over this counter so you can see how fucking hot you look while I’m fucking you,” He muttered, and your eyes widened at the sudden change. You licked your lips and nodded, taking his hand as he helped you up off the couch and pulled you towards the counter. 

“Just like that,” He whispered as he guided you, and helped bend you over the counter and pushed your dress up as his fingers pushed into you again. You moaned loudly,  your body adjusting quickly to him. He felt so right, and you moaned again as he curled his fingers inside of you.

“Need your cock Lu,” You grunted, and he chuckled as he pulled his hand out of you and sucked on his fingers again. 

“Taste so fucking good.” He said, before pulling his cock out from his pants but he panicked for a second, your eyes on him in the mirror, “Condom?”

“I’ve had my birth control shot, and I’m clean.” You whispered, and his eyes widened as he caught your gaze. You nodded, as if to encourage him and he groaned as his palms rubbed over your hips. 

“Fucking dream. I’m clean too, but I’ll do my best to pull out too.” He muttered, and you smiled as he stroked himself gently. He pushed in the tip, and you pushed yourself back to take more of him. He moaned quietly, his head falling back in pleasure as he was nearly fully inside of you, “You feel so good,”

“Just fuck me,” You whimpered, and he slowly pulled back out before he pushed inside of you fully. You could feel all of him inside you know, your body adjusting to him quickly and you desperately needed some friction. 

His hands moved so they were gripping both sides of your hips, and you hoped that his fingers left marks for you to admire later. He started fucking you with more of an intensity now, his cock slamming into you with every thrust and the fact that you got to watch everything in the mirror was so fucking hot.

“Look at me,” He snapped, his fingers digging into your sides as you caught his gaze in the mirror, “Such a good fucking girl.” 

For a moment, the only sounds that echoed in the dressing room were his hips meeting yours and his quiet moans from behind you. You held onto the counter as you felt your legs growing weak and put your weight onto the top. Luke continued fucking you, and you felt your orgasm approach quickly. 

“Gonna cum for me?” He murmured, his hand reaching around to your clit and his middle and ring finger started to rub it in circles.

You nodded, words failing you as you pushed your back against his chest, your gazes locked on each other as he continued to finger your clit and thrust into you. Your orgasm crashed over you, and he moaned as he continued fucking you through the wave of pleasure.

You nearly collapsed into his arms, and he helped you move slightly. You knelt in front of him, your hand replacing his as you started to stroke. 

“Now are you going to cum for me?” You whispered, winking up at him and he chuckled as he nodded. Luke gripped onto the counter behind you as you continued stroking him, and his cock twitched slightly before he came, doing his best to aim for your mouth but spilling down the front of your chest.

His eyes closed for a moment, his relief washing over his face as his legs buckled and you smiled up at him. You brought your fingers down to your chest and dragged some of his cum up into your mouth and he rolled his eyes as he handed you a tissue and helped clean you up.

“Come on baby, come sit on the couch with me.” He murmured, pressing a kiss to your forehead then helped you up to your feet and guided you over to the couch. 

“Why didn’t we do this sooner?” You whispered, your arm lazily coming to wrap around him and he chuckled as he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“The wait was worth it,”

[aois-amaterasu-painting]

Rock&Read 051 (2013)

葵 the GazettE

The album "BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY" was created with the most important focus being the band dynamic, so that the GazettE could truly embody the GazettE.

Because of this, from RUKI's interview in issue 49, I believe listeners could feel that the band was in the strongest state of unity it has ever had. Aoi, who until now has often projected a somewhat solitary presence, now proudly identifies as "the GazettE" and seems to be thoroughly enjoying that fact. Reflecting on the album's creation and the overseas tour, Aoi shared his thoughts on what the current "image of the GazettE" means to him.

"By changing myself, everything started to change for the better. Now, I believe we understand each other on a much deeper level."

Interviewer: When did the production of your latest album, BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, begin, and how did it start?

Aoi: The starting point, I’d say, was during the tour for DIVISION. That’s when we first started talking about the next album. It began with a conceptual idea—something like five animals coming together to form a new, unique creature. That was the basis for the decision to include songs from every member on this album.

Interviewer: So the idea was to showcase the individuality of each member?

Aoi: Well, when it comes to individuality, it's a bit different, I think. Since this is something being released as the GazettE, rather than focusing on individual colors, it's more of a feeling of each member’s vision of the GazettE. With that in mind, I began preparing for the production. When creating the songs, I tried not to get carried away with my own desires and focused on shaping what I could do for the GazettE. But when the songs were finished, they ended up turning out with quite a bit of my own color in them (laughs).

Interviewer: The balance between your personal style and the essence of the GazettE is remarkable. When all the members contribute to songwriting, I imagine there’s a risk of ending up with multiple songs of a similar type. However, BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY achieves an ideal result—it has a sense of cohesion while showcasing a broad range of styles.

Aoi: At first, the styles of the songs everyone brought in were indeed quite similar. From there, we selected the best ones, and then filled in the gaps, so to speak. For example, if we already had enough of a certain type of song, we’d discuss creating something different. Then we’d choose the best from that batch as well. This approach sometimes led to members working on songs that weren’t their usual strong suits. But overcoming that was essential. Otherwise, we’d end up relying too much on RUKI or Uruha, who are the main composers for the band. That would stray from the concept of this album.

For example, each of us has to be able to survive even if we left the GazettE and became independent. Not that I’m saying it’s okay for the band to disappear. But the GazettE will become a stronger entity if all the members can survive on their own. That’s why we were strict about the songwriting process. It wasn’t just about including a song from each member for the sake of it—it was about packaging songs that everyone was satisfied with and that fit the album’s concept.

Interviewer: You really aimed high with this one. Another notable aspect of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY is how the digital elements, which stood out in TOXIC and DIVISION, have been toned down.

Aoi: I think that’s a natural progression. This time, the focus from the very beginning was on creating something “as a band.” RUKI mentioned that he had already done the things he personally wanted to do, so for this album, he wanted to emphasize the band dynamic more. It felt like a natural shift in that direction. That said, it’s not like we completely avoided using programmed elements. From our perspective, it doesn’t feel like a major change.

Interviewer: Really? Especially with the harder tracks, I feel like this album has a very raw quality to it.

Aoi: That’s true. I think our approach to recording has changed a bit. This time, there was a stronger focus on what each of us could bring to the band. We were very conscious of this throughout the process. In the past, certain members tended to handle specific styles or areas of music, and it became easy to rely on those who were better suited for certain tasks.

That wasn’t the way it started—it’s something that happened naturally over the years as the band continued. None of us really addressed it, myself included. If anything, we had this mindset that whoever enjoyed a particular approach should take the initiative. But ultimately, that isn’t the ideal way for a band to function. Even if nothing was said out loud, I think each of us had thoughts about the works we’ve created up until now.

This time, we were able to openly share our opinions without holding back. That was refreshing and felt really good, and I think that openness is reflected in the music itself.

Interviewer: When roles are divided in a bad way, it’s definitely not good for the band, right?

Aoi: Yes. If the way we create becomes too one-sided, even if we make new songs, they lose their freshness.

Interviewer: And did you realize that, surprisingly, it’s okay to express your opinions without holding back?

Aoi: I did (laughs). It even felt like everyone was waiting for that moment. We thought we were being considerate by not saying certain things, but for the other person, it was actually the opposite. It’s easier for them if you just say what you’re thinking. I had many moments where I realized that.

Interviewer: That sounds a bit like a romantic relationship dynamic.

Aoi: It really does (laughs).

"By each member being able to survive on their own, the GazettE will become a stronger entity."

Aoi: Within the band, there were times we thought, "They’ll understand even if I don’t say anything," but it didn’t actually get through. Or, we’d misinterpret the lack of communication and end up with a misunderstanding. It made me really appreciate the importance of clear communication.

And the interesting thing is, this shift happened naturally. It wasn’t like we sat down and decided, "From now on, let’s be more open." It just developed that way on its own.

Interviewer: When I spoke with the other members in a different interview, they mentioned that they found it easier to voice their opinions this time because the songs felt more familiar to them.

Aoi: I think that was part of it, too. The feeling that everyone was working together to create something was really strong, so this time the production process was a lot of fun. Normally, I’m the type of person who doesn’t want to go to the recording studio. In the past, I wouldn’t go unless it was my turn to record. When other members were recording, I felt like being in the studio was just a waste of time (laughs).

Well, honestly, that’s not really true. But depending on how you look at it, it feels like a waste of time, doesn’t it? Especially since there’s not much for me to do (laughs). But this time, I actually wanted to show up, and there were songs that required programming and other input. As I kept going, I started to think being in the studio wasn’t so bad. Plus, you can eat there (laughs).

Interviewer: ...That’s your motivation? (laughs)

Aoi: (laughs) Also, this time I felt like I had the best communication with Uruha that I’ve ever had. Every morning, I’d go to pick him up—though I wasn’t the one driving (laughs). The time between when we met up and heading to the studio became like a little meeting, and I think it worked out in a positive way. In the past, I felt that the distance between Uruha and me was the farthest in the band, but that’s no longer the case.

Interviewer: The dynamic between two guitarists in the same band is quite unique, isn’t it? It often falls into one of two patterns: either they’re very close, or it’s more of a “you do your thing, I’ll do mine” type of relationship.

Aoi: Right. Because we share the same position, there are parts where we really understand each other, but there are also areas where we don’t fully align. It’s not that we didn’t get along, but Uruha and I were definitely in the “you do your thing, I’ll do mine” pattern.

However, during the recording of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, I felt like Uruha was my greatest ally. This time, unlike before, I wanted to use gear that was closer to what I play during live performances—especially for the guitar. I was set on making that change. But the guitars I had used for recording up until now had a completely different character, and it turned out to be harder than I expected.

The sound we’d created before was something everyone liked and had put a lot of effort into, so abandoning that now wasn’t easy. When I first tried using my live gear, the sound I produced made everyone go, “Huh?” (laughs). I especially thought it would be hard to get past RUKI’s wall.

In that situation, Uruha said to me, “Why not just do what feels right to you, Aoi? If you’ve refined the sound this much, it probably won’t make a huge difference which guitar you use.” Hearing that made me think, “Oh, I see.” After that, everything went smoothly.

Interviewer: Being a fellow guitarist, it seems Uruha understood how you felt. Also, the guitar sound on BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY is incredibly cool.

Aoi: I think I managed to make it sound pretty good, at least. But that’s probably just how things turned out in the end. The guitar ESP made for me has a slightly tighter low end. In the past, both of us had fat guitar tones, but this time it’s different, so I think the separation between our sounds works well. Even regarding the guitar tones, I feel like I need to refine things further.

Interviewer: So you’re aiming even higher. I think the balance is amazing—your rhythm guitar, as well as the clarity of the solos with their defined edges and solid lows.

Aoi: Thank you. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure how to achieve that. I didn’t really know how to create a satisfying lead tone with a tube amp. At home, I use simulators, so I can shape the guitar sound however I want. But with live tube amps during recording, you can’t do that so easily.

That’s when I realized just how amazing Uruha is in that respect too. He’s reached his current sound through years of trial and error. For me, I haven’t recorded many guitar solos, and honestly, I’m not the type to be particularly passionate about solos. To put it bluntly, I used to feel like anything would work.

That’s why crafting the tone for my solos was so difficult. But as I struggled and experimented with the sound, I discovered a few things. In the end, even the process of creating the tone turned out to be enjoyable.

Interviewer: It’s great to have something you want to pursue, isn’t it?

Aoi: I really think so. Around last summer, I started seriously studying the guitar. Until then, I had been playing without really understanding the instrument. How should I put it… I loved playing the guitar, and before I knew it, I had come this far. While I think that’s not necessarily a good thing, but to be honest, I’m not the type to obsessively immerse myself like a perfectionist. So, in a way, I sort of stumbled my way here.

Interviewer: Was there something that triggered your desire to study the guitar more?

Aoi: It's because of *"Guitarist Meeting" (A drinking party for guitarists)

*SUGIZO's Super Guitarist Meeting 「ギタリスト会」

"Up until now, I feel like Uruha and I were the furthest apart in the band, but during this recording, I feel like he was my biggest ally."

Aoi: The first time I joined was about two years ago, and all the members were so impressive that I felt I needed to be able to talk properly about guitars; otherwise, it would be embarrassing (laughs).

We’d drink and talk, and the conversations often got deep. In those moments, I didn’t want people to think, “This guy’s boring.” That was when I realized I had to practice more seriously. As I started practicing, I became more attentive not just to my playing but also to how I perceived sound itself.

For a while, I spent time playing on my own in secret. Then, starting last summer, I decided to engage more with my custom model guitar made by ESP. Even though I had my own model, the specs were kind of unconventional—for instance, instead of the typical two humbuckers, I went for four single-coil-sized pickups just because I didn’t like the idea of simple coil-tapped humbuckers side by side.

It wasn’t necessarily that I needed those specs; I just chose them based on what I didn’t want. But this time, I started from scratch, searching for pickups that suited this unique setup. The sound was good, but it lacked the power you get from a humbucker. I spent a year figuring out how to achieve the tone I was imagining.

Around that same time, we began recording BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, so I got a lot of support from ESP. We experimented with various parts, and I even tried soldering myself. I really did a lot of different things.

Interviewer: It’s great that the first album you worked on after engaging with the guitar more deeply allowed you to pursue the direction you were aiming for.

Aoi: Yes. The timing was perfect. If the songs I had to play didn’t highlight my individuality as a guitarist, or if they didn’t call for the kind of sound I wanted to create, it would’ve been pretty disheartening. But because that wasn’t the case, I prepared seriously for the recordings.

I don’t usually play through tube amps except during live performances. Growing up, I always had a transistor amp at home. Transistor amps are easier to handle than tube amps and can produce powerful sounds even at lower volumes. So, around last summer, I thought about getting a small tube amp for home use.

I also started building and experimenting with my own effects pedals, trying different configurations, and that turned out to be really fascinating. It finally feels like the guitar has become more of a hobby for me.

In the past, my dream was to make a living playing guitar, but that dream somehow just turned into my job. There were also many non-guitar-related aspects to my work, so I gradually stopped wanting to play guitar all the time. That phase lasted far too long.

In Uruha’s case, his sense of responsibility as a guitarist kicked in much earlier. He was highly attuned to the idea that he needed to improve his skills and create better sounds. What he started doing years ago, I’m only now beginning to explore.

For instance, details like the type and placement of the microphone in front of the cabinet during live shows—now I understand their importance. But back then, I’d wonder if it was really necessary to spend rehearsal time worrying about things like mic placement.

It’s like the saying “leave it to the experts”—I thought that stuff should just be handled by the PA engineer. But I’ve realized that’s not the case, and now I pay attention to mic placement as well.

Interviewer: The fact that you started paying attention to those aspects later doesn’t mean you were negligent. A lot of guitarists are surprisingly indifferent to equipment. Besides, if both guitarists in the GazettE were the same type, things might not have worked out as well.

Aoi: That might be true (laughs). I think it is a good thing that our personalities are so different. Uruha and I are completely different in terms of personality. He’s an explorer —when it comes to playing, sound, or anything else, he’s always researching and experimenting.

I’ve started to pay attention to those things too, but I still don’t feel the need to dive as deeply as he does. If we were both explorers, I think it would probably stifle the other members.

Interviewer: I agree. Along with its depth and content, BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY really turned out to be an excellent album in many ways. After finishing the album recordings, the GazettE performed at the KUBANA FESTIVAL in Russia and Japan’s SUMMER SONIC in August.

Aoi: Yes, we went to Russia. Getting to Russia felt like it took forever (laughs). Honestly, it took longer than going to Mexico.

Interviewer: Really?

Aoi: For some reason, we had to fly to Abu Dhabi first and then transfer to Russia. Since Abu Dhabi was just for transit, we couldn’t leave the airport, and the layover was super long. It made the trip even more exhausting (laughs).

But I thought that’s just how it is when traveling to Russia. I mean, crossing over Russia’s airspace doesn’t sound simple, right? Then on the way back from Helsinki, I realized, wait a second, we are flying directly over Russia! (laughs).

Apparently, the coordinator thought that taking a direct flight might be too tiring, so they intentionally planned a more roundabout route for the trip there.

Interviewer: Their consideration backfired, didn’t it? (laughs)

Aoi: Totally (laughs). Once we arrived in Russia, it didn’t really feel like we were in Russia at all. We got there the night before the festival, then on the day of the event, we took a bus to the venue, performed, and then left.

"I used to dream of making a living by playing guitar, but I don't feel the urge to play all the time anymore. Now, playing the guitar is so much fun."

Aoi: Speaking of Russia, the dinner we had there was awful (laughs). They gave us two styrofoam containers—one had chunks of meat, though I couldn’t tell if it was chicken or pork. It came with something like potatoes as a side dish.

The other container had a loaf of bread and a whole cucumber and tomato just thrown in there (laughs). I think the idea was to make your own sandwich, but the vegetables were just raw and unprepared (laughs). The bread was the only thing wrapped in plastic.

And there wasn’t any salt, mayonnaise, or anything for seasoning, so we were like, “How are we supposed to flavor this?” (laughs). But oddly enough, they did include coffee. The priorities were a bit confusing (laughs).

Interviewer: ...That was supposed to be dinner?

Aoi: Dinner, yes (laughs). I started wondering if Russians just don't care about food. But we arrived at the hotel at night, and none of the stores were open, so I thought, “Well, it’s fine, I guess.”

The next day, I mentioned that it would be a problem if dinner turned out to be like the previous night’s. The local staff reassured me, saying, “OK, we’ll take care of it.”

After the live show, when we returned, they said they had dinner ready for us. But I could tell right away it was the same type of container as the night before (laughs). Still, I thought maybe it could be something better, like yakiniku or something—they sometimes serve those in similar containers.

When I opened it, though, it turned out to be the same dish as the night before, just with different meat (laughs). And it was completely cold, too (laughs). Basically, there just aren’t any stores open late over there. Honestly, it left me feeling pretty exhausted (laughs).

Interviewer: Sounds intense (laughs). How was the festival itself?

Aoi: The live show was amazing. We’ve played at festivals before, but our set time was often during the day, or the venue was indoors, so it didn’t really feel like a proper festival. But Russia’s "KUBANA FESTIVAL" was exactly like the kind of festivals we’d see in the road movies of our favorite Western artists when we were kids. Around 20,000 people gathered, our set was at night, and the energy was just incredible.

Even though it’s technically prohibited, fans were taking photos during the show, and flashes were going off all across the crowd—it really added to the festival vibe. At one point, I thought, “Am I Metallica or what?” (laughs).

Also, there were people packed along the trusses beside the stage—other performers and staff all came to watch our set. In Japan, festival security is often very strict, and there’s this unspoken rule that you’re not supposed to be near the sides of the stage. But in Russia, the crowd filled the front of the stage, and there were people everywhere on the sides too. It felt like those stories I read about in magazines as a kid, like "We were drinking beer next to someone who was performing at a festival."

Playing in Russia made me think, “Oh, so this is what they were talking about.” I finally felt like I got a glimpse of the world I had always admired. And, more than anything, the audience’s enthusiasm was off the charts—especially the men. They were all forming this massive mosh pit, going wild with insane energy. At one point, I thought, “What hardcore band is this for?” (laughs).

Interviewer: That’s incredible. It’s likely that most of those people didn’t know about the GazettE, so they were purely reacting to the quality of the live performance.

Aoi: Yeah. Before the show, I heard people were saying things like, “Who are these guys from Japan, wearing makeup?” You could see comments like that on Twitter. But by the end of the show, it seemed like everyone really enjoyed it. I’ve heard that overseas audiences won’t react unless they genuinely think something is good, and if they don’t like it, they’ll show it without hesitation. So, I think the enthusiasm we got was real. Our fans in Russia were thrilled too. After the festival, we received so many messages saying, “It was amazing.”

Interviewer: It was a great decision to participate. How about the domestic "SUMMER SONIC"?

Aoi: "SUMMER SONIC" was fun too. We were invited to play again this year. That sense of being “out of place” that we felt the first time we participated wasn’t there anymore. But since it’s indoors, it felt more like an event live rather than a festival. Whether domestic or international, I’d love for us to keep participating in festivals if we’re invited. Each festival has its own atmosphere, but they’re always fun.

Recently, we’ve gotten better at understanding the atmosphere of each festival and adjusting our mindset accordingly. For example, when we played at "RISING SUN" last year, there were these charming little huts set up around the venue, creating a fantastic feel.

"SUMMER SONIC," on the other hand, has this chic, stylish feel to it. If we’re invited again, I’d like to explore more of the venue and enjoy it even further. That said, "SUMMER SONIC" has really strict security checks. We always have to carry our passes with us, even when going to the restroom, and we’re constantly asked to show them. I understand the need for tight security, so I’m not criticizing it. I just think, “Well, as long as I don’t let the strictness get to me, I’m fine” (laughs).

Interviewer: I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it. After participating in two festivals, you spent September on the month-long "the GazettE WORLD TOUR 13."

Aoi: I’d really wanted to do an overseas tour before the idea for this one came up. I was eager to perform wherever we could and also just wanted to visit other places—not to vacation, but to play music as the GazettE.

"In Russia, I actually thought, "Am I Metallica?" (laughs). I finally feel like I've discovered the world I had always admired."

Aoi: It wasn’t about building a track record overseas, making a name for ourselves, and leveraging that for festivals or anything like that. I just wanted to go with a lighthearted attitude. It had been a while since we’d been abroad. But back then, even when I talked with the staff, the vibe was kind of like, “There’s no real need to go.” The other members weren’t particularly enthusiastic either. So, I just let go of the idea of playing overseas.

Then out of nowhere, the conversation about wanting to go overseas came up. I was like, “Huh? You guys actually want to do this now?” (laughs). But by that point, my passion for it had already cooled down (laughs). And then they mentioned Latin America, and I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me” (laughs).

The other members, when they initially talked about going abroad, seemed to have Europe in mind—just doing a quick round of shows there. So when Latin America was brought up, the air was a bit confused at first. But before I knew it, everyone had warmed up to the idea of going to South America too. From what I’d heard from seniors who had toured there, getting to South America takes an entire day. I hate long travel, so I was absolutely against the idea (laughs). Flying for 24 hours sounded insane to me—it’s just way too exhausting.

Interviewer: So, when the trip to Latin America was officially decided, were you feeling pretty down about it?

Aoi: At first, yeah. But my feelings gradually changed. After the tour was confirmed, we started receiving so many messages saying things like, “We’re waiting for you” or “We’re so excited.” Of course, we’d been receiving those kinds of messages for years, which was one reason I wanted to go overseas in the first place. But once it was actually happening and those voices reached us, it made me feel like I really wanted to respond to those feelings properly. That raised my motivation.

On top of that, there was the fun aspect of preparing the gear. When we decided to go, the question of how we’d handle the equipment came up. Naturally, we couldn’t take everything. When we went to Europe six years ago, we brought all of our equipment, but this time that wasn’t feasible. And since we couldn’t disassemble the system we’re using now, we needed to create a new setup.

So, I thought, why not take the opportunity to build the equipment myself? I wanted to choose everything based on my personal preferences. That made the whole process more exciting. I already had a basic, simple setup that I’d put together last summer, so I wondered if I could build off that foundation to create something new. After work, I’d grab a soldering iron and just dive into making cables and setups.

Interviewer: Seriously? I’m amazed you even made your own cables.

Aoi: Oh, I made a ton of them (laughs). Boxes of cables would arrive at my house, and it looked like I was running a business (laughs). As I refined my guitar tone, I figured out what kind of cables I liked. I ended up using Belden cables and Switchcraft jacks, tailored to my preferences.

Interviewer: You're particular about it. What was the centerpiece of your simplified setup?

Aoi: It was a multi-effects unit called the BOSS GT-100. Nuno (Bettencourt) uses the BOSS GT-8, so I thought I’d give it a try. He’s the kind of person who confidently says, “My sound comes from my right hand,” so it seems he’s not too particular about his gear.

At first, people around me were like, “Don’t use a multi-effects unit because it changes your tone the moment the signal goes through it.” And yeah, it does add some compression or a certain “processed” sound, but I didn’t dislike that. In fact, the sound was thicker compared to the setup I usually use in Japan. I was like, “What’s the problem? This is actually pretty good” (laughs).

Interviewer: Thank you Nuno. It was your first time visiting Mexico and South America—what were your impressions?

Aoi: When we landed in Mexico, I was surprised by how passionate the fans were. There was a massive crowd at the airport giving us such a warm welcome. But that was just the beginning of the excitement we’d experience during the South American tour.

The last stop in Brazil was absolutely incredible. It felt like the intensity built with each show, and by the time we got to Brazil, it just exploded. Also, I think it was great that we were able to do the tour while the band was in such a good place after creating BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. That album was a significant turning point for us. Throughout the tour, the atmosphere was consistently good. Our playing felt solid, and I was happy with the tones I was getting. It made the whole experience really fun.

Interviewer: What kind of venues did you perform in across South America?

Aoi: They were mostly large open event spaces or gymnasium-like places with temporary stages set up. In Argentina, we played in a proper hall, though. Speaking of Mexico, the speakers directed at the audience were shockingly small. I was like, “Is this a high school cultural festival?” (laughs). On top of that, there were strict volume restrictions. So once the live show started, all I could hear was the audience’s voices (laughs).

Interviewer: In a way, that shows how much the crowd was into it.

Aoi: Yeah, they were really into it. The audience was constantly making noise—screaming “Kyaaa!” or “Waaah!” the entire time (laughs). During the encore, it got even crazier, and at that point, I truly couldn’t hear anything.

Also, there were a lot of guys in the audience. The kind of guys who, just by looking at them, you’d think, “They’re probably way better at playing than we are” (laughs). Foreigners have this aura that they’re naturally great with instruments, don’t they? (laughs). Even if they’ve never touched an instrument, they just seem like they’d be amazing if they did (laughs). At first, I felt like those guys were critically watching and judging our playing and sound. But as the show went on, that feeling disappeared. Everyone looked like they were having fun, drinking and watching the show.

"I think it was really great that we were able to go on the tour in the good state we were in after making BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. That production was truly a turning point for us."

Interviewer: The atmosphere is completely different from live shows in Japan, isn’t it?

Aoi: It really is. Every show turned into such an intense experience, and I felt incredibly grateful. South America is probably the farthest region from Japan, right? Yet, there were so many people there waiting for the GazettE. It was far beyond our expectations. We were honestly wondering if venues with capacities of 2,000–3,000 people would fill up, but everyone was clearly eagerly awaiting us, and every venue ended up being packed. It was so much fun.

Interviewer: It sounds like it was well worth the trip. South America is also known for having safety concerns—did you experience anything like that?

Aoi: The safety concerns are real. Especially in Mexico, it seemed really dangerous... actually, it’s said to be quite risky. In Argentina, we did a photoshoot, and apparently, the location where Uruha and Reita shot was sketchy. I tagged along for Uruha’s shoot, and the local guide would say things like, “This area is fine, but don’t go over there.” There were some slightly shady-looking guys around. It definitely felt dangerous. But honestly, even that was kind of interesting. I just thought, if something were to happen to me, it would probably happen to a few others too, so at that point I thought there was nothing I could do (laughs).

Interviewer: Ah, um… I’m just really glad you made it back safely. Since it was your first visit, did you get a sense of what South America is like?

Aoi: The thing that stood out the most was how friendly and warm the people were. We’d only interacted with Europeans before, so we had this slightly intimidating image of South Americans. But honestly, everyone was incredibly nice. I think Mexico might’ve been my favorite. The people working in service industries there were especially kind. Also, Chile had this surprisingly European vibe, which was unexpected. While Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina felt distinctly South American, Chile was different—it had a stylish and polished atmosphere. There were slum-like areas that felt very South American, but the developed parts were exceptionally clean and beautiful. It wasn’t overtly European, but rather quiet, clean, full of greenery, and really serene.

Interviewer: Hearing that makes me want to visit Chile. After returning from Brazil, you only stayed in Japan for three days before heading off on a European tour, right?

Aoi: Yeah, the start of the European part was tough. I caught a cold on the way back from Brazil, and when I got home, I had a high fever. I was in bed for three days and it didn't get better. I was in a bad mood. I felt sick and I wanted to smoke. Some fans had come to see us off at the airport, but I ignored them completely (laughs). While we were touring South America, I’d been in a “Why not? Let’s sign for everyone who’s waiting!” kind of mood, but by the time we got to France, I was like a completely different person (laughs). Looking back now, I feel bad about it, but at the time, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind because of how awful I felt physically.

Interviewer: If any of your European fans read this magazine, I hope they’ll understand your feelings. How were the concerts?

Aoi: Europe was great as well. The audience from six years ago has mostly changed. Back then, Japanese visual kei and anime were booming, so a lot of people came to see the GazettE just because it was trendy. This time, it felt like the people who came to the shows were genuinely fans of the GazettE or were curious about us.

Even in that context, we had a huge turnout. It was our first time performing in Munich, Germany, and the reaction there was fantastic. All the venues were lively, and I personally felt that we delivered great performances each time. Compared to the last time we toured Europe, I think I was better at accepting the unavoidable challenges as just part of the experience. That made a big difference. I didn’t feel stressed at all during the tour and was able to keep a good mindset.

Interviewer: It really shows how important it is to visit repeatedly. By the way, what kind of setlist did you perform during the world tour?

Aoi: We focused on songs released before FADELESS and mainly included tracks that had been featured in live DVDs. We wanted to bring the heat of Japan to our international audience, so I think we mostly picked more recent songs. In every country, “SHIVER” got an amazing reaction, so we played it at every show. But interestingly, the fans were also familiar with older songs. Outside the venues, I could hear people singing “Cassis” and “Wakaremichi.”

Interviewer: It’s clear that the GazettE’s overseas tours aren’t just trips abroad—they’re proper tours.

Aoi: I think that’s true. Experiencing this, I felt like we should’ve gone overseas much earlier. The fans who came to the shows looked genuinely happy, and that made me happy too. The tight schedule makes it hard to tour internationally, but I want to go back before too much time passes, so people don’t feel like they’ll never see us again. I’d love to perform in even more countries. Fans from places like Spain and Italy also came to see us, and of course, there was a huge crowd from Russia too. Realizing that there are GazettE fans all across Europe waiting for us made this tour feel like it was just the beginning of something bigger.

Interviewer: It seems likely that you’ll be heading there again in the near future. Can you share any memorable experiences from Europe?

Aoi: Hmm, I wonder? Europe was easier in the sense that we traveled by bus. I like traveling by bus, so that part was good. However, the hotels were always in the suburbs for some reason, and that was frustrating. For example, when we went to France, the hotel was in a quiet residential area about an hour away from Paris. Uruha went to see the Arc de Triomphe and such, but I didn’t even have the energy for that—it was such a peaceful place (laughs).

The last time we went to France, we stayed in a hotel in the city, and I thought the streets were stylish, and the people walking around were fashionable too. But this time, there wasn’t anything that lifted my spirits like that at all (laughs). In Germany, though, the hotel was in the center of Cologne, so that was fun. We used free time to go shopping, I went with Ruki when he wanted to buy clothes. Cologne was a lot of fun.

Interviewer: Hopefully, you’ll have more time for such experiences on your next visit. After returning from your international tour, you are currently (as of mid-November/January) in the midst of the domestic tour, the GazettE LIVE TOUR 13 [BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY] MAGNIFICENT MALFORMED BOX, centered around BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY.

Aoi: We didn’t perform any songs from BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY at the summer festivals or during the overseas tour. For the domestic tour, the live performances are centered around the new songs, so we had to start from scratch in preparing for it. But we really didn’t have much time—just about a month or so. I thought that might be enough, but we were also busy with various photoshoots and recordings during that period, so it was difficult to set aside proper time for preparations. To go on tour while keeping the positive momentum from the overseas tour, we needed a lot of preparation, and we were really cutting it close.

When we started rehearsing in the studio, there were still so many parts that weren’t ready. In the past, that wouldn’t have been much of an issue for me. I would just think, “We’ll refine it as we go along on tour.” But this time, I didn’t feel the same way. I wanted to present my latest self during this latest tour. If we just went along as usual, I felt it would defeat the purpose of doing this. Because of that, it was quite challenging. Even starting with the equipment, I wasn’t satisfied. The sound of the gear I’d been using in Japan was completely different from the sound that gave me a good impression during the overseas tour.

Also, since I started using in-ear monitors, I realized that Ruki, who had always been hearing my sound through them, must have been bearing a significant burden. The sound I crafted to feel good from my standing position often ended up harsh and overly bright when picked up by the mic placed in front of the cabinet. The PA engineers would then adjust and process that sound before sending it out to the audience, but that didn’t feel quite right to me.

Understanding the flaws of my previous system, I decided to revamp everything. But with so little time, all I could really do was remove unnecessary elements and adjust the wiring. So, if you ask me whether I’m 100% satisfied with the sound I’m producing right now, I’d say not entirely. The current system is very convenient and easy to use, but there are still areas I see as challenges for the future.

"When I really face things, I realize that the members are all there to give me the right answers. Understanding that, I now feel a great sense of fulfillment."

Aoi: That said, I think the guitar sound has changed significantly, and my playing has evolved compared to the tours we did in Japan before going overseas. It feels much easier to perform now.

Interviewer: It sounds like your preparations paid off. Did the band have any particular themes or goals in mind for this tour?

Aoi: Not really, apart from wanting to clearly showcase the world of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY. For us, it feels like a continuation of the overseas tour. We talked a lot as a band while we were traveling internationally, so we already had a shared understanding of the kind of live shows we wanted to deliver. But we didn’t set any explicit concepts or themes.

Interviewer: Did you make any suggestions regarding the stage design or the setlist?

Aoi: No, I’m afraid not. I couldn’t think that far ahead this time. I was completely consumed with what I wanted to focus on—whether it was my playing or the sound. Right now, it’s more about correcting the things that bother me while touring.

Interviewer: Refining things over the course of a tour is one of its unique joys. How has the audience reacted to this tour?

Aoi: ...Well, it’s very much Japan, you know? (laughs)

Interviewer: Huh?

Aoi: I mean, Japanese audiences aren’t like the overseas crowds who are all "Waaah!" and super energetic. Especially at the first fan club-only show, in Yokosuka, it felt like both sides—the band and the audience—were cautiously feeling each other out. But from the next show onward, the audience started being more spirited. Japanese audiences are different from overseas crowds who are wild and energetic throughout the entire concert. You could say they’re more critical in a way. If a band doesn’t have enough strength or presence, there will be people in the audience who just won’t get into it. But I find that kind of challenge inspiring—it fires me up to perform for such audiences.

So far, the vibe at each show has been really good. During the early stages of the DIVISION tour, I sometimes felt like there was a disconnect between the band and the audience, but I haven’t felt that this time. There are still some areas that I’m keeping an eye on, but overall, we’ve been getting a lot of feedback from people saying they’re having fun. I think that shows we’re heading in a good direction. For instance, the softer, more melodic section of the setlist—what we call the “song block”—usually feels like a weak point in the live set. In the past, our attitude toward it was like, “Well, it’ll get better with more experience.” But this time, it feels like the level of completion is pretty high. Even when I think I’ve messed up, REITA tells me, “No, it sounded good.”

That said, we’re still operating on the edge—every performance feels incredibly tense (laughs). Honestly, I’m still completely consumed by trying to manage my own performance. I have a standard in my head for the quality I want people to hear and see, and I feel like my performances are just barely reaching that. We’ve done eight shows so far (as of this interview), and out of those, there’s only been one show where I thought, “Yeah, that was really good.” If I can consistently surpass that level, I think I’ll be able to focus on other aspects of the performance as well.

Interviewer: In a way, it sounds like you’re in a state of constant unease.

Aoi: Yes. Up until now, I didn’t really experience this. I used to just sort of coast through things without much thought (laughs).

Interviewer: No way (laughs). So for this tour, you’re being more critical of yourself after each performance?

Aoi: I am. But since I’ve been doing this for a long time, a lot of those assessments come instinctively during the performance itself. Even when I review footage afterward, I don’t see huge differences from one day to the next. Sometimes, when I think a performance was off, the footage shows it wasn’t all that different from a day I thought was great. The thing is, only I, as the one actually playing, can perceive those subtle shifts in timing or feel. The audience wouldn’t pick up on those minor imperfections. That’s why I’ve decided to be my own harshest critic.

That said, reviewing footage has also helped me notice some positives. For instance, I’ve realized that my moments of anxiety or urgency don’t seem to be apparent to the fans anymore. In the past, when I felt that way, it would show quite obviously, and I’d get a lot of comments like, “You didn’t seem very energetic today.” Letting fans sense whether I’m having a good or bad day isn’t ideal, so I think I’ve improved in that respect. At least now, I’m better at keeping that internal struggle to myself.

Interviewer: It sounds like your level as a guitarist has improved.

Aoi: I feel that way, and that has definitely boosted my confidence. Now, I can see things clearly, and even when I’m not playing my best or make a mistake, I can stay composed. In the past, if I made one mistake, I’d dwell on it, which would lead to another mistake, and things would just spiral downward. But now, that doesn’t happen anymore.

Interviewer: It seems like, even with all the little details you notice, you’re enjoying playing the guitar during live performances more than before.

Aoi: Absolutely, it’s so much fun. That’s why I find myself wishing the sound could be even better. When playing the GazettE’s songs, I have to rely on a lot of effects, which can thin out the sound. But I’ve already figured out what needs to be improved, so I’m working on that.

Interviewer: It sounds like you’re enjoying the process of moving things in a better direction.

Aoi: Yeah. I don’t find the process of making improvements burdensome at all. Compared to before, my desire to create music that resonates with people is so much stronger, and having specific things to work on to achieve that feels exciting. Coasting along without any challenges might be easier, but it often leads to complacency. This time, I don’t feel that way at all.

Interviewer: That’s great to hear. What’s your impression of performing songs from BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY live?

Aoi: For the new songs, it really comes down to the opening track, "INSIDE BEAST." Starting the live show with a song like that feels fantastic. It sets a high-energy tone, and it also tells me everything about my condition for the day. I can see how light my body feels, how much I can move, and adjust my performance accordingly. If something feels off, it helps me know what to be mindful of during that day’s live performance. That’s why I always concentrate when playing "INSIDE BEAST." If I get a good feeling from it, I can ride that momentum through the rest of the show.

Interviewer: It sounds like the perfect way to kick off a live show. The tour finale on January 1st at Yokohama Arena seems poised to be an unmissable performance.

Aoi: Honestly, I can’t see it at all yet (laughs). But as we go through the tour, I want to properly do what needs to be done at each moment, raise the quality of our performances, and connect it all to the final show. At this stage, I think each member is still at the point of just barely reaching or not quite reaching their own personal limits. To go beyond that, I think the only way is to keep doing it over and over again.

We all practiced like crazy before going on this tour, so the foundation for the live shows is solid. From here, it’s about each of us refining ourselves and working on closing the gap with the fans. I’m confident that by doing more shows, the content will keep getting better.

Interviewer: I’m really looking forward to it. Listening to you, I really feel that everything you've been doing since you began facing the guitar more seriously has come together in a positive way this year.

Aoi: Yeah, I think so. But honestly, it’s actually a pretty simple matter. If you really face something properly, it’ll respond to you properly as well. Until now, there were so many times when I would just draw conclusions on my own and think, “That’s just how it is,” and leave it at that. But when I truly faced things, I realized that I was surrounded by members who would give proper answers in return. Understanding that made me feel incredibly motivated.

In the past, I wasn’t very good at communicating. I’d often just say something like, “I don’t get it,” and brush things off right away. But that doesn’t work. Once I realized that, and once I started changing myself, everything began rolling in a better direction.

So now, performing live is genuinely fun. Of course, it was fun before too, but back then it was more about laughing because of excitement on stage. Now, I feel like we understand each other on a deeper level, and in a really good way, we’re able to compete with one another. At this point, I truly feel that the sense of band unity within the GazettE has grown even stronger.

[ruins-of-tragedy]

Concluded season five of RWBY. The band is back together! The world tour is on track once more!!!

- Adam. You were right. Someone needed to die that day. But it shouldn't have been Sienna. It was supposed to be you.

- The PR battle between Adam and the Belladonnas. WoWie... I want to tear that Taurus guy apart from limb to limb.

- So Ozpin is not just Ozpin but many, many, many people who merged their souls with a cursed person? Okie. This is a thing.

- Cursed because he couldn't stop Salem initially. What kind-of fucked Gods are these?!

- I want... No. I NEED Weiss, Blake and Yang to receive special training from cute small little Oscar boy Ozpin. Pwease.

- Love the idea of a semblance and what that can mean in our verse. Especially since we can unlock it too... In the words of one wise Nora Valkyrie, it's "...like your very own superpower! Everybody's got one. It's just a matter of finding it and mastering it."

- Raven may not be a great mother, but she seems like a badass. I can respect that. However, fucking nope. Yang deserves better. Am glad she at least had Summer for a while.

- It's the fact that Weiss has to stand up on her tippy-toes in order to hug Yang properly. 😆😭🥹

- Ruby is innocence. Weiss is defiance. Yang is strength. 🫶🏻

- Blake must miss them so much.

- Adam is spite. And his way of thinking is dangerously contagious. Gods... I LOVE this show.

- Who needs real tea when Raven's over here spilling the whole container worth of gossip?

- To the guy carving food like ramen out of wood pieces... Teach me your ways!!! Also, do better for Faunus. They should be allowed in the bar too.

- Yang and Weiss and Ruby hug!!!!

- Vomit Boy. Nickname throwbacks!!! AGHHHHH!!! Ice Queen didn't miss them at all. ✨

- That conversation between RWY and then Weiss and Yang... Gods. I really appreciated the variations in loneliness Weiss talks about.

- Unrelated note, but Jacques Schnee should come to our world. I will welcome him happily. Please. And thank you.

- Ruby was right. "Nice Weiss strikes again."

- Also, love how Yang does not want to care. At all. But she does. So much.

- Abandonment issues are the worst.

- Ilia liked Blake? Awwww! I didn't know she was cool like that! The betrayal though. Fuckity fuck.

- WoWie. Ilia was able to form thoughts and speak them out coherently still, while having a lady on top. Straddling her, as she was being pinned down. Gods. I couldn't have done it if I was her age. Heck, can't do so even now... Debating morals and engaging in a big emotional confrontation this way... She is stronger than I am.

- Ilia could have died the same death her parents probably did. Fuck. Thank Gods for people like Ghira.

- The audacity of this biatch. The Belladonnas ruined everything?!??? Corsair. Catch these hands!!!

- Welcome to the good side Ilia. Here we have friends, support and Blake!

- So Weiss gets stabbed. I know she is not going to die. But FUCKKKKKKK. They are really coming after her this season...

- My emotions are being played with.

- Jaune's semblance heals?! Awwwwww! So fitting!!!

- Hazel is so overcome by his own rage, he can't see it was his sister's choice. And instead of respecting that, he is out here trying to bring down other children. I don't think she will be impressed.

- Raven is the spring maiden. Did NOT see that coming.

- I need a show revolving around Team STRQ.

- Jaune's aura amplifies others. He won't run out. Pyrrha believed he has a lot of it. 🌟😭

- Blake coming in with back-up and reinforcements had me screaming with joy!!! Really needed that.

- Cinder's now Grimm too?!

- That look between Blake and Yang. Xiao Long cannot anymore. She has fallen HARD. I think she knows it too. At least somewhat. Gods. I love them.

- Yang not letting her emotions get the best of her when it easily could have before... Especially when it's Mercury coming for her. Top tier character glow up!!! Even more so because it didn't happen all at once. There were times she failed to do it too. I like how they kept it realistic.

- Cinder Fall falls. Vernal is the MVP. And dead.

- Every time RWBY has a half an hour episode now, I get scared. And that's the case still with the finale of this season.

- Sun Wukong is an honorary Belladonna for me.

- Weiss remembers Blake being more quiet. 😂

- Yang vs Raven. Love this battle of wills.

- So much for being "Lionheart." Giving Leos a bad name. At least he dead now.

- Fuck. Could never have imagined Raven killing the initial Spring Maiden. But I guess it makes sense.

- Yang Xiao Long is my favourite character. Period.

- Team RWBY is back together. They are hugging. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

- Bumbleby is out of the trenches, but heading into an emotional one perhaps?

- Next stop: Atlas. I feel Qrow's long suffering sigh. 😤. Ironwood was turning into a bit of a dictator, the last time we saw him. Wonder what's going on with him now.

- Raven wants to talk to Tai... Not your typical parents teachers meeting. 😆

- This is out of order, but I laughed so hard when Raven clocks the bad folks for being ego-maniacs. Then calls out Cinder's last name and how it's too appropriate. Doctor Watts confirming it was the cherry on top!

- This season was something. In the best possible way. Holy hell... Anywho, onto the next one!!!

(No spoilers! Or I use you for Jacques and Adam target practice. Adiós!)

[jokeroutsubs]

📝ENG Translation: 🆕 Bojan Cvjetićanin's interview for May 2024 issue of OnaPlus magazine.

Article written by Daša Mavrič, published in OnaPlus magazine on 03.05.2024. English translation by TT katysmusic77 proofread by IG GBoleyn123.

🗨 Bojan Cvjetićanin, Joker Out: I wasn't at ease on stage for quite a long time

The calendar causes them a lot of issues, Bojan from Joker Out admits in conversation. In one year, the boys experienced things that most of us don't get to experience in our entire lifetime. How can someone avoid mixing up the sequence of events?! Bojan Cvjetićanin is currently in Germany with Kris Guštin, Nace Jordan, Jan Peteh and Jure Maček, where they are recording their third album.

In a long distance conversation he only confirmed his professionalism, which they agreed upon simultaneously with their performance at Eurovision. "We very quickly and unanimously decided to take on the rock'n'roll lifestyle properly; for us to enjoy it, for our fans to enjoy it and to be able to enjoy it for more than a month," Bojan says.

We're talking during your process of recording the album in Hamburg, just before that, you finished the tour. The band members really spend a lot of time together. How has your relationship evolved during all the years of being in a band?

BC: The current line-up is not the original one, we switched two members. But the fact is that the intense band life began two years ago, when both new members had already joined the band. So our common home, so to speak, has only existed for about a year. A lot has changed in fact. I believe we don't even notice all of it, nor do we think about it, because we are together all the time and we filter through the changes regularly.

If I look back, I see that the relationship between us became extremely, extremely tight and a mutual trust has been formed, which can only be built when you spend as much time with someone as we do with each other. The line between our relationships has been blurred. What I'm trying to say is that the line blurred between being a friend, a band member, a colleague, it all became one thing. We are essentially a sort of organism, which evolves and changes together.

The growth of each individual is very dependent on the other four members. We really have been through a lot together; even the biggest moments of shock, which influence our feelings and thoughts, happened to us collectively, we were never alone. We have become very dependant opon one another.

Your pace of life would firstly be ascribed to a professional athlete, rather than a rockstar. And to me it seems you have set out on your career in this way consciously. There's probably no drinking, late nights out?

BC: When we started the first two Europen tours it very quickly became apparent that what we are doing is a lot more serious than people would imagine. At least for us, this is the most fun job in the world, as we get to create and play music for the people who love us. And we love them as well. Together we share these lovely feelings, which is the coolest part of this job. If we want to do this long term and at a high level, we knew that we had to take it seriously.

When you have 22 concerts in one month, you of course think that everyone who bought a ticket to your concert deserves your best performance. When you're living at an extremely demanding pace for a month, late nights out and similar things are a completely unnecessary stress and distraction for your body. We very quickly and unanimously decided to take on the rock'n'rolll lifestyle in a proper way; for us to enjoy it, for our fans to enjoy it and to be able to enjoy it for more than a month.

In the podcast for N1¹ you openly talked about your panic attack. How have you been taking care of your mental health since that episode? ¹You can watch the N1 podcast with English subtitles on our YouTube channel!

BC: This happened to me last summer when, even though I was sick, we played five or six concerts in ten days. Tiredness and probably everything that had happened to us took its toll. After Eurovision, which ended in May, we didn't turn on the emotional part of our brain, because so many things were happening so quickly, we fell into work mode. The combination of all these emotions and events probably mixed together with tiredness and illness. I wasn't really at ease on stage and continued to not be at ease on stage for quite a long time, practically a whole year. But of course to a much lesser extent and less severely. The whole team made sure that it would happen as little as possible. The boys gladly took on the responsibilities for which my presence wasn't necessary and took that burden off my shoulders. I hardly had to deal with the logistics, the bureaucracy and I left it to those, who are better qualified for it. The boys in the band and our team always make sure that everyone feels at their maximum best.

On tours that are behind you, something really fascinating happened, the fans were singing with you in Slovene. We're speaking during your process of recording the new album in Germany. Does it even matter in which language you create music?

BC: On all the tours so far it turned out that for hour and a half, people are singing our lyrics. When some of our friends from Slovenia came to one of the concerts, they really couldn't fathom what was going on, because the people around them were talking in their own languages, but when we started singing, they sang together with us. On stage, we hardly hear any details in the pronunciation through all the noise, so we don't even have the feeling that the people who are singing don't speak Slovene otherwise. We felt very at home throughout all of Europe, which was quite magical.

Regarding the recording of the third album, the songs will be in the languages in which the idea for them was sparked. When it comes to the language in which the song is created, we really don't limit ourselves.

But I can tell you that the majority of the songs will be in Serbian and in Slovene, I doubt there will be more than two, maybe three songs in English.

Who is your favourite to win this year's Eurovision song contest?

BC: To be completely honest, I haven't looked into into this year's contestants a lot. I want to hear the songs for the first time when we watch Eurovision, which will be here in the studio. I was a host at the Eurovision pre-party in Madrid and there I heard some of the songs, but I consciously moved backstage to not hear them in their entirety. I want to experience it with a neutral outlook and base my opinion on what I hear for the first time, and not after I had been listening to a song for three months and maybe even met the artist in person.

But I absolutely strongly believe in our representative Sara. I know that she sings the song live really well. And that's very, very important. I know she has the stage presence, I saw the reaction from the public after her performance in Spain and that reaction was very positive.

For now, Raiven's performance is the only one that I saw in its entirety. I want to experience the rest when Eurovision happens.

How do you look back on your Eurovision experience after one year? You are in fact the first Slovenian representative that really took advantage of it in a completely different way.

BC: Eurovision completely changed our career and our lives. It's interesting that so many things happened to us since last year that we find it hard to perceive time. The calendar represents a big problem for us (laughter). We have problems evaluating what happened three months ago, what happened seven months ago and what happened two years ago. The events get a bit mixed up. If somebody told me that three years have passed since Eurovision, I would believe them.

We had a hectic lifestyle for half a year, we fell into an extremely unique universe, which you can only really believe if you're a part of Eurovision, or if you're an avid Eurovison fan who lives for Eurovision. And there's a lot of them.

Yeah, you fall into some kind of universe and you live in a bubble, completely isolated from your surroundings. We had a blast, we enjoyed it a lot, we met so many wonderful people. Since last year, we saw half of the representatives during the tours and all of them joined us on stage.

We know and we feel, that we did a good job. We are proud of what we have done, proud of what Eurovision enabled us to do. We worked really hard, all of it was very much filled with competitive spirit, but every single moment was worth it. When the opportunity for Eurovision presented itself to us, we knew we would take it full-on, or not at all.

[banana-revenge]

Banana Rambles: Tokyo Revengers Edition

I would like to start with WHERE THE HELL ARE TAKEMICHI'S PARENTS!?

Kakucho's last name isn't Hitto. Who the hell started that trend, anyway!?

Prove me wrong: physycally, Hina is five times stronger than Takemichi. She was trained in karate (I believe), but either Takemichi doesn't want her to fight for her safety or something else.

Shinichiro loves to spoil Mikey and Emma (and later Izana) to death. Reason: they do not have parents anymore to give them the warmth and happiness they needed.

Speaking of parents, I firmly believe that Izana's Filipina mother is still alive somewhere.

I'm sure it wasn't me, but animators (merch heads and PazuReve) never shown the Haitanis' tattoos -- and I have this hunch that it was due to censorship in viewership in Japan. Plus the fact that the legal age of adulthood in Japan was 20 -- until 2022 when the law lowered it down to 18.

It was due to his love for manga and his wild nature that Baji was a chuunibyo.

Do you think Chifuyu would one day leave the pet store to Baji and Kazutora if he decided to follow his original dream of becoming a pilot?

In the good timeline, the leaders of the Three Deities didn't fight with their fists anymore -- rather, by their voices. A singing contest, DUH (because duh remember the survey where South is at the top spot, followed by Mikey and Senju, for being the BEST singers)!?

Akkun and the rest of the members of Mizo's Mid Five were criminally underrated -- they were Takemichi's first best friends before Chifuyu came to his life!

Is it just me, or Draken was just being criminally left out of merchs recently? Why? Is it because of Emma!?

Kazutora was being left out of merchs as well. Is it because he was a criminal once!?

Pah and Peh were practically been left out too. Just because they're not good-looking enough!?

The girls! The precious girls! Their merchs were criminally low -- just because it's mainly a shounen anime focusing on boys beating each other's shit!?

Okay, maybe Kisaki was a total ass in all of those timelines (and I really hated what he did to these poor characters and more particularly Hina) but if I were her and Takemichi, I would probably find a way to look at the good side of him and will try to give my hand to him first before someone else would.

But then, props to Hanma for being the only guy in the show who understood Kisaki and his inner demons. I even thought he was just a random dude without any background story being thrown there just for the story to move.

I don't understand the hype of gushing over the Haitani Brothers. At all.

Back in my time, there was Haruka and Michiru. In this era, they now have Inupi and Koko.

The fact that Angry, Mitsuya, Akkun and Kazutora formed a band together (during or after Toman!?) made me want to see a clip of them performing together. Better yet, a song from them!

I hate the fact that Emma has no character song at all.

As per survey, Takemichi was ranked one of the worst singers. So HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU EXPLAIN HIS CHARACTER SONG THEN!?

There should be a ranking as well for the best dancer. And I believe Yuzuha is one of the top three best dancers.

I'm proud of Naoto, but I pity him at the same time. Sure, if Takemichi didn't save him in the first place, there wouldn't be any time leaping and Mikey and all. But of all the things he did for Takemichi to jump back in time to save Hina with the best of his ability, he still ended up as a side note. So don't complain if he glowed down at the end of the manga -- he just finally fulfilled his dream of becoming an occult magazine columnist.

I definitely agree with all of you here that these boys need good damn psychiatric counselling -- especially Mikey and Kazutora. Include Izana and Sanzu too.

If ever Duet EP02 will be released, I want a duet chara song of TakeHina, DoraEmma, MitsuYusu, and KokoInu. A girl can dream.

Will they release an OVA of their life during and after Toman in the good timeline? HOPEFULLY.

GIVE ME AN EPISODE WHERE MIKEY AND TAKEMICHI WENT BACK TO CORREGIDOR TOGETHER WITHOUT KILLING EACH OTHER!

As much as I would like to wish for an onsen episode, I don't think most onsen will be welcoming towards people with tattoos. Draken and Kazutora will be left out. Again.

Obviously, Mitsuya loves making his friends into his models whenever there is a fashion-related event. He even makes his sisters as models.

I believe that, in the final timeline, after Toman disbanded, they took a commemorative photo just like the last photo taken in that timeline when Mikey had to disband Toman to save them from his dark impulses. And they included their girlfriends, being their heart in the first place.

A cat's usual life expectancy is up to 15 years, and if cared properly, they can live as long as 20 or so years. Peke-J was probably a few months old when Chifuyu found him, so maybe he still lived 12 years, long enough to see the petstore named after him to come into fruition.

I think these are the kinds of friends who would always get discounts because they have friends who were designers, petshop owners, vets, beauticians, pharmacists, lawyers, gym owners, realt estate brokers, celebrities, restauranteurs, bar owners, etc. I mean, who wouldn't be that lucky if you have circle of friends like them!?

Beach episode is so overrated. Gimme a gym or dojo episode instead.

I'll add some later in the future once my brain functioned back to normal, for now, ingest.

[black-arcana]

SPIRITBOX's COURTNEY LAPLANTE: GOJIRA's Performance At Olympic Games Was 'The Biggest Mainstream Moment In The History Of Metal'

In a new interview with Audacy Music, SPIRITBOX frontwoman Courtney LaPlante spoke about the fact that her band lost out to GOJIRA in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 67th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) in Los Angeles, California. GOJIRA was nominated for "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!)" — a version of the French Revolution-era standard "Ah! Ça Ira!" — which the band performed at last year's Olympic Games opening ceremony. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In my opinion, [GOJIRA's performance at the Olympic Games] was the biggest mainstream moment in the history of metal. Most metal bands don't hit mainstream in any capacity like that until they make more mainstream music. And I don't mean 'mainstream' in a bad way. I just mean more accessible to lots of people. But GOJIRA, that's why it was so shocking to me, and I think to the world, who's kind of scared of that performance, is that they didn't do anything — I don't think they compromised anything. I think it might be the most metal thing to ever happen on TV — ever, ever — 'cause a billion people watched it."

Regarding the fact that GOJIRA won over SPIRITBOX, Courtney said: "It was funny 'cause [the guys in GOJIRA] are very humble people and they are really nice and really supportive of us. And so we were all in the lineup to go do the Getty Images together… And we were, like, 'Guys, you opened the Olympics. You're winning.' … I really think they thought they weren't gonna win because they sat so far in the back, they almost didn't get to do their speech. I'm, like, 'Guys, at least come to the 10th row.' … So I'm really happy for them.

"Of course, I'd love to win a Grammy," Courtney clarified. "That sounds awesome. But when there's only one metal award, all the other people in there are awesome, and I don't think anyone is sad to lose to those other people, because there's only five bands that get to be picked to be nominated for that every year. That's the only award for metal."

SPIRITBOX's sophomore album, "Tsunami Sea", came out on March 7 via Pale Chord / Rise Records.

SPIRITBOX kicked off its sold-out European tour on February 13 at London's iconic Alexandra Palace, marking the band's largest headline show to date, with 10,000 tickets sold. From there, they continued across Europe before launching into the "Tsunami Sea" North American tour, beginning April 3 in Dallas, Texas. The 24-date trek — produced by Live Nation — brings LOATHE, DYING WISH and GEL along for the ride, tearing through cities across the U.S. and Canada. This summer, SPIRITBOX will step onto even bigger stages, joining LINKIN PARK for select stadium dates in Italy, the Netherlands, and the U.K.

Formed in 2017 in the picturesque yet isolated region of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada by vocalist Courtney LaPlante and guitarist Mike Stringer, SPIRITBOX would fully cement themselves as a household name in the summer of 2020 with the release of their blistering breakout single "Holy Roller", along with a host of other captivating singles shortly after, resulting in a media firestorm of hype.

With new and existing fans eagerly watching their next move, SPIRITBOX exceeded every expectation imaginable in 2021 with the release of their genre-defining debut studio album "Eternal Blue" via Pale Chord/Rise Records. "Eternal Blue", which debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, kicked open the doors of the heavy metal scene and rewrote the genre's playbook with 12 stunning tracks that incorporated everything from djent and post-metal to infectious synth-laden pop sensibilities and cinematic arrangements, brought fully to life by the inimitable LaPlante's ethereal and commanding vocal performances.

The album cycle for "Eternal Blue" saw SPIRITBOX not only grace the covers of esteemed music publications such as Revolver, Alternative Press, Rock Sound and Kerrang!, among many others but would also solidify the band as one of the most in-demand groups in live music today with their one-hundred percent sold out, first-ever headlining tour in support of the album which saw ticket sales over 40,000. The band would also share the stage with seasoned metal veterans such as LIMP BIZKIT and GHOST and win "Best International Breakthrough Band" at the 2021 Heavy Music Awards.

In 2022, SPIRITBOX secured highly coveted spots at numerous major U.S. rock and metal festivals and were nominated for two Juno awards. SPIRITBOX would also round out their current lineup with the inclusion of drummer Zev Rose and bassist Josh Gilbert in addition to releasing their sonically experimental EP "Rotoscope" in June of that year as well as a cross-genre collaboration with dubstep artist Illenium for the track "Shivering".

During another whirlwind year for the band, including a U.S. tour with SHINEDOWN and PAPA ROACH, SPIRITBOX wrote and recorded their critically acclaimed EP "The Fear Of Fear", released in November 2023. The EP features the single "Jaded", which was nominated for "Best Metal Performance" at the 66th annual Grammy Awards. In the same month, the band would make another genre-bending splash with a high-profile collaboration with rapper Megan Thee Stallion for a remix of her song "Cobra".

[wuxiaphoenix]

Worldbuilding: A Thought on Catgirls

First question: what kind of cats?

This is important because the vast majority of cat species are solitary predators. A mother teaches her kittens or cubs to hunt, and then they disperse. There are exceptions - lions living in prides, groups of cheetah males banding together to hold a territory so they can successfully chase down a female, individual cats of various species who form friendships with another of their kind, or even a different species altogether - but almost all cat species follow this template.

Housecats are the major exception to this rule. Domesticated or feral, housecats will live in large colonies wherever prey permits it, with even most toms being relatively social and not a danger to unrelated kittens.

(Most. Not all.)

So if your catgirl has any real cat instincts or behavior patterns, you need to know what kind of cat. The overly friendly and living-in-groups catgirl so stereotypical of harem setups would almost have to be lioness or housecat based. Maybe cheetah. Maybe. They can live a sort-of domesticated life as hunting animals, and have in centuries past. But they also tend to be verrrrrry nervous, as befits a relatively small predator trying to make a living where every lion, hyena, and leopard will not only steal their kill but kill and eat them in the bargain.

I invite you to picture the havoc wreaked by a perpetually nervous catgirl on everyone and everything in the vicinity. No, seriously, think about it. Unless your hero who befriends her has the absolute upbeat chill of the average golden retriever, she’d fret herself into nervous exhaustion and death.

Most harem heroes are not chill.

So. Housecat, likely your best bet. Although then you get to deal with the fact that the average housecat is, pound for pound, one of the most heavily armed mammals on the planet. As vets say, six ends, and five of them are pointy. A housecat scaled up to human size is essentially cougar-sized; a large cougar. Meaning their preferred prey size should be much the same... and cougars will take down moose.

You may be getting the idea that this should not be as fluffy and friendly a critter as anime would lead you to believe. And that doesn’t even get into the possibilities of opposable thumbs, magic, or modern weaponry.

Not to say that a more realistic catgirl couldn’t be good company! Of course she could. As long as there was good food, a warm place to cuddle in a sunbeam, and plenty of prey to chase, she’d probably be great company. She’d just also have a habit of borrowing your broadsword (or AK-47, or laser rifle) and leaving you alien-rhino-sized headless gifts to show you how loved you are. Or maybe even bringing them back partly alive; after all, you’ve got to keep your hunting skills sharp! It’s fun!

...I may be too Amused by this image. Thoughts?

[gamerbearmira]

Sooo, what if the Madrigals were a travelling circus?

Like, say Alma and Pedro were performers but from different circus families. Alma was a stunt woman/did very daredevil things and Pedro simply was a trapeze artist.

It was common for her and his family to compete against each other in different areas of the town they lived in. Their families knew each other pretty well, basically frenemy families.

Alma and Pedro were enemies to frenemies, frenemies to friends, then friends to lovers. After they became lovers (and married), they convinced their respective families to actually form one whole circus together.

After a WHOLE LOT of convincing their parents, they agreed, and became known as "Circo de magia familiar" (Circus of family magic). Everyone tried to get along the best they could and ended up pretty comfortable with each other.

Their big circus actually became more well known by half of Colombia and people started coming from all over the country. The whole Madrigal and Luz family became popular in under five years.

(I HC Alma's last name is Luz)

But with fame...comes its cons. Let's just say not everyone liked the circus family and well...you know what happened. The whole circus tent, train...just everything was destroyed.

You see, Alma and Pedro's family were full of bizarre people. Think the greatest showman if you've seen it. If not, think the bearded lady, muscle man, conjoined twins, etc.

So, people being people...yeah.

Alma was left with her triplets but thankfully a miracle happened and most of her and Pedro's family was still there. In the blink of an eye, both sides of the family were protected by a large circus tent.

Possibly like this (just without the balloons):

And on the side of the tent, appeared a long train with lots of colors and warmth surrounding it. You can see the towers (top parts) of the tent as different rooms or areas like a house. Like Casita, but a tent.

Alma's remaining family: Her two (conjoined) aunts Maya and Sophia, her Tio Bernardo, her mother Dulce, younger cousin (eight) Jorge, her triplets, and her dog Chispa.

Pedro's remaining family: His parents Viva and Pepe, his sister Acacia and brother Julian, and his abuela carmen.

The whole family felt unsafe staying in the town they were in, so they decided to become a travelling circus. They had a train, why not go places with it? So, they took down the tent and hopped in the train, which is also like Casita. And also bigger on the inside.

Bruno gets his gift and acts as a fortune teller. He also helps come up with storylines for the performers to act. Julieta gets her gift and only uses her magic for her family. She does bake some snacks for the audience to enjoy though. Pepa gets her gift of indestructibility and becomes just like her mother with daredevil stunts.

(Fun fact: Pepa's concept version was actually supposed to have a gift of indestructibility, so I put that in here.)

Pepa and Julieta met their husbands by performing a few nights in their town. So, whenever they had the opportunity to stop in that exact town once in a while, the girls would visit them until eventually they got married.

The grandkids come along, and all the gifts are the same except for Dolores's, she gets the gift of playing whatever instrument she puts her hands on. She often helps the band out if one extra player who couldn't make it.

She also has a way to hear music from afar. One day in her tweens she heard a boy playing the guitar and singing, she followed the sound, and met Mariano.

And to Dolores' luck, his grandmother applied to the Circus as tightrope girl. She was pretty agile and knew ballet, so balancing wasn't that hard for her.

(There are also some other people who joined the circus. It's like a little village inside the tent/train. Mostly people who are seen as "freaks")

Mirabel doesn't have a gift, but she's still included in everything that's family. She's even learning how to do trapeze like Pedro did and scary stunts like Alma.

And she doesn't quite care that she doesn't have one either, most people in her abuela and abuelo's side of the family don't have gifts.

The way the family navigates shows is by holidays. Shows are 6 days before the exact holiday. On the exact holiday, everyone takes a break and celebrates it.

The most common ones they celebrate are Halloween, Christmas, Dia de los muertos, etc.

Everyone is happy in this au (I've been writing angst too much, and I need a break). Ok small very minuscule angst:

Alma doesn't like sitting in new towns no longer than a week at best, she's still a little traumatized from what happened so she doesn't like staying in places too long. She's a little afraid of that incident happening again.

EVERYONES HAPPY LETS GOOOOO

Love Austin where basically no one is sad or just in a state of paranoia. Love that, their so cool <333 personally i don't like tgsm but this au is so cool. Like it just reminds me of this one memory I've always had about going to the circus when I was younger.

And Alma's fear is warranted. And she doesn't take it to an extreme degree. Very reasonable, and I can get behind that.

LOVE THEM <33

[1solone]

Happy 77th Birthday to JOHN McVIE (born 26 Nov 1945)

I've put together this video montage to go with THE CHAIN - the only song from RUMOURS with writing credits from all five members (Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood).

As the bassist for Fleetwood Mac -- and, indeed, providing the "Mac" in that group name -- John McVie may be the most circumspect, self-effacing rock musician ever to achieve anything like superstar status. This fact could be explained when one recognizes that he never set out to be a rock musician, or a superstar.

Among bassists whose names are (or have been) household words, he's positively a shrinking violet next to figures such as John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, John Paul Jones, Sting, et al., all the while appearing on just about as many records as any of them (save McCartney) that are in people's collections.

He is best known as a member of the rock bands John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers from 1964 to 1967 and Fleetwood Mac since 1967. He joined Fleetwood Mac shortly after its formation by guitarist Peter Green in 1967, replacing temporary bass guitarist Bob Brunning. McVie and Fleetwood are the only two members of the group to appear on every Fleetwood Mac release, and for over fifty years have been the group's last remaining original members.

In 1968, McVie married blues pianist and singer Christine Perfect, who became a member of Fleetwood Mac two years later. John and Christine McVie divorced in 1977, but remained on good terms. During this time the band recorded the album Rumours, a major artistic and commercial success that borrowed its title from the turmoil in McVie's and other band members' marriages and relationships. McVie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 as a member of Fleetwood Mac.

THE CHAIN

Stevie Nicks wrote the lyrics about Lindsey Buckingham as their relationship was falling apart. Buckingham and Nicks share lead vocals on the song.

Pieces of different studio takes were spliced together to form the track. The bass line that comes in at about the 3-minute mark through the song was written independently by John McVie, who was originally planning to use it in a different song.

This began as a Christine McVie song called "Butter Cookie (Keep Me There)," which which is available on the expanded edition of Rumours. The beginning of the track wasn't working, but the band loved Mick Fleetwood and John McVie's ending, which was now on tape. So, they counted back from the bass line, used the kick-drum as a metronome, Nicks gave them the lyrics for the verses, Buckinghan and Christine McVie wrote the music and the chorus lyrics, Lindsey added the guitar over the ending, and "The Chain" as we know it was born.

This is the only Fleetwood Mac song credited to all five members of their 1977 lineup. Since various pieces were assembled to make the song, they all had some contribution.

This song came to represent the resilience of Fleetwood Mac and the strength of their bond as they continued on for many years despite their personal and professional difficulties. It was often the first song they played in concert.

The low bass line in this song was used by the BBC for the Grand Prix theme tune for many years.

Mick Fleetwood: "'The Chain' basically came out of a jam. That song was put together as distinct from someone literally sitting down and writing a song. It was very much collectively a band composition. The riff is John McVie's contribution - a major contribution. Because that bassline is still being played on British TV in the car-racing series to this day. The Grand Prix thing. But it was really something that just came out of us playing in the studio. Originally we had no words to it. And it really only became a song when Stevie wrote some. She walked in one day and said, 'I've written some words that might be good for that thing you were doing in the studio the other day.' So it was put together. Lindsey arranged and made a song out of all the bits and pieces that we were putting down onto tape. And then once it was arranged and we knew what we were doing, we went in and recorded it. But it ultimately becomes a band thing anyway, because we all have so much of our own individual style, our own stamp that makes the sound of Fleetwood Mac. So it's not like you feel disconnected from the fact that maybe you haven't written one of the songs. Because what you do, and what you feel when we're all making music together, is what Fleetwood Mac ends up being, and that's the stuff you hear on the albums. Whether one likes it or not, this is, after all, a combined effort from different people playing music together."

[zlut4rina]

Story m.list

ł₦₮ⱤØĐɄ₵₮łØ₦

Bleeding Temple - ( Circa Survive, Chiodos, Saosin, L.S Dunes, D.G.D)

A short story/summary

Bleeding Temple is a band formed by Ashton Miles and Kurtis Edwards. When they were about 18 years old. But at the age of 15, the two soon both became dedicated to starting a band. Both being greatly talented in their instruments, they already knew what else they needed to get the group to complete. The two set up flyers all around their neighborhood. But to no avail, it was crickets for a long time. Seeing as to how different they were compared to the people they lived around, it was pretty obvious that not anyone would be willing. They soon gave up for a while, till Five had an idea of moving across the city. At first, it was a dangerous and ceazy idea, but that's exactly what the two loved. So, they did, traveling by board and bike across the city of Manhattan. During their time together, they grew closer than ever, writing music meeting new people and understanding each other more.

That’s where Lia comes in, Lia Kwon. A foreign exchange student, she was seen as “weird” “strange” “boyish” or even “malicious”. She wasn’t the type to let things affect her. Despite being fluent in English, she would use the fact she was born in Korea as an excuse to not speak to people. That was until one night, as Ashton and Five were cruising around the streets, they heard screams of someone as if they were pleading for their life. It was Lia. A few kids from school had followed her on her way home after tutoring. Cornering her, seeing as she was smaller than 3 boys, they tried to take advantage of her. She fought, and her life depended on it. She needed not to fight anymore, as two other figures appeared from the darkness of the alley. Light shunned on their silhouette dimly as they approached, yelling curses and threats. The three boys didn’t think twice before fleeing the scene as Ashton heckled them off. From then on, the three have been inseparable, joining the two Lia greeted to join the band. Her father made her take piano lessons at age 5 (insane work, btw).

Since meeting Lia, they grew closer in the few months left before the new year. She took the two best friends on multiple trips around Manhattan. They were told she had family all over, so it was easy to get used to the place fast. With this kind of knowledge, she gained “friends”. Lia wasn’t an addict. No, she just needed it from time to time. And in that time of need, she met a man, a French man, he was in his 20’s. She told them his name was Tony, Tony Boisclair. One day, while she sat in what she thought was a secluded area, he approached. Seeing as she was in the midst of taking some sort of drug, he asked. “Y’know, that stuff could kill ya” his English was a bit broken, but immediately, she was drawn by him. Reaching his hand out to her, their life together started there. Back in the present time, she told Ashton and Five she’d bring them to him on Christmas day. He hadn’t any family living in New York, so she often visited him a lot. He played guitar like a beast. His skills were on a level she’d never seen. Taking them to his condo to discuss what they plan on being in the future. He was a bit on edge. Being seen with a few minors wouldn’t be the best look he thought. But they soon convinced him, showing off his skill to them, making him a new member of their band.

On their search for a set player, a year had passed. Ashton and Five hadn’t seen their parents since the day they snuck out. So while out celebrating Five’s birthday, they go to a live bar with food and an arcade. Music was blasting as live bands played. Hoping one day that’ll be them up on stage, with a crowd who knew their name. As the night came close to an end, one more performance was about to go on. Ashton invited to stay to watch as the others argued about sleep, and the days ahead, she tuned them out. A drum set was sliding onto stage by one person they looked young. But to Ashton, they looked promising. Seeing them set up on stage felt like she was watching her dream come true. The mic was given to the person as they spoke: “My names jie, I play the drums. I've been playing for 4 years now, I hope you enjoy an original piece I’ve made”. Five and Ashton looked at each other with a grin nodding slightly as they turned their attention back on stage. After they finished playing, everyone was told that the bar was closing. The group was waiting for the drummer at the back of the building . As he walked out, he was slightly taken aback by the group. Ashton walked up to him as she spoke about how amazing his piece was. She told him what they wanted. Without hesitation, the drummer agreed, unlike the others his mother came to pick him up. Before leaving the drummer introduced them, she greeted and welcomed them with open arms.

From that night on, the band was complete. All that was needed was a name. They wrote songs together still, just not under a name. A year had passed, and still nothing unique came to mind until one day, as the group was hanging out in Tony’s condo. Five and Jie were play fighting, wrestling each other in the living room. Tony sat on the couch smoking one of the joints he had rolled a few hours before. Ashton in the kitchen making food, while Lia sat at the table speaking to him about her boy drama. The two teens who were now standing got a little carried away. Five picked up jei, and whole doing so, he lost his balance, causing the two to fall. Jie being so high in the air he almost flew when he fell. He hit his head on the TV stand, the others hearing the thud and the collision of their bodies hitting the floor. They ran to the drummer immediately, checking his head. He wasn’t hurt too badly he just lost a lot of blood. He was bleeding, bleeding from his temple. Ashton felt his wound, a smile appeared, and the others questioned her look. She spoke: “This might be the smartest thing you two could’ve done”.

[rutidon]

Tina

There was a time before we lived in our world, when the Earth was just the cradle for the infant human race. It was a time when the snowy landscape was as immutable as the stars above, and a time where the forests and plains stretched beyond the point where anyone would dare to venture.

There was a time when we shared our world with beasts that would fill us with unimaginable terror. The Iberian Peninsula was stalked by hyenas and bears, if one could imagine. Wild horses and cattle would have grazed on the edges of Spanish forests, and the islands off the coast would have seen giant rodents crawling alongside the last of Europe’s elephants.

In this strange world, there were people not unlike you or I. There had been people living in small groups on the continent for hundreds of thousands of years. They lived off the land, knowing which plants would keep the group alive and where they could safely rest. They knew which animals were safe to hunt, as well as the best methods of taking them down.

These people were (like all other humans to come before and after them) skilled thinkers. They could see the signs of change in the leaves on plants or in the stars of the night sky. Through reading their world, they could think ahead and form plans. These plans had brought them to what is now Spain.

We know that these people were problem-solvers: They made tools from the materials available to them in order to make survival easier. They had made fires, either to cook their food or to offer warmth and light during the long nights.

We know that they lived in groups. These tight-knit bands were built around cooperation, mutualism, and care from birth until death.

Kindness was a way of survival among these people. Perhaps they had recognized that the survival of the group depended on ensuring that the youngest could reach maturity and inherit the skills and knowledge that had kept the band alive. Perhaps they recognized that caring for an injured member of the band would guarantee a quicker recovery for that individual and, eventually, more hands to assist in the day-to-day labors of survival.

It is not far-fetched to assume that they did recognize these facts. We know that these people left behind traces of their existence in the form of carefully-crafted images on rock faces in caves. They understood their world, or they were at least trying to make sense of it and communicate what they did understand. They were, potentially, on track to recognizing their place in the universe.

Through the description of untold thousands of bones, we have pieced together a loose history of Homo neanderthalensis. Through the identification of artifacts or marks made on rock surfaces in caves, we have been able to recognize the continued habitation of Spain by Neanderthals. The staggering level of detail put into every tool, ornament, or work of art has led some to argue for the existence of a culture.

Recently, one more piece of material was identified as belonging to a member of this culture: It was a bone fragment from the inner ear of a child. I am writing this only a few days after hearing this news.

Archaeologists and anthropologists studied the fragment extensively, by comparing it to other Neanderthal bones and the bones of modern humans. Through their work, they found five variations in the bone. These five little differences led them to diagnose this six year old girl with Down Syndrome. The researchers determined that the child would have had difficulty hearing or demonstrating coordinated movement. The researchers inferred that additional health complications would have existed alongside cognitive delays.

Despite this, the girl had grown out of infancy and into childhood.

We may not know what happened or how this child had managed to survive against all odds in a period where the infant mortality rate was so high for individuals without any noticeable conditions. The scientists began to think up all sorts of questions and theories.

Perhaps the group had recognized that this child was different. Perhaps they had recognized the care that she needed. Perhaps they had recognized her value to the group. Perhaps she had demonstrated it on her own. Perhaps they had treated her as any other child, and she had survived through luck and the kindness provided by her community towards all children.

Did she stay by her Mother’s side, or did she play and learn alongside the other children? Did the others bring her food, or did she join them to practice foraging for wild plants and hunting small game?

Did she find a way to communicate? Did others find ways to communicate with her? Were her thoughts and knowledge ever shared? If so, were they recognized as being uniquely hers?

When the group moved, who did she travel with? When it came time to leave ritual marks on walls, where did her hands lie? When it was time to eat, was she encouraged to get her food before the others?

How had she died? Was it an illness or injury, like those which claimed other Neanderthal children so frequently? Had it been an animal or another Neanderthal? Was it another health condition connected to Down Syndrome? Had she been buried with care, as other Neanderthals were?

Did the Neanderthals interpret anything about her as being “non-typical”?

Such a small segment of her story was told through that one fragment of bone. I am certain that she was remembered by those around her, and the rest of her story was shared among her people until they disappeared from the planet. I know that it is certainly not my story to tell.

So much mystery surrounds little “Tina”, but I know only one thing:

Towards the tail end of the Pleistocene, over two-hundred thousand years ago, in a cave in Spain, there was a little girl who was loved by those around her. I am equally certain that she was missed by them as well.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/06/27/neanderthal-dna-down-syndrome-fossil/

[thequeenofthedisneyverse]

Travelling circus AU

Sooo, what if the Madrigals were a travelling circus?

Like, say Alma and Pedro were performers but from different circus families. Alma was a stunt woman/did very daredevil things and Pedro simply was a trapeze artist.

It was common for her and his family to compete against each other in different areas of the town they lived in. Their families knew each other pretty well, basically frenemy families.

Alma and Pedro were enemies to frenemies, frenemies to friends, then friends to lovers. After they became lovers (and married), they convinced their respective families to actually form one whole circus together.

After a WHOLE LOT of convincing their parents, they agreed, and became known as "Circo de magia familiar" (Circus of family magic). Everyone tried to get along the best they could and ended up pretty comfortable with each other.

Their big circus actually became more well known by half of Colombia and people started coming from all over the country. The whole Madrigal and Luz family became popular in under five years.

(I HC Alma's last name is Luz)

But with fame...comes its cons. Let's just say not everyone liked the circus family and well...you know what happened. The whole circus tent, train...just everything was destroyed.

You see, Alma and Pedro's family were full of bizarre people. Think the greatest showman if you've seen it. If not, think the bearded lady, muscle man, conjoined twins, etc.

So, people being people...yeah.

Alma was left with her triplets but thankfully a miracle happened and most of her and Pedro's family was still there. In the blink of an eye, both sides of the family were protected by a large circus tent.

Possibly like this (just without the balloons):

And on the side of the tent, appeared a long train with lots of colors and warmth surrounding it. You can see the towers (top parts) of the tent as different rooms or areas like a house. Like Casita, but a tent.

Alma's remaining family: Her two (conjoined) aunts Maya and Sophia, her Tio Bernardo, her mother Dulce, younger cousin (eight) Jorge, her triplets, and her dog Chispa.

Pedro's remaining family: His parents Viva and Pepe, his sister Acacia and brother Julian, and his abuela carmen.

The whole family felt unsafe staying in the town they were in, so they decided to become a travelling circus. They had a train, why not go places with it? So, they took down the tent and hopped in the train, which is also like Casita. And also bigger on the inside.

Bruno gets his gift and acts as a fortune teller. He also helps come up with storylines for the performers to act. Julieta gets her gift and only uses her magic for her family. She does bake some snacks for the audience to enjoy though. Pepa gets her gift of indestructibility and becomes just like her mother with daredevil stunts.

(Fun fact: Pepa's concept version was actually supposed to have a gift of indestructibility, so I put that in here.)

Pepa and Julieta met their husbands by performing a few nights in their town. So, whenever they had the opportunity to stop in that exact town once in a while, the girls would visit them until eventually they got married.

The grandkids come along, and all the gifts are the same except for Dolores's, she gets the gift of playing whatever instrument she puts her hands on. She often helps the band out if one extra player who couldn't make it.

She also has a way to hear music from afar. One day in her tweens she heard a boy playing the guitar and singing, she followed the sound, and met Mariano.

And to Dolores' luck, his grandmother applied to the Circus as tightrope girl. She was pretty agile and knew ballet, so balancing wasn't that hard for her.

(There are also some other people who joined the circus. It's like a little village inside the tent/train. Mostly people who are seen as "freaks")

Mirabel doesn't have a gift, but she's still included in everything that's family. She's even learning how to do trapeze like Pedro did and scary stunts like Alma.

And she doesn't quite care that she doesn't have one either, most people in her abuela and abuelo's side of the family don't have gifts.

The way the family navigates shows is by holidays. Shows are 6 days before the exact holiday. On the exact holiday, everyone takes a break and celebrates it.

The most common ones they celebrate are Halloween, Christmas, Dia de los muertos, etc.

Everyone is happy in this au (I've been writing angst too much, and I need a break). Ok small very minuscule angst:

Alma doesn't like sitting in new towns no longer than a week at best, she's still a little traumatized from what happened so she doesn't like staying in places too long. She's a little afraid of that incident happening again.

@toaverse

[calyxthenerd]

i learned my passion in the good old-fashioned school of lover boys

Percy stood in front of the conference room, as several guys poofed in “Hello, my dudes, welcome to the ‘bi guys who love their girlfriends’ meeting, my girlfriend’s cousin did something like this and I wanted to do it too, I am Percy Jackson, he/him, and I got pretty cool water powers, feel free to introduce yourselves”

“I’m Leon Vargas, he/him, and I’m in a band?” He phrased it like a question, because he was very confused and slightly panicked, the closest he has ever come to magic is sharing dreams with his girlfriend

“I’m Sokka, I use the guy pronouns I guess? I don’t know, I don’t really get that stuff, and I am a pretty awesome warrior” he grins

“I’m Dexter Charming, he/him, and I love gaming” he waves awkwardly, man he was bad at this

“I’m Hunter Noceda, and Luz taught me about the difference between pronouns!” He beams “I use they/them and I’m a clone!” Everyone is disturbed, but they decide to ignore it

“I’m Adrien” he paused, letting the blue haired boy he was holding hands with, talk “and I’m Luka” “I use he/him and I can speak four languages” the blonde countinued “I use he/they and I’m also in a band” he looked at Leon briefly

“And now, we rant about how cool our girlfriends are and bond over it” Percy explained “My girlfriend, Annabeth, is soooo smart, her plans are always awesome and she’s so pretty too! missions with her are the best” he rambled, a lovesick grin on his face

“My girlfriend, Suki is really smart too! I’m usually the one with the plans, but she’s an incredible warrior and she’s taught me so much, when she joined us on our missions it was really great as well” he and Percy went to the corner to bond over fighting in wars and having girlfriends who were the same brand of badass, completely ignoring the rest and the fact that Percy was supposed to lead this meeting

“Violetta, my fiancé, is the best, she’s one of the most wonderful musicians I’ve ever met, and that’s saying a lot, considering I know so many of great ones, she’s my soulmate, it still baffles me how in sync we are, we wrote at least five songs together in our dreams over the course of our relationship” Leon smiled

“That’s so cool! My girlfriend Raven, is a witch, and she’s also really good with music! She’s the most talented person I know! And the way she gets when she’s arguing for something she believes in, it’s the most beautiful thing…” he trails off, zooning out in a daydream

Hunter looked at Dexter weirdly before starting his rant “Willow is the best! even when I was… not the best person to be around, she stood by me and helped me see the error of my ways, she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, in the form of caring for all our friends, but she does it with such grace, it took me a while to realize it was doing her harm, but now our dynamic is much more balanced and healthy, at least that’s what mama Noceda told us” leaving Adrien, Luka and Leon, the only ones still listening, very concerned

“How do you do these trips across universes? I’d like to talk to this girlfriend of yours” Luka said

“I’m afraid I don’t know, I’m sorry” Hunter lowered his head

“How about we talk about Mari now, Luka?” Adrien asked, desperate for a subject change

“Melody is wonderful, she’s so lively and creative, she inspires me to do things i never saw myself doing before, and her being the one person, besides her girlfriend, to truly understand my sister certainly doesn’t hurt her case” Luka stated

“Mari is amazing! She helped me understand the world in a way I haven’t been able to before, being homeschooled and never having any friends, she is my guiding light, I love her so much” he sighed, his gaze far away, as Luka squeezed his hand

“I really need to get him and Vilu in a room together” Leon mumbled

“What was that?” Adrien questioned

“Nothing” he pooked Percy on the shoulder, interrupting a discussion between him and Sokka about the best kind of weapon

“And that’s why swords are supe- what?” the demigod turned around

“I was just wondering how you chose us specifically? Because aside from those two” he points to Adrien and Luka, who are flirting back at the table “none of us know each other”

“Well, you see- look at the time! You guys should get going, I’ll tell you as you leave” he declared

“Hunter is from a show my friend Clarisse pretends not to like” he poofs back to the Noceda house, where he decided to stay after everything that happened

“Leon is from a show my friend Piper told me about” he poofs back to the apartment he shares with Violetta

“Dexter is from a show my friend Will loves” he poofs back into his classroom, where a class was still happening, not even noticing anything was happening around him, still daydreaming about Raven

“Sokka is from my baby sister Estelle’s favorite show” he poofs back to the room he was staying in on his diplomatic trip to the fire nation

“And lastly, you two” he looks at Luka and Adrien “are from my brother Tyson’s favorite show” they poof back to the liberty

Magnus pokes his head into the room “how’d it go?”

“Perfect, thanks for teaching me that trick, Maggie!” He smirks

“I told you not to call me that, now let’s go, Alex and Annie are waiting on us for lunch” he grumbled, and they walked away to meet their girlfriends who they loved very much

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2004 - Number 39 - Slobodan River - "Surrounded"

They're back - the Ur band of Estonian Eurovision. After last year's experimentation with a televote at Eurolaul, ETV have flipped entirely and this year's competition is 100% televoted. Maybe the outcome of that advisory televote last year was chastening...

You would expect a band as big as well-known in Estonia as Slobodan River to benefit from that, but they are up against a couple of other big names in the competition, so they need a big song.

They've gone with Surrounded, a song about the final straw and telling him just get out. No more lines, excuses or threats, get out. There's an undercurrent of violence both in what lead singer Ithaka Maria has experienced and in what she'll do if her partner doesn't comply with her demand. The song is melodic pop-rock with alternative slant, and given the lyrics, is somewhat non-angry. It's a sing along fun song with an upbeat lilt.

This is all a bit Abba in fact. Even more so because Ithaka Maria and guitarist Tomi Rahula have been married for a while. In fact they've been a couple since she was 13 and he was 16 at high school in 1993. The band was formed with them at the centre with Maria writing many of the songs - this is one of hers. Slobodan River in 2004 are actually having their best year with their album (also called Surrounded) yielding many singles that got to the upper ends of the Estonian charts.

The band split two years later in 2006. Maria and Tomi divorced five years later in 2011. They all went on to much national success in different arenas (as I outlined in for their 2003 song What a Day). That makes this the last time that Slobodan River appeared together in the Estonian national final, but they'd all be back again either solo, as song-writers, in other bands or even as the producer for the entire show! I have no doubt that this blog bit will be linked to many times in the future.