#as for the question of how they got these songs in the 70s well-

[wittymumbledon]

this is objectively the funniest thing i have made (based on the chaotic result of shuffling together my bill and ford playlists)

if a future employer somehow sees this i am sorry for your eyes

[me-sploh-rada-imas]

so i wrote down everything kris said in the spoken part of the q&a bit of the discord live thing and shared it on the joblr discord, but @leopardom suggested i collate it all here as well!

will there be an mv?

yes, definitely, cannot say exactly when. but we have a very good idea for it and i can't say anything right now. a lot of our balkan fans will be very excited about it. we might drop it after the song gets an x amount of streams. maybe 500,000 or something like that. i am not the person who decides.

how long did it take you to record?

complex question. in hamburg we spent 3-4 days on it and recorded 70%. mostly everything except the vocals and some synths. the rest was around a month in ljubljana to finish it, then we mixed it for 2-3 weeks. (mod jokes about sharing there were eight versions in the openstage, kris is confused) more of trying to catch a feeling than a specific sound, that's why. it's hard to communicate that with a mixing engineer. usually it takes about that many versions before we're satisfied.

what was the thought process behind the cover art?

the photo was taken by mark pirc. the artwork seems random at this moment, i can't say much, but it will make a lot of sense.

why did you decide to remove the intro?

i've seen some people asking about this. there's the two-sided nature of playing music before it's officially released. we weren't satisfied with it on tour but it was presentable to be played live. when we got to hamburg we decided we didn't like the arrangement anymore, it wasn't in line with the vibe and spirit of the composition of the song. we toned it down and made it more sensitive because of the lyrics and mood of the song.

bojan said in warsaw that final version would have more instruments (confusion by kris that he was talking about bluza?)

i have no idea what he said, maybe he was referencing the fact that we played the pijano version of the song. but there are like at least maybe 3 or 4 layers of synthesisers and pianos so maybe he was thinking of that. all of those are credited to our "piano playing god jan". i did the guitars apart from the acoustic which is bojan's doing. nace and jure did their parts on drums and bass. the future live performances will be the new version.

who were your biggest influences getting to the final mixed version?

good question. i don't think we had one specific song in mind. we felt like it's a ex-yugoslavian evergreenish kind of song which we grew up listening to, we just wanted to keep that vibe while transitioning from an acoustic song to a complete arrangement. i think we succeeded. i know during the recording process žare said he would liken this song to a song by simple minds or talking heads or something like that, i'd have to look it up. also it kind of gives me the same feeling as when listening to a song by plavi orkestar called od rođendana do rođendana.

we saw bojan post a photo [of a notebook page] with stolica bluza while in london, what was the development process from that?

the first memory i have of the song is bojan coming into the living room and having the lyrics of the first verse and chorus already written, trying to figure out the chords. it was a well-defined song when i first heard it, i can't speak to his initial perception of the song, it came out of him very quickly, which is always a good sign. i think we all very quickly understood what the assignment was with this song so to speak. often we get a song where we want to arrange it and do it but have a lot of figuring out to do, but this song was very clear cut. it fell into place very quickly by our standards.

playing the unfinished song live was an experiment, did you like the process?

it's not the first time we've done it but it's the first time in a long time we've played unreleased songs. we did it before the first album, which was a whole different experience. it's been interesting to see it play out in this international surrounding. i think it did help, especially for šta bih ja, which immediately gained a very positive reception from the crowd and gave us a lot of confidence and direction. we knew we didn't have to change much for šta bih ja, while with bluza we kind of knew this wasn't really what we wanted from the song.

can we expect more songs similar to bluza?

uhhh... i'm sick if you can hear it. i think there will be like one more song comparable to bluza, also in serbian, a bit more slow paced, but the rest won't be that similar. there's only a limited amount of space for that type of song, we don't want to repeat ourselves. hopefully the album will sound like a unified body of work but there's still a lot of variation in it to satisfy our desire for, i don't know, experimenting with new sounds and song types and concepts.

[hotvintagepoll]

Please take my humble offering of propaganda for bisexual icon ✨️Jeremy Brett✨️ and his early career! <3

... in Hamlet (1959) Look at his hands and his neck gahhh

... as (a naive but very charming) Freddy Eynsford-Hill in My Fair Lady (1964) who certainly knows how to wear a coat

... as a dashing D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (1966/67) (Duelling is no problem! XD)

... aaaand several other photos of which I couldn't pinpoint the specific dates but I think they must all have been taken before the 70s!

Well, I couldn't even submit half of the pictures - *cough* Dracula *cough* Sherlock Holmes - I had on my mind as I discovered they were taken after 1970, and this man got only more unnecessarily handsome with age. (Take it from me, I'm both asexual and faceblind, and he regularly makes me question both. XD) Also, he was just the kindest, sweetest human being. ❤️ He would certainly be extremely flattered to win this poll and possibly burst into song to the slight embarrassment of everyone around! :D

I used several of these for the propaganda field but I found the tone of this whole ask so delightful that here, let's all enjoy it together.

Jeremy vs Charles

[happinessismusic]

Gwen Stefani turns over a new leaf, or petal, on her fifth solo album, Bouquet. Known for her work in ska-punk with No Doubt and later pop, she’s been a bonafide hitmaker for decades. But this album plays a very different tone.

Bouquet isn’t about synths or loops—the way modern pop has been heading for years—but is far more organic. It feels more more mature; even, at times, folky. Judging by the cowboy hat she wears on the cover, you might presume it will be influenced by country, but that doesn’t really tell the whole story.

Bouquet draws on a range of sounds, from Americana to ‘90s pop-rock and ‘70s rock. With her unique and instantly recognizable voice, it’s not really any of those things.

What makes the album refreshing is how Gwen Stefani keeps her identity rather than trying to become someone else. While the songs may not be like today’s pop hits, they sound like her. Whether hubby Blake Shelton’s influence rubbed off at all is another question, but it would seem he had at least a little influence.

Stefani pulls no punches on opener “Somebody Else’s,” which seems to put former husband and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale on blast.

“Leavin’ you saved me, my God/ Look at me blossom/ You’re somebody else’s problem,” she sings.

Despite the pointed lyrics, the overall message is actually one of hope and recovery from a difficult circumstance. It’s upbeat and fuses acoustic and electric guitars with a Fleetwood-Mac-esque quality. Far more hopeful is the title track, which has a little a Southern charm and swagger, though it’s not a full-on country song.

Keeping with the optimistic tone, “Pretty” sticks with the acoustic-driven Americana sound. The lyrics are pretty straightforward, but the simple yet effective hook has an infectious quality.

“I never felt pretty ’til you loved me/ But now I feel pretty lucky,” she sings.

On the quieter “Empty Vase,” Stefani’s delivery is subdued and intricate. Lyrically, she weaves in flower imagery throughout the record, continuing that here as well as on the following track, “Marigolds.” The latter has a ‘90s pop-rock energy and an acoustic-driven bounce. It’s a quick and punchy track that restores the upbeat momentum. Similarly, “Late to Bloom” adds a dose of a country kick to it.

Power ballad “Swallow My Tears” offers an interesting fusion of the more organic sound with a throwback vocal delivery and lyrical style that calls back to some of Stefani’s prior solo work.

“I stay one step ahead of the pain/ I keep an umbrella when there’s no rain/ I got my guard up when there’s no war/ Don’t know what I’m fighting for,” an introspective Stefani sings.

Acoustic ballad “Reminders” is, at least musically, the most traditional country song here, with a warm vocal tone. The final two songs on the album, “All Your Fault” and “Purple Irises,” may be the best of the bunch. Both capture a pop-rock personality with big choruses and add a touch of folkiness. They’re memorable, with big harmonies and a dynamic melody. Shelton makes an appearance on “Purple Irises,” and his voice complements hers.

Bouquet is a more mature turn for Stefani, and the sound may take longtime fans by surprise. Stefani seems to be comfortable in this space. It’s an album not defined by pop bangers, opting to give Stefani the space to spread her wings.

[euripidestrousers]

What are your big wolfstar hc?

Ooh good question!

I tend to change my hcs based on the AU I'm writing, but i am not exaggerating when I say these little freaks are Always on My Mind so I have an ungodly amount of canon-themed hcs. Here we go:

- Remus is one of the only people Sirius cuts a fair amount of slack. Sirius has high standards and expectations of others but he has a huge Remus-shaped blind spot, so will find reasons to excuse Remus' sometimes shitty behaviour. He has heart shaped eyes for his gangly, sly, avoidant attachment style man.

- Remus sleeps like an absolute log, anywhere, anytime. Sirius has always been a light sleeper, wakes easily, and doesn't sleep much.

- They kept their casual fucking-turned relationship secret until well after graduating. The only ones who knew were James, Lily and Peter. Lily was the first one to figure it out because poor James had been in the trenches, so used to his friends' flirting that he didn't even clock it anymore. It brought Lily and Sirius together because he had someone to talk about it with, the first person he'd met who wasn't a casual homophobe about it, and was sympathetic.

- Second to this! James and Peter weren't always rainbow flag waving allies. They were teenage boys in the 70s - they'd drop casual homophobic comments all the time before finding out about their friends. Sirius joined in sometimes to hide it from James (he never cared what anyone else would think but he was secretly afraid of losing closeness with James), and Remus went very quiet whenever this happened. James was surprised at first when he found out but came around within minutes and apologised for being a thoughtless dick when he was younger.

- Peter most definitely used Remus and Sirius' tumultuous relationship against them. Remus was very avoidant about coming out and Sirius, while not his highest priority, resented having to hide. They bickered about it and Peter would often throw a spanner in to make their fighting worse.

- Sirius' hair is a good indicator of his mental health. While he's not vain he tends to keep it neat and out of the way when he's in a good place mentally. When he's fighting inner demons he lets it go and Remus knows this. He uses it as a Sirius-meter, and knows when it's starting to get long and unkempt to gently pry into what's going on with him.

- They do the crossword puzzles together most mornings (when Remus gets up in time)

- Sirius is fantastic at baking although he only did it once or twice for Lily's birthday (per her request). Remus is the cook for both of them, although when Sirius isn't there he sustains himself on tea, biscuits and deeply suppressed anxiety.

- Sirius is a singer when he's in a good mood. Remus adores coming home to hear his deep voice belting out a mix of muggle and wix songs because it means Sirius is in his happy place. Sirius is a serenader - it starts as a joke but there's a soft look in his eye when sings while he spins Remus around the kitchen. It's one of Remus' favourite Sirius-isms

- Sirius jokes about Remus' lycanthropy to make light of it. He can be a bit callous and insensitive about it at times, but his candour does make Remus feel less like a monster.

- They are god-awful at communicating as they're both rather private, skeptical people. While it's something they have in common and respect about each other, it makes for difficulties in a relationship.

- Sirius is a Nightmare when he's bored so Remus has a mental Rolodex of thought-provoking questions to stop him from wreaking havoc (or just being annoying). As soon as he sees the restlessness starting, he casually brings up that new law about to pass in the goblin senate, and how it might affect non-human creatures in the wizarding world. He still hasn't recovered from the time Sirius got bored and took apart his record player to see how it worked and he's not getting caught out again. This is also one of the reasons why Remus is in Sirius' top 3 favourite people - he always has something interesting to say and will happily debate for hours. Sirius is hardly ever bored around him.

- Neither of them are jealous lovers. Remus' self-worth is in the toilet, so if he sees someone flirting with Sirius he just feels miserable and spirals, thinking about how Sirius can do so much better than him. Sirius is a fiercely loyal person so he never flirts back and thinks Remus' self-image issues are ridiculous. On the odd occasion that someone flirts with Remus, Sirius rather enjoys it because a) it's ammunition for teasing and Remus will go bright red when he brings it up, and b) Watching Remus eventually realise he's being flirted with is prime entertainment - he fumbles and blushes so hard and almost takes out whoever's around in his haste to flee. It's priceless. Also - Sirius is extremely self-assured and knows his partner is hopelessly gone for him and would never cheat. Trust is extremely important to them both.

- Remus is extremely unpleasant around the full moon. He's got all sorts of aches and pains, has trouble sleeping properly, fatigue, and nausea issues. It makes him irritable and snappy. Sirius is incredibly patient with him and gives him space. He doesn't take Remus' mood to heart and occupies himself while Remus wallows. He's always there when Remus finally emerges from his misery to pitifully request a massage or a pain potion, and is uncharacteristically soft with him during the full moon period.

- Sirius. Cannot. Stand. the way Remus runs away from problems. It's his biggest pet peeve and it's a source of some of their biggest fights.

- Remus is mostly vanilla-aligned but is open to trying whatever new thing Sirius comes home with, smiling giddily and clutching a new toy or book with a spell he wants to try out. Occasionally Sirius will strike gold and find a kink Remus is wild for (ahem, praise kink), and is horribly smug about it

- Sirius is hopelessly gone for Remus' feigning innocence, lying through his teeth act. He doesn't understand it, but seeing Remus lie point blank to someone's face with those big, trustworthy brown eyes, sends him off-the chain, I-need-to-fuck-this-man-right-now-wild and he has no clue why. Remus is aware of this.

- They are mostly switchy but will go for months at a time with a preference for topping/bottoming. When Remus is feeling particularly insecure he tends to want to be fucked intimately, face-to-face, where he can see every twitch in Sirius' face, can catalogue the evidence of how much Sirius adores him. Sirius is just happy to be along for the ride because this way he can completely blanket Remus and grind slowly, swallowing every one of Remus' whimpers and broken moans as he fucks him slowly and thoroughly. Sirius can't get enough of taking him apart, finding his limits, anything that breaks Remus' finely tuned composure.

- Sirius is awful at apologies when they're younger. He has trouble admitting or even seeing his wrongs. After becoming an animagus he finds that it's much easier to apologise as Padfoot. After a fight he'll go for a rage-fuelled long walk or bike-ride, and cool down. When he's said or done something he regrets, he'll come home as Padfoot, tail drooping and wagging hopefully, big grey eyes fixed on Remus. He'll sidle up to him and just stare, wagging his tail. Remus knows exactly what he's doing but it's impossible to stay mad at him like this and he begrudgingly accepts that it's Sirius' way of apologising. It's not the healthiest communication tactic but they're not perfect. Once Sirius receives a begrudging head scratch, he changes back to his human form and acts like they never fought. It's annoyingly effective.

- Remus absolutely loathes flying on Sirius' motorbike. He begrudgingly admits it's hot to see Sirius dismounting, windswept, leather jacket donned, but god help him he'll do anything to avoid joining him on that death-trap. The only upside is that when he gets cajoled into riding, he can wrap around Sirius like a squid, burying his face in his back, and it's the only way it feels even slightly safe. Sirius secretly loves when Remus does this, and although he doesn't know what cute aggression is, it makes him want to squeeze Remus until his head pops off.

- Sirius is The Garbage Bin of the relationship. Oh you're not gonna finish your dinner? Pass it on over. Random assortment of treats Remus can't finish? Munches on them instead of meals. He often forgets to eat so he gets what he can when he can - ADHD eating style. Remus is the sick Victorian child, 'i can't eat too much dairy or I'll die'. Takes one bite of an apple and feels sick, Sirius, come get your snack, boy.

- Neither of them ever wanted kids but they both like children, which is a surprise to both of them. Given the chance, they are the Coolest Uncles, although Remus is cagey about their relationship and insists they're just best pals that live together until Harry is old enough to call bullshit, and Sirius just shrugs like 'yeah, he's weird about it. If you ask him about it he'll run away to Turkey. I'm working on it.'

Wowwww okay I have so many more but I have to stop somewhere. I hope you don't regret asking this question anon! You have opened Pandora's box

[literallyjusttoa]

Hey guys! I'm putting out a call for my commissions again for two big reasons: One, Emergencies have caused me to be low on funds when I wasn't expecting it, and that kind of sucks actually. Two, I have a project that I've been dreaming about for years but have actually been able to start working towards in the last couple of months, but to finish it I need to not be living paycheck to paycheck for like a month at the very least, which brings me back to point one :(. I will talk more about the big project under the cut, bc I think it's something you all might really enjoy!

But for now, I will link my commission sheet: Here (It's also my pinned post)

And my new Ko-fi!: Here for if you just want to donate, which would be literally incredible and I would owe you my soul actually.

Ok now for big Project Time!!!

I am in the process of editing and revising my first Youtube video! This has been an on and off dream of mine for like 7 years at this point, but I've finally taken the plunge and gotten to work on a channel. I wanna talk about all sorts of fandoms (including the riordanverse ofc) With videos ranging from plot and character analysis, to trends in fandom culture in general, to fun little ranking videos and speedpaints. All around, I just want the channel to be a fandom hive, where everyone can find something they enjoy.

I already have PNG's created of my sona to use as assets (And I have a sparkly new sona, the one in the pic above!) and I have two finished scripts, with the first one being fully recorded as well! One for my first video, which will be a retrospective on Gravity Falls, and one for a video about the Percy Jackson TV show, the inherent differences between TV and books as mediums, how I think the TV show could improve, and the things I think it got perfectly. I also have a bunch more ideas, such as:

BIG Trials of Apollo video essay, with a focus on how the books and the fandom have effected me over the years.

Ranking all of my favorite characters from all of the media I've been a fan of over the years (This would be over 70 characters)

Explaining the Iliad, but make it funny (with a side of Troy apologia)

Reading Lore Olympus and pointing out how it deviates from myth (the things I'm willing to do for you people /j)

Canon vs. Fanon, where I compare a characters canon characterization with their fanon counterpart and try to figure out how things turned out the way they did.

And more, but I don't want this post to be 5000 words long.

Now here's the big question. As I said in the part above, I'm struggling a bit now money-wise. And I really wanna make this project work, but there's also, you know. Tuition. Rent. Food. Stupid other adult stuff. So if anyone is amenable (and this is totally up to demand, I don't wanna pressure anyone into doing anything!) I was also thinking of maybe making a Patreon. Now, I'd have to do research for this, bc I wanna make sure anyone who signed up would get the right rewards and really get the bang for their buck. I'm pretty sure there's not gonna be much interest in this rn, cuz like, I'm not that big of a blog oof. But if anyone is interested! Here are some of the perks I would definitely be implementing! (sry it's another list)

Early access to videos, and behind the scenes looks at art assets and video creation

the ability to request topics for videos

Patrons names being shown in the videos. And higher tiered patrons getting custom chibis that will be shown in videos as well (and given to the patrons obv)

This ones a bit complicated, but I want to create a cover of a song that has to do with each video to play during their outros. So like, for the gravity falls video, I'm gonna record a quick cover of the Disco Girl song from the show. Only a small section of the song would be in each video, but patrons would get access to the full covers, and be able to request songs to be covered.

Discounts on commissions

A monthly speedpaint that would be exclusive to patreon. Patrons would be able to vote on what the drawing would be.

All of these ideas I'm 100% sure I want to add to a patreon if I make one, but obv there could be more that comes up later. I'm just gauging interest on this idea rn, so let me know if that's something you'd be down to sign up for! Maybe I'm jumping the gun here but I'm just really excited to create and give back to the community and aaahhhhh

Now, no matter what, I'm gonna have this first video out by mid-September at the latest. Because stupid money troubles are not gonna stop me from making this a thing dangit. So look out for that, I'll link the vid here when it releases! But I am just really stressed rn and any support would go a long way towards making this dream come true. And on that note, one more sappy real talk if I am allowed it?

If you've read this far, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This community and fandom is truly incredible. My blog is about to reach 5 years old, and I've never seen a group of people so accepting and creative and just fun to be around. You guys have truly changed my life, and I wouldn't have the courage to try for this if I didn't have the support you've given me. I know this is super dramatic for just trying to make a youtube channel, but making a place where I could just talk about all the nerdy and overly specific things I care about and share them with the world is something I've wanted for my whole life. You guys gave me that with this blog, and if this channel works out, it'll be thanks to you, so you'll have given it to me twice. I don't have the words to express how much I love this community and all the incredible people in it. So even if you can't support, just know that being here for however long you have been, whether it's the whole five years or the last two days, has done more than you'll ever know. You guys are the best, thank you for everything <3

[vriskabot]

do you have any davris headcanons?

i saw this ask the instant it came in and i could not believe my EYES. trust when i tell you ive been typing FURIOUSLY in the meantime okay. okay headcanons. -dave has always been a little genderweird and vriska putting makeup on him when she was bored one night unlocked his third eye and now he cant stop putting red shit all over his eyelids -vriska has also always been genderweird and you can see where im going with this. -she steals his clothes ALL the time -he pretends to hate it when she gets her disgusting $5 perfume stink all over said clothes but you know he loves that shit (and she knows it too) -flaming bisexuals -once theyve been together for a while they are THE most "i am going to have the longest silent conversation with someone across the room you have ever seen in your life" -they both think they can read each other like a book but in truth its only about 60-70% accurate -the inaccuracies are always funny as fuck though and 9 times out of 10 its some entirely off the wall MADNESS due to their upbringings they think is entirely normal. the conversations that directly follow these revelations are legendary amongst the extended crew and every single one thats happened in a public memo has been screenshotted by basically everyone they know -speaking of which. i dont think they dm for basically anything ever. they either have conversations right in the GC (sometimes in the middle of other conversations, which karkat fucking HATES, especially when they flirt with each other) or they speak in person/over the phone. no in between -they flirt with each other all the time and its disgusting but its incomprehensible to literally everyone else. vriska tells dave she found some gnarly roadkill and sends coordinates and dave is like "babe stop not in front of everybody" -she used to send pictures too but that got shut down real quick and now thats really all she dms him for -i dont think vriska likes it for the same reasons dave does but he did absolutely get her into the weird and wacky world of vulture culture. dave likes the wet specimens the most but vriskas a fan of bones and taxidermy -speaking of which. this is more vriska/troll-centric but i love the idea of vriska being able to eat bones. dave gets the same schoolboy "oh my god this is so cool" kick out of it every single time -im well aware that music is a time thing but i genuinely cannot comprehend a world wherein vriska is not a music girlie. this definitely did a lot of the heavy lifting in The Early Days because when youre emotionally constipated sometimes you gotta let a song do the talking FOR you -vriska 100% introduced dave to crunkcore and he got way more into it than she ever did. he listens to 3oh3 religiously -dave samples vriska on his tracks all the time because she CANNOT shut the fuck up. he also likes taking pictures of her but even after years together he still kinda keeps those to himself and gets flustered when she finds one -man i just really love the idea of them being fucking obsessed with each other. they rag on each other ALL the time because thats just how they feel the most comfortable being affectionate but at the end of the day they snuggle up all soft and quiet and just enjoy being with somebody who understands how hard it can be to even allow that to happen in the first place -they ARE super casually affectionate with each other though, even in group settings. i dont think theyd like grand pda like kissing or saying 'i love you' in public but personal space just doesnt really exist for them. they hang off each other and sling legs over laps all willy nilly -they also stim on each other. dave likes to play with her hair while hes talking and vriska likes to play with his hands/fingers when shes bored this post is so LONG i could keep going for days. please always ask me about davris, especially if youve got more specific questions!!!

[ivanttakethis]

A STAR IS BORN: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH “THE STAR OF SEASON 39” TOV

At the top of Season 39’s leaderboard with 77 points, Tov once again sat down with ALIEN STAGE MAGAZINE for an exclusive one-on-one interview!

————————————————————

Hi Tov, how have you been? I believe some congratulations are in order for your top score!

Tov: Thank you. I’ve been well. It’s nice to see you again.

So tell me, what was it like to earn the highest score of the season so far?

Tov: It was definitely unexpected. After Khoi won his round with 70 points, I was just hoping for somewhere in the top three or five. I didn’t think I would match his score, let alone surpass it. But I guess the audience really liked my performance.

When you saw your final score up on screen, what was going through your mind?

Tov: The shock is what hit me first. I was still trying to catch my breath from singing, so it took a minute for me to register what I was seeing. And then I just kept staring at the screen and thinking: “Is this real?” “Is that really my score?” I was so overwhelmed, I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry.

Let’s talk about your last minute song change for Round 10. We’ve all been dying to know what led you to make the decision to switch so late. What was your thought process? Were there outside influences?

Tov: No, nothing like that. It was a personal choice. I lost someone very important to me in Round 7, and I wanted to honor him with my performance since he never got the chance to see me sing. But the song I originally chose didn’t feel right as a tribute.

I spent most of the time between Round 7 and Round 10 searching for the perfect piece, and only came upon Cosmic Love the night before. It fit so well that I did whatever it took to sing it, even if things were a bit rushed. I wouldn’t change anything about how the performance turned out.

Many are now calling you the “Star of Season 39”. How does that make you feel?

Tov: It’s an honor that people think so highly of my singing and I’m very grateful for their support. But now there’s also a lot of pressure to be as perfect as possible. I don’t want to disappoint anyone.

These next few questions come from some of your fans!

First up, BlueBluBleu asks: “Your outfit in your first round was so inspired! How do you plan your look before a performance? What goes into that?”

Tov: Thank you. My guardian would probably talk your ear off about our process. We started concept work on the outfits right after I was confirmed as a contestant for Season 39. I told Cassio that I wanted all of the designs to fit within the theme of stars and constellations. From there we went through several draft iterations trying to represent a different elements associated with that theme: stars, the night sky, the moon, meteor showers, things like that.

We also tried to incorporate the mood of the songs I planned to sing and the emotions I want to evoke in my performances in the fabric colors we chose. Everything we’ve done has been very intentional.

My first outfit was meant to resemble the night sky. So we started with a midnight blue dress as the sky itself, and then sewed on the diamonds as the stars. Cassio and I chose diamonds specifically so they would catch the lights and twinkle when I was on stage. It came together beautifully.

After I won Round 10, we got right back in the studio to work on my second round dress. It’s a different style from my previous one, but it is truly stunning and still fits my theme.

Next, a question from M00N: “Of the 13 remaining contestants, who are 3 you'd love to sing with and why?”

Tov: I’m very biased about this one, but I would love the opportunity to sing a duet with Himei. She’s one of my oldest friends and we haven’t sung together since our Anakt Garden days, so it’d be like stepping back in time and reliving simpler days. Our voices harmonize well together too. I think My Clematis would be a great song choice. It speaks to our relationship in a way.

I’m also biased on my second choice as it’s another close friend of mine. I’d love to sing with Nyx. He’s such a talented bassist and composer. It would be an honor to sing one of his original songs with him on stage. I’ve been wanting to for years now.

My last choice would be Cirrus. Their performance in Round 1 was absolutely captivating. Something about their voice has stuck with me, even through all of the subsequent rounds. It’s haunting, but in a good way. Great for songs with a slower tempo. I think I do well with slower songs too. Maybe we could do a ballad together?

And finally CastorKyo4Evr asks: “Which round so far, outside of your own, did you find the most inspired?”

Tov: I really enjoyed Round 4. It was our first duet of the season and it really got me thinking about all of the possibilities duets could bring to the table. There’s a lot of creativity and cooperation that goes into a joint performance and I found it very inspiring.

Himei and Min’s performance was also very high energy. The song choice played to both of their strengths so the audience got the best out of both of them. I think it really represented what ALIEN STAGE is all about: putting on the best show possible.

Since you scored the highest in Row 1, you’ll be the opening round for Row 2. Does that change anything for you, in comparison to your first round?

Tov: It does change things. The field is narrowing, which means the stakes will be higher. Lark didn’t have the chance to perform in Row 1, so he’s a bit of a wildcard to me. I’m not sure what to expect from him.

Then there’s also the added stress of being the opener. I must confess that I’m a bit nervous. But I’m sure Lark and I will both do our best to make Round 17 memorable for everyone.

What do you have planned for your next round? Will you still be singing for that important someone?

Tov: I’m always going to sing for him. But I’ll also be singing for other people who are important to me too. I hope they’ll be listening.

No hints on what’s to come. You will have to wait and see.

Tov returns to the stage with fellow contestant Lark in Round 17 of ALIEN STAGE Season 39!

————————————————————

This interview took place after Post Row 1 - Tov’s Log.

While Tov isn’t known for being overly talkative, Cassio taught her from a young age how to handle media and public relations matters.

She’s kind of like how Ivan was in his Outstanding Pupil Award interview, very good at coming across as pleasant and sociable.

Notice the difference between how Tov presents how things happened versus how they actually happened 👀

She knows she needs to spin this story and convince the AREPH that she’s not a threat.

The important people she planned to sing for in Round 17 were Nyx and Himei. But we all saw how that went…

Thank you to @lookatmysillies for the fan questions!

Khoi belongs to @junebluues.

Himei and Tallis (not mentioned by name, but we all know) belong to @lookatmysillies.

Nyx belongs to @rockwgooglyeyes.

Cirrus belongs to @yunoftheclouds.

Lark belongs to @kamersona.

[franklyimissparis]

wait i'm new here why does everyone think something happened in india

hi! welcome! everyone is mostly speculating but there’s a few things we know abt the india trip/specifically the aftermath of it that leads us to know that something went down (regardless of whether or not there were romantic/sexual undertones to it):

long story short, paul left india early with jane asher, his fiancé at the time, and john stayed. john was notably deeply depressed and suicidal at the time of the trip as well. and things were reportedly never the same between them.

there are quotations from geoff emerick about how the lads were fundamentally different after india and, though they wouldn’t speak about it, he got the idea that something had happened that changed things within the group and made those relationships icy.

there’s also a scene in get back where john and paul are speaking about india when john mentions “what were we doing… who was writing all those songs in your room” and then mimes fellatio to a microphone 😭

michael gerber wrote at hey dullblog this which i think summarises fans’ questions/theories about what happened between them nicely:

“Sometimes I think the inciting incident was something external, something private that happened in the world—John and Paul started having sex, or stopped, or talked about it, or stopped talking about it; perhaps something powerful happened inside the friendship at the core of the Beatles. One of them said or did something, and the other guy got mad, or felt betrayed, or something.”

honestly i can’t do all the elements at play justice as well as other people can but i would HIGHLY recommend listening to another kind of mind’s pizza and fairytales series which focuses on john and paul’s relationship in the 70s and what led up to all of this, as well as their sexualities and john’s mental health issues. episode 4 discusses the india trip and theorises what went down in a very thoughtful and comprehensive way :))

(and this is the article that quotation comes from, it’s just one opinion tbh but it’s an interesting take)

[yuseirra]

I've actually become really.. Even more confident with my hikaai analyses (until I get proven wrong..haha) hear me out on why I feel this way, okay?

In the latest chapter, it was revealed that Ai's boyfriend is someone who offers things for Ai, and falls into ruin because of it. He believes there is some kind of destiny for himself. That much, we can all agree with, huh?

If that’s the case, then "Fatal" is this person’s song.

In that case, I’ve already secured the basic points if this were a test, and now I’m just waiting to collect the extra points!

It’s not really about me trying to convince myself...this is really true!

From the start, I always predicted that Hikaru’s breakdown only happened after Ai’s death. The question was never whether he fell apart, but rather how much. He’s always been such an ambiguous character whose exact actions were left unclear.

I got this part right, and honestly, it was the most important part. It wasn’t this person who harmed Ai. (So actually, Aqua’s target for revenge is no longer this person. It’s easy to miss this since the story moves so quickly.)

It’s also confirmed that he was originally a genuinely good person. This part was validated when the god herself confirmed he had a noble and refined soul.

This means Hikaru is not the kind of person who falls into ruin just because something bad happens to him. It was Ai’s death that led to his downfall. In fact, considering everything this character has been through, this makes him closer to "kind," and his mental fortitude is incredibly strong. The idea of him being "noble" aligns well with this. So, ultimately, this confirms that the personality depicted in the flashbacks(the movie arc) is accurate to his true character.

If this is the case, it also explains why Ai liked him so much and wanted to save him, making everything fall into place.

Now, the only question that remains is whether he will actually be saved or if he will remain a terrible criminal. (And honestly, this is the same situation the character was in before the movie arc—it’s like we’ve come full circle. However, now there’s the added advantage of two key pieces of information: Ai wanted to save him, and he really was originally a good person.)

To be honest... I feel like we need to see how the character himself acts before we can properly judge him.

It’s similar to judging a real person.

I feel it’s still too early to jump to conclusions just from seeing a text that goes he's a terrible guy who's killed a lot of people. There hasn’t been a single image of him doing anything specific yet... So, while we can take it into consideration, it is only when we get more detailed flashbacks or scenes where the character himself expresses his own thoughts, that will likely confirm everything.

Given that everything I predicted so far has been right(I really, really did get so many things accurately), it feels highly likely that the story will go the way Ai hoped, with this character being saved.

I’ve been following closely, and I've noticed that even in his "ruined" state, this character still shows a lot of kindness. Plus, he’s an actor and just as much of a liar as Ai was, so you have to really pay attention to interpret him correctly. You can’t just believe what you see!

Right now, I’ve scored over 70 points out of 100 if this were to be a test, but I feel confident that I’ll end up with over 90.

Since we’ve already established that he didn’t hurt Ai and that Ai genuinely wanted to help him, this means there’s a strong narrative push in that direction, and my conclusions about the character are likely to be right, which makes me feel even more confident.

If "Fatal" really is this character’s song, then yes, the emotions in that song—desire, disappointment, despair—are definitely present.

But surprisingly, the song has much less selfishness or possessiveness than one might expect. So, I felt like it wasn’t such a bad kind of love, which is why I’ve depicted that couple so much.

It’s a love where you give and give, without expecting much in return. You just want to hear their voice, to catch their gaze, to have them comfort your pain again. The lyrics even mention that their "fatale" belongs to "no one". It’s a kind of selfless love where you want them so desperately that you can’t live without them, while offering up everything you have, but asking for so little in return. This is a very devoted love. If it were one-sided, it might feel overwhelming or creepy, but with Ai and Hikaru, it’s mutual.

If you look at Hikaru’s actions in Chapter 160 (his testimony is likely the truth, even if Tsukuyomi’s stated goal is real, that kind of motivation would only arise after Ai’s death.) It means this person didn’t have confidence that Ai loved him, so he desperately craved her love in this way. That makes it pitiful. He makes a pass to be Ai's lover, in my book. He seems like a good person. And I take love VERY seriously... haha... I believe love isn’t about receiving, but more about giving. It’s about giving without regret... The narrators of "Mephisto" and "Fatal" embody this a lot.

They don’t ask for much from the other person while giving everything they have. That’s the kind of love Ai’s boyfriend has. What he gives may be a question,(or questionable) but I doubt Ai would have failed to notice a guy capable of harming Ruby(their own daughter for goodness sake) or involved in serial killings... haha. Plus, if he’s described as once having been "noble", a person like that probably wouldn’t cross that final line. Ruby didn't, and I find Ruby having taken after his character quite a bit, they make the same expressions. There’s a higher chance he kept his boundaries intact.

Things will unfold the way Ai wanted them to. The things this person has actually done are quite different from what’s been said about him.

He’s not someone who acts strongly or aggressively—he’s too gentle for that. It’s not that he’s pretending to be kind while having a foul heart; rather, I see he’s pretending to be dark when he’s actually not, which is why his true nature shows through.

It’s true that Ai found and fell in love with a genuinely good person, and they had a period where they were happily together. So I can already see the story heading towards him being saved after being broken by her loss. Ai wants to save the boy who's been deeply suffering and is straying far off after what's happened to her. That's the narrative the story is heading towards, it's the most natural path and I see it coming. Ai is right. She found someone REALLY sweet and he got destroyed, so she wants to help him get back to the way he was.

I’ve gotten the overall structure right, and now I just need to collect the extra points :)

[thebreakfastgenie]

I got a little ranking request for you: What are your Top 5 best and Top 5 worst Billy Joel music videos?

Omg okay. This is so hard!!!

Top 5 best:

Turn the Lights Back On

This is the one that makes me the most emotional. It's not even the AI younger versions of him, although those are great, but the old footage they put in at the end. Oh my god. It gets me every time. And when he turns the page from Famous Last Words at the beginning.... it gets me every single time. It's really beautifully made and I'm so glad we have it.

2. The Longest Time

This is a nice simple concept and I really love it. The old age makeup is a little goofy but it's worth it to me. I love seeing the band singing together in this one! The lyrics are romantic but the video is about the group of friends and it's nice.

3. You're Only Human

Billy Joel called this video terrible but he's just mean. It's cheesy but it makes it work. I think the cliche of homaging It's a Wonderful Life actually helps, because it doesn't take itself totally seriously. I like the narrative videos, which he would hate, but too bad. This is the only song of his that I enjoy significantly more with the video. He's great in it! He gets to ham it up and be silly and then he does the scene where he takes the kid to see the cops informing his parents that he's dead and he gets that look on his face. My heart. Playing the Piano Man riff on the harmonica is such a perfect touch. It really personalizes it and takes it from being a straight It's a Wonderful Life scenario to being a message from Billy Joel himself.

4. Pressure

This one is a really great example of surreal music videos that raise more questions than they answer. I think it's just really well-done and the effects are cool. It has some funny little easter eggs too, like "William Joel, age 29, occupation computer software."

5. A Matter of Trust

This is more of a performance video, but it has just enough narrative setting to it to make me interested. I like the rehearsal concept, even if seeing him play a guitar is weird. The comedy beat with the lady yelling at them to shut up is fun. Everyone in the street stopping to listen is predictable but it works. And the cameo from Christie and Alexa is adorable. "Okay girls, A Matter of Trust!" my heart!!

Honorable mentions that I adore but didn't make this list because I think these 5 are better: Keeping the Faith, She's Right On Time, Uptown Girl, We Didn't Start the Fire, Tell Her About It.

Top 5 worst:

Zanzibar

I don't even know what's going on here. He's released two other animated videos in recent years and those are both pretty good. This one is just weird.

2. Piano Man (1985)

I don't think either Piano Man video should exist, but between the two of them this one is worse. I hate how literally it interprets every line, I hate how brightly colored it is. I don't know if it's supposed to be comedic or it's just 80stastic but it's not dark and gritty like the song is in my head. This video represents everything he's ever said is bad about videos. I have my own extremely clear vision of the piano bar in my head from the song and this is getting in the way. Among the reasons this one is worse, it's very obvious when you look at him that it was filmed in the 80s, not the early 70s. His hair is completely wrong.

3. To Make You Feel My Love

There's no point to this, they just needed a video because they put this out as a single with Greatest Hits Volume 3. It works slightly better for Hey Girl.

4. And So It Goes

I have nothing against this it's just completely pointless. It doesn't add anything to the song. The only good part is the shot of his hands playing.

5. The Downeaster "Alexa"

I just don't like how it's edited and I really want this song to have a better video.

The only ones on the worst list I really feel strongly about are the first two though!

And then there's Sometimes a Fantasy which is both the worst and the best.

There's a video limit but I can link it.

I honestly think it's pretty well made and I really enjoy it but it's weird and it makes me feel a little gross. It just... is.

Thanks for the ask!

[reasonablerodents]

Have you ever wanted 70 angst-laden prompts? Well, here you go, and they’re all lyrics by The Smiths, the masters of the subject. (Yeah I could have done way more but I thought 70 was probably more than enough)

They’re sorted into several catagories: Loneliness, Breakups, Longing, Love, Questions, Cruelty and Corruption, Statements, Struggling, and Sex. I also included the song names so even if you don’t know the song, you can look it up.

However, the categories are just a guide- use them however you want! Have fun!

LONELINESS

The Queen Is Dead

-Life is very long when you’re lonely.

Never Had No One Ever

-Now I’m outside your house, I’m alone.

I Know It’s Over

-If you’re so very clever, then why are you on your own tonight?

Rushholme Ruffians

-I might walk home alone/But my faith in love is still devout.

Asleep

-Sing me to sleep/I don’t want to wake up on my own anymore.

* * * * * * * * * *

BREAKUPS

I Know It’s Over

-I know it’s over, still I cling. I don’t know where else I can go.

Unhappy Birthday

-From the one you left behind.

Jeane

-We tried, and we failed.

Miserable Lie

-There’s something against us/It’s not time.

You’ve Got Everything Now

-You’ve got everything now, and what a terrible mess I’ve made of my life.

Still Ill

-Although I ended up with sore lips/It just wasn’t like the old days any more.

Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before

-I still love you/Only slightly less than I used to

A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours

-Oh, but don’t mention love, I’d hate the pain of the strain all over again.

* * * * * * * * * *

LONGING

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

-Send me your pillow, the one that you dream on

Reel Around The Fountain

-I dreamt about you last night and I fell out of bed twice.

Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

-So for once in my life/Let me get what I want/Lord knows, it would be the first time.

I Want The One I Can’t Have

-I want the one that I can’t have/And it’s driving me mad.

Well I Wonder

-Well I wonder, do you hear me when you sleep?/I hoarsely cry.

-Well I wonder, do you see me when we pass?/I half-die/Please keep me in mind.

How Soon Is Now?

-See, I’ve already waited too long/And now my hope is gone.

Half A Person

-Call me morbid, call me pale/I’ve spent six years on your trail.

* * * * * * * * * *

LOVE

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

-To die by your side/Well, the pleasure and the privilege is mine.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle

-I’ll still be by your side, for you are all that matters.

-Together we lie, together we pray.

What Difference Does It Make?

-I’d leap in front of a flying bullet for you

Hand In Glove

-No, it’s not like any other love/This one is different because it’s us.

-If they dare touch a hair on your head/I’ll fight to the last breath.

Work Is A Four-Letter Word

-If you stay, I’ll stay right beside you.

Unloveable

-I don’t have much in my life/But take it, it’s yours.

Shoplifters Of The World

-Learn to love me, assemble the ways/Now, today, tomorrow, and always.

How Soon Is Now?

-I am human and I need to be loved/Just like everybody else does.

Reel Around The Fountain

-People see no worth in you, I do.

* * * * * * * * * *

QUESTIONS

Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now

-Why do I give valuable time/To people who don’t care if I live or die?

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

-And when you want to live, how do you start?

Miserable Lie

-What do we get for our trouble and pain?

Girlfriend in a Coma

-Do you really think she’ll pull through?

Paint a Vulgar Picture

-You could have said no, if you wanted to/You could have walked away, couldn’t you?

When Will You Accept Yourself?

-Anything is hard to find/When you will not open your eyes/When will you accept yourself?

Sweet and Tender Hooligan

-Will you free me? Will you find me?

London

-And do you think you’ve made the right decision this time?

Panic

-I wonder to myself/Could life ever be sane again?

Barbarism Begins At Home

-Why? Because of what you are.

* * * * * * * * * *

CRUELTY AND CORRUPTION

Frankly, Mr Shankly

-It pays my way and it corrodes my soul.

Miserable Lie

-You have corrupted my innocent mind.

These Things Take Time

-And you gave me something that I won’t forget too soon.

Vicar In A Tutu

-Get your vile soul dry cleaned.

Sweet and Tender Hooligan

-And he said that he’d never, never do it again/And of course he won’t, not until the next time.

What Difference Does It Make?

-Heavy words are so lightly thrown.

I Don’t Owe You Anything

-You owe me something/Repay me now.

I Won’t Share You

-Has the Perrier gone straight to my head?/Or is life sick and cruel instead?

* * * * * * * * * *

STATEMENTS

These Things Take Time

-You will leave me behind.

I Know It’s Over

-It takes strength to be gentle and kind.

Rubber Ring

-But they were the only ones who ever stood by you.

Back To The Old House

-There’s too many bad memories.

Girl Afraid

-I’ll never make that mistake again.

* * * * * * * * * *

STRUGGLING

What’s The World?

-I’m going under/You can feel them pulling me down.

I Keep Mine Hidden

-Hate, love and war/Force emotions to the fore/But not for me, of course/I keep mine hidden.

You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby

-You must suffer and cry for a longer time/You just haven’t earned it yet, baby.

That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

-It’s too close to home/And it’s too near the bone.

Well I Wonder

-Gasping, but somehow still alive/This is the fierce last stand of all I am.

You’ve Got Everything Now

-I’ve seen you smile, but I’ve never really heard you laugh.

I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish

-I started something/And now I’m not too sure.

Sheila Take A Bow

-How can someone so young sing words so sad?

* * * * * * * * * *

SEX

Handsome Devil

-And I would like to give you/What I think you’re asking for.

-I crack the whip/And you skip/But you deserve it.

-And let me get your head/On the conjugal bed.

Pretty Girls Make Graves

-Give in to lust, give up to lust.

Stretch Out And Wait

-What I do know is we’re here and it’s now/So stretch out and wait.

Ask

-So if there’s something you’d like to try/Ask me, I won’t say no, how could I?

Reel Around The Fountain

-15 minutes with you, oh, I wouldn’t say no.

[kindlingkeen]

hi! i was reading through my bookmarks and decided that because today is so special (happy death day jason todd <3) i might as well share some, so here we go:

The Whale by chucklesbuckles - it's just jason in blackgate having fun torturing a new prisoner. the guy has a truly miserable time. talia shows up at one point. it's a fun read but not for everyone

There is no milk! by chucklesbuckles - red hood!catherine au, this one hurt my feelings a lot

(chucklesbuckles also has a few jayroy fics, i don't read for that ship but i know you do, so)

Silent Song by Sparkypants - bruce tries to save his kids and ends up dooming them in a different way. it's heartbreaking but so good, i couldn't look away. all the batkids feature but duke and jason most prominently

A Most Dangerous Game by Balrog_Roike - the end of this is just the red hood being very cool and badass and menacing, very fun

The 70 Days After Groundhog Day by Ptelea - dick-centric but jason's the one who went through the time loop. some really good dick and jason moments. i think what stood out to me most was how the author built dick's civilian life (he's not a cop! he teaches self-defense at a shelter! it suits him so well!) and gave him friends and acquaintances outside of his family and the caped community

This One's For Keeps by whaleofatime - about dick and jason being brothers and them talking about their relationship with bruce. so so good

okay this got long so we'll stop there. i hope you enjoy! and if you've read all of these then maybe some of your followers will have something new to check out. looking forward to what you have planned next for Asymmetrical Warfare and i hope you have a good day!

Anon, you are a gem, thank you so much for sharing your fic recs. 💙 I’m sorry I didn’t get your ask answered on Jason’s death day anniversary, I had a busy couple of days. 😔

I’m excited to go through these. The only title I recognize is The 70 Days After Groundhog Day by Ptelea (you’ll need to be logged in to ao3 to access this one), which I quite liked. I read it a while ago, but the passage below stuck with me (it’s not at all the focus of the fic, which ends on a happy note, but it made me feel so sad for Jay):

At the Cave, a quick stop in the car, Bruce rising from his chair. Jason turned to him and said, "You need to tell him, not me. He gets from questions to action faster, when you say it," and Dick would have expected those words to be spat out bitter, but they just...were, like the fire that was burning Jason up wasn't leaving room for anything else.

Thanks again for your ask, anon!

[zepskies]

Hi Zep! Buckle up because I have a number of picks for your ask game! How about 2, 10, 17, 40, 48, 55 and 70?

Hey Michelle! Hope you're having a lovely Sunday. ☀️💜

Omg these are amazing questions!!

Lmfao this is hilarious to me, but I actually had to think hard about this one. My pre-writing/outlining process is pretty methodical. However, I think the biggest time the narrative hijacked my hands was in Smoke Eater (firefighter!Dean x reader).

I had several scenes in the original outline that just weren't fitting right when I got to the drafting stage, to the point where I had to chuck them out entirely. Also, the whole murder mystery that's central to the narrative was complex to tease out, but that also took me by surprise when I was outlining!

I wasn't intending to go that route at first, but when I thought of including John Winchester and Cas as homicide detectives (drawing from my childhood obsession with Law & Order), it kind of just started coming to me.

So I usually have the premise of the idea before the title. It's gotten easier as I've become more experienced as a writer, but sometimes I just put a placeholder title that kind of encapsulates the idea before I come up with something better, then I start outlining/researching.

Often I get placeholder titles from songs/lyrics of what will likely give me inspiration for the story, and sometimes those titles stick!

Ooh another great question. 😂 Funnily enough, the ones that come to me off the top of my head are mostly from Break Me Down:

M.M. scoffed, with a subtle shake of his head.  “Nah, man,” he said ruefully. “That’s true motherfuckin’ love.”

And a fun one:

“Alert the media,” you said. “We’ve got the ultimate weapon against Soldier Boy: a slow ride on his dick.”

😂 This one also sticks out in my mind from the Midnight Espresso-verse - Devour Me (Part 2), as a playful one I was weirdly proud of lol:

“Question: do you consider yourself more of a tits or ass man?” you ask him. You’re half teasing, but still curious. Dean snorts at the question.  “More of a connoisseur,” he replies, smirking.  “Ah.” You nod sagely, and you point between him and yourself. “So this is like a ‘sample the menu’ situation.” Dean’s smirk deepens. “Sweetheart, you’re a goddamn buffet.”

Finally, this one from the imagine "You are Dean's one exception":

Oh man, that's very tough. I've been blessed to get some amazing feedback from you and others, and believe it or not, I do go back and reread comments and reblogs. It puts a smile on my face whether I'm having a bad day, or want to continue smiling on a good one. 💖

I think one of the best compliments I can receive, however, is that a story touched someone on an emotional level and somehow got them through a difficult time in their life, or is one of their "comfort stories." That's happened a few times, and it almost makes me cry every time. 🥲

I can also say that you, @chernayawidow, and @waynes-multiverse have given me some of the best feedback I've ever gotten on stories. Not just because the other two have made me cheese grin/nearly cry of laughter, but also because all of you are writers and have been able to tell me narratively (or on a character development level) what you liked about what I was doing in a story. As a writer, that kind of feedback is amazing as well. 💖💖

Also, some of my favorite feedback of all time has been on Midnight Espresso -- whether it's been people thanking me for the representation of the Hispanic/Latin culture, or sharing experiences with being plus-sized and how that's viewed in society. 💗

😬😬 Ahh guilty, lol. At the risk of sounding prideful, I think if you're doing it right, you should be writing the stories you want to write. So it stands to reason that you should be able to enjoy reading your own work. 💜

None on Tumblr, but unfortunately I do have a few on FF.net, which I don't even post on anymore, and maybe one or two on Ao3. Sometimes you just lose the drive to write for that fandom, especially if engagement is down. Sometimes you just move on to other things.

I'm a voracious editor. I believe good writing is also good editing -- that's just part of the process. So yes I guess I can be self-critical. lol

Sometimes I'll be rereading something, and I'll go in and edit it after it's already been posted for months, whether it's a typo, or a line that doesn't sound quite right for the character, or part of a scene that I think needs smoothing out. I guess I'm a bit of a perfectionist that way. 😅

Again, thank you so much for these questions, my friend!! I'm going to be sending you some too very soon. 😘

[whenthep8wn]

deserve.

Daisy jones x fem!reader

Warnings: cursing, a little internal homophobia, SOPILERS FOR EP 9, NICKY SLANDER, use of Y/N

A/N: OKAY YEAH I FINALLY WROTE A FIC AND ITS SUPER LONG!! okay bc it's my first fiction be nice also I love daisy jones and the six AND I JUST GOT THE BOOK! Request stuff!!!

How could he leave her like that? Not even just leave her. Period. But leave her in the fucking shower! Epecially When she was like that. What kinda of evil person would you have to be to leave someone there like that when you were basically the whole reason why that happened in the first place, and then you leave! "THAT GOD DAMN ITALIAN ASSHOLE!" That was the first thing that came out of my mouth when daisy told me what happened the night before the band and I, came barging out of are rooms after we all heard daisy screaming profanities at Nicky for leaving her there in the shower. "Y/N, please." The beautiful flower named girl said shushing me down from drawning any more attention to are seat in the crowded tour bus of daisy and the six. "Sorry," I said looking down quietly. "Come on Y/N, you're my closest, longest friend. You're the only one who truly knows me, and that's why you're the only person who knows the full story." "Well, I'm honored." I said with slight sarcasm making the fire head girl in front of me smile. "Anyway, I always got bad energy from Nicky, even when you invited me to the wedding. But, I didn't want to say anything because you were so happy." I said earning a strange look from daisy that turned to a small delighted smile. "I mean daisy, Those men didn't deserve you at all, Jesus-" "Wait Y/N what other men?" "All of them. Nicky, Billy, the guy who stole your beautiful Sublime, whatever song that he turned into a hit that should've been you're hit daisy!" "Y/N-" "You deserve so much better daisy." I said staring directly into her soul so maybe should would understand what I'm trying to say. That beautiful fiery girl scooched closer to me to look further into my soul. "Then who do I deserve Y/N?" Daisy said with that mischievous smirk she usually has on her face. I didn't need to say anything or so I thought. I thought we were on the same page but I guess I was wrong. I kissed her. Because I thought it was the right thing to do, because i thought it would change our relationship, because I thought it would change who I was, and where we were. But it didn't. I was still a woman. A lesbian. In the 70s. And she was still a woman. A straight woman. In the 70s. But, she didn't move. She didn't connect are lips like the puzzle piece that I thought desperately needed to be together. So I pulled away. I got up. "Y/N-" "Daisy, I'm sorry I shouldn't have. I-i- i didn't know what I was thinking, I know you don't feel the same, I'm so stupid!" "Y/N-" "-and- and look where we are I don't know what i thinking!" "Y/N!" "WHAT! NO! I mean no! I'm sorry I need to go." I stayed up all night. I couldn't sleep. I wouldn't sleep. My mind wouldn't allow me. My mind would only focus on her. My mind Could only focus on her. Around midnight I heard a very rushed knock on my hotel door. I was scared to open the door, but I was too tired and delusional to care less, so I just wanted to get this over with and tell who ever it was to fuck off so maybe I could get some sleep. When I opened a fiery red headed girl jumped on me and wrapped her legs around my waist and her arms slung around my neck before I could even get a word in. "Daisy-?" I said questioning why she was knowing full well she didn't love me how I wanted her too. "Daisy, what are you doing here?" I asked again. "Shhhh-" she whispered putting her finger to my lips. "I'm here for you." She said while jumping down from my body. "Wha-" "It's you. I deserve you. You deserve me." She send stepping closer to me almost filling the space between are body's. "I want you." She said sincerely. "Okay, but daisy, the way you acted on the bus, and all the men! I never thought you would feel the same way." "I know, I'm sorry. But you just freaked me out I never thought you would feel that way and in front of the band I just... froze." She said while looking down. "But know that I know it makes a lot of sense." She giggled. "Hmm, I guess I was wrong then." "Yes you were very wrong. You deserve me."

[joons]

Hey! I’ve got an Elvis question, just popped into my head. So did he compose the instrument parts of songs? Or was he more of a vocals only guy. I feel like I should know this but I guess I don’t!

This is a great question! I would not go so far as to call him a composer of most of his material (he was very adamant that he wasn't a songwriter), but he certainly filled the role of producer. He often knew exactly the sound he wanted and would advise the musicians until they understood his intentions. Because of his encyclopedic knowledge of music, he could pin down sounds and influences in a way that surprised the experienced musicians he worked with. He was an adequate rhythm guitarist and a pretty good piano player, but in general, he gave musicians who worked with him space to create and then guided them until he found the pocket he wanted.

In the early days, there were only two or three musicians in his band, and it was mostly democratic, like, the takes either worked or they didn't. They were very improvisational. At the same time, Elvis could get hyperperfectionist about the recordings and hold them up for hours. For instance, "Hound Dog" was a staple at his live shows before he recorded the song, and he wanted it to have a different tempo and feel on the record, much faster than how they typically performed it. For whatever reason, Elvis wasn't satisfied with it until they were about ready to throw him through a window, but that's exactly when he got the angry, frustrated sound he wanted.

"Elvis drove the band through thirty-one takes, slowly fashioning a menacing, rough-trade version quite different than the one they had been performing on the stage." - Robert Fink

Obviously whole books have been written about the recording sessions, which I have yet to fully dive into, so I can't speak super authoritatively on this, but in general, Elvis lost quite a bit of control over the recording sessions as Col. Parker moved him more toward releasing movie soundtracks, which had to be sung to scene specifications. In those instances, Elvis would just tell the singers and musicians he was working with to "just do your best," knowing that the material was pretty lame.

But he was able to take control of his sound again in his gospel albums, during his TV special and while working on the Vegas/touring live shows. He handpicked the musicians here, so they were all the best in the business; he had a great deal of trust in them to contribute their own signatures. But again, he usually had a pretty clear understanding of the song dynamics, the shape he was going for, and could coax it out of everyone. You can see him conducting and coaching here:

Through the late '70s, he often lost interest in staying on top of his game, both in live shows and in recordings. The problem with the live shows is that he got bored with performing the same songs, and efforts to change it up didn't go that well due to a lack of rehearsal and underwhelming audience feedback, so he went back to playing it safe. And with some of the later albums, he just wasn't feeling well or didn't connect with the songs as much. So in those cases he could sometimes just churn out a song that had already been perfected by the musicians and he just came in for the vocals. But he loved music so much that he just always had Opinions About It.

But just to go back to the producer thing, he's the one who arranged "Blue Moon," which doesn't sound like anything that Sam Phillips or anyone else had ever or would ever put out. Elvis got obsessed with atmospheric sounds and different effects that he knew exactly how to tune to an emotional frequency. So this ethereal, distorted echo pairs with his choice of lyrics, only repeating the first, sad verse of "Blue Moon" and never letting the storyline resolve into finding love. No one knew what the hell he was doing, but it took them so long to get him out of his shy, anxious shell that they didn't want to tell him to stop.