#best not broken

[radiomaxmusic]

Monday, December 11, 2023 4pm ET: Balcony Show featuring Best Not Broken

[independentartistbuzz]

Indie 5-0 with Best Not Broken

Best Not Broken is not to be slept on. This Boston band brings back all the nostalgic feelings we thrive on, both lyrically and sonically.

Their newest song, "I Don't Belong," is a pop rock tribute to those who didn't quite fit in in high school and dreamed of being a rock star. While the song oozes of the 80's and 90's replete with references to Walkmans, 90210, sideburns and mullets, and pegged jeans, the music video brings all that to life with bright colors, big hair, and teen angst.

The band, and their music, bring a fun and playful energy to the industry that everyone needs. We got a chance to speak with the band about their music and their career, so without further ado, let's dive in:

What was the inspiration behind your new song "I Don't Belong"?

This song started years ago with a little vocal melody that wound up being the verse. The only problem was we never had any lyrics for it that seemed to stick. Somewhere along the way, we committed to finishing it and some other pieces started coming together. The second piece was the “can I get a“ pre-chorus that struck me as memorable and tempting in that there are so many things that one might scream that refrain about. It started with jokes about fast food in the studio (“can I get a…cheeseburger!”, etc.) but when the chorus (“ I don’t belong“) started to shape up, the pre-chorus took a new meaning. We were then on the hunt for a concept that fit those pieces. Knowing the melody and pre-chorus had a lighthearted vibe, I set off in search of something with a little humor but an authentic backstory to it. Then one night, while lying awake in bed, for some reason I started thinking about some of my ridiculous high school experiences, and all of a sudden the ideas started to flow. It wasn’t long before the story of a high school wanna-be-rockstar had kind of written itself.  It’s really a celebration of all the things we look back on from high school and say “OMG, I can’t believe I did that!“ and how at some point, we all didn’t quite fit in somewhere.  And ultimately how we start out with grandiose plans that may or may not pan out, but those of us that are fortunate enough, end up with a life that’s pretty darn good even though we may not have hit our target!

Your video is fun and cleverly ties your lyrics and music together. What was the best part of putting the video together?

By far, the best part of putting the video together was reddiscovering some of the outfits and other time pieces (Rubik‘s cube, boombox, walkman, etc.) from the 90s and even the 80s to make this video feel like it was set back then. Not sure if we hit the mark, but it was certainly fun trying! The second thing was watching Carlo (our drummer) ride a miniature bike around the school. He definitely would’ve spent much time in the principals office!

You've performed with and opened for many iconic musicians over your career thus far. Is there a show that stands out the most? Why?

We’ve been very fortunate in that our music seems to have enough commonality with an array of popular artists that we’ve picked up some pretty cool gigs with musicians we all know in love. Those experiences are all special in their own way, but the one that probably stands out the most is the very first time we were asked to share the stage with a national headliner in front of thousands of people.. It was Pat Benatar.  At first we said “that doesn’t really seem like our audience.. we may not be a good fit.”  And then we said, “what the heck are we thinking, there will be thousands of people… we gotta give it a shot!”  At that point we were mostly used to playing in the garage and after a quick sound check, and looking at thousands of seats in the theater, and people starting to filter in, I just remember walking out to my car 10 minutes before we were supposed to go on thinking “oh my God, how am I going to do this!”  Major mental peptalk! But we got through it and they even had us back for another show!

If you could perform with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

The Beatles. For every reason you can imagine, and also because ultimately their songwriting and personality has many fingers in what Best Not Broken is today.

What has been the most rewarding aspect about performing and connecting with your audiences?

Ultimately it is just that. Connecting with people. It’s like having hundreds of great conversations all the same time. With a beat! When everybody is feeling the same energy, living the same lyrics, dancing and smiling together, it’s really a gift that we feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in.

[radiomax]

Friday, April 21, 2023 11pm ET: Beyond The Balcony Episode #17

#17 The companion program to the Balcony Show featuring independent music and beyond. In this installment we present music from these artist: (Episode 17) A Little Overboard, Autumn Academy, Best Not Broken, Canaan Cox, Different Moon, Good Stuff, Guy Paul Thibault, Hitha, Kendra Erika, Kenzo, Mat D Hard Luck Americana, Neil & Adam, The New Realm, Whole Damn Mess, Sam Louis (Not the order of…

[mercymaker]

LAENA VELARYON, Season 1, Episode 6, "The Princess and the Queen" RHAENYS TARGARYEN, Season 2, Episode 4, "The Red Dragon and the Gold"

[prancingart]

And it's just a case of tragic magic When you can't remember feeling fantastic

[chalkrub]

new guy, he's an artist. and a merderer

[pheavampire]

The Radio is Broken

Anyone up for some Alastor and Vox pathology?

I guess I should warn it’s short, but kinda dark.

But honestly? I had no idea I’m able to draw a comic that looked like this ;u;

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

[dykealloy]

ripple effect legacy // my tears are becoming a sea, M83

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 308

Honestly, Damian is so disappointed in his father right now. And his so-called siblings. The friends allies he had made over the years and he had been swapping multiple times, and still they hadn’t realized. Danyal was as pale as a corpse, closer to Drake for Pit’s sake! Jordan had red eyes! Elena was a girl! Respawn had white hair! Surely someone noticed- thank fuck, hello Todd, no he’s not on patrol, listen, listen, he needs you to know that Father? Blind. An idiot! The others more so! Yes yes, they’ve been doing their single-person trick, but surely someone should have caught on yes? And they haven’t- Oh? What a wonderful idea Akhi, he shall inform the others of this idea, the Lazarus waters do make dna testing quite hard to do. 

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

vaggie, miss "im not used to fighting with long hair" who's out of practice actually battling someone or really stabbing ppl...

...still had the arm and hand strength, the REFLEXES, to do a bare handed blade catch on a SWORD, who's user had been doing an aerial dive with it aimed at vaggie's FACE

then sling around and THROW her opponent with it

i know she wants a peaceful-ish life with charlie, but i really wouldn't mind seeing her getting into just a FEW more fights >:D

also also side note: carmilla was able to eff her up earlier so easily bc vaggie fought like an exorcist, no thought to getting hurt or personal defense, the headspace of 'i can't get killed! wheee! DIE DIE DIE' that got that other exorcist killed

and the main advice vaggie got from carmilla was take advantage of that sure, but first and more importantly, defend yourself better

which kinda plays into the whole "be out for love thing" too

aka the fight isn't important, it's what you're fighting to still have Afterwards that matters- the people you love, having a life with them

(the hotel, the hazbins, charlie)

carmilla doesn't send vaggie off with a 'you're ready to go kill angels'. she's only satisfied and ends their little lesson / sparring match when she can say "you might just survive this"

feels like she wasn't teaching vaggie to take out angels. she was reminding her and showing her how NOT to get KILLED

so it's just so nice seeing vaggie blocking, dodging, and grappling lute later. how good she is at focusing on avoiding or neutralizing those attacks aimed at her. how Seriously she takes them

binding lute's both lute's arms and wedging them into her own body so lute's sword CAN'T be angled towards her

the way this shot emphasis's the THREAT of the sword hanging over vaggie

and how her flash-fast recovery and block shows she's READY for it

dodging, not attacking

she's not in this for blood or vengeance, this lady is trying to stay the fuck alive. she's got things and people to live for

things like the idea of mercy. that thing both her and charlie show their enemies, people who came down to hell for murder and spent this fight trying to kill them and got damn close to doing it.

and sure there's a pretty big tone difference between charlie's "Whoa whoa dad. He's had enough" and vaggie's "No, live. Live knowing that you only do because I let you" but both end at the same place, with someone who hates them still getting a second chance

(UNLESS ITS NIFFTY WITH THE ANGELIC BLAAADE)

and vaggie wants that second chance too. she wants a life with charlie, and fights hard so she can stick around for it

epic fail, lute... have you considered getting a hobby...?

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

"See you tomorrow"

MDZS Disco Elysium AU part 4 [prev parts]

[whumblr]

A bone to pick

"Just can't help yourself, huh?! Always getting in our way!"

Another punch blew them to the floor of the grimy cell. With their hands cuffed behind their back, Whumpee couldn’t do much more than literally roll with the punches, soften the blows, trying to dodge best they could as Henchman went off, releasing his anger on them.

A kick to the stomach made them curl up. Followed up by a stomp on their ribs.

"Not so tough now, hm?" Henchman hissed, grinding his boot against their ribcage as if he were stomping out a cigarette. "What, nothing to say this time?!"

"What is going on here?"

Pressure on their ribs immediate fell away when the Henchman literally jumped a little and stepped back.

Whumper stood in the cell door opening, casually leaning against the metal frame, arms crossed, taking in the scene.

"Teaching them a lesson, sir." Henchman puffed his chest out, boasting his confidence that he was doing nothing wrong. But his voice sounded awfully fragile, the plea for approval ringing clear.

Whumpee glared up at the man in the doorway. They weren't sure why they were looking for mercy there but at this point he was the only one who could stop this. Even just for some stupid reason like, 'Only I am allowed to touch them'. But of course, there was no reprieve.

"I see," Whumper merely said, cold indifference in his eyes as he looked at the figure writhing on the floor. "Nothing wrong with that."

Henchman deflated. As did Whumpee's small hope.

"Did you break anything?" Whumper asked.

"No, sir!" Henchman quickly defended himself. No, no, wouldn't want your boss to think you'd just broken his new toy...

A disappointed hum. "Do it now."

Whumpee stopped breathing and went completely still, as if they were superglued to the floor. Fear started prickling in their stomach. Their heart pounded against the concrete and spread the uncomfortable, heavy sensation all over their body.

"Sir?" Henchman didn't seem as sure about what was about to happen.

"Pick a bone," Whumper said, slowly, eerily calm and he looked straight in Whumpee's eyes as he continued, "And break it."

Whumpee forced themself to maintain eyecontact, to keep breathing calmly through their nose. But they lost to the panic rising in them as Henchman disappeared behind them. They turned to their side to keep an eye on him, eyes wildly flitting about to Whumper and back.

Henchman stalked around Whumpee and they could practically feel his eyes roaming over their limbs, their body, as he was trying to make his choice. A barely noticeable sly smile crept over his lips and his eyes settled on their upper arm.

No... They kept the word firmly behind clenched teeth. Nothing they'd say would make them stop and they'd be damned if they allowed them to hear them beg! Their jaw set, panicked eyes blazed as they shot Whumper a challenging glare.

"I know what you're thinking," Whumper rumbled, unimpressed by the scene in front of him. "You're not going to scream for me." He gave a light shrug. "You re wrong there."

As Henchman shoved them onto their front and pulled their arms into an uncomfortable angle, they did put up a light struggle, pulling fruitlessly at the cuffs, scooting inches away, but a boot landedly heavily in-between their shoulder blades and kept them pinned.

"Don't move," Whumper growled, "Or I'll pick something to break as well."

A broken whimper did slip free this time and only increased in volume despite their wishes when they saw Henchman raise a leg.

An enormous force came down on their arm. A disgusting snap vibrated through their entire body like a tiny explosion, but the explosion of pain was much bigger.

And Whumper had been right; they couldn't hold their scream back. A broken, stuttering shriek that fizzled to sharp, short outbursts as the pain faded, but kept throbbing.

The handcuffs held their arms back mercilessly, and pulled at the broken bone with every twitch and twist. They squeezed their eyes shut. Felt, to the their horror, a cold prick of wetness in the corner of their eyes and they turned face-down to the floor, hiding it, resting their forehead against the cold floor.

"Good," Whumper gave a nod. "Now leave us," he growled at Henchman, and poked a foot under Whumpee, nudging them over, drawing out another scream. "We still have much more to discuss."

-

General whump taglist O7: @firewheeesky @myfriendcallsmeasickwoman19 @whumpawink

@painsandconfusion @auroragehenna @chaotic-orphan @lolrpop

[stil-lindigo]

seeing clearer

(sequel to another comic of mine, the calamity.)

--

all my other comics

store

[radiomax]

Friday, April 21, 2023 11pm ET: Beyond The Balcony Episode #17

#17 The companion program to the Balcony Show featuring independent music and beyond. In this installment we present music from these artist: (Episode 17) A Little Overboard, Autumn Academy, Best Not Broken, Canaan Cox, Different Moon, Good Stuff, Guy Paul Thibault, Hitha, Kendra Erika, Kenzo, Mat D Hard Luck Americana, Neil & Adam, The New Realm, Whole Damn Mess, Sam Louis (Not the order of…

[ryllen]

I wanted to reblog that one text post that said imagine waking up to sebek and his hair is down and he is looking so handsome just like his newest appearance on book 7

and i just bumped to this video and was like "Ffshds what if he SURPrisINGLY wa kes up EXA CT LY like thi s fsjdsd? ? "

[turtleblogatlast]

Headcanon that Leo really loved to give his family massages growing up. We know that he’s good at them from the episode “You Got Served” and we know he likes spas and relaxation and getting massages himself from when he tried to get these in “Bad Hair Day” and from when Donnie made a tennis ball massage machine in “Smart Lair.”

So I think it’d be cute to think that maybe one day Leo overheard Splinter complaining about a bad back and immediately Leo thinks back to a comic or movie or something he saw where a massage helped so he offers to give one and it actually ends up helping Splinter.

Then April swings by the Lair at a later time and mentions her back hurting because of her backpack from school and Leo’s all like “I gotcha!”

From there, he occasionally manages to convince Donnie to sit for one because Donnie’s shrimp posture does not help him any (Leo pokes fun at how sandpaper-y Donnie’s shell is despite knowing it’s always like that and Donnie smacks him for it.) Donnie usually prefers hand massages instead however as all his typing and inventing adds up over time, and shoulder massages too once he starts wearing his battle shells more. Leo also figures out how to give massages to Raph and Mikey’s shells as well, though it’s a struggle at first to not scratch his hands on Raph’s spikes.

I think since Leo has such bad luck with spas and the like, he tries giving himself massages (though it’s not as helpful.) Like, with how his abilities work his legs are probably always aching from his portal jumping and one foot landings, so maybe he branches past back massages out of a need to help his own aches too. (Though he really wants a shell massage himself, the same way he’d give them…the one time with Donnie’s tennis ball massage machine was but a short moment of what Leo’s been missing out on and what he’ll continue missing out on…)

I don’t know, I just think it’d be cute to think Leo could have honed his massaging skill this way in order to help out his family (and also partially because he wants a massage himself.)