#billy steinberg

[nofatclips]

I Turn To You (Melanie C cover) by Cornelia Jakobs @ Eurovision 2023

[mitjalovse]

Robyn's pop is great. To be honest, Scandinavians rule here, but why? Someone much smarter than me has a better answer than what I'm proposing – I consider their work to be a bit of a sonic sorcery. Of course, this only appears to be on the surface. For instance – check the tune by Ace Of Base on the link. This shouldn't have worked that well – there is a collection of elements that don't complement each other, they battle for their primacy, yet this is what makes the entire song compelling. I agree, you can tell the group worked with a very strong producer and his name was Denniz PoP who continues to be present in the current pop machine despite him being dead. You see, his protege Max Martin, also present on the tune you hear, continues his work, because he learnt from him a lot.

[rolandrockover]

Reasoning Alone

I can literally see in my mind's eye how Paul must have rubbed his hands confident in victory to land an international top ten hit when writing Reason to Live. I can't say whether Desmond Child was grinning along, he doesn't really appear in my vision. I think he could have been a bit more indifferent than Paul anyway, because he had several hot irons in the fire with Bon Jovi and Aerosmith, to name but a few (1).

And yes, what should still go wrong with Desmond Child on board, plus a chorus that, say, pays tribute to Foreigner's I Want to Know What Love Is chorus, and…

And what?

Well, possibly a reference to the keyboard refrain from Heart's Alone? Which, by pure coincidence, was also produced by Ron Nevison, just like Reason to Live. Under these circumstances, such a thought would not be completely absurd, would it? This time the melody is not completely looted, Kiss' guitars keep the ball a little flatter, but still close enough to the basic mood of Heart's Keyboards. Vocally, Paul also invades Heart's hunting ground, but hardly dares to do more than prop his toes up here and there, let alone achieve Alone's urgency.

What was Crazy Nights supposed to be named first? Who Dares Wins?

Well.

Side Note:

(1) After all, I don't want to go beyond the scope with long lists of well-known artists, just to demonstrate in passing how many hits this man has written.

Alone is highlighted. Reason to Live on the other hand has to start from the beginning. This poor song:

Reason to Live (1987)

Alone (1987)

[mindisinmars]

COMING TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT ILL NEVER BE A TEENAGE BOY IS HARDER THAN IT SEEMED ❗❗❗

[claudia1829things]

Top Favorite Episodes of “BLACK SAILS” Season Three (2016)

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Three of the STARZ series, “BLACK SAILS”, a television prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, “Treasure Island”.  Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, the series starred Toby Stephens, Hannah New and Luke Arnold:  

TOP FAVORITE EPISODES OF “BLACK SAILS” SEASON THREE (2016)

1.  (3.10) “XXXVIII” - Former pirate Captain Benjamin Hornigold and the British forces come for the pirates led by Captain James Flint during a battle planned by Quartermaster John Silver.  Captain Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny unite with Captain Edward Teach aka Blackbeard’s fleet during the battle.  Billy Bones creates the “Long John Silver” legend by killing a pardoned pirate captain in Nassau and blaming Silver for the murder.

2.  (3.09) “XXVII” - Flint prepares for the upcoming battle, while Billy plots to save the captured Captain Charles Vane from being hanged.  Nassau madam Max must decide who she can trust.  And Eleanor Guthrie finds herself in charge of Nassau when her lover, Governor Woodes Rogers falls ill with fever.

3.  (3.03) “XXII” - The conflict between Flint and Silver escalates as starvation and dehydration set in within the Walrus crew, while stuck in becalmed sea.  Woodes and Eleanor arrive to troubling circumstances in Nassau.  Blackbeard develops a plan to help those pirates not pardoned make their escape from the island, following Rogers’ arrival.

4.  (3.07) “XXV” - Flint, Silver and the Walrus crew return to Nassau to recruit more men and acquire weapons.  The captured Rackham’s fate is tied with the Spanish’s demand for the gems that used to be part of the Urca gold.  Eleanor and Rogers begin a romantic relationship.

5.  (3.04) “XXII” -  Flint and his crew end up captured and imprisoned by mysterious islanders, who proved to be a community of enslaved fugitives known as Maroons.  After escaping from Nassau, Vane learns from Blackbeard that Eleanor is with Woodes Rogers.  While helping a group of enslaved fugitives make their escape from Nassau, Mr. Scott and the others encounter a group of hostile British Marines.

[liiistennnn]

ljs says ok I will decide for both of us we will have wives instead of war. but actually there's no choice between the war and the wife because the wife is the war cuz the wife is clear sight, knowledge, freedom. so she dumps him. and in his fake happy ending she shows up and takes him back. and both their fake happy endings have them trapped in the illusion of peace and security which is oppression. first of all both of their endings are fake and second of all they aren't even happy endings! they're what empire wants, the subject subdued by comfort and convention, keeping himself out of trouble.

his revolution depended on freeing slaves and he ends up enslaved… obviously not because first of all ljs (silver) shoots him second of all he’s white third of all it’s the fake happy ending but he’s literally in jail working for free in the fake happy ending he is in jail!!! working for free!!!

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Why 'Black Sails' Is Still Worth a Watch

These pirates' lives made for some great television.

(Spoiler alert for people haven't watch!)

The Big Picture

Black Sails is an underrated pirate series that serves as a prelude to the novel Treasure Island.

The show explores the origins of Captain Flint and John Silver, and their journey from noblemen to pirates.

The series features an ensemble of real-life pirates, has a prolific cast, and delves into darker and more introspective themes than other pirate shows.

Pirates make for great entertainment. From the swashbuckling thrills of the Pirates of the Caribbean films to the animated antics of One Piece, and recent hit shows like Our Flag Means Death, buccaneers and their battles on the high seas have provided a wealth of stories for screens large and small. One of the most underrated pirate stories happens to be the Starz series Black Sails. Over the course of four seasons, a gripping narrative of blood and betrayal was woven.

Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Black Sails was crafted to fill the void left by Starz's previous heavy hitter Spartacus. And much like the Rome-set series, Black Sails features an ensemble cast and drew inspiration from another creative work. In this case, the show serves as a prelude to the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and focuses on two characters from the novel: Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and new crew member John Silver (Luke Arnold). While other prequels to famous works feel the need to explain every little detail that surrounds the preceding source material, Black Sails takes a different path and explores how its pirates came to be the men they are.

Captain Flint and John Silver Are at the Center of This Swashbuckling Story

In the second season, Flint is revealed to have turned from a nobleman's life to that of a pirate following the imprisonment and death of his lover Thomas Hamilton. Adding salt in the wound is the death of Thomas' wife Miranda, which pushes Flint over the edge. Throughout the series, he attempts to gather his fellow pirates into a force that will rival the British fleets; he also tracks down and kills those who wronged him. By the series finale, Flint has finally won his war and becomes the ruler of the pirate nation Nassau. Stephens portrays Flint with a quiet intensity that often boils over into bloodlust and/or rage given who he interacts with.

During his quest, Flint must deal with Silver, who often schemes against him and ultimately winds up betraying him in order to gain a greater share of the gold hidden in the Spanish ship known as Urca de Lima, which drives the plot of the first two seasons. However, over the course of the series, Silver grows to be a loyal ally to Flint and the crew of the Walrus, and uses his schemes to help them survive. True to the book, Silver suffers extreme torture in Season 2 that forces him to have his leg amputated — but even though he has a peg leg, it doesn't make him any less dangerous.

'Black Sails' Explored the Lives of Real-Life Pirates and Deeper Themes

Black Sails was also notorious for introducing several real-life pirates into its narrative. Chief among them was Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson), who goes by his real name of Edward Teach. Teach enters into a partnership with Flint and the other pirates when they seek to retake Nassau from Captain Woodes Rogers (Luke Roberts), who Teach wants revenge against for reasons initially unknown. Stevenson is utterly terrifying as Teach; he towers over everyone and even defeats Flint in a sword fight — when Flint is the one who challenged him! Other real-life pirates include Zach McGowan as Charles Vane, Toby Schmitz as Jack Rackham (otherwise known as "Calico Jack"), and Clara Paget as Anne Bonny.

Black Sails contains what may be one of the most prolific ensemble casts for a cable series; each member went on to star in more genre fare. Tom Hopper, who portrayed Billy Bones, is a major part of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix. Jessica Parker Kennedy, who plays Max, made an appearance on The Flash as Barry Allen's daughter Nora. Stephens has appeared in the James Bond film Die Another Day, as well as Netflix's Lost in Space. Stevenson has been in all sorts of genre fare including Ahsoka (in his final performance), Punisher: War Zone, Thor, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. This is another thing it shares in common with Spartacus, as that show has seen many of its alums go on to alternate genre fare (none likely more famous than Lucy Lawless, who defined early genre TV when she played a certain warrior princess).

Black Sails stood out from other pirate series by going into darker places, especially where its characters were concerned. Though Flint was the protagonist, he'd commit cold-blooded murder, especially if anyone crossed him. Betrayals were second nature; one minute two of the pirates could be allies and the next they'd be at each other's throats. And for all the blood, sex, and swearing, the series was rather introspective; it explored the mental cost Flint's past took on him, and was willing to question whether or not he could truly find peace. Black Sails was definitely a series ahead of its time, not just in pirate media but in genre storytelling on the whole, and the map it laid out would lead to many similar elements playing out in shows that would soon follow, like Game of Thrones and The Witcher.

Black Sails is available to stream on Starz.

Note from admin: Black Sails coming to Netflix US on 1st January, stay tuned!

Source: Collider

[reg1ment]

the boston crusaders have announced their show for 2024, glitch!

music featured under the cut:

Shaker Loops: Jon Anderson/John Adams

G-Spot Tornado: Frank Zappa

Orchestral Suite No.2: J.S. Bach

Take-Five: Dave Brubeck

True Colors: Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg/ Saunder Choi

State of Independence: Jon Anderson

Worm Hole: Ryan George, Colin McNutt, Iain Moyer, Mike Zellers

[dear-indies]

full list of biden letter 2:

Aaron Bay-Schuck Aaron Sorkin Adam & Jackie Sandler Adam Goodman Adam Levine Alan Grubman Alex Aja Alex Edelman Alexandra Shiva Ali Wentworth Alison Statter Allan Loeb Alona Tal Amy Chozick Amy Pascal Amy Schumer Amy Sherman Palladino Andrew Singer Andy Cohen Angela Robinson Anthony Russo Antonio Campos Ari Dayan Ari Greenburg Arik Kneller Aron Coleite Ashley Levinson Asif Satchu Aubrey Plaza Barbara Hershey Barry Diller Barry Levinson Barry Rosenstein Beau Flynn Behati Prinsloo Bella Thorne Ben Stiller Ben Turner Ben Winston Ben Younger Billy Crystal Blair Kohan Bob Odenkirk Bobbi Brown Bobby Kotick Brad Falchuk Brad Slater Bradley Cooper Bradley Fischer Brett Gelman Brian Grazer Bridget Everett Brooke Shields Bruna Papandrea Cameron Curtis Casey Neistat Cazzie David

Charles Roven Chelsea Handler Chloe Fineman Chris Fischer Chris Jericho Chris Rock Christian Carino Cindi Berger Claire Coffee Colleen Camp Constance Wu Courteney Cox Craig Silverstein Dame Maureen Lipman Dan Aloni Dan Rosenweig Dana Goldberg Dana Klein Daniel Palladino Danielle Bernstein Danny Cohen Danny Strong Daphne Kastner David Alan Grier David Baddiel David Bernad David Chang David Ellison David Geffen David Gilmour & David Goodman David Joseph David Kohan David Lowery David Oyelowo David Schwimmer Dawn Porter Dean Cain Deborah Lee Furness Deborah Snyder Debra Messing Diane Von Furstenberg Donny Deutsch Doug Liman Douglas Chabbott Eddy Kitsis Edgar Ramirez Eli Roth Elisabeth Shue Elizabeth Himelstein Embeth Davidtz Emma Seligman Emmanuelle Chriqui Eric Andre Erik Feig Erin Foster Eugene Levy Evan Jonigkeit Evan Winiker Ewan McGregor Francis Benhamou Francis Lawrence Fred Raskin Gabe Turner Gail Berman Gal Gadot Gary Barber Gene Stupinski Genevieve Angelson Gideon Raff Gina Gershon Grant Singer Greg Berlanti Guy Nattiv Guy Oseary Gwyneth Paltrow Hannah Fidell Hannah Graf Harlan Coben Harold Brown Harvey Keitel Henrietta Conrad Henry Winkler Holland Taylor Howard Gordon Iain Morris Imran Ahmed Inbar Lavi Isla Fisher Jack Black Jackie Sandler Jake Graf Jake Kasdan James Brolin James Corden Jamie Ray Newman Jaron Varsano Jason Biggs & Jenny Mollen Biggs Jason Blum Jason Fuchs Jason Reitman Jason Segel Jason Sudeikis JD Lifshitz Jeff Goldblum Jeff Rake Jen Joel Jeremy Piven Jerry Seinfeld Jesse Itzler Jesse Plemons Jesse Sisgold Jessica Biel Jessica Elbaum Jessica Seinfeld Jill Littman Jimmy Carr Jody Gerson

Joe Hipps Joe Quinn Joe Russo Joe Tippett Joel Fields Joey King John Landgraf John Slattery Jon Bernthal Jon Glickman Jon Hamm Jon Liebman Jonathan Baruch Jonathan Groff Jonathan Marc Sherman Jonathan Ross Jonathan Steinberg Jonathan Tisch Jonathan Tropper Jordan Peele Josh Brolin Josh Charles Josh Goldstine Josh Greenstein Josh Grode Judd Apatow Judge Judy Sheindlin Julia Garner Julia Lester Julianna Margulies Julie Greenwald Julie Rudd Juliette Lewis Justin Theroux Justin Timberlake Karen Pollock Karlie Kloss Katy Perry Kelley Lynch Kevin Kane Kevin Zegers Kirsten Dunst Kitao Sakurai KJ Steinberg Kristen Schaal Kristin Chenoweth Lana Del Rey Laura Dern Laura Pradelska Lauren Schuker Blum Laurence Mark Laurie David Lea Michele Lee Eisenberg Leo Pearlman Leslie Siebert Liev Schreiber Limor Gott Lina Esco Liz Garbus Lizanne Rosenstein Lizzie Tisch Lorraine Schwartz Lynn Harris Lyor Cohen Madonna Mandana Dayani Mara Buxbaum Marc Webb Marco Perego Maria Dizzia Mark Feuerstein Mark Foster Mark Scheinberg Mark Shedletsky Martin Short Mary Elizabeth Winstead Mathew Rosengart Matt Lucas Matt Miller Matthew Bronfman Matthew Hiltzik Matthew Weiner Matti Leshem Max Mutchnik Maya Lasry Meaghan Oppenheimer Melissa Zukerman Michael Aloni Michael Ellenberg Michael Green Michael Rapino Michael Rappaport Michael Weber Michelle Williams Mike Medavoy Mila Kunis Mimi Leder Modi Wiczyk Molly Shannon Nancy Josephson Natasha Leggero

Neil Blair Neil Druckmann Nicola Peltz Nicole Avant Nina Jacobson Noa Kirel Noa Tishby Noah Oppenheim Noah Schnapp Noreena Hertz Odeya Rush Olivia Wilde Oran Zegman Orlando Bloom Pasha Kovalev Pattie LuPone Paul & Julie Rudd Paul Haas Paul Pflug Peter Traugott Polly Sampson Rachel Riley Rafi Marmor Ram Bergman Raphael Margulies Rebecca Angelo Rebecca Mall Regina Spektor Reinaldo Marcus Green Rich Statter Richard Jenkins Richard Kind Rick Hoffman Rick Rosen Rita Ora Rob Rinder Robert Newman Roger Birnbaum Roger Green Rosie O’Donnell Ross Duffer Ryan Feldman Sacha Baron Cohen Sam Levinson Sam Trammell Sara Foster Sarah Baker Sarah Bremner Sarah Cooper Sarah Paulson Sarah Treem Scott Braun Scott Braun Scott Neustadter Scott Tenley Sean Combs Seth Meyers Seth Oster Shannon Watts Shari Redstone Sharon Jackson Sharon Stone Shauna Perlman Shawn Levy Sheila Nevins Shira Haas Simon Sebag Montefiore Simon Tikhman Skylar Astin Stacey Snider Stephen Fry Steve Agee Steve Rifkind Sting & Trudie Styler Susanna Felleman Susie Arons Taika Waititi Thomas Kail Tiffany Haddish Todd Lieberman Todd Moscowitz Todd Waldman Tom Freston Tom Werner Tomer Capone Tracy Ann Oberman Trudie Styler Tyler James Williams Tyler Perry Vanessa Bayer Veronica Grazer Veronica Smiley Whitney Wolfe Herd

Will Ferrell Will Graham Yamanieka Saunders Yariv Milchan Ynon Kreiz Zack Snyder Zoe Saldana Zoey Deutch Zosia Mamet

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: April 24, 1989

Lyrics:

I had to escape

The city was sticky and cruel

Maybe I should have called you first

But I was dying to get to you

I was dreaming while I drove

The long straight road ahead, uh, huh

Could taste your sweet kisses

Your arms open wide

This fever for you is just burning me up inside

I drove all night to get to you

Is that alright

I drove all night

Crept in your room

Woke you from your sleep

To make love to you

Is that alright

I drove all night

What in this world

Keep us from tearing apart

No matter where I go I hear

The beating of your heart

I think about you

When the night is cold and dark

No one can move me

The way that you do

Nothing erases the feeling between me and you

I drove all night to get to you

Is that alright

I drove all night

Crept in your room

Woke you from your sleep

To make love to you

Is that alright

I drove all night

Could taste your sweet kisses

Your arms open wide

This fever for you is just burning me up inside

I drove all night to get to you

Is that alright

I drove all night

Crept in your room

Woke you from your sleep

To make love to you

I drove all night

I drove all night

Taste your sweet kisses

Your arms open wide

This fever for you is just burning me up inside

Songwriter:

Billy Steinberg / Tom Kelly

SongFacts:

👉📖

Homepage:

Cyndi Lauper

[jules-has-notes]

True Colors — VoicePlay music video

After all the hard work that went into the video for their "Boy Bands" medley, it was time for a little sweet simplicity. VoicePlay took a pop ballad about acceptance and turned it into a rich, harmonic aural hug. Even when they go back to basics, they never go the way people might expect, and this arrangement is just different enough to be surprisingly touching. For all their usual silliness, when these guys do serious, they do it seriously well.

Details:

title: True Colors

original performer: Cyndi Lauper

written by: Tom Kelly & Billy Steinberg

arranged by: Layne Stein

release date: 5 July 2019

My favorite bits:

starting with warm, lush harmonies from all five guys

J.None's vulnerability as he sings ♫ "It's hard to take courage" ♫ on his own

the way the audio mix shifts slightly to highlight whoever is on screen

just the two lowest voices singing ♫ "the darkness inside you can make you feel so small" ♫, oof

Earl's floaty descant leading into the second verse

Layne taking the lead for the first chorus

the gorgeous ascending layers on ♫ "true" ♫

Geoff's quiet, gentle ♫ "true colors" ♫ counterpoint

those shifting harmonies on the repeated ♫ "rainbow" ♫ 🌈

the precision of the quick descending bell tones

Earl's crestfallen expression as they sing ♫ "you've taken all you can bear" ♫

Eli and J's insistance on ♫ "I will always be there" ♫

the sweetness of Layne singing ♫ "That's why I love you" ♫ solo, then harmonizing with Geoff on ♫ "Don't be afraid" ♫

Geoff's gradual descent on ♫ "beautifu-u-u-u-uuul" ♫

J.None's lovely countermelody riffing

the beautiful trio harmonies in the coda section, rounded out at the very end by the other two

the simplicity of their placement and set dressing that suits the song without distracting from its meaning

Trivia:

The guys weren't intending for this video to be quite so emotional, but when they started filming, the message in the lyrics really struck a chord with them.

Consensus among YouTube commenters is that Layne has a lovely voice that ought to be featured more, and the guys should make the sheet music for this arrangement available for purchase.

Their earnest performance also got the stamp of approval on social media from some of their Home Free pals.

Layne had also used the glowing balls as set dressing in a much sillier video that PattyCake produced for YouTuber Danny Gonzalez a month earlier.

[fashionbooksmilano]

Tobias Rehberger

If You Don't Use Your Eyes to See, You Will Use Them to Cry

Edited by Billy Tang

Steinberg Press, London 2022, 176 pages, 153 col ill., 21,5x24,5cm, hardcover, ISBN 978-3-956 79-440-7 Co-Publisher Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) Shanghai

euro 35,00

This publication features a rich display of Tobias Rehberger's works in the exhibition "If You Don't Use Your Eyes to See, You Will Use Them to Cry" at the Rockbund Art Museum (RAM), taking the form of a fully functioning butcher shop serving food and drink, an assembly of ikebana-like flower arrangements, an inauthentic Japanese-style teahouse serving instant tea, a bar with irregular opening hours, subway posters across the city, malfunctioning signage, and a panoramic tableau of pixelated larger-than-life-sized popstars.  This book can also capture the culinary lens conceived by Chef Blake Thornley of the OHA Group and mysterious images that float between fiction and reality created by Shanghai-based photographer Xiaopeng Yuan. Through an assortment of elements and visual transduction, the image and text in this book unravel from one another while dovetailing serendipitously elsewhere. In that case, this book extends the exhibition's original boundaries and offers different ways of viewing.

This "recipe" invites the reader into a generative process in which the exhibition's ideas are warm rather than cold leftovers.

05/02/24

[myxbacktrax]

Alone - Heart (1987) Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly originally wrote this song for their own act, ​i-Ten and the album Taking a Cold Look which came out in 1983. In 1984, it was performed by John Stamos and Valerie Stevenson in character for their short-lived TV sitcom Dreams. Heart’s version spent three weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the summer of 1987.

[claudia1829things]

Top Favorite Episodes of "BLACK SAILS" Season Four (2017)

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Four of the STARZ series, "BLACK SAILS", a television prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, "Treasure Island". Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, the series starred Toby Stephens, Hannah New and Luke Arnold:

TOP FAVORITE EPISODES OF "BLACK SAILS" SEASON FOUR (2017)

(4.10) "XXXVIII" - In the series finale, pirate Captain James Flint launches a final, desperate attack to destroy England's hold on Nassau. Quartermaster John Silver makes an irreversible decision and Captain Jack Rackham gets the opportunity to finally confront Nassau's Governor Woodes Rogers.

2. (4.01) "XXIX" - The season premiere has Flint and Silver lead the fight against Rogers' forces to reclaim Nassau. Meanwhile, Rackham and legendary Captain Edward "Blackbeard" Teach seek revenge against Rogers for Charles Vane's death.

3. (4.06) "XXXIV" - Thanks to Rogers' machinations, Spanish forces invades Nassau with little resistance. Silver attempts to repair the alliance between the pirates and the Maroons. And former black marketeer Eleanor Guthrie-Rogers, now the Governor's second wife, work together to survive the Spanish invasion.

4. (4.02) "XXX" - Flint submits himself to fellow crewman Billy Bones's authority and plans to raid the plantations inland, in order to retake Nassau. Eleanor tries to find a way to save Rogers. Silver is captured by Israel Hands, a former crewman of Blackbeard, and tries to talk his way into freedom.

5. (4.09) "XXXVII" - The Walrus travel to Skeleton Island for a brief parley with Rogers and to pursue Flint, who has grabbed the treasure cache. Rogers presents a proposition to Madi, daughter of the Maroon Queen and the late Mr. Scott. Before Rogers' devastating attack upon the Walrus crew, Billy commits himself to the Governor's forces.

R.I.P. Ray Stevenson (1964-2023)

[xabiramone]

Today in 1986: Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, hits #1 in America.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Black Sails: 13 Facts About The Starz Hit Worth More Than Stolen Treasure

BY ERICH B. ANDERSON/DEC. 31, 2022 1:15 PM EST

With contemporary series like "Vikings" and "Game of Thrones," "Black Sails" may often be overlooked when compared to other epic dramas of the 2010s, which makes it one of the most underrated shows of the decade. Not only is the scale of the pirate adventure immense with many scenes taking place upon impressive naval vessels, but the political intrigue and intimate interactions of the characters make it an entertaining watch for several different audiences.

The show as a whole does a brilliant job of mixing fiction with historical figures like the notorious pirate captains Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson) and Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) whose lives were so legendary that they verge on fantasy. But at its core, the story centers on the complicated friendship between its two main characters, Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his deviously clever quartermaster, Long John Silver, in the years before their sagas are continued in the later tale of "Treasure Island." For a series devoted to such larger-than-life individuals, the making of it also had its fair share of epic details and moments as well, which you can enjoy reading below.

The series is an unofficial prequel to Treasure Island

Although "Black Sails" is its own story for the most part, from the very beginning it was always meant to show the events building up to the classic work of fiction "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. More than anything, the creators of the series wanted to tie up loose ends to the famous tale and give their explanation to who the characters were up to in the years before, as showrunner Jonathan Steinberg explained to Entertainment Weekly: "At the end of the book, it's recounted by other people that Captain Flint died in Savannah alone, which begs a lot of questions."

Flint's origin is certainly not the only one covered with both Long John Silver's and Billy Bones' backstories explained thoroughly as well. For Billy especially, his situation in the finale of the series gives all new meaning to what happens to him later in the novel. Steinberg added: "It is clear we are suggesting he is on 'Treasure Island,' which I think has a number of implications if you go back and read the book."

After four seasons, it is clear the showrunner was pleased with how the series handled the continuity, saying: "It felt like we had finished the argument a little bit, in terms of connecting it not just to 'Treasure Island,' but to our contemporary understanding of what piracy was, about what Caribbean piracy was."

2. The opening credits features the hurdy-gurdy

Several aspects of "Black Sails" make it stand out as a particularly fascinating TV series, with one of the top being its unique theme music in the opening credits. Not only is the memorable tune composed by the talented Bear McCreary who is well known for his work on "The Walking Dead" and "Battlestar Galactica," but it also features quite an unusual instrument known as a hurdy-gurdy, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Also known as a wheel fiddle, the hurdy-gurdy is a folk instrument that has existed for around 1,000 years and is played to this day all over Western Europe, from Italy to England. In a 2010 TED Talk, musician Caroline Phillips explained that the complex and bulky device originally required two people to operate it until the design was improved a few centuries later, so it could be used by a single performer. Although a fundamental part of the instrument is the strings, akin to a violin, the sound produced can also be compared to bagpipes.

3. The show was filmed in South Africa

While "Black Sails" takes place predominantly in the Caribbean, that was not the place chosen to film the epic pirate drama. Instead, the Starz network went with the fairly new Cape Town Studios for the production, and needless to say that the South African-based company was ecstatic over the decision. Ahead of filming Season 1, Film Afrika producer Vlokkie Gordon said: "We are delighted to have been awarded ['Black Sails'] and it is further proof of South Africa's international reputation for outstanding production skill and expertise" (via The Location Guide). Gordon continued: "A production of this scope provides not only employment for South Africans, but also skills transfer which is in line with Film Afrika's policy of supporting growth and development of the South African film and television industry."

The swashbuckling series was then added to the growing list of productions shot out of Cape Town, including "Safe House," "Chronicle," and "Mad Max: Fury Road," as per the Cape Town Film Studios website. Plus, another Starz series benefited greatly from the elaborate ship sets built there, with "Outlander" using the Jamaican landscapes in its third season, according to Entertainment Weekly.

4. 300 people worked on the pirate ship

The impressive sailing vessels featured in "Black Sails" are almost as important to the story as the characters themselves. Therefore, a ton of work was put into the construction of the sets in order to make the maritime setting feel real for the cast, and more importantly, the audience. In a behind-the-scenes clip shared by Starz, senior rigger Joel Yates explained: "The carpenters building the boat it took them, I think, four or five months. They want it to look as authentic as possible because what we've built is a very accurate replica of a sailing ship."

The end product, called The Walrus in the show, was massive as well, as Yates revealed that the full ship is approximately 140 feet long. And to pull off such an incredible feat, it took a gigantic crew with various skill sets, as construction coordinator Clive Pollack shared: "There are 300 people working on the boat. There are carpenters, sculptors, painters, riggers, sailmakers."

5. There were no bathrooms for cast and crew on the ship

For as grand as the prominent pirate ship is in "Black Sails," it does have its faults as it also serves as the set of a modern TV production. In a 2016 interview with Den of Geek, actor Zach McGowan revealed the biggest problem for the cast and crew on set: "The hardest thing about the ships, most people don't realize, is just when you're on the ship at the top of the deck somewhere, it's very far to the nearest bathroom. There's no bathroom on the ships."

Even with that minor complaint, McGowan went on to stress that being on the deck of the ship at sea was such a great experience that the actor wished he had more of those scenes. It's also his opinion that most of the cast felt the same way, except possibly the ones who spent the most time on board, such as Toby Stephens.

6. The actors went through pirate boot camp

Like most epic dramas featured on premium channels, "Black Sails" is filled with massive battle sequences, in this case often between rival pirate clans, or against the relentless forces of the British and Spanish empires. While the nature of naval warfare means that a good amount of these conflicts are long distance, yet devastating, as cannonballs attempt to rip enemy vessels apart, much of the brutal combat is at close quarters.

All of the fight scenes in the series are quite impressive, so it makes sense that many cast members received special training. In a Q&A with a few of the main actors, shared by Starz in 2015, Luke Arnold revealed: "We all went through a three-week pirate boot camp. Well, the pirates of the crew did at the beginning of shooting." And it was a good thing that they did because when asked if they could survive the rough conditions of the time period, the general consensus was an adamant no. Toby Stephens then elaborated with a laugh: "The real trouble, I'd be ok on Nasau, it was as soon as I'd get on a boat and I had to sail anywhere."

7. Clara Paget came up with Anne Bonny's distinctive look

From Charles Vane, Edward Teach, and Jack Rackham to Captain Flint, Long John Silver, and Billy Bones, "Black Sails" has all sorts of characters based on either historic people or from the famous fictional tale, "Treasure Island." Therefore, both the writers of the show and the actors who portrayed these popular figures had to work with what was already known about them. But at the same time, there was a lot of creative freedom as well.

A somewhat minor, though fascinating aspect of another one of these real characters in the series, Anne Bonny, was thought up by actress Clara Paget. In a 2016 interview with Den of Geek, when asked what she contributed to the role, the actress replied: "I suppose the hat. That came completely organically. I tried on this hat and then I was pulling it down in an almost jokey way, like an old-school Western. Then it became who she is, hiding behind this hat. It really works for the character because, as I said, it shows this vulnerable side at the same time as being a badass through one side or the other. Like schizophrenic, bipolar."

8. Zack McGowan broke a stuntman's jaw by accident

A major reason that the fight scenes in "Black Sails" are so good is because of the enthusiasm of the cast and crew when filming, yet there was one time that may have gone a little too far. When a stuntman on set named Daryl was to be hit with the butt of a rifle by Zach McGowan, the dedicated performer showed no fear and encouraged the actor to strike him square in the face. The veteran stuntman figured it was no big deal since the thing was only made of rubber. Since Daryl seemed more than fine with the idea, McGowan went along with the idea.

In a 2017 interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Toby Stephens recalled the disastrous, though somewhat funny result: "Zach, who's brilliant at this kind of thing, whacked him straight in the jaw, as the guy asked, and totally broke his jaw. It looks fantastic, it actually made the cut, and it looked absolutely brilliant. At the end of it, I just remember Daryl going, 'No, it's fine. It's okay, don't worry about it.'" Fortunately, the stuntman was not seriously harmed, so they were able to joke about it a bit.

9. Zack McGowan climbed the balconies of a building to get rum

"Black Sails" is filled with many incredible exploits of pirate warriors as they battle on the high seas, but a behind-the-scenes achievement by one of the actors was almost as impressive as what was shown on screen. During a break in filming, the cast was having a good time together but needed some rum, so Zach McGowan went to rather extreme lengths to remedy the situation.   

In order to gain access to the prized liquor in a room several floors up, the actor literally scaled the side of the building all on his own. When talking with Rotten Tomatoes, cast member Hannah New described the amazing sight, saying: "He did this like Spider-Man kind of thing where he climbed up these balconies … it's incredible, he does like, God knows how many chin-ups every day. So, he can just chin up these balconies."

After McGowan successfully got the rum and then made the way back down with it in his front pocket, the cast waiting down below were too awestruck to do anything but tensely watch. Fellow actress Jessica Parker Kennedy added: "And none of us videotaped it. I think we were all in such shock, it was so scary, I thought he was going to fall and break his neck and we would have to explain it to our producers the next day."

10. It took all season to film Luke Arnold's underwater scene

In the fourth season of "Black Sails," Long John Silver nearly perishes in the sea as he struggles to escape his sinking ship. Actor Luke Arnold must have been pleased that his character ultimately survived the harrowing experience, but filming the scenes was definitely not easy for the actor. Even though he was confident in the comprehensive training he received beforehand, Arnold still had to overcome a major fear of performing in those conditions.

When asked specifically about those tense underwater moments, he told Collider in a 2017 interview: "That was the beginning of hell that kept getting crazier as it went along. That took all season to shoot. We were in the water tank, from the beginning of the season, stuck underwater, all day." To his dismay, Arnold was right when he assumed it would take longer to finish than the filmmakers first thought, yet it was all worth it, as he added: "Right until the last couple of weeks, I was doing bits of the underwater stuff to make that whole sequence as spectacular as it is."

11. Luke Arnold received a special gift from a producer

Luke Arnold was one of several major cast members of "Black Sails" who was in the show from the very beginning all the way through to the climactic finale. The actor very much enjoyed his time filming the series, so when he found a cherished memento from the early days, it was a big deal. In the same interview with Collider, he revealed: "We were shooting a scene in Season 4 that was back in Eleanor's office, and I found the piece of paper that I was writing the directions to find the Urca de Lima on, which was the very first scene we shot in Episode 103. Nina Jack, who was one of our producers on Season 4, got it framed and gave it to me as a gift, so I've gone away with that. That was amazing!"

On the other hand, there were parts of the series that Arnold did not remember so fondly, mostly from the difficulties that arose in pretending to have lost a leg. In this endeavor, he was able to use a crutch on screen, but the prop caused him so much discomfort that he grew to despise it.

12. Luke Arnold had a legless stunt double

Once Long John Silver tragically loses his leg in "Black Sails," Luke Arnold had some difficulty filming scenes as the character, so he was grateful to have help from a stuntman named Ben de Jager who is also missing the limb. The actor told Collider: "It was great to have somebody who's gone through the experience of losing a leg. He did step in for a lot of stuff, mainly because it was so much easier to have him there. If you're shooting from behind or you're focusing on the foot, it's easier to have someone in who's missing the leg than to do it with me and spend a fortune on visual effects to change things."

Though Arnold certainly got along with de Jager, there also seemed to have been a little jealousy in sharing screen time for the role. The actor admitted that a downside for him was his absence in some major Long John Silver moments of the show.

13. The writers gradually decided to bring back Flint's lover, Thomas

For as dark as "Black Sails" can be throughout the series, it ended on a fairly happy note as the main character, Captain Flint, is finally reunited with the love of his life, Thomas Hamilton (Rupert Penry-Jones). Both men are sentenced to imprisonment on a plantation, yet all that matters to the pair is that they are together again. Viewers may have been somewhat surprised that Thomas had returned to the show given the fact that he was thought to be dead, but over time the writers decided that was not going to be his fate.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, Jonathan Steinberg explained: "We had a sense in Season 2 when he died off-screen, that any character who dies off-screen, you're taking the word of the messenger as to whether or not it actually happened. We knew we weren't finished with him. And then at some point in Season 3, we realized it would be reasonably late in the series when he came back, so in Season 4 it felt right."

Source: Looper