#buffalo drum

[realnyhiphop101]

Conway The Machine “The Devils Reject” Era

[bethanythebogwitch]

I found a bunch of pictures from my last job working with wild fish and I figured some of you critter-lovers would enjoy them

The angriest red-eared slider I've ever seen

mmmmmMMMMWWAAAAAAAHHH! (paddlefish)

A northern pike. These were always hard to work with because they're super slippery.

Grasp it firmly in your hand (paddlefish)

"I told you, mom, it's not just a phase!" (bighead carp)

Long, long man (longnose gar)

The biggest smallmouth buffalo we caught

The size of this lad (bighead carp)

That's a cute kitty (channel catfish I think)

Softshell turtles wake up every morning and choose violence. This one was trying to bite my finger off as I was taking its picture.

I've never seen a grouchy pancake before (softshell turtle)

Most turtles are chill. Snapping turtles are angry enough to for the rest of them

A freshwater drum. These guys make a grunting noise when they're upset

A bucked o' snoots. Pretty sure we were collecting these so fish and wildlife could tag and release them. (paddlefish)

A water snake

A juvenile gar. Just as pointy as the adults

I have apprehended the criminal

A bigger drum. This was more around the size we usually caught

A very shiny river carpsucker

A very mossy man (red-eared slider)

Anyone want to play darts? (longnose gar)

Looking very dignified (painted turtle?)

Take this, it will be important in your quest (common carp)

[potatopassenger]

Watching Chopper's backstory and he is going through it

[polux-aka-hyakunana]

The tragedy of having my hands full of work until at least next week and suddenly remembering how much I love and miss Lies of P while living my Geats fever because I need stalker!Riders injected on my veins to keep living

[untogetherxxx]

I’ve got some DJ gigs coming up in Buffalo and Rochester starting on Thursday & I’m really looking forward to all of them. You should come out to one or all of them.

[jandby]

Our lodge was a special place with a spectacular view of Volcanoes National Park where we watched our gorilla family. They had some traditional drum and dance performers for us one night. After dark, we had to have an escort to our cottage because buffalo graze on the property at night. One buffalo looks eerie in the guard's lantern.

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

The only problem with these 1990/1991 Big Country concerts that I'm watching is that their drummer in 1990-mid 1991 literally cannot play a military-esque drum roll if it killed him, which is a ginormous problem for Big Country considering at least two of their biggest fucking hits features that prominently so then "In a Big Country" as a primary example doesn't sound nearly as good and anthemic as it normally does. SURELY IT MAKES SENSE WHY THAT'S A PROBLEM. Because if they don't play those songs, the audience will eat the band, but then the song doesn't sound as good and, what, the band just has to pray that the audience doesn't notice?! Okay. Yeah, sure. Whatever.

Although on one hand I could see that as, like, oh man, Mark really fucked them for any other drummers...he accidentally (or maybe not; I don't know his personal agenda) made sure that pretty much no other drummers would fit for the band (also considering his maximalist approach to drumming, LOL)...but on the other hand I like that classic drum roll about so many Big Country songs, so am I allowed to complain when another drummer can't imitate Mark Brzezicki perfectly?

[sweetbuckybarnes]

Who is This?: Chapter 1

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: Bucky had a wife during the 40s, she was left heartbroken after the telegram arrived (missing, presumed dead). It's surprising when 80 years later, she was working behind a bar in Madripoor of all places!

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Bucky followed Sam and Zemo into a loud bar, he immediately wanted to turn around and go home, why had Zemo demanded he go back to being the Winter Soldier (even if it was one night)?

The sound of heavy drums and guitars also deafened his hearing, a song he had come to learn was The Wild Boy by a band called Duran Duran. A few bartenders and waitresses were walking around, there was only one who stuck out to him - a dark-haired young woman who reminded him too much of his departed wife.

His heart breaks even more, thinking of the woman he had left behind, his girl. The love of his life. Bucky doesn't think he will ever 'get over' her.

The way the young woman walked, carrying a tray of empty glasses (before being tossed an empty bottle by a patron), was so similar to the way his girl walked in the hole-in-the-wall diner she worked in.

She wasn't quick enough to duck under the bar before they got to the door leading upstairs (which was coincidentally next to the bar), Zemo was talking to the bouncer. "Excuse me, gentlemen," the young woman said, squeezing between the back of Zemo and the front of Bucky. Which is when he got a good look at her face.

There she was.

His girl. His wife.

He couldn't even say anything to her, as he was taken upstairs and away from his girl. He could only hope he would be allowed back in at the end of the night to see her.

Y/N Barnes made her way behind the bar, glancing up at the TV where the Kansas City Chiefs were currently playing the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium, then down at her phone which showed the live score of the Dodgers game against the San Francisco Giants.

She had been a long-time Dodgers girl, even after she found out they had moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.

"Did you see the way he was looking at you?" Yasmine asked, pushing a dry Martini in front of a 26-year-old woman.

Y/N looked up from the glasses she was putting in the dishwasher. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"One of the men who went upstairs. The way he was looking at you," Yasmine fans her hand for dramatic effect. "I would drop my panties for him in a millisecond."

"Like you don't do that every night."

Yasmine rolled her eyes and served the next half-drunk who had come to the bar.

"Don't listen to her," Anastasia told her, rolling her eyes as Yasmine flirted with her current flavour of the week.

"It's not often I do, darling," Y/N replied, fiddling with Anastasia's curls for a second, before spotting a patron. "What can I get for you, darling?"

He hung off the bar, obviously far too drunk to understand what was going on. "Another beer and your phone number," he slurred.

She shook her head, reaching over and grabbing him another beer. As far as the boss of the bar (whoever that was) was concerned unless they were unconscious- why should you stop serving them? Y/N thought it wasn't right, but no matter how often she voiced this - she was shut down.

She set the beer in front of him and then went to the register to add it to his bill (good thing she currently has his credit card behind the bar).

"Oi, sweet cheeks!" He calls, but Y/N doesn't pay attention looking over at Yasmine and Anastasia with a raised eyebrow. "Sweet cheeks! I asked for your number."

Y/N replied by simply raising her hand proudly displaying her engagement and wedding rings to the drunk. It was only a small diamond (given Bucky worked on the docks before he was deployed), and the plain band she inherited from her great-grandmother.

"What's the matter with that 'un?" He hiccups. "He got you costume jewellery or somethin'?"

Y/N shook her head. "I'm going into the back for a moment," she tells Aidan.

Little did the drunk patron know, all those years ago, this was the date she was handed the telegraph - putting in such blunt words. Her James was missing, they presumed him to be dead. It breaks her heart that they never got to have a proper funeral.

"You alright, honey?" Elizabeth (another one of the waitresses) asked, she had been outside on her break. Elizabeth was the only one who knew her true age and about her James.

"It's the day I found out James was missing," Y/N said, before bursting into more tears.

Elizabeth wrapped Y/N up in a hug, everyone oblivious to the fact that Y/N's presumed dead husband was now running through the bar, flocked by Sam and Zemo, and into the alley behind the bar.

When Bucky was sure Zemo, Sam and Sharon were asleep, he slipped out of the safe house and into the night - determined to find out if the woman he saw in the bar was that of his (presumably? should be?) dead wife.

He eventually made his way to the front door of the bar, the bouncers had long since gone home. He could see lights on in the building and just about make out words being spoken thanks to the Super Soldier serum running through his veins.

He grasped the handle and gave it a push, the door hadn't been locked, as it gave beneath the slight push.

He could see three young women sitting on the bar, a man who was counting the money from the register and another man who was dancing.

The young woman sitting closest to the bar, had golden curls hanging around her head. "Mark, you didn't lock the door!"

The man dancing, Mark, looked over at Bucky, eyes widening when he saw the size of Bucky. "I say we just serve him, then lock the door behind him."

As the bartenders and waitress argued amongst themselves, Bucky's eyes never left the woman in the middle. It looked as if she had been crying. "Babydoll?"

The woman stopped giggling, tipping her head back to normal and looked at him, before dropping her glass as tears welled up in her eyes. "James?"

The curly-haired woman gasped, setting her glass down and giving Y/N a push off the bar.

Bucky held his arms out to catch her as her feet landed on the floor. He couldn't stop looking at her big eyes, he'd always loved her big expressive eyes. He always knew how she was feeling by just a look in her eyes.

"James? Is that you?" Her hand came out slowly, and shakily, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing in front of her.

"Hi, babydoll," Bucky smiled, tears starting to fall down his cheeks, a heavy sob held tightly in his chest at the moment in time. As soon as her fingers met his skin, Bucky let out a heavy sigh of relief, reaching over and pulling her into his arms. Y/N's arms dug themselves away from his chest and up around his neck before her hand soon started fiddling with his hair.

The couple stood there for a moment, finally finding their slice of peace. Some came barging into the bar, and the dark-haired woman who had been sitting on the other side of Y/N practically demanded Mark lock the door before the Hounds of Baskerville came in.

Y/N was so happy to finally have her James back in her arms, but there was a whirling sound she couldn't let go. "What's that noise?"

Bucky looked from his wife to his arm and back to his bride. "I'll explain everything to you later, but... I lost my arm, and I now have a prosthetic one," he tells her, letting go of her for a moment so he could take his glove off and show her the black and gold Vibranium one he had made.

"Ok, James. It's a good thing you gave me this," she reached beneath her top and pulled a ring out from beneath, hanging from a chain. "Before you were deployed."

Bucky smiled, cupping her face so he could kiss her. Bucky pulled away chuckling a little. "Babydoll, will you please put my ring back on?"

She reached behind her to unclasp the chain, and slid Bucky's band off, "if it doesn't fit we'll get it resized."

"I don't care what size it is, as long as you put my ring back where it belongs," Bucky almost growled, a piece of him falling back into place with the ring back on his finger.

The next morning - Sam, Zemo and Sharon came into the living room, seeing Bucky sleeping on the sofa (Sam was expecting this, after being told by Steve), however, there was a lump lying next to Bucky they didn't recognise.

Sam slowly makes his way over, gently easing down the thick blanket lying over Bucky and the lump.

Lying there, practically on top of the 'bionic staring machine' was a young woman.

"Did he somehow pick up a girl?" Sam whispered. Sam and Sharon were trying to be quiet - however, Zemo (who didn't care) started clattering around the kitchen, causing Bucky to wake up in a start, which then caused the young woman to look up with tired owl-like eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" Bucky nearly demanded, keeping his arms wrapped around his companion.

Sam raised his eyebrow. "I could ask you the same question, Barnes?" Sam looked at the young woman in Bucky's arms. "Who is this?"

Bucky looked down at her, Sam watched as a smile grew on his face. "This is Y/N. Y/N Barnes. My wife."

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Sister Ray In The 70s

Something special to close out the year — SISTER RAY IN THE 70s! This custom-made Doom & Gloom compilation gathers together a whole lot of "Sister Ray," as performed by Lou Reed and his various bands between 1972 and 1980. One hour, 47 minutes. More ding-dongs than Hostess. Would make a great quadruple LP bootleg, if you ask me.

Everyone’s favorite transgressive-in-many-more-ways-than-one Velvet Underground epic wasn't exactly a standard during this time. But when Lou wanted to let everyone (including himself) off the leash for a bit, he'd break "Sister Ray" out as a vehicle for some unholy/unhinged jams/vamps/raveups ... and judging by what we've got here, he really enjoyed doing so. This is gnarly stuff, shameless, harrowing and totally fun. Not for the faint of heart — but none of you are faint of heart, right?!

"Sister Ray" (Leicester University, Oct. 14, 1972)

A roar rises up from the crowd when Lou announces: "This is the sad, sad story of Sister Ray." With the Tots grooving behind him, it starts off in a mellow mode — which is good, because it allows Lou to really sing, making sure to annunciate every nasty lyric. Soon, everyone’s cooking (for the down five).

"Sister Ray" (Kansas City, May 2, 1973)

The short-lived Moogy Klingman-led lineup gives "Sister Ray" a cartoony, streetwalking funk strut, hooting and hollering behind Lou. Extra props to the drummer (known only as Chocolate), who taps out the appropriate beat during the "Who is that knocking?" section. "RIGHT!!!!" Lou exclaims approvingly.

"Sister Ray" (Buffalo, Dec. 8, 1973)

As far as I know, this is the only recording of the Rock & Roll Animal band tackling "Sister Ray," but it's a 20+-minute doozy. Of course, it takes about 10 minutes for Lou to enter the scene — lord only knows what he was getting up to backstage. Despite a wonky mix that occasionally is overtaken by pummeling drums and bass, it's a vicious listen. I like that it all comes to a pretty definitive conclusion before Lou realizes he hasn't sung the concluding verse and revs things for a final ride ride.

"Sister Ray" (Stockholm, May 14, 1974)

This one starts at a blinding white light/white heat pace, everyone riding a locked-groove riff for as long as they can. Guitarist Danny Weis is off the chain here, reveling in both chicken scratch funk and insane feedback. Lou's tambourine accents make me think of On The Corner's infernal sleigh bells, and his "CooooouLLLLDDDNnnnnt hiiiiIIIIIIIIITTTTTttttt iiiIIIIITTTTTtttttt siiiiiIIIIIIIIIdewaaaaaayyyys" vocalizations towards the end are wicked.

"Sister Ray" (Boston, October 29, 1976)

Lou had Doug Yule, an actual member of the Velvet Underground, in his band in 1975, but for some reason, "Sister Ray" wasn't played that year. But she was back in action in '76 — and in Boston, we get to hear a key "Ray" ingredient we haven't heard much of so far: Lou's skronked out guitar work. It's as if he walked past the old Boston Tea Party on the Fenway that afternoon and thought, "Ohhhh yeah, I used to really shred!" And shred he does, dueling mightily and furiously with sax man Marty Fogel. I'll also recommend this video of "Sister Ray" from a week later, which doesn't feature any six-string pyrotechnics but is awesome nonetheless.

"Sister Ray" (Lund, March 26, 1977)

With Michael Fonfara's icy electric keys mixed way up and Michael Suchorsky's locked-in drums, this almost sounds more like "Kicks" than "Sister Ray." I think that's Lou on distorto guitar there at the beginning, but he mainly focuses on delivering his whiplash vocals as the song progresses. Fogel starts to get pretty loose towards the middle, though I wish he'd cut loose even more — and I definitely wish there was a tape of Don Cherry sitting in on "Sister Ray" from around this era! The car crash ending is a blast, too.

"Sister Ray" (New York City, May 21, 1978)

"Sister Ray" takes no prisoners! This one from one of the many Bottom Line sets Lou and the Everyman Band played in 1978 is a tense slow-burner, sometimes dropping down to a whisper, Lou adding profane/profound asides and stopping to tell an old Warhol story. "Andy said, 'Make sure you do the song that's got suckin' on my ding-dong on it.' I said, 'Oh, why? Social commentary?'" Also fun: the band seems to be having a long disagreement about where the changes of this three-chord boogie are. Come on, Moose! (Sadly, this is one of the more lo-fi documents included here — where, oh where, is my Take No Prisoners: The Complete Recordings boxed set?!)

"Sister Ray" (London, April 10, 1979)

One of the weirder "Sister Ray"s I've come across — though that might be partly the fault of the cavernous acoustics we're dealing with. There's a long solo guitar extravaganza (Chuck Hammer, I presume?) to kick things off, and then a monomaniacal/mechanical beat from Suchorsky, the crowd clapping along, Lou hollering over the top; it almost has a Suicide vibe? Then there's a terrifying drone-metal dirge coda ... Chaos! But that's what "Sister Ray" is all about, right?

"Sister Ray" (Avellino, June 16, 1980)

Lou's insane 1970s had ended and the sober 1980s loomed (Loum-ed?) before him. But he wasn't done with "Sister Ray." Or maybe "Sister Ray" wasn't done with him. Fittingly, this version feels a little bit exhausted, some flop-sweat, some out-of-gas fumes. "Give me some rhythm — FUCK!" Lou yells at the gang early on. But it still rocks, don't worry. My favorite part is Fonfara's wildly inappropriate synth solo. Mainline located!

📷: Lars Jonsson, Copenhagen May 1974 (via weaponsetc)

[emo-band-recommendations]

Cap’n Jazz

Subgenre(s): Midwest emo

Wave(s): 2nd

Location: Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA

Years Active: 1989-1995, 2010, 2017, 2024

Recommended Album(s): Analphabetapolothology (1998)

Members: Tim Kinsella (lead vocals, french horn), Mike Kinsella (drums), Victor Villarreal (guitar), Sam Zurick (bass)

Label(s): Man With Gun, Jade Tree, Polyvinyl

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 74k

About: This is widely considered the first Midwest emo band and the first 2nd wave emo band. They are one of the most influential bands to the genre. The band’s spinoffs include Joan of Arc, The Promise Ring, Make Believe, Owls, Owen, American Football, and Ghosts and Vodka. Nowadays, they get back together once every 7 years, usually playing small, local shows. They’ve already played this year, but keep an eye out come 2031!

[ateez-ana]

treasure film days

For those who have not seen the treasure film, the boys had to do individual challenges and group challenges to "find" the treasure

pt1 the challenge

The air crackled with nervous energy as the Ateez members gathered around a table in their Sydney hotel room. They had just received their 'Treasure Film' challenge sheets, a colorful array of tasks designed to test their courage, resourcefulness, and, of course, their comedic timing. It was their first time filming in Australia, and the vibrant energy of the city was infectious.

Ana, scanned the sheet, her brows furrowing. The tasks were a mix of daring and ridiculous, each matched to their individual personalities. San had to swim with sharks , Wooyoung had to ask a friend of her mom to give him food , and Mingi had to order some things in a pharmacy all by himself Ana’s eyes settled on hers: 'Skydive and take a selfie.'

Ana glanced at Hongjoong, their leader, who was carefully studying his own challenge, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He knew about her fear of heights, “Ana,” Hongjoong whispered, his voice laced with amusement, “You okay?” Ana swallowed, forcing a smile. “Just… thinking about it.” “I bet you’re going to be great,” he said, his voice laced with a reassuring confidence that calmed her a little.

A couple of hours later, the group gathered at the airfield, their nervous laughter echoing in the vast, open space. Hongjoong stood nearby, a watchful observer, a small smile playing on his lips as the cameramen began their preparations.

Ana sat at the edge of the runway, her heart pounding like a drum solo. The skydivers, clad in bright orange jumpsuits, seemed calm and collected, though their faces seemed to radiate a strange kind of madness.

“Ready, Ana?” the cameraman asked, his voice a little too chipper for the situation.

Ana’s knees trembled.

One by one, the skydivers climbed into the plane, their faces a mix of excitement and apprehension. When it was Ana’s turn, Hongjoong approached, his hand on her shoulder, his eyes twinkling.

“You got this,” he whispered, a reassuring squeeze before he stepped back.

Ana took a shaky breath as she climbed the ladder of the small plane, the cold wind whipping through her hair. The world shrunk beneath her as the plane ascended, the vast expanse of the land becoming a patchwork of greens and browns. Her stomach tightened, fear tightening its grip on her. This was crazy.

The wind hummed through the plane windows, and Ana, with her pale face and wet eyes, clung with all her might to the edges of the seat. Her heart was pounding like a maddened buffalo in her chest.

'Ana, are you ready?' The instructor's voice, a burly man with a smile too cheerful for the situation, echoed through the noise of the plane.

'No, no, no,' Ana let out a sob. 'Why are you doing me this? I pay you, I give you everything you want, but please don't make me jump. I'm not cut out for this kind of thing.'

'Don't worry, Ana. It's an incredible experience. Look at the view!' The instructor pushed her toward the open door of the plane.

Ana clung to the door for dear life, looking down in horror. The ground stretched like an endless chess board. Her stomach clenched as she saw the distance, and her legs began to tremble.

'I can't, I can't, I can't,' Ana whispered, tears threatening to overflow.

'What's wrong, Ana?' the instructor asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

'I'm afraid of heights,' Ana said, her voice shaking. 'I'm afraid of dying. I'm afraid of everything.'

'Don't worry, Ana. I'll be with you all the time. Come on, just a little jump!' The instructor pushed her lightly into the void.

'No! No! No!' Ana screamed, clinging to the instructor with a force that would have probably broken her bones.

'Ana, relax! It's just a jump!' The instructor, feeling a little uncomfortable with Ana's iron grip, tactfully tried to free himself from her. 'Besides, if you get off now, you can tell all your fans later,' he said with a wry smile.

Ana froze. His fans! The thought of the shame she would feel if her fans found out about her fear of heights filled her with a new terror, a terror even more intense than the fear of falling.

'It's okay,' Ana said, taking a deep breath. 'I'm going to do it, but… can you hold me tight and not let me fall?'

The instructor looked at her with a wry smile. 'Of course, Ana. I'm going to hold you very tight. Get ready for the adventure of your life!'

And with that, Ana, holding on to the instructor like a koala to a tree, launched herself into the void, screaming like a little girl. The wind whipped her face and the sound of her own scream echoed in her ears. Fear paralyzed her, but despite the terror, a small thought floated into her mind: at least her fear of heights would be a great story to tell her fans.

Ana took out her phone, her hands still trembling. She focused her lens on the breathtaking panorama and pressed the button, capturing the moment, the feeling of being alive, free, and conquering her fear. She had done it.

Back on the ground, she was greeted by laughter and cheers. The crew, the cameraman, the other Ateez members - even the skydiver who jumped with her – all seemed to be in on the joke, their faces lit by amusement.

“Ana!” Mingi cried, doubling over as he choked back a laugh. “Your face was priceless! Do you even realize how funny you were while falling?”

Even San, managed a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I knew you could do it, Uno,” he said, using his nickname for her.

Hongjoong just smiled, his eyes warmly admiring.

pt2

The air crackled with anticipation as Ana, Hongjoong, Yeosang, and Wooyoung stood in line at the concession stand, the smell of buttery popcorn and sugary soda filling their senses. This wasn't just any movie night; it was a challenge orchestrated by Hongjoong himself. He was dared to watch an entire English-language film without subtitles, a feat that seemed impossible considering his infamous sleepiness.

'I'm going to have to rely on the power of sheer will,' Hongjoong declared, his voice laced with a hint of nervousness as he surveyed the massive popcorn buckets. 'And this glorious sugary fuel.'

Wooyoung, ever the playful instigator, nudged him playfully. 'Don't worry, hyung. We'll all be your personal translators, even if they're just mumbled whispers in your ear.'

Yeosang, on the other hand, was surprisingly invested. He leaned towards the counter, his eyes scanning the menu with an almost academic curiosity. 'What kind of film did you choose, Hongjoong?'

'A classic,' Hongjoong said with a dramatic flourish. 'One that will truly test my limits.' He winked, 'Just wait till you see the trailer.'

The popcorn, a mountain of fluffy goodness, arrived, and they settled into their plush seats in the darkened theater. The crew had rented the entire space for their little experiment, a decision that felt both luxurious and strangely isolating. The lights dimmed, the opening credits rolled, and the story began to unfold.

The first few minutes were a blur of unfamiliar dialogues and foreign accents. Yet, Hongjoong, driven by his own challenge and an intrinsic need to prove himself, clung onto every spoken word, every dramatic inflection.

As the movie progressed, however, fatigue began to set in. His eyelids grew heavy, his head bobbing forward in an act of defiance against sleep. Around him, his friends succumbed one by one. Yeosang, with his usual quiet dignity, leaned against Wooyoung’s shoulder, his head resting against the soft fabric of his hoodie. Wooyoung, barely able to keep his eyes open, surrendered completely, his head drooping against the seatback, a slight snore escaping through his parted lips.

Ana, who had always been a light sleeper, managed to stay awake for a surprisingly long time, occasionally turning to Hongjoong with a concerned frown. But eventually, she too succumbed to sleep, softly snuggling up to Wooyoung, finding comfort in his warmth.

The rest of the film moved at a snail’s pace. Hongjoong, alone in a sea of slumbering faces, felt a mix of annoyance and pride. He’d lost count of how many times he’d had to fight the urge to close his eyes, to succumb to the comforting embrace of sleep. It was a mental battle, a testament to his determination. As the last image faded and the credits rolled, he finally let his head droop, defeated by the unrelenting fatigue.

He looked around at his friends, their faces peaceful in sleep. A gentle smile played on his lips as he observed Ana, curled up against Wooyoung like a sleepy kitten, Yeosang, comfortably slumped against Wooyoung’s side, and Wooyoung, fast asleep with a soft, rhythmic snore.

“Always the champions of sleep,” Hongjoong muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper. He knew that his friends would feel a pang of embarrassment once they woke up

pt3

Ana stared at the camera, perched precariously on a stack of books on San's desk. It was supposed to be a simple 'good morning' message for Atinys, but the simple act of greeting their fans seemed to be turning into a comedy show starring only Ana.

'Good morning, Atinys!' she started, her voice bright and bubbly. 'It’s a beautiful day outside...' She glanced at the window, a thin sheet of rain lashing against the glass. 'Okay, maybe not a *beautiful* day, but it's a day nonetheless!'

The camera caught the faintest twitch of San’s eyebrow as he sat on his bed, his headphones on, completely engrossed in his phone. San was good about respecting her space, mostly. But this lack of interaction was a little... unnerving. Especially when she could feel his eyes on her every few seconds.

'Anyways,' she carried on, 'I hope you all have a wonderful day, full of sunshine and... and... well, I don’t know, anything you enjoy? I’m still trying to find my own sunshine.'

She sighed dramatically, leaning on her hand. This felt less like a greeting and more like a therapy session.

“Oh, and remember to eat breakfast, and drink lots of water,' she continued, suddenly serious. 'And if you’re feeling down, just remember… you’re not alone.”

She paused for a beat, then added with a mischievous grin, “Not literally, but you know what I mean.”

San finally looked up from his phone, a barely-there smirk playing on his lips.

Ana, emboldened by his amusement, decided to up the ante.

“Speaking of feeling down,” she said, gazing directly into the camera, “I’m feeling a little… under the weather.” She let out a dramatic cough, followed by a cough so fake even a five-year-old would know it was staged.

San, unfortunately, was not a five-year-old. He snorted, a sound that was half-suppressed laughter, half-choked disbelief.

“Why are you so… theatrical?” he grumbled, still staring at his phone but a hint of a smile creeping onto his face.

Ana pretended not to hear him, continuing with her performance. She coughed again, with theatrical flair, then leaned forward like she was about to reveal a shocking secret.

“Actually,” she whispered, her voice dropping to a dramatic whisper, “I think I’ve caught… the San-flu.”

San finally broke, throwing his head back and laughing. He was truly laughing, his shoulders shaking, a joyous sound that echoed through the room.

'I think you need to teach me some of your acting skills,' he said, his voice still tinged with amusement.

“I already did,” Ana replied, tilting her head with mock solemnity. 'That’s why you're always so dramatic.”

---------------

'San, do you think this is cute?' She showed him the recording, a grimace plastered on her face.

San burst out laughing. 'No offense, Ana, but that was, well, how do I say this politely… not quite 'cute'?' he chuckled. 'More like 'caffeine-deprived-zombie-trying-to-awaken-a-sleeping-giant'.'

Ana groaned. 'This is hopeless.'

'Don't say that!' San encouraged, his eyes sparkling. 'Look, just be yourself, alright? We love you, cringy moments and all. Just imagine you're talking to your friends.'

Ana contemplated his advice. 'Okay, maybe I can do this.'

Taking a deep breath, she began recording again. 'Good morning, Atiny! It’s Ana,' she started, her voice sounding more natural this time. 'I hope you’re having a great day.' She decided to channel her inner San and added with a chuckle, 'If you’re not, then don’t worry, you’re not alone. We all have those days. And remember, you’re all amazing!'

As she finished the message, her eyes darted to the clock. Only ten minutes left until the group message deadline! She quickly moved on to the next part, trying to think of something cute and memorable.

'Okay, how about this…' she muttered to herself, placing a hand on her cheek, pretending to be shy. 'Good morning, Atiny! Today is going to be amazing, just like you!'

A loud, snorting cough from the living room made her jump. She peeked through the door to see San clutching his stomach, tears streaming down his face.

'What?' Ana asked, bewildered.

“You're… you're channeling your inner-Mingi, dude!' San said between fits of laughter. 'Your facial expressions are priceless!'

Ana’s cheeks flushed red. 'Oh, no, I can't be caught dead trying to do a Mingi.'

San managed to compose himself, wiping his tears with a sleeve. “Okay, okay, how about this? Go for a simple, classic good morning. And maybe, just maybe… try a dance move? A little something for the fans.”

Desperate for a solution, Ana grabbed her phone and started scrolling through videos on TikTok.

'Oh! I got it!' she exclaimed, her eyes alight with an idea.

The camera started recording and she threw her hands in the air, mimicking a classic K-Pop move. But as she tried to execute the motion, her feet got tangled, and she stumbled, landing flat on the carpet.

A wave of laughter erupted from the living room. 'Ana!' San's voice rang out. 'Don't worry, I'm fine!' Ana called back, scrambling to her feet. “Just a little, uh, choreography malfunction.”

She decided to play it cool and finish the message, flashing a strained smile at the camera. “Okay, Atiny, I hope you have a wonderful day. See you soon, and always remember… you're all amazing!'

She uploaded the message and hurried to the living room, where the rest of ATEEZ were gathered, their faces a mix of amusement and concern.'You alright, Ana?' Yunho asked, his eyes filled with concern.'Yeah, just a few bumps in the road,' Ana replied, flashing a smile. 'But hey, at least it made San laugh.”San, wiping away a tear, nodded. 'Indeed. You know, Ana, for a girl who’s absolutely terrified of being cute… you’re a natural comedic genius.'

[annofthearchives]

buffalo springfield’s “i am a child” through the eyes of romantic power imbalances

Buffalo Springfield was a band founded in 1966 by (most notably) Neil Young and Stephen Stills, among several others. most known for their hit song "for what it's worth," the band messes around in folk, country, psych. rock, and sometimes even jazz. their record last time around released in july of 1968 is essentially a compilation of previous records, as most members of the band had moved onto other projects at the time. the song "i am a child" is a Neil Young tune, one he continued to perform for the rest of his career.

the song opens with a classic Neil Young harmonica solo, accompanied by a guitar, bass, and drum. the chord progression is simple, the guitar has a simple strumming pattern, the bass repeats an "oom-pah" V-I bassline, and the drum hits are simple. overall, the song is easy to listen to. it seems to be a finished version to Young's unreleased song "the rent is always due" - a song that details the mental change that comes from transitioning into adulthood. the lyrics describe a child talking to an older male figure - "You hold my hand, rough up my hair / It's lots of fun to have you there," for one example.

however, one cannot ignore the somber, if not morose, delivery of Young's lyrics. in the (possible) demo "the rent is always due," Young's delivery is uplifting, especially towards the end of stanzas. it seems that there's a positivity about adulthood that Young can see. in "i am a child" on the other hand, it's clear that he views the experience of a child as one of power imbalance, maybe pointing to a specific relationship with an elder in his life. Young's relationship with father was uncertain, at best, so this might be a reflection of that relationship. while not meant as the original interpretation, one can also view this song from the perspective of an imbalanced romantic relationship.

regardless of age difference or sex difference, Young's lyrics can apply to the point of view from a less experienced romantic, to a partner possibly taking advantage of them, either mentally, physically, emotionally, etc. the lyric in the opening stanza "You can't conceive of the pleasure in my smile" sums the relationship divide well - one less experienced, more naïve lover compared to an older, more mature, or jaded partner. the next line "You hold my hand, rough up my hair" seems sweet at first but could hold a double entendre - if our interpretation is anyone but a kid, the notion of their hair being 'roughed up' could hold symbolism for some aspect of their lives being roughed up, or messed with. given this interpretation, Young's repetition of the line "It's lots of fun to have you there" at the end of multiple stanzas could also be seen in a sarcastic light.

he goes on to say "You make the rules, you say what's fair," noting that this other person is, to be frank, in charge of the ground that the relationship is built on. for a child/father relationship, this makes sense, although possibly hinting at the frustration that kids might feel to be put under rules they don't quite understand yet. in a romantic interpretation, it's a relatable line for anyone that has gone through an abusive or mentally/emotionally tolling relationship - you may never know what the rules are, and may never feel that the other person is setting fair expectations. later on, Young states "I gave to you, now you give to me," either still awaiting to be given the same care as the person he's talking to, or stating a fact of how the noted relationship works. this works well for our narrative as these types of parasitic relationships rely on one partner giving constantly, always awaiting for their partner to give the same.

lastly, if not the most convincing line for this argument, Young twice repeats "What is the color, when black is burned? / What is the color?" this phrase is said after the simple line "The sky is blue and so is the sea," a statement of fact. in the original meaning of the song, it's something that can be heard as a child just stating fact that they have maybe learned which preambles the question about what color black is once it's burned. in the original interpretation, this line is confusing, as it seems to hint to that morose mood but with no context to what it could mean. in our interpretation, i see it as telling the state of the relationship - what IS the color when black is burned? well, it can't get darker, so it stays stagnant, in the darkest it could be. for a relationship, this could be hitting rock bottom with nowhere to go.

all that being said, i'd also like to end with connecting the lyrics and meaning to an entirely unrelated story - Lolita (1955) by Vladimir Nabokov. Nabokov's 1955 novel tells the tale of a french literature professor, Humbert, who falls in love, kidnaps, and takes advantage of a 12 year old girl, Dolores Haze. actor Brian Cox, who played Humbert in a 2009 production of the movie describes the novel as "Lolita as a memory," insinuating (like others have said) that the book never gives us an insight into Dolores' actual thoughts, rather just Humbert's narrative telling of her personality. Humbert, in this way is more of an unreliable narrator than anything else - Brian Cox describes it best when he states that the novel would be best told in theater as a solo monologue, rather than a play with multiple characters. from this perspective, applying the solo narrative approach that Nabokov gives Humbert, we can approach Young's song from the 'perspective' of Dolores. not her thoughts exactly, rather the thoughts that Humbert's idealized retelling of the tale might give her. a childlike perspective on an imbalanced relationship whose faults might not even be known to the voice in the lyrics. for those who are familiar with the story, you can see how the lyrics fit.

for what its worth, its a nice simple song with an originally simple meaning. trust the musicologist to give a simple song an unnecessarily complex meaning.

*this is not a claim that the lyrics are directly related to anything i've stated, - just all food for thought.*

similar songs (by vibe):

4+20 - crosby, stills & nash

sweet wanomi - bill withers

everydays (live) - buffalo springfield

thorn tree in the garden - derek & the dominos

bluebird - paul mccartney, wings

treetop flyer (demo) - stephen stills

river man - nick drake

similar songs (by theme discussed):

probably just anything by lana del ray

[ourshadowstallerthanoursoul]

On this day... - October 30th

+ 1969 : Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo, New York, USA

“The Led Zeppelin group came off better in person in Kleinhans Music Hall than they do on their albums. They were in true simplistic terms… good, excellent professional, top-quality and nice to listen to! […] They have sound men controlling every aspect of their music. Exact distinctions can be made between the guitar, drums, bass and the singing. The quality of sound at this concert was a pleasantry not too common in a time when the emphasis is being put on loudness and over amplification. This isn’t saying that they weren’t loud – God knows they were. But the difference comes in their use of this loudness. It is a controlled sound that can penetrate as well as soothe. […] In another tune, Dazed and Confused, the audience is given the essence of the Zeppelin attack.” –‘Led Zeppelin – Musical Dichotomy’ (Buffalo News)

[arlechinav-blog]

Starting Materials for Mediterranean Trancework

If you are wondering what you will need to get started on this as a group, I have put together a list of materials. This is basically what I use when I am teaching others how to do this and when I host trance rituals.

I keep a fully stocked trance kit with extras of all the below items so that those who need them can have something to use until they can get their own. If you intend to lead your own group, be prepared to provide at least a few things for the effort.

Frame Drums: 14”-16” frame drums with synthetic heads are best for beginners. Recommending Remo’s Thinline, Renaissance, Fiberskyn, or Tar series’. Synthetic heads help students build up skills and needed hand calluses at the same time. Goat or fish skin drum heads will tear up your skin and go flat without proper care very easily. Each person involved should know how to play a drum and learn the beats your group uses. Avoid buffalo drums and bodhrans, they are too heavy for Mediterranean style drumming. 

Whiteboard and Easel: A wooden repurposed child’s art easel will work perfectly fine. Use it to balance a whiteboard where you can put up weekly notes. Large clips or magnets can be used to hold up a poster-board too, depending on what kind of easel you get. These are great for keeping up your trance chant lyric notes. Only use a whiteboard for notes that you will need once. 

Poster Boards: Record trance chants and rhythms that you use with your group onto large poster boards so that everyone can read them during practice sessions. Use a poster-board for notes that you will need multiple times to spare yourself from writing it again and again every time you need it. 

Trance Rhythms: I start folks out with 10 trance rhythms that can be used for pretty much everything. They work for just about any Mediterranean song you can find. I will have to film some samples for this so that you can hear them.

Trance Chants: To get through a basic trance ritual, you will need roughly 4-5 trance chants. Start your group with their first 5 and work on getting them down together. Some groups will prefer to work with songs in English, some will prefer songs in other languages, and some will prefer a mix of both. Feel out your group before you decide on your chants. 

Online Database of Communication: Start up a group where you can share resources, communicate about upcoming trance dates, and load up videos privately. Keep it secure. 

Incense: Incense is a trance trigger so pick one scent and stick to it every time you do practice or ritual. Keeping the same scent for all things trance will help participants go under. Use a soft floral scent like jasmine. Later, you can work in different scent triggers for different rituals. 

Rug: You can use rubber gym mats that link and/or an actual rug. Rugs will give rug burns so plan accordingly. Whatever you use has to be easily perceived by touch rather than sight--so tape on the floor will not work. This well defined border will be where the entranced are free to move. They will confine themselves to it so make sure it is the right size for the job you want it to do. 

White Flat Sheets: You will need at least 2 to start and +1 for each additional person who will trance. You can have your participants bring their own or you can pick some up from a second-hand store for fairly cheap. Everybody should have their own if possible.  

Colored Scarves: All things are color coded in trance for hypnotic suggestion and we use colored scarves to communicate with each other during trance rituals. People who wear a red scarf are monitors who look after trance dancers, people who wear white scarves are trance dancers who are there to trance, people who wear light blue scarves are musicians, and people who wear dark blue scarves are ready and capable of leading a trance session. You can have people bring their own or supply the group yourself. 

Your “Whites”: Each person will need an all white outfit to wear during trance rituals. For class, they can wear whatever they like. White is a spiritually neutral color used by all Mediterranean trance cults. Participants should supply their own trance clothes but you can keep a small supply of extra items to help supplement. 

Altar Kit: A trance altar needs to have a water jug and rinsing bowl with scented water for participants to wash their hands and face at (Cortas brand rose or orange blossom water are easy to find at Mediterranean groceries). It will need incense for participants to smudge themselves, their clothes, their hair and their instruments with. It will need a plate for monetary donations (it should never be empty). It is lucky to put an odd number on the altar ($1, $3, $5, $7 or $9). It will also need essential oils for use on skin that participants can rub on themselves (floral, fruit, or herbal scents preferred). Scent is very important to trance so the key is to be consistent and use it liberally so the scent can work as a non-visual trigger.

Wake-up Kit: A pitcher or fancy spritz bottle of cool water to spray or sprinkle on the arms and forehead of the entranced when they are done trancing. A blended oil of strong purgative scents that is dabbed on the fingers of the guide or monitor and wiped on the nose of the entranced when they are done trancing. I prefer a blend of rosemary, cedar and clove oil--that’ll wake you up! Make sure that no one in the space has an allergy to a product you use. 

Food: Always keep at least a loaf of fresh bread and some hummus for dipping on hand for post-trance snacks. Eating food helps those who have been trancing to come down and sober up. Water to drink is also helpful afterward. Be aware of dietary restrictions before you bring in foods that members of your group cannot eat.

Symbols: Think very carefully about the symbols you use and when you use them. Protect their meanings by bringing them out only when they are relevant. Continually reinforce their meanings in all that you do. This is a hypnotic suggestion and your symbols will become more and more important the more trancing you do. 

[rockandroar]

I adore the Steel Stampede! How did you come up with the appropriate animal designs? What are their characters? How do they act? Are they nice? They look very intimidating, and scary, like Clash!

That’s all! I’m quite excited to see their introduction and Clash’s introduction in the webcomic!

Thank you! :) Two of my lifelong obsessions are music and animals, so I guess it was inevitable that I'd end up caricaturing music genres as species or groups of animals. It's the premise that gave way to the entire Rock & Roar story, so I went wild with it. So with metal, we've got this loud, fast, heavy genre with chugging guitar riffs and drums doing blast beats, and all of that reminds me of powerful, charging animals and their thundering hoofbeats. Top that with the sign of "the horns" being a hand gesture associated with metal since the heyday of Black Sabbath, and it seemed clear to me that metal musicians and fans would be horned and hooved animals like the ones above.

I first drew Grant Ruffalo more than ten years ago and he was a buffalo/bison from the beginning. It's just the animal that intuitively felt right for this character. To his left is Onyx Slater, and I chose an oryx because their white face with black markings reminded me of the corpse paint some black metal bands wear.

To Grant's right are Billy Kidd the goat, and Gunnar Ramsey the black sheep. No specific reason for choosing those animals in particular, I just thought it'd be funny.

Steel Stampede became a band in the late 60s. These four guys take their music very seriously and are intimidating, for sure. They command respect and they don't mess around, at least not publicly. They're very much regarded as musicians of a very high caliber, a band that is cited as influential by virtually everyone else in the metal scene.

Grant is known for his short temper, Onyx is more restrained and keeps to himself, Billy is the funny guy of the bunch but also very brave for his small stature, and Gunnar is the most down to earth and easiest to talk to. None of them are actually mean though - that's more of an image they keep up. They're not going to go out of their way to bully anyone around or intentionally hurt someone. They just won't tolerate anyone messing around with them, or their gear, or their live performances. And frankly, I think they've earned that level of respect.

But backstage, if you're on a friendship basis with these guys, they're pretty cool. If Grant is in a good mood, he'll regale you with stories of all that he's experienced throughout his music career, and will enjoy listening to your own stories too. He might even pass on some of his wisdom, in the form of a guitar technique, or advice on stage presence. He wants his beloved music genre to live on and have a strong future beyond him and his band, and even if he won't outwardly show it, it really warms his heart to see young musicians pursuing their craft with passion and discipline the way he did. He wants small bands to succeed, and every once in a while he is known to publicly give a shout out to unknown bands whose future he believes in.