#hippy resurgence

[thedepressedjuggalette]

We are going to have to become the Counter Culture starting now, but we are going to have to Gate Keep it to keep out the Republicans, 3rd Party Voters, and people who refuse to vote. Hell let's have a list of names to block when it comes to these motherfuckers. You fucks ruined any chance we had towards progress. You all don't get to be part of the rebellion.

To start with we need to be a bit like Doomsday Preppers in the fact we need to start saving canned foods to ensure we don't starve because of the Republicans.

Secondly we need to learn how to sew and/or settle for a very rugged look - think old school Goth and Punk.

Let's keep our hair short. Fuck Republican Norms.

Air purifiers. Shits gonna get toxic up in this bitch because Republicans hate science, speaking of which let's all learn a bit of science while we can, read banned books too!

Gardening is another thing, but only do so if you have the means, and remember to share with your fellow rebels.

The Goth, Hippy and Punk cultures are going to be coming back with a vengeance. As they say, there is always a resurgence with culture, but I doubt they meant it like this.

The first cultural rebellion was the Romantic Literature Era. The second was the Gothic Literature Era. Let's out do every single counter culture and then some.

Let's make counter culture history with this shit.

Get involved in local politics. Start helping people when you can.

Hell go #vanlife if you have to. Do what you can. But remember, get involved in local politics and local rebellions.

Blast Kendrick Lamar's Alright at full volume.

Don't let your kid be forced to go to religious institutions where they'll be forced to put up with Republican bullshit.

Become ungovernable.

Don't go out silently into the night.

Go out like a rabid hyena that is on LSD and Crack.

But most importantly, get involved with local politics. Let's chip away Republicans and their shit values. Vandalize their shitty religious institutions.

Religion was never meant to mix with politics. Let's force them out of it.

[icaruseater]

2025 Trend Predictions

Those wallets that attach to your phone become hugely popular for women, to the point where people will speculate if purses in general are going out of style (they’re not).

Hippie “stomp clap” folk music OR Imagine Dragons-type music makes a resurgence

People stop whining about how dating sucks now and start taking matters into their own hands by doing more IRL events: speed dating, matchmaking, etc. Like dating apps, it’s initially judged and seen as “cringe” before catching on

Move over, matcha: the newest mainstream drink fascination will be the delicious thai tea. They have so much in common already: an iconic color, rich flavor, originating from East Asia, where they’re already popular in their respective countries. 

A smoothie as a meal becomes super popular again - “I don’t have an ED! It's just convenient.” (or, with the way things are going, people might not even outwardly deny having an ED)

“Doomsday prepper” mentality goes mainstream, people will be very keen on learning apocalyptic survival skills and jarring things

 Old fashioned YouTube style challenge videos come back: stuff like chubby bunny, cinnamon challenge, and the ice bucket challenge

 Among conversations about “the death of the it girl” we have our first monocultural “it-boy” we’ve had in years

 An increasing interest in print media- more zines? (please let this be true)

Customized, personalized pizza becomes big. Videos like “did you guys know that you don't have to put tomato sauce on your pizza? You can use any sauce you want! I just used buffalo ranch, it's a m a z i n g, you have to try this!”

People care a lot more about having “chic” cutlery/houseware

Chewing tobacco, AKA dip or chew, becomes BIG (though Zyns have been on the Bubbling Under Trend Charts for a while)

More BS conspiracy theories, allowing for more people to parade as pseudo intellectuals

Coffee, toffee, and caramel scents carry on the gourmand trend in fragrance

The “it-bag” is from Burberry or a similar brand, as quiet luxury continues to reign

No one cares about Thanksgiving or most festivities, people come online to complain about how no one cares about Thanksgiving or most festivities anymore

Worrying about if you’re getting enough electrolytes will become a “thing”

 Everyone reads my stuff and thinks it's great :D

[omgthatdress]

I have a lot of feelings about Julie’s collection. After the election of Richard Nixon, the deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimmi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison, and then the Manson murders, the peace and love happy hippie 60s had given way to the dirty, strung-out scumbag 70s. Even though Julie is living in San Francisco, the hippie era had long since passed by 1974. As Hunter S. Thompson beautifully put it in Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas:

“There was madness in any direction, at any hour. If not across the Bay, then up the Golden Gate or down 101 to Los Altos or La Honda. . . . You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning. . . . And that, I think, was the handle—that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting—on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. . . . So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.””

I love the hippie aesthetic. I get that AG would want to have a doll that reflects that. A lot of Julie’s story revolves around her fighting for environmentalism, which is one of the aspects of hippie culture that managed to stick around, largely because of backlash to the consumerism of the 50s. But in Julie’s collection there’s plenty of times when her looks lean too far into the 60s and miss the mark of the 70s. As much as I appreciate AG doing the hippie thing, an accurate collection for the 70s would drag us to polyester hell and never let go. The 70s are one of those special eras in fashion where everything is ugly as fuck. The fashion of the 60s was much more aesthetically pleasing, but the fashion of the 70s is ironically appealing. It’s so ugly you love it. It’s ridiculous. It’s camp.

Granted, the fridge that was 1974 fashion still had plenty of hippie leftovers in it, and her original meet look with its crochet cap, embroidered tunic, and fringe belt feel true to the era.

Hand crafts like knitting and crochet had a resurgence in popularity, so I’m glad that both collections have a knitted accessory.

Part of the history lesson Julie gives is that Title IX meant schools could no longer forbid girls from wearing pants, so that’s why Julie is in jeans.

Julie’s BeForever look is straight 60s hippie. The inspiration seems to be Janis Joplin, who had been dead for four years:

AG seems to be wanting to have it both ways with Julie, and I honestly wish they’d just commit to the 70s:

On another note, the 70s would have been a great chance to have another doll of color (American Indian Movement, much?), but they went with a White girl with blonde hair. Which honestly I kiiind of get. Like if I were going to select ONE decade of the 20th century to have a blonde doll, it would be the 70s. I cannot emphasize enough how ubiquitous long blonde hair was to 70s pop culture.

For an era that still claimed to be progressive, the 70s were whitebread as hell. Outwardly there was women’s lib, civil rights, and the sexual revolution, but inwardly, the 70s were an extremely conservative decade when Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority were just starting to lay their slimy hooks into the American political system. It’s a decade of contradictions and extremes that I wish AG would fully commit to.

[porcelainpistol]

i think due to it's resurgence and popularity with teens, a lot of modern scemos are more into scenecore over traditional scene or emo. i think this is because they weren't actually there during the first wave, surrounded by peers, and therefore don't have memory to base things off of

as sites like myspace, vampirefreaks, and photobucket have gone down or deleted photos from that era, it's more and more difficult to find examples. the first wave was also during a transitional period from printed photos to digital. this was also at the birth of "social media," where photos of yourself were expected to be your pfp. (and they weren't called pfps lol.) thus, all of the remaining photos from that era were ones folks would specifically take to put on myspace, in digital format. folks joke about going through family photo albums and seeing first wave scemo grandparents, but that's not as likely specifically because of this

so what a modern audience sees is a very conflated form of the subculture based on curated pics, and the people who had popular accounts, and therefore their pics were the most shared and salvaged. but that also means these curated pics are taken as the reality, and end-all-be-all guideline on scemo fashion, when really there's lots of different facets to it. and narrowing it down to a specific checklist unfortunately means some nuance is lost, and it unfortunately gets a little uh... costume-y? i don't mean that offensively, bear with me

let's use 60s/70s hippies as an example. i'll show some pics of contemporary folks dressing like they're hippies, then some authentic photos (some from woodstock.) a modern comparison is "boho (bohemian)" aesthetic

these are contemporary:

these are retro:

you can see in the contemporary pics what they were going for. you can tell "oh that's supposed to be a hippie," but hopefully you can see where there's a lot of focus is on what everyone thinks a "hippie" looks like. all except one of the folks with long hair in the contemporary pics have a forehead band or bandana. you can see in the vintage pics some things that became part of what everyone thinks a "hippie" looks like, like headbands on the forehead (only worn by three out of at least seven folks with long hair), fringed clothing, chunky jewelry, and vests, but on closer inspection you can tell there's something more natural about the genuine photos

this is what i mean by "costume-y," but i don't mean like... spirit halloween. genuine effort was made, and there's nothing wrong with the actual contemporary looks. but when directly compared, it seems like the contemporary ones had a checklist, and are "costumes" in homage to the vintage ones. if someone were to see anyone in the contemporary pics in daily life today, they'd likely just assume they're "boho" or "hipster." in this way, the homage to hippie fashion has become something new unto itself

my point with all of this is scemo doesn't have an actual checklist to hit, although there's definitely popular staples - big teased and/or straightened hair, sideswept bangs, and thick eyeliner being some of them - but it's partial inclusion of staples that make something scemo, not all of them all at once, and then some things folks think are staples aren't inherently necessary, like band/cartoon shirts, coontails, (knee-high) converse, or kandi. don't get me wrong, those things were popular. i just mean there's more to scemo than those things

[vayperwaive]

"My body is a tomb, yet it is full of flowers."

It's so weird to me how most of this week was full of fear and anxiety. Wondering if I should hide who I really am or live loud and proud in defiance.

All it took was a single art exhibit to somehow change my entire mindset.

The Portland Art Museum currently has a 60's Psychedelic Art Exhibit, consisting of posters and clothing from that era. Since it was the 1st Thursday of the month, I got to go see it for free.

I expected a simple "walk in, admire the art, and leave" experience like I did with the Sneakers and French Art exhibits earlier this year. I didn't expect what I saw to reach so far deep into me and pull out a side of me I thought had been beaten down into nothingness long ago.

I felt high without any use of drugs. I felt disconnected and yet more firmly grounded than ever. I felt...free.

It led me to spending the rest of my night listening to 60's psychedelic rock, researching Hippies/60's counterculture and reading up on Woodstock, thinking of scenarios where in response to the future we're heading towards, that very same counterculture/hippie movement had a major resurgence. Imagining what a "Woodstock in 2025" would look like. Wishing I personally had lived during that time of history yet knowing I can only partially experience it all in the articles and documentaries and music that we have access to.

It reminded me though of something.

Now, more than ever, we need love. To love and be loved.

I can never be a proper Hippie Girl, but that won't stop me from appreciating those who were, at one point in time, walking this very Earth, loving and being loved, with none truly knowing the full extent of how historical it would all be. With not a single soul knowing that way off in the future of 2024, the message would reach some random 28 year old trans girl living in Portland, Oregon. Nobody knowing how it would resonate with someone they'd never meet.

So to everyone reading this, please, I implore you to find your "Summer Of Love". No matter how big or small.

And be sure to wear some flowers in your hair~

[zephywolf0]

generally from what i noticed the life cycle of a subculture tends to be this:

- subculture emerges, sometimes out of a trend but most often out of convenience and necessity (working clothes, hand-me downs, DIY clothes), most often out of marginalized groups, POC, immigrants, the working class: the members recognise one another from a distance and find safety in each other

- people outside of the initial group benefitting from subculture think subculture is cool, make an effort to join

- subculture gains media coverage, is recognised as counter-culture by most (these two points can be swapped around)

- an effort is made to break up the subculture, subculture most often fizzles out or severely dwindles in numbers

- subculture has a resurgence in a decade or few made mostly of members that did not originate it, sometimes introducing new ideologies, worldviews and class (that's how one gets nazi punks and rich hippies)

- subculture once again dwindles to be associated with its resurgence instead of its original purpose and members, possibly gaining another resurgence in the future

technically any smaller group of people within a larger society can be named a subculture, be it leftists in a primarily right wing country, hardcore conservatives in a country that's mostly left etc. but here I'm referring specifically to subcultures that people associate with the world "counter culture" with a certain code of appearance, a music scene and such

that's not to say all of them go through this life cycle, there are some the ideologies of which don't really change

i think why subculture feels different now is because online a lot of it is consolidated into one label, being "alternative", which is very different to what we associate with the term because of the sheer volume and variety of members and the fact that whether you want to or not, you will be labelled as such whether by "mainstream" people or people who self identity as alt anyway. a lot of people today, especially young people, consider the dress and music before they consider the political implications of what they're signing up for and it's making the entire concept feel different. I've seen so many young people who identify as punk while berating those that are "weird" or less privileged and listening to decisively unpunk music (I don't mean uwaaah not hardcore enuf i mean like racist bands and such)

not everyone though as i have met and talked to dedicated people who still try to carry on the original meaning of the term they've chosen to identify with

this is why i don't think it's bad that new members come and go and new groups of people join AS LONG as it doesn't make the community unsafe for the original group. if one agrees with the message they're spreading i believe it's generally good for the community they're entering and allows the message to keep living.

[theglamorouslife123]

The Evolution of Denim: A Timeless Fashion Staple

Denim, a fabric that has been around for centuries, has evolved from humble workwear to a fashion staple that transcends trends. Its versatility, durability, and timeless appeal have made it a wardrobe essential for people of all ages and genders.

The origins of denim can be traced back to the 18th century in Nîmes, France, where it was first woven as a sturdy, durable fabric for sailors' pants. The fabric's name is derived from "serge de Nîmes," meaning "serge of Nîmes." Denim quickly gained popularity among workers in various industries due to its strength and durability.

In the 19th century, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis revolutionized denim by adding metal rivets to the pockets of their work pants, creating the iconic jeans that we know and love today. These jeans were designed to withstand the rigors of manual labor and quickly became a staple for miners, cowboys, and other working-class individuals.

Throughout the 20th century, denim continued to evolve and adapt to changing fashion trends. In the 1950s, jeans became a symbol of rebellion and youth culture, with iconic figures like James Dean and Marlon Brando popularizing the look. In the 1960s and 1970s, denim was embraced by the hippie movement, with flared jeans and patchwork denim jackets becoming popular styles.

In recent decades, denim has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with designers and fashion brands experimenting with new silhouettes, washes, and treatments. From distressed jeans to high-waisted mom jeans, there is a denim style to suit every taste and occasion.

Denim's versatility has made it a staple in both casual and formal wardrobes. Jeans can be paired with a t-shirt and sneakers for a relaxed look or dressed up with a blazer and heels for a more sophisticated outfit. Denim jackets and denim shirts are also popular choices, adding a touch of cool to any ensemble.

In addition to its fashion appeal, denim has also become a symbol of sustainability and ethical consumption. Many denim brands are now committed to using sustainable materials, reducing their environmental impact, and ensuring fair labor practices.

As denim continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: its timeless appeal and versatility. Whether you're a denim enthusiast or simply looking for a reliable wardrobe staple, there's no denying the enduring charm of this iconic fabric.

[the-temperance]

The dog and bone vintage store was a retro blast from the past with hand picked tote bags, flannel shirts, bandanas, cargo work trousers (Including their best seller; tweed jackets.) There prices may range from £5-£250 depending on the quality, condition and rarity of the item as all is hand selected there are rare items that may be missed by a commercial charity shop worker due to a small hole that may not decrease the value in accordance with the rarity.

They target an older demographic, supplying authentic vintage goods they would have enjoyed in their youth. However they also hold a wide appeal to a younger generation due to the resurgence of 80-90s fashion.

Dog & Bone use social media as there main source of advertisement such as : Instagram ( @Dog&BoneVintage ) and( https://www.facebook.com/share/8d8V1qK23sCeeALG ) ; York tourist guides; website and online shopping (£2.99 UK shipping). They are located within a high traffic area notably next to a Van Gogh exhibit and the York castle museum. - 28 Castlegate, York YO1 9RP -

In my opinion Bog and Bone vintage was reasonably priced and possessed a comfortable and “hippie” aesthetic made you not want to leave. However I found the women’s sections lacking in interest compared to the male selection restricting there choice market.

[midnight1404]

Wip wenesday: The offspring chapter 6

here is already wenesday, so have this crumbs for now lol

Something he got to enjoy to with this second body and life even if he didn’t tell no one about it, is the advantage that gives him be the tallest and biggest person of the room anywhere he goes, because even within with his team and the few na’vi he got to be face to face, the others always had to lift their gaze to met his (standing or kneeling), it help him feel in control even when in his job, control is pretty often non-existent. 

The first time he saw the prisoner through the cameras in her cell, Miles felt small in the most literal sense of the word, comparing himself to her though the woman was sitting on the floor with crossed legs and eyes closed, humming a melody that Quaritch never heard before. But he didn’t allowed himself to set that feeling  in his mind, making his first thought about her being:

What ugly bitch.  And he thought it with complete honesty, because the Tupani woman is not as graceful or attractive as her alien relatives… Or young. Like in his first life: Miles never met an elder na’vi till this woman; The ones he always laid his eyes on in their few and rushed encounters were always young, without any imperfection such as wrinkles or gray hairs like this so-called war master has. It’s a little bit sad, he was starting to believe the stupid tales a lot of the RDA soldiers love to chant about the immortality of the aliens, the immortality of bodies like his. No growing old, no rotting, no death. 

He didn’t eat anything that day, skipping lunch as dinner, passing all the time he could in his room with Spider or Sully as silent companions (or what Sully considers to be silent), reading the papers and archives the human encyclopedia of Walker sent him through his holopad. Quaritch almost let out a dry laugh the moment he received a lot of V-logs titled Na’vi civilizations: The Tupani that couldn’t be from anyone else that Augustine herself, with her radiant short red mane and cold eyes staring at the fucking camera while saying her hippie shit or at least that’s how he believes the v-logs are, he didn’t watch them… yet. 

He ignored Sully’s intends of get information from him, partly due his custom of keep information from himself but also partly because the Colonel wasn’t capable of take the bad taste in his mouth about the girl and Lo’ak staying here, making Spider acting like a sneaky confident while the corporal as father of family ( if we can call that a family Miles thinks anytime the image of the trio together resurges from the deepest corners of his brain like a premonition that leaves him with a throbbing headache) so he decided make Sully paid for it, putting him out of the serious business, knowing his corporal hated more than nothing be out of the party. 

When he received the first call from Wainfleet in middle of the second interrogation session, Miles ignored it, thinking in disconnect his communicator to his team to be capable of just focus in what was happening in the room with Sully’s girl and the woman because even if isn’t the great thing, he knows that things will have to be slow in this case, and taking out his pride, he has to admit it, Dollie is doing it really good, in just one try, she showed she isn’t naive and unaware as Jake (or himself) likes to believe, something that gives her power, and Quaritch asks himself if the girl’s aware of it. But moments later, he receives another call, this time from Sully.

“Sir, I think you would like to see something in the central courtyard…” Sully continues talking but the static makes his words inaudible.

So against his will, Miles leaves Walker in charge and starts his long walk to the nearest base’s exit while he murmurs for himself all the insults he can imagine and his steps resounding as the boots hit the floor furiously. When he gets to the central courtyard a zone (a place  near the landing zone, just fifty meters of distance) where the construction and expansion still in process what also makes it their most weak point, as he advances towards Lyle, who has his hand lifted to Quaritch and Jake that is kneeling in middle of the circle made by the workers around an object he can’t disguises. Quaritch notices how dry the ground is as he listens to the crunch of the dirt, reminding him of Walker mentioning one time about a period of drought on this part of the forest for months. 

“What is the fuss about?” The Colonel says to Wainfleet as he puts his hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Me and Sully were doing our rounds as normal,” Wainfleet explains, pushing some men to open the way. “Till we hear one of the workers yell,” 

[theseventhoffrostfall]

I'm sure it's been pointed out already that there was a y2k-era subculture that essentially died in its crib.

Like, whichever wakizachi is more embarrassing has since claimed that the Matrix was a trans allegory, which is an impressively low-effort bit of revisionism. It's actually along the same philosophy as a few other movies that came out around the time, most notably Fight Club.

It was the end of the 90's. The Cold War was over, the crime rate had been plummeting for decades, and the panic about AIDS and crack were slipping down the cultural memory hole. there wasn't really any looming, credible threat to any upper-middle class American kid from looking forward a safe, stable, stifling life. So there were stirrings of this resurgent hippy attitude that The Man wants to control you and keep you buying furniture on credit and working in a generic cubicle forever; like this odd sort of tough guy empowerment fantasy arose of people rising up against their stable and structured lives to embrace some shallow and short-sighted anarchistic fantasy.

Alright, that part's hardly unique to this movement, but it was notably in reaction not to any perceived or claimed oppression, but from an utter lack of it or anything else that makes a boring, safe life a non-decided outcome. Of course, we know how this goes. Not everything can be blamed on 9/11, but it was the first major event that broke that particular cultural hypnosis.

Now it's kind of absurd looking back (hence why Washedupzachi is changing the narrative on the Matrix, among other reasons) from nearly a quarter-century of wars, plagues, terror attacks, natural disasters, race riots, rapid cultural and social upheaval due to vast telecommunication networks, Taylor Swift albums, and renewed nuclear sabre-rattling. As we could all write whole volumes attesting to, that kind of tough independent badass fantasy person immediately starts shrieking for their life to return to safety and stability as soon as something actually disrupts it, and so none of the equally-embarassing subcultures (or even more embarrassing resurgences of preexisting ones) quite included this existential hatred of normalcy.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 31/08/2024 (Fontaines D.C.'s Romance, Sabrina Carpenter, Coldplay)

Well, Sabrina Carpenter has done what Taylor couldn’t do: fill out the top three with her hits, though only the #1 debut - her third song to top the chart - is new, that being “Taste”, with her #1 album, which sold over 89k here, launching other Short n’ Sweet hits “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” to #2 and #3 respectively. Hell, while we’re here, let’s just chalk out Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” at #4 and Chase & Status’ “BACKBONE” with Stormzy at #5. It’s… one of those weeks. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: sexual and mental health references

Rundown: Oasis Special

This week has a lot to discuss, a decent amount happening, but it’s all scattered throughout the entire chart and, really, not much of it is all that interesting, though that may just be a me problem in this case. There’s plenty of interest to many fanbases, including one of the biggest in the country but I personally can’t call myself a fan of Fontaines D.C., Sabrina Carpenter - the album was good, though - or even Oasis, the divisive but still massively successful Britpop band who have “reunited” (let’s be tentative about this) for a tour after over a decade of inactivity, though many people don’t recall or respect the years of shovelling out garbage that occurred long after their heyday, so it may seem like even longer. They do have three of their biggest, most respected hits on the chart this week, though only one of their eight #1s - more a demonstration of their quantity of hits than any comment on their lasting legacy.

Firstly, the song used in headlines about the reunion as if this really isn’t the most unstable tempering of relations since North and South Korea: “Live Forever” is back at #19. It debuted and peaked at #10 for two weeks in 1994, whilst Wet Wet Wet’s “Love is All Around” was #1, and made appearances lower down the chart for pretty much all of the 90s… and then 2017. It’s Liam Gallagher’s personal favourite Oasis song, and has since become a bit of a tribute ballad due to its sentiment.

At #17 is “Wonderwall”, which is possibly their most iconic tune and has spent a whopping total of 90 weeks on the chart, yet never matching its first-week peak of #2 in 1995, being blocked by a double-A-side release by Robson & Jerome that nobody remembers. It spent a couple weeks meandering throughout the 90s but resurged on digital sales platforms since 2008 and occasionally makes appearances lower down on the chart since, most recently in November of last year. Though the track may go down as one of the most-covered songs of all time, only a few non-Oasis renditions have appeared on the UK Singles Chart. The Mike Flowers Pops Orchestra actually took it to an identical peak of #2 that Christmas, being blocked my Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song”. 1996 would see dance versions by Bombayblue and De-Code reach #82 and #69 respectively, and American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams charted in 2004 with his rendition at #27. For my money, the best version of “Wonderwall” is when JAY-Z pettily butchering the song at Glastonbury in response to Noel Gallagher indicating his genre wasn’t welcome at the festival. Other than straight-up covers, you can hear elements of the track in Simple Plan’s 2008 hit “Your Love is a Lie” (#63) and Bugzy Malone’s 2017 hit with Tom Grennan, “Memory Lane” (#65). They are, like the original song, not worth listening to.

Finishing the Gallaghers’ trio of songs is my personal favourite of the three, “Don’t Look Back in Anger” which has actually spent barely over half of the weeks “Wonderwall” has on the charts. It debuted at #1, peaking there for one week in 1996, beating out spacemen, hippies and children. It dwoddled around for the next year, returned in 2017 and returned even higher today. The Wurzels reached #59 with their version in 2002.

As for the rest of what’s going on, well, don’t we usually start with the notable dropouts? Songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40? Yes, you’d be correct, I guess I just decided some angry middle-aged Mancunians was of more importance. Regardless, this week, we say farewell to: “You’re Gonna Go Far” by Noah Kahan, the “Set My Heart on Fire” mashup of “I’m Alive” and “The Beat Goes On”, overall credited to Majestic, The Jammin’ Kid and Céline Dion, “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” by Tommy Richman, “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat, “Birds in the Sky” by NewEra and Natasha Bedingfield with both “Unwritten” and the Badger remix of “These Words”.

As for our notable gains and re-entries, we have the return of Fontaines D.C.’s “Starburster” thanks to their album release - we’re actually going to review more songs from them than Sabrina - then solid boosts for a handful of tracks, thoe being “Close to You” by Gracie Abrams at #68, “Bring Me Joy” by Rudimental and Karen Harding at #61 and “Cry Baby” by Clean Bandit, Anne-Marie and David Guetta at #51. Now that’s all out of the way - in a different order this time - let’s crack down on the songs that arrived on the boat this week.

New Entries

#73 - “Diet Pepsi” - Addison Rae

Produced by Luka Kloser and ELVIRA

Sigh… first of all, I’m a Dr. Pepper girl myself. Secondly, Addison Rae is the exact kind of person I would never care about: a TikTok personality largely famous for being a social media “it girl” that makes industry-backed moves into traditional media outlets but never really performs too well, gaining a cultish fanbase in part because of that. You can say that she served only for long enough until people start asking, well, “what did she serve exactly?” I had the same opinion of Ice Spice when she first came out, but Rae is being propped by people I actually care for like Charli xcx and A.G. Cook, so surely there’s something there… no, there is not. Bizarrely, for an Internet personality, this feels dated and out of time with what is actually popular. This is a 2018-era falsetto-driven alternative R&B-esque track, complete with weirdly-mixed trap-adjacent percussion that really loves my left ear and synths straight out of The Weeknd’s Google Drive he shared with, like, Halsey, watt, Post Malone and co. back in the late 2010s. There are vague references to Lana Del Rey who approached this sound better on “Summer Bummer”, but there really just aren’t many lyrics here at all in this murky sex jam to form much of anything. The bridge is a vocaloid drop circa 2017 EDM but without any of the build-up, impact or even bothering to properly resolve that aborted bridge. It all just reeks of wanting to be interesting and not actually going for it.

#69 - “Favourite” - Fontaines D.C.

Produced by James Ford

I have yet to listen to Irish indie outfit Fontaines D.C.’s most recent record, Romance. I said when reviewing “Starburster” a few weeks ago that I was not familiar and the single had convinced me on them, but I guess I have my priorities, like relistening to middling James Blake albums from 2019 and contemplating the marketing tactis of the Grimace Shake. At the same time, of course. They would have topped the albums chart on any non-Sabrina week and are at #2 today, but we have more debuts from them to discuss, and I may be missing out on some greater album context, so bear with me on that regard. This was another pre-release just charting in the top 75 for the first time, and starts with a cascading guitar riff not dissimilar to 80s post-punk with a reverb-affected mix that cleans up quite nicely overall but does give vocalist Grian Chatten an interesting dynamic where despite a technically good and clear recording, he appears to purposefully restrain himself from hitting the notes exactly or enunciating all that well, meshing in with the thematically dazed content. He reminisces on simpler times, but ensures to place those times in context and understand that a lot of that nostalgia comes from an ignorance that he no longer has, or has to be strewn out on numbness to experience it, not that it helps since now, all that numbness does is prevent him from feeling anything at all. I will say that amidst the driving jangle of the track, there isn’t a solid hook, which again makes perfect thematic sense for the disoriented dream he’s having here but doesn’t string me back to this song in particular. That main riff is incessantly catchy but it feels a bit wasted on a more hypnotic structure that thrives more on that droning tedium emphasising how distant they are from youth and how paranoid that’s made him in his relationships. This is still very good, but outside of knowing how it fits into the album’s themes, I’m not sure why I’d choose this song in particular.

#53 - “Wait for You” - Myles Smith

Produced by Peter Fenn

Oh, the world’s just been waiting for the “Stargazing” follow-up. This is similarly plucked straight out of 2014, with the folk pick-up and over-processed vocals that really reach a territory difficult to listen to in that pre-chorus, and become a full-on wall of vocal on the chorus about waiting for this other person to be… happy. Okay, so lyrically, there is an interest to this that there isn’t really to its instrumental - I like the perky drums that pick up the pace in the second verse, though - as whilst it’s not too specific, it appears to be about an undying loyalty to a friend struggling with mental health, always being by their side, but also, it hits a weird note on the idea of waiting, not actually acting upon the compassion he has for this person, and because of the focus on Myles himself and just how he wants to wait for this person to be okay, it fails to be inspirational or a generic empowerment anthem, yet it cannot function as a love song either because of how dedicated he is to the mental health angle. Some of the lyrics downplay the issue, though, deriding it as “words in [their] head”, and that trust me, he knows what it’s like, but it’s still their problem to deal with it. It appears well-meaning until that one line in the chorus: “you can’t push me away”. It almost seems obsessive and hopeless, that Smith is clinging onto someone who he’s already tried helping with the meaningless platitudes he fills this song with. I may just be reading too much into a badly-written folk-pop motivational song, but there’s a hint of weirdness to the emotional balance here that is very distracting and self-focused, that I can’t help but think this won’t connect on the same level as “Stargazing”, even if it’s a bit more tolerable on a sonic level to me.

#52 - “In the Modern World” - Fontaines D.C.

Produced by James Ford

Our second of the pair of Fontaines songs is much newer, with the album pumping it up to their highest peak so far, and I’m starting to find it really interesting just how numb these tracks from an album titled Romance are. I also start to understand why this one in particular was what got so high, given the on-the-nose lyrics about just feeling nothing in particular in the 21st century - not feeling anything, but at least not feeling bad - and the clearly post-Britpop strings that bring this into 2000s UK radio rock territory. This really isn’t that far from mid-era Feeder’s wheelhouse, which is not a comparison I think I’d have made for a charting song in 2024, but hey, if I get Feeder propaganda out there, I will. Some empty promises are made to a lover that they complete Chatten, help him belong and hence he’ll make sure that when he does feel some life, she’ll be included, and it’s largely thanks to her… but he doesn’t want to dwell on that too much, he wants to remain some sense of authority in that softly-spoken bridge. The back-and-forth between Chatten and the even wispier Conor Deegan on the chorus is a really unique take that feeds into these lyrics but, wow, the song just goes nowhere. It ends about as empty and airy as it started which actually does not fit as well to me as the less solid structure of “Favourite”. This could be taken to much grander spaces and feel arbitrarily shortened, or at least having cut some paths in the songwriting process that might have actually been worth exploring. This is far from bad, but it’s somewhat disappointing that the song feels like this much of a draft, though it iis pleasant enough to listen to, and I do think that given its middle placement on the album, this could be a case of needing to understand how it plays into other tracks. As far as I can tell, though, this is far from what it could be.

#44 - “WE PRAY” - Coldplay featuring Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna and TINI

Produced by Max Martin, ILYA, Bill Rahko, Daniel Green and Michael Ilbert

I saw the album’s tracklist. I knew this was happening. Yet it still doesn’t make sense when it’s being written out like that. This is a Max Martin-produced Coldplay track with conscious rapper Little Simz, Nigerian Afrobeats crooner Burna Boy and barely substantial vocal contributions from Palestinian singer Elyanna and Argentine TINI… in less than four minutes. Now, as of recent, Coldplay have done similarly off-the-beaten-path, artsy stringing together of disparate collaborators and ideas for vague conscious platitudes, Everyday Life is probably the most obvious example, but this really does not function properly as a song, over anything. As a reflection of multicultural understanding and collaboration, it’s something, but it also sounds like Imagine Dragons. That weak hip hop beat is placed under some grandiose strings that are at least clearly orchestrated and expensive, but Chris Martin’s vocal delivery is not very inspired, and his lyrical framing of being on the outside looking into struggles experienced not just by unnamed brothers and friends, but specific indigenous political activists in Guatemala, but still claiming to be “in the valley of the shadow of the death”, is either a misunderstanding of the phrase or giving himself some detached self-importance that does not help the populist tinge of what is supposed to be a relatively inspirational track, praying for better times to take us out of the difficulties of now. Burna Boy sounds great and I actually appreciate that he and Simz get to play off each other in backing vocals but by that point, the song’s nearly finished and both Elyanna and TINI are rendered part of the choir singing a wordless refrain, turning what I’d call meaningless platitudes about a better world into, well, literally and objectively meaningles lyrics. I don’t think Virgilio Aguilar Mendez can “la-la-la” their way out of false arrest and systemic oppression. I’m also just ashamed that the one time I talk about Little Simz on this series, she delivers her most generic and phoned-in verse that, for what it’s worth, spreads the love more evenly than Martin’s. I really wanted something like this to work, for the sake of the promising ambition and social context it’s supporting, but I really don’t like this at all. It has the grandiosity to pick up the entire world in its mix but does little more than shake it around and make pleas, which… honestly may be a more fitting analogy for modern society than I’d hoped for.

#1 - “Taste” - Sabrina Carpenter

Produced by John Ryan, Ian Kirkpatrick and Julian Bunetta

This was far from my favourite on Short n’ Sweet - in fact, I think it’s relatively unremarkable, even if still good - but its narrative about a breakup between Sabrina and her partner, who’s gone back to his ex-girlfriend but now has the lingering influence of his relationship with Ms. Carpenter when he’s back together with her, or at least that’s what Sabrina wants to believe, makes for a good, sapphic music video where actress Jenna Ortega murders her boyfriend because she hallucinated that she was kissing Sabrina instead. Carpenter - in seemingly both the video and the song - plays a nonchalant but quietly obsessed figure who drives the two to paranoia through very specific and often sexual remarks that are cute, pointed references to her own public image and potential celebrity feuds. It’s definitely the ultimate pop star move for the social media age, but the song’s just fine: the slick guitars are cute and I like the subtle distortion in some of the vocal takes and drum patterns, particularly that moment before the chorus, that adds an edge to what is otherwise a very shiny little song, made to be an earworm but also a flickering reminder of her existence to this new girlfriend that doesn’t really connect with me because… well, who cares? Relationship drama on this level without higher stakes doesn’t really grab me as anything worth caring about, especially without a whammy of a bridge to really hold it together. I prefer it to “Please Please Please” but the album overall, a very nice collection of pop songs that’s lackadaisical and surprisingly organic, has a better selection of songs to choose from. “Good Graces”, “Sharpest Tool”, “Juno”, “Dumb & Poetic”, to name a few. I’m definitely not complaining about this new #1 though, it probably has a lot of legs, I can see this one sticking to people real fast.

Conclusion

Well, that was… something, wasn’t it? I feel like there are genuinely just a ton of mixed bags here, not just between songs but within them: a lot to love, a lot to dismiss and a fair bit to just be unsatisfied with. Best of the Week goes to Fontaines D.C. for “Favourite”, but it’s not that impressive and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” gets a very faint Honourable Mention. It’s the same case for Worst of the Week, though, as nothing in here is offensively bad, just sighworthy. Honestly, Coldplay might get Worst of the Week for having the gravitas for a mostly empty statement in “WE PRAY”, whilst Addison Rae is close behind with the very ignorable “Diet Pepsi” as the Honourable Mention. As for what’s on the horizon, Rizzle Kicks will swoop in at #1, mark my words. Welcome back, lads. Thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

[hccn-overseer]

Issue 20, 8/30/2023 - The Overseer

Issue Masterpost About the Overseer

Updates on the Incident

By Azure

Recently, there have been many developments in the Incident with DocM77, Grian and Scar. Here is all that has happened thus far:

Due to a prank Doc pulled on Grian and Mumbo, causing one of Mumbo's vault doors to be damaged, the latter joined forces with Grian and Scar, forming the Buttercups, as the flower is toxic to goats. Their headquarters was a hippie style campsite with a pet sniffer. Doc would later form an alliance with RenDog.

 Additionally, two individuals known as Poultry Man and HotGuy showed their support for Grian and Scar by putting thousands of chickens in the Perimeter. Doc would later push back by putting thousands of chickens in Grian’s base, and decorating Scarland with Dragon Eggs.

The Buttercups then began to make plans to get revenge, with Grian building a “Live Laugh Love” sign on the walls of the Perimeter, causing Doc to decorate Grian’s base with Dragon Eggs. Both parties began building robots in case a battle were to ensue, and Doc built flying TNT cannons shaped like butterflies. Pearl built a dragon out of the Dragon Eggs.

Ren and Doc ended up attempting to spy on a Buttercup meeting but were found out, causing the Bot Battle to take place. Doc won after the Buttercups’ Bot backfired and was unable to do substantial damage to Doc’s Bot. Ren and Doc then proceeded to activate the TNT cannons, and the Buttercups rushed to sabotage the machines. They were successful, with minimal damage caused.

Furthermore, Ren and Doc attempted to explode the Buttercups’ campsite, causing them to relocate into a new base located in a cherry tree. At this point, Grian made the decision to cover the Perimeter in grass, a feat requiring over two thousand blocks of grass and dirt. 

Many people have pointed out that the motivational quotes were set to play near the Perimeter, with phrases such as, “This is the Goat’s world, you just live in it,” and “To make our great goat leader proud, never forget to Grind, Optimize and Thrive.”

The process of covering the Perimeter took over twelve hours, as they decided to terraform the area in addition to covering it. They were able to recruit the help of Gem, Impulse, Etho, False, Joe Hills, and Iskall, making it one of the largest collaborative projects on the server in recent months.

The Perimeter now blends into the surrounding landscape, safe for the flagpole, aided by the terraforming and the added trees, supplied by Xisuma. Once their task was complete, the Buttercups disbanded, recognizing it as the climax to the Incident.

Doc has since uncovered the Perimeter, and is making plans to get revenge on the Buttercups and their accomplices.

Now onto other news under the cut!

This Week At The Overseer HQ: Interior Makeover and Volunteer Work

By Lydia

The Overseer Headquarters has recently undergone a new interior makeover, with brighter paints for the walls and a collection of retro-future style furniture in red, blue, green, yellow, orange, and purple for the sofas, chairs, tables, and lighting. The staff originally wanted to change the style of the office due to the Server’s players taking on a resurgence of a 1970s fashion trend, but had later revealed that the real reason for the makeover was simply a need for a more invigorating workspace. In order to renovate the inside of the office, a few of the staff members managed to land a spot on a television show on HGTV with a professional interior design team. They took the chance to imitate all of the clients they had previously seen on the show, with every small complaint being blown up to greater proportions for the sake of entertaining television. They also spent the majority of that time attempting to convince the beleaguered show staff to wait on them hand and foot with very little success.

After the television excursion, The Overseer staff has also been sending its members to perform volunteer work over the past several weeks. With the ongoing influx of new Citizens, a large portion of the staff members have been spending their daytime outside of the Newspaper Office at the Hermit Citizen Orientation Office. Our staff members have assisted the very small orientation team in printing Citizen I.D. cards, distributing maps of the Server, giving out Shulker boxes of starter supplies, assisting in customizing communication devices, and answering frequently asked questions about the Server’s customs and environment. These questions often cover rudimentary introductory questions, such as the status of keeping one’s inventory on upon death, the most populated biomes, an overview of the Server’s clubs and affiliations, whether the Server is welcoming or hostile towards hybrids, and whether the Citizen count is high enough to qualify as a village, town, or city. According to our staff, they have enjoyed all of the free catering of buffet breakfasts and an endless supply of donuts provided to all workers and volunteers of the Orientation Office. This is by far the most favorable perk of helping out. The worst part of the job is the paperwork, specifically because many new Citizens do not like to reveal their species to the office, and will often give a placeholder for the category. While this is understandable, it is very likely that the records show a significantly higher population of non-hybrid humans on the Server than there really are.

While this stint of volunteer work has been helpful to both new Citizens as well as the orientation services workers, the real reason that the staff of The Overseer has been present here is due to the requirement to perform 200 hours of community service, in addition to cleaning up the mess they had made in preparation for MCC. While Hermitcraft does not operate on having a department to handle misconduct and will not do so in the future, the majority of the shop owners in The Shopping District had come to the conclusion that The Overseer staff should compensate the Server for the disruptive and rampageous mess leading up to MCC. This had resulted in almost all of the shops in the district having their wares recklessly broken and workspaces cluttered and trashed. The Overseer staff had agreed to clean and volunteer on the condition that they all receive very high discounts at all of the shops that had been affected by the MCC carousing.

Due to the staff dividing their time doing administrative work outside of the office, the newspapers over the past few weeks have been noticeably thinner. Someone attempted to ask the rats to take over some of the articles for them to no avail, as the rats would rather spend their time ordering and eating pizza and playing cards with each other than fill in for the writers and editors of the newspaper. The cats, on the other hand, have been given automatic pet feeding bowls and water dispensers, as well as having a staff member come in every few days to clean their litter boxes. They have also figured out how to turn on the large printer in order to preserve their favorite sunning spot.

This month marks the fifth month that The Overseer has been an active organization, and next week, staff members state that they will be able to celebrate sitting at the “Big Kids Table” upon reaching their twenty-first issue. Our staff hopes that you have had a very entertaining and relaxing week and would like to thank everyone who has been supporting and reading the newspaper.

Affiliate Summaries

by Roo (Not Pearl)

GoodTimesWithScar: When not running a theme park, being a master door, or decreasing the local horse population from the skies (in disguise), Scar is well known to ordain horse marriages and divorces.

Grian: The realistic Mumbo has spread. Quick, become bird scientists.

Joe Hills: (McJoenalds) Joe Hills?

Pearlescentmoon: I hope I'm invited to Soup Group Saturday.

Weather Report

By Lydia

Temperatures are represented using Celsius. Sorry, Americans!

Wednesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 24 degrees and a low of 12 degrees. Skies will be stormy throughout the entire day and clear up during the early evening hours.

Thursday: Temperatures will reach a high of 40 degrees and a low of 31 degrees. Skies will be partly cloudy with high winds.

Friday: Temperatures will reach a high of 43 degrees and a low of 32 degrees. Skies will be clear throughout the day and evening.

Saturday: Temperatures will reach a high of 44 degrees and a low of 32 degrees. Skies will be mostly cloudy throughout the day but clear up during the afternoon.

Sunday: Temperatures will reach a high of 40 degrees and a low of 29 degrees. Skies will stay clear throughout the morning and become cloudy during the afternoon.

Monday: Temperatures will reach a high of 45 degrees and a low of 32 degrees. Skies will be clear throughout the entire day.

Tuesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 44 degrees and a low of 30 degrees. Skies will be rainy throughout most of the day.

Wednesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 42 degrees and a low of 28 degrees. Skies will be cloudy throughout the day with a high chance of scattered showers throughout the morning.

Astrology Corner: Haiku Scopes

By Corundumcat

Have you been feeling without guidance? Do you look at your birthday, look up your star sign, and wonder, “Will I feel like Haikuing?” “Am I going to embrace my inner Joe Hills?” Don’t worry, here at The Overseer, we can help you.*

Aries:

Single testament,  shall a relax, enjoy help in spite of the the

Taurus:

Freezing eventide then a ready, dry pen runs after the dolphin

Gemini:

Tedious fountain A mad, elephant sneers betrayed by the salt

Cancer:

Baking christmastide A british, cute lion stings into the turtle

Leo:

Semiarid leap A fallow, playful deer feeds under the giraffe

Virgo:

Ungroomed wintertime An old, keen crocodile flies in spite of the queen

Libra:

Snow-white aurora A little, fine biscuit feeds whilst watching the friend

Scorpio:

Covered eventide A big, intense shark waddles at the perfect salt

Sagittarius:

Glorious leaping An intimate, dry friend barks by the flamingo

Capricorn:

Wooded damp hillside A frightened, spruce rabbit looks in spite of the stone

Aquarius:

Breezy summertime A female, gorgeous deer stings enjoying the rat

Pisces: 

Magical winter A normal, loathsome rat sneers hippopotamus

All star signs:

Sandy dunes sand dunes A nocturnal dunes paddles at the perfect dunes

*Ignore how blatantly specific these are. Nothing bad will happen to you. 

Lost and Found

By Lydia

All of the following items have been brought to The Overseer staff’s office for safekeeping until they are claimed. If you recognize one of these items as yours, please visit us to receive your items, or contact us at lostandfound@thehermitnews.org*. Lost items will be sent to Twinkly Trash if not picked up after two weeks. Thank you! *Not a real email address.

Item 1: A french horn This french horn was found outside of Joe Hills’ pinball machine and appears to have been there for quite a long time. It was found covered in table salt.

Item 2: A box of refrigerator magnets This box contains magnets depicting various postage stamps from different locations around Canada and South America in no particular order. They appear to be newly made and were found in a small wooden box painted to look like a sunset.

Item 3: A hobby horse This hobby horse is made entirely out of wood, with the head carved in the style of a chess knight. It was found several blocks away from Cub’s museum and has various numbers and letters written on it, presumably those of chess board tiles.

Item 4: A rubber band ball This rubber band ball is quite large, with a diameter of 5 inches. The rubber bands vary in size and color and appear to have been accumulated over several months.

Item 5: An apron that says, “World’s Worst Cook” While we cannot speculate on who would accurately fit its description, this newly made apron was found hanging up near the entrance to The Shopping District. It is white with bold, black lettering in Comic Sans font.

Item 6: A series of colorful tote bags These bags were found near Gem’s Elven Village and depict various types of fruit drawn in a cartoon style over pastel backgrounds. They appear to be made only about a week and a half ago.

Item 7: Two Lime Shulker Boxes The first box contains dragon eggs painted to resemble dragon fruits. The second box contains several realistic cakes created and decorated in the style of life-sized dragon eggs. They are made in the flavor red velvet and vanilla ice cream. Both of their respective items are very nicely detailed.

Note: Lost items will be sent to Twinkly Trash Trade if not picked up after two weeks

Fun and Games

This week's fun and games are brought to you once again by Lydia and Azure!

Word Search and Crossword by Lydia

Brain Teasers by Azure

And that's all for this week! Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful week!

[brightlotusmoon]

Inside the Resurgence of Discordianism—the Chaotic, LSD-Fueled Anti-Religion

This was written back in 2016. I've been approached by so many conspiracy theorists about the Illuminati and Freemasons since I'm married to, and the child of, a Freemason. Every time I tell them about Discordia I watch them start squirming in pain, because I pretend to be really annoying.

I really really miss that show Inside Job.

[derekjarmanlifework]

Jarman's early life and career

Derek Jarman, born on January 31, 1942, navigated his formative years during what he later described as a 'grey decade' in the 1950s. The dullness of his surroundings, such as the monotony of his school uniform and the lacklustre broadcast television of the time, shaped his early perceptions of normative British culture, and contributed to his career as an artist. In an attempt to avoid the dreary environment provoked by adherence to English traditions, Jarman spent a lot of time in art studios, where he found a profound love of art.

In an interview, Jarman mentioned that he knew he was queer as a young boy. The criminalization of homosexuality made it very challenging for him to be open about his sexual orientation during his adolescence and young adulthood. Homosexual acts were legalized in Britain in 1967, when Jarman was 25. This marked a significant milestone in gay liberation, however, this progress was made complicated by the subsequent era of Thatcherism (1979-1989).

Jarman was starkly and openly opposed to Margaret Thatcher's conservative government, and he considered her his enemy. Many of Jarman's film's portray Thatcher as a monstrous figure, and much of his art was a rebellion against the heteronormativity and homophobia emblematic of the Thatcher government.

Jarman's bold stance against Thatcherism persisted throughout her tenure as Prime Minister, and he found satisfaction in witnessing her fall from power in 1989. His life and art were inextricably linked to the sociopolitical landscape, making him a trailblazer in the fight for queer visibility and rights in a conservative era.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1978: Jubilee

Derek Jarman embarked on the creation of his avant-garde cinematic venture, Jubilee, amidst the tumultuous backdrop of London during the spring to summer of 1977. This period, marked by Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee and the controversial release of the Sex Pistols' single "God Save the Queen," inadvertently positioned Jubilee as the inaugural British punk feature film. The film unfolds as a quasi-documentary, blurring the lines between reality and invention, responding creatively and critically to the burgeoning punk scene in 1970s London. Jarman's distinctive approach, characterized by a script resembling a dense scrapbook and casting drawn from his social circles, aligns with his broader artistic methodology.

Structured as a collage, Jarman described Jubilee as "parochial, too particular, juvenilia, and at times silly." The film's unconventional nature contributed to mixed reviews upon its February 1978 release. Figures like Adam Ant expressed initial embarrassment, and Siouxsie Sioux dismissed it as 'hippy trash'. Vivienne Westwood, a punk icon, went further by openly criticizing the film on a T-shirt, denouncing it as the "most boring and disgusting film" she had ever seen. While accusations swirled that Jordan's character, 'Amyl Nitrate,' was a satirical jab at Westwood, the critique resonated on the theme of self-indulgence in Jarman's work.

Jubilee provocatively features a distant and desolate Queen Elizabeth II, left for dead on a derelict site, an object of fleeting curiosity for the time-traveling Queen Elizabeth I. This irreverent treatment aligns with Jarman's disdain for the modern British royal family. The film's audacious portrayal of the 'New Elizabethan' age prompts reflection on Jarman's motivations to desecrate the reigning monarch. A plausible explanation lies in the film's engagement with the 1950s celebration of the New Elizabethan age, intertwined with a resurgence of social conservatism and sexual repression. The official 'Moral Rearmament' campaign in 1950s Britain, framed as a post-World War II moral cleanup, provides a backdrop for Jarman's subversive exploration of sexual morality and family values. In Jubilee, pretentiousness becomes a deliberate choice, prompting viewers to confront societal norms and Jarman's challenging, avant-garde vision.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1979: The Tempest

Jarman's 1979 adaptation of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' serves as a unique exploration of the classic Renaissance revenge play. Created before the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the film not only anticipates but also reflects Jarman's distinct political and activist viewpoints that he continued to convey through his art, even after his diagnosis. Diverging from mainstream media norms, Jarman's low-budget approach and traditional use of "masters, mid-shots, and close-ups" distinguish his adaptation.

This rendition of 'The Tempest' showcases Jarman's bold choices, including the introduction of a same-sex relationship between Prospero and Ariel, a thematic decision that resonates with his intended audience — members of the British counterculture, particularly punk and queer communities. Departing from the traditional Shakespearean adaptations of its time, Jarman's manipulation of the original script involved rearranging and omitting sections, creating a distinctive cinematic experience.

Critics have praised the film as an "outrageously invigorating breath of fresh air" in stark contrast to the "stale, safe atmosphere" of the BBC Shakespeare productions. Jarman's fearless deviation from societal norms, evident in his reshaping of this classic piece of British literature, becomes a potent political statement, cementing his role as a boundary-pushing artist unafraid of challenging conventions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1984: GBH Series 

In 1984, Derek Jarman's installation at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London marked the apex of his fascination with apocalyptic themes. By revisiting and reshaping Christian notions of apocalypse, he aimed to challenge the repressive sexual climate in British culture. Jarman, known for critically engaging with contemporary threats like the AIDS epidemic, nuclear weapons, and environmental devastation, consistently viewed these issues through an apocalyptic prism. Jarman never specified what the acronym GBH stood for, however he did state that it means “whatever you want it to: grievous bodily harm, great British horror, gargantuan bloody H-bomb.”.

The GBH series comprises six monumental works. Displayed in a contemplative space within the ICA, these towering pieces, reaching almost three metres in height, featured a map of Britain painted in acrylic. Swirls of charcoal, gold, and fiery red pigment enveloped the map, creating a visually striking effect. Executed on a hand-laminated base constructed from linen layered with torn newspaper saturated in glue, the dense and undulating surface added complexity, obscuring the aerial view of Britain. The visual elements evoked imagery of smoke, flames, and burning, presenting viewers with a visceral vision of apocalypse. Circles inscribed over each map, reminiscent of wartime bombing sights, further contributed to the overall impression.

Jarman's inspiration for the series arose from his observation of Britain's shape in an atlas, noting its resemblance to an H-bomb explosion, reinforcing the apocalyptic interpretation of the artwork. By showcasing these artworks, he highlights a specific juncture in Northern Ireland and the political history of the UK, emphasizing the parallels between the political struggles of that time and the present.

[macabrecravings]

Hello!!! questions for Jeanine ❣️, 🤡, 🖌️, 🍳, 🍪 , 🧑‍🤝‍🧑, 🗺️

Thank you for the ask Fishfish <33 HEHEHE Oh boy this was really fun :')

❣️ - Jeanine's love languages are physical touch & quality time :3 She's cynical enough that words of affirmations kinda piss her off most of the time-- TwT OOH this is another thing entirely but damn, does she hate when the people affirming her are customers. She's confident enough in herself and what she does, she doesn't need some stranger saying "Aww yer so purty, you did that so well :) Good girl! " Hfjfhhfhf Obviously she'll take a compliment with a smile and a nod, but being looked down on like that gets grating

🤡 - Something dumb that she's still embarrassed about is how in the first year of working at the diner, she had a tendency to spill drinks & trays of food. It was a hard change to completely rewire her schedule like that, going from farm hours straight to working from 10PM-6AM. That's exactly when she used to sleep </3 It didn't matter too much in the long run, but she still sometimes thinks about it and cringes while she's serving customers LMFAO

🖌️ - As a kid, her mom taught her all the housewife skills she'd need to know </3 So, she's able to sew, cook & garden efficiently, but it's not what she prefers to spend her time doing. Mainly, she likes to hunt & fish. Listening to the radio is a good pastime for her, as well as doing puzzles or some kind of model making. I think she'd enjoy having a little world of her own to create :33 Mmmh also maybe I could imagine her getting into crocheting or knitting when it had its resurgence in the 70s... Thanks Choptop, you hippie-- /j

🍳 - Sufficiently! She doesn't necessarily enjoy doing it, she more so treats it like a part of life that she has to do ahsgfgfjgf. It's why she wouldn't choose to be a cook at the diner, she'd much rather prefer to serve customers or be a dishwasher than slave over the hot stove in TEXAS...

🍪 - She's... alright at baking. Doesn't like it </3 At the farm, her mama always had baked goods on the counter or in the oven but the idea of heating up her trailer is nooottt her idea of fun HSJHDH. I bet she'd burn the things too TwT

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 - No, she doesn't have any siblings. Grew up in close contact with her cousin though, and her parents always compared her to him. "Why can't you be more like him?" But in the same breath told her she needed to act more like a lady? JFHHFFHJ "I wish he was our son instead" 🤯

🗺️ - Just english </3

*OG Ask List

[kimberly40]

🧶 You probably remember these blankets which are known as Granny Square Blankets. They became very popular in the 1970’s. One of the most traditional and most recognizable forms of crochet, these squares been used to make slippers, sweaters, skirts, blankets and bags. But have you ever wondered how the ever-faithful Granny Square came about?

Information about their creation is scarce, but most sources suggest that Granny Squares were first made by the early settlers of the United States. They were known at the time as Patchwork Squares. Yarn was difficult to come by and too expensive to be wasted. It had to be used sparingly and any remnants were set aside. Mismatched scraps were worked into squares and stitched together to make blankets and rugs, similar to the origin of patchwork quilts.

It's unclear when or how the Patchwork Square became a Granny, but there was a resurgence in popularity in the 1970s. The hodgepodge of colour fit the hippie, wild child era perfectly.

For me granny squares fall into the category of old fashioned goodness. They conjure up images of mountain cabins, churned butter, and home baked bread. While I neither churn butter nor bake bread, I love the thought of them.

Granny squares are timeless. They have the ability to be old fashioned and modern all at the same time.

(Kim Wright)