#how many different guitars for one show frank?

[hooked-on-elvis]

"FOOLS RUSH IN (WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD)"

A song that grew on Elvis' liking, completely changing its rhythm before he decided to officially record it in the 70s.

Lyrics written by Johnny Mercer with music by Rube Bloom.

Elvis' version of "Fools Rush In" was first officially released on the album "Elvis Now" on February 20, 1972. Recording date: May 18, 1971. Released peak chart position: #43 Pop, #45 Country. RIAA status: Gold.

This is a 1940's popular song. It has been recorded many times over the years, including by Frank Sinatra, Julie London, Etta James, Brenda Lee, Doris Day, Dean Martin and many other singers before and after Elvis' recording in 1972, but the major hit was Rick Nelson's version, released in 1963. And here is where things get interesting.

You can listen to Nelson's recording below, which is pretty much similar to Elvis' cover on the rhythm and pace of the tune. I gotta say the echo on the voice channel in Nelson's recording doesn't please me much. It's a fair good recording, sure, but Elvis' one... it's dreamy! Like, I dare you not to fall head over feet in love with it.

According to "Elvis Presley: A Life in Music" book, by Ernst Jorgensen, Elvis was familiar to this song since the 60s, at least. And the best part is: He recorded the song back then during non-professional home recordings, on June 1966. Unfortunately the song is not fully sang but it's enough for us to see the rhythm is completely different from the official recording Presley came with in 1972. It's jazzy, soothing and peaceful, certainly inspired by one of the 40's versions of the song, such as Billy Eckstine recording released in 1947:

It was common for EP to decide recording his favorite songs, so it's great "Fools Rush In" came as a personal choice for his official recordings.

Chapter 10 - "1966: HOW GREAT THOU ART":

Singing and playing music with friends had always been a part of Elvis’s home life, but lately it had taken a new turn. Red West had bought two semiprofessional tape recorders for Elvis to use in producing demos, and Charlie Hodge had topped touring with country music veteran Jimmy Wakely and moved into Red’s Hollywood apartment to go to work for Elvis again full-time. Red was writing a lot of songs, and Charlie sometimes helped in overdubbing the demos he was putting together. They got Glen Campbell, then working as a session musician, and paid him twenty dollars to play guitar on some of the demos. Sometimes Red and Charlie would take the tape recorders over to Elvis at Rocca Place and the trio would lay down tracks, alone or with whoever else was around. Not surprisingly they turned often to their favorite gospel numbers — "Show Me Thy Ways", "He," "Hide Thou Me," "Oh, How I Love Jesus," or "I, John," another song Elvis would eventually record. Other times they simply tried anything that caught their fancy, from old standards like "Fools Rush In" and "It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie" to more contemporary material — "Blowin’ In The Wind," "What Now My Love," and "500 Miles." Often they dug into old country standards, and sometimes they even got Elvis to sing along on Red’s new tunes. In the intense yet comfortable atmosphere of collaboration with friends, Elvis had found an alternative to the endlessly tedious soundtrack recording process; at home he could work away at the music he loved, and that in its own rough way made a truer musical statement than anything he was likely to do under the employ of a Hollywood movie factory.

It's curious to me how Elvis leaned to Rick Nelson's 60s upbeat version of the same song himself sang in the 60s, instead of going with its more calm, 40s swing-era sound when he decided to turn "Fools Rush In" into an official recording of his own. In spite the fast-pace sound of the 1972 recording, Elvis carried the same passion in his voice he had on the 1966 home recording. Both versions sound like EP's pleading someone's love wholeheartedly. Probably his choice to go with the 60s version of this tune when covering it officially was a financial decision, thinking about the hit Rick Nelson's version was and also considering how the music in the 70s was no longer meant for "fools in love" confessing their deepest feelings in that fancy, elegant manner, more than it was better shouted from the top of its lungs for the whole world to hear - that's exactly how the 1972 Elvis version (inspired by the 60s version) sounds for me. Unafraid, prideful, rather than a secret spoken under one's breathes like the 40s versions sounds like (which I'm not complaining at all… it's beautiful anyway). Either a soothing ballad or a fast-pace tune, in general, "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)" is a touching, encouraging, lovely song. ♥

I personally prefer the 70s version released by Elvis, but what about you? Which "Fools Rush In" version did you like best?

[omegaremix]

Consumer Electronics / Alberich / Yellow Tears / Copley Metal @ Saint Vitus, N.Y.C.; December 7, 2015.

“Consumer Electronics will be the next act I will buy tickets for should they come to New York City” I exclaimed in September. It was checked off by Philip Best, and five weeks later there it was. Consumer Electronics declared a show in New York City. There it was. I called it. I got what I asked for, so now go get it or else.

I took the train to Woodside, then its’ “7″ subway to the “G” to Greenpoint and Manhattan Avenues, walked a few blocks to arrive at Saint Vitus which has to be the most raw, tasteful, and bad-ass venue dressed in black. As soon as I verified my ticket, I wasted no time to walk through the bar to the floor where Copley Metal, dressed very nice and neat, was performing right in front of the audience at their level.Ten minutes later Copley Metal ended to pack up to give way to Hospital Production’s Alberich, who offered us a thirty-minute slow-burn of maelstrom noise set. Alberich sat very calm and collective in much control, later on shaking a microphone for more effects and adding in voice samples. He stood up adding more force to his combat noise, shaking the microphone more vigorously before giving it lyrics when some Gaye Advert look-a-like in a leather jacket bowling-pinned her way to the front of the crowd, giving free unsolicited hugs to a select few other bystanders. Alberich shuts it off for good before getting a very respectable round of applause from the crowd.

Yellow Tears then arrived. Their set-up consisted of Korgs, Yamahas, two guitars, knobs, a toilet seat placed on a custodial bucket, and two “splash zone” banners draped from their tables. If there was a joker card thrown into the set, then they would be it. Their performance went in a different direction from what other people would assume in any given noise show. Ridiculous. No one knew who they were before this, so any expectations of seriousness and maturity flew right out the window. Yellow Tears played the audience as equal as they were playful themselves as they pulled every card from their very versatile deck.

What other act would repeatedly scream “What Is Frank?” as a still of vocalist Frank Ludovico constantly zooms in and out? Psychedelic backing films on screen that could make Tim And Eric blush and reconsider themselves, plus a film loop of Disney’s Cinderella shower scene as Ludovico literally lightly sweeps the stage and then proceeds to sit down on the makeshift toilet seat bucket, exasperating light sighs of relief while the whole audience continued their what-the-fuck moment with Yellow Tears. During their entire set, they went from many different styles of music while seeming to perform as if they were a skit comedy show in succession. At first, I thought they were playing with a random bag of tricks to the tune or game of “do you get it?”, but since the audience had been there and seen various cartoon, kid show, or skit culture references before, they did get it. And they weren’t finished: Yellow Tears’ set turned a participation act into a sales pitch. Only Ludovico has the steel to take two audience members up on stage to sell them ten-dollar coffee mugs with free cups of coffee during their set, and they fucking bought it.

Finally the moment all of us have been waiting for: Philip Best and wife Sara Ruth Best shortly took the stage to set up shop, fine-tuning everything before starting. Consumer Electronics still continues where Whitehouse left off with all the controversy, uneasy subject matter, deprivation, and grit that the former was all about, while Whitehouse became William Bennett’s Cut Hands, a tribal-electronic project of his. Whitehouse truly made me think of how they got away with everything they done, how their lyrics were pieced, how the noise not like the others came to be, and what to make of their output. Over the last few years, I was so interested in Whitehouse that I followed their respective future projects and took what they offered in terms of thoughts, commentary, or even recommendations. With the Best’s Consumer Electronics project, the philosophy still continues.

Best greeted us “cunts”, as he always does. We cheered because we know it comes from Mr. Best. Best charged his accusation finger calling for all of us to “Come Clean”. Throughout the show, he shared with us all of his raw material: cut up, photocopied, stitched, glued, and wrinkled for all of us to see. He even walked over to show us lyrics to “Elite Gymnastics”. The references: various questionable obscenity, controversy, Anne Frank’s smiling portrait, Alice Elizabeth, Baby’s Gang, present for all to witness. Best licked the pages and rub it against his crotch. Later on he threw those same pages on the floor, once knocking over a drink from the stage to the floor. He licked his fingers in such an uneasy, disgusting gesture. His fists shaking, screaming in his usual rage, sometimes inciting the crowd. With Best walking and his usual blood going, he walked back and forth to two microphone stands, trading tirades from one to another. All the while, the tall, slender, and beautiful Sarah Best did controller duties and even took to screaming for a few songs including “Murder Your Masters” and “Co-Opted By Cunts”, made with repetitive, sweeping, crunchy beats courtesy of sometimes-member Russell Haswell, who unfortunately was not part of the show’s festivities. But we were treated to “Affirmation”, “Colour Climax”, “Estuary English”, “Knives Cut”, and more from the last four Consumer Electronic’s records (2007-2015). They ended their show with the horrific and terrifyingly real “Black Cotton Wool”, a abrasive shred of bone-shivering abusive screaming and grinding noise before Best motioned to have Sarah shut it down, declaring to visit us again very soon.

Two beer cans (Pabst Blue Ribbon, the prized beer of hipsters) were thrown in their direction. A cute shaven skinhead girl was dancing happily. One heckler was screaming at the couple to “get back to work” with other pointless one-liners as well. One fan who was leaning on the speakers took a very heavy whiff of an ether his lady friend offered him and twitched uncontrollably for about five minutes. When he finally came down to Earth, he screamed at Best to “fuck me, Daddy”. Best replies: “You wish.” We all burst in laughter. During some songs, the meat of the crowd suddenly whipped itself in a frenzy. As those songs came into play, the crowd got very into it and bobbed to the pulsations of the Bests’ driven beats. One person stage-dived into the crowd while others participated into a vicious mosh on the floor. And that’s why it’s called power (violence) electronics, as times haven’t changed. The Best’s made it all happen. It was everything I expected to be and I’m very happy to have seen The Bests / Consumer Electronics in action as I wanted to.

Which now leaves me to one more act on my current bucket list which is the other half of what was Whitehouse: William Bennett’s Cut Hands. I had the chance to see him along with Pharmakon and Godflesh but passed it up, and another on very short notice this year with only a week to have a ticket but scheduling disallowed it. Just like seeing Consumer Electronics and the other noise show earlier this year in New York City, I need to see Cut Hands for an excuse to go to the city again to keep my music quotient and style points up.

[raytorosaurus]

bit of a weird ask but I saw a twitter post saying they were 'devastated' over what frank said in an interview about performing/writing in ls dunes compared to some other bands (theyre assuming that the 'other bands' means mcr because they cant think of the 20+ other bands that hes been in) and after reading it a second time it doesn't even seem that negative?? it just talks about different processes and his excitement for dunes, but I still feel down anyway now because of that reaction, and it really makes me doubt that part of the fandom's faith in the band and its members im kinda close to quitting the fandom because of this and idk how the tumblr/twitter gang here survives it y'all are troopers, im unsure how to avoid that kind of doomposting

sorry i totally forgot to answer this the other day, i hope you see this!

but yeah, i see the same thing and it is. pretty irritating haha. it speaks to the unrealistic traits and behaviours fandom has applied to these ppl over the years/decades - which are harmless enough on the surface, but left unchecked you end up with doomposting or disproportionate levels of discourse when one of them doesn't behave the way their textpostified personalities would have you believe hahaha. if frank isn't anything but reverential towards mcr then he must hate it. if gerard puts time and work into his artistic and career pursuits that aren't related to mcr he must be giving up on the band like he supposedly did in 2012. if ray, who hasn't done a single interview since 2016, isn't on stage showing frank public affection or admiring him on twitter, he must be bossy and arrogantly taking all the glory for mcr's guitar parts and musicality. if mikey does anything it's gotta have something to do with gerard or mcr because obvs he doesn't exist outside the band etc etc. again none of these things are like. problematic or bad**, just kind of. annoying to engage with as an adult in the space i go to enjoy myself hahaha.

but this specific discussion abt frank implicitly dissing mcr also cropped up after that podcast frank did with travis, where he discussed writing music with ls dunes vs every other band/project he's been involved in. which, let's remember, is a fucking lot. how many albums has frank made or been part of? too many to easily count. only about four or five of those were with my chemical romance. ls dunes is only set apart from the rest because they're currently active after mcr's huge reunion, and they're a supergroup so they're getting a lot of press attention. people have never batted an eye in the past when frank has discussed how great it is to be working with this or that musician on this or that album - it's just the timing of ls dunes and our own high hopes for new mcr music that make people take this one in particular so personally.

on top of that... we've always known mcr has a fraught and stressful writing process??? that is like. a major part of the lore? we're all compelled by the insane amount of unlikely success mcr achieved in their careers, and by the fact that they were always controversial. we reblog quotes about gerard saying mcr's purpose was always to be against something, to undermine expectations, to infiltrate, contaminate etc. i thought this was something we were all drawn to about mcr? so i'll never understand the shock and disappointment when frank makes the simple statement that writing with ls dunes is easier, less stressful, and more lighthearted than writing with mcr. like...duh it is? mcr have always been open about how much they put into writing albums - and also about how they're proud of what they created, and that they consider each other cherished family.

the most annoying part for me is when people take quotes about frank working with travis and twist them into some kind of dig at/criticism of ray. i can only assume these people aren't used to working with others in a creative capacity, especially long term, because i just totally can't understand where it comes from lol. as someone who's read/watched every guitar-related mcr interview i've ever been able to get my hands on: ray and frank have literally never been anything other than fully complimentary of, respectful to, and affectionate with one another. ray was far from the first guitarist frank ever worked with and leagues from the only one. also, creative partnerships are extremely complex and every one is completely unique, with it's own strengths and difficulties. if ray and frank didn't love playing with each other they wouldn't have done it for years and years. that doesn't mean frank can't vocally love playing with other guitarists??? these things are not contradictory and appreciating aspects of one creative partnership is not equivalent to bad-mouthing a different one? like that is just not how it works skdkdjd

anyway i think a lot of it comes down to the fact that, for us, we see these people as parts of my chemical romance. naturally, because that's the reason we know they exist! but all of these people live rich and full and complex lives like any other person. the only parts of those lives that we generally see much of are the my chemical romance parts. we look for mcr in everything they say, which is understandable but unrealistic. all we need to do it keep that in mind imo

**(tho ppl's tendency to pit ray and frank against each other for some reason, which used to be a way common but is unfortunately a sentiment i'm starting to see crop up again in some places, definitely can get. suspicious and uncomfortable. especially considering that frank is the fan favourite so these pointless comparisons tend to err in his favour, and in either direction they tend to be very shallow and uninformed anyway. but that's a separate conversation)

wow i literally did not intend to turn this into a giant essay im so sorry. kudos if you made it this far lol. and i feel you anon, it's discouraging and puts a bad taste in my mouth when i come to this fandom for fun and fulfillment. i wish i had better advice because im feeling a little similar but just try to remind yourself that other people's opinions are just that. i find it helps if you can curate your own dash/feed or make friends in more discussion-friendly spaces like dms or gcs or discord servers. or even a priv twitter account with a few like-minded mutuals where you can vent ur shared frustrations over things without making it a whole big deal HAHAHA. the less time you spend scrolling thru ppl's public posts and the more time you spend diving into interviews, podcasts, videos, the web archive etc to detach yourself a little from group fandom-think the better you'll probably feel about mcr tbh! also long as you have friends or close mutuals that's all that matters imo <3

[thesinglesjukebox]

LENIN - "INTIRAYMI"

Next, from Jessica, a Peruvian house banger with layers...

[7.46]

Jessica Doyle: Don't worry about the backstory yet, there's no rush. Let's start by enjoying a party jam whose ambition shows in its structure: in an era of two-minute songs and dance tracks with no actual rhythm, "Intiraymi" has not only the required bouncy chorus that ends with "ĄEs un carnaval!" but a distinct repeated pre-chorus and a distinct bridge during which to gear up for the final dance. Also, let's face it, this is the best use of strings in a K-pop or K-pop-adjacent song since the legendary "The Ghost of Wind." Even the song's more subtle touches -- that Lenin ends the initial rounds of the chorus on a lower note, so it has more impact when he doubles himself going higher at the end -- work in its favor. Okay, now we can throw in the backstory: Lenin Tamayo Pinares is the son of an Andean folksinger and native speaker of Quecha, and not only a self-produced musician but one committed to using contemporary Andean music as an agent of collective empowerment for indigenous minorities (and hopefully getting an undergraduate thesis done on the topic while he's at it). Fun is fun, and "Intiraymi" is well-crafted, contagious fun no matter how little time you want to invest in it, but you do need a little bit of context to understand why I want this man to realize all of his ambitions and then some. [9]

Nortey Dowuona: "This is not only a positive message," he said of his music. "It's a battle." [10]

Taylor Alatorre: If I were to listen to this without looking any further into Quechua culture, I'd have to guess that the Intiraymi is basically akin to a Copa América celebration. Lenin shows more interest here in creating sounds with cross-border appeal than in putting centuries of suppressed history on display, as is fully his right. Those violin breaks act as tethers to a living past rather than dusted-off artifacts of an ancient one, more evocative of extended family gatherings than Inca and Chanka glories. The sense of forced fun is never entirely absent, but that's something it has in common with family gatherings as well. [6]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Intiraymi is a (Southern Hemisphere) Winter Solstice festival, so it feels appropriate to review "Intiraymi" as I experience the Northern Hemisphere equivalent. This is a banger for the shortest day of the year, a concentrated, poised delivery of hooks that eventually folds into a giddy, delirious fit of ecstasy. [8]

Ian Mathers: Of course, there are only so many combinations of different letters out there; when different languages share the same character sets, you're going to get some weird and/or funny overlaps. Which explains why someone going by Lenin is singing the praises of an Incan festival for the sun god. He's got an interesting background, but I don't have the context to know how significant the subject matter here is. But that's all kind of just background; I don't even need the subtitles to tell that the chorus is celebrating some sort of carnival, and infectiously so. [7]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: An ebullient little house-pop charmer. It's a bit too cheery for my tastes, but those strings are something to celebrate. [5]

Brad Shoup: LENIN's very unsweaty take on K-pop is the draw for sure, but dig that chorus: it sounds like Suede. [7]

Michelle Myers: When you're a K-Pop fan, everything starts to sound like idol music. Tate McRae? She's K-Pop. Ed Sheeran? Totally K-Pop. Nu Metal? That's just Ateez with guitars. But Lenin Tamayo is different. He's purposefully trying to make music that sounds like the Peruvian equivalent of an early 2010s Kenzie banger. [8]

Frank Kogan: This is excitement from the start, the danceable violin riff and the floor beats coming in, a melody with punch and lilt, and on from there: fiddle breaks, sensitive idol star interludes, absolutely sing-a-long-able chorus. His voice is as small as Hilary Duff's, and the wails are more gestured at than actually wailing; so he's getting by on brains more than vocal cords. That's not bad at all, if the arrangements and songwriting get the music to go where he wants it, which they emphatically do here. [7]

Kayla Beardslee: It's so hard to go wrong with a rousing piano-house banger, and this one certainly doesn't! [7]

Aaron Bergstrom: The Inca had a pretty advanced understanding of astronomy. Based on the ruins they left behind, we know they could calculate the solstices with an impressive level of precision. They knew they lived in a clockwork universe, that the days would get shorter until a calculable date, after which they would start to get longer again. And yet, despite this scientific certainty, they still devoutly observed the Inti Raymi, a nine-day festival around the winter solstice dedicated to worshipping the sun god Inti. It's possible there were a few people in those crowds who gave themselves over fully to the supernatural, who worried that they days would keep getting shorter forever unless they properly demonstrated their devotion, but I think most people knew that the sun would return no matter what. That didn't make the Inti Raymi any less important to them. The return of the sun demands celebration, regardless of how your personal cosmology explains it. Anyway, I've been playing this song a lot lately. Today is the shortest day of the year. Tomorrow will be five seconds longer. I'm not saying I caused that, but I'm also not going to stop playing the song. Praise Inti. [9]

Will Adams: How refreshing for a cry of "es un carnaval!" to actually sound like it. How crucial it is for dance-pop bangers to be a little cheesy. [7]

Katherine St Asaph: Power in cheese. [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

"Bill & Ted Face the Music" was one of my favorite movies that I saw during lockdown. I saw many better films too, but there was something about the eternal optimism and good nature of William S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves) that made them feel like the kind of heroes we needed during a pandemic, one of the weirdest and most uncertain situations many of us have ever experienced.

Stuck at home for far longer than natural, it was comforting to hang out with old screen pals in lieu of our real-life friends. This may be why the era of COVID-19 also saw the unlikely phenomenon of people binge-watching old episodes of "Columbo." Perhaps there isn't too much difference between Bill and Ted and Peter Falk's shambling detective. The movies and the show are set in sunny California; the stakes are low; and the protagonists are unassuming, friendly, and most importantly of all, kind. 

Aside from the cozy factor, the third installment of the "Bill & Ted" franchise also came as a surprise because it wasn't sh**e. Released almost 30 years after "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey," it was remarkably consistent in tone and spirit to the original movies, obviously a labor of love for everyone involved. Unlike the embarrassing spectacle of watching Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in their mid-50s reprising their roles as Lloyd and Harry in "Dumb and Dumber To," Winter and Reeves slipped back into their old characters with ease, making it seem totally believable that these were the same dudes who once rocked out in their garage as Wyld Stallyns and dreamed of jamming with Eddie Van Halen. If only they could have persuaded the legendary guitar hero to appear in the movie...

EDDIE VAN HALEN'S INFLUENCE ON BILL & TED

A few years before everyone was rocking out to "Bohemian Rhapsody" in their cars and shouting things like "Schwing!" and "Party on!" you had the air guitar from "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." Unlike the ironic knowingness of "Wayne's World," there was an innocent exuberance to the gesture, which Bill and Ted used as an expression of happiness, agreement, or triumph.

While Bill and Ted may have been the ones who helped spread the air guitar into popular culture beyond rock music, they were by no means the inventors. The history of the air guitar can be traced as far back as the 1860s when pretending to play an invisible instrument was regarded as a sign of mental illness, while Joe Cocker miming the opening notes of a tune onstage at Woodstock in 1969 is regarded as the "formative moment" of the gesture.

Skip forward another 20 years and the boys' use of the air guitar is clearly inspired by their taste in music. As Southern Californian lads growing up in the '80s, we're talking AC/DC, ZZ Top, Kiss, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Frank Zappa, and, of course, Van Halen. Alex Winter explained (via Rolling Stone):

"The image that Eddie had runs through all of our movies. Bill and Ted are supposed to be into hard rock. But were these sunny, optimistic California guys. And that's really embodied by Eddie Van Halen. We talk about Iron Maiden a lot, but I think we would have come up listening to Van Halen and the positivity that was infused in the music. [...] ​​And I always thought of Eddie's incredible physicality with the air guitar stuff, and just the way these guys would have seen him and how that would have impacted them."

EDDIE VAN HALEN WAS APPROACHED FOR ALL THREE BILL & TED MOVIES

It's always a thing of pure joy watching a musician with absolute mastery of their instrument, both fully in command while also completely surrendering themselves to it. If you watch a video of Eddie Van Halen performing his epic solo of "Eruption," you'll see the motion that Bill and Ted mimic so often in the movies: Yanking the fret skywards, fingers flying along the fret as if wrangling a powerful beast, perhaps a Wyld Stallyn. Yet for all his virtuosity, Eddie Van Halen was a modest, laidback character in contrast to David Lee Roth, the extroverted, pouting, poodle-permed frontman of the band.

Van Halen was so important to the vibe of the "Bill & Ted" trilogy that attempts were made to cast him in all three films, most notably as Rufus, the duo's time-traveling guide. Unfortunately, the sleeper hit original didn't have the budget for a rock star of Van Halen's status at the time. Alex Winter remembered (via Rolling Stone):

"We tried to get Van Halen into each one of the movies. [Laughs]. We asked him, but he said no. A very 'Spinal Tap' moment. [Laughs]. He was a famously private person and he wasn't, you know, the front man. He was extremely charismatic and he was always very genteel, but he always turned us down."

After Van Halen's death in 2020, screenwriter Ed Solomon revealed that the guitarist had once again been approached to play a part in "Bill & Ted Face the Music," but his representatives turned them down without revealing why. Solomon surmised that Van Halen's battle with throat cancer may have been the reason. It is sad that Bill and Ted never got to play alongside their hero; but with Van Halen's influence on the three movies, they still pay a fitting tribute to the legend.

[mikeywayarchive]

Mikey Way interview with Tina Whelski for The Aquarian | Dec 29th 2010

Full interview under the cut

When your gut says destroy the album you just finished and start over, you should listen. That’s what My Chemical Romance decided on Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Reprise), the band’s fourth studio album and follow up to 2006’s critically acclaimed Black Parade.

After a grueling two-year Black Parade tour, My Chemical Romance realized that what they really missed was color. So in the 11th hour frontman Gerard Way, his brother, bassist Mikey Way, and guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro scrapped the album they mixed with producer Brendan O’Brien and ran with their instincts. They weren’t going to be the My Chemical Romance they had been. They would be the My Chemical Romance they had become. The band rejoined Black Parade producer Rob Cavallo and weeks later turned out an album they could stand by.

My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way explains how the band’s hunch paid off.

What’s the biggest difference between My Chemical Romance on Black Parade and the band on Danger Days?

I think we’re the most fearless that we’ve ever been. I also think it’s the album that’s most true to us. On previous albums we only showed maybe one or two sides of the band. I mean each album is dramatically different, but I think we looked a specific way and people had an idea what we sounded like. I think now more than ever we’re like a completely new My Chemical Romance and it’s kind of a My Chemical Romance that’s been there all along. We really feel super liberated and it feels like nothing’s holding us back.

The band changed course while recording Danger Days. When did you realize that you were creating something different than planned? 

When we got off the road for Black Parade we were all very tired and there were many successes and whatnot, but there were also things that we didn’t like about how it went. And there were things that we wanted to change. So we set up all these parameters for ourselves. When we went in to write the record we were like, “It’s going to be raw, stripped down, no costumes, no concept. Just a rock ‘n’ roll album. We’re going to do it real quick. Bam bam bam.” The result at the end wasn’t something we were ultimately happy with. It just sounded like something was missing. It was literally ready to go. We’d done photo shoots and we were scheduling shows and radio stations were going to start playing songs. Then at the 11th hour we all came to the mutual decision that something didn’t feel right. And we pulled the plug on it.

That’s a real leap of faith when everything’s stacked up.

Yeah, it’s like we learned more than ever on this album to go with our guts. If you’re feeling something then it’s probably true. We’ve kept that mantra through the whole process so we’re really very aware about how we’re all feeling about things. Going with our gut has become a very important thing.

Gerard has called this album “A big pop art project.” With characters like Dr. Death Defying and the post-apocalyptic world you paint, everything seems to live together, but you don’t consider this a concept album. Can you talk about what you imagined? 

Yeah, it’s kind of exactly that. It’s a giant pop art project. To call it just an album is, I think, selling it short. There are so many different aspects and layers to it. We really wanted to use art as a weapon and use pop music as a weapon. We wanted to express ourselves in a way we’ve never expressed ourselves before and dispel anybody’s preconceived notions of what a My Chemical Romance song could be. It’s not just guitar, drums, bass and vocals. There’s so much more to it than that. We wanted to really make songs that we’ve always dreamed of making. It’s kind of like we got ownership of the band back. We released the Black Parade and any kind of misunderstanding or negativity that came out of it I think has been rectified with this album.

It was fun to see Grant Morrison play the villain in the “Na Na Na” and “Sing” videos. 

It was so cool to finally get to work with him. He’s one of our best friends and we’ve been itching to do something together. When we were coming up with things for the album we were like, “He’s the ultimate villain.” I mean he’s such a sweetheart, but if you look at him, he’s just got this amazing look about him, like he can be the ultimate Bond villain. He’s got so many different sides to him. He’s just a big teddy bear at heart but his visage is very intense.

He’s an amazing writer. What’s your favorite comic?

Oh, what’s your favorite?

I like We3 and Arkham Asylum, but I definitely want to read more.

Arkham Asylum would go down as one of my favorites. I love all his work he’s done recently with Batman. I love the All-Star Superman run he did. The Justice League run was one of the best superhero comics I’ve ever read. The Invisibles. The Doom Patrol run he did in the ‘90s. Everything he’s touched is just so fantastic. He changed comic books in the same way the Beatles changed music.

Is there a song on the record that’s more special to you?

Yeah, I think our mutual favorite in the band is the “Kids from Yesterday.” To me the song is like a time machine. You listen to it and it makes us all think about growing up and it makes you think about being a kid. And then it makes you think about being a teenager. And it makes you think about where you are now and where you’re going. It’s kind of like the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. That’s the kind of journey I go on when I listen to that song. It’s just a very somber, introspective song and just one of the most powerful choruses I’ve heard in a rock song. Another favorite of mine is “S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W.”

That’s really different for you guys.

Yeah, it shows a dramatically different side to us. You know we all have such varied musical tastes and that’s one of them. We love that type of thing. And to finally be able to put something like that on one of our albums is a huge victory.

What song will be the most fun to play live?

Wow, let’s see. We just did a tour in Europe where we got to play about four [new] songs. We were alternating which four. They were all pretty amazing. “Planetary (Go!)” has taken on a crazy new life live. It got an immediate reaction from the crowd. They reacted to “Planetary” almost like they would have reacted to “I’m Not Okay.” It was this immediate explosion from the crowd. It looked like an avalanche of bodies. They were pogoing in unison. By the middle of the song they knew the words. It was just something else.

“Sing” is also a very special song. It’s a sentiment we’ve always wanted to say, you know, to be the best you that you can possibly be on any given day. And just try to make a positive difference in your own world or in the world outside you. There’s just magic to it. And the song itself is so emotional and moving and how it was written was real special. How it grew day by day, just layer by layer. Everyone would add his own touch to it. It’s one of the songs I’m most proud of on the album.

My Chemical Romance performs at the 101.9 RXP Yule Rock in New York on Dec. 3. Learn more at mychemicalromance.com.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Mk.gee Live Show Review: 10/3, Vic Theatre, Chicago

Photo by Will Shaw

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Two Star & The Dream Police (R&R), the debut studio album from L.A.-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Mk.gee, feels like an album of endless possibilities. Its palette--effected guitars, metallic drum machines, rubbery synths--creates a wholly abstract sound, but one with enough up-front elements to wake you from the dream. The first time I listened to it, I was reminded of albums like Frank Ocean's Blonde and Bon Iver's 22, A Million, because they all share not an aesthetic (though individual moments are similar) but a penchant for world-building, the type with the potential to grow beyond the album's initial release.

Indeed, live, the world of Two Star & The Dream Police expands exponentially. Last Thursday, Mk.gee played the Vic Theatre in Chicago, performing the entirety of the album, but in a different order just as cohesive as that of the record itself. He entered on stage obscured, the light show not yet kicking in. Mk.gee is Michael Gordon, but he's the type of artist who could ostensibly operate in anonymity without it being annoying, toeing the line between the mysterious and the uncanny. As such, it felt appropriate that the crowd screamed not at the sight of the artist, but the opening disintegrating haze of "Dream police". If you were going in cold, you might hear his strong vocals delivering yearning lines like, "I'll bleed tonight / She lit the world on fire / The dream police is alive," atop stadium-sized heartland rock replete with chintzy synths, and think the song was once part of the soundtrack to an 80s road-trip movie. Such is the magic of Mk.gee and his ability to tap into the blurry years gone by.

Then, he broke character, screaming, "CHICAGO!!!" The same way the sound of a piano or saxophone on Two Star & The Dream Police can ground you, Mk.gee reminded the crowd that he was Michael Gordon. It bears saying that throughout the show, both the impressionism and rawness expanded. Like Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs, Gordon knows the power of a well-timed vocal whoop when playing a nostalgic-sounding song, like "How many miles". The light show often moved in sync with the music, giving noodling songs like "Breakthespell" a tactility it lacks on the studio version, making you aware of how the band pulled back parts piece by piece. Really, the lights often clued you in to the tone Mk.gee was going for. On "Little Bit More", a song that somehow combines a sea shanty sway with a guitar funk bounce, the lights looked like the extension of the table hosting all of Zack Sekoff's sample pads and sequencers, as if to suggest that the sounds you were hearing were conducted in a lab for maximum induction of awe. Truly, every time Sekoff triggered the occasional blast of distortion, the high teenagers behind me screamed, "What the fuck?!?" as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. For the record, I was screaming it in my head.

As much as Mk.gee is occasionally flashy (the prickly, disjointed guitar solo on "Candy" comes to mind), their live show had me thinking that never has a band (Gordon, Sekoff, guitarist Andrew Aged) done so much work to create a vibe. In the hands of lesser musicians, the sheer number of samples and effects would come off as braggadocious maximalism. During Mk.gee's show, on the other hand, nothing included was superfluous. The hissing drums, riffs, and vocals--themselves an instrument--on "You got it" combined for the most satisfying Hornsby-indebted slow jam since "Beth/Rest". The strobe-lit industrial drums and auto-tuned vocals added a tongue-in-cheek temper to "New Low", a song that chides artists who try too hard to be someone else. Even the fact that Mk.gee played "DNM" a whopping five (!) times total, three during the main set, and two during the encore, seemed to serve to emphasize that you, too, probably had it on repeat the first time you heard it. Each time the band began it anew, Gordon looked over his shoulder and screamed, "ZACK!", an instruction to Sekoff to begin its swollen drum introduction; the audience sang along, "Never want to talk about it, how come? / Never want to talk about it, with no one?" louder with every instance.

It seems almost unfair to say that Mk.gee's show at the Vic was the best I've seen all year, and if I had to rank it, I might consider it the show of the decade so far. At the risk of sounding like an insufferable hippie, the show was an experience, one that constantly defies easy categorization and your expectations. When the band closed with an absolutely cheap-sounding instrumental cover of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" that also seemed to adopt the melody of Andrea Bocelli's, "Con te partirò", I laughed, but I also realized that the heel turn was more emblematic of Mk.gee than any of the Dream Police songs. He's always got one foot planted in the past, but he's always one step ahead.

[makkinmusic]

An Analysis of Blonde by Frank Ocean

*The iconic album cover

Frank Ocean, known for his musical versatility and the depth of his lyrics, released one of the most listened to albums, Blonde, in 2016. This nearly 10 year old album that focuses on themes of love, self-discovery, identity, and heartbreak. Frank Ocean creatively experiments with soul, pop, indie rock, and R&B music. In the songs, you would find that the instrumentals in this album seem very minimal and sound very atmospheric, different from typical song structures due to the incorporation of layering vocals, new and unfamiliar beats, and a lot of ambient sounds. As said by Ryan Dobal, “Its spareness suggests a person in a small apartment with only a keyboard and a guitar and thoughts for company.” Frank Ocean: Blonde / Endless Album Review | Pitchfork. Just because of the minimalist music does not mean the lyrics are minimal, in a complete opposite manner, each song is soulful and every lyric is written with an intent, where Frank shares aspects of his own life. The meaningful lyrics and the softness of Frank’s voice add to the depth and vulnerability of the album. In many cases, people see this album as a sad album and something to cry to, which it is, but if you look (listen) closely, you can tell each song on this album tells a story. Frank sings about feelings of loneliness and allows people who are struggling with feelings seen, to connect with him, as said by Bailey Shehan in Review: Frank Ocean's 'Blonde'

Blonde has no skips, each song special in its own way. However, I’ll be covering my analysis on my top five songs of the album, which I feel reflect the main themes that Frank Ocean is trying to portray throughout the album.

The opener of the album is a slow, ambient track, with Frank’s voice pitched up at first and then throughout the song switches over to his original voice. Nike is written almost as a critique of consumer culture, the first lyrics starting off with “These bitches want Nikes,” implying poeples’ obsession with materialistic values and material items. This song essentially is written as a metaphor for people’s need for a superficial symbol for status. This song deals with Frank's struggles with conformity to shallow pleasures in life and his search for authenticity.

The second track, Ivy, has a hint of nostalgia due to the soft strumming and riff of a guitar, contrasting with the lyrics and depth of the lyrics. This song is a reflection of a past relationship that did not end up working out. The lyrics are tender and bittersweet due to Frank expressing his regret for letting the relationship fall apart. His lyrics “We’ll never be those kids again,” reflect his feelings of innocence and memories during the relationship that have been lost or have a negative connotation now. At times Frank’s voice becomes scratchy and distorted/loud and sometimes it becomes soft, which emphasizes his feelings of guilt and regret and his feelings of anger toward the relationship. 

Pink+White has a lush and an “earthy” background, making the song sound like being at peace. The song’s themes revolve around acceptance of the nature of life with the lyrics “That’s the way everyday goes, every time we’ve no control,” shows Frank’s acceptance of the unpredictability of life. Frank reflects on how memories help shape our future and present and how the passage of time is inevitable and we all will eventually pass through innocence to maturity and the importance of accepting both milestones of our lives. 

Solo deals with the feelings of loneliness and the different aspects of being alone. One form of loneliness is talked about being single and the isolation one might feel when in this point of life. However, on the opposite end, the lyrics hint at the bliss of self-reflection and patience, “It’s hell on Earth and the city’s on fire, inhale, inhale, that’s heaven.”

Siegfried is one of the most introspective tracks on this album. This song deals with concepts of existential questions and the struggle with identity in Frank’s point of view. It’s clear that in this song faith, identity, and the fear of being like everyone else come into play. “I’d rather live outside,” shows Frank’s wanting to reject social norms and expectations.

Usually, I would have something to critique about an album, but I’d say this album was genuinely one of the most calming, refreshing, and inspirational albums that I have heard in a long time. Frank Ocean’s musical versatility had me stunned from the moment I heard this album for the first time. It has lessons that can be used by everyone and almost feels like a safe space whenever I listen to it. I believe that through this album, Frank was also able to give acceptance to the inconsistencies of life because that’s what makes it so beautiful. I look forward to Frank’s future (hopefully) musical endeavors. Take a listen and let me know what you think!

****LISTEN TO THE FULL BLONDE ALBUM*****

[inner--islands]

Interview with Inner Travels (July 2016)

1. What are some recent inspirations?

Singing bowls! Just starting to record with them. Watched a special on Mickey Hart recently, then I bought “Spirit Into Sound.” Also, in heavy rotation: Laraaji, Iasos, Frank Perry, Karma Moffett, Craig Kupka, Lino Capra Vaccina, Deuter, Pulse Emitter, SunPath, Hiroshi Yoshimura. Many, many others. And it’s summer, so the changes in nature around me. The green-ness.

2. What is your relationship with live performance? Do you play Inner Travels shows?

No shows yet. I’m open to the possibility, but you know, I’ve never actually performed live. Well, once, for my music theory class in college. Think there were maybe 30 to 40 people in the class. I played Yamaha DD-6 drum pads through a guitar amp, with a friend who played bass, guitar and sang. There was a saxophonist. We didn’t practice or jam before the performance. I remember being so nervous, then proud of myself when it was over. Don’t think the rest of the class liked it, though.

3. Do you have to be in a certain mindset to record Inner Travels music?

I explore sounds or musical ideas, see where that takes me. I’ll record something I like, build off of it from there until it sounds complete. Frequently, explorations yield unfinished results, but that’s fine because whenever I’m playing, I’m learning. Also, it’s therapeutic for me to play. Meditative.

4. Do you see your work as part of a certain tradition or community?

It’s my take on the New Age tapes and LPs from the 1970s and 80s. Some of the keyboards and synthesizers I use date back to that era. Others just sound like they do. Always believed in the DIY spirit. To me, making music at home seems freer. I also try to pursue a much older tradition – music as a healing force.

5. What guided the transition from Riotmeadows to Inner Travels?

A desire to create a more peaceful, healing music. Riotmeadows was a mad-scientist project. Although I used nearly every idea I ever wanted to use – making sample-based music on a computer, exploring lo-fi textures, smashing genres together – I grew out of the script I had created for the project. My desire increased to make electronic music much more simply, organically. In this world, I want to leave a much more positive type of music that helps people. That’s the focus of Inner Travels, and it remains so today.

6. How do you see the trajectory of Inner Travels, from “First Light” up until now?

Everything from “First Light” to “Phases of a Forest Moon” is one era. The equipment used to make that music was primitive, as far as synthesizers go, but I wanted to prove that intent far outweighs the limits of the equipment. To me, they don’t sound like they were made with Casios and Yamaha Portasounds – they were. And everything from “Bakasyiong” to “Clear Seeing” feels like a longer journey with smaller, more sophisticated equipment. Albums feel less like collages now. Songs are getting longer. Trances getting deeper.

7. What is your relationship with the phrase “New Age?” I see a lot of folks gravitate towards different aspects of that phrase. I’m wondering how you see it.

My relationship with the phrase seems to only now be expanding from where it began – with the music. I’ve always been very, very into music. Growing up in the 80s, most people I knew, most music reviews I read, used the phrase “New Age” negatively. To describe something as being strange or cheesy. So, naturally, that was how I would have described the first New Age album I listened to back then, if anyone would have asked. When I got older, I listened to New Age music after experiences with other musical styles, so I understood it better. New Age music wants you to feel good. Music is such a powerful force, but never had I felt something this positive in it before. Plus it embraces the electronic sounds that I’ve always loved. The experiments.

8. Your music seems very driven by image and landscape. Are there any special places that you would want to record new music in?

Thanks! For me, the music creates the imagery and landscapes. This summer, I want to record music outside. I need to make more field recordings, though, so that’s at the top of my list. It’s really wonderful to just sit in a park, the woods, by a lake or a river and just listen to the world going on around you in your headphones. One problem around here now is traffic noise. I live in a very gorgeous area, but it’s hard to capture the songs of the birds when cars and trucks interrupt them every minute. So now, I’m looking for more secluded nature spots. Anyway, back to recording music, the ultimate for me would be to record music inside of a cave. Or a cathedral.

9. Why do you make space for music in your life?

It’s my passion. Oh, there was a time when I packed away all my instruments and cut back my trips to the music stores because I foolishly thought I could forget it all. But a life without that stuff is just not for me.

10. Words of wisdom you like to recall in times of need?

The universe provides.

Inner Travels is the work of Steve Targo, based in Pell Lake, Wisconsin. In May he released Clear Seeing, his first album with Inner Islands.

[leftyandthegoons]

A One-Handed Musician Was Born!

From the time I was born, I was different.

First of all, there were congenital birth defects, some visible, some not. The most noticeable was the limb difference of my right arm and hand. At the time of my birth, my right arm was much shorter than the left, and my hand had not fully developed. My arm was bent at the elbow and what would have been my wrist was bent so that my partially formed hand touched my tiny bicep. When I was 3, I had surgery to straighten my arm and wrist. My only movement to this day comes from bending my elbow - my wrist is fixed.

Secondly, there was the fact that I was interested in a variety of activities dominated by boys at a time when "girls didn't do that". What type of activities?

For this answer and more, I suggest that you visit www.justridin.com

I loved music from the time I was a little girl. It was all around me throughout my youth. My parents listened to Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and so many more from that time period. My sister listened to a variety of genres which included rock, soul, blues and contemporary. As a result of her diverse interests, I heard everything from Elvis Presley to Neil Diamond.

Being exposed to such a variety had an amazing impact on me. I loved to dance and sing (in private at that time 😊) from a very young age and once I saw the picture of Jimmy Page on the back of my sister's Led Zeppelin I album, I knew that someday, I would play guitar.

In elementary school, I played recorder and hated it. I hated the sound and the basic tunes which we were being taught. "Mary Had A Little Lamb" just didn't do it for me.

I used to look in my music book to see what the future held - what would we learn next. It didn't take long for me to realize that more complex songs would require the use of two hands. Since I only had one, I figured that this would be my way out of recorder class.

The word "can't" never existed in my vocabulary however I couldn't see a way that I would be able to continue playing the recorder once we got to the more advanced tunes.

When I shared this with my teacher, he explained that it was very important for me to continue and that I would play the xylophone. At the time, I don't think that I appreciated this as much as I do when I reflect on those years.

Recorder class allowed me to continue learning how to read and eventually write music, a completely different language. I came to enjoy making music with others and eventually taught myself how to play tunes which I had heard on the radio or television.

An example of this was when I played my first piece of music which I had learned only by listening to it - the theme from the television show "All In The Family". I was so excited at this accomplishment!!

When I was a teenager, my parents got me my first guitar. I was going to be the next Jimmy Page! But how would I play it? How would I learn?

I would rush home from school, get my "Mel Bay" chord book, grab my guitar from its case, sit cross-legged on the floor and teach myself chords.

I strummed with my right hand which was very painful but I persevered. I don't recall which hurt more - my right hand from strumming or the fingers of my left hand from pressing the strings.

Eventually, the pain in my right hand became too much and since the word "can't" did not exist, I knew that I needed some type of device which would allow me to play pain free.

Stay tuned for more!

Lefty

Celebrating my first birthday! Note my right arm

Me at one with my right arm a few years before surgery to straighten

Doing my best Jimmy Page as a teenager

At 3 years of age after surgery to straighten my right arm

[smileygirl95]

My Musical Theme

For this assignment, the theme I chose for my six-song playlist is about traveling away from home. Some of the songs which I will be describing give me the feeling of booking a flight or just getting in my car and driving away. Some of these songs even specifically name different cities here in the United States.  

( Theme From New York, New York (2008 Remastered) - YouTube ) 

1. "New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra, belongs to the category of Jazz. New York City “Big Apple” as it is nicknamed, is really the big city of dreams and one that, “never sleeps.” Sinatra describes leaving where he is from and wanting to be a part of something different, such as a different city. The song ties very well with wanting to travel away from your own small town. You can hear the contrasts between the instruments and their loud dynamic.  

( Elvis Presley, The Jordanaires - Viva Las Vegas (Official Audio) - YouTube ) 

2. “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley is in the genre of Classic Rock n Roll. The song is a good example of dissonance because you can hear multiple instruments playing in the background clashing with each other, which seems hectic. Elvis describes how there is so much to do in Las Vegas, that being 24 hours in the town is not enough time and it is “turnin’ day into nighttime, turnin’ night into daytime”. 

( Rascal Flatts - Life Is a Highway (From "Cars"/Official Video) - YouTube ) 

3. “Like Is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts is a mix of Rock and Country music. This song is incredibly fun and makes me want to get in my car and just drive anywhere. The song describes life being a highway and it that the writer wants to “ride it all night long.” The song's tempo is fast, the guitar and drums play at a fast upbeat speed.  

( Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (Official Music Video) 

 4. “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman which is Folk, talks about leaving her town behind along with all her worries. She asks if the person has a “fast car” because she wants a “ticket” to anywhere. Many people have that feeling of wanting to go somewhere, no matter where, just as long as they can get away from their own troubles. You can really feel that emotion when you listen to this song.  

( The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin' - YouTube)  

5. “California Dreamin” by the group The Mamas & The Papas falls in the categories of Sunshine Pop/Folk Rock. "I’d be safe and warm if I was in LA,” is the artists longing for a warm California summer which is a difference from their own town which they describe has brown leaves, grey skies, and winter days. The song’s melody is played in the key, C sharp minor which shows its tonal center. 

( Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (VIDEO) - YouTube ) 

6. “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson, is in the genre of Pop. Clarkson describes “breaking away” from their home and taking a risk by going somewhere else. Even though they will be moving on they will not forget the ones they love or the place that they came from. “Breakaway” is an example of consonance. The song beautifully brings the genres of Pop and some Rock together, the way the music flows nicely with the singer's voice. The song is very pleasing to listen to, you can really feel the emotion in her voice and the words she is saying.  

[ohhfrecklefreckle]

Frank Iero guesting at Thursday’s Signals v2 29.12.20

[mxbitters]

this is one of my favorite photos to exist.  that’s a musician i think is fucking sick but specifically doing one of the most musicianey and relatable things ever.  this has me reminiscing about art schoool freshman year of high school lugging a guitar a backpack and who knows what else daily.  that case looks almost exactly like the case i have for a piece of recording equipment i don’t even know how to use.  this man is my height doing a thing i do in like 200 different bands at any given time, looks like me but simultaneously the most intimidating looking musician at any given local show that you always make sure you’re not in the way of when they’re setting up or getting their gear off stage for the next band, but then you go to the merch table after his band’s set and become unlikely friends who playfully punch each other every time you see each other.  this man is walking outside what i can already tell you is some sort of bar venue that everyone else calls shady but you feel most at home at a place like that.  yet you never see it during the day, you only ever see it at dusk before the show and as you leave and the sky is pitch black.  it’s always pitch black.  this man right here knows the ropes, this man’s taking multiple trips to and from the van and this is his first.  this man’s walking fast with big strides, this man’s probably thinking something stupid and pushing it to the back of his head to focus on finding a place to put this shit so he doesn’t look like a goddamn lazy frontman.  this man would lend the opening band a guitar when they left it at the last stop because he knows how it feels and he’s not an asshole; this man right here is everything i aspire to be, and everything i was and already am and i am so sorry for low key being a frank iero kinnie on main but this photo gives me the most profound feeling and i think everybody should see it

[constantlywriting1]

Like a Virgin: Frank Castle x Reader

Summary: You are the only female member of team Cerberus which puts a lot of pressure on you to do the best you can. With your friends Billy and Frank as the leaders of each task force, you don’t get as much shit as you would’ve thought, but it’s fun to stir the pot. As you try and make your time in Afghanistan a little less devastating, you notice something between you and Frank you hadn’t considered before. 

A/N: Frank is not married in this story. Not my gif 

Warnings: unprotected sex, male/female violence (non-domestic), kind of public sex??

Word Count: 3447

As the only female member of operation Cerberus, the weight on your shoulders is almost palpable. Some days it was torture, being surrounded only by men. Each one dripping with testosterone and an urge to see their wives again, or anything that could satisfy their needs. Though you considered your unit family, you were always on your guard. Watching your back for the moment one of them couldn’t handle it anymore. But deep down you knew nothing would happen to you while Billy and Frank were around. Those men looked up to them, and they were your best friends. 

Of course that came with its own challenges. Members of your unit claimed that you were treated better because of your connection with the two squad leaders, but you knew that was far from the truth. Ever since boot camp, those two were beating your ass harder than anyone. They knew what you’d have to go through and they didn’t hold back on getting you prepared. And it paid off, landing you in special forces along their side. 

Now you love taking orders from them. Going into a secret mission feeling unstoppable as long as they're by your side. It wasn’t only the missions you enjoyed. It was the time between the mission. The endless hours between the killing were filled with some of the best laughs of your life. Sometimes you’d watch Frank play his guitar while Billy thought of his next move against you in chess, but the thing you loved the most was reading. You’d taken the same book with you on all of your tours and you’d read it more than you’d like to admit. 

Frank used to make fun of you for that. He’d take the book out of your hands and try his hardest to make you lose the page, but you never did. He’d stare down as you nonchalantly turned to the correct page and continue reading without a second thought. 

“That can’t be entertaining for you.” He’d chuckle. 

“It’s actually the most entertaining thing I’ve done since I stepped foot in these desserts. Best way to get me outta here.” You’d reply, but it was never a joke to you. 

The book you read was set in a world you would much rather be in. You’d read many other novels but the one you brought with you overseas was your favorite. It was your dream, old Hollywood, glamorous dresses and lavish parties. If you could do it all over again, if you could choose a life other than the one you got, it would be in that book. It took a while for Frank to understand that, but when he did he never forgot it. He was a good friend that way. He paid attention to you when you spoke and remembered the important things. Billy wasn’t like that. 

Billy was a real hard ass. He pushed you to your limits and then encouraged you to go a little further. He never went easy on you and part of you genuinely appreciated that, but sometimes he really got on your nerves. Like when the two of you would play chess and he would leave you with nothing but your king just to show you how much better he was at the game. He’s kicked you down just to prove that he could. You respected Billy but he made it hard to love him. When you all arrived in Kandahar he was willing to be as dirty as he needed. Frank followed close behind and you did what your friends asked of you. Without them, by your side, you don’t how long you’d be able to make it with Agent Orange and the Colonel. 

Today was no different than all the rest. You did your reps while Frank and Billy bickered over a board of scrabble. 

“That’s not a word.” Frank shouted.

“Yes, it is,” Billy replied before spelling it out letter by letter and saying the full word loud enough for the whole unit to hear. 

Frank immediately turned toward you. “Is this a word?” he asked.

You finished your last pull-up and made your way over to the two men. Taking a quick glance at the board and following Billy’s finger, you scanned the wooden blocks. The word Billy had formed wasn’t a common one but it was in the dictionary. 

“Sorry Frank, it’s a word.” You couldn’t help but smile at the look of betrayal on the large man's face. Though you would love more than anything to prove Billy wrong, he rarely was. 

Clicking your tongue with a slight shrug you turned toward your bed, taking a seat so that you could easily rummage through your nightstand. As you fumbled past old letters and notebooks you finally felt the familiar softness of a worn-out book. Pulling it through the pile you glanced at the cover, admiring the art deco style for the seemingly millionth time. 

“You ever gonna trade that in?” You heard Billy say from his side of the scrabble board. 

“I don’t think I will.” 

“The covers hanging on by a thread, you could at least get a better copy,” His voice was dripping with arrogance. You looked up at Frank who quickly understood your call for backup. 

“We all brought somethin’ from home, Bill. No need to shit on hers.” He grumbled.

“I’m just sayin’, it can’t be that good of a book,” Billy said. You watched as he stood up and made his way toward you. 

With nothing but muscle memory guiding you, you pulled the book close to your chest. “I’d let you borrow it, but I don’t feel like listening to you sound out the words.” you teased earning a chuckle from Frank. But Billy didn’t find it very funny. He continued in your direction until he was only about a foot away. 

“Let me see it.” He demanded. 

You tried to force out a laugh but it came out as more of a struggled sigh. Billy kept his serious glare, continuously glancing between you and the book. 

“Come on.” Frank tried to stop his friend but it was no use. Billy had decided that you were going to give him that book. 

You took in a deep breath before loosening your grip on the frail object. Billy lunged forward, snatching it out of your hands, and you let him take it. Both you and Frank watched as he flipped carelessly through the pages. When he was finished pretending to read the back cover he threw the book behind him. You sprung up and positioned yourself inches away from Billy’s smug face. 

“What’s your problem?” You huffed. From the corner of your eye, you could see Frank stand up, prepared to separate the two of you. 

“See, this is more like it.” Billy immediately perked up. “You always got your nose in that book. I missed this spark!” 

Your anger was replaced with confusion as you listened to him speak. “What do you gain from that?” You replied with a grimace. 

Billy’s smile only grew. “A sparring partner.” He said. 

You looked back at Frank who shrugged, letting you know it was completely your call. With that, you felt yourself getting a little excited. It had been a while since you saw any real action and with Billy so willing you couldn’t help the rush of adrenaline that suddenly came to you. Without a second thought, you began pulling your hair back. Billy couldn’t contain his excitement. The two of you were perfect for one another. You didn’t care that he was technically your commanding officer and he didn’t care that you were a woman. Neither of you was going to hold back and it was going to be some good entertainment for the rest of the unit. 

You both got into a fighting stance, fists up and heads low. Billy let you land the first blow, lightly punching his side. The two of you danced around one another like trained boxers before he pushed you back with a fist to your shoulder. You took a step back to maintain balance. Billy lunged forward hoping to hit your face but you ducked before he could make contact. Swooping below his fist you landed two consecutive punches to his stomach. You watched as he doubled over, causing the other men to cheer. The sound only fueled Billy. He recovered quickly, giving you no time to think before hitting you square in the jaw. 

You felt your body follow as your head swung to the right. It was no question that you were bleeding but when you wiped your mouth with the back of your hand you were greeted with more blood than expected. This encouraged you. A small smirk crept onto your lips as you flicked the blood off of your hand. 

“That’s all you got pretty boy?” You couldn’t help but antagonize him. Frank tried not to laugh at your remark but it was a failed attempt. 

Billy ran toward you. You both locked each other's heads in the other's hands as if you were playing tug of war with your skulls. He pulled you forward, practically throwing you across the base. You landed on your feet, immediately charging him once you got your footing. When you reached him you aimed for his diaphragm, plunging your shoulder into him until all of his oxygen was ripped out. Within seconds, you were on top of him bashing your fists into his face. 

The other men looked to Frank, wondering whether or not to separate the two of you, but he waved their worries away. He knew you both needed to get this out. 

Finally, Billy got his wind back as he began palming your face in an attempt to get you off of him. With one hand working to get his off of you and the other still attempting to do some damage, you weren’t able to realize how stable Billy had become. He scratched your face a little before grabbing both of your shoulders and tossing you to the side. The two of you took in a couple of breaths before Billy spoke. 

“You done?” 

“Oh, you wish.” You replied.

Billy chuckled. “That’s what I like to hear.” 

When the two of you stood up you got right back to work. He was bleeding now too and somehow the two of you had become bulls, you saw red and you were charging. You through each other into every object on the base. The rest of your unit watched in shock as you held your own against their leader. They moved out of the way and let you two duke it out. Frank was the only one who realized how serious the match had become and he cursed at himself for brushing it off only moments ago. The other men cheered wildly at the scene before them, and for a split second, it seemed as though you were in a fight to the death. Like you were out there with one of the terrorists your team dealt with so often. 

“What the fuck is going on in here?” Colonel Schoonover shouted. His voice was loud enough to stop you and Billy in your tracks. 

“We’re sparing sir,” Billy replied breathlessly. 

“Bullshit. I just walked into a cock fight. We’re supposed to be fighting the enemy not each other.”

Though Colonel Schoonover was a pain in your ass you couldn’t deny the accuracy in his words. You kept your head down and nodded at his words. 

“Castle, clean up your girl, and Russo I didn’t put you in charge for this.” The Colonel said before leaving everyone to their business. 

Frank quickly made his way over to you. Helping you over to a secluded area of the base, you watched as he picked up a first aid kit and began to sift through the materials. You had never known Frank to deal with injuries in the unit but he was quick to find the correct materials and begin cleaning you up. You felt him start on your lip, grabbing your chin in one hand and lightly touching your lip with a clean cloth. 

“He got you good.” He teased. 

You let a laughing breath escape from your nostrils. “Yeah, maybe I shoulda known better.” 

“Nah, you got some good licks in,” he replied. 

Though you were hurting you couldn’t help but mimic Frank’s calm demeanor. He kept a steady smirk as he made his way to your brow with a new cloth. His touch was gentle and under his hands, you knew you were safe. He moved your hair out of your face and for and kept it on the back of your head for a long moment. 

“You really are a piece of work ya know.” He smiled. 

“Yeah, that’s probably why they shipped me out here with you two.” You said. Frank always loved your sense of humor and even while he was cleaning you up he laughed at every word you said. 

By the time he was finished the two of you had been making jokes for what felt like hours. You felt as though you could see a light in Frank, a side of him that wasn’t always prominent in the desert. 

When the two of you got back to the main area of the base it was quiet. The men around you pretended not to analyze your condition as Billy approached you and Frank. 

“How you feelin?” Billy questioned, patting you on the back. 

“Better than you I bet.” You replied.

Both men laughed but they could tell you weren’t doing so good. Your head was pounding and when you got to your bed you practically fell onto it. 

“I bet.” Billy chuckled sympathetically. 

You rolled your eyes at his comment before taking off your shoes and getting under your covers. Though it was still a little early you decided that some rest would be a good idea. It was easy to fall asleep knowing the rest of the unit would be up for a while longer.

When you woke up again it was dark outside. You assumed the rest of the unit was asleep but as you turned over to Frank’s bed you realized he was awake, just staring at the ceiling. You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face as you analyzed his profile. You always loved the harshness of his nose and how it suited him so well, and how soft his lips seemed to be. You found yourself wondering how they would feel beneath your fingertips or on top of your own. 

Suddenly Frank turned toward you. It was too late for you to pretend you hadn’t been staring and it didn’t seem to matter. You both smiled as your cheeks became warm with embarrassment. 

“Can’t sleep?” You whispered. 

Frank turned on his shoulder so that he was completely facing you. “I usually don’t,” he smirked.

“Do any of us?” You teased, but looking around you realized how dumb your comment may have sounded. “I guess we do.” You chuckled. 

Frank smiled. “How are you feeling?”

“My headache’s gone but I’ll probably be up for the rest of the night so, I’d say I’ve never been better.” Your sarcasm was something he had grown used to. 

“We could do something if you want.” He suggested. 

You immediately shook away your intrusive thoughts, finding it hard to keep your eyes on his. “I wouldn’t want to wake up the guys, they already have it out for me.” you tried to joke, but Frank had already made up his mind. You watched as he opened up his covers, motioning for you to join him in his bed. 

You couldn’t help the look of disbelief that washed over your face. You hadn’t imagined Frank this way before but somehow it seemed right. You looked around making sure the unit was actually asleep. 

Frank let out a breathy laugh as he motioned you over once again. “Come on, we’ll be quiet.” He teased. 

You felt your cheeks get warm again as you got out of your bed and made your way to his. The springs seemed like sirens as your weight settled next to him. 

“This is better.” Frank’s voice was low. “I couldn’t see you too good from all the way over there.” 

“It’s a few extra feet Castle.” You replied, trying to get comfortable without touching his body. 

“Well, it’s dark.” He shot back. 

“I coming on to me.” The smile that came to your face was wider than you expected. 

Frank looked away from you for a moment, laughing quietly at your comment. Suddenly you felt your body stiffen as his hand met your waist. “And what if I was,” he whispered. 

You were shocked. It had been too long since you’d felt someone touch you and your heart was pounding. “Is this technically considered abuse of power?” You smiled. 

“Are you into that?” He teased. 

It felt good to banter with him. You wanted him, that much was evident. You couldn’t deny the growing wetness between your thighs or the butterflies fluttering around in your stomach. He had just barely touched you and you were already imagining everything else the two of you could do together. 

You were quiet for a moment allowing him to move his hand down to your hip and trace light circles with his thumb. Hesitantly you raised your own hand to his head, lightly brushing over his buzzed hair. “It’s been a while since I’ve done anything.” You tried to warn him, but he didn’t seem to care.

“You think I have?” He laughed. 

You shook your head before moving your hand down to touch his nose, running your finger down the bridge before lightly cupping his cheek. You stared down at his lips, wondering again if they felt as soft as they looked. It didn’t take long for Frank to connect your lips. 

You let out a small moan as he pulled you closer to him. He was already hard against you and it made you weak. Frank moved down to your neck as you began to stroke him through his cargo pants. 

It was pure bliss being so close to him. Every move the two of you made was like a dance, rhythmic and sweet. He grinded against you until neither of you could take it anymore. Like a silent agreement between your minds, you both took off your pants. Frank’s cock sprung forward and for a moment you didn’t know if he would be able to fit. 

Using the covers to protect the two of you from being seen you slowly straddled over him. A light his filled the silence of the night as you lowered yourself onto his cock. He streched you perfectly, pushing against your walls and hitting you right in your sweet spot once he was all the way in. 

It was up to you now, to make him feel just as good. With the slight bending of your knees you bounced over him with his hands on your hips guiding you. He gripped your ass, letting out stiff grunts to try and stay as quiet as possible. 

You let your hands roam around his chest, trailing down to his abs and taking your time moving over each ripple. Taking in his full length once again you met his lips, breathing heavily between each kiss. Neither of you were able to contain your moans as Frank began to twitch inside of you. 

“I-I’m gonna cum, I’m gonna cum.” Frank repeated. You couldn’t help but smile as his face began to contort. 

“I’m close, just give me a second.” You panted. He nodded, trying hard to hold himself back. 

Continuing to grind on top of him you could feel yourself unwinding. Every muscle tensing as you began your inevitable release. You held your moans deep in your throat, trying your hardest not to wake anyone else. You threw your head back letting out a shaking breath before looking back down at Frank. 

Noticing how close he was you quickly got off of him, allowing ropes of cum to splash between your thighs. You rolled over, taking your original place beside him as the two of you breathed heavily. 

“You’re a little too good at that for someone who supposed to be out of practice.” He teased. 

“Yeah well I forgot how messy it could be.” You replied, looking down at your thighs. 

Frank smiled before putting his hand on your cheek and giving you a quick peck. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” 

[raytorosaurus]

Hello I hope you enjoy some ray questions :) what is your favorite ray solo, the most beautiful to you, and the one that in your opinion is his most technically and musically impressive. love and light and ray toro to u

oh my godddd i DO enjoy ray questions thank you thank you <33333

okay so honestly this tour has blown everything out of the water so if we're including the recent live stuff then. kids from yesterday is his most beautiful AND technically impressive. the thing about fast shreddy solos is that sure they're very difficult to play but they're also forgiving. skip a note? under/overdo a bend? hit a couple of wrong frets? no big deal, it'll barely be noticeable as long as you're able to recover quick. slow solos that focus more on emotion and musicality are often so much more difficult because every single note matters and the mood depends on you not only hitting every one but hitting it well, bending in tune, sustaining it, really putting feeling into it etc. like for example the summertime solo is super simple and easy to play, but ray pours his heart into it every night so it sounds beautiful, and if he hits just one note wrong it's obvious as hell lol. anyway ray's a master at both of those types of soloing (which is insane, and as much as everyone knows he's an incredible player i feel like his emotionality as a musician doesn't get enough recognition compared to his technical prowess and ability to shred). and kids from yesterday this tour like. combines both of those things at once. it's jawdropping every single night - and the fact that it's, like, semi-improvised some nights too. genuinely astounding like all else aside mcr getting back together is the greatest gift in the world just because we get to witness that. it's like the perfect showcase of how ray's grown as a musician over the hiatus because even though remember the laughter is relatively light on guitar, you can really hear how those solos and exploring that style influenced this new kids one...but it's still so my chemical romance, because ray's never played to show off or posture, he knows exactly what every single song needs to be as emotionally resonant as possible.

anyway. lol spiel on kids from yesterday over (genuinely the way it ROCKETED up my ranking of mcr songs from close to the bottom to close to the top after this tour....lol). if we're talking studio versions only......

favourite solo: this is genuinely such a fucking hard question so i'm going to have to go with my gut response. which is venom. it's probably not my favourite solo anymore, but it was originally - it was one of the things that really hooked me on mcr in the first place, and when my show got cancelled in 2020 i couldn't listen to it for like two solid months bc it was the one i most vividly daydreamed about seeing live LOL so i have a huge soft spot for it. and it's catchy. it's clean. it's classic. it's just fucking FUN like it catches my attention and gets a smile out of me every time lol. close runners-up are vampire money, flw, and the live version of destroya.

most beautiful: augh. fuck. fuck. easy answer is summertime and as much as i agree i think i have to say scarecrow....again, it's nothing overstated. the way it like. weaves around and reinforces the vocals on "love won't stop this bomb" too like...it has brought many a tear to my eye. jesus. side note frank's parts in both of these songs are fucking heart-wrenchingly gorgeous too. for an album that sounds less like a ~guitar album~ than all of mcr's others, danger days has some of the best guitar work of their whole discography man...

most technically/musically impressive: genuinely this one is impossible to answer...like i could make an argument for sooo many of them in different ways...but i think i'm going to have to say. i don't love you. she is criminally underrated and so deceptively simple-sounding but so technically complex AND so fucking emotive. like okay another thing ray should probably get more credit for is not only that he's able to play all these solos flawlessly and beautifully but that he's able to write them - it's truly like he speaks another language, every solo he's ever written is so perfect for the song right key, right chord progression, right scale, right energy. and he's comfortable playing in so many different styles too....his blues-ed up teenagers live playing my fucking BELOVED, his practically baroque metally to the end solo, classic rock or polka or fucking borderline-edm...we are so lucky to have him oh my god.

also if we're counting non-mcr solos. take the world and remember the laughter...oouguhghghhhughhhh SHIT. they tick ALL of these boxes (and you can see what i mean about the new kids from yesterday part growing out of them).

oh my god i'm SO sorry you asked a straightforward question and i rambled for like several hundred words adjkaljgdlksajgd. what's ur favourite <333

[derpdonaby]

Some facts and headcanons about different MCU show characters that I think about a lot

Matt Murdock (Daredevil)

1. This man can taste things in the air. (That's literally it. Just that short sentence fuels so many thoughts in my mind)

2. He sleeps on silk sheets because cotton feels like sandpaper on his skin. (This makes me wonder what other simple everyday things are just sensory hell for this poor martyr of a man.)

3. Human Disaster Matt Murdock is the sluttiest fictional character I've ever loved. Actually he might be the only fictional slut that has my mind in a vice like grip.

Frank Castle (The Punisher)

1. He knows how to play the guitar and it sings to the hopeless romantic that is me.

2. I'm only on episode one of The Punisher and I love how they showed how soft he could be on multiple occasions and then would follow it with just how brutal he is also capable of being. (I love the fics where Frank is dom-ing it up but I firmly believe that if he learned to care for you it would be sweet and passion filled. Mans would give you a cavity.)

3. Best dad in the world. (He would have a mug, shirt, hoodie, etc.)

Steven Grant/Marc Spector (Moon Knight)

1. Marc is so emotionally constipated and it's not even funny. I can't wait to see him loosen up, he deserves it.

2. Steven is such a shy boi but if you asked and reassured him you could get him to ramble for hours about anything he's knowledgeable of. (I love dorky characters like his because I adore listening to people talk about things they love.)

3. They fight over the body like how my brother's fight over the PlayStation.

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk

(none of the gifs are mine)