#i got like a 76% on the mc questions but most of the points come from the essay questions she hasn't graded yet

[ddejavvu]

good luck!! 💕🥰

thank you! i didn't get the best grade i've ever gotten but i didn't fail either and this class has been so terribly rigorous that that's literally all i care about so 😭

[haledamage]

Kiss prompt 76 for whoever you want ;)

76. Top Of Head Kisses

(you asked for school-era Wen/Red, and that’s what you get ;) I didn’t realize I was using a prompt you’d sent me also, but that just makes it extra appropriate!)

just a little bittersweet scene between teenage Wen, Red, Pan, and Neon right before they graduated. Iorwen/Red pre-ship with an extra helping of Pining and a side of angst. Iorwen is, as always, my MC from @shepherds-of-haven, the others are all characters from within the game :)

---

Unsurprisingly, Iorwen found Red reading under a tree in the courtyard. Also unsurprisingly, she found him there because that’s exactly what she intended to do as well, her book already in her hand.

She flopped down next to him without a word, scooting over until they were pressed shoulder-to-shoulder so they could both lean against the tree trunk. He looked up from his book just long enough for them to exchange a quick but warm smile, and then he turned back to his reading and she opened her book on her lap and they let the time pass like that for a while.

They were eventually interrupted - as they always were - by the arrival of Pan and Neon and a basket that Wen was immediately suspicious of just by its nature of being carried by Pan. Luckily, this time all it contained was food and a bottle of something that looked like water and smelled like a failed alchemy experiment, but tasted vaguely like fruit juice.

“Well, here we are,” Pan said cheerfully, passing out the basket's spoils. "This time next week we'll all be gone. Some new batch of impressionable youth will get to sit under this tree instead."

"I am trying not to think about it," Iorwen replied, attempting to sound as cheerful but falling short. "It's not like we haven't had plenty of warning that it was coming."

"Got cold feet, Wen?" Red teased lightly, and she rewarded him with an elbow to the side.

“You could always stay here,” Neon pointed out. “Archmage Tevanti would love to keep you around.”

Iorwen was struck - as she always was - by a sudden, sharp longing to do exactly that. To make a home here, in these familiar halls, with these familiar boys, with their books and their banter and their wisteria trees. But inevitably, her thoughts turned to the last place she called home, and the longing returned to the endless, empty ache of grief. 

She wouldn’t bring ruin onto another family. She had to go, while she still had the power to do so.

She took a long drink from her mystery beverage until she was sure none of that would show on her face, and her grin was wide and easy when she finally said, “Servori. I don’t think I’m ready to settle down yet. There’s a whole world out there to see.”

“Exactly,” Red said around his own cup. “Ancient ruins aren’t going to explore themselves.”

“Why don’t you two travel together?” Neon asked, and Iorwen had to fight from wincing. 

She’d been expecting the question for months, but had been hoping to somehow avoid it for the remaining week she’d be here. She took another sip of her drink to stall, waiting for Red to answer first.

He laughed, though it sounded strangely strained, and ran a hand through his shaggy red hair. “I’d just hold her back. Wen’s got big plans, she doesn’t need me slowing her down.”

I don’t have any plans at all, she thought, but didn’t say it. You are always welcome to come with me.

But Red unfortunately wasn’t telepathic, and Iorwen could never squeeze the words past the lump in her throat. So she just forced a smile and avoided his eyes.

She caught Pan’s instead. And the knowing grin on his face told her that she wasn’t anywhere near as good an actor as she thought she was.

She smiled wider out of spite. “Those are problems for next week. For now, you’re all still stuck with me.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Red raised his glass in a toast, and the rest of them were quick to lift theirs as well. “Wherever the winds take us, I hope they’ll bring us all back together someday.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening laughing and drinking together. Iorwen didn’t know how much of Pan’s dubious libations she ended up having except that it was definitely too much. Enough that the world beyond her little group of friends seemed distant and hazy and unimportant. Enough that the tree was no longer enough to keep her upright and she ended up half-draped over Red.

Enough that she got more than a little misty-eyed when Pan and Neon hugged her before they stumbled off to bed.

And then it was just Red and Wen. They lingered - as they always did - neither of them ready or willing to say goodnight. To say goodbye.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Red murmured. He covered her hand with his own, and she turned hers over to lace their fingers together without even thinking about it. Even though they were almost the same height, his hands were much larger than hers, and warm as a summer’s day.

“Me too.” She kept her eyes on their hands, knowing if she looked in his eyes she’d start to tear up again.

“Would you stay, if I asked you to?”

“You’ll never know if you don’t ask.”

He didn’t ask. He just tugged on the hand still linked with his and pulled her closer, looping his other arm over her shoulders.

Iorwen leaned her forehead against his cheek in an affectionate sort of headbutt. It was probably too intimate of a gesture for someone who had only ever thought of her as a friend, but she was just drunk enough that she didn’t care. She breathed in the comforting scent of him, doing her best to memorize it. “For what it’s worth, I’m going to miss you, Red.” 

His arms wound around her in a tight hug and he pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head. “I’m going to miss you too, Wen.”

Ask me to stay, she thought as hard as she could. Ask me and I will. Tell me you want me to stay.

He didn’t ask, and she knew he never would. And neither would she. He wouldn’t want to risk her feeling obligated, and she wouldn’t risk being rejected, so they just held each other under their favorite tree and silently hoped it wouldn’t be the last time they ever did.

[lashydsdomain]

1-154. you wont

bitch

bet i will

1: Full name

lashy. das all you get

2: Age

19

3: 3 Fears

stairs, glass breaking, not being able to get ahold of someone

4: 3 things I love

my ocs uwu, my friends, my fucking tablet goddamn

5: 4 turns on

not comfy sharing on tumblr

6: 4 turns off

ill say ill come back to this one then leave this in the post

7: My best friend

rn i would say it’s probably blitztrolls

8: Sexual orientation

pan uwu

9: My best first date

ahh.... i havent had an in person first date still ;u;

10: How tall am I

5′5″

11: What do I miss

not being stressed eue;;;

12: What time were I born

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

13: Favourite color

pale blu

14: Do I have a crush

ye u//w//u

15: Favourite quote

you know these things are asked and my mind goes blank

16: Favourite place

the woods just after it’s rained

17: Favourite food

im a basic bitch and just gonna say mac n cheese

18: Do I use sarcasm

no absolutely not. nope.

19: What am I listening to right now

ambles playlist- it’s on ocean eyes by billie elish rn

20: First thing I notice in new person

prooooobably like. their face? typing style if it’s online

21: Shoe size

uhhhhhh i think like a womens 10?

22: Eye color

blue/green

23: Hair color

dark brown

24: Favourite style of clothing

loose and baggy because if i cant be comfortable what’s the point

25: Ever done a prank call?

HELL YEAH

27: Meaning behind my URL

lashyd was one of my first fantrolls and i liked the way it sounded

28: Favourite movie

mmmmm either labyrinth, princess mononoke or annihilation

29: Favourite song

no clue my friend im bad at picking

30: Favourite band

same as above sweats

31: How I feel right now

excited but tired

32: Someone I love

passivetrolls u//w//u/

33: My current relationship status

in a relationship!

34: My relationship with my parents

love my dad, kinda dislike my mom

35: Favourite holiday

christ mass

36: Tattoos and piercing i have

none, im so scared of needles ;u;

37: Tattoos and piercing i want

mmmmmaybe something stupid and simple on like my ankle?? i dunno what tho sweats

38: The reason I joined Tumblr

another fandom and i got bored with homeschooling lmao

39: Do I and my last ex hate each other?

i dislike them but they have tried to contact me a few times before i blocked them

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts?

not usually

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted?

i dont text so ill go w discord and no i have not the last person i messaged was you shenk gdi

42: When did I last hold hands?

the 2nd ;u;

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning?

7ish minutes

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days?

hellllllllllll no

45: Where am I right now?

room

46: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me?

prooooobably my bf or my dad. hate alcohol tho

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level?

loud but only w speakers

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad?

only da

49: Am I excited for anything?

absolutely motherfucker im making new friends left and right

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to?

i got two uwu

51: How often do I wear a fake smile?

:))))))) irl most of the time tbh

52: When was the last time I hugged someone?

last night

53: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me?

i would probably cry ugnfldkjfgslfdjg the last person i kissed was my bf wheezes

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not?

i mean probably.

55: What is something I disliked about today?

ehhhh nothing bad has really happened today

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

probably my friend from serbia uwu

57: What do I think about most?

ocs probably sweats

58: What’s my strangest talent?

burping on command? i dunno

59: Do I have any strange phobias?

glass shattering ouo;;;

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

beh ind

61: What was the last lie I told?

calling myself a basic bitch lmao

62: Do I perfer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

phone probably? video calls make me nervous

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

hell yeah to both

64: Do I believe in magic?

hell yeah i yell tossing salt on all my rocks

65: Do I believe in luck?

yeee

66: What’s the weather like right now?

uhhh clear i think

67: What was the last book I’ve read?

Shibuya Goldfish

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline?

nop

69: Do I have any nicknames?

lash, lashy, gremlin and then stupid relationship nicknames gldsfgjfgs

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had?

prooobably almost falling down some stairs at a con and chipping my shin and probably partly pulling my shoulder out of the socket

71: Do I spend money or save it?

i try to save but end up spending it ouo;;;;

72: Can I touch my nose with a tounge?

nearly

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feets from me?

there are some half customized MH dolls so i guess yeah

74: Favourite animal?

cat uwu

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM?

drawing ambles trollcall pick

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is?

satan stan obviously

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it?

Here - Ancient Magus' Bride OP

78: How can you win my heart?

art of my ocs ngl

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

fuck if i knew

80: What is my favorite word?

probably fuck if you would ask my phone lmao

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr

passivetrollsblitztrollstavvys-trollsfilibusterfrogwe-are-the-legion

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say?

hey fuckers lets rumble

83: Do I have any relatives in jail?

not that i know of

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power?

teleportation ngl

85: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

probably 87

86: What is my current desktop picture?

87: Had sex?

sweats how about we move on

88: Bought condoms?

ye

89: Gotten pregnant?

hell no

90: Failed a class?

i think yeah

91: Kissed a boy?

yeeeeeeee

92: Kissed a girl?

nop

93: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain?

does it count if we were indoors

94: Had job?

not yet wheezes

95: Left the house without my wallet?

ye

96: Bullied someone on the internet?

i dont think so i mgiht have when i was younger

97: Had sex in public?

n o

98: Played on a sports team?

ye!

99: Smoked weed?

ye.

100: Did drugs?

only weedles

101: Smoked cigarettes?

nop

102: Drank alcohol?

yes and i hated it

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan?

nop

104: Been overweight?

ye

105: Been underweight?

nop

106: Been to a wedding?

nop

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight?

 every day p much

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight?

nop

109: Been outside my home country?

ye!

110: Gotten my heart broken?

;;;; yeah

111: Been to a professional sports game?

ye

112: Broken a bone?

possibly?

113: Cut myself?

if this is on accident then ya

114: Been to prom?

prom is a waste of time ngl just go to arbys

115: Been in airplane?

yeye

116: Fly by helicopter?

n o

117: What concerts have I been to?

blueman group and the 4th of july ones that play around here

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex?

yeeee

119: Learned another language?

bits and pieces

120: Wore make up?

yeah

121: Lost my virginity before I was 18?

nop

122: Had oral sex?

lets just skip the sex questions

123: Dyed my hair?

yeee

124: Voted in a presidential election?

ee

125: Rode in an ambulance?

nop

126: Had a surgery?

nop

127: Met someone famous?

yeye

128: Stalked someone on a social network?

god no

129: Peed outside?

this question is weird

130: Been fishing?

hell the fuck yeah

131: Helped with charity?

prrrrobaby?

132: Been rejected by a crush?

yeah ;u;

133: Broken a mirror?

i dont think so

134: What do I want for birthday?

money

135: How many kids do I want and what will be their names?

NO

136: Was I named after anyone?

i was named after two people uwu

137: Do I like my handwriting?

i can barely read it lmao i hate it

138: What was my favourite toy as a child?

my stuffed tigger uwu

139: Favourite Tv Show?

fuck i dunno probably cyberchase or fetch i dont watch tv anymore lmao

140: Where do I want to live when older?

somewhere quiet but convenient

141: Play any musical instrument?

flute and violin

142: One of my scars, how did I get it?

i have a scar on my knuckle from making garlic bread ;u; wasnt even good

143: Favourite pizza toping?

banana peppers

144: Am I afraid of the dark?

nah

145: Am I afraid of heights?

mmmm at times

146: Have I ever got caught sneaking out or doing anything bad?

yeah >w>;;;

147: Have I ever tried my hardest and then gotten disappointed in the end?

all the mc fuckin time

148: What I’m really bad at

telling people when im not up for something

149: What my greatest achievments are

being alive you fuckers cant beat me i won over hundreds of other fuckers and im here

150: The meanest thing somebody has ever said to me

Lets Not, Kids

151: What I’d do if I won in a lottery

buy so much cosplay shit and helping friends get what they need

152: What do I like about myself

im getting better uwu

153: My closest Tumblr friend

passivetrolls or blitztrolls wheezes

154: Something I fantasize about

being able to help my friends out of the places they are right now QuQ

155: Any question you’d like?

more questions for amble and my other girls!

[thisisheffner]

Clubbing: ‘I can’t bear the idea that there is an age at which you should stop’ | Music | The Guardian

Nightclubbing is seen as a young person’s game. Sightings of older clubbers – such as the elderly Polish couple who went viral after a night out at London’s Fabric in 2016 – are considered a novelty. But the septuagenarian tourists – who partied until 5am – are not alone.

A recent poll by ticketing platform Eventbrite found that more than 3.7 million Britons aged over 45 go clubbing every week. The nation’s nightlife may not be in rude health overall, but certain DJs, clubs and clubbers have endured. Fabric turned 20 this year, and DJs such as Danny Rampling and Terry Farley are still drawing crowds 30 years on from the summer of love that made their name. From nostalgia nights to dance festivals, older clubbers ��� such as Mick Jagger, 76, spotted at gay club night Horse Meat Disco earlier this year – are finding their second wind.

Typically, clubbing loses its appeal in our early 30s; 31 is the age at which most give up, according to a 2017 survey. But for those who do keep dancing, it can be much more than just a night out. What starts as an act of teenage transgression becomes radical in middle age. We talked to six older clubbers who refuse to hang up their dancing shoes. Have they still got the moves?

‘It’s like galloping across the universe in a spaceship’

Brett, 70, and Sylvia Van Toen, 69, retirees (above)

Sylvia Our first love is hard house – it attracts a different, much younger crowd. We go to hard house clubs and festivals, after discovering psytrance at Glastonbury in the mid-90s and thinking, “This is it.” The music builds up tension; you’re waiting for this particular tune and then suddenly it drops in and you’re going yes, yes, yes! Then it carries you along. It’s a bit like galloping across the universe in a spaceship.

I got married at 18 and had children young. I was a housewife. I didn’t know a lot about music, I didn’t dance. Brett and I were in our late 30s when we got together. I had two young children and so we decided to live apart, and we’ve kept doing that. We see each other during the week but get excited about going clubbing together on Fridays. It’s like going on a date.

Brett We are very lucky. Many couples we know don’t like the same music. We go clubbing once a fortnight. It’s intense. It’s hard work. The clubs often run from 11pm to early morning. There are more afternoon clubs now, which I love.

If we go to a dance festival, we make as much effort as we can to get sleep. We take a campervan, which is good because parking tends to be away from the main field. We don’t drink alcohol, just water. We don’t do afterparties; that would hurt. We don’t have any plans to retire, though that might change as we age.

It’s a social thing. We went to heavy techno clubs and it was too dark to dance because you couldn’t see what the hell was going on. So that didn’t work for us. Dancing with other people is important. Clubbing has taught me a way of being I don’t think I would have found otherwise. I used to be curmudgeonly but I have learned a lot of acceptance from hanging around young people. There is much to admire about them. They are also complimentary and it’s a lot of fun. It gives you energy.

‘There’s no judgment: it’s utopia’

Roy Brown, 56, songwriter and club host

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I’m a Brummie lad. I went to my first shebeen [unlicensed bar] in Birmingham, aged 13. It was this small venue behind a shop with huge sound systems in dark rooms, pumping with reggae and ska music. Seeing guys and girls dancing really close to each other, the music pounding, the smell of weed, a lightbulb went off in my head. I thought, this is amazing. That’s why I’m still doing it.

I knew the music – reggae, jazz, funk, blues – because that’s what my parents played at home. My parents were Jamaican and every Caribbean house has these family gatherings with music and food and dancing. That warm place they created in their houses is what I’m trying to emulate when I go clubbing: that womb, that happiness. No one can hurt or harm you because you are with like-minded people.

I moved to London at 18 in 1981, where my cousin Claudette introduced me to a group of fashionistas and club kids. They are still my friends. My aunt lived close to a huge club called Bolts. I walked past it one evening and there was a long queue of clones: gay men dressed identically in check shirts and Levi’s 501s. I had the same epiphany as in the shebeen: I saw like-minded people.

Some of Claudette’s friends sussed me out. Juicy (real name Ronald) came up to me and said: “What’s your game then?” They took me to my first gay bar and it was full steam ahead after that. My motivation was really good music. If there were hot guys there, brilliant. Drugs were a huge part of it. The majority of clubbers were white men but the only thing that mattered was that you stuck to the dress code.

I’m still on the clubbing scene. I started out on the door at the central London club Kinky Gerlinky in 1989. Now I’m a host at the Eagle in south London, where I have my own night, Soul on Saturday. I was MC and host for a club in Ibiza a few summers ago. They fly you out Friday morning for Saturday and Sunday night. I thought, can I do this? I am not 19. I’d aged 20 years. But because of the music and the amazing time, I lost 40 more.

I grew up Methodist and clubbing is like going to church. I still go out now if a night is euphoric. It’s human nature to look for something uplifting. There’s no judgment, just inclusivity. It’s my idea of utopia.

‘That moment a beat drops and everyone’s smiling: it’s wicked’

Victoria Saunders, 50, hairdresser

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I still want to go out and listen to good music played loud. But now I’m older, I don’t want to go to a big busy nightclub. I think, I can’t be arsed, actually. You walk in and you’re told you’ve got to queue here or go here if you want to smoke a fag. I’m an adult, I can manage myself.

When I first went clubbing, it was lawless. In 1988, I was 18 and Ibiza was happening, it was the summer of love. That kickstarted it for me. When I went to Houghton dance music festival in Norfolk last year, I saw people from different points in my clubbing career. It’s nice to see people who still have that affinity.

I’ve always been more of an afterparty girl; I prefer it when all the wallies have gone home. I’d rather take my time and go out at about midnight, ease myself in and then hit a dancefloor.

Hairdressers like me are like Vikings; we can just do it. I remember coming home, having two hours’ sleep, then getting up and going to work. Now it shows more, on my face, after a couple of days. I hit Wednesday and I think, oof. But people tell me I look good for my age. I’ve pickled myself. When you’ve had so much fun and such a laugh going out, that also shows.

I go to a club called Pikes in Ibiza, where Wham! shot the video for Club Tropicana. I like to properly lose myself in music – that moment a beat drops and everyone’s smiling because they know it, that feeling of oneness: it’s wicked.

I was at a house party recently and my friend was up dancing. She said, “If I don’t do this now, I’ll be dancing in the aisles of Tesco.” It’s rare to find those moments as you get older, but 30 years of clubbing means it’s something that’s deep in you. You hear good music and you just want to dance.

‘After we scattered my stepdad’s ashes, I needed to get to Horse Meat Disco’

Amanda Freeman, 56, music publicist

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I’m straight, but I prefer gay clubbing. It started in the early 2000s, when I went to places such as the Joiners Arms in east London with gay friends. It was a completely different world.

My friend Dan opened a gay bar in east London, Dalston Superstore, in 2009; by then I had been single a long time. It was a nonjudgmental space. There was no stigma attached to being a woman of my age as there could be in a straight environment; at a straight club, I’d be lucky if they let me in.

I’ve had a couple of difficult years. My mother has multiple sclerosis and my stepfather had dementia. I’m an only child, so I’ve been juggling all of this. My stepfather died in March. The weekend we scattered his ashes, I remember thinking, when I get home I’m going out to Horse Meat Disco. If I’ve been through a tough time, going out is the way to put myself back on track.

A lot of the younger people I’ve met out clubbing have been incredibly supportive. Not to say that my older friends haven’t, but they have kids and their own stuff going on. It seems easier for millennials to make those approaches, to ask me how my mum is doing, how I am. I’ve been hugely grateful for that.

I am happy to go out on my own, which is empowering. I can go to regular places and see people I know, or chat to people I’ve not met before. The music is important. My nickname is Lady D’Amanda because I’m very forward about asking the DJ for certain tracks. I’m first on the dancefloor and get people to dance with me. It’s always done in a joyful way.

I can’t bear the idea that there is an age at which you should stop. I feel more comfortable in my 50s than I did in my 40s. I chose not to be in a relationship and nobody in this community has ever questioned that. They admire people who have ploughed their own furrow, and a club night was held in my honour in January.

I hope I am an ally. I’m a music publicist and I am always available if LGBTQ artists or acts want help or advice. I’ve suddenly acquired a tribe: the community is made up of many different people, ages and persuasions. It doesn’t matter. It’s about what you bring to it. It’s a small world but it’s a really important one to me. A doorman once said to me, “You’re an icon”. That’s a lovely thing to be.

‘Drugs aren’t my thing. Someone asked what I’d had and I showed them my sandwich’

Suddi Raval, 49, music technology teacher

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Acid house took over my life at 15, in 1986. The music was on the radio. Smiley faces – the acid house symbol – popped up on the news. House music has melodies and basslines but acid house was abstract, bendy, weird. It was like music from another world. It just grabbed my attention.

There was a week that changed my life. I was walking down the street in my home town, Ashton-under-Lyne. I was too young to go out but I dressed as if I was on the acid house scene: long hippy hair, a jumper by French brand Chipie. This guy called Kelvin came up to me. He could tell from my clothes that I was into that music and said: “You need to go to the Hacienda and the Blackburn raves warehouse parties.” I said: “I’d love to but I wouldn’t know how.” He said he’d take me, and he did.

I couldn’t believe it when I set foot in the Hacienda in Manchester. There were a couple of thousand people as into it as I was. I didn’t know everyone was off their heads, drugs were not my thing. One time at the raves, someone asked what I’d had. I didn’t know they meant drugs. I reached into my bag and pulled out my butty box, a pile of cheese and ham sandwiches and a can of Coke – you can’t dance all night on an empty stomach.

The only nights I wouldn’t go to the Hacienda were when it was closed. I’ve never stopped. As I get older, young people think I am either the DJ, a promoter or a drug dealer. I’m usually the only brown face in a club. I’ve always been in a minority; there were so few Indian, Pakistani or Asian clubbers. But I’ve always felt 100% safe.

I live in London now and go out a couple of times a month to clubs across the UK. I pick up my friend Sarah and drive to the Attic in Liverpool. It’s not about nostalgia; I go to dance to new music. It’s difficult to get back to normality if you stay up to 6am, so I don’t stay out late. I’m a teacher, so I have to function at 100%. My clubbing gives me credibility with my students. I’ve not been clubbing with them, though they’ve asked.

I met my wife when I was in London for an acid house night. She was concerned I might be into drugs. She’s come out clubbing with me, but she’s a doctor so she’s usually on call. She’s not a convert but she’s not against it. Our wedding in 2017 turned into a rave. It couldn’t have worked if she’d thought, who is this man-child obsessed with dance music?

My mum found it really cute that I had smiley faces all over my bedroom as a teenager. When I visited her up north recently, she showed me a smiley face emoji on her phone. “Look, Suddi,” she smiled, “acid!’” I said, “Yes, Mum, you are bang on! That is acid!” I was so proud.

• If you would like your comment on this piece to be considered for Weekend magazine’s letters page, please email weekend@theguardian.com, including your name and address (not for publication).

This content was originally published here.

[imascientistofmusic]

Im a huge fucking nerd

final LYRICS FOR ENDOLPHINS AND MC FOUCAULT EP Welcome to Kirby’s Memeland (MILLIPEDES FOR THE MOLEMEN) Got it so hot y'all give me standing ovations while I'm spamming the squat[1] like my whole family's Croatian if my dad's Jackie Chan[2] am I Hispanic or Asian? please understaånd this equation ()[3] me no panic just blazing at any random location i’m your romantic liaison killa Beys in formation[4] the doctor's[5] now handling patients I put the wots in tarnations[6] I put the spots on dalmatians I move the block with my cadence Now time just stops when i say shit But the beat goes on cause i made it Alex Strong[7] in the paint and Singing So Long[8] to fake friends We can roll out the Save ends[9] Y'all kittens tryin my patience I need to find an oasis Pass me that blunt and i'll face it Why y'all stuntin so basic? Im kinda something like LASIK[10] take your quirk and erase it[11] If there's something to say then I'm Malcolm Little and Dakin[12] Welcome to Kirbys Memeland[13] Im a giant herbing with green hands[14] Defiantly serving up steamed hams[15] Yo shuhei hold up i got remands[16] Misery[17] in the moment Missouri in the mornings[18] Mysteries in the motions Miss her seas in this ocean[19] (oh shit) ALL AT ONCE (HOW HARD JAMES HARDIN GOES WHEN HE GOES HARD IN THE PAINT) One day i’ll kill all the white men take back the land we’re missin[20] Im Diego's street art and they're banksy's vandalisms[21] Like the second coming of yeezus[22] and he's risen Built a religion for giant robots[23] called it animism[24] My flow is so fucking preposterous Patrol the land rarer than rhinoceroses[25] Get your heads out the sand yall lookin like ostriches Didn't kill the cat[26] but we checked it into hospice I know yr feeling that and baby one i got this My boys swing the bats like my last name was ausmus[27] Best rappers who aren't black you know i top the list prophets foretold my path (my birth) it was an (heavenly) auspice Imagine how hard james hardin[28] goes when he goes hard in the paint Well i go harder than that On my level you ain't I'm smart as The Bat[29] I'm like double your rank I just started to rap But the devil remains In the details im valued retail theyre resale[30] i'll continue my never ending quest to impress you[31] I’m obsessed with the things that pens do Allah bless this mess because i swear i intend to Decompress and recollect about fucked things that friends[32] do Parenthetically my memes are better than y’all’s Im aesthetically[33] hiding in vectors too small Interjecting my dreams while dissenting all leans[34] Exquisitely dining on minds here at the end of all things [35] We bout those movers and shakers We bustin loose of the matrix[36] I get my fruit at bodegas Im bound to move to NEW VEGAS[37] Matthew McConaughey (HARRY AND THE HUMAN CENTIPEDES) Another space time anomaly[38] An Interstellar[39] odyssey Alright alright alright Im Mathew McConaughey Im unfuckingstoppable the impossible possible The whole world's my hospital not a gd thing is inoperable[40] Credentials are laudable Essentially i got it all Took a look at the d And then called an audible[41] Obliterate any Obstacle Precipitate like waterfalls Instigate a kinder cause Evicerate a haunted ghoul[42] When i fucks with physics the laws get more lax my words carry weight like the world's biggest snorlax[43] Come at me son yr gonna need more VATS[44] carried this town[45] for So Long[46] im getting a sore back their love for me like a tree to the Lorax[47] My lyrics paint pictures so i call them a Rorschach[48] my bones are telling me bad weathers on the forecast a storm is rolling in this is the calm before that Past five centuries all of them regrettable[49] Just like entropy i am inevitable[50] I was meant to leave my head it was full Fundamentally i'm so far ahead of these fools Down five hennessy's trying just to deaden this pulse[51] Iron sentry's lining the edge of the mall[52] 100% dying to dismantle this wall[53] Johnny five empathy no disassemble this bot[54] Quintessentially im X at the head of this school[55] Intermittently you slept in my bed it was cool incidentally we had sex in the end of the pool Human centipede[56] that ass it was my edible[57] G.O.A.T. (NIETZSCHE DIDN’T KILL GOD, I DID) Like JD[58] I’m the GOAT[59] Billy[60] hashtag Swag[61]gert[62] Worlds most accurate fact checking rapper This is a game to me Chutes and ladders[63] Here's where the bangers[64] be girl you know i had ‘er My flow the yangtze[65] i spit venom black adders[66] Opposite of banksy[67] or some bullshit “all lives matter”[68] Fuck the president[69] that dude cant get any badder[70] Cooking up some poppy tea[71] mix it up like cake batter HEY DON'T LOOK AWAY DON'T LET IT GROW ON YOU IT'S NOT OK Engrave the following on my headstone: “They[72] died getting head stoned peepin Tombstone[73] While eatin a tombstone pizza[74]" I’ve gone full blown nietzsche[75] said hello to the abyss "it was good to meet ya"[76] Behind this mask's a terrifying creature[77] Who would gladly cook you up and eat ya Every track i’m on mc foucault's the feature Threat level dragon[78] when im hittin the road again Like shang tsun out here looking for some souls to bend[79] Other rappers words are last years memes im so over them Like neil in the 80s its the weight of the world im shoulderin'[80] Tho ive been there once couldnt tell you where denver starts and boulder ends[81] Rockin california fishes like them pennsylvania colder pens[82] I spit fire like dylon[83] and i left the studio smolderin Sitch is Dire like sylons you used to know as older friends[84] Minds expired with prions[85] when i take theirs skulls and open em Im entirely high on the spirit taking time up and folding it[86] unlike battery acid im so hella caustic[87] Such flattering assets with a tongue so toxic Made saturn's rings spin on a cosmic cross stitch My staggering spit it god agnostic[88] [1] “Why do Slavs squat?” is a satirical catchphrase associated with imageboards and forums discussing Eastern European people and cultures http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/why-do-slavs-squat-slav-squat [2] My dad and jackie chan are aging to look like the same person [3] I use medical marijuana to treat anxiety [4] Beyonce - Formation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZJPJV__bQ [5] My initials are DRB and so many folks call me Doctor or Doctor B [6] “What in Tarnation?” is a rhetorical question meaning “what in damnation?”, which is often associated with Americans living in the Southern United States expressing incredulous bewilderment. http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/what-in-tarnation [7] Drummer of Endolphins and one of the progenitors of this particular beat [8] So Long is my queerpop band SoLongNaota.Bandcamp.com [9] A saving throw in D&D http://dnd4.wikia.com/wiki/Saving_throw [10] Corrective laser eye surgery [11] Boku No Hero Academia character Shota Aizawa “eraser head” who’s special power is erasing others’ special powers http://bokunoheroacademia.wikia.com/wiki/Shota_Aizawa [12] Church of The Three Cats is at the corner of Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little) and Dakin in Lansing, Michigan [13] Gamboy title Kirby’s Dreamland but with memes [14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Giant but with Weed [15] Simpsons shitpost classic http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/steamed-hams [16] Once I beat magic the gathering hall of famer Shuhei Nakamura in a Grand Prix with a timely remand [17] The first Endolphins release was called North of Misery as a nod to their being in Iowa [18] In 2015 I toured with Endolphins and had two amazing mornings in St Louis, s/o to KPAX and calcifer [19] Sometimes you meet someone who forever changes the way you think about things like water, and then you drown in thoughts never actually able to grasp anything completely again [20] im native as fuck http://www.corteidh.or.cr/tablas/24777.pdf [21] Artist Diego Rivera vs Banksy [22] Kanye West's ego messiah and eponymous album [23] giant robot anime trope for example: neon genesis evangelion, flcl, gundam... [24] Animism but with Anime https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism [25] Rhino’s are near extinct everywhere https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/rhino_population_figures [26] Slang for giving a person with a vagina multiple orgasms [27] Detroit Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus [28] James Hardin is a professional basketball Superstar [29] Comic book protagonist Batman [30] Price you get for selling an item new (retail) vs used (resale) [31] A certain person who since i have met has inspired most of my creative endeavors [32] See directly above [33] in a way that gives pleasure through beauty [34] biases [35] Comic book character Galactus, Eater of Worlds https://marvel.com/universe/Galactus [36] 1999 science fiction film The Matrix [37] 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas [38] My favorite Star Trek trope [39] My favorite Matthew McConaughey film [40] See note #5 [41] In american football a quarterback will notice something about the defense and change the play at the line of scrimmage, this is called an audible [42] These are hearthstone cards [43] Snorlax is a very large and heavy pokemon that can only be moved by playing a special flute [44] Vault-tec assisted targeting system in Fallout video game franchise, the more skill points one has the more they can do in combat before an enemy reacts [45] I have been a pillar of the diy community in lansing michigan for 20 years [46] So Long Naota/Collective see note #8 [47] Dr Seuss character who is the protector of nature [48] The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. [49] Since Europeans have arrived on the shores of North and South America they have brought only misery and genocide [50] The second law of thermodynamics requires that, in general, the total entropy of any system can't decrease other than by increasing the entropy of some other system. Hence, in a system isolated from its environment, the entropy of that system tends not to decrease. [51] Drinking is a mostly self destructive behavior for myself and I tend to only do it when i wish to self harm [52] Episode 3 of the 1997 anime Beserk [53] Fuck borders fuck walls freedom is not possible when they exist [54] 1986 film Short Circuit about a robot that gains sentience and learns of death the term for which is dissassemble [55] Professor Xavier from the X-Men comics who runs a school for Mutants [56] 2009 Dutch body horror film Human Centipede tells the story of people sewn mouth to ass [57] Analingus [58] The Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle or JD aka thrashkitten member of the sooper swag project [59] GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) is a term used in hip hop to talk about the best rappers ever [60] A billy is a male goat [61] #swag is a song by rapper GMCFOSHO who is a friend of mine [62] Jimmy Swaggert was a televangelist who was defrocked for multiple prostitution scandals [63] Chutes and Ladders is a metaphor for life. As such, it is arguably the most philosophical of all children's board games. Based on the ancient Indian game Snakes and Ladders. The historic version had root in morality lessons, where a player's progression up the board represented a life journey complicated by virtues (ladders) and vices (snakes). [64] Banger is a term for a particularly moving composition [65] The Yangtze is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world. The river is the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. [66] A venomous snake that lives in europe and east asia, also a nod to the lyric earlier about chutes and ladders (snakes and ladders) [67] “Some have criticised the "obviousness" of Banksy's work, and accused it of being "anarchy-lite" geared towards a middle class "hipster" audience.” [68] A slogan used to silence the #blacklivesmatter movement [69] Donald Trump [70] 1998 Arcade game Bad Dudes vs Dragon Ninja later ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System known widely for its intro cut scene in which the protagonists are asked if they are bad enough dudes to save the president [71] Poppy tea is any herbal tea infusion brewed from poppy straw or seeds of several species of poppy. For the purpose of the tea, dried pods are more commonly used than the pods of the live flower. The walls of the dried pods contain opiate alkaloids, primarily consisting of morphine. [72] I am non-binary and use they/them pronouns [73] 1993 Western Tombstone starring kurt russel and val kilmer [74] Very cheap frozen pizzas of dubious quality [75] Nietzsche claimed the death of God would eventually lead to the loss of any universal perspective on things, and along with it any coherent sense of objective truth [76] Nietzsche once said: “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.” [77] Nietzsche also said: “All great things must first wear terrifying and monstrous masks in order to inscribe themselves on the hearts of humanity.” [78] 2015 Anime and Manga One Punch Man’s shout out to Neon Genesis Evangelion describing a monster that is a threat to multiple cities [79] 1992 Arcade Fighing game Mortal Combat’s main villain who stole people's souls [80] Neil Young's sleeper Weight of The World from his amazing foray into new wave on his criminally unheralded album Landing on Water [81] I visited colorado for the first time on tour with Endolphins and tho enjoyable it was mostly mountains and urban sprawl and legal weed [82] The 2016 battle for Lord Stanley’s cup between NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and [83] Chappell show sketch about Dylon who thought he was the GOAT because “dylon spit hot fire” [84] Battlestar Galactica plot twist [85]Kuru is a very rare, incurable neurodegenerative disorder that was prevalent among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea. Kuru is caused by the transmission of abnormally folded prion proteins, which leads to symptoms such as tremors, loss of coordination, and neurodegeneration. Most people who develop it are cannibals [86] The quantum physics theory of time travel [87] Acids are corrosive and bases are caustic [88] God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? — Nietzsche, The Gay Science, Section 125,

[bountyofbeads]

If Trump Were Tony Soprano… https://nyti.ms/2Ht45vA

Excellent take on the dopler gang of characters that is so outrageous that it would be turned down in Hollywood. #LockHimUp #LockThemAllUp #TheResistance #TrumpCrimeFamily #TrumpCrimeSyndicate #Mueller

If Trump Were Tony Soprano…

The gang that couldn’t conspire straight.

By Gail Collins | Opinion Columnist, New York Times | Published Jan. 25, 2019 |

Posted January 27, 2019 |

EXCERPT 👉👉Moving on. The biggest news in the Mueller indictment was its charge that somebody told “a senior Trump campaign official” to contact Stone about any “damaging information” that WikiLeaks might have about the Clinton campaign. And that Stone reported back about stuff that just might be coming out in the near future.

Who do you think that Somebody could be? A person with receding hair and a taste for ultralong ties who recently kept the government shut for more than a month for no good reason whatsoever? Your guess is as good as mine.

And which senior campaign official do you think Somebody told to contact Stone? The former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, since convicted of financial fraud? Former campaign adviser Rick Gates, who pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I.? Former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, formerly in prison for lying to the F.B.I.?

How about lawyer Michael Cohen, now sentenced to three years in prison for lying to Congress? If Trump and the gang were a Sopranos remake, Cohen would be “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, who turned on Tony after being busted himself.

Really, there’s so much talent there, it could have been anybody.

Stone and Trump go way back. They were introduced about 40 years ago by their good mutual friend Roy Cohn, the guy who gave us the McCarthy witch hunts. Trump still burbles about how great Cohn was. And he enthused to a documentary interviewer that Stone is “a quality guy” who “always wanted me to run for president.”

Can’t get a better recommendation than that. Stone has a talent for identifying presidential talent — he’s got a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back. He was partners with Paul Manafort in a Washington lobbying firm that specialized in representing the most terrible dictators on the planet. If you had a million dollars, a need for support from the United States government and a small problem with torture, rape and terrorism, these were the guys to see.

(A third partner, Charlie Black, said that when reporters called him to ask if Stone was the connection between the Trump campaign and Russia, he replied, “With all due respect, Roger couldn’t find Russia on a map.” As always, when we’re considering possible crimes committed during the 2016 campaign, the best defense of Trump and his associates is that they were too dumb to be capable of plotting.)

“I’m proud of the job I did at Black Manafort and Stone because I made a lot of money,” Stone told those documentarians, getting right to the point.

Stone’s political career almost came to a crashing end in 1996 when he ran into a scandal that forced him to resign from the Bob Dole campaign. (The candidate was touchy about headlines like “Top Dole Aide Caught in Group Sex Ring.”) Stone blamed the story on a lying, disgruntled former employee. Later, he admitted that it was true, and explained that he needed to deny it because “my grandparents were still alive.”

But no matter, he would go on triumphantly to organize a wild protest that stopped the recount of votes after the Gore-Bush election in Florida. Or maybe not. Stone bragged that he was the guy who staged one of the most spectacular assaults on the democratic process in recent history, but there was competition for the title.

And then on to Donald Trump. He and Stone had worked on his political career for ages. (Although Stone doesn’t take credit for Trump’s Obama birther campaign, he’s said that he didn’t discourage the idea.) The two men parted company in 2015 — Stone claimed he’d quit because he was dismayed by Trump’s “provocative media fights.”

But then next thing you know we’re in 2016, and they’re pals again. Those Clinton campaign emails are stolen and released. According to Stone’s indictment: A “high-ranking Trump campaign official sent a text message to Stone that read ‘well done.’”

That would be a memorable moment. Not often when “well done” comes up in connection with the Trump crew.

How about lawyer Michael Cohen, now sentenced to three years in prison for lying to Congress? If Trump and the gang were a Sopranos remake, Cohen would be “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, who turned on Tony after being busted himself.

Really, there’s so much talent there, it could have been anybody.

Stone and Trump go way back. They were introduced about 40 years ago by their good mutual friend Roy Cohn, the guy who gave us the McCarthy witch hunts. Trump still burbles about how great Cohn was. And he enthused to a documentary interviewer that Stone is “a quality guy” who “always wanted me to run for president.”

Thoughts from the public :

“It’s my mess. All my choices were wrong.” —Tony Soprano Trump won’t come to this conclusion until it’s much too late."NA of NYC

"What self-respecting criminal uses a middleman with a fluffy therapy dog? Perhaps Mr Stone is aiming for an insanity plea."

Common Sense Advocate of CT

"And Reagan, the subject of fawning adoration by folks of different political stripes, like some writers at this paper, who brush aside the union busting of the PATCO air traffic controllers, and Washington's airport is named after him. To be sure I am not the first to point out that Reagan was another celebrity politician much like Trump but I will remind you of that fact. Will Trump be venerated sometime in the future like Reagan (Iran Contra , rule of law issues)is today. The main difference is now incompetence, get Gov't off our back ,dismantling of Gov't agencies and double dealing deceit is in plain sight. We sure do love us some TV star politicians, a recipe for ... well now it's even more scary than it was then, the bombing starts ten minutes. Deja Vu all over again."

John Mc of FLA

"We the people are restless with all this mess, but Robert Mueller is steadfast. That in itself is a lesson to be taken seriously." MIMA of Ny

"If Trump was Tony Soprano ... with his talent for picking great lawyers like Cohen and Guiliani he'd be serving so much time in prison that his ridiculous ties might be in fashion by the time he got out. The sad truth is that the only reason a career white collar criminal like Trump isn't serving time is because in this country we rarely bother to investigate financial crimes and when we do, the punishment usually just a slap on the wrist (See Trump University). One fun example: A few NYT reporters without subpoena power were able to reconstruct years of tax fraud by Fred and Donald Trump just by looking and not a single person was surprised that (a) they did it and (b) it was easy to uncover. Put another way, if Tony Soprano had Trump's "talents" he would have been whacked by episode 3 in the first season. "LT of Chicago

"The Republicans haven't changed since the Nixon era. They've just learned how to do their dirty tricks so that it's much harder to get them. We as a country have to wake up." Nova yos Galen of CA

"Thank God Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner are still alive. There is no doubt that they could write and produce a movie and Broadway version of this story. Kind of a political version of "Blazing Saddles" crossed with "The Producers. It is all laughable until you remind yourself that this buffoon is the POTUS and that he is surrounded by a cast of characters that rival those around Tony Soprano. The next election cannot come soon enough." Judy of Canada

"One is the company they keep. Trump's associates have proven to be criminals, traitors, liars and all-around sleaze. The indictments and prosecutions of so many who helped get Trump to the White House dispels any sense that he ever was 'cthe candidate of law and order.' Even now, as Trump trash-talks Michael Cohen and his family, it raises an obvious question about why Trump was close to him for so long. "NM of NY

"Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Lee Atwater. Carl Rove. These guys are the heart and soul of today’s Republican Party. How can decent people be Republicans?" Pat Choate of AZ

"It used to be with these types of characters that everything was done behind closed doors, with hushed tones and away from the spotlight. The media was shunned at all costs. Now with this new breed, they LOVE the spotlight, and treat any media as a tool to promote a certain image or message. They deny, deny, deny of any involvement whatsoever and then go on the attack against anyone that says otherwise. Then the next stage is to obfuscate and change the message. If they are caught and indicted, then the lawyer speak comes out. They split hairs and parse every word, verb and adjective. What they were doing was not what they were charged with precisely. What they said was not what they charged with precisely. They play the game right up to the point that the judge or jury decides that aye, they did say what they were charged with, and aye, they did do what they were charged with. Mueller is disregarding all of the flamboyant acts and sound bites, and just doing his job. - following the law wherever it may lead. Today it lead to Mr. Stone." Funky Irishman of Atlanta

"The criminal behavior of Nixon and the thuggery of Joe McCarthy are alive and well in the persona of Roger Stone and his compatriot, and fellow traveler, Donald Trump. Both are excellent examples of the rot and treason that permeates the GOP. 76 indictments under Nixon, 26 under Reagan, 16 under George W and now 18 under Trump and growing. Quite a record. How many indictments under Obama? Zero." LVG of Atlanta

"Just think what Trump voters will tell their children and grandchildren in future years: "Johnny and Susie, I want you to know that we were proud to cast a ballot for the most criminal Presidency in the history of the United States; there were more indictments, convictions and basic lawbreaking in the Trump Administration than in any other Administration before or since." "Now it wasn't easy listening to all those guilty verdicts, but all those Trump criminals were fighting for great causes...white supremacy, oligarchy, kakistocracy, theocracy, voter suppression...all the things that Make America Great." "You have to remember that those were different times in America...what with all those 'Mexican rapists' and other imaginary bogeymen being force-fed to us by Archbishop Hannity, Cardinal Limbaugh and Sister Coulter...fear and loathing was sweeping 40% of the country...the other 60% of the nation was perfectly fine relaxing and enjoying evolution, tolerance and modernity...all clear signs of the Devil." "Donald Trump and his felonious staff were trying to protect us...so we didn't mind that that our democracy was privatized and subcontracted to Russian security services...who understood security better than the Kremlin, right ?" "Anyway, Donald's heart was always in the right place, and we're proud of all he accomplished for us...even though he, his campaign staff and his son had to go to federal prison for treason, conspiracy and fraud." "We'll always love Trump" Sad." Socrates of NJ

"You can almost feel the slimy tentacles of all the players in this president’s game, slithering into every crack and crevice, reaching across continents and into deep pockets, groping with the same gusto and foul delight as the president might with some aspiring ingénue. Shutting down the government can be viewed in two ways. It can be the heartless ploy of a petty, ego-driven megalomaniac, heedlessly throwing people out of work just to squeeze the Democrats. He didn’t expect Nancy Pelosi to squeeze back, or have any idea just where she’d squeeze. It can also be viewed as the end of the president’s party, if not his entire Party. This administration has a reek about it. Kennedy called to mind Camelot. With this president, it’s more of a camel lot. So if you’re tempted to tour the ruins in the future, watch where your step. But you can feel that the end is near. You can see why it’s taken so long for Mueller to piece together the workings of this criminal enterprise. And, just like the end of the Sopranos, you can begin to imagine that with no warning, with no fanfare and with no possibility of a remake, the screen will just go black."

Gemli of Boston

[bixeapage]

Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier Review

Having owned a variety of Pass labs gear over the recent years, I have appreciated and respected the development work that Nelson Pass has put into his amplifiers, and with what Wayne Coburn has done with their preamplifiers.

Founded in 1991, Pass Labs has built a very solid reputation for developing and manufacturing some of the finest audio components available. If you ask anybody in the know within the high end audio industry about Pass Labs, they’ll most likely talk about their trademark industrial design, high level of performance, and dedication to accurate music reproduction.

In keeping with that tradition, they have developed the XP-17 Phono Preamplifier to offer stunning clarity through the use of technologies developed in their ultra-high-end XS product line (XS Phono Preamp sells for $45K!), and put it all together in a relatively affordable package that will suit the needs of most analog-oriented customers. And if you’re the type who owns a variety of cartridges, or like to buy and sell them regularly to find that “perfect” fit, the XP-17 has the ability to handle just about any cartridge you can throw at it.

During my time with the Pass Labs XP-17, I have found that it has the ability to do everything that I want it to do, and then some. Looking for a huge soundstage? Yep, it’ll do that. Want to extract the finest of details? Check on that as well. Like dead quiet backgrounds with massive dynamics? You get that in spades.

Highlights

Pass Labs Phono Preamplifier

Numerous loading options for all types of cartridges

RCA input, with both RCA and Balanced outputs

Very low noise output

Introduction

As I have previously stated, Pass Labs gear has been a part of my system(s) for a while now. I love the industrial design look to it, and I respect their direction and dedication to the high-end audio market. The brand adopted an early reputation for quality and innovation, and they have stuck to that same formula throughout the years. Those old-world values in a company are oftentimes hard to come by in today’s disposable world.

I had spent some time with Desmond Harrington and Kent English of Pass Labs at the AXPONA show in Chicago last year, and found that who they are in person, matches the company persona that you see and hear about. Professional, no-nonsense, and presentation that is free from overblown hype.

So when I saw that their popular and well-received XP-15 phono preamplifier was being replaced with an upgraded version in the XP-17, I knew that I wanted to have some time with it in my system. Pass Labs doesn’t make changes or upgrades very often, so I was confident that reviewing it would be worthwhile.

For those of you reading this review, you might wonder who the XP-17 is geared for. Given its $4,300 price tag, it’s definitely not intended for the first-time buyer into the vinyl playback market. Chances are, the person looking at this level has already gone through at least a few upgrade paths, and also has a nice turntable to go along with it. It’s not that you couldn’t match this up with a sub-$1,000 turntable; it’s just that you’d be more likely to be buying the XP-17 to go along with a higher-end unit that would work well together with it. A very good turntable and cartridge needs a quality phono preamplifier in order to bring out all of the details in the music. Likewise, if you’re running a high end phono preamp, you’ll want a turntable and cartridge that will compliment it as the two (turntable and phono preamp) are dependent in one another for the best playback and presentation.

PASS LABS PREAMPLIFIER SPECIFICATIONS

Power Consumption:

35 Watts

Gain:

76, 66, 56 dB Balanced; 70, 60, 50 Unbalanced

Output Impedance:

110 Ohms RCA; 220 Ohms Balanced

Input Impedance:

10 – 47K Ohms more than 200 values

Capacitive Loading:

100 – 750 pF

RIAA Curve Accuracy:

+/- .1 dB 20 – 20 KHz Passive / Active EQ

Distortion and Noise:

0.004%; Quad matched low noise symmetrical JFET input; Double shielded low noise toroid

Dimensions:

17”w x 12.5”d x 4”h @ 19lbs

MSRP:

$4300

Company:

Pass Labs

SECRETS Tags:

Pass Laboratories, Pass Labs Preamplifiers, Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier, Phono Preamplifier Reviews 2018, Vinyl Reviews, Preamplifier Review 2018

Design

As I worked on this review, I stumbled a bit when it came time to write some of the technical features in this Design segment. As I repeatedly read through the material from Pass Labs, I concluded they did a fantastic job of summarizing the design without going into too many technical details. Given that, I’d like to share their information accordingly:

Secrets Sponsor

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As associated equipment in the audio chain has improved we at Pass Labs found ourselves longing for an improved phono-stage with even lower noise, greater resolution and sonic ease than we had enjoyed with the Pass Labs earlier phono stages. The XP-17 takes what we learned from developing our premier product line and has brought some of those elements to a smaller, less costly package.

The XP-17 has a very accurate RIAA equalization curve. This curve is accurate to better than 1/10 dB across 10 octaves. The accuracy of this curve does not vary with an adjustment change of gain or cartridge loading. The XP-17 features gain adjustable from between 56dB and 76dB; a range sufficient to allow successful operation of not only high output moving magnet cartridges, but also the lowest output moving coil cartridges without the use of an auxiliary step-up transformer.

This extremely low noise / high gain structure of the XP-17 is capable of cleanly and quietly delivering in excess of 0.5V line level signal output with a phono cartridge input of 80 micro-volts. These are some of the best performance figures in the industry, and spectacular for a piece at this price point.

Setup

While my system went through some changes during the evaluation period, my final setup included the Pass Labs XP-17 phono preamplifier, PS Audio BHK preamplifier, VPI Industries Prime Signature turntable with Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze Cartridge, Pass Labs X350.8 amplifier, and GoldenEar Technology Triton Reference Speakers . All components sit on my Massif Audio Designs stands (Ambrosia Maple platforms with Zebrawood legs).

During the review process, I also switched around some components including a Pass Labs XP-20 preamplifier, Sutherland Engineering 20/20 phono preamplifier, and Pro-Ject 6Perspex turntable with Sumiko Blackbird cartridge.

In Use

After spending some time with the well-written Pass Labs owner’s manual, I had a very good idea of where I needed to start to get the XP-17 matched up to the Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze cartridge that was mounted on the VPI Prime Signature Turntable. Starting with the specifications on the cartridge, and referencing the chart provided in the owner’s manual, I was able to get a solid baseline for me to play around with a bit in order to come up with what I felt was the best overall balance.

An excerpt from the manual talks about how cartridge loading is not an exact science, and I thought it would be prudent to add that into my article:

Please understand the loading of a moving coil cartridge is a very inexact science at best, specific recommendations should be taken (and offered) very lightly. I encourage you to think separately from the cartridge manufacturer and choose your resistive loading values accordingly.

In addition to finding what settings would work best for my system, I also did some A and B comparisons between the single-ended and balanced outputs going from the XP-17 to my preamplifier. It didn’t take long at all to conclude that the balanced outputs were going to be my choice, as the additional 6dB of gain they provide created a more dynamic presentation.

So the obvious question would be about how it sounds, right? In a nutshell, my system never sounded so open, realistic, and alive as it did with the combination of the Pass Labs XP-17 phono preamplifier teamed up with the VPI Prime Signature turntable. There’s a definite synergy between the two, and the Pass Lab’s ability to pass through the details that were extracted by the cartridge (without adding coloration) presented vinyl playback at its finest.

I found bass presentation to be quite strong, yet articulate and detailed, and background noise to be almost non-existent on my best LP’s. Highs were crisp and clear, without a hint of glare or harshness. The soundstage filled up the entire space, and provided appropriate depth and height. When I compared the analog setup to the same tracks in digital, I was able to tell that neither the Pass Labs XP-17 nor the VPI Prime Signature were adding or subtracting anything from the music. I would definitely categorize the XP-17 as neutral in its presentation.

While my listening habits usually focus around music with high dynamic range, impact, and (very) loud volume levels, I found the XP-17 to work equally well regardless of the music type. Given its neutrality, it will work well with everything from classical, to jazz to rock.

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Now let’s take a look at some specific listening observations!

Vanessa Fernandez “Use Me”

Vanessa Fernandez. Use Me. I’m a little late to the party on discovering her music, and the irony here is that I learned about her from a video I watched where Harry Weisfeld from VPI Industries was conducting a demo, and playing her album. I figured that if Harry was using it to showcase his equipment, then it’s something that I need to check out. She covers some popular songs, and she has plenty of material of her own as well.

She’s got a mix of jazz and blues, and the recording quality of everything that I have heard from her has been spectacular. In her title song Use Me, which is a cover from Bill Withers, I found her voice to magically hang in the air between the Triton Reference speakers, with the rest of the instrumentation presenting itself in a wall of sound across the stage. The bass notes were deep and refined, and the background noise was barely audible until I turned it up to ear-splitting volumes. Next up is the classic blues song I love you more than you’ll ever know. One of my favorite versions of this song is from a live performance from Gary Moore, where the focus is on his screaming guitar. In this version, it’s more of a focus on her amazing voice that comes through with absolute clarity on the high notes, without any harshness whatsoever. The guitar work is excellent in this recording, and you could clearly hear fingers sliding across the strings, as if the player was standing right in front of me. I know it’s cliché in audio reviews to say that I completely forgot I was reviewing gear as I got caught up in the music itself, but that’s exactly what the case was on this album.

Joe Bonamassa “Blues Deluxe”

Joe Bonamassa. Blues Deluxe. My preferred way to listen to Joe is in his live concert videos in my theater. The live sound, the long guitar solos, and just being able to watch him do things on the guitar that nobody else is doing. He is arguably one of the absolute best guitarists around today. I’ve seen him several times in concert now, and just purchased tickets to see him at Red Rocks this summer (third row, center stage!).

Blues Deluxe is the rare studio album that I really enjoy. The title track, Blues Deluxe, is my favorite of them all and I have listened to it in many formats, and on a lot of systems. The very first time was at a friend’s house (Chuck Ellisor), who is the Founder of Genesis Audio in Gahanna, Ohio. It was played on his monstrous Sound Lab U1 speakers, being pushed by 2k watts a piece. The sound was huge, dynamic, and felt like a punch in the face. Since that moment, I was hooked.

This song has deep bass guitar notes with a high level of clarity and non-distorted lower reach. Playback also includes screaming, classic Joe guitar riffs without strain even at the highest volumes. Even at high volumes, the quiet passages had very little background noise. At about ¾ the way through the song, Joe goes off on one of his normal solos and just rips through the guitar in such a way that even if you’re hearing him for the first time, you know that you’ve never quite heard guitar like this. This song is just dripping with testosterone, and deserves both very high levels of volume, and a fine whiskey to go along with it.

Through my system, with the Pass Labs XP-17 leading the way, there are so many details extracted from the grooves in the LP; providing a moving listening experience.

Nils Lofgren “Acoustic Live”

This is a very popular album for demonstrations because A) it’s a great performance, and B) the recording on the acoustic guitar in particular is absolutely stellar. There aren’t many recordings I’ve ever heard that give you the “you are there” feeling with the guitars standing right in front of you. Unfortunately, I’ve seen other audio journalists complain about demo rooms at shows playing it too much. You’re not going to hear that from this writer…keep playing Nils!

Most of the time you’ll hear references to the song Keith Don’t Go because it’s the most popular song on the album. Yes, it’s that good, and it’s the perfect way to introduce people to Nils’ incredible ability if they haven’t heard him before. But the subject here is his less known song Some Must Dream. Granted, the early parts of the song are a little slow, but when Nils breaks into a long solo, it will absolutely take your breath away on the right system and synergy of components. With the combination of the VPI Prime Signature, Pass Labs XP-17, and the mighty GoldenEar Triton Reference, it does much more than just do it justice. The level of detail and brilliance in the mids-to-upper levels in this guitar work are so stunning that if I closed my eyes, I would have thought that I was back at Chuck’s house listening to his mighty Sound Labs. Yes, through the help of the Pass Labs XP-17, my GoldenEar’s transformed into massive electrostatic panels! If there was a weak link in my system, this song and presentation wouldn’t have been nearly as impressive. True reference material indeed.

Yellow “Toy”

I’ve talked about this album in other reviews that I have done before, but I couldn’t do a full analog review without including it. For demonstrating huge dynamic swings, deep, accurate bass, and a huge soundstage, it’s hard to find a more complete album.

On side D of the album, it starts out with a bit of an odd track called Magma. It’s not as much of a “song” as it is a collection of sound effects featuring voices and a variety of instruments dancing across the soundstage. This would be a great track for checking phase, testing speaker placement, and simply to wow your friends. The entire width of my listening room (approximately 14’) is a wall of sound during the playback of Magma, with the effects varying in height and depth. And late in the track, you are greeted with some extremely low and powerful bass tracks that when played on the right system, simply make the hairs on your arms stand at attention. Mini-monitors need not apply for this album because you simply won’t get the full realization of how much low end can be engineered into the grooves of a record! Once again through the strengths of my VPI Prime Signature and Pass Labs XP-17 phono preamp, it truly plays the material in the way that the artist and production crew intended. While I’m sure you could extract more detail out of an album like this, you’d have to spend truckloads of money to do so.

Conclusions

THE PASS LABS XP-17 PHONO PREAMPLIFIER is a true reference-class piece that is capable of a very high level of neutral analog playback. And for the price of $4,300, I see it as a true bargain in the realm of high-fidelity equipment.

Likes

Beautiful industrial design

Huge soundstage

Dead silent background

Dynamics in spades

Adjustability for any type of cartridge

Would Like To See

Adjustability from the front panel (although I realize this would increase cost!)

As I’m sure you can conclude from my article, I really like the performance and features that are packed into the Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier. It allows all of the details in the LP to come through, but it doesn’t add any signature of its own. It also provides enough connectivity and adjustability to meet your needs no matter what kind of cartridge you may own (or want to own). And to top all of that off, it has impeccable build quality and great looks as well.

For those who can really appreciate vinyl playback and all that it has to offer, you’ll really enjoy the Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier.

Highly recommended!

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