#i pledge allegiance to the band

[casshasfangs]

Exclusively for Cantis Magazine, we spoke with The Band Cthulhu ahead of their new winter release album, Dog Days.

The newest member of the band, Dani Royce, hails from Liverpool. But she didn't grow up with the Hogwarts education of her band mates, explaining, "You could say I was homeschooled, but even that doesn't fit. I learned by living... I got to pick what my passions are and my family encouraged me to grow them."

Indeed, Dani's passion for music had her lending her talent as a bassist to gigs across Liverpool, where The Band Cthulhu discovered her. "We first heard Dani play at an indie venue, and we absolutely knew we wanted to play with her, then and there." When we remarked that joining the band was a lucky break for the Liverpool witch, guitarist and singer Cass replied, "Honestly, we're the lucky ones that she's joined us."

We haven't been given any demos of the new album. In fact, the band are proud to share that they too, will hear the first play through of the entire album with their closest fans, at an invite-only birthday soiree for Shosh Edelman, the band's keyboard and synth player.

"The tracks are all original," Shosh answered when asked about the album's unique sound, "No covers, it's all our own work. We've been able to work with some artists that we all really admire. But it's definitely a step up from our last album."

We can't let mention of Cthulhu's debut album go by without asking about the sudden announcement of the band's 'break' earlier this year. Rumours have swirled online for months about the cause of the end of the fledgling band- but the resounding argument from fans is that sex, drugs and rock and roll was the band's downfall.

"Obviously we wish that things didn't end the way they did last time. We were all really hurt, and nothing good was coming of it by the end. But we're coming back better, and more prepared. I think the fans are going to be really impressed." Said drummer Rhett Andersen.

In preparation of the album's release, The Band Cthulhu dropped a surprise music video, hitting 1.2 million views in the first hour. For a wix band, Cthulhu's online presence has been a defining factor of their rise to fame. Band members share 'vlogs' and 'tiktoks' of their day to day, inviting fans to have personal relationships with both the band, and each member of it. Indeed, Cthulhu's utilisation of technology, unabashed advocacy for Being rights, and mobilisation of fringe outsiders as a fanbase, marks a seismic shift in the wix music industry.

-Melinda Hopsworth

[fu-imrhett]

Who's a good girl? A gooood girl. You're a good girl!

Fuck off. I could kill you with a look, don't test me.

(This goes double if I ever find out this was you, Cass.)

[casshasfangs]

As irritated as the band seemed to be, Ros was loathe to remind them again that the crew had been there longer. Jono had arrived at half five, and Miki hitched a ride with their uncle, bringing along the band's van full of equipment. They'd been working to transform the warehouse from an abandoned shithole to professional soundstage for hours, when Piper arrived.

She was good with her hands, had a knack for creativity, and when she had mentioned to Rosalind with her big wide eyes and hopeful lilt that she had a good vision for a music video for the song the band had been working on, Ros had backed her fully. Rosalind had hired a director first, a professor from Waheela U, chosen specifically with the intent to coach Piper into the role. Ros knew Piper would have the talent for it; all she needed was the experience and knowledge. She had a vision for the set design, and Rosalind trusted her, sipping her coffee while she scrolled through pictures of each piece Piper sent through.

The rest of the crew had arrived soon after Piper, and the band finally arrived around ten in the morning, already bitching about the cold. So when Shoshana scurried away from Sascha, the blonde met their gaze, raising her brows and having a pointed sip of her coffee.

Ros was next to Piper when she called for first places, and the elder Veela nodded in approval, stepping back and behind the camera, waving Piper over and gesturing to an empty director's chair. Ros crossed her legs, leaning her hand on the back of the chair to peer out behind Piper's head.

Cass was relieved for the call. Honest to Vlad, he thought his hair was never going to bloody fall flat again, with the amount of hairspray they were giving him. He practically leapt out of the chair, hurrying over to take his guitar from Miki and pulling the strap over his head. He was just finding his mark when the fancy Yankee Director Ros had hired called out,

"Okay. We're starting from the end: You three have been transported down here, you've given her your musical offering. You're bewitched, ensnared... Ms Royce, could we get you on the throne now, please?"

👽 extraterrestrial 🛸 the band cthulhu

“Sascha, please—it’s fine!” Shosh wailed through chattering teeth at the vampire who was knelt at her side, meticulously hand-stitching the hem of her extravagant costume. They were in an abandoned warehouse above the Den of Magic, getting ready to shoot the music video they’d all spent weeks preparing for, and it was absolutely frigid.

Which didn’t seem to bother Rhett and her eternally overheated werewolf blood in the slightest; the drummer looked comfortable and positively balmy as she banged out improvised riffs on her drum kit while Eric tested sound levels against the audio recording equipment they had setup in the space.

Cass didn’t look bothered, either—well, at least not by the cold. Though he did look surly seated in his director’s chair, sunglasses perched on his nose while a friend of Kelly’s that they’d hired to do hair-and-makeup fussed with his brownish locks.

Sascha gave Shosh a scolding tsk, not looking up from their stitching as they replied, “Wirklich? Because I was under the impression I was working with an artist who wanted perfection, not ‘fine’…”

Shosh groaned, but couldn’t argue that the stylist was right. Luckily, right at that moment, she saw Derek in her peripheral vision walk in carrying a full hot beverage caddy in each hand. “Oh thank fucking fuck, finally!” She scampered over to him, ignoring Sascha muttering expletives after her in German, and snatched up the cup that was labeled ‘SHOSH’ in big black-inked letters. She held it in between her hands for a moment, letting the hot liquid inside warm her frozen fingers, while she gushed excessively, “Derek—D-Man—you big beautiful go-go dancing gorilla man, you! I could kiss you right now, all over that perfectly chiseled jawline, thank you….”

Derek flushed and rebutted, “Ah c’mon, Shosh, it’s just tea the way you always take it…”

Shosh took a large gulp of said tea and hummed with contentment as it radiated warmth down her throat and into her belly, eyeing Cass and wondering if she ought to save him from Death By Hairspray by stealing him away for some vocal warmups.

Piper, who was somehow beaming like the fucking sun itself, interrupted this train of thought by clearing her throat and calling out, “Places in five, please, everyone! Erm—if you don’t mind!"

[theclosetedskeleton]

thinking about how i forgot my headphones today at school so to make up for the fact that i couldn't listen to dk i just counted how many [small + random] things i could find at my school/during the day that could be counted as dk references. i found 33 GHEKLP

[whatevergreen]

By Aude Konan (this is most of the article):

"Black punk communities seldom exist in France.

Many French black punks don't gather in groups as they don't feel the necessity to further ostracize themselves from a punk scene that's already not so welcoming of non-white faces. Throughout the years, though, a few black indie punks groups have emerged such as Mau Maus in the 1980s or the still active Zenzille.

One of the closest things France had to a black punk community was the Black Dragons, a group united by a will to fight back against racist skinheads and a strong sense of belonging to the Parisian suburbs.

The Black Dragons were an anti-fascist group formed in the 1980s in the northwestern Parisian suburbs. They were initially founded in the U.S. during the late '70s, largely influenced by the Black Panther Party.

Before the French branch was created in Paris, two black groups dominated the scene: the Del Vikings and the Black Panthers (named after the American party). These groups have been portrayed in Gilles Ellie Cohen's photography book Vikings & Panthers.

The Del Vikings were apolitical, focused on rockabilly music, the party scenes and a love of vintage American cars from the '50s. Many Del Vikings switched from flamboyant rockabilly to punk, like the young punk Petit Jean, who allegedly got killed by skinheads during a fight in Les Halles.

Indeed, racists and xenophobic attacks soared during the 1980s due to the rise of the far right party Le Front National and prominent fascists skinheads groups like the GUD and PNFE. They would patrol specific Parisian neighborhoods, especially Les Halles, a metro station and mall, attacking passersby.

They'd also attack people at punk gigs. In 1983, the skinheads launched one of their most horrific attacks: 'la chasse aux Beurs' or 'hunting Arabs.' The attack resulted in the deaths of 23 people.

Unable to get any type of protection from the police, groups of anti-fascist vigilantes appeared, like the Ducky Boys and, later, the Red Warriors. They chased down skinhead groups armed with baseball bats, knuckle-dusters and tear gas. The rise and fall of these groups is featured in Marc Aurèle Vecchione's documentary Antifa: chasseur de skins.

Following the 'chasse aux beur', a young man, Yves “Le Vent," created the French branch of the Black Dragons in 1983. At its height, the Black Dragons had between 600 to 1,000 members. Contrary to the other 'antifa' groups like the Red Dragons, the Black Dragons were mostly made-up of black members.

The Black Dragons' black and Arab French members were often working class, second generation children of migrants that came from the French banlieues. They considered themselves French, but were faced by racism in their streets and neighborhoods.

Invisible in a country that didn't seem to acknowledge them and lacking proper representation, these young people pledged allegiance to groups like the Black Dragons, which gave them a home and a purpose.

They were aware of the inherent institutional racism at play within the French establishment, but their main concern was the daily racist attacks Black and Arab people were victims of.

Hunting skinheads was, for them, more than a petty vengeance: it was a necessity.

The autobiography J'étais un Black Dragon (I was a Black Dragon) written by Patrick Lonoh, a former Black Dragon, describes the inner workings of the movement and the solidarity inside of that community."

"One branch of the Black Dragons called “Miss Black Dragons" was entirely dedicated to women members, as a way to boost their members. They would only fight other all-female skinhead groups. Music was also a component of the movement. Politically conscious French ska and punk bands like Les Beruriers Noirs, La Souris Déglinguée, and Laid Thénardier encouraged their fans to stand up against skinheads and hired 'antifa' groups to act as bouncers during their gigs."

A group of Black Dragons, Paris, 1980s

As for the 2020s, former Black Dragon Michael Patrick Lanoh has stated that:

"the extreme-right parties are no longer demonised and their leaders are invited to TV broadcasts, their racist ideologies have become commonplace,” ..., they have opted for a jacket and tie so they blend better into society and quietly exercise their baneful influence.”

Not so quietly lately.

[casshasfangs]

Cass scooped up the red bull cans, which were piled precariously atop each other, balanced on an amp. He snickered to himself at Rhett’s admission, waving off a ‘Sure, sure...’ before he went for his guitar. He was just thinking about the music, honestly, about what they’d have her play. Something to impress her, something that she could pick up easily, something that lent itself well to a strong bass, something where Shosh could sing so he could focus on Dani... Shosh read his mind, as always, and he was about to turn to her to quip about it with a crooked grin, when Dani came barging in.  

The song was perfect, he couldn’t have picked better himself. He stood close to Dani, his gaze shifting from his fingers strumming to Dani. His knee shook, his head bopped, Cass couldn’t help himself. He moved when he played, always had. And he hadn’t played with a bass in a while.

When the bridge came, he inclined his head to the mic stand, still making eye contact with Dani, then stepped back. Dani stepped forward, and while Shosh continued the lead, Dani sang, “More, and more, and more, and more...”

Cass turned to Rhett then, his eyes widening. He cocked his head to the new girl and mouthed to the werewolf, “Holy fuck!”

---

While the band gathered together in the booth, Rosalind settled on a stool in the studio, head buried in her laptop to look up the girl’s details. She hummed a tone of mild interest at the song, looking up briefly before going back to her work, content to let Eric do his own job.

Ros raised her brows at Piper’s line of questioning, humming before answering with a laundry list of factors going through her mind, “Her optics look good, strong social following, she’s clearly talented. Marketing her will be difficult, but if we can manage Rhett, we can manage anything... She’d need media training, an image refresh with the other three. Is she part pixie, did she say? We’ll just need to bring in a consultant, make sure the wards and provisions cover anything she needs... ” She looked up from her laptop then, lowering the screen, “If you mean the sound, though... You know the band, you’re experienced. You can make that call. Is she a good fit, sonically?”

Stalagmite was the best of the many Den venues, with clean bathrooms and clean water; sound was good, the place safe if you ignored the jutting rocks coming up from the floor. The Clinic hated Stalagmite and the rotating crowd surfers who came out of the shows with with puncture wounds from getting dropped wrong onto the jutting rocks. Dani had scars from her own days in the crowd. But now her view consisted of screaming fans, heavy bass riffs, and her name being chanted back at her.

Last song, she had to make it count. The Terrified Jones paid her fifteen galleons to do a cover job, she had two days to learn the material and announce her joining the band for a few shows. Guest player.

Dani winked at Val just in front of the barricade, arms enclosing the little Veela the were-jag called an annoyance currently dancing her ass off to The Terrified Jones lead singer, whose voice was cracking every time he tried to hit a new note. The smoke was intense on stage, the stage lights flashing piss yellow and neon purple - the band's atrocious choice. But the money, the stage, and cheers as the band walked off and Dani heard her name being yelled. Well, it felt better than whatever shit emo rock band from Belfast could pay her.

Dani went straight for the bar, bass slung low on her hips and the bartender immediately started throwing together a triple gin and honey mix. The fae felt eyes on her and turned to the small group hovering and whispering.

Flashing her most coy smile, Dani ran her fingers through her sweaty tumble of hair - "Need an autograph, or maybe a photo eh? Admiring my good looks are we?" Dani flipped the bartender a half sickle and took her drinks, "Hope y'all enjoyed the show and everything; merch is to the back. Unless of 'course ya want something else from me. Which is fortunate for you all as I do groups, but you'll need to provide the space."

[wraith-caller]

This is the cloth garb:

It is worn by two player model characters and no enemies. Those characters are Devin(D, Beholder of Death), and the dead person we find by Darian(D, Hunter of the Dead). You can get the set from a chest in Murkwater Cave, and off a corpse in Leyndell.

The current item description is sparse, just mentioning it's a commonly worn item made of rough cloth. There is a hood that completes the set, which is a thorn-wrapped mantle, seen on the dead body by Darian. The item description explains that the hood is put on those who have committed lesser crimes.

HOWEVER...

In the 1.0 text, this set has a very different description:

Clothing made of coarse material. Garb of spurned Tarnished who were forced into slavery in the Lands Between. The Tarnished have been wandering into the Lands Between from beyond the Sea of Fog in dribs and drabs since times of old. Most are killed on arrival, but the few, unlucky survivors are taken as slaves.

Intriguing. Let's explore some things about that.

So first is this idea of Tarnished being made into slaves, which appears to have been done away. After all, the Tarnished we meet are all kinda doing their own thing, free to pledge allegiance to whoever, and some, like Gideon, hold such an esteemed position of authority so as to have a squad of goons at their disposal for casually massacring villages. The other piece of this description is still accurate enough - Tarnished are targeted by multiple factions, and treated like crap basically everywhere they go.

So let's hold on to the idea that Tarnished were enslaved. Devin's attire would mark him as one, which isn't all that surprising given he and his brother were pariahs among pariahs. We know the Golden Order was the only institution not to revile them, based on the Inseparable sword description. The JP text for that same sword gives a more interesting flavor to that text, saying:

The Undivided Twins served the Golden Rule for no other reason than because they were not branded as cursed.

This is interesting because it omits any references to taking solace in the Order. The "for no other reason" bit is also noteable. It carries an implication that the lack of persecution is the primary force driving them to serve the Order. It makes sense. If you were hated by everyone else, you'd go with the one group who took you no matter what else they're up to, and you'd fight tooth and nail for them to last. Otherwise, what's standing between you and being completely shunned and ostracized again?

If we're to continue on with the 1.0 text for the cloth garb and its references to Tarnished made slaves, Devin wearing that set gives a new context to the phrasing of "the undivided twins served the Golden Order." Could the twins have originally been intended to be slaves of the Order? Devin's location in combination with his potential status as a slave is noteworthy because, aside from the Misbegotten of Castle Morne, there is one other named group of slaves, and they have a heavy presence in Nokron. The Fallen Hawk Soldiers were a band of slaves who were ordered to search the Eternal Cities. They became lost there, condemned to remain below the earth after burning the bones of their fellows and discovering the ghost flame.

These guys aren't just in the same city as Devin. They are right by him, in the Siofra Aqueduct itself, just where Devin sleeps. There is also a golden centipede in Siofra River, beside a corpse which gives us the Inverted Hawk Heater Shield, used by Fallen Hawk Soldiers. While I don't intend to suggest that Devin is a part of the Fallen Hawks, I do find these tiny, potential connections interesting as shedding some light on potential routes a character's story could have gone.

[raysources]

𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊  𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒     —     a collection of one - liners taken from the soundtrack of the 2015 broadway musical, school of rock.   slightly edited for clarity.   change pronouns as necessary.  

just wait and see!

let 'em laugh.

i know my time is comin'.

no one'll call me a loser again!

try to walk as if you're going somewhere.

the pressure's on for you and me.

don't, and it will mean i go ballistic.

good luck, have fun!

just like the good old days!

you've always been a dreamer.

give up your dreams.

your dreams are lame and weak.

we ought to cut the bull and just get real.

give up your dreams, and get a freakin' job.

join the grown - up world like us.

quickly, don't let anybody see you!

how come you never told me you could play music?

you ever play electric guitar?

let's waste that time together, shall we?

you're in the band!

don't forget to emote!

i only play classical.

that's good. for my grandma. who's, uh, dead.

i still don't have a job.

is that something you could swing?

i'm putting you in charge of the whole damn thing!

i pledge allegiance to the band.

if you're in raise your hand!

you never let me get in a word.

no matter what it is that i do, it's like i just can't seem to get through.

i've got so much to say.

still, you never listen.

can't you see i'm hurting?

i promise, one day i'll make you hear.

i'm not the kid you want me to be.

you just don't wanna see the real me.

you just keep shutting me out.

i'm not gonna beg you — you'll never see a tear.

the legend of the rent was way past due.

how can you kick me out of what is mine?

you're not hardcore unless you live hardcore.

what it all can mean is quite confounding.

the children all like him more than us.

who knows what he does but god, it works!

maybe we too could do some good.

there's been one solution since the world began : don't just sit and take it, stick it to the man!

get all of your aggression out.

stick it to the man!

go off the script, do what you like.

they hate it, they can take a hike.

why live your life to someone else's plan?

crank the amps to 17!

don't just sit and take it, stick it to the man!

show 'em what rebellion means!

why march to someone else's caravan?

there's no way you can stop the school of rock!

i'm in charge!

go punk, or start packing.

it's time to play!

come on, this isn't hard!

make sure he remembers, or i'm breaking both your necks.

we don't have time to waste while you try to find some taste!

i can still remember how the music used to be.

where do last year's one - hit - wonders go to?

what happened to the girl i was?

guess the songs kept playing, but i didn't stop to hear.

where's the joy i used to know, way back when?

sorry for the outburst.

let's keep this our secret, who'd believe it anyway?

thanks for the reminder that there's music in me yet.

if you flip the record and start over, does it sound the way it did before?

he can barely read!

i promise you, i can read!

we're gonna sue!

his ass belongs in jail!

i'm a loser, okay?

i used you.

worst of all, i wasted your time.

i thought nobody could, but you, you understood.

you raised my voice up, taught me not to fear.

i've learned who i am because you're here.

school won't be the same without you here.

now that i've found you, you can't just disappear.

you've taught me so much since you've been here.

two and two make five!

rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.

i've been biting my tongue too many times.

today's assignment : kick some ass!

[mikeysbride]

Welcome Back to Trench

When our kids introduced us to the world of the twenty one pilots fandom a couple of years ago, we were initially full of corny parent jokes:

Why are they called twenty one pilots when there are only two of them?

That's way too many pilots.

They're gonna need a bigger cockpit.

Why, for the love of God, don't they capitalize their name!?

That's not to say we don't still say those things sometimes (thank goodness our teens generally find us amusing), but it's also wild to see how big a part of our family dynamic this duo has become over these couple of years...so much so that I've even suggested that when we finally get a dog, he should be named Clancy. [T.O.P. fans will understand.] They are in regular rotation in our home and in our cars. Last year, they were one of my top 5 most listened to artists on Spotify! And last night, at last, we all went to see them perform live on the aptly-named Clancy Tour. It was the first time seeing them for all 5 of us - our family of 4, along with my 16yo's...um, favorite boy, we'll call him. I don't think she's been quite this happy since maybe when we first surprised her with AJR tickets. But as much as she loves AJR (we all do now!), twenty one pilots is HER band as Living Colour is mine, and Genesis is her dad's. Now we are all along for the ride.

And last night, much of Orlando was also along for that ride, having sold out the Kia Center pretty much immediately when the tickets went on sale months ago. I had a feeling their show would be high energy and that the crowd would be super hyped, and I was not wrong about that. But after being as impressed as I was by AJR (twice!) this year, I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. Tyler and Josh did not disappoint, though, and I have to say I am also quite impressed with THEM...not that I didn't think I would be. We've watched enough of their music videos and live performance clips (full concerts, even) on YouTube for me to know this, too, wasn't going to be just an ordinary concert.

To the point, Tyler and Josh have a way of immersing themselves into the crowd (literally) that makes them feel like they are right there with you - because they are - spending quite a bit of time out amongst their fans instead of on the stage. They are seemingly everywhere at once, making it feel like an intimate performance even with thousands of people in the audience. And the fire. There was a lot of fire, which I rather appreciated because, being prone to being cold, I was chilly in the arena, and it was nice to sometimes be able to feel a bit of warmth from the flames, all the way up our cushy club level seats!

We heard so many favorite songs of theirs last night, including my newest favorite from them, the super catchy "Lavish," but I have not stopped playfully pouting yet that they didn't do my O.G. favorite of theirs - the one that really stuck out to me when I first heard them, and that is "Lane Boy." I love that one so much that I have a bit of a reputation for it at this point. With a catalog as extensive as theirs is, they can't be expected to play everything, but man, hearing that one live would've made the night absolutely, undeniably perfect for me. Here's hoping they'll add it back in on a future tour.

Also on the subject of their music, I couldn't help but giggle thinking that Tyler doesn't really even need to know his own lyrics because that arena full of fans was more than happy to sing every line for him. From the first notes of every song, they were READY. If anyone knows the assignment, it's T.O.P. fans. Apparently, my kids aren't the only ones who can recite their songs like the Pledge of Allegiance. This is a thing I know now.

And finally, a huge thank you to Tyler for actually telling those of us in reserved seats to sit and rest for a few songs. Not to be the old lady in the room, but I'm long past the age of wanting to stand for an entire show, in most cases preferring to sit and truly hear the music and watch what is happening on the stage - or in this case (also) in the middle of the crowd somewhere. It was a bit of a reprieve when he said that.

Eh, so maybe I'll let that "Lane Boy" thing slide after all.

[erasawordsmithofsorts]

during my all nighter a few nights ago i said something that was mildly concerning to my friends but a daily thought to me:

"i pledge allegiance to the boy bands that didnt form in america because fuck this country and fuck this government. get that flag away from me and replace it with pics of 5sos and 1d"

like what? you guys expect my ass to LOVE my country? hell no..

[the-casbah-way]

when i was a kid i didn’t realise that the “i pledge allegiance to the band” thing from school of rock was a joke about the pledge of allegiance because i’m not american so i didn’t know what that was and i remember way later on in life hearing the real pledge of allegiance for the first time and being fucking baffled that people were reciting a version of the school of rock thing

[fu-imrhett]

Who is your biggest fan?

Look, I wanna say it's my girlfriend, Sol, but that wouldn't be honest. There's this chick who goes to literally every show. I see her all the time. And she like, she repeats outfits that I've worn? Which isn't hard you know, white singlet and a strap. But wearing a strap in the pit? That's unusual. I guess I was flattered until she got a perm to make her hair exactly like mine. And I think a boob job too, but to make them smaller? I don't have big tits. I dunno. Security knows about her because she's tried to jump out of dumpsters to chat with me. Like I get it, I'm hot and I'm great at drums, but fucking cool it.

[shannendoherty-fans]

1993 - Shannen Doherty portrayed by Michael Comte for the November 1993 issue of Vanity Fair.

Brat on a Hot Tin Roof (Part 3)

Shannen doesn’t believe in hell. *‘I only believe in heaven,’’ she says, sitting by her pool. ‘‘My theory on it is that He’s our father, and no matter how many wrongdoings I do, I don’t see how He could have His child burn in eternal hell." She tosses a tennis ball into the pool for her dogs to retrieve. “I tend to think hell is where we are right now,” she adds," in the sense that there are so many struggles that we face.”

Which is why she has decided not to pose nude for Playboy, one of the ‘struggles’ she has struggled with lately. They were offering her a reported $300,000-plus. “They’re really nice people, but I just can’t do it,” she says. ‘‘I mean, what do these men do with Playboy? You always hear stories about them. You know, about men jerking off to Playboy in the bathroom. And that’s a horrifying thought. I just get this image of some really gross guy with, like, Playboy in front of him, just jerking off. And I'm like ‘Oh, God. No. No. I refuse to be the centerfold. I refuse.’ "

She has a similar response to drugs, another one of the hurdles she has faced. “I’ve surpassed that,” she explains. "I’m really not into drugs. It’s sort of like I’m having a natural high on my life, just being myself. Why do I want a drug to alter who I am? Why do I want to snort coke so I can be extremely hyper and talk nonstop? I’ve never understood that drug. What’s the point? And what about ecstasy? I've seen my friends on it, just touching themselves and going home with people they don’t know and I’m like ‘Haven’t you heard of AIDS? My God, what are you thinking? Just because some drug makes you feel incredibly sexual, now you’re just going to pick up on some guy? Get a little control.' I don’t like being out of control, you know. Despite what People magazine says about me.”

She pets her black Lab absentmindedly. “My focus is on finding true happiness,” she says. “That’s my world now.”

Ie a Friday night and Shannen and some of her friends are at the Universal Amphitheatre to see Frank Black (formerly of the Pixies) and the The. "Getting good seats for concerts is clearly the best thing about being famous,’’ she says. ‘‘That means a lot to me.”’

She doesn’t usually go out armed with bodyguards—only if it’s a big function, like when she led the Pledge of Allegiance at the Republican National Convention. Tonight she just pulled her hair over her face like Cousin Itt and walked to her seat. ‘‘It’s like Jack Nicholson at a Lakers game,’’ she explains. ‘‘They see him, but they leave him alone.”

Shannen considers herself something of a music aficionado. ‘‘I have Jimi Hendrix in my car right now,”’ she says proudly.

‘Really?’ I ask. ‘‘Are You Experienced?’’

“In what sense?’’ she responds. ‘Are you asking me if I'm like a Jimi Hendrix person with heroin? Am I experienced in heroin? No, I'm not.”

She seems more knowledgeable about tonight’s concert. It’s a great show and she’s having a great time until a woman approaches her. "She goes, ‘You're not Shannen Doherty, are you?’" Shannen says, recounting the incident the next day. "And I was like ‘No.’ She goes, ‘Well, I’m a casting director and this band is doing a song called ‘We Hate Brenda,’ and we’re looking for a Brenda look‘alike. And you look an incredible amount like her.' "

The woman gave Shannen her card. She looked at it and handed it back. ‘‘I am Shannen,’’ she said. ‘‘ And no thank you." “The woman sat down,’’ Shannen recalls, ‘‘and apologized, but I don’t know whether her apology was sincere or not. Hopefully she’ll think about what I said because what she’s doing is cruel, unjust, and just wrong."

The casting director at the show was working for Kerin Morataya and Darby Romeo, the two masterminds behind what can only be described as the 'I Hate Brenda’ movement... [They give these people some lines that I'm not going to bother to type here, but can be found on the scans of you want to read them]

“It’s propaganda!’’ exclaims Shannen. “These two girls are obviously lonely and depressed and attention-starved. They decided to get attention by picking on me.” She pauses. The I Hate Brenda stuff really upsets her. It also upsets Aaron Spelling, whose company produces Beverly Hills, 90210, and who threatened to stop the recently published I Hate Brenda Book. “We own the name Brenda," he said. "And our lawyers are looking into it.”

But doesn’t Shannen think all this is even a tiny bit amusing? ‘‘No,”’ she says emphatically. ‘‘None of it is amusing to me. What's funny about it? It’s just people hating me. It’s just. . . bad!"

Brenda is back. There are constant rumors that Shannen will be fired from 90210, but here she is, on the set, ready to work. “We would never think of dropping Shannen,’’ says Spelling, who is not a stranger to temperamental stars, having produced such landmark shows as Charlie's Angels and Dynasty. "The actress Shannen Doherty was acting out a lot,” says executive producer Darren Star. ‘‘She was pretty crazy. …She’s clashed with cast members—there’s no love lost between Luke Perry and Shannen—but they're both actors and can put their personal differences aside. There was never any real question that she’d be back.”

And here she is. “Where do you want me?” Shannen is asking. In this episode, the third of the season, Brenda has gone to Minnesota for college. Her roommate, a childhood friend, and she have had several fights, mostly over boys (what else?). And in this scene today Brenda announces that she’s moving back to Beverly Hills. ‘‘Shan,” says director Jeff Melman, ‘‘I want you over a little to the left.”’

Shannen is wearing jeans, a tight cropped black sweater, and (of course) motorcycle boots. She seems oblivious to the other actors, especially the girl who plays her roommate, who is sitting on the edge of the bed having her long blond tresses groomed.

After four rehearsals, they shoot the scene: Brenda bursts in on her roommate and her roommate’s boyfriend. The boyfriend puts on his pants and leaves. Brenda yanks out her suitcase and begins to pack. The roommate pleads, ‘‘I know I've been a jerk lately, but we’ve been friends forever.” Brenda continues to pack. Then she delivers her big speech: ‘‘I wanted to be different. Not just from my friends back there, but from you and everyone else. And the truth is, I am different. And that’s just the way it is.” Tight close-up. End of scene.

They go through this several times, and with each take, Shannen sounds grumpier. Brenda always seems to be a little cross, in a perpetually bad mood, and that’s because it’s the way Shannen plays her. ‘‘The character is whiny,” Shannen says defensively. ‘‘But this season will be cool. I end up going out with an older man and it’s a good story line.”’

Melman and Doherty confer a moment over some bit of blocking. Watching the monitor it’s clear that, despite her limited range as an actress, the camera loves Shannen. The girl playing her roommate is, by any objective standard, more beautiful. Yet your eye goes straight to Shannen. The other girl fades away—she’s just another blonde—while Shannen holds your attention. Even the way in which she is irritating and petulant is somehow arresting. She draws you in.

After the scene is taped, Shannen retreats quickly to her dressing room. On the walls are framed magazine covers featuring the stars of 90210 and some pinned-up snapshots. ‘‘I should probably take the shots of the ex-boy-friends down,’’ she says, ripping a photo of Dean off the wall. She tears it in half.

Her friend Audreé Futterman is waiting for her. ‘‘Audreé is part of my team,” Shannen says, plopping down on a futon. ‘She does my hair in all my movies.” The other half of her team is her makeup person, Toni G. They have become her best friends.

Audreé and Shannen were hanging out last night until two A.M. on the set of Wolf, which stars Jack Nicholson. Audreé, who is wearing a loose dress with black boots, is doing hair on the film.

There’s a knock at the door, and a 90210 assistant hands Shannen two white paper bags. She gives one to Audreé and tears open the other. ‘“Two or three years ago when I used to drink and I'd get a hangover, I'd eat a hamburger and French fries,” Shannen explains as she unwraps her burger. ‘‘In-N-Out are the best.” Audreé smiles, as if this is some kind of joke only they two can share. ‘“Two or three years ago? Back then?” she asks. ‘‘Yeah,’’ says Shannen, eating away. She laughs. "I can hardly remember.”’

There’s a lot of back-and-forth about Peter Gabriel concerts and how Shannen doesn’t approve of Audreé’s latest boyfriend and whether or not Shannen will be able to land a part in hipster screenwriter-director Quentin Tarantino’s latest project, Pulp Fiction. Besides Brenda, Shannen’s greatest artistic triumph was playing one of the Heathers in Heathers, the cult film that launched the careers of Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Shannen’s eager to get her career back on that kind of cool track, and a role in Pulp Fiction would help. “My agent snuck me the script,” she says. ‘‘He says I'd be perfect.”’ (Tarantino wasn’t aware of Shannen’s interest. The three female roles went to Ma- ria de Medeiros, Rosanna Arquette, and Uma Thurman.)

There is another knock on the door, and an assistant director peeks in and asks Shannen if she could talk to the wardrobe person on her way back to the set. Shannen frowns. ‘‘I thought we worked out the fittings,’’ she says, getting increasingly nasty with every word. ‘‘Could you go tell her that?’ The A.D. leaves and Shannen looks at Audreé. ‘‘God,” Shannen says. ‘‘I mean, if she wants to do a proper fitting . . ."

A few moments later, the A.D. reappears. ‘‘They need you," she says. “And could you stop by Wardrobe?" Shannen rolls her eyes. ‘‘O.K.!’’ she snaps.

Audreé appears to be oblivious—she is there to worship. ‘“Wasn’t Jack great last night?’’ she asks Shannen. ‘Jack definitely has antennae.’

‘“Yeah,”’ Shannen agrees, ‘‘he’s got em.”

They both smile—more in-jokes. “You’ve got antennae, Audreé,’’ Shannen says, pulling on her motorcycle boots. ‘‘ ‘Antennae’ means you’re not self-conscious,’’ she explains, "because you don’t care. That you're just different.”

Audreé finishes her fries. ‘‘Yeah—that’s you, Shannen,’’ she says admiringly. “You don’t care. You've definitely got antennae.’’

“I hope so," says Shannen. "I really hope so.”

(Part 1 — Part 2)

[my-keys]

i think it’s really fucked up that the metal community refuses to hold bands that “are good” accountable for their bullshit. Trapt vocally supports Trump and they’re made into a laughing stock but Kerry King goes on stage in 2016 and says “it’s time for you snowflakes to shut up and respect the president!” and then leads the crowd in the pledge of allegiance during a show but no one wants to toss out their Slayer albums. Dimebag’s signature guitar had the god damn Confederate flag on it and Phil Anselmo shouted “white power” on stage but people still worship Pantera to this day.

i don’t know it just sucks

[rolandrockover]

Fits Like a Rock

Originally, this post was going to be called Fits Like a Sock, but I didn't want to immediately throw the garments at you, but while we're at it, let's just stick to the clothes.

Do you know the feeling when you are looking for a particular item of clothing in your closet and it is not where it is supposed to be?

Like the last clean pair of socks, for example, which you know perfectly well should be somewhere in the sock drawer, but nevertheless turn up somewhere else. This very special order of things can also have the occasional welcome side effect of unexpectedly finding a pair of underpants thought lost, or, even more unexpectedly, money.

And that's more or less how it works on Psycho Circus (1998) if you go in search of references for this album. You know, the reunion album of the classic 70s line-up, where you'd rather think you'd find something in the classic 70s catalog.

And what do you think I discovered today instead?

Of course, an unmistakable, tangible reference to Lick It Up, the band's first real unmasked album from 1983, which poached around in 80s metal sections more uninhibitedly than in the usual classic Kiss hard rock realms.

Listen to the guitar chorus of I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll and then listen to the opening and main riff of Fits Like a Glove. Even if the rhythm varies slightly in its center of gravity, apart from that even the pitch is identical. And where Fits Like a Glove hits another hook shortly before its repetition and briefly drifts upwards to resolve the riff, the guitar riff of I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll blasts forward at full speed, but don't worry, Paul takes over the expansive, resolving part with his vocals.

Of course, as a pure consumer you don't always notice this straight away, as I have to admit, but the first thing you think is: "Nice, sounds somehow like Kiss." And then you leave it at that for all time. Just remember the sock drawer.

Well, what else can I say about it? At least today, and for a change, it wasn't a The Elder (1981) reference regarding Psycho Circus.

That's quite something.

The links are in exactly the drawers they should be in. So don't be afraid to take a look at them:

I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll (1998)

Fits Like a Glove (1983)

[gatoself]

If I'm gonna pledge allegiance to anything it's going to be the rainbow flag

Gilbert Baker picked the rainbow for many reasons, because of the diversity of color and because it has such a varied mythology around the world.

Before 1978, the gay liberation symbol was the pink triangle, referencing the mandatory symbols different queer people in concentration camps wore. There were different colors and some were up or down, but for gay liberation it was universally the pink triangle, a small way of saying "never again"

When bible-thumpers say it's based on Noah's ark I have two points

°Noah's ark story is almost entirely plagiarized from the epic of Gilgamesh, where a character named Utnapishtim builds an ark during a great flood. It was written in cuneiform thousands of years before the Bible.

°Baker made the flag with the great flood story in mind as a symbol for hope that humans will never again commit atrocities towards each other, and the fact that the diversity and joy was like the many colors of the rainbow

From this article below:

"The crowd was as much a part of the show as the band. Everyone was there: North Beach beatniks and barrio zoots, the bored bikers in black leather, teenagers in the back row kissing. There were long-haired, lithe girls in belly-dance get-ups, pink-haired punks safety-pinned together, hippie suburbanites, movie stars so beautiful they left you dumbstruck, muscle gayboys with perfect mustaches, butch dykes in blue jeans, and fairies of all genders in thrift-store dresses. We rode the mirrored ball on glittering LSD and love power. Dance fused us, magical and cleansing. We were all in a swirl of color and light. It was like a rainbow.

A rainbow. That’s the moment when I knew exactly what kind of flag I would make.

A Rainbow Flag was a conscious choice, natural and necessary. The rainbow came from earliest recorded history as a symbol of hope. In the Book of Genesis, it appeared as proof of a covenant between God and all living creatures. It was also found in Chinese, Egyptian and Native American history. A Rainbow Flag would be our modern alternative to the pink triangle. Now the rioters who claimed their freedom at the Stonewall Bar in 1969 would have their own symbol of liberation.”