#inspired by my brother who just came back from a trip to australia and bought a koala keychain

[thegrxndking]

i genuinely love when people don’t know what to gift me so they just get me a keychain. fuck yes. keychains. love them. give me.

[dippedanddripped]

In October 1958, a teenage boy walked into a music shop in San Fernando. He bought a sleek Gibson ES-225 electric guitar.

Tourists sometimes look incredulously at shop owner Ed Intagliata when he reveals the Pacoima teenager’s name. But then he just shows them the receipt, signed by Ritchie Valens’ mother.

Founded in 1948 by Albert Cassell, the music shop is a San Fernando Valley institution. Originally housed in a shopping center on San Fernando Road, it relocated in the mid-’80s to the corner of Maclay Avenue and Lucas Street. Since being featured in the movie “Wayne’s World,” it has drawn tourists from every inch of the planet, becoming a local museum as much as a place of business.

Through a partnership with local schools, Intagliata helps parents who struggle to afford a musical instrument for their children. The Play-It-Forward program lets some of them pay only $1.

“It’s not a giveaway charity thing. The kids don’t know a dollar from a hundred dollars,” Intagliata said. “All they know is: My dad bought me a guitar. I’m going to learn it.”

The program, he said, would not be possible without the generosity of customers. He cited one former student who had paid for 10 lessons before having to move away. Instead of asking for a refund, she donated the lessons to students in the program.

“People wanna help. They really do,” said Intagliata. “I’m not looking to be the biggest, baddest music store around. We do a good business. I make a living for myself and my family, and we pay our bills. And I’m happy with that.”

Intagliata came to California from Connecticut as a child and grew up in affluent Palos Verdes. He was appointed to run the shop by his father, a now retired aerospace engineer. His father purchased Cassell’s Music in 1978, after seeing an ad for it in the Los Angeles Times. His hope, said Intagliata, was to provide his eight children with a place to work during their college years.

At the time, Intagliata was working in the customer service department at Sears, where clients habitually returned worn shoes and dried-up cans of paint. He had a degree in music from Cal State Fullerton.

His father, said Intagliata, “had to put up some heavy collateral to buy the store. I didn’t find that out till later, that he was putting his future on my shoulders.” Intagliata was 24 — the second oldest of the Intagliata children. His employees were his siblings, which could cause a little tension.

“One of my brothers thought he could do his homework on the counter here,” he said. “And I told him: ‘No, man, no. You do that at home.’”

Nowadays, Intagliata, 64, welcomes everyone who comes through his glass doors and greets the mailman with a fist bump. To better serve some of his Latino customers, he made it a point to learn Spanish — using the language to communicate in a suburban San Fernando Valley city where, in the 1940s, people of Mexican descent had to sit in the balconies of movie theaters.

Intagliata enjoys peppering visitors with trivia questions. “Did you know,” he asks, “that Ritchie Valens’ real name was Richard Valenzuela; that he was buried at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery ; that ‘La Bamba’ was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress?”

A scene in “Wayne’s World” filmed at the shop in the ‘90s helped put Cassell’s Music on the map. In the movie, the protagonist, played by Mike Myers, makes repeated visits to the shop just to gaze longingly at a white 1964 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. Nearly three decades later, Intagliata still has wide-eyed tourists pop into his shop every summer. Sometimes they try to re-enact the scene in which Wayne finally takes the instrument in his arms. On Facebook, Intagliata has posted photos of smiling tourists from Florida, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Australia, Argentina and El Salvador.

In addition to a framed photo autographed by the actors in “Wayne’s World,” the walls of Cassell’s Music are covered with mementos showcasing Intagliata’s customers. Thank-you cards from recipients of the Play-It-Forward program adorn one area. On another, he keeps a framed article that recounts a visit from The Master’s Kids, a pre-kindergarten program at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley.

The visit, documented by Music & Sound Retailer, highlights Hannah Carmichael, who went on a field trip to Cassell’s Music when she was 4 years old. Years later, she returned to the shop as a chaperone with her daughter’s class. That day, she brought a photo with her, taken by her mother at the shop in 1993. In the article, Intagliata proudly notes: “Mrs. Carmichael told me that, out of all the field trips her preschool had taken, the visit to the music store was the only one she remembered.”

Julie Chung of Granada Hills has accompanied three of her five children on field trips to Cassell’s Music. Normally, she said, parents of 4-year-olds make for anxious chaperones. Their main goal is to ensure that the little ones do not touch — and break — anything.

But that fear dissipates at Cassell’s Music, she said. During the field trips, the children and their parents get the store to themselves, and Intagliata starts off by playing the same tune using woodwinds, strings, percussion and brass.

“So that the children can hear the difference,” said Chung. Following the presentation, he leads the handsy children to a table full of instruments. “Go on,” he says. “Give it a try.”

None of Chung’s children have taken up music classes. Still, she said, “I know many kids who’ve been inspired by Ed. And I’m talking about entire families, generations.”

Esteban Andrade, a freshman at Cal State Northridge who began taking violin classes at Cassell’s Music in kindergarten, is one of them. Back then, said Intagliata, “we just called him ‘Stevie.’ Now, he’s this accomplished musician, and he’s got all these mariachi groups trying to recruit him. Makes me real proud.”

Andrade is one of three brothers, all of whom have taken classes at Cassell’s Music. Their father, Francisco Andrade, described Intagliata and his store as “indispensable.”

“Whether it’s support with acquiring new instruments or teaching us how to make small repairs, there’s always this generosity,” he said. “Without Ed, we would’ve had to go out of our community to provide for our boys.”

Intaglatia has begun flirting with retirement. He’d like to travel, he said.

“I want to see your Vienna, your German towns and Italy, all the places where classical music flourished. I want to go to the Holy Land, all the biblical sites,” he said. “Maybe go to the South Pacific and get one of those bungalows over the ocean — God, that looks great.”

But he can’t pinpoint when that will all take place. “I just don’t know,” he said. “I’m having so much fun right now.”

Outside of Cassell’s Music, Intaglatia keeps busy with more music. He plays bass on his church’s worship team, directs “a small choir” and sings with the Santa Clarita Master Chorale. He also brushes up on the seven instruments he knows how to play, including the accordion — his “first love.”

“It’s a good conversation piece,” Intagliata said. “People always ask, ‘What’s your favorite instrument?’ And I tell them, ‘Well, you gotta guess.’”

He laughed. “They never guess.”

As cars whizzed past the intersection where he’s worked for decades, Intagliata pulled up two images on his computer.

“You gotta see this,” he said.

On the left side of the screen, he had a picture of Sophia, a local student and the first recipient of the Play-It-Forward program. With a shy smile, she holds her first guitar with both arms. On the right, Sophia, now in middle school, juggles two instruments: her first and a blue electric guitar.

“She outgrew the first one,” Intaglatia explained. “Wants to play electric now, which is great. And you know what she did? She says, ‘Here. Give my old guitar to someone who needs it.’” Intagliata said, his face beaming. “Can you believe that?”

[ginasneesby]

August - Rarotonga

So I have been meaning to write this for months now, given I went there last August. But, life, the universe and Game of Thrones has meant that I just haven’t sat down to write about my paradise island get away. As my grandma had generously left me some money, most of which was to be saved for travelling when I had visitors, I thought I’d book a holiday somewhere beautiful and warm that I would never think to go from the UK. There are lots of Pacific islands that all look amazing, but which one to choose.

I was inspired by someone I knew who had gone there only a few months previously and so I booked some flights to Raratonga in the Cook Islands. I decided to not spend all my money at once and so reserved a double room (I didn’t wanna be too cheap) in a hostel by way of balancing out the activities I was bound to do.

I took off on Saturday evening, a short 4 hour flight later and it was Friday night again, only this time on a small, warm island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean! I was picked up from the airport by the woman who ran the hostel, who was very kind and advised us to grab beers and a phone card if we needed as nowhere outside of the airport would be open, but I was planning to be pretty cut off/use the hostel wifi when needed. 15 minute car ride and we arrived at the hostel, which was about a quarter of the way around the island (it is not a big island). Although it was midnight, it was warm, which boded well for a beach holiday, and there were dogs and chickens roaming all over. The hostel had a nice outdoor area with hammocks and a decent sized kitchen, so we wouldn’t be crawling round each other to cook. However, the room was pretty plain, there were loads of bugs and lizards on the walls and round the lights and a trail of ants in my room; but ya know, that’s what you get for about £10 a day.

The first day I decided to have a leisurely morning and then get the bus towards the town centre, I had thought about hiring a moped, as I have it on my license although have never driven one myself, but they were all booked up that day. The bus, needless to say, did not run on time, not even close. Basically they were supposed to go clockwise and anticlockwise every hour and looking at the timetable, that was in about 15 minutes. 30 minutes later it arrived, but it was cheap and took me where I wanted to go. I headed up into town and took a wander around, thinking what I fancied booking, there were Polynesian food and entertainment evenings, boat trips, water sports and spas. However, given how little money had been put into the infrastructure and local villages they were all quite expensive. I guess if you have a bunch of tourists staying at posh resorts, they’ll eat up these activities with ‘meals included’ and ‘transport to and from your hotel’, however I wasn’t on that sort of budget. I went to a local restaurant near the beach, and thought I can at least have a nice lunch and a beer on my first day, but when the bill for that came I was swiftly put off doing anything. I guess they have to import everything even more so than NZ!

There was also no free wifi, it was something that needed to be paid for so I didn’t bother, which is a shame, coz part of the reason you go on lovely island holidays is to take obligatory white sand pictures and spam everyone’s Instagram! I did go to a supermarket and buy some bulk items that would feed me breakfast, snacks and dinners and made my way towards the bus stop. Again the buses screwed me, and the stop wasn’t where I thought it would be and when I did find it, it was in front of a big supermarket that had lots of deals in the window, typical. I did however give up on the ‘not gonna spend any money’ and bought some beer.

I was hoping that most people in the hostel would be friendly and up for a bit of a drink, no one was really around in the afternoon but I thought ‘Fuck it I’m on holiday’ and had a few beers by myself. Others arrived in dribs and drabs a bit later, a couple from Germany, a guy from Australia and a couple of kiwis. Mostly friendly, but not very inclusive. A few of them had been there for a while and there was a particular couple who basically decided who they were going to include in their little group, and who they weren’t; I was not on their list. Unsure why, the girl just took agin me and so I was out, and so started a holiday where I spent most of my time on my own (not so bad) while most others at the hostel hung out together, ate together and planned things together (not so fun).

Making the best of it, everyday was spent having a lie in, then making my way to the beach and lying in the sun for most of the day, I was beautifully sunny and warm but not boiling or burny as it was the middle of winter, so I could lie out for ages without worrying. I did manage to hire a moped for a few days, which meant I could easily get around the island, I did one whole lap one day just to see how long it would take me. On my way round I went past a boat tour operator and decided to book it for later in the week, it wasn’t too expensive and it included entertainment, a meal on the beach and snorkelling if you’re that way inclined (I am not). It was also a glass bottomed boat and the water was super clear, so I didn’t feel the need to get in until right at the end and just for a dip to say I have swum there. The lads running it were great, they played instruments, made jokes and were generally quite loud (think my brother but Polynesian). They fed us fish, potatoes and kumara freshly from the fire and then gave us a coconut shucking workshop and a many-ways-to-wear-a-sarong fashion show. We then had some time to chill and explore as we were on a small spit just off the main island, but annoyingly the sun had gone behind some clouds and it was a little bit chilly by that point.

One of the days I joined a group of people doing a giant puzzle; it was pissing it down and didn’t appear to be letting up any time soon, so when I came downstairs and people were all doing a puzzle, I joined in. It was quite a fun day, although I suffered later (warm weather + humidity+ bush + rain = mosquito-palooza) I was absolutely eaten alive, like worse than ever before, my skin was burning and I looked like I have measles and chicken pox and I dunno the plague! Luckily I had a supply of salt water to ease my prickly legs every day (you always forget about these parts when you go on a lovely hot holiday)

Every other day I pretty much did the same thing, I would find a different part of the coast I hadn’t been to yet and sit on the beach reading for a few hours, I made friends with the dogs (although not too close as they all had fleas) and in the evening would have some beers and try to make chat with the other people staying. I managed to become fairly friendly with a couple of people and by that I mean we added each other on Instagram, but it seemed to be, once you were not picked by the couple (or rather the girl) you weren’t really included in stuff. In fairness, she was horrifyingly aggressive about her and her partner’s family and told a story about holding her pregnant sister against the wall by her throat, whether true or not, not really what I’m looking for in a friend!

Managed a couple of fun nights, going down to the beach to look at the stars was awesome, it was super dark and so you could see everything including the milky way. The last night, we all went down to the bars next to the airport, they were well known for being cheap and large drinks so although I had to fly home at like midnight, I did allow myself a couple of drinks to celebrate just being invited along! The bus driver did try to charge me extra for my little suitcase as I was ‘clearly’ going to the airport, I just sat down and refused to pay, I mean. You’re the only bus, there isn’t an airport bus, and this is carry on luggage, hardly takes up loads of space. My flight was late Saturday night, and I landed early Monday morning, completely losing that Sunday, time zones are weird.

The only other thing of note that happened was the day I was exploring with my moped, after booking my boat tour, I went to turn back onto the road and my handles either didn’t turn, or locked or something and I went shooting across the road into a parked car! I managed to turn enough to not actually connect bike and car (thank fuck) but I did hit the car with myself, and took off the wing mirror with by boob. Ouch. 2 hours and a $500 hold on my credit card (the mirror was intact so can’t have been that expensive but the woman couldn’t give me an exact quote) later, I was back on my way, a little bruised and a little bit red in the face.

In conclusion, I could totally go to somewhere similar again (although not here as their laws about imprisoning gay people is horrifying) but if I did go, I would book somewhere lush and go with money so I can spend my days in luxury and share it all on insta to make people jealous!

[average-fanfics]

Wizardess Heart Modern Au

So this was greatly inspired by Rayheart on tumblr, with her modern AU. I couldn’t help myself. I just had to write it. This is still Gedonelune but given a modern world instead. I am basing this off of both my high school in Australia and what my friend's high school is like for her in America. Also, Wienfix is mentioned in Sigurd's route (but I found it on tumblr). I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AMERICAN FOOTBALL, SORRRRYYYYY….

“So Liz, you going to attend the football match tonight?” Liz turned to her left to face her best friend, Amelia. They were walking together on the way to their next class, which was an elective, and the only class they have together.

“Of course! I love to cheer on the football team, especially Klaus, Serge, Vincent, Guy, and Glenn!” Liz enjoys cheering on her friends every week, either it is a home game or an away game.

“You should consider the cheerleading squad, Liz,” Amelia suggested, combing her fingers through her orange hair, trying to catch knots that didn’t leave that morning with her hairbrush.

“I don’t know… plus I have to wear those suggestive outfits, and guys already hit on me left to right.” Liz explained her reason to not join. SHe would love to cheer for her guys and be a part of a team, but with boys around the school constantly flirting with her, she doesn’t want the extra attention.

“I understand your reasoning, but in most stories, the cheerleading squad girls are the most popular girls on campus! Think of that, popular!” Amelia’s grin was spread across her face, popularity looking good to her.

“I don’t need to be popular when I have friends that care about me.”

They stopped in their tracks as Amelia gives her a big hug. “This is why we all love you, Liz.”

“All I need is my friend’s love.” Liz hugged her back before the pair started walking again to their class.

Liz had spent years of her life alone, after her and her parents were involved in a freak car accident. When Liz was only 13, they were on a trip to the neighboring continent, Wienfix, when unfortunately, a drunk man speeding in the opposite direction collided with their car. The car was severely damaged in the front, killing both of Liz’s parents. She survived in the back seat and had to live with her aunt and cousin for 4 years till she was 17. She now lives in an apartment by herself, earning her wages by working at the local cat cafe.

The first period passed as normal, as did the next 3 periods until lunch. She had cooking during the 4th period, meaning payday. This was another way to earn money. She would cook and end up selling the food at lunchtime, she didn’t ask for this, but she needs any extra money to continue living alone.

“So today I made some Yo-Yos. They are an Australian biscuit, which is also called Melting Moments. They have a cream filling and are extremely sugary, with lots of butter as well. Unhealthy but delicious.” Liz explained the contents of the biscuit.

“They look delicious, Liz.” Elias was the first person to comment on her food. Having a sweet tooth, and instantly bought some before they were gone, Klaus not too far behind.

“Just what I need before practice. Be better if I had tea with me.” Klaus bought some before more guys started to show.

“You should try some coffee, Klaus. I bet these are amazing with coffee.” Sigurd butted in. Klaus instantly scrunched his face, disgusted by even the mention of coffee.

“Keep that coffee far away from me, also Serge gave me his money to buy some for him since he is already down at the pitch. He said he needed a lot of whatever you baked.” He gave extra money to Liz to buy some for Serge.

“Tell Serge I said hi, and you're welcome for baking these.” Liz smiled, knowing how happy Serge would be for these sweets.

“Will do.” And with that, Klaus was off.

“Can’t believe he won’t try coffee… Maybe I should swap his tea for coffee sometime.” Sigurd walked off after purchasing a couple of Yo-Yos. You could tell by the concentrated look on his face, he was figuring out a way to make Klaus drink coffee.

Lunch rolled past quickly, with all her sweets being sold before halfway through lunch. Yukiya had popped in to buy 1, while other’s like Luca and Joel, bought a handful, not letting the ‘beautiful’ food go to waste.

For the rest of lunch, she sat down on the grass field, overlooking the football and the football team practicing, with Amelia. They gossiped, well, Amelia gossiped, about what was going on through school. A secret relationship was revealed when they told their friends they were dating, and one girl accidentally told another girl. That other girl had a habit of not keeping things secret, and by the end of the day, Amelia was sure the whole year level would know this. And by the end of the week, the whole school would know. That was the way it worked here at Gedonelune High School. Something couldn’t remain a secret for long.

The day quickly ended, with Liz walking side by side with Amelia, on the way to the cat cafe to attend work. The bonus of working there, you get to hang around cats. When Amelia and Liz arrived, they changed into their uniform, a simple white shirt and black skirt with an apron. It had only been 5 mins until Elias walked through the door with a book in hand, and sat in his regular corner seat.

Liz walked up to him, with a notepad to take down orders in hand, and tapped his shoulder to get him out of his book. “So what would you like today, Elias? The normal chocolate and caramel slice with hot chocolate, or would you maybe want to try our new triple chocolate cake?”

“I would like the normal hot chocolate, 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 marshmallows, and I would like to try the new chocolate cake please.” Elias smiled as a tabby cat came over and sat on his lap. “Hello, Mr. Fluffy, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” He talked to the cat, which was named Mr. Fluffy because of his large fluffy fur.

Liz walked back up to the counter and told Liz his order. “I swear, he orders diabetes every day.” Amelia laughed.

“Klaus isn’t any better. They both live off sugar, which apparently they and their older brother got from their father.” Liz laughed along as they both prepared his order. Liz working on the hot chocolate and Amelia cut a slice of cake for him. When both were finished, Liz walked back over to him with a plate in hand, and he instantly started eating.

After eating, Elias complimented her on the food. “Thank you, Liz, I deeply enjoyed the cake and hot chocolate.” He gave his fan-killing smile to Liz, which could melt anyone’s heart. “The cat’s are just an added bonus, as I mostly come here to see you- I mean eat your food! You did say you cook some of the food here, right!” He was blushing from head to toe, causing Liz to blush as well.

Liz gave a slight thank you, as she walked away to the counter, Amelia watching the exchange from her position with the widest grin on her face. “You two are soooo adorable together!” She squealed at Liz, getting excited. “I hope you two date someday!” This caused Liz to blush even more.

The next couple of hours continued, with Elias leaving not too long after the embarrassing conversation. He normally stays for longer, but the girls guess he couldn’t handle the embarrassment, but either could Liz. However, the shift continued with nothing of the sort happening again, just serving customers.

Amelia and Liz made plans that Amelia would drop Liz off at her place, as usual, but pick her up later to attend the football match. This prevented Liz from happening to walk to the school grounds at dark, even if the school is in walking distance.

An hour later, they were both at the school football field, cheering on their fellow friends. Sitting with them on the bleachers was Elias, Yukiya, Azusa, Joel, and Leon. Not too far was Cerim, Leslie, Sigurd and Mel, and Luca sitting amongst the girls, obviously with his new girlfriend, which would not last too long. God knows how many girlfriends he has had, although Amelia might actually know since she stays a top of gossip.

The game was off to a good start, with Guy being the fastest runner, scoring a goal. This continued on, with their team winning. With a combination of Glenn’s strength, Guy’s speed, their teammates, which includes Serge and Vincent, and Klaus’ leadership as captain, they were sure to win.

It was halftime break, and Amelia used this to talk to the guys sitting with her and Liz. “So Yukiya, take anymore stray cat’s home again?”

Yukiya moved his head so he was facing Amelia. “I found a stray cat on the way back home after school, but after mum’s last warning about bringing home another animal, I could only give him some leftover lunch and make a little shelter out of nearby boxes and containers.”

“Awww, that’s so sweet…” Amelia cooed.

“I could maybe take that cat home, could you show me where it is if it is still there?” Leon asked Yukiya, who was sitting next to him.

“Sure. Let’s just hope the cat is still there.”

“I love cats,” Elias joined the conversation. “but unfortunately, Klaus is allergic to cat hair so I’m not allowed to bring any home.”

“That’s a shame,” Yukiya responded.

The game then continued, with their school still in the lead. The other team was gaining up, causing a tie. Both teams were desperate to win this match, which would lead them to the finals. They had little time left and wanted to try every strategy to win. They decided on Guy going in for the final goal, and fortunately, he did it. He managed to score a goal before the end of the game, meaning that they won!

Everyone from Gedonelune High School ran down to the pitch to congratulate them on the win. Liz headed down as well, but not running like everyone else. She headed to where Klaus and Serge were crowded.

“Hello Klaus, Serge. Great job on winning tonight!” She smiled up at them as she felt happy for their win.

“Well, I couldn’t have done it without those delicious treats at lunch!” Serge hugged her, his way of saying thank you.

“Serge, I wouldn’t mind a hug normally, but you’re sweaty.” Liz pointed out. He immediately let go, now aware of how terrible he must smell.

“Those treats were delicious, Liz, and I do believe they helped us today.” Klaus butted in, obviously not happy that Serge was close to Liz.

The crowd eventually faded, and Liz was dropped off at her apartment by Amelia. She quickly changed into her pajamas, taking out her twin pig-tails held together by pink ribbon. She flopped onto her bed quite dramatically, as she felt exhausted from today’s events. She had a quick scroll through social media before falling fast asleep, dreaming about the events of the day. Selling food, the football match, and don’t forget about Elias’ blushing. That was the most awkward of today's events. She dreamed of something happening between the two, a romance.

She was happy in her dreamland until she woke up.

---

Word count: 1885

Yeah, so that is it. Will Liz end up with someone, since 15 guys like her? That scene with Elias though, our adorable tsundere is all grown up! If I continue this, it might have one feature guy per chapter, I don’t know. Again, thanks to Rayheart for her amazing modern AU that prompted me to write this!

[averagefanfics]

So this was greatly inspired by Rayheart on tumblr, with her modern AU. I couldn’t help myself. I just had to write it. This is still Gedonelune but given a modern world instead. I am basing this off of both my high school in Australia and what my friend's high school is like for her in America. Also, Wienfix is mentioned in Sigurd's route (but I found it on tumblr). I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AMERICAN FOOTBALL, SORRRRYYYYY….

“So Liz, you going to attend the football match tonight?” Liz turned to her left to face her best friend, Amelia. They were walking together on the way to their next class, which was an elective, and the only class they have together.

“Of course! I love to cheer on the football team, especially Klaus, Serge, Vincent, Guy, and Glenn!” Liz enjoys cheering on her friends every week, either it is a home game or an away game.

“You should consider the cheerleading squad, Liz,” Amelia suggested, combing her fingers through her orange hair, trying to catch knots that didn’t leave that morning with her hairbrush.

“I don’t know… plus I have to wear those suggestive outfits, and guys already hit on me left to right.” Liz explained her reason to not join. SHe would love to cheer for her guys and be a part of a team, but with boys around the school constantly flirting with her, she doesn’t want the extra attention.

“I understand your reasoning, but in most stories, the cheerleading squad girls are the most popular girls on campus! Think of that, popular!” Amelia’s grin was spread across her face, popularity looking good to her.

“I don’t need to be popular when I have friends that care about me.”

They stopped in their tracks as Amelia gives her a big hug. “This is why we all love you, Liz.”

“All I need is my friend’s love.” Liz hugged her back before the pair started walking again to their class.

Liz had spent years of her life alone, after her and her parents were involved in a freak car accident. When Liz was only 13, they were on a trip to the neighboring continent, Wienfix, when unfortunately, a drunk man speeding in the opposite direction collided with their car. The car was severely damaged in the front, killing both of Liz’s parents. She survived in the back seat and had to live with her aunt and cousin for 4 years till she was 17. She now lives in an apartment by herself, earning her wages by working at the local cat cafe.

The first period passed as normal, as did the next 3 periods until lunch. She had cooking during the 4th period, meaning payday. This was another way to earn money. She would cook and end up selling the food at lunchtime, she didn’t ask for this, but she needs any extra money to continue living alone.

“So today I made some Yo-Yos. They are an Australian biscuit, which is also called Melting Moments. They have a cream filling and are extremely sugary, with lots of butter as well. Unhealthy but delicious.” Liz explained the contents of the biscuit.

“They look delicious, Liz.” Elias was the first person to comment on her food. Having a sweet tooth, and instantly bought some before they were gone, Klaus not too far behind.

“Just what I need before practice. Be better if I had tea with me.” Klaus bought some before more guys started to show.

“You should try some coffee, Klaus. I bet these are amazing with coffee.” Sigurd butted in. Klaus instantly scrunched his face, disgusted by even the mention of coffee.

“Keep that coffee far away from me, also Serge gave me his money to buy some for him since he is already down at the pitch. He said he needed a lot of whatever you baked.” He gave extra money to Liz to buy some for Serge.

“Tell Serge I said hi, and you're welcome for baking these.” Liz smiled, knowing how happy Serge would be for these sweets.

“Will do.” And with that, Klaus was off.

“Can’t believe he won’t try coffee… Maybe I should swap his tea for coffee sometime.” Sigurd walked off after purchasing a couple of Yo-Yos. You could tell by the concentrated look on his face, he was figuring out a way to make Klaus drink coffee.

Lunch rolled past quickly, with all her sweets being sold before halfway through lunch. Yukiya had popped in to buy 1, while other’s like Luca and Joel, bought a handful, not letting the ‘beautiful’ food go to waste.

For the rest of lunch, she sat down on the grass field, overlooking the football and the football team practicing, with Amelia. They gossiped, well, Amelia gossiped, about what was going on through school. A secret relationship was revealed when they told their friends they were dating, and one girl accidentally told another girl. That other girl had a habit of not keeping things secret, and by the end of the day, Amelia was sure the whole year level would know this. And by the end of the week, the whole school would know. That was the way it worked here at Gedonelune High School. Something couldn’t remain a secret for long.

The day quickly ended, with Liz walking side by side with Amelia, on the way to the cat cafe to attend work. The bonus of working there, you get to hang around cats. When Amelia and Liz arrived, they changed into their uniform, a simple white shirt and black skirt with an apron. It had only been 5 mins until Elias walked through the door with a book in hand, and sat in his regular corner seat.

Liz walked up to him, with a notepad to take down orders in hand, and tapped his shoulder to get him out of his book. “So what would you like today, Elias? The normal chocolate and caramel slice with hot chocolate, or would you maybe want to try our new triple chocolate cake?”

“I would like the normal hot chocolate, 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 marshmallows, and I would like to try the new chocolate cake please.” Elias smiled as a tabby cat came over and sat on his lap. “Hello, Mr. Fluffy, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” He talked to the cat, which was named Mr. Fluffy because of his large fluffy fur.

Liz walked back up to the counter and told Liz his order. “I swear, he orders diabetes every day.” Amelia laughed.

“Klaus isn’t any better. They both live off sugar, which apparently they and their older brother got from their father.” Liz laughed along as they both prepared his order. Liz working on the hot chocolate and Amelia cut a slice of cake for him. When both were finished, Liz walked back over to him with a plate in hand, and he instantly started eating.

After eating, Elias complimented her on the food. “Thank you, Liz, I deeply enjoyed the cake and hot chocolate.” He gave his fan-killing smile to Liz, which could melt anyone’s heart. “The cat’s are just an added bonus, as I mostly come here to see you- I mean eat your food! You did say you cook some of the food here, right!” He was blushing from head to toe, causing Liz to blush as well.

Liz gave a slight thank you, as she walked away to the counter, Amelia watching the exchange from her position with the widest grin on her face. “You two are soooo adorable together!” She squealed at Liz, getting excited. “I hope you two date someday!” This caused Liz to blush even more.

The next couple of hours continued, with Elias leaving not too long after the embarrassing conversation. He normally stays for longer, but the girls guess he couldn’t handle the embarrassment, but either could Liz. However, the shift continued with nothing of the sort happening again, just serving customers.

Amelia and Liz made plans that Amelia would drop Liz off at her place, as usual, but pick her up later to attend the football match. This prevented Liz from happening to walk to the school grounds at dark, even if the school is in walking distance.

An hour later, they were both at the school football field, cheering on their fellow friends. Sitting with them on the bleachers was Elias, Yukiya, Azusa, Joel, and Leon. Not too far was Cerim, Leslie, Sigurd and Mel, and Luca sitting amongst the girls, obviously with his new girlfriend, which would not last too long. God knows how many girlfriends he has had, although Amelia might actually know since she stays a top of gossip.

The game was off to a good start, with Guy being the fastest runner, scoring a goal. This continued on, with their team winning. With a combination of Glenn’s strength, Guy’s speed, their teammates, which includes Serge and Vincent, and Klaus’ leadership as captain, they were sure to win.

It was halftime break, and Amelia used this to talk to the guys sitting with her and Liz. “So Yukiya, take anymore stray cat’s home again?”

Yukiya moved his head so he was facing Amelia. “I found a stray cat on the way back home after school, but after mum’s last warning about bringing home another animal, I could only give him some leftover lunch and make a little shelter out of nearby boxes and containers.”

“Awww, that’s so sweet…” Amelia cooed.

“I could maybe take that cat home, could you show me where it is if it is still there?” Leon asked Yukiya, who was sitting next to him.

“Sure. Let’s just hope the cat is still there.”

“I love cats,” Elias joined the conversation. “but unfortunately, Klaus is allergic to cat hair so I’m not allowed to bring any home.”

“That’s a shame,” Yukiya responded.

The game then continued, with their school still in the lead. The other team was gaining up, causing a tie. Both teams were desperate to win this match, which would lead them to the finals. They had little time left and wanted to try every strategy to win. They decided on Guy going in for the final goal, and fortunately, he did it. He managed to score a goal before the end of the game, meaning that they won!

Everyone from Gedonelune High School ran down to the pitch to congratulate them on the win. Liz headed down as well, but not running like everyone else. She headed to where Klaus and Serge were crowded.

“Hello Klaus, Serge. Great job on winning tonight!” She smiled up at them as she felt happy for their win.

“Well, I couldn’t have done it without those delicious treats at lunch!” Serge hugged her, his way of saying thank you.

“Serge, I wouldn’t mind a hug normally, but you’re sweaty.” Liz pointed out. He immediately let go, now aware of how terrible he must smell.

“Those treats were delicious, Liz, and I do believe they helped us today.” Klaus butted in, obviously not happy that Serge was close to Liz.

The crowd eventually faded, and Liz was dropped off at her apartment by Amelia. She quickly changed into her pajamas, taking out her twin pig-tails held together by pink ribbon. She flopped onto her bed quite dramatically, as she felt exhausted from today’s events. She had a quick scroll through social media before falling fast asleep, dreaming about the events of the day. Selling food, the football match, and don’t forget about Elias’ blushing. That was the most awkward of today's events. She dreamed of something happening between the two, a romance.

She was happy in her dreamland until she woke up.

---

Word count: 1885

Yeah, so that is it. Will Liz end up with someone, since 15 guys like her? That scene with Elias though, our adorable tsundere is all grown up! If I continue this, it might have one feature guy per chapter, I don’t know. Again, thanks to Rayheart for her amazing modern AU that prompted me to write this!

[kevinott]

My Interview with Christian Band 'For King and Country'

(This article originally reappeared on RockingGodsHouse.com)

After living in Brisbane, Australia for a summer, I've always been a fan of Aussies in general--everything from their awesome accent to their laid-back culture (which suits me to a tee). So recently, when my phone rang and I heard the relaxed and friendly Aussie voice of Luke Smallbone from the band For King and Country, I had to smile. We had a great conversation about how he made the leap from music to film and about the amazing true story that inspired "Priceless." He and his family have made a lasting contribution to the music world, and now the Smallbone brothers--Ben, Luke, and Joel--are making a splash in the film industry with their new feature film "Priceless" that has all the thrills and drama of a legit major studio Hollywood feature.

Of course, your first thought might be, "Wait, some rock and roll guys made a movie? Did they shoot it on their phone and make one of those found-footage movies? Is this a 'real' movie or is it an amateurish indie film?"

Nope, "Priceless" is the real deal. It was bought by major Hollywood distributor Roadside Attractions--a company that has distributed everything from the recent Tom Hanks film "A Hologram for the King" to the critically acclaimed Beach Boys biopic "Love & Mercy" to the sleeper hit "Mr. Holmes" starring Ian McKellen. As "Variety" reported in August, "Priceless" has some notable names attached to the project:

Roadside Attractions has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Smallbone brothers drama “Priceless” and set an Oct. 14 release date, Variety has learned exclusively.

It’s the feature debut for Joel and Luke Smallbone, who comprise the Christian band For King and Country....Ben Smallbone directs from the script by Chris Dowling and Tyler Poelle. The film was produced by Steve Barnett (“300”). David Smallbone and Luke Smallbone serve as executive producers, and Jacob “Cubbie” Fink is a co-producer.

The story centers on a man who finds himself at a crossroads following the tragic death of his wife and losing custody of his little girl. Unable to hold down a steady job, he agrees to drive a box truck on a one-time trip cross country for cash — no questions asked — but when he discovers what he is delivering, he is faced with a life-changing choice.

Before I share my interview with Luke Smallbone, who was one of the film's producers, let me share my quick one-paragraph, mini-review of the film:

"Priceless" impressed me with its painstaking production quality, its careful, thoughtful pacing, and its sobering, moving glimpse of a frightening underside of America. It really was the real deal--a high quality feature film with a production value that stands its ground with any major studio Hollywood release. It's a compelling story that sucks you in from the opening frames as it begins with a troubled soul driving a beat up moving truck through the New Mexico landscape along the I-40 (a stretch of road that any road warrior who enjoys traveling America will know well and be happy to see on the big screen); and from there it plunges head-first into the desperate world of poor souls caught in the nightmare of human trafficking. Star Joel Smallbone and the supporting cast--Bianca Santos (“The Duff”), Amber Midthunder (“Longmire”), Jim Parrack (“True Blood”), and David Koechner (“The Goldbergs”)--all delivered plenty of believable tension and intrigue to the story. Movie fans will recognize actor David Koechner immediately. He has been in many high profile projects, including a major role in the "Anchorman" films. It was nice to see David Koechner display a different side of his impressive acting chops. In "Priceless" he plays a gritty, serious, noble character--a striking contrast to the raucous comedies he's been known to do. Whenever actors become stamped as "comedy" actors, I always suspect there is a serious, tragic, Shakespearean side to their acting skills hiding beneath the easy sheen of mainstream comedies. Koechner's performance in "Priceless" is a classic example. He brings a real gravity to his performance, and it adds a lot of salt and flavor to the story--a nice complement to Joel Smallbone's skilled performance.

Best of all (in my book), "Priceless" is a deeply edifying film. Yes, it is intense in some places and shows some gun violence worthy of its PG-13 rating, but there's nothing gratuitous in this movie like you see in so many other PG-13 movies that push the limits of that rating as far as it can go. I recommend this film to any teenager and adult. It will inspire and move you.

Without any further delay, my interview with Luke Smallbone:

You're known for your band For King and Country and your music. How did you get into the film industry?

One of the things that we strive to do is to make the best art possible. And one of the things you realize is that today's generation is being discipled by two things: they are discipled by what they hear in their headphones and also by what they see on-screen--their mobile phone's screen or computer screen or movie theater screen, whatever it might be. So we want to be in those spaces. My brother Ben is a film director, and we've been talking about this Priceless movement for a number of years, and so about two years ago we said to Ben, "Hey man, we're just scratching the surface of this, what would you think about directing a film?" And he loved the idea, and so we started working on that part about two years ago and here we are today. Not sure if we should've entered the film world just because of how much work it is [laughs]--I don't think any of us had any idea how much work it would be. But we're so thrilled with how it came together, it's a film we're really proud of, and so far the response we've been getting has been overwhelming--something we're very thrilled about.

Can you tell us a little bit about the Priceless movement and why it's important to you?

We started about five, six years ago saying to women, "Hey, the culture says that you're cheap, but we believe that there's a God who says that you're priceless, and hey guys it's time for us to treat ladies with respect and honor, time for us to stand up and stand out and be different in this world, not just going with the status flow," and it was all such a big deal when we started talking about it. Before our music hit the radio or anything that's what people were talking about. They were like, "You know, that message that you said in the middle of your concert that, that resurrected me..."

Wow.

That's kind of how we got to this thought of even doing a film [because] of how powerful that had become [the cheapening of women in culture] and how we were seeing it. It was kind of an epidemic and people needed to be reminded of their value.

How did you stumble upon the story of James Stevens and what made you want to make this story into a movie?

My brother Ben was working on a documentary about seven or eight years ago, and he stumbled upon a dude that is in Brazil and he had been working at one point in his life kind of on the other side of the law. He was a criminal, and he radically changed and he decided to start on the things that he knew, [saying] "Hey, how can I work against the system and take everything I learned from being a criminal and use it for good," and we were really inspired by that. And so we kind of interjected those stories and those things into our film and what's crazy is that man, we don't even know his name, we never saw his face. Even the documentary that my brother Ben did hid his face, and it's kind of cool because we never got to interview him yet this guy that we don't even know, he inspired a whole movement and, in a roundabout way, is coming out in this film. So this guy's not going to know that, in fact, he is having a worldwide impact.

Wow. That's incredible. If you ever actually do meet this guy, what would you say to him if you ran into him in the street one day?

Man, I'd say thank you for being bold enough to change, that you've actually been bold enough to have your life radically changed, and then saying, "Yeah, I've been a part of a problem for so long. I need to do something to help solve these problems." I mean, that takes a lot of courage. Not many people that I know do that and obviously this guy has helped inspire this film of ours--so just being able to thank him for the creativity that he has inspired that he never even knew he was a part of.

A large part of the story deals with human trafficking, which is obviously becoming an epidemic in our nation and in other places. Why did you include this element in the plot?

When I look at us talking about a female life in particular being priceless--and honestly I believe that all lives are priceless, but in this story it's particularly about female lives--I look at what is the opposite of a priceless life. The antithesis of that is somebody whose life can be bought. And so that's how we feel we can best illustrate this story, and so we put [human trafficking] in there and the other thing is this: the human trafficking side of things is a dark dark world and one of the best ways to bring about change is to shine a really really bright light on it, and a film is one way that you can do that. And I think people are now finally becoming aware of it and not so scared of something that is so dark so that they're actually starting to say, "What can I actually do about it?" rather than just turning a blind eye to it.

It really is kind of a freaky thing to think about, the idea of just being abducted one day, and then suddenly you're a slave.

Yeah, yeah, it's not comfortable, but I think God does some special things in uncomfortable places, and if we always did everything that was easy and comfortable I don't think we would ever have what it takes. And we want to be people who are highlighting real issues, real topics and actually doing something--not necessarily making a film about how we think life should be but actually making a film about life as it really is.

I definitely think that's important to not sugar coat things, so that's awesome you're doing that. What could you tell us about the movie without giving too much away?

The film follows a character whose name is James Stevens. He's kind of a down and out character who's lost his wife to a tragic accident, and then he ends up losing his daughter as he goes through this kind of grieving and mourning period. He lost his job, he doesn't have any way to provide, [and he needs] kind of a way out, so he takes on a transportation job saying, "Hey, no questions asked, go from here to there and you get paid really well," and he says to himself, "I just want to figure out a way to break this cycle of life that I've gotten into," and he does it, and then on the way he opens up the back of his truck realizing it's not what he's carrying but who he is carrying back there.

Wow.

The rest of the story is about what he's going to do with that situation--is he going to do anything? Is he not going to do anything?--what that's going to look like.

How can men show the women in their lives their priceless worth? What kind of advice would you give to men about that?

I think talk is cheap, so you've got to actually show it. There's got to be actions that actually show how valuable we think the women are in our lives, so I actually think it's real simple. If you really love your wife and you want to show her respect, then you're going to turn off the football game and really talk to her and ask, "How was your day? What was it like?" And whether or not it's your daughter or your sister or your girlfriend or whatever, we have to be people who [value them] not when we think, "Oh you know what, I'm going to put this on display and show everybody else a show." It takes place when you don't want to get up in the middle of the night and go change a diaper so your wife [doesn't have to]. That's what actually making change. Talk is cheap.

Right, we need to take action, even if it gets messy. [laughs]

Yeah, my parents always say, "Actions speak louder than words," and so I can say that I love my wife all the time, but if I'm not doing anything to invest in that relationship or, you know, saying it in an interview but not living it, then I actually don't really love my wife.

Right, exactly. It's easy just spitting out some words. I'm married, so this is a good reminder to hear these things!

Yeah, man, yeah.

"Priceless" hits theaters October 14. Where can people go to find out more information or to purchase tickets?

Go to pricelessthemovie.com and you got everything: you got the trailer there, all the information, what theater it's going to be at and what that looks like. It also has some of our social--"Priceless the Movie" Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. We really want people to rally behind us--especially talk about the film and help us get the word out. That's one of the most cost-effective ways that we could do that, and obviously in our world we have limited amount of resources, so word-of-mouth is the greatest way that we can spread information.

To close, I just want to say thank you for being a voice in our culture. It is the kind of voice that I've been praying God would raise up. God's definitely been raising up some voices in awesome ways to speak life to our culture, and it's great to hear your voice, so I hope you keep speaking!

Thank you very much for saying that and taking the time to hang out with us, we really appreciate it!

***

Check out the film at pricelessthemovie.com or dive into the film's social media stream at any of these locations and hashtags:

Facebook: /pricelessthemovie

Twitter: @PricelessMovie @4kingandcountry @JoelSmallbone @LukeSmallbone @Bianca00Alexa @Parrack120 @DavidKoechner

Instagram: #PricelessTheMovie

Youtube Channel for Priceless

[michaelharttwrites]

Fookin’ hell! Oasis’ (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? is 20 years old

http://fasterlouder.junkee.com/fookin-hell-oasis-whats-the-story-morning-glory-is-20-years-old/849912

It was 20 years ago this month that OASIS released their world-concurring second album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? To mark the anniversary of one of the ’90s most era-defining albums, MICHAEL HARTT spoke to some Aussie acts – You Am I’s Davey Lane, Emma Swift and members of The Preatures, The Laurels and Alpine – who found inspiration in the Gallagher brothers’ magnum opus.

Coming just a year on from their debut album Definitely Maybe, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? elevated Oasis to a level of popularity few groups manage to achieve in such a short space of time or, in fact, ever. The album’s brash, anthemic tunes emitted a far poppier sheen than those of its predecessor and spread their appeal far beyond the British indie scene to the point where it stayed in the top three in the UK non-stop for seven months and held the #1 spot here in Australia for five straight weeks. It’s now the fifth highest-selling album in the UK of all time (third if you take out best ofs).

The numbers are only half the story, though. For many, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? has been a gateway album that’s contributed in some way to their push towards a life in music. In the two decades since its release, the influence of (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? has gone far beyond acts that simply try to sound, act and dress like the Gallaghers. The album’s spirit and ethos is alive in all manner of acts who’ve each taken something different out their Morning Glory experience.

These are some of their stories.

When did you hear (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? for the first time?

Davey Lane (You Am I, Davey Lane & The Pugs): I’d heard ‘Whatever’ on the radio before Morning Glory came out and loved it, but never knew it was Oasis. I walked into K-Mart in my hometown of Boronia and they were playing the album, I remember hearing ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ into ‘Hey Now’ and it just flipped me out. I had to go and pester my Dad for the $28.95 or whatever it cost right away.

Luke O’Farrell (The Laurels): In primary school. My neighbours bought the CD and I asked to borrow it after I heard ‘Wonderwall’. I accidentally ripped the CD booklet and they didn’t let me borrow anything else from them after that.

Lou James (Alpine): I first got introduced to Oasis when they performed ‘She’s Electric’ on the English show Top of the Pops. My older sister loved them and got the cassette for Christmas. We used to play it in the car and sing along whenever my family drove between London and Nottingham to visit my grandparents. Our British road trip soundtrack!

Emma Swift: I first came across this record how I came across all music in the ’90s, on the radio in my bedroom in Wagga Wagga. I lived in a shitty granny flat out the back of my parent’s house. In that room, lit with cheap candles and strewn with corduroy and velvet clothes, I strummed my guitar, did some customary teenage sulking, learned Sylvia Plath poems by heart, dreamed of moving anywhere else and heard this gem, over and over again. First the singles on the radio, then the whole CD, which I probably bought from our local record shop.

Gideon Benson (The Preatures): About 13, I raided my brother’s CD collection and found it. I put it on and for a good year it was my soundtrack and introduction to everyone that Oasis had borrowed from.

How has it influenced the music you make now?

DL: Well I guess it influenced my writing to keep the hooks big and brash, and to inject a sense of familiarity into a song (whether or not it’s familiar because it’s been plagiarised – that’s another thing entirely). I used to make music that wore an Oasis influence on its sleeve to a point but as I’ve gotten older I’ve stepped away from it a little. I like what I’ve heard of the DMA’s but if I made the same sort of music they do I’d be laughed out of the fuckin’ country.

LO: It definitely played a big part in inspiring me to start making my own music growing up, so I guess Noel is partly responsible for my second rate knocks offs. ‘Manic Saturday’ is one of the poorest attempts at writing an Oasis song ever.

LJ: Not one bit! It just made for those nostalgic ’90s Brit Pop vibes I really loved when growing up in England.

ES: It taught me that there’s nothing wrong with nostalgia.

GB: I don’t think it has had a huge influence on the music I make now. What it has educated me on, is the importance of song structure and how certain chord sequences are pretty timeless and belong together.

What does the album mean to you?

DL: It’s as strong a trigger for childhood memories as anything – school, getting drunk for the first time, having unrequited crushes on girls at school… some memories happier than others but records like Morning Glory gave me a hell of escape whenever I needed it, music like Oasis’ was just completely a tonic for me, and it pretty quickly dawned on me that I needed to pursue music and find a way to make it my life.

LO: My Dad bought it along with Be Here Now in the early 2000s and I listened to it obsessively for the next several years. It’s not an album I revisit much these days, but I’m listening back to it on YouTube now and reminiscing about jamming to ‘Champagne Supernova’ in my bedroom as a wee lad and tearing up a bit. That was way more fun than playing in an actual band!

ES: The album was a great record to grow up with. I’m glad it was a hit. We heard almost nothing but hit records in Wagga Wagga in the mid-90s. We didn’t even have triple j until 1996. Oasis wrote real songs with beautiful melodies, something I loved as a young singer. The whole Britpop world was very enticing to my young ears. Play any of the songs enough to a teenage girl and what they mean is the promise of something else, something bigger, brighter, more romantic. At least, that was a huge part of my love of music when I was younger. This record reminds me of feeling like that.

LJ: It’s been a while since I’ve listened to the album, yet it’s as familiar to me now as when I was smashing it through my cassette player as a youth (youf, innit). Listening to it now I still know all the words, and can better appreciate the instrumentation and what made these songs so iconic. I love this album because it’s bold and gritty, humble and sincere, all the good things.

GB: This album really opened my eyes to writing music and gave me hope that one day I could do the same.

What do you think it can teach musicians in 2015?

DL: As I said before, I guess it could teach musicians to be unabashed about making things big, dumb and obvious yet fun, euphoric and infectious. If it’s awesome but it sounds a bit close to T Rex, fuck it, who cares! Make it sound more like T Rex! There’s a musical sense of humour to it that really appeals to me. People love to rag on Oasis for it, but I think they’re just missing the point y’know? It ain’t high art – it’s terrace anthem rock ‘n roll music.

LO: That it’s OK to include other people’s hooks in your own songs, just as long as the hook wasn’t written by Gary Glitter.

ES: I don’t like the idea that records have lessons for others embedded in them. I think we find what we need in our own listening. Maybe the lessons are more for Oasis than anyone else.

GB: Fake it till you make it!

Favourite song and why?

DL: Hard to narrow down – ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is right up there but if I wanna get total nerd about it I’d pick one of the B-sides – ‘Flashbax’ or ‘I Got The Fever’ are great. There were also some blinders on the last record – ‘Bag It Up’ and ‘The Shock Of The Lightning’ are rippers, and the production on that record is top notch.

LO: Does it have to be off Morning Glory?. ‘Gas Panic!’ is most definitely the greatest Oasis song there is, quite possibly the greatest song of all time. If I had to pick one off Morning Glory though it’d be ‘Hello’. Why? I dunno, the tom rolls are pretty good… ‘Bonehead’s Bank Holiday’ would be a close second because it Noel’s greatest achievement as a lyricist.

LJ: ‘Cast No Shadow’. I’ve always felt this was one of the more underrated tracks from the album. The strings are beautiful and I love that you can clearly hear the difference between Noel and Liam’s vocals. There are rad moments that make me swoon, gorgeous etherial harmonies (etherial/Oasis – whoda thunk it!). The track’s interesting because although the Gallaghers were known as wild arrogant alcoholic hooligans, the song exhibits sensitivity and hardship. Today as an artist I really relate to this song, especially when going through periods of doubting whether our music is really reaching people and being heard.

ES: ‘Champagne Supernova’ is my favourite but it’s hard to choose. I thought I never wanted to hear ‘Wonderwall’ again but when Ryan Adams released his version I fell for it all over again. ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is the song most likely to be sung drunkenly by my sister in the late, late hours. ‘Roll With It’ makes me want to dance. I’ll stick with ‘Champagne Supernova’, but don’t hold me to it.

GB: On this record ‘Dont Look Back In Anger’. It’s the song I kept coming back to, and the first one I learnt how to play on guitar.

Would you like to see Oasis get back together?

DL: I would only like to see Oasis reform if they really wanted to and if they were gonna make some new music – I’m happy seeing Noel do his own thing. I’d be interested to see what Liam does next, he should make a truly whacked out experimental psych record.

LO: Only if they get the original early line-up back together. Yes, of course including Tony McCarroll!

LJ: A come back tour for sure! But another album? Nooooooo, that would be the worst. I’m cringing even thinking about it. It’s such a different time now.

ES: I would love to see the band get back together.

GB: Not really, I’ve seen them after a breakup and I feel like there has been too much damage done for the chemistry to still be there.