#its got songs from the era and modern songs

[f-imaginings]

Since billford is becoming popular again I figured I might as well post my trusty Billford playlist for folks to enjoy.

This playlist helped keep me inspired while writing Knowing Me Knowing You and has some great songs for both Ford, Bill and the changing nature of their relationship at different points.

(Also I love when ppl put song lyrics beneath fanart and there are some bangers in here, go nuts!)

[desire-mona]

what i think my mutuals look like

u may be in here, u may not, doing as many as i want, if ur not in here then that doesnt mean i dont luv u :3 i hav a lot of mutuals

naut - i actually know what he looks like but in my mind. raggedy anne

harper - a mix between abed and gillian anderson

kiwi - young hugh laurie

my one tomska mutual - youll never guess

kae - meeks but somehow gayer?

kola - that one rsl photo combined with her actual face

ok computer - her pfp LOL

grey (musi) -s1 wilson

eli - i know what they look like actually so just. their face

joan - elvira

ami - abed, funnily enough

joel - straight up a dog

lisa - neil perry but specifically that one photo used as a pfp at one point

shui - also abed

john - phoebe from friends?

tiffany - again, i know what she looks like

marley - also s1 wilson but its different. like younger

sun (both of you) - ethan hawke in Dad specifically

bones - spock

reese - also spock but if spock was cosplaying neil perry

housewifemd - if house and wilson steven universe fused

ghostie - if jesse pinkman cosplayed frank n furter

joon - gender swapped neil perry

clara - gender swapped pitts

sid - richard cameron

tyty - his face!

ania - a vague cross between ginny danburry and gender swapped steven meeks

autumn (nocti) - her pfp

indie - also richard cameron

finn (occams chainsaw) - s1 gregory house

finn (puckspoetry) - neil perry but like. modern au?

bubble - gender swapped todd anderson but pink?

manda - thirteen (specifically thirteen with bangs)

tristan - his face. but also jesus

lovechild - NOT TAYLOR SWIFT. her face actually cuz i got secret access

dream(duality) - house when he went to that one migraine guys lecture thing

aspen - his face if it was more taublike

chandler - HIS face but more houselike

syd - allison cameron in black and white specifically

soph - rose tyler

hunny bun - martha masters

rain - i newly know what she looks like however she does still look like house in my mind

katie - neil perry at the play specifically

pinkie pie - pinkie pie

raph - steven meeks if he was dan howell circa 2009

dewi - charlie dalton

regulus - all 4 beatles combines into one being

jareth - todd anderson with white hair?

gil - his face mixed with rsl circa 2001

lesbians for trobed - trobed combined into one being

elmo - carrie

luke - thirteen (no bangs)

will - helena bonham carter in frankenstein (1994)

cuntstruck - that guy who wrote let it go (not the frozen song)

zeth - zeth

blue - allison cameron

blue - dick grayson

(im sure the blues can tell who is who)

thiam - jschlatt circa 2020 SORRY

valerie - martha masters allison cameron steven universe fusion

ash (crow king) - stretched james wilson

nico - stick dead poets society if he was also tyler joseph

percy - robin williams if he was a teenager

ashy - her face mixed with belle

nick - rsl and winona ryder steven universe fusion

matthew - youll never guess. anyone but barry boys next door

el - richard cameron AGAIN

sammy - their face mixed with neil perry gayface

birdy (demon or) - james wilson circa s3 ALSO U JUMPSCARED ME WITH THE PFP CHANGE I WASNT EXPECTING A FOOTBALL ERA

daisy bell - dana mythic quest

maddie - abed in her artstyle specifically

missy - TROY TIGER!!!!!!!

rubester - daria? idk why

[the-peak-legend-of-first-gen]

You Fill My Void

Being “The strongest” was not just a matter of pride and prestige but came with its own set of responsibilities and baggage for which you don’t need the six eyes to notice.

Gojo Satoru deemed the strongest sorcerer of the Modern Era was staring at the night sky before the battle that will shape the Jujutsu Society and the way forward. Right after getting out of the prison realm and declaring war was not how Gojo thought things would pan out. Having lost numerous comrades, colleagues and the situation of his students, to say Jujutsushi is for crazy people would be an understatement. Pushing yourself to the absolute brink of insanity with your best friend’s dead body stolen, your absence sending shock waves across the whole world and you deciding to fight the strongest sorcerer in history would be the apt way to sum up the life of a sorcerer. They all are calling the upcoming fight as “the Strongest Sorcerer of history vs. the Strongest Sorcerer of today”. Strongest, really? In his teenage he use to say this word so nonchalantly it felt as natural as breathing. But that might be because he wasn’t the strongest alone, there was his best friend Suguru Geto to shoulder this burden. Heck, it wasn’t even a burden when Suguru was around. And all that bliss of power came crashing down with Riko Amanai’s death. They were no longer the strongest, it was his title, his responsibility, his powers, his abilities that you could associate the word ‘Strongest’ to. Everyone around Gojo thought that he had achieved Nirvana and is the new-age Buddha of the Jujustu World. This not only lead him to build walls that were impenetrable more than infinity there were even cracks in his friendship with Geto. This formed a gaping void in his heart for not only he was growing distant from the closest person to him but his presence was now merely reduced to that of a weapon. He was no longer Gojo Satoru, he was Gojo Satoru who is the Strongest. The one because of whom the Star Plasma vessel couldn’t merge with Tengen sama, the one who has to take his murderer’s son under his wing, the one who couldn’t save his best friend because he is only human and the only we can actually help are the ones who are willing to accept the help.

The straw that broke the camel’s back wasn’t Suguru’s defection it was the sick and twisted way his body was used even after his death that led to not only his downfall but the Jujutsu’s Society as a whole. Moments like these made him question his title but Gojo being Gojo was quick to shrug them under the rug.

And before he can further spiral into these what-if scenarios the miko teacher pulls him from the tide.

‘Ugh, Gojo you are going to fight the king of curses tomorrow call it a day already.’, Utahime chimed as it was getting late and of course proper rest was important to fight the King of Curses.

Gojo in his sing song voice goes ‘Someone as weak you cannot go around giving me orders, Utahimeeee’. That sends a wave of fury across the Kyoto teacher because even in this tense situation he hasn’t got rid of his teasing. It’s right old habits die hard. Utahime has just been a dwarf planet in the orbit of the STAR Gojo Satoru. Just merely existing on the fringes but existing nonetheless. Even after 12 years of high school Utahime's constant reprimand to respect her as an elder and his constant teasing has been a source of respite from this cursed world. The void in Gojo’s soul is as hollow as ever but a moment like this eases him a bit or so he thought with the looming threat of battle with Sukuna still hanging at the back of his mind.

Utahime scolds again “Gojo for god sake listen to me once in your life!” He now gives his undivided attention to her noticing that she is giving him her teacher look. “You have a very very crucial fight tomorrow. Stop goofing off.” Noticing the barely concealed frown on his face she goes on “I know you said you will win but still resting for a few hours won’t hurt your ego, dammit. You are not just the strongest but also a teacher, mentor, friend, and colleague. And as much as we want you to finish this all we also want you to return back safely. So listen to me!”

He is caught off-guard for a moment. The ever grumpy Utahime Iori is worried about him how sweet. He is about to pass another teasing remark before he notices the look on Utahime’s face. It’s beautiful he has always thought she is so very beautiful but right now it looks so tragic. It looks like the heavens are singing but they are singing for someone’s funeral. So he swallows hard and says “Right, Utahime sensei is always looking out for others so I am going to respect her care. But once I will beat Sukuna’s ass I will no longer be your servant Utahime.”He laughs like a child who just got candy out of nowhere. The gaping void begins to fill a little bit like tiny drops of water eventually meeting in the ocean but alas there is no ocean only a drought full of scars, betrayals, and hurt over the years.

Utahime admires this serenity. Even though it’s the calm before the storm she likes to take in his every feature. How his ivory lashes touch his cheek when he genuinely laughs, the dimple in his left cheek, and those ocean blue eyes how they light up with true happiness. Gojo notices her intense stare and with the bitter thoughts plaguing his mind he comes across a little rough “What are you staring at?” Utahime smiles again it’s pretty but so sad “You will win, right?” Gojo scoffs “Of course, After all, I am the strongest. But wait are you going to miss me if by 0.0001% I am gone?” She knows he is is teasing and trying to push her buttons but her honest confession lights up something in him “Yes, and after Sukuna is gone I can have you all to myself no longer the burden to prove you are the strongest and no threat looming us”. His jaw almost drops but Satoru Gojo is beyond such display of emotions not when he is unsure whether he is going to win or not, not when he is unsure whether to let her droplets of affection fill his void of heart since love is always a losing game for him.

But with a gentle squeeze of her calloused hands, he finds it so comforting he places his forehead against her and expresses wholeheartedly “I will win”. For Gojo Satoru, Utahime Iori might be a dwarf planet but the only planet that can penetrate his voidful infinity.

[daisynik7]

“Into you” by Fabolous for Connie Springer- smut + fluff

(S4 connie ofc)

Into You

I think you’re truly something special, just what my dreams are really made of

Pairing: Connie Springer x f!reader

Rating: Explicit – MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Word Count: ~2.4k

cw: super fluffy, kinda cheesy, college au, modern day au, lots of basketball terms (applies specifically to NCAA and NBA), explicit language, smut – PIV sex (cowgirl position), implied creampie

Summary: You and Connie Springer have been close since childhood, growing up as next-door neighbors and best friends. The bond the two of you share is undeniable, but you’ve never been able to admit how deep your feelings are, either to yourself or to him. You continue to support him as his friend while he pursues his career as a basketball player, trying to get drafted into the NBA. Though the journey has its ups and downs, one thing is for certain: The two of you will always have each other, forever and ever. 

Author’s Notes: Hi anon! Thanks so much for requesting this song for the y2k karaoke party because it’s one of my FAVORITES! It really gives me Love & Basketball vibes, another favorite of mine that also happens to be a classic in the y2k era. This little fic is very loosely based off of that, so I hope you enjoy! Also, all the basketball/NBA tidbits are mostly from being with my boyfriend, who is a huge NBA fan, so yeah, sorry if any details are inaccurate lol. Likes, reblogs, and/or comments are always appreciated, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! MDNI banner credit to @/cafekitsune. Header image from Pinterest (Slam Dunk manga).

“You have to pinky promise, okay?” Connie sticks his tiny finger out, wiggling it in front of your face, sucking on his cherry-flavored lollipop, lips and tongue-stained red. You’re both five years old, sitting cross-legged in the front of his yard, taking a break from playing hide-and-seek.

“What am I pinky promising?” you ask, voice squeaky and curious.

“That we’ll be best friends forever and ever! No matter what!” he exclaims, beaming at you with his eyes wide, twinkling earnestly. 

You only need to think for a few seconds before you’re hooking your pinky with his, committing to this promise for the rest of your lives. 

~~~

Ten years later, Connie makes it on the varsity basketball team in your high school. It’s rare for a freshman to make it to varsity at Ragako; the coaches must have seen that spark in him that you and his family have witnessed since he started playing at ten-years-old. You used to shoot around with him out in his driveway, where his father set up a little hoop. Eventually, the little one got upgraded to a real one, where the height was adjusted appropriately as Connie grew. You became his practice partner, no longer able to compete with him. Instead, you passed him the ball, watching in awe as he made shot after shot, sometimes deep from the street. He’d pick you up and spin you around, the two of you cheering together, impressed by his skills.

Year after year, he only improved. The way he handled the ball, expertly dribbling it between his legs, behind his back, one-handed, without looking. Or the way his feet gracefully shuffled along the court, the distinct squeak from his shoes echoing off the walls as you watch him on the bleachers, playing three-on-three against some of his buddies at the gym. One time, his friend Jean teases you. “You know, you should stop hanging around here or else people might think you’re his groupie.”

Before you can think of a smart comeback, Connie interjects, shoving Jean hard in the arm. “Hey! Leave her alone. I want her here. I only play like this when she’s around. And she’s not a groupie. She’s my best friend.” He wraps his arm around your shoulders, leading you towards the exit while Jean sputters apologies that go ignored. “Sorry about that,” he whispers to you. “Jean is an asshole. I want you around, got it? Forever and ever.”

You smile, leaning into him. “Forever and ever.”

~~~

It’s at the championship game during senior year that you realize that you’re in love with Connie.

Scouts have already contacted him about full-ride scholarships to university, recruiting him for their team. He’s the most celebrated point-guard in your school’s history, his average points and assists per game breaking records. Ever since he joined, your school has made it in the final round each year, last year resulting in a win, this year leading to a second. 

With seconds left on the shot clock, tie game, Ragako with possession, Connie makes his move. He inbounds the ball to his teammate, quickly taking position at the right wing, his sweet spot. As quickly as it leaves his hands, the ball is passed back to him. He shoots it, and as it flies out from his fingers into the air, the buzzer rings, and he makes it. The crowd goes wild; one side of the bleachers erupting into a frenzy, jumping up and down with excitement. Connie’s parents hug each other first, then surround you in their arms, elated. You don’t expect him to celebrate the win with you, not with his entire team huddling around him, splashing water on his head, cheering his name. Not with all the cheerleaders and fans gravitating toward him, eager to be in the presence of a sure-to-be star in the making. So, it surprises you when you see him maneuver his way through the crowd, heading straight towards you. He pounces on you, giving you the biggest, sweatiest hug with tears streaming down his face. It’s a split second where the surrounding noise goes blank and it’s just the two of you there, basking in each other’s warmth. Soon, his parents join you, also crying happily, and it’s in this moment that you realize this is where you want to be: with him. Forever and ever.

~~~

It's no surprise that the two of you attend the same college together. Most people will see it as you following him, but in actuality, Connie agrees to go wherever you go. Lucky for you both, your top choice is a D1 university where he’s offered a scholarship to play for their basketball team. It works out perfectly, as if it were meant to be. 

He’s busy from the get-go, practicing every day until the season starts in November. You become preoccupied with classes, and naturally, the two of you travel your different paths, meeting in the middle whenever you can. When the season official starts, you attend all his home games, cheering for him from the sidelines surrounded by the other students also chanting his name. Weeknights, he’s often too tired to hang out, retreating to his dorm room to fall asleep, only to repeat his busy schedule again the next day. He grows close with his teammates, spending most of his time with them instead of you, which is to be expected. After all, you and Connie are just friends. Sure, you’re completely and madly in love with him, but he’ll never know that. So, you watch from afar as he pursues his career without you in the way. It’s the way it has to be. 

By the time spring semester rolls around, you and Connie barely see each other. You’ll still text, sometimes video chat or talk on the phone. He mostly vents to you about teammates or coaches that have gotten on his nerves that day. He’ll catch you up on the other schools they’ve defeated or the ones that they’ve lost to. Your school’s record is quite good thanks to Connie, who’s only gotten better since high school. If they continue at this rate, they will win the conference tournament, meaning a trip to March Madness, the most prestigious competition in college basketball. Most importantly, it’s one step closer to the NBA.

As expected, the team does win the conference tournament. That night, the entire campus is lively with students buzzing in school spirit, ready to party the rest of the weekend. All you think about is calling Connie to congratulate him, hear his voice and tell him that you’re so proud of him. You debate with yourself for nearly fifteen minutes, staring at his name on your screen, fingers so close to dialing his number. You decide not to go through with it, certain that he’s too busy with his team, too busy with his fans. He’s not thinking about you, not when his whole world is about to change. And you can’t blame him; you’re just friends, and this is the way it has to be.

The following night, your school organizes an impromptu homecoming for the basketball team, welcoming them as they arrive on the bus, fresh from their championship win. They have a  couple days of rest before they leave for the NCAA tournament, but you’re sure they’ll be busy with press and practice until then. You’re not there to greet them when they step off the bus; instead, you’re sulking in your room, buried under the covers, feeling sorry for yourself for ever falling in love with Connie Springer. It’s a sad, pathetic sight, but at least you’re alone for the weekend to do it while your roommate is out visiting her boyfriend out of town. 

You’re surprised to see Connie’s name flash on your phone a few hours later. You let it ring twice before answering. “Hello?”

“Where are you?” he asks. There’s shuffling in the background, as if he’s walking outside. 

“I’m in my room.”

“I’m coming over now.” He hangs up, not giving you any time to respond. You sigh, mentally preparing yourself for what’s to come.

When you open the door to let him in, he wraps his arms around you in a snug embrace. “I missed you.” He pulls off to hold you by the arms, glaring. “Why didn’t you greet me off the bus?”

“I…” you start, unsure how to respond. 

“I was looking for you and you weren’t there. Where were you?”

“I was studying in the library.” This might be the first time you’ve ever lied to him. You feel guilty and gross. 

“Oh,” he says sadly, still staring at you. 

“Congratulations, by the way. It was an amazing win.” You give him a weak smile, blinking away the tears welling in your eyes. You don’t even know why you’re crying; Connie did nothing wrong. You’re letting your emotions get the best of you, and you can’t help but crumble in front of the only person who knows you better than you know yourself. 

“I don’t care about that right now. I care about you. What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, Connie, I promise.”

“Don’t promise me shit like that. I know you’re upset. Tell me. Please.” His eyes search yours, desperate for an answer. 

You look at his feet, fixating on his shoes, scuffed on the sides from playing. Tears start to drop from your face and on the carpet. “I just…I missed you too. I miss you, Connie. I…I love you.” The confession slips from your mouth in a sniffle, and you’re so upset with yourself for letting it slide in this crucial moment. Neither of you needs the drama of your unrequited love right now. Not you, knowing he’ll be leaving again soon, and especially not him, who has bigger and better things to focus on. 

He gapes at you, stuttering, “You love me?”

You nod, biting your lip.

“Like, love love? Or love like a friend?”

You’re tempted to lie, just to make it easier. But you owe it to Connie to be honest with him. “Love love.”

His mouth is open, eyes bugging out, completely shocked by your admission. Before he can respond, you add, “I’m sorry, Connie. I shouldn’t have told you this right before the tournament, but…I don’t know. It just came out. I’m sorry.”

He stammers, “You’re sorry? This is the best fucking thing I’ve heard in my entire life.” He breaks into a smile, laughing hysterically, an even more bizarre reaction. 

You cross your arms, getting impatient with his ridiculous behavior, eventually grabbing his shoulders to shake him out of his fit. “Connie, what the hell?!”

He wipes his eyes, crying from giggling, beaming at you. “I’ve been in love with since we were kids. Been dreaming of hearing you say that since we were five-years-old.” He hugs you tightly, nuzzling his nose to the top of your head. “I love you and I want to be with you. Forever and ever, right?”

You nestle into his chest, inhaling the familiar scent you missed since he’s been gone. “Forever and ever.” 

~~~

The two of you spend the night together, making love for the first time. His lips are soft against yours, and you smile into his kiss, remembering the day you pinky promised that you’ll be best friends forever and ever, no matter what. His lips were stained red with cherry-flavored candy, looking sickly sweet as he smiled at you. And as you kiss him now, he tastes just as sweet as you imagined he’d be after all these years. 

You kiss him sloppy as you ride his lap, his cock buried deep in your pussy, filling you up to the brim. He moans your name into your mouth as he laps at the saliva collecting on your tongue, slurping your spit, swallowing it thickly. “Fuck,” he groans, hands gripped to your hips, rocking you back and forth on his thighs. “I’ve dreamed about this for so long, baby. So long.”

“Me too,” you whisper, starting to bounce on him, close to your climax. 

“What would you think about? Tell me,” he demands, thumb pressed to your clit, rubbing it raw.

You whine from his touch, increasing your pace, resting your head on his shoulder. “You and me, just like this,” you huff, short of breath. 

“Yeah? You thought about me deep inside you, huh? Fucking this sweet pussy until you come all over my cock, huh?” He thrusts up into you, grip tightening, fingers digging into your flesh. He’s close too, you can feel it.

You moan into his skin, sweat beading on your forehead, throwing your ass back against him in tandem with each pump of his cock. A few more strokes and the two of you come together, the mess spilling onto the sheets as soon as he pulls out. 

He wipes you down with tissues and baby wipes you have handy on your bedside drawer. As soon as you’re both clean, he cradles you in his arms, spooning you from behind. 

“I know this is going to sound super cheesy, but I truly feel like a winner now,” he says, kissing the nape of your neck. 

You chuckle, squeezing his hand in yours. “Wait until you win March Madness. Then you’ll really be a champ.”

“Even if I lose, I’ll still have you. And that’s been my dream all this time.” 

You shift your body to face him, gazing into his eyes. “I thought your dream was to make it into the NBA?”

He smiles, booping you on the nose. “It’s part of the dream, sure. But I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am now if it wasn’t for you. You kept me going all these years. Knowing you were always on my side gave me the strength I needed to get here. As long as I have you, I’ll be living the dream.” He kisses you on the forehead. “I’m going to love you for the rest of our lives.”

“Forever and ever?”

“Forever and ever.”

~~~

In an upset, your school loses in the Final Four. It’s the furthest they’ve gotten in university history, and a large part of that is due to Connie and his extraordinary performance as their point guard. His efforts do not go unnoticed; his coaches and many prospective agents have contacted him, encouraging him to apply for the NBA draft. 

June of the same year, Connie Springer is drafted tenth in the first round and you’re sitting right beside him with his parents, cheering for him. Just as you have throughout all these years, and just as you will for the rest of your lives. Forever and ever. 

[interpolgearpage]

Paul Banks guitars [and their history]

Paul Banks is the lead singer and guitarist of interpol. while the other guitarist, Daniel Kessler, is the main source of structure in many of interpols songs, i feel like what paul brings to the table is pretty substantial, and can definitely affect the mood of the song.

[paul playing his favorite guitar, his les paul custom.]

Gibson Les Paul Custom

"It’s been my setup since day one and it’s all I pretty much use to this day.” -Paul Banks, via music radar

paul banks received this guitar in high school, so from around 1992 to 1996. seeing as he got the guitar from a friend, we don't know the exact origin. however, he has said he got it in a trade. "I happened upon my Les Paul, which also suited me because I'm a big Neil Young fan. But that came about from a trade, or I got it for a song, from a good friend of mine in high school." whatever the case, i don't think we'll know what pickups were in it anytime soon. there are a couple of mods done to the instrument, which i'll go over now. his MAIN les paul in the earlier days had a black ABR style bridge, in exchange for a gold one. the pickup cover were removed as well, and he added dunlop straplocks. these mods carry over to his modern era les paul, a guitar he started using (live at least) around 2005-2007, and uses to this day. the main differentiating factor between these guitars is the choice of knob. pauls earlier les paul has black top hat knobs [1], while his newer one sports black speed knobs [2]. we know that these are different guitars, because we can see both of them in the same picture [3].

[1. note the absence of pickup covers, and straplocks. black bridge, and top hat knobs.]

[1. same guitar, though pre-straplock.]

[2. note the speed knobs.]

[3. two guitars, the one in the background has top hat knobs. ]

Fender Jaguar

"The Jaguar actually came about specifically within Interpol because I had written a part in which I wanted whammy, and I don't like Les Pauls with Bigsbys."

Paul Banks got this for a song he wanted a tremolo bar on, most likely No I in Threesome. the guitar is a Fender American Vintage Re-issue 1962 Jaguar, in black. paul hasnt done too many mods to this instrument, though their are a few changes, most importantly, the pickup swap. he changed the stock jaguar pickups to seymour duncan hot rails sometime after recording our love to admire [1]. while this definitely changed the sound a lot, this was after OLTA, so i wont bother finding dates, as the songs the jaguar was likely used on wouldve been the stock single coils. next up, the pickguard. the american vintage jags in black came with a tortoise shell pickguard, but pauls has a black one. what gives? well, seeing as carlos' jazz bass came with a white guard, but that was switched to black, its not outlandish to believe that this was done by paul or his tech, to give the jag a darker look. paul also put tape on the guitars lower horns control switches, most likely to stop his hand from accidently hitting the switches, and changing his sound mid song [2]. he also had black pickup covers put on the pickups.

[before the pickup swap]

[1,2. hot rails as well as tape.}

Intermission

if you ask me, pauls les paul custom and jaguar are the two guitars youd definitively need to get his sound, and also the two guitars HE uses to get his sound. but what other guitars has paul used with interpol? lets see.

Les Paul Deluxe

used during the TOTBL era, this guitar is sort of a mystery. for one, he didnt seem to favor it for certain songs, using his les paul custom and deluxe interchangeably for many songs, even playing full shows with his deluxe. secondly, from what ive seen, this instrument was NOT used after the TOTBL era. its probable that this instrument was either used on a few songs from TOTBL, and brought along on tour as a backup that paul just happened to really like and play alot, or it was rented for shows over seas. either way, its an interesting case.

[the mysterious gold top deluxe. wonder what song hes playing here?]

Flying V

paul has stated that he thinks the flying v is the coolest looking guitar out there. to each their own, i guess. that doesnt matter, what matters is that he played this instrument in the barricade music video. he used this guitar at the end of the OLTA era, during the self titled era, and has rarely been seen with it after that.

[paul with his v]

Conclusion

there is one more guitar i didnt bring up, so ill do it here now, and its his dave murray strat. he hasnt used it live with interpol, though it is seen in behind the scenes footage of el pintor. anyways, leave a comment if youd like me to cook up a list of what guitars i think were used on each song! i hope you enjoyed reading this, next up i think ill go over his amps and other equipment. till next time.

[Paul Banks.]

[kaiserin-erzsebet]

tell us more about your complicated feelings about the accuracy of shows like Bridgerton, please!!!

Thank you for asking. I've been wanting to get it out of my head.

First off, I think "historical accuracy" can be a somewhat impossible standard. We don't know the past well enough to do a one-to-one recreation, and even if we did, it would probably be kind of uninteresting. We understand that romance or mystery fiction isn't a one-to-one recreation of modern life either, even if it is set in our own time.

I hold historical accuracy to the same standards as book accuracy when it comes to adaptations. Something is going to change between mediums and that is a pretty neutral thing on the face of it. I often look for an understanding of themes (or predominant concerns of the period) and vibes more than I look for accuracy. And I let the media itself tell me how serious it wants to be about recreating the past.

I love this scene from Marie Antoinette for capturing Rococo excess, and there is a pair of Converse in it:

When I talk about shows like Bridgerton, I mean the ones that exist in this kind of "less than serious, but recognizably historical setting." Overtly self-serious works like a certain recent Napoleon movie that everyone panned are easy to critique on the grounds of historical accuracy, because they are presenting themselves as trying for that.

Bridgerton, on the other hand, is Regency with a giant asterisk. The sparkly dresses and pop song covers tell you that. I feel like it occupies a similar niche to something like Reign, where the aesthetics and the music and the story tell you it is more about romance than about serious history. You're here to have fun and watch pretty people kiss. Yet, there are recognizable historical figures in it at points, which keep it from being full fantasy.

And I don't have anything against something that is interested in being fun and romantic. My own media diet isn't exclusively serious stuff either.

The complicated part of my feelings come more from reception than anything the show is necessarily doing. To me, a historian who consumes a lot of historical media, it's pretty obvious that the show is wearing "not that historical" on its sleeve. And generally, I give that more grace because it is being clear about what it is.

However, in the wake of the show's popularity, I've seen people engaging with it in a way that gives me pause. For example, on a video of a woman making a dress for a Bridgerton premiere, a lot of people in the comments were trying to tell her to do a "period accurate" Regency dress. Period accurate. For Bridgerton. The show that takes actual Regency fashion as a suggested base that they build off of.

I've similarly seen videos along the lines of "POV a Bridgerton era girl doing [x]" that seem to be thinking Bridgerton is a representation of the time period rather than existing in its own bubble. Or people discussing it saying things like "back then [insert thing] was true" trying to draw from the actual Regency period (usually rather badly).

It's like the popularity has broken through to people who don't usually consume history or historical media, who simply miss how much the show is saying that it isn't history. It's a sort of undiscerning audience who isn't catching the blatant, intentional differences from a serious period piece because they know very little about the period. And then things merge into how they think about actual history (see also: people who bring up plot points from Reign to characterize actual Mary QoS in Mary vs Elizabeth discussions, or people who talk about "back then" with GoT or HotD)

And my complicated feeling is this: I don't actually think these shows could do more to differentiate themselves from actual history. They're giving you all the clues to say they aren't trying to do that. Yet, I can't help but think that there are still ways that they bleed into perceptions of history. And I wonder if that is an inevitability with loosely historical media.

[crazylittlejester]

I need to know. Would Modern au Wars be a swiftie?

In my heart I think he is and Twilight gives him shit for it, but has been caught humming one of her songs whilst doing housework or something.

(I love your modern Au)

yeah I think he’d listen to some of her older stuff, like 2014 era (Shake It Off kinda stuff) which Twi can’t say shit about because he too craves the nostalgic 2014 pop music. Wars listens to a lot of music from the shows he’s in, old stuff he skated to, Britney Spears, Sabrina Carpenter, and also Lady Gaga (Just Dance got banned FAST because he and Wild go a Little too hard whenever a Lady Gaga song is involved and last time they BOTH ended up hurting themselves because they act like their future depends on their game score. because this is what happens when you take two highly competitive retired skaters who both suffered bad injuries who also used to view each other at rivals, there is no friendly competition it’s all life or death /j). Wars also regularly cries in his car to Mitski and Hozier because he IS sad and also gay /hj and he will not be caught DEAD crying in his room, no thank you

now SKY is the real swiftie if it’s any of them, and Wars and Twi are a bit suspicious because they have no idea because he just hasn’t said anything, but Sky does know the lyrics a little to well for a guy who just “listens to it when its on the radio” or “whenever my gf plays it in her car”

ALSO IM GLAD YOU LIKE THE AU :) theyre my sillies aldkkdkd :3

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Bob Dylan - Shelter From The Storm (The Never Ending Tour Years)

Still thinking about Blood On The Tracks — I've got Blood on the brain! So here's a look at how "Shelter From The Storm" has evolved and transformed over the past several decades. Ray Padgett has a more comprehensive rundown stretching back to that ragged/glorious Rolling Thunder arrangement, but I'm focusing in on the Never Ending Tour years, seven versions that are all pretty radically different — a creature void of form! The mythopoetic "Shelter" is not exactly a greatest hit, but it's a tune that Dylan never sleepwalks through, no matter what the era. He always seems to find a new angle on it, whether in the musical presentation or his vocal delivery, each one conjuring up another lifetime. A song of love and devotion on the face of it, but always weirder than you think — what other love songs have lines about being hunted like a crocodile? Ravaged in the corn?!

1988: I don't think Johnny Cash ever covered "Shelter From The Storm" but here's a readymade arrangement for him and the Tennessee Three. Dylan's vocal is suspicious — "You wanna give me shelter from the storm? What is that, a threat?"

1991: An almost comically revved up rendition, Bob dispatching the verses in rapid-fire fashion. It actually sounds like he might slip into "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest." If the Feelies ever need to play "Shelter," they can take notes here.

1995: A guitar-less, flu-ridden Dylan delivers a breathtaking performance in Prague, floating over Bucky Baxter's pedal steel at the start and building into one of the most open-hearted vocals of his life. Bob himself can barely believe it.

2000: The "Love and Theft" lineup gets a crack at "Shelter," and no surprise, it's a lovely, elegant version, swelling in all the right spots, coaxing a restrained but beautiful reading from Dylan.

2005: A slow (but steady) train arrangement, with some inspired harmonica and piano work from Bob and sterling solos from the then-new Modern Times band. The singing is pretty wolf-y, but it works.

2010: Things get funky, with George Receli laying down a beat that might be at home on a mid-70s Meters record, playful breakdowns and Dylan's roller-rink organ. It's awesome, with Bob turning the song into a shaggy dog story, his phrasing hilarious.

2015: "Shelter" hasn't been played since '15, and fittingly, its final (for now) form has an elegiac vibe in keeping with the Sinatra years. With Receli providing subtly threatening thunder clouds in the distance, this is designed for a fairly boozy Irish wake. Beauty walks a razor's edge.

[adarkrainbow]

In France currently the big scandal isn't tied to Snow-White... But to Beauty and the Beast!

You see, the French Ministry of Education had a book prepared by the famous artist Jul to be distributed to young kids across French schools - a modern, humoristic retelling of "Beauty and the Beast". But at the very last minute, they decided to get rid of it and break the deal. The books are still here, they will be sold in book-shops, but they won't be used or distributed in schools due to being deemed "unsuitable".

The thing, you see, is that the people in charge of the education system (including madame Borne who claimed she did not preface the book, when in fact she did) realized, in their own words, that the books couldn't be "just" given away to young kids because its irony could be hardly or difficultly understood by kids alone. They deemed that the jokes of the book needed another person to explain them and to point out their non-literal nature, their caricatural element.

Jul is an author who became famous for his habit of creating works mixing distant worlds out-of-touch with our reality, and topics of today's society and political actuality. Both times he created comic books that were adapted by the Arte channel into successful cartoon series (also to be found on the Internet for free). First it was "Silex and the City", basically a French, modern, cynical version of The Flintstones using a fake "Stone Age" civilization of cavemen, talking apes, dinosaurs and other rock-technology to mock and parody our era's social evolutions, political ideologies and educational debates... And more recently it was "Fifty shades of Greek", a series of jokes at the same time parodying Greek mythology and touching upon the socio-political actuality. To give you some examples: Pan, Zeus, Dionysos and others getting involved in a big sex scandal a la Weinstein ; Cupid, to not be out of business due to dating apps, reinvents himself as a sex-toys seller ; the Trojan War becomes a gang war between teens wearing "fake Golden Fleece jackets" to look rich ; Hermaphrodite is one of the leading figures of the Pride parade ; Zeus decides to build a great wall to keep out Aztec gods away ; the labyrinth is vanquished by GPS (or on the contrary is impossible to cross because there's no WiFi), etc etc. Well you get the idea

And the same kind of socio-political humor was used in the drawings of this Beauty and the Beast retelling. Clearly taking place in a Marseille-like setting, Beauty's family is of Northern African descent, everybody is taking selfies and on social media, Beauty's father became wealthy thanks to commerce with Algeria... And that's where the "tricky" thing is.

The deal the Ministry had done with Jul was broken at the last minute due to two specific gags involving Beauty's father. You can see them below:

The first gag is of Beauty's father getting drunk and singing "Les lacs du Connemara", a VERY very famous and popular French song which also got into huge fire recently due to social debate and opinion scandals - due to being accused of being a song "appropriated" by elderly, rich right-wingers. These accusations started with a singer who expressed her personal disgust and tiredness with the song, but this sparked a WILDFIRE as a lot of people came to defend this song as a "classic" of France and part of the culture of France itself... (Which is quite ironic given this song is about Irish events and locations... And is even funnier when you consider the creator of the song never went in Ireland, wrote the song out of tourism documents brought to him just because his originals plans to write a song about Scotland were prevented... by him not knowing anything about Scotland. It is really a whole funny story)

And then came the joke that truly "killed the book" - it is shown that Beauty's father's ruin came from him being arrested by the police due to fraudulent commerce... The drawings revealing that his "business" with Algeria was spreading counterfeit Adidas products. The text doesn't say any of this, these are just the implications and jokes of the drawings.

So this was the scandal and why the Ministry backed up at the last minute. They think that, since the books will be just given to kids without any "companion" to read (no teacher to explain or analyze it with them), they might take Beauty's father's caricature at face-value or first-degree, and they don't want a product promoted and shared by them to be mistaken as saying that all Franco-Algerians are alcoholic right-wingers selling illegal knock-off brands.

(It is also strongly tied to the fact socio-political tensions between France and Algeria are very, very high, with the most recent incident being Algeria flat-out refusing to take back its citizens under legal obligation to leave the French territory for criminal reasons... But that's a whole other story)

Conclusion: Everybody is now talking about this "Beauty and the Beast" the Ministry is so afraid of they are "censoring" it...

[tea-blankets-andstars]

📀🪐intro post🪐📀

✿Sof✿

! MINOR !

my sideblog @toast-buckets-andsoup for fandom reblogs

✿ agender, omnisexual, demisexual

✿ pronouns -> (bold=current pref) she/her, xe/xem, it/its

✿ main hyperfixation: Sharks 🦈🦈🦈

✿ current book: TSOA (who’s fault was this!!? I have cried like 6 times)

dni: any of the "phobics" (i.e. homophobic, transphobic, you get it) also dni is if i block you 🫵

i love taking to you guys!! send me an ask or dm if you wanna chat <3 i also really like tag games and chains, feel free to send/tag me im those!

^^^ if your 18 or under its fine for us to chat but if your over 18 you can still follow me but i just wont interact (only exception is if ive known you for a while before you got older)

-> if I stop replying midway through when were talking I probibly A) got really anxious abt saying the wrong thing B) didnt know how to respond and didnt want to sound offensive C) i didnt see it, sry in advance

✿ Music: Iniko 𐦖 TV girl ‎𐦖 CALYPSO ‎𐦖 Chappell Roan ‎𐦖 Måneskin ‎𐦖 Conan Gray ‎𐦖 SOFIA ISELLA ‎𐦖 MARINA ‎𐦖 Queen ‎𐦖 Taylor Swift ‎𐦖 Hozier ‎𐦖 David Bowie ‎𐦖 Kate bush ‎𐦖 CALYPSO ‎𐦖 Moon Walker ‎𐦖 Penelope Scott ‎𐦖 AURORA ‎

✿ Favorite colors: really reallyyy dark purple, cherry red, Pale yellow, Peach

✿ self diagnosed Autism & Anxiety (also ocd but my entire family knows that)

✿ Favorite movies/shows: Matilda, Gilmore Girls, rw&rb, Hamilton, Midsommar, Coraline, The Greatest Showman, Just Add Magic, Heartstopper, Hunger games

✿fandoms: The marauders (moonchaser otp), Percy jackson, The hunger games, Heartstopper

✿ Evan Rosier + Remus Lupin Clicker (website link if your wondering why i dont say "kinnie") , Cabin 15, Hypnos, I have also been told that I am literally Tori Spring so take that as you will

marauders era godly parent masterlist

marauders characters and ships moodboards masterlist

I LOVE MAKING MOODBOARDS! SEND ME A CHARACTOR AND I WILL MAKE A MOODBOARD FOR THEM :D

MY TAGS

sof says stuff -> literally any random post I make

from ✉️ *name* -> any asks i get

sof says MUSIC -> anything related to a song

sof is a poet now™️ -> any of my poetry

sof says goodnight🌚 -> me logging off for the night (probibly)

character song study -> any songs that I have given certian lyrics to characters

to find later📠 -> exactly how it sounds :)

...im fine -> im probibly not fine

a childrens plate because it reflects my eating habbits -> any post about food

🤭 -> anything abt my crushhhh ahdgssjeiej

my rp blog! ⬇️(for lesser known marauders era characters)

send an ask of dm me if you wanna join!

my rp accounts:

@r-moony-lups - america modern au

@alices-icecream - ^^^

devider by:

@strangergraphics

[canmom]

hi cuba i'm dad

I watched I Am Cuba, whose not-so-recent restoration was playing at the GFT. insanely well shot film, like the level of choreography to pull off those long takes and supercomplicated crane shots with no steadicams or anything is just mind bending. absolutely wild that the soviets didn't say "wow we have a banger on our hands here comrades" and play it everywhere - as a propaganda film, it did its job! definitely leaves you fired up to fight the Cuban revolution.

it is certainly a very didactic film, with the lesson of each vignette being pretty clear. but it is able to lend enough depth to the archetypal characters - the struggling sex worker from a slum who has to hide her relationship serving american visitors at a jazz club, the salt of the earth sugarcane farmer whose land is sold out from under him, the student revolutionary who hesitates to pull the trigger, the other farmer who only wants peace - to get you really engaged, though definitely the revolutionary characters (probably closest to the experience of the filmmakers) feel like they're the most fleshed out.

the third act, in which a revolutionary student plans to assassinate a regime cop (unnamed) but hestitates when he sees the man with his family, only to see that same cop murder first his friend and them himself, is maybe the most spectacular, with huge scenes of rioters getting blasted with water cannons, or the incredible funeral shot...

but it's not just these flashy huge shots; it's a gorgeously lit greyscale film (absolutely crazy detailed looking with the 4k scan, so cheers for that one Scorcese), ingeniously augmented by infrared photography in places to make it extra stark. more than that and so many shots have really elaborate blocking and camerawork, with the camera drifting from actor to actor, effortlessly sliding between closeup and longshot like it's in the hands of Ichirō Itano, which is wild for live action.

one relatively simple scene towards the end I noticed had a revolutionary arriving at a farmer's house and sitting down for the meal; the men argue, and the farmer goes to stand at the door, allowing the camera to perfectly frame the two of them and almost nothing else in the shot.

it is otherwise very happy to linger on a musical sequence, such as the intense club scenes at the beginning, in a way that feels way more modern than you'd think for the 60s.

the architecture of revolution-era Cuba is just as striking - some buildings, like the rooftop where Enrique tries to line up his shot, look like they could easily be modern buildings. compared to the romantic picture of something like Chico and Rita, of course, this is a film determined to remind you how bad things are, not just show you the touristy bits of Cuba. much of the film revolves around the question of violence - certainly from an agitprop angle, like act 3 is sorta should you hesitate (no), and act 4 is like will you be OK if you keep your head down (no); many of the revolutionary songs are in major part about how it's good and righteous die for the country.

when first shown, it was criticised in Havana for stereotypical depictions of Cubans - which doesn't entirely seem unfair, they are kind of stock characters for the most part, although portrayed with a lot of humanity. in the Soviet Union, meanwhile, it got criticised for not being propaganda-y enough, which is wild because to my mind it works better at getting its emotional message across than most oldschool propaganda films I've seen. that said, I definitely need to watch more critical Cuban films from the same period like Memories of Underdevelopment, or recent ones like Strawberry and Chocolate, for some contrast.

all in all cool film, big shoutout to @hamiltonianflow for suggesting we watch it together <3

[justforbooks]

Everybody dance: Nile Rodgers’ 20 greatest tracks❗

As the 72-year-old prepares for Glastonbury with Chic, we present you the best of his guitar licks and songwriting magic for Madonna, Diana Ross, Sister Sledge and more🎶🎶🎵👏

✔ Johnny Mathis – Fall in Love (I Want To) (1981)

It was criminal that Mathis’s label cancelled the release of his Chic-produced album, I Love My Lady. Finally brought out in 2017, it sounded marvellous: Rodgers had leaned on his love of jazz, lending the funk a slightly Steely Dan-ish edge. Fall in Love is fabulous: Mathis’s gossamer vocals floating above a hypnotic, mid-tempo groove.

✔ Chic – Dance Dance Dance (Yowsa Yowsa Yowsa) (1977)

Taking inspiration from the 1930s was a disco trope – check Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band’s swing-infused debut album or Carrie Lucas’s fabulous Tic Toc – but Dance Dance Dance’s re-appropriation of bandleader Ben Bernie’s catchphrase “yowsa yowsa yowsa!” was the most successful example of the lot: that it was aligned to a killer groove helped.

✔ Norma Jean – Saturday (1978)

The eponymous solo album by Chic’s former vocalist is the great overlooked Rodgers and Edwards production of their golden era. Saturday perfectly evokes the anticipation before a night out, but doesn’t skirt the drudgery a night out provides escape from. Currently the theme to Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, which rather misses the point.

✔ Chic – Soup for One (1982)

Good tracks are scattered across Chic’s unloved 80s albums, but Soup for One is their last unequivocal classic: spacier and synth-ier than their 70s output, there’s a hint of the electronic boogie sound prominent in contemporary New York clubs. Its riff will be immediately familiar to latterday listeners thanks to the sample on Modjo’s 2000 chart-topper Lady.

✔ Madonna – Like a Virgin (1984)

The album that turned Madonna into a superstar was evidence of both Rodgers’ hitmaking nous and his adaptability as a producer. Its modish synth-heavy sound bore no resemblance to Chic … almost. Listen closely to the title track and you can hear his trademark staccato guitar driving the whole thing along.

✔ Chic – At Last I Am Free (1978)

Chic’s ballads got less attention than their dancefloor-focused tracks, but At Last I Am Free deserves real shine. It’s an account of being teargassed at a Black Panther rally and the ensuing sense of disillusion, but it’s disguised as a sumptuous, crestfallen love song. Robert Wyatt’s cover dug into the song’s dejected mood.

✔ Sister Sledge – We Are Family (1979)

Arguably the most famous Chic track of all – a song that has been played at everything from feminist rallies to sports victories and that’s clearly going to provoke party singalongs for the rest of time – was actually intended to reintroduce Sister Sledge to record buyers after a series of flops. Incredibly, their record label initially rejected it.

✔ Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out (1980)

After encountering drag queens dressed as Diana Ross, Rodgers and Edwards aimed to write her a gay anthem with the same power as Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Ross thought the lyrics referred to her breaking free of Motown’s strictures). A joy from start to finish, it became a huge hit and ultimately, achieved its initial aim.

✔ Sister Sledge – He’s the Greatest Dancer (1979)

The faint hint that disco was perhaps getting a little too popular for its own good lurks on He’s the Greatest Dancer’s hymn to a designer-clad Adonis: the dancefloor is packed with “out-of-towners touring”. The problem being that another Chic-penned song as great as this was only going to make disco bigger.

✔ Daft Punk – Get Lucky (ft Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers) (2013)

Rodgers’ 21st-century output has been of deeply variable quality, but Get Lucky was a global smash for a reason. A fantastic song built around Rodgers’ unmistakeable guitar, its take on disco is neither knowingly retro nor noticeably modern; even before it became completely inescapable it somehow sounded weirdly familiar, as if it always existed.

✔ Carly Simon – Why? (1982)

A new direction for the Chic Organization’s sound: Rodgers’ guitar plays a reggae off-beat, the rhythm track is influenced by electro, Simon’s voice is cushioned by swathes of synth. The results are magic, the 12in mix a club perennial. Lumbered with an absolutely mortifying video, it flopped in the US, but was a huge European hit.

✔ David Bowie – Let’s Dance (1983)

The Rodgers-produced Let’s Dance album may have been the moment when Bowie’s artistic quality control finally slackened in the quest for commercial acceptance, but the title track is magnificent: a brand of pop more strange and tense than its global smash status and its ubiquity following Bowie’s death might suggest.

✔ Sheila & B Devotion – Spacer (1979)

As a point of contrast, it’s worth playing Sheila and B Devotion’s first British hit, a disco version of Singin’ in the Rain: it’s gormless tripe. Enter the Chic Organization, and Shelia and B Devotion are utterly transformed. From its wistful piano intro to its rock-y guitar solo, Spacer is sleek, sexy and surprisingly sparse perfection.

✔ Chic – I Want Your Love (1978)

Chic at their vertiginous zenith, when Rodgers and Edwards seemed incapable of making anything that didn’t sound simultaneously flawless and effortless: the simplicity of the four-note hook balanced out by the complexity of the slow-building horn and string arrangement, which achieves euphoric take off at 3min 25sec.

✔ Chic – Everybody Dance (1977)

More so than their debut single, Everybody Dance defined Chic’s sound, their ethos of music as a form of luxury goods: sophisticated, spare but somehow sumptuous, driven by incredible musicianship (listen to Edwards’s bass), lyrics that hymn the dancefloor as the cure for whatever might be ailing you.

✔ Sister Sledge – Thinking of You (1979)

A song that sounds like falling in love feels: check out the breakdown at 2min 53sec, when the strings relax into a gorgeous shimmer, Edwards hits a single bass note and Kathy Sledge sighs: “I’m in love again” – the most beautiful moment in the Chic Organization’s entire catalogue.

✔ Chic – Le Freak (1978)

Rejection made creatively profitable. Originally a complaint about Rodgers and Edwards being refused entry to Studio 54, titled Fuck Off (there’s still a snarky quality to the finished song’s suggestion you “come on down to the 54”), Le Freak’s irresistible call to the dancefloor sold 7m copies, proof that living well is the best revenge.

✔ Diana Ross – Upside Down (1980)

In a sense, Chic’s Diana Ross collaboration was a disaster: Ross hated the results and had the album remixed; the whole business ended up in court. But musically, it was magic, and nowhere more so than on Upside Down, potent enough to buck America’s disco backlash and reach No 1.

✔ Sister Sledge – Lost in Music (1979)

Rodgers said We Are Family was “hands down” the Chic Organization’s greatest album, and Lost in Music – presumably inspired by Sister Sledge’s scuffling years prior to the album’s release – is its crowning glory: a song and production so perfect it never loses its power to transport you to a better place.

✔ Chic – Good Times (1979)

Even in a catalogue as rich as Chic’s, Good Times stands out. For one thing, it’s got a hook of simplistic perfection and the greatest bass line Edwards ever came up with (one of the great bass lines full stop, sampled umpteen times since it was first borrowed by hip-hop pioneers the Sugarhill Gang). For another, it’s infinitely smarter than your average dependable party anthem, packed with lyrical references that equate America’s then-current economic situation to the Great Depression (“Happy days are here again,” it opens, mordantly). If you need proof that Chic were a cut above their disco peers, here it is.

It’s The Friday Dance❗🎶🎵👏

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[hr-twink]

wwfo materials dump

in honor of finishing this beast 3 weeks ago here is a digital scrapbook of my materials and some behind the scenes

initial sketches for the art

Below is the 1 paragraph version of the dms i sent to @thehorsesthatareslow who had the misfortune of letting me bounce this idea off him. ( dms are separated by || so thats why there are 30 'so like's 💀)

ok so my evil mind came up w this last night after i had caught up on all the content on ao3 😔|| ok so like the trope that makes me want to die the most is like reincarnation/finding eachother in every life (😫😫😫) ok so like what if river spider enemies (sexual) in every lifetime over like a couple hundred years and one always dies before it gets like romantic || but the line that i created was “how many lifetimes until we get it right?” gonna kmsssss ||so like at the end coda (the modern era show timeline) spider doesnt die and they finally get to be together ||you are welcome || im going to make it seem like its a sad ending and then drop a final chapter where he comes back to life and everythings fine because its the 21st century and like medicine exists 😂

some of the general rules i tried to follow for each story

meme @cakebatteronabrickwall sent me after chapter 4? i think. sums up the vibes i wanted

the forsaken 1700s chapter :

i referenced this as an easter egg in chapter 7

other chapters that could have been: (real and joke)

1300s plague

Originally chapter 4 was supposed to be 1666 The Great Fire of London but I moved it to the Gunpowder Plot for the espionage.

1600s spider is one of the bored crazy teenaged girls that started the salem witch trials (@manbeaft partially responsible for this idea dfkjgf)

ww2 (although i like to think that the turn-around has to be longer)

Main source for the early chapters:

Arthurson, Ian. "Espionage and Intelligence from the Wars of the Roses to the Reformation." Nottingham Medieval Studies, Vol. 35, 1991,pp.134-154.

The other stuff i got from my knowledge of history, the internet, and youtube videos explaining the insane geopolitics of medieval england

I also went on a giant rabbithole for the telegraph Roddy has in chapter 5 that ended up just being an offhand thing. Same thing happened with the Wire Repair in Chapter 6 where i read like 3 articles and several pages in a book on archive.org about trench telephone wires and wiretapping. Also went no where and ill never need the information again!

finally for this weird post: i went to Lewes today for brunch (Brewers Arms 😘😘😍🥰) and saluted our fallen chapter 2 spider🫡🫡chose a spot in the distance for him to have fictionally died :)

[also song rec from @manbeaft: Old Souls ]

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

Lacuna Coil, ���Sleepless Empire’ | The Album Story

Over three decades into their career, Lacuna Coil are no strangers to the realities of band life. Settled into the usual routine of writing songs, heading into the studio, releasing an album, and touring the world – after unleashing 2019 album ‘Black Anima’ into the world they were ready to repeat the familiar cycle. However, the world had other plans.

“So many things have changed,” vocalist Cristina Scabbia reflects. 

“We released ’Black Anima’, did three tours, and then the pandemic happened. In that period our creativity went downhill, because we absolutely needed to go on tour and absorb new experiences to write new music and be inspired. We were separated from each other too, and being together is another mandatory condition to write a Lacuna Coil record.”

In a creative lull and feeling more disconnected from one another than ever before, as the 20th anniversary of their 2002 breakthrough album ‘Comalies’ rolled around, they knew they needed to find a way to recalibrate. Picking the notepads back up, they set out to deconstruct and reconstruct their iconic record, working on an entirely rearranged recording titled ‘Comalies XX’.

“We decided to give it a proper tribute because that record has been so important for us,” Cristina explains.

“In doing that, we incorporated some stuff from the past that we didn’t think about or feel for many years. When you’re evolving, you don’t look back that much. We were singing vocal lines in different ways and Maki [Coti Zelati, bassist & producer] was listening to the old compositions and transforming them into a more modern sound.”  

From there, a new era of Lacuna Coil was born. Revisiting the songs that first catapulted them onto the scene two decades ago, as the five-piece finally got back on the road together a creative burst surged through them. Absorbing every new experience and reminiscing on the old, the flickering embers of ‘Sleepless Empire’ came to life. 

An album that embraces every twist and turn of the band’s career and stretches the limits of their cinematic vision, on their tenth studio album the Italian goth metal icons are surer of themselves than ever before. Eleven atmospheric songs that soundtrack an epic, emotional journey, Rock Sound sat down with vocalist duo Cristina and Andrea to explore how ‘Sleepless Empire’ came to be.

THE SOUND

“Coming into album ten, we had this vision of a full record,” Cristina nods.

“We love the idea of listeners taking one hour out of their day to listen to a full record. It should feel like a soundtrack… A journey.”

In a world encouraging us to consume music in shorter and shorter increments, there’s no doubt that the art of the album is often overlooked. Our attention spans decreasing as social media exposes our senses to more information than ever before, ‘Sleepless Empire’ is not just a collection of songs – but an invitation to slow down. Tapping into the darkness, the light, and all manner of shades in-between, it’s the kind of album that demands your full attention, sucking you into its world and refusing to relinquish its grip until the final note.

“It might not be the easy option, but when you have an honest message… People recognise that,” Andrea says.

“You can do something different to what everybody else is doing, as long as it’s what you feel in the moment. With this album we went with the flow and followed the music. If it felt heavy, we made it heavier. If a song wasn’t sounding like a single, we didn’t make it a single. We’ve learnt over the years that when you just try to give people what they expect, it’s not sincere. We did this because we like it, and I hope people will see the honesty in the music. Who cares what the rules are?”

Casting aside any expectations and taking the necessary time to refine every part of every song, each layer of sound on ‘Sleepless Empire’ tells its own story. Cristina and Andrea’s voices utilised as two extra instruments amongst the band’s arsenal, each new listen invites new perspectives to explore and more subtle touches to uncover.

“I would love it if whoever listens to the record takes the time to focus on each part,” Cristina nods.

“The ultimate dream for us is that people can take some time out of their lives to listen to these songs with good headphones, and to separate themselves from everything else – just for one hour.”

THE LYRICS

With our identities becoming harder and harder to separate from our social media presence, ‘Sleepless Empire’ captures the complicating realities of life in a modern world. A transition from an analogue to digital existence that the members of Lacuna Coil have witnessed throughout their career, as we find ourselves connected to one another in new ways each day – in many ways we are more divided than ever before.

“It’s an observation on what we see around us, especially after COVID and the lockdowns,” Andrea explains.

“Our generation has mostly been able to go back to a balanced life between the virtual and the real, but a lot of the younger generation have never experienced life without the internet. They’ve gotten stuck in this suspended place where they’re connected 24/7 and struggling to work out who they are outside of that. It’s a confusing time that we’re living in.”

“I think we have an analogue mentality in a digital world,” Cristina adds.

“Of course, we take advantage of technology, because there are some things that are made easier by it. As lyricists, we can find words that we want to use online rather than going through 10,000 dictionaries, which is great. It’s useful, and we love it, but we feel part of the sleepless empire. We are strongly connected to our communities through our smartphones, and we work with our smartphones. We appreciate technology, but the use that you make of it should be chosen by you. When it becomes out of your control, that’s when it’s wrong.”

Whilst there is undoubtedly a sense of dystopian darkness ripping through ‘Sleepless Empire’, it’s also impossible to deny the flickers of hope. From the raw vulnerability of ‘Oxygen’ to the stark resilience of ‘Gravity’, what binds each track together is a sense of power. Finding the strength to reclaim yourself and find connection in meaningful, healthy ways, it’s a celebration of the community Lacuna Coil have built over the last three decades.

“We have always had a very tight relationship with our fans. We are friends with many of them, we know their names, and we stay in touch,” Cristina nods.

“We get messages from people telling us that our music helped them get out of a dark time, and we totally understand that. I went through a bad period a few years ago, and music saved me. It was the only outlet that would allow me to scream from the inside and release the tension.”

“Even in the darkest songs, we like to give a positive message. We are very positive people, no matter how much black we wear or how much dark imagery we use. It’s important to give hope to whoever is listening, and to give them something fight for. I love that someone can listen to a song of ours, and it could change their lives. We understand the power that we have, so even though we don’t write for the listener, there’s a responsibility behind everything we sing.”

THE COLLABORATORS

Written and recorded entirely in northern Italy – between Lacuna Coil’s hometown of Milano and the nearby city of Como – bassist Maki once again handled production duties on ‘Sleepless Empire’. Having been at the helm on every release since 2016’s ‘Delirium’, it’s been a refreshing change of pace for the band.

“We have recorded in many different parts of the world, and each was pleasant in a different way,” Cristina explains.

“I enjoyed recording in places like Los Angeles, but honestly, it’s so nice to be able to come home and sleep in your own bed. In the past, I thought that going home between sessions would break the flow of recording, but now I feel way more relaxed. When you go back into the studio, you’re ready to do it again, but with a different mindset.”

With a peaceful, familiar environment to work within, knowing that they had full control over whatever came out of the process, as the five-piece listened through demos – it became clear that something was missing. Andrea and Cristina’s dual efforts ensuring they’ve never been short in the vocalist department, bringing onboard guests had never been at the top of their to-do list, but two names naturally came up in conversation.

“This is the first time that we’ve had guest vocalists, because we already have two distinctive voices in the band,” Cristina nods.

“When we started to think about it, we immediately thought about Randy [Blythe, Lamb Of God]. He’s a friend, he’s a beast on a microphone, and he’s a great performer. We were sure that he would add something special to ‘Hosting The Shadow’, and he was super into the idea. He’s such a tremendous, charismatic singer, and he added so much to the song. I hope we get to perform it live one day.”

“The other collaboration, we already have performed live!”, Andrea grins.

“We were looking for a voice that wasn’t too clean or too operatic, more of a rock voice, for ‘In The Mean Time’. Ash [Costello, New Years Day] was perfect for the part that we had written, and she did a great job. She added some harmonisation on the vocals with a bit of an American flavour, which was something we wouldn’t have thought of ourselves. I absolutely love what she did with the song.”

THE TITLE & ARTWORK

In an increasingly digitized world providing access to infinite information, things often move much quicker than we are able to process. With little opportunity to switch off and constant pressure to create and be productive, as Andrea and Cristina explored the lyrical themes of the record, the words ‘Sleepless Empire’ resonated deeply.

“The society that we live in is full of inputs. It’s very rich in content, and in possibilities,” Andrea says.

“Every day you have thousands of new songs, new bands, and new TV shows to take in, and every outlet has its own things to offer. We’re always connected, but we just scroll to the next thing without even enjoying the last. We don’t even enjoy life anymore because we are overloaded with information and possibilities.”

With a title locked in, the responsibility of outlining the album’s visuals came down to Italian artist Roberto Toderico. His name jotted down after having flicked through his portfolio at a comic convention, the band fell in love with his distinctive style, asking him to hand curate the artwork to match their vision.

“His work can represent the darkness in an abstract way, and he approached it with his own specific touch and style. He’s a metalhead too, so that helps,” Cristina explains.

“There was a lot of back and forth between us, which was amazing on a human level. He created all of the artworks as drawings, using ink on paper. We used technology to scan the designs and edit them, but the ideas were all an expression of a human being. The album’s cover actually comes from an idea Maki had of this crowned skull with two skulls added on the side. He did the sketches, and then we handed it over to Roberto to refine it. The end result is stunning.”

THE FUTURE

Starting out in Milan during the mid-nineties with simple dreams of signing a record contract and touring across Europe, every part of Lacuna Coil’s career has surpassed expectation. Three decades spent shaping their country’s metal scene, paving the way for countless other bands, each evolution in their sound has tested the limits of what’s possible in the genre – and ‘Sleepless Empire’ is no different.

A triumphant achievement from a band consistently unwilling to rest on their laurels, as they continue to put one foot in front of the other and seize every opportunity that appears before them, Cristina and Andrea’s focus remains firmly fixed on the future.

“One day, we’ll stop and realise how much we’ve done over the last 25 years,” Andrea nods.

“Now though, we are in the present. We’re looking at what’s going on right now, we listen to new bands, and I’m still discovering bands that I can fall in love with. That’s probably why we’re still making records, because we never want to repeat the same formula.”

“It’s crazy to think that this is our tenth album, because it doesn’t feel like that much time has passed,” Cristina smiles.

“We feel like we only started this band a few years ago, which is great because it means we still love what we do. We still love music, and we consider every record as a photograph of a specific period. We don’t feel tired after doing ten records, and as long as you have something to say there is no expiration date to a band. As long as you keep the passion, you can go on for forever.”

[desmon1995]

A Ghost Train and The Apparition of Classism

The most iconic scene of the Warriors 1979 is their train ride home Coney Island.

The most striking scene during this series of events is when a group of yuppie prom kids enter the train and sit across the Warriors.

We as an audience are made to compare and contrast between these two groups with one being the golden standard and the other being less than ideal.

Ultimately, the Teens are supposed to be a reflection of what the Warriors could have been if they got their lives together.

" Maybe they could have been coming back from a night of fun instead of barely surviving the night if they were on the right track"

The concept album not only flips this on its head, but flat-out rebukes the conclusion the film came to .

The Same Train Home is not only one of the most beautiful songs in the entire album, but ties together all of the themes regarding social hierarchy, unification, classism, and bigotry that Cyrus talked about to come to a more radical notion

The song (as many before me have pointed out) basically frames the subway as a metaphor for the afterlife and makes the assertion that "death comes for us all and it is the great equalizer"

There are several different characters all from different social classes present .

The Warriors- an all-female gang of color who are still rationalizing the intense misogyny and trauma they've been forced to endure.

A Single Mother- who's performing a song in her native language for change with her baby strapped to her back.

Then there's the after mention Rich Kids who just got back from their luxurious night and spend most of the song judging the Warriors but particularly Mercy based off of the fact that she .... Exist I guess?

You may notice that the song spends an awful lot of time on these snotty brats, but this is no mere coincidence.

This is what we call in writing The Man behind The Man.

These arrogant teenagers are a representation of the social elites that uphold the system that causes police like Barnes and Victor to run loose and use whatever means necessary to crush those beneath them to uphold a pseudo vision of paradise for them.

In some ways this is the Warriors staring the true villains of the entire album right in the face.

They're completely unaware of the trouble people like them cause for society and are more fascinated by the fact that they're in the presence of marginalized people and are probably annoyed because of it

That's where everything sort of comes together.

The reason this ethereal vibe we get isn't just because this is the same track where Captain Victor brutally murdered Fox, but it shows that life nor death discriminate.

It doesn't matter whether you were born into a marginalized community or a more privileged one we are all going to need the same fate eventually.

Moreover, this completely vindicates Cyrus's message from the beginning of the album and shows just how fruitless the actions of the police and even Luther were.

It doesn't matter how many artificial doors the system and the elites that perpetuated try to manufacture to keep marginalized communities down, they're still are going to have to leave their comfort zones and acknowledge that different walks of life exist whether they want you or not.

All things must live in Union and trying to fight that is pretty much like fighting death because regardless of if you accept it it will happen regardless of your opinion.

On that note, Mercy starts to become insecure because of all of the rude gawking the teenagers are giving her and it starts to make her feel very uncomfortable.

That's when Swan delivers a passionate lesbian kiss that's been foreshadowed since they met in orphan town.

This moment is pretty significant because I need to remind you'll that this is the 1970s!

A period that modern-day conservatives uphold as being the pinnacle of the golden era.

Where things like queerness and "Wokeism" didn't exist yet all of us know that this was never true and classist hoods are forced to engage with the fact that there are identities that exist outside of their privilege bubbles and it's pretty good writing all around.

Classism is essentially a Scooby-Doo like phantom that we as a society are forced to believe in because people with billions of dollars tell us to and they try to spend a narrative that fits lower class people against each other when really nothing truly separates us.

All of these characters regardless of where they came from are all on a train going to their set destinations and at least for the teenagers this is probably the only time they've seen more than one black or brown person in their entire lives.

It's probably up there as one of my favorite moments in the entire album this for how it kind of makes me rethink everything that's happened so far.

[frogcoven99]

My Thoughts on Wish 💫💜🌳🐐🫧

⚠️SPOILERS AHEAD⚠️

FUCK I’M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG

First of all, this review is dedicated to that one Wish stan on Twitter who said I have "no media literacy" when I tried to say that Magnifico wasn’t really threatening, but wasn’t trying to start off a big fight or anything.

I hope that person is having a wonderful day, and I hope this review proves that I do actually have media literacy 🥰🥰

Now, back to the film:

I really wanted to like this movies guys. A film about the origins of the wishing star sounded amazing!

And after I saw the film TWICE in theaters, I was in love. I thought surely my opinion wouldn’t change.

But…the more I thought about the movie, the worst it got.

For example, the songs. I don’t think I need to explain to you guys why "I let you live for free and I don’t even charge you rent" and "throw caution to every warning sign" and "watch out world here I are" DO NOT WORK.

I don’t blame the songwriters for this, because I’m sure they are very talented people.

But they were clearly not the people who should have been in charge of the music.

Not to mention the fact that Julia Michaels was given TWO WEEKS to write “This Wish”….

The Characters

Asha 💜

I like Asha’s design enough, like her braids. But her personality is as bland as a scoop of vanilla ice cream (jk, vanilla ice cream is goated).

Lots of people have complained that the “adorkable” leading lady trope has worn out its welcome.

I used to disagree since those “quirky” characters were some of my favorites (Like Rapunzel, Mirabel, and Moana), but Asha has definitely reached my limit with them.

Rapunzel, Anna, Moana, and Mirabel all feel like distinct characters from each other (yeah stfu ModernGurlz), but Asha feels like an imitation of them, like the cheap Walmart version.

And she’s not really interesting either, she has a passion for art, but the film doesn’t do anything with it. In fact, nothing about her feels genuine. She feels so hollow and like she only has two personality traits: Quirky and the protagonist.

Like, during “This Wish” (which is probably the worst Disney “I want” song ever) I never felt connected with her. It just felt like, oh this is the Disney “I want” song because this is a Disney movie.

I didn’t understand what Asha wanted, “something more for us than this”? Okay…what about you? What do you want?

With all the other Disney “I want” songs, I could feel a connection and what the character wanted.

So yeah, Asha is probably the worst protagonist in the modern era of Disney. At least in terms of writing.

And while I did say I like her design, I prefer her concept arts.

King Magnifico 🫧

Chris Pine seems like he is having a blast in the recording booth, and I gotta say his performance was pretty good. But it wasn’t enough to save this character :/

So, the main problem with his character is that I can kinda agree with him on the whole wishes thing. But, I also barely found him threatening.

The most threatening things he does in this movie is crush a bunch of balls (that’s what she said) that make people feel sad and chain everyone to the ground.

Not only that, Magnifico’s use of his magic is SO LAME! Another major reason I was never intimated by him is because he never did anything really scary or threatening with his magic, all he could do was create giant hands and chain people up. Like…ok? Is that all you got? Really? 😑

Also, I don’t think I need to tell you that his villain song SUCKS ASS. You know it, everyone knows it. I’m not getting into it. Go listen to a real villain song like "Hellfire" or “Friends on the other side" instead.

As for the other characters, I don’t have much to say about them unlike Asha and Magnifico.

Star ⭐️

The Star was really really cute, even tho they were just a Luma/marketable plushie. And also REALLY reminds me of a squish mallow, am I the only one who sees that?

I should definitely mention how he was originally gonna be a StarBoy, but we’ll get to that later don’t you worry. That is a VERY important element in our discussion.

The Other Characters This Movie Has

Amaya is so BORING! She barely has a character outside of being the queen and Magnifico’s wife, she was just…there. You could remove her from the movie with very little tweaking and nothing would change.

I would’ve preferred it if she was also a villain like Magnifico, which WAS originally in the script. But like StarBoy, that is something we will get to later.

The Teens are fine, but really forgettable. I like how they are all based off the Seven Dwarves, that’s cute. But it feels like they didn’t have any character outside of that.

Yeah, Dahlia is Asha’s bestie, but there wasn’t enough scenes between them to show me their dynamic to make me feel like their friendship was genuine.

Simon ended up snitching out on Asha and betraying the Teens in the middle, but I literally couldn’t have cared less because what do we know about this guy other than he’s sleepy and gave his wish to Magnifico?

As for the other Teens, just like Amaya, they could’ve been removed from the script and barely anything would change. The grumpy one had some sassy moments, and he’s voiced by Harvey Guillén (Perrito’s VA) so that’s something I guess. The shy one had this one gag that had comedic potential, but wasn’t really expanded.

And as for the other Teens…uh…I can’t remember a single thing they did honestly.

And then there’s Valentino…fuck that goat man. 😑 I love Alan Tudyk and his roles in other (better) Disney movies, but yeah Valentino is definitely my least favorite role he’s ever done.

All of his jokes were unfunny, and were mostly butt jokes. Which is probably my least favorite form of comedy ever that I cannot stand for the life of me.

Speaking of which, this movie just was not funny. None of the jokes made me laugh or chuckle or even smile.

Raya and the Last Dragon is a Disney movie that I really don’t like, but there were some jokes that got a chuckle or smile out of me. Wish didn’t even have ONE good joke.

Uhh…Asha’s grandpa was build up as someone important but he just peaces out in the middle of the movie with Asha’s mom, who did not do a single thing other than a ball getting shattered making her sad.

And that’s all the characters in this movie.

Legacy Nods, why they do not work

Alright, what else is there to talk about?

Maybe the endless amount of Disney references? I get it’s the 100th anniversary film and all and Disney has had Hidden Gems like that in their films. But the difference is the ones in previous films were subtle and hidden in the background, and it would probably take you a rewatch to see it.

But in Wish? They all feel shoved down your throat. It’s like: “HEY REMEMBER THIS MOVIE??" “REMEMBER THAT??” “DON’T YOU WANNA WATCH THAT MOVIE???” It’s so exhausting.

When I heard the movie was gonna have “legacy nods” as they liked to call it, I was excited and thought it would be so much fun to point them all out and to pay closer attention to the background.

But instead every nod was thrown at my face and was heavily obvious. Disappointing 😔

The Animation

Let’s get to the animation now. It’s probably (one of) the most discussed things about this movie, especially when the teaser first dropped last year.

Lots of people were complaining it looks like a Disney Junior show or Ai and said it looks unfinished. Even one of my best friends who was just as excited for this movie as I was admitted it looked weird.

At first, I loved this art style and thought it was beautiful. And I was determined it would look even more beautiful on the big screen.

And now? I…actually still like it. I definitely don’t hate it, and thinks it gets some getting used to. I think it’s actually kinda pretty.

Apparently it’s supposed to be watercolor and combined with 2D animation, which is neat.

But compared to the films like the Spider Verse films or Puss In Boots 2, yeah it’s not the best.

I personally would’ve preferred it if the film was in 2D, Disney’s 100th anniversary would’ve been a PERFECT time to return 2D animation! But, nope 😒

Yeah it’s bad, but…

I know I’m making it seem like I hate this movie, but I really don’t. I’m disappointed in it more than anything.

If anything, I’m thankful this movie was still made.

Why?

Well, easy.

It allowed many people to be able to tell their own version of the story.

I’m sure we’ve all heard of StarBoy and the cut Evil Amaya.

And yeah, these concepts could’ve made this movie 1000x better.

But because of these concepts, so many amazing people have been given the opportunity to rewrite the movie and give amazing stories.

I have read so many wonderful Wish rewrites, which are so much better than the film.

At the end of the today, Wish is a bad movie.

But, I’m glad it exists.

Without it, we wouldn’t have gotten so many amazing stories.

I’m gonna give Wish a 4/10, still bad, but I appreciate its existence for the rewrites alone.