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hlupdate · 5 years ago

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A handshake can quell political unrest and stifle impending war. It can, with a bit of spit, validate a gentleman’s agreement, end a years-long romantic relationship or send a young heart racing. But it all depends on the two parties involved.

Daisy, 21, felt a seismic jolt when Harry Styles, 25, wearing a striped jumper and rings on three of his five fingers, clutched her hand two days after this year’s Met Gala in New York, when she served him gelato at the shop where she worked.

“He decided on a small mint chocolate gelato and I made his and the one for his friend and I said, ‘Can I just say I absolutely loved your Met Gala look’ and he said ‘Thank you very much! What’s your name?’ And I said, ‘Daisy’ AND HE FUCKING EXTENDED HISHAND AND REACHED TO SHAKE MY HAND AND I ACTUALLY FUCKINGSHOOK HIS HAND WHAT THE FUCK,” she wrote on Instagram after The Shakening. “Like I didn’t even say anything to gas him up besides ‘I loved your met gala look’ and his fine ass went and shook my hand! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL FUCKING HUMAN BEINGTHAT HE IS GOD BLESS HIM AND I HOPE HW [sic] LIVES FOREVER.”

For Harry Styles, a handshake can be a romantic gesture, conjuring a potent reverence in its recipient, like the time he met Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele. “He was as attractive as James Dean and as persuasive as Greta Garbo. He was like a Luchino Visconti character, like an Apollo: at the same time sexy as a woman, as a kid, as a man,” Michele told me, hastening to add: “Of course, Harry is not aware of this.”

No, Styles has no idea the power he wields. In person, he’s towering, like someone who is not that much taller but whose reputation adds four inches. Styles has a sedative baritone, spoken in a rummy northern English accent, that tumbles out so slowly you forget the name of your first born, a swagger that has been nursed and perfected in mythical places with names like Paisley Park, or Abbey Road, or Graceland. Makes complete sense that he would be up for the role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic. He was primed, nay, born to shake his hips, all but one button on his shirt clinging for dear life around his torso. Then the part was awarded to another actor, Austin Butler.

“[Elvis] was such an icon for me growing up,” Styles tells me. “There was something almost sacred about him, almost like I didn’t want to touch him. Then I ended up getting into [his life] a bit and I wasn’t disappointed,” he adds of his initial research and preparations to play The King. He seems relaxed about losing the part to Butler. “I feel like if I’m not the right person for the thing, then it’s best for both of us that I don’t do it, you know?”

Styles released his self-titled debut solo album in May 2017. The boyband grad was clearly uninterested in hollowing out the charts with more formulaic meme pop. Instead, to the surprise of many, he dug his heels into retro-fetishist West Coast ’70s rock. Some of the One Direction fan-hordes might have been confused, but no matter: Harry Styles sold one million copies.

Despite its commercial and critical success, he didn’t tour the album right away. He wanted to act in the Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk. To his credit, his portrayal of a British soldier cowering in a moored boat on the French beaches as the Nazis advanced wasn’t skewered in the press like the movie debuts of, say, Madonna or Justin Timberlake. Perhaps he was following advice given by Elton John, who had urged him to diversify. “He was brilliant in Dunkirk, which took a lot of people by surprise,” John writes in an email. “I love how he takes chances and risks.” Acting, unlike music, is a release for Styles; it’s the one time he can be not himself.

“Why do I want to act? It’s so different to music for me,” he says, suddenly animated. “They’re almost opposite for me. Music, you try and put so much of yourself into it; acting, you’re trying to totally disappear in whoever you’re being.”

Following the news that he missed out on Presley, his name was floated for the role of Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. However, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Styles on the big screen as that idea, too, has sunk. He won’t be The King or the Prince. “It was discussed,” he acknowledges before swiftly changing the subject. “I want to put music out and focus on that for a while. But everyone involved in it was amazing, so I think it’s going to be great. I’ll enjoy watching it, I’m sure.”

The new album is wrapped and the single is decided upon. “It’s not like his last album,” his friend, rock ‘n’ roll legend Stevie Nicks, told me recently over the phone. “It’s not like anything One Direction ever did. It’s pure Harry, as Harry would say. He’s made a very different record and it’s spectacular.”

Beyond that, Styles is keeping his cards close to his chest as to his next musical move. However, the air is thick with rumours that his main wingman for HS2 is Kid Harpoon, aka Tom Hull, who co-wrote debut album track Sweet Creature. No less an authority than Liam Gallagher told us that both big band escapees were in the same studio – RAK in north-west London – at the same time making their second solo albums. Styles played him a couple of tracks, “and I tell you what, they’re good,” Gallagher enthused. “A bit like that Bon Iver. Is that his name?”

Harry Styles met Nicks at a Fleetwood Mac concert in Los Angeles in April 2015. Something about him felt authentic to the legendary frontwoman: grounded, like she’d known him forever, blessed with a winning moonshot grin. A month later, they met backstage at another Mac gig, this time at the O2 in London. Styles brought a carrot cake for Nicks’ birthday, her name piped in icing on top. By her own admission, Nicks doesn’t even celebrate birthdays, so this was a surprise. “He was personally responsible for me actually having to celebrate my birthday, which was very sweet,” she says.

Styles’ relationship with Nicks is hard to define. Inducting her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York as a solo artist earlier this year, his speech hymned her as a “magical gypsy godmother who occupies the in-between”. She’s called him her “lovechild” with Mick Fleetwood and the “son I never had”. Both have moved past the preliminary chat acknowledging each other’s unquantifiable talents and smoothly accelerated towards playful cut-and-thrust banter of a witch mom and her naughty child.

They perform together – he sings The Chainand Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around; she sings the one allegedly written about Taylor Swift, Two Ghosts. One of those performances was at the Gucci Cruise afterparty in Rome in May, for “a lot of money”, Nicks tells me, in a “big kind of castle place”. She has become his de facto mentor – one phone call is all it takes to reach the Queen of Rock’n’Roll for advice on sequencing (“She is really good at track listing,” Styles admits) or just to hear each other’s voices… because, well, wouldn’t you?

Following another Fleetwood Mac concert, at London’s Wembley Stadium, in June, Nicks met Styles for a late (Indian) dinner. He then invited her back to his semi-detached Georgian mansion in north London for a listening party at midnight. The album – HS2or whatever it’ll be called – was finished. Nicks, her assistant Karen, her make-up artist and her friends Jess and Mary crammed onto Styles’ living-room couch. They listened to it once through in silence like a “bunch of educated monks or something in this dark room”. Then once again, 15 or 16 tracks, this time each of his guests offering live feedback. It wrapped at 5am, just as the sun was bleeding through the curtains.

Even for a pop star of Styles’ stature, pressing “play” on a deeply personal work for your hero to digest, watching her face react in real time to your new music, must be… what?

“It’s a double-edged thing,” he replies. “You’re always nervous when you are playing people music for the first time. You’ve heard it so much by this point, you forget that people haven’t heard it before. It’s hard to not feel like you’ve done what you’ve set out to do. You are happy with something and then someone who you respect so much and look up to is, like: ‘I really like this.’ It feels like a large stamp [of approval]. It’s a big step towards feeling very comfortable with whatever else happens to it.”

Wading through Styles’ background info is exhausting, since he was spanked by fame in the social media era where every goddam blink of a kohl-rimmed eye has been documented from six angles. (And yes, he does sometimes wear guyliner.)

Deep breath: born in Redditch, Worcestershire, to parents Des and Anne, who divorced when he was seven. Grew up in Holmes Chapel in Cheshire with his sister Gemma, mum and stepdad Robin Twist. Rode horses at a nearby stable for free (“I was a bad rider, but I was a rider”). Stopped riding, “got into different stuff”. Formed a band, White Eskimo, with schoolmates. Aged 16, tried out for the 2010 run of The X Factorwith a stirring but average rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely. Cut from the show and put into a boy band with four others, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik, and called One Direction. Became internationally famous, toured the globe. Zayn quit to go solo. Toured some more. Dated but maybe didn’t date Caroline Flack, Rita Ora and Taylor Swift – whom he reportedly dumped in the British Virgin Islands. (This relationship, if nothing else, yielded an iconic, candid shot of Swift looking dejected, being motored back to shore on the back of a boat called the Flying Ray.) One Direction discussed disbanding in 2014, actually dissolved in 2015. They remain friendly, and Styles officially went solo in 2016.

It’s been two years since his eponymous debut and lead single, Sign of the Times, shocked the world and Elton John with its swaggering, soft rock sound. “It came out of left field and I loved it,” John says.

After 89 arena-packed shows across five continents grossed him, the label, whomever, over $61 million, Styles had all but disappeared. He has emerged only intermittently for public-facing events – a Gucci afterparty performance here, a Met Gala co-chairing there. He relocated from Los Angeles back to London, selling his Hollywood Hills house for $6million and shipping his Jaguar E-type across the Atlantic so he could take joyrides on the M25.

“I’m not over LA,” he insists when I ask about the move. “My relationship with LAchanged a lot. What I wanted from LA changed.”

A great escape, he would agree, is sometimes necessary. He was in Tokyo for most of January, having nearly finished his album. “I needed time to get out of that album frame-of-mind of: ‘Is it finished? Where am I at? What’s happening?’ I really needed that time away from everyone. I was kind of just in Tokyo by myself.” His sabbatical mostly involved reading Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, singing Nirvana at karaoke, writing alone in his hotel room, listening to music and eavesdropping on strangers in alien conversation. “It was just a positive time for my head and I think that impacted the album in a big way.”

During this break he watched a lot of films, read a lot of books. Sometimes he texts these recommendations to his pal Michele at Gucci. He told Michele to watch the Ali Macgraw film, Love Story. “We text what friends text about. He is the same [as me] in terms of he lives in his own world and he does his own thing. I love dressing up and he loves dressing up.”

Because he loves dressing up, Michele chose Styles to be the face of three Gucci Tailoring campaigns and of its new genderless fragrance, Mémoire d’une Odeur.

“The moment I met him, I immediately understood there was something strong around him,” Michele tells me. “I realised he was much more than a young singer. He was a young man, dressed in a thoughtful way, with uncombed hair and a beautiful voice. I thought he gathered within himself the feminine and the masculine.”

Fashion, for Styles, is a playground. Something he doesn’t take too seriously. A couple of years ago Harry Lambert, his stylist since 2015, acquired for him a pair of pink metallic Saint Laurent boots that he has never been photographed wearing. They are exceedingly rare – few pairs exist. Styles wears them “to get milk”. They are, in his words, “super-fun”. He’s not sure, but he has, ballpark, 50 pairs of shoes, as well as full closets in at least three postcodes. He settles on an outfit fairly quickly, maybe changes his T-shirt once before heading out, but mostly knows what he likes.

What he may not fully comprehend is that simply by being photographed in a garment he can spur the career of a designer, as he has with Harris Reed, Palomo Spain, Charles Jeffrey, Alled-Martínez and a new favourite, Bode. Styles wore a SS16 Gucci floral suit to the 2015 American Music Awards. When he was asked who made his suit on the red carpet, Gucci began trending worldwide on Twitter.

“It was one of the first times a male wore Alessandro’s runway designs and, at the time, men were not taking too many red carpet risks,” says Lambert. “Who knows if it influenced others, but it was a special moment. Plus, it was fun seeing the fans dress up in suits to come see Harry’s shows.”

Yet traditional gender codes of dress still have the minds of middle America in a chokehold. Men can’t wear women’s clothes, say the online whingers, who have labelled him “tragic”, “a clown” and a Bowie wannabe. Styles doesn’t care. “What’s feminine and what’s masculine, what men are wearing and what women are wearing – it’s like there are no lines any more.”

Elton John agrees: “It worked for Marc Bolan, Bowie and Mick. Harry has the same qualities.”

Then there is the question of Styles’ sexuality, something he has admittedly “never really started to label”, which will plague him until he does. Perhaps it’s part of his allure. He’s brandished a pride flag that read “Make America Gay Again” on stage, and planted a stake somewhere left of centre on sexuality’s rainbow spectrum.

“In the position that he’s in, he can’t really say a lot, but he chose a queer girl band to open for him and I think that speaks volumes,” Josette Maskin of the queer band MUNA told The Face earlier this year.

“I get a lot of…” Styles trails off, wheels turning on how he can discuss sexuality without really answering. “I’m not always super-outspoken. But I think it’s very clear from choices that I make that I feel a certain way about lots of things. I don’t know how to describe it. I guess I’m not…” He pauses again, pivots. “I want everyone to feel welcome at shows and online. They want to be loved and equal, you know? I’m never unsupported, so it feels weird for me to overthink it for someone else.”

Sexuality aside, he must acknowledge that he has sex appeal. “The word ‘sexy’ sounds so strange coming out of my mouth. So I would say that that’s probably why I would not consider myself sexy.”

Harry Styles has emerged fully-formed, an anachronistic rock star, vague in sensibility but destined to impress with a disarming smile and a warm but firm handshake.

I recite to him a quote from Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders about her time atop rock’s throne: “I never got into this for the money or because I wanted to join in the superstar sex around the swimming pools. I did it because the offer of a record contract came along and it seemed like it might be more fun than being a waitress. Now, I’m not so sure.”

Styles – who worked in a bakery in a small northern town some time before playing to 40,000 screaming fans in South American arenas – must have witnessed some shit, been invited to a few poolside sex parties, in his time.

“I’ve seen a couple of things,” he nods in agreement. “But I’m still young. I feel like there’s still stuff to see.”

#harry styles #the face #050919

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stylesnews · 5 years ago

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The Face - Volume 4 . Issue 1

“He decided on a small mint chocolate gelato and I made his and the one for his friend and I said, ‘Can I just say I absolutely loved your Met Gala look’ and he said ‘Thank you very much! What’s your name?’ And I said, ‘Daisy’ AND HE FUCKING EXTENDED HIS HAND AND REACHEDTO SHAKE MY HAND AND I ACTUALLY FUCKING SHOOK HIS HAND WHAT THEFUCK,” she wrote on Instagram after The Shakening. “Like I didn’t even say anything to gas him up besides ‘I loved your met gala look’ and his fine ass went and shook my hand! WHATA BEAUTIFUL FUCKING HUMAN BEING THAT HE IS GOD BLESS HIM AND I HOPE HW[sic] LIVES FOREVER.”

They perform together – he sings The Chain and Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around; she sings the one allegedly written about Taylor Swift, Two Ghosts. One of those performances was at the Gucci Cruise afterparty in Rome in May, for “a lot of money”, Nicks tells me, in a “big kind of castle place”. She has become his de facto mentor – one phone call is all it takes to reach the Queen of Rock’n’Roll for advice on sequencing (“She is really good at track listing,” Styles admits) or just to hear each other’s voices… because, well, wouldn’t you?

Even for a pop star of Styles’ stature, pressing “play” on a deeply personal work for your hero to digest, watching her face react in real time to your new music, must be… what?

After 89 arena-packed shows across five continents grossed him, the label, whomever, over $61million, Styles had all but disappeared. He has emerged only intermittently for public-facing events – a Gucci afterparty performance here, a Met Gala co-chairing there. He relocated from Los Angeles back to London, selling his Hollywood Hills house for $6 million and shipping his Jaguar E-type across the Atlantic so he could take joyrides on the M25.

“I’m not over LA,” he insists when I ask about the move. “My relationship with LA changed a lot. What I wanted from LA changed.”

Because he loves dressing up, Michele chose Styles to be the face of three Gucci Tailoring campaigns and of its new genderless fragrance, Mémoire d’une Odeur.

Elton John agrees: “It worked for Marc Bolan, Bowie and Mick. Harry has the same qualities.”

Harry Styles has emerged fully-formed, an anachronistic rock star, vague in sensibility but destined to impress with a disarming smile and a warm but firm handshake.

Styles – who worked in a bakery in a small northern town some time before playing to 40,000screaming fans in South American arenas – must have witnessed some shit, been invited to a few poolside sex parties, in his time.

“I’ve seen a couple of things,” he nods in agreement. “But I’m still young. I feel like there’s still stuff to see.”

#theface19 #harry styles #sep19 #article

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dipulb3 · 4 years ago

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The 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63's new all-terrain option makes a big difference

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/the-2021-mercedes-amg-g63s-new-all-terrain-option-makes-a-big-difference/

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63's new all-terrain option makes a big difference

These wheels and tires are unique to the AMG Trail Package.

Michael Shaffer/Mercedes-Benz

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has end-of-the-world, Schöckl-scaling off-road capability, but that’s not why most people buy ’em. In the US, the G63 outsells the base G550, and not by a small margin. On top of that, I can pretty much guarantee all the AMGs you see running around have 22-inch wheels and rubber bands for tires. It’s why I’ve always said the G550 is actually the better buy for folks who might want to get a little dirty. But thanks to a new option pack for the 2021 AMG G63, that’s not really the case anymore.

Unmatched off-road ability

Strong V8 power

Comfortable ride quality

Iconic style

Don’t Like

Older multimedia tech

Lousy fuel economy

High cost of entry

For $3,050, you can spec your 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63 with the AMG Trail Package. This adds a recalibrated off-road setting to the G63’s driving modes, with softer damping for a slightly more deft approach to off-roading. This pack also adds a black underbody brush guard, all-season floor mats, rear mud flaps and matte black 20-inch wheels with — and this is the important bit — all-terrain tires. Capability aside, the Trail Package is a really cool look. And paired with new paint colors like this test car’s G Manufaktur Arabian Grey, I’m 100% here for AMG’s butch updo.

The all-terrain tires in question are deliciously meaty 275/50 Pirelli Scorpion ATRs. Their tall sidewalls and aggressive tread pattern are far better than those on any all-season tire, especially when the going gets tough. Those deep treads can better expel dirt and mud, and when aired down, they provide excellent traction and control in deep sand. Look, I’m not going to try and tell you the G63 isn’t a stellar off-roader in its stock spec, but great suspension geometry, locking axles and a big V8 mean bupkis if the contact patches — the points where your car actually touches the ground — are weak.

2021 Mercedes-AMG G63 can climb a mountain on the way to the mall

See all photos

Let’s not forget the heart and soul of the G63: AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. This engine produces 577 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, sent to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. This not only rockets the G63 to 60 mph in a scant 4.4 seconds, it means there’s a huge reserve of low-end power available at all times. I’ll admit, even with the sophisticated suspension and appropriate tires, a lot of hairy off-roading situations can be remedied by following the trusty “when in doubt, power out” theory.

But even if you never take the G63 off-road, the Trail Package pays dividends in daily life, too. These softer tires make for a more comfortable highway ride, and while the tradeoff here is reduced lateral traction at speed, let’s be honest, you aren’t doing any hot cornering in a freaking G63. The tire change shouldn’t affect your fuel economy, either; expect to see the same dismal 13 miles per gallon city, 16 mpg highway and 14 mpg combined as before. Then again, what else would you expect from a 577-hp SUV that’s about as aerodynamic as a barn?

The G63’s basic chassis and steering calibrations don’t change if you select the AMG Trail Package, so all of those good — well, unique — attributes carry over, as well. Plus, every G63 comes standard with Mercedes’ full suite of driver-assistance features, including full-speed adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist and lane-keeping assist. The G63 also comes with a 360-degree camera, which is super helpful when negotiating tight situations, off-road or otherwise.

The G-Class still uses Mercedes’ older COMAND infotainment.

Michael Shaffer/Mercedes-Benz

Beyond driving aids, the G63 gets all of the G-Class’ best cabin tech, with one major caveat. There’s a 12.3-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch central infotainment screen, but this runs the older COMAND setup, not Mercedes’ excellent new MBUX interface. That means there’s no touchscreen, no augmented reality navigation overlays and no friendly “Hey, Mercedes” voice to tell you a joke when you’re having a poopy day. At least COMAND has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto bundled in, as well as a number of Mercedes-Benz connected services. A Burmester sound system is standard, too.

The G63’s interior is just so damn nice, with optional Nappa leather surfaces, real metal accents and excellent attention to detail. There’s headroom for days, even if shoulder room is on the narrow side, and the G63 has plenty of no-additional-cost amenities, like heated front and rear seats, multicolor ambient lighting, a sunroof and more. The back seats are tight-ish, but at least there’s real legroom in this generation G-Class, and the heavy, side-hinged rear door opens to reveal a huge cargo hold — though most of the usable space is vertical. Go buy some tall plants, but put a tarp down so you don’t mess up the carpet.

Arabian Grey is a $6,500 paint option.

Michael Shaffer/Mercedes-Benz

You’ll need at least $157,500 to get into a 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63, including $1,050 for destination. Throw in the $3,050 AMG Trail Package — along with my test car’s AMG Night Package ($1,950), Comfort Seat Package ($2,220), carbon-fiber trim ($3,700), Arabian Grey paint ($6,500) and a few other odds and ends — and you’ll get to the $176,370 as-tested price of the G63 pictured here. There’s a whole wide world of color and trim options available for the G63, too, so by all means, go nuts.

I’d be remiss not to mention that the $132,800 G550 will check 95% of the same boxes for a lot less money, though the Trail Package is only available on the G63. (Nothing a tire shop can’t partially remedy, though.) Then again, given the G’s sales stats, the 550/AMG disparity clearly doesn’t matter. And now that the Trail Package amplifies the G63’s off-road cred to G550-surpassing levels, the hilariously powerful AMG is even harder to argue against. Live it up, big spender.

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powerhh · 7 years ago

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Might I ask why there is no reposting of your art? I mean, isn't it good exposer?

yes! you’re very welcome to ask that!

alright so, my pal, friend, buddy. this is what’s up. don’t see this as a rant specifically for you, because w the way you wrote this ask i can only assume that you are genuinely curious and want to know, and you mean no harm, which is why im going to write a long ass rant to let all my followers know how i personally feel about people reposting my art and why i don’t want people to do it:

you may think reposting art could be considered flattering, and i mean, sure, someone liking my art enough to want to share it with others means literally the whole world to me, but if you want to support me and my art because you like it, you’d do it through reblogs and likes.

if you want to support me or any artists posting their art online, don’t repost the art. please reblog and like it so the creator gets the cred.

why not share the art through a repost, you ask? well, reposting my art means that My Original Post with the thing maybe won’t get as many notes as it may have gotten, because there suddenly would be another source to find and like it on. that means that fewer people will find my blog. sure, credits redirects people to my page but credits can easily be removed somewhere along the way, and many people kind of just don’t care about reading the descriptions. the reposter would, in fact, also get recognition and notes from my work. i work hours and hours on my art, and someone else getting notes because of my art even though it’s credited would kind of suck if i’m to be honest. basically, my art would get the exposure, but not the artist that made it, which,, well,, sucks for someone who’s not a famous artist with art that literally everyone recognizes.

the artist also won’t See the feedback on the art in the same way if it’s reposted. i personally check through all the reblogs i get and go through the tags that people sometimes add. every like and every reblog bring me so much joy and new motivation to make more content!! i love to draw and i love making content, but seeing someone else liking my content? that’s the Best feeling. i won’t see the likes or reblogs on a reposted post, so even though people may find my blog, the appreciation won’t reach the artist in the same way.

it’s also a matter of some kind of control. it’s about wanting to keep track of where my art is. i know i only post most of my stuff on tumblr, and then some things on instagram and twitter, and of course my patreon. i mean. i know it’s the internet, i know there’s a risk that people will repost my art without my consent whether i like it or not. but! if you respect the artist and their work and they ask people to not repost, it would be pretty cool to respect that.

it’s technically not illegal to post repost art without any kind of alteration and with credit, but!!!!!! if the original creator ask people to not repost it, it would be kind of a dick move to still do it.

i’m assuming that i don’t have to go into reposting my art without credit or editing in any kind of way and then posting, because that’s like, straight up theft. like, the kind of theft that’s literally illegal.

you are actually fully welcome to still write to me and ask��if you’re allowed to use my art or repost it to a specific site or for a specific purpose (i’ll most probably ask for a clarification of what exactly you want to use my art for), but please be aware that i’ll most probably say no to a regular repost because i generally do not want people to repost my art. and if i say no, please respect that.

i am however cool with people using my art as their icon and background and things like that but please credit me.

anyway, if you managed to read through my lil rant, thank you for reading. thank you for your support and thank you for respecting artists.

#long post #w a y too long post #im sorry for this rant #please dont take it personally it's in general #asks #anon

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hvitserkk · 7 years ago

Photo

Start to Finish GIF Tutorial

You’ll need:

Photoshop (CS6 for timeline, but animation info included) KMPlayer This .psd+tutorial and sharpening action

Once you have your video, show, movie, etc downloaded, go ahead and open it in the KMPlayer and skip to the part you want to gif.

Then and press ctrl+G to open the "Capture Frames" window, and set it up like this:

Then press "Start" and play the scene you want to GIF. When the scene is done, press "Stop". Now you have your frames.

The easiest way to organize the frames for a set is to make folders 1-10 and separate the frames into the gifs you want. So I have 483 frames, but I know I want a four gif set, so I just move each scene into a folder.

99% of the time I stay under 90 frames per gif and at least 35 per gif. I also try not to have changing scenes in the same gif, (like when the camera shows something different) unless the gif is under 35 frames.

Now to Photoshop, I use the timeline to load frames, but you can do it one of two ways. Way one, like me, the timeline.

Go to Window > Timeline, then click on the video thumbnail icon, then "add media" and it will open the Open” window, just go to your first folder and select all the frames and press "Open".

Then all your frames will be loaded into a stack:

To use the frame animation, go to File > Scripts > Load Files Into Stack and do the same thing, go to your folder, select all your frames and press "Open" and it will load all your frames too.

For sizing, I always use 245px for the width, I don't know the new size, and don't care to know. The heights vary, for a ten gif set, I usually use 145-155px, for an eight gif set I usually use 145-160px, for a six gif set I use 145-225px and for a four or two gif set I use 145-300px. I also only use web-dl videos, so I don't ever have to really crop logos out.

To do so, on a frame animation, go to Image > Image Size and change the dimensions. Make sure you stick to 245px as the width. We'll change the canvas size next, so make sure either the height or width is the size you want, but the width is at least 245px:

If you're using the timeline, make sure to ungroup the "Video Group" that your frames are in, and regroup them into a normal group. Then do the same thing as the frame animation step above.

Now go to Edit > Canvas Size and change the dimensions to 245Xyour height and press "OK". You can move all the frames to fit the canvas if needed.

Do the same for all your gifs. Here are my four gifs:

Now to sharpen them I use the action listed above. Just drag and drop it into Photoshop, then go to Window > Actions to open it. Press play on "Glossy Sharpen" and there you go.

Then I follow my other tutorial (the psd mentioned above) to edit all the colors. Here are my gifs now:

Once that's done, if you're using the timeline, flatten the frames into layers:

Then re-group all the layers, and convert into animation:

Then, change your animation settings. I always use 0.05 for gifs with 40+ frames, any less I use 0.06:

And then you can save the gifs with one of these settings to get the smoothest gif playback (cred to rubyredwisp and itsthatunique):

and that's it! Feel free to shoot me an ask if you need further help!

#itsphotoshop #yeahps #completeresources #gif tutorials #tutorials #my tutorials

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gothify1 · 5 years ago

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And last-minute shopping gives me anxiety.As anyone who heard a Christmas carol pre-Halloween knows, our culture gears up for the holidays very prematurely. Holiday party invites are sent out in October (true story), and November is studded with just as many festive save-the-dates as December and January, which results in a major conundrum in terms of beauty shopping. Since we know there will be major deals and steals on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and whatever other weekday shopping extravaganza is invented this year, part of us feels the need to resist all beauty buying urges until we have a million discount codes saved and ready to go to battle. On the other hand, we want to feel and look our best for every event, party, and photo op occupying our calendars before said sales. Despite the fact that I'm an editor who lives and breathes everything beauty for a living, there are still products I buy with my own money or have tacked to my beauty product wish list, and just ahead, I'm revealing what they are. From the glow-inducing self-tanner I've been restocking since college to the mists and moisturizers my favorite celebrity makeup artists use on their A-list clients, I'm sharing the 21 beauty products I absolutely can't wait to purchase (and which I'll be securing into my product arsenal before the holiday shopping frenzy ignites). Keep scrolling! As a rule, I try to be as minimal as possible when it comes to the products I use in my hair (bleached strands and all), but come November and December—the season of holiday parties and work events—I'm doing the most damage to my poor head. This ingenious filter-like spray goes on before you shampoo and literally lifts and carries away residue, minerals, and other annoying debris getting in the way of your best hair day. To elaborate on my point above, winter is when I'm hardest on my hair, and my thirsty strands crave a weekly masking ritual more than I crave a hefty pour of wine at Thanksgiving. This epic formula is a best seller, smells heavenly, and practically transforms decrepit strands after just one go. Magic. This pre-shampoo oil from French brand Leonor Greyl is an icon. Slather it over parched, damaged strands before you shampoo, and straw-like texture magically morphs into liquid gold. Seriously, the Brothers Grimm should have written it into Rumpelstiltskin—no spinning wheels necessary. If you have limited space alotted for haircare on your vanity or in your suitcase, I suggest this all-in-one saving grace from R+Co. It works its superpowers on all hair types and just has to be sprayed on clean, damp hair before being combed through. Hair is left moisturized, detangled, and fortified with an extra kick of strength and resilience that will definitely come in handy all season long. I'm always dreaming of denser, fuller hair. After discovering my favorite hair gummies had too much biotin (and was causing me to break out), I'm on the lookout for something topical instead. Viviscal always receives rave reviews, and it's one of the few methods celeb hairstylists also seem to back in terms of healthier, expedited hair growth. This hairstylist staple has been on my holiday wish list for years—way before I was a beauty editor. It's truly the Rolls-Royce of hairbrushes, and with all of the parties and events I have on the calendar through the end of the year, I think I finally need to splurge. It's expensive, but I'll do almost anything in the name of perennially pretty hair. It's official. According to every celebrity hairstylist I've talked to in the past year, hot rollers are the coolest new way to gift hair with lots of volume and the perfect ratio of bend and wave. T3 makes some of the best hot tools money can buy, so I'm throwing my money at this eight-count set at rapid speed. If I could only use one powder highlighter for the rest of my life, it would be Becca's cult-favorite in Champagne Pop. Obviously, I need this collector's edition ASAP and in time for all of the inevitable holiday photo ops. This French complexion-brightening CC-serum hybrid is how I plan on convincing people I'm actually getting an adequate amount of beauty sleep this season. The results are so pretty it's beyond. Plus, it can be applied on its own or mixed with your other favorite liquid formulas like foundation. A little will go a long way, so trust me when I say it's worth the investment. A makeup artist used this multitasking product from Kevyn Aucoin on me ages ago, and I've been pining for it ever since. Plus, it's tiny in size and perfect for packing and throwing in your bag wherever adventures take you this winter. Use it as a spot foundation, concealer, allover foundation, highlighter (if you choose a shade or two lighter than your natural skin tone), or mixed with your fave face cream to do double duty as tinted moisturizer alternative. Brilliant. Thanks to jojoba and honey, it's also super hydrating and acts like a healing salve for dry, chapped skin. I'm already obsessed with Tarte's bronzers and blushes, so this set of three blush, bronzer, and highlighter shades all stacked together is practically a dream come true. Some people dream of pumpkin pie and spiked eggnog this time of year, but I dream of sparkling eye looks, and these tubes that are the prettiest thing to adorn your eyes with for a subtle hint of shimmer. Diamond Dust and Kitten Karma are in my cart. My favorite SPF-spiked moisturizer has officially bottomed out, and I'm in need of a no-funny-business replacement. This formula from Supergoop! is touted as one of the best among beauty-industry insiders and works triple duty as a moisturizer, primer, and, of course, sunscreen (which you should still be wearing, folks!). I'm more of a powder-bronzer kind of gal, but I'll make an exception for this fan favorite from RMS Beauty, which has all kinds of amazing winter-skin perks like buriti oil to add even more street cred to its sun-kissed and prismatic finish. Use it as a bronzer, a highlighter, an eye shadow—the options are endless. Celebrity makeup artist Pati Dubroff uses this amazing sheet mask to prep her clients (um, Margot Robbie, for one) pre-makeup. Do I need to explain why I want this so badly? With these prettily packaged eye masks from Wander Beauty in hand (or suitcase), not getting enough sleep officially becomes no problem. 'Tis the season for the best Swiss-made body butter for parched, winter-dry skin. This luxurious formula will be my nightly ritual all season long. Susanne Kaufmann's luscious skin and bath essentials gift you with the easiest, self-care-centric way to moisturize and soften your skin. I'm dreaming of dipping into this Mallow Blossom Bubble Bath for a major de-stress moment. I don't have any actual sun-soaked vacation plans, but this game-changing and customizable express formula from St. Tropez helps lessen the blow while boosting overall skin glow. It's my absolute favorite, and I'm forever restocking it. Literally every skincare product Darphin makes is on my want list, but after seeing Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson gush about this soothing toner (heaven-sent for my sensitive winter skin), this formula is taking top priority within my lineup. (FYI: It has a perfect five-star rating.) I've heard multiple makeup artists sing this cream's praises. Described by the brand as "a gentle protective moisturizing day cream for sensitive, dry or weather-damaged skin," this is the perfect wintertime-skin antidote. Up next: 24 French Beauty Buys With Seriously Amazing Ratings

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thereallygoodblogshow · 5 years ago

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MA Fashion and Textile Practices Major Project Path - 5th August

I feel it has been quite some time since I put anything down in this blog, and looking at the date of my last entry it has been some time! A lot has happened since my last entry, I created my practice pieces and put together my verbal presentation for our individual MA Practice Presentations. Here I thought I would document this process prior to continuing my ongoing research, as this I feel will add weight and significance to the research going forward.

I had finally got all the equipment and materials I thought I would need to start making my practice pieces, and as I discussed at the end of my last entry I thought the best way for me to start my practice pieces was to create a design map for each of the T-shirts I planned to make. I initially thought that I wanted to create a zero waste T-shirt as discussed previously, but thought that the space I would need to fill would be too big on each piece within the time frame I had. I still plan to create a zero waste T-shirt to see how it would look and as I believe any waste within the manufacture of fashion needs to be addressed. The use of organic cotton or other sustainable fabrics was also discussed, but at this particular time I did not have the financial ability to purchase a higher priced jersey. Part of this research will look at sustainability and waste within the fashion industry and why the higher cost of these materials may be a factor in why many manufacturers are currently using cheaper, less sustainable alternatives.

In this instance Vivienne Westwood’s Climate Change T-shirt was my inspiration for my practice pieces as it looked easy to make (I am not a great sewer) and would act as a good ‘billboard’ to work on. It’s square cut shape, raw edges and exposed seams reflects a hand-made aesthetic - how a protest placard or self -made billboard could look.

Westwood, V. (n.d). Vivienne Westwood Climate Revolution T-shirt. [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.viviennewestwood.com/en/women/clothing/t-shirts/square-t-shirt-climate-revolution-white-nat-white-CLA305AW550168.html?cgid=women-clothing-tshirts#page=1&start=1.

Vivienne Westwood’s Climate Revolution T-shirt strives to illustrate the vital ongoing campaign against climate change. The front of the T-shirt shows a map of the world, the red areas indicate where the planet would become inhabitable if estimated future temperature rises are correct. The revolution refers to the fact that most people accept that climate change is the result of a man-made interjection and that we are all responsible for safeguarding our future.

The first T-shirt design I mapped out was based on a Protest T-Shirt but using relevant song lyrics as I had discussed previously. Finding appropriate lyrics was surprisingly easy, it was honing down the selection that was hard as there were so many song lyrics I could choose that said what I wanted to say.

Here is the design for the Protest T-shirt using the song lyrics I found. In my previous blog entry I discussed the reasons why I chose Green Day’s lyrics ‘Where have all the riots gone’ from their song Letterbomb and the lyrics ‘Despite all my rage/I’m still just a rat in a cage’ from Smashing Pumpkins song Bullet with Butterfly Wings. I thought now would be an appropriate time to discuss what songs struck a chord with me (no pun intended!) and why I chose their lyrics to use.

youtube

Manic Street Preachers [Manic Street Preachers]. (2009, Oct 25). If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next (Official Video) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX8szNPgrEs

Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next is one of my favourite 90′s songs. As a protest song it has stood the test of time. Released in 1998 its lyrics now are ever more poignant 21 years later. The song was partly Inspired by Welsh volunteers joining the left-wing International Brigades fighting against Francisco Franco’s fascist rebels in the Spanish Civil war. A graphic Republican propaganda poster displaying an image of a dead child killed by Spanish Nationalists was released between 1936-39 and bears the words: ‘MADRID. THE 'MILITARY' PRACTICE OF THE REBELS. IF YOU TOLERATE THIS YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE NEXT.’ - became inspiration for the Manic’s song title.

Imperial War Museum, n.d. (1936-1939). MADRID. THE 'MILITARY' PRACTICE OF THE REBELS. IF YOU TOLERATE THIS YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE NEXT.. [Poster]. Retrieved from https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1122.

As with many Manic Street Preacher songs, they draw inspiration from many sources. Another lyric in the song - ‘If I can shoot rabbits/then I can shoot fascists' is said to have been a quote by a Welsh man to his brother when he had joined the Republican fighters. The lyric - ‘ I've walked Las Ramblas/but not with real intent' was from the book ‘Homage to Catalonia’ by George Orwell in regards to the fighting which took place there. Being very much an anti-fascist song it was ironic that in 2013 the English Defence League took it upon themselves to use the song to promote their rally in Birmingham. Clearly not taking the time the listen to the song, the band were said to be horrified as its misuse and threatened to take legal action. The similar action happened back in 2009 when the British National Party tried to interpret the lyrics to suit their own means saying that people could interpret lyrics in different ways, that really beggars belief!

Websites:

Trendell, A. (2018). Manic Street Preachers look back on ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ on its 20th anniversary. Retrieved from https://www.nme.com/news/music/manic-street-preachers-if-you-tolerate-this-your-children-will-be-next-lyrics-meaning-video-song-stories-interview-2370143.

Factmag. (2013). Manic Street Preachers take on English Defence League over use of ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’. Retrieved from https://www.factmag.com/2013/07/12/manic-street-preachers-take-on-english-defence-league-over-use-of-if-you-tolerate-this-your-children-will-be-next/.

Wikipedia. (n.d). If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You_Tolerate_This_Your_Children_Will_Be_Next.

Whilst watching the Handmaid’s Tale - a TV series based on the best selling novel by Margaret Atwood, which tells the tale of a totalitarian society called Gilead where women are treated as property of the state and are forced into sexual servitude in an attempt to recover an underpopulated and devastated world - a song played over the end titles caught my attention. It was the X-Ray Spex song ‘Oh Bondage! Up Yours!’, very apt for the Handmaid’s Tale and for a protest T-shirt no less!

Released in 1977 the songs lyrics speak of the servitude of not only women but of anybody forced into anything which goes against basic human rights. Initially stating you can ‘Bind me/Tie me/Chain me to the wall/I wanna be a slave to you all’ But then...’Oh bondage up yours!/Oh bondage no more!/Oh bondage up yours!’ The lyrics are saying you can do all those things to me as a human being but I won’t be broken by your regimes.

youtube

X-Ray Spex [DAVID299333]. (2013, Apr 30). X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage! Up Yours! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYMObdOqcRg

Poly Styrene, the lead singer and founder of the band X-Ray Spex was a really interesting and fashionable lady. Sadly she died of breast cancer in 2011 but has left behind a punk legacy that remains strong to this day. In the early 70′s - after being inspired by the paint splattered clothing at Brixton shop Pollocks - she started her own ‘POLY STYRENE’ boutique stall at Beaufort Market on the Kings Road, London. Her boyfriend and manager Stuart Falcon had also run boutiques in the late 60′s. In the book Flash Bang Wallop!: Photographs of the Dawn of Punk by Ian Dickson, Poly Styrene (2000) said of punk culture:

"The Punk explosion was a fashion statement as much as a new attitude and a high energy-music buzz. Street-cred counted and no smart lad wanted to be an industry doll."

She had already released a single on GTO records in early 1976 in a reggae style but had failed to be a success. In the summer of 1976, she and Falcon went to see The Sex Pistols at Brighton Pier and were immediately drawn to their energy, then after seeing The Clash at Fulham town hall in October 1976 Poly was inspired to start writing lyrics that were more rebellious and edgy. Later that year she and Falcon decided they’d like to create a band, so the put an advert in the magazine Melody Maker for:

'YOUNG PUNX WHO WANT TO STICK IT TOGETHER'

After gathering the other members and a few rough rehearsals in Falcon’s living room later, they played their first gig London's Roxy in Covent Garden - the X-Ray Spex were born. The name apparently was from an advert Poly had seen in a porn magazine for glasses that you could see naked ladies through called X-Ray Spex.

Dickson, I. (1991). Inside unorthodox punk icon Poly Styrene’s wild, day-glo style. [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/43847/1/poly-styrene-dayglo-xray-spex-celeste-bell-style-riot-grrrl-punk.

Websites:

Punk77. (2013). X Ray Spex - History Part 1-3. Retrieved from http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/x_ray_spex.htm.

X-Ray Spex. (2005). X-RAY SPEX 1976 -1978. Retrieved from http://www.x-rayspex.com/x_ray_spex/activity1.html.

Literature:

Dickson, I. (2000). Flash Bang Wallop!: Photographs of the Dawn of Punk (n.d ed.). London: Abstract Sounds Publishing.

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sambashua · 7 years ago

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8 questions tag~

hellooooo❁

well i was tagged by @king-hao and also i just wanted to do @strawberryboo ‘s questions bc i’m bored and she’s a damn gem so yayyyy i’m not gonna tag anyone tho

sister’s questions(✿◠‿◠)

1. What is your favorite kpop choreography? i legit wrote an article abt this soooooooo yeah i was struggling.... but then i remember that nct dream’s my first and last happened and if you think that isn’t THE best choreo you’re a fool... consider that the dance moves never repeat except for a single move at the end of the chorus. not to mention the moves are very rigorous too thanks to the extensive floor work. also the fact that there are an even number of members (comeback jaemin) the formations are even more tricky... bye i could talk abt this for 700 years

2. What MV is the most aesthetically pleasing to you? (not necessarily your favorite MV, just which one matches your aesthetic the most) uhhhhhh what even hmmmm i’ll say check in by svt’s hip hop unit actually bc i really like traveling and also wonwoo’s face:3 (and luna’s free somebody but what’s new) oh shoot also all the loona mv’s ahhh the one i like aesthetically best is probably choerry’s love cherry motion tho edit: shoottttttt i forgot fri.sat.sun by dalshabet a true fave

3. Literally just write a paragraph about your ultimate bias. Here’s your chance to rant about ur fave bye you fool you asked for this AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH well for starters if you don’t know... jeon wonwoo is the actual love of my life. for so many reasons he has become and remained my bias for about a year and a half which doesn’t seem long but he has been my only ult bias! usually i make fun of him but to be honest he is one of the most sweet and caring people i’ve ever seen. he may tease his members and make dumb comments but that’s really the only way he can express his affection. he’s very shy and he’s said without svt he wouldn’t have been friends w the members bc he is introverted. but he’s so grateful to be able to be so close w the boys my heart. he’s also such a huge dork which i love. as a fellow dork i support. i love how he’s so smart and witty and always has the best comebacks. i love how he gets so invested in books that he was ready to actually fight soonyoung for throwing his book once akhgfkal. he’s such a soft boy also like can you imagine him w a tiny kitten?? he’s afraid of dogs (like a damn dork) but w a kitten he’d be so careful holding it and loving cry. also i want to protect and care for him so much he has so many physical ailments like wonu how are you still in one piece but he stays strong for his members and for carats♡ wow dude i didn’t even yell i must be in a soft mood tonight hmmm

4. When did your bias look the softest? (include photo evidence if u have it) i mean wonwoo is soft 24/7 like i’m p sure his “style” is just comfy okay but basically all of pretty u era was just the SOFTEST honestly wonwoo invented soft mhmmmm like sweater paws ??? all ? the ? time ????? iconic

if i had to choose tho...

but any nose crinkles are verified the softest™

(creds)

5. What kpop merchandise do you own? (if any) well not a whole lot sister buys a lot of albums but i have some photo cards and posters from her and other friends:D when we went to LA tho we bought a lot of kpop stuff but i guess i only got some postcards and a poster hmmmm but @strawberryboo hAS SENT ME FOUR BEAUTIFUL KEYCHAINS WHICH I LOVE W MY WHOLE HORT THAT SHE MADE W HER OWN TWO HANDS WHAT KIND OF LEGEND (my keys are very heavy but it’s definitely worth it)

6. What August debut or comeback are you most excited for? well the main reason i’m finally doing this is bc august is tomorrow oops oh shoot technically it’s in two hours h e l p and this question is illegal bc literally so many faves are coming back i can’t even remember them all... i know for sure snsd, gfriend, samuel, n.flying, wanna one, weki meki, nu’est, boyfriend uhh ofc day6 and loona uhhhhhhhhh shoot i know there’s more fuck and i would say nct dream is who i’m most excited for but technically they haven’t announced it yet so...

7. Of your favorite groups, which one do you think has the prettiest lightstick? hmmmmm i may be biased... but seventeen’s is so pretty... i like monsta x’s too and vixx’s.... apink’s and got7′s are cute too... but carat bong has my heart

8. Of your favorite groups, which one do you think has the best fandom name? i mean again... biased... carat is so frickin cute bye~ but monbebe, honey10 and tinkerbell are also very cute! and i should mention that i didn’t really like NCTzen at first but them being excited abt it made me love it:)

emma’s questions(✿◠‿◠)

1. Ok so I’m gonna steal one of the questions that Mir answered in hers and its is if you could have any idols hairstyle past or present whose would you choose? bye i already did this lol but i’ll add taeyeon’s hair in why promotions and luna in this look:

byeeeee (i think creds to © No.91812 ? but there’s no credit:( (y’all don’t steal shit from fansites pls))

2. If you could take your bias group or just your bias and put them into another universe i.e. wizarding world or similar what world would you but them in? And why? okay i’m gonna copy sister and say ATLA too just bc i want to go there tbh~~~ i feel like wonu and i would be two average peeps tho w/o bending... unless i can maybe see wonu as a fire bender but he only uses it for dumb things like heating up his tea dfhlalfkjdaf oh shoot it’s bias group hmmmm well they will be our children i guess idk it’s late no it’s not it’s only 10:20 who am i anymore

3. Fave idol outfit? doesn’t have to be your bias just any outfit you’ve liked! Provide pictures if you want! i’ve really liked all of chungha’s outfits in why don’t you know promotions they’ve all been so summery kaflhjadskj also seohyun’s looks in don’t say no like destroy me and all of mamamoo’s you’re the best looks were iconic bye and ofccccccc luna in free somebody my all time fave ever

(i got this poster in LA and i’m still screaming)

i said ‘all’ so many times wow but i was gonna do boy groups too but it’s fine

4. Favorite fancams? Im a fancam ho I need recs plx. wellll i don’t watch a lot of fancams tbh but i think i have a couple faves? (oops they’re all my biases too but it’s fine)

youtube

wonwoo was so damn soft another soft time and also one of my favorite outfits eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee i just love this

youtube

dowoon is so dang cute he’s having such a good time and also thE END WATCH THE END YOU WILL NOT REGRET HE MAKES ME SO SOFT A TRUE BEAN

youtube

this one doesn’t need an explanation just that it’s illegal... but i do wish they hadn’t cut up the footage so much

5. What are your favorite girl group non title songs, if you don’t have any what are your favorite gg mvs? hmmmmm i really like magic by seohyun, mojito by red velvet (happy 3 years every bunny), next page by twice, babyface by wjsn, u & me by hyuna (does that count she’s a soloist ah), all mine by f(x) uhhhh tbh i mostly listen to title tracks bc i’m lazy... i normally don’t listen to full albums unless it’s svt, nct or monsta x or astro or a couple others idk i listened to all of wjsn and red velvet’s new ones why am i even still talking i should delete this...

6. ok so this was a question Claudent made up in another 8 questions tag that I just love she a brilliant bean! But if you could create your own group drawing from all other groups regardless of companies who would you choose and what would there concept be? whale whale whale i’m gonna keep my last plans but add more boys i think : 99line w dancey rap boys such as nct mark lee! svt chan! sf9 hwiyoung! astro rocky! and i’ll add wanna one park woojin! now it’s an odd number which is perfect! i’d like to see them do smth fun and age appropriate:) maybe a refreshing song abt youth and friendship w awesome choreo:D

7. so you are going to a music festival and in this dream world you get to decide all the ppl/groups that are going to be there, who would you choose? It doesn’t just have to be Kpop! wahhhhhh how many groups can i pick i was thinking of adding some non kpop artists i really like but;;;;; honestly;;;; i mean i love the music but also if i could see kpop artists instead i’d like it a lot better? florence welsh might be my favorite musician ever ever but w all the other things kpop idols do i’d rather see them i think... soooooooo i’d choose ofc svt and nct as co-headliners w monsta x, astro, day6, sf9, wanna one, red velvet, twice, oh my girl and aoa !!!! like how good? also this concert would last so long bc they all need to perform like 5-10 songs bc i love them too much okay... oh damn it could be like a festival nd each night two groups perform yayyyy also i need the interactions™

8. If you could have any talent in the world what would you want it to be? I would want to be in anyway musically inclined rip me tbh. well everyone knows i’m a language ho so i would want to be able to speak at leasy five different languages akfhlas but idl if that’s really a talent... maybe i’d want to be able to write better? or draw that would be so cool~

#tagged #this took #so long #i saved the paragraph abt your bias for last and now i'm crying #anyways thanks for tagging me sister! and thanks for the q's emma even though you didn't know i'd do it lol #watch those fancams tho you won't regret #mir moos

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obtusemedia · 6 years ago

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In Ascending Order: Ranking Taylor Swift’s singles worst to best

After slowly tilting her sound away from Nashville more and more with each album, Taylor Swift made a clean break from country five years ago with her synthpop masterpiece, 1989. It was about as successful as a pop album could be, producing three massive #1 hits and cementing Swift as the world’s biggest popstar.

Fast forward three years, and her next album, reputation, was bitter and moody — a good fit for the American landscape of 2017, but a far cry from the bright melodies and fun sing-a-longs of her previous smashes, Red and 1989. The lead single hit #1, but quickly stumbled down the charts and the album’s follow-up singles didn’t have the same impact. But you’ll still find those who defend reputation, and a year and a half later, it’s clear there are some gems hidden in the wreckage.

Now that Swift is entering her 30th year of life with a catalogue that’s ran the gamut from country-fried ballads about teen crushes to vengeful electropop bangers about Kanye West, I thought it was a good time to look back on her career. Because despite her negative (sorry) reputation right now, Swift has contributed many great songs to the modern pop canon.

Here’s the ground rules: The song had to be a single from one of Taylor Swift’s six albums. No deep cuts (apologies to “All Too Well”), no soundtrack tunes (sorry, Fifty Shades) and no featured spots on others’ songs (asking me to listen voluntarily to John Mayer is too much to ask, sorry).

#37: “End Game” feat. Future and Ed Sheeran (reputation, 2017)

Listen, Taylor, if you want to have guest rappers on your single, that’s fine. But maybe get, you know, actual rappers. Ed Sheeran doing his awkward schtick certainly does not count. If this was a hip-hop flavored pop song, fine — then why is legitimate rapper Future here? The Atlanta trap icon feels so out of place on this gentrified R&B cut, and he only gets a few bars anyways, making his appearance seem more like Swift wanting cred more than anything else.

Honestly, if that was the only problem, “End Game” wouldn’t be last place on this list. But nope, the song itself is a giant mess in itself. The production aims for sexy and nocturnal and lands in lethargic. And what is this song even about? Is Taylor making a song about how cool she and her boyfriend are, or about her negative reputation? The post-chorus, which suddenly veers into that later topic, tries so desperately to be a chant-along and it falls utterly flat.

With all of Swift’s other singles, even the ones I don’t like, I at least understand how someone could like it. But I have no clue who “End Game” is for, or who would enjoy listening to it.

#36: “Ours” (Speak Now, 2010)

I’ve listened to this song many times, and I find it hard to remember a single hook or line. “Ours” isn’t aggressively awful, but it is painfully bland, and I have no plans on listening to this nondescript ballad after I’m done writing this.

#35: “Fifteen” (Fearless, 2008)

I can’t take away the good intentions of “Fifteen.” The general message of being wary of manipulative older men (or, in this case, high school seniors) and enjoying youth while it lasts is nice, if a bit cliché.

But this song still bugs me. Swift sings the story of her and her (real-life!) friend Abigail’s experiences as ninth-graders like she’s a wise elder, looking back with years of experience. But she was only 18 when she wrote “Fifteen” — I’m sure she matured some in those three years, but once you realize that, it makes the whole song come off as fairly condescending.

Couple the after-school special lyrics with a sickeningly sweet acoustic guitar musical style, and “Fifteen” doesn’t hit the mark.

#34: “Gorgeous” (reputation)

The lyrics aren’t the problem here (except that any Angeleno knows that at the intersection of Sunset and Vine, it’s just a Walgreens). Nah, it’s the shrink-wrapped production that drives me nuts. There was the potential for a great, 1989-esque pop song here, but it got neutered.

#33: “Mean” (Speak Now)

Given that Swift eventually became the music industry’s Regina George, this song has aged horribly. Also, this sounds way too much like the Country Bear Jamboree for me to take it seriously.

#32: “Bad Blood” feat. Kendrick Lamar (1989, 2014)

The worst song from Swift’s best album, “Bad Blood” is a clunky mess that frankly doesn’t go hard enough. If you’re going to make a diss track towards Katy Perry, go for the kill shot! Prism was mediocre, her whole look was tacky, she wrote this disaster — Swift had plenty of options. But I guess she felt adding a couple phoned-in Kendrick Lamar verses, getting Selena Gomez and Lena Dunham (??) in the music video, and spouting clichés did the job better. *shrugs* At least it’s catchy.

(Side note: Perry obviously lost that feud, but “Teenage Dream” is absolutely flawless and probably better than any song Swift wrote)

#31: “Everything Has Changed” feat. Ed Sheeran (Red, 2012)

“Everything Has Changed” has a gorgeous, wilting chorus, and Swift and Sheeran have clear chemistry. Beyond that, it’s unfortunately kind of forgettable.

#30: “Fearless” (Fearless)

I’m honestly not sure why this needed to be a single. It’s fine and all, but it doesn’t stick in the brain compared to Fearless’ other smash hits.

#29: “New Year’s Day” (reputation)

Ending the brash reputation with a quiet, sparse piano ballad was a smart move, and the bittersweet “New Year’s Day” is a solid enough tune.

But here’s the thing — Swift wasn’t the only popstar in 2018 to put a minimalist, Jack Antonoff-produced piano song on her album. Lorde did nearly the exact same thing just a few months earlier with the heartbreaking “Liability,” which is much rawer and more intense than “New Year’s Day.” In other words, when I hear Swift’s ballad, I enjoy it, but I find myself wishing she went for the emotional jugular like Lorde did.

#28: “Tim McGraw” (Taylor Swift, 2006)

Here’s the part where I admit that I’m really not into country music, so a lot of Swift’s very early material isn’t for me. But, like with other genres I don’t love, I can at least respect talent, and “Tim McGraw” is a great piece of detailed, nuanced songwriting. But acoustic-y country ballads will never be my favorite.

#27: “The Last Time” feat. Gary Lightbody (Red)

Here, we have the opposite situation as “Tim McGraw” — a musical style I love, but not done very well.

These types of Coldplay-esque, faux-indie power ballads were totally my thing back in the day (shoutout to The Fray and obviously, Coldplay). But although “The Last Time” does have real bonafides with its soaring chorus, great guitar solo, and Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody contributing vocals, it just doesn’t click. The duo doesn’t have a lot of chemistry, and the epic feel shoots for “Chasing Cars” and lands closer to...one of Snow Patrol’s other songs that nobody remembers.

#26: “...Ready For It?” (reputation)

I’d love to just make a snarky joke about Swift trying to rap and embarrassing herself in the process (which she kind of does) ... but I can’t lie, this is a total guilty pleasure. It’s about as close to a classic Ke$ha song as we’re going to get in the gloomy late-2010′s, so I can forgive the try-hard vibe.

#25: “Our Song” (Taylor Swift)

This is the very first of Swift’s songs I ever heard. Naturally, being a 13-year-old wannabe snob at the time, I hated it immediately.

Over a decade later, I can appreciate “Our Song” for its adorable charms and extremely quotable lyrics (“when you talk reeeeeeal slow” is my personal favorite). But it still rubs me the wrong way a bit, probably because Swift was pretending to be a southern hick when she was actually raised by a wealthy family in Reading, Pennsylvania. ...but it’s still a solid pop tune.

#24: “Mine” (Speak Now)

So uh...I guess Swift really wanted to write a Bruce Springsteen song? Specifically, a more optimistic version of “The River,” with a romantically doomed teenage flame sputtering out into adult financial troubles.

But obviously, a song about a shotgun wedding and blue-collar poverty wasn’t going to sell to Swift’s audience, so she gave the trope an uplifting spin, complete with a bright, peppy chorus in a major key. And it kind of works! I’m not going to pretend that “Mine” is top-tier Taylor, but sometimes rough stories do have a happy ending.

#23: “Should’ve Said No” (Taylor Swift)

A nice and pissed-off song about a cheating boyfriend, “Should’ve Said No” has a great, visceral chorus and Swift puts 100 percent of the blame on her scummy ex, who’s trying to weasel his way back into the relationship. I will say this about country: it’s a great vehicle for breakup songs.

#22: “The Story of Us” (Speak Now)

This is a great example of a very under-used style of breakup song — the slowly-drifting-apart story. It’s not usually as fiery, but it’s a lot more realistic and relatable. The best recent example I can think of is The 1975′s new wave heartbreaker “A Change of Heart,” which admittedly, is a lot better than “The Story of Us.”

Still, Swift gives the trope a nice effort here, and the charging guitars perfectly match her growing frustration at this boy who gets more and more distant as time goes on. The book framing device is a nice twist too (“NEXT CHAPTER.”), and it all adds up to one of Swift’s more underrated singles.

#21: “Look What You Made Me Do” (reputation)

Ahh yes, the infamous Kanye West diss track. Let’s be clear, nobody looked good in this feud — Taylor came off as vindictive, back-stabbing and petty. Then Kanye lost any moral high ground by wearing MAGA hats and buddying up to Trump.

The funny thing is, the songs from both artists that are central to this feud — “Look What You Made Me Do” and Kanye’s “Famous,” the song that reignited Swift’s rage — are both deeply ridiculous songs that I love despite my better judgement. The main issue with Swift’s song is that she can’t decide whether to play the cackling villain or the victim. The smart move would’ve been to lean into her dark side, like Kanye himself did with Yeezus, but she isn’t willing to completely do that, which makes the song have a pretty awkward tone.

YET. “Look What You Made Me Do” is still way too much fun for me to hate. The “I’m Too Sexy”-aping chorus? Love it. The thumping, wonderfully stupid Black Eyed Peas-esque production? Give me more! “I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? BECAUSE SHE’S DEAD!!” — that might be my favorite part of all.

It’s a total disaster, but it’s a highly enjoyable one. But considering that I find other bombs like Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP fascinating too, maybe my opinion isn’t valid on this one.

#20: “22″ (Red)

I read a tweet once that called this song the “Kidz Bop ‘Tik Tok.’” Don’t remember who wrote that, but they’re absolutely right. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! It’s probably the closest Swift came to a squeaky-clean Carly Rae Jepsen banger.

#19: “White Horse” (Fearless)

The darker cousin of “Love Story,” Swift proved with “White Horse” she could also use classic tropes to convey weepy ballads as well as the sweeping romances. I honestly wish the lyrics were a little less vague — usually Swift is hyper-specific, which serves her well in these breakup songs — but Swift’s emotive performance carries the song regardless.

#18: “Begin Again” (Red)

Musically, the sleepy sound of “Begin Again” doesn’t do a lot for me, but the lyrical detail and story are stellar. After listening to so many Taylor Swift songs about crushing heartbreak or whirlwind romances for this list, it’s nice to hear a more understated song about a first-date that goes well. It especially works well at the end of Red, a fairly angsty album.

“Begin Again” might still have some exaggerations (nobody’s first date is that perfect, Taylor, come on now), but the more grounded, mature tone was a nice change of pace for Swift.

#17: “Shake It Off” (1989)

This song is so, so stupid. And yet I know every single word. Yes, even the incredibly awkward rap breakdown (“THIS. SICK. BEAT!”).

I can’t in good conscience name “Shake It Off” as a top-tier Swift single, but it’s damn fun, despite its awful lyrics. Which basically makes it — gasp — a Katy Perry single. Oh, the irony.

#16: “Delicate” (reputation)

Swift went nocturnal with this sleeper hit. I couldn’t get into it at first, but it eventually grew on me, with its subtle production and charmingly insecure lyrics. Who among us hasn’t nervously second-guessed everything they’ve said or done when they’re around a new romantic partner?

The vocoders and slowly building percussion just add to what was already a solid groove, and it’s no wonder that “Delicate” eventually creeped up the charts despite the fact that, as Swift said herself, her reputation’s never been worse.

#15: “Picture To Burn” (Taylor Swift)

If I’m going to enjoy a country song, it better be ridiculous and stuffed with as many goofy clichés as possible. The single can’t take itself too seriously (and should be super catchy, of course). This is why some of the few country songs I semi-ironically love sound less like George Strait and more like “Man! I Feel Like A Woman.” If all country music was as silly as “Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy,” I’d probably like the genre a lot more.

“Picture To Burn” isn’t quite on those songs’ level, but it nearly matches the same level of yee-haw fun. Swift puts on an aggressive Southern accent, there’s a literal banjo solo at one point, and it’s about the best country topic there is: getting revenge on your ex!

Swift leaves no shot unfired as she calls out her former boyfriend for her “stupid ‘ol pickup truck you never let me drive,” calls him a stupid redneck, threatens to date all his friends and even gets her daddy involved. (At one point, the song contained a lyric about telling his friends he was gay, but thankfully, she later removed it)

It’s not quite “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” but it’ll do in a pinch.

#14: “Wildest Dreams” (1989)

One of the smartest things Swift’s done during her blockbuster pop era is cribbing ideas from other musicians and adapting them to her own personality. As mentioned earlier, “22″ is her version of a Ke$ha party song, “Mine” is like one of Springsteen’s heartland tunes, and “Shake It Off” is an intentionally dumb Katy Perry single.

But probably the most obvious example of this is “Wildest Dreams.” And the artist Swift cribs from on this sweeping ballad is more of a cult favorite than a true pop megastar: Lana Del Rey. Don’t lie, you hear it too: the cooing, sensual vocals, the cinematic sound, the lyrics that evoke classic Hollywood romance. It’s basically just “Summertime Sadness” without the Spaghetti western guitars.

And that’s absolutely a good thing! Although Swift doesn’t have Lana’s stunning alto vocal (sorry, but you know it’s true), she can still absolutely play that classic movie starlet role. Add a bit more modern pop structure to Del Rey’s indie-darling formula, and you’ve got the recipe for an easy standout track.

#13: “You Belong With Me” (Fearless)

Pointing out that “You Belong With Me,” arguably Swift’s biggest early hit, is problematic isn’t a new take. The idea of that someone inherently “belongs” with you because you like them has been debunked. I’m sorry this guy doesn’t you like you back Taylor, but maybe he has a good thing going with that cheer captain who wears short skirts? Let him be.

...but on the other hand, Swift was 19 when she wrote “You Belong With Me.” Most people criticizing the lyrics here are doing so through an adult vantage. Yes, the message is toxic, but it’s also extremely accurate to how teenage crushes work. I can promise you that I had similar feelings in junior high/high school, and I know I’m not alone in that regard.

Also, “You Belong With Me” is far too catchy and bouncy to truly hate. So although I can’t rank it too high due to the iffy lyrics, I can’t deny that it does tap into some raw teen emotions, even if they’re ugly.

#12: “I Knew You Were Trouble.” (Red)

I was there. That fateful day in 2012 when Taylor Swift *gasp* MADE A DUBSTEP SONG. People were snarking that this was basically just Skrillex for the Forever 21 crowd, sharing around that (hilarious) screaming goat remix, and so on.

But seven years later, although that dubstep production is oh-so-early-’10s, “I Knew You Were Trouble” absolutely holds up. If Swift was going to abandon country, why not go all out? Besides, the drop still hits with a lot of force, mirroring the visceral anger of her lyrics. If anything, it isn’t intense enough. Maybe she really should’ve gotten Skrillex to produce...

#11: “Out Of The Woods” (1989)

YES inject that synthy Jack Antonoff production right into my veins.

I’m still upset that “Out Of The Woods” wasn’t a smash like 1989′s other singles, but it is a pretty weird song. The chorus is aggressively repetitive (its only real flaw), it’s a breakup song that’s less relatable lyrically and more abstract, and America was too busy paying attention at the time to Bieber semi-apologizing.

But THAT PRODUCTION. It’s nervy yet propulsive, with a quiet-loud-quiet setup that any good power ballad needs. Antonoff even provides some backup vocals, which is always a welcome addition. Swift herself really sells the song too. I wouldn’t say she’s a powerhouse singer, but she’s really giving it her all here in terms of vocal force — something she typically shies away from.

“Out Of The Woods” will likely be lost to time for all but the most ardent Swifties. But for those who love it, may I suggest listening to some Bleachers?

#10: “Back To December” (Speak Now)

The stereotype of Swift’s breakup songs, particularly in the early stage of her career, was that they weren’t self-aware and basically demonized whatever boy the song was about (or the girl she was jealous of). And while that’s not 100 percent true, the stereotype did have some merit back then.

That’s why “Back To December” was rightfully hailed as a breath of fresh air for Swift, and it’s held up extremely well nine years later. The perspective has shifted — in this story, she’s the one admitting guilt for ending the relationship. It’s a very measured, mature song, but with still enough tender emotion and regret to stay relatable. The orchestral sweep is a nice touch as well, emphasizing the tragedy of the situation.

Also, fun fact: This song is about Swift’s relationship with Twilight hunk Taylor Lautner. Maybe the relationship didn’t work out because she thought it was weird to date a guy with the same name? It was probably because she’s more of a Hunger Games fan.

#9: “Getaway Car” (reputation)

Here’s the one thing reputation improved upon from 1989. As just a cursory listen could tell you, “Getaway Car,” sonically, is extremely similar to “Out Of The Woods.” They’re both pulsing, synthy new wave tracks with a heavy Bleachers influence — considering they’re both Antonoff productions, not surprising at all. It even steals a lyric from Bleachers’ “Rollercoaster.”

So what makes “Getaway Car” a superior sequel? Well, it’s a smoother ride, for sure — the aggressively repetitive chorus in “Out Of The Woods” was that song’s weak spot. And “Getaway” has a more clear concept as well, being about a Bonnie and Clyde-inspired escape from a failing relationship, invoking all the bittersweet emotions that come along with that. “Out Of The Woods” is...about a car crash with Harry Styles? I guess?

It’s really a personal call. They’re both amazing songs, I just happen to think Swift and Antonoff refined their collaboration on this later attempt.

#8: “Teardrops On My Guitar” (Taylor Swift)

“Teardrops On My Guitar” is both obviously written by a 15-year-old kid, but also so, so much better than that implies.

The lyrics here are extremely wholesome and corny — unlike “You Belong With Me,” Swift doesn’t even take any shots at the girl her crush is currently dating, and there’s references to “wishing stars,” something I think I’ve only ever heard in Disney songs. And like many of Swift’s early songs, it absolutely nails the yearning emotions of a teenage crush, especially for those of us who were too shy to do anything about them.

But obviously, Swift wasn’t an average ninth-grader. The lilting melody in the verses of “Teardrops” fits the lyrics perfectly. And the song comes off both very polished and radio-ready, yet still plucked right from the pages of a diary. Yes, Swift co-wrote the song with pop-country songwriter Liz Rose, but that’s not unusual for a very young artist. Lorde’s “Royals” (written at age 16) had a co-writer, too.

The simple beauty of “Teardrops” is what brought Swift into the mainstream, and there’s a good reason for that: it’s an incredible start to a career.

#7: “Blank Space” (1989)

“Blank Space” might be the only intentional, successful self-own in recent pop history. I can’t think of another time when an artist eviscerated their public persona with such surgical precision, and it actually made them more endearing.

Tired of trolls constantly making jokes about her short relationships and constant breakup songs, Swift decided to make the joke herself, 8 Mile-style. In “Blank Space,” she paints herself as a psychotic maneater who will drive any guy insane. Out of all her disses over the years, she might have saved the best barb for herself: “Darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.” The instant tone switch from the cooing, seductive first verse to the furious, delusional second verse is brilliant.

If there’s one flaw to “Blank Space,” it’s that the production is maybe a tad too minimalist for such an intense song. But the hook is still massive, and the song isn’t about the production anyways: It’s 100 percent a lyrical showcase for Swift, and a way to beat her haters at their own game.

Dissing yourself while still coming off smart is a tough tightrope to walk, as “Look What You Made Me Do” unfortunately proved. But with “Blank Space,” Taylor proved that, even if for a brief moment, she controlled the narrative.

(Also, this is Taylor’s best video. Obviously.)

#6: “Sparks Fly” (Speak Now)

A lot of the other songs in this top 10 work because of a very specific reason, whether it be the production or a clever lyrical conceit. But it’s difficult to describe what makes “Sparks Fly” fly so well.

At first glance, it’s not that much different than other early upbeat Swift singles — it’s got the country-rock guitars, lovesick lyrics, a bit of a twang but not too much. But this is where that formula reaches perfection. It’s no wonder that after “Speak Now,” Swift tilted hard into pure pop, because she wasn’t going to top this.

The chorus is passionate and soaring, with even the percussive lyrics ( “Drop. Everything. Now.”) contributing. And this seems like a super-odd aspect of a Taylor Swift song to compliment, but “Sparks Fly” also has a fantastic guitar riff — something few of her pop contemporaries would try.

Sometimes what makes a song great is to just have every aspect go perfectly, and that’s exactly what happened with “Sparks Fly.”

#5: “Red” (Red)

The title track to Swift’s instant-classic album Red is the closest she’s come to being a full-fledged rockstar (well, that and album cut “State Of Grace,” which is an obvious U2 pastiche). It’s definitely more of a country-fried, Sheryl Crow brand of rock, but it suits Swift well. There’s even a killer guitar solo!

As a summation of a whirlwind relationship, “Red” absolutely nails the bittersweet feelings that come after a breakup. Even the best moments or aspects of her ex have a dark side, but she seems equally wistful about the worst moments. And the color-based chorus (a few years before Halsey stole the idea), complete with a new wave-y vocal echo, is simple but effective. It’s the perfect middle between Swift’s uber-pop era to come and her Nashville songwriter past.

#4: “New Romantics” (1989)

I was hesitant to include “New Romantics” on this list. Yes, it was a single, but it was also a tacked-on bonus track to 1989. But it’s too damn perfect of a pop song to leave off.

Honestly, how was this not included in the regular tracklisting of 1989? Yes, it’s her best album, so there’s not a lot of filler, but “New Romantics” would’ve still been an improvement over nearly all of the songs there. The production by pop wizards Max Martin and Shellback pops and whizzes with energy. It’s pure ‘80s heaven, with an anthemic sing-along chorus and bouncy synths and drum machines.

But naturally, Swift herself is a major factor to why “New Romantics” is such an effective pop song. Her vocal delivery here has a knowing wink, with a bit of snark. You might even call it Debbie Harry-esque. For a song where Swift is conveying the joys of non-stop partying, she certainly sells it. And I’d imagine if she released it as a regular single earlier in 1989′s cycle, it would’ve been another #1 smash.

#3: “Love Story” (Fearless)

“Love Story” deliberately misinterprets multiple literary classics to create an uber-cheesy, ridiculous fairy tale. And it’s easily the best song of her country era, and one of the best pop songs of the ‘00s, bar none.

The star-crossed lovers angle is overdone, yes, but Swift sings about this secret relationship with such passion and earnestness that it feels fresh again. When the surprise ending comes and the boyfriend proposes (wait, aren’t they both high schoolers? Maybe wait a bit on that one, guys), it’s got all the sappiness of a Hallmark special, and yet it totally works. You can tell the then-18 Swift didn’t find this cheesy in the slightest, and her bold, passionate sincerity works.

Even the fact that the song seems to not understand what The Scarlet Letter was actually about, or how Romeo and Juliet ends, is honestly more charming than anything else. “Love Story” is like a puppy — full of boundless joy and absolutely impossible to resist, despite not being all that smart.

#2: “Style” (1989)

I can’t imagine the confusion and shock that Swift’s management must have felt when she told them she wanted to record a song that sounded like the Drive soundtrack. But it was an absolutely brilliant move, and it gave us the song that will likely age better than any of Swift’s other singles.

To be fair, “Style” is much more radio-friendly than your average Chromatics single — but not by much! Swift’s vocals are less ethereal than Ruth Radelet’s, and the hooks are much more obvious. But many Chromatics songs, or songs from Drive, are already pretty catchy — Swift just needed to maximize them into a slinky-yet-explosive new wave behemoth.

The pulsating synth background and Swift’s whispery vocals make “Style” an all-time classic song for aimlessly driving around at night, yet it’s big enough to fit in with her more blunt hits. In fact, it might be the one time she actually seemed *gasp* cool. It’s too bad reputation tried so hard to recapture this dusky vibe and utterly failed, but at least we’ll always have her first attempt.

#1: “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (Red)

It took Swift many, many tries to capture that elusive first #1 hit. But when she finally reached that pinnacle in 2012 with the gleefully venomous “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” it made perfect sense. After all, it’s her best song.

Swift has written many breakup songs before, but she’s never had this much fun knocking down her ex — in this case, the famously sleazy John Mayer. And her digs are just so relentless and delivered with a perfect smirk. There’s the dig at Mayer listening to “some indie record that’s much cooler than mine,” which drips with sarcasm. She calls him out for his inability to fully commit, saying both that his breakups and makeups only “last about a day.” And of course, there’s also that wonderfully exasperated phone call, where Swift groans about her ex’s persistence, calling the situation “exhausting” and mocking him.

The best part is that all of this is delivered in a sugary-sweet, insanely catchy campfire sing-along that wouldn’t leave anyone’s heads in the fall of 2012. That chorus is just so joyful and fun that you have expect the little bouncing ball to pop up next to the “WHEEE-EEE!”

It seems weird to say Swift’s best song is also her big sell-out moment, but some artists were just meant to be pure pop. And in Swift’s case, she didn’t sacrifice any of her sharp songwriting en route to a catchier, more fun sound, which created one of the most iconic pop songs of the ‘10s.

#taylor swift #pop #country #In ascending order

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racingtoaredlight · 8 years ago

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The Great Super Bowl Uniform Matchup Rankings: 30-21

50-41 and the ramblings of a mad man trying to explain a flawed thought process. 40-31

#30. Super Bowl XX - New England Patriots vs Chicago Bears

This is a game that I wanted to rank higher, I really did. The old Pat Patriot era New England uniforms are fantastic, obnoxious Americana spilled all over the place and an iconic on the logo. On the flip side you have one of football’s gold standards of uniforms, the Chicago Bears with the classic road whites and sharp navy pants.

But this is the game I referenced earlier about the whole not being the sum of the parts and there’s just something about the two of them lined up against each other that’s not elevating Super Bowl XX to the pantheon. Maybe it’s just knowing that Craig James was involved in this game (I believe that’s his blurred ass in the background above) that’s making me see ugliness where there really is none.

#29. Super Bowl XXXIX - Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots

This was, oddly enough, the toughest one to rank since everything about how of these just screams blah to me. Kinda like this game now that I’m thinking about it, never before had I seen a Super Bowl decided in the 4th quarter be so utterly unexciting, it was kinda like watching a Saban Alabama game where they’re kinda struggling to score and the other team’s theoretically in it but in your heart of hearts you know they’re not going to win and that was the Eagles against the Patriots.

While a far cry from their kelly green glory days, those Philly uniforms are fine and I think this game looked as good as it possibly could have.

#28. Super Bowl XXIV - Denver Broncos vs San Francisco 49ers

The Orange Crush has finally made its way onto my list. While in theory that bright an orange and blue helmet should look clownish but they pull it off. Quick shout out to the giant pant stripes of the 80s by the way, the Bears had a similar girth going on.

The problem with such a dominant orange though is it brings a lot of volatility into play depending on who the opponent is. There’s nothing wrong with the San Fran road whites and gold pants, it’s just that the upcoming two Orange Crush Super Bowls were more appealing to this reviewer’s eye. I do like how Super Bowl XXIV featured a rarity and that was a pregame broadcaster saying before kickoff that the game was going to be a blowout and, spoiler alert, it was.

#27. Super Bowl XXVI - New England Patriots vs St. Louis Rams

So I was looking at my list to pull the next entry, came across this and thought “Why the hell is this up here”, so now I’m going to reverse engineer a rationale for it.

The Rams deserve all the praise for finally matching their helmet blue with that of their jersey, and I far preferred their road uniforms after the switch to their home ones. Switching from mustard yellow to gold in the helmet horns and pants was another winning move which set up an almost cheesy Gold v Silver Super Bowl against the at the time upstart Patriots. New England’s home blues have numbers that don’t annoy me as much so I have successfully talked myself in being validated to have this game up here, it really was pretty to look at.

#26. Super Bowl XXXII - Denver Broncos vs Green Bay Packers

The darkest Super Bowl Sunday of my existence, Super Bowl XXXII remains a black mark on the franchise and the NFC, which had won 15 straight championships before this one. This is the closest Denver came to having a uniform I liked post-1996 and the matchup of their new world fanciness (I think they were the first to do the giant stripe business) against the classic Packer roadies has me probably having this one higher than any other uniform handicappers would.

Bonus points to the Super Bowl XXXII logo which wasn’t too big and provided a nice color add to both teams’ uniforms. Man I miss Super Bowls having unique logos.

#25. Super Bowl XXII - Denver Broncos vs Washington

I don’t think I ever appreciated just how many Super Bowls Denver has been in until this exercise.

I love this uniform matchup just because of how much is going on with both squads, they’re so different that they’re somehow beautiful together. I far prefer Washington in the maroon pants to when they break out that yellow bunk, those with the yellow and white stripes are sharp. Bonus points for the giant sleeve lines as well, and I dig the gold outline of the maroon numbers.

Orange Crush stays beautiful too. When the Broncos brought the old D helmet logo back for a Thursday nighter this year I nearly wept with joy.

#24. Super Bowl XLVI - New England Patriots vs New York Giants

#23. Super Bowl XLII - New England Patriots vs New York Giants

The first of three sets of uniforms that would meet in multiple Super Bowls these hit all the right notes, at least for games involving the Patriots. New England home blues, Giants crisp road whites with the red numbering and those slick as hell NY helmets. I don’t know if a greater disparity exists between home and road for me than the Pats. If these jerseys were swapped we would have covered them yesterday. But as it stands, two of the more classic Super Bowl games of my lifetime both had the same aesthetically pleasing attire.

#22. Super bowl XLVII - San Francisco 49ers vs Baltimore Ravens

Probably not fair to this game that it’s mostly remember for the power outage and controversial non-call on San Francisco’s final offensive snap since it was both a fantastic football game and a fantastic game to look at. The 49ers return to the Super Bowl came with their new old uniforms returns, no fancy bullshit with the numbers and gold pants as gold intended. Great uniform.

And joining them in a uniform upgrade from their last Super Bowl appearance were the Ravens. Granted the 3D numbers is still there (although not too obnoxious) but the switch to black pants to pair with the black helmet I really liked. And like Broncos-Washington the stark difference between the two really worked for me. Some games look like they could be intersquad scrimmages (like Giants-Patriots and their red white and blue patterns) which is fine but when divergent looks click on the field I’m all in.

#21. Super Bowl XXXVII - Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Oakland Raiders

If anyone actually gives two shits about these rankings I reckon this Super Bowl being this high could cause the loudest roars of disapproval. Well here is where I risk any and all cred built up as an authority on sports uniforms when I state I liked the Bucs pewter power. We forget now how incredible it was in 1997 when the Buccaneers ditched this mess (I firmly believe anyone who fondly remembers those uniforms is lying to you) for the sharper dark look. Needless to say that was the season Tony Dungy’s crew broke through and made the playoffs for the first time in forever and started them down a path of respectability. I’m glad they were the home team for this game.

And I’ve run out of praise for the Raiders, the silver and black raises the Buccaneers here same as they did the Viking purple in Super Bowl XI. They’d better keep these colors in Vegas.

#nfl #super bowl #uniforms #joe flacco is not elite #no more patriots yay

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velmaemyers88 · 5 years ago

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How This Wedding Singer Earns $1.5 Million a Year

Musician Jordan Kahn and Adam Sandler’s character in The Wedding Singer may both wear bold blazers, but that’s where the similarities stop. Though Sandler’s character might personify wedding bands of the past, today’s groups—like Kahn’s namesake Jordan Kahn Orchestra—could well open for the likes of Bruno Mars or Taylor Swift. With professional-level production, high-tech equipment, and massive amounts of talent, these bands elevate the live-music experience at a wedding—all while making sure Grandma is still boogying on the dance floor.

“While Taylor Swift’s concerts are about the people who have connected with her over the years, my concerts are about the bride and groom and their guests,” says Kahn. “Our success is based on one thing, and it’s not ticket sales. It’s people on the dance floor.”

It’s all big business. The U.S. wedding industry alone brings in $72 billion in revenue annually, and the average wedding costs more than $30,000. Talk about luxury weddings, and that number skyrockets into six and seven figures. Music and entertainment are growing chunks of that budget, as couples view the experience for their guests as higher priority than static decor and pour more cash into line items like music, food, and drink. Nearly 20% hire a band, according to The Knot 2018 Real Weddings Study, and when it comes to a band versus a DJ, couples certainly pay up for live musicians: more than three times as much.

When the Jordan Kahn Orchestra takes the stage, you can easily see why they charge tens of thousands of dollars for their ensemble. An event can command anywhere from 11 to 20 musicians, including Kahn as lead singer and emcee, along with drummers, guitars, strings, brass, backup singers, soloists, and even dancers. Out of sight are wires, gear, and cables. An engineer manages the room by walking around with an iPad to check sound levels in various corners, and the speakers are controlled wirelessly. The orchestra has a repertoire of more than 500 songs, including foreign language ballads that require the group to learn, say, Spanish or Hebrew. Every one of their songs will be recognizable to the audience.

“It used to be that bands weren’t nearly as cohesive or creative,” explains event designer and planner Michelle Rago of Michelle Rago Destinations. “They were more cover bands. They didn’t care about sound, outfit coordination, or their repertoire. Now, every band has a look and feel. They have so much more control over sound and image.”

Jordan Kahn

What sets today’s bands apart, and especially Kahn, is that they have honed the skill set to read a crowd. While mainstream artists like Lady Gaga can follow a set list for a concert, Kahn is constantly trying to understand what the crowd at a wedding wants. It’s an ongoing search for feedback and decision-making as to what to play next. If, for instance, he sees too many guests sitting, he’ll queue up the group to play Etta James’s “At Last.” “I use that song as a tool to fill the dance floor if there are a lot of people in their fifties, sixties, and seventies,” he says. From there, it’s on to Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk,” a song that, he notes, has an unique appeal for all ages.

“A lot of musicians and bands make the performances about themselves,” Kahn says. “The terrible bands are the ones who pick songs for themselves or think the quality of their show is how many lights they have. We make our performances about our client and their audience.” The orchestra is so committed that he may play three or four hours without a break. By comparison, your typical cover band will demand a 15-minute break every 45 minutes.

The term “wedding band” is not so appealing to couples, especially younger ones who may lean toward a DJ while their parents ask for a live band. Rago explains that most people say they don’t want a “wedding band,” which is where she steps in to educate them. “These bands are performing at a high level,” she says. “They are seasoned. It’s that live-music experience that everyone loves. The energy is electric.” Sometimes, Rago adds, it’s just about taking them to a showcase to meet the bandleader.

In addition to reading the crowd, Kahn’s band also interacts with guests. Brass players will wander through the room, and he makes sure the choreography of his dancers is easy to emulate. He often sees guests following along in front of the stage as if it’s Dance Dance Revolution. Part of his role as emcee is to create hype, something he can do with the mic by inviting guests to put their hands in the air or sing along.

There is a science to it too. Kahn constantly tracks the BPM of his songs to make sure it’s subtly building over the course of an event. He admits that sometimes they even have to scale it back. “Maybe people don’t have enough alcohol in their system to let loose yet,” he says, “so we’ll drop the tempo.”

His namesake orchestra alone brings in more than $1.5 million a year, but he is also growing an entertainment business that manages several musical groups; it sees revenue over $4 million annually. Not only does he have major music cred—he graduated from Berklee College of Music—but his business partner, Chris Stratten, has worked with Nelly Furtado, and many of his musicians come from the acclaimed jazz program at the University of North Texas College of Music. He owns four other bands, which range in price point to cater to a wide demographic of wedding budgets. It’s another way that wedding music has changed; couples can approach entertainment companies, such as Kahn’s, Vali Entertainment, or Elan Artists, and choose from a variety of offerings to fit their style, taste, and budget.

“Bands are taking on the responsibility of presenting a unique footprint musically,” Rago says. “They are sitting down with the client and talking to them, finding ways to make their event special. Some even rescore music. It’s a very custom experience.”

As for event day, that’s when even the newlyweds are blown away. “People are just floored because the music is so tight,” Rago says. “People expect cheesy, and it’s not.”

It’s all a far cry from Sandler’s iconic ’90s character. “Why would someone choose to be a wedding singer?” Kahn asks. “I do it because I love singing songs that people know, that they can relate to and dance to. I love what I do, and I ensure everyone around me does too.”