#lovin’ spoonful for example !!!!!

[pennyserenade]

i love having a father’s taste in music, so be it. those bands might have ridiculous names but they weren’t fucking around when it came to music

[scapegoated-if]

How did the band come up with the name “Voyeurs” and why did they choose it? Would the name itself have been controversial in-game at that time, due to the sexual connotation?

This also comes up in the story but I will spoil it because it’s not majorly significant in the grand scheme of things. There will be a scene that explains all of this again, so read at your own discretion.

In the group, their initial idea as a band was ‘The Spectators’, which I got from a 1970 Jim Morrison interview where he said something along the lines of ‘a spectator is the most dangerous thing you can be’—I will reblog this with the specific quote and interview when I get home later (I have spare time on my hands so I’m replying to this at work).

Léon, however, suggests the name ‘The Spectators’ in reference to Oscar Wilde’s Preface from The Picture of Dorian Gray:

‘All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital.’

Léon also sees “spectating” as the act of baring witness to the world around him at the time and writing what he’s baring witness to, more so than having anything to openly say about it. He doesn’t see himself as a writer but a vessel.

I imagine Vince thinks it’s too pretentious and, although Léon doesn’t agree with this sentiment, he does agree that the name in particular isn’t right for the band because it’s too on the nose.

Shiloh then suggests ‘The Voyeurs’ as a synonym, without knowing that the actual sadistic meaning refers to sexual voyeurism as well as in a sense enjoying pain inflicted upon others.

Vince would shut it down, interpreting the former. Leon would be open to it in the context of the latter—he would elaborate that he is specifically referring to watching those who suffer at the hands of progression and transgression from capitalism and the discriminatory systems currently in place at the time.

Eventually MC would decide to remove ‘The’ altogether from the name because there are many examples already of groups that have ‘The’ in their names: The Beatles; The Rolling Stones; The Velvet Underground; The Lovin’ Spoonful; The Byrds; The Who; The Doors; and etc, but I could go on.

I have the scene written down for the sake of myself contextually (it was one of the first pieces of writing I did for Scapegoated to grasp a sense of the dynamic between the band), but I’ll share it with you guys at a later time because I want to include space for coding so your MC can decide where she stands in this discussion.

The name is received negatively for a while by others and has a lot of discourse around it. Many record labels receive it negatively in the fear of a lack of marketability. But your label is open to it and loves it for the discourse it can create and the image of your band as very much so a product of your “angry” and “subversive” generation. At the time your band takes this well, especially because it’s a very famous and successful label (evidently), but bad publicity isn’t always good publicity…

I offered a different name to my best friend when I was planning Scapegoated: ‘Pitstop’. It would have been a literal reference to the QE2 and the fact you met Léon on a pit stop along the ship’s schedule. But I didn’t feel that it had the same impact if the MC was from France because you would both be getting on the QE2 at the same time, rather than experiencing the journey without Leon for a day, and then picking him up at the South of France terminal where it massively turns around what the trip is like for you. On the other hand, metaphorically it was meant to be allusive to the fact your group are passing by—you’re dropping an album and then disappearing, which felt too on the nose on my part in terms of the hiatus. The band wouldn’t know they’re going on hiatus when they start it, otherwise it’s like what’s the point in the first place?

Also, I associated the name ‘Pitstop’ as less ‘70s and more ‘00s heavy metal for some reason—maybe I’m subconsciously rhyming it with ‘Slipknot’ or something.

Sorry for how long this has become! A lot to unpack!

Stay groovy!

[singlesablog]

Sunshine Pop

“Happy Together” (1967) The Turtles White Whale Records (Written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon) Highest U.S. Billboard Chart Position – No. 1

Imagine me and you, I do I think about you day and night, it's only right To think about the girl you love, and hold her tight So happy together…

One of the great, enduring singles of the 20th century, “Happy Together”, by the Turtles, was released when I was only 2 years old, and still the song has had a lasting impact on my musical tastes.  It is today grouped under the moniker “Sunshine Pop”, which would include many contemporary purveyors of light psychedelia, including The Association (perhaps the most successful example) and the family band the Cowsills (with their seminal hit “I Love The Flower Girl” and its ringing lyric “happy…haPPY…HAPPY”), and many, many others.  The category, like the term Yacht Rock for the 70s, was only applied later to pull together the swirls of styles and culture springing up from a combination of folk, pop, and the Beatles, and not un-notably was possibly a reaction to the civil unrest bubbling up in the late 60s.  I can only guess the genre was the mainstreaming of a kind of specific tension rising up in America, a hip solution to changing times.  The genesis of these songs is elusive to understand, being a combination of hippie culture, long hair, and corporate rock—pulling apart the strands of influence is nearly impossible. But I will try.

I have read the Wiki on the Turtles many times and no cohesive idea of the band will gel.  Like the Association, some of the 5 or 6 male members were shuffled around during their hit-making period.  The band was clearly an easy listening vocal band for youth culture; they rarely wrote their own songs, instead they sifted around the industry for potential hits to record (which is in line with a lot of 60s hit-making).  During the period of “Happy Together” a new bassist, Chip Douglas, was added; this would be important because he would arrange the astounding vocal wall that crescendos at the end of the record.  Another important element, perhaps lending this single such authenticity, was that the band’s label, White Whale, was small and scrappy.  Because they could not afford the premium session players that all good California bands used for making hits, the band members, outside of orchestral sounds, played all of their own instruments.  The last bonafide is the lead singer, Howard Kaylan, whose dreamy vocal is undeniable.  But how did a journeyman band like The Turtles do it?  

One of the antecedents that explains their sound is California.  As surf music (the Beach Boys) was replaced by folk music (Dylan, and the West Village of New York), so emerged The Turtles with their first hit, the Californication of Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe”, going groovy with it.  Before recording “Happy” they scratched around with hits comprised of older styles, the Brill Building of “You Baby” (P.F. Sloan and Steve Barry) and “Let Me Be” (P.F. Sloan).  These were solid songs, but the band clearly had ambition and wanted more, so they went on the prowl for a hit hit.  “Happy Together” was a demo that had made the rounds among many bands and rejected by all: the Happenings, the Vogues, and the Tokens. The two songwriters, Bonner and Gordon, had a connection to the Lovin’ Spoonful, and were shopping it around.  Howard Kaylan, the Turtles’ lead singer, has told the story of hearing the acetate for “Happy” and not only was it barely audible from use (acetate records, cut live rather than pressed, were inexpensive and were purposely used for demos and had short life spans) but terrible as well, with rickety guitar and a falsetto vocal.  But it appealed to the band, it had “something”.  Instead of recording it, they decided to workshop it live, and took it on the road for eight months before going into their studio, Sunset Sound.  According to Kaylan, they were more than ready, and recorded the whole track in 6 hours on an 8 track recorder.  They obviously did have the money for woodwinds and brass, but Kaylan has reported that listening to the separate tracks and arrangements he detected nothing special.  It was only when they heard them all at once, and mixed, that it was clear something magical was there.  He described it as elusive, with the mystical feeling that something had happened, and for the only time in his life he knew instantly they had created a No. 1. record.

The result was ebullience. Describing a perfect, hooky pop record is nearly impossible; suffice it to say that I hear it nearly daily as a tagline for an obnoxious tv ad and yet I always get that explosive tingle (ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba). Perhaps the Turtles are harder to understand today because we, of a certain age, have all been so profoundly changed by the singer songwriters of the 70s; before that movement it was commonplace for record labels to shift and shuffle band members and songwriters endlessly to generate a hit (one only has to read about the formation of the Drifters or the Temptations to become fully dizzy).  Making a hit record was always the preeminent idea, and it is our modern minds that has lead us to believe that artistry has to be the end result of a personal genius: no, no, not at all.  Sometimes it is in the air, and sometimes it is luck.  Perhaps it is always luck.  One thing is for sure, like the late, great, recently passed Quincy Jones has stated: it was always all about the song, man.

---

The Turtles, of course, wanted to repeat the success of “Happy Together”, and they nearly matched it with a song intentionally parodying themselves, “Elenore”, purposefully writing nonsensical lyrics like “Elenore, gee, I think you're swell” and “You're my pride and joy, et cetera” to send themselves up.  The joke wasn’t on them: it was a huge hit (Billboard No. 6), and uncharacteristically it was one the band wrote themselves.

One of the obvious precursors of the sound for a band like the Turtles is the Mamas and the Papas, who took Motown and the British Invasion and added a vocalese that was strictly California.  If you compare their sounds, so dependent on the vocals, they are remarkably similar.   I also hear this sound everywhere during that period, from the Cyrkle’s “Turn Down Day” (talk about an earworm) to the the arguably more successful and prodigious tunes from The Association, who’s monster No.1 hit “Windy” charted that very same year. Albeit whiter and squarer than the hippyish Turtles, their work would lead directly to the greatest white bread duo ever created, the Carpenters.

Now, I must insist: go listen to the song, and get happy!

[krispyweiss]

Flashback on 60: Grateful Dead - Dick’s Picks Volume 21 (2001)

Editor’s note: The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s birth. This is the first Flashback on 60, a periodic feature in which Sound Bites revisits the band’s career.

Jerry Garcia was feeling very laid back when the Grateful Dead pulled into Virginia’s Richmond Coliseum Nov. 1, 1985, toward the end of its 20 Years So Far celebration.

His bandmates, too, were engaged in, and feeling the effects of, various celebratory enhancements, making for an inspired, sometimes sloppy, but always tightrope-without-a-net exciting, gig. An instant all-timer and long a Dead Head favorite, the show got the official-release treatment in 2001 as Dick’s Picks Volume 21 and 40 years after its fortuitous occurrence, the magic of this Grateful Dead concert continues to reverberate through the cosmos.

What transpired that night was a rare example of drugs doing the music more good than ill, though subsequent years would prove that not a wise formula for inspiration.

Opening with a ramshackle “Dancing in the Streets,” its original arrangement resurrected for this anniversary year, the Dead plowed through a relatively standard first set, with Garcia opting for “Cold Rain and Snow,” “Stagger Lee,” “Brown-Eyed Women,” et. al, while Bob Weir sang the blues (“Little Red Rooster”) and donned his cowboy hat on “Me and My Uncle” -> “Big River” and “Jack Straw.”

It’s solid and crackles as ’85 often did. But goddam, set No. 2 was an explosion despite Garcia wearing his softened heart on his red T-shirt sleeve with four ballads among his five selections, the lone rocker being the unfairly maligned “Keep Your Day Job” in the encore slot.

Following “Samson and Delilah,” Garcia dials things down on a tender, lilting “High Time.” Still feeling whatever he was feeling, he takes the band directly into “He’s Gone,” and its steal your face … and … smile, smile, smile … refrains elicit the expected roars from the audience before - as often occurred in ’85 - Weir follows with “Spoonful.”

“Comes a Time” - Garcia ballad No. 3 - is particularly weird as the final solo enters the stratosphere and seems headed for “Space” before coming back to Earth. A stellar example of making something of a potential train wreck.

Weir divides “Lost Sailor” and “Saint of Circumstance” with “Drums” and “Space” and the following “Gimme Some Lovin’,” an atonal duet between Phil Lesh and Brent Mydland, is the previously avoided train wreck. But then Garcia issues forth a shimmering rendition of “She Belongs to Me” - ballad No. 4 - and the Grateful Dead sound like purveyors of perfection. That is until a rickety “Gloria,” in which Weir messes with his bandmates, stopping the spelling of the titular name multiple times amid heaping helpings of sloppy shenanigans and sonic chaos.

In the end, 11/1/85, is licorice for licorice lovers. It does not represent the Dead at their best. It does, however, represent the Dead at their riskiest, Garcia at his most vulnerable and shows the chances - and the chemicals - taken adding more to the music than they subtracted.

It’s an adventure worth taking and one of Sound Bites’ favorites despite - more likely, because of - its flaws.

The album also includes four tracks from Sept. 2, 1980, in Rochester, N.Y., the most interesting being “Space” -> “Aiko Aiko” both for its rarity and for the latter having its loping, slow-moving feet still planted in the Godchaux era at the beginning of the Mydland years, when “Aiko” morphed into a stomper.

1/12/25

[plungermusic]

The Girl With The Golden Larynx… and why not?

“Welcome to Film74 with me, Barry Norman. Tonight’s show focuses exclusively on To Shoot Another Day, the latest major emotion feature from Essex auteur (or should that be ‘auteuse’?) Rosalie Cunningham.

Cunningham demonstrates an unquestionable dramatic flair for the cinematic, right from the opening moments with the boldly Bond-evoking (both the Monty Norman/John Barry original and Wings’ West Coastiana remake) To Shoot Another Day, and there’s another nod to the great one too in the John-Barry-meets-Roy-Budd-in-a-Soho-porno-theatre Heavy Pencil which mashes up Carmen Miranda-style latin rhythms and vibes with VDGG/Focus flute-and-organ… and, somehow, pulls it off with aplomb.

More celluloid slinkiness colours In The Shade Of The Shadows, a walk-these-mean-streets-alone torch song with a gothic chorus-line erm, chorus, and a surprise detour to a New Orleans dive-cum-Tattooine cantina (which is clever, as that doesn’t happen for three years yet) for a bit of furry, extemporising saxophone; and the instrumental Smut Peddler - a moody, suspense-filled ‘George Carter tailing a suspect on a crowded street’ acoustic-led cue that explodes into a meaty electric version of same (at the point of discovery and subsequent headlong chase, one presumes) culminating in a nicely ‘blow to the head and loss of consciousness’ chaotic breakdown close.

Tinsel Town trimmings come late in Stepped Out Of Time: an anaesthesia-induced hazy out-of-body waltzing weepie that meanders from minor to major and back again (a regular feature throughout, in fact) that tugs at the heartstrings with Cunningham's silky childlike voice building to passionate Piaf-y vibrato, but all the time maintaining a cut-glass diction Celia Johnson would be proud of. A rather trippy rising maelstrom culminates in some highly Spaghetti Western mariachi brass in the dramatic finale.

So far, so Hollywood… but like Gaumont, the Archers or Messrs Waters & Gilmour, Cunningham’s essential Englishness shows through, particularly in the flashes of Edwardian musical hall psychedelia: the barrelling rocker Timothy Martin’s Conditioning School is a prime example, as are Denim Eyes (a 'Wish You Were Here in Strawberry Fields' reverie complete with vintage mellotron), Good To Be Damned which, although rather worryingly ‘blues’ is filtered through a Spectoresque wall of reverb and is ornamented with impassioned vocal acrobatics scaling ecstatic peaks and plumbing soul searing lows, with touches of whimsical Arnold Laynery, McCartneyisms (and, my producer wanted me to say, a hint of Roobarb & Custard), and the “One of these days I’m going to cut you into Jimmy Page’ portentous-riffer Spook Racket, which exudes an air of Glam menace tailor-made for a 70s football hooliganism-based Play For Today.

Appropriately (or is that ironically) enough, To Shoot Another Day closes with The Premiere, another dramatic, cinematic Bond-flavoured epic shot through with snare-rolls and operatic tutti ‘stabs’ to accompany the rolling credits.

Or not, if you have the ‘directors cut’ CD rather than the download or vinyl: in which case you can stay in your seats to polish off the last of your Payne's Poppets and enjoy the bonus features of Return Of The Ellington, an urgent 6/8 evocation of the early, funnier work of the continental colossi van Leer and Akkerman and includes some very Jobson-like electric violin, and the playfully Lovin’ Spoonful-opening quirky Home, full of more of that particularly English fairground / vaudeville / music hall Edwardian whimsy..

Cunningham is ably backed by a cast of supporting artists (more of which later) and her co-producer, co-director, and co-wriiter on four of the ten (or five of the twelve, if you’d rather) tracks here, Rosco Wilson: who, beyond his normal Technicolor guitar skills, also shows his drumming chops on several tracks - a Renaissance man, no less. That being said, To Shoot Another Day appears to be very much one woman’s vision - as you’d expect from an auteuse - and her strikingly lithe, thrilling and vivacious vocal is the golden thread that binds it all together.

Rather impressively, the creation of To Shoot Another Day was entirely a two-hander production of independent British outfit, Mushy Room Studio, which, truth be told, is the duo’s home in Southend, Essex. So, it’s all credit to them that they have combined all the gloss and glamour of the Hollywood ‘big players’ with the intrigue and depth of Art House output, spiced with bags of English eccentricity for that unmistakeable stamp of authenticity.

To sum up then, To Shoot Another Day is the perfect entertainment for any discerning cineaste, and you can’t say fairer than that..”

To Shoot Another Day is released on Friday, November 1st 2024 and is available for download from Rosalie Cunningham’s Bandcamp site, here: https://rosaliecunningham.bandcamp.com/album/to-shoot-another-day

Also on the Bandcamp site are links to pre-order the CD and Vinyl versions of the album.

CREDITS: Rosalie Cunningham 

Songwriter, producer  / Vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards & percussion 

Rosco Wilson 

Co-producer / Co-writer of tracks 4, 5, 8 &10 / Guitar, drums on 6, additional drums on 7 

SUPPORTING CAST 

Raphael Mura: drums 

David Woodcock: piano on 1, 4, 5, 7 & 9; Hammond on 4 

Ian East: flute, clarinet and sax on 3; sax on 5 

Itamar Rubinger: drums on 1 

Barkley Woodcock: bark on 7 

Recorded & mixed at Mushy Room Studio by Rosalie & Rosco 

Drums and piano on track 1 recorded at SS2 Studios & engineered by Rees Broomfield 

Mastered by Jon Astley

Photography: Rob Blackham

* We know ‘girl’ might be considered dismissive when Rosalie is a fully-grown, independent, modern woman, but it scans better, and what’s more keeps the headline shorter, OK? Apologies if you’ve been offended, but it is 1974 after all…

[celtic-cd-releases]

https://lucymacneil.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LUCYMACNEILMUSIC

https://lucymacneil.bandcamp.com/album/angels-whisper

https://open.spotify.com/album/6XnxQi2sNJR5xifloluyhB

[inkforhumanhands]

For the fandom asks: B N O S W X Y Z

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

I don't remember who it was but someone giffed the scene of Fisk kissing Wesley's forehead and now I unironically kind of ship them lmao

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

Where are all the 616 mattfoggy fics riffing off of canon events?? I want more specificity. Also in general I want more meaty, plotty fics. And maybe a few more fics addressing Matt's canon hallucinations. 😌

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

Summer in the City by The Lovin' Spoonful kind of fits Matt because I mean not only is New York sweltering in the summer but Matt gets to let loose at night for other reasons as well.

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

I don't really headcanon things outside of fics lol but I am rather fond of my own earth-65 take that Matt's had an ongoing beef with crows.

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

I don't do pregnancy fic or anything that veers toward trauma porn, which automatically crosses out the majority of omegaverse.

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

Best friends to lovers and hurt/comfort all the way!

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Honestly I'd put Good Omens in here lol. I've watched both seasons and listened to the audiobook but I enjoy the fan content that comes across my dash much more, and I 100% only consumed canon because of other people.

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

Hmmm I don't know! I guess I'll just use this space to plug the upcoming Murderdock Zine! Proceeds will be going to help combat the Maui wildfires so if you're interested in owning a cool little book make sure you look out for it very soon! @amazing-spiderling has done a great job organizing and getting everything together. :D

[foreveralwaysanauthor]

Okay, since you did such a good job with the last lot, I’ll send a few more! How about Mick and Butchy this time? Can’t wait to see what you put for them! 😁💕

Absolutely! I’m so sorry it took so long to post this, but there’s been a lot going kn in my life recently so I was trying to write both this and my prompts in between my busy times and I only got the chance to sit down and work on this today 😝 I hope you like this!

Mick

A song that reminds me of them

Do You Believe In Magic by The Lovin’ Spoonful. This was another one that was hard to choose for, but that’s because I have a very eclectic music collection and too much time on my hands at times. My other options were I Wouldn’t Mind by He Is We and Daydream Believer by The Monkees, but every time I played Do You Believe In Magic, I could see Mick dancing along to it. For some reason, it just works with her in my head, so I’m rolling with it.

Do You Believe in Magic by The Lovin’ Spoonful

What they smell like, in my opinion

Coconut, the faintest hint of metal and grease from helping her dad in his workshop, Oahu Sunset lotion (lots of it because of how dry her skin gets), surf wax, and mango chapstick.

An OTP I like featuring them

Alright, so this is fairly simple. Mick x Butchy is definitely my top OTP of all time

A character from another fandom I think they'd get along with

Alice from Twilight, Jack Dawson from Titanic, Leisel Meminger from The Book Thief, Wanda Maximoff from Marvel, and Irene Molloy from Hello Dolly (the 1969 version with Barbara Streisand that I’ve watched like fifty times on Disney+).

My favorite platonic or familial relationship

Honestly, this one is a tie between her relationships with Lela and Miles. I feel like her relationship with Lela is one I share with my two sisters so I really love that one even though I don’t write it much anymore. As for her relationship with Miles, I don’t know why, but it just flows so easily for me. Perhaps it’s because it’s close to what my relationship is like with my oldest nephew is like (he’s 9 months older than me and we’re practically siblings) or maybe it’s because I just really like the two of them as mock-siblings for each other. I don’t know, but I like it.

A headcanon for them that I've never posted about before

I almost made her and Miles end up as a couple, but that isn’t exactly a headcanon, so I'll just leave that where it is, and say that my headcanon list for Mick is pretty long. One that I have for her was that she

A crossover AU I’d love to see them in

I would love to say Hunger Games or Dirty Dancing, but since I don’t want to choose the same AU for two different characters, I’m going to pick Princess Diaries.

You cannot convince me that she wouldn’t have the same reaction to being told she was a royal:

I could imagine Mack’s Aunt coming and telling Mick she’s the only possible heir to the throne and Mick just being in complete denial about it for the longest time. The transformation from her going from a shy, but clever wallflower to a more confident, regal princess would be absolutely incredible to watch. Also, I could see Lela being in Lilly’s role and Butchy in Michael’s because they’re siblings and Mia ends up with Michael so it makes even more sense that way. Royalty AU has been one of my faves for a long time and I guess it just comes through with this.

Butchy

A song that reminds me of them

I would probably say Hey Brother by Avicii. My first instinct was Elvis, not gonna lie, but I think some of his songs would better reflect his relationships with others. Like, his relationship with Mick, for example; Elvis’ songs It Feels So Right and Can’t Help Falling In Love fit perfectly for that, but that’s beside the point.

Hey Brother by Avicii

What they smell like, in my opinion

Leather, metal, hot apple cider, caramel butterscotch candies, and caramel mocha coffee (definitely not something Mick got him hooked on)

An OTP I like featuring them

Once again, I feel this one is obvious, but Butchy x Mick. I also had a fondness for Butchy x Giggles for a long time, but that’s a background otp for me.

A character from another fandom I think they'd get along with

I feel like he and Darry Curtis from The Outsiders would be able to relate to each other in many ways (raising younger sibling(s), no parents, leader of their respective crews, etc) so that’s the first one to come to mind for him. Steve Rogers from Marvel. Gomez Addams from The Addams Family because their devotion to close family, their partner, and their friends rivals no other. Uncle Jesse from Full House (somehow becomes everyone’s favorite relative and is pretty great with kids despite not having any of his own yet). And, finally, Johnny Castle from Dirty Dancing because, well, you’ll see in another answer.

My favorite platonic or familial relationship

This one is so hard to choose between because he has a lot of family members for me to choose between. I think his relationship with Miles is one of my favorites even though I don’t focus on their relationship a lot anymore. I do plan on fixing that little problem soon, though.

A headcanon for them that I've never posted about before

Would you like that alphabetically or chronologically? I have a long list of headcanons for him, honestly. Probably one of my oldest headcanons is that he really likes plants. Like he loves flowers, growing vegetables, and taking care of assorted succulents, the whole lot. I don’t know where it came from for me, but I have it written down that his interest in plants was probably due to his mother’s love for them, but I think his interest in them just grew exponentially after her death. For some reason, I could always picture him teaching Lela to make flower crowns when they were young and later on making Mick little bouquets for dates and stuff. It just makes me so happy for some reason

A crossover AU I’d love to see them in

Dirty Dancing!

For some reason, this has stuck with me for ages. The surfers and bikers are now the staff - the majority of surfers are now the wait staff who are treated fairly well and are well-liked by everyone, and are possibly a bit snobbish about that while most of the bikers are the activity crew who are berated for trying to do anything outside of the box. Then, picture Butchy as Johnny, the tall dance instructor who is pretty standoffish and doesn’t like inviting new people to his circle because he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. Now, tell me Mick isn’t just like Baby - a girl brought to the resort by her parents who seem to know everybody there while she’s just getting to know everyone. Butchy meets Mick at a no-guests-allowed party the activity crew hosted that Miles (Butchy and Lela’s cousin) brought her to. He shows her how to party their way to see if maybe she could be anything like them before leaving at the end of the song. As time goes by, he gets closer to her, accepting her as a friend when she offers to be his dance partner after his original partner gets injured. They go through lesson after lesson before the big showcase at another hotel, showing off what he’d taught her over her short time there. They only become more than friends when, on the ride back to their resort, he confides in Mick that he’d never felt that way with any of his other partners. Over the next week, their relationship slowly blossoms as Mick defends Butchy in front of other workers as well as her family who had only ever met him in passing.

I have part of this written out as a one-shot that I definitely plan on posting later on (along with all the other AU ideas I’ve gotten from these). Can you tell I’m excited about this? This has been one of my favorite movies for a while now and I just love this idea!

[thewinterwaifu]

Heya! If you don't mind, can you do part 3 Jotaro x trans masc s/o fluff? I don't mind if you age him up, though. I just really like part 3 Jotaro a lot.

Heya! I'm the one that asked for the part 3 jotaro x trans masc s/o. I don't remember if I specified that I wanted headcannons.

I age up for NSFW, but I don't see why there needs to be aging up for fluff so I'm doing p3 Joot as he is!

•Jotaro is not a very cuddly person at first. He is a bit uncomfortable with being touched and needs a bit to time to adapt before getting cuddly with a partner

•When he finally feels ready though, he is more cuddly than what people might imagine. He might seem tough but he really loves his s/o and wants to hold them close

•Jotaro is very supportive of his trans boyfriend! He accepts them and loves them for who they are and nobody can change his mind about this

•If anyone is bothering his s/o about who they are (or bothering him in general) this guy is ready for fight. Seriously, messing with those dear to him is a bad idea

•Seeing his s/o in his jacket or hat is a guilty pleasure of him. He will never admit it and may act annoyed, but really, he thinks it's super cute!

•On that note about guilty pleasures, he likes picking his s/o up or carrying them in his arms if he likes it! He loves the feeling of having them in his arms

•For that same reason, he usually prefers being the big spoon when it comes to cuddling his partner in the sofa or wherever else

•Some days though, he just has a thing for being the small spoon for a change. This guy needs some lovin' and feeling like he is cared for and appreciated is something he adores

•Jotaro prefers dates in your house or his, he just doesn't like dates where there is a ton of people around. He loves staying in and cuddling you while you watch a movie for example!

[tamaki-amajiki-is-my-baby]

Shigadabi Headcanons

(This is a l o n g b o i)

- Dabi is that annoying ass bf who uses corny lines just to piss Tomura off.

“What're u lookin at”

“Somethin handsome”

“>:(”

- Tomura's really ticklish. He just doesn't know what's going on.

- He's also really touchy

Not just cuz he's a touchy guy n really touch starved, but because he knows it actually makes Tomura feel more safe.

If Dabi just gets close and takes his shirt sleeve into his hand while they're crossing the street, it makes Tomura feel much more safe.

Tomura doesn't really trust himself despite what he tries to make himself think.

He doesn't like holding hands though. Even with gloves on.

We'll get into that one later on

- the nicest Shigaraki is is probably when a co-op game is going exactly how he wants it to, when he's drunk, or when he's exhausted.

But the second he dies it's game over for Dabi's eardrums too.

- Dabi finds it funny how Shigaraki's personality changes after a few drinks.

To document it, he says “this is your last one” every time Tomura yells him to get him another one and then writes down Tomura's response.

It usually goes something like

“I hate you”

“that ain't fuckin' fair”

“Noooo :((((”

“Meanie >:(”

- Tomura gets real cuddly when he's asleep.

You can't be not moving within an arm's length if you don't want him to grab you.

If you're standing by the couch, he'll try n grab your shirttail or sleeve or something like that.

He'll lean on you and you're stuck then, he'll grab on and not let go if you try to move.

This goes for anyone, even outside of the LoV if it so happens.

Dabi loves this n toltally takes a bunch of pictures and makes Toga send him the ones she takes.

Tomura's favorite cuddle position is either being a smol spoon or laying ontop of Dabi, with Dabi's arm around him.

Everything just to be close and to feel safe, because Shigaraki hates to sleep, and he feels vulnerable.

Dabi thinks that's because of AfO and wonders if Tomura would be that cuddly all the time if he grew up with someone else, he was doing it unconsciously.

- speaking of sleep habits, Shigaraki sleeps with a blanket.

Not with naps, those're fine. He can get through an hour and a half or so.

But he actually can't get to sleep, real sleep, without his blanket.

It's just small and blue with lil white and light yellow bunnies on it, he's had it since he was real little.

The only time he won't really sleep without it is if he has at least three stuffed animals around him. No less.

He's exhausted and none of this can be provided? He's not having a good sleep and he's barely comfortable.

- it's so fascinating to Dabi what having a bad childhood can do to you.

He thought that his was the worst until he learnt of Tomura because, unlike Tomura, Dabi actually /had/ a childhood. He was quickly tossed to the side after his father learned his qhirk hurt him but he still grew to be about 15 in that household, with three younger siblings to give a bunch of love and support to, of whom also give a lot back. They went to the park, to the movies, school. They were neglected but that meant Dabi could sneak them out to have some fun.

Tomura didn't have anything after he got his quirk. He killed his entire family then was wandering the streets for who knows how long. Who knows what he whitnessed and went through in that time. Then who knows what happened after he was picked up by AfO. That scar on his finger posed quite a few questions.

Dabi had a childhood still, even if a good amount was taken. Shigaraki's was ripped away from him and he didn't get more than 4 years of it, maybe a bit less.

That's why he acted so childish all the time.

- Dogs are probably the things Tomura hates the least.

If he sees a smol doggo on the side of the road he will want to pet it and he will do anything it takes to achieve his goal. He'll usually pull his sleeve down over his hand if it's long enough, or just use the knuckle of his pointer finger.

But if he sees a corgi he'll probably cry.

It's not the biggest c r y, but like he's reminded of the dog he had when he was little and he can't handle being reminded of that experience.

Big doggos scare him.

- Dabi has considered taking him to a shelter, just so he can inteact. They'll adopt if they want, but Shigaraki mostly just enjoys going so he van have a fun time with the doggos.

- Tomura has a habit of getting lost while they're in a group.

Are they in the mall and pass by a GameStop? Tomura's gonna turn into that store, you can't stop him.

He always turns into arcades and play parks too.

Dabi never let's him though.

C'mon man let the kid have some fun >:(

- despite what you nay think, Dabi has a bunch of chapsticks on him at all times and he throws them at Tomura whenever he picks at his lips.

The further into the day it gets, the more he picks, the more force behind the blows.

- Dabi has a rainbow blanket tha the often uses to, as Tomura puts it, assault Shigaraki.

He'll throw it at him then kiss him when he pulls the blanket down, sling it over him with both ends in his hand so he can pull Tomura close n kiss him.

Gay shit like that.

- Dabi's more open about it — their relationship and his sexuality — than Tomura. He doesn't care. He'll say it if someone's looking at them weird or just looking at Tomura (bcus Dabi thinks it's bcos he's hot even though that's not why people are looking at him. Dabi he looks like a hobo calm down)

Tomura, though, doesn't say anything. Even if people ask. He's not exactly self-conscious or nervous or anything, he's just not one of those 'outwardly gay' people. Example, the op.

- Dabi does a lot of things to Tomura when he's asleep, since he's a deep sleeper.

Examples:

Cut his nails

Put ChapStick on

Brush his hair

And many more that Tomura will not do by himself.

- Okay so I saved this one for last because it's a long one.

We were at about 975 words before this one, and the toltal word count now that I've finished is about 1719, so this is a long boi.

Tomura doesn't like his hands getting anywhere near Dabi.

He isn't as cautious around anyone else and he really wasn't round Dabi till he realized how gay he was.

As most people know already, when Tomura's Quirk manifested, he killed everyone in his family present at the time. Maybe one or two was an accident, but he was so young and he most likely panicked and got scared. He did all of that with his hands, he caused so much destruction with his hands.

My headcanon is thay it manifested while he was lovin his corgi dog with his sister across the room. Of course, that's going to cause them both to scream and she ran over. Tomura probably didn't even know what had happened, how it happened, or how he'd caused it at that point, so he tried to grab onto her. That didn't work very well.

Screams alerted most in the house and Shigaraki, well, Shimura in this case, fit it together that it was his hands that caused it.

He couldn't understand what was happening or the true weight of the situation but he knew he was in some huge trouble.

Tenko didn't look back, just trying to shut up and do anything he could.

He didn't even have time to grab anything from his home, once everything had been done. The rush of adrenaline, fear, and panic were keeping him doing what he was doing but now that he was really understanding whay was going on, what he'd just done, what'd just happened, why it looked like he'd just dipped his arms and chest and face in paint.

And he ran.

He hated his Quirk for a while before he was groomed to realize he could use it for reasons not so hurtful to him. Before that, though, he tried on multiple occasions after learning how his Quirk really worked to slice his finger off.

He got the idea back when he found a documentary on the ‘Shimura Family Massacre.’ All he got from AfO was some 'reassuring words' and a hand on his shoulder.

He got to the bone one time, because AfO wasn't home to stop him, but he didn't have a good enough knife to get through it and all the really good and sharp Japanese knives were hidden and/or out of his reach.

Shigaraki shut himself off. When he slowly started letting himself feel emotions again, in the form of gaming and things of that nature, he still didn't let himself get close to anyone. Sure it happened unconsciously, he didn't realize the dependence or care for AfO until he was ripped away.

He didn't realize the little care that started to build up among the league either.

But Dabi was the one to really break that one, he blew it out of the fucking park, and Tomura feels... Really scared around him.

He's scared to love and get attached because he's sared that something like the massacre in his home will happen again.

He doesn't want to hurt Dabi.

It took him a really long time to even get that close to him.

When he really got into a relationship with Dabi was when he started wearing his gloves again. They're the ones digital artists use.

Tomura is really touch starved and is glad Dabi can provide hugs n cuddles n shit.

It took Tomura an even longer time to start hugging or snuggling back, but he'd still rip his hand away whenever Dabi tried to hold it — even if he was wearing gloves.

But he is slowly getting better at it.

Dabi linked their pinky fingers when they were at a bus stop (he fuggin held on so tight so Tomura wouldn't jerk away).

Tomura looked up at him and gave him the most fearful look, and it fucking shattered Dabi's heart.

He didn't let it show though, he just smiled a little and said “See? It's okay.”

They've been getting better bit by bit since then.

[amygdvoila]

The evolution of my music taste

with thoughts on the genre-less (or genre-bending) era and the current musical landscape.

———

“Want to help me with my ‘New-Indie/Alternative’ playlist?”

My question was met with a response I was admittedly expecting:  “Sure! But I don’t even know what that is anymore”.

And thus is the plight of the circa 2019, 20-somethin’, indie lovin’, Spotify playlist makin’ person.

Sometimes, I have no idea what genre of music I’m listening to. I just know that it’s good. (And that it’s not modern country) .............

If we want to simplify things, here are some examples of the evolution of my music taste with similar sounds from different time periods:

Belle and Sebastian --> Angus and Julia Stone --> Wild Child

Bear Hands --> Glass Animals --> Still Woozy

Miles Kane/Arctic Monkeys/The Wombats/Spoon --> Declan McKenna

Ray LaMontagne --> Hozier

Digable Planets --> Kooley High --> Smino

Alt-J --> Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Young Guns --> cleopatrick/Nothing But Thieves

Sonic Youth --> Best Coast --> Courtney Barnett/Wolf Alice

The Raconteurs --> The White Stripes --> The Dead Weather --> Jack White --> The Raconteurs 

( this is part joke about Jack’s undying relevance and part accurate to my listening progression )

Obviously, each new artist is not a “replacement” of the one from a previous era. But rather, it was my natural progression into something different yet familiar, while still loving what other artists have offered/continue to offer.  As I mainly listened to indie rock/alternative rock in the early to mid 2000s, I was also listening to Kanye and Kid Cudi and noticed their experimenting with modern indie.  I started diving more into hip-hop. I fell in love with Blu & Exile, went through an A Tribe Called Quest phase, then explored Tom Misch’s elegant fusion of nu jazz, hip-hop, and electronic.  Tom Misch was a turning point. From there, I became acquainted with Masego. Went down the rabbit hole, my friend joined Brockhampton lol, and then next thing you know I’m fuxing with Odie, Kota the Friend, and Abhi the Nomad while rediscovering the loml J. Cole.  Then I started noticing something interesting. Music was becoming more genre-less. Allan Rayman, for example, was featuring grunge and hip-hop. Yeek blends traditional indie with R&B and hip-hop. Some more examples of genre-bending/genre-less artists are Rex Orange County, Dominic Fike, and Kevin Abstract.

There is also the term “Anti-Pop” to characterize essentially what I am speculating on. It often describes not only the genre-bending direction where music is heading, but also the vibe of simplicity, rawness, and lo-fi production. Of course, some genres are still alive and well. Rock n’ Roll is still very much Rock n’ Roll with Greta Van Fleet doing a great job at that. The Head and the Heart keeps indie-folk rock relevant with their new album “Living Mirage”. Electronic, like hip-hop, is splitting rapidly into various sub-genres. However, it still maintains a universal, distinct PLUR culture. And that early 2000s indie/alternative rock I’ve been searching for? The sound is still around and finding ground. Michigander and Trash Panda are artists I’m so excited to watch blossom. Catfish and the Bottlemen and Arctic Monkeys are as alternative indie rock as alternative indie rock gets, have remained relevant, and are ironically refreshing for current music. Rainbow Kitten Surprise brings a novel direction to the genre with an exploration into hip-hop and folk rock elements. Tame Impala has fun with pushing psychedelic rock into the modern era. Twenty-One Pilots, although also a genre-bender, is reminiscent of a Blink 182 feel. Now with this ramble, I think what I’m getting at is 2018/2019 is a bit of a fascinating musical landscape that I’ve been yearning to pinpoint. There is a definite prioritization in a “vibe” over a genre in underground music, which allows for much experimentation especially in the lo-fi scene. Whether a genre stays purely in its genre in the year of 2019, or if it completely bends and blends with others to make something beautiful, it is an indication of artists and listeners showing an appreciation for classic sounds and also being even more willing to experiment with those sounds.

In 2019, I see an era of bolder musical innovation.

[bookaddict24-7]

MUSIC MONDAYS!

A series where I recommend a book, review it, and create a short playlist to give a sense of what the book is about.

This review may contain spoilers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The first time I saw the cover of With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo I fell in love. I’ve been blogging about books for years and never has a cover actually made me do a double-take. What worried me, however, was if the story would match the beautiful cover. And oh, did it ever. The bright colours, lush illustrations of fruits, and the strong profile of a confident mixed woman more than reflected the quality of the story. Also, oh man, that Latinx representation! I am in LOVE with the representation! It wasn’t overwhelming, or just used as a plot device. This is the kind of book I’ve been waiting for. The Spanish dialogue was correct, the religion wasn’t used as a plot device, and Emoni’s heritage wasn’t used as a way to mark her as “different” from everyone else. She just was who she was. Thank you, Elizabeth Acevedo!

Emoni Santiago has a magic touch when it comes to cooking. Somehow, she always knows just what to add to a recipe to make it memorable and special enough to feel like magic. But being a single teen mom makes life more complicated for Emoni. Her daughter is her life, but she knows she needs to do something more than just provide for her. She wants to be a chef someday and for that to happen, Emoni needs to find the time to take the new culinary class in her high school. Through life lessons that teach her that she’s not as alone as she thinks (besides her abuela, who is a constant in her life), surprising new friendships, and cooking adventures she never expected, Emoni will learn that even though dreams may seem impossible, it’s worth the fight and the hope to want better for your life. 

With the Fire On High has a special essence to it that immediately drew me in. Emoni is a single mother who has so many things against her. If someone were to look her way, they would think she wouldn’t succeed in life because of her circumstances. This could have easily become a story about the stereotypes following young mothers, but Acevedo instead introduces a story about a girl who has people rooting for her. I remember being particularly touched by a chapter where a teacher basically tells her that they know that she is capable of anything. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to believe in yourself in a situation like Emoni’s, but hearing someone you respect tell you that must have been incredibly powerful. How many women like Emoni never had someone believe in them the way this person believes in Emoni?

What drew me in even more into With the Fire On High were the short chapters. I personally find that shorter chapters tend to make the flow of a story better because it isn’t cluttered down by chapter fillers. It also made it easier for when I was reading on the go. I could pick the book up, read a two-page chapter, and continue on my way. The only downside to this is that there were instances where the story felt almost episodic--each chapter a different instance in Emoni’s life, especially at the end. 

Emoni herself is a very complex character who always put her daughter first and acted her age while still maintaining that level of adulthood needed when someone else becomes dependent on you. I liked the fact that Emoni is understandably careful around the people she lets in, but doesn’t let the drama affect her relationship with her daughter. This was especially evident when Babygirl, her daughter’s nickname, and her father’s family came into the story. 

Some of the side characters were also fun and I loved seeing the representation in this novel. Emoni’s best friend is a rock for her and I was grateful that I didn’t have to read another story about best friends who break up as a means of furthering the plot. What I also liked about the side characters is that some of them had some great character growth, while remaining true to their core being. For example, someone who is a bitch at the beginning didn’t magically become an angel just because the protagonist and her finally understand each other. 

A lot happens in this book, which felt fun but also at times overwhelming. I could tell that Acevedo is a poet because though her novel is written in prose, the way that events are introduced and even the short chapters felt segmented like a poetic stanza. Everything adds up to a whole, but events are all grouped into different events within the story. This again reminds me of my earlier comment of this book sometimes feeling episodic. 

One of my only other complaints about this book was how easily everything was concluded. I kept waiting for certain events to happen--to the point where my anxiety was starting to freak me out--because they were alluded to in the book, but they never happened. Everything just got tidied up really well and while the romantic in me is happy for Emoni and for the way everything concluded, I wish there had been a better arc for us getting to that conclusion.

Overall, I would strongly recommend this book. It was fun, heartfelt, and it was sweet watching Emoni become the woman she’s meant to be. Also, her relationship with her abuela and her daughter is the cutest thing ever. Plus, who wouldn’t want that piece of art of a cover on their bookshelf?

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Age Recommendation: 14+

Genres: Contemporary, Coming of Age, Family, Cooking, Friends, Romance

Add it to your Goodreads here.

See the playlist on Spotify here.

The Playlist: 

Do You Believe in Magic? by The Lovin’ Spoonful

Treat Me Like Fire by Lion Babe

Breathin’ by Ariana Grande

A Sky Full of Stars by Mother’s Daughter & Beck Pete

Espana Cani by Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Sevilla

No Scrubs by TLC 

Streets of Philadelphia by Duo Calientes

Have you read this book yet? Would you recommend it?

Happy reading!

[sunsetstudiesx]

11 Questions Tag

Thanks @studylei for the tag! I’ve been a studyblr for a grand total of about 3 hours now, so I was very pleasantly surprised to be tagged.

1. What was your favourite online/board game as a kid?

My favourite board game as a kid was probably either Sorry! or Battleship.

2. If you were given the power to jump back to any point in your life and relive those months and years, basically writing over the past but keeping your current memories as a guide, would you do it? What point would you jump back to if you could only use the power once? If you could use it whenever you wanted, how often would you use it, if at all?

I think I would use it. There are a few times that I would like to relive. If I could do it only once, I would probably go back to the time I “helped” my grandpa build their new deck, when I was around 4 or 5. My grandpa is gone now, and I’d just really like to remember that a bit better.

If I could use it whenever I wanted, I would probably use it only every so often. I know that every once and a while I remember something that happened and think about how I’d like to see it again. But not too often.

3. Rain or shine?

Shine! I love the rain, but the sun is too wonderful. Plus, I just find grey skies depressing.

4. Do you struggle with procrastination?

Big time, yeah. Trying to break out of that habit and get some motivation, though.

5. Have you ever been to a grandparent’s home? If so, describe the aesthetic there. If not, describe your ideal aesthetic for a home where you grow old.

Yes, I’ve been to my grandparent’s homes on both sides of my family. My grandma’s house on my dad’s side is ideal for me, though. It’s modern, but she’s lived in it for forty-one years now so it has touches of old. For example, her sewing machine and her iced tea jug that she’s had for thirty years.

Pictures all over the walls, and photo albums in every closet as well as old tupperware that she still uses to this day because “things made thirty years ago were made to last.”

The aesthetic is very modern and if you had to guess who lived there you would probably say someone in their thirties. But, in some parts, there are signs of the old days and the way she used to live/the places she used to live in and that, for me, is ideal.

(That was way longer than I meant for it to be. Sorry, I just love my grandma, she’s the coolest lady and I could talk about her for eternity.)

6. What’s your opinion on mousepads?

Love ‘em. It’s a wonder how I live without one, honestly.

7. If you could only take classes in one academic subject for the rest of this year, which would you choose? Math, science, history, language, or arts?

History! I love learning about history, it’s super interesting to me.

8. Are you an early bird or a night owl? What do you like to do in the small hours of the night/morning that’s not studying?

I’m a night owl, definitely. Especially in the summer. I just hate mornings, honestly. In the nighttime, I usually watch tv, read and write. I think I get my best writing done in the middle of the night. (I.e. last night at 3:00am)

9. What was the last song you listened to?

Do You Believe in Magic by The Lovin’ Spoonful

10. Are you afraid of rollercoasters or heights?

I love rollercoasters and am terrified of heights.

11. If you had a lifespan of 1000 years, most of it being in your prime, how would you spend it?

I’m not sure how I’d spend it. Probably trying to make the world a better place. If I had so much more time, why wouldn’t I? Climate change isn’t going to fix itself.

Here are my questions:

1. What is your favourite music album?

2. What is your favourite childhood memory?

3. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?

4. If you were to get a tattoo/already have one, what would it be/what is it?

5. What is the strangest tradition in your family, if any?

6. What is your go to way to relax after a stressful day?

7. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

8. What has been your favourite vacation that you’ve taken?

9. What historical event would you most like to have witnessed?

10. What are three things on your bucket list?

11. Favourite flower?

I’m tagging (completely random, but I would like to get to know you guys better): @atlantis-studies @glassesclasses @einstetic @jupiterinstudyland @leviostudies @acaldemics @alimastudies and anyone else who would like to do it!

I know that wasn’t 11 people but I’m lazy.

[grapevynerendezvous]

The Sopwith Camel - Sopwith Camel A prime example of how fast things can develop, The Sopwith Camel released their only hit single less than one year after they had started rehearsing as a band. Within a week after founder Peter Kraemer met guitarist Terry MacNeil (later known as Nandi Devam) at Big Little Book Store in San Francisco they had written several songs, including Hello Hello, Frantic Desolation and You Always Tell Me Baby. By the end of 1965 they added three other band members guitarist William Sievers, drummer Norman Mayell, and bassist Bobby Collins who soon gave way to Martin Beard. The band started rehearsals in a former firehouse on Sacramento St. In April they laid down six tracks for a demo recording.

Thanks to Bobby Collins, who had briefly played bass for Kraemer and MacNeil in the beginning, a copy of the demo ended up in the hands of Erik Jacobson. A New York producer with Sweet Reliable Productions, Jacobsen had been responsible for seven top ten hits for The Lovin’ Spoonful in one year. He had also worked with Tim Hardin as well as with The Charlatans, another fledgling SF band. Particularly attracted to Sopwith Camel’s Hello Hello, Jacobsen came to California to meet with them in May. Within the week the band signed a contract with his Sweet Reliable Productions. In late summer he took them into Coast Studio in SF to do the basic track of Hello Hello. The band then relocated to New York City to record the album and while there, signed with Kama Sutra, for which Jacobsen had produced two albums with The Lovin’ Spoonful. The Sopwith Camel was the second San Francisco band of the era to be signed to a label. Recording was done intermittently throughout the Fall while The Sopwith Camel also toured as an opener for The Lovin’ Spoonful. This meant they spent an extended period of time in New York.

Not long after Hello Hello b/w Treadin’ had been released as a single the band returned to San Francisco. After the release of their next single, Postcard From Jamaica b/w Little Orphan Annie, in April 1967. Sopwith Camel went back into Coast Recorders and recorded one more track, The Great Morpheum. In May the eponymous album was released. By this time Hello Hello had gone off the charts and that next single, had not been successful. Considering this, a sticker was placed on the album upon release that said, Remember Hello Hello! In early October a third single, Saga of the Low Down Let Down b/w The Great Morpheum was released but did not chart. It took over five months for the album, Sopwith Camel, to enter the Billboard Top 200 and after two weeks it went off the chart. By this time the band had started slowly disintegrating. 

Hello Hello was not the song one would have expected to be the first Top 40 hit to herald the up-and-coming San Francisco psychedelia music era. It was released in mid-November 1966, b/w Treadin’. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on Dec. 24 and by January ’67 crested at No.26 on the Top 100,y becoming the first San Francisco band in that era to have a Top 40 hit song. It did very well in some markets across the country: No.2 in San Jose CA, No.3 in San Diego CA, No.4 in San Francisco CA, and Louisville KY, and No.5 in San Antonio TX and Boston MA. It was one of the first songs written by band founder Peter Kraemer and guitarist Terry MacNeil right after the first met. The style harkens back to the days of Vaudeville, which was the primary live music source from the the late 1800’s to the early 1930s. The lyrics are about a simple desire to meet someone, get to know them, to share with them.

Song two of the album, Frantic Desolation, was also one fo the first songs Peter Kraemer and Terry MacNeil wrote together, but , according to MacNeil, they didn’t perform it early on. They decided to record it because they needed songs for the album. It was a distinct shift from the good timey vaudevillian Hello Hello to a distinctly psychedelic sound. The fuzztone guitar played by Terry MacNeil was noted by Elvis Costello to be ‘one of the best examples of psychedelic guitar from the period’. In an interview with the The Psychedelic Guitar MacNeil said that he wanted to reflect the meaning of the words desolation, desperation, in his guitar playing. He sat close to the amp for feed-back and played as weird as he could. In later reincarnations of Sopwith Camel it was regularly played.

William “Willie” Sievers penned The Saga of the Low Down Let Down. This has a good time feel to it musically, but it is about a low down let down none the less.. MacNeil again shines on the all too short, but effective guitar solo. Little Orphan Annie is a musical version of the syndicated newspaper comic strip that first appeared in 1924. Back to the vaudeville era, but with just a hint of the ‘60s hippie chick as well. The tongue-in-cheek performance has a a very winning way about it, with a skillful instrumental interlude featuring twelve-string guitar. One can’t help conjuring up images of Annie and Sandy in this winning “comic strip” tune.

The final two songs on side one each have their own character about them. You Always Tell Me Baby recites a complaint about how the protagonist is being told how to do things by their counterpart. It features flowing harmonies behind the lead vocals and well placed trumpet throughout. The conclusion of the song seems poised for the following song. Maybe in a Dream is basically an instrumental until the final quarter of the song. It has an optimistic feel as guitars and keyboards soar and glide throughout. The most arresting song on the album, Cellophane Woman, starts off side two. It is the other psychedelic number but with a harder, almost punk quality to it. The lyrics, written by Willy Sievers, seem to be an anti-materialism metaphor that doesn’t quite hit it’s mark. Yet the angst is there and the instrumentation takes it over the top right to the finish. Returning to the roots of the album, The Things That I Could Do With You takes it straight  back to the vaudeville era. Again written by Kraemer and MacNeil, this one is a fantasy about all the things someone could be doing together with their girl. Well, not quite that kind of fantasy, unless you let your imagination run wild. It features a nice little harmonium solo. Walk in the Park continues in the vein of old-time vaudeville, only this time going back to the 19th century for inspiration. While very original in many ways, composer Willy Sievers seems to take a cue from British songwriter Harry Dacre’s 1892 “Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two)”. Sievers replaces a ride on a bicycle with a walk in the park. The ragtime-style piano style fits in perfectly as do the background harmonies. On top of all this, the comedic voice-over in the middle is priceless as William, shyly but slyly, asks Daffney to take a walk in the park with him. The Great Morpheum was the last song written and recorded for the album. Like Hello Hello, it was recorded in San Francisco. It was in April 1967, the month before the album release. The band had just recorded four 45-second commercials for Levi Strauss. Peter Kraemer recalls that he and Terry MacNeil went into a smaller studio at Coast Recorders to write the song. Along with guest saxophonist Terry Clements, Martin Beard and Norman Mayell had the basic track cut on the second take. After inclusion in the album it later became the B-side of their third single. The pace of the song slows considerably from the other cuts on the album. It has variation within itself though and the highlight happens when Clements’ saxophone comes to the fore. The song is about a surreal movie at a theater (the Morpheum). I was recently enlightened by none other than Peter Kraemer, that the Great Morpheum is in fact, about the Vietnam War. I agree that, with a bit of thought and understanding, makes perfect sense. Thanks to Peter for pointing this out. Who else would know better than he? The song’s conclusion builds to a dramatic finish, but once again the last note, so to speak, hangs in mid-air. It also leads into the final song.

Postcard From Jamaica begins with a postman ringing a doorbell announcing a mail delivery. It’s a message from a girlfriend who is visiting Jamaica, and an invitation for the reader to take a trip to see her there. As the album had not come out as yet, Postcard From Jamaica b/w Little Orphan Annie was released as second single. The haste to get it out created a scenario as told by Peter Kraemer, "Sopwith Camel was being interviewed by the DJ at a radio studio in Dallas when a guy named Richie, from Cavallo’s (the band’s manager) office, brought the 45 in from New York. When the engineer in the sound booth dropped the tone arm it bounced and skated right off the record. He tried again; it did the same thing. He looked at the band through the double glass and sadly shook his head; the bass was cut too hot and the record wouldn't track. It would play on the more primitive equipment in jukeboxes and became what was called a 'jukebox hit' in some parts of the country and in Canada.”

The album featured poster artist Victor Moscoso’s first great pop-art cover. Essentialy the design already was used for a Matrix poster back in February. The back liner cover had the first infra-red band photo, shot by Jim Marshall.

While Hello Hello wasn’t precisely one of my favorite songs, when I spotted the album at the record store I decided to find out what the rest of it sounded like. I thought it strange that there was a sticker on the cover that said REMEMBER HELLO, HELLO. Of course I remembered it, but at the time I perhaps didn’t completely get that their only hit song had come and gone three or four months before the album hit the market. I immediately enjoyed what I heard though, and quickly added it to my small but growing collection.

I felt that overall, the song-writing, arrangements, originality, vocals and instrumentality were really top-notch. It’s notable that the music was all band-written, not something usually encountered at that time. What struck me most about some of the writing was its’ droll humor. In particular I was quite taken by Little Orphan Annie and Walk in the Park. They are among those songs on the album that harkened back to vaudevillian style, yet worked so well in the renaissance of the ‘60s. I was equally intrigued by Frantic Desolation and Cellophane Woman, both of which explored the more experimental aspects of the period. While I enjoyed the rest of the songs, the final two took me a bit longer to warm up to. I simply didn’t listen to them as much for quite awhile. Eventually though, I began to appreciate the more elaborate arrangement of The Great Morpheum, and the warmth and optimism of Postcard From Jamaica.

The record quickly became one of my favorites. I can still fairly well sing along with most all the songs. It’s unfortunate that, since the album faded so quickly once it finally appeared, not many people really got to hear all Sopwith Camel had to offer. It turns out that by the time of the release the band had started to fall apart due primarily to bickering and, as one band member called it, immaturity. Willy Sievers had announced in November that he intended to leave to start a solo career, but didn’t actually do that until late spring of the next year. The band members still played in other projects, some of which included two or more of them, but things seemed to be over for good. At least for the time being. I missed a golden opportunity to see not only Sopwith Camel, but Buffalo Springfield and The Standells as well in 1967. The event was a tri-school dance that had been put together by a student named Rod Jew at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto. Held at the high school pavilion, the concert was on April 27th, just prior to the Camel’s album release. All the bands had, or were enjoying, big hits. I thought I had lost any opportunity after that but Sopwith Camel was to have more in store.

Another opportunity unexpectedly came up in 1971. After not hearing anything about Sopwith Camel for nearly four years, they resurfaced playing a dance concert at Foothill Community College in Los Altos Hills CA. By this time I was a student there and attended the show in the gym with my girlfriend/future wife. While he was not aware that this event had occurred, based on information obtained through a blog done by music historian Bruno Ceriotti, it appears that four of the original band members had reunited. Hearing them play songs from that first album live was like a dream come true.

Speaking of Bruno Cerotti, through three decades of research he created a day-by-day diary of The Sopwith Camel as well as other bands. Utilizing information from interviews, as well as gathering many visuals, from several individuals and news media sources, it gives far more details than one would would normally expect to encounter. Particularly for a band that had but two albums (not counting re-releases), three singles, one hit song, and lasted less than a decade at their height. He also documented their return to performing from 2009-2016. Finally looking into what Bruno has accomplished I decided to reach out to him and we have become friends. He was quite amazed and excited to hear of the show at Foothill College. He helped me hone in on the year it must of happened and now all we need to do is get a precise date and any other details. It’s good to be interactive.

http://brunoceriotti.weebly.com/the-sopwith-camel.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Camel_(band)

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sopwith-camel-mw0000117772

website https://www.sopwithcamel.com

Joel Selvin articles https://www.sopwithcamel.com/stories2.html

https://www.sopwithcamel.com/stories4.html

https://sopwithcamel.org/about-the-band/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sopwith-camel-where-are-they-now-93996/

https://www.sopwithcamel.com/Albums.html

https://vancouversignaturesounds.com/hits/hello-hello-sopwith-camel/

http://therockasteria.blogspot.com/2014/09/sopwith-camel-sopwith-camel-1966-67-us.html

https://www.discogs.com/artist/391236-Sopwith-Camel

https://www.sopwithcamel.com/stories4.html

http://www.rockremnants.com/2013/06/22/song-of-the-week-hello-hello-sopwith-camel/

http://andrewdarlington.blogspot.com/2014/01/

https://www.sopwithcamel.com/Terry.html

https://fictionliberationfront.net/erik_jacobsen.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Jacobsen

Hello Hello https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjYsl__loTw

Frantic Desolation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaxiKL-Rzjk

Saga of the Low Down Let Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdcMbtkQxaQ

Little Orphan Annie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-y-afIkukg

You Always Tell Me Baby: Maybe in a Dream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU2Saf1EKlc

Cellophane Woman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0LxEQnnVI

The Things That I Could Do With You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3-kM0brrXQ

Walk in the Park https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CIG6Xc-GFc

The Great Morpheum; Postcard From Jamaica https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU5e3lcHkx0

LP25

[roadscholarmusic]

Astrud Gilberto: Beach Samba Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto is perhaps best known for contributing vocals to hit song “The Girl from Ipanema” from Getz/Gilberto, a 1963 collaboration between Stan Getz, her then-husband João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim. Eventually landing her own Verve contract, Gilberto’s solo albums don’t break any new ground but that’s kind of the point; her strength and freshness lie in her laid-back vocal delivery, which, along with the lush instrumentation, instantly evokes sandy beaches and refreshing cocktails. It’s all about the mood music, people. The appropriately titled Beach Samba (1967) is a prime example of this with its effortless bossa nova/pop style. While it didn’t generate the “Ipanema”-like hit that Verve desired, it’s a solid album that stays with you. The gentle “Misty Roses” seduces, “The Face I Love” enchants and there’s also the best duet between mother and son ever on her cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice.” Sometimes the simplest mood-setters are the albums you reach for the most. https://www.instagram.com/p/CK2bAuYltT4/?igshid=boe807batk8z

[naturalbornworldshakers]

Bell Bottom Blues all day long today... Lost Guitars: Clapton and Harrison's "Lucy"~ Of course "Lucy" is named after a fiery redhead. Why wouldn't she be? "Lucy" is one of the world's most famous guitars, of course, and for good reason. First of all, she's a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard, a cherished guitar regardless of player pedigree. Second, she has one hell of a player pedigree. The guitar players who made music with "Lucy" are among the most celebrated in rock 'n' roll history. There was John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, for example, and guitar extraordinaire Rick Derringer. But there was also Eric Clapton and The Beatles' George Harrison, the latter of whom gave the beauty her name when Clapton gifted her to him in 1968. "Lucy" went on to perform the guitar solo in the Harrison-penned Beatles' classic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," among others. It was her theft from Harrison's Beverly Hills home in the early 1970s that may have added most to her story, however. The guitar surprisingly ended up in a Hollywood music shop, according to Gibson, where it was soon purchased by a musician from Mexico for a sweet $650. Through a series of events that aren't totally clear, the guitar and its new owner came to the attention of Harrison sometime later. Through what Gibson terms as "a complex set of negotiations," Harrison acquired it once more. "She got kidnapped and taken to Guadalajara,” he half-joked at one point afterwards. "And I had to buy this Mexican guy a Les Paul to get it back." Written by Russ Penuell for WMMR @djrusselp @933wmmr