#my thoughts are that i have TOO MANY thoughts about punky monkey

[technicallyblakebelladonna]

Sara Manning wouldnt lie to Cosima but Cosima has kept a lot of things from Sarah. She wouldnt tell her about Shay and she wouldnt tell her about her illness. So Im curious what your thoughts are on that! (This isnt an attack I would just like to know what your thoughts are xD)

hey friend :) thanks for the ask!

maybe it’s because delphine’s habits are rubbing off on cosima XP i’m joking. ...mostly. 

in all honestly, cosima isn’t exactly my “area of expertise” (that’s where @meatheadinthecraftroom can tag in if they want) but in general i think it’s cause like, well partially bc cosima’s protecting sarah in a way? cosima says to delphine about sarah “i wanted to give her hope, you know, not more crappy news” which seems to be the main reason why she didn’t tell sarah about being sick -- she didn’t want to worry her. especially since sarah has kira, right

and as for shay, well, i rewatched s3 recently and actually most of the time that cosima finds shay and starts dating her, sarah is kiiiinnda in a desert prison, being betrayed by helena and taking an entire episode long shower. so, the girl was busy X) basically right when she gets home though, sarah and cosima are skypin’ it up and sarah goes “where are you?” when she notices that cosima’s background is different and cosima says “oh, uh. friend’s.” which of course sarah just *eyebrows* but all she says is “is it good?” and cosima says “yeah, it’s exactly what i need right now” so what i’m saying there is that basically the second that cosima was /able/ to tell sarah about shay (on account of her getting back from imprisonment, abandonment and shower...ment), cosima did. in a roundabout way X)

also right at the end of that conversation, cosima says to sarah “call scott, we’ve been working on something big” -- which, from earlier in the season, is dr. moreau’s book that cosima said specifically “secrets are power, and no one, not even my sisters, are gonna know about this” (paraphrasing, i can’t remember the exact quote) but yet she tells sarah basically the moment she gets the chance

my thoughts on the bottom line are -- sarah manning is like, head over heels in love with cosima, to the point where she becomes the LITERAL EMBODIMENT of the *vague whipcracking noise* meme (if there is such a meme) and therefore at this point in the series will do anything and everything for cosima and wont hold anything back. cosima’s different, in a way that i can’t exactly explain, but she does seem to be slightly more prone to lying than sarah (which does make for a volatile reaction in a certain ship) but her intentions (especially about her illness) are generally good. 

like yes sarah and cosima have had their share of bickering, and at the beginning their relationship was kinda rocky and there may be some scenarios in the future in which their viewpoints will clash, but they /always/ have talked to each other about major decisions (re: kira’s bone marrow transplant thing in s2, the kendal deal for more major examples). anyways. when did this become a punky monkey analysis i don’t know but there you go. 

(E if you wanna jump in more about cosima? feel free)

[doomedandstoned]

Chattanooga’s Dope Skum Drop Gritty First Spin

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Stompin' southern stoner riffs and great big beats collide with punkish vocals in 'Tanasi' (2021). It's the debut EP from Chattanooga's DOPE SKUM. These guys know it's about to get hot as we transition from winter to spring and on into summer, too. Oh those muggy days in Tennessee! What I miss most about spending time in the Deep South are the cicada at sunset, the smell of honeysuckle during evening strolls, and those damned thunderstorms -- the kind that loom large and loud and'll put the fear of Zeus right in ya.

So new that they're not yet in the oft-referenced Encyclopaedia Metallum, Dope Skum attracted my attention earlier this month when we met on Instagram -- a platform I avoided for years, but have finally come to embrace, if for no better reason than these kinds of spontaneous encounters. They're another child born of the Great Lockdown, a two-piecer with Cody Landress-Gibson on guitar and voice and James Silber on drums. Like many of the duos we've visited recently in this humble rag, Dope Skum bring impressive heft that could easily fool the common bystander into believing they're dang near twice the size.

Cody Landress-Gibson of Dope Skum

Drawn together by their affinity for punk rock and the heaviest of metal, Dope Skum have a distinctive, if eccentric sound that kinda reminds me of Portland's LáGoon, at least in the crooning department. If you look at the history of sludge metal, bands of this kind typically start out as lo-fi punk or thrash and just get slower, meaner, deeper, and heavier over time (I'm thinking of an outfit just one state over, NC's Buzzov*en).

Dope Skum describe their sound as "nastier than an old timer's moonshine mash," which made me wince. Standing on a "rock-solid foundation of sludgy stoner metal with a notable punky inflection" the band is influenced by the likes of Weedeater, Iron Monkey, Eyehategod, and Toke. This is rude, crude, raucous terrain we're entering, people. And I'm sure the guys are just itching like an ankle full of chiggers to take the act to the stage, if they haven't gotten busted for an illegal house show by now.

James Silber of Dope Skum

'Tanasi' (2021) is their 5-track debut, and while trying to look up the meaning of the word -- temporarily mistaking it for the Japanese "Tansai" (which I thought might be a reference to some to some "lightly colored" strain of weed) -- it finally hit me that Tanasi might be referring how folks generations deep in Chattanooga pronounce Tennessee, with characteristic Southern drawl. As if the state-shaped logo on the album cover wasn't clue enough. Truth be told, Tanasi is actually the Native American/Cherokee word that Tennessee is derived from.

Dope Skum are only happy to let the unique character of their surroundings and its fascinating, tangled history leak into the songcraft too, which the guys quip, "recalls simplistic fiddle tunes of yore." They go on describe their first opus to us:

Exuding a gritty DIY ethos and an anti-establishment attitude, 'Tanasi' is deliberately rough around the edges, and doesn’t play by any particular set of rules. There is no ulterior motive, no grand artistic vision. Dope Skum simply play engaging music that appeals to their interests and their roots.

I can definitely get behind that. If you like riffs that can really rumble, honest lyrics delivered with vocals that sting like an onary hornet's nest, and rhythms that swing wide and heavy with stomping Southern swagger, you'll be saying Tanasi in no time! "We wanted to try and create something that was southern, punky, and sludgy," the band concludes. "I think we accomplished that."

Look for the EP to drop this weekend in digital format. I'm sure if you guys dig it, 'twill find its way to a suitable label for a physical release in the near future. I'm currently stuck on a loop between "Anxiety" and "Chickamauga" as my tracks of choice. Doomed & Stoned is pleased to give you a first listen to Dope Skum's Tanasi and let you find a few favs of your own.

Give ear...

Tanasi EP by Dope Skum

Dope Skum Take Us On Tour Of 'Tanasi'

How did Dope Skum become a thing and what tools did you use to create 'Tanasi' (2021)?

Dope Skum started in late-2020 with myself, Cody Landress-Gibson, on guitar and James Silber on drums. Our gear really isn't anything to write home about. On the EP, I played a Harley Benton DC Junior with a single P90 pickup running through a Rat ProCo, Orange Fur Coat Fuzz, and EarthQuaker Devices Ghost Echo at times into a Marshall MG50CFX. James plays a Yamaha drum set with PA Meinl Classics cymbals. It's pretty "working class" gear, nothing too fancy.

What's the story behind the new record?

James and I started jamming and both had a pretty solid idea of the sound we were going for. We wanted something in the same vein as Weedeater, but maintain the ability to throw in elements of different influences we have. I had already written some riffs, and we threw them together to what became the EP. We recorded, mixed, and mastered everything ourselves at my house/garage in Chattanooga.

We'd love a guided tour through the new EP. Can you give us insight into the themes explored in these five monster tracks?

Feast of Snakes: The title was inspired by a Harry Crews novel, but the song doesn't pull from the novel at all. It's essentially an anti-authoritarian song. Politicians, kings, people in power tend to be snakes in the grass. There are also some religious metaphors used, as well, throughout the song.

Anxiety: The idea behind this one lyrically and musically was to try and put that emotion/feeling into a musical context. It's why the lyrics don't start until the second time into the verse riff. You're waiting, and you know you need to act, but something is just holding you back -- you just feel kind of stuck.

Chickamauga: This one is all instrumental. I had written the main riff that is throughout the song one night and brought it to James at a practice. We really didn't know where to go with it, so for the EP we recorded it live and just let whatever came up get included on the EP. I named it "Chickamauga" after the second bloodiest battle in the Civil War that took place just south of Chattanooga. With the build-up in the song, it's kind of like a soldier waiting for the battle to take place, then the chaos, then silence either from surviving the melee or dying. It's probably one of the tracks that will stick out the most because it doesn't really fit the "genre."

The Levee: I wrote this song with the thought of losing someone you love, the death of a close partner or family member. That one person you feel like you can't live without. I also love the riffs in this song. They groove well and the ending riff is super fun to play.

Mountain Cur: The final track on the EP is essentially about a lone wolf or stray dog that roams the mountains and hills. The intention was to use it as a metaphor for loneliness. This dog is all alone and has no one. He's committing these acts of violence as cry out for help and companionship. Don't know if it comes across this way, but that was the intention! Also, at the beginning is audio from a scene in Lawless (2012), which is a film about the Bondurant brothers who were outlaws moonshiners in rural Virginia in the '20s during Prohibition.

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[mypoorsqheart]

Clone Relationships Week Day 3: Lyrics

"Me" by the 1975 gives me so many 4x10 and 5x01 punky monkey feeeeeeels.

Here are they lyrics and () are my thoughts on how they connect to Sarah and Cosima's relationship: I got a plane in the middle of the night, don't you mind (So Sarah took a helicopter out to the island by herself to save Cosima and in the middle of the night) I nearly killed somebody, don't you mind don't you mind (This can be applied to any of the scenes in which it's true with Sarah (ex Helena and Rachel) and also all the things she's done to save Cosima- like giving Kira's bone marrow and handing Ethan Duncan over) I gave you something you can never give back, don't you mind (She gave Cosima her love) You see my face like a heart attack, don't you mind don't you mind (Cosima literally jumped when Sarah appeared- also they have the same face) I was late but I arrived (She was too late to get to Cosima at the house on the island- she arrived though) I'm sorry but I'd rather be getting high than watching my family die (Ok so Sarah's family has been kidnapped and Felix asks Sarah to come home but Sarah says she won't without Cosima- she knows her family's at stake but she stays anyway. Also 'getting high' as a metaphor for being with Cosima cause Cosima smokes a lot of weed and Cosima is Sarah's drug) Exaggerate and you and I (This can be shown as the contrast between exaggeration and her and Cosima's relationship- because they try to hide it under the guise of platonicness) Oh I think I did something terrible to your body, don't you mind (She didn't put Cosima's cure in her) I put your mother through hell, don't you mind ('Your mother' being Sarah's mother- and she did- she was a rebel and made Mrs. S worry) I hurt your brother as well, don't you mind don't you mind ( She has hurt Felix as well- especially in season 4) Oh I was thinking about killing myself, don't you mind (Sarah contemplated suicide the exact same time that Cosima did) I love you, don't you mind don't you mind (Sarah does love her- she loves her so much. "Because it's Cosima" "I'm not leaving without Cosima" "Cosima's unlike anyone I've ever met") I put your mother through hell, don't you mind I hurt your brother as well, don't you mind don't you mind Oh I was thinking bout killing myself, don't you mind I love you, don't you mind don't you mind And all the "don't you mind"'s are meant to be "don't you care" because Sarah's doing all this for her but Cosima's too involved in Delphine to see it all.

[littlemissmeggie]

three years

Three years ago today, I woke up at noon. I didn’t know where I was but the room was very purple and everything was blurry, like underdeveloped photos that are faded and pale.

“Where am I?” I asked the man who stood at the foot of the bed. He looked familiar but I didn’t know why. “It’s very purple.”

“We’re at home now, Punky,” he said. “You’re in bed.”

“Who are you?” I asked him.

“Do you know what happened last night?” he asked me in lieu of an answer.

“Yes,” I told him. “I went to Julia’s graduation party.”

“What about after that?”

I sighed, trying to remember. Obviously something else had happened. And then I realised several things.

“I was coming to pick you up from work,” I told him; the man who stood at the foot of my bed—our bed—was my boyfriend of four years.

“Do you remember anything else?” he questioned.

“I was driving on 183,” I said, doing my best to remember everything from the evening before. “I was listening to Arctic Monkeys and when A Certain Romance came on, I started to feel funny. So I pulled over.”

He blinked. “Do you remember that you had a seizure?”

“Yes,” I told him, nodding. “And Mr. Majewski found me.”

“Mr. Majewski?”

“Remember Aaron?” I asked.

“The kid Abby dated for a little while?”

“Yeah. His dad found me,” I told JP; I’d never met Mr. Majewski before but I knew it was him because he’d told me that maybe I knew his son Aaron. “He helped me get out of my car and into his truck. His girlfriend was there too. Her name’s Beatrice.” I squinted, concentrating. “They took me to their house because we didn’t have cell service.”

“Yeah,” JP agreed. “Do you know what happened after that?”

“They called you,” I said without hesitation. “And you and Paolo came to get me.”

“Me and Paolo”—he shook his head—“No, Punky, they called 911. You had five seizures after they got you into their truck.”

“Can we go get my car?” I asked him, ignoring what he’d said. “Only I don’t have my keys.”

“Punky, your car’s at George’s garage,” he told me. “The police had it towed there after they got to the accident.” I must have looked confused—I certainly felt more confused than I ever had before—because he said, “You crashed your car into five guardrails. I think it’s probably totalled. That’s what the police officer told Abby and your mom and me at the hospital.”

And... what? No, I’d pulled over when I started to feel weird; I was sure of it—just past Phelp’s Flat Road.

“The hospital?” I asked, feeling a little panicky.

“We spent the night at the hospital,” JP explained patiently. “You had too many seizures and they had to give you two doses of Ativan to stop them.”

“I had no shoes,” I said, a brief memory playing in my mind—my feet, clad only in hospital socks and lit up as if there was a spotlight on them, walking across pavement to the car. “Why didn’t I have shoes on?”

“You didn’t want to put your shoes on.”

“They did a CT Scan, didn’t they?” I asked, suddenly remembering somebody—a woman, based on the voice I remembered hearing—moving my head so I was looking up at the ceiling, though I didn’t see the ceiling, and telling me I had to keep still. “I didn’t want them to do a CT Scan. They never find anything.”

(It’s true. I’ve had at least a dozen CT Scans and they’ve never found a cause for my seizures; medically speaking, I shouldn’t be epileptic.)

“It was to make sure nothing happened from the accident,” said JP, trying to reassure me.

“And I had to pee,” I added, remembering the overwhelming urge to use the toilet.

“Yeah, you told your mom and your sister and me about a thousand times,” JP told me, giving me a little smile.

I felt sad and scared. Thirteen hours had passed and I only remembered a few brief moments.

“Did I really- Is my car really totalled?” I asked, tears on my face. I loved that car; it was a good car, my first car ever. I hadn’t been able to get my license until I was almost twenty-three and that car had symbolised something I’d never achieved before until the age of twenty-two—six months without a seizure.

“Oh, Punky,” said JP, sitting down on the bed and leaning forward to kiss me. “I’m sorry. We’ll get a new one. We’ll find the same colour and everything.”

“I don’t want a new one,” I told him through my tears. “I want that one.”

*******

I woke up again at around four o’clock. There was a text message from my sister—Stopped at George’s—with three pictures of my car, scratched and battered and dented and crumpled, the side mirror ripped off and the passenger’s side headlight smashed.

I’m not sure how I hadn’t died. I texted my sister, marvelling that I was still alive, and she responded, “Betty sacrificed herself to save you, Megg.”

(Betty was my car.)

*******

I found out over the next few days that I’d left my cousin’s graduation party at around 10:45 and had headed on the back road—Route 183—to pick JP up at work. About a mile and a half past Phelp’s Flat Road, I had at least one seizure, alone in my car, and had crashed my car into five guardrails. I don’t remember driving the mile and a half past Phelp’s Flat but I obviously had.

Mr. Majewski had found me—I’d remembered correctly. Everyone was amazed that I knew who he was, despite never having met him before, simply because he’d said that it was possible I knew his son Aaron, who had dated my sister for a little while; I also knew that he lived on Phelp’s Flat Road and remembered driving past the road.

He helped me out of my car after I told him I’d had a seizure. I couldn’t get the key out of the ignition—I realised weeks later that it was because the car wasn’t in park—so he’d put me in the front seat of his truck before turning off my car and taking out the key.

I remembered that I’d tried to text JP to tell him I’d had a seizure, though we didn’t have cell service so I had to resend it several times before it sent. He asked me where I was and said he and Paolo, a coworker and friend, would come pick me up; that was obviously the reason I thought JP and Paolo had come to get me. I’d never responded, though, because I had another seizure.

I remembered being in front of a log cabin-style house and Mr. Majewski told me that he was going into the house to call 911 and that his girlfriend Beatrice was going to stay with me. While he was in the house, I had two more seizures, one right after the other without regaining consciousness.

They drove me back to my car to meet the ambulance and police; I remember none of it. I had two more seizures once I was with the EMTs; they gave me a dose of Ativan intravenously to stop the first seizure but I went into the second before the medication worked. They gave me a second dose, finally ending the seizures.

I was taken to the hospital and was met there by my mom, my sister, and my boyfriend. With a tremendous amount of help from JP and my mom, I apparently gave the police officer who had reported to my car accident a statement. I remember none it; I still question the validity of a statement given by a woman under the influence of a load of Ativan who had just crashed her car as a result of a seizure and who had then proceeded to have five more, putting her into status epilepticus. But what do I know.

All I remember of the hospital was that I had to use the toilet very badly and that they ran CT Scans.

And then I woke up in my bedroom.

Today marks three years—the longest I’ve ever gone without a seizure—and it is both terrifying and exciting.