#paint it rose tour 2018

[brunette-barbie4562]

Uncharted (Duff McKagan X OC)

Summary: Unsure of her next steps in life, Carreen Joy "CJ" Thompson finds herself taking a job working under the Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan during the Not in the Lifetime... Tour. She faces the fast-paced and foreign world of rock n' roll, touring, and groupies, as well as blossoming taboo feelings for her boss.

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Trigger Warnings: Abortion

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7

February 2018

Planned Parenthood / Redding, California 

CJ sat in a waiting room, nervously biting her fingernails, trying to keep her nerves from overflowing into sheer terror. The room was painted a bright blue, a television on low volume droned in the background, there was a large coffee table with an array of pamphlets on them. She tried to read some of them, making herself focus on something. Birth control options. Ways to protect against STDs. All about prenatal care. First time mother. CJ felt a wave of nausea, looking away. She was alone in the waiting room, sitting in a corner chair, cocooned in her large winter jacket. If only she could sink into her jacket and not return.

It was mid-day. CJ had made the appointment when she knew her aunt and Michelle would be working, thinking she was still at home, recovering with her wrist and hip. The clinic had not been a far drive, but she had taken it slow, driving with her good hand. She wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible while keeping her panic at bay. Once it was done, she could pretend it never happened. She could go on with her life.

A nurse appeared from the hallway and CJ looked up at her, feeling as if this woman had come to take her to the slaughter. The nurse smiled warmly at her, and CJ focused on the red lipstick she was wearing, trying to grasp onto something to ground herself. The woman spoke to her.

“Are you Ms. Thompson?” CJ gave a small nod, unable to find her own voice. “If you are ready, we can head on back.” She willed herself out of her seat and followed the nurse into the hallway. Her head was spinning as she wondered how she had ended up here. It’s a quick procedure, it’ll be over soon.   

The nurse took CJ’s vitals and weight before bringing her to an exam room. She beckoned her to take a seat on the exam chair as she looked at the paperwork CJ had filled out.

“I see you’ve opted for a surgical abortion.” CJ nodded to the nurse’s statement, still unable to speak. She cleared her throat and found it to be terribly dry. She began to have a coughing fit. The nurse quickly set her clipboard down and opened a cabinet, pulling out a bottle of water for CJ. The nurse gave CJ a look of sympathy as she quickly drank down some of the water. When she came up for air, she was finally able to speak.

“I’m sorry, I’m just nervous.”

“It’s natural to be nervous, sweetheart. I’ll do my best to make you as comfortable as possible.” CJ nodded, her anxiety lowering with the woman’s kind words. Once CJ had taken another sip of water and appeared somewhat visibly calmer, the nurse continued.

“We are going to do an ultrasound first, just to make sure you have not had a miscarriage and that the pregnancy is correctly placed in your uterus. Afterwards, I’ll have you watch an informational video on the procedure before we get started. How does that sound?”

“Ok,” said CJ with a slight nod.

“I’ll leave you to change, unless you need help?” The nurse indicated towards her cast.

“I should be ok.” The nurse pulled a clean hospital gown out from a cupboard and handed it to her.

“I’ll be right back.” She exited the room, and it was suddenly very quiet. She slowly unfolded the hospital gown on her lap as she focused on calmly breathing in and out. It’ll all be over soon.

CJ could not change quickly enough, as she tried to wrestle her shirt over her head. After stripping down and throwing her clothing in a pile in the corner, she pulled the hospital gown on. She leaned back in the exam chair, focusing on the shape of the square ceiling tiles, trying to disassociate herself out of the office. A quick knock on the door brought her back to reality and the same nurse re-entered the room.

The ultrasound was similar to the one CJ had undergone in the hospital, except the screen was turned away from her. She lay back, closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing again.

“We are done, everything looks fine. Before we finish up would you like to see the screen or hear the heartbeat? You don’t have to; the choice is yours. We ask everyone before we finish up the ultrasound.” CJ opened her eyes and looked at the nurse. She knew she should say no. Just say no.

“Yes,” her voice sounded and felt disembodied. The nurse rotated the screen towards her. There was the baby, its head, torso, and legs clearly shown on the screen. The sound of the fetal heartbeat began to play in the room. The baby began to move its arm and small hand.

Something inside of her snapped in that moment. All efforts to keep herself calm were crumbling. The nurse turned the screen away and shut off the sound.

“Everything looks fine to go ahead with the procedure. If you want to wait a moment, I’ll be back.” The room had begun to spin as CJ heard the door click shut after the nurse. She felt herself begin to hyperventilate. I can’t do it.

CJ slid off the chair, steadying herself with one hand on the counter. She tore the hospital gown back off and quickly tried to pull her clothing back on, tripping over her own feet and violently trembling. She nearly forgot to grab her purse on the way out, pushing the door open. She made a beeline for the waiting room, ignoring the staff trying to speak to her. She threw all of her weight into the door, bursting back out into the parking lot. The cold winter air hit her body like a freight train, cooling her flushed skin, but making it more difficult to breathe. She quickly stumbled to her car, ripping the door open and getting inside. CJ placed her forehead against the steering wheel, sobs beginning to wrack her body. Underneath her panic, grief, and uncertainty, there was a feeling of deep and unconditional love that she had never experienced before.

-

May 2017

Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao / Bilbao, Spain

CJ stood in the beautiful expansive marble lobby of the Gran Hotel Domine. She was waiting to check she and Duff in. He and the others had remained in the SUV to wait for the check-in process to be completed. She was absorbed in her phone, when she felt a light tap on the shoulder. She turned to see Tate standing there with a smile.

“Oh hey,” she said, “Are you checking in too?”

“Yup, unfortunately us techs do all that ourselves,” he said with a smirk. “You ever been to Spain or first time?”

“First time.”

“You should come out tonight, some of the crew members are going to hit up a few bars and clubs. I bet you’d love it.” CJ felt uncertain. She hadn’t been to a bar in years. In college most of her partying had been done outside around a bonfire or in a dorm room. She tried to come up with a quick answer to leave her response open-ended so she could think more about it.

“I, um, will have to check with Duff, I don’t know if there’s anything he needs me to do tonight.”

“Well don’t let him work you too hard. Make yourself available at all hours and he’ll think your shift doesn’t end.” CJ didn’t know how to respond to Tate. Her job description technically did not have any time parameters and she was there to work for Duff, not party. Additionally, the compensation was insanely good, and for what she was making, she didn’t mind the lack of a time parameter.

“I’ll let you know,” said CJ, moving to the front of the line to speak to the hotel receptionist. She pulled out all the booking documents to check in to their rooms. As she was flipping through them, she saw the name ‘Michael Andrew McKagan’ listed for one of the rooms.  

“Who?” she said to herself under her breath.

“Miss, may I see your booking paperwork?” She looked up at the hotel receptionist and handed them over. Putting two and two together, CJ realized that Duff’s name was not actually Duff. She had had no idea.

The receptionist quickly checked them in and handed her two room keys, as well as a small pamphlet with information about the hotel. CJ glanced at it, seeing the gym listed under amenities. She was desperately in need of a good workout session.

CJ went back outside to the SUV, key cards in hand, and slid back inside to find Duff where she had left him not long ago. She playfully held back the key cards as Duff wordlessly reached for one of them.

“Uh uh, not yet, you gotta tell me, who the hell is Michael Andrew?” He appeared confused for a moment before breaking out in laughter.

“That’s me, I’m sorry, I never mentioned it. That’s my legal name.”

“You don’t look like a Michael to me,” she said with a smirk.

“I can’t remember the last time someone said my real name,” he said, “my mom didn’t even use my real name.”

 “Does this mean I can call you Michael now?” She jumped slightly when the chauffeur re-opened the car door behind her, waiting for them to get out and enter the hotel. Duff gently nudged her along in the direction of the door without answering her question.

“Go on,” he said playfully, “And give me my room key.”

-

There was a period of down time before dinner for a few hours. After making sure all of the bags made it where they were supposed to and Duff didn’t need her for anything, CJ went to her room, where she spent most of her time agonizing over whether or not she’d accept Tate’s invitation and go out that night. She was yet again faced with the fact that she had brought primarily business casual clothing. Additionally, she really should get a workout in. It would help keep her anxiety and nightmares at bay. She was distracted from her thoughts by her phone lighting up from where it sat on the bed. CJ was surprised to see a text from Axl that read: ‘Hey, just checking in, didn’t get much of a chance on the plane. How r u doing?’ She smiled and began to text back.

‘I’m great 😊 Everything is amazing, thank you again for this opportunity!’ And she meant it. Despite her anxious moments, things had been amazing. Her thoughts drifted back to Mindy confiding in her about Axl being the one to pay for her student loans. She wanted to thank him so badly, but she’d keep her mouth shut, like Mindy had asked.

‘I’m glad to hear it. I’ll see you at dinner tonight!’

-

CJ ultimately decided she’d stay in that night and hit the gym before dinner, throwing on a pair of leggings and a T-shirt. She found her way downstairs to the gym, which she was pleased to see was spacious and full of several different machines.

She began how she typically did when working out at home, by doing a quick warm up and stretching out on a yoga mat. She usually would work out four or five days per week, with a day in between each, exercising different muscle groups each day. Working 9:00 to 5:00 Mondays through Fridays at the office at home allowed her to have the same routine every week. With her new routine, things were a little more unpredictable and she’d have to fit in when she could. She figured she’d work on legs this time.

There was a power rack set up in the corner of the room with a rack of weight plates next to it. She adjusted the bar to the appropriate height for squats and racked it with 35 pounds on each side. She and Mindy would go to the gym together after work and be each other’s spotters so they could lift heavier. But since she was alone, she’d keep it on the lighter side. CJ put on her headphones and scrolled through her music, trying to decide on something. She usually listened to podcasts in the gym, but today she figured she’d put on some of Guns N’ Roses’ music. She searched for the perfect song for her mood. At the bottom of the screen were music suggestions. What caught her eye was a colorful album cover with the word ‘DUFF” across the top. She pressed on it, and it took her to iTunes to show her the full album. A brief glance over made her realize that it was a solo album by Duff. The year of release was listed as 1993. She did not know that he had done any solo work. She decided to listen to the first track ‘Believe in Me.’ Her boss’ voice carried over through the headphones and despite how long ago it had been made, it was easily identifiable as his voice. She listened for a moment, enjoying the song, before deciding to buy the album and continue listening as she began her workout. CJ set her phone on the bench and began squatting a set of ten, so focused on her muscle-mind connection that she did not hear the door across the room open.

“Hey, CJ.” She heard a voice call out from behind her, making her jump and lose her form. She felt the heavy barbel on her shoulders start to pull her backwards. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall and have her first gym accident before she could bail out from under the bar. She was surprised to feel the weight lifted as someone firmly grabbed the bar from behind her and steadied her back up on her feet. She quickly set the bar back up on the rack and pulled her headphones down. She turned to see Duff standing behind her.

“Sorry about that,” he said sheepishly, “I just didn’t expect to see you here.” She felt slightly irritated but didn’t let it show.

“I’ve been missing the gym,” she said, “Mindy and I usually go after work.”

“Well, that works then,” he said, “I usually go to the gym whenever I can on tour.” Their conversation was interrupted when her phone chimed and lit up with a notification. To her embarrassment, Duff looked over to see the album cover of ‘Believe in Me’ flash up on the screen. Her face reddened as he smiled in recognition.

“Hey, that’s my solo stuff.” She quickly snatched up her phone off the bench and tried to move on quickly, so it would relieve her embarrassment and he would not mention it again.

“What were you planning on doing?” she asked.

“A little bit of cardio and arms,” he tossed the towel he brought over his shoulder. “But if you need a workout partner….?” She felt her face redden at the invitation. If anything, it would be beneficial to have a spotter so she could do heavier squats.

“If you don’t mind, you could be my spotter for squats,” she said, “usually Mindy does it so I can try lifting heavier.” He nodded and set his things down on the bench. She quickly added more weight to the bar. As he stepped behind her at the rack, she felt her body stiffen and she was suddenly hyper aware of everything; the sweat on her face, how she was standing, the sound of her own breathing, the light hum of the florescent lights above her, the fresh scent of cleaning products, and most of all, the presence of Duff standing behind her.

CJ unracked the bar and took a step backwards, a step closer to him. She felt him lightly put his hands underneath the bar and she sunk down into her first squat. On her way back up she felt her ass lightly brush up against him, leading to a strong tingling sensation that cascaded down her body. She was almost certain she heard him let out a very quiet groan. It was difficult to keep her mind on her lifts, making her feel weaker. She only made it to five squats before needing to re-rack the bar and take a break, half breathless from his proximity, rather than the workout. She turned to him to see that he also appeared to be somewhat breathless and red in the face. Not wanting to seem like a quitter or weak she took a deep breath.

“Two and a half more sets to go,” she said, turning back around to face forward and lift the bar back up again.

-

After completing three sets, CJ finished her squats. Duff immediately excused himself. He burst into the men’s restroom and went to the sink, turning on the faucet. He cupped his hands under the running water and leaned down to quickly wet his face, trying to gain control over his thoughts and kill the stiffening in his pants. Control yourself. He hadn’t been this hot and bothered in a long time. Her squatting in front of him and brushing up against him every so often in those tight leggings that hugged every curve of her ass had been making him loose it. He needed to figure out a way to keep things professional. But that was difficult on tour with any personal assistant, male or female. People on tour became like family, there was never a need for over-professionalism, and he preferred it that way. He was never one to be a serious or strict boss. Even the stage technicians and staff that he wasn’t close with he at least knew by name. He just needed more time; he’d get over it in a week or two. Duff didn’t think he could be strict with her even if he tried. One look at her sweet face would have him melting like butter. You big fucking softie. He wanted to return to his hotel room, but he couldn’t. He hadn’t even done any of his own workout yet. He’d look like a weirdo if he left now. He straightened back up and made sure he wasn’t making a tent in his shorts before walking back out. He could see her doing deadlifts with some hand weights. Not a two-person workout. He made a beeline to the weight rack to grab some hand weights for his own solo workout, trying not to watch her bend down in those leggings.

-

CJ had put her headphones back on and powered through the rest of her work out, trying not to think about the energy between she and Duff earlier. Or at least the energy she had perceived, she reminded herself that it was probably all in her head. CJ finished her workout before Duff did, feeling pleasantly sore and worn out. She got herself a cup of water before sitting crisscross on the floor next to Duff, who was finishing up with a few stretches on a mat.

“Are you gonna stretch?” he asked, watching her sip on the water.

“No,” she said, “I don’t have the patience for that.” He let out a laugh and said,

“You don’t hurt afterwards, skipping stretching?”

“No.”

“When you get older, you’ll have to, or you won’t be able to walk the next day.”

“Ya? Do you use your leg ice packs after a workout?”

“No,” he said, “usually only after a show. Those are more of a workout then anything I could do in the gym.”

CJ finished her water and lay back on the padded floor, keeping her legs crossed. Her mind wandered, thinking about how she hadn’t texted Mindy to tell her they’d arrived in Spain. If she had to guess, Mindy and Axl were already communicating about it.

“So, did you listen to more of my music?” She sat back up, feeling a little embarrassed again about getting caught listening to his solo work.

“Maybe,” she said, trying to play it off with a smirk. “Do you not want me to?”

“No,” he said, “You might learn more about me that way.” CJ looked away thoughtfully, thinking of the titles and lyrics of some of the songs she had listened to earlier. “But it’s also not my best work.”

“What do you mean? I think it’s great,” she said, genuinely meaning it, but also not liking to hear anyone put themselves down.

“I wrote those songs and released that album during a bad time in my life,” he said, “So it wasn’t all coherent. Or at least I can tell when I listen to it.” She watched him with a slight frown, wondering what he meant. Based upon the stories Mindy used to talk about living in Hollywood, she guessed drugs, but she didn’t ask.

“Well, I think it sounds great,” she said, “And besides, sometimes art tells a story, right?” He met her gaze, his eyes softening at her remark.

“You’re too sweet for your own good kiddo,” he said, looking down at his watch. “Fuck, it’s 4:40, I was gonna clean up before dinner, but I don’t think I have time.”

“We can head up now if you want, I probably won’t have time to either.” After putting away the gym mat, they both headed out the door, walking slowly down the hallway towards the elevator.

“Have you done any other solo work?” asked CJ.

“I tried to in 1999,” he said, “But I lost the rights to it. It’s a bit of a long story. I have some other songs in the works. I’ve been thinking of doing another solo album, at some point. Maybe when we wrap this tour up, whenever that is.” The elevator door opened, and they stepped inside, riding it up to the ground floor where the restaurant was at.

“I think you should do it,” said CJ.

“One of these days I’ll show you some of what I have done,” he said.

They reached the restaurant and the hostess walked them to the backroom that had been booked for them. This would be smaller than the dinner they had in Dublin, with only band members, a few close staff, and family members. As they walked into the room CJ was happy to see Meegan there again, already seated with Slash. She turned to Duff and said,

“Will you save me a seat; I’ll be right back.” He nodded and she went off to find the bathroom.

-

On the way back from the bathroom CJ was surprised to see Tate, Vanessa, and a few other recognizable staff members on their way out of the restaurant.

“Hey CJ,” he said, stopping to talk, “have you ate yet?” 

“No, I’m about too. We’ve been at the gym.”

“We?”

“Ya, Duff and I,” she said, “We got in a workout before dinner.” She was distracted by Vanessa and another female staff member talking quietly behind Tate, their heads close to one another, shooting glances her way and giggling.

“Are you coming out with us tonight?” She re-focused on Tate.

“Not tonight,” she said, “I’m gonna stay in and rest.”

“Next time then,” he said, “Just remember what I said about all work and no play.” She nodded, suddenly uncomfortable with the girls’ giggling that was increasing in volume.

“Well, I better head back to our table, I’ll see you around,” she said. She shot a small smile in the direction of Vanessa and the other woman and then made herself scarce, quickly walking to the backroom. CJ was non-confrontational and had always had difficulty handling bullies. The women’s behaviors had taken her back to a time when she was in elementary and middle school, sitting under the rock-climbing wall on the playground, trying to avoid being the brunt of her classmates’ jokes.

CJ took a seat next to Duff, who must have noticed the discomfort on her face.

“You alright kiddo?”

“Ya, I’m good,” she lied, “Just ready to eat.”

“You know, if you ever want to stray off and not have dinner with us, you are welcome too. Don’t feel like you have to be here if you don’t want,” said Duff.

“Thanks,” she said, “But I do want too.”

“Well for future reference, once you get bored of us,” said Duff.

“I got invited to go out tonight, but I said no. I’d rather be here.”

“Invited out? By who?” His tone suddenly changed to what sounded like disbelief. His shift in demeanor amused her.

“You say it like you’re surprised someone would ask me to hang out,” she said.

“No,” he said, “I’m just curious who and to where.”

“What does it matter, didn’t you just tell me I could ‘stray off’ if I wanted.” He opened his mouth and shut it again, seeming unsure how to counteract her true statement.

“I just want to make sure you’re safe, so Mindy doesn’t taxidermize my balls,” he said. Slash burst into laughter and said,

“I thought she already did that.” Duff gave him a look.

“Trust me, I’ll be fine,” she said, “I don’t like to go out that much anyway, I’m pretty boring. I also don’t have any party clothes. I stupidly brought all business casual stuff.”

“Ooooo we’ll have to go shopping,” said Meegan excitedly, “I know some great places around here.”

“I need all the help I can get,” said CJ.

“Does tomorrow work, in the afternoon? Do you have anything planned for her tomorrow, Duff?” Meegan looked at Duff eagerly, who seemed slightly exasperated and flustered with the rapidness of the conversation, still stuck on the fact that someone had invited CJ out.

“Nothing planned,” he said, clearing his throat. “Go shopping if you want.” Meegan let out a sound of excitement.

“We’ll have so much fun!” CJ nodded, feeling grateful to spend some time with Meegan and hopefully get some clothing to help her blend in a bit with everyone else. As she turned back to look at her food menu, she could feel Duff’s gaze lingering on her.

-

Staying in was the right call. CJ was tired and in bed by 10:00. Before turning out the lights, she sat up in bed on the phone with Mindy.

“What are you and Michelle up to?”

“Getting ready to drive home, back to reality unfortunately,” said Mindy. “How was your day?”

“It was good,” said CJ, “A quick plane ride and then I went to the gym and had dinner with everyone.”

“How’s Duff? Treating you well?”

“He is,” said CJ, “We went to the gym, he’s into staying fit too.” Mindy just grunted in response.

“You know he is afraid of you,” said CJ with a laugh.

“He should be,” said Mindy.

“Nobody tells me anything around here, I can’t figure out why he’s afraid of you,” said CJ.

“He just learned not to fuck around is all.” CJ went to question her further but was cut off. “It’s fine, he’s grown with kids now, but Jesus Christ did he piss me off back in the day.”

“Well chill, cause you have nothing to worry about,” said CJ. Mindy grunted in response again and quickly changed the subject.

“So, when is the next show?”

“The day after tomorrow, and then we move on to Lisbon, Portugal.”

“You’ll have to send me the schedule for the European leg of the tour, maybe we’ll fly in and come see one.”

“That would be great!” she said, “I have been getting along with Slash’s girlfriend, Meegan. Tomorrow I’m going shopping with her, I realized I should’ve brought more rock concert appropriate clothing.”

“I remember Meegan,” said Mindy, “She and Slash started dating back in the 80’s, sometime before I left that scene. She was nice, I’m not sure what happened between them.”

“Well, she will be on tour with us for the majority of the time,” said CJ “She’s gonna help me pick out some clothes.”

“Send me some pictures of what you get,” said Mindy, “I’ll live vicariously through you.”

“I will,” she said with a laugh, “but I’m gonna head to bed now, I’ll text you tomorrow. Love you, tell Michelle I love her too.”

“I will,” said Mindy, “I love you too.” CJ hit the end button, the silence of the hotel room suddenly surrounded her. She turned to switch off the lamp and snuggled herself down underneath the thick covers. She opened the browser on her phone and paused, compelled to Google Duff, but also unsure if it would be a violation of privacy. Despite the facts of his life being public information, there was something that made her uncomfortable about it. What if she didn’t like what she found? Or it made her think differently of him? Ultimately, she decided to do an image search, trying to find a picture from the 1980’s and 1990’s. She didn’t have to look long, as several images popped up, a mix of old and new. One picture of a much younger Duff caught her attention. It was a full body photo of him in tight low cut black pants that were laced up loosely with what looked like shoelace, a studded belt, and a leather jacket with zebra print panels and a tattered-looking black shirt underneath. His bright blonde hair was longer and thickly piled on top of his head. He wore a chain with a gold lock on the end around his neck. He had on black leather gloves and held a cigarette in his right hand, a look of indifference on his face. The style was from a different era, a time gone by long ago, but to her, it looked kickass, especially on him. Despite his look of stoicism, he had a baby face. This was especially apparent as she scrolled to the next image; another picture of a young Duff smiling boyishly. He was as good looking now as he was then.

CJ scrolled to the third picture to see a present day-looking Duff standing with two gorgeous girls. They were both obviously his daughters, one was the blonde that she had seen on the video call earlier in the week. The other girl, his second daughter, was a striking brunette with pouty lips. CJ scrolled on to the next picture to see Duff standing arm in arm with an older blonde woman. Other than the hair color, she and the younger brunette in the other picture looked almost identical. All three of the women were breathtakingly beautiful. She realized the older woman was Duff’s ex-wife. A pit in her stomach had quicky formed and she scrolled away, slightly uncomfortable, feeling like she had invaded his privacy.

Trying to put the image out of her head, CJ exited out of all the apps she had open and checked her alarm clock to make sure it was set for 9:00 A.M. She set her phone on the nightstand and settled herself down into the bed, letting out a breath into the darkness.

[foxes-that-run]

Clean

I'm so sad we didn't get videos for 1989TV, but we did get some great visuals in the lyric videos. Especially Cleans, which references a lot of other songs. I see similarities to the music video for Style, Out of the Woods, Late Night Talking, Falling and Cardigan. I think this fits how often this song has been referenced in other songs by Harry and Taylor.

Timeline

Clean was written on 9 February with Imogen Heap. Taylor said in the Grammy Pro event:

“When you get your heart broken, or you loose someone from your life, or when you’re trying to recover from a breakup, it’s almost the same kind of struggle that someone goes through when trying to beat addiction. It’s not one habit your breaking, it’s every single minute of the day you’re breaking a habit. And it’s exhausting. I had this metaphor in my head about being in this house. There’s been a drought but you feel like there’s a storm coming, and so instead of blocking out the storm you punch a hole in the roof and just let all the rain come in. And when you wake up in the morning, it’s washed away everything that used to hurt you. And then you’re clean.”

Taylor also said it and Shake it Off were the last song's written, but Style was actually the last song written on 19 February 2014.

Live performances

Clean was on the 1989 mainset list proceeded by the Clean Speech which changed slightly every night. There is a wonderful Masterpost of Clean Speechs most of these. The Speech generally stated with a scene setter that they are all there together, going through things and would end with variations on " And then I think that if you continue to move through your life, and replace old habits with new ones, I think you can erase that feeling that everyone sees your mistakes when they’re looking at you. And that’s the moment you know that you’re finally clean." The middle section of the speeches varied depending on what Taylor wanted to say. I think these are a nice call back to Speak Now Arm Lyrics, which started after she may have first met Harry.

Since the 1989 World Tour it has been played Clean on:

21 July 2018 - end of (Cruel) summer end of Live on Tour, Camille BUA, Harry went to Italy, she went to Turks and Caicos with Joe.

1 April 2023 - show after Joe BUA

28 May 2023 - Between Maroon and Hits Different. TR and TK first seen soon after.

Lyrics

The drought was the very worst (Oh-oh, oh-oh) When the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst It was months and months of back and forth (Oh-oh, oh-oh) You're still all over me Like a wine-stained dress I can't wear anymore

Is it over now? "With the wilt of the rose (Uh-huh)", Harry responded to this in Sunflower Vol 6 with "Plant new seeds in the melody"

Wine on clothes is many songs: Olivia: "This isn't the stain of a red wine, I'm bleeding love", Little Freak: "Red wine and a ginger ale / But you would make fun of me for sure", Maroon: "The burgundy on my T-shirt when you splashed your wine into me" and "Your roommate's cheap-ass screw-top , that's how", The 1: "Rosé flowing with your chosen family" and Grapejuice "There's just no gettin' through / Without you / A bottle of rouge"

Hung my head as I lost the war And the sky turned black like a perfect storm

Taylor has used war as a metaphor for a fight in several songs. And described dark skies for relationship trouble.

This Love: "Skies grew darker, currents swept you out again"

Coney Island: "Did I paint your bluest skies the darkest gray?"

Rain came pouring down When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe And by morning Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean (Oh, oh, oh, oh)

The imagery of rain pouring down, washing away but also as a metaphor for depression has been a theme in Harry and Taylors songs. Most remarkably in the music videos for Falling/Cardigan, which references these lyrics in Clean.

Clean is referencing Everything has changed, a song about the start of Harry and Taylor's relationship, Clean being an (ending at that time.)

Everything Has Changed: "All I know is pouring rain and everything has changed"

How You Get The Girl: "Stand there like a ghost, shaking from the rain"

Peace: "But the rain is always gonna come if you’re standing with me"

There was nothing left to do (Oh-oh, oh-oh) When the butterflies turned to dust that covered my whole room So I punched a hole in the roof (Oh-oh, oh-oh) Let the flood carry away all my pictures of you

Everything has changed is also the only other song Taylor has referred to Butterfly's "And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies, the beautiful kind" which Harry referenced in Olivia "The summertime and butterflies / All belong to your creation / I love you, it's all I do"

Dust is also only in:

Holy Ground: And the story’s got dust on every page

Everything Has Changed: So dust off your highest hopes, and

Right Where You Left Me: Dust collected on my pinned-up hair

Finally, as the closing track, 1989 was a very photo driven marketing campaign, the line of 'washing my pictures of you' and references to photos in the album bring that story to a close.

The water filled my lungs, I screamed so loud But no one heard a thing

Harry referenced this line in the Falling Music Video, which Taylor then referenced in the Clean TV Lyric Video:

Ten months sober, I must admit Just because you're clean, don't mean you don't miss it Ten months older, I won't give in Now that I'm clean, I'm never gonna risk it

Clean likens their relationship to an addiction, which they do in several songs (Grapejuice "There's just no gettin' through / Without you A bottle of rouge", MMIH “gotta get better / give me some morphine.”)

Is it over now? "Let's fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later" 300 take out coffees, one a day is 10 months.

The song was written 9 February 2014, 10 months prior was April 2013. One Direction was playing UK shows and Taylor on the US leg of the Red Tour. They were MIA on tour breaks 23 - 25 April 2013 after Harry arrived alone in LA, Harry wearing the Peace Ring when he left LA. Finding that timing makes me feel:

[eowynstwin]

this is me asking for the monastery gelato story :)

I feel like this might be underwhelming lmao. So in May 2018, I went on a month-long study abroad trip to Florence, Italy to make art, eat pasta, and as it turned out sweat my ass off because Europe for some reason does not believe in the miracle of air conditioning.

The curriculum was VERY rigorous, not just academically but also physically by necessity of the fact that we had to walk fucking everywhere to get literally anywhere. I walked all over central Florence to get to museums, art galleries, various historical sites, and the international art school hosting us for in-studio classes.

One of the historical sites we visited was San Miniato al Monte, and I figured out the hard way that "al Monte" meant "at the top of a big fuckoff hill".

This is not my photo. The phone I took all my photos with for this trip shat itself in Venice when I left it next to a running sink. I have very few photos of this entire trip, and none of this story.

Luckily, we had a bus to drive us there! Just kidding. The bus took us from the station and deposited us at what I swear to god was the very base of the hill. We proceeded to walk up that hill for the next forty-five minutes.

Here's a fun fact about me: the heat makes my brain melt. I think it's an autistic thing. My brain also doesn't function when I'm hypoglycemic, which in Italy I always was because I'm a sensitive eater and didn't have enough time to figure out any safefoods (which I'll point out that at the time I didn't know was something I could or should do). Likely at that point in the day all I had eaten was a croissant and an espresso.

So I don't actually remember a lot about this day trip. I remember sweating like a whore in church (ha, get it, because it's a church), I remember a graveyard with old weathered statues, and getting eaten alive by mosquitos. We went inside, and I vaguely remember the interior.

Fun fact about churches in Italy, you have to cover your shoulders if you're a woman. I have a corny Venezia scarf from that trip to Venice that I had to buy last minute. But that's a story for another time!

So, after we got the tour we were set free to explore the grounds. Personally, I was not interested in exploring the grounds, on account of being near death by way of mosquitos and starvation and sweating every fluid from every pore. So I went to the gift shop. It was the only air conditioned building in the vicinity.

I remember there being a gorgeous rosebush outside the shop, heavy with pink blooms. I distinctly remember snapping a photo of the biggest of them, but that photo is lost to time and Apple products' vulnerability to singular drops of water. Before the gelato, that rose was the best part of my day--I've always loved flowers, and even when you're tired and hungry a pretty rose is going to remind you that life is not in fact horrible.

In the gift shop were displays of handmade little gifts directly from the monks that lived in the monastery. Little ceramic doodads and figurines, all hand painted and signed, lined the shelves, and in one corner of the shop was a waist-high freezer filled with plastic-capped paper cups.

I remember the pattern around the cups was green and pink and probably floral. I was of course minutes from death so I picked out the one that looked the fullest. It did not look impressive--just some chocolate ice cream, about the same size as little single serve cups you can get at Walmart or any gas station.

I paid maybe two euro for it, bought a little ceramic ewer to go with it (I don't have a picture of it but I'll post one later if I can find the thing), and found somewhere on the grounds to sit and eat.

I am an ex-Baptist and very passionate about that. I do not believe in the Christian god nor any of its associated divinity. But reader, when I took that first bite of gelato, Jesus Christ Himself floated down on a shaft of sunlight to stroke the hair away from my face and smile at me in the way a gentle parent might. The best ice cream I had ever eaten did not compare to how good this gelato was, on that hot Italian morning, in a quiet, weathered graveyard, with a rosebush swaying nearby in a breeze that finally seemed to be picking up.

I had gelato many, many times again on that trip--even from a very famous gelateria, Amorino, that you will probably find all over social media because they sculpt flowers out of gelato on a cone.

Not my picture. Venice must always have its pound of flesh. Apple products are more suicidal than lemmings.

But nothing, not a single scoop, compared to that little paper cup of gelato. I will likely never be able to find that gelato again, because to be candid I'm not even totally sure it was the San Miniato monastery we went to. Time, mental illness, and trauma have stolen a lot of memories from me. But I will never forget that little moment of piece and sweetness for as long as I live.

[lavelled]

matching holding patterns.

Quick news blog. Princess Kate is noncancerous. Prince Harry, living in the UK, posted on Truth Social “Powerfulnnz” hoping it’d distract, not realizing he only gets one covfefe. Oh. And David Foster, the record producer, who wrote songs for Celine Dion, Chicago, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston has got to be telling Tom: “this fucking guy.”

I googled your Megrez jewelry in looping downtime. Besides the obedient tiaras, she’s worn symbolic necklaces engraved with the initials H and A. I hear you ask: Harry and firstborn? It’s a straightforward threat to Tom with baubles and, for me, an anatomy no-no. Kismet couple.

TEAM H&M: Glad you could join us. I quite understand your backsies flipsies and the highly pretentious “brand” act in the press, paternally speaking. I also get that her co-signed misogyny generates revenue for you. Your client is reinventing herself as a gracious homemaker with her devoted British prince, despite the overseas prince being high-tech famous in sexual assaulting pedophilic circles. I’ll make it clearer to you. Her Hallmark movie, When Sparks Fly, has a co-star: Hank Lyons. Aware of his marital rape clause, she is unified next to diapers; exploited her wheelchaired sister to push Harry’s agenda; and is covered in chokers and an NDA muzzle.

The flipping is off-kilter and widdle old.

Women know she’s not a role model and are hurting themselves.

Girls like Lucy-Bleu Knight, daughter of Meegan Hodges.

I want a public divorce first.

A YouTube video titled: Prince Harry (funny roast) Royal Variety Performance. 2015. I say with confidence that it is a suited excuse for Prince Rape to point heavenward at mark 4:26 and to grin at Risky Business, theft, and razors.

Oksana Shachko—Ukrainian artist and activist; feminist and founder of protest group, Femen. The group stood up to rape and the sexual exploitation of Ukrainian women and demanded the release of political prisoners. Her activism paved the way for the term, Sextremism. A painting prodigy, she moved to Paris. July 23, 2018, two months after your wedding, she hung herself.

Ellie Soutter—British snowboarder. She won a Bronze Medal representing Great Britain at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in the snowboard cross. On her 18th birthday, she committed suicide in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, France. Two months after your wedding.

Maggy Biskupski—French police officer and president of Mobilisation des policiers en colère. Or, the Angry Police Movement. At 36, she focused on anti-cop hate and eradicating cases of internal suicides. Six months after your botched wedding, she shot herself with her service weapon in Carrières-sous-Poissy, France.

Desmond Daniel Amofah—online as Etika; YouTuber and live streamer, posted videos on gaming and his reactions to games and trailers for Super Smash Bros. 1 million subscribers. His Insta page, 9999999999999999999, has over 300K followers. He went missing June 19, 2019, almost exactly one year to your wedding; his body was pulled from the East River NYC; suicide.

Ekaterina Dmitriyevna Alexandrovskaya—Russian-Australian skater; 2018 US International Figure Skating Classic Bronze Medalist and a two-time Australian national champion. Her skating partner was Harley Windsor. July 18, 2020, she jumped out of the 6th floor of her Moscow apt. At 20 years old. Her suicide note said: Lyublyu. Love you, in Russian. Flip it.

Olivia Rose Podmore—NZ racing cyclist; competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She committed suicide on August 9, 2021. Her last social media post was: “When you don’t meet society’s expectations such as owning a house, marriage, kids, all because you’re trying to give everything to your sport is unlike any other.”

Books published at the same time as your imitation wedding: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult, and rising star, Michelle Obama, with her book, Becoming.

But wait. Spain for a royal tour? No. That’s my Felipe VI. He’s a lowly towering 6’6 King and Captain General. Watching closely, through Leonor, his formidable daughter’s press.

Divorce.

K

[tonus-yo]

UPCOMING Clémentine Bruno Educational Complex September 8-22, 2024 With the support of Fluxus Art Projects

Paris Internationale (10th edition) October 16-20, 2024 Jacent Hélène Yamba-Guimbi 2025 Hélène Yamba-Guimbi PAST

Antoine Trapp unreal : sex : entanglement Organised by Cocotte June 8–23, 2024

Jakob Forster Someday I’ll love Jakob Forster curated by nièce May 4–19, 2024

Book launch If with Insistence on the Tension Gravity as Intercessor a Future Interject by Roger van Voorhees Published by Bauer Verlag May 11, 2024

Slackers Fabienne Audéoud, Julie Beaufils, Barbara Bloom, Charlie Boisson, Camille Br��e, Marcel Devillers, Sarah Holveck, François Lancien-Guilberteau, Phung-Tien Phan, Ludovic Sauvage, Julie Vayssière, Ana Vega, Xe Xe Curated by Fiona Vilmer October 7-22, 2023

Clémentine Adou Daddy long legs’ hands September 9-24, 2023

Salon d’été Hanna Rochereau July 22-23, 2023

Basel Social Club Fabienne Audéoud, Jacent June 12-18, 2023

Clémence de la Tour du Pin Topological-Ease May 13-28, 2023

Théo Robine-Langlois Ton cœurps change 1-16 April, 2023

Gina Folly Simplify Complexity November 26–December 11, 2022

Mamoune with Agnès Racine, Louise Sartor, Jacent, Zhiliang Jin Invited by Sans titre at Pina, Vienna November 18–December 18, 2022

Only One Step From Heaven Marilou Bal, Eva Barto, Arnaud Eubelen, Matthias Groebel, Barbara Kasten, Marlie Mul, Yoël Pytowski, Eric Tabuchi & Nelly Monnier, Niklas Taleb, Tobias Zielony Curated by Reine Aliénor at La SIRA, in collaboration with Shivers Only October 21–November 18, 2022

Book launch ‘oberih’ by Understructures October 20, 2022

Elephant’s Leg Chino Amobi, Juliette Bonneviot, Charlotte Houette October 18–November 6, 2022

PRK-1U Anna-Sophie Berger, Louisa Boeszoermeny, Nicolas Ceccaldi, Hélène Fauquet, Gina Folly, Sébastien Maloberti, Dan Mitchell, Patrik Pion, Aurilian, Heji Shin, Richard Sides, Gil Zinck Curated by Reine Aliénor October 18-24, 2021

Matthieu Palud Recent paintings at Liste Showtime Online September 18-30, 2021

Paul Bonnet, Kim Farkas, Charlotte Houette, François Lancien-Guilberteau, Matthieu Palud, Christophe de Rohan-Chabot, Louise Sartor, Jacent Group show October 11–November 3, 2019

Fabienne Audéoud A Retrospective, 1:15 scale October 11–November 3, 2019

Matthieu Palud Peintures récentes February 16–March 10, 2019

Renaud Perriches Dominus October 26–November 11, 2018

Natsuko Uchino September 28–October 14, 2018

Gaëlle Leenhardt La fosse aux lions February 25–March 11, 2018

Heike-Karin Föll Ma line Curated by Maurin Dietrich & Cathrin Mayer October 16–November 5, 2017

Paris Internationale 2017 October 18-22, 2017

Hugo Avigo European Painter Tour September 8-22, 2017

Anne Fellner & Burkhard Beschow Castle of Insolence 24 June–10 July, 2017

Jacent (Jade Fourès-Varnier & Vincent de Hoÿm) Chez Jacent May 21–June 10, 2017

Camilla Wills March 30–April 16, 2017

Paul Bonnet, Julien Laugier & Guillaume Maraud, Matthieu Palud, Louise Sartor Reopening group show January 27–February 15, 2017

Louise Sartor, Signe Rose Sometimes my way is more important than the truth, Parfois mon avis est plus important que la vérité December 5-20, 2015

Steinar Haga Kristensen, Kristian Ø. Dahl Entourage du prophète malade Curated by Benoît Lamy de La Chapelle October 25–November 15, 2015

Yann Gerstberger, Julien Goniche Gravillon May 16-31, 2015

Paul Bonnet Evildoers at Passerby / Galerie Alain Gutharc May 8-28, 2015

Luca Francesconi Nightmare carbohydrates April 17–May 3, 2015

Julien Laugier, Guillaume Maraud At L’Âge d'Or September 20–October 12, 2014

Jacent (Jade Fourès-Varnier & Vincent de Hoÿm) 3rd mind myth June 15–July 16, 2014

Matthieu Palud Paintingzzz March 14–30, 2014

Michelle Naismith, Timothy Davies Grand opening! Curated by The Ister (BE) February 7–March 1st, 2014

[whateverbroski]

undefined

sammy’s string broke during “thinking out loud” which prompted the following:

“ah shit”

“THAT’S the string i need”

“i’ll learn my chords real quick”

[hakadojoon]

The Rose in London 2018

Yo, it me, @wonpillows

First thing to note was that I was in a wheelchair for most of this event because I was told not to walk by my doctor and crutches were only to be used for short distance travelling.

So I got there and first saw @dumpling-things or @chitsuu standing in the VIP line to get the wristband, a line in which I couldn't be in because of the damn wheelchair. Someone had to go and get my wristband for me because they were up some stairs.

So I was being scooted around in my wheelchair looking around in the GA line for @noa-noa-noa @thedarksideofthewoon and @youngks-smile . I had already met Janice previously, and honestly if you don't follow any of these people you're missing out, they're the sweetest. Anyway, first thing Janice does when she sees me, she laughs. Thanks.

So yes we go eat and get ready to go into the concert and all that jazz. The concert itself was bloody top notch. The only cringe-worthy part was when they wanted us to define z*ddy to them. I really really enjoyed myself even if I was at the back and in a wheelchair :D

So now, the hi-touch. I'm getting butterflies just thinking about it again. There were about 5 people total who were not part of the main crowd of VIP because of some injury/disability. That in turn had given me more time to talk to them because there was no rush to get through so many people.

Woosung: He asked about what happened to my leg, so I told him the full story; I was playing volleyball, jumped and then landed AND slipped on a piece of string, which had caused my ankle to fracture. This boy, I kid you not, laughed at my story. I, Lizzy, once again managed to embarrass myself in front of The Rose, again. He was definitely concerned but the story was pretty funny and stupid. He is just a genuinely caring guy and so easy to talk to.

Jaehyeong: Pictures do him ABSOLUTELY no justice. This man is so much more handsome up close and in person. His smile is so precious and he lit up like the brightest star in the universe when I told him that I really enjoyed the concert. He is so delicate and he goes to hold your hand, you just feel so safe. Also he's vvvvvv tol.

Hajoon: I really wanted to squish his cheeks, they're just so squishable! His voice is so soft when he speaks. I think I probably held his hand the longest but only because it felt like he didn't want to let go. He holds your hand as though it is the most precious thing in the world and it really warms your heart.

(While we were waiting for the tables to be moved for the photo opportunity, I was talking to Hajoon and Jaehyeong, and told them that they had amazing singing voices. Their understanding English is really good, they're at that point in the language where once they expand their own vocabulary they'll be able to speak it well :D but yeah, I was talking to them as though I had known them for a long time, they just make you feel so comfortable)

Dojoon: Why did he have to be last? There was someone who was taking pictures of the hi-touch so there's a picture of me approaching Dojoon and getting really flustered. It took me a good while to compose myself and finally approach him. He asked if I was okay, and I told him he was my favourite member of the band and I was just flustered and speechless. He sounded genuinely surprised and told me there no point to be speechless, its just him (cutie patoot) and I was like "Yeah, exactly, its just you!" He gave a small laugh and said thank you. When he holds your hand he looks right into your eyes, like you can feel him looking into your soul. I don't know if I'm being biased here but he has got such wonderfully beautiful and amazing eyes. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jaehyeong smiling at the interaction, I assumed it was because I was more calm and collected when meeting him than I was with Dojoon.

Photo time! So I stood next to Dojoon, and while they were getting ready to take the picture we were just casually talking once again. He was asking if I was okay when I put my crutches on the wall and I just smiled and nodded, still obviously affected by him HAHAHA but yeah, click click, photo completed, we left and I thanked them all one last time for coming and hope they come back again.

Thanking them means the world to them, especially for a place like London where they've always wanted to go and perform because their music is based off of most British bands.

Hopefully next time I see them I won't have a fractured ankle :D

[spidermaninlove]

Tomdaya Quiz Answers

1. How is 5:16 am relevant to Tomdaya?

A: Time of video taken by Euphoria crew member that revealed Tom on set with Z.

2. To what animal does Tom compare Z during the BTS of the LSB?

A: A “giraffe” of an actress.

3. From what retailer did Tom buy matching items for Z?

A:  Piaget -- rose necklace and earrings.

4. What was the tomdaya blunder of 2019?

A:  Tom tagged Z on his crotch

5. What artist did Z commission to make an accessory for Tom?

A:  Jillian Aldrich -- keyhole pendant.

6. Tom commissioned an artist to make what type of gift for Z?  Be specific.

A; Spray paint on canvas portrait of Noon.

7. How does Will Smith relate to Tomdaya?

A:  Tom Will Smithed Z in London during a HOCO press tour photoshoot.

8. Who initiated Tomdaya 1.0:  a) Tom, b) Zendaya, c) Jacob Batalon, d) Harrison?

A:  b

9. When was the first time Tom saw Z (hint: it wasn’t in person)?

A:  In a video of Z singing along with a Beyonce song

10. By what mode of travel did Tom travel to California for Thanksgiving 2016?  Be specific (e.g., airline).

A:  On Z’s private jet.

11. On what magazine did Tom and Z grace the cover together?

A:  The Hollywood Reporter

12. What birthdays did Tom and Z spend together (provide whose and the year)?  

A:  Tom’s in 2017 and Z’s in 2018.

13. In what city and what song did Z snapchat Tom singing while perched on a windowsill?

A:  Barcelona, Let Me Love You.

14. Other than HOCO and FFH, what premiere of Z’s did Tom attend:  a) Euphoria, b) Smallfoot, c) Malcolm & Marie, d) The Greatest Showman?

A:  d

15. What vegan restaurant in LA have Tom & Z been spotted together:  a) Ramen Hood, b) Crossroads Kitchen, c) Souley Vegan, d) Monty’s Good Burger?

A:  b

16. What specific fashion event did Tom and Z attend together?

A:  Burberry fashion show in London, Feb. 17, 2018.

17. Name five non-work related establishments where Tom & Z have been spotted together in Cali.

A:  Target, In-N-Out, Cheesecake Factory, Crossroads Kitchen, movie theaters, Z’s house in Northridge, Claire’s house, in Tom’s car while driving in the LA area, spinning with Z’s mom while Z waited for them, Rodeo Drive, Golden Apple Comics, Home Depot, The Grove, Topanga mall, on the Euphoria set, Santa Barbara...

18. With whom did Z spend a day in Murano:  a) Tom, Nikki, Dom, and Paddy, b) Tom and Darnell, c) Tom, Harry, and Tom’s grandparents, d) Tom, Harry, and Darnell?

A:  c

19. At what event of Z’s was Tom scheduled to attend but was unable to do so due to familial reasons?

A:  TxZ Spring Fashion event in Paris

[tilynation]

Is Liz Huett Part of “All Too Well” or “The 1?”

With Red TV coming out soon, people are wondering about potential muses for some of the songs. Liz Huett may get mentioned a bit. She’s still friendly with Taylor as far as we know. The TayLiz masterpost (written by someone else and very thorough) covers their interactions before and after Red so I’m not going to rehash it here other than a few Red-related things:

“All Too Well” is Liz’s favorite song from Red.

Taylor played it as the surprise song on the Reputation tour in 2018 at the LA show that Liz attended.

Assuming ATW was written in late 2010 per the copyright records, this time period saw Liz dating her boyfriend and Taylor maybe trying to get over feelings. Taylor started to date Jake during this time and a sad breakup song doesn’t fit the timeline for him.

Liz congratulated Taylor for her American Music Awards win in November 2010.

Taylor had Liz over for dinner while in Nashville on November 29, 2010.

Jake was on the Nashville trip and fans took photos. Taylor performed at the CMT Awards in Nashville on November 30.

Liz and Caitlin brought Taylor a pizza with a 21 candle for her birthday on December 13, 2010, the birthday Jake missed.

Taylor and Liz were photographed together on the street on New Year’s Eve in Nashville in 2010.

Jake and Taylor broke up publicly on January 5, 2011. TayLiz enjoyed performing together on the Speak Now tour starting in early 2011.

March 2011 - Taylor and Liz were papped getting dinner in London, both wearing red.

TayLiz stayed friendly after Liz left Taylor’s band.

Liz posted to Facebook during the 1989 era a few months after the “Style” music video was released.

She also posted about “Wildest Dreams” after the music video was released.

In October 2017, Liz’s music video for “H8U” had Liz dressed in all red throughout the video and showed her interrupting a blonde woman’s wedding and kissing her on the lips.

On November 9, 2017, right before Taylor’s Reputation album was released, Liz released her “H8U” playlist on Spotify which includes “All Too Well.”

Let’s see if Liz has a place amongst Taylor’s women in “The 1.”

Taylor used Liz’s lyric from Liz’s song “Never Know” in “The 1,” which is a line that is repeated a few times in each song with one very slight difference: “I guess you never know, you never know” vs. “I guess you never know, never know.” Liz seemed to have a strong reaction to “The 1” when it was released. Liz tweeted this when Folklore was released:

In one of the few interviews that exists on YouTube of Liz, which took place a week or so after she attended the Rose Bowl Rep tour show, she mentioned Rosé when asked about her favorite drink. Obviously, that’s a pretty generic answer so it may have no connection to the song. I think that line fits Julianne Hough better who has a Rosé line with her “chosen family” Nina Dobrev, both of whom still go to Taylor’s concerts.

If we take the lyrics at face value, Liz is one of Taylor’s only potential exes (at least that we know of) who has anonymity. Meaning she could meet random women on the internet and take them home, as well as hang out at bus stops (although that line could be talking about an ad) and 99% of the time no one would recognize her. I’ve seen people relate the line to the Bus Stop cafe in the West Village, bus stop ads, or just living near each other in the same city. I think the first verse of “The 1” fits Dianna better and the second verse of “The 1” fits Lily better with the “never painted by the numbers” reference since painting seemed to be a significant part of the Tily relationship and Lily is an avid painter from a famous painting family. (I could also see Lily on Raya or some other celeb site/app picking up women 😂)

Thanks @mercuryonparklane and @taylizmasterpost for the helpful info regarding Liz!

[kindahoping4forever]

Crystal, well esteemed historian, can you do a timeline post of when Ash got his tats? As far as you know, of course; not expecting exact dates (except for the star, which I know you know!). ~ Rema

@ivebeenasleepsolong There's legitimately nothing I'd rather do more 😌 I'll try not to play favorites 😂

Ash's first tattoo was the 5SOS tally in May 2014. He teased on Twitter that he'd gotten a tattoo before finally posting a pic a few days later with the sweet message: "This band means everything to me, and so do my brothers, so I got this!"

Next was the heart tattoo in January 2016. Again, he teased on Twitter, this time by posting a pic of himself getting tatted, with only a ❤️ emoji for a caption. A couple weeks later (on Valentine's Day no less 🤓) he finally revealed the tattoo in an Instagram post, again with a ❤️ caption. In the 5SOS Tattoo Break Down video for GQ, he explains he got it as a reminder to stay loving and soft-hearted.

The California condor (😏) came a few months later, in June 2016. He posted a photo on Instagram with a jokey caption (that he blamed on Calum 🤭) but also in the GQ video, he describes this piece as representative of the band making a new life for themselves in CA

Those were his only tattoos until May 2018 when he got the blood moon phases (I swear I post the video of him in the chair all the time but here it is again just because 🤡). He never made an "official" post about them and I don't think he's ever really talked about them either.

Then we jump to 2019 where things really ramped up! He got the snake, the rose, the 1994, the Late Late and The Star all in the span of 4 months 👀

In June, a London tattoo artist posted a pic of Cal's dagger tattoo - this wasn't too surprising since if you were following 5SOS's photographer at the time, Dusty Kessler, you would've seen a "freshly tatted" Cal with his arm wrapped up. What was shocking was when the same artist tagged Ash in a pic of a giant snake tattoo and it was a whole ~thing~ where fans weren't sure if it was real or not. The next day was when Ash did that live gallery painting and when he took off his suit jacket, the snake was hard to miss 😌

He later posted a pic from the event on his Instagram, simply titling it "The Red Belly Black Snake." He hasn't talked about this tattoo at length but that type of snake is native to Australia and so it's presumably a reminder of home.

In July, the rose tattoo was also "leaked" by his artist, this time in Sydney. Shortly after, 5SOS appeared on the Fitzy & Wippa radio show where Ash showed off the tatt and explained it was for his sister, Lauren Rose. There wasn't really an "official" photo of it until about a week later when the band visited Manila for promo.

This content was also where the 1994 tattoo was first spotted (though there was discrepancy for a while over what the tattoo said) so I assume he got these done around the same time, if not the same session. The 1994 tattoo has never been discussed but it is his birth year so that feels like an easy explanation.

Another easy explanation is the Late Late tattoo which took place in September. The band appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden and participated in a game called "Tattoo Roulette". Ash "lost" and had to get the show's name tattooed during the episode.

THE STAR came next in October ⭐👄⭐ - during a night off on the World War Joy tour, 5SOS's photographer/creative director Andy Deluca posted on Instagram that he'd gotten a tattoo and Ash reposted it to his story. No one thought anything of it and then the next night on stage, Ash had a giant star on his giant bicep. Though often seen (👁️👄👁️), the tattoo has never been addressed by Ash; the widespread belief is that it could be a tribute to David Bowie, whose final album was titled Blackstar.

Next came the coin and the greyhound, though the timeline here is a bit convoluted. Towards the end of July 2020, a LA tattoo artist tagged Ash in a picture of a "mortality coin" that reads Memento Mori, a Latin phrase that roughly translates to "remember that you will die." THE NEXT DAY, pictures came out of Ash getting coffee, showcasing a tattoo of what we now know is a greyhound (and which we now know is inspired by his own song but at the time we had no clue about the design or the song).

Here's why the timeline is weird: in the music video for Skinny Skinny, he has the greyhound but not the coin. He was photographed twice the previous month and didn't appear to have the tattoo yet so the greyhound must have happened between late June and late July. 🧐

Which brings us to February 2021 😌 It appears as tho Ash may have gotten new ink on the top of his left wrist, though it's hard to tell what it is since in both videos where it's visible, he refuses to sit still 😂 The leading guess so far seems to be that it could be an eye, which I think seems likely given how prevalent eye imagery was during the Superbloom era (the most obvious example being on his "ai" logo, the letter i is literally dotted with an eye).

If/when we get confirmation of this tattoo - or news of any others (manifest the back tattoo) 👀 - I will be sure to update this post! 😌

[creativeashproductions]

Healed by the Music // Luke Patterson

Summary: After the fallout of reckless behaviour and forced to return back home the reader had rediscovered her love for music. Close with her family once more her band Graveyard Petals receives an offer that could turn around the band’s tarnished reputation. The only issue is not wanting to hurt those close by leaving.

Warnings: Swearing, talk of death, angst, and fluff

Words: 3.3k

A/N: The second and final part to a lovely little series I had grown to love, the first part is Drowning From the Past. I came up with the band name so if you want to use it send an ask and we talk about it. This is set after the first season and Ray can now see them after the whole Golden glow thing.

Part One - Drowning in the Past

Masterlist

In the months you retreated back to Los Feliz the band had grown exponentially bringing in more revenue with merch. The social media followers grew as well with the hope of a new photo posted of you and the band. The most recent teased new music coming.

Speaking of music, it seemed to pour out of your body into two notebooks unknown to both your sister and her band—the band of ghosts that become massive fans of Graveyard Petals when Julie played full-length debut album Dahlia. Luke had even collaborated on a song for your band; his name the first of writing credits.

Now, seven months after the shameful return the band had gotten the offer of a lifetime to open for 5 Seconds of Summer on a world tour. The issue came with talking with Julie, and the guys gave you had shown your father you had healed.

"Hey, what's been up with you lately?" Julie asked, seating herself in the swing right beside you. Her hair pulled away from her youthful face.

Whenever you looked at Julie, you saw Mom with the gorgeous hair and gleeful smile that brightened a room. Even on your mom's death bed, the room flared with that same smile in every picture in albums and on the walls. Sometimes you swore the piano in the studio bath in the warm light brought by the one person that taught you and Julie to play.

"I've been thinking." You simply spoke eyes focused on the park that had been a massive part of your life.

Every year Rose and Ray Molina had brought their three children to the very park the two had met years before. Rose would bring flowers to a specific bench, and every time you asked why she had the same answer.

Little Y/N was a precocious child inquisitive of the world around her held at an arms life by her parents. Skilled at singing and natural affinity for music it worried Rose, in her eldest child she recognized something. The intense passion and talent that a particular guitarist had once displayed on a stage that would have changed everything.

"It a place of absolute joy and acceptance. Four legends came together in front of that very bench."

Rose would never know about the place had Bobby not subconsciously led her there for the first time mere hours after the devastating loss. He had collapsed to his knees, pleading for his best friends, his brothers to return. In broken sobs, he had told Rose that this park, this bench was the first place Sunset Curve played. Band fresh and still unnamed they had gotten confident enough to set up near the bench to start building a following.

Now it was eight years after the first visit with Bobby who started going by Trevor a year after the loss. The fresh-faced boy that had flirted with Rose had changed, and at that time, Rose wasn't sure it was a good or bad thing.

"It was the guys Mom left the flowers for." Julie started following your eyesight to the bench that had a fresh bouquet. A single dahlia in the middle of the flowers for your mother.

"Yeah." You softly spoke, turning to focus on the girl that had healed through music. Seeing how grownup Julie had become hurt your heart. Julie wasn't a child anymore, and you wished she never went through what you did for months.

The two Molina girls sat in comfortable silence with minds thinking the most opposite things possible.

"5 Seconds of Summer is going on tour. We should try and score some tickets when they come to LA." Julie spoke, raising one leg to rest her arm on it. The high waisted light washed jeans with paintings on them.

Your heart clenched at her excitement for a band you both adored for years.

"I know. 5SOS gave Lucy an offer for Graveyard Petals to open for them worldwide. The others are down to join, but if I'm not ready, we won't." You avoided the brown eyes burning your cheek for a second.

Julie's warm hand clasped yours in hers to jog to your car you had bought with your first paycheque. Unable to figure out her state on the possible tour, you quietly drove back home with no sound other than breathing.

"Hey!" Luke beamed as his two favourite girls, came wandering into the studio with pensive expressions and stooped shoulders.

Alex picked up on their moods almost instantly, "Are you okay?"

Your mouth opened before the loud yell of Flynn cut off your opportunity to respond and a slap smack to the back of your head. The sharp cry of pain stumbled from your chapped lips and Flynn's frustration rolling off her form.

"Flynn!" You sharply called rubbing the stinging spot with a glare outmatched by Flynn's fire. The look unlike you had ever seen on the girl with a sharp sense of fashion and unapologetic personality.

"You got asked by 5 Seconds of Summer to tour the world as an opening act!" Flynn elaborated at your confused expression, "Jules texted me. You need to do this! The amount of questions of if GP will return is outrageous! In the last two days, the band's Instagram got five thousand new followers."

The ghostly trio stayed silent as Flynn reprimanded her best friend's older sister with crazy talent. Flynn was your self appointed biggest fan with buying the first album at the store to demanding to wear newly designed merch before the drop.

"I'm enjoying being at home. I'm on good terms with Julie and Carlos, Dad doesn't look like he's gonna drop dead in disappointment when he sees me." You shrugged focusing on the discoloured mark on the ground.

"It's okay to be scared." Alex supplied smiling as Flynn nodded her thanks as the tall drummer stepped in.

After escaping the Hollywood Ghost Club (HGC), a handful of people gained the ability to see them, including Flynn. It was rather refreshing for the girl to finally interact with the guys with Julie being the middle man.

"I'm not-"You cut yourself off at the disbelief on Julie's face with her arms crossed just as your mother had done, "I nearly lost myself in the bottom of a bottle. I fucked up my relationships and tarnished both mine and the band's reputation."

Luke's warm hand came down on your shoulder in the act of support, the touch a new factor to the ghost. Your hand came to rest on his with a smile of gratitude cast to the dead boy.

"You have healthy coping mechanisms to fall back on. You'll have us to visit with the poofing ability. If you stumble, we will be here for you." Reggie informed you with his toothy grin and kind eyes.

The last piece of the puzzle clicked into place, feeling the wound close up, leaving a scar that had blistered and reopened since last year. The cheers enveloped you like their arms as you texted Lucy and the band your decision.

Dublin, Ireland 2021

"Hello, Dublin!" Your voice amplified in the large stadium of fans cheering for your band—the thud of Iris on her drum kit.

James idly stroking the strings on his dark green teal guitar your band had pitched in as a gift to him. On the opposite side of the stage was Sawyer with their custom-made gorgeous marble green and white colour.

"I hope you are enjoying yourself so far! It is our last song before the real act comes out!" You exclaimed to the boisterous crowd.

Just barely in the wing of the stage waited the band that had quickly become older brothers to you. A band that had given you a chance after the madness of your downward spiral.

"This song came out in 2018 and quickly became one of my favourites. It wouldn't be right to sing it without some friends." You continued as the guys walked onto the stage, "Without further adieu, this is Lie to Me by 5 Seconds of Summer!"

Luke Hemmings along with Calum, Ashton, and Michael ran to join your band as Iris started a sick beat. Calum and Michael already joining Sawyer and James in absolute perfect sync leaving Ashton to rock out by Iris. Hemmings, to not confuse him with Luke Patterson, came to stand next to you with a guitar.

[Verse 1: Hemmings]

I saw you looking brand new overnight

And I caught you looking too, but you didn't look twice

You look happy, oh, mmm

You look happy, oh

Hemmings angled his body to face you but not cut off the fans behind him, creating the vivid story you had done each rehearsal. The blue clashing your own eye colour holding your personalized sparkly emerald green mic.

[Pre Chorus: Hemmings & Calum]

Flashing back to New York City

Change your flight so you stay with me

Remember thinking that I got this right

Only adding backing vocals as Hemmings retreated to jam out with Calum leaving you to jump around the stage. Landing next to Sawyer they beamed with the loud stadium heard even through the in-ear monitors.

[Chorus: Hemmings & Calum]

And now I wish we never met

'Cause you're too hard to forget

While I'm cleaning up your mess

I know he's taking off your dress

And I know that you don't, but if I ask you if you love me

I hope you lie, lie, lie, lie, lie to me

Raising the mic to your lips, you came into your cue returning to the middle of the stage with Hemmings.

"Give it up for Y/N!" Ashton yelled into Iris' personal microphone.

[Verse 2: You]

It's 3 AM and the moonlight's testing me (Ah)

I know that you've been holding on to someone else

And now I can't sleep (Ah)

I ain't happy, oh

I ain't too happy, oh

[Pre Chorus: You]

Flashing back to New York City

I was done, but you undid me

Classic me to run when it feels right

The stage was charged with the chemistry the two lead singers of their respective bands all sharing grins. The cheers growing as Hemmings came closer to share the green microphone, the tech guys skillfully turning Hemmings off; no feedback sounding.

[Chorus: Hemmings & You]

Now I wish we never met

'Cause you're too hard to forget

While he's taking off my dress

I know she's laying on your chest

I know that you don't, but if I ask you if you love me

I hope you lie, lie, lie, lie, lie to me

Singing, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie

Li-li-lie, lie, lie, lie, lie

Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie

Li-li-lie, lie, lie, lie, lie (Yeah yeah)

I know that you don't, but if I ask you if you love me

I hope you lie, lie, lie, lie, lie to me

The Australian singer stepped closer to hug you quickly before finding his way to your bandmates too. The crowd all having their phones out in which the hugs would be made into edits, and the shipping would intensify.

"Dublin! You have been incredible to play for. Enjoy the rest of the concert and rock out because I will be doing so backstage." Your voice echoed over the fans with a beaming grin feeling comfortable on stage again.

"This is Easier!" Hemmings shouted as the rest of his band commenced their part of the concert just as they had the last few months.

Watching the guys perform with your own band with you was incredibly bittersweet after touring worldwide for months. The media had eaten up the sudden reappearance of the band with positive publicity increasing the popularity.

"I love this song," Sawyer spoke with a twinkle in their eyes tapping their foot to the beat. James was just barely moving his head to beat while Iris was jumping around uncaring of the people around.

"You love it because we got to collaborate on the song!" James exclaimed, tapping his hip on her thigh. Iris' 5'11 form towered over James' 5'7 height but that never caused issues with them.

James's black hair gleamed blue in the strobe lights tinting his pale complexion as well. Sawyer's hair dyed bright red pairing well with their tawny skin colour with their mocha brown irises. Iris had changed over the break abandoning her past style for a more laidback skater style.

"I'm gonna head to the bus. Grab a shower and change." You informed the band as you started retreating to where the bus was parked.

"See you soon!" Sawyer yelled with their attention halfway back on the band of guys that had given you all a second chance.

Walking down the hall with employees milling around, you barely acknowledged them other than a smile. The performing had taken a lot out of you after a fitful sleep. Carl, your band's security detail and current bouncer to the backdoor, nodded at you.

Carl's colleague would be stationed at the bus as per usual with your routine of catching one song and then leaving. Bea's hardened gaze relentless on scouring the area with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Hey, Bea." You spoke earning a grunt in response from the jaded security detail hired after adjusting back to civilian life.

You didn't have the entire story other than Bea had been in the military, but due to an injury had been medically discharged. Your manager Lucy had been the one to hire her as per the new policy of having two people of different genders on detail.

The bus was quiet as you entered flinching at the sight of your father sitting on the couch with Julie and Carlos beside him. Your mouth gaped at seeing your family after months of only FaceTime and calls.

"Oh my gosh!" You yelled lunging to hug your siblings with wide eyes matching.

Carlos had definitely grown at least two inches since you last saw him, and Julie's hair was pulled back in an intricate style. Her outfit screaming Flynn's advice but her ring was on show that matched your own.

"Surprise!" Ray exclaimed to his eldest child with pride written clear on his face, "I missed you, Mija."

"So, did I!" The cheerful voice of Luke interjected as the three boys of Julie and the Phantoms made their appearance.

Standing further back in a band shirt with Graveyard Petals was Alex's boyfriend Willie with a shy expression. He still felt incredibly guilty of delivering the boys straight into Caleb's hand and often voiced his feelings of not feeling he deserved to be friends.

"Hey, Willie. I like your shirt!" You told the tall skater who sent a shy smile.

"Still weird," Ray muttered having walked in on Reggie towel drying his hair the month before you left for tour.

It had been a very confusing and emotional time for Ray and Carlos to adapt to the new information. After Julie saved the boys and that weird golden glow happened, they had been able to make themselves visible; just no poofing in the vicinity of Ray after he nearly fainted that one time. The details hadn't been worked out yet, but Caleb was out of the picture.

"Did you catch the concert?" You questioned the group tugging on the damp t-shirt you had worn on stage. The fabric was drying after being drenched in the sweat after spending an hour under hot lights and continuous movement on stage.

"We stayed for the one last night. We stayed for your set tonight before we got Bea-"

"-she's terrified by the way," Alex interjected with a grimace on his face at the stoic young woman. The glare at focusing on her scars had truly scared the anxious drummer.

"-to let us on the bus. We wanted to surprise you and congratulate your success." Luke informed the group, "You're insanely talented by the way."

His left hand coming to intertwine with your right hand just as it had before you departed for the world tour. You had grown incredibly close to the guitarist firstly as best friends before developing into a relationship.

"We did explore Dublin for the morning. I'll forever be in Lucy's debt for sending the tickets for us." Ray happily sighed, thinking of the lovely woman that had helped Ray guide his daughter back to herself.

"I'll just hit the shower quick." You swiftly jogged to the back of the tour bus where the shower was situated near the five came rooms. The entire band each had one room and a spare for the driver.

Los Angeles, 2021

Your hair pulled away from your face you sat beside a willow tree in contemplative silence with only your guitar and notebook. You knew that in a few seconds Luke would appear for another writing session.

"I love you." Luke breathlessly spoke as he ran up to you with a great big smile.

The awe at his words blinding your thoughts from the hope you had been feeling for the last week. Luke's hazel eyes glittering in the sun and the smile bubbled onto his face.

"I love you too." The words slipped quickly off the tip of your tongue as the guitarist tugged your form into his body. Supple lips quivering on the skin of warm neck all Luke felt was gratitude.

Luke leant back to brush his calloused fingers on your cheek, "Julie got a call. Someone little birdie sent in a demo to a label."

"I wonder who that happened to be." Your smirk revealing just precisely who had sneakily grabbed the freshly recorded demo.

Lucy had always had an interest in Julie's talent in music but tabled in during the period that Rose died. The grief stealing Julie's voice and leaving behind stage fright hadn't been something Lucy would chance. The manager had always hoped Julie's voice would return.

"You gave Lucy the demo, and she passed in on to the Red Bedroom Records!" Luke was quick to tug you into his arms with a huge grin, "Julie and the Phantoms are getting signed! The owner is personally flying over on Monday to go over the contract and sign it!"

Your words muffled by his chest, "Lucy informed me about that, and she offered to manage you as well."

"Lucy is the best. She gonna mentor and give Flynn an internship to still work with the band. Thank you so much, baby." Luke whispered against the warm skin of your forehead.

"I just decided to speed up the process. Can I tell you something?" At Luke's nod, you continued, "I'm thinking in a few years to open a label of my own. I was hoping you guys and Julie would be interested in doing that with me?"

"I am so down to do that. We're gonna hire an investigator to make sure what Trevor did isn't able to happen at our label." Luke was already passionately thinking of what the hypothetical future label.

"That's perfect!" You beamed, "We could give a workshop to aid songwriting too! I thought that we could name it A Rosie Sunset. My dad called my mom Rosie most of my life and Sunset for your first band."

"I didn't think I could love you more than I did a minute ago. You proved me wrong." Luke breathless laughed before humming when your lips made contact with your own.

The warmth that had been missing the year after you mom passed away had returned, and sometimes you swore the sun shone down on you. You had no doubts it was your mom's way in heaven to hug her children. You and Julie had come to the conclusion that your mom had sent the boys into your lives.

Rose Molina, even in death, did her best to make her children happy. The three remaining members of Sunset Curve the absolute best part of her two daughters lives.

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[mysticalhearth]

W

Waiting for Godot - Broadway - November 24, 2013 (Opening Night) (Lanelle's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Aidan Gemme (The Boy), Billy Crudup (Lucky), Ian McKellen (Estragon), Patrick Stewart (Vladimir), Shuler Hensley (Pozzo)

War Horse - West End - February 27, 2014 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MKV (HD) CAST: Sion Daniel Young (Albert Narracott), Josie Walker (Rose Narracott), Alistair Brammer (Billy Narracott), Alex Avery (Captain Nicholls), Steve North (Ted Narracott), Tom Hodgkins (Arthur Narracott) NOTES: Multi-cam pro-shot broadcast live to cinemas as part of National Theatre Live, Includes interval interview and documentary. 

War Paint - Broadway - March 11, 2017 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Patti LuPone (Helena Rubinstein), Christine Ebersole (Elizabeth Arden), John Dossett (Tommy Lewis), Douglas Sills (Harry Fleming) NOTES: Beautiful HD capture of the Broadway transfer. Some changes for Broadway from the previous Goodman Theater production. Excellent performances from the entire cast with clear picture and great sound throughout; very good video. 2 DVDs. A War Paint - Broadway - April 29, 2017 (Matinee) (NYCG8R's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Patti LuPone (Helena Rubinstein), Christine Ebersole (Elizabeth Arden), John Dossett (Tommy Lewis), Douglas Sills (Harry Fleming) NOTES: The master gets caught during Face to Face. You can hear someone say “TURN IT OFF”. Blackout during that part. Wasted - Southwark Playhouse - 2018 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Matthew Jacobs Morgan (Branwell Brontë), Molly Lynch (Anne Brontë), Natasha Barnes (Charlotte Brontë), Siobhan Athwal (Emily Brontë) We Are The Tigers - Off-Broadway - March, 2019 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Lauren Zakrin (Riley Williams), Wonu Ogunfowora (Cairo), Jenny Rose Baker (Kate Dalton), MiMi Scardulla (Reese), Kaitlyn Frank (Annleigh), Cathy Ang (Mattie Wheeler), Celeste Rose (Chess), Zoe Jensen (Farrah), Sydney Parra (Eva Sanchez), Louis Griffin (Clark) NOTES: Starts at the beginning of "I Just Wanna" and missing part of "Mattie's Lament." The theater was really full tonight so there are a good number of heads in this video, but they are worked around to the best of my ability. This is a super small theater (less than 160 seats) and at times the cast members were definitely singing to the camera and honestly giving their best performances because of it. All of the things on the upper level (the bathroom, the pathway, and the kitchen) are captured perfectly, and the zooms on the lower level (the living room and bench) look good as well. Obviously because this is a murder mystery kind of show the lighting can get a little bit dark, but my camera handles low lighting incredibly well. This is honestly the best video you could expect from this venue We Will Rock You - Germany (Cologne) - August, 2005 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Alex Melcher (Galileo), Vera Bolten (Scaramouche), Brigitte Oelke (Killer Queen), Martin Berger (Khashoggi), Michaela Kovarikova (Meat/Oz), DMJ (Brit/J.B.), James Sbano (Pop/Buddy/Bap), Harald Tauber (Teacher), Willemijn Verkaik NOTES: Multicam proshot We Will Rock You - Utrecht (The Netherlands) - October, 2010 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: John Vooijs (Galileo), Marjolein Teepen (Scaramouche), Pia Douwes (Killer Queen), Paul Donkers (Khashoggi), Floortje Smit (Meat/Oz), Ruud van Overdijk (Brit/J.B.), Rutger le Poole (Pop/Buddy/Bap) NOTES: Good capture. Heads in the way, but also a lot of good close-ups. Dubble DVD! We Will Rock You - West End - February 11, 2003 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Tony Vincent (Galileo), Hannah Jane Fox (Scaramouche), Sharon D Clarke (Killer Queen), Alexander Hanson (Khashoggi), Kerry Ellis (Meat/Oz), Nigel Clauzner (Brit/J.B.), Nigel Planer (Pop/Buddy/Bap) The Wedding Singer - Broadway - April 1, 2006 (Preview) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Stephen Lynch (Robbie Hart), Laura Benanti (Julia), Matthew Saldivar (Sammy), Kevin Cahoon (George), Rita Gardner (Rosie), Amy Spanger (Holly), Richard H Blake (Glen), Felicia Finley (Linda) NOTES: Includes pictures of outside of the theatre and playbill. This was before the changes were made to the production. Blackouts throughout the show. The Wedding Singer - Off-West End - March 1, 2020 (Matinee) (Closing Night) (Highlights) (queenofthedead's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Kevin Clifton (Robbie Hart), Rhiannon Chesterman (Julia), Ashley Emmerson (Sammy), Andrew Carthy (George), Sandra Dickinson (Rosie), Tara Verloop (Holly), Jonny Fines (Glen), Erin Bell (Linda), Lori Haley Fox (Angie), Andy Brady (David Fonda), Nathan Ryles (Harold Fonda), Jordan Crouch (Donnie), Aimee Moore (Tiffany), Simon Anthony (Shane McDonough), Paris Green (Donatella), Vanessa Grace Lee (Donatella’s Mother), Morgan Jackson (Mookie), Ellie Seaton (Crystal) NOTES: 38 minutes of act 1 of the closing performance, unobstructed. Welcome To The Club - Broadway - April 8, 1989 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Avery Schreiber (Milton), Bill Buell (Gus), Jodi Benson (Betty), Marcia Mitzman (Carol), Marilyn Sokol (Arlene), Sally Mayes (Winona), Samuel E Wright (Bruce), Scott Waara (Kevin), Scott Wentworth (Aaron), Terri White (Eve) NOTES: Filmed during previews. Well filmed from the balcony. Mostly a full stage shot. Some generational loss. Wenn Rosenblätter Fallen - Oberhausen - June 13, 2016 (Rumpel's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Pia Douwes (Rose), Anton Zetterholm (Till), Annemieke van Dam (Iris)  

West Side Story - Hollywood Bowl - July 19, 2016 (SJ Bernly's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Jeremy Jordan (Tony), Solea Pfeiffer (Maria), Karen Olivo (Anita), Matthew James Thomas (Riff), George Akram (Bernardo), Drew Foster (Action), Jose Moreno Brooks (Chino), Anthony C Chatmon II (A-Rab), Kyle Selig (Baby John), Mike Schwitter (Big Deal), Jeff Smith (Diesel), Kevin Chamberlin (Krupke), Jennifer Sanchez (Rosalia), Erica Dorfler (Consuela) NOTES: This concert version of the show is abridged with shortened scenes, simple costumes, and no sets or choreography, but Jeremy, Solea, and Karen are absolutely phenomenal with soaring vocals and emotional performances. Very well captured with no dropouts, no obstruction, and no washout. The stage is filmed directly most of the time; the screens are occasionally filmed, usually when the actors are not onstage. It’s filmed in 16:9, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent. Includes curtain call and playbill scans. West Side Story - Leicester Curve - December, 2019 (queenofthedead's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Jamie Muscato (Tony), Adriana Ivelisse (Maria), Carly Mercedes Dyer (Anita), Ronan Burns (Riff), Jonathan Hermosa-Lopez (Bernardo), Isaac Gryn (Action), Damian Buhagiar (Chino), Ryan Anderson (A-Rab), Alex Christian (Baby John), Dale White (Big Deal), Michael O’Reilly (Diesel), Beth Hinton-Lever (Anybodys), Darren Bennett (Lt. Schrank), Christopher Wright (Krupke), Christopher Wright (Doc), Darren Bennett (Glad Hand), Mireia Mambo (Rosalia), Abigail Climer (Consuela), Thea Bunting (Graziella), Katie Lee (Velma), Richard Appiah-Sarpong (Pepe), Dominic Sibanda (Indio) NOTES: Missing 7 minutes at the beginning. No dropouts and no obstruction. West Side Story - Second Broadway Revival - February 23, 2009 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Matt Cavenaugh (Tony), Josefina Scaglione (Maria), Karen Olivo (Anita), Cody Green (Riff), George Akram (Bernardo), Curtis Holbrook (Action), Joey Haro (Chino), Kyle Coffman (A-Rab), Ryan Steele (Baby John), Tro Shaw (Anybodys), Steve Bassett (Lt. Schrank), Lee Sellars (Krupke), Greg Vinkler (Doc) NOTES: Stunning production of this revival. Josefina and Karen still steal the show. The cast was on fire and there was a lot of energy in the audience as it was the first performance on Broadway. There are some changes from the DC run, which work better. Beautiful production and capture with no obstructions. West Side Story - Second Broadway Revival - November 16, 2009 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Matt Cavenaugh (Tony), Josefina Scaglione (Maria), Karen Olivo (Anita), Wes Hart (u/s Riff), George Akram (Bernardo), Eric Hatch (u/s Action), Joey Haro (Chino), Kyle Coffman (A-Rab), Brendon Stimson (u/s Baby John), Joshua Buscher (Diesel), Mike Cannon (Snowboy), Kaitlin Mesh (Anybodys), Steve Bassett (Lt. Schrank), Lee Sellars (Krupke), Mark Zimmerman (s/b Doc), Lindsay Estelle Dunn (Velma), Michael Williams (u/s Pepe), Kaitlin Mesh (Zaza) West Side Story - Third Broadway Revival - January 6, 2020 (Preview) FORMAT:  MKV (HD) CAST: Jordan Dobson (u/s Tony), Mia Pinero (u/s Maria), Yesenia Ayala (Anita), Corey John Snide (u/s Riff), Amar Ramasar (Bernardo), Dharon E Jones (Action), Jacob Guzman (Chino), Kevin Csolak (A-Rab), Matthew Johnson (Baby John), Tyler Eisenreich (Big Deal), Ahmad Simmons (Diesel), Daniel Ching (Snowboy), Zuri Noelle Ford (Anybodys), Thomas Jay Ryan (Lt. Schrank), Danny Wolohan (Krupke), Daniel Oreskes (Doc), Pippa Pearthree (Glad Hand), Lorna Courtney (Rosalia), Gabi Campo (Consuela), Marissa Brown (Francisca), Alexa de Barr (Graziella), Madison Vomastek (Velma), Gus Reed (Gee-tar), John Snide (Tiger), Carlos Gonzales (Pepe), Ricky Ubeda (Indio), Roman Cruz (Luis), Israel del Rosario (Anxious), Michaela Marfori (Nibbles), Marc Crousillat (Juano), Sheldon True (Toro), Stephanie Crousillat (Teresita), Marlon Geliz (Estella), Satori Folkes-Stone (Margarita), Uni-Seng Francois (Minnie), Jennifer Gruener (Pauline) NOTES: Wideshot. Stage right is slightly obstructed due to where the master was sitting. Good audio. SD M4V (567.0 MB) West Side Story - UK Tour - May 23, 2009 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Daniel Koek (Tony), Hazel Gardner (u/s Maria), Jayde Westaby (Anita), Edd Post (u/s Riff), Dan Burton (Bernardo), Aki Omoshaybi (Chino), Ged Simmons (Lt. Schrank), Martin Chaimberain (Krupke) When We're Gone - Joe's Pub (2014) - March 12, 2014 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Gerard Canonico (Todd), Jeremy Kushnier (John), Luke Wygodny (Ashton), Hannah Whitney (Rosie), Eric William Morris (Colin), Bradley Dean (William) NOTES: Concert performance.   

The Wild Party (Lippa) - Encores! Off-Center - July 17, 2015 (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Sutton Foster (Queenie), Steven Pasquale (Burrs), Brandon Victor Dixon (Black), Joaquina Kalukango (Kate), Miriam Shor (Madeline True), Talene Monahon (Mae), Ryan Andes (Eddie) NOTES: Excellent HD capture from the Encores Summer Series! The cast was terrific and full of energy giving everything they had. Great to see these songs performed again by this caliber of talent! A The Wild Party (Lippa) - Off-Broadway - 2000 (Highlights) (Press Reel's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Julia Murney (Queenie), Brian d'Arcy James (Burrs), Taye Diggs (Black), Idina Menzel (Kate), Alix Korey (Madeline True), Charles Dillon (Oscar d'Armano), Kevin Cahoon (Phil d'Armano), James Delisco Beeks (Max), Todd Anderson (Reno), Jennifer Cody (Mae), Kena Tangi Dorsey (Dolores), Felicia Finley (Rose Himmelsteen), Peter Kapetan (Sam Himmelsteen), Lawrence Keigwin (Jackie), Charlie Marcus (The Neighbor), Kristin McDonald (Nadine), Raymond Jaramillo McLeod (Eddie), Steven Pasquale (Cop), Megan Sikora (Peggy), Ron Todorowski (Kegs), Amanda Watkins (Ellie) The Winter's Tale - West End - November 26, 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Kenneth Branagh (Leontes), Dame Judi Dench (Paulina), Miranda Raison (Hermione), Jessie Buckley (Perdita), Hadley Fraser (Polixenes), Tom Bateman (Florizel), John Dagleish (Autolycus) The Winter's Tale - West End - November 26, 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Kenneth Branagh (Leontes), Dame Judi Dench (Paulina), Miranda Raison (Hermione), Jessie Buckley (Perdita), Hadley Fraser (Polixenes), Tom Bateman (Florizel), John Dagleish (Autolycus) The Witches of Eastwick - UK Tour - April 4, 2009 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: James Graeme (Clyde), Marti Pellow (Darryl), Poppy Tierney (Jane), Rachel Izen (Felicia), Rebecca Thornhill (Sukie), Ria Jones (Alex) NOTES: Beautifully filmed from the balcony, with a great mix of close-ups and full stage shots. Crystal clear. Widescreen. The Wiz - NBC Live! - December 3, 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (4K) CAST: Shanice Williams (Dorothy), David Alan Grier (Lion), Ne-Yo (Tinman), Elijah Kelley (Scarecrow), Uzo Aduba (Glinda), Queen Latifah (The Wiz), Mary J Blige (Evillene), Stephanie Mills (Aunt Em), Amber Riley (Addaperle) NOTES: A live production of the 1975 musical The Wiz produced for television; excellent video. A+ The Wizard of Oz (Webber) - First National Tour - September 28, 2013 FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Danielle Wade (Dorothy Gale), Jamie McKnight (Scarecrow/Hunk), Mike Jackson (Tin Man/Hickory), Lee MacDougall (Cowardly Lion/Zeke), Jacquelyn Piro Donovan (The Wicked Witch of the West/Miss Gulch), Cedric Smith (The Wizard of Oz/Professor Marvel), Robin Evan Willis (Glinda the Good Witch), Charlotte Moore (Aunt Em/Munchkin Barrister), Larry Mannell (Uncle Henry/Philippe/Head Guard) NOTES: Nice capture of Andrew Lloyd Webber's re-imagined classic; no obstruction and very little washout; a few quick dropouts in act one and a couple in act two, only last about three minutes all together; filmed in 16:9 with a mix of wides, mediums,and close-ups. The Woman in Black - West End - July 8, 2001 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Christopher Ravenscroft (Arthur Kipps), Sebastian Harcombe (The Actor) The Woman in White - Broadway - November 30, 2005 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Adam Brazier (Walter Hartwright), Angela Christian (Anne Catherick), Jill Paice (Laura Fairlie), Lisa Brescia (Marian Halcombe), Michael Ball (Count Fosco), Ron Bohmer (Sir Percival Glyde)  

The Woman in White - West End - February 25, 2005 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Maria Friedman, Michael Ball, Adrian der Gregorian (u/s), Oliver Darley, Jill Paice, Elinor Collett (u/s) NOTES: Nice video with good closeups and zooms and great sound. Woman of the Year - Broadway - March 27, 1982 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Lauren Bacall (Tess Harding), Harry Guardino (Sam Craig), Eivind Harum (Alexi Petrikov), Roderick Cook (Gerald), Grace Keagy (Helga), Jamie Ross (Larry Donovan), Marilyn Cooper (Jan Donovan), Rex Everhart (Maury) NOTES: Good color video with clear sound with some generation loss, but a nice video. B+ Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Broadway - December 29, 2010 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Sherie Rene Scott (Pepa), Laura Benanti (Candela), Patti LuPone (Lucia), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ivan), Justin Guarini (Carlos), de’Adre Aziza (Paulina), Danny Burstein (Taxi Driver), Nikka Graff Lanzarone (Marisa), Mary Beth Peil (Pepa's Concierge/TV and Radio Announcer), Samantha Shafer (u/s Woman at Train/Ana) NOTES: Also includes press reels, cast/creative interviews and video of David Yazbek singing songs from the show.

  Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Broadway - January 2, 2011 (Matinee) FORMAT:  MP3 (tracked) CAST: Sherie Rene Scott (Pepa), Laura Benanti (Candela), Patti LuPone (Lucia), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ivan), Justin Guarini (Carlos), de’Adre Aziza (Paulina), Danny Burstein (Taxi Driver), Nikka Graff Lanzarone (Marisa), Mary Beth Peil (Pepa's Concierge/TV and Radio Announcer), Samantha Shafer (u/s Woman at Train/Ana) NOTES: Also includes press reels, cast/creative interviews and video of David Yazbek singing songs from the show. Wonderful Town - Television Production - November 30, 1958 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Rosalind Russell (Ruth Sherwood), Sydney Chaplin (Robert Baker), Jacquelyn McKeever (Eileen Sherwood), Joseph Buloff (Mr. Appopolous), Dort Clark (Chick Clark), Jordan Bentley (Wreck), Cris Alexander (Frank Lippencott), Jack Fletcher (Night Club Patron), Michele Burke (Helen Wade), Ted Beniades (“Speedy” Valenti), Isabella Hoopes (Mrs. Wade), Ray Weaver (Shore Patrolman), Gene Carrons (Violet), John Wheeler (Officer Lonigan), Don Grusso (Fireman) Wonderland - Broadway - March 23, 2011 (Preview) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare), Darren Ritchie (The Victorian Gentleman), Karen Mason (Edwina) NOTES: Very limited trade 3:1 at the master's request. Wonderland - Broadway - April 2, 2011 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare), Darren Ritchie (The Victorian Gentleman), Karen Mason (Edwina) NOTES: Beautiful bright capture of this short lived show that only played 31 previews and 33 performances. I thought this show was very enjoyable and fun with great music. Great performances and voices from the cast! A+ Wonderland - Broadway - May 12, 2011 (juniper47's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare) NOTES: Filmed in widescreen with very few obstructions except for a head blocking the farthest corners of downstage stage left and right, but very little is missed there. Very good video and excellent picture and sound. Wonderland - Broadway - May 12, 2011 (juniper47's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare) NOTES: Filmed in widescreen with very few obstructions except for a head blocking the farthest corners of downstage stage left and right, but very little is missed there. Very good video and excellent picture and sound. Wonderland - UK Tour - June 10, 2017 (Matinee) (bestworstcase's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Rachael Wooding (Alice), Francesca Lara Gordon (u/s Mad Hatter), Naomi Morris (Chloe/Ellie), Dave Willetts (The White Rabbit), Wendi Peters (Queen of Hearts), Stephen Webb (Jack the White Knight), Kayi Ushe (Caterpillar), Dominic Owen (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Ben Kerr (Morris the March Hare) NOTES: DVD menu states June 6 2017 matinee, but all other evidence, even the master's weebly claim it's June 10 2017. Good video! Wonderland (Beth Steel Play) - Hampstead Theatre - July 14, 2014 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Unknown NOTES: Livestreamed April 2020. The Worst Witch - West End - August 22, 2019 (Matinee) (wheredidtherockgo's master) FORMAT:  MTS CAST: Danielle Bird (Mildred Hubble), Rosie Abraham (Ethel Hallow), Molly-Grace Cutler (Miss Bat/Piano/Guitar/Cello/Dulcimer), Meg Forgan (Fenella Feverfew/Bass Guitar), Rachel Heaton (Miss Hardbroom), Rebecca Killick (Maud Spellbody), Emma Lau (Drusilla Paddock), Megan Leigh Mason (Miss Drill/Guitar/Drums/Percussion/Clarinet/Bass Guitar), Polly Lister (Agatha/Miss Cackle), Consuela Rolle (Enid Nightshade), Lauryn Redding (Griselda Blackwood/Sax) NOTES: A very good show! It’s a show aimed more toward kids so there was a lot of kids in the audience. An amazing performance by Polly Lister as Agatha/Miss Cackle in particular. The Wrong Man - Off-Broadway - November, 2019 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP3 (untracked) CAST: Joshua Henry (Duran), Ciara Renée (Mariana), Ryan Vasquez (Man in Black), Amber Pickens, Anoop Desai, Debbie Christine Tjong, Julius Williams, Libby Lloyd, Malik Shabazz Kitchen, Tilly Evans-Krueger NOTES: Near perfect HD capture of this new Off-Broadway show with fabulous performances by the whole cast. There is some wandering throughout but overall a very centered orchestra video with extremely vivid colors. Please do not post screenshots of this video on Twitter ever. Gifs on Tumblr are okay after the NFT date, but don't go linking things to actors and shows. Das Wunder von Bern - Hamburg - July 6, 2015 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Ruben (Matthias Lubanski), Vera Bolten (Christa Lubanski), Patrick Imhof (alt. Richard Lubanski), Marie Lumpp (Ingrid Lubanski), Patrick A. Stamme (alt. Bruno Lubanski), Elisabeth Hübert (Anette Ackermann), Florian Soyka (alt. Paul Ackermann), Robin Brosch (Sepp Herberger(Bohse), Jogi Kaiser (Tiburski/Putzfrau/Adi Dassler), Tetje Mierendorf (Pfarrer Keuchel), Alexandra Farkic/Franziska Trunte/Esther Mink (Wunderfräulein), Dominik Hees (Helmut Rahn), Mark Weigel (Fritz Walter), Dennis Henschel (Berni Klodt), Robin Koger (Horst Eckel), Matteo Vigna (Max Morlock), Hendrik Schall (Toni Turek), Matt Cox (Werner Kohlmeyer), Daniel Therrien (Ottmar Walter), Giuliano Mercoli (Josef Posipal), Fabian Kaiser (u/s Karl mai/Fußballartist), Dominik Kaiser (Hans Schäfer/Fußballartist) NOTES: This video was recorded right after some changes on the show were made (doesn't include the new song which will be published on 11th July, 2015). Full show; beautiful picture quality and nice close-ups but rather shaky in the beginning/end of both acts Das Wunder von Bern - Hamburg - July 23, 2015 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Tanja Schön (u/s Christa Lubanski), Patrick Imhof (alt Richard Lubanski), Marie Lumpp (Ingrid Lubanski), David Jakobs (Bruno Lubanski), Shari Lynn Stewen (alt Anette Ackermann), Patrick A Stamme (alt Paul Ackermann), Mark Weigel (Sepp Herberger/Bohse), Michael Ophelders (alt Tiburski/Putzfrau im Hotel/Adi Dassler), Tetje Mierendorf (Pfarrer Keuchel), Alexandra Farkic (Wunderfräulein), Amaya Keller (Wunderfräulein), Franziska Trunte (Wunderfräulein), Dominik Hees (Helmut Rahn), Florian Soyka (alt Fritz Walter), Hendrik Schall (alt Berni Klodt), Robin Koger (Horst Eckel), Matteo Vigna (Max Morlock), Fabian Kaiser (Toni Turek), James Cook (Werner Kohlmeyer), Daniel Therrien (Ottmar Walter), Pasha Antonov (Josef Posipal), Adrian Fogel (Kar Mai/Fußballartist), Dominik Kaiser (Hans Schäfer/Fußballartist) NOTES: "Julius" as Matthias Lubanski. Full show. Great picture quality and beautiful close-ups, though some little obstruction due a railing. The last few minutes of both acts are shot blind without zooms but still capturing the action on stage

[erhiem]

From left: Photo by Gi Naps/Getty Images; Photo by Rose Hartman/Archive Photos/Getty Images; Photo by Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rafo via Getty Images

Today, the House of Jean Paul Gaultier is relaunching its ready-to-wear line after a hiatus of six years. It comes 16 months after fashion’s “Maestro of Mehmed”, as journalist Georgina Howell dubbed her in the early ’90s, took her final bow as the brand’s designer, implying that this iteration of its namesake. will not be designed. Instead, the reins are taken over by a dedicated team from their atelier, with help crafted from the rotating doors of some of the most independent designers working today – Palomo Spain, Ottolinger, Nix Lecourt Mansion, Alan Crosetti and Marvin M’Tumo .

Since starting his own label in 1976, Jean Paul has been instrumental in turning underwear into acceptable outerwear, making sailor fashion sexy and, more generally, paving the way for designers to experiment with diverse and unexpected castings on the runway. have been responsible for. He also dedicated an entire collection – AW97 – to the fight against racism. The collection, titled ‘Fight Racism’, featured graphic prints of young anti-fascists with slogans printed on their chests.

In fact, with such a rich history behind it, and vintage JPGs becoming increasingly collectible since the recent renaissance—partly stemming from the Kardashians’ love of all things net—more thanks to the label’s revival. Couldn’t be the right time- the line to wear from now. Although it is a well-known fact that Jean Paul himself decided to step back from the category in 2014 after a somewhat tumultuous feud with Florence Tetier (graphic designer and co-founder). November MagazineNow serving as the brand’s creative and brand director, Ghar is poised to enter the field again. in an interview with WWDJPG’s general manager, Antón Gégy, described the relaunch as an opportunity to “celebrate Jean Paul Gaultier, its values, its archives and its history”. And what better way to raise the glass to the core of fashion? Horrible Instead look at seven of the most show-stopping moments from its most iconic era, the ’90s. Long live Gaultier!

Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

Madonna’s Conical Corset from the Blonde Ambition Tour, 1990

Back in 1989, when Jean-Paul Gaultier was told by an assistant that Madonna had told the audience, she was convinced that he was playing a trick with her. They knew how obsessed he was with her, just could not do be true But she soon found herself on the phone to the original queen of pop, making a match in ’90s fashion heaven. Naturally, Madonna already knew what she wanted: to create something for her that surrounded Jean Paul’s signature masculine-feminine crossover. Inspired by his love of the late ‘queen of Paris punk’ Edwij Belmore, Jean Paul conceived a pinstripe suit – the top of ’80s manhood – and a corset with the now famous conical bra, which he designed six years ago on AW84 had started for. /85.

Photo by Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rafo via Getty Images

Eva Herzigova’s cut-out dress, 1992

Thought harnesses were a new thing on the runway? Wrong! After all, you’re not known as a fashionista Horrible Without a sprinkling of kinks here and there, as this look proves well. Presented on JPG’s AW92 runway, this dress, so slick in its fit that clothes can even put on Eva’s body, exemplifies the powerful-yet-playful take on sexuality that serves as a throughline throughout the French designer��s body of work. runs as. Styled with bicep-clad opera gloves and proudly crafting the Czech-Italian supermodel’s bust, there’s a distinctive dome-y tone at play here, though no compromise on the beauty of the silhouette or the quality of the make. It speaks to an ideological throughline that runs through Jean Paul’s work – that no matter who a woman is or wants to be, she always has the right to be chic!

Photo by Pierre Guillaud/AFP via Getty Images

Houndstooth bodysuit inspired by Leigh Bowery, 1991

In an interview with iD in 2018, Jean Paul declared his love for the “London Way”, which means “just creating your own style, your own creativity and being free to do what you want to do”. When he took the idea back to Paris, it wasn’t very popular, but that didn’t stop him from creating his own trademark approach to design. He spent his youth in the 80s at famous London nightclubs such as Blitz and Heaven, where he met performance artist Leigh Bowery. In a nod to Bowery’s influence on fashion, Jean Paul sent down his interpretation of the Leigh Bowery Houndstooth bodysuit—which would later inspire Alexander McQueen for AW09 and Gareth Pugh for SS07.

Photo by Pierre Guillaud/AFP via Getty Images

‘Chic Rabbi’ Collection, 1993

For AW93/94, Jean Paul presented the ‘Chic Rabbi’ collection, inspired by the traditional dress of Hasidic Jews. Models in streamels and black suits danced to the sounds of a violinist who played live on the catwalk. The usual circle of supermodels was there, but Jean Paul also decided to cast someone who visually embodied the cultural context: a man with a big beard. During the ’80s and ’90s, designers were known for their casting choices, pioneering their diversity. “I’m fascinated by strong personalities, people who capture my imagination because they walk well down the street,” Gaultier explained in a 2014 interview. “Showing just one type of girl is a flaw,” he adds, “something I’ve always fought with. One kind of beauty – no. If I show a bigger girl, I’ll always show a younger girl.” will show.” It is now legend that Gaultier once posted an advertisement in a French daily newspaper release Looking for “atypical” models, saying that “facial distortions should not be avoided in application”.

Photo by Arnal/Garcia/Gama-Rafo via Getty Images

Mesh Tattoo Top, 1993

Back in 1993, the trend Declared this prestigious collection as “a startling vision of cross-cultural harmony”. While we’d be inclined to cringe at the somewhat reasonable look now that Jean Paul drove down the runway for the SS94 (which can actually be read as another nod to Leigh Bowery) it certainly Historical perspective. It also marked the debut of Jean Paul’s iconic mesh tops, which were inspired by a tattoo convention he once found himself spinning around – today, they are some of his most sought-after designs. The collection also includes heavy notes of punk, grunge, and 18th century men’s frock coats made in Jodhpur and denim in the typical JPG style. How did he ever find the place for all this?!

Photo by Pierre Vuthe/Sigma/Sigma via Getty Images

Björk!, 1994

Jean Paul’s celebrity friends don’t start and end with Madonna. A year after Björk’s properly titled debut solo album, First entry, Taking the music and fashion worlds by storm, she appeared on the designer’s AW94/95 show, about a magical train that stopped in a small village somewhere high in some mountains. And what, duh?! As you’d expect from JPG, the show was a mish-mash this time in terms of different styles of traditional arctic costume. The models trotted down the snow-covered runway (which almost tripped Kate Moss), decked out in a hell of a lot of fur, silk, wool, and leather.

Photo by Pierre Verdi / AFP via Getty Images

Op-Art Inspired Catsuit, 1995

Two women riding a motorcycle hit them. One of them descends and climbs onto a loft at a DJ booth. Jean Paul’s AW95 ‘Mad Max’ Show Has Started. As he was in the middle of designing the costumes for Luc Besson’s famous film fifth element In which Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich fight a mysterious cosmic force, they had science-fiction in mind, which means it was technology and cyber-heavy. The bodysuit inspired by Viktor Vasarelli’s op-art paintings became the show’s most memorable aspect—now made super collectible by Kim K and Cardi B and partly responsible for the JPG-madness we’re seeing on Depop these days. Also on the show was Carmen Dell’Orefice, who walked with a live falcon on her arm and sported ornate football armor that lit up like a circuit board. Really prestigious.

Photo by Victor Virgil/Gamma-Rafo via Getty Images

trompe l’oeil torso top, 1995

The next season, Jean Paul took his quest for sci-fi polka dots further, this time translating it into menswear. This time, however, he brought his knack for trompe l’oeil print placement to the table—skills he had previously flexed in the aforementioned Les Tautouzes, and even as early as 1992, when he sculpted the enviable Presented Printed Mesh Top with Toros. The look sported here by Tanel Bedrossiantz is perhaps a little more figurative in its approach, though no less direct is its infrared-style suggestion of what might lie beneath the longtime house muse’s button-down shirt.

Photo by Danielle Simon/Gamma-Rafo via Getty Images

JPG Set Sale, 1998

In a promo video for JPG’s new ready-to-wear line, Bella Hadid is wearing a big red ship on her head. In case you didn’t already know, it debuted at the Haute Couture SS98 show, where it takes us back to the Age of Enlightenment. It was a time of scientific progress, the advent of modern capitalism and of course colonialism. The ‘explorers’ were sailing around the world from Europe, ‘discovering’ new lands for them – a ship serving as a nod to the continent’s shameful past. Some say, however, that it was during the Enlightenment that the fashion we know today – as a form of self-expression that can be accessed by the public – first began to emerge, making the historical period a fashion show. became an ideal subject. .

Photo by Rose Hartman / Archive Photos / Getty Images

Man Himself!, 1992

Sure enough, to write a list of Jean Paul Gaultier’s most iconic looks from his most iconic decade, and not for the man himself. Indeed, as Florence Tetier spoke to her before the label’s launch, “Everybody knows who she is!” whether it’s his striped Whether paired with a pleated black skirt or, as seen here, a denim vest and a punkish tartan kilt, JPG’s personal style has made her one of the most instantly recognizable designers of our time. Plus, there’s a direct connection between what she wore and what we then saw on the runway. While we may have never seen a proper, French Navy-standard Sailor From the designer, “he’s done a lot of stripes and nautical-inspired pieces,” notes Florence. “It’s really nice to see the link between the way he dresses and the way he designs.” we love you, Jean Paul! Follow iD on Instagram and TikTok for more fashion.

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The post Jean Paul Gaultier’s most iconic 90s moments appeared first on Spicy Celebrity News.

[into-control]

🌹 camren recap of 2019: part 1 (january - march)

(1) (2) (3) (4)

this post contains almost everything to do with camren in 2019*. it also includes things about their respective PRs from this year, when relevant, and a little bit of OT5 is sprinkled in as well. this year i am keeping things in chronological order unlike last year, and entries that take place over the course of multiple days will be grouped together according to the first day.

*disclaimer: some of these things very well may be coincidences, but are included anyways because we all love lauren and camila’s synchronicity.

without further adieu, let the games begin!

january 4th:

at the beginning of january, lauren went on a vacation to a resort in sedona, arizona. while it was mostly a trip dedicated to herself, it was highly speculated among the community that camila visited her. during this time, camila tweeted this, on the day she possibly returned home to miami:

what’s more is that during the entire duration of lauren’s stay in sedona, camila’s spotify activity (which at the time was always public) was set to private. on the day lauren returned (january 7th), so did the spotify activity:

january 5th:

lauren and camila were active on instagram at the same time:

(more of a sync moment)

january 6th:

dinah liked an instagram post with a peculiar caption:

january 7th:

about 12 hours after lauren posted a song on her story, camila listened to it on spotify:

on january 25th, lauren referenced the song again:

january 8th:

dinah reposted someone else’s post on her story where havana is playing in the background:

on the same day, lauren did an IG live where she told everyone she wrote more than that 2-3 years ago. previously lauren had lied about when she started writing music:

this can be further supported because in a story in 2017, lauren says she likes to write music in a bathroom.

january 11th:

in the instagram live to celebrate the release of more than that, lauren showed off the new earrings that were gifted to her on christmas. at first she simply said ‘baby’ got them for her, but then she panicked and clarified that person she was talking about is ty, and she looked disgusted to say it. link. because of this unneeded coverup, those earrings were likely from camila.

in other news, dinah liked something somewhat suggestive involving the sun and moon:

january 12th:

this is where camila’s lies began. in order to push the narrative that matthew was her first real relationship, on the anniversary of CAMILA, she said that the songs on the album were not based on real relationships:

we know that to be false for many reasons, but mainly because she said the exact opposite thing herself in her zach sang interview about a year earlier.

besides the anniversary of CAMILA, britney spears celebrated the 20th anniversary of baby one more time on the same day. lauren just so happened to follow her and like her post about it:

though a reach, it was speculated that this was a nod towards camila and not only britney.

january 15th:

lauren kind of shaded her label columbia by liking a post discussing how they don’t allow ‘risky’ material and that earl sweatshirt feels ‘free’ now that he isn’t signed to them:

that day, a low quality video of camila and matthew attempting to be affectionate in what looks to be a candid setting (which is isn’t) circulated:

the following day, lauren tweeted this, possibly directed at how inorganic PR relationships are:

january 17th

during the hilarity of the world record egg, jayecane on twitter gave themselves that display name, and camila followed them while they were obsessively spamming about lauren:

january 18th:

in an IG story about the more than that music video, the bad things music video was present in lauren’s suggestions:

taking youtube’s algorithm and bad things’ release date into consideration, this suggests that lauren frequently watches camila’s videos.

january 26th:

coincidence?

january 27th:

at 1:55pm EST, camila posted a video of a boy singing a song on her story, which included the lyrics “i’ll be right next to you”. link

exactly one minute later at 1:56pm, lauren posted this:

january 30th:

in her beats1 interview, lauren revealed that her and ty had spent three months apart in the spring/summer of 2018 when things got busy. however, lauren and ty were seen together at least once a month that year. creds to totallylost4you for compiling this evidence.

a slightly more fitting scenario would be lauren and camila being apart for three months at a time. the never be the same tour started in spring, and that, as well as the reputation stadium tour, carried on into the summer:

almost exactly three months after april 9th, camila had a week long break:

january 31st:

lauren told us to shut the fuck up:

same day, camila posted this to twitter and instagram:

about an hour later, lauren seemingly replied. as january was a rather quiet month for both girls, it felt less than coincidental for a lot of people:

on february 13th, lauren liked this post on instagram, which really sealed the deal:

this indirect went on to be a reference to dream of you off of romance.

february 8th:

camila listened to sweet disposition from one of her moon playlists:

february 10th (the GRAMMYs lightning round):

coincidence?

who are you talking about dinah?

dinah jane strikes again!

lauren’s turn now:

february 12th:

arturo sandoval, the trumpet player from the grammys havana performance, liked a camren post:

camila was on lauren’s IG feed (haha):

february 14th:

lauren put another tally on the prison wall. tara got fake internet mad.

perhaps the most amusing part of this day was that ‘lauren’ posted a video to her story identical to the one ty posted about 18 hours beforehand... in the middle of their dinner she was posting about. spoiler alert, someone accidentally posted the video that was only meant for ty to post on lauren’s story.

february 18/24th:

roses:

maybe a small coincidence:

camila’s got a ‘boyfriend’ anyway:

february 19th:

lauren and ty took a jarring picture at a party and lauren posted it on her story except it was the one where one of the owners of laurmilaupates photoshopped ty out of it:

february 21st:

lauren liked amber rose’s video of her son singing havana:

february 23rd:

lauren missed her banana-loving girlfriend:

february 24th:

camila took one of lauren’s books:

february 26th:

hello dinah:

march 2nd:

keep that fingernail trimmed camila:

march 3rd:

snippets of camila’s birthday post that stuck out (?!!!):

lauren loves camila to pisces pieces:

march 4th:

camila listened to sweet disposition again, this time on her ‘love’ playlist:

march 5th:

we see you lauren:

i know somebody with ocean eyes, camila...

march 13th:

shotty photoshop alert:

march 17/24th:

a little too in sync:

they might have also walked the same trail in LA:

march 28th:

alejandro sanz posted multiple teasers for mi persona favorita’s music video, but camila only liked the one featuring two women in a romantic relationship:

march 29th:

mike liked a video of someone painting lauren and mi persona favorita was playing in the background:

part 2

[path-of-my-childhood]

Taylor Swift Bent the Music Industry to Her Will

By: Lindsay Zoladz for Vulture Date: December 30th 2019

In the 2010s, she became its savviest power player.

n late November 2019, Taylor Swift gave a career-spanning performance at the American Music Awards before accepting the statue for Artist of the Decade. (Swift was perhaps the perfect cross between the award’s two previous recipients, Britney Spears and Garth Brooks.) Clad in a cascading rose-colored cape and holding court among the younger female artists in attendance - 17-year-old Billie Eilish, 22-year-old Camila Cabello, 25-year-old Halsey - Swift had the queenly air of an elder stateswoman. After picking up five additional awards, including Artist of the Year, she became the show’s most decorated artist in history. “This is such a great year in music. The new artists are insane,” she declared in her acceptance speech, with big-sister gravitas. That night, she finally outgrew that “Who, me?” face of perpetual awards-show surprise; she accepted the honors she won like an artist who believed she had worked hard enough to deserve them.

Swift cut an imposing adult figure up there, because somewhere along the line she’d become one. The 2010s have coincided almost exactly with Swift’s 20s, with the subtle image changes and maturations across her last five album cycles coming to look like an Animorphs cover of a savvy and talented young woman gradually growing into her power. And so to reflect on the Decade in Taylor Swift is to assess not just her sonic evolutions but her many industry chess moves: She took Spotify to task in a Wall Street Journal op-ed and got Apple to reverse its policy of not paying artists royalties during a three-month free trial of its music-streaming service. She sued a former radio DJ for allegedly groping her during a photo op and demanded just a symbolic victory of $1, as if to say the money wasn’t the point. Critics wondered whether she was leaning too heavily on her co-writers, so she wrote her entire 2010 album, Speak Now, herself, without any collaborators. In 2018, she severed ties with her longtime label, Big Machine Records, and negotiated a new contract with Universal Music Group that gave her ownership of her masters and assurance that she (and any other artist on the label) would be paid out if UMG ever sold its Spotify shares. Yes, she stoked the flames of her celebrity feuds with Kanye West, Kim Kardashian West, and Katy Perry plenty over the past ten years, but she’s also focused some of her combative energy on tackling systemic problems and fashioning herself into something like the music industry’s most high-profile vigilante. Few artists have made royalty payments and the minutiae of entertainment-law front-page news as often as Swift has.

Within the industry, Swift has always had the reputation of being something of a songwriting savant (in 2007, when “Our Song” was released, then-17-year-old Swift became the youngest person ever to write and perform a No. 1 song on the Billboard Country chart), but she has long desired to be considered an industry power player, too. A 2011 New Yorker profile of Swift circa her blockbuster Speak Now World Tour noted that she initially intended to follow her parents’ footsteps and pursue a career in business, quoting her saying, “I didn’t know what a stockbroker was when I was 8, but I would just tell everybody that’s what I was going to be.” In an even earlier interview, she fondly recalled the times in elementary school when she stayed up late with her mother, practicing for school presentations. “I’m sick of women not being able to say that they have strategic business minds - because male artists are allowed to,” she said this year in an unusually candid Rolling Stone interview. “And I’m so sick and tired of having to pretend like I don’t mastermind my own business.” Of course, she still spent plenty of time sitting at her piano or strumming her guitar, but in that conversation she painted herself as someone who is also “sit[ting] in a conference room several times a week,” coming up with ideas about how best to market her music and her career.

And so over the past decade, Swift’s face has appeared not just on magazine covers and television screens, but on UPS trucks and Amazon packages. Her songs have been featured in Target commercials and NFL spots, to name just two of her many lucrative partnerships. That New Yorker profile also found her to be uncommonly enthused about the fact that her CDs were being sold in Starbucks: “I was so stoked about it, because it’s been one of my goals - I always go into Starbucks, and I wished that they would sell my album.”

“Taylor Swift is something like the Sheryl Sandberg of pop music,” Hazel Cills wrote recently in Jezebel. “She has propelled her career from tiny country artist into pop machine over the past few years with little shame when it comes to corporate collaborators.” Such brazen femme-capitalism will always be a turnoff to some people (“the Sheryl Sandberg of pop music” is even less of a compliment in 2019 than it was when Lean In was first published), but it’s undeniable that it has helped Swift maintain and leverage her status as a commercial juggernaut more consistently than any other pop star over the past ten years.

In the 2010s, with the clockwork certainty of a midterm election, there was a Taylor Swift album every other autumn. (Yes, there was a three-year gap between 1989 and Reputation, but she all but made up for it with the quick timing of August’s Lover.) The kinds of pop superstars considered her peers did not stick to such rigid schedules: Adele released two studio albums this decade, Beyoncé released three, and even Rihanna - who for the first three years of the decade was averaging an album a year - eventually slowed her roll and will have released just four when the 2010s are all said and done. The only A-plus-list musician who saturated the market as steadily as Swift did this decade was Drake.

Still, Drake’s commercial dominance was more of a newfangled phenomenon, capitalizing on the industry’s sudden reliance on streaming and his massive popularity on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Drake might be the artist who rode the streaming wave most successfully this decade, but - with her strategic withholding of her albums from certain platforms until they better compensated artists - Swift was often the one bending it to her will. And she could do that because she didn’t need to rely on it solely: Somehow, against all odds, Taylor Swift still sold records. Like, gazillions of them. When Swift’s 2017 record, Reputation (some critics thought it was a critical misstep, but it certainly wasn’t a commercial one), moved 1.216 million units in its first seven days, Swift became the only artist in history to achieve four different million-selling weeks. And, of course, all four of these weeks came during a decade when traditional album sales were on a precipitous decline. At least for those mere mortals who were not an all-powerful being named Taylor Alison Swift.

“Female empowerment” has been such an ambient, unquestioned virtue of the pop culture of this decade that we have too often failed to take a step back and ask ourselves what sort of power is being advocated for, and if its attainment should always be a cause for celebration. Is “female empowerment” any different from the hollow, materialistic promises of the late ’90s “girl power”? Is “female power” inherently different or more benevolent than its default male counterpart? Maybe this feels like such a distinctly American hang-up because we have not yet experienced that mythic, oft-imagined figure of the First Female President, and have thus not had to contend with the cold reality that, whoever she is, she will, like all of us, be inevitably flawed, imperfect, and at least occasionally disappointing.

As she’s grown into her own brand of 21st-century American pop feminism - sometimes elegantly, sometimes gawkily - Swift seems to have come to a firm conviction that female power is essentially more virtuous than the male variety. This was a side of herself she celebrated in her AMA performance. Swift opened her medley with a few fiery bars of “The Man,” her own personalized daydream of what gender equality would look like: “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can,” she sings, “wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.” She wore an oversize white button-down onto which the titles of her old albums were stamped in a correctional-facility font: SPEAK NOW, RED, 1989, REPUTATION. Plenty of the millions of people who scrutinize Swift’s every move interpreted her choice of outfit and song as not-so-subtle jabs at Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta and the manager-to-the-stars Scooter Braun, with whom Swift is still in a messy, uncommonly public battle over the fate of her master recordings. (The only album title missing from her outfit was “LOVER,” which happens to be the only one of which she has full ownership.) She has framed the terms of her battle with Borchetta and Braun in strikingly gendered language: “These are two very rich, very powerful men, using $300 million of other people’s money to purchase, like, the most feminine body of work,” she told Rolling Stone. “And then they’re standing in a wood-panel bar doing a tacky photo shoot, raising a glass of Scotch to themselves.” Though she is herself a very rich, very powerful woman, she reads their message to be unquestionably condescending: Be a good little girl and shut up.

It is true that many record contracts are designed to take advantage of young artists, and that young women and people of color are probably perceived by music executives to be the marks most vulnerable to exploitation. But it is also true that Swift signed a legally binding contract, the kind that a businesswoman like herself would have to respect if it were signed by somebody else. Braun, who has been asking to have these negotiations in private rather than on Twitter, claims to have received death threats from her fans.

Even as she’s grown into one of the most dominant pop-culture figures in the world, Swift sometimes still seems to be clinging to her old underdog identity, to the extent that she can fail to grasp the magnitude of her own power or account for the blind spots of her privilege. “Someday I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me,” she sang on Speak Now’s Grammy-winning 2010 single “Mean,” seemingly oblivious to the fact that, compared to 99.99 percent of the population, she already was. The mid-decade backlash to Swift’s thin-white-celebrity-and-model-studded “girl squad” - none of which was more incisive than Lara Marie Schoenhals’s hilarious parody video - took her by surprise. “I never would have imagined that people would have thought, This is a clique that wouldn’t have accepted me if I wanted to be in it... I thought it was going to be we can still stick together, just like men are allowed to.”

“Female power” is not automatically faultless, and can of course be tainted by all other sorts of biases and assumptions about class, race, and sexual orientation, to name just a few more common pitfalls. Swift’s face-palm-inducing 2015 misunderstanding with Nicki Minaj revealed this, of course, and plenty of people felt that her sudden embrace of the LGBTQ community in the “You Need to Calm Down” was a clumsy overcorrection for her past silence. Maybe she would have gotten where she was quicker if she were a man. But it would take a more complicated, and perhaps less catchy, song to acknowledge she might not have gotten there at all had she not also enjoyed other privileges.

Art has its own kind of power - sneakier and harder to measure than the economic kind. The reason Taylor Swift has been worth talking about incessantly for an entire decade is that she continues to wield this kind, too. “I don’t think her commercial responsibilities detract from her genuine passion for her craft,” a then-17-year-old Tavi Gevinson wrote in a memorable 2013 essay for The Believer. “Have you ever watched her in interviews when she gets asked about her actual songwriting? She becomes that kid who’s really into the science fair.”

After so much industry drama, much of the lived-in, self-reflective Lover is a simple reminder that Swift was and still is a singular songwriter. Yes, this was the decade of such loud, flashy missteps as “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Welcome to New York,” and “Me!,” but it was also a decade of so many quieter triumphs: the pulsing synesthesia of “Red,” the nervous heart flutter of “Delicate,” the sleek sophistication of “Style,” the concise lyricism of “Mean,” the cathartic fun of “22,” the slow-dance swoon of “Lover.” But like so many of her fans, and even Swift herself, I still find the most enduringly powerful song she’s ever written to be “All Too Well,” the smoldering breakup scrapbook released on her great 2012 album Red. “Wind in my hair, I was there, I remember it all too well,” she sings, an innocent enough lyric that, by the end of the song, comes to glint like a switchblade. In a decade of DGAF, ghosting, and performative chill, remembering it all too well might be Swift’s stealthiest superpower. She felt it deeply, can still access that feeling whenever she needs to, and that means she can size you up in a line as concisely cutting as “so casually cruel in the name of being honest.” Forget Jake Gyllenhaal or John Mayer. That’s the sort of observation that would bring Goliath to his knees.

“It is still the case that when listeners hear a female voice, they do not hear a voice that connotes authority,” the historian Mary Beard writes in her manifesto Women & Power, “or rather they have not learned how to hear authority in it.” At least in the realm of pop music, Swift has spent the better part of her decade chipping away at that double standard, and teaching people how to think about cultural power a little bit differently. She sprinkled artful emblems of teen-girl-speak through her smash hits (“Uhhh he calls me and he’s like, ‘I still love you,’ and I’m like, ‘This is exhausting, we are never getting back together, like, ever”) and did not abandon her effusive love of kittens and butterflies in order to be taken seriously. As an artist and a businesswoman, she made the power of teen girls - and the women who used to be them - that much more perilous to ignore. Because they’ve been there all along, and they remember all too well.

[messofadream-er]

Hey guys! So I’m new to tumblr and thought it would be cool to tell you all my Swiftie story so far...

So, much like Abigail and Taylor. My best friend Eden, and I, met in school. We were inseparable from day 1. One fateful day, I asked Eden what she was listening to on her IPod Nano (Yes I am that old) and she replied ‘oh, it’s Taylor swift’

‘Who’s Taylor swift?’ I asked.

Little did I know that this would change my life forever. The first song I ever heard from Taylor, was Teardrops on my guitar. I fell in love with her lyrics, her way of painting a picture with words that you could easily envision, and I truly fell down the rabbit hole. I quickly discovered Mean, and then her second album Fearless which became the soundtrack to any situation in my life.

My friendship with Eden blossomed also, for we shared what could only be described as true magic. After finding Taylor, it was easy to ignore the bullying that came with being an outcast in school, that so many, unfortunately- can relate to. Instead of paying attention to cruel rumours, twisted whispers or shouted insults across the classroom, we choose instead to listen to Taylor. The outside, to this day, remains one of my absolute favourites.

Flash forward some years and we’re going into 2011. It’s a new year, we’re about to go up to secondary school (The beginning of high school) and I get a call from my dad.

‘Did you say it was, Taylor Swift, you liked?’

Turns out, a friend who worked in the 02 Arena London, had asked my dad if he wanted spare tickets for the Speak Now tour. Of course, we both jumped at such an amazing opportunity.

Going to the tour turned us from causal fans, into full blown swifties, going to school with 13 sharpied on our hands, singing her songs on the school bus and not caring what anyone else had to say. For we had each other, and Taylor.

When RED came out, we rushed to HMV to get our copies. We played every song on repeat while dancing around our rooms. Our parents looked on, almost befuddled as to why, and how, we loved what they perceived as, a complete stranger.

But Taylor was never a stranger, and every Swiftie will agree. Hearing her songs, feeling those lyrics and applying them to all kinds of things we all go through, well that makes Taylor our friend, a big sister, someone older and wiser, that we all look up to.

After months and months of saving up, the time came for the RED tour to be announced, and tickets to go on sale. To say that we were crazy, would be an understatement. We each took the day off school to sit at the computer, refreshing and refreshing until BAM! they were live. We managed to snatch up 4 tickets, because we were only 14 then and we needed our parents with us.

We were ecstatic. I cried for about a week. We both couldn’t believe we’d got them. The Speak Now tour, although absolutely phenomenal, had happened very quick, almost in a blur. But this time. We could prepare, we could, get Red-y!

So thus began operation ‘Road to Red’. A 6 month mission, with every detail planned to perfection, to bring our A game to the RED tour. We wanted to stand out to Taylor and show her just how much we adore her.

We decided to make a sign that spelled out ‘Love’ because the RED album was romantic and it fit the era completely. At the time, Taylor had 4 albums out. Her self-titled Debut, Fearless, Speak Now and RED. So we assigned an album to each letter of the word, we picked them out in a hat. I got Speak Now and Debut, Eden got Fearless and RED.

We cut out the shape of each letter (with help from my amazing dad) we attached tinsel & fairly lights round the outside and wrote lyrics on every letter, adding our favourite photos for each album also. It took around 3 months to finish each letter.

We then moved onto costumes. What would we wear? We brainstormed for hours and finally agreed on a very elaborate, Taylor-esque outfit. We choose American flag leggings, White tutus (similar to the one she wore while performing Treacherous) glitzy red cowboy boots, home made ‘are you ready’ T-shirts, paired with baseball jackets with ‘13’ ironed on. We also wore red cowboy hats, ‘13’ necklaces, light up belts that spelled ‘RED’, and light up gloves, with each outfit finished with carefully home made Taylor swift badges.

We then worked on our gift basket to Taylor, consisting off a Scottish Fold calendar, London teddy bear, Cat pyjamas, A cat plush wearing a ‘Meredith loves Taylor’ tee, our letters to Taylor and lots of British Tea and candy. (all wrapped up with glittery paper, light up roses and a big bow)

We were truly ready for the best night of our lives. (After convincing both our mums to wear the outfits and carry a letter)

I don’t have many words to describe how I felt as we walked through the 02 being asked for pictures with other fans, or how I felt when Taylor’s guitarist Paul spotted us and waved. Or when we were on the RED tour fan cam not once, not twice, but three times!

Enchanted. That’s the word. For those 2 and a half hours, I was absolutely wonderstruck with Taylor’s talent, the love from all the other swifties and the privilege of just being there.

Unfortunately, a few months after the tour my father passed away from depression. He was my rock, my cheerleader, and Eden and I never would have been able to make the signs and do everything else, without him.

It’s not been easy. It’s been very, very hard. There’s been a lot of changes that come with losing a parent, and a lot of healing that is still in progress but the one thing that has always been my constant, my escape, my way of surviving, is Taylor and her music.

I’ve been lucky enough to go to the 1989 and Reputation tour since. I’ve sang, danced, laughed and cried at each one. I’ve waited up all night for a new song, I’ve decoded every secret message in the album booklets and I’ve now been a Swiftie, for 10 years. (Which is crazy, I still feel 14)

If you are reading this Taylor, I want you to know that I will be forever thankful that I randomly asked my friend what was blaring from her iPod back in 2009, and that you came into my life in a whirlwind of magic. To this day, I turn to you and your beautiful, poignant words to make sense of any emotion I am feeling. When my mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, I sang the best day to her, and she now loves you just as much as I do.

Thank you Taylor. I hope one day I’ll be able to say this to you in person. I know so many people whose lives you’ve touched, and I know I’m just one of many, many, stars in your sky. But I hope you know,

I had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you 💫

Love from Grace. ❤️

If you want to follow mine and Eden’s ‘Road to RED’ and see how we made each sign, how we planned everything and footage from the concert please see below!