#peter gabriel has the most romantic songs

[jessfandrawer]

When I want to run away, I drive off in my car But whichever way I go, I come back to the place you are - "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel

Chrissy and Eddie channeling Diane and Lloyd from Say Anything for the HellCheer Week prompt "RUNAWAY".

@hellcheerweek

Mood music: In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel

[teambyler]

Will's anti-Vecna song should be David Bowie's "Heroes"

We know from the new BTS pic that he has headphones and a Walkman. Like Max, he might be fending off Vecna:

Max's anti-Vecna song was highly personal to her. It helped her through her guilt and depression and feeling like she deserved to die.

For Will, "Should I Stay or Should I Go" is cute, but it doesn't have emotional weight. It might have helped a child Will in the Upside Down in s1, when it made him think of home and Jonathan, but he's all grown up now. He's changed.

If Byler becomes realized, David Bowie's "Heroes" is the perfect song for Mike and Will's relationship that would help Will resist Vecna. It's canon that Will likes David Bowie: kid Mike prefers the androgynous rock star over Kenny Rogers (s2e1).

@surferbeto on YouTube comments:

This is a heroic love song. Bowie starts out crooning but pretty soon he ramps up and belts it out hard. This song is about risking getting shot by East German border police and dragged over barbed wire for love. This is about young love against impossible odds. It's about that gloriously tragic fantasy... of giving our life in some grandly romantic way to save the life of our beloved. Maybe by taking a bullet for them and dying in their arms in the shadow of the Berlin Wall.

Having David Bowie's "Heroes" in the show would call-back to Peter Gabriel's somber 2010 cover from s1, when Mike hugged his mom thinking Will was dead. But Bowie's original is defiant, triumphant, and bittersweet. (Seriously, if you haven't yet, listen to it before reading further. It's perfect.)

It would play when Mike and Will have their first kiss. Their song of losing each other is now of finding each other.

If Byler is realized, it could play as Mike and Will dare to hold hands in the school hall, as we fade out to the end credits.

Will would put it on his Walkman. If Will and Mike are bullied for their relationship, "Heroes" perfectly expresses their defiance and willingness to love each other despite the harm that might come to them.

It's the song that would most help Will in case he gets Vecna'd. It doesn't just remind him of Mike; it culminates his journey over the five seasons. As a kid he told Jonathan he's not a baby, not just a victim. Despite seeming shy and weak, he has a huge amount of quiet courage, but his struggle in s3 and s4 was largely internal. ("I'm not gonna fall in love.") Show creator Matt Duffer says about s5: "Will's going to be a big part and focus... We're starting to see his coming of age, really... You're starting to see him come into his own." If Byler becomes real, then his fight becomes external, confronting the homophobia in Hawkins and the literal hell threatening his friends. He will rise to the occasion.

"Will really takes center stage again in [season] 5," Ross Duffer told Variety. "This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality – it’s Will coming into his own as a young man."

In s2, Will only allowed Mike to protect him because he didn't feel pitied by Mike; Mike saw his strength. A stronger Will will pay him back and protect him from the twin dangers they face.

It's Will's turn to be the hero. His fight for others is his fight for himself. "Heroes" perfectly expresses his journey of defying all odds to fight for HIS RIGHT TO LOVE.

-teambyler

[go-go-devil]

infodump to me about the lamb lies down on broadway so i have the intel for my next big listen of it!!!

Here I go!

So The Lamb is honestly a pretty insane album, not just for Genesis but classic prog rock as a whole. It's one of the most ambitious and creative concept albums I've ever listened to, but because of that it can be very alienating to some listeners due to how vague and overly poetic the lyrics can get (not quite Eraserhead levels of dream logic, but it gets close at times and most of us have very different takeaways from the story).

I think what makes this album so enjoyable and timeless for me is how unabashedly fearless it is in simply having fun telling its story. There's lots of dramatic and intense moments, but its also paced well with beautifully ethereal bits and even some silly moments. Every single song plays its part well and flows in perfectly with the next, no matter how much of a mood whiplash the lyrics or music can feel at times. Hell, one of the last lines in the album is "If you think that it's pretentious, you've been taken for a ride," and I just love that! It's the spirit of prog rock right there: go crazy and have and adventure, who cares what uppity critics think!

Besides that, it's also one of the most autistic albums ever made. Partually because I hc Rael as autistic due to the way he speaks and acts but also because the very nature of the album is like one big surrealist autism moment. Rael's constantly trapped in uncomfortable places that are too constricting or too crowded with people he can't understand and/or has trouble being around, and even has an anxiety attack at the end of "The Chamber of 32 Doors" due to being trapped in a room full of people who won't shut up. I felt all of that as a teen in high school, and I still feel it now T_T

Then of course there's my "controversial" interpretation of the album, at least I assume it is amongst many of the Lamb fans I've found on this site and irl, that this is one of the most delightfully sex-repulsed stories I've ever engaged with. Probably done by complete accident, but I don't care!

Just hear me out on this one. Sexual intercourse is NEVER shown favorably in this album; it's either not well executed/completely humiliating ("Counting Out Time") or overtly disturbing ("The Lamia" and definitely the album notes describing the Slippermen's fate in "The Colony of Slippermen"). The story ends with Rael sacrificing his penis to save both himself and his loved one, and that's a fucking insane thing to type down but I'm not exaggerating anything! That's just what The Lamb is like! Rael gains enlightenment by sacrificing a part of himself that never truly gave him anything fulfilling in his life.

One of the reasons I got into prog rock was because I'm sex repulsed and so many classic prog songs have nothing to do with sex or romantic relationships, and it's honestly so goddamn refreshing to find a piece of media that, for fucking ONCE, depicts sex as something as uncomfortable and unfulfilling as I've always known it to be. I felt seen by this story in a way most of my other favorite fiction could never achieve.

I'll never know what exactly Peter Gabriel was thinking when he wrote this story, and I certainly won't act like anyone's sex-positive interpretations of The Lamb aren't valid. But that's the beauty of it. It means different things to different people, but unites them all in a weird, rocking tale with some of the craziest imagery ever put to an album <3

[create-with-afp]

Bleach Fanfiction Master Post

Figured I would make a fun little catalog of my years of Bleach fanfiction. (Jeez, I am so old.) All of it is ByaHisa because that is my special kind of brain rot. My favorite romantic set-up involves a firm stoic falling hard, and we know like… five things … maybe? … about the other half of this canon pairing, which leaves a lot open to interpretation/artistic license. Also, contextualizing or reframing the woman character whose sole function in a narrative is to serve as characterization for a male character is a Fine Undertaking* in my opinion, and Bleach has so many interesting dead wives to choose from….

So, without further ado, here we go (in-progress or completed stories only):

Mortal Devices: Part III of the Maid!Heist/Dark Academia series with The Darkest Black as Part I and An Education as Part II. This WIP departs from both Maid!Heist and Dark Academia, as it's more of a political slow burn with espionage and clan politics taking up most of the breathing room. It's still firmly ByaHisa (as the politics of their marriage is explored in depth), but the main plot revolves around locating stolen documents and research from the Twelfth before they can be used to devastating effect in the WOTL. [a03 exclusive]

An Education: Part II of the Maid!Heist/Dark Academia series with The Darkest Black (described below) as Part I. This is finally complete and is the “Dark Academia” portion of the tale. The chapters are broken up into seasons for each year (Year One: Autumn, Year One: Winter, etc.). Accordingly, the chapters are largely episodic with a few themes woven into each “Year.” I’m not quite convinced I’ve nailed Dark Academia with this one; it seems more “Slice of Life” than anything else, which I think is partially owing to the dual POVs with Byakuya (the other POV character) not attending the Academy. (He’s actually banned so… yikes….) [ff.net (discontinued on ffn, but there are a few chapters there so I'll link it) │ a03]

A Thin Red Line: This is my longest work to date, as it’s basically the length of four traditionally published fantasy novels (400k+ words). To be fair to me, this is a retelling of Bleach where Hisana does not die so it covers the Byakuya and Hisana origin story, the major arcs, plus that whole 40-year period where canon Rukia was basically living in a gothic novel. Mind the tags. Still in progress after like 10 years…. Edit 6/19/23: And she’s DONE! Bonus content on AO3 for registered users. [ff.net │ a03]

The Darkest Black: While stuck with writer’s block on ATRL, I wrote an entirely different “how did Byakuya meet Hisana” story that is… bleak? Bleak for me, at least. Probably not bleak objectively. Hisana is a thief who agrees to steal a priceless piece of art from the Kuchiki family posing as a maid. Hijinks ensue. Byakuya is particularly unlikeable as a character in this one, but that’s probably more of a side-effect of Hisana being the main POV character. This was my way to make a “Hisana as a maid” meet-cute between these two characters make sense in my head. Complete. [ff.net │ a03]

Smoke and Mirrors: A dark ByaHisa origin story with Hisana as an oiran. It isn’t particularly graphic in terms of sex or violence since that isn’t really my style, but the text and subtext are definitely there that terrible things happen to Hisana, and her mental state is understandably not great. [ff.net │ a03]

Without Frontiers: Like the Peter Gabriel song! (Yes, that song was the inspo. I write to music just like probably 95% of anyone who writes.) This is a pretty fluffy one-shot where Byakuya and Hisana are childhood friends. There is like 0 romance. They are legit kids just making up stories and being goofy. There are some hints that Hisana may be exposed to Bad Things that she is trying to process through story-telling because, really, who doesn’t want a little Adult Fear injected into an otherwise light-hearted story? [ff.net │ a03]

Charcoal Hearts: This is my very tame attempt at a reincarnation fic. The story is about Byakuya taking Rukia to a ballet during their off-time. He is there basically to ogle the reincarnation of his dead wife as a ballerina performing Serenade. It has a flirty ending, but, since I don’t particularly love Hisana reincarnation fics, it ends ambiguously. [ff.net │ a03]

So Far Away: A pretty depressive one-shot where an injured Byakuya recovers in Hisana’s hovel in the deep Rukon. Here, Hisana is a barmaid who scavenges and does side jobs to support herself, and Byakuya is… well… sort of an asshole? Like I think writing this one-shot was where I had an epiphany about Byakuya’s character (or at least my attempt to write his character): That “epiphany” being that because he lives in a rich people bubble, he (1) is extremely entitled and (2) struggles to understand and connect with others. These two traits create a feedback loop that makes him come off as simultaneously arrogant and stiff/awkward. I don’t think Byakuya is canonically on the spectrum, but I could entertain that theory, especially in light of the CFYOW books. Instead, I think there is a point when someone has so much privilege that they never learn how to read the damn room because all rooms, at that point, are basically designed to cater to them. Everyone is artificial with them so genuine concern or emotion seems inconvenient, at best, to alien, at worst. All that said, in this story he very much trips all over himself, but he improves. Slowly. Over the course of like years. [ff.net │ a03]

Stages: A short ByaHisa origin story that incorporates the five stages of love challenge that was popular on LiveJournal back when LJ was a thing. (Is it still a thing?) Hisana is a courtesan. It isn’t the best, and I sort of hate it, but it is part of the plot bunny that prompted me to make a version of Hisana as a courtesan that would be interesting, or more interesting, and better researched in keeping with the Edo Period sensibilities of Soul Society, which led to Smoke and Mirrors and A Thin Red Line. [ff.net │ a03]

White Flowers and Red Hearts Trilogy: These stories are the earliest of my ByaHisa brain rot, and they probably read exactly like that. I have not done a re-write (or, hell, even a re-read) of any of these in like a decade or more so… yikes… But, from what I recall, the first story, Dissidence is the meet-cute, where Byakuya meets Hisana while on a mission. Hisana is a Rukon local working as a host performing tea ceremonies, and Byakuya sort of winds up in a “you broke the thing, now you must buy the thing” situation with Hisana, explaining his decision to marry her. Dimuendo is the middle child, and it chronicles their first year of marriage. Both Dissidence and Dimuendo are pretty fluffy with some light angst. Dolente is like super depressive because… well… death is pretty sad, and it is the final year of their marriage. Would not recommend any of these, and, like Stages, I would probably delete them if not for the sentimental value. [a03]

The Rites of the Dead: It’s a weird story. Technically, it’s a one-shot, but it has a few “movements” that break the story into parts. It has no romance. The subject matter is dark: Hisana is a member of the Fourth and is tasked with preparing the funerary arrangements upon Ginrei’s death. And, I like it? Still. For some strange reason. Sure, there are things that I would go back and fix on a technical level if I were to re-edit it (which I have no plans to do), but the idea of Hisana and Byakuya’s first meeting being on a tragic occasion seems poetic? Also, the idea of a bunch of “dead” people having to mourn and “bury” their dead is so on the nose, that it seems right. I found the wordplay in some parts of this story to be pretty clever. (No one else did.) [ff.net │ a03]

A Suggestion of Marriage: A light fluffy one-shot where Byakuya asks Hisana to marry him. She says, “yes.” Shocker. I know. I do kind of like the backstory for Hisana in this one, which is that of an Academy flunkie who goes on to work at a tea house. I think this is the story where I got the idea to finally take the plunge and make her an oiran; although, she isn’t technically one here. [ff.net │ a03]

Fan Dance: A one-shot where Byakuya and Hisana meet during a sparring match. She is the Lieutenant of the Fourth, Byakuya is the Lieutenant of the Sixth, and they get matched to spar during an event where all the fancy pants Shinigami are supposed to release their zanpakuto for public spectacle. Byakuya gets more than he bargains for when Hisana winds up not being a total powder puff. No hugging or kissing, which seems to be a theme among like half of the one-shots…. [ff.net │ a03]

*On a tangentially-related aside for anyone who comes across this random post and who wants recommendations from an internet rando on actual literature where real, serious authors reframe women who got the short end of the narrative stick, see Wide Sargasso Sea, The Penelopiad, or The Problem with Susan (Jane Eyre, The Odyssey, and the Narnia series, respectively).

[oxyvisualanalysis-fa23]

Discussion leader presentation 

AHA - Take On Me:

Take on Me by Aha is centred around the singer's interest to woo a romantic interest and persuade him to accept him as her lover. The title of the song, “Take on Me” signifies his plea for her to take a chance on him. Although his love for her is genuine, he struggles with shyness and therefore it is difficult for him to express his feelings to this particular woman. Interestingly, the lady also appears somewhat hesitant or reserved in her response to his advances, occasionally displaying shyness herself. Nevertheless, the singer is determined to win her affection while the opportunity is present. Consequently, most of the song revolves around his earnest appeal for her to embrace his love and be open to the affection he is offering.

The music video for "Take On Me" is known for its distinctive combination of live-action and pencil-sketch animation, which creates a unique visual style. It tells a story of a woman who enters a comic book world and interacts with the animated protagonist, all while blending with the real world. The video effectively blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, as the characters move between the two worlds. This creates a sense of wonder and excitement, making it a memorable visual experience.

We're talking away

I don't know what I'm to say

I'll say it anyway

Today is another day to find you

Shyin' away

Oh, I'll be comin' for your love, okay

These first lyrics capture a sense of longing, determination, and hope in the pursuit of romantic love. The singer is willing to take a chance and make an effort to win the affection of someone they are interested in, even if it means overcoming uncertainty.

Ferdinand de Saussure's "Course in General Linguistics"

Although not directly related to A-ha's "Take On Me" music video, some parallels can be drawn. The video features live-action and animation, signifying different realities. This shift in signs, akin to Saussure's theory, underscores the arbitrary relationship between signifiers and signifieds. The woman's transition from reality to the animated world signifies a deliberate change in meaning, reflecting her desire for adventure and escape. Boundaries between these realms blur, reflecting Saussure's idea of combining and blending signs to add depth to the narrative. Though Saussure's work pertains to language, its concepts can be applied to analyze the video's narrative structure and the interplay between signs and meanings, enriching the viewer's experience.

Roland Barthes' "Mythologies" 

The video employs semiotics, playing with signs and symbols by juxtaposing real-world live-action and animated comic book sequences. These shifts influence how viewers interpret the narrative, reflecting the manipulation of signs and symbols akin to Barthes' concepts.

In "Mythologies," Barthes delves into the construction of myths through signification. In the video, the comic book becomes a mythological element, symbolizing an alternate reality. The use of signs and symbols in the video's narrative serves as a modern form of myth making. Furthermore, Barthes' exploration of consumer culture's role in creating myths around everyday objects finds resonance in the video. The comic book becomes a culturally significant symbol for the characters.

Peter Gabriel- Sledgehammer

Music Video: Peter Gabriel - "Sledgehammer"

"Sledgehammer" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel, released in 1986. The music video for this song is known for its innovative use of stop-motion animation. The video was directed by Stephen R. Johnson features a variety of surreal and imaginative scenes, often involving unconventional and whimsical imagery.

Similar to A-ha's "Take On Me," the "Sledgehammer" video undergoes a striking visual transformation. In "Take On Me," the transformation occurs between live-action and comic book animation, while in "Sledgehammer," it involves stop-motion animation and claymation. Both videos use these visual shifts to create an otherworldly and fantastical atmosphere.Both videos play with the concept of narrative, taking viewers on a journey that blurs the lines between reality and imagination.

"Take On Me" features a love story that transcends the boundaries of a comic book, while "Sledgehammer" explores a surreal dream-like narrative filled with unconventional and symbolic elements.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 

The video features a significant transformation of the characters between two worlds. How does this theme of transformation relate to the concept of self-identity? What can we learn from the characters' experiences of changing their reality and appearance to find love and connection?

Take On Me" uses metaphors such as the transition from the comic book world to reality. Do they challenge or reinforce prevailing social norms and expectations regarding love and adventure, and how do these interpretations resonate with today's audiences?

Take On Me" is an iconic '80s song. Why do you think music from this era, including "Take On Me," continues to resonate with audiences across different age groups? How does it capture the spirit and emotions of its time while remaining timeless?

[hummingbee-lievable]

Song of the Day #17:

'Tokyo Á Go Go' by the Magnetic Fields (released 1992).

Tokyo Á go-go

Tokyo Á go-go

The dancing spies

With evil eyes

That walk the night

Tokyo Á go-go

Tokyo Á go-go

In colored scenes

The dancing queens

With laser beams

Track 5 on 'The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees' (and isn't that just a fantastic album name?).

Fun fact: One of Stephin Merritt's most prolific albums, '69 Love Songs' (a fantastic album, highly recommend for a road trip or housecleaning day) is where the song 'The Book of Love' (covered by many including my favourite version, by Peter Gabriel) came from. Merritt's favourite version is: 'is a seven-year-old girl singing it on Holland’s Got Talent. The instrumental accompaniment was cheesy, of course, but she really inhabited it in a way that you couldn’t imagine a seven-year-old girl doing. Particularly the line ‘We’re all too young to know’'. (Which he thought was particularly funny coming from a seven year old.)*

Personal blurb: *Sigh.* Okay okay. I know I said I was going to try not to do multiple songs from the same artist but I've been driving from one side of the country to the other quite a bit lately and this whole album has been keeping me such company. I can't get over how fun this song is. I mean, it is a crappy romantic spy film (you know the ones) in song form, and the beat is just so goofy and fun. It feels like it could be the theme music for Mr. and Mrs. Smith or the Pink Panther if they just fully embraced their cartoonish side (well, I guess the Pink Panther has already done that, quite literally). I just love how fun and ridiculous it is.

This whole album is so much fun. My top songs from it are:

(As you might know already) '100,000 Fireflies' for it's melancholy and strangely transporting message.

'Railroad Boy' which I LOVE. You know how you listen to an album multiple times and sometimes certain songs only reach you after you've listened to them on the 7th round? It's like reading a book or watching a movie and noticing something you've never appreciated before. It's why I can never listen to an album only once; I discover something new every time. This song in particular reminds me of this song from the movie 'Australia'. The movie was not bad, and I love the message of this song:

'By the Boab Tree' by Ophelia of the Spirits (which is an amazing name):

Both songs feel so magical to me.

I also really love 'When You Were My Baby', 'Candy', 'The Saddest Story Ever Told', 'Candy', 'Tar-Heel Boy', 'Living in an Abandoned Firehouse With You', and 'Josephine' is super fun because it's told from Napoleon's perspective (their love story was quite a cursed and interesting one; in the movie he says to her- though I doubt he said this to her in real life- when they have to face the public after a series of events: ‘All our harsh words are behind us. I need you to be my most tender friend’. I love that line).

My bonus is 'Jeremy' (and let's face it, I'd probably just list every song on the album if you gave me enough time). This one always amuses me because of Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy' and I always think this in my head whenever I hear it:

It's a great song. Trigger warning for school shooting references:

I remember the video for this being intense and good, although it's been years since I've watched it.

Anyway, enough ranting about the Magnetic Fields. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Ralph Rant, if you will (that's my actual name).

The answer to yesterday's puzzle, after these fabulous guesses from my sister:

'So he didn’t cut of his wrong hand?

So he could get hooked easier?

So he could fish better? or zip line without anything?'

😆 The answer issssss:

*Drumroll.*

'Because after he cut off his left, he was hooked!'

*Ahem.*

Anyway.

What creature in the animal kingdom regards you as very attractive, Smalls?

😋

*Reference:

[thebandcampdiaries]

Ron Hamrick has released a brand new single: “I’d Give Anything.” 

May 2023 - Hailing from Michigan, Ron Hamrick is a renowned songwriter who has even made it to Billboard's Top 10! His latest offering, "I'd Give Anything,” showcases a contemporary and polished arrangement strong of a captivating melody that perfectly matches the nostalgic spirit of the tune.

“I’d Give Anything” is an energetic yet smooth song that feels like a quintessential soft-rock number. It is all about creating a mellow, soothing sound that's perfect for relaxing and unwinding after a long day. One of the things that makes Ron’s music so special is the artist’s ability to write very relatable tracks without compromising the uplifting energy of his work. “I’d Give Anything” is the kind of track that most music fans will be able to connect with. It’s a song that dwells on a fascinating hypothetical reality: what if the greats of music who passed away were still around? What if greats like Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and others who left too soon had been able to make more music to share with the world? The possibilities are truly endless, but sadly, we can only speculate at this point in time. Still, “I’d Give Anything.” highlights Ron’s timeless passion for music, and it feels like a homage to some of the most iconic musicians who elevated the craft throughout the years.

“I’d give anything to hear those songs that never were.” - Anyone who has ever been a fan of musicians who passed away before reaching their full maturity or potential can most definitely empathize with this feeling! It's a shame that so many talented artists died too young, as we're missing out on the incredible music they could have created. From Jimi Hendrix to Kurt Cobain, there are countless musicians who left us far too soon. Each of these artists had a unique perspective and voice, and it's heartbreaking to think about what they could have achieved had they lived longer. However, their music lives on and continues to inspire generations, proving that their legacies will never be forgotten - including artists like Ron Hamrick, who carry the torch and keep the flame alive. Musically, the song is just as compelling as its inherent meaning. The soft synth sounds on “I’d Give Anything” blend seamlessly with the groovy yet smooth rhythm section, creating a unique and captivating sound. The combination of the two elements makes for a dreamy, almost hypnotic quality that draws the listener in and keeps them hooked until the very end. The way the synths and rhythm section complement each other is a testament to Ron’s exceptional songwriting skills and his ability to create a cohesive and compelling tone throughout the spectrum. Ron’s voice on “I’d Give Anything” is soft-spoken yet full-ranging and dynamic, reminiscent of great vocalists like Peter Gabriel and Mick Hucknall (of Simply Red). His vocal delivery is expressive and emotive, conveying a sense of longing and vulnerability that resonates with listeners.

The instrumentation is beautifully layered, and Ron's vocals are smooth and emotive. However, what’s even more striking is how down-to-earth the song feels, despite the sophisticated musicianship behind the track. Ron's humility as an artist shines through in every note. It's a rare combination of musical complexity and emotional authenticity that won’t go unnoticed. In an era in which every artist seeks glory and feeble notoriety, it is refreshing to come across someone who actually sings from the perspective of a passionate music fan. Ron's song "I'd Give Anything" embodies the essence of what it means to create music for the love of it. 

Fans of artists as diverse as Billy Joel, Air Supply and Lionel, The Eagles, and Fleetwood Mac will certainly appreciate the soft rock smoothness of this amazing release by Ron Hamrick. Whether you're feeling nostalgic, romantic, or just in need of some good vibes, there's a soft rock song out there that can lift your spirits and make you feel good, and remind you of the power of music and its lasting legacy.

https://open.spotify.com/track/43DXKMREaKxX1tKAboScWt?si=59dc173d516645aan

https://youtu.be/alrrOugip4w

https://www.youtube.com/@RonHamrickMusic

https://twitter.com/ronhamrick

We also had the opportunity to ask Ron a few questions: keep reading for more!

I love how you manage to render your tracks so personal and organic. Does the melody come first, or do you focus on the beat the most?

Answer:

I hear both in my head when I sit down to write a song. I also have at least most of the lyrics in my head. They all come at basically the same time when I get an idea for a new song.

Do you perform live? If so, do you feel more comfortable on a stage or within the walls of the recording studio?

Answer:

I have been performing on stages for many years, and I have also spent many hours in recording studios, so I am very comfortable with both.

If you could only pick one song to make a “first impression” on a new listener, which song would you pick and why?

Answer:

I would pick my song “Tomorrow” from my EP “Nothing But Sunshine” because it’s a very mellow, optimistic song with lyrics full of hope. Perhaps it would serve to make the listener’s day a little better, although I try to do this with all of my songs.

What does it take to be “innovative” in music? 

Answer:

I think the masters at being innovative in music were The Beatles, and they were innovative in various ways, which I think is the best answer to this question – I don’t think there is only one thing you can do. I also think it’s a fine line, and if you get too innovative, you can scare off listeners. The Beatles were innovative from their conception with just the idea of using the complementary interplay between two guitars in a band (which was very uncommon at the time they formed), and they continued to slowly push the envelope using things like unheard-of recording techniques, new sounds (a sitar in pop music? – really??), unconventional song structures, unusual key signatures, unique chord progressions, and even blending ideas from multiple genres of music. In my songwriting efforts, I try to draw in listeners with the idea that many people can relate to and keep them listening using various techniques I have learned from studying Beatles music. This can be something different in every song.

Any upcoming release or tour your way?

Answer:

I continually write new songs, and I’m currently working on several I plan to release on an EP later this year, with perhaps a single or two released ahead of the EP. I play live performances regularly at venues around the area where I live in Virginia, and I have had numerous requests to do a performance in the town where I grew up in Michigan, so I will be traveling to Michigan for a performance in September. I have also been invited to do another tour in England, which is being planned for the Summer of 2024.

Anywhere online where curious fans can listen to your music and find out more about you?

Answer:

The best place to listen to my music and find out more about me is on my website www.ronhamrick.com.

[lesbicosmos]

Music In Stranger Things

and how it is used to queer-code Mike and Will

Music is integral to what makes the show so great and both the soundtrack and original score is used throughout every season to sometimes parallel scenes or imply things about the characters or plot

OST

The First I love You

This piece first plays in season 3 episode 7, during the scene in the bathroom where Steve confesses his feelings for Robin and she turns him down and comes out to him as a lesbian (it doesn't start til after the coming out scene, when Steve starts joking around and making fun of Tammy)

The same piece plays again in the final episode of the season, when the Byers and El are leaving Hawkins to move to California and El talks to Mike, saying she loves him and kissing him. Mike says nothing in response and stands still, eyes open the whole time and has a confused expression on his face afterwards.

This could imply a parallel between the two scenes; that Mike, like Robin, is gay and can’t love El back the way she wants him to. This is even represented in the title, with ‘love’ being the only word not capitalised to show that it is a different type of love.

In the closet (at Rink O Mania)

I don’t think much more evidence is necessary after this piece, it's literally titled ‘In the closet’. This piece plays during the scene where Will and Mike argue in Rink-O-Mania, after El gets bullied on the rink and Mike is annoyed at Will for not telling him El was being bullied.

While the piece does play into the next scene and the title is literally referring to El hiding from Angela and her friends in a storage closet, it begins during the Mike and Will scene, specifically starting as Mike is talking, implying the double meaning – that Mike is closeted and hiding from his own feelings.

Being Different & You’re The Heart

The piece that plays in the van scene is called ‘Being Different’ (referencing Will’s line about how when you’re different, sometimes you feel like a mistake).

‘You’re the Heart’ plays in the scene with Mike’s monologue to El in the final episode. I find it interesting that this specific piece is titled ‘You’re the Heart’, a Will line, rather than something Mike says to El in the scene, like ‘I Love You’ or ‘You’re My Superhero’. This kind of leads us to think Mike wasn’t being entirely honest with El and is actually just repeating a lot of what Will said the episode prior to cover up the truth.

What’s interesting about these two pieces is they both feel like they’re missing something, much like how the scenes themselves aren’t entirely what they seem (Will talking about himself but not saying it and instead lying that it’s about El, and Mike talking about how much he loves El, covering up the fact he feels their relationship is falling apart and that his feelings may not be genuine).

I first found this next part on tiktok (@causeineedu) and I think it’s such an interesting detail. If you play both tracks, and scenes, so that they end at the same time, the music actually completes itself and is really beautiful. It would be really cool if both pieces together was a new piece in s5 used in a significant byler scene. The scenes the tracks are used in also parallel to show the truth of Mike’s feelings when synced up, the tiktok linked goes into a lot more detail on that and it's really cool so go check it out (also that whole account is amazing)

Soundtrack

Heroes – David Bowie (cover by Peter Gabriel)

Probably one of the most recognised songs used in the show, Heroes is a song about two lovers who are under constant fear of death dreaming that they are free, and is very queercoded.

The Peter Gabriel cover has been used twice throughout the show in pivotal moments:

1. Will’s fake body is found in the quarry at the end of 1x03 – this scene is primarily from Mike’s POV and the song is inherently romantic, especially the lyrics that play when he gets home after biking back in tears and hugs his mom:

“And the guns

Shot above our heads

And we kissed

As though nothing could fall

And the shame”

"And the guns shot above our heads” could reference the bullying they face for being gay (Troy and James do mostly bully Will but they also direct it at Mike more than Dustin or Lucas, as if taunting him as well).

“And we kissed as though nothing could fall” could reference the strength of their relationship before Will went missing; they were inseparable, and even if they never kissed beforehand, this line would still represent that.

"And the shame” references both Mike’s internalised homophobia and the stigma around being queer in the 80s, and how neither Mike nor Will would be comfortable admitting their feelings for fear of attack.

2. The second time the song is used it in the final scene of season 3 as El and the Byers move away, after El reads Hoppers letter.

The song is reused to parallel to the first scene, mostly to hint that while everyone believes Hopper is dead, he survived, much like how everyone thought Will was dead in 1x03

While the song doesn't play over the exact scene, Hoppers letter does, the repeated use of the song also brings the direct parallel of Mike returning home and hugging his mom, but he doesn’t cry or let out much emotion this time. I think this is the moment he truly realised how much he loves Will and the internalised homophobia really started to hit and he doesn’t think he can be emotional about Will leaving without 'being caught'.

The lines of Hoppers letter that do play over the hug scene do also reflect how Mike is feeling:

"I don't want things to change. So maybe that's why I came in here - to try to maybe stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were."

Mike wants to go back to when he didn't know about his feelings for Will, because that would have been a lot easier. He doesn't want their friendship to change.

The next bit isn't exactly in the show but...

Mike’s Spotify Playlist

Mike's official playlist, Mike's Bassment Beats, contains a lot of musical hints that Mike might be queer, even from the very first song.

The first song on the playlist is Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat, which was described as a ‘cry for gay liberation’ when it was released in 1984 and was about how many queer men had to flee small towns due to the intolerance and homophobia.

Season 2 of the show was set in 1984 and I think this is when Mike developed a crush on Will, even if he didn’t fully realise it then. He was a lot more protective of him that season, rightfully so after season one, but he was always there right by his side, somewhat separated from people like Dustin and Lucas when it came to Will, implying their relationship was different.

The lyrics:

“Pushed around and kicked

Around, always a lonely boy

You were the one that they’d

Talk about around town as they

Put you down

And as hard as they would try,

They’d hurt to make you cry

But you never cried to them”

These lyrics can actually apply to both Mike and Will quite easily.

“Pushed around and kicked around” represents the bullying they face, mostly Will, from kids at school like Troy and James, and even his own father Lonnie.

"Always a lonely boy" represents them both, they've always been the outcasts, the loners. Mike specifically mentions he was all alone before he met Will in kindergarten.

“You never cried to them” is a very Mike line, representing how after season 2, he started to realise his actual feelings and pushed them down, suppressing his emotions until they got too much and were forced out, like during the rain breakup in 3x03 where he absolutely projects onto will with the "it's not my fault you don't like girls" line.

The 11th song on the playlist is Don’t You Want Me by The Human League and was originally on the playlist with a cover from a ‘Celebrate Gay Pride’ album (Steve also has this song on his playlist but the original album cover so this was very likely intentional). Since, however, it has been changed to the original, perhaps to be more subtle.

One song on the playlist is Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ by Tubeway Army. The lyrics themselves aren't intentionally queercoded but the title and in the context of Mike's character they are. Electricity is mentioned a couple of times in season 2 to allude to a romantic relationship; Steve tells Dustin that once you feel the electricity you know something is going on between two people, and Dustin then tells Lucas he can feel the electricity between him and Max (one of the main couples that have always paralleled Mike and Will).

Some songs on the playlist could link to hiding in the closet, such as Cars by Gary Numan:

“Here in my car

I feel safest of all

I can lock all my doors

It’s the only way to live in cars”

The car represents the closet and how Mike is hiding from his own self and who he really is behind his ‘straight boy’ cover act - the closet is safe for him as it hides him from the reaction of the real world.

Many other songs on the playlist are about running away:

I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls

Running in the Night by FM-84 + Ollie Wride

Destination Unknown by Missing Persons

Run Away by International Music System

These could all be metaphors for Mike running away from his own feelings and identity out of fear, or even running from his parents and their reactions, specifically his dad's - Ted has made a couple of homophobic micro-aggressions throughout the seasons, mostly in season 1.

Mike's playlist overall is really interesting as so many of the songs could be linked to his feelings about his sexuality and running away from himself.

The next point is also not entirely in the show itself, but links to a set piece.

Will’s Vecna Song – Theory

Although Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash has been a song associated with him since season 1, I don’t think it would be the song that would save him from Vecna. He probably has a lot of trauma from it as it is what he kept singing when he was stuck in the Upside Down. While it is linked to happy memories and Jonathan distracting him from his parents’ fighting, it has always also been linked to the negativity and trauma in Will’s life.

Instead, I think Will’s Vecna song would be Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure.

For starters, he has a poster for the song on his bedroom wall in season 4 (visible in the first scene he’s in when he’s painting in 4x01) so we know he at least likes it.

He would probably like the song so much as he'd relate to it a lot:

“I try to laugh about it

Cover it all up with lies

I try to laugh about it

Hiding the tears in my eyes

‘Cause boys don’t cry

Boys don’t cry”

These lyrics would specifically fit one particular scene that is key to Will and Mike’s relationship in season 4 – when he admits his feelings to Mike in the back of the van but uses El’s name (“cover it all up with lies”), to help Mike in his struggle with his and El’s relationship. He turns and looks out of the window so Mike can’t see him crying (“hiding the tears in my eyes ‘cause boys don’t cry”)

The song could also link very clearly to Mike’s character too. He is also “covering it all up with lies” as his whole relationship with El is covering up his true feelings for Will, and he also pushes down all his emotions so he doesn’t have to open up to anyone.

Another reason I think this would be the song that would save Will from Vecna is the lyrics have similar ties to his trauma as the lyrics of Running Up that Hill have to Max's. Max relates to Running Up that Hill as she feels guilty about Billy's death and wishes she could go back and rewrite that day. It's the thing that makes her hate herself. The thing that makes Will hate himself the most is his sexuality and his feelings for Mike, which the lyrics would reflect; him knowing he can't open up about how he really feels out of fear of both rejection and being attacked, as well as the thought of truly losing Mike, even as his friend.

There are so many more examples of music being used to queercode these two characters and I'll add onto this if I find any more but this post is really long anyway so ill stop 😭

[hisguardianeyessoblue]

While looking at Peter Gabriel’s photos and videos with Genesis I often get the feeling that this is not the same person as the Peter Gabriel of his solo career. It seems to me like that was a previous life of him, a previous incarnation. He didn’t move the same, he didn’t dress the same, he didn’t sing the same, he didn’t talk the same in between songs, the music wasn’t the same, he wore masks, he was impossibly young, he seemed extremely shy, his hair was long (except for the Lamb tour, and that was on his way out), sometimes with weird shaved wedges in his scalp, and his appearance reminded more of a pixie than a real human being.

When he left Genesis he broke with the past so completely, that he just doesn’t seem like the same person to me, most of the time. He changed much more from 1975-1977 than when he started to shave because he felt he was going bald. Now he is older, bald and with a goatee, but he still is the same person as the Peter Gabriel from Sledgehammer or Solsbury Hill. But Genesis’ Peter Gabriel? Nope. A different person entirely.

And I’m quite convinced that, to him, this period seems like a past life, too, judging by his stubborn and consistent refusal throughout the years to reunite with the band or play any of the old songs (except in extremely rare occasions).

I don’t know if changing absolutely everything about him was a conscious move or it just naturally happened this way (although I suspect he wanted quite a few changes in order to break effectively with the past), but when you think about it, it’s quite astonishing.

The music had to change, that’s for sure. Before they were composing as a band (and there were artistic differences causing tension between them), and 1977’s Peter was free to make music exactly as he pleased.

The way he sang also changed because, as I read somewhere, Genesis used to compose songs in a pitch higher than his natural tone because they thought that gave it a more romantic feel or something like that. And that’s the biggest, most noticeable change in his voice throughout the years, which is astonishing, really, as he has been singing for four whole decades with a very similar voice. Sure it sounds older, now, graver, but not as much as it would be expected. In my opinion, Frank Sinatra’s voice changed much more from his young voice to his old voice, for example. Or Damon Albarn, who is much younger than Peter, and his voice has already changed greatly in the three decades he’s been singing.

About the way he moved onstage, Peter said he was copying Alice Cooper’s moves (although I don’t quite understand what he means, by that, as I haven’t seen Cooper dance or move like he did with Genesis), so I guess that was also over when his style of music changed.

The masks, the way he dressed and the way he talked in between songs with Genesis was given by his portrayal of different characters, of course, which was his way of filling the ackward silence that invaded the stage every time his colleagues had to tune their instruments. So that had to change, too, of course.

About his shyness, you could still see it during interviews for many, many years, decades even, after he left Genesis, but only in interviews. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look shy onstage in his solo career as he did in the Belgian TV show or at the Atomic Sunrise festival. I guess that breaking up with Genesis must have been frightening, for him, but also liberating, and it must have given him a confidence that he didn’t have before: the knowledge that he could do it on his own, that he was brave enough and talented enough to do it all alone.

About being young, sure, he was very young at the Rockpalast show or at the first Womad concert in Shepton Mallet, but not that young, he was a man, now, not a boy. And his hair was short, as it would continue to be most of the times from that moment on. He grew a mullet at some point, when he was about 40, and then he let his hair grow long again before the release of Us, but by then there was no mistaking him with the baby that used to sing The Return of the Giant Hogweed at the top of his lungs.

So, yeah, to me it seems like two different people. Or two different incarnations of the same soul. And sometimes I look at Genesis’ Peter and think “no way, there is absolutely no way this is Peter Gabriel” (as I’ve known him as Peter Gabriel, the solo artist, for all my life, and only got to know his Genesis period much, much later).

What do you think? Have you ever thought something similar, like these two can’t possibly be the same person?

[beepboop358]

A Prom in S4 Theory & Music Coding Predictions

Some leaked set pics indicate that there MAY BE a junior/senior prom at Hawkins High, which they are calling the "Lover's Ball". It's unclear if this prom will be included on screen, or if it will just be mentioned as an event coming up at Hawkins High because this flyer could just extra set decor. Regardless if the prom happens on screen or not, there will probably be some tension about 'who's asking who' to the prom that we will see in s4. Given that this picture was just leaked a few weeks ago, it probably falls closer to the end of the season sequentially.

Having a big school dance in s4 is suspiciously close to how they had the Snowball scene in s2. This would certainly follow the even/odd season patterns, (and actually add to the list of the patterns), which kind of makes me think we will see this prom on screen, or at the very least it will be mentioned in the course of the season.

The Duffer Brothers love Steven King and reference his work and especially 'IT' a lot in the show, but they haven't done anything with Carrie yet so maybe we will get a Carrie moment this season at the prom...

Carrie was on the video store fridays movie inspiration board for ST4.

At the "Lover's Ball", there will be definitely be some music coding relating to Byler. Since music coding is kind of a key thing in the show, I've been rifling through 80's songs to try and find some that may fit with s4's themes/character storylines (and I may do a seperate post about that later), but for this post I'm just gonna focus on what they might use at the prom for relating to Byler.

Since the season is most likely going to take place in 1986, I only selected songs that had a compatible release year so it would be historically accurate. (these songs would also be great for a byler playlist!)

Some strong contenders for the songs that might play at the prom to reference Mike and Will's relationship could be:

"True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper (1986)

This song is honestly too good of an option for them not to use. I'm reallllyyy crossing my fingers for this one.

It's hard to take courage In a world full of people You can lose sight of it all And the darkness inside you Can make you feel so small

"And I see your true colors Shining through I see your true colors And that's why I love you So don't be afraid (don't be afraid) To let them show your true colors True colors are beautiful (you're beautiful, oh) Like a rainbow Oh oh oh oh oh like a rainbow"

If this world makes you crazy And you've taken all you can bear You call me up Because you know I'll be there

"Heaven" by Bryan Adams (1984)

This first verse is literally just the story of Byler... 😭 The rest of the song applies but that verse verse is just sooooo accurate. (I'm crossing my fingers for this one too)

"Oh thinkin' about all our younger years There was only you and me We were young and wild and free Now nothing can take you away from me We've been down that road before But that's over now You keep me comin' back for more

Baby you're all that I want When you're lyin' here in my arms I'm findin' it hard to believe We're in heaven And love is all that I need And I found it there in your heart Isn't too hard to see We're in heaven

Oh once in your life you find someone Who will turn your world around Bring you up when you're feelin' down Yeah nothin' can change what you mean to me Oh there's lots that I could say But just hold me now 'Cause our love will light the way"

"Take My Breath Away" by Berlin (1986)

This song is on Will's Spotify playlist, and I thought it could also be used at the prom since it's a romantic song. I see it as an 'entrance to the prom' moment song, almost like a 'first look' - like the Mike and El moment at the snowball when she first walks in, but with Mike and Will this time. I think the lyrics clearly hint to this kind of 'first look' moment as well.

"Watchin' every motion in my foolish lover's game On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame Turning and returning to some secret place inside Watchin' in slow motion as you turn around and say...take my breath away"

Watchin' every motion in this foolish lover's game Haunted by the notion, somewhere there's a love in flames Turning and returning to some secret place inside Watchin' in slow motion as you turn my way and say...take my breath away"

"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins (1981)

This song was originally meant to be included in the snowball scene from s2, but it ultimately was not used and "Every Breath You Take" was used for this scene instead. Since it was intended to be a part of the s2 dance, that's why I think it may be used at the prom this season. (you can read the scripts on 8flix)

——— I forgot to include this explanation originally BUT, I think this song might be used to show some anger/resentment between the two, and to show a decent amount of tension, depending on their development this season. Like maybe Mike is kind of leading Will on in private by continuing to initiate intimate scenes between them, but in public Mike is still trying to put on his “straight boy act” and kind of being a jackass about it, and this song could be used to show the tension between them that has caused.

"And I've been waiting for this moment, for all my life, (Oh lord)

Well, I was there and I saw what you did I saw it with my own two eyes So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been It's all been a pack of lies.

Well I remember, I remember don't worry How could I ever forget It's the first time, the last time we ever met But I know the reason why you keep this silence up

No you don't fool me The hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows It's no stranger to you and me"

"In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel (1986)

Some of the lyrics in this song just SCREAMS byler, just look at the 1st, 2nd and 4th paragraphs. I would be suprised if they didn't use this song in either s4/s5.

Love, I get so lost sometimes Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart When I want to run away I drive off in my car But whichever way I go I come back to the place you are

All my instincts, they return The grand facade, so soon will burn Without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside

In your eyes The light, the heat (in your eyes) I am complete (in your eyes) I see the doorway (in your eyes) To a thousand churches (in your eyes) The resolution (in your eyes) Of all the fruitless searches (in your eyes)

Love, I don't like to see so much pain So much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away I get so tired working so hard for our survival I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive

"Heroes" by David Bowie (1975)

David Bowie was bisexual. A cover of his song “Heroes” is used in the show twice already, sung by Peter Gabriel. The song plays when they pull Will's fake body out of the water in season one and Mike cries in his Mom's arms, with some very queer-coded lyrics in the background, and after Hopper's letter in s3 (which is very Byler-centric)

"I will be king. And you, you will be queen 'Cause we're lovers, and that is a fact. Yes, we're lovers, and that is that. Though nothing will keep us together. We could steal time just for one day We can be heroes forever and ever. What d'you say? I, I wish I could swim, like dolphins, like dolphins could swim I, I can remember (I remember) Standing by the wall (By the wall) And the guns shot above our heads (Over our heads) And we kissed as though nothing could fall (Nothing could fall) And the shame was on the other side. Oh, we can beat them forever and ever. Then we could be heroes just for one day We're nothing, and nothing will help us Maybe we're lying, then you better not stay But we could be safer just for one day"

I just thought the above songs might be some highly likely possibilities given that they fit the year of the s4 and also make references to not only love, but the idea of hiding, pain, shame, longing, etc., and can make some (partially stretching here) references to other things in the show such as:

RAINBOWS and TRUE COLORS, SHINING THROUGH (rainbows imagery is always associated with Mike & Will in the show and a is symbol of lgbtq+ pride, True Colors shining through = who you really are on the inside finally coming out)

IF THIS WORLD MAKES YOU CRAZY ("crazy together", "only love makes you that crazy" and references the "world" motif in the show)

YOUNGER YEARS, ONLY YOU AND ME, YOUNG, WILD AND FREE (references "not wanting things to change" and wanting "to make things go how they were" part in Hopper's letter, and the "But we're not kids anymore" comment during the Byler fight)

ENDLESS OCEAN and SWIM, LIKE DOLPHINS (references water's significance in the show)

FLAMES (Will in front of the burning car in s4 teaser?)

LIES and LYING (Mike lying to El about how he feels)

INSTINCTS RETURNING, FACADES BURNING, WITHOUT MY PRIDE, I REACH OUT FROM THE INSIDE (Mike's feelings for Will are his instincts, the facade is the act he put on in s3 to seem straight, burning could reference Will & fire, and I think the last 2 lines of that 2nd verse reference vulnerability- perhaps in an apology/confession)

I GET SO LOST (confusion about his sexuality, feeling lost without the other) and SO MUCH WASTED TIME (known each other since kindergarten but were unaware the other felt the same way/was dealing with same things, they could have been even closer)

KINGS and QUEENS (the d&d game mike wrote where he has king Tristan give him a medal in s1)

STEALING TIME (references "turning back the clock, to make things go how they were" part in Hopper's letter and the time theme in s4 and time is central to the s4 plot)

AND WE KISS - AND THE SHAME (references the shame they both feel about being gay since it was so stigmatized in the 80's)

Byler @ Prom Possibilities:

If Mike and Will did dance together at the prom, they will probably get bullied because they live in a small conservative town. They will probably either run out, upset, or Eleven will step in to protect them which could lead to the Carrie moment.

Or Mike and Will will not dance together in the actual dance room, but instead sneak off to somewhere else in the school and have a private Byler dance moment where they can't be teased and it's just them together.

OR Mike and Will are still acting weird at this point in the season because neither of them is communicating what needs to be said out of fear, or one of them has confessed or done something to indicate how they feel, but the other hasn’t so everything is weird between them. There would be lots of tension from this and we would get lots of longing looks and adoring moments between the two of them from the sidelines. (I think this one is the most likely)

[wibble-wobbegong]

If you could guarantee THREE and ONLY THREE of the following situations in s5, which would you choose?

1. I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany playing as Will and Mike sneak around to find a private place to kiss.

2. Rain fight + kiss.

3. Tender bandaging of wounds.

4. Mike seeing Will in a Hellfire shirt.

5. Byler kiss to Heroes by David Bowie (or Peter Gabriel, either works, but specify which if you choose this).

6. Will protecting Mike with s gun.

7. Will has powers and heals a mostly dead Mike.

8. Will has powers and shapes some Mind Flayer particles into a dragon to fight Henry's spider.

9. Mike gets Vecna'd and confronted with his feelings for Will.

10. Will tells Lucas that he's in love with Mike first and we see some best friend Byclair bonding.

11. "I want to play D&D with you, Will, for the rest of our lives. 🥺"

10, 3, and 5 for sure

3 because it’s super tension filled and intimate and safe and they can just have a moment to check in on each other. the superior romantic build up trope

5 because come on. COME ON. ITS THEIR SONG

10 because byclair friendship is so important to me and i truly think that will would confide in lucas because 1. lucas would definitely notice the longing. it radiates off will like the sun shines and 2. they are actual best friends. mike and will are soulmates and super crazy in love but lucas is probably will’s best friend and 3. I NEED LUCAS TO BEAT THE HOMOPHOBIC ALLEGATIONS. HE’D BE THE MOST SUPPORTIVE MF OUT THERE RIGHT NEXT TO JONATHAN

[multi-fandom-freak0221]

The Shell of a Girl that I Used to Know Well

Inspired by "Love of three" by @misashabunbun

Thank you @thestressmademedoit and @maleive07 for helping me find the fic.

So this turned out to be longer than I thought it would be (probably because I based it around like 5 songs) so I'll break it into parts and post each part separately. Oh and did I mention this is songfic? Because it's a songfic! No Felix yet, but you guys do see Peter but I surprise surprise I turned this into an OT4 pairing. Anyone wanna guess who the other lucky person is to date Mari, Peter and Felix? Also bonus points for anyone who can figure out Mari's stage name.

The song in this part in Stitches by Shawn Mendes and The Lonely by Christina Perri is where I got this parts title from. Also the song mentioned at the end is Partners in Crime by Set It Off ft Ashley Costello.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was grateful for the quiet she found in what she was pretty sure was some kind of presentation room. There was a raised platform which she believes is supposed to be some kind of stage and a couple of tables with chairs surrounding them. She still has no idea how she got here, she was just trying to find some peace. She knew her pseudo Uncle and her friends meant well but they were suffocating her. It's been over a week since she left that bastard, not likely that he even noticed. Since Marinette has gotten to Stark Towers everyone has been treating her like she's about to break and she can't stand it. Yes she's hurt, but like give her a chance to fall apart before trying to shove her back together again! Marinette took a deep breath to calm herself as she sat on the little stage to work on the embroidery she was putting on the back of the blouse. She already had a full heart there but it was kind of plain. She wanted to add something but she didn't know what. 

She sighed softly. At times she really missed Tikki being around to be her second opinion. 

Ever since the defeat of Hawkmoth the kwamis asked to be renounced and to have their respective jewelry return the Miraculous box. They were working together to heal poor Nooroo and Dusuu. Even though Marinette had been able to fully fix the peacock Miraculous, as well as heal Emilie Agreste and Nathalie Sancour from the effects of using a broken Miraculous, the two kwamis had to deal with a significant amount of emotional trauma from the whole affair. 

Even though the final battle had been won quietly without casualties it had taken a lot out of everyone who had been a part of it. Adrien's relationship with his father has been very strained to say the least. Even though Gabriel is doing his best to right his wrongs, it goes to say that the only reason Adrien even speaks to his father at all is because of his mother who is desperately trying to make up for years lost between the two of them.

While Marinette was trying to think of an idea for her embroidery she started humming a song she had heard recently on the radio. In her eyes it fit her past relationship with Damian Wayne perfectly. Soon enough she was singing softly.

I thought that I've been hurt before

But no one has ever left me quite this sore.

Even on their worst days Lila's lies, Alya's beratings, hell even Mlle. Bustier's looks of disappointment never hurt half as much as Damian's total disinterest did. She had cooked him a nice romantic dinner yet he barely acknowledged her. More interested in whatever, or should she say whoever, was on his phone. After 5 mins of trying to carry the conversation alone Marinette sighed and just decided to eat the meal she worked so hard on. After 10 mins of stiff silence in their shared apartment, only filled with the sounds of Marinette eating and Damian texting, the latter got up. Grabbing his coat he made his way to the door, barely turning his head towards his fiancee to call out "I've got to go. Something came up at work."

Marinette wasn't even shocked anymore, just resigned. Still she tried to reason with the man she no longer recognized. Sometimes she wonders if she ever truly knew him at all. "You just got here. Isn't there someone else who can handle it? You haven't even touched your dinner."

True to her words, the young heir's meal sat completely untouched, quickly cooling in the AC.

"Mari, you know these things are important. Not just anyone can handle them." Damian's words were patronizing at best. It frustrated the young designer, but she didn't let it show.

"Will you be back tonight?" She knew the answer but she asked anyway.

Damian hummed noncommittally as he walked through the door still looking at his phone and not the beautiful young lady in front of him. "Most likely not. Don't wait up for me." He quickly walked out, closing the door behind him. Marinette quickly placed her ear to the door as he walked away from the humble abode. She could hear him on the phone.

"Yeah. I'm on my way, gorgeous. I just left." Silence. "No, she doesn't suspect a thing." Nothing but his footsteps as he continues to leave unknowing of her distress behind the apartment "Perfect. The less you're wearing, the better."

Marinette crumbled to the floor after she could no longer hear him. She had suspected as much but that didn't make hearing it less painful. 

Your words cut deeper than a knife

Now I need someone to breathe me back to life

She remembers the first time he truly yelled at her. The way he looked at her with disgust. The way she flinched away from his imposing figure and his cutting words. If tried hard enough she could delude herself that he was doing this out of her best interest. The illusion made even easier to believe by the way he apologized and hugged her after he stopped yelling. The way he told her he was worried about her going out and being made a target to Rogues because of her connection to him. The way he feared that he disguises wouldn't be enough even though he himself didn't recognize her at first when she walked back through the apartment door the day. She believed she was safer staying in the apartment because he said so and he only wants what's best for her. So eventually the walls of their apartment was all she saw 24/7. For her safety of course. 

Got feeling that I'm going under

But I know I will make it out alive

If quit calling you my lover

And move on

Marinette's head was spinning. Or was it the room? Was she even breathing? She couldn't focus on any of that. All she could focus on was the picture sitting on the screen on her phone. The phone Damian had bought her. The idea made her feel sick now because all those gifts he was giving her now seemed to have double meanings. Especially when the picture filling her screen was of a naked Lila whose body was hidden behind a sheet lying on Damian's bare chest while he slept. She didn't even think to process how the lying bitch managed to get her number. Instead all she could focus on was tears streaming down her face as she felt her heart shatter. She didn't even process the fact that she left the phone right there with the picture still on the screen and started packing her stuff. She grabbed everything that was hers that she bought herself, later on she'd be surprised at how little that was. She stuffed her things in a small suitcase, put the miracle box in a duffle bag wrapped in her leftover fabric from commissions, grabbed her purse with her wallet and left. After locking the apartment door she slid the key underneath the door so he could have it back. He could have everything back he ever gave her. She was done. She was so distressed she didn't even notice that she had put on the one disguise she had and taken a train to New York until she was standing in the lobby of Stark Tower with her Uncle Tony and her Aunt Pepper holding her while she sobbed.

You watch me bleed until I can't breathe

I'm shaking, falling onto my knees

And now that I'm without your kisses

I'll be needing stitches

Tripping over myself

Aching, begging you to come help

And now that I'm without your kisses 

I'll be needing stitches

Marinette was so engrossed in the lyrics, in her feelings, that she didn't notice the tears falling from her eyes, nor the way she was furiously embroidering the shirt in her hands. And she definitely didn't notice that she had gained an audience.

Just like a moth drawn to a flame

Yeah you lured me in and I couldn't sense the pain

The first time she met Damian it had been an accident. She knew when her classes started she wouldn't have the time to get the fabrics she needed for her last commissions that she agreed to before going on hiatus. She knew juggling her business and school would be hard so told her clients she'd be on break for the unforeseeable future. She was so focused on her phone trying to make sure her list was complete, that she didn't notice the man right in front of her.

"Oh!" She fell back with a little yelp and when she saw what, or who, she ran into she hurried to help them up as well. "I'm so sorry monsieur. Are you okay?"

The man yanked his hand away from her and growled, "You wouldn't be having to ask if you weren't caught up in whatever idiotic nonsense is on your phone."

Marinette fumed silently. "Well excuse me sir, I don't know who you think you are, but that is uncalled for. I apologized and helped you up. All you had to do was walk away. No need to be so rude."

Damian raised an eyebrow at her curiously. "You don't know who I am?"

Marinette crossed her arms still annoyed. "Am I supposed to? You could be the president for all I cared and I still would say you were being rude and disrespectful."

Damian's expression changed slightly to a bit of amused intrigue. "I apologize. I thought you were another fangirl with some kind of ruse to get my attention. If you don't mind me asking, what is a girl like you doing in a city like Gotham? I can tell from your accent you are not from here."

Marinette relaxed a little bit. "I'm here going to college when the semester starts, but right now I was out doing some shopping."

"Perhaps I could join you as a way to apologize for my rude behavior. I could give you a mini tour along the way." Damian smiled softly at her.

"I don't know," apprehension was clear on Marinette's face. "I don't even know you let alone your name."

Damian chuckled lightly. "I assure you, even if you don't know me, the rest of the city does. I won't be able to get away with doing anything to you without being plastered across every newspaper and magazine in town, Angel. But my name is Damian by the way. Damian Wayne." He grabbed her hand and kissed it softly after his introduction.

"A-angel?" Marinette stuttered as she blushed.

"Well, I still don't know your name."

Marinette smiled before introducing herself. "My name is Marinette. Your company would be much appreciated, Damian"

Your bitter heart cold to the touch

Now I'm going to reap what I sow

I'm left seeing red on my own

Sometimes on nights like these Marinette wondered what she did wrong. Because it had to be her of course. Why else would Damian go from her caring, charming, wonderful, Dove to Gotham's very own cold, unfeeling, ruthless, Ice Prince. 

"Hi, Damian. You're home early." Marinette tried not to let the hope seep into her voice. She had a feeling she wasn't successful.

Damian barely grunted at her as he continued to their room. "My idiots brothers dragged me into spending some time with them so I'm forced to change into something less formal."

"Oh okay." She knew she did an even worse job of hiding her disappointment. "You know I finished Uncle Jagged's outfit the other day. He loved it."

Damian hummed noncommittally. She knew he wasn't paying attention, he never was but she kept trying.

"You know how he's doing that "World's Greatest" Tour. Celebrating the hero's of the world in their respective cities. Luka's been opening for him. His career has really taken off. Hell I'm sure half the tickets Uncle Jagged sells are people just trying to see Luka. He'll have to tour solo soon."

"I bet." Damian's voice was muffled from being the closet, but she could still hear the disinterest in his voice.

She sighed as she leaned against the doorframe of "their" room. It was only theirs in name the fact that his clothes were there. She spent almost every night there alone. She took a deep breath trying to gather her courage for what she was going to ask. "Well they wanted to thank me for the outfits. Claimed the tour would have been half as successful without them. They invited me to take me out to dinner tonight to catch up, then for me to hang out backstage during their show. They said they missed me." Marinette hoped he still wasn't paying attention, but as soon as he settled his famous glare on her, she knew she wasn't that lucky. She flinched into herself under his gaze.

"Marinette. You know what would happen if you left this apartment. The famous Wayne Heir's sweet vulnerable fiance. The one never seen in the media anymore. You would get off this block before your picture would be on every media outlet in the city. Then you would be the Rogues target for the night. They would go anywhere you would be. Including the concert. Would you really be so selfish to endanger hundreds, possibly thousands of innocent concert goers just to 'hang out' with people you can see any time you please?" The disappointment on his face and the coldness of his delivery had her feeling ashamed. She hung her head low trying to hold back the tears. 

"I'm sorry." She knew her voice was barely above whisper, but if she tried to speak any louder she knew she'd open the flood gatesp.

Damian brushed past her. "You should be. I'll be heading to the concert with my brothers. I'll inform Jagged of your apologies for not coming."

"Just telling him I'm sick." She offered weakly still not looking up from the floor.

She could feel his judgeful look on her. "Of course not. He'll insist on coming to check on you then he'll see your lying. I'll tell him you're busy with commissions." He left her standing there as headed to leave again. She heard his phone ring and he answered it harshly. "I'm coming down, Todd!" "Of course not, you imbecile! She's a serious designer who can't be bothered out of her schedule to spend time with my idiotic brothers, especially when she's up to her nose in commissions!" She heard the door shut after that statement. I guess her soon to be brothers in law didn't know the real reason behind her lock down either. She stood there for a few more moments before she broke down into loud heavy sobs. She collapsed to her knees and just cried. Not for the first nor last time in that prison she called an apartment.

Got feeling that I'm going under

But I know I will make it out alive

If quit calling you my lover

And move on

You watch me bleed until I can't breathe

I'm shaking, falling onto my knees

And now that I'm without your kisses

I'll be needing stitches

Tripping over myself

Aching, begging you to come help

And now that I'm without your kisses 

I'll be needing stitches

Needle and the thread 

Gotta get you out my head

Her hands were moving furiously as she was trying to rid her mind of her cruel ex.

Needle and the thread

Gonna wind up dead

She wanted to forget everything about him.

Needle and the thread 

Gotta get you out my head

His smile, his laugh, the loving look in his eyes.

Needle and the thread

Gonna wind up dead

His kisses, his hugs, the way he held her like he was afraid of losing her

Needle and the thread 

Gotta get you out my head

His scowl, his glare, his need to hide her from the world

Needle and the thread

Gonna wind up dead

His distance, his apathy, the way he was happy in any other girl's arms but her's

Needle and the thread 

Gotta get you out my head

Get you out of my head.

She wanted to forget loving him and hating him. She wanted her happiness back

You watch me bleed until I can't breathe

Shaking, falling onto my knees

And now that I'm without your kisses

I'll be needing stitches

Tripping over myself

Aching, begging you to come help

And now that I'm without your kisses 

I'll be needing stitches

And now that I'm without you kisses

I'll be needing stitches

I'll be needing stitches.

As she finished singing she awoke from her haze. She felt the tears on her face and wiped them away before looking to see what she had made. The simple heart from before now had a jagged line down the middle that stopped a quarter of the way to the bottom to represent a break. From the bottom it looked like the heart was dripping. The most noticeable change was the crude yet tasteful stitches that laid over the break in the heart. They weren't neat as if she were suggesting they were professionally done. The way she laid them subconsciously represented as if they were self done by someone trying their best.

While she was studying her impromptu embroidery a voice surprised her. "It looks nice."

She looked up in shock to see a brown haired boy around her age, 21 maybe 22, sitting at the table closest to the stage she was on. He looked as if he had been there for a while.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I heard you singing so I came to see who it was because you have a beautiful voice, but then I saw you crying and I wanted to make sure you were okay, but you seem really focused and I didn't want to interrupt, but I didn't want to just leave you either, but- I'm sorry I'm rambling. My name is Peter. Are you okay?" The boy, Peter, asked her softly, looking concerned. For Marinette it was enough.

She had sat in the chair next to him and finally let out everything she was holding in. The tears were flowing freely now "I don't know. I'm so mad, so hurt, so confused. Where did it go wrong? One minute I'm getting my business degree at Gotham University, the next I'm in a relationship with Damian Wayne. It was amazing he was so kind and sweet and loving and he made me so happy. Then next thing I know after dating for about a year and half he proposes. I'm on cloud 9 and I say yes and I'm so excited for what's to come, but suddenly everything changes. Next thing I know he's saying I can't leave the apartment because he wants me to be safe from the Rogues and I accepted it. Then he's yelling at me for trying to sneak out and I'm thinking I deserve it. I should have just stayed home and he's already apologizing for yelling. Then suddenly he's gone more and more. He's never home and I'm alone and it hurts. Then suddenly I'm selfish for asking to go out to see my friends because how can I put everyone at risk just to go see some friends who I can see anytime I want. Yet nobody is ever allowed over. But I still believe he's right. How can I be So now I'm alone and miserable and it hurts because he keeps getting further and further from me and I'm starting to suspect what's going on but I'm too scared to ask him because if he confirms it, then everything I believed in is a lie and I couldn't live with that. But I didn't even have to ask because soon someone is sending me a picture and it's the girl who made my school life hell by taking everyone I thought was my friend away from me with a few far fetched lies, and here she is laying naked on my fiance's naked chest as he sleeps. And I know he knows who she is and what she did to me because I told him. Yet he doesn't care because here he is fucking her while I'm at home all the time because he told me to be. So I grabbed my stuff and left everything he ever got me and just left. So here I am miserable staying with my Uncle Tony trying not to think about the asshole while my friends try to help me feel better yet I feel terrible because I loved the jerk and I still kinda do and I still have the engagement ring which I should pawn, but it was Bruce's mom's ring and that would be wrong and Bruce would be devastated. Why do I care so much about him and his family when he couldn't be bothered with me?" She felt better after finally letting it all out. She hadn't cried since she came to Uncle Tony. Not when Adrien arrived with Kagami, Marc, and Nathaniel, not when Luka arrived with Uncle Jagged and not even when Chole and Alix arrived. All her friends and pseudo family were there yet she hadn't cried once, nor had she actually told them the full story. But here this stranger asked if she was okay and she let it flow like Niagara Falls.

If Peter was shocked by her rant he didn't let it show. Instead he placed a hand on her before speaking softly "Because you are an amazing person who is a million times better than him. He is insane to choose anyone over you especially someone so foul as a desperate liar. I just met you, but I can already tell that you are a kind hearted, talented girl and anyone would be lucky to have you in their lives and I can tell by the crowd over there by the door that you have many people standing with you who already figured that out." Marinette looked up at his words to see her friends and pseudo uncles and their respective wives standing in the door. 

"Hi guys." As soon as Marinette finished speaking they all rushed towards her. Adrien reached her first pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh bugaboo, I'm so sorry you had to go through this. Are you okay? Why didn't you tell us, princess?" He buried his face in her neck purring slightly in a way that calmed her.

"I guess I was still processing everything kitty. He really had me thinking he loved me and to find out he didn't was a hard blow." She confessed quietly.

"He'll meet my blade for hurting you, Mari," Kagami seemed to have Chole, Alix and surprisingly, Marc ready to back her. 

"No, Gami, I just want to get over him. He's not worth it." Mari remarked sadly before smiling at her friends. "But thank you, all of you, for having my back."

There were various "Of course" and "Always" that were heard among the group before Tony Stark cleared his throat. "Marinette let me properly introduce Peter Parker, my intern. Peter, this is my niece Marinette Dupain-Cheng also known as MDC owner and head designer of Miracle Designs."

Peter looked star struck. "I love your work. You make the coolest clothes on the planet."

Marinette blushed lightly. "Thank you, Peter. Uncle Tony told me much about you and I was always impressed. You're nothing short of a genius." Marinette missed Peter's blush as she started introducing her friends to him, but Tony didn't.

"This is Adrien Agreste, former model and Physics major. This is Kagami Tsurugi, world champion fencer. This is Luka Couffanie, singer songwriter signed under Jagged Stone. They're dating. This is Nathaniel Kurtzberg and Marc Anciel creators of Miraculous Tales comic. They're engaged. This is Chole Bourgeois, the best lawyer in all of France and probably Europe. And this is Alix Kubdel, X Games Winner, and famous archeologists. These two are also engaged. I'm sure you know Jagged Stone and his manager and also his wife, Penny." 

"You guys are amazing! None of you look much older than me yet you're already so successful! What is in the water in Paris? Some kind of talent steroids?" Peter was amazed.

"Speaking of talent," Luka turned towards Marinette. "Melody why didn't you tell me you could sing like that?" Soon everyone was agreeing that she was an excellent singer.

Marinette was bright red. "It's no big deal guys. I was just singing to myself, I wasn't expecting an audience."

Jagged took his chance to pull his pseudo niece into a hug. "Nettie, my girl you have got to let me sign you. It would be so rocking to have talent like yours produced under my label!"

"No way Uncle Jagged! I'm not even that good!" Marinette began protesting before Luka put a hand on her shoulder.

"How about this? I need some vocals for a song I wrote and no matter how much I love them, my dear boyfriend and girlfriend can not sing." Adrien and Kagami looked at each other before shrugging. No point denying it. "How about you feature in my new single under an alias and if it's hit you'll give an album a try?"

Marinette looked around at some of the most important people in the world to her before sighing and agreeing.

"Alright. But no promises that this will be hit. I'm really not that good. You guys are just biased."

Alix ruffled Marinette's hair. "Whatever you say, DC. Now let's go play some UMS3!"

As everyone was heading out to find a room large enough for all of them Peter prepared to go back to work on a project until Marinette turned back to him with a huge smile and bright eyes. "Come on Peter! Come play with us." 

How could he say no to that? So he came along.

A couple weeks later Luka's single "Partners in Crime" featuring Neon Titanium hit number one on the charts. And the most searched inquiry on Google for 3 days following was "who is Neon Titanium?" Needless to say Marinette was busy for the next couple months. Especially after Luka dropped a music video which she starred in as well wear a full face mask to stay hidden.

[petegabriel]

do you like peter gabriel?

his early work was a little “overproduced” for my taste, but when Peter Gabriel came out in 1980, i think he really came into his own, thematically and artistically. the whole album has a clear, progressive sound and a new sheen of psychiatric cliche lyricism and newborn gated reverb that really gives the songs a big boost. he’s been compared to phil collins, but i think peter has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humor

in 1986, peter released this; So, his most accomplished album. i think his undisputed masterpiece is “In Your Eyes” a song so beautiful due to the vocals of Youssou N’Dour, most people probably don’t listen to the lyrics. but they should, because it’s not just about the solace of divine/romantic love and the raw honesty inherent in that love, it’s also a personal statement about the man himself

hey paul!

[go-go-devil]

12, 20, 30 - and if i can modify the "wedding" question with a more morbid one but... song you want played at your funeral? (i have a playlist for my funeral, i hope that's not too weird...)

12) A song from your preteen years

One of the most defining ones for sure was "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny" by Lemon Demon, though I wouldn't learn it (and many, MANY other internet vids/songs from my childhood) was made by Neil Cicierega until years later. It was one of the first "internet" songs I can both remember hearing and being obsessed with, largely due to the animation Shawn Vulliez made for it; of course I made sure to link the oldest vid I could find of it for the proper late-2000's yt viewing experience ;)

20) A song that has many meanings to you

Oh boy, there's a lot of those lol

Well one that comes to mind right away is "Animate" by Rush, largely because on one hand I know Neil Peart's logic behind the lyrics was supposed to be about a man embracing his feminine qualities while contemplating what a man is "supposed to be" (likening to Carl Jung's anima and animus theory). However, when NOT sung by a cis man the lyrics suddenly turn into one of the most transgender songs I've ever heard. At least for me. That song actually helped me eventually figure out I was genderfluid!

(Well most of the lyrics at least. I was never fond of that one "submissive trait" line. I love Neil's mind and work a ton but like many he was a product of his time to some extent.)

30) A song that reminds you of yourself

One song that's extremely personal to me is "I Have The Touch" by Peter Gabriel (the 1983 mix because that's my fav version alongside the Plays Live recording). Not just for the fact that the last few lines of lyrics accurately describe nearly ALL of my stims, but the song itself appeals to me overall as an autistic person who wants to enjoy being in and interacting with people in this society I live in, yet who also feels like an actor memorizing what to say to people to achieve the best results (verse 3 of the song hits HARD in that regard). Well, that and interpreting the lyrics "Shake those hands, and give me the thing I understand" as the immense satisfactory fantasy of being allowed to flap my arms around another person without ridicule <3

I dunno, I guess I also appreciate any song about physical touch that isn't about sex or romantic relationships for a change. These kinds of jams are far too uncommon in this amatonormative society we're forced to live in T_T

As for a song I'd like played at my funeral? Well, that has to be the entirety of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd 💎✨

[darkacademicx]

DA Poets

Honestly, any poetry is DA poetry if you can recite it from memory or sound intelligent while speaking of it.

• T. S. Elliot 

          Didn’t write much poetry, but what he did write is dense with meaning

• Wisława Szymborska

          Any of her poems are instant winners, for a great collection I would recommend Map: Collected and Last Poems

• William Shakespeare

          Classic, cannot go wrong with any of his works

• Anne Sexton

          For bonus points, listen to the song “Mercy Street” by Peter Gabriel based on the poem “45 Mercy Street”

• John Milton

          Paradise Lost is always recognizable by name

• Homer

          Both The Iliad and The Odyssey are the best known works, bonus points if you are able to read them in their original Greek for the full effect

• Edgar Allen Poe

          Although The Raven is his most notable work of poetry, his short stories are also enjoyable

• Robert Frost

          An acquired taste compared to my other favourite poets, but my top four are definitely “The Road Not Taken”, “Mending Wall”, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, and “Acquainted With the Night”

• Mark Twain

          Recognizable in name and work

• Lord Byron

          An older poet, much of his language is obsolete in the modern era yet conveys meanings we could not hope to comprehend without it

• Sappho

          An excellent romantic, “Slender Aphrodite has overcome me with longing for a girl” Bonus points if you read it in the original Greek for the full effect

• Walt Whitman

          The modern-day version of a classical poet: free verse is his specialty!  

• Edgar Allan Poe

          The O.G. dark academic, the literature teacher’s favourite Halloween lesson.  Nothing can beat the simple and unsettling Poetry of Poe!

• Oscar Wilde

          Nothing will ever be as iconic as The Picture of Dorian Gray has become in the DA aesthetic! a definite must-read.

[greensparty]

Album Review: Almost Famous soundtrack box set

In the 1990s, there was a trend for a short time of movie soundtracks getting a sequel, where a music-centric movie released a single-disc CD and it did well enough that a few months later there’d be a “Volume 2″ soundtrack album of all the songs in the movie that weren’t on the first soundtrack, i.e. Boogie Nights, Dazed and Confused and Trainspotting. By 2000, the soundtrack craze had simmered a little. The soundtrack to Cameron Crowe’s magnum opus Almost Famous featured 17 tracks when it was first released in Sept. 2000. I have to say I was a little surprised that Almost Famous, with the sheer amount of music in the film, didn’t get one of those “Volume 2″ soundtracks after the initial one. To celebrate the 21st anniversary of the film (last year was the big 20th), UMe recently released an expanded soundtrack featuring 103 audio tracks. That’s not a typo: 103! That is songs, sound bites from the film, and score. This also marks the first time in which all of the songs from the film have been released in one set.

the Super Deluxe 6LP soundtrack set

Crowe’s film is also his most personal film. Much like the main character William Miller, Crowe began writing for Rolling Stone as a teenager. When you’re watching the movie, there are several real life people portrayed in the film like Crowe’s mentor Lester Bangs (played by a scene-stealing Philip Seymour Hoffman) or Rolling Stone’s Jann Wenner and Ben Fong-Torres, but most of the characters are composites of numerous people from Crowe’s life. Stillwater (one of the all-time great fictional band’s in movie history) were a composite of The Eagles and Led Zeppelin. I always kinda hoped they would’ve released an album, like the way that Spinal Tap had a few albums. This past Record Store Day, I actually picked up the Stillwater EP of songs and demos. In this box set on CD, there is a disc of just Stillwater songs, demos and backstage jams. It is a must for fans of the movie!

The great fictional band Stillwater, photographed by Neal Preston

The film takes place in 1973 and there’s loads of nuggets from that era on the soundtrack: a whopping five songs from Led Zeppelin (only Cameron Crowe could make that happen!), The Who, Iggy and the Stooges, Joni Mitchell, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, The Beach Boys and many more. It’s not just the big hits from those artists either, there’s loads of deep cuts. In terms of what’s new that hasn’t been commercially released yet: The Who’s version of “Amazing Journey / Sparks” made for the film, the cast sing-along to Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” (such an iconic scene of them all smoking a peace pipe after some tension to sing on the tour bus to this song), Steely Dan’s live version of “Reeling in the Years”, Neil Young’s live version of “Cortez the Killer”, and the original motion picture score and score outtakes from Nancy Wilson (Crowe’s wife at the time and frequent collaborator). 

Crowe on set directing Hoffman as Lester Bangs and Patrick Fugit as Miller

Music has always played an integral role in Crowe’s prior films, i.e. Peter Gabriel being blasted from a boom box in Say Anything, the Seattle music scene as the back drop to Singles, and Bruce Springsteen’s “Secret Garden” as the romantic heart of Jerry Maguire. But in Almost Famous, music isn’t just the backdrop, it’s the star of the film, front and center. Its not just a movie about a music journalist covering a a rock band, Crowe’s passion and enthusiasm for music is felt in every single frame of this film. The music, both archival and original, needed to support that and it does. This box set is a real treat for fans. I got to review the vinyl edition, which includes a replica of William Miller’s high school notebook, containing a 40-page photo book with recollections from cast and crew including Crowe and Wilson. There’s tons of other bells and whistles like a Stillwater tour poster, Stillwater ticket stubs and best of all, the 1973 Rolling Stone Stillwater issue that William wrote. The CD edition includes the Stillwater and Wilson songs and demos. But the real highlight here is the music itself. When listening to the 6 LPs, it kept reminding me of those iconic scenes in the film: the “Tiny Dancer” sing along, Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop” as the band arrives in NYC and learn they are getting the Rolling Stone cover, and Cat Stevens’ “The Wind” as Penny Lane dances alone in the venue, the list goes on. 

soundtrack cover

As William’s older sister Anita says in the film as she urges William to find and explore her record collection: “One day you'll be cool. Look under your bed, it'll set you free.” That’s kinda how I felt listening to this box set!

For info on the Almost Famous Uber box set: https://soundtrack.lnk.to/AlmostFamousPR

5 out of 5 stars