#probably some bluegrass as well

[multifandomhoodies]

Ever since raylan and Tim got together raylan can't listen to traveling soldier by the Dixie chicks

[queenlua]

(fair warning: this entire anecdote ends with a dumb Tellius joke)

ONCE UPON A TIME, my dad had this coworker who was dreading an upcoming Visit To Her In-Laws' House, right?

"i like my husband's family," she said, "they're all really nice people, but they're just so weird."

"weird in what way?" my dad asked.

"well they all really like music," she said.  "they like playing it, specifically.  they all have banjos and fiddles and stuff, and once one of them gets to playing, they're ALL playing, ALL hours of the night, and it's such a RACKET and i can't believe how LONG they can go at it, like GET ANOTHER HOBBY"

"are they any good?" my dad asked.

"well, i'm told they are.  some of them even say they make a living at it!  but i can't quite believe that, i mean, it's just so fiddly and weird, who would pay money for that"

my dad, a lifelong bluegrass fan, asked a few other questions... slowly put some pieces together... and finally realized his coworker had married into the family of Bill motherfucking Monroe, one of the most famous bluegrass musicians of all time, aka "the Father of Bluegrass"

dad tried to convince her that yo your in-laws are incredibly famous and talented, but she just shook her head and said "ah god now you sound like one of them"

(she was finally convinced that maybe this Bill Monroe guy was a little bit famous when she went to his funeral in the 90s & both Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton were in attendance)

anyway.  who marries into the heron laguz clan and is supremely unimpressed by "all this singing nonsense."  probably vika, right

[finleycannotdraw]

can u recommend some bands? i think i like ur music taste and i am terrible at finding music

ty :)

of COURSE I can <3 you’ve probably heard of some of these, but maybe there’ll be some you haven’t! I don’t know what you already like, so… here we go :)

Hozier. Yeah this was always going to be first on the list I’m currently listening to basically nothing else! He’s an Irish folk/soul/blues/etc idk musician who uses a lot of religious and mythological themes in his lyrics and has a lot of songs that include social justice commentary.

The Amazing Devil is a folk rock band with an incredibly unique sound. Their songs are incredibly emotional and have an awesome fantasy vibe going on—plus there’s two singers, and they often sing independently from each other, which is something you don’t see often!

Good Morning Bedlam is a bluegrass band that I’ve gotten into recently! They’re sort of like… a mix of the amazing devil and the crane wives?

The Crane Wives, while we’re at it, and

The Oh Hellos. they’re fairly similar and I don’t have a ton to say about their stylistic differences, but they’re all definitely worth checking out!

Florence & The Machine. Most people have heard of them but I always like to recommend them anyway

Alec Benjamin, if you’re into softer indie music! He has a lot of different styles of lyrics, but his voice is consistent, so he’s great to listen to if you’re looking for that sort of variety.

Chxrlotte doesn’t have a lot of music out, but I’m a big fan of the music she has released, including the ones about Good Omens! The others are more angsty which I love too.

The Family Crest is an orchestral indie pop rock band, which blows my mind. I can’t believe orchestra isn’t a more utilized tool in popular lyrical music, because they do it so well.

Good Kid is actually my brother’s favorite band, and I love them too. They’re also indie rock, but they have a very distinctive style and are easy to get into! Plus they haven’t released a shit ton of songs like some other artists, so it isn’t overwhelming to explore their discography.

Jonatha Brooke is an artist I only know about because my mom liked her music a lot in the 90s, but she’s got a super nice voice and has some awesomely relatable lyrics. I especially recommend her album Ten Cent Wings!

Midlake is a super melodic folk rock band. I’m obsessed with their album The Courage of Others, which has a melancholy vibe that’s super easy to get lost in.

Palaye Royale is harder rock than anyone else on the list so far, but they’ve got an awesome style. Unique voice and definitely darker themes in their lyrics.

Tears for Fears is a pop rock band that I love because my dad does. (My parents are musicians—I trust their music taste).

Toad the Wet Sprocket got their name from Monty Python, but PLEASE go listen to the Architect of the Ruin EP. You will not regret it. Also the song Something’s Always Wrong is like… entrenched in my very being.

Elbow is a band that I never see in fandom circles, but they’re definitely not obscure. Check out their album Little Fictions! They’re kind of like Midlake.

Will Wood ranges from chaotic and fun (The Normal Album) to absolutely soul-crushing (in case I make it)! Sometimes even both at the same time!

(I would’ve also put Paramore, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and other rock/pop punk bands I like on there, but I assumed you already know them.) (If you were looking for harder rock or metal, let me know, because this list is not that.)

If you want more genre-specific recs or even album/song recs, don’t hesitate to ask!! Music is the fuel of my soul.

[desire-mona]

so, i want to get into nickel creek, where do i start?

a comprehensive guide / masterlist by desire mona :-)

so ive gotten like. probably 3 or so asks about this + i need a pinned post for the nickel creek community so im making this. keep in mind that i am still a relatively new fan so i definitely dont have the seasoned advice that someone who's been listening for a while would have.

more info under cut!

lets start with the basics -

who is nickel creek?

nickel creek is a 3 piece bluegrass band from california made up of chris thile on mandolin, sara watkins on fiddle, and sean watkins on guitar. all 3 members are vocalists and sing lead vocals on various songs, but youll most likely hear chris on main vocals in a majority of their songs. though they are categorised as bluegrass / folk, their music delves into sounds from a variety of different genres, so a general acoustic label would probably be more fitting. they were originally known as "the nickel creek band" starting in 1989, but they dropped the "the" and "band" in uhhhhhhhh... some time before 2000.

what should i listen to first?

thats honestly up to you, i think anywhere is a good place to start since literally everything they make is good, but i can give u some kick off points so u can know whether or not u like them the quickest i suppose. i was introduced to them at a pretty young age, and the 2 songs that i remembered after years of not hearing them were the lighthouse's tale and this side.

lighthouse's tale - youtube, spotify, apple music

this side - youtube, spotify, apple music

after deciding that i should fully commit to the creek, i started with the tiny desk. i was BLOWN away by how kickass their live vocals were. i went thru and i listened to their albums one by one after that, but i'll have a list of all the albums later on.

"ummmm mona that's too many fucking buttons!!"

ok FINE here's two much easier ways but i think the way i did it was best. whatever.

both my father and my fellow creeker coworker discovered them from their best of album released just after they began their hiatus from 2007-2014. that was a good starting point to go through and listen to the rest, but beware that there are two (very good) albums that came out after this was released.

reasons why: the very best - youtube, spotify, apple music

OR i'll be extra nice and make a spotify playlist for you that i'll eventually make a youtube playlist as well (but not apple music im not paying for that shit <3)

(DO NOT LISTEN ON SHUFFLE - IT IS IN INTENDED ORDER)

every nickel creek album (even the baby ones)

*im doing my best to link physical copies from their official merch site, but some vinyls havent been reissued. if theyre not sold then ive linked the amazon page, but if theyre just sold out then ive linked the merch page anyway. physical copies linked are cds and vinyls respectively, sorry tape users.

little cowpoke (1993) - internet archive, cd

here to there (1997) - youtube and theres a cd but its over $100 so

nickel creek (2000) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies (cd on official merch site is sold out as of 10/2/24)

this side (2002) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies

why should the fire die? (2005) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies

a dotted line (2014) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies (no dotted line physical copies on the merch site, sorry!!)

celebrants (2023) - youtube, spotify, apple music, physical copies

ok fine i like these guys, what can i watch?

OH IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED!! here are my favs, you can do some exploring on your own as well!

their music videos

celebrants music videos (these are live performances)

2002 live @ aol sessions

2000 acoustic innovators documentary

toxic cover

studio session @ the current + interview

cmt's on the verge

new haven 2024 concert

kill bill cover w/ kacey musgraves

ok but what else have they done?

well all 3 members have their own solo careers, as well as separate bands and projects that theyve done. i wont be linking anything for this section, so you're just gonna have to do some digging for yourself.

chris thile:

solo career

unbelievable amounts of collaborations, too many to list

punch brothers

mutual admiration society

live from here

probably other shit, chris is kinda everywhere

sara watkins:

solo career

watkins family hour

im with her

mutual admiration society

sean watkins:

solo career

watkins family hour

fiction family

works progress administration

mutual admiration society

in conclusion + notes

listen to nickel creek or i will kill you with hammers. if you have any more resources youd like me to add to this post, let me know and i absolutely will!! i do plan on making some fandom-y stuff, such as blinkies and dividers. if youd like to check out all of *my* nickel creek posts, you can visit my #certified creeker tag, or if youd like to see all my posts about chris thile, you can visit my #dangly mandolin boy you will be mine tag. i apologise about the name i just. i like him.

thank u for reading!! feel free to send to anyone you want to annoy the shit out of <3

[doberbutts]

OK so I keep getting asks asking me for an update on my music adventure I started before the new year and, based on your suggestions and also people I already had on my playlist:

[obligatory disclaimer: some of these artists I have already deleted because I'm mad about their non-musical actions, others have followed me since childhood, and some I had well before I knew they were black or had black members in the band]

Alex Boye - black, kinda everything but the ones I have are pop - already had

Alicia Keys - black, r&b/soul - already had

Allison Russell - black, pop - still deciding

Amaare - black, r&b/soul/afropop - still deciding

Amythyst Kiah - black, folk/alt-rock/blues - still deciding

Angel Haze - black, rap/hip-hop - still deciding

Angeline Morrison - black, alt/folk/indie - still deciding

Anjimile - black, alt/folk/indie - still deciding

Anna Field - black, alt/folk/indie - still deciding

Arlo Parks - black, indie/pop/folk/r&b - still deciding

Ben Harper - black, raggae/alt/indie - still deciding

Beyonce - black, pop/r&b/soul - already had

Birds of Chicago - black (wife, married), folk - still deciding

Black Eyed Peas - black (mostly), alt/r&b/pop-rap/EDM - already had

Blanco Brown - black, country/hip-hop - already had

BOB - black, rap/hip-hop - already had

Bone Thugs N Harmony - black, hip-hop/rap - already had

Brittany Howard - black, alt/indie - still deciding

Candi Staton - black, r&b/soul/pop - deleted, this is more my dad's music than mine tbh

Carolina Chocolate Drops - black, pop/folk - not exactly what I was looking for but I like it

Cee Lo Green - black, r&b/soul/hip-hop/EDM - already had

Chris Brown - black, rap/r&b/hip-hop - already had, deleted long ago after he beat the shit out of Rihanna and then released Fine China, but I do like the sound even if the guy singing it is a piece of shit

Ciara - black, r&b/soul/pop/EDM - already had

Clipping. - mostly nb (black rapper), hip-hop/rap/EDM - deleted immediately, this is way too far into the Just Noise territory and several songs give me a headache

Damita - black, gospel - already had

David Jordan - black, metal/pop - already had

Dead South - mostly nb (black cellist), folk/bluegrass - already had

DEATH - black, proto-punk - honestly debating deleting, not a huge fan

Death Grips - mostly nb (black rapper), hip-hop/rap - same problem as clipping, too far into Just Noise and deleted immediately

Destorm - black, EDM/pop/hip-hop/rap - already had

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - mostly nb (black vocals), jazz/funk - still deciding

DJ Casper - black, EDM/hip-hop/rap - already had because cha cha slide

DJ Mehdi - black, EDM - still deciding

Fall Out Boy - mostly nb (black bassist), alt/indie/pop-punk/pop-rock (collabs) - already had

Fatoumata Diawara - black, folk/afro-pop/blues - liked her in Gorillaz collab, still deciding for her by herself

Flowerovlove - black, pop/indie/trap - still deciding but mostly favorable

Flying Lotus - black, EDM - still deciding

Gary Clark Jr - black, blues/raggae/r&b/hip-hop/soul - not exactly what I wanted but favorable

Genesis Owusu - black, punk/rap/hip-hop - also not really what I wanted but favorable

Gloria Gaynor - black, r&b/soul/disco - already had because I will survive

Iniko - black , alt/soul/EDM - still deciding

Iyaz - black, raggae/pop/r&b - already had

Jackson5 - black, r&b/pop/soul/disco - already had

Jake Blount - black, blues/folk - still deciding

Janelle Monae - black, soul/r&b/EDM - incredibly favorable, probably keeping

Jason Derulo - black, pop/r&b - already had

Jordin Sparks - black, r&b/soul/pop - already had

Joy Oladokun - black, pop/folk/r&b/rock - still deciding

JP Cooper - black, alt-rock/soul/house - still deciding

Kaia Kater - black, indie/folk - still deciding

Kanye West - black, rap/r&b/hip-hop - already had because he has a handful of Christian songs my dad likes, deleted long ago because it's Kanye.

Kid Cudi - black, EDM/hip-hop/rap - already had

Laxcity - black, EDM/lo-fi - still deciding but incredibly favorable

Lil Jon - black, hip-hop/rap/crunk - already had because get low

Lil Nas X - black, hip-hop/pop rap/country - already had

Lizzie No - black, folk/blues/country - still deciding

LMFAO - black, EDM/hip-hop - already had

Lou Bega - black, mambo/hip-hop/ska - already had because mambo no. 5

LustSickPuppy - black, rap/EDM - deleted, immediate dislike

Magnolia Park - black (mixed group), pop-punk/alt-rock - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!!!!!! Whoever suggested it, thank you!!!!!!!!

Mangodog - black, pop - still deciding

Maroon5 - mostly nb (black keyboardist), pop-rock/soft-rock - already had

Mavis Staples - black, r&b/soul/folk - still deciding

Me'shell Ndegeocello - black, soul/jazz/hip-hop/raggae - again this is mostly Dad Music and not Jaz Music so it was deleted

Michael Franti - black, hip-hop/raggae/jazz/folk - already had a few because I love his sound and didn't realize he was black, whoever recommended him thank you for the new info

Michael Jackson - black, pop/soul/r&b/rock/disco - already had , it's also Dad Music but it's fun

MikeQ - black, EDM - still deciding

MNEK - black, EDM/pop - THIS IS ALSO EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!!!!!!!

Mon Rovia - black, folk/r&b/soul - still deciding

Morcheeba - mostly nb (black vocalist), hip-hop/rock/folk - deleted, Dad Music

Moses Sumney - black, soul/jazz/alt/indie - still deciding

Nelly - black, hip-hop/rap - already had

Nicki Minaj - black, pop/hip-hop/rap - already had

Nico & Vinz - black, pop/pop-rock - already had

Nightmares On Wax - black, hip-hop/techno - still deciding but highly favorable

Nova Twins - black, alt-rock/punk/nu-metal - deleted, Just Noise

P. Diddy - black, hip-hop/rap - already had, I'm aware of Diddy's deeds however they sang this version of I'll Be Missing You at my grandfather's funeral and it makes me think of him and cry

Plain White T's - mostly nb (black drummer), alt-rock/indie - already had

POD - mostly nb (black guitarist), Christian nu-metal - already had

Pussycat Dolls - mostly nb (black vocalist), pop - already had

Queen Omega - black, reggae - deleted, not my genre. sorry Odie, she doesn't stray far enough into the genres I do like for me to hold much interest

R Kelly - black, r&b/soul/hip-hop/rap - already had, literally the same thing as Diddy I Believe I Can Fly was played at my grandfather's funeral so I've held onto it

Rhiannon Giddens - black, folk/country - still deciding

Rihanna - black, pop/EDM/hip-hop/reggae/r&b - already had

Rusted Root - mostly nb (one black member) , rock - already had

Santigold - black, EDM/hip-hop - EXTREMELY favorable, very very close to what I was looking for

Shannon Funchess - black, alt/EDM/punk - still deciding

Straight No Chaser - mostly nb (black vocalist) - already had, it's an acapella group that did parody mashups of christmas songs that I find hilarious year after year

Stromae - black, hip-hop/EDM - EXTREMELY favorable, very very close to what I was looking for

Sunny War - black, folk/punk/pop - still deciding

Tanerelle - black, r&b/soul/pop - still deciding

Tank and the Bangas - mostly black, soul/hip-hop - not really my genre but I like it well enough

Teebs - black, EDM - still deciding

The Weeknd - black, alt-r&b/pop/EDM - it's weird bc I either hate the song or I really like it with no in-between so far

Thurston Harris - black, r&b/soul/rock - already had

TLC - black, r&b/hip-hop/pop - already had

Todrick Hall - black, r&b/pop/hip-hop - already had - this particular song of his (Beauty and the Beat) re-opened my relationship with one of my black aunts so I kept it

Toro Y Moi - black, EDM/pop/indie-rock/hip-hop - still deciding

Tray Wellington - black, folk/jazz/blues - still deciding

Tricky - black, alt/indie/EDM - still deciding, but favorable

TV On The Radio - mostly black, pop-rock/indie-rock - still deciding, but favorable

Usher - black, hip-hop/r&b/rap - already had

Vagabon - black, EDM/indie-rock/pop - still deciding

Valerie June - black, folk/blues/gospel/soul/country - still deciding

WHOKILLEDXIX - duo with one black member, punk/rap/rock - I also either hate the song and delete it immediately or really like it with no in-between

Whole Wheat Bread - black, rock/punk/reggae/rap - still deciding but favorable

will.i.am - black, hip-hop/pop/EDM - EXTREMELY favorable

Witch Prophet - black, r&b/soul/jazz - still deciding

Wiz Khalifa - black, hip-hop/rap - already had

Yola - black, r&b/pop - this is also Dad Music but I like it and I think her voice is beautiful so I've kept it

[libras-interactives]

If your ocs were in the modern era, what would there favorite musicians be?

So im terrible at naming musicians and such, so ill go for genre and general taste!

Marius: "whatever's on the radio", and old French music his parents would listen to. He probably likes any music that gets him pumped and has a hard beat. Willing to listen to any genre and is terrible at describing what he likes! Doesn't have a spotify or itunes, just types the song into youtube and blasts that from his cracked phone. Loves a handful of French radio stations he streams on his phone; the quality is fucked and it drains his battery but he doesnt care.

Jack: Exclusively oldies bluegrass and gospel bc thats all his parents would play. Modern pop country and christian rock confounds him. He could swear his pa said something about drums being the devil's instrument. Metal is scary until he reads the lyrics and has a small mental shutdown. Just like him fr fr... thinks Marius' French stations are incomprehensible but he says nothing bc he doesnt have a better suggestion.

Lottie: A huuuge pop girlie, as well as jazz and 90s r&b. Yes jazz is a very broad genre, but she'd like so much of it, especially more unique or weird sounds. Doesnt "get" hyperpop or tiktok music and worries she's getting old bc of that. LOVES musicals and would likely be a professional in the modern times, and if not that, she'd be in local theaters.

Eveline: Still uses cassettes and CDs, and theyre all classical, opera recordings and vocalists, mostly European. Enjoys some musicals. She thinks she's kinda up to date on modern pop music, but when you ask her what's the last pop album she listened to, she'll say Celine Dion's Falling Into You. She'd start sobbing if she got to see Natalie Dessay.

Máire: Huge punk and rock girlie, especially the Irish scene. Probably exclusively listens to punk tbh. She'd frequent the clubs and smoke too much in the corner while appearing disinterested but is actually vibing so hard w the music. Really loves making mixtapes and recordings, never got into vinyls or cds. Wants spotify to burn and die.

Malwina: LOOOVES pop and is a massive Britney Spears, Selena, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson fan. 90s-2000s pop is her favorite by far and those are the only CDs she owns. Probs has a beatup little red Ipod she's had since middle school; it was a hand me down from her oldest cousin and she treasures it even if it's "old". Queen of pirating and burning music but by god she paid for her Mariah Carey and Britney Spears cds. She wanted the pretty inserts and lyric booklets.

Slyvester: Loves a lot of swing and oldies from his parent's day, and Italian vocalists his wife adores. They played Andrea Bocelli almost exclusively at the wedding. Finds the music his sons listen to bizarre but doesn't mind the rock and alt rock too much.

[ourshadowstallerthanoursoul]

An audience with... John Paul Jones

(from Uncut, April 2010 - link)

You’re stuck on a deserted island, you have one instrument you can bring. It is: a) piano, b) bass or c) mandolin? (Gary Attersley, Ontario, Canada)

Oh… that’s horrible! I’ll probably get Hugh Manson – the guy who builds all my bass guitars – to build me some monstrous instrument that encapsulated all three! Hugh and his brother Andy Manson once actually designed me a triple-necked guitar with 12-string guitar, six-string guitar and mandolin on it! Andy also designed a triple-necked mandolin. But I guess if it really came down to it on a desert island, it would have to be the piano, because you can do so much on it. You’re a whole band. The bass is not much fun on your own.

John, it’s so good to see you so engaged with today. Any advice for old farts who can’t move on? (Andrew Loog Oldham)

Who are you calling an old fart? I dunno, Andy, you tell me! Ha ha. He’s done a good job of staying up to date. Andrew, of course, gave me the name John Paul Jones. I was John Baldwin, until Andrew saw a poster for the French film version of John Paul Jones. I thought it ’d look great in CinemaScope, as I wanted to do music for films. I imagined it saying “Music By John Paul Jones”, over the whole screen. I never realised then that he was the Horatio Nelson of America!

I know that you’ve been getting heavily into bluegrass lately – who are some of your favourite bluegrass artists of all time? (Ryan Godek, Wilmington, Delaware)

Apart from Bill Monroe, you mean? Oh, there’s loads. I’m friends with the Del McCoury band, I love that style of classic bluegrass. I love Sam Bush’s Newgrass stuff. And of course there’s Nickel Creek, Chris Feely, Mike Marshall. I love it all, really. One thing I like about bluegrass is that you don’t require amplifiers, drums and trucks. You can pull an instrument out of a box and get on with some instant music making. I carry a mandolin around wherever I go. I also like the fact bluegrass musicians play more than one instrument. There’s a tradition of them swapping instruments. In bluegrass bands I swap between double bass, fiddle and banjo.

One Butthole Surfers anecdote, please? (Dave Grohl)

Ha! I was brought in to produce the Butthole Surfers’ 1993 album, Independent Worm Saloon. I guess it was to give it a heavy rock vibe, but it didn’t work like that. They were actually incredibly hard-working in the studio, but I do recall running up a phenomenal bar-bill at the San Rafael studio. And then there was Gibby [Haynes, Butthole Surfers’ frontman] and his… eccentric studio behaviour. Gibby did one vocal take shouting into his guitar. He held it out in front of his face and screamed at it. Ha! He was trying to find out if it picked up through the pick-ups, which it kind of did. And that was pretty good.

How’s the violin coming along? (Sean, Berkshire)

I started about three years ago. With the guitar, or the piano, you can sound OK quite quickly. With the violin, it takes much longer. Once you get past the first six months of scraping, of muttering to yourself, “What is this fucking horrible noise on my shoulder?” you get the odd musical bit, and you think, ‘Oh, this is starting to get good.’ And you continue with it for a while. I’m getting into country fiddle playing, Celtic folk songs, a bit of swing. Basic stuff, but very satisfying.

Why not record a second ‘Automatic For The People’ with REM? (Franz Greul, Austria)

They haven’t asked me! But doing the string arrangements for that album was a great experience, actually. They sent me the demos of their songs, and we went into a studio in Atlanta, with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. They were great songs, something you can really get your teeth into as an arranger. And I’ve been good friends with them ever since.

How did you first meet Josh Homme? And is he still a notorious party monster? (Rob Hirst, Kippax, Leeds)

Well, I think we’ve all calmed down rather a lot. Dave introduced me to Josh at his 40th birthday party. It was a ridiculous themed place where they have jousting with knights. As Dave said, it was like somewhere you’d have your 14th birthday party. Or maybe even your 4th. Anyway, Dave sat Josh and I together for a blind date. Which was reasonably embarrassing for both of us, surrounded by people going “prithee this” and challenging each other to duels. But we survived the trauma and went into the studio the next day, and just started jamming. And I knew immediately it was going to be something special.

If Them Crooked Vultures had Spice Girls-like nicknames what would they be? (Paul Jones, Liverpool)

Dave would be Smiley Vulture. He can’t stop grinning. Josh would be Slinky Vulture. He’s a slinky kinda guy. And I’d be Speedy, I guess. Or Jumpy. So there you go. Smiley, Slinky and Speedy. Or does that sound more like the dwarfs?

I remember you being a pretty funky bass genius back in the day! What memories do you have of those sessions? (Donovan)

The sessions with Don and Mickie Most were great, because we were given a free hand. I usually got leeway, because I was the sort of Motown/Stax specialist, so producers in the mid ’60s would get me in for cover versions of American records, and none of them could write bass parts convincingly enough, so I was London’s answer to James Jamerson, I guess! And I was certainly encouraged to get kinda… funky when I worked with Donovan.

How did it feel to see Jimmy Page and Robert Plant venture off in their own project in the ‘90s without mentioning a word of it to you? (Danny Luscombe, Hull)

Oh yeah, I was pissed off about it. The surprise was in not being told. It’s ancient history now, but it was a bit annoying to find out about it while reading the papers. It came just after Robert and I had been discussing the idea of doing an Unplugged project. Then I’m on tour in Germany with Diamanda Galás, I turn on the TV and see Robert and Jimmy doing it, with someone else playing all my parts! I was pissed off at the time. You would be, woudn’t you? But… it’s all in the past, isn’t it?

Did you listen to much work by Josh Homme or Dave Grohl before you were contacted in relation to joining Them Crooked Vultures, and if so, how did you honestly rate it? (Ralph Ryan, Lisronagh, County Tipperary)

I did like the Foo Fighters and Queens Of The Stone Age, before I’d met either of them. There’s a tendency for people – especially musicians from my generation – to say that there has been this terrible decline in musicianship, that today’s bands haven’t got the chops, blah blah blah. But that’s not true at all. There’s always some people for whom technique on an instrument isn’t necessary. They can get their ideas across without being able to have the chops. But Josh really does have the chops, he just doesn’t feel the need to flash them about all the time. In fact, there were a few riffs he gave me that I had to simplify, because they were bloody difficult to play. I really had to work at it, where he could just flick it off. He is an astonishing musician.

Were you serious when you told Peter Grant that you wanted to jack it in to become choirmaster at Winchester Cathedral? (Brian Fisher, Manchester)

Ha! That was a tongue-in-cheek joke, although I was serious about leaving Led Zeppelin in 1973 unless things changed. But Peter did sort things out pretty quickly. What kind of choirmaster would I have made? A bloody good one! Listen, any way that they’ll pay you for making music is just the best situation in the world. I’d do it for nothing. I don’t care what music it is. I just love it all. The rubbing of notes together. I love it all. I would be very passionate about whatever I decided to do.

What was the worst session you ever did as a jobbing session player? (Adam Burns, Castleford, West Yorkshire)

I generally have fun memories of that time. I’d criss-cross London playing two or three sessions a day, going between Trident and Olympic and Abbey Road and Philips in Marble Arch, you know. You’d be backing Shirley Bassey, Cat Stevens, Lulu, whoever was paying you. The worst experience was a Muzak session. With Muzak sessions, the music was deliberately boring. I distinctly remember one session where I embellished the bass part a little bit, just so that it wasn’t so boring for me to play. They said, “No, you can’t do that. Any interest in the music will distract people’s attention from when they’re meant to be eating.” Or standing in a fucking lift. For fuck’s sake! So I was like, “OK, thanks, bye!”

[almostgenerallyalways]

tgm fic recs

@stcverogers tagged one of my fics in a rec list yesterday and i thought it was such a good idea, i wanted to share some of my own favs

in no particular order:

* * *

hangman 

one time thing // kiss the sun (fight the fire) // love that’s a real long shot  He nods again like that’s exactly what he expected you to say. “I think you’re wrong. Doesn’t matter now though, does it?” i would rec anything by @callsignvalley but this is probably the series that got me most. i also love tailspin and its rooster follow up steady

california coast in your green eyes // i’ll carry my bags just until i can hold you again (2 different series) Bob’s older sister gets the news that his plane went down during a training drill, and shows up at the hospital at the same time as an arrogant pilot. //  Six months after they break up, Jake shows up at Julie’s Family thanksgiving. A second chance holiday romance with fake dating, family drama, and fall festivities. @theharddeck these fics, esp carry my bags, feel so so real and human to me, i love julie and the characterisation of jake feels so on point i also love her series out of the clear, blue sky as well as kinda might, sorta like, love you a little bit + its follow ups

i’ve been holdin’ out so long (4 part series) You can’t stand Hangman, but your dreams lately say otherwise. He notices. @steadfastconviction i adore Bluegrass and her sass

do not engage (series) You hate Hangman. Really, you do... Or so you like to think, until it begins to seem like that distaste might not be as strong as you’d prefer to believe. @clints-lucky-arrow the entire f&f universe is great but Duchess especially is a badass

afterburn (series) It had been clear from the moment you got inside a cockpit that you were going to be something special. You certainly weren’t the youngest Naval Aviator to be invited to TOPGUN, but you had been the youngest to graduate at number one in more than thirty years. Which is all the more reason why it was so tragic that you would never, ever, be able to fly again. @top-hhun is a master of setting a scene

the off-season (series) It was supposed to just be one summer. But somehow you found yourself living in your grandparent’s Maine vacation house indefinitely. It was quiet when the summer tourists left, but tolerable. That was, until your brother’s friend from college needed a place to crash and he somehow wound up staying in your guest bedroom. Also indefinitely. @ereardon just started this series but i’m so into this world (au) already

fuck (the universe) (series) You’re a Kazansky–Tom “Iceman” Kazinsky’s youngest daughter–and you’ve taken after your father and become a Naval aviator. You finished at the top of your class at Top Gun and have worked diligently and fruitlessly to get to where you are now: North Island. You don the call-sign Wisteria not only because the beauty of the flower but because of its lethal qualities. i mention @roosterbruiser below bc i read landslide first but holy fuck indeed

* * *

rooster 

landslide (series) It’s been almost three years since the accident that took half of her, and Faye “Clover” Ledger seems fine, really. She loves her old house, she has a perpetually expanding vinyl collection, she’s got a job she likes on base, and she is only a short drive from the beach. She’s grounded--literally. @roosterbruiser landslide is one of those fics i have to read in little bits because it’s just too good. beautiful writing that just transports me (and i love faye, she may be the most developed fanfic oc i’ve ever read - and I love her taste in music)

baby let’s play house // pt 2  you got yourself in trouble. bradley has a bit of a savior complex. together, you come up with what could potentially be the worst idea in the longstanding and illustrious history of bad ideas. @seasonsbloom i just really love this fic, it shows all the quietest best parts of bradley

first impressions  at the induction day for the newest recruits of the Golden Warriors of VFA 87, rooster assumes you’re a civilian, instead of, you know, a member of his team? you see how far you can push it before he figures it out.  @ohcaptains‘s pilot in this fic is the badass bitch i wish i could be. as well as fucking funny.

like i can (series) After yet another bad date and tired of swiping on apps, the Dagger Squad steps in to help you out by setting you up on a series of blind dates. Much to Rooster’s dismay. @sometimesanalice perfect blend of cute, funny and heartmelting

* * *

bob 

he’s so pretty (when he goes down on me) // pt 2  things between you and Bob are strictly business: he’s your backseater, and that’s all there is. @seasonsbloom‘s writing is so good it made me want to try writing fic myself

* * *

hangman x rooster

we’re fools to make war In a Walmart at three am, between beef jerky and tortilla chips, with the lights flickering above them like it’s the fucking twilight zone, Bradley wants him more than he’s ever wanted anyone. or: it's a hundred degrees in texas. i can’t find a tumblr link for this but the writer is @baroness-elsa. this is 66k words and i read it in two days which probably says enough. holy shit.

* * *

there are many many more (this fandom is FULL of talented writers, damn) but this already took me an hour so that’ll be part 2 haha

[ahedderick]

July, Foraging, and Wind turbines

Last year my son found a fascinating site at the top of one of the larger mountains in the county. There is a well-known rocky outcropping with a gorgeous view that most locals know about, but a short distance away, down a winding and rocky trail, there is also a huge open expanse; probably an old strip mine site. The soil there is thin, acidic, and hostile to trees - so it is densely packed with shrubs and herbaceous plants that like those conditions (also thousands of birds that like things flat and open). Including (drumroll) millions of lowbush blueberry bushes.

We had a lovely time picking them last July, and promised each other we would go back this year and pick WAY more. Here's a link to last yr's post, if you're curious.

However.

Earlier in the summer my son took a ride up there and found that vast swathes of the open area and the surrounding forest had been bulldozed. A wind farm is going in. I'm certainly in favor of renewable energy, and an old strip mine site seems like quite a reasonable place to put one. This isn't wholly a bad thing. But it was a little heartbreaking to have the site changed so massively when we had just found it and gotten to enjoy it.

Last evening the kids, roommate, and I set out with buckets to see if the berry bushes still existed. They do, in a thin strip along one edge of the area. They were pretty scanty, because they had their main 'berry-time' earlier this year, like every other fruiting plant. Also, the extreme dryness left the remaining ones very small.

We had to park a fair distance away, as we did not want to drive the car by all the construction equipment and whatever security cameras were set up. The walk was hot, dusty, but interesting in its own way. Good company. You know. We picked as long as we felt like it, carefully examined some wildlife tracks in the dust, sat at the edge of the woods telling stories as long as we felt like it, and then sauntered back toward the car as the sun hit the top of the next mountain. Roommate was in a bluegrass mood, so we listened to bluegrass.

The harvest was scanty, but enough to make two of my mother-in-law's blueberry cake recipe. There is one sitting on the table right now, smelling amazing.

My daughter cooked dinner - she just called me to the table. <3

[fighting-these-demons]

Silly self indulgent mind wanderin thing - The Devil Went Down to Georgia

It's cool if this one gets no notes I get it isn't to most people's tastes. ✌ No worries on it.

I'm just writing it down in case I want to look back at it and to share a couple songs. -Songs are in the readmore with the Blorbo Brainrot.

Theres a better longer post going over it a bit more but basically the Devil plays a lot of perfect and complicated strings but it all sounds like garbage/wracket, whereas Johnny plays technically perfect/beautifully and with flair some established songs.

Charlie Daniels also said there was an intent of Johnny putting the light of God into his playing that he wished later he'd actually incorporated into the lyrics. Ymmv on that bit.

Song for reference w/lyrics below - I get most of my followers have heard it before, but in case anyone else was curious that hasn't. I couldn't find any versions with subtitles so I figured I'd put them in the post.

The Devil went down to Georgia. He was lookin' for a soul to steal. He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind and he was willing to make a deal When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot. The Devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said, "Boy, let me tell you what."

"I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player, too. And if you'd care to take a dare, well I'll make a bet with you. Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the Devil his due. I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 'cause I think I'm better than you."

The boy said, "My name's Johnny, and it might be a sin, But I'll take your bet; you're gonna regret 'cause I'm the best there's ever been."

Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard. 'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia and the Devil deals the cards. And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold, But if you lose the Devil gets your soul.

The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show." And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow. And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss. And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.

When the Devil finished, Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty good, old son, But sit down in that chair right there, let me show you how it's done."

"Fire on the Mountain". Run, boys, run! The Devil's in the house of the rising sun; Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough. Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no.

The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat. And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back, if you ever wanna try again, I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been." And he played:

"Fire on the Mountain". Run, boys, run! Devil's in the house of the rising sun; The chicken in the bread pan picking out dough. Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no.

(Words in italics / slanted are the names of old fiddle tunes)

--------------------------------------------------------

First and most obviously it would be a funny bit as like a one-shot or something to have the Devil G*nd*m Itself achieve consciousness or something and challenge Dom*n. What if W*ng and Ul*be and Mik*mura and M*ster and Mich*lo are the band? Lol. Anyway.

Alteenatively:

What if Chib*dee decided to play some American Classics for Dom*n while rocketing through dangerous roads at Top Speed? This would be a good one for the playlist.

I've been listening to some songs by Appal*chian An*rchy for fun while driving fast (not illegal fast but probably not prudent fast) out here and they have a vibe that goes well with that too.

Now would Chib*dee actually like Bluegrass? Or Bluegrass/Metal Hybrid songs? Probably not. But he might be showing some music to Dom*n or something idk.

Half of this was an excuse to share the songs so. 🎉

Also the devil went down to georgia is so Yus*ke coded. I know he doesn't win right off the bat but he's really the best there's ever been and the attitude fits him when he's cocky.

[krenenbaker]

Diasomnia Character Songs and Associations

It's finally here! The end of the character songs and associations series! It took a bit longer to get out than I thought it would, but it's now finished.

Here is the seventh dorm, Diasomnia; the dorm of the spirit of nobility. The final of the seven, but also, interestingly, the dorm that started this entire idea.

Notes: Every song is from my liked songs playlist (so feel free to judge me for my taste, haha!) and I only allowed myself to use an artist once for this project. There is also some strong language and mature themes in some of the songs, so be aware if you choose to listen to them. I’ve included: - A song that represents them, - A song they'd listen to, and (for some) an additional song, depending on the character and circumstance

The full Spotify playlist for ALL songs and characters is linked at the end of the post.

Heartslabyul | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia | Pomefiore | Ignihyde

Malleus Draconia

Represented by: Nymphs Finding the Head of Orpheus - Nicole Dollanganger

This song was actually what inspired me to make this series. It just reminds me so much of Malleus. The narrative setting is similar to the ruins he loves to explore, the music itself is somewhat ethereal, and the lyrics reflect the loneliness Malleus often feels, as well as his fear of loss and change.  It's powerful, it's reflective, it's strange, and it's beautiful. Much like Malleus himself.

Listens to: Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550: IV: Allegro assai - W.A. Mozart, Sinfonia Varsovia, Yehudi Menuhin

Malleus likely listens to primarily classical music, and probably knows how to play many of the pieces he listens to. He would especially enjoy the playfulness of Mozart's compositions, as most Mozart pieces (operas, symphonies, etc.) have a light mood, and are usually filled with jokes. Absolutely perfect for a fae prince!

Lilia Vanrouge

Represented by: Phantasmagoria - Polkadot Cadaver

This song feels very Lilia to me. With a focus on (possibly?) playful scaring, and the uncertain or hidden origins of what people see. There's spooks and startles, but is generally meant to be fun... or that's what's assumed. The Avant-Garde metal genre also suits the unique, fun intensity of Lilia's character.

Listens to: After Life in Purgatory - Lock Up

Okay, I know that 'Lock Up' is grindcore, and not the thrash metal that Lilia canonically listens to. BUT he would totally also listen to music like this. It's fast. It's loud. It's full of screaming. Lilia would love it! (And he'd probably somewhat relate to the lyrics of this song too, considering his past...)

Bonus - Suggests for Music Club: Renewal - Veil

Lilia would suggest something like Veil to play in Music Club, arguing that it's more "gentle" and "approachable" for non-metal fans than some other subgenres, which, yes, that may be the case, but still... Cater would be a bit freaked out.

Silver

Represented by: イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ - Babymetal

Silver is an interesting character, being both gentle and fierce simultaneously, which is well-encapsulated in Babymetal's music. The lyrics to this song also are akin to Silver's worldview, and his wish for balance, harmony, and connection.

Listens to: Over the Edge - Sarah Jarosz

I think Silver would listen to softer music, probably a lot of folk, bluegrass, and country music. and, like Jade, he would especially love songs about nature and the outdoors. It just seems like it would suit him!  However, I also think he shares a lot of his father's taste in music, resulting in some very strange playlists...

Sebek

Represented by: Soap - The Oh Hellos

Sebek seems to struggle a lot with his mixed identity, outright rejecting half of his heritage. (I think that's something he will learn to accept at some point in the future, and be able to become even stronger in himself and his identity as a result.) However, Sebek is also a bold, determined individual, and truly cares deeply for those he loves and respects... even if he may not outwardly show it.

Listens to: String Quartet No. 6 in F Minor, Op. 80, MWV R37: II: Allegro assai - Felix Mendelssohn, Quatuor Ébène

Because I think Malleus favours classical string music, I also think that Sebek would believe that he should also listen to similar music (as it is obviously superior!) And while he does enjoy many classical pieces, especially Mendelssohn's compositions, it would probably not be Sebek's preferred music in most situations, even if he does listen to it often.

Bonus - Prefers to listen to: Oscar Wilde Gets Out - Elton John

I'm not totally sure why, but I think Sebek would really like music by Elton John! I think that the softer pop rock sound would be something he would enjoy. Oscar Wilde Gets Out would definitely appeal to Sebek, for the literary allusions and references if nothing else.

[ao3-shenanigans]

Hello! For the ask game:

6, 9, 12

6. Do you have pets?

Yes! I have four cats: LG Cool Girl, Elvira, Kevin and Jules!

9. What's your all time favourite movie/tv show?

Disney’s Moana is probably up there along side Pixar’s Onward in terms of comfort films.

12. Your favourite music genres?

I am a sucker for some Folk as well as Appalachian Bluegrass and some Midwest Emo for a good mix :3

[s1v0n1]

if you gave them the aux

an: some of the boys! P.2 will have some of the girls<3

denki: just don't. People like to think he listens to electro edm pop but oh no. Nope, it's just like him, annoying high pitched and fast- bluegrass. He absolutely jams to that, he thinks it itches something deep down inside. Song: rocky top- the Osborne brothers

Kirishima: it's a gamble, but no matter what it's gonna be good. There are like 3 main options: r&b type funk like slow and groovy, Taylor swift-1989-bashful and sassy pop, and you know damn well he works out to 80's hard rock. Songs: you got it- vedo, new romantics- t swizzle, ace of spades - mötley crew

Bakugo: angry female country songs about murdering cheating husbands. It sounds really specific but it's a pretty big genre and i dunno i see it. Or he listens to things like SZA and doja cat, like studying to good days or cooking to need to know. Songs: before he cheats- Carrie underwood, mamas broken heart- Miranda Lambert, good days- SZA, need to know- doja cat, kiss me more- SZA and doja cat

Midoriya: let's be so real- bro probably still listens to old imagine dragons like radioactive, believer, thunder, you know it. I feel like his music taste is stuck in that era until he starts maturing into slower, sadder songs. Think Lana del rey, Bruno major, Mac Demarco. Songs: heart to heart- Mac Demarco, happiness is a butterfly- Lana del rey, at seventeen- Janis ian

Todoroki: he listens to sad music mostly but he also likes softer sweet songs too- like i dunno how to describe it so here are songs: cover me up- Morgan Wallen, only about love- grentperez, double take- Dhruv, yes to heaven- Lana del Rey, drunk walk home- mitski

sero: all i can think of is like late 90s early 2000s club and pop, I'm talkin Gwen Stefani, Kesha, Rhianna, lady gaga, hell yeah. Tbh i don't feel like i need to add specific songs, like look up a y2k club playlist and that's essentially it.

[embyrinthegarden]

Native Plants and You

I know what you're thinking. "Gardening is for old ladies! All these plants look the same! The sun wreaks havoc on my delicate skin! I have hay fever!" and so on. Listen. This'll only take five minutes and your brain will be HUGE and everyone will be super impressed by your Plant Knowledge at cocktail parties.*

You probably already know that suburban sprawl and the introduction of invasive species is destroying habitats and threatening species, big deal. But! Did you know that you can massively impact food, shelter, and nesting availability for local wildlife with just a few landscaping choices? Too good to be true you say? ONWARD!

Choose Beneficial Natives

Not all plants are created equal. Not only do native plants provide superior nutrition and shelter for your native wildlife species but they are also Host Plants for their delicate lifecycles (even more delicate than your sun-starved skin!).

FOR EXAMPLE. Did you know that the Monarch Butterfly lays its eggs exclusively on Milkweed plants? And they're not just being divas about it. Lots of butterflies and moths have specialized host plants necessary for their lifecycle.

Can you guess how many types of butterfly the famed Butterfly Bush hosts? Go ahead and guess. I'll wait.

ZERO. BECAUSE IT'S INTRODUCED FROM ASIA AND IS USELESS.

So! You can support your favorite species by providing their particular host plants, or go with the heaviest hitters for your ecoregion. But if that sounds like too much work, or if you prefer rampant destruction to carefully nurturing life, the next heading is for you!

Remove Invasive Species

Invasive species are the worst! Non-native plants don't contribute to the lifecycle of our native species and are less nutritionally suited to them (essentially pollinator potato chips). But beyond being generally useless, invasive species actively overtake and out-compete the native plants, destroying habitats right under your nose!

Fortunately, Mother Nature is a Total Beast, and when invasives are removed you will often find struggling, overtaken natives beneath, which will thrive and reclaim the space once their sunlight-sucking neighbors are dealt with.

So grab your trusty Plant ID app and some Implements of Destruction and GO FORTH MY MINIONS!

(But please don't use chemicals. They kill pollinators and poison their food. T_T)

And if you think you're exempt from all of this because all you have is a tidy patch of well-kept grass YOU WOULD BE WRONG.

Your Lawn is a Capitalist Fallacy

Lawns are pollinator deserts. There's no food, no shelter, and I guarantee whatever variety of grass you have is non-native. (And if you're sitting over there all smug like "Hey I have Kentucky Bluegrass, that sounds native to Kentucky, and I am in Kentucky," YOU'RE WRONG AGAIN because it's native range is Europe and north Asia and you've been BAMBOOZLED by the Evil Lawn Industry!)

Now I do not begrudge anyone a smol patch of turf for hosting their posh Victorian Garden Parties, but depending on the size of your croquet tournaments most of that space could probably be put to better use.

And imagine not having to mow it! And having butterflies fluttering about! And birds feasting on the seeds and bugs! And the buzz of adorable native bees!

(I don't mean honeybees, btw. They're European livestock and your native bees are WAY cuter. But that's another post).

The End

CONGRATULATIONS. YOUR BRAIN IS BIGGER. YOUR COCKTAIL PARTY GAME HAS BEEN UPPED. And the next time someone says they want to put up a lovely Norway Spruce hedge, you can say "Well ACKshually..." and expose them for the frauds they are!

Er, unless you're in Norway.

*ymmv

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1108 - Initial Thoughts

And we're back

Some battle lines have been drawn and the Blackbeard pirates made a move, though some people are still in battle or still in pursuit. What more can Oda throw at Egghead? Let's see

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release also

Colorspread of some lovely ladies in a dog manor, all in fancy red dresses (except Robin and Reiju). Would've been cool to include the likes of Vivi, Carrot, Bonney etc. but I'm not gonna be unhappy with seeing Uta, Reiju and Tashigi all getting to join Robin, Nami and Boa

Wonder if Reiju's a frisky drunk or just likes making Tashigi flustered, I'm sure all the fanfic writers are having a field day

We pick up where we left off with Caribou, begging for his life

Van Augur notes how even though it's a government island, they can't trust Caribou to not be after Blackbeard's head

To Caribou's credit Augur at least knows who he is

But there it is, Caribou states he has valuable information, information which will very much endanger Luffy's new territories and allies

Stick him in a fucking barrel

The Vice Admirals continue to lament fighting the Pacifista, and decide to target Bonney to eliminate the authority she has

Got some new Vice Admiral names though; Hound and Guillotine

And that was Vice Admiral Doberman! Looking worse for ware, and also is a stooge

Vice Admiral Tosa is still on the island, and is looking to launch a haki-induced 10-fingered Shigan at Franky and Bonney

Buuuuut rather than give Franky some shine in the Vegapunk arc, Tosa gets flattened by a giant

The giants don't recognize Franky, since he doesn't look like his wanted poster, so ask if they're researchers

Franky does clarify he's among the crew, and Bonney beseeches them to help Luffy, Sanji and Vegapunk - proving some validity to the statement

A scholar also mentioned Vegapunk so there's plans to bring him too

Atlas, Bonney, Kuma and Franky get an escort to the Giants' ship, wonder if this will be Oda's latest divided crew method

More names: Vice Admiral Urban and Pomsky, wondering about Tosa

Bluegrass hijacks a surviving weaponized sea beast and rides to the shore with Doll

Doll was Saul's subordinate 20 years ago, interesting thing to note

That's a thing, the giants can't exactly reach the labophase either way you look at it

Luffy wants to pick up Vegapunk and run, but he's bleeding out and accepted his fate

Luffy doesn't take that for an answer though he made a promise, Vegapunk asks him though to look after Bonney

As much as she has an army of pacifista her high authority still makes her a target for life

Also Saturn is looking more and more like a Yokai painting, probably going full Zoan form

Completely coated in venom, Saturn attacks, with Sanji picking up Vegapunk and Luffy easily dodges

Sanji eats a boot from Kizaru, but in dropping Vegapunk the admiral finally impales his target

Angered, Luffy goes giant and grabs Saturn and Kizaru in place so Sanji can run

Despite being stabbed twice, Vegapunk seems to be in high spirits

Oh we have a THIRD CONTINGENCY!

Vegapunk's got a message out to the world, he's about to spill everything

Like how Shadow the Hedgehog is a punk ass bitch who pissed on his wife

Well this may be the 'incident' part. Just how much can you censor when it comes from Vegapunk himself? Though it'll likely be vague, since I doubt Vegapunk will have all the details to trash the WG and say the Straw Hats were saving him. His word may not hold much weight as an enemy of the state too. Strange Shaka didn't follow suit though.

Alas, Sanji still isn't getting that Kizaru fight it seems, Luffy's going at the double, but I doubt he'll stick to fight. Saturn seems like he's gonna go even crazier at this stage, looks like a wild animal. Bonney may have more crew endorsement mind you, but I still think she deserves a childhood rather than more piracy.

Giants will be a help though, still want Franky to show off a bit, but with Vice Admirals circulating still there is time. The plan is to get off the island, but at the same time everyone's having the same plan, will the Buster Call even succeed? What about the Seraphim? The CP agents? The Sleeping Giant? York? Stussy? Kaku?

Still things floating around, not enough pages to cover them all atm.

[classtrialguru]

Okay here we go.Being a horse jockey must be an exciting profession and I am here to explain the in's and out's of Ace's talent.

Origins

While modern horse racing was introduced in the 18 century, the earliest records of the sport came from the Greeks as they had chariot racing as one of the competitions of that age, so horse racing was inspired by this activity, then it spread to neighboring regions like the Middle East, Africa, Persia, and more . Races in the medieval times were conducted to determine one's speed on horseback. The King's Plate races were introduced by Charles the second which were the first ever races that gave out awarded prizes and when the rules of the sport were first made known.France then established the Prix du Jockey Club in 1836. Betting on the winner has also been around since Louis the 14th.

The Process of a Horse Jockey

Well to become a horse jockey you got to learn how to ride a horse which probably means that Ace learned how to ride a horse prior to becoming a professional horse jockey. The legal age of becoming a horse jockey is around sixteen in America and England. Then you go to an academy like the Bluegrass Community Technical Colleges Equine program which is located in Lexington, Kentucky or the Professional Racetrack Exercise Rider/Jockey Program in Olds College in Canada, and The British Racing School in Great Britain. They also have to have a high school diploma or GED.They are also required to pickup a job in that profession like a stable hand or groomer which means Ace probably knows how to clean a horse in the proper way your suppose to clean a horse. Then you would need to get an apprenticeship license which in the US you would need to pass all their exams and be placed in a racetrack for sixty days by a committee to get hands on training. Another thing that a jockey would need would be a professional and personal reference which personally makes me think. Who was Ace's personal reference like sure he is very talented with riding horses, but with his overall personality assuming that his bark with no bite type of behavior was a thing before he went professional and went like "yep he'll be fine". I mean yeah the reference might be he's parents, but anybody else that was close to him would probably know how he would react in such a dangerous sport, but back on topic. You would then need to compete against schooling race and get your journeyman jockey license. To get your journeyman jockey license you would need to have a two year degree from jockey school and the schools usually limit the amount of students to twelve per year.Next thing to do is hire an agent and join a jockey's guild. The guild's bargain for their members and will provide life insurance, disability benefits, and will advocate for safe working conditions.

On The Tracks

Now that we know the process of becoming a horse jockey, I think we should get into the general stuff they do. The average salary for a jockey is around $52,645 and the crazy things that they only get five percent of what they win. They do a lot of calisthenics like squats and burpees, they're also some weightlifting thrown into the mix. Jockey got a riding simulator to practice how to ride and balance on the horse properly. They usually eat foods with high in proteins and fibers, but they diet themselves and drink little to no water since the weight limit of a jockey is one hundred and twenty five pounds. The horses also have to be one hundred to six hundred. pounds. The colors the jockeys wear are actually for the owners or trainers that employ them and the tradition was influenced by racing events in Italian city communities. Now there are five types of racing that range from flat racing to Steeplechase racing. Flat racing is the kind of usually racing where the jockeys and their horses go around the track to the finish line. National hunt racing or better known as jump racing has the horses jumping over hurdles to the finish. Endurance racing is a fifty to one hundred mile that takes the horses and their riders through different kinds of terrain like forests and mountains. Quarter horse racing is a race that's a quarter of a mile to see which horse can go the fastest under such a short distance. Lastly we got steeplechase racing which is basically the same as national hunt racing, but with different obstacles like water and bushes. There's also a race for horses that haven't won a race. Horses can get over excited because they know they are about to race so the routine in a stable is designed to keep the horses calm.

Betting

Investigation Time

So betting on horses is a complicated system of statistics and the ability of the horse you're betting on. So the least complicated bet would be the straight wagers, which the person would bet on if their chosen horse will win wager it will need to get first place, for place it would need to get first or second place, and for show it would need to get into first to third place. The minimum you can bet on them is $2. Exotic wagers are more complicated and difficult to win since you would be betting on multiple horses. So Exacta is where you bet on which two horses will get in first and second place, Quinella is like Exacta but the places of the horses you bet on can be interchangeable, and for Doubles you can bet on two horses that are in two different races. A technique used by a group is known as show parlay, where the group will bet on the same horse and double the amount they bet on. This is the repeated till they lose their bets.

So now we're at the final stretch. Now it seems that Ace can't do a lot to help solve a murder but he is very strong and stubborn which helps when bodyguarding the crime scene or helping with arguments as an extra insight. He also definitely has a lot of knowledge on workout equipment because of the requirements of his talent, which I will admit is very specific in the case that there's a gym in this chapter and if it was anything else then he would just be a bodyguard. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask at any time.