#punk music is a permanent aesthetic

[melon-fodder]

TANGLED IN YOUR TRANCE • M.LIST

𖤐 TOMA HIRAGI X READER 𖤐

Excerpt: He’s kind of intense, deep frown permanently etched onto his face, popping pills like candy. Usually dressed in perfectly tattered T-shirts and leather pants, his hair is bleached and spiked, one of his eyebrows is pierced—looks like he plays guitar in a metal band.

Which he does.

He isn’t your best friend. You’d barely call him an acquaintance. But there’s an unspoken solidarity between the two of you right off the bat that eventually grows into something more.

Tags: metal band AU, stepcest, stebro!hiragi, stepsis!reader, (but they meet as adults-ish), fem-bodied reader, time skips, explicit content, drug use, violence, jealous/possessive behavior, slow burn, some angst, processing feelings over time, explicit smut, added warnings before each chapter, no set update schedule

READER TAGS: fem-bodied, punk/emo aesthetic, some clothing described (skirts, fishnets, crop tops), a little mouthy, shorter than Hiragi (descriptions of looking up at him, him looming over you), hair vaguely described (no texture descriptors but having it being up in buns or down and straightened, etc.)

Note: music AUs have always been a favorite of mine thanks to all the bandom fic I used to write. Divider credit: @adornedwithlight. Fic title and chapter titles are all Sleep Token lyrics. Part of The Bofurin Brothel’s Music Notes collab! Enjoy and tell me what you think~

01. YOU AND I ARE CRASHING COURSE

02. JUST TAKE AIM; BREAK ME APART

[livinhere]

spotify wrapped is here, time to blow off some steam about spotify wrapped. Let aside that you can very easily see this whole thing as a giant marketing scheme where the consumer does free advertising for the company with an admittedly savvy marketing department and you rarely have a week where more people express their loyalty to a gross monopolistic company, also glazing beyond the fact that it passively works to shame people for account sharing - though, make note of those things - this years wrapped also was just shit. I don't care for your dreamy retro futuristic zany gen-z core aesthetic, just give me my fucking information! There has never been a year where I have been less interested in the info I got and more baffled by the commitment that spotify clearly shows in its made up algorithm genres. I have asked around, and here is a best off bullshit:

•Scenecore Strut Hyperpop

•Indie Sleaze Skateboarding Punk

•Frutiger Aero Escape Room Alternative RnB

•Vampire Rock Out Nu Metal

•Mallgoth Rock Out Industrial Metal

•Small Room Folk Punk

•Golden Hour Ice Skating German Indie

•Light Academia Soft Piano Classical

•Goblincore Fantasy Soundtrack

•Alien Permanent Wave Art Pop

•Scenecore Fantasy Hyperpop

•Pumpkin Spice Permanent Wave Indie Rock

•Theatrical West End Broadway

the last one there is mine, meaning the three weeks I was getting into Hadestown. Again, it was three weeks of Hadestown, and spotify is reselling it to me as my "Theatrical West End Broadway Phase", a word combination so nonsensically ridiculous that I am genuinely at a lack of words to describe my frustration about it. I just wish spotify was a tiny bit more ashamed of the fact that they clearly view music as nothing but consumer product, but I reckon if I was on instagram, I would still see everyone's bullshit in their stories. Maybe it's actually time to get bandcamp or something.

[ticktockmyclockworkhart]

Wuh oh!! I've been based and trollpilled

I was one of the people who scoffed at trolls and thought it was dumb. I take the L. I admit I was wrong... at least about the other movies lol, I still think the first movie was kinda weak but damn did they go from kinda weak to kinda peak. They're nothing groundbreaking but they are fun and a lot less annoying than I anticipated them being.

SO bc I love redesigning things I redesigned some characters and will be redesigning more. Below the cut is my thoughts on the designs~

So for the pop trolls as a whole I think their aesthetic is cute, but kinda conflicts with the worldbuilding in the later movies because all the troll tribes EXCEPT for pop have a very cohesive aesthetic related to their music. I like the smurf-y, crafted aesthetic but it doesn't really scream "pop" yknow? But pop is a kinda unique genre in that it can literally be anything as long as it's very popular and mainstream and any genre can become pop so I decided to theme the pop trolls around different kinds of pop.

Also!! Literally so many people give the trolls tails. And I AGREE. Honestly, I'll take as many degrees of seperation from the good luck trolls as possible bc they're scary as hell. No amount of nostalgia is going to change the fact that good luck trolls unsettled me as a kid and unsettle me now. I'm all for embracing more critter-type looks to them since trolls are in a way like fae so let's get quirky w it!!

For Poppy I wanted to commit and go full ham, bubblegum jojo siwa girlypop girly. It fits her existing aesthetic but also generally when we think pop music that kinda upbeat, colorful "girly" music tends to come to mind. She's got full-time legwarmers because YES I agree with her wearing those in the third movie she should wear them literally always. I initially wanted to give her plaid stuff, that sort of 2000s black and pink plaid that was huge but decided against it because black doesn't really fit her vibe. Rock zombie Poppy however...

She's also got a sparkly vest and SO. MANY. BOWS. Her bowtie is actually more of a smaller choker than a tie but I realize I didn't convey that lol. Her crown is also a pearly kind of clear plastic, like the old Disney princess shoes, remember those?

(I love how the third movie really leaned into the toy inspiration aspect of it so fuck yeah I'll lean even harder!!)

And this time she's the one with frosted tips because as Branch said, IT WAS AN ERA!! And I really wanted to stick to the vaguely Y2K theme with her.

For Branch, he doesn't have as much of a committed aesthetic reflecting his complicated relationship with music, but I pushed him into a soft pop-punk aesthetic with what he does have, and maybe a tiny sprinkling, just a hint of grunge... which he kind of did on his own in the og design. And again, I'm all for leaping into as far of a departure from good luck trolls as possible so I ditched his troll hair and gave him long, droopy, probably greasy emo boy hair. Has the added benefit of any time he uses his hair as a tool or weapon it becomes the sickest headbang hair flip. I buy into the theory that due to his trauma and probably depression, Branch only shows his "true colors" when excessively happy and his normal state is kind of permanently muted, but I gave him a streak of the blue as well. Whether it's dyed or not is up to yall lol.

I originally was going to change his clothes, but because the third movie establishes his vest was a gift from Floyd I decided against it. He does wear suspenders under it though, but they can't be seen. Probably has a chain wallet too, the hot topic goblin he is... I did change the color of his pants to black though, and to show how much of a bedraggled recluse he is, I made sure the patches matched colors with his vest to show he's been slowly taking the least visible parts of the vest apart to patch his pants. Poppy, get your man some skinny jeans.

Let me know what yall think!! This is such an EMBARRASSING interest to have lol I'm really putting myself out here with this one... not as bad as my danganronpa days though

[yourflame]

USING MY PSYCHOKINETIC POWERS TO COMPEL YOU TO YAP ABOUT YOUR PHANTOM BNUUY

I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT THIS ASK BTW I'M VERY FLATTERED YOU WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT !!

i'll say this first though: i don't have any concrete designs for these characters, they're just concept designs at the moment because my attention to design them won't last long enough.

first i'll kinda set the scene! the lunar dimension is a parallel world to sonic and blaze's worlds, and it's aesthetic is inspired by vaguely steam-punk / old western / dark victorian / & generally old world cultures... with ofc the halloween-town like vibe (it's meant to feel charmingly spooky :3 cuz halloween aesthetic is one of my faves and i grew up on soul eater heehee)

Fable the Jack-Rabbit is the sonic-stand-in for his dimension: the lunar dimension. similar to blaze, he was the prince of his kingdom, but ultimately ended up denouncing that title when things broke bad, for their world was plunged into an eternal darkness that he was kinda framed as being the malicious cause for (it was actually warlocknik - a dangerous warlock that keeps messing with the undead so they can power his steam-badniks (aka this universe's eggman.)

fable used to go by feels, (and before that, felice) - and there was this prophecy when he was born that he would bring bad luck to their kingdom (a nod to white-rabbit symbolism) and the theme of bad-luck is kinda big with fable.

warlocknik permanently fucked with supernatural forces and broke the barrier between the living and the dead, so at night there are always spirits roaming around. many of them are harmless! but many are also malevolent and dangerous.

Fable got into a scuffle with Warlocknik when he discovered he was trying to steal the... the... Thing. (idk i'm still working it out but in typical Eggman fashion he stole a powerful artifact to unleash the undead) - Fable tried to stop him, and accidentally received powers that ALLOW HIM TO GO-GHOST (yeah, he's basically danny phantom lmfao) - he can phase through walls and interact with/talk to the dead. he's also fast like Sonic and Blaze and can kick/jump really good.

this event, like i said, plunged the world into 'eternal darkness' and everyone thought it was Fable's fault bc of the prophecy. he set out to fix this mistake, his friend Ally Cat (Amy stand-in) who's a western styled gunslinger tagged along because she wasn't about to let him do this alone. on the way, they met a steam-punk tinkerer owlet named Omen the Owl (Tails stand-in) and this eccentric, undead 'hellhound' named Crypt the Wolf (Knuckles stand-in) that's basically if Ryuk from Death Note was also Beetlejuice and Free from Soul Eater and also liked to sing a lot lol. Crypt was hunting Fable because of his contact with supernatural powers and his soul needed to be returned to the realm of the dead (basically plays the part of grim-reaper here) BUT with Omen's clever thinking, he helps Fable and Ally trick Crypt into all playing instruments together, which seemed to appease the swaths of undead spirits in the area. by doing this, they were able to win over Crypt and make a deal with him that he could take Fable's soul when Fable finally died... since... technically, he's still alive. this would also mark the beginning of Fable's 'rebellion' as he realized he loved playing music and adventuring with his new friends, he didn't wanna be a leadership figure anymore- he wants to play in his new band!

together, the four went on this long quest and were able to take down Warlocknik and purge the eternal darkness. however, the bridge between the realm of living and realm of the dead was still broken, so at night spirits still come out to haunt and cause mischief. i like to imagine there was this big emotional moment with Crypt where they all thought he was gonna have to leave and they'd lose their lead singer because they fixed everything, but then he comes back out of the spirit gate and is like 'nope, it's still busted gang.' KDFSDJF

also, there is a Shadow-stand in! his name is Splice the Stoat, and he's an actual demon hunter. he traded his ability to feel emotions in order to have the power to kill demons, because deMONS KILLED HIS FAMILY OK!!

yeah, it's all kinda my brain child that i'd love to add here and have interact with ppl. i just don't know when i will, because it'll require a lot of character design and iconing and drawing and bleh... but yeah!

ALSO, THERE'S A PLAYLIST FOR THE TYPE OF MUSIC I THINK THEY PLAY. their band is called the 'Backyard Bandits'!

[objectivesubjectivity]

My Favorite Albums of 2024*

*not necessarily from 2024

I'm back at it once again, sharing my Top 10 CDs, in alphabetical order by title, from the 151 I've acquired over the past year. They may not be from 2024. Hell, they may not even be from this century. But I didn't physically own them until this year. That's the only rule. And boy do I love making up absolutely meaningless rules. Let's get into it!

Say Anything - All My Friends Are Enemies: Early Rarities

Say Anything released one of the most unhinged, passionate, and self-indulgent albums I picked up this year and it may have made it on this list if it wasn’t for splurging on a 3-disc (!!!) compilation of all of their pre-Is A Real Boy material showcasing just how great of a songwriter Bemis can be. Plus, his commentary all over the liner notes is *chef’s kiss*.

Charlie XCX - Brat

I spent a decent amount of time declaring how this was “not for me” (I’m in my late 30s, I don’t go to clubs, I’ve never done coke, etc…) but it just didn’t let up. The overarching concept of accepting one’s full self, flaws and all, is universal and these songs have a depth that blossoms on repeat listens. There’s a reason this is on all the "best of" lists.

Cursive - Devourer

It’s been a year of “return to form albums” and none has been as exciting or as potent as Cursive’s 10th. The cello is back. The horns are back. It’s as loud, brash, and pessimistic as ever but Kasher also reminds everyone that he can also write one hell of a hook. Also, while “MUSTARDDDDDDDDDD” takes the cake for greatest yelled lyric of the year, Tim spewing “MOTHER FUCKER” on “The Age of Impotence,” is a close second.

Eels - EELS TIME!

I had given up on E’s lyrical prowess a good decade ago but maybe that was premature. While this album has a smattering of the lazy, cringeworthy rhymes gracing most things post “Blinking Lights,” it also is home to a myriad thoughtful and earnest ponderings on the temporal nature of life and how we choose to spend our finite amount of time. Oh, and an incredible verse about going on a date with someone who likes furries. EELS ARE FUCKING BACK, BABY.

Hello Mary - Emita Ox

I wanted to like Hello Mary’s self-titled album a lot more than I did. The Brooklyn 3 piece possessed a delicate fury and 90s post-grunge aesthetic that warmed my heart but the album never really stuck. That’s not the case with Emita Ox: it’s heavier and more mathy but it balances those elements with lush harmonies and superb melodies. This sounds like a band finding themselves and I cannot wait to see what they discover next.

Devon Kay & The Solutions - Grieving Expectation

Every year I go on a Pure Noise Records shopping spree (it helps that their cds are frequently quite cheap and BOGO) which allows me to discover a ton of music I otherwise wouldn’t have heard and every now and then, I find a gem. This is one of those gems. Blurring the lines between ska, punk, emo, and good ol’ fashioned “Alt-Rock,” this album hits like Jeff Rosenstock by way of “Bring Your Own Stereo” era Jimmie's Chicken Shack. It’s got great choruses, a killer horn section, and I found myself frequently reaching the end and starting it right back over again. Easily my favorite discovery of the year.

MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

This is popping up in one of the top 3 slots on many of the End of Year lists I’ve checked out and for good reason. It’s instantly approachable with humorous and poignant lyrics that unearth themselves more and more on repeat listens. Also, to stand out in the crowded “Americana” field these days is a feat in itself. Bravo.

Macseal - Permanent Repeat

I saw this four-piece open for The Wonder Years a couple years ago and was immediately intrigued by how their melodies and chord progressions consistently shifted away from where I expected but not at the expense of the song itself. In yet another crowded field, this time emo-tinged Americana (“Emoacana?”), they definitely made a mark. A couple years later, they’ve replaced some of the twists and turns with a deeper ability to craft great, memorable songs, and, holy shit, is it effective. It’s pretty ballsy to name your album “Permanent Repeat” but that’s basically what this disc has been doing ever since it showed up in my mailbox. This is, hands down, my album of the year.

Martha - Please Don’t Take Me Back

Positively pleasing, practically perfect, politically-charged, pop-punk from across the pond. Head-bopped to this one many times this past year. No skips.

The Pharmaceutical Bandits - Those Damn Bandits

This isn’t a “good” album per se (it’s the debut album from a late 90s teenage ska-punk band so expectations probably shouldn't be that high in the first place) but it was one of the only Drive-Thru Records CD I didn’t own, so of course it had to be on this list. 

To their credit, after this album, they altered their name to Rx Bandits and put out a ton of great ska-punk tracks. And then they went prog-rock and put out some great tracks in that style as well. It’s a strange journey but well worth it.

Other albums I liked from 2024 but haven't yet physically acquired.

Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal (Only Vinyl pre-release at the moment. Hoping for a CD as well.)

Tyler, The Creator - Chromakopia (Ordered it back in November. Possibly still stuck in transit?)

Kendrick Lamar - GNX (pre-ordered the CD from Amoeba. Feels right to get that from a Cali based store)

Other Assorted 2024 Stuff

Favorite Live Bands seen in 2024:

Emperor X (The Broadway - 4/27)

Something Corporate (Asbury Park - 8/23)

Soul Coughing (Brooklyn Steel - 10/4)

Hello Mary - (Warsaw 10/26)

The Blood Brothers (Irving Plaza - 12/13)

Favorite Plays seen in 2024

The Ally (The Public)

Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre)

Life and Trust (Connell Tower)

Medea RE: Versed (Sheen Center)

Gypsy (Majestic)

Favorite Movies seen in 2024

Love Lies Bleeding

Strange Darling

The Substance

Longlegs

The Endless

Beetlejuice (the original, I haven't seen the sequel)

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

Late Night with the Devil

Milk and Serial

Labyrinth

Favorite TV seen in 2024

Alice in Borderland (Season 2)

Baby Reindeer

Rhythm and Flow (Season 2 - even though I disagreed with their final choice)

Abbott Elementary

Only Murders

Last Week Tonight

Just For Us

Favorite Podcasts listened to in 2024

Entrée PeeE Neur’s Entrepreneur Tour Featuring Appetizer P Neur

The "Drop Dead Gorgeous" Episode from Scott Hasn't Seen

The Secrets Hotline

Detoxicity

The Run Up

538 Politics Podcast

The Daily

Favorite Books read in 2024

All The Kings Men by Robert Penn Warren

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

Basketball (and Other Things) by Shea Serrano

Slonim 9: A Memoir by Daniel Barban Levin

[beyond-a-name]

Top five music albums of the 2010's :3

Oh god I have to actually think about what came out in the 2010s. Uhhhhhhhhhh

1. Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino by The Arctic Monkeys: This is one of the first times I really excitedly bought an album and listened to it as a cohesive artistic piece, rather than just as background music or something I got with family. It is one of the few albums I let take up the very limited storage on my phone, and it is the first album I was interested in enough to research its meaning and concept. 10/10

(Uhhh okay I gotta go look up some other albums I'll be back.) [Exit stage right]

[Some time passes.]

Okay I'm back and I have reviewed albums.

2. Unearthing the Sentience by Beyond Flesh: So first off, I discovered this album this year through a friend of mine, and I absolutely love it. It's a technical death metal producer duo that released this and another album (the other one came out in 2020 and so doesn't count for this :/). It is entirely instrumental, but each song is so distinct. It'll introduce a concept, put a few spins on it, then tie it all together in a beautiful conclusion. The songwriting methodology honestly reminds me of Super Mario level design (as laid out by GMTK on youtube) in its expressive focus. Half of the duo, Juan Carlos Hernández, has genuinely become one of my favourite artists of all time. I have not yet had the pleasure of exploring his whole discography, but what I have thus far listened to has been extraordinary. Every piece is an imaginative journey that I delight in being swept up in. If you want to enrich your musical tastes a little more, you can find more of his work spread out across a few different bandcamps (his dungeon synth/ambience/fantasy works, his doom metal project, and his other works) or check out the occasional work posted to his tumblr at @imsobadatnicknames2. The works are entirely prolific and delightful, and this album in particular has been one of few that's started me getting into more metal. 11/10

3. Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me: I also found this one this year, and it was recommended through another friend. Amazing punk music about being trans (and other topics, of course). I had shown great interest in punk culture and aesthetic approaches, but this was a really good deliberate foray into the music itself that resonated with me personally (I'm a trains). The album was released after the singer and frontwoman came out as a trans woman, and it heavily centres her experience in doing so in a way that is really provocative and heartfelt. Some of the songs seem, I guess the word is insecure? In a way I don't really resonate with, but I guess that's the point, isn't it? The first two songs, Transgender Dysphoria Blues and True Trans Soul Rebel, have been permanently etched into my heart. I also really like Paralytic States. Really good to listen to as a full album. 10/10

4. Morning Coffee Chillhop Lo Fi Electronic Mix by Various Artists: "But wait!" I hear you exclaim. "That's not an album, it's just a youtube lofi mix!" Yes. Anyway, this mix has been my absolute favourite since I first heard it, and it really kickstarted my exploration of lofi. Like before this I was checking it out, but upon hearing this, I was well and truly hooked. The first song overlays audio from a tv scene (I think it's twin peaks?) about rewarding yourself every day, ("Every day, give yourself a present,") and it's a lovely sentiment to begin an album a mix on. the use of additional audio throughout is typical for lofi, but it is used to great effect here to elevate the music it's played over rather than obscure it while rendering each song distinct. It was also the first time (or at least most memorable time) I heard something like that. I do not know the name of a single song on this mix, and if I ever lose access to it, I will kill everyone within a five kilometer radius. 10/10

5. Starbomb's Self-Titled Debut Album: This is a comedy album around video games composed of several Game Grumps members, and I bought it as a teenager and listened to it front to back maybe more times than I got a good night's sleep. I'm not really into Game Grumps anymore, and now I kind of tend to skip NSP (other Game Grumps-adjacent band) when it comes up on older playlists of mine. But like, I couldn't un-memorize this thing even if I wanted to, and it is somehow one of like 6 albums still on my phone (Tranquility Base was unwittingly bought on Google Play Music and did not outlast its end) even since getting a new phone. Even the Caravan Palace album, while it's still on my device, didn't soundtrack my teenagedom nearly as pervasively, and it does not stand out as much as the other entries here (you should still listen though). I can sing along flawlessly to every track, and it is lovingly catalogued by that dorky teenager I carry in me as I keep growing through adulthood. It's my alarms sometimes. I want to rate it lower, but I have loved it too entirely for too long. 10/10

Surprise Bonus Play!!!!!!!! (Woa!) (Honourable Mention)

6. Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 by The Flaming Lips: This one is maybe cheating a bit as it's a greatest hits album, but whatever. I initially bought this on impulse as a gift for a friend for his birthday (I bought myself one as well), and I fell in love with how silly the song names and premises were. We all loved it, and had a blast listening to it via his playstation, then later in the car when we went camping together. I genuinely did not realize that it might be a somewhat well-known band before I saw the inclusion of one of their songs in the game Hi-Fi Rush. (Hint: They are very well-known. They have many awards and a long history. Their discography has its own wikipedia article seperate from their main article. I didn't know any of this until I came to wrote this.) I especially like "She Don't Use Jelly," which aside from being very funny, also implies a delicious toast recipe which I wholeheartedly recommend everybody try. 10/10

[riddlerosehearts]

Ok, I need to know your fob album ranking and top 10 songs, GO!

oooh okay so i need to start by saying that i am heavily biased toward their older stuff because... i've listened to fall out boy since i was probably too young to listen to fall out boy AFGKJDF and their pre-hiatus albums essentially shaped my music taste and helped me get through a lot of difficult times in my life. so i'm really just generally more attached to them than the rest but i do like every single one of their albums at least a little because they all have songs i love. i also had to think about this a bit and am still not sure if it's a perfect ranking because i'm incredibly indecisive. but this is what i'm feeling right now! (also i apologize in advance for adding a bunch of commentary and rambling instead of just giving you the ranking LOL)

albums:

from under the cork tree - was the first FOB album i ever listened to so i'm biased but it's so fucking good. especially if you include the bonus tracks from it. there is not a single song on here that i don't love.

infinity on high - contains my favorite FOB song (okay maybe it's illogical that my #1 song is from my #2 album but listen... it's a very close #2), aesthetically has the coolest album cover, and it's just fantastic all around--again, especially if you include the bonus tracks.

take this to your grave - i feel like a lot of people hate TTTYG nowadays and i'll never understand why. it's a great album. it's classic pop punk and just pure fun.

folie a deux - literally never understood the hate this album got when it came out!! it's so good!! i remember listening to the whole thing the same day as it dropped and loving it and being so confused seeing how much people complained about it :(

so much (for) stardust - okay i actually love this album so much that #5 feels too low but if i switched it with folie then #5 would feel too low for folie so idk 😭😭 my favorite post-hiatus album BY FAR though. it's sooo good and it's also special to me because i literally never got to see fall out boy live until they toured for its release last year.

save rock and roll - has some misses for me, as do the albums i've ranked below it, but overall i like my favorite songs from SRAR more than i like my faves from the albums below, and it gets bonus points for how cool the youngblood chronicles is + the nostalgia i associate with FOB's return from their hiatus.

american beauty/american psycho - ABAP gets a lot of hate but i think it kind of rocks actually and putting it at #7 feels slightly wrong. it's really only this low because something has to be and because again, i like my favorite SRAR songs more than my favorite ABAP songs.

mania - i think a lot of people on here get mad if you put MANIA last so i'm sorry afksjgdsf. it honestly just has the lowest number of songs i really like and has several that i don't. though i will say that last of the real ones is a certified banger and i was so glad it had a permanent spot on the tourdust setlist.

songs:

hum hallelujah - my beloved 💙💙 when i saw FOB live they had a slot on the setlist where each night they'd either play bang the doldrums or hum hallelujah and i won't lie, i did feel disappointed for a second when doldrums started. i got over it because i love that song too but. hum hallelujah is one of my all time favorite songs.

i slept with someone in fall out boy and all i got was this stupid song written about me - my favorite song on FUTCT and another all time fave. i also think this is the funniest song title of all time btw.

XO

G.I.N.A.S.F.S. - so jealous of anyone who's gotten to see this played live as a magic 8-ball song :(

calm before the storm - this having a permanent spot on the tourdust setlist got me hyped like you wouldn't believe because they had last played it in 2007. underappreciated banger.

love from the other side - this was literally my top song of 2023 on my spotify wrapped. i made an angsty raeda gifset with lyrics from it not long after the single came out because it made me so insane.

sugar we're goin' down - might be a bit of a basic choice but it was the first FOB song i ever liked and it fucking slaps 💖 also when i saw them live i swear patrick changed the lyrics to "wishing to be the friction in his jeans" which is just. legendary and iconic of him.

disloyal order of water buffaloes

grand theft autumn/where is your boy - again, a basic choice, but sometimes things are popular for a reason!

the carpal tunnel of love

[selchwife]

i usually think about the whole non-goth fankid thing with daughters bc there is a huge element of hilarity to me in like the whole “little girl who has just discovered pink” aesthetic directly contrasted to her parents, Polycule Of Guys Who Visibly Listen To London After Midnight

i was this type of kid for a bit before declaring a blanket hatred of pink and then going through a scene phase and then going through a second “i’m discovering pink and I WILL win at being a girl this time” phase and then like giving up forever and accepting my destiny as a guy with an all black band shirt heavy wardrobe. also have always liked goth & post-punk music in one form or another and just got more into expanding my horizons recently.

saying this because I don’t think this is at all the trajectory our hypothetical daughter would take in life I think she is permanently like the episode of the Addams family where pugsley turns normal

[foxtricksterwriting]

The Vatican MCs

Author's Note: I'm going to do these MCs all in one post 'cause I didn't feel like doing my usual format. Bruh the moodboards get cut off slightly, make sure to click on them/open them in a new tab/whatever you're supposed to say.

Tags: @the-vatican-if

Bennett 'Ben' Honeycutt | man + He/him | 22 | Face claim: Paul Simonon | ❤ Ace or Jules

Punk man with a motorcycle, he's cheery and enthusiastic. Ben's loyal to a fault and way too forgiving. No self preservation to be found, he'll dive head long into danger for his clients with little to no plan but somehow walks out with the best result. He spends so long moving around that he doesn't actually have a permanent home. Everything he owns fits in one suit case that he takes everywhere with him. I imagine that at some point before the story he had a cat that he had to give up due to his aforementioned lack of a home. He's a big music snobfan and can talk your ear off about the ins and outs of music.

Makana Raiola-Jamison | Demigirl + She/they | 20 | Face claim: Auli'i Cravalho | ❤ Ezra

Calm, blunt and protective, she's a good person to have as a paranormal investigator. She doesn't rest until her client is satisfied with her work and is relentless in her pursuit. Her goth aesthetic wards off the people she doesn't want to talk to, namely old conservative people. They don't have patience for people like that. They have a pet tarantula named Euchariah and they love him dearly. Yes, that is a reference to something. They do photography in their free time and holds the photos they take close, especially while they travel.

Roksana Kupiec | nonbinary + Fae/they/bun | 26 | Face claim: Weronika Spyrka | ❤ Stevie or Vinny

Fae act professional with faer clients and fae dress the part as well. Fae love faer fashion and you can find fashion magazines in most, if not all, of faer bags. That's not to say that they can't be chaotic and bratty, though. It's just that people don't usually see that side of them. Maybe the boys can help them loosen up a little.... without pissing them off too much in the process. I doubt it. Bun is the most prepared of the bunch, think doomsday level of ready. Shit is stashed everywhere and I feel like bun pulling things out of nowhere would be a running joke of some kind; a little container of salt shoved under the couch, a book with a thousand ways to banish a demon in the kitchen cabinet where you keep cereal.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

X-Ray Spex - Germfree Adolescents

When I saw this album on the list my heart grew three sizes and the rolling stone list bastards gained significant good will with me. This is possibly my favorite punk album of all time. It's got a sincerely rebellious attitude mixed with a heaping of camp. The day-glo aesthetics and prominent saxophone fly in the face of contemporary punk, but that little bit of deviance makes all the difference. The songs are so much more exciting for their quirks whether it's Poly Styrene's insane delivery on songs like I Can't Do Anything and Oh Bondage! Up Yours, or the 50s rock style sax lines on nearly every track. I permanently have the way she hits the R in rat on the line "Freddy tried to strangle me with my plastic popper beads, but I hit him back with my pet rat" living rent free in my head. It has to be heard to be believed.

The Cars - s/t

By all rights this shouldn't be a good album, let alone a great one. It's got this sterile synth new wave sound that is very 80s and for that it could be a little ahead of it's time. Now the hits on this album are huge, everyone probably knows Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl, and Just What I Needed, but for my money I would suggest Moving In Stereo as the best track. It is more genuinely new wavey than the rest and has a synth line that I get stuck in my head every time. Usually I can actually pinpoint some quality of the music that I like, but for The Cars I think it might just be that they wrote magnificently catchy pop songs, and sometimes that's all you need.

Eminem - The Slim Shady LP

White people love to put Eminem at the top of best rappers of all time lists. This is bullshit obviously, but talk to the real hip hop heads though and they'll all agree he still belongs in the top 10. While his subject matter is controversial to say the least it is undeniable that his flow is one of the best and being produced by Dre means that this album just sounds fantastic. And speaking of Dre, the absolute peak of this album is the duet on Guilty Conscience where Shady plays the devil and Dre the angel on the shoulder of several characters. It plays out masterfully. If you can get into the kayfabe then Slim Shady's antics can be appreciated as the joke they're obviously meant to be and while some of the murder fantasy stuff is a little tasteless even for me there's just as much that comes through as intended. The biggest problem is that the joke wears thin halfway through and become just bleak for a few tracks, but it comes back around by the end.

Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure

The creative strife between Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno came to a head on Roxy Music's second album. The tension between art rock and sleazy glam may not have mapped to the tension between the two Briyans but the tension is there nonetheless. Glam rock was always a little surreal and this album takes that and runs with it on tracks like In Every Dream Home A Heartache which is about fucking a blow up sex doll, and For Your Pleasure which outros for four minutes with increasingly spacey drum and keyboards. A proper sendoff for Eno, and a great finale to the album.

[bloodyvenomboy]

Alright time for more Frankie bits

She's on the road alot. Somewhat of a roadie, traveling around during concert season to see all the bands and what not. During which she sets up a booth to sell wares. Bleach painted shirts, upcycled shirts, pins, buttons, chain harnesses. And if she's allowed to she has a traveling bar to bartend.

During slow season she shacks up in whatever town and works as a bartender.

Traveling around alot with not permanent address, makes it real easy to nab her should she catch the eye of a murderbabe.

Also thinking instead of playing an instrument she's a real good metal vocalist. Though she still wants to learn how to play bass or guitar. Eventually she would love to have her own sort of punk grunge metal band. Finding members ain't easy tho.

Also. Quite short. Only about 4'11, or 5'1'

Frankie-stein is one of her nicknames. Given her sort of aesthetic.

Parents weren't the most well off but were always very supportive of her passion for music. And scraped together what they could for vocal lessons. Her and her parents all share a love for the punk rock scene. Learning how to upcycle and sew from her mother and chain work from her dad

Also, despite alot of the body piercings, big fan of wearing latex.

[thebugthatlivesinyourbed]

So I now have the confidence to post oc stuff that isn’t connected to any other universe this all just came from my tiny little brain and this whole Netflix series that I came up with that I still don’t have the guts to make a whole damn comic cuz it a lot of work, but I still might do it idk

Yeah I’m gonna introduce one oc and just prey people don’t think it’s cringe

And is it ok that I put her ethnicity? Idk just let me know if it isn’t

Anyways this is Mia

Info:

Full name: Miriam Grimmins (duh)

Age: 15

Species: Human

Ethnicity: Chinese

Height: 5’3

Headcannon Voice: Leah Lewis (the girl who voices Ember in elemental)

Yays: The Goth aesthetic, Punk Music, jet ski-ing, gardening fruits and vegs with dads (she has 2 dads), sketching and painting, pink and black, horror films

Nays: art block, keeping secrets, feeling excluded, not being taken seriously, shoveling snow (she live in a snowy area) sleep paralysis, loud noises, the pain it took to get the nose piercings, shaky hands

Personality: introverted, sensitive, mature, caring (at times) brave, carful, selfless, emotional, secretive, hesitant at times, negative at times

So when’s there’s oc’s at least some of them got trauma

Just incase tw: death cuz death can be a hard topic for some people so just skip this part if u don’t wanna here about it

So her mom died in a car accident, she was in it too which left Mia with permanent nerve damage, then also lead her to believe it was her fault the accident happened when it really wasn’t. I’m not gonna go into to much detail right now about it maybe for another post when I get into other oc’s backstory with hers included, srry it was short

ok please tell me if I did something wrong so I can fix it anyways that’s Mia

Have a great day

[anitosoul]

My Favorite Albums of 2020, 30-21

30. HEALTH, DISCO4 :: PART I

Favorite Tracks: POWER FANTASY | HATE YOU | DELICIOUS APE

HEALTH’s music is the definition of cyberpunk: a resumé that includes composing video game soundtracks and having a song called CYBERPUNK 2.0.2.0 seem like worthy criteria. However, the beauty of DISCO4 is its ability to show how extensive cyberpunk can get, with features ranging from Xiu Xiu to Soccer Mommy. The album’s moody glitched-out noise rock made my late night bike rides feel like a scene from Akira in the best way possible. I highly suggest the “POWER FANTASY” music video, where a bizarre heart-shaped monster runs through a Sonic the Hedgehog 2-inspired 3D half pipe, visits various deceased celebrities after getting a game over, and then takes a hit of DMT for an ultimate tripped out power-up. It’s just…the best.

29. Caribou, Suddenly

Favorite Tracks: Never Come Back | Ravi | Lime

It’s hard to define Suddenly, with its amalgam of pop, electronic, disco, techno, R&B, and experimental production serving as the basis for Daniel Snaith’s poignant songwriting. Having been released on February 28th, this swirl of emotional textures fittingly paralleled the surreal chaos of early March. After making the decision to return home to Oklahoma as it became clear that the virus was going to ravage NYC, I spent one last night with my best friends I had made in the city. It was a rainy night, and the bus I was supposed to take home never arrived (classic). I decided to walk home instead, listening to Suddenly as I passed the Harlem storefronts and streets I had become so familiar with. It was eerily quiet, like everyone had the sense that things were about to change: the calm before the storm. As I said a temporary goodbye to the life I had began just months ago so starry-eyed, Suddenly was evocative of an unpredictable rainstorm, washing away expectation and forewarning of the world’s caprice.

28. Rina Sawayama, SAWAYAMA

Favorite Tracks: XS | STFU! | Comme des Garçons

In November, I got really interested in the Y2K aesthetic for various reasons: nostalgia, for one, but mainly because of the interesting parallels it had to 2020. It seemed like the 20-year cultural cycle was in full force: the all-encompassing nature of technology that was present in the dot com boom of the late ‘90’s and the anxiety of the electrical grid shutdown at the turn of the millennium was an interesting parallel to the rapid rise of social media, the sudden shift of our entire lives onto Zoom, and their literal impacts on individual and societal mental health. The presence of catastrophe also played a factor, with the consequences of global and political crises changing culture permanently. Looking to music of the era was fascinating to me as I considered the rise of bubblegum pop like boy bands and Britney Spears and the simultaneous fall of rock into either weird nu-metal, pop-punk, or indie: what cultural lessons could be learned from such a transitionary period? This is where SAWAYAMA comes in: it’s like an audio scrapbook of everything I remember from my early 2000’s childhood, from the sumptuous aesthetics in fashion and media, the callow angst of pop-punk YouTube music videos, and even the Utada Hikaru-inspired J-pop that I was obsessed with from playing hours of Kingdom Hearts. Sawayama combines all of these ideas into a package undeniably contemporary and surprisingly refreshing, reviving the escapism and catharsis of the 2000’s that’s sorely needed in 2020.

27. Tennis, Swimmer

Favorite Tracks: Need Your Love | Runner | Swimmer

This album released at an interesting time of the year, as I mostly remember listening to it back in February pre-pandemic. Its schmaltzy, breezy, retro sound was great for mentally transporting away from the cold city and onto a yacht somewhere delightfully corny like Key West. The kitschy but sincere romance of the album was also fitting for the Valentine’s Day release, like a meaningful handwritten note in an overpriced Hallmark card. Perhaps it was this cheesiness that kept this album in rotation: the idealized romcom narrative of the band was like an alternate reality that I could cling to throughout the stresses of the year, reinforced by the fact that the dreamy pop production sounds so pleasant. Swimmer is an innocent daydream for better times, and it only serves to strengthen Tennis’ near decade-long indie pop legacy.

26. Dirty Projectors, 5EPs

Favorite Tracks: Lose Your Love | Overlord | Self Design

On 5EPs, Dirty Projectors has something for everyone: the collection is a compilation of EPs released throughout 2020, each representing different musical influences and featured vocalists of the current Dirty Projectors cast. With such a storied career and multiple changes in band lineup, 5EPs allowed me, as a relatively new fan, to get a taste of both the group’s previous sounds and hints at what their sound may be moving forward. Each new EP release was unexpected but welcome, and as a Time Crisis fan I was excited to see which Jake Longstreth painting would be featured on the new EP album cover. The project’s episodic release flowed along with my experiences in 2020, mostly soundtracking the crunchy eco-friendly ethos that got me through the year. Folksy-trippy songs like “Overlord” on EP1 Windows Open and “Lose Your Love” on EP2 Flight Tower were on constant repeat during my WFH backyard sunbathing sessions and summer camping trips. The chill bossa nova influence throughout EP3 Super João was perfect for camp sunrises and a damn fine cup of coffee. Listening to the modulated orchestral sounds throughout EP4 Earth Crisis while hiking through the Catskills forest instantly transported me to somewhere like Middle-earth, or an episode of Over the Garden Wall. The last EP, EP5 Ring Road, is where Dirty Projectors sound most at home, which is also where I spent the most time listening to this EP: the many autumn and winter nights spent in my room this year were warmer with Dirty Projectors’ signature art rock, and I can confidently say that this collection put a smile on my face all throughout the year.

25. Oneohtrix Point Never, Magic Oneohtrix Point Never

Favorite Tracks: Lost but Never Alone | Long Road Home | I Don’t Love Me Anymore

Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is an album we were never meant to hear; at least that’s how I felt when I first listened to this album. The distorted splices of old radio segments sound forbidden, like I was digging up the graves of these forgotten pieces of media and hearing their acoustic corpse. This album reminds me of the saying that you die twice, once when you stop breathing and the second when someone mentions your name for the last time. It’s evocative of abandoned event spaces or decrepit amusement park rides; places that used to bring people joy but are now simply spatial husks. In Magic OPN, Daniel Lopatin serves as the urban explorer capturing the dark beauty of these remnants, offering the voices of those sampled a temporary reanimation through his grungy classical electronica with eerie success.

24. The Avalanches, We Will Always Love You

Favorite Tracks: Interstellar Love | We Will Always Love You | Born to Lose

I listened to this for the first time as the snow fell outside my bedroom window, the December release date making it a late contender for this list. We Will Always Love You was already one of my favorite songs of the year and I had high expectations for these masters of sample notorious for taking their time with each release. Thankfully we only had to wait four years since The Avalanches’ last album, arriving a quarter of the time sooner than the 16-year gap between Wildflower and debut album Since I Left You. We Will Always Love You takes a noticeably different approach than the previous two, sounding much more personal: it’s in the quiet moments where the album really shines, evocative of deeply intimate conversations that only happen during late night drives. The samples are now more than just sonic ingredients; they serve as stories, vignettes of small moments of tenderness. The album is celestial; each song is as if an astronaut had the ability to pick a random spot on earth and hone in on exactly what one person was feeling in that moment: longing, joy, triumph, sorrow, nostalgia, pain, fear, and contentment are all here, and We Will Always Love You reassures us that allowing ourselves to feel it all is the purest act of humanity in an impossibly difficult year.

23. Empress Of, I’m Your Empress Of

Favorite Tracks: Bit of Rain | Maybe This Time | Give Me Another Chance

I’m Your Empress Of is strong because it focuses on identity: clips of Lorely Rodriguez’s chats with her mother about womanhood and her Honduran immigrant history reminded me so much of talks with my dad about what it means to be a man and anecdotes of his own experience coming to the United States from the Philippines. This context grounds Rodriguez’s own lived experience as a young American dealing with love and heartbreak to her storied heritage: it’s hard to explain, but any immigrant kid will know the difficulty of growing up and trying to live as a “normal” (aka: white) teenager/young adult while still honoring our family’s traditions, culture, and expectations. This incorporation of the first-generation American experience into relatable lyricism is Rodriguez’s form of radical reclamation: the songs are dancey and fun but never generic, with the electronic production serving as a vehicle for an American perspective often overlooked.

22. Tame Impala, The Slow Rush

Favorite Tracks: Posthumous Forgiveness | On Track | Breathe Deeper

The Slow Rush was another album a long time in the making, having been released five years after seminal 2010’s album Currents. Originally set to be released in the spring of 2019, I was admittedly a little disappointed when the only new songs I got to hear Tame Impala perform live that summer were “Patience” and “Borderline” (in 2020 hindsight, I’m thankful I was fortunate enough to go to a musical festival at all). It was finally released One More Year later: the fully-formed album The Slow Rush takes a bit of a turn, moving away from the wavy stoner break-up vibes of Currents into something more mature, incorporating throwback R&B, acid house, and aspects of prog rock into Tame Impala’s signature modern psychedelia. While the shift certainly left some longtime Tame fans lamenting the old Kevin Parker, the prospect of hearing a Tame Impala song in a mix at a Bushwick club was definitely exciting for me: the sonic influences on this album are genres that I have been increasingly interested in over the past year, and it’s great to see a major band unafraid to change up their sound. Tame Impala joins the ranks of contemporary indie stalwarts (Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend) that have completed an excellent four album cycle. Who knew my Spotify was going to look so similar seven years later?

21. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia

Favorite Tracks: Don’t Start Now | Hallucinate | Break My Heart

This summer, I always looked forward to driving around and listening to the radio because I knew I was guaranteed to hear “Don’t Start Now” at least once, probably twice. Later in the summer, it turned into a guaranteed “Don’t Start Now” or “Break My Heart.” Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, even later in the year it turned into a guaranteed “Don’t Start Now,” “Break My Heart,” or “Levitating,” probably all three. Hearing Dua Lipa dominate the charts brought me so much joy! I’ve been a fan of Dua Lipa since One Kiss, and her music always puts a dumb smile on my face and gets me vibing: anything that instantly invites a groove is a welcome respite from the absurdity of 2020. The retro revival that Dua Lipa embraces is tasteful and fun, and her voice sounds right at home surrounded by the driving basslines and disco strings throughout the album. This is Top 40 at its peak.

[blondiexbiites]

The soft buzzing was a fly caught between the dressing room curtains and the window glass. Madison listened to the tap-tap-tap of its small body as it ricocheted itself over and over against that lit pane, her sore head’s throbbing coming in concert with her pulse, and with each pump of the music beyond the room, her stomach seemed to flip with nausea as she briefly recalled feeding off of a woman high out of her mind. And now, Madison was paying the ultimate price for not being careful enough. Humans and their constant need to pump this shit in their veins.

Grumbling, Madison reached for the curtain and waved at it gently with a perfectly manicured hand and the fly rattled against the glass once more and then found the opening in the window and disappeared into the cold autumn night. The clock read midnight—a little past. The cigarette she'd been sharing with one of the bandmates had since burned down to a stub between her slender fingers. Through a gap in the curtain, she could see a black van moving over the speed bump in the parking lot below the dive bar, the slab of its hood rising and falling again. Farther down the row of parked cars, a bare-armed man in a leather jacket with torn-off sleeves stumbled drunkenly away until he was out of sight, no doubt opting to walk home instead of wasting money on an Uber to drive his drunk ass. She could go after him. She was fast, could catch up to him in two minutes, and drink him dry. No. Not tonight.

Madison had been waiting for the band to return from their adoring crowd for more than an hour now, but she knew they, too, would likely be too hungover to provide her with the entertainment she sorely needed, and she did not know if they would ever come to the backrooms at all. She might leave for home without ever seeing them, a thought that brought a slow wave of disappointment. Lately, she'd been feeling a little neglected and thought that a night alone with one of the boys would appease that feeling, but tonight had been slow, and the boys were currently distracted and far out of her reach. The nerve! And she'd gotten all dolled up for nothing! The iPhone’s ringing jolted Madison out of her gloomy thoughts, and she rose and stumbled a little in her pink heels, her eyes bruised with exhaustion through the heavy pink mascara as she stared down at the dimly lit screen of her phone.

12: 45 AM

It was time to go. Any longer, and Madison would be forced to lay low in this dump to avoid turning into ash. 'Anything but that,' she thought as she left the room, kicking the door shut with her heel and sauntering down the small hallway where the exit door awaited. Dumps like this dive bar had never been her scene, and punk rock was far from her desired aesthetic but left her hooked for more. The crowd bouncing up and down, pulsating in time with the raucous whine of guitars. Blood racing. Adrenaline pumping. Sweat rolling off their foreheads and down the back of their necks. When Madison had first discovered The Brotherhood, she had lost herself in the heady scents of humanity, in the hunger rising in her, in the energy of their music throbbing at her core. Their shows were like visiting a utopia of music or being on a semi-permanent vacation where reality could be forgotten, but only for a moment.

Even encased in that small, brightly lit world where she played fast and loose, Madison somehow knew that another life reverberated in the darkness beyond the blazing stage lights and music, a darkness she was born in and would return to. It was why she followed them like a stray dog, indulging in their passions and music to forget that she was a walking corpse. Their music made her feel alive again, and if she could spend one more night forgetting, she'd rest in her coffin happy.

"Hey there, Madison. Did you enjoy the show?"

"Pietro," she purred, but the sultriness fell flat and dead. "How could I not? You and your friends were perfect, but that doesn't explain why you're out here when you should be with your adoring fans." Her baby blues were tired, but by the teasing tilt of her lips, she had enough energy to poke fun at him...maybe even press him for more.

@thefastestaround

@blondiexbiites

Madison was a fixture at the Brotherhood's shows since the first time she showed up all dressed in pink. She stood out right away, and Pietro felt there was something more behind those big, beautiful blue eyes. The rest of the band probably saw something else. She did flash them the first time she showed up to a show.

It didn't take long for her to work her way through most of the band. All but him. Hell, she had even thrown herself into an orgy with the other three, being passed around and draining each band member before she left. Which she always did. Madison was not one to stay around for the morning. Which seemed weird with how many of the girls stayed with them until morning.

Pietro had rebuffed her advances up to this point, not really wanting to take a whack at the shared groupie. It seemed boring and he had no problems getting his own girls or guys to sleep with. One of the other boys were always open to sleep with her.

Pietro had made his way to the outside area after the show, lighting up a cigarette when the familiar sight of the pink showed up. "Hey there Madison. Did you enjoy the show?"

[666whatsyourvanishing]

What kinda music do the RO'S like? Tori obviously likes punk so she's my bae but other than that who likes what?

Wonderful wonderful question! I love music so I automatically love this ask. Also yes, I love Tori for liking punk music, it’s one of my fav genres so.

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

Caiden really likes pop music that’s popular at the time, but they do enjoy some disco music from time to time. If it has syths then they immediately like it.

Jade is a fan of classical music and acoustic music, sort of folkish songs. They only like classical music because they grew up with it, but if they had to choose they would choose folk and acousting songs.

Bo likes hip-hop and rap music, which is honestly not very surprising. But they aren’t very picky with music and tend to like any type of genre. They enjoy rock from time to time too.

Tori obviously likes punk and some metal from time to time. They like angry songs, where you can scream without an excuse.

Jay likes indie music, or classical music too. They like soft melodies, songs that you could sleep too. But much like Bo, they aren’t very picky and you can see them enjoy Tori’s music from time to time.

Jun adores musicals and pop music. Anything that you can sing along to or dance to. They come from a very musical society and parentage, so it comes natural to them.

[were-wolverine]

Please tell me your punk!Steve thoughts.

OH BOY I HAVE A LOT - besides what i’ll probably infodump abt here i have lowkey fleshed out an entire backstory for punk steve under the #punk steve au

(to summarize, steve decides to become a punk and rebel against his parents instead of doing what they want and being a jock)

he introduces punk culture to el and max and they adore it (el loves the pastel punk aesthetic)

he doesn’t use any of his parents money (but continues to live in their house bc he doesn’t really have anywhere else to go and doesn’t want to burden any of the multiple families that would take him in), is a lifeguard in the summer and takes odd jobs around fall and winter.

he goes to Indianapolis as often as possible and learns most of what he knows from Elder Punks he meets there. there’s a couple small punk/alt stores he always stops by and a few bars/clubs. everyone he meets loves him (and baby punks in general but they find it really cool that he comes from privilege yet decides to rebel against ideals that were made so he could succeed at the failure of others).

he’s also introduced to the queer community a lot earlier on, and realizes he’s mlm (i hc him as gay but i can also see him as bi) and there’s a bunch of Elder Gays who adopt him.

he’s pretty much the only punk in Hawkins, so he kinda gets a reputation. in his freshman year he mostly keeps to himself, doesn’t really dress the way he wants and just wants to make it through the year. sophomore year though, he befriends jonathan nancy and barb and starts dressing and acting the way he wants to. him and jonathan listen to music together and he helps out with will when joyce and jonathan need to work- which eventually leads to him meeting mike dustin and lucas and taking care of them too.

steve realizes he wants to be strong enough to protect the people he cares about, so him and jonathan train and work out together a bit. steve and nancy don’t date, but they’re best friends along with barb. i just need to see barb and steve as besties it would make me so happy. also nancy and barb are in love bc obviously.

halfway through sophomore year steve gets a job at the local mechanics (mechanic eddie this, mechanic eddie that, no! give me mechanic steve who has a special interest in cars! just look at his beemer! and like the sole decoration he has in his room is a photo of a car!)

SO. junior year. this is when he starts going to indianapolis a lot more frequently. he buys records and camera stuff for jonathan, and drawing supplies for will (he basically lives with the byers atp). he is a lot more sure of himself, wears combat boots and battle jackets, and is damn good at fighting (he worked really hard at it the summer before). if anyone harms the kids he will not hesitate to hit someone, and this becomes town-wide knowledge very quick.

when will disappears in november, steve is the first person joyce calls before karen. he joins the search parties, he goes to lonnie instead of jonathan (steve would rather die than make jonathan face his abuser again). basically he’s involved with the upside down shit from the start.

also, steve accidentally finds out about el when dustin and lucas do. he offers to have her stay at his house, mike is reluctant but agrees, and el immediately becomes steve’s new baby sister. steve still saves the day at the end of s1 with the demogorgon, but the fight with jonathan and all of that doesn’t happen.

i accidentally plotted the whole show with this au…

steve finds el s2 and actually fucking tells the Party instead of hiding it like hopper did. el just permanently lives at steve’s now.

oh yeah and barb doesn’t die so that’s a thing that changes s2 a lot. i lost track of where this was going so i’m gonna just drop hcs i have about punk steve

he paints his nails black, he has a few piercings, he doesn’t really like the feeling of makeup on his face but he puts on eyeliner occasionally, he lets his hair grow out more and has perfected the ‘messy bedhead that somehow looks good’ look, he has big combat books and uses lace code, he’s gay but says he would go straight for joan jett (me too tbh), he has a reputation of “don’t fuck with me or my kids” in Hawkins, he also lowkey converts robin into a punk but she’s more indie-alt like jonathan, he doesn’t play any instruments but has a great voice and perfect pitch, will and el help him make one of his favorite battle vests, will is very crafty and artistic so he helps steve with a lot of his stuff, he has a few tattoos, he can do cool lighter tricks lol, etc.