#reel it in kerry

[witching-by-the-willow]

Besties, did you all see that reel Kerri posted with a clue/aesthetic for her next book?

Do we think it might be Envy's story with the artist (Camilla)?

The paintbrushes, the castle, the dagger, the room with statues, the green eyes?

Hmm? Any thoughts?

[mortifiedandawesome]

Reel Big Fish - Gigantic (Pixies Cover)

[booktineus]

The latest bookmarks available in my Etsy shop

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Hannah Critchlow

Mon 17 Jun 2024

Since the sequencing of the human genome in 2003, genetics has become one of the key frameworks for how we all think about ourselves. From fretting about our health to debating how schools can accommodate non-neurotypical pupils, we reach for the idea that genes deliver answers to intimate questions about people’s outcomes and identities.

Recent research backs this up, showing that complex traits such as temperament, longevity, resilience to mental ill-health and even ideological leanings are all, to some extent, “hardwired”. Environment matters too for these qualities, of course. Our education and life experiences interact with genetic factors to create a fantastically complex matrix of influence.

But what if the question of genetic inheritance were even more nuanced? What if the old polarised debate about the competing influences of nature and nurture was due a 21st-century upgrade?

Scientists working in the emerging field of epigenetics have discovered the mechanism that allows lived experience and acquired knowledge to be passed on within one generation, by altering the shape of a particular gene. This means that an individual’s life experience doesn’t die with them but endures in genetic form. The impact of the starvation your Dutch grandmother suffered during the second world war, for example, or the trauma inflicted on your grandfather when he fled his home as a refugee, might go on to shape your parents’ brains, their behaviours and eventually yours.

Much of the early epigenetic work was performed in model organisms, including mice. My favourite study is one that left the neuroscience community reeling when it was published in Nature Neuroscience, in 2014. Carried out by Prof Kerry Ressler at Emory University, Georgia, the study’s findings neatly dissect the way in which a person’s behaviours are affected by ancestral experience.

The study made use of mice’s love of cherries. Typically, when a waft of sweet cherry scent reaches a mouse’s nose, a signal is sent to the nucleus accumbens, causing this pleasure zone to light up and motivate the mouse to scurry around in search of the treat. The scientists exposed a group of mice first to a cherry-like smell and then immediately to a mild electric shock. The mice quickly learned to freeze in anticipation every time they smelled cherries. They had pups, and their pups were left to lead happy lives without electric shocks, though with no access to cherries. The pups grew up and had offspring of their own.

At this point, the scientists took up the experiment again. Could the acquired association of a shock with the sweet smell possibly have been transmitted to the third generation? It had. The grandpups were highly fearful of and more sensitive to the smell of cherries. How had this happened? The team discovered that the DNA in the grandfather mouse’s sperm had changed shape. This in turn changed the way the neuronal circuit was laid down in his pups and their pups, rerouting some nerve cells from the nose away from the pleasure and reward circuits and connecting them to the amygdala, which is involved in fear. The gene for this olfactory receptor had been demethylated (chemically tagged), so that the circuits for detecting it were enhanced. Through a combination of these changes, the traumatic memories cascaded across generations to ensure the pups would acquire the hard-won wisdom that cherries might smell delicious, but were bad news.

The study’s authors wanted to rule out the possibility that learning by imitation might have played a part. So they took some of the mice’s descendants and fostered them out. They also took the sperm from the original traumatised mice, used IVF to conceive more pups and raised them away from their biological parents. The fostered pups and those that had been conceived via IVF still had increased sensitivity and different neural circuitry for the perception of that particular scent. Just to clinch things, pups of mice that had not experienced the traumatic linking of cherries with shocks did not show these changes even if they were fostered by parents who had.

The most exciting thing of all occurred when the researchers set out to investigate whether this effect could be reversed so that the mice could heal and other descendants be spared this biological trauma. They took the grandparents and re-exposed them to the smell, this time without any accompanying shocks. After a certain amount of repetition of the pain-free experience, the mice stopped being afraid of the smell. Anatomically, their neural circuits reverted to their original format. Crucially, the traumatic memory was no longer passed on in the behaviour and brain structure of new generations.

Could the same thing hold true for humans? Studies on Holocaust survivors and their children carried out in 2020 by Prof Rachel Yehuda at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical School, New York, revealed that the effects of parental trauma can indeed be passed on in this way. Her first study showed that participants carried changes to a gene linked to levels of cortisol, which is involved in the stress response. In 2021, Yehuda and her team carried out more work to find expression changes in genes linked to immune-system function. These changes weaken the barrier of white blood cells, which allows the immune system to get improperly involved in the central nervous system. This interference has been linked to depression, anxiety, psychosis and autism. Since then, Ressler and Yehuda have collaborated, with others, to reveal epigenetic tags in PTSD afflicted war zone-exposed combatants. They are hoping this information could aid PTSD diagnosis or even pre-emptively screen for individuals who might be more prone to developing the condition before they enter the battlefield.

In all times and across all cultures, people have paid their dues to their ancestors and pondered the legacy they will leave for their descendants. Few of us believe any more that biology is necessarily destiny or that our bloodline determines who we are. And yet, the more we learn about how our body and mind work together to shape our experience, the more we can see that our life story is woven into our biology. It’s not just our body that keeps the score but our very genes.

Might this new understanding increase our capacity for self-awareness and empathy? If we can grasp the potential impact of our ancestors’ experiences on our own behaviour, might we be more understanding of others, who are also carrying the inherited weight of experience?

We are, as far as we know, the only animals capable of “cathedral thinking”, working on projects over many generations for the benefit of those who come after. It’s an idealistic way to think about legacy, but without it we will struggle to tackle complex multigenerational challenges such as the climate and ecological emergencies. Our knowledge of epigenetics and its potential to massively speed up evolutionary adaptation could support us to do everything we can to be the ancestors our descendants need. Conflict, neglect and trauma induce unpredictable and far-reaching changes. But so do trust, curiosity and compassion. Doing the right thing today could indeed cascade across generations.

[genocidalfetus]

Kerry and Dino

*Dino got a call from Kerry, who sounded wound up, but in a good way.*

K- Hey D, had a day.

D- Sounds like it.

K- Almost made a complete ass out of myself, but the kid, V, he saved the fuckin' day. I'm still reeling from it...Remember that motel we used to frequent? Meet me there. Room 101.

*Dino goes to room 101*

D- Hey Ker--

*interrupted by Kerry kissing him*

K- Talk later. Remember how I like it?

D- Sure Ker. Lemme take care of ya.

K- Just what I needed.

D- Glad I can be of service.

K- It's weird, ya know? That damn merc is driving me nuts, and then there's this fuckin' fixer driving me nuts too.

D- Well, this fuckin fixer is here.

K- He is. Now, how do we get that damn merc?

D- Leave that part to me.

[weneverlearn]

From The Distillery to Eternity: A Tale of Lost Recording Tapes, Found on eBay

Red Aunts / Two Tears guitarist/singer Kerry Smith was just putzing around eBay when she saw a tape she made 20+ years ago which was being sold by some rando -- along with lots of tapes by other regional L.A. trash rock acts. A facebook post about it, copious comments, and a surprise good samaritan followed.

KERRY SMITH rockin' with the Red Aunts at a club near The Distillery studio, sometime in 1993.

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

As we all regularly ponder what the hell social media is good for, a major piece of proof for the answer of “Nothing” are the comments sections on Facebook. The vitriol and vague “arguments” that can ensue (should you actually still use Facebook) get stupid and depressing very quickly.

But for every 100 like that, there are posts that actually conjure up a stable discussion, interesting connections, and maybe even some useful info.

Case in point, a recent post from Kerry Smith – Red Aunts and Two Tears guitarist/singer and all-around hilarious, life-affirming gal.

Essentially, she came across an eBay listing that was selling off a studio reel tape of an original master recording she made in 2000. After Kerry’s FB post, a number of people clicked on the link and a few realized their own tapes or someone they knew were also listed for sale.

I contacted Kerry about the situation:

“I recorded a bunch of songs there hoping to put them out as the first Two Tears record," said Kerry. "Lesley (Ishino, Red Aunts) and Danny Hole (Necessary Evils) played some drums, and I played everything else. I forgot about this all until this post was brought to my attention, and I feel sad, angry, violated, ripped off. I demo’d them all on my 4-track and worked hard in that studio. I paid for it all myself, no label help. Lots of people offered to buy them for me, and someone thought they were doing a good deed and bought it, though I had the post taken down. I don’t know why it bothers me so much, until Gar wrote from SD saying it’s an intimate and personal experience, and he said do you feel like you’ve been audio art raped? And I do."

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

One of the commenters on Kerry’s post was Larry Hardy – head of In The Red Records, the legendary garage rock indie label from L.A. He added a few shocked comments, which led to a comment thread discussion of legality, ownership, old stories, etc.

Given how many bands Hardy has worked with and albums he's released, I thought he’d be one to dig into this strange, ephemeral side of life as a recording musician…

Here's a Two Tears song from that era, though not recorded at The Distillery:

So how did you first hear about this? I assume you saw Kerry's post…

LH: Yes, that’s when I first heard about this. I recognized the writing on the PQ sheets and could tell the tape originated from a recording studio called The Distillery in Costa Mesa, which is where a lot of In The Red records were recorded. I checked the eBay seller’s other auctions and discovered a number of my reels were being sold too. 

When you first saw Kerry's post, what was your first kind of emotional response?

LH: My first response was I knew exactly where the tapes came from. A few years ago another person posted a photo of some master tapes he had saying he was trying to find the bands. One of the bands was the Strange Boys, and they contacted me and said the guy had a bunch of ITR masters. I got a hold of the guy and told him my connection to the tapes, and he said he’d gotten the them from Mike McHugh and had been holding them for him, but Mike had gone AWOL. I never did get the tapes back from this guy.

Can you tell me about Mike McHugh and The Distillery, and how tapes from there might’ve ended up in this eBay seller’s possession?

LH: Yeah, [the studio] was owned and operated by Mike McHugh. He was a brilliant engineer with really good gear – the mixing board came from Muscle Shoals! And he was really down to do weird, unconventional things in the studio. He also actually liked the music. He was my go-to guy for many years. Unfortunately a combination of mental illness and substance abuse got the best of him, and he went downhill really fast and REALLY bad. One of the last sessions I had there was for the band Cheap Time, and he flipped out in the middle of the session and pulled a gun on them!

Anyway, he wound up losing his studio, and we had all the tapes still in there. Lots of other bands kept their tapes there too. I know a number of people tried to help him and tried to save all his gear but, sadly, he was beyond help. I guess a bunch of the stuff from the studio wound up in a storage locker and the bill didn’t get paid – so it all went up for auction. That’s how the guy who is selling them on eBay came into possession of them.

Are the things he's posting for sale original sessions or mastered reels?

LH: The reels being sold are the two-inch master reels. The bands would track on two-inch tape and then mix down to half-inch tape and the record would be mastered from that. Many times we would only take the mixed tape with us as that was what we’d master the record from. The studio had a room where they stored tapes, so we figured we’d leave the two-inch reels there for safe keeping.

In a way, the fact that these are original master tapes, pre-mixed/mastered tapes is even worse. These are unmixed tracks, right? 

LH: Correct. These tapes being sold are the basic tracks on two-inch tape. You could take these to a studio and remix the record with them. We would mix down to half-inch tape so the versions on those are what you hear on the record. Mastering is a separate step done in a mastering lab. This is why once the mixing was done you kind of felt like the two-inch tapes were done too. They already served their purpose.

Yeah, we all sort of leave things in the rearview mirror once the album comes out, as far as where recordings and master tapes end up.

LH: Yeah, some bands are really good about keeping track of their tapes, and some don’t really care. I know the Cramps kept all of their master tapes, but I don’t think most bands do that. I do still have a bunch of master tapes here at my house. I imagine a lot of people took their tapes with them when their session was done. They’re expensive. I did sometimes, but I was at this studio so often I just figured they were fine where they were… until they weren’t. I didn’t have any place to store them at my house anyway. Two-inch tapes take up a lot of room.

Beyond that particular story, when bands record in studios there is a kind of “gentleman's agreement” – especially amongst indie labels and smaller studios – to at least let the bands or labels know they've got their tapes before just selling them off or tossing them, right? My understanding is, if you paid the studio their fee and paid for the actual tapes, they are your's. Though I suppose if they've been sitting in a studio’s closet for 20 years, maybe there's an argument for ownership on the studio's end?

LH: We did have a general understanding when we left the tapes behind that they’d be looked after by Mike. There was also a window of time when I could’ve gone down there and gotten them all; and I didn’t want to deal with him so I just kind of let it go. The only use they would be is if you wanted to remix the record, which I guess is something that could come up.

After leaving them behind that long ago it makes sense they could end up almost anywhere. Now you have a guy selling them on eBay who doesn’t even know who the bands are.

Under Kerry's post, a person commented: "No judgement! But you own the IP [intellectual property] on these tapes as they are independent recordings. You should reach out to the seller!" Is he right?

LH: That’s true. The eBay seller rightfully owns those tapes, but neither he or anyone else who buys them can do anything with the music without the artist’s permission…. Unfortunately this guy did buy them fair and square. I’m sure Kerry paid for that tape and the recording session, but the tapes were left behind all those years ago, and they’ve been passed around a bunch since. These tapes weren’t stolen, they were left behind. It should’ve been on us to get them back if they were important to us. Of course no one could’ve predicted Mike was going to go off the rails as badly as he did. The eBay seller did nothing wrong or illegal.

Lisa Pallow, Haunted George’s wife, contacted him explaining that two of the tapes were her deceased husband’s music, and that she would like to buy them. And the way he responded to her tells me the guy is an asshole. Really the person at fault for all of this is Mike McHugh.

I'm assuming if Rocket from the Crypt tapes are involved here – there were some for sale in that listing – someone's going to take some shit for this, because they were on a major at one point, though I've no idea which RFTC recordings are on those tapes in that eBay post.

LH: Yeah, that was the one tape I saw in there that I thought would probably go for the most money and also could turn into a hassle for the seller if he hears from [RFTC leader] John Reis or an attorney. I don’t think there would be any legal recourse against this guy though.

John Sellers from ‘90s trash-punk band, the Countdowns, commented on Kerry's post, concerning The Distillery: "It was the original board from Muscle Shoals.....Mike told me that [the Rolling Stones’] Sticky Fingers was recorded through it... it had these red and green square buttons to push... totally sixties mod... he LOVED that board!!! Chris... maybe? And I forget his last name but, he had a studio in the same complex as The Distillery and would tour with JSBX selling merch back in the '90's... he told me the whole story about Mike buying that board... how he flew out and it was sent by train upon purchase and how he accompanied it from start to finish... and how Chris would walk in and Mike would be passed out... not by drugs but by obsessive inspiration and no sleep.... with a clove cigarette in his mouth... under that board... working to make it work.

I THINK that The Countdowns were one of the first to record through that board at The Distillery but... well... memories and remembering shit these days... I always referred to Mike as 'The Mad Scientist. He was an absolute thrill of an experience to work with AND... did you ever hear him play drums? FUCK ME!!!”

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

LH: We did have some great times in that studio and before it all went bad. We hailed Mike McHugh as a genius. He was! It’s all very sad to me now. I have some great memories of that place. Andre Williams recorded with the Blues Explosion and Steve Mackay of the Stooges there! Good times.

Any other recording sessions at The Distillery that you remember?

LH: The wildest sessions I remember at that studio involved Andre Williams. He would get pretty drunk over the course of the session, so you had to get him on tape before he was too drunk. He had amazing stories and he was hilarious. He was also brilliant when he was lucid. He had produced records for Motown, and now he’s in Orange County with miscreants like us! 

I watched the Hunches vacuum up nails and screws off the floor while Mike recorded it so the obnoxious noise could be included on the band’s cover of the electric eels’ “Accident.” Not many engineers encourage this sort of thing. 

I went down to the Distillery for the final night of mixing the Black Lips’ Let It Bloom. The band had booked a show that night at a club directly across the street from the studio. The band left for their show, but I stayed behind with Mike while he continued mixing. I finally went over to the show and went up front. Cole Alexander had urinated into his own mouth, as he was wont to do back then, and spat the mouthful at the audience. I walked in late and went up just in time to get a face full of urine. I was now in business with the Black Lips.

My fondest memory of that studio is probably when the Necessary Evils recorded their second album. I know we were in there on New Year’s Eve. Those guys were all good friends of mine, as was Mike McHugh. The band didn’t have enough material to fill a full length album and were scrambling to cobble stuff together on the spot. It was a wonder to behold. Every one of those guys was hilarious. R.I.P. Steve Pallow.

I have tons of great memories from this studio. It’s really painful for me to think of Mike ending up like he did. Truly heartbreaking. 

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

Like any Facebook thread, the mass of names and rushed, emotionally punched-out comments can make for an intriguing read. Hell, a good pal of mine and Kerry’s posted that he put in a bid and would give the tape to her if he won it. He did get a couple of the tapes in the listing, but as Kerry stated earlier here, her tape was taken down after she reported it; and my friend got a cancellation message from eBay.

For Kerry though all this is definitely not legal chit-chat, but a loss of something dear, intense, and loved. It’s the kind of mini-nightmare anyone who’s recorded in a studio and then left it for “safe keeping” always has lurking in the back of their mind.

“I feel like crying all day today because of this,” said Kerry. “I don’t know why. Mike is so talented and I really want these tapes back. I used to hang out there a lot with Ronnie when I lived in Long Beach still. So many happy memories there – grateful for the scene ! Le sigh.”

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

After having wrapped up this piece, I heard from Kerry again with a possible happy ending to this story:

“I reported it as stolen, and it was pulled, and some punker dude in Costa Mesa went to get it for me," she explained, "but I didn’t ask him to. I don’t want the [eBay] guy to get the money. So the Good Samaritan kinda fucked it all up, and is supposed to mail it to me. And he paid $150 for it, so now I feel obligated to pay him back. Lots of people offered to buy it for me. And he bought RFTC and Haunted George."

Kerry asked said Samaritan (who shall remain annonymous) how he was able to get the tapes. He responded:

"Hi, thanks for getting back to me. I purchased the tapes directly from the guy... who bids on storage units. I bought a bunch of friends bands tapes and got them back to them. I knew going in that I'd lose money and I'm ok with that. Please let me gift you your tape back. Years ago I lost all of my... master reels in a storage unit that went unpaid while I was in rehab. I hate seeing strangers getting these tapes. Mike McHugh is the one to blame here. Although it’s hard to blame him with all of his mental health and addiction problems. I got my Distillery reels back from him several years ago after he lost the studio.... Anyway... I can get the tape to you or whoever you’d like me to. Larry Hardy maybe. No charge for the tape. Big Red Aunts fan by the way."

[389]

undefined

Kerri Chandler showcases a special reel-to-reel tape set – live from New York for Boiler Room and Apple Music. This session has been recorded via 3D audio technology, Spatial Audio

[trubbish-treasures]

Pelipper mail!

It's a USB drive with a note attached...

Heya! We haven't met, but I'm a friend of Kerry's. I was just watching their battle and got some really good footage, made bit of a special highlight reel for it that I think you'd appreciate. Enjoy.

-Kagome.

...It's entirely focused on emphasizing them acting like a pair of kids in love.

.... ...

You know, TECHNICALLY this isn't my job.

I'm supposed to be talking about tech, or stories.

buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut

Gramma always did say to archive everything...

[taylorhawkins]

All of Taylor Hawkins’ musical projects: a comprehensive list since Wikipedia is incomplete with links!

* I might be missing a few things but I’m still working on it!! (as of 10/2023)

• ANYONE

- The Sylvia Sessions (recorded 1993, released 2022)

• SASS JORDAN

- Live in New York Ninety-Four (1994)

• ALANIS MORISSETTE

- Jagged Little Pill, Live (1997)

• FOO FIGHTERS

- There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999)

- One by One (2002)

- In Your Honor (2005)

- Skin & Bones, Live (2006) [w/ video]

- Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007)

- Wasting Light (2011)

- Medium Rare (2011)

- Sonic Highways (2014)

- Saint Cecilia (2015)

- Concrete and Gold (2017)

- Dee Gees (2021)

- Medicine at Midnight (2021)

• TAYLOR HAWKINS & THE COATTAIL RIDERS

- Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders (2006)

- Red Light Fever (2010)

- Get the Money (2019)

• COHEED AND CAMBRIA

- Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV Vol. II: No World for Tomorrow (2007)

• THE BIRDS [Chevy Metal’s original music]

- Self-titled (2014)

• SOLO

- Kota (2016)

• NIGHTTIME BOOGIE ASSOCIATION [project with Matt Cameron]

- Long in the Tooth/The Path We’re On (2020)

• NHC [project with Dave Navarro + Chris Chaney]

- Feed the Cruel/Better Move On (2021)

- Devil That You Know/Lazy Eyes (2021)

- Intakes and Outtakes EP (2021)

• SESSION APPEARANCES & OTHERS:

- Somewhere Anywhere Everywhere - Globe Surf DVD (2007 I think) [video]

- Help Wanted - Eric Avery [tracks 1, 3, 6-8] (2008)

- Wicked In Rock - Kerry Ellis (and Brian May) [“Defying Gravity”, “I’m Not That Girl” & “No One But You”] (2010)

- Crucify the Dead - Slash & Ozzy Osbourne (2010) [Taylor credited with backing vocals]

- Tie Your Mother Down - Queen ft. Taylor Hawkins and Dave Grohl [Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Compilation] (2011)

- Sound City: Real to Reel - Dave Grohl (2013)

- Rush 2112: 40th Anniversary (2016) (“Overture” with Dave Grohl & Nick Raskulinez)

- I Refuse - Timothy B. Schmidt (2016)

- Butt Call - Derek Smalls [ft. Taylor and Phil X] (2018)

- Holy Man - Dennis Wilson demo, completed alongside Brian May and Roger Taylor (2019) [Taylor sings]

- Too Much For My Own Good - Phil X & The Drills (2019)

- We Could Have It All - P!nk (2019)

- Night Crawling - Miley Cyrus (2020)

- E-Ticket - Elton John (2021) [+ Eddie Vedder!]

- Turn Over the World - Perry Farrell (2021)

- Mend - Perry Farrell (Kind Heaven Orchestra) (2021)

- Party at the Angel Ballroom - Nancy Wilson (2021) [ft. Taylor + Duff McKagan]

- Patient Number 9 - Ozzy Osbourne (2022) [“Parasite”, “Mr. Darkness”, “God Only Knows”]

- Shame On You - Richard Marx (2022)

- Guess I’ll Go Away - Edgar Winter (2022) [Taylor sings and absolutely blows doors]

- Every Loser - Iggy Pop (2023) [Taylor credited with drums and piano on “Comments” + “The Regency”]

- Ian Hunter - Defiance Part I (2023) [Taylor is on “Angel,” “Kiss N’ Make Up,” and “This Is What I’m Here For”]

[forensicated]

Trigger warning: Discussion of abortion, under age sex and rape

Smiffina Episodes - Episode 259

The relief are reeling from Gabriel's confession, gossiping in the corridor after briefing.

Andrea doesn't buy it, saying it's not possible. Steve says you can't rule anything out given Kerry's latest behaviour. Smithy watches on silently as Gabriel approaches the group. Honey asks how long they'd been together and Gabriel says not long and that Kerry asked him to keep it quiet because she knew people would talk. Andrea spots Smithy watching and asks him what he thinks about the situation. He won't be drawn, stating only that they have work to do and should get on with it.

Gabriel continues to refuse time off, leading to Gina asking June to keep Gabriel with her that day. Gabriel tells June he's happy to be paired with her as he thinks that the relief don't believe him.

Gina speaks to Adam about Gabriel and Kerry and Adam confirms it - much to her shock. Her next unhappy job is to tell Smithy that, sadly, what Gabriel says is true and that they have to tell the relief that it's true for damage limitation. Smithy still can't believe it.

Smithy is tasked with telling the relief (you'd think that even Gina would want to do that over him given the circumstances!). Gina places Gabriel on the front desk because "he had a little wibbly wobbly whilst out with June and it's best to keep an eye on him." Smithy nods and mutters once Gina has walked off "I'll certainley be doing that..."

June is putting in her resignation to Gina, telling her she's going for early retirement and is working her four weeks notice. Gabriel's shocked to hear that a young underage girl who is pregnant has run away to an abortion clinic. He's horrified and doesn't think the girl deserves the privelage to decide whether her baby lives or dies (!) Smithy tells him to keep his nose out and June literally runs after him and tries - unsuccessfully - to stop him speeding out of the yard. Gabriel confronts the father and physically assaults him, threatening him to find out where his girlfriend is. "What gives you the right?!" he spits, going off to try and stop the girl.

Smithy and Andrea are tasked with finding Gabriel as he hasn't taken a radio with him so can't be tracked. Gabriel tells Kara she doesn't have the right to have the abortion once he tracks her down and she sobs that he's too late.He turns and starts throwing the nearby bins and medical trolleys, forcing Kara to run away. Smithy and Andrea find Gabriel soon after and Smithy forces him up onto his feet. Gabriel is dazed and rambling, saying if only Kerry had told him he could have protected her and his son would still be alive. At the station, Gabriel tells June he would have been a good father, he'd have given his son anything he wanted. He tells June he knows how much being a grandmother would mean to her - June spits that she is not his mother and tells him to get a grip.

Disturbed by what she saw outside the clinic, Andrea visits Smithy with the intention of them working out what is really happening with Gabriel. Smithy asks her to spit out what she suspects and she chickens out, telling him its probably nothing, leaving the room.

Smithy hunts her down and asks her again, knowing that she's keeping something from her. Andrea is forced to tell him the truth - Kerry told her that Gabriel raped her, leaving Smithy in shock.

[heywoodsays]

Top 10 Films of 2022

It was a good year for film. There were 449 movies released in the United States and Canada in 2022, with several making waves. Perhaps one of the unintended consequences of the pandemic is that movies are now released with a stronger intent to really bring people out to the theater.

Whether that trip to the cinema is a chance to escape, to learn, to be entertained, or to be moved, good movies meet that intent. But the truly great movies transport us and even transform us.

They often accomplish this on an emotional level — gripping us and taking us along for the ride. Or they can do it through stunning visuals and technical prowess. The best films know how to do them both. Here are the 10 films from 2022 that drew me in the most.

10. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Dean Fleischer Camp

Based on the series of shorts of the same name, this full-length stop-motion feature from the creative minds of Dean Flesicher Camp and Jenny Slate is surprisingly the year’s most charming and heartwarming film. In a year where intense dramas dominated, and when even lighter fare had a darker tone, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a lighthearted, humorous, and yet profound exposition on belonging, family, grief, and modern culture.

9. L’événement (Happening)

Audrey Diwan

Set in 1960s France, when abortion is still illegal, a promising university student has her life upended when her doctor informs her that she’s pregnant. Without feeling didactic, Happening presents an honest, intense, and often distressing reminder of what such a world looked like for women. Produced before the repeal of Roe v. Wade in the United States, the film could not have been released at a more poignant time.

8. 헤어질 결심 Heeojil gyeolsim (Decision to Leave)

Park Chan-wook

A talented detective forms an unexpected relationship with a murder suspect in this romance-thriller-murder mystery. It’s stylistically beautiful, gripping, and sexy without ever needing to show anything sexual. The performances are usually subtle with a few moments of appropriate melodrama. Decision to Leave exemplifies Chan-wook’s penchant for storytelling, managing to say so much in every shot.

7. Women Talking

Sarah Polley

At times, Women Talking feels more like a stage play presented on screen. But it never compromises the film’s cinematic beauty. Instead, it immerses you into the dialogue and the bleak reality of life for these women. Masterful performances necessarily help the intense and heavy dialogue resonate with the viewer. In my mind, the biggest error of this year’s Oscars is the omission of Polley as a Best Director nominee.

6. Aftersun

Charlotte Wells

Charlotte Wells’ first feature-length film is a touching exploration of belonging, depression, memory, parental love, and preadolescence. Headed by excellent performances by Paul Mescal and Frankie Coro, Aftersun engages you from start to finish, slowly revealing its hand but never giving away everything. It’s a slow boil that doesn’t quite hit you until you the end, which really is the point.

5. The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh

Banshees is one of the year’s best examples of storytelling. Indeed, its script is its strongest asset, brilliantly juxtaposing comedy with tragedy. The film also boasts one of the strongest casts of the year, with exceptional performances from Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, and Barry Keoghan. Add in beautiful shots of Ireland and an Oscar-nominated musical score, you’ve got yourself an all-around winner.

4. The Fabelmans

Steven Spielberg

I’ve always been partial to Spielberg, but I truly believe his recent semi-autobiographical work is a masterclass in directing. He infuses each frame with meaning and beauty. The movie’s most pivotal emotional moment (when Sammy discovers his mother’s secret) is accomplished without any speech whatsoever, told instead through the back-and-forth of raw film reel. Spielberg helps us fall in love with the movies all over again. So beautifully shot, they should be studying The Fabelmans in film schools for years.

 3. Everything Everywhere All at Once

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

This year’s likely Best Picture Oscar winner is deserving of the many accolades it has received so far. The most wild, creative, and technically brilliant film of the year, EEAAO weaves through different universes, demonstrating a mastery of styles in a multitude of genres. The film is perfectly cast, its four Oscar-nominated performers leading the way. It’s funny, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, action-packed, well… everything… all at once.

2. Tár

Todd Field

As a brilliant, accomplished, but problematic symphony conductor, Cate Blanchett is note-perfect in a career-best performance. She’s essential to the film, as you can’t imagine anyone else doing the role justice. Indeed, Field wrote the role for her. Some have reduced the film to a commentary on cancel culture, but that is a gross oversimplification. Tár is intelligent, nuanced, intriguing, and beautifully shot.

---

Before the big reveal, here are some that nearly made the list:

Honorable mentions

Triangle of Sadness

All Quiet on the Western Front

Elvis

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Top Gun: Maverick

And now...

1. Close

Lukas Dhont

The close friendship between two 13-year-old boys is torn apart, first when social influences get in the way, and then ultimately by a decision with permanent consequences. Lukas Dhont’s second film (after 2018’s Girl) perfectly captures the love and fragility of boyhood friendships and honestly portrays the unpredictability of grief. Close never preaches and never tells you how to feel. Beautifully shot, heart-wrenching, and emotionally gripping, Close confronts some of the most intense challenges of youth with a maturity that escapes most coming-of-age films. Augmented by stellar performances, Close is highlighted by the debut of Eden Dambrine, who gives the best performance I have ever witnessed by a young actor.

---

Next, look for my 3-part series of Oscar picks for the ceremony on Sunday, March 12.

[scotianostra]

On December 31st 1929 72 people died in Paisley at the Glen Cinema fire.

On the afternoon of 31 December 1929, during a children’s matinee, a freshly shown film put in its metal box in the spool room began to issue thick black smoke.

A special children’s Hogmanay matinee performance of the silent western short film The Dude Deperado was playing to a full house of over 900 children. A reel of film caught fire and thick smoke began to drift into the auditorium. This caused panic and in the ensuing moments as the children stampeded to the exits, one of which was closed,  many were crushed and trampled to death. Children ranging in age from 18 months to 14 were killed and many more were seriously injured and were hospitalised. 

The Glen Cinema suffered only mainly smoke damage, but it never re-opened. A Burton’s gentleman’s clothing store was built in the 1930’s on the site of the 1912 entrance, but the auditorium and main building remains to this day in mixed use as offices and a furniture store.  Original ceiling details remain and can be seen when tiles are removed from a false ceiling that has now been inserted.

Please note numbers vary on those that lost their lives from 69 to 72. On the 31st December 2009, to mark the 80th Anniversary of the tragedy, a memorial service was held at the Cenotaph conducted by Bishop Philip Tartaglia, the Very Reverend Monsignor John Tormey and the Rev. Alan Birss.

Survivors of the tragedy assembled to remember the children who lost their lives and were injured  on that fateful day, and wreaths were laid by Emily Brown, one of the survivors, who was only 5 years old on that day, and Councillor Derek Mackay representing Renfrewshire Council.

Artists Rachel Lowther and Kerry Stewart were commissioned to work with the community to create the memorial as part of efforts to mark the 90th anniversary of the tragedy in 2019. The statue was unveiled on November 27th last year

[kharonion]

1 for the romance prompt 🖤

blossoming romance prompts × oc list

1 | accidental hand touching.

“Fuckin’ hell, I’m starving now,” Kerry practically sings as he leads the way into Capitan Caliente.

Vikt, though he obediently follows, is still reeling. Because needless to say, hauling ass from the NCPD was not on his fucking bingo card today. Meanwhile, the guy is strutting so casual to a seat, greeting the waitress on the way. It’s only when he beckons that Vikt joins him, just as he spouts some oddly specific coffee request.

It’s a bit startling when she happily asks, “And for you?”

“Huh—?” Vikt so intelligently responds. “Ah, uhm, same thing. Please.”

“No problem. I’ll be right back.”

It’s not long before she returns with their beverages. Vikt bows his head in thanks, takes too long of a swig. Kerry snickers, starts to wiggle in his stool as he excitedly recalls the shenanigans they’d just finished. Then, his expression falters, dims. It’s so jarring a change that Vikt’s attention is pulled immediately from staring out the window.

He’s talking about Johnny.

“What does Johnny have to do with your little escapades back there?”

Kerry merely shrugs. Lackadaisical, though his lips contort like he’s lost himself in thought. He sips his coffee, now oddly quiet.

The unmistakable violent storm cloud around him darkens.

Vikt sighs, picks at the sleeve of his cup. “You don’t have to tell me. Look… I know this city doesn’t forget. It doesn’t forgive—fucking eats you alive whenever it can sink its teeth in. But you, well, you’ve survived it.” When he looks over, he’s a bit surprised to see blue eyes locked onto him, softened and a bit widened. Resolutely, Vikt finishes, “Johnny didn’t.”

That makes Kerry ponder again; Vikt has learnt the tells already. A gentle upturn of the ridge of his nose, the subtle glisten in his eyes, that hard line of a frown. 

He shifts his hand to stop incessantly picking at the paperboard… only for it to brush against Kerry’s.

Neither of them move. Just letting their warmth mingle, experiencing the pinpricks across their skin like the touch is a high voltage current.

What the fuck is going on…?

Holy hell, Kerry’s cheeks are scorching, and he finally pulls his hand away—though hesitantly. “W-Well, uh. Guess I… better get goin’. Y’know, got… things. To do.”

Vikt jolts in place as if rattled from a dream. “Of course, yeah. I’ll… I’ll see you around?”

Kerry nods with a smile so soft. And just like that, he’s out of the door.

Deep breaths… fucking relax. You have a job to do.

[abla-soso]

While watching the ex wifes and lovers Union i had similiar feelings to yours. Personally what changed my mind was Carolina's line "he would have hated this" making IT less of a solidarity nové and more of last fck you sort of thing. The motivation being spite rather than emphaty

It does make sense for Caroline's character to offer this request (She is spiteful enough to do it, and she's still reeling from the hurt Logan inflicted on her, and I do think this "fuck you" move was her own weird way of grieving her ex-husband and moving on).

What bothered me was how the other women went along with it and even bonded over it. It just doesn't make any sense. Marica is too classy and dignified for this petty shit. Kerry is one of the very few people who openly and unabashedly mourned Logan in a human way and she's still not in the "fuck you" grieving stage. So why were we expected to believe any of these women would accept Caroline's offer? (Sally-Ann is too much of a "'whatever" character that we literally know nothing about. So I won't bother trying to figure her out. She's clearly just fanservice).

The way the scene was filmed and acted, it's clear that it was meant to be seen as "women showing empathy towards each other because it's dumb to fight over a man".

I love seeing female solidarity and comradery. But I'm very uncomfortable with this gross feminist myth of women being more of a collective category of people than individual persons with unique personalities and so women must bond over their shared victimhood - especially when they're victimized by the same man - or else they're not true supporters of women's rights. Like women can't be decent people unless they stop having grievances against each other, no matter how valid.

It grossed me out how the writers forced Marcia's character to show empathy to a woman who willingly had an affair with her husband and gladly helped to ruin her marriage and then celebrated the end of the marriage ("lol, Marcia is forever shopping in Melan". Ugh). The act of showing empathy was not out of character for Marcia, even towards Kerry, and I would have welcomed it if the context was different. But in this context? It felt insulting.

[libraryinthecountry]

★ What are you currently reading? I‘ve been listening to the audiobook of Kingdom of the Feared by @kerrimaniscalco, and thoroughly enjoying it! I think it may be my favorite of the trilogy yet 😊 Kerri kicked up the heat tenfold with this one. 😏🔥🤤 Description: (beware of spoilers!) Emilia is reeling from the shocking discovery that her twin sister, Vittoria, is alive. But before she faces the demons of her past, Emilia yearns to claim her king, the seductive Prince of Wrath, in the flesh. Emilia doesn’t simply desire his body, she wants his heart and soul—but that’s something the enigmatic demon can’t promise her.

When a high-ranking member of House Greed is assassinated, Emilia and Wrath are drawn to the rival demon court. Damning evidence points to Vittoria as the murderer and she’s quickly declared an enemy of the Seven Circles. Despite her betrayal, Emilia will do anything to solve this new mystery and find out who her sister really is.

Together Emilia and Wrath play a sin-fueled game of deception as they work to stop the unrest that’s brewing between witches, demons, shape-shifters and the most treacherous foes of all: the Feared.

Emilia was warned that when it came to the Wicked nothing was as it seemed. But, have the true villains been much closer all along? When the truth is finally revealed, it just might end up costing Emilia her heart.

Two curses.
One prophecy.
A reckoning all have feared.

And a love more powerful than fate. All hail the king and queen of Hell. Thank you to @thenovl for sending me a copy of the book. ★ HASHTAGS //  #KingdomoftheFearedTour #KingdomoftheFeared #kerrimaniscalco #thenovl #storygramtours #kingdomofthewicked #kingdomofthecursed #bookstagram #spicybooks #fantasyromance #bookaddict #bibliophile  https://www.instagram.com/p/CjQqzBvJaeO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[celtfather]

Celtic Dance Party #667

It’s a Celtic instrumental dance party on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #667. Subscribe now!

The Drowsy Lads, Fig for a Kiss, Runa, Dublin Gulch, Lúnasa, Louise Bichan, Telenn Tri, The BorderCollies, Charlene Adzima, Fialla, Bealtaine, Dancing With Hobbits, The Crowfoot Rakes, High Octane, Conor Mallon

GET CELTIC MUSIC NEWS IN YOUR INBOX

The Celtic Music Magazine is a quick and easy way to plug yourself into more great Celtic culture. Enjoy seven weekly news items for Celtic music and culture online. Subscribe now and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free.

VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2024

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2024 episode. You have just three weeks to vote this year. Vote Now!

You can follow our playlist on Spotify to listen to those top voted tracks as they are added every 2 - 3 weeks. It also makes it easier for you to add these artists to your own playlists. You can also check out our Irish & Celtic Music Videos.

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:10 - The Drowsy Lads "The Green Mountain (Reels)" from Wide Awake

5:20 - WELCOME

10:04 - Fig for a Kiss "The Trip to Pakistan" from Wherever You Go

15:25 - Runa “Jutland Set" from When The Light Gets In

20:38 - Dublin Gulch "Kerry Rose Hornpipe" from Tap 'Er Light

23:27 - Lúnasa "The Blue Fiddle" from Live in Kyoto

28:38 - FEEDBACK

31:15 - Louise Bichan "Pinnacle" from The Lost Summer

36:00 - Telenn Tri "Hope Rising set" from The Cat's Meow

39:57 - The BorderCollies "The Sweetness of Mary  -  Clumsy Lover" from To the Hills and Back

43:28 - Charlene Adzima "Jimmie McGetrick's/John Naughton's/Tom Ward's Downfall" from The Initiation

46:39 - THANKS

50:02 - Fialla "Bull Set" from Home & Away

54:47 - Bealtaine "Frieze Britches" from The Founders' Room

57:33 - Dancing With Hobbits "Folk on Foot" from Dancing With Hobbits

1:00:31 - The Crowfoot Rakes "Maid Behind the Bar (Live)" from Off She Goes

1:02:22 - High Octane "Lazy Sloth" from High Octane

1:07:28 - CLOSING

1:09:32 - Conor Mallon "Tullycrine" from Unearthed

1:12:46 - CREDITS

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to follow the show. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.

Todd Wiley is the editor of the Celtic Music Magazine. Subscribe to get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you’ll get 7 weekly news items about what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.

Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Finally, remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and think about how you can make a positive impact on your environment.

Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

WELCOME THE IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn.

This podcast is for fans of Celtic music. Not just the big names you’ve probably heard of. But also the Celtic bands in your neck of the woods, at your festivals.

It is here to build a diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. Musicians depend on your generosity to keep making music. So please find a way to support them. Buy a CD, Album Pin, Shirt, Digital Download, or join their communities on Patreon.

You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.

Back from the Isle of Man

Plastic Free July.  Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single - use plastics?

Today’s show is an all - instrumental podcast episode. I have a lot of great music to share as well as a fascinating observation. In the past, it is the Celtic songs that were voted on the most for the Celtic Top 20. But I was looking at the last few weeks. And it’s the Celtic tunes, the instrumentals, that are dominating your voting.

That is fantastic. So keep those votes coming. But I guess that also means I should do a Celtic song episode in the coming weeks. I’d love to know what your favorite contemporary Celtic songs are. By that I mean, what original songs by Celtic musicians do you love the best?

I have found several songs on this podcast that were covered by other Celtic artists. I might do a show like that in the future too. We shall see. But let me know your thoughts.

Thanks also to our Executive Producers, author Rie Sheridan Rose (www.riewriter.com), and Richard Trest of the Middle Tennessee Highland Games & Celtic Festival (www.midtenngames.com) on Sept 7 - 8, 2024 at Sanders Ferry Park, Hendersonville.

If you are a Celtic musician or in a Celtic band, then please submit your band to be played on the podcast. You don’t have to send in music or an EPK. You will get a free eBook called Celtic Musicians Guide to Digital Music and learn how to follow the podcast. It’s 100% free. Just email Email follow@bestcelticmusic and of course, listeners can learn how to subscribe to the podcast and get a free music - only episode.

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST!

You are amazing. It is because of your generosity that you get to hear so much great Celtic music each and every week.

Your kindness pays for our engineer, graphic designer, Celtic Music Magazine editor, promotion of the podcast, and allows me to buy the music I play here. It also pays for my time creating the show each and every week.

As a patron, you get ad - free and music - only episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, stand - alone stories, you get a private feed to listen to the show or you can listen through the Patreon app.  All that for as little as $1 per episode.

A special thanks to our new and continued Patrons of the Podcast: Daniel Ide, Eric McFarling, Lorraine F

HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Go to our Patreon page.

Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $25. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month.

Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music.

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

The Celtic Invasion of Scotland’s Whisky Distilleries is now booked. The next Celtic Invasion will go to Galicia in Spain IF I can get enough people to explore that region with me. I need a minimum of 6 to make it happen. It’s not yet open, but if you’d like to join, sign up to our mailing list. #celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? Please email me. I’d love to see a  picture of what you're doing while listening or of a band that you saw recently.

How are you listening to this podcast? I’d love to know that as well. The show is available on a bunch of podcast apps like Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, iHeartRadio, Player.FM, Pocket Casts, Cast Box, Pandora, Podbean, and my favorite Overcast

Email me at follow@bestcelticmusic.

Thomas Michl emailed from the south of Germany: “Hello Marc,

in your last newsletter you ask about personal favourites and I do indeed have a band that I haven't heard in your podcast yet, but that I really like: The Rattling Kind with Eddie Sherlock (Dublin)

I would love to hear them on your podcast. Otherwise, I'm already looking forward to St Patrick's Day with good music from the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast ; - )

Greetings”

Kathy Glasgow replied to my St Patrick’s Day request: “I celebrated by getting my next semester of classes ready while listening to your podcast. I have them on my phone, so I was also listening to them today between classes. “

Ryan McKinney of O'McPub Band: “Marc,

Thank you for all you've done for Irish and Celtic music. We've listened for a number of years and I play in an Irish folk duo with my friend Joe.  We've been playing at pubs and wherever else they will take us for a few years now. We are finally going to try and get some of our versions of Irish tunes recorded but not exactly sure where to start.  Then I remembered you offer the ebook on digital music.  We would greatly appreciate your guidance and suggestions to make sure we think of everything.

Thanks again and hope when we get everything done we can someday hear ourselves on your podcast!

Slainte,”

Hey BTW, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast is now a proud sponsor of IrishFest Atlanta in November. I’ll have more details in the future.

Check out this episode!