#sarah listens to indie

[astrallize]

Just a fun headcanon

Ship: Platonic Sarah and Noah

Headcanon: Noah is a hardcore Ariana Grande fan. Sarah is not. However, Sarah's favorite sweatshirt is in the wash right now and she needs to do some errands. So, she borrows Noah's Sweetener sweatshirt. She runs into a few coworkers while doing errands and they comment on how they never expected her to be an Ariana Grande fan. She is most definitely not.

[gcballet]

I think me posting this in the morning GMT meant very few people saw this. If you're tagged, it's because you interacted with a post about The Sarah Michelles, Arnold Rimmer, and these missing albums!

Tl;dr: Arnold Rimmer, and the albums, Dubious! and Fabulous! by The Sarah Michelles, are NOT lost, and expected to return to streaming later in the year.

I tracked down the songwriter via a MySpace page archived on the WayBack Machine. I haven't given his name before, because he does have public accounts and it's bad lost media etiquette to name people when you don't know the situation I think. Possible lost media sources getting doxxed has been known to get out of hand, and I wanted to be respectful. But I will name him now, purely in the interest of publicly crediting and thanking him properly for his time today.

His name is Ali Gavan, he runs an independent recording studio, and seems very cool. He's been in other bands since The Sarah Michelles, as well as doing some film soundtracks, and you can listen to all his other music on streaming via the link below.

Ali also said he was surprised anyone had noticed the albums were gone?? Yes, I know it's one specific banger we all love particularly, but a lot of people noticed! You've only to look at the tag list below to see how many people noticed!

If you want to throw some love his way, listen to some more of his work, follow his X (bleh) or Instagram, that would be a lovely thing to do ❤️

Basically, after my first email, he asked who I was asking on behalf of (I share a full name with a BBC journalist and she's who you get if you google me, so there might have been some confusion), and I explained I'm a listener and lost media researcher. He then explained that the songs came down for arbitrary T&Cs reasons he hadn't sorted yet, but they should be going up again later this year.

So that should be that! I'll try to update to cap off this thread when the albums are back on streaming, and I might also add the short bibliography of research on The Sarah Michelles I did before I found Gavan, just for posterity's sake, as much of the stuff I found was pretty obscure and only accessible via Wayback or Internet Archive.

Happy listening, all!

@garfbees @tongue---tied @lostintime73 @odo-apologist @zombiesinaldi @yonderghostshistories @miniherodesktales @mistycircus @x-creature-feature-x @shuilian @janamelie @feathrdflake @maslickonachlebik @awesomephd @lady-stardust0-0 @iiep-wop @seraph-needs-help @acewashereog @kitmarloweki @bruh1122 @oops-ibrokereality @haventacluewhatimdoing @generouswolfdetective @spotforme @small-cs-traffic-warden @voiidvagabond @tanthegnome @trambrosia @raidermomma @thatsnoneofurdamnbiz @inobisnn @swords-and-serpents @drwhogeek @oneremainingbraincell @seraph-needs-help @ye-olde-tardis @temp0raryw0unds @hal-troublemaker-wilkerson @confessions-of-a-quilting-freak @aconfusedsquirrelsstuff @isyourfridgerunning @auberginebear @migkiller @deadbywonderland97 @fenn-eats-flowers

Working on putting together a masterpost for finding Arnold Rimmer by The Sarah Michelles as Lost Media. The justice sensitivity is getting to me and I feel really dizzy now lol

UPDATE!

I've been in touch with the songwriter, he says the albums came off streaming for arbitrary T&Cs reasons, and depending on his normal workload they'll go back up later in the year when he can find the time!

[ghostflowerdreams]

Audio Drama Recommendations, Pt. III

Click here for part one and here for part two. Recently, I've been drawing a lot, which gives me plenty of time to listen to audio dramas and podcasts. These are the ones I liked the most and found entertaining enough to recommend to others. This is not in any particular order, either.

The Green Horizon – is a sci-fi comedy drama created and written by Paul Walsh. It is sponsored by Faustian Nonsense, an indie entertainment network. It currently has three seasons, with each episode being about 20 - 30 minutes long, but later on it increases to 30 - 40 minutes. A fourth season is said to be coming out soon as well.

It is set in the year 2261, and it focuses on a ne'er-do-well Irish space captain and his rag-tag crew, as they traverse a war-torn Galaxy in search of fame and fortune. [ONGOING]

It was a little chaotic and rough at the beginning, but it does smooth out and become more polished. I can definitely tell that they up their game with the improved sound effects and production quality. The voice actors and the writing for the audio drama does an excellent job at bringing their characters to life, which made it very fun to follow along.

If you like Firefly, Red Dwarf, Orville, Cowboy Bepop, and so on then I think you may enjoy this too.

DERELICT – is a sci-fi narrative audio drama from award-winning science fiction author J. Barton Mitchell, and produced by Night Rocket Productions. It currently has one season titled FATHOM, which consist of 10 episodes with each one ranging from 40 mins to an hour, mostly the latter.

Something has been found at the bottom of Earth's ocean. An ancient artifact that can only be described as a giant door, inset into the sea floor. It becomes known as the Vault. A gigantic enigma, buried and forgotten...nineteen thousand feet down.

To study the artifact, the galaxy's most powerful corporation, Maas-Dorian, has built a massive, self-contained, secret laboratory base surrounding it, named FATHOM. It's objective: unlock the secrets of the artifact and discover what it holds.​ But some mysteries should remain buried. And some doors should never be opened... [ONGOING]

DERELICT started as the first project set up as a kickstarter. They produced one episode to entice backers, but then the pandemic happened, and they didn’t raise enough money for the rest of it. Instead, they worked on a prequel season called FATHOM. It's where the story really starts, and I highly suggest you listen to it before listening to "DERELICT E1 - Through the Gate."

I hope they redo the DERELICT's first episode because there's a bit of disconnection from it and FATHOM. For example, Sarah and Agent Blayne already know each other. She mentions it to the others, but the conversation they have with each other doesn’t make it seem that way.

Never mind. I apparently confused this Sarah with the Sarah in FATHOM. Can't blame me for thinking that when I heard the name Sarah and that she was already familiar with Agent Blayne.

Deviser – is a sci-fi horror audio drama created, directed, acted and produced by Harlan Guthrie. The same creator of Malevolent. It's a 7-part limited series, with each episode being about 20 mins long.

Son wakes up aboard a spaceship bound for earth in an effort to recolonize. What he discovers, however, will change everything he knows about his world and himself. [COMPLETED]

It's not for everyone, so please do not ignore the content warnings because there's graphic description of violence, self harm, body horror, gore, animal death/being hurt, and what not.

Victoriocity – is a detective comedy audio drama written by Chris and Jen Sugden, directed by Nathan Peter Grassi and produced by Dominic Hargreaves. It is an entirely independent production. It has two seasons, containing 13 episodes in total, and each one is about 30 to 45 minutes long. There's also a feature-length special and a up-coming third season with the help of a kickstarter.

It is 1887 in Even Greater London, an alternate steampunk Victorian London, where Queen Victoria reigns even after being assassinated eleven times, thanks to the wonders of modern science.

In this vast metropolis, Inspector Archibald Fleet and journalist Clara Entwhistle investigate a murder, only to find themselves at the centre of a conspiracy of impossible proportions. [ONGOING]

It's put together so well, and I see why people say it gives off strong Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett vibes to it. So if you like their works, then I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you like this too.

Impact Winter – is an apocalyptic vampire audio drama created and written by Travis Beacham (Carnival Row, Pacific Rim). It has two seasons containing 22 episodes in total and each one is about 17 to 30 minutes long.

“They came after the impact and the firestorms. When the sun went dark. Like they’d been there all along. Just waiting.”

In the British countryside, a band of survivors forms a resistance in the fallout shelter of a medieval castle. Darcy is a battle-tested vampire hunter who is at the front line, leading the charge to save humanity. Meanwhile, her younger sister Hope wants life to return to normal so she can go above ground and know what it’s like to live again. And she just might be willing to risk it all. [ONGOING]

It has a stacked cast led by Holliday Grainger (Cinderella, Great Expectations), Esme Creed-Miles (Hanna, The Legend of Vox Machina), Liam Cunningham (Games of Thrones, Hunger), Himesh Patel (Station Eleven, Tenet), David Gyasi (Interstellar, Carnival Row), Caroline Ford (Carnival Row, Nekrotronic), Chloe Pirrie (Emma, Carnival Row), and Bella Ramsey (Games of Thrones, The Last of Us).

This reminded me a lot of the film 30 Days of Nights (2007) with a little bit of Reign of Fire (2002), which were both fun films to watch. I think if you like those two, especially the former, you'll enjoy this or at least be entertained by it.

A Voice From Darkness – is a scripted paranormal horror audio drama. It is written and produced by Jac Rhys. It currently has two seasons, containing 20 episodes in total and each one is about 20 to 30 minutes long. It also has 7 bonus voicemail episodes and 15 Patreon exclusive episodes which are longer than the main episodes. A third season in the works as well.

Join parapsychologist and radio broadcaster Dr. Malcolm Ryder as he helps those who suffer the supernatural, paranormal or otherworldly problems on his call-in radio show. It is also interspersed with segments, one of which is called 'Today In Odd America' that delves into the origins of a holiday, local traditions, and history. [ONGOING]

If you like Welcome To Night Vale then I think you'll like this too. A Voice From Darkness is a bit more serious and not as long-drawn as Night Vale was, with a perfect mix of storytelling and lore. It also reminds me a bit of The Magnus Archive too.

How i Died – is a mystery audio drama that brings a "new twist on the true crime genre." It is an Audiohm Media original production, co-starring Vince Dajani as Jon Spacer and Shaina Waring as Sheriff Fran Crowley. It currently has three seasons with 39 episodes in total, not including bonus episodes. Each episode is usually about 20 mins, give or take a few minutes.

Bodies are piling up in the strange town of Springfield, and forensic pathologist Jonathan Spacer intends to find out why. But, Jon isn’t without his own secrets… He can talk to the dead, for starters. [ONGOING]

Ooo, a character that can speak to the dead? It's always so interesting to see what they'll do with their ability and where the creators take them. This has been entertaining, but at times I do think they can do better in developing their characters a bit more. For example, I can count on one hand the number of times Crowley doesn't get angry. Though to be fair, Jon isn't an immediately likable character, but that does change the further you go...sorta.

The Amelia Project – is a comedy fiction audio drama created, written, directed, produced and edited by Philip Thorne and Øystein Ulsberg Brager for Imploding Fictions and The Fable and Folly Network. It currently has four seasons, with a fifth one on the way. There's about 72 episodes, not including prologue, special, and BTS episodes which would up the total to 122. Each episode also varies in length from 20 to 45 minutes long.

The Amelia Project is a secret agency that fakes its clients' deaths, then lets them reappear with a brand-new identity. A black comedy full of secrets, twists... and cocoa. The series starts as a succession of interviews with clients who want to fake their deaths, then slowly a larger narrative begins to emerge... Each episode tells its own story, but we recommend starting with Season 1. [ONGOING]

It was fun to listen to while I was drawing or washing the dishes. I could also follow along without becoming too distracted by it, either. I was worried it would be one of those that take a while to get to the main overall story, but thankfully it did not. It will definitely keep you entertained and interested to know what will happen next.

Community Cat News – is a neighborhood news show done from the perspective of cats. There's currently 13 episodes so far and each one varies from 5 to 12 minutes long.

Local News: The human is opening the fridge! Will we get a taste?

Foreign Affairs: What are those squirrels up to now?

Traffic: WHY is the bathroom door shut again?

Every episode is sponsored by Meow Meow Puffytail, Feline Rights Attorney, who is ready to sue your human for even the slightest inconvenience. [ONGONG]

It's cute, light-hearted, and funny. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. It even uplifted my mood without me realizing I was feeling low.

[lil-tachyon]

For the last couple weeks I've been drawing logos / designs for local-ish (mostly NJ, some PA and NY) bands as warmups in the morning. Here's what I've come up with! Massive post below the break explaining each logo + where to find each band and listen to their music.

Teenage Halloween- a staple of New Jersey basements for probably about a decade now and finally getting wider recognition in the last couple years. Pop punk / power pop with a killer horn section. First time I saw them was in New Brunswick playing with Walter Etc. and Blowout. They played a killer cover "Build Me Up Buttercup" and my wife got a black eye in the pit. Recommended tracks: "Brain Song," "666," "Clarity." Their first EP is on a separate bandcamp page btw, check it out here it's great.

Sweet Pill - They will call themselves a Philly band but in my heart they'll always be from Glassboro. Definitely one of the more recognizable names on this list. Emo revival - early stuff is more twinkly, more recent stuff is heavier. All of it's great. Recommended tracks "Nephew," "High Hopes."

Shark Club - Central Jersey's finest. I'm very biased because I actually know these dudes and they did the music for my wedding. Some of the best pop punk you'll hear and the nicest people you'll meet. Recommended tracks: "Game Theory," "Bill Murray," "Heavens to Betsy."

Rest Ashore - My favorite band for the last (oh God I'm old now) eight years. From gut-wrenching emo ballads to virtuoso math-rock instrumentals they do it all. One time I got to sing vocals on "Lucy's Theme" at a house show- thank you Erica! Recommended tracks: "Hjarta," "Chinese Opera," "Devotion," "Soyuz Sweetheart." Too many bangers to name honestly, just deep dive their discography.

Morus Alba - First band I ever went to see at a house show and still one of my absolute favorites. Their music feels like the bridge between the best pitchfork, /mu/ alt rock bands and high energy basement emo. I mean that as a compliment and I hope it comes off as one lol. I should note that since 2019 Morus Alba has morphed from a band into an experimental hip-hop project so later releases sound radically different and basically disconnected from the earlier stuff. Also my favorite release from them, Live at Isabelle's, has been scrubbed from the internet but if you'd like the files just email me. Recommended tracks: "Skyscraper," "Human Resources," "The Goodnight Waltz."

Have a Good Season - another Jersey mainstay that's still going strong. Emo revival in their earlier releases, now with more 70s power pop influences in their newer stuff. See them live, they put on a fantastic show and usually play some great covers in addition to their original music. HaGS guys if you're reading this, please put your version of "Since You've Been Gone" online, I'm begging you. Recommended tracks: "Joseph / Shel Silverstein," (you have to listen to them together for the drop, so good) , "Gum, "Gleaux / Scab." Also, frontman Nic Palermo interviewed me once.

Elephant Jake - If you see any of these bands live make it EJ, they put on such a damn good show. Electrifying indie punk from the Empire State. Recommended tracks: "F.D.C." "Sarah Moyer," "Goodness to Honest," and of course you gotta learn "Sebastien Bauer" for the singalongs.

Blind Lion - Sadly one of the greats that we lost along the way. Defunct since about 2017. I only got to see them once but it was a great performance. Alongside their own stuff they played some killer covers of "Bad Moon Rising" and "Moonage Daydream." I had trouble doing a logo design for them because I actually really like the composition, if not the "Ed Hardy-ness," of their existing logo so what you see here are two separate attempts, neither of which feels entirely satisfying to me. Frontperson Larry Flately currently plays in Nematode and also handled production of Bradley Gardens joke hiphop group The Breakfast Boiz under the moniker "DJ Ova EZ." Recommended tracks: "Brumous," "Dinner."

Fighting Seasons - A band that I sadly found out about too late (via a sticker under the bridge in my town which has since been painted over). 2010s pop punk that packs a helluva punch, especially considering that I'm pretty sure the members were high schoolers for most of the band's existence. I think some members may have gone on to form Sawce (FFO Chon, Polyphia, that type of music) but I can't remember where I read/heard that so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Recommended tracks: "Fighting Seasons," "Oil on Canvas"

Milkmen- Another fallen giant, officially disbanded in 2019. Like Morus Alba, they played the very first house show I attended and their few releases remain on constant rotation in my home. Used to put on a great show and were one of the bands I always thought would make it big until suddenly they weren't around anymore. Frontman Ben Thieberger contributed guitar and vocals to Covid quarantine project Kin if you're looking for a bit of an extra fix but beyond that I don't know what these guys are up to these days, sadly. Recommended tracks: "Ramus," "Johnny Dangerously," "how sieves catch breeze," "K.O.T.H."

Stand and Wave - New York (now Philly) pop punkers delivering instant dopamine hits with every track. Another great live act, see them with EJ if you can! They often play shows together. Recommended tracks: "Convos," "Mrs. Dash," "Splashton Kutcher," "Michael Collins."

My Chemical Romance - You know who they are. While I was drawing all these other logos I ran a poll on Patreon to decide which famous New Jersey band should also be graced with a drawing from me. MCR won the poll by a hefty margin so unfortunately you won't get to see me do an illegible black metal take on Hoboken's Yo La Tengo. I ended up doing two versions: the one with the halo is the first, the one with the bats was the second. I tried to do something kind of thin and elegant with the first one and I don't think it's terrible but I also wasn't quite satisfied with it. For the 2nd attempt I tried to lean into the kind of pulpy, almost horror punk aesthetic of early MCR and I think that one looks better even if it's less original.

Anyway if you took the time to read through all this, thank you very much! And please support these bands! Also If any of the links aren't working please let me know.

-Logan

[imeaniguessthatsfine]

“Listen to a different song”

If anyone needs new music to focus on and find a different outlet this is gonna be a list of artists and music that might catch your ear! That sound similar and give me similar feelings that Lovejoy and Wilbur’s music would give me.

Mother Mother just released a new album this past month, sounds really freaking good, and they’re currently selling tickets for a tour with Cavetown this upcoming year!

Ricky Montgomery released a new album back in September, also sounds really good and definitely a vibe! He’s also currently on a tour!

The Beaches have a newer album that they released in May, they’ve got a really good sound, sounds kind of a mix between Wet Leg and Florence and the Machine. Female band, I personally haven’t listened to them a ton but I’m in love with their sound so far!

McFly is a British pop rock band that’s started music in 2003 and they’ve been making music for years. They took a break for awhile to do their own thing but have recently released a new album. There were many times when listening to Lovejoy I could hear many similarities to some of McFly’s older music! Would 10/10 recommend them.

Sarah and the Sundays, they’ve got a groovy sound, I found them sometime last year and I really like their stuff! Started getting bigger during the pandemic and seem like they’re doing a tour rn in the US!

Motherfolk, groovy amazing music! Indie rock, based from Ohio! They have a few shows going on later in the year. Absolutely recommend them too.

As someone who spent the entire beginning of the year pretty much only listening to Wilbur’s new music and Lovejoy, and being very consumed by their music last year, I understand! This makes me want to scream because I find a lot of everything with music. But fuck abusers and believe and support victims.

I’m probably gonna add to this list as I find music and listen to more! And if anyone has recommendations they’d like me to add, feel free to share and I can add it! I love discovering music and I’m sure people who loved this band do too.

xx

[swe3troses]

10 things I Hate About You pt.2 (Jack Hughes X Reader)

‘I hate the way you drive my car...’

Bianca got up with a start looking at her father offended.

“But she’s a mutant! What if she never dates!”

“Then you’ll never date, ooh I like the sound of that,” her dad says smirking as he rubs his hands together before continuing,

“And I get to sleep at night, the deep slumber of a father whose daughters aren’t being impregnated!” he said facing Bianca before his very out-dated pager beeps notifying him that he had an emergency call at work, he points at Y/N and quickly says

“We will talk about Sarah Lawrence later!” he says as he walks out the front door

“Fine.” Y/N replies going up the stairs to finish her book without having to be annoyed by Bianca.

Bianca’s nostrils flare as she rushes towards the end of the stairs looking up at Y/N 

“Can’t you find some blind, deaf guy to take you out so I can have one date!” Bianca shouts

“Sorry Bianca you’ll just have to miss out on the witty repartee of Trevor ���eat me’ Zegras.”

“You suck!” Bianca says walking away

“You suck!” Y/N mocks back walking up the rest of the stairs.

Luke waited in the library for Bianca, he had learned French and found time in between hockey to be able to teach her French, something Quinn thought he was an idiot for.

Bianca storms in, Luke thought she looked gorgeous. Bianca had her long black hair in a ponytail and a red headband to hold back any falling pieces. She was wearing a red long sleeved crop top with a floral skirt and tiny red heels. Luke’s throat went dry as he opened the book, his hands shaking.

Bianca rushes towards Luke, being almost a foot shorter than him and that makes Luke go wild, he just stares at her before Bianca speaks “Can we make this quick? Troy and Dani are having an incredibly horrendous public breakup in the parking lot,again!” she said, smiling up at him.

His cheeks turned red “Well, uh I thought we would start with pronunciation?”

“Not the gagging, hacking and spitting part please.” she said folding her arms over her chest

“There is an alternative, French food, with me, this saturday.” 

“You’re asking me out?” she said her red lips growing into a smile

“That’s so cute? What’s your name again!” she said, making luke embarrassed.

“Luke Hughes. Listen, I know your dad doesn’t let you date, but I thought that if it was for French class he would,-” he said before Bianca spoke again.

“Oh wait a minute, Lyle..”

“Luke.” 

“My dad came up with a new rule, I can date when my sister does.” she said before Luke cheers

“Really? Do you like beach houses because me and my brothers have a beach house and-”

“A small problem Luca, In case you haven’t heard, my sister is a hideous breed of loser.”

“Y-yeah I noticed she is a little antisocial…Why is she like that anyway?” Luke asked leaning closer to Bianca 

“She used to be really popular, but she got sick of it or something. So then she became some moody indie rock loser.” Bianca replies as she makes a smug face at the talk of her ‘bitch’ sister.

“Yeah..but I am sure there are many men who wouldn’t mind going out with a difficult woman…like…Extreme dating!”

“You think you could find someone that extreme, and you’d do that for me?” Bianca replied holding his hand 

“Hell yes! I mean…yes.” Luke said before shrinking down in his seat. Luke’s mind immediately went to his older brother…Jack Hughes.

     Luke and Quinn saw their brother at hockey practice at around 2pm, Luke had already told Quinn and decided what was going to happen. He was pushing people into walls and gliding the puck into the net with such ease and then doing a very cocky celly, the rest of his teammates looking at him with fear.

“Hey brother, what’s up my man…” Luke said as he approached

“Yes, Luke? Is there something you need?” Jack said as he went to sit on the bench taking off his skates as his brother talked to him with his gear still on.

“Can you maybe take out this girl, Y/N, you’re the only one I know who could handle her-” He tried to say before being interrupted

“No way Luke, I am not taking out some chick, for your benefit.” he said as he walked to the locker room, not even glancing at his brother before taking off his jersey while walking into the locker room showing his toned back and his chest guard.

“God, of course he said no.” Luke said as he got on the bench as he took off his skates while Quinn skated off the ice and sat next to him.

“What we need…is a backer…someone who could convince Jack…” Quinn says before looking at Trevor and immediately knowing who his target was.

“Hey Trevor…” Quinn said as he skated towards Trevor. Trevor gave him a look.

“What’s up Hughesy, what do you need?” Trevor said as he skated around the ice rink.

“I need you to ask Jack to date Y/N L/N. Now here me out, all you have to do is pay him, and you may score a date with Bianca…” Quinn said desperate to help his little brother out.

“Fine, Bianca sounds nice…Ok I’ll do it, you owe me.” Trevor said before skating off the rink and going towards the locker room and approaching Jack.

“Hey Jack…buddy…Wanna go out with Y/N L/N for a couple bucks?” Trevor asked Jack as Jack stripped down to his boxers grabbing his regular clothes which consisted of a white t-shirt and blue swimming shorts. Jack gave him a confused expression.

“Why does everyone want me to go out with this chick? She got brownie flavored nipples or something?” Jack asked while taking out his vape and taking a hit.

“It may have something to do with her younger sister…Bianca L/N…But I’ll pay you 50 bucks a date.” Trevor said as he smiled

Jack didn’t even care, money is what caught his attention, he couldn’t get a job because he was too focused on hockey, so getting money for taking out a girl, a girl he thought was kind of pretty, it was perfect.

“Fine, I’ll do it, but I want the money in advance. Now I’m gonna go try to ask this girl out while you sit here in uniform.” Jack said before taking another hit and walking out of the locker room with a mission on his mind.

“Hey girly.” Jack said as he approached Y/N who was at her locker grabbing her books for psych.

She looks towards him with an amused smile. She was wearing a white long sleeve top, a long blue skirt and black chunky sandals, her h/l h/c hair was let down with half of it up.

“Why hello?” she said looking at him with a slight smirk

“What are you doing pretty girl?” Jack said as he looked at her

“Trying to grab my notebook for psych as a certain white boy is pestering me.” she said as she finds her book and slams her locker closed

“Mm I wonder who that boy is.” Jack said as he smirked at her “Do you maybe wanna go out sometime?” he asked, using his charming white smile to grab her attention. “I’ll give you a hint.” she says as she pulls open her locker revealing a mirror and pointing it at Jack. Jack looks at her with a shocked but amused face..now this girl has caught his attention, he is still in it for the bet, but Y/N…she was starting to make this a bit more fun and exciting for him.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is short, drivers ed and summer assignments are driving me crazy...anyways heres the next chapter, the third chapter will be uploaded soon, thank you for reading sorry for the delay

[retromotherfuckers]

OBX Rock Band AU (headcanon)

Characters:

jj maybank, john b routledge, pope hayward, kiara carrera, sarah cameron

Word Count:

~700

A/N:

i have no idea if this has been done before but the idea came to me the other night in the shower lol. i’m in a band so you can guess what i loosely based this on

JJ - Drums

is my opinion biased on this one? probably

my favorite band member and character

the one with the most problems

drinks a little too much,  stoner

personal life in shambles most of the time

once he found the drums as an outlet he dove into it, eventually becoming an intensely devoted musician 

that drum set has seen some things

jj lets his anger out on that poor, innocent drum set

all the different pieces have had to be replaced so many times because he beats the living shit out of them

the one that got john b into rock music and the rest was history

he's not one of the chill drummers who just shows up and does their thing, this man is a show-off

so many tricks

long solos whenever the chance arises for one

flirts with the entire band

music genres: rock, grunge, alt, metal

bands/artists: Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard

John B - Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

a no-brainer. this is practically canon

no i will not be hearing opposing opinions at this time

he's the frontman

the one most people's eyes are drawn to right away

controls the vibe in the room

him and jj put on a show

stoner

is naturally a gifted singer, but had a vocal coach for a little while to get some pointers

rhythm guitar because most rock songs need at least two guitars and he's played guitar since he was a kid just for fun

music genres: country, rock, alt, pop when jj isn't around

bands/artists: The Rolling Stones, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Aerosmith, Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash 

Pope - Lead Guitar/Band Manager

he's just there to vibe but also an incredibly skilled guitarist 

the one that tries extremely hard to keep everyone on track, but can't because no one listens to him

also the one that found kiara and Sarah

he's classically trained, but he only did classical as a kid because that's what he thought the smart kids were supposed to do

he plays like Slash: relatively controlled body language, but his fingers fly back and forth on the frets 

music nerd

everyone can tell he loves what he's doing

manager because who else would manage these fools?

music genres: rock, alt, indie rock

bands/artists: Falling in Reverse, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Green Day, Hozier, The Killers, The 1975

Kiara - Bass

i will not be accepting arguments on this one

she 100% grew up on cello, but wanted to rebel against her parents as a teen and switched to rock but realized she fucked with it

this girl is hot as all hell and knows it, but has nothing to prove

she's one of the more responsible members of the group but also super laid-back

stoner

effortlessly keeps everyone in check 

she just wants to vibe and play some songs

flirts with the entire band

weird, hippie, earthy screams bass player

music genres: indie rock, r&b, pop punk, anything from the '60s and '70s

bands/artists: Janis Joplin, The Strokes, Young The Giant, Hozier, Paramore, Joan Jett, Whitney Houston

Sarah - Backup Vocals

she was definitely an attention seeker in her young years and would've hated backup, but now she's perfectly content chilling in the background with some killer harmonies 

she has a few songs she leads in the set when john b needs a rest

she absolutely KILLS them

but she loves playing with the melody and adding a harmony on something that you wouldn't expect

this girl has perfect pitch so harmonizing takes about 3% effort from her

if a song is too low for her or too high for john b, she transposes everything (perfect pitch and all)

she will. not. touch. an electric guitar with a 10-foot pole. 

don't ask, i have no explanation for that one

on the occasion a song needs keys, she's the go-to

music genres: she's a retired theatre kid so she listens to just about everything under the sun except country

bands/artists: Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Queen, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Knicks, Amy Winehouse

[panelshowsource]

hi, sarah! i see you've watched a lot of british panel shows/comedians and i need a specific recommendation: where to start with dara o briain? he's right now my favourite taskmaster contestant ever and after listening to his episodes on the tm podcast and off menu, and watching him on wilty, i'm completely in love with his humor and manner of speech. what are the "must see" things he's done in the past? he's such a prominent figure in british tv but idk how to choose what to watch next

i have watched a lot of panel shows...you got that right hehehe...

i'm happy for you that you found someone you really like and get to explore a lot of new content! i gotta say, that doesn't happen often for someone quite so famous and prolific like dara, so it's fun for me to think back to all the stuff he's been in :')

he's a comedian, but he's also known for being mr big smarty pants, so he's done a lot of comedy programmes as well as smarty pants programmes & documentaries. you may choose to start in one of these distinct directions if there's a side of dara you like best! let me start with a few of my own faves...

he's probably best known — definitely by my followers, but also in general — for being the long-time host of the news-focused panel show mock the week, which JUST ended after 17 years. of the panel shows about news, of which there are many, this one is the most accessible and the most silly. dara is a GREAT host and has hilarious dynamics with the regular panelists, especially his literal best friend ed byrne (who we heavily stan). in fact, on mtw, you'll also see lots of other taskmaster contestants you may recognise, including panel captain and cult fave hugh dennis, frankie boyle, russell howard, and ed gamble. i know 17 years is A LOT, so if you've never seen the show and aren't sure where to start, i'm gonna recommend you give series 15 a go — as a new-er panel show fan, i think a more recent season like this one will be most accessible. also, this compilation of comedians roasting dara on mtw for half an hour is fucking hilarious lmaooo

dara has been on tons of panel shows as a panelist opposed to hosting, and you'd be amiss not to catch up on him on qi! one of stephen's smart lil boys and a clever laugh, he was made for that show. you can find dara's episodes here and i have all of qi linked on the masterpost! if you've never seen qi here's a silly clip that is mostly sean being one of stephen's naughty lil boys but it's a great example of the learning a lot/learning absolutely nothing dichotomy that can happen with a great panel (including dara!!)!

apart from that, i'd highly recommend you watch his stand-up! i put two specials on drive for you, 2012's craic dealer and 2015's crowd tickler (sorry for the mid quality — they're just dvd rips). these are pretty perfect for blossoming dara fans because they're funny, witty, clever, goofy — all the things we love about dara at once!!

as for my final personal recommendation, you should definitely check out dara & ed's great big adventure, a bbc two miniseries where the besties travel along the pan-american highway! they have top-tier wholesome bantz, ed is very fucking goofy (you will find quickly that being a fan of dara is being a fan of ed hahaha), and they explore some very beautiful cultures. i will work on getting decent rips of the show for my drive, but in the meantime you can watch this on dailymotion!

it would be amiss if i ended the recs here, because dara has hosted a lot of different series — but these series are based around very specific interests of his. some of the big ones include the following: go 8 bit, one of his most recent shows about classic and indie video games, very nostalgic with fun guests; science club (if you need full eps of this lmk, i should be able to get them but it will just take a lil time) and school of hard sums, nerds talking about science and maths, def have qi vibes; and the underrated stargazing live, broadcast every winter and when dr brian cox & our fave amateur astronomer mr ó briain talk about stars and shit! these are less necessary watching and more worth watching if the topics tickle your fancies~

okay i hope that helps!! there is obviously so much more to his career — including his many books — but i think this is overwhelming enough and i hope you don't mind the long post! feel free to catch us up on what you're enjoying down the line, we love dara and hearing what others love about him too :')

[pantsaretherealheroes]

top 5 albums (or artists) you’ve been listening to lately

good question! maybe it's the adhd but i feel like i don't listen to albums much anymore and i want to change that so here is a mixture:

the rise and fall of a midwest princess - did you know about this underground indie queer artist i'm sure i'm the only queer girl listening to this album in the last year. no but seriously this is one of the only albums i've fully listened to and loved recently i have to admit

escaper - sarah kinsley - @cal-daisies-and-briars told me about this one and it absolutely slaps. great use of string arrangements! particularly love last time we never meet again and knights

a variety of doechii songs but particularly off alligator bites never heal, denial is a river goes so hard

the magnetic fields' 69 love songs - particularly i don't want to get over you and i think i need a new heart. they should use these for buck's bisexual dating montages after eddie's in el paso

i finally properly listened to cowboy carter in full while i was putting my new bed frame together and yeah, that is an album of the year it's great!

bonus: another cal rec, cruel nature by RIP dunes (eddie diaz ass song) i listened to this a lot last year

thank you! <3 <3

[nothwell]

Listen wherever you find your favorite podcasts!

Five indie authors weigh the benefits of writing interconnected books as a series or specializing in telling single stories, including the shiny lure of a fresh story idea, getting to know intriguing new characters compared to settling in for another adventure with old friends, the challenge of crafting a sequel as compelling as its predecessor, and whether readers are more willing to follow an author into a bold new direction or return to familiar ground.

RK Ashwick (she/her) @ashen-crest is the author of the Sidequest Row series (beginning with A Rival Most Vial) and the Lutesong series (beginning with The Stray Spirit). You can connect with her at her website: rkashwick.com

Noah Hawthorne (he/they) @noahhawthorneauthor, also writing as Aelina Isaacs, is the author of the Adventures in Levena series (beginning with Phantom and Rook) and the stand alone novel The Rebel Foxes. You can connect with him at their website: neshamapublishing.com

S. O. Callahan (she/her) is the author of the Fella Enchanted duology and co-author of the Fae & Human Relations series (beginning with Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms). You can connect with her on Instagram @s.o.callahan

Sarah Wallace (they/she) is the author of the Meddle & Mend series (beginning with Letters to Half Moon Street) and co-author of the Fae & Human Relations series (beginning with Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms). You can connect with them at their website: sarahwallacewriter.com

Sebastian Nothwell (he/him) is the author of the Aubrey & Lindsey series (beginning with Mr Warren’s Profession), the Oak King Holly King series (beginning with Oak King Holly King), and the stand alone novels Hold Fast, Fiorenzo, and The Haunting of Heatherhurst Hall. You can connect with him at his website: sebastiannothwell.com

[thepiedcurrawong]

FAVOURITE ARTISTS?!?!! OR BANDS?

woah ok

The Crane Wives are my absolute favourite. They're a four-piece indie folk rock band from Michigan, and they're so cool! I love them. My favourite songs from them are probably Strangler Fig, Canary In A Coal Mine, Mad Dog, Little Soldiers, Metaphor, Queen of Nothing, Mad Dog, and Time Will Change You.

I really love Sarah and The Safe Word. They're a gothic cabaret band and their musical style is so unique. My favourite songs from them are probably Something is Afoot on Old Man McGrady's River, The Miscommunication, Learning the Truth at Last, and Invert the Jenny.

I adore Will Wood and The Tapeworms. The 2016 record SELF-iSH is probably my favourite album ever. My favourite songs from them are Mr Capgaras Encounters a Secondhand Vanity, Dr. Sunshine is Dead, Skeleton Appreciation Day in Vestal, N.Y. (Bones), and 6up 5oh Cop-Out.

I'm also a big fan of Vundabar. They're a nice indie rock band, and I listen to them when I really need to focus. I find that their songs are less intrusive, if that makes any sense?

Anyway, thanks for asking! What about yours?

[midnightfire830]

I just saw your post for the band Au, and I so love your designs for them! Especially for Boris. Questions for today, what are some of the questers favorite music genres? Do they have any competition with other bands? Will some familiar faces be joining this Au? Are any of the band members interest in a relationship? And who is Bendy and Boris caretaker? Last one can be unanswered

Hi! I’m so glad you enjoy their designs! I’ve been working on that drawing for so freaking long lol.

Their favorite music genres would be mostly punk rock or just in general rock.

Bendy and Boris preferring some of the older rock music dating back to Elvis Presley to current. They appreciates some of the grunge from the 90s too. Bendy also listens to a lot of more modern techno and pop music. Especially ones that are strong with the more computer created sound effects, heavy beat drops, and bass. I’m not sure how to describe it but songs that aren’t only instruments but also includes computer created sound effects, that sort of thing.

Cuphead listens to a wide variety of music depending on his mood. He listens to general rock genres but he also appreciates songs about things he relates to on a personal level. It doesn’t always matter the vibe, but if the lyrics strike a chord with him he’ll add it to his listen playlist (this is also in my Cyberpunk AU lol, Cup just has the same music taste throughout my AUs) He also loves indie and alternative rock.

Mugman seems like the kind of guy to listen to musicals. He’s a romantic, so of course he’d listen to a lot of Hamilton, Justin Paul and Benj Pasek; Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Disney songs. And I guess in general any songs about love, romance, and that have a good vibe.

No competition so far that I can think of. Idk… maybe the butcher gang??!?!? I dunno!?!? There’s not a whole lot of groups that aren’t taken in IM that I can turn into a band.

You will see a lot of faces! The Circus gang, Black Hat, Felix, the girls, Fanny, Sarah, etc etc…

Bendy, Mugman, and Cuphead are all in relationships tho they usually keep it on the down-low. Boris is Aro/ace. I think you guys can kinda guess who is shipped with who… tho bendy keeps his relationship secret from the public.

And Bendy and Boris’ Caretaker?

WHO’S THAT PARENTAL FIGURE???? IT’S GRANNYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! XDDDDDD

I’m sorry I had to…

Revealing Granny as a Pokémon?? 100% worth it…

Thanks for the ask!!!!!!!

🤣

[bandcampsnoop]

8/31/24.

Lame-O Records (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) has been turning out some great pop records. From Mo Troper to Slaughter Beach, Dog to Hurry, the label has consistently kept a steady finger on the pulse of indie pop.

Now comes Slippers "So You Like Slippers?". The band serves as the vehicle for the music of Madeline BB. The Bandcamp page throws out a lot of different touchstones - Elephant 6 and Apples in Stereo played a big role in Madeline's upbringing. It describes opener "XTC1000" as a combo of Goner and Sarah Records.

I personally think of Mo Troper's music most when I listen to this, but far be it from me to judge someone's list of band/label comps. Slippers are currently based in Los Angeles, California.

[onmypinkmother]

Today's very special and lengthy One Donut a Day is about one of my favorite Hoops and Yoyo shorts 

Its a cute little animation of Yoyo taking a walk around listening to the song Sugar Vendor by Softee. 

Love the use of real locations. Piddles house is so cute too. I want to live there so badddughh!!! >w<

It's such an interesting short as its the only one of its kind, It feels branded like it was supposed to be its own recurring series but its not.

 So after watching something like this I wondered how hoops and yoyo collaborated with an indie band but finding that kind of information is hard. First of all the band, Softee was an indie Pop band from Kansas City, Missouri had a pretty short run starting in 2009 and going for a few years before becoming inactive. 

Excerpt from their youtube channel description,

“Softee is Sarah/bass/lead vox, Mimi/drums/vox, Flora/cello/keys & Steph/guitar/vox. A super fun lo-fi indie pop band from KC, USA, Softee met at work and are designer/illustrators by day and power popsters by night. They LOVE it and have a blast!!! We have 2 EPs & 2 singles available on itunes and amazon!!”

Looking at their page cant give me that much but it's something. Their albums are hard to find let alone catalog how many releases they’ve made. What I can find is 2 Ep’s and sugar vendor on a compilation album FIRST BLOOD which is the only way to listen to Sugar Vendor in good quality. Or like at all. Their youtube page has some of their songs performed live however the band being active in 2009 does not equate to the best quality. 

They’re cool but I wish there were more answers. I'll try to find some contact info for members of the band and how they came in contact with Hallmark. Maybe they had ties due to their design work? If they did the (really nice) art for their albums and banners) they do match the styles Hallmark has for their media in this era. Their art has this cute little baby squirrel? I think thats what it is these icons and posters are nice.

 So if I think the obvious thing is to either contact Mike Adir and or Bob Holt but that would seem like a hassle because I'd have a billion questions about Hoops and Yoyo to ask them. 

Well now that that section of the post is done with theres some merchandise based off this short, an Ipod case. It has Yoyo on one side with his ipod with some edited headphones instead of wearing the Apple Earbud style earbuds he wears in the Short, and Hoops on the other side just bein silly :p 

Heres some things I ripped from the flash file. I wanted to rip Yoyos adorable little head bobbing but this ones really strange compared to other flash files i’ve digged into where I could not find this animation by itself in the file. 

So have these of Yoyo and Piddles and the full backgrounds uncropped.

Speaking of the backgrounds I wondered where Yoyo was walking. So for fun I tried to find out what the real world locations of the walk and map the trail so lets see where these locations are now. 

Yoyo Takes a walk around 63rd street in the Brookside District in Kansas City Missouri possibly due to the band being from there maybe they frequented the spot. So lets reveal (almost) all the real locations from the short.

Location 1 - BlueBird Cafe 

The short begins and ends here and Bluebird Cafe is actually a CVS :( I think has been for a long time.

Location 2 -  Coffee Depot

Coffee Depot has an interesting history as it was once a Goodcents sandwich shop to now a Starbucks so it kind of is a Coffee Depot but less cute and more corporate and a big lack of a giant coffee mug on top I don't know if that was there at all or edited in.

Location 3 - pink house :) 

My personal favorite location as its such a pretty house. Unfortunately it was repainted in blue by the company that currently occupies it, a pest control service. I have no idea what previous business occupied the house as when i find other images of the house it seems to be up for sale. An odd point on googles street view shows one capture from 2011 when the house was still pink frozen in time. Such a shame a pretty house was repainted :( 

Location 4 - restaurant and DOGGONE IT!

Yoyo sits on the bench, reads a paper, and has a little dance break in front of these 2 buildings on a which are 3 stores. The restaurant is now 2 separate stores, a pet salon and a framing shop. Doggone it is a clothing store now.

Location 5 Ye olde donut shoppee

So this is the one I have no ideas about, reverse image search didn’t give me a clue and i took a street view tour around the area but did not find a matching building so this ones odd so please if anyone can find it let me know.

Location 6 - Chillis Delli

The location Yoyo passes but waits to cross the street is actually a restaurant so its not too off.

Bonus thing! - Hallmark location 

While researching the street I viewed old videos touring the area and had stumbled upon an old hallmark store there on the street. So I believe this may have something to do with the connection to Hallmark and Softee idk thats just my theory.

This has been a very long and big project post when it wasn't supposed to be, however the questions keeps piling and I enjoyed researching for this one. Next post may not be as long but will still have lots to it. 

Hello again and goodbye for a little - Penny <3

[ninjaturtlecosmo]

Elmore Junior High Students' adult lives, part 2

Sarah G. Lato;

- By the time she and all her classmates entered highschool, her obsessive behavior towards Gumball and Darwin had begun to calm down until she got to where she was no longer an obsessive fangirl, but rather just a calm highschool girl more easily able to make friends and interact with those around her.

- Still maintained her love of all things fandom related, as well as drawing and writing, eventually making up her own stories that didn't involve writing about the people around her

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Went into an art school in San Francisco, where she expanded her knowledge on how to master her passion and talents

- Is now the producer of her own indie animation show on the internet which has gained a large fan base

Leslie Fitzgerald;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Went to college to study fashion design in the hopes of making a career out of it

- After graduation, he moved to New York to get a headstart on his career, and is now one of the top fashion designers in the industry

- He still keeps in touch with everyone from back home, especially with Penny, his cousin.

- Since Leslie was so close to Lita after she and Penny began their relationship, and Penny couldn't help but worry over Lita when Harold's final trial was closing in, Leslie flew back to California to be there to support Penny and Lita during the trial

- He and Bobert have grown to become closer friends since they both live in New York City, and Leslie often listens to Bobert with an open heart and mind when Bobert recounts his time in the military

Alan Keane and Carmen Verde;

- Remained a couple all the way to graduation and beyond

- Both graduated the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool, with Alan as the Valedictorian during the graduation ceremony

- Alan and Carmen married shortly after graduation

- Both wanted to spend their lives doing good for people in need, so Alan and Carmen both became philanthropists for a living and are in charge of multiple charity organizations to help millions of people in need around the world

Teri;

- Started to seek therapy during highschool to help manage her hypochondria

- Thanks to the sessions, she started to control her fear of germs better and not let her fear of getting sick affect every part of her life

- Teri always had a distant relationship with her parents as they were always busy at work with their jobs as doctors and barely had time to be with their daughter, but upon seeking therapy, her parents soon began to prioritize her more and help her with her problems..... So alongside managing her hypochondria, Teri also began a journey of repairing her relationship with her parents.

- Graduated the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Originally she did want to be a doctor like her parents when she grew up, but Teri soon decided that kind of hectic life wasn't for her. She took a gap year to try and figure out what she wanted to do with her life, until eventually she realized her true passion was baking.

- Attended a culinary school so she could learn more about baking cakes and the different ways to make it

- Soon opened her own bakery in Elmore, which has gained a wide amount of customers who often come in wanting to taste the delicious treats she's made

Hector Jotunheim;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Sadly, there aren't many advantages even that far in the future for giants like Hector, so, rather than seeking college or a career, Hector has decided to live as a travelling nomad who travels around the country as he tries to figure out his place in the world

Tina Rex;

- Has gotten better control of her temper in highschool and has been better able to make friends

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Eventually started her own death metal band where she serves as the lead vocalist

Idaho;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- No one from his old class speaks to Idaho anymore, as after graduation, he moved back out to the countryside with his family, all of whom refuse to interact with modern technology

- Some say as an adult, Idaho just spends his days alone or with his family, hunting in the woods or farming out in their crops

Anton;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Works with Teri at her bakery

Juke;

- After getting older, he's finally able to speak English to his classmates so he can finally have conversations with them and they can understand him

- Graduates with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Starts to make music in his adult life, eventually getting a job as a DJ at a local rave club

Sussie;

- Graduates with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Makes a career out of writing and illustrating children's books, all of which are beloved by many of the kids who read them

Ocho;

- His violent attitude and tendency to intimidate those around him eventually caught up to him when during 8th grade, he got into a fight with another student which resulted in said student being seriously injured

- Ocho was apprehended by police for his behavior and soon sentenced to a few years in a juvenile correctional facility

- No one saw Ocho for about 4 years after that, until senior year started and Ocho was released from juvy and he was able to attend his last year of school with all his old friends

- He had clearly gone through a severe personality change from his time locked up, it being clear he was more calm now, but those that studied him closely could tell he had been through some things in juvy.....

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Didn't pursue college, nor did he seem to be in a hurry to figure out a career path..... In fact, Ocho seems to just spend most days alone in the apartment he shares with Juke, battling severe depression from having missed out on so much in his teenage years because he couldn't control his temper back then

Eggheads;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Went to an Ivy League school, and now work as professors at Harvard

Jamie Russo;

- Had calmed down considerably during highschool after a massive improvement in her personal life

- Instead of the tough and intimidating personality she was known for, she began to present herself as more calm and gentle as she felt she could open up to people more and let her guard down

- Gumball eventually noticed this change and soon felt something about her that intrigued him....

- Gumball and Jamie began dating in their sophomore year together, Gumball realizing just how much more there was to Jamie than what he knew so long ago

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Is now married to Gumball, and works as a professional women's MMA fighter

William;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Now works as a spy for the US government

Molly Collins;

- Graduated with the Class of 2031 at Elmore Highschool

- Is now a bestselling author, having published a multitude of romance novels, while also (with permission from Lita, Tobias, Rachel, Jackie and Stella) having written a biography about Harold Wilson and how he presented himself as someone harmless for so long while hiding the horrific crimes he had committed for so long, and the overall evil he was capable of

Clare Cooper;

- Graduated alongside Anais and their other classmates in the Class of 2030 at Elmore Highschool

- Keeps in touch with Anais despite her busy schedule at university and with the comics she makes

- Is now the lead vocalist of a pop punk band she formed

Julius Oppenheimer Jr;

- Sadly, he's one of the few among his class who never made it to graduation

- Due to worsening behavior, he ended up joining a gang, and got so involved with them that he ended up dropping out of highschool

- Julius eventually met a tragic end as his time with his gang passed, when he ended up being killed in a drive by shooting..... He was only 17 when this happened.

Billy Parham;

- As he grew older, he soon became more aware of his mother's conniving, controlling and manipulative behavior, which set off many red flags in his mind

- Graduated the Class of 2030 at Elmore Highschool with Anais and Clare, almost immediately going to a prestigious college of Felicity's choice

- Like Anais, he graduated from college at only 13, but still had to live with his mother as he was still underage

- He found a way to keep himself occupied and to save up money over the next 5 years until he could move away from home by secretly making a YouTube channel and uploading videos on an almost daily basis, his channel consisting of him critiquing a wide variety of different works of fiction, be it movies, television, books or more

- By age 18, he immediately leaves home and continues making his videos for a living, having cut ties with his mother so he no longer had to be near her despicable attitude

Bonus character, just cause this one isn't a student who any of the Elmore kids went to school with but I still want to share what eventually happens with him;

Larry Needlemeyer;

- After breaking up with Karen and getting back into a relationship with Takumi, he quits most of his jobs, until soon the only job he has to give himself a living is his job at the local music shop

- Between just having the one job and getting therapy, plus having lots of time now to spend with Takumi, Larry's mental health improves massively

- Eventually their relationship gets to where they both start to make music again in Takumi's RV, just like they did so long ago in the apartment they once shared.....

- This time, Larry actually considers that maybe he would like to give making music a shot for a living, just as he should have done a long time ago.

- Ironically, it's around this time that Stella decides to retire from her band so she can focus on raising Lita and reconnecting with all her old peers in Elmore.... This leaves Takumi, Colleen and Trixie in a predicament as they wonder who's going to be their lead vocalist now, and that's when Stella suggests "Well..... why don't you have Larry sing in my place?"

- Sure enough, despite some hesitance on Larry's part, he's convinced into joining the band

- It just so happens they have a big show scheduled in a huge arena in Elmore, and almost every citizen of Elmore is there to watch the band play, none of them aware at first at the change in who the lead vocalist is now

- The show starts, and at first Larry almost gives in to stage fright from the massive amount of people that are present..... But he looks to Takumi who gives him an encouraging smile, helping to raise Larry's confidence some more as the show begins

- Cue the very first song of the concert, a metal cover of "Lovely" by Billie Eilish (similar to the one by Lauren Balbic and Seraphim), as Takumi and Larry both sing to their heart's content and give the people of Elmore a show like nothing they had ever seen before...... Afterwards, they receive a massive applause from everyone who was present at that arena, Larry for the first time in his life actually feeling confident not only in his talents, but in the fact that after 33 years on this Earth he truly found his calling in life..... Larry had never been more happy in his life than he was in that moment.

- After Larry's new lead vocalist role in the band is officially established, he, Takumi, Colleen and Trixie all decide to leave Elmore for a while and travel around the country playing more shows, just as they once did with Stella

- Upon making this decision, the 4 all take the time to say goodbye to the citizens of Elmore, especially to those they were all close to before hitting the road, never looking back and just looking towards the future

- Not only does Larry find more happiness playing music in the same band as his boyfriend, but they all become a huge success in the music world, even moreso than ever before

- Eventually Takumi and Larry settle together in a big mansion in Malibu, building a comfortable life together all simply through the passion they share together

- After a few years, 2 to be specific, when Larry is now 35 and Takumi is 48, Takumi finally proposes to Larry one evening when they're out on the beach together, presenting Larry with a beautiful diamond ring, befitting of the nickname he always referred to Larry by..... With eyes overflowed with Joyful tears, Larry says yes and hugs Takumi tightly than he ever had before

- They decide to have their wedding in Elmore so they can invite all their old friends, having a memorable and beautiful ceremony together as they make their vows to be bonded until the end of time

[thepodcasthoard]

Modern Day Radioplays: Writing a Fiction Podcast - video

This is a video from WriteHive and it's all about how various creators write their own audio dramas and why and how they started.

The panelists are York Campbell, Julie Hoverson, K.A. Statz, Jordan Cobb, Sarah Rhea Werner, and Leslie Gideon, all of whom write or otherwise produce audio dramas.

York Campbell is the writer and host of Poetic Earthlings, which is an original science fiction anthology. Unfortunately, I don't know if this link I found is the right show, but I'll put it here anyway.

Jule Hoverson is the writer/producer of 19 Nocturne Boulevard, an anthology with stories in the supernatural, speculative, and strange.

K.A. Statz is part of Fool and Scholar Productions, an indie audio drama production company.

Jordan Cobb is an actress/writer and the founder of No Such Thing Productions, another indie production company.

Leslie Gideon is a writer and voice actor and created her own audio drama called The Path Down.

Sarah Rhea Werner is a writer and voice actor and creator of Write Now and Girl in Space. She's also the executive producer of Omen, her partner Tim Krause's show.

Patchree Jones- the host of the panel- first question is: How did you get into this line of work?

Jordan first started with listening to audiobooks. She studied acting in New York University and realized that a script she had written for a class would work with a few of her acting friends. After that first show- Here be Dragons- she fell in love with the audio drama production process.

K.A. Statz started because both she and her partner Travis are very creative and are storytellers. This was a hobby they wanted to share, and they discovered that she was good in the writing aspect and Travis was good at production so they played to their strengths.

Sarah started with her nonfiction podcast, Write Now, and tried writing fictional stories to be read out loud.

Leslie listened to Welcome to Night Vale and fell in love with the rabbit hole entrance it was. She saw the potential for stories that weren't as represented in other mediums and explored that.

York started by listening to AM radio stories and when he mentioned to his wife he wanted to start a podcast but wasn't sure of the topic, she suggested that he read some of his fictional stories.

Julie studied screenwriting and was in an old-time radio club. She's an actor who was invited by a friend to audition with her for a podcast. After auditioning and recording with the cast, she used those scripts she had already written to start making fictional podcasts of her own.

Question 2: What are the elements of a fiction podcast that make it different from writing a novel or short story?

Leslie points out that there's no atmospheric or worldbuilding writing- it's all dialog and sound. Because of this, she says, it's incredibly more intimate and character-focused.

Sarah separates the story into: dialog, sound effects, music in the background. But the dialog is the main part, the other two highlight that aspect.

K.A. says that you can't really explore characters by action, but what and how they speak. Language is a huge part of identity and writing for dialog is keeping the art of oral history alive.

York used to write and perform rap so he was more focused on the music and how to play with that aspect.

Julie used her TTRPG background and creating memorable characters as the game master and how to separate those characters just using dialog. Audio drama is (generally) in media res, right in the middle of the story. It doesn't have the slight disconnect of reading words and having it be in past tense.

Jordan says that you're living in the story with the characters. Writing scripts for audio fiction feels more "immediate and lived-in." Her screenwriting background tends to creep in as far as worldbuilding because you're guiding people through your world from their own life and whatever they're doing at the same time as they're listening to the podcast. She says she wants to have the listener "suspend themselves" in the world she creates.

Question 3: Do you feel that certain genres lend themselves more towards this medium more than others?

K.A. says that this medium is open to any kind of story. There are genres that are more difficult- she points out action as an example- but it's doable. It just requires more thought about how to depict it. And with more people coming into the medium, there's eventually going to be someone who brings a new technique in that will prove her wrong and she's looking forward to it. She also says that horror works very well- people tend to create more terrifying things in their mind than K.A. ever could on her own because of K.A.'s work.

Julie says that anything that's ruined by a visual, or a visual that wouldn't live up to the story. She agrees with K.A. and says that horror is good for audio, and action is difficult.

Jordan agrees about horror and adds comedy as a good genre. She compares it to standup comedy because the listener pictures the scenarios in their mind. Also, science fiction and fantasy because to produce it via say, a movie, it would be exorbitantly expensive. Whatever genre you choose, you're taking the audience with you on the journey. A little hand-holding is expected, but as long as you're willing to do that well, it's a journey they'll willingly take.

Sarah offers encouragement to any future creator, no matter what story or genre they're interested in- there's room for everyone in the medium.

York says that in his science fiction anthology, he sometimes goes off-track. And even when he does do that, he says that there's "a golden thread that ties everything together" because it's all told through sound.

Julie says that engaging characters are the key to each genre. If the writing, acting, and characters and their predicaments are good, they will draw the audience in.

Leslie says that any genre that focuses on characters or a certain atmosphere works well in audio dramas. Horror, especially psychological horror, works well. But so does romance because it's characters talking to each other and getting closer.

Question 4: What do you love about writing podcasts?

Julie says that she can do whatever she wants and can be any character she wants with no need for things like makeup or other visual cues.

Sarah says she can connect more to her listeners than she can from purely writing.

Jordan says the audio fiction is the closest way she can get to living in the worlds and have the experiences the characters she creates do.

York says "empathy saves the species." When he creates characters that have experiences he never will, he builds empathy with people who might have those experiences in the real world. He can show more compassion.

K.A. says the effect that her story has on listeners is amazing. There's also an amount of self-reflection that comes with writing, and it's personal without being invasive.

Leslie discovered a freedom in this medium that doesn't quite exist elsewhere.

Question 5: What are the challenges you've faced when writing fiction podcasts?

Leslie says that because of the nature of audio- namely that dialog is king- it's more difficult to create well-rounded characters that aren't what she calls "exposition machines." The world is shown through not only one character speaking, but how that character speaks to other characters.

York says that even though he enjoys the act of writing, it's grueling and takes a while for him. When he can't find "the heart" of the story, AKA the "core element," he doesn't record it. He has to find the human connection.

Jordan says that actually writing- the butt-in-chair method- is the most difficult part. And she also has trouble putting the exact mental image she has into language that other people experience. Getting onto the same page proves difficult at times.

Julie says finishing things is hard. Starting is easy, but finishing is harder. She also wishes she had a dedicated editor because she prefers writing and acting.

K.A. also has problems finishing projects. She's grateful to her partner Travis for sound direction and certain production duties so she can focus on other things. She also points out that a lot of work has to go into building an audience, and she wishes someone could do the promotion.

Sarah says that it's difficult to not burn out when you're making a project. Working around your life can be hard, but when you are burning out, it's sometimes difficult to step back even when it's necessary. Also, she points out that the finished product is not what it takes to make it- a thirty minute episode takes hundreds of hours to make.

Question 6: How do you best promote your podcast?

Jordan cross-promotes with other shows. She has snippets and trailers of hers on other shows, and shouts out other projects from other people when she's enjoying something. Most people listen to multiple podcasts, so you can get people to network and more ears on your work.

Sarah comes from a marketing background. She says creative people often think that marketing is antithetical to what their work is, but she thinks they should learn about marketing if they can. The more you learn, the more effective you are at it.

York says that there is such a thing as creative marketing, that you can bridge that gap. He particularly mentions just for social media episodes and giving an episode for those who don't want to go to another platform to listen to more yet. He also shouts out other shows and projects. Guesting on other projects is helpful, too.

K.A. says doing things adjacent to the podcast is good- she and her partner did Twitch streams about sound design. Also, building a community and having them spread the word for you is a plus.

Leslie says that because the medium is relatively new, the community is very social media focused. It's the best way to get the word out.

Julie points out the fact that even with cross-promotion, the word more or less gets passed around the closed room of audio drama fans, not so much spread further. But marketing, she admits, is very daunting especially when you're wearing so many hats already. But she says to find reality-based podcasts, not just fictional ones, and make connections there. So if you have a horror fiction podcast, reach out to horror movie review podcasts.

Question 7: Do you use sound effects and how do you incorporate them? Do you make them yourself or where do you find them?

K.A. writes them into the scripts at specific points. Her partner, Travis, either finds or makes them himself. While you don't necessarily need sound effects, they are an anchoring point and connection to the real world. You know what a car door sounds like when it's slammed shut and the probably emotion behind it. You can envision the situation.

York didn't at first, but added music and the sound effects later. Don't have them for the sake of them, use them to deepen the listener's understanding of the characters/world.

Julie uses the sound effects to serve the story. She uses the same sound effects- a door opening, for example- over and over. She plays with the sounds and layering them until she liked the result- she likens it to collage.

Jordan doesn't sound design her own projects, but she writes sound effects not just for ambiance but as part of the story. She also says to play with silence as a 'sound effect.'

Leslie thinks it's vital to create a soundscape when creating an audio drama because it adds to worldbuilding.

Sarah does her own sound design and editing and says freesound.org is a great resource.

Question 8: Do you plan the whole season in advance or do you go episode by episode?

Leslie plans out seasons first to make sure the narrative flows well. It also makes production and post production run more smoothly for her.

K.A. plans everything in advance because she "can't abide chaos".

York writes everything, including show notes, in advance.

Jordan plots the season first, then writes episodes in more detail to give herself room to breathe. But everything is done before recording.

Sarah is a self-professed "chaos monster" and has difficulty planning everything, so she writes episode by episode because it works better for her.

Julie writes episodes in her anthology about five or six in a batch, then looks for sound effects, music, and cast members as she works.

Question 9 (final question): What is your advice for future podcasters?

York believes in finding a story you can immerse yourself in, something that has a core of truth and real experience. A story that you're motivated and stoked to write.

K.A. recommends not standing in your own way and try little things at first, just to try and prove to yourself you can do it.

Sarah suggests that you find a friend and support system in the community to not get stuck in your head.

Julie seconds the finding someone in the community, along with finding shows that you enjoy and following them closely. Also, she suggests to write and just write, don't spend forever editing a sentence at a time. Keep moving forward.

Leslie says to listen to as many shows that you can. The best way to learn is to listen to the things people do well.

Jordan says to not let anyone steal your joy. You will start from 0, get one-star reviews, and have people say intentionally cruel and unprompted things about what you've poured everything into. She also says to never read reviews.

I only touched on their answers, I highly recommend watching it in its entirety. It's just over an hour and twenty-six minutes and it's truly jam-packed with information and it's really entertaining.