#sleep less records uk

[welshie100]

TYING TOGETHER THE DETAILS OF THE FIRST DOCTOR’S EARLY CHILDHOOD

(I recommend clicking the GIFS if you want to watch them from the start as even off screen they continue)

While Chibnall was the first to explicitly confirm that the Doctor is care experienced (an umbrella term for foster care, adoption, kinship, residential care, special guardianship) he wasn’t the first to introduce that idea.

In the Series 8 episode Listen written by Steven Moffat, the TARDIS went to the early part of the First Doctor’s life, when he was a young boy sleeping in a barn he’d ran to outside of the Capitol, and was visited by two unseen people.

With how the Woman calls the place that the Doctor had run away from a house and refers to the children living there not as the Doctor’s brothers but as the boys, this implies that the Doctor was living in a children’s care home, and those two people who came to him were likely the care workers of the house.

With what this care worker says, it might’ve been a military orphanage he was living in. That could be what all orphanages on Gallifrey are like which wouldn’t be surprising, or that care worker was just forcing his own interest onto the Doctor and the other children.

Either way, the glimpse we saw of the First Doctor’s childhood was paralleling what we saw earlier in the episode of Danny Pink, who lived in a children’s care home as a boy with an interest of the army.

The Doctor having been in a children’s home fits perfectly with what Reinette said after glimpsing the Doctor’s childhood, because feelings of loneliness are common for those who grow up in care homes.

How the First Doctor ended up in the home, I think that could be answered by what the Ninth Doctor said in The Empty Child.

I think after Tecteun mind-wiped and force regenerated the Doctor into a baby boy, she dumped him at the doorstep of the children’s home. And whether Time Lords are natural or machine born, she fabricated a birth record so he believed he had been born like everyone else. To add, I doubt the Doctor is the only Time Lord and Division Operative to have been reset because of no longer aligning with Division.

We know from multiple references that the First Doctor had a family and a family home.

“Well, when I was a little boy, we used to live in a house that was perched halfway up the top of a mountain” - 3rd Doctor, The Time Monster

“I was with my father, it was a warm Gallifreyan night” - 8th Doctor, TV Movie

“Have you got a brother” - Martha
“No, not anymore. Just me” - 10th Doctor, Smith and Jones

“But of course it’s meant to be the Doctor’s mother. That’s certainly what I’ll tell the production team. Euros knows it already. David, too” - RTD in The Writer’s Tale about the Woman in The End of Time

“Sisters. I used to have sisters” - 13th Doctor, Arachnids in the UK

“I had seven, but grannie five, my favourite, used to tell me about the Solitract” - 13th Doctor, It Takes You Away

This means that the Doctor wouldn’t have been in the children’s home for his entire childhood. Some time before he went to the Academy, he was either fostered or adopted by a family who lived in the house perched halfway up a mountain.

Some fans say that the Doctor not being from Gallifrey means that the Woman in The End of Time can’t be the Doctor’s mother. But I think what they mean by that is that she can’t be his birth mother, but there’s no issue with that. Whether the Woman was the Doctor’s adoptive or foster mother, that doesn’t make them less of a mother, a mother is mother no matter what kind, the scene and the intent still has the exact same impact as it had before, a mother helping their child in their time of need. My mother (adoptive) would go to the ends of the Earth for me, and I her. And I think it’s better that she wasn’t his birth mother because it means we haven’t seen one of two people who are the reason for the Doctor’s existence, adding to the mystery of their identity and origins.

And some time after being adopted or fostered, the Doctor goes to the Academy, graduates, has a family of his own as a father and grandfather, then for multiple reasons decides to run away from Gallifrey with his granddaughter Susan and the rest as they say is history.

[skylarsblue]

✦C.o.D Call Sign Inspo✦

(I've been having a bad writer's block, but, I do have some mini ideas that I can't flesh out. But, I know some people struggle with names/concepts for Y/N's/Characters. So! I'm giving them out for free in hopes it'll inspire something in someone so they don't go to waste!)

✧Somno; Gender Neutral. A y/n that's main trait is being a hyper insomniac. To the point they always seem tired, constantly consuming caffine, etc. But even if they're falling asleep where they're standing, they have incredibly fast reflexes. Could lead to some funny scenarios of finding them asleep in weird places, or, a cute concept (them only being able to sleep when they feel completely safe; ie: with one of the c.o.d characters)

✧Mama; Feminine. Pretty on the nose, but it could also be translated into a different language to match a country of origin. The concept is basically just...an aggressively maternal lieutenant/captain. Because I feel we don't have enough strong MILF's in this world, let alone in this fandom. This could also be used platonically because 141 specifically could use a mom type. Ghost & Gaz specifically.

✧Saint; Gender Neutral. Can be used for a character that's incredibly self sacrificing. Which would make for good fluff & good angst, plus, I think a lot of us can relate to feeling. Partially inspired by a random line I thought of - "If I die protecting you, that's far less frightening than you being gone when I could've protected you. Dying once for you is a peaceful passing, rather than dying every day you're not with me."

✧Salvadora/Salvador; Fem or Masc. Disclaimer; when I had this idea I imagined a woman. An alternative to the cartel story line in Las Almas. Y/N runs a civilian resistance against the cartel and has commandeered a village to keep citizens safe. It's basically a paradise in the crime ridden city. They've been providing sneaky support for Alejandro's men. (Honestly, this concept is pretty specific, and more detailed, and I might break it down more/write it on my own if possible)

✧Copycat/Mimic; Gender Neutral. A y/n that's incredibly skilled at mimicking voices. Whether in different accents or actual voices.

✧Mirage; Gender Neutral. Disclaimer; I imagined this also as a woman because I like powerful ladies. Similar to the one above but instead of just voices, they're just great at disguises in general & particularly sneaky. Like they "fade out of existence" if you look away at the wrong time.

✧Lynx; Gender Neutral. For a small, deceivingly cute looking character that's actually super deadly and quick. Do not trust the toe beans.

✧Nessie; Gender Neutral-Fem Lean. Pretty self explanatory. A character that's illusive and great in water. Bonus points for Scottish rep.

✧Sparks/Fuse; Gender Neutral. Just a fuckin' pyromaniac that can make their own bombs, super impressive and intricate ones. Thought of a scene where they're all in the heat of battle, low on ammo, and Y/N brings up randomly that they were a troublesome teen who almost had a criminal record. Price asks what the charge was and they just light something that doesn't look at all like a bomb, with a giant grin. "It was arson!!" And then they throw a fuckin' devastating bomb.

✧Iris; Gender Neutral. A character known for a very intense/intimidating stare. Inspired by those clips of people losing to Angelina Joline's femme fatal stare. Also, them being able to read a shocking amount about a person purely through eye contact.

✧Sage/Blister/Morphine/Plaster; Gender Neutral. All names for a potential medic!Y/N. (Plaster, for us Americans, is a word for bandaid in the UK. I know y'all prolly know that but just in case)

✧Bee; Gender Neutral. For a Y/N that's visibly smaller than those around them but packs a real hard punch. Also good if they're particularly good at physical combat. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

✧Sugarcube/Honey/Cupcake; Gender Neutral-Masc Lean. I think the idea of a big buff, visibly masculine, intimidating dude being named something like 'sugarcube' is super funny.

✧Lasso/Big Mac/Stallion; Masculine. Isn't it obvious? Big cowboy man who's aggressively American even if he's actually been a UK citizen for years.

✧Bessie/Cowgirl/Chick; Feminine. Once again, aggressively southern Y/N. But, for fem!y/ns.

✧Tex/Stars/Anthem; Gender Neutral. See above, but this time, neutral. Cause I'm about equality in this bitch.

✧Cobra/Mamba; Gender Neutral. For a y/n that specializes in poisons to kill enemies, as well as a character with any association with snakes. Could be interesting for Ghost to hear.

✧Doll/Dolly; Feminine. A more "spy type" for the classic femme fatal who gets intel through allure. If you've seen my two fic concept posts, this is the call sign I'd give to the Y/N in Price's concept.

✧Tech; Gender Neutral. Pretty basic, a character that's particularly tech-y. Good with computers and hacking.

✧Bunny/Hare; Gender Neutral. For a y/n that's small, but super fast & alert. Bonus if they got Hinata jumping powers.

✧Clover/Shamrock; Gender Neutral. Irish rep. Use this for a Y/N that is somehow the luckiest unlucky person ever. Constantly ending up in situations that are stressful/intense but making it out with barely a scratch. Can add some dissonance if they actually hate this call sign because it's not luck that gets them out of these situations, and instead is there skill.

[queer-dinos]

Some marauders headcanons;

Remus is tallest, he’s 6’2

James is 5’10-5’11

Regulus is 5’7

Sirius is 5’6

Lily is 5’5

Peter is 5’2

- Lily makes a habit of keeping chocolate in her bag, both for herself and Remus

- Lily’s period actually syncs with the full moon (our most even-keeled members becoming moody messes together every month)

- Lily was originally friends with Remus and Remus only, it took her years to warm up to the Marauders

- Lily is the first person Remus comes out to. She’s his safe space

- Lily and Remus refuse to do chores magically. It drives their pure-blooded boyfriends insane

- Remus likes to take Sirius to muggle record shops. Sirius loves Queen and AC/DC

- one day, Sirius and Regulus decide to switch uniforms for fun. By the end of the day the marauders have managed to convince half the school that Sirius had always been Slytherin and that Regulus had always been Gryffindor. it gets even better when they can easily switch quidditch uniforms as well, as both simply say ‘BLACK’ on the back

- Lily’s last name is actually Evans-Potter, but no one outside of the marauders and Minerva McGonnagal really acknowledges that.

- Jily and Wolfstar buy flats next door to each other. It’s not uncommon to find Sirius and James sleeping on the couch at Chez-Wolfstar, or Remus and Lily having tea in the kitchen of the Evans-Potter house on early mornings.

- Regulus has his own room in Chez-Wolfstar

Ethnicities/Nationalities:

- Sirius and Regulus are French. They’re both fully bilingual and often have conversations completely in French for privacy purposes. Sirius likes to flirt with Remus in French

- Remus is Welsh on his mum’s side, and Polish on his dad’s

- James is 1/2 Indian from his dad’s side, but the Potters had lived in the UK for at least 3 generations before James was born. His mother is British

- Lily is Irish and Dutch, with a little bit of German and French in there too. Her family has lived in Britain for two generations before Lily

- Peter is 1/4 Belgian and 3/4 Dutch

-Lily spent years teaching herself BSL, and taught basic signs to the Marauders

- James is super ADHD

^^^so are the Black brothers, just less severe

- Sirius has severe trauma/PTSD from his parents. There are times where he hides in his bed for 2-3 days. He’s sensitive to loud noises

-Regulus, however, hates silence. It reminds him too much of the times he had to magically soundproof his bedroom when Sirius and their parents got into screaming matches, or worse, to cancel out Sirius’ screams and cries as their mother tortured him

-Sirius and Regulus have tattoos of their constellations

Sexualities/Pronouns:

- James: pan, he/him

- Sirius: gay, he/they

- Regulus: bi, they/he

- Remus: bi, he/him

- Peter: aro/ace, he/him (doesn’t mind they/them tho)

- Lily: pan, she/they

[mindblowingscience]

Scientists from the US, UK, and Uruguay analyzed data from 378,932 people aged 40 to 69 to see how those who are genetically 'programmed' to nap regularly fared cognitively compared to those who lacked comparable genes. Nappers, they found, had larger brains, equivalent to those who were 2.6 to 6.5 years younger. "Our study points to a causal link between habitual napping and larger total brain volume," says lead author Valentina Paz, a neuroscientist at University College London (UCL). Previous research on adults over the age of 65 suggests daytime dozing improves short-term cognition, with nappers outperforming non-nappers in cognitive tests. The new study didn't record nap length, but prior studies suggest naps under 30 minutes are best, with earlier naps less likely to affect nighttime sleep.

Continue Reading

[reidscanehand]

you’re the northern star

Inspired by this song by Dom Fera Pairing: Rockstar!Remus Lupin x fem!Reader (Modern AU) Category: Hurt/Comfort/Fluff TW: implied alcohol/drug use (really just overdoing it on Remus’ part)

Well, this is different, innit? I was rewatching the Taylor Swift Miss Americana documentary and I got an idea about a rockstar not sure of what to do with himself. Also, this is a really fucking stunning song that I’ve loved and wanted to use for a while. The other lyrics Y/N sings are another Dom Fera song called “Midnights in October”. 

Three rum and cokes and a couple beers in Some lucky drunk stood up, heavy with where he’d been And he held onto someone, and he sung out compelled “You’re why I was right to trust myself”

~~~

Being a rockstar was everything Remus ever dreamed of. The Marauders had kicked off when the boys had all finished school together. Peter had quickly left before they really took off  - unsurprising, really, but no less saddening - quickly replaced, though, by Frank Longbottom, who was, in fact, a better player anyway. With Frank on keyboards, Remus on bass, James on drums, and Sirius on guitar and vocals, the band really began to gel for the first time. Remus and Sirius wrote all the music and lyrics - mostly Remus, really. He could play piano, guitar, and bass, making it easier for him to arrange everything, but Sirius did his fair share. The addition of Frank seemed to symbolize a new beginning for everything, really. 

That and James and Lily finally getting together. If James wasn’t so head over heels for the girl, Remus could’ve sworn he’d asked her out just for her connections. 

With Lily installed as their manager, The Marauders started to play bigger venues, their songs started getting more streams, and, suddenly, they were releasing EPs, then an album released to stunning reviews and an enthusiastic and ever growing fan base. They were invited on Graham Norton, then played a UK tour, then a US tour, performing on Jimmy Fallon, and Saturday Night Live. Then the Grammys came - Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best Rock Album, all in one fell swoop. 

And Remus suddenly realized that that was all he’d ever wanted. All he’d ever wanted...and now that he had it, what was he to do? He didn’t really know. He suddenly felt embarrassed and uncomfortable. He couldn’t write, he couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t do much of anything. He played with the group, but even Sirius got on him for how bummed out he sounded while singing backing vocals. He didn’t feel like he could talk to his bandmates. He started drinking...aggressively, really. When he couldn’t sleep, he would drink to knock himself out, sometimes popping pills to help in the endeavor. Then he’d take pills to wake up, take pills to energize himself to do a show. He knew it was bad, but he felt just numb. 

It was an unspoken problem with his bandmates. They knew something was wrong, especially Sirius, who was so furious with him after their last writing session - a session to which Remus arrived late and hungover - that he didn’t speak to him for almost a week unless he absolutely had to. This last leg of the US tour couldn’t be over quick enough in Remus’ opinion. Tensions were high and maybe...maybe he just needed a break? He wasn’t sure. Their Reno, Nevada shows had been sold out and with the weekend over, they’d leave the next morning for Los Angeles. Dropping his stuff at the bus and then going to his hotel room to pick up his wallet, he left the hotel without telling anyone, doubting they’d miss him. James and Lily were...canoodling in their room, Frank was facetiming back home with his girlfriend, Alice, and Sirius was seducing whatever groupie he’d brought back that evening. Remus had tried the groupie route, hoping that feeling something would bring him back to earth, but it just made him feel even more numb, really. 

So, he took off. Their hotel was near enough to a bar that he walked over pretty quickly. It was some local place, he didn’t pay the name too much mind, settling at the bar and hoping no one recognized him. It was pretty dark, anyway. There was a little group playing popular music covers on a small stage in one corner, but it wasn’t too busy. Remus asked for a rum and coke, heavy on the rum. The bartender seemed to get the message and Remus quickly chugged back a couple of drinks, asking for a third when the band caught his attention.

“This is a less popular song,” a young woman says while pulling a stool up to the mic, “but it’s one of my favorites. I hope you like it.” The opening chords of the song caught his attention. He watched, transfixed, as the young woman began to sing.

“Oh, oh, oh, oh. There’s a story I tell, really just to myself. Like a prayer I sing to empty shores, so how’s it sound just like yours? How’s it sound just like yours?” she sang wistfully, her pretty voice lilting around the lyrics. 

Remus hoped he wasn’t drunkenly imagining things...because he’d written this song. It was one of the first songs released by The Marauders back before...before anything, really. Before they’d turned to rock, even. It was one of the songs he’d recorded with Sirius when it was just the two of them. He’d recorded all the parts in his closet at university, sitting cross-legged on the floor to fit in there with his various instruments, and mixing the parts on his computer instead of writing a paper for his intro to philosophy course. 

“There’s a spirit over midnights in October and it sings to you and only you. So, how did I hear it too? How did I hear it too?” She continues to play on ukelele as the rest of the band comes in on piano, bass, and drum, but Remus remains focused on the young woman. Her eyes are closed, but she’s smiling to herself as she sings. She looks so...peaceful. He can’t believe it’s his song that’s made her so...so happy, so wistful. The fans loved the music, sure, but Remus hadn’t seen someone love someting he’d created like this before. He sips his drink slowly, methodically. He doesn’t want to get drunk for the first time in ages. He wants to speak to this beautiful girl. He wants to tell her...he doesn’t know, but he needs to be more put together to talk to her. 

“And if we try to say what we need we could be okay. We clearly believe in believing, baby, we’ll try slow, we’ll try slow. There’s a spirit over midnights in October and it sings to you, only you and now I’m singing too. And now I’m singing too. And now I’m singing too.” She finishes the song and there’s a small round of applause, led mostly by Remus. The guitarist steps up to the mic and thanks everyone, announcing the end of the set for the band. The group gets offstage and Remus tries not to seem creepy as the young woman crosses to bar, leaning over it and ordering a Jameson on the rocks. 

“I’ll get it,” he hears himself say. She turns to see him and her eyes widen. 

“Oh my God, you’re...you’re Remus Lupin,” she almost whispers.

“Yeah,” he shrugs unsure of what to say. He’s still not used to the fans. Thankfully, she doesn’t seem the type to freak out. In fact she looks almost embarrassed.

“I promise I had no idea you were here,” she says quietly, “I would never have played that if I’d known-”

“I loved it,” he cuts her off. “You have a beautiful voice.”

“Um,” she looks surprised, “thank you. I really...um, I’m not really a singer or-”

“Could’ve fooled me,” he teases. The bartender hands her her drinks and she seems to remember where they are. 

“What’s your name?” he asks. 

“Y/N,” she answers shyly. She looks down at her drink and opens her mouth, quickly closing it again, unsure of what to say. Remus feels the most sober he’s felt in ages. There’s something about this girl that’s warming him. He can feel his heart beating and it’s the most he’s felt in ages. 

“Well, Y/N,” he smiles, scooting over and sitting next to her. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“I...what?” Y/N looks at him quizzically. “Don’t you have a show or...groupies to...or something?”

“I don’t have anything to do,” he teases, “except talk to the pretty lady that sang one of my oldest and most favorite songs in a random bar in Reno. So how’s about you tell me everything about yourself, hm?”

She looks at him, head tilting slightly, “Can I get you a drink?”

“A water,” he answers quietly. Her eyes glance for the briefest second at the three empty glasses next to him, but she doesn’t ask any questions. She orders him a water and scoots closer. 

“So, my name is Y/N Y/L/N.”

~~~

He said Keep me up, keep me out late Keep me close, I need your faith Keep right where you are ‘Cause I followed this far Like I’m sure that you’re the Northern Star I’m sure that you’re the Northern Star

~~~

“I need a ticket for tomorrow’s show, please,” Remus asks suddenly, not quite expecting the silence that follows. He looks up and sees everyone on the bus staring at him. “What?”

“For tomorrow?” Lily questions, clearly trying not to sound surprised.

“Yes, please,” Remus replies. 

“Who the hell do you know in LA?” Sirius asks far more aggressively than Lily.

“She’s not from LA,” Remus answers. “But she couldn’t get a ticket to the Reno shows, so I invited her to the LA one.”

“So there’s a she?” James teases, wiggling his eyebrows. Lily elbows him gently and then pulls her iPad over to her from the box it rests in on the bus. She opens it and clicks a few things. 

“VIP, I’d imagine?” she asks without looking at him.

“If you can, that’d be cool,” Remus tries to sound nonchalant. Lily nods and continues typing. 

“And what’s the name of this she?” Frank heckles, glancing at Sirius and James.

“None of your business,” Remus replies, trying to hide his smile.

“I will actually need her name,” Lily corrects.

“You can’t just put it under my name?” Remus almost whines.

“Not if you want her in the VIP area,” Lily looks at him mock accusingly. “And from the sounds of things, I assume you do.”

“Y/N,” he tells her, sighing exasperatedly. “Y/N Y/L/N.” He looks back down at his notebook, scrawling down a few ideas he’d had in his head since last night. He and Y/N had talked until the bar closed, then sat outside talking about everything and nothing until he’d had to leave for the bus. The couch shifts as Sirius plops down next to him.

“You writing?” he asks, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Maybe,” Remus shrugs, not looking at him. He can feel Sirius staring at him, but sees him nod out of the corner of his eye.

“You hungover?” Sirius asks quietly. 

“No,” Remus clears his throat, finally looking up at his friend. “I’m, um...thinking of taking a break from drinking for a bit, actually.”

“Cool,” Sirius nods, a small smile playing on his lips. “Pills, too?” Remus nods and Sirius practically beams, clapping him on the shoulder and nodding. He stands, heading back to his bunk before turning around, now facing everyone, a shit-eating grin on his face, “So, will you be dedicating every song to Y/N, or...”

Remus throws a pillow at him and pretends to be annoyed, but can’t ignore the genuine joy edging its way back into his numbed heart.

~~~

Three hours in to a three minute call Some gambler wondered if she’d just won it all And she laughed when he asked if his head seemed alright Singing, “I’ve seen the bright side my whole lovely life”

~~~

“How’s the writing going?” she asks, taking a sip of water from her Stanley cup that’s just off camera. Remus leans back against his headboard and groans in response. He’s thrilled when she giggles and he looks back at the screen to catch her smile. 

“It can’t be that bad,” Y/N teases.

“It’s not, actually,” Remus replies. “Album’s due to the label in about two months and we’ve finalized all but two songs in terms of lyrics. So that’s two left to record? Not too shabby since it took us so long to write the damn thing.”

“That’s amazing. More songs about...oh, what’s that new one I loved? Um...the one about Aperol?”

“’Spritz’ was more Sirius’ baby than mine, I’ll have you know,” Remus explains, “but I’ll tell him you like it, he’ll rub that in my face for ages.”

“Maybe he’ll hate me less for distracting his bassist,” she quips. 

“No one hates you, darling,” Remus assures her. “If anything they’re just happy I’m smiling again.” It’s getting dark outside his window and he leans over to turn his lamp on. 

“I’m sorry,” Y/N says suddenly. “I shouldn’t be keeping you up. I know the time difference is-”

“Hey, hey, hey,” he cuts her off, sitting up straighter, “I wouldn’t answer if I didn’t want to talk, love.”

“I know, but we were just going to say goodnight and then-”

“We both know,” he tilts his head teasingly, staring at her through the webcam, “that we weren’t going to just say goodnight.” 

Y/N rolls her eyes but smiles, “There are better ways of telling me I talk too much.”

“I’d love it if you could talk to me all day long,” Remus assures her. “And you know that.”

“I’d like that, too,” Y/N whispers, smiling gently at him through the webcam. 

“Really?” Remus asks, sitting up slightly. 

“Yeah, there’s all this stuff that I want to tell you throughout the day...and I’d text you, but then I feel dumb for texting you-”

“You can text me whenever, you know that,” he reminds her. She giggles and his heart soars. 

“I’ll keep that in mind when you finally get annoyed of me sending you pictures of my morning smoothies,” she teases. 

“Smoothie time? Babe, I’d be heartbroken if I missed it!” She laughs and he uses the warm feeling in his chest to talk about what he’s wanted to for a few weeks now. “But...but what if...what if you were able to talk to me all day?”

She freezes, eyes growing wide, “What do you mean?”

“I know that we...I know we haven’t been together all that long,” he begins. “But, I would...I’d really like it if you’d be my girlfriend. And I’d...I’d love it if you’d come here and just be with me. You can still pursue your music here...I know that you’re...”

“I’d do it,” Y/N replies quietly. 

Remus’ heart does that thing that it’s done since the moment he saw her. It feels like it’s expanding in his chest. 

“Really?” 

“How soon do you want me there, lover boy?”

~~~

Three weeks away from a year since the score And the reckless thieves reckoned they could get even more They ain’t casing out weddings, nah those are too big a sight They’re just looking at dresses and rings that she likes

~~~

It’s warm in the Ed Sullivan Theatre, but Stephen Colbert is easily the nicest host Remus has ever had the pleasure to meet. Despite the fact that he agreed to letting them present the new song instead of playing the lead single, Remus is still nervous. 

“Three more weeks, dude,” Sirius whispers to him. 

“Yeah, I know. How’s James holding up? Ready to get married?” Remus jokes, leaning back so James can hear him, whispering even though they’re on a commercial break. 

James isn’t annoyed, though, he grins hugely, “Never been more ready, boys.”

“No, not that, I mean, yeah, but, you and your girl,” Sirius corrects. “One year, right?”

Remus beams himself, “Yeah, just about three weeks. Our anniversary’s, like, two days after the wedding.”

“You, um...you thinking about it?” Sirius hedges, passing side glances with Frank and James. 

“About what?” Remus asks with faux innocence. 

“Come off it,” Frank groans, rolling his eyes. He and Alice got married during their last break, just before the release of this new album, timing it perfectly before the madness kicked back up again. 

“You guys gonna be copying everything from me and Lily’s wedding?” James teases. The boys laugh, but Remus just smiles. He glances around and spots you talking to Lily, probably going over your set list. You’ll be opening for The Marauders in most cities during this next tour. You’re a bit more indie pop than The Marauders, but the boys genuinely wouldn’t have it any other way. And the fans will likely love how you close with one of Sirius’ and Remus’ oldest songs, bringing the boys onstage with a tune of their own. 

Seeing that you’re distracted, he turns back to his band, his oldest friends and whispers conspiratorially, “No...no, but, um...I mean, I’ve had the ring for about six months now.” 

All three men turn and face him, eyes widening, jaws dropping.

“Dude-”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?”

“Six months?!?!?”

“Chill,” Remus whisper yells. “I’m gonna ask when we go to Paris after the tour’s over.” 

“That’s so romantic!” Frank whispers, turning away as a cameraman signals for them. James smiles and sends him a thumbs up.

Sirius stares at him for a moment longer and smiles. He mouthes, “Happy for you, dude” as Colbert introduces them.

“Back stateside for their new tour, the British rock band The Marauders is with us tonight. Originally they were going to perform the newest lead single from their new album, which Rolling Stone has called, ‘a near perfect sophomore album’, but their bassist, Mr. Remus Lupin, emailed about a week ago and asked if he could perform a bonus track. This is a bit different, isn’t it, Remus?”

Mr. Colbert looks to the band and a camera zeroes in on Remus, a kind PA holding a mic up to him. 

“Yeah, it’s not...not really a rock song, I guess,” he grins as the audience titters. 

“It’s called ‘Northern Star’,” Colbert says, smiling widely at him.

“Yeah, yeah,” Remus nods. 

“When we started writing, Sirius and I, we had a lot of songs that sounded like this. And it took someone very special,” Remus finds Y/N’s eyes and his smile deepens, “to remind me how wonderful it felt to write like this again.”

“Well, please take it away,” Colbert finishes. 

Remus nods and looks down at the piano, pulling the attached mic closer to his face as silence falls over the audience. He can feel Y/N staring at him, not expecting this at all. 

“Three rum and cokes and a couple beers in Some lucky drunk stood up, heavy with where he'd been And he held onto someone, and he sung out, compelled ‘You're why I was right to trust myself’

He said Keep me up, keep me out late Keep me close, I need your faith Keep right where you are Cause I followed this far Like I'm sure that you're the Northern Star I’m sure that you’re the Northern Star

Three hours into a three-minute call Some gambler wondered if she'd just won it all And she laughed when he asked if his head seemed alright Singing, "I've seen the bright sides my whole lovely life"

She said Talk me up and talk me down Talk too long, I'll stick around Talk me into following you somewhere far Like I'm sure you're the Northern Star I'm sure you're the Northern Star

La la la

Three weeks away from a year since the score And the reckless thieves reckoned they could get even more They ain't casing out weddings, nah those are too big a sight They're just looking at dresses and rings that she likes

They said Keep me up, keep me out late Keep me close, I need your faith Keep right where you are Cause I followed this far Like I'm sure that you're the Northern Star Oh, I'm sure you're the Northern Star I'm sure And I'm sure that you're the Northern Star.”

Remus hits the last chords staring at Y/N, hearing his friends playing his beautiful song all around him, and knowing that he’s happier than he ever thought he could be. Rockstar be damned, this is what he’d always wanted. 

~~~

A/N: This is different, but I hope you liked it! 

Didn’t include my taglist because it’s been so long, plus this is a different fandom! Love you all xx 

[jonkentt]

a little Sambucky ~

Bucky starts collecting vinyls. Sam notices them accumulate in his apartment. How very typical of Bucky to buy records while refusing to invest in a mattress. Sam glances at the pile of blankets shoved under Bucky’s couch and regrets it.

“Even thinking about you sleeping on this floor every night makes my back hurt.”

“I sleep on the couch sometimes.”

“Yeah?” Sam claps a hand on Bucky’s shoulder with a laugh. “That’s great, maybe we’ll be able to get you in a bed before the next century.”

“It’s a lot less important than you make it seem.”

“If you slept in a bed you’d see my side.” Sam squeezes Bucky’s shoulder and leans into him. “You know I’m just looking out for you.”

“I know,” Bucky says softly and Sam can tell he’s smiling.

“What’re you doing?” Sam leans over Bucky’s shoulder to get a look at the kitchen counter which is littered in tea bags of every color. It looks like Bucky just dumped them all out of the jar he stuffs them in. Why he can’t keep the different flavors in their individual boxes, Sam has no idea.

“Makin’ tea. What kind do you want?”

“Umm you pick. Something fruity.” Bucky grins. “Make sure it goes well with—”

“Honey. I know.” Bucky reaches to open the cupboard above him and pull out a honey bear for assurance. Sam gives his shoulders another squeeze before wandering over to a stack of records that hadn’t been here last time Sam came over.

Sam picks through the records on the top, wrinkling his nose at Dire Straits and Journey. He sets those aside so he can get to the box underneath and leaf through them properly.

“Buy anything good lately?”

“You ask me that as if I would buy bad music.” Sam snorts. “But yeah I found a couple European records. I guess it’s called ‘downtempo’. Café music. It’s nice.”

Sam hums doubtfully. He hears the electric kettle start and continues to look through Bucky’s music, gently pulling out one at a time to look at the covers. He doesn’t recognize a lot of these, which Sam immediately equates to Bucky’s inferior taste. God, he hopes Bucky didn’t pick up any of the stuff Zemo played on his jet.

Bucky sidles over and rests his vibranium hand gently on Sam’s hip. With the other he flicks to the back of the crate and quickly pulls out an album in black with white geometric line art on it. Sam quirks an eyebrow just to be difficult.

“If this is some weird indie shit—”

“Just let one side play out, Sam. Then pick something else if you hate it, but you won’t cause it’s good.”

As Bucky slips the record from it’s sleeve, Sam plops onto his couch. He stretches his arms and leans back, closing his eyes. This has become sort of a routine for them: Sam coming over and Bucky playing his music. It helps Sam unwind, relax, finally exhale the intensity he feels he’s always holding inside. Bucky’s one of the few people Sam can truly be at ease with. They give each other a lot of shit but it comes from a place of truly embracing one another for who they are. It’s never in question that they have each other’s backs.

Sam settles more comfortably into the couch. Whatever tea Bucky’s steeping smells lovely. Definitely fruity. Sam only half pays attention as the record spins through the first track but so far it isn’t bad. As the next track starts all smooth keyboard and mellow vibes, Sam might even dare say it’s relaxing. He opens one eye when Bucky presses a steaming mug into his hand.

“Happy Tangerine,” Bucky says with a wink. “With honey.”

Sam smiles and hums his approval, closing his eyes again. The record is unexpected. Somehow the music is both upbeat and very chill. A pleasant ambiance that inexplicably reminds him of tall evergreens against a pink sky. Sam brings the tea to his lips to blow on it.

“What’d you say this was?”

“Downtempo. Downbeat? I had to get the record shipped in from the UK. It was a whole deal.”

A laugh tickles the back of Sam’s throat. “Nerd.”

“You hate it?”

“No…” Sam considers. “It’s almost okay.”

“Mm, told you.” Bucky’s voice is low and soft. Sam can feel the heat of Bucky’s breath on his lips and his heart skips. Their faces must be so close. They’d barely have to lean in at all to close the distance.

Slowly, Sam opens his eyes. He blinks. Bucky’s face isn’t there. Sam tilts his head to look around the room but he knows what he’ll find. Bucky is sitting against the opposite wall right beside his record player, mirroring Sam with his head tilted back and eyes closed. Sam blinks again and slowly, silently, exhales. He looks at Bucky for a moment longer. His upturned face illuminated by sunlight filtering in through the window and catching the dimples of his small smile.

Sam drops his head back again. One day he’ll have to do something about this. The whole imagining what Bucky’s lips would feel like on his. The whole mistaking the steam of his tea for Bucky’s breath as if it would be just as sweet. But for now he lets their old routine play out.

for @saryasy

on Ao3

[kaddyssammlung]

Take Me Back To Eden-

transcript from the Revolver mag Special Edition

I don't own any of this!

In the cold, slow-moving early days of January 2023, something incredible happened, with

no warning. Sleep Token unleashed a new song upon the world that was, at the time, their

most jaw-dropping offering to date. Chokehold begins omniously with a scratching, grinding buzz and Vessel sings declaratively “When we were made, it was no accident, We were tangled up like branches in a flood”. The soft trill of a piano comes in, the suspense builds and then one of the most dramatic riffs the band have committed to record crashes down.It's just the first twist in a dynamic single full of them.

Chokehold struck a crowd with fans and landed Sleep Token cosigns from some unlikely voices. Lorna Shore, frontman and deathcore YouTube star Will Ramos covered the song and then dissected Vessel's vocal technique with a panel of experts. On the Charismatic Voice YouTube channel. Even Wilder was when American Idol star Chris Daughtry surprised a crowd at London's Royal Albert Hall with a dusky acoustic performance of the single. Yet the most remarkable thing about Chokehold is that, for all the fervor it steered, the song Sleep Token released just 24 hours later had even more profound impact on their career. On January 6th, the day after Chokehold's release, the band dropped a second 2023 single called The Summoning. If Chokehold started a fire, this new song poured kerosene on it. A near 7-minute masterpiece, The Summoning took Sleep Token genre blending approach to new extremes, spanning the divide between death metal-esque savagery and slutty funk. Not only did it work socially, but it somehow made beautiful sense conceptually. The song quickly went viral on TikTok, partly because of the stunning contrast between the styles it plays with and also due to its esoterically charged lyrics. Sleep Token had hinted at lustful thoughts in the past, but The Summoning was easily the most overtly sexual song to date. At this point, over half a decade into their career, Sleep Token were hardly unknowns, and the hype around them had been building in the underground alternative metal scene. But the one true punch of Chokehold into the Summoning sent them skyward.

Sleep Token dominated online conversation, trending on Twitter for days on end, and their streaming numbers shot through the roof. Multiple songs trended on Spotify simultaneously, but it was The Summoning that really took off, rocketing to 15 million plays on the platform in less than two months. As of this writing, it tops 18 million Spotify streams. On January 17th, Sleep Token embarked on a sold-out UK headlining tour, playing some of their biggest venues to date, including the 5,000 capacity Hammersmith Apollo in West London. Befitting the band's grounding audience and the launch of their latest chapter, these rituals were notably scaled up in terms of production. Sleep Token performed amid a stage setup, festooned with plants, and vessels started wearing an elaborate shoulder piece emblazoned with gold to protect him from sleep, for some fans have theorized.

Additionally, the trio of female backing singers from 2022's Room Below Ritual were along for the ride. The three women affectionately nicknamed the Vesselettes in some fan circles, performed in cloaks, their faces covered while they stood eerily stuck still. The tour was made even more special by Sleep Token, debuting two brand new songs during their set, the angsty pop metal exercise Granite and the elegant, chest-infused Aqua Regia. The studio versions were released in the middle of the tour, once again dropping within 24 hours of each other on January 18th and 19th. Respectfully, even before Sleep Token's third album was formally announced, fans understood that this sudden wave of new songs heralded an imminent follow-up to This Place Will Become Your Tomb. After the release of the apocalyptically heavy Vore in the middle of February. That speculation became fact, Take me Back to Eden, was announced for a mid-may release and was set to be the final installment of the band's album trilogy. The group's devotees had already been trying to figure out the record's title from the secret code that had appeared on the band's lead-up graphics. On Take Me Back to Eden, the turbulent hot and cold dynamic between Vessel and Sleep reaches its breaking point. His devotion to and lust for Sleep persists, but Vessel recognizes that he is quite literally in a Chokehold within their relationship, even more so than on the band's previous work. His emotions were conflicted enough on this record. On Granite, Vessel rages against Sleep's uncommunicative behavior, even labeling him aggressive and controlling, while on Aqua Regia, despite the song's undercurrent of desire, he affirms that he is done dancing to alarm bells.

By track 9, Do You Wish That You Loved Me he reaches the firm conclusion that not only is Sleep incapable of returning the love he has craved all along, but perhaps Vessel himself cannot muster the same devotion he seeks from the deity. I cannot hope to give you what I cannot give myself.

By the album's closing track, Euclid, the relationship has finally splintered,leaving Vessel feeling reflective but also anxious to move forward knowing that Ijust need to leave this part of me behind.

Once again, every song to Take Me Back to Eden comes with its own visual identity, but the symbology is Sleep token's most complex and detailed to date.

Each song is represented by its own fantastical character, best described as monsters or demons that are illustrated by Alex Tillbrook in the art booklet that comes with physical copies of the record. Some of the creatures appear in music videos' form as well. Each character looks distinct from the others, but they do share some common features. Many have devil-like horns, and the majority have an unusual number of body parts. The character representing Ascensionism has four arms. The one for Rain has three heads, and the creature for Chokehold has numerous arachnid-like legs.

Meanwhile, the character representing War has arms with two venues, flytrap-like mouths in place of hands, echoing the song's motif of consumption and swallowing, and linking to its title's reference to the fetish voraphilia, the erotic desire to consume or to be consumed by another person or creature. In addition, most of the characters hold at least one weapon, and many wear some form of armour. These accoutrements are possible, reflective of the heightened sense of conflict between Wesley and Sleep throughout the album.

The character representing the summoning, who wears a shoulder piece akin to the one

that Vessel wears on stage, clutches a huge gun, almost as big as the creature itself, while others wield axes and other bladed weapons. In two of its four hands, the floating character in a knight's helmet representing Ascensionism holds a handgun and a three-pronged dagger, like a mini version of Poseidon's trident. There are also a few references to weaponry in the lyrics in Chokehold. Wesley reclaims, I come as a blade, a sacred guardian. When in Aqua Regia,he speaks of a perfect start to a perfect war, putting down the roses, picking up the sword.

One compelling fan theory about these characters is that their sleep previous vessels. Others speculate that they could be a physical manifestation of Vessel's personal demons, or even past versions of Vessel himself. Indeed, there are references to the concept of past lives on the album. In Ascensionism, the line, tell me you met me in past lives,suggests Vessel's and Sleep's toxic bond predates this lifetime, or perhaps that's just what Sleep tells Vessel to create, the illusion that their connection is stronger than it really is. The Apparition reinforces the idea, well I believe somewhere in the past, something was between you and I in my dear. If Sleep and Vessel have been entangled for decades or even centuries across different incarnations, it raises the question of what the weapons are for.

Are they for Vessel to use while defending and protecting Sleep, or tools for him to battle the deity as the toxicity between them worsens? The two song-representing characters who've most intrigued fans correspond to the album's final two tracks, both are quite different compared to their armoured, multi-limbed peers. The figure for the pain-mouthed song Take Me Back to Eden, interestingly Sleep Token's only title track to date, has no face but bears angel wings and a scythe. Their juxtaposed element of an angel and a Grim Reaper evoke themes of death, worship,and immortality. All themes that crop up at the end of the album's story defend consensus as that title track concludes Take Me Back to Eden, while the album's actual closer Euclid wraps up the trilogy overall serving as a sort of epilogue. The character representing that song is a masked figure dressed in a toga-like garment holding Vessel's severed head. What does that ominous image mean about the future of Sleep Token? Some fear it's a signal at the end of the band, while others have wondered if it foreshadows the group re-emerging with a new story and a new look perhaps similar to the way Slipknot changed the mask with each album's cycle, or how Ghost kill-off versions of Papa Emeritus to make way for a successor. At the very least, the figure reflects the song's focus on rebirth throughout the death of the old Vessel proclaims I must be someone now. Musically Take Me Back to Eden is Sleep Token's most ambitious body of work to date.

Its sonic rage is considerably greater than This Place where we come here to folding in sounds and genres. The band hadn't touched before. The extremes are also so much more pronounced.

The summoning and Vore are the heaviest songs of their career so far, while a eerie, almost tropical-sounding deary statue of me is Sleep Token at their poppiest. Meanwhile, the colossal Are You Really Okay feels like Sleep Token's taken a arena-sized ballad, though its lyrics are claustrophobic, dark, and hint at self-harm. Since its corresponding character is holding a baby ( Since its corresponding character is holding a baby and the song mentions Vessel being woken up by a loved one dripping crimson on the carpet, some fans have posited that Are You Really Okay is not about self-harm at all, but rather a miscarriage). The most impressive musical feats on the record, however, are Sleep Token's two longest songs to date. The super-sized pair the 7-minute Ascensionism and 8-minute Plus Take Me Back to Eden unify every aspect of Sleep Token's sound, from delicate piano balladery to crushing heavy metal to bursts of trap-infused R&B (Both notably use autotune to add a disembodied quality to vessel's voice.)

Together, the two pieces feel like a culmination of the band's sonic explorations so far, elevating the music into the heady realm of progressive rock while floating with the long-form movement-based structures of classical music. Even as it marks an incredible step forward for the band, both creatively and commercially it landed at number 16 on the Billboard 200 Take Me Back to Eden and occasionally looks back. It's the most self-referential installment of Sleep Token's trilogy, especially towards its conclusion where the nods to previous songs become most overt in particular lines in the opening verse of Take Me Back to Eden.

I dream of phosphorescence, bleed through spaces, and we drive through crystal waters Perfect oceans can be interpreted with callbacks to sundowning in this place will become your tomb, read prospectively. Later, the titled rap evokes the LP's beginning by echoing the opening lines of Chokehold, creating poeticbookends to the album's narrative. Similarly, the entire trilogy concludes looping around to its start with a section of The Night Does Not Belong to God being revived in Euclid, bringing the story full circle. As for Sleep Token's own story, Euclid's image of a vesseldisembodied hit notwithstanding the band's journey continues. At least for now, Take Me Back to Eden has skyrocketed them to previously unimaginable heights. The latest, this anonymous masked band with their eccentric whip, lashing sound, and dizzying mythology have become bona fide arena headliners. They sold out a breakthrough-year-capping December gig at London's12,500-capacity Wembley Arena within just 10 minutes. We know Sleep Token's story will continue in 2024, too. They already have shows booked, including an April run in Australia, an appearance at Las Vegas' sick New World Festival. We want that. What does the future hold?

Might they scale even higher heights? To sleep, to dream.

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

Today, on 28th October,1977 - Queen Story!

“News Of The World” album released in the UK

👉 Adapted 1950s Frank Kelly Freas artwork

👉 Queen sixth studio album was recorded at Basing Street and Wessex Studiosin London from July to September 1977

- (It was released on 1 November 1977 in the US)

◾It's been a pleasure to see Queen record four knockout LPs in a row: "Queen," "Queen II," "Sheer Heart Attack" and "A Night at the Opera," the last of which contained "Bohemian Rhapsody" the best single out of England since The Beatles' "A Day in the Life."

Last year's "A Day at the Races" was an engaging but decidedly less daring LP than "Opera," a superb album oozing with intricate experimental instrumentation.

Like "Races," the band's new record, "News of the World" (Elektra 6E-112) encompasses a wide range of styles — blues, rock, pop, Latin rhythms and even a tip of the hat to punk pacing in drummer Roger Taylor's frantic "Sheer Heart Attack." However, the emphasis is on pop and the songs written in this idiom are the LP"s most satisfying tracks.

Standout cuts are Brian May's "We Will Rock You," Freddie Mercury's "We Are the Champions," a melodic ode to the right for fame and fortune (in music circles?), "All Dead, All Dead," a poignant Beatles-ish piece, "Spread Your Wings," John Deacon's ballad about an underdog chap named Sammy, May's up-beat bluesy rocker "Sleeping on the Sidewalk", and —gasp— finally Mercury's (circa 1930) torch song "My Melancholy Blues", which sparkles with his evocative tenor warblings and skillful piano accompaniment

- The Valley News, 1977 (extract from article)

Pic: October, 1977, London, UK - John Deacon, Freddie Mercury and Brian May during rehearsals for their American Tour at Shepperton Studios

📸 Photo by Terence Spencer

[grigori77]

2023 in Music - My Top 5 Favourite Albums

5.  LONELY THE BRAVE – What We Do to Feel

The alt-rockers from Cambridge, UK have completed their reinvention after their post-sophomore record shake-ups with what is arguably their best album to date, a canny mixture of moody, anthemic guitar-heavy muscle and haunting introspective beauty.  Enthusiastically gruff vocalist Mark Trotter definitely seems to have really earned his place now after making an impressive debut on 2021’s similarly excellent The Hope List, taking what was already a strong band producing great music and helping to transform them into something truly special.

Standout tracks:  Long Way, The Lens, Our Sketch Out, Victim, In the Well, Eventide, Unseen, The Bear

4.  HOLDING ABSENCE – The Noble Art of Self Destruction

Looks like it’s third album’s the charm for one of the very best bands to have emerged from the 2010’s second-gen post-hardcore alt rock scene (which also produced my absolute favourites of all, Don Broco … but that’s a different story).  Following up in FINE FORM INDEED from their already MAGNIFICENT second album The Greatest Mistake of My Life, Cardiff’s (no longer) best kept musical secret have crafted a streamlined powerhouse of a record that’s all killer/no filler, perfectly showcasing their ubiquitous double-threat of blistering guitars and lead singer Lucas Woodland’s spectacular, nakedly honest vocals.

Standout tracks:  Head Prison Blues, A Crooked Melody, False Dawn, Scissors, Honey Moon, Her Wings, These New Dreams, The Angel In the Marble

3.  HOZIER – Unreal Unearth

The rightly beloved Irish singer-songwriter has returned with what is arguably HIS VERY BEST record to date, a brilliant ever-shifting musical landscape incorporating subtle, spellbinding Celtic-flavoured gentleness, ear-wormy pop-accented bops and bravely inventive experimentation.  The result is the year’s most effortlessly SOOTHING musical offering, which has done wonders to cheer me up every time I’ve put it on after a rough day.  But I still miss “the woo” …

Standout tracks:  De Selby (Parts 1 & 2), Francesca, I, Carrion (Icarian), Eat Your Young, Damage Gets Done (featuring Brandi Carlile), Who We Are, Butchered Tongue, Anything But, Abstract (Psychopomp), Unknown / Nth, First Light

2.  ENTER SHIKARI – A Kiss For the Whole World

The craziest rock band to have EVER come out of St Albans continues to blow me away with their fiendishly eclectic mixture of edgy post-hardcore grit and anarchic electronic-edged musical MADNESS.  This is BY FAR their most streamlined record to date (I can’t believe it’s little more than HALF AN HOUR LONG!), but in some ways also their most rewardingly EXPANSIVE, Rou Reynolds and co. once again playing in an arena of massive themes and making us think as much as they make us ROCK OUT.  More of this please, lads!

Standout tracks:  A Kiss For the Whole World x, (pls) Set Me On Fire, It Hurts, Dead Wood, Bloodshot, Bloodshot (Coda), Goldfish, Giant Pacific Octopus (I Don’t Know You Anymore)

1.  SLEEP TOKEN – Take Me Back to Eden

It’s fascinating to think that just a year ago I’d barely even HEARD of Sleep Token, and certainly wasn’t at all FAMILIAR with anything they’d done.  Then they dropped The Summoning and everything changed … less than 12 months later this is BY FAR the best record I’ve heard ALL YEAR, and as far as I’m concerned anyone who DOESN’T rate it at the very top of their own 2023 list clearly wasn’t paying attention (I’m looking as YOU, Kerrang!).  The mysterious Vessel and his equally unknowable fellow collective have crafted a work of unrivalled MAJESTY here, a little over an hour of pure sonic MAGIC which constantly flips between the hardest possible progressive metal and a dizzying myriad of other genres from its attention-grabbing opening to the heart-wrenching closer.  The end result is not only the best album of the year but a very strong candidate indeed for, potentially, my album of the DECADE.  Worship indeed …

Standout tracks:  Chokehold, The Summoning, Granite, Vore, Ascensionism, Are You Really Okay?, The Apparition, Take Me Back to Eden, Euclid

The ones that didn’t quite make the cut:

STONESIDE. – God of the Mountain (the Texan prog metalheads amaze us once again with their long-awaited debut album); PVRIS – Evergreen (multitalented musical genius Lynn Gunn delivers her most eclectic and full-on electronic alt-rock record to date); TESSERACT – War of Being (the latest offering from the endlessly inventive Milton Keynes prog metal maniacs just might be their best yet, and it’s DEFINITELY their most memorable); BABYMETAL – The Other One (quite possibly the greatest metal band to ever come out of Japan have done it again with another stone-cold banger of a record); STAIND – Confessions of the Fallen (one of the greatest secret weapons of the American post-grunge era makes their long-awaited return after a 12-year absence with one of their best albums to date)

Honourable mention:

EXPLORING BIRDSONG – Dancing In the Face of Danger

Much like with Sleep Token before them, I was genuinely ignorant of this emerging prog rock band from Liverpool up until mid-November, when Kerrang! Radio introduced me to them through their haunting cover of Deftones’ Diamond Eyes.  Then I did what I always do, see what else they’ve got knocking about on YouTube, and within two videos I was LOST.  Their second EP is completely fucking AMAZING, a magnificent musical adventure of pure imagination and experimental GENIUS which goes a long way to prove you don’t actually NEED guitars to rock out, lead-singer and pianist Lynsey Ward doing a genuinely beautiful job with just her keys.  All five tracks are absolute FIRE, but the undeniable standouts are Bear the Weight and the killer closer, No Longer We Lie.

[notebookmusical]

Hi Cossette!! I'm so glad that you also enjoy Laufey's Everything I Know About Love :D Listening to the LP is a wholesome and cozy experience (I was listening to the deluxe version earlier today) 💖 What are your favourite tracks from the album?

Ahh yes!! I discovered Holly Humberstone a little while ago and really liked The Walls Are Way Too Thin and the singles that she released last year (I particularly enjoy Friendly Fire and Scarlett)! I've just listened to her other EP this weekend via the compilation record and love it :D Fingers crossed that we'll get to hear her debut album later this year!!

I've also listened to a couple artists that you've mentioned (The Japanese House, Isabel Pless, and Cate Canning) and enjoy their music!! The Japenese House's recent singles (for her upcoming album) are quite different to her previous work but I found her new sonic influence refreshing 💖

I still need to listen to Cate Canning's older songs, but her latest releases are very promising and I'm looking forward to what she comes up with in the future! I first heard about Cate Canning from Maisie Peters' Cate's Brother and I definitely can tell that they artistically influence each other in their songwriting & storytelling!!

I feel you with the upcoming releases! I've been that I'm currently eagerly waiting for:

First Two Pages of Frankenstein by The National

My Soft Machine by Arlo Parks

I'm also looking forward to upcoming releases from Brynn Cartelli! I'm pleasantly surprised by Brynn Cartelli's discography - her music is quite narrative focused & memorable (I discovered her from a friend who's into Maisie Peters) so she's certainly worth checking out :D

P.S. omg yes!! Maisie Peters absolutely excels at storytelling and lyrics: in some sense this also reminds of Taylor Swift's songwriting - vivid narratives and memorable lyrics 💖 I hope that we'll get a Maisie Peters guest appearance for the UK dates for The Eras Tour!

did you see laufey's been working on her second album? i'm SO excited! i was hoping to snag her valentine RSD on record store day, but my store sold out before they even got remotely close to me! i feel like laufey's music was just made for vinyl. i really love above the chinese restaurant, dear soulmate, and of course, her rendition of i've never been in love before! according to my airbuds widget, i listened to scarlett eight times last week (which feels low for me)! it's definitely one of my favorites of hers — i also really love sleep tight, the walls are way too thin, and deep end. i've been listening to rock city lately too, which was part of the EarthPercent x Earth Day ’23 Compilation Album, and i've been really liking it too! i forgot that the national's new album is out so soon! time is not real! i'm really excited for the alcott, obviously, as well as this isn't helping. i need to listen to more of their stuff — maybe i'll listen to it while i work tomorrow (i'm in too many meetings today to properly listen to a new album)! speaking of things to listen to, i listened to some of brynn cartelli's stuff this morning, and enjoyed convertible in the rain & secondhand smoke! i think it's so lovely how you can tell which artists were influenced by others, and i think maisie & cate just have such a sweet friendship. i can't wait to see what cate puts out next! and yes — that would be so lovely!!! part of me was hoping that sabrina carpenter would open for taylor, but it seems less likely now given that she's doing her own europe tour this summer, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed for holly or maisie — or maybe bea will come back? i think that'd be fun too! i hope you've been having a good week so far!! so sorry for the delayed reply 🤍

[asrisgratitudejournal]

Paris Pt 2

Oh terakhir sampai di Eurostar ya.

Iya keputus nulisnya karena kemarin pas lagi asik-asiknya nulis di ofis Mita nelpon terus berujung ngobrol sejam lah kami, dan karena pas beres ngobrol udah jam 18.30pm aka belom masak apapun di rumah buat buka, ku memutuskan untuk tidak lanjut nulis padahal lagi seru.

Eurostar!

Iya. Jadi kan selama hidup 29 tahun ini belum pernah naik Eurostar ya. Padahal udah sesering itu Perancis-Inggris, kayanya selalu either naik bis dan nyebrang di ferry, atau naik bis terus masuk tunnel. Baru perdana ni naik Eurostar. Terus karena ku mikirnya ah aman nih naik kereta, mepet aja lah ya datengnya, minimal 30menit sebelum departure. Departurenya tuh jam 12.13pm. Terus w masih mikir yang “ah nyampe 11.45am masih aman lah y, berangkat dari hotel jam 11 aja, naik RER cuma ganti sekali gasampe 40menit” TANPA BACA DI TIKET ADA TULISAN “disarankan sampai arrive in station 90-60 menit sebelum departure”. KEBODOHAN EMANG.

Terus pokonya akhirnya bangun jam 10am tu di hari Senin itu, dengan kondisi BELUM PACKING. Untungnya pas lagi showeran nyanyi-nyanyi tersadar “Hah ku belum memperhitungkan waktu jalan dari hotel ke statsiun RER La Defense yang bisa took 30menit sendiri!!”. Hamdalah akhirnya langsung gercep packing dan leave hotel at 10.30am. Itu make baju dan packing udah kaya lagi osjur tu heboh banget. Untungnya si RER ga berulah. Pokoknya kayanya sampe gate Eurostar di Gare du Nord tu 11.30am-an gitu lah. Less than 45mins sebelum departure. NAH TERUS baru tau! Jadi kenapa kita disuruh dating 60-90 mins before departure tu adalah karena BANYAK BANGET pass yang harus dilalui sebelum bisa naik kereta! Lewat imigrasi France, imigrasi UK, security, terus baru bisa ke boarding. Semua passes itu gaakan bisa beres dalam 30 menit sih karena ngantri kan. Yaudah untungnya dibantuin sama mba-mba petugasnya diduluin di imigrasi karena udah mau boarding kereta. Pas di imigrasi UK pake segala fingerprint w ga ada di record gara-gara ganti no passport kan. Untung ada email yang waktu itu ke VFS NL nanyain kalo no passport di appointment sama yang dibawa beda gimana, jadi masih bisa dicari tu no passportnya (karena ga w bawa passport lamanya kan). Hamdalah pokoknya jadi masih ada spare 10mins dari selesai ngelewatin semua checkpoints itu sampe ke boarding di kereta. Untungnya juga di kereta, sebelah kosong jadi mayan leluasa bisa baca novel dan naroh tas di samping.

Sampe London sempet galau mau ngereta ke Ox-nya atau ngebis tapi karena lebih murah dan gampang banget logistically kalo ngebis (kalo ngebis langsung bisa turun halte depan rumah, kalo ngereta harus ngebis lagi nanti dari stasiun, dan melihat bawaan w banyak gini pengennya cepet sampe rumah gampang aja) akhirnya pilih bis. Langsung nge-tube dari St. Pancras ke Victoria terus nungguin bis. Hamdalah by 16pm(?) kayanya udah sampai rumah Headington.

Udah sih habis itu istirahat aja kecapean. Lupa buka pake apa. Kayanya sempet belanja di Sainsbury dulu turun bis sebelum jalan ke rumah.

Besoknya Selasa udah diajak diskusi sama postdoc w jam 3 sore. Terus itu last week Selasa-Jumat betul-betul week terproduktif w selama 2023 kayanya. Produce banyak banget data baru. Ngelab terus. Apply visa buat France. Pokoknya banyak banget yang dikerjain sampe pusing dan mau muntah rasanya, tapi at the same time juga feel very proud.

Sekarang udah minggu ke-dua setelah Easter break, orang-orang udah pada balik kerja lagi. Perpus udah mulai rame lagi (karena udah Week 0 juga sih). Si data baru ini juga udah w lempar ke tim dan jujur masih belum siap ngerjain yang ini karena sisa-sisa kemarin juga masih banyak yang harus dikerjakan HUFT. But it’s okay Non, semangat! Pasti bisa!

Beberapa hari ini lagi nyiapin buat acara HBH juga ni w jadi PJ tempat lagi di Cohen Quad hari Minggu tanggal 23 April. Akhirnya berakhir juga Ramadan! Bisa kembali get my quality sleep.

OH sama satu lagi, berita duka, kemarin Caper meninggal HUHU. Sangat amat sedih, hari Sabtu kemarin cuma buat berduka aja. Minggu lumayan healing nonton Suzume di Odeon Magdalen dapet £7, dilanjut bukber di rumah Marcell (and picked up my TANAMERA!), beli ayam popeye ludes laku, dibikinin es buah juga sama Vassa dan Adnya, dibeliin rendang sama Angga, ada pizza juga. Widari bikin kueh enak. Alhamdulillah masih dikasih kesempatan sama Allah buat main.

Nanti lebaran plannya bantuin Bu Yani serving makanan di Wisma Nusantara. Minggunya HBH. Terus Senin ke London buat biometric appointment TLSFrance. Wow sangat busy ya schedule. Looking forward to it!

OH SAMA fingercrossed YAALLAH SEMOGA dapet visanya lumayan lama sampe 21 Juli jadi bisa balik ke Paris lagi buat nonton Lollapalooza (AAAMIIINNNNN).

Kemarin juga udah booked ticket CHRIS HADFIELD KE UK??? WAH seru banget sih, so far udah punya tiket Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye 8 Juli, Trevor Noah 23 Nov, terus Chris Hadfield (May yah/atau July?). 2023 BETUL-BETUL A BLESSING SIH. Ini ternyata rasanya hidup kalua ngga ada COVID. Makasih ya Allah sudah ngasih lewat COVID huhu. Amat sangat bersyukur.

Terus lagi banyak juga orang yang recently reach out to me terkait applying PhD ternyata selama ini belum pernah bahas detail, baru Jardine aja. Masuk list tulisan lah ya. Banyak juga sih yang sebetulnya pengen dikeluarin unek-unek, terutama setelah semalem habis makan bareng Kalina dan kami ngobrol banyak buangett. Next time lah ya.

Hari ini habis fangirling tulisan Nabilah (please do pay a visit and enjoy how she vividly described colors here adnabilah.com ) terus I wish I could write half as good??? Lihat aja contohnya post ini udah ngalor ngidulnya MasyaAllah. Ini otak w kayanya emang nggak terstruktur dengan sistematik apa gimana sih. Thoughtsnya saling crossing each other aja, messy.

Dah gitu dulu aja. Laper. Bye.

VHL 18/04/2023

[krunal-vyas]

Hire Developers in India: Unlocking the Power of Java for Your Business Growth

Hire developers in India and tap into a game-changing opportunity: India produces over 1.5 million engineering graduates every year, many mastering Java — a programming language that powers more than 7 million applications worldwide.

For businesses aiming to grow fast and smart, hiring Java developers from India is a no-brainer. Why? It’s simple: you get skilled talent at a lower cost, ready to build solutions that scale with your needs.

In this blog, I’ll explore why Java is a big deal for businesses, how India’s tech scene makes it a goldmine for talent, the perks of hiring there, and how to get started.

By the end, you’ll see why hiring Java developers from India can fuel your business growth with affordable, top-notch, and creative solutions.

Why Java Remains a Powerhouse for Business Growth

Java isn’t just another coding language — it’s a superstar for businesses. From online stores to mobile apps and giant company software, Java runs it all. Big names like Netflix, Amazon, and LinkedIn lean on Java to keep things smooth and fast for millions of users.

So, what makes Java special? First, it works everywhere — write the code once, and it runs on any device. Growing businesses love it because it can handle more users as you expand. Plus, it’s super secure, keeping hackers at bay. And with tools like Spring and Hibernate, developers can build cool stuff faster.

Want to grow your business? Java’s strengths are a perfect match. And hiring top Java talent from India takes those benefits to the next level.

India’s Thriving Developer Ecosystem

1. A Global Tech Hub:

India isn’t just on the map — it’s leading the tech world. Every year, millions of students graduate in science, tech, and engineering, with a big chunk focusing on software like Java. They speak English well and get solid training, making them ready to work with teams anywhere.

2. Java Experts Everywhere:

Indian developers don’t mess around with Java. Many earn certifications like Oracle Certified Professional Java SE, proving they know their stuff. Big Indian tech companies use Java all the time, so the skills are sharp and widespread.

3. A Culture of Creativity:

India’s developers also shine in open-source projects and big business solutions. They’re not just coding — they’re inventing. That’s why hiring developers in India means getting people who can think big and build smart.

Benefits of Hiring Java Developers from India

1. Save Money, Get Quality:

Hiring in the USA or UK can cost a fortune — think $80,000 or more per developer a year. In India? You’re looking at 50–70% less, with the same high-quality work. That’s more cash in your pocket without skimping on talent.

2. Skilled and Ready:

Indian Java developers aren’t beginners. They know Java inside out, plus extras like Android apps and microservices (think small, fast software pieces). They’ve worked on global projects and use agile methods — meaning they adapt and deliver fast.

3. Time Zone Wins:

India’s time zone overlaps with US and UK hours just enough for easy chats. Or, flip it: they work while you sleep, speeding up your projects around the clock.

4. Grow Easy:

Need a small team for a quick job? Or a big crew for years? India’s got you covered. One US company cut costs by 40% and doubled its app users in a year after hiring Indian Java talent.

Overcoming Common Concerns

Thinking about hiring developers in India but worried? Let’s tackle that.

Communication: Most Indian developers speak great English and use tools like Slack or Zoom to stay connected. No confusion here.

Quality: India works with Fortune 500 giants like Google and IBM — their track record speaks for itself. Test candidates with coding tasks to be sure.

Cultural Gaps: Indian pros adapt fast and focus on getting the job done right.

Still unsure? Ask any company that’s hired from India — 95% say they’d do it again.

How to Hire Java Developers in India

Ready to jump in? Here’s a simple guide:

Know What You Need: Pick your Java version, tools (like Spring), and deadlines.

Choose a Style: Hire freelancers on Upwork, partner with Java development companies like iQlance Solutions, ValueCoders, OpenXcell , Simform or build a dedicated team.

Check Them Out: Test their skills, review past work, and chat in interviews.

Use Platforms: Try Toptal Or LinkedIn.

Start Smooth: Explain your goals, set up tools (like GitHub), and build a team vibe.

Pro Tips: Check in weekly, be clear about what you want, and encourage teamwork.

Future-Proofing Your Business with Java and Indian Talent

Java’s not slowing down. It’s moving into cloud apps and even artificial intelligence — stuff that’ll keep your business ahead. Indian developers are already on it, jumping into these trends early.

By hiring developers in India, you’re not just solving today’s problems — you’re building a team for tomorrow. It’s a pipeline of fresh ideas and steady growth.

Conclusion:

Java powers businesses with its flexibility, security, and scale. India’s massive talent pool makes it easy to find Java experts who deliver big results at a lower cost. From saving money to speeding up growth, hiring developers in India is a win for any company. Ready to take your business to the next level? Start exploring Indian Java talent today — it’s your key to affordable, high-quality growth.

If you’re looking to hire developers in India, partner with iQlance for expert Java solutions that drive business growth and innovation.

Contact Us today and unlock the power of Indian Java talent for your business!

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 1st November

Wow, it's a cheesefest this week. Just some solid, melty quattro formaggi right here. Don't say I didn't warn you.

When the Girl in Your Arms Is the Girl In Your Heart - Cliff Richard (peaked at Number 3)

Okay, maybe I shouldn't be surprised that Cliff's gone cheesy, given, like, all of his recent output. Honestly, I'd be more surprised if this was some hard-edged rocker. Especially with that (horribly unwieldy) title. What does surprise me, at least just a bit, is that this seems to be a country number? I mean, I can't find anyone out there calling it country, but it's got some very country-ish strummy guitar combined with a steel guitar solo, it's got some very country vocals from Cliff and it's got those sentimentally old-timey waltz vibes that were so common in, say, Connie Francis' earlier work. I'm thinking Carolina Moon, here. Definitely country.

It's pretty, tapping into a very similar minimalist but dreamy vibe to the one that I remember liking in Theme for a Dream. And much as I liked that one, I do quite like this one. The simplicity of it's appealing, the waltz time gives it a sort of whimsy, the mostly-hummed vocal harmonies are beautifully rich, and the guitar solo, when it finally comes in, is nice, not least because it give the Shadows something to do - you do get the sense that their solo exploits might at least in part be driven by boredom, if this is all Cliff is giving them to do. I mean, what, some background strumming, thirty seconds of soloing, and one single unexpectedly lovely chord, right at the end? It sounds good, but man, must the Shadows have felt underutilised here!

And that's the kind of feelings I have about the song, at the end of the day. It's pretty, and it's harmless, and there's some genuine quality to it, but it's just not doing much with all that. I mean, I've listened to it a few times and the lyrics have entirely bounced off me, they're so meaningless. When the girl in your arms is the girl in your heart / Then you have got everthing, Cliff sings, entreating his listener to hold her tight and never let her go / Day and night let her know you love her so. And if you didn't get the message already, with the love of your life, spend the lifetime of love. Basically, if you love the girl you have, try and hang onto her? Pretty basic, as advice goes, but sure, I guess I'll take that on board.

I think it also doesn't help that all this is sung at a glacial pace that combined with the gently strummed guitar and sleepy waltz vibes just puts me off to sleep. I actually think this would would quite well, genuinely, as a lullaby for small kids, that's how effectively and pleasantly soporific it is, and how utterly inoffensive its lyrics are.

I should also mention that this song was the very first advanced single for a Cliff Richard film, The Young Ones. However, the title track will also be released, and I frankly don't want to think too much harder about WTGIYHITGIYA, so there. My blog, my rules.

Bless You - Tony Orlando (5)

And then, a very different opening vibe, but somehow no less cheesy, with the very first UK chart appearance of Tony Orlando, who will still be charting come the 1970s, albeit with quite a different sound. Born into a Greek-Puerto Rican family in New Jersey, Tony joined a doo-wop group aged 15 and was hired, still apparently 15, to both record music and actually write songs at the Brill Building, as part of which he was bumping elbows with stars like Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Bobby Darin and Connie Francis. And you can kind of see how some of their glossy brand of pop has rubbed off on him, here - there's still some doo-wop here in the soulful vocals, but there's also a solid sheen of quality.

And of course, it's super cheesy, too, with the cheese coming here from the sheer drama of it all, as we open with timpanis and a dramatic, almost ominous guitar riff. Every time I fade the world, I just had to cry, Tony confesses, seemingly miserable. I stood alone with no love of my own / But then you happened by. It's the same trick that Helen was trying just a few weeks ago, the sad start, and then the sudden turn-around about ten seconds in. Tony was lonely, but now he's got somebody to love, and everything's great, and he's real grateful for that. Bless you / Bless every breath that you take, / Bless every move that you make so perfectly / And bless your little heart for loving me, he sings, and all is well.

It's sweet, and more to the point, it's also a genuinely joyful-sounding delivery. He sounds like he's genuinely just thrilled at being in a relationship. And, like, how can you not find it cute, when he's singing, all in his earnest 16 year-old way, about how till you smiled and took my hand / I felt kinda small / But you stood by me for the whole world to see / And then I was ten feet tall. D'awwww! Plus, as if to mimic his giddy excitement, the music goes a bit mad, too, too, with lots of piano and bop-shoo-bop-shoo-bop and string flourishes. Feel-good music at its finest.

Sucu Sucu - The Laurie Johnson Orchestra (9)

This curiously-titled piece isn't a piece of Eurodance before its time, as I for some reason assumed, upon seeing it. Instead, it's a Bolivian song by a guy called Tarateño Rojas - with a dance craze attached, no less - that somehow become popular worldwide in the 1960s. Yes, I don't know how that happens, either, especially pre-Internet, but there you go. It apparently got popular enough that it was picked for the titles of a short-lived ITV TV drama by the name of Top Secret, which at least explains its presence in the UK charts, recorded by the decidedly non-Bolivian-sounding Laurie Johnson.

A glimpse into the back catalogue of Top Secret reveals it to be a spy series set in South America, hence the South American vibes to the theme tune. It featured one William Franklyn as the suave, dashing Peter Dallas, and had episodes with evocative titles like Destination Buenos Aires, Death on Wheels, The Men from Yesterday, The Man from Carataz, Vengeance at La Vina and Escape to Danger. No episodes remain, sadly, but the titles make me think of danger, adventure and intrigue - all of which mean I was a little surprised by just how jolly this track is.

I mean, there is a definite Latin glamour to it, so I can still see why it was picked. There's something quite exciting about the percussion that opens it, too, and the trumpet bits, throughout. You get a sense of exoticism and energy, and of adventure under the the bright South American sun. But it's also just quite cheery-sounding. You get a flash of more menacing brass, sure, but it always reverts back to its default happy mode before long. Which is fine, it just doesn't scream "spy" to me. But hey, you've made a spy drama set in South America right when this South American dance song is all the rage, what else are you gonna use as a theme tune, eh?

Like I said, all three of these songs are cheesy. More to the point, they're cheesy in entirely different ways. I can't blame any of them for it, either, they're all perfectly well made, listenable things that some for whatever reason are just really low on subtlety. Which is fine. They're straightforwardly happy songs about being in love / being in your first relationship / being in Buenos Aires. Subtlety's overrated.

Favourite song of the bunch: Bless You

[airadam]

Episode 185 : Brooklyn's Finest

"...I'd be filthy rich if not for integrity."

- Ka

The title and theme of this episode came into focus after the second of two tragic losses to the Hip-Hop family this month, both from the same borough - first the peerless wordsmith Ka, and then the legendary producer and DJ Clark Kent. Both Brooklyn natives were held in the highest esteem by all practicioners of their respective arts as experts, and more importantly, spoken highly of as human beings. We feature the music of Ka and Clark Kent in this month's selection alongside some deep cuts from my crates...lock in.

Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk

Twitch : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Ka : Sad To Say

You may have other favourites, but no-one can narrate and reflect on the street life quite like the legendary Ka of Brownsville, Brooklyn - a man who you'll have heard me say before is one of the greatest writers we've ever had. Of all the artists in the culture, he ranks in the very highest tier of those who refused to compromise their artistic principles to chase as much as a penny, and so his albums are best enjoyed by those who respect that. This piece is taken from 2021's "A Martyr's Reward" and features Ka's trademark subdued production underneath his heavy, heavy pen. While other artists may have got social media fame, their work won't be being studied and analysed for years to come - Ka's will.

[RZA] Wu-Tang Clan : I Can't Go To Sleep (Live Instrumental)

The live performance of this track which was included on the Wu's "The W" album in its original form brings an even more dramatic air to it than the first version. Strangely, there's nothing on the single this comes from to credit the performers of this live version but they do a fine job replaying RZA's production, itself based around some classic Isaac Hayes.

Trae ft. L-Boogie : I Deserve

This near-drumless track felt like an appropriate inclusion here - what was maybe less appropriate was Don Cannon yelling wildly all over the intro, which I tried to mostly omit! Houston legend Trae is talking about real life on this selection from the 2011 "Undisputed" mixtape, with Dre & Vidal taking a tiny sliver of modern soul and turning it into a somewhat mournful backing. As an aside, the L-Boogie lending her vocals to this is not Lauryn Hill!

Knucks & Venna : Alpha House

From Texas we come all the way back to the UK, for a track that couldn't for a second be mistaken for coming from anywhere else - even without Knucks' London accent. It's only a short song, but powerful, as he tells a story going all the way back to where everything started for him. The track carries on long past the final lyric, with the saxophonist Venna playing over Knucks' beautiful production. This is the perfectly-chosen opener from his 2022 "Alpha Place" album, named after the street he grew up on.

Curren$y : Game On Freeze

We go back to 2018's "The Spring Collection" album for this bassy, low-slung track - two short verses from  New Orleans' Curren$y, short enough that the hook almost gets equal time, on top of the beat from Sledgren of Taylor Gang. Anyone that is hating on Curren$y can only be jealous of the success he describes, since by all accounts he's one of the most personable artists around!

Organized Noize ft. Joi and 2 Chainz : Kush

Finding one of the supposed 500 copies of the "Organized Noize EP" was a great result from regular local record shopping! The famed production trio (RIP Rico Wade) get free reign to put this collection of tracks together their way, and they go slow, low, dark, and smoked out with this ode to the good weed, starring fellow Atlanta natives Joi and 2 Chainz on vocals. This was released as a single too, and justifiably so.

[Shadetek] Rodan : Witchcraft II (Instrumental)

Dark, grinding, and pretty much completely forgotten by me in favour of the other track on this 12", "Ruler Of Day & Night"! Shadetek does his thing on this, a sequel to "Witchcraft" on the Monsta Island Czars' "Escape From Monsta Island" LP that is drastically slower and much grimmer sonically.

MF DOOM ft. Kurious : ?

A favourite from the classic "Operation : Doomsday" LP, and one of the more poignant tracks as the now-late DOOM talks about his deceased brother, known to most of us as DJ Subroc of KMD, their first group. He self-produces this one, occasionally lightening up the music by swapping out the moody main loop (which is my favourite) with a more optimistically-tinged sample from the same original track. Special guest Kurious does the honours on the second verse, which comes in at first like it's a hook...but then he just keeps going.

The Stic : Qi Gong

I bet you didn't check the notes this month expecting to find a track about a Chinese system of breathing, movement, and meditation! Stic of dead prez gave us the original "The Workout" album full of health and fitness-oriented motivational tracks back in 2011, but we had to hold on until 2020 to get the sequel, which this is drawn from. Unfortunately I don't have a production credit for this one (it was a digital purchase with no information in the files), but the instrumental definitely provides the right mood for an MC who more than most seems to walk what he talks.

Roots Manuva ft. Wildflower : Baptism

When London's own Roots Manuva comes up in discussion, it's usually the "Run Come Save Me" era that gets the shine, largely due to the monster track that was "Witness", but his first LP "Brand New Second Hand" deserves some love too if you've never heard it. Roots Manuva produced much of the LP as well as being the vocalist, so it's fair enough that he brought in a guest to hold down the second verse here! Wildflower does the business, fitting in well over a beat that conjours up strong memories of the more underground, slightly abstract UK Hip-Hop of the time - though make no mistake, not so spacey that you can't nod your head to it!

Pharoahe Monch : Livin' It Up

Bars are a cast-iron guarantee on any Pharoahe Monch track, and this one is no exception, coming from the period immediately following the release of his debut solo LP "Internal Affairs", which is where many people in  and around the mainstream first became aware of his mic skills. If you were listening to early 2000s underground Hip-Hop, you probably know the main sample here primarily from the Dilated Peoples cut "Triple Optics", but Baby Paul of the Beatminerz cooks it up with a more straightforward drum pattern and some reinforcing bass for this one, which was on the B-side of Pharoahe's "The Light" single as well as appearing on the "Next Friday" soundtrack.

Marco Polo : War (Instrumental)

Dipped into the crate to select this one just as the previous record was playing and was pleased to find that, according to Serato at least, they're both in the same key! Look at me being all fancy :) A chunky and imperious beat which is on the "War" 12" - pick up the single to hear Kardinal Offishall doing his thing on vocals.

Bob James : Shamboozie

"Nautilus" and "Take Me To The Mardi Gras" are two of the most sampled records in Hip-Hop history, but Bob James has supplied plenty of other material to the culture, including this track from his 1982 "Hands Down" LP. Definitely check out the man's back catalogue and you'll hear all kinds of snippets you know popping out! We go with just a small piece of this track and then hear how it was used by Clark Kent on...

Rakim : Guess Who's Back

While as a DJ there are other tracks on Rakim's solo debut LP "The 18th Letter" I played more, this Clark Kent production was arguably the people's choice, and one that I believe was the lead single for the LP. The sample is cut up just enough to allow some variations on the riff as the track moves, but for the most part it sounds just as it did on the Bob James record. As as far as the bars...it's Rakim. You should know by now.

Ohio Players : Ecstasy

We go into the second sample source, the title track to the 1973 LP by Ohio Players, the group's fourth. Clark Kent has said that this had been his favourite record since childhood, and that he'd tried to sample it before but hadn't captured in it the way he wanted. He eventually cracked the code on the legendary Jay-Z and Biggie collaboration we go to next...

Jay-Z ft. The Notorious B.I.G. : Brooklyn's Finest

If this it sounds a little "off" to you, it's likely because the track is arranged in groups of five bars, not four or eight - tricky for MCs and DJs alike! Clark Kent said it was the only way to properly capture the flavour of the original track and he nails it. Never a single, but one of the most highly-rated tunes from Jay-Z's debut "Reasonable Doubt", this is a street lyrical masterpiece, with each man trying to show he was better than the other. This was a small taste of a huge "what if?", with Biggie Smalls being murdered before the planned inclusion of both MCs in "The Commission", which really would have been monumental. Weird to think that only one of the three people involved in this track is still with us.

Freddie Foxxx : Stick 'Em Up

Maybe a bit niche, but Freddie Foxxx AKA Bumpy Knuckles has some of the best rhymes about robbing other rappers specifically! Clark Kent is best known for being able to give you the big singles, the party tunes, the deft re-contextualising of popular samples, but he could definitely give you different styles and here he goes all the way gully for a thugged-out album cut from 2003's "Konexion". Perfect rawness.

[DJ Premier] The Marxmen : Bloody Murdah (Instrumental)

This is more sparse than "Stick 'Em Up", but has the appropriate level of ruggedness to match it. "The Marxmen" is a cover name for Brownsville's own, world famous M.O.P. and if you're a fan, it's well worth having the "Marxmen Cinema" release - I've got it on wax, but it got a CD release too. This instrumental came from a 12" single release though, and DJ Premier, one of the group's biggest fans, goes as straightforward as it gets on production.

Ka : Beautiful

We close the episode as we began, with a track from Ka, this time from his most recent LP "The Thief Next To Jesus", released less than a month before his passing. The album explores themes around the relationship between Black people and Christianity, and in keeping with that, he works a lot of gospel sounds into his signature near/drumless production. The lyrics on this one are accessible to most, but profound rather than simplistic, and delivered with his appropriately low, subdued tones that complement the downtempo swing perfectly. We only wish he could have had the long life that he himself wished upon us on the chorus of this one.

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!

[notafunkiller]

https://www.tumblr.com/thebluemage/764502581001256960/sebastian-going-off?source=share / I don't know if you've seen this clip, but it's an interesting food for thought./ It isss. It's a good comparison but one that is so shady based on when his relationship with AW started.Also, hin speaking about politics in less pr-istic terms is very, very interesting. Something triggered him./ I saw this last night and after sleeping on it he has definitely been triggered and in his interviews in London you can see a very big difference to the interviews in US about TA. Something must of happened on I believe this is when the interviews started in the UK as you can see the tension with in him (Monday is when Trump took a swing at the movie) tbh I don’t think this is the only trigger not for Seb to say what he said and how he fought back yesterday. Plus he would have recorded most of the interviews before Trump even woke up. But it wasn’t just what he said about Trump last night he brought up heartbreak yet again to basically to say that it takes the length of relationship to get over the relationship like ohhhh so what are you trying to say Seb? That you have been thinking about someone else all this time? Didn’t mention her didn’t bring her on the red carpet with him. This kind of makes it worse for AW as she was in a relationship for 4 years before swiftly moving onto the next ‘bf’….tbh let alone two years it sounds like he isn’t over his first love or Margarita with what he has been saying anyway.

Yeah

[antiques-for-geeks]

Kolchak : The Night Stalker at 50 - They have been, They are, They will be...

This week, Carl runs into something out of this world

And so, just before Christmas 1991, with the end of the Mystery Train nights on BBC2, our brief introduction to the world of Kolchak was over, along with Richard O’Brien’s time as the overlord of the Tube station.

Kolchak signed off for the last time under O’Brien’s care with the series finale, The Sentry; any sneer and snark from our presenter possibly lost to the mists of time.

In some ways, it was all rather sad; here had been an opportunity to have a strand of cheap (for the BBC, at least) horror programming in the run-up to Christmas. The show would have easily taken care of Halloween each year. The timeslot - 23:15 - was nicely inconspicuous too, away from the prying eyes of children and time that some would argue should be given over to more mainstream programming. Plus, the pubs back then closed at 23:30, so no doubt there would have been viewers dribbling in, looking for something to watch until entering the sweet embrace of sleep, their wallets having escaped the loving grasp of the stout yeoman of the bar.

The format, was sound. The BBC had the material in its archives that it could quite happily have used for the serial - shows like The Omega Factor, Doomwatch even a thirst for ITC shows like UFO. There was even the grand-daddy of televised sci-fi horror, Quatermass, although incomplete.

But it was not to be. Instead, a few months later in June 1992, Kolchak returned on Sunday nights for another run. Once again on BBC2, right after Moviedrome (presented at the time by director Alex Cox). Memory plays tricks once more - for years the assumption was that Alex Cox presented the episodes too, but this was the memories of Moviedrome and Mystery Train merging into one. 

A less regimented start time for the series on Sunday nights meant that it wasn’t always possible to watch live; so out of necessity, the episodes were taped. If you were lucky enough to remember or not had your VCR privileges revoked, that is. And that’s how Kolchak came to be stuck in our collective memory. Video tapes that contained a handful of episodes, recorded in the summer and autumn of 1992, watched over and over. Complete with BBC2 continuity intros. Never to be taped over, always to be kept to one side.

Chopper, Horror in the Heights, Legacy of Terror, Mr R.I.N.G., Primal Scream, The Ripper, The Trevi Collection, The Knightly Murders, Demon in Lace.

A repeat airing of the TV Movies in 1993 was added, and they too were committed to their tapes, never to be wiped. But more of that another time.

Then that really was it. Since then, neither the series or the films have darkened the hallways of the BBC again.

There were repeat airings in the UK on Sci-Fi when it wasn’t betrothed to cheap blockbuster knock-offs made by The Asylum, but for that you needed Sky or cable TV. For most people, it was a case that if it didn’t turn up on terrestrial TV, it didn’t happen.

Getting it on home media was also difficult. In a small town asking WH Smith to look it up to see if it was available on VHS resulted in a blank look, ditto the video rental shop.

Sure, it was available on VHS, but only in the states - and only two episodes per tape. You’d need NTSC playback on your video recorder (fortunately mine did) but how would you find it? There was no internet in 1992 for us to look for a supplier in the states and even when there was, finding one prepared to ship to the UK affordably was a different matter again.

But in 1995, things changed. Before social media came along and made everyone mad and shouting at each other, people who could get online started to be able to build websites with companies like Geocities, Tripod or Fortune City. And so people started to put up material about their favourite TV series. Although there would be no video to begin with, here for the first time, we were able to see personal episode guides, and in return share what we thought of the show. Plus, there was more general information about the series itself; behind the scenes stuff, much of it apocryphal but not intended to mislead or cause mischief. Genuine stuff, like confusing Robert Beltran and Erik Estrada and somehow thinking the former was in Legacy of Terror. Which would have been quite something given the age difference between the two actors.

Finally, as it started to become affordable to digitise video, episodes started to appear online and we were able to see the episodes that we’d missed ten or fifteen years before. And then the final piece of the jigsaw arrived - Kolchak on DVD. Here he was in all his glory, and available in Region 2 so that us Europeans could catch up with him properly. The transfer from video was respectable, rather than fantastic, but at last there he was, all 20 episodes available and easy to watch.

And now? None of these shenanigans - £1.89 an episode on iTunes, or possibly free on streaming, although it flits around platforms. No doubt a low quality version to borrow is on the Internet Archive too. All available to watch when you want, how you want.

But for all that convenience, there’s something we’ve lost; having to make an appointment with Richard O’Brien on a Friday night and the serendipity of not quite knowing which episode you were going to get…

The visitor attacks a befuddled cheetah in Chicago Zoo. With all that hay blown at it in the name of special effects, I hope it was on Equity rates.

Plot

Chicago (or Kolchak, at least) is gripped by the Cub’s return to the Baseball World Series. There’s a number of strange events in the background - radio reception across the city is awful, animals are dropping like flies in the city zoo and electronic components are disappearing left, right and centre.

The only thing linking these events seems to be a strange goo appearing where these events take place, and shadowy figures very keen to remove all trace that anything ever happened.

Guests

Darren McGavin and Simon Oakland were joined by :

James Gregory - Captain Quill

Mary Wickes - Dr. Bess Winestock

Maureen Arthur - Woman Speaker

Dick Van Patten - Alfred Brindle

Jack Grinnage - Ron Updyke

Carol Ann Susi - Monique Marmelstein

John Fielder - Gordon Spangler

Rudy Challenger - Stanley Wedemyer

Phil Leeds - Howard Gough

With

Len Lesser - Crowley

Fritz Feld - Waiter

Tony Rizzo - Leon Van Heusen

Dennis McCarthy - Guard

The Scoop

Pop : I had no strong memories of watching this episode before, and on re-watching I can see why. On the plus side, though it still contains a lot of the same familiar elements from the previous two episodes it at least has a different look and feel, with plenty of scenes short during the day. 

There’s also some good interplay with the other members of the INS team, and Darren McGavin is always watchable as Kolchak.

The plot feels more like a typical X-Files episode than usual, and a scene where an invisible force blows out a wall even prompted my wife (who is a big X-Files fan) to wonder if it was caused by the elephant turned invisible by aliens from an extremely silly early episode of that show.

Despite all that, this one felt a little flat to me. The invisible alien was a good idea - anything else would have been almost impossible to pull off without looking ridiculous - but it never felt genuinely threatening.

Mysterious lumps of goo are found at the sites of odd goings-on and Carl is determined to science the heck out of it to get answers.

Tim : I fell asleep during this episode back in 1991 and woke to the end where all I remembered were dancing lights on what seemed to be a washing airer. Such was my befuddled state.

After that however; it gained notoriety. Pop, who managed to wedge his eyelids open for long enough to get to the end, didn't rate the episode at the time. Reading about it in later years, it really didn’t disabuse me of my feeling that I’d not missed out. When I finally did get to watch a copy online over a decade later, I wasn’t taken by it at all. The whole episode seemed pretty poor.

But on watching it back for this review, I finally got it. Maybe it’s just time and experience, but there seem to be strong parallels with The Quatermass Experiment. Envisage Kolchak as the titular Quatermass and you get the idea. A man trying to understand what is going on with something he can’t comprehend because the only frame of reference - the earthly - doesn’t align. Only by stripping back and casting its behaviour in human terms, and mundane ones at that, does he make any kind of sense of the alien’s real motive. 

Part of the link for me to the style of the Quatermass serial is the alien eye-view of the attacks similar to those in the films, the scientist who lets Kolchak know more than she should. Gordo the Ghoul making sure Kolchak isn’t led astray by the superficial willingness of the authorities to cooperate while at the same time, masking shadowy Government agencies’ work to keep proceedings under wraps. A defeated, deflated Vincenzo warned off from his agency pursuing the story.

But the real clincher is the last 15 minutes with Kolchak and the alien in the observatory. Surprisingly, it works. Sure there are compromises - the lack of any physicality of the Alien during the sequence,other than the effects of its actions in the form of knobs that twiddle on their own, may seem something of a let down, but producing a convincing creature would have been nigh on impossible on the budget and risked taking the audience out of the moment. 

You can already see the budget being stretched ultra-thin with the effects they did choose to use. The explosion in the daytime raid on Raydine Electronics is quite the scene and when we lay our eyes on the Alien’s craft, the moment certainly doesn’t underwhelm.

We also see in this episode the world of Kolchak evolving. More than the films, everyone, it seems, hates Carl. With the possible exception of Vincenzo and an unlikely kindred spirit in Monique Marmelstein. Kolchak’s sheer force of will is what’s carrying him through.

Gordo, as always upholding the highest of ethical standards.

Highlight

Pop : The scene where the alien visitor bursts through the wall at Raydine Electronics, sending out a shower of breeze blocks blowing and police officers over their squad cars. Given that this is a cheap old series and it’s shot in the blazing sunlight it looks surprisingly good!

Tim : Carl and Vincenzo discussing the evolving story while Vincenzo has a fine dining chef to serve his every need turns from the comic to the tragic with the intervention of mysterious ‘men in suits’. A small moment in the story, but one that sells the news men's desire for the story meeting the reality of censorship for the greater good. Simon Oakland really sells this moment, his words saying one thing, his physical performance another. It’s at moments like these in the series, you are reminded just how good our leads are.

Carl runs towards the denouement; shots like this add to the Quatermass feel of the story.

Lowlight

Pop : I was disappointed by the standoff with the alien at the observatory near the end. It goes on too long, and the sequence of events is confusing. We also see the same shot of dials being twiddled by invisible hands about five times too many. I felt that the tension generated by the confrontations with the weekly monster in the previous episodes was mostly absent here.

Tim : The alien “attacks”. They just don’t work for me, especially one where a poor cheetah has hay blown at it and then freeze-frames on it looking confused. Doesn’t feel like an alien attack; it feels like someone “messing about and finding out” when the cheetah’s fight or flight instinct kicks in and the cameraman ends up with an arm off.

Updyke vs. Kolchak

‘Uptight’ is back and has been appointed the acting sports editor. He’s still an insufferable weasel as he tries to avoid giving Carl his reward for saving Updyke’s skin. Kolchack runs rings around him in their scene, Easy win for Carl.

Updyke 0 - 2 Kolchak

Score on the doors

Pop : Started off well, and I appreciated the different tone set here, but it failed to stick the landing 4/10

Tim : A strong story, let down by having ideas bigger than its budget. Still good. 7/10