#spirit of rock'n'roll

[ellie-24]

Just A Fan

A/N: I recently saw all the 1977 Hawaii pictures again and oh they make me so soft every time. His health failed him, his personal life frustrated him, but he looked so happy and relaxed on this (last) vacation and really enjoyed himself.

Sooo I had to write a little something for dear Big Daddy Elvis. It's literally just horribly self-indulgent fluff. Enjoy!

This is also a veeeeery late response to the writing prompt: "Isn't that mine?"

Word count: 3.3 k

March 11th 1977, Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii

Cara noticed him right away. Of course, she's been looking for him. Word got around at campus that he would be here tonight and to say she was exited would be an understatement. Unfortunately she of course wasn't the only one who heard about it. She already dreaded the masses that would form around him, waiting to get a glimpse.

Others might say they wouldn't have recognised him right away when he entered the open-air pavilion. In fact, at first it seemed like nobody noticed him at all.

His jet black hair and sideburns more grown out and partly hidden beneath a white, frizzy bucket hat. The sparkly, heavy jumpsuits he usually wore replaced by a comfortable looking light track suit, emphasising the sight swell of his belly. Beautiful blue eyes hidden behind tinted glass. She hoped he'd take them off, even if just for a second so that she could see them. It's not like never seen his eyes, she'd stared at them longingly for hours and hours, never growing tired of them.

Whether she was staring at his face on one of the numerous records she owned, pausing his movies to fully take in a particularly cheeky expression that she loved so much or just sitting in front on the many, many posters on the walls of her dorm room, pretending he was looking right back at her.

He looked different. Different than he looked on stage, different than he looked on those posters, different than he looked 10 years ago. She was very well aware of that. The whole public was aware of it. Not only aware of it, but bothered by it, apparently.

The amount of mean spirited headlines she's read, plastered at the front of cheap tabloids at the gas station, at the supermarket, seemingly everywhere she went. Everywhere for the entire world to see. Surrounding, following, haunting her.

Cara never understood it. Her love for him never faltered, after obsessing over him throughout her whole childhood her fate was finally sealed when she saw him live for the first time in 1972. She was just 15 years old and she vividly remembered begging her parents for weeks, months to take her to the concert. Two more followed in 1974 and 1975 and each time she just fell in love with him more and more. Since moving to Hawaii for university she hasn't had the opportunity to see him again. But now he was here, closer than he'd ever been before and she felt like a giddy teenager again.

Cara pondered for a while, tugging at the hemline of her short sun dress, her eyes laser focused on him the entire time. The native dances presented on stage weren't the main attraction, at least not for her. There were of course whispers in the audience with most people risking a short glance towards the King of Rock'n'Roll sitting among them, but nobody really dared to approach him and instead appreciated the actual show. It was refreshing to see him as part of an audience enjoying other people's perfomances.

In a motion she didn't quite register herself she got up and started walking. She wouldn't talk to him. No, she really didn't want to bother him when he was on vacation, with his guard down. He seemed so content not having to perform at the moment and she didn't want him to feel like he had to just for her. It's just that she wanted to see him up-close. And if she had to pretend to go to the bathroom to walk past him, coming as close as possible even if it was only for a passing glance, she'd do that.

"Hey, isn't that mine?" She heard him say when he was within earshot. He looked at the brown-haired man sitting next to him, who she quickly recognised as Charlie Hodge. Elvis snatched a glass of what looked like orange juice from his hand and laughed as he brought it to his lips, leisurely sipping on it.

Cara halted against her will, freezing at the spot. Seeing him like this, so relaxed and carefree was a wonderful sight and she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

He suddenly rose from his seat and she urged her body to move and not just stand there and stare at him like a complete lunatic. He had his head turned back towards his group as he walked nearly bumped into her, only catching himself last second.

"Oh sorry, honey, I didn't see ya there." He gave her a quick once over and promptly beamed at her, making a pleasant shiver run down her spine. "Ain't ya just a sweet little thing?"

Cara's eyes widened as she realised he just talked to her. He just talked to her. She wanted to say a million things but the words got stuck in her throat. This was it. Her chance to talk to Elvis Presley and she was about to mess it up.

It seemed like hours passed where she just stared up at him, not able to utter a damn word. Head spinning, she felt her knees going weak.

"Hey honey, ya alright?" His voice was now latched with concern and she continued staring up at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

Her mind raced, trying to think of something to say, preferably something smart. At least she managed to open her mouth now, but only a little squeal came out. It would've been better if she'd just kept her mouth shut entirely. The spinning got worse and her ears started ringing as the moment dragged on and on. His beautiful, more than familiar voice became a dull background noise and she couldn't make out what he said.

"Aww, you're a little nervous? Don't got no reason to, sweetheart, promise. I won't bite, okay?" He drawled with his signature charming half smile.

Cara has dreamed of embracing him her entire life. How many times she's pictured it, holding him, letting him hold her. Being so close to him, pressing her body against his, feeling his warmth. She's thought of this scenario at least a thousand times. Her arms around his neck as he kneeled over the edge of the stage, leaning down to give her a kiss.

Never in a million dreams it would've occured to her that the first time she'd hug Elvis Presley would be because her legs went limp and she had to physically hold onto him to prevent herself from falling as her vision blurred.

He momentarily grunted as she leaned against him for support. "Hey, hey, honey, careful. I gotchu, you're alright." His arms wrapped around her middle, holding her steady before moving her towards a cushioned seat. He sat down with her splayed sideways across his lap, her back resting against the armrest.

Once he had her settled on his sturdy thighs he extented one arm and gestured around as if shooing away somebody. "It's okay, Charlie, I got her." He rasped, sounding a bit winded.

His scent surrounded her as she was pressed against his soft, yet strong body. An immediate feeling of comfort and safety rushed through her and she subconsiously tried to get even closer to him.

His whole body vibrated when he cleared his throat and she gasped when he shifted again, adjusting his grip on her. Now her head rested against his shoulder, if she moved just a little bit lower she could probably feel his heart beating rapidly.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" His voice was calm next to her ear.

"Cara." She whispered, black spots still dancing before her eyes.

He nodded, his whole attention on her. "Cara, that's nice. I'm Elvis."

She blinked up at him. Had he really introduced himself right now? "Yes, I know that." She breathed, her eyebrows furrowed in disbelief and wonder and her eyes shining.

He chuckled softly and carefully brushed some strands of hair from her sweaty forehead. "Now, Cara, I want ya to take some deep breaths, okay?"

She did as she was told as best as she could and slowly her head felt a little less fuzzy. He's pulled down the zipper of his track suit somewhat, exposing his wide chest, golden chains resting over the thick, dark hair.

This had to be a dream.

"Honey, what are ya doin'?" He asked when he saw her fingers digging into her waist, his voice a bit alarmed. He removed his shades to give her a stern look.

Cara swallowed hard when she looked into his eyes and her voice trembled when she spoke up. "Pinching myself."

It took him a moment to register but then started laughing heartily, his belly shaking against her. "You're a cute little thing."

She's essentially passed out in Elvis Presley's arms. She wanted to die. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his whole entourage staring at her, assessing the situation. They must think she's completely crazy. "Oh god, this is so embarrassing."

"Nah, no reason to be embarrassed, little one." He murmured and threw a look over his shoulder, waving the curious onlookers off, telling them with a glare to mind their own business.

"I'm sorry." She attempted to get up, despite her ears still feeling like someone stuffed cotton in there, but he quickly tightened his hold on her before cupping her chin.

"Don't apologise, little. Ya just gonna stay here for just a minute."

She'd stay for the rest of her life if he'd let her. In theory. But she really didn't want to make this even more awkward and weakly shook her head. "Uh-"

"Those little legs and feet are still a bit weak." He interrupted her with his strong hand moving towards her thighs, rubbing and squeezing her softly, silencing her in an instant.

For a moment she just stared up at him, lost in the gentle and caring look in his eyes. She had to, she just had to do it, she thought as she reached up and gently cupped his cheek. The feeling of his soft skin against hers made her jump, still not quite believing that this was really happening.

His fingers moved to brush over her ankle, toying with the clasp of her platform sandals. "Gotta take these off, don't want you to fall the second I set you down again."

Cara just nodded and continued to stare up at him, her eyes moving rapidly as she tried to take in every little detail. The way his plush lips hung open the tiniest bit. The way his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as he worked on her shoes.

When he tilted his head slightly and offered her a view of his neck she could see black strands of hair sticking out from beneath the hat. Just as she wanted to start playing with them he turned his head back and looked down, catching her studying him. From that angle she could see his small double chin.

"Not even close." She whispered to herself, barely audible.

"What's that, honey?" He asked and briefly leaned over her to put her shoes aside.

"Not even close." She repeated and blushed as she realised she had to explain her thoughts now. "I mean, uh, seeing your face on screen, or from a distance when you're on stage." She shrugged. "It doesn't even come close."

"What, the wrinkles so bad?" He joked, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Cara shook her head. "Doesn't come close to how beautiful you are."

He leaned in closer with his lips pursed and brushed through her hair as if inspecting her scalp. "Ya sure ya didn't hit your pretty head somewhere?"

"No, I didn't. I really mean it." She whispered with a frown, not liking his self-depracating comments.

He paused and looked down with a bashful smile after a few seconds. "Oh, thank you, sweetheart, that's, uh, a-awfully kind of you."

"Just honest." She shrugged and carefully ran her fingers over his cheek again, through the course, yet soft hair of his thick side burns and wiped away some of the sweat that had gathered there.

"Stop, honey, it'll go to my head." He gently chided her as she kept complimenting him.

"I hope so."

He averted his gaze and resumed to stroke her ankle, gently massaging it now. There was a bit of pink on his cheeks and Cara marveled at the fact that she was able to make him flustered.

"You know, when I was at one of your concerts two years ago a girl next to me passed out as well and I had to take care of her for like twenty minutes. I was so angry at her." She let out a small laugh at the chaotic memory.

"You've been to one of my concerts?"

"I've been to three." She nodded with a proud smile.

He raised one eyebrow. "Three? Lord, should have saved that money for college, little one."

"It was worth it..." She trailed off, not sure if she had the nerve to continue talking.  "I always hoped to get a kiss, at least a scarf. Each time... But I never quite made it to the front."

"Aww, honey." He cooed ruefully as if he was personally responsible for her bad luck. As if it truly bothered him.

It was only a second later that she felt his pillowy lips against hers. Butterflies erupted in her stomach and she froze while he casually made her biggest dream come true. He didn't just peck her lips, instead he lingered, even added a bit more pressure until she closed her eyes with a sigh.

They were complete strangers, yet the connection between them was very palpable as he kissed her slow and gentle, his finger grazing along her jaw. His breath fanned over her cheek and tickled her slightly, causing her to squirm a bit in his arms, but his soothing touches on her body calmed her down somewhat. When he finally pulled away from her the dizzy feeling returned and she squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again, blinking a bit disoriented.

Elvis saw the colour draining from her face again for a second and let out a small laugh. "Stay with me, sweetheart." He softly patted her cheek.

"Uh-huh." She responded, waving away. "No, yeah, I'm good."

He looked back to Charlie on instinct, his head whipping around, before turning back to her. With a frown he slowly scratched his neck, looking regretful. "I don't have a scarf, little. Uh, I-I'll give you this. That okay for you?" He removed one of the golden rings he was wearing, pulling it from his ring finger and holding it out to her.

"Oh, no I can't take it." Her eyes widened and she raised her hands in protest.

"But now I want ya to have it." He slipped it onto her thumb, and gently held her clammy hand in his, completely engulfing her.

Cara stared at the glittery piece of jewelry on her hand, the metal still warm, wondering what she'd done to deserve this. "Oh, thank you." She choked out, tearing up a little.

He drew circles over her temple in a calming way. "You're welcome, sweetie."

"I'm a mess." She laughed nervously and closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing. "I'm talking to Elvis Presley and I'm a mess."

"Shush, little, you're not a mess. I don't wanna hear any of it."

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head and ran his thumb over her lips, making her breath hitch. "Now, what are ya being sorry for? Quit apologising, okay? I get to hold a pretty girl in my arms. Made it worth to come here in the first place." He chuckled in an attempt to cheer her up, to make her smile.

Now it was Cara's turn to blush furiously and his grin widened. "Finally got some colour in your face again. You're feeling a bit better, honey?"

That was a good question. Was she feeling better? She wanted to weep, laugh and yell at the same time, but he didn't need to know that. Instead she just put a hand to her burning forehead and smiled a little. "I think so." Her voice sounded a bit hoarse, the emotions still overwhelming her.

Elvis made no attempt to get up however, let alone loosen his grip on her and continued to gently massage her bare calf, apparently not yet ready to part with her. Luckily she felt the same. So they just enjoyed the feeling of being close to each other, a mutual understanding between them.

"Ya, ya wanna come and see my next show?" He suddenly asked out of the blue.

She nodded so quickly, she almost hurt her neck. "I'd love to. But-"

He brushed through her hair. "I'll make sure you're gonna sit in the first row. I'll arrange it. Then I'll give ya a scarf."

"You already gave me this." She pointed to her thumb.

"But you wanted a scarf, honey, it's that simple. And you'll get a scarf, you'll see." He insisted as he grasped her hand pressed a few kisses to her knuckle.

"Elvis." She paused and bit her lip. The amount of times she said, cried, screamed his name, one should think she's used to it. But using it to adress him directly felt incredibly strange.

He continued toying with her fingers. "What's on your mind, honey? You want another kiss?" He drawled with a small smirk, making her tummy flip.

What she wanted to say to him is that he was too kind. Way too giving. That he shouldn't be so worried about pleasing her, she was just a fan. That she enjoyed kissing and hugging more than anything else. But by the genuine and earnest look in his eyes she realised how much he needed it for himself. Doing everything in his power to make her happy, to satisfy her like they were old friends or possibly lovers, even though his girlfriend Ginger Alden only sat a few feet away from them.

She pressed her lips together, deciding not to voice her thoughts and just said the two words that came to mind, that she'd wanted to say to him all these years. "Thank you."

He furrowed his brows and licked his lips. "What for?"

She held his gaze and put a hand on his chest, feeling the thick patches of hair under her fingers. "For being you."

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down and he sniffed once, his nose scrunching up. That tender look on his face nearly made her melt as they just looked at each other, forgetting the world around them and all its problems. Then he nudged her with a lopsided smile. "Ya want that kiss now or what?"

A smile tugged at her lips as well and she managed a small nod, mentally preparing herself. She was sure that if she continued talking she would just start crying hysterically so she just grabbed onto the soft fabric of his track suit, slightly pulling him down.

He started to lean down, but before he could touch her lips again he opened his eyes with a playful twinkle. "Just don't pass out on me again, little one."

She could do that for him, she knew she'd do anything for him. Just like he did everything for her, driving her crazy and keeping her sane at the same time. And she knew she'd treasure that moment forever. She had a feeling he'd treasure it as well.

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Thank you to my lovely sister wives @be-my-ally @thatbanditqueen @vintageshanny @whositmcwhatsit @missmaywemeetagain @peskybedtime @from-memphis-with-love @shakerattlescroll

[hoodiedcrows]

Dream tees

The graphic t-shirts we see on Joke and Jack and especially on Tattoo show us what each of them dreams of. These needs are often in direct contrast with their present situations.

Let's look at Joke:

"Valencia fruit market, grown locally", and "FEELING FRESH". He wants to be able to put down roots to become a local, and he desperately wants a fresh start. We know this already, of course; the tees are merely repeating the message. (A nice contrast of FEELING FRESH and a hangover, too.)

What about Jack?

"Happy place", and "Tranquility". Oof. I think that's as clear as it gets. The dream is to get through this, get to the happy place (that we see in his drawing of Grandma and... himself? or Joke?). To have a chance at calm days, and enough time to open a school.

There's also this tee mentioning COLLEGE, for the school dream (and perhaps for an old dream of going to college?). (It's actually from the brand boyis., and mentions a live gig by Rom Wong that the brand organised. So it's not about college as such. Might be reading too much into it, but wanted to mention it anyway. When clowning, clown all the way!) Joke's shirt is plain white, no wishes needed here since at this point he has a home to stay at and Jack to help build a school with.:)

Alright! Let's crack out knuckles and move on to Tattoo's tees.

✧ლ(￣◡￣ ლ)✧

Tattoo lives in graphic tees, ones that shout artist, free-spirited, rock'n'roll soul.

We start off strong with the introductory t-shirt: our beloved Bob Ross, truly the free-spirited artist. Bob is painting the universe, dreaming big and making his own world, and the colours of the celestial objects match Tattoo's gadgets' colours on the desk. One might consider the mechanic and the artist a contrasting mismatch (though I disagree). Bob is also very kind, whereas Tattoo at first glance is not; we'll see whether that comes into play with any of the other tees.

Sorry about your face, Bob, I did my best!

The second tee has a row of people holding their raised hands, again with blue and pink, very close to Tattoo's colours. The text reads "CITY AT PEACE", while Tattoo is being beaten up. (He also wears it while he and Hoy try to take down Joke while wearing masks.) That would be the dream, to have peace in their neighbourhood not to mention the whole city. Note the jeans with yellow and red splashes like an artist's coat!

Then we get a confusing one, with Scarecrow from Batman on it. We could take the associated "criminal mastermind obsessed with fear" to mean that Tattoo wishes he could use his genius to control the rich and powerful and fill them with fear. Not sure if we should though, to be honest - they might just be showing us a 'scary but cool renegade character'. In any case, we'll be seeing the tan brown colour again. And the artistic colour splatter jeans make an appearance again!

Then we get the absolute KING of shirts, the NO !! VIOLENCE tee.

There's the obvious, delightful juxtaposition in the scene. There is also the desperate dream of escaping the constant threat of violence, unavoidably interlinked with poverty and debt. Perhaps we will get to see a good ending as far as NO !! VIOLENCE goes; a hopeful one if not a happy one. I'd be satisfied with a realistic one as well though. (And Hope would not be happy with no violence. (Then again, do we have hope he can stay alive until the end?))

(Speaking of Hope, he wears a graphic tee as well, a Houston baseball club one. Rather than dream of playing baseball, he might just dream about using a bat to better hit people with, though.:3 The tee is only partly visible, apparently not meant to be read but rather there to Give Vibes and show colours.)

All right, next we have Tattoo threatened by Aran and his men. Time to Rock out!

"Lucky Brand 🎸 Rooted n Rock'n'Roll". Freedom and creative expression, with an artistic pair of jeans again. I've been pondering the Lucky; I think it ties in with another post that's on the back burner. In any case, he surely must have dreamt of having been born lucky (prosperous).

Next we get guitars again, with a "FREE BIRD" skull. Again pretty self explanatory, freedom from poverty and all the sharp and dull and chronic horrors it brings with it. Tattoo is a free soul at heart from what we've seen, despite his circumstances. They can't tell you what to think, the inside of your skull is free bro! (Except they can cause trauma, and they can in fact get into your skull, but. Well. Freedom is the dream.)

We should note that this sleeveless tee is tan as well, like the previous Scarecrow shirt, and like the flower sofa that we've seen in the bar. I mention this to tie it into the flower meta (whenever we reach the sofa scenes there). More on this later, then!

(And not a t-shirt, but we do have a logo for Hoy here. Can't make out the text but I can see scissors, ready to cut the string of their friendship if Tattoo decides to take the necklace.)

Then, in ep 6, we get Tattoo in a blank t-shirt.

It's a pause, a breather. He's paid off his mom's debt and even had some left over for her to spend. Even more importantly he's made the decision to give back the necklace, to choose friendship, connection, community rather than pay off the rest of the debt by hurting his friends. So, we have this short reprieve from always wanting, always feeling trapped; there is hope in having friends, in doing what feels like the right thing. (I think, had not Joke been there to catch him, he might have sat down and thought about how Mama Jeab and Hoy reacted, how Joke would react, how he himself would feel, and might have ended up making the same decision he made when Joke gave him the chance. But who knows!)

The shirt is a blank slate, a chance to change directions. I like that it's the one that he welcomes Aran into his home in (for a given amount of welcome). And the jeans are artistic as ever.

Then we're on ep 7, and Aran has inserted himself into Tattoo's daily life. Does this impact the t-shirts? Let's see. On the first day and into the second morning, there's the Chevrolet Corvette shirt with a car and palm trees in summery versions of Tattoo's colours. It's the first car tee we've seen, but otherwise not too much off from the others as far as colours and style go. (Perhaps there's a little more breathing space now to fantasize about a future where he might own a car, might own something that takes considerable financial investment? Or at least dream about the freedom of driving around in a nice vehicle without any specific destination? With rock music playing from the car stereos and someone on the passenger seat...)

Then we get somewhat of an anomaly. Blue and purple and teal in a funky pattern, with creative genius Jimi Hendrix and his ever-present guitar, and Purple Haze (a love song, according to Hendrix). So, we lean into artistic and free-spirited rock'n'roll again.

But what is up with the colours, suddenly? I do see a way to connect this to Tattoo's and Aran's colours, but to be honest I think this is more likely a nod to Mark and Prom's vlog. @respectthepetty has mentioned this in a post already, but Mark wears a blue shirt very similar to the one Aran wears in this scene (most likely Tattoo's, but since there's another post where we'll go into all of that we can leave it for now), and Prom wears a knit with a purple and blue free-flowing pattern not too far off from the one on Tattoo's t-shirt.

So, we'll go with "PromMark crumbs" for now.

And lastly, in the latest tee we've seen, we get the biggest hint so far that Tattoo's t-shirts are being influenced by Aran's presence in his life.

The tee apparently says "Genuine Motors" on it, but more clearly we see a bird in flight, feathers, and a dark pink rose.

I can't believe I looked at the rose, screencapped the rose, let the rose sit at the end of this draft for ages, and only now when I reach it again do I wonder whether it connects to the flower meta. (It does indeed. I am loving it here in my silly little flower meta land.)

So, we'll talk about the rose over there at some point. For now let me just say that for those of us who enjoy the journey of Aran and Tattoo, this soft tee with the rose and the pink-tinged feathers tells us there is finally a little bit of space in Tattoo's head and heart and dreams. Space for a new person to enter.

That's it for the dream tees for now, we'll see what the final third of the series brings us. Thank you for reading:)

[weneverlearn]

Lost STIV BATORS footage found - made into amazing new video!!

Interview with Stiv solo/latterday Dead Boys bassist, Frank Secich, about how this new clip appeared - featuring exclusive pix!!

"Me and Stiv Bators at record release party for the Orchids in Hollywood in 1979." - Frank Secich (photo by Lisa Secich)

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Frank Secich is an endlessly inspiring rock'n'roll lifer who began his career as bass player for the great early 1970s Northeast, Ohio, proto-power pop legends, Blue Ash.

Later in the decade he hooked up with fellow rust-belter, Stiv Bators, as part of Stiv's ongoing post-Dead Boys projects. That sometimes led to Dead Boys reunions too, of which Frank was the faithful bottom end. -- You can read this full interview I did with Frank a few years ago when he released his wild biography, Circumstantial Evidence.

"Me with Stiv Bators at my old apartment on the West Hill in Sharon, PA, December 17, 1978. I think we (me, Stiv, Lisa and Cynthia Ross) went to see the Talking Heads and hang out that night in Youngstown!" - Frank Secich (photo by Lisa Secich)

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But first check out this INCREDIBLE new video for "Circumstantial Evidence"!

Circumstantial Evidence - Stiv Bators Band

Frank got the video from his pal who made it last week, and when he posted it on Facebook, it led to a goodly portion of classic punk fandom freaking out.

I asked Frank if he could answer a couple of quick questions about the new video, and as it turns out his friend made a new Dead Boys video from found 1979 footage too, which can be seen on Frank's FB page.

For now, check out the interview with Secich below.

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So, who made this video, and this is the first time you've seen it, right?

Frank Secich: The first time I ever saw the "Circumstantial Evidence" video was a few days ago. Filmmaker Rob Luttrell just recently made it with his old film he had found and restored. He sent it to me, and I was stunned and shocked how good it was. It was the first time I had ever seen these old clips in "Circumstantial Evidence" from footage that he shot at the Whisky a Go Go in L.A. and the Heat Club and Town Hall in New York City in 1980. Stiv's solo band at this point was Stiv Bators, Jimmy Zero, guitar, George Cabaniss, guitar, David Quinton Steinberg on drums and me on bass. Also, guest starring in the video is Dee Dee Ramone!

Stiv Bators and Frank Secich recording "It's Cold Outside" at Bijou Studios in Hollywood, CA in April, 1979. - Frank Secich (photo by Theresa Kereakes)

"Frank Secich, Stiv Bators and Greg Shaw (Bomp Records head) recording "It's Cold Outside" at Bijou Studios in Hollywood in April of 1979." - Frank Secich (photo by Theresa Kereakes)

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So Robert had all that original film? Will we maybe see more such footage?

F.S.: Yes, there is one more of "Sonic Reducer" from 1979. Rob and Marty Abrahams made this one in early 1980. We used to use it as a promo film back then, and we would play it right before we took the stage. Rob has digitalized it and improved it, and it is very cool. It features the Dead Boys at that moment -- Stiv Bators, Johnny Blitz, Jimmy Zero, George Cabaniss, and myself. Cheetah had just broken his wrist right before this gig at Irving Plaza, so George was filling in for him. This film was done at Irving Plaza in New York City in January, 1980.

While watching the videos, what are some memories that popped to mind?

F.S.: I was just flooded with memories. Rob really captured the spirit of our chaos back then. We used to have so much fun. It really was a wild ride like that almost every night; and of course you could never predict what Stiv might do. It was an exciting time and we toured North America constantly from 1979 until January of 1981, with slight variations of that band. I am really glad the line-up of the band has been preserved on film for posterity.

Do you have specific memories about any of the shows that are seen in this clip?

F.S.: The fans ripping Stiv's shirt off are indelibly imprinted in my mind. He would also hang himself on stage with a microphone cord which would scare the hell out of me. One time during those gigs we were all flying around on stage, and I turned around quickly and he jumped up and I accidentally knocked him out cold with my bass. He came to pretty quick and said to me, "Did it look cool?" I said "yeah!" The Stiv beer fountain at the end of the film is really cool as well.

"Donna Santisi's cool photo of me and Stiv at the Tropicana Motel in W. Hollywood in early 1979!"

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Anything you want to say at all about these new videos…?

F.S.: It really brought back such great memories of a time and place that was very special and now forever gone. In one day, there have been over 5,000 plus views of "Circumstantial Eveidence" just on my Facebook site, and people's reactions have been amazing. I hope that Rob has more films because these are very special and quite a tribute Stiv and his legacy.

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Hope you will remember those days at the Whisky after seeing the video. I used what I could salvage after 44 years of deterioration (mold and color loss and scratches). These two films were shot on no budget before MTV existed. - Rob Luttrell

"Mick Rock's picture sleeve photo of Stiv and Frank for Bomp's single "Not That Way Anymore" in 1980." - Frank Secich

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All photos exclusive and courtesy of Frank Secich.

[therandomtapes]

Last week, in the middle of a pretty trash week in general we learned that Sakurai Atsushi, lead singer of legendary Japanese rock band Buck-Tick passed away on Saturday October 16th.

I'm not sure how much I've spoken about them on here.

I found them in late 1998. When I got that X/1999 fansub in Brooklyn where I first heard X-Japan, it sent me down a rabbit hole. I would find out the fandom and the country were reeling from the passing of X's guitarist hide earlier that year, in Spring, and I would find a stream of a tribute album. Hide tribute spirits.

This is where I first heard Buck-Tick. Their cover of "doubt" left me wanting more.

I would then learn that they had been around since 1983 (i was 3).

(this is from 87)

They evolved through many eras, from new wave to goth (?) to cyberpunk to rock'n'roll to a combination of all eras. Their influence can be felt even in modern visual kei. They are probably the band that made everyone in that scene wanna have at least one jazzy swing type song on their albums. Hell, Acchan's the reason Kyo is Kyo. Sakurai's look inspired many anime character designs (and I'm pretty sure Benimaru Nikaido from King of Fighters is based on 80s Buck-Tick....yes...they ALL had that hair).

In fact, a lot of their music was in anime (especially if said anime was about vampires. It always amused me that during the era where Acchan looked like a vampire, B-T were the band you called if you needed a theme song for your vampire anime.) Nightwalker, XXXHolic, Trinity Blood, and the very best one, the one that is actually scary, SHIKI!!

If you're not up on vis kei, you probably still have heard of him since he and Imai were in SCHWEIN with Raymond Watts from Pig and Sacha Konietzko from KMFDM.

He also had a band called The Mortal which did a pretty amazing Siouxsie cover.

I recommend Buck-Tick and the Mortal's entire catalog, most of which is on streaming now. I should make a bloody playlist.

I will add the playlist to this post later.

R.I.P. Sakurai Atsushi

one of the greatest vocalists ever, and condolences to the band.

I cannot stress enough how awful I feel for those guys.

This band was together for THREE FUCKING DECADES. No lineup changes.

Atsushi and Imai had the kind of vocal interplay you only get if you're basically best friends.

It's a terrible loss.

. . . and, . . . . no.

I can't end the post like this.

It's too sad.

This band brought too much joy to end the post like this.

I am leaving you with the saga of the paper mache head people.

in the 80s, for the album Seventh Heaven (an album I might actually like better than Sexual XXXX, I can't decide), B-T did videos for quite a few songs (they did PVs for pretty much every song on Sexual XXXX), and 3 of them feature Atsushi having nightmares about/seeing people with large fake paper mache heads. Then in the video for In Heaven they are playing a show for them.

They had something I think is crucial to every band now and forever: WEIRD ASS MUSIC VIDEOS.

You think it was jus the 80s?

no no no

check out UTA

Just your average performance video? No. They dressed up like rock icons, with ridiculous wigs.

This is what I'm talking about. Joy, kids.

Atsushi and Buck-Tick brought JOY, dammit.

enjoy.

I'll post a playlist later, I guess.

Atsushi Sakurai, rest in power you legend!

[rightpastnowhere]

MORE. FOR U

Ok ok ok we all collectively will not shut up about how Percy is endeared by Vex's ears, right? well UNO REVERSE CARD! His lil round human ears are so fucking cute to Vex. It's also very funny for her to parse out how sensitive they are vs half-elven or elven ears.

In modern AUs their taste in music seems very different at a glance but meshes SUPER well. Percy is rocking to MCR and anime intros and Fallout Boy and old rock'n'roll (that his dad and Julius loved), Vex is grinding to pop and country, and everyone is like 'surely not' until they pull up to give Pike a ride and are just blasting a Taylor Swift song together (she joins in obviously). Or on a train sharing earbuds and the poor folks the next seats over can hear Monster by Skillet from there and these two are mouthing along and sharing Dramatic Looks.

Trinket keeps bringing cubs home. He's a male bear, bears don't raise cubs in pairs (males don't participate at ALL), but he's a Ranger companion and lives as long as Vex does. And given he's a fit specimen he's probably the sire of a lot of cubs in the area (Vex and the Grey Hunt have got to watch out for inbreeding effects KJTRNHRKN). So every now and then he'll find a hurt or abandoned or sick cub and bring it back, and Vex nurses it back to health (and Dan too), and suddenly they Have Another Bear. Oh Dear. Sometimes Vex and Trinket make a conscious effort to train the cubs to live in the wild and release them a ways away once they're old enough, but the three bears we see in C3 is Only The Beginning.

The first time Percy tried really growing a beard, Vesper made Unhappy Faces when he'd give her kisses and in a fit he shaved it all off. He needed some talking-tos about it. His baby girl was SO upset and it make HIM upset OKAY -

It's advised that guests do not wander the halls of Castle Whitestone alone at night. They assume, naturally, that this is due to Ghosts or Restless Spirits - no the de Rolos are just. like that. Cass would rather everyone avoid the trauma of hearing them having a good time. Also the kids' darkvision means they have shining pupils if light hits them in the dark and someone fell down the stairs once so there's that too.

Percy fucking agonizes over blue now. Getting a gift to match Vex's feather takes up at least 3-12 hours of a given project. At this point he has custom paints mixed for it and will scour stalls and shops for gems of the right turquoise.

He also owns way more fur than he'd expect, because Vex is a ranger and can at least make a decent muffler or trim for mittens or ruff for his winter coat out of some of her more impressive catches. His favorite, though, is a tiny fur thing that's badly worn. Vex insists it's a bird. *it does not look like a bird,* it looks like a pointed rock with two bead eyes. It was the first thing she tried making him and it, well, it didn't come out as she'd expected. He still stims with it often, it practically lives in his pocket - like she was in Pandemonium, when VM were transformed into birds. She says she hates it, but his earnest adoration for this little silly thing she made really makes Vex so damn happy.

OH MY GOD SHE WOULD LOVE HIS EARS,,, HIS LIL ROUNDED EARS,,, SO SOFT N ROUND,,,,,,,, OMG

YOUR MUSIC TASTES FOR THEM ARE SO IN LINE WITH WHAT'S IN MY HEAD NGKJRNGK. vex imo has the most chaotic playlists because there's just one for all of her music. it switches from lizzo to mumford & sons without rhyme nor reason. and they WOULD be taylor swift stans with pike i LOVE THIS. AND GOD,, THE MENTAL IMAGE OF HER AND PERCY DRAMATICALLY LIP-SYNCING LIKE HUGE NERDS..... MY CROPS ARE WATERED. MY SKIN IS CLEAR

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING NGKJRNKJGNR i simply think vex deserves an entire legion of bears who love her, and many of them on the castle grounds. only the best for the grand mistress of bears. (trinket mimicking vex's adopting behavior is SO CUTE I'M GONNA CRY)

percy upsets his baby One Time and suddenly he must change everything about himself. i love him so much i cannot stand it

NKGJNKJENG the de rolos fuck nasty and it is a burden upon those who think themselves to be fearless... my heart goes out to the unlucky few who dare. ALSO THE FUCKING. QUARTER ELVES. JUST LIKE A BUNCH OF CATS IN THE KITCHEN AT 2AM WHEN YOU WANT A SNACK. IS PERFECTION.

GERKGNERJN percy will do anything to maintain his wife's aesthetic

VEX CRAFTING HIM THINGS...... PERCY KEEPING HER FIRST LIL BAUBLE BECAUSE HE LOVES HER................ STIMMING WITH IT CAUSE IT'S SOFT................................ picturing vex finding out and endeavoring to acquire so many soft things, making him a bunch more knick-knacks once she's better at it, wearing soft clothes, just, oh my GOD she loves him SO MUCH

thank you again for this absolute unfathomable joy, i squeaked out loud at least 3 times, i am full of serotonin once more

[hyog-blog]

Thank you for tagging me, lovely @alxina 🥰 This reminds me of the questionnaires we filled back in the schooldays to know each other better, hehe, it's so cute)))

Three ships: Word of Honor got me back into the world of BL and I've been a heavy Wenzhou fan for a long time, for obvious reasons, but then I discovered Qi Ye and turned into a passionate Beiyuan/Zhou Zishu shipper, those two are so bad and so good for each other, I've written almost a novel-long fic about them (and another one is still in the making, ahah). I'm absolutely in love with Li Lianhua/Di Feisheng dynamic and their whole story (with Fang Doubing being a very welcome addition to their throuple, I think it works like a charm). I also have to mention A-Li/Duke Su from The Double because this couple just proves that heterosexual relationships can be hot, fun, and steamy. I haven't shipped a F/M couple for a long time, but they are just too good.

First ship: If we're talking like the first ever ship, oh god, that was a very-very long time ago (I grew up in the 90s, okay😂). My first F/M ship was somewhere between Sailor Moon/Tuxedo Mask and Buffy/Angel and later Buffy/Spike (James Marsters was EVERYTHING). I then was exploring the world of yaoi for a long time, but can't remember any anime characters right now. I was a very avid fan of Supernatural, but wrote quite extensively for Teen Wolf's Stiles/Derek CP and even Siles/Peter Hale. Oh, those were fun days)))

Last movie: I think the last movie I watched before falling into the cdrama rabbit hole was Spirited Away. I don't know how many times I've already watched it since I was a kid, it just never gets old🥰

Last song: listening to a lot of old-school rock'n'roll these days - Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel probably was the last one. Lots' of Little Richard, hehe

Currently reading: I read whatever MLC fic snippets the dashboard brings me, but other than that, I'm on a reading diet right now (writing my own thing so I try not to get distracted).

Currently watching: I'm "watching" Snowfall through the tumblr's dashboard XD It's on my watchlist, though, along with Dashing Youth and Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty.

Currently eating: my second cup of coffee XD I quit it once along with sugar and other 'unhealthy' stuffs, but now it's back and it's making me so-so happy))) I can't even describe))

Currently craving: Get my life back together, ahah XD I've spent year 2023 living between the ashrams of India and Nepal and now I'm back home and things need to be sorted out. The money/work/what do I want to do with my life kind of thing. But for now, I'm mostly craving writing and that's what I do in various forms. Do what makes you happy)))

tagging @pi-ying-xi @silviakundera @mira-likes @mlc-melons @onnasannomiya or anyone who sees and likes it really

[untilthenextencore]

Nights To Remember Ch 2.: Flashes & Flickers: Light & Shade~...

~

~

In the car, Robert saw a transformation occur in Dahlia. A fire lit in her eyes. Her body grew tight. Expectant. As his was too, albeit for a completely different reason.

As a familiar DJ howled over the radio, she called out. "Mag, mind changing the channel? I love Wolfman, but I'm in the mood for something else. Try KRLA or something."

"Mag" or Magnet obliged. He turned the dial as he turned the corner.

A voice crooned from over ten years ago.

"Those Oldies But Goodies remind me of you~..."

He knew who it was.

Knew what she wanted.

Magnet knew too, hence his turning the dial in just the right direction.

Art Laboe.

Dahlia proved them both right as she recognized the station instantly.

"Yesssss…" Dahlia hissed.

Magnet flicked an amused grin back at her through the rear view mirror.

Robert's eyes were drawn to her too. In full. Closely watching. He saw her toes curl. Her fingers tightening over her small clutch purse & book. Fingers tightening. Toes tightening. Body tightening. Anxious. Expectant. Excited.

Was this how girls were like in making their way to their concerts?

Perhaps.

He saw an aura grow around her. Bated breath & something swirling about her in the smoky haze in the car. Cracks in the veneer. Little glimmers of light peeking through from within.

She was coming alive.

Or about to.

Memories of her dancing & carrying on with her friends at the Chuco flash through his head. Drinks & dancing.

Robert dancing with dusky maidens under the stars. Making him feel home sweet home. Little Mexican Maureen facsimiles. More Indian beauties. More weaknesses. More indiscretions. More things to apologize to the actual, original, one & only true Maureen to.

Robert danced with her too. Dahlia. Bopping around to the rock'n'roll songs they grew up & cut their teeth on. Robert even managed to snag a few slow dances with her. Under the same stars & streetlights.

Until Jimmy appeared out of the ether seemingly. Sidling up to them & spiriting his girlfriend and then fiancee away & into his own arms. Slowdancing with her himself under the stars & streetlights. The flashes of lights both from that & the headlights & taillights of the classic cars that surrounded them all bathed them in a flickering warm glow that matched the warm glow that seemed to emanate from the couple themselves.

Just as Jimmy would want & the only way he'd have it.

Light and shade.

That memory sent him rocketing back to the present. The present that had him beside Dahlia in the backseat as she went from allowing her body to flit from two extremes in her response to the best Art Laboe could play; melting at ballads to winding back up at the rocking tracks as they played. All the while, that same sharp, inscrutable look remained in her eyes. Deep brown depths alight with more than the passing flicker of a streetlight. All as they were similarly surrounded by a tight phalanx of headlights & taillights.

That last bit quirked the corners of his mouth & would've made him laugh had he not been otherwise occupied.

No, instead as Dahlia's head craned back & let yet another sweet ballad from yesteryear wash over her, Robert's head craned back, peering myopically into the following headlights & trying to make out any familiar faces amongst the blinding beams.

No luck.

He thought he saw a familiar town car. Perhaps even a familiar curly black head. But would he ride in the front seat? Was he just seeing things? He didn't know.

All he knew was that as ever, a half an hour or so alone with the lovely young Miss Dahlia was never enough for him. But now he found it stood true for a whole different reason entirely.

As Magnet gunned the engine along with the twanging guitar of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" Robert's stomach clenched to match his fist. Twanging guitar. Mentions of someone who could "play guitar like ringing a bell". He knew someone like that. Someone who was hot on their tail. Whose smoky dragon breath curled hot on the back of his neck, tickling the golden curls there.

Magnet's driving chugged the car along like the train alluded to in the lyrics. Robert was the conductor. Or at least he had been. The chain of cigarettes he took down produced the smoke.

Dahlia's fingers on her right hand stayed "strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made". Her left hand shifted over Robert's. Clearly, she sensed his nerves. Even if she didn't understand them or why he was in their clutches. He just was. She wanted to help. That was that. Even if he didn't want to talk. Wasn't ready to talk. She was there for him as a friend. That was all that mattered.

The contact elicited two reactions in him at once. It both soothed his soul. And inflamed him. In a way she seemingly had no idea. To paraphrase Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the very song that was playing then as she did that; "If she didn't know by now, she'd never, ever know."

She didn't know.

But he did.

Magnet did.

Peter did.

Virtually everyone else did.

Especially a special someone.

One whose stately diamond ring glinted in the flickering light as it circled her left hand's delicate third finger. One whose slim delicate fingers paired with his massive fucking hands in strumming with the rhythm that the drivers in his head made, playing his guitar like ringing a bell, like a fuckin' menace.

The PreRaphaelitic faced, star-suited dragon lord himself.

Paganini with a pick.

James Patrick Page.

The one Robert remained keenly aware of as he verily sensed the town car trailing them mimicking each twist & turn his "getaway man" Magnet made behind the wheel. Johnny B. Goode himself. Hot on the trail of a "country boy" who - despite his best impulses - always seemed to telegraph his wants & needs to be a little bad. Impish. Impulsive. Impetuous.

Peck's bad boy.

Plant's bad boy. Anthony Plant's bad boy. With Page's good girl. His best girl. His wife. His fuckin wife!

And though he never did anything really. Though never crossed the line. Never behaved untoward with Dahlia. Page knew.

Page knew.

He knew.

He knew Planty.

He knew Plant's tastes in women. Hell, he knew Planty's fuckin' wife! He knew Dahlia fit right in line with Planty's tastes. How sometimes the only thing saving some stupid journalists from telling Mrs. Page from Mrs. Plant was that Dahlia was just a few inches taller.

He knew Robert. He knew how he took to loneliness. He knew how it was on the road & how easy it was for Robert to go looking for company. How easy it was for his eyes to go astray.

And how easy he found it & how often it was that Robert's eyes found themselves straying to her. Straying on her. Her face, her eyes, her curves, her entire figure, her hair, her smile, her whole self, her entire being.

He saw. Even when Dahlia didn't.

He saw how he looked at her. How often he looked at her. The way he looked at her. He knew that look. He'd seen Robert give it to other women before. Women he intended to take to bed.

Jimmy had given girls that look before himself. He'd had similar results. But that was before Dahlia. Before he gave it to Dahlia. And after a slow seduction, months of letters & calls & a pen pal friendship that blossomed in between her on and off relationship with Jim Morrison, that he found himself the first to take Dahlia to bed. Not just any bed either. His bed. When she visited England in the spring of '67 & stayed in his then new house. Pangbourne.

Prize won.

But he found there was no moving on from that point. She was in his blood. One taste. And that's all it took. She was his. No matter what. Even if it took a while sealing the deal. No matter. He'd do whatever it took to ensure that. The deal was done.

Robert knew the whole story of course.

He also knew that it was Jimmy's knowing that look, and knowing those results, first hand no less, that only made it so Jimmy did his damndest to ensure that only he could get such a result when giving Dahlia that look. Not anyone else. And certainly NOT Robert.

And as Robert registered another pat of his hand by Dahlia, he smiled. Both from the tenderness shown. Classic Dahlia as ever. And for how succinctly Eric Burdon was then summing up the many things that had been whirling about his mind then, in yet another old song from years past.

"Well, don't you know that no-one alive…

Can always be an angel…

When things go wrong I seem to be bad…

I'm just a soul who's intentions are good…

Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood…"

The situation found itself more succinctly - if vaguely - summed up when Magnet slowed the car to a stop & parked, announcing. "We're here." Then "Mag" jerked the handle shortly, opening the door wide and supplanting the last strains of Eric Burdon & the Animals with a slow, slinky bluesy intro.

Dahlia instantly perked up, recognizing the sound & crooning. "Ohhh! I love that song. C'mon Robert, let's go!" And with a series of clicks, the unclicking of her belt, opening of her door by Magnet & the hurried clicks of her heels towards the music as it swelled, she was gone.

Robert was left to finish his last cig, brooding, contemplating, mulling over Big Jay McNeely voice as it drawled out the first line. The words teasing him in their seeming concise reading of him upon arrival.

"There is something on your mind~..."

~

As ever, this is forever under construction~...

Hope y'all enjoy~!...

[frankiefellinlove]

Always good to read this again to restore my faith. “The future of rock n roll” article.

GROWING YOUNG WITH ROCK AND ROLL

by Jon Landau

It's four in the morning and raining. I'm 27 today, feeling old, listening to my records, and remembering that things were diffferent a decade ago. In 1964, I was a freshman at Brandeis University, playing guitar and banjo five hours a day, listening to records most of the rest of the time, jamming with friends during the late-night hours, working out the harmonies to Beach Boys' and Beatles' songs….

Through college, I consumed sound as if it were the staff of life. Others enjoyed drugs, school, travel, adventure. I just liked music: listening to it, playing it, talking about it. If some followed the inspiration of acid, or Zen, or dropping out, I followed the spirit of rock'n'roll.

During those often lonely years, music was my constant companion and the search for the new record was like a search for a new friend and new revelation….

… in those days, I didn't see myself as a critic -- the writing was just another extension of an all-encompassing obsession. It carried over to my love for live music, which I cared for even more than the records. I went to the Club 47 three times a week and then hunted down the rock shows…

For every moment I remember there are a dozen I've forgotten, but I feel like they are with me on a night like this, a permanent part of my consciousness, a feeling lost on my mind but never on my soul….

As I left college in 1969 and went into record production I started exhausting my seemingly insatiable appetite…

Today I listen to music with a certain measure of detachment. I'm a professional and I make my living commenting on it….

But tonight there is someone I can write of the way I used to write, without reservations of any kind. Last Thursday, at the Harvard Square theatre, I saw my rock'n'roll past flash before my eyes. And I saw something else: I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time.

When his two-hour set ended I could only think, can anyone really be this good; can anyone say this much to me, can rock'n'roll still speak with this kind of power and glory? And then I felt the sores on my thighs where I had been pounding my hands in time for the entire concert and knew that the answer was yes.

… Bruce Springsteen is a wonder to look at. Skinny, dressed like a reject from Sha Na Na, he parades in front of his all-star rhythm band like a cross between Chuck Berry, early Bob Dylan, and Marlon Brando. Every gesture, every syllable adds something to his ultimate goal — to liberate our spirit while he liberates his by baring his soul through his music. Many try, few succeed, none more than he today.

The Real Paper, May 22, 1974

[dvicente-art]

Design MURCIA HOT RALLY 2024 : ADVENTURE ON THE BEACH !!!

Dear Indian and Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts, we are delighted to announce the highly anticipated return of the MURCIA HOT RALLY 2024, in collaboration with the Murcia Chapter. This year, immerse yourself in an exotic experience, combining the sunny ambiance of San Javier beach, Spain, with the passion for aviation that is essential to the city. Picture this: with the waves gently lapping the shore, a seaplane landing in the distance, and an iconic motorcycle in the foreground, ready for adventure. We will celebrate the spirit of this city where aviation is revered, while letting ourselves be caressed by the sea breeze. And of course, you won't fail to see our Tiki lost in the distance, a vibrant tribute to the 1950s rock'n'roll culture that inspires and unites us.Get ready for a sensational event where passion, friendship and adventure come together in a unique cocktail. Stay tuned for more details to come!!!

[blackroom93]

My Depeche Mode Experience, part 3 - I'm here now, I'm found

….it's been a while since I last wrote about live performances, so bear with me, I'll try my best.

The last time I saw Depeche Mode live was so long ago that…it kind of feels like it happened in a different lifetime. I wasn't even in my mid twenties back then. Spotify wasn't available in Romania (yet). Cluj seemed mostly an unknown thing to me. I was into bands that I'm kind of not into anymore. I wasn't wearing glasses. I was more positive towards their previous album, Spirit. 

So what has happened since then?

"Are you talking strictly about your relationship with Mode and their music? Or in general?"

The first part.

I soured on Spirit, but I still think it has enough bright spots to not see it as my least favourite album from them.

I got a Spotify account in 2018…and, while I can't for the life of me remember my 2018 Wrapped, I do remember them making every Wrapped from 2019 onwards.

I went to see Spirits in the Forest in cinema in the autumn of 2019.

I was happy for them when they got into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in that odd year known as 2020. (I'm still not the biggest fan of that institution, but it's nice to hear that the band is appreciated)

I continued to listen to them a lot.

I made a really dumb joke involving Enjoy the Silence and a public transport strike in Bucharest in early 2022. A joke which prompted my dad to say "Oh, you're missing them, aren't you?".

I woke up one morning in late May 2022 to find out that Fletch had died. I was shocked…and over time, I started making peace with the idea that I might not see them live anymore.

But then…

The Universe decided to throw some positive stuff at me. In October 2022, Dave and Martin announced that they were working on a new album, titled Memento Mori, and that they were going on tour next year.

That tour was going to include Bucharest too.

I bought a ticket (tho not too in the front, those were a bit expensive), I watched the days go by, I enjoyed Memento Mori, I got home earlier at the beginning of June 2023 to watch a livestream of their set at Primavera in Barcelona….

And then I found myself on the hot afternoon of July 26th waiting to see the band live.

The opening group, Haelos, were pretty chill. I initially thought I couldn't hear their frontwoman loud enough, but I got over that pretty quickly…cause it wasn't like I couldn't hear her at all, I just wasn't hearing her loud enough at times.

"How were Mode live?"

Amazing as always.

My Cosmos Is Mine worked well as an atmosphere builder.

I'm still not thrilled with Wagging Tongue as a single choice, but it sounded good live, so who am I to complain about the song?

Walking In My Shoes had a singalong moment - one of the many during the night - and that was nice.

It was neat to hear people around me singing the words to It's No Good. (I still don't get the donkey visuals tho)

I loved hearing Sister of Night - one of my favourite deep cuts from Ultra - but a part of me will never forget the sight of Dave's butt facing the crowd.

I know I said that hearing the album version of In Your Room back in 2017 was the gods' gift towards the audience…but you know what? I liked the single mix too. I would never complain about hearing this amazing tune in concert….no matter the version.

Everything Counts was still great live.

It was nice to hear you live again after 10 years, Precious.

Speak to Me, one of my favourite songs from Memento Mori, got me in my feelings…and in my fears, given that the rain started…and came with two of the things I like the least…lightning and thunder.

Home was as magical as always….Soul With Me was amazing, too, in spite of the technical difficulties in the beginning.

Ghosts Again is already a classic and it felt like one live.

I'm still surprised I haven't got bored of I Feel You. I don't know what it is about this song and resisting overplay.

A Pain That I'm Used To started with technical difficulties - can't blame the band tho -  but it still managed to be fun? I guess I like the Jacques Lu Cont remix almost as much as the original…

World In My Eyes …was great, but bittersweet. I miss Fletch. I hope that he enjoyed the dedication…wherever he is now.

I didn't mind hearing Wrong again.

Stripped was wonderful as always.

Teenage me would be pleased to know DM played John the Revelator live.

Enjoy the Silence was a great choice for the last song before the encore…cause the people went nuts.

Waiting for the Night felt intimate and full of tranquility. Also nice screen projections, though I can't for the life of me tell you why I like them so much.

I guess I have matured a bit…given that hearing Just Can't Get Enough live again didn't send me into hysterics (like it almost did a decade ago). It just put a smile on my face. And made me dance a bit.

You know what? It really doesn't matter whether they end their gigs with Never Let Me Down Again or Personal Jesus. They were both legendary and putting them next to each other was brilliant.

Conclusion?

Man, it feels amusing to say that it rained at a Mode gig again…but I'm not going to complain too much: they were great, the audience was great, I love their music and I feel grateful to have seen them live multiple times.

[faerunsfinestmisfits]

Lae'zel would chose Magenta, she has a warrior's spirit.

Gale would be Brad because of course he would.

Wyll, I could see picking Eddie, let his rock'n'roll dancing side come out a little.

Shadowheart would be pissed that Lae'zel chose Magenta because that's who she wanted, and would show up as Magenta anyway in a 'who wore it better' situation.

Karlach would be Columbia or Riff Raff, maybe both with a costume change in the middle of the night.

Halsin would be Rocky.

Minthara would also show up as Magenta but it's because she just thinks that's the theme for the Strong Women of the Party. Her costume wins the contest of course.

Astarion

Everytime I play BG3, I hear Frank from The Rocky Horror Show (1975) in Astarion. If we talk about Halloween costumes, this would be the perfect for him - straight from Transylvania.

Ps: Who do you think the other characters will choose for the party?

[slovenlyrecordings]

Slovenly would like to send out our deepest condolences to anyone in Spain who lost loved ones - or has suffered a traumatic experience - in the recent floods. We managed to get there for a couple of days last week to help out.

Valencia is our Spanish hometown - label founder Pete lived there for a year or two, and we've released records by at least 10 different Valencian bands. The rock'n'roll family even expands out into the orange orchards where Discosville (where we plan to press some records in the future) is being set up by Oihane (who runs the Slovenly office in Berlin) and Alberto Wowsville. Mike Mariconda has a studio in Valencia which was completely flooded. The neighborhood where Isidro (SanIsidro) lives was under over 3 meters (9 feet!) of mud in certain areas.

Despite it all, Wau y los Arrrghs has refused our offer to set up a crowdfund to help out with financial losses and buy new instruments. Because sadly, a lot of people in the area are far worse off than they are. So, please direct your donations to relief organizations for now.

Satu, on the other hand, is the owner of the "L'Assaig" rehearsal studios. If you have any way to get to Valencia, he can definitely can use some help. Almost two weeks after the worst day of flooding, the mess to clean is still massive. It will probably take months of work to bring the studios back to normal operation.

As mentioned before, loads of other bands rehearse in these studios, and all of the ones on the ground floor lost everything. This already represents a massive blow to the Valencian music scene - and if the insurance company doesn't pay up, the entire rehearsal complex might have to be shut down. To help prevent that, we will set up a crowdfund in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for a link for that.

In the meantime, here's a list of relief organizations to help those in areas that were hit even harder: https://superminimaps.com/how-to-support-valencia/

In the photos you'll see

× the rehearsal studios where Wau y los Arrrghs!!! and a hundred other bands practice

× Wau's practice room and instruments - ruined under 2m of mud

× the blue VW van that saved Satu's life. The rushing floodwaters rose to almost as high as its roof - they would have carried him away - he waited 6 hours up there for them to subside

× the old Ace Tone organ, used by Okmoniks, Wau, Acid Baby Jesus... it was being stored in the Funtastic Dracula Carnival warehouse which was in Paiporta - where the floods hit worst. Funtastic also lost a pair of Farfisas, drum kits, and years of memorabilia

× Juanito & Satu with a spray-cleaner... despite everything, they're keeping spirits high and moving forward. We never thought we'd see a Marshall being power-washed! Cross your fingers that all those instruments work again when they dry out

[summitspirit]

Retro Rock'n'Roll Skeleton Long Sleeve Shirt – Vintage Vibes with Attitude

Get ready to rock with our Retro Rock'n'Roll Skeleton Long Sleeve Shirt! This unique design combines vintage rock'n'roll style with a cool, edgy skeleton graphic, making it the perfect statement piece for music lovers and fans of classic rock culture. Crafted for both comfort and style, this shirt is ideal for layering or wearing on its own. Whether you're heading to a concert or just want to showcase your rock spirit, this shirt has you covered in retro flair and attitude.

Don’t miss out—add this bold, edgy piece to your collection today!

[cosetteluxury]

Feminine Freedom at Chloé: Chemena Kamali's debut collection 

Chemena Kamali’s debut collection for Chloé turned heads around the world: from the Instagram stories of front row fashion lovers describing the “quiet romance”, to industry publications Vogue and W Magazine penning the delectable details of Kamali’s debut that will surely go down in history as one of the best. “She didn’t ease into this collection, she marched into it,” Cathy Horyn wrote for The Cut. Kamali called upon the Chloé woman’s spirit of 20 years ago, and wrote in her show notes “I want to feel her presence again; her beat, her natural beauty, her sense of freedom and undone-ness. She is real. She is herself.” 

This is Chemena Kamali’s fourth turn at Chloé, following an internship and design assistant role under Pheobe Philo, and later working as a design director under Claire Waight Keller. But it was the Karl Lagerfeld years, the 1960s to 1980s, from which Kamali sought inspiration. 

It is very à la mode to focus on archival references, of course with a light hand. Kamali's delicate blousing took center stage, inspired by a moment of the 20th century where boho and rock'n'roll reigned. Transforming feather-light fabrics into cascading ruffles, Kamali created indelibly sensual blouses and outerwear including capes, babydolls and sheer maxis with extra-long sleeves and hemlines that swished effortlessly off the model, tailored, flare-hem trousers or baggy jeans for a contemporary nod, richly textured coats and over the knee boots. The overall impression was romantic and confident, unashamedly feminine and a little sexy, with the aforementioned hip-slung trousers and collarbones peeking through the sheer fabrics. 

Kamali brings back the iconic Chloé "It" bags in style, notably reviving the Paraty from Hannah MacGibbon's reign – a trapezoidal satchel with distinctive handles and gold hardware. Recognised as strong sellers for the brand, bags are set to remain a focal point under Kamali's direction. Additional notable accessories that complemented the collection were the gold-tone logo belts spelling out "Chloé" in refined cursive. 

This collection heralded a new chapter at Chloé. By seamlessly integrating the brand’s rich heritage with modern styling and design techniques, Kamali garnered enthusiastic applause from the audience. Among them were longstanding Chloé muses such as Jerry Hall and Sienna Miller, adding delightful nods to the brand's illustrious history. 

The show served to please the hearts of fashion darlings who could only dream of such a revival. Understandably, the fashion world awaits eagerly Kamali’s next move.  

Take a look at Chloé’s FW24 runway looks here, or shop our selection of Chloé accessories on cosette.com.au.

[jokin-izar]

BALANCE DE PRIMAVERA 2024

- - - LIBROS - - - 

 “En el Japón Fantasmal”, Lafcadio Hearn.    "Gris”, Carlos Sisí.

   “La casa de la noche”, Jo Nesbo.

   “La ciudad y sus muros inciertos”, Haruki Murakami.    “La señal de la cruz”, Margot Douaihy.

   “La peor nave de la Armada”, Skyler Ramirez.

   “Orquesta”, Miqui Otero.

   “Perro viejo”, Ernesto Mallo.    “Tres enigmas para la Organización”, Eduardo Mendoza.

- - - SERIES - - -

   “Atasco”     "Bodkin"     “Constelación”

   “Darknet” 

   “Fallout” 

   “Fuera de rango” T2    "Halo" T2    "La chica de nieve"    “La señal” 

   "Las largas sombras"    “Muertos S.L."

   “Nell, la Renegada"    “Parasyte: Los grises"    “Perverso"

   “Pesadillas y ensoñaciones"    "Shogun"

   “Star Trek Discovery" T5    “Star Wars La remesa mala"T5

...... ......

  - - - PELÍCULAS - - -

    “28 días después” 

   “Anatomía de una caída”

   “Animalia”    "Atlas"   "Blood"   "Descansa en paz"   "Dune"   "Dune 2"   "El último Late Night"   "Godzilla y Kong: El nuevo imperio"   "Inmaculda"   "La mesita del comedor"   "Más allá de los dos minutos infinitos"   "Rebel Moon: La guerrera que deja marcas"   "The Man From Earth"

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MÚSICA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - 

Abril 2024

MDNGHTMASS - "I Know There's A Heaven Because I've Seen Hell" (2024) AMYR ABADAWN - "Nebula Lament"  (2024) NEW YEARS DAY - "Half Black Heart"  (2024) URKARA - "Urkara I"  (2024) THE WARNING - "S!CK" [Videoclip]  (2024) MONTARAZ - "Defendiendo Tu Voz"  (2024) CONQUER // DIVIDE - "Slow Burn"  (2023) LEAVES' EYES - "Myths Of Fate"  (2024) RAGE - "Afterlifelines"  (2024) SMASH INTO PIECES - "Ghost Code"  (2024) HESKEN - "Architect of Chaos"  (2024) EVETH - "Sellando El Destino"  (2024) CORVUS V - "Iter" (2024) VOIDED - "One" [EP]  (2024) PEARL JAM - "Dark Matter"  (2024)

 Mayo 2024

URTZ - "Esnatzean"  (2023) LOST ZONE - "Ordinary Misery"  (2024) ACCEPT - "Humanoid"  (2024) ALIEN ANT FARM - "Mantras" (2024) ROTTING CHRIST - "Pro Xristou"  (2024) WHEEL - "Charismatic Leaders"  (2024) STELLIUM - "Dragón dorado"  (2024) WAKE UP HATE - "Drag Me To Hell"  (2024) DAEDRA - "My bloody misery"  (2024) OTHER NIGHT FEARS - "The Redemption Of A Broken Spirit" (2024) MARISA AND THE MOTHS - "What Doesn’t Kill You"  (2024) SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLICA - "Confrontación"  (2024) OMNIRIUM - "Omnirium 2"  (2024) HUNTER - "Rock'n'Roll V.I.P."  (2024) WATERFRONT - "Sleep in the Cold" [EP]  (2024)

Junio 2024

KILLUS - "XXV Years Feeding the Monster"  (2024) PAIN - "I Am"  (2024) BRING ME THE HORIZON - "POST HUMAN: NeX GEn"  (2024) BARSINË - "Barsinë "  (2024) EVERGREY - "Theories Of Emptiness"  (2024) HIZAKI - "The Zodiac Sign"  (2024) BORKNAGAR - "Fall" (2024) - "Universal"  (2010/2023) - "Winter Trhice" (2016) VHÄLDEMAR - "Sanctuary Of Death"  (2024) GOLGOTHA - "Spreading The Wings Of Hope"  (2024) SÔBER - "Retorcidos"  (2024) RENDEZVOUS POINT - "Dream Chaser"  (2024) SOA - "Suari so"  (2024) MANAPART - "Red"  (2024)