#the new world renaissance band

[unabashedqueenfury]

Reign 2013-2017/01-22

Mary and Francis

[dimity-lawn]

I love this song. It’s a nice happy wintery song that isn’t really specific to any religion or holiday.

[larrylimericks]

19Oct24

No matter how mad the word made us, It always held hope — a “hiatus.”

I’m sad for so many reasons — the fundamental sadness of death, and at such a young age; having to process the mortality of someone so extraordinary it seems they should transcend a fate as ordinary as dying; aching for his family and friends; angry that he had to navigate such a cruel world, one that continues to disrespect him in death. Yes, Liam was damaged and in turn damaged others; he had demons to face and amends to make — I like to think he would have, given a chance. His talent was so immense, and there was so much more to come. I believe he would have found a way to redemption, and then had such a beautiful renaissance.

The joy of being a 1D fan has always been policed and mocked. We’ve so frequently been laughed at, dismissed for the intensity of our love for the band. And now, the world wants to do the same with our grief, questioning its legitimacy, trivializing our feelings. But this loss is real. And this grief is valid.

And the grief of losing Liam is compounded by the grief of losing so much else. He wasn’t just a celebrity. They weren’t just a boyband. He was an integral part of an integral part of our formative years — no matter how old we were when we found them. So many of us are the people we are in part because of the people they are. Were. We’ve lost a beloved one, we’ve lost innocence, we’ve lost inspiration, we’ve lost a piece of our foundation.

We’ve lost hope.

It used to frustrate me, in retrospect, that they called it a “hiatus.” It felt dishonest — like a gentle lie to let us down easy. Why couldn’t they just say it was over? That being a boy band has a built-in shelf life, and it was time to explore solo careers. But now I understand the kindness in that word. For hope springs eternal, and it didn’t matter if it never came. All that matters was that it might. And “hiatus” wasn’t just for us; it held their optimism too. Especially Liam’s. It left the door open, even if only a crack, for the possibility of something more.

It’s been a remarkable gift to watch each one find his own path and his own voice. But when they announced a hiatus in 2015, they planted a seed of hope that someday we’d see the unrivaled magic of those boys on stage together again — the greatest team the world has ever seen. Maybe Zayn would join, probably not. Maybe it would’ve been a one-off thing for charity or a special anniversary. Maybe it would be in their 50s when the allure of easy money from a reunion tour was too tempting to resist. But surely, eventually, 1D would reunite in some capacity. I was excited to see how their once frenetic energy and youthful antics would meld with the mature solo artists they’ve become.

That hope sustained us through 18 months and eventually eight years, but now the hiatus is over. I would have happily clowned for every remaining day of my life than know this new certainty brought by the finality of Liam’s death. Maybe, someday, there will be a memorial performance. Maybe we’ll see three or four out of five come together to honor him — and what a poignant testament it will be that Liam was what could bring them together. Or maybe it will never feel right to them to take the stage without him, and that, too, will make all the sense in the world.

I wish I had an uplifting ending for this post. I don’t. I wake up and my first thought is “Liam isn’t here anymore,” and then I go about my day with that relentless realization lurking around the corner of every mundane task I do.

I haven’t been able to listen to their music yet. It’s a cruel trick that the thing that always brought comfort is now a trigger for grief. But I hope that will soon change. That, at some point, I’ll put on WMYB, get choked up at “You’re insecure” and second-guess my readiness. But then jump to History, and find solace in the lyrics that are currently rattling around my brain but aren’t ready to be heard yet: “This is not the end, this is not the end” … “We can live forever.”

❯❯❯❯

[lexirosewrites]

A stray thought tht has possessed me this fine slick sunday

Instead of being a pop star or punk O!Steve is a smooth jazz artist, Laufey is the direct inspiration for this. His albums always have at minimum 3 songs w saxophone solos bc his best friend in the History of ever is Robin Buckley who is a prolific instrumentalist, he is a proud Indiana kid, his aesthetics r colorful & maximalist & he has a few songs tht work for a VMA performance

His career starts to rocket up somewhere along the way & before he knows it he's performing at the VMAs, his chosen aesthetic for the whole event is Renaissance adjacent, he arrives in a gorgeous dress with a long train & the theatrics of it enchants viewers at home. But he also earns additional renown when he confronts paparazzi tht were being rude to him & he does it w flair & when asked later down the carpet abt it he talks abt how weird & toxic & unacceptable it is for paparazzi to speak to artists & treat artists the way they do, straight up saying the paparazzi r bullies

This has a ripple effect

A!Eddie is the frontman of metal sensation Corroded Coffin, the band is playing stadiums either opening for acts they've always admired like Dio or Metallica, they've collaborated w these artists too, they're used to rude & disrespectful paparazzi & have learned how to not react but when Steve's confrontation on the VMAs carpet goes viral they all start having conversations w eachother & other artists & sort of resolve to follow Steve's example

Soon artists across genres r calling paparazzi out directly to their faces, asserting their personhood essentially

Then Grammys season rolls around & Corroded Coffin r presenting the Best Breakout Artist Award

The same Grammys tht Steve is nominated for Best Breakout Artist (bc often the best new artist is someone who's been around for years but is now entering popular conscious so in my world its this instead) he's even nominated for Best Jazz Album alongside ppl he's always looked up to, Steve feels starstruck but he's keeping it together bc Robin is currently falling over herself

The carpet is very different across the board, paparazzi r being polite to not just him but the others walking the carpet

Anyway Steve wins both categories, his speech during his acceptance of Best Jazz Album is abt thanking the 100s of talented black ppl throughout history who made the genre what it is, his acceptance for breakout artist calls out a label known for predatory contracts

Idk how steddie get together but they do & then Corroded king happens too bc why not

always down for a new famous AU!💕

[ashetherando]

Disney Adult| FizzOzzie Poly x reader (and separate)

my sorry ass have been looking at Disney World stuff and as a Disney Adult I’m surprised I haven’t made this before! pronouns: They/Them/Theirs

Key words:

(y/n)-Your Name

(l/n)-Last Name

(POLY FIZZOZZIE )

They don’t really care of what you’re into, as long you don’t be stupid or harassing imps/demons they don’t care. They will in fact have a whiplash of Disney merchandise you own at your home with the Minnie/Mickey ears and clothes, PJs, and cups! They will be shitty boyfriends if they shit all over your interest while you don’t. If you’re going to Disney World/Land, you’re their guide! Teach them about Genie Plus, teach them about the Disney World app, cuz they’re helpless without your Disney eyes! Also, let them pick their magic bands there so much designs and their brains cannot handle it! Also, quick thing, give fizz a kid leash. You’ll be walking around in Animal Kingdom with Ozzie planning what he wants to eat, then POOF Fizz somehow learned to park hop and is now at Magic Kingdom at Peter Pans Flight!

💙OZZIE/ASMODEUS💙

Ozzie believes that Disney can be dark, for example Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Black Caldron, and basically he’s more into the Disney Renaissance than the present day movies at the Disney franchise. He will not be surprised when he comes over to your home and you hand him over Disney PJs, he doesn’t care about how much Disney merchandise your house can handle, as long you’re not blowing off all your money for a Disney figure ‘cuz you still need to pay bills and rent! But! When you ask what he wants at Disney World, he asked “coffee” as a joke, but when you came back from your trip and before you clock in “here ya go, Asmodeus!” You said as you held up the bag with the word Joffrey’s printed on it “I wasn’t so sure what you wanted so I kinda just guessed!” He tilted his head to the side as you place the bag on his desk, he opened the bag and see two bags of coffee grounds one is a flavorful coffee ground and the other is just plan coffee grounds “I wasn’t expecting you to get me this” he grabbed a bag and analyzing it “do you not want it?” “No! I want it, I really do need some coffee grounds, I just never thought that Disney have these type of things” “well, it’s a huge company! Of course they’re gonna have coffee!” “That’s fair” he placed the bag down and bring up the flavor on, it’s was obviously bought at the Polynesian resort exclusive. “Thank you, (y/n)”

When you finally convinced him to go with you while being part of the Disney Vacation Club, you have to treat him by bringing him to Food and Wine festival. He’s quite interested by the new wine they give out every year than the food. Keep an eye on him, we don’t know his drink tolerance is, he might get drunk at Epcot!

💚FIZZAROLLI💙

Fizzarolli is a guy to be like “haha! Imagine liking a company for babies” just deal with it, he’s gonna be a prick about your hyper fixations, but he’s doing it for jokes and will let you know about that. He only watches whatever is on TV, if you and him are chilling in your home. Just stream something on Disney Plus, then he’ll watch it with you. Here’s my advice: Have a Disney Marathon and he’ll won’t even notice! I’m kidding he will once it’s 1am and you’re watching Tangled, then he’ll be like “Old Disney is better” then he’ll leave the room. If you’re watching more present Disney movie, he’ll yell it from the hallway “Old Disney is better!” He may be your boyfriend, but he’s such a bad influence on you, when Ozzie is good with money and help you with your impulsive spendings, Fizz encourages you to buy that. You will send him a picture of a new Disney pin collection through text “oh look how cute they are!” “Get it” “fizz, I have rent that is due” “idc, get the pins” “you don’t even know the characters!” “I know the blue fur ball!” “Don’t call stitch a fur ball” “why did you send me this anyways!?” “….the pins will be here on Tuesday next week” “knew it” Disney World will be an episode and a half, homie will be in a different park quicker before you say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious so please give him a kid leash before he does it again, but convincing him took so long! You have to show him some videos, nothing too intimidating since he’s a Disney Virgin, just simplify your vacation visit, but not for clothing wear, the Greed Ring is hot, and you two will be sweating allot, which means chafing! Biker shorts are your whore! Treat him with any festival and he’ll be happy! If it’s the Food and Wine, he’ll will eat any food or drink any wine, but let’s be happy that you brought him!

[rock-and-roll-hell]

March 23 1974

KIϟϟ Tour

Academy Of Music - New York City

This early show was first advertised in the final third of January, though initially only with Argent noted. Nazareth cancelled several weeks prior to the show (ads noted such as early as the first week of March), but had appeared in advance print ads, as had Graham Central Station in place of Redbone. KISS wasn't mentioned in ads until Mar. 14. Argent had recently arrived from the U.K. leg of their "Nexus" tour. A second concert was held at the venue starting at midnight with Renaissance, Soft Machine, and Eleventh House (featuring Larry Coryell). - From a local review: "Rock groups do not travel light, and six of them — heavily amplified and some decked out with special equipment — caused jams backstage and delays out front at the Academy of Music on East 14th Street on Saturday night and well into Sunday, thus giving their audience an eight‐hour composite of the state of the art. But if rock groups take their time setting up, rock audiences don't let it bother them. An hour's wait between two performing groups aroused mere sporadic clapping of hands. An 80‐minute delay in the start of the second concert elicited barely any criticism, and the appearance of the final group, Renaissance, at 4:25 a.m. yesterday was greeted with as much enthusiasm as the opener, KISS, at 8:20 p.m. Saturday. All this bears out the theory that a basic‐rock‐music audience sees itself as much an event as what happens on stage. KISS (dressed midway between kabuki players and Spiderman) let loose sirens, fireballs, dry ice fumes, smoke bombs, and as a climax a drummer with full gear ascended 8 feet on a special platform. This was all sound and fury, signifying yet another plastic and empty rock quartet" (New York Times, 3/25/74). From an industry review: "Somehow, even if you personally couldn't get into the glitter of them all, the night did seem to belong to the opening act, Kiss (Casablanca). Take away their frills (and maybe after they receive their due, they will!), and you've got a fine rock band. Right now, their act looks as if it were choreographed by the Temptations, with aid from Alice Cooper's wardrobe mistress and the Hello People's make-up staff. But from their single 'Nothin' to Lose' to their finale 'Black Diamond,' their flash was most definitely backed by more than trash. The crowd loved every shimmering moment, and this was especially evident as you moved back into the cheaper seats (sociologists take note!). This could be the next Grand Funk. Like the Railroad, the quartet might once again prove that across-the-board good press is occasionally irrelevant to the power of rock" (Record World, 4/6/1974).

[dee-de-winter]

the poll results marace wip list!!

multichapter edition in this one! the list is under the read more, for those who voted to keep posting a surprise (tho it'll be a surprise cause my promises mean nothing, i will still probably just write whatever i adhd myself into writing first)

i did this so you can ask me shit which is gonna kick start the problem solving and then i'll be writing more

the list is in no particular order beyond the grouping that's self explanatory, but the first one is a personal fave i wanna draft by september (and no 2 is a very close second because i studied art history and that fic has been worked on with a lot of love since 2014)

the epics (100k or more)

the fantasy au main story for this series - a "getting back together" fic after 20 years apart during which one of them got to follow his dream, and the other one got to experience all the world's hurts

the renaissance au with hints of assassin's creed - an old version of this used to be posted with sculptor marco and poor little rich boy ace navigating 16th century venice, politics, and family (and people get stabbed some)

the one true firefighter au - unlike the recent firefighter aus, this one was started many years ago and was also posted once, with a one night stand before ace joins a new station which grows into an unhealthy friends with benefits situation with a lot of life affirming sex instead of therapy (but they're ok in the end probably)

the dragon riders soulmates au - another fantasy fic with some good old dragons and soulmates and dragon politics (maybe some human politics too, but mostly dragons)

the neighbor au - an urban fantasy au with an apartment building full of weirdness and weirdos and really how could two of those weirdos not find each other

the big bois (anywhere between 50-100k)

the mob au - what happens when you end up running a gang on pure accident and realize you don't wanna do that anymore? it starts with a traitor and goes from there

the neighbor au (sex toy edition) - inspired by my previous job at a sex toy company, we're following an engineer with a fun job and his unsuspecting previously very promiscuous bf that lives across the hall

the werewolf mystery - the big centerpiece of this series where a family gets together

the mischief au - werewolf ace and his poor decision making that ends up not being so poor when he meets marco (and who knows what marco is)

the marine au - there has to be a world out there where ace joined the marines (for better or for worse for the marines)

the smaller bois (anywhere between 20-50k)

let's dance the rewrite - the retelling (but better) of my very first marcoace fic with a set of 15 nudes ace took (with izou's help) to flirt with marco (it goes just like you'd expect)

the summer by the lake au - ace lives through a hallmark-esque romance in a small town with a buff man he meets in the woods

the lifeguard au - starts with a summer job between semesters and ends with some romantic breaking and entering maybe, what happens in the middle is mostly fun

the summer romance - a band au riding on the wave of inspiration

the might be hallmark au - inspired by random mobile game ads, ace inherits a mansion from a relative he's never known and meets the groundskeeper that's keeping it from falling apart (even more)

the arranged marriage au - inspired by this ficlet where marco gives himself a month to win ace over

the other werewolf au - where everyone is a little bit of an asshole (except the werewolves) and get what's coming to them (it's the werewolves, usually)

the fix-it fic - what's a list without a fix-it fic where ace has a secret and it comes out with a bang (for once, it's not the sexual kind of bang either)

the futuristic au - inspired by a map in overwatch, the story follows a former black ops agent through a transfer to the secluded antarctic research base to escape his problems

the florist au - yet another urban fantasy, with a werewolf and magic, but this one's got flowers too

unsorted cause they could end up anywhere since i'm not working on them yet

the chickens au - that one where whitebeard is inspired by my dad so he gardens and adopts random animals and his boys don't know how to deal with his hobbit tendencies

the viking au - it starts with a viking funeral and weaves through the moments that led to that point, but ends in valhalla which is just about everything they can hope for

the elf king au - the whole story this little ficlet was about because who doesn't like murder, mystery, and a long line of kings going insane

[jellyshark-png]

MK1xF1 AU – by Shark :3

alright alright it is FINALLY HERE but before we get started in this big ass post, just a few silly disclaimers !!

expect some MAJOR inaccuracies (this is mostly for my diehard f1 fans hello :3),, i am by no means an expert, in fact i got into f1 VERY recently so pls bare with me

lets understand that, from a physique standpoint, tomas and kuai WOULD NOT REALISTICALLY BE IN F1– however we choose to ignore that for the sake of the brainrot teehee

not every character will be included, so pls don't get mad at me if your fav is not in this AU– its a working AU and these are all coming off the top of my head

anyways, enjoy me yapping!

just a few definitions to understand the positions and other terms i'll be using throughout this post :'D

Team Principal – basically owns the team, kind of self explanatory HAHA Race Engineer – these are the people that speak to the drivers while they're racing! now, realistically speaking, every driver gets their own race engineer, but in this case i haven't done that bc,,, well there's only so many characters :') Pit Lead – another self explanatory position, but this is the lead/manager of the pit crew! (is this an actual position ?? idk but we're going with it) Formula Series – so Formula 1 isn't the only race in the series, there's also F2 and F3– these are the races you basically go through before you get into F1! there's other races in the series, but these are the ones i'll focus on. Drive to Survive/DTS – this is a netflix series revolving around F1 and i will say its the most dramatic depiction of the sport + all the fake hate between racers shown ?? and using clips and such out of context ?? yeah you get the picture.

F1 TEAMS

MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS F1 TEAM

Team Principal : Hanzo Hasashi (i know it says mk1 but shhhh) Race Engineers : Bihan Pit Lead : Syzoth Racers : Kuai Liang and Tomas Vrbada

Mercedes comes up as a long time rival to Oracle Red Bull Racing and Ferrari Scuderia– expecially with such a close bond between the brothers. Bihan started off as the team's strategist before his farther stepped down as race engineer, thus banding the baton to Bihan and making him the youngest race engineer on the grid. Tomas and Kuai are steady but strongly defensive racers, Tomas joining in a bit later in the game starting as a rookie reserve driver for Mercedes in the first half of the previous seasons. Now they fight on together in the world of F1 side by side as a strong unit.

extra! - i remember reading someone's headcanon abt kuai liang being taiwanese,,, so im gonna say bihan and kuai liang are half chinese half taiwanese (chinese dad, taiwanese mom), and so in this case, kuai liang would represent the taiwanese flag while tomas ofc represents the czech republic flag!

FERRARI SCUDERIA F1 TEAM

Team Principal : Jackson "Jax" Briggs Racers : Johnny Cage and Kenshi Takahashi

Before Oracle Red Bull Racing's renaissance in the new generation of F!, Ferrari Scuderia was at the top of their game for years and years. With Johnny and Kenshi being in the sport much longer than the newcomers, it's no denying that they are the winning classics of every race season– many looking forward to their assertion in the races. Johnny drives more aggressively, though with a lighter bounce in his step, a bit of bantering almost while he's racing wheel to wheel. Kenshi, on the other hand, is smooth and sly in the way he overtakes every racer, always sidling just behind a racer's line. Although they've raced for much longer, they still hold true as being one of the big three amongst Mercedes and Red Bull Racing.

extra! - 100000% johnny and kenshi do not work well at first when they become team mates, and people honestly would've preferred them as rivals in opposing teams– but over time they'd put aside their differences and slowly find out that they actually work really well together, despite their opposites in driving style and personality.

ORACLE RED BULL RACING F1 TEAM

Team Principal : Geras Race Engineer : Liu Kang Racers : Raiden and Kung Lao

Oracle Red Bull Racing saw its first golden age with now race engineer Liu Kang, setting the standard for F1 in his time and winning world championship after world championship, dominating each race until his retirement as a racer. Today, Raiden now follows in his footsteps, and alongside him his childhood best friend, Kung Lao. Starting out, they weren't actually in the same team– opting to race against each other in opposing teams to keep their rivalry alive once joining F1. Over time, and after many second driver switches, Kung Lao finally joins Raiden in Oracle Red Bull Racing, making them THE golden boys of this generation's Red Bull racing team– an absolute killer duo to fight against long standing Mercedes and Ferrari.

extra! - irl, red bull is NOTORIOUS for constantly switching out second drivers, and so kung lao would get a lot of flack– and his first year in red bull would not be as great until around the second half of the season :'))

TIMELINE

here, i'll be explaining the timeline of each of the racers' moves throughout the teams– this is going from 2020-2024 (and to preface, whenever i do talk abt mk1xf1 stuff, assume its all taking place in 2024 unless told otherwise). im gonna pray all of this makes sense HAHA

*also there's usually two drivers per team ofc, but i cannot be bothered to do any placeholder drivers for each team, so the second driver can be up to your interpretation!

2020

kuai and kenshi in aston martin (have been since 2019 as well, maybe 2018 i havent fully decided)

johnny has been in RB toro rosso for a year since 2019 (technically speaking its called visa cashapp rb now but like,,,, you guys that name is so awful LMAO)

raiden and tomas enter into their first year in F1 in williams

kung lao enters his first year in haas

TEAMS Aston Martin : kuai liang and kenshi takahashi RB Toro Rosso : johnny cage Haas : kung lao Williams : raiden and tomas vrbada

2021

kuai and kenshi stay in aston martin

johnny stays in toro rosso, and tomas makes the move to toro rosso

raiden moves to mclaren

kung lao stays in haas

TEAMS Aston Martin : kuai liang and kenshi takahashi RB Toro Rosso : johnny cage and tomas vrbada Mclaren : raiden Haas : kung lao

2022

kuai makes the move to oracle red bull racing (BY THIS TIME liu kang is actually still racing, and retires by the end of the 2022 season)

kenshi makes the move to williams, alongside kung lao

tomas and johnny stay in toro rosso

raiden stays in mclaren

TEAMS Oracle RB : kuai liang and liu kang Williams : kenshi takahashi and kung lao RB Toro Rosso : johnny cage and tomas vrbada Mclaren : raiden

2023

raiden moves to oracle RB after liu kang retires, kuai stays in oracle RB

kenshi stays in williams

kung lao moves to RB toro rosso to replace johnny, tomas stays in RB toro rosso

johnny goes to mercedes

TEAMS Oracle RB : kuai liang and raiden RB Toro Rosso : kung lao and tomas vrbada Williams : kenshi takahashi Mercedes : johnny cage

mid 2023 – 2024 (current)

johnny signs into ferrari in the middle of the '23 season

kuai liang signs into mercedes in the middle of the '23 season

kung lao signs into oracle RB, raiden stays in the same team

kenshi then signs into ferrari by the end of the '23 season

tomas signs into mercedes for the '24 season

TEAMS Oracle RB : raiden and kung lao Ferrari Scuderia : johnny cage and kenshi takahashi Mercedes : kuai liang and tomas vrbada

Misc. Stuff :D

this is where it gets super fun bc now i yap EVEN MORE abt the extra shit in this AU

the ages✨ bc i assume everyones curious abt this perhaps HAHA and this is in conjunction with being in the current year 2024 and these are all ranges bc,,,, im indecisive and dont know what age to actually make them

liu kang and geras : late 30s, very early 40s (maybe like,,, 37-41 ??)

hanzo hasashi and jax briggs : early 40s perhaps

kuai liang and johnny cage : late 20s, early 30s (so kuai around 27-29 and johnny 29-32)

kenshi takahashi and bihan : early 30s (maybe a year older than johnny ? like if johnny is perhaps 30 then kenshi would be 31– then bihan is liiike idk 32-33)

kung lao, raiden, and tomas vrbada : early-mid 20s

the rookie trio !!! lets get into it :333

raiden, kung lao, and tomas all entered into F3 around the same time! they moved up in the series and all entered F1 the same time as well (for my F1 fans, think of them as lando, george and alex)

as ages go, raiden is the oldest, then tomas, then kung lao being the youngest of the three :3 and for laughs– tomas 10000% holds it over lao's head that hes older than him (probably only by a few months too HAHA)

this isn't specific to the rookies, but theres a "twitch quartet" (twitch streaming btw) in the irl world of F1 (lando, george, alex and charles), and so in this AU, the twitch quartet would be the rookies + johnny cage bc i think that dynamic is absolutely hilarious HAHA

these three would be considered the new era of F1, whereas kuai, johnny and kenshi are considered the older bunch teehee

liu kang as a racer oooohhhh AUUUUGHFDK

liu kang would've been absolutely ICONIC during his time, think sebastian vettel– that's his kind of notoriety

so when he announced his retirement, it would've absolutely devastated the F1 community, even if you weren't a liu kang or red bull fan, it would still hit you where it hurts

he'd truly set the bar standard for what an F1 driver should be like idc idc

but when he announced his return as a race engineer for the oracle RB team, everyone cheered :3

the controversial era that is 2023-2024 + the hit netflix series Drive to Survive

i know for an absolute FACT that when kuai and tomas signed into mercedes there was a lot and i mean A LOOOOTTT of speculation and hate for them bc of the familial ties

and perhaps a similar issue with johnny joining ferrari bc i headcanon him to have some italian roots (so people would speculate that he had someone in the inside idfk LMAO)

but this would be CAAAANDY for the show Drive to Survive bro it would be HAVOC

speaking of DTS– once kung lao signed into Oracle RB, they 100000% villainized him and even made it seem as though he wanted to take raiden's spotlight as the first driver (which is not the case holy hell HAHA)

but with that, a lot of fans that came from DTS despised kung lao, and probably still do– they just refuse to see that they're literally childhood friends LMAO

some dynamics stuff and jumping between eras and whatnot bro this is getting way too long HAHA

at the beginnings of his F1 career, tomas would be EXTREMELY tense and even tone down his playful personality to come off as more "serious" and professional– but when he joins RB toro rosso with johnny, he aaaaabsolutely helps him out of his shell and proves to him that you don't have to be so serious in the sport. it would just be a lot of pressure on tomas' part to prove himself, esp with being in kuai's shadow :')

and in a similar note, when kung lao joins williams with kenshi, he kinda learns a bit of humility from kenshi and brings down his rowdiness, actually hone it to be a better driver in the long run. AUGHGHKDFJ dude kenshi and johnny as mentors heals my soul idc

kuai and kenshi in aston martin would have been KIIIILLLEERRR they would've put aston martin as actual competitors in the constructor's championship LIIKEKEK so iconic + they'd be the heartbreakers of their time with the two being at their prime and much younger UGH

LAST THING I PROMISE this is just a bunch of extra tidbits if you care to read– and if you've actually made it this far uhhh,,,, congratulations BAHAH

kenshi has sensitive eyes, so he has his helmet visor specifically tinted for that + does wear shades inside and ykw its a godsend the Ferrari is sponsored by Raybans HAHA

to tie to that, johnny just has AT LEAST two extra pairs of glasses on him, and he says its for himself but really its just in case kenshi somehow forgets his own shades somewhere or his own pair broke (ya gotta love them)

raiden and lao's rivalry is IIINNNSSAAANNEEE haters can hate all they want, but their on track fights are so incredible to watch and people think its a miracle that they're still as close as ever

ALSO BRO madam bo would have 10000000% funded their karting career SHES THEIR NUMBER ONE SUPPORTER IDC WHAT ANYONE SAYS !!!!!!! she sponsors them too, is always in whatever commercials they do and theyre your typical cheesy but memorable asian commercials

random but with raiden and kung lao both being chinese, they both represent the chinese flag, and so did liu kang !!! you'd catch them all in cantonese– though unfortunately cannot speak much with kuai since he speaks mandarin HAHA

during their time in williams, lao and kenshi definitely taught each other their own language just a bit, but lao definitely learned most of the "bad" words in japanese LMAOF

johnny italian yes (cmon just look at his nose) ??? and he's fluent case closed– but also its funny to see his onboard videos of him gesturing to other drivers when he's angry

bihan has the same notoriety as toto wolff– he's the one mf everyone simps for and ISN'T AN F1 DRIVER

this has already gone for a long time LMAOKSJDFH but if you have any other questions or would like me to make some comparisons of the actual drivers vs. the characters, my ask box is open !!! anyways thank you for reading this LOOOOONNNGGGG post and i hope to make more mk1xf1 content :'))))

[dimity-lawn]

Crowley:

Specifically this part:

What then is love but mourning? What desire but a self-burning? ‘Til she that hates doth love return Thus will I mourn, thus I will sing. Come away, come away, my darling.

[wolfstarshipping]

I’m in a reading slump, do you have any good fics that you can recommend me?

Hi, thanks for asking lovely anon! I've thought about this and I have several different approaches on how to answer your ask, so this'll be a longer list, I hope you find something you like!

First category: Texting Fics!

I love text fics because they're usually very fast-paced and easy to read, so I think they might be a good way to combat a reading slump!

You could either go with the iconic Text Talk by merlywhirls (141.250 words), a boarding school AU with a home-schooled, chronically ill Remus, a true classic and the fic that started the whole wolfstar texting fic trend back in the day!

Or, one of my personal favorites from the same era for purely nostalgic reasons, aesthetic: trash boys by Emaly/merlywhirls (89.473 words, everyone is super queer, strong chosen family vibes, with an HIV positive Remus and genderqueer Sirius).

Or if you want a modern text fic classic, there's always Staying Strangers by 3amAndCounting (319.368 words, university AU, this is one of those fics I've reread a couple of times already, just because I love it so much, especially the texting in the beginning).

Snow In June by BrigidFaye (25.561 words) is a magical AU set in the US that also has some texting elements, even though it's not as text-heavy as the fics mentioned above, but the worldbuilding and the setting is wonderful, and lumberjack Remus is everything I ever needed in my life!

Dear Your Holiness by @mollymarymarie (142.264 words) is a priest AU and band AU, with a bit of texting, though this one is also already kind of moving into the next category of fics mentioned below. Obviously the whole catholic priest theme is not going to be for everybody, but if you think you might enjoy that, I highly recommend it, it's so, so good! And if you don't think you'll enjoy the themes of this fic, check out literally any other fic by mollymarymarie, I think at this point I've read almost all of them and enjoyed every single one I read immensely!!

Alright, so now the next category is fics with plots that will get you out of any reading slump:

I've recently become obsessed with @lynxindisguise's fics, so I'd also recommend checking out all of them, but since I've mostly recommended longer fics on this list so far, I'll go with a shorter one: in the dark, there is discovery (11.796 words) is a wonderful pirate AU that you can easily read in one evening, and it has beautiful world building, Remus Lupin as a seamonster and my new favorite trope - there was only one hammock.

Let Me Get What I Want (This Time) by Sierra_Sitruc (69.878 words) is a plot-driven and amazing fix-it-fic, that I keep thinking about even months after I've read it, and that had me stay awake at ungodly hours just because I couldn't put it down and wanted to know how it ended!

The Bent by @ebp-brain (40.257 words) is an incredible fic about queer lives, politics and art, oppression and resistance, so if any of those things sound like something you'd enjoy I highly recommend reading it, I always love earlybloomingparentheses' writing, it's so, so beautiful and powerful!

take me as i am (48.494 words) has one of the most unique settings I've ever read - it features Sirius as an (adorable) sleep demon, who is supposed to give Remus nightmares, and I also love the way this fic depicts various mental illnesses.

In saccharine by moonymoment (26.447 words) Sirius is a ghost haunting Remus's apartment, and this is another one of those fics I keep thinking about because it was just so so good.

full moon twofold by renaissance (12,031 words) is a Gothic-romance style AU and an incredible take on the question "what if Remus never went to Hogwarts?".

And now maybe a few shorter fics:

The first rec in this category is not even a specific fic but just a tumblr account: @wolfstarmicrofic, if you scroll through their blog you'll find lots and lots of really short fics which might just be what you need to get back into reading!

In You, I Count Stars by @wolfpants (1.540 words) is a wonderful hogwarts-era oneshot set in the Astronomy Tower with a pining Sirius.

It's Cold Outside by Remustrash (1.788 words) is a very fluffy and cosy there-was-only-one-bed fic, featuring the most oblivious of all oblivious puppies!

June, and Other Natural Disasters by montparnasse (5.524 words) is a beautifully written fic that made me feel all the feels and has great summer vibes!

Okay and the last category is fics with A+ vibes that'll make you forget all about your reading slump:

The Long Way Home by @hollyivydruzy (177.337 words) is a university AU and the kind of fic I didn't want to ever end, because the characters felt so incredibly real, and it's so easy to get completely immersed and lost in their wonderful, chaotic world and follow along on all their university adventures.

this desperate in love by drowsyanddazed (20.776 words) is a very cute high school AU, and reading it felt like watching a coming of age / teen movie in the best kind of way!

wading in waist-high water by @colgatebluemintygel (82.060 words) is a Great British Bake-Off AU that features Remus as a contestant and and Sirius as a host who's thirsting after Remus, and I just love the whole setting and atmosphere of the fic, as well as the writing! And this fic's Arthur Weasley needs to be protected at all costs, I love him a lot!

A Brief History of Dragons by @eyra (23.488 words) is an incredibly cosy and wonderful modern AU set in Cornwall, I absolutely ADORE Remus in this fic and love the way his and Sirius's relationship slowly develops, this fic has such a special place in my heart.

Alright I think I could keep going and add to this list forever but I'll stop now, let me know if you read any of these, and I hope they'll end your reading slump! x

[falloutbradreviews]

The Best Kind Of Pop-Punk Is Neon: A Love Letter

There was something special about being a pop-punk fan about fifteen years ago. That was the “defend pop-punk” era, and it was something special, that’s for sure. Bands like Man Overboard, Real Friends, The Wonder Years, The Story So Far, State Champs, and Neck Deep were just starting to hit it big. There was the whole “pop-punk kid” stereotype of that era, and you bet I embodied that. I wore band shirts, flannels, snapbacks, and khakis while eating pizza and hanging out with my friends. It was almost like being in the right place at the right time for a lot of these bands, because at no other point would the genre be so big. Even now, 15 years removed from that scene, pop-punk has faded into the background a bit. It’s not the juggernaut that it once was. The alternative scene itself has gone through quite a few “phases” over the last twenty years, and the “defend pop-punk” era was one of them, but it all started in the early00s when pop-punk become mainstream. Bands like Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco, Paramore, and many more were selling records and doing big numbers, and that was another moment of “being in the right place at the right time.” Everything came together in the right combination to make that music popular for a handful of years.

History tends to repeat itself, as I’ve mentioned many times in my reviews, because we’re seeing a nostalgic renaissance of the early 00s in alternative music today. There are a lot of bands that are influenced by the acts that got that style of music popular to begin with, so it almost comes full circle. I’ve talked about nostalgia recently, especially with the new Silverstein record and how a lot of bands in this scene rely exclusively on nostalgia. That isn’t inherently a bad thing, but there are only so many ways in which you can capitalize on a song that was popular 20 years ago. There are plenty of bands now that are doing something new, interesting, and unique. Bands like Meet Me @ The Altar, Magnolia Park, and Cherie Amour combine pop-punk and metalcore with modern R&B, hip-hop, and pop music, but little do a lot of people know that they’re not truly the first bands to do that. A lot of people are nostalgic for the early 00s, or the “defend pop-punk” era, but I’m nostalgic for the “neon pop-punk” era. I feel as though neon pop-punk isn’t as talked about in comparison to early 00s and early 2010s pop-punk, but maybe it’s because people didn’t like it as much.

The first question that should be asked is what even is “neon pop-punk”? I suppose a simple definition would be that neon pop-punk refers to pop-punk bands that put more emphasis on the “pop” side of the genre, especially with their use of catchy hooks and synthesizers. A lot of bands in that sub-scene, if you want to call it that, had more of a power-pop sound, but they still fell into the pop-punk label. Synths weren’t always used, either, but a lot of the bigger bands in the scene had synths in their music within some capacity (but it depended on the band). Some of the biggest bands in that style of pop-punk were Forever The Sickest Kids, Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, We The Kings, and Cute Is What We Aim For. These bands all sounded relatively different, but they had a common thread throughout their music: sounds that put emphasis on catchy hooks, synths used somewhat heavily in their music, and a bright and colorful aesthetic (whether it was in their album covers, artwork, or overall image). Neon pop-punk was an offshoot of the scene subculture, which is an offshoot of emo from the early 00s. Scene was a colorful alternative, although a lot of the same bands, artists, and music was liked by both emo and scene kids. I always self-identified as a scene kid back in that era, because I wore colorful skinny jeans, bright and obnoxious band shirts, had swoopy hair, and liked a lot of these bands. I liked a lot of emo, post-hardcore, and metalcore bands, too, but I always loved the neon pop-punk bands most.

What’s interesting about this style of pop-punk is that it’s the most accessible and the catchiest kind of the genre that existed at the time, but it’s a style that people don’t talk about as much. Like I said, maybe people just didn’t like it as much. Truth be told, the genre got a lot of flack back in the day, whether it was from the mainstream itself or from the scene itself, because this was seen as the “sellout” kind of pop-punk. Bands embraced pop music with this style of the genre, and I think that’s why I loved it back then (and still love it today). I didn’t really care for pop music itself at the time, but I still loved catchy hooks and melodies, so this was a good medium. I got my love of catchy hooks from Fall Out Boy, Panic, and Paramore, who were my “emo trinity” at the time (although I was a big MCR fan, too; I don’t remember being as into them as those three, however), and that’s something I still love today. These types of bands scratched that itch for me, because I could listen to “alternative” music, but also have poppy and catchy hooks to boot. Now that’s not to say that a lot of these bands are extremely underrated, because let’s be real: this is my favorite kind of pop-punk but I can understand if someone hates it, because it goes too far in the “pop” direction of pop-punk and doesn’t have any punk in its sound. A lot of these bands were mainly power-pop and pop-rock, but neon pop-punk retroactively stuck because a lot of those bands were part of that scene.

This piece isn’t quite meant to be a history of the genre, but rather a love letter to it, especially coming from a fan of it at the time. I wanted to talk about what the genre is, and why it’s so underrated, as well as talk about some of my favorite bands / albums from the scene. This genre produced some of my favorite stuff from my adolescence, especially albums that I’m still nostalgic about today. I’m more nostalgic about this type of music than early 00s pop-punk, because these were bands and albums that meant a lot for me for my whole high school career. The genre didn’t last very long, but I got lucky by being in high school for the few years that it was popular (which was from 2007 – 2010, give or take a year or two before and after), so these bands and albums were perfect for me. I wanted to talk about a few bands and albums that maybe you know and maybe you don’t. The genre eventually fell off in the early 2010s because the genre became heavily saturated (which tends to happen whenever something gets popular), the fans of the genre got older and weren’t as interested in it anymore, and because people moved onto the “defend pop-punk” movement. The genre got less popular in the mainstream by the early 2010s, and it caused the genre to go underground for a bit, but that resulted in the “defend pop-punk” era. You could make an argument that neon pop-punk was a flash in the pan genre, and it wasn’t all that good in retrospect, but a lot of great bands and albums came out of it, even if they only released a single album or two. To close out this piece, I wanted to highlight a handful of records that are essential to the genre. Some of them I may go back to and write retrospective pieces on, but these are albums that you should hear if you’re a fan of the genre or you want to get into it.

Fall Out Boy – Folie A Deux

To start things off, I wanted to be a bit controversial by talking about Fall Out Boy’s fourth album, 2008’s Folie A Deux. Not because people dislike this album (thankfully, peoples’ opinions on it have improved since its release, and it’s become a cult classic now), but because this album isn’t technically a neon pop-punk album. I’d make an argument that it’s the closest the band ever got to making an album in that vein, as well as influencing a lot of bands in that sound. Their prior album, 2007’s Infinity On High, was very much a poppier affair, but it still featured some heavier guitars and pop-punk songs (despite having some R&B, soul, and flamenco stuff with Babyface on board for production and a Jay-Z feature in the beginning of the record), but the band went fully into pop-rock with Folie A Deux. This is their biggest, catchiest, and most pop-centric album. It doesn’t have a lot of synthesizers on it, but this was Fall Out Boy at the height of their popularity from 2007 – 2009, and this record’s success had to have influenced some neon bands to make emo and pop-punk with a focus on hooks and pop melodies.

The Academy Is… - Fast Times At Barrington High

One major theme you’ll find throughout a lot of the albums I’m going to talk about is that these bands were all signed to the same label: Fueled By Ramen. Fueled By Ramen is the label that arguably helped to bring neon pop-punk to the mainstream, and a lot of the musicians in each of these bands were both friends and collaborators, so you’ll see the same artists pop up on each other’s songs, albums, and even production credits (Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy produced a lot of stuff during that time). One of those bands were Chicago act The Academy Is, who frequently collaborated with Fall Out Boy (Pete Wentz was the one that introduced FBR to them), but their third and final album, 2008’s Fast Times At Barrington High, is a fantastic neon pop-punk record, although it took me years to fully appreciate it. I always enjoyed it, but I felt as though the record was too vapid, bland, and poppy for its own good, especially in comparison to their first two albums (their debut actually turns 20 this year, actually), but that’s the point. Fast Times is a reference to the 1980s movie, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, and the album’s lyrics are all about being in high school. I always thought that it made the album feel immature, because I didn’t understand why they were doing that, but it was meant as a homage and walk down memory lane, versus because the band wanted to relive their glory days in high school. This record has some of my favorite songs from the band, too, as well as some of their most infectious songs.

Cobra Starship – Viva La Cobra

Speaking of bands that collaborated with each other on Fueled By Ramen, Cobra Starship is another good one, but frontman Gabe Saporta started off as the frontman for early 00s band Midtown. They had some success but found even more with this neon pop-punk crew. I finally listened to their third album, 2009’s Hot Mess, for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I really like that record, but my favorite album from them is their sophomore album, 2007’s Viva La Cobra. This record was produced by Patrick Stump, and you can tell with how catchy, fun, energetic, infectious, and well-written this thing is. Cobra Starship was always the dumb party band of the genre, so you weren’t supposed to take them seriously. That doesn’t excuse bad music, of course, but their music isn’t bad. I don’t care for their debut that much, because it’s very rough around the edges, but Viva La Cobra smoothed those edges out to make for a great record. While doing some research for this piece, I found out that Bruno Mars wrote and produced some songs for the follow-up album, Hot Mess, before he got famous in the early 2010s. I don’t have anything to really say about that, other than that’s really cool and I felt as though you should know that.

The Cab – Whisper War

If I had a nickel every time Bruno Mars co-wrote a song for an artist on Fueled By Ramen in the late 00s and early 2010s, I’d have two nickels. That’s not a lot, but it’s weird it’s happened twice. Yeah, while doing more research for this piece, I found that Bruno Mars also wrote a song for The Cab. It wasn’t on their debut album, which I’ll be talking about today, but that’s still weird, especially when I had their debut already written down after Cobra Starship’s Viva La Cobra. Anyway, I promise that not everything here will be a Fueled By Ramen record, but the next couple of them are another pair of records from the legendary label. Whisper War is the debut album from The Cab, and these guys were a very underrated band in the scene at the time, but they were one of my favorites. I was such a huge fan of this record when it came out, and I remember playing it all the time the spring of 2008. These guys were of their time, but they reminded me a lot of Fall Out Boy with how they embraced soul, R&B, and pop music, all the while still being a neon pop-punk band. Vocalist Alex DeLeon is one of the best vocalists of that whole scene; he also reminded me a lot of Patrick Stump (who appears on their debut album, along with Brendon Urie), but that makes sense when you find out that Stump produced a song on the album, as well as co-wrote a few songs (including the song he appears on with Urie). These guys should have been the next Fall Out Boy, but I don’t know what happened. I never listened to any of their other stuff, because they released their next album a few years later, and by that point, neon pop-punk was kind of dead, unfortunately. Whisper War still holds up real well today, and it’s one of my favorite albums from that era.

The Higher – On Fire

The last album I wanted to talk about is from an underrated in the genre, being The Higher and their sophomore album (but major label debut), 2007’s On Fire. These guys were part of the handful of bands in this scene that could have been called pop-rock, and they had more in common with Maroon 5 than Blink-182, but I loved these bands. The Cab is a band I already mentioned that really perfected that sound because they took R&B, soul, and pop music with pop-punk and emo. The Higher did that about a few years earlier with their debut album from 2005, but I first heard of them with On Fire when that came out through Epitaph Records. These guys were a ton of fun, because they had what I call the “Fall Out Boy formula,” and I tended to really like these bands in high school: a vocalist with a lot of range, a sound that teeters on pop, soul, R&B, and pop-punk, and lyrics that were still about typical emo and pop-punk things but had some good one-liners, clever lyricism, and just talked about other stuff that wasn’t typical of the genre (especially stuff within pop and R&B music). This record isn’t really anything special, per se, but it has some wonderful hooks, great vocal performances, and some solid lyricism here and there. All of these albums are a product of their time, but this is one of the albums that holds up better than a few others here (although I do enjoy all of these today), because it has some great hooks to boot. These guys got back together within the last couple of years, too, so I need to check out their new stuff and see if it’s any good.

[tarasmithshifts]

𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃 & 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐑

ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅʀ: my name is tara smith, but i'm known as 'azrael'. in 2016 with my friends, kitty and jj formed a band we called 'utopia' and we started on youtube and soundcloud by doing covers, and when we got more popular, we made our first original song. it was called "SOS" and it went viral on soundcloud and very popular on youtube. we got recognision, and it opened the door to music industry.

ᴍʏ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴅʀ: kitty (lily buckley), jj (jack hart), billie eilish, willow smith, conan grey, harry styles and a lot of more!

ꜱ/ᴏ: billie eilish

ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜʏ: we debuted with an ep called "CANNIBAL" as we watched "the show"Hannibal" while writing and it was a huge inspo for this ep. it was also a success, we went on small tour in venues. first in america, then in europe.

⍣ ೋ we went super popular after we released our first single from our first album called "LOST IN OUR PAST" (2019). it was a huge success. album was full of 70s beats, vocals, etc. we were nominated for multiple awards and won all of them. we became one of the most successful artist of the year, and later even in decade. Our tour sold out in few minutes, and so that's how we did our first world tour. we performed at grammys, the biggest festivals like coachella etc. we won grammys for best album, best group, best group performance, best single & song of the year. we weren't ready for this kind of success, critics after all called this album a "renaissance of 70s music" we became pioneers of group music then, we mixed modern pop, 70s & 80s. we did covers of old songs, and on our tour performed with multiple artists, like tears for fears or stevie nicks. at the time me and kitty got together.

⍣ ೋ after the success, we had multiple fights in the band, but we were still making music together. I started to make solo music, but only for fun. we got to work with conan grey, and we made a song "killing me”. in 2021 our band needed to split up, as jj decided to left.

⍣ ೋ it was a huge case, fans protested, wanted to know what happened, but we decided to stay quiet. everything was clear, jj wanted something else from life. he started to work as a "ghost writer"

⍣ ೋ after band has split up, i called my managment that i want to release solo music. i didn't want to give up on music because of this situation. week after official announcement from band, i posted info about my first single of my solo album "GLOBAL DRUGS"

it was a huge success, i didn't think that i would go on world tour and sing in stadiums again. i brought kitty with me.

some of fans favourites

⍣ ೋ in december 2022 after i finished tour and came back to u.s., my agent called me that he wants to meet me and kitty. we met 2 days later in new york, in a studio we recorded first ep as "utopia". when we came in, first thing we saw was jj talking to some people in the studio. well, we were so back.

⍣ ೋ in march 2023 out of nowhere we dropped our second album called "WE ARE STILL HERE" and people went CRAZYYY. we had no idea how this album is gonna shake the whole internet and critics. it was completely new - it was jazz, 70s, soul, r&b. something that people claimed we didn't fit. but here we are :)))

⍣ ೋ in may 2023 i attended my first ever met gala, and there, in an interview i confirmed that this was the last project of ‘utopia’ for now. i said “we disappeared out of nowhere and left you all without any information. this is something like a goodbye, but we do not confirm that it will last forever. it depends on our feelings.” i also confirmed that i will release music as solo artist and that kitty will join me as a drummer

⍣ ೋ in may 2023 a week after met gala, i showed the world my summer tour, and except the festivals of course, there were 4 stadium concerts, “bonus” ones, only in europe. Paris, Barcelona, Berlin and final one in London. that’s the time when me and kitty broke up, after, as media called it “London accident”. (there will be another post about it, but basically kitty got herself into alcohol and drugs, and during the London show for almost 2 hours we couldn’t find her, and when my team finally found her, she was completely not contacting with the world around her, and it was not the first time.she couldn’t perform and i didn’t want to cancel the show)

⍣ ೋ in september 2023 i started dating harry styles, but only to january 2024 - we realised that we would love be each other besties than lovers 🤭 (bc in this dr he is a little younger and one direction split up later than in cr, his album “Fine Line” was released in 2024, and “Harry’s House” in late 2025)

⍣ ೋ in january 2024 i confirmed my second solo album, that will release 15/03 🫶

⍣ ೋ after release of this album, me and billie were spotted in public, spreading dating rumours, which we confirmed some months later

"ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ᴜᴛᴏᴘɪᴀ" - pinterest board

[brunettedelulu]

🎸 The Evolution and Influence of British Rock: A Cultural Phenomenon.

The United Kingdom, a cradle of artistic innovation, has long been at the forefront of cultural revolutions. Among its most profound contributions to global culture is undoubtedly the genre of rock music. From the rebellious rhythms of the 1960s to the experimental sounds of the modern era, British rock has not only shaped the nation's musical landscape but has also wielded considerable influence on international audiences. The history of rock in the UK is a testament to the country’s ability to produce groundbreaking artists who challenge norms, inspire change, and leave an indelible mark on music history.

The Birth of British Rock: A Cultural Shift

While rock music had its roots in American blues and rock 'n' roll, it was in the United Kingdom where it evolved into a cultural phenomenon that would span decades. The 1960s marked the arrival of seminal British bands, most notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, whose sounds came to define an era. These groups, among others, drew heavily from American influences but added a uniquely British twist, blending the raw energy of rock with melodic innovations and socially conscious lyrics.

The “British Invasion” of the 1960s, where UK bands became immensely popular in the United States and beyond, marked the globalization of British rock. The Beatles, in particular, revolutionized not only music but also the very fabric of popular culture, setting trends in fashion, politics, and even philosophy. Their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is often regarded as one of the most influential records of all time, pushing the boundaries of what rock music could achieve artistically.

Punk and the 1970s: A New Rebellion

As the optimism of the 1960s faded, the 1970s witnessed the rise of punk rock—a direct, raw, and unapologetic counter-movement that was born in the underground scenes of London. Bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash eschewed the elaborate production and grandiosity that had characterized rock in the previous decade. Their music was stripped-down, aggressive, and often politically charged, providing a voice for the disillusioned youth of the time. Punk was not merely a genre but a subculture, with its own fashion, attitudes, and ethos of DIY (do-it-yourself) rebellion.

This period demonstrated British rock’s ability to adapt and evolve, reflecting the changing socio-political landscape of the country. The punk movement paved the way for post-punk and new wave bands such as Joy Division, The Cure, and The Smiths, who would dominate the alternative scene throughout the late 1970s and 1980s.

Britpop and the 1990s: A Renaissance of Identity

British rock experienced a significant resurgence in the 1990s with the advent of Britpop, a genre that celebrated British identity and culture. In contrast to the grunge movement that was sweeping across the United States, Britpop was characterized by its upbeat melodies and witty, often introspective lyrics. Leading bands of the era, such as Oasis, and Blur, revitalized the UK’s rock scene, harkening back to the spirit of the 1960s but with a fresh, contemporary twist.

Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, released in 1995, became a defining record of the decade, selling millions of copies worldwide and cementing the band’s place in rock history. Britpop’s success was a cultural response to the nation’s desire for a reaffirmation of British identity in a rapidly globalizing world, further establishing the UK's dominance in the music industry.

Modern British Rock: Continuing the Legacy

In recent years, British rock has continued to evolve, with artists drawing on a rich history while also pushing boundaries. Bands like Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead have redefined what modern rock can be, blending traditional elements with electronic music, experimental soundscapes, and introspective lyricism. British rock today is as diverse and eclectic as ever, showcasing the genre’s ability to innovate and remain relevant in an ever-changing musical landscape.

Conclusion :

The history of British rock is not merely a chronicle of music; it is a reflection of the nation’s social, political, and cultural transformations. From the British Invasion of the 1960s to the anthems of Britpop in the 1990s, each era of British rock has contributed to a legacy that continues to inspire and influence artists across the globe. As new generations of musicians emerge, British rock remains a powerful force, proof of its enduring appeal and its ability to capture the zeitgeist of the times.

[fersauce47]

I despise people who don't try new music

This won’t go on the media ranting blog since it isn’t media, but I still need to talk about this. Actually, you could argue that it is media since I’m talking about music. I probably will name a couple artists on here anyway, so yes, it will go on the media ranting blog. Glad we got that sorted out. 

I have a strong dislike for people who don’t try out new music. There are a lot of people in this world who like mainstream music. That’s perfectly fine. I support everyone who likes the music that gets replayed on the radio stations over and over and over and over again. What I do not support are the people who refuse to listen to anything other than that music. On multiple occasions I have tried to get someone to listen to a song that they haven’t heard of before, or from a genre that they’ve heard one song from and decided not to like, and then they go “No, I don’t like it!” Like a goddamn toddler. 

I can’t say that I’m too big on mainstream music at the moment. I feel like it’s repetitive, but that’s just my opinion. I may have that opinion, but I’ll still give whatever I’m recommended a shot. That’s called having an open mind. Actually, no, It’s called not being a stubborn dick. The problem that a lot of mainstream music fans have is they believe “It’s mainstream for a reason” which has multiple things wrong with it. For one, that reason is because Hip Hop and Pop are massive circle jerks that have been going on for years now. And two, music is subjective. There is no good and bad music, because there can be fans for anything. 

I’ve mentioned the people that I hang around before, but never by name. There’s this one douchebag who never gives anything a shot in my friend group. His name is Gabe. Gabe and I have never liked each other, but I feel like it’s not just my bias speaking when I say that it’s shitty to prejudge literally everything that isn’t the shit you’re already into. The rest of the friend group agrees with me! We all think that Gabe is a judgemental asshole, albeit some more than others. 

I used to be like that, until July of 2024 when my buddy George recommended that I try Lemon Demon. I was never super against trying new things, but I was very prejudgemental. I really only gave Lemon Demon a shot because I trusted the music that George sent me to be music that I liked, and also because Kwite likes Lemon Demon, and I like Kwite. 

Giving Lemon Demon a shot was the best decision I ever made as far as music tolerance goes. After I listened to Dinosaurchestra, I said “Wow, this Lemon Demon guy is really cool! I love this music! If I gave Lemon Demon a shot and he’s this good, I wonder what other bands I’ve been ignoring make good music?” and that’s how I became a fan of Bo Burnham, Will Wood, Jack Stauber, and That Handsome Devil. Lemon Demon was my top artist of 2024. 

If you don’t give anything new a chance, you can’t discover what might just be your favorite genre ever. Just like my Lemon Demon musical renaissance, I was ignoring a ton of great bands and artists just because I didn’t know if I liked their genre, and didn’t care enough to give them a shot. I purposefully ignored a lot of Rap artists just because I heard a few rap songs and I decided that I didn’t like them. (For example, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Tyler the Creator, etc) 

In conclusion, people who are against trying out new music suck. Closed minded little dweebs. If you’re reading this and are saying “Huh, that sounds like me!” then start listening to new music. Put on some classic rock (because come on, everyone likes classic rock) or whenever you hear a song that sounds like fun being used as a TikTok sound, find it on Spotify and give it a shot. Life is too short to be stubborn.

[lboogie1906]

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) is one of the greatest jazz composers, performers, and bandleaders in American history. His compositions, and the travels of his band, exposed the world to jazz and earned him the nickname, “The Ambassador of Jazz.”

He was born in DC to Daisy and James Ellington. In 1917, he formed his first band, “Duke’s Serenaders (renamed the Washingtonians),” which played dance halls throughout the DC area. He arrived in New York just when jazz emerged as the dominant musical style of the Harlem Renaissance. He attracted some of the greatest jazz musicians in the country including “Bubber” Miley, “Trick Sam” Nanton, Harry Carney, and Johnny Hodges. The Washingtonians played at prominent Harlem nightspots including the Club Kentucky, the Exclusive Club, the Plantation Club, and most importantly, the Cotton Club. The Cotton Club engagement led to the band’s weekly radio program bringing his sound to the entire country.

Teaming with Billy Strayhorn, he composed some of the greatest pieces in jazz music, and unlike the customs of the time, formally wrote his music down. Among his hits were “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo,” “Mood Indigo,” “Rocking in Rhythm,” “Black, Brown and Beige,” “Solitude,” “The Mooche,” and “Take the A-Train.” In 1943, his band played at Carnegie Hall in New York City. His performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island put his face on the cover of Time magazine. In 1969 on his seventieth birthday, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

He married his high school sweetheart, Edna Thompson (1918-67) and she gave birth to their only son, Mercer Kennedy Ellington. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha