#they’re both in the enterprise band club

[freshmmeat]

shhh… they’re playing she wolf by shakira

[ohblackdiamond]

“you win again” fic tidbit (ace/paul, 1988) (pg-13)

I mentioned that this story was in the works awhile back. It’s about 40 percent there, I’d say. I stuck it under a cut because it’s a bit long. There’s a very obvious gap between the second and third parts that needs cleaning up, but the gist is there.

teaser: The truth is, his own distaste for the era makes it obvious he’s not a part of it. Paul can’t keep up with what’s in now, and that’s the surest sign he’s out. Thirty-six is too close to forty. Too old to play the game. He’s square. He’s fucking square.

“you win again”

by Ruriruri

No one knows the man he may become when he loses his self-respect. —Camille

There’s nothing to recommend the Cat Club. The big names don’t come here, just the has-beens. The security’s perfunctory. The parties laughable. But Paul comes anyway. Frequently. All the Cat Club asks out of him is a shave and a bit of halfassed charm, and all he gets in return is a drink and maybe a lay and the vaguest passing memory of the way things used to be.

Studio 54, the Ice Palace, all the old haunts are carcasses. Paul’s heard that the Limelight’s in now, their club owner some one-eyed, painfully straight Canadian, which is a sure sign the scene’s got to be dead in the water. Kids ten, fifteen years younger than him run the promotions. The shit that he remembers, aquariums underfoot at the discotheques, coke handed out at the door, orgies downstairs, all that’s gone. The big clubs get their pull from day-glo bright mascot characters and raunchy freakshows, pure excess that makes for a lousy bedfellow with AIDS and designer drugs. He doesn’t understand the appeal. He gets cynicism; he gets hedonism. But the nihilism he finds utterly repulsive.

The truth is, his own distaste for the era makes it obvious he’s not a part of it. Paul can’t keep up with what’s in now, and that’s the surest sign he’s out. Thirty-six is too close to forty. Too old to play the game. He’s square. He’s fucking square.

The lines on his face aren’t too bad. His cheekbones are maybe more prominent than they need to be. Paul’s watched Gene’s weight fluctuate over the years and hated the way it scared the hell out of him. They’d sworn to each other way back that they’d diet off at least twenty pounds apiece before they’d dare get a real band together. Paul’d kept that weight off, and more, but to Gene, it’s just become another mostly tossed aside tenet. The way he looks doesn’t matter to him. Maybe it shouldn’t anymore. He’s had Cher and Diana Ross and he has Shannon Tweed now. Great girls, all of them, better than the vapidly beautiful women Paul’s tried to make a go of it with. If Gene can attract all of them without giving a shit about his weight or his looks, maybe Paul ought not to care so much.

Except, as always, Gene’s looks just aren’t the appeal. Gene’s being in a band isn’t even exactly the appeal, no; Gene would probably still be stacking away entire albums of Polaroids if he were a senator or a school superintendent. Gene’s appeal is Gene. The total package. Confidence glimmering like grease on a burger.

Paul’s no total package of anything. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. His looks get him into beds, sometimes, and his personality gets him right back out of them before too long. Twenty-one years with Hilsen and there’s still nothing he can do about the latter, but he can at least try to preserve the former.

But what really bothers him about his mirror’s reflection isn’t the age imprinting itself on his face, or the three or four grays he plucks every month, or even the way his hair’s gradually gotten thinner, the curls more like frayed wires, brittle from years of dye and bleach and teasing. It’s the look in his eyes. Sometimes he catches a glimpse of something wholly desperate in them. And it’s not just in scattered, low moments on tour or in the privacy of his own bathroom. He’s caught that look playing back tapes of himself guest-VJing and interviewing on MTV. It’s the look of somebody—somebody scraping for relevance.

He’s ashamed of that. Ashamed because that look got in his eyes so fast, ashamed because he wasn’t able to savor those scant moments of being on top. He remembers thinking ten years ago, so cocky and self-assured, that the Stones were getting sloppy and long in the tooth, that maybe they needed to bow out before they got to be a bigger embarrassment onstage. They’d come out with Some Girls later that year, so what the hell did he know. What the hell did he know about anything.

There’s legends, real legends. Real greatness. There’s rockstars and then there’s rock gods. Chuck Berry. Muddy Waters. The Beatles, the Stones, fuck, even the Beach Boys with their obnoxious California sound created something eternal. KISS hasn’t. KISS won’t. KISS peaked at lunchboxes and pinball machines, and KISS descended—well, KISS is still descending. It’s just a matter of time before Gene lets the whole enterprise fold like a lawn chair.

Too close to forty, Paul takes a seat at an empty table and orders a Pepsi, and he tries to look for a girl the way a security guard might look for a shoplifter. His vantage point isn’t great. The crowd isn’t great. But maybe there’s someone he could waste his time with, someone that would humor him for an evening.

He hasn’t had that in longer than he wants to admit.

Oh, he’s with people. He’s with Samantha, but the age gap depresses the hell out of him. There’s always that tacit understanding between entertainers, anyhow, the knowledge that they’re both going to fool around on each other that goes almost unmentioned. Sometimes he wants to make a clean break of it, start something sincere, whether with her or some other girl, stripped away from the publicity rags, but then his own lonesomeness gets the better of him. Like right now. It’s just not enough to be wanted by one girl when he used to be wanted by thousands. It’s not enough to fill two-thirds of an auditorium when he’d once played Madison Square Garden.

It’s just empty.

He sees a tall, pretty blonde before too long, by herself and practically poured into a sparkling silver dress, hair wildly permed. He’s about to make a move towards her when he hears a sound that stops him dead in his tracks. It’s not so much a laugh as a cackle. He hasn’t heard it in two years at least, but he’d recognize it on his deathbed.

It’s Ace Frehley. Ace Frehley, here at the Cat Club.

--

Paul’s never known Ace to go anywhere unaccompanied. Now’s no exception. Standing with him is some long-haired guy that Paul doesn’t recognize from the rock scene. Not that that means much, these days. Ace’s arm is looped behind the guy’s shoulders, though the guy doesn’t seem too comfortable with it. Paul purses his lips, trying to gauge their relationship from fifteen feet away, but it doesn’t end up mattering. Ace spots him after not even five seconds, and stumbles to him, with the guy in tow.

“Paul! How are you, man?”

“Ace,” he says, standing up on automatic, reaching for Ace’s free hand. Ace’s palm is damp in his.

“Oh, oh, lemme introduce you, Paulie, this is--” and Ace untangles his other arm from the guy, “this is Gordon. Gordon, y’know who this is.”

“Paul Stanley,” Paul says anyway, offering his hand again. Gordon takes it with all the cursory indifference of being introduced to a fourth cousin at a funeral.

“Gordon plays keyboard,” Ace says. “He’s real good.”

“Cool.” Paul can feel his mouth twist a bit. It’s petty to already be bristling a bit, only a few sentences in, but he can’t seem to stop himself. He’s so used to faking being cordial that the words still come out warmly enough to his own ear. “C’mon, have a seat. Plenty of room.”

--

“He’s using you.”

“I know.”

“Don’t you care?”

Ace shrugs.

“I’m running low on friends, Paul.” A quick quirk to his mouth. “Maybe you are, too.”

“I only ever had the one.”

“Bullshit. You still got at least three, if you want them.”

--

“I’ve got a place in California. This is just a rental,” Paul lies. He owns this shitty apartment outright. “My parents are getting older, y’know, it’s good to have somewhere close by. And Ericka--”

“She’s gotta be in high school now.”

“She’s graduating in May.”

“Shit, man.” Ace shakes his head. “Monique’s gonna be eight this year.”

“I’ll send her something.”

Ace waves his hand absently.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“C’mon, let me--”

“You ain’t sent her anything in six years. Don’t start now.” Ace pauses, glancing at Paul in a flickering, fleeting way, and then he shakes his head. “Sorry, man, I didn’t mean it bad.”

Paul doesn’t say anything else for awhile, just crosses over to the kitchenette and opens the refrigerator. He takes out two Diet Cokes, handing one over to Ace, who looks at it before handing it back.

“’S fine. I’m not thirsty.”

“I don’t have any alcohol, Ace.”

“I don’t really want it.”

“You don’t?”

Ace shakes his head.

“What do you want?”

“Dinner and a movie, Paulie.” Ace’s mouth quirks up. “Dinner, we’ll have some of your fucking Lucky Charms; movie, we’ll put on an porno.”

“Ace--”

“What’ve you got, anyway?” And he’s scurrying to the T.V. set. Beneath it is his tape player and a few stacks of movies still in their packaging. His workout tapes. And there--

[welcometogrouchland]

Please tell us more about ur ocs!!!!!!!!!!!

Ohoho you spoil me! they’re from my current writing project: The Enterprise of Evil! it’s a comedy with horror elements following a film club that’s really a team kids doing amateur paranormal investigation as an “extra credit project” for the principle of the boarding school they attend. I'll give you a quick run down of who's who for the main characters:

Holden Cortes! Main character and aspiring director. she’s a good kid whose a bit too willing to lie for convenience sake, which is ironic considering she ends up bonded/connected to the eldritch embodiment of truth! woops :p fun facts: her dad introduced her to a bunch of classic Mexican horror films when she was little and now she’s a huge horror nerd. she specifically likes slightly campier horror- horror with a bit of heart to it! she’s an eldest sibling and a new-yorker and absolutely has a complex about both things lmao

Aurora Lincoln! moderately rich kid with mommy issues. a stoner and a slacker who wants to make friends but is always caught between being wanting to be herself being whoever others want her to be. hence she ends up with the eldritchly gifted ability of being able to mimic voices but at the price of her words being garbled when she tries to speak her mind on specific topics. censorship, am i right? fun facts: she’s Northern Irish and Welsh! plays bass and is in a band with jo.

dolly cooper! seems like a perfectly all american golden retriever boy on the surface but is like. straight up an anarcho-socialist raised by Jewish butch lesbians lmao. loves his friends a lot and loves helping people even more! sometimes dips into unwilling therapist territory but hey, we’ve all got our flaws. fun facts: he’s aroace, which is not very conducive to him being the school heartthrob, but he roles with it like a champ. he has no powers but he does have a baseball bat, which is just as useful when fighting monsters 

Jo Hawkins! amateur monster hunter following in the footsteps of her dead adoptive parents. raised communally by all the local townspeople, Jo's spent most of her life protecting people from the shadows, until she’s joined by the other kids. needs to learn that no man is an island but she’s getting there with help from her friends. has a cursed magic knife named stabbington and can lucid dream! also plays guitar and is in a band with Aurora. has an eclectic music taste but really loves emo and pop punk. favorite groups are MCR, simple plan and meet me @ the altar.

[toogayforthistoday]

star crossed AU, regency AU(but make it gay), and rock band AU with Cara? ~nikkz<3

@nikkzships Ahhh! It’s always gay with me!! So I hope I don’t disappoint!! lol

Star Crossed AU: You and your f/o are both set to inherit the family business and wealth, and your families are sworn enemies! Give one headcanon about you and your f/o’s relationship in this AU! 

Hhhhhhhhhh

Okay, so modern day setting, Gabe is setting up to become the Head of Kenobi Enterprises, and word through the grapevine is that the Dune Coporation is also arranging for a change of leadership, though who’s taking over is still in question.

To celebrate, Jinn and Ahsoka take Gabe out to a club to party it up a little, maybe find them a date for once, but the main goal tonight was to get them sloshed. As Ahsoka’s off getting more drinks and Jinn has found a few people to dance with, Gabe is left alone at their table, enjoying the moment of peace, when a beautiful brunette walks over to them, and starts chatting them up. They have a lot in common, and Gabe starts getting butterflies, and after the brunette has to leave, Gabe realizes they forgot to get her name or number. Ahsoka gets back and asks Gabe if they know who they were just talking to, and reveals that their new crush was Cara Dune, the daughter of the current Head of Dune Corporation.

Meanwhile, outside the bar, Cara is getting an earful from Din about talking to the soon-to-be head of Kenobi Enterprises, and all Cara can think about is how she should have left her number.

Not sure just how Romeo and Juliet we’re gonna get with this one, but DAMN if we aren’t coming close!

Regency AU: Who’s parents are hosting a ball to find them a suitor? Who reluctantly attends with their family or friends? Give one headcanon about you and your f/o’s relationship in this AU! 

Gabe’s parents are hosting the ball, Jinn’s off to the side laughing as they’re getting ready. Gabriel just stares at Andrial with the most unamused look on their face, looks down at the dress they’ve been tied into, and asks “Parent, do I have to wear this? I feel like an over-stuffed Porg.” Which sends Jinn into yet another peel of laughter.

“This wouldn’t be an issue if you’d actually give someone a chance!”

“Brother, dearest, I know where you sleep, and with whom you sleep. Watch. Your. Damn. Mouth.”

“And I will take that as my cue to leave! I will see you both in the ballroom!”

Cara... I wanna say Cara is escorting someone to the ball, and is getting dragged there, not expecting much except to be bored out of her mind as she doesn’t know anyone else who’s going. So when she sees poor Gabe, unamused and also bored, she offers them a dance. As they’re dancing, Cara tries her best to get Gabe to smile, and after a few tales of daring and stupidity, she succeeds, feeling familiar butterflies in her stomach at the melodius sound.

At some point in the evening, the two run off to hide in the gardens, to talk some more, and... well 👀👀👀

Rock band AU: Who is the lead singer? Who’s the new bassist? Give one headcanon about you and your f/o’s relationship in this AU! 

For literally any of my other self ships, I would have said I was the lead singer and x was the new bassist, but! But but but! You know, if Lucy Lawless doesn’t get the role, I would love to see Lauren Babic get cast as Cara, because honestly?

https://youtu.be/gpeWkfy6EPo

I can’t be the only one who sees it 👀👀👀

So yeah, Cara’s the lead singer, Gabe’s the new bassist. Jinn, being the wonderful, social butterfly and nosy twin he is, finds out Cara’s band is looking for a new bassist, and offers them up, only telling his twin after the fact. So Gabe gets dragged to a practice session, and chats up the drummer, a big quiet guy named Din, and the lead guitarist, and older man who went by Greef, until Cara got there. Gabe’s glad they were sitting down when she walked in, otherwish their knees would have given out by how pretty they thought she was. Their crush only gets worse when they hear her sing.

Gabe manages to get their shit together long enough to play a few songs, and the rest of the band is impressed, formally asking them to be their bassist.

~ Gabe

[secretradiobrooklyn]

Radio Decameron |1.16.21 & 1.23.21

Secret Radio | 1.16.21 & 1.23.21 | Hear it here.

1. Sylvain Sylvain - “I’m So Sorry”

I never feel right saying “RIP” or “rest in peace” about an actual human being who is no longer with us. But I will say: I hope Sylvain Sylvain died content with the music he made and the life he lived. 

2. The Honeydrippers - “Impeach the President”

And ideally, then we would never have to hear from or talk about that accursed criminal ever again. We recorded this section before the inauguration — may we never forget how ALL 50 STATE CAPITOLS plus the US Capitol itself were being guarded against attacks by American citizens on that day — and shit was tense there for many days. As of this writing, things are… unviolent. It feels like a lull to me, honestly, rather than, say, all that stuff being in the rearview. It is not. 

But meanwhile, check that beat out!  

I love how Roy Charles is trying to convince them to stop demanding, but they just keep insisting. This song is brilliant, and the playing is — c’mon now — unimpeachable.

3. Niagara - “Tchiki boum”

We heard this song in the film “Perdrix,” known as “The Bare Necessity” in the version we saw via SLIFF. They’re dancing in a club to this, and it’s just a really distractingly good song for the scene.

- C.K. Mann - “Mber Papa”

We just recently learned about Essiebons by learning that he passed just this August. He was a producer of legendary status to a lot of people. Listening around his music we came upon C.K. Mann and this righteous track, which Essiebons produced. I think this is a pretty ultra track, really. Every instrument really kicks it out. I hope Essiebons died happy.

4. Rocky Horror Picture Show - “Hot Patootie / Bless My Soul”

New president, feeling kinda upbeat and hopeful. Really just starting to feel the tips of my soul from where it’s been getting singed. It’s going to take a long time to scab over what happened to us all over the last four years. I’m so fucking glad he’s gone that it makes me really love that rock n roll!

5. Moon Unit & Frank Zappa - “Valley Girl”

Tell you what: we watched the movie “Zappa” recently as part of a film festival, and I highly recommend watching it at your earliest opportunity. It is absolutely for people who do, and for people who do not, love his music. He shows up as a really interesting character throughout his whole life. The film skips through his songs with amazing speed, which actually works really well in his case. This song is with his daughter Moon Unit, who actually slid a handwritten note under his door introducing herself by name and saying that she wanted to collaborate on a project. They did this, and while Zappa was in Europe, Moon Unit brought the acetates to KROC and the song became an instant hit for them. Meanwhile he was writing for multiple orchestras.

6. Jacques Dutronc - “Sur Une Nappe de Restaurant” 

This is totally not how I tune my drums, but I love how Dutronc’s drums sound in every song. I mean, the whole band of course, but there is a physical space both in the drum part as written and in the recorded texture of the whole that is just deep and wide.

7. Nyame Bekyere - “Medley: Broken Heart / Aunty Yaa / Omo Yaba (Nzema)”

This is another discovery via Essebiens, who released it on Essiebons Enterprises. It’s such an intense track! The cover artwork is by K. Frimpong, who plays a crazy Cuban guitar style on his own albums. 

8. Ros Serey Sothea - “Tngai Neas Kyom Yam Sra (Today I Drink Wine)”

This is a voice, and a cast of characters, I can’t stop thinking about. This is from “Cambodian Rocks Vol 1,” which is full of great recordings. Her voice could shatter glass, and it’s so skillfully wielded — I’d love to hear her in a face-off with Frankie Valli.

- There’s a moment from Paige’s phone archives of a little George and Isabelle aching to ride rides at the Millstadt homecoming.

9. Les Poppys - “Isabelle je t’aime” 

These young boys singing collectively about their — collective? 17 individual? — love(s) for Isabelle is even more innocent in video format:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o618mlIaR7E

- more C.K. Mann - “Mber Papa”

10. The Jam - “In the City”

This song makes me miss the city so much! It sounds like everything we really can’t get up to right now. I feel like this song helps me feel like I’m walking fast under streetlights.

11. Bruno Leys - “Maintenant je suis un voyou”

This 7” from Born Bad is so incredible! Bruno Leys worked on just a few songs with a band that included a guy named Emmanuel Pairault who plays parts on an instrument called the ondes Martenot, a super early, very eclectic and ungainly electronic instrument. The fact that he could actually compose music of any kind on it was considered remarkable. The fact that he was able to write such incredibly expressive parts to thoroughly filigree the choruses is what amazes me. 

This band recorded four songs, then Bruno Leys left for his military service, and when he came back it was all completely over — the catalog was sold, everyone was scattered. Four songs. 

12. Sleepy Kitty - “Nothing = You”

I’m pretty sure this song was essentially our response to our own growing fascination with French pop. To me it sounds more French than American in texture. We played this song with the Incurables once at The Pageant in STL and it was especially glorious. I think of that moment — Kevin Bachmann harmonizing flawlessly with Paige, four different guitars ringing through the chords — every time I hear this track.

13. Plastic Bertrand - “Pogo Pogo”

I don’t know why or when “Ça Plane Pour Moi” became the one French pop song that Americans are likely to know, but it’s a total banger so I have no complaints. It turns out that pretty much all of his songs sound very similar — one-note melodies in the verse, cool vocalese hooks in the chorus, and super-driving guitar parts throughout. Turns out that’s a formula we totally dig!

14. Os K-rrascos & Vanessinha Do Picatchu - “Bochecha Ardendo”

For whatever reason, a variety of Brazilian music seemed to be the very hottest stuff to be found in Chicago’s art-school party nights, and I remember losing my mind to some heavy Brazilian rhythms that just kept folding over and over on themselves while staying so impossibly funky that the whole night just turned into a deep-green-and-dark orange smear of a late-night winter warehouse dancing and sweating and then way, way later, walking home steaming along a cold sidewalk on a tree-lined street.

- Eric Dolphy - “Hat and Beard”

15. Von Südenfed - “The Rhinohead” 

I feel like no one in my zone talks enough about how awesome Von Südenfed is. I mean, we only know this one album, but it’s so fascinating — a band where Mark E. Smith is contributing but not in control, and on purpose. He shows off his pop chops and gets to be a whole different character in this one place, while the Mouse on Mars guys get to play new characters themselves. It feels like it’s related to “Extricate” in how it’s constructed, but the music doesn’t sound like something any version of the Fall has made. 

16. Fischer-Spooner - “The 15th”

A friend of Wire is a friend of ours.

p.s. Paige here, they went to SAIC (before I arrived) but they were super famous to all of us in the dorms. 

17. T.P. Orchestre - “Pourquoi Pas?”

The depths of this band just continue to amaze us. We’re waiting on some T.P.O.C. vinyl right now, featuring mostly songs we’ve never heard, and the everlovin’ post office is misdelivering it BACK to France even as I write this. It’s driving us totally nuts.

18. Nina Simone - “Mississippi Goddam”

The hardness of her voice, the hardness of her experience, the hardness of her words.

19. Fanny - “Blind Alley”

I don’t know who first put this in front of my eyes, but it was a few years ago. The video is so basic — they’re performing in front of a video-psych effect — but the performers themselves are just so absorbing. And the production is so heavy, it feels legendary. 

20. Manmadha Leela soundtrack - “Kushalamena”

I think we first saw a colorful glimpse of this song before we heard it. Paige automatically starts dancing a little dance as soon as “Kushalamena” comes on. 

This I think came from the “Now Playing” group I’m in on FB: a guy was holding out a picture of the cover of this album and said he’d bought 40 more like it and he LOVED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. He just wanted to see if anyone knew anything more about them. I did my best to hear the album he was showing. I think this is it. I think he’s right to be super jazzed about it, we just want to hang out with him and listen to all those records.

21. Francis Bebey - “Je vous aime zaime zaime”

Paige was working on her pronunciation and when to use the ellision — the z sound for the s letter, depending on what comes next — and he said something about, “Unless you’re Francis Bebey and you’re singing ‘Je vous aime zaime zaime.” And she said, “Francis Bebey? I know Francis Bebey!” and he said, “No, you’re thinking of another Francis.” But we all know the truth. This was our introduction to the song though.

- Jack Teagarden - “I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan”

Paige was looking for the Fred Astaire & Jack Buchanan version from “The Bandwagon,” but found this great instrumental trombone-forward version instead.

22. Pono AM - "Good Vibes"

This is one of those things you see every once in a great while when you’re playing clubs in a music scene — a band hits a natural home run. They just have an undeniably appealing crowdpleaser of a song that they wrote, and everyone flips out when they hear it. We salute Pono AM for writing this perfect song. They enrich the STL music world. My only advice to them was to never get tired of it or take it for granted. 

Paige: We took their band photos at our space on Cherokee Street, for an RFT article. I was impressed because they arrived with matching shirts that still had the tags on them, and it was really exciting to see a new band on the scene who was really good and also putting in the effort to be graphically interesting. We believe that stuff counts. All of their shows, if you got there early, you’d see all of the band members blowing up as many balloons as they could, so there would be balloons bouncing around their set for the whole show, and it made it even better.

23. Sir Victor Uwaifo And His Titibitis - "Iranm Iran"

Analog Africa has a new album! It’s called “Edo International,” and it shows off a whole other side of Beninese music that isn’t T.P. Orchestre. I think of T.P. Orchestre as just a giant force in Beninese music, but then this comp comes out showing so many other roots of Benin City’s highlife-funk scene. Victor Uwaifo was a Nigerian guitarist who returned to his hometown in Benin City and built Joromi Studio. The sound he put together at that place, via his own bands and others’, came to be called Edo Funk.

24. Laughing Man - "Brilliant Colors"

This is a tape of one of the artists of one of the group houses that we always would stay at in DC. Benjamin Schurr runs a tape label and it was always such a treat getting the new batch of Blight. releases for the van soundsystem when we’d roll through town, or one of his bands would tour through St. Louis. They were always interesting stuff and a wide range of sounds and styles. 

We first met Brandon Moses when he was on tour with Paperhaus in St. Louis. I think it was his birthday, too. He didn’t tour a ton with them. Laughing Man was our first time hearing him front songs. We always enjoyed staying with Erik and Benjamin and Brandon and enjoyed sharing that green power juice that Brandon gave us — really powered us up for the next drive. 

- Bembeya Jazz - “Petit Sokou”

I have felt love for this song for awhile, but Josh Weinstein recently sent a video of the band actually performing this song and WOW, it is hypnotizing. The outfits, the instruments, and the expressiveness of the guitar playing are all so vivid in black and white: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpZVF_kKUJ4

25. Maxime le Forestier - “San Francisco”

Our thanks to Paige’s French instructor for showing us this song. Paige’s version is well worth hearing too, I must say: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKhJfqDDe2q/

p.s. Paige again, if you want to see the dragon birthday card that Evan made, here it is!

[brattywriters-anonymous]

A Night Off..

Erik x OC

Part three of “I’m Never Wrong” Series

Mini playlist: Moments Of Love x Art of Noise

It’s You x Kem

Share my Life x Kem

Night Off x Drake ft. Lloyd

You’ve been busy. Hella busy. Erik and you had Leanna September after that fateful Christmas, you married the following April, and two years later (before Leanna’s Moana Luau birthday celebration) you found out you were pregnant again. You gave birth to N’Juma That following summer and after being cleared to return to work you were swamped.  

You received the promotion for Managing Partner at your firm and you played the role of the Partner’s keepers. Even though you were glad about not having to see courtrooms unless deemed necessary, you now have to track their time at work and expenses on business cards, their vacation and sick time; Along with sitting in extraneous meetings with board members with their bottom line being the only thing they ever care about. You know you could quit at anytime. Your husband reminds you time and time again that he can take care of you, Lee, JuJu, and any other kids you plan on having single-handedly. 

Him being a prince and all, you were certain that he could. Momma just didn’t raise you to be nobody’s housewife. You love your children more than anything, and to a certain extent, you love your job, but after two months of going between Mommy and Senior Partner, F/N M/N Udaku, esq. needed a BREAK.

You came home on a Friday evening to find two ladies from the Dora Milaje on your front porch, you knew either Queen Mother, Shuri, or T’challa was behind the door. To your surprise, it was Shuri. You often used to joke to her that Leanna took a piece of Shuri’s personality because she always had a witty come back to her daddy’s sly comments, and they were as thick as thieves from the day she was born.

“Y/N! Hello!” Shuri stands up with your almost four year old in her arms. “Mommyyy!” Leanna yells out in glee. “Hey Lee Lee! Good evening Shuri! To what do we owe this pleasure your highness?” You suspiciously look at her and your daughter like they were up to no good, as you lay down your briefcase. Leanna looks around pursing her lips and says, “Mommy, I d-du-dunno what you talking about!” as she shakes her head. You grin at her adorable yet horrible attempt of lying, “Where’s Juju? Where’s daddy?” Speak of the killer prince..he shall appear. He emerges from the hallway, “Juju is knocked for the night. I gave him his bath fed him, and he went down for the count about fifteen minutes ago.” 

The first thing that catches your attention is his cologne. That Dolce & Gabana light blue for men gets you in trouble every single time. You slip out of your work shoes as you apprehensively question, “N’jadaka, What do you have up your sleeve?” Then you travel to your awake child, placing her on your hip, “What is daddy up to LeeLee?” She starts playing with her nails, “Daddy says he wants you to go with him!” Erik scoops you into his embrace, “Daddy needs you to shower up and get dressed. I got everything all laid out for you on the bed, and after we go where we go, I got a room reserved.” His cologne engulfs you into a hypnotized state as he briefly kisses you. You open your eyes to see Leanna covering hers. Shuri retrieves her, “I got some improvements I need to make on T’s suit, I need a little helper so we’re gonna go to the Stark Enterprises lab to do that..” You look back and forth between your husband, your cousin-in-law, and your child, “Well what about JuJu?” T’challa bends the corner from your guest bathroom, “It seems like I am on diaper and bottle duty tonight.”

You lay your arms lazily around Erik’s neck, “So daddy’s got it all figured out, hm?” N’jadaka nods, “Now go get dressed. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

You get to your shared master room to see this two piece outfit with a pair of white pasties, and a white thong to match your husband’s two piece linen button up and matching pants. “Where does this nigga think I’m going looking like somebody’s stripper?” before you can go back in the foyer to protest, he’s already standing at the doorway, “You going with daddy tonight. Lookin’ like daddy’s personal stripper.” He stealth-like footsteps cruises his way over to you to give you a forceful smack on the ass, which got bigger thanks to carrying Juju.

 --

You hopped out of the shower, reluctantly put on the two piece and as you were buckling your shoes, your husband comes in to check on--sorry, rush you. “C’mon Y/N we need to get go--daaaaaammmn. Here baby, lemme help you with that.” He brushes down your calf with his fingertips, slipping on your shoe. “That’s too tight?” You shake your head, “Good.” He counts the hole in order to buckle the other shoe in the same manner, “I’m doing this for you because you need a night off.. Not being mommy, not being a lawyer, not being a home maker, nurse, none of that.” He finishes buckling the second shoe before kissing your foot, “The only thing you gotta be tonight is mine.” your breathing stops at his statement, then you nod. Letting him know you understand.

The drive to your destination was tranquil. Erik played the compilation of Moments of Love by Art of Noise, Kem’s It’s you, and Share my Life, Maxwell’s Lifetime.. it all put you in a mellow mood. He drove the entire way with his hand cascading your thigh, occasionally tapping it to whichever beat was playing. He puts the car in park in front of the club you first met at. When he ran you down, begging to take you on a date that he had to rob a museum in order to take you on.

You giggled and sank into the seat, “N’jadaka, really?” He nods, “Yeah baby. I figured i’d take you to where it all began.” This nostalgic feeling fell over you, remembering how he followed you around the lounge like a sick puppy, his dreads barely touching his neck back then. You give him a second glance, his dreads are now almost to the middle of his back, his nape; tapered. You lean into him, making out with your husband like you’re seventeen. The valet worker tapped on the window to snap you out of it.

--

Erik really planned that night out. He got a VIP section, got him a bottle of Hennessy prestige, and you a white bottle of Belaire Rose. The waitresses gave you both your appropriate glasses to drink your alcohol out of with a bucket of ice. Your husband kept attempting to roleplay, asking who you were with, “I’m with you, fool!” He then asked where your man was at, you pointed at him. You finally caught on when he asked for your name and number. You put on a corrupt grin, “Heaven. and I don’t think my man would like you asking for my number.” You were good and toasted by the time N’jadaka and you were playing a good game of back and forth, “Oh.. Well your man shouldn’t have left you alone.” The slow tempo of Drake’s A Night off sounds off in the club, “This is my jam!” Your man whispers to you, “See, why would your man leave you along while your song is playing? C’mon. At least dance with me.” You gulped down your fourth glass before taking the last sip out of your bottle, “Let’s go.”

Know you hate explaining how you want it done Just be quiet I'll do fine without your help girl Can you work without a second for some fun? Now you finally got a moment to yourself girl And I know what to do with it

You whine your lower half to his, your ass giggling at the end of every loop. He poured you one more drink for the night, some of his Hennessy, which you both took your glasses onto the dance floor. His free hand is alternating, between gripping your inner thigh, to grasping on both of your cheeks as your mirrored each break down of the beat. His eyes narrow as he bites down on his trembling lip, never letting his hand leave your body. As you feel his erection growing you grind against him even harder. He reaches underneath you to grip your breast, tweaking the skin underneath your pastie. You’re drunk at this point, so all you do in reaction is keep dancing and sticking your tongue out. He has you exactly how he wants you. Relaxed, drunk, and worked up.

So, baby, I'm a lock my door and disconnect my phone Cause I wanna make one thing clear 

I want you on top, so let your hair down I took the night off for you Girl, I'm gonna turn the lights off But keep your heels on They're fittin' for what we're about to do

He has a look on his face that you love to see, pure lust and astonishment. Just at you dancing for him.You look down at his hand with the vibranium wedding band you placed on it three years prior is shining even in the almost nonexistent club lighting. His thick fingers grabbing on you like you’ll dissolve at any moment.The Dj switches the song to Keith Sweat’s Nobody, N’jadaka gives you a shock, pressing his fingers against your abdomen, standing you straight up. Then he presses your lower back down so you can still arch against him, as you continue your slow whine.

I wanna tease you I wanna please you I wanna show you baby, that I need you I want your body 'til the very last drop I want you to holler when you want me to stop

N’jadaka’s hands are still roaming your frame. His lips are now brushing past and behind your ear, “So tell me baby, can I get a taste of Heaven?” His growl at the end of his statement mixed with the drinks and that damn cologne were all working against your self control. You literally leaked down your leg. You took your iced out left ring finger and placed it where your nectar was racing down and fed it to him, “Is that good enough?” He moaned as the liquid hit his tongue. He licked a strip behind your ear which makes you tremble against him, “Nah babygirl. Daddy wants more.” He presses down your back even more so you can bend back over. He gently smacks your ass, letting it jiggle back he looks to the Ancestral Plane as if he’s thanking Bast herself for that ass of yours.

You throw back what’s in your glass like it’s a shot and grab him by the collar, giving him the look that he’s been waiting on since you got out the house, “Let’s go...Now.”

Erik made a reserved a room at the Fairmont across the bay. There’s a jam on the Oakland Bay Bridge. That and the tented windows on your Cayenne which gives you the opportune moment to unbuckle your seat belt and jump on the man that’s been tempting you the entire night. His sex playlist going through the speakers didn’t make it any better.

I wanna touch you Right now, right now, right now, right now, right now, right now We ain't gotta waste time going out on dates We ain't gotta count down till you come to my place We ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta), we ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta) We ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta) we ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta) You ain't gotta waste time sending me roses They gon' die anyway, man that's just boring You ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta), you ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta) You ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta) you ain't gotta, (you ain't gotta) 'Cause I want you right now

Your lips are fighting with his for dominance as you climb over to the drivers seat to straddle him. You rip about half of the buttons off of his shirt as your liquor tasting tongues tango. His hands smack against your ass over and over and over again, making you moan into him. Between kisses, while you’re trying to unbuckle his seat belt and his pants he mumbles two octaves lower than his normal voice, “Mmm.. So it’s like that?” You moan out over the music, “Yeah daddy, it’s like that.”  He finally shimmies out of his pants and simultaneously rips your thong and the crotch area of those fishnet pants. His primal side and the air hitting your center brings a shiver to your body and it continues as your lover submerges into you. 

You cry out, slightly in pain. You and N’jadaka have only made love a handful of times since your six week appointment after having N’Juma. Partially because he went on a two month wardog mission. He’d only came home a couple days ago, and you were so busy in mom mode when you weren’t in work mode and vice versa..you only snuck in a quickie when he first came home. So your healed body is still getting used to his girth again. What feels like a overwhelming pressure eventually morphs into the pleasure you remembered oh so well. You crouch your body to tuck in between his neck and chest as you ride him in the stop and go traffic. He’s basking in the spontaneity of it all, the suburban behind him is occasionally honking their horn at his delayed movement as traffic moves up. If they only knew what was distracting him.

The first of your many orgasms of the night surprises you. You didn’t feel it coming, until it came. Your body is convulsing on his and he holds you right where you are. You screamed his name as best as you could through it. He put the car in park and hoisted his hips to meet your bottom until you could move again. You slam down on him, “Mm mm. You don’t gotta do that. Let Heaven take care of you, daddy.” He smirks while looking at the creamy mess y’all created, “You sure?” You nod, “Yeah. I gotchu. That one caught me off guard.” You laugh together as you grind on him. You love when he’s deep in you, he knows it too. N’jadaka grips your hips as he bites down on your neck, coaching your movements. You move your head back, giving him more access as you feel the second orgasm arise. The head of his phallic member collided with that spot that makes you weak every time he hits it.

He huffs, “My baby cumming again huh?” You cry out yes, “I’m cumming too baby. Daddy gon make Heaven cum to him? Hmm?!” He rotates his hips around to tap it again.. and again... as he hits it the third time, your essence falls, in a trickling waterfall motion. You shriek in bliss as his motions don’t stop, neither does your orgasm.

The car behind you beeps again. Erik being the superman that he is, he put the car back in drive and moved up while still stroking you through what’s probably the longest orgasm you’ve ever had. You rest on him as he presses on the break, his leg slightly shook as he gritted his teeth. You looked at him, “I came. That asshole ruined it. But wait till I get ‘cho ass in that room. I’m really gon get a taste of heaven.” 

--

@chaneajoyyy @theunsweetenedtruth @hidden-treasures21

[landonpie669-blog]

What Is Your Favourite Genre Of Music, And Why?

It is a 'list of electronic music genres', consisting of genres of electronic music , primarily created with digital musical devices or www.audio-transcoder.com digital music technology A distinction has been made between sound produced utilizing electromechanical means and that produced using digital expertise. In the phrases of P!nk (whose first album was R&B) "No person wants to hear a love song that you don't mean". Not just the genre itself but arguably the love and romance of Contemporary R&B is useless. Replaced by songs coping with trashy cleaning soap opera, Jerry Springer matters. With more vocal gymnastics and a few vague, treacly high-pitched sound within the background. The fusion of modern R&B to hip-hop tends to dilute both these Genres. Curiously enough, Modern R&B pushed soul music off the charts. Jazz is often performed by ensembles (though single artists can play as well), with significance laid on their means to play off one another, and improvise ex tempore. The improvisational fashion of jazz links it to Indian classical music, which also values improvisation over repetition of set melodies. This intrinsic commonality has produced numerous collaborations between jazz and Indian classical artists. Pt. Ravi Shankar, who ceaselessly collaborated with Western musicians, is without doubt one of the most famous Indian musicians within the West. John McLaughlin, a noted jazz guitarist, fashioned fusion ensembles with Western and Indian musicians corresponding to Zakir Hussain and Vikku Vinayakram. Australia has a wealthy custom of Western classical music with professional orchestras in every capital; an active chamber music, small ensemble and choral sector; and four skilled opera corporations. These are complemented by state youth orchestras, and a whole lot of neighborhood based choirs, orchestras and ensembles. Classical music in Australia is derived from our European historical past and traditions. It is generally notated, written for particular devices, and follows outlined constructions. Contemporary classical or ‘new music' does away with and redefines some traditional approaches. Classical music has a number of varieties, a number of the best known of that are early or medieval music, baroque, classical, romantic, contemporary and new music.

In addition to newcomer Whitley, high traditional nation and influential performers who died throughout the decade included Purple Sovine , Whitey Ford , Marty Robbins , Merle Travis , Ernest Tubb , Wynn Stewart and goodreads.com Tex Williams Although not directly associated with country music, Roy Orbison , a favourite of many nation music fans and whose types wound up being influential with many newcomers, died in 1988. Agrarian settlement in eastern and southern Ontario and western Quebec within the early nineteenth century established a good milieu for the survival of many Anglo-Canadian folksongs and broadside ballads from Nice Britain and the US. Regardless of huge industrialization, folks music traditions have continued in lots of areas till in the present day. In the north of Ontario, a big Franco-Ontarian inhabitants saved folks music of French origin alive.

1992Innovation and variety within the standard music industry, 1969-1990. Am. Sociol. Rev. Defends the importance of enthusiastic about mass artwork as a substitute of fashionable art. Though it's not Carroll's primary focus, he often discusses standard music. Since he made his Billboard chart debut in 1964, Hank Williams Jr. has amassed one of the prolific catalogs within the history of the music enterprise, together with eight platinum albums. Hank Jr. was also some of the-awarded artists of his time, winning a trio of Entertainer of the 12 months trophies from the ACM, as well as again-to-back honors from the CMA in 1987 and 1988. Nietzsche aside, philosophy of music has been dominated by the view that the very best music is autonomous and formally complex (John Dewey is nearly alone in defending the vitality of common art during this time period. Sadly, Dewey mentioned little or no about music.). As not too long ago as 1990, philosophy of fashionable music consisted of variations on a single theme. Philosophers defended the twin assumptions that in style music is essentially totally different from serious" or art music, and that the previous is aesthetically inferior to the latter. In consequence, most philosophers who bothered to debate well-liked music targeting figuring out the aesthetic deficiencies inherent in such music. Adolescents usually are not the only young shoppers of widespread music. A examine with a hundred fourth- by sixth-graders revealed that 98% of these kids listened to popular music, seventy two% of them on most days" or each day. 30 Moreover, it has been reported that kids eight to 10 years of age take heed to music an average of 1 hour per day. 25 With many kids and adolescents listening on iPods or different gadgets using headphones, parents could have little information of what their youngsters are listening to. Rhythm and blues (or R&B) was coined as a musical advertising term in the late Forties by Jerry Wexler at Billboard magazine, used to designate upbeat common music carried out by African American artists that mixed jazz and blues. It was initially used to identify the fashion of music that later developed into rock and roll. By the Nineteen Seventies, rhythm and blues was being used as a blanket term to explain soul and funk as nicely. Immediately, the acronym "R&B" is nearly always used as an alternative of "rhythm and blues", and defines the trendy model of the soul and funk influenced African-American pop music that originated with the demise of disco in 1980.

FABBRI, Franco, A Idea of Musical Genres: Two Applications, in: Popular Music Views, pp.fifty two-eighty one, 1982. While house music started as a distinctly American style, the emergence of progressive home within the UK scene within the early Nineteen Nineties turned house music into a world music model. Progressive home grew out of the Nineties UK rave and club scene and saw producers incorporating parts of trance music into the traditional house model. At the moment, some of the world's greatest DJs like Deadmau5, Avicii, https://bernicekiek966.tumblr.com/post/185934742740/essay-on-comparability-between-pop-music-and Zedd, and Tiesto, are part of the progressive home motion.

Frankly I do not care if the music is pop or rock. Simply the tune and the lyrics needs to be my style and smart. I keep on with four rock bands :Disturbed, Evanescence, Breaking Benjamin and Within Temptation, trigger I just feel calm or nice or excited by their music. I am solely speaking about the songs, not the live shows as a result of I reside in India and I've never been to any live shows. One of the essential reasons I don't like pop music much is as a result of they're at all times so cliched. It's either love songs or partying or drugs or sex. I am simply feeling so damned tired of trendy pop music. I'm additionally afraid that rock is developing those type of attitudes and that is why I stick to only four bands. If you happen to guys could recommend a new song for me, publish your touch upon cretoxyrhinamantelli@gmail. com.

[oneweekoneband]

On alternative(s)

Long Wong’s, Tempe bar and early-days Gin Blossoms haunt

The Gin Blossoms got together in Tempe, Arizona in 1987.  In 1987, ‘alternative rock’ hadn’t yet coalesced into the loose association of countercultural(ish) scenes that it would become in the ‘90s—let alone the stock format it would become by the 2010s, the radio equivalent of a chain restaurant where no matter which city you’re in, you can consume the same exact thing.  Things were a little more tenuous, more provisional.  Affinities were more easily drawn locally, within scenes, than nationally or globally.  ‘Alternative rock’ was probably more accurately ‘college rock.’  You had to look left of the dial for the college radio stations that were playing the exciting stuff.

Tempe, Arizona is home to Arizona State University.  In the late ‘80s, Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe was the heart of college nightlife.  For a certain set, ASU nightlife revolved around going to clubs and seeing bands (!).  This is the scene that the Gin Blossoms came up in.  Appropriately for this setting, their earlier shows were drunken, loud, and filled with cover songs.  There was a real spirit of play to the whole thing: their ‘classic lineup’ named themselves “The Del Montes,” taking on, Ramones or Traveling Wilburys-style, the same adopted last name.  Singer Robin Wilson was Biff Del Monte; singer-guitarist Jesse Valenzuela was Pablo Del Monte; guitarist and unofficial bandleader Doug Hopkins was Otis Del Monte; bassist Bill Leen was Soup Bone Del Monte; drummer Phil Rhodes was Guido Del Monte.  They declared themselves brothers in rock.  It was a bond, I’d imagine, forged in the crucible of the frat mixer, the date party, the post-exams-blowing-off-steam-bash, or whatever other events they found themselves playing.  Alternative forms of fraternity.

* * *

In college, I was in a band that played these kinds of events.  We were on the ‘frat circuit,’ if there was such a thing in New Orleans.  The pretexts for these parties ranged from philanthropic to nonexistent.  We played a St. Patrick’s Day-themed house party called “St. Fratty’s Day” that took place, for some reason, in October.  During Mardi Gras, some members of Tulane University’s Greek community would cram into the backs of U-Haul vans and have pledges chauffeur them to our shows.  On one memorable occasion, we opened for Afroman at an on-campus frat charity event.  When Afroman took the stage, he plugged an aux cord into his iPod Classic and we all listened to the click wheel noise as he selected the first song that he’d sing along to in an unabashed act of self-karaoke.  The entirety of Macalister Auditorium, which apparently is the largest freestanding concrete dome in North America (citation needed), quickly filled with pot smoke.  There were cops there, I think, but they must have just given up.

We described the music we played, sort of jokingly but sort of not, as “garage country”—not quite in the same wheelhouse as the Gin Blossoms.  But the thing that sounds familiar to me about the early Gin Blossoms shows, at least the ones I have bootlegs of, is how much fun they are clearly having playing music together.  Yes, it sucks to have people yell “Freebird!” at you.  Yes, it sucks that frat brothers keep trying to shove lit cigarettes in your keyboardist’s mouth.  Yes, Tulane has a serious alcohol problem.  And yes, we know that bands so often end up being toxic hothouses for four or five people’s delusions and insecurities (though for what it’s worth I’ve never been in a band that has gone full-on toxic hothouse).  The history of the Gin Blossoms is in many ways a toxic one.  

But being onstage, adapting to the whole circus as it unfolds, requires a certain being-agile-together.  As things go to hell around you, you find yourself forging alternative forms of fraternity—or sorority, or better yet just plain being-together-with-others—with your bandmates.  Alternative as in alternative to toxicity, alternative to domination, alternative to coercion.  You expand and contract songs without talking about it; you make things louder if people want to dance; you shoot back a few non sequiturs to the crowd.  You let your friends know how much it means to you that they came out to see you.  Maybe you even play Freebird.

In other words: if we understand ‘the political’ as the practice of trying to direct our shared enterprises toward a common good, it’s not that playing music together is a way for us to escape the political, a spectacle that distracts others from the political, or a triumphant act of heavy-handed moralizing that sanitizes the political of all its messiness.  It can certainly be all these things in moments of self-indulgence, but in its best moments, playing music together is an alternative form of the political.  It opens up a space where you can imagine things otherwise—and bring this ‘otherwise’ into existence.  You can write it out in sound, sweat, and motion.

* * *

Gin Blossoms - “If I Only Had a Brain / Sugar Sugar,” live at Chuy’s Night Club, 1990

You can hear this spirit in this (very grainy) bootleg of “If I Only Had a Brain / Sugar Sugar.”  They are not only having fun, cracking each other up.  They are being-agile-together onstage, forging new forms of relationality.  They’re also just playing some wicked cover versions of some kitschy-ass songs.  But for all the talk of the ‘90s being a decade all about irony, irony seems like the wrong word for Doug Hopkins’s gleeful “Pour your fuckin’ sweetness over me!” in “Sugar Sugar.”  It’s something more like enthusiasm, and it’s infectious—both to his bandmates and to anyone who listens.

As a bonus, here’s their cover (a decidedly more polished sounding one) of Big Star’s “Back of a Car”:

Gin Blossoms - Back of a Car [Big Star Cover]

[bassesalinas3-blog]

Streamline The Entire World Connected with Email Marketing

There are quite a few marketing approaches that firms can use to be able to sometimes reach their consumer bottom or bring new prospective customers in their base. Social multimedia marketing, affiliate internet marketing, and web marketing are just a good number of them. An exciting marketing way to note is email marketing, you will certainly find more about within this article. Make certain of all the colors a person use in the email can be neutral. In the event that colors will be too bland, typically the consumer may not want to see the article. On this other hand, if often the hues are too bright, it may frustrate the visitor. Try to stay with neutral colors, like dark-colored, bleak, and white. Any time delivering the email as part of your advertising and marketing campaign, do not apply a informal font. Anyone want customers to consider your own personal item or business really, and they probably can certainly not do that with a uncommon font. Opt for out a font that is well known, like as Occasions Roman Numeral, Arial or even Verdana. Steer clear of renting as well as purchasing lists to protect your email marketing databases. Certainly funnel360 do an individual not recognize if this emails you have acquired are truly your target market, but the lists can actually damage your deliver-ability rates together with ultimately your reputation. As far as possible, build the list organically. Before making use of email marketing, create a good test e mail and send out it into a friend or perhaps family member. Funnel360 Review can easily see how the message appears and give a person feedback. By doing this, if almost any changes must be made, an individual can do that before sending the emails out to customers. The beginning and even final result of your marketing email ought to include a call to action for your customers. Be clear regarding what you want your own client to do, and contain at least two evident one way links to your own personal site. Use clear ideas that direct your buyers to the offer your e mail is definitely promoting. It is usually very smart to possess people double opt-in so that you can receive email messages via you. This can seem similar to some sort of lot, nonetheless it assures that the person will be interested in receiving messages, thus it eliminates the likelihood that you or your email service company gets into any trouble. For you to get the most out associated with each email you deliver, try to focus each meaning on a single clear, exact concept. Your own personal readers should know exactly what you are trying to claim within just the first small number of moments of reading often the message. Give them a call to action that is definitely clear, and that these people can easily respond to. Apply words that are appropriate to the market anyone are centering on in the marketing materials. For illustration, when you are writing marketing resources for new scientific products, use words for instance "new, " "advanced" or even "state-of-the-art" that are normally utilized in that business. Using funnel360 will guide increase your products' charm to your customers. Employ a proactive approach in your own emails. The e-mail a person send should straight inform the recipients whatever they should be doing. Add one way links and make them have out by means of telling you exactly what people will find with this page. You can mirror all these parts in equally the bottom together with major part of your communication. Anyone might find that it is a good plan to devote a modest portion of each and every marketing email you mail out to in short , reviewing what your subscribers may expect from you. By funnel360 review of demonstrating that you possess a plan for your e-mails and you are adhering to it, you could motivate your readers' have faith in and make them not as likely to grow tired associated with your messages. Don't have yourself in trouble by means of not getting permission. This particular is sending junk email and a person could be penalized for this as well as acquiring all your mail rejected, which could damage your enterprise irrevocably. By way of getting authorization to use email advertising and marketing, you will be producing positive interactions with shoppers who will keep coming back. Retain all involving your branding in your current email consistent with your own personal business. Have a tendency make your own personal email appear as if the idea connected to another company. Try to stick together with your normal colors, tone of voice, and fonts so of which the readers can know that the email is by you and so they will go through it. Equilibrium when anyone send emails. Giving them all too frequently will come throughout as spam and could cause you to lose readers. Definitely not emailing frequent enough will make the recipients experience like they also have wasted time period signing up for e-mail that they're definitely not receiving plenty of of. Recall your current goals and even market consequently you can pick a happy medium for your own personal campaign's occurrence. When pursuing up with consumers, try out following up with a new sale schedule. Consist of the link in order regarding them to view this specific schedule. The end regarding the e mail could enlighten them that they can get all the essentials on this great deals program by clicking on the hyperlink that was provided in order to them. Include an audit memo within the follow-up e-mails that you give in order to your clients. Paste a hyperlink on your message that will tells them to get this at the moment. The concluding postscript could very well persuade these kinds of clients this description now is this time for them for you to go through good results, and they can do thus simply by following the link given. Employ email marketing along with a select band of respected consumers. This way, you are able to create an elite record of customers who may feel valued actually acquiring special offers and special offers from you. It may even stimulate people which are certainly not part involving your email club in order to make even more purchases throughout order to receive all these special campaigns. Use multi-part messages to cover your messages. Emails that have got both simple text content material and HTML exist, in addition to they can display accurately regardless of the option that the individual enjoys. Sending out these messages is worth it for the reason that plain-text readers won't remain fell to HTML-only results with regard to a long period of time. You may already know, presently there is a wide selection of promoting techniques that businesses require to communicate with recent in addition to potential customers. Amid these are social media, net marketing, and of training, e-mail marketing. After reading the information introduced in this kind of article, you should presently get more information on email marketing in addition to how to use this.

[thejokersenigma]

Joker x Reader x Bruce Wayne - Plan B(ruce) Part 2

Ok, so this has a sudden Christmas theme (not that much - it just happens to be Christmas) because I wrote this as part of my Christmas advent calendar - that is also why its so short because I've only had a few hours to work on it! Hope you enjoy it anyway!

MASTERLIST

J had been right. This was the best room in the house. This was probably the best room in the whole city. It was situated at the very top of the Wayne Enterprise Tower and the room took up the whole floor, the walls on my left and right made completely of glass that showed the breath-taking view over the city on either side. Not only was the view gorgeous, but the room itself had been lavishly decorated with expensive festive decorations – a large, extravagant tree next to the small stage which had been decked in tinsel and lights where a live Jazz band played upbeat Christmas songs, wreaths on each window, golden embroidered table cloths, mistletoe on the pillars, candles in brackets that gave off a distinctly Christmassy smell.

It was beautiful and made me feel like I’d just won the lottery.

I’d made J buy my dress for me – knowing he could afford it - and I hadn’t held back on the price label.

That would teach him to use me like this.

But then, I couldn’t help thinking as I looked around, this night didn’t look like it was going to be complete torture. Everyone looked just as stunning, all making the most of the free open bar and the dainty canapes handed out by servers whilst they gossiped away, or swayed to the tunes performed on the stage.

But who was it I was supposed to be talking to again?

I helped myself to one of the glasses of champagne that were being handed out at the entrance, then stepped my way delicately to the side of the room, trying to look like I belonged there. I sipped at the alcohol as I wandered the perimeter of the room, surveying the room and the company that milled noisily in the centre, occasionally unable to help my glancing out the tall windows at the city that way laid out before me.

Most people in the room seemed to have paired up – whether because they arrived that way, or that was the way these socialites just gathered, I wasn’t sure – and I couldn’t help but wish that J was with me, so I didn’t appear so lost on my own.

Despite this, I made sure to enjoy myself amongst the riches none the less – after all how often was it that I would be able to pretend to be an aristocrat and all the perks that came with it? I made sure though, to keep an eye out for my target – the infamous Bruce Wayne. I had seen him in enough news reports and newspaper articles to know vaguely what he looked like, but I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to pick him out amongst all these other men business men in their identical suits.

Ok, enough of being on the outskirts of this part, it was time to dive into it now that I’d had a bit of liquid courage. I placed my empty glass on a cloth covered table in one of the corners of the room, then confidently sashayed my way into the middle of the room. I could feel the eyes on me, the stranger amongst them all, but I didn’t falter in my strides, walking like I outranked them all, like I had important matter to attend to - though I actually had no idea where I was going or what I was doing.

Despite my upturned nose and important air, I kept my eyes on the people I passed, scanning for a face that matched the picture in my head. When I finally neared the other side of the room my eyes fell on the large balcony lit with fairy lights. I headed for this.

A group of 4 people entered back into the room as I left it, none of them bothering to hold the door open for me and I scowled out into the darkness at this - clearly manners did cost something, and these people weren’t willing to pay it.

I was the only one out here now, and I understood why, the balcony had been built slightly into the building to lessen the strength of the wind at this height, but it was still freezing out here. I wrapped my arms around my chest against the cold and walked up to the railing, leaning my arms on it and looking out at the lights of the city. I could see the windows of office buildings where late night workers were still at their desks, the bright advertisement bill boards that stood tall and garish against the dark sky and the streets below were lined with tacky lit names of casinos and clubs.

“Quite a view isn’t it?” Came a voice from behind me, the tone of the voice deep and soft.

I played it cool, not bothering to turn, my eyes on the landscape before me. “Yes it is.” I agreed.

The man came up next to me then, but I still didn’t bother to turn. He copied my position, leaning over and resting his elbows on the balcony railing. “Bit cold though isn’t? Especially in a dress like that.” He said, and I saw him glance me up and down.

I turned to look at him now, crossing my arms and leaning my hip into the barrier, shooting him an unimpressed raised eyebrow at his last statement. The light behind the man threw his face into shadow, but the more I listened to his voice, the more familiar it was. “And just what is that supposed to mean, Mr Wayne?”

“Oh nothing.” Bruce Wayne defended quickly, realising his mistake and turning to face me as well, “Only that your dress doesn’t really protect your arms against this wind.” He said gesturing to the sky.

I laughed at how nervous I had made him – clearly, he wasn’t a man that was often poked fun at. “Don’t worry.” I brushed it off, “I’m only teasing.” I smirked, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “I’m [Y/N].” I said, holding out a hand in a sign of peace.

Bruce took it gratefully, “I guess you already know who I am.”

His hand was strong, and surprisingly rough for a business man. “Of course, Mr Wayne.” I smiled at him warmly. He had a nice feel to him.

“Call me Bruce.” He insisted.

“Ok, Bruce.” I nodded, releasing his hand. “I do have to ask though, why are you out here, when the party is in there?” I asked, gesturing back towards the door.

“Honestly I’m not one for parties…” He admitted rather sheepishly, “But it kind of comes with the job.”

“Of being the owner of a multi-million-dollar company, or of being a billionaire bachelor?” I teased.

“Both.” He laughed, and I laughed with him.

“What about you?” He asked, “Parties your scene?”

I considered this for a moment. “Not really.” I said truthfully. “I’m more of an all work, no play kinda gal.”

“Might explain why I’ve never seen you around.” He said.

I knew my lines well and didn’t even hesitated before I said, “Well I’m new to Gotham, first event I’ve been invited to.” I explained. “So, I appear to be the stranger that everyone gawks at.”

“I’m sure that’s not the only reason they’re gawking.” Said Bruce and I couldn’t help but blush at his smooth flirtation.

We chatted a bit longer about this and that. I stuck as close to the truth as possible, so I didn’t get too lost in a web of lies – I told him I ran a highly successful line of restaurants and was hoping to start one up on Gotham. He seemed genuinely interested and it almost made me feel bad. He seemed a nice bloke, but also quite simple. Getting information from him shouldn’t be too hard.

It wasn’t long before he was offering his jacket for my shoulders – which I gratefully accepted – and then eventually he led me back to dance for a while – under the promise that it was to ‘warm up’.

Bruce was such good company, in fact, that I almost forgot the reason I was there in the first place – happily chatting away about anything and everything – the things I didn’t need to lie about like my dream holiday, favourite colour and other silly details that we somehow got onto.

Yes, I had almost forgot why I was at the party, that was until Bruce asked about my love-life. I was sure he was wondering if he could put the moves on me, but I was promptly reminded of J and the original plan for the evening. Shit. I muttered something about it being complicated – because it honestly was. I didn’t know what I was to J – a stress release? An easy fuck? Or something more? And I didn’t know what I was to J – did I love him? I felt like I could do, maybe, but did I right now? It was complicated.

Bruce didn’t push the question any further, but now I had been reminded I changed my head back to business and knew I needed to start asking the man a few more specific questions I had runover with J earlier that day.

“So, what –“

Bruce glanced down at his watch that flashed something – maybe an alarm? Then snapped his gaze back to mine. “I’m really sorry, [Y/N], I hate to suddenly run, but I’ve got an important meeting in the morning that I need to be slightly coherent for.” Bruce said with a small apologetic smile.

I smiled back in understanding at this, though inwardly I cursed at the shit timing and my lack of concentration on my job all evening. J wasn’t going to be impressed if I went back to him empty handed, especially when I made him fork out so much for this night. I had to pull this back somehow.

“Bruce, I –“ I started.

“Would it –“ Bruce said at the same time.

“Sorry.” We both apologised, like a cheesy chick flick couple.

I gestured at him, “Go for it.”

“I just wanted to know if I’ll see you again soon?” Bruce asked, with a raised eyebrow.

“Uh –“ That took me by surprise, “Yeah, sure. That would be nice.” That hadn’t even been a lie just to see him again to gain some information - it would actually be nice to see him again.

He smiled at me, then glanced at his watch again. “Ok, now I really have to leave.” He said, though he seemed reluctant.

“Go.” I said.

He wavered.

“Go!” I laughed, shoving at him playfully, and he exaggerated the movement, leaning further away from me than I could ever hope to have pushed him. I smirked at his good humour until he then swung back and planted a surprising kiss on my cheek.

My eyes widened momentarily, but then I quickly gathered myself back together again. “Smooth.” I mocked with a smug smile. “Now go!” I cried with a laugh, shoving him again, making sure this time that I pushed him solidly in the back toward the exit.

“Ok…” He sighed dramatically and headed off with a last wave in my direction.

I gave him a small wave back, unable to help myself smiling after him. It was nice to talk to a guy that I wasn’t always trying to second guess the meaning behind his words or actions like I was with J. J never did anything without a reason. But Bruce was more of an open book - I doubted there was anything hidden behind what he did.

Tags: @gemma60

[mobiledevelopmentservices-blog1]

Must have features for developing a fitness application

It is no news that most people are crazy about fitness in today’s world. Everyone is concerned about their health and fitness because of widespread consciousness that is raised about fitness.

People are ready to do anything to stay healthy and fit and they are sparing no expenses. A helpful addition to the fitness world is fitness apps that when installed help the users further their fitness quotient.

There are a lot of fitness apps available in the market both on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. It totally depends upon your fitness goals that which app you want to choose.

Fitness apps can be of various types, they can either be simple and measure things like the number of kilometers you’ve run to more complex functions such as calories consumed in a single day, etc. These apps keep a track of food eaten, suggest diet charts and even exercise routines.

Fitness App Development

Everyone is busy nowadays and these apps help you to stay fit. So, if you are an enterprise or a startup looking to get into the healthcare industry this is an ideal time to develop a fitness app.

For developing any application, you need to decide the ecosystem for which you want to get your app developed. There are only two dominating OS ruling the smartphone market –

iOS

Android

For developing health and fitness application, you can either hire experienced iOS developers and Android app developers or you can hire a software development company to get your app developed.

Some interesting facts about the Health & Fitness Industry

The chart above suggests revenues from wearables in billions of US Dollars, and as the forecast for 2019 suggests, wearables business will continue to rise.

According to Statista’s report, the fitness application which analyzes the fitness reports like running status or weight lifted is going to be most popular in coming days.

By 2021 the fitness market will show significant growth, so now it’s the right time for startups to get into the industry. If you’re already thinking about creating a fitness application, let’s have a look at what types of them you might build.

Different types of  fitness apps

Activity tracking apps

Workout and exercise apps

Nutrition apps

Activity tracking apps

Activity tracking apps are mostly for people who don’t go to the Gym or are not fond of physical activities, however, nonetheless, want to ensure that they move sufficiently.

Such type of application counts the number of steps and calories burn. With the help of GPS, they could track the distance walked.

Most interesting functions is sleep quality estimation and the smart alarm clock which wake up the user at some point in the REM sleep phase and making the person awake quickly without any problems.

Most of the apps which monitored the user activity can be paired with the wearable device.

Workout and exercise apps

Workout apps have broadest features on the list. As the name implies, they’re centered on workouts. Its foremost purpose is to reveal the user what physical exercise to do and provide an explanation for exactly the way to do them.

There are lots of examples of fitness apps, and their unique features.

However, Fitness applications are divided into 3 types:

Personal training apps

Logbook apps

Workout apps that pair with devices

Let’s start with the first category

Personal training apps

The main idea right here is to provide an exercising complex that may be tailored to each consumer. Customers just need to select a stage of complexity and a set of physical activities they prefer.

Usually, a personal trainer at the gym makes sure people do exercises nicely, however with these applications user don’t need to pay for the health club anymore – 3D models, videos, or just specified descriptions give an explanation for how to carry out each exercise.

6 Week Training, FitnessBuilder Plus, and iWOD Fitness are a few of the most popular apps of this kind.

Logbook apps

Logbook apps are like a to-do listing and basically just store data about workouts. HeavySet, Fitbod, and Stacked are well-known examples of logbook apps. Preset libraries with sporting events and a huge preference for exercising workouts are available for the customers in these apps.

Workout apps that pair with devices

Workout apps are an excellent choice for those sports lovers who can’t consider an exercise without a fitness band or some other type of wearable device. All of the statistics that wearable gadgets accumulate straight away shows up on the display of the cell phone.

Nutrition apps

These application help user to control their weight by way of counting calories consumed and burned, controlling water stability, and inspiring healthful ingesting habits. They can also assist to track how much coffee they drink and how to hold body fat, weight, and percentage in control.

Setting personal goals is the main consciousness of such apps. If a person has a hard time sticking to healthy nutrients, the app will assist to create grocery buying lists, and even gather healthy food recipes!

A few of the best-rated applications of this type are HealthyOut, Calorie Counter, Food Dairy, and MyPlate Calories Tracker. Read More

[lilywatson090]

Must-have features for developing a fitness application

It is no news that most people are crazy about fitness in today’s world. Everyone is concerned about their health and fitness because of widespread consciousness that is raised about fitness.

People are ready to do anything to stay healthy and fit and they are sparing no expenses. A helpful addition to the fitness world is fitness apps that when installed help the users further their fitness quotient.

There are a lot of fitness apps available in the market both on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. It totally depends upon your fitness goals that which app you want to choose.

Fitness apps can be of various types, they can either be simple and measure things like the number of kilometers you’ve run to more complex functions such as calories consumed in a single day, etc. These apps keep a track of food eaten, suggest diet charts and even exercise routines.

Fitness App Development Everyone is busy nowadays and these apps help you to stay fit. So, if you are an enterprise or a startup looking to get into the healthcare industry this is an ideal time to develop a fitness app.

For developing any application, you need to decide the ecosystem for which you want to get your app developed. There are only two dominating OS ruling the smartphone market –

iOS Android For developing health and fitness application, you can either hire experienced iOS developers and Android app developers or you can hire a software development company to get your app developed.

Some interesting facts about the Health & Fitness Industry

The chart above suggests revenues from wearables in billions of US Dollars, and as the forecast for 2019 suggests, wearables business will continue to rise.

According to Statista’s report, the fitness application which analyzes the fitness reports like running status or weight lifted is going to be most popular in coming days.

By 2021 the fitness market will show significant growth, so now it’s the right time for startups to get into the industry. If you’re already thinking about creating a fitness application, let’s have a look at what types of them you might build.

Different types of  fitness apps Activity tracking apps Workout and exercise apps Nutrition apps Activity tracking apps Activity tracking apps are mostly for people who don’t go to the Gym or are not fond of physical activities, however, nonetheless, want to ensure that they move sufficiently.

Such type of application counts the number of steps and calories burn. With the help of GPS, they could track the distance walked.

Most interesting functions is sleep quality estimation and the smart alarm clock which wake up the user at some point in the REM sleep phase and making the person awake quickly without any problems.

Most of the apps which monitored the user activity can be paired with the wearable device.

Workout and exercise apps Workout apps have broadest features on the list. As the name implies, they’re centered on workouts. Its foremost purpose is to reveal the user what physical exercise to do and provide an explanation for exactly the way to do them.

There are lots of examples of fitness apps, and their unique features.

However, Fitness applications are divided into 3 types:

Personal training apps Logbook apps Workout apps that pair with devices Let’s start with the first category

Personal training apps The main idea right here is to provide an exercising complex that may be tailored to each consumer. Customers just need to select a stage of complexity and a set of physical activities they prefer.

Usually, a personal trainer at the gym makes sure people do exercises nicely, however with these applications user don’t need to pay for the health club anymore – 3D models, videos, or just specified descriptions give an explanation for how to carry out each exercise.

6 Week Training, FitnessBuilder Plus, and iWOD Fitness are a few of the most popular apps of this kind.

Logbook apps Logbook apps are like a to-do listing and basically just store data about workouts. HeavySet, Fitbod, and Stacked are well-known examples of logbook apps. Preset libraries with sporting events and a huge preference for exercising workouts are available for the customers in these apps.

Workout apps that pair with devices Workout apps are an excellent choice for those sports lovers who can’t consider an exercise without a fitness band or some other type of wearable device. All of the statistics that wearable gadgets accumulate straight away shows up on the display of the cell phone.

Nutrition apps These application help user to control their weight by way of counting calories consumed and burned, controlling water stability, and inspiring healthful ingesting habits. They can also assist to track how much coffee they drink and how to hold body fat, weight, and percentage in control.

Setting personal goals is the main consciousness of such apps. If a person has a hard time sticking to healthy nutrients, the app will assist to create grocery buying lists, and even gather healthy food recipes!

A few of the best-rated applications of this type are HealthyOut, Calorie Counter, Food Dairy, and MyPlate Calories Tracker.

14 must-have features for the fitness app

Account creation Accounts are vital due to the fact they allow customers to save the information and maintain their information if they change gadgets.

Adding personal info The ability to add personal information is vital due to the fact the diet or workout programs for your app must be set according to a user’s age, weight, height, and other physical parameters. Calculating workouts based on personal statistics makes the workouts more individual and is usually favored by means of the user who are worried about health problems. Here are the forms of facts that your fitness app desires to collect:

Age Gender Height Weight Your application additionally must be satisfactory to use, so add profile photos to make it even more personalized. And don’t forget to offer measurements in both imperial units (pounds, ft) or metric units (kilos, meters). They should be optional, due to the fact your users might be used to the different system, in order that they won’t recognize feet, if they may be used to meters.

Pre-set exercise routines This option is unique to workout apps. The primary problem with maximum workout apps is that the routines can’t be customized. We suggest making routines customization because it’s handier for users.

Setting targets Fitness app lets the person set targets. Crossfit apps want to have objectives for workout routines, while activity tracking apps need to have targets for the range of steps or hours of sleep. While it comes to diet apps, objectives might be calorie limits or pounds lost. The target is that the user wants to stay inspired. The user ought to see clearly what they’re striving for.

Integrating with other services The best and most handy way to sign up an account in an app is through social networks. With social logins, users can immediately see all their friends who use the same app and may begin publishing their results on social media. Firstly, this will increase motivation because the user can see their friends’ progress. Secondly, it brings extra users to an app once they see their friends’ achievements.

Read More

[whittlebaggett8]

A music executive at one of the world’s biggest talent agencies says hip hop is the new rock and roll, and Travis Scott is the new rock star, Defence Online

caption

Travis Scott is a modern rock star, according to one music executive.

source

Scott Legato/Getty Images

Brian Ahern is co-head of the London music division of William Morris Entertainment (WME), one of the biggest talent agencies in the world.

He told Defence Online that the concept of a “rock star” is evolving.

He believes hip hip is so widely accepted now that it’s “probably the new rock and roll,” and the likes of Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar are the new rock stars.

Along with traditional musicians like Drake and Rihanna, the agency works with digital stars and influencers like Casey Neistat and Lily Singh.

Ahern believes these modern artists are rock stars in their own right, too.

Brian Ahern knows the music industry inside and out.

He started in the mailroom of William Morris Entertainment (WME), an Endeavour network talent agency which is one of the biggest in the world and looks after actors, musicians, athletes, and authors like Rihanna, Drake, Ryan Reynolds, Adele, Oprah Winfrey, Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, and Serena Williams.

Now, he heads up the company’s entire music division in London.

Ahern told Defence Online he originally studied finance and was “not really a music guy” until he met with a Hollywood producer in Los Angeles who suggested he try working for a talent agency.

He applied to a number of agencies and was hired by WME in LA, where he worked in the mailroom for nine months before going on to work as a line agent for indie bands. He became an assistant to Lollapalooza cofounder Marc Geiger (head of music at WME), which he said taught him a lot about the “backbone of the music industry.”

“He [was] representing bands like The Pixies and Nine Inch Nails,” he said. “I got a lot of perspective of the business – not just booking bands. I worked with him for almost two years and then he sent me on the road.”

caption

Brian Ahern, co-head of music at WME.

source

WME

Ahern worked as a tour manager “jumping off trucks and tour buses” across the US, which he said is something “a lot of agents don’t have experience doing.”

From 2005, he became an agent doing what he called the “normal day job” of booking shows for artists and bands, including rappers and DJs.

He even went on to run the EDM department with a colleague, overseeing the DJ business, which involved Las Vegas and was a “cool experience.”

Read more: DJs like Laidback Luke say their mental health is being damaged by the brutal pressures of the music industry

In 2016, Geiger asked him to move to London to run the music department alongside co-head David Levy – a role Ahern has been doing for two and a half years.

His role mainly involves coordinating with the company’s offices and teams around the world and working out how to grow the business. However, he still books shows and festivals for his own clients, which he explained is the main job of a talent agent.

The role of the talent agent

caption

Brian Ahern, second from left, with the band Toto and WME agent Rob Markus, second from right.

source

Brain Ahern

Ahern calls the artist the “CEO of their enterprise,” but added that they “outsource a lot of their responsibilities on a day-to-day [basis] because they’re supposed to be creative individuals.”

“I think ultimately the artist is the decision-maker in every equation, [but] they may trust people to make a lot of decisions for them,” he added.

These people include lawyers, publicists, an “army of people at record labels” including marketing, in-house publicists, and A&R people, then business managers “doing the finance and number crunching and making sure they can afford to live,” financial planners for people who “have a lot of money and want to invest it,” plus the manager, who Ahern called “the epicenter of overseeing a lot on their behalf,” from “making sure the kids get picked up from school” to “dealing with the finances and talking to the lawyer about what they need to be doing.”

Then there’s the talent agent, who traditionally books shows and events on behalf of an artist.

“Some artists only require us to book shows and that’s a one-dimensional job at times,” Ahern said.

Read more: DJs like Laidback Luke say their mental health is being damaged by the brutal pressures of the music industry

The booking process involves looking at the festivals and shows happening over the next few years and figuring out when and where an artist wants to play.

“Somebody we represent globally, we look at when’s the best time to be in Australia, when’s the best time to be in Asia, similarly Europe, the UK, US, South America, Mexico,” Ahern said.

“Lollapalooza is in South America around March, we want to be there, we want to be at Coachella in April, Glastonbury in June, Reading and Leeds in August – we look at those things.”

caption

From left: WME agent Simon Clarkson, Head of Music Marc Geiger, and Brian Ahern at Lollapalooza Paris.

source

Brain Ahern

He added that there are some venues that are considered to be prestigious because they’ve been associated with historic artists.

“If you’re a big Zeppelin fan and you know they did something at [London’s Royal] Albert Hall, you might say ‘I really want to do something at Albert Hall someday,’” he said. “Some of it’s alignment with personal goals of the artist – they might be interested in stadiums, they might be interested in small clubs that service their fanbase.”

He added that performing at the likes of Coachella, New York’s Governors Ball, Glastonbury, or Reading “lends credibility” to an artist.

“In the past it used to be a lot more album cycle driven – the record drops here so we’d have to figure out where to tour on the back of that. Now it’s a little bit more [about] where are the looks we want to get, where do we gain notoriety, where do we gain market share [or] the most eyeballs?”

He added that venues have availability issues and there are “bumps along the way.”

“Someone gets sick and we have to make adjustments, all the way through to fulfillment when the tour happens,” he said.

Artist first, musician second

However, he said that at WME, the role of the booking agent has involved into more of a “consultant.”

“We still do our primary function and responsibility, [but] the agency has other wings and departments to service clients needs, so if they want to write a book or star in a movie or go into business or whatever it is, we’re here to employ ourselves in that way as well. As a full service agency we want to help the artist build their career across the world.”

“We’re here to fulfill their desires but also be the expert in the room, the doctor you go to for advice. You don’t go in and tell your doctor ‘This is how you’re going to operate on my leg,’ the doctor says what’s best for you to get better.”

WME has helped artists get into movies (either through acting or getting a spot on the soundtrack) or land brand partnerships, like becoming the face of Coach or Rolls Royce.

“My colleagues are able to jump into those arrangements and say, ‘Here’s the right brand to be associated with, here’s what we can get from that.”

“Obviously sometimes [these deals] arise because of their own notoriety, but often times we bring those opportunities to them directly and solicit for them on their behalf.”

Read more: Rihanna has a reported net worth of $260 million- here’s how she built her diverse empire

There are a few other unexpected tasks that come up along the way, too.

“Tyler the Creator built a festival in LA we were heavily involved with,” Ahern said. “He’s a genius and creative mastermind… but we have a team that were able to help him.

“You may look at an [artist] as an actor first, as a musician first, but we look at them as an artist. Putting them into multiple places is important.”

Digital celebrities

Part of Hen’s job has also involved learning to adapt to the constantly changing concept of what a celebrity or artist actually is.

Along with its Motion Picture, Television, Endorsement, Music, Theater, Book, Sports, and Speakers divisions, WME also now has a “Digital” business, looking after the likes of YouTube stars and influencers like Joe Sugg (8.5 million YouTube subscribers), gamer JackSepticEye (20 million YouTube subscribers), Casey Neistat (11 million subscribers), and Lily Singh (14.5 million YouTube subscribers.

caption

YouTube star Joe Sugg.

source

BBC

“Kids are looking into small screens rather than big screens, or both, and that has created new stars and celebrities, which is why we have a digital department at WME that’s global,” Ahern said. “I think your Jake Paul or Lily Singh or Casper Lee or Joe Sugg or whoever it is, those people are rock stars in their own right now too.

“They may not play music every day – though Joe does music as part of his discipline – but I think some of those other people, they have their own credibility, their own sway in the marketplace as a result of being present in kids’ lives every day.”

Read more: The 10 highest-paid YouTubers include the Paul brothers and a 7-year-old toy reviewer – here’s the full list

Ahern added that the distribution of content “leads to more opportunities for these artists, more tours, more everything.”

“We took a company mandate a few years ago to sign as many of them as humanly possible right off the bat to make sure we were positioning ourselves to be competitive in the long run with the next crop of talent. Digital talent is just talent in general… they’re just traditional talent, traditional actors, musicians in the making, they’re just breaking in a different medium and they’re doing it themselves in a lot of ways.”

caption

Seán McLoughlin AKA JackSepticEye.

source

WME

“We recognized that eventually they were going to populate a lot of the big screens just like they did the little screens, and [we’d] probably see them some day next to a Hugh Jackman or Matt Damon or whomever it is… Some of them want to stay in their bedrooms and do what they do because they’re good at it and they get paid well, that’s what they’re comfortable with, but some of them want to go on tour and do a podcast and so different stuff.”

He added that the money they earn is comparable to other non-digital A-list celebrities, too.

“Digital talent doesn’t have a ceiling,” he said. “You can’t draw a distinction between an entire genre and another genre to say this one sells better than that one, but demand is demand – if people want to see something, they want to pay to see it.

“Some of the digital or YouTube stars or podcasts that we tour, tour similarly to some of the other live events that we book.”

The new ‘rock stars’

caption

Kendrick Lamar.

source

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Ahern said within the company, there are a lot of debates about “what a rock star is any more.”

“I think obviously there are people that are popular for very different reasons, whether it’s their fashion influence or their musical influence or whatever it is. I grew up looking at a rock star as a Robert Plant or a Kurt Cobain or whatever it was, [but that has] certainly evolved.

“There are examples like that now, but the Travis Scotts of the world are rock stars. They definitely are. The Kendrick Lamars are rock stars… It doesn’t mean you’re not a rock star if you just rap now.”

Read more: Kendrick Lamar just became the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music

He added that hip hop is “so across the board accepted now [that] it’s grown to a place where it’s probably the new rock and roll.”

“You play guitar, you can be a rock star. You can be a DJ [too] – Skrillex is a rock star.

“When you become an iconic artist who has influence culturally, not just with your music but with the words you say and the associations you make and the choices you make as a brand filter or cultural filter or whatever you want to call it, those people are rock stars. They’re the people people want to look up to.”

‘I want to remember what I was capable of doing’

While his mindset may have changed throughout his career, Ahern has had the chance to work with plenty of traditional rock stars, too.

He’s also seen plenty of them live – a clear perk of the job.

He recalled seeing the Foo Fighters with his mom when he was a kid – she worked for Delta Air Lines and was able to bring him on trips for free.

“I missed Nirvana which is my favourite band ever,” he said. “I begged my mom to let me go see the Foos… I saw this amazing show. I’ve never sweated so much in my life. It was great.”

Other gig highlights for Ahern include a sound check with Nine Inch Nails when they re-formed the band, and standing on stage when the Pixies got back together in 2004.

“I have every laminate, every ticket, every backstage pass because I want to remember what I was capable of doing and what I had access to,” he said. “I’m very lucky.”

The post A music executive at one of the world’s biggest talent agencies says hip hop is the new rock and roll, and Travis Scott is the new rock star, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

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[wewerepromisedsomuch]

Live Review: The xx - Birmingham

Artist: The xx

Venue:  O2 Academy, Birmingham, UK

Date: 21st June 2016

Rating: 9.0/10

Today is the hottest day of the year – a scorching 32 degrees and it goes without saying that Birmingham’s O2 Academy is a sweatbox. Upon the venue’s stage stand three black clad bodies that omit an icy cool. The closest thing to fire and ice, The xx’s immaculate music is a bobbing ice cube in the O2’s bowl of steaming human soup. Later this week the London trio will grace Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, playing underneath headliners Radiohead – tonight is the outfit’s warm up show before the big event.

It’s evident from the moment ‘Intro’ cuts through the darkness and crowd chatter like a laser guided missile that The xx have stepped up a gear; they’re no longer introspective and inward gazing like their former 2009 selves. The trio ooze a low key assured poise, the front pairing of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim sashay in and out of one another’s shadows whilst bounding across the O2’s sizeable stage. Physically they’re on the same wavelength as they are vocally – trading lines and playing off each other with a telepathic rapport. Elevated above his two band mates, the sonic architect of The xx, Jamie Smith mans an impressive transparent set up that looks like it’s been lifted from the Starship enterprise. Bounding from one piece of gadgetry to another, witnessing Smith at work is something to behold.

There’s a precision to The xx that captivates the heaving Birmingham crowd – on record their faultless and in the live environment, their levels of perfection are given a touch of experimentation and re-imagination. ‘Shelter’s fragile husk is transformed into a beat-driven banger, with Smith working overtime to create a dancier edge to the one-time intimate, vulnerable track. Prior to this ‘Fiction’ has a similar metamorphosis – swelling from a waif-like nucleus to a ball of glowing white-noise. The xx have always been influenced by UK and US dance music, Smith especially, and those touchpoints overflow in the last third of tonight’s consummate performance. The climax comes in the guise of ‘Loud Places’, taken from Smith’s solo debut LP ‘In Colour’. At this point in the set, both crowd and band are unified as one, hollering back Croft’s vocals as the stage is bathed in a kaleidoscopic pallet of colour. Club culture and dancefloor idiosyncrasies frame The xx’s Birmingham show – with songs blending into one; case in point as ‘Intro’ stealthily evolves into ‘Dangerous’ which then seamlessly segues into ‘I Dare You’.

One side of tonight’s spectrum is conveyed by The xx’s new fondness for the upbeat but they’ve not abandoned their knack of creating atmosphere with the most minimal facets. Croft’s solo take on ‘Performance’ makes time standstill as the focus is centred just on the singer’s effortless voice and shadowy guitar tones. The feeling of sentiment comes rippling out of the aching ‘Brave for You’; another song that uses pockets of silence in the same way bands use squalling walls of sound. After all, sometimes a whisper can be just as effective as a shout. ‘Angel’s heavenly chime induces another collective gasp from the Birmingham contingent; as simple as it is beautiful, Croft’s hushed tones and trilling guitar induces another rapturous sing-a-long.

Two things become very clear; The xx have no reason to warm up – they’re match fit and ready to go. Also, it won’t be long until the noir loving three piece are topping the bill at Worthy Farm in the not so dim and distant future.

Photography by Naomi Abbs

[wlulex]

Lex is For Life: A Closer Look at Local Alums

The first semester of the 2016-2017 school year is over. We’re already waving goodbye to #wluParents, #wluYAW, Thanksgiving break, and winter vacation in the rearview mirror. The year is going quickly, I don’t think it’s going to slow down any time soon.

So, a bit of advice from me-- 

If you’re a first-year: 

Enjoy yourself and your time here! Embrace the knowledge that you have three more years left on campus before you too must boldly go where we all eventually (and reluctantly) go: the real world. Enjoy every second, and take advantage of all the awesome opportunities the university and the town afford undergrads such as yourself.

And, if you’re a senior:

Real life is swiftly approaching, and no matter how much you may want it, you can’t be an undergrad forever. Nothing gold can stay, Ponyboy, not even the golden years you spend in Lex Vegas. 

*sigh*

However: DON’T PANIC! For 267 years, Washington and Lee has graduated students, and for 267 years, students have felt a similar reluctance to go forth and graduate. The passion students share for the town of Lexington is part of what makes our college years here so special, and many graduates have gone on to transform their passions into a career of making Lexington a better, more vibrant city. 

Alums of all ages have found the perfect balance between a successful, fulfilling professional career and idyllic small town life in Lexington. A combination of exciting business opportunities, a nostalgic setting, and a welcoming community makes our city the perfect place to start a career or to begin your life’s second act.

Read on for future career inspiration, local businesses to check out, and affirmation that life only gets better after graduation. 

Spencer McElroy graduated from Washington and Lee in 2009 with a degree in Physics, before completing three more semesters at UVA to finish his pre-med degree. As a student, Spencer was on the soccer team, was a member of the Williams Investment Society, played in multiple student bands, and was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. One of his coolest achievements as an undergrad was cofounding the Elysian Fields Music Festival in 2008 with two other W&L alums, Teddy Grover and Doug Zimmerman. 

Spencer McElroy, ‘09

Today, Spencer is “the Executive Director of the non-profit Lime Kiln Arts, Inc. in Lexington, which operates Lime Kiln Theater. My responsibilities include artist booking, special events, venue management, grants, sponsorships, and all around business management.” In addition, he is active in real estate development in the area and the interim managing director for two Texas-based companies, Haugen Consulting and Haugen Software-- owners of both companies live here as well. He returned to Lexington from Charleston, SC in 2012 to renovate a foreclosure property on Lee Avenue, was offered the Lime Kiln opportunity nine months later, and has been in town ever since.

“I was determined to be my own boss, and the low cost-of-living coupled with entrepreneurial opportunities and my experience in the area made for the right blend. As more young people flock to cities, the contrarian view would suggest that opportunities for enterprising youth are on the rise in small town America. We've started to see quite a few examples of that here in Lexington.”  

“Oh, and Lime Kiln is awesome.”- Spencer McElroy

It’s hard for Spencer to pin down any one experience as an undergrad that has helped him in his career today as he was a Physics major now involved in business. However, he says, “Physics teaches you a general strategy for solving problems that blends scientific logic, creativity, and instinct. I think that prepares you for just about anything.” Hunting and fishing were two of Spencer’s favorite hobbies as an undergrad, so his favorite places in Lexington haven’t changed much since. If you’re an alum (or a senior) thinking about heading back towards Lexington, Spencer encourages you “to pay attention to what makes this place so special. Most grads will be traveling for their lives and jobs in big cities, and they should look at Lexington through a new lens. Maybe there is opportunity for them here?”

Lime Kiln has finished their 2016 season, but they host events throughout the year, and the 2017 season is gearing up to be killer! Check out their website for more information.

Tom Lovell and his wife Wendy are both W&L alums, class of ‘90 and ‘91 (respectively). They originally lived out west, in San Diego, where they enjoyed the balmy winters and Mr. Lovell worked as a software developer for a military contracting firm. Once they began thinking about starting a family, they moved to Cleveland to be closer to family. In both Cleveland and San Diego, the Lovells were extremely involved in their local alumni chapters, going on to become co-presidents of both chapters. It was at an alumni event in February of 1995 that the opportunity to return to Lex presented itself-- changes at the alumni office meant there was an opening available! It was suggested that one of the Lovells take the position, and after laughing off the offer at first, after about a week they were ready to go for it. Mr. Lovell finally accepted the position at his Mrs. Lovell’s 10th Reunion.

When they moved to Lexington, there was no craft beer scene. What started as a casual guy’s beer club (where they spent more time brainstorming a name and logo than anything else) inspired a few home brewers, like Mr. Lovell and Bill Hamilton of the Bio Department, to try and get back into the game. This transformed into Blue Lab Brewery, with an official space finally opening the day before Thanksgiving in 2010. “Opening up your own bar in kind of the dream,” Mr. Lovell told me: so, he made it happen.

Mr. Lovell and Bill Hamilton at Blue Lab (photo courtesy of wmra.com) 

As Mr. Lovell had returned to his roots in Lexington, so too had the space he transformed into Blue Lab. The venue started as the town’s feed shop, before it became Estelle’s, a local spot where Gennies and Keydets could chill on the weekends and enjoy a steaming bowl of chili. It was sold in 1988, changed into a doctor’s office (the Lovell family pediatrician, in fact!) until 2010 when Blue Lab opened. For the last four years, they’ve been working on maximizing their space, hosting live music acts and local artists, and introducing weekly trivia. They have five regulars brews on tap and 10-12 seasonal brews. They’re still small enough to be able to mix it up, but big enough to make the whole venture worthwhile. 

Blue Lab is located at 123 South Randolph Street. Stop by! (photo courtesy of beerwerkstrail.com)

The education Mr. Lovell received from the W&L business school has helped him since the day he graduated: critical thinking and mathematics will help you no matter what you choose to do in life. As a small business owner in town, Lovell continues to benefit from his proximity to both W&L and VMI. Journalism and marketing classes have worked with Blue Lab, and it’s fun to be available as a subject for education. 

His best advice for young alums and graduating seniors is “to get engaged, use the network, and get to know professors, administrators, and classmates. Continue to be engaged after graduation, get into your local alumni chapter. Our alumni network cannot be beat. Take advantage of that. Jump in with both feet as early as you can take advantage of it—go to House Mountain, Devil’s Marble Yard, Goshen, and when you’re 21, come to Blue Lab.” People are the main component. The alumni network is how it all started for Mr. Lovell-- the same could be true for you!

Jamie Goodin is a name familiar to any die-hard fans of wluLex. He graduated in 2010 with a major in Business Administration, and as an undergrad he was “really into gigging (bands: Agent Flynn, Delicious on Purpose), and did marketing for Gay Straight Alliance, was on the wrestling team for a year, founded a Filmmaking Club/film festival called Invision Films, was involved in the marketing club, Ad Class, and SigEp fraternity.” 

Jamie Goodin, a very busy individual!

Today, he is a man of many hats here in Lexington: He is the Digital Engagement Manger at W&L, managing wluLex & wluNews; the President and Marketing Director of Lime Kiln Theater, where he helps to revive Lexington as a hub for the arts and the outdoors; the President and Promotions & Events Chair of Main Street Lexington; a Consultant for JRG Solutions, where he does digital marketing and management consultant for small businesses; and a founder of LexCollective, which “helps make Lexington a baller place for millennials to ball by informing and empowering my peers to make Lexington THE place to live, work and create.”

Jamie returned to Lexington in 2012 after a few years of doing online marketing consulting in the DC metro area. He says “Lexington is perfect place because it is so accessible. The people, the resources, the arts, the businesses and nonprofits are all so willing to work with you and help build on a great community. It’s an amazing incubator for personal and professional growth in the context of a peaceful, beautiful and affordable town (that’s getting cooler to live in everyday).”

Main Street Lex <3 (photo courtesy of @teejasaurus on instagram)

Jamie’s undergrad years at W&L taught him three important lessons that he has taken with him ever since:

1. Memorization is pointless as nothing is permanent.

2. Always challenge assumptions.

3. Encouraging experimentation, entrepreneurship, and failure is key.

Lexington has changed a lot since Jamie graduated (many changes thanks to his involvement!) but he embraces both the old and the new here. His two favorite things? “I love seeing my breath during cold morning walks in town while thinking about home, community and purpose. Also, Mano Taqueria’s beef burrito with Arbol sauce.”

If you’re coming back for a reunion, or getting ready to graduate, Jamie suggests you “walk downtown because there is so much more going on now—great food, live music and shopping. Walk on a mountain because there is so much that doesn’t need to change.”

Erik Jones, another 1991 graduate, was an English major who was involved in theater and a WLUR DJ during his time on the Hill. After graduation, he worked “for 20 years in arts administration in Portland, Oregon (my home town). I spent 10 years with the Oregon Symphony, and then 10 years as Marketing Director at Oregon Ballet Theatre. In between, I took a year off to travel the world.”

Mr. Jones moved back to Lexington in 2010 “for love (specifically to marry W&L Dance Professor Jenefer Davies)”. (sidebar: this was definitely my favorite answer to this question). Today, he is the Executive Director of Fine Arts In Rockbridge (a local arts umbrella organization). According to their website, it is an organization “committed to providing opportunities for all persons in the Rockbridge area to pursue their interests and develop their talents in the arts through quality educational and performance opportunities.” Mr. Jones also takes time to “study in the Craft Brewers Apprenticeship Program at the American Brewers Guild, (he is the assistant brewer at Blue Lab!) and also pick up occasional freelance gigs as a trekking guide (I spent 6 weeks in Nepal this year and am leading two Kilimanjaro climbs this coming spring).” Once again, I must say-- killer answer.

courtesy of cliparts.co

Mr. Jones says hanging around the theater as an undergrad definitely was one of the most formative experiences of his undergrad career. This was how he got his first post-grad employment opportunity managing the box office, from ex-Lenfest Center Director Mike Gorman. “I had no idea at the time that it would lead to a career in the arts. I’m also grateful to Professor Marshall Jarrett and my advisor, Professor Severn Duvall, for teaching me to challenge myself.”

Mr. Jones may have given up a “big” career in the arts to return to Lexington, but he has never regretted his decision for a second. In exchange for giving up his old career, Mr. Jones “got a new family, a lot less stress in my life, and the time and freedom to branch out and pursue additional interests. There’s no way I would have been able [study brewing or be a trekking guide] while working (more than) full time at the Ballet.”

Jones doing his thing on a recent trip to Nepal

Finally, Mr. Jones was able to offer some sage advice: “Cherish your time at W&L but don’t become one of those people who end up looking back at college as the highlight of their entire life. That’s depressing. Keep making new and even better memories.”

Rick Wolf, Class of 1977, never exactly intended to move back to Lexington, much less open up a local business. He began his career working at a small auction house in Philadelphia until he started his 25-year-long career working at Southeby’s in both New York City and Los Angeles. His wife Nan attended Hollins as an undergrad, so when it was time to move back East, the Shenandoah Valley was the logical place to start their search for a new city to call home. 

Who wouldn’t want to call the valley home?? (courtesy of @lyssatest on instagram)

Both Mr. and Mrs. Wolf are avid collectors, and lovers of beautiful, interesting things. “It is quite difficult for either of us to see something we love and not try to buy it-- that’s why we finally opened up the shop. To get some things out of the house [laughs].” ‘The shop’ that they opened is Wolf and Co., an antiques shop on Washington Street that “offers an eclectic range of art, antiques, and unique finds, as well as expert appraisal and advisory services” (wolfandcompany.net). They are both also extremely involved in the Lexington Historical Society, thanks to which we can still enjoy many of the beautiful, historic buildings (such as the Alexander-Withrow House) in Lexington.

Wolf and Co. is located at 23 West Washington Street

As an undergrad, Mr. Wolf was one of the first people to ever see the bequest left to the school by the Reeves family, today available for all to view in the Reeves Center. Mr. Wolf had always had an interest in antiques, so when the school learned of the bequest, German professor Beauford (aka ‘Steve’) Stevenson, who also loved Chinese export porcelain, offered him a student job. For three dollars an hour, Mr. Wolf unpacked the collection, before the idea for the Reeves Center was even conceived. 

Additionally, Mr. Wolf credits the direction his life took to “best teacher I ever had: Pam Simpson [of the Art History department].  She was the first female full professor, the first female dean, a chair of the Coeducation Committee, and just the best person ever.”  He took every course she offered (even though he was an English major) and accidentally ended up with a double major in Art History and English—this eventually directed him into the auction business. Simpson became a wonderful friend of the Wolfs, and a major reason for their eventual relocation to Lexington. 

The late Pam Simpson, a formative figure in the lives of the Wolfs as well as the history of Washington and Lee.

One piece of advice: Mr. Wolf is the first to acknowledge how trite it sounds (and made sure I knew that!) but he totally believes it: "If it’s possible—try to do something you love! Don’t be afraid if it takes a while to get there. You may not know immediately! Unless you have a passion for orthodontic surgery when you’re fifteen, its really not that easy.” When Mr. Wolf graduated, he had two vague interests: cooking and antique decorative arts, neither of which seemed like they would offer definite career paths. The auction business was the most convenient choice for him after graduation, but he transformed that “convenient” career into a lifetime passion. 

Will Moore, class of 2009, graduated with a degree in Economics and a rich undergrad career spent “coaching the local youth lacrosse organization Lexington Lacrosse, raising funds for Habitat for Humanity, interacting with alumni as a member of Kathekon, and participating in the various activities of my fraternity Phi Delta Theta.” Additionally, he “was fortunate enough to enjoy a spring term and a summer semester studying abroad in Spain and London, respectively.” 

Will Moore and his doggo in Lex

After graduation, Will worked in Boston at a private equity real estate fund called Landmark Partners, and in DC at CBRE in their financing group before that. He returned to Lexington is July of 2014 in order to work at the “family business, James Wm. Moore Real Estate Co., which my father started in 1988. In addition to managerial responsibilities, I represent buyers and sellers of all property types in western Virginia with a focus on land and farms.” A combination of self-employment and access to the great Virginia outdoors that made the move back worth it for Will; “Although I think it is essential to get the training and experience afforded by working for experienced professionals for a few years, there is nothing more rewarding than answering to yourself.” 

Despite all of Will’s worldly travels, there really was no place like home when it came to his career. Will grew up in Rockbridge County, and ultimately his move back was a reflection of his ties to a community that he describes as extremely strong, and very passionate. “There is a high level of passion in this area for our community and it’s easy to find leadership opportunities. My first five years after W&L were spent focused almost exclusively on my career, but my move to Lexington was a reflection of my desire to achieve a long-term balance of work, life, and community. It’s almost impossible not to have a balanced life here.”

The quality of life here is unparalleled, as many of us have learned as undergrads and Will has experienced as a local alum. “Almost all of my hobbies take place outside and are easily and inexpensively accessible around Lexington: golf, hunting, fishing, and hiking to name a few. Access to the outdoors was a huge driver in my decision to move here. I also enjoy seeing live music and getting out of town to travel.” 

A lovely day for fishing! (disclaimer: this is not Will! courtesy of @caretzloff on instagram)

Will credits much of his success, both personal and professional, to the Economics department that provided him with the “educational framework for thinking about issues far beyond the economy.” So- take some Econ classes (!) and make sure to keep in touch with your classmates. “Almost everyone that goes to W&L is an ambitious and interesting person, so your network is a great asset. Don’t be afraid to be the person that takes the initiative to stay in contact.”

“If I had to choose a favorite place, it would be House Mountain. It’s such a significant symbol for the area.” -Will Moore (photo courtesy of @samanthalnic on instagram).

Your days in Lexington don’t have to be numbered. Lexington is a town built to last, and ready to welcome back any future grads ready for their newest opportunity. So remember: Graduation, a job starting next September in Atlanta, or your eventual jet-setting career saving lives/brokering deals/changing the world can’t stop you from finding your way back home. 

[abunchadorks]

Chapter Four: Gard’s Tomb

Parts one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven found at the links.

Part Eight: What happened to Sigrid

“So then,” Sigrid said into the silent tunnel. “Which of us wants to confront a personal demon right this very minute? Can’t imagine much scares you, want to have a go?”

“No,” Manatar said quietly. Sigrid couldn’t be positive in the weak winter light behind him, but the big man didn’t look well as he said it. Perhaps he was still wondering at his minutes-old nuptials. She shrugged.

“No genetic disorders that I know of, no traumatic memories,” she listed off her fingers, “No terrible might-have-been. Rats are delicious if you add a bit of cardamom and chili. Not afraid of dying or growing old or drowning, and everyone I love will go to Valhalla the instant they die, so nothing to mourn.”

“Thought you hated your family.”

“Not at all. They’re actually very supportive. I’m a rebel without a cause.” She sighed tragically. “I always wanted something to rebel against, but I just can’t get behind any politics and you can solve everything else with a good smack. I’ll find one eventually. Meantime…” She cracked her knuckles and strode forward, boots planting on the dust of the tomb floor with solid determination to get this done in no time at all.

The human, the gnome, and the half-elf found themselves in the midst of total chaos, made worse by the fact that they seemed to have gone blind for it. They knew they were underground, though the ceiling seemed to be a good distance away, and they knew it was almost unbearably cold. There was an astounding amount of noise everywhere, all the louder for the reverberations of that noise against stone walls, and the clatter of metal, the shouts, the wet squelch of viscera was enough to drive one deaf as well as blind. 

Elyserin and Sigrid, however, had no problem seeing that they were knee-deep in a battle. Orcs and dwarves on every side howled in rage and pain, rallying their fellows and smashing everything in reach with weapons and fists, hobnailed boots and brass knuckles adding to whatever hell they could rain down upon the others. Elyserin dropped an oncoming orc in his tracks with a glare, and one enterprising dwarf took his head off before he even hit the ground. “Mind yourselves!” she screamed to her companions, and shoved Manatar out of the path of a falling club. 

Silence fell for a whole second as the cavern lit up bright as day, Mya’s upraised arm providing a tiny sun above them. Orcs and Dwarves alike blinked and shied away from the sudden glare. It was only a second though, as Sigrid let out a war whoop and leaped into the fray, downing the nearest orc with a punch that shattered his jaw. That was all it took, and the battle began anew, even more fiercely than before, if that were possible. Phlirp slid between legs, slashing viciously at hamstrings, a savage grin on her small face. “Aye, that’s it. On the ground, greenie scum!” she snarled, and planted a knife in the heart of one of her victims.

“Whose side are we on?” Mya shouted above the din. Nobody seemed to want to go too near to her. The bringing of the sun underground was no small feat no matter where your loyalty lay, and casters of any caliber were never as fragile as they looked.

“You really need to ask?” Phlirp called back, jerking her chin at Sigrid.

For her part, Sigrid had transformed into a joyful war goddess. Orc after orc crumpled under her blows, her knuckles dripping with both their blood and her own. A wide, feral smile was splitting her face, a high and wild laugh escaping every few seconds. Manatar nodded his approval and went feral as well, and his massive sword brought down almost as many of the adversary as her bare hands.

Though both sides of the battle had been evenly matched at the start, with their arrival the tide of it turned. Maybe it was the light, maybe the ferocity of their efforts, maybe the demoralizing factor of the laughing death god and her slashing, burning, hacking friends. It was not a quick battle, but it didn’t take long for the remaining orcs to decide they’d had enough. They cut and ran, swarming up the walls of the cavern and disappearing into cracks too far away to see, let alone reach by bow. That didn’t stop Elyserin and Phirp from taking potshots at the fleeing creatures, nor did it stop half of the dwarves on the ground from doing the same. A cheer went up as the last green foot vanished from sight into the upper reaches of the cavern, and the sound of victory crowed out loud and full in the echo.

But even a triumphant battle has its cost. For every two orcs that carpeted the floor of the cave there lay next to them a fallen dwarf, the cries of the wounded rising to mix with the song of the standing. All around, a lot of noise. 

Sigrid came down from her combat high. A thousand small twinges of pain started to report in all around her body from pulled muscles and bruises, but she was otherwise unharmed. Now that things were settled, she could look around and get her bearings. Manatar leaned on his sword, catching his breath. “You know where we are?” he asked.

“I think so,” Sigrid said carefully.

“You think? We just slaughtered a boatload of orcs on think?” This from Phlirp, who was wrapping a strip of linen around a cut on her forearm. Mya was already on her knees, praying feverishly as wave after wave of healing lily scent burst from her into the wounded dwarves. They all murmured thanks and gave respectful nods, the more able bringing the worse off close to her as she whispered.

Sigrid grunted. “Orcs are orcs. I didn’t hear you objecting. This looks like my home caves, but it’s hard to say when. I don’t look different do I?” Phlirp shook her head. They were both remembering how Mya had appeared younger during her ordeal, and Elyserin...well, cleaner. Sigrid frowned. “This isn’t the past, because I don’t remember it. And it isn’t a different present because I never had any doubt that orc settlement would attack eventually after we diverted that stream. So this is, what, the future? Who cares? This is just business as usual.” Her eyes widened as a sudden realization took her. “Where’s...where is the King?”

She grabbed the shirt of the nearest dwarf and snarled into the bearded face, “You! Where is the King?” the dwarf shook her hand off and pointed into the center of what had been the thickest part of the fight. Sigrid dropped her informant and made her way in that direction, slipping on orc blood and tripping on dead meat that lay in her path.

“Did she say King?” Elyserin asked. Manatar nodded once and followed. Phlirp and Mya looked at each other and went as well, the four of them catching up slowly to where Sigrid had stopped and knelt. They arrived in time to hear her say a few words in dwarvish, and the name Kaza. She held the hand of a fallen dwarf in both of hers, face solemn and without tears.

“Who is this?” Phlirp asked. Sigrid reached over and closed Kaza’s open, staring eyes. When she spoke, her voice was low but steady.

“Dvarg Kaza Grnak,” she said. “King of this mountain. The ‘grnak’ is an orcish word, one that means ‘tears off heads and urinates down the neckhole.’ It’s accurate.”

“Is that a...close translation?”

“Orcish is a very nuanced language. They gave her the name when she did that. Brought decades of peace.”

“Wait, her? I thought you said King.”

“Yes. One of the greatest Kings this mountain has ever had. She will be a tough one to follow, that’s for certain.” She took a long breath and looked up at her friends. “She was also my mother.”

“Your mo--you’re a princess?”

“Not the heir to the throne, but yes.” She brought her gaze back down to the King’s face and ran her fingers through the long, silky beard, which was a rosy golden color close to her own. The others had caught up by now, and stood or knelt with her, watching to see what would happen.

“Was this your greatest fear?” Elyserin asked, “Your mother falling in battle?” 

“No. She’s a great warrior, and this is how great warriors end. I don’t know what we’re doing here.”

As if in answer, a great wailing rose from the other side of the cave. A small crowd of dwarves was making their way towards them. They wore no armor and carried no weapons, and were entirely too clean to have been part of the battle. The oldest of them called Sigrid’s name, and she stood to meet them.

The one who had called to her wrapped her in a tight, fond embrace, openly weeping and speaking rapidly in dwarvish. Sigrid replied in kind, and received hugs from the other dwarves. The entire group was crying now, and Sigrid patted them awkwardly on shoulders and backs as far as she could reach.

“Everyone, meet my family,” she said to the non-dwarves. “My brothers and fathers. They say my oldest sister is dead and middle sister has not been found yet.” This, of all things, is what made her appear troubled for the first time. She said something to the dwarves and they nodded, all spreading out to begin rolling over bodies and checking under helmets. “We need to find her,” Sigrid said briskly. “She has red hair and will have gold bands in her beard. Five forks and a central braid. Please help.” She didn’t wait to see what they thought of the task before launching into it herself, pulling dead orcs out of the way and checking every short, hairy form that lay still.

It took most of an hour before one of the brothers cried out, and the rest of Sigrid’s family all ran to where he stood. Sigrid got there at the same time as the rest of her friends, and stood still as rock, looking at the broken form at her feet. “No,” she whispered.

Phlirp put a comforting hand on her back. “Were you very close?”

“Not really. She was probably my least favorite sibling.”

“Then what’s with the face?”

“Because if Hirin is dead, and Isa is dead, then that means--no, get up. Don’t, don’t do that--” This last was addressed to her fathers and brothers, who had knelt in front of her. “I’m not the King! You don’t want me as your leader!”

“There is no one else, zietling. Who else did Kaza leave behind?” It was courteous of him to address her in the Common speech, clearly for the benefit of her friends. Sigrid thrust a finger at one of the younger ones. 

“Bjrn is right there! He’s older than I am! And--and Holke! He’s gone to school and everything!”

“You have been to university. And they’re boys. You can’t expect someone with their emotions so out of control to rule, can you?”

“I--I don’t know. I’m no King. I never was.” She covered her face with her hands and took a long, steadying breath. “Fine. You know what? Fine. This isn’t real anyway. Everyone else got out of their stupid vision by accepting their fate, so why the hell not? Long live the King.”

There was a long moment where nothing happened, and they stayed on the battlefield. The fathers looked around curiously, waiting for something. Sigrid waited too, for the cold tomb to return and this whole stupid mess to end, but it didn’t. Deep in her breast, she felt a twinge of panic. What if it didn’t end? What if this was the new reality, and she really did have to rule? The thought made her clench her stomach muscles too tightly, and she wondered if she might be sick. All those people…! Every single life of them depending on her to make the right decision every time, all of them trusting her, every word she spoke the difference between starting and ending a war…!

She sat down heavily on the chest of a dead orc. “I can’t do this,” she murmured.

“You must,” said the older dwarf. Sigrid wanted to reply, but found that she was shaking.

“Sigrid?” Mya asked. “What do you want us to do?”

Sigrid closed her eyes for a long time. When she opened them, they were harder, older.

“We need to get the wounded treated,” she said. “We need to gather the fallen and give them the proper sendoff. The rest of the trash needs to be removed before vermin show up.” This last was accompanied by a spiteful thwack at the face of her makeshift chair. “And set a guard on the area until that’s all done. I don’t want looters from either side complicating everything.” She stood and glared at the dwarves who had gathered around, both her family and otherwise. “What did I just say? Jump to it already!”

“Why should we?” asked one of the onlookers. “Who the hell are you?” Sigrid grabbed the speaker by the face and slammed her straight into the stone floor of the cavern.

“My name is Dvarga Sigrid ay Kaza!” she bellowed out to the growing crowd. “And I am your fucking King!”

A different cave, different walls. Only one dead body, and that one in a stone coffin. Four women of different races and levels of excitement in the chamber. On the stairs, Manatar stood alone.

He wondered what it would cost him to just turn around and walk back home. He wondered for a very, very long time before finally lifting a boot and placing it gingerly over the threshold, and the other. He didn’t say anything as he did, and the others could not quite understand the look on his face.