#we have proof of this in the character songs album

[legon751]

uh oh, you upset her girlfriend

[kaiyunsim]

best lover —

pairing : bf!taesan x gn!reader

summary : after taesan works hard for the newest comeback you wanted to get him a gift... something perfect. but you don't know what exactly to get him so you get help from his roommate.

warnings : fluff, angst (just a little bit), tense confrontation, some music references, taesan gets kinda jealous, kind of a continuation of this fic

a/n : this lowkey made me relapse into the emo/punk genre and now i'm actively listening to them again ! taesan so silly here.

queueing : best lover - bibi, and july - heize + dean

[requested]

— wc : 4.8k — not proof read —

you’ve always known taesan was cool.

not in the tryhard way, not in the way people force an image to seem untouchable. no, he’s effortlessly cool. the kind of cool that comes from simply existing, from being so unapologetically himself that it draws people in.

his aesthetic is proof of that—dark clothes, silver rings, an ever-growing collection of band tees that he claims aren’t a collection but still seem to multiply every time you see him. his playlists are filled with gritty guitar riffs and melancholic lyrics, songs that feel like they belong in a coming-of-age film.

you love it. you love the way he leans against walls like a movie character, the way his fingers tap out drum beats on tables when he’s lost in thought. the way his voice gets softer when he talks about music, when he lets his guard down just enough for you to see the warmth underneath.

so, when their comeback is finally announced, when you see the hours of training, late-night rehearsals, and exhaustion culminate into something incredible, you know you need to do something. something that says, i see you. i see how hard you’ve worked, and i’m proud of you.

but what do you get someone like taesan?

he’s never been the type to want extravagant gifts. he shrugs off praise, mumbles “it’s nothing” when people tell him he’s done well. but you know he keeps every little note fans give him, that he still has the random trinkets the members bought him over the years.

so it has to be something personal. something that actually means something.

you think about it for days, running through ideas in your head. clothes? no, too easy. he already has everything he likes. accessories? maybe, but he’s picky, and you don’t trust yourself to pick out something he’d actually wear.

and then it hits you.

vinyls.

taesan loves music in a way that’s deeper than just listening. he collects records, always talking about how certain albums sound different on vinyl, how the warmth and crackle make it feel more alive. you’ve seen the way he runs his fingers over the covers, the way he carefully places them on his turntable like he’s handling something sacred.

but you don’t know enough about it.

you know the bands he listens to, sure, but not the specific pressings, not which editions are worth having, not which ones he’s been searching for. you need help.

so, you text the only person who would know and would be the most help.

sungho.

—

you: hey, random question, but do you think you could help me with something?

he replies almost immediately.

sungho: depends. am i gonna regret saying yes?

you snort. typical.

you: no, it’s for taesan. i wanna get him some vinyls, but i don’t know which ones he’d actually want.

a pause. then—

sungho: oh. you’re going ot make him a happy boyfriend for sure. sungho: yeah, i can help. you free tomorrow?

relief washes over you.

you: yeah. thanks, sungho. seriously.

sungho: don’t thank me yet. wait till we actually find something good.

you smile, pocketing your phone.

this is a good plan. a perfect plan.

now, you just have to keep it a secret.

the next morning, you wake up with a nervous excitement buzzing under your skin.

taesan is still half-asleep when you see him, his hair messy from sleep, the collar of his oversized shirt slipping down one shoulder. he looks soft like this, different from his usual sharp edges and guarded expressions.

“morning,” you say, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before he can grumble in protest.

he mumbles something incoherent, eyes still closed, before reaching out and lazily wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling you closer.

you laugh, poking his side. “i have to go out for a bit.”

that wakes him up a little. his eyes blink open, groggy but alert. “where?”

you freeze for half a second before forcing yourself to play it cool. “just running errands.”

his brow furrows slightly, but he doesn’t question it. instead, he just tightens his grip around you for a moment before letting go.

“be safe,” he mumbles, voice still thick with sleep.

your heart squeezes at that.

you brush his hair out of his face, letting your fingers linger for a second longer than necessary. “always.”

—

meeting up with sungho feels like a mission.

he’s already waiting outside the taesan's dorm room, dressed casually but still effortlessly put together, a stark contrast to the slightly chaotic energy you’re bringing with you.

“you look nervous,” he says, amused.

“because i am.”

he raises an eyebrow. “it’s just vinyl shopping.”

“yeah, but it’s for taesan,” you stress. “i can’t mess this up. i need to find something perfect.”

sungho rolls his eyes but leads the way inside the vinyl store, hidden in the corners of the busy streets.

the moment you step in, you’re overwhelmed.

rows and rows of records stretch out in front of you, organized into sections you barely understand. the store smells like old paper and something nostalgic, a quiet hum of music playing from the speakers.

sungho glances at you. “you know what bands he likes, right?”

you nod. “yeah, but i don’t know what he already has.”

“then we start with the basics.”

he guides you through the aisles, pointing out albums that fit taesan’s taste. some are obvious bands you’ve seen on his playlists, artists you recognize from the posters in his room. others, not so much.

“this one’s a classic,” sungho says, pulling out a worn-looking album. “he’s mentioned it before, i think he even has a t-shirt of them.”

it was the black parade by my chemical romance

you take it from him, running your fingers over the cover. “do you think he already has the vinyl?”

sungho shakes his head. “nah, he would’ve bragged about it if he did.”

you smile at that. taesan isn’t the bragging type, not really, but when it comes to things he loves, he can’t help but share them with you. you can already picture the way his eyes will light up when he sees the gift, the way he’ll trace the album cover with careful fingers before hugging you in that quiet, deliberate way of his.

this is good. this is exactly what you wanted.

you glance at sungho. “i think we’re on the right track.”

he smirks. “told you.”

you roll your eyes but can’t hide your grin.

this is going to be perfect.

if you can keep it a secret long enough.

you flip through the stacks carefully, the plastic sleeves crinkling under your fingertips as you skim the selection. rows of album covers stare back at you, some bold and vibrant, others muted and mysterious, each one a different piece of someone’s story.

sungho stands beside you, already pulling out records with ease, flipping them over to check editions and pressings like it’s second nature.

“how do you even know all this?” you ask, watching as he inspects a black-and-white cover, his eyes narrowing slightly before he shakes his head and puts it back.

he smirks. “taesan’s not the only one with taste, you know.”

you roll your eyes. “yeah, but you act like this is your second home.”

he hums, running his fingers along the edge of a shelf. “it kinda is. when i first moved into the dorms, i’d come to places like this just to kill time. got to know a lot about music that way.”

that makes sense. sungho has that effortless, older-brother energy, the kind that makes you feel like he’s always been one step ahead of everyone else. but even so, you know there’s more to it. something about the way he says it, like music was a comfort rather than just a hobby.

you glance down at the album in your hands. the artwork is dramatic, painted in deep reds and blacks, the kind of thing you could easily imagine taesan leaving out on his desk just because it looks cool. it was titled a fever you can’t sweat out this time, by panic at the disco

you hesitate. “what about this one?”

sungho looks over, and to your relief, he nods in approval. “solid pick. taesan likes them. they have that whole raw, gritty sound he’s into.”

you exhale, setting it aside in the growing pile of vinyls you’ve picked out. “good. i was kinda guessing.”

sungho snickers. “if you were completely guessing, you would’ve picked something embarrassing.”

you give him a flat look. “i wouldn’t do that.”

“you sure? no boyband vinyls hidden in that stack?”

“why are you acting like that would be a crime?”

he laughs, shaking his head. “nah, but taesan would probably combust.”

you grin at the thought. he probably would. his whole tough, brooding image crumbling the second someone dared to associate him with anything remotely bright and upbeat. you’ve teased him about it before, played pop songs in his presence just to watch him pretend he wasn’t listening.

but this isn’t about teasing him. this is about him.

you glance around the store, taking in the dim lighting, the faint sound of a record spinning in the background. a few other customers linger nearby, flipping through vinyls with the same careful reverence, but none of them seem rushed. it’s the kind of place taesan would get lost in, taking his time with every shelf, soaking in the atmosphere.

you wish he was here.

you shake the thought away before it can settle too deep.

“okay,” you say, straightening up. “i think i need at least one more.”

sungho scans the shelves before reaching over and pulling out a record without hesitation.

“this.”

you take it from him, studying the cover. it’s striking… american idiot by greenday.

“he’s been looking for this one,” sungho explains. “i remember him complaining about how it’s always out of stock.”

your chest warms. “then that’s perfect.”

sungho grins. “congrats, you officially have a good gift… or multiple”

you roll your eyes but can’t help but smile. “thanks for the approval.”

“anytime.”

you head to the counter, placing the records down carefully as the cashier rings them up. the prices make you wince a little. vinyl collecting is not cheap. but you don’t hesitate. taesan is worth it.

when you step back outside, the air feels cooler, a slight breeze brushing against your skin. sungho stretches beside you, squinting up at the sky.

“so,” he says. “how are you planning to give it to him?”

you blink. “uh. just... give it to him?”

he gives you a flat look. “you’re really bad at this.”

“excuse me?”

“c’mon,” he says. “you go through all this trouble, sneak around just to surprise him, and you’re just gonna hand it to him like it’s a bag of chips?”

you frown. “what am i supposed to do? make a scavenger hunt?”

“i mean, that would be funny.”

“sungho.”

he chuckles. “fine, fine. but at least make it a moment, you know? like, put them in a nice box or something. set the mood a little.”

you consider that. he’s right. you don’t just want this to be a casual exchange. you want taesan to feel how much this means.

“okay,” you say slowly. “i’ll think of something.”

sungho pats your shoulder. “good. because if you don’t, i’m telling him i helped.”

you gasp. “you wouldn’t.”

his grin is downright evil. “try me.”

you groan, shoving him lightly as he laughs.

but despite the teasing, there’s a warmth in your chest that wasn’t there before. because for all the effort, all the second-guessing, all the overthinking. you know this is the right thing to do.

you just hope taesan sees it that way, too.

you and sungho are now wandering the streets, bags in hand, the weight of them a constant reminder of what you're keeping from taesan. there's a knot in your stomach, anxiety creeping in at the thought of what will happen once you return to the dorm.

sungho notices you fidgeting with your phone, eyes flicking between your screen and the road ahead. "you've been checking your messages like every two seconds," he says with a knowing smile. "taesan giving you trouble?"

"i... i don’t know," you mutter, glancing at your phone again. "he hasn’t texted yet. i think he’s mad."

sungho snorts. "he’s always mad."

you roll your eyes but can't help the tension building inside you. it's not like taesan to be suspicious like this. sure, he's possessive at times, but you’ve always been upfront with him. today, though, everything feels off. you know he’s probably wondering where you are, especially after leaving so abruptly.

after a few more moments of walking, your phone buzzes in your hand. it’s a message from taesan.

you open it quickly, your heart dropping when you read the text.

taesan: where are you?

you can almost hear the frustration in his words, even though they’re so short. you hesitate for a moment, trying to figure out how to respond. the last thing you want is to reveal anything.

“everything okay?” sungho asks, glancing at you with a raised eyebrow.

“yeah,” you say quickly, typing back a response. "just... running… errands…"

you: just out. why?

you hit send and try to push the worry away. but it doesn’t help when your phone buzzes again, another message from taesan.

taesan: are you by yourself?

your stomach tightens. it feels like he’s fishing for something, trying to confirm his suspicions. you swallow hard. taesan doesn’t know you’re out with sungho. he probably thinks you’re just alone, maybe out with someone else. the thought of him jumping to conclusions makes you tense up.

“you need to tell him the truth, man,” sungho says, half-joking but still serious. “it’s gonna be hard to keep it up much longer.”

you bite your lip, looking at the text again. taesan doesn’t like being kept in the dark. but if you tell him you're out with sungho, there's no way you can keep the surprise a secret.

you: yeah, just me. out by myself.

you send the message quickly, almost immediately regretting it. the lie feels wrong in your gut, but you can’t risk ruining the surprise.

as soon as you hit send, another text from taesan comes through.

taesan: you didn’t tell me where you went. it’s weird, you know. don’t lie to me.

your heart sinks. this is exactly what you were afraid of. you can feel his frustration radiating through the words, even though they’re brief. taesan might not say it outright, but you know he’s pissed.

“is he mad?” sungho asks, eyes narrowing as he watches you.

“yeah,” you say quietly, looking at the screen again. “he thinks i’m lying.”

sungho tilts his head, his expression softening. “well, you kind of are...”

you groan, feeling guilty. “yeah, but if i tell him the truth, he’ll know what we’re really doing.”

sungho sighs but doesn’t press. “you’ve got to be careful, though. taesan can’t stand being lied to. he might feel like you’re hiding something else.”

you take a deep breath, trying to push the anxiety aside. “he’s just overthinking it. i’ll deal with it when we get back.”

you walk in silence for a bit longer, and the weight of the lie is starting to feel unbearable. but then your phone buzzes again. it’s from taesan.

taesan: riwoo just told me you’re out with sungho. why didn’t you say that?

your heart stops. it feels like everything is crashing down around you. of course, taesan would hear from riwoo. he always does. but you didn’t think it would happen so soon.

sungho laughs lightly, though it’s more nervous than anything else. “i mean, it’s not like you didn’t want him to find out.”

you stare at the message, feeling a mix of guilt and frustration. “he’s so mad now...”

“you better fix it,” sungho says with a small chuckle. “he’s gonna blow up on you if you keep avoiding the truth.”

you sigh, rubbing your eyes. “i don’t know how to fix it. i’ve already lied twice.”

“well,” sungho says, “maybe you just gotta... tell him the truth at this point. no more hiding.”

but you’re not ready to do that. not yet. the surprise is too important to mess up now.

you type out a message, your hands shaking a little as you try to keep it steady.

you: i’m sorry. we just bumped into eachothee

you press send, waiting for taesan’s response with bated breath.

it takes a while, but finally, your phone buzzes.

taesan: it was a coincidence?

you let out a sigh of relief. it's not as bad as it could have been, but you still feel like you’ve messed up.

you: yeah, i went out to grab some stuff, and boom, sungho was there getting some stuff for the dorm too

you wait for a reply, and when it comes, it’s still not as angry as you expected, but you can hear the frustration in taesan’s words.

taesan: you know, you could’ve just told me. i don’t like when you hide stuff from me.

your heart drops, and you feel guilty again. you want to explain yourself, but you’re afraid it’ll make everything worse.

“he’s really pissed now,” you say quietly to sungho, who nods sympathetically.

“you should’ve just told him earlier,” he says, though his tone is more playful than critical. “now you gotta go back and fix it.”

you take a deep breath, realizing sungho’s right. you’re going to have to deal with the fallout when you get back to the dorm.

you decide on sungho’s dorm since taesan is rooming with woonhak and jaehyun so it would be perfect to wrap his gift all together and put final touched on it.

but once you open the door, you stand frozen at the door of sungho’s dorm, heart hammering in your chest. the moment taesan walks in, everything about the room shifts. his presence fills the space, and even though he’s not saying anything yet, you feel the weight of his gaze.

“so, this is where you’ve been?” taesan’s voice cuts through the silence. it’s sharper than usual, colder too. he looks at you, then at sungho, his eyes narrowing. “i thought you said you were by yourself.”

you feel your breath catch in your throat. his words hit harder than expected, but you force a smile, trying to keep your cool. “i was… i mean, i am.”

taesan tilts his head, his eyes scanning you like he’s trying to figure out if you’re lying. you take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. “i just bumped into sungho, we were talking, and i guess riwoo saw us leave together.” you’re already regretting how this sounds, but you can’t back down now. you have to keep the lie intact.

“bumped into sungho?” taesan’s voice drips with suspicion. “so it’s just a coincidence you were both out together?”

you nod quickly, hoping he buys it. “yeah, we were just… talking, you know? nothing serious. i just didn’t want to bother you while you were busy.”

taesan crosses his arms, studying you with a sharp gaze. “that doesn’t sound right.”

the air between you two feels like it’s crackling with tension. you swallow hard, knowing you can’t let him get too suspicious. “it’s really nothing, taesan. you know i wouldn’t lie to you about this.”

“you wouldn’t, huh?” taesan says slowly, his tone soft but with a dangerous edge. “then why didn’t you just tell me? why go through all this just to cover up some… coincidence?”

you flinch slightly at his words, the guilt gnawing at you. but you won’t break. you can’t spoil the surprise now. not when everything is so close to being perfect.

“i didn’t want to bother you with the details,” you say, hoping he buys it. “i just figured i’d spend some time with sungho, that’s all.” you glance at sungho for a moment, but he’s standing still, like he’s unsure whether to step in.

taesan watches you for a long beat, and you can see the wheels turning in his mind. his expression hardens. “so you thought it’d be better to lie to me, to sneak around?”

your chest tightens, the weight of his words sinking in deeper than you expected. “taesan, it’s not like that.”

“really?” taesan’s voice rises, a hint of frustration creeping in. “because that’s exactly what it sounds like. i don’t know, it’s just hard to believe that you’re not hiding something. are you trying to cover something up?”

you feel your heart race. this is spiraling out of control, and you don’t know how to stop it. the last thing you want is for him to think you’re doing something behind his back.

“taesan, please,” you say, your voice barely above a whisper. “you’re overthinking this. i didn’t want to tell you because i didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.” you force yourself to look him in the eye, trying to convey sincerity. “it’s nothing, really.”

taesan doesn’t respond right away. he’s still standing there, arms crossed, eyes cold as he studies you. you feel like he’s dissecting every word you’ve said, trying to figure out if you’re being honest or not.

“so what, this is all just some coincidence?” taesan asks again, voice dripping with doubt. “you just happened to be with sungho, and riwoo just happened to see you leaving together?”

you nod quickly, trying to sound convincing. “yeah, that’s it. it’s just a coincidence, taesan.”

taesan lets out a long breath, his frustration simmering just under the surface. he doesn’t seem convinced, but he doesn’t push further. yet.

“you’re making this harder than it needs to be,” you say, trying to change the subject. “it’s nothing. seriously.”

taesan stays quiet, his eyes narrowing, still unconvinced. “i don’t know if i believe you, but fine. if you say so.”

there’s a moment of silence between you two, and you can almost feel the distance growing between you. you want to tell him the truth, but you can’t risk it. not yet.

“you didn’t need to lie to me, you know,” taesan says softly, his gaze softer but still guarded. “you could’ve just told me where you were. there wouldn’t have been any problem.”

“i know,” you say, your heart sinking. “but i didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

the moment you say it, you regret it. taesan’s eyes flash with confusion, but he doesn’t say anything. he just watches you, waiting.

“what surprise?” taesan asks, the suspicion back in his voice.

you hesitate, panic rising. you can’t tell him, not yet. not when you’re this close.

“it’s nothing,” you say quickly, forcing a smile. “i just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

taesan’s gaze sharpens again. “you’re lying. i can tell.”

you want to scream, to tell him the truth, but you stay silent, your heart heavy with the pressure of it all.

“you’ve been hiding something from me, haven’t you?” taesan asks, his voice quiet now, as if he’s piecing everything together.

you look away, unable to meet his eyes. you can’t keep lying, but you can’t give in either. not yet.

“taesan, please,” you whisper. “just trust me. i don’t want to hurt you.”

he sighs, his expression softening just a little. “i trust you, but it’s hard when you keep lying to me. i just don’t get why you couldn’t tell me what was going on.”

you open your mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. your throat feels tight, and your mind is racing, trying to figure out how to get yourself out of this mess.

“i’m sorry,” you finally say, your voice barely audible. “i didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

taesan looks at you for a long moment, his face softening a bit. “it’s fine,” he says quietly. “but next time, just tell me. no more lies.”

you nod, relieved but still filled with guilt.

there’s a long silence, and then you finally reach into your bag and pull out the vinyl and the trinkets you picked out for him. you hold them out to him, your hands shaking.

“here,” you say softly, voice full of apology. “i got these for you. i… i thought you’d like them.”

taesan takes the items slowly, his expression unreadable. after a few moments, he looks up at you. “you didn’t have to do this,” he says, his voice softening. “but… thanks.”

you smile weakly, still feeling the weight of everything. “i’m sorry for making you mad.”

taesan sighs, stepping closer to you. “it’s okay. just promise me no more lies, alright?”

“promise,” you say quietly.

and for the first time in what feels like forever, the tension begins to melt away. taesan pulls you into a hug, and you let yourself relax, knowing that you’ll have to make things right.

but for now, you’re just grateful that he’s still here.

taesan is silent for a long time, just staring at the vinyls in his hands. his fingers trace over the covers, his expression unreadable.

you shift nervously, waiting for some kind of reaction. was this too much? was this not what he would’ve liked? sungho had assured you it was a good choice, but now, standing here with taesan’s gaze locked onto the gift, doubt creeps in.

“you really did all this for me?” taesan finally asks, voice quieter now.

you nod quickly. “of course i did. you just had a comeback, and i wanted to get you something that actually fit your taste. something you’d really like.”

he exhales slowly, his grip tightening around the vinyls for a second before he looks up at you. his expression has softened completely, the cold edge gone. instead, there’s something else… something warmer.

“you’re an idiot,” he mutters, but there’s no bite to his words. in fact, his lips twitch slightly, like he’s trying not to smile. “you could’ve just told me.”

“and ruin the surprise?” you huff, crossing your arms. “not a chance.”

taesan sighs, shaking his head. “you made me worry for nothing.”

“i didn’t mean to,” you mumble, guilt creeping back in.

he looks at you for another long second before stepping forward, wrapping his arms around you. his hold is firm, secure, like he’s grounding himself in your presence.

you blink, surprised at the sudden affection, but quickly melt into the embrace. his scent is familiar, and the warmth of his body makes all the stress from earlier fade.

“don’t do that again,” he mutters into your hair. “just tell me next time.”

you nod against his chest. “okay. i promise.”

he pulls back slightly, just enough to look at you, his dark eyes still holding a bit of lingering frustration. but it’s different now. less about suspicion, more about the fact that you worried him.

his eyes flicker to sungho, and his warmth disappears just slightly as he levels a glare at him. “and you,” he says, narrowing his eyes.

sungho raises his hands defensively. “hey, don’t look at me like that. i was just helping.”

“helping,” taesan repeats, clearly not convinced. “spending hours alone with y/n, keeping secrets, sneaking around.”

sungho rolls his eyes. “yeah, yeah, i get it. i’d be mad too. but it’s not like that.”

“doesn’t matter,” taesan grumbles, still glaring. “you still got too comfortable.”

you groan, tugging at his sleeve. “taesan, please. it’s not like we were on a date or something.”

taesan clicks his tongue but lets it go, instead looking back at the items in his hands. now that he’s actually processing it, his expression shifts, like he’s finally realizing what you got him, without the worry of why you were lying.

“wait,” he mutters, flipping it over. “this album… where did you find this?”

you grin. “special store sungho knew about. he helped me find the best ones.”

taesan pauses for a moment, then looks at you again, softer this time. “you really went through all this trouble just to get me something i’d like?”

you scoff. “of course i did. i love you, you idiot.”

his ears turn red. it’s subtle, but you notice it. he looks away, clearing his throat. “you’re the idiot,” he mumbles, gripping the vinyls like it’s the most precious thing in the world. “but… thanks.”

he pulls you into another hug, holding you tight, like he doesn’t want to let go.

and just like that, everything feels right again.

[thewhizzyhead]

how genderbending the warriors (2024) is done not for the sole sake of "bad-assery"

okay here we go feminist ramble time for our newest chick on the block: warriors. now i'll be honest, prior to listening to the album, when i first heard that the warriors main girls were originally dudes in the movie and the novel, i thought that the decision for the genderbending, in lmm's perspective, were from the following: 1.) girl power move in like a very basic meaning of the word "bad-ass" 2.) simply a twist on a cult movie about big gang bros loved by the film bros, and 3.) a way to have the schuyler sisters back together gjfkdfldf

but when i read more about warriors and its development and how lmm took inspiration from the gamergate controversies of 2014-2015 aka among the peak of gamerbro misogyny campaigns, that's when i realized that Oh Shit Is Serious - because adapting a story about a group being framed and targeted and harassed for something they are accused of doing without any substantial proof other than a man screaming "THE WARRIORS SHOT CYYYYRUUS" with 21st century misogyny campaigns in mind makes the theme of fighting back a lot more complicated and a lot more resonant, going beyond just marketing a cast you can call "badass"

take the hurricanes' quiet girls, for example. the hurricanes (concept album version) is the only gang that lets the warriors off the hook and with a stern warning: quiet girls don't make it home. here, the hurricanes berate the warriors for not saying shit or attempting to defend themselves from accusations they know well aren't true. THIS MESSAGE IN PARTICULAR is what stays and influences ajax, fox, and swan til the very end of their stories.

literally one song after this does ajax show how easily she resonated with the hurricanes' lesson by finally sticking with her gut and actually choosing to fight back against both the baseball furies AND against the sleazy undercover cop. the latter encounter is one of the instances that really solidifies the recontextualization of the story because in the OG movie, ajax (a dude) WAS the sleazy fuck up harassing a woman in a park - and now with the literal character switch, ajax goes from being just a rebellious gangbro dude bro into someone whose want to fight is warranted. such a want to fight is seen in fox seeing as fox is the first to comment on the quiet girls scene and that, in the concept album, she is the one that instigates the rumble against the police in union square - saying that she is sick of being afraid of them and their 'fuckin powder blue' colors (also notice how she is the only warrior that really does say fuck the cops i think that's cool BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT FOX MORE NEXT TIME)

to a less obvious extent, swan also gets the receiving end of this recurring theme - by the album's finale, the usually violence-averse caution-first interim leader becomes a lot fiercer in protecting her crew. but perhaps among what i consider to be the biggest recontextualized change in the feminist sense is MERCY and her motivations to join the warriors in the first place. according to the wiki, her attraction to swan and the warriors and um seeing the orphans as wimps is what led her to switch sides BUT IN THE CONCEPT ALBUM, mercy's motivation to become a warrior is deepened, rooted in admiration rather than attraction - wanting to be like those women who hold their head up high. and again, we see this in Sick of Runnin' when she takes part in the rumble, finding her bravery within their ranks as they fight back. here, mercy becomes less of a swan tagalong and more of someone that wants what the warriors have: pride.

of course now that i type this out i realize that warriors is not based solely on the feminist rhetoric as with their theme of hope amidst adversity, the story is more intersectional and rooted in community struggle and wanting for more than that. but nonetheless, i genuinely believe that the twt filmbros arguments on why the genders should not have been changed in the first place just for "woke" points is kinda like,,,very shortsighted because not only does the narrative of women narrowly escaping unwarranted accusations actually fucking fit, but the act of learning to fight back amidst all odds - be it that of disbelieving, predatory men or the power of oppressive pigs - stays resonant for women yesterday, today, and the days to come.

ultimately, warriors (2024) is not solely a tale of female badassery - rather, it is a tale of the need for such "female badassery" in the face of past and present realities, which is why it somehow fucking worked.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale Reviews: EPIC: The Musical

(Thanks to @knightsweeties for this image)

Now this maybe my most unique review. As technically speaking. This is a Concept Album that then became a unique full on musical.

Epic is a musical adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey created by Jorge Rivera-Herrans.

And this means I will not be discussing the Visual Quality. Which is something I am heavily reliant on for my reviews of things.

But for such a special case. I think I have found my areas of review

The Plot

The Characters

The Music: (Are the songs good? Are they good Narrative? What do the songs say)

The Themes (What are the moral lessons)

Inspiration vs Interpretation (What does it do different from The Odyssey?)

Final Thoughts

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The Plot

The story takes place at the very last days of the Trojan war. Odysseus and his allies are inside the Trojan horse. (A complex monument to Athena to trick the Trojans to let them into their city) They want to end the war and go back to their families.

(The Horse and The Infant)

The crew bust out of the wooden horse and proceed to attack the city, rescue Helen (the whole reason they are in the war in the first place) and finish this war.

During the invasion, Zeus gives Odysseus a vision of his death, which he says can only be prevented by killing the threat here and now. And shockingly, Odysseus finds out the threat... is an Infant.

Zeus and the gods tell him that this baby will grow up and murder him along with everyone he loves Unless he kills him now. (Including his Wife, Penelope)

Odysseus wrestles with this morally as the child reminds him of his own son who he hasnt seen in 10 years. But eventually does kill the baby by dropping him off the side of a wall (Just a man)

After the raid, Odysseus and his fleet leave to go home to Ithaca. But during the trip they realize they are out of food and must find some or they will starve before making it home (Full Speed Ahead) So Odysseus and his best buddy, Polities go to check the first island they find.

Polities notices Odysseus is obviously a mess and tells him he needs to be more accepting of life and others (Open arms) which allows them to talk with the Lotus Eaters, who tell them where they can find food.

After this, Athena slips into Odysseus' mind to tell him to get a grip by reminding him of his past (Warrior of the Mind)

Ending the first saga (Troy Saga)

The crew go to the cave and find a ton of sheep, enough to feed the entire fleet, but Unfortunately find out that this cave has a Cyclops that is pretty ticked about them killing his Sheep. (Polyphemus)

Despite trying to negotiate, the Cyclops attacks (Survive) The result has Odysseus losing Polities along with several soldiers. But Cleverly the wine they gave the Cyclops was drugged with the Lotus that the lotus eaters had given them earlier. The crew Blinds Polyphemus and Escapes (Remember them) After which they steal his sheep and right as they leave, Odysseus reveals his name and that Polyphemus will Remember this pain. Which was not a smart move.

Athena sees this as proof that Odysseus has changed and she is Done (My Goodbye) so she tells Odysseus she is leaving. Odysseus tells her not to let the door hit her on the way out. As he has some grievances

(End of the Cyclops saga)

And because of Plot, a Storm appears and is making it impossible for Odysseus and Company to get home (Storm). But they thankfully find some Floating Islands which happen to be the home of the Wind god Aeolus, whom Odysseus believes can help them, but after what happened the crew is starting to have doubts, including Eurylochus (Luck Runs Out). But Odysseus pulls rank and says we going to ask anyway.

So Odysseus meets with Aeolus who helps them if he plays a game. Aeolus put the storm in a bag and tells him no one can open it or it will release the storm. While also spreading a rumor among the crew that the bag Odysseus is holding has treasure. (Keep your friends close) And Odysseus tells them its a rumor and that NO ONE can open the bag. His Paranoia keeps him awake for 9 days as they sail across the calm sea. But unfortunately when he fell asleep, SOMEONE opened the bag and the storm got free, blowing them to the land of Giants... where Poseidon happened to be.

Poseidon reveals that he knows about what they did to Polyphemus and He is not happy. As surprise, Thats his kid. And decides to teach Odysseus a lesson about how "Ruthlessness is Mercy upon ourselves" (Ruthlessness). The sea god wipes out the fleet, leaving only 43 men under Odysseus command. But before Poseidon could finish Odysseus and the last ship. Odysseus used the last of the wind in the bag to escape.

(End of the ocean Saga)

Odysseus and the remains of his crew end up on an island. Odysseus is pretty shaken over the whole thing and tells Eurylochus to hold whatever he was going to say and go scout. Eurylochus takes some men and goes scouting, only to come back alone. He reveals the men got turned into pigs by a powerful Sorceress, Circe/ (Puppeteer).

Odysseus goes off on his own to go plan how to deal with the powerful magic user when Hermes finds him and gives him a flower that will counter Circe's Magic. (Wouldn't you like). So with this he goes and confronts Circe alone.

Odysseus and Circe clash and are basically even until Odysseus managed to get his sword at her throat (Done For). But Circe decides to use the power of seduction to get a handle on him. Which fails as Odysseus is too in love with his Wife, Penelope to fall for the seduction, and he simply pleads with her to free his friends. (There are other ways). Circe, moved by his devotion tells him that there maybe someone that could help him, but the man is dead and that they would need to go to the underworld to find him.

(End of the Circe Saga)

Odysseus and Crew make it to the underworld where as they are searching for the Prophet Tiresias, Odysseus is haunted by the deaths of his comrades, Polites, and then by his mother who died of a broken heart waiting for him to come home. (Underworld).

They Find the Prophet who says that he doesnt see a world where he helps him get home, but does foreshadow events of the future, including how the man that is with Odysseus' wife is haunting and has a trail of bodies behind him (No Longer you).

Odysseus realizes that if he wants to get home, he must embrace Ruthlessness and become a monster. (Monster) And so the group leave the underworld.

(End of the First Half. End of the Underworld Saga)

Sirens appear and one pretends to be Penelope to get Odysseus to jump in the water. But Odysseus manages to get the siren to tell him what path to take to avoid poseidon, which involved going through the Lair of Scylla, a monster that crossing has a cost. (Suffering)

Though as soon as he got the information, he shot the Siren with an arrow and revealed he knew they were monsters. He and his crew capture them all and reveal they put beeswax in their ears to block out their song and he had read their lips to get the info. Now knowing where they need to go, Odysseus orders his men to cut of their tails and throw them back in the water, making them drown. (Different Beast) Revealing he has accepted Ruthlessness.

After that, Odysseus and crew make it to Scylla's lair, where Eurylochus finally confesses that HE opened the windbag. Odysseus felt the betrayal, but instead of responding with anger, simply tells him to light six torches. As they enter, Scylla appears and feeds on the crew, mainly the 6 holding torches. (Scylla)

After they escape the lair, Eurylochus figures out Odysseus just sacrificed 6 of them to Scylla to get past. He confronts odysseus who doesnt deny it. (Mutiny) Resulting in Eurylochus attacking Odysseus in a fight for leadership, which Odysseus nearly wins but was stabbed in the back (Literally) By his crew. Eurylochus takes command and when Odysseus wakes up, they are on the Island of the Sun god. Where there are cows roaming. Odysseus realizes that this is VERY bad and says to Eurylochus to NOT touch the cows. But he says that he is hungry and kills one. Unfortunately... that was a mistake. Odysseus is quickly put back as captain and he orders them to get on the ship and Row as fast they can before the sun god sends someone... but its too late. the Sun god sent Zeus.

Zeus tells them they messed up and that they will need to pay. (Thunderbringer). Zeus gives Odysseus a choice, His life or his crews. Odysseus not wanting to make that choice, still picks his own life. Because above all else, he wants to see his wife and son. Zeus kills the crew and destroys the boat, leaving Odysseus alone.

(End of the Thunder Saga)

we cut to 8 years later. Where Telemachus is living his life without his dad, wondering what his life will be and only knowing his dad through stories. He also describes how Suitors are after his mom and they bully him. (Legendary) One Suitor, Antinous is especially crass and Telemachus tells him to shut up, to which Antinous says "Or what?"

This leads to a fistfight in which Telemachus is badly losing, until Athena intervenes to help Telemachus. It still ends with the boy's loss but he put up more of a fight. (Little wolf).

Telemachus bonds with Athena and convinces her to go help her other friend. (We'll be fine).

Athena then searches Odysseus' memories to find out where he is, only to find him on Calypso's island. Calypso being a goddess and holding Odysseus there against his will, Odysseus was trapped their and is almost on the brink of ending his life as his guilt is harassing him to a point of no return. (Love in Paradise). He even desperately calls out to Athena.

Athena decides to help Odysseus by pleading to Zeus to have him Released. Zeus says "Lets make it a game" and tells Athena she has to convince Apollo, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hera and then himself if she wants Odysseus freed. (god games) Athena Agrees and gets each one to agree until getting to Zeus, who nearly kills her over being made a fool of in his game. But her pleading did eventually get him to agree.

(End of Wisdom Saga)

Odysseus was building a raft from materials on the island when Calypso appeared and told him that she is letting him go, as someone demanded his release. She proceeds to tell him her feelings on the matter (I'm not sorry for loving you) in which she sort of apologizes (but more like how a Youtuber apologizes) Odysseus tells her he does love her, but not in the way she wants. Which pisses her off.

He sails on the raft when Hermes appears who gives him the Wind bag containing the storm, saying this is his final chance while telling him how to get home (Dangerous), explaining how super risky it is. Odysseus follows the plan which leads him to facing Charybdis and successfully sailing past him (Charybdis). Odysseus is finally approaching his home as he sees it in view, but Poseidon appears, revealing he had been WAITING for him.

Poseidon tells him that he needs to get in the water and accept his fate. Odysseus pleads for forgiveness as its been so long and they have both suffered enough. (Get in the Water) But Poseidon takes the words as an insult and hits him with a god move, Shatter the Ocean. As Odysseus sinks to the bottom of the ocean, he hears the voices of all his dead friends and loved ones saying they are waiting for him, and he takes his final breath... Until he reawakens as a monster.

Odysseus revives and uses the storm bag to get out of the water and unveil HIS finishing move on Poseidon (Six Hundred Strike). He bests Poseidon, but the storm has been released and now Odysseus cant get home. Odysseus tells Poseidon to call off the storm, or else. Poseidon tells him he cant kill him. Odysseus says "Exactly" and proceeds to stab Poseidon until he begs for mercy and agrees to call off the storm

(End of Vengeance Saga)

We cut to Penelope who saw the storm on the Horizon dissipate and take it as a sign that her life is going to change. So she puts a challenge to the suitors. String her husbands bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads and the one who succeeds will be king (The Challenge)

The suitors end up trying for several hours to achieve this but all fail. Antinous points out how this is all just a trick to stall and that they should just go to the shore to ambush Telemachus who is on a diplomatic mission, and once they kill him, the queen will be theirs to do with as they please (Hold them down) but as he got them all agree, an arrow flies through 12 axe heads and strikes Antinous in the throat, killing him.

Odysseus reveals himself, and he knows their plan. Odysseus is Super pissed and says he will kill them all. (Odysseus) He is now the monster. Odysseus made sure all their weapons were gone and methodically kills them all. The suitors try all sorts of tactics, from sneak attacks to pleading for mercy, this of course fails. Some suitors managed to find the room with the weapons, only to find Telemachus waiting, who was armed and a full fledged warrior of the mind, and he is doing work as the suitors all rush to attack him to use him as leverage to escape Odysseus wrath. After some time, Telemachus is worn down, but Odysseus appears and VIOLENTLY MURDERS THEM ALL.

After the suitors are dead, Telemachus and Odysseus talk and finally reunite. After the reunion, Odysseus tells Telemachus to tell his mother he is home and that he will be there in a moment. He wanted to talk with athena who was there with Telemachus. (I cant help but Wonder) Athena and Odysseus both talk about what they both want next, understanding that they are in different places, but its a sign of mutual respect and care. Athena wishes him luck.

Odysseus finally arrives in front of penelope. In which he bares his soul to her, unsure if the monster he has become is worthy of being by her side, and asks if she would fall in love with him again. (Would you fall in love with me again). Penelope reveals that he is still her husband deep down and that she has waited 20 years for him and she doesnt care where or when, He is her husband and that she will love him, over and over again. They finally reunite.

So yea, thats the plot of Epic and its beautiful

Granted there are changes from the Homer epic poem its based from. But... that will be covered later.

Overall, solid plot. Beautiful and simple.

9/10

_________________________________________________________

The Characters

There are a lot of Characters named in Epic. So bare with me.

Odysseus: The main Character. The journey he went on from a man that was gripping with the pain he has caused, to a man accepting ruthlessness, and becoming a monster to get home, while still realizing he is still who he is deep down is a fascinating character exploration. If we compare him to the Odysseus of the Homer myth, he might actually be a much more morally gray character. But for Epic it works as he has his wants and desires. He is cunning and loves his family, and his desire to do whatever it takes to see his family again is surprisingly human despite the monster he becomes. He is my favorite character in the musical. He is deeply flawed but he is the best for this story. 10/10 (Funfact, his instrument associated with him is a guitar, nylon when normal, electric when in intense scenes)

Eurylochus: He is the supposed 2nd in command but as the journey goes on he grows to doubt his captain's abilities. I like how he is a hypocrite in several things within the story, showing that perhaps he always wanted to be the one in charge, but also has love and care for Odysseus. Out of all the characters on the crew, he likely understands Ody the best, but also failed to see what he was becoming. 10/10 (Fun fact, his wife, Ctimine is odysseus sister. She isnt mentioned in the musical, but it makes Eurylochus his brother in law making the betrayal extra tragic)

Telemachus: The son of Odysseus and Penelope. He has spent his life getting picked on by the suitors. But after he becomes friends with Athena, he discovers how strong he can be. He is a pure soul and believes his father is still out there. He becomes a warrior of the mind thanks to Athena. I do wish we got a bit more out of him, but he does do his part well. (Fun fact: His Nickname, Little wolf. is a reference to when Poseidon calls odysseus crew a wolf pack swiming with the shark. Since he is Odysseus kid) 8/10

Athena: The goddess of wisdom, and battle tactics. She starts off the musical more calculating and cold, pointing out how Odysseus is losing his composure and smarts because of his emotions. She eventually leaves after a huge argument and is filled with remorse, deciding to make amends by watching over his son, She befriends Telemachus and really realizes her mistake. She even goes as far as to fight Zeus to get Odysseus free, a fight which left her scarred. Athena going through an arc of GAINING empathy and mercy, as opposed to odysseus, making their reunion touching but also sad, like old friends that are now on different walks of life. Her dynamic with Telemachus is top teir. 9/10. (Fun fact, Athena's ability is often misconstrued as time manipulation, but its actually her speeding up thoughts to make everything around them seem slow. Its similar to the power of the Flash)

Poseidon: The god of the Sea, he basically is the big bad of the story as his introduction basically shaped how Odysseus went about trying to get home. Poseidon is pissed that Odysseus blinded his son and left him to suffer, stating that this is all odysseus' fault. He even mocks and reprimands the King by stating if he had just killed Polyphemus, none of this would be happening. He kills most of the crew, and shows how much of a force of nature he is. It isnt until we get to the Vengeance saga that we see Poseidon's true colors. He is petty, cruel, and vengeful. He isnt Ruthless as he claims, because if he was, he would have Killed Odysseus earlier. He wanted Odysseus to suffer. And its only when the tables are turned we see how pathetic he actually is. Solid performance. 10/10 (Fun fact: Poseidon's music in EPIC is represented by trumpets and brass section that gets more electronic and distorted the more wrathful and angrier he is. He was also meant to appear earlier and Tempt Eurylochus into opening the bag, but this was cut.

Penelope: While technically only in 2 songs, Penelope is the most influencial character in the story, as She is Odysseus' drive to get home. She is the one holding things down in Ithaca while she is missing. And when we meet her, we find out how clever and strong she is. She had held the suitors down with her own tactics, keeping them from acting out longer than many could expect. She even figured out Odysseus was arriving after seeing a storm. But what stands out most is that she is the person that defeated the Monster Odysseus was. She saw right through it, she knew her husband. Penelope showed she was the strongest in spirit, and her love for Odysseus matches his love for her. And its truely beautiful 10/10 (Fun fact: She is the most mentioned character in all of Epic. and is only not mentioned in the Cyclops saga.)

I could also go on about the other characters such as Circe, Antinous, Polyphemus, and more. But I think I can summarize and say. Phenomenal characters

Overall

10/10

____________________________________________________________

The Music

(Are the songs good? Are they good Narrative? What do the songs say)

Yes AND YES

When it comes to the music, Epic does a great balance of Having a solid Narrative through line for most of the songs. Though there are some bits that do need explanation of how things get to point a to point b. But its usually a minor thing.

I think Epic's soundtrack falls into two categories.

Songs I listen to when I listen to the whole thing.

Songs I can listen to by themselves.

Now for me, Songs such as Just a Man, My Goodbye, Ruthlessness, Done for, Thunderbringer, Legendary, Dangerous, Get in the Water, The Challenge, and Would you fall in love with me again.

Are all songs that I can listen to by themselves and not even need to think about the plot, these are songs that are perfect for AMVs and are emotional Peak.

This isnt to say the songs not on this list are bad, its actually a case of, listening to them makes me want to go through the whole saga. Its great in a different way.

If I am being honest, this maybe my personal favorite musical. The attention to detail Jorge does with call backs to previous songs or foreshadowing. The special association of characters to instruments is (Chef's kiss) The more you listen to the songs, the more you find out.

It is mainly an album which means the focus is the songs and it shows.

10/10

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The Themes (What are the moral lessons)

So interesting fact, according to Jorge, Epic's main lesson is about Ruthlessness.

Now many people misconstrue what Ruthlessness actually means.

Many assume it means brutal and harsh tactics in order to achieve what one wants. But that is not the case. We actually see how in some cases being Brutal and harsh ARENT ruthless.

To be Ruthless one must do something without being merciful or compassionate. It means you are going in without taking emotion into account. You want to get to your goal no matter what.

Another way of putting it, it is being determined to get to what you want no matter what. That is how Ruthlessness is defined in this musical.

to be honest, I actually find that moral lesson kind of weak.

BUT there is another lesson in Epic that I think is a much more valuable lesson.

Love is a powerful Action.

Whether it is for good or bad. Love is the driver of EVERYTHING in Epic.

Odysseus was willing to sacrifice his crew for Love. Odysseus fought a god for love. Penelope waited for 20 years and dealt with the worst people, all for love . Never waivering.

Love is what convinced Circe to help Odysseus, Wanting love is what made Calypso force Odysseus to stay on the island.

Athena's Love (as a friend) for Telemachus helped her go so far to save Odysseus.

Love is a powerful action that can shake the world.

That is what I believe is Epic's TRUE theme is.

8/10

_________________________________________________________

Inspiration and Interpretation (What does it do different from The Odyssey?)

So there is a LOT of changes to Epic that make it distinct from Homer's The Odyssey.

I dont think I will be able to list them all, but I will list a few

The story starts at the end of the Trojan war, where in the odyssey it actually starts with Telemachus 10 years after this point

Odysseus never directly faces poseidon, Poseidon just sent a few storms.

Odysseus isnt torn up about what happened in Troy. His crew was hit with a storm after they were being bad sports in the war

Aeolus was actually a king and not a wind god.

Odysseus was not Athena's champion, their dynamic was added for this play. Diomedes was actually athena's champion.

Odysseus dealt with Charybdis and Scylla at the same time in The Odyssey, and no one mutinied him over it

Odysseus actually had to sleep with Circe to save his men, and they chilled on her island for like a month. While in Epic, he doesnt sleep with anyone except Penelope.

(And this is a fun one) Tiresias actually does help him, telling him to NOT sacrifice the cows on Helios' island as it would result in him not getting home for a long time.

Odysseus was actually at Ithaca for a bit before he attacked the suitors, meeting Telemachus earlier on in which they hatched a plan.

There were no games to free Odysseus, the gods basically agreed he suffered enough.

Telemachus heard from Athena that Odysseus is alive, but she was disguised as an old man when she told him

The bow the suitors had to string was a Recurve bow, its not mentioned in the song, but the men had no idea there was a special trick to stringing that bow.

The Winions arent real, the Lotus eaters were originally humans in the Odyssey and were just high on Lotus.

Odysseus was given a unsinkable garment that helped him get home.

And thats most of the interesting ones

Anyway The Odyssey also tells a tale more focusing on the trials and tribulations, praising Odysseus' cunning while reprimanding his dishonorable tactic. While Homer!Odysseus was mainly babysitting idiots, Epic!Odysseus was actually a bit more at fault for things that happened. One odysseus had to be freed and left to his own devices while one had to learn Ruthlessness to get home.

They may tell the same tale, but they do it in different ways.

Epic is different enough that it is clearly Inspired by, not ripping off

this one isnt for grading, I just wanted to put this here.

__________________________________________________________

Final Thoughts

Epic is truly Epic.

It is a wonderful musical that gives a little bit of everything. it rewards the listener if they dig a bit deeper. It is filled with emotion and it was crafted with pure passion.

It may have started as a concept album, but it is a tale of Ruthless determination and a will to dream.

I love this musical and I hope you all give it a shot.

btw, here is additional art my friend made

[makeitmingi]

Cause Baby You’re My Muse [Chapter 10]

Genre: Romance, Idol!AU, Music, Slight angst

Pairing: Mingi x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Producer!Reader, IdolLyricist!Mingi, IdolProducer!Hongjoong, Idol!Seonghwa, Idol!Yunho, Idol!Wooyoung, Idol!San, Idol!Yeosang, Idol!Jongho, cameo(s) by other celebrities

Summary: You always preferred producing underground, having an unknown face and governed by your own rules. But when you start freelancing for idol groups, you say goodbye to your lone wolf lifestyle as you learn to work with idol producers and lyricists.

Word count: 3.3K

You woke up to hear the boys shuffling around outside and Seonghwa going around to wake everyone else up. After brushing your teeth and showering, you changed into sweats and an oversized shirt. You wanted to be comfortable if you were going to work the whole day.

“Good morning!” Wooyoung almost tackled you with a hug.

“Morning, Wooyoung. Did you sleep well?” You chuckled, patting his back as he clung to your like a koala. He nodded his head as you both waddled into the kitchen. Seonghwa was already there with a bowl of cereal.

“Why is Yeosang on the couch? Is he okay?” You blinked when you noticed the boy laying faced down.

“He’s always like that after washing up. Don’t worry.” Wooyoung assured. With Wooyoung now just latched to your back, you opened the fridge.

“Come here.” Seonghwa grabbed the back of Wooyoung’s shirt and pulled him away from you, making him whine. You looked around the fridge and grabbed a bottle of cold coffee.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to drink that on an empty stomach.” Hongjoong walked in, ruffling his slightly damp hair. 

“Okay then I won’t tell you. So don’t look.” You turned away to use your body to shield his view as you scooped ice into a glass and poured the coffee in. You went through the cupboard and found a straw to stick it into the drink. Wooyoung snickered at your rebuttal to Hongjoong, coming over to sling his arm around your neck. 

“At least eat something too.” Seonghwa coaxed. Hongjoong nodded in agreement. You decided to make a yoghurt bowl with cereal and some fruit, making one for Wooyoung too.

“I want one too.” Hongjoong, who loves yoghurt, followed suit and made one for himself.

“I’m going down to set up first. See you guys.” With your bowl and coffee in hand, you waved and went down to the basement. 

“Let’s see...” You turned on the lights and air conditioning to get the room cold. After that, you sat at the producer’s desk and turned on the little set up you had. Hongjoong had set up a little space for himself next to you. 

Since you were alone, you lowered your mask to eat your breakfast. You played some music as you ate. It didn’t take you long to finish the small portion and pull your mask back up.

“Focus on having breakfast first before working.” Someone tapped on your shoulder. You turned to see Jongho there sipping his own iced coffee. 

“I didn’t even hear you come in. And I just finished before you came in.” You laughed, holding your empty bowl up as proof. 

“Have you eaten?” You asked.

“I finished Wooyoung hyung’s yoghurt bowl since San hyung was making eggs and he wanted that.” He replied, taking a seat on the couch behind you. You shook your head with a laugh, imagining Wooyoung just abandoning his food to steal someone else’s food. 

“Well, since you’re the first one here, share with me your thoughts for you upcoming songs or album. What do you expect, likes, dislikes, stuff like that.” You turned to face him. Jongho thought about it for a while. 

“Usually as the main vocalist, I have a lot of holding high notes for our songs at C5. Maybe it would be nice to challenge myself to explore more of my vocal range.” He said. 

“I think that’s a good goal. Everyone’s is impressed with your high notes but now, we aim to impress your wide range.” You nodded.

“Any specific genre you want to explore?” You followed up with the next question.

“Not really... As a group, we do hip hop, EDM type music. But on my own, like outside show appearances, I do sing a lot of ballads and trot.” He explained. You wrote this information down, in case it would come in handy. 

“Tenor, right?” You checked and he nodded. One by one, the other members started coming down to the basement. 

“Someone go wake Mingi, please. He’s late.” Hongjoong pinched his nose bridge in exasperation. San saluted and went upstairs. 

“I think he slept later than me. I’m not too sure... I slept right after I showered.” His roommate, Yunho, scratched his head. Behind your mask, you chewed your lip guiltily. Were you the reason Mingi slept in and was now late for recording? Did you keep him up with your talking last night? You gulped, turning to look at the computer. 

“Sorry.” Mingi came down with San. He ran his hands through his messy hair, in an attempt to neaten it. 

“Mingi ah, you shouldn’t be late. We were waiting for you.” Hongjoong lectured. The tall boy just bowed apologetically and especially bowed to you. 

“It’s okay.” You assured. Mingi stared at you for two seconds before going to sit with Yunho. Hongjoong came and sat on the empty chair next to you, turning on his equipment for his small set up too. 

“Alright, let’s start. Indigo?” Hongjoong passed the baton to you. 

“So, except for Mingi and Hongjoong, this is everyone’s first song camp, including me. This is to learn from everyone and tap into our individual creativity. We’ll experiment and collaborate to get some tracks.” You said.

“If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, we’ll save the idea for future songs or something. There’s no guarantee.” Hongjoong added.

“Okay.” Everyone replied. 

“So we’ll first work on the usual foundation stuff to form our beat. Then we will test it out with some guide recordings and pitch planning which means vocals, raps, back ups.” You explained.  

That’s how the song camp with Ateez started. As chaotic and playful as they are, they were still focused and hardworking on the task. They genuinely wanted to give professional, useful opinions. All of them had their own style and creative insight with music. 

“After the verse, maybe do a fade out. Then go into the chorus, bam bam bam.” Mingi suggested. 

“Drum 1?” You asked.

“No, not the snare. I was thinking more bass drum.” He leaned over and pointed. You applied his suggestion and played the track back. Everyone bobbed their heads to the melody.

“I think making it slower would add to the more emphasised effect.” Seonghwa tapped his hand against the table to demonstrate. 

“Good idea.” You tested it out. 

“I like it.” Yeosang gave a thumbs up. Hongjoong supported you on the keyboard with the base melody. He had really good producing insight. You trusted him since he usually writes for the group and knows their strengths. 

“Alright. Let’s have a short break. Be back in 15 minutes.” Hongjoong clapped his hands. 

“We’ve actually done more than I thought we could and it’s almost lunch. I would say, after lunch, split the boys up. Some can start preparing for the test recording while the others can help to clean the composition. If that all goes well, we’ll do the guide recording tomorrow.” Hongjoong suggested. You nodded your head in agreement. 

“Yes, this progression is very fast. Splitting the boys would help fine tune and edit what we have now.” You said. Mingi came down with a box of chocolate milk, opened with a straw. He placed it beside you and patted your head.

“Thanks, Mings.” You eye smiled up at him.

“Welcome.” He smiled back as he took his seat, sipping his soda. Hongjoong cast a glance at Mingi then back at you.

“What are you looking at?” You jabbed his arm. He shook his head and turned back to the keyboard, putting his headphones on and pressing some keys to play around. 

“Everyone is back?” Hongjoong did a quick headcount when the 15 minute break was over.

“All of you have given great input and we’ve actually progressed a lot faster than we scheduled for. The plan now is to split you guys up, half to prepare for the test recording and half to continue working on the track.” You said.

“From here, there won’t be any major changes so following the foundation beat pattern, you can start forming some guide lyrics.” Hongjoong added.

“Mingi, Jongho, Seonghwa and myself will be on the guide team. The rest of you will be here with Indigo.” He announced.

“Are we splitting now?” Wooyoung asked.

“After lunch.” You replied. The boys then spent some time deciding what to order for lunch. Despite being in a wooded area, there were quite some delivery choices around for them to pick. You gave them free reign to decide, you weren’t fussed about your food.

“Hmm...” You had your headphones on since the boys were discussing what to order. Your fingers drummed against the desk top as you closed your eyes to focus on the sound you were hearing. 

“Indigo?” Hongjoong tapped your shoulder. You paused the music and removed your headphones, looking at him quizzically. 

“Something wrong?” 

“I usually constantly replay the beat in my ears to try and figure out what needs to change, like additions or subtractions. It sounds weird but like almost visualising the music.” You explained. 

“We’re going to get bossam and jokbal.” Yunho informed. You nodded with a thumbs up. 

The boys decided to just rest until the food arrived since not much could be done with lunch time approaching. You stayed downstairs, continuing to work and focusing on the beat. You didn’t want to let go of this producing high. 

“You need to take breaks.” Wooyoung massaged your shoulders. 

“I will. Don’t worry.” You placed your hand over his, squeezing it lightly to show your affection. San took Hongjoong’s empty seat next to you. 

“Want to hear the track that you recorded the guide for? I just finished the final cut and editing a few days ago.” You asked. His eyes brightened up as he nodded excitedly. You gave him the headphones to wear as you played the track for him. You and Wooyoung watched as San’s expression went from serious to happy to surprised.

“Wait, that’s really me?!” He pointed at the computer then at himself, his voice full of amazement. You and Wooyoung burst out laughing at how cute he was. You nodded in confirmation. 

“I’ve not really explored much ballads or soft hiphop type songs but maybe I should.” San said, removing the headphones and putting them on the table.

“You should. I think you sound great.” You complimented.

“Hear that, San ah? The famous producer Indigo thinks you’re great. That means you really are.” Wooyoung teased with a giggle. You blushed but rolled your eyes to cover your embarrassment. 

“All of you are great and talented. I’ve never doubted that for a moment since I’ve met you all.” You scoffed.

“Also San, thanks for letting me steal your chocolate milk.” You added.

“It was you?! I owe Mingi an apology, I saw him take one just now and scolded him.” San’s eyes widened. You nodded while giggling.

“Yeah, I even had one last night when I couldn’t sleep. He was just passing them along to me, not actually drinking it. I’ll pay you back or replace them the next time we go shopping.” You promised. 

“N-No need! It’s okay, really. Just help yourself to them. I didn’t mean for you pay me back or anything.” San grew flustered, obviously it wasn’t his intention to make you feel guilty and somehow repay him for the chocolate milk that you’ve been taking from him. 

“Wow, the differential treatment is unfair, San ah.” Wooyoung clicked his tongue. San just glared at his best friend.

“You always take my stuff and not once have I ever asked you to pay me back. So what are you talking about?” San asked, standing up. Wooyoung yelped and ducked behind your chair.

“Nice going, Wooyoung. Don’t expect me to help you with this one.” You turned to slap his arm. 

“Betrayer!” Wooyoung starts taking off, up the stairs, yelling with San chasing behind him. You sighed and went back to work. 

“What’s that about?” Mingi blinked. 

“Wasn’t one of the first rules you guys taught me was not to meddle in any Woosan business?” You raised your eyebrows. Mingi threw his head back in laughter as he nodded. 

“I heard you got in trouble for getting caught taking San’s chocolate milk. Sorry about that.” You chuckled. Mingi sat down next to you.

“He just likes to pout. I’ll just buy him more.” Mingi said.

“Oh and also, sorry if I kept you up last night, resulting in you being late and getting in trouble with Hongjoong. I should have checked the time and not talk to much.” You suddenly became serious, remembering what you wanted to tell him the whole morning. Mingi took a whole to process your words before a small frown settled on his face. 

“What are you talking about? Why are you apologising when there’s nothing to apologise for? If anything, we were both having the conversation and talking. Me waking up late isn’t your fault.” Mingi spoke. 

“But-”

“No, Indigo. Not once did I even think to blame you or make it your fault. It’s my responsibility to wake up on time.” He said.

“Please, I don’t want last night to be the last night we have those kinds of talks because I like talking with you. And it somehow feels different than when I speak with my members.” He confessed.

“Really?” You couldn’t help but soften at his words. 

“Yes, really. So don’t worry about me getting in trouble with Hongjoong hyung, I’m used to it. I think he’s used to me waking up late anyway.” He assured.

“Alright.” You nodded. Although you weren’t telling Mingi everything about you, it felt nice to talk to him. You were glad he felt the same way. The trust you had in the Ateez boys just grew every day you were around them. 

“Also, Mings. I feel the same. I enjoy our talks.” You told him. Your phone ringing broke the silence.

“Sorry, I have to take this.” Mingi felt you immediately close up and get secretive, even hiding the phone screen to protect the caller ID. You answered the phone, cupping your hand around your mouth as you hurriedly leapt up the stairs to find a private place to talk. 

“Hi, baby.” You finally found a place, out of earshot, to speak to Haneul. You felt bad that today was the day you were supposed to be with her. 

“Did you have your lunch yet? I told ahjumma to let you have an ice cream after your meal since I’m not there with you today.” You spoke, absentmindedly kicking around the gravel. 

“Yes! I’m having my ice cream now. Thank you, unnie.” 

“You’re very welcome. I’m sorry I can’t be there with you.” You smiled sadly, even if she couldn’t see you.

“Are you working a lot?” 

“I am, baby. I’m working hard but I’m thinking about you. You know I miss you the most right?” You asked and chuckled as you heard a short hum in reply, probably distracted by the ice cream in her hand. 

“So tell me, what are you going to do today?” You seemed to get her attention back as she started to ramble to you about her plans. Of course, you willingly listened to every plan and passing thought she had. You could listen to her talk for hours and never get bored. Safe to say, you were so whipped for this little girl. There was a smile on your face the entire time. 

“The food is here. Where’s Indigo?” Yunho asked to no one in particular as he and Jongho laid out the table setting. 

“She’s outside. On the phone.” Mingi replied. 

“Shall we wait for her?” 

“Let’s leave her a portion. Maybe she will be more comfortable eating on her own without having to wear a mask or cap.” Hongjoong suggested. Wooyoung grabbed a plate and took a portion of everything. 

“There. Did I miss anything?” Wooyoung checked. Seonghwa grabbed a few more pieces of meat and added it on. 

“That should be enough.” 

“Maybe I should go give the food to her since she’s outside.” Wooyoung said. Hongjoong nodded and Wooyoung took the plate outside. You jumped when he appeared behind you. 

“Take your time. This is for you.” He whispered, putting the food down on the picnic table. 

“Thanks.” You pulled the phone away momentarily to reply to him. Wooyoung nodded and went back to the house. With your back turned in that direction, you lowered your mask and started eating while Haneul was still talking on the phone with you. 

“Her phone calls last quite long. The call she had yesterday while we were setting up took a while too.” Yeosang noted. Mingi stiffened slightly, remembering what he overheard from your call. 

“Maybe it’s work. She’s still producing for other companies and artists right?” Jongho shrugged. 

“Whatever it is, that’s her business outside of us. We shouldn’t invade her privacy.” Hongjoong said, getting protective of you. 

“It could be family. We just took her to this place for a few days out of nowhere.” San theorised. Mingi knew that to be impossible since you told him you didn’t have contact with family last night. You wouldn’t lie, right?

“Enough. Like Hongjoong said, let’s not guess and theorise. It’s not nice.” Seonghwa put an end to the conversation. 

“Parents are always more protective of their daughters than sons.” Wooyoung tried to lighten the mood with a joke. Seonghwa and Hongjoong both shot him pointed looks.

When your call with Haneul was done, you came back in with your empty plate in hand. You saw that the boys were still eating so you decided to sit with them to join in the conversation. They were debating over an incident that seemed to happen back during their trainee days. It was amusing to see them accuse and blame each other.

“Everything okay?” Hongjoong leaned over to ask you. You guessed he was referring to your phone call.

“Yeah, everything’s good.” You nodded. 

“Let’s clear up and get back to work.” The boys all helped with the clean up so it was done relatively quickly. You and Yunho were helped to dry the dishes after they were washed. 

“You did that on purpose.” You blamed, hitting him back with the dish cloth. Yunho laughed and hit you again. 

“Kids, stop playing. You might drop something.” Seonghwa lectured. 

“Oh, my Haneul is calling, I’ll meet you guys in the studio.” San waved his phone before stepping aside to answer the call. You froze at the mention of the name ‘Haneul’. 

“Who is Haneul?” You asked. 

“San’s older sister. He has this thing about not calling anyone ‘noona’ so he just calls her ‘my Haneul’.” Yunho explained as he kept the stack of plates in the cupboard. You nodded slowly, putting the damp dish cloth aside to dry. How coincidental that San’s sister shared the same name as your Haneul? 

“Let’s go work!” Yunho and Wooyoung slung their arms around you to lead you back down to the basement studio. You cast Seonghwa and Hongjoong a scared look, making them laugh.

“All the best.” Seonghwa wished.

“Boys, don’t tire Indigo out too much. We don’t need her to be in recovery for the next 2 days.” Hongjoong reminded. 

“Yes, captain!” The two on either side of you saluted while you gulped. Mingi leaned his head on his hand as he watched this unfold. You did shoot him a small wave, which made him straighten up, awkwardly waving back.

“We’ll reconvene in 2 hours!” Hongjoong yelled out as the basement studio door closed. 

~

Series Masterlist

[bluejay-the-geek]

DC characters/moments as Tortured Poets Department songs/lyrics bc i have a light concussion and am very bored (in the album's chronological order)

(disclaimer before someone is triggered- some of the lyrics are taken out of context or interpreted differently than what they actually mean. this is just for fun don't come for me. also this gets pretty angsty towards the end so proceed with caution)

"I was supposed to be sent away, But they forgot to come and get me"- tim drake very obviously bc neglecting parents/boarding school

"I love you, it's ruining my life"- early harleen quinzel about joker

"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"- the whole song is just harley quinn idc (pre-harlivy of course)

"Now I'm down bad, cryin' at the gym"- nightwing def cried at the gym at some point

"I stopped tryna make him laugh, stopped tryna drill the safe"- dick grayson about bruce after moving out of wayne manor

"You swore that you loved me, but where were the clues? I died on the altar waitin' for the proof, You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days"- remember the whole selena leaving bruce at the alter thing? yeah

"I'd rather burn my whole life down, Than listen to one more second of all this bitchin' and moanin', I'll tell you something 'bout my good name, It's mine alone to disgrace"- I'm just getting red hood vibes from this no specific reason

"Now, pretty baby, I'm runnin' back home to you, Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to"- almost every gotham rouge to batman right after escaping arkham/prison. especially joker, catwoman and riddler lol

"At the park where we used to sit on children's swings, Wearing imaginary rings"- this one specific panel of tim and steph

"And this city reeks of driving myself crazy"- everyone who's ever been to gotham

"All my girls got their lace and their crimes, And your cheating husband disappeared, well, No one asks any questions here"- it's giving gotham city sirens

"Am I allowed to cry?"- maybe it's just me but i thought about clark kent discovering he had different biological parents and grieving about them even though the parents that actually raised him are alive and well

"So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream, "Who's afraid of little old me?", You should be" red hood's debut

"The scandal was contained, The bullet had just grazed, At all costs, keep your good name, You don't get to tell me you feel bad"- jason todd about the whole making batman choose between him and joker at the end of under the red hood

"You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me"- this is 100% Bane bc he was born and grew up in prison for a crime he didn't even do!! also cassandra cain and damian wayne

(^this is actually the lyric that inspired this entire post lol)

"You caged me and then you called me crazy, I am what I am 'cause you trained me, So who's afraid of me? Who's afraid of little old me?"- kind of a stretch but remember that time they put jason in arkham?

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)- again the whole song is harley about joker

"Your arson's match, your somber eyes, And I'll still see it until I die, You're the loss of my life"- bruce about jason. out of all the robins that died, jason's death hit him the hardest. even now when bruce sees red hood, he still sees that happy little kid that he lost

"I can read your mind, "She's having the time of her life", There in her glittering prime, The lights refract sequin stars off her silhouette every night, I can show you lies"- bc we all know Nightwing is always dying on the inside, and it was very true in the discowing era bc it was right after he left the manor

"'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit"- jason pre-bruce

"I'm so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like the plague"- ok so we got joker about batman, cupid about green arrow, hush about bruce wayne... and a bunch of others but it's too many to write lol

"And you deserve prison, but you won't get time"- fucking tarantula that bitch

"The smallest man who ever lived"- the atom! not any of the messages in the song tho ofc he's just very small

"What if I told you I'm back? The hospital was a drag, Worst sleep that I ever had, I circled you on a map ,I haven't come around in so long, But I'm coming back so strong"- joker to batman after escaping arkham again

"I haven't come around in so long, But I'm making a comeback to where I belong"- jason coming back to protect crime alley after being away from gotham for years after his resurrection

"Even if it's handcuffed, I'm leavin' here with you"- batman and catwoman<3

I Hate It Here- imagine the whole song as homeless jason todd taking shelter in the library💔

"I built a legacy that you can't undo, But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth, That there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you"- bruce built a legacy as batman, and created a huge family he loves, and it hurts to think about but he wouldn't have any of it if joe chill hadn't murdered his parents

"Please, I've been on my knees, Change the prophecy, Don't want money, Just someone who wants my company"- kid bruce grew up all alone in a huge mansion, but he'd give all his billions away in a heartbeat if he could change his parent's fate

"So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst"- ok so you might think i chose cassandra cain for this only bc of the name, BUT- cass notices things others don't (like cassandra the prophet...), bc of her skills and abilities she is feared the most (Ik the song said "she feared" not "she is feared" but idc lol). like if someone knew so much about you just by looking you'd think she's some kind of a witch too

Peter- picture this: jason had a childhood friend back at crime alley. he left to live in wayne manor and become robin, and said goodbye to his old friend, promising they'd reunite again in the future. 3 years pass and his friend reads an article about jason's death. now listen to the song and try not to cry (if someone writes that fic send me the link IMMEDIATELY this has been haunting me) here's the link to the song with lyrics bc ik you're too lazy to look it up. also jason's middle name is peter:)

"Splendidly selfish, charmingly helpless, Excellent fun 'til you get to know her"- brucie wayne vs batman

"Started with a kiss, "Oh, we must stop meeting like this" But it always ends up with a town car speeding, Out the drive one evening"- catwoman and batman of course<3 the town car is the batmobile speeding out the batcave to catch catwoman (to arrest her or make out with her? probs both)

Robin- ofc we have to go robins for robin! imo that's bruce to dick and jason's robins, and dick to damian when he was his robin. dick and jason- despite the hard times they went through that led to them becoming robins, they were still mostly happy curious kids that run around covered in mud while bruce tried (unsuccessfully) to maintain the innocence they had left. as for damian- it's more of a stretch than the other 2 bc he had no childlike innocence before robin, but dick tried his hardest to extract the child that was hidden inside the ruthless assassin the league created, finally allowing him to experience normal kid things. idk

"He said, "I'm not a donor but, I'd give you my heart if you needed it", She rolled her eyes and said, "You're a professional""-to me this is clark kent completely in love and lois with her sass

"And at last, She knew what the agony had been for"- almost every hero. they suffer, they sacrifice, they fight, and sometimes they want to give up- but at the end of the day, they save lives, so it's all worth it

and that's it folks! feel free to add more/share your insights!!

sorry for any spelling/grammer mistakes, English isn't my first language plus like the title said i had a minor head injury a few days ago and I'm tired soI'm not proofreading this bc I'm going to sleep rn goodnight to all✌️

[hopeinthebox]

how do u curate your playlists? they're so good (listening to the glen powell one rn lol)

dearest anon, please know you've made my entire summer with this ask <3333 (here's the playlist in question)

now while i recognise you probably weren't looking for a legitimate breakdown of the process here, you've inspired me to take a deep dive, and i'm prone to getting carried away (and yes, i read high fidelity recently and rewatched the film and the series. but i'm sure that has nothing to do with it). so here goes, under the cut:

Lizzy's Guide to the Delicate Art of Making a Playlist

#1 - What's the Point?

There has to be a theme or mood or connecting thread for the playlist. That being said, as long as it makes sense to you, you've pretty much got this covered.

What's the story? Is it based on a mood, an event, a time in your life, a person, a character, a genre, an era, etc. etc. There's plenty to choose from, so there's plenty of playlists to be made. Go crazy, get weird with it.

(In this example, the overarching theme is: Glen Powell Hot (Twisters Edn.) with a sub-theme, if you will: Country Music for Beginners.)

#2 - Song Selection

Once the theme is set, I gather a few tracks that spring to mind immediately. In this instance:

• Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That - Dolly Parton

• Cowboy Take Me Away - The Chicks

• Country's Cool Again - Lainey Wilson

All of these are fairly self-explanatory if you have been caught up in the Twisters press tour at all recently. No further comment.

From here I flesh out the ~general vibelist~ with more tracks, some classics and some deep cuts. I'm cross-referencing my own musical knowledge, previous playlists, spotify mixes (god forgive me, the occasional algorithm picks), and other user's Powell playlists (topgun-heavy, but you certainly can't blame them).

#3 - Order Matters

There's got to be some sort of flow to the playlist front to back, unless your theme is audio whiplash, for example.

Now here I am a devout follower of the High Fidelity rules, which are as follows:

Track 1 - Open with a killer - sets the tone, gets people invested

(Here, Lady Gaga's You And I ~ it's a banger, and it's country enough to get away with. Can't bring out the banjo prematurely, we'll lose people)

Track 2 - Bring it up a notch - let them know we're just getting started

(Alannah Myles, Black Velvet ~ country-ing it up a notch but staying firmly in the mainstream, because again, we don't want to scare anyone)

Track 3 - Cool it down - now we're settling in

(Chris Stapleton ft. Dua Lipa - I Think I'm In Love With You ~ Dua keeps us firmly rooted in the crowd pleasers, and we can sneak in some Stapleton)

N.B. There is a rule here that I don't abide by, the "only one track per artist" - there's three dolly tracks in this lineup alone and i stand by all of them. Provided you're not adding an entire album or two, I think you can get away with it.

Anyway, this three-track run fires us into a classic (Islands In The Stream) which melts into Tyler Childers and suddenly we're knee deep in Kentucky and you didn't even know it.

The trick is to not overthink it, which is always easier said than done. Ordering only has to make sense to you from start to finish. This journey's gotta go somewhere - throw in a few peaks and troughs, and the songs are just connecting the dots along the way.

#4 - As Does Shuffle-ability

Now, having said all that, I feel like this is a safe space to admit I am a chronic shuffler, so a degree of shuffle-ability is required.

All this means is that your underlying theme is evident throughout. Any wildcards are going to make sense wherever they pop up.

With this one, the thread of country through all of these tracks is what ties the theme together (saving a horse). There are some classics (Faith Hill, Willie Nelson), soul-heavy tracks (Secret Sisters, Leon Bridges), and and few more pop-adjacent (Haim, Ashe) but they've all got that twang - so it's shuffle proof.

#5 - Points for Presentation

A good cover, title and description can offset a multitude of sins. Don't underestimate the power of presentation.

Duration comes into play here also, where anything shorter than half an hour feels like it has nowhere to go, but over three hours feels insurmountable. Unless you're going for a compilation, year in your life playlist, or some background low-fi stuff, keep it tight.

And there you have it folks, my (lengthy) guide to playlist curation. Final note, don't love it and leave it. If you come across something new, jostle things around to get it in. Similarly, if something doesn't fit anymore, toss it. The beauty of the modern mixtape is you can edit it as little or as often as you like.

If you made it this far, I'm personally sending you a little kiss on the forehead. And to the anon who inspired this article of a response, I can only apologise. MWAH

[ducktracy]

It’s funny that “My G-G-G-Generation…G-Gap” touts an album of songs sung by Porky as being a monotonous, unbearable concept, yet I so so desperately wish there was a full cover of “Ride, Tenderfoot Ride” by Porky 😔 such is life

I. KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT A PERFECT ASK. I LOVE THIS ASK. I. MAN. i've had multiple conversations about how great Blanc's performance is in that particular scene because it is SO. GOOD. AUGH. MAN. YOU'VE GOT ME STARTED NOW. if you have not listened to Porky sing Ride, Tenderfoot Ride, please drop what you are doing and listen. animated by my hero John Carey

IT'S SO GOOD and often the sole reason as to why i ever return to A Coy Decoy. just to hear that song again. perfect balance of earnest, it's still got that ever present bumbling charm from Porky but is genuinely so well performed

his arrangement of "We're in the Money" from Porky's Prize Pony is another one i absolutely ADORE ISN'T IT SO CHARMING! also completely destroys the notion that "uh buhhhhhhhhh the stutter is annoying he couldn't sing" WRONG!!!! the stutter is totally irrelevant!! you don't even notice it over how attractive the song is

AND. COUNTERPOINT. there are a handful of instances from the originals where they DO entertain the idea of Porky reveling joyously in his oblivion regarding his singing abilities or lack thereof. this seemingly inconsequential topper he sings is one of my favorite deliveries to ever leave Mel Blanc's mouth because it's so EARNEST AND FUNNY but doesn't beat down on Porky either. copy and pasting from my review of this short because i cannot stress how ferociously i love this beat and this cartoon:

"It isn’t even a matter of his stutter getting in the way; listening closely reveals that he lags just a millisecond behind the chorus to begin with—a very purposeful decision—though the stutter certainly does help in strengthening the discord. Rather, the pure confidence and uninhibited joy that exude from both the character on screen and voice actor behind it completely tie the scene together. It is pure joy and pure oblivion—oblivion on Porky’s side, who shows absolutely zero indication of any sort of self awareness to his caterwauling.  To the credit of Clampett, Blanc, and Warren Foster, the almost anarchic joy in which Porky completely defies the expectations of the audience make him all the more charismatic and cute rather than something to sneer at. Refusing to allow a beat dedicated to an embarrassed follow-up or any semblance of self consciousness plays a major role in this—if Porky were to coyly blink at the audience or grow bashful, it would indicate something to be embarrassed about, a concession, a lack of conviction that indicates such antics should be laughed purely for the sake that they are disruptive and embarrassing, rather than a charming piece of insight into his character."

SO. YES. my frenzied ravings are proof that this bad cartoon made in 2004 that Bob Bergen wouldn't even work on because it sucked so much is WRONG and WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND MORE SINGING PIGS!!!!!!

[taesanemo]

BTS Sims 4 Legacy Challenge

Hi, I was browsing through Reddits and Tumblrs searching for legacy challenges (which are my favorite way to play The Sims) and I couldn't find any really good, long BTS challenges that cover all the eras and have the right amount of challenges for each generation—nothing too overwhelming to completely take away gameplay freedom, but also not so empty that it leads to boredom. I wanted something as elaborate as the Taylor's eras one. Since I couldn't find one and I've considered myself an hardcore ARMY for 6 years now, I decided this was a task for me! So here is the BTS Sims 4 Legacy Challenge. There will be 9 generations, but feel free to skip some if you want. Any changes to the challenge are also welcome! I chose 9 generations because anything less felt incomplete, and more than that is too much. The generations will be: The School Trilogy, Dark & Wild, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Wings, Love Yourself: Her, Love Yourself: Tear, Love Yourself: Answer, MOTS: Seven and BE. I choose to compact the school trilogy because it would be too repetitive if done one by one; hyyh pt1&2 and persona are too short and subsequent albums contain the same songs and follow, in a way, the same theme; proof was left out because it is basically a repackaging.

Rules:

The heir of each generation needs to aesthetically represent and behave according to the era they belong to. If you need references, here’s a folder with my favorite photos and concepts from the era: https://br.pinterest.com/taesanemo/bts-sims-4-legacy-challenge/

Part of the fun is the difficulty of earning money, especially in the early generations, so I strongly suggest taking on the extra challenge of Rags to Riches or accepting only the standard starting money in the game, but of course, it's up to you whether you want to use cheats or not! :)

Normal or long lifespan (good luck). In short mode, you can't enjoy the character for the time they deserve…

If you don´t have some packs that are needed for some traits or rules you can always adapt the rules to your gameplay<3

You must complete the aspirations and maximaze the habilities that are required

Have fun! Listen to the albums while you play, change the rules, and do whatever you want as long as it’s fun for you! :))

In case anyone is actually reading and playing this, my twitter is @soobinrock and all my other socials media are on my carrd binrockeng.carrd.co

First Generation: School Trilogy (2 COOL 4 SKOOL; O!RUL8,2?; SKOOL LUV AFFAIR)

Your sim doesn’t have a good relationship with their father. The pressure since childhood has driven them apart. The guardian insists that your sim study and become a doctor or a police officer to lift the family out of poverty, but your sim wants to create art. Art has always been their escape since childhood, and they feel they would never be complete without it. They despise school and all the social rules it enforces, loathing those who agree with them and those who remain silent. A rebellious soul, for sure. At the first opportunity, they will escape this rut and live the life they’ve always dreamed of!

Traits: Self-Assured, Art Lover/Music Lover, Loyal

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Career: Freelance Artist

Rules:

This generation peaks during adolescence and young adulthood: "We tell our story on behalf of those in their 10s and 20s."

Start the family with two sims: your main character and a legal guardian. This sim doesn’t need to be elaborate since you won’t be playing with them! They maintain a difficult relationship with your sim until death or your sim leaves.

You must attend school but never actually attend classes. Always neglect homework and any school activities; none of that matters. What you love to do is write/sing/DJ/dance—choose one!

Be active in the city's street art scene, preferably living in San Myshuno.

Have as many friends as you want, as long as they are all rebellious in some way like you.

Feel free to create rivalries with all figures of authority, such as principals, mayors, celebrities, etc.

Stay away from home whenever possible; you hate that environment.

Have two relationships during high school: one with the most popular person in school who dates you secretly, and after breaking up, they date someone more "acceptable." Then, have another relationship of your choice, but that one doesn’t work out either.

Drop out of school one week before graduation; that was your limit. Make money through your art and move to another city (if you have the Eco Lifestyle pack, that would be perfect). Once settled, finish your studies and apply to college. There, you will find your soulmate, who will be by your side until death do them part. Together, you have one child, and you raise them well—not in the way that typical people might consider good, but in a way you believe is right, and the results aren't horrible. You have a good relationship with your child, despite them being a bit… extreme.

You live the rest of your life dedicating yourself to your work, family, and friends. And although you may not be the model citizen, you feel that you’ve lived your life in the best way possible.

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Second Generation: DARK & WILD

People might think you live a careless life and don’t care about the responsibilities that come with your actions, but you don’t see it that way! What is life if not an opportunity to dive headfirst into the world without thinking? Your parents raised you with love, and that’s what you seek most in the world and in all people. It’s a shame that not everyone thinks like that… At some point, you end up becoming what everyone expected, perhaps it was a lost battle from the beginning.

Traits: Kleptomaniac, Lovebug, Hates Children

Aspiration: Public Enemy

Career: Criminal

Rules:

As a child, you are raised with encouragement to be who you want and to seek adventure, just like your parents always dreamed.

You must maximize your guitar and romance skills and complete the aspiration.

Just like your parents, you love music, and your guitar is your faithful companion throughout your life.

Your kleptomania starts in childhood; your entire life you try to control it, but in adolescence, you realize that even if it’s immoral, you can’t stop it. This is who you are.

You never had many friends, but in high school, you fall in love with your best friend, who is a completely maladjusted and complicated person. You live a tumultuous romance; even though this person hurts you, it seems you can’t help but love them.

Once you become adults, you and your partner move into an apartment (still in Evergreen Harbor if you have the pack), and one random night, they disappear. After a year, when you hear the doorbell and open the door, there are two infants, twins, and a note explaining that your ex-partner got involved in something dangerous and didn’t want to be around for your sake and the sake of the children, who apparently aren’t yours either…

When the children arrive, quit your job and live only off what you already have in your bank account.

Neglect the children and drown your sorrows in alcohol…

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Third Generation: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life

You grew up in what you like to call hell; your parents always despised you and your sibling, and they never even tried to keep you alive. So you were forced to mature very early. When things get really difficult, any sign of light can become everything to you. Perhaps that's why you love anyone who cares so intensely, and that is your biggest flaw… Despite this, the only thing you can do after the cards fall is to pick them up again.

Traits: Gloomy, Erratic, Jealous

Aspiration: Soulmate

Career: Freelance photographer

Rules:

You have a terrible relationship with your parent and, from a young age, you hasd to act as the adult in the house.

As a child, you meet someone who understands you and has a complicated life just like yours; you can't imagine being apart from them—they are your everything.

In your teenage years, you and your soulmate find more people and form a group of friends you trust. Despite everything you're going through, you experience a youth full of special memories with them.

A traumatic episode leads you to run away from home with your sister and your soulmate. You find a cheap container to live in.

You do what you can to survive. You start trying to make money from your passion for photography, and little by little, life continues.

At some point, your partner decides they want something more; that life isn’t for them, the city feels like a prison, and the only way out is to leave. This moment shatters your world—you can't imagine life without them, and you hit rock bottom.

Once the shock wears off, you realize you can't live like this anymore. You pack up what's important and move to a new place (if possible, Windenburg). There, you build a new cycle, meet incredible people, and gradually rebuild your life.

As an adult, you meet someone interesting. They aren't like you and they aren't perfect, but they are willing to be your partner, and you love them.

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Fourth Generation: WINGS

Perhaps you are truly bizarre and enigmatic, or maybe the unknown holds a delicious allure… The strange has always captivated you; the wrong beckons, and you have no desire to refuse. Obstacles mean nothing; you can fly—you are destined to fly.

Traits: Macabre, Art Lover, Paranoid

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Career: Reaper/Undertaker

Rules:

Embrace your strangeness in all aspects of your Sim’s life—personality, choices, relationships, and appearance.

Foster a deep bond with at least one parent; their love for you is unwavering, even if they struggle to understand you.

As a child, let playing the organ be your passion, as you grow explore a variety of unusual and unexpected hobbies.

You are impulsive, make surprising choices and handle their consequences with ease; little can shake you.

Throughout your youth, keep just one friend your age; your social circle otherwise consists of your parents and the wise elders in your neighborhood.

Whenever the opportunity arises, delve into the occult: explore Strangerville, uncover secret passages, indulge in the Life and Death and Supernatural packs, and immerse yourself in vampire lore.

As a young adult, you fall for the Grim Reaper (you decide how this fateful meeting occurs)… this forbidden love persists, even if you know its wrong.

Eventually, your sins come back to haunt you, leading to the loss of someone dear due to your dark pursuits (you choose how this unfolds).

In the aftermath, you step back from your wild ways, reassessing your choices. You realize that being different doesn’t mean you must be extraordinary; you can embrace your uniqueness without harming yourself or those around you. Maybe you can't touch the sky, but still, you want to stretch out your hand; you want to run just a bit more.

Complete your aspiration and cultivate three random skills, including Piano/Organ. You’ll decide whether to pursue another relationship, how to bring a child into the world, and if that child will be the product of your love with the Grim Reaper.

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Fifth Generation: Love Yourself: Her

You are captivated by the idea of love, something that has never been viewed positively in your family. Still, you are committed to changing that, to showing that love is what drives the world, that it’s written in the stars and part of who we are… "You know, I know… You are me, I am you."

Traits: Lovebug, Clumsy, Bookworm

Aspiration: Freelance Botanist

Career: Astronaut

Rules:

In this generation, there's no need to complete your aspiration (it will make sense in the storytelling).

During childhood and adolescence, you make many friendships, going out whenever you can. With your bubbly personality, you believe in the goodness of everyone.

You have a divided passion for both space and Earth; you love astronomy and gardening—master these skills. As you reach adolescence, you begin to explore romance, deciding how to navigate it while always giving your all in your relationships.

Though you’re naturally popular and seem confident, you struggle with self-doubt. Your identity feels lost amid your purpose, ideals, and the image others have of you; you don’t truly know yourself.

As a young adult, you find yourself swayed by others’ opinions, abandoning one of your passions—gardening—to focus solely on becoming an astronaut, a career the is seen serious and respectable.

Astronomy, once a joy, becomes a burden, and giving up gardening only adds to your stress. You come to loathe what you do. Near adulthood, you succumb to pressure and marry the worst relationship you’ve ever had, forming a "perfect family" that feels utterly false to you.

You spend the rest of your life crafting a deceptive image for others, clinging to the "what ifs" that could have changed everything.

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Sixth Generation: Love Yourself: Tear

Enough pretending; life isn’t a business. It’s time to stop suffering—you already know that feeling; it’s not innovative, and it doesn’t teach you anything new. It’s time to do what you love and be around those who deserve it.

Traits: Gloomy, Socially Awkward, Loves Outdoors

Aspiration: Bestselling Author

Career: Writer and Singer

Rules:

Just like your parents, you spent your childhood and half of your adolescence pretending to have a perfect life, acting in their pathetic little play.

In the middle of high school, the shock of one parent’s death (you can cheat a bit on this) throws the family into chaos, and you seize this opportunity to leave.

Despite distancing yourself from your family, your circle of relationships remains the same for a while, including a “perfect” relationship that falls apart when you decide to embrace the changes and be yourself.

This heartbreak hits you hard, and amidst a deep depression, you reflect on all the times you had to wear a mask, lie, withdraw, and act like someone you’re not, all for your family and some idiotic reason buried in your mind that forced you to participate in that farce.

You then decide to embark on a journey to discover who you truly are, independent of anyone else. The sadness has reached a point of boredom; you need to change.

Travel with your sim across various maps (or the ones you have), meet new people and explore new hobbies, and dive into game mechanics you’ve always been curious about. You are young, wild, and free!

Amidst your adventures, you discover new passions like singing, writing books, and living in the world without boundaries. And of course, you also find love with someone who, like you, has no grand dreams.

You both live the rest of your lives together as a family, traveling in a trailer you call home, singing in bars, writing novels, and savoring all that life has to offer.

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Seventh Generation: Love Yourself: Answer

You are an odd being, but you sure are yourself! And nothing in the world could change that. Soon in your life, you realize that even the most stable and positive people go through some things that can change them for life. You do not deny or reject when these times come, but you refuse to let them tell you how or who to be.

Traits: Outgoing, Self-Assured, Dance Machine

Aspiration: Master Actor

Career: Actor

Rules:

You grew up in a supportive family that, despite carrying some difficulties and a ton of generational trauma, always backed your choices and made sure you didn’t lose yourself to societal pressures.

During your family travels, when you stopped in Del Sol Valley, you fell in love with the star-studded lifestyle. The luxurious, colorful life filled with parties and people to share your moments with seemed like the perfect future, and it became your goal.

(If you don’t have the Get Famous pack, you can adjust this storytelling and the aspiration, etc., to another art form of your preference.)

When you reach your teenage years, your parents decide to settle in one city for a few years so that you can focus on your studies. During this time, you meet your platonic soulmate who shares the same dream as you.

When you graduate, you two decide to move to Del Sol Valley, and begin to build your careers.

You love dancing and parties, always attending them and maximizing your skills in dance and mixology.

At one of these parties, you fall in love and enter a complex romance that lasts longer than it should, but you soon realize it’s not working, and for the good of both, you decide to end it.

Over time, you realize that romantic love isn’t for you; you are happy just with the company of your friends and family! At the peak of your career, you and your platonic soulmate decide to build a family together (you can adopt or have a baby through IVF), and you enjoy everything that life, parties, and fame have to offer in a home filled with love, laughter, and color.

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Eighth Generation: Map of the Soul: 7

You were raised under the spotlight, while most people have to face external hardships and obstacles to achieve their dreams in life. You don’t have much to strive for; you are loved and have everything you need right at your fingertips. But your growing shadow swallows you and becomes a monster; your worst enemy is within you.

Traits: Loner, Neat, Gloomy

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Career: Actor/Dancer/Idol

Rules:

Despite not facing pressure from your family, you were a child prodigy. You felt it was your obligation to be extraordinary (maximize three types of art as a child and achieve academic excellence).

Even though you have all the talent you need, every time you had to showcase it, you couldn’t. You despise the people around you; they are all superficial and cruel.

In your teenage years, to survive in the industry your family is part of and get through high school, you create a persona. You force yourself to be a model of perfection and "altruism," shining like the biggest stars.

Throughout your life, you can have as many relationships as you want, but they are all superficial; you don’t have time for anything deeper.

When you become a young adult, things start to crumble. Your art no longer resonates with you, the people around you don’t really know you, and the need to withdraw only grows. You regret all the moments you had shine. You become dark and empty, just a shell surviving on applause. You become arrogant and sad, and everyone notices your misery.

Around the same time, you fall deeply in love with someone, but your routine keeps you from being together, which breaks you.

With your last shred of sanity, you decide to abandon everything. You run away to the countryside with your lover and embark on a journey to rediscover the simple joys of life, your art, and yourself.

(I highly recommend the K-Pop Star Mod by KawaiiStacie for this generation. The challenge involves many forms of art, but due to The Sims, this mechanic might have become repetitive by this point in gameplay. So, it would be nice to find a new way to achieve fame.)

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Ninth Generation: BE

The idea of a new routine is frightening. Your little bubble is everything you have and everything you know. You don’t want to leave it behind, but when situations beyond your control force you out of that fantasy, you are compelled to face your new reality… after all, life goes on.

Traits: Generous, Geek, Family-oriented

Aspiration: Neighborhood Confidante

Career: Engineer/Tech Guru

Rules:

Since you can remember, your family and you have been involved in the local community. You know everyone, spend your days in parks, squares, and shops, and all your friends are your neighbors. That place is very important to you and is part of who you are.

An unexpected aspect of your personality is that you love video games. You attend all the geek conventions and build robots and electronics as a hobby, even though you’re not very interested in the academic side of things.

At the end of your adolescence, your family experiences a tragedy, and you find yourself alone in the world. The local authorities send you away to live with your closest relative until you reach adulthood. You lost everything overnight, including yourself.

(Your Sim can only return to their hometown after they manage to buy their old house back from scratch, regardless of the cost.)

When you finally return, you realize that much has changed while you were away. Some of your friends have started families, others have moved away, and new people have joined the community. Some places have modernized, and most importantly… it wouldn’t be the same because your family isn’t there.

This shock is difficult to overcome, but with the resilience your parents taught you, you build new connections, establish a new routine, learn to appreciate change, and discover new passions.

You create a beautiful family, giving birth to some of your children and adopting others (you can choose how many). You work in fields you enjoy, experience love, and find true joy in doing good for your community.

[strykingback]

Okay TL;DR: A Response to a an a/nti-r/wde person who fell for satirical jokes while I provide proof of what I said last night.

Without further ado enjoy.

Alright P/apitimefire177. You wanted me to go band for band. Alright then. Let's go Band For Band.

Okay so you first kick things off by saying I didn't cook you cause I was drunk? No I was not drunk the other night. If I was drunk then there would have been three key things to tell if I was drunk.

I would have rushed to post this yesterday.

There would have been a MULTITUDE of spelling errors and what not

The post itself would have been completely rushed out with those things akin to Reasons 1 and 2.

And the BIG ONE of it all.

READING THE FUCKING TAGS AND SEEING IF IT SAYS:

TW: DRUNK POSTING

No I do not think that you are stupid for doing your research on the actual definition of Aryan. Now it could have been used in a satirical manner. Let me repeat it for you.

SATIRICAL.

Which Satire is used as a form of humor to ridicule, criticize, or exaggerate a vice whether it be visual, literary, or other works.. In no way was Doom saying that Jaune was a Naz/i or a White Supremacist. It's a JOKE that you once again decided to be belligerent about and I believe that you again stalked Doom's Blog just to make that post. Which if I'm correct you posted this as well:

Gee, its not like you also stalked Doom's blog just cause he made a JOKE about Jaune making you LOOK LIKE A FUCKING HYPOCRITE. Which yes I will admit I did have to look at your blog as well from the last post to break down what you said and posted. Which I will put myself there, but I'm not going to stoop down to your level and continuously find reasons to hate on you versus you who goes to stalk one person because they like Cardin or going into their DM's messaging them slurs, making every single post about them.

Lets also not forget that while on tumblr desktop R/WDE and A/nti-R/WDE stuff cant be seen. BUT On mobile it can be seen even if you mention it or post everything extremely properly.

I made now two posts about you, first one calling you out for your aggressive behavior, the second time was in response to what you said. This is the third post I had to make about you. and also

No, you hating on Jaune does not offend me at all you dumbass. BUT. I am a fan of the Cardin becoming the Reformed Bully Trope. Which in my opinion should have been done in Vol 7-8 of RWBY, where we see Cardin actually apologizing to Blake about his racism and that he is doing his best to learn.

Gee.. its not like we also see actual racists and people learn and forgive IN REAL LIFE AS WELL. (Video by VICE: Covering Up Racist Tattoos: Erasing the Hate)

Oh Heres another IRL Example! ( Video By WTAE-TV Pittsburgh: Former White Nationalist offers apology and seeks forgiveness for past lifestyle)

Or how even a DISNEY MOVIE SHOWED THAT A BULLY CAN LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES AS WELL AND OWN UP TO IT. (Zootopia: Gideon Gray apologizes to Judy)

I aint gonna stay too long on this, but I'm just going to move on as well.

Papi... you fell again for a SATIRICAL JOKE of me comparing you to DJ Akademiks. In no way am I calling you a fucking PDFile or for r-wordist. The only reason why I compared you to DJ Akademiks is because of the actual person himself being devoted to Drake. Which is why I called you "The DJ Akademiks of Jaune Stans" not because of what he has been recently accused of but for his devotion towards Drake.

Here are some examples of DJ Ak's devotion:

DJ Akademiks Top 5 (Which was during the CLB Album release in which at one song he fell asleep)

DJ Akademiks reaction to Drake being in Astroworld/Sicko Mode

DJ Akademiks Reaction to Drake using a clip of DJ Akademiks Top 5 snippet in his Diss

This is what I MEANT by calling you a DJ Akademiks of Jaune Stans. Now I'm not saying every Jaune Stan is bad, hell at one point I was one too before I realized how shit he is as a character.

Yet at the same time you gave a half-hearted apology about the slurs you used so casually, while also not addressing the DM's of harassement you sent, while deleting the posts of you attacking other people in the RWDE tag because you got caught lacking. You never apologized to them...

that is not a sign of maturity. That is a sign of immaturity and not taking accountability for your actions. Because guess what you think you got away scot free but I think you forgot.... ONE LITTLE THING ABOUT THE INTERNET.

WHATEVER YOU POST EVEN IF YOU DELETE IT STAYS ON THE INTERNET.

Okay what the fuck does Tauradonna have to do with what we are talking about here. STAY FOCUSED ON THE SUBJECT OF WHAT YOU ARE ARGUING AGAINST.

Psst, I see A belligerent jaune simp. My biggest problem is that you called me a "RWDE Person" who uses R/RWBY as a "Valuable Source" which I replied to in a mature manner while also telling you that I used reliable sources. I am aware of Cardin being racist in Volume One, which please refer back to above where I am a fan of Cardin becoming a "Reformed Bully" Trope along with some examples of actual racists and neo-n/azi's taking accountability for what they did and doing what they can to clean themselves up as a person.

Now I did mean to say, it's time for me to pack it up which was an error on my part (I was once again not drunk.)

Plus, at the end I told you to do some self-reflection, drink water, and to have a good one. While also before that I even said in my first call out to BLOCK AND MOVE ON and to not witchunt you. Because I wanted to give you at least SOME FORM of peace.

I once again provided proof of why you fell for these satirical jokes while also getting your ass chopped up and cooked up at the same time.

Now if you may excuse me I got better things to do instead of having listen to your hypocrisy.

[seattlesea]

Every Copia Antichrist Theory Detail (That I Know Of)- Part One

So there's a theory going around that Papa Emeritus IV/Copia is going to become the Antichrist and have an 'evil' era after the Re-Imperatour is over, and honestly, I believe at the least that Copia is going to become the Antichrist. Here's every detail I've found and complied so far-

1. 666. In some of the stained glass windows that depict Copia, he has a 666 tattoo on his chest. This number also appears on his blue Papa robe and in the Call Me Little Sunshine music video. Normally, 666 is simply a number to represent evil, but in the Bible it's actually used to represent the upcoming Antichrist. This is probably the most solid piece of proof that Copia is going to become the Antichrist and what got me hooked on this theory in the first place. While 666 is stereotypically an 'evil' number, judging by how precise and knowledgable Tobias is, it's highly unlikely he added this number three times to Copia's character just for the aesthetic but none of the other Papas.

2. The Unholy Trinity. The 'Unholy Trinity' are the opposites of the Holy Trinity- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Unholy Trinity consists of Satan, the Beast aka the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. I and many others believe that Jim DeFroque of Jesus He Knows Me is the False Prophet giving his entire character is about giving people false hope and turning his back on what he preaches. So Satan is himself, Jim is the False Prophet, and Copia the Antichrist.

3. A Pale Horse. Copia is often depicted on a pale white horse. Especially in the Rats video, this is very obviously a reference to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse- Death. Copia isn't just seen on a white horse in the Rats video but also on official Ghost merch as well. To top this off, the first three albums depict the birth, rise, and reign of the Antichrist. Opus Eponymous is about his birth, Infestissumam is about the presence of the Devil and the Antichrist, and Meliora is about the absence of God and the reign of the Antichrist. Then we get to Copia's first album Prequelle and it's about the Black Plague and death, aka the first horseman of the apocalypse. Then his second album Impera which is about the rise and fall of empires which takes place in modern day. So all the previous albums were about the birth and rise of the Antichrist, then we get to Copia's albums and it's about death and the rise and fall of empires, not centering about the Antichrist. Most likely because Copia, being the upcoming Antichrist, isn't writing and singing songs about himself.

4. White eyes. Everyone knows that the Emeritus family have one white eye and one green eye- a genetically inherited trait from Nihil. White eyes are symbolically used to represent power, heaven, supremacy, wealth, and leadership, and what's interesting about this is there are many hints pointing to Copia gaining two white eyes. First, the promotional artwork for the Imperatour and Re-Imperatour. The France, Europe, official Re-Imperatour, and the Kia Forum artwork all show one white and one green eye as normal. But then you get to the South America promotional artwork and his white eye is on the wrong side. It's on his right rather than his left as usual. Is this an artist's mistake- which, if it was, why would Tobias use it as often as he did on Instagram and not fix it- or is it showing two white eyes rather than one, considering you can't see the left side of his face in it? Second, Phantomime. The Phantomime cover shows Copia in a corpse-like pose with two glowing white eyes. This could again just be an artistic take, but it seems like an odd change nonetheless. And third, the Escape the Ministry game seems trivial and just like fun, but it actually holds many clues (more I'll go over later). For this point, the ending has a 'Thank you for celebrating Phantomime with us' note with a drawing of Papa IV in which he has two white eyes yet again. Once is an artist mistake, twice is a coincidence, but three times? Three different times Papa IV is shown with two white eyes instead of one? Very very odd. And why is this so important? Well, in the Infestissumam cover, the baby that represents the Antichrist has two white eyes.

5. Sister Imperator. In Chapter 3: Back On The Road, the three Emeritus brothers are killed- ordered by Sister Imperator- because they were doing unsatisfactory and so Copia could become Papa. She wants Copia to become Papa obviously because he's her son, but then goes on to say that she 'can't' call him Papa because of Nihil (and in 'Tomb It May Concern' calls him C). Is it really because of Nihil, or is it because she doesn't want him to meet the same fate as the other Emeritus brothers? Would she try to make him or at least encourage him to become the Antichrist in order to save him and so the Ministry can't kill him? She is the one, after all, to proudly announce to him that he's performing at the Kia Forum in Chapter 16: Tax Season, the show many people believe Copia is going to die at because it's the last show of the Re-Imperatour, recording is not allowed, and the line 'When the summer dies, severing the ties/I'm with you always, always' from Darkness at the Heart of My Love (and September 11th is days before the Fall Solstice, signaling the end of summer). Why would Sister sound so proud and happy of this if her son was going to die? Wouldn't she be happy and proud if her son were to say gain more power or survive the Ministry's- especially Nihil's- attempts to off him? Also, there's a line in the song Witch Image (from Prequelle) that goes 'But like a mother would save her own child from digging a grave'. Sister Imperator is trying to save Copia, not kill him. Becoming the Antichrist would seal his immortality and save him from the Ministry.

6. Alternatively, Saltarian. In the same chapter Tax Season, Saltarian is grinning at Copia while pushing the glass coffin. Saltarian for the most part has acted kind of aloof and hostile to Copia, except for in Chapter 13: The Beach Life where he invites Copia to his beach house, has some laugh with him, and talks to him about his European Summer Tour. Then in next chapter Road Trip, he tells Copia he 'knows when his time is up' which is very odd considering no one really knows who the Saltarian is. All we know is he's in the Clergy and works close with Sister and Nihil (and his name derives from the Italian word 'jump/leap', Saltare). But what I really want to focus on is the game Copia is playing in Tax Season. He's playing a driving game called Driving Miss Daisy which isn't a real game but a movie. The description of said movie is: "Daisy Werthan, an elderly Jewish widow living in Atlanta, is determined to maintain her independence. However, when she crashes her car, her son, Boolie, arranges for her to have a chauffeur, an African-American driver named Hoke Colburn. Daisy and Hoke's relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they gradually form a close friendship over the years, one that transcends racial prejudices and social conventions." Sounds kinda like Copia and Saltarian. So did Saltarian smile at him sinisterly and knowingly or did he smile at him because he wants to help him (from who I don't know- could be the Clergy or Sister if she wants Copia dead for whatever reason).

More to come but this is getting too long :P

Part Two

[bowcrazy]

Tsurune Character Songs Album Review

We had a lot of thoughts about these songs while working with the lyrics, so we decided to do a mini album review! Please enjoy listening to each songs as we reflect on the lyrics and composition~

Up Stairs

Mod Yumi: A very gentle, comforting song, as expected from a Minato/Seiya duet. The composers did an excellent job capturing the feeling of nostalgia; this somehow feels like a song I've known and loved for years. The lyrics are perfect--I love the references to the bridge scene from s1 ep10. The line "I had a place where my heart could relax" is so precious <3 Overall, I don't think it's the strongest song on the album, but it's definitely one of my top faves!

Mod Optimus Prime: A heartfelt way to start off the album! It's very sweet and mellow, which of course really fits the fact that, y'know, the song is about Minato and Seiya's relationship! It's more or less just a straight callback to all of season one, but it's really touching how (both literally and figuratively) they come together at the end there.

Crossover

Mod Yumi: This song is so excessively dramatic and I kinda love it?? It does NOT sound like a song that ties into a soothing, chill slice of life archery anime and I am here for it. But I'm also weak for synth horns; give me a cheesy overexuberant fake brass section and I'm sold. Bonus points for all of the archery references and unnecessarily homoerotic lyrics. (And special shoutout to Mod Optimus Prime, our resident FukuJun stan, for helping me with the color codes because I was completely lost lmao)

Mod Optimus Prime: Probably the character duo song with the most...attitude to it? And sass, which of course, fits these two incredibly troublesome boys. To me, it's almost like the two are having a back-and-forth with each other while also brazenly admitting to each other just how tangled up they are—admittedly a reoccurring theme for the duet songs, but that doesn't make it any less cute, I think!

Ari no Mama de

Mod Yumi: Very cute and wholesome, doesn't really do it for me in terms of composition though. I do think this is the most well-acted song on the album. Having heard both of these seiyuu sing as other characters (notably Suzuki Ryouta as Bisco from Sabikui Bisco and Yano Shougo as Mafuyu from Given), I was blown away by how different they both managed to sound! Changing your voice to that extent while singing is not an easy thing to do. I was also tickled by the fact that they both noticeably sang less well than I know they're both capable of singing, because it suited the characters better to do so. Listening to this song, you wouldn't think either of these singers are particularly talented, but that fact is proof in and of itself that they ARE talented. Mad respect for the skill displayed here!

Mod Optimus Prime: Unsurprisingly, sunshine boy Ryouhei and the other local cheery boy have an easygoing and slow duet! I can't really say too much aside from the fact that the lyrics are both just really cute and earnest—you can see Ryouhei's influence here, haha.

Growing Up

Mod Yumi: Very cute, very catchy! I enjoy this song a lot. As a side note, I find it interesting that besides Minato, Nanao is the only character to be featured in two songs. One of the things I like about Nanao is that he's characterized mainly through his relationships with other characters. Sometimes when we see this happening it's more to do with lazy character writing (and lbr, it usually happens with female characters). But in this case, it actually builds our understanding of the character, rather than just casting him into the side character role of 'only here to develop the MCs'. To me it's always felt like he's the most put-together of the team, watching over everyone else and giving them a nudge in the right direction, while blending in so effortlessly they don't suspect a thing, like the social chameleon he is. Oops, this just turned into me gushing about Tsurune character writing lol. The song's nice idk what else to tell ya

Mod Optimus Prime: Also yet another honest song—a rare thing for Kacchan! It's obviously about Kaito and Nanao's close friendship and the further development during season two, so it's fitting we also get to see more of Nanao's (somewhat hidden) stubborn side here. Not to meme here, but really shows how their relationship fits the, "the more things change, the more things stay the same," aka them supporting ("protecting") each other through thick and thin.

Gekkou

Mod Yumi: I'm not the biggest fan of the composition of this song. I can't put my finger on why, but the main melody isn't working for me (and doesn't work great for Asashin's voice either tbh). That said, the backing track lives rent free in my head, I'm OBSESSED. And I love the dreamy feel of the lyrics! Whereas the others feel more like a dialogue between the singers, this one feels like a poem. The ethereal quality of the music and the lyrics draws me back to Masa-san's introduction, when he was a cryptid/ghost (lmao) appearing in the dead of night to guide Minato back to archery

Mod Optimus Prime: I've only heard Asanuma Shintarou (Masaki's VA) sing in a higher register, so this was both surprising and pleasant—it's quite soothing to hear! It's also fitting that the only Real Adult™️ with bounds of experience compared to these young'uns gets a really poetic and dramatic song with, of course, lots of moon references.

Kyoumei

Mod Yumi: THIS IS THE BEST ONE. This song is a legit bop omg. Leave it to luck life to give us a character song that exceeds typical character songs! I also love the meaning of the lyrics; it almost feels like a new angle on the Shuu/Minato relationship in a way? Of course we know their history and their affectionate rivalry, but we don't really see either of them putting into words how they feel about each other (especially Shuu-- I had to laugh at the line "we didn't need mundane words"; like no dude we could actually use a few more words from you, given your track record of communicating approximately 7% of your thoughts smh). This song puts into words how much they mean to each other and how, despite their complicated history and rivalry, they still care about each other.

Mod Optimus Prime: Luck Life actually composed this song, which really shows in the style (that catchy guitar, anyone?)! I adore the constant references to "sounds"—while a bit cheesy and on those nose, of course, it fits these two to a T and calls back to that season one finale. Again, not that any of the songs are really subtle, but "We might be apart, but I believe we'll someday return / So we didn't need mundane words" really just sums up their unique friendship/rivalry. Also, love how the two only sing together at the end: really fits with the song's whole message/theme about the two being separated, but eventually reuniting! How sweet.

[h5eavenly]

istg as i was having lunch i was thinking about the update and thought "what if y/n apologises publicly??" OMG 🥹🥹🥹 i'm so proud of bestie for taking accountability and not caring about what others think when it comes to making things right even if it's tough, i've been waiting for her to heal and this is such a big step in the right direction we love this for her!!!!

also "i thought i was nothing without my anger but you brought the softness in me and embraced it" and "loving you has been my proudest moment" are you kidding meeee 🥹🥹🥹🥹 for people not keeping up with carousel this is like if rihanna released an album rn like this is soooo important to me honestly, i feel like this chapter was so this is me trying coded and i loved it smsm

also chan being so aggressively pissed off with y/n even though he's not directly involved in the situation and snapping at everybody is really weird fr, i can't help but think he's either resentful about y/n not giving him a chance (although i doubt this bc she barely knew who he was outside of his friendship with hyune pls😭) or maybe angry about something else??? like if the chan being xoxo jyp gossip girl theory were to be real he could be angry/frustrated at her for making everyone hate on the acc and/or kinda boycotting the gossip acc bc he's the only one in the gc who seems to trust the acc more than her own statement.... or maybe it's just the libra in him holding a grudge bc yk libras don't hold their resentment back. and we loved to see hyune shutting him up too!!! and felix being an angel as always 🥹 kinda makes me feel a bit bad about rooting for wooyuna he's such a sweetie :-(

yess i think the public apology would be the biggest proof that yn is being truthful specially bc she wasnt very social to begin with so to put herself out there and be so vulnerable?? huge

and yes omg i was thinking the other day about how yn rn is so this is me trying coded its crazy you thought of it too

the lines that stuck w me were "they told me all of my cages were mental so i got wasted like all my potential" it reminded me of her relationship w her parents and "my words shoot to kill when im mad" "its hard to be anywhere these days when all i want is you" HELLO?? SO YN CODED I CANNOOTT it fits so well sorry im like so into finding songs that fit the story and characters i only write if im listening to songs

also would be funny if everyone was doubting chan and then he only acts the way he does just bc hes a libra🙏

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

OOR 2004 - Nr 19 - Rammstein interview

Rammstein <The claim that Germans have no humor is outdated>

Three years after Mutter, Rammstein comes on Reise, Reise with a more human sound. Guitarist Richard Kruspe explains why openly laughing is allowed.

by Mark van Schaick

Has Rammstein gone soft with Reise, Reise? Not exactly, given the criticism of first single Mein Teil and its accompanying video clip. But the Berlin group has certainly changed. Look at those photos. The militaristic and post-apocalyptic poses have made way for a more droll image. They shot a few more series: at the edge of a swimming pool, on the beach, in the sauna and in a bullfighting arena. And listen to Amerika, and Amore, and the title track of Reise, Reise. They are accessible and catchy tracks with a double meaning. Mein Teil is also more than just the story of the German cannibal and his victim (see 'Mein Teil'). Richard Kruspe (37) calls it self-awareness. In 2004, Rammstein dares to distance itself from itself.

Los is Kruspe's favorite new song. It is also the clearest proof that Reise, Reise is a different album than Sehnsucht (1997) and Mutter (2001). Kruspe already wrote it for Mutter, but it remained on the shelf until they decided to play the riff acoustically. "It's not what you'd expect from a German band, especially this German band. It's a simple, AC/DC-like riff, which when played acoustically gives it a bluesy feel. It's unlike anything we've had before done,” says Kruspe. And yet Rammstein, unmistakable.

"We decided that a few things had to be different when making this album. For me personally, this first of all meant that we had to work less tensely. Previously, the aggression in the music was paramount and the mutual friction in the band was also an important factor in the recording process. This time we consciously tried to leave the egos at the door. To give each other some space. And I think that is why this album sounds a bit more human than its predecessors. We used fewer machines, that was also a goal in itself. The live feeling had to be included. No more having to figure out our own songs afterwards because we had been cutting and pasting too much.

We used to be more at each other's throats because... everyone had their hang-ups and because in a band of six people you simply have clashing characters. Rammstein has no leader. All six of us are equal and this means that each individual fights for his place and sometimes there are endless discussions. That causes problems. In fact, it can lead to major crises. At the time of Mutter I had very clear ideas about what the music should and should not sound like. I was quite rigid about that, but fortunately at a certain point I realized that I had to let go and see the whole picture - a dynamic group of six people. It was a particularly intense period during which I finally decided to live in New York. I literally had to distance myself."

Kruspe was not the only one who struggled with his place within the democratic whole that is Rammstein. Each band member has chosen a form of self-therapy.

"It's quite something, of course. Over the years you get a certain vision of your work and your music, which does not necessarily correspond to that of the five others. Just deal with that. When I once started the project - because Rammstein was a project, I didn't have a permanent band in mind - my starting point was that I wanted to work with equal musicians. Everyone had the same input. That's how it stayed and gradually no one ever let themselves be ordered by someone else. But eh...Between people, there is always some kind of chemistry. Men, women, it doesn't matter. With the six of us, that chemistry is quite explosive."

This means that Rammstein is standing at the mixing desk in the studio. "Yes! More bass! More guitar! More drums! That's really how it goes. That's why we have to have a producer [for Reise, Reise it was just like on the previous studio albums Jacob Hellner]. He gets twenty, thirty percent more from the songs. And otherwise the work would never be finished. What we do notice, now, after ten years, is that some of us have become less fanatical. Not everyone has an opinion about every aspect of the music. That's not possible either. But to admit that you have to turn off your ego. Anyway, that's happened now. For the new album we wrote more as a band. That's different than before and that's important, because when you write as a band, you can discussions are easier."

Kruspe does not discuss the lyrics: "Till actually writes poems, not lyrics. Sometimes they fit, sometimes they don't. That's simple. Some of his poems have nothing to do with my feelings, but have such a strong story that I can completely agree with it. It helps that I have known Till for about eighteen years. I know where a text like Stein Um Stein comes from. A man who bricks up his wife because he doesn't want to lose her. The biggest problem for a person is letting go. That even plays a role in Mein Teil. Giving things away, giving up, distancing yourself. Very difficult. A theme like that means that I can identify with that text. That's enough."

So Rammstein was initially a project. Kruspe once shared an apartment with Oliver Riedel (bass) and Christoph Schneider (drums). Together they started developing musical ideas, without even an inkling of worldwide success. Second guitarist Paul Landers (real name: Henry Hirsch 1)), singer Till Lindemann and keyboardist Christian 'Flake' Lorenz joined them later; the latter only under the necessary pressure.

Kruspe: "With Mutter, Rammstein has made a big leap, especially in Europe. We have become a stadium band. But we never thought about any success whatsoever. It started with an idea. We wanted to try everything. Success or no success, great become or stay small, that didn't occur to us. A band has its own dynamic, you can't plan that. When we got success that was nice, but what do you do with it? A person has to follow his intuition. Even if after ten years you are no longer as free as when you started, but you still have to try to continue working from a certain naivety. Switch back to the time when you were uninhibited about your music. It was Picasso who said later in life that he had spent his entire life going back to painting like a child again. That's it: learn everything and forget it again. We try and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Of course you can't take it too literally, because you grow as a person and you become always influenced by new things. But it's a good starting point."

That said, Rammstein isn't enough to fully satisfy any of the members' creativity. Kruspe doesn't want to limit himself, so he puts some of the music he writes aside for other projects. "New York helps me with that. When I'm there, I'm not so on top of Rammstein. And that makes it easier for me to write and play. In a way, I've already put this album behind me and am working on new ideas. I'm working on it now with... I can't say too much about it. Not a band, but a nice project that will interest people."

Second single from Reise, Reise is Amerika, with the irresistibly cheerful chorus 'We're all living in Amerika, Amerika ist wunderbar' (later on it becomes 'We're all living in Amerika, Coca-Cola, Wonderbra').

"The claim that Germans have no humor is outdated. Germany has become self-conscious in the last ten years - and humor comes when one develops self-awareness. America comes directly from our band humor. It is not a political statement, we don't do that.

I believe that everything in life should be in balance. You don't eat the whole cake, a slice is enough. A look at America shows us that there is a lot of imbalance there. America controls the entire world and that's a bit much. But it is not a black and white story. It also depends on the people themselves, in the US and abroad. I remember the first time I drank Coca-Cola. Man, that was cool. It tasted good, it felt good, the marketing of that brand worked perfectly for me. That's nice, isn't it? It's just done well. Now I know how much sugar is in it, how bad it is for you. I make a choice. Anyone can do that. Coca-Cola, Hollywood... It doesn't take much effort to look beyond that."

Rammstein broke through in America with Sehnsucht. David Lynch used the group in his film Lost Highway and a Lollapalooza tour did the rest. Kruspe: "I think that the theme and visualization of Sehnsucht came at exactly the right time for many American young people. However, in America everything moves very quickly. You can suddenly be successful, but also quickly forgotten. An American band must therefore tour endlessly, visit radio shows, make noise. As a German band, this is impossible, because you already put a lot of energy into your own country and Europe. When we toured for Mutter, we noticed that we simply no longer had the strength to tell the whole story again in America. Plus, after September 11, 2001, America took a much more cautious stance towards foreign groups. Patriotism was rampant, even when it came to pop music. Now it could be possible again. Rammstein has a certain cult status Rammstein is cool, you know. And in Germany it helps if you prove yourself in the US. They then look at you differently. America remains the largest music market; if you are big in Europe, then you want to go there. Not for the music itself. Interesting trends and developments no longer come from the States."

At the time of their first album Herzeleid (1995), Rammstein was a band from 'the former East Berlin'. Nowadays those words have little value. Kruspe has seen Berlin change. "West Berlin was another world. The capital of darkness. A dark, depressive atmosphere. When I ended up there, I didn't feel at ease at all. [Kruspe fled via Hungary and Austria shortly before the fall of the wall from east to west.] Yes, West Berlin was essentially worse than East Berlin. Now you can also find a lot of cheerfulness in the city. East and west have drawn together and that gloomy thing that David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Nick Cave looked for on purpose that is largely a thing of the past."

"I am someone who feels at home somewhere quite quickly. Not in the sense of family or friends, but in a general sense. In New York it is easy to meet people, but it is very difficult to make friends. The city has so much energy, which I don't feel in Berlin. In New York, capital of the world, you want to go outside and feel part of something bigger, of a whole. In your apartment you feel lonely. In Berlin, capital of Germany, it is the other way around. There you feel lonely when you walk on the street and it's nice to be at home. Now I still fly back and forth. A month here, a month there, so I can't say that I feel completely at home in New York. I am someone who tries to live intuitively. I went from the countryside to the Berlin suburbs, then to Berlin itself, now to New York... I am a wanderer. After 25 years in and around Berlin 2), I also felt the call of other places ."

Back to Los for a moment. What sets that song apart from the rest of Rammstein's repertoire is the primal feeling that emanates from that acoustic riff. No associations with drinking and sailor songs, but American roots. Yet Kruspe says: "I have never been a fan of American rock culture. I liked English hard rock much more than American hard rock. Only with bands like Faith No MOre and 24-7 Spyz did I start listening to Americans. Metal in itself bored me. The aggression of Metallica, for example, did appeal to me, but I went more for the melodies of Judas Priest. What Americans I like now? Queens or The Stone Age. Dave Grohl. But I listen more to the latest Killing Joke or The Cure.

My own guitar sound remains very metal. Why? Well, why do men prefer to ride a Harley... A metal guitar wall is the nicest thing there is. It makes me lose my inner aggression. But you won't see me fiddling around for hours on all kinds of guitar runs, I find that really annoying. I once studied guitar for a year or two to get better, but don't ask me about my guitar heroes. I find Depeche Mode's Martin Gore infinitely more inspiring than any guitarist."

Reise, Reise will be released on September 27. Rammstein will play in Ahoy, Rotterdam on November 4 and 5.

--

Mein Teil

“They've got a sense of humor, those guys from Rammstein,” says Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys as he points to the fork and knife on the cover of Mein Teil (My Member), the first single from the album Reise Reise . The Pet Shop Boys made two remixes of the song at the request of the Germans. The illustration may seem funny, but the song - a hard and melodic song by Rammstein standards - is a serious tribute to the German cannibal and his dinner companion from a few years ago. Two decent middle-aged gentlemen - one hungry for man meat, the other offering himself as a meal - find each other on the internet. After some emails back and forth, they decide to make their lifelong dream come true. Before one goes into the freezer, they cut off the member of one together, fry it in oil and garlic and eat it. And that is true love, says Rammstein. That's why they call Mein Teil a love song.

Unlike the sinister duo, Rammstein and the Pet Shop Boys did not meet in cyberspace, but through a mutual acquaintance, German composer Torsten Rasch. Tennant: "We were impressed by Mein Herz Brennt, the song cycle that Rasch based on songs by Rammstein. That's why we recently asked him to make some film music with us." The Pet Shop Boys had been fans of the Berlin six-piece for years. Their conversations with the composer, who is friends with members of Rammstein, showed a mutual appreciation. "At one point Rasch suggested that we edit a Rammstein track," says Neil Tennant. That track became Mein Teil.

The synth duo has upped the tempo of the Wagnerian track, replacing Schneider's monumental drum parts with energetic techno beats. The Fassbinder soundtrack-like voices of sirens and the sounds of knife sharpening have made them even more prominent than in the original version. You can't call the remixes scary, but they clearly reflect what the eaten German probably heard in his head, thanks to all the antifreeze, schnapps and sleeping tablets he took to undergo the bizarre act.

---

Sea shanties & Drinking buddies

Schlagers, Rammstein, Reise, Reise

Of course there is no doubt that you are hearing Rammstein when you put on Reise, Reise. But where Sehnsucht and Mutter aimed directly at the metal and industrial audience with their ever-increasing bombast, the human element is given more space on this fourth studio album. That means fewer computers and electronics; a more traditional approach, if you will. Some songs are kept smaller than you are used to. Los even floats on an acoustic guitar riff and the concept of 'rest' no longer only serves the threat and dynamics. And even though the riffs in the heavy tracks like Mein Teil or Keine Lust ('Mir ist kalt'), Stein um Stein or Morgenstern are again sky-high and recorded fabulously (regular producer Jacob Hellner and mixer Stefan Glaumann), Reise, Reise can appeal to a broader audience than its predecessors. The choruses of Morgenstern and the title track are a hit with anyone with a bit of sailor's blood in their veins and that of America is perfect for drunkards who are not afraid to declaim trodden social-critical observations. Back to back with America is Moskau, which shows Rammstein at his most festive. On Mutter the ballad (Nebel) closed the album. On Reise, Reise the point of rest comes earlier: Ohne Dich, a song as gray as a drizzly November morning. That song is followed by 'love song' Amore, which is also played largely subdued and which refers to the theme of Mein Teil. In summary: no big surprises, enough variety, a solid new Rammstein.

--

1) Article really says 'Henry Hirsch', we know it is 'Heiko Hiersche'

2) i'm not sure if Richard means this literal, because 25 years at this point would mean that he was in Berlin from age 12, and i don't think that was the case, but maybe he means it more broadly

--

List of other Rammstein OOR interviews

[night-lie]

Are you a ballet fan as well as a Swiftie? Any Taylor songs you associate with ballet or ballet characters?

Thank you for your ask!! I am a casual ballet fan.

This bit in Enchanted's coreography looks like 5th position, and the dress is just so Tchaikovsky's Barbie of Swan Lake. I would love to watch someone dance to Enchanted. For contrast, perhaps WAOLOM or WANEGBT 1989 tour version are Fokine's Dying Swan? It really depends on what vibes are used as a criteria. My criteria is "it's cool and I like it". Dying Swan isn't quite that angry though but more sad, so maybe ATW10? And if we bring up the scarf, I have to mention Løvenskiold's La Sylphide although luckily Taylor gets away unlike the poor fairy.

I'm half joking when I say the Rep album is Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring. It confused the audience, people hated it, the composer and coreographer's reputations were stained by it, but it made an impact. Watching it can make you very self conscious of being a part of the audience (and confused), which is what being a Taylor fan sometimes feels like.

Finnish National Ballet's The Little Mermaid is ocean themed so I'd use that for 1989 or TTPD, especially the Albatross or BDILH which is a song from Ariel's perspective and about nothing else or nobody else. Certainly not someone we mention on this blog. I love mermaids, I will not think critically when they're involved.

As for characters, it would be obvious to connect Clara from The Nutcracker and Clara Bow, but I don't think it works. I think Giselle is a good fit for Debut/Fearless/Speak Now era; The innocent search for romance and the unexpected pain (and death). Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet could be Lover, perhaps?

I haven't seen it myself, but Skorulsky's The Forest Song sounds like it would fit folkmore. Vera Zorina's performance from The Goldwyn Follies is very nymph-like to me, even though it's a movie.

The only album I haven't mentioned so far is Midnighs, so uh. Um. The White Cat from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty. Because Karma is a cat! Fool proof reasoning. That reminds me of Princess Florine, she saves her prince doesn't she? She was also trapped, so she's both a damsel and heroine. Very Taylor.

[hussyknee]

Being triggered by a fic feels stupid. But I really hate what this fandom does to my beloved MoC character. They keep treating him like a fuck up that has to work to be worthy of the white guy that runs away or ices people out when shit gets too real.

In this one my ADHD brown boy is a rock star trying to fill up his anxiety with drugs and casual sex. He's sent to the white guy for a kind of mentorship to straighten himself out. They spend months falling in love, even though white guy keeps turning him down every time he tries to attempt anything more intimate. Finally he outright kisses him and white guy says no, we shouldn't. He says "don't you want me?" And white dude says "no".

MoC is broken hearted and humiliated. He screens the guy's calls, goes away on tour and hits up a stranger for casual sex. The next day he finally checks his voicemail, and it's white guy apologizing for turning him down and explaining he was just scared because he liked him so much. MoC is like "oh shit" and goes back and confesses that he slept with someone. White guy acts like he betrayed him. "But you turned me down!" "I thought you cared enough about me to not be able to sleep with a stranger right afterwards." Tells MoC to fuck off.

Look. I'm ace. I'm not a fan of casual sex. I want the whole true love I-never-even-looked-at-another-person-while-pining-for-you fantasy. I hate when my ship characters talk about the sex they had with other people. I'm in this stupid fandom for the idealised romance.

That said. Fucking what??

This dipshit turned my boy down three times just because he likes to sabotage himself. He broke his heart. And then he wants him to be unable to fuck anyone else right afterwards as proof of his love?He gets to reject him and then make him sound like Ross from Friends going "We were on a break"? He won't communicate but the other person has to read his mind?

I can't even believe that the author has my own hang ups about seeing my ship fuck other people because they've written other fics where that was the case. Everyone else in this fandom seems to love the idea too. This is the first time I'm seeing it framed as a problem, let alone a deal-breaker.

MoC then spends a solid year working on himself to be healthy and responsible and prove to white guy that he's good enough to have a relationship with. He won't take his calls so MoC makes the song they worked on together into a love letter and releases it hoping he'll hear it and understand. Meanwhile white dude just writes an album about how sad he is they didn't work out. This is supposed to be romantic.

In the end MoC lays out his whole heart bare again and white guy nearly pulls his avoidant bs again but they end up together. But frankly I wish he'd get run over by a bus.

It wouldn't be triggering me so badly if it was just about one fic. But it's a pattern of hypocrisy repeated over and over again. I hate how this fucking fandom makes the white dude's self-sabotage and avoidant behaviour out to be so uwu woobie and MoC a terminal fuck up because of his impulsivity and obliviousness. He's basically the personification of ADHD so I can't tell whether they just hate all neurodivergents or just the ones of colour.

This is why I don't want representation. A character you can see yourself in is just an opportunity for white women and queers to visit microaggressions on you by proxy.