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#*when musicians do a 'europe tour'
hanaaria · 1 year
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gotta love it when a musician announces a tour and it's literally just the us
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Björk - Army of Me 1995
"Army of Me" is an aggressive industrial rock and trip hop song with elements of techno dominated by a heavy bassline in C Locrian; a mode used more sparsely throughout history due to its perceived dissonance and instability. The song's drum part is sampled from Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks". It was released as the lead single from Icelandic musician Björk's second studio album, Post (1995). The song was written and produced by Björk and Graham Massey, who helped her in producing and writing the majority of her third album.
Lyrically, the song was inspired by the damaging behavior of Björk's brother, and in the lyrics she tells him to stand up to regain control of his life. It was well received by music critics, who noted its darkness compared to her other material. "Army of Me" was a commercial success, and her first single to enter the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. Björk premiered the song on some gigs during the Debut tour before the release of Post. She performed it in a series of TV appearances, and notably, for the first time on Top of the Pops with Skunk Anansie.
"Army of Me" won an Icelandic Music Award for Song of the Year. The song was also ranked number 316 in Blender magazine's "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". In 2012, the song was ranked number 71 in Consequence of Sound's "Top 100 Songs Ever". The video was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards, one for Best Special Effects in a Video and one for International Viewer's Choice Awards – MTV Europe. A remix by Skunk Anansie was featured in the 2011 film Sucker Punch, and it goes HARDDD. Listen to it here!
"Army of Me" received a total of 63,6% yes votes!
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yridenergyridenergy · 5 months
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Burrn! Japan vol. 23 Individual Interview Translation Notes
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Kyo's favourite movies are those that leave a really bad aftertaste, which he just can't watch more than once or twice. Besides Holy Mountain, some of his highlights have been Pearl, MEN and Midsommar. Ideally, he'd love to replicate this in a live show: as a fan, you would be so shocked and blinded by tears that you couldn't even see Kyo. He thinks that Dir en grey is more and more working toward this kind of mission. Kyo would also love to perform in Las Vegas' SPHERE venue, with this type of overwhelming shock.
If he had to make a movie, it would also be one that leaves a bad aftertaste and which nobody could sanely watch more than twice, but since he would have to do multiple reviews as the director, it won't happen.
Kyo finally explained the focus on Uroboros more: he feels that Dir en grey was able to build something more from this point onward. The worldview started with Withering to death. too, but the base was set more firmly with Uroboros.
For Kyo, the inclusion of Oboro is what totally changes a setlist. He feels that it's a bottomless pit, like he's cutting deeper and deeper into a wound. For Die, The World of Mercy is the song that can make a whole difference in a setlist, because of the change of tempo in the middle.
Die described that when they try to compose songs, sometimes, after 25 years, they can have the impression that the melody's already been done before. But then, let's say Kyo adds his singing on top of it, and it goes through the filters of the other members too, and in the end, Die feels like: "Wow, it's something totally different now!"
Die doesn't usually work on melodies in his free time. The ideas come to him the most when there is a concrete release decided and deadlines, even if he doesn't like deadlines.
Regarding the upcoming European tour, Die reflects that Withering to death. was the first time that they toured in Europe, and in general they have never done "concept tours" overseas. He feels that the band will be able to do things in 2024 that they weren't able to do back then.
Apparently Dir en grey is thinking of celebrating the 30th anniversary since their formation!! And they are wondering whether to release the next album before that or around the same time.
Kaoru mentioned that at first, only Acro no Oka and Zan were supposed to be recorded with Yoshiki in LA, but when they arrived, it was decided to add Yurameki. About Acro no Oka, Yoshiki commented that it was a concern because of the lack of "collision of sounds", whereas Zan was a problem of collision of sounds.
In Yurameki, apparently they recorded some strings separately and overlapped them in post-production because Yoshiki asked Kaoru to play something in a specific way that was impossible, because the string couldn't be held down simultaneously. They figured: "No one will notice."
This European tour was supposed to happen in 2022 to coincide with the band's 25th anniversary.
Shinya would have preferred to sleep until 4PM on the day of this interview. He also appreciated that the songs of Phalaris were introduced in three segments/tours, because he had trouble memorizing the structure of the songs. It would have been impossible for him to play all of the album's songs at once live.
His favourite kind of ending is when the show doesn't end with a bang, but that it instead leaves a lingering worldview, which was accomplished with Kamuy. His favourite part is when the curtain was lowered in front of the stage as soon as Kamuy started. Ideally, he would always just walk off the stage without throwing drumsticks or anything.
For the first time, the rehearsal for Tour23 Phalaris Final –the scent of a peaceful death- was not just [rhythm section] then [whole band]. At Die's suggestion, they had rhythm first, then the four musicians, and finally the whole band rehearsed together.
Shinya was ecstatic that his composition, Yurameki, was chosen for the major debut and that it was produced with Yoshiki. Ever since then, he felt like he could die happy, and all the way up until now, Shinya has continually felt like he could be content to die at any moment.
For ten years now, Shinya has wished to record simple drum melodies. Also, he thinks that he will struggle to re-learn how to play the Uroboros songs.
Toshiya reveals that the imagery projected on the curtain in the opening (during Otogi) and ending (during Kamuy) of the shows in Tour23 Phalaris Final –the scent of a peaceful death- were generated by AI.
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It seems that a lot of people have commented that going to see Dir en grey is more like a spectacle than seeing a rock band's live performance.
Toshiya was initially opposed to the idea of re-recording the three singles of their major debut. He feels that old songs are out of their hands, and some things about them belong to the listeners and their past experiences of it. In other words, he is worried that re-recording could destroy something about the memories associated to the songs. In his view, it's better for the creators to re-imagine the songs, like they have done with their remakes so far. At the same time, in retrospection, Toshiya is glad that they decided to do it, because it made him realize that a lot has changed in 25 years, but a lot also hasn't changed, with the band.
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jokeroutsubs · 13 days
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[ENG translation] Jure Maček, Joker Out's drummer: "I don't have time for dating"
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An article and interview with Jure Maček, published in Suzy magazine on 1.3.2024.
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Original article is available here for Slovenske novice subscribers. Article written by Anita Krizmanić for Suzy magazine. English translation by a member of JokerOutSubs, proofread by IG GBoleyn123.
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Music has accompanied the 27-year-old from Logatec since early childhood. He fell in love with it because of his father and grandfather, who were excellent musicians themselves. Besides them, he also had a number of other great teachers who introduced him to various genres, he played in the symphony orchestra and several bands, and just over three years ago, he finally found what he had been looking for – Joker Out, the band that became his new family. A pleasant and open conversation partner, who believed in his dreams and is living them today, gave us an honest interview about what his journey was like before he and his band embarked on the incredible odyssey that started last year before Eurovision.
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Tours are tiring, but also incredibly exciting. // "They wouldn't let me play the drums in music school, because they weren't on the curriculum, so I decided that I would learn how to play them on my own."
"Each of us dreamed about one day finding ourselves where we are now. We're aware that many people don't have that chance. We miss home, we haven't been there very often in the past year, which we've already got used to. To each other, as well. We support each other and we know how to coexist. We're doing just fine, but there are moments when you have to grin and bear it. There aren't many of those, though, because we're mostly having a good time and we enjoy making music," a smiling Jure tells us from London, where the boys have been temporarily living and creating since the beginning of the year.
During our chat, he walks around the city and tells us that life with Bojan, Kris, Nace and Jan is very simple. "Because we're great friends, even though we could all use a moment of solitude now and then. Especially now that we're living in a small London apartment. But we know each other so well that we know what each of us is like, when and why he's in a bad mood, what he needs, and how to fix a certain situation. We're a nice and happy family," he smiles, and adds that they all know how to take a step back, but at the same time, they're firm when they want to emphasise their idea or opinion.
"Sometimes it's better if someone says what they're thinking out loud, presents their idea, and if we collectively latch onto something, we can get great results. It's the same with music," he continues.
LIVING HIS DREAMS AT PEACE
The fruits of their hard and dedicated labour over the past few weeks can already be seen, some are yet to materialise. The band recently sent 'Everybody's Waiting' out into the world, a song that centres the personal thoughts and contemplations that accompany many young people.
"When we make music, we try not to think about other worlds and the audience. When a song is being made, each of us has to feel it and add a small part of what makes him happy to it. When we get to the point where all of us are happy with our work, we know that we created something good, and that's also when people can feel it or find themselves in it," he says.
Joker Out, with their magic and meaningfulness, always take us into worlds where everyone is safe and understood, even when they think they're not. He agrees that a loving attitude towards yourself and others is key in the chaotic world that surrounds us.
"I am at peace with the people around me. I appreciate them very much and they make me even more happy to be in this world." He is grateful for fulfilling his dreams, which he never let anyone take from him as a young musician. "I currently make a living only from music, so I am living my dreams," he smiles.
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After working on the album, the boys are leaving for the European tour.
DRUMMERS LIKE CONTROL
As a drummer, he keeps in the background, but that doesn't mean he lives in the band's shadow. "We're special people. We're happiest if things are under control. Just the fact that we sit all the way in the back says enough. You can see everything from there," he says, and adds that drummers are pretty technical types who are more reserved than the other band members. "We like the space we create for ourselves around the drums. That is our world and we really enjoy it. We're pretty nuts," he jokes.
We also chat about the band's fans, who are a unique phenomenon, as they know all the lyrics. "It's a crazy feeling when people abroad sing songs in Slovenian." Otherwise, he never craved attention and he's pretty introverted. "Out of everyone in the band, I'm the least enthusiastic about hanging out after gigs, not because I don't like the fans, but because I like my peace. I need time for myself after performances, which the fans very much respect and understand. After each gig, we take time to meet people, even if not all of us are there."
Despite looking thousands of girls in the eyes at gigs, his heart is currently not taken. "There's no time for dating. There was none last year, and none this year yet either," he laughs.
STEALING HIS MUM'S POTS
During our conversation, we also touch on his upbringing, and he tells me that he fell in love with music as a child, since his father Mitja and grandfather Cveto were also musicians. "I remember dancing around the living room with grandpa on Sundays, and moments when I stole my mum's pots from the kitchen, took them to the living room and banged on them with full force. All of that moved something inside me, leading me to being a musician today," he's convinced.
Another key moment happened when his father, who was also a drummer, took him to the concert of the guitarist and frontman of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler, in Tivoli Hall as a boy. "That was probably where it first became clear to me that I really wanted this," he says. His parents enrolled him in the music school in Logatec where he studied percussion instruments for eight years, he played in a brass band and a symphony orchestra, he was a member of various bands in elementary school.
"They wouldn't let me play the drums in music school, because they weren't on the curriculum, so I decided that I would learn how to play them on my own. After that, I had a more and more successful band each year, it escalated until I joined Joker Out," he remembers his younger years, when he was getting to know various genres and enjoying his calling more and more each year.
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"We drummers are special people," says Jure.
FALLING IN LOVE WITH FILMING BECAUSE OF HIS DAD
Music, however, wasn't the only thing he spent years getting to know. In high school, thanks in part to his uncle and his dad, who often took him to the field with him as a cameraman, he worked as a correspondent cameraman and editor for RTV Slovenia (Slovenian national television). "When they were looking for a cameraman at RTV Slovenia, I already knew and understood a lot of things. I kind of miss that job. It was very varied because I spent a lot of time in the field, I was at sports, cultural, and political events. During the time when I was both a cameraman and a musician, I realised that there were a lot of parallels between those worlds."
Now, he sometimes misses a slightly more regular schedule. "I used to be home at four in the afternoon, now I won't be home until May," laughs the likable drummer, who really liked working as a cameraman, but was mainly driven by his commitment to music. Now, for just over three years, he's been part of a band in which he's found something more. "I actually didn't really know how to get to that point, because in Slovenia, we often hear that you can't make a living from music and it might be better to find something else, that it's difficult to survive in the music world, that it's not worth it. But there was always something driving me so strongly that I was determined to prove to myself and others that it's possible."
THE CAMERA IS ALWAYS ON
If you want it strongly enough, you can achieve anything you want, he says. He's sure that as a musician, he will never achieve anything bigger than Joker Out. "Even though I like to emphasise that I'm living my dreams, it's not all sunshine and roses. The music world can be very tough, you have to fight every day, because you don't know what you're getting yourself into and what the result will be. Everything is a little unknown."
While the members of Joker Out are constantly discovering new unknown things in their creative world, they're definitely not unknown on the music scene. They caress our ears and souls with their finely crafted lyrics and excellent music. Their fans can now even hope that these outstanding young musicians will record a documentary about their journey in the near future. "We started recording in 2021 and we have a lot of things in stock that might interest people. With us, it's like this: when we're on tour, the camera can be on at any moment, so we have to be a little mindful of how we behave. Actually, everything is recorded – backstage, travelling, hotels, arguments, as well as lovely moments!"
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The fans are thrilled by his not-at-all-reserved photos.
DREAMING OF SUMMER AND CAMPING
The magical pinnacle of the band's musical odyssey, which started even before their acclaimed Eurovision performance, happened last October in sold-out Stožice. On this colourful journey, they only had a moment to catch their breath at home before setting off again for new adventures. After a temporary move to London, the boys travelled to Helsinki on the 28th of February, where they did production rehearsals, and their European tour starts on the 1st of March. "We will board the bus which we will live on for one month. I'm looking forward to this experience and the bus tour, as it will be our longest yet," he doesn't hide his excitement. The band will come back to Slovenia for seven days at the end of March to regain their strength, then they will have a few performances in the UK, and on the 15th of April, they will lock themselves into a studio in Hamburg for a month, recording the album that was created in London.
"This year, we were home for three days, until the 4th of January, which makes the days spent in Slovenia even more precious," adds Jure, who is endlessly excited for the summer. "I've seen enough hotels in the past year, so I want a genuine holiday like in the old days, when a friend and I converted a car to be able to sleep in a camp. I miss simple holidays in nature and without a phone. That's what I really want this year, at least for a week or so," one of the most charismatic Slovenian drummers reveals his humble wish to us.
If you repost quotes from the interview, please link back to this post!
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puppy-steve · 4 months
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january fic rec - b sides
not actually fics i read in january, but i need to clear out my ao3 recs to prep for the upcoming months and this seems like a good enough time to do that.
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Sometimes Goodbye is a Second Chance - E, 14.5k, complete @lexirosewrites
tags: alpha eddie, omega steve, tattoo artist eddie, falling in love, angst with a happy ending
Steve goes into Hellfire Ink for one reason and one reason only: to have his mating bond broken. Meeting the owner, who specializes in this taboo service, is the silver lining to being blindsided at the sudden and devastating end of his twelve year marriage to Nancy. It only takes a handful of painful scarification sessions for them to redefine their expectations of love.
Little Velvet Box - E, 2.3k, complete preservedchaos
tags: modern au, marriage proposal
Steve didn’t mean to find it. He was honestly looking for one of the pairs of Christmas socks he knew Eddie kept buried in his drawer. His hand was buried in the sea of socks, rooting around for the fluffy material, when his fingers encountered a solid object.
Ask The Wife - M, 1.8k, complete unhappy_peaches
tags: secret relationship, eddie calls steve his wife
“You guys all call me and Steve “mom and dad,” so, theoretically, if that is true, that makes him my wife.”
don't let go - E, 3.9k, complete sunbleacheddie
tags: rockstar eddie, reunion sex
Eddie's been on tour for a month and has to extend his time away. He surprises Steve by coming home early.
hash brown, egg yolk (i will always love you) - G, 2.8k, complete @stevethehairington | MacksDramaticShenanigans
tags: married steddie, rockstar eddie, teacher steve, domestic fluff
Six months is a long time to be apart. A long time to go without seeing Eddie in the flesh. Without hearing his laugh, low and melodic, right against the shell of his ear. Without hugging Eddie around the middle and hooking his chin over Eddie’s shoulder while he stands at the stove and pushes something delicious around a pan. Without kissing Eddie. But so is the way of being married to a hotshot musician with a band that has more than made it big. Because that's what Eddie is. And, god, Steve couldn’t be more proud. Even if it does mean that sometimes he and Eddie have to go long stretches of time without seeing each other. But that doesn’t matter anymore. Because Eddie is home now, and he’s going to be home for a while. Corroded Coffin just wrapped up the European leg of their tour (“Fucking Europe, Stevie! Can you believe it!”) and they’ve been given a month before their North American leg is set to start. A whole entire month that Eddie already promised he will be spending at home with Steve. Starting today.
Oath of Devotion - G, 1.4k, complete @matchingbatbites
tags: steve plays dnd, extablished relationship
"Three years ago, I took my place by your side as your personal guard. I swore to care for you, to protect you from anything that would want to hurt you, and somewhere along the way, we fell in love."
nothing else matters - T, 2.4k, complete AliuIce0814
tags: omega steve, alpha eddie, unplanned pregnancy
Steve’s pretty sure there’s no pee left in his body. Still, all seven of these tests have to be wrong, right? Sure, he’s seeing Eddie Munson pretty regularly - but Eddie always wears a condom, but they never have sex when Steve’s in heat. So why are all of these pregnancy tests positive?
Indecent - M, 2.9k, complete NotEvenCloseToStraight
tags: idiot4idiot, established relationship
Steve was adorable wearing Eddie’s clothes. He was stupidly sexy wearing Eddie’s clothes. Steve was unfairly breaking Eddie’s brain wearing his clothes and it was just downright indecent. “Steve.” Eddie swallowed hard and lowered his voice. “Steve, go change.” “What?” Steve’s nose wrinkled when he frowned. “Why?” “Go change.” “But I’m comfortable.” “Go. Change.” “Eddie, I don’t understand--” “PUT THAT THING BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM OR SO HELP ME!” Eddie planted his feet and pointed violently at the crop top. “SO HELP ME STEVE HARRINGTON!”
A King On His Throne - E, 4.1k, complete Papaya_Whip
tags: dom/sub, choking, pre-discussed kink
“Like what you see?” Eddie asks, teasing. “Yeah,” Steve replies dumbly. He has the decency to blush afterward, because fuck, Eddie has him so malleable and that word fell so easily from his mouth, but Eddie’s persona is starting to slip again, to give way to something severely tender underneath, and Steve shoves him into a kiss before the expression Eddie is wearing can melt him entirely. And it’s bliss; it’s Eddie’s arms wrapping around him and dragging him that last inch closer, until their bodies are flush and Steve can barely breathe. It’s Eddie chasing Steve’s tongue and moaning, loud and low, into Steve’s parted lips. It’s Eddie’s wild, gorgeous hair pulled tight in Steve’s desperate fists. Steve leverages his grasp on Eddie’s curls to pull his head back, presses a shower of kisses down the column of his throat. Scrapes his teeth there and feels as Eddie swallows around a hiss. “Fuck, Stevie,” he says, “you’ve completely ruined me.”
Bows & All - E, 3.3k, complete GodsDoggy
tags: daddy kink, transmasc steve, dom/sub, breeding kink
“What can I say?” Steve smiles. “I’m a man of my word.” Eddie snorts. “Clearly.” He looks down between them, admiring the ribbons that decorate Steve's inner thighs. “Bows and all, huh?” Steve laughs, a little breathless in his needy state. “Bows and all.”
Tiny Green Shorts - E, 2.2k, complete @hotluncheddie
tags: steve's green basketball shorts, dom/sub, free use mentions
Steve wants attention, so he puts on his old shorts from high school.
Playing House with You - E, 4.3k, complete GonzoTheGreat
tags: daddy kink, breeding kink, mommy kink
They had just moved into their own little house outside of town, it was perfect to him in every way. Thing was, it got Steve picturing them “playing house” as Eddie would call it. It was driving him crazy.
i wish i knew how (your eyes are like starlight now) - G, 10k, complete @stevethehairington | MacksDramaticShenanigans
tags: pining, christmas fluff, getting together, first kiss, mistletoe
Steve makes a promise, Robin likes to meddle, and the spirit of Christmas strikes (out) again. And again. And again. (Until it doesn’t.)
Be My Mistake - T, 4.1k, complete flowershoplights
tags: fluff, snowball fights, love confessions
Steve and Eddie find warmth in each other during the holiday season
Your skin and bones turn into something beautiful (You know I love you so) - M, 4.2k, complete ChristinMKay
tags: angst, hurt/comfort, platonic stobin, soulmate au
Steve Harrington is born with a scream on his lips and so much love in his being that his body is covered in it. An abundance of moles, freckles, and birthmarks are speckled across his skin, painting him in constellations and stardust and affection. The nurses and doctors are congratulating Steve’s parents as they place him in the arms of his mother. They say he is blessed. Lived so many lives filled with people who loved him so much that the press of their lips against his skin had to echo through time and leave a mark.
Dial V for Virgin - E, series, complete @lexirosewrites
tags: alpha eddie, omega steve, college au, frat steve, eddie calls steve "puppy"
Rushing a fraternity so his dad will keep paying for college isn’t exactly Steve’s idea of fun. Being required to lose his virginity in order to get a bid from ABΩ somehow makes it even worse. Which is why finding graffiti in a party bathroom that says, “for a good time text Eddie 555-318-7249,” feels like a sign from the universe.
Fucked Up (Perfect) Family - E, 6.4k, complete GonzoTheGreat
tags: daddy kink, mommy kink, breeding kink, steve wants a baby and eddie's gonna give him one
He nodded. “You refer to me as the kid’s dad, yeah?” “Yeah?” “And today was different, what was different?” Something was different, he hadn’t realized that. Every other time he’d referred to Eddie as the ‘dad’ all he felt was warm contentment, like soup on a cold day. Today he freezed. Even if Dustin didn’t notice, it still happened. Which means Eddie must have seen it. “Ummm well… I don’t know? I mean I’ve always kinda liked you being a father figure to the kids if that makes sense? Like you’re the dad and I’m the mom and we’re one big happy family.”
Once Bitten (Twice Shy) - E, 22.1k, complete ParadimeShifts
tags: modern au, christmas fluff, the three muskequeers as roommates, light dom/sub
Steve’s relationship with Christmas had always been tenuous, to say the least, but it didn’t help that this was the first Christmas he would be suffering through since his ex-girlfriend had snatched up his self-esteem and taken off running the year before. He knew it was the intrinsically romantic quality of the holiday season, and nothing more. Just his lonely bones after a year of healing from heartbreak. But Eddie's arms around him when he needed them most were starting to feel a lot like love. Or: A fic inspired by George Michael's "Last Christmas".
use your words, baby - E, 4.5k, complete @infinite-orangepeel
tags: transmasc steve, established relationship, dysphoria mentions, daddy kink
“Like it’s a real cock, you mean?” Steve clarifies, brain moving at a snail’s pace since all the blood has traveled down into his swollen clit. “That’s exactly what I mean, pretty boy, but not just any random fucker’s cock. You’re too good for the rest of ‘em. Like it’s my cock. Like you’re sucking me off in a dirty bar bathroom—like that one we went to in Chicago last summer. Like you wanna get me off as fast as possible so no one catches you being such a filthy cumslut for the town freak,” Eddie kisses his abdomen, dips his tongue into his belly button, and ruts his cock against the concave part of Steve’s hip, “Suck it hard, baby. C’mon play pretend with me and I’ll moan right in your ear the whole time like it’s really mine.”
can you feel the hot blood rush? - E, 5.9k, complete GodsDoggy
tags: mommy kink, dom/sub, sub eddie, sex club, exhibitionism
A strong hand slides up the length of Eddie’s thigh, pausing right where the leather tapers off at his crotch. “You went somewhere, honey. What’s wrong?” Eddie keeps his eyes on the road as he speaks. Steve’s thumb moves in small circles over his thigh. “Thinking about stuff.” “What kind of stuff?”
summer's in the air, and baby heaven's in your eyes - E, 2.2k, complete steddieverse
tags: mommy kink, sub eddie, soft dom steve, grinding, frottage
So it's times like this, sitting together on Eddie's ass of a couch, when it feels like the Earth is spinning a lot faster than normal. Steve glistened with sweat, hair messy. The joint he's smoking is just the cherry on top. Eddie has to admit, summer really is doing him some fucking justice on this one thing. or, eddie munson has got it real bad for steve harrington during a heatwave.
let me wrap my teeth around the world - E, 1.3k, complete skwudgie
tags: transmasc steve, pussy worship, dom/sub, sub eddie, soft dom steve
Eddie Munson has a thing about dropping to his knees.
sos - T, 7.1k, complete @ikarakie
tags: post-s3, established relationship, secret relationship, accidental outting, protective wayne
eddie and steve have been dating, in secret, for nearly a year when starcourt happens. the gang find out because wayne munson turns up at the hospital, having been called there because he's steve's emergency contact. eddie isn't far behind.
in your eyes i am complete - E, 4.5k, complete bdelaney
tags: shibari, valentines day, dom/dub, daddy kink, spit kink, dacryphilia
On the one hand, Steve's really not complaining that Eddie isn’t one of those people who thinks of Valentine's Day as the “most romantic day of the year” like some of the girls he had known in high school. But on the other hand, nothing makes Steve happier than seeing Eddie happy, and he is certain that celebrating the holiday as a couple would make his boyfriend very happy. Even if he won’t outwardly admit it. So it was decided–Steve would be sweeping Eddie off his feet with the most romantic Valentine’s Day he could possibly imagine. They didn’t call him King Steve in high school for nothing.
Wake-Up Call - E, 2.2k, complete cheshiredog
tags: morning sex, established relationship, fluff
Steve groans and hugs his pillow. A little smile curls his lips though his eyes are shut. “That feel good?” Eddie asks. “You like it when I push your dick into the bed?” “Mmhmm.” “You’re so perfect like this. All pliant and sweet. Gonna feel so good fucking you into this mattress.” Steve’s grin widens. “Mmhmm.” “Fuck. I love you, Steve.” “Love you. Fuck me.” Eddie wakes up Steve with some slow morning sex.
Close, Closer - E, 5.4k, complete JCMadGirl
tags: light dom/sub, safeword use, hurt/comfort
It's going well, until it isn't. [“Do you remember when- when we told you about the Russians?” He finally chokes out, feeling like he’s balancing on the edge of a ravine. “Yeah?” Eddie’s eyes burn on his skin, like he can see right through all of Steve’s carefully constructed walls, and he knows that’s true. “You haven’t- haven’t told me everything, have you?” Steve clenches his fists. “Steve, what did they do to you?”] Or, Steve Harrington has a flashback in the middle of a scene
On My Way - E, 8.1k, complete MiraEdge
tags: booty calls, heat fic, first time bottoming
“Eddie, I want you to make me cum so hard that then I pass out. I need you to fuck this out of me until I can’t get it up anymore. If you want me to drink some water, sure, but please don’t try to make me sleep when every nerve in my fucking body is feeling like it’s on fi- Fuuck!"
just guys being dudes - E, 7.4k, complete midnightdrive
tags: threesome, accidental voyeurism, light daddy kink
“I don’t think we’ve been direct enough, so now we’re asking. You in?” Gareth sees something he maybe shouldn’t have.
breathe out (so i can breathe you in) - E, WIP kaleinope
tags: school of rock au, jewish eddie, dad steve, music teacher eddie, basketball coach steve
“You thinking of getting it for yourself?” The man continues, eyebrows raised, and that’s when Steve realises he’s just been staring, practically drooling over this stranger who's decided to strike up a conversation about a guitar. A part of him wishes that the floor would open up and swallow him whole. “Oh, uh, no, actually.” He says, “It’s for my daughter.” Something indecipherable flickers across the man’s face, there and gone again in an instant, “How sweet.” “I don’t know what I’m looking for,” he admits, a little sheepish, “I’m not a musician, so…” he shrugs, “I have no way of knowing if this is a good guitar or not.” There’s a hint of amusement in the man’s eyes as his mouth tilts into a more crooked grin, “Well, lucky for you, I can help.” In one fluid motion, the man drops himself into a sweeping, dramatic bow. The suddenness of it startles a laugh out of Steve. “Eddie Munson, guitarist, musician extraordinaire - at your service.” His energy is infectious - Steve finds that he’s grinning, “Uh, Steve Harrington. Basketball coach, dad,” He tries to think of another good descriptor, but comes up short, “Totally at a loss, here.”
lavender haze - E, 2.9k, complete bdelaney
tags: daddy kink, lingerie, dom/sub, feminization, nipple play
Kinktober Day 16: Lingerie Eddie rakes his hands underneath Steve’s shirt, freezing when his fingers come into contact with soft lace. Pulling away with a dazed expression on his face, Steve watches timidly as Eddie slowly pulls up the hem of his polo, pausing when he encounters the soft lilac lace that stretches over Steve’s ribs. “Baby,” he rasps out, making goosebumps erupt down Steve’s arms. “What have you got here?”
you're the singer and i'm the song - E, 4.7k, complete oklahoma
tags: transmasc eddie, pussy drunk steve, light dom/sub
After hearing a rumor that Steve's fantastic at eating pussy, Eddie asks Steve to prove it to him. Steve is more than happy to oblige.
running home to your sweet nothing - E, 1.9k, complete bdelaney
tags: dom/sub, transmasc steve, somnophilia, daddy kink, comeplay
“Hi, baby,” Eddie murmurs, and Steve moans weakly into the pillow. “I’m home.” “So sleepy,” Steve slurs out. Humming quietly against Steve’s skin, he presses a wet kiss to his inner thigh before saying with a smile, “Then go back to sleep, angel.” OR Eddie comes home from his tour and just can't wait to reunite with his boyfriend. Even if he's too tired to participate.
Let them eat metal - T, 2/2, complete Dark_Rosaleen
tags: outsider pov, protective gareth
Gareth has had just about enough of Steve Harrington in the fall of '86. He sets about to do something about it. It takes an angry mob, a Corroded Coffin gig and a baseball bat full of nails for him to change his mind. Gareth gets mad, Eddie gets beat up, Steve gets violent and Wayne is just really tired of everyone's shit.
Simple Biology - E, 8/8, complete boltedfruit
tags: alpha eddie, omega steve, college au, forced proximity, getting together, period typical sexism
Steve's first real college assignment is to take care of a flour bag baby. With his class partner Eddie Munson, who happens to be an alpha. - Then Eddie snaps his jaw at the other alpha, the sound of teeth hitting teeth ringing between Steve’s ears. And from his vantage point, he swears he sees Eddie’s eyes flash red. The other alpha's hands slowly unwind from Eddie’s vest. Eddie bears down until the other cowers. It's subtle. A tilt of his head in deference. Eddie’s won. Steve’s mouth waters.
make this lovin' last - E, series, complete @aliencamper
tags: omega/omega, heat sex, nipple play, male lactation, strap-ons, scissoring
While Steve has been worshiping every inch of his pussy, he made sure that Eddie’s tiny mosquito-bite tits were ignored. Let his dusky nipples stand at attention, puffy and leaking heat milk profusely without any relief. “I know, Omega. Need you, too. Just a little longer,” Steve replies. He gives Eddie’s cock one last lick, keeping contact between his tongue and the trail of soft hairs between Eddie’s pussy and stomach as he shifts further up in their nest. The movement provides a hint of friction where the blanket drags against his nipples and slick-covered cock and Steve knows he won’t be able to maintain this composure for much longer. His eyes stay locked on Eddie’s and he can see the exact moment that his mate deciphers his telegraphed movements—Eddie keens deep in his throat as a fresh rush of wetness pours out and dampens the chest hair between Steve’s own tits where his sternum is pressed against Eddie’s cunt. He finally drops his gaze and allows himself to take in the sight before him, the driving reason for propping Eddie up at this angle with hands fisted in the blankets: fresh, creamy milk pooled in the hollow of Eddie’s belly button.
Love Grows - G, WIP @matchingbatbites
tags: teen dad steve, friends to lovers, slow burn, babysitter eddie
The rumors have been flying for weeks. It only took one cheerleader to see Steve Harrington out and about with a baby and soon enough the news was all over the school. Nevermind that no one else has even seen said baby, just the one accusation is enough to send the rumor mill into production. It's something that had piqued Eddie's interest, but he quickly attributed it to teenagers spreading drama, a fiction created for their own entertainment. That is, until the day Harrington shows up to school with the baby.
you've got a way with words & i'm all ears - E, series, WIP @infinite-orangepeel
tags: dom/sub, dirty talk, feminization, blow jobs, role play, first time
“-and, you’re witty. You always make people laugh with your jokes. You’re quick on your feet. Obviously, I’ve never been in bed with you, but I’d bet you could dirty talk me under the table.”  Oh, Jesus Fucking Christ–under the table, on the table, next to the table, through the table… “Look, I’m flattered,” Eddie throws a hand over his chest to emphasize his point, “And, I won’t lie, my past lovers have spoken highly of my ability to talk my way around the bedroom. I’m just still not sure what you’re asking me to do? I can’t, like, coach you.”  Steve sips his beer again–a longer pull of the liquid than before–as if he’s drawing the courage to say the next part straight from the can. Likely, he is.  “Well, that’s the thing,” Steve earnestly meets Eddie’s gaze, “Maybe you can.” “What, you want me to wear a whistle around my neck and yell out pointers from the sidelines, while you fuck her?” Eddie laughs bitterly and chugs the rest of his own beer, biting back the pain of that image, “Not happening, man. No way.” Or, Steve needs a lesson in dirty talking to try to impress a girl & he wants Eddie to to be his teacher
Walk 'Em Like a Dog, Bitch - E, 6k, complete GonzoTheGreat
tags: dom/sub, collaring, breeding kink
The whine he let out was pitiful, if he cared he would have been a little embarrassed. “Please.” His hands were splayed on Eddie’s chest, like he wanted to keep him there. He wanted-- needed-- to feel wanted. And Eddie? Eddie supplied in abundance. “Oh sweetheart. Do you want me to make you feel good?”
Picnic Table Paradise - E, 2/2, complete VerumMortem
tags: semi-public sex, blow jobs, spit kink, praise kink
Eddie has established the picnic table behind the school as unapproachable. Thank god for that.
Since Prom - E, 8.6k, complete Dynamicpower
tags: miscommunication, idiot4idiot, touch starved steve, getting together
"Eddie's not my boyfriend." "You've been dating since prom." She said it so matter-of-factly. The sky was blue, the world was round, Steve and Eddie had been dating since prom. OR Eddie gives Steve his vest on prom night. Despite Eddie becoming increasingly more affectionate towards him, the significance of it doesn't occur to Steve until weeks later.
you can almost taste it - E, 26.8k, complete crybaby
tags: modern au, daddy kink, mommy kink, selfcest, foursome, dom/sub
"So…how do you want to do this? Mouths, hands, or do you wanna fuck?" The other Steve gulps. "I mean, I’ve never fucked a guy, but... I'd like to try." "I can definitely fuck you if you want, but first, if you’re into it, I kinda, really want you to pick me up and fuck me against a wall." alternate versions of steve keep showing up in their house, and there's only one way to get rid of them (hint: it's sex)
These Days are Long - E, 4k, complete thankyouplease
tags: daddy kink, collars, light bdsm, soft dom eddie
Steve has a terrible job working as an assistant for an entitled asshole. After a long, horrible day of taking abuse and running himself ragged, he just wants his daddy to take care of him.
Uptown Girl - E, 9.7k, complete GonzoTheGreat
tags: daddy kink, collars, valentines day, mommy kink, lingerie, dom/sub
It's Valentine's Day and Steve has been planning his gift for quite some time, hopefully Eddie will love it. And hopefully it'll get him what he wants.
Try Another Angle? - E, 8/8, complete starfishsquish
tags: 90s au, pornstar au, pining, lesbian nancy, stancy as pornstars, background steddie
Nancy is the bombshell of the 90's porn scene. Popular, poised, and pretty, she's unstoppable. What will happen when her ex (and her co-star) brings in a new hire? She's cute. She's funny, and awkward, like a baby deer. Nancy doesn't like it.
don't tell me you're bi - T, 2.5k, complete starsdontsleep
tags: misunderstandings, gay disaster eddie, getting together, fluff
Steve comes out as bisexual and Eddie is certain that it's the end of the world and a ticket to heartbreak. Robin thinks he's an oblivious idiot.
take the edge off - E, series, complete @toburnup | adure
tags: hair pulling, sexual tension, roommates, orgasm denial
What's the harm in a little casual edging between roommates?
i'll bring you flowers (in the pouring rain) - T, 6.8k, complete thismomentintime
tags: misunderstandings, fluff and angst, angst with a happy ending
"You don't need to pretend. You don't need to bring me flowers. You don't need to take care of me when I'm sick. You don't owe me anything, alright? You can go home." Or: Steve thinks Eddie is his boyfriend. Eddie thinks Steve is still the asshole he used to be. Mistakes are made and lessons are learned.
To Love A Monster (under the bed) - E, 7.7k, complete AlexanderPeterson
tags: monster eddie, breeding kink, breath play
When he was little, Steve Harrington never believed in monsters under the bed. In the winter of 1986 he learned differently. Or: “The One Where Steve Harrington Gets Railed By The Monster Under His Bed”
heavy is the head - E, 3.7k, complete phoeniceae
tags: rimming, exhibitionism, quiet sex
What Steve wants… it’s not as if they’ve never done it. They’ve just never done it like that. And they sure as shit haven’t done it with Wayne Douglas Munson sitting in the very next room, only the low hum of the TV to drown out every deafening pound of Eddie’s heart. He’s still staring, heart going double time. Doesn’t budge an inch. Steve lifts one perfectly arched brow. Goddamn it. So, so stupid.
open up your lovin' arms (I want some) - T, 2.8k, complete @legitcookie
tags: pining, fluff, getting together, steve has a decent mom
Steve gets his wisdom teeth removed, Eddie's there to help, and a secret (or two) is said
here i have found some piece of mind - E, 7/7, complete @steves-strapcollection | @gerrystamour
tags: AKA MY FAVORITE FIC EVER!!!!!!, transmasc steve, rockstar eddie, platonic hellcheer, miscommunication, love confessions, modern au, masturbation (like... a lot. it's fantastic), barebacking, steve has a good mom
ger's specific tag: eddie fingers both of steve's holes a lil bit, bc when ur bf has two holes u gotta treat them right
Steve Harrington works at a hotel in Chicago, responsible for making and managing reservations for groups of all kinds: corporate, tours, entertainment, you name it. When some famous metal band signs a contract for rooms three months ahead of their concert date, Steve is swept into a flirtatious back-and-forth with someone he as been led to believe is the tour manager, Chris Cunningham, and quickly finds himself falling for the man... Eddie Munson is a rockstar still riding the high of Corroded Coffin finally, finally making it big, but with the fame he finds himself almost lonelier than he was before. So when he answers his tour manager's phone and a nice guy with a cute voice starts calling him "Chris," Eddie plays along and maybe gets a bit carried away... NOW WITH ART
Honesty Is The Best Policy - M, 1.3k, complete beetlesandstars
tags: truth serum, love confessions, first kiss
“What are you looking at?” Eddie asks. “Your mouth.” “Why?” “You have a nice mouth,” Steve says through gritted teeth. (After being dosed with a truth serum, Steve and Eddie have an interesting conversation in the car.)
Keep You Always - E, 5/5, complete novemberthorne
tags: omega eddie, omega steve, transitioning, alpha steve, gender dysphoria, sub top steve, dom bottom eddie
"God, I'm so lucky. Are you still gonna let me take care of you as an alpha, baby?" He emphasizes the question by squeezing Steve's waist. Steve just giggles. "Of course. Told you. Like to feel kept." And oh, he knows that tone. He knows the sound, he knows the taste of it, because it's what he usually licks out of Steve's mouth when he's soaring. When Eddie's treated him so good he's gone a little loopy from it. It's his favorite thing. "Good, because I like keeping you."
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hooked-on-elvis · 5 months
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What is your favorite part of the '68 Special?
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Pictures: Singer Presents  ... Elvis, commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special. 1968.
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For me, undoubtedly I say my favorite part of the '68 Special is the sit-down concerts, specially the reunion between Elvis and the remaining members of Elvis' former band, the Blue Moon Boys, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana.
I wonder if the fans, not the specialized critic such as musicians and general people in the business but specially the fans, back then, while watching this TV special for the first time, understood or merely felt the significance of this moment. I wonder if they were surprised in seeing Elvis not only back onstage after a while but back onstage with Scotty and DJ Fontana by his side. Man, that was special! To me, the most special portion of the '68 Comeback. ♥
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Bill Black, bassist, unfortunately passed away in 1965, while Elvis was still full time engaged with his Hollywood career. Fans only wish Bill could have been there with Scotty and DJ. He had that irreverent performance that fascinates me, surely he would've been a great asset to the show. I only feel sorry Elvis, neither Scotty or DJ, ever mentioned Bill on the '68 Special, but its understandable the reason why. It wasn't about the Blue Moon Boys more than it was about Elvis returning to the stage. Even so, had Bill made it to this moment, man! That would've been something else. Even more meaningful than it already was.
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Scotty Moore: His memories on the '68 Comeback Special and 'behind the scenes': Elvis and The Blue Moon Boys performing in Europe?
Source: Excerpt of the documentary "Elvis: The Birth of Rock n' Roll" (2004)
Scotty reveals Elvis asked him and DJ Fontana if they would agree to go on the road with him again, this time performing overseas, in Europe. Curious enough, to that question, Scotty says Elvis called him and DJ Fontana to another room in his home, so they could talk in private - which was something unusual for him because "usually anything he had to say, he'd say no matter who was around".
For the longest time, performing around the world was something Presley aimed. Ever since he had been stationed in Germany with the US Army during his service time, a period he did paused his career therefore he didn't perform while in Europe between 1958 to 1960, reporters asked him if and when that moment would come when Elvis would go back to Europe but this time for live concerts, to the thrill of his passionate fans overseas who followed him career from afar, many since the 50s. Unfortunately touring outside US (other than few performances in Canada in 1957) never seemed the get the right time.
Once Elvis begin performing live again in 1969, after he was out of the movie contracts, Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, would always have excuses on the tip of his tongue for why an European tour, or world tour for that matter, would not be a such good idea. When Elvis received some death threats coming his way through letters sent to his crew occasionally, starting from 1969 on, those incident perfectly fit to Colonel Parker's intentions for his gold boy. Parker would use the incidents to manipulate Elvis to believe they couldn't do his security properly out of the US. Colonel would tell Presley how it would be too dangerous for him, besides they could make just as much money performing home as they have been doing so far.
Elvis never had this one dream of performing overseas coming true in his life, as much as another reunion between him and the Blue Moon Boys never came to be after the '68 Comeback Special. Scotty says that private conversation in Elvis' home (in 1968) was the last time he was together with Elvis like that, which makes this moment in history one of a kind.
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During the '68 Special (sit-down concert), Scotty submits a special request to Elvis for them to play "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" together.
The song was recorded by them on February 3, 1956, at RCA studios in New York. It was released as B-side to the EP "Elvis Presley", out in September 1956. The cover shows Elvis, Scotty Moore and Bill Black performing together.
Later, the song would be featured on the LP "For Elvis Fans Only" released in 1959. Elvis would frequently include "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" to his main setlists from 1970 to 1975, occasionally performing it in 1976 and 1977.
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No wonder Scotty picked this song. Maybe a subtle way of honoring late Bill Black. ♥
About their performance of this tune during the '68 Comeback Special:
As they jam together, Scotty gives a cue and Elvis tears into “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” with a raw assault of mixed emotion. His performance is so intense that it almost—in the best way—scratches the ears. Vocal cords that, so far, have proved their owner’s mastery with smooth singing are pushed to the point of fraying at the edges. As Greil Marcus noticed, when Elvis lurches into the number, what he experiences is a feeling that is both joshing and liberated. At one point, as the musicians jam together, it’s possible to hear Charlie Hodge getting carried away with laughter, as if bobbing in the fray of a heady, almost oceanic moment. In his underrated 2004 pocket volume The Rough Guide to Elvis, Paul Simpson describes “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” as “Elvis’s answer to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.” Taking on this old staple in the Comeback, what the singer delivers is lusty, passionate, and commanding, yet also desperate, angry, and sad. He conjures with immense powers. — Mark Duffett (Counting Down Elvis - His 100 Finest Songs, 2018)
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Again, what is your favorite part of the '68 Special?
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irwinsblender · 2 months
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hi hiii could i request an ashton or luke x reader fic based on the song constellations by jade lemac?? thank youuu <33
thank you for this request!! i hadn’t heard this song before and i tried to interpret it in my own way. i’m sorry if this fic seems a little rushed, i finished it while still in a kind of writers block mode, but i hope you like it <3
constellations
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based on the song constellations by jade lemac
pairing: ashton x reader
summary: you always find it hard when ashton has to leave for tour, but you’ve found your own way to stay connected to him
warnings: none
word count: 2.3k
✩ ✩ ✩
as a teenager, you were always going to concerts. music was your life, it got you through more than your friends or family ever could. seeing your favourite musicians in person was everything.
never did you expect a few years later you’d be dating one.
ashton irwin. the drummer from 5 seconds of summer. of course you’d heard their music occasionally before you started dating, however, you wouldn’t call yourself a hardcore fan.
you’d been dating for a few years now, and every second of that time had been absolutely wonderful. well, mostly.
you got to travel the world, see places you’d never thought you’d ever see in your lifetime, all because of him. most of all, seeing him up on that stage, performing, was a big highlight for you. it was incredible.
the downside was when you couldn’t be there for certain shows. having to go home in the middle of a big tour, or not even getting to go with him at the beginning. you’d never forget the times that schedules had changed suddenly, stripping you and ashton of any sort of goodbye.
you’d been with ashton on tour for the past month, and now their tour would be heading to europe. this was your time to unfortunately say goodbye.
you, along with the band, were at a hotel at the airport last night. you would be taking a flight back home while they take a flight over seas to a whole different country.
you and ashton had experienced this before, you both knew you could deal with the distance. but it never got easier. especially with the time difference always making things difficult.
waking up today, the last morning you’d be together, you wanted to make sure to enjoy the last few moments you’ll get together.
last night was wonderful. after getting to the hotel, you ordered room service, eating on the comfort of the bed while talking about a few tour related things as well as discussing what you’d be doing at home while he’s continuing to tour the world.
you both got ready for bed, quite early at that, putting on a movie while you laid in bed together. not long after the movie started, it got forgotten about. wanting to take in this last night to make the most of each others company before you’d be apart for some time.
now, you were still in bed, snuggled up together. ashton had ended up being the little spoon, that didn’t always happen, but when it did, you loved wrapping your arms around him, hugging him close, it was comforting.
you glanced over at the clock on the desk, seeing it wasn’t long before you would have to be getting up. sighing, you tried to focus on being this close to ashton before you’d have to leave each other.
ashton laying shirtless in bed, you pressed a couple of soft kisses to the top of his back. you held him as close as you could, cheek resting against his back. today was going to be hard. you didn’t want to say goodbye. you’d both be okay, but the thought of not being together for a while was a feeling you were still taking time to get used to.
ashton woke up shortly after you, yawning as he leaned to see if you were awake. just about seeing that you were, smiling at you as you smiled back.
“morning, baby,” he took your hands in his that were resting on his stomach. “how’re you feeling?”
“same as always,” you sighed. “don’t want you to leave.”
“i don’t want to either,” ashton pulled at one of your hands, kissing the back of it softly. “wish you could come with me.”
he felt you nod, then feeling something different. you started tracing your index finger around his back, between his shoulders. he hummed quietly, liking the feeling.
you traced around his freckles, connecting the dots that were scattered across his body. they were like constellations, just like the stars were in the sky. something you both use to feel close to each other when you were actually miles apart.
he moved a while after you started, rolling onto his side to get a good look at you before you’d have to start getting ready for your departing flights.
“how long is your flight?” you asked him.
“eight hours.” he frowned. a long time for you to go without speaking. “yours is five?”
you nodded, going quiet again. ashton shuffled over to you, pulling you closer to make the most of cuddling before you couldn’t for a while.
“you’re gonna update me every day right?” you asked, as if it wasn’t the same every tour. “and call me whenever you can.”
“every day,” he promised. “i’ll figure out timezones, find a good time i can call you.”
you nodded again, looking up at him, “i’m gonna miss you.” you reached up to run a hand through his hair.
ashton went to say something, when his alarm started going off on his phone. not a wake up alarm, more a time limit alarm. meaning you’d spent as much time as you could staying in bed. neither of you moved.
“i love you.” ashton leaned down, pressing a kiss to your lips. moving to leave the bed right after.
“i love you too, ash.”
it was a rush after that. you took until the last minute to be ready. avoiding a lot of calls and texts from the guys, telling you they’d leave without you if you didn’t get out of the hotel room soon.
once ready, you were quick to make your way towards security where a few checks would be done, as well as checking a few boards to make sure both of your flights would be on time.
although a delay might have been nice.
you’d already agreed that you’d wait at the same gate as ashton, for his flight. his flight was scheduled slightly earlier than yours, so you could be with him until the second he left.
you sat next to each other in the waiting area, fingers linked together, the guys sat opposite. you didn’t speak a whole lot, this time was enough without needing to say anything.
it was only when an announcement was made that boarding would begin soon that you knew the goodbyes would be coming soon.
“can i change my mind and come with you?” you half joked. knowing you couldn’t do that.
“i wish you could, love,” ashton leaned over to you, kissing your temple. “but work just can’t cope without your expertise.”
you laughed, he was right, your job always seemed to mess things up when you were on tour with ashton instead.
and then boarding started, people standing to make their way over to the gate, tickets started being scanned before going down to the doors.
you said your goodbyes to the guys first, letting them get sorted and go ahead to get onto the plane. you and ashton always needed that extra time to make sure you’d said everything you wanted before you’d be apart.
“why does this never get easier,” you asked. trying to keep your emotions at bay. “we do this every tour and i still hate it.”
“i know, baby, i know,” ashton pulled you into his embrace, rubbing his hands up and down your back for comfort. “we’re gonna text and call all the time though, i promise.”
“gonna miss you, ash.” you looked up at him.
he cupped your cheeks, caressing his thumbs back and fourth as he leaned down to press a few love filled kisses to your lips.
“i’ll miss you more.” he smiled softly.
“don’t start,” you laughed. glancing over to the gate after the next section of the plane had been called to board. “i guess you’ll have to go now.”
he pulled his backpack onto his back, your hand in his as he pulled you towards the check in desk. the line wasn’t too long, letting him take his time. the person there scanned his ticket and checked his passport, giving him the all clear to board the plane.
“i’ll see you soon, baby.” ashton pulled you in for a final hug, holding onto each other as tight as you could. “i love you, so much.”
“i love you,” you replied, pulling back slowly before letting him go. “text me as soon as you can.”
he walked through the first gate, you followed where he was going, sticking to where the seating area is. the railings stopping you from going any further.
“i will,” he called over. “i’ll call you tomorrow.”
“please do!” you called back.
ashton gave you one final wave, disappearing around the last corner that leads to the plane, gone in the blink of an eye. like normal, you sat there, waiting until his plane left. it took you time to move after, everything felt weird once he’d gone.
it was always hard for you, boarding your plane on your own, sitting next to a stranger, knowing ashton was heading in one direction and you in another.
you’d had conversations about quitting your job so you could be with him all the time on tour. but it never got any further than light talk. going by how hard you still found it, it might be time to bring it up again.
when you got back home, it was strange. too quiet. you were alone in your house to unpack, to get back to work, to cook meals for yourself. you didn’t like it at all.
it took you at least a week to settle back in. you would text back and fourth with ashton for a little while, but it was never long. it was hard with the time difference and him having to go to rehearsals, soundchecks and the shows.
you hadn’t talked over the phone as much as you’d promised each other. you endlessly wanted to call him, but the lack of texts from him told you that he was too busy with tour. which you always understood.
it was a few weeks in when you started leaving voicemails in the early hours. late for you, the middle of the night in europe. which is because you knew he wouldn’t answer, so you could say what you wanted for him to hear when he woke up.
one day in particular, you’d missed ashton a lot. things had gone wrong at work and it had tired you out. he’d normally be here to help you through the stress, but he was on the opposite side of the world.
you thought about getting an early night, skipping dinner, and to no surprise you couldn’t sleep. when ashton was here, you’d sit outside on your back porch to feel the fresh air of the night, it always used to help. just being surrounded by peace and the stars above.
you sat there, on your swing seat. clicking on ashton’s name to call him. it was almost nine at night for you, ashton wouldn’t be up for another few hours where he is, so you hadn’t expected him to answer.
you waited for his answerphone message to start playing, instead, you were met with ashton’s tired voice.
“hey,” he answered. you were silent for a moment. “you there, love?”
“yea, sorry, i thought you’d be sleeping.” you replied.
“only slept an hour,” you could hear him sigh. “couldn’t sleep after that.”
you tucked your legs up beside you, wishing ashton was here with you, “what city are you in?” you asked. “one that i’d like?”
“paris,” he smiled. “i know you love it here, can’t stop thinking about you.”
“is it still dark there?” you questioned. “are the stars out?”
you heard shuffling on the line, followed by silence, and then what sounded like a door opening and closing. ashton let out a long breath as stepped onto his balcony, he looked up at the sky above him, it would be getting light soon, but the stars were definitely still bright.
“yea, they’re out.” he sat down on the singular chair perched to the side.
“and now we’re together,” you smiled to yourself. “for a little while at least.”
“you’re stargazing?” he sounded surprised. “wish i could stargaze with you.”
“but you are, ash,” you rubbed your eyes tiredly. “no matter where we are, the stars can bring us together.”
you were both quiet, looking up at the sky. the beautiful night sky. the stars reminded you of him, the way you both loved stargazing, loved spotting the constellations.
“i can see it,” ashton had a smile to his voice. “orien’s belt. it’s there.”
those stars stood out the most, “we’re looking at the same stars.” you smiled. “i see it too.”
orien’s belt was one of the things you always pointed out to ashton, that felt like the closest you’d get to him now, the only thing connecting you both while you sat under the stars in two different places.
you’d make shapes out of the different constellations. much like you’d trace the constellations on ashton’s body. his freckles that you love. it’s a part of him you’d always remember, even when he’s miles away. just like right now.
“baby?” ashton said quietly.
“hm.” you responded, letting him know you were still there.
“i love you.” he almost whispered. wishing he could be there with you, hands on your waist to hold you.
“i love you too, ash.” you replied in the same quietness. happy that you had this time to talk a little. “call me later?”
he didn’t answer for a moment, taking one last good look up at the stars to make him feel like he was with you before the light took over once again.
he smiled, this short conversation making him feel much better than before, “i’ll call you later.”
✩ ✩ ✩
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in-death-we-fall · 1 year
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Murderdolls
Love at First Sight
Metal Edge 48-11, March 2003
By Roger Lotring Photos By Eddie Malluk
(google drive link) Slipknot interview here – Stone Sour interview here
There are probably less than two hundred people at the Webster Theater. It’s Tuesday night in Hartford, CT, and the Murderdolls are in town to tutor a whole new generation on the fundamentalism of real rock ‘n’ roll. Without the vacant hype of Madison Avenue trendiness, their renascent timelessness is lost so far on the youth of a nation. But that’s about to change. They seize the stage with an adrenaline overdose that probably hasn’t happened since Mötley Crüe first molested Hollywood’s Sunset Strip over twenty years ago. The Murderdolls are glorious rock ‘n’ roll sluts in a manner desperately lost from contemporary music, and definitely lost on those two standoffish fuckers provoking the band with drunken taunting. Vocalist Wednesday 13 swings around to leap to the edge of the stage, leaning forward to dare them with confrontation. But they don’t respond—They can’t, even if they had the balls, because the kids are right in their faces. That pissed-off look in those kids’ eyes, their vehement willingness to defend their band, it’s a defining moment that marks this band as something special. For those couple hundred kids here in Hartford on a Tuesday night, they believe in the Murderdolls. Love at first fright, indeed, and it’s only a matter of time before the word spreads.
“There’s nothing better than that first time seeing a band,” enthuses guitarist Joey Jordison, recalling his own formative rock ‘n’ roll indulgences. “It’s so special, when no one else knew who the fuck they were, and they were your fucking band.” The impact of his influences–and those of the whole band, really—are just as prevalent today as they were back then. It’s obvious as the band prepares for the show with their battle cry of KISS Alive II shaking the dressing room walls. KISS, Alice Cooper, Hanoi Rocks, Twisted Sister—That is the essence of the Murderdolls. “We wanted him to come out and do ‘Twist My Sister’ with us,” guitarist Acey Slade says of Dee Snider, disappointed that he is no longer broadcast on Radio 104 WMRQ in Hartford.
Metal Edge sat down with Joey, Wednesday and Acey to discuss the Murderdolls. And while the conversation touched on numerous topics including their Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls debut, touring Europe, and drummer The Ghoul’s exhibitionism with two women in a crowded Japanese bar, at the heart of it were rock ‘n’ roll fans sharing their obsession with a sound that the Murderdolls are single-handedly determined to resurrect.
METAL EDGE: Where does a band like the Murderdolls fit within contemporary hard rock? Or is it more important to go against the grain of popularity? JOEY JORDISON: That was our point, exactly what you just said. The whole thing was–especially with me coming out of Slipknot—I did not want to do anything even remotely where music is right now. I wanted to come out completely different, and just create music that’s a little bit more fun, because everything right now is stagnant and stale. I think, really, the nu metal scene, where hard rock is right now, is almost like a dead scene. We wanted to be completely removed, as far as possible, from all that stuff. WEDNESDAY 13: It wasn’t that hard, either, because we really didn’t have to try. We just wrote the songs, recorded them, and didn’t think about anything outside the studio. JJ: What he was doing in the Frankenstein Drag Queens was pretty much a lot of what we’re doing now. Wednesday was one of the only people I saw in the underground scene that was doing what I was doing. That’s cool, because he doesn’t know about many bands that are out right now and really big—All that stuff that Slipknot gets lumped into.
ME: Joey, being the writer, producer, and principal musician on Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls, was it hard to be objective toward the songs? JJ: I was having a hard time, like is this even worth putting out or not? That’s why I wanted to get a songwriting partner. I really liked Wednesday’s voice, and the way he looked. His songs were very similar to what I was doing, but had a little darker feel to ‘em, and the sense of humor was a little bit more tongue-in-cheek. If I was not sure on something, he'd give me an opinion. If he wasn't sure on something, I'd give him my opinion. It made it a lot easier for the recording process, for sure.
ME: What's the most surprising reaction so far to the Murderdolls? What have you seen that you just kind of stepped back and said, "I don't believe I just saw that?" W13: We got a human heart given to us by a girl who had all our names carved into her arm—Even the band name. But, with me, she told me, "Well, I couldn't write your whole name, so I put a 'W' and a '13'." JJ: She's like, "I want to give you my heart, 'cause my heart belongs to the Murderdolls. Hold onto it safe, "cause I might need it back someday." And it had a picture of her and me with it in a fucking jar… W13: Floating around in the formaldehyde.
ME: To what degree has there been any moral backlash as a result of misinterpretation of your lyrics? ACEY SLADE: When we were in Germany, there was a Christian group that went around and put Show Cancelled (sic) over the top of our posters, so people won't (sic) show up for the show. I saw the shit [written] in German, and I was like, "Sold out! Right on, that means sold out!" They're like, "No, Show Cancelled (sic)." [Laughter] W13: But nothing really, really good has happened, though. We're still waiting… And hoping, keeping our fingers crossed. [Laughter]
ME: Do you think that will eventually happen? JJ: Most of that backlash stuff is an American thing. Over in Europe—actually, anywhere besides America—is way more open to the fun aspect. They see the humor in what we're doing, especially the U.K. Their type of humor kind of goes along hand-in-hand with our type of lyrics.
ME: It would seem that as far as any controversy, there's been more uproar over the "body snatching,” so to speak, of Acey from Dope. [Acey laughs] It's almost like one of those jokes: How many Dope guitarists does it take to screw in a Murderdolls lightbulb? [Laughter] JJ: Y'know, that's weird, 'cause I liked Dope. I was actually a fan of theirs. I really enjoyed them a lot, [and] thought they were great. And it was never a thing like, "Oh man, I want to get people from that band." I just hit it off well with them. Tripp was a great guy. It just came down to the time when we were going to tour, and he comes up with news that he had to go back to Static-X. Well, that's cool, but he wanted to stay in the band and play some [select] shows. I just didn't want to have a revolving door and confuse the fans. Acey was actually a choice to be in the [pre-Murderdolls] Rejects, as well, just Tripp came into the band first. Me and Acey kept in touch, so the only choice we even considered was Acey. Luckily enough, he came in and did an amazing job. He had like six days rehearsal just before we started our tour. AS: Not even. I came in on a Wednesday or Thursday. We left [the following] Monday. [Laughter] W13: Plus, me and Acey, we used to play in bands together in Philadelphia, before he was in Dope. We knew of each other, so we were into the same kind of music then. I met him back then, then when he was in Dope, I met him again and we started talking. AS: Back in ‘96 or ‘97, we were the only two guys on the East Coast with dreadlocks and eyeliner, so it wasn’t too hard for us to cross paths. So I’ve known him for years and years.
ME: From a musical standpoint, people don’t realize that what the Murderdolls are doing is very fundamental, but it’s a lot harder to learn because there’s a lot of intuitive stuff. AS: The thing is, we all have the same musical roots. For me it was like, “Alright, this part’s kind of like ‘Rock And Roll High School,’ this part’s kind of like Hanoi Rocks’ ‘Mental Beat.’” All three of us have the same point of reference. I think it would probably be a little harder from the nu metal school to come in and learn the stuff, ‘cause it would be so foreign to them.
ME: In a fatalistic kind of way, then, Murderdolls has actually been coming for a long time. JJ: Yeah, there’s been a bunch of links, but it’s not like this was just all of a sudden really formulated. It’s like, everyone knew each other in a weird, different way. We just didn’t all meet as a band until last year. But everyone knew each other through different people.
ME: But isn’t that how it’s theoretically supposed to happen if you’re going to do it right, so it’s not contrived? JJ: Exactly, man. People might think that, all of a sudden, it was just put together really quick, this little project that’s only going to be one album, and that’s it. It’s really not like that.
ME: Media comparisons have been to Mötley Crüe and the Misfits, but there’s so much more going on. Is there a predominant underlying influence behind the Murderdolls that might not be readily apparent? W13: I think we all have our different things. Me, it’s Alice Cooper, totally. And Acey, Hanoi Rocks, and Joey, KISS. I mean, it’s a lot of the same stuff, but I don’t think you can really pinpoint it al.
ME: Similarly, media focus is on Wednesday and Joey—and now Acey, coming from Dope. In all fairness, what do Ben [Graves] and Eric [Griffin] bring to the Murderdolls? AS: Well, first of all, Ben’s not Ben… He’s The Ghoul. [Laughter]
ME: Is that a capital “T” in the word “the”? AS: Yes, The Ghoul. JJ: I had the hardest time finding people that I actually wanted to bring into the band on bass and drums—Especially with drums. It took a really long time, and they just seemed to fit. I can’t really explain, but hey just brought that attitude—I guess the cockiness, in a way. Ben’s like the hardest hitting drummer that I’ve ever seen in my fucking life. He is so fucking loud. W13: I’ve played with some hard-hitting drummers, but he is so loud, and so hard. JJ: And that’s great! I mean, it drives our fucking music.
ME: But you’ve got to have that for this type of music to work. JJ: Exactly! He’s fucking great, man, as far as just slamming it home live. You can feel it. I mean, the energy is amazing that comes off that guy.
ME: Is it harder for him, in the sense that you’re a drummer, and going to be his worst critic? [Laughter] JJ: He’s cool about it. Actually, he doesn’t really even get that nervous. When I was working with him in rehearsal, I did kind of drill him, ya’ know? He did get it worse out of all the guys in the band, for sure. But he just worked his ass off, really, and he pulls it off amazing. W13: And [Eric] brings a lot of hairspray. [Laughter] AS: He brings a lot of hairspray, some good makeup products, and no less thunder. JJ: And tardiness. W13: This guy’s just really got the whole image of the rock ‘n’ roll thing down. AS: It’s kind of funny, how people ask us about the image of the band. To me, if you wake up and look the way you do, then it’s not an image. An image is something that’s formulated and calculated. We don’t have a consultant telling us, “Alright, track suits aren’t in as much as they used to be.” This is just who we are, ya’ know?
ME: But does your look empower you, as far as performing the music? If you think about it, you must feel differently than if you were going onstage wearing sneakers and levis. W13: It definitely turns something on for me when I go onstage. I mean, it definitely helps. It’s like, it turns it on. It’s just a switch.
ME: Being that Joey was responsible for pretty much all the performances on the album, how have the dynamics of these songs changed, now that you’ve got five individuals interpreting them? JJ: The album is really good, [and] I’m very, very proud of it. I think it turned out phenomenal—Actually, better than I expected. It is different, though, much more of a chemistry with the five guys, as opposed to me. Not necessarily completely different, but the vibe of the five different personalities playing some songs.
ME: Almost like the songs taking on a life of their own that they didn’t have before? JJ: Absolutely, yeah. AS: What Joey’s been really cool about is letting it become a chemistry, letting it become the Murderdolls. When I came into it late, I was looking at the CD, going, “Well, Joey played all these guitar parts.” When we sat down in the [rehearsal] room together, I was intimidated! But he was like, “Well, yeah, that’s cool, I like that accent… What do you think?”
ME: So you’ve been able to make your impact on the songs. AS: Yes, but keeping the original continuity. But it’s the same with The Ghoul, or with the other members.
ME: Are the songs continuing to evolve, even after being recorded? Watching you soundcheck “Love At First Fright,” that looked like you just stumbled across something brand new right there. W13: [Laughter] We did! That was the first time we did a different intro.
ME: How different has the reaction been in Europe than here in the United States? W13: We’ve really been touring there a lot, so we’ve built up a thing there—Especially in the U.K., man, it’s just insane. Hundreds and hundreds of kids, and they all look just like us. But we really haven’t worked it here, though, so this is like we’re just starting from the ground up. JJ: But that was kind of what we wanted to do, concentrate on everywhere else in the world first and establish the band. Those people [in Europe] really appreciate when you do that over there. Some bands, like American bands, nu metal bands, wait two years before they even go to Europe. We’re like, fuck that! And it’s already paid off. It’s only now that we are really going to start hitting America.
ME: Does it make it a little more difficult, though, having gotten such a reaction, then coming back to America? You must have known going into it that you are going to be playing to smaller audiences at first. W13: I prepared myself for it. I knew it was going to be hard. I know it’s a lot different, maybe for Joey, who’s in Slipknot. But before this, i was driving ten, twelve hours to play in front of ten people. That’s never going to leave me. I’m always used to that, so I can work an audience, whether it’s ten people, or ten thousand people, it doesn’t really matter. JJ: Doing what I do in the other band that I play in, it’s basically playing in arenas. But it doesn’t matter, man. As long as people appreciate your music, or want to come out and see you, i can still play in front of two people. AS: It’s weird, even though we’ve done dates, i still don’t feel like we’ve done a proper U.S. tour yet. And so, when we do that—probably February—I think all bets are going to be off. It’s gonna be off the hook.
ME: You’re going out with Papa Roach? Or are you going out on your own? JJ: We gotta get a (sic) on a support slot for a band, obviously bigger than us, to take the band out to a little bit wider of an audience. Papa Roach is an option, [and] there’s a couple other things that are in the works.
ME: Do you look forward to the fact that it’s going to be a challenge? If you’re out with a band that isn’t necessarily similar to what you do, you’ve got that challenge of winning over an audience. W13: We did. We did it with Papa Roach in Europe. We toured with them, five, six weeks, [and] every night…
ME: You’re getting the looks on faces, the “What the fuck is that?” look. W13: That’s exactly it. JJ: It was every night. And like, four songs in, they’d be smiling, singing the words, ‘cause our shit’s singalong. It’s so anthemic live, it’s so hard not to get into it. One of the big things about our band is that it’s a fun show. It’s fucking fun again. It’s something that’s been really missing [from music], probably like fifteen years.
ME: From that standpoint, I get it because I remember. But does the 14-year-old kid standing in front of you, wearing the Slipknot shirt get it? JJ: Good question. I think yes, by the end of the set, he does. You don’t have to be a fuckin’ brain surgeon to understand what the fuck we’re doing. But I think that’s what’s great about it. It’s simple, and it’s anthemetic (sic). The lyrics are fucking cool, and it’s not about fucking childhood trauma, or war, politics, or bullshit like that.
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derwahnsinn · 3 months
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2023 Europe Stadium Tour Photos 3: Oliver Riedel
More of my photos from the 2023 Europe Stadium Tour. It is not a secret that Oliver Riedel is my favourite Rammstein member, but it was really challenging to photograph him this tour. His initial outfit had his entire face covered by the visor, and when he took it off, my camera didn't want to focus on his face because of his dark make-up. I have so many bad, unfocused shots of him, but fortunately, some turned out okay.
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L: 20.05.2023 LIFAD Rehearsal. I may or may not have screamed when Oliver Riedel first walked onto the stage wearing his new costume. It was surreal. R: 22.05.2023 Vilnius. I failed getting a proper shot of his new outfit during the rehearsal, but managed to get a good one during the first regular show.
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L: 27.05.2023 Helsinki. I love how this shot came out. R: 28.05.2023 Helsinki. Oliver often looks really focused when he comes out to dance.
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L: 02.06.2023 Odense. Oliver through confetti. R: 03.06.2023 Odense. Oliver looked a bit tired in the photos I took on this day. It could have been the drama taking its toll on the guys.
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L: 07.06.2023 Munich. Oliver doing his Puppe outro dance. R: 08.06.2023 Munich. Oliver, the otherworldly creature.
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L: 10.06.2023 Munich. While I loved Oliver's costume, I did miss seeing his face. R: 11.06.2023 Munich. Oliver leaning on his bass during the Du riechst so gut freeze.
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L: 06.07.2023 Groningen. Oliver posing. R: 07.07.2023 Groningen. Oliver waiting for Till Lindemann to come by with his Puppe cam.
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L: 11.07.2023 Budapest. Oliver goofing around for the Puppe cam. R: 12.07.2023 Budapest. Oliver in the boat.
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L: 15.07.2023 Berlin. Oliver in the rain during Du riechst so gut. R: 16.07.2023 Berlin. Oliver smiling after doing his Puppe outro dance. It had been my goal to capture him smiling at least once during the tour, and this photo made me incredibly happy.
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L: 18.07.2023 Berlin. Oliver hiding behind his bass. R: 22.07.2023 Paris. Oliver kneeling during Zeit.
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L: 30.07.2023 Chorzów. I love this shot, even though I can't see his face. R: 31.07.2023 Chorzów. Oliver looking pretty majestic.
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L: 03.08.2023 Brussels. Oliver smiling, again(!), as he visit to the front of the stage during Du riechst so gut. R: 04.08.2023 Brussels. Oliver probably accidentally stepped on his pants during the Du riechst so gut freeze, and it looked like his butt almost popped out of his pants.
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05.03.2023 Brussels. The last bow of the last show of the tour.
It was a great summer, and an emotional one. I managed to interact with Oliver on stage, not much, but everything counts. When the next tour leg starts, I will be back and keep showing my appreciation for my favourite musician.
All photos taken by me. Please don't share without credit.
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black-arcana · 3 months
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WITHIN TEMPTATION Shares Preview Of New Single 'A Fool's Parade'
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On April 5, 2024, WITHIN TEMPTATION will release their brand-new song, "A Fool's Parade", which marks a collaboration with the talented Ukrainian producer Alex Yarmak. According to a press release from WITHIN TEMPTATION's publicist, "A Fool's Parade" "highlights Russia's pretense regarding the war, and condemns its lies, ongoing crimes and brutal intentions."
A preview of "A Fool's Parade" is available below.
The song, released as a harbinger of the much-anticipated "Bleed Out 2024 Tour", is a powerful expression of what the press release calls "WITHIN TEMPTATION's commitment to continue shedding light on the ongoing existential struggle that Ukraine is facing against Russia's cruel invasion."
For the recording of the accompanying music video for "A Fool's Parade", Sharon den Adel — the frontwoman of WITHIN TEMPTATION — traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine. The music video is being directed by renowned Ukrainian video director Indy Hait.
With involvement in initiatives such as the Ukraine Aid OPS foundation, WITHIN TEMPTATION aims to keep drawing attention to Europe's much-needed support for Ukraine's defense.
In a June 2023 interview with James Wilson-Taylor of Rock Sound, Den Adel spoke about the lyrical inspiration for WITHIN TEMPTATION's "Wireless" single: "When the war started in the Ukraine, we were in the studio writing songs, And it's one of the songs that we wrote. And it is about war, of course. It's about a soldier going to war and thinking he's going to liberate people, do good stuff and be a hero and everything, but then he finds out that he's been lied to by media but also government. And then he finds that he can't go back because he's already in his army gear, for instance. You can't go forward, you can't go backward because you have your buddies next to you and you'll all die in the field. And in front of you, you have a mission impossible almost."
The Dutch singer continued: "So that's what we try to do — maybe also shine a light on certain situations within the war. It's just we're storytellers — it's like amplifying a certain kind of emotion that people could feel in this situation."
Asked how she and her bandmates decided to use Russia's invasion of Ukraine as inspiration for one of their songs, Sharon said: "Well, from my point of view, it's not just their war. I really believe what some people are saying — it's really our war as well. Because it's next to us. They already said, they're not gonna stop at Ukraine; they're gonna go further. And a couple of hours flying from my home, it's already Kyiv. So it's also our war. I think we should be aware of the fact that this is a danger for all of us. They won't stop. And hopefully — we wanna keep this a little bit alive in our own small way by writing about it and talking about it and waving a flag on stage about it."
In March 2022, WITHIN TEMPTATION was one of the artists who took part in a telethon concert in support of Ukraine. "Save Ukraine - #StopWar" united more than 20 countries and bring together more than 50 participants. The marathon was broadcast from Warsaw on the Polish TV channel TVP. In addition, broadcasters from many countries around the world, including Estonia (EBR),Lithuania (LTR),the Czech Republic (ČT2),Georgia (GPB / First),Albania (RTSH 2),Montenegro, Slovenia, Latvia (LTV),Croatia (HRT),Slovakia (RTVS),Austria (Puls 4),Cyprus, Canada (OMNI) and others, rebroadcasted the marathon on their local channels.
In an interview with Greece's Rock Overdose, Den Adel stated about her band's participation in the event: "For us, it was an honor to be asked for it. I think as a band and as people, we really value freedom of speech and freedom and democracy. I think as a band, people sometimes say, 'Don't be so political,' people say, 'Don't be so expressive and don't take a side on things.' But as a musician, I think it's important to represent who you are, not just in music but really stand for what you make and what you are saying in your lyrics in a way. And things that are happening in the world inspire us to write music, and then you also have to take a stance and what side you are. I think when it's so obvious where there's an aggressor and where there is a country being violated, invaded, you should take a stance and then it makes it much easier even to be very clear about where you stand in this whole conflict. Of course, it's something that we are keeping ourselves updated with every day because we find it very sad to see that a country that wants to be a democracy is invaded this way. So we are very honored to be asked also to play for this event, this marathon, and happy to do it."
Released last October, WITHIN TEMPTATION's latest album, "Bleed Out", signifies a bold leap forward for the band. From contemporary, hard-hitting, and djenty riffs to soaring melodies displaying their symphonic roots, WITHIN TEMPTATION has created a sonic journey that fuses diverse musical styles and thought-provoking themes. This is an album that is as epic as it is unflinchingly outspoken, and now more than ever, this is a band who isn't afraid to make a stand on issues the members care about.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, WITHIN TEMPTATION have shifted their focus from writing about personal emotions and societal subjects to tackling global injustices and reflecting the tumultuous state of the world in a way that other artists seem unable or unwilling to do.
While songs such as "Wireless" and "We Go To War" examine the authoritarian aggression on display in Ukraine and other warzones, the title track itself addresses the plight of women fighting for their rights in Iran after the murder of Mahsa Amini.
The album also grapples with the complex issues around a woman's right to choose in recent single "Don't Pray For Me" and throughout, this impassioned and political focus is reflected in the intensity and heaviness of the music. Embracing a new era of musical exploration and lyrical depth, WITHIN TEMPTATION have pushed boundaries and showcased their artistic evolution, delivering a fist-in-the-air proclamation of both their moral convictions and their fearless approach to music.
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cookiesupplier · 5 months
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Breakfast with Käresta (nsfw)
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pairing: Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson x ofc (Evie)
cw: 18+ Minor DNI, oral sex f-receiving.
summary: Jolly is leaving for tour, and it's time to say goodbye to his darling Käresta.
author’s note: Unbeta’d. Continuation of the Käresta mini-series, following Kristmas with Käresta & Käresta's NYE (nsfw).
tags: @tearfallpixie @cncohshit @nyxthedestroyerofworlds @lyschko666
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Morning light was just starting to stream in through the gaps in the curtains, his alarm hadn’t gone off yet, and he counted that as a blessing. It meant Jolly could lay just watching her sleep for a moment at least. He hated today, he had been dreading when the morning arrived ever since New Year's Eve. Leaving for a tour was usually something he looked forward to after the break gave them some downtime, and don’t get him wrong, he did look forward to this one as well. Being able to do what he loved, with other musicians who hopefully enjoyed it as much as he did, was a dream come true, and this tour not being a headliner, at least, for the first leg of it, was a welcome change.
As it was, yesterday, just as they had most of the week past gone, they’d been preparing to leave for tour, making sure everything was organised just as it should be, from having the right fights booked, to having the right equipment ready and packed to go. Yesterday especially, they’d finished going over the checklist of everything being done and set for their travel today over to Europe, ready for the tour. Now, this morning, Jolly just had to deal with getting himself finished personally packed, and to the airport on time, not to mention making sure he didn’t break under the emotional weight of leaving Evie.
He’d never had to leave anyone behind quite the way he’d have to leave Evie. Yes, he had family and friends he didn’t get to see in Sweden all the time, and he left friends he had made behind here all the time, but Evie was something else. She’d always been something special to him, and confessing how he felt to her, admitting he couldn’t imagine his life without her? It made leaving not only the country but travelling to a whole other continent for almost a month and a half, it was going to be so painful without her.
Last night he’d wanted to take her out for a special date night, she’d talked her out of it. Pointing out he’d been taking her out most of the week, and tonight, he should be resting. He was going to be on a massive flight, and it was going to be hell on him when he got there with jet lag, which he’d have to overcome before their first show! So she talked him into staying in, spending the night together here, at the house, together. Sure, others would be there, but they had curled up in his room, ordered Uber, and watched a movie together on his laptop. Just the two of them. Just Jolly, and his darling Käresta, his sweetheart. 
Sighing, he was going to miss her, but for now, he didn’t want to move or risk waking her. Jolly wasn’t going to rush the morning, even if he knew that he didn’t have forever to waste, his alarm was set. Actually, he had multiple reminders set on his phone, as the case may be. Evie had done it last night before they went to bed, she had insisted he would need it. He had smirked at the time, watching her enter them in, one after the other as she told him in no uncertain terms, what each one was for. When to wake up, when to drag his ass out of bed and have breakfast, when to get dressed, then to finish packing his bag, put it in the car, when he needed to arrive at the airport… The list of things he needed to finish today felt endless, and yet it all came down to one issue for him this morning. Her.
Glancing at his phone, he had some time before the first alarm went off, his WAKE UP call that Evie had insisted upon. Someone had to make sure he behaved tomorrow if he was going to prove to be difficult, considering he hadn’t wanted to do much of anything last night aside from staying wrapped up in her. Setting his phone back down on his bedside table, he shifted in the bed, and felt her twist in his arms, smiling to himself..
“Alarms about to go off, almost time to get up, Käresta.”
Pressing a soft kiss to her lips, her eyes fluttering open, watching as she arched a little with a groan, her hands curving around his sides, fingers flexing against she pulled fists fulls of his shirt slightly with a half-asleep sigh as she woke up.
“Yea? What do you feel like for breakfast? If you give me a minute, I can start making you something while you hop up and shower.”
Chuckling, oh, but he had a better idea deciding to say as much,
“I have a much better idea, still have a few minutes, much rather start the day… right.”
At least right the way he saw it, especially when he wasn’t going to see her, feel her, taste her for weeks. Her response, which he could only assume to be about breakfast being the most important meal of the day, a remark he’d had to remind her of more times than he could count, and she’d been so cheeky with it last night, but her words were muddled against his lips as he kissed her before his lips started moving along her jaw to distract her.
“Jolly, wh- what-”
“Shhh, Sweet thing, breakfast time. At least for me.”
Smirking against her skin as he nipped gently at the base of her neck just as he came to the collar of her nightshirt, which was one of his shirts. He wasn’t complaining, she’d acquired a few of his shirts over the week, and if he returned from tour to Evie having squirrelled away more of his clothes from his closet while he was gone, he wouldn’t be surprised.
Not that that was any different from before, she just didn’t even seem to be trying to hide it from him now. No, oh, I must have picked it up by mistake, sorries! Girlfriend privileges and all as it were.
Now he was pushing her stolen shirt up so he could press kisses to her belly as she squirmed under him, him shifting from laying beside her, to settling between her thighs, his intent becoming more apparent by the second. As he made his way down to her hips, pressing his lips tantalisingly at the lacy band of her underwear, smirking, all she’d worn to bed was the shirt other than her panties, complaining that he was just too warm and that when they were wrapped up with him, she overheated too easily. Was he supposed to complain about this when right now it gave him so much less for him to remove?
“Lift for me, Käresta.”
Jolly could already taste her on his tongue, and he wanted, wanted. His fingers hooked the sides of the smooth material and slid them down her thighs as she did just that, her hips lifting from the bed so he could pull her underwear from her body. Tossing them aside on the bed, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh as his hands spread her legs a bit wider so he could lean in closer, pressing another kiss to her other thigh, enjoying the way she squirmed, then he licked up along her slit, drawing a gasp from her. She’d been waiting, but still, he loved every one of her reactions and how she couldn’t stop them. Humming at the warmth of her skin, the taste of her on his tongue. Fuck, best breakfast he could have, he could want.
Feeling her reach for him, one of her hands threaded her fingers into his already sleep-messed hair. His hands flexed at her legs, massaging, his thumbs running along the crease of her thigh as he took another lick at her, this time his tongue pressing into her a little as he did. Jolly smirked, this time he earned a moan as her fingers tugged at his hair a little.
“Already so wet for me.”
The taste of her on his tongue was perfection, but he had no intention of rushing, not even if his alarm went off, no, he was going to draw out his breakfast as long as possible because damn if he was going to make this last. This breakfast was going to last them weeks. Jolly licked his tongue deeper into her as much as he could once more, feeling her muscles tensed around him, her fingers gripping his hair, and he moaned against her pussy, that was his girl, before his lips were moving to her clit, and Jolly was sliding two of his fingers inside of her to replace his tongue as he sucked ever so gently. It was a tease, building her up, but he was learning what she loved, and this was Evie, his Käresta, as if he couldn’t tell. He couldn’t feel the way she arched into his touch, whimpering those tiny little sounds as he built her up, little by little.
Sure enough, there went his wake-up alarm, and Jolly’s hand snapped out for his phone and slapped at the screen to snooze it. Did he care that this was the very reason that Evie had given him a million different alarms to make sure he got going on time? No. Though he doubted this was what she had in mind to keep him from actually getting out of bed. It was the far better option, in his personal opinion, as he was fucking into her with his fingers and letting his tongue circle around her clit teasingly. He knew he was driving her insane with the way her fingers were pulling tighter in his hair with each stroke of his tongue.
His fingers curled inside of her as he started to suck a bit harder against her clit to drive her higher, feeling the way she was starting to clench tighter around his fingers. Groaning against her, her hips hitching against her, her body literally grinding up against his face, his fingers, which was everything that he wanted. Having Evie lose herself to the pleasure right now, using him for her need was perfection and he wanted it so much. Groaning as he kept working her. Sucking her clit harder, humming a moan against her and letting the vibrations run through her sensitive skin, hearing as she cried out, her body clenching so tightly around his fingers as she came.
Lapping at her with his tongue, sucking at her clip to let her ride out her orgasm and drawing out her pleasure as her thighs trembled, he drew the moment for as long as he could, until Evie was almost sobbing and was pushing his face away from between her legs. It was a weak shove of her hands in his hair, but he felt it, and got the message loud and clear. Breathless himself, his cock, hard, aching in his sweats, nothing he couldn’t take care of himself once he was in the shower. Jolly crawled back up her body, she lay sprawled and spent, she was so gorgeous like this, on his bed, he was almost tempted to grab his camera and take a photo so he would have more than just his memory while he was away on tour, but Evie would no doubt smack him if he tried. His lips found hers now, licking into her mouth with the kiss so she could taste herself on his tongue.
The moan he got in reply was an utter delight, and he’d never get enough, smiling against her lips as the kiss broke, but only because his alarm started going off again, the snooze he’d activated finally running out. Damn.
“Fuck, Jolly..”
“Good Morning, my Käresta.. Once I’ve had a shower, I’ll be sure to make you breakfast, it is after all the most important meal of the deal. And you served me mine, perfectly.”
Stealing another kiss with a laugh as he narrowly avoided getting smacked with one of his pillows, laughing as he climbed off of his bed. 
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Dividers by @saradika / @saradika-graphics
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justforbooks · 1 year
Photo
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When Tina Turner, who has died aged 83, walked out on her abusive husband Ike in Dallas, Texas, she feared it would spell the end of her showbusiness career. It was 1976, and she had been performing with Ike for two decades, since she had first jumped onstage and sang with his band at the Manhattan club in East St Louis, Missouri. Yet, although she was desperate and had only 36 cents in her pocket, she was on her way to a renaissance as one of the most successful performers in popular music during the 1980s and 90s.
She had to endure several lean years, but a turning point came in 1983, when David Bowie told Capitol Records that she was his favourite singer. A version of Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together followed. Produced by the electro-poppers Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh from Heaven 17, the track went to No 6 in the UK, then cracked the US Top 30 the following year.
Turner cemented the upturn in her fortunes with the album Private Dancer (1984). Driven by the huge hit What’s Love Got to Do With It? (her first American No 1), the album became a phenomenon, lodging itself in the American Top 10 for nine months and going on to sell more than 10m copies. Suddenly Turner was one of the biggest acts in an era of stadium superstars such as Michael Jackson, Dire Straits and Phil Collins.
In 1985 she was recruited to play Aunt Entity in the film Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, for which she recorded another international chartbuster, We Don’t Need Another Hero. A second Thunderdome single, One of the Living, won her a Grammy award, and she was an automatic choice to join the Live Aid benefit concert in that year, as well as to participate in its American theme song, We Are the World.
Her follow-up album, Break Every Rule (1986), launched Turner on a global touring campaign, during which a crowd of 184,000 watched her in Rio de Janeiro. The tour spun off a double album, Tina Live in Europe (1988).
The album Foreign Affair (1989) sold 6m copies and generated another trademark anthem, The Best, which was subsequently used to add oomph to numerous TV commercials and adopted both by the tennis ace Martina Navratilova and the racing driver Ayrton Senna. The subsequent Foreign Affair tour ended in Rotterdam in 1990, after which she duetted with Rod Stewart on the old Tammi Terrell/Marvin Gaye hit It Takes Two. Designed as the theme for a Pepsi advert, the track was a chart hit across Europe.
Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, to Zelma Currie, a factory worker, and her husband, Floyd Bullock, a Baptist deacon. Abandoned by their father and temporarily by their mother, in 1956 Annie and her elder sister, Alline, moved to St Louis, Missouri, where they encountered Ike Turner and his band the Rhythm Kings. After Annie had talked the initially reluctant Ike into letting her sing with the band, he recruited her as one of his backing singers.
It was in 1960 that Tina – who had by then changed her name because it reminded Ike of the cartoon character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle – first sang a lead vocal with Ike’s band. A session singer failed to turn up, and Tina’s stand-in performance of A Fool in Love was a hit on both the pop and R&B charts. Ike immediately rebuilt his act around Tina, and christened it the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. They married in 1962.
Featuring nine musicians and a trio of skimpily dressed backing singers, the Ikettes, the Revue took the R&B circuit by storm. Tina rapidly developed into a mesmerising performer, radiating raw sexuality and bludgeoning audiences with the unvarnished force of her voice. They began to pepper the charts with hits, including I Idolise You, Poor Fool and Tra La La La La, and even if they only intermittently crossed over from the R&B charts to the pop mainstream, the band’s performing reputation was second to none. Evidence of their stage prowess was preserved on the 1965 album Live! The Ike and Tina Turner Show, recorded on tour in Texas.
However, the seeds of the couple’s destruction were being sown in their successful but intense lifestyle. Ike was a habitual womaniser, and also developed a destructive cocaine habit. This provoked violent outbursts against Tina, who, as she later revealed in her 1986 autobiography, I, Tina, was beaten, burned with cigarettes and scalded with hot coffee. She gained a glimpse of what life beyond Ike’s intimidating orbit might be like when she worked with the “Wall of Sound” producer Phil Spector in 1966. To Ike’s frustration, Spector refused to allow him in the studio while he worked on the single River Deep, Mountain High, which subsequently became regarded as a high point of both Spector’s and Turner’s careers.
The Turners’ work won them the admiration of many of their peers, not least the Rolling Stones, who invited them to open a UK tour for them in 1966, then to join them on their American tour in 1969. Mick Jagger was regularly spotted at the side of the stage during Tina’s performances, fascinated by her stage presence and dance routines. One of the high points of Live Aid in 1985 was Tina and Jagger performing together at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.
Working with the Stones prompted the Turners to import a rock-orientated edge into their work, a ploy that worked most successfully when they recorded John Fogerty’s Proud Mary in 1971. It was their first million-selling single and a Top five hit on the American pop charts. In 1973 they notched up another landmark with Tina’s feisty composition Nutbush City Limits, inspired by her Tennessee origins. She took the role of the Acid Queen in Ken Russell’s film of The Who’s rock opera, Tommy (1975): her performance was one of its few critically acclaimed moments, though her spin-off solo album, The Acid Queen, made little impression on the charts.
After her split from Ike, Tina stayed with friends and was forced to survive on food stamps. When their divorce was finalised in 1978, she preferred to take no money or property from the settlement, to establish a complete break from her husband. She earned cash from TV guest appearances on the Donny & Marie and the Sonny & Cher shows, but her late-70s albums Rough and Love Explosion sold poorly.
In 1980 she signed a management deal with Roger Davies, an Australian promoter working in the US, who secured some lucrative engagements in Las Vegas. The following year the Rolling Stones galloped to the rescue once again by booking her as the opening act on their Tattoo You tour of the US, and she also appeared with Stewart in a California concert broadcast internationally by satellite.
By the time she was inducted (with Ike, though he was then in jail) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, Turner had little left to prove. She was able to spend more time at the homes in Switzerland and the Cote d’Azur that she now shared with the German record executive Erwin Bach. A singles collection, Simply the Best (1991), reeled in more platinum discs as Turner entered the senior stateswoman phase of her career.
In 1993, as she launched her first US tour in six years, her film biography, What’s Love Got to Do With It, based on I, Tina, was released, starring Angela Bassett as Turner. The film brought forth a bestselling soundtrack album and another hit single with its opening track, I Don’t Wanna Fight.
A three-disc anthology, The Collected Recordings – Sixties to Nineties, appeared in 1994, and the following year came Turner’s recording of GoldenEye, the theme tune of the eponymous James Bond movie. The tour that accompanied her eighth studio album, Wildest Dreams (1996), became another record-breaker, grossing more than $100m in Europe alone. Twenty Four Seven (1999) teed up what Turner announced would be her last major arena and stadium tour. She had intended to tour with Elton John, but the idea was scrapped after she argued with him about the piano arrangement for Proud Mary during rehearsals for a TV special, Divas Live ’99. Her subsequent solo dates became the top-grossing tour of 2000.
A quiet period ensued, during which Turner confined herself to hand-picked events, such as a 2005 performance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She contributed a version of Edith and the Kingpin to River: The Joni Letters (2007), a tribute album produced by Herbie Hancock. She performed alongside Beyoncé at the Grammy awards in 2008.
That October she went back on the road with the Tina! 50th Anniversary Tour, synchronised with the compilation album Tina: The Platinum Collection. In 2010 she became the first female artist to score top 40 hits in the UK in six consecutive decades (1960s-2010s) when The Best bounced back into the UK Top 10. Her Love Songs compilation appeared in 2014, and her remix of What’s Love Got to Do With It with the Norwegian DJ Kygo in 2020 made for a seventh decade containing UK hits.
Between 2009 and 2014 Turner appeared on four albums by Beyond, an all-woman group formed with her neighbours in Küsnacht, near Zürich. The music reflected the spiritual and religious beliefs of the participants, with Turner considering herself a Baptist-Buddhist (she was raised as a Baptist, but began practising Nichiren Buddhism in 1973).
In 2013 she married Bach and gave up her American citizenship to become a Swiss citizen. Three weeks after the marriage she suffered a stroke, and in 2016 she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, then suffered kidney failure when “the toxins in my body had started taking over”, as she put it in her second autobiography, Tina Turner: My Love Story (2018). Her husband volunteered to give her one of his kidneys and a transplant operation was carried out successfully in 2017.
The following year, the biographical stage musical Tina opened at Aldwych theatre in London, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and starring Adrienne Warren in the title role. Turner received a Grammy lifetime achievement award, to go with her existing tally of eight Grammy awards and three Grammy Hall of Fame awards. Among her vast collection of honours, Turner also had five American Music awards, two World Music awards and three MTV Video Music awards.
In 2021 she joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an outright solo performer and sold the rights to her music catalogue to the publishing company BMG for an estimated $50m. Ready to retire fully, she bade farewell to her fans with the two-part HBO documentary Tina.
Alline died in 2010. Tina’s eldest son, Craig, from a relationship with the saxophonist Raymond Hill, took his own life in 2018. Ronnie, her son with Ike, died in 2022.
She is survived by Erwin and two sons, Ike Jr and Michael, from Ike’s first marriage.
🔔 Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock), singer and songwriter, born 26 November 1939; died 24 May 2023
Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com
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emeritus-fuckers · 9 months
Text
Papa Nihil's Ghouls introduction headcanons
Blaze (Fire; he/him)
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The youngest of Nihil's Ghouls. The first to actually join the band.
Despite being a Fire Ghoul, he's actually very calm.
The most he does is just... sway. Doesn't jump around, doesn't throw things.
He was named that because he's a big fan of weed.
He's an introvert who spends most of his time in his room.
Transmasc, wears a binder, no bottom surgery since most trans Ghouls don't really feel the need to do that (Ghouls as species view gender very differently and many times genitals have nothing to do with it)
Has performed shirtless (just in his binder) multiple times. Finds the reactions of some people entertaining.
Storm (Water; they/he)
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Storm's a demiboy.
Has a bromance with Quake, they are inseperable.
Always making fun of each other.
Storm is the calmer one, they used to be quiet before he met Quake.
Quake, in their enthusiastic manner, just talked at Storm until he evntually spoke back.
When asked Storm will absolutly deny that they and Quake are best friends. But they are.
Constantly having little competitions, they can range from playfights to silly little games.
Such as the time they collected all of Nihil's things and made a tower with them. It reached from the floor to ceiling.
Apart from when Quake is around, Storm is by far the most reliable and calmest of the Ghouls. Nihil will go to Storm when it's anything important/more serious.
Tornado (Air; ze/zir)
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Tornado one they woke up and decided ze doesn't need a gender and that's how it's been since then.
If Tornado is asked about zir gender, ze responds with an air compressor or a bulldozer. Why? Because ze can.
Ze's actually Nihil's best friend.
And also the reason he gets in trouble a lot.
They got arrested together sixteen times over the years.
Tornado is banned from sixteen states and twelve countries in Europe.
Ze's not allowed to take part in interviews because ze always says incredibly stupid shit just to see people's reactions.
Tornado may or may not be considered a war criminal.
Ze's Chaos's mate. They have twin baby Ghouls together named Havoc and Uproar.
Quake (Earth; they/them)
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Quake is nonbinary.
As an Earth Ghoul, it was their idea to get Storm to build things with Nihil's possesions.
Quake is a lovable fool most of the time. A little immature and useless at somethings, but they are an incredibly gifted musician.
They have an incredibly thick skin, no matter how much you try and make fun of them, it has no effect.
Always very cheerful, happy and enthusiastic. This rubs off on the others and always lifts their spirits.
Likes to spend time with Storm, brought them matching PJs for the tour.
Likes to make jokes at the other ghouls too. Always good natured but sometimes can go a little too far.
When this happens Blaze is sent to calm them down.
Chaos (Quintessence; he/she/they/it)
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As the name suggests, Nihil's Quintessence Ghoul is the very personification of chaos.
Chaos was once asked about his gender and she replied with "yes".
Impossible to misgender them. Chaos uses all the pronouns. Chaos is all the genders.
First thing you need to ask Chaos is its pronouns of the day.
They don't really change, it's just a matter of which one it feels like the most at the moment.
Always up to something. Nihil once joked about having to keep her on a leash.
About a week later it stopped being a joke.
Chaos and Tornado are mates.
Chaos often makes jokes about stealing Tornado's gender, since ze doesn't have one.
~
Written and created by Nosferatu.
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thefrontofmymind · 1 year
Note
Heyyyy, could you do a instagram blurb with matty healy and Ellie from Wolf Alice plssss? Love your work!! 💜
matty healy x musician!reader IG blurb
FC: Ellie Rowsell
a/n: sorry for getting to this so late!! i've had a busy couple months xx
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yninstagram SUMMER SONICCC I LOVE YOUUUUUU
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ynfan1 mother looking so mother
ynfan2 the bEST festival i’ve ever been to!! xxx
ynfan3 Dirty Hit honestly has the best artists…
ynfan4 So excited to see you in october!!!
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1975updates matty via yninstagram’s story!!
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1975fan1 its so nice that all the dh artists are buddies!!
1975fan2 MATTYYY RELEASE THE CURLSSS THEYRE SUFFOCATINGG
1975fan3 so fit
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ynupdates old photo of YN with Matty Healy (and Alana Haim) from around 2016 i think??
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ynfan1 cute!!!
ynfan2 WHEN is the collab coming??? It would be FIRE
ynfan3 do i ship them?? Kind of
>ynfan4 me too bestie lowkey
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yninstagram can someone walk my dog when i’m on tour? thanks xxx
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ynfan1 HOTTTT
ynfan2 step on me
ynfan3 WAIT WHO IS THAT???
>ynfan4 RIGHT?? 
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yninstagram bye bye kitchen. i’ll miss u
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ynfan1 can’t wait to see you in Berlin!!
ynfan2 obsessed with this fit
trumanblack dw i’ll water the plants
>1975fan1 MATTY WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE
ynfan3 whats with the mirror in the kitchen
>yninstagram she’s a narcissist of a room, its for her health
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yninstagram hello paris here we go
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ynfan1 so pretty!!
ynfan2 YN LIVING MY DREAM EATING CROISSANTS IN PARIS
ynfan3 when are lines starting for the paris show??
>ynfan4 the venue is letting us line up from 6am!!
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yninstagram THANK YOU EUROPE! I cannot believe how amazing the past couple months have been for me, I could never dream of meeting so many of you wonderful people and playing my songs from the heart. I’m going to have a little rest but I promise something new is on the way, just be a little patient. Xx
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ynfan1 MISS YOUUU
ynfan2 so excited!! Get some rest!!
trumanblack fit.
>1975fan1 MATTY
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yninstagram summer 22. love.
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ynfan1 LOOOVVVEEE
ynfan2 WHO is the guys voice in the second video??? Can’t tell
>ynfan3 it could literally be anyone, someone from her band or just a friend
charli_xcx looking gorg!!
>yninstagram thank you babyyyy
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yninstagram happy halloween. if only i could find a romeo…
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ynfan1 I VOLUNTEER
ynfan2 how is someone so perfect???
trumanblack oh if only…
ynfan3 not me having the same costume this year…
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yninstagram hotel rooms. the new EP out jan 13.
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ynfan1 NEW MUSIC YESSSS
ynfan2 already pre-saved!!!
charli_xcx you go babe!!
ynfan3 CANT WAIT THAT LONG
trumanblack it’ll be a killer.
>yninstagram ok mr producer if you say so
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nme YN talks inspiration on new EP, tour life in a post-pandemic world and backstage rituals!
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ynfan1 hmmm i wonder who she was talking about with all the love songs on the ep??
>ynfan2 I KNOW!!! With all the talk of long distance,,,im intrigued
1975fan1 all the compliments of matty bc he worked on the album…lowkey ship it
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yninstagram hotel rooms EP is out now. Thank you for all the love. Thank you Matty for helping make it happen. I couldn’t ask for a better collaborator. Xx 
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1975fan1 RIP trumanblack you would have loved a shoutout
ynfan1 I CRIEDDDD IT WAS SO SWEET
ynfan2 PLEASE TELL ME THERES A NEW ALBUM SOON
>yninstagram ;)
1975fan2 oh yeah she’s totally dating matty
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yninstagram what did the easter bunny say when he was hopping around? hoppy easter!
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ynfan1 happy easter yn!!
charli_xcx pretty pretty pretty baby!!
>yninstagram no you!
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ynupdates “I wrote this EP on the road, about how much you’re…not being yourself, not living your real life…I miss my real life…I miss my boyfriend…” -YN tonight in Japan. She seemed really upset, I hope she’s okay.
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ynfan1 poor yn :((
ynfan2 I was there, everyone was just so quiet i felt so bad for her…
ynfan3 glad this is her last show for a while so she can have a break.
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1975updates tonight YN was in the crowd at the band’s show. She was in front of the barricade for most of it and during Robbers Matty went down to her and kissed her. If I’m honest I’m just in shock.
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1975fan1 omgomgomgomg i love them together!!!
1975fan2 WHEN will it be MY TURN
ynfan1 oooh this must’ve been what she was so upset about
99 notes · View notes
jokeroutsubs · 11 months
Text
Joker Out interview with magazine Mladina, published on 30th of June 2023
Interviewed by Vanja Pirc
Photos by Borut Kranjc
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This year's Slovenian representatives at Eurovision, the five-member band Joker Out, attracted an unusually large amount of attention with their accessibility and playfulness, especially with the song "Carpe Diem." In the days and weeks that followed, it became clear that their Eurovision entry, which only placed 21st, had indeed opened the door for them to go abroad. They started adding new concerts in Ireland, Croatia, the UK, Scotland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Serbia, and others to the ones they had already arranged in Slovenia and the former Yugoslav republics. They sold out all of them, some in just a few minutes. Well over eight thousand people will see them on the UK and Nordic tour alone. For musicians working in Slovene, that's an incredible statistic.
It's a remarkable milestone to see how they've come from "Špil liga," where they first came to the limelight by winning in 2013 when they were still a high school band, to today, being greeted by masses of enthusiastic fans below the stage, and being selected by the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand to be their opening act at Croatia's Špancirfest festival. We spoke to lead singer Bojan Cvjetićanin, guitarists Kris Guštin and Jan Peteh, and bassist Nace Jordan. Unfortunately, drummer Jure Maček was missing, but we could see that he is a man of many talents by looking at the huge wooden structure with a platform that added another floor to the band's rehearsal space in Šiška, Ljubljana.
After Eurovision, you made no secret of your disappointment at finishing 21st, but your Eurovision song "Carpe Diem," sung in Slovenian, is now one of the most listened-to songs of this year's Eurovision event. It's being played all over Europe, most notably in Finland, Poland, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain... Did you expect this turn of events?
Bojan: The result we achieved at the Eurovision Song Contest was really not the greatest. Not even close. But, as you can see, in the end, it doesn't even matter. What is more important for us is that we managed to achieve the rest of the goals we had set for ourselves. We approached Eurovision in a very organic way, aiming to translate our stage and concert experience from real life to the Eurovision stage. It was clear to us that this is the biggest show stage in Europe, maybe even in the world. We were aware that this is a competition of one song, one comprehensive performance to be presented in three minutes. Our goal was to ensure that the audience would remember Slovenia's performance in 2023, and we have achieved that. We also aimed to connect with other performers, and we succeeded in doing so. But most importantly, we wanted both our Eurovision song and our other songs to be well-received in the real world. The data from radio stations, online streaming platforms, and concert offers confirm that apparently, we have achieved that as well.
Before, you were known mainly in Slovenia, and to a lesser extent in the Balkans. However, your Eurovision song has temporarily climbed to the top 50 most viral songs in the world chart on the streaming platform Spotify. You even briefly surpassed Sweden's Loreen, the winner of this year's Eurovision, in terms of popularity.
Bojan: Just to clarify, we only surpassed her for a day or two. But it's really nice that it happened on Spotify's list of the most listened-to songs in the world.
Kris: Well, she did get a billboard in New York's Times Square as the winner at the time, so it's a matter of who surpassed whom, I suppose (gesturing with his hands).
Well, who did?
Bojan: I believe that what we will gain from this performance will surpass what many other performers will achieve. Eurovision has introduced us to a very large audience in a very short time, and they have really connected with our music. They are now translating our lyrics into their own languages and even learning Slovenian. We were surprised to see how many of them bought dictionaries to learn Slovenian - we know this because we were asked to sign them. Others are learning Slovenian through online platforms, and there are even dictionaries being created on TikTok. These listeners are not bothered at all that we are not creating in English at this point; on the contrary, they would like us to keep it that way. However, we have to be realistic. To truly expand our listener base, it's important to be accessible to people.
That's why you have already prepared an album a few months ago, featuring songs from both your previous albums rearranged in English. The album is now awaiting release. One of your main goals was to be able to translate your concert experience onto the stage.
Bojan: The first real international test after Eurovision was in Zagreb, where we performed as the opening act for the most popular young Serbian band at the moment, "Buč Kesidi", at a previously arranged concert. We performed outdoors in the middle of the day, with the sun still high up in the sky. However, we were greeted by a crowd of 2,500 people and received a phenomenal response. They sang along with us, and later we read in the Serbian media that we probably have the most Croatian fans among Slovenian bands. After this show, when we announced a solo concert in Zagreb's Tvornica for November, which is comparable in size to Ljubljana's Cvetličarna, the tickets sold out in five hours. So, we arranged another concert in the same venue, and that one sold out as well. The response in Croatia has been truly amazing, and they have set a very high bar for the future.
You have been intentionally engaging with the countries of the former Yugoslavia lately. Through songs like "Demoni" ("Demons"), you have approached them language-wise. In addition to Croatia, you have also been booked for concerts in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Your Eurovision song also reminds me a little of Plavi orkestar, which was once the most popular Yugoslav pop band, or Đorđe Balašević. It is probably not a coincidence that the line "The game of hatred is your thing, thank you, don't count on us" is reminiscent of his hit "Računajte na nas" ("Count on us")?
Bojan: No, no, it's not a coincidence.
Is it nevertheless more difficult to plan a breakthrough to the rest of Europe? After Eurovision, the Irish were the first to sign you up, did the audience there also know your songs by heart?
Bojan: Yeah, we haven't really gotten used to that yet (laughs). In Ireland, we managed to sell out our first show in 12 minutes. It's true that it was a small venue, comparable to Ljubljana's Orto bar, and it wasn't a solo concert, but a joint performance with this year's Irish Eurovision representatives. However, due to the high level of interest, we arranged another concert in a club twice as big, which is also their most iconic venue. Soon after, other venues started to show interest. We announced a UK tour, with over five thousand tickets on sale for four shows in major cities, and they sold out. We announced a Nordic tour, with around 2,500 tickets available, and it sold out in half an hour, along with three Finnish concerts in just ten minutes. Later, we released an additional 770 tickets, which were gone in five minutes. Offers are also coming in from many other countries, and it is impossible to predict what will happen in the upcoming months.
A number of Slovenian music artists have successfully reached international audiences, from Senidah to Laibach, from Gramatik to Umek, and you were the first ones to consider using Eurovision as a springboard. Would it make sense for our country to continue using this event to promote established musicians who are eager to make an international breakthrough? You were internally selected for this competition.
Kris: It all depends on what we as a country want to achieve from this competition in the future. We have to decide whether EMA is a competition where we find the most suitable representative and expect them to make the most of their opportunity while promoting our country along the way, or whether it is a competition where Slovenian musicians present themselves to Slovenian audiences. Personally, I believe that it is definitely better to choose a performer who already has an established infrastructure in place and a certain support base, because this can enable him to use his potential to the fullest.
Jan: I think that would be the best approach as well. However, since many musicians see EMA as one of the few opportunities to showcase their work to a wide audience through public broadcasting, it would make sense to maintain that aspect too, perhaps as a prelude to EMA, transforming it into a grand finale for carefully selected artists, similar to Sanremo.
Bojan: The main issue with the previous selections was that Slovenia didn't approach it with the intention of winning. Of course, success in such a significant event is not guaranteed. But why not approach it strategically nonetheless? For example, I believe we should send Senidah to Eurovision in 2024!
Senidah is the biggest star in the Balkans, the most listened-to musician. Is she also your role model in that sense?
Bojan: Absolutely. Senidah is the first Slovenian artist, after Mr. Predin and "Lačni Franz", to truly break through in the Balkans. She does write music in Serbian, but that's irrelevant; what's important is that she's made a remarkable breakthrough in a market that has so far been very closed off to Slovenians. And not only has she broken through, but she is topping the charts. However, I would understand if Senidah refused to participate in EMA, at least as long as the current rules are in place. EMA is too close in time to Eurovision. The winner has only one month to submit material. Imagine having to put together the most important performance of your life in just 15 days? We, on the other hand, had more time since we were internally selected—three months—and we utilized this extra time to design our pre-Eurovision campaign, which ultimately played a key role in our success. That's what left the biggest impression.
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You managed to invest between ten and fifteen thousand euros of your own funds in this promotion. You have an extensive domestic touring career behind you. In October, you will fill our biggest venue, Stožice, for the first time, where you expect 12,000 people.
Kris: I've always considered it a privilege to have established a music career at such an early stage in our lives and to have quickly reached the point of financial self-sufficiency.
Bojan: It really worked out for us that right after we finished university, we began our professional lives as musicians.
Those who know you say that you are very disciplined, very organized. Bojan, your fellow classmates from Poljane Gymnasium in Ljubljana also say that even back then, you were absolutely convinced that you were going to make a breakthrough. Many people rolled their eyes at the thought, but you had a clear objective. You were networking with the right people, educating yourself, and Pavle Kavec taught you guitar...
Bojan: Yes, Pavle the legend. I knew during my time at Poljane Gymnasium that I wanted to be an artist. I hadn't fully decided whether it would be music or something else because I was also considering studying acting. But my thoughts were always centered around creating. I suppose that's more or less true for all of us. When Jure and Nace joined us, the first question was whether we were fully committed at 1000%, or if there was another one percent pulling us towards a "plan B," such as the directions we were trained in. No, there is no "Plan B" anymore. At some point, we made the decision to cut it off.
So, the high school students at Poljane Gymnasium may very well forget that you were once planning to be their sociology professor? We've also seen you in a few episodes of the series "Gospod profesor" ("Mr. Professor").
Bojan: I've given up on the professorship, but I still find acting very interesting. For once in my life, I would like to be in a film, playing a totally negative character. I would be mean as a snake. And it doesn't even have to be a Slovenian film; it can be from the Balkans.
Kris: I have to admit that I never thought of making a living from music, although I certainly saw it as an ideal. Even when I was deciding on my studies, I wavered between sociology and chemistry, and then preferred the latter because of its greater potential for employability. Well, later on, I did go into social sciences, for a master's degree in international relations.
Yet Kris, you were the one who had the ideal conditions to become a musician. You grew up playing guitar, because your father, Miha Guštin - Gušti, is the co-founder of "Big Foot Mama", one of the most popular Slovenian bands. Today, you are considered to be their successors.
Kris: I really had the ideal conditions to become a musician who does this for a living. Not only because of my dad, but my mum also worked for record labels for many years and has recently embarked on this path again, so I've been in touch with both sides of the music world, creatively and business-wise, since I was a little kid. But I didn't really start playing guitar until I was 14, 15. And nobody else among us is a trained musician either, except our drummer, Jure Maček.
Bojan: Yes, our Maček finished elementary music school, and he also played a lot, mostly with the "Logatec brass band".
Jan: Let's not forget his performances with the "Golaž brass band", and with the Cantabile Symphony Orchestra...
Jan, you are a mathematician. The link between music and mathematics was explored by Pythagoras after he listened to a blacksmith striking a hammer, and from that he developed the study of harmony.
Jan: Yeah, at the moment it's kind of like, if you have an out-of-tune guitar, you can just say you have a Pythagorean tuning (everyone bursts out laughing). To me, maths is relevant because it's the only thing in the existence of human understanding that you can really count on. It can be used to get definitive answers to at least some questions. I see it as something that gives you structure in your life.
Nace: I would have chosen to study veterinary medicine if I had gone to university, but I discovered very quickly that music was my passion. After high school I went out into the world, I played in a band on a cruise ship that more or less sailed the Baltic, somewhere between Russia, Finland and Sweden. You could say I've got a lot of musical mileage from playing abroad. But it's limited to German schlager and German rock. Our audiences were mostly German families (laughs).
You also have the most experience of performing in front of TV cameras, especially as a member of the in-house band of the TV show "V petek zvečer" ("Friday Night"), which gives airtime to more folk-music genres on TV Slovenia. Have you scrapped this "plan B" now as well?
Nace: Officially, I'm still a member of that band; maybe the managers are expecting me to come back to the show in the autumn. But it remains to be seen whether that will be possible. Most probably not.
Today, together with MRFY, you are considered the successors of our most popular rock or pop-rock guitar bands who managed to appeal to the masses, not only of "Big Foot Mama", but also, for example, "Siddharta" and "Dan D". Why hasn't there been a real breakthrough of new bands of this kind in the last few years? Were guitars considered to be outdated, were young people closer to electronica, trap, hip-hop, mixtures of genres?
Bojan: The music of "Siddharta" and "Big Foot Mama" was a kind of basic building block for me from the very beginning. These people have influenced me more than any other world-renowned musicians. So having them support us really means a lot to me. And the Špil Liga, where student bands have been entering for the last decade, has definitely been a very strong factor in the revival of the scene. MRFY are also from Novo mesto, which is considered a mini Slovenian capital of rock'n'roll, as many of the bands that have developed under the patronage of Tokac, the music producer and frontman of "Dan D", originate from there. At the same time, in last few years the Slovenian youth has become hungry for home-produced music of all genres, and this has stirred up a strong wave of creativity, which is being held in the hands of our own generation, as well as those a little younger and older than us. At this point, the whole spectrum of what we need, from clothes to design to photography, is being created by people our age, as well as those a little younger and older than us. Well, with one exception, of course, being our producer Žare Pak, but he's young at heart.
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As you reach out to a wider audience, do you also feel the pressure to meet the ever-increasing expectations of both listeners and the music industry?
Jan: I feel that right now, more than ever, we can be confident and sure of what we are doing. We didn't even enter Eurovision with some deliberately made hit-like song to suit Eurovision ears, but we did a Joker Out song that could easily have been on our album last year. Our achievements so far prove that we are doing something right because people at home and abroad like it.
Kris: I also feel like we have more freedom to create now but also fewer inhibitions to go into more experimental waters in terms of music, outfits, visuals, or anything else.
Do you think that's what some people expect from you now?
Bojan: Musicians are often criticized for their style, genre, or sound. But such criticisms are absurd.
In particular, Slovenian rock or pop-rock has always been attacked in this respect for relying too often on tried-and-tested forms and less often, for example, on boldness, innovation.
Bojan: We've been on the scene long enough, and we know that the very concept of what Jokers do bothers some people. And that's why they keep pushing their idea that we don't make authentic music but rather some crap that we invented just to exist. So, they feel it would be good if we would stop doing that. These people want, or even demand, that Joker Out should stop being Joker Out. And we're happy that on the first and second album we were able to make music completely unburdened by expectations of how people would react to it. I think the second album is quite challenging in both its sonic elements and the overall meaning of the lyrics in certain songs. I'm sorry that not one of the critics mentioned "Plastika" ("Plastics") in their reviews. None of these intellectuals who have so much to say against our love songs thought that this could be a harbinger of a different, new direction.
This song was written in response to a study showing that the vast majority of teenage girls today want plastic surgery and other body modifications to meet their perverse beauty ideals.
Bojan: There's a lot of content that people don't want to see. On the other hand, I also don't understand why songs about love, which are in the vast majority in this culture at the moment, should be inferior to those about society. In fact, I hope to be able to sing about love for the rest of my life.
Kris: You will, you will sing "Umazane misli" ("Dirty Thoughts") for the rest of your life (laughs).
You addressed Europe with the words "We'll be dancing all night long, we'll love and play with each other as if there was no tomorrow." You have stated several times that you are not a political band, but isn't that actually very political? What is more political than being able to smile and rejoice even in the worst of situations?
Bojan: I very much agree. I even think that if Tokac had sung our song, the message would have gotten through to a lot more people. But because we sang it, a lot of people didn't take it seriously.
The current Prime Minister, Robert Golob, after learning that the future coalition had brought down the government of Janez Janša, said, "Today people are dancing, I am waiting for you to start dancing too." Do you think that if we had had your song then, he would have said instead, "We'll be dancing all night long"? As some employees of RTV Slovenia did when the depoliticisation of their institution could begin?
Bojan: The song "Carpe Diem" is largely written with the idea of fighting back against the things that are happening today. The fact that we had Eurovision in a country that was not last year's winner, because the event could not be held there due to the war, is quite an indication of the troubled times we live in. On the other hand, our only defense as musicians is to spread positive energy among the people and send socially relevant messages. We cannot do more than that. We do not want to take up arms, and we won't. Our only weapons can be our songs.
Culture and art can certainly be weapons too, especially in situations where people are suffering. Do you think that's why Ukrainians supported you at Eurovision, both the audience and the jury? The country is in ruins because of the war, people are displaced, and there is no end in sight to the conflict. But your dancing until dawn has been noticed.
Bojan: I am a child of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina. My parents had to leave their home in Banja Luka because of the war. They came to Slovenia as refugees and stayed here. They had to rebuild their lives. In light of today's events, I can only conclude that the saying 'Historia magistra vitae est' (“History is the teacher of life”) is clearly not true. Because one day, when all the problems of this world are solved, I too will be able to afford the attitude of being opposed to all that is positive. But at the moment, that is not a possibility.
Your parents, Bojan, had to move because of the war, and your mother, Kris, moved from the Netherlands to Slovenia for love.
Bojan: That's a much nicer reason, isn't it?
Kris: Well, I also have a grandfather who fled Indonesia because of the civil war.
Migration flows have been huge in recent years, with thousands of people pouring into Europe, but they are often met with contempt and harsh treatment. Do you feel that your intimate experience of all this migration has also shaped your attitude towards all those who are seeking a better life?
Kris: Absolutely. In my home, this has always been a topic we have talked about. When I was still living with my parents, we often watched the TV program "Dnevnik" together, and whenever they showed a piece on migration, my mother would get very emotionally involved in the scenes on the screen. And that sticks with you. When you see a parent who can understand someone who had to leave home for completely different reasons and on the other side of the world, it naturally rubs off on you.
Bojan: Most of all, you feel the spectrum of pain associated with having to leave your home is much more than just having to leave a place. Only then do you realize that home is really a tangle of space, of people, of smells, of tastes, of everything surrounding you. Leaving all that behind is not the easiest thing to do. It is even harder to leave under duress, and the hardest to leave knowing that your home is in the process of being destroyed and that when and if you return one day, it will not feel like home anymore. The same people will not be there, the same smells will not be there. What has shaped your life will no longer exist.
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Alongside wars and conflicts, another key reason why people from other parts of the world are moving to Europe in large numbers is climate change. Your generation is leading the fight to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, to live more sustainably. How important is this cause to you?
Kris: The fight for climate fairness is one of our few very clear common political positions. Here we are completely united and support all political choices towards sustainability. It is also very clear that this is an important issue not only for us but also for a large part of our audience. It was interesting to note that two years ago, at a rally for climate justice in Ljubljana, we saw a poster with the lyrics of one of our songs. We've summed up our own thoughts on the subject in the song "Novi val" ("New Wave)," which was written last year and is currently one of our most successful and important songs.
In that song, you say "The radio only plays lightnings and strikes', the newspaper says that we' ve lost our way. Today we'll sing and raise our glasses, we were born yesterday and have already been blamed for everything." And what are you guilty of? Probably not the fact that your generation faces precarious employment, that loans are hard to come by, and so are real estate, even rental properties?
Bojan: These are the facts of life lived by the "born yesterday" generation. They are the result of the accumulation of bad decisions over decades. These facts manifest themselves in reality as obstacles that reduce our ability to build the pillars of our independence and, as a consequence, are the reason for our failure to live up to societal expectations. In a world where laws have been written for decades in favor of a mega-massive littering of the planet, we are guilty of standing up for environmental justice instead of "doing something smarter and more serious with our lives," even though previous generations have themselves turned the (labour) market into a war zone of precarious employment. We fight day in and day out with the uncertainty of whether or not we will be employed tomorrow...
But even in this song, you sing and you raise your glasses.
Kris: This song and the Eurovision song "Carpe Diem" are actually very similar in spirit and message, except the second one addresses the listener in a dance guise and this one in a much more serious manner.
The song "Novi val" ("New Wave") has received a lot of attention because of the English version you released before the Eurovision, which you performed with the renowned British musician Elvis Costello. Your now ex-member Martin has a godfather who is a friend of Costello's, and in 2013 you sent him the song "Gola" ("Naked") to listen to. He did listen to it and suggested that you send him more songs. So last year you sent him "Novi val" ("New Wave").
Bojan: Yes, that was true, and when I sent him that song, I also asked him if he would be willing to re-arrange it in English. And he wrote back that he was up for it. Shortly after that, only about a week later, he sent me another email saying if we all agreed, he was ready to sing the song with us. Interestingly enough, he felt the song even before he understood what it was about. His first reaction after hearing the Slovenian version was that it was "a charming song that transcends the understanding of language". He recorded his vocals in New York, and we recorded them in Ljubljana. At the end of the song, we kept the chorus in Slovenian, at his request.
Costello has two Grammys, two Brit Awards, and was named one of the 100 greatest rock'n'roll musicians of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. What does his support mean to you?
Bojan: I can say without any reservation that even if I never wrote another song after this, I would forever be proud of what I have achieved. But it was this collaboration that gave us an indescribable amount of new energy to create. I am very proud of it. However, I must add that I felt the same pride when Tomi Meglič or Grega Skočir gave us words of encouragement. The moment when I first felt their sincere appreciation was a turning point for me, and since then I have existed quite differently as a musician. But of course, it is clear that Elvis Costello's encouraging words carry international weight. And that is something completely new for us. It's just a pity that we haven't been able to meet up yet because he was on tour in the US at the time of the recording of the song and later the video.
He will be touring Europe in the autumn, including Hamburg. You recorded the Eurovision song there in December.
Bojan: He honored us greatly then. He sent us the song "Hamburg Postcard", which he wrote especially for us.
Kris: Let's not forget something else. Our band has always described our music as "shagadelic rock'n'roll" (the Oxford English Dictionary defines shagadelic as "sexy, but in a psychedelic or retro way", A/N). We borrowed this term from "Austin Powers", but it was actually spoken by Elvis Costello, who played himself in that film. When we sent him our song "Gola" ("Naked") in 2019, we thought it would be a good idea to let him know that we also use the term "shagadelic rock'n'roll". And then he personally gave his permission to use it because he felt that that was what it was. To complete the circle, Elvis Costello is one of the original protagonists of the English New Wave, and we are now singing together about the New Wave. He is also from Liverpool, which hosted this year's Eurovision. Our collaboration was clearly written in the stars.
Costello, as a Liverpudlian, knew the most famous local musicians, The Beatles, very well and had worked with Paul McCartney. The Beatles are also among your role models, and this year you also visited the place where the Beatles began their musical journey for the first time. Do you now understand better why they remain the greatest?
Kris: For me, visiting Liverpool and the places that influenced the Beatles and their music gave me some perspective. We knew them through songs, like Penny Lane, for example, but in reality, it's much smaller and more 'plain' than we imagined. Liverpool is a beautiful city, but the suburbs where the Beatles lived are very ordinary working-class housing estates. One could say quite bland. Now I walk around Ljubljana with different eyes. I can imagine that one of our future songs could also feature an insignificant, less exposed street that made its mark on us...
Bojan: And this is where you can see very clearly why the Beatles are the Beatles. Because everybody has a Penny Lane in their life, an ordinary street where you meet a friend. Penny Lane is the most universal thing in the world
The English song "Novi val" ("New Wave") was covered by the BBC and ITV, and the British voted for you at Eurovision. Your music and performances have always been influenced by British pop. Is that one of the key places for you, besides the Balkans?
Bojan: I think our focus is on any place that is willing to accept us, but England has a special charm because we ourselves have been heavily influenced by British music. I'm not the ultimate "nomad," I dislike long flights and exotic destinations that can be unpredictable, so Europe is very dear to my heart. I would be very happy if we could establish ourselves as a European band that could travel a little bit around Scandinavia in the summer and then Dalmatia in the winter...
Kris: Or Spain, where we would eat tapas.
Is the interest in your band in the country also related to the fact that Bojan speaks Spanish?
Bojan: Yes, I ended up doing more interviews in Spanish than in English. The Spanish have also been very active because of our links with their Eurovision representative Blanca Paloma.
Kris: It's really amazing how you can charm a foreign audience by speaking their language. I understand it with the Spanish, as they are mostly less proficient in English, but I was surprised by the Dutch. Dutch is my mother tongue, of course, but I didn't expect that it would matter because in the last few years I have noticed that in Amsterdam, almost only English is spoken on the street. Even the oldest market vendor speaks perfect English. But they were very enthusiastic. On streaming platforms, the Netherlands is one of our top 10 countries.
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You mentioned earlier that your fans are now learning Slovenian. What about your future - will it be written in English?
Bojan: The next album will almost certainly have songs in English, Slovenian, and Serbian, but it's very possible that there will also be some in French or Spanish.
What about Finnish? At Eurovision, the most talked-about thing was your friendship with the Finnish representative Käärijä, who came in second place. When you, Bojan, sang his song, he praised you, saying it was "better than the original".
Bojan: We haven't talked about a musical collaboration yet, but I was a guest at his concert in Helsinki in June, and we would be very happy to have him at our concerts. Unfortunately, that won't happen in Stožice because he has a big concert on the same day.
Now that it is clear that your international ambitions are growing exponentially, what is the ultimate goal where you would say, well, now we have made it?
Kris: Even before we had international ambitions on the level we have today, we often talked about how performing on the main stage of the Hungarian festival "Sziget" would be a testament to the fact that we have achieved something in our lives. Do you remember?
Bojan: How European of us, right? (laughs)
And - have they called you yet?
Jan: Not yet, but we are already learning Hungarian just in case (laughs).
Kris: And we were just wondering why we shouldn't just announce a concert at Wembley Stadium in London in 2030.
Bojan: Yeah, because if we started selling tickets now, we might even be able to sell them by then. (Everyone bursts out laughing because the stadium seats 90,000).
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Happy Birthday the Scottish folk singer/songwriter Brian McNeill born on April 6th 1950 in Falkirk.
Brian was a founder member of the Battlefield Band, one of our finest Folk Groups. He also joined several other top Scottish Folk musicians including Dick Gaughan in Clan Alba.
Brian is a multi instrumentalist – chiefly fiddle, bouzouki, mandocello, guitars and concertina – and the importance of his songwriting has long been recognised with such songs as The Yew Tree, The Lads O' The Fair, The Snows of France and Holland, Strong Women Rule Us All With Their Tears, Any Mick'll Do and No Gods and Precious Few Heroes. Many of his songs have been performed and recorded by artists worldwide. He has been described as ‘Scotland’s most meaningful contemporary songwriter’.
​Brian’s audio visual shows, The Back O' The North Wind, about Scottish emigration to America, and the sequel, The Baltic Tae Byzantium, exploring the influence of the Scots in Europe, have won wide critical acclaim. His long connection with America's Lone Star State led to him being created an honorary Texan by the then Governor George W Bush. For six years Brian was Head of Scottish Music at the RSAMD, now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Brian is increasingly in demand for his production skills and his album credits include Davey Arthur, The Paul McKenna Band, Lorne MacDougall, Rua Macmillan, Eric Bogle and John Munro, Matt Tighe and Tad Sargent, The John Wright Band, Drones and Bellows and Missouri a cappella quartet The Wee Heavies.
As well as his musical talent Brian has also turned his hand to writing, he pens short stories, crime and mystery fiction involving his hero, busker Alex Fraser and his heroine, private sleuth Sammy Knox.
Brian is currently on the road with the The Feast of Fiddles 30th anniversary tour.
A song Brian wrote is one of my favourite modern folk songs
No Gods And Precious Few Heroes
I was listening to the news the other day Heard a fat politician who had the nerve to say He was proud to be Scottish, by the way With the glories of our past to remember "Here's tae us, wha's like us", listen to the cry No surrender to the truth and here's the reason why The power and the glory's just another bloody lie They use to keep us all in line
For there's no gods and there's precious few heroes But there's plenty on the dole in the land o the leal And it's time now to sweep the future clear Of the lies of a past that we know was never real
So farewell to the heather and the glen They cleared us off once and they'd do it all again For they still prefer sheep to thinking men Ah, but men who think like sheep are even better There's nothing much to choose between the old vain and the new They still don't give a damn for the likes of me and you Just mind you pay your rent to the factor when it's due And mind your bloody manners when you pay
For there's no gods and there's precious few heroes But there's plenty on the dole in the land o' the leal And it's time now to sweep the future clear Of the lies of a past that we know was never real
And tell me will we never hear the end Of puir bluidy Charlie at Culloden yet again? Though he ran like a rabbit down the glen Leavin better folk than him to be butchered Or are you sittin in your Council house, dreamin o'er your clan? Waiting for the Jacobites to come and free the land? Try going down the broo with your claymore in your hand And count all the Princes in the queue
For there's no gods and there's precious few heroes But there's plenty on the dole in the land o' the leal And it's time now to sweep the future clear Of the lies of a past that we know was never real
So don't talk to me of Scotland the Brave For if we don't fight soon there'll be nothing left to save Or would you rather stand and watch them dig your grave While you wait for the Tartan Messiah? He'll lead us to the Promised Land with laughter in his eye We'll all live on the oil and the whisky by and by Free heavy beer! Pie suppers in the sky Will we never have the sense to learn?
That there's no gods and there's precious few heroes But there's plenty on the dole in the land o' the leal And I'm damned sure that there's plenty live in fear Of the day we stand together with our shoulders at the wheel Aye, there's no Gods
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