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ax-y10 · 5 months

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musician! bur mood board and headcanons

so, i've decided that i am going to be impatient and make headcanons for the inages and how they relate to musician! bur.

i also may or may not have chosen the images with the intent of making headcanons.

oh, and the layout for the order of the photos: first row: 1, 2, 3 second row: 4, 5, 6 third row: 7, 8, 9

anyways, headcanons below the cut:

1. "your voice is my favourite sound"

when wilbur is stuck in a writer's block, he'll listen more intently to when you talk and what you're talking about.

if he thinks it can be used in a song, he'll definitely record the conversation without you knowing.

he'll hint at the fact he wants to use that conversation as backing vocals and such, saying "your voice is my favourite sound" and will casually take a photo of you when you blush at his sly remark.

he wants to make sure every rant, conversation, and random sentences you voice are recorded in history, whether it be in his songs, on his phone, or stored on his computer to listen to as he works.

2. "everything's better with a little background music"

he will say this when you both are doing domestic activities, beabadoobee or the arctic monkeys playing on his speaker

"everything's better with a little background music" when you're washing the dishes, maintaining the lawn, when he's playing guitar for you in his room, when he shouts over the running water of the shower

he lives by this motto. it's constantly uttered every other minute of the day.

absolutely somehow pisses of his bandmates by bringing you on tour and muttering "everything's better with a little background music" at midnight to keep you awake, and just hearing mark shout "wilbur! shut up!"

3. "but wilbur! it's cool!"

one day, you had a need to take photos and keep them to look at later. one of the victims was wilbur's record collection and his headphones

you hadn't brought it up with him, but once he walked into the room with you positioning the headphones and touching his record collection, of course he was going to be anxious. that's his favourite collection!

"y/n! what are you doing?" he said, frantic, almost startling you. "i'm taking photos, wil," it didn't ease him at all. "yes! but i love that collection! please don't touch them!" you paused. "but wilbur! it's cool!"

when you showed you the photo later, he was over-joyed and begged you to make more. as long as you didn't hurt his music.

4. "you look pretty..."

it was a date, and you'd both decided that you were going to go record shopping so you could expand your own collection. wilbur's excuse was that "the atmosphere in the stores are cool! you have to see it!"

wilbur had his phone out the entire time, even though you had asked him to put it away because you felt awkward

you heard him utter "you look pretty..." while you were sifting through different records, immediately looking up at him and seeing a bright flash

when you got home, you saw a different background on his phone. it was the photo he took of you when he called you pretty.

5. "wilbur. smile!"

you were trying to take photos of him after lovejoy performed a gig, but he either wasn't staying still, was somewhere different to you or had the most default expression on his face.

"darling, hold on. let me put my stuff away then you can take a photo," you would not take such disrespect /j

"wilbur. stop real quick" and he stilled, and looked at you, so very unimpressed, so you took a funny photo of him through a small fit of giggles

"wilbur. smile!" you said, hoping to get a better photo, but he walked off, clearly exhausted from the day. so you joined him in bed while showing him all the photos you had of him. he fell asleep...

6. "music heals"

his birthday was coming up soon and you desperately needed to get him a gift. you thought a guitar pick would be perfect because all of his current picks were slowly being worn down from constant playing.

you found a website online that made custom picks, and you were grateful that they were uk based, making it easier to get it shipped to where you lived on time.

you got "music heals" engraved onto the pick, because it was what you always said when wilbur has in a rough spot. and he always ran to get his guitar and happily played for himself while you watched with soft eyes.

when he got it, he cried genuine 'i love you' tears. immediately engulfing you in a bear hug, he pressed soft, loving kisses across your face

7. "you've made a mess!"

for months, you sat in wilburs room with him, watching random videos he had on his phone and listening to silly stories from when they record in the studio

so the first day you go in there to watch in person, you were shocked by what the group left at the end of each rehearsal, specifically wilbur.

mark, joe, and ash all cleaned up after themselves at the end of the studio session, but wilbur left his things on the ground, leaving more mess for everyone else to clean up. you quickly snapped a phot and walked up to wilbur, holding the phone close to his face.

"you've made a mess!" you said, faux angry, clearly meant to be a snarky remark, but wilbur showed the opposite effect. "yes, sweetheart. i'll clean it up in a second," you had to clean it up because he fell asleep

8. "i love it!"

it was after a lovejoy gig when a small meet and greet had created itself. everyone either had a gift for wilbur or wanted to take a photo.

every gift he got, he replied with an enthusiastic "thank you so much!" but one gift stuck out to both you and wilbur.

at this specific gig, you were at his side, half asleep and leaning against him. wilbur would bring every gift into your line of view and you'd give a small smile.

but this gift was a drawing of a record player and a record on it, the small spotify listening line at the bottom. his loud "i love it!" broke you out of your sleepy state, and yet again, another gift was in your eyesight. "i love it!" you'd say, before dragging his ass to bed.

9. "without music, life would be a mistake"

yet again, this is another quote of wilbur's, and is specifically uttered when he feels like shit and is listening to music.

when you both are on a flight with lovejoy, on a car ride with the sorry boys, or simply walking somewhere, you share headphones, and you both listen to his music.

you can sense when he feels like shit, so you whisper under your breath, looking up at him "without music, life would be a mistake" which immediately causes him to look down at you.

with shock in his eyes at the sudden string of words, his flat expression is replaced with a small smile, and he mutters the words back to you, pressing a kiss to your forehead before continuing to listen.

#wilbur soot #wilbur #wilbur soot x reader #wilbur soot imagine #wilbur x reader #wilbur soot fluff #wilbur imagines #wilbur fluff #wilbur soot headcanons #headcanons #mood board #music #musician! bur #musician! bur headcanons #musician! bur mood board #musician! bur x reader

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justenjoythegossip · 2 months

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THE MIDDLE VOICE OR ANOTHER KIND OF PAID PLANTS/TROLLS

It has been widely discussed how trolls/plants are used in a PR strategy to drive certain narratives. Social platforms such as Tumblr, LSA and so forth are the perfect place to reach a core fandom, which is why they are infiltrated by so many noisy agitators who take as many shapes or forms to cover every profile that could be needed to manipulate fans.

As for Chris and the PR strategy used, it has been pretty apparent that such tactics have been and are still being used to this day. And sidenote , let’s not forget that Chris’ appearance at the Con in NY a few months ago was sponsored by… none other than Tumblr.

The middle voice: their positioning, role, sneakier tactics and more pernicious strategy

In such PR tactics, you do need shippers and haters that are well represented by Team Real & Team PR blogs, there to instigate anger and division and to keep people engaged and drive traffic. They are the loud over-the-top extremist voices. But you do need a voice in the middle, people who are way more measured and that tend to represent a more reasonable voice and opinion.

They are the most difficult ones to spot but they are the most important because they are the ones that are driving people to the place that the PR strategy is trying to reach by the end.

The strategy they use is far more interesting that the one used by their counterparts from “Team” Blogs because it is far more complex, insidious and subtle as they tend to navigate much murkier waters.

They also tend to go back and forth, confusing people as to where they stand on this relationship.

Their end goal and the tools they use

What they are trying to do is to get people excited for all of Chris’ new projects (films, voice work) or any types of old/new content (content you should be grateful for, I should add) while mitigating the very problematic stuff, trivializing it, turning it into a joke, which (I suspect) is supposed to make the fans come to terms with who Abba is, what she stands for and to slowly accept Chris and Abba’s kinda “union”. They are basically clearing the way for people to accept this very disheartening situation. Once it becomes normalized, it is more likely to be accepted by his fandom. Time which is such an essential aspect in a PR strategy works in their favor.

One of the most important tool they use to that effect is try to make Chris look more accessible and relatable. And to that effect, they will discuss profusely the kind of bland food he loves, what he likes to wear , what kind of music he loves, his super minty breath, or fan favorite Dodger… Of course, it is not abnormal for fans/mods to discuss such topics. What is suspicious however is the amount of it in such a very short time period. The timing just before the con is also probably not coincidental. Since it doesn’t look very organic and it’s a little over-the-top, it is very likely staged and manufactured. And as we know, his team has been desperate in their advertising his Con in Seattle. We even have a couple of Medium articles to show for it.

Another topic they bring up constantly in a very inorganic way is how hot Chris is. His looks during the Gray Man premiere were brought up a lot recently and certain mods were so keen on pointing out the fact that he was not wearing any underwear. Isn’t he sexy? Are you still thirsting after him? Are you distracted? What a nice and silly diversion, isn’t? Does it make it make you want to turn a blind eye on the fact that Chris compromised himself irreparably by kinda “marrying” a fat-shaming, racist, antisemitic, white supremacist, Nazi sympathizing troll and by doing so has agreed to clean her image? Chris has aligned himself with the same type of people he used to criticize so vehemently on Twitter, a social platform on which he used to be so vocal and where he no longer has an account. Because, you know hypocrisy and performative political activism!

I want to make it quite clear that I am not criticizing anyone for still thirsting after him. People have a right to want to hold on to their fantasies. Or to their dreams. It’s not only not harming anyone, but also it is quite healthy. And we all need that. And it is really great to see fans be genuinely excited to see and meet Chris at the Con. He is lucky to be able to bring happiness to people, it’s gift that I hope he feels grateful for. What I am trying to denounce here is the underhanded, disingenuous tactics of using people’s fantasy to sweep the very problematic stuff under the rug.

The “middle voice”: Profile and their more varied tones

Some of those mods share the same kind of profile. They are allegedly insiders and work in the industry or are industry-adjacent. Talking about all kinds of stuff happening in the movie industry is a nice distraction indeed and more importantly it provides them with some much needed credibility. Also, it enables them to breadcrumb and troll about Chris’ upcoming projects.

But the trolling doesn’t stop there and extend to all sorts of topics. The ring was heavily discussed last night and I already wrote my thoughts on the subject if people want to check it out… https://www.tumblr.com/justenjoythegossip/743785475697967104/reposting-because-of-course-he-was-wearing-his?source=share

Why would you post an alleged anon ask saying he doesn’t wear the ring without any proof? Isn’t the purpose to get people to tune in and get all excited? (It’s very similar to the trolling they did with the sight of Chris’ doppelganger by the way.)

Why would you find it hilarious (😂emojis anyone?) that he is seen wearing the ring at the Con after Chris, Abba and their team breadcrumbed a possible separation? If you are truly a fan of his, you shouldn’t make light of this unseemly union. The optics are absolutely atrocious on EVERY front.

When it comes to their tone, it’s much more varied than the one used by their Team Blog counterparts. It can be similar in the sense that they can be arrogant as they talk down as they answer anon asks. They sometimes lecture them, criticize them for not being able to let go of the Nazism (which is actually quite healthy in my opinion) or gaslight them. But sometimes, their tone can be quite sweet. Or overly sweet, I should say.

Those mods also tend to mostly interact with one another, which can be quite helpful in spotting and recognizing them. And sometimes they will be attacked or pick a fight with someone from their counterparts from Team PR blogs. When Majorscammer attacks you and questions your credibility (Public releases anyone?), it either means that you are speaking words or truth, which poses a threat to their little shenanigans and you need to be discredited or it means… that you are a colleague there to feed the discourse.

Between the noisy and the quieter agitators, the fandom is as toxic as ever and it is closely mirroring this shitshow: a chaotic mess!

The very suspicious discrediting of classic PR tactics

Another aspect that is quite interesting, a mod who works in PR tried to discredit the nasty tactics used in a PR strategy by saying it doesn’t exist or is very rarely used, which seems kind of odd when you are working in that field. (I am paraphrasing but…) They insisted that their work mostly consisted in writing statements and that mods who were coming up with those convoluted theories had quite the vivid imagination.

And yet, haters, shippers and so forth are frequently used on SM in a PR strategy and there is quite a lot of literature on the subject. The mind games and cheap tricks are not only very real but quite nasty. So why try to discredit what we all know exists? Isn’t it gaslighting at its finest?

Funny sidenote regarding Team PR blogs, their silence and usual distractions…

Team PR blogs have been rather silent after Chris’ appearance at the Con with his ring. Sure they still talk about the precious and about the staged and badly manufactured Lisbon pics from last week as the usual distraction. Repetitive much? It seems like we are stuck in Groundhog Day. But they obviously have to take the loss, or appear like they do since they sold the lie that Chris and Abba were close to be over, that Abba was the one who photoshopped the pics and leaked them to troll, that Chris was mad about it and is this innocent victim in their latest silly stunt. They lied. But more importantly they knew they were lying. But no worries, they will be back at it tomorrow and self-congratulate themselves for being so perspicacious.

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goodwriterwithbadhabits · 11 months

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Seventeen Playlist

Aka: Songs that remind me of the members and why. (GIF credit to the original owners)

Master List

Hip Hop Unit:

S.Coups: Royalty- Conor Maynard

This song screams expensive sugar daddy. Its a little sexy, a little overconfident, and a little old school but overall, the song of someone who really loves their partner. The beat of the song reminds me of something you might have heard in an old school club or at least the movie version of one. Scoups has been shown to pay for people’s stuff all the time, and is obviously a very protective man. This song just feels like it was written by a younger version of himself, and I love it.

Wonwoo: Wanna Be Yours- Artic Monkeys

Wonwoo reminds me of so many Artic Monkey songs but Wanna Be Yours has the vibes that just feels like him. The song is a little dark and stormy, while being overwhelmingly loving and hopeful. Its a touch desperate, as though the singer can’t actually speak to the subject, and that feels very Wonu. Wonu is a quiet guy, less shy and more simply introverted, and a song so longing and desperate, feels like something he would write.

Mingyu: Stuck With You- Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber

This song is fun and upbeat, while still being a bit of a tease. Mingyu feels the same way. He’s a goof and strikes me as someone who would love this song, and the conversation it tells. For the sake of your heart, don’t imagine him dancing around the kitchen with his partner whilst singing along.

Vernon: Renegades- X Ambassadors

This is going to be super specific but both Vernon, and this song feel like sitting in the back of a loved one’s Subaru Legacy, watching the sunset over the ocean, after spending the day at the skate park. Its calming, with this rebellious undertone and a heart of love, and that just feels like Vernon to me.

Vocal Unit:

Jeonghan: Troublemaker- Oly Murz and Flo Rider

Troublemaker is definitely a word that can be used to describe Jeonghan, that’s something everyone knows. The song is about a person who is wholly aware of the power they hold over people, and sung by a person who is totally caught up in the spell. Jeonghan is a manipulator, and I mean that with love, but he knows exactly what he’s doing, and he’s going to use it for his own gain.

Shua: She Will Be Loved- Maroon 5

Maroon 5 and Joshua Hong go hand in hand, but specifically I think he feels like She Will Be Loved. The song feels like a promise someone is making to their lover’s parent, a promise that their daughter will always be loved. Joshua has a tendency to feel a little old school, like a gentleman, and strikes me as someone who would make this kind of promise. Also the image of him playing his guitar and singing this song with that soft “thinking of the person I love” smile, my heart can’t take it.

Woozi: Piano Man- Billy Joel

Lee Jihoon is made of music. He’s an old soul, and Piano Man feels like it was written by him a long time ago, and yet in a time still to come. There’s a love within the song, a love for music and the way it pulls you in. Jihoon was supposed to be a musician, and whether he’s performing as an idol, or simply playing the piano in a bar, he will always be a Piano Man.

DK: Honey, Honey- Abba

Not only can I see him bodying this song, but I can picture it being sung about him. I feel the Amada Seyfried version suits him best, with the teasing tones and childish vibes. Seokmin is duality personified. On stage he gets so sexy and confident, and offstage he’s cute and sweet. Honey Honey is as well, being about a very grown-up relationship but sung in a way a child might understand.

Seungkwan: Everything I Didn’t Say- 5SOS

Seungkwan has a lot to say, no one can doubt that, but I feel like he’s awful at talking about genuine, romantic love. Everything I Didn’t Say comes at the end of relationship, when the singer is reflecting on the things they wished they had said, and to me, this feels like something Seungkwan would sing. Not only would his voice fit the song beautifully, but I feel as though he understands the emotion behind it and could really bring it to life.

Performance Unit:

Jun: Horns-Bryce Fox

Hear me out. While the subject of the song doesn’t feel like Jun, the singer himself does. The song is about a woman who is, objectively, toxic as fuck. She’s akin to a demon or beast, and yet, the singer can’t get enough of her. She’s what keeps him alive. The fire in this song, the passion, and sheer lust, that’s what feels like Jun. Its feels like bearing your soul, feeling it burn, and cherishing the warmth you’re given in return, and I don’t know why, but to me, that screams Wen Junhui.

Hoshi: History Maker- Dean Fujioka

Is this song from an anime about figure skaters? Yes. Does it still feel like Hoshi? Yes! The song itself is super short, but its message is one of hope, and following your dreams. The song makes me feel confident, like I could change the world, and to me, that sounds like Hoshi. He too is confident and doing what he loves. He doesn’t let himself get dragged down by anything, and does his best to keep moving forward. If this song isn’t on his work out playlist, it should be.

Minghao: Uptown Girl- Billy Joel

Uptown Girl is a classic, its romantic, flirty, and such a tease. It feels like making fun of the person you love, and that is Minghao in a nutshell. He feels like classic love songs and being an ass to your lover. More than that, the song covers this underlying note of not feeling like enough, like you aren’t good enough for your partner, and that also feels like Minghao. Yeah, he’s confident, but he also strives to grown and be a better person, and to that extent, he probably worries that he’ll never be good enough for the person he falls for.

Dino: R.I.P. 2 my Youth- The Neighborhood

This song is about growing up and finding a world that doesn’t care about you, and how you don’t care in return. Though Chan still seems like he has some hope left, its obvious that he grew up too fast. This song feels like what he’s trying not to be. He’s only about a year older than me, but sometimes it feels like he’s lived so much longer. I’m not sure 100% why, but this song is Chan.

Let me know what you think! Do you agree, or are there any songs that you associate with the boys?

#seventeen scenarios #seventeen #seventeen headcanons #seventeen reactions #svt headcanons #svt reactions #svt hip hop unit #svt performance unit #svt vocal unit #goodwriterwithbadhabits

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little-annie · 1 year

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Closets & Dill Pickle Chips [1/2]

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Bi- Panic

Tonight was Eddie's return to the stage and Steve was proud and excited and couldn't wait to show off his friend. He'd brought a date, some girl from high school he hardly remembers. She's pretty, sweet and he didn't quite want to show up to Eddie's gig alone, because that'd be weird. Right?

So he sat with his arm around the woman's waist and at the moment couldn't even remember her name as he took in the show. Eddie was killing it, he looked like a real rockstar, crop top, leather pants and a magnetism to his performance. It proved difficult to look away and if the energy of the bar and the music got Steve going, well, he didn't mind and apparently his date didn't either. Her dainty fingers lingered on his thigh, venturing higher and higher until she squeezed and whispered something in his ear. Something that was drowned out by the sound of Eddie's voice coming through the speakers as back up vocals, low and raspy. But Steve's gut twisted with excitement so he must have heard what she said. Right?

As the show came to a close, Eddie came to their table to thank Steve for coming to support them. A strong hand resting on his shoulder the whole time, gently squeezing. Steve couldn't pull his eyes from Eddie's. They were lined with kohl and nearly hypnotising as he looked into them and noticed the varying colours dancing within their iris'. Chestnut, oak, amber. They were quite beautiful. The world seemed to blur around them as Eddie spoke and smiled like sunshine.

"I'll see around Stevie, thanks again for coming out tonight and bringing your lady." Eddie's grip shifted, moving further up to Steve's neck where he gently held, fingers hardly breaching into the line of baby hairs at his nape, a calloused thumb rubbed once and their eyes never once left each other. If anything Steve's eyes darted to Eddie's lips and he felt the need to get closer. "I'll let you get back to your date. Night, Harrington."

Why'd he feel so breathless

"Night, Eddie." Steve quietly spoke, fighting the need to follow the man's touch as he pulled his hand away

His date said something, her quiet voice lost to the sound of Steve's thoughts and the image of Eddie's lips that so suddenly burned into his brain for the whole half a second he took them in.

Steve knew what he wanted and it made his stomach twist, his brow sweat and his sanity slightly crumble. He wanted a kiss. He wanted a kiss so goddamn bad he felt his lungs may give without. He wanted to know what Eddie's lips felt like on his. What his breath tasted like mixed with his own. How their lips would move together. How Eddie would hold him. If he'd pull him in by the waist or if he'd cradle a cheek in his guitar string bitten hand. How the calluses Steve knew he had would feel against the soft skin of his jaw.

Steve wanted to know all of it

Everything down to the damn pulse of the man's heart beating through kiss bitter lips.

But what the fuck? He's here. He's here on a date with a beautiful woman and he's thinking about Eddie? He's just horny that's it, he needs to leave and get his date home and things will be fine.

Steve Harrington doesn't kiss men.

Steve Harrington doesn't kiss Eddie Munson.

—

Few words were exchanged over one last glass of whiskey before Steve and … he still couldn't remember her name, made their way back to her place.

Out of desperation to shut up his groaning mind, a mind that kept comparing this woman's features to that of a friend; Steve walked the nameless woman backwards with aching lips to her bedroom. Not bothering to kick the door shut behind them, they carried on with their evening. A sweaty, meaningless evening that honestly seemed to last too long for Steve's liking. The dark eyes meeting his, the auburn curls tangling in his fingers, it was too much and it was doing quite the opposite of what he wanted. As those curls wrapped around his fingers and hot gasping breaths poured over his lips, he couldn't shake the thought of Eddie and how he wished it was him tangled in his grasp.

Fuck

The second things were over, Steve grabbed his clothes and stormed out. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew it was somewhere. Crazy probably being the most likely destination.

It wasn't a far walk but exhaustion had gotten the best of him and he found himself perched on a park bench. Head held in his hands, he willed his stinging tears to stay at bay. He let the chill of the evening air wash over, encase him in an icy embrace and allow his heartbeat to settle and his mind to clear.

He didn't know why he was reacting the way he was. Maybe he was just confused, scared, maybe he just really fucking needed to talk to Robin, but he didn't even know what to say.

I wanna kiss Eddie, I wanna feel the pressure of his body wrapped around mine, I wanna feel his calloused fingers pulling at my skin?

Fuck that

It's not like he could even let Robin know it's Eddie he was thinking about. Right?

But he sat there anyway, contemplating the words that'd most likely spew from his mouth the second he saw his girl.

—

Steve wasn't fine.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, he slumped against it. Pulling his knees to his chest, dropping his head to his lap, Steve wrapped his arms around his shins. Squeezing tight and still trying to will the tears to stay at bay because 'men don't cry Steven.''

He shook. His breath grew erratic and soon unmanageable. Jesus Christ, he'd never felt more sick in his life but as he pulled himself from the floor, wobbly knees and blurred vision, he made the trip to the bathroom with great difficulty.

Knee caps crashing into the cold tile floor, Steve clung to the porcelain bowl. Dry heaving until his stomach hurt, he curled into a shaky ball on the bathroom floor.

As the cold tile against his cheek dulled his mounting headache, it did nothing to steady his breath. Every shallow inhale burned and forced his eyes to water. He was alone, suffering through whatever this was alone because he had no one. He had no one to hold him, no one to kiss him, no one to sing to him… to sing to him the way Eddie does.

Because he does, because he's so fucking sweet and anytime they spend together it's domestic bliss. Steve cooks, Eddie sings to Fleetwood Mac of all things and spins around the kitchen haphazardly with a bowl full of something that eventually splashes onto the floor. Because when Steve wakes up from a nightmare, shaking and scared, traumatised from the flashing images of razor sharp teeth and leathery wings, he calls Eddie. The only person who fully understands and Eddie will hold him without question. Sing him to sleep and, Steve knows, he knows for a goddamn fact that Eddie has kissed the top of his head to help comfort him and it always does.

It always does.

But it can't be Eddie, it's not allowed to be Eddie.

After what felt like an eternity of burning lungs and panicked breaths Steve's mind eventually calms. Or maybe it just went numb to save itself.

Now he's sat on the floor of the bathtub, arms wrapped around his shins, cheek pressed to his knees and scalding hot water raining down on him and he eventually comes to. His vision cleared and the fog in his mind dissipated enough to realise he'd been staring at the same bottle of shampoo on the ledge of the tub for so long that his body was stiff in its position and his fingertips had shrivelled under the constant exposure to water.

He was just lonely. That's it. That's something he could drink to, right?

—

Ring.

Ri-

"Hello?"

"Rob"

—

Dill Pickle Chips

Steve spent the last week avoiding Eddie like the plague and honestly, it hurt so goddamn bad. He missed him. He missed him like he missed air when a Demmobat had its tail wrapped around his neck. Missed him like he missed the sun on his skin after staying in the hospital for weeks on end. Missed him during those nights where he knew the only thing that could comfort him was Eddie's arms around him and his lips pressed to the top of his head. Missed him although he was something he never had, not really anyway. They were good friends, joked around, got high together, did stupid shit and cared about each other but the realisation of last week hit Steve like a brick wall, and now, well, he didn't know if he could look at Eddie without thinking about him in that way.

Without wanting him.

Within the last week Steve had come to the realisation that he's not just lonely. He filled his days and nights with women and not one of them filled the empty feeling in his chest he knew that the other man could. It was a startling realisation to come to, but he eventually did. He's okay. Kinda. He's getting there at least. He needed to talk to Robin though and that was his plan for tonight.

Well maybe.

He just needed to wrap his mind around this. Wrap his mind around Eddie. Wrap his mind around everything. All with the help of Robin.

Letting Eddie's name escape his lips in the dirtiest of whispers far too many times since his realisation, Steve eventually found himself in a cold shower, trying to wash away his sins before he got ready to head over to Robin's for night.

Maybe spending time with his emotional support lesbian could get his mind off of things.

Things being Eddie Munson.

Though that didn’t fare well.

To her credit Robin hadn't the slightest clue (to Steve's knowledge) about his recently somewhat accepted attraction. So, she supposedly hadn't the slightest clue as to why Steve's cheeks aggressively sprung to crimson when he stepped into her apartment and saw none other than the object of his attraction splayed out on the couch.

Hair wild and wispy, coffee coloured bloodshot eyes sleepy, Eddie was truly nothing less than a liquid form on the thrifted orange and blue sofa. Legs hanging over the back of the furniture, arms lazily falling around his upside down head. He looked as if someone had poured him out of a glass and he chose to remain how he spilled out. Haphazardly and with part of his midsection peaking out just enough to get Steve's blood flowing a little faster.

"Stevie," Eddie smiled, voice raspier than usual, quite literally tumbling onto the floor to spring up and make his way over to Steve before pulling him into a strong embrace. Carding his fingers through Steve's hair and unavoidably making Steve's night that much more difficult; Eddie was high off his ass and when Eddie was high, he was touchier than usual and the usual was already a lot.

Steve, already half hard from his earlier 'activities' shivered as Eddie's fingers gripped his hair and pulled him back into view to witness a devilish smirk and the way the man's lips lazily moved as he continued to speak, "Looking as beautiful as ever." Eddie whispered, breath ghosting over Steve's lips.

And maybe if Steve was sane, not lingering in the bliss of his previous release from mere hours ago, he wouldn't have whined from the sensation alone. He also probably wouldn't have caught onto the way he swears he felt Eddie's dick twitch against his hip as he bit his lip trying to silence the sound that had unfortunately escaped his lips.

Tonight was going to be hard and unfortunately for Steve, in more ways than one.

Robin had stood there with a knowing look on her face before she pulled a stoned Eddie back to the couch and threw a bag of chips at him to hopefully distract his wandering hands. Much to Steve's disappointment.

Steve wasn't planning on this this evening. The object of his attraction hazed out, giggling to himself about God knows what while he continued to melt into the couch while simultaneously working his way closer to Steve. Because of course the only other seat available was next to Eddie. Of course.

Robin none the wiser (or so Steve thought), he couldn't blame her. She hadn't the slightest clue what was going on inside his head and for the time being he didn't know if he was 100% sure on telling her just yet. So in an effort to remain casual, he had to play the role of everyone's straight friend. Even though that was something he was quickly realising he wasn't.

So he sat there, allowing Eddie to inevitably melt into him while he continued to giggle to himself forcing Steve's heart to swell from the sweet sound alone. Watching some God awful European movie Robin 'liberated' from Family Video, Steve allowed his mind to wander and maybe his eyes as well.

Both, fortunate or not, focused on Eddie. Legs hanging over the armrest, head resting on Steve's thigh, he picked at the pile of chips he'd deposited on his chest. Dill Pickle, because they were Eddie's favourite– and no, Steve didn't remember that, nor did he keep a bag stocked at his place and Robins just in case.

Oblivious to Robin's curious gaze, Steve's eyes hardly left the features of the man before him. Yes, having Eddie's head so close to his dick could prove to be a problem, but with all the willpower he could summon, Steve opted for admiring the arch of Eddie's nose and wrinkle of the pale skin around his eyes as he continued to occasionally giggle about nothing. Because that's wasn't fucking adorable.

Stoned Eddie was nearly comparable to Kryptonite for Steve, only second to an on stage, sweaty in a crop top Eddie that unknowingly served as Steve's Bi- awakening. But this form sparked something different. Steve didn't feel the intense need to go home and continue his earlier 'activities ' No, this form caused his cheeks to warm and his heart to twist. He felt warm and fuzzy and so goddamn happy. This wasn't just attraction, it was something much more and truthfully that scared Steve more than anything.

Gay, Bi-Sexual, whatever he was, he could handle that, hardly, but he could, he's growing to accept that. Maybe. But love? No, no, love's too much and way too soon. Like? He could hardly lie to himself and settle on that because the idea of having his heart ripped from his chest was currently too much to bear. That was a feeling he'd have to shove down.

Maybe he could let himself drown in it, just for this evening. He could allow himself that. Right?

Hardly realising he was mid spiral, Steve's attention was pulled back to reality by a gentle tap to his bottom lip. Brows pinched, he minutely flinched from the touch before his eyes focused on Eddie looking up at him from his lap. Those deep pools of coffee and amber looking back at him with a goofy grin.

"Chip?" Eddie quietly suggests, tapping a Dill Pickle chip to Steve's bottom lip again, because of course Eddie was feeding him. Goddammit.

Okay, so maybe Steve hadn't confessed anything to Robin that night like he'd originally planned, but it was the first time she'd witnessed Steve's predicament. A straight man doesn't stare so lovingly at his friend and unknowingly comb his fingers through said friend's hair while neglecting to watch a movie. The look of adoration was so vividly painted across Steve's face, Robin hoped he realised what he was feeling, because it looked like something powerful, pure and beautiful.

Bi- Schedule

After a week of avoiding Eddie like the plague, sleeping with a sickly amount of women, coming to the acceptance that, yeah, he might just have a thing for one of his best friends and falling asleep on Robin's fire escape with the man while smoking a joint and carding his fingers through Eddie's curls; Steve found himself back at the Hideout again.

Jonathan of all people convinced him to go out. Apparently a little "Guys Night" while he and Argyle were back in town from Cali.

Never in a million years would Steve have thought he was going to have a guy's night with Jonathan Buyers and a stoner named Argyle wearing every colour of the rainbow who had hair down to his ass. But here he was, squished around a small table in front of a stage, waiting for Corroded Coffin to play.

And dear lord did they play. The bar was full, word getting around that a suspected Murderer/ Cultist/ Satanist was playing in a metal band at the Hideout was apparently very good for business. Who would have thought. So, Corroded played their hearts out, the band was on fire and Christ, Eddie was magnetic. Women rushed the front of the stage just to be close to the man and if it wasn't for the little amount of self control he had, Steve would've too.

Earthen eyes lined with Kohl. Chocolatey curls frizzy and bold, gathering in the streams of sweat running down Eddie's neck and clinging to his shoulders. Leather pants that were illegally tight leaving nothing to the imagination. Steve's surprised he didn't pass out when the man tore his shirt off in the few spare seconds of a drum solo.

He knows he looked like a dope. His beer had long gone warm as it sat in his grasp and he stared in awe at the man before him. Sweaty torso, a pierced nipple and the newest addition to Eddie's ink; Steve could hardly keep his jaw from dropping let alone his dick from stiffening. Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, willing the ever growing mass in his jeans to dissipate, Steve continued to stare. His eyes mapping out Eddie's newest tattoo. It mimicked the lightning of the Upside Down, cascading between scars and splaying the vast canvas of Eddie's etched torso and side. It was hypnotic to see, let alone watch as Eddie ground his hips against his guitar while he played.

What Steve would give to be that guitar

"Hey man, you alright?"

Oh shit, he's here with other people, that's right

Throwing back the rest of his beer (all of it) Steve turned to meet Jonathan's concerned expression

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just uh-" remembering the severity of his erection, Steve shifted to sit with his legs crossed, no matter how painful, "-just tired, is all."

"Oh dude, sorry, we can get going if you want."

Well he doesn't want that. If anything he wants to stay later to witness Eddie in all of his post show glory and glow, "Nah, it's alright, it'll do me good to have guys night out."

So that's what they did. After the show they made their way back to the bar lining up a round of shots to do with the band. They waited for the other guys while they chatted about nothing in particular.

As weird as it may be, Steve could smell him before he could see him. Eddie's pine and tobacco scented cologne wafted into his lungs like the welcome breeze of spring's first rain and dear lord did it do something to him. The smell of the man's sweat and cologne made Steve's knees nearly buckle.

He was in deep.

"Harrington!" Eddie bellowed pulling Steve into a sweaty side hug that made his skin burn with need, "You made it man,-" Eddie squeezing his waist Steve had to fight off the groan that clawed at his throat, "- I missed you at last week's show."

Steve just smiled trying not to think about last week and the journey that'd been. Sexuality crisis and all. Reaching for two shot glasses, Steve moved to hand one to Eddie while he complimented the man on his performance.

"Thanks Stevie," Eddie winked, flinging his hair back to pull it into a low knot, leaving his sweat stained skin glistening in the bar light, on display for Steve to drool over. It was then that Steve noticed Eddie was still shirtless, and he couldn't help but let his eyes wander. His surprisingly toned figure, fucking nipple ring and that goddamn tattoo. Steve wanted to touch him, wanted to bite him, wanted to lick the sweat and tattoos from his skin. Fuck.

"Steve- " Eddie whispered, gently tapping the man's nose with his finger, "- I'll take my shot now Sweetheart."

Trying to not combust from the nickname alone, Steve handed Eddie the ounce of liquor, fingers brushing in the process sending a shiver up his arm.

The men did shot, after shot, after shot, ending the evening with rosy cheeks, blurry eyes and loose lips. Steve, way too many times to be platonic telling Eddie how pretty he was or how beautiful his eyes were. Many times did Steve find himself leant against Eddie, arms around the man's bare waist as he leaned his head either into Eddie's neck or chest, grumbling about how he felt he was going to be sick.

"You're alright Stevie," Eddie would whisper, rubbing Steve's back or carding his fingers through the man's hair soliciting a hardly audible groan, "I'll call you a cab okay. You going home or to Robin's?"

"Yours" Steve grumbled, burrowing into Eddie's neck further, hardly resisting the urge to bite or lick the man and maybe if he rubbed his lips against Eddie's skin and licked the salt from his lips, that's his secret to keep

"I don't think that's a good idea,-" Eddie quietly spoke, pulling Steve back to look into his eyes, gently holding a hand to his cheek and rubbing a thumb over Steve's flushed skin, "- I'll send you to Rob's, okay?"

Steve nodded, however minutely and hung onto Eddie as the man walked to the bar and called for a cab. It arrived shortly after and Steve found himself being carefully helped into the vehicle and buckled in. He may or may not have taken a not so subtle inhale of Eddie's cologne one last time before the man clicked his buckle into place and placed a gentle hand on his cheek again.

Steadying himself with a hand resting on the roof of the cab, Eddie spoke, "You get to Robin's safe, okay? If I don't hear from you tomorrow Steve Harrington, believe me I will show up on your doorstep to make sure you're alive and well. Got it?"

Steve nodded, drunken eyes getting lost in all that is Eddie Munson

Thumb brushing Steve's cheek again, Eddie spoke quietly, "I need to hear you say it Sweetheart."

"Yes, Eddie." Steve whispered, turning his face ever so slightly to the side to press a kiss to Eddie's wrist

And maybe, he meant nothing by it, but the way Eddie blushed and whispered, "Good Boy," sent a pulse of electricity through Steve's body, settling happily in his core.

–

2 a.m., nose red, lips numb, vision slightly blurry and mind racing with one burning topic, Steve stumbled into the quiet apartment he called home (well his second home- Robin's apartment.) Falling back against the door and literally yelling for his best friend who slept less than twenty feet away, Steve's head began to spin and he loudly repeated, "ROBIN!"

Bright lights suddenly burned his eyes and he groaned in protest as he slumped to the floor. Drunken knees giving out under his weight with a dull thump of his ass hitting the hardwood. Eyes shielded, Steve tucked his head into his knees with another groan, only this one was followed with a hiccup.

The padding of fuzzy socked feet against hardwood thumped down the hall and soon stopped at the threshold of the small entryway.

Hands on hips, hair messy and a white t-shirt nearly to the knees stood Robin Buckley. Who, truthfully looked a little less than pleased, "Are you drunk?"

Steve shook his head, which was a very obvious mistake when the room began to spin even faster and his stomach twisted resulting in another groan

"You're drunk. Great. And at 2a.m. Nice. -'' but it's not like she could stay mad as the man on the ground in front of her groaned like a wounded animal. Hands falling to her sides in defeat, Robin let out a rather dramatic sigh and moved to settle her hands on Steve's shaky shoulders, "-Come on big guy. We going to the bathroom to throw up or am I taking you straight to bed?"

"Your bed." He grumbled against his knees (Because of course Steve had his own room at Robin's but hardly used it, opting to normally gossip with his best friend until they passed out)

"No, I'm not having you puke on me in my sleep. Now come on." If that happened maybe she could stay mad for more than a few seconds

"Needs to talk Robbie."

"Steve, you're in no shape to talk, come on."

"No." He pouted

"I'm not going to argue with you."

And like a stubborn four year old he continued to persist, "No."

"Christ,-" Robin squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, "-you know, as much as I want to leave you here to choke on your own vomit, I can't do that. Get your ass up."

"Your bed."

Pinching the bridge of her nose and honestly too tired to deal with anymore childish pouting, Robin gave in, "Oh my god, fine. Come on then."

Though it took a moment, some cursing and a pit stop in the bathroom, Steve finally made it to Robin's bedroom. It was with very little grace that he stripped down to his boxers and shuffled through her pile of dirty laundry until he found a pair of sweatpants. Struggling through every second of pulling on pants and climbing into bed, Steve uncomfortably settled onto the mattress with a groan.

Laying on his back, trying to will the room to stop spinning with his mind, Steve mumbled, "Still needs to talk Rob."

With a pleading tone and the sweet land of slumber calling her name, Robin regretfully answered, "It's nearly 3a.m. can it wait 'til morning?"

"No." Steve answered, voice not far off from sounding like a wounded, tired whine

"Fine,-" With far too much movement Robin flopped over to lay on her back, causing every inch of Steve's stomach to twist until the bed quit shaking. From there she inched her way up in bed allowing her back to lean against the headboard while she pulled Steve's head to her lap. With instinct he laid his ear against her thigh and her hands began to card through his hair, "- what's up Dingus?"

Steve was quiet for a moment, the liquid courage running through his veins slowly fading with every second, but that persistent voice in his head still remained, 'just tell her you idiot, if anyone understands it'll be her'.

Fine

"I think I like him, Rob."

Her body tensed for a hot second, this wasn't the conversation she thought she'd be having tonight, especially at 2:56 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Normally drunk Steve liked to ramble on about nonsense, sometimes Nancy Wheeler, the kids or his undying love for herself but not...this…not yet anyway, well except for that one drunk phone call a few weeks ago. Though she knew it'd come eventually.

She took a deep breath, essentially preparing herself for the conversation though she was curious if he'd even remember it come morning. Then she finally answered, "Tell me about 'em."

And so Steve did, in a little too much detail of course because his brain to mouth filter wasn't totally functioning at 100% at the moment. He went on about eyes the colour of the earth and curls he wanted to tangle his fingers into, adding the fact that he did last weekend while they smoked a joint on her fire escape. Salty porcelain skin and tattoos he wanted to lick off, ones he could picture in his mind right now if he tried hard enough. That lightning tattoo specifically that seemed to cascade down Eddie's beautifully etched torso.

He'd rambled on about the man's figure for a good several minutes before Robin cut him off, "Steve, honey-"

"Hm?" He turned his head to look up at her from her lap

She couldn't help but smile as she carded her fingers through his hair again, "You like anything more about this guy other than his looks?"

"Guy?" His brows furrowed in question like he hadn't realised he'd been talking about a man this entire time

"Mmhm," she answered gently with a nod, fingertips softly scratching his scalp

"Oh God," Steve breathed. Needless to say he was sobering up a touch.

There was a rather long moment of pause, Robin allowing him to process his sobering thoughts to the point where she thought he passed out. That was until he finally spoke, "Him, Robin, as in a guy. Oh wow. Oh my god, wow. I um…I do though…I like him, like a lot. I think. He makes my heart feel all fuzzy and my stomach feel like it's doing somersaults when I'm around him."

He sat up, maybe a little too quickly for his settling stomach, but now his position matched hers, back against the headboard and legs straight out. He stared forward, looking into the darkness ahead, "Oh my god-" he breathed again, Robin grabbing his hand, lacing their fingers together, he continued, "-I uh… Robin…I think I like men too… like men and women?… is that allowed? Can I do that? Can I like both? I don't know if there's enough Steve Harrington to go around for that."

Robin couldn't help but chuckle, Steve obviously wasn't 100% sober with that last comment, "Yes it's allowed, Yes you can do that and Yes you can like both,-" she squeezed his hand, hoping to gain a little more attention and thankfully she did as his head turned to face her, "-it's called being Bi-Sexual, Steve."

"Bi-Schedule." He wrongfully repeated, gaining a giggle and a nudge to the shoulder.

"Bi-Sexual, Steve."

"Bi-Sexual Steve" he stated matter of factly in his drunken state

"Close enough,-" Robin mused, "-yes, Steve is Bi-Sexual."

"Bi-Sexual."

"Yes."

"Hm."

Robin remained silent, only slumping her head against his shoulder to be met with his following suit. Resting his cheek on the top of her head, slumping the rest of his body against hers Steve fell silent with a satisfied hum.

—

And well of course that wasn't a conversation Steve would remember, but Robin would.

If anything the word Bi-Schedule rang a weird bell in Steve's head for the following weeks.

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thislovintime · 11 months

Photo

Peter during his In This Generation: My Life in The Monkees and So Much More tour; GRAMMY Museum, Los Angeles, June 17, 2013. Photos by Brian Cahn/ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo, and Rebecca Sapp/WireImage via Getty Images.

From reviews of the tour:

“[Peter] picked up a guitar. He played. He was really good. He picked up a banjo. Played. Really well. He sat at the keyboards. Not bad.  He played the blues, imitated Elvis and did enough of the Monkees repertoire to placate those who desperately needed to sing ‘Daydream Believer’ with him. He told compelling stories, too, all of them rolled into the autobiography that he clearly wanted to convey: Yes, Peter Tork can play, and he can own the stage, alone. He talked about growing up in a house filled with classical music; about moving to Greenwich Village in its folk heyday: about heading to LA, where a friend named Stephen Stills helped him land a job on a TV show about a band called the Monkees. He recalled his frustration that the members of the band were originally denied the chance to play on their records. ‘We don’t want what you have to offer,’ a produced told him when he complained. ‘You’re not the Lovin’ Spoonful.’ On Sunday, he was witty, agile, energetic and sufficiently self-deprecating to balance his caustic streak. He won a standing ovation, fueled by more than nostalgia.” - review by Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune, June 12, 2013

“In real life, Tork is a soft-spoken, sarcastic troubadour-typ; his solo acoustic set was soaked in his deep affection for old folk songs and the blues. If you were looking for a taut run-through of Monkees hits, you would’ve been disappointed. This was a multimedia storytelling event as much as it was a concert. As Tork told us stories of listening to Burl Ives with his parents, struggling as a wet-behind-the-ears Greenwich Village folkie, and following his friend Stephen Stills’ suggestion that he attend a casting call for the show that would become The Monkees, corresponding photographs appeared on the screen above him. It was a gold mine for any serious Monkees fan, if perhaps a little slow for somebody who wanted to show up and sing along. Admittedly, the best moments usually involved Tork getting down to business. A snippet of the lovely folk song ‘The Fox’ made me wish he had done the whole thing. Bluesy renditions of pop hits ‘Last Train to Clarksville’ and ‘She Hangs Out’ exposed their soulful bones. And a banjo-and-vocal cover of Jackie Wilson’s ‘(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher’ was ragged, tender and true. […] [His set] proved that he’s talented, period. Switching between acoustic guitar, banjo and keyboards, the goateed and bespectacled artists (who looks pretty much nothing like the Tork of Monkees days these days) oozed Americana, putting just the right kind of mustard on every chord progression and bluesy lick. His voice was more workmanlike than his playing, but it was invested with an earnestness that felt right. And it didn’t hurt that he was pretty funny. In the middle of ‘Higher and Higher,’ Tork tried to get the crowd to clap along. A bunch of folks started clapping on one and three. ‘You don’t know what clapping is, do you?’ he quipped. There, in that moment, we got a solid idea of who Peter Tork is. He’s got the friendliness and humor of a Monkee, and the world-weariness of a septuagenarian in a small Buffalo club, who just wants a proper backbeat already. You don’t normally get this level of insight from a live show, so for people still in the throes of Monkeemania, this was a very special night indeed.” - review by Joe Sweeney, The Buffalo News, May 5, 2013

Someone on YouTube uploaded clips from one of the performances (in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, on May 24, 2013); here's everything in a playlist..

#Peter Tork #Tork quotes #long read #In This Generation: My Life in the Monkees and So Much More #2013 #10s Tork #The Monkees #Monkees #Shoe Suede Blues #Tork songs #Tork reviews #Tork banjo #(also 'looks pretty much nothing like the Tork of Monkees days these days' the man had been through cancer give him a break)#<3 #Chicago Tribune #The Buffalo News #can you queue it

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heizelnutlatte · 2 months

Text

💬 Cine 21: Interview with Bae Nara (Highlights)

"Shall we try a pose like this?" Bae Nara, without hesitation, orchestrates the situation as the photo shoot begins. Departing from the sensitive and sharp image portrayed in the work, Bae Nara dynamically transforms the atmosphere of the studio. Starting with the musical "Promise" in 2013 and appearing in 21 musicals, he celebrated his 10th debut anniversary in 2023, officially revealing himself on the screen. As Private Ahn Jangmin in "D.P." Season 2, a defector for the sake of a dream, and as Kwon Ohjae, subordinate to Yoo Sungpa (Kim Youngkwang) in "Evillive," he freely traversed the glamorous stage of a drag queen and the imposing noir world. Bae Nara, who has repeatedly stated, "I want to be an actor without boundaries," is already proving his potential.

The first time your face was revealed was on the music competition show "Phantom Singer" Season 3. Since then, you consistently seemed to be someone who would confidently walk the path of a musical actor.

"That's correct. Initially, I started studying practical music, but my vocal teacher suggested trying musicals, saying it would suit me well. I immersed myself completely after watching performance videos and eventually pursued a major in musical acting in college. It's not that I had no interest in media acting, but it felt like a completely different world to me. I thought it was more important to do what I'm doing now properly rather than missing everything by just looking around aimlessly. Then, the audition offer for the role of Jang Seongmin in "D.P." came unexpectedly early last year. It was quite surprising, but I couldn't pass up "D.P." because it was a show that was as enjoyable as it was shocking for viewers."

What did you think of the character Jang Seongmin?

"He seemed like a person lacking something. He must have had many concerns about his sexual identity, wanting to express himself on stage, but in the military, where there is no outlet for self-expression, he ultimately deserts. As a character completely isolated emotionally, the more I immersed myself, the more my energy waned. So, I made an effort to enjoy each shoot as much as possible."

The inner struggles of Jang Seongmin, who becomes more worn out over time, were well portrayed externally, especially the complex emotions when screaming at the deity while running away at the airport.

"To express that weariness, I lost a total of 10kg. About 4-5kg was lost during filming, and I took a break from strength training for about 6 months to reduce muscle mass. It was really challenging when I had to desperately run away as the deity. I thought about how to express Seongmin's agony well while running with a body cam. When a person is desperate, words often don't come out easily. And Seongmin seemed like someone who couldn't curse properly. So, instead of swearing, I ended the scene with a scream."

It seems like you pay attention to even the smallest details.

"I think unconventional expressions come out as you repeatedly contemplate when dealing with provocative portrayals. I've approached characters in that way even during performances. I continue to contemplate until I get to the set, and then I completely let it go on the spot."

It sounds similar to the attitude of going on stage. I've heard that many actors thoroughly practice but immerse themselves completely in the atmosphere of that day once on stage.

"That's right. That's how truly vibrant acting seems to come out. Being an actor is a profession where you constantly let go, and I feel that a lot."

In the drama, you sang the numbers "Wig in a Box" and "Midnight Radio" from the musical "Hedwig." Later, John Cameron Mitchell, the original creator of "Hedwig," posted the video on his SNS, praising you, which became a topic of discussion.

"My favorite musical is "Hedwig." I prepared for musical auditions by singing numbers from "Hedwig." But to have the creator of that work directly tag and praise me...I remember checking the news around 5 am and being so moved that I immediately contacted the director. It's a new experience to share a song that I've had deep affection for over a long period with viewers, especially at the point where I've been in the industry for 10 years."

Following that, you appeared in the drama "Evillive" as the character Kwon Ohjae. Although part of the Yoo Sungpa organization, he's not the type to resort to violence.

"He's in charge of the organization's brain, so to speak. Except for a few action scenes, he faithfully stays by Seo Doyoung's side, being exceptionally loyal. I enjoyed filming the noir genre as I like it, and although I had fun with the role of Kwon Ohjae, if given the chance, I'd like to challenge a more dynamic character."

It appears you've been cast as Na Baekjin in "Weak Hero Class 2. As the final boss in the original work, there might be a lot of action to showcase.

"That's why I'm diligently attending action school. Shooting action scenes, I realized that it's crucial to coordinate well with the co-actors to avoid injuries. So, I'm learning movements that can be captured stylishly on camera while ensuring safety."

Do you memorize action scenes like choreography?

"It seems to work for me; that's the familiar method, and it helps in quickly memorizing movements. Although it's not like dancing, I'm trying various movements to find what suits Na Baekjin."

Watching behind-the-scenes videos of various works, including the musical "Thrill Me," you come across as someone who enjoys joking around and has a bright personality. Have you ever thought about trying comedy or romance genres?

"Definitely! I've done a lot of dark roles lately, but I really want to try light and quirky characters or projects with personalities like "Reply 1988" or "Melting Me Softly." There's still a lot I want to show."

On the other hand, your taste in music is very emotional. In one interview, you mentioned songs like "Hyehwa-dong" by Dongmulwon, "Beautiful" by Position, and "Can I Love You" by Yang Dail as favorite songs.

"I like music that carries the 'scent of memories' for me. I have specific playlists for autumn, summer, and travel."

What song do you usually choose when travelling?

"I usually listen to Avicii's "The Nights." (Immediately plays the song) How about that? Doesn't it make you want to leave right away? (Laughs)"

**Actor Bae Nara's Relaxation Methods**

"I spend a day or two immersing myself in dramas or movies. Recently, I binge-watched "Our Blues" and "Twenty-Five Twenty-One." It's a series that made me laugh and cry a lot with each episode. I also enjoy cooking. The satisfaction after making food for myself and eating it deliciously is immense. I recently tried making fish cake soup for the first time, and as I'm on a diet, I often make Vietnamese spring rolls. I put tofu and egg in rice paper, dip it in Sriracha sauce, and it's surprisingly good for a diet recipe.

Cine 21, 2023

#bae nara #cine 21 #interview #weak hero class 2 #dp 2 #evillive

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th3-0bjectivist · 1 year

Video

youtube

Aaaaahhhhhh, Lucia Cifarelli! Dear listener, we’re smack-dab in the middle of Lady-Vocalist-Hotties-Who-Rock month here on my page, and Lucia is an inspiration to us all. Miss Cifarelli happened to inspire me in many ways over the years. And I’m not just referring to her smoking hot looks. I’m into her wide-ranging vocal prowess and aptitude for music-making as well. This is a woman who hit her fiftieth birthday two years ago… and I could not care less! She has aged like a fine wine and demonstrated mental and physical agility throughout her musical career. Lucia worked her way up from virtually nothing, spending her late teens and early 20’s song writing and shortly thereafter formulating a quick-burning and long-forgotten 90’s hard rock band called Drill. From there, she set upon a brief solo career, followed by a long-abiding partnership with a little anti-establishment German group you may have heard of called KMFDM. Lucia found her way into KMFDM through MDFMK, a very temporary off-shoot of the former, and eventually married KMFDM group founder Sascha Konietzko. Lucia struggled to achieve every scrap of her success in the music industry along the way. After reading some interviews with her, I’m convinced that even she thought she was destined for an alternate career serving fast food at certain points. However, miss Cifarelli is no average woman, and managed to impress the right people in the music world all the way up until she landed a permanent fixture in an already popular band, performing nearly 500 live shows with KMFDM in her prime and up to the present day. Hey, career-driven young women! You want an example of a powerful modern woman who deserved to realize her life’s aspirations? Lucia should be your CASE STUDY. She has demonstrated passion, personality, and profitability by fighting tooth-and-nail for her destiny. Even when she was at her lowest, Lucia didn’t lay down like a lazy fool when things got hard. She got up repeatedly after face-planting, dusted herself off, and tried again, and again, and AGAIN. She fought for every penny, every fan, and put high amounts of energy into her vocals and live shows to tackle her personal dreams! This is Little Rose from her first solo album in 2003, From the Land of Volcanos, which she has stated was recorded during one of the most desperate times in her life. Smash play, enjoy and stay tuned. One more week of hot lady vocalists coming up!

Sascha Konietzko… you are a lucky, LUCKY man. What are they putting in the water in Germany? Droplets from the fountain of youth? This photo was taken a mere six years ago. She’s somehow managed to age in reverse over the years! Image source: https://twitter.com/LuciaKMFDM/status/907366045668737024

#lucia cifarelli #from the land of volcanos #little rose #kmfdm fame #rock #alternative rock #music on tumblr #music #audio video #audio on tumblr #sascha konietzko #soloist #incredible voice #somehow is getting younger as she ages #electronic rock

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whats-wild-to-you · 1 year

Note

could you do one with Jay x female idol? they hate each other but have to perform a song together and now their company wants them to go on tour

something like this?👇____________________________________________

"This song is perfect for a duet." Staff at More Vision exclaimed, when Jay played them his newly recorded song.

"I don't know. I thought so too, but who would fit this style?"

Immediately the staff started throwing your name around.

"Anyone but her!" Jay shouted out and dismissed them.

You were a trained idol but had left your company and group years ago. Desperate to shake off the idol image you released one controversial song after the other, and was involved in many scandals. Your previous company, who was under a lot of fire, eventually dropped you a year ago, and you were having a hard time finding a new one.

Despite being willing to change your image and the fact that you were an incredible singer, there wasn't any company who wanted to hire you. So for the past year you released songs independently, and made just enough to cover your rent and expenses.

Then one day someone approached you, asking you if you'd be interested to collaborate with Jay Park.

You looked at the man suspiciously but still agreed to listen to the song. It was made perfectly and the melody inspired you instantly. You started jamming and came up with a rap verse on the spot.

Not knowing who the man was, or the fact that he had recorded you, you parted ways soon after.

His manager picked up Jay the next day to drive him to his schedules.

"Should we listen to some music?" He asked and Jay nodded sleepily. He opened his eyes, ready to protest when his own song started playing, saying that his manager knew he didn't like listening to his own music when suddenly a woman started rapping.

"Who is this?"

"Don't you recognize her, hyung? It's y/n!"

"What did you do?"

"Don't be mad. I know you liked it, her voice fits the song perfectly! For your performance tonight I think you should bring her out to sing the song with you!"

"Did you tell her I would?"

"No. She has no idea."

"Damn, I know you're right, but she had all kinds of scandals in the past."

"Maybe, but don't you think she deserves a second chance?"

Jay didn't get to answer as the car arrived on location and he was ushered inside by staff.

When he got back in the car four hours later he sighed and told his manager to contact you.

"Just for one performance! Make that clear!"

You couldn't believe your luck when Jay's manager told you about it. Maybe this was it. Your turning point. It didn't matter that you had to drive to the venue yourself or that you had to do your own hair and makeup and find a stage-worthy outfit to wear. You were sure that it would pay off.

You were waiting backstage, watching Jay perform in front of a large crowd. When his new song started playing, someone came and gave you a microphone, pushing you on stage at Jay's cue.

You didn't know how his predominantly female fans would react, and smiled brightly when you saw that they genuinely liked your rap.

You tried to connect with Jay on stage but he pushed you away as soon as the song ended. Still, you were exhilarated, floating on cloud nine.

Later that night, in bed, you checked twitter. Jay had tweeted, thanking the fans for their support and mentioned the good atmosphere. No mentions of you though, but that was to be expected. One look at him and you knew he didn't like you.

"Well, I'm not too fond of you either!" You said, checking the comments under his tweet. Surprisingly, a lot of his fans asked who the girl on stage with him was, while others mentioned your name and killer vocals. Immediately his fans demanded more collaborations with you.

A few days later Jay received invitations to perform that song on every music show, with you of course. While initially dismissing the idea, his managers convinced him, claiming it would be great publicity and good for his image.

"Why does it have to be with her though?" He protested.

But he agreed to it anyway, making sure that you knew you'd have to pay for all your expenses yourself. You gladly accepted, thinking it was the only way to redeem yourself. Passing by Jay's wardrobe on the day of the last tv recording, you heard him say how you probably latched on to him in hopes of clearing your name, even maybe receive help from him. Disappointed you returned your microphone and went home. A few weeks later the song had won 1st place on every music show and Jay's fans demanded that he bring you out on tour with him.

When Jay's manager visited you again and brought it up, you declined but thanked him for the opportunity. He got up to leave but then turned around asking for the reason why.

"I don't want to look like a leech!"

The manager relayed the message to Jay and you received a DM from him the next day.

It seems like you heard something I now regret saying. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, I don't think you're a leech and your contribution made the song stand out. Please reconsider. My manager will contact you soon.

You dismissed the message initially, but went back a couple times that day and reread it. When you opened your DM's at night, you raised an eyebrow when you saw that Jay's DM had been deleted. The next day his manager met with you again.

"Be honest! You sent that DM, not Jay. Am I right?"

"I did. Have you checked social media? People want you to perform that song."

"And what does your boss say about all of this?"

"It's difficult since you don't have a company. And he doesn't want people to speculate that he'll sign you."

"Of course. No, he wouldn’t sign me. Can I meet Jay?"

"Sure."

He arranged for you to meet Jay while he was on schedule. You knew he wasn't overly fond of you and you weren't exactly his fan either, but you promised yourself to try and have a civil conversation.

"Maybe I could post something on twitter, like oh I'm sorry but I'm busy."

"Everyone knows you're not!"

"For your information, I record songs often. Granted, it's tough to come up with the money to pay for the studio but whenever I can, I record music. And I write lyrics daily, so I'm not lazy either."

"It's not that I don-"

"You don't have to explain yourself. Everyone knows you help those you like, nothing wrong with that. I won't hold it against you. Nor did I ever think you'd help me get my break."

"I don't help the artists I like, I help those who deserve it."

"Wow! Okay, then."

You left in a hurry, immediately pulling out your phone and typing a tweet, making sure to tag Jay in it.

Thank you to all who cheered on me. I loved that song, that’s why I collaborated on it. But this was a one time thing only. I’m busy making my own music and I’m sure you’d prefer to not share Jay. xoxo

Shaking your head, you sent that tweet, asking yourself what you did for Jay to hate you that much.

#jay park #more soju please #park jaebum #park jaybum #park jaebeom #ask request #send me asks #ask response #asks open #anon ask #ask me anything #anon request

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juleecruisearchive · 1 year

Text

Cruise Control

by Ted Drozdowski There’s something eerie about Julee Cruise, beyond her music — which drifts along the spine like a damp breeze from a musty cellar. It’s in her poise; she stands as if she were on a high pedestal. It’s in the gauzy dresses and hair that make her look as if she’d fallen from a cumulus cloud. And it’s in the utter emotionless of her voice, as pallid as her face, with its curious wide eyes.

Obviously something’s not quite right about this singer of love songs penned by filmmaker David Lynch and producer-arranger Angelo Badalamenti. Cruise, who gave an intentionally languid performance at the Paradise on November 13, is a figment, a spinoff of the perplexing dogfaced woman in Lynch's first film, Eraserhead, who lives somewhere in the floorboards beneath the radiator and sings, plaintively, “In Heaven, everything is fine.”

Yet there’s something accessible about Cruise. Her lyrics are usually fragile, telling stories about hurting and wanting and dreaming. This is something everyone can relate to. And unlike the other young women who appear on Twin Peaks, who look like ’90s updates of ’50s sweater girls, it’s easy to identify with the plainness of her looks beneath her white, wispy wig.

It’s no easier to tell what Lynch’s intentions were in creating Julee Cruise than it is to predict the next plot twist in his TV series. Sex, death, and other obsessions usually figure in his myth building, but how they fit into any of his creative equations is known to no one save the caffeinated conceptualist himself. In truth, Cruise is more re-creation than creation. Before she was recruited by Lynch and Badalamenti for last year’s haunting and curious Floating Into the Night album, the New York-based singer was an old-school belter who was wailing her way through the role of Janis Joplin in an Off Broadway production. In a complete 180, she’s now a whispery chanteuse whose style straddles late-’50s/early-’60s rock and cocktail-lounge jazz. It’s a music gently stirred, but too composed and surreal to be shaken.

On record, Cruise is the secret knock on the door of the speakeasy of lost souls. Her music opens into a space that’s dark and smoky; songs like “Falling” and “The Swan” evoke the desperate melancholy of the patrons. Glasses tinkle, hearts break, dimly familiar faces pass in the shadows.

Live, the spell is broken. What seems moody at home is stilted in a club with a few hundred patrons, ringing cash registers, real bar sounds, and a half-dozen musicians sequestered on stage.

Cruise’s set shifted from sad-eyed but subtle rock numbers like the girl-group-derived “Rockin’ Back Inside My Heart” and “I Remember” (full of shoo-bops, ebbing major chords, and throbbing tremolo’d guitar) to odder, more ethereal pieces like “Floating,” which mated a pretty keyboard melody with a synthesizer sound like wind, whispering behind Cruise’s already acutely breathy vocals.

To deliver these songs, Cruise abandons her power cords and tiptoes to the heights of her range. And when she does, she sounds more angel than dark spirit. At the Paradise, a harmonizer and clever arrangements pitting her voice and synthesizers in the same territory extended her palette. Often she was closely accompanied by the ghost of her own voice.

In David Lynch’s world, appearance is nearly everything. And Cruise worked hard to retain her preternatural image. She often held herself in a semblance of a trance state, eyes straight ahead and seemingly unfocused, her body rigid and rarely in motion. She held her hands by her side like small wings, breaking the posture only to acknowledge graciously the generous applause between numbers.

With three synthesizers, electric bass, and guitar, the most openly organic thing on stage was Scott Huron’s saxophone, which he used for a bellowing solo on the instrumental “Pinky’s Bubble Egg.” As Huron solo’d, Cruise made a costume change from a pink-white prom gown to a print dress.

As unusual and unsettling as the music Cruise, Lynch, and Badalamenti forge can be, its lack of dynamics becomes disconcerting live. Cruise also tends to use the same type of snowy phrasing, and the arrangements depend so largely on synthesizers and samples that things begin to sound the same after a few numbers. Nice for a living-room mood piece, maybe, but a live performance demands more.

To the Peaks freaks in the front row, that didn’t seem to matter. Males all, they stared rapturously up into Cruise’s face through the entire set. After all, they’d seen her on the tube three nights earlier, and now here she was in the vaguely ectoplasmic flesh. Maybe they share whatever fantasies Cruise enlivens for Lynch. But some of us were shuffling— waiting for a guitar solo, for a keyboard melody that used more than a half-dozen notes and didn’t sound like something Philip Glass has chucked into his licensed “Who killed Laura Palmer?” wastebasket. Not that this was a bad performance. It was merely disappointing. It showed that a myth made real is no longer a myth, and loses its magic. Source: The Boston Phoenix November 23 1990

#1990 #julee cruise #newspaper clippings #review #Floating Into the Night #twin peaks #david lynch #angelo badalamenti #The Boston Phoenix #live

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sinceileftyoublog · 1 year

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Hedvig Mollestad Interview: The Rhythm of Care

Photo by Kim Hiorthøy

BY JORDAN MAINZER

On her upcoming album Maternity Beat, Norwegian guitarist and composer Hedvig Mollestad redefines what it means to be maternal. Though she has two kids, her exploration of motherhood is not autobiographical, nor is it dependent on having children at all. Really, Mollestad boils the concept down to its essence: caring for something other than yourself.

Around the European migrant crisis of 2015/2016, Mollestad had her first child but was faced with images, whether on the news or in person, of immigrants from Syria coming to Europe to request asylum, many of whom had young children of their own. At the same time the unfortunate nativist aftereffects of the crisis arose around the world, Mollestad was beginning to feel like she needed to do something different with her music. She drafted Maternity Beat for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and pitched it to the Molde International Jazz Festival and Midtnorsk Jazzsenter. While they rejected it in 2017, they eventually accepted it for the Festival’s 60th anniversary in 2020, which, unlike so many other festivals that year, actually did go on, albeit at a much lower audience capacity. Last October, Mollestad and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra recorded Maternity Beat, which finally sees release next Friday on Rune Grammofon.

Though the recorded version of Maternity Beat is a bit shorter due to studio time and vinyl constraints, the ideas are consistent: It’s a piece about how we support each other and help each other grow. Mollestad knew pretty early that she wanted to include spoken word, or at least voice, on the record, and from the very first track, we’re presented with what’s at stake: “Is there a boat on the horizon? / With mothers and children and fathers?” Atop rolling drums and sharp guitars, and eventually woodwinds that sound somewhat hopeful, we experience the rollercoaster of emotions brought upon by these images of desperation. “Do Re Mi Ma Ma” contains improvised nonsensical vocals that sound like a baby trying to say their first words, and clattering drums that are akin to how one might play with their toys. Eventually, the band picks back up, with horn blasts and searing guitar solos, the song developing in sophistication along the way. “Her Own Shape” is comparatively subdued, inspired by parents giving their children tools they need to create, with peaceful, wordless harmonies over bendy, exploratory guitars.

But it’s “Donna Ovis Peppa” that’s the album’s centerpiece, touching on the brunt of the record’s themes. The title itself is inspired by the phrase Dona nobis pacem (“Grant us Peace”), which comes from the Agnus Dei section of the Roman Catholic mass. “Ovis” itself is a play on Ove, the name of the father of Mollestad’s childhood best friend, who was a big supporter of her as a child and was sick with cancer at the time Mollestad was writing Maternity Beat. “I had a little contact with his family...in spring of 2020,” Mollestad told me over Zoom a couple weeks ago. “I had this urge to make something in this music for him. That’s the 5/4 pattern in the middle. It’s made only for him and his family.” He ended up passing away the day before Mollestad and the Orchestra performed for the first time. The last part of the song’s title is, yes, inspired by Peppa Pig, whose instrumental theme you can hear in the song if you listen closely enough. Mollestad’s children loved Peppa Pig, and though they’re too old for it now, I guess she wanted to nod at least once to her own motherhood.

Read my conversation with Mollestad below, edited for length and clarity, in which we talk about the album’s themes, working as a guitarist with a large orchestra, and the distinctive cover art.

Since I Left You: Last time we were talking, you mentioned Maternity Beat in context of reading Dag Hoel’s Fred er ei det beste, about ammunition production in Norway. Now, I understand the context, you thinking about the world you want your child to grow up in. As such, this album is your first time exploring gender and motherhood in relation to your music, which you were reticent to do before. Why was that, and what changed?

Hedvig Mollestad: The main reason in the beginning was as simple as I thought it was very important for there to be female instrumentalists where [people] were only talking about their instruments and their craft, the subject of their music and guitar and art. Very often, I saw female musicians being asked to comment on their gender, and of course, male musicians never were. So I was very strict on that. Gender-related stuff wasn’t my expertise. My experience with it would have been a very selective voice to the matter. If someone wanted to know something about it, they could find some good feminist research about it.

Music and art today are fighting a lot against the media. At the same time, it’s a way of reaching people, as that’s the nature of music, to be heard by others if not necessarily everyone. You want to find a way of getting into the ears of people who appreciate it. But [the media] is also problematic because it’s taking away the focus from the music itself. Very many musicians have to work with the media to be there in the right way, and you have to produce and tell people you’ve done it and present it in a way. [The media] grasping into the places where the art is made and taking over a little bit. For that reason, I was trying to focus on the music. As it’s instrumental music, I don’t have lyrics I can pull meanings and philosophies from.

Now, as I’m 40 and a mother of two, I’ve understood that as a touring musician and a composer, it’s also important for others that mothers are visible as musicians. Now, I’m sharing a little bit more for both female and male musicians. Touring as a family member is hard. It’s very good for the community to be open about it and talk about it and share our experiences. I’m also in a position to be able to work with my music as it is.

I was playing with my much beloved Trio for many many years. I started feeling that I wanted to make music for other kind of ensembles using other kinds of instruments and expressions. [I had the idea for Maternity Beat] very early in 2017, and I drafted it for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and the Festival. They didn’t pick it up at the time, but they picked it up a couple years later for their 60th anniversary. It took some time for it to come to live. I started to work on it and was supposed to work on it at the start of 2020. The pandemic came. The festival was so big, they decided to go through with it even though the capacity would be very low and very uncertain. I got to work on this February-June of 2020. The children were not in school. I spent time with them during the day when my boyfriend was working, and when he came home, I just left the house for my rehearsing and working space. I worked the evening and the night and came back. It was very focused and so undisturbed. It was such a good place to dig into another world, thematically and in terms of deeper structures and working them out all the way.

SILY: When did you start to think about motherhood and parenthood as it relates to the various social issues you explore on the album, like the migrant crisis?

HM: The idea for this music was first and foremost musical. I wanted to write for a big orchestra, and I wanted to put the guitar in a way that could drive it without taking up too much space and without being an instrument like the saxophone and the trumpets [that are] playing lines. The title Maternity Beat was very good to work from because it suggested rhythm and something that, yes, [has to do with] motherhood, but also mother earth. I wanted to connect it to my experiences, but I was also clear to myself from the beginning that it wasn’t going to exclude anyone. It’s not about being a mother; it’s about caring. What’s happening when you’re caring for someone or something? What’s waking us up to care for others? For people that have children, it could be parenthood, but it doesn’t necessarily have to me. Many people have bad relationships with their parents [or no parents] at all. [Maternity Beat] is a way of describing how we care and what makes us care. That’s the only thing we have in common. We all come from parents, but not all of us know them or like them.

When you’re a new mother, you’re very full of hormones, and it’s very overwhelming. Suddenly, another life is relying on you and your presence so much. That was very shocking for me as it is for very many new parents. There are so many parents and children around the world that have so many bigger issues than putting their kids to bed and making them go to sleep. When the migrant crisis happened in Norway in Europe in 2015/2016, that was when I had my first child. I found it very disturbing we were [having] this amazing experience at the same time there was a crisis for people in my situation. I was going around and making my baby fall asleep, but I felt like I wanted to go and help others because they really needed it. It’s a cliché, but with the loss of power you feel when a global crisis comes close, it feels meaningless to go on with your life and letting [the crisis] pass by on the side. So I didn’t want the album to be about [speaks in precious voice] my child and the beauty of life. It’s such a harsh contrast and still is.

SILY: Even though your music doesn’t usually have lyrics, this album does have passages of spoken word that allude to what you’re talking about. At what point during the creative process did you realize you wanted something more lyrical on here?

HM: I knew it quite early, because I was setting up what type of musicians I wanted to be a part of the project. I wanted to use vocalists for that purpose, not just to use their voice but to speak words that had meaning. I also knew very early I wanted the opening track to contain lyrics about the darkest part of this, to set the pace and get it over with. [laughs] For the first track, I was very inspired by Scott Walker and the opening of Tilt. It hasn’t been many years since I heard that for the first time. It made such an impression on me. The atmosphere that he creates, and the emotionlessness of the words. [sings] “Do I hear, 21, 21, 21.” There’s no metaphor. It’s very simple yet extremely powerful. I really wanted to go in that direction because the focus he managed to make there is really amazing. During the composing process, I wanted to have different theories in different parts of the music. I didn’t want it to be one big fat sausage. I wanted various things represented, both humorous and my experiences with motherhood. So I put in the words for when I thought [the music] needed it.

SILY: You really get at what you’re aiming for on “Her Own Shape”, which is about parents giving children the space and tools they need to thrive. That song is so spacious as compared to the rest of the record, almost like a canvas that demands to be filled.

HM: The words [on that song] are so very specific and filled up with serious meaning, the music cannot be as emotional as the text. It should be beautiful and easygoing, and a place for that lyric to be able to be what it is without too much disturbance.

SILY; Can you talk about the song “Do Re Mi Ma Ma”?

HM: The recorded version is a lot shorter than what we’re doing live. There’s a wonderful transition from the first part to the second. In general, [on the record], I was very specific for how the lyrics should be performed. I read them, recorded it how I wanted it to be, how short, etc. But I wanted to give [the vocalists] a task where they were a lot freer. So I thought, “Okay, what’s the [simplest] thing they could say?” It was, “ma.” So I gave them 5 minutes of improvisation. I said, “You can use 'ma,' but you have to avoid it sounding like 'mama,' at least for the first three minutes.” It was so funny and so interesting how they worked around that. I also wanted to have a bassline pattern that I could write so I could focus on the horns and trumpet section. “On The Horizon, Part 2″ has a lot of things happening with the band, very busy patterns with the guitar and the time signature changes. So I wanted to [follow it with] this very slow, bluesy bass riff where I could get the most out of the horns. That was a good thing to bring together with the vocalists.

SILY: You mentioned wanting to use the guitar in unexpected ways with this orchestra. Both of the singles, “All Flights Cancelled” and “On The Horizon, Part 2″, do that. When you think, “Guitar in a jazz orchestra,” you don’t necessarily hear the sounds of those two songs.

HM: “All Flights Cancelled” is a band song, with an A part and a B part. Rune Grammofon released that single first, but I think it’s the least orchestrated piece on the whole record because it’s only the band. I like it because it has a whole other mood than when we recorded it with the Trio. It was a good way to break everything up and bring back the focus to what I’m usually working on, which is the guitar in a band setting. [This time,] it was much more complex and involved a lot more composing. It was so hard to make it fit with the rest of the music. It had to be pointy and very audible. I’m not used to pointy and audible; I want to be broader. The tempo was quite high, and the time signature was changing. [The drummer] was really mixing the ingredients. That helped a lot with the role of the guitar, which had to be restricted.

SILY: I was also surprised by how much music from other regions of the world snuck in. “Donna Ovis Peppa” had some klezmer, and the hand percussion on “Maternity Sweep” was almost Latin. Was that intentional?

HM: I don’t think it was very intentional, but it was important for me to have percussion, other rhythmic impulses besides drums, to have another person go crazy on all these other rhythmic sounds. It’s an orchestra, and it should be in the drum section as well. The percussionist was instructed very little. He was encouraged to do what he thought would fit. Then we worked on it. We used congas and so many woodblocks! He was very free there. He’s amazing and eager and has so many ideas. He’s so vibrant and was working so hard. He was the one who left the studio the latest.

SILY: What’s the inspiration behind the cover art?

HM: I’ve been working with Kim [Hiorthøy] since the first record I released on Rune 11 years ago. When I signed there, cover art was one of the only things I couldn’t decide. They said, “Kim is making the covers, and he’s making them the way he wants. If you really hate it, you can tell me, and he’ll make another one, but if you just don’t like it, it’s not enough.” I was very cool with that because Kim is amazing. But I really wanted to have pictures on the covers. I talked to him about it, and he was cool about it. When we make new covers, we meet up, talk, maybe have a beer, hang around at some strange place. For the first cover, we did a lot of straight things. I showed him around my rehearsal room while he was taking photos. For the second, he came to a gig. For the third, we went to his very small studio. For the fourth, it was outside where I used to live. Then he came to the rehearsal space again. He’s into closed places.

When Maternity Beat came up, it was obvious it was something a little different, elevating on a philosophical level. I don’t know why, but I think he wanted to try another technique. He suggested we would do it in two processes. He would first take photos of me and then project it. I instantly liked that idea because it was very analog and something I could relate and connect to. He couldn’t fix it; he had to develop the film, make small [versions], and then we could meet up again. It was going to be a process that would take some time. I came back [to him] and brought my grandmother’s dress, and we tried different ways of projecting me on myself. It was another way of working with him. Of course, it took a lot more time, but it didn’t matter because it’s so nice to spend time with him. Whatever session I have with him, something extraordinary comes out of it. He has an eye for something else. He’s not looking for the face, or what the media tells us is beautiful. He’s looking for something very human, other structures in a photo. There’s so much to think about when I see all of his photos, which is so much better than having a big, fat face on the cover.

SILY: You mentioned “Do Re Mi Ma Ma” is a lot longer live. Are there any other stark differences between the recorded and live versions of these songs?

HM: Yeah. There are very many transitions that have been left out. There’s even a whole part with a lyric and an improvised piece that had to be left out because of time limitations both in the studio and on the vinyl. We haven’t performed this live more than twice, but it was a main idea to have transitions. “Do Re Mi Ma Ma” is one of them. There was a longer part in “On The Horizon, Part 1″ where Ingebjørg [Loe Bjørnstad] actually spoke in Norwegian. There was a solo bass transition at some point. For the record, I really wanted to shape and tighten things up because there was so much going on anyway. I was pleading on my knees to have a conductor. It was freaking impossible to play this piece and still get the most out of a horn section, putting them in where they were supposed to be. I was with the guitar in another room. We tried to do most of it as live as possible. But we had to move a little away from that because I couldn’t do all of those tasks. We [did get] a [conductor] who was working with the horn section--saxophone, trumpet, flute, and violin--and taking over the score. I really depended on him. He was really important in making the peaks as good as they are. I wouldn’t have managed to do that without him.

SILY: Do you have any upcoming dates playing this material?

HM: Yes, in a year. That’s because I have this big residency at a Norwegian festival in July, playing so many different shows with a lot of different projects. I’m going to have to work for 6 months. But next October, we’re going to have 5 shows in Europe. It could be that some of them have to be in Norway. It would be amazing to go to New York and play there. The Jazz Orchestra have played there. I really hope we can play this live.

SILY: Anything you’ve been listening to, reading, or watching lately?

HM: I’ve started to only read newspapers since February. I stopped reading news online. It got to me. [But my decision] freed up a space inside of me, not worrying as much. I feel happier.

I’ve been listening a lot to Led Zeppelin lately, as well as a lot of fellow musicians in Norway.

I’ve been touring a lot.

youtube

#interviews #hedvig mollestad #trondheim jazz orchestra #molde international jazz festival #Midtnorsk Jazzsenter #maternity beat #kim hiorthøy #rune grammofon #zoom #peppa pig #dag hoel #fred er ei det beste #scott walker #tilt #hedvig mollestad trio #Ingebjørg Loe Bjørnstad #led zeppelin

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deep-hearts-core · 2 years

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2004 - final

originally posted 8/14/20

Spain A nice solid way to start the show. This is definitely the best of the year's latin entries - maybe it's just because it sounds more authentic in Spanish or coming from Spain? But yeah, Ramon is also a great performer which helps, he's super energetic throughout but it doesn't come off as desperate or anything. Austria The fandom really doesn't like this one, apparently, and I don't get why. It's nice! The chorus is really sweet, and when the harmonies lock in it's good to listen to. The vocals here are definitely lackluster, though, not bad but sometimes shaky, and this seems to be a really showy contest and Austria didn't put on a huge show, so by comparison I can see how this looks boring to people. Norway This is really 80s. And honestly I kinda like it? Norway always sends pretty quality stuff and I don't think this is an exception. The performance is really well executed here, there's show and there's energy from Knut but there's also some sincerity to it; vocals are good and like I said the song has a retro feel that I don't always love but here it's enjoyable.

France I get older ESC vibes from this one too. Maybe 90s? I don't like it as much as Norway, though, it feels less cohesive somehow. Jonatan's image doesn't match the vibe of the song, and neither of those really match the staging, especially the way the backing singers were dressed. The dancer on the stilts felt the most out of place. Jonatan is a really strong singer though so that helps. Germany It's just alright. Max has zero charisma and the song doesn't seem to be super in his range, especially in the last chorus. This also gives me Jack Johnson kinda vibes which is really super not my thing. For the most part, though, the vocals are okay, and I appreciate the simplicity of it, much like Cyprus' entry. It works if you like that sort of thing, I guess. Belgium I'm not crazy about it. Overall good performance but Eurodance isn't really my thing. Russia An aggressively mediocre song with hecking weird staging. Julia is an alright performer but the staging is so out there and the song is really nothing special. It's okay relative to the shitshow of a year that 2004 is but if this had been entered in, say, 2006 or 2007, I would have hated it. Iceland I'm really disappointed by this, actually. Jonsi has such a great voice, maybe one of my favorite voices of the year, and it's absolutely wasted on such a boring song as this. I get the feeling I'll rank this one midtable at BEST. Ireland This is another one that's really boring! Ugh! And I don't like his voice nearly as much as Jonsi's either.

Poland I don't really like this one. It's mostly repetitive, but when it changes things up the transition is messy and it feels like the pieces don't go together. Also, this isn't a genre I enjoy - it's slower and has that beach music feel like the German entry does, and then it combines that with the Latin trend of the year. United Kingdom Well, it's better than Ireland? I think because it has a little more of a build to it and the melody isn't as forgettable. James has a nice voice I guess. I don't actively dislike it. Turkey This has a really strong beginning but the chorus. This chorus. God it feels like it goes on forever and it just sounds the same each time through and it is just so repetitive and I don't get it. This is one of those songs that's just, like, wow, some host entries really have a certain quality to them... like Ukraine 2005 or 2017, or Russia 2009. Romania Thanks I hate it. Bad song, bad staging, don't like her voice. There's a lot of trash in this year's competition but I think that that bridge section is one of the worst things in the entire finale show. Sweden Song is okay, but I take a lot of issue with the staging. I don't know how old Lena was in this performance, but in this video she seems... too old to be thrusting over the mic stand like that and to be dancing around on the stage at the end. It doesn't feel youthful, it feels childish. And that hairstyle doesn't do her any favors because it keeps her face in shadow for, like, half the first verse - I'm not even sure she's comfortable with what she's doing. My top 36

Ukraine

Norway

Cyprus

Albania

Croatia

Monaco

Serbia & Montenegro

Sweden

Spain

United Kingdom

Estonia

Belarus

Austria

Netherlands

Denmark

Andorra

Portugal

Slovenia

Malta

Ireland

Finland

Iceland

Latvia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Germany

Belgium

Turkey

North Macedonia

Israel

Russia

France

Poland

Greece

Switzerland

Lithuania

Romania

Gosh, this is hard. I like so few of the songs that this was just freaking impossible to do.

Voting/intervals One of the things that's confusing me here is that they don't actually announce the end of voting, they just show the timer run out onscreen. And they just make the interval act go the whole way through. It wasn't even a great interval act. I am amused by how, whenever the audience boos something, someone just plays a really loud recording of people cheering. So when Sweden gives Norway three points the Norwegian commentator laughs and is just like "thanks, Sweden. Thanks for saving us from nul points"

Thoughts after watching First of all. Here's the thing about Norway being my second place. Is it a memorable song? Absolutely not! Is it, like, super high quality? Not really. Do I like it? Yes. It's one of the few songs from 2004 that actually holds up sixteen years after the initial performance and it's my second place and that's fine. I love Wild Dances as a winner and I think Turkey did a good job hosting as a whole, but the song quality for this year was just atrocious. Like I said in my last post... Wild Dances truly was the only song good enough to win that year.

#esc reviews

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hcrexcellency · 4 months

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( angela sarafyan, 45 , she/they , demi-woman , Ferrero #3 ) - have you seen SALOME RICCI (NEE FERRERO)? we’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re GENTLE but also UNLUCKY. when you think of them , you think of FIRST BLOOM OF SPRING, A FULL GLASS OF HOME-MADE WINE, AND TIRED HANDS BRUSHING A HORSE’S HAIR.

Basics:

Name: Salome Ricci (nee Ferrero) Title: Duchess of Bronte Age: 45 Birthday: September 23rd (Libra) Sexuality: Demisexual Marital Status: VERY married Positive Traits: Gentle, generous, soft, empathetic, patient Negative Traits: Cautious, judgmental, unlucky, indecisive, secretive. Hobbies: Gardening, horseback riding

The Story (tw; illness, depression):

The Ferrero family are perfectionists as a way to compensate for their lack of glittering gold crowns atop their heads and cushioned velvet thrones beneath their bums. Salome's upbringing was certainly evidence of their desperate need to maintain their image of exceptional breeding and upbringing. By the ripe age of 5, she had the most beautiful voice in all of Italy. It was miraculous how such a little girl could sing such melodies that could stop all war and end all strife. But it was the family's intention to make her singing as a weapon; the shiniest toy in the chest to prove just how superior the Ferrero's were. Salome trained tirelessly for years to strengthen her gift until the age of 18, when her songs weren't as sweet as they once were. A physician discovered that they contracted an uncontrollable disease that ripped through her vocal chords, which was only made worse by her overusing and overworking them. If they ever wanted to hum a tune for their own leisure, they must never be permitted to sing on a grand stage ever again. Devastated, Salome was The Ferrero Family's greatest disappointment, a stain on their tapestry. If she could not perform, she was useless. The sadness seeped into her skin and would have nearly destroyed her if it were not for a retreat to the Sicilian countryside, where she encountered the Ricci family and their eldest son, Angelo. Never were two so destined for one another. As far as the Ferrero's were concerned, at least she could become a good wife and a duchess, and so they permitted the marriage and by the age of 20, Salome turned to a new life. Angelo's way of life on the land was entirely foreign against the backdrop of diamonds and ivory marble floors, but she was so desperate for a change of scenery that she accepted it with open arms. Suddenly, her marble halls were turned into trees of fruit and berries. The polished floors were muddy in the rainy season and dusty in the dry season. Her perfectly hemmed dresses were now covered in dirt and pollen. Flowers of all colors found homes in their hair each time they set foot outside. The animals were her chosen children until they decided to make a family of their own. Out of fear of spreading their illness to biological offspring, they decided to adopt children. It reminded them an awful lot of how their lost soul needed a new life, and now they would do that for little children they would call her own. Through the years, Salome's reflection of themselves has changed. Once she was a picture-perfect Lady, smiling to mask the tortured tears that often fell down her face as her tired voice cried for help. Now, they were as free and pure as the air in the trees, energy shifting from the earth to the sky to send messages of hope and optimism, despite how many unlucky trials life may throw their way. A lady no longer, but sunlight, breeze, dew, and flowers.

SIMILAR CHARACTERS: Lucy Gray Baird (The Hunger Games), Maria Von Trapp (The Sound of Music), Persephone (The Goddess of Spring), Mary-Margaret Blanchard (Once Upon a Time), Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender).

WC's

Her Eldest Sibling: This would be the Duke/Duchess Ferrero, the catalyst of the perfectionist way of life. In this new life that she's lived for over twenty years, their eldest sibling is now the exact opposite of her, and they cannot stand how she has seemingly rejected being a Ferrero altogether (b/c she has).

Friends: Honestly, Salome is just nice to everyone, so feel free to interact with them as you please.

Someone Taking Advantage of Her: I just think a negative sort of connection would be so interesting because Salome's kindness is often confused with them being naive and that is definitely not the case. She will snap when she needs to, especially to protect her babies.

#muse ; 𝚂𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚌𝚌𝚒 #francehq.intro

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alarrytale · 7 months

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I got curious and looked under the queerbaiting hashtag on twitter and they literally call anyone and everyone a queerbaiter. They just throw that word around like it means nothing. Harry, TS and BBunny seem to be the main targets. I came across the queerbaiter hierarchy pic that you posted a while back and some of us had wondered why TS wasn't on there, although I do think she's queer, but I saw that a TS fan made it so that explains why lol. I saw that a male Brazillian music artist who is already out as bisexual, he made a music vid with a female love interest and the posts and quotes are full of queerbaiter comments, he's getting so much abuse and he's out as bisexual lol. Male celebrities are being labelled queerbaiters for posting sexy pics, the gays say they're trying to appeal to them. It's insane on there. I don't go on tiktok or IG but I saw comments about how they're kind of echo chambers for twitter and queerbaiter accusations and thrown around on them too. I'm trying to figure out if queerbaiting accusations are of any concern or is it just strictly online discourse? Does the gp care about it at all or it's just a very vocal minority? Do they have any real consequences? I know it forced Kit to CO but he seems to be an exception. I'm not sure if many others have been affected by it. Maybe D*ve C*meron, I think she CO because of them. She said she was flagging but people mistook it for queerbaiting. I wonder if the accusations would ever affect someone as famous as Harry or TS. They get a ton of hate online but their music is still performing well. The thing is, the accusations are all over the media too so there's got to be gp reading those articles. I feel like the queerbaiting accusations have damaged Harry's image but there's no proof of that other than online discourse, I guess we'll have to see how his next album performs. What do you think?

Hi, anon!

You have to keep in mind that queerbaiting is about baiting queers. It's a marketing strategy to appeal and cater to a large potential target group, the queers. The queers are a minority, who's traditionally been repressed by straights. They were never given a voice. Queers are desperate for representation and normalisation and someone to give them a voice, so they grasp on to celebs queercoding and wants to support them. Some straight celebs take advantage of that for monetary reasons and queers feels duped.

Queerbaiting is problematic and frowned upon, but it can be very hard to differentiate between celebs queerbaiting and queercoding. So half a fandom will think a celeb is queercoding and another half think the same celeb is queerbaiting. I think it becomes an issue if the biggest portion of the fandom is queer or queers are the biggest target group (like with Kit). I don't think most of the gp cares about this since they're mostly straight. It might become a problem for celebs with mainly straight fans if they're actually queer (like with Harry). Because they're rejected by their own community. But the sales and their popularity won't take a hit since their fandom is predominantly straight.

So in short, the consequences depends on the make up of your fandom (straight vs gay majority, and gp vs stan majority) and if you are actually queer or not.

#queerbaiting #harry image #fandom #it's fridayyyy!

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luvstrangers · 8 months

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REVIEW - Good & Great by KEY

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE: i am a locket

Good And Great (title) 8/10

Sonically pretty one-note with the kick, hi-hat, bass guitar and occasional piano. I think it’s the fleeting synths that keep this from being boring, along with key’s performance. There’s not much going on instrumentally which means that the vocalist needs to have good energy to carry it. Fortunately, Key can do that. If anyone else released this it would be a snooze, but Good and Great works for key’s style. I can see this having a place on a commute-to-work playlist next to Fighting by BSS (which is what I wanted this song to be), but I think it’s kind of a step back for Key musically. This could be a B-side on I Wanna Be. Nonetheless I’m nodding along.

2. Can’t Say Goodbye 8/10

Some good ole’ disco funk. This song is driven nicely by the four-on-the-floor percussion which is well put in the mix to be present but not drown out the rest of the instruments. Like Good and Great, it’s basic but does the basics well. I’m sensing that this release may have a problem with lacking a distinct musical identity, but I suppose Key doesn’t need a distinct instrumental style when he IS the musical identity. The break at around 2:30 is nice and brings the final chorus in a pleasant way. Would it be better with a more thought out melody?

3. Intoxicating 8.5/10

The start caught me off guard because it sounds exactly like ‘Let Them Know’ by Megan. But jeez this is good. Again a great execution of a common idea. And the moment I think it’s shown everything it comes in with an amazing bridge and VOCALS. Adding this to my playlist for when I DJ at parties lmao. Seriously reminds me of Imagine from I Wanna Be.

4. Live Without You 8/10

Nice auto-filter moment in the pre chorus. There’s a lot going on in the mix that isn’t apparent on a casual listen like the vox and panning synths in the back, but they add a lot to the listening experience. For some reason Taeyeon’s ‘Can’t Control Myself’ comes to mind. I guess they have a similar kind of desperation. Again kind of suffers from a lack of compelling melody

5. CoolAs 8.5/10

I think the chorus would have benefitted if the talk-singing was faster. The flow that they went with makes it seriously veer into N.O.M. territory (if anyone even gets that reference). Good though, and feels very Key. I wouldn’t mind if he put out more songs like this. There’s a lot of stuff going on in the mix like glass breaking and whirls that contribute nicely to the ‘im drunk at a gay club’ atmosphere!

6. Mirror, Mirror 8.5/10

Aiyo. Could have had a full EP of disco music but I guess every kpop release needs an obligatory mid-slow tempo song. Has a much clearer vision of what it wants to be than other obligatory slow songs though, and without knowing Korean I get the feeling that this has some very good lyrics about expectations and self image. Some good show-case of his vocals in the adlibs. I like the sparkly stuff going on and the lo-fi sectioning in the mix, they knew what to do to keep it from being a snooze.

OVERALL: I think this is the first release in awhile where all the songs are an 8 or above! Congratulations CEO of cunty walking KEY. One good commute song, 4 great dance songs, followed by one good depressing song. Good and Great is my least favourite here, but it’s not bad by any means. I just get the sense that the concept and marketing kind of precede it. The b-sides are just better. Feels like a reasonable culmination of his journey of music releases as a soloist thus far.

RANKING:

Intoxicating (good and great if it slayed) - great

CoolAs (his gayest song yet) - very good

Can’t Say Goodbye (DISCO TIME) - very good

Mirror, Mirror (vocal showcase) - quite good

Live Without You (it’s good!) - quite good

Good And Great (disappointing) - good

#key #shinee #music review

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retromusicart · 1 year

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James William Guercio – Electra Glide In Blue: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (United Artists, 1973) - Designer and photographer unknown

I had to look up Robert Blake's height and he's actually smaller than Ladd. And yes, that's an actual line from the movie.

In between his music production work with Chicago, film buff Guercio co-produced and directed this early '70s cult classic that's part-action, part-western, part-mystery, part-comedy and part-Easy Rider meshed into one.

Having seen this on Pluto TV a couple days ago, this is a surprisingly solid movie, all things considered. The protagonist is sympathetic (he's a motorcycle cop desperately desiring to climb up the latter), the plot's well-written, and Guercio's soundtrack has some pretty juicy jazz-rock beats. While it's rather dated today (hippies are predominantly featured throughout the film), its message holds up pretty well.

Some members of Chicago appear in the movie playing minor roles, including Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Lee Loughnane and Walter Parazaider. Kath also performs vocals on the movie's theme song, "Tell Me". In addition, a young Nick Nolte appears in an uncredited role as a hippie.

Despite positive reviews, the film didn't do well at the box office, largely due to opening in an August (that it opened the same week as Westworld, and a week after American Graffiti, didn't help). Guercio wouldn't direct another movie afterward, and wouldn't produce another movie until almost a decade later with Second-Hand Hearts (also starring Robert Blake). That movie bombed hard, causing Guercio to take the hint and stop making movies.

If you're curious, the movie is available on Amazon via Blu-ray. Check it out if you have the time and money.

Image courtesy of Discogs.

#album #cover art #album cover #album covers #albums #70s #70s music #70s rock #art #70s jazz #70s pop #70s soundtracks #1973 #james william guercio #electra glide in blue

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nagipops · 3 years

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Denji and his s/o babysitting <3

BABY GIRL

FEATURING: denji!

SUMMARY: in which you and your baby-hating boyfriend embark on a secret mission too retrieve a pink plastic spoon.

WARNINGS: profanity, mentions of food

A/N: this is pure crack and chaos and i love it.

The image that came to mind for a “top secret mission” was definitely not the slobbering, babbling lump of a premature human wiggling around in front of you.

“I was expecting something a little more… menacing?”

“Hmph. Who does Aki think he is, assigning us to take care of this buggy caterpillar?”

You clapped a hand onto your boyfriend’s bony shoulder. “Well! Looks like it’s couple bonding day for us!”

“Ow, that hurt!” He swatted your hand away with a sweaty palm before he bashfully averted his gaze. “I… I hate babies. They scare me.”

“Hah! My brave, bold boyfriend… the almighty Chainsaw Man is afraid of mini adults?” You softly grasped his chin with your forefinger and thumb, fixing your eyes into a knowing gaze. “Good to know.”

You heard a grumble from behind you as you knelt down to meet the cooing baby at eye level. “Hello, Aiko, my boyfriend here is a big baby himself, so let’s all get along, alright?”

“Yaya!” The tiny girl waved her chubby arms in a gesture that looked suspiciously like she was pointing at the pouting boy behind you. “Ba-by!”

You flashed Denji a cheeky grin over your shoulder which was met with a dark scowl. “Yes, baby.” Snickering, you scooped the younger, smaller, diapered baby into your arms, lifting her up so she was face to face with the older, larger, hopefully-not-diapered baby. “This is Denji. Can you say Denji?”

“Benchee!” Aiko pressed her chubby little fingers onto your boyfriend’s face, smushing his eyes and nose under her tiny palm.

“Hey! I can’t— Bleh!” He struggled desperately as the baby giggled, mercilessly smacking his face. “Babe, help me out here?”

Chuckling, you pulled her into your chest once again. “Okay, Aiko, why don’t you go to papa’s arms for a little?”

“Papa— hey, if this is gonna be a new thing between us—” He stared in horror at the baby who was suddenly placed in his arms as his shoulders began to tremble. “Uhhhhhhhh…”

“Denji, hold still! Look up!” You centered his stunned face in the middle of your phone screen, snapping a barrage of photos of your bewildered boyfriend with a babbling baby in his arms. “Oh my god, this is adorable.”

“Stop taking— stop taking pictures and help me!” Aiko had begun to attack Denji’s face once again, yet this time, she was wailing like a siren with tears streaming down her chubby baby cheeks. His eyes widened with panic and fear as he frantically searched for something to distract her with. “She’s— shh, shh… don’t cry… (Y/N), she hates me!”

Grabbing what you hoped was her pacifier off of the coffee table in front of you, you tossed it to Denji who fumbled with it in one hand before plugging up the crying baby’s mouth with a pop.

Everyone in the room seemed to deflate at once, including Aiko.

“Ooookay, well, I think it’s time for a snack, because I’m hungry! You’re hungry too, right Denji?”

“No, actually before we came here I ate a slice of toast with—”

“I said, you’re hungry too, right Denji?”

He took one look into your pointed gaze and immediately caught on, bouncing the little girl in his arms. “Oh! Right, we are hungry, so let’s eat!”

Even Aiko seemed to perk up at that.

Denji stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the stocked refrigerator in front of him that was bursting at the seams.

“Well I’ll be damned.”

“Denji!” You clapped a hand over his mouth, casting a cautious glance at the baby over your shoulder. Sighing in relief to see her excitedly fiddling with a pink plastic spoon, you hissed into his ear, “Don’t swear!”

“Okay, okay! Sorry. But look at this, it’s heaven!” You could practically hear his voice melt as he slinked towards the refrigerator in a trance.

Dragging your boyfriend backwards by the back of his t-shirt, you slammed the fridge door shut. “Cut it out! She can’t even eat any of that stuff.” Grabbing his shoulders, you veered him to the marble countertops where an assortment of soft baby foods lay spread out.

His tongue immediately shot out of his mouth im disgust as he scanned the labels of the various jars. “Blech, spinach and pear? Cheese and carrot? Who’s designing this stuff?!” Seeming to search for the least grotesque flavor, his eyes lit up at a familiar label. “Ah, applesauce!”

“Sweet, let’s give that to her!” As Denji tossed the tiny cup into your hands, you ripped the lid off of the container and set it in front of Aiko, who was still fiddling with the plastic spoon in her hands. “Okay, time for yum-yums!” You attempted to reach for the pink utensil in her fubsy hands, but she immediately jerked it away from you. You tried to wrangle the spoon from her stubby little fingers once again, to no avail as she continued to wave it this way and that, just out of your reach.

Panting from the effort to steal this tiny plastic stick from a literal baby, you threw a helpless look over your shoulder at Denji, who was leaning against the fridge and observing the fiasco with a snickering grin. “Grab some popcorn, why don’t you. Help me!”

As if he was snapped back to reality as he realized who was barking commands to him, he immediately straightened his posture and performed a dedicated salute. “Yes, boss!”

Denji marched on over to the other side of Aiko’s high chair, so the two of you were surrounding her. “Nowhere to run,” he drawled in a low voice.

“We aren’t in a wild west movie, Denj.”

“Well, we should be!”

“Fine.” You cleared your throat, smothering your vocal cords with your best southern accent. “Quick draw, winner takes all.”

“You forgot to say, like, pardner or something.”

“If we were partners we wouldn’t be fighting in a quick draw!”

“Oh. Then, uh… cue tumbleweed, cue acoustic guitar music, cue countdown… On the count of three, three, two, one!”

“Three! Wait, wha—”

Denji lunged for the pink stick in Aiko’s grasp, but not before she could quickly jerk her arm away from him, giggling all the while. You took advantage of its positioning closer to your side and reached for the spoon, just as Aiko swung her arm to the other side, smacking Denji right in the center of his face with a thwack.

“Ow! Jeez, baby, why are you so strong?”

Aiko only chortled in response, clearly enjoying watching you two struggle to pry her weapon from her grasp.

“Damnit! Why is this stupid high chair— so— high?!” You waited for the rambunctious baby to rear the spoon back for another hit as Denji scrambled to regain his composure. “I got it!” you hollered as the spoon came just inches away from your face, reaching out to grab it, when—

“AHHHHHH!!!”

A spartan cry roared out as something barreled towards you at the speed of light, knocking you to the floor in a split second with a thunderous crack.

The wind kicked out of your lungs and pain seared throughout your entire body from the nape of your neck down to the tip of your tailbone. As you regained consciousness…

“What the— DENJI!” The bewildered face hovering over you was panting heavily as he braced himself with his arms planted on either side of your head. “What did you— oh my god, is the baby okay?!”

His astonished gaze shifted to his right hand, which he lifted to find a pink plastic prize inside. “I… I did it…” he breathed. His eyes widened as he remembered why the two of you were here in the first place. He rolled off of your body and onto his back, fixing his gaze on the high chair that was still upright.

A tiny giggle. “Hee hee! Benchee!”

The two of you lying on the kitchen floor sagged in relief at the confirmation that the baby in your temporary custody was, in fact, still alive.

“Denji… did you just tackle the love of your life to the ground, nearly giving them a concussion, just to retrieve a single plastic baby spoon?”

“Fuck yeah I did. I mean! Hell yeah I did! No, shit! Damnit! I uhhhh…”

“Yes, you did.” You patted Denji’s hand as the two of you lay side by side on the tiled kitchen floor, gazing up at the ceiling. “Yes, you did.”

if you enjoyed this post, likes and reblogs are much appreciated :) feel free to request here, and make sure to read the rules first! have a lovely day everyone <3

#denji #denji csm #chainsaw man denji #csm denji #denji x reader #denji headcanons #denji imagines #chainsaw man x reader #chainsaw man headcanons #chainsaw man imagines #denji imagine #csm #csm x reader #csm headcanons #csm imagines #chainsaw man #gn

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