#aka a classic Matty moment

[sundrownsthehouse]

Can you read my mind? I've been watching you (Part II of III)

Find it here on AO3 (I much prefer the formatting there)

Part I

Pairing: Matty/George

Summary: Matty's bored. He decides to make it everyone's problem.

(AKA a fic about that unhinged video of Matty gagging on his own fingers).

Words: ~3k

Rating: E

Seen by bedforddanes75

As the minutes ticked by, the rush of excitement and adrenaline that drove Matty to act out had quickly given way to embarrassment. A light sweat broke out at the nape of neck as he resisted the urge to physically cringe; he couldn’t bear to look down the aisle, no matter how desperately he wanted to. He squirmed in his seat, his mind racing.

What if it was too much? What if he’d pushed it too far, annoyed George, completely mugged him off? Fuck, what was he even thinking, putting himself through this on a ten hour—

Matty stilled. Goosebumps rose on the back of his arms. At the edge of his awareness, he felt it; George’s presence was undeniable.

His first thought as he glanced up was that George looked furious. To anyone else, his blank expression might have come across as indifferent, bored even, but Matty knew better. His stomach clenched with a heady mixture of fear and arousal as he took in the thin line of George’s lips, the intensity of his stare, the way he loomed from above— tall, broad, and imposing. There was something about George’s stature and the hidden power it conveyed that triggered a primal response in Matty’s subconscious, the innate knowledge of he’s bigger, stronger, could hurt me if he wanted to sending all of the blood in his body rushing south.

Before he had the chance to say anything a tight grip encircled his wrist, hauling him up into the center aisle. George guided him toward the rear of the plane without so much as a glance back, stepping gingerly to avoid waking the others. Matty stumbled and struggled to right himself as he trailed behind, whipping his head around to ensure that no one noticed them.

When they arrived at the bathroom George slid the door open and all but thrust Matty inside. Matty wavered— “Jesus, George”— and steadied himself against the wall, muttering low under his breath. He turned around just in time to watch George flick the lock closed with a deadly sort of calm.

He’d wanted a reaction, but he never expected to finally get one— and if the icy look in George’s eye was anything to go on, he was well and truly in for it. Matty allowed a smirk to play at the corner of his mouth, an arrogant gesture of self-satisfaction that he was certain George would clock immediately. It was an attempt to mask just how high-strung he really was. His pulse pounded in his ears as he silently grappled with that strange, overwhelming fight-or-flight response that George—sweet, perpetually stoned George— seemed to evoke in him.

The tiny room was far too small to contain the mounting tension as they sized each other up. For a moment, the only sound was the steady thrum of the plane’s engine, giving the air an odd, muffled quality. Paired with the harsh light of the florescents, the whole scene seemed altogether surreal— dreamlike, even — until George broke the spell with a question.

“What’s your damage?” he asked darkly.

Matty shrugged, nonchalant: “Dunno what you’re on about.” He jerked his chin at George’s hard stare. “What’s yours? Dragging me back here like a brute.”

George snorted and stepped forward, crowding Matty against the wall, filling his field of vision. Matty couldn’t help but admire George’s features up close; his strong brow, narrow eyes, plush lips… the stubble across the sharp angle of his jaw… George was so fucking beautiful, so classically handsome in a striking, intense way, it was unbelievable that it had taken him so long to see…

After days of taunting, the proximity had Matty’s head spinning. The tiny sliver of air separating their bodies was alive, charged with heat, shimmering like the first few drops of rain on asphalt in the summer sun. It took everything in him not to reach out and touch, so he relished the way George broke first, leaning in to grip his hips just a little too tight. He slid his hands up and under the hem of Matty’s shirt, the pads of his fingers brushing against bare skin. The sensation made Matty's abdomen twitch.

“What do you think you’re doing, Matthew?” George implored softly as their foreheads met. He sounded wrecked. The low rumble of his voice reverberated deliciously inside Matty’s skull.

Licking his lips, Matty looked up at George from beneath his lashes. “What do you mean?” he murmured.

George sighed in frustration. He dragged his left hand up Matty’s torso to rest along the long column of his neck, fingers splayed to cradle his jaw. He drew their bodies together, solid, warm and hard. Matty’s breath hitched; there was no mistaking the swell in George’s jeans, throbbing insistently into the angle of his hip bone.

“That needy little display you put on the internet for everyone to see,” George grumbled, grazing his lips against Matty’s ear.

He sounded so annoyed that Matty actually laughed. “Don’t slut-shame me,” he protested. “Ah!—”

George bit brazenly at the corner of his jaw in response, pulling a shocked, heated moan from deep within Matty’s throat. He shuddered and gasped as George mouthed at the sensitive skin to soothe it, trailing hot, open kisses down the edge of his jawline before sucking a bruise into the exposed dip of his collarbone. When George spoke, his voice went straight to Matty’s cock:

“Don’t act like such a fucking slut, then.”

Matty’s eyes fluttered closed with a groan as the electricity coursing through his veins doubled-back and intensified. One of the most unexpected things he’d learned about George when they started sleeping together? He had a filthy mouth on him— and what a discovery that had been.

In a useless act of half-hearted defiance he gave George’s shoulder a weak shove. George easily captured his wrist, pinning it to the wall with a tsk of disapproval. His other hand still lingered on Matty’s neck; he didn’t place any pressure there, but he didn’t have to. Matty was already fighting to focus through the haze of lust consuming him, already finding himself slipping as his chest heaved. Why was he even resisting? What was the point, again? When it would feel so good to just give in?

George drew back to take in the sight before him. Matty knew what he must look like by now; pupils blown wide, cheeks aglow, mouth all soft and pink and wet. He melted under George’s gaze, tilting his head against the wall as his hips rose of their own accord, seeking some kind of friction. George traced Matty’s mouth with his thumb, pulling gently on his lower lip just to watch it pop back into place. Matty’s tongue darted out to stroke the border of the tattoo inked into the skin there. Transfixed, George’s eyes grew hazy. He slowly shook his head, incredulous.

“Look at you. You just can’t help yourself, can you?” he whispered.

The tension in the room, stretched taut like a rubber band, finally snapped.

Lips collided, both men groaning with relief at the contact. Matty surged forward to fist at the collar of George’s shirt, pulling him in, needing him as close as possible. The hand that had been resting on Matty’s neck moved to his hair, threading through the messy curls as George changed the angle of the kiss. Matty quickly became lost in the increasingly familiar feeling of George’s warm, soft lips moving against his own; it was like he was floating above himself, and yet somehow, he’d never been more grounded in his body.

George’s mouth covered his as the kiss deepened, growing hot and languid. He parted his lips to allow George’s tongue to sweep against his own, to taste, sending pleasant little shivers down his spine. Time slowed, dripping over them like honey. God, Matty had needed this; needed George to take up his space, surround him, burn through him until there was nothing left. He never could understand how it always felt this good to be caught up in George’s orbit. Matty was fickle when it came to sex; it was easy to catch his attention, but he was quick to lose interest. It was different with George. Things had always been different with George.

Matty gasped when George released his wrist from the wall to settle over the bulge in his trousers. He’d been painfully hard since he looked up to find George looming over his seat, and it was nothing short of divine to finally have George’s hand on him. Matty retreated from the kiss, breathing hard as he leaned into George’s shoulder. George was stroking him properly now, running his hand up and down his length with the perfect amount of pressure. A needy moan fell from Matty’s open mouth.

“You wanted my attention so badly?” George murmured, squeezing Matty through the thin layer of fabric. Matty, for once, was rendered speechless. His mind was fuzzy, wholly captivated by the feeling of George’s strong body pressed to his… the smooth timbre of his voice… the drag of his fingers…“You have it.”

George shifted his hands to Matty’s shoulders and pushed down, hard. The sudden change of pace startled him, cutting through the fog clouding his mind. He wobbled as he went to his knees, protesting at the twinge of pain as they met the floor.

“Fuck’s sake, I need those you know,” Matty snapped.

Above him, George’s eyes flared. He grasped Matty’s jaw in a vice-like grip between his thumb and index finger, digging into the soft skin of his cheeks. Matty glared even as his heart jumped in his throat. George leaned in close, his voice deceptively soft: “Don’t pretend that this isn’t exactly what you wanted when you posted that shit,” he warned venomously.

Matty wanted to argue. He wanted to shove George away, run his mouth, object to being manhandled like this. Yet even as the thoughts crossed his mind, he could feel the desire to commit to any of them slipping away. The act of being brought to his knees already had the outside world fading out of focus.

George fumbled with the buckle on his belt with trembling hands, the metal gently clinking as it came loose. He pushed his jeans down his thighs, revealing the hard length of his cock trapped beneath the thin grey material of his boxer briefs.

“I need to be able to sing tomorrow,” Matty cautioned, eyes trained on the way George gripped himself through the fabric.

George shook his head, an amused smile at the corner of his lips: “Should’ve thought of that earlier.”

He released Matty’s aching jaw to run his fingers through his hair before gently drawing Matty’s face to his groin. Matty went without complaint, mouthing along the outline of George’s cock, teasing, soaking the soft fabric. George groaned appreciatively above him. Matty could feel himself going under again, losing himself to the simplicity of giving George pleasure. He was good at this— he knew he was— and it felt good to give for once instead of take. It seemed like he was always taking.

George tightened his grip to a fist and pulled Matty off, wrenching his head back in the process. Matty thrilled at the sting, at the tiny pinpricks of pain tingling along his scalp. He could already feel the strain on his neck and shoulders, and the ache only made him sink deeper into that blissfully blank headspace.

George slipped his briefs down his legs to pool at his feet with his jeans, his frankly intimidating cock bobbing up to curve toward his stomach. With one hand still in Matty’s hair he squeezed himself, eyes drifting closed with a sharp exhale. Matty’s mouth fell open as he drank in the utterly intoxicating sight of George touching himself. It made him feel even more desperate, if that was even possible— he fucking loved sucking George off. He tried to take George in his mouth, but the fist in his hair held fast— he couldn’t budge. He flicked his eyes up to find George gazing down at him thoughtfully.

“Wider.”

Matty shuddered, and did as he was told.

George tapped the head of his dick on Matty’s outstretched tongue a few times in quick succession, the wet, rhythmic sound filling the room. He guided it over the outline of his swollen lips, rubbed it against one cheek and then the next, repeating the pattern until saliva glistened on Matty’s face. Matty tried to close his mouth around it, eager to swallow him down, but George merely tighten the grip in his hair to pull him back, controlling exactly how far Matty could reach. The easy display of power made Matty whimper. The most he could do was push his tongue forward, just barely able to lap at the tip, his mouth filling with saliva as he struggled.

“You’re obscene,” George murmured reverently. He released his rough hold on Matty’s hair to stroke his cheek. Matty melted into the tenderness of the touch, floating on the endorphins flooding his system. George drew his eyes up with one finger beneath his chin, in so much contrast to the way he’d yanked his head back by his hair mere moments ago. It made something warm glow in Matty’s chest. “What do you need, love?”

“Need you. Need this,” Matty pleaded, mouthing at the shaft of George’s cock. “Need… I need you to tell me what to do,” he confessed in a rush.

“You like when I tell you what to do.”

It wasn’t a question, but Matty answered anyway: “I fucking love it.”

George let out a shaky, uneven breath.

“Then suck.”

Finally released, Matty promptly wrapped his lips around the head of George’s cock, swirling his tongue, savoring the salty taste of the pre-come gathered there. He took more and more of his length into his mouth, thrilling at the stretch, at the way his jaw was already protesting at the position. Above him, George was moaning into his fist, trying desperately to keep quiet as the silky heat of Matty’s mouth engulfed him. Matty took him to the base, pulled off with a lewd sound, and dove back in to bob his head in earnest. George’s panting was laced with bitter curses and strangled groans of pleasure.

“Fuck, your fucking mouth, Matty—”

George’s words only spurred Matty on, stoking the fire blazing through his body. A dizzying sense of relief washed over him. Distantly, he realized that this was the most at peace he’d felt for days.

George’s hands came to rest at Matty’s temples, his fingers gently burying into the dark curls. He gave a small thrust into Matty’s mouth, searching his face for some sort of sign. Matty took the hint, slowing his own movements and gazing up at George in silent permission. George held his head with both hands as he slowly began to rock in and out of Matty’s pink, wet mouth, fragmented praise spilling from his lips.

“Fuck, baby, just like that… so good, so good for me always…”

Despite his best efforts not to, Matty gagged and sputtered as George set a punishing pace. His eyes watered as he tried and failed to control the broken sounds forming deep in the back of his throat.

“You wanted it so badly?” George demanded, breathless, “so badly that you couldn’t wait, like I asked?”

Matty whined, unable to nod. George stilled and guided Matty’s head back so their eyes met, Matty’s lips still around him. “Let’s see you take it, then. Take all of me… that’s it, just relax…” He steadily fed his cock further and further into Matty’s mouth until his nose was pressed into wiry hair at the base. Matty trembled all over, concentrating on his breath as he felt his throat flutter around George’s length, his own spit dripping down his chin. He flushed with satisfaction at the feeling of George’s whole body shuddering, at the ragged pants falling from George’s lips, the deep growl in his voice.

“You’re such a fucking brat, d’you know that?”

Matty choked harshly as George thrust once, twice, before pulling him back down to the base: “Takin’ me so well, Christ.”

Matty was just barely on the edge of true discomfort when George pulled out with a grunt, somehow always knowing just when to ease off. Strings of saliva still connected them as Matty panted, fighting to catch his breath, luxuriating in the warm, deep calm that had settled into his bones. He didn’t realize his eyes were wet until George crouched down in front of him to wipe the errant tears away, gazing at him with adoration and something like pride.

George kissed him softly, cupping his cheeks. Matty made a small, happy sound at the contact. “You were so good Matthew, so good for me. Are you okay, love?”

Matty nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He was better than okay; he was euphoric.

“C’mere,” George murmured, helping Matty to stand up on shaky legs.

“I'm not through with you.”

I'm not through with you either, Matty thought slyly, a mischievous smile pulling at his lips.

#the 1975 #matty healy #george daniel #matty x george #ross macdonald #adam hann #the 1975 fic #george daniel fic #matty healy fic #cyrmm #please please please let me know what you think #im quite nervous to post it #but also pretty happy with how it's turned out so far #part III to come! #no pun intended #gatty

[brettyimages]

It’s been 4 weeks since I last caught up with a Record Review Post so icymi, rating everything in my and my family’s record collection lets go

#167 - Paramore mix CD, 6/10 This is everything that was in my iTunes that I didn’t have already aka All We Know Is Falling plus b-sides and covers and stuff. Nothing on it is *bad* but it’s all sort of average and not indicative of how I feel about Paramore overall at all! Highlights: You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man) is a perfect cover

The 1975 - The 1975, 9/10 I got into this band just as the second album was coming out so for a couple of weeks I was just lying in my room listening to this all the time and I still love her.  Highlights: MENSWEAR my beloved my angel, you cast a spell on me every time and I will adore you forever and ever. Honorable mentions to Sex (the only 1975 song I liked for the first 3 years) and Pressure, the 90s boyband song but somehow Matty

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead, 9/10 The first album I ever bought on vinyl and it’s a little scratchy in places but that adds to the magic.  Highlights: I Know It’s Over breaks my heart. Honorable mentions to the last 3 songs even though two of them are ~funny songs~ and not Serious Music, still love them

#188 - mix CD, 7/10 It’s all 80s music that I rescued from my last laptop in its dying days and there are some classics on here but mostly good with a few great moments and only one that’s perfect. Highlights: I Just Wanted To See You So Bad by Lucinda Williams. I think about this song ALL THE TIME. 

AFI - Decemberunderground, 9/10 This was a formative album for me, it came out when I was 13 and AFI really did a lot to inform what kind of adult I became. I listen to it every winter and as I get older I see more of their 80s/90s alt influences and not just the screamo that I appreciated as a teenager.  Highlights: 37mm is one of my favourite songs of all time, it’s so dark and sexy and delicious, like “press me to your lips and I’ll suck the poison out and put it in me”???? Inject this into my veins.  Honorable mentions to The Interview, Love Like Winter, The Killing Lights and their cover of Head Like A Hole, which should be on Spotify.

High Voltage - A Brief History Of Rock (free with Kerrang! Magazine in 2006), 3/10 I got rid of a lot of my rock mag CDs but held on to a few that I thought were good. It turns out this covers album wasn’t as good as I remembered and there’s now a space in my CD tower.  Highlights: Fall Out Boy’s cover of Start Today is what I kept this for, it’s the one great song out of the 15 and I love the way Patrick sings it. I also like NOFX’s cover of Straight Edge even if they do it in a jokey lounge Louis Armstrong style. Lowlights: the rest is average-to-bad but the nadir is Arch Enemy’s Symphony Of Destruction, I find their style unlistenable. I also hated Biffy Clyro covering Buddy Holly by Weezer; this was just before they went commercial so it’s 5 minutes of weirdo math rock shit. 

#35 - mix CD, 6/10 All the artists start with A and I reckon this is from about 2008 and I intended to work my way through my entire iTunes library backing stuff up but I only got to C. It’s a real mixed bag of great and terrible.  Highlights: AFI’s cover of Just Like Heaven is perfection, my introduction to The Cure and it makes me so emotional. Do Me A Favour by Arctic Monkeys is also on here and also a perfect record.  Lowlights: there are a few. Atreyu are on here and so is a dreadful pop-punk cover of Miley Cyrus’ The Climb by a band I’ve never heard of. Both of those are bad but worse still is Attack Attack! - it turns out I am so over that clean vocals/screamed vocals genre. The absolute worst, though, is Kleiner Hai by Almuel, which is a fucking dance record made from that viral video from 15 years ago of the woman singing the (German???) song that morphed into Baby Shark a decade later. Truly the bottom of the pile. 

Arctic Monkeys - AM, 9/10 My fave of their albums probably, all killer no filler. Definitely my favourite era aesthetically anyway, the Alex Turner look still has me twirling my hair and kicking my legs. Highlights: No. 1 Party Anthem is maybe my fave AM song, at least top 5. Also perfect are Do I Wanna Know?, R U Mine?, Arabella and I Wanna Be Yours.

#118 - mix CD, 7/10 I drew a venus symbol with an anarchy A inside the circle, which is probably some kind of TERF image now but this mix has some punk and some girl pop on there so that’s what I was going for. Again it’s a real mix of whatever I had downloaded but not backed up yet and just shoved into a CD without much thought. Highlights: Ring Ring by The Skints - I love this song, I want to call it reggae but it’s not quite, it’s in that kind of arena but I don’t know the exact subgenre. Anyway the lyrics are kinda sad but it sounds like summer. Sat In Your Lap by Kate Bush - no explanation needed. You Don’t Own Me by Lesley Gore - I used to be properly obsessed with this song but now it’s been in ad campaigns and has become ubiquitous it’s fallen off my “favourite song ever” list. It’s still incredible though.  Lowlights: Real Girls by Chantal Claret - the whole ‘real women had curves’ thing makes me uncomfortable. Cups by Anna Kendrick - I liked Pitch Perfect but this isn’t really a song, is it. 

Suede - Coming Up, 10/10 The level of perfection in this album, thank you Richard and Neil! It’s slightly less perfect than DMS maybe but it’s still a 10. Tied to some wonderful memories of seeing them play it in full 6 times last Autumn <3 Highlights: Lazy is potentially my favourite Suede single and is instant serotonin. I think that over half of this album is absolute perfection though so really most of it is a highlight.

McFly - Obviously and Room On The 3rd Floor CD singles, 6/10 I invested in McFly for their whole first album era and then dropped them immediately for the harder stuff (went to high school and started buying Kerrang!) so I have all of the CD singles from the first album. They’re not really worth keeping as the b-sides are just okay. Highlights: Obviously is the best song of the set which is why it was the second single, I guess. Lowlights: They put an Interview on one of the singles which I always find a bit cringe, unless it’s built into music like FGTH did, but there is a cute moment where they call a fan who sent in her number. Their cover of Deck The Halls is throwaway and the live version of Room On The 3rd Floor is patchy. 

Timespace - The Best Of Stevie Nicks, 4/10 I rescued this from the discount bin at the charity shop I worked at because I thought I liked Stevie Nicks, but it turns out her solo material is not for me and I’m going to re-donate. Highlights: Edge Of Seventeen is on here, enough said.  Lowlights: most of the album is in the ‘fine, but I don’t need to hear it again’ category but there was one ballad called Beauty & The Beast that was worse than the rest. 

#10 - mix CD, 8/10 I think this is from 2006 and the surprisingly high rating is largely due to the fact that every second song on here is by AFI. It’s got half of Decemberunderground plus whatever older stuff immediately grabbed me as I was first getting into them. The rest is mostly emo for teenage girls, which is what I was.  Highlights: 37mm by AFI, which I already mentioned in my Decemberunderground review, same with Head Like A Hole. Outside of AFI, The Middle by Jimmy Eat World is on here and so is Ruby Soho by Rancid - two Scuzz TV classics. Lowlights: the opening track is Technicolor Eyes by Backseat Goodbye, who was an acoustic emo boy singer off MySpace who I backed. I used to say this was my all time fave song because it was a) obscure and b) full of references to hip stuff like Bright Eyes and Eternal Sunshine. The original version of Sorry You’re Not A Winner by Enter Shikari is here too, and even though I associate it with great memories of teenage nights out (doing the clapping at the start, obv), I don’t need to hear it again.

Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster EP, 6/10 I was a Gaga hater in this era and picked up this album in the charity shop discount bin again. I don’t dislike any of the songs on this EP but I don’t think any of it is exceptional. Highlights: Bad Romance and Telephone are both outstanding pop songs, but you knew that.

Young Guns - Ones And Zeros, 5/10 I listened to the first Young Guns album a lot, and the second one a bit, but by the time this one came around I was just supporting them because they were one of the bands in my orbit. I liked the pre-release singles but I don’t think I ever sat down and listened to this album so even though I have a signed pre-ordered copy, I’m not keeping it.  Highlights: the singles - Rising Up, I Want Out, Daylight and Speaking In Tongues - are all catchy, and I like the understated ballad, Die On Time, too.  Lowlights: as I have the deluxe edition, it includes demos and a remix of I Want Out, which is horrible. The album came out in the dubstep years so you can imagine how dated it sounds already.

#131 - mix CD, 9/10 This is my dance music mix and it is full of bangers, not a bad song on here. It’s a mix of modern (for the time, 2015ish) and classic. I love! tacky! eurodance! Highlights: so many. Into The Groove by Madonna. Stay The Night by Zedd and Hayley Williams. Mr Vain by Culture Beat. Informer by Snow. Show Me Love by Robin S. I’m A Slave 4 U by Britney Spears. 212 by Azaelia Banks. Amazing. Lowlights: all good but a few aren’t classics and they’re the newer ones - Pound The Alarm by Nicki Minaj. Starstrukk by 3Oh!3 and Katy Perry. The LA Riots Remix of 17 Crimes by AFI. The fact that these are the worst songs on here says a lot for the overall quality.

Set It Off - Cinematics, 4/10 I saw this band supporting Tonight Alive sometime in the mid-10s and was so impressed that I bought the album off one of the band when they were walking around the crowd with a box of them after their set. It’s post-MCR theatrical emo-pop and my love of it was very short-lived, not a keeper. There’s nothing on here that I’d care to hear again.  Lowlights: Freak Show has a repeated lyric that goes “I’m a circus freak” or something, which is very teenage. The worst, like with Young Guns, is the dubstep remix of I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead that they’ve tacked onto the end of this deluxe edition. 

80s - mixtape, 10/10 I made this mixtape in about 2017 when I was getting heavily into the Trainspotting soundtracks and Depeche Mode. It’s all recorded from 7″s from my dad’s collection.  Highlights: Relax and Two Tribes by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Sheila Take A Bow by The Smiths. Only You by Yazoo. Are ‘Friends’ Electric? by Tubeway Army. The whole thing is great but all of these are contenders for my favourite song of all time.

Suede - Suede, 10/10 Another perfect showing from Suede. This is the first album of theirs that I got into, in fact when I went to see them for the first time this was really all that I knew beyond the hits and I was obsessed with it. I’ve come a long way since then and sometimes I think I don’t love this album but then I listen to it again and I absolutely do.  Highlights: Sleeping Pills - any song where Brett sings ‘angel’ was always going to make me weak at the knees, and his moan before the second chorus is exquisite. Metal Mickey - one of my favourite parts of any Suede gig is that drone followed by the opening riff and everyone going fucking mental. Animal Nitrate is my most-played Suede song ever, but I think I actually love Metal Mickey more. 

#rachel's record review #once again you're welcome to agree or fight me in the comments

[savetopnow]

2018-03-27 00 ANDROID now

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[thepoppunkdays]

Final Bands Added To Slam Dunk Line Up

We have our final bands added to the already incredible Slam Dunk Festival line up.

Fresh from their tour with Don Broco, Neck Deep will be back to where it all started from their mammoth two year world tour for The Peace and The Panic, before heading off to work on a new album.

UK favourites As It Is are returning to the festival with their stunning reinvention for The Great Depression. Patty Walters of As It Is says; “Words can’t even describe our excitement to be returning to Slam Dunk Festival. I’ve been attending Slam Dunk as a fan for nearly ten years now, and this year won’t be any different with such an unreal lineup of bands. We can’t wait to get rowdy with you at our biggest Slam Dunk yet. The crash is coming.”

Another UK favourite added to the line up are Boston Manor. Following the release of their second album; Welcome To The Neighbourhood.

And one who we predicted thanks to Matty’s instagram story, pop punk legends and Slam Dunk favourites; A Loss For Words are back after their split in 2015. As May marks 10 years since The Kids Can’t Lose I’m sure we can expect a setlist packed with classics like; Hold Your Breath and Mount St Joseph. We’re excited to see the lads again, if you have no idea who they are, they’re one of the best live acts you’ll see, trust us you do NOT want to miss them!

Breaking Billboard’s Top 40 chart in 2017 with highly-charged single ‘Blood // Water’, grandson joins the impressive Slam Dunk Festival lineup. After a mammoth 12 months which featured trailblazing live moments, monumental streaming numbers and a Fueled By Ramen signing, Jordan Benjamin aka grandson will spark a youthful rebellion with an hotly-tipped performance at Slam Dunk Festival.

On making his Slam Dunk and UK festival debut, grandson says; “This summer I and a small caravan of the baddest most diabolical rock and roll immigrants I could possibly assemble will be descending on your grounds to play my first ever festival outside of North America. I am not exaggerating when I say it is something I have been looking forward to my entire life, and my preparation, enthusiasm onstage, and general attitude will reflect that excitement I have. I can not promise you will agree with everything I have to say up there, I can not promise I will fit in with the rest of the music you will hear that day, but I promise it’ll get real fucking loud and real fucking dark. See you there.”

Taking inspiration from the likes of SiKth, Everything Everything and Abba, Press To Meco are refreshingly creative in their musical pursuits. With soaring vocals and technical veracity, the Croydon three piece are set to make a storm at Slam Dunk Festival. Slam Dunk will also look forward to an energetic performance from Canada’s Story Untold who will deliver smooth pop-rock rhythms from across the Atlantic to Hatfield and Leeds. Australian natives Between You & Me are also set to join the Slam Dunk lineup with infectious hits like ‘Dakota’ and ‘Overthinking’ for a demonstration in pop-punk from Down Under.

Press To Meco say; “We’re super excited to announce we’ll be playing Slam Dunk this year. It’s one of the coolest UK festivals and they knock the line up out of the park every year.”

Birmingham metallers SHVPES will mark their unstoppable rise with an appearance at this year’s festival, bringing their highly-anticipated new album Greater Than to life with a life presence that has captivated audiences around the world. Delivering filthy riffs and monster blastbeats with their latest album Nomad, North Texan mob Kublai Khan promise an unmissable performance. Cruel Hand will inject even more American hardcore to Hatfield and Leeds over the May Bank Holiday weekender.

SHVPES say; “We’re fired up and ready to come back and hit Slam Dunk this year with our new record. It’s always been a milestone moment. See you in the pit!”

We also have a pretty sweet acoustic stage line up. Which is graced by Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack, Rob Lynch, Liam Cromby former We Are The Ocean, Chas Palmer-Williams of Lightyear and Lizzy Farrell.

Get your tickets now!

Final Bands Added To Slam Dunk Line Up was originally published on The Pop Punk Days

#a loss for words #as it is #Between You & Me #boston manor #Cruel Hand #Grandson #Kublai Khan #neck deep #pop punk #ppd #Press To Meco #SD19 #SDF19 #SHVPES #Slam Dunk #slam dunk festival #Story Untold #The Plot In You #The Pop Punk Days #the pop punk days #theppd

[fashiontrendin-blog]

How Weinstein And The Hollywood Machine Created ‘Good Guy’ Matt Damon

http://fashion-trendin.com/how-weinstein-and-the-hollywood-machine-created-good-guy-matt-damon/

How Weinstein And The Hollywood Machine Created ‘Good Guy’ Matt Damon

Shortly before “Good Will Hunting” hit theaters in December 1997, Matt Damon bought two duffel bags from Walmart. The movie’s buzz had escalated. Its benefactor, Harvey Weinstein, was plotting an awards campaign, and Damon was suddenly spending a lot of time in hotel rooms, with access to four-star room service and fitted suits.

As almost any profile of Damon will tell you, the scrappy 27-year-old from Boston had spent the decade before clawing his way into Hollywood. And then, a short six months after “Good Will Hunting” opened, he would need those duffel bags for more nights spent in hotel rooms while promoting “Saving Private Ryan,” a Steven Spielberg epic that would earn him another ticket to an Oscar ceremony.

This contrast — between Walmart luggage and Spielberg-flanked red carpets ― encapsulates Damon’s archetypal movie-star narrative: a persevering outsider heads to Tinseltown, sleeps in low-rent apartments, works odd jobs to foot the bills and accepts whatever roles he can find, hoping somehow to land a so-called break. It’s the American Dream, fed to the masses in pithy interview anecdotes and packaged for big screens across the country.

And it’s the narrative that, 20 years ago, in conjunction with the Oscar he and Ben Affleck won for their “Good Will Hunting” script, turned the little-known Damon into the primo good guy next door ― an image that defined him, without fail, until Weinstein’s sexual misconduct scandal and a few unwoke gaffes reframed the Matt Damon Persona we’ve long accepted.

The thing is, that persona was heavily produced and reliant on a collective nostalgia for a star who, just like us, totes around duffle bags and dresses in blue jeans. Damon’s rise to fame was so clean and simple that he never needed to update his image even as the times changed — and that’s exactly why now we’re wondering just how much we didn’t know about Mr. Matthew Paige Damon.

To understand the Matt Damon Persona, we have to consider the ubiquity of polished celebrity images. Any well-regarded celebrity embodies a distinct ideal that informs how we relate to ― or at least envy ― them and what makes them a marketable brand. Usually, that image is born out of the thing that first drove the person’s fame, though nothing crystallizes without the help of savvy agents and publicists. An image can be reshaped or refracted with time, but it never escape its origins entirely.

Audrey Hepburn is still plastered on dorm-room walls as the personification of classic, elegant beauty. Viola Davis will forever be the actress who bolted onto the screen in one scene-stealing “Doubt” showdown with Meryl Streep. Even when Tom Cruise makes oddities like “Eyes Wide Shut” and “Magnolia,” he’s still the energetic blockbuster hero. Winona Ryder can star on a Netflix juggernaut, but she’ll always be the edgy outsider we met in “Beetlejuice” and “Edward Scissorhands.” Warren Beatty can settle down with Annette Bening, but only as a commentary on his years of Lothario notoriety.

That said, few Hollywood luminaries hit the mainstream with an image as clearly outlined or as beloved as Matt Damon, which is a large part of why he hasn’t changed much in our eyes over the years. Revisiting coverage of Damon from the late ’90s, every piece frames him as a hard-working tenderfoot who’d determined that if he had any hope of a career in movies, he’d have to write one himself. That narrative of gumption was further solidified with his and Affleck’s shouty, wide-eyed Oscar speech, which they so happened to deliver during the “Titanic” year, aka the most-watched telecast in the awards’ history. 

The story goes: After dropping out of Harvard in 1992, Damon hustled for parts, attempting to earn his Serious Actor credentials by shedding 40 pounds for a supporting gig in the 1996 thriller “Courage Under Fire.” Meanwhile, he grew tired of going on endless auditions (“Primal Fear,” “Batman & Robin”) and reading scripts that Chris O’Donnell (LOL) and Leonardo DiCaprio had passed on. Lucky for him, Francis Ford Coppola wanted to cast an unknown in 1997′s “The Rainmaker,” right around the time that such John Grisham adaptations were guaranteed box-office gold. Damon and Affleck had already sold the “Good Will Hunting” screenplay to Miramax, but progress stalled as Weinstein, the distribution company’s tempestuous overlord, squabbled over which director to hire and whether to boot Damon and Affleck in favor of stars like DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.

But the minute Damon booked “The Rainmaker,” everything changed. Weinstein “took a chance” on the “Hunting” boys, and Damon quickly segued into hot projects like “Saving Private Ryan,” “Dogma” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (even though DiCaprio had turned down the latter).

Combined, those four movies form one of the most auspicious breakthroughs in modern cinema, a perfect blend of commercial appeal and art-house prestige. Suddenly, Damon was trying on Calvin Klein suits he’d never imagined wearing; eyeing the type of career Ed Harris had (read: not super Hollywood); ogling the fantasy of $10 million paychecks (in 2004, he would be paid a reported $26 million for the first Jason Bourne sequel); refraining from quoting “Forrest Gump” upon meeting Tom Hanks; appearing in tabloids for relationships with Winona Ryder, Minnie Driver and Gwyneth Paltrow; telling Oprah he slept on a Walmart air mattress after his Oscar victory; grinning about how “lucky” he was; and charming the pants off the media, which continually wrote about his killer smile, attractive-but-not-too-attractive looks, down-home wardrobe and exemplary manners. 

None of this alone is all that striking. Most Hollywood newcomers arrive with some version of an outsider tale, and there’s no reason to believe Damon’s ingenuity was inauthentic. But Weinstein, who was just finding his own footing as award season’s most cutthroat campaign guru, took Damon’s debut a step further, presenting him as the platonic ideal of an everyman, enterprising liberal who proves just how well the white male celebrity machine can work.

In Peter Biskind’s revealing book Down and Dirty Pictures, Weinstein is quoted as inducting Damon and Affleck into the “Miramax family,” a small stable of talent whom Weinstein ushered to fame and turned into his mouthpieces (other members: Gwyneth Paltrow, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith). Soon enough, Weinstein was carting Damfleck to Camp David to meet President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton. (Only the good ones get to meet the prez!) 

Later, when Damon felt he’d done enough photo shoots and media appearances to promote “Good Will Hunting,” Wesintein pushed him to do more, despite telling USA Today in 1999 that “to Matt, it’s not about the whole movie-star thing.”

It was the early 2000s when Damon’s cachet became seemingly indestructible. Even a couple of significant misfires ― “The Legend of Bagger Vance” (directed by Robert Redford) and Miramax’s “All the Pretty Horses” (directed by Billy Bob Thornton) ― couldn’t diminish that initial introduction. It didn’t hurt that Affleck, his ride-or-die with whom Damon was still customarily associated, suddenly made him look spotless by comparison.

Between 1998 and 2001, Affleck toplined “Armageddon,” “Forces of Nature,” “Bounce,” “Reindeer Games” and “Pearl Harbor” ― a stellar sequence, popularity-wise. But the attention had an adverse effect: Between 2001 and 2005, Affleck went to rehab for alcohol addiction, endured a tabloid-splashed divorce from Jennifer Lopez, starred in a series of critical and commercial disappointments (including the infamous “Gigli”), hit the cagey celebrity poker scene, and called his life a “slow-motion train wreck” during a “Saturday Night Live” monologue. 

As Affleck’s reputation dipped, Damon landed the “Ocean’s” trilogy and headlined the never-ending Bourne series, married a non-celebrity in 2005, and earned another Oscar nomination for the 2009 drama “Invictus” ― all while maintaining a clean-cut media presence. Even though his salary had outgrown Miramax’s coffers, he still subscribed to the Weinstein playbook: Find a sweet spot between serious cinema and wholesale crowd-pleasers, and then schmooze, schmooze, schmooze.

“Matty and Ben are two people that Harvey strives every waking moment of his life to be in business with,” Kevin Smith told Biskind. 

The fact that Damon no longer needed to be a member of Weinstein’s “family” made him seem cool, and yet the Matt Damon Persona remained something of a Weinstein production. Miramax paid the actor “a whole lot of money” for a cameo in Smith’s 2001 comedy “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” Weinstein wanted to splash Damon on the poster and include him in the television ads, but according to Down and Dirty Pictures, Damon commanded him not to. Knowing how to retail his worth, the actor wanted his appearance in the movie to be a surprise.

Weinstein reportedly acquiesced until the last minute, deciding he needed Damon to help drive business. He called Damon, told him the news of his cameo had leaked and added him to the marketing ― building on the idea that this craftsman who wrote an Oscar-winning screenplay was affable enough to appear in something as frivolous as “Jay and Silent Bob.”

So it has continued throughout recent years: Matt Damon is so kind and so famous that being the butt of a bawdy Jimmy Kimmel joke is a badge of honor! He founded a nonprofit to give developing countries access to clean water! He’s a spokesman for a hunger relief organization! His liberal sensibilities let him pal around with Barack Obama!

But in 2015, the Matt Damon Persona started to show cracks, one after the next. During a controversial exchange on his HBO reality show “Project Greenlight,” he interrupted a black female producer to imply that diversity behind the camera is unimportant. The internet erupted with accusations of whitesplaining and mansplaining. Two weeks later, he lightly suggested that gay actors should stay in the closet so as to maintain a certain “mystery.” And a few months after that, he came under fire for misunderstanding the whitewashing accusations lobbed at the bonkers movie “The Great Wall,” in which European mercenaries descend upon China to fight a swarm of monstrous creatures. 

That wasn’t enough to shatter him, though. A July 2016 GQ piece still likened him to ultimate nice guy Jimmy Stewart. “Matt Damon is, scientifically, the most liked man in Hollywood,” the first sentence read.

And then Weinstein re-entered the picture in late 2017, and the Matt Damon Persona went from cracked to shattered. After The New York Times published a career-ending investigation detailing allegations of Weinstein’s long-rumored sexual misconduct, former Times reporter Sharon Waxman said Damon had called her in 2004 to defend one of Weinstein’s accomplices, effectively helping to kill her investigation. Even though Waxman corroborated Damon’s claim that he had no knowledge of Weinstein’s misdeeds, the actor couldn’t avoid putting his foot in his mouth. 

“I do believe that there’s a spectrum of behavior,” he said in an interview with film critic Peter Travers. “And we’re going to have to figure — you know, there’s a difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right? Both of those behaviors need to be confronted and eradicated without question, but they shouldn’t be conflated, right?”

It’s not that Damon is wrong, per se, but his flippant tone struck an unwelcome chord right amid the Me Too groundswell. And he took it a step further, going soft on alleged harasser Louis C.K. by saying, “I imagine the price that he’s paid at this point is so beyond anything that he ― I just think that we have to kind of start delineating between what these behaviors are.”

If nothing else, this reflected his wealthy-white-male privilege, something no one was talking about during Damon’s Weinstein-assisted rise to fame. The actor soon found himself apologizing on the “Today” show: “I really wish I’d listened a lot more before I weighed in on this. Ultimately what it is for me is that I don’t want to further anybody’s pain with anything that I do or say. So for that, I am really sorry. A lot of those women are my dear friends and I love them and respect them and support what they’re doing and want to be a part of that change and want to go along for the ride — but I should get in the backseat and close my mouth for a while.”

Closing his mouth for a while was a fine idea. But apologies and clarifications are increasingly hard to live down in the internet age, when an infinite loop of headlines and tweets can redefine a person’s polished image overnight. 

Will Damon recover from these blunders? Sure, probably. But now his box-office power is in flux. In October, the misguided racial satire “Suburbicon,” directed by George Clooney, was eviscerated by critics and ignored by audiences. In December, “Downsizing,” the disappointing Alexander Payne dramedy once thought to be an Oscar contender, did so-so business at best. The only forthcoming project on Damon’s docket is June’s female-fronted “Ocean’s 8,” in which he is very much not the center of attention. In fact, nearly 30,000 people have signed an online petition to have him removed from the film because of his comments on sexual harassment. 

And therein lies the boomerang that is the star-making machine. Weinstein helped construct the Matt Damon Persona, and he inadvertently helped tarnish it, too. Damon’s signature trait ― being normal, even boring ― became his detriment: He was so middlebrow that he didn’t really think critically about race or gender politics or what it means for public figures to own their sexuality.

For my money, the conversation isn’t about whether Matt Damon’s time in Hollywood should come to an end. We’re all learning how to rework the patriarchal power dynamics that have defined society for far too long. What Damon proves, instead, is how fallible the celebrity engine is. Hollywood images are constructed in implicit coordination among studio honchos, calculating publicists, an ever-evolving media and the public’s appetite for stars who offer some magical blend of the relatable and the aspirational. 

No matter how much we think we know a famous person, there is always an artificial quality to what he or she presents to the world ― one that doesn’t fit into budget-priced duffel bags. 

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[wesonerdy]

In the Fairy Tale Realm, we learn Rapunzel’s backstory. Meanwhile, in Hyperion Heights, Victoria finally achieves her goal, though it comes at a major cost. Full recap of “One Little Tear” (first aired Friday, December 8 at 8pm ET|PT on ABC).

Image Source: @OnceABC

  With “One Little Tear”, Once Upon a Time kicks things into high gear! Within the first 10 minutes, there are OMG-moments that reverberate throughout the remainder of the episode and likely the rest of the season.

In the Fairy Tale Realm, we meet the real Rapunzel several years ago as she’s traveling through the night with her husband and two daughters. Her husband Marcus (a tailor) is severely ill and the children are hungry It’s clear the family has fallen on difficult times. Rapunzel stops the horses and carriage outside of a large manor house. The older daughter is concerned about her mother leaving, but Rapunzel tells her all will be well. She has taken a lantern and there is one in the carriage: “The lanterns will connect us. You’ll see mine in there, and yours will guide me back to you here. Remember, for my family, I’ll always find a way.”

Rapunzel sneaks into the garden to collect vegetables that she and her family can eat. However, almost immediately, the witch Gothel arrives. She chastises Rapunzel for stealing from her. Rapunzel apologizes for her theft, but refuses to apologize for trying to save her family. Gothel seems impressed by Rapunzel’s selfishness and offers a bargain. What would Rapunzel sacrifice to assure her family’s well-being? “I would do anything.” Gothel pours out some seeds and throws them to the ground. Rapunzel’s hands are bound and a large tower grows around her. She is now trapped and Gothel tells her that he family will never find her. This is the price to pay for her family’s happiness. Rapunzel calls out for her family. Marcus! Anastasia! Drizella! WHATTTTTTTT?! Yep, the surprise is that Rapunzel = Lady Tremaine/Victoria. LAWD.

Six years go by… and Rapunzel knows exactly how long because she keeps tracks of the days. It’s incredibly frustrating. One evening, Rapunzel looks out the tower window and sees hundreds of lanterns floating in the air. This gives her the courage to make an escape. She cuts off her lonnnnnnnnnnnnnng braid and uses it as a rope to rappel down the side of the tower. It’s a long way down, but she does it, for her family.

Rapunzel follows the trail of lanterns to their source, only to find that an older Anastasia is sending them into the air. Anastasia’s hope that the lanterns would be a signal to her mother has come true. Rapunzel is so excited to see her daughters (though Drizella doesn’t share the sentiment). Marcus joins them outside and is shocked. He’s thought that Rapunzel is dead. She tells him about Gothel’s trick, the promise of her family’s prosperity in exchange for her being locked away. But she’s back now! All is well, right? NO. Because Marcus took all that prosperity and married another woman, Cecilia (AKA (Cinder)Ella’s mother).

In time, Rapunzel moves to a small cottage at the back of the manor and she’s essentially the maid. RIDICULOUS. Rapunzel doesn’t seem to mind the service, but she is upset about the increasing distance between her and her daughters, especially Drizella. Marcus assures Rapunzel of her children’s love and even offers her a present. He’s mended her old cloak, the one left behind when she was imprisoned. Marcus acknowledges he owes everything to Rapunzel for her sacrifice. He still loves her, but he also loves Cecilia and Ella. *EPIC EYEROLL*

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

  Gothel comes upon Rapunzel as she’s crying. Gothel planned all along for Rapunzel to escape and find that her family has moved on without her. Why? Gothel knows that Rapunzel will sacrifice her happiness for her family. But will Rapunzel sacrifice someone else’s happiness for her own? Gothel leaves Rapunzel with a poisoned toadstool from Wonderland: “Squeeze it into Cecilia’s drink when she least expects it. You can make her go away. You can have your family back..” Rapunzel refuses to hurt an innocent woman and throws the toadstool into the fire. Maybe so… but in case, Gothel recovers the toadstool and leaves it on the fireplace mantel.

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

  At Drizella’s birthday party, Rapunzel serves lavender lemonade to the guests. Cecilia compliments Rapunzel’s lemonade and tells her to take the day off from working to celebrate Drizella’s birthday. (I am *so* enraged that Rapunzel is literally these people’s maid! Marcus is the worst.) Rapunzel watches Cecillia with Drizella and Anastasia and becomes angry. Marcus tries to say that they can all get along, but when Drizella calls Cecillia “Mother,” (thanking her for a birthday gift) Rapunzel snaps. She returns to her cottage, breaks a mirror in anger, and then reaches for the toadstool…

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

Courtesy of ABC/Jack Rowand

  The toadstool causes Cecillia to flee to Wonderland. Marcus goes after her, but eventually returns, and they live on as a family. One snowy day, Marcus and Rapunzel watch as Anastasia, Drizella, and Ella make a snowman. When the snowman’s hat blows away, Ella tries to catch it. Anastasia can tell that the ice is thin and goes after Ella to stop her, but it’s too late. Both girls go under and Marcus dives in after them. When Marcus comes up, he only has one girl, Ella. He says he could only grab one girl… you better believe Rapunzel is livid that he wouldn’t choose Anastasia. (This now explains Ella’s guilt and why Lady Tremaine blames her for what happened to Anastasia.)

Rapunzel is able to get Anastasia out of the lake and runs to beg Gothel for help reviving her. Gothel locks in Anastasia’s last breath to help keep her between life and death. And Gothel says that this time, Anastasia will go into the tower. It’s all been a test. Gothel has been searching for the Guardian, someone pure of heart and incorruptible. Gothel thought it might be Rapunzel, but she harmed an innocent (Cecilia). Maybe Anastasia could be the Guardian? Gothel tells Rapunzel that this time, she has reinforced the tower with blood magic. When Gothel reaches for the seeds, she realizes that Rapunzel has stolen them. She throws them down and the tower imprisons Gothel. (And now we understand why Gothel needed her own child. The blood magic means that she can leave the tower only when someone in her bloodline holds her place… ALICE! Also, poor Alt-Killian!)

Rapunzel promises to bring Anastasia back…

  In Hyperion Heights, Victoria is being held in jail for the kidnapping of Eloise Gardner. Drizella comes to see her mother and gloat… “Orange looks better on the women on that Netflix show.” *SNORT*

Victoria isn’t at all glad to see Drizella, why has shwe some? Drizella asks for information on where Anastasia’s body is. Apparently, she wants to wake her sister up. But Victoria sees through her. Drizella only wants to take the magic within Anastasia and then kill her sister. Victoria isn’t about to let that happen. Drizella tries to make a deal… she controls all of Victoria’s assets now. The only way Victoria can get out of prison will be to tell Drizella about Anastasia’s whereabouts. Besides, Drizella shares that she can find Anastasia with Gothel’s help. But Victoria isn’t at all phased; she’ll get herself out of prison. After all, “when it comes to my family, I always find away.” These two throw some serious shade at each other in this scene–Victoria mocks Drizella for collecting mother figures; Drizella tells Victoria to have fun in prison.

When Weaver comes to take Victoria back to her cell, she admits that the only reason she agreed to meet with Drizella was to get a moment with the detective. Victoria asks for help getting to Anastasia and makes a specific appeal to Rumplestiltskin–the dagger, his search for the Guardian, his quest to reunite with Belle. Victoria promises to share her information if he will help her. But is Rumple really awake? Surprise: YES. YESSSSSSSSSSS. RUMPLE IS AWAKE. (And he calls Victoria, Rapunzel!)

Before long, Victoria is out of jail and Detective Rogers is there just as she’s leaving. He’s not at all pleased that the woman who kidnapped Eloise Gardner can just go free. Weaver/Rumple intervenes and tells Rogers that Victoria is going free because the search that uncovered Eloise was done without a warrant. Rogers accuses Weaver of convincing the judge to throw out the search and threatens to uncover his corruption. Weaver warns that going up against him will only bring more damage upon Rogers. Weaver gets into his car with Victoria and they plan to make a few errands.

Elsewhere, Jacinda and Lucy are happy to be back together. Lucy suggests that they have Henry over to share the good news, but Jacinda is less enthusiastic. When Lucy goes to get ready for school, Sabine asks Jacinda about her relationship with Henry. Is there still the potential for romance? Jacinda isn’t so optimistic because she’s heard that Henry went to San Francisco with Roni. They’re interrupted by a knock at the door…

It’s Victoria! Apparently, she has come to relinquish custody of Lucy to Jacinda. Apparently, when Victoria demanded that Jacinda sign over custody of Lucy those years ago, it was a test, one Jacinda failed. But now that Jacinda has reached out to Nick (Lucy’s father and a lawyer), and done to court to fight for Lucy, she has proven herself as a good mother. Victoria claims to be happy that Nick is back in Jacinda’s and Lucy’s lives. UGH.

Jacinda is skeptical about Victoria’s real motivations, but she claims that she only wants Lucy’s happiness. Victoria promises to send Lucy’s things to Jacinda’s apartment and says she is proud of her step-daughter for not giving up on family.

Later, Jacinda has Nick over to the apartment to confirm that paperwork and that Victoria has really given up her custody of Lucy. Jacinda is obviously happy and thankful. She hugs Nick… and then they share a kiss. Jacinda almost immediately steps back and tells Nick the kiss is a mistake. They can be friends and she wants him to have a relationship with Lucy. But that’s it.

At the police precinct, Rogers sneaks into Weaver’s locker to find out what he’s been up to. It seems Weaver has been collecting all sorts of knick-knacks. Killian’s hook is even there! However, Rogers is more interested in a box of files that has information about practically everyone in Hyperion Heights including Sabine! Roger’s goes to see Sabine as she’s painting the food truck, the Rollin’ Bayou (*FLAILS* because no one is talking me out of my Alt-Killian/Tiana ship!!!). She tells him that Weaver talked to her a few days ago about the fire at Mr. Cluck’s. Apparently, the arsonist used a knife to break into the alley door. Sabine draws the knife for Rogers, and it’s the Dark One dagger! Rumple knows that he can only be reunited with Belle if he passes the dagger to the Guardian. It seems he believes the Guardian is in Hyperion Heights and is doing from person to person, foisting the dagger on them, to see who can free him.

Drizella and Gothel try to keep tabs on Victoria and Rumple to follow them to Anastasia’s body. Gothel tells Drizella that she shouldn’t underestimate her mother, but Drizella is only concerned with her revenge.

Victoria is well aware that she and Rumple are being followed. It doesn’t stop her from breaking into the mausoleum… for a bag?! She says it has everything she needs to wake up Anastasia. This confuses Rumple. Why would Victoria expend all this effort to wake one daughter while completely despising the other? Rumple tells her that he had a son who hated him like Drizella hates Victoria, but he never stopped trying to bridge the gap between them. Baelfire!!! Rumple then warns Victoria that there are major costs to trying to reunite with someone that’s gone. Victoria tells Rumple not to compare their grief. Besides, she can’t stop when she’s this close to Anastasia.

By the time Drizella and Gothel enter the mausoleum, Victoria is already gone. Rumple tells them he’s known all along that they’ve been tailing him and that they need to be better. Mother Gothel asks for a private moment with Rumple. He asks her why she calls herself “Mother.” She’s certainly not a nun! Gothel responds that “mother” means different things to different people, and she’s all about tending to the needs of those who come to her. She even offers to tend to Rumple’s needs… he declines. Gothel refers to Rumple as the Dark One and asks about Belle: “You know you’re never getting back to her. Not on your own. But with me…”

This makes Rumple very angry. He wants nothing from Gothel. And whatever she plans to do to stop Victoria won’t work either. Interestingly, Gothel mentions that there are costs to awakening Anastasia, the loss of an innocent’s belief: “Do you have any idea where your great-granddaughter is now?”

Victoria picks Lucy up at her ballet class. The bag that Victoria gets from the mausoleum? It has the Fairy Tale book! She gives it to Lucy and confesses everything about fairy tales being real. It’s all real. She’s Rapunzel (Tremaine is Marcus’ name, which she took when they were married), Jacinda is CInderella… even that she poisoned Cecilia (supposedly after being tricked by Gothel).

There's always more to the story. #OnceUponATime pic.twitter.com/ixZ6a8Vx2e

— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) December 11, 2017

  Victoria tells Lucy everything that leads up to Anastasia falling into that lake. They even do to see Anastasia, now at a hospital. Lucy is confused about why Victoria is telling her these things. Victoria says she wants her to see the world as it really is… and then proceeds to show Lucy a video of Jacinda kissing Nick: “You were right Lucy, fairy tales are real. But sadly, happy endings aren’t.”

Victoria even tells Lucy that Henry has left town. This totally devastates her belief that she, her mother, and Henry will be together. Lucy lets her belief go… and Victoria has what she needs, one of Lucy’s tears.

Rogers confronts Weaver as he’s searching for Lucy. One of his officers has located her backpack, but there isn’t much to go one. Surprisingly, Weaver tells Roger about trying to reunite with Belle and Rogers believes him. Rogers even offers to help. The first order of business is to find Lucy.

Are these two finally working together!? #OnceUponATime pic.twitter.com/J4sPVijfOG

— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) December 12, 2017

  In the hospital, Victoria successfully wakes up Anastasia (Drizella witnesses it and sheds tears of her own)… …And Lucy eventually makes it home to her mother, only to pass out, unconscious, the moment Anastasia awakens.

  I don’t know about you, but Rapunzel/Victoria/Lady Tremaine is much more sympathetic to me. However, why must Lucy pay the price for Anastasia to be awake? Also, what have Henry and Regina really been up to?

  Next week is Once Upon a Time’s Mid-season Finale, which means another juicy episode!

In “The Eighth Witch” (written by Jane Espenson and Jerome Schwartz, directed by Ralph Hemecker)

REGINA REUNITES WITH ZELENA, AND GOTHEL WORKS TO EARN ANASTASIA’S TRUST–When Drizella threatens the realm with a dark curse, Henry and Ella take extreme actions to protect Lucy and the others; and Regina is forced into making an unimaginable choice. In Hyperion Heights, Roni recruits Henry to travel to San Francisco to search for her sister, but when he learns Lucy has fallen unconscious, Henry rushes to be by her side. Meanwhile, Gothel earns the trust of Anastasia and the consequences of their budding relationship could prove to be fatal.

  And apparently Zelena is a SoulCycle instructor… this is going to be so GOOD!

Grab onto your bikes and FLY! 🐒 Zelena returns to #OnceUponATime tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/vjuuLvlpfa

— Once Upon A Time (@OnceABC) December 14, 2017

  Once Upon a Time airs Fridays at 8p/7c on ABC.

RECAP: ‘Once Upon a Time’ Season 7, Episode 9 “One Little Tear” In the Fairy Tale Realm, we learn Rapunzel's backstory. Meanwhile, in Hyperion Heights, Victoria finally achieves her goal, though it comes at a major cost.

#ABC #Adelaide Kane #Alison Fernandez #Anastasia #Andrew J. West #Captain Hook #CaptainSwan #Cinderella #Colin O’Donoghue #Dania Ramirez #Drizella #Gabrielle Anwar #Henry Mills #Jacinda #Jared Gilmore #Killian Jones #Lady Tremaine #Lana Parrilla #Lucy #Mekia Cox #Mother Gothel #Officer Rogers #Once Upon a Time #Once Upon a Time Season 7 #One Little Tear #OUaT #photos #preview #Princess Tiana #Rapunzel

[junker-town]

How to be a bandwagon Falcons fan, from actual Falcons fans

Hold tight, there’s a lot to know.

Hello. You’re probably here because your team was one of the 30 unfortunate franchises that didn��t make the Super Bowl (been there before) or you just hate the Patriots so much that you need to take on the other franchise in this Super Bowl.

It just so happens that team is the Atlanta Falcons this season.

So here you are, trying to look like a legitimate Atlanta Falcons fan for whatever reason that may be. Fear not, by the time you finish reading this — no matter where you are from or what team you typically rep — you will come across as a real-ass Atlanta Falcons fan.

Players you need to know

Introducing the entire team would be way too long and unnecessary, so here’s some extremely basic info about the players you’ll hear from the most on Sunday.

There’s no better place to start than quarterback Matt Ryan, aka “Matty Ice.” There’s a vocal contingent of fans who have just about despised him up until this season, but he’s put it all together and gotten help from the rest of the offense. Now, Ryan appears to have built the strongest case to win the NFL MVP award.

His best target is Julio Jones. If you find yourself on Twitter during the game and Jones happens to make a big play, simply tweet “JULIOOOOOOOOOOOOO” and you’ll fit right in.

JULIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

— Harry Lyles Jr. (@harrylylesjr) January 22, 2017

Fans have also adopted the same with Mohamed Sanu, by tweeting “SANUUUUUUUUUUU” give or take some o’s and u’s in each, of course.

In the backfield, Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman are responsible for making opposing defenses put their hands on their hips or knees in exhaustion, desperately trying to get every last breath of air that they can.

Also: DEVONTAAAAAAAAAAA!

Defensively, know Vic Beasley, the NFL’s regular season leader in sacks. And don’t forget the vet, Dwight Freeney, and young defensive backs Keanu Neal and Robert Alford.

This team also loves its ping pong, and SB Nation’s own Jeanna Thomas is your insider for all things there.

Matt Ryan just used his hand as a ping pong paddle. Good awareness, savvy veteran move

— Jeanna (@jeannathomas) December 2, 2016

He’s not a player, but you should also know about head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons have gone through plenty of coaches in the past, but Quinn is a proven winner in the past with the Seahawks, and has brought that same feeling to Atlanta.

Know the Falcons’ struggle

The Falcons haven’t had a lot of nice things in the past. They have the third-worst winning percentage of all 32 NFL franchises in history, with an all-time record of 341-437-6. Only the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are worse. Within that losing record are plenty of single moments that had — and still have — fans shaking their heads in disbelief.

A “BRIEF” RUNDOWN:

Dave Hampton becoming the first 1,000-yard rusher in team history, then losing it on the next play

Losing Michael Vick after he went to prison for dogfighting

Watching Bobby Petrino leave — for Arkansas — with the quickness

Jim Mora said he'd take the University of Washington head coaching job over the Falcons job "even if they were in the playoffs”

Scoring 2 points in a playoff game against the Giants

Blowing a 17-point lead in the 2012 NFC Championship to the 49ers

Losing on a pick-2 to the Chiefs

Eugene Robinson getting arrested the night before Super Bowl XXXIII after trying to solicit a prostitute who was actually an undercover cop

The Tomahawk Chop (a Braves rallying cheer) broke out in a home game in 1991, which seemed cool... until they lost.

Trading away a young Brett Favre, even though he wasn’t all that great in Atlanta. It was still Brett Favre.

Wade Traynham whiffed on the opening kickoff in the team’s second game in 1966

The 15 years between those big playoff games vs. Dallas and Dan Reeves getting hired, the Falcons were 79-147-1, a .350 winning percentage

When Deion Sanders returned to the Georgia Dome after playing five seasons with the team and stared down the entire sideline while running back a pick-six

The “Gritz Blitz” defense. We invented a pressure and named it after FOOD

Picking Aundray Bruce No. 1 overall in 1988. He played 34 games for the Falcons.

The 2012 draft class

Noisegate (we don’t give a shit)

Jamal Anderson’s ACLs

Other items to note

#RISEUP. The Falcons’ mantra was adopted in 2010, and while it initially wasn’t received well when the Falcons weren’t exactly doing too much winning. Now, we’ve pretty much just accepted it for what it is at this point.

This “Rise Up” video is wonderfully soulful, and something that we can all agree is good:

Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t play games when the Falcons are on, either:

O MUTHAPHUKKYN K!! Finally, some Grown Man Football! Rise Da Fuck Up!!!!

— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) September 20, 2015

The 1991 Back in Black Falcons, where the team went back to their black uniforms for their 25th anniversary.

The Falcons ran an option offense for three years, with the No. 1 rushing offense, and no one noticed. They said Mike Shanahan invented the option a decade later.

Until 1998, our greatest head coach was a crazy person who awarded himself trophies and gave tickets to invisible Elvis. (Hey, Jerry Glanville)

The Falcons' first owner, Rankin Smith, once got drunk and grounded his yacht, "Pocket Change,” on a reef in the Bahamas

They’ve had a handful of notable players in franchise history

Steve Bartkowski: Bartkowski, who played for 10 years with the Falcons, is the only quarterback in the team’s ring of honor.

William Andrews: Andrews was one of the best running backs in the NFL during his time with the Falcons from 1979-83. He suffered a knee injury that kept him out for two seasons, before coming back as a tight end in 1986 for one season.

Jeff Van Note: Van Note played center, and was a five-time Pro Bowler in Atlanta, where he spent his entire career from 1969-86.

Tommy Nobis: The first player ever drafted by the Falcons in 1966. He was also the first Falcons player to be voted to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season. He is Mr. Falcon.

Deion Sanders: Primetime! He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Falcons, while also playing for the Atlanta Braves. He even played in the 1992 World Series.

Jessie Tuggle: He’s one of the greatest players in franchise history. “The Hammer” was a fierce linebacker that was a fan favorite for over a decade.

Claude Humphrey: Humphrey was a first-round pick by the Falcons in 1968. Another early Falcons legend, he finished his career as the all-time sack leader in franchise history. He’s also a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Others to know:

Terence Mathis, Bob Whitfield, Bob Christian, T.J. Duckett, Warrick Dunn, Ray Buchanan, Jamal Anderson, Chris Chandler, Keith Brooking, Tony Gonzalez, Alge Crumpler

Rivals of the Atlanta Falcons

1. Saints

2. Saints

3. Bobby Petrino’s team

4. Saints

5. Niners

6. Saints

7. Matty B Raps

8. Bobby Petrino

9. DeAngelo Hall

10. Joe Horn

11. Drew Brees

Musical interests can be used to weed out fakes

Listen, if you haven’t paid attention to anything before this, you need to be on top of this if you’re really trying to sell your “fandom.”

The city of Atlanta does not play when it comes to our music. In particular, the hip-hop scene is something that we hold near and dear to our hearts. I won’t list everything because we’d be here all day. Instead, here’s a brief (and incomplete) list.

Outkast: This is the perfect starting point for anybody trying to fake the funk. Outkast is one part of the Atlanta hip-hop scene that nobody can argue against. Andre 3000 and Big Boi combined for one of the greatest duos hip-hop has ever seen.

Jeezy: Jeezy probably doesn’t get as much love as he deserves. He’s got so many classics like Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 and The Recession that we won’t list them all. But know Jeezy the Snowman.

Ludacris: Luda is a graduate of Georgia State (where tuition is handled by the dean of students office), and along with Jermaine Dupri, made arguably the Atlanta anthem: “Welcome to Atlanta” which should absolutely play inside any airplane that touches down at Hartsfield-Jackson. But that’s another conversation.

T.I.: He’s got a discography that’s almost as vast as his vocabulary. Also, Michael Vick was in the “Rubberband Man” video. Rise up.

Gucci Mane: You can’t say enough good things about Gucci. Just grab a glass of lemonade and kick back and listen to The State vs. Radric Davis.

Crime Mob: Just know and respect “Knuck if you Buck” and pretend like JuJu on that Beat never happened.

Shawty Lo: The unofficial mayor of Atlanta (R.I.P)

Future: Being proficient in his newer material will suffice. You won’t be on the bandwagon too long, but you should be listening to Future if you aren’t anyway.

Migos: They’re arguably the hottest on this list with their new album Culture that came out featuring “Bad and Boujee.” On their song “T-shirt” from Culture the beat is from Dem Franchize Boyz’s “White Tee” just slowed down. Freakin’ geniuses.

Rae Sremmurd: That mannequin challenge that flooded your timeline for a month? That was them. But they make more dope music than just “Black Beatles.” Their name is also “ear drummers” backwards.

Miscellaneous tidbits about Atlanta

The Varsity actually isn’t that great, and we leave it to tourists

We love Waffle House, and you better not slander it

There’s OTP (outside of the perimeter) Atlantans, and ITP (inside the Perimeter) Atlantans

Regardless, anybody in the suburbs 45 mins to an hour from downtown will tell you they’re from Atlanta

If Georgia didn’t have Atlanta, it would be Mississippi

Not all Atlantans drive trucks: some have Dodge Chargers, while others drive Tahoes

Sweet tea

Chick-fil-a is now as common as McDonald’s are everywhere else and we live by it

Almost everybody in and around Atlanta has an ATV, including former Braves great Chipper Jones, who used his to rescue Freddie Freeman during a rare snowstorm

That’s a fairly brief and sufficient rundown of what you’ll need if you’re trying to prove your “Falcons fandom” at your Patriots-fan cousin that you hate’s Super Bowl party or whatever the case may be.

Enjoy the ride.