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exitpursuedbyavulcan · 10 months

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What about arguments like you should not be allowed to write about glorifying pedophilia which is a lot of work on ao3 unfortunately

I'm assuming this is in reference to this post that I reblogged literally 11 minutes ago. Oh boy, I was not prepared for this so soon after waking up.

My stance is, basically, there should be no limitations or censorship on any kind of writing. There has never been a period in history where censorship like that hasn't been the first step in a wider fascist uprising. Putting limitations on creative arts like that is barely a half-step away from censoring people's thoughts.

Are there things I find gross and morally iffy at best? Yes. My solution to that? I don't read them.

There's been a lot of talk in the US recently about books "glorifying" certain subjects. But "glorifying" is a very vague and often inaccurate word. Do the Little House on the Prairie books "glorify" living in a dugout? Does To Kill a Mockingbird glorify racism? Does Lolita glorify pedophilia? No, that's simply something that's included in the plot. The Little House books take place in a time when living in a dugout was a part of like. Mockingbird takes place in the South during Jim Crow. And Lolita includes pedophilia because it's about how gross and creepy pedophilia is.

I've said this in several arguments with conservative family members regarding the banning of books in American schools: "There is a stark difference between a book 'glorifying' something immoral and it simply being a part of the book."

The only book that comes to mind that actually glorifies something morally bad is Gone with the Wind, which glorifies the pre-Civil War American South and the horrible practice of slavery. Do I think we should ban or otherwise censor that book? Or the movie that's based on it?

No.

Not only is Gone with the Wind and important piece of American literary history (and the movie is arguable even more important), it is, despite its faults, a good book. It's a tale of female perseverance at a time when women were expected to just get married and have babies. It's about how female friendships are more important that any petty romantic squabbles. It's about how not everyone deserves a happy ending.

For the movie, HBO and TCM (I am a devoted TCM fan) have filmed a ~15 minute disclaimer video to play before the movie discussing it's faults and how we, as a modern society who now agrees (mostly) that slavery and racism is wrong, should view the film. Jaqueline Stewart hosts that video, as well as a very interesting panel discussion about the movie here that I highly recommend.

All this to say, it is important that we acknowledge the faults in literature. But I have never encountered a book, even though it may have many faults, that I think should be banned.

And I have the same philosophy about fanfic. I may think it's gross and icky, but I do not have the right to tell someone what they can read or write.

And... I do think we should acknowledge the irony of you sending this ask to a blog that has literally written 200k words of a fanfiction focused on the romance between two first cousins. Just a thought.

#asks

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celestemagnoliathewriter · 1 year

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Tag Game - Fandom Edition

thanks for the tag @ashesandhackles!

Your Name: Celeste (a pen name)

First Fandom: As a writer: Jokingly, Twilight. Intentionally, Harry Potter. As a reader: I think that if Tumblr/fandom spaces existed when I was younger, Little House on the Prairie/the Little House series would've been my first fandom.

Current Fandom: Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice

How did you first get into fandom? A reread of the HP series and the need to consume more Remadora. I hadn't read fanfic or engaged in the fandom before that point.

How long have you been engaging in fandom spaces? Almost two years.

How often do you read fanfic? Depends. Sometimes it's daily, other times it's every now and then. These days I'm reading fic almost every day.

Top three characters from your current fandom? From HP: Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Andromeda Tonks. From P&P: Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet.

Have you ever written a fic for a fandom and if so, shout it out! Yes! I've got 80 published works on AO3 for HP, with another 5-6 on their way. I've got 2 underway for P&P.

Have you ever drawn fan art for a fandom? No but I want to. I'm terrible at art and self-teaching is going poorly.

Share a personal headcanon that you feel strongly about: Tonks was really close with her parents and had a good, positive relationship with them 95% of the time.

You’re trying to convince a friend to get into your current fandom(s) with you. what episode, clip, or scene are you showing them? Hum. For HP, the scene where Harry's in the forest and uses the Resurrection Stone to see his family. For P&P: either the world's worst proposal from Darcy, OR, if we're going by the movies or tv show, Darcy coming out of the pond wet or that super charged raining bad proposal scene.

And finally, what does fandom mean to you? Friendship! It's the best kind of ship!

Tagging @in-love-with-remus-lupin, @messrmoonyy, @leesielou, @prospering-carnations, @darkbiwriter, @youllstillfindst0ne, @timeandpixiedust

#tags #tag games #fandom #harry potter #pride and prejudice

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simi-valley-ca-first · 1 month

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Active Senior Housing Simi Valley, CA

The Varenita of Simi Valley offers the most active senior housing in Simi Valley, CA. It provides various senior care options, such as assisted living, memory care, and a specialized community. Also, Varenita of Simi Valley offers a range of senior living resources designed to help you and your family make informed decisions about senior living based on your goals, needs, and budget. The team of experts has curated valuable resources to help you navigate financial planning for senior living and determine if senior living is the right choice. From insightful articles to helpful guides, Varenita of Simi Valley is committed to providing the support and information you need to make the best decisions for yourself or your loved ones. Whether you're exploring financial options or considering the suitability of senior living, the resources are tailored to offer guidance and clarity. Call (805) 823-1371 to book your appointment.

Simi Valley, CA, Suburban Life

Simi Valley, California, is a charming city between Santa Susana and Simi Hills, offering a perfect blend of serene suburban living and breathtaking natural beauty. This Southern California haven is known for its abundant amenities, strong sense of community, and wealth of outdoor activities that attract people from all walks of life. With over 50 parks, Simi Valley provides countless opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to immerse themselves in nature, engage in physical activities, and relax. From the well-maintained Simi Hills Neighborhood Park, featuring playgrounds and picnic areas, to the historic Corriganville Park with its picturesque trails and the stunning views and challenging hiking trails at Rocky Peak Park, Simi Valley has something to offer for everyone who appreciates the great outdoors.

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center

The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center is a lively arts hub in Simi Valley that offers live performances, art exhibits, classes, and special events. It hosts theater productions, musicals, dance performances, and concerts. Additionally, it provides art exhibits and classes in acting, painting, dance, and music. The Simi Dog Park is a safe and enjoyable off-leash space for dog owners, offering separate fenced areas for large and small dogs. Activities such as fetch, frisbee, and walking help strengthen the bond with dogs. The park is open from 7 am to dusk but closed on Thursdays for maintenance. But if you're taking your puppy, there should be proper dog etiquette, such as keeping your dog's vaccinations up to date, being aware of their temperament, and socializing them properly before allowing them to interact with other dogs.

Cast Reunion and Festival in Simi Valley

The Little House on the Prairie actors, including Allison Arngrim, have returned to Simi Valley to preview the 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion and Festival. The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce holds the event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday through Sunday at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park. Thousands of fans, many dressed in costumes, are expected to attend. Arngrim discussed the practical jokes played by the late Michael Landon, who starred as Charles Ingalls. Melissa Gilbert, who grew up on the series as Laura Ingalls, is among the headliners. Charlotte Stewart, who portrayed Eva Beadle Simms, said she was surprised by her young talent. The festival continues to attract thousands of fans, many dressed in costumes.

Link to maps

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center 3050 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93065, United States Head north on Church St toward E Los Angeles Ave 115 ft Turn right onto E Los Angeles Ave 0.3 mi Turn left onto Sequoia Av 0.5 mi Turn right onto Cochran St 0.6 mi Turn left 85 ft Turn left 0.1 mi Turn right Destination will be on the left 187 ft Varenita of Simi Valley 3921 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, United States

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anileahvictoria · 3 years

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Adam Kendall from My Little House on the Prairie.

Cutie Mark: Adam has always had a fascination with law and thought about becoming a lawyer many times, but ultimately decides he could do more good as a teacher for the blind. His cutie mark was inspired by the saying that justice is blind, so the scales of justice represent balancing his love for the study of law with his responsibilities as a teacher, and husband, and the cloth is Lady Justice’s eye covering that makes her blind, just like Adam is.

I accidentally referred to Little House on the Prairie as My Little House on the Prairie, and this fan art was born. More on that later, It's time for a rant. Adam is my favorite character from the series until I got mad and left the fandom cause they did this beautiful man dirty, so It’s time to rant about it.

#1. The Romance. The romance between Mary and adam was totally out of the blue. When Merry goes blind, she's shipped off to blind school, and her teacher is this capable, intelligent and hard-working young man named Adam Kendal. His teaching still is very much tough love, and he doesn't take crap from his students. Mary starts as a reluctant, uncooperative, self-pitying, closed-minded student doing things like throwing her things across the room. Adam handles all this brilliantly, saying stuff like: if you're gonna make a mess, your gonna clean it up. Doesn't baby her or pitty her AT ALL. Exactly what she needs. After a few months, Mary's attitude changes drastically, and she's thriving thanks to Adam. But when Adam sits her down to teach her some piano, she has a moment of self-doubt:

Merry: I could never learn...

Adam: I wish you would forget about that. Some of the greatest writers and composers in the worl were blind.Have you ever heard of John Milton?

Merry: Well of course. He- he wrote Paradise Lost, one of my favorite books.

Adam: Well, he was also blind. Now, do you want to play the piano or not?

Merry: There wouldn't be enough time. You know my family's coming to take me home. They'll be here in a few days.

Adam: It's been a long time, hasn't it, since you've seen your folks?

Merry: It seems like a lifetime. Adam, I'm so scared. I mean... I know I'm ready to go home... But here it's- it's easy, and I've always got you to help me.

Adam: Merry, you can't depend on me forever. And I'll be leaving too.

Merry: Where are you going?

Adam: To Winoka, to start a new blind school.

Merry: Why didn't you tell me?

Adam: I don't know. It just never came up.

Merry: Then I'm glad I'm going home.

Adam: Merry, it's not that much different out there. Not really.

And now it gets all angsty:

Merry: Yes, it is. I wouldn't expect you to understand. How could you?

Adam: Mary...

Mary: The world isn't like the Burton school for the blind. It... It's a huge, dark place filled with... hidden obstacles and... strange sounds and voices coming from faceless people. Even you. I've never even seen you.

Adam: Well then look at me.

... And then they start feeling each other's faces and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure blind people don't actually do that...

And then it gets randomly and weirdly romantic...

Mary: What color are your eyes?

Adam: Blue.

Mary: Your hair?

Adam: Brown.

Mary: Thank you Adam.

Adam: ...What do you look like, Mary? Ive never seen you either.

Aaaand more face touching.

So apparently, they're a thing now. I'd understand if Adam fell for her cause she looks like a literal angel (seriously, no girl has any business looking that gorgeous), but Adam's blind too. So he's going ultimately off of personality, I'm guessing. And when he first meets Mary, she is not a pleasant person. Yes, she does improve quite a lot, but what makes her any different than all the other students he's taught? It certainly isn't their age, cause Adam's 22 and Mary's 15 (back then, I guess it wasn't a big deal). Also, It creeps me way out that her teacher falls in love with her. The man who spends most hours of the day alone with a vulnerable teenage girl falls in love with said girl AND THEN asks said girl to work for him at his new school in a busy city away from her family where it would just be Adam, Mary, one old man who lives on the top floor, and a few students, not to mention Mary would also be spending the nights there... It's a good thing this isn't that kinda show cause there's a million different ways that could've gone... But because this is Little House on the Prairie, nothing happens, and Adam asks Mary to be his wife soon after she moves in.

#2. Regaining his Sight And Becoming a Lawyer.

This really makes me mad. When Adam gets his sight back and sees the faces of all his friends and, most importantly, his wife for the first time. It's beautiful and wonderful and heaven knows the man deserves a miracle like that, BUT his whole character changes. He goes from a responsible teacher and loving husband who knows who he is and where he's meant to be, to an ambitious young man who would rather chase his dreams of becoming a lawyer than take care of his responsibilities to the school he started, the children he teaches, and the wife he loves. I can understand wanting to go and see the world and do things you couldn't do before, but sighted or blind, he has responsibilities. Mary is kinda left in the dust when Adam makes all these new sighted friends and drags her along to all his fancy lawyer parties while he plays games, runs around laughing and talking, and leaves Mary sitting in a chair all by herself. Like, he doesn't even consider how she must be feeling! He doesn't try to include her in conversations or introduce her to his new friends; she's just a pretty thing that sits there to be cared for. And the thing is, this is exactly what Adam was afraid would happen to him when Mary thought her sight was returning a few episodes ago! Now Adam's new fancy friends get him an opportunity to take some fancy tests to become a lawyer and Adam, without a second thought for Mary, goes off to take the test, not evening considering who would run the school if he passed and became a lawyer. Then some bad stuff happens, and he can't make it to the test, and I'm all relieved cause we all know he belongs with his wife teaching at the school and now he'll see things clearly and get his head off the cloud and onto the here and now. But nooooo, this whole time Mary is hoping he'd fail (and so am I), but when she sees how heartbroken he is, she goes and has a talk with the professor and convinces him to let Adam take the test. He finally relents, and Adam passes and becomes a lawyer, giving the school away to a wonderful woman who teaches there. This whole thing is treated like he made the right choice when he obviously isn't! Not I blame this on the time period the show was made in. Back then, a man had to be ambitious and provide for the family and leave the teaching and such to the woman, so back then, it was a good thing he went off and became a lawyer, but still, I'm mad. Correct me if I'm wrong, but when Adam hands the school over to the lady, Mary no longer teaches there, which means that Adam has taken away Mary's dream of teaching on top of not spending nearly as much time as he used to with her and (though he doesn't realize it and I don't think anyone brings it to his attention cause men are supposed" to do all the work) doesn't let her do things for herself.

#3. He's Fictional.

This one makes me the madest. At first, I turned a blind eye to all these flaws cause I assumed Adam Kendall was based off an actual person, like most characters in the series, but noooo. They made him up just for the tv series. This means his romance with Mary WAS totally random, and Mary staying in the same building as he did BEFORE they were married WAS the writer's choice, and Adam regaining his sight and leaving his wife and school in the dust WAS ALSO THE WRITERS CHOICE! AND he was basically just made to me Mary's husband because Mary doesn't marry or have children in real life. So yeah, my favorite character's development went down the drain. But oh well, that's what we have fanfic and fanart for, am I right? Oh wait, this show is old. No one's made any good fanart/fanfic. K, I'm gonna go cry now. Bye

Also, if anyone has a different opinion or point of view, please tell me about it. I'd love to go back to loving this character, so please change my mind 🥺.

#my little pony #fan art #my little pony fan art #little house on the prairie #little house on the prairie fan art #my little house on the prairie #blind #blind character #character design #adam kendall

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pen-driverart · 5 years

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Star Wars-Little House on the Prairie crossover challenge

The Sins of the Fathers

When Hux (Reverend Hux) saw a man,who was abusing his son,he’s tried to protect the boy,and the boy’s father (with his men) beats Hux very hard. Rose finds him,and takes him to the doctor. Later on,Hux visits Rose,and tell her the story about his father.

more about the idea

#star wars #general hux #armitage hux #rose tico #huxrose #gingerrose #crossover #little house on the prairie #fan art #illustration #huxasapriest #hux #rose #@everywhere-i-look-i-see-reylo

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misssamcraigsart · 4 years

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The Oleson Sisters

#little house on the prairie #nellie oleson #alison arngrim #nancy oleson #allison balson #fan art

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greetingsdr · 5 years

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| Doctor’s Lady |

Aka my favorite episode of Little House on the Prairie.

#lhotp #fan art #little house on the prairie #my art #my artwork #illustration #kevin hagen #dr baker

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theprologues · 3 years

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SUBMISSION - Grammys performance symbolism, part two

So, with those reservations safely out of the way, and a warning to readers NOT to hurt themselves by getting their hopes up again …

What aspects of Taylor’s Grammy’s performance made me think there might be light at the end of the tunnel for Kaylor?

First, Taylor’s blue and gold performance dress. “Deep blue but you painted me golden” is a line from Dancing With Our Hands Tied, a song that is widely assumed to be about the night of Kissgate. It’s a song where Taylor talks about how miserable (“deep blue”) she was after the collapse of her relationship with Diana and her public reputation in 2013. She describes how her new lover, Karlie, brought her back to life and lit her up with the glow of a new, true love. She painted her golden. But then they were caught in an intimate moment at Kissgate, and Taylor panicked. Her fears and anxieties threatened to drown her, and though she and her new lover tried to dance through the catastrophe, they eventually came to realize they were doing so with their hands tied. They had no hope of swimming to the surface together and breaking free. They could only have done so if Taylor had stood firm and owned their love in the moment, instead of setting in motion the bearding contracts that would change everything. (This is what she means when she says that “if I could dance with you again”, she would “kiss” and “hold” her lover, instead of presumably backing away. If she could do the moment over, she would claim Karlie as her lover, and hold her hand for the world to see, through hell or high water.)

Though it’s a depressing motif in DWOHT, Taylor has, interestingly, returned to this imagery of a golden tie several times in other songs, painting it in a much more positive light. Most recently, the Willow music video explores this, visually representing the “single thread of gold that tied me to you” which Taylor sings about in Invisible String. Both IS and Willow are happy songs, which describe their lovers as being tied together by fate. “Wherever you go, I’ll follow,” Taylor sings in Willow. In DWOHT, the lovers followed each other to a place of deepest blue. The bottom of the ocean, under the waves, where they couldn’t breathe. In Willow they follow each other to freedom.

That freedom is represented in the Willow music video by the open cabin door the lovers step through at the end of the video. Taylor incorporates this door into the Willow section of her Grammy’s performance, performing first in the open doorway and then stepping through it to perform with her band out in the open.

But returning to the blue and gold dress. This is not only a very Karlie motif which keeps recurring in her art (often to postitve effect). It’s also a representation of Taylor finding happiness WITHIN the closet. It’s talking about how her partner’s love helps her to bear the depression being in the closet, and fearing exposure, causes her. The fact that Taylor chooses to wear this dress throughout her performance, with no costume changes, suggests a) she is still in the closet, and b) she is still with Karlie, and still considers her love to be such a lifeline.

If Toe was real and Taylor was happy with him, she could have chosen to wear an all-gold dress for the occasion. If Kaylor was over and she had decided to return to the closet, she could have communicated that by wearing all blue. If Kaylor was over and so far in the past she had moved on with someone new, there was no need to evoke the motif at all. She could simply have laid claim to another color, or worn another prairie type dress to fit the aesthetic. And yet, she didn’t. Why not, if not to communicate what I said above?

What else is worth considering, in Taylor’s medley? Well, there’s the cabin setting. Taylor and Karlie famously took a trip to Big Sur forest and stayed in a cabin together in 2014, where Karlie was the first person to hear 1989 in full. They took many photos on the trip, including one captioned with “on the way home” (a lyric from You Are In Love, which talks about hearing love in the silence) and one of the two of them looking up at a fallen tree. A VERY similar looking tree appears in the Cardigan music video, and the slanted, moss-covered roof Taylor opens the medley lying on also looks a lot like this tree. Again, curious that she would call back to this if she and Karlie have separated.

Moving on. Taylor opens the medley singing on the roof, looking straight up into the camera. When we pull back we see the stage around set to that of a starry night. Taylor is thus cast as the romantic, the star-gazer. She also calls back to another lyric Kaylors have previously tied to Karlie - “up on the roof with a schoolgirl crush”. It’s been repeatedly tied to Karlie and Taylor’s attendance at the Victoria Secret show after-party. Again, why evoke imagery so tied to the early, happy days of this relationship?

We then move through a progression of events that sees her hiding inside with friends, before eventually stepping out into the light. That all reads like a visual interpretation of her relationship with Karlie, from her early loneliness and lovestruck dreaming, to the happiness she finds within her little hideaway, to her eventual decision to step out of it and claim her lover. The medley ends on a repetition of “that’s my man”, seemingly hinting that Taylor’s freedom is tied up in her ability to finally say those words.

What else? Well, there are the Ivy allusions. Taylor’s cabin covered in greenery can’t help but evoke the lyrics of Ivy - “my house of stone, your ivy grows, and now I’m covered in you”. Ivy is widely interpreted as a sapphic song about two women finding love despite their commitments to men. Another line in the song “he’s in the room, your opal eyes are all I wish to see, he wants what’s only yours” is alluded to in Taylor’s choice of opal jewelry on the night. What a weird thing to draw attention to, if you’re not secretly in love with a woman while parading a beard around in public. We’re also told in the song that “he” (possibly the same man, possibly another) wants to burn the house of the Ivy lovers down. Jerk just so happened to announce the baby’s birth on this night, in what felt like an attempt to undermine Taylor’s joy. Hmm. Curious.

You know what else is curious? Taylor’s choice of outfit for the Grammys red carpet. Not only is the floral dress very reminiscent of a floral ensemble Karlie wore to cover a June (pride month) issue of Spanish Vogue. (Cover subtitled, “flowers of change”.) It’s also by the designer Oscar de la Renta. Taylor and Karlie famously attended one of his shows together early on in their relationship. They sat in the front row looking very cozy, while Taylor refused to answer questions about why she was there and reportedly giggled “my publicist will be mad at me”. Hmm.

Taylor has also worn Oscar de la Renta on numerous occasions while out with Karlie, including most famously at the Met Gala. That iconic pale pink gown that she was buried in the Look What You Made Me Do music video? That was an Oscar de la Renta. There are many interpretations of the scene in the video, but it’s worth noting that Taylor is buried alive in it (which could be interpreted as a metaphor for being closeted) and that in a video all about her various revenge fantasies, she depicts herself crawling back up out of this grave. She views coming back to life and walking away from the flaming wreckage of her past with Big Machine as the ultimate revenge. At the end of the video she clips her own wings while all the past iterations of her argue amongst themselves. This would seem to suggest that she can defeat her enemies but she can’t defeat herself, because she can’t outrun her past, and until then she will always be doomed to self-sabotage. Nevertheless, this Taylor (lurking in the background bedecked in peaced-out palm tree print) is in a much better position than the Taylor who opened the video as a zombie corpse. She’s on the surface and has some hope of freedome, at last. This is a theme we see carried through in the following video, where Taylor goes one-on-one against herself and eventually breaks free.

Long story short? Taylor wearing such a floral, literally blooming dress from THIS designer, of all people, suggests she may finally be about to rise again. The aborted coming out apparently planned for the Lover era (and thus seeded during the Rep era) may finally be a go?

Again, I’m very reluctant to get people’s hopes up here. But it’s hard to look at this dress and not think of that June (Pride month) floral magazine cover. Or of the Spade riddle, “Why worry? She blooms in June.” Or of the fact that Taylor’s stunts are often loudest before the end. She acknowledged Calvin and hugged him at an awards show before he was booted out of the narrative and Tom H appeared to replace him. (Something like ten days or so after the “split”, if I remember right?) And the inconsistencies of the Toe timeline speak for themselves. There was speculation - unpopular though it was - among Kaylors in the Rep era that guessed Taylor wouldn’t come out until 2021 / 2022. It seemed a world away at the time but who knows? Maybe this was always the plan. Maybe this is all “part of the fucking story”, even the parts that seem ugly or counterproductive. A lot can change in a couple of months in Hollywood, and with Taylor in particular. By June, it’s possible we COULD be looking at a vastly different landscape. Maybe this was one last hurrah for the Toes. Many of them are just harmless fans taking Taylor at her word, after all.

Only time will tell, and I don’t blame Kaylors for checking out. This isn’t healthy, especially for those of us who are gay ourselves, and can’t help but feel a personal connection to Taylor’s journey out of the closet. We know what a big deal it would be. But for those who still want to hope … It’s just possible Taylor has a plan, and this is the dark night before the dawn.

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Pro: I added the photos and the bolded parts. Love symbolism. This was truly a spectacular performance. Awesome submission anon!!

#submission #submitted by anonymous

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gloombeauty · 3 years

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I miss when Lana seemed to be so invested in her music and her art. when she performed live, she seemed like she actually cared. She would get sad during the sad songs, smile during the happy ones, etc. Idk how to describe it, other than the fact that she seemed like she really just *felt*

Lana hasn't given a fuck for a long time. Her visionary art started going south for Lust For Life. She got lazy on stage and off. Then she decided to hire two dancers to twerk onstage to Blue Jeans and Summertime Sadness.

I saw two shows.

First was the LFL tour. She sang most of the BTD songs and hardly anything from LFL which doesn't make sense. She looked good at least. She looked like she gave a fuck. I think it was 2017. She was wearing a black top with skinny jeans and heels. Her hair was straight down her waist. She looked gorgeous.

Then it was the NFR tour. Same song list with a new album. Only two songs from NFR. She stood up on stage looking bored to death. She wasn't singing live. She had a back track recording playing loudly in the background together with fake audience applause. It was sad to see this. Except for the kids in the front, there wasn't that many applause so that may be why they added it to the recording. She mumbled. She didn't sing. She lost her vape and stopped the show for 5 minutes to find it, then went back to the BTD songs.

Adding more fuckery to this, she was dressed like Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. lol

I vowed to never spend a dime to a Lana Del Rey show ever again.

I would see about her music. I'm not that impressed with the new songs but the music video for Chemtrails was really cool.

I never seen such a drastic change of effort like this from another artist. She got a lot fans not only for her music but the effort she made for every new era of albums. The videos and photo shoots were gorgeous. Then everything went to hell during LFL.

The music is important to me but so does the visuals. I'm a very visual person.

#lana del rey

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tabloidtoc · 3 years

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Entertainment Weekly, December

Cover: Wandavision -- Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision

Page 1: Contents, Melissa Gilbert on the Little House on the Prairie Set in 1977

Page 3: Sound Bites -- special holiday edition

Page 4: Editor’s Note

Page 6: The Must List -- Between the World and Me

Page 8: The Orchard by David Hopen, Freaky

Page 9: Chris Stapleton -- Starting Over

Page 11: A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir, Let Them All Talk

Page 12: Batman/Catwoman

Page 13: Nomadland

Page 14: Soul, December Games -- Marvel’s Spider-man: Miles Morales, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, Immortals Fenyx Rising

Page 16: My Must List -- Kenan Thompson

Page 19: First Take -- Bob Odenkirk in Nobody -- the Better Call Saul star plays an unlikely action here complete with a bloody good makeover in this thriller about a family man who decides to seek revenge after a break-in

Page 21: Pedro Pascal and Christian Slater -- We Can Be Heroes

Page 22: Cover Story -- Wandavision a wonderfully weird send-up of sitcoms of the past is Marvel’s key to the future

Page 30: Untold Stories: Holiday Movies Edition -- an oral history of The Family Stone -- Thomas Bezucha, Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Dermot Mulroney, Tyrone Giordano, Brian White, Craig T. Nelson, Claire Danes

Page 36: Making the Scene -- The Muppet Christmas Carol -- fans of the Muppets’ 1992 take on Scrooge know a key scene is missing from the DVD version and it’s now the most beloved number ever left on the cutting-room floor, Closet Confidential -- Bridget Jones’ Diary -- Colin Firth and director Sharon Maguire reveal the secrets behind Darcy’s ugly sweater

Page 37: The Merriest Movies Years Ever -- Jeremy Arnold the author of the TCM book Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season reveals why 1947 and 2003 were prime years for yuletide films

Page 38: Role Call -- Mary Steenburgen -- the Oscar winner is a holiday movie MVP and here we look back at the roles that put the Mary in Christmas

Page 39: Behind the Music -- The Preacher’s Wife -- Whitney Houston’s rousing 1996 film boasts one of the all-time great Christmas movie soundtracks and producer Mervyn Warren tells how it came together

Page 40: Investigation: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? It’s the debate that won’t die: does Bruce Willis’ 1988 action classic also qualify as a Christmas classic? With the help of some Die Hard alums we’re ready to settle this once and for all -- Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, Dermot Mulroney, Zooey Deschanel, Mean Girls -- Christmas got a bit risque in the teen film’s memorial Jingle Bell Rock talent-show performance

Page 41: 4 Things You Didn’t Know About Love Actually -- we actually unearthed some new tidbits from writer-director Richard Curtis about the much-discussed much-beloved Christmas rom-com

Page 43: 3 secrets from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -- it’s aired every year since 1964 but there are still some things you don’t know about the stop-motion Christmas special, 5-minute oral history -- Elf -- you’d better scurry for the story behind the film’s Baby It’s Cold Outside shower scene by Zooey Deschanel

Page 44: Shondaland makes its Netflix debut December 25 with the swoony Bridgerton a Regency-era drama inspired by a series of romance novels

Page 48: The Kane maker -- David Fincher and an all-star cast inhabit Old Hollywood for Netflix’s Manx the riveting behind-the-scenes story of Citizen Kane

Page 52: In an era of rampant reboots it’s been awfully quiet on the Prairie so EW investigates why it’s taken so long for Hollywood to return to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved town on Walnut Grove in Little House on the Prairie

Page 57: 2020 Gift Guide

Page 66: News + Reviews -- It has spurred sales and served as a balm for concert-starved fans but the best by-product of Verzuz is its celebration of Black excellence

Page 70: Movies -- from modernized classics to fresh newcomers the Hollywood musical is back in style with a new inclusive look

Page 73: Indie’s New Queen -- with another major and wild big-screen performance in Black Bear Aubrey Plaza is emerging as an art-house icon

Page 74: Meet Your Maker -- Alan Ball -- the Oscar and Emmy winner behind American Beauty and Six Feet Under and True Blood brings his most personal project to the screen: the road movie Uncle Frank and here Ball shares his iconic cinematic and literary inspirations

Page 76: Comedy of My Life: Melissa McCarthy -- the Oscar nominee and Emmy winner flaunts some Superintelligence in her fourth movie directed by husband Ben Falcone

Page 78: The Shot -- Silver Linings Playbook -- inside the creation of a classic scene

Page 80: TV -- after years as the grounding force on The Big Bang Theory Kaley Cuoco is now flying high as The Flight Attendant at the center of a juicy murder mystery

Page 82: Class is back in session on Peacock where Saved By the Bell revival debuts

Page 83: The Crown

Page 84: Small Axe

Page 85: Q+A with Bryan Cranston -- in the limited series Your Honor the Emmy winner is breaking bad again starring as a judge whose son is involved in a hit-and-run

Page 86: Unwrapping Christmas TV movies -- wisdom gleaned from a flurry of winters in Tinseltown

Page 87: Role Call -- William H. Macy -- as he heads into the 11th and final season of Shameless he looks back on his most iconic projects, epic sci-fi series The Expanse is back with more cosmic chaos in season 5

Page 89: What to Watch

Page 96: Music -- Angus Young and Brian Johnson explain how AC/DC are back on track with a new album that honors late bandmate and brother Malcolm Young

Page 98: Sam Smith

Page 99: Q+A with legendary P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins sheds light on his new album and his enormous collection of top hats

Page 101: The Playback -- Joni Mitchell Archives: Vol. 1: The Early Years -- before she became an icon Mitchell was performing at local radio stations and recording homemade demos

Page 102: A Band You Need to Know -- Sault -- the mysterious U.K. group has dropped two timely album-of-the-year contenders, Stupid Questions with Josh Groban -- the multiplatinum-selling golden-voiced baritone returns with Harmony but can he sing his way out of this comedic jam

Page 103: Epitaph -- Eddie Van Halen

Page 104: Books -- Ernest Cline returns with Ready Player Two the sequel to his 2011 blockbuster and 2020′s most secretive novel

Page 106: Comedians Rachel Bloom and Michelle Buteau have new memoirs but first they chat about bullying and Dick Jones and how Julia Roberts likes her eggs

Page 107: High Anxiety with Cazzie David -- the writer and daughter of OG angster Larry David broadcasts her own neuroses in the essay collection No One Asked for This and here shares her deepest fears

Page 108: The weirdest year in publishing history wraps up with an all-virtual literary awards season and here we break down the titles with their eyes on the prize

Page 110: Screenwriter and director ad novelist John Ridley offers an alternative perspective in The Other History of the DC Universe

Page 112: The Bullseye

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taylortruther · 3 years

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Basically when an artist (writer, musician etc) does something wrong, like J.K. Rowling being transphobic a lot of people were hurt by that so they seperate the art from the artist to allow themselves to still enjoy something that brought them comfort which in this case would be Harry Potter, but would no longer directly supprt J.K. Rowling, "seperate the art from the artist". So when Taylor did a radio promo and talked about 'betty' being written from James point of view they decided that Taylor purposely did that because she saw her lgbtq fans relating to the song and didn't want them to. So they decided she did a just as bad thing and said they were going to do that to her.

(Forgot to add) they also think that she's going to "hetsplain" Ivy and Dorothea because to them it's another Betty situation, which is also why they don't want her to do an evermore session. But they're her songs so she's going to talk about what she wrote them about and when it's not what they want it to be about they're gonna do the same probably.

---

thank you! i didn't really get how that related to taylor and james but this makes sense now. i'm 99% sure i wrote that post in my drafts (the screenshot a few posts down), about how cheap it feels to uplift personal interpretations of taylor's songs but simultaneously get affronted when she explains her own work, following that discourse, because it felt so... unreasonable.

imo, ivy - like cowboy like me - is one of those songs that touches on so many themes of taylor's previous songs, that it's impossible to think she didn't write it about herself and her relationship in SOME way. like, to me, the inspiration is so clear. but if she were to say it was inspired by little house on the prairie's sultry love triangles, well... who am i to argue? i already accept that rebecca truly did inspire tolerate it, despite how weird that is lmao

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pandemicperipatetics · 3 years

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Two Weeks in Denver

The Verdict:

We spent 13 nights in Denver (well actually, just south of Denver in Greenwood Village). With the beautiful outdoors, friendly people, and the best/chillest drivers of anywhere we've driven in the U.S., it was our favorite stop so far! It seems like a wonderful place to live. Denver is large and seems to have lots of stuff to do in the city and surrounding areas, so this post covers just a fraction of the options.

Things to Do:

Hiking (Ranked in order of our most to least recommended)

Rocky Mountain National Park (~2 hrs drive): Check out our RMNP blog post!

Boulder (45 min drive): We didn't have a chance to hike in Boulder, but we hear it's awesome. We had hoped to stop by Chautauqua Park to check out the trails (we read that Enchanted Mesa Trail was a good 4-miler) or El Dorado Canyon State Park. We did enjoy walking along Pearl Street, where there are plenty of tasty treats (we enjoyed smoothie bowls) and appreciated the free parking in the city's covered parking garages (we parked at 1500 Pearl, which was a perfect location). Logistics: Waze told us there was a toll on the Interstate to Boulder, but Google Maps thought it was a toll-free drive. The answer? There is an optional toll lane on the highway, but you can make the trip in the toll-free lanes.

Red Rocks (30-40 min drive): This is a naturally occurring amphitheatre that is best known for evening concerts against an incredibly scenic vista. While we weren't looking for a crowded concert during the pandemic, we visited in the morning and were blown away by how beautiful the amphitheatre was (and how many stairs there were to get to the top!). We also walked the beautiful 1.4 mile Red Rocks Trading Post Trail loop, which also had a moderate amount of uphill/downhill. It was VERY hot and sunny when we got there around 10:30 a.m.; though the weather app said it was below 80 degrees, the sun was really beating down. Next time, we'd go earlier in the day (later can be tricker due to concerts in the evenings) for better weather and hopefully smaller crowds. Logistics: We just entered Red Rocks into Google Maps and it took us to a parking lot near the amphitheatre. The trail was just a couple minutes' walk from the parking area, near the Trading Post building. Parking was free and not too hard to find.

Vail/Breckenridge area (~90 mins drive): We didn't have a chance to visit, but it sounds like there's very nice hiking around here in the summer.

Garden of the Gods and Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs (~1 hr drive): When we got a nail in our tire and had to get the tire replaced, the nice guy at Firestone highly recommended we visit these areas for beautiful scenery. While we didn't make it, we read that Garden of the Gods can get very crowded, especially with Instagram-focused tourists more so than a hiking acrowd. We also read that it's not quite as nice as the Utah National Parks or Sedona. Pike's Peak also sounds touristy; there is a coveted tram that takes you to the top, at 14K feet of elevation -- after moderate altitude sickness at RMNP, we decided to sit this one out.

Denver Neighborhoods & Sights (Ranked in order of our most to least-recommended)

Denver Botanic Gardens (free with American Horticultural Society membership): This is one of the most beautiful botanic gardens we've ever seen, anywhere. It was also excruciatingly crowded on a Saturday morning and a very un-fun experience to find parking. Despite how stunning the gardens are, we preferred the much less crowded walk through Cheesman Park and the cute surrounding neighborhood. Logistics: If the Botanic Gardens parking garage and parking lot are full, park for free at nearby Congress Park, Cheesman Park, or on a random side street a 5+ min walk from the gardens. Be observant of street signs to make sure you haven’t parked in a residential area that requires a parking permit.

RiNo (River North Arts District): About a 10 minute drive from downtown, RiNo is a hip area full of breweries, street art, and run-down looking houses. On a Saturday around 2pm, street parking was sparse (but free) and the breweries seemed packed with people. We read that the street murals are at their best on 26th-31st streets between Larimer & Walnut, and we weren't blown away in comparison to Plaza Walls in Oklahoma City or The Mission in San Francisco. Due to the extreme heat we didn't stick around, but we were interested in checking out Finns Manor (cocktails + food trucks), Denver Central Market (High Point Creamery apparently offers an ice cream flight?!), and a few breweries. Maybe next time! Logistics: Street parking is free.

Washington Park: This is very nice park for a stroll. When we went on a Saturday evening around sunset, it wasn’t very crowded. The surrounding neighborhood looks very nice, and there seem to be good places to eat nearby (our friend suggested Sushi Den, though we didn’t have a chance to try it out). We saw someone paddleboarding on the water, which looked picturesque! Logistics: There are parking lots and ample street parking around the park.

Sloan’s Lake (near Highland neighborhood): The park has a beautiful lake with a sizeable trail going around it. It reminded us of Lake Merritt in Oakland. When we went on a Sunday evening, it was somewhat busy with people running, walking, biking, and on scooters/skateboards/roller blades, and there was lots of goose poo everywhere. The surrounding area wasn’t quite as nice as that around Cheesman Park or Washington Park, but we still liked the lake. Note there were no water activities allowed -- signs indicated the water sometimes gets too unclean to enter. Edgwater Market is a few minutes away (we recommend driving as the walk isn’t very nice) and has a cute outdoor patio and lots of different types of ethnic food to try out (we especially liked the veggie pesto crepe at the crepe stand). Logistics: There are parking lots at the lake and the market.

LoDo (Lower Downtown): The downtown area is meh, you can skip it if you're short on time. If you go, you can walk through Larimer Square, a small, cute block of shops and eateries with outdoor seating that is roped off from cars; check out Union Station, where the Amtrak goes and there are a bunch of places to eat/get coffee (including the overrated Snooze AM eatery - reserve your spot in line 1-2 hrs in advance if going and be sure to get the sweet potato pancake); walk the 16th Street Mall, a very touristy street of more shops and eateries (not as cute as Larimer Square, but a pro is there is a free bus that takes you up and down this long street); and walk by Coors Field if you're a baseball fan. Logistics: Parking lots are very expensive, but we didn't find it too difficult to find 2-hour street parking ($1/hour, you can pay by card at the meter or with the PayByPhone app; free on Sundays and holidays).

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (free, 20-30 mins from city center): This is a beautiful area in northeast Denver that you can drive through, listen to their excellent guided podcast, and spot some neat wildlife. The area is known for bison, deer, prairie dogs, and birds; we saw some of these animals. This was a great option to stay in our air-conditioned car on a very hot day, rather than being out for a hike. Logistics: There is a Visitor Center that you can stop by if you’d like (we didn’t), otherwise just download the Rocky Mountain Arsenal podcast on your phone and start the drive!

What to Eat (Vegetarian Edition)

We did not take advantage of Denver’s food options, so what we are sharing here are mostly recommendations from our friends / places we would love to try if we had more time here.

Safta (Mediterranean) - Upscale; close to downtown. Appears to have outdoor seating and advance reservations are recommended

Uchi (Japanese) - Upscale; close to downtown. Has a separate vegetarian menu including a multi-course tasting. Reservations can be hard to come by if you don’t book well in advance. They also accept walk-ins, and they do have outdoor seating if you’re COVID-conscious (or just like eating outside!)

Brunch places with hype: Snooze AM Eatery (multiple locations, get on the Yelp waitlist at least an hour in advance, known for excellent pancakes), Sassafrass (we didn’t try it), and Root Down (we also didn’t try it)

Markets: Denver Central Market (in RiNo), Edgewater Public Market (by Sloan Lake / Highlands neighborhood; we loved the crepes and thought the Ethiopian food was mediocre), Stanley Marketplace (Aurora)

Other places that were recommended to us were Ash Kara (Mediterranean), El Five (Mediterranean, good views), Sushi Den (Japanese), and Vital Root (which is apparently by a lot of good vegetarian-friendly restaurants + breweries near Berkeley/Tennyson Street), Sputnik

Dessert: I very much wanted to try High Point Creamery (multiple locations) as it seems to have many vegan options and an ice cream flight! Little Man Ice Cream also came recommended

Where to Stay

We're definitely not experts on this, but here are a few thoughts based on our trip!

Near Cheesman Park and Washington Park seem like a lovely areas to stay -- the parks are really nice and the surrounding neighborhoods seem pretty safe and upscale. We didn't come across any available airbnbs in this neighborhoods.

Greenwood Village (~20 mins drive south of Denver, close to Centennial, CO). We stayed in the Marriott Residence Inn Tech Center (the 2 bed/2 ba is good for two people working from home during the week) and loved the area. Within a 5 minute drive there are cute parks for a morning jog, plenty of fast casual eateries (we were partial to the Torchy's and Schlotzsky's nearby), and even the excellent Peak View Brewing Company (okay so it’s a brewery in a suburban strip mall, but the outdoor patio is great and the jalapeno pretzel and the peanut butter porter were a hit!). Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Safeway are within a ~10 minute drive.

#denver

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abuttoncalledsmalls · 3 years

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35 Questions Tag Game

The amazing and lovely @thirstworldproblemss, who tagged me. I’m finally getting around to it. :c)

Rules: Answer 35 questions and tag some blogs you want to get to know better

Name/Nickname: I try my best to keep my real name from social media. You know privacy stuff and the whole keeping my employers from seeing my dirty, dirty mind. However - I do go by Smalls!

Gender: Female (She/Her)

Star sign: Leo - I’m told that’s a good match with the chaotic Aries.

Hogwarts house: I’m not a Harry Potter fan, but I do know that I every quiz I’ve ever taken has told me that I am a Hufflepuff.

Height: I am 5′0″. 60 inches of fun!

Time: 9:03 PM

Birthday: August 13th

Favorite bands: The Beatles, The Flaming Lips, The Gorillaz, Daft Punk, The Monkees... I’ll listen to just about anything really.

Favorite solo artists: Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Cat Stevens (Yosef), Harry Nielson, Lizzo... again, I will listen to just about anything.

Song stuck in your head: ‘I’m Easy’ by Keith Carradine

Last movie: Nashville (Hence, the song choice...)

Last show: Cheers

When did I create this blog: April/May 2020

What I post: Mostly Pedro Pascal stuff, some fics, Shakespeare items, bookish things, movie gifs

Last thing I googled: Origin of the phrase “camel toe”. It was for work. I promise you.

Why I chose my url: I go by “Smalls” on the internet and I love buttons.

Other blogs: Newp. One is more than enough for me.

Do I get asks: Sometimes and I am very thankful for them! I just need to get better about answering them.

Following: 481

Followers: 211!

Average hours of sleep: 8 - 7.5 hours a night. I turn into a first class- grade A b*tch when I get less than 6 hours.

Lucky number: I usually go with 13.

Instruments Played: I played flute in middle school. It was a disaster.

What I’m wearing: Comfy lounge pants, a blue Blockbuster t-shirt, and oversized grey hoodie.

Dream job: Film critic or a literature professor. Something where I can have invigorating talks about art.

Dream trip: I’ve always wanted to visit France and England.

Favorite food: Enchiladas - with extra red sauce. I would eat the red sauce alone if you let me.

Nationality: American

Favorite song(s): I have dozens. I’ll go with my top five: Do You Believe In Magic? (The Loving Spoonful), The First Cut Is The Deepest (Cat Stevens), I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton), Landslide (Fleetwood Mac), and Put Your Records On (Corrine Bailey Rae).

Favorite author(s): Allie Brosh, Roxane Gay, Flannery O’Connor, Oscar Wilde, Zora Neale Hurston, Jane Austen, Billy Shakespeare, Louise May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery, Sam Shepard, and so many more that I cannot think of right now.

Last book: Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser. I grew up loving the Little House books. As an adult, I am trying to reconcile that the series I adored so much as a little girl was written by someone (well, Laura and her daughter Rose...) that held problematic views. This book helped make that process a tiny bit easier.

Top 3 fictional universes I wanna live in: Star Trek: TNG; Star Wars (the original trilogy and The Mandalorian, please!); The Scott Pilgrim universe

Aesthetics: Blue skies, wild flowers, old books, picnics, warm southern summer nights, the river, polka dots, bright red lipstick, big full moons, driving around with the windows down and the radio up, making out/heavy petting in the backseat of the car, oversized hoodies and cotton short shorts.

Favorite animal noise: Kittens meowing

Random: I love stickers.

Zero Pressure Tags: @yespolkadotkitty, @hausvongold, @agirllovespancakes, @gamingaquarius, @libellule2001, @takemepedropascal, @comrade-kenobi, @morriganwarrior, @chicken-nugget-puta and anyone else who wants to play!

Please tag me if you do participate! :c)

#tag games

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12xurecs · 3 years

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coming January 15, 2021 Chris Brokaw - ‘Puritan’ (12XU 122-1) Chris Brokaw is the consummate underground rock musician. In a career spanning thirty-plus years he has been in countless bands (Come, Charnel Ground, Codeine, The Lemonheads, to name a few) has been a sideman with everyone from Thurston Moore to GG Allin, pounded countless stages on nonstop tours, and played on over seventy recordings. Puritan is his tenth solo album and it's a killer. 

From the hypnotic repetition on the extended instrumental outro of title-track opener 'Puritan', the wounded grace of 'Depending', to the fragile beauty of the Velvets-esque duet with Claudia Groom, 'I'm the Only One for You', and the ghost of Alex Chilton echoing through 'The Bragging Rights', onto the GBV-like firestorm of 'Periscope Kids', and ending with the ‘On The Beach’ era Neil Young minimal strum of his cover of Karl Hendricks’ “The Night Has No Eyes”, Brokaw has crafted an understated masterpiece. ‘Puritan’ is an album that is all heartache and rebirth, resignation and joy, the kind of record that is so needed but all too rare these days. A classic from front to back. - Mark Lanegan 2020 (fig 2 photo : Anthony Saffery, fig 3 photo : Andy Hong) Q&A with Chris Brokaw on 'Puritan' Q: How long has it been since your last solo record and what have you been doing in the time between? A : My last solo record "End Of The Night" came out in May 2019. Since then I finished up some Lemonheads touring, toured the west coast with a band playing my new record (Lori Goldston on cello, Greg Kelley on trumpet, Luther Gray on drums, Dave Abramson on drums, me on guitar), toured Japan with Thalia Zedek (solos + duos), toured Europe with my band Charnel Ground (me +Doug McCombs and Kid Millions), toured the west coast again playing guitar in Doug McCombs' band Brokeback, played a duo gig with Mike IX Williams in Boston...and then the plague hit. I've just been teaching guitar + drums on Skype since then, recording a little, laying low in Cambridge. The last album I did of rock songs, with vocals and lyrics, was in 2013, and I guess I've been gathering material since then. Q: Can you tell me a little about your songwriting method? CB : Most of them take a long time. Sometimes I'll have 8 seconds of a song, totally realized, I can hear a whole band doing it in my head as if it's on a record....and then I just wait, and eventually form the rest of the song around it. I've written some songs using mesostics and/or acrostics, tho none on this record. "The Heart of Human Trafficking" took a long time, and I had to take a leap of faith to conclude that it was actually done, that the particular form it took was finished. "Puritan" I wrote about a week before we recorded it. The band totally nailed it in the studio but I was still writing the lyrics at the microphone. I had to make it a crowd of voices, sort of tripping over one another, trying to form a path. In both these songs I was really happy to have the results be surprising. At this point I most happily await things from myself that I don't totally recognize. "I'm The Only One For You" I wrote originally for a movie, a short ghost story called 'Mother's Garden'. The song is kind of a period piece, but then I fell in love with it. Originally it was pretty short but one night I was playing it with my trio in this cavernous brewery in Massachusetts and was like, what happens if we just stretch this out...in this room with this huge high ceiling... "Report To An Academy" was named after a Rudyard Kipling story of the same name. I tried to use some of the ideas in the story, specifically the thoughts of a creature trying to imitate humans, as a jumping off point, but I couldn't fit a vocal or lyrics into the song, and it stayed an instrumental. I was going through a period where I felt like I was imitating humans....negotiating some changes. "Periscope Kids" I was trying to get something really sand- blasted-sounding. I'm a big fan of Nico and I was thinking of her a lot on this one. The Periscope Kids were a couple I knew in Seattle and they were bad news and that whole song is bad news. My songs aren't like Johnny Cash songs, most of them only I will probably know what they're really all about. That's ok, for better or worse I think that's how it has to be. Whatever people get out of them, that's great. Much of what's in them is literal for me but maybe not for the listener. Q) How long have these songs been gestating? CB : "Periscope Kids" is oldest, I think around 2014. "Puritan" one week old. Everything else in between. Q) Can you pick a couple songs that hold particular meaning to you and talk about them? CB: "Depending" is probably my favorite. So far it seems to be everyone's favorite. It feels stately, and it's nice to just step into that. There's a line in "Depending" where I say: "I never thought, moving my lot alone across a prairie I'd have the thought to give up my bones unto the birds to carry whether I drive, whether I park and wait a few, it won't depend on you" And I mean that was me literally driving a truck with all my shit across the country from Seattle to Boston in 2017, extremely uncertain about what was ahead after a pretty disasterous period out west...and thinking at one point, in some part of the country where you don't see any cars or trucks or houses for hours, maybe I should just drive off a cliff and let the vultures pick my bones clean....And whether I do or not... that's my call! Sort of a declaration of independence. - Which I thought was grim and insane and funny all at once. It still cracks me up. "I'm The Only One For You", like I said, went from being a sort of pastiche to this kind of lush romanticism I've only dreamed of. My friend Claudia Groom (formerly of the Seattle band Juned) did such an amazing vocal on it...it fucking kills me, the band plays so beautifully...I'm very happy with it. "The Night Has No Eyes" is the one cover, written by a dude from Pittsburgh named Karl Hendricks who passed away in 2017. I did the song originally for a tribute/benefit album, but re-recorded it with Thalia for this. It closes the album with a voice that feels about forgiveness and/or acceptance, and while that voice is essentially an outsider's it seemed like a conciliatory way to end an album that is working through a bunch of other shit. Q) Inspiration? CB: I've come to love playing and singing, but came sort of late to a lot of it, so I feel like I'm still finding my way in it. It's one of a few different things I do. Like I said earlier I'm always happy to get surprised by the songs that come out. I wrote "Puritan" right before we recorded and it's definitely about moving back to New England, a place I'm not from (I grew up in New York) but one I've fallen in love with and I think found my place in. I think saying "Chris Brokaw: Puritan" is deliberately funny but maybe I'll be the only one laughing on that. The album is definitely threaded with ideas about how people judge one another, but....I don't know, I don't want to explain shit. Explaining art is terrible. The Chris Brokaw Rock Band : Chris Brokaw guitar, vocals Dave Carlson - bass guitar Pete Koeplin - drums with special guests : Tricia Adelmann - vocal on "I Can't Sleep" Claudia Groom - vocal on "I'm The Only One For You" Thalia Zedek - vocal, guitar on "The Bragging Rights" and "The Night Has No Eyes" Recorded and mixed by Andy Hong at Kimchee, Cambridge MA 2019/2020. "Bragging Rights" and "The Night Has No Eyes", recorded by Britt Robischeaux at Cloudland, Fort Worth, TX, November 2019. Mastered at Chicago Mastering Service by Matthew Barnhart. All songs written by Chris Brokaw except "The Night Has No Eyes" (written by Karl Hendricks, lyrics used by permission). LP layout and design by James Keeler. Front cover photo by Sasha Syeed.

#chris brokaw #codeine #come #consonant #charnel ground #mark lanegan #12XU #puritan

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