#punk is not the end all be all of activist music
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people seem to think punk rock is the only music that can be political, and act shocked when other genres are just as if not more political than some punk music. like mfer did you forget that all music has some basis in politics. you cant separate the two. so get off your high horse and listen to folk country with me
#cautionramen#am angry#tumblr needs to learn that other genres are political too#punk is not the end all be all of activist music#and not being punk doesn't mean you're conformist
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I made an M.J for Hobie’s universe
here some info on them
Their intersex, they like going by they/them pronouns since it’s more comfortable for them but they definitely do not mind others referring them as something else
Their full name is
Milani jeen wiltz, but either go by Mil jeen or M.J
Their grandparents went to start a better life however after a few decades after their parents went out to live in Britain due to economic reasons and also spread the word of the black panther party. Mil would be 7 around this time (I did the math, since Hobie is either around 20 or 19 and the date he was arrested in was around 1978 in one of the flashbacks to his intro. We can assume that he was born around near the end of the 50s so I made Mil’s date if birth 1959.)
Mil is of Haitian descent and is fluent in creole so half the time they’ll be speaking in creole
As I mentioned their parents are activists due to them being in the Black panther party, Mil did develop this trait from both of their parents and became involved in activism as well, mostly protest art and civil rights.
(Originally I was going to make them the prowler for Hobie’s dimension but I decided against it but I will put subtle hint here and there to reference that when I make art of them.)
Around the time Hobie became Spider punk is when they met Hobie. A few months after he killed osborn. They had become a big fan of him after the incident and looked up to him a lot, kinda freaking out Hobie due to the fact he barely became Spiderman.
However they started hanging around eacj other more, going on little platonic graffiti dates. He did eventually reveal his Identity to them and they immediately fell in love with him. And 4 years after they’re still together, and are both still dumbasses
Fun facts:
Mil is Polyamorous but like quad dynamics more (ahem *taps on mic* is involved with spider noir and possibly my spider sona as well. Blame Hobie.)
They love making arts and crafts and do love engineering as well. Mostly helping Hobie with his new invention ideas.
They own a daisy rock heartbreaker guitar in hot red, since the brand came out in 2000 logically this wouldn’t be possible without Hobie’s dimension hopping watch, so due to this Hobie went into one of the peter parker dimensions to get this for them for an anniversary present.
They do not live with Hobie however do live near the docks to be closer to Hobie’s house boat.
They love different genres of musical c and fashion mostly being punk,goth and earthy/bohemian music.
Main colors of emotions are mostly pink, grey, yellow and purple. Most of these are due to the one around them. Pink and Purple are mainly because of Hobie or Spider noir Peter parker.
Love roller skating around places and even put in wheels in their mary janes
That’s all for now, I’m still deciding some of their personality traits but yeah.
Also baby them.
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All of Taylor's albums were tailored to the most popular aesthetic at the time. She didn't make shit popular, she just adapted. Especially when she made the transition into pop music.
True. She's currently jumping fences with rep as well. Making it out to be a goth punk moment and using trendy words like 'female rage'. The album has the most romantic songs she's ever written. C'mon now. The whole record is electropop with some R&B elements thrown into the mix.
She portrays 'Lover' as her social justice warrior era. 'If I was a man, then I'd be the man'. Yeah, we've seen it Taylor. Miss 'me becoming a billionaire is good for the world because I'm a woman'. She makes herself out to be this 'feminist girl's girl' when in reality it couldn't be further from the truth. She's not a feminist and she doesn't want to be the woman that's advocating for women's rights and leads the path for the future generation of women. She wants to be the man at the top. Her motto is literally 'gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss, greenhouse gases'.
Another thing is her queer allyship. She's mentioned it when and only when it was profitable to her. During her tour she hadn't said a thing when the number of states signed anti-trans bills and the state of Tennessee where she says she lives *according to her own documentary* banned drag. I don't think she said anything about the anti-abortion legislation either. Her activist era started and ended in 2019.
Don't get me started on her position regarding the BLM movement. She only posted something because her own fans started calling her out and then declared that she's 'ferociously anti-racist'. She positioned herself as an advocate *by herself* and then immediately dipped when it stopped being as profitable. If you don't want to be dragged for your silence about social and political crises, don't proclaim yourself as an activist. Simple as that.
I've also seen the video on Youtube about TS being a narcissist (someone posted it on your blog earlier I think). And the guy in the video brought up her guitar teacher. So I looked him up and found an article where he talks about his experience with the Swifts which he got sued for later. According to the man, Taylor's mother was interested in him teaching her daughter how to play country music and was just a stage mom in general. And TS says that she'd been begging her parents to allow her learn how to play guitar and that she's self-taught. She wants her success story to be a rags to riches so bad I can't even.
She's a woman with an extremely fragile ego where millions of people could be praising her and a single negative comment would set her off. She can't handle any form of criticism, break ups or inconveniences like a grown woman simply because she doesn't have enough emotional intelligence to do so. Her being surrounded by yes men also doesn't help the situation. If i were her, I'd rather invest in a good therapist rather than 2 PJs. She drowns herself in work and relationships so she doesn't have time to go inwards and sit with her thoughts.
I kinda feel bad for her, honestly. She's been in the industry since she was 15 and her success was almost immediate. She doesn't know what the world's like because she's been sheltered her whole life and then had other people do things for her. I don't think she has many real friends as well. By real I mean people who aren't afraid to tell you the truth and are able to call you out in your face. Instead she has a bunch of people who appease her afraid of pissing her off and ending up on her bad side and as a result her vanity grows and she completely loses any sort of perspective whether in her friendships, romantic relationships or maybe even her own family.
I also wonder what she thinks about her fandom pirating her concert film instead of paying to rent it. I sort of hope that her fans are starting to wake up to her conning schemes. I mean, you've already made a shit ton of money from the theatre release, why charging 20$ more to RENT IT?Not even buy it. Or is it another narrative about how 'no one can own my work but me'?
This woman sells well but her cultural impact is almost nonexistent. She hadn't done any good for the world causes or inspired several generations of performers like Michael Jackson has with his philanthropic endeavors and incredible performing skills. The artists like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake (bleh) and The Weeknd were hugely influenced by MJ. These artist create their own unique legacy and impact on their communities. Especially the ladies. Gaga's been an avid LGBT+ advocate since the beginning of her career and created a foundation that focuses on issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development. She also participated in anti HIV and AIDS campaigns, spoke against immigration laws in the US, contributed to 2011's earthquake and tsunami relief campaign in Japan. Beyoncé's a huge advocate for the black community and black women especially which always finds its way in her work and visual art in particular. She's been platforming black culture and history for her whole career (2016 Superbowl and Coachella performance are the brightest examples of black american culture and releasing her Lion King album to showcase African artists' excellence). She also has a foundation where she provides black youth scholarships, clean water for communities abroad and housing to families in need in her home state.
What exactly makes Taylor Swift's cultural impact? Thousands of tons CO2 emissions? Music labels putting a clause in the contract so the artists can't re-record their material for 10 years now instead of 5? Making several versions of the same CD or vinyl so the sales are bigger? Mind you, that's all excessive plastic and paper. Some countries and US states are banning gas stoves. Her position regarding artists being paid during the early days of streaming (when the platforms were launching with a free period tial) was right but no one really benefited from it but her. She was shitting on Apple Music, then they offered her money, filmed an ad and released her 1989 Tour DVD exclusively on their platform. She shat on Spotify, then when LWYMMD came out, she was all over their biggest playlists all of a sudden and recorded Spotify Singles later on. Spotify's always promoted her every release like a motherfucker shoving her in every corner of the platform. Especially for the past 3 years. She doesn't have any memorable outfits or unique style to be called a fashion icon either. She's not a trailblazer she thinks she is. She is only popular because a lot of people *mostly ww* who peaked in high school see themselves in her. She's average in everything she does, her writing topes are also the same (only now she started using compound or uncommonly used words to mask it) but she's extremely commercially successful so that those people can see themselves in her. She doesn't have unique music style or chameleon-like discography like Gaga, Bey, MJ, Madonna, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus or Nelly Furtado. She doesn't have a unique singing voice like Bjork, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Janis Joplin, MJ or Bob Dylan. She's no instrument prodigy either. And swifties say that 'Michael couldn't play any instruments'. Well, he was an exceptional beatboxer. She can strum 4 guitar chords and play basic piano, that's it. She doesn't have an outstanding dancing and/or vocal skill.
What is she gonna be remembered for? Her numerous relationships with famous men? While that might be misogynistic or sexist to some degree, she's the one who makes her relationships the centre of her music and public persona and brings them up even 10 years after they ended. Her public feuds with men and women that she can't get over years after? This woman is certainly can hold a grudge and is extremely vindictive. The leader of a parasocial cult that blindly defends her bigotry? I believe so. I don't think I've ever seen a fandom as toxic and as hive-minded as swifties. And again, it's Taylor's own creation. She's the one that constantly says 'look closely for the easter eggs' in her content making her fans theorize on every aspect of her life, or 'if you're very loyal I might invite you to MY HOUSE and you can listen to the new album early, we'll take pics and I'll bake you some cookies'. Of course they'll follow your any order. I'm glad I escaped.
Oof, I'll stop here. That's a very long one already
sorry hehe
.
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Portrait of Vivienne Westwood by Christian Shambenait
It took me a few days, but with the death of icon-goddess-genius Vivienne Westwood, I had to make a post here about her work and how massively influential she was during her lifetime, and why her influence will remain for years to come.
"I take something from the past that has a sort of vitality that has never been exploited – like the crinoline – and get very intense. In the end you do something original because you overlay your own ideas." Vivienne Westwood
Born in 1941 in Tintwistle, Cheshire, Vivienne Westwood (nèe Swire) did not have a "traditional" path into fashion and design, even though she took a course of jewellery at the Harrow Art School (she thought it was not for her, being a working-class girl), she became a primary school teacher and got married with Derek Westwood, had a kid... But she was a maker of things and a creative mind, and made her own wedding dress and jewellery that she sold at a stall.
Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood at the Let It Rock store (London, January 1972).
But all of that was about to change when she met Malcolm McLaren. She got divorced, moved with him and had another son. McLaren became the manager of the Sex Pistols and with Westwood, they became a creative duo who dressed the band and became VERY influential during th punk era. We must add the after that they opened a store called SEX, which was the meeting place for the punk scene in London in the 1970s. So, yeah. punk wouldn't look like it does without Vivienne Westwood.
"Vivienne and Malcolm use clothes to shock, irritate and provoke a reaction but also to inspire change. Mohair jumpers, knitted on big needles, so loosely that you can see all the way through them, T-shirts slashed and written on by hand, seams and labels on the outside, showing the construction of the piece; these attitudes are reflected in the music we make. It's OK to not be perfect, to show the workings of your life and your mind in your songs and your clothes."
Viv Albertine
This era of Westwood's design has a lot of collaboration, especially with McLaren, and they produced under the Worlds End label until 1985. These collections have each a theme and a name, and here is when we star seeing Vivienne Westwood's eye and curiosity for historical fashion, as well as nods and details especially from the 18th and 19th centuries. Of course, it was the 80s and all was way more colourful than what we thing of more contemporary Vivienne Westwood, but you can see that EVERYTHING was already there in the period which she dubbed as "New Romantic" with collections like Witches, Punkature, and Pirate.
Raincoat and belt, from the 1983 Witches collection, Victoria & Albert Museum.
Ensemble from the 1982 Pirates collection, Victoria & Albert Museum.
Knitted top from the 1983 Witches collection, featuring Keith Haring's graffiti.
The 1988-1991 era is called "The Pagan Years", and we can see the change of the main looks from punks to girls in clothes that parodied the upper class. And it is then that I think the ultimate Vivienne Westwood is seen: corsets, crinolines, tartan, colourful stripes... Here is when we begin to see the historical references taken to a extreme, mixed with the modern word and sense of humour, while always being perfectly made and patterned and fun for all genders.
Here some of my favourite ones:
Vivienne Westwood black satin corset with metallic gold pattern, ss 1992
Stays, late 17th-early 18th century, Met Museum.
Vivienne Westwood autumn/winter 2020.
Fashion illustration on L’Elegant, 1853.
Carmagnole Jacket, France, c. 1790 / Sans-culotte Trousers, France, c. 1790, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Vivienne Westwood, autumn/winter 2021.
"Watteau" evening dress, 1996, Vivienne Westwood, Victoria & Albert Museum.
"L’enseigne de Gersaint" (detail), Jean-Antoine Watteau.
Vivienne Westwood, autumn/winter 2022.
Portrait of Madame X, 1884, John Singer Sargent.
Madonna in her Fever video, 1993, wearing Vivienne Westwood.
Gold leather corset, sleeves and mini skirt, 'Time Machine' ss 1988, Vivienne Westwood.
Always a creative force and a punk at heart, Vivienne Westwood was also an activist, putting front and center important causes like climate change, or sustainability and transparency in the brand's supply chain.
Rose McGowan walking the autumn/winter 2019 Vivienne Westwood catwalk.
Designer Vivienne Westwood looks through the glass toward the media during a photocall at a retrospective exhibition to celebrate her 30 years in the fashion industry, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Tuesday March 30, 2004.
What is your favourite look/garment of this iconic designer? And does it have an historical reference? Let us all know!
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Before illness interfered, we were up in NYC this past weekend and saw this really cool exhibit on queer spaces during the AIDS crisis at the Museum of Sex, and I saw this in one of the cases, which proceeded to put a whole fic idea in my head because it kind of made me teary, if I'm honest.
I started thinking about how well Obi-Wan and Quinlan would fit into a late 80s/early 90s AIDS/Queer activism era, which then spooled out into a whole two-shot fic I'd like to write one day? I picture Obi-Wan getting an HIV diagnosis (picked up from an ex most likely) and Quin, his best friend, moves in to take care of him. They've been best friends for ages, have had little flings but have been scared to properly date, but end up doing so in the midst of all this (kind of a reverse Angels in America when Prior's partner leaves him after his diagnosis). Obi-Wan would live, as some people did back then, but he would be badly ill for quite a while. He and Quin are both professors at NYU (or similar)--Obi-Wan teaches literature, Quin does music and is in a punk band on the weekends. They're both in activist circles. Shmi and Anakin live down the hall, and Shmi kind of adopts them when she runs into a sad Obi-Wan one day. I was thinking an East Village kind of setting. They all become this little family.
Shmi eventually dies, and Obi-Wan and Quin are Anakin's legal guardians (though this is complicated because queer and one of them is HIV positive, so, prob some extra legal things going on). Palpatine would possibly be Anakin's shitty rich grandfather who doesn't like that two queer men have custody of his grandson and Shmi made it her business to try and keep him away as much as possible (Anakin's dad was never really in the picture much). Padme goes to Anakin’s magnet school and her dad is a city council member who supports the queer community in New York.
I dunno! I can't do it right now with book edits, and Kill the Lights (which will be a long fic), and my Obi-Wan whump minibang fic, but I might toodle with it alongside my other projects when I can because I feel very compelled by it? This era of queer history has always impacted me (and I like a lot of media set during it) so I'd be interested to try my hand at a fic set during this time, and I think Obi-Wan and Quin would just? Fit? Anyhow, dumping my thoughts here since I've been thinking of it.
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re: ur tags about mcrs apoliticism too, like even w leathermouth as a (pretty weak) outlier, there's that one interview frank did w ljg where they both got to answer what drew them in to punk she goes on to talk about politics and he explicitly says (like he's been saying forever) that to him it's always been about the diy ethos more than any kind of activism. like it's okay, there's plenty other political bands, people trying to paint mcr or frank projects as inherently political to any meaningful extent def feels like setting themselves up for disappointment. the way i personally see it the most "radically political" thing they did was probably just be openly supportive of their largely queer/female fanbase, groundbreaking enough for the time and the scene
ya totally, that's a really good point. the diy ethos is the foundation of personal ideology for a lot of people in frank's general social circle - and that conviction is something i really admire in frank and a lot of diy values do align closely with political leftism, but it's a mistake to assume someone like frank is coming from a strong political background. like in the end the new jersey hardcore community (especially the localised scene in new brunswick, which mcr were just on the fringe of) was largely made up of college-educated white men who probably hadn't had much reason to closely examine their political opinions and class consciousness beyond a surface level. you hear it a lot from the kind of podcast hosts who interview frank, geoff rickly etc. (some of them will occasionally seem slightly taken aback by geoff's more overt class politics because yeah, their opinions are more rooted in their experiences with diy communities than activist ones, tho there's some overlap).
and like i kind of touched on in my tags earlier, yes leathermouth is definitely more political than mcr, and the lyrics of kill the president are great and all, but i find it a little misguided to overly praise them for that when they're on the same album as songs about murdering prostitutes or shooting up a school told from the perspective of the perpetrators adjgkaljg. it's possible i'm not giving him enough credit but i feel like the anarchism in leathermouth, while rooted in genuine dissatisfaction with bush's policies etc, is more aesthetic than it is purposeful. i know there's legal issues surrounding it but frank hasn't really said anything particularly meaningful about that song to my knowledge. again, not a criticism of frank! just of the discussion around his (and mcr's) music that often gives them all too much credit. i also mentioned how rtl has some of the only overtly political lyrics from an mcr member in that they address police brutality, racism etc., but not in any radical way whatsoever. and ray himself said that politics weren't something he was particularly conscious of/attentive to until his kids were born and he started thinking about the world he wanted them to grow up in and how he wanted them to contribute to it. like...the sooner we all accept mcr are all just ex-working/middle-class liberals who came into wealth a couple of decades ago now and are generally decently progessive people but not political activists the better sjfkljsjfl
#i'll disclaim that most of my knowledge of this scene comes from thursday and adjacent bands#i'm not a history student and could defs be missing some context etc#mcr talk
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Steddie Kids
I've been stuck with the random urge to imagine Steve and Eddie's children/future for some reason. These are written with them both being cis but can be adjusted accordingly if you want one or both of them to be trans.
Steve and Eddie both end up being teachers and end up settling in Chicago using government hush money to buy a nice duplex with Robin and her partner( when people ask how they can afford it they just shrug and say that Steve had Rich parents). I fell in love with Jewish eddie so the kids grow up celebrating both Christian and Jewish holidies.
They all have Eddie's last name because I love the idea of Steve not wanting oto taint something as precious as his children with everything the Harrington name represents or contribute to his Dad having any sort of legacy. Does that make sense logistically I don't know and I don't have any particular urge to figure that out at the moment so 🤷♀️
Sarah Munson
Born May 11th 1995( did I make their eldest born in 95 because that was the year I was born, yes yes I did)
Born via a surrogate with eddies DNA and a doner egg
Named after the protagonist in The Labyrinth( Steve and Eddie went to see it on their first date)
Lesbian
she/they
Dark curly hair and big brown doe eyes like Eddie but tan skin and a fuller figure from her bio mom
5' 7"
Whether it's nature or nurture she ends up taking after Eddie loving all things fantasy and Dungeons & Dragons. She also falls in love with alt music/style but ends up going more of a punk/Riot grrrl direction much to Eddie's horror( to be clear I don't think Eddie would super buy into the punk metal rivalry but I love the idea of them getting into albeit friendly arguments about the merits of each genre)
Anthropology PhD student(studying the effect of American mass media on global cultures) and activist
ADHD/Autistic but doesn't struggle in school the same way Eddie did because he and Steve pushed to get her diagnosed when she's little so she has an IEP from kindergarten( to be clear I also think Eddie is ADHD autistic and that's why he struggled so much in school)
Daniel "Danny"Munson
Born july 2nd 1998
Born via a surrogate and a donor egg like Sarah but with Steve's DNA this time
Named for Danny Zuko( I have completely fallen in love with the idea that Steve loves Grease)
arro ace
He/him
Ends up looking like a near carbon copy of Steve except for with black hair and gray eyes from his bio mom
5' 11"
Is athletic like Steve but also follows in his aunt Robin's footsteps and joins the marching band so he only plays sports that don't conflict. Despite for taking in to school activities that put him in a bit of a spotlight he's actually rather shy and soft spoken often having to have his big sister stand up for him. Struggles with reading but still loves discussing books with Eddie and his aunt Nancy. Pretty simple style-wise jeans and a t-shirt kind of guy.
Started a program abused neglected under privileged children both to teach them practical life skills like cooking in taxes and applying for a job but also to offer a warm supportive environment( inspired by learning about how his dads grew up)
Dyslexic; was also diagnosed Young
Charlotte and James Munson
Twins born January 31st 2000
Adopted after a younger coworker got pregnant unexpectedly and realized that she couldn't mentally be a mother but wanted them to go to a good home( birth mom is still heavily involved but fills more of an aunt role)
Named my their birth mom
Both Bi( had a crush on the same guy once it was a problem until they realize he wasn't interested in either of them)
she/her and they/them
Both have red hair and freckles( their aunt Max is delighted to have more redheads and the weird family all the upside down crew have formed over the years) but Charlotte has green eyes and James has brown
5'2" and 5'6"
both theater kids( once try to switch rules before realizing that only works with identical twins) and mischievous( yes they've been compared to the Weasley twins yes they were devastated when they found out what happened to Fred) Charlotte falls in love with Fiber Arts after helping their Middle School Drama teacher create the costumes for one of their plays. Mostly designs sew and clothing but and also knit sew and embroider. James is a writer. The twins used to put on little plays and he'd write the scripts but mostly sticks to poetry and prose as he gets older. James is an ideas guy where is Charlotte is more practical and helps him bring the ideas to life. James is more spontaneous where as Charlotte likes to stick with a routine. Charlotte style is rather eclectic and tends to shift around is mostly comprised of clothing she made or altered herself. James is one of those people that went full vintage day to day he looks like he stepped straight out of the 1920s
costume designer( Charlotte) Author/retail until his career takes off
I considered adding two more kids but I figured four was a big family while being a bit more manageable then six. However the absolutely do road trip like Steve was imagining. I could probably do a bit more to separate the twins but to avoid cliche I didn't want to make them complete opposites or exactly the same so I tried to balance the two.
Also none of them are straight because that's just how I roll is it statistically likely no do I care also no.
#stranger things#eddie munson#steddie#steve harrington#future steddie#steddie kids#steddie dads#steddie parents#steve x eddie#autisic eddie munson#adhd eddie munson#dyslexic steve harrington#jewish eddie munson#eddie munson lives#eddie x steve
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Dear Peppertaemint,
I sort of think of you as an expert when it comes to K-Pop, media literacy and topics that deal with queer themes, given your writings on Taemin's work for example. I hope my inquiry won't be considered a waste of time because I know you don't deal with silliness in your inbox, but I will try my luck.
I will admit that I keep up a bit with the BTS members, albeit scarcely. I happened to read on twitter (known as X now) that through his artistic expression, Taehyung is either indicating he is queer or perhaps a suporter (an ally just like Valentina) of the community. All that is supposedly apparent in his first solo music video, with references to queer cinema or the clothes he's wearing for a photoshoot. Of course, this is not the first time this has been speculated in online circles. I'll post a link at the end of this message so you could get an idea of what I'm trying to explain.
What I would wish for is a more unbiased opinion from someone with vast knowledge and a cultural background and who doesn't feel the need to prove anything about their bias. At least I think he's not your bias. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm looking forward to your response. As always 🩷
Sincerely
Lady A. Assante
https://twitter.com/polyatannies/status/1689591513032900608?t=Kp20X2STVljKh0RDs7MNVg&s=19
Hello Lady A. Assante,
Despite there being a high probability that this ask is a put-on, I’m going to take it at face value and reply in earnest.
I looked at the link you sent, which was a tweet of a Russian video purporting to tie the films Velvet Goldmine (1998) and Jubilee (1978) to Taehyung’s recent MV and, seemingly, his identity. I can’t read the Russian blocks of text in the video, but I can see the split-screen shots comparing Tae to characters in Velvet Goldmine. I can also see that Taehyung appears to wear a shirt of the film Jubilee in a promotional photo.
Now, I’m old enough to have been around when Velvet Goldmine came out; it’s a film about sexuality and aesthetics in the glam rock era, and it not-so-subtlety tells, at least in part, a take on the long time rumour of David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s liaison as lovers during glam rock days. In all honesty, I cannot see how this film in any way, shape, or form, has any relation to Taehyung’s “Love Me Again” MV beyond perhaps they both involve sequinned outfits.
“Love Me Again” is a slightly moody, barebones MV of Taehyung singing in a Spanish cave surrounded by retro items. His hair is a golden mess, while his clothes are cheap sequin getups with golden chains around his neck. Tae is moody in his MV, but he’s no glam rocker. He’s a crooner lost in time and confused. He ends the MV practically disgruntled. For me, the through line of the exotic setting, the props and the styling doesn’t quite come through. So, there wasn’t a lot for me to take away from Taehyung’s MV, but when all his MVs are released, I will watch them in order and share my thoughts. Again, I don’t see any meaningful relation between these two works. And certainly I don’t see anything overtly queer about Taehyung’s MV. If someone wants to come with concrete examples of “he said X” or “he did X” or “he wore X,” then I can consider such things.
And about his clothes: Derek Jarman was an important gay rights activist in the UK. But his activism was, more generally, in the 1980s onward, and focused on certain laws that effected education in the UK as well as raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic. These are very important works, especially to me living in Britain as a queer person. However, the film Jubilee is not about that work. It’s a punk film in response to the Queen’s Jubilee in 1977, and it presents a dystopian future of monarchical Britain and features some of the best punk bands of the time, including The Slits and Adam and the Ants. That shirt is about the punk movement - an important movement in Britain to be sure, but it isn’t centred on queerness.
My advice to Kpop fans looking for queerness in Kpop is to start with those who are doing concrete things in the genre: Holland and OnlyOneOf are a great place to start. Then you can look at Taemin, Key and SHINee as a whole, and reach out from there. SHINee’s “My Identity” from the album Hard (2023) was played at Seoul pride this year. I’d really recommend having a listen. And before a critical interloper writes in to say that everything queer must be cryptically coded because SK isn’t safe for LGBT+; I’m very aware of the rights people are lacking in SK. However, there are levels to meanings in art, and every artist has their own comfort zone when it comes to what they wish to share, and what they wish to be “unlock-able,” and what they wish to keep firmly for themselves. What I don’t think is helpful is conspiracy-level theories about art being queer-coded. That’s because art is already meant to interact with its audience; what a piece of art means to you is what is the most important. If you find something that speaks to your queer side in Taehyung’s work, than for you, that’s what his work is. That doesn’t mean his identity matches yours. There’s no need for that. That’s the beauty of art.
As a postscript, this shot here is exactly what reminds me of Key’s solo work: spooky retro style. That’s Key’s signature, which has been a personal extension of certain works in SHINee’s oeuvre (like “Married to the Music”). What remains unclear for me is what this union of elements signifies for Taehyung.
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Today's compilation:
Now That's What I Call Music! 8
2001
R&B / Pop / Teen Pop / Alternative Rock / Pop-Punk / Post-Grunge
Welp, folks, it looks like we're nearing the end of the earliest days for this beloved flagship series that's known for constantly delivering reproductions of the day's biggest pop hits, but I still have a couple more of these albums in my queue to enjoyably sift through. And just like the other seven installments that precede this one, Now That's What I Call Music! 8 also makes for a pretty great trip down commercial radio memory lane as well 😍.
But before we dive right on into it, how about we have some nostalgic fun with the ad for this release first? See, If you had placed an order for Now 8 by credit card or with check-debit, you'd also receive a free limited edition collector's box that you could store all of your other Now CDs in too! Wow! How considerate! Thanks Now! 😎💖
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But we actually start off on a few somber notes here... 😔
Now 8 was the first dispatch from the main series to be released after 9/11, and so, I feel like the inclusion of its final track, U2's "Walk On," which never even made it onto Billboard's Hot 100 chart, was done solely in order to try to console an American psyche that had been deeply wounded at that time. "Walk On" was released as a single in February of 2001, and was actually about the plight of Burmese peace activist Aung San Suu Kyi—who, years later, would despicably do nothing as Myanmar's head of state to address the genocide of Rohingya Muslims that her own military was perpetrating—but in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the song found itself resonating with a lot of Americans, serving a sudden and newfound purpose as an anthem of perseverance for them.
And that's pretty much undoubtedly why Now chose this song to close out the album. Had 9/11 not happened, this comp's last track would've probably been a song that had actually charted on the Hot 100. But because this album was slated to release in November of '01, the Now brass probably thought it best to end with a song that could acknowledge that then-current moment of anguish and turmoil, rather than awkwardly and tone-deafly just loading up their CD with fun pop hits from the summer that had just passed.
But less than three weeks before 9/11, R&B star Aaliyah had also tragically passed in a plane crash after filming the video for her beautifully soft and sensual, final single, "Rock the Boat" too. So Now not only included that song on this release, but they dedicated the whole album to Aaliyah's memory, and also donated part of the proceeds from the triple-platinum seller to her memorial fund as well.
And last with the sadness, rest in peace to the great Steve Harwell. I absolutely despised your band's cover of The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" when I first heard it (which appears on this album), but I still genuinely dug your work more than most are willing to admit, and really also loved the critique you had about the commodification of social movements in "Walkin' On the Sun," which is something that many people probably overlooked because they had nothing nice to say about your band that, unfortunately, became a Shrek meme. At the end of the day, Smash Mouth made a bunch of fun music, man 😞.
OK, on to the rest of this album...
So, the album cover for this release says it comes with 20 chart-topping hits, but in reality, only three of these were actually Hot 100 #1s. There's Destiny's Child's "Bootylicious," which, to go with their Survivor album's theme, intended to use the opening guitar stutter from "Eye of the Tiger"—by the band *Survivor*—but had to settle for Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" instead; Usher's "U Got It Bad" ballad; and Joe's "Stutter," which isn't actually the most famous version of the song, but is the "Double Take Remix" instead, that was done by Allen "Allstar" Gordon Jr., and sampled both the iconic west coast alternative rap classic, "Passin' Me By," by The Pharcyde, as well as the song that that song itself sampled, Quincy Jones' "Summer in the City." And it also features now-canceled rapper Mystikal, which represents his third overall appearance in this series.
And speaking of remixes and samples, the famous Murder Inc. remix of J.Lo's "I'm Real," featuring Ja Rule, doesn't appear on here, but instead, it's her underappreciated and poppier original version that sounds nothing like the remix, and samples from classic Japanese electronic group Yellow Magic Orchestra's digi-chirping "Firecracker," which ends up naturally giving the tune a sweet 80s throwback kinda vibe.
Other songs worth mentioning are the brilliantly produced and super light and smooth Janet Jackson jam, "Someone to Call My Lover," which sampled from folk duo America's "Ventura Highway;" and a terrific tune that was actually originally released in 1998, but rose to US fame because of its inclusion in a 2001 Mitsubishi ad: "Start the Commotion," by UK duo The Wiseguys. That one's very much in that Fatboy Slim-helmed UK big beat vein; gotta love the blaring and swingin' sampled horns on it! 🤩
And there's a solid handful of other songs on this CD that I could devote some space to as well, but I think this post here is already long enough as it is.
So, another terrific nostalgia rush to be had in this trip all the way back to 2001. And I only have one more of these Now comps left in my queue, but I think I'm gonna save it for later.
Highlights:
Destiny's Child - "Bootylicious"
'N Sync - "Pop"
Jennifer Lopez - "I'm Real"
Joe feat. Mystikal - "Stutter (Double Take Remix)"
Janet Jackson - "Someone to Call My Lover"
Christina Milian - "AM to PM"
Aaliyah - "Rock the Boat"
Usher - "U Got It Bad"
Gorillaz - "Clint Eastwood"
The Wiseguys feat. Greg Nice - "Start the Commotion"
Sum 41 - "Fat Lip"
Blink-182 - "The Rock Show"
Fuel - "Bad Day"
U2 - "Walk On"
#r&b#r & b#teen pop#pop#alternative rock#alternative#alternative music#alt rock#alt#alt music#pop punk#punk#punk rock#post grunge#music#rock#90s#90s music#90's#90's music#2000s#2000s music#2000's#2000's music#00s#00s music#00's#00's music#Youtube
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Sinead O’Connor, Evocative and Outspoken Singer, Is Dead at 56
She broke out with the single “Nothing Compares 2 U,” then caused an uproar a few years later by ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II on “S.N.L.”
By Ben Sisario and Joe Coscarelli
July 26, 2023
Updated 5:41 p.m. ET
Leer en español
Sinead O’Connor, the outspoken Irish singer-songwriter known for her powerful, evocative voice, as showcased on her biggest hit, a breathtaking rendition of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and for her political provocations onstage and off, has died. She was 56.
Her longtime friend Bob Geldof, the Irish musician and activist, confirmed her death, as did her family in a statement, according to the BBC and the Irish public broadcaster RTE.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead,” the statement said. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.” No other details were provided.
Recognizable by her shaved head and by wide eyes that could appear pained or full of rage, Ms. O’Connor released 10 studio albums, beginning with the alternative hit “The Lion and the Cobra” in 1987. She went on to sell millions of albums worldwide, breaking out with “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” in 1990.
That album, featuring “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a No. 1 hit around the world and an MTV staple, won a Grammy Award in 1991 for best alternative music performance — although Ms. O’Connor boycotted the ceremony over what she called the show’s excessive commercialism.
Ms. O’Connor rarely shrank from controversy, though it often came with consequences for her career.
In 1990, she threatened to cancel a performance in New Jersey if “The Star-Spangled Banner” was played at the concert hall ahead of her appearance, drawing the ire of no less than Frank Sinatra. That same year, she backed out of an appearance on “Saturday Night Live” in protest of the misogyny she perceived in the comedy of Andrew Dice Clay, who was scheduled to host.
But all of that paled in comparison to the uproar caused when Ms. O’Connor, appearing on “S.N.L.” in 1992 — shortly after the release of her third album, “Am I Not Your Girl?” — ended an a cappella performance of Bob Marley’s “War” by ripping a photo of Pope John Paul II into pieces as a stance against sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. “Fight the real enemy,” she said.
That incident immediately made her a target of criticism and scorn, from social conservatives and beyond. Two weeks after her “S.N.L.” appearance, she was loudly booed at a Bob Dylan tribute concert at Madison Square Garden. (She had planned to perform Mr. Dylan’s “I Believe in You,” but she sang “War” again, rushing off the stage before she had finished.)
For a time, the vitriol directed at Ms. O’Connor was so pervasive that it became a kind of pop culture meme in itself. On “S.N.L.” in early 1993, Madonna mocked the controversy by tearing up a picture of Joey Buttafuoco, the Long Island auto mechanic who was a tabloid fixture at the time because of his affair with a 17-year-old girl.
Once a rising star, Ms. O’Connor then stumbled. “Am I Not Your Girl?,” an album of jazz and pop standards like “Why Don’t You Do Right?” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” was stalled on the charts at No. 27. Her next album, “Universal Mother” (1994), went no higher than No. 36.
The British musician Tim Burgess, of the band Charlatans (known in the United States as the Charlatans UK), wrote on Twitter on Wednesday: “Sinead was the true embodiment of a punk spirit. She did not compromise and that made her life more of a struggle.”
Ms. O’Connor never had another major hit in the United States after ��The Emperor’s New Clothes,” from “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” although for a time she remained a staple on the British charts.
But in her 2021 memoir, “Rememberings,” Ms. O’Connor portrayed ripping up the photo of the pope as a righteous act of protest — and therefore a success.
“I feel that having a No. 1 record derailed my career,” she wrote, “and my tearing the photo put me back on the right track.”
She elaborated in an interview with The New York Times that same year, calling the incident an act of defiance against the constraints of pop stardom.
“I’m not sorry I did it. It was brilliant,” Ms. O’Connor said. “But it was very traumatizing,” she added. “It was open season on treating me like a crazy bitch.”
Sinead Marie Bernadette O’Connor was born in Glenageary, a suburb of Dublin, on Dec. 8, 1966. Her father, John, was an engineer, and her mother, Johanna, was a dressmaker.
In interviews, and in her memoir, Ms. O’Connor spoke openly of having a traumatic childhood. She said that her mother physically abused her and that she had been deeply affected by her parents’ separation, which happened when she was 8. In her teens, she was arrested for shoplifting and sent to reform schools.
When she was 15, Ms. O’Connor sang “Evergreen” — the love theme from “A Star Is Born,” made famous by Barbra Streisand — at a wedding, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, a drummer who had an affiliation with the Irish band U2. She left boarding school at 16 and began her career, supporting herself by waitressing and performing “kiss-o-grams” in a kinky French maid costume.
“The Lion and the Cobra” — the title is an allusion to Psalm 91 — marked her as a rising talent with a spiritual heart, an ear for offbeat melody and a fierce and combative style. Her music drew from 1980s-vintage alternative rock, hip-hop and flashes of Celtic folk that came through when her voice raised to high registers.
She drew headlines for defending the Irish Republican Army and publicly jeered U2 — whose members had supported her — as “bombastic.” She also said she had rejected attempts by her record company, Ensign, to adopt a more conventional image.
The leaders of the label “wanted me to wear high-heel boots and tight jeans and grow my hair,” Ms. O’Connor told Rolling Stone in 1991. “And I decided that they were so pathetic that I shaved my head so there couldn’t be any further discussion.”
“Nothing Compares 2 U” — originally released by the Family, a Prince side project, in 1985 — became a phenomenon when Ms. O’Connor released it five years later. The video for the song, trained closely on her emotive face, was hypnotic, and Ms. O’Connor’s voice, as it raised from delicate, breathy notes to powerful cries, stopped listeners in their tracks. Singers like Alanis Morissette cited Ms. O’Connor’s work from this period as a key influence.
Not long after “Nothing Compares” became a hit, Ms. O’Connor accused Prince of physically threatening her. She elaborated on the story in her memoir, saying that Prince, at his Hollywood mansion, chastised her for swearing in interviews and suggested a pillow fight, only to hit her with something hard that was in his pillowcase. She escaped on foot in the middle of the night, she said, but Prince chased her around the highway.
The effects of childhood trauma, and finding ways to fight and heal, became a central part of her work and her personal philosophy. “The cause of all the world’s problems, as far as I’m concerned, is child abuse,” Ms. O’Connor told Spin magazine in 1991.
Her mother, whom Ms. O’Connor described as an alcoholic, died when she was 18. In her memoir, Ms. O’Connor said that on the day her mother died she took a picture of the pope from her mother’s wall; it was that photo that she destroyed on television.
On later albums, she made warmly expansive pop-rock (“Faith and Courage,” 2000), played traditional Irish songs (“Sean-Nós Nua,” 2002) and revisited classic reggae songs (“Throw Down Your Arms,” 2005). Her last album was “I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss,” released in 2014.
As her music career slowed, Ms. O’Connor, who had been open in the past about her mental health struggles, became an increasingly erratic public figure, often sharing unfiltered opinions and personal details on social media.
In 2007, she revealed on Oprah Winfrey’s television show that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and that she had tried to kill herself on her 33rd birthday. Her son Shane died by suicide in 2022, at 17.
Ms. O’Connor said in 2012 that she had been misdiagnosed and that she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a history of child abuse. “Recovery from child abuse is a life’s work,” she told People magazine.
Several years ago she converted to Islam and started using the name Shuhada Sadaqat, though she continued to answer to O’Connor as well.
Complete information on survivors was not immediately available. Ms. O’Connor had two brothers, Joe and John, and one sister, Eimear, as well as three stepsisters and a stepbrother. She wrote in her memoir that she was married four times and that she had four children: three sons, Jake, Shane and Yeshua, and a daughter, Roisin.
In discussing her memoir with The Times in 2021, Ms. O’Connor focused on her decision to tear up the photo of John Paul II as a signal moment in a life of protest and defiance.
“The media was making me out to be crazy because I wasn’t acting like a pop star was supposed to act,” she said. “It seems to me that being a pop star is almost like being in a type of prison. You have to be a good girl.”
Alex Traub contributed reporting.
Ben Sisario covers the music industry. He has been writing for The Times since 1998. More about Ben Sisario
Joe Coscarelli is a culture reporter with a focus on popular music, and the author of “Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story.” More about Joe Coscarelli
#Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor#Shuhada' Sadaqat#Magda Davitt#Sinéad O'Connor#The New York Times#Obituary#Ben Sisario#Alex Traub#Joe Coscarelli#Bob Geldof#Frank Sinatra#Oprah Winfrey#Nothing Compares 2 U#Nothing Compares To You#Kris Kristofferson#Pope John Paul II#Sean-Nós Nua
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Do you have any venus mcflytrap headcanons?
(I’m still doing headcanons, I just need a break sorry!)
Venus Headcanons
- Nonbinary, they/she, I will not be taking any more questions
-Nonbinary lesbian actually! I just think they deserve more representation.
- Anyway I personally love the poly trio of Venus, Robecca, and Rochelle. I deadass have no idea where this ship came from but it’s somewhat popular and I like it.
- At first it was just Venus and Robecca dating and Rochelle naturally slid in over time. There was no declaration of love or anything. They just agreed that they’re all dating and that was that.
- Venus is an activist, obviously, but let’s go all the way with that. They’re a very passionate person. They think change will only come if you put in the effort to make it happen. They’ve organized protests not just for environment stuff but also for monster rights, to end monster specific schools like vampire academies, for monsters and humans to live in harmony. All that stuff
- Venus and Deuce are besties. They’re both punks who will go to mosh pits or simply jam out to loud ass music. It’s kinda a funny dynamic cause Deuce is very chill while Venus is passionate and bold, but they can vibe together with the power of rock and anarchy.
-She’s a carnivore actually. Most plant monster just need sunlight and water to survive, but Venus is out here chomping down on steak. She’s sweet too, she always makes sure Draculaura is not around.
- Venus says fuck the government. :)
#haven rambles#headcanons#monster high#monster high headcanons#venus mcflytrap#nonbinary#nonbinary lesbian#the flag is so pretty tbh#robecca steam#rochelle goyle#deuce gorgon#draculaura
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Various Artists — Stop MVP: Artists from WV, VA and NC Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline (War Hen)
The Mountain Valley Pipeline, if it’s ever finished, will stretch over more than 300 miles in rural Wester Virginia and Virginia, crossing environmentally sensitive parts of the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains carrying dangerous, polluting loads of fracked gas. The League of Conservation Votes estimates that the pipeline will generate more than 89 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution annually, about as much as 24 average U.S. coal plans or 19 million passenger cars. Building it will require razing forests that have been sequestering carbon for centuries.
It’s a climate catastrophe, and because it runs through an area that is rich in musical history and culture, it has become a focus for artists and activists, including Daniel Bachman, who organized this 40-track compilation in protest of the pipeline. All proceeds from STOP MVP will go to the Appalachian Legal Defense Fund to support protesters resisting the pipeline’s construction.
That is, of course, one compelling reason to buy this set of music, but it is very far from the only one. The music here is exceptionally diverse and almost uniformly excellent. If you look at the cover and envision a steady stream of earnest folk songs, punctuated by some fingerpicking, think again. Certainly that’s represented on these two discs, but so is noise and rock and punk and hip hop and even, at the end, a stirring piece of gospel that will steel you for the cause.
There’s so much music here that it’s hard to get a grip on it all, but let’s hit some highlights. Magic Tuber String Band’s haunted, haunting rendition of “Undone in Sorrow” is both staunchly traditional and absolutely modern in its lament for a natural world gone haywire. Isak Howell, similarly, finds something potent and bracing in minor key picking. Solar Hex straddles baroque classical cello and folk lament, and there are indeed four crows cawing in the background to “Stone Wall with Four Crows.” My favorite discovery in this lengthy, skewed-folk all-star line-up comes from Høly Riot’s “Spirit Riot,” which kicks up a feeling-the-lord-speaking-in-tongues ruckus with its driving, droning ecstasies.
Some of the cuts are literally about the MVP pipeline, like Joshua Vana and Bernadette “BJ” Lark’s full-throated, heart-swelling “To the River,” while others reference the area’s long history of industrial subjugation. “The Dolly Womack Wreck” retells the story of an old-time train wreck, where the engineer was flayed alive by steam from a broken boiler. “The Coal Tattoo,” sung by Bachman’s father, is about his father’s death in a mine explosion. The hip hop/electronic “John Brown” by Appalachian rapper Prolo chronicles generations of poverty and racism in the region.
A lot of well known folk and indie artists have chipped in. There are tracks from Sally Anne Morgan, Ned Oldham, Nathan Bowles, Rosali Middleton (as Edsel Axle). Yasmin Williams and Bachman himself. But the real tribute to Bachman’s taste, restless song-hunting and open-minded-ness comes from the bands you might not be familiar with, the eerie soundscapes of Tallulah Cloos, the beefy country rock of Tucker Riggleman and the Cheap Dates, the unhinged noise of Dog Scream. The mountains and valleys threatened by MVP are rich in plant and animal diversity, but also musical breadth, and this compilation brings them all together for a worthy cause.
Jennifer Kelly
#stop mvp#mountain valley pipeline#war hen#jennifer kelly#albumreview#dusted magazine#compilation#protest#daniel bachman#folk#country#rock#hip hop
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made by @floppydoged
bold what applies, italicise what sometimes does etc etc
types of people - pjo cabins
Cabin One, Zeus - cold hands, smart clothes, sharp tongues, dark stories, acting on impulse, strong sense of honour, the leader respected by all, running through thunderstorms, grey wolves, overcast skies, stony beaches, fighting for their beliefs
Cabin Two, Hera - pure white, cleanliness, crisp sheets, rose tea, white marble, strutting peacocks, maternal nature, stern but kindly looks, jealous but never envious, simple hairstyles, sharp jaws, gleaming white teeth, feared but trusted, underappreciated
Cabin Three, Poseidon - horse rides through a rainy night, casual clothing, denim, alternative rock, quiet bravery, smarter than everyone thinks, walks along the coast, the feeling of warm sand between your toes, sweet tooth, thinks a lot but acts on impulse, tinted glasses, never wanting to get out the shower, hair blowing in the wind.
Cabin Four, Demeter - daisy chains, walking barefoot, ice-cold drinks, distant laughter, chartreuse, warm eyes, glowing confidence, hazy memories, visits to the zoo, incredibly caring, maternal instincts, passionate, fiercely protective, summer dresses, old music, activists, charm bracelets.
Cabin Five, Ares - punk and rock music, battered leather jackets, red lipstick, midnight driving, American diners, nights out with friends, usually a happy drunk, occasionally an angry one, sticking up for those you love, coffee, pride, competitive, rash, loves big cats, soft spot for animals, living life to the fullest
Cabin Six, Athena - vellichor, beautiful sadness, innovative, old soul, listening to emotional songs during long car drives, nostalgia, stacks of books, low energy, courageous, lots of tea, skipping breakfast, watching raindrops fall, looking up at the stars, nimble fingers, mentally stronger than most, seems to lack empathy but really just cares too much
Cabin Seven, Apollo - sunlight streaming through rooms, quaint villages, twinkling eyes, mischievous smiles, heading down to the bakery, quoting poetry, gleaming surfaces, the smell of vanilla, the refreshment of cold water, paddling in a river/the sea, drowsiness at the end of the day, observant, charisma, wild hand gestures, gentle nature.
Cabin 8, Artemis - silver jewellery, smoky makeup, humming when walking, the feeling of utter freedom, the click of a lock, a single star in a sky of darkness, wolves howling at the moon, pure honesty, fur-lined coats, everlasting friendship, reliability, high intelligence, sharp hearing, giggling, campfires, pulling all-nighters
Cabin 9, Hephaestus - slapping people on the back in congratulations, rough hands but gentle touch, gruff but kindly, can't wrap their minds around how people work, a stubborn nature, introversion, thick tangled hair, flushed face, dog-eared books, cogs whirring, the smell of petrol, dusting your hands, knowing handy survival skills, hard workers, insecurity, ingenuity, loves pockets
Cabin 10, Aphrodite - Polaroids, being drunk on love, happiness in making others happy, fluffy pillows, comfy yet cute clothes, holding hands, light boxes, lavender soap, messy buns, feminist and body-positive, hates manipulation, can read emotions, visits to Paris, croissants for breakfast, sipping cocktails, squealing during water fights
Cabin 11, Hermes - collecting gemstones, lots of fandoms, hip hop, amazing at three-legged races and jenga, always wearing jeans, a cool breeze, blue skies, breath being taken away at beautiful views, hiking up mountains, pouring water on your face, little charms, fountains, meme trash, beanies, loving intense speeds
Cabin 12, Dionysus - Fruit picking, nodding along to music, getting lost in happy moments, loving all food, bubbles up your nose, laughing so loudly people stare but not caring, helping the poor, rich colours, appreciative of luxury, hot dusty environments, standing your ground, good at heart, hot baths, party hats, sometimes sociable, sometimes withdrawn
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Adam Keefe Horovitz (October 31, 1966, also known as ADRock or the King Ad-Rock, the former rowdy punk kid, is best known for being a member of the rap group Beastie Boys. At 16, Adam joined Beastie Boys as the guitarist. The group was a hardcore punk band. Eventually, the group shifted to rap because the music piqued the group's interest. Most of the stuff they were tongue-in-cheek. In the group, Mike D had the cleverest lyrics, MCA had a steady cadence, and AD Rock had an excellent combination. Ad-Rock still played the guitar for the Beastie Boys whenever they played live instruments. After the boys switched to hip-hop and fell in love with it, he continued to play the guitar. He did vocals and guitar work for the track "Gratitude" on my favorite Beastie Boy album, Check Your Head. He did most of the guitar work and all the vocals for the popular song and video "Sabotage" from the album Ill Communication. In 2012, the Beastie Boys were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is married to riot grrrl artist Kathleen Hanna. They both are social activists as well as animal rights activists. They appeared in a few films in the late '80s and early '80s. After the Beastie Boys ended, Adam stayed busy as a producer and fashion designer. He and Mike D (of Beastie Boys) recently released a vast and detailed book about the group's history. I picked it up the day it was released. Ad-Rock is still a prominent member of early hip-hop and punk.
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it turns out that I actually kinda remember how to draw?? (please kindly ignore the janky proportions in the bottom image… I am. out of practice lmao. I love how their faces turned out, but his neck and their hands are weird, and her head might be too small? oogh.) I might try to mess around with my scanner and get a decent scan of this tomorrow, but in the meantime here's a hastily-edited photo.
back in uhhh, August? I started toying around with these new OCs, just kind of… for fun. I realised that I hadn’t created characters Just Because in literal years. every character had been for a Project. and I wanted someone just to play around with!
so, these two are Paz and Winnet. more rambles about them beneath the cut:
I’m starting to get Paz’s appearance down; Winnet’s still a little bit of a work in progress but I know more or less what I’m aiming for, at least. might end up darkening her hair colour... idk.
my starting point with these two was that I wanted to make a pair of super-squishy soft romantic characters - and specifically, I thought it'd be fun to design a couple with two very different aesthetics. annnd that eventually led me to Paz the (dorky) punk and Winnet the cottagecore/sort of mori girl-ish wheelchair user.
Paz is of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, and pretty heavily into the punk/diy scene, as well as being really dedicated as an activist. he spends a lot of time volunteering, going to protests/demonstrations, or going to shows. he's also super protective of his trans little sister, and ever since she came out, he's made a point of learning a lot more about trans issues in particular. (he also makes sure to have a prominent pronouns patch on every one of his vests and jackets!) he's a severe hemophiliac, and as a result doesn't have any piercings (or tattoos), but he enjoys wearing other jewellery like the ear cuff you see above.
Winnet is very sweet and feminine in her style, and values her independence and a simple, happy lifestyle. she can walk, but mostly sticks with her wheelchair, as a variety of health problems make her unsteady on her feet and also inclined to fainting spells. she works remotely as a transcriber, and is close with Alfio, her elderly Italian neighbour (who also owns the laundromat downstairs from their apartments). he calls her paperotta, a term of endearment something like 'little duck' <3 she's an avid crocheter in her free time, and a slightly less avid knitter. she also has a service dog, but I haven't decided on any further details on that front haha
they're both in their early twenties, and absolutely, ass-over-teakettle in love with each other. both are easily flustered, though probably Paz moreso; they get embarrassed by one another pretty often. their fashion senses converge at 'plaid.' they're both really interested in learning more about one another's hobbies and interests and overall worlds - he loves learning about all her houseplants, and wearing things she crochets or knits for him, whether they go with his look or not. by the same token she starts learning to be more politically active with him (and he's very good at helping her make sure that her accessibility needs are taken care of at, say, protests, or other events), and absolutely adores the battle vest he makes for her, and eventually even starts going to shows with him. their music tastes are as different as their fashion choices, but they learn to love one another's favourites :)
#Courtney liveblogs art#is that my art tag? idek I think so#Paz and Winnet#it's 3 am I should go to bedddd#g'night.
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Marcia
Marcia Clifton is the drummer of Memphis' first punk band, The Klitz. After the group initially disbanded in 1980, she made some home recordings with her boyfriend (later husband) Hans Faulhaber. The duo employed a drum machine and recorded on a Fostex cassette recorder. It was a great session, combining Cleaners from Venus-style lo-fi production with danceable post-punk elements that were a hallmark of 1980-1983 underground music. Spacecase will be releasing a limited-edition lathe cut (25 copies) of two songs from this cassette very soon.
Interview by Ryan Leach
Circa 1983 photo by Marion Keisker (yes, of Sun Records/Elvis Presley fame)
Ryan: The Klitz ended in late 1980 when Lesa (Aldridge) moved to New Jersey. What were you doing in that interim period between then and when you started recording these tracks in the summer of 1983?
Marcia: When Lesa left town and The Klitz disbanded, we decided to either go back to college or get a job that wasn’t in the music industry. I had a job managing a boutique. It was a cool clothing store. And that’s where I met Hans (Faulhaber). Hans had recorded with Gail (Clifton) first at Ardent. That would’ve been early in 1983. Hans and I started dating. He didn’t have a home-recording setup like the ones you think of today. He had a little cassette recorder where you had a few tracks.
Ryan: It was a Fostex cassette recorder, not a reel-to-reel tape recorder, correct?
Marcia: Yes. A Fostex cassette recorder. Most of those songs I had already written. But I wrote them more as poetry. I didn’t necessarily want to put them to music. But Hans is a musician. He said, “Well, I can put some music to these, and I have a drum machine.” So, we recorded those in his apartment early in our courtship. We recorded these songs in 1983 and 1984.
Ryan: I didn’t realize that you weren’t actively pursuing music after the Klitz ended.
Marcia: That’s right. I didn’t do anything with music again until we recorded these songs. “Shy Guy” was about a heartbreak I’d had before I’d met Hans. I was the drummer in The Klitz. I’d written some songs, but I wasn’t like Gail (Clifton) and Lesa (Aldridge) who were always recording material or writing songs that we’d perform. When Hans and I started dating, he was the one who said, “Well, maybe you’ve got some songs in you.” To which I responded, “Well, I’ve got these poems…” Only a couple other songs from the batch of recordings I gave you were written afterwards. “This Love” was one of them.
Ryan: These songs were all recorded in Hans’ apartment, right?
Marcia: Yes, except for “Can’t Decide” and “French Boy.” Lesa wrote “French Boy” and “Can’t Decide” was a song I wrote in 1986. Those two tracks I added later to the recordings you have. The one Sid Selvidge sings was recorded later too.
Ryan: So, you wrote “Week at a Glance,” the song Sid sings on and the one you’re referring to?
Marcia: Exactly.
Ryan: Memphis music has always been underappreciated.
Marcia: Very underappreciated.
Ryan: And an overlooked musician from the Memphis music scene is the late Sid Selvidge. He ran the Peabody label and his record, The Cold of the Morning (1976), is outstanding. How did you meet and get to work with Sid?
Marcia: I knew him from Mud Boy & the Neutrons. Coincidentally, he also had stepdaughters who were my age. His stepdaughter Kathy Spivey was my friend. I went over to their house when I was 14 to hang out. Steve (Selvidge, Sid’s son and musician) was still a toddler. We’re talking about the early 1970s. We always knew Sid as an activist and poet. He was an anthropology professor at Southwestern (now Rhodes College). Sid was always this Midtown enigma to me. I didn’t really get to know him until Mud Boy and The Klitz started playing shows together.
Ryan: Did you ask him to record with you?
Marcia: Yeah, Hans asked him. Sid was the house band for a Memphis bar/restaurant called the North End. He was playing at Jefferson Square first, but unfortunately that place burned down to the ground. This was in addition to Sid’s other musical projects, including Mud Boy. By the time we recorded with Sid, Hans had upgraded from his little Fostex. He was recording more bands. So, he’d invited Sid over. Sid liked the song and the lyrics for “Week at a Glance”.
Ryan: Memphis is a city where music can happen independently, oblivious to what’s happening elsewhere. Nevertheless, bands like the Bush Tetras and Pylon were combining post punk with dance elements and a spartan sound. Were you aware of those bands or do you feel that working with a drum machine had more of an influence on these songs?
Marcia: No. I would say it was more about the technology. I’d heard of those bands, but they weren’t an influence. New wave was definitely going at that time. I think it was more a sign of the times.
Ryan: Did you ever perform these songs live?
Marcia: That never happened at the time, and I thought we would. Much later, our band SuperLo did some of these songs. That was with Hans, me and John Hampton’s wife Robin Robison.
Ryan: That would’ve been the 2010s, correct?
Marcia: Right. 2018. But going back to when we recorded these songs, I was in college. And I was in some ways living the music through Gail (Clifton). After The Klitz broke up, she was the only one who really continued with music. I would hang out and support her. The Klitz got back together in 2014. I enjoyed it so much I wondered why I’d ever stopped playing music.
Ryan: It seems like a matter of life taking over. I know you had your first child, Clover, around this time.
Marcia: Yes. Clover was born in 1991. I did have one short-lived band called Orbit Tomatoes before Clover was born. That was with our neighbor Tommy Foster who coincidentally owned a nightclub, so we became the house band. I played drums and bass guitar, and I did sing “French Boy.” Tommy was (Memphis organizer/musician) Bennett Foster’s father. He was such a wonderful person who died way too young. Anyway, I’m glad these songs are finally seeing the light of day.
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