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krispyweiss · 2 months

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Song Review: Todd Rundgren, Arthur Brown, Mel Collins, Chris Poland and Ian Paice - “21st Century Schizoid Man”

The 21st-century version sounds almost exactly like the 20th-century version, rendering Todd Rundgren, Arthur Brown, Mel Collins, Chris Poland and Ian Paice’s remake of King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man” pretty much pointless.

Rundgren and Brown are so swathed in effects, their 2024 voices come off as not dissimilar to Greg Lake’s of 1969. And while latter-day Crim sax man Collins, former Megadeath guitarist Poland and Deep Purple drummer Paice do a fine job of recreating the first song on the first King Crimson LP, such reproduction is better suited to a live tribute band than to a studio tribute record, the likes of which do better with reinterpretation.

In any event, “Schizoid Man” announces the April 19 arrival of Reimagining the Court of the Crimson King, featuring Crimson singer Jakko Jakszyk, drummer Carmine Appice and Hawkwind alumni Alan Davey, Paul Rudolph and Nik Turner, in one of his final performances, among others.

Perhaps they’ll do something different with their songs. As for “Schizoid Man,” the original will do just fine.

Grade card: Todd Rundgren, Arthur Brown, Mel Collins, Chris Poland and Ian Paice - “21st Century Schizoid Man” - C

3/14/24

#Youtube #king crimson #21st century schizoid man #in the court of the crimson king #reimagining the court of the crimson king #todd rundgren #arthur brown #mel collins #chris poland #megadeth #ian paice #deep purple #robert fripp #jakko jakszyk #carmine appice #hawkwind #alan davey #paul rudolph #nik turner

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magicdrabbles · 5 years

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Helping Hands

I got an awesome request from @devorak-titties for a fic with one of their OCs (Nicodemo) and Lucio. In this, Nicodemo travels from his home kingdom to Vesuvia, in order to help Lucio become a better leader. But Nicodemo learns from Lucio as well. Hope you all enjoy <3 Story under the cut.

This is going to be….a LOT of work, Nicodemo thought. At Lucio’s request, he had traveled from his home kingdom of Nevion to Vesuvia to aid in transforming the city to its glory days. As his ship was sailing to the docks, Nicodemo pondered on Lucio and his past. He had obviously changed. And for the better. War crimes used to be his favorite hobby. The armies of Vesuvia and Nevion had fought alongside one another before, although Nicodemo had never entered the war himself. Lucio, on the other hand, had been right in the thick of it. It was an absolute thrill to him to see his enemies surrender...or worse. Now, Lucio was relearning about what being a leader of a kingdom is like and that’s why Nicodemo was there. To teach him compassion, to help him understand what he has done and to understand Lucio and to help him recover from the ashes of this city. Nicodemo knew what it was like to start from scratch-he had to do it starting at the age of 14 when his father, the King of Nevion, a kingdom across the sea, died. “Good riddance” Nicodemo muttered under his breath. He had been an absolute...well, bitch. And his mother had left early in his life. All he had left was an inherited kingdom and the royal court. But even the court was an atrocity. After years of them persuading him to make the same decisions as his father, he had enough and fired them. And from the ashes, he too was rebuilding his city and his court. At this point, Countess Nadia had forced Lucio to face his mistakes and the consequences of them. And Nicodemo was there in order to help him make better decisions. They could learn to be better together.

The ship creaked and groaned as it came to a halt in the bay of Vesuvia, water splashing up against the hull and back down onto the docks below. As Nicodemo looked down from the ship’s deck, he saw the familiar glow of blonde locks and exquisite white clothes flash in his vision.

“Welcome my dearest, Nico!”

Lucio. He was trotting down the docks with his arms raised high, welcoming Nicodemo. With a glint in his eyes and a smile flashing perfect pearly white teeth, Lucio continued “Nico, my darling, have you come to surprise me before the Masquerade?”

“Uh...you invited me here”, Nico said with a raised brow, descending the ship's plank onto the docks.

“Yes, yes of course,” Lucio twirled away from Nico with a flurry of his cape, most likely to hide the embarrassment, “But don’t forget before the party I HAVE to take you on a tour of my statue garden!”

“Ah, Lucio, I know you love parties, but we really need to, well, get to work.”

Nicodemo knew that Lucio craved attention. His every waking minute was devoted to parties, trying to impress people, and drunken debauchery. But even with all the extravagance, most people simply hated him. Nicodemo knew he had to change the people of Vesuvia’s image of him. He knew what Lucio was really like, how vulnerable he really was inside. But Nicodemo also knew how vulnerable Vesuvia was. The city was decaying. Nicodemo had heard of plague outbreaks in other cities and wanted nothing more than to help Lucio protect both himself and his people, just like Nicodemo wanted to do for his own.

With a scowl, Lucio resigned to Nicodemo’s request. “Nico, you’re no fun right now, but...I suppose I did invite you here to...help...me”. Finally admitting defeat, Nicodemo smiled at Lucio and took his golden claws in his hands. “Lucio, this isn’t just about you, you can help me as well!” The slightest blush appeared on Lucio’s face before pulling Nicodemo close to him. A half smirk half smile spread on the Count’s lips. “Ohh...you always know what to say”.

Lucio and Nicodemo had set off on a quick tour of the most damaged parts of Vesuvia, particularly the flooded district. This district was in such disarray, abandoned apart from a few urchins running through the alleyways and some of Vesuvia’s homeless.

“Lucio,” Nico began, “How did this happen?”

“Ahh who knows...probably the courtiers busy bullying the peasants and ignoring this area” Lucio rolled his eyes and laid his chin in his claw, staring out the window of the carriage.

“Lucio, you can’t blame your problems on other people anymore you have to-”

“I have to what? I’ve done so much already! The parties, the booze- the people love me, Nico!”

“You know that parties don’t solve the real problems. People are dying. Urchins are running around, orphaned and starving”

“I see...so those people don’t love me I suppose” Lucio continued staring out the carriage at the flowing river of murky water passing in the streets and throughout people’s old homes. “Nadi is loved by everyone,” Lucio said in a low whisper “you could say I’m almost jealous. But what does she do that I don’t?”

Nicodemo pulled Lucio’s fleshed hand to his face and nuzzled into it. “Lucio...my darling” Lucio perked up at the name with a slight blush, “I think you have the best intentions with all the parties and everything. Everyone wants to have a good time, I included! But...before people can enjoy those things they need to have their basic needs met. Nadia...well she cares about that. I’m the opposite of you though. I’ve tried so hard to not be like my father that I’ve neglected to have fun from time to time. I’m focused solely on the people and rarely myself and I-” Lucio pulled Nicodemo into his lap before he could finish speaking.

“The last thing I want is for you to neglect yourself, Nico,” the Count said in a low tone into Nicodemo’s ear. He brushed Nicodemo’s hair back with his organic hands, relishing in the feeling of soft hair. Nicodemo turned red.

“Then...let’s help each other my love” Nicodemo’s ears reddened to an even deeper crimson at what he had just called Lucio but continued “I teach you to care for the people, and you teach me to care for myself”.

Lucio again looked out to the flooded district, for a second there was solemnity in his eyes before turning back to Nicodemo.

“Okay,” Lucio said, “I can do that”. Lucio looked down at Nicodemo and smirked, “I love it when you call me ‘my love’ by the way. Veryyyy affectionate. Very...sweet” He took Nicodemo’s hand in his golden one and gave each finger a kiss. Lucio’s signature smirk had returned.

“Now, let us party before making plans for the reimagining and rebuilding of the great kingdom of Vesuvia! I plan to ravish you my dear” Lucio said with a bright big smile.

“Oh my love,” Nicodemo purred, “You spoil me”. Lucio’s big smile faded to a soft grin, looking deeply into Nicodemo’s eyes.

“That’s all I want to do my dear”

#lucio #oc #fan apprentice #my drabbles #writing #the arcana #devorak-titties #fic #anon that was looking for lucio redemption #this is for you as well

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paraphernaliawagon · 4 years

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i’ve never read the Draka series by S.M. Stirling but I DID read the tvtropes page about it once and apparently that was enough for me to randomly have a nightmare about it last night. it’s a super fucked-up sounding alternate history about an evil empire that improbably manages to take over most of earth and eventually creates a race of genetically-engineered superhumans called homo drakensis. in my dream i was reading a pamphlet about the differences between homo drakensis and homo sapiens. i think i had mentally combined this idea with at least one other book i haven’t read but read about on tvtropes that has to do with fucked-up posthumans. because this pamphlet was basically a catalogue of different subspecies of sex slaves/mail-order brides/whatever. real stepford wives shit. there was a list of traits that one type was supposed to have and it included “doesn’t like to drink while watching tv” and i was like “how did they even discover the gene for that?” i’ve read part of one other book by stirling, “in the courts of the crimson kings.” i like it ok so far because it’s some very interesting and in-depth worldbuilding. i picked up because someone described it as a reimagining of “a princess of mars” in which the princess has a lot more agency, and that is technically an accurate description but led me to expect basically a totally different kind of book from what it turned out to be. the martians in this book are obsessed with eugenics and have bred animals and people for incredibly specific purposes. (ALL their technology is alive, even when it seems like it would be easier to, you know, do it the normal way. i was taking it seriously up until i got to a part where there is a road being paved using creatures that chew up rock and shit it out as cement.) so apparently freaky eugenicist societies are a theme with stirling. also lots of sex. tvtropes claims some readers call him “S&M Stirling.” also apparently he got banned from alternate history dot net? there’s a link to a thread that explains why but it’s set up so you have to be logged in to see it. like major “something terrible happened here” vibes. perversely intriguing to me.

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Stargirl: The History of Shining Knight

https://ift.tt/2EnhXX6

This article contains Stargirl spoilers.

Think that you’ve got a handle on Stargirl and its ever growing roster of heroes and villains? Well, get ready to take a trip back in time to get familiar with a mysterious figure who has connections to Arthurian England. Oh, and he just so happens to be the janitor you might have seen skulking around Blue Valley High. It’s time to get to know Stargirl‘s Shining Knight!

Each week Stargirl has introduced new foes and friends for Courtney Whitmore and Pat Dugan, but in “Brainwave” they introduce a whole new team and it’s one that is sure to excite old school comic book readers. Though you might not have heard of them, the Seven Soldiers of Victory blazed a trail as one of DC Comics’ oldest teams, debuting in 1941’s Leading Comics #1. An interesting mix of pulp-era human heroes like the Vigilante and the Crimson Avenger alongside human do-gooders DC would become famous for like Green Arrow, Speedy, and, of course, the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy, the Seven Soldiers of Victory only featured one character with actual powers: the Arthurian hero known as Sir Justin A.K.A. The Shining Knight.

In the late ’30s, New Comics was a popular humor comic that delighted readers all over North America. But two creators by the name of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster changed all of that when they introduced a far-flung future detective known as Jor-L. The sci-fi story that featured the man who would become Superman’s father shifted the focus of the stories with creators moving closer to the genre-realm and crafting powerful heroes. That issue also happened to herald a name change to New Adventure Comics, a moniker which would soon become simply Adventure Comics. Shining Knight made his first appearance in the 66th issue of the Golden Age series in a self-titled story that from the very first page threw readers back in time for a medieval adventure… or so it seemed.

What lucky DC fans had actually plucked off of their local newsstand was something entirely different. In a classic bit of in media res storytelling, we meet Shining Knight when he’s stopping some modern (in 1941) criminals who look like your usual, run-of-the-mill mobsters. Readers were then transported back to discover the truth behind the mysterious armored hero.

Although “Justin” might not have necessarily seemed like a name you’d hear ringing through the court of Camelot, according to the story from Creig Flessel the young hero was a member of Arthur’s Roundtable who pledged his sword to none other than Lancelot himself. In an unbelievable turn of events for both the reader and Justin, while on the pursuit of two bandits the Knight stabs a tree, revealing it to be the wizard Merlin who Justin has unintentionally freed with his blade.

It’s a vital part of the character’s lore, as Merlin rewards Justin with his light and nifty gold and red armor, which would become synonymous with early versions of the character. He also received a magical sword that could cut through anything and his horse was gifted with the power of flight and super strength!

As if he hadn’t had enough adventure for one day, Shining Knight fights a giant and then gets stuck in a glacier for hundreds of years. Remember, this is 1941 so it predates the Silver Age retcon of another famous hero who found himself stuck somewhere very cold before thawing out and becoming an iconic champion. In Shining Knight’s case, though, he gets a bit more of a rude awakening as he’s brought back to life by a museum curator with a surprising personal collection of dynamite. Sir Justin really does have one of the strangest and funniest backstories in comics, and although we’ve yet to see it fully delved into on screen, Stargirl has hinted that its Shining Knight is a hero of the magical type.

Stargirl Episode 11 Review: Shining Knight

By Lacy Baugher

Once again, Stargirl and creator/executive producer Geoff Johns seem to be taking heavily from his own Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. series that introduced the heroine and inspired the hit CW show. During that series which we’ve been talking about a lot in these villainous deep dives, Shining Knight appeared as the Blue Valley High janitor who it was revealed had previously been hunting for Dragon King when he was struck down with amnesia after being transported back through time.

While some eagle-eyed viewers first thought that the red-haired janitor who spoke in riddles might be the original Fiddler, it was revealed that he was actually not a villain but instead an ally to Stargirl during her fight with Cindy Burman in “Shiv Part One.” Not only did he help save Courtney with his magical sword, but he also had a vision during “Brainwave” which saw his mop transform into the Cosmic Staff, seeming to imply that Justin might be getting his memories back. There was also, of course, the moment that he whispered to Beth that “there are dragons in the water.”

That arc, as well Pat introducing the Seven Soldiers of Victory, could hint at where the season is going. As fans have been watching Courtney reimagine the Justice Society of America and Dragon King has been working with the Injustice Society on Project New America, we might’ve been missing another superteam hiding in the shadows all along. In Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., Justin regains his memory and teams up with the Seven Soldiers of Victory to take down Dragon King. Though the only members around at the moment seem to be Stripesy and Shining Knight, there’s always a chance that we could get a few more members popping up as Justin continues to regain his memory and the Injustice Society rises again.

If you’re desperate to know more about Shining Knight then the next episode of Stargirl, which is named after the Golden Age hero, will likely shine a light on this world’s iteration of the medieval hero and his esoteric past!

The post Stargirl: The History of Shining Knight appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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