#r.i.p. george michael

[songspiral]

"Last Christmas" by Wham!

[southerngirrl]

Happy Birthday George Michael ... 6/25/1963 ❣️❣️

[martialartslover7]

Headcanon time: I feel like, during the Blank Period, we should have had the Daimyos as the new major antagonists, backed by Orochimaru and Kabuto, whom they had struck a deal with, as, ever since Naruto and the Shinobi Alliance managed to put an end to Madara's ambitions, and now that Orochimaru is back, now, they fear for their position, and to keep it that way, they "have no choice anymore, but to strike a deal with the enemy". Because we all know, Naruto is no longer uninformed. Most of what happened to him, along with the likes of Sasuke, Hinata, Neji and Gaara, only happened, because these withered, old fools, enjoy playing god, whenever it suits their convenience. Pretending they are above everyone else, even the Kage, yet doing little to nothing to ensure that the villages stay safe. And the worst part, they knew, they KNEW, that what a scumbag like Danzo was doing, was endangering everyone. So even if they weren't proactively supporting him, they still didn't ask questions, meaning, deep down, they really don't care what happens to their own villages, as long as they stay in power.

Kinda reminds me of real-life politicians. They have no principles, no integrity, they just make empty promises, and never act in the name of the people that voted for them, knowing full well, options are limited. Take that piece of knowledge for what you will.

And yes, I know, by this point in time, after the war, someone like Naruto and Sasuke would be way too strong, making these old farts appear like ants going up against dinosaurs, but here is the thing: This arc is less about raw aggression and fighting, and more based on psychological warfare. Naruto wants to become Hokage, right? Like, what is the driving force behind this story arc, the overarching goal? Simple: Naruto will not accept becoming Hokage in a system, that treated people like him, and Gaara, Kakashi, Might Guy (R.I.P.), Anko (don't @ me, she is buffed to hell in my AU, and has way more screen presence, she deserves it, even now making use of the Snake Sage mode, using Wood Style jutsu, and bearing the Kusanagi sword), Tsunade or Sasuke, like dog water. And this said system, is mostly backed by the Daimyos, the same people who never once thought to stop someone like Danzo from going on his insane ego power trip.

And we also know, Naruto is not type of person to be exactly interested in handling politics in a boring and straight-forward way. He will be leading this revolution, overthrowing the feudal rule, by hosting a "tournament" of sorts, a televised event, which, in their time period, will also livestream online (you cannot tell me, they didn't have internet of some kind there, even though, limited, because of the villages being practically militarized dictatorships, because of the Daimyos), to pit specific shinobi against one another, hoping to both entertain the crowd, to get them on his side (this is also a pro-Naruto political campaign, making the acceptance for his role as Hokage way easier in the long run), and publically humiliate the Daimyos by basically showing off to them: Hey. These people. These proud shinobi. They have made it so far, despite all your restrictions and the scrutiny you put them all through. And they made it big, despite you guys laughing in their faces.

But also, this trip to the Daimyos, will be financed by all the Five Kage, meaning, they can all indulge in some luxurious hotel stays, hot springs, good food, in short, their credit cards will be on fire. And Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru get to spend some time alone with their ladies, to some champagne and warm bubble baths, with room service (*Ahem* insert 'Careless Whisper' by George Michael *Ahem*).

C'mon. After all the crap they went through, they deserve some peace and quiet, and if they were going to change the system, they might as well make the most of it, if it's all financed by the village leaders.

And note, the following people will be following Naruto on this journey:

Kakashi

Anko (by this point in time, she and Kakashi are married, and she plays the role of Kakashi's advisor, too)

Sakura

Sasuke (he will be joining up with them in the city)

Rock Lee

Tenten (in my AU, remember, like I have shown in my "Tenten's Untold Backstory" one shot, she is a techwiz in that version of the story, meaning, having a technician with you, and a weapon master, all at the same time, invalueable, and well, I love the idea of Naruto and Tenten being the braindead besties, don't @ me)

Hinata

Shikamaru

Gaara

Temari

Kankuro

Ai

Killer Bee

Kurotsuchi (she came by herself, because she is growing a little exhausted with her grandpa, sorry XD)

Mei

Chojuro

Karin (Naruto and Karin will FINALLY meet and get the chance in learning more about one another, two Uzumaki foxes, flocking their tail as one, yay)

Suigetsu

Jugo

And the battles that Naruto has organized for the PPV, are the following:

- Naruto VS Ai (The Orange Flash VS The Raikage)

- Hinata VS Sasuke (Bankakyo VS Mangekyo)

- Rock Lee VS Gaara (Rematch)

- Tenten VS Killer Bee (Weapon Master Duel)

- Temari VS Chojuro (Fan VS Sword)

- Shikamaru VS Kankuro (Protective Brother VS Sister's BF)

- Sakura VS Kurotsuchi (The ladies, whose punches feel like dynamite)

As you can see, as Movie Shadow would say:

But well, again, because of the Daimyos striking a deal with Orochimaru, things will not go as planned, and pure chaos will break out. Essentially, that snake man will suggest to them, a machine, built from the stolen blue prints that Tenten created (yup, she will be that vital in the story, she is the only one who can stop this machine), that shall spread madness all across the globe, until the entire planet is enveloped in a mist, so deep, humanity will be wiped out completely, succumbing to the madness from within. Following up on the trauma and scars that Madara and Obito have left behind. It's not exactly clear, that part, I still need to flesh out in my mind, but the fact remains, it's meant to be this one final hurdle of a story, until Naruto returns home, and can finally start applying for the ranks of Chunin, Jonin, and at last, the Hokage position, in peace. Giving Anko and Ibiki full clearance to do whatever they want with the arrested Daimyos, for having struck a deal with an S-rank criminal.

And just this once...

...Naruto will be landing in a very miserable situation, where this madness machine affects him the most, out of everyone, even worse than Sasuke, as Kabuto will be pulling a very nasty trick on him. Yup, Naruto is definitely colder in this story, rightfully so, for many reasons. Usually, that's Sasuke's job, but they switch places here, as soon as Orochimaru starts causing trouble.

Peace.

P.S.: Also, for the shipping freaks among all of you, during this entire trip, Mei is flirting with Shino through her phone. Yup. Shino X Mei. Thank the YouTuber @NCHammer23 for giving me this downright MENTAL, but ingenious idea. Shino is a "granny chaser" in my AU. Don't @ me. For context, here is the video, where he explains it all, and trust me, very rarely, do YouTubers win me over, but this one, made me both laugh, but also smile at the end. Shino also deserves some love.

And again, Neji is alive in my AU, so Tenten will be very lovestruck and make a lot of phone calls with him, who decided to stay back at the village, along with the others from the Konoha 12, just in case the Daimyos decide to stab them in the back and attack the villages, while the leaders are out of town.

Note: The part between Shino and Mei starts at about 17:39.

[haveihitanerve]

See you again by Charlie Puth and all them that was written for Paul Walker and Vin Diesel (R.I.P.) can be applied to almost any and all friendship- Ares and Gregor, George Michael and Andrew Ridgely, Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, Rhysand and Cassian, The Beatles, Keefe and Fitz, Steve and Tony, Natasha and Clint, Aelin and Lysandra, Rowan and Gavriel, Dorian and Chaol, Bruce and Clark, etc etc.

[hst-kwb]

7 years. Can't believe it's been 7 years. My heart is still aching and I'm still in tears. People may say I'm childish and crazy but this is like losing a family member. R.I.P Our star George Michael 🥺🕊💔

[polymorphousculturevulture]

Michael Leonard - Stoker and George, 1981

R.I.P.

[buzzleaktv]

R.I.P. Champion Boxing Legend George Foreman Sr. Dies At 76

Legendary boxer and two-time heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman Sr. died at 76. Source: MICHAEL TRAN / Getty On Friday, March 21, the family of “Big George” confirmed that he passed away “peacefully” and surrounded by loved ones. The announcement was posted on his official Instagram page with a picture of the George Foreman Grill creator surrounded by his children. Our hearts are…

[kickmag]

R.I.P. Angela Bofill

Singer Angela Bofill died June 13th aged 70 at her daughter's home in Vallejo, California. The announcement was made on her Facebook page by her manager Rich Engel and no cause of death was listed. Bofill was born in  Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a Bronx household with parents who had sung with Afro-Cuban jazz great Machito. The exposure to Latin music and soul shaped her versatility as an artist. As a teenager, she sang in New York City's All City Chorus of top singers from the five boroughs' high schools.  She graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a bachelor's degree in music and started her career in the late '70s with GRP Records. Her 1978 debut album, Angie, introduced the world to her 3 1/2 octaves of uniquely rich and soulful vocals. Her cover of "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" was her first single and it was an R&B hit. Angel Of The Night was her second album and "I Try" which she composed as a teenager, charted and became one of her signature songs. "What I Wouldn't Do (For The Love Of You)" was another hit song from this album. The Cuban-Puerto Rican singer was one of the first Latinas to have a fanbase from R&B and jazz audiences. Clive Davis signed Bofill to Arista and during this time "Tonight I Give In," "Too Tough," "Let Me Be The One" and "I'm On You Side" were some of her commercial singles. Narada Michael Walden, The System, George Duke, and Denny Diante produced her albums for Arista. The record company never knew how to market her but she still found her audience and critical acclaim. 

Bofill's most consistent radio presence came from jazz outlets and Quiet Storm shows where album cuts like "Under the Moon and Over the Sky" "The Feelins Love," and "Rough Times" were played in addition to "I Try." She recorded five albums for Arista before going to Capitol Records and releasing the Norman Connors-produced Intuition in 1988. I Wanna Love Somebody came out on Jive and her last album Love In Slow Motion was a Shanachie release. In the early 2000s, she did backup vocals for Diana Ross and Kirk Whalum. She also appeared in the stage plays God Don't Like Ugly and What a Man Wants, What a Man Needs. In 2006 Bofill had a stroke and in 2007 she had another one. In 2011 she returned to the stage with The Angela Bofill Experience, narrating her life story as Maysa Leak, Melba Moore, and Phil Perry performed her music. TV One made her the subject of an episode of Unsung in 2012. Nas, Big Sean, and Rick Ross are some of the artists who have sampled Bofill's music. Will Downing covered "I Try" for his 1991 album A Dream Fulfilled. Bofill was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2023. 

[french999-blog]

My Covers..!

[ladygagataiwan]

R.I.P. 東尼班奈特 Tony Bennett 享壽 96 歲

傳奇金嗓 東尼班奈特 Tony Bennett 的公關週五上午正式向美聯社 (Associated Press) 證實了他的離開，Tony Bennett 在家鄉紐約過世，沒有表示具體的死亡原因，能確定的是他一直與阿茲海默症爭鬥。

沒有人比 Tony Bennett 比他自己本人對於 Tony 職業生涯，持續時間的弧度感到驚訝！

Tony Bennett 在 2006 年 80 歲生日時接受採訪說道：「我無法告訴你我對於這一切感到多麼幸運，我從來沒真正想過我的演藝事業會做這麼久，而且這比我想像的要多得多，所以我很興奮！」

2021 年 8 月在紐約無線電城音樂廳 (Radio City Music Hall) 舉辦了 2 場成功的音樂會《One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga》，在爵士二重唱搭檔「女神卡卡 Lady Gaga」的陪伴之下，結束了自己最後的演藝生涯。

他和 Lady Gaga 於 2021 年秋季發行了他們的第二張合作專輯《Love For Sale》(爵愛經典)，這張合作專輯在美國告示牌 Billboard 200 排行榜上取得第8名好成績（10月16日）

當他的人生劃下了句點，他的演藝生涯可以說是任何流行音樂歌手中最偉大，法蘭克辛納屈（Frank Sinatra）曾被譽為「業界內最好的歌手」。但 Tony Bennett 毋庸置疑擁有真正巨星般的成績，擁有 60 多張錄音室專輯和全球賣超過 5,000 萬張的唱片，在他的歌手生涯中每個十年都會出現在排行榜上。

他贏得了 19 座葛萊美獎 (GRAMMYs)，包括 2001 年終身成就獎和 2 項黃金時段艾美獎 (EMMYs)，並且是甘迺迪中心榮譽獎 (Kennedy Center Honoree) 與國家藝術基金會爵士大師獎 (National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master) 獲獎者。

Tony Bennett 擁有多項金氏世界紀錄 (Guinness World Records)：

第一項是憑藉著 2014 年與 Lady Gaga 合作的專輯《Cheek to Cheek》(爵對經典) 成為擁有美國告示牌冠軍專輯的最年長者記錄 (88 歲又 68 天)，有趣的是，他打樂自己的紀錄，他在 2011 年憑藉與 Lady Gaga、Michael Bublé 和 Mariah Carey 等當代藝術家合作的專輯《Duets II》創下的 85 歲又 66 天紀錄。

第二項 2021年與 Lady Gaga 合作的專輯《Love For Sale》(爵愛經典) 成為發行專輯最年長者記錄 (95歲又60天)

第三項 2006 年專輯《Duets: An American Classic》成為最長時間間格登上英國專輯榜 (超過39年)

第四項 2006 年專輯《Duets: An American Classic》成為登上英國專輯榜 TOP 20 最年長者 (80歲)第五項 2018 年成為 原版唱片發行與同一藝術家重新錄製同單曲��間時間最長紀錄，在 1949 年他以藝名 Joe Bari 首次發行了歌曲〈Fascination Rhythm〉，並在 68 年又 342 天後與歌手 Diana Krall 發行了新版本唱片。金氏世界紀錄也發官方新聞表示，Tony Bennett 永遠是「金氏世界紀錄的傳奇人物」。

Tony Bennett 還被公認為一位畫家，受聯合國與 Kentucky Derby 委託創作的作品《中央公園 Central Park》懸掛在華盛頓特區的史密森尼美國藝術博物館 (Smithsonian American Art Museum)。聯合國難民事務高級專員於 2007 年授予他人道主義獎 (Humanitarian Award)，同年他入選國際民權星光大道 (International Civil Rights Walk of Fame)。

然而，這些榮譽只是他生命故事的一小部分。作為一名引領潮流的藝術家、教育家以及在某些方面的文化保存者，Tony Bennett 對流行音樂的影響和重要性怎麼強調都不為過。他既是《偉大的美國歌曲集》(Great American Songbook) 之下誕生的巨星，也是位代言人。他尊敬歌曲集中的作曲家們，並承諾為這部作品延續其中精神，從音樂廳到 MTV Unplugged 以及三張二重奏專輯 (Duets albums)，為這位燕尾服大師贏得了全新的追隨者。

美紐約皇后區「法蘭克辛納屈藝術學院」(Frank Sinatra School of the Arts) 的聯合創辦人 Tony Bennett 在與 Lady Gaga 一起巡演宣傳專輯《Cheek to Cheek 》時說道：

「我想向年輕人傳授柯爾波特 (Cole Porter)、喬治蓋希文 (George Gershwin)、歐文柏林 (Irving Berlin) 等，他們創作的所有偉大音樂，這是很棒的音樂，而且永遠不會過時，這些歌曲永遠不會退流行。這些音樂非常的精明，每個人、尤其是年輕人們都需要嘗試了解與欣賞。」

Tony Bennett 在多年來與他合作過的年輕藝術家中找到了許多忠誠的追隨者們，曾與他一起巡演或者合作的有：k.d. lang,、Aretha Franklin、Paul McCartney、Elton John、Billy Joel、Sting、Elvis Costello、Michael Bublé、Carrie Underwood、Mariah Carey、Diana Krall 等眾多歌手。

歌手 Sting 在談到 2006 年與 Tony Bennett 一起為收錄在專輯《Duets: An American Classic》中的歌曲《The Boulevard of Broken Hearts》錄製時說道：

「很高興能親眼見證這位大師工作的樣子，我認為 Tony Bennett 的樂句非常難以預測，而且非常有特色，當你與他唱和聲時，你必須不斷嘗試並再次猜測他的下一步。希望當我快到那個年齡的時候，也想成為這樣的人。」

與此同時，Lady Gaga 表示，Tony Bennett 對她的友誼和指導：「是我今天仍繼續唱歌的原因。」

在 Tony 生涯最後一場表演《One Last Time》演出時，Lady Gaga 告訴當時的觀眾們：「Tony Bennett 是我的朋友，他是我的音樂夥伴，他是世界上最偉大的歌手。」

Anthony Dominick "Tony" Benedetto 出生於紐約皇后區，他很早就知道自己想做什麼，而且絕對不是經營父親的雜貨店。他在 2006 年說道：「我只想持續唱歌和畫畫，這是我唯一非常熱衷的兩件事，即使是現在，這些就是我所做的一切。」

Tony Bennett 是納金高 (Nat King Cole) 和平克勞斯貝 (Bing Crosby) 的粉絲，他就讀於曼哈頓工業藝術高中，靠著在餐桌旁為顧客唱歌賺錢。在第二次世界大戰 (World War II) 期間，他在美國陸軍服役期間於軍樂隊中表演，還參加了「突出之戰役 Battle of the Bulge」並協助解放了一個集中營，之後他根據《退伍軍人法案》回到了家鄉，並在美國劇院聯隊學校學習美聲唱法。

Tony Bennett 回憶道：「我有最好的老師，而且我接受過很好的訓練。所以我知道如何管理自己，這是必須通過自律來實現的，我保養並保持著自己的聲音。我從不厭倦工作，我喜歡唱歌，喜歡娛樂人們，讓他們感到快樂，讓他們在 90 分鐘左右的時間裡忘記自己的疑難雜症，這是一個很棒的職業。」

1946 年，Tony Bennett 在皇后區與長號手泰瑞格倫 (Tyree Glenn) 一起進行了他的第一場夜總會演出。三年後，當鮑伯霍伯 Bob Hope 和珀爾貝利 Pearl Bailey 在格林威治時聽到他的演出，因此他得到了喘息的機會。Bob Hope 幫助這位初出茅廬的歌手達成了一份唱片合約，並給予了他縮寫的藝名。

Tony Bennett 與哥倫比亞唱片公司 (Columbia Records) 簽約，在製作人米奇米切爾 Mickey Mitchel 的指導下，他推出了在 50 年代的熱門歌曲，包括《Because of You》、《Rags to Riches》和翻唱漢克威廉斯 (Hank Williams) 的《Cold, Cold Heart》，這些歌曲於 1956 年登上排行榜第一名。

後者促使 Hank Williams 打電話給 Tony Bennett，開玩笑地感謝他「毀了我的歌曲」。Tony Bennett 的標誌性歌曲〈I Left My Heart in San Francisco〉於 1962 年進入排行榜前 20 名（舊金山費爾蒙特酒店為他樹立了一座雕像以紀念該市與歌曲之間的聯繫）。

但單曲和排行榜排名從來都不是一個大問題，Tony Bennett 說：「我盡量不去刻意追隨製作熱門歌曲，立即會被遺忘的熱門製作。���的標準是，這首歌會持續傳承下去嗎？它是否具有美國歌曲集的品質，使歌曲成為標竿？歌詞和音樂是否搭配得悅耳？我就是這樣錄製唱片的，我不想要熱門唱片，我想要一本熱門歌曲目錄輯，在我的一生中都不會顯得過時。」

「作曲家艾靈頓公爵 (Duke Ellington) 有句老話：問題不在於你做了什麼，而在於『做事的方式』。如果你聽到辛納屈 (Sinatra)、納金高 (Nat King Cole) 或者艾拉費茲傑拉 (Ella Fitzgerald) 唱標準曲，歌曲就會脫穎而出。它們是歌曲的最終版本，但不一定只有一種詮釋方式。」

1951 年至 1964 年間，Tony Bennett 有 20 首單曲躋身前 20 名，當時披頭四樂隊 (The Beatles) 和英國歌手進軍美國使他和他的同齡人在排行榜上排名開始靠後。儘管如此，隨著歲月的流逝，Tony Bennett 仍然很受歡迎，甚至成為了傳奇標誌性人物，無論品味和潮流如何對待他，他都會繼續錄製唱片和巡演，儘管他在 1979 年因吸食古柯鹼過量而險些喪命，這導致他的兒子丹尼班奈特 (Danny Bennett) 接任，成為他的新經紀人，並讓他的父親重回正軌。

1986 年的《The Art of Excellence》是 Tony Bennett 14 年來第一張登上 Billboard 排行榜的專輯，1994 年他與 Costello 和 Lang 一起在 MTV原音重現 (MTV Unplugged) 系列節目中登場，才讓他在另類搖滾市場上意外地搶占了先機。

多虧了這些新聽眾，專輯獲得了白金銷量，並贏得了 2 項葛萊美獎，包括令人垂涎的「年度專輯獎」，也帶來了各種機會，包括二重唱項目。

更多榮譽也隨之而來，好萊塢星光大道 (Hollywood and Vine) 上的星星、ASCAP 頒發的終身成就獎、入選長島音樂名人堂 (The Long Island Music Hall of Fame)。他曾為 11 位美國總統演出，並於 2017 年獲得美國國會圖書館蓋希文流行音樂獎 (Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Music)。

在與女神卡卡 Lady Gaga 首張合作專輯《Cheek to Cheek》(爵對經典) 登上美國告示牌專輯榜 Billboard 200 排行榜冠軍之後，他後來的專輯包括 2015 年與鋼琴家 Bill Charlap 合作的《The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern》，以及 2018 年與 Diana Krall 合作的 George Gershwin 合輯《Love is Here to Stay》。

Tony Bennett 也扶養了與第一任妻子 Patricia Beech 的兒子 Danny 和 Daegal，以及與第二任妻子 Sandra Grant 的女兒 Joanna 和Antonia。

Tony Bennett 與第三任妻子 Susan Benedetto 白頭偕老，他們共同創立了非營利組織探索藝術 (Exploring the Arts)。2021 年初 Susan Benedetto 告訴美國退休人員協會雜誌：

「唱歌對他來說就是一切所有。這已經多次拯救了他的生命。」

新聞來源 LINE TODAY Taiwan X Mr.生活扉頁：

原文來源：

#東尼班奈特 #TonyBennett #RIP

#女神卡卡 #LadyGaga #Jazz

[human-antithesis]

Neurosis - Enemy of the Sun (Reissue. October 4th, 2016) [Originally released on August 17th, 1993] Country: United States Genres: Sludge Metal, Post-Metal Format: FLAC

Lineup: Scott Kelly - Vocals, Guitars, Percussion, Drums (Track 8) Stephen Vontill - Vocals, Guitars, Percussion, Drums (Track 8) David Edwardson - Bass, Backing Vocals, Drums (Track 8) Jason Roeder - Drums, Percussion Simon McIlroy - Keyboards

Guest/Session: Erika Little - Voice Paul Lew - Horn Kris Force - Violin Péter - Drums (Track 8) Robert Riddle - Drums (Track 8) Adam Kendall - Drums (Track 8) Pete Inc. - Drums (Track 8) Mason Jones - Drums (Track 8)

Miscellaneous Staff: Michael Whitney - Artwork George Horn (R.I.P. 2021) - Mastering Nick Phillip - Cover Art Billy Anderson - Producer, Mixing, Engineering

Label: Neurot Recordings

Tracklist:

Lost - 09:42

Raze The Stray - 08:41

Burning Flesh in Year of Pig - 01:37

Cold Ascending - 03:44

Lexicon - 06:32

Enemy of the Sun - 07:33

Time of the Beasts - 07:59

Cleanse - 15:53

Takeahnase (Demo Version) - 07:44

Cleanse II (Live in Oberhausen) - 06:45

[overlycriticalspice]

You put your tears behind you Better get yourself where you wanna be I think of all the days and nights that I spent crying Endlessly

[dopescissorscashwagon]

Remembering Barbara Walters

[godsofhumanity]

Hello .

I feel so unsure

You got me trapped in your dark fantasy world

I’d sacrifice, whatever’s left of me

Well I'm leaving tomorrow at daybreak

One of these nights you wait and see

[the-man-whos-laughing]

[sbrown82]

I love him!

R.I.P. Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016)

excerpt from  Music, Money, Love, Faith (1988)