#[you’re my autotune: musings]

[kimtaegis]

I listened to the remixes today! Most of them were fine, it was nice listening to them but nothing extra. (I feel like I sound like a hater sorry😭) I really liked the acoustic version though! His voice paired with the guitar sounded sooo good 🥹 I don't know why they chose to process his voice so much in the original song since he sounds great without it too, hence the acoustic version. I'm relieved that I finally like it because while I was okay with not liking this album as much as I did FACE, it made me sad that I didn't like it but now I have the acoustic version. 🫂

I watched the Fallon performance too and I loved it! I guess it would be a live version since I can't really compare it to any of the remixes and it definitely sound better (to me) than the original one. It was amazing! The dance was fantastic, I liked the fixed-but-not-really camera positions they did, he sounded amazing and his dancers were great too! I'm not sure if anyone else feels this way but I love it when you can hear them breathe while they sing live. Idk why but it just makes the performance realer to me? So when are we getting this version? :D

My favorite remix was the rock one!! It was amazing and I understand why everyone keeps begging bts to do a rock album :D I loved fake love's rocking vibe mix too.

I'm really happy for everyone who likes the album! I wish more people would be open to negative(-ish?) opinions, because not all of them come from a bad place. Me saying I didn't like the album as much and that Who's autotune ruined the song for me is simply an opinion but I have no intention bashing Jimin or the crew who worked on the song 🤷‍♀️ The day kpop fans finally learn that people have different tastes and opinions is the day the world will finally heal..

I've been listening to the album on and off since it came out and I definitely like it a bit better since Friday. Rebirth grew on me a lot! I'm still a bit neutral about Slow Dance. Be Mine really is a bop, it will probably stay as my favorite from the album :) Well, until the acoustic and rock remix take the no.1 spot :D

Well, I would say FACE will still be my no1 Jimin album (for now), but I do like MUSE better after a few days. It will be hard to top FACE for me, I mean Alone is my favourite song of all time and it beat out songs like Mikrokosmos, TTU and Tear which held the spot for years :D But I truly am happy for him and I'm glad many people are liking the album 🫂 and he's crazy for all the records he was breaking with just one version.. not to get into talking about charts but now I'm really curious just what is he gonna achieve with multiple versions.. and sorry for the long ask again :D

sooooo happy to hear you enjoy the remixes and the live performance more, bye bye autotune for youuuu 😍😍😍 I think the performance adds a lot of flavour to the whole song, I loved it too, the location and the way it was filmed was so cool. someone pointed out earlier under one of my sets that they’ve used lots of space for the choreo so the formations just look super dope with the men and women groups, it reminds me of musicals somehow? and I totally get what you mean by the breathing in the mic!! like yes, that’s a human doing this, not some machine, it adds so much character.

it’s sweet that you keep coming back to the album even though you don’t have to. sometimes you really have to sit with something for a bit you know, let it marinate. and sometimes the time is also just not the best and you have to come back to it when you’re in the right mindset for it (indigo is my example for this). but again, it’s also alright that it probably won’t be your favourite for good. according to the bts and jimin songs you mentioned you loved, the tracks on MUSE are really just not your type (see, I’m more of an upbeat girlie, Alone is one of my least favourites from jimin so far haha). as you said, FACE and all those other songs will never not be there for you so it’s all good! and lastly I wanna say I really appreciate your attitude and the way you went around expressing your criticism, I also wish there would me more fans that’d be able to do it that way 🤍

[head-empty-only-sunshine]

DJ's Got Them Falling In Love

Ch. 2: Cyber Checkup

A/N: still fighting over my own pronouns but that's fine. I'll probably address my gender identity crisis in one of these eleven chapters lmao. I'm just a wee lil simp and this is my current brain fuel. I promise more direct reader inserts to come soon.

Description: DJ finds out Cin needs upgrades too. Nobody told him they were a cyborg, so now he's nose deep in their business while they receive upgrades together.

Pairing: S/I X DJMM

Word Count: 1541

[Index]

===

“Oi! Watch it!” Cin grumbled, shooting the parts and services worker a sideways glance. “I’m still mostly flesh you know.”

“Sorry! Sorry, we’re still not used to working on such delicate tech.” The worker apologized.

“You really should be by now. You’ve been updating my software for months.” They snorted, readjusting themselves in the chair.

Yes, Cin was in parts and services. They needed checkups from both them and regular doctors thanks to having that chip and internal nanotech in their body; another unique little quirk about them. Unfortunately though, a lot of the workers were far too used to handling the tougher animatronics with less delicate tech, so they got the accidental shock or poke too hard here and there. How they weren’t used to working with them by now was a mystery. The workers all eventually figured it out after enough visits. It was just the newer ones that seemed to forget.

“How big is the update this time?” Cin asked one the wires were neatly connected to their chip.

“A little bigger than the last time. There have been some permissions upgrades for you, so you have more access to tech in your environment. You have security access level 7 now. This means you need better antivirus to keep up with your security privileges.” The worker explained.

“Big updates indeed. Alright, fire away. Can’t wait to become a mini heater for a moment.” They chuckled.

Cin got comfy where they sat, turning backwards on the chair to rest against it and chill out while the updates went through. The parts and services worker monitored their update mindlessly through the silence, until that silence was broken by another worker and his patient of the hour. The workers got distracted with themselves, but the new patient was far more distracted by Cin.

“And what might you be doing in parts and services, Cin?” DJ’s voice rang out.

“Oh, hey! Just an update. The usual stuff.” They answered casually, pleasantly surprised to see him there.

It had been weeks since their last proper meeting. The one scheduled for them to officially be introduced came and went, as well as shocked the staff when it was discovered they had already been aquainted. After that though there was a lot of additional work to be done, and even Cin had to slow down on how many shows they did a week in favour of doing repairs for the place. There were audio issues everywhere, and it kept them busy.

“Updates? On a human?” He questioned further.

“Oh, did they not tell you I’m a cyborg?” Cin said.

“You’re a what?”

“Oh wow they didn’t fill either of us in on any details about each other at all did they.” Cin sighed. “C’mere. I’m sure your tech can spare a few minutes. They seem busy chatting with my tech anyway.”

Cin gestured for him to come closer, to which he did so with great interest. They turned their head so he could see better and pointed to the chip on the back of their neck where wires currently ran from, and he raised a brow. DJ leaned in close, close enough for them to feel his artificial breaths on the back of their neck. His vision darted from their chip to the computer, staring long enough for the techs to take notice and slow down their conversation.

“You really are a unique one. I’ll be damned. That’s a whole security update.” DJ mused.

“Being unique is part of my brand~” Cin replied, using their vocoder to autotune their voice as a surprise.

“Woah! You are packed full of surprises!” DJ laughed, stepping back again so Cin could turn back to face him properly.

“Since you two are having so much fun, I can do your update here. We don’t have to enter the safety area.” One of the workers said to DJ.

“Appreciated. This is getting interesting.” DJ nodded, pulling up a chair next to Cin.

Both of the parts and services workers snorted and got back to their respective jobs for a moment, wiring in DJ to start his own upgrades.

“So what exactly are they doing to you?” Dj asked.

“Pretty much what you saw. There’s a few little things, but the big one is the security update. I’m considered an asset to the company with how I’m wired into this building’s network, so I need to be protected from hack attempts and things of that sort. If my system is breached it can cause neurological damage to me, and in turn weaken the security of this place since I have such high permissions and control.” Cin explained. “But I’m mostly grateful for the prevention of frying my brain.”

“Jeez, that’s pretty extreme. I had no idea you’d be that vulnerable.” He nodded.

“Yeah, but I’ve put a lot of faith into the techs here. As long as I get a weekly scan and stay up to date on security software I’ll be fine~” They hummed.

DJ huffed, settling back in his own chair. “You are surprisingly carefree about this. That’s quite admirable, I’ll give you that. Most people crack under that kind of pressure.”

“So sorry to interrupt, but Cin, your upgrades are done. I’d like you to test out the new options in your vocoder just to ensure they’re working properly.” One of the techs asked them.

“Alrighty!”

Once disconnected, Cin ran through about seven new voice options given, all of them functioning as they should. They were quite pleased with the new selection, and DJ seemed to be intrigued by it himself. Meeting a human that could do the same things as him was beyond cool.

“Neat huh? I still prefer to use my talk box though.” Cin mused, turning to sit in the chair properly.

“You like to keep it old fashioned huh?” He chuckled.

“You’re done now too DJ! Stand up so I can do a physical test. The sensor’s firmware was updated, so the response rate should be more accurate and even the slightest of gestures should be felt.” The other tech requested, unplugging the wires from DJ.

He nodded and stood, the tech proceeding with a few pokes and prods here and there.

“Can you feel all this?” The tech asked.

“Yup. That’s much more accurate than before.” DJ replied.

“So, touch sensors eh? Is it just the standard to implement them now, or is it just for fun?” Cin asked.

“Both, honestly.” Dj laughed.

“Hah! Of course. In that case, rate my slap on your pain scale. Stick out a hand and tell me how harsh I can smite your palm.” They grinned menacingly.

The DJ happily obliged and reached out his lower right hand to Cin, palm facing up. They got out of their chair and wound up their arm, unleashing quite the mighty smack on his palm. The parts and service workers winced, agreeing that if a regular human was to endure the heat of that smack, they’d leave the room with welts. Not DJ though. He simply laughed and brushed it off before he gave his rating. Cin was even pleasantly surprised by how DJ felt to them, which was surprisingly human. Whatever his casing was made of was scary accurate, yet robust all the same.

“Ooo, I’d say your hit is a solid seven. You’re tougher than ya look!” He complimented.

“Yeah, that’s kinda my brand too.” They scoffed, flashing him a sideways smirk.

“So I can see~”

“Anyway, it was lovely seeing you again! I’ve gotta go run some tests and figure out a path for my next big show though. It’s our first one together, after all, and I wanna be ready for it. Next week is gonna be insane.” Cin noted.

“What, don’t wanna take me with you so we can set up together?” DJ teased.

“My shows consist of extreme organized chaos. I think it would be way more entertaining if both of our styles clashed before we worked it out. You know, give the dance floor a little spice to work with~” They hummed.

“If you say so then.” He huffed. “You sure you’re not just trying to avoid me though~?”

“Oh trust me, I’d never avoid you. You’re way too much fun.” Cin said casually, pacing out of the service room.

Left alone with their words and the two other techs, DJ sighed and crossed his arms. Slowly he brought up the hand Cin had smacked, a decent sting still lingering where they hit. The look on his face must’ve looked longing, because the techs snorted and giggled like idiots.

“They are oddly delightful to be around.” He mused.

“Simp.” One of the techs dared to say.

“Watch it buddy.” DJ snapped, unaware that he was actually exhibiting behaviours of being flustered.

The techs started to die laughing by now, unable to contain the hilarity they found in the situation. DJ groaned and left the room himself, annoyed by their cackling. He had to admit though, as he paced back into an elevator to leave the lower levels, he did feel a little sad that Cin was gone. Perhaps he would pester them despite their protests.

No harm in harassing his favourite staff memeber.

[castelleve]

@saintouija​ asked: 🍓 i am asking everyone

🍓 What is something you and the mun disagree on?

LOOK.... I’m not using the NPCs, I don’t know if all these tags are gonna fit!!!

“Look... I love the theatre as much as anyone else, but there comes a point where just have to listen to something else once in a while.”e

“She considers me to be lazy... I, for one, think that’s not true at all!”

“She puts butter in her apple cider - that’s just weird.”

”I just don’t think manga should be the only thing she reads, you know? Pick up a real book.”

“She refuses to write me more often. I’m not hard to write at all!”

“Measuring your ingredients is NOT optional in baking! Her goods always come out gummy or dry because she never measures! Or too chewy because she overworks her batters and dough! Becauses she doesn’t measure!”

“Ads aren’t that annoying. Just use ad block.”

“Makeup isn’t that uncomfortable.”

“I like dogs more than cats. She’s just too lazy to train them.”

“Personally, I don’t find FGO that fun. There’s too much farming involved.”

“I just- I’ll never understand why she has so many cannibal characters? Do we blame Sondheim or do we blame Thomas Harris?”

“You know, none of you would know this, because she forgot about me, but I was her favorite aet one point. I demand to be used again! I don’t care if it ‘hurts emotionally’ or ‘she doesn’t have muse for me anymore’. Cowardly, i say!”

“She wants to write me more and I,e for one, think that’s a terrible idea. Have you seen Damian? Henri? Helena? All the characters she focuses on end up suffering!”

“I would love to just wake Mortau up, but she doesn’t think it’s ’interesting’ or ’dramatic’ enough.” 

“You ask if someone has real boobs once and suddenly, you’re labeled a creep! Thanks, really appreciate that. I’m nowhere near as bad as Enoch, he’s the real creep here.”

“It’s fine to use icons someone made you even if you don’t talk to them anymore, right? I don’t see why she’s so conflicted on it.”

“I am the perfect person to use with crime family characters, and yet she refuses. Why? I’m an organ trafficker! For fuck’s sake, let me do what I do best!”

“I, for one, like the taste of alcohol. But I can see why she doesn’t.”

“She wants to write Nocturne more. Start on the patron plot. And let me tell you that is a horrible idea. Why? Because I’m gonna get the Damian treatment.”

“I agree that Damian has... issues. But I don’t think he’s that bad of a person. And I don’t like what she plans to do with the Patrons plot... Helena needs support. And I don’t exactly agree with what she plans for Darva.”

“I used to be a pretty well developed character, but nooooo. She just had to rewrite me. At least she kept a few details the same, but damn.”

“I know what she has planned for me. I don’t like it. Henri’s scary.”

“With some of us, she’s so paralyzed by the idea of messing up, she won’t write us. But she’ll never know if she writes us ‘correctly’ or not if she never tries.”

“I’m with Elliot. I was never all that developed, but now I’m even less developed.”

“I... With a lot of her characters, she refuses to give them a break from their torment. I’m not sure that’s exactly healthy.”

“Bugs aren’t weird... they’re good for the environment.”

“Her taste in music is shit...It sounds over autotuned to hell and back. Some weird band called ‘Vocaloid’, wouldn't recommend.”

“Raised by wolves was a weird direction to take me. It was definitely a choice.”

“She made my baby sister a model... I’m concerned. I don’t like that. At least Beatrix is watching out for her...”

“I think my faceclaim is fine. I don’t think I need a new one?”

“Me? Sleazy? I think not. At least she thinks I’m cute.”

“Do I really need to be stuck with henri for this upcoming plot? ...Yes? Are you kidding me?”

“I don’t get used much and it’s such a shame. Give me some development already!”

“I don’t get why she seems so opposed to a normal office job. I’d kill for mine back right now!”

“Honestly, I can’t say there’s much of anything.The things she cares about I just don’t, so...”

“She should have given me a dog. Juniper gets a dog. Why don’t I get a dog?”

”I’m just glad I’m not you guys.”e

“I’m not bland, am I?”

“I can respect her decision not to launch herself into the nearest nuke water she can find. Doesn’t mean I’m not going to, though.”

”I’ve been alive one day.”

[blacktrekkie]

1/12 Days of Spones: Snow

here’s my day one fic!

tos spones, rated T, 1.2k, read it on ao3

“Kisses in the snow seem to be a common theme for the end of all these films,” Spock observed, looking skeptically at the projected couple quite literally smashing their mouths together while snow fell into their hair. It looked painful.

“I — yeah, I guess,” Leonard said sheepishly, already reaching for the remote. “We don’t have to watch these, you know, it’s just… Joanna and I like to watch them, this time of year. Hate-watch them.”

“No, we can continue,” Spock interjected before he could pause it. “They’re… intriguing.”

Leonard huffed out a laugh. “More illogical human behavior?”

“Perhaps.” And then, after a sidelong glance: “Though if you find it illogical, Leonard, I may have to reevaluate that conclusion.”

“Hey!” he protested without heat. “You’re supposed to be hate-watching the movie, Spock. Not me.”

Spock almost smiled. “Apologies,” he said. And then he said it again, by laying his hand on the ankle that had stretched closer to him on the couch as Leonard got more comfortable. He turned back to the projection and his eyebrow raised at the sight in front of him. “I did not know this was a musical.”

“It’s not, it’s the last five minutes of a shitty Christmas rom-com. Hence, the shitty musical end scene.”

Spock didn’t particularly understand that, but he nodded. They finished the movie silently with horrified fascination — the horrible autotune filling the quarters until it finally faded to the instrumental credits.

“Phew,” Leonard finally said. “That was… really fuckin’ horrible, huh?”

“And yet you enjoyed watching it?”

He grinned, a little embarrassed at explaining the ritual. “Just a little bit. It’s entertaining to watch bad content! You’ve just got to tear it to shreds verbally while doing it. Keeps you sane.”

He popped off of the couch, going to find a new movie.

“Are you implying that watching too many of these movies can make one mentally unstable?”

Leonard didn’t look back at him, but he snorted. “Spock, in my very expert medical opinion… yes.”

He finished queuing the movie up and settled back onto the couch. This time, his feet found themselves in Spock’s lap. Spock, for his part, simply wrapped his fingers loosely around his ankles, barely paying him any mind.

“Leonard, I have one other question.”

“Hm?”

The film was starting with a slow pan over a small town.

“Kisses in the snow… they’re seen as romantic?”

“I guess. In the most cliche way. It’s just a common trope in Christmas movies.”

“Hm,” Spock mused. He left it at that.

“What?”

“I was contemplating when we would next see snow.”

Leonard attempted to hide his blush, by arguing gruffly, “Even if we weren’t on the ship, I live in Georgia and you live in a desert. Not much of a chance of us finding snow any time soon.”

Spock tilted his head, conceding the point. “I assume you have not been kissed in the snow?”

“Not that I remember, but maybe. They’re not as firework-y as the movies paint them as.”

Almost on cue, the movie set off fireworks as it began a montage of the main character’s — miserable, by the looks of it — past year.

“Anyway, we don’t need snow to kiss, you know.”

“Of that,” Spock responded, “I am keenly aware.”

Leonard couldn’t even pretend to hide his blush this time so he just turned back to the projected film. “Watch the damn movie.”

He did. “I believe he is about to spill his coffee on her,” he said a second later.

And, lo and behold, the guy tripped over nothing and dropped his giant coffee down her shirt.

Spock blinked. “He was — no one was around them, he could have easily avoided her.”

“Shitty romcom, Spock,” Leonard reminded him.

“But it was completely unnecessary. There was no crowd around them. Why did he spill all of it? He could have righted himself in time to avoid that.”

He wanted to laugh at the outburst, but he just recited: “Shitty romcom.”

Spock opened his mouth to continue his criticisms, but his mouth firmly shut as the woman was revealed to be in the restroom as she washed her shirt in the sink. With only a bra on.

“Spock?”

He averted his eyes from the projection. “Leonard, you did not tell me that this movie was explicit.”

Leonard laughed so hard — at the guy “accidentally” walking in on the shirtless woman, Spock’s mortified expression, the implication that bras should be rated R — that he fell off the couch.

***

“Shore leave, Bones,” Jim said excitedly. “Come on, you need to take a break.”

“I’ll take a break after I administer all of these vaccines for shore leave.”

At that, he pressed his hypospray into Jim’s neck.

“Now, get out of here — the faster I get through this, the faster shore leave comes.”

Jim chuckled, but obligingly slid off the biobed. “There’s a pool!”

“The faster shore leave comes, the faster swimming comes,” Leonard added pointedly.

Jim held his hands up in surrender, beginning to walk backwards. “Alright, alright, I’m leaving! Just don’t forget a swimsuit.”

“I won’t, Captain,” Leonard said, somehow making the respectful term downright mocking.

***

And he didn’t forget swim trunks. But, as it turned out, there was no need to worry about them anyway.

“Snow,” Spock confirmed as the planet got closer on the view-screen.

“Snow,” Chekov agreed forlornly.

Jim sighed — they’d all been expecting the stereotypical pool day vacation. “Guess we’re going sledding instead of swimming.”

Leonard looked at the planet next to his spot behind Jim and then to Spock and then back to the planet. “Guess so,” he drawled.

Spock stayed turned away from them.

But it didn’t matter.

Leonard could see how flushed the back of his ears were.

***

“I have been waiting six months and eleven days to do this,” Spock murmured, cupping Leonard’s face in his hand.

They’d managed to escape the rest of the crew when a snowball fight had broken out.

“Those Christmas movies really stuck with you that hard?”

“Indeed, they did.”

Leonard laughed before rolling his eyes good-naturedly. “Alright, let’s get to this snow kissing.”

He leaned forward, but —

“Leonard, wait.”

Leonard waited.

“Is it possible that we could break up for a moment?”

He raised his eyebrow.

“To make the kiss more authentic,” Spock supplied helpfully.

Leonard stared at him for a moment, an incredulous grin sliding onto his face. “Spock?” he asked in a voice that was too sweet to actually be sweet.

“Yes?”

“Take what you can get.” And he grabbed Spock by his scarf, dragging him down into a dip before kissing him for a good and long moment.

When he pulled back, Spock actually looked dazed. He straightened out of Leonard’s hold. He wiped the snow off of his face for it to only be replaced a few seconds later.

Leonard was smirking at him.

Spock cleared his throat, fixed the position of his coat. “That was acceptable.”

“Hm… I don’t know, in the movies, they probably shoot a ton of takes,” Leonard mused playfully.

Spock considered this. His cheeks were flushed, but Leonard didn’t know if it was from the cold or the kiss. Probably both. “You’re most likely correct,” he agreed after a moment.

Leonard couldn’t help it when he laughed into the kiss.

Kissing in the snow really was romantic.

[antialiasis]

Jesus Christ Superstar: all of my thoughts

Allll right, this will be me watching my way through Jesus Christ Superstar 2012 (the arena tour with Tim Minchin/Ben Forster) and rambling about e v e r y t h i n g as I go, prompted by me having a lot of thoughts approximately every two minutes while watching it on YouTube/rewatching it/listening to multiple other JCS productions in between. Unusually for me, there will be very little complaining. This production is not perfect but that's not really what I'm here to talk about right now, shush, let me just go on about why I love this musical, at incredible length.

(I will be talking both about particulars in this production and about JCS in general as a narrative, without explicitly distinguishing the two, but please rest assured I do know which is which. I am pretty hardcore, I have seen five different productions live (including the 2013 leg of the arena tour) as well as the movies, listened to a lot of different Gethsemanes, I know this show.)

(this will also jump wildly between deep intellectual analysis and just me shamelessly appreciating the whump content, please bear with me)

can I start off by saying I really love the band and instrumentation and arrangements in 2012

The JCS overture is really long but I love it and it's always fun to see exactly what they do with it when it's staged. This production goes with showing Jesus's followers as protesters clashing with police, following news headlines, and then, during the calm choral "betrayal leitmotif", they're all gathered around Jesus staring at him in the most ominous way - then, as the first notes of "Heaven On Their Minds" play, Jesus closes his eyes and shakes his head a little, as if snapping out of a thought - as if he just felt the coming of betrayal. Neat.

Anyway, "Heaven On Their Minds"! This is such a good song. When I first saw JCS, as my school's production in 2005, and it opened not with Jesus but with Judas, presenting these totally reasonable concerns that he has about Jesus, I was already so intrigued by where this was going. Judas is the actual protagonist of JCS; one of the main narrative things it's doing is telling these events largely from his point of view, imagining how what he did might be interpreted to be sympathetic and understandable. This is why he gets the opening number and the final proper song with the show's closing musings. If you put on JCS and treat it like it's a story about Jesus with Judas as a side character, you're doing it wrong.

The iconic opening riff of “Heaven On Their Minds” is what I’m calling the “Agony” motif in my musical motif chart, because the places it recurs are the moment Judas resolves to hang himself in “Judas’s Death” and... “The 39 Lashes”. Originally I connected it to Judas, but “The 39 Lashes” has nothing at all to do with Judas; instead, the one thing that connects these three occurrences of the motif is pain - which really rather underlines how painful it is when Judas’s mind clears and he sees what lies ahead.

So, Judas: he was one of Jesus's closest friends, and a real, true believer in what this movement was originally about: charity, compassion, noble ideals. But lately, he's seen it turn into more of a cult of personality around Jesus himself - you've begun to matter more than the things you say. Now they're all thinking Jesus is the messiah, the Son of God - and worse, it's like Jesus is starting to believe it himself.

(Tim Minchin does this little frustrated eyeroll on you really do believe this talk of God is true, and I love it. I know his vocal performance is not to everyone's taste, and I get why especially with the unwarranted autotuning on the official recording, but I just love his actual acting here, his expressions and body language, so much. I was watching him for most of the show when I saw this live, because I usually spend most of JCS looking for whether Judas is doing something interesting in the background, and it was choice. Unfortunately the editor for this official recording isn't quite as interested in what Judas is doing in the background as I am, alas, and there are a lot of bits where I'd like to get a better look at him but we don't, but there are still some very good reactions.)

So, the reason this is bad, this whole messiah thing, is not only that calling Jesus their king might rub the authorities the wrong way, but also that now they're all expecting Jesus to up and free them from Roman oppression. Which is just not a thing that he can do! Judas is worried if Jesus doesn't deliver his followers will turn against him (and they'll hurt you when they find they're wrong). He's worried if Jesus actually does try anything, or heaven forbid, his followers just do it on their own - Jesus's words are already being taken out of context and twisted to justify whatever the speaker feels like - if they step so much as a toe over the line, that'll be all the excuse the Romans need to regard the Jewish community as a whole as violent insurgents or a delusional cult and bring in the army. This movement used to be a beautiful thing, but it's become an existential threat with the potential to get them all killed. And - when Judas tries to voice these concerns, Jesus brushes them off. He won't listen. Things are spiraling out of control, and Jesus won't do anything about it.

(Note, by the way, that a big part of Judas's worries is worries about Jesus in particular getting hurt.)

(Judas is very focused here on the future, all these things looming on the horizon that could happen if things continue as they are - so when we transition abruptly into the upbeat "What's the Buzz?", where Jesus tries to get his followers to think less about the future and more about the here and now, for all that it feels like a musical and textual non-sequitur we're actually kind of staying on theme.)

Jesus hasn't been doing anything about things or listening to Judas, and is very focused on the here and now, because as it happens he knows (or at least believes) that in a few days he is going to be tortured and executed, and really he doesn't entirely know what's going to happen after that, and this is pretty terrifying and stressful and right now he's dealing with that by trying to not think about it.

Why are you obsessed with fighting times and fates you can't defy? He basically means this at this point. Why would you try to fight inevitable fates? That’s pointless; it’s not like Jesus would ever do that. You just don’t think about them. Jesus is fine. It’s fine. This is fine.

(Mary is the one person who’s actively helping Jesus take his mind off things and stay in the moment. Emotionally he really needs to just relax and think of nothing and be told everything's all right, and Mary's the person who provides that. She alone has tried to give me what I need right here and now. I contend that this is the main point of Mary's role in the first act of JCS, more than her infatuation with him.)

Buuuut of course Judas has no idea what's behind this. As far as he can tell Jesus is just kind of hypocritically wasting his time on hedonistic indulgence, like the whole Son of God thing's just gone to his head, and like everything else about the situation, it's concerning, and he tries to speak out about it, in “Strange Thing, Mystifying”...

...which prompts Jesus to lash out. There was a sort of frustration behind some of his lines in “What’s the Buzz”, but he still just seemed to be preaching a general philosophy of staying in the here and now. At Judas’s criticisms, though, he's defensive and confrontational, exhorting him to not throw stones... and he's not done: I'm amazed that men like you can be so shallow, thick and slow! There is not a man among you who knows or cares if I come or go!

That's a total strange overreaction, especially since he starts out addressing Judas but then goes on to "There is not a man among you", when nobody else was saying anything, much less anything implying they don't care about Jesus. So, obviously, this isn't really about what Judas just said. What this is showing us is that Jesus has a lot of pent-up frustrations and concerns, too, and he's in a strangely delicate mood. It's kind of an odd sequence watching it for the first time; this lashout is weird! I thought it was weird when I first saw the show! But that’s the point. It’s here because it is weird, because Jesus is not as fine as he seems.

(This is what almost every song with Jesus in it in Act I is about. It's a series of incidents - many of them based on actual bits from the Bible - of Jesus lashing out unexpectedly and/or being strongly disillusioned with his followers and vaguely, bitterly alluding to his upcoming death. The weight of anticipating his own execution is taking a real psychological toll on him from the start, and this is all building towards where all those fears and doubts and worries and anger come out in "Gethsemane". It took me the longest time to properly notice this, that Jesus isn't just sort of being a drama queen out of nowhere here; these events are being presented like this to connect them into a cohesive speculative narrative that this was all just manifestations of Jesus's anxiety about the fact he believes he's going to die in a few days and he's not sure what he's really accomplished.)

While the apostles join together in a chorus of No, you're wrong! You're very wrong!, Judas silently pulls out a cigarette, because 2012 Judas smokes to calm his nerves and I love it. The nerves don't stop him rolling his eyes again in the background at Jesus's Not one of you!, though. (Jesus has probably been having these weird, oddly self-pitying lashouts for a little while now - it feels like a "this again" sort of eye-roll.)

Judas tries again to confront Jesus during "Everything's Alright", even more emphatic, but in a more sincere and genuine way - he really wants to get through to him. No, seriously, Jesus, why are you wasting expensive ointment on your feet and hair when the poor are starving - you know, the thing this movement was supposed to be about. Mary, probably a bit higher in emotional intelligence than Judas, can obviously tell that Jesus is just pretty stressed out right now and really needs some rest, and basically just tries to get Jesus to ignore him until he goes away - but Jesus responds to him anyway. Starts calm, but there's an oddly defeatist quality to what he's saying - there’ll always be poor people, we can't save them, look at the good things you've got... and then he launches into another bitter lashout: Think while you still have me, move while you still see me - you’ll be lost, you'll be so, so sorry, when I'm gone. Strike two on Jesus-is-not-as-fine-as-he-seems.

(Seriously, though, at this point it'd be reasonable to be pretty alarmed; from an outside perspective, these lines sound kind of suicidal. Perhaps that’s why Mary immediately steps in again to try to calm him down.)

Meanwhile, Judas silently backs off. What he takes away from these two confrontations is that Jesus isn't really happy either. He's not actually thrilled with his followers or what’s going on; he just seems to feel helpless and unable to change anything at all, and has apparently just resigned himself to it, instead of even trying to fix it.

I love how gloriously ominous the "Hosanna Superstar" bit of "This Jesus Must Die" is. It really makes this upcoming cheerful song sound like an omen of doom and horror, the way it feels to the Pharisees. It’s the same melody as “We need him crucified” in “Trial Before Pilate” - apt, since the crowd’s devotion to Jesus is the real problem that causes the Pharisees to believe they need to get him killed.

Thus, the Pharisees have basically the same concerns Judas does - Jesus's mass of fans is growing out of control, they're blasphemously insisting he's their king, and it's only a matter of time before this brings the wrath of the Romans down upon the entire Jewish nation. They only go a bit further by believing the only way to properly quash this movement is to put Jesus to death. (Which is kind of dubious - surely there's a danger that martyring him will just make people more devoted - but I appreciate that they, too, get basically sympathetic motivations. It’s the oppression of the Romans that’s the real enemy here; they only see Jesus as a real problem because of how the Romans might react.)

By "Hosanna", Jesus has recovered his usual composure and passion. This is the one Jesus song where he does genuinely seem to be doing all right, and in that way it serves as a good contrast to literally everything else in this musical. In it we see a glimpse of the preacher and activist that he’s been for these three years, almost bursting with glee as he tells the Pharisees they're not going to be quiet at all thank you very much. He preaches his message to the crowd: There is not one of you who cannot win the Kingdom - a kind, positive echo of yesterday's angry lashout. He loves this, and he still loves this movement. This is what it's all supposed to be about.

...only, of course, for some people to yell "Hey, J.C., J.C., won't you die for me!", and he turns his head, his smile fading just a little (I wish the camera stayed on him a little while longer here). But he recovers and carries on. Ha ha, yeah, he'd die for you.

Jesus's own rally leads directly into Simon's rave, full of adoring fans begging Jesus to touch and kiss them. Same enthusiasm, but more obviously a product of that cult of personality that Judas was worried about. And there in the middle of it is Simon, so bright-eyed and enthusiastic about the whole thing, telling him about how with his probably over 50,000 followers, he should add just a smidge of hatred towards the Romans, and you will rise to a greater power, we will win ourselves a home! He's one of those who want Jesus to be leading a violent revolution to free them.

I like how the first portion of "Poor Jerusalem" echoes a slow, somber version of the same melody as "Simon Zealotes" as Jesus laments, almost to himself, that none of them, nobody at all, understands power, or glory, or anything. This time Jesus isn't really angry, just kind of exhausted and contemplative. Nobody really seems to get his message; these poor misguided people won't get the revolution they're hoping for; Jerusalem itself is doomed. The city wouldn't be willing to do what's needed even if they knew.

To conquer death, you only have to die is one of my favorite lines. I’m an atheist, but as a kid I remember being taught at the Christian summer camp I went to that by dying himself, Jesus conquered death. That idea is twisted and presented the other way around here: to conquer death, you only have to die. Only. An darkly ironic presentation of it as if it were easy. It’s not as easy as Jesus would like it to be - but he truly believes that it’s what he must do.

"Pilate's Dream" has the same melody as the second half of “Poor Jerusalem” - because both Jesus and Pilate are contemplating an unsettling future that they have seen.

I do think it's a little wrong that 2012 Pilate chuckles at the end of "Pilate’s Dream”, though. The whole point of this song, as far as I can tell, is that he's unsettled by this dream, and it's probably part of why he's so reluctant to sentence Jesus to death later, so I think it's an incongruous choice to make it seem like he just sort of brushed it off as nonsense.

As I mentioned before, the arena tour staging includes Simon buying a gun during "The Temple", a really chilling detail that I liked a lot and that is in no way discernible in the official recording. Maybe the editor didn't notice, maybe it just wasn't very clear in the footage they got anyway, maybe it's some sort of ratings issue where showing a gun for a few seconds would just be too much (while the lengthy, brutal torture and execution scenes coming up are totally fine). Obviously it doesn't mean anything for the later narrative or anything (especially since the actual narrative is taking place in 33 AD and guns don't actually exist, regardless of the staging choices of any particular production), but it’s a nice way of using staging to lend further support to the overall point of how Jesus's followers variously fail to understand his teachings - it strengthens both Jesus’s and Judas’s concerns.

When Jesus and Judas arrive at the temple, they're arguing once again, though we don't know what about. Given the way Jesus is striding towards the doors and Judas is trying to hold him back, I imagine Judas is worried that doing something like running into the temple and breaking tables and screaming is the sort of attention-grabbing, polarizing stunt that'd be a really bad idea, and Jesus is upset and doesn't care.

(The bouncer doesn't let Judas in. I'm guessing Jesus tells him Judas is harassing him or something, within the staging-narrative where the temple is a nightclub that has a bouncer.)

So Jesus goes and smashes a table and yells at everyone to get out. This is probably where Jesus begins to alienate a lot of people, who were having a great time at the temple only for him to come in and have a breakdown at them.

(He's so angry, breathing hard, fists clenched after everyone's left. This isn't really about the temple either. He's really begun to realize how many of his followers don't get it at all, and he doesn't have time to fix that. He's been trying for so long and he's so tired.)

The leper bit makes a pretty similar point. Jesus wants to help all these people, and tries - but there are too many, and they're crowding him, and he's not going to be around to help them for much longer - so he desperately tells them to heal themselves, and they leave, probably thinking wow Jesus is kind of a jerk.

I'm sorry, I don't have anything to say about "I Don't Know How to Love Him", love ballads are pretty consistently my least favorite song in every musical, I like and appreciate Mary but my investment in this song pretty much begins and ends with its role in setting up the twisted reprise in "Judas's Death"

I enjoy the fourth-wall-leaning audacity of having the guitarist spotlighted on stage playing the solo before "Damned For All Time", and Judas is looking at him like "who are you, go away", and keeps looking evasively back at him while he's slowly getting the Pharisees' number out of his wallet and calling it. (It also helps show Judas feels pretty guilty and shameful about doing this, and works better for that than having extras on stage - if it were extras, we might expect that them witnessing this could actually mean something later, but when it's the guitarist, it's obvious he's just serving as an anonymous stand-in for a hypothetical random stranger who isn't literally part of the story.)

I like the shot of Judas looking into the security camera outside the Pharisees' building. (That’s decidedly not the same hairdo Tim Minchin has on stage, though.)

Judas opens his talk with the Pharisees, without even greeting them first, by frantically justifying himself, talking about how this is weird and hard for him but there was just nothing else he could do, he's not hoping for a reward or anything, he's been forced to do this, he's not a dirty traitor, please don't think that. He really doesn't want to be here. But here he is anyway, because Jesus can't control it like he did before - and furthermore I know that Jesus thinks so too, Jesus wouldn't mind that I'm here with you. He's seen Jesus over the past few days and he's pretty sure he has this figured out. Jesus can see just as well as he does where things are headed - it's just he's helpless to control it and doesn't know what to do about it. So this has to be done. He'd probably want Judas to bail him out of this, just get him arrested and the movement shut down, for everyone's sake. (Jesus is so self-sacrificing, after all.) Right? He'd be fine with this. Right? (Judas is fine.)

("Damned For All Time" is just Judas wildly word-vomiting trying to placate his own guilt and I love it. He's legitimately afraid of where things are headed if he doesn't do this, and thinks it has to ultimately be the right thing, but that doesn't make him feel any better about it.)

(I like how Caiaphas just sort of coolly listens to him ramble his head off like this while he sips his drink.)

Judas goes for a cigarette again (calming those nerves), and Annas helpfully lights it for him - prompting Judas's next ramble. Annas, you're a friend, a worldly man and wise - Caiaphas, my friend, I know you sympathize. It's not like he's selling Jesus out to anyone unreasonable. Annas is nice! We three, we get it, right? You get it. We're the people who can see when a difficult thing just has to be done, did I mention I HAVE to do this and this is not about money - only for Annas to tell him to cut it out with this blather and excuses and just give them the information they want. And also, they'll pay him handsomely!

I don't need your blood money! Judas says, then I don't want your blood money! Sometimes these lines are reversed, which sounds better - there's something more satisfying about the vowel in need than in want - but I think textually this original order is important. First he's sort of polite-ish-ly declining, saying no, he doesn't need any money, but then when they insist, he declines more firmly, that he doesn't want it either. (I love the way he shoves Annas's hand away.) It's so important to Judas's own principles that he came here because he thinks it's right, not because he wants payment; the idea of being paid makes it way worse.

...But then Caiaphas grabs the cigarette out of his mouth (leaving him a bit shaken with nothing to hold onto anymore) and goes well, you can give it to charity, or to the poor; they understand that's not why he's doing this, but they'd still like to pay him a fee. And that's the reason he ultimately does take the money: because just a few days earlier he was telling Jesus off for letting money be wasted when it could have gone to the poor. How could he do the same?

(Judas is not doing this for the money in this show. He is not being tempted by the money. He was not going to take the money until he was told he could give it to charity. One of the professional live productions I saw just did not understand this at all, and no. Judas is the protagonist! He is not here for the money! It's done right here, with the Pharisees just throwing the money at him after he names Gethsemane, and him not even reacting, just slowly picking it up afterwards. Tim Minchin gets Judas.)

I like to think the Well done, Judas / Good old Judas chorus is sort of the voice of the Divine Plan, such as it is, which he's now done his first part in.

"The Last Supper" has slowly become one of my favorite parts of the entire show, and I particularly enjoy it in this particular production.

Judas walks in and doesn't look at Jesus at all - can't quite bear to, at the moment. Jesus looks after him, knowing exactly what's going on... and that's when he starts in on The end is just a little harder when brought about by friends.

Jesus has a drink of the wine, which I like a lot. This definitely is a drinking sort of moment. I like the idea of him being a little inebriated in this scene.

For all you care, this wine could be my blood. For all you care, this bread could be my body. The end... This is my blood you drink, this is my body you eat. Judas reflexively rolls his eyes again - Jesus off on one of these weird sorts of rants yet again. (As with so much, I love that Jesus Christ Superstar takes this bit of the Bible and lets it just be a weird thing to say, recontextualizes it as an empty, halfhearted statement that he doesn't feel like his followers even care hours before his impending arrest, instead of treating it as something profound and meaningful. Again and again, Jesus is portrayed less as a noble profound religious figure and more as just a person haunted by mounting dread and anxiety, and I love it so much.)

Jesus sort of tries to make this into a nice, comforting thing, to ask them to remember him when they eat and drink - but it doesn't work. It's happening tonight, and here they all are, these people, his supposed followers, who don't understand a thing he's said, ever, and Jesus just breaks. I must be mad, thinking I'll be remembered! Yes, I must be out of my head! Look at your blank faces! My name will mean nothing ten minutes after I'm dead! (Judas looks up vaguely, kind of concerned - Jesus, this is further than he usually goes.) One of you denies me, one of you betrays me! And that's when Judas really looks up. Jesus knows.

There's a pause, a commotion, and Jesus is going to just retreat and leave it at that - but no, then he keeps going. He calls out Peter specifically for being about to deny him three times, shoving him, and then yells about how one of my twelve chosen will leave to betray me! At which Judas finally stands up. Cut out the dramatics! You know very well who! It's obvious that somehow Jesus found out. (Maybe Judas thinks the guitarist might have told on him.)

Judas's surprised You want me to do it? when Jesus tells him to go do it delights me. Judas, I thought you knew that Jesus totally wanted you to do this. It's almost like you didn't really know that at all and just convinced yourself of that to feel better about it. (Obviously, though, Jesus clearly doesn't actually want it so much, does he, the way he's shouting.)

Judas tries to explain himself but Jesus doesn't care - he doesn’t want to hear about why one of his most trusted friends wants to betray him to the authorities, not when this has to happen and he can’t prevent it. Judas is really nervous and defensive and hurt by his hostility, declares he hates Jesus now. (You liar, you Judas! Jesus says, which is kind of hilarious and also - yeah, he's a liar, he doesn't hate Jesus at all.) You wanted me to do it? What if I just stayed here and ruined your ambition? Christ, you deserve it! Judas still kind of wants to just stay and cancel the whole thing, even if it's simply justified as petulant spite. But Jesus tells him to just go already; he just wants to get this over with, as quickly as possible, because it hurts.

Judas is near tears as he turns away to get his things. The apostles have no idea what's going on, singing, some of them trying to see if Judas is okay, which suggests they have no idea what they were even talking about - whatever this 'betrayal' is supposed to be, it doesn’t cross their minds that Judas is about to get Jesus arrested.

Judas trudges up the steps, batting them away, still on the verge of tears - only then he stops, his face changing. And he throws down his backpack and turns for one final confrontation with Jesus. You sad, pathetic man! Look what you've brought us to! Our ideals die around us, and all because of you! This is still about their ideals for him, after all. And yet, saddest of all, someone had to turn Jesus in - like a common criminal, he first says, but then, like a wounded animal, someone helpless to help themselves, who needs to be pitied and put out of their misery. Jesus could have done something. Jesus could have put a stop to this. Why does he have to do it? (Why does he have to do it?)

Every time I look at you, I don't understand why you let the things you did get so out of hand. You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned. Why? Jesus does have a plan, of sorts, of course - it's just that this is all part of it. Judas doesn't believe Jesus is actually the Son of God, or that he could possibly have a "plan" that involves dying for some grand cosmic cause. As far as he can tell Jesus's actions are just bizarre and pathetic and self-defeating, and he's been saddled with the unfortunate, dirty job of saving Jesus from himself.

(Judas presumably still doesn't realize that the Pharisees plan to literally have him killed. I doubt he'd be doing this, or at least not in this way, if he knew.)

In the wake of this final confrontation, Mary hugs Peter, who Jesus just shoved and accused of denying him. She considers going to Jesus too, but Peter convinces her they'd probably best leave it alone. Peter himself seems to be considering going to Jesus, but then doesn't. Everyone dejectedly goes to sleep. Jesus is alone for tonight, his apostles alienated, his right-hand man gone as Jesus must wait for him to return with soldiers and set the dreaded end in motion. This must be the loneliest, most awful night of his life.

Jesus rubs his hand hard against a stair as the apostles are finishing their song - an agitated fidget that I am far more fond of than I should be. As he realizes they've all gone to sleep, he grips it instead, something to hold on to. Will no one stay awake with me? Peter, John, James? He just sounds broken and like he's about to cry. Which is good. He sings all of Gethsemane sounding like he's on the verge of tears and that's exactly how it should sound, do not at me.

(Please bear with me as I go on about this Gethsemane because it's my favorite one ever at this point, haters to the left)

See, when I first saw this production (I saw the official recording once before I realized it was still on and I could see it live), I didn't really like Ben Forster's Jesus for the first half! He seemed sort of over-the-top and I wasn't the biggest fan of his voice and all in all I was ehhh on him. But then he did "Gethsemane" and I just felt it to my core in a way I'd never felt it before, and it floored me. I've watched and listened to a lot of versions of this song. There are better singers who make it more pleasant to listen to - but they tend to be very dignified and Jesus-y about it, like this poised religious figure just having a brief moment of vulnerability and emotionality. Even the performances specifically praised for being emotional tend to be the ones that just make it really angry. And I've seen a lot of great ones of both varieties! But Ben Forster just makes it so raw and human. Like this terrified, exhausted, desperate human being who's spent the entire preceding hour of this play dreading this thing that's coming, his resolve finally faltering in this moment of agonizing solitude as his doubts and fears and frustrations finally come pouring out, how much he wants to call the whole thing off, begging to either not have to do this or at least be properly convinced why he should. It's what made me properly start to look at Jesus's character progression during this story in the first place and notice all the buildup about his fragile mental state that's always been there in the lyrics. This is the “Gethsemane” that made me really, truly care about Jesus.

he's rubbing the stair again at the beginning of the song, I'm sorry I love fidgets and nervous gestures you guys

I've never heard anyone emphasize three years the way Ben Forster does, and the desperation of it hits me in the heart. Weren't these three years enough?

Let's talk about You're far too keen on where and how, and not so hot on why, which is pretty key to this show’s interpretation of Jesus. He and the Almighty are definitively not the same entity here; Jesus knows or believes he knows a lot of things about how this is all going to play out, and even some of the future beyond that (in "Poor Jerusalem"), but he doesn't actually understand what his death is supposed to accomplish. He knows that he's going to be crucified and it's going to happen because Judas betrays him and so on and so on, and that this is all supposedly very important, and Jesus has been willing to accept that without question, but really he doesn't know the whys here and never has, and as much as he's just never questioned it anyway because of his absolute conviction that this is God’s plan, he can't not do so now, when he's going to have to suffer an agonizing death in the service of these inscrutable goals, not sometime in the vague far future but soon.

(Technically, for all we know, Jesus isn’t the Son of God. God doesn’t answer him; the song is a monologue. Jesus has suspiciously specific knowledge of the future but that’s about it as far as actual concrete evidence of his divinity goes in this show. But what matters is that he believes this is what God wills.)

His initial All right. I'll die. Just watch me die! is so spiteful, only for the following lines to just turn into this anguished scream, and it kills me

I love the way he collapses on the stairs, and just finally breaks down and starts crying, and there's that agitated rubbing of the stair again

The second three years is just exhausted and my heart still breaks for it. These have been a hard three years. Seems like ninety.

Why then am I scared to finish is probably my favorite line in this. He just sounds so broken and desperate and actually scared, and his body language is so tense and agitated and desperate; he's so angry at himself for being scared when this has been the plan all along and for some reason now he just can’t seem to go through with it.

And then he has that realization. What I started? ...What you started. I didn't start it! This isn't his plan. He's just a cog in God's machinery. It's a fixed, unavoidable fate, isn't it? And he finds a kind of desperate acceptance in just thinking of it that way - at least for a moment (before I change my mind!). But it's a spiteful acceptance. He's addressing God now. I will drink your cup of poison, nail me to your cross and break me, bleed me, beat me, kill me, take me now! Because it's you who are doing this. It's your cross, you who are killing me. Note the contrast to earlier: Let them hate me, hit me, hurt me, nail me to their tree. It's not actually the people who are responsible for any of this, even if they’ll technically be the ones to do the deed; it's God's plan, his cross, his crucifixion.

I love how he looks so tense standing there afterwards while the audience is applauding, because he's not actually waiting for applause, he's waiting for the soldiers to arrest him and set him on the path to his execution. Arms spread at first, in a come at me sort of way, but then he just clenches his fists at his sides, eyes closed, still waiting.

There he is. They're all asleep, the fools. Implying Judas wouldn't have just gone to sleep, if he'd been left there. AU where Jesus has literally anyone to comfort him, instead of standing there alone desperately pleading to God to not have him killed. Hnngh.

The kiss is just as it is in the Bible, of course. But there, it's presented as a sort of extra nasty element of this betrayal, that he'd be betrayed with a kiss. Here, it's more like Judas just wants to say goodbye, one last time, and does it in this kind of tender way.

And... Jesus breaks down crying, clings to him, pulls him into a hug. Because of course he does. The reminder that Judas still cares, memories of everything they've been through together, and the knowledge this is probably his last chance at some kind of comforting human contact? Of course he does. He just wants to not be alone, for a few seconds, before the end.

At first Judas just sort of lets him do it, but by the time the soldiers come along to separate them, Judas is clinging to Jesus, too. Ohh, my heart.

The apostles wake up at the commotion and are immediately on their feet to fight off the soldiers. There is not a man among you who knows or cares if I come or go, Jesus said, a few days ago; now here they are, worrying for him, wanting to save him. But he has to stop them. He mustn't be saved, and they'd only get themselves hurt. Put away your sword - don't you see that it's all over? It was nice but now it's gone. That exhausted resignation.

Why are you obsessed with fighting? Stick to fishing from now on. He doesn't sound angry here - it's just kind of a gentle rebuke. He's touched that they tried. I like that he plays it that way; it'd be legit to make it angry, but in the context of how Jesus has spent a lot of time feeling like they don't really care at all and in this moment it finally becomes clearer to him that they do - not to mention that this is basically his final goodbye to them - it makes sense to let it be kind of tender.

From this point on, Jesus has to just quietly accept his fate. He's very silent, barely says anything - because now things just have to play out how they play out, and nothing he says will change anything, nor should change anything.

The reporters asking questions here (to the melody of "The Temple") are one of the relatively few major anachronisms baked into the actual lyrics as opposed to any particular production. They're not really reporters; it's kind of a representation of some of his previous followers watching this as a kind of spectacle, expecting him to make a dramatic escape or fight back, excited by what's happening (you'll just DIE in the high priest's house!), rather than sympathizing or caring. These are the people who are going to ultimately turn against him as a mob and pressure Pilate into crucifying him.

Caiaphas asks if Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus says That's what you say, yet another line based directly on the Bible. Growing up I always just found that kind of a silly thing for him to say - why won't he just stick to his story instead of suddenly acting like he never said such a thing? But it makes real sense here. Again, Jesus is resigned to his fate, to passively letting this happen. He's not going to deny it or try to get out of it, because he can't and mustn't. But he has no desire to speak up about how the rocks and stones will sing for him right now, or actively provoke them and give them more reasons to persecute him. He's just going to stand here and let things happen until it's over.

(also, he probably doesn't really feel so much like the Son of God right now)

Judas, thank you for the victim! Stay a while and you'll see him bleed! In this production, Caiaphas and Annas both say the last sentence together, but originally it's just Annas, which has always led me to feel that where Caiaphas is pure cold pragmatism and just believes this is what needs to be done for the sake of the nation, Annas is bit of a twisted son of a bitch. He's obviously intentionally twisting the knife here, because he thinks Judas's conflictedness about the whole thing is a bit pathetic and hilarious and likes to see him squirm.

(let me complain again about the editor not letting us see Judas's reaction to this line)

Peter's reluctance to throw his phone on the fire is a mood

also him threatening the homeless people with a broken bottle when they keep pressing him on whether he was with Jesus, before Mary takes it off him, is something I enjoy

Pilate and Christ probably takes place at Pilate’s gym in this staging to show Pilate hasn’t even made time for Jesus in an official capacity - he’s just being unexpectedly brought before him in his off time, hence why he’s particularly dismissive here.

Jesus barely looks at Pilate. Another dispassionate That's what you say.

How can someone in your state be so cool about his fate? An amazing thing, this silent king. Of course, Pilate doesn't understand any more than anyone else that Jesus being crucified is the plan. Again, Jesus is just letting this play out.

He does look up when Pilate declares he should go to Herod instead, though. It must be torture for him having this drawn out further. Poor Jesus, having to suffer through a comic relief number when he just wants to get this over with.

Jesus does look at Herod as he's making all these offers of letting him free if he'll just perform a miracle. It's got to be a tempting thought despite everything. But no, he must still sit there and let it happen.

"These results are for entertainment purposes only and do not reflect any real votes. The outcome is predetermined by the character of King Herod who clearly is going to find Jesus guilty of being a fraud otherwise it would be a very short Act 2." Going all the way with that fourth-wall-breaking.

the bit where they put the hood over Jesus's head sure hits some specific button I didn't realize I had

Judas there with his head buried in his hands in the background towards the end of "Could We Start Again Please" ohhhh

I feel like the usual implication with the abrupt opening of "Judas's Death" is that Judas has just been seeing Jesus being beaten, whereas here he's explicitly sitting there with the apostles contemplating what he's done and just gets up and freaks out when Caiaphas and Annas happen to walk by. I like him punching Caiaphas, but the way he just goes from zero to sixty there does feel a little weird. I don't care, though, Judas in the background during "Could We Start Again Please" is worth it.

For all that Judas is mortified by the way Jesus is being made an example of, he can also see the way his name will forever be associated with treachery, and none of his good intentions meant anything at all in the end. He’s wracked with guilt at what he’s done, but additionally all he can see in the future is being vilified and reviled, blamed for Jesus’s murder.

Ugh Annas kicking Judas while he's down he's such a bastard

Tim Minchin goes so all out on making "Judas's Death" just ugly anguished screaming and crying and I am so here for it.

Judas has never believed in the divinity of Jesus, but Jesus has some strange, intense, frightening quality that both Judas and Mary can feel, and just before his final breakdown, although Judas is telling himself that He's a man - he's just a man!, he seems to be starting to feel that that's not quite true: he starts to wonder if Jesus will leave him be after his death, and then right after the "I Don't Know How to Love Him" reprise is where his mental state takes a turn as he realizes God is behind all this, that perhaps the whole thing was planned.

The projecting images of Jesus' torment up onto the background screen as Judas is despairing is also very good - Jesus hasn't even been sentenced yet but he knows where this is headed and he sure is imagining it and feeling responsible for it.

Judas, like Jesus, concludes here that it's God who orchestrated all this and he never got a choice. In his case, though, it's serving as a way of running from his guilt. We got to hear all about his reasons for thinking this was the right thing to do, after all - it's not as if he was literally controlled into anything. He didn't realize he was dooming Jesus to a horrible death at the time, but he still did it of his own free will. And it isn't a real comfort - all it means is that in his final anguished moments he has someone to scream his despair at. You have murdered me!

(hang me from your tree)

the particular scream and sob that he does as he kicks the box out from under him hits my buttons very hard hhhh

Poor old Judas, so long, Judas, goes the Plan chorus. There's a pretty callous quality to that, appropriately enough for a very callous Plan involving a lot of suffering.

Please give my compliments to the sound designer who makes a point of turning on Jesus' microphone so we can hear his strained breathing before "Trial Before Pilate" begins

Jesus's resolve to say nothing of substance is breaking by this point, and he actually answers Pilate's "Where is your kingdom?" I have got no kingdom in this world, I'm through, through, through - there may be a kingdom for me somewhere, if I only knew. It's probably pretty hard to feel like he's headed for a triumphant resurrection right now, and the fact he's spilling those doubts to Pilate in a moment of frustrated honesty is pretty tragic.

(Some versions, including the 1973 movie, change this lyric to if you only knew. No! Bad! The whole point here is Jesus doubting it! If you want to change it you should not be putting on this show!)

Then he's a king? It’s what you say I am! I look for truth and find that I get damned! This frustration coming out here is so good.

Pilate's frustration is very good too - just dripping off every line. This mob of people insisting he sentence this harmless fool to death (one who reminds him uncomfortably of this dream that he had the other day), crowing about Caesar all of a sudden like they're oh so very concerned with protecting Caesar's authority.

As Jesus once again refuses to talk, there’s a brief mournful instrumental interlude before Look at your Jesus Christ - this is a slowed-down version of a bit of “Prescience”, the motif from “Pilate’s Dream”. He remembers that unsettling dream, consciously or unconsciously, and feels sympathy and pity for this strange man before him. After that is when he begins to argue that Jesus hasn’t committed any crime and there’s no reason to kill him.

can we appreciate that Webber and Rice went and made a song called "The 39 Lashes" that's literally just Pilate counting excruciatingly to 39 while Jesus screams in pain

can we also appreciate Jesus writhing on the floor after rolling down the stairs, Ben Forster really goes for it in acting out all this pain and torture and I love him for it

Why do you not speak when I have your life in my hands? asks Pilate, and Jesus just about musters the energy to say, You have nothing in your hands. Any power you have comes to you from far beyond - everything is fixed and you can't change it! He's kind of desperate to make Pilate understand this. Pilate keeps on trying to get Jesus to say something that'll let him release him, but that can't happen, because this must be so. Pilate needs to just play his part and get it over with, please get it over with.

And so, Pilate has to appease the mob and let him die, even though he doesn't want to at all, and tries to wash his hands of it. Much like in his dream, though, he'll in fact be remembered as the guy who sentenced Jesus to death. Clearly didn't wash your hands well enough, Pilate

It's such a delightfully bold creative decision to place an upbeat number like "Superstar" right here as Jesus is about to be crucified.

It's fascinating to see the differences in how this song in particular is staged; it's so abstract and disconnected that different directors really go nuts with it. Some productions, including the 2000 movie, imply Judas has come out of Hell to taunt him; the movie in particular makes a point of having Judas lazily, cruelly stand on the cross while Jesus is trying to carry it, grinning at his agony, surrounded by scantily clad demon women, though he has a moment of doubt and guilt as Jesus stares at him. (That movie generally posits Judas as not in control of his actions at all - so God is apparently basically just making him do this as part of his torture in Hell, which is delightfully twisted.) Others (including this one and the 1973 movie) have him among angels, as if he's descended from Heaven. In the 1973 movie Carl Anderson seems largely to just be singing it to himself - it cuts to Jesus carrying the cross a few times, but Judas isn't there.

Here, "Superstar" feels a bit like a delirious hallucination Jesus is experiencing. Judas descends on the stage lights that are about to form the cross (what an entrance) and performs the song surrounded by angels while Jesus is being affixed to the cross; they look at each other, but Judas doesn't really interact with him. There's definitely no taunting; Tim Minchin plays it in a very good-natured way, not even the kind of angry questioning of Carl Anderson in the 1973 movie. Effectively, despite the hallucinatory vibes, the way it comes across to me is Judas really is actually there in spirit, from a timeless afterlife, having had an eternity to think and come to terms with and understand what Jesus was doing - and finally just asking him some questions, without judgement. Is he what they say he is? What does he think about Buddha and Mohammed? Why didn't he choose a different time period where it would've been easier to spread his message? Did he know his death would inspire millions? It's all a sort of musing, fourth-wall-leaning modern perspective, not hostile, just curious.

Also this version just makes me happy because Judas seems happy and mentally at peace in the afterlife and who doesn't want that

Anyway, from that to Jesus crying on the cross. And I mean crying. Once again Ben Forster delivers the human suffering element of this story. "The Crucifixion" is a weird, weird song, chaotic and noisy and kind of offputting and tends to feel sort of inappropriate for the mood; in this production you don't even notice because the staging is so brutal. There's no cool symbolic dignity to this; Jesus is just crying and screaming and sobbing the whole time, yelling the disconnected final-words lines in an agonized, delirious haze. You actually believe you're watching a man dying in agony, God damn. It hurts and I love it.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? is the most gutwrenching line, of course. (And straight out of the Bible, lest we forget - I think it’s fascinating that in the likely oldest gospel of Mark as well as Matthew, this horrible, heartwrenching, human cry is all he says on the cross, while the gospels of John and Luke instead each feature their own disjoint sets of more profound-sounding sayings. It’s hard not to wonder if the other lines might be inventions by those gospels’ human authors or their sources, people who perhaps just didn’t want Jesus’s final words to be something so achingly desperate and vulnerable.) He's done all this to carry out God's great plan, and yet in this moment, in the middle of this nightmare of slow, unending agony, he feels certain that God has abandoned him and he's just dying, alone, pointlessly, for nothing. Ow, my empathetic heart.

You can hear him feeling death approaching at last and the relief he feels at that realization just before It is finished and Father, into your hands I commend my spirit

(it's easier to believe again when his suffering is finally, mercifully about to end)

Ben Forster also does a very good job not visibly breathing when he's playing a corpse. On this blog we appreciate the little things.

I've always found it pretty neat and interesting that Jesus Christ Superstar does not include the resurrection or any allusion to it at all; he just dies on the cross, they mourn and carry him away, and the show ends. Again, the only thing in this show that’s at all supernatural is that Jesus seems to know the future, and even that is fairly ambiguous. It's a story about human suffering, and it's a hugely compelling story without him rising from the dead at the end, which'd just kind of cheapen it. You can imagine that he did, but this ending invites you to contemplate that this story is just as meaningful if he did not.

In conclusion, Jesus Christ Superstar is one of my absolute favorite things and the 2012 arena tour is my baby

Thank you for coming to my TED talk

[xheartsigh]

yoonkook week day7: visiting studio for the first time

genre: fluff setting: producer yoongi and solo singer jungkook, set in the same universe as prelude (can be read separately but it makes more sense if you read that before) words: 1.8k

Ever since it was decided at the meeting that kpop sensation Jeon Jungkook will have his next album produced by award-winning producer Suga, it made it to every possible news station it existed in South Korea. The music industry has been buzzing in anticipation even though their work has barely even started.

Yoongi would like to think it’s not because of him. He works just as diligently as always, if not harder to find the kind of music that would fit the singer’s voice. However sadly, the young idol’s tracks are usually too autotuned to appreciate his smooth voice and natural talent. The producer has heard him sing live and he knows he’s great but without a good management and production team, his talent will go to waste. That’s why he has asked Jungkook what kind of music he wanted to make but the boy never directly contacted him ever since. He would send music samples with his manager or via the official BigHit e-mail, so Yoongi’s best guess is that he’s still embarrassed of their first encounter despite knowing that the fact he didn’t recognize the elder doesn’t bother the producer at all. So after all that fuss it's a big thing when Jungkook willingly agrees to come to his studio to listen to a few rough drafts.

Genius Lab isn’t the studio he welcomes most of the artists. It’s more private since it’s his safe place. Only a few people know how to get in, so when he asks Hoseok to accompany Jungkook to Genius Lab when he arrives, the assistant looks at him as if his morning pills got flushed down the toilet. The producer isn’t stupid. He knows that this work with Jungkook is very beneficial for both companies and he doesn’t want to mess it up. Also there’s something about Jeon Jungkook, maybe the way he talked when they first met in the elevator shy but determined that he can’t shake his mind off.

Sure Yoongi has met enough trainees and idols to know if he sees real talent, a talent that shines because the owner loves music and that’s Jungkook. Even if he has a shitty company going for too mainstream stuff to maintain his popularity. And the producer set his mind to change that. He wants to give the boy a song – or songs if he wants – that he really likes, that’s made for his voice, for him. He also wants to prove the entertainment that there’s no need for clichés, overused beats, corny lyrics or autotune for his fans to like Jungkook and his beautiful voice.

When the doorbell of his studio rings, he pushes himself away from the computer and standing up he turns the doorknob to let his visitor inside.

“It’s been a while, Jeon Jungkook,” he greets the idol casually, with a slight hint of smirk on his lips. The singer does a better job of hiding his blush than last time. Though, he has the same determination in his eyes like he needs to prove something.

“Hello hyung,” he waves a bit, a boyish smile clear on his face which is endearing but the producer tries not to feel too affected by it.

“All alone? No manager?” Yoongi raises a brow because he’s got used to the company of idols’ bossy managers during studio visits. Not that he’s against being alone with the nation’s favourite boy.

“Ah Jin hyung dropped me off. He will come and get me after we’re done,” Jungkook shrugs still fidgeting by the door frame until Yoongi beckons him closer.

“That might take a while,” he says firmly and there’s no hidden intent behind it. He just takes producing seriously and he isn’t satisfied until the work is close to perfect which of course makes it a time-confusing activity. The singer seems to understand.

“I warned him.”

His bunny smile takes the elder aback for a moment but then he shakes his head dismissively.

“Okay then. Close the door, will you? Or are you that afraid of staying alone with me?” Yoongi teases softly as he steps backwards, falling back into his leather chair. Even though he doesn’t mean anything bad by it, it’s funny to watch the idol’s face taking up different shades of red.

“What? No!” the boy protests quickly and firmly like the possibility of being afraid could make him less of a man. It doesn’t.

Yoongi finds it cute as it reminds him of their first meeting. He gulps and then leans over his computer. They might as well start on it, right? That’s why the idol came over.

“I checked your music evolution to find your voice. The genre and vibe that fits it,” he explains what he has been doing in these weeks since they didn’t meet.

“Yeah?” Jungkook asks shyly as he plops down in the seat next to him, knees touching when he slides closer the his hyung who clicks on a few files searching for his latest works.

“You used to rap on your debut album,” Yoongi says out of the blue but it sounds like s question. The younger looks up and finds those deep, mysterious eyes already on him and understands what the man is asking: why did you stop?

He shrugs again.

“Yeah but the agency decided against it. They wanted a cute boyfriend image,” he winces slightly embarrassed just by talking about it.

“Cute?” the producer snorts, unconvinced since the sight of the idol lifting his shirt during performance that had been fried into his brain since the last MAMA awards screams everything but cute.

“Well it changed when I came of age,” Jungkook admits with a half bashful, half cocky smile. As they stare at each other, a strange feeling settles in the producer’s chest.

They haven’t talked much, not face to face. They know each other’s music but not the person behind them. They are practically strangers, co-workers for a while and yet, Yoongi feels something he rarely has a privilege to feel with ‘practically strangers’: he feels at ease. Like he can freely tease or coo at the younger because the other knows when to take him seriously. He hopes Jungkook doesn’t feel as uncomfortable as he did during their last meeting and he needs these kind of small talks before talking about work to ease up to it, to break the ice. He can already feel it melting.

“And what do you want to do?” he asks which receives a surprised blink.

Jungkook gapes at him, eyes wide, mouth hung open. It’s an unusual question in this industry, the producer knows. There’s no such thing as requests when you are only one of the thousands of trainees that line up each year. Either you get lucky because you are that talented, the agency will form an image for you, but if you’re not then you can go to hell. Yoogi knows it, he lived it. That’s why he started as an individual producer: because he didn’t want to do anything with entertainments that act without taking the artist into consideration.

“I love softer sounds, melodies,” the idol finally says, breathless, like it was a dream waiting to come true. Yoongi hums.

“You like piano?”

“Yeah,” the singer nods slowly, his gaze shifts to the synthesizer in the room, eyes longing and fingers twitching.

“Can you play?” the producer can’t help but be interested. Jeon Jungkook is a phenomenon that intrigues him.

“A little. Not too well.”

“Show me,” he asks and it’s a little bit like plea. He’s curious.

Jungkook doesn’t say anything, just sits close to the instrument and takes a deep breath. He opens and closes his fist before laying his long fingers on the keyboard trying the sound. His eyes flutter closed for a moment and then he starts to play.

It’s a slow melody, an awfully familiar one therefore it’s risky but Yoongi barely notices mistakes in the harmony. It warms his heart and when the song ends, his voice is stained.

“It’s my song,” he says with other question hidden behind the vowels and consonants: why?

The way Jungkook smiles at him as if he’s proud that he made the great Min Yoongi a bit speechless is dangerous. It’s hard to remain unfazed.

“Yeah. I really like it. It’s on my inspiration playlist,” the idol admits and Yoongi has to clear his throat to change the subject.

“So softer sounds it is,” he concludes and goes back to click more on his computer. He invites Jungkook closer and they listen to the snippets, the drafts, check the lyrics he has previously made and talk about the concepts. They talk for hours until their stomachs grumble and they have to order food because neither of them wants to go out. Not yet. The song and even more songs starts to come to life, gaining their forms. Yoongi is on the roll because Jeon Jungkook is a best muse if he’s ever had one.

Sometimes the singer’s gaze lingers on him, a touch is more fleeting than it should be or their thighs press together firmer because they sit so close. It’s all these little things and Yoongi would be a liar to say that he didn’t fall for the nation’s favourite charms like everybody else.

It’s only then when sometime after 11pm Seokjin rings Jungkook quite annoyed after many ignored texts. They are so so close to the finished product but they can’t prolong it any longer. The younger has to go. He has a concert in Taiwan tomorrow evening.

“I– I have to go. I have an early flight,” the singer mutters as if it wasn’t obvious. Yoongi understands, that’s his job after all.

“Okay.”

Jungkook seems unsure to leave, he just fidgets with the too long ends of his sleeve and looks around searching for something, anything. The producer clears his throat to gain his attention. Those doe eyes snap at him immediately. They exchange a soft smile.

“Can… can we continue it after I come back?”

And oh, Min Yoongi is a weak man. How could he say no to that?

“Of course. Just don’t be a stranger, Jeon Jungkook!” he casually leans against the doorframe and he hovers over the singer while he packs, shoving the bag onto his back and catches the glint in his eyes.

“I won’t. Thanks hyung,” he mutters and waves cutely just like when he came but his gaze holds more confidence now. Yoongi sighs as he watches him go, heart aching in a good way. Very good indeed.

[thepoetcarpenter]

A Cosmic Adventure

Right off the bat of Everyday Life, Coldplay comes out with another album, Music of the Spheres. Where Everyday Life explores cultures, Music of the Spheres is the exploration. That is, the exploration of the ether. Full discretion, I’ve been a fan of the band ever since their first single, Yellow, and been following them throughout the decades. Music of the Spheres is everything we’ve come to expect from Coldplay throughout the years and a little bit more. 

It is a little bit Mylo Xyloto and a little bit Ghost Stories. It is done away of the eclectic of Everyday Life and reembraces the synth-pop and pop-rock that we come to love of Coldplay of late. On a funny note, there are several songs titled by cosmic symbols which I thought were going to be difficult to titled here in this review but I was wrong. They’re also titled in regular English. The album is a  space themed album coming from Coldplay. Just to show, Chris’ and the boys’ heads are in the stars. In the case of this album, if you’re shooting for the stars, you’ll get there. 

I love their previous album, Everyday Life. It was the first album from Coldplay in a long time that I actually got the chance to listen to the whole album many times. I got two days with this album on my walks around the block and just yesterday I got this cosmic ethereal feeling while listening. Every song on the album sounds like Coldplay, the only one that threw me off was People of the Pride. It was a delightful surprise, and after several listens, I come to realized that this song is actually about King Gob. It is a badass track. It gives me a little of Muse’s Uprising impression. When I hear this I expect a war march would ensues, or at the very least a riot after a heated football match. Human Heart, the song right before, is soulful. If I was on a cosmic adventure, this would be the interlude of the soundtrack. The simple lyrics is beautiful. And the synth that goes with it, is just as wonderful. Chris’ vocal is autotuned and synthed to the transcendence. And Amber Strother’s is a good counterpart. 

The second track, Higher Power, is masterfully produced. It sounds like the type of songs a pretty and eclectic girl would dance in the living room to. It is a party song that will still rock while listening even alone at home. The next track, Humankind, reminds me a little of 80′s synth. While I was listening to it while on my walk around the neighbourhood, I thought this would be the perfect soundtrack to a sci-fi film. The song is electric, and it keeps you shaking in your boots. The last song, Coloratura, is over ten minutes long. It is like a space opera for your ears. It starts off with ethereal ambient sounds that synchromesh with the piano. I guess, if a sci-fi classic like 2001: A Space Odyssey is made into a rock opera, this song would fit the bill. Long track or not, it is a great finish for another great album from Coldplay.

Overall, the entire album, is a great listen. Even on my daily walks with my headphones, Coldplay brought me along in their cosmic adventures around the universe. The album has great synths and great pionos scattered throughout tracks. The guitar and drums are just as great as what any other rock bands are selling. The songwriting is like a page taken from your great sci-fi love stories. And after several listens, I come off even a bigger fan of Coldplay. Even after over two decades in the industry, their talents never seem to fade.

[makiiiworld-blog]

NEW MUSIC: DeJ Loaf – Last Time I Checked

Dej Loaf is back with a vengeance. The talented Detroit rapper left the game after amassing a list of memorable features alongside a simmering single. If you thought Dej was gone for good though, you're dead wrong. Dej came through with "Who Gon Stop Us" early in November, and before the month ends she has blessed us with another track. "Last Time I Checked" is an addicting new single produced by iRocksays. The cinematic synths and slow knocking drums create the perfect nighttime music vibe. This is a track that you bump on that midnight car ride, contemplating about life, or hot boxing the whip.

Dej's vocals bubble in autotune as she gracefully switches between rapping and singing. She asserts confidence on "Last Time I Checked," casually reminding her fans that her crew is living the good life. Dej references The Notorious B.I.G. several times on the record, calling on the energy of the late great icon to help guide her musings.

Quotable Lyrics Many men, many men Listening to 50 Cent Get Rich Or Die Tryin' My niggas told me I'm a legend, I'm a pioneer I was going through some shit I had to disappear I can make a gangsta cry real tears

STREAM HERE

[madnessstation]

Μετά το Malibu...

Παιδιά του Μαντνεστέησο, εδώ και πολύ καιρό θέλω να μιλήσω για την δημιουργικότητα του Matt Bellamy και, γενικότερα, για την εποχή των Muse στην δεκαετία του 2010. Μην ξεχνάτε, πως από το 2011 και μετά, έχουμε έναν Bellamy ο οποίος μέχρι σήμερα έχει καταφέρει να κάνει ένα παιδί με ηθοποιό του Hollywood, να έρχεται για fancy διακοπές στη Σκιάθο, να μετακομίσει μόνιμα στο Malibu, να κάνει ένα παιδί, να χωρίσει, να βρεί μια μπεμπέκα από το Blurred Lines, θα αγοράσει 2 σπίτια στο Malibu, και θα πηγαίνει σε επιδείξεις μόδας μαζί με την Momager. Και μη μου λέτε πως η προσωπική ζωή δεν επηρεάζει την δημιουργικότητα!    Για να το κάνω πιο λιανά: The 2nd Law (2012): Λεφτάααααα...ΛΕΦΤΑΑΑΑ!! Αδιαμφισβήτητα η πιο ακριβή παραγωγή του συγκροτήματος. Και δώσ’ του χορωδίες, και δωσ’ του συμφωνικές, και ηχογραφήσεις σε ένα legendary studio. Γιατί; Για να βγάλουν πρώτο single το S U R V I V A L (ή αλλιώς -επιτομή ��ου Κρίντζ), που η επιτροπή των Αγώνων στο Λονδίνο το είχε καραχεσμένο (ναι, το βασικό τραγούδι των αγώνων) που ξεροστάλιαζα το 15χρονο μες τα μεσάνυχτα για να ζήσω το θαύμα να τους δω στην ΕΡΤ, και για να συνέλθω περίμενα μέχρι τον τελικό να δω το reunion των Spice Girls. Αλλά,ε εντάξει, μου έκαναν και οι Muse την χάρη να κάνουν μια εμφάνιση που μας προσέφερε τίποτε άλλο παρά memes. Και ακολουθεί το Madness (με το πρωτότυπο double neck bass kitara, που ο κακόμοιρος ο Chris με τον Morgan φορτώθηκαν όλες τις καγκουριές του Μαθιού), που όταν το άκουσα πρώτη φορά περίμενα να είναι ft. George Michael, αλλά εξακολουθεί να είναι Muse, σε έκδοση Queen από Lidl (το σόλο του Madness και το Survival), που ευτυχώς κάποια σημεία στο κομμάτι το έκαναν αυθεντικό Muse, το pre-chorus, και το brigde.  Drones (2015): Λέγε ο,τι θέλεις, είμαι τεμπέλης Psycho και γιορ αςς μπηλόνγκς του μη νάου, με ριφάκια βγαλμένα από την ανακύκλωση και λίγο αρχοντορεμπέτικο, το Dead Inside που μας θύμισε πόσο ωραία ήταν η μουσική το 2008 και το γκομενοκράξιμο (βλ. εισαγωγή). ΓΙΟΥ ΚΑΝ ΚΡΩΛ (άλλη πατάτα από κει). Mercy (λες και το ‘γραψαν οι Coldplay) και στο βίντεοκλιπ η Μπεμπέκα (είπαμε, κάθε 3ο single και γκόμενα) και το Defector που ΣΙΓΟΥΡΑ το έγραψαν σε φάση -άντε να γράψουμε ένα τραγούδι ΟΠΩΣ ΝΑ ‘ΝΑΙ για να μην νομίζουν πως αλλάξαμε από τότε που ήμασταν στα ντουζένια μας. Simulation Theory (2018): [από τον τίτλο κι όλας] Ο Χριστός κι η Παναγία. (άσε που πάντα πάω να το πω Stimulation, αλλά δε γαμίεται) Ξεκινάμε με....[drum roll] DI(G)CK DOWN. E όχι. ΟΧΙ ΓΑΜΩ ΤΗΝ ΠΑΝΑΧΑΪΚΗ. ΔΕΝ. ΟΧΙ. ΔΙΣ ΙΖ ΚΑΝΣΕΛΝΤ. Σαν να πας στο δισκάδικο, να βλέπεις το single του Madness, και να ρωτάς τον πωλητή “αυτό το έχετε σε φθηνό;” και να σου φέρνει το ο-θεός-να-το-κάνει-τραγούδι απαπαπα-αυτό-το-ακατανόμαστο. Thought Contagion; My songs know what you did in the dark (βλ. παρακάτω) hours of night when you’re bing-watching Black Mirror. O μπαμπάς του Thought Contagion (το Exo-Politics) έχει κρυφτεί στη γωνιά του γιατι δε νιώθει τίποτα άλλο παρά ντροπή. Kαι αυτό το πανηγυράκι San Junipero-Back To The Future-Batman συνεχίζεται, με το Shape Of You ααααααααα, με συγχωρείτε, κάτι που θα έγραφαν σίγουρα και οι The Killers, το Something Human, που μελωδικά ακούγεται καλύτερα από τα πρώτα 2. Και για τέλος, το νεότερο single, το Τhe Dark Side, που λες “τι γίνεται εδω ρε παιδιά”. Που λες: ΕΠΙΤΕΛΟΥΣ ΛΙΓΟ ΠΑΛΙΟΣ ΚΑΛΟΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΜΑΘΙΟΣ, το τραγουδάκι ωστόσο βγαλμένο από τα mid 00′s αλλά και πάλι γαμάει. Το κοινό που έχουν όλα αυτά τα singles μεταξύ τους; Autotune. Ναι, καλά μου παιδιά. Όλα τα παραπάνω τραγούδια έχουν au to tu ne. Και αυτό με στεναχωρεί πάαρα πολύ. Αλλά αυτά σου κάνουν οι Αμερικές. Από το Έξετερ με την κιθάρα στον ώμο και το πιανάκι, πιάνεις το Ώφονο και γίνεσαι ένας άλλος Bono Γιάννης Πλούταρχος. Μαθιέ, κάτσε καλά. Θέλουμε μουσική που θα μας κάνει περήφανους να είμαστε Musers, όχι τα draft που είχες πετάξει στα σκουπίδια και τα επανέφερες. Και όλα αυτά, γιατί η ζωή σου είναι μες τα φράγκα. Τα βιβλία τα πέταξες, ξεκίνησες το Netfix. Γιατί νομίζεις πως τα είπες όλα, στα προηγούμενα άλμπουμ. Όμως δεν είναι έτσι. Ήσουν και παραμένεις το είδωλό μου. Και τώρα αυτοκαταστρέφεσαι στη χλίδα, στα παρεόνια με την Kris Jenner και στις Μπεμπέκες. Σε είχα πρότυπο γιατί ήσουν διαφορετικός απ’όλους αυτούς. Μέχρι που γλυκάθηκες και συ. Μακάρι να θυμηθείς ποιος είσαι. Αυτή η ιδιοφυϊα που έδωσε σε μένα αλλά και σε χιλιάδες άλλα άτομα, νόημα στη ζωή τους.

[chasholidays]

Clarke and the Holograms! Girl band AU. Grounder Misfits? ALLIE is Synergy?? Whatever you think is fun! Some Bellarke thrown in is always welcome. :) The current comic reboot is epic and has a good wiki. Thank you!

Bellamy’s in the girl band, because that’s his jam.

Sometimes, just sometimes, Clarke will take a step back and really think about her life, and when she does that, she will admit that her life is, well, weird. Like when her best friend’s little sister’s girlfriend shows up at her foster home out of nowhere with a sob story about her bandmates discovering her secret relationship. That’s not something most people have to deal with, like, ever.

“They kicked you out of the band?” Bellamy asks Niylah. He has his arms crossed over his chest, a deeply unimpressed frown on his face.

“They didn’t kick me out,” she says. “They strongly advised me to reconsider my personal relationships and my future with the band.”

“How is that not kicking you out of the band?”

Niylah shrugs one shoulder. “They haven’t actually kicked me out yet. I’m on probation.”

“Yeah, but–just for dating O?”

“You’re the enemy,” she says, and that’s a large part of the weirdness. They have enemies. Not just rivals, actual enemies, people who are invested enough in their perceived differences that they’re actively trying to sabotage them. And part of her gets it; between album sales and stocks in Griffin Media, there’s a lot of money at stake here.

But at the same time, they are, at heart, having an argument about whose computer has the best graphics card and autotune. It is serious business, but it’s just kind of–ridiculous.

“No one here is your enemy, Niylah,” says Clarke, making her voice gentle. “Just because some of the Sky People live here–”

“Everyone but the mysterious lead singer,” says Niylah. “Or so you claim.”

“She’s got a secret identity,” says Bellamy, with a shrug. “She could be anywhere.”

In a way, the most bizarre thing about Clarke’s life is that no one seems to suspect she’s the band’s lead singer. She’d be offended, if she wasn’t actively incognito, but, seriously, one time Finn said it couldn’t be her because the lead singer was way too much fun.

So her cover is working, but it does kind of suck. She’s a world famous pop sensation, and no one even knows.

“You have a place to stay, right?” Octavia asks Niylah, all concern. She hasn’t dated anyone since Lincoln, and it’s kind of surreal seeing her with someone new. But in a nice way. Clarke likes when her friends are happy.

Niylah nods. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

“If you need a place to stay—“

“Let’s not get carried away,” says Bellamy. When Octavia glares at him, he just shrugs. “Like she said, we’re the enemy. How do we know this isn’t a trap?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Bell.”

Clarke wants to agree with her, but unfortunately, she’s on Bellamy’s side. It’s unfortunate only because, again, this is her life. This could plausibly all be a Grounder scheme to get eyes on the house, and she really wishes she didn’t have to think that.

“If Niylah needs a place to stay, we’ll help her find one,” she says, firm. “But it might not be here. We’re full,” she adds, before Octavia can protest. “Sorry.”

The two of them take off, and Clarke drops her head onto Bellamy’s shoulder. She’d say he’s been invaluable since her father died and left her the foster home, but he was invaluable long before that. The Blakes were some of the first kids Jake took in after he opened up Sky Home, and even if it took them a little while to warm to each other, she and Bellamy have been looking out for each other for almost that long.

“Did you ever think we’d end up like this?” she asks.

“Which part?”

“Any of it.”

“I thought you or I would take over the foster home someday,” he muses. “But the technologically enhanced rockstar thing is definitely a surprise.”

Clarke has to smile. “Yeah, none of us saw that coming. You think Octavia’s going to be okay?”

“She’ll be fine. Niylah too.” He gives her shoulder a squeeze. “You will be too.”

“Who says I’m not fine?”

“All the bags under your eyes.”

“Good thing I’ve got a holographic disguise so none of our fans will ever know.”

He snorts. “Yeah, that’s the good part. I’ve got to go check on dinner. Practice later?”

When he stands, she instantly misses the warmth of him by her side, but she can’t say that. They’re friends.Friends don’t tell friends they want to snuggle more.

Instead, she just says, “Yeah, see you later,” and watches him go.

*

Before she assumed an alternate persona as a glamorous rock star on the weekend, Clarke was dating Finn Collins and feeling slightly guilty about it. She liked him, but he’d been dating Raven before he started dating her, and even though he broke up with Raven, it never quite sat right with her.

As Bellamy put it, saying I couldn’t be with her when I liked you so much is the kind of thing people is romantic, but is actually kind of a red flag. But Clarke had liked him, and Raven told her to go for it, and it wasn’t like they were getting married, so she figured she could give it a shot.

But apparently, he likes Princess better than he liked Clarke. Not that he’s alone in that; her alternate persona is a lot more popular than she is. But it’s most awkward with Finn, who decided that, as with Raven and Clarke before, he can’t date Clarke while he feels this way about Princess, and dumped her.

There’s a version of the story with a happy ending, the one where Lois Lane realizes Clark Kent and Superman are the same person and she can have both, but Clarke’s not interested in that story, not when Finn has made it clear how much her prefers the famous version of her. He’s not conflicted; his mind is made up. Hers is too.

“We could get dinner sometime,” he’s telling her, after their show. “I could show you the town.”

“I don’t consume food,” she says. They’re trying out making people think she’s actually some kind of robot, which is kind of fun. “Where’s your girlfriend? What happened to her?”

“Who said anything about a girlfriend?”

“Bellamy.”

It seemed like the simplest solution, after a month of pretending Princess didn’t know a thing about Finn. Bellamy’s part of the band, has seen them together, and knows Finn is or was Clarke’s girlfriend. If they were different people, he would have told Princess about Clarke, and Princess needs an excuse to dislike him.

Finn huffs, rolls his eyes. “He never gets tired of ruining my life.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asks, sounding more like herself than Princess. She reminds herself to smile, giggle. “Bellamy’s great.”

“I used to be dating a friend of his,” he says. “He’s got a thing for her, he’s never forgiven me for dating her. Even though we’re broken up now, the guy can hold a grudge. But they grew up together, they’re like siblings.” He frowns, suddenly. “Wait, you must know Clarke.”

A part of her brain is stuck on the number of stupid things he said back there, but the rest of it recognizes the opening he’s given her for the blessing that it is.

“Oh, you’re Clarke’s ex. And Raven’s! I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection. I’ve heard so much about you.”

The color is draining from his face. “That’s–”

“We’re done here,” she says. “You used your chance with us with Clarke, and you blew it.”

“Princess, please–” he starts, and when she glares, he rethinks what he was going to say. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

“If you’re always finding you’ve never felt about someone else the way you feel about your girlfriends, you should take a break from dating for a while. Think about what you really want. We’re done here,” she says again, and leaves before he can protest further.

She’s on her way to Bellamy when someone else says, “Princess!” and she turns to see Lexa.

Lexa’s another one of those in a different life people. Clarke likes her, likes her intelligence and ambition, her talent and drive. But they’re rivals, enemies even, and Lexa hates Princess and doesn’t know Clarke exists, and Clarke would have trouble getting over how Lexa and her band are literally trying to take money that she wants to help orphans. They’re not trying to be cartoon supervillains, probably haven’t thought about it in those exact terms, but Clarke can’t forget.

Still, they’re colleagues, sort of. “Lexa. How may I help you?”

“What are you playing at?”

“Music,” she says, after a moment of consideration.

Her scowl deepens. “Your bass player is dating my drummer.”

“I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“If you’re trying to use this to get information–”

Clarke sighs. She’s tired and grumpy and feels as if she’s dealing with every stupid romantic problem in the book, with absolutely no romance in her own life. All she wants to do is find Bellamy, tell him about Finn, and let him know, in case he’s ever wondered, that she’s never thought of him as a brother.

She assumes Finn is mostly full of shit, but if he’s not, she wouldn’t mind finding out.

“I don’t need information about you. If we’re competing, there’s only one way I want to win: by being better than you. No tricks, no mind games. Just talent.”

Her mouth tugs up at one side, grudging. “How novel.”

Clarke shrugs. “It seemed easier than that all this subterfuge,” she says. “Don’t kick Niylah out of the band for getting a girlfriend. That wouldn’t play well.”

“No. Does your bassist like her?”

“She seems to.”

Lexa nods. “Then I’m glad. May the best band win.”

It’s an easy sentiment to return. “May the best band win.”

*

She doesn’t manage to find Bellamy in private until the next morning. He’s in the kitchen at the house, making breakfast for everyone, and Clarke lets herself just look at him. Dating within the band is probably, on some level, a bad idea, but she’s not really in the band, is she? And if Bellamy wants to date her, she’ll want to date her, not Princess.

And if he wants to date her, she’d really like to know.

“I got to tell Finn that Princess would never date him,” she says, leaning against the counter next to him.

“Yeah? Awesome. How?”

“I asked him about his ex-girlfriend, he said it was me, I got to pretend I didn’t know he was the same Finn who broke up with Raven and Clarke and tell him we were through once I figured it out.”

“Yeah, that checks out. Congrats.”

He’s poking at the eggs in a very pointed way, making her smile. She has always wondered, if he might–

It’s hard, to think about making a move on someone who’s so important to her. Without Bellamy, her whole world falls apart. But it’s so much harder to think of never saying anything. Of never knowing.

“I told him you warned me.”

“Yeah, I probably would have.”

“Finn thought you were trying to ruin his life.”

“I’d probably do that too, but I don’t really think he needs the help.”

She bites her lip. “He says you don’t have a chance with me because we’re like brother and sister.”

Finally, Bellamy falters, hand stilling as he moves the pan, but just for a second. “Sounds like a lot of shitty assumptions in there.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure he’s ever been more wrong about anything.”

Another pause, and then he turns off the burner, moves the eggs off the heat, and looks at her. “Wrong about everything?” he asks. He’s wearing his pajamas and his glasses, and he doesn’t look a thing like the guitarist for a wildly popular band.

Then again, she looks even less like their lead singer. But this is them, the real them. This is the way she wants to be loved, quietly, in the morning, with eggs on the stove and no fame or fortune.

This is what she wants.

“Absolutely everything,” she says. “You’re not my brother, and you–”

He moves in before she can finish, pressing her up against the counter, the kiss hot and solid, like he’s afraid the sentence won’t end how he wants it to, and Clarke winds her arms around his neck and pulls him closer, opening his mouth for him, and the soft noise that escapes from the back of his throat is the best thing she’s ever heard.

When Madi interrupts them, she’s on the counter with her legs wrapped around his waist, his mouth pressing messy kisses against her neck, no more words between them but no questions either. Bellamy wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t love her, and she wouldn’t if she didn’t feel the same.

“So, we’re making our own breakfasts today?” Madi asks, and the two of them jump apart, coming back to themselves. Bellamy stares at her, glasses askew, and when she smiles, he grins.

“If you wait a minute, I’ll finish the eggs,” he tells Madi.

“You looked pretty busy.”

Bellamy glances at her, still smiling, as he goes back to the stove. “Nothing that won’t keep, right?”

Clarke gives Madi’s hair a ruffle as she goes to the coffee pot. “Yeah. I think we’ve got time.”

*

“I think we’re all wondering, any romance between the two most eligible members of Sky People?” asks the reporter, grinning at Bellamy and Clarke.

Well, Bellamy and Princess. Clarke’s not here. That’s the whole point of the disguise.

“Ever since we found out about Octavia and Niylah from Grounders, I think we’ve been wondering who’s next. And the two of you are clearly very close.”

Bellamy glances at her, and then shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong, Princess is great. But I’ve actually got a girlfriend.”

The reporter looks genuinely surprised. “I haven’t heard anything about it. Who is she? Another musician? Or–”

“No one you’ve heard of,” he says. “No one famous.”

“And what about you, Princess? Any new suitors on the horizon? Boyfriends, girlfriends?”

“No,” she says. “I’m not really looking right now.”

“No?”

Her smile is completely genuine, aside from the way it’s partially holographic. “Nope. I’m all set.”

[kathlcen]

what the heck is up, everyone?? it’s nicole back with another character !! i’d like to introduce y’all to my Messy child, kathleen yang !! i’m sure this post is riddled with grammatical errors, but uhhh... just go with it please. like always, like this post or message me for plots. i’m a hoe for all the connections.

[ chloe bennet, cisfemale, she/her | plot 3, muse g ]  —» monday morning  by  fleetwood mac was playing earlier, and as usual, it reminded me of  kathleen yang. if you didn’t know,  the 27 year old has been living in sundance for 1 year  and they're pretty busy as a co-owner of desert sun records. when they're not working, you might find them hiking and taking photographs. if you do see them around, keep in mind that they can be headstrong & competitive, but also sociable & free-spirited. —» 

you can find some of her wc’s HERE !! 

kathleen is the human embodiment of the feeling you get when you drive with the top down, blasting music and screaming the lyrics at the top of your lungs.

she finds enjoyment in everything she does & is always down for a good time. 

always Down to Clown & is very, very friendly

she can get reckless like reaaaally reckless. she was a bit of a partier & a wild child back in her college days. that side can come out every now and then, and by that... i mean always.

she’s hella goofy & tends not to take things so seriously. kind of a go with the flow person when it’s all chill and good.

however, she’s REAL competitive. she’ll trash talk you in any board game or really anywhere there’s competition. she hates losing & will 100% be a sore loser about it.

she’ll tell you like it is though. it’s a no bullshit territory when you’re with kathleen.

when she’s in her serious states, she’s incredibly headstrong & it’s either her way or the highway — which obviously doesn’t help when it comes to being in business with someone else. 

speaking of her business, she is definitely not built for the business world even though she was a business administration major in college. the only reason she opened desert sun records is her love for music & wanting to share that with the world.

she’s a firm believer that the songs on the radio now are overproduced & trashy.

if there’s autotune, you can count her out. she is NOT interested.

but older rock music is her go-to david bowie, credence clearwater revival, queen, etc.. however, she would literally die for fleetwood mac, so jot that down.

lowkey likes a few popular songs & will dance to them at parties, but that’s her only exception.

her dad was a sundance native & she would visit every summer with her family. she was so enthralled by how cute it was here and knew that one day she’d want to live there herself. 

so with a dream of opening a record shop with her best friend, she moved to sundance herself about a year ago to settle in and scout different buildings !! 

she’s in love with this place & never wants to leave.

[ms-m-astrologer]

Transiting Venus enters Virgo

September 19 - October 14, 2017

My mom is a Virgo, with a Virgo MC and Venus Rx in Virgo. She’s never liked the sign’s “official” birthstone, the sapphire: “They’re too dark. You can’t tell they’re blue.” Maybe that’s why (again) I had so much trouble finding an acceptable jewelry photo.

Venus is in her fall in Virgo. Astrologer Isabel Hickey wrote of this placement, “This is an indication that the critical and analytical mind is far from an understanding of love. When a person has Venus in Virgo they may be discriminating and proper but they are extremely unloving and apt to be faultfinding. They have not yet learned to love and have difficulty in attracting love because of their own lack. They can change, and the secret is hidden in the higher meaning of Virgo: service and humbleness of heart.”

Transiting Venus through this sign, then, doesn’t have an easy time of it. We find it extremely difficult to relax, for starters, and what transiting Venus is in search of is (among other things) opportunities to relax. You won’t fare too badly if, like this blogger, you like to relax by doing logic puzzles or reading nonfiction. You could also find some refuge in honing your artistic talents into a higher level of competence. But as far as sitting around doing nothing goes - forget it.

We’re also inclined to pinch pennies when Venus moves through Virgo. Frugality is a virtue - “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without” - if it makes sense to us, to make a big-ticket purchase, and if we have sufficient funds to pay for it, then we may possibly shell out the big bucks for something. Maybe.

We want partnerships to be useful, above all. They’re apt to be one-sided as well when Venus is here, with one partner dominating (or wanting to be dominated by) the other. As long as everyone agrees about the levels (depths?) of relative servility, we should be fine.

Which of your natal houses is Venus/Virgo transiting? If in the 2nd House (for example), you may be sorely tried in budgetary matters - which may or may not be a kind of camouflage for self-esteem issues. In the 7th House, you’re being tested in your one-to-one relationships: you may be critical of your partner, or vice versa; questions of imbalanced domination and subjugation may also arise.

Finally, as this entire transit is under the “Venus Lucifer” aegis, we’re in something of a mood to reevaluate our Venusian side(s). Perhaps we overdid it during the Venus/Leo transit; perhaps we sense there is something further along. Astrologer Michael R. Meyer explains, “This part of the cycle of Venus symbolizes a gradual refinement of goals and values, as well as a more deliberate and confident approach to relationships. In a sense, Venusian qualities are being honed and better defined as they become closer integrated with Solar will.” Our experiences while Venus transits Virgo can be immensely helpful with this process.

Celebrities with Venus in Virgo: Carrie Fisher, Julia Roberts, John Lennon, Eminem, Robin Williams, Mick Jagger, Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro, Robert Redford, Catherine Deneuve, J.K. Rowling, Angela Merkel, Pink, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sophia Loren, Bruno Mars, Simon Cowell, Jack White, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Hemsworth, Buster Keaton, Kevin Spacey, Sylvia Plath, Neil Armstrong, Martha Stewart, Johann von Goethe

Saturday, September 23, Juno/Capricorn trine Venus/Virgo, 5:02

Quite auspicious for a wedding, even if those two signs aren’t generally acknowledged to be romantic! We can find much pleasure and satisfaction in our professional partnerships, as well as via our romantic ones. This aspect may also help us find patronage for our artistic pursuits.

Planets/Points affected lie between 4:02 and 6:02 of the yin signs Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces.

Friday, September 29, Neptune Rx/Pisces opposite Venus/Virgo, 12:11; Uranus Rx/Aries (27:18) sesqui-quad Venus/Virgo (12:18)

Ouch. We aren’t seeing clearly at all, be it about our finances or our artistry or our relationships. At the same time, our standards have been set so impossibly high we wonder if we didn’t unconsciously set  them prohibitively high - whatever it is we’re after, we never wanted to pursue it in the first place, so this is the “convenient excuse” allowing us to give up. Another possibility is that technology can’t hug us. There is no substitute for loving arms. And any technology we use to help us achieve perfection (thinking about you, Autotune) is no substitute for reality. Sometimes we do set our sights simultaneously too high, and not high enough - it’s in the intent, as always.

Planets/Points affected lie between 11:11 and 13:18 of the mutable signs Gemini*, Virgo*, Sagittarius*, and Pisces*; and between 26:11 and 28:18 of the cardinal signs Aries*, Cancer*, Libra*, and Capricorn*.

Saturday, September 30, Pallas Rx/Taurus trine Venus/Virgo, 12:53

This is especially appropriate for Venus’ artistic side. We want to find a mentor (or become one) and really buckle down to the hard work required to attain artistic mastery. As Pallas is currently retrograde, we may have some work to do to achieve the higher levels. Perhaps we aren’t ready yet for a better mentor; perhaps we’re so circumstanced that we can’t currently afford one. Grrr. Buckle down and keep hacking at your scales and practice drawings - Van Gogh didn’t just pop fully fledged from his muse’s brain, but put in unbelievably hard work into his craft.

Planets/Points affected lie between 11:53 and 13:53 of the yin signs Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces.

Tuesday, October 3, Venus/Virgo trine Pluto/Capricorn, 16:51

Beneficial for working partnerships, because the practical, results-oriented earth energy ensures everyone is on the same page. It also bodes well for making prudent long-term investments. Someone may come into our lives with an amazing idea which we can capitalize on; even the most far-fetched ideas seem attainable.

Planets/Points affected lie between 15:51 and 17:51 of the yin signs Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces.

Thursday, October 5, Venus/Virgo conjunct Mars/Virgo, 19:12

At first glance this seems like a big waste - the two sexy planets in the sign of the goody-goody? Not exactly a placement for overt, showy romanticism, to be sure; but the quieter varieties and expressions of romantic love, we find, are much more appropriate. This is the beginning of a fresh two-year cycle between Venus and Mars, during which we continue to bring out the best in our partners.

Planets/Points affected lie between 18:12 and 20:12 of the signs Taurus, Gemini*, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius*, Capricorn, and Pisces*.

Sunday, October 8, Saturn/Sagittarius square Venus/Virgo, 22:42

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” This square just plain hurts - we can take some comfort in the fact that, as it’s a mutable square, the painful situation is relatively new and, thus, easier to recover from. How much suffering and distress is caused by the “well-intentioned” criticizing others “for their own good?” Today it flies back in our face. Perhaps one way to avoid causing pain is to refrain from offering advice unless we’re specifically asked for it.

Planets/Points affected lie between 21:42 and 23:42 of the mutable signs Gemini*, Virgo*, Sagittarius*, and Pisces*; and between 6:42 and 8:42 of the fixed signs Taurus*, Leo*, Scorpio*, and Aquarius*.

Monday, October 10, Chiron Rx/Pisces opposite Venus/Virgo, 25:36

Either we’re looking for fixer-uppers, or we are the fixer-upper, with this opposition. Be very careful that you aren’t trying to “fix” in your partner something that’s really “your” problem. Take care, too, that you aren’t trying to “balance out” some issue by going overboard with some different issue. Finally, we may offer our assistance to someone who refuses it - and we have to deal with it. Ugh.

Planets/Points affected lie between 24:36 and 26:36 of the mutable signs Gemini*, Virgo*, Sagittarius*, and Pisces*; and between 9:36 and 11:36  of the fixed signs Taurus*, Leo*, Scorpio*, and Aquarius*.

[spookfactor3k]

Not sure what I’m calling this =/

So this is the first small portion in what I hope is many more to come! I don’t know what I want for a title on this yet but hopefully I figure that out sooner than later. Enjoy :)

Victory,

Once again, congratulations on having made it to the final rounds of our selection process. After having had careful consideration on our part, and countless hours of your valuable time as a shadow to our most respective team members we have finally made a decision on our recruitment. The Cadets regret to inform you that you have not been selected as our new recruit. We believe that you are an amazing hero with just as amazing talents, but see just as much talent in another recruit who we believe may hold more of our ambitions and goals in mind. 

We wish you the best in future endeavors and hope you can make it as far as you can. Feel free to use us as a reference.

Silver Comet

PR and recruitment. Ph.D

Samuel read the note one more time, this time letting his heart fall like a rock in the watery depths of disappointment. Nobody to turn to and give the news in his apartment inside Seattle, home of The Cadets, held only him. Wearing a dark blue jacket and jeans, he let the note drop to the ground and moved his hands to press against his face. Thee outright rejections, one wait list, and two interviews left. “Fantastic,” he said sourly, dropping the piece of paper on the table. Hopefully one of the remaining three pull through. 

Dropping onto the couch, he glanced at one of the few pictures on his sparse, cream colored walls. One of him and his aunt, he was about seven at the time; his powers would begin to manifest a couple years after that. His toothy grin flashing all his baby teeth galore and a couple missing ones. On the top of his head was his aunt’s headpiece, who was crouched next to him in her iconic Tiara costume. She had warned him it was going to be hard to get into a team, he just didn’t realize how hard it was going to be; especially without her help. 

Grabbing the apartment keys, he sighed and went for the door. Hoping to blow off some steam outside, he went down the hallway and into the through the buildings main entrance. At first, he was greeted with the sound of a honking horn. Looking up he spotted some man flip off a car as he jaywalked in front of it. Snorting at the commotion, Sam dropped down the few steps under the door and walked further into the city.

- - -

“You didn’t get the job, huh?” Amanda said, writing down Sam’s usual in her booklet.

“Said they found someone better,” He complained to his roommate.

“Fifty bucks you could have kicked some sense into him,” she mused. “You want fries with that, right?” Sam nodded with a pitiful look on his face. The woman rolled her eyes. “Okay, look here,” she said, sitting down next to him. “I have another table I have to get to, but I can deal with that in…” she looked at the clock, “like forty-five seconds. You’re special, and when I mean special I mean really good at what you want to do. So what if they can throw fireballs or turn invisible, stuff is useless if you can just heal yourself from anything just a couple seconds later. Hell, not to mention you’re bulletproof, Sam. That’s like superpower want number one; pairing that with the fact you can carry up to 60 tons with it only feeling like a cell phone is pretty surreal. You have nothing to worry about, you just gotta wait for the right time.” She winked and flicked his forehead. “I gotta go, make sure you leave a tip this time.” 

Amanda adjusted the brown ponytail her hair was in and approached a booth a few feet away, leaving Sam to sit in his own silence. Nursing a soda, he looked out the window of the table he was sitting in and sighed. Hopefully that opportunity comes soon, before he runs out of money for rent in three months. 

The loud squeak of his opponents shoes signaled an attempt to move. Sam easily parried it and grappled the trainer, capable of slamming him into the ground; instead he let the young Latino man out of the grip and steady himself. “Nice job,” Mario said, hitting Sam’s shoulder in a friendly punch. “Make sure you keep your balance though, I saw you slip up a couple of times” 

Sam acknowledged the comment with a small nod, a stale smile pressed onto his face. Worst case he’d probably just end up working in this gym, helping every other wannabe superhero try and get their way into the business, or maybe just have to deal with Amazona’s Pilates class every Wednesday. Sam accidentally interrupts just one workout class with fifteen different super powered women and he is pretty sure his toes are still twitching from the lightning bolt that hit him on his way out.

Mario tapped him lightly, bringing Sam out of his trance. “You know him?” he asked, jutting out his chin to someone behind them. Sam looked over to see a man, roughly in his college age years leaning on the wall patiently, wearing a black domino mask with a very revealing one piece silver leotard with a leather jacket over it. He looked like he was probably just waiting on Mario to finish up the lesson. 

“Nah, you?”

“Wouldn’t have asked you if I did,” Mario said as he shrugged. “I gotta go, workday’s up and I have a meeting to go to. Catch you at our next session.” 

The two said their goodbyes and Mario went for the door, looking at the man who just kept his eyes trained on Sam. The moment Mario closed the door to the training room behind him, the stranger approached Sam. 

“Hey, uh,” the blonde man seemed to ponder for a second, “you’re Victory, right? Tiara’s nephew.” 

“Who’s asking?” Great, another fanboy looking to try and get to Tiara through her nephew. He thought as he tried to walk past the lean blonde, upon closer inspection he had to be about nineteen or twenty. 

“Attitude like that isn’t going to get you a job, Victory,” He said in cool confidence. “My name’s Autotune, I’ll be conducting your interview for the Lionheart Group.” 

Sam’s stomach dropped and his face started to heat up. “Oh my gosh I’m so sorry, I just didn’t think that they’d send someone so… young to do this.”

“Yeah yeah whatever… you can’t really fix what you just said, let’s get this over with.” Autotune rolled his eyes. 

The superhero walked out of the gym, leaving a dumbfounded Victory to stumble after him.