#31 october 2022

[sunshineandlyrics]

💙 Bands reacting to the NME's article about Louis' generosity, 31 October 2022 x x, x x x x x x x x x x x x

Full article x

[louisupdates]

Supporting Louis Tomlinson isn’t “lame” – he’s helping new bands to reach the next level

The former One Directioner is using his platform to uplift rising artists – so it's time to put an end to the musical snobbery surrounding him

By Rhian Daly | 31st October 2022

Right now, the internet is saturated with new music. Touring is becoming increasingly harder thanks to surging living costs and complicated new Brexit rules. Everyone, apart from the biggest artists (and even they’re not safe), could do with a helping hand right now. So why, then, are some acts trying to put down both bands accepting a leg up, and those artists using their platform to pay it forward to those for whom these opportunities could make all the difference to?

Last week (October 22), The Skinner Brothers’ Zac Skinner caused a stir online when he tweeted: “I see all these bands going on tour with Louis Tomlinson from onedirection… fucking laughable. I wouldn’t ever do that on account of it being incredibly LAME.” It reeked of old-school snobbery, implying that because Tomlinson was once a member of the biggest British pop group in recent history, being associated with him was something to be ashamed of.

In a follow-up tweet a couple of days later, Skinner doubled down on his position, comparing him hypothetically supporting the former 1D member to “The Clash supporting Madonna”. His one-minute rant about the “sterilisation” of guitar music felt dangerously close to throwing out the term “real music”.

Regardless of what you think about Tomlinson’s music – past or present – his consistent support of the UK’s underground scene is nothing but admirable. Although, as he told NME earlier this summer, keeping up with all the new music around these days is tough, he’s always armed with recommendations to share with his followers online when they ask for tips. He’s regularly given new and smaller bands support slots on his tours and at his Away From Home festival. He’s even helped out other acts financially when they’ve needed it the most, like when Manchester band Maruja had their gear stolen from their van. Last October, after they reached £2,000 on a crowdfunder to replace the instruments, Tomlinson quietly dropped £4,000 their way, helping them reach their target.

“We were absolutely blown away,” singer and guitarist Harry Wilkinson tells NME of the surprise contribution. “Honestly, we’d probably still be trying to get our gear right now. We’ve made a lot of progress [as a band] this year and, without Louis’ help, we definitely wouldn’t be able to be in the position we’re in right now.” The items Maruja had stolen were things they’d been collecting “all our lives”, including “really rare pedals” they’d likely have struggled to get back at all.

That open-minded reaction to bands is something that feels common within Tomlinson’s fanbase. When each band took to the stage at this year’s Away From Home festival in Málaga, the crowd cheered on every band as enthusiastically as each other – from newcomers like Scottish band Voodoos, who won a competition to kick off the day’s events – to indie legends The Vaccines. It was incredibly heartwarming to see, particularly given this was a crowd of predominantly female fans – a force that has shaped pop culture for decades.

Most mentions of fandoms and stan culture these days are barbed and negative, pointing to ever-growing toxicity online. While that is accurate of some people, Tomlinson’s fans have largely reacted to The Skinner Brothers’ comments in a way that make the London act’s point even more redundant. On Twitter, fans have been collating a playlist of unsigned and upcoming bands – some with ties to Tomlinson, others without – and, in turn, giving those artists more much-needed exposure. “He’s got everyone talking and smaller bands have benefitted from it greatly,” Cooper concedes of Skinner’s original tweet, smiling at the irony.

Community spirit – from Tomlinson’s fans, from artists with a platform they can use – is becoming more and more important as the cost of living in the UK explodes. Financially, rising bands are feeling the strain more than ever, limiting their ability to play as extensively as they once might have been able to. “It’s expensive – you spend so much money on fuel and staying in hotels and everything,” explains Wilkinson.

“You’re trying to grow an audience [through touring] so you can start making money,” Maruja saxophonist and singer Joe Carroll adds. “But you’re having to say no to shows because it’s not gonna be worth the journey – you’re not gonna sell many tickets, it’s not in a city you’ve been able to perform in before, and it’s gonna cost loads to even be able to get there. Having support slots with bigger artists is a great way of growing those things.”

For The Outcharms, not only has opening for Tomlinson given them a rise in interest in the band, including an uptick in monthly listeners online, it’s also helped them see their musical endeavours in a different light. “The mentality of the band has changed – it just gave us a little bit more belief and [and made us open to] taking more risks,” Cooper says. Earlier this month, the group played their biggest headline show to date in the main room at legendary Sheffield venue The Leadmill. “Eventually we would have got to that point, but I don’t think we would have made that leap [before].”

Tomlinson’s dedication to lifting up new bands comes from a place of pure passion. Speaking to NME at Away From Home in August, he cited one of his reasons for starting the festival as wanting to “showcase upcoming bands”. “I’ve always been really interested in the development stage of bands’ careers,” he said. “I think they’re some of the most exciting times. So any way where I can help anything like that, that’s always been really important to me.”

Those who’ve received Tomlinson’s support so far are in agreement that his approach to music should be the norm. “If you’re an artist, you want to see art evolve,” reasons Wilkinson. “I think it’s definitely important once you get to a certain level or a certain amount of status to push for more opportunities [for smaller artists]. The more of that, the better.” Instead of belittling artists for their backgrounds or not sticking to the boundaries we used to put around different genres, we should be celebrating those who are willing to help uplift the whole scene, not just themselves – lord knows we need more of that right now.

[landhinlove]

Happy 7 year anniversary to the hug that shook the arena

[autumnal-blonde]

Update 10.31.22

SIKE i actually weigh in at 141.6 lbs so that’s so much better. Hopefully I’ll be 141 tomorrow as long as I have a light dinner 11 lbs in 60 days is only 1.3lbs a week. Much more doable

[canylmazz]

[asimple-life]

كل مرة بقول خلاص الموضوع مش في دماغي، تيجي حاجة تخبط عليه بس تفكرني انه حمل ثقيل أوي ومستخبي ورا باب محتاج حد يفتحه ويرتب الكركبة اللي وراه

[komorebiandskies]

10/31/2022

[tyforthevnm]

Some of my favourite pics from Kristin’s IG reel. Thank you so much to Kristin and Mikey for sharing parts of their lives with us this past year. These are such special moments and I’m glad that we’re able to be part of them.

[card-of-the-day]

Today's Card Is: Pumpking the King of Ghosts

[glimmerofawesome]

[louisupdates]

31.10

[mermaidinthecity]

haileesteinfeld: ♥️

[autumnal-blonde]

October 31, 2022

144.0 lbs

Lowkey hate myself because I wanted to be in the 139.8 by November, but I’ve just been eating junk food from my freezer because I haven’t wanted to spend any money on groceries. I think I’ll also post my budget because I finally paid my mom off from the washing machine I bought on her Home Depot credit card.

Now I can really focus on saving up for a car. My goal is by this time next year I’ll buy one. I just go back and forth on whether I should keep my old car too still.

But anyways I have 61 days to lose 14 lbs. It’s roughly 1.6 lbs per week so that’s doable…if I actually focus on it. I think my surgery slightly messed me up though. Lots of time spent laying in bed and I’m still not cleared to exercise for another week. At least I didn’t gain anything but I can tell my muscle mass is disappearing.

I miss my ex. Even though I shouldn’t. I’m not sure why I’m having such a hard time not thinking about him but he’s in my dreams every night. Sometimes happy sometimes sad ones. I loved him more than I’ve ever loved anyone. I miss our kisses. I miss the sex. I miss when he was actually good to me. I made the joke to my sisters that I was going to find a witch to curse him and ruin his life but they said he already seems to be doing that himself.

All jokes and anger aside I hope he finds happiness in himself. Because nothing is going to make him happy until he works on himself. Doesn’t mean I want him to find love or fuck up some other girl’s life but please find inner peace.

[hellothereimhannah]

21/31: Incantation

(2022) dir. Kevin Ko

[littlemixdaily]

jadethirlwall: Diamond in the rough. The Princess Jasmine cut 💎‼️🧞‍♂️❤️‍🔥

📸 @pharaohdraws

[komorebiandskies]

10/31/2022