#Cat Hicks

[a113cowgirl]

A major player in the production of the Cars Franchise, especially as Lightning McQueen’s lead animator in Cars 3, Cat Hicks, has unfortunately been laid off after 15+ years of service at Pixar.

This week’s devastating layoffs at Pixar are yet another symptom of chaos and uncertainty in the animation industry. Many of those familiar with it, myself included, agree that this is the worst state the industry has ever been in in its history… due to corporate greed, and profit-over-creativity.

Please be vocal in your support for animators and creatives. It’s likely going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Softball/Baseball Romances

Playing for Keeps by Jennifer Dugan (f/f YA) The Prospects by KT Hoffman (m/m) Unwritten Rules by KD Casey (m/m series) Heart of the Game by Rachel Spangler (f/f) You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian (m/m Histrom) Bonus: These are all prose novels, but for a graphic novel series, check out Grand Slam Romance by Ollie Hicks and Emma Oosterhouse (f/f))

[technotwerp]

Chic hicks

[allamericandaily]

ALL AMERICAN (2018-) S03E06 "Teenage Love"

[laviniackat]

[forensicated]

Smiffina Episodes - Episode 442

Beth Adamson, one of the alleged victims of the serial rapist suspect, Keith Durante, has made a 999 call to say Durante is following her again. Beth is nowhere to be seen until Emma shouts from around a corner to alert Smithy she's found him. Smithy crouches down in front of her and gently comforts her, reassuring her she's safe. Emma remains at the scene trying to find witnesses to either Beth screaming or Durante following her.

Adam arrives, telling Gina his sabbatical isn't able to start until he's solved the problem that is on the front page of the paper...

He's also horrified to hear that Heaton has told Gina to move on if not happy and that she's seriously considering it! Gina tells him everything that has been happening since he arrived and that Heaton ignores everyone else's opinion and decides what's happening only by himself - despite not knowing the area or his officers. Adam reassures her he'll talk to him. In return she agrees to attend the mayors 'do' that evening for a goodbye drink just for him. The DAC asks Gina to make sure that John attends the mayors do that evening too.

Adam listens, alongside the Deputy Assistant Comissioner, as Gina approaches Heaton with a problem that has been raging all week without any input from Heaton other than to direct the public to the press office. Unfortunately that approach is worse than useless and with 2 of his superiors in the room, Heaton finally has to fold and tells her to get the available officers into the briefing room and let him know when she's ready. As she leaves, Gina and Adam exchange knowing looks.

The DAC and Adam confront John about the paper report, where the neighbours whos house was barged into without permission or any history of being attached to the 'crack den' next door are saying that if the gran who died was treated like they were then it's no wonder she has died. He claims the headlines are nonsense and Adam points out he needs the papers onside so Heaton invites both down to the problem estate with him to hear the public opinion for themselves.

Before they leave, Gina takes Tony into her office and lets him into the plan of the Superintendent to potentially replace the older officers with 2 new ones and warns him to remain squeaky clean.

Kezia goes to speak to Jack about the Keith Durante case and updates him on the mornings happenings with Beth. Kezia says she'll speak to Beth's phone company to ask about the calls and then will pay a visit to the Durante house. Mrs Durante tells Kezia that Keith was at an interview with a cab office during the time he was alleged to have harassed Beth. His wife doesn't look overly surprised but before she can open up Keith returns home and stops them. His wife looks incredibly uncomfortable too as he kisses her cheek in greeting and he hands Kezia a business card for the cab company, telling her he got the job so his alibi will cover him. Beth is horrified to hear he has a job with another cab company after he used his car with his old cab company to pick her up and then went on to rape her. With no evidence they can't prosecute him. Worse off it appears to be pure chance they were on the same street because of his job interview.

Another 999 call comes in regarding Beth, it appears she's received a bunch of flowers with a card saying 'I'm sorry, we need to talk'. She attacked the driver, threw the flowers everywhere and stormed off according to witnesses. Kezia stops her from approaching the cab company Keith works and comforts her. The calls that were harassing Beth came from call boxes and the flowers were purchased by a teenage boy that could have been put up to it by Durante. Kezia believes Beth's constant rejection of him is what is fueling him because she thinks he's ready to admit what he did to obtain forgiveness from Beth. She wants to set up a meeting with Beth and Durante and be just a minute away. They set up Matt to tell her what she can't ask him and prepare her for what they need for it to be used as evidence.

Adam tells John that he should keep Gina onside as she's a valuable asset. "Sun Hill works much better with Gina than without her." He tells him to set up local initiatives and to tackle the cause rather than just the symptoms. Heaton insists they won't work without showing the boundaries first and what will and won't be accepted. "That's all very well for public morale, but what about the morale of those at the station?" Adam asks. They get called to Tony and Leela who have had their tires slashed and one of their reg plates stolen whilst assisting a young girl. Heaton growls at them and bollocks them for it and tells Tony he's attracting lots of attention today and to stop it. Adam whispers to him to watch himself just incase Heaton tries anything big.

As a fun aside: Tony and Leela have a car chase round the back of the studios 😂

Beth has left a message on Durante's voicemail for him to come round and the surveillance dept are planting hidden cameras and microphones around her place as Smithy and Kezia watch. Smithy is going to be in the bedroom as Beth's security and he'll be able to hear it all and also receive instructions from Jack through an earpiece. They tell her to appear at the window if she wants him out and they'll send someone to 'break it up' casually without the cover being blown so they can repeat it if necessary. Keith calls and arranges to come over and Sun Hill move - Smithy in the bedroom and Jack, Kezia and other extras in the flat next door - just a few seconds away.

Keith tells Beth he has been dying to talk to her and claims he feels like a teenager preparing for his first date. He claims he's fallen head over heels for her and that Beth is special and that she deserves to be wooed and he should be gentle with her. He claims he had a wandering eye until he met her and everything has now changed and his wife means nothing. He's close to admitting that he forced her... and then his wife rings and interrupts them and changes. He leaves to return home and the officers move in to support Beth. She claims she can't keep doing it until they get the breakthrough and walks away from them.

Gina and Heaton have a discussion about where they go from there. He says if she decides she can work with him all his fine, if not.... She tells him she likes the station, the team... but she is struggling to find something to like about John. She then tells him that she was impressed by the compassion he showed Beth Adamson before she went to 'meet' Durante and realised he might not be quite 100% bad after all. He admits that his zero tolerance approach might not work in every case and she smiles a little and points out he just admitted he was wrong - they start a literal 'oh yes it was' 'oh no it wasn't!' row - before both stop, pause, and burst out laughing at the ridiculous exchange.

As they return to the station, Kezia attends a debrief with the DCI and, deflated, heads downstairs. Smithy sees her and asks her to go for a drink that night to cheer her up after a disappointing day. They get interupted by Yvonne who has received a report from the plain clothed officer outside Beth's. A man was knocking and didn't get an answer but a window was open around the back - Kezia fears that Durante has Beth and runs back upstairs to alert Jack. Keith is nowhere to be found and Kezia visits his wife and tells her that Beth has disappeared. Louisa tells Kezia that he told her Beth was obsessed with him and that he loves her and she was a mistake. Louisa is clearly confused but she admits to Kezia if she believes what she's saying about him then that makes her husband a rapist. Kezia assures her she'd make sure that she was safe... she's said that to Beth many times too (!) She tells Louisa all she needs is a statement saying she wasn't with her husband at the time of the attacks. Before she can agree, Keith tumbles in and passes out cold. Kezia has to call an ambulance.

Gina and John have made up somewhat after their talk and both agreeing to be more flexible with each other and they attend the drinks do together. Adam is pleased to see them getting on. The DAC approaches them and tells Gina there are people John needs to meet so asks her to excuse them. She leads him further into the room and then adjusts his tie like a wife might... we've found 'the other woman'... It's obvious that Adam has realised too.

[eradicatedbliss]

Catffirmations:)

I made dis while studying abraham hicks and took what resonated with me and some lessons! Now i see how this can still be applied to the law of assumption still!! and edited sum so yassss:)

[clemsfilmdiary]

The New Deal Show (1937, Dave Fleischer, Hicks Lokey)

Betty Boop #70

10/24/22

[king-sassy08]

Why do people act like living in the city is the greatest thing ever. Oh go live in the metroplex you'll meet lots of people and you'll never be alone again and you'll be surrounded by friends. I've never felt more alone in my entire life. I live in a city. I live in the metroplex and I'm so alone. This never happened in the country. The city is so isolating and cold. You're never alone in the country. You see the same people at the single grocery store every day. You probably don't like them. One of them probably bullied you. A few of them probably hate you as much as you hate them. But you see em every time. You see the same roads. The same deer. The same people. It's just...not the same. The city is huge and packed and feels so empty in such a hollow way. The country is huge and open and simultaneously empty and packed and in a way that doesn't feel alone. Or it does. But the alone is different. I can't explain it. I just don't understand how country people leave and talk about how the city is so much better. Sure, political climate, ok, I see that. But anything else? I can't understand it. The two weeks until I go home feel like the longest weeks of my life.

[starb0oooy]

Happy fourth everyone! Just wanted to share one of my favorite Southern traditions: buying farmers produce off the side of the road.

[heartsleevemag]

GALLERY: Indigo De Souza

by Amber Hicks

Asheville, North Carolina native, Indigo De Souza, put on a sold-out, show stopping performance at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina, this past Wednesday night. Before the night even started, the vibrant energy that filled the room was one of eagerness, passion, and joy. Dressed in a crop top that read “Happy Barbie Birthday to Me” with a light blue plaid skirt to match, Indigo De Souza took the stage. Opening with Time Back, the first track off of All of This Will End,De Souza’s empowering live vocals captivated the audience creating a delicate and vibrant atmosphere. “Time Back” was a wonderful first choice for a song successfully capturing the outlined setlist and her music as a whole. The connection that Indigo De Souza made with the crowd was astonishing, speaking candidly to and with fans throughout the night. She did an amazing job at making the experience personable for her fans. By the end of the night it was evident that Indigo de Souza created a pleasurable experience that left the crowd yearning for more. Check out a few of our highlights below.

[activatingaggro]

sayyid and the boneseer

Today is a writing day. Can I jam this out? LET’S FIND OUT.

Context: As a child, Liyiji’s ancestor, Sayyid, was separated from her liegelord/boss after the dragon lusii of a rival bard attacks their carriage. She wakes up to find herself in the forest with a broken leg, being cared for by a mysterious yellowblood..

.. in the point of the République l'êtrefleur Bleu’s history where the average caste is still blue, and no one’s quite clocked on the existence of anyone lower than teal yet. Shenanigans ensue.

“My lord raised me,” she said stiffly. It was impossible to tell exactly where those strange eyes fell, but the witch had turned their face to watch her, the vast wings of their ears just barely afloat. “There is nothing queer about that. It’s the way of things, is all.”

“Is it?” Had she ever heard such doubt caught only in two words?

“Yes. Who raised you, then?” An idea struck. “Did no one raise you?” Sayyid asked. How was a witch hatched? “Oh. Oh, did you - were you - have you always been alone, then?”

She didn’t expect the witch to laugh.

High, high above them, the light rippled. There was no breeze, no rustle of movement, but the branches of the trees shielding them must have stirred all the same. For there were leaves falling, lazy little tufts of white that spun as she watched.

The witch lifted a hand. The leaf fell on it, as neatly as if it had been called. “What are you doing?” Sayyid demanded, leaning forward. The second leaf had landed on her palm, as nicely as the last, but the witch’s mouth twisted. They looked up towards the sky, and they sang a high note, so much sweeter than anything she’d ever heard from them before.

“Are you going to sing?” she asked. “My lord --”

The witch paid her no mind. The leaves were falling in earnest now, as thick as if they had called them down. Their spin through the air was no longer so lazy. They moved like they had a purpose, almost. When the witch spread out their arms, it certainly seemed as if they knew what to do; they landed on their skin, on the cloth of their shirt, layer upon layer piling on until they began to look frostbitten from the heft of them.

There was a leaf drifting past Sayyid. It was the first that had come near her, but perhaps it had been pushed by the weight of the rest falling - propelled from its path like bubbles escaping an anchor. She reached out to grab it, but there was no need. Perhaps it wasn’t the witch’s magic that had drawn the leafs to her, for it landed on her palm as easily as if she’d called it.

“I’ve never seen a white tree before,” she said, lifting her hand. “What type of -”

The leaf moved.

It wasn’t a leaf. What she had thought to be the plant’s paper-thin skin had only been wings, with a membrane stretched thin and pale over an impossibly small frame. There were half a dozen legs, all scratching gently away at her palm. It had eyes, large, vapid ones that watched her carelessly as she tried not to shriek.

Her lord would never scream over an insect. He hadn’t even screamed when the dragon had taken him!

“Art thou frightened, girl?” the witch jeered. The flash of their arms, their shoulder, their nape had all been hidden under the ripple of moths. Perhaps they’d grown tired of stillness. Perhaps, Sayyid thought wildly, she had scared them - because now they were moving, shifting, a pulsating mass as alive as any river. “And one thought thee did wish to see mine own parents. But nay! Instead thee quake, and quail - over what? A mere bug, a leigeman of our air? Doest thy lord save thee from every vermin, lest thee fucking weep?”

There was heat in her cheeks. There was heat in her eyes, Sayyid realised with a flash of horror, settling in the corners like a promise she would be shamed. The moth still sat on her palm, unbothered, as the witch laughed again. It wasn’t like her lords’ laugh, or even his ladies’ - it was a cruel, wretched sound, colder than the blood that ran in any of their veins.

“One was raised by the sun, and the sky, and all that live in it, girl,” the witch said. “Dost thou find that answer fucking enough?”

[sinceileftyoublog]

Joseph Decosimo Interview: How Does It Make You Feel?

Photo by Libby Rodenbough

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Count multi-instrumentalist Joseph Decosimo as another in the great line of contemporary players making old music for modern times. Like his friend and collaborator Jake Xerxes Fussell, duo Anna & Elizabeth, or even James Yorkston, Decosimo constantly thinks about what traditional folk songs mean to him--and us--today. The fiddler, banjo player, pump organist, and phD-holding folklorist, like Fussell, has had the opportunity to study with legendary trad players. For Decosimo, that’s the likes of Clyde Davenport and others in areas of Tennessee and Kentucky where he grew up. At the same time, Decosimo has surrounded himself with some of yesterday and today’s most exciting players from the thriving scene in Durham, North Carolina, where he lives, from Fussell and Hiss Golden Messenger’s MC Taylor to legendary singer/multi-instrumentalist Alice Gerrard. These influences combine to find a bridge between the past and the present on his upcoming album While You Were Slumbering, out next Friday via Sleepy Cat Records.

To your average music listener (whatever that means these days), many of the songs on While You Were Slumbering do sound from another time. The album starts with recently released single “The Fox Chase”, based on a field recording of Dee Hicks calling up foxhounds, bolstered by the warmth of Decosimo’s nasally vocals and the fiddle, banjo, and strings. It ends with the instrumental “Bob Wills Stomp/Wild Goose Chase”, a two-part song of melancholy fiddle and, yes, a jaunty soundtrack for running amongst waterfowl. Throughout the record, Decosimo conjures Appalachia, with tunes of lost dogs, fruited alcohol, possums and racoons running amok. On the video for first single “Will Davenport’s Tune”, a 19th century banjo piece he learned from visits with Clyde, Decosimo's vivacious plucking is laid atop impressionistic images of nature, interspersed with rippling, yet grainy watercolor, a hazy mirror to a location only folks who have been there will be familiar with.

At the same time, on the album’s best songs, Decosimo’s interpretations offer newfound clarity to tunes etched in a former time. “Man of Constant Sorrow”, which most listeners will know for better or for worse due to its inclusion in Joel and Ethan Coen’s O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, is presented not as a prickly, nonnative bounce, but as a solemn hymn appropriate for today. Just as prescient is “Trouble”, though the hopefulness inherent in the song’s beautiful harmonies is rooted in the idea that bad things, like everything, will inevitably cease to exist and be replaced by something else, perhaps something better. It’s a stunning song, the album’s emotional centerpiece.

Though Decosimo plays plenty of instruments on While You Were Slumbering, the album is certainly bolstered by his chosen collaborators: Joe and Matt O’Connell of Elephant Micah, fiddler and singer Stephanie Coleman, composer/fiddler/pump organist Cleek Schrey, bass clarinetist Alec Spiegelman (who also mixed the record), and Gerrard. He wouldn’t say this, but to my ears, While You Were Sleeping represents a sort of sharing of the torch moment from Gerrard to Decosimo. This isn’t to say that Gerrard is done--quite the opposite, actually--but that Decosimo’s record has the same connection to the traditional repertoire that so much of Gerrard’s music does, precisely why he wanted her to play and sing on the record. “She’s a national treasure, as far as I’m concerned,” Decosimo told me over the phone in September. “She’s a force of nature.”

During our conversation, Decosimo, somewhat sleep deprived as a result of his newborn baby, nonetheless thoughtfully contemplated where he fits in the music world as a result of his new record, from academia to traditional circles to Durham. Read our interview below, edited for length and clarity.

Cover Art by Gabe Anderson using watercolor assets by Larissa Wood

Since I Left You: Do you feel a kinship with other players, arrangers, and scholars who adapt to contemporary sounds the traditional tunes they’ve learned from various historical channels?

Joseph Decosimo: I think so. I’ve lived most of my musical life in this hardcore traditional world. There [were] opportunities along the way--especially living in Durham--to play with Mike Taylor on the early Hiss [Golden Messenger] stuff. In some way, what I’m doing is different from what Jake [Xerxes Fussell] does, but it’s coming from a similar place of tradition, and the question of, “How can I make this translate for people who are not folks who spend their time listening to field recordings?” This album is me asking that question and figuring out a way to do it. In some way, it probably registers to most ears as pretty traditional, but to me, it feels different. [laughs]

Because I’ve spent so much of my life in traditional places of music-making and artistry, what’s happening here is me trying to do right by that but also something that feels musical and approachable and accessible to normal people. It’s a tall order. We’ll see how it lands. Jake’s approach totally works and does right by those camps.

SILY: I don’t know if you’re referring to Greil Marcus, but when you talk in the liner notes about an “older, weirder America,” I feel like that quality has encapsulated the folk scene for some time. Over the past decade or so, though, there’s been a concentration on more of the expansive qualities of folk instruments--whether you want to call it cosmic Americana or not. I think this record touches on both worlds. Do you think those two worlds can exist in conjunction, or are they at odds?

JD: That term “old weird America” is convenient, but it goes a little overboard and [exoticizes folk]. I grew up in Appalachia, and talking to people around the region, there’s a little bit of cringiness around it. It’s just another form of vernacular music. What I was interested in was working with a traditional repertoire. The way I play is a departure from other folk artists at the moment. A lot of stuff is coming out of the Berklee School of Music’s American Roots Music Program. People who go through there have incredible chops, but a lot of the time there’s a similarity of sound that has to do with bigger trends in traditional string music. I was lucky enough to be able to encounter it, brush against it, and see it firsthand. The weirdness, to me, can be with the texture of how the older players sounded. If you go through a conservatory program, you’re going to be learning different techniques. The funkiness, [on the other hand,] there’s so much depth and beauty there.

I don’t know that I’m pushing towards the cosmic thing. I think it has more to do with Enya or something. [laughs] Using traditional instruments to create something layered and lush. The pump organ’s been around for a while. People used it in vernacular Southern music for a century, creating new sounds with it. I don’t know what the relationship between those two things is, but it feels like a lot of times maybe the way the old weird stuff gets treated is [that] it’s stuck on a 78, and that’s the performance mode. That can be amazing. I’ve seen incredible performances of people lifting material out of 78s and interpreting it beautifully and in a very faithful way to the old recordings. I think there’s something pretty wild in that, too, that’s pretty expansive, the creative uses and tunings of instruments that could register in that cosmic space.

SILY: Speaking of the cringe-inducing nature of the term “old, weird America,” a very Hollywood-ized manifestation of that idea is O’ Brother Where Art Thou?, which obviously made “Man of Constant Sorrow” well-known.

JD: Oh. Oh.

SILY: I can hear you cringing.

JD: A lot of people rode that wave. [laughs] Norman Blake, who is a phenomenal musician, probably made a lot of money from being involved in that movie, and certainly deserved to. The version on [the record] is learned from a field recording. It was kind of fun to dive into that, to be like, “This is not like this other thing.” It feels like it hits in a completely different way.

SILY: To me, the song on the album that’s most timeless because of its sentiment is “Trouble”. Can you talk about that track and why you included it?

JD: One of my favorite banjo players of all time is Virgil Anderson, who lived on the Tennessee-Kentucky line of the Cumberland Plateau, which is the Western edge of what we’d call Appalachia. I grew up on the Southern end, near Chattanooga, TN, but I’d been obsessed with Virgil Anderson forever. There’s a beautiful LP release by County Records in the early 80s, [On The Tennessee Line]. I never got to meet the guy. I love his playing. [“Trouble” is something he learned as a young man in his 20s when he played with two African-American musicians, the Bertrams. They would play in these little camps and communities in that area. [So] it’s a piece that a white player learned from the Black repertoire of Appalachia. He sings it in a chipper way, which is cool and works, but during July 2020, I had been playing it for a while, and it started to resonate in a very different way. I think we were all dealing with things in different ways in that moment. That song started feeling less like a chipper banjo piece. It’s incredibly simple, but it has a kind of power. It was a time when you couldn’t hang out with people who weren’t in your house. I sent it to Joe O’Connell, who is in Elephant Micah and writes great songs and has a great way of arranging stuff. He added this pump organ and harmony part and sent it back to me. My friend Stephanie Coleman added the fiddle part and vocal part. It went from this old field recording of Virgil Anderson and became something that felt way more powerful. My friend Alec Spiegelman said it was making him cry as he was wrapping it up, which was unexpected, to end up with something so direct.

Part of this project was me turning 40 and wanting to expand, wanting my music to connect with more people. [“Trouble”] a piece I was sharing with family members who know nothing about the type of music I make. They were connecting with it.

SILY: For some of the songs on the album that are instrumentals, if somebody doesn’t take the time to learn about the song’s context--and not everyone does--and just looks at the title, and there are no lyrics to go by, they’re interacting with the quality of the arrangements and the instruments themselves. Can you talk about how you treated the instrumentals in context of the whole record?

JD: One thing Jake and I have had several conversations about is that at times, it feels like if you’ve really studied these traditions and have dedicated energy to learn your instrument and play it well, people will reduce you: “Oh, he’s just a fiddler or banjo player.” People will be glad to have you play on their album, but you can’t contribute back out [with your own varied material]. The way I was thinking about a lot of these tunes was, “How does a person in the 21st century listen to a fiddle tune or banjo tune? How does it matter to you? How does it make you feel something?” I know that when I listen to the fiddle, I can feel it. [But] how do you create a connection? One of the [challenges] is trying to find melodies that are just beautiful and stick with you even if you’re not accustomed to listening to a fiddle. A lot of these pieces were played solo for a long time and nourished people, doing the work that art does. How do you make them continue to do that work?

SILY: Take a song like “Clear Fork”. There’s that droney background hum that people like for the same reason they like to look at a Mark Rothko painting. It’s still, but it’s shimmering and rippling at the same time. Contrast that with the tangible sound of a banjo, there’s a lot to take in. People are free to interpret it the way they can, even more than the song that comes before it on the album that references 19th century European politics [“Young Rapoleon”].

JD: [laughs] So much of my musical social life is going to fiddler’s conventions and playing tunes after tunes with people. My relationship with an instrumental piece, I have no concept of how others might hear that kind of thing. I know them in a certain way. There’s a sociality to them because of where they’re played, but to imagine that it’s kind of an expanse for people to imagine their own interpretation or experience is a fun thought. I like the beginning of the “Clear Fork” piece because Stephanie has a shimmery harmonic that at first sounds like it could be a flute. One of the other things we were working with was a little bit of the ambiguity of the sound. The percussion in one spot on “Will Davenport’s Tune” tune is Matt O’Connell knocking on something. He can’t even remember what it was he was knocking on. I had sent him a field recording of a guy from Eastern North Carolina who would wrap his knuckles on a table and create these incredible rhythms that mimic percussive dance. People who know this music might think it’s somebody’s feet, but it’s sort of unclear what it is.

SILY: Can you talk about the relationship between the visuals and the music on the video for “Will Davenport’s Tune”?

JD: My friend Gabe Anderson who runs the label helping put this out, his friend Larissa [Wood] combined to work on the visuals there. There are a couple things at play; Gabe can explain more of the concept. I have a friend who is a folklorist named Sarah Bryan who has been documenting tombstones all over the South, especially North and South Carolina, for the last couple of years. She shared a picture of a tombstone from Stanly County, North Carolina. It’s a weird tombstone without a single word, but there are circles that are imperfect with weird triangles. It looks weirdly contemporary, the way people are into shapes these days. This tombstone stuck with me when I saw it. It started coming to mind when I listened to Clyde Davenport’s piece of music. Larissa made paintings built off of the crude shapes of the tombstones, and those are at play in the video in this really beautiful way over the top of nature scenes. The thing that Gabe came up with in the end feels right for the music in a way. He was hearing the different elements of the reedy, breathy pump organ, and the clackiness of it, and the woody knocking sounds of the banjo. In some of the videos, he was imagining the sound of those images. I’m really curious if I were to show the video to Clyde Davenport what he would have made of it. [laughs]

SILY: What’s the inspiration behind the record title?

JD: The 90′s romcom While You Were Sleeping.

SILY: Is that really true?!?

JD: No, that’s not true. But the ballad “Man of Constant Sorrow”...ends with this line, “While you were sleeping, while you were slumbering / I am sleeping in the ground.” I pulled it out of that. I thought it was a beautiful idea. In some moment, I thought I had clarity on what the project was about: I felt like the project as a whole was emerging during this time of collective slumber. We’re all sort of checked out in our own little dazed worlds. It felt right. The music here is more dream world than real world. I liked the line in the ballad, and I liked the experience of what happens in the space of being asleep.

SILY: I’m sure you’ve played these tunes throughout your life, but are you going to change how you play them in the future based on these specific arrangements?

JD: Having a baby at home is a moment is not the most conducive to get out too much, but I’m definitely hoping to get some shows together, perhaps a little tour. I worked out a little band to perform this stuff, which has been kind of fun. Most of my public performance has been in a string band context, which is fun but has its own logic. [laughs] One of the fun pieces of this has been collaborating with people with little background in traditional music. They might listen to it but aren’t traditional musicians. Joe and Matt O’Connell have become a little bit of a local band. Joe can play pump organ, and Matt can play guitar and percussion. The arrangements are pretty straightforward, so it’s been fun to figure out how to make it work on a stage for an audience. I think it works pretty well; I’m enjoying it. I’ve slipped a little bit out of the usual string band form and context, so it feels a little more open-ended and inclusive. I can bring in sounds or people that feel pretty fresh that I haven’t worked with before. It’s open-ended enough that somebody can bring bass clarinet, and it will work with these settings. I’ve had a couple fun opportunities to play it with different people. My friend Andy Stack from Wye Oak, who can be plugged into anything, played percussion for a festival in Durham back in the summer with me. It’s very different from what Matt does.

SILY: Is there anything you’re working on in the short or long term?

JD: I have a project with my friend Cleek [Schrey], who plays on this album, and a long-time collaborator, Luke Richardson, which is more fiddles, banjos, and pump organ, which feels like very fresh interpretations of tunes. It feels a little more tune-ish, if that makes sense. I’m excited to get it out in the world.

I played a duo show with Jake Fussell back in July, which was a lot of fun. I think people enjoyed it. He was playing acoustic Spanish guitar and an old Gibson I have, and I was playing banjo and fiddle pieces. Maybe there’s more opportunity there. His approach to guitar playing, he knows the old ways of doing stuff but also has his own way. It felt good.

SILY: What material were you playing?

JD: Just a lot of traditional tunes. He occasionally writes instrumental pieces, but we were playing old folk songs from the South, and he had a song that Art Rosenbaum, the great artist and field recorder, recorded that we played. It was pretty listenable and musical. He and I have had similar paths and opportunities to spend time with older players. He’s created his own sound, and I’ve lived a little more in the traditional world, but we mesh nicely.

SILY: Anything you’ve been listening to, watching, or reading that’s caught your attention?

JD: I don’t know if I’m enjoying this: I’m not a big Stephen King reader, but I’m reading The Dark Tower series. I’m kind of stuck in it, and I think I want a break. There are like 8 books, and they’re super long. Maybe it’s not worth mentioning.

SILY: It’s okay. I don’t think he’ll see this.

JD: Most of my waking time has been spent with my little baby. You can’t imagine what it’s gonna be like before [he’s born], and we’re in this phase now where there’s lots of smiling, and he’s making these gurgly noises. It’s very cute. I’m more interested in watching that than a lot of things.

SILY: Do you play for your child?

JD: Mmhmm. He’s gotten a good bit of exposure to the banjo already. He gets regular doses. The fiddle is a little intense. It’s loud, but it really draws his attention. You’re supposed to give babies tummy time, where you put them on their stomach and let them look at stuff. Someone gave us this book of totally psychedelic [images], like a bear with a swirl and blue eyes, pretty trippy stuff. There was a little phase where I had him listening to the Dead and looking at those images.

SILY: You’re raising him to be a Deadhead!

JD: Yeah, from the get-go. He went to his first show Friday night. Our neighbor had a poetry and music thing, and Joe O’Connell played an Elephant Micah set. It’s the perfect show for a 4-month-old. It was super chill. From all accounts, he was pretty into it.

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Uriel's subtle revenge

Past =-= Next

Author's note: y'all inspired me to make a Uriel Ventris chapter with the Serf Reader. I hope y'all enjoy!

Warnings: A bit of Bully Cato, let me know if I need to add more.

Tagged: @sleepyfan-blog @bleedingichorhearts @kit-williams @barn-anon @c-u-c-koo-4-40k

Tagged: @i-am-a-dragon34 @egrets-not-regrets , @gra93fruit-blog

‘Sometimes,’ Uriel Thinks to himself as he carefully tracks down one particular Serf that comes from his planet of birth from a farming community near where he'd grown up, “I think Captain Sicarius believes His own hype a little too much.’

While the Captain of the Second company is an exceptional fighter with few who could match him in sword, bolter, and tactics. His personality was something that rubbed others the wrong way, like stroking a cat's fur the wrong way far too roughly.

He spots the Serf dutifully tending to their tasks, their hair pinned up and out of the way as they diligently clean the room. They look up and around, feeling eyes on them. They look into his eyes briefly before they look down and properly Bow to him, pausing their work.

“Greetings, Lord Angel,” They say with very care pronunciation.

Uriel remembers when he had Pasinius were young Aspirants and they’d been with a whole barracks full of boys within the acceptable age range from every planet within Ultramar and the teasing and mockery he and his oldest friend had gotten for their ‘hick planet accent’.

Your particular version of their shared accent is really adorable in his opinion. Even when you are trying to hide it, which is a shame in his opinion.

“Greetings Serf,” he says, allowing his Calthian accent to come through.

Their head shot up and they stared at him wide eyed for a moment. Recognizing their shared accent.

“I hear you come from a place near where I used to live,” Uriel continued. “Have the grox-cheeses in the deep caves aged into the wine-dark musk that I remember?”

“Yes, and the festival of cheese wheels happened a few months before I left, Lord Angel,” you reply, your accent thickening back to what it was before you'd come aboard the space ship.

You knew that The Angels of Ultramar are from all over the planets under the protective Custody of the Imperial Regent. But you hadn't realized that one of the farm boys of Calth had actually managed to become an Angel, from what you can read of his Armor, he's a Captain, which is somewhat high ranking. Although at least as far as you can tell, it is.

Uriel and you talk about the various festivals and celebrations that their towns share, to mark the seasons and other important Holidays and events that are celebrated either for local planetary things, or for more important Imperium wide events.

Uriel is regaling you about one of the times he had done the Space Cooper's-hill cheese rolling and wake, one Of the few that he'd participated in before becoming an Aspirant.

You had started to smile and giggle as Uriel was describing something when a voice called out, haughty, And annoyed, “tch, must you speak in such a low way Ventris?”

Uriel's smile only faded somewhat, but his eyes sharpen at the way that you were slightly edging away from the sharp, sour tones of Captain Sicarius.

Uriel allowed himself to glance towards the older Ultramarine, noticing the way he was fuming and scowling at the pair of them.

Uriel stopped himself from smirking a little bit as he realized just how Annoyed the noble-blooded Ultramarine was.

“Ah, Lassie,” Uriel drawls, thickening his accent further, glancing down at you with an innocuous smile,“th’ Cap is fair steam'd.”

“Speak. Properly,” Cato hisses at his annoying younger brother. “You are the Fourth Captain of the Ultramarines.”

Cato clenches his fists and relaxes them a couple of times. He had been going in this direction for a purpose, but what that way flew out of his head when he had heard and seen Uriel speaking with you.

And realizing one of the things is that had bugged him about you. That deeply annoyed him, throne-Cursed Ventris is also from Calth. And the little snot likes to use that accent, which no one but him and his fellow country Bumpkins can understand.

He is ignoring the fact that part of the reason he's so angry is that Ventris got you to smile and giggle at him. He should go to an Apothecary because one of his hearts had started hurting A little to see you look at a different Space Marine like that. Then the bizarre hurt turned into welcome and familiar rage.

“If you aren't doing anything important,” Cato barks at the pair of Calthians,”stop blocking the hallways and get back to work.”

You started to curl in on yourself As a hot flush of shame has your cheeks turning red. You had continued to work, albeit At a slower pace as you spoke and listened to Captain Sicarius's word.

“I think you need to dislodge your sword from your scrotum,” Ventris snarks at Cato.

Cato feels a vein start to throb in his forehead at the younger Captain’s Words." You and I need to go to the sparring ring. Now.”

“Gladly,” Uriel says, giving you a nod before following after an angrily stomping Cato.

He was glad he was able to speak with you for a little while. There aren't many fellow Calthians that go off planet.

[mitch-the-silly]

Hi! I'd love anything Husk related. My heart bleeds for this guy ♡

Drunk Husk confessions

Husk has a nightmare about lover and comfort

Husk can't find his crush after the extermination

His crush falls asleep on him during movie night with everyone

Any or all of them. Whatever you have time for. Thank you! ♡>.<♡

Hiiiii!! I cannot begin to express how much I love Husk, man. He's my favorite character in Hazbin (it's actually a tie between him and Vox bc Vox is so baby girl, but I digress). I'll gladly write for him any day!!!

I decided to do Scenarios about three of these (I sorta combined two of them because I liked the idea of Husk getting protective over his lover; you'll see o^o) because I just CANNOT get enough of this silly cat old man <3!!

Also, hope you don't mind I made this gender-neutral since no gender was specified! HOPE YOU LIKE IT!

Warnings (just in case): Nightmares, emotional manipulation, buildings burning down, implied harm to a loved one, Alastor being a bit of an asshole.

Husk x gn!Reader

Scenarios!

Scenario 1: Drunk Confessions

It was very late, and you presumed that the hotel's bar was closed, but fuck it. You figured that sitting on the stool wouldn’t hurt. You couldn’t quite sleep but could anyone blame you? It’s not like they’d kick you back into your room. So you descended the stairs in hopes that the hotel lobby would be more inviting and lacking in boredom, unlike your current room. Now this boredom was not to be mistaken for a dislike for the room itself. 

You made your way towards the bar area. Since the entire lobby was very dimly lit, you couldn’t see much, but only when you heard a noise from behind the bar, did you proceed with caution. The clanking of bottles alerted you but the moment you saw those white claws and that pair of red wings, you let your guard down. With a slight smile, you approached the bar, a chuckle escaping your lips.

Emerging from behind the counter, Husk stumbled a bit, clearly drunk out of his mind. Admittably, it was quite adorable to you. The dazed look he gave you. 

He squinted and hicked, suddenly realizing who he was looking at. “Fuck, don’t… ya scare me like that…” He slurred as he leaned on the countertop. 

“You’re fucking fried aren’t ya?” You chuckled at him.

Husk gazed at you, then looked down at his hands. Feeling himself get a bit dizzy, he let out a drunken laugh. “Y-yeah~” He spoke with a stupid little smirk. 

You couldn’t take him seriously when he was drunk. But you culdn’t help but stay here with him. “So, what’s on your mind, Husk?” You asked him. You know, just for funsies.

“Honestly…” He slurred, pausing for about three seconds, “Right now… I was just thinkin’ right now... that there’s a cute person in front of me… and that I wanted to buy them a drink… but then… then I thought… ‘Fuck… I can’t buy ‘em a drink… I’m the mother funkin’ bartenda’!’ It fucking… it fucking pissed me off.” He dunkenly complained. His eyes looking up at you since you sat atop the stool and he didn’t. His pupils were extremely dilated and his gaze seemed like one of absolute adoration. But it could also be how drunk he was.

The mere implication of his complement made you blush, but you tried to keep your composure, “Why aren’t you bold?~” You chuckled at him. “If you weren’t so cute, I would be able to resist those Kitty eyes.~” 

He pouted at your comment, “You’re a damn angel…” He slurred, after which he let out a stupid little giggle to himself.

“Oh, you’re the one witht he wings, baby~” You chuckled, leaning over to place a kiss on his cheek.

He froze in place, his face red as a beet. His pupils dilated again and he involuntarily let out a purr at it. Reaction which (even while intoxicated) he hated. He drunkenly hit his chest as if scolding his body for reacting that way. ‘Stupid fucking… cat body…” He muttered, maintaining his slur.

You giggled at this; it was sure going to be a hell of a story to recount to him tomorrow.

Scenario 2: Husk has a nightmare about his lover + Comfort

It began with darkness. Of course, it did. Last he remembered was closing his eyes in some way. He was bound to be alright, he figured. But boy was he mistaken.

He was finally able to open his eyes. Before him, a fire had broken out. But it wasn’t just any arbitrary fire, the Hotel was on fire. It didn’t quite register in his mind just yet, but the building was violently burning down. Everyone around him was in a panic and he moved with them. But not by mandate of his body. It was as if he didn’t have control of himself. Just then, he snapped into consciousness, he began to think properly. He couldn’t find them. Where were they? His lover… He stopped at the hotel’s main entrance and instead of running out like everyone else did, he turned around immediately.

Running back inside, he called out their name at the top of his lungs. The smoke was engulfing him. And just as he was about to give up and assume you’d made your way to safety, he heard their cry for help. Not wasting a second, he ran from where he could hear it: the second floor. They were probably stuck up there. He had to save them. He just did.

He used his wings, flying up and landing on the very few unharmed spots of the blazing carpet. He called their name out again, he couldn’t find them and every second that passed in which he did not lay eyes on them, he grew more and more anxious. Finally, upon receiving a response to his frantic cries, he found you.

Before him not only was not only the love of his life but the person he held rancor for the most… Alastor. The Radio Demon held you in his grasp, dangling you over the fire. Laughing maniacly as he stared right into Husk’s eyes. With his most intimidating voice, the overlord spoke to him. “You should know much better than to defy me, Husker.~ You wouldn’t want your little darling to suffer the consequences of your transgressions, now would you?” He taunted. “You let go of them! My soul’s the one that’s yours, not theirs. You ain’t got no right to harm her!” Husk exclaimed.

Alastor laughed as if he’d heard a joke. It was obvious he didn’t take Husk’s words seriously. “You’re quite mistaken, my friend~. I can do as I please!” He responded.

The hotel burned brighter, and before Husk could say anything else, Alastor threw them into the fire. Husk tried to jump in to save them. But his body didn’t move. As much as he tried to move it, he wasn't in control of himself anymore.

Alastor cackled, “You belong to me, I’ll be damned if I don’t teach you the way things are!” He grasped at the air. Husk’s chains manifesting around his neck. They cut the airflow, and he clawed at the shackle on him. Desperately trying to breathe. He closed his eyes, still attempting to break himself free.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the ceiling of his room. He panted as he calmed down, feeling a gentle hand beside him. He turned to his side, his lover beside him. The second he realized they were safe and sound, he knew what he’d just witnessed was a dream. No, not a dream. A nightmare.

“Husk, are you ok? Were you having a nightmare?” They asked him, reaching to caress his face. Without a second thought, Husk placed his face in their hand. The comfort of their touch significantly calmed him.

“I… I don’t want to talk about it… But… I’m glad you’re safe.” Husk muttered, reaching to plant a chaste kiss on their forehead.

His lover smiled, “Of course I’m safe. And hey, you don’t have to tell me anything… Just know I’m here for you, ok?” They mumbled, kissing his cheek in reciprocation.

“I… can I hold you…?” Husk asked, his voice a bit shaky. As if it was the only thing that would make him feel better.

“Of course…” They chuckled, a gentle smile on their face. Husk drew them closer to him. Holding them in his arms. There, right there was the one place he knew they’d be safe.

Scenario 3: Husk's crush falls asleep on his shoulder during movie night

If there was an activity everyone at the hotel loved to participate in was “Friday Night Movie Night”. Of course, it was something that had taken Charlie some time to establish, since she took a long time to filter out the movies she deemed went against the hotel’s goal, but alas, she made it happen. 

So today was Friday, 7 pm hit and everyone knew exactly where to gather. The lobby was crowded (by the five employees and two guests) with souls waiting to relax after a week’s worth of work toward redemption. Angel set up a blanket, and in his pajamas, he lay down in front of the old TV (a spot he was willing to fight someone over). He held Fat Nuggets (a baby hell hog Angel loved like a child of his own) in his slim arms as he waited for the movie. It wasn’t his turn to pick the movie, so he didn’t care much what they watched. Nifty was often times very easily distracted, but she was willing to sit for a movie for sure (or at least half of one). Sir Pentious on the other hand, always sat through them, marveling at the videography of each film. As for Charlie and Vaggie, well, they always cuddled next to each other while they watched the movie. Most of the time it ended with Charlie falling asleep on Vaggie’s shoulder, or in the opposite scenario, with Vaggie lightly snoring on Charlie’s shoulder. As for old Alastor, well… let’s say he was more fond of other mediums of entertainment and chose not to join them. But there was one sinner who would always watch from the foot of the lobby’s couch: Husk. He’d normally end up falling asleep during movie night, but he had nowhere better to be, so he simply attended them without issue. 

However, on this particular Friday, they had a newcomer. A new guest who despite having about three weeks in the hotel, hadn’t attended a movie night. They swore it was never out of disinterest. Forgetfulness was truly a curse they had. So today, they’d asked Angel to remind them that it was movie night, and Angel sure kept his word. So there they were, trying to decide where to sit as everyone waited for Charlie to pick a movie. 

They looked around. The simplest option would be to sit with Angel, but… what if they didn’t? Charlie had encouraged them to socialize more with the employees and guests, and they liked to believe that they spoke to everyone quite well. But even they had to admit that it wasn’t quite true. There was one sinner in particular that they didn’t talk to as much as they hoped and it was Husk. So, the obvious decision was to sit next to him. And it was exactly as they did.

As they chose the spot next to him, setting up their blanket and pillow, Husk turned to them. Almost a bit surprised anyone would choose to sit by him.

“Hi Husk, ya mind if I sit here?” They asked.

“Not at all, go ahead.” He responded casually. He couldn’t help but smile ever so slightly. Unable to contain the soft spot he had for them. 

“I found one! What about The Sound of Music?” Charlie exclaimed, immediately getting a groan from Angel Dust. But he didn’t care enough to elaborate on his complaint.

“I think that’s a great option, sweetie.” Vaggie reassured, smiling at her in agreement.

And without another thought, Charlie inserted the VCR into the VCR player (anything newer and Alastor would freak and destroy it himself), turning off the lights and immediately running back to sit next to Vaggie. 

Y/n sat comfortably, their eyes glistening in the TV’s dim light. Husk couldn’t help but admire the gorgeous sight for a second. But alas, the movie progressed. The musical numbers already too bearable due to Charlie’s daily song outbursts. 

About mid-way through the movie, however, was when Y/n started getting a bit tired. They scoot a bit closer to Husk, their eyes tempting to give in to the exhaustion. Until finally, their eyes closed and they leaned gently on Husk’s shoulder. His cheeks flushed red as he looked around to see if anyone was witnessing this. Upon seeing no one noticing this, he took their blanket and covered them gently. He’d rather not wake them up, they looked so entrancingly precious this way. So he continued watching the movie, smiling at the soft sound of your gentle breathing. He could stay like this forever. He definitely wouldn’t change this for anything in the world.

Eventually, he himself felt as if he was going to give in to his own tiredness and ended up losing the battle against himself. Husk closed his eyes and leaned his head on yours. Slumbering away, your breathing lulling him to sleep.

Needless to say, the second Charlie saw this, she ran to get the camera. She had pictures of it and she would never even dream of getting rid of them. To her, a moment of peace like this was proof that the hotel was definitely working.

[white-sinner]

Seven brothers and their boyfriends

third born Leviathan x male v tuber reader

Smut

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜���💜💜

an otaku and a v tuber…does a more perfect couple exist? I do not think so 🎮👾

when you arrived for him you were indifferent but after the challenge between him you and mammon, a friendship developed which then evolved into a love relationship

the brothers weren't much surprised you two had many similar interests. one of your favorite activities was your evenings/afternoons that the two of you spent playing games or watching anime which is precisely on one of those evenings that Levi discovers that you were a V tuber and when he find out …. practically all of his social networks turned into your fan pages, in short, his boyfriend was one of the top V tubers and I will do everything to support him

Levi was present in all your streams, one of your most active supports, if you have special contents you can swear that he has unlocked them all (obviously he had all your subscriptions) and oh my Diavolo if someone insults you Levi will be ready to defend you

Totally clips your streams without you knowing it's him. He will post funny moments of you out of context to a deviltube account, moments that made him laugh, moments that made him blush, he actually saves everything you stream

Would definitely nosebleed if you gave him a personal stream. He swears his heart will burst out of his chest because you make him so so embarrassed but he can't get enough!That's the Avatar of Envy for you! Let him have all your attention now, won't you sweetie~?

obviously your relationship wasn't all playing video games, streaming and watching anime you help him with school too and his grades showed it

SMUT

if Levi's jealousy was strong towards unknown demons that approached you… now think thirty times worse that's how it was with his brothers

you had spent the whole day with satan even after your stream! sure you were helping him with the cats but Levi didn't give a damn

it was a usual evening where you and Levi played games and watched anime only he didn't speak, he seemed distant but the situation became clearer when you had to go get a drink

"I'll go get f/d do you want something?"

you asked standing up

"no... go back to satan"

Levi said without taking his eyes off the screen

"what?"

silence

“Levi?”

levi was furious at that moment thinking about all the time you spent with satan he even clung to you!

“ I said go back to satan! he is so much better than me..why do you have to waste your time with an otaku like me when you can be with satan he even cling to you..”

at that moment tears fell from his eyes "hey levi what are you saying?!"

you told him leaning down to wipe away his tears

“H-he even touched you *hick* you never touch me”

“ok first of all he didn't touch me he just leaned on because he was falling and second why on earth would i be with satan? when I'm with a wonderful and fantastic demon"

you gave him a kiss

"t-touch me"

"what?"

“I want you to touch me .. I want to have s-sex with you”

so you took him prince style and placed him on the couch (since this man doesn't have a bed) and kissing him softly but hungry you undressed him, your tongues intertwined but your yours took control.

once he was bare you broke the kiss a trickle of saliva was on his mouth and so he turned around giving you full access over him as you thrust your cock inside him .by the sheer amount of pleasure he ended up transforming in his demonic form so you took the opportunity to pull his tail Levi had the strongest orgasm he has ever had (and his first too) you two hadn't slept that night but not because of video games as evidenced by the hickeys on Levi's neck and someone noticed the thing

"but look at that you two really had fun eh"

said Asmodeus