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shapeshiftinterest · 4 years

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a hat in time fanfiction prompts: SS Literally Can’t Sink crew

the following prompts are based on the view that the relationship between the walrus captain and the white seal crew lies between professional and familial/ platonic

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it’s hard to sleep sometimes/ cuddles

the white seal crew likes to cuddle with their captain

over time there were a few incidents where some of the seals would get really bad nightmares that would affect their overall sleep and performance

walrus captain set up a little resting area near the main controls because the seals that fell asleep on duty claimed that they slept better when the captain was nearby vs when they were farther away

eg: report from one seal that had KO’d, first during their laundry shift, and a second time when they were supposed to work near the controls and walrus captain

sometimes he’ll pick one of them up and let them stay in his lap like a cat or carry them around for a little while because the resting area was full

different idea where the seals like to sleep in a big pile around/ on top of walrus captain (eg: weighted/ heated blanket style)

LINK to art

check below the read more for more prompts

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from the beginning

early seal employment doesn’t go so well (this can be before or after walrus captain finds out about his mentor)

they’re clumsy and kinda bad at anything that isn’t just greeting/ helping guests

like, they know the basics of what to do, it’s just the execution of those tasks that’s a problem because they’re all so tiny and squishy and prone to getting hurt and crying about it

sometime at the end of their first week of employment so many things have gone wrong that walrus captain goes to the barracks to scold them

right before he enters, he overhears them talking about how much they love working for him and how nice and understanding he is

they start sharing little snippets of when their captain helped them with figuring stuff out or letting them take a break when it got too overwhelming or holding them up so they could change a lightbulb because no one could find the step ladder and wow he’s so tall and strong and just an over all great boss

walrus captain gets confused happy and leaves without saying anything but feels a lot lighter

LINK to art

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comfort/ healing

possibility: it is either a VERY strong belief or just fact of the white seal crew that positive attention heals their wounds (at the very least speeds up the process)

walrus captain finds out about this the first time a seal gets hurt; he tried to send them to the ship’s infirmary but one of the other seals was like ‘it‘s ok captain, wook!’ and proceeded to kiss the hurt seal’s flipper with a dramatic ‘mmmmwuah!‘

another possibility: the healing power of the kiss is stronger if the kisser is powerful (in spirit, magical reserves, passion, resolve, sometimes actual physical strength)

this means that people in power have stronger/ faster healing kisses, such as:

hat kid

the snatcher

the empress

the conductor/ dj grooves

mafia boss

(sidenote: my healing kiss headcanon is more for the white seal crew but please imagine any of the bosses doing the same for their underlings; the conductor only does this for his grandkids and dj grooves tho)

the white seal crew is super clumsy so walrus captain has to kiss their ouchies daily, this means foreheads, tails, flippers and sometimes, while not a kiss, full body hugs

current injury list includes:

accidentally headbutting another seal because they didn’t see them

stacks of luggage collapsing one them

bumping into walls because they were in a rush to deliver food/ ship rocking

getting hit by anything that wasn’t bolted down (tables, chairs, luggage, passengers etc)

that one time a seal rolled off the ship

burns, cuts, bruises (usually kitchen staff)

tiny bites and some bruises from the conductor’s grandkids (they throw blocks)

emotional stress/ getting yelled at by rude passengers

just having a bad day

(sidenote: while most of the injuries were accidents, there ARE times when the white seal crew just wants their captain’s attention, and will pretend to be hurt)

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you are loved and appreciated/ stop that

based on the previous healing kisses headcanon and the captain’s storybook pages

walrus captain is talking to hat kid that how he’s confused about his crew’s behavior (’they keep kissing me pup, it’s really weirding me out’) when one of the seals makes their way towards them

the two pause their convo and stare as the seal bwoops a kiss where the captain’s heart is

walrus captain fwaps one of his flippers over the seals face and lightly pushes the seal’s face away with a ‘stop that’

much later, the hat kid asks a different seal what the hell is going on

they basically tell her that they love their captain very much, but he has a big ouchie on his heart and none of them are strong enough to have high level healing abilities

they thought that if all of them kissed his heart, the combined effort and power build up would help make his emotional ouchie hurt a little less since they all believe their captain deserves to be happier

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searchingwardrobes · 4 years

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The Convenient Groom: 7/13

The slow burn continues to simmer in this chapter as Emma and Killian settle into a routine, and Anna’s wedding planning forces them to figure out “their song.”

This is first and foremost a gift for @spartanguard, and this chapter includes several little touches just for her!

As I wrote this, I tried to imagine what kind of music best suits Emma’s and Killian’s personalities. So, don’t take offense at some of their musical opinions - I made digs at music even I like! And fyi, if you go on YouTube to search for wedding songs, this is pretty much what will happen (minus the hot guy to dance with you, of course).

Summary: Killian Jones just happens to be there when Emma Swan gets the phone call that changes everything: her fiance is leaving her at the altar. The thing is, it could also mean the end of her career. Convenient that Killian has nothing better to do that day. Convenient that he’s secretly in love with her. Not that Emma has to know that. Written for @spartanguard .

Rating: M

Also on Ao3

Tagging: @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose @kmomof4 @let-it-raines @teamhook @bethacaciakay @xhookswenchx @tiganasummertree @shireness-says @stahlop @scientificapricot @welllpthisishappening @resident-of-storybrooke @thislassishooked @ilovemesomekillianjones @kday426 @ekr032-blog-blog @lfh1226-linda @ultraluckycatnd @nikkiemms @distant-rose @optomisticgirl @profdanglaisstuff @carpedzem @ohmakemeahercules @branlovestowrite @superchocovian @sherlockianwhovian @vvbooklady1256 @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @delirious-latenight-laughs @jennjenn615 @snidgetsafan

Emma and Killian both had thought that life would slow down once they were back from the honeymoon, and it most ways, it had. The past week they had fallen into a comfortable routine. Killian woke first, tidied up the sofa where he had slept, then went for a run with Smee at his heels. While he was gone, Emma woke, made the coffee, and filled Smee’s bowl with kibble. Emma had her run on the treadmill while Killian showered, then he made breakfast while she showered. This kept Emma from leaving dirty knives poised on the edge of the sink, and gave Killian an opportunity to put her half-finished coffee in a travel mug.

Emma then raced out the door after snatching her breakfast out of Killian’s waiting hands. She was always running late for her 9 am appointment. Killian had yet to figure out why she didn’t schedule her first one later in the day. As for himself, he lingered over his breakfast so he could read a bit before heading into work.

Her book - he was reading her book.

Emma had seen it in various places around the house - on the coffee table, beside Killian’s morning coffee, and on the patio table. She wanted to ask him what he thought, yet at the same time she feared what his opinion would be. Men didn’t normally read her book, after all. Except for that one pompous windbag who only read it so he could skewer it. She couldn’t see Killian eviscerating her like that jerk had, but she also knew he would be honest. That tiny voice of doubt always at the back of her mind kept whispering that he hated every word she’d written. So she remained silent. She did note, however, that his book mark kept moving deeper into its pages.

At work, things went on pretty much as they were before, with one exception. Even though the paparazzi hadn’t followed them to Storybrooke, they still couldn’t let down their guard. The town had to believe they were a couple too, and Emma still had to keep up pretenses on her social media. For that reason, Emma made her way into his workshop at twelve each day asking what he wanted to do for lunch. Some days they walked over to Granny’s to grab a bite together (hand in hand or arm in arm - for appearances sake), while other days Killian was busy on a project and Emma brought lunch back for him. Their “work lunches” had already appeared on Instagram.

They didn’t always leave for home at the same time. It depended on Emma’s schedule and how engrossed Killian was in his current project (he had a bad habit of losing track of time). Yet Killian always insisted on cooking dinner for them both, and no matter what work had been like, they were seated at the kitchen table with a home cooked meal at seven pm every night. After that, they’d plop down on the couch and find something to watch on Netflix. Right now they were doing a rewatch of Parks & Rec.

It had honestly been the most steady, domestic week of Emma’s life. She would never admit it to anyone, especially not to Killian, but she loved it.

Unfortunately, there was one thorn in both their sides, and her name was Anna. They really should have looked closer at the calendar when they had suggested July 4th for the family ceremony.

It was Thursday night, and their enjoyment of the shenanigans in Pawnee, Indiana, was interrupted by a light tapping on the back door. They both groaned as Emma pressed a throw pillow to her face.

“I guess we can’t ignore her?” Killian asked half-jokingly as he paused the show.

Emma whacked him with the pillow. “You’re the one who started the habit of your family coming to your back door. Who does that?”

Or maybe lots of families did that - Emma really wouldn’t know.

Killian sighed again, his head dropping onto the back of the sofa. “Come in,” he called out.

“There’s really only one more thing I need to ask you two,” Anna said without preamble as she rushed through the door. “Sparklers - yes or no? Because I think they’re romantic, but Kristoff says they’re for kids, and Liam said they’re cliche, and Elsa worried we’d burn our fingers, which if you think about it, kind of contradicts what Kristoff said because if kids use them, I’m pretty sure we can handle them without burning ourselves.”

Anna finally ran out of words, and just stood there in front of them expectantly. Emma was rendered speechless, wondering how Anna hadn’t passed out from lack of oxygen, and Killian simply looked confused.

“Sparklers for what?” he finally asked.

“The wedding,” Anna clarified with a roll of her eyes.

“You know, babe,” Emma teased, poking him in the leg, “the reason she’s popped over here every single night?”

Killian rubbed his jaw, and Emma noted the bags under his eyes and frowned. For the first time, she wondered how well he was sleeping out here on the couch.

“Aye, our small, family ceremony.” He looked at Anna pointedly as he emphasized the words.

“It will be,” she insisted, punching Killian in the arm. “It’s just going to be the six of us. Now, what’s your song?”

She had a literal binder opened on her lap. It was so large, her pregnant belly was about to send it sliding to the floor. Her gaze was on them expectantly, a pen poised over the binder.

Emma glanced at Killian. “Ummm . . . we don’t really have one?” She shrugged.

Anna’s shoulders slumped and her lips turned down into a frown as if Emma had just insulted her personally. “How can you not have a song?”

“It’s not a requirement, A,” Killian pointed out.

“But . . . but . . . you had a first dance at your big fancy wedding. I saw pictures of it on the internet. What did you dance to?”

“Don’t use that,” Emma blurted out before she could stop herself. Anna frowned.

“It was just some generic song the DJ picked out,” Killian explained hurriedly. “We didn’t like it, actually.” He turned to Emma with a grin. “Remember how we laughed about that song?”

Emma’s chuckle was genuine. “We sure did.”

“Oh, well that’s disappointing . . .” Anna trailed off, slumping against the sofa. Emma was really expecting the binder to hit the floor now.

“I tell you what,” Killian encouraged her, “Emma and I will pick out a song, ok?”

“You can’t just pick out a song!” Anna argued, and Emma was startled as tears welled in the redhead’s eyes. “It has to be meaningful!” She dashed at her tears in frustration. “I’m sorry it’s these stupid pregnancy hormones.”

Killian moved to sit next to Anna and put his arm around her. “Don’t worry, A. It’ll be meaningful. I promise.”

“By tomorrow?”

“By tomorrow.”

Anna narrowed her eyes. “And it won’t be generic?”

Killian put his hand to his heart. “I promise we will find something meaningful to our relationship.”

“I know I’m being ridiculous,” she chuckled as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“No you’re not,” Emma assured her, “it’s really sweet of you to put all this together.”

Anna gave her a watery smile, then started trying to hoist herself to her feet. Killian rushed to help her, then she gathered her binder and headed for the back door.

“Oh, and Anna,” Emma called out after her.

“Yeah?” Anna asked as she turned back around.

“Yes to the sparklers.”

Anna’s answering grin was almost worth the nightly interruptions. Almost.

“Okay, Swan,” Killian exclaimed as soon as the door shut behind Anna. “We’ve got some work to do.”

“The song?” Emma was incredulous. “You’re not serious!”

“As a heart attack. You heard her. She wants something meaningful. Don’t you think it will arouse suspicions if we pick, like . . . ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ or something?”

Emma narrowed her eyes. “Why would that be suspicious?”

“Because that’s in practically every rom com ever made.”

Emma snorted through her nose. “I never took you for the rom com type.”

He smirked at her. “I have many facets, love.”

Emma shook her head and couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Okay, romance expert, how in the world do we pick a song? There are literally millions of love songs.”

“Well,” Killian replied, plopping down on the couch next to her and taking the remote, “I bet there’s a wedding dance playlist on YouTube. We’ll start there.”

He scrolled through the menu on their smart tv as Emma lounged against the back of the couch and studied him. “I’m still trying to imagine you watching . . . say . . . You’ve Got Mail or something.”

“Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are legends, darling,” he countered smoothly, still concentrating on the tv.

“Okay, I guess, but what about . . . While You Were Sleeping?”

“Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman? What’s not to love?” He winked at her. “Okay, Emma, here we have top 100 wedding dance songs.”

“100!”

He waved his hand at her dismissively. “I’m sure half of them we can rule out rather quickly.”

“You mean the super cheesy ones?”

“Precisely.” He narrowed his eyes as he pulled up the playlist, and Emma couldn’t stop the fleeting thought that he was cute like this - his eyes all crinkled at the corners and his brow furrowed. “Okay, we’ve got Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake -”

“No, and no.”

“Okay, The Chainsmokers -”

“You can not be serious.”

“Whip/Nae Nae?!?”

“You must have the wrong list,” Emma told him, snatching the remote out of his hands. “That must be stuff to play at a wedding to get people to dance.”

“Ah, you’re right. Try first dance.”

“Wedding . . . “ Emma murmured as she used the arrow keys to choose the letters, “dang it, Killian, you really need to get one of those voice activated tvs.” She glanced over at him to see him grinning at her. “What?”

“You stick your tongue out a bit when you’re concentrating,” he told her, gesturing towards her lips, “it’s cute.”

Emma glowered at him, but felt her cheeks heat all the same. She forced her gaze back on the tv. “Okay, let’s see . . . First Dance - Wedding Suggestions or Most Popular Wedding First Dance Songs. Both have 117 videos.”

Killian shrugged. “Just pull up the first one.”

“Ed Sheeran,” they both read at the same time, then glanced at each other. Simultaneously they both burst out laughing.

“I’m hoping that’s a no?” Killian asked her tentatively.

“Of course it’s a no! Ed Sheeran screams generic.”

“You know, darling, maybe we’ve put the cart before the horse.”

“Okay, old man, what the hell does that mean?”

“Well,” he replied, smoothly overlooking her jab, “what kind of music do you like?”

Emma scrunched up her nose and tapped on her chin. Killian thought once again that she looked adorable, but he didn’t say so. “Ummm . . . I guess more rock than pop. Definitely no country. And don’t laugh but . . . I like punk.”

A slow grin spread across Killian’s face. “Love, I feel we are a match made in heaven.” When Emma’s jaw dropped, he sputtered and scratched behind his ear. “Uh, I meant musically speaking.”

“Riiight,” Emma said, nodding slowly. “Oh, and no power ballads. She rolled her eyes. I don’t think I can listen to an 80s hair band again after Walsh.”

Killian chuckled. “Okay then, let’s just scroll through these with all of that in mind, shall we?”

It wasn’t easy. Most were either pop or country, and the classics like Etta James “At Last” felt too cliched. A few had them chuckling. Who the bloody hell would dance to Dave Matthews Band. Do they have any idea what Crash into Me is about? And Killian played REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight this Feeling” just so he could dramatically sing it to Emma until she collapsed laughing on the couch.

“Wait!” Emma called out finally, clutching his wrist where he held the remote. “That one? Maybe?”

“This one?”

“Yeah - you think?”

He grinned at her as he rose from the couch and offered her his hand. Emma’s brow

furrowed.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m asking you to dance.”

She rolled her eyes. “We did that already, remember?”

Killian arched both brows at her. “But that was Walsh’s cheesy power ballad about sex, remember? Anna wants us to pick a meaningful song, and we can’t do that if we don’t get the full affect.”

Emma battled the smile that teased her lips and lost. “Okay,” she said, putting her hand in his. Her traitorous cheeks blushed as he pulled her up and close to him. He pushed the play button, and Paul McCartney’s voice filled the small house.

Maybe I’m amazed by the way you love me all the time. Maybe I’m afraid of the way I love you.

For some reason, dancing with Killian now felt even more nerve-wracking than it had at the wedding. She stared down at their shuffling feet, inexplicably terrified to look into his eyes. His very pretty, blue, expressive eyes that she swore sometimes could see right through her.

Maybe I’m amazed at the way you pulled me out of time. Hung me on a line. Maybe I’m amazed at the way I really need you.

“Well, the lyrics are definitely meaningful,” Killian chuckled awkwardly. “A won’t be able to argue that point.”

Baby I’m a man and maybe I’m a lonely man who’s in the middle of something that he doesn’t really understand.

Inwardly, Killian was cursing Paul McCartney as the lyrics hit like barbs. He realized he had tightened his grip on Emma’s waist, but she didn’t flinch away. He cleared his throat nervously, then almost choked when Emma’s green eyes met his. She’d had them glued to her feet until this very moment.

Baby I’m a man and baby you’re the only woman who could ever help me. Baby won’t you help me understand?

“Yeah,” she whispered, “I mean, it is Paul McCartney.”

“Uh huh,” Killian winced at how utterly idiotic he sounded. What was this conversation about, again?

Blessedly, the song went into an instrumental break. They continued to shuffle their feet across the living room carpet, but his grip relaxed, and so did Emma’s shoulders.

“So . . . “ she said tentatively, biting on her lower lip, “I saw you were reading my book.”

“I am.”

Emma tilted her head. “So . . . what do you think?”

Killian pressed his lips together and gazed over her shoulder, collecting his thoughts. “I think you give women very good advice on how to be smart while dating. I also like how you draw a line in the sand, telling women they should never have to change who they are to keep a man. I feel like so much dating advice is really telling people to put on an act, and that’s just garbage. I think your book empowers women to cut off bad relationships.”

Emma nodded, impressed. Those were usually the things in her book that got her hate mail from irate ex-boyfriends.

“Do I sense a but after that praise?”

Killian let out a long sigh, then looked her directly in the eye with such intensity that Emma couldn’t have looked away if she’d wanted to. “But, the chart that’s in there? The one that will show you if someone is compatible with you?” He shook his head, and Emma swore his arm snaked farther around her waist, pulling her just a hair closer. His head bent closer to hers, and his voice dropped an octave. “Love can’t be quantified and measured like that, Swan. It defies logic. It takes everything you thought you knew and obliterates it. When it’s real, you can’t tell where you end and the other person begins. It’s terrifying, exhilarating, and comforting all at once. When you love someone, you don’t need a chart. When you love someone - really love them - you just know.”

Baby, I’m amazed at the way you’re with me all the time. Maybe I’m afraid of the way I leave you.

There was no mistaking it now, Killian had pulled her closer, his hand splayed across her back. Emma pressed her face to his collarbone, relieved that she was no longer looking into his piercing eyes. Killian pressed his lips against her hair.

“I haven’t offended you, have I?”

“No,” Emma managed to choke out, “I appreciate your honest opinion . . . “

“But?” he prompted with a chuckle.

“But your romantic views are exactly what gets people into trouble. That’s why I suggest people analyze the person before feelings get involved.”

Paul McCartney’s voice trailed off, the final strains of the music died, and a YouTube ad for Facebook Messenger started to play. Killian lifted his head and pulled back a step. Emma looked into his eyes once again.

“What if it’s too late?”

“My book says to fill out the chart after the first date, Jones.”

“What if it doesn’t happen the traditional way?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What if love sneaks up on you?”

Emma swallowed and took a step back. His arm fell away from her waist, and she shivered.

“I think Paul McCartney will work, don’t you?”

He chuckled. “Aye, Swan.”

Suddenly, Kelly Clarkson’s voice filled the room as the first strands of “A Moment Like This” played, and they both burst out laughing. It broke the tension, thankfully, and Emma plopped back down on the couch and snatched up the remote. She started flipping through the songs in the playlist again, just in case. Killian sat down next to her.

“So,” she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, “you said we’re a match made in heaven music wise. You share my tastes?”

He shrugged. “Mostly. I’m rock more than pop too, though I don’t discount it entirely. I mean, The Beatles are technically pop.”

“True,” Emma conceded, “and then there’s Michael Jackson.”

“Exactly! And, I’d go less for punk and more for alternative.”

“Let me guess. Pearl Jam? Nirvana?”

“Naturally. And Goo Goo Dolls, Smashing Pumpkins, Barenaked Ladies -”

“Wait, wait, wait. Barenaked Ladies are not alternative. They are one hundred percent pop.”

Killian gasped. “Pop, no way! The lyrics are way too tongue in cheek.”

Emma stuck her lip out stubbornly. “They are pop, Jones! Maybe veering a little towards punk -”

“Absolutely not, they are not punk at all!” Emma rolled her eyes as Killian snatched his phone off the coffee table. “I’ll prove it! Hey Google, what genre of music are The Barenaked Ladies?”

“The Barenaked Ladies,” his phone replied in that emotionless robotic voice, “are a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Ontario in -”

“Ha!” Killian crowed in triumph as Emma scowled.

“Where did Google get that info, Wikipedia?”

“Don’t be a sore loser, Swan,” he teased, and then his eyes brightened. “You know, I may have an even better song for us.” He took the remote from Emma and tediously typed something into the search bar.

When Emma saw what it was, she cried out in protestation. “That can not be our song!”

“Why not? It’s the style of music we both like.” He gave her a faux-innocent pout.

“Alternative Girlfriend?”

Killian shrugged then winked at her cheekily. “Well, there’s no song called Alternative Wife.”

Emma smacked him in the chest. He hit play on the YouTube video and then began crooning the song to her.

“You’re in an all-girl band, your futon is second-hand -”

“Yeah, Jones, this screams wedding song.”

“I have a job in a shop - see, that’s me!”

“Sure it is.”

Killian kept singing as he yanked her to her feet and swung her around the room. “You’re my alternative girlfriend. I love you and now you cannot pretend. There’s nothing left that won’t cross over.”

Emma laughed as he spun her out and back in again and she collided with his chest. “I’m pretty sure by alternative girlfriend they mean the alternative rock lifestyle.”

“No way, they mean a girl you date - or marry - because she’s in a pickle. For pretend.”

“Did you just basically say that I’m in a pickle?”

“Aye, Swan, a dill pickle because those are the only kind.”

Emma was laughing so hard now, her sides ached. They ended up staying up until two in the morning sharing music on YouTube. Some that were their favorites, some that they loved to make fun of, and others they were ashamed to admit they liked in their younger days.

And even though they had decided on it hours earlier, they texted Anna a little after two am to tell her that “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney was officially their song. They figured it served her right.

#cs ff #cs modern au #cs marriage of convenience #slow burn #humor #and some angst #for spartanguard

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viciouscyclesradio · 4 years

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Hanging On A String

Nearly 3-year long streak of Featured Releases

Yes, it's been that long and now time for a break, to reflect on the past streak since the launch of this campaign. It immediately followed the initial debut of Vicious Cycles in the late summer of 2016. It was an exciting run of quality releases by artists, both familiar and new. We've attempted to cover and crossover as many genres of the cutting-edge as possible, without discrimination. As always, we're Not Just Four On The Floor Beats, as the mission is to spread these sounds and open up as many ears as possible. The core of this campaign is to feature and discuss music by not just our favorite artists, but also put the spotlight on up-and-coming artists and releases that we really like, or might get overlooked.

At the beginning, Vicious Cycles was just a podcast and a DJ mix for the first two episodes, but shortly after, it became Vicious Cycles Radio following the introduction of Featured Releases, where we spend more time focusing on a curated release and it's artist, called out on the show and studied further on the Tumblr newsletter, which is also a music education and awareness blog. This system revives the original format of discovering music with the help of radio, and in-turn, also supports the artists.

Back in 2016, a podcast to provide a direct link to purchasing a track was something unheard of. Vicious Cycles was among the first (or the first) to make this very possible. This was coming right off the heels of the digital vs. analog wars. Behind the scenes of a major shift in the industry, DJs were now discouraged from carrying vinyl to their gigs. Aside from many reasons, the mass production of vinyl is not necessarily something good for our environment. With the recent campaigns of ridding plastic and the like, the manufacturing of wax must and is becoming secondary to the digital format.

What we miss is the physical packaging experience of holding music in our hands. Besides the materialistic benefit, the sound of digital vs the sound of vinyl cannot be compared. There currently is no substitute for the quality of vinyl, nor the physicality of its packaging. Maybe it's the return of the cassette, as CDs distill that "live" feel and warmth of the analog format, sounding flat in comparison. Though, CDs solve a short-term problem with taking less space, while sounding "cleaner" than their predecessors, they are less-biodegradable. There are also studies emerging, stating that streaming (along with radio waves) are questionably environmentally degrading, but this would be a completely different topic.

The past 4 years also saw the decline of the LP in favor of the EP in its place. We have entered an era where music is highly accessible if available online: the streaming of music, curated playlists and the DJ is vital to getting new music heard. The album is certainly not dead, but it has been redefined as not just filler between tracks into a 76 min running time of a compact disc. We are actually returning to the original LP format, way before compact discs had arrived, where less is much more. Typical a-side/b-side singles are now being dubbed as an EP and LPs no longer take up so much of a listener's time. Producers don't need to throw everything at the listener (including the kitchen sink) for a full-length to be considered complete. The show was reduced to an hour last year (for the exception of the ambient specials in November) to support this cause. Less is more and time is precious.

Leading up to this moment, there were sudden comebacks by Aphex Twin, 808 State, Burial, long-awaited full-lengths by Inner City, Leftfield, Dave Clarke, Meat Beat Manifesto, a collaboration between Jeff Mills and afro-beat musician, Tony Allen, genuine dub from The Orb, Youth and Gaudi (the dub alchemist), the worldwide acceptance of downtempo and lounge, a new appreciation for ambient, along with the return and new releases of Ultramarine and Mixmaster Morris of The Irresistible Force, an alignment with Squarepusher and an industrial/EBM revival that's not going away thanks to Adam X's Sonic Groove and the resurfacing of Cabaret Voltaire with new music from both Richard H. Kirk and Stephen Mallinder.

There was also a plethora of unapologetic new music coming from young artists all over the globe, including Spain (Tensal), the UK (Lone), Iceland (EOD), reminding us that this is now a global movement and people are now playing what they want to hear, wherever they are. And the days of being told what we should be listening to are over. Renaat Vandepapeliere, co-founder and president of R&S records has made this his mission, in uncovering new and fresh ideas through the discovery of hungry and young talent, turning over the façade of the old and enabling the label's future to be brighter.

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itsjaybullme · 6 years

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Olympia Legend: Phil Heath

phil-heath-mr-olympia-medal.jpg

PHIL HEATH WINS A LOT

Starting with his first show in 2003, he’s 17-7, and he’s finished atop the bodybuilding world at the last seven Mr. Olympias. He’s won so much this decade it’s hard to remember him ever losing. But no one is a born winner. Success is a mindset that needs to be learned, practiced, and perfected. Phil Heath tells you how he did that and does that. These are not just lessons for bodybuilding success. Together, they’re a winning strategy for everything.

LEARN FROM YOUR LOSSES

Things came easily for Heath at first. In his only loss in the NPC, he still won his class. He turned pro on his singular try at the 2005 USA and then won his initial two pro shows in 2006. But he was still just a puppy—if a really good one. At 5'9", he could’ve competed in the 212 division—if there had been one. He was winning with shape and conditioning, but he was undersized, and that was exposed in 2007 at the Arnold Classic. “On this bigger stage, the 27-year-old simply didn’t have enough,” I wrote about Heath then, after praising his conditioning as the best in the lineup and before singling out his legs as especially weak. He finished fifth. Afterward, many wondered if he was already maxing out and if he’d ever have enough for the Arnold title, let alone the Olympia.

A little less than a year later, Heath shut up every critic when he stepped onstage at the Ironman Pro at a peeled 230. Bodybuilding, meet your future. For a year, Heath had replayed that humbling Arnold loss and the resulting criticism and used it to fuel his workouts. There was no way he was ever again going to flex weighing less than 225. Every day was focused on his workouts and his meals. He was determined to become a unicorn, that thing they said didn’t exist—the advanced bodybuilder who thoroughly transforms his physique in a single year. He never would’ve done it had he stubbornly stuck to what had already brought him great and rapid success. No, he had to admit defeat and accept why he was defeated in order to devise a plan to overcome.

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PREVENT PROBLEMS

Before preparing Heath’s meals in their Las Vegas hotel suite in the final days before the most recent Olympia, Heath’s fiance, Shurie Cremona, scrubbed down the kitchen counters and sink with bleach.

This might seem like bacterial overkill, but a bodybuilder’s immune system is stressed precontest, and Heath got sick before the ’09 Olympia, likely from food poisoning, and slipped to fifth place. At an earlier show, his food didn’t arrive, and he had to scramble to get his meals prepared. Ever since, he’s anticipated anything that could derail him, even if it only appears under a microscope. Be proactive. Strategize to stave off every potential problem, and have a contingency plan just in case something slips through.

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DREAM BIG

Not long after Heath hoisted his first Sandow in 2011, he started talking about collecting nine more. The record, held jointly by Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, is eight. And only 13 men in 53 contests have earned one.

But having become No. 13 at the relatively young age of 31, Heath needed a new and grand motivation. Why shoot for three or five or even eight— as tremendous as any of those tallies would be?

No, the ultimate bodybuilding number is nine, and for good measure, he tacked on one more—10. As the poet Robert Browning wrote, “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” It seemed ludicrous at first—10!— but year after year, Heath could quote another poet, DJ Khaled: “All I do is win.” Now it appears as if the Gift’s celestial goal might just be within his grasp in 2020. Aim high. Set a goal that challenges you to be great.

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ALWAYS BE A STUDENT

In the summer of 2006, coming off victories in his first two pro shows, a year after his one-and-done win at the USA, Heath was flying high. Then, in a happening destined not to stay in Vegas, he trained back with his friend, Jay Cutler. A photographer and I chronicled the event for FLEX readers.

There was no sugarcoating it. Heath got buried by the pace and the poundages of Cutler’s back barrage. It only magnified the fact that he was a rookie and still a puppy, while Cutler was an alpha dog who just two months later would win his first of four Olympia titles.

The Gift came back down to earth, but, more importantly, he discovered firsthand what it would take to build Olympia-worthy muscle. And he’s never stopped discovering. No matter how high you rise, chances are there is someone who has risen higher, perhaps someone who took a completely different route up the mountain. Life is a never-ending seminar. Even when you’re a teacher, you need to remain a student, too, because there’s always something more to be learned.

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ASSESS YOUR FLAWS

Let’s jump ahead to the fall of 2015. Heath had collected his fifth consecutive Sandow. But, as always, he and trainer Hany Rambod assessed the contest photos and discussed what to improve. The answer was legs.

Considering the monster truck wheels of Big Ramy and Shawn Rhoden, top contenders could potentially exploit an advantage over the reigning king. So he and Rambod developed a routine to prioritize legs, hitting them twice weekly with greater volume and intensity.

As a result, his wheels were markedly inflated at the most recent Olympia. There’s always something to improve. You need to be honest with yourself and/or listen to the assessment of someone knowledgeable to determine your greatest weaknesses. If not, you’ll likely improve your strengths and neglect your flaws, only exacerbating the problem.

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KEEP YOUR COOL

Winning is the art of not losing. That might sound tautological, but there are ways to not be a loser, even when the scoreboard says otherwise. Most important, you need to avoid letting your emotions get the best of you. When, in the 2014 Olympia, Kai Greene threw is hair at Heath and nearly threw a fist, the frustrated heir apparent had as much as admitted he couldn’t beat the king in side-by-side posing comparisons. He literally lost it. On the other hand, Heath has had to swallow some close and controversial losses, especially the one to Greene at the 2010 Arnold Classic. Graciously accept defeat, learn from it, and plot a path to victory. Save your emotions for winning.

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REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM

Talk to Heath for long and he will inevitably mention basketball. It was on hardwood courts that he learned how to win. The Gift, who topped out at 5'9", wasn’t genetically gifted for B-ball. Nevertheless, he led his high school team to a Washington state title, and he played for a Division I college. Basketball is a sport wherein steady nerves are at a premium. You may need to make crucial free throws while the opposing crowd mockingly chants your name. The current Mr. O goes back to lessons gleaned from basketball coaches and game experience and applies them to his preparation for the Olympia.

It all helps him sink the big shot, so to speak, on the Orleans Arena stage each September. Everyone has a past to learn from. Maybe it was things a coach, teacher, or parent said. Maybe it’s things you experienced, negative as well as positive. Maybe it’s simply remembering how skinny or fat or poor you used to be that motivates you toward a better physique and a better life.

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SELF-MOTIVATE

The 13th Mr. O works out alone. That means it’s up to him to get up for every workout, whether it’s precontest in Armbrust Pro Gym or in the depths of the off-season in some ill-equipped dump far from home. When Heath played basketball, he could count on his teammates and coaches to help motivate him for practices and games. But bodybuilding is the most individualistic of all sports. When you train by yourself, it’s just you and the iron. Heath uses music, short-term goals, and the will to win another Sandow to drive him through each metal session and keep him on his meal plan. Whatever it takes to motivate yourself, use it. No one else can make you hit a personal best or grind through early- morning cardio. You have to do it for yourself.

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STAY HUNGRY

When you’ve won seven Olympias, it’s easy to get complacent, to assume what you’ve done before is good enough, that it’ll always be good enough, to start to think maybe you’re just destined to win. It’s a trap. The previous three Mr. O’s—Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Dexter Jackson— all lost their crowns (Cutler twice). The Sandow is never promised. Heath knows this. He was competing in the O the last three times the champ lost, and his first win knocked Cutler off the throne. Fear of losing is one motivation.

But what most drives him ever onward is the pantheon of legends in which he now resides. Last year, as he toiled to tie Dorian Yates’ mark of six O’s, a giant photo of Yates in Armbrust reminded him of the standard he was trying to match. This year, he reached Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Olympia tally of seven. Heath is chasing immortality. The lesson is to never grow complacent. Always have a goal, and when you reach that goal, make a new and greater goal. It was Arnold who said: “For me, life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.”

FLEX

from Bodybuilding Feed https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/training/all-i-do-win via http://www.rssmix.com/

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tinymixtapes · 7 years

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Live Blog: Bass Coast 2017 (a.k.a. Space Toast)

Bass Coast 2017 (a.k.a. Space Toast) Active Mountain Ranch; Merritt, Canada [07-07-10-2017] by Alan Ranta on 07-20-2017 Last year, I was barred for life from entering the United States. As such, I was forced to sell my ticket to Burning Man and face the reality that I will never be able to experience that spectacle. Lucky for me, there is Bass Coast. Celebrating its ninth year in 2017, Bass Coast has invested over $100,000 in artists who produce installations over its last five iterations. That’s almost as much as the Polaris Music Prize has paid out over the same period, with the notable difference that Bass Coast has no corporate sponsorship. There were many interesting, often interactive pieces littered throughout the grounds, including a metallic monster drummer by the festival entrance and a giant set of playable mushrooms in the woods. This year marked my second trip to Bass Coast. My first was in 2013, the year it relocated from Squamish, which is actually on the coast of British Columbia, to the semi-arid tundra of Merritt, taking over the former site of the notorious and blessedly defunct Merritt Mountain Music Fest. There were growing pains. The stages were miles apart, which meant you spent most of the weekend walking across giant, bumpy fields and rarely running into anyone. Even though thousands were in attendance, it felt empty. Four years later, these cats have it dialed in. They abandoned the faraway barn to put a creatively designed Radio stage in the woods, around the corner from the open-concept Slay Bay, but for how close they were in proximity, there was little sound crossover. They also moved the food vendors, of which there was admirable variety and quality, much closer to the main festival entrance, forming an inviting line from the Cantina bar to far side of the main stage. The artisan vendors now line the paths through the woods, while the general store and the Brain, which hosted many worthy workshops and panels to enlighten partiers, were both located on the main path. The flow is now smooth and rewarding from one end to the other. The infrastructure at Bass Coast 2017 was top-notch. Not once did I run across a completely unusable shitter. For most of the weekend, they smelled like cinnamon. They only ran out of TP or hand sanitizer once or twice, and you should always bring those with you to festivals anyway. In addition to the helpful PDFs available on the Bass Coast harm-reduction webpage, which were written on the importance of foot care, hydration, and consent, and the looming public health crisis that is fentanyl, first aid and harm reduction were both easily accessible from the main road between stages. Furthermore, they had roving attendants mingling about to ensure a minimization of serious incidents, of which I saw none. Security was present and professional, yet pleasant. A drug dealer I met also was selling high-quality earplugs; if that isn’t the hallmark of responsibility, I don’t know what is. Photo: Caily DiPuma The whole vibe was joyous and celebratory. It felt like a safe space. For all of the beautiful bodies gallivanting about in various states of undress, hence the affectionate nickname Babe Coast, I only witnessed a couple of creeps. The artist-owned and -operated festival was founded by women who ground the festival with their work ethic and creative brilliance, namely DJ and curator Andrea Graham (a.k.a. The Librarian) and art director Liz Thompson. A boob-grabbing shit-show, this is clearly not. When HxdB of Greazus told guys who don’t get clear consent to get their shit together, it was one of the best uses of a mic by a DJ I’ve ever heard. With a small crew, I arrived at Space Toast (this year’s nickname due to the fest’s general theme being space, hence the x-wing fighter on the main stage and the UFO crashed into the Radio’s tower) on Thursday. This being early entry, the programming was light, but highlighted by a tag-team set between perennial BC banger Mat the Alien and the aforementioned Librarian at the Cantina. Essentially a bar, the Cantina hosted mood-setting music throughout the days, then repeated the sound of the main stage when that sublime monstrosity fired up at dusk, so if you didn’t want to brace the big crowd, you had your own spacious, licensed lounge to escape to. Space Toast really blasted off on Friday. Bass goblins HxdB and Patrik Cure, together known as Greazus, dropped their inimitable blend of rib-tickling beats at the Slay Bay, while festival curator Max Ulis and organizer Robbie Slade brought their fun and funky Sabota vibe to the main stage. Having last seen him perform with the Quantic Soul Orchestra back in 2003, British-born ethnomusicologist Will ‘Quantic’ Holland was high on my must-see list. He hit on all of his myriad funk, Latin, dub, and assorted worldly influences, though I was hoping he’d stick closer to the trippy, future jazz, after-party house he made circa Apricot Morning. Photo: Caily DiPuma BBC Radio 1 presenter B.Traits lured me to the Radio for the first time with her deep house explorations, but I couldn’t stay long because the Funk Hunters were hitting the main stage, followed by Longwalkshortdock, so I’d be setting up camp there for the rest of the evening. The Funk Hunters are fun cunters, as one of their fans pointed out to me. This Vancouver-based duo is pretty much a can’t-miss under any circumstance. They claim to be putting the soul back into electronic music; collaborator and tour-mate Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) would agree to that, and after catching this kitchen sink set, I would too. I’ve seen Longwalkshortdock live too many times to count over the past 15 years or so. Dave King has a style like no other, gnarly yet playful, and he’s a joy to watch. Unfortunately, he’s been battling some serious health problems lately, so this wouldn’t rank near the top of what I’ve seen from him, but he gave it all he had, as ever. I wasn’t expecting much on Saturday, then ended up having my brains blasted through the back of my skull. All I had on my schedule was JPOD, a fine beat chef whom I’d seen many times before, and his performance wasn’t what I was expecting. JPOD has been known to throw down entire sets of roots and gospel remixes at Bass Coast, playful deviations heavy on bass warbles to tickle whomp glands, but his early evening set this year started uncharacteristically mellow and stayed that way. From there, I caught some of Swamp81 boss Loefah’s bass in my face, followed by some slabs of heavy dub-laced wax from Baltimore’s Joe Nice, but it was Russian junglist Enei who gave me a bass lobotomy. I’d never heard of Enei before he dropped the best drum-and-bass set I’ve seen since Photek at the 2003 Tribal Gathering in Manchester. He spun science, a barrage of soulful, techy uptempo tunes that turned me onto the likes of Phace, S.P.Y., and InsideInfo, among others. He gave me the buzzing feeling of musical discovery that I haven’t felt in some time. Mid-set, some guy in a fur vest said he liked my bass face, so my ecstasy was apparent to strangers. Justin Martin (Photo: Caily DiPuma) I had to get back to reality on Monday, so I turned in early on Sunday, but not before seeing San Francisco dirtybird Justin Martin’s soothing yet re-energizing three-hour afternoon set, Brooklyn resident Doctor Jeep’s open-minded bass worship, and most of the Librarian’s sultry main stage set. Up-and-coming British rapper and current Gorillaz tour-mate Little Simz was the highlight of the night, though. Her intense style of soulful hip-hop worked well on the main stage. Her dedication to her next-door neighbor who never called in a noise complaint about her while she was honing her craft, about whom she wrote one of her most impactful tracks, will stick with me for some time. You can’t see everything. Among others, I’m sad to have missed Ora Cogan, J.Phlip, Special Request, Roman Flügel, and Call Super, the latter of which was a no-show, but this turned out to be something of a blessing in disguise as I would have missed Ben Tactic & Graintable altogether, and I dug what they threw down in his stead. It turned out that Call Super was accidentally flown to Salmo, but I’m told he arrived at Bass Coast a day later, and snuck in a surprise set on Sunday before Max Ulis’ solo selections. Even if you miss something, you’ll see something at Bass Coast. There may not have been the big-name headliners one expects from Live Nation festivals, but the breadth and quality of Bass Coast’s 2017 lineup was undeniable. Even within individual sets, it was common to hear someone throw down funky house one second and drum and bass the next. Regardless of what EDM is doing in the mainstream, the melting pot of styles and influences going down here will keep the fires burning for years to come. It has me inspired again, and I’m a cynical old bastard. http://j.mp/2gNPnSD

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itsjaybullme · 7 years

Text

All I Do Is Win

Per Bernal

PHIL HEATH WINS A LOT

LEARN FROM YOUR LOSSES

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

PREVENT PROBLEMS

Ian Spanier

DREAM BIG

But having become No. 13 at the relatively young age of 31, Heath needed a new and grand motivation. Why shoot for three or five or even eight— as tremendous as any of those tallies would be?

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

ALWAYS BE A STUDENT

Per Bernal

ASSESS YOUR FLAWS

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

KEEP YOUR COOL

Per Bernal

REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

SELF-MOTIVATE

Per Bernal

STAY HUNGRY

FLEX

from Bodybuilding Feed http://www.flexonline.com/training/all-i-do-win via http://www.rssmix.com/

0 notes

itsjaybullme · 7 years

Text

All I Do Is Win

Per Bernal

PHIL HEATH WINS A LOT

LEARN FROM YOUR LOSSES

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

PREVENT PROBLEMS

Ian Spanier

DREAM BIG

But having become No. 13 at the relatively young age of 31, Heath needed a new and grand motivation. Why shoot for three or five or even eight— as tremendous as any of those tallies would be?

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

ALWAYS BE A STUDENT

Per Bernal

ASSESS YOUR FLAWS

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

KEEP YOUR COOL

Per Bernal

REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM

Click "NEXT PAGE" to continue >>

[pagebreak]

Per Bernal

SELF-MOTIVATE

Per Bernal

STAY HUNGRY

FLEX

from Bodybuilding Feed http://www.flexonline.com/training/all-i-do-win via http://www.rssmix.com/

0 notes