#Fred in his WAG era

[levana-stark]

Ferrari, what are you doing?

I went through the depths of the Internet (I surved through Wikipedia) to figure out if it is only our feeling that Charles gets fucked over by Ferrari on a regular basis, or if there is actually a pattern since Sainz and the Pasta Mafia entered Maranello. Here's what I found out:

Let's start with the first two years of Charles at Ferrari:

2019 & 2020:

Of course, as he was new to the Scuderia and a top team (and his teammate was Sebastian Vettel) the Qualifying and Race head to head of the first half showed a clear advantage for Seb (with the exception of Bahrain, where Charles was simply flying until Ferrari quickly brought him back to reality...), but ever since France he kind of started to find his footing. And I think we've never talked enough about his run from Spa to Russia - we never shut up about it actually -. In the end they're seem on pretty equal footing in 2019 and even the Ferrari Fuck ups (marked in red) were pretty equal.

In 2020 Charles pretty much whiped the floor with Seb (as far as you could wipe the floor at all in that shit box Ferrari called a car in 2020), and despite how slow the car was and how much Ferrari was bullying Seb to leave the team, there was not much Ferrari Fuck Ups in general...

So the count of Ferrari Fuck Up - Counter between Seb and Charles was 5:6 - so pretty equally messed with by the red team.

But then things changed when Carlos (aka the Pasta Man) joined the Scuderia Ferrari:

2021 & 2022:

Firstly we have to seperate (or not) between the Mattia Binotto Era and the Fred Vasseur Times.

After the 2020 Ferrari was slower than this year's Haas, people could have at least have a little hope that Ferrari was a bit better in 2021. Not championship winning, but better.

And as we can notice, at the beginning of the year, the only thing that let Carlos finish ahead of Charles, was if Charles had a problem (or beef with other drivers on track) The turning point seemed to have been Monza (ouch...), when the Pasta Mafia Tax finally paid off and even then Charles finished ahead of Carlos more often than not... But still Apart from Ferrari hating the hard tires (surprise surprise), there were of course only mechanical issues when Charles was either leading the race or would have started on pole...

Ferrari Fuck Up counter: 6:3 in Carlos' favour.

And then... 2022. The year of the beautiful F1-75, a car that looked like it could finally bring the championships back to Maranello.

(as we all know...) The season started for Charles in the most perfect way. The car was fast, perfect and the hopes were high. Okay, Carlos was struggling a bit in Australia and Imola, but finally the car is fast. But then the Pasta Mafia - Binotto Tax kicked in again and while Charles tries to stay ahead in the championship... The cars quite literally keeps dying underneath his ass, whenever he's leading the race.

He loses the Championship lead, as Binotto and Sainz Snr. openly admit to shit on the championships and develop the car so it suits Carlos more (which evidently makes the car slower), then the Race-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named Silverstone 2022 happened and Binotto wagged his finger and Charles threatened to leave the team if nothing changes in the team. (Leading to Binotto being fired eventually) But for the rest of the season the Pasta Mafia is still stong. The strategies in Garage 16 stay questionable, but despite all of that Charles keeps leading the Quali and Race head to heads.

Still: Ferrari Fuck Up counter: 8:4 in Carlos' favour. (Still double the issues in Charles' garage...)

And while Binotto was leaving Ferrari, he left the team with one last gift: the SF-23...

2023:

This time the year already started with mechanical issues for Charles, while the car was unstable and unpredictable, which lead to him pushing more and more, which led to him making mistakes. And the Ferrari Fuck Ups don't let up in garage 16, even if he seems to be able to cope better with the SF-23, leading both head to heads comfortably (i wonder why....)

It becomes even more noticable, when the Suzuka floor leads to the start of Charles incredible front row start streak since Austin (but since you can't have nice things when you're support Charles Leclerc, we just completed the triple crown of shame with it - having a DNF, DNS and DSQ in one season). But still he didn't give up, fighting to give Ferrari P2 in the championship after all, but Carlos seemed to have given up.

Ferrari Fuck Up counter: 9:4 - this year it's even more than double the issues in gaarage 16....................

2024:

2024 started hopeful, Ferrari seemingly had the second fastet car, the championships are finally a fight once again, but for some reason even Fred Vasseur can't stop the issues in Charles' garage. From Brake Temperature Imbalances to Ferrari still not prioritising the Championships in favour of a driver that will leave the team at the end of the year and while yes we FINALLY broke the Monaco curse, but afterwards it seemed like everyone (but Charles maybe) stopped working in Maranello.

Let's hope Charles did whatever he did Post-Silverstone 2022 and something finally changes in that team.

All in all Charles always had more Ferrari Fuck Ups in his garage, but with Seb it was pretty equal with 6:5.

With Sainz it is a whooping 29:11 problems, that lead to Charles losing many points and potentially even the Championship in 2022.

It is going to be interesting how 2024 progresses and if there will be a noticable change once the Pasta Mafia leaves Maranello again.

[alteredstatesstuff]

A Whimsical Journey into the World of Drop Shipping

Welcome, my curious adventurers, to a fantastical journey into the land of drop shipping! Today, we embark on a quest to uncover 15 secret sources for drop shipping products that will make your online store shine brighter than a rainbow-colored unicorn. Get ready for a whimsical adventure filled with laughter, surprises, and a touch of satire. Let's dive in!

Granny's Attic: Imagine stumbling upon Granny's attic, a magical treasure trove of forgotten goodies. Explore vintage items, unique collectibles, and quirky knick-knacks that will add a sprinkle of charm to your online store. Granny's attic is like a time machine that transports your customers to a bygone era.

Farmer Fred's Fields: Join Farmer Fred on his enchanting farm, where he cultivates a variety of organic products. From farm-fresh fruits and vegetables to homemade jams and artisanal cheeses, Farmer Fred's Fields offer a wholesome touch to your drop shipping store. It's like having a farmer's market at your fingertips.

Fairy Godmother's Closet: Enter the realm of Fairy Godmother's Closet, where dreams come true. Here, you'll find elegant dresses, dashing suits, and sparkling accessories fit for a royal ball. These magical fashion items will make your customers feel like Cinderella or Prince Charming.

Pirate Pete's Plunder: Ahoy, mateys! Join Pirate Pete on his seafaring adventures and discover hidden treasures from the seven seas. From pirate-themed apparel and accessories to nautical home decor, Pirate Pete's Plunder will bring a touch of adventure and whimsy to your store. Arr, your customers will be saying "Shiver me timbers!" in no time.

Professor Gizmo's Workshop: Step into Professor Gizmo's Workshop, where imagination and innovation collide. This wondrous place is filled with quirky gadgets, gizmos, and ingenious inventions. From futuristic tech accessories to mind-boggling toys, Professor Gizmo's Workshop will delight customers of all ages.

Fairyland Florals: Transport your customers to a magical garden with Fairyland Florals. Delicate fairy-inspired flowers, vibrant succulents, and enchanting terrariums will transform any space into a whimsical paradise. It's like bringing a touch of fairy dust to your drop shipping store.

Sir Barks-a-Lot's Pet Emporium: Attention, pet lovers! Sir Barks-a-Lot's Pet Emporium is where your furry friends' dreams come true. From stylish pet accessories to gourmet treats and pampering products, this emporium will make tails wag and cats purr with joy.

Galactic Goodies: Embark on an interstellar journey with Galactic Goodies, a cosmic collection of space-themed products. From starry night lamps and galaxy-inspired jewelry to astronaut-themed apparel, Galactic Goodies will ignite your customers' passion for the great unknown.

Captain Cupcake's Confectionery: Satisfy your customers' sweet tooth with Captain Cupcake's Confectionery. This delectable destination offers a mouthwatering assortment of gourmet cupcakes, cookies, and sugary delights. Prepare for a sugar rush like no other!

Magical Makeup World: Enter the realm of Magical Makeup World, where beauty meets fantasy. Unleash your inner unicorn with iridescent highlighters, mystical eyeshadow palettes, and whimsical makeup brushes. It's like painting a rainbow on your customers' faces.

Wonderland Whimsies: Fall down the rabbit hole into Wonderland Whimsies, a land of enchantment and peculiar delights. From whimsical home decor and tea sets to quirky accessories inspired by Alice's adventures, this wonderland will bring a touch of magic to your store.

Superhero Supply Co.: Calling all superheroes! Equip your customers with superpowers from Superhero Supply Co. Discover capes, masks, gadgets, and other hero essentials to help your customers save the day. It's like turning your customers into real-life superheroes.

Astral Accessories: Elevate your customers' style to new celestial heights with Astral Accessories. Moon-shaped earrings, galaxy-themed scarves, and constellation-inspired jewelry will make them feel like they're wearing a piece of the universe.

Dinosaur Land: Roar into action with Dinosaur Land, where prehistoric creatures come to life. From dinosaur-themed clothing and toys to fossil replicas and educational resources, Dinosaur Land will captivate the imagination of young paleontologists and dino enthusiasts.

Fantasy Feast: End your journey with a delightful banquet at Fantasy Feast. From whimsical tea parties to enchanted picnics, this source offers magical tableware, fairy-inspired food, and mythical drinkware. It's like indulging in a feast fit for kings and queens of fairy tales.

Conclusion: Congratulations, fellow adventurers! You've discovered 15 extraordinary sources for drop shipping products, where imagination meets reality and satire dances hand in hand with humor. Now it's your turn to bring these fantastical items to your online store and captivate the hearts of your customers. Embrace the magic, have fun, and watch your drop shipping empire thrive. Happy selling in the whimsical world of drop shipping!

[emmelineparker308]

Father Dearest Part 4

Fandom: Harry Potter: Golden Trio Era Pairing: Harry Potter x reader Summary: Your third year at Hogwarts is about to start and with it come a lot of new changes. Harry, your best friend and crush, is in trouble from some man named Sirius Black. You try desperately to keep Harry safe but what happens when you find out some heartbreaking, mind shattering information about your father? Warnings: angst, long writing lol! A/N: Enjoy! Please like and reblog if you like it!!

“Did you hear about what happened to (Y/L/N) during DADA?”

“Oh my god, do you think that she is being abused at home?”

“I knew it, I knew that there was something off about her.”

 These were the whispers that followed you around for the rest of the week. Harry, Ron and Hermione would throw a dirty look at anyone that even dared to look at you wrong and maybe due to that, and the fact that other more threatening news was flooding Hogwarts, the incident that occurred in the DADA class was forgotten from almost everyone’s mind.

 The only thing you had been looking forward to after Moony’s class was Hagrid’s first lesson. Looking forward to it seems to be too happy a phrase to use. You had heard from Fred and George who already had their Care for Magical Creatures class that Hagrid had them caring for some crazy dangerous creatures. In fact, most of the castle was muttering about Hagrid’s lessons and you were apprehensive of what monstrous creature Hagrid would introduce to your lot. To make matters worse the Gryffindors were paired with the Slytherins for Magical Creatures. After the encounter in Lupin’s class Malfoy had been a bit more reserved in talking back in class but you were sure his tongue was going to wag in Hagrid’s class. As you made your way down to Hagrid’s hut you found that the Slytherin Prince was already there, barking all sorts of rubbish that is puny crew was lapping up. Pansy Parkinson, a toad of a girl, was hanging on every word that drew from his lips.

 “Wait till my father hears about this, that Dumbledore’s got this oaf teaching class. Honestly this whole school is going to hell,” he stated disgustingly as Hagrid was fixing something up in his garden. Harry who heard the remark turned around fuming, you had to grip his arm and hold him back before he launched himself a Malfoy.

 “What is it Potter? Got something to say?” he taunted Harry.

 “Last I checked your father was sacked from being a governor of Hogwarts after threatening the other governors. So, having your now unemployed father hear about the news of Hagrid’s post doesn’t really carry that much weight,” you recounted as the gryffindors sniggered and Malfoy turned red. You knew that the Malfoy’s were rich beyond measure and that his father technically didn’t need a  job to survive, however it still managed to bruise Malfoy’s ego.

 “At least I have a father, what was it that the boggart said? Right, ‘You’re scum, and I never wanted you’,” Malfoy stated smirking at the effect those words had on you. You froze up beside Harry, and Harry seizing the chance of you letting go of his arm grabbed his wand and threw a spell at Malfoy.

 Malfoy was about to retaliate when Hagrid came walking towards you booming, “What’s goin on ‘ere? You lot be’er not be causin’ ‘rouble ‘his early in.” Hagrid lead you into a clearing at the edge of the forest and went on to explain what the lesson was for today.

 You who had been beaming at him to show your support felt a pricking sensation in the back of your head. It was a sensation you had grown accustomed to over the past summer, a feeling of being watched. You didn’t know what it was but the past summer when you were taking your nighttime walks or when you were running errands for Remus on the weeks of the full moon you would feel this weird sensation. Nothing ever came of it, you would turn around constantly, checking your surroundings yet you would find nothing, no one was watching you. You didn’t want to alarm Remus, who (you were sure) would lock you up in the house all summer had you disclosed this information to him.

 The feeling stopped the last few weeks of summer vacation, you were sure that due to all the excitement and busyness of packing up for Hogwarts you mind simply didn’t have time to make you feel uneasy. However, the feeling was back, you instinctively turned around, you were met with nothing but trees and shrubs. There was a slight rustling of a shrub but just then a sudden breeze had started from nowhere and you heard Harry scream. When you turned your attention back to the class you saw Harry riding on a Hippogriff. Had Harry not looked like he was going to vomit, the site would have been majestic. You knew all about the hippogriffs having stumbled across an old Care for Magical Creatures textbook of Moony’s. You were slightly jealous that Harry got to ride one, and even more impressed at Hagrid for not showing a dangerous creature. Sure, the Hippogriffs may look intimidating, and yes they can cause serious harm but that’s only if you were daft enough to disrespect them.

 As Harry touched down, you along with the rest of the Gryffindors cheered. Harry was placed back onto the ground by Hagrid and you were about to get his attention to ask for a ride yourself when Malfoy pushed you out of the way. Thankfully, Dean was able to catch you before you met the floor. “Yeah, you’re not scary at all are you, you big chicken,” you heard Malfoy confidently strut to the Hippogriff. Before any of you could stop it, Malfoy was attacked, and Hagrid was fussing over him saying that Malfoy would be fine. It took ‘Mione and you to scream that Malfoy needs to go to the hospital wing for Hagrid to snap out of his panic and carry the oaf who was now moaning in pain. Dean who had been holding you still, let go of you almost as if you were made of hot iron and apologized under his breath and sprinted to catch up with Seamus.

 You were about to yell out thank to Dean for catching you when you turned around and realized the reason for Dean’s sudden odd behavior. Harry was still watching Dean with an emotion that you were not able to place filling the green irises that you were so familiar with.

 “How much trouble do you reckon Hagrid’s gonna be in?” Ron asked as you all made your way towards the castle.

 “I don’t know. Knowing Malfoy’s father, we haven’t heard the last of this,” you somberly stated.

The next few weeks went by in a blur, Malfoy moaned over his arm, which in your opinion had nothing wrong with it. You saw him catch a piece of parchment you had thrown at him with his bandaged hand without so much a thought, or a bit of pain. He just put on a show whenever he thought people weren’t paying enough attention to him. The oaf. Urgh. You would purposely throw things at him and place heavy books atop his “broken arm” whenever you had the chance. Alright you suppose it was very mean to laugh in his misery but in your opinion had he just listened to Hagrid’s instructions nothing would have happened. Hagrid obviously felt awful and kept apologizing, but Malfoy was still a git about it. He was going on and on about how he was going to have Hagrid sacked and Buckbeak killed. Once he said it very loudly in front of Hagrid that it brought the happy giant man to tears. You, being the ever so kind and patient person, you were, “accidentally” pushed Malfoy into Bowtruckle dung while he was still laughing getting dung even into his mouth.

Aside from Malfoy there was a rather awkward situation that occurred between Harry, McLaggen and you. McLaggen was a showy upperclassman, he was the epitome of the stereotypical Gryffindor. Tough, and brash, but not exactly the brightest of the bunch. He stalked up to you during one morning, chest puffed out and toothy grin plastered over his face. To you he resembled more of an ape than a boy but that didn’t stop some girls from eyeing him. “Hey (Y/N),” he charmed as he pushed Harry and you apart and sat down between you.

“Top of the Mornin’ to ya, McLaggen,” you sarcastically stated. Harry and Ron snickered at the disinterest in your voice but McLaggen clearly didn’t get the hint (again nOt tHe bRiGhTeSt bUlB)

“Listen so the Hogsmeade trip is coming up,” he started.

“Is it? I didn’t know you could read a calendar,” you retorted but he chose to ignore your statement.

“I know that this is your first trip to Hogsmeade and for a bird it’s just sad to go alone. I know that you’re probably fretting over it but not to worry, you to accompany me,” he finished his proposition. You were actually dumbfounded for a second at his remark. He hadn’t even asked you out, he told you that you can go with him.

“McLaggen, though I’m sure that would be, er- well fun isn’t the right word, tolerable, it would be tolerable. I will not be going alone. However, if I ever find the need to be in the company of a donkey, I’ll let you know,” you hotly stated and walked away. 

“Mate she just called you an arse,” you faintly heard George bellow out over the laughter that filled the Great Hall. 

Soon it was time for your first ever Hogsmeade trip. You offered to stay with Harry when you realized that he wouldn’t be able to go with you, but he told you to go have fun. While on the way to Hogsmeade you noticed Ron nervously looking at you, he always looked like he wanted to say something but after sneaking a peak at Hermione he opted to stay quiet. Once you got to the village even Hermione started acting odd, glaring at you every once in a while. Upon getting the clue, you jogged on ahead of them, citing that you wanted to buy Harry something and went into Zonko’s Joke shop. As you made your way out of  Honeyduke’s you felt an arm wrap around you, but no one was near. Vanilla and Pine Cones. “Harry, no way, how?”

“Fred and George gave me this wicked map,” he explained getting out of his cloak. “It showed me a great route to take without alerting Filch.”

“Great. I was starting to get bored. Let’s go into Three Broomsticks and get a butterbeer. I’ve never tried one,” you stated while dragging him along with you.

“Where’s Ron and Hermione?” Harry asked as you found an empty booth in the corner. Madame Rosmerta, the bartender had given you a rather weird look when you went to counter to place the order.

“They were acting odd once they got here. I decided to leave them alone,” you stated. Your butterbeers came and you both drank the liquid, letting it fill you with warmth. You dragged Harry around with you through the entire village. From Honeyduke’s Harry brought enough sweets to last till Christmas, you had made a comment on it when he said that more than half of it was for you. From Zonko’s you brought Ron the Screaming Yo-Yo he had mentioned wanting. You even walked over to Madam Pudifoot’s but one look at the pink exterior and you pulled Harry with you in the opposite direction.

“Harry,” Hermione exclaimed, as Ron and she came out of the joke shop. Ron looked rather glum until you handed him your package. He opened it and almost tackled you onto the ground in a hug.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the action and kept talking to Harry, “How did you get here?”

“Never mind how,” Ron laughed, “Harry, we’ve got to go into Zonko’s there’s some wicked stuff in there for pranks.” As Hermione hit Ron, you noticed Madame Rosmerta outside of her pub.

“Hey ‘Mione, look who it is,” you diverted their attention to the bartender who was talking to the Minister of Magic, he was looking rather intimidated by her antics. You looked over at Ron who was very red in the face as Hermione took to teasing him about his crush on dear old Rossie.

“Sirius Black?” you heard her say over the chipper of the crowd. Almost immediately you felt movement from you back and you knew Harry was making a beeline for Three Broomsticks. Without another thought you placed an invisibility charm on yourself and walked in Harry’s footsteps.

“Sirius Black? Come now Minerva why would he be coming to Hogsmeade of all places?” you heard Rosmerta ask as McGonagall started to explain the horrendous crimes that Black did. You huddled in a corner far away from everyone in the room but still close enough to hear the conversation. You felt a warm presence next to you that you guessed to be Harry.

“In the darkest times, when James and Lily Potter had to go into hiding Sirius Black was appointed as their secret keeper. He was the only one in the world that knew about their whereabouts, and when it came time to, he betrayed them,” McGonagall explained as tears welled up in your eyes.

Poor Harry must be going through a tsunami of emotions right now, you worried. Knowing that Sirius Black was after him was one thing but now realizing that he was the sole reason his parents were killed must be doing a number on him. You could tell he was shaking, and you felt around for his arm and held on to it.

“So, you think what? That he wants to finish the job You-Know-Who started and kill the boy?” Rosmerta questioned.

McGonagall’s lips stretched into the thinnest line you had ever seen, “Rosmerta the fact of the matter is that he still remains Harry’s godfather. Not only that, that poor girl (Y/N), she has no clue of course.” Your head was spinning from all the revelation that was happening but at your name your ears perked up.

 “Oh, that lovely doll, the one with brown eyes and black hair,” Rosmerta added, “I just saw her in my shop, she’s a splitting image of her mum, it made me tear up a bit. I will say her eyes and that hair, that she got from her father. She reminds me so much of her mother, even smiles the same way. (Y/L/N) was such a wonderful woman.”

 “”Metra, my dear,” Fudge interrupted, “The lass has no idea that her mother was Estella (Y/L/N) and that her father is Sirius Black.”

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[trevorbarre]

So, Do You Remember the 80s ‘Jazz Revival’?

Prodded by my memories of Rip, Rig & Panic, (the group, not the Roland Kirk number), I’m taken back to the UK ‘Jazz Revival’ of (roughly) the 1985-1990 vintage. For a brief period, in London at least, jazz music experienced its very own Retromania, and seemed to as cool/hot and hip/hep as it imagined itself to have been back in the ur-bebop and hard bop days. Much has been written about the ultimately conservative nature of this revival, with its memorialising of ‘sharp men in even smarter Italian suits’ (anyone remember The Tommy Chase Quartet?) and the Blue Note, ‘instant classic’ photo artistry of Francis Wolff, but which ultimately served to the disadvantage of the more experimental and ‘risky’. (It’s easy to lay the blame at the feet of Wynton Marsalis, but the seeds were always there for absolutism, from the very start, with influential USA critics like Albert Murray and Stanley Crouch, early neo-cons who increasingly decried the avant garde and post-Free Jazz experimentalism.) For me, this era coincided with my own reintroduction to jazz music, a process which began around 1981, and represented a return, this time permanent, to a music that I had first explored in the early/mid-70s, but which had been sidelined by punk and post-punk from 1976-1981. Bands like Rip, Rig & Panic served as a gateway back to jazz (and beyond), and the New Musical Express (NME) helped me in this, through such writers as Richard Cook, Andy Gill and Graham Lock. So this ‘revival’ was at once both personally-experienced and externally-informed.

There are a few literary signifiers that help to sum up these times, times which, in retrospect, seem to have been somewhat of a triumph of style over substance? (The 80s also arguably marked a significant lessening in quality in rock and reggae music, and we still await a definitive account of this entire troubled decade.) Have a look at the development of The Wire typography, once it became a monthly rather than a quarterly publication (i.e.from 1984 onward): The Face pointed the way forward, an alternative to the ‘inkies’ of the NME, Melody Maker and Sounds, and The Wire in turn fully bought into the aim of  more stylish presentational values, with the increased involvement of designers and ‘creatives’, as what clothes the musicians wore seemed to become as important as what they played. The Wire remained both a pleasure to read (featuring, despite everything, mostly more ‘left field’ jazz players, with even free improvisers also in evidence), and also to look at (the front covers were events in themselves, as they still remain). The bubble, however, had burst by 1990, and the covers began to feature the likes of Michael Jackson, Van Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, a reflection of the decreasing influence of ‘pure’ jazz, and an inexorable move towards what ‘hip’ young people were actually listening to, once they found out that Art Blakey and Max Roach were not, in actual fact, “great to dance to”. Electronic dance music soon became the default option of the tragically hip, an option which The Wire was soon to take up, especially after Drum and Bass / ’Jungle’ upped the avant stakes. (Main’s Hydra-Calm, from what I remember, won its 1992 ‘Album of the Year’, for an example of the magazine’s ‘new direction’).

In 1986, three of the older older NME writer ‘purists’, Roy Carr, Brian Case and Fred Dellar, put out ‘The Hip: Hipsters, Jazz and The Beat Generation’, which was a self-explanatory coffee table book, and exactly suited the whole ‘jazz revival’ shtick, “Hip has shifted more shades than any other philosophy throughout history”, proclaimed the back cover, rather vaguely, but which at least demonstrated that the authors didn’t take it all entirely seriously, unlike Robin Tomens. The latter published (only one printing, I must assume, in 2000?) his ‘Points of Departure: Essays on Modern Jazz’, a rather ambitious title for what was essentially a collection of what would now be called blogs, trying to demonstrate how hip and jazz-anointed he was (he doesn’t cover free improv, however). Although the book is often cringeworthy, in its attempts to glorify its author’s second-hand insights into various examples of the post-WW2 jazz modernists (mostly American), I have always had a sneaking fondness for it, as it in many ways mirrors my own tentative paths of discovery in the same time-period (1982-1988), alluding to a shared gaucheness, as we both tried to negotiate the various entries into the music, at points at which it all seemed insurmountable. His accounts of shopping in Ray’s Jazz Shop and Mole Jazz are priceless, and his reflections are basically those of a fan first, writer second, a position to which I can completely relate.

I’m no-one to talk: I sent in my own list to The Wire of ‘10 albums that I am currently listening to’, a regular spot in the magazine at the time (to show off my listening tastes, basically and embarrassingly, in retrospect), and which appeared in a 1986 edition of the magazine, from what I can recall (it soon, very correctly, ditched the whole daft concept). It seems that I wanted my own ‘brilliant corner’, however tiny and naff (to use a very 80s word), in the ‘revival’! What put me off, eventually, was the almost inevitably cosy, ‘closed shop’ mentality that most cliques and ‘scenes’ tend to engender (and which Tomens, for one, appeared to love), but which quickly prove to be so transient and gone-so-soon. 

We can now, thankfully, postulate another ‘revival’, one centered on Cafe Oto since its opening in 2008/9, one that appears not to seek validation in places like The Wag Club. (Oto’s various presentations usually transcend ‘jazz’, or, at the very least, transmutes it, and transmutation should be something that jazz has always welcomed?) With more musicians of colour and more female improvisers, this updated ‘scene with no name’ seemed built to last, at least until Covid-19 put it all on hold (at least in the area of live, in-person performance). One of the positives of the 80s scene was the clearly increased involvement of women and black musicians: this was undoubtedly an incremental and undoubted fact by 2020, exemplified, for me at least, in the line-up, at Oto in 2018, of a group led by Louis Moholo, and featuring Jason Yarde, Shabaka Hutchings, Alexander Hawkins and John Edwards. No women in this band though...Doh!! ( If I remember correctly,I think they called themselves ‘Five Blokes’!)

[silentwaters4]

Hey, you're writings are amazing! Can you please make a Harry Potter-Golden Trio and Maraduers era ship for me? I'm 166cm, have brown shoulder-length wavy hair, with brown eyes. I'm a Gryffindor, and I'd love to play Qudditch. I like to help people and make them smile,I also joke around a lot. I love to play sports, to laugh, and generally to be with people I like. I stand up for my friends, and even for strangers if I have to. Thank you so much,if you'll make it!!

Thank you so much peanut cup! Thank you for waiting! I ship you with:

Sirius Black

You and Sirius met through Quidditch. Well, that’s when you two started a proper friendship. You had always seen him before in class, but you were usually occupied with you friends. During Quidditch, you two would banter well. He’d of course, try and get you to laugh as hard as you could. It was a valiant effort for you to try and stay serious. However, he would most certainly break that focus during practice. James would occasionally chide the both of you, but he secretly loved it. He loved seeing his best friend happy. During games, however, the two of you were a smooth machine. The two of you wouldn’t really have to communicate to finish out a play. All that joking around seemed to have paid off in regards to knowing each other and how the other moves in practice. Admittedly, Sirius loved to see your competitive nature. After games, the two of you would just talk about the game. How to do better, what plays should’ve happened, how to get by the other team with no problem. Anything and everything. When you found out he was an Animagus, you were a bit stunned. Eventually that melted into amazement and excitement. You made a few jokes, geeked out over the magic behind it, and awed at his dog form. You beamed as you told him he could sneak into anywhere as a dog. He wagged his tail in response. That night, James found the two of you laying in front of the fire, knocked out. Well, he found you and a black dog and smiled. If he told you about his form, he was serious about you. Unbeknownst to both, you were just as serious (no pun intended hehe).

George Weasley

Considering your propensity for making others laugh, it was no surprise that you ended up with one of the Weasley twins. You and George loved making your friends laugh. And, unsurprisingly, Fred would join you two in the fun. George loved how you’d stick up for your friends. He had caught you several times trying to fight someone twice your size because they were picking on your friend. It later was brought to his attention that half of those fights were for people you didn’t even know. Despite him and Fred having to pull you away from those fights, George often questioned why you weren’t in Hufflepuff. “It’s because she’ll box your ears” Fred had quickly teased. Of course he was right (not that Hufflepuffs were soft by any means). You didn’t really think of anything but getting the bullies to back off. George didn’t mind; he admired that about you. The two of you would constantly lounge together. Whether it was homework or just not wanting to go somewhere, you’d both be leaning on each other somehow. Your head would be in his lap or on his shoulder. His head would either be in your chest (while laying down) or in the crook of your neck. Regardless of position, you two cuddled well together. Occasionally, Fred would tease you two for being so affectionate, but neither of you took it to heart. In fact, George would increase the dramatics just to annoy his twin. Of course, the Weasleys loved you. Molly especially loved seeing George so happy with someone. Ginny loved having another girl around. You got along well with the whole family and they knew you’d be the one for George. A few years later, they were proved right.