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kxlitz · 1 year

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★ Growing up with Tokio Hotel (Devilish) ★

AN: It is no secret that I adore the childhood friends trope with all of my soul. This is very self indulgent and I have zero shame about it.

!! Some if not most hcs are based off events from Bill Kaulitz’s book “Career Suicide” !!

Part 2

Warning! Underage drinking and Smoking, small mention of bullying, some sexual themes briefly addressed. Friendly reminder it’s Tokio Hotel we’re talking about

How did you end up in Magdeburg or Loitsche is up to you, but there is no denial in saying that you were at the right place, at the right time when you met a little boy with spiky black and red hair at your new school playground

Little Bill Kaulitz thought you were cool from the second he saw you. There weren’t many people in the school that he had an interest on or that even payed any positive attention to him. With you it was different. You looked kind and unique!

Quickly he introduced you to his brother Tom, him being a kid with a bit of an inflated ego it would take him some more time to warm up to you.

In the meantime, you and Bill became inseparable. You were basically glued to each other’s hip. His mom would drop him off at your place every Saturday for you guys to play with your Polly Pockets, Power Rangers, dressing up in some ridiculous outfits that were the highest of fashion for your little selves.

Bill’s mom genuinely loved how her son was not scared to be himself around you. She would often ask how you were doing and when you would come over next.

You started to grow on Tom thanks to his mom’s faith in you. If his beloved mom trusted you then so could he.

Tom was getting into skating at the time, he would offer you to learn with him or watch him do tricks.

He loved the attention.

He probably tried to charm you up but gave it up when he saw of how much worth you were. You guys did not bring it up again, only in interviews later on when you wanted to dirt on Tom.

Unfortunately you wouldn’t always be shielded from the chaos in their childhood. One way or another you would probably end up trashing a train or smoking blunts behind the school bushes very early on.

It wasn’t uncommon for you to show up to class totally high.

On the evening you guys would grab your bikes, or you would ride with one of them, and head down by a lake to smoke, chat and unwind. Throwing rocks in and seing how many times it bounced.

With time the twins found their one true love, music. They dreamed big, long gone were the school talent shows and weddings. They wanted to reach the world.

For that, their little singer, guitarist duo with a keyboard that played bass and drums wouldn’t work.

One morning right before class the boys came up to you, literally sprinting and blabbering at the same time. You only understood “band, you, join, casting”

From that moment on you were doomed.

If you didn’t play an instrument already the twins’s step-dad would happily accept you into his music school for free.

Through his acquaintances you guys found a drummer. He was immature for his age according to Tom. He wore glasses and a little shirt with a cow skiing.

When the day of the “casting” as the twins called it came, Gustav played some Phill Collins and solos for you guys. Clearly it wasn’t a real casting and you were fully aware that this boy was your best bet at getting a drummer for your newly formed band. Yet, the boys took it very seriously.

Tom replied “alright good you have the job” and rolled with it.

What were the odds that at the same music school Gustav attended there was an aspiring bassist.

Again, it was your best bet so you took Georg in.

If your first language was english it could’ve gone two ways when the twins came up with the name “devilish”. You either loved it and thought it was sick or you cringed yet had to tag along with it for the boys.

Now you guys had the time of your lives with the band.

Weekdays after school would be spent entirely at the garage jamming out and drinking. You all sucked at the beginning, barely mastering your instruments but your charm stood out.

Georg and you became friends right away. His energy jumped right at you and you both became such a comedic duo.

He started the fire and you just added fuel to it.

You loved to prank your friends so much.

And innuendos. So many innuendos.

Once Tom joins into your madness, it’s over for everyone else.

It wasn’t rare for you three to come back home all messed up and pass out on Tom’s couch.

Gustav baking and making little snackies for the band while you rehearse !!

Well, you drank and lazied around more than rehearsing per say.

Tom, Georg, Gustav and you playing video games all coddled up on a couch together.

Thank god Bill is there to kick your asses so you actually play music.

Tom and You developed a habit of playing back to back. You thought it looked cool.

Gustav is the glue that keeps you all together, and away from major trouble. Half he time at least.

Quickly enough you gained a little fanbase in town.

At school you might’ve been the outcasts still, but the older and “cooler” kids took you in happily.

Not much changed, it was the same old story of drinking, smoking, trashing shit down but now with the slight change that everyone around you was discovering their sexuality.

You walk in and Georg’s wanking in the corner? Throw a blanket over him and continue with whatever you were doing.

Being around four young boys and their friends surely set you up to become just as shameless as them.

You guys got very familiar with one another and could not care less about changing in the same room or sleeping in the same bed.

You guys were starting to become a set of quintuplets.

You were probably one of the first if not the first person that Bill ever talked to about questionning his orientation and the little romance he had with his old friend.

If you happen to be a part of the community as well, Bill was your confidant as well. It was you guys’s little secret before coming out of the closet.

Needless to say, when Bill got the confirmation that he would be attending “Starsearch” he jumped right into your arms. You were one of his biggest supporters and he wanted you to be there for him.

Bill might’ve not won the competition, but it opened a door for your little band.

#bill kaulitz #bill kaulitz x reader #georg listing #gustav schäfer #tokio hotel #tokio hotel imagine #tokio hotel x reader #tom kaulitz x reader #tom kaulitz #georg listing x reader #gustav schafer x reader

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pal1cam · 10 months

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Support Palestinian Musicians & Artists :

Here is a list of Palestinian musical artists, musical groups & bands, to make it easier for you to stop supporting musicians and artists who support genocide and occupation…

Faraj Sulieman : a solo musician who makes musical works that are very piano & jazz infused with a hint of rock n’ roll. He has performed in many countries in Europe and the Middle East. He has released 10 albums in the last 10 years, one of them being a children’s musical album called “Faheem” that found major success with the voices of the 2 kids, Faheem Abu Hilu and Hala Qassis, that were very dominant in the album alongside the sound of classical piano played by Faraj Sulieman himself. He also made the soundtrack for the Palestinian movie “200 meters” directed by Ameen Nayfeh. (Recommended Works : Better Than Berlin / Second Verse / Upright Piano)

DAM : a rap band founded in 1999 by the 2 brothers Tamer and Suhel Nafar along with their friend Mahmoud Jrere, the 3 rappers who came out of the city Lod [a mixed city that has indigenous Palestinian citizens & zionist Israeli settlers] make songs mostly about the inequality in the authorities’ treatment towards Palestinians, and songs criticizing the Palestinian society living in occupied territory under the Israeli Government… They primarily rap in Arabic, yet they sometimes use English & Hebrew as well. In recent years the female artist Maysa Daw has joined the band replacing Suhel Nafar and adding a feminine perspective to the band’s niche. It’s also important to mention that DAM was the first ever hip-hop band in the entirety of the Middle East. (Recommended Works : Ben Haana Wa Maana / i don’t have freedom)

Tamer Nafar : as mentioned before, he is a Palestinian rapper and actor and one of the founding members of DAM. Besides his works with DAM he also produces music under his own name, sometimes collaborating with various Palestinian & international artists. He also participated in making the soundtrack for the film ‘Junction 48’. (Recommended Works : The Beat Never Goes Off / Johnnie Mashi)

Maysa Daw : a solo musician, singer & songwriter, and as mentioned before the freshest and newest member of the band DAM, and a member of the newly formed female group called Kallemi, She was featured in Vogue Arabia 2019 as one of 5 Arab stars setting the world of art, culture and entertainment. She is also the daughter of the actor and director Salim Daw. (Recommended Works : Asli Barri / Between City Walls)

47SOUL : a group of four men who are all originally from Palestine that have created a new music genre called “Shamstep” which is an electronic dance movement mixed with the sound of Palestinian & Middle Eastern folklore. The musical group was formed back in 2013, and since then they’ve become pioneers in that unique style of theirs and have been on tours all over the world from the US to the UK and of course the Middle East. They’ve performed in NPR’s tiny desk in 2019 which helped them gain even more international recognition. (Recommended Works : Shamstep / Semitics / Shireen)

El far3i : he is a Palestinian-Jordanian rapper, singer, songwriter, and percussionist. He is currently a member of the Shamstep band 47Soul, and was formerly a member of the Arabic rock band El Morabba3. He started his career in 2012, and has since released six solo albums. (Recommended Works : Tghayarti)

Shabjdeed : Straight out of the restless town of Kufr Aqab, Palestine, emerged a talent by the name of Abu Othaina. With his controversial takes and raw skills Shabjdeed was an instant addition to the Palestinian rap scene. After gaining traction from his self-titled track, he caught the attention of Al Nather, a local producer, and worked with him to create the alter-ego Shabjdeed; an act that can easily be considered one of the most influential and popular in the region. The duo developed their own niche dark hip-hop and trap style combining Shabjdeed’s nihilistic and daringly personal delivery style with Al Nather’s colourful and rhythmic instrumentals. From the beginning they have been able to build a dedicated fanbase, grossing over 1.5 million total streams on Soundcloud across two years whilst only relying on word-of-mouth advertisement. The duo have created together a record label and named it BLTNM Records which was brought to it’s biggest success with the release of Shabjdeed’s first full length album called “Sindibad el Ward”. And today Shabjdeed’s music is the modern voice for not only the Palestinian revolution, yet for the entire revolution in the Middle East caused by youth that dream of a better future and go against their capitalist and money hungry governments. (Recommended Works : Fi Harb / Aadi / inn ann / Ko7ol w 3atme)

Daboor : A Jerusalemite rapper to the bone, Daboor’s debut single “Liter Black'' was released in 2020 to much fanfare and critical acclaim. His unique style and raw talent cemented his status in the rap scene and he was soon signed to BLTNM Records. Daboor’s words touch on the violence of the occupation, and his delivery mimics it with brutal bursts of staccato. (Recommended Works : Inn Ann / Dolab)

Lina Makhoul : an independent American-born Palestinian singer-songwriter & producer. She was raised in the city of Acre in occupied Palestine since the age of 4 and according to her she has showed interest in music and dance since a young age. She started her career in 2012 and has since released 1 full length album as well as a number of hit singles, She also opened for Queen+ Adam Lambert in 2016 and toured with Little Mix in 2017. (Recommended Works : Shway Shway / Fish Masari / 3 sneen)

Elyanna : a Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter who started her career in 2018 and has since released 1 full length album and a number of singles, and she has collaborated with artists with significant recognition such as Massari. She performed in Coachella 2023 to become the 1st ever Middle Eastern & Palestinian artist to perform in Coachella in Arabic. (Recommended Works : Ana Lahale / Ghareeb Alay)

Noel Kharman : She is best known for doing mashup covers where she mixes Middle Eastern and Western music, creating a unique bridge between these two worlds through her powerful and angelic voice. She started her career on Youtube with covers of viral songs, but her big breakthrough happened in 2015 when she published her first mash-up cover which was a mix of ‘Hello’ by Adele with Fairuz. The cover went viral overnight and since then, she became an instant internet sensation. The cover has gained over 30 million views on YouTube. Today she has released many songs of her own after being signed to a record label and has collaborated with various artists and went on tour in many cities in the Middle Eastern region. (Recommended Works : Ya Lali)

The Synaptik : This Palestinian-Jordanian artist based in Palestine started making music at the age of 17. The Synaptik studied medicine for 7 years and graduated. His stage name is derived from his fascination with the nervous system, neurotransmitters and his personal experience with ADHD, which led to calling himself The Synaptik: “…because that’s where things happen.” The Synaptik has pioneered a new wave of sound for the Arab youth. His honest and potent lyrics are highlighted by his songwriting style that merges singing and rapping effortlessly. With a tsunami of a first album under his belt, dozens of local, regional, and international shows and a much-anticipated second album, The Synaptik has cemented his status as one of the pillars in the Hip Hop scene in the region. The Synaptik has collaborated with numerous artists from all over the Middle East such as rap superstars Abyusif, Wegz, Marwan Mousa, Chyno with a Why?, Shabjdeed and more. (Recommended Works : Sabelek)

Apo & The Apostles : Apo & the Apostles started out late 2013 in Jerusalem-Bethlehem with their first release in March 2014. Since then, they've been taking their music to whoever and wherever they are welcomed. The band is known for their energetic performances that turn to parties and after-parties. (Recommended Works : Baji Wenek)

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sweet-evie · 10 months

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Satoru, Suguru, Sukuna, and Choso in a Rock Band AU... I need my brain to shut up about this and I need to quell my thirst!

✨ masterlist ✨

I could have used J-Rock artists as prime reference, but... listening to my own playlist got me into this mess.

The band lineup in my head:

Sukuna on Drums

Choso on Bass Guitar

Suguru as Lead Guitarist & Main Backup Vocalist

Satoru as Rhythm Guitarist & Lead Vocalist

All of them can scream sing and growl, but...

Sukuna is the best at death growling + gutturals. Think Nergal from Behemoth.

Choso is a false chord scream king. Plus, for some reason, he sings like Corey Taylor in my head.

Suguru is 100% a pro at fry screaming. Also sings like Alex Varkatzas probably.

Satoru probably screams and growls like Andy Biersack or sings like M. Shadows or David Draiman... I can't decide. Although, can 100% picture him belting out The Vengeful One.

Anyways...

Satoru and Suguru are power duo lyricists... Like, they're so good at writing songs together. The themes in each album always defer, but they're really good at hammering in a message (subtle or overt) into every song.

Also also, picture Satoru and Suguru singing into a mic onstage, taking the entire crowd hostage with those never-declining face cards, fingers flawlessly gliding over the frets, pressing on the strings, playing their guitars in perfect harmony. 😩 LAWRD HELP ME, I WANT THEIR TONGUES IN MY MOUTH. 😭

Them playing these guitar solos on 3:21 - 3:55... Satoru doing rhythms at 3:21 and Suguru comes in at 3:36...

youtube

From debut, Satoru became extremely popular for never showing people his full face. The fans have never seen his eyes. Yes, he performs with a blindfold on, and during interviews, his eyes are always covered by his signature dark sunglasses.

His eye reveal was in a music video. It played a part skyrocketing the band's fame. And when the band performed live after that music video, Satoru is playing onstage without a blindfold or sunglasses on. Cue the infinite rizz.

Fans always rave that Satoru looks so innocent and cute when his eyes are on full-display (man belongs in a romcom movie) and he's not performing or screaming like a demon into the microphone.

Even after the eye reveal, Satoru still performs with a blindfold on most of the time, and he takes it off with extra flair and drama when the fans ask for it during a concert.

Satoru is very playful when interacting with fans -- a far cry from his onstage persona.

Also, fans are so tickled and pleased that for all his screaming and growling in songs and concerts, Suguru is actually very soft-spoken when he's just talking normally.

Suguru has a tongue piercing and the sexiest dragon tattoo sprawled across his back.

Need I mention the fans love the way Suguru says Satoru's name? Even in this AU, the fans ship SatoSugu. 😝

Suguru is also the one band member who gives insightful answers during interviews. Like, it's always deep with him, much to Choso and Satoru's amusement, and Sukuna's irritation.

Speaking of Sukuna...

Sukuna never wears a shirt during concerts. He has tattoos and he's showing them off like no one's business. Imagine him pounding at those drums, tattooed face, chest, and arms in full display, eyes blazing, tongue out and everything. [DON'T YOU WANT TO LICK HIM? 😜]

Sukuna's the drummer, but he has a microphone too, because he's the best at death growling and they have songs where they get into that.

No one plays drums like Sukuna can. It's a running gag in their fandom that Sukuna had four arms in another life because how in the fuck can he do what he do?

Sukuna is also famous for getting shit-faced before an onstage performance. For some reason, he plays perfectly fine even when he's inebriated or high. It's a flex! 😩

By contrast, Choso and Suguru eat super healthy.

Satoru is always on a sugar-high. Did we expect anything less?

Satoru and Suguru will write really dark songs and they will hand over the vocals to Sukuna, because it fits him so well. Kinda like this:

Satoru may be lead vocalist on paper, but all the boys in this band can sing, and they're all hot when they do it. 😝

The fans love it when Choso goes apeshit on the microphone. I imagine him singing this and it's a treat every fucking time!

Choso is baby. 😝 He's so cute and always looks out for everyone behind the scenes. The band has filmed backstage documentaries before, and the fans who've seen those love Choso so much because he takes care of all the members.

Choso plays bass and each time he has a solo in the song, it's a guaranteed eargasm. 😩🙏 Can he finger me the way he fingers that bass please?

Choso is so sweet to the fans... Always gives them attention even when he's not supposed to. (e.g., when he leaves his house and he finds them outside the gate). He just can't be mean!

Satoru and Suguru are fan service kings! Like during concerts, they don't shy away from getting super close to the crowd. They're also multi-tasking kings, because imagine playing an instrumental solo, singing, and doing crowd work at the same time.

The four of them are trolls! Satoru and Sukuna are the biggest trolls and menaces. Suguru goes along with whatever Satoru wants, and Choso tries and fails to be responsible.

They are well aware of the baseless rumors around their songs and performances (that they're spawns of hell, they worship the devil, etc.), and they play into it to annoy the haters some more and give them fodder. Hate comments are free publicity apparently.

Dating any one of them will either be fun and chill, or just outright chaos. No in-between.

I don't think Sukuna would date anyone though. He strikes me as a pump-and-dump type of man. Hooking up with him means a grand time in the sheets, but it's only good until he gets bored. After he gets bored, it's done. Bye!

Choso would treat you right, no questions. He makes time and does whatever you want to do. You want to workout with him? Okay! You want your own personal concert? Why, of course! You want time for private getaways? He's booking first class plane tickets to a vacation destination of your choice. You want to learn how to play bass guitar? "Come here, Darling. Let me show you."

With Satoru and Suguru, it's a toss up. Mostly because I think it will have to take someone super special (a person who isn't easily cowed and who loves either of them so much) to get either of them to fall in love. When they fall in love with their S/Os though, they're all in.

Dating Satoru or Suguru in this situation means having rock songs written about you. It's one of their love languages in this AU.

I also don't know what their band would be called. 😝

#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #satoru gojo #gojo satoru #ryomen sukuna #sukuna ryomen #choso kamo #kamo choso #suguru geto #geto suguru #wbad shit posts #wbad blog

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freddiemercurylegendabovelegends · 2 months

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July 19th, 1985 - Queen Story!

The Sun - I AM THE CHAMPION

Why Fantastic Freddie Stole Live Aid Show

(Boogie time for winners) by Nick Ferrari

Rock fans have been saying for years that Freddie Mercury is the world’s greatest.

Now the world knows how right they are–because Freddie and his band, Queen, stole the honours at the star-studded Live Aid concert.

His blistering show, with its haunting finale, left all the other pop greats standing.

Freddie, a very energetic 38, cannot resist giving it all he’s got once he is on stage.

He says: “I have to win people over, otherwise it’s not a successful gig. It’s my job to make sure people have a good time. That’s part of my duty. It’s all to do with feeling in control. That song We Are The Champions has been taken up by football fans because it’s a winners’ song.

“I can’t believe that somebody hasn’t written a new song to overtake it.”

In a revealing interview Freddie talks freely and frankly about his superstar friends, his astonishing song writing output and his sad love life.

_Shock_

His composing has brought him into constant with Elton John, Rod Stewart — and the reclusive Michael Jackson.

He says: “I recorded about two or three tracks with Michael, but none of them are out at the moment.”

It was Freddie who started recording State of Shock with Jackson, but he did not have time to finish it. Mick Jagger stepped in–and they had a hit.

A Mercury-Jackson duo was also planned for the smash-hit Thriller album, but that did not come off, either.

Not that Freddie worries over such set-backs. His recording career did very nicely, thank you, when he released his solo album _Mr Bad Guy_

“I was pleased with it,” he says. “I was also pleased with my voice. I like it husky. It’s all the smoking. That’s why I smoke — to get that husky voice.”

So how did he reach the high notes? “I used the Demis Roussos method,” he says. “You get a pair of pliers under the frock and go crunch!”

One of the tracks on Freddie’s new album is entitled Love Is Dangerous. Is that his view? He says: “I can be a good lover, but I think after all these years I’m not a very good partner for anybody. Maybe my love is dangerous, but who wants their love to be safe?”

_Tragic_

“I’m possessed by love–but isn’t everybody? Most of my songs are love ballads and things to do with sadness and torture and pain.

“In terms of love, you’re not in control and I hate that feeling. I seem to write a lot of sad songs because I’m a very tragic person. But there’s always an element of humour at the end.”

But for all his fame and adulation, Freddie remains a lonely man.

He says: “The album track Living on My Own is very me. I have to go round the world living in hotels. You can have a whole shoal of people you know looking after you. But in the end they all go away. But I’m not complaining. I’m living on my own and having a boogie time.”

And this man, with millions of fans all over the world admits he has few friends.

Freddie says: “When you’re a celebrity, it’s hard to approach somebody and say: ‘Look, I’m normal underneath.’ Then what happens is the tread all over me because by trying to be normal to somebody, suddenly I’ve come out of my shell and become far more vulnerable than most people.”

_Fun_

“Because I’m successful and have a lot of money, a lot of greedy people prey on me. But that’s something I’ve learned to deal with.

“I’m riddled with scars and I just don’t want any more.”

Instead Freddie turns to his fans to feel wanted again. He said: “I find even when people have let you down, you just want to go on stage. It’s very gratifying to know that all sorts of people want you.”

Freddie has also learned how to enjoy his fame. He says: “I was caught up in being a star and I thought “This is the way a star behaves. Now I don’t give a damn. I want to do things my way and have fun.”

“If all my money ended tomorrow, I’d still go about like I had lots of money because that’s what I used to do before. I’ll always walk round like a Persian Poppinjay and no one’s gonna stop me.”

“I love living life to the full — that’s my nature. Nobody tells me what to do.”

TEARS TURN ME ON

Freddie is a great admirer of modern band and current music in spite of his years in the business. He says: “I like Tears For Fears, Wham!, and Culture Club– they’re all very good. But Tears For Fears are among my favourites because they’re writing music I cam really relate to.”

_Dream_

“They’ve got a lot of rhythm and at the same time they’ve got a lot of aggression. They also have very good songs. But I love the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, above all other singers. She must have one of the best voices ever. She sings like a dream. I wish I could sing half as well as she does. It’s so natural.

“She puts her whole emotion into it. Each word she sings is full of meaning and expression. I could listen to it forever.”

Freddie also reveals his deep love of opera. He says: “Montserrat Cabelle is sensational. She has that same kind of emotion as Aretha Franklin. The way she delivers a song is so very natural. It’s a very different gift.”

But Freddie’s favourite band remains Queen who have been toether now for 13 years.

And he strongly denies making a solo album has threatened the future of one of the world’s greatest rock bands. Freddie says: “It’s probably brought us closer together and will enhance our careers.”

_Closer_

“It’s like painting a picture. You have to step away from it to see what it’s like. I’m stepping away from Queen and I think it’s going to give everybody a shot in the arm.

“But I’ll be working with Queen again. No doubt about that. Queen are gonna come back even bigger.”

(➡️ source: http://queenarchives.com/qa/07-19-1985-the-sun/)

📸 Pic: July 13, 1985, Wembley Stadium, London, UK

'Live Aid'

#live aid 1985 #zanzibar #legend #queen #brian may #john deacon #london #queen band #freddie mercury #freddiebulsara #roger taylor #live aid 1985 queen #1985 #the sun #show #wembley #wembley stadium #uk #champion

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ssruis · 7 days

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You. 🫵 Go read this. Peak rks. Peak rui.

Obligatory comment-under-read-more Of Shame (ao3 character limit my beloathed)

YOU WROTE THIS SO QUICKLY??? 18k???? Has it even been a month since you mentioned this… You’re cracked. I’m scared and in awe of your power. As soon as I clicked the link in the notes I knew I was about to read peak… I was cackling. The mental image of Rui doing that is so beautiful… Pristine, even. One might say immaculate. Perchance. I got my hat on backwards and it’s time to forget 10 years of positive character growth!!

“I remember.” Guilt. Shame. Sorrow. It had gone badly. He had walked home alone. “Sorry about…I’m sorry.”

> you have such a way of conveying so much with so few words… dagger to the heart

Was he hit by a high speed vehicle?

> high speed door, actually. Happens to the best of us.

A life of solitude, easy and empty. Years of solo tinkering in his room in silence. Finding more ways to enjoy being alone. Not yearning, never yearning. Maybe one day creating something great.

> main story rui & his “I’m fine like this it’s just how life is going to be” mindset ouuuugh… creating because he’s given up on finding something great…

“Such careless design!” Tsukasa huffs. “In a place like that, they should really have some kind of tape so people know to duck!”

“To be fair, most people are shorter than Rui.”

“So that means they should just get knocked out every time they want to enter a room?!”

> as I’ve said before I love the way you write the nene + tsukasa dynamic (even if it’s not the focus here). They’re such an underrated comedic duo… tsk could say anything & she’ll throw out a counter argument just because.

Even a high budget production wouldn’t have props this well constructed.

> and it would have taller doorframes! probably. I love the way you capture how Rui is always always always viewing and analyzing things through his director mindset… everything can be related to shows if you just try hard enough.

“And this is the bedroom back here,” Tsukasa says, pointing through the doorway. Okay, he’s just going to ignore him then.

> he’s so funny. His husband got factory reset and he’s entered overly enthusiastic and fretful tour guide mode out of panic.

Rui stares at his ring finger again, twisting the band around and feeling the metal rub against his skin. Such a quaint sight.

> “quaint” auugh… main story rui being flung 10 years into the future and seeing that he’s happy and thriving and living in domestic bliss with that obnoxious blond guy & it’s just. Unbelievable and unrealistic in the way that an unearned cheesy “& then they lived happily ever after” storybook ending would be to him.

I only knew you for a couple of weeks, and then we parted ways. And that was a parting that was welcomed by me, if I’m frank.

> nene your spot as tsukasa’s no.1 hater is in jeopardy

Tsukasa makes a face, but it only lasts a moment.

> tsukasa and his refusal to back down or consider failure (unstoppable force) vs rui’s “this guy sucks big time” mindset (immovable object). Tale as old as time.

Rui catches sight of a framed photo up on the wall, apparently a scene from their wedding. Or a show. It’s hard to tell. There may not be a difference.

> there isn’t a difference. Fully believe they’d treat their wedding like a show. They’re incapable of being normal. show freaks (derogatory) (affectionate)

Tsukasa steps out from the doorway he’s been skulking by for the past ten minutes.

> insert sad ant with a bindle image here

“Okay.” For a second the absurdity almost makes him laugh, but he wills away the smile before it’s too visible. “That’s…interesting.”

Tsukasa drops his stance. Why does he seem disappointed? There’s absolutely no way Rui would have ever entertained something like that, future or past. It’s not like there would be that many poses. He would run out eventually. Though, those did seem- specific. Are there more? No, Rui isn't going to waste his time following that thought process.

> HELP ME they’re so weird!! They’re so weird. I giggled. Rui & his initial fascination with tsk (that never really went away, just changed shapes) & tsk and his 100+ poses that he has memorized and ready to pull out at any given moment.

Like he’s going to be led down a path so softly that it’s already too late by the time he realises the direction is wrong.

> yes… the tsukasa tenma Stockholm Syndrome effect. Millions fall victim to it each year. Fondly reminiscing on the days where I straight up did not care about him. & now that I’ve spent close to a year as a wxs fan I’m tragically very fond of him. As you can see this condition is incurable.

“Well, maybe it’s just because I know you both so well. It just feels like you recognise each other’s vision well, and that comes across when watching.” […] “I have no idea what you guys are doing most of the time. I’m pretty sure the way you express love isn’t the same as most people, anyway. You communicate best through theatre talk and dramatics.”

> YOU GET IT… you get it. They’re so fucking weird. but they are weird together. And obnoxiously happy about it too.

It’s someone that’s making his voice a little softer, at least. Even if he’s still loud. Rui closes his eyes and tries to imagine Tsukasa speaking to him like that.

> saki mention :)

“I wasn’t upset,” Rui says, looking away. “I was simply being honest based on my observations.”

> me when I lie (to both myself and others)

It’s familiar, but it’s- not right. Of course he wants to take it, because this life everyone is telling him about seems so warm and inviting, but- he doesn’t know how. He doesn’t know how to be both himself and this at the same time.

> ow. Pre wxs he’d been alone so long that he started defining himself by his loneliness to the point where he was like “I’m better off like this actually” and now he’s got all this love coming at him from a bunch of different directions… how do you even begin to trust that. Esp when it’s love for a you that you don’t know… ur mind. Love this part.

Two conflicting things can’t both be true at once. There must be an error somewhere. Is that why he feels like he’s doing something wrong?

> He’s so funny... he’s facts and logic-ing his way to the wrong conclusion but because he’s being “rational” about it he can’t see that he’s wrong or that he is in fact letting his feelings get in the way of seeing the problem clearly.

Rui wonders just how much Tsukasa will put up with before he decides he isn’t worth it.

> already shifting from “this guy is the worst I want him to leave me alone” to “he’s the worst but surely he will leave me because I am too much.” Nene was right when she said he’d fall in love again but she had too much faith in Rui (in that he lasted less than a week before the tsukasa Stockholm syndrome kicked in).

> I really enjoy how you show that he’s slowly falling back into his relationship with tsukasa even if he’s unaware of it… he starts teasing him instinctually

There can’t be that much difference between his old self and the new. It’s not as if he’s acting irrationally or strange.

> he’s so blatantly and confidently wrong… it’s inspiring…

It had been an incredible display, by far his favourite part of the entire musical other than Nene’s performance. “Not really. I didn’t notice it that much.”

> HELP MEEE… really holding onto that hatred with a white knuckle grip, huh.

> When I first read this fic I was like “hmm idk if Rui would hold onto his grudge like this but I can see where its coming from” and then I reread it again (fic so nice u read it twice. Or more.) and realized I was so wrong… it’s not just about accepting that tsukasa has changed, it’s about accepting that his life has improved so drastically. He’s mentally still very “I will never belong with anyone and I have to follow my dreams on my own.” Right after the first time in forever that Rui lets himself get his hopes up & then promptly has them shattered during the main story fight, he’s suddenly thrown into a life where he’s happy and fulfilled and accepted for who he is. Of course he’d try to cling to his dislike of Tsukasa, because letting go of that means letting go of the “I’m incompatible with other people” mindset. (Rui vc) that’s my comfort unhealthy-outlook-on-relationships-&-life and I will not be letting it go. Your mind…

“No, she’s happy to do it. Any of us would do the same, if it was something really important. Nothing is worth more than a friend in need, right? Even the best job in the universe couldn’t compete against that!”

> points at Rui in curtain call

“Rui Rui Rui Rui is your head okay do you feel sick do you feel dizzy are you okay do you know who I am Rui????”

> The little pink thing is here (the crowd goes wild)

“Is it true that your head went whambamow?” Emu asks, pulling back to look at him with large eyes. “And now you don’t know anyone and you can’t remember anything like vshhvshvshh?”

> as always I’m obsessed with how you write her like… you nail the emu typical incomprehensible onomatopoeias but I can still understand what she’s getting at.

“Mmm…” Emu’s eyes stay on his face, searching hard in a way that makes Rui feel oddly exposed. Why does it feel like she’s seeing something that he can’t? “I think you’re definitely Rui, but I’m not sure you’re completely Rui.”

> she knows him so well… even putting her insane ability to read people aside she can pinpoint what’s up with him from a mile away even when he can’t understand himself. Because she knows what a happy Rui looks like and it’s not this.

> semi related but it makes me so happy that yes this is a rks fic but it also includes all of Rui’s friendships and takes a look at his dynamics with them. because you write them so well but also because his friends are so so so important to him… there’s a weird fandom brain tendency to go “romantic relationship > importance of everyone else in a characters life” which has never sat right with me, but especially not for WXS. They’re all friends… they all love and support each other & the dynamic doesn’t need to be romantic for that.

“That’s so sad, you really don’t remember any of our shows…” Emu says forlornly, blowing bubbles into her drink as her head dips.

> so cute so cute… you always write in little actions that aren’t plot relevant but do make the scene feel so much more real and I enjoy it every time…

This is the place where everything ended, to Rui. He tries to picture that happiness, really tries to place himself into that life, but it just doesn’t seem possible.

> “where everything ended” obsessed with that. it’s so true. Forever thinking about that little scene they added in journey to bloom after the main story fight where it shows him looking super upset in his room…

“Is it scary?” she asks. It’s the same tone someone might take with a young child, but somehow Rui doesn’t find it condescending. “Because you don’t remember, and now suddenly you have lots of love from every single direction? And that’s a really big change, right? Especially compared to when you first started making shows with us! You always had a big big wall like kztkzkzt.”

> this made me smile she’s so good with emotions & getting to the root cause of what’s wrong… I love seeing emu written so well…

Why would Tsukasa bother to do this, even though Rui has no recollection of their relationship? It’s not something he deserves. It’s not something he should have. Yet, here it is anyway.

> ohhh that hurts… Rui Kamishiro you sad sad man

“Is that a script?” he can’t help but ask. It warrants an overjoyed expression from Tsukasa, and Rui isn’t sure if he’s made a mistake or not.

> tsukasa tenma you are never beating the dog allegations.

He finds himself looking away from the page to watch Tsukasa as he delivers his lines, something striking about the way he moves and talks. Everything seems so deliberate, yet fully natural too. Well, of course, this must be something he’s performed countless times, but- still. Rui never imagined his own work would sound like this. It’s usually lost once it leaves the paper, but now it seems- more, not less. Tsukasa is- adding something to it, somehow.

Rui keeps reading his assigned lines, but finds himself getting a little more into the performance. It’s hard to consciously sound disinterested when Tsukasa is filling the air with so much energy. Is this what they normally do…? Rui could believe it. It feels familiar. It feels fun. This isn’t bad at all. Distantly, Rui thinks his future self must not be a very good actor, because it’s hard to stop himself from smiling even as he tries to stay in character.

> You get it… they’re so odd. Why are they like this. So much of their bond is built off of their shared all consuming passion and love for theatre. Height of romance for ruikasa is creating a show together.

An audience full of ordinary people probably wouldn’t enjoy this. Perhaps it’s something his other self forgot to edit out.

> rui :(

Yes, but also no, because Rui is scared that the feeling in his chest is going to keep developing, keep rising with the liveliness of the room.

> “I can’t catch feelings for the man I’m literally married to. I have to leave” I cannot stand this guy. Aren’t you supposed to be smart rui.

It’s been this long, so an argument was inevitable, this is the start of the divorce era-

“Your jacket’s inside out.”

> DIVORCE ERA… i giggled

“It’s a different perspective, you know? Asking someone for fashion advice with a decade long memory gap? Oh, that reminds me, did I tell you you owe me ten thousand yen?”

> they’re so funny. Your second priority should be checking in on your friend’s wellbeing after an amnesia inducing head injury. your first priority should always be profit.

Mizuki watches him for a moment, then sighs hard, crossing their arms. “Listen, Rui, I’m sorry to have to tell you this. I know it’s going to come as a huge shock, but try to stay calm, okay? The truth is…you’re gay.”

> took me OUT… mizuki you are so funny

A friendly smile and a wave. Once no longer needed, he’d be gone.

Every time he had tried to go past that level, every time he’d dared to step closer, things had gone wrong. The shows he had shared as a child had ended no different to their performance at the park. Rui had started alone, realised just how different he was, and then gone back to being alone.

[…]

Those feelings he gets when Tsukasa checks to see if he’s okay, when he smiles at him- they’re temporary. They’re frivolous. Rui isn’t the type of person who can love someone like that. And- even if they’re not- he’s not the type of person who can be loved like that. This life is too unrealistic. It’s too selfish.

> I’m obsessed with this part… even past the main story Rui was still holding onto his belief that he was simply incompatible with people - because if that isn’t true, that means there’s no easy logical reason for why he was so rejected by his peers. It means he’s capable of forming relationships and it means opening himself up to losing something so much more important than surface level friendships with others when the people he loves leave him (because they have to eventually, right?). & even though that belief was unhealthy, it let him believe he was content being alone, but now that he has all these people who love him it actively gets in the way of his relationships. It’s so much easier for him to view his desires as selfish than it is to believe that other people legitimately love him.

Performing with his friends, subjecting others to his ideas and creations, forming a close connection with someone…it’s simply too much.

> “subjecting others” love that phrasing it’s so true… baby rui going “I forced my shows onto other people and that’s why they rejected me” and the way he started to view his love for others as something that’s inherently too much - because it can rival his love of theatre, and all his life he was shown over and over again through rejection that this passion was too extreme. So it’ll probably the same thing if he lets his friends know how much he cares about them, right? (Wrong! He is stupid.)

His voice is eager and inviting like always, and there’s the shine in his eyes that’s always there when he looks at Rui. Not too dissimilar from a dog waiting for praise.

> do we have solid proof tsk isn’t a very human looking dog? There’s no compelling evidence against it. So it must be true.

“But I don’t think that’ll happen!” His vigour returns tenfold as he shoots up, eyebrows pointed down. “And before it got to that point, I’d do absolutely everything in my power to ensure you were happy and safe! I wouldn’t ever want to make you uncomfortable, but- I don’t mind however long it takes! I don’t care if I have to do it all over from the start! I would do it ten thousand times for you, Rui!”

> tsukasa “unstoppable force” tenma… the phrase “I give up” isn’t in his vocabulary.

He can hear the water running, though there’s no singing or loud monologuing today.

> you are so talented at show don’t tell I love all the little moments in this fic that - even through rui’s lens of Hate - show how upset and concerned and wrong footed Tsukasa is. He’s more than capable of covering this up with the “Rui will go back to normal eventually” attitude but he is very clearly (unless you’re Rui with amnesia) Not Having A Fun Time. Tsukasa Tenma and the no good very bad 2 weeks from hell.

“[…] I like sharing stuff with you. Understand?! How can you say we don’t have anything in common?! I like all of that stuff! I like it a lot!”

> this whole speech was so so cute and sweet. I sniled so sneetly. I hate them (said with great affection). When it truly comes down to it Tsukasa is so good at locking in and saying something that’s simultaneously both completely unexpected & exactly what needed to be said. The cost of this skill is, of course, being so super obnoxious all the time and occasionally getting treated like a chew toy/guinea pig/clown by his friends (which is always funny and deserved).

Of course, the decorations and the music and the flowers had been beautiful, but it was that moment that had been the true act of togetherness - being there as he cried. The silent understanding of ‘this is what I thought I would never have’ without Rui ever saying it, and the realisation that despite everything, now they did have it. Understanding without needing to be told. Not just sharing happiness but sharing sadness and doubt and courage too. To be understood. To understand. That’s it. That’s love.

> STOP get out… this is so beautiful and touching… accepting and being accepted and revealing your whole, authentic self and trusting that you’ll be loved and can love in return…

“Oh, really? But it’s okay if you want to kill me off sometimes. I have a lot of good poses for death scenes! And we still have some fake blood left, so that could be pretty useful for that kind of thing.”

> of course he does. Tsukasa Tenma voice “every actor should have at least 5 death poses. I, of course, have 20.”

“Would you like me to include a graphic death for you next time?” Rui asks fondly. “I’ve always wanted to experiment with using alternative means of showing blood, such as through lighting or with props. Potentially using colours other than red, too.”

“Oh, that sounds good! I’ve been working a lot on my core stability, so I think I could hold even a pretty complicated pose for a good amount of time without moving. And I’ve been trying a new stage fall technique if you want to try shooting me through the head…I think something with a bow and arrow could look really good…”

> what is wrong with themmmm going from a super emotional moment to immedietly talking about the most artistic way for tsukasa to die on screen. They’re insane. “‘Would you like me to include a graphic death for you next time?’ Rui asks fondly.” help meee… fondly planning out a scene where your husband dies violently. True romance. They always follow up their normal and/or emotionally vulnerable conversations with deranged theatre talk, thus restoring order to the universe. I think this is one of the best rks interactions in fan works that I’ve read like. They would. They so would. Cheering and clapping so hard.

"Would you love me even if I was made from polyurethane foam?" he asks distantly. Tsukasa’s eyebrows twitch.

“Go to sleep,” he mutters. “If it’s you, yes.”

> they are so funny & annoying I need to hit them with a bat

God this was so good… I love your writing so so much & I was so excited to see this fic pop up. I will save the longer comment for tumblr where I’m freed from the restraints of the character limit but I’m so obsessed with this. Perfectly balanced between sweet and serious and hysterical… an excellent rui character study… exploring his relationships with his closest friends and how they’ve grown and changed… so beautifully written… you have such a fantastic grasp on these characters and what makes them tick. Thank you for sharing… I’m going to be rotating this in my mind for ages…

#mine #rui #good rui fic… go read… read now…

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mejigay · 1 year

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MEJIBRAY MiA is chewing on his ribcage bone

Keeping up with MEJIBRAY: The Series

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

Hello to my favorite bitches, long time no see! Ready for a classic mejigay gossip sesh?

If you were anything like me, you started a Tumblr blog about visual kei very young (I've posted about vk on this blog since I was 16) and now you're an adult. MEJIBRAY broke up around 6 years ago now I think right? I am now 24, have a masters degree and planning on moving to Japan in spring. Crazy how time flies right.

Let's refresh our minds a little bit okay? Now I'm assuming you remember everything from those 6-ish years ago. The MEJIBRAY label/contract issue with Tsuzuku and Koichi, Tsuzuku's borderline disorder, the refusal to do encores during the last tour, the charcoal face paint and the result of it all which was 8p-sb. If you want a recap on that specific semi-disbandment drama there's plenty of posts that I made about it while it was happening so feel free to check it out! (keep in mind I was like 18 and very dramatic writing those posts lol) There's also this great summary from a redditor in the comment section here

The same redditor even filled me in on stuff I felt out of the loop about in their reply to the OP. I know 8p-sb is gone and Koichi does Trembling Bambi solo stuff while Genki (Tsuzuku) is a vocal coach, is in the band 30 seconds certain victory, and revives VanessA occasionally. But this has also happened:

Yeah what the fuck Koichi? Now, I do remember starting that yakuza theory here on Tumblr back in the MEJIBRAY semi-disbanding days. I read it on tanuki and told y'all about it and got soooo much shit for it at the time lol. Looks like Koichi kind of confirmed the theory! (take that rude anons in my asks back then lmao). However, Koichi staying in the same industry he claims is rotten and run by the yakuza is definitely weird. Why talk all high and mighty while benefitting from it one may ask. Either way, for those wondering what Koichi is up to, there's your answer and an explanation to why he got backlash. About the VanessA stuff, one can conclude that our favorite duo, Genki and Koichi, doesn't seem to be that involved with each other anymore.

I would also like to take time to talk about Genki's well being, as some of you might know he has a youtube channel in Japanese. From my so-so Japanese skills I can still keep up with a lot of what he's saying. Good news, he's doing better now than the MEJIBRAY days from the looks of it. In this video he talked about how the photo from the MEJIBRAY days was him being unwell and the picture to the right is him feeling much better!

(TW for this paragraph: self harm) In another video he talked about various topics/gave advice such as about self harm/cutting and how it annoys him when people say he shouldn't hurt the body his parents gave to him. He thinks that's an incorrect way to tell someone to stop cutting and seems in general to be very open to talk about this topic while smiling and not getting angered. So he seemed very stable, mature and content to me.

What about Meto/Yutaro? Well, he seems to be a happy chef! As for MiA... I've seen him hang out with hosts like Roland and in general seems to live that bougie life. Roland is a top host who aims for the prince vibe just like MiA, and is open about his plastic surgeries just like MiA. Now let's get into a really recent topic about Mia!

Just like me, you might still follow our MEJIBRAY boys on various social medias. And just like me, you might have seen MiA's picture where he chews a bone. "Huh, weird" you might have thought as you scrolled past it. Well here I am, resurrecting this blog once again, just to tell you that the bone is MiA's fucking ribcage bone. I ain't posting that picture, find it yourself cause it's gross.

As MiA poses in the same costumes from his MEJIBRAY days and posts them on Instagram, you'd think his life and social media posts were a bit mundane. Then, a fucking picture of him chewing a thick ass bone pops up. The bone in question was taken out during a ribcage surgery, that MiA claims was done in order for him to create a custom guitar with his BONE INFUSED into it. Yeah I know. What???

In general you could either see it as him being a massive attention hungry person, or as unhinged and putting his life in danger. Bone surgeries are very harmful and anyone with two working eyes can see his shaved jawline bone already. So adding a removed ribcage bone to that... It's dangerous.

That's it for the gossip sesh! I'm thinking of making this "Keeping up with MEJIBRAY: The series" a thing whenever I think there needs to be a big gossip update like this.

To anyone still here in the MEJIBRAY Tumblr tags and to anyone following this blog, thanks for reading all of this and I hope we can laugh at this absurdity together! <3

xoxo mejigay

(feel free to read that sign off in the gossip girl voice lmao)

#mejibray #8psb #trembling bambi #koichi #koichi niiyama #genki #genki takebuchi #tsuzuku #ex-mejibray #meto #30 seconds certain victory #VanessA #yuutaro #yutaro #mejigay #mejibray gossip

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jennyfromthebes · 3 days

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hi!! i know you've posted some favorite liveshows before but as someone who gets easily overwhelmed choosing shows off the Archive i'd love to hear some more of your fave shows to listen to!

Hi!! Here's a handful of recs, but if you want a more specific vibe feel free to send another ask and I can definitely give more :)

2023-07-13 (Four-piece band configuration) is maybe my all-time favorite for sentimental reasons, since that was my first tMG concert ever. Primarily Bleed Out and The Sunset Tree, with a banger solo set of Jam Eater Blues/Commandante/From TG&Y/The Monkey Song. Crowd energy is really high and there's some delightful banter and interactions!

2017-11-11 (Four-piece band configuration) is a slightly older but still fairly recent one. Since they were touring Goths at the time, it's a pretty Goths-heavy setlist, with my all-time favorite rendition of Shelved, also featuring a really cool solo Night Light and a gorgeous full band rendition of Snow Crush Killing Song!

2021-08-06 (Five-piece band, with fifth goat Erin McKeown) is notable for being the first show back after a year and a half of lockdown, and the energy is palpable. Live debut of a lot of Getting Into Knives, featuring an unreleased song and one from the first tape, and overall really fantastic and high-energy from both the band and the audience. This show is the one I reach for when I've had a bad day.

2009-06-13 (John solo) was the first of two shows back-to-back at Zoop, and while I shy away from describing any shows as "definitive", the Zoop shows are big in the same way Bottom Of The Hill shows are big. This one features a really great range of older and more obscure songs, and if you like this one, there's another show directly following it!

2014-06-15 (John + Peter duo), speaking of Bottom Of The Hill, this is a favorite BotH show! They play the entirety of Taboo VI: The Homecoming, and to this day I've still never listened to the actual Taboo VI tape, just this performance. It's the third of three consecutive shows at BotH, and all three are worth a listen for sure, but this one is my go-to recommendation.

2024-03-01 (John solo) is probably one you've seen me recommend before. This solo show from earlier this year was at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and the atmosphere of it is haunting and gorgeous. The acoustics of the cathedral make a lot of these songs just immensely powerful - there's something about this Hast Thou Considered The Tetrapod that makes me cry pretty much every time I listen to it.

Additionally, no talk of live tape recs is complete without shouting out Emerald's live comps! You might know Emerald as The Sticker Lady, or if you've spent a few hours in queue with her, just an absolute delight of a human being and one of my favorite people in this community - she's seen tMG probably a hundred times, and each of her themed compilations are lovingly made with great skill and artistry.

(ETA: also worth including here, What's the Live Music Archive?)

Hopefully this is a decent enough rec list! I tried to keep a decent assortment of shows without being too overwhelming with options, but again, please feel free to drop another ask if you want more specific recs or anything. Happy listening!!

#txt #ask #transmissions from lyric #tmg #the mountain goats #tapes #gonna go ahead and toss this under my tag #resources #because its a good starting point for anyone curious about getting into the tapes!#also @ my friends who are also lma enthusiasts please feel free to add stuff!#i know my picks generally skew somewhat modern and are only a small range of what the lma collection has to offer :)

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fymoonbyul · 7 months

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[ARTICLE] Moon Byul hopes to be more than just the rapper of MAMAMOO

Moon Byul spent the first decade of her career as the rapper of girl group Mamamoo. She now plans to break that frame as an all-rounder artist with her first full-length solo album, “Starlit of Muse,” featuring band music, brass music and more.

“I’ve spent the last 10 years as the rapper of Mamamoo, but I didn’t want to lock myself under that title. I didn’t want to be afraid of taking new challenges,” Moon Byul said during a group interview ahead of the release of “Starlit of Muse” on Tuesday.

The group interview was held at Space Sophora, the art gallery in Jung District, central Seoul where Moon Byul also hosted her special exhibition before the release.

“This is why I started my own battle to break that frame in 2022, joining competition shows and releasing new solo albums. I think I can pack that final punch with my full-length album,” she said.

“I needed all 12 tracks in my album to fully express myself.”

The album's 12 songs come in a variety of styles and genres, including “Touchin&Movin,” the lead track featuring funky brass tunes, “Memories,” a song featuring live instrumentals and “Gold,” the artist's first English B-side.

“All the genres that I’ve tried before in my past solo lead tracks are included in ‘Starlit of Muse’,” Moon Byul said. “There’s a song similar to ‘Lunatic’ (2022), ‘C.I.T.T.’ (2022), I have a powerful song just like ‘Eclipse’ (2020) and much more.”

Moon Byul joined and took victory in JTBC’s competition show “The Second World” (2022), which saw girl group rappers such as Oh My Girl’s Mimi, WJSN’s EXY and Billlie’s Moon Sua competing.

But Moon Byul, despite her history as a singer-songwriter who has written lyrics for both her own and Mamamoo's music, is only credited as a producer on two of the album's tracks — “Like a Fool” and “After Sunset,” which Moon Byul wrote three years ago, but has been saving for her full-length release.

“I’ve only decided to put two of my own songs in the album because I wanted to be open to different perspectives — I didn’t want my album to be limited by my vocabulary and the language I use. I wanted to sing songs of love, youth and other different stories seen in different perspectives.”

Nevertheless, Moon Byul clarified that she was at the center of the album's production process, thinking of ideas and making decisions to craft an album that she, herself, would want to buy.

“When I was in a group of four, the agency gave us the big picture and we didn’t have much input in the album. When I was in a duo in Mamamoo+, I could put half of my input into the album. With a solo release, I can have all my input in the album,” Moon Byul said. “Everyone can release a bland album, so I wanted to make a fun and exciting album.”

Out of the many songs in the album, “Memories,” featuring RBW’s boy band Onewe, was Moon Byul’s favorite B-side track.

“'The Second World’ really taught me that I like band music and made me realize that I’m quite good at it,” she said. “'Memories’ is a song that fits just right in that category. It revolves around the theme of refreshing youth, and I think it will be best performed live.”

“I’m so glad and thankful to have Onewe as instrumental performers in the song, because imitating band music using synthesizers just didn’t feel lively,” Moon Byul said. “Listening to Onewe’s live performances, I could feel the liveliness, and I could sense how the band communicates with the listeners.”

But despite praising her collaborators, Moon Byul remained humble and cautious about debuting her own band.

“You know, as much as I want to start my own band, I’m very much well aware that people around me would have to suffer [in helping me],” Moon Byul said with a laugh. “I also can’t play any instruments. I think I’ll have to be ready first.”

Moon Byul hopes that fans will enjoy the merchandise she's prepared to accompany the album, including a limited-edition tote bag made out of demo and various “unique and fun” photocards.

But the most important thing, the artist said, is that she, herself, is happy with her work.

“I never felt the feelings of satisfaction as I released my previous albums, but I was truly satisfied with everything with my album as I produced it,” Moon Byul said. “So regardless of how other people judge me, I’ll be happy with my album.”

But, she emphasized, “I hope my fans will listen to the album and be proud of their favorite singer.” She added, “I hope it turns out to be an album I’m not ashamed of and one that’s worthy of Mamamoo’s name.”

source

#mamamoo #moonbyul #t:article #era:starlit #240220

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putschki1969 · 4 months

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youtube

【Lyric Video】 Koganeiro no Yakusoku 【short ver.】

Last night, Hikaru's 9th digital single titled "黄金色の約束" was released. She first performed the song at the Mugi no Autumn Music Festival on May 12th. Lyrics: Hikaru; Composition/Arrangement: hoto-D Some thoughts: I ldon't mind it. I ike the calm vibe and the build-up to the chorus with the "chiisana" section but the chorus itself is only meh. It has a promising start but then it doesn't really do enough for me to hold my attention. Also wish she wouldn't have gone so high on some of those parts, not the most flattering I'm afraid and I don't think it fits the overall atmosphere of the song. Her prior releases as freelance solo artist include Survivor, Escape, Flow, Awe, Treasure, Remain, Embrace, Kiseki

LIKE her videos/SUBSCRIBE to her channel! Buy/Stream: https://linkco.re/52fa8pCU?lang=en

Also check out Hikaru's last two videos on her channel! Haven't gotten around to posting them yet.

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【Qoo10】Skin care => Make-up

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Sharing Everyone's Heartwarming Moments

This one was quite fun. Hikaru had asked people in her Instagram story to submit moments that had made their hearts skip a beat (in a romantic or platonic manner). You can tell that Hikaru really relates to the stories that involve children.

『Hikaru B-day LIVE 2024』 Keiko Appearance Secured

The past few weeks have been dedicated to Hikaru's latest challenge on Music Champ wherein people need to buy items and send them during the live stream in order to build up to a certain power level. The goal of this time's challenge was to secure Keiko as a special guest for Hikaru’s birthday live in July. Although Hikaru had technically already announced/confirmed her as a guest but they always have to come up with some sort of contrived reason to justify the existence of these ridiculous challenges (can you tell that I'm still not a fan of the app?) On May 22 (Wednesday), she did a collab live stream with her fellow Ambient Border cast members Yuki Sasaki and Yumi Agawa. On June 2 (Sunday) she did a special live broadcast at the Music Champ studio. It was a bit longer than her Wednesday streams and at the end she performed Kiseki. Unfortunately, both lives were blocked for screen recording. I thought we'd left that behind us but most of her recent stuff has been blocked again T_T

Title: 『Hikaru B-day LIVE 2024 -love Begets love-』 Date: July 2, 2024 Venue: duo MUSIC EXCHANGE Time: open 18:00 / start 19:00 🔥Band Members: Key. TACOS NAOMI @TACOS_NAOMI Gt. HaKA @onimaru_otokage Mp. hoto-D @hoto_D 🔥Guest: KEIKO @KeikoStaff 💝

Hikaru and atsuko (from angela)

Hikaru got together with atsuko (one half of the duo "angela" who regularly performed alongside Kalafina at various anime events). Atsuko was also seen attending the latest Yuki Kajiura tour performance and was featured in Keiko's Instagram post. Tweet by Hikaru | Instagram post by atsuko

#kalafina #hikaru #video #hikaru ch.#freelancer hikaru #黄金色の約束 #Koganeiro no Yakusoku #Hikaru B-day LIVE 2024 #love Begets love #music champ #atsuko #angela #Youtube #hikaru solo work

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placegrenette · 5 months

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On 5Miinust (+ Puuluup) and the pleasures of sticking idol pop where it (supposedly) doesn't belong.

I haven't been around much lately, y'all. Partly because my dudes have also not been around much, although ZaQ continues to post a series of videos on the ARTJAQ channel, teaching the audience about... something. I continue, in turn, to not understand Kazakh. Throw in increasing disillusionment with K-pop (I guess now we know why GFriend was so abruptly shitcanned, though the knowledge doesn't make me feel any better), a general post-October-7th discomfort with most online pop-music discussion spaces, and work to get done at home, and Tumblr just hasn't been a particularly rewarding place for me lately.

I didn't think Eurovision was going to be a rewarding place for me this year, either. And then Eesti Laul happened.

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It's like some divine imp was watching and saying to themself, "You know what Jessica needs? A pop-rap group from a former Soviet colony whose members love video games and refuse to take themselves seriously and release lots of goofy content that sorely lacks English subtitles. No, another one."

To clarify: the description in the previous paragraph only refers to four of the six people making up Estonia's Eurovision entry this year. The two guys in the clip with talharpas are the respected "zombie-folk" duo Puuluup, who play world music festivals and draw their own album covers and seem like a very fun and intelligent duo. They somehow have fallen into league with 5Miinust, a four-member (previously five) group that has been around since the mid-2010s. To the best of my knowledge 5Miinust have never been accused of being Satanic and/or gay like Ninety One have, but they are either a party group, a hip-hop group, a boy band, a bunch of frat bros (see this album cover), or a very savvy business collective whose members include a former advertising specialist and a trained accountant. Or, most likely, all of the above at once.

The 5Miinust / Puuluup collaboration by itself is charming enough, and if you want to know more about how it came to pass, I direct you to Overthinking It's very good video on Estonia's entry. And "Nendest Something Something," as @sole-cuore-amore-e-droga calls it, is the best kind of fun: chaotic at first listen, carefully constructed subsequently. I don't expect it to do well in Malmö. (I think "Europapa," which is also a seemingly chaotic song that turns out to have a lot more going on than its bouncy surface would first indicate, will win overall.) And I don't really care. I'm not sure 5Miinust and Puuluup care a huge amount about the scoreboard either. They've already recorded a full album together; they seem to be having a good time making silly videos for social media. They'd be my winners even without the added bonus, which is that these guys are absolutely giving idol-pop goodness.

I mean: go watch that Eesti Laul performance again. With the exception of the bridge, each performer gets his own solo time, a classic idol-pop move. There's choreo! And the styling: everyone shirtless under a suit jacket, but each suit jacket tailored slightly differently—that is such an idol-pop live-performance look. I cannot be the only person who clocked that Korea's suit is cut the same way as Nine's for "libidO" live stages, just more conservatively.

And the deeper you get into the 5Miinust rabbit hole, the more idol-pop-esque goofiness you find. Drag performances? Yep. Live radio performances with gimmicks? Here they are stripping to "Vamos." Super-dramatic award-show performances with loads of backup dancers? Here they are at last year's Estonian Music Awards. Do you need to learn the point dance? 5Miinust and Puuluup will combine forces to teach you the point dance.

And yet, talking about either (and both) of these groups as idols is a gloriously stupid idea, because "idol pop" suggests a willingness to subjugate themselves to audience demands that neither 5Miinust or Puuluup, for all their combined marketing skill, have. Idol pop historically depends on hierarchies—performers deferring to management, and, in a different way, to their audience—and that's not how 5Miinust or Puulup work. When I wrote up a guide to who's who for /r/eurovision, I said that Päevakoer is 5Miinust's maknae, and it was a joke because I'm pretty confident no one within 5Miinust has ever cared for one second who's older and who's younger. Just the fact that two different groups with a decade between them found creative inspiration in happily treating each other as equals gives the lie to the idol-pop framing. Nobody's bowing to Marko and Ramo. The whole idea is so far from how these particular performers relate to each other as to be nonsensical.

Which means: idol-pop goodness without stifling hierarchies; idol-pop goodness by people in charge of their own careers, who post goofiness on their own terms; idol-pop goodness combined with musical experimentation born of mutual respect. YES. YES. SIGN ME THE HELL UP.

(If it doesn't go without saying at this point, I would give a lot for my new faves to somehow meet my existing faves. Ninety One might not have enough English comprehension to make the meeting work, though. I think 5Miinust's ex-member Gameboy Tetris might speak Russian; whether he wants to speak Russian would be another story.)

I got lucky, and found people also willing to enjoy the 5Miinust-and-Puuluup-as-idols ironic glee. @sole-cuore-amore-e-droga really kicked things off by making that awesome lyrics video, and from there we got a line distribution video and a logo design for our fandom (Estoners) and photocards and a fanchant and a lightstick design and a "Gangnam Style" mashup and chibi art and then more chibi art. It has been one of the highlights of my past month, being able to giggle unreservedly with strangers. I haven't been able to do that in a long time.

Eurovision happens in two weeks, and then there will inevitably be a dropoff in activity, no matter where "(nendest)..." places. Without the Eurovision framework (and the English-language content that comes with it) I suspect most Estoners will move on. I'm still going to play the album, though, and keep an eye on these guys. Any chance to expand idol pop into more humane spaces, I'm going to take, no matter how silly it seems.

#eurovision 2024 #5miinust #puuluup #esc estonia #(nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi #(yeah i had to copy and paste the song title)#idol pop and its pleasures #longer essay

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archduchessgortash · 2 months

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Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul are the god-equivalent of three guys who had a garage band.

BBM gained a loyal following playing in taverns around the region that would one day be known as Baldur's Gate. Their indie live performances were spectacular. Eventually, they pitched their sound to Jergal Studios Unlimited, changed their name to the Dead Three, released their first hit single, and went on tour. Once they started recording a full record, however, they quickly broke up due to artistic differences before the songs were even all written. Success went to their heads. Each one thought that they were the lead singer/songwriter. They garnered a fanatical cult following, who bought into the delusion that their favorite member of D3 was the ONLY reason they were successful.

Once they went solo, their individual fanbases did grow quite a bit. They even built their own custom mansions with all the gold they made, but it's really all still owing to that one, very big hit single that they made together. And it drives them NUTS. Probably Bane most of all. Their fans reminisce about that song constantly, diving into their every solo work in pursuit of evidence that this song proves who the REAL talent was. Bhaal occasionally adds a few chords to one of Bane's new songs, for old times' sake, but they invariably get into a fight when they get drunk celebrating. Bhaal leaves in a huff and returns to doing his own thing. Alone. It's how he works best anyhow.

Bane and Myrkul decide to record a new song, just the two of them, and play it to Overgod Records, but Ao gives it a thumbs down. He's not convinced they're worth backing without Bhaal. Incensed, the BM boys (lmao) aim to prove they're better as a duo. They get a list of Bhaal's biggest fans and secretly doxx them, framing the Murder Lord for the leak. Bane then rides to the rescue, playing the hero, removing their info, and tracking down those who downloaded it. Bhaal loses many of his most devoted fans to Bane's treachery. The outcry for more from the BM boys grows, but it's still not enough for Overgod Records to give them what they want. Bane and Myrkul say, 'Screw Ao, we'll just release the song ourselves!' But the idiots can't figure it out and steal the servers containing all music since the beginning of time instead. Overgod Records refuses to restore ANY from backups until the originals are returned. Meanwhile, the Realms just have to hum their favorite songs. It is NOT the same.

Cyric the Dark Sun uses this opportunity to launch his own label, knocking D3's single out of the top 10, off the charts completely, copying their sound, and twisting it. All the D3 stans are now Dark Sun stans. Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul go broke, lose their mansions, and are living on the streets. Cyric was SO ambitious and ruthless that he tried to make a world in which only his music would be heard, buying up radio stations and streaming services and refusing to allow ANY songs to be played but his own. The entire industry rose up against him, even Ao of Overgod Records, who originally backed him. The Dark Sun ultimately failed to make his sound into the only one heard in all the Realms and promptly went batshit as a result. Cyric will be in rehab for a literal milennium. He has been full-on canceled by everyone (like p3do producer-level canceled). You get blacklisted just for speaking his name aloud. Everyone in the known universe loathes that guy.

Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul never really recovered from the rise of the Dark Sun, however. They have been trying to reclaim their past glory ever since. They are still stuck in those garage band days, those old wishes like poorly organized amp wires tangled around their ankles, keeping them stagnant. That first live tour is something none of them ever really stop dreaming about, but they won't admit it to each other.

Bhaal and Bane tried to piggyback on the successes of their children, and to say it went badly is a monumental understatement. Most of Bhaal's kids either didn't want to share the stage with Papa Murder, or they straight up gave him the middle finger. The only ones that really stuck with him were the dangerously unstable addicts because he keeps letting them crash on his couch.

And Bane? Ugh, don't even get me started on Xvim... Sorry, babes, your kid will forever hate you, even now that he's dead. Good thing hatred is your bag, right? You may have stolen most of his fans, but we know Xvim is plotting a comeback, and it's gonna be HUGE.

Myrkul is the childless snob who thinks he's the only one who remained purely devoted to the art. His small but loyal following remains omnipresent.

With the advent of new technology, the music industry, spearheaded by Ao at Overgod Records, decides to move away from live touring in general. Concert turnouts haven't been great in recent years, and when they are, they turn into toxic places. It's not about the music anymore, even there. Ticket sales are in the outhouse. And then there was this plague that messed with everything, everyone, everywhere.

All the other artists are down with the change, except D3. For the first time in forever, Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul agree on something. They were at their best when they played live. All three of them. In the old days.

It's time to get the band back together.

#lore dump #when the metaphor goes HARD #the dead three are a garage band #forgotten realms lore #im cackling #the bm boys 🤣

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universeskies · 1 month

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This is Pearl Solo Chapter for The story between @thejaytapes and I! OF Hooked on to You! Hope Y'all enjoy!

The sounds of the critters at night were always quite the melody for the kind of night that anyone much like Pearl Houziki, upcoming Idol and... as of now Solo Idol was seen walkiing around the city of Inkopolis. A few Inklings then and there were whispering. They could at least recognize Pearl Houziki, but deep down, she knew why. All those whispers, wondering and spreading gossip about what truly was supposed to be Pearl.

"And on the latest news, Upcoming Idol of the Calamary Country, Pearl Houziki, self-claimed MC Princess, had released the new hit single...uhhhh, can We even say that on live TV? Surely we can't... Anyways, thats definitely not important for now. Her hit solo with the song has been on quite the rise and a bit of controversy by some managers. Expressing quite unease at the bold decision with a title like that."

On the big screen of the entire city and Pearl's "TCH!" was louder than everything He could just express and keeping it civil around lots of folks that would turn around to face Her.

Taking a Cake break with some cookie crumbles and her favorite top glaze being just a strawberry-flavor one, He sits down to ease away Her worries. However, as per say Her dreams and goals be on teh way now, Pearl definitely was the topic and trend as of now, yet for not exactly what the MC Inkling had expected. Nonetheless, A step is a step, and Pearl was used to the many talks behind Her back. Deeply though, the Upcomer Inkling had yet to get used to being compared time and time again for the so famous Squid Sisters.

"Pop idols, and pop music and they expect me to do the same shit they do and then I'll be the copy catfish. Fuck that." Pearl groans and mumbles before putting away her phone and getting to enjoy the strawberry cake of His.

The day was just beginning yet for Himself, it was far from being told in what He needed to do rather than what She wants to do. Just like that, Pearl's cellphone makes it be known with a ding! As there was a New notification from one of Her bandmates.

"we need 2 talk. cmere asap"

Pearl sighs at the text. Does The text meant anything good or some more resistance? Who would know. Perhaps for The MC Princess, it could be something Good, She could Hope.

"WHAAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN, I'M OUT OF THE BAND?!?!"

The shout was louder than ever, and the clear yet furious tone on Pearl was the most calmest that the Punk Idol could do.

"Pearl, its either You or the band. You know well that We really didn't like that title and You STILL refuse to change it!"

"NONE OF YOU DECIDED ON THE NAME! I WAS THE ONE THAT WROTE IT TOO! I even made SURE to let y'all in WHATUVER Y'ALL WANT'O DO!!"

"Pearl thats exactly it. Listen, You can kick us and then do label it like that, but We can't. Just being in a band with You isn't really the best for Us."

Pearl couldn't believe Her eyes and or ears. Once again, he was faced with the same old difficulty. Same old situation. Same old circumstance.

Alone as The band once again disbanded.

She has tried it all. He has wrote and dedicated and yet not any kind of band can stick through. "Solo Idols aren't really a thing, there has to be at least a duo or a band. You have to have Simeone on with You, thats The freshest way, Pearl. You either are fresh or they won't take You seriously. The music world is harsh AND You would Just get kicked out, dearie. Don't worry though, Your spunk is something unmatched. I'm sure You will find that, but unless You find it, We can't do much for songs."

Her manager tried and tried again with every encourage, but for how long? How long must Pearl endure it? If anything, the Punk Inkling had just wondered how incredible patient must be to wait and still keep on going. And thats what would make Pearl keep on strolling, but once again... He was met with a Stalemate in this checkboard of the Singing world where the next move, will have to plan on according to what would be the World's move. Fate can say lots of many new things. And yet Pearl finds Herself once again boiling it all up. "FINE!! BE LIKE THAT!!" She shouts but yet Not everything was out. Pearl had more. There is only so much He can take yet despite having The freedom to do so, The chains of being put against a Splatana was SO MUCH, She only wants TO scream. Scream and Never stop.

Pearl found himself just relaxing and laying on the branch of a Tree at the noon. Not sure on what to do. Not sure what will be the next one. He just ponders at the moon. "Coddamnit...not again. not again with this shit."

Night came in at Mount Nantai and Pearl still kept on pondering on the tree. Crossed arms, and just looking at the only accompany of the almost sunlight eclipsed by the dark starry skies.

*"SERIOUSLY?! You settled on FOR THIS TITLE?!"*

*"ARGHHHH! MY EARS! This is a SINGING Competition! Not the SQUIDBEAK ARMY! NEXT!"*

*"Pearl Houziki is said to be this new upcoming idol, but I really don't see the vision with Her going all so punk and loud. Louder and screaming really isn't music. Maybe with directions by the Squid Sisters, She could triumph like them, but then again, its already hard to compete against really talented duo like them."*

*"Maybe one day, who knows? Pearl's music can turn around, but until She stops being that braddish and loud that doesn't know how to clam down, then I see no future. At least the Houziki Companies will be a good back up for Her just in case!"*

More and more and each thought getting louder and louder. Pacing around the Seemingly rocky path that Mt Nantai was well recognized for. A territory that yet any Inkling had yet to see more. A territory that the Houzikis had well sought for and trying on to buy a lot.

"HHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" With a really cursed and loud seething. It wasn't much that Pearl could just shout louder and louder.

"FUCK OOOOOOOOOFF!!!"

The more than obvious Scream made a HUGE ramble against the mountains and the grass. It was like an earthquake for anyone surrounding it. Some drops were seen from the chin of Her face. "I HAD ENOUGH. I COULD CARE LESS! I DON'T WANT BE ANYONE!! BUT...Me...." Her strong Killer-Wail like voice making a scene to ruckus and shaking of everything that the road was. Unbeknownst...the surface down there, seemingly seem to crumble more. Like something trying to punch it out from the inside.

"I could care less what the shell they think of Me. I'm not changing. I don't....huh?"

The shake got more than apparent and stronger. Making everything just crumble, and some bright-blue colored ink launching upwards.

"WHOA!! WHAT THE CLAM IS?!?!" Pearl barely dodged and tried to get Her Enperry Dualies from the belt He had, but he lost the footing. And the Punk Idol, couldn't grab at anything. He felt and just saw the sight of everything that was once the surface...fade and get further away.

Everything was black. There was a void of anything, but Pearl could make out something...

"S-SURRENDER! In-Inkling Invader!!" Pearl was barely conscious, but He could see now...something She didn't expect.

A beautiful curly tentacled hair...Octo? It didn't had the Squid mask, and the hair as well the eyes that could barely glow. A glow that made Her eyes return with full of color. Pearl could see that just like She was getting point at by what seemed a .52 gal, yet despite it...

"Wh-Whoa....what a beautiful angelfish." Its all She could make out before She fades into unconsciousness.

#splatoon #off the hook #pearl houzuki #marina ida #pearlina #pearlina au #hooked on to you au #skies writing

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freddiemercurylegendabovelegends · 4 months

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Today - May 13th, 1977 - Queen Story!

Queen played Congresscentrum, Hamburg, Germany

'A Day At The Races' Tour

🔸Record Mirror, May 21, 1977

A NIGHT at the Congress Centrum Hamburg, where escalators take you to the concert hall and the bouncers wear suits and ties.

It's been three years since Queen played Hamburg, but it's a near sell-out in a hall which looks like a giant lecture theatre with rows and rows of cushioned, spotless white seats. The stage is tiny but somehow the roadies have managed to squeeze on the batteries of lights.

It's a late start. Backstage, a giant roadie paces up and One week down like an expectant father outside the dressing room. Classical music floats gently over the audience.

Then darkness, lights, action and The Queen Machine rolls into action. Lights explode through the gloom and Mercury stands like Rudolph Nureyev.

He's dressed in a white jumpsuit and May, in wandering minstrel gear, blasts out the opening chords to 'Tie Your Mother Down'. For a guy who shows comparatively little emotion when he plays, the effect is still stunning. The number finishes with a drum solo and tarticle

g bass rising to the top of the sound mix. The Congress Centrum has great acoustics. You could have been sitting in a recording studio.

Most of the audience are caught like a fish on the end of a hook. It's the old Queen policy of 'grab 'em by the scruff of the neck and don't let go for a second'. The lights dim again, there are same tailed some taped sounds and spotlights shine out from the stage. May's knife - like guitar announces 'Ogre Battle'.

Explonding

Mercury makes an-other grand entrance in a chequered cut suit, pointing his mike stand at the audience like a gun. At the end he's lost in a mass of exploding smoke bombs. • The band's speeches are embarrassing. They always sound so self-conscious. "Thank you every-body and welcome to the party," says Freddie —like an embarrassed scoutmaster addressing his troop. It's 'White Queen' and the dynamic duo of Mercury and May are caught under criss-cross spotlights. Mercury tosses his head back as if he's in agony and sings the mystical lyrics before leaping around like a bizarre ballet dancer. Spotlights play on a crystal ball and May stands in the corner, framed in the half light like a Renaissance portrait. He takes to the catwalk at the front of the stage for a riveting solo. Considering the rapid-fire notes he's turning out, he always looks so relaxed. Mercury returns to the stage and the number taste-fully ends as he hits a high note and a solitary spotlight plays on his head and shoulders. "It's really nice to be here in Hamburg," he announces before 'Somebody To Love'. His playing misses the light opening touches of the record. The band try to make the tune more funky — maybe trying to keep the live excitement going, but it sounds cheap.

Half the German crowd are start their British Jubilee tour, ROBIN SMITH went to Germany and found that the Hamburgers were well pleased. Yes, they played a . . .

Good Old Fashioned . . singing along but the remainder keep their seats, showing no emotion. Eventually Taylor's drumming gets the crowd going. The reserve is breaking . . . May walks across to the microphone and clicks his fingers. Mercury's piano chords announce 'Killer Queen'. This time the playing is more laid back, capturing the true sensuous feel of perhaps the most subtle and skilful song Queen have ever produced. Mercury even managed to work in a line about Hamburg.

RAGTIME

The numbers followed by the gloriously ragtime 'Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy' and Mercury's voice is showing no signs of strain. In times gone by, especially at one concert at the Rainbow, he seemed to have been lisping and struggling, but no complaints this time.

The party atmosphere is continued with 'Bring Back That Leroy Brown'. May strumming away on banjo.

It's back to Queen at their most sinister with 'Death On Two Legs', Freddie spitting out the lyrics backed by cold guitar, rumbling drums and bass.

He sounds like Christopher Lee.

"Queen would like to drink a special toast to all of you here," says F'reddie. He sips champagne delicately but - tut, tut - it's not a proper champagne glass - the real thing is tulip shaped. He passes the booze down to the audience.

FRENZIED

Time for 'Brighton Rock' - frenzied riffs stab out and May indulges in some feedback before strutting around che stage. He indulges in a deluge of rising and falling notes and then the nagging riff start, again, bouncing off your eardrums.

Source article ➡️ queenconcerts.com

#interview 1977 #1977 #london #zanzibar #legend #queen #brian may #john deacon #freddiebulsara #queen band #freddie mercury #roger taylor #germany #hamburg #record mirror #a day at the races tour #a day at the races album #interview

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