#also this can be said for MANY many country artists especially newer ones

[this-doesnt-endd]

Why did we let keith urban be a country artist like thats just some random australian dude

[abiiors]

okay so while we’re on the topic… i’m a newer fan of the boys, i actually got tickets to one of their concerts back in october when they were touring in america from my aunt even though i had never really been a fan of them (her heart was in the right place 😭😭 bc i do listen to a lot of music that’s like in their sphere ig?? and i’ve been to festivals that they’ve performed at so i can see why she would’ve thought to get me those tickets, i just never really listened to their music before) but i went to the show regardless bc hello free concert tickets?? would have been a sin to let them go to waste tbh and oh my god am i so glad i did, it was actually one of the best shows i’ve ever been too!! especially considering i only really knew their popular songs?? like robbers, somebody else, aaaand it’s not living if it’s not with you

ANYWAYS that being said, since i had never really followed them before i always pretty much ignored anything i saw about them on twitter and stuff, mainly the negative things said abt matty bc not my faves, not my business?? but i gotta ask someone who’s been a fan of them for a lot longer than i have, what iiiis the deal with all the “matty healy racist” “matty healy homophobic” “matty healy [insert smth hateful here]” rhetoric??? bc from what i’ve seen of him after getting to know more abt the band he doesn’t appear that way at all?? like were there things he said that were taken out of context??? what’s up with the nazi accusations??? also homophobic??? is twt not aware of what he did in malaysia?? also straight men that are homophobic would never have the kind of close male friendships that the band have with one another… it seems like he’s twitter’s scapegoat tbh but idk i’m simply so confused and anything i find online trying to explain it all seems very biased based off the language they use so if you can/would like to… pls help 😭

okay first of all, welcome to the fandom!! i'm so glad you're here and i'm so glad you got to see them live!! they genuinely are so so incredible <33

now onto the questions!

i won't say matty's a saint. he's definitely done things in the past that are disappointing (to me at least, as well as to many others on here). last year he went on a podcast called the adam friedland show where many tasteless jokes were made about japanese people, the porn website ghetto gaggers, ice spice as well as countless other tastelss things were said.

now i really really want to clarify that matty never made those jokes but he did laugh along to them which is also a shitty fucking thing to do. he's since said that he was advised not to go on the podcast by people close to him and he still did it. however, he's also publicly apologised to ice spice and she's also said that the 1975 are one of her fav artists.

in may of 2023 he started allegedly dating taylor swift (i still don't believe it, i still think they either just made music or they just fucked or both) which exposed him to a whole new level of fame that was unprecedented. and the swifties are... rabid, to say the least. they made fun of his appearance, his past addiction issues, hoped he would have a relapse and die, all sorts of horrendous stuff. they discovered the podcast which was pretty fresh at the time and the whole thing spiralled into him being labelled a racist, homophobe, transphobe, pedophile, nazi, you name it, he was being called it.

however literally NONE of it was backed by evidence (but i don't expect people whose sole source of information is twt to realise that)

they have clearly never learned what a nazi is. i'm not even going to try to debunk that here because i feel like it would be insulting to your intelligence

he's not homophobic or transphobic, he's literally an ally to the point of being a fruity lil shit. he's been banned from 2 countries (dubai and malaysia) for openly supporting queer rights. they were also briefly jailed in malaysia for the stunt they pulled and had a lawsuit filed against them. he's even won ally of the year at the diva awards in 2019

literally every single fan who's ever met him has had nothing but amazing things to say about him. he's been incredibly kind and sweet to people

the band has always been openly political and vocal about their beliefs

you're absolutely right about him being the twitter scapegoat because unfortunately that's exactly what it is </3

i hope that clears things up tho, i'm sorry this is so long!!

[p5x-theories]

Thoughts: Using Oracle cards for Arcana

It make sense if they want to avoid cutting the Arcana entirely, but they also want to escape the restrictions that come with the traditional Tarot deck.

Tarot cards are a deck of playing cards with an extra set of trumps.  They were designed with gameplay in mind, and using them for divination didn’t happen until afterward.  And in some countries they’re still mainly used for card games.  That’s why there wasn’t a lot of variation until more modern times, when artists and fortune tellers started putting their own spin on things.  When the deck is primarily used to play games you want the decks to be standardized.  There was still variation, but it almost always had a clear reason.  Like Juno and Jupiter replacing the Pope and Popess because the church complaining.

Oracle cards were designed specifically for divination, and they lack the structure that Tarot has.  How many cards are in an Oracle deck?  The number that the published wanted to sell!  What trumps do they contain?  Whatever the designer thought fit with the theme.  There’s no guarantee that you’ll see an equivalent to the minor Arcana because they aren’t built on top of a deck of playing cards.

And from a marketing perspective looking into Oracle decks is more appealing than doing something the like minor Arcana Confidants, especially for the titles.  What does the Nine of Wands mean?  The layman sure doesn’t know.  But if I find an Oracle card called Resilience the meaning is clear.

But also, they may not actually be basing these Arcana on specific cards at all.  There is so much variation in Oracle cards that you could pick a subject and there will probably be card with it.  Let’s say I want to give a character The Artist as an Arcana.  Am I thinking of a specific card?  No.  Could I find an Oracle card with that title if I searched for it?  Probably.

As someone who likes Tarot I’m a little disappointed with the Arcana being diluted, but I can see why they’re going in this direction.  At the rate they’re releasing characters having any restrictions on what slots you have probably feels way too limiting.

Haha, yeah, that about fits with what I learned about oracle decks when I was searching for information! Though I like how you’ve summarized it all here, and I wasn’t planning to make any in-depth explanation of what they are, so this helps, heh.

All that said, I don’t know if I’d say they’re “going in this direction”, present tense. I think they were going in this direction at one point, but the lack of Arcana for any newer characters, or even Shun and Riko, has me seriously doubting whether they’re planning to continue assigning them. I checked with another dataminer (who’s actually able to get into the files that have this Arcana data) in the current game version, and they confirmed that no new ones have been added since Version 1.3.1. Admittedly I’m being a bit pessimistic, but I’d kind of already resigned myself to the idea that they wouldn’t be adding Arcana at all, and though we got a little taste of them, there’s really zero evidence that we’ll get any more than that. I suppose I’m trying not to get my hopes up, heh.

On the bright side, this little taste of what they might’ve done for Arcana at least helps inform any future headcanons/theories about what Arcana characters might’ve had! We got just enough evidence to suggest that story characters would get proper tarot Arcana (possibly avoiding overlap with the canon Phantom Thieves?), while Phantom Idols would get oracle deck Arcana instead. So that’s something!

[dojae-huh]

This is for Q3 (July-October) of 2022.

135.1-40.4=94.7

94.7 is the price of producing the goods and the content (music albums, shows, concerts).

40.4-27.6=27.1

27.6 were spent on advertising, distributing and on staff salaries (I guess?)

22.1 - what's left after taxes, the real gained money the company can add to the capital

6 coins spent gave 7 coins back, 1 coin of gain. And it's a very good quarter for SM. This company is really not that big, heh.

Correct me if I'm wrong with what I've written, I'm not an expert in economics.

Anyway, I'm posting the graph because I was surprised how much Appearence brings in? NR and Puma feed the boys? Heh. To be fare, there were still not that many concerts held in 3Q.

I also want to know what is MD/licensing - streaming and other groups performing SM songs on their own shows? How is it so high?

...

Considering how much money albums bring in, do you think it is in SM's interests to sabotage itself when it comes to its current breadwinner if there is not a big obstacle in the way? After the repack has been already done (money spent on its production)? Forget idols as people, cold-blooded business talk here.

I think the root of the problem is MarkHyuk being in two permanent units (and it were the fans who demanded OT7 and Dream to stay, originally there was planned another unit (or two) without MarkHyuk and with new neos). Both units bring in similar amount of money (similar album sales, sold out stadiums), so neither can be forgotten at this point of time. And if there is a problem with one unit (cancelled 127 Dome dates for 127 in January, cancelled Dream Show in July) it is the domino effect and a displacement of all initially planned events. Add to it 3 SMTown shows that must be attended (because as Kangta said, the newer artists help the older artists to perform before giant crowds).

The concerts are important right now as the bond with fans must be reinforced. The concerts and fanmeets in Japan are very important (I'm talking Dream upcoming Dream show in November), as it's the second largest musical market, and NCT is finally on the rise there. SM is still lagging behind Hybe and JYP. Dream has launched a Japanese fanclub, and a membership costs ¥5,400 for one year (~38USD). Dream will perform in 10-15-17k seat capacity venues. If they sell out, it's 72k with 5 concerts.

The Japanese fanclub opening and the Dream show 2 (scheduled for November) were announced in September. 2 Baddies comeback was in September. The timeslot for 127's comeback with the repack was only possible in late October-early November. What did October have? 2 concerts in US and 2 Olympic stadium concerts. US concerts were announced in August. The Seoul dome concerts were announced at the end of September. What did early November have? 2 concerts in Indonesia (a new market SM pays special attention to, Indonesian fans are among those who stream the most), also announced in September.

The repack's fate was sealed already in September, people. Before 2 Baddies comeback happened. SM just didn't tell us.

Ergo, the concerts, especially the Olympic stadium ones, were prioritised over the repack. The fans meeting idols in real life were prioritesed over the music show appearences. And it's not only about the concert dates themselves, but fans' money spent on tickets as well, I guess. And what is more important for 127 neos regarding dreams come true with the help of SM? To perform before 60000 alive fans or wake up 3 a.m. and perform on a music show before a hundred of fans 2 weeks in a row? Not to mention, idols get more money from concerts, especilly abroad.

And fans complain? Because they don't think, but emote.

Don't take me wrong, this year is messy, and I don't want a repeat of it. But I acknowledge that there are circumstances out of SM staff's control, like the coronavirus making new waves with new variants or getting into the artists, and countries' extending covid restrictions last minute. After the covid there is surelly no lack of music acts and sport teams wanting to rent venues. I doubt securing one is that easy of a job this year.

Before covid really hit, NCT system worked. 127zens are loud, but let's be honest, there are more of solo stans than unit-stans.

in 2022 127 neos got solo projects (Mark, Taeyong, Taeil, Jaehyun), radio-shows (Yuta), movies/tv (Yuta, Doyoung, Jaehyun (a postponed release, but let's count)), brand deals (Jaehyun, Yuta and Mark (I think?)), DJ gig (Johnny), OSTs and side projects (Doyoung, Taeil, Haechan, Mark, Taeyong, also Yuta, Yuta sang in the OST for his movie), MC gig (Jungwoo) and magazine covers (Doyoung, Jaehyun, Jungwoo, Haechan, Yuta). There was new YT content with games (with subs in 6 languages). The Dingo live session. Vlogs from all concerts and all special pop-up stores to those fans who couldn't attend to get the feeling of how it was. The work of "let's make fans happy" is being done. However, it is never possible to make everyone happy. There will always be people who are dissapointed.

MarkHyuk being in two units is a problem in my opinion, the problem that SM didn't plan when the NCT system was created. It were the fans, the circumstances (dremies showing too much chemistry and SM creating too good of a concept for them), and the need for a proper vocalist and a proper rapper. As such, the blame is not on SM or the NCT system (the way it was designed) for this. 127 wouldn't debut without Mark, but it could have been lacking Haechan if the two units were planned as permanent right away. No 2Dongs, no MarkHyuk, no Sun&Moon in this alternative reality...

SM has a problem and it deals with it however it can while trying to earn from both units.

There is an additional problem. The covid prevented the debut of the new two groups (NCT new unit (or two, there is Hollywood) and the new bg) and slowed down aespa's development as a new breadwinner. The circle of one new group every 4 years was broken. Currently it's Dream and 127 that bring in the most money, and yes, SM will milk both because it has to comeback on its feet after the pandemic.

Look at 2020, SM earned nothing that year, it actually got below the minus (-300 grey is net profit). You know why 127 are so loud about being late bloomers? Because they didn't give the money invested in them back quickly enough. Taeyong even thanked for additional budget for Favorite. 2019 also was a weak year. Yes, the revenue and the expenses are from all the activities and businesses, some of them are not profitable.

NCT position in 2018 and 2019

I wholly agree that SM needs a proper reforming of its inner structure to be more efficient (who was forgotten to be mentioned in a promo post again recently? Yuta?), and a better communication between the artists and the planning team is desireable, but from what I gather, the problems the company shows are widespread in all Korean institutions, they even shoot dramas about it. What I do not agree with is that SM staff who works with 127 or the company (at least in the face of LSM, who is in charge for now, or the current CEO who supervised Cherry Bomb and created multiple versions wanting it to be perfect) intentionally neglect or don't care about 127 neos.

If this were so, they wouldn't get solos or money for cover MVs, no song-writing and producing opportunities, no day-offs and surfing trips in the middle of promotional week.

[miso-magic]

Rewatching “Remember,” a Ranboo/Benchtrio animation, lead to a New L’Manberg era ramble...

Artist/Animator: @ariapmdeol Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHpwV6OPjpU&list=PLcGW-pwh0PfrM_TV-IQLdsdFgV5atKUa0&index=6​ “Remember” is one of my all time favorite animations for the Dream Smp! I always come back to it over and over again because I love it so much! The New L'Manberg era is one of my favorites because of how interesting the dynamics are between the characters and all the events that take place. Benchtrio's dynamics are especially fascinating because of everything they go through with all the pressure they are under. Which I will briefly go into (because I have too many thoughts about this and they demand to be written): - Content Warning! Discussion of manipulation and its effects ahead! -  c!Tubbo - Tubbo’s striving to be the best president he can be for New L’Manberg after the prior two presidents harmful terms, but he is faced with all the difficult responsibilities/decisions that comes with that. The biggest/hardest one being whether to exile Tommy to protect New L’Manberg or keep Tommy and enter his country into another war with Dream. He isn’t even allowed a moment to consider his own thoughts/feelings about many issues because immediately Quackity and Fundy are throwing their opinions at him, and if he disagrees he is quickly compared to Schlatt. His self worth is already painfully low, but this comparison just adds a bucket of salt into that wound. Tubbo is under an excruciating amount of pressure.   c!Tommy - Tommy is trying to process and understand so many things during this era, but no one is allowing him to do that healthy because they keep adding more trauma to the pile (namely Dream of course). He recently lost his older brother figure in a devastating event by said brother figure’s own actions. Tommy’s still trying to understand all the complicated emotions that are tangled up with that event and those leading up to it. One of those feelings is betrayal, which he experiences again when Tubbo ultimately chooses to exile him. Lots of stuff happens during exile and I can’t go into all of it right now, but what I’m trying to get at is that Tommy isn’t allowed to process everything that’s happened/is happening to him in a healthy way because Dream is manipulating him.  c!Ranboo - Ranboo is a newer addition to the server at this time so he doesn’t have all the prior trauma that Tubbo and Tommy have with early L’Manberg, Manberg, and Pogtopia, etc. BUT he does not lack in his own struggles. Between his memory issues, enderwalking, being manipulated by Dream, his panic/anxiety, trying to help everyone out by not picking sides but people, etc. he is stressed. He is trying to maintain good relationships with everyone where he can support and help them as much as he can, but Dream (and other factors) are preventing him from achieving that. And it hurts. It hurts him to watch his friends hurt and not be able to do anything because of his own issues and/or because he thinks he might have caused that pain. ALSO let’s not forget that Tubbo, Tommy, and Ranboo are teenagers! All of them have so much pressure put on them as they try to navigate the hectic world around them. And they’re held to such high expectations to react to their traumatic experiences in a “grown up” way when they aren’t even adults. [Quick Disclaimer] I’ll be the first to admit that I need to revisit the original source material for this era because it has been awhile since I’ve watched it. Plus there are parts that I definitely missed in my watch throughs (because there is so much content), but I just had to share some of the thoughts I have stashed away about New L’Manberg. I’m sure there will be many more thoughts to come when I do revisit the streams for New L’Manberg because I’d love to expand on this even further! could potentially be another youtube video, who knows Anyways! New L’Manberg is such a fascinating era with SO much potential to be fleshed out even more by going beyond the limitations of Minecraft! We, as the fans, have the opportunity to give it more life and weight by filling in the quiet moments in-between all the major events we witnessed. Which is what I think @ariapmdeol​ was able to do with her wonderful animation “Remember.” She really captured what I love about the New L’Manberg era and I’m so glad I decided to revisit it tonight because it inspired me to share my many thoughts! Thank you for reading my ramble, I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoyed it! Have a lovely night/day everyone! Chat with ya later! <3

[thisaintascenereviews]

Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971 - 1975) / Eagles Greatest Hits Volume 2 Every music fan remembers the first few bands or artists that got them into music, as well as the bands or artists that they latched onto after they got into music. I can remember getting into music like it was yesterday, even though it was actually around 17 years ago [insert an “I’m old” joke here]. The first album that I ever picked up was The All-American Rejects’ 2005 LP, Move Along, and I still have that copy today. It’s not an album I play anymore, as I feel like it hasn’t aged well, but I still listen to it here and there, and I have the album to remind myself of a simpler time. I kept it, because it was the first album I remember going to the store and getting myself. I heard a few of the songs on TV and I really wanted to hear the album. Fast forward a couple of years, and by that point, a few more albums came out that really influenced my early years of getting into music, such as Panic! At The Disco’s A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, and My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade, but 2007 is the year that changed everything for me. That was the year that Fall Out Boy released their third album, Infinity On High. This isn’t a review on that album, and this isn’t even going to be a review at all (I’ll get to why here in a minute, don’t worry), but that album blew me away when I first heard it. It still does today, too -- I absolutely love that album, and it’s in the running for all my time favorite. I have a couple of other albums that also want that top spot, and it changes depending on the day, but that’s the first album I ever fell in love with.

I tell that story, and I tell you that all information, because that same year, right around the spring / summertime, I remember getting heavily into classic rock (which is just rock music from the 1980s and before, “classic rock” didn’t actually become a thing until the early 80s when radio stations realized they could get some listeners by playing songs from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s). My parents had a decent collection of greatest hits from certain bands, such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Boston, Journey, Styx, Hall & Oates, and finally, The Eagles. Out of all of these bands, I only really connected with a few of them, even though I enjoy all of these bands to some degree, and one of those were the Eagles. I’ve always been a huge fan of them, even back in the mid-00s when I was first getting into music, as well as discovering music from before my time. I’ve grown to really love older music, and a lot of my taste is just that, so I find myself going back to the classics, even when I’m diving headfirst into newer music. I find myself listening to these bands and albums when the new releases are running dry, which seems to be happening a lot in the last few weeks, but I digress. The Eagles is just one of those bands that I latched onto, and every time I listen to certain songs from their discography, I’m taken back to that time, just like I listened to them for the first time. Their brand of folk, soft-rock, country-rock, and arena-rock is incredible, and it’s so influential to many bands that came after them in the 70s and 80s. Even now, you can hear a lot of bands that had to have been influenced by the Eagles, even if they have never named them as a distinct influence. The reason that I said that this wasn’t a review, or at least a proper one, is that I wanted to just talk about a band I really like, especially their two greatest hits albums that came out in mid-70s and early 80s. I’ve reviewed these albums in the past, but I did that maybe like seven years ago, and my reviews weren’t very good then, so I wanted to talk about them again, especially now that I’m older and appreciate these albums / bands a lot more. Basically, I just want to fanboy over The Eagles for a little bit. I’ve actually had this sitting in my drafts for the last week, because it’s like, how do you a band like this justice? I’ve been listening to these greatest hits albums almost nonstop for the last couple of weeks, and I’ve been watching and listening to a lot of stuff about them, just to gain more knowledge about them, but even that wouldn’t do it justice. Their story is just as interesting as their music, if not slightly more interesting at times, because of the ups and downs that they’ve had in terms of their members. The band formed out of being Linda Ronstadt’s backing band, releasing their first album in 1972, but ultimately breaking up by 1980. In that short amount of time, they went through a few lineup changes that also reflected in their sound (most notably guitarist Joe Walsh joining the band in 1976 right before the writing and recording of their magnum opus Hotel California), and they released a multitude of hit singles and albums, a lot of which are still in heavy rotation today. You most likely have heard some of their songs, such as “Hotel California,” “Life In The Fast Lane,” “Best Of My Love,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Take It Easy,” “Witchy Woman,” “:Peaceful Easy Feeling,” and many more. You’ve most likely heard some of these songs and didn’t realize it. They’re often considered to be one of the best bands of all time, not just from pure sales numbers, but because their sound was so unique, at least compared to other bands at the time. They took this country-rock sound that was starting to bubble up, and they ran with it, especially with a lot of their early work. Their use of five-part harmonies was also another thing that so many people loved about them. If you want a good example of how well they make it work, and how amazing they sound altogether, check out “Seven Bridges Road” from their second greatest hits album, Vol 2, where they recorded a live version from their 1980 live album before their breakup. They used to sing that song as a warmup before shows, but people really wanted to hear it live, so they started singing it. When it comes to sales numbers, though, they’re a big one. The first greatest hits album, entitled Their Greatest Hits (1971 - 1975), is really interesting, because the Eagles themselves had no idea it was even happening, and they also didn’t feel the need for a greatest hits album when they were only getting started (kind of funny they’d say that, but I digress). Luck just happened to be on their side, because their first greatest hits album was the selling album of the 20th century. It’s also the second highest album of all time, right behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Hotel California, their 1976 LP, is also one of the highest selling albums of all time, so they have two albums in the top ten. Personally, when it comes to the greatest hits albums, the first one is a lot stronger, but the second one also features some of their later hits, including the title track to the album of the same name and “Life In The Fast Lane.” They released one more album before their breakup, 1979′s The Long Run, and it’s a decent little record, but the songs from that album that are on the greatest hits album are the best ones, it’s just that their first volume is stronger overall. There’s just so much to say about The Eagles, and I haven’t even talked about a lot of the individual members, especially the main two, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, who are the two that most people remember, unless you also count Joe Walsh in there, since he had a pretty successful solo career after they broke up (they all did, in fact). I just wanted to keep this retrospective somewhat brief, although this is long enough as it is, so I’m going to wrap it up here, but these two albums are utterly fantastic. There are some bands that are “greatest hits” bands, and I’d argue that the Eagles is one of them. What I mean by that is that you just need the greatest hits, minus maybe a few deep cuts from their actual albums, but the hits are really their best songs. Most bands have a lot of deep cuts from their discography, but the Eagles have banger after banger on these albums, and if you listen to these two, that’s all you’ll need. The Eagles are one of the best, most influential, and most important bands of all time, and I just wanted to highlight them. I might do this from time to time, or if I’m listening to a classic album that I don’t have anything negative to say about (and why would I have anything negative to say about them; they’re classic rock royalty), I might just write something that shoots the shit about it. We can have a casual conversation about it, ultimately just talking about why this record and/or artist is really good. I have a few records in the pipeline that I’d like to talk about, including Bob Dylan’s greatest hits, Joni Mitchell’s Blue, and a few other records that I’ve been really listening to lately. I really wanted to talk about The Eagles, just because I absolutely love this band and I’ve loved them for the last 15 years, give or take. These songs still sound just as great now as I first heard them all of those years ago, and that’s the best kind of music for me.

[disashisoul]

In 2004 I set forth on a mission that would change my life and the world forever. Myself, Matt, Ryan and Travis signed our lives away and became the official band/business Gym Class Heroes. Within the next year Ryan left and Eric joined as a touring member, completing the band that is known worldwide as Gym Class Heroes (Tyler, Tim, De Jesus and the real OG crew, Steve, Seth, Whit, and Patrick you know we couldn’t have done it all without you). The craziest part about that whole truth, for me, is just a few months prior to receiving that offer I was personally experiencing the deepest and darkest depression of my entire life.

During that dark time period the driving force in my life was writing and recording my EP (The Midnight Society) and working on a plan to get my music out into the world and to connect with as many people as possible! I watched SO many episodes of Behind The Music haha... many years before we filmed our own GCH episode.  I looked at those music artists I admired as my peers, so to speak... I could deeply feel that the world of music was where I belonged. I guess, the universe decided that I was right, because that's exactly where I ended up!  And to top it off, "Cupid's Chokehold" was literally the first song we wrote together as a band. ( PS: Shout out to Sie One for digging out that great album on that epic 1st day. And thank you to Roger Hodgson for being such a stand up guy. You know why... )

Then, for many years going forward I dedicated my life to touring, writing, recording and connecting with everyone who believed in our vision.  I always looked at GCH as a vehicle for unity, especially in our country. Then as the years progressed I saw our music bring so many people together from all walks of life. Our concerts, meet and greets, even road trips that our fans took to meet and connect with one another in real life.  I could see the immense impact our music was having on the planet in ways I couldn't possibly fit into a social media post. That all said, I honestly never fathomed that there would literally be people walking around with my lyrics or handwriting tattooed on them forever, not to mention loving my family so completely.

And yes, just like anything in life that is worth fighting for, there were definitely major challenges with GCH along the way. But all in all the journey was blessed and truly humbling... which is a good thing, despite what some may think. I am personally blessed to have supportive people in my day to day life; of course Bluejay, my siblings and parents, and also my real friends growing up... And I've made a lot of newer friends along the way. So many musicians have to choose between their day to day lives and the music business, but fortunately I was, again, blessed with a close support system that has never made me choose between my Dreams.

However, in February of 2019, my path with GCH was brought to an unexpected moral and financial impasse, not of my or my family's choice. So now it is safe to say that the future of GCH performing and writing new music together is uncertain to say the least. But it still brings me great joy to see that our music continues to affect people on a daily basis... How in this world is our music still managing to go viral after all this time?? Maybe it was that Original new friend request?! 😉

Meanwhile, throughout the last several years I've released and collaborated on many musical projects... Everything from emo to hip hop. I love it all. My biggest issue with sharing more music with the world and other creative endeavors is, to put it bluntly, I am just not a business person. Meaning, my life does not revolve around money or the power trips that come with it... Which, in the music industry, can be a very tough lesson to learn. If I knew then what I know now, it would be a whole different game... Luckily I've had people who support me and have taught me a lot about the business side of it over the last decade. And, yes, I have met a few really good people as well in the industry, but unfortunately some of them were casualties too. However, now we live in a new world and we don't "need" the industry.

So, on to the main point of this post. Starting in 2022 I'm gonna be sharing something new with all of you and I want to welcome you and tell you that I appreciate the love and light in all ways. And I promise you, this next journey is going to be... Electric. ⚡

undefined

[biaswreckingfics]

I GOT SO MUCH TO SAYYY!! gosh pls dont find me weird okay, and these are just my personal opinions and im not hating any groups!! but my unpopular opinion is: i think kpop has become very toxic after bts and bp got famous in America. And tbh if you ask me, i wouldnt want any other kpop groups to be famous in America... i only stan exo but i think i speak for all groups when i say they are safe as they are now... of course if exo ever get even more famous i will be happy and proud for their success. But look how fame and America has changed bts and bp... not tryna hate but look theyve changed, idk if anyone else noticed but after fame hits bts, i realised how theyve start to become very...white?? like they are so westernised and like example, they start focusing on America only, they even curse (not a lot but i’d still point out) casually like for example, jungkook singing a curse word in his cover song for jason derulo savage love i think (speaking of cursing, after nct127 got famous in usa mark started getting influenced by them too and he casually cursed like “oh fuck” and everyones like 😃😆) even i curse and im not saying cursing is BADD but yeah i am, and how they sing a whole song in english, not to even mention how toxic america is but in grammys they have sold tons of albums yet they didnt win anything but when they release an english song, they won.

Some half of them americans are very toxic, racist, and just theyre basically acid, like bruh, its evident that once bts got famous there are soooo much hate thrown towards bts too cuz theyre asians, or how some would say theyre gay or look like girls...if my favs (exo) ever get these kinds of treatments (not that they dint but veryy little cuz thank god they ain exposed to the western culture) i will B R E A K, i could never handle that so i would never want that to happen to them. Also noticed how, after bts got famous, most armys are equally as toxic, whether they are just stanning bts just cuz theyre famous there, or like how their fans dont even know anything abt bts and coming after so many groups and their fans. Most of them are fake and i think its cuz of the fame for bts lmao. One thing i’d like to say too tho, is how they are so overrated and their songs are played all the damn time, people would randomly talk abt them, like everywhere you go THEY ARE JUST THERE, like in my opinion if i am an army, i would just feel like they are so common and theres nothing special about them anymore and theres no excitement, like what even is the point anymore. idk if anyone gets me but thats just how i feel about my favs being “wOrLdWiDe fAmOuS”, i will love them and their music but its just something i think about tbh🤷🏻‍♀️ like let me listen to them on my own and vibe and love them, dont play it 24/7 just cuz they are famous and ure tryna get people’s attention, like imagine ure in the subway and u hear ur favs song cuz its EVERYWHERE and ure there like 😐😐 not that u dont love their music but its cuz horrible people dont deserves to listen to their songs, and like people arent going to appreciate them anyway so yeah i feel uncomfortable listening to my favs as others dont even bother, like imagine if that subway is filled with people who are in ur fandom, yall would just hv the best time in the world and VIBE, if not what even is the point. Idk if im explaining it properly, but its badically like, u feeling UNCOMFORTABLE or should i even say SELFISH cuz u do not want to be sharing ur favs with people who dont even deserve to KNOW about them. Basically like seeing how someone you HATE or bullied you back then talking and being all friendly fake with ur BESTEST FRIEND or even boyfriend/girlfriend, cuz u just want to protect them from EVIL (im so dramatic)

And well lastly, no Bts did not paved the way, or “bts is the best and only group” like no, so many amazing artists were breaking records way before bts was even a thing (no hate to bts) but they really need to get slap for having that mindset, they really make a bad image for bts...tbh kpop before was so peaceful (a little toxic but still, compared to now...BYE) and everything was just about idols and fans love, listening and supporting and loving their music and just so comforting... urgh anyway thats all i wanna say and here are some texts i saved relating to kpop groups going famous worldwide uwu

these are also examples, and honestly speaking here, i dont want to be specific as in “exo” cuz i think this happens for ALL the groups out there and the love and relationship between the idols and their fans (family) are just beautiful, but for bts and armys... tbh i feel bad because i just dont see or feel any love they hv for each other (sure we see bts saying i love you armys or armys supporting bts but with all the toxicity in their way, theres just no spark or chemistry or bond no more it’s basically like one direction and their fans and thats all they are, celebrity-fan, but for kpop its family), i can see other groups and their fans interacting or how idols would light up talking abt their fans, but for bts, theres just soooo much mess going on in their fandom its not special anymore, they lost the deep meaning of their group love and IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN IT but YEAH DJSHSKSJ OH and to add somethign else, they got famous in America, look at all the collabs🤡🤡 blackpink with cardi b, bts with nicki etc... not that collabs arent fun... im just saying these american artists... they dont exactly have a good reputation (americans singing about sex (not the good kind), money, girls and drugs) 🥴🥴 dont influenced my faves and let them be exposed to the toxic culture YALL GET ME?? KPOP HAS THE LETTER K FOR A REASON😭😭😭 let them be their own shining star, not everything has to be involved or a part of aMeRiCa to be amazing.... PHEW IVE SAID IT NOW BEFORE ANYONE GETS MAD AT ME, I DONT MEAN TO SOUND RUDE TO YOU, if youre an american and youre no where near being toxic, I LOVE YOU but im just saying, the western culture is toxic and im just saying what ive been observing and noticing🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️ ps: i still love exo till the max and everything about them is perfect and theyre just amazing people (everything i said that bts and armys dont really have anymore, i think thankfully, EXO (sorry im biased) most fandoms still have so much of the L O V E there and i find that extraordinary) and he fandom is so comforting and amazing and idk dkdjjdjss thats why i dont want them getting famous worldwide...sorry exols ANYWAY THATS ALL FOR MY RANT ITS 4AM AND I AM THINKING OF DELETING THIS💀💀💀 anywya sorry for taking up so much space but i just wanna say I FREKAING LOVE NO EXIT, NO LIMITS, basically all ur exo fics cuz why not🥺🥺 i think ur writing skills are amazing as well as the plots and all especially forsaken, and THANK YOU for two bbhxoc fics😭😭😭 i cant!!! also if u reached here idk i-🥲 i hope u didnt get mad or offended 👀

Reply under the cut!!

Kpop has become extremely toxic with the growth of international fans and the rise of 3rd/4th gen. I wasn't around to experience the previous generations, but I know damn well they weren't a mess like these newer ones are.

Gaining fame in America does seem to change idols, and idk why. The group members change and the music changes also. While I do enjoy hearing idols swear (guilty pleasure) and I am an American so I get to enjoy their English songs, I can see how it makes all the other cultures/countries feel some type of way.

I will say this, though, the Grammys are shit and I dont get why people care so much about them. They've proven time and time again the awards don't go to the best artists. However, this doesn't mean that I think BTS deserved a Grammy imo.

Americans are a very toxic and hate filled bunch (again, I am one, so I get to see this shit every day). I 100% know that some of the hate directed towards Asians is because of racism (as seen by the insane uptick in crime against Asian Americans right now) and because some see kpop male idols as too feminine.

BTS is literally everywhere, which is one of the reasons I stopped listening to them tbh. They'd be in commercials, on talk shows, late night shows, in magazines, on the radio, just everywhere. It took the joy out of watching anything from them just because they were always in my face, so I can see what you mean.

I feel like the relationship between BTS and army has changed (from an outsiders perspective). Its no longer about loving and supporting your group and being happy for them. Now, its "so-so wants this? We MUST do everything in our power and spam every possible thing ever so they get what they want". Its almost frightening. They also no longer care about the quality of the music being put out. Doesn't matter what it is, they stream the ever loving shit out of it and make it break records when, honestly, it doesn't deserve to (again imo).

Lastly, I didnt get mad or offended haha. I understand a lot of these viewpoints, and thank you so much for liking my work!! I do wonder what would happen if I made a true BBH centric fic and not just spin offs or continuations of previous works where oc ends up with BBH 🤔🤔 I think that fic would have too much power haha.

[jjkfire]

I agree with your bts rant! but the wya i end up concluding it is “don’t hate the player hate the game” Like it’s such an industry deep situation. Even a societal one like everything we do is for money. Capitalism is a disease of its own. I mean def there are things to critic about artists like when they do bundling but that’s bc you can sell without it. But marketing is sadly necessary bc of the wya to industry works and just inevitable. I hope they tone it down tho but hey big hit wants that💰

lol ya my rant isn’t directed at the boys but rather at big hit. but also for all that the company is, i have so much respect for their sales/marketing/advertising team. witnessing their growth from dope onwards was insane from a business perspective. they really knew how to use social media to their advantage, how to give their fans free content aka bangtantv ( lol altho free i can only guess the ad revenue on their youtube videos!! hint: it’s millions), gayo & run episodes, their vlives and all of that, and make fans stay and convert them into ‘loyal customers’. they leaned into the fact that the public was moving more towards celebs that they find genuine and relatable and away from those that were over the top. they figured out how to make them feel accessible, relatable, before much of the industry figured it out. also, they understood how english could help them gain a lot of traction (iirc PSY talked about this too). it is also why bts gained such a following internationally, even bigger than in korea before they really blew up in their own country. anyway bang pd identified a niche early EARLY on, put together a team (boys, producers, lyric writers, content makers, just everyone at the company) that could bring it to fruition and capitalized on it. and i know we all go hehe haha bang pd but people seriously do not understand the brain this man and his team has. luck is one thing, but the way they’ve grown is more than just luck.

although im not part of the demographic that is willing to spend on everything, they knew they had people that do; that will buy all the concert dvds, summer package, winter package, muster, movies, bon voyage, in the soop etc. etc. etc. i could be wrong but no one produces as much content as they do. big hit is literally a content factory. all the merch, tinytan, bt21, etc. etc. etc. they take consumerism to the next level. as an individual looking at how much the company achieves year after year and all the profit i can only guess they make... it’s just amazing to me. the fact that they made weverse was genius. they really said fuq u to naver, vlive and fancafe and said we know how much our content is worth. don’t know when but when weverse starts doing live videos and if bts ever fully migrates everything over, add ads (especially curated ads based on the user data), profits are going to go through the roof and into outer space. data is worth more than anything and the fact of the matter is, the moment you download an app, you are inadvertently selling your data to them for the ‘free’ content you get. so yes, they are very smart. though i think they will always have a vlive presence because you need your hand in every cookie jar. and vlive is a way to reach ‘newer’ fans while weverse is for once you’re already in the ecosystem. acquiring pledis & source music to grow that ecosystem was also pretty smart. i can’t say much about the games they have released but i assume it’s a good enough revenue stream, data-wise and also probably coins that people buy or wtv.

the one thing i really do not agree with is the ads and products bts endorse. some of the ads are soooo boring. it doesn’t make me feel like buying the product but i am sure there are a zillion fans that will buy anything with their face on it but i will continue my thoughts on their ad/brand endorsement in another ask ahahahah.

but tldr: big hit from a business and money-making standpoint: amazing and i bet many companies want to emulate. big hit from a fan stand-point: i am tired from being bombarded with messages to buy things (i know i am not being forced so don’t come for my neck lol)

[looxxi]

A lot of people are debating whether or not kpop idols should be speaking out about BLM and if black fans have a right to be angry if idols stay silent — which they do. As a white woman, I have no right or place to decide how these fans should feel or respond, but for those saying it doesn’t matter because kpop has nothing to do with BLM, let me give you a little history lesson on kpop and the genres of music it is heavily influenced by!

Korean pop music, gayo, or kpop, however you choose to refer to it as, can be traced back to 1885 when an American missionary began teaching American and British songs at schools. More western culture was introduced after the Korean War, when U.S. troops remained in South Korea. Modern kpop began to evolved in the 1990s when Korean pop musicals began to incorporate Europop and popular American music styles. It does have roots in traditional Korean music, however it is actually heavily influenced by western music and culture! Some of the biggest genres influences on kpop include rock, jazz, gospel, hip hop, R&B, reggae, electronic dance, experimental, folk, country and classical music. 

For the sake of this, I’m going to predominantly be focusing on jazz, R&B, rock, and hop hip.

Jazz originated in black communities in New Orleans in the late 19th century and has origins in blues, ragtime, spirituals, classical, and West African music. The 1920s was known as the Jazz Age, and jazz is considered by many to be America’s classical music and one of America’s original art forms. It has many derivative forms, including free jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, smooth jazz, Latin and Afro-Cuban Jazz. New Orleans jazz specifically blends sounds from brass-band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime, and blues. Swing was also a very popular derivative of jazz in the 1930s with musicians like Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, Jimmie Lunceford, and Count Basie.

Minnie the Moocher (Theme Song) by Cab Calloway

In A Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

Weather Bird by Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines

Tain’t What You Do (It’s The Way That You Do It) by Jimmie Lunceford

Splanky by Count Basie

Rhythm and blues (R&B) developed in urban Black communities in the United States during the 1940s. Some of its stylistic origins are jazz, blues, spirituals, gospel, and boogie-woogie. Since the 1980s it shifted into a new style younger generations are currently most familiar with, referred to as contemporary R&B, which blends rhythm and blues with pop, soul, funk, disco, hip hop, and electronic music. Some of the most influential R&B artists are older artists like Prince, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Beyoncé, and Mariah Carey to newer artists like Rihanna, Ne-Yo, and The Weeknd.

When Doves Cry by Prince

Superstition by Stevie Wonder

Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson

Respect by Aretha Franklin

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) by Whitney Houston 

I’m Every Woman by Chaka Khan

Partition by Beyoncé

Hero by Mariah Carey

Needed Me by Rhianna 

So Sick by Ne-Yo

Blinding Lights by The Weeknd

Rock music originated in the United States in the late 1940s, and began as “rock and roll.” Rock and roll’s biggest influences are black musical genres, two of the biggest being blues and R&B. Blues originated in the Deep South in the 1870s from African musical traditions, spirituals, and African-American work songs (this is the white guilt way of saying what they actually are Slave Songs). Blues is arguably the most influential genre in modern western music as some of its derivative forms include rock, ragtime, R&B, jazz, and country. Some of the biggest rock and roll artists include Chuck Berry, Nat King Cole, the Crows, the Penguins, and the Turbans. Even Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll” would say some of his biggest influences were B. B. King, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, Ivory Joe Hunter, and Fats Domino, all Black musicians.

Johnny B. Good by Chuck Berry

L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole

Gee by The Crows

Earth Angel (You Will Be Mine) by The Penguins

I’ll Always Watch Over You by The Turbans

The Thrill is Gone by B.B. King and Tracy Chapman 

That’s All Right by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup

Since I Met You Baby by Ivory Joe Hunter

Ain’t That a Shame by Fats Domino

Finally, hip hop and rap music which developed by inner-city Black communities living in the Bronx, NYC, in the 1970s. Its origins are styles of funk, disco, electronic music, dub, R&B, reggae, dancehall, jazz, spoken and performance poetry, scat singing, and talking blues. Hip hop has four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching turntables (records), breakdancing, and graffiti writing. Due to poverty and lack of acceptance outside of ghetto neighborhoods, however, hip hop did not officially get recorded for radio or television until 1979. Hip hop has derived and has many subgenres since the 70s and now includes freestyle rap, gangsta rap, hardcore hip hop, mumble rap, trap, experimental hip hop, and more. Some major influential artists include Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, LL Cool J, Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, Notorious B.I.G., Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, B.o.B., Drake, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper and so so so many more.

Fight The Power by Public Enemy

South Bronx by Boogie Down Productions

Mama Said Knock You Out by LL Cool J

Colors by Ice-T

Still D.R.E. by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg

Drop It Like It’s Hot by Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams

C.R.E.A.M. by Wu-Tang Clan

Hypnotize by Notorious B.I.G.

Snap Yo Fingers by Lil Jon, Youngbloodz, Sean Paul, and E-40

Scared of the Dark by Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla $ign, XXXTENTACION

Crank That (Soulja Boy) by Soulja Boy

So Good by B.o.B.

Started From the Bottom by Drake

Feeling Myself by Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé

HUMBLE. by Kendrick Lamar

This Is America by Childish Gambino 

No Problem by Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, and 2 Chainz

There is nothing you can say to tell me there isn’t Black influence on kpop. BTS had a whole multi-episode show where they travel to LA to train under “hip-hop tutors” Coolio, the artist behind Gangsta’s Paradise, and Warren G, a g-funk producer. Haechan calls Michael Jackson his favorite artist and inspiration. Almost all kpop groups have a rap line who “shockingly” LIKE BLACK RAPPERS AND ARTISTS. And it isn’t unheard of for kpop idols / groups to support and promote fundraising and campaigns. I’m not here to attack kpop, I’m here to explain why people can be upset by their silence.

Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio and L.V.

Regulate by Warren G and Nate Dogg

While I am aware many of idols’ / groups’ accounts are not run personally or by their management, the silence and lack of support can hurt. I can understand why black fans want to see their idols they have been supporting support them too, especially when those idols have been, in a sense, profiting off of their culture. I can understand why black fans want their idols to support them not getting murdered in the street by police who are supposed to protect them. 

For anyone saying that “this is America’s problem” and “leave it to America to figure out,” World War II happened because Hitler was committing genocide on Jewish people and it took ALL of the Allies, not just anti-nazi Germans, to take down Hitler and the Axis powers. The police and the government are committing genocide on black people. Systematic racism is a disease that the world, not just America, needs to fight.

Silence doesn’t make you an ally, silence makes you an accomplice.

Here’s how you can help:

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co

https://moreblminfo.carrd.co

Thread of More Places to Donate

Thread of How White Allies Can Help

A List of Black Owned Fashion / Cosmetology / Skin Care Brands

Tips on How to Engage Conversation on BLM with Conservative / Racist / Bigoted / Homophobic Family

Donate. Sign Petitions. Text and Call Local Governments. Protest. Vote. Educate. Listen.

[blankasolun]

source: Loudersound May 31, 2016

How Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas changed metal

By Dayal Patterson (Metal Hammer) May 31, 2016

Mayhem are one of the most influential black metal bands on the planet, and their album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas remains a timeless classic

  It is an album whose significance, both inside and outside of black metal, has been acknowledged by a wealth of leading contemporary metal acts, from Watain to Enslaved to Inquisition, and one that led Nergal of Behemoth to proclaim it “the opus magnum of extreme metal”. Two decades after it was recorded, it continues to top ‘best album’ lists by longtime fans of the genre, while at the same time providing primary inspiration for new bands whose members were not even born when it was recorded. There are many who would say it is the single most important album in black metal’s broad and ever-growing catalogue, and very few who would argue that it is not, at the very least, a strong contender for that accolade.

The record in question is none other than Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, a milestone work that the long-serving Norwegians are set to perform in full around Europe this year, including Finland, Norway and France. And well they might, for this is an album that has lost neither its devoted following, nor any of its potency, in the years that have passed.

There are plenty of even more hyperbolic (yet equally true) statements that could be made in support of this unique collection of songs. Yet the biggest testament to its artistic value is perhaps the fact that discussion of its recording, songwriting and performance qualities continues to outweigh the highly notable circumstances of its creation. Indeed, it is testament to Mayhem’s significance as a musical force that any music was able to overcome all the drama involved with the band during the period in question. For – as most reading this will probably know – this is also a record that captures the vision of a musician who was not only cut down in his prime, but cut down by a bandmate appearing alongside him on this very recording.

The former party is of course Mayhem guitarist and co-founder Øystein ‘Euronymous’ Aarseth, who was stabbed to death in his apartment in August 1993 by the latter, Varg Vikernes, best known for his similarly-influential project Burzum but also the bassist for Mayhem during the era of De Mysteriis’ creation. The ultimately fatal conflict between the two men is a long and complicated episode in black metal’s grim history that has been discussed at length by fans and media alike for two decades.

What is still worth noting today though, is that the album’s roots are intrinsically linked to two now-departed members of the band. The second is the Swedish-born vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin – otherwise known as ‘Dead’ – and in fact it was he who actually came up with the title; Latin for ‘Of Lord Satan’s Mysteries / Secret Rites’, and a title taken, he explained, from an occult book he had discovered. The fact that Dead took his own life in 1991, while the album was released in 1994, gives some idea of how long the band’s debut studio album was in gestation.

Certainly it was long enough that the band’s first full-length, the legendary live album Live In Leipzig, (recorded in November 1990 but released almost three years later) captured the band (the line-up then comprised of Dead, Euronymous, bassist Necrobutcher and drummer Hellhammer) performing no less than half of its eight numbers. The oppressive, melancholic and suffocating aura found on that recording would thankfully remain in place following the transition of these aforementioned songs to the studio. While the obvious standout track Freezing Moon ia a grim monochromatic epic that remains a fan favourite even today – the unholy and, well, freezing feeling within that song is just as present on Funeral Fog, Pagan Fears, Buried By Time And Dust.

Complementing these older compositions and undoubtedly giving the album a more three-dimensional character was the incorporation of four newer, somewhat more angular and twisting songs, namely the title track, Cursed In Eternity, Buried By Time And Dust and From The Dark Past. Euronymous’ playing had become somewhat more calculated and considered by this point, his writing influenced significantly by the introverted but talented guitarist Snorre Ruch, whose unique approach to riffing within his band Thorns had proven ridiculously influential within the Norwegian scene. In fact, Snorre (now going under the name ‘Blackthorne’) would be inducted into the group as a second guitarist prior to the album’s recording. Despite not appearing on the finished record, he would contribute entire Thorns riffs to several songs, his presence being felt not only during these moments but more generally through his impact on much of Euronymous’ creeping guitar work.

His other role would be to rearrange Dead’s lyrics on several songs in preparation for the deceased vocalist’s replacement, Attila Csihar. A Hungarian musician who was admired in Norway thanks to his short-lived but seminal black metal band Tormentor, his appointment and spirited performance remains a defining factor of the record, and it was one that provoked no small controversy at the time. In contrast to the more typical black metal vocal styles of the time he introduced an eccentric, otherworldly and theatrical approach incorporating a drawling delivery and lurching from screams and rasps to an almost operatic form of singing that makes a feature of his distinctive Hungarian accent.

“The way of singing it, we were talking about how to do it of course,” recalled Attila in an interview conducted back in 2009. “I heard some demo recordings that had been done by Dead and [previous vocalist] Maniac before, but I like individualism… so when I talked to Euronymous in the studio I said, ‘Why don’t we try something else instead of making again the traditional screamed vocals?’ The De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas song, when I looked at the lyrics there was this Latin line so I thought, ‘Let’s do this voice there.’ I came out with the low vocals with more melodies, and he liked it so much we did the whole recording that way.”

Though seemingly a long-running plan on the part of Euronymous, the decision to use Attila for the role proved as much of a surprise for other musicians in the Norwegian scene as it was for the Mayhem fanbase. After all, not only was Euronymous surrounded by an abundance of local talent, but many of the vocalists in the country actually knew the songs on the forthcoming album already, having listened repeatedly to an instrumental tape that had been making the rounds for some time.

“People were a little bit pissed that they didn’t receive the phone call,” recalled Grutle of Enslaved during the same interview, “but they thought, ‘Well that’s going to be interesting’ – and it was! Actually while [Attila was] doing the vocals Øystein went to the callbox and called me and said, ‘He sings like a sick priest, he sings in Latin, with an accent, it’s incredible!’”

Of course, one cannot mention De Mysteriis without mention of the pounding and detailed percussion that underpins it. A fine performance by one of black metal’s best known drummers, Hellhammer (a man who has performed for innumerable bands from Arcturus and Covenant to Dimmu Borgir and Shining), the formidable yet restrained drumwork is complimented by both the spacious, eerie and strangely minimal bass work and a powerful and gloriously unpolished production. The latter is no small factor in the album’s success and was apparently the result of a considerable amount of work on the part of both Euronymous and the infamous Pytten, a producer who spent much of the 1990s capturing iconic works by legends such as Enslaved, Burzum, Hades, Gorgoroth and Immortal.

“Euronymous had specific ideas about each instrument and he had specific ideas about echoes,” recalled Attila. “The drums were recorded in a huge concert hall, solos were recorded in a room and he was moving round all the time and saying, ‘Okay, there we have it.’ If you listen to records from the time and then De Mysteriis you hear the production is far and away better than anything else.”

“The whole album was recorded in very spacious areas,” confirmed producer Pytten. “Øystein, Hellhammer and me were walking about, talking about how to do it and I really wanted to use the stage for the drums. I really like big sounds — especially for the drums — and reverb on the leads. So the drums were done on stage and [in that hall] you have nine stories going up, so we closed the room side, but kept all the height.”

It isn’t only the drums that utilise large numbers of tracks, another defining ingredient in the album is the mass of multi-tracked guitars, which create a huge (yet suitably icy and treble-heavy) wall of sound, a perfect compliment to the similarly sizeable percussive bombardment. Indeed, the combination only accentuates the crushing and malevolent character of the whole record, the overall effect being a dense and impenetrable assault on the senses, one only balanced by the surprising touches of groove throughout the album.

And this is perhaps the last thing to underline, particularly for newcomers to the record. Though undeniably a standout opus, it is not an easily accessible work – even by black metal standards – and is not necessarily a gateway album. Nor is it meant to be. It is a purposely gloomy and aggressive beast, and one that makes no concessions to outsiders, instead following its own wilful and destructive path without any apology. Give it the time it deserves however, and it will be with you forever. We can only hope that its forthcoming live invocations are equally memorable.

The interviews in this piece were originally conducted for the book Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult and appear in an extended form there. The book and its sequels are available at now.

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How Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Changed Metal source: Loudersound May 31, 2016 How Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas changed metal By Dayal Patterson…

[shownuslaugh]

Humble (Part 2)

           “…She’s the closest thing North America has to actual royalty.”

           Maybe that’s the problem.

           Maybe you need to be brought down a few notches.

           Maybe you need to be humbled.

             Siwon is correct, he realizes with a twinge of irritation.

             The rest of the boys do like you.

             They like you a lot.

             The way they laugh, flirt, and accommodate you with little school boy grins on their faces only deepens his dislike for you. Don’t they see how airheaded you are? You asked about a fucking microphone and how to use it! If that doesn’t scream spoiled, ridiculous brat, Siwon doesn’t know what will.

             “How often do you come visit lowly artists like us?” Donghae sits directly across from you, eyes bright and shiny, chin propped up on his fist. The smile he gives you could light the entire country for a year if the government tried to harness its power.

             Siwon snorts at the obvious attempt to flirt. It’s so close to the what’s a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this line that he feels actually sick to hear it. Nevertheless, he translates for Donghae.

             You pointedly ignore Mr. Giant-Stick-Up-His-Ass and answer Donghae’s question. “In Seoul? Not often. The last time I was here was to visit-” Your throat closes up, stopping you from finishing your sentence. Even saying his name is difficult for you.

             “President Moon?” Siwon offers.

             “Oh, well, yes. I also have some friends here involved in the music industry. I knew a decent amount about SM as a company before I visited yesterday all thanks to them. I suppose I just wanted to see for myself.”

             Siwon raises a brow. “So you lied to get here?”

             “Excuse me?!” You stand abruptly, glaring at him in a manner that makes the other Super Junior members squirm uncomfortably in their seats. “I don’t know what you’re implying-”

             “I’m not implying anything. I believe I said what I had to say.”

             Your cheeks flush red out of anger. “You little-”

             Jack rushes forward, whispering in your ear, “CAMERAS!”

             When Siwon smirks, pleased to have gotten such a reaction out of you, it only makes you angrier. You want to smack him hard enough his nose bleeds. Instead, you settle for sitting back down and continuing the conversation. Out of the corner of your eye you see the flash of several cameras going off outside the conference room.

             “My friend was in a terrible place emotionally and I believed part of it was due to stress from work. In a way, I was looking for something to blame his mental health on… I wanted to see if things were really as bad as he implied.” You straighten out your black skirt, rolling your shoulders back, and lifting your chin slightly. “Not that my motives should matter to you.”

             “Your motives matter very much, I assure you.” Siwon folds his hands in his lap. The silver metal of his Cartier watch glints in the bright light of the room. “This company is very important to very many people. We don’t need some American princess meddling around in it.”

             “I just want to help.”

             “We don’t need your help.”

             You put on your best, most charming smile. “I’m sure you don’t. That’s why I never said I was here to help you or this company. My friend was part of SM, but I’m here to help his mother with an organization she decided to start up.”

            “How sweet of you.” Siwon smiles back. Just as sweet. Just as charming. To the outside world it looks like a pleasant enough conversation, but inside the room anyone could cut the tension with a knife.

             “You’re Super Junior’s leader, right?” You turn to Leeteuk and ask in Korean.

             He nods, concerned about exactly where this conversation is going. Especially once you stand and reach for your bag. Maybe his English isn’t the best, but his people reading skills are immaculate. He knows whatever has been said between you and Siwon wasn’t friendly.

             “I’ll have my assistant leave my number with you. Call me and we’ll set up another meeting. Just us.” You bow to Leeteuk and leave the room, the scent of lilies trailing after you.

             Jack approaches Leeteuk and scribbles down your phone number on a sheet of notebook paper. He gestures the First Family’s translator forward, whispering to them as he hands the number to Leeteuk.

             “Do not allow this number to get out as it is her private phone number. Her schedule is quite packed for the next month so texting would be a better option. Please keep in mind any and all calls or messages received can be monitored at any moment. Refrain from lewd comments.” The translator bows when she finishes up repeating Jack’s orders.

             “She’s not trying to date you,” Jack adds in English. “Business only.”

             Siwon doesn’t lose his smile as he says, “I’m sure he understands already, but I will be more than happy to reiterate your points. To every member. Not only Leeteuk.”

             Jack tilts his head, examining the casual, almost too relaxed way Siwon sits. There’s a smugness in the air that Jack just doesn’t care for. “I would appreciate that. I would also appreciate you remaining far from the meeting when it takes place. We have our own translators available.”

             “Of course. The less I need to be involved, the better.” Siwon stands, bowing respectfully. “Please have a wonderful stay here in South Korea, Mr…”

             “McBride.”

             “Mr. McBride.” Siwon says the name carefully.

             Jack takes careful, measured steps toward Siwon. The two men are of similar height and build, with Jack being a bit taller and a bit more muscular. The way he looks down his nose at Siwon makes Siwon bristle with anger. “This isn’t my first time with men like you, Mr. Choi.”

             “Men like me? I’m not sure what you mean.”

             “Men who like to humiliate the people I love.” Jack tilts his head to the side. “You see what you want to see out of her. You know nothing about what she’s actually like.”

             “Bratty heiresses tend to only come in one flavor.” The smile never leaves Siwon’s face. “Rotten.”

             Jack, ever composed, ever calm Jack, briefly loses his cool and contemplates if it would be worth risking his job to punch this smug bastard in the face. What right does the son of one of the richest men in South Korea have to judge the daughter of one of the richest men in America? They’re on the same playing field, and from what Jack’s seen, you have the high ground.

             Instead of balling up his fist and popping Siwon right in the nose, Jack settles for saying, “We’ll be seeing you tomorrow Mr. Choi.”

             Siwon looks visibly thrown off. “I’m sorry?”

             “Oh, did no one inform you? Tomorrow is Sunday and she never misses a day of church. Not even abroad. I asked your leader for suggestions earlier and he told me about the church you attend. Have a wonderful night.” Jack walks out of the room with a pleased grin on his face.

             “Red headed bastard,” Siwon mumbles in Korean as he watches Jack leave. “They’re all awful. At first I just thought it was her, but-”

             “Hyung,” Donghae’s voice is gentle when he interrupts Siwon. “You’ve been going on and on about how terrible she is, but she seemed perfectly fine to me.”

             Siwon’s mouth falls open. “Really? Were you not paying attention?”

             Leeteuk holds up the piece of paper with a wide smile and dreamy eyes. “I got her phone number! Oh, how long should I wait to text her? Now?”

             “No, you’ll seem too eager.” Shindong takes the paper from Leeteuk. “Hyung, you should wait until tomorrow.”

             “And keep it casual,” Heechul adds. “Don’t start in with your “I had a dream we got married” bullshit.”

             “Fuck off, it was one time and I was twenty three.” Leeteuk snatches the paper back from Shindong and simply stares at it for a good ten seconds. He can’t believe his luck. He actually got your phone number. Yours. You’re so far out of his league it’s ridiculous you even looked in his direction. This is by far the best day of Leeteuk’s life.

             Siwon is in the fucking Twilight Zone.

             He has to be.

             Is he seriously the only one who sees you for what you are? A spoiled, entitled, rich bitch, self-absorbed brat? Hell, even when you were talking about your friend- whoever the poor man must be, bless his soul- you managed to make it all about you. How you felt about what he went through. How it made you want to help in whatever way you came up with. You never even bothered to give a name. It was all about you and what you wanted to do.

             “I can’t believe all of you,” Siwon says. “She’s not even attractive.”

             “Oh, no, hyung! You’re going blind!” Ryeowook holds up his hand and shows Siwon a few fingers. “Quick, how many fingers am I holding up?”

             Generally it’s Siwon being the teaser, not the teased. This time though it’s Siwon making the disgusted face and telling Ryeowook off.

             “Seriously, Siwon, what did she do that pissed you off so much?” Yesung folds his arms over his chest and leans back in his chair. “I really don’t understand. She’s charming, funny, and seems smart.”

             “She asked how a microphone works! A fucking microphone!”

             Eunhyuk shrugs. “She’s a political figure, not an artist. Plus it’s a newer model of one of our professional studio sets. Can you really blame her for not being able to look at it and tell you exactly how it works?”

             “It’s a microphone!” Siwon pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.

             Leeteuk and Heechul share a brief look. In the few seconds their eyes meet, they come to the same conclusion. Siwon is just having one of his bitch fits. They don’t come often (maybe once every year and a half or so) and don’t last often either. It’s Leeteuk’s opinion that Siwon’s fits are induced by stress brought on by work and family matters. Heechul thinks it’s as simple as the fact no one can be as nice as Siwon without letting out the frustration at least once a year.

             “Siwon, have you spoken with your parents recently?” Leeteuk’s probing is as gentle as the expression on his face. “Are they asking you about marriage again?”

             “Yes.” Siwon is miserable as he answers. “Sort of. They’re upset Lui and I split up. Mother is under the impression Father will pick a wife for me if I don’t “settle down” soon.”

             “Would he really do that?” Heechul asks. “Make you marry someone?”

             “That’s how families with money tend to work.”

             “But your sister-”

             “Is my sister. If she were my brother instead, things would be different.” Siwon sinks back in his chair.

             Donghae grins a toothy, crooked grin. “Hyung, look on the bright side. Your father didn’t want you to be an idol at first either, but he changed his mind quick enough. Maybe this will be the same.”

             “Maybe.”

[dojae-huh]

SM never protects their idols when a news breaks, let me tell u this. They're a 4 year old idol group so SM management is interested in the newer groups they're training... look at all the past times in other idols career who were under SM. Also why are koreans pissed when they're themselves all out. Even youtubers are making vlogs in itaewon, I love the double standards ppl have for celebs when they're doing the same.

Uh, SM not protecting their idols is a big topic, I don’t have time to discuss right now. 

One word though. SM doesn’t operate in a vacuum. The decisions that are made result from the mentality of older generations (those in charge) and Korean cultural norms. We, foreigners, especially from the West, know very little about it to make educated, resonable judgement.  

For example, preserving one’s own face is detrimental. Psychological problems is a taboo topic, because a Korean simply can’t be unwell and weak. What depression? Don’t you have a will? Go work. Parents disown their LGBT kids in fear of being shunned by their neighbours and community themselves and not to bring “disgrace” to the family name and predecessors. First sons must have children to continue the lineage. And so on. 

Heechul said that SM idols are taken care of mentally, that he has no problems with managers and the company, it’s the antis he is mad about. Meaning, SM people do care, there should be another reason to the “not protecting”. This reason might be the higher ups, CEOs, it might be the belief in “let it slide, it will die on its own”. Many many social problems are treated like that in the country. Is it right? No. But is it normal for Korea? Is SM an exeption? 

Take the weight loss. Does SM and other companies demand from female artists to stay thin? Yes, definetely, very strict about it. Do they do it in unhealthy way? They do. Also true. But who has the high standarts? Who writes “fat!” and “get rid of her!” when a female artist has a normal weight? Knets. The fans. Why unhealthy? Because people are horses in Korea to be worked to the bone without any care. Don’t forget that only 70 years ago the country was in absolute ruins. Only an outside force (like influence of the global community) can change it with time somehow.  

I know that Big Hit released a black list of fansites. It is great. A step forward in the protection of idols. SM, JYP having psychologists now is also a step in the right direction. But don’t expect a magical change overnight.  

[mudandhoney705-blog]

Meet the Maker: 20 Questions With Yours Truly

Hey gang,

I thought I would take some time to introduce myself this week. I figured, if you are curious about our products, you might want to know a little bit about who is making them, and also, who is writing this blog. So here you go: 20 questions. Asked by me, answered by me(that should make it easy).

Question #1. Who the heck are you?

My name is Nathan Dale. I'm a Father to a 2 year old boy, a husband, son, and brother to 5 awesome siblings. My family and I live in Innisfil, Ontario(That's in Canada, eh?). I'm 31 years old. I run my own business(this one) from home, which I operate through the week as much as I can(although at times it is a 24/7 thing), and I work long hours on weekends at my second job, to make up for the time off through the week. My interests include Soap(obvi), fatherhood, self-improvement, fitness, scotch, tattoos, music, and hockey(Go Leafs Go!). I think that about sums it up.

Question #2. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the town of Bradford, only a 20 minute drive from my house now. At the time, it was a small place, mainly made up of descendants of Portuguese, Dutch, and English settlers. I grew up working on farms around the area, as that is pretty much all that was out there at the time. Bradford has exploded over the last 5 or 10 years, but it is still a farm town at heart. So much so, that they celebrate every year with a carrot festival. I loved working on farms. Fewer things feel better than working hard outside all day, then coming home to a long bath and falling asleep when your face meets the pillow. I am thankful for that experience.

Question #3. How did you do in school?

Terrible. I dropped out of high school – twice. But I went back and finished as an adult. It was then that I realized how easy the work was, if I just focused on it and got it done. It was also when I discovered my passion for writing, which I am now trying to put to use.

Question #4. Did you go to college/university?

Nope. When I turned 19, I had already moved out of my parent's place, and was working full time. I spent my early 20s working in a factory. I hated the work, but I met a lot of great friends on the night shift who I still talk to today, as well as the woman who would become my wife. I also learned a trade. I'd say things worked out pretty well.

Question #5. Why did you start your own business?

Since I started 'adulting', I have always been an overtime/side hustle kind of guy. Or, at the very least, someone who wants to keep busy. Before my son was born, I played in a band, I had a golf membership, and worked overtime almost every weekend – between gigs! Since then, things have changed. When I decided to make a go of it, I had been looking for a good side hustle, and since I was already making soap, and there seemed to be a lot interest in the sort of product I could bring to market, I thought “why not?”.

Question #6. What's the deal with the band?

The summer of 2011 was a big deal for me. My wife and I got married, and I started playing in my first band. I had played drums since I was 13, but never in a group. We were called Sleepless, and we were. We played originals, and never really made any money, but we played our butts off, and went on small 2-3 week-long tours. Some of the best memories I have are from the 4 years I spent behind the kit, and I hope to do it again someday.

Question #7. Did you say 5 siblings?!

Yep! I'm one of 6. 3 boys, 3 girls, spaced out over 18 years. All with the same biological parents, who just celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Pops!

Question #8. How do you balance being a dad and working 2 jobs?

That, my friends, is another blog entry altogether.

Question #9. Have you done much traveling?

Not really, no. I've done a lot of sight-seeing in this area(4hr radius), and I've been to Montreal a handful of times, and the Maritime Provinces once. When my wife turned 30 we took a trip to Cuba, which was fun, but the resort-style vacation isn't my cup of tea. I'd rather explore, and meet locals, find hole-in-the-wall pubs, and take in other cultures.

Question #10. If you could go anywhere, where would it be?

It's a toss-up. I've always wanted to hike through Scotland and do a scotch tour of some kind, but I live in Canada, one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and I've only seen 0.001% of it. Especially now that I'm a dad, I'd love to pack the family up and spend a month or two, driving coast to coast.

Question #11. You cheer for the buds, eh?

Sure do. I have memories of visiting my grandparents when I was really young, and the Leaf game always being on in the background. I can remember my Papa yelling at the T.V., “Shoot the puck!”.

I started out as just a hockey fan in general, with as many as 6 'favourite' teams. But, the more other people told me the Leafs stunk, the more I liked them, and wanted them to win. I know, “losers since '67, blah blah blah”. But one day, it's gonna happen!

Question #12. Are you a vegan?

My soaps are. I am not.

Question #13. What kind of music do you listen to?

My taste has changed a number of times. That's one of the best parts about music. If a certain song comes on by an artist I used to listen to quite a bit at a different time in my life – Bam! It can put me right back into that time, a specific moment, even. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of newer indie folk, but I'm also revisiting a lot of classic Motown. I guess I feel the need to offset all the sad-sap folk with something upbeat. Both of these genres are generally kid-friendly, so its great to put on a playlist and not have to worry about what song is next when my son and I are hanging out.

Question #14. What is the most interesting thing about you?

I would have to say it's my contradictions. For instance, I'm a 6'3, 240lb bearded man with a rugged exterior, but I make soap. I love smoking cigars, but I use all-natural toothpaste. I drink scotch(when I can afford it), but I wake up early to make blueberry pancakes and dance to The Jackson 5. I could go on, but you're probably picking up what I'm laying down. Variety is the spice of life, er, something.

Question #15. What is your biggest regret?

Lame. Next?

Question #16. What is your favourite book?

The Obstacle Is The Way: The Timeless Art Of Turning Trials Into Triumph, by Ryan Holiday. The title says it all, really. Holiday uses historical figures to demonstrate how successful people not only survive adversity, but find ways to use the very thing that is stopping them from reaching their goals, to their advantage. I would recommend it to anyone.

Question #17. What is your favourite movie?

I like epic period pieces, like Gladiator, Gangs of New York, and 12 Years A Slave. Slap-stick comedies are good. But I watch more Dora and The Wiggles nowadays.

Questions #18. What is your guilty pleasure?

I know all of the lyrics to Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album. It's just really good writing, okay?!

Question #19. If you weren't making soap, what would you be doing?

There are a few other things I could see myself doing. I've always liked the idea of restoring old furniture. I'd likely be playing music, albeit a quieter instrument. Maybe a podcast about fatherhood, or modern men's lifestyle in general. It's hard to say.

Question #20. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

The dreaded, yet standard performance review question! Look, this is how I see it: If life ended tomorrow, I'd be happy. Not happy to die, but happy with what I had done with my time. I like how things are right now, and I'm grateful for what I have. That being said, while I am here, I am going to continue working. Working on myself, working on my family, my house, my business... all aspects. If you are given the time and the opportunity, you owe it to those who weren't, to make the best life you can. So, in 5 years, If my family and I are healthy, I'll be happy. If Mud & Honey is still in business, I'll be stoked, and if both have flourished, I'll be ecstatic.

Thanks for reading, folks. Please leave a comment or criticism in the comment section below!

[sinceileftyoublog]

Boulevards Interview: Funky Gut Punches

Photo by Jordan Rickard

BY JORDAN MAINZER

“I wish I could Men In Black erase my shit so I could listen to it with fresh ears,” Jamil Rashad tells me over the phone from Raleigh, North Carolina. The garage funk artist who records as Boulevards is about to release Brother!, a four-track EP (with an accompanying 2-track single) via Normaltown Records, an imprint of New West. But the restless singer-songwriter’s coming back from recording even newer music, for a potential LP, and has to get in the mindset that in a couple weeks, he’s dropping something he recorded a while back, especially because it’s his most assured (recorded) music to date, all the while exploring new aesthetic and thematic territory.

Rashad finished writing the songs on Brother! early on during the pandemic and messaged various artists he admired to see whether they’d produce the record. Blake Rhein, of Durand Jones & The Indications, bit. Rashad had long admired them. “Durand Jones & The Indications was one of the first soul revival groups in the game,” he said. “They kind of paved the way for Black Pumas and the other cats on Colemine [Records].” It turned out to be the perfect fit for what Rashad was trying to do. “I wanted to do some soul shit but still stay focused to the garage-funk element of Boulevards,” he said, something immediately apparent from the warbling psychedelia of the guitars and strut of the drums from the opening and title track. “I’ve always been chasing my predecessors,” he continued, referring to not only the contemporaries that paved the way for him but classics he grew up listening to with his father, a radio DJ: George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, and Rick James. Rashad’s always been an avid indie rock and punk listener too, citing The Strokes’ Is This It and early Black Keys albums as just as formative.

You can hear Boulevards’ journey to this genre-averse point from listening to his discography. He released his debut LP on Brooklyn post-punk label Captured Tracks, bouncing around different labels and different styles (earlier this year, he released a collaborative track with “Bulletproof” synth popper La Roux) before finding a home on Normaltown. “I had to make those records in the past to make it to this point,” he said, citing New West’s increasing levels of genre diversity, from Caroline Rose’s pop-rock jamfest LONER to their recent Pylon box set, as a reason why he kept asking them to release his EP. When they said yes, he felt like they got it. “If you’re friends with [Normaltown co-founder] George [Fontaine, Jr.] on Facebook or Instagram, you’ll see how eclectic his tastes are. If anybody could get what I was trying to do, George gets it. It’s not like the Thundercats, the Leon Bridges, the Gary Clark Jr.s of the world,” he said. “This is Carolina soul shit.” As a bonus, Rashad was already friends with a couple New West signees: singer-songwriter Jaime Wyatt and American Aquarium’s BJ Barham, the latter of whom helped Rashad get sober from alcohol.

It’s certainly not lost on Rashad that, in his music community, he’s a Black singer-songwriter surrounded by many white ones, many of whom are his friends but don’t have to face the differences inherent in being Black in America. Some of these differences, he sings about, like on “Shook”, a song about being afraid of the police in Raleigh. But it’s the disparities in the music world that he hopes to directly reduce with Brother! “You have indie rock and the soul revival stuff and the psychedelic stuff, but you don’t have the straight garage funk records unless you see an old record on a Spotify playlist,” he laments, citing the dearth of existence and/or influence of old school, “Black small rare funk bands” as a reason for wanting to bring funk to the forefront. In a post-George Floyd protest world of white American racial reckoning, influencing everything from opinions on law enforcement to music listening habits, Rashad wants to tell his story, share his thoughts on the world, and dance while doing it.

Read the rest of my interview with Rashad below, and check out his live stream from the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro via NPR tomorrow night at 7 PM CST.

Since I Left You: It’s hard to point to a short EP as a turning point for many artists like this is for you. Why did you want to do just these four songs as opposed to a bigger project?

Jamil Rashad: I mean, I wanted to do a bigger project. That’s why we’re writing an LP right now. But for me, the writing never stops. I’m always writing. At first, I wasn’t even gonna do an EP here. I was gonna do singles and see how my fan base reacted. I wasn’t even gonna have a label. Every record, I always feel like it’s gonna be a turning point. You never know. I was thinking about this the other day. It’s almost like I’m starting fresh. These are songs I’ve been wanting to write--it’s just taken me time as an artist to get to this point to be able to zone in on the sound that I wanted. A 4-song EP is a little bit of the past and what’s to come with Boulevards, which I’m really stoked about.

SILY: You can tell that immediately from the title track, the first track on the EP. It’s got that psychedelic, garage element to the guitars, but it’s also really funky.

JR: I was tested a lot on this record, learning how the voice interacts with the microphone. Blake was pushing me to do it, which no producer has never done before. It’s turned out really dope. The goal was always to be the face of garage funk. Back in the day, my parents and your parents had the George Clinton records, Isaac Hayes, [Curtis Mayfield], they had all these different artists that were bringing the wave of funk. James Brown. You don’t really have that now. You have soul acts, R&B acts, indie rock acts, country acts, Americana acts, but you don’t have anyone that [brings] the funk shit. That’s what Boulevards is all about.

SILY: More than ever for you, these songs are political. Did you want the EP to be both a thematic and aesthetic turning point, or was that just a coincidence?

JR: It was both. Being 36 at this age, and looking at what’s going on in America, there are things you can’t ignore. I’m not a political expert, but maybe I should post what I’m feeling, what I’m seeing from white friends and Black friends and what’s going on with my community, and put it into these songs. I don’t think if a lot of this stuff didn’t happen with George Floyd, the pandemic, small businesses struggling, and people struggling, I would have been able to write these songs. I’m still gonna stay true to love and heartbreak, and self-growth, and trying to overcome obstacles and things of that nature. Those things I’m always gonna write about. But what was going on in the world definitely inspired and influenced those lines and crafting those songs. I’m not one to preach--you have a lot of these artists who have political records and preach. I wanted to make something about what I’ve experienced that people can still vibe and groove too.

SILY: Only “Shook” seems to be outwardly political. The rest of the songs are about Black life, but they’re really about your Black life.

JR: Of course. Me being a Black man and my struggles and things I’ve been through and seen other people go through. “Shook” is a song about being afraid of police. Being a Black man, every time I leave my house, I have to calculate every move that I make. It’s not like that for a lot of my white friends. That’s fine--that’s what America is. Well, actually, it’s not fine, it’s where America’s at. If I see Raleigh PD and am walking in a predominantly white neighborhood, are they gonna stop me? I live in this neighborhood I worked my ass off to be in. Are they gonna stop me because I don’t look the part and look like I’m up to something? So that’s what inspired “Shook”. Elijah McClain, just doing his thing, cops killing the brother. I didn’t want to do it in an overly preachy way, but at the same time, as America, we have to have uncomfortable conversations with each other. White on white America needs to show awareness with each other for things to actually change. 

“Brother!” is mostly about working. Working your ass off for somebody and nothing changes. [laughs] You’re putting in the hours and the time, you’re making money for somebody else who doesn’t give a shit about you. You’re trying to get the promotions, you’re putting on a face. I worked at Best Buy, you can imagine being a touring artist and then having to put on a blue shirt and dealing with customers over some TV or kitchen appliance shit. I’m obviously doing my job, but I’m not gonna get a promotion there or get an advancement there. It’s about being a Black man in the work force and making somebody else money. At the time, I wasn’t sober, too, so the bar was my only release. It was the only way I could cope with that. [At the same time,] being in the Black community and being in Raleigh, and seeing my father interact with other Black men and even white men, saying, “Brother so and so” [inspired the song.] That’s how we greet each other sometimes. It’s also talking to myself talking to a man out there.

SILY: Whether these songs are about your personal experiences growing up or problems you’re facing now, as serious as they are, you can dance to them.

JR: Curtis Mayfield was good for that. Funkadelic, even Marvin Gaye. That’s what I wanted to be able to accomplish. Funk hits people in the gut. You can still politically come from a serious perspective. 

SILY: Tell me about the video for “Luv n Pain”.

JR: It’s a simple, fun video. [Director] Patrick [Lincoln] pitched the idea. He wanted to have a day of Boulevards alone in his home, reflecting on being alone, reflecting on the things that have caused me personal heartbreak, without a partner. Getting ready in the morning, drinking coffee, wanting to share it with somebody but not having anybody to share it with.

Every video I’ve done up till this point, I’m always dancing. He wanted to slow things down, but still have it be Boulevards, stay true to me, have me dance in certain scenes but also have me reflecting, looking at the fire, up at the ceiling, things we do in our own homes. We [also] wanted to make something visually appealing and fun with bright colors. We didn’t really try to overthink it. Something simple that reflected Boulevards. When I’m at home, I’m always dancing.

SILY: You reference Gil Scott-Heron on “Shook” (“The revolution is now being televised.”) When was the first time you were aware of him?

JR: When I was a kid. My dad used to pick me and my sister up from track practice, and he worked at the radio station and was always getting these records. Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, “Whitey on the Moon”, all these songs. He’s a poet. I started out as a poet before I became a rapper, MC, or funk artist. Every time I do spoken word on a record, it’s never written. The verses and hooks are, but here, I said to the engineer, play these couple bars and just let me talk. It just came out. It also came from watching peoples’ stories and thinking, “The revolution is being televised now.” We’re seeing the anger, the pain, people expressing their frustration with the system of racial inequality in America. Not just Black people, but white people and Latino too. [Before,] they didn’t want people to see what was going on in America. Now, people are seeing it and are looking and are more aware of it now.

SILY: What’s the story behind the album art?

JR: Sly Stone and Funkadelic, predecessors I grew up loving. That was influenced by a Sly Stone record. 60′s/70′s swag. I worked with a photographer in Raleigh named Jordan [Rickard]. I wanted to do something simple. I did it in my crib at my front porch. When I’m working on a record, I always have these vision boards. I always think about the colors, being a Black man, what’s gonna look good. I reached out to a stylist in L.A. who’s a good friend. I’ve always wanted to do a burnt orange background, and the sky blue represents Carolina blue because I’m a big Tar Heels fan. That color coordination blue and orange looks good together. 

SILY: Why are you also putting out a two-track single in addition to the 4-track EP?

JR: That was more the label, how we wanted to go about the campaign. Initially, “Luv n Pain” was the first single I wanted to release regardless. “Shook” would be too predictable. There were so many artists releasing protest songs. “Luv n Pain” is more the past and present of Boulevards. When we finished it in the studio, [I knew.]

[perfectirishgifts]

On The Town: La Jolla By The Sea, Southern California’s Quintessential Coastal Community

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On The Town: La Jolla By The Sea, Southern California’s Quintessential Coastal Community

Aerial view from ocean looking back at La Jolla and Children’s Pool

Hundreds of seaside communities sit along the rolling, sundry shores of California, each a prominent display of the famous coastline. Still, none perhaps exemplifies the particular splendor of Southern California more than San Diego’s La Jolla. 

Walk along the 7 miles that comprise the coast of La Jolla and you find stretches of soft-sanded beaches that turn into sea-sprayed bluffs with views of Mount Soledad, tide pools and the mighty blue Pacific. Teeming with surfers, kayakers, and frequently seen sea-lions, all while basking in some of the most enviable weather in the world — it’s not hard to see why La Jolla is often called the “jewel” of San Diego.

While the coast creates the western border, the eastern limits are shaped by Interstate 5, running north to south, intersecting only at the University of California San Diego campus. This means neighborhoods remain largely unbothered by pass-through commuter traffic. The community achieves a small-town feel while still being part of a large destination city whose downtown is only 12 miles to the south. 

The Housing

One of the first Californian colonies to be settled by the Spanish, La Jolla’s development began in the late 19th century, inspiring the architecture for centuries to come. Today, even modern developments evoke the Spanish Mediterranean or California Ranch styles that originated from the area.

Many residential neighborhoods such as Lower Hermosa and La Jolla Heights are business free, master-planned communities with guarded entries and consist mostly of single-family homes. 

Since the 1970s, development on the La Jolla coastline has been under a 30-foot height limit. While the limit has driven up coastal property prices, it has also ensured ocean views for most residents, even those to the east. 

The Price

In 2009, the median sales price for homes sold in La Jolla was the highest in the nation, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The landscape’s diversity means prices can vary greatly depending on location—approximation to the beach, views and space being large factors in price point. On the lower end, single-family homes hover around $1,000,000.

“The median home price in 2020 so far is $2,295,000, which is right around the tipping point where you start to have some combination of a little more land, move-in condition improvements, a desirable location, possibly some view, though rarely all of those, at that price point,” said Drew Nelson of Willis Allen Real Estate.

Home prices can go for $20,000,000 and up, especially for newer-built oceanfront properties that boast estate-like space and luxury. 

6266 Camino De La Costa. 4 beds, 8 baths, 6,338 square feet, listed for $14,900,000

The Vibe

Known for their famous coastline, La Jolla residents are a self-proclaimed beach community, even in the most eastern neighborhoods. Year-round availability for outdoor activities and near-constant sunshine give La Jolla a sprite and healthy demeanor, with local shops and restaurants mirroring this fresh and bright quality. 

“Having such a vibrant village makes La Jolla feel like a place you do not have to leave,” Nelson said. “You can live, work, play, shop, dine and have all of your recreational activities without getting on the freeway.”

The Village, a quietly bustling beachside neighborhood, is the mainstay for dining and shopping. Along Prospect St., restaurants such as renowned George’s at the Cove offer fine dining with sprawling views. Amongst many shops and businesses about town are walls displaying stunning murals by artists such as Isaac Julien or Roman De Salvo. 

The Schools

The public schools in La Jolla are some of the highest-ranked in the San Diego School District.

Students can start at one of three award-winning elementary schools—Bird Rock, La Jolla or Torrey Pines—all of which feed into Muirlands Middle School and then La Jolla High, which serves about 1,350 students. Each year, approximately 95% of graduating seniors from La Jolla High enter universities or colleges. 

High schoolers enrolled in private schools will attend either Bishop’s or La Jolla Country Day School. 

In 2019, the Bishop’s School was recognized as one of the most sought-after private schools in the country. It boasts a 9:1 student-to-teach ratio.

“To top it all off, La Jolla is home to UCSD,” Nelson said. “It has a gorgeous campus, some incredible architecture, and draws world-renowned scientists, innovators and researchers to the area.”

The Surroundings

A quick drive south on I-5 brings you to important San Diego destinations, such as Mission Bay Park and San Diego International Airport. One hour north on I-15 gets you to Temecula, an inland city popular for wine tastings. Forty-five miles to the north is Orange County, with Los Angeles just beyond.

From Real Estate in Perfectirishgifts