#billy dunne concept

[finelinevogue]

never too late

summary - billy plays you a song and you fall in love with him a little more

pairing: bestfriend!billy x reader

word count: -1k

a/n: first ever billy dunne fic! it’s probably absolute crap but pretend you enjoy it anyways!!! also let me know whether you want a pt.2 cause this is just a taster!!!!

“I have something new.” Billy walked into your room and slouched down on your bed.

He leaned back against your headboard with his guitar strung over his chest ready to be played. His t-shirt was ridiculously sweaty from how hot it was out, the open window barely passing a breeze through.

You were sat at your desk, scrapbooking again. You loved making scrapbooks for each passing year and due to it being December it had come that time of year again, to have your photos developed and stuck in a book forever.

“When did you get here?” You laughed at his audacity to just waltz into your room. You hadn’t even heard him knock.

“Well your mom was talking about another friend she knows who can get us a gig for next Saturday. So, about 40 minutes ago.” He joked about how your mom would just talk and talk and talk…

You shook your head and gave him your undivided attention, by coming to sit on the corner of your bed next to his feet.

You shook your head and gave him your undivided attention, by coming to sit on the corner of your bed next to his feet.

“So, you have something new?” You asked.

“Yeah.”

“Is it as political as the last one? ‘Cause I don’t think singing about how much you hate America is going to sell well.” You teased him, to which he responded by playfully kicking you with his foot.

“Actually, it’s a love song.” He sniffled, rubbing his nose with a finger - a nervous tick of his you’d noticed since forever.

You swallowed lightly, “O-oh. So you’ve got a muse, do you?” Your smile was small and Billy knew you well enough to tell just that.

“Is that so bad?”

“N-no. Aha, no not at all. What’s the song about?” You tried to steer the topic of conversation, before you ended up revealing your truest heart to him.

Billy Dunne could never know that your heart had always been his.

He just couldn’t. It was ruin everything.

“Well, they always say when the end of the year comes around you look back on the things that you regret not doing, saying… loving. So, I guess it’s a tribute to that feeling.” He looked at you with those big blue eyes and you were found all over again.

Falling in love with Billy had been easy.

Catching yourself from falling too hard, too quickly, has been the issue.

“Let’s hear it then.” You smiled more confidently, always excited to hear Billy sing. You often listened to the tape he had recorded for you before falling asleep, because it was all the acoustic versions of the songs that had never been produced further than that.

They were solely yours. That mixtape was your own personal slice of Billy’s heart, waiting to be played every night to let the love spill out of the music and into your own heart.

Billy started strumming the guitar and you were trying to memorise every note so that you’d never forget it. He smiled as he played, most likely thinking of the girl who he regretted not loving this year.

You watched him intensely, watching his fingers strum the guitar with precision and allowing the music to flow freely. It was a challenge not to smile in awe of him.

His lyrics were sad, but hopeful. It sounded like he was calling out to this girl and stressing there was still time for them. The year hadn’t ended yet and Billy sounded desperate to not finish the year without making sure she knew that. The melody was beautiful and catchy. No doubt you’d find yourself singing in every shower concert from now on.

Once he’d finished he looked towards you apprehensively to gauge your reaction. His brows furrowed when he saw you teary eyed.

“That bad, huh?” He chuckled briefly, trying to lighten the weird pressure in the room.

“No,” You rushed out, “God, no, Billy. Just, well– yeah…”

“Yeah, what?” He put the guitar down on the bed next to him and sat up so he was closer to your body. “Was it really awful?”

“Billy…” You rolled your eyes at how he could even suggest such a thing. Billy Dunne would and could never be awful at music. His lyrics, his melodies and his songs were always second to none.

Billy was made for the big stage and you dreamt every night that he would achieve those dreams. The day Billy performs for a crowd larger than 200 people will be the day you run on stage and kiss him for how much you love him.

“Hey.” He sat forwards a little more and took your hands in his. “What’s up?”

“The song was nice.”

“Nice? You’re upset because my song was nice?” He chuckled, finding that hard to believe.

“No, i’m… It’s just nice that you think of this person you wrote the song for in that way.” You looked into his eyes of ocean blue and fell a little bit more in love with him. You smiled and made sure he was smiling too.

He kept looking over your features of your face; scanning from eyes to nose to freckles to… lips. His eyes took in every inch of your face and yet all your could focus on where his eyes. Those beautiful eyes that told you a thousand different pictures on one canvas.

“Well, it turned out I more than love this person.” He smiled warmly, clearly thinking about this girl in his head.

“Why did you never tell me?”

Billy laughed a heavy gasp, turning his gaze towards the more interesting looking floor and collecting his thoughts before turning back to you.

“I.. I dunno.” He smiled.

“Well I hope you play this special person your song and I hope they fall in love with you too.”

“I just did.” Billy said quickly, almost as if he didn’t say it now he never would. It felt unplanned for him, but it felt right.

“W-what?”

“Shit - Aha - Did you fall in love with the song? With me?” He asked so quickly that your mind was not focusing properly. “I’ve fucked this all up haven’t I? Fuck. Y/N, listen I—”

“Billy, you love me enough to write me a song?” You asked quietly, your eyes gently tearing up again.

“Always kinda have.” He smiled.

“God…” You laughed to yourself.

“What?”

“I just.. I never thought you’d ever actually love me back!”

Billy’s smile turned wider and into a large grin, with eyes full of hope. “You mean?…” He looked expectantly at you.

“I love you, Billy Dunne.” You said once quietly and then repeated it louder for ask your neighbours to hear. You wanted everyone to finally know your declaration loud and proud.

You wanted everyone to know Billy could be the world’s icon, but he’d always be your heart.

[arabellaisme]

dream girl evil ★🎸🎧⋆｡ °⋆

[randy-jade-4ever]

Dialtown Party Game Concept

Hello friends. you might know me as the randy jade ask blog but I had something cooking in my brain for a bit and it was for a hypothetical Dialtown party game spinoff called Dialtown Party! Do note I don't really have any drawings but I might add some later if I feel like it so here we go!

The plot: It's Callum Crown's 100th birthday and Mingus is still trying to reform after the incident last February so in order to celebrate the big 100 for his peepaw, Mingus holds a festival in his name to get hip with the town. Everyone in Dialtown is welcome to participiate including someone who just moved in... you!

Basic Premise: In Mysims Party you would go through sets of minigames called Festivals with a certain number of characters per player in order to progress the "story" so I would think that the same can apply here. Example being something called an opening festival which has 3 minigames and then you unlock a festival after that which has 6 minigames. etc. etc. After every minigame you get points based on how well you perform in the minigame. In Mysims Party each festival was held by a different character, but in Dialtown Party Mingus hosts every festival, but she will say different things each festival to keep it fresh. I would think between these festivals you experience various conversations with the whole Dialtown cast and their thoughts on the festival and shenanigans ensue! This would also be a great chance to show interactions not in the original game like say... Abel and Bunny.

Every major and minor Dialtown Character is playable!: From Phonegingi and Oliver to cameo characters like Harry and Peter, everyone you know and love from Dialtown is now playable and has their own minigame to call their own! There's even some secret characters too! Later in this doc I'll explain every minigame and what you do to win in each of them. Mid-Festival Events!: Sometimes between minigames in a festival Madame Mediocre will appear and initiate a surprise event! Every player will pick a card from 15 or so cards and various things will happen. Here's the list of effects:

-An Enc0unter protection card. Nullifies negative effects from Enc0unter one time. (See the next section.) - A players party will recieve an item that temporarily increases a stat to the max for one minigame. (You can hold up to 3 of these items per player) - One character in players party has their lost stats restored - Every character in players party has their lost stats restored - The character used in the last minigame will have all their stats lowered by 1 - The character used in the last minigame will have all their stats boosted by 1 - A character in someone's party will be unavailable for 3 minigames - Nothing

Mid-Festival Events!(2): Sometimes between minigames... Enc0unter will appear! This mysterious figure could do all sorts of things. Change everyone's stats, add an unexpected minigame, lower everyone's stats to one, or max out everyone's stats.

Playable roster in no particular order: Phonegingi, Typegingi, Randy Jade, Oliver Swift, Karen Dunn, Bigfoot, Sgt. Norm Allen, Mayor Mingus, Jerry Gould, Abel Brannigan, Bunny, Nathan Hanover, Peter Kennedy, Roger Jones, Harry Fitzgerald, Hobo, Little Billy, Pierre, Curie, Zimothy Bunsen, Craig, Lorraine Deere, Terrence "Tango", Theoroar Rustlebelt, Stabby, Shooty, Gabby, Narrator, Frank, Ebenezer Dickens.

Secret Characters (No minigame attached besides some): Callum Crown, Marla Crown, Milton R. Wallace, Jack Kennedy, Steven Stevenson, Lola, Phonald Ringin, Frongles The Clown, Civilian

How to unlock characters: You play their minigame once. That's it. Mysims party character unlocking sucked i am NOT making other people go through that. You have the dateables and Gingi by default.

More about characters: Every character has 4 stats. Power, Running, Stamina, and Luck. Every minigame has preferred stats. For my sanity I won't be giving the stat numbers for every character so you'll just have to use your imagination for now. During festivals and after playing a minigame the preferred stats from the minigame played will have a point reduced on the characters stat. (Example: if a minigame had a preferred stat of running and power. Randy's power stat of 2 and running stat of 4 would be reduced to 1 and 3 respectively. A stat can go no lower than one.)

Minigame Structure: Every minigame will have 4 players and each player is represented by a Dialtown character or a custom dialtowner made in the player character's house. Each minigame will have a task and whoever can complete the task the best wins!

Special gimmick: In Mysims Party if you were to play as a character and then play as that character in their minigame the host for the minigame would be wearing a different costume. I would like to bring that to dialtown party. An example is that if you play as randy and then play the Randy minigame randy will be throwing swans at a randy wearing red clothes.

--MINIGAMES--

This section will list every characters minigame. This will be a LONG section.

Randy Jade's minigame: Ready, Set, Swan! Description: Randy now on a better course of his life is trying to overcome his fear of swans and needs your help! Grab swans around the enclosed area in the Dialtown park and throw them at Randy who is running around said area. A successful hit with a swan is one point. If you hit Randy with a special gold swan that's 3 points! Player with the most point wins.

Oliver Swift's minigame: The Wrath of Oliver Swift. Description: Oliver invites you to his horror house for a real scare of a time. Though looks like you're the one getting scared! It's up to you to avoid getting scared by Oliver. There are various hazards around the arena that might stun so watch out! Once you get scared once you get eliminated. Last player standing wins.

Karen Dunn's minigame: Painting Paint. Description: Karen needs help for her next piece! Each player gets their own canvas and must draw as many paintings as possible in order to win. each new painting requires a specific sequence of inputs. Most paintings by the end of the time limit is the winner! Bigfoot's minigame: Bananasssssssssssssssssssss Description: Bigfoot is craving some bananas and is asking for your help! Collect the bananas around the woods and give them to Bigfoot in the middle for him to eat. There's 1 banana, 3 banana, and 5 banana chunks around the area. Watch out though, every player can steal your bananas with a simple kick that can knock your chunk out of your hands. Player that gave the most bananas wins! (Idea suggested by:@fishy-sandwich)

Sgt. Norm Allen's minigame: Norm Allen's Shooting Range. Description: Norm is rootin' tootin' cowboy so it's time to see who can shoot the most targets scattered around the area. This is a first person shooter minigame where targets will appear at random. Bad guy targets are worth 1 point and super bad guy targets are worth three. Norm's wife targets are a -3 points so be careful before shooting. Player with the most points wins!

Mayor Mingus's minigame: Rugnapping. Description: Mingus is taking a cat nap, but her rug is so comfy and nice... it's up to you to take it out of her office! Slowly make your way through her office but be sure to play dead when she suddenly wakes up or otherwise you'll be stunned even when holding the rug. Once you have the rug you need to leave the room with it but watch out players can punch it off. Whoever leaves with the rug wins! If no one can get the rug out of her office by the time limit whoever held the rug the most will win.

Jerry Gould's minigame: Sheep Jeep. Description: Jerry needs to wrangle some sheep into their pens and needs your help. Direct the sheep into your team color's pen to gain points. Whichever player has the most sheep at the end of the time limit or when all the sheep are wrangled win!

Abel Brannigan's minigame: Funfair Agony. Description: Abel's self loathing is at a breaking point and you need to run the funfair while he's yelling at Randy. Direct funfair guests to the ride they want to. The ride a guest wants to go will be indicated by the icon above their head. Be careful of the other players and guests. Every guest taken to the correct attraction is one point. Every guest taken to the wrong attraction is -1 point. Whoever has the most points when the time limit ends wins!

Bunny's minigame: Bunny Stacking. Description: Bunny think he's the best but somehow needs help making burgers. Use a cursor to pick various toppings like lettuce, tomato, and onions and patties and buns to make the burger that Bunny wants at the moment. Everytime a player gives the right burger that player gets a point and Bunny will now ask for a new burger with different fixings. Player with the most points at the end of the time limit wins. Nathan Hanover's minigame: British People... Description: Nathan wants to talk to you, but unfortunately no one can understand what he says... Nathan will say something and you need to pick the correct translation of 4 options. If you get it right you get a point. If you get it wrong you get stunned. The player to get 5 correct translations first wins!

Peter Kennedy and Roger Jones' minigame: Factory Maintenance. (2v2) Description: Peter and Roger need help with their factory work! Each team will be given a set of items to collect. One team will have have to go to Peter and one team will have to go to Roger. The team that collects all of the items first wins! Harry Fitzgerald (And Jack Kennedy's) minigame: Bear. Description: Harry's boss is quite demanding so he enlists your help in getting orders for his job at a pizza joint. Each player will have their own line and must grab items in the kitchen like pepperoni pizza, breadsticks, and wings, and then put the items on the player assigned customers colored tray. If you did the order right you get three points and if you get it wrong you get nothing. Player with the most points after the time limit wins! Hobo's Minigame: Omelette for God. Description: The Local Hobo craves an omelette. Button mash in order to put as much food into your omelette as possible. Whoever button mashed the hardest in the time limit wins!

Little Billy's Minigame: Harassing the Swift. Description: Little Billy feels like annoying Oliver today so it's up to you to help distract Oliver while Little Billy sneaks up on him. Whenever Oliver feels like turning around click the right button above Oliver in order to get his attention again. If you fail to click the right button or don't click the button at all Oliver will notice Little Billy and yeet him and you immediately lose. With enough successful button presses, Little Billy gets to Oliver and scare Oliver and you win! Multiple people can win this minigame! Pierre's minigame: I Don't Think This is Therapy... (1v3) Description: The single player will be serving drinks (non alcoholic) to the other three players. The single player must serve the drinks via a long button combination while the other three will be talking about their woes via short button combinations. Whoever finishes the button combinations first gets a point. Whichever team gets the most point by the end wins! Curie's minigame: Drink Roulette. Description: Curie has put something in one of four drinks that is not very nice. Each player will pick a drink and one person will drink the bad drink and be eliminated. The three leftover players will then pick 1 of 3 drinks with one of them also being tainted and then the person drinking the next bad drink will be eliminated leaving 2 left. There will then be 2 drinks and one is also tainted. Whoever drinks the good drink here wins! Zimothy Bunsen's minigame: Bunsen BURNS. Description: Zimothy's comically large amount of bunsen burners are all going haywire. Traverse his lab in order to turn off the bunsen burners when they turn on. A bunsen burner turned off is one point. If you find the prototype for Zimothy's virus on a table that's five points. Most points by the end of the limit wins! Craig's minigame: Emergency Contact. Description: Craig is in a situation where he might need an emergency contact. Wait for when Craig has a button above his head and whoever presses the button first wins! Lorraine Deere's minigame: Conspiracy Conspirator. Description: Lorraine loves her conspiracies. Lorraine will say a conspiracy and it's up to you whether or not it's true. It's all about remembering what you got right before and what you got wrong before. Getting a question right gives one point while getting it wrong gets nothing. Player to get 5 correct answers right wins! Terrence "Tango"'s minigame: It's Tango Time! Description: Tango wants help in giving Mayor Mingus a gift. Tango will ask for something around the main hall and the first person to grab it and give it to Tango will get 1 point and then Tango will ask for another item. Whoever got the most points by the end of the limit or all things have been given in the main hall wins!

Theoroar Rustlebelt's minigame: Battle of the Rustlebelt. (1v3) Description: Theoroar places his faith in the single player and puts the other three players in a cage. the first player can send various animals onto the three players with certain button prompts and if the three players make contact with an animal they get eliminated. If the three players are all eliminated by the end of the time limit, the single player wins and if not the three players win.

Stabby and Shooty's minigame: Battle of Knives and Guns. (2v2) Description: One player on each team gets a knife while the other gets a knife. Each player will have 5 health points and the players can use the weapons to reduce the health of the enemy. The knife is close range while the gun is long range. Whoever has both teammates health deplete first loses while the other team wins. Gabby's minigame: Gabby Gabs. Description: Gabby needs your help working the counter at her shop. Each player will be assigned a spot and a customer will walk up to the players. The customer will put down a cash amount and then show what they want. There's a board on the screen showing how much everything is. You need to see what they want and then see if they can afford it. If they can afford it you press the yes button and you get a point. If they can't afford it you press the no button and you get a point. If you incorrectly guess whether the customer can afford the items you get no points. Whoever has the most points at the end of the time limit wins! Narrator's minigame: Gingi is Insane Actually (Cooperative) Description: Gingi has gone feral and Narrator needs everyone's help to guide them along the roads of dialtown. Everyone must work together in order to win. Gingi moves via the directional input each players give which is up, down, left, or right via a roulette. Each player rolls a direction then gingi moves in order of player 1 to player 4. If Gingi makes it to the end of the track within the time limit everyone wins! Frank's minigame: Bank Problems Description: Frank the Dialtown Bank Bodyguard is in need of help. Observe the bank visitors and when one has an exclamation mark above their head it means they're about to do a heinous act and you must run up to them and press a button in order to call Frank and throw them to the curve. Each time you successfully throw a person out you get one point. If you throw out Hobo doing a heinous act it's 3 points. Player with the most points at the end of the time limit wins! Ebenezer Dickens' Minigame: What The Dickens? Description: Mr. Dickens needs your help running the Scare Shack! All the faulty wiring and other faulty technology need fixing. When something breaks, mad dash to there and mash the button that's above the broken tech in order to fix it. Fixing it nets you one point. As time progresses more things will break at a time. Player with most points at the end of the time limit wins! Phonegingi/Typegingi's Minigame: Gingi Trash Exploring Description: Gingi wants to go dumpster diving. Use a button to clean through the trash and collect any collectables you might find. Each collectable has it's own point value. Whoever has the most points by the time limit or when all collectables are found, wins!

--THE ENDING--

After completing all the festivals there will be a cutscene with Mingus visiting his grandfather at the nursing home. Mingus will tell his peepaw that the festival was a huge success and that Mingus is more liked by the community something that she thought would never happen after what she's done. Callum isn't responding that much, but soon enough Mingus pulls out the postcard that Mingus used to be so focused on and gives it to Callum. "I don't need this anymore," She says and bids his peepaw farewell. The despondent Callum Crown finally shows some movement and picks up the postcard that was on his lap. Callum stares at the postcard for a long while before putting it aside. Callum closed his hypothetical eye and sleeps. CALLUM CROWN'S MINIGAME: ??????????? Description: This is more of a cutscene than anything. The minigame introduction is in an indecipherable text and when you go to the character select screen the only option is... Callum Crown. The minigame shows the usually start graphic but there's no timer. It's a flashback to the time when Callum took the photo for that postcard. You talk to the townsfolk slowly gathering everyone up to make that fabled photo. Everyone is in place and Callum says "Say Dialtown everyone!" Right as this happens it cuts to current day where a similar photo is being taken except it's everyone in Dialtown that you just did all the minigames with. and then the credits roll.

--CONCLUSION-- Secret Character Unlocks: After you beat the game you unlock Callum Crown, Milton R. Wallace, and Marla Crown. No one acknowledges how they're alive or how Callum remembers anything as their appearances are non canon in an already hypothetical non-canon game! You unlock Jack and Steven via scoring well in Harry and Jack's minigame. You unlock Lola by doing well in Randy's minigame. You unlock Phonald Ringin, Frongles The Clown, and Civilian with cheat codes.

In conclusion: I hope you had a fun time reading this hypothetical. Feel free to take this post and do whatever you want with it like draw fanart of the minigame concepts or whatever. Overall though I just hope you enjoyed a Dialtown superfan's rambles!!!

[denisearef]

Daisy Jones and The Six

How does the series use dual-focus narrative as a strategic storytelling tool beyond heteronormative romantic pairings? 

The Prime Video miniseries "Daisy Jones & The Six" leverages the dual-focus narrative strategy, as outlined by Robynn Stilwell, in a way that transcends the confines of traditional heteronormative romantic pairings. While undeniable chemistry exists between Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, the series explores other aspects of their lives as well. It explores the intricate, symbiotic creative partnership between Daisy and Billy, the profound sense of familial connection within The Six, and the complex challenges faced by a woman with immense ambition navigating a male-dominated music industry.

By expanding its focus beyond just romance, the series paints a more engaging story. It prioritizes exploring the complexities of artistic collaboration and the emotional dynamics of a tight-knit group over a singular romantic plotline. This approach allows for a more nuanced and compelling portrayal of the characters' relationships and struggles.

What are the “inevitable” couplings within the series and how are they accentuated through “cinematic” similarities and contrasts? 

Although the series avoids the trope of forcing a romantic resolution between Daisy and Billy, it does utilize distinct cinematic techniques to accentuate certain pairings. Their intense on-stage chemistry is amplified through dynamic cuts that mirror the synergy of their musical connection. This echoes the concept described by Robynn Stilwell in Dual Focus Strategy in a Serial Narrative, where "This ‘inevitable’ coupling may be accentuated by paired songs or, more powerfully, by a duet linking the couple musically and emotionally, whether through a physical meeting, or a virtual one created with parallel editing that cuts back and forth between their individual spaces" [1]. However, when their creative visions diverge, contrasting close-ups highlight the emotional friction that arises.

In contrast, the relationship between Billy and Camila is portrayed through a lens of warmth connection. Soft focus and warm lighting bathe their interactions, highlighting the deep emotional bond they share.

How does the series use musical numbers within and beyond the narrative world to replicate fairy tale, backstage, or folk musicals?

The musical numbers in "Daisy Jones & The Six" function not simply to showcase the band's performances, but also as narrative tools. The series' most compelling use of music lies in its ability to replicate the raw emotions and interpersonal conflicts that exist within the band. Intimate acoustic sets with stripped-down arrangements become a reflection of this backstage drama.

These stripped-down performances, reminiscent of the raw energy and emotional vulnerability often captured in backstage musicals, allow viewers a glimpse into the inner lives of the band members and the tensions that simmer beneath the surface of their polished stage personas.

Works cited:

[1] Stilwill, "Dual Focus Strategy in a Serial Narrative",384.

[mrsnancywheeler]

Ok but like this is my first ever time doing this and this is going to be mega self indulgent (im a full time music student who recently got put into a band for a class project) but like i'm just imagining Billy Dunne with reader who's a music student and like he's getting so jealous and annoyed at how much attention she is putting into the band she's in for a class project of performing a small gig with everyone in the class for a concept album. And like he keeps making rude comments about it and I just imagine reader getting sick of him when he says something ignorant about the fact she left the studio earlier than normal to be able to go rehearse with the band she's in for her class or something (i have no clue if this makes any sense at all sorry if it doesn't😭)

billy is such a little bitch boy 😭

he would absolutely get annoyed because you're his girl and supposed to be there for him, not running around with other bands even if you're in them

and he's all pissy late that night, and all, "you're my girl and you left early, it's the only thing you have to fucking do"

"billy, it's for my class, I don't have a choice"

"you're with an actual rock'n'roll band, can teach you everything you need to know, baby"

"that's not the assignment!"

and he's still huffy and pissy about it for no reason except that you attention's not on him as much.

"the band's gonna be big, you don't have to worry about school or-"

"I want too!"

"you want to always have to leave for a stupid little assignment?"

"don't twist my goddamn words, billy."

he literally keeps it up until the assignment is over and you definitely leave at one point until he asks for you to come back

[sunsh1n3s]

using this platform as an excuse to talk about books — so here’s what i read 2023 and what i recommend:

[ the storyteller: tales of life and music - dave grohl ] i am a huge foo fighters fan and grew up with my mom loving dave grohl, the stories he tells in this book are not chronological; but they are beautiful. it makes me admire this man more than i did, he’s truly inspiring. 4.5/5 stars, -0.5 because i could not retain as well when it would jump from year to year.

[ suicide notes - michael thomas ford ] i did not enjoy this book for as much as it was overhyped. i understood the plot, i understood the story, it was gripping but not generally moving. a common coming-of-age young romance with mental illness; not bad yet not the best. 2/5 stars, -3 because i did not like how slow and basic the storyline was, though i liked few of the characters

[ daisy jones & the six - taylor jenkins reid ] OH IM A TAYLOR JENKINS REID GIRLIE NOW. i had previously heard of evelyn hugo but at the time djats series had just came out, and i was curious to read the book. i watched the pilot and was sold, you’d think a hippie gal who loves rock bands would pass this up ?? TJR’s book style is so easy for me to get into too, i could NOT put the book down. greta writing and great storyline, forever a camila kinner and truther. -4.5/5 stars, -0.5 bc i HATED billy dunne and book eddie loving.

[ 11/22/63 - stephen king ] i read this for extra credit in my language arts class and when i tell you i’ve been DYING to read this book since i saw my mom read it. my roman empire is the JFK presidency and assassination, and i’ve always enjoyed stephen king… so this was just a chefs kiss. although, mr stephen king holds onto scenes a little too long and it could’ve been a 600 page book, not 800. so sometimes i caught myself snoozing, but i loved the concept loved the book. time traveling + historical + thriller + romance = 4/5 starred book, -1 only because it was longer than it should’ve been

[ water for elephants - sara gruen ] this book is one of those “it gets good at the end” books. i put this book down twice and it took me majority of the year to get into it. i did not enjoy the beginning, but over time and chapters it became better. true story on a circus with what i’m guessing are fictional main characters. either way it was good, good paced, and interesting. definitely makes you look at circuses or any animal show differently. 3/5 stars, -2 just cause the beginning was slow

[ intensity - dean koontz ] …. now wtf. i read this bc my mom recommended it… don’t read it. it’s good it’s crazy it blows your mind, but it is so so fucked up. it’s a murder story and it’s just gross and weird. intensity is the right title, it was very intense. i was holding my breath on so many scenes, yet it was somehow enjoyable just because of how much of a thriller it was. 3/5, -2 only cause i would never read it again, and it was gross.

[ red, white, & royal blue - casey mcquiston ] i noticed this was a movie so i thought why not watch it, i don’t tend to watch stuff before i read it, but i wanted a judgement on this book. i loved the movie just bc it was so cutesy and the characters were so in love. and i got that right in the book. definitely your typical cheesy teenage romance book with light smut, and very gay. so as much as people critique it, i enjoyed it and it was what i needed to read or have in that moment. just a sappy and cutesy love story. 4/5 stars, -1 because i wasn’t left as content as i thought i’d be

[ the seven husbands of evelyn hugo - taylor jenkins reid ] taylor jenkins reid the woman that you are. i understood the hype, i loved the book, it was written so well. there’s twists and just emotion and i loved it. i tabbed the book and everything. i just loved it, it’s truly a gripping and great story. fuck men, except for one he was a sweetheart. plus it’s around marilyn monroe/rita hayworth actress era and i eat that shit up. 5/5 stars, she’s just that girl.

[ the book thief - markus zusak ] :( i love this book but oh is it sad. i reread it for a school unit. liesel meminger you’re a remarkable girl. 4/5 stars, point off bc we had to do assignments on it and i hated one section of the book.

[ the complete persepolis - marjane satrapi ] during the iran revolutions and conflicts with the shah and stuff. it was okay, not my favorite but not bad. also a graphic novel!! autobiography also, pretty neat. 3/5 stars, not my cup of tea and we had to do stupid assignments on them that made us think too hard abt it

[newmusicradionetwork]

Newcomer Charlotte Morris Journeys Through Love and Loss On Wild Child, Due September 29

New Album Highlights Her Insightful Writing & Exquisite Voice; A Magical Mix That Helps Ease The Pain Newcomer Charlotte Morris takes her listeners on a journey through love and loss with her latest album, WILD CHILD, due out September 29. Deeply personal, the 10-song collection shares vulnerable moments, lifelong hurts and hopeful reflections that will resonate with music lovers of multiple genres. Morris describes this outing as “genuine, raw and emotional music with a purpose.” The songs are powerful, the messages diverse –a magical mix that is the perfect culmination of concept, creation, and excellence of craft. From her parents’ divorce during her childhood to a friend’s sudden death, the hard life lessons keep coming. Morris’ insightful perspective and exquisite voice soften the blows and give the listener time to absorb the pain and take heart from the lesson. Spun from a classic Folk/Roots foundation and burnished with the drive of modern Country, Charlotte’s music embodies the storytelling of theatre as she lays it all on the line. WILD CHILD, her first album release since moving to Music City, is baked with all the insecurity, fear, curiosity, and joy that come with growing from a wild child into a wilder woman. Fans can pre-order WILD CHILD now. The album kicks off with the poignant “Tennessee,” an ode to a passing – but memorable – love. Charlotte’s voice whispers and soars, flawlessly marking moments to reflect upon in the future. Her current single, “Your Number One,” lands next with a sensuous salsa beat that launches into a pop-driven, riff-laden chorus which proves heartbreak songs need not be staid ballads to be effective. The Country Network premiered the acoustic companion music video earlier this week. Other highlights can be found throughout and include a moving tribute to a friend who died young. “The Day We Lost You” is beautifully written and artfully produced, and Morris makes the most of her ethereal voice in this testament to grief – as a process, as a fact of life and as a world of its own. The trauma and tragedy of addiction are addressed in “Good Kind Of Hurt,” a song Morris wrote of her stepdad’s struggle with alcoholism. “Watching this amazing man, a military veteran, go through what he did and knowing his history with PTSD, I am so proud and so thankful that he was able to find his way to sobriety.” Morris imbues a sliver of a silver lining in even the darkest of times with her awe-inspiring voice – and her writing is where she searches for that first glimmer of light. “I hope ‘Good Kind Of Hurt’ can help at least one person recognize any addiction in their life and find the help they need,” Charlotte reflects. The disc closes with “This Time ‘Round,” a rousing, feel-good anthem for anyone struggling to push forward with their dream. “You’ll never get where you wanna go if you stop trying,” Morris says. “It’s all about drive, and this song gives you just that.” Full Track list - Tennessee - Your Number One - Love Ain’t Real - Wild Child - Good Kind of Hurt - Breathe - The Day We Lost You - Time Will Tell - If My Heart Had a Say - This Time ‘Round Recorded at two of Nashville’s premiere studios (The Castle and Omnisound), WILD CHILD was produced by William Gawley (Taylor Hicks, Taylor McCall, Taylor Rae) and engineered by Bryce Roberts (Old Crow Medicine Show, Willie Nelson, Florida Georgia Line). Gawley pares down the production to let Morris’ crystalline voice shine. A-list musicians on the project are just as deliberate in their roles. Top tier contributors include bassists Dave Francis (Maura O’Connell, Luke Combs) and Dow Tomlin (Wynonna, Brooks & Dunn, Lee Ann Womack); Wayne Killius on drums (Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Big & Rich); David Flint on acoustic & electric guitar (Highway 101, Billy Montana), and Dane Bryant on keyboard (Dolly Parton, Olivia Newton John, Clint Black). WILD CHILD is Charlotte’s second studio album. Read the full article

[youngfcs]

Hello. How's it going? I hope everything is alright. I'm a big fan of Daisy Jones and the six and needed to write something about her. That's why I came to get advice from you. Any suggestions for playing Billy and Graham Dunne's sister? I need gamers playing in the 70's and 80's in terms of style, I don't want it to look like they know the iPhone. Thanks in advance. Take care of yourself.

Hello anon <3 I'm great and you? hope you're well! Of course <3 I'll try to give you some good options, I love the concept of "look like they know the Iphone" haha! You're welcome <3 take care!

Natalia Dyer (19-28) [Stranger Things and Things Heard & Seen]

Mia Goth (20-29) [X]

Lily James (26-34) [Mamma Mia 2]

Lily Collins (25-34) [Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile]

Emma Watson (24-32) [Colonia]

Dakota Johnson (25-33) [Bad Times at the El Royale]

(cib)

[folklorianne]

wake me up when i'm a character in a taylor jenkins reid novel (a tshoeh, djats, and malibu rising playlist)

[bellespiriit]

TAG DUMP 1/?

✧ | ❛ tree-hugging dirt worshipper - eli helton

✧ | ❛ eli helton - ic

✧ | ❛ some turn to dust or to gold - alork beasant

✧ | ❛ alork beasant - ic

✧ | ❛ where words leave off music begins - sebastián cordova

✧ | ❛ sebastián cordova - ic

✧ | ❛ every inch a queen - billie west

✧ | ❛ billie west - ic

✧ | ❛ even death has a heart - vania

✧ | ❛ vania - ic

✧ | ❛ time is just a concept - emery dunn

✧ | ❛ emery dunn - ic

✧ | ❛ read the rules before you break them - june capman

✧ | ❛ june capman - ic

✧ | ❛ in the light of the moon - daniel wright

✧ | ❛ daniel wright - ic

[polyamoryinfandoms]

Monthly Fic Roundup!

Hey gang! I’m posting the fics that were recommended on our last surveymonkey poll; thanks for everyone who recommended fics. Please note I did not get to read every fic on here and depended on your responses and the AO3 tags to mark for any triggers or story notes, so please read with caution if you’re worried about any content warnings!

If you want to recommend more fics, I’ll be posting another roundup poll later in the day today! 

Under the cut are 32 fics from: 

Agents of Shield (1) 

Bill & Ted (1) 

Castlevania (1) 

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (1) 

DCU (2) 

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (4) 

Game of Thrones (1) 

Harry Potter (1) 

Leverage (1) 

Mission Impossible (1 -- series) 

Sanders Sides (1-- series)

Sense8 (1)

Sherlock (1-- series) 

Star Wars (1) 

Stranger Things (8) 

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1) 

The Untamed/CQL/MDZS (2)

Teen Wolf (2) 

White Collar (1) 

Agents of Shield: 

is it chill that you’re in my head? by lazyfish 

Pairing: Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse/Alphonso Mackenzie

TW/TAGS: PTSD, Referenced Torture

Summary: It doesn't take long for Mack to realize he's in love with Bobbi and Hunter and has been for a while. Other realizations take slightly longer.

Bill and Ted (movie):

Our Home, Our Family, Our Love by CaptainWeasley

Pairing: Bill/Ted/Elizabeth/Joanna

TW/TAGS: slurs, implied/referenced child abuse, internalized homophobia, self harm

Summary: A series of firsts in Ted's life, as he slowly comes to terms with his sexuality and learns how to handle being in love with both his wife and his best friend. When Billie and Thea come out as trans, each in her own way, he does everything he can to help them be who they are.

Castlevania: 

Deliverance by cricketsong1985

Pairing: Trevor Belmont/Sypha Belnades/Alucard

TW/Tags: Blood kink, explicit sexual content,  gore, trauma, angst

Summary: Adrian is beginning to think that Wallachia will be a smoking pile of ash long before he, Trevor, and Sypha can stop Dracula’s war on humanity. They’ve been chasing the castle for months, but each time they get close, it vanishes. Traveling with such genuine and trustworthy allies has been unexpectedly pleasant; Adrian doesn’t mind that Trevor and Sypha are involved with each other, but he is taken entirely by surprise when they open their relationship to him one evening. Hopelessly in over his head, his heart keeps urging him forward, even when he’s forced to confront the darkest aspects of his nature. Adrian must learn to swallow his pride and let himself be vulnerable if he wants a chance at happiness. Unfortunately, there isn’t much time for looking within when the world is drenched in blood and magic, and the path to victory may destroy him completely.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: 

We will be judged by the courage of our hearts by MagicClem

Pairing: Harvey Kinkle/Sabrina Spellman/Nicholas Scratch

TW/TAGS: mention of an abusive parent 

Summary: It's been a month since the 13 almost destroyed Greendale. Now a full Witch, Sabrina tries to move on, with the help of one Nicholas Scratch.But one night, Harvey arrives at the Spellman's house and everything becomes complicated.

DCU: 

not for the faint of heart by pasdecoeur

Pairing: Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent

TW/TAGS: Explicit Sexual Content 

Summary: Clark opens a door that was meant to stay closed. Things spiral. or, What Not To Do When You’ve Fallen in Love with Batman: A Guide by Hal Jordan & Clark Kent.

All Good Things Come in Threes (Legends of Tomorrow) by IncendiaGlacies

Pairing: Gideon/Rip Hunter/Miranda Coburn

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting

Summary: “Two is a couple, three is a crowd,” Gideon stated. In which Gideon navigates her polyamorous relationship with Rip and Miranda. Domestic slice of life goodness.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:

Pairing for all of these are Pairing: Cameron/Ferris/Sloane and are written by @fbdo1986

it’s enough to be whiplash

TW: death mention (no character death), drowning

A/N: To put it plainly, I took a few tricks from John Hughes’s earlier scripts of the film, which were more surreal and up-front with discussing death and end of the world scenarios. It was inspired by a concept that I couldn’t seem to shake after I thought of it: what if the pool scene was just a bit more high stakes?

all the things I never told you 

Summary: It’s Sloane, Ferris, and Cameron’s first afternoon alone at the Bueller residence in months. The busy twenty-four year olds who’ve struggled to find time together as their lives unfold in front of them try to think of what to do for the day when Cameron decides to let them in on what he’s been keeping from them.

bye bye love 

TW: Death mention (none of the main characters)

Summary: A hopefully angsty number that details Sloane’s, Cameron’s, and Ferris’s journey through heartbreak and loss after their Sophomore year in college. The title is named after a song by The Cars by the same name!

firestarter

Prompt #5: Where it doesn’t hurt with the OT3

Game of Thrones: 

Constellatory by blueandbulae

Pairing: Theon Greyjoy/Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell/Robb Stark (polycule, NO incest) 

TW: Some canon typical violence

Summary: It’s strange and messy and maybe nobody else will ever understand them but it works. It’s theirs, and theirs alone, and nobody can take that from them.Or: Robb and Theon storm King's Landing, rescue the princesses, and save the kingdom. Then comes the hard part.

Harry Potter: 

Unconventional by silver_fish

Pairing: Harry Potter/Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger

Summary: A few years, now, have passed since Hedwig’s death, and Hermione thinks it’s time Harry got a new pet. What sort of pet, though, neither she nor Ron know. Not until Harry himself offers her the perfect solution, that is.

Leverage: 

for better or worse (we change together) by idkimoutofideas

Pairing: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer

TW/TAGS: Canon typical violence

Summary: The moment Parker saw the stranger standing by the elevator, a dozen alarm bells went off in her head. She froze, and Hardison nearly walked into her as he entered behind her. It took her a moment to realize that while half of the alarm bells were telling her to get the fuck out of there, the other half were telling her to look closer. Or, Eliot Spencer is a recent war veteran who just moved to Portland in an attempt to lead a calmer lifestyle. He ends up with some weird neighbors, but it's Portland, everyone's a little weird.

Mission Impossible: 

Polyamorous Spies (series of 2 fics) by MagicClem

Pairing: Benji Dunn/Ethan Hunt/Ilsa Faust

TW/TAGS: Blood & injuries (2nd fic) 

Sander’s Sides: 

Love and Other Fairytales by SoDoRoses (Fairychess)

Pairing: LAMP/CALM (Logan, Roman, Virgil, Patton)

TW: violence, major character death, no NSFW in the main fic but there is a side series with NSFW, animal death, description of rot, nonconsentual control of another person, 'like death' state of being

Sense8: 

Crazy Life by MagicClem

Pairing: Kala Dandekar/Wolfgang Bogdanow/Rajan Rasal

Summary: Rajan would admit that this past few years had been crazy and life seems determined to make it crazier and crazier.Or: This is "Amor Vincit Omnia" from Rajan's perspective.

Sherlock: 

Lorem Ipsum by Saathi1013 (series) 

Pairing:  Sherlock Holmes/John Watson/Sarah Sawyer

TW: Abduction

Star Wars:

so just pull the trigger by Darnaguen

Pairing: Han Solo/Qi'ra/Lando Calrissian

TW/TAGS: Alcohol use 

Summary: “Oh, don’t pout Haan.” Lando lounges back, licking his newly berry-tinted lips with a lazy grin. “You know all you have to do is ask.”(Qi’ra’s eyes are glinting and her smile is dagger-sharp. Han knows the look: it’s one she wears whenever she has a winning hand.The dice on the table are mediocre at best. He shakes his head and drinks deep.)

Stranger Things: 

All pairings are Steve Harrington/Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler

The Hawkins Three by nonymos

TW: Some canon typical homophobia and slurs

Summary: It's two weeks after the Snow Ball, Nancy's officially with Jonathan, and Steve is trying to move forward. If only he wasn't on a path that keeps circling back to the both of them.

lovers in a dangerous time by diogxnes

TW/TAGS: Briefly: panic attacks/PTSD, parental neglect

Summary: “So,” says Robin, sitting back in her chair, “what’s the deal there, anyway? With the whole you-Nancy-Jonathan thing.”The question makes his mouth run dry. Why would she ask that? Can she tell, possibly, how much he’s been thinking about Nancy these past few days? How starstruck he was when Nancy showed up at his house? Does she know about the mysterious warmth in his stomach when he thinks about Jonathan? “What do you mean, the whole me-Nancy-Jonathan thing?” “Come on, Steve. She’s your ex and he famously beat you up two years ago and now they’re dating each other and all three of you somehow ended up a part of this weird little monster-fighting club together. There’s gotta be a story there.”“I don’t know, Robs,” says Steve, rolling his eyes, relieved beyond measure that that’s all she meant. “You pretty much just covered all of it. There’s not much more to tell.”

Have Happened by cortexikid

TW/TAGS: Homophobia

Summary: "I overheard you. You were talking in your sleep.”Steve's heart fluttered nervously.“It was a little funny at first,” Nancy admitted, her tone a mix of teasing and apologetic, “you were moaning my name and I thought it’d be kinda funny if Mike accidentally overheard you having a sex dream about his sister—”Steve couldn’t control the guffaw that escaped him. “But then you said Jonathan’s name. Right after mine. All in the same breath.”

it’s a risk, it’s a gamble by nondz (pinkjook)

TW/TAGS: NSFW

Summary: “I think we should pretend to date,” Robin says. "What?" Steve answers.

still turning out by scoutshonor

TW/TAGS: Homophobic language

Summary: Steve knows senior year's supposed to be tough, but seriously?Not only does his dad want him to take over his business, but he lands himself into a fight with his best friend leaving him friendless and booted out of his inner-circle, gets stuck watching a bunch of kids after school because of a missing credit, has to repeat eleventh grade history, and, oh yeah. He has the minor issue of having no idea what he actually wants to do with his life.But it's not all that bad: not the kids he has to watch, and certainly not Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, two friends from his history class. Friends. Just friends. Yeah, he and you both know that's bullshit.Steve's got a lot of figuring out to do.(or: HSAU Stoncy with Steve as a senior, doing his best)

(Following Stoncy fics are by @pterawaters​) 

Now and For Always 

TW/TAGS: Explicit, Sex where one party is drunk and the other isn't

Summary: Between graduating from college, starting new careers, and planning a wedding, the summer of 1990 is a busy time for Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan. When a war starts in the middle east, Jonathan gets called away just three weeks before the wedding. He’s determined to make it back in time, no matter what it takes.

It's not like people live like this

TW/TAGS: Car Accidents, Period-Typical Homophobia, NSFW

Summary: Concerned that Steve's less-than-stellar grades might have been making them look bad, his parents hired him a tutor, Jonathan Byers, they were sure he wouldn't find as distracting as his last one. Sure, Jonathan had good grades in school, but he really wished he didn't have to take the extra work to help his mother put food on the table. After all, everyone knew Steve Harrington was a jerk. Right? It turned out, not so much. After an impromptu study-session-turned-party and a game of spin the bottle, Steve and Jonathan both found themselves dating Nancy Wheeler. And that wasn't even the strangest thing that happened to any of them that week.

Mr. Sandman (series) 

TW/TAGS: Canon-typical violence, Explicit scenes

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: 

Simmer On Low by canardroublard

Pairing: Illya/Napoleon/Gaby

TW/TAGS: semi-implied consensual voyeurism, whump

Summary: Scenes from five kitchens.

The Untamed/CQL/MDZS: 

inclusions by keiyashi 

Pairing: Sòng Lán | Sòng Zǐchēn/Xiǎo Xīngchén/Xuē Yáng | Xuē Chéngměi

TW/TAGS: NSFW

Summary: “I guess I feel left out. And I’m asking you to show me how not to?”“Show you?” Xue Yang laughs, easing the tension the only way he knows how. “Daozhang, if you aren’t careful, I might think you’re implying something quite forward.”Xingchen blinks at him. “Xue Yang, I feel like you’re trying to embarrass me, but that is what I was implying.”

melting the glacier by keiyashi 

Pairing: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo/Niè Míngjué

Summary: Wanting to be with Nie Mingjue is something Lan Xichen accepted about himself long ago. He wants only happiness for his friend, no matter what form it takes. Even if that form is quite lovely and possesses an enchanting mouth.

Teen Wolf: 

Feels Better Biting Down by callunavulgari, hiza-chan (callunavulgari)

Pairing: Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale/Lydia Martin

TW/TAGS: Blood

That I See You by FiccinDylan

Pairing: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski/Jordan Parris

TW/TAGS: NSFW, abo, m-preg (non graphic), werewolves, triads are normal

Summary: Deputy Jordan Parrish and Chef Derek Hale are in the prime of their lives and ready to take the next step in their relationship by courting an omega. Everything seems to be progressing smoothly until the new omega (aka Stiles Stilinski, the sheriff’s son) surfaces some unresolved tension from Jordan’s past. Jordan originally had the benefit of amnesia to block out his harried background, but now with his amnesia behind him, will he be able to resolve his past before he ruins his future?

White Collar: 

Always Starts the Same, with a Boy and a Girl by lightgetsin

Pairing: Neal Caffrey/Peter Burke/Elizabeth Burke

Tags: AU 

Summary: Summer, 1998. Neal Caffrey robs the gallery where Elizabeth O'Dell is working late, and comes away with a lot more than art. Agent Burke has no idea what's about to hit him.

[neverlearnedtoread]

Daisy Jones and the Six

⭐⭐⭐⭐; aka ‘Daisy Jones, Billy Dunne, and the five other people in the band who didn’t really matter because they couldn’t write love songs :(’

Oh?? 👌😉😏

the audiobook! i loved the full cast of characters, and how eventually you could tell who was who just by the voice/inflection. the VAs gave it their all

in general the entire cast felt so....real. not inspirational, because they were kinda self-absorbed and petty at best, and deliberately shitty people at worst, but real. this is the sort of drama you would find in any group of friends who aren’t friends by choice, but since it’s fiction, it doesn’t feel as stressful or sad as it would be if they were real people

interesting format that was used to great effect - it’s always fun to read something that breaks the mold of what a ‘book’ should be - it reminded me of actor AUs, which i love

the song lyrics - i think they were used to great effect in the story - i would definitely want to listen to them if they were real songs

No.. ❌🤢🤮

if cheating/unfaithfulness in relationships is a real no-go for you to read, the entire book might make you a little uncomfortable. it is supposed to be about a rock band in the 1970s, after all...

same for the drugs and addiction in general. the depiction felt quite blase, but i figured that was a product of the characters and how they would see it, rather than a reflection of the author’s neglect

unlikable female protagonist - which isn’t inherently bad, but daisy can really rub you up the wrong way. she was consistently self-obsessed and blitzed out of her mind, but then again, so were the most of them. sometimes you want to see how big a dumpster fire can get under an unlikable, wilfully immature protagonist’s neglectful care, you know?

Summary: This is the never-before-revealed story of Daisy Jones and the Six, a fictional rock band in the 1970s that suddenly disbanded under ~mysterious circumstances~. As it turns out, putting together a group of headstrong, self-absorbed musicians doesn’t always guarantee lifelong, loyal friendships, especially when none of them really care that much about each other anyway.

Concept: 💭💭💭💭

There were a lot of things I found intriguing about this book - full-cast audiobook, interview format, an interesting backdrop to frame her ‘character reveal/biography-esque’ story - sex, drugs, and the 1970s rock n’ roll scene? The perfect backdrop for drama. And I always love stories with songwriting involved. Tell me about the art, you know? Tell me how you wrote that song, how it made you feel. *pinches thumb and forefinger together* It’s all about the writing process being dramatized in fiction.

Some spoilers under the cut!

Execution: 💥💥💥💥💥

I wanted what I got, and what I got delivered! The full casting audiobook experience, coupled with the interview format and interjected news articles and author’s notes, gave a thoroughly polished and fun experience, and I was so impressed by it. The voice acting definitely lended itself to the storytelling format - you could tell the VAs could really cut loose with the lines they were given. Some of the characters weren’t given as much care and nuance as others, but I thought that was halfway deliberate to show how even the ‘documentary’ narrative was utterly focused on the two main leads of the band, and how that ultimately pushed the whole band apart. I do think I wanted more from Karen’s character though. She floated through the narrative - and given how much of a “”Feminist Icon”” Daisy was meant to be, and to an extent Kamilla actually was, Karen’s arc felt painfully lukewarm in comparison.

Personal Enjoyment: ❤❤❤❤

I was expecting to be quite frustrated about the plot, because, you know, contrived drama, but it turned out, this was the perfect story to switch my brain off to and experience the rollercoaster ride. It didn’t even feel like a rollercoaster - more like a serene drift across the lake, watching with rapture from a safe distance as another paddleboat with a screaming couple starts taking on water. Something about the fact that these were fictional people trying to talk themselves around the bad decisions they made in their youth was so...inherently comical to me. If it had been a real account of a real rock band, I would have felt pretty sick to my stomach at the gravity of their actions, and their frivolity with drugs. But somehow, because it wasn’t real, I had a lot of fun hearing their story.

Favourite Moment: when daisy was like ‘you know, when your husband, the man you’ve promised your love and your life to, says “let’s jump off this roof together”, that’s when you start to realise something’s off here’ without a TRACE of irony or self-awareness. i tell you i choked - like ma’am! MA’AM! WE KNOW THAT! DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT? MISS! HELLO?? MISS!

Favourite Character: Warren delivered some of the funniest takes on the drama happening in the Six and for that, I enjoyed his input. It’s always nice to go from Daisy or Billy’s POV where they’re passionately describing how they ‘put everything they had into the music’, to Warren earnestly going ‘there i was, having a good time, playing ma drums, vibing out. bang bang boom boom’

[riotatthemovies]

Sci-Fighters (1996) in some smaller releases known as Contagion 2009

A healthy looking Roddy Piper with a haircut that makes him look like Richard Dead Anderson is a cop walking off the beaten path who has to run down an old enemy that he thought was dead. 

I watched this today because the villain is the recently passed Billy Drago who plays insane killer and mysterious disease career Adrian Dunn. Adrian died in prison on the moon but when an alien virus reanimated him he ended up wandering around Earth infecting people while on a day trip of raping and killing. What makes things worse is Roddy Piper was the cop that put him away when Dunn killed his wife. So obviously Roddy Piper wants a shot at him again. What also makes things worse is the smoggy Earth in the future of 2009 is in a full year of darkness due to volcanoes and pollution. So when a dying melting virus fueled man is walking around no one could tell the difference anyways cause no one looks all that healthy.  This movie is almost Split Second meets the Incredible Melting Man. Shot as good and polish in an ugly future like Split Second but with as illogical a threat and dumb a concept as the Incredible Melting man.

Dr Kirbie Younger is trying to figure out a cure for the disease that has hit the streets when she gets mixed up with Roddy Pipers manhunt. Now this all seems to pretty regular small action sci fi film fodder , if you take in to context that this is future 2009 in Boston but is obviously filmed in Canada. As the movie goes on though you seem to think this sick old melty man could easily be taken out and maybe Roddy Piper's character is just a little over dramatic. We get many excuses for Dr Kirbie to unbutton her shirt and show her sweaty cleavage. Not that I have a problem with that but the cheap reasons to make it “pop out” seem very forced and almost funny in a movie that is not that badly shot and run with decent dialog for such a cheesy concept.  I also need to point out a pointless piece of trivia, the actress that plays Dr Kirbie is Jayne Heitmeyer she was in two episodes of Degrassi as a character called Toni Stark... just felt the need to share that.

Look at this artsy shot of the doctor talking to Piper as Piper is reflected on a plastic sheet around the sick patients/victims of Billy Drago.

Billy Drago always looked a little melting but impressively they make him look worse.

In the end when Drago and Piper final face out it takes place in an unfinished building that feels reminiscent to the end of Runaway (the Tom Selleck robot movie). Piper suits up with heavy weaponry that seems really unnecessary. You feel like Dr Kirbie could have taken Drago out herself but they needed the two guys stand off. While Sicky skeleton face Drago is shouting out the more sickly he gets the more he sounds like Tommy Wiseau. So seriously just imagine drunk Tommy Wiseau fighting Roddy Piper with a Richard Dean Anderson hair cut on scaffolding. Do you have the time to get through every thing in the middle of this movie? That is up to you. I will say the opening scene does start with two convicts in a buzzsaw fight but that is just the beginning.. that its a lot of Billy Dragon drooling and puking. So will you survive the middle of this movie? Again thats up to you.  A few months ago I reviewed CyberZone and if you liked that you will like this.  RIP Piper and Drago but you know what they say gold polish on a turd is a still a turd.... or something like that.

[mrsnancywheeler]

thinking about how billy’s muse actually becomes a famous singer with a gut wrenching song she wrote about billy and when he hears it he’s mad as hell, but he can’t ever get rid of it cause it’s everywhere literally on every damn radio

okay taking this as as something separate from the other blurbs because I just don't think she'd try that

BUT this made me think of a concept 🩰anon and I were discussing a while back about being with billy and really wanting to be famous, like a struggling artist, I'll find those and reblog them, but like basically she's desperately trying to be famous, gets up swept in the waves of billy dunne.

and she totally would, like they're over now, she couldn't deal with how turbulent he was and he was always on her for using him for fame even though she really did fall for him. and so she has all the songs from her years with billy dunne, people know her somewhat from that, she's got talent, and no media training so she's ready to say exactly what they're about.

people love the drama of it all so there's a company that already wants to pick them simply for the drama of it all, but when they realize they're good songs, like a dream come true. one of the songs is number one on the charts for a couple of weeks and billy instantly recognizes your voice, within seconds of listening to the lyrics knows they're about him, and is pissed. because you did get famous off of him, just in a different way, and he can't go anywhere without hearing it. people play it on the jukebox, the radios everywhere, you're on the media circuit, literally drives him insane. and when the band falls apart but you're about to go on tour, he hates it because you've truly been able to get all you worked so hard for whereas he's lost it all and lost you.

[charleajaymedia-blog]

What is the importance of politics in the pop-punk scene? An analysis of Neck Deep’s song ‘Happy Judgement Day’.

Popular Music Culture Research Report - All Appendices available upon request.

INTRODUCTION

The pop-punk scene emerged in the mid-70’s, taking elements from the pop and punk/punk rock genres and fusing them together. Pop-punk particularly took off with success and originated as a scene in the US. This scene took the DIY element of punk, discussed by Dunn (2012), to releasing music. My research into the pop-punk scene aims to explore the social and political statements discussed through the music in this scene, looking into the history of punk and analysing lyrics as case study into modern political issues. Bennett and Peterson (2004) define the concept ‘music scene’ as a “cluster of producers, musicians and fans (that) collectively share their common musical tastes and collectively distinguish themselves from others”. This becomes relevant when discussing in particular, the aesthetic perspective of music scenes covered in this research. The importance of politics is discussed daily in news, print, television etc. Music scenes also have a reach to their audience on the topic of politics, and researching the pop-punk scene is of importance due to its’ strong statements of counter-hegemony and why bands incorporate them into their lyrics.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Street (1995) draws on key elements that make a local music scene. These are: Industrial Base, Social Experience, Aesthetic Perspective, Political Experience and Community and Scene. I would argue a music scene can begin locally but if successful it eventually it always finds a way to migrate further than its’ origins especially with technological advances making music instantly accessible and shareable.  

Using this approach by Street, the Industrial Base for pop-punk scene in the Midlands includes venues that accommodate to pop-punk gigs such as: O2 Institute, O2 Academy, The Asylum Venue, Rainbow Venues, Barclaycard Arena, Mama Roux’s, The Sunflower Lounge (evidence of this can be seen in appendix 1). Venues such as UPRAWR and The Planet also accommodate for pop-punk themed club nights (evidence of this in appendix 2).

The Social Experience element includes how people experience music, where people experience music and what kind of music you experience.  With the last element being pop-punk music as the answer to ‘what kind of music’ that is being experienced, where people experience this music are the venues named in the industrial base section for concerts and club nights, on radio shows (appendix 3), and with it being available online pop-punk is streamed online through Spotify, YouTube, Soundcloud and purchased as physical copies as CDs, vinyl and cassette (appendix 4) where people can take this music on the go or listen to it from home much like all music today being easily accessible.  

The Aesthetic Perspective element involves how music affects our daily lives, and how we view ourselves in relation to other people and groups. One way of viewing groups of people is through creating subcultures and identities. For example, pop-punk fans are stereotyped as wearing flannel, being ‘skaters’, wearing vans, having body modifications such as tattoos and piercings, loving pizza, hating their hometown, and ‘defending’ pop-punk (appendix 5). As an individual going to many pop-punk gigs and primarily listening to what defined as pop-punk music, I can argue that for this stereotype it’s relatively accurate to the die-hard fans in this music scene. Frith (1996:109) argues that it’s not about the music or performance reflecting the people “but how it produces them”. I think this is an important difference to establish as this point suggests that musics’ aesthetic impact becomes a part of a persons’ identity as an individual and collectively.

The Political Experience of pop-punk goes back to the roots of punk music, one of the most established bands in the punk movement were the Sex Pistols. Their song ‘God Save The Queen’ became an anthem for punk music and was released in 1977. This song was about rebelling against British politics, being a British band, this was a topic they could be seen to have a passion to write and perform about as it impacted them. Moving into the punk rock/pop-punk scene in the 2000s, ‘American Idiot’ by Green Day was released in 2004. The song ‘American Idiot’ is about criticising American politics, specifically around the time of George W. Bushs’ re-election. “We did everything we could to piss people off” said Billie Joe Armstrong, the front man of Green Day (appendix 6). Even as recent as 2016, Green Day performed their song ‘Bang Bang’ at the American music awards and during their performance Billie Joe Armstrong chanted “NO TRUMP, NO KKK, NO FASCIST USA” (appendix 7). Taking this strong stance against the current political state through their music platform sends a message about the culture surrounding the punk rock/pop-punk/alternative rock scene they represent, and what they stand and don’t stand for. Even more recently in February 2017 Green Day performed in Manchester Arena UK, and during their set Billie Joe Armstrong yet again put forward a statement that challenges American politics.

"Tonight is about us sharing this moment together. We don't need any cell phones anymore right now. We don't need news. We don't need Facebook, we don't need Instagram, we don't need any of that shit. Everything outside these doors is all corruption and all negativity. I'll tell you one thing; Donald Trump is not my fucking president., because soon he will be gone. Because we're the freedom, this is what freedom looks like, freedom looks like this in Manchester. Freedom is singing at the top of your lungs. Freedom is passion and love and joy. We will not be divided. We will not be divided. WE WILL NOT BE DIVIDED." - Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, 6th February 2017 (appendix 8)

Bringing strong beliefs and opinions about American politics into the UK creates awareness and a joint mentality in the crowd of people in that arena. Media allows people in the UK to interact with American politics and Donald Trump in particular is almost impossible to avoid hearing about. Making a speech and chanting about essentially being anti-trump is praised and accepted in the scene. This suggests the people who listen to Green Days’ music are like-minded that of the band. Not only is the political experience influencing the song writing, but it’s influencing the groups identity, and the fans who follow them.  

With the Sex Pistols, a UK band who wrote about UK politics, Green Day, an American band who write about American politics, there is also currently a crossover which I will be focusing on later on in my research in which American Politics influence pop-punk bands closer to the UK.  

The Community and Scene element draws on how music generates a sense of community in a locality. For example, at a pop-punk gig it is a common practice to mosh and crowd-surf to music. Straw (1991) stated in his definition of a scene “that cultural space in which a range of musical practices coexist […]”. One practice created by a music is dancing. This relates to the political experience as there are politics of dancing such as why people choose to dance vs not to dance, how dancing can articulate class, nationality, ethnicity, age, gender and sexuality. In pop-punk, as I mentioned earlier it is common practice to see a mosh-pit form in the crowd during a performance at a gig. The act of moshing can be perceived as aggressive; from personal experience the mosh pit is a place to release passion in a semi-violent spirit but ultimately, it’s a safe place for people to express their energy through the music. There are ‘unwritten rules’ of the mosh-pit culture to make it enjoyable and safe for everybody involved (summed up in the article in appendix 9).

METHODOLOGY

The methodology I will be using for my research is a textual analysis approach. Textual analysis’ micro-analytical approach will be useful to my research as my object of study is lyrics to a song by pop-punk band Neck Deep titled ‘Happy Judgement Day’ released August 2017 from their album The Peace and The Panic. The aim of this textual analysis is to deconstruct the lyrics and meaning of the song and the messages portrayed through this example of pop-punk music. Alongside this textual analysis I will also be conducting a meta-textual analysis of the music video that accompanies the same song. This is an important element to my research as the meta-textual approach is macro-analytical and offers an opportunity after deconstructing the meaning of the song through a textual analysis, to contextualise it into wider societal problems, my main focus being the political themes of the song. I have chosen this specific song due to it being released as a single before the album release, setting the tone for the entire album, also due to the discussion online surrounding this song and the political themes (appendix 9.1). I think this song is also a good representation of the discussion of UK and US politics in one song. Therefore, I can analyse points of the research question and how US pop-punk has influenced UK pop-punk through this song as a case study.

PRIMARY RESEARCH

The song ‘Happy Judgement Day’ by Neck Deep follows the structure of sounds and forms of the Tin Pan Alley musical repertoire (VCVCBC) (see appendix 10 for full lyrics and music video). The music video is set in an old-style school with separate individual desks that each school kid is sat at looking disinterested, bored, passing notes, doodling the Neck Deep logo (already showing more of an interest in the musical influence than education) and generally just giving the impression of not caring. There is a blackboard, formal uniforms with ties, an old box television which is playing a ‘survival for judgement day’ black and white video, a skeleton, a big world map, and a teachers’ desk. The use of this mise en scène immediately connotes a 50’s/60’s throwback in terms of the era it is portraying. This is important to the theme of the music video and song because of the common practice of the “duck and cover” drills in schools as discussed by Schelbach (2015). This is also demonstrated in the music video of the band members participating in the duck and cover drill by taking cover under school desks, further enforcing the practices of this time period. The 50’s/60’s black and white film imagery has similar imagery to another pop-punk album ‘okay.’ by As It Is (appendix 11). Although the imagery on this album cover is in colour it has a nuclear weapon with the same style of art as ‘The Peace and The Panic’; these albums also have the same influencer Mike Green who did mixing, composition and was an engineer and producer for both.

[Verse 1]

Oh, what a time to be alive! Wake up and smell the dynamite And keep your eyes locked tight to your screen And don't believe everything that you see You'll find, modern life's a catastrophe  

This first verse comes in immediately with a satirical tone, almost angry at the topic of the current social and political climate. “Wake up and smell the dynamite” seems to refer to the saying of “wake up and smell the coffee” which means to open your eyes and have a look around you and become aware of the situations going on. Replacing the word coffee with dynamite suggests the idea that weapons and violence pose a huge threat in society and this needs to be paid attention to. “Don’t believe everything that you see” could refer to the media, in particular, news channels broadcasting particular stories with bias motives, and online where fake articles circulate. There are also many conspiracy theories involving politics and media, such as:

The Manchester Arena attack and how it was a false flag operation to distract from Theresa Mays’ negative media attention.  

The 9/11 attack and how George W. Bush organised it. This conspiracy in particular has been turned into a well-known meme and even directly referenced to in other music genres such as Skrillex and Diplos’ ‘Where Are U Now’ ft. Justin Bieber (appendix 12). At 1:40 the freeze frame shows a sketch saying ‘Bush Did 9/11’.

The line “don’t believe everything that you see” could be perceived as a nod towards political conspiracies such as these, and could be applied to more recent ones such as the Vegas shooting etc.  

[Chorus]

Is it just me or does anyone else feel like this could be farewell? Oh, we almost had it Then we pissed it all away Building walls, dropping bombs Stop the world, I'm getting off Oh, we almost had it Never thought I'd see the day When the world went up in flames When the world went up in flames

The chorus being the part of the song that is repeated several times, like all other songs it has the main message and theme explored as the focus. The first line of the chorus begins with a rhetorical question which creates an effect of unity speaking to its’ listeners; almost like Barlow (the vocalist) is singing with a tone of desperation or disbelief at present day political issues, particularly a nod towards “building walls, dropping bombs” which seems to be a direct link to current American politics and President Donald Trump and his plans for building a border wall between the US and Mexico. While having a lot of American politically driven lyrics, “Oh, we almost had it then we pissed it all away” could be referring to the Brexit vote. On Neck Deeps’ twitter account the day before the Brexit vote they hinted towards voting to remain in the EU (appendix 13). After this referendum resulted in the UK leaving the EU 51.89% to 48.11% these lyrics “we almost had it” has a significant relation to this UK related political issue. “Stop the world I’m getting off” and “Never thought I’d see the day when the world went up in flames” suggest a corrupted, messed up world that Barlow doesn’t want to be a part of. A lot of fans also seem to relate to these lyrics as they have tattoos depicting a world being destructed (appendix 14).

[Verse 2]

We all worship celebrities, desperate for an identity But cigarettes and MDMA don't give you substance You don't think about what you say 'Cause your mouth is bigger than your brain It's a shame, so fake and you're all the same

The second verse seems to steer more towards commentary on the current state of society, particularly idolising celebrities more than we should, wanting to belong to certain social groups and identify a certain way to other people, much like a school kid mentality which links to the meta-text of the music video which is set in an old dated school environment. This environment could be a relating visual to how ‘old-school’ the education system is when it comes to teaching about important political issues, which is also further backed up by the cuts to the ‘teacher’ in the video falling asleep and the lack of care while kids are focusing on “cigarettes and MDMA” more than these important issues that impact their future. There is a running theme through the video in which Barlow is sat at the teachers’ desk singing these lyrics, further implying the idea that this music could even be doing a better job at making these pupils at schools aware of current social and political issues than the education system, as Neck Deeps’ audience varies from about 14 to mid-30s (speaking from personal experience of observing others at their gigs and interacting with fans online). Substance abuse is also a problem in wider society so this could be a polysemic meaning. “It’s a shame, so fake and you’re all the same” is also a line that can be seen as a dig towards politicians. In the media politicians are often being slammed for being liars and hypocrites (appendix 15).

[Bridge]

There's a black cat up in the windows of Parliament There's a man in the back of a black cab, talking about the good days When it all went up in flames Happy Judgement Day It all went up in flames Happy Judgement Day

The reference to a “black cat” is often linked with superstition and bad luck. In the windows of parliament this suggests what is happening in the UK (most likely the Brexit decision) is only going to result in something bad. ‘Judgement Day’ is a religious term used by Christians to determine the day the world ends and whether you go to heaven or hell. Barlow is insinuating the end of the world, going up in flames, because of all these poor decisions being made by governments. This point is also further portrayed by the globe prop in the music video being set on fire. The bridge of the song is combined with the part of the music video where the bored school kids decide to ‘rebel’ and join the band jumping around, throwing around paperwork etc. This could be seen as a metaphor for joining the pop-punk, anti-establishmentarianism movement in which they disapprove of corrupt and unjust political power.  

The overall tone of the music video uses black and white, slightly grainy film editing for the ‘survival of judgement day’ video, and a muted, dull colour and tone for the scenes in the school. This bland setting once again connotes the dull education system, and could be suggesting a commentary on todays’ education and politics and how nothing is changing by releasing a video in 2017 set in the 50s/60s and making the connections of how similar things seem to be. The lyrics combined with the video enforce this idea of being angry at watching the world “go up in flames” which is the definitive message of this song.  

CONCLUSION  

Overall, the combination of primary and secondary research uses examples of US and UK punk/punk rock and pop-punk, and the merging of both countries’ political issues as influences. Comparing the scenes, pop-punk derives from the punk/punk rock community which has a defining element of anti-establishment disposition (Dunn 2008:197). Although Dunn discusses punk rock politics and the “healthy resistance to dominant forces” and counter-hegemony, this has migrated into pop-punk as this scene originates from punk and punk rock. He also suggests the idea that the opposition to social norms and dominant forces is conveyed not just in the lyrics but in the punk scene as an entirety. I agree with this to a certain extent, as this angst exists in the pop-punk scene. However, the moshing, rebellious, anti-establishment tone has to exist with a drive and passion behind it. This being the topic of the lyrics. These are after all, the words people yell along with and get tattooed, why would they do this if the lyrics didn’t mean something to them? The analysis of these lyrics has strong UK and US political themes, that can’t be denied, but also a tone of sarcasm and generally just being fed up which can be related to by many even if their passion isn’t completely political.  

Applying this to a wider societal context, pop-punk has a relatively young demographic as an audience. A lot of things in common with young people is that whether they live in the UK or US, is that they hate Donald Trump and everything he stands for. This particular song analyses the ridiculousness of this presidents’ position of power, and the Green Day performance mentioned earlier not-so-subtly bashes Donald Trump. There was also an incident at one of Neck Deeps’ shows this year in Nottingham Rock City where violence broke out between the band and crowd vs security at the show (appendix 16). The crowd then proceeded to chant “OH JEREMY CORBYN” after the band left the stage (as shown on the setlist in appendix 17). This political chant for the Labour leader originated to show support for his party during the election. One thing also in common with young people is that a lot of them seemed to show support Jeremy Corbyn, with more than half of young adults voting for Labour (appendix 18). This election was also the highest vote proportion of 18-24 year olds in 25 years (according to Sky News data – appendix 19). Obviously, all of these voters aren’t pop-punk fans, but it opens up the idea of music (even beyond the punk scenes and subcultures) having a bigger political impact on its’ audiences than perhaps realised. These words have power and influence on world issues, with people repeating these songs, learning the lyrics and singing along at gigs. Spreading a message within the community and encouraging people to pay attention to not only their own countries political issues but worldwide issues could be argued as the importance of politics in the pop-punk scene.  

Bibliography

Bennett, A  Peterson, R A (2004) Music scenes: local, translocal and virtual  

Dunn, K (2012) “If It Ain’t Cheap, It Ain’t Punk”: Walter Benjamin’s Progressive Cultural Production and DIY Punk Record Labels. Journal of Popular Music Studies.

Dunn, K (2008:197) Never mind the bollocks: the punk rock politics and global communication

Frith, S (1996:109) Music and Identity in Questions of Cultural Identity (1996)

Schelbach, M (2015:2) Atomics in the Classroom: Teaching the Bomb in the Early Postwar Era

Straw, W (1991) Communities and Scenes in Popular Music  

Street, J (1995) (Dis)located? Rhetoric, Politics, Meaning and the Locality

Appendices available upon request