#genesys audit

[gwynndolin]

Was the original iconic “oh, worm?” Post about Worm or was it just a coincidence

the genesis of "oh worm" came from that picture of young d wade

around this time the "honey you've got a big storm coming" from those weird audition videos were going around as well

I think at one point someone had done a version of this video (as a meme) that said "honey you've got a big worm coming" and then i edited the original image to make it oh worm instead

after that 6thhouse (no longer active i guess) posted the phrase and it really picked up after that. mostly all documented on kym

I hadn't read worm up until 2020 or so, so although this phrase has probably done irreparable damage to the worm fandom it was purely coincidental. this is just like how i've been 1 person removed from will toledo long before i started listening to car seat headrest

[alastor-simp]

Dorm leaders with a reader who sings like the Japanese singer, "Ado"

🌹 Riddle Rosehearts

-Riddle knew you were full of surprises, but he never expected you to have such an amazing voice. Cater was the one that revealed your talent by showing him one of your music videos at one of the Unbirthday parties. Riddle questions as to why you don't reveal your face, but he realized that if that's what makes you comfortable, then its fine. The ADeuce combo joked with the both of you saying that you should sing for Riddle for his birthday. Riddle flushed and collared the both of them for messing with him, but he secretly wouldn't mind if you sang for him. His favorite song of yours is "New Genesis" , he loves how upbeat it is and he sometimes hums the song to himself when he is doing his schoolwork

🦁Leona Kingscholar

Leona doesn't really care for music and all that other nonsense, especially if it disturbs his sleeping. He had found out about your singing when he was heading to Ramshackle dorm to avoid Ruggie, and had caught you in your room, recording for one of your music videos. You didn't realize Leona was in the room until you heard clapping, and saw him standing there with a smirk on his face. "Not bad", he said as he came closer to you and patted your head. Leona started to get more involved with your music, to the point he would wake up from his nap once he got a notification about a new music video on his phone. His favorite song of yours is "Usseewa", he tends to relate to the song and also likes the rebellious theme in the music video.

🐙Azul Ashengrotto

Well, well, well. Not only are you an angelfish, you also have the voice of an angel. Azul had discovered your talent, when he came across you in the music room of NRC, playing and singing on the piano. Azul came closer to you and sat down next to you, not saying a word, just listening to your gorgeous voice. Azul, being a business man that he is, wanted to promote you into being a singer in Mostro Lounge. Of course, he would pay you accordingly and there would be no need for a contract. Once you told Azul that you mostly perform on Magitube (Twst version of Youtube XD), and don't show your face, he understood and wouldn't pressure you, but he really would loved if you worked for him, so he could hear your voice more often. You did offer to sing a song promoting Mostro Lounge or have some of your merchandise be sold at Mostro Lounge, so both of you could benefit, since you felt bad for rejecting Azul's promotion, and Azul agreed in a heartbeat. His favorite song of yours is "Readymade" , he loves how jazzy it is.

☀️Kalim Al-Asim

NO WAYYYYYYY!!!!! YOU CAN SING!!!!!!! WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE!!!! Kalim was over the moon when he found out that you can sing, that he wanted to throw a celebration for you at Scarabia. He kept asking you over and over if you could please sing at the party. You appreciated how happy Kalim was about your talent, but you were not use to singing in front of people. Jamil noticed saw how tense you were and explained to him everything. Kalim realized that he was pushing you to sing and felt uncomfortable. He just wanted everyone to hear your amazing voice that he didn't consider your feelings so he apologized and offered to give you a ride on his magic carpet. Kalim wasted not time to subscribe to you and listen to all your music videos. His favorite song of yours is "The World's Continuation" , he loves the animation in the video and how soothing your singing is.

🍎Vil Schoenheit

Vil considered you to be a regular potato like all the other students until he discovered your talent when the Joint Culture Festival took place. During the auditions for VDC, it was your turn to demonstrate your singing, you surprised both him and Rook with your incredible voice. Vil is not an easy man to impress as he has been in the acting/music industry for a long time, so the fact that you were able to leave him wide eyed and mouth gaped like fish, welp, you had managed to capture the attention of the most beautiful person in NRC. Vil was slowly starting to become one of your biggest supporters/fans, as he often watched over you like a mother hen, making sure you were okay and not straining your voice too much. He wasn't use to your habit of not showing your face in your music videos, as you should be able to show your beauty to the whole world, but he slowly got over it, yet he was still interested in doing a duet with you on your video channel. His favorite song of yours is " Gira Gira" , he loved the message in the song and how it focused on beauty, but flaws and imperfections as well.

🔥Idia Shroud

Haha, don't group Idia with the other normies. He was the first one to discover your talent before all the other dorm leaders. During one of his gaming streams, he noticed that a lot of people were commenting in the chat about a recent music video of yours and that he should check them out. Idia decided to indulge in his streamers comments and check out one of your music videos. Welp, I guess you can imagine that after that, Idia become a huge fan of you and subscribed to your channel immediately. He was always the first one to hop on your new music videos and leave so many sweet comments about how good the video was and your voice. Idia understood COMPLETELY about not showing your face at concerts and in your videos as he does the same thing, and uses a tablet to communicate half of the time. You really appreciated Idia's support and you had asked him if he would be interested in doing an animation for your next music video. Idia fainted once you told him that, but Ortho answered for him and said he would love too. He loves all of your songs, but his number one favorite is "Backlight" , he loves the animation and the fact that you sang songs for an anime has him fangirling like crazy.

🐲Malleus Draconia

"Oya~ You are certainly one unique Child of Man." Malleus loves listening to music, but he is more use to the classical genre of music then rock or pop. He is also artistic in performing since he is very skilled with string instruments. He happened to discover your talent during one of his strolls through Ramshackle, as he saw you sitting in the fields, singing to yourself. Once you discovered Malleus had appeared next to you, you apologized quickly as you wondered if you had disturbed him, but he shook his head and said you sang very beautifully and would love to listen to you sing a bit more please. Malleus wasn't use to technology, but he had Lilia help him with that, since Lilia had better knowledge in that field, so he could watch and listen to your music videos. He was amazed to see how versatile your vocal ability was as you could hit so many different ranges. You had helped him discover other genres of music that he had never tapped into before and he thanked you for letting him discover something new. His favorite song of yours is "Aitakute" , he loves the story in the music video and the romantic theme in it.

Credit to the youtube singer, Ado

[rottenpumpkin13]

More Highlights From the SOLDIER Group Chat

• Every time someone makes a grammatical mistake and butchers the English language, Genesis sends a copy of the Rosetta stone.

• Kunsel changing the group chat name to The Bad Bitch Brigade™

• Angeal's phone and microphone are broken as hell, but he refused to buy a new phone while his still works, so all of his audio messages make him sound like a chipmunk.

• Roche accidentally sent his "most to least attractive" list to the group chat. Genesis was at the very bottom. Genesis didn't shut up for six hours.

• Every time Sephiroth is questioned about something uncomfortable he responds with a model-esque selfie.

Lazard: Sephiroth did you break the training room again???

Sephiroth: *sends a picture perfect selfie of himself basking in the sunlight*

• Zack using the group chat as his personal journal until Lazard told him to stop because "No one wants to hear about the sweet potato shaped like a penis you had for lunch, Zackary, nor do we want to hear about the life advice the drunkard in sector 7 keeps giving you"

• On a similar note, Genesis uses the group chat as his personal to-do list. Lazard also had him stop after the items started getting more and more concerning. The last straw was:

1) Buy fireworks

2) Buy enough duct tape to hold a grown man

3) Summon Sephiroth to the rooftop at midnight

• Director Lazard thought the "😂" emoji meant a sad crying face, so he sent "I regret to inform you all that Mrs. Helen Thompson from the finance office has passed away 😂 💀"

• The day Genesis changed the group chat name to "LOVELESS study club" and began sending his LOVELESS analysis. Everyone left the group chat immediately. Including Lazard.

• The morning everyone hurried to the group chat to see why there were 5K messages. It turns out Kunsel and Zack were RP-ing.

• Sephiroth not knowing that "I'm dying" means the person is laughing. He twice sent paramedics to Genesis's office.

• Angeal, the admin, getting drunk and changing everyone's screen names to something ridiculous.

Sephiroth, Genesis and Zack became Mommy Issues, Used To Eat Chalk When We Were Six, and Hedgehog On Crack.

• Upon figuring out how to change the group chat name, Sephiroth changed it to The Mystery Penis™ Is [Redacted] and then turned his phone off.

• Zack sending a joke picture of him and Kunsel holding hands. Kunsel has hairy fingers so Angeal immediately responds with "WHAT DID YOU DO TO AERITH?"

• Sephiroth learns he doesn't need to respond to every messages and can instead use the reaction feature. This leads to gems such as:

Sephiroth reacted to - Genesis: SEPHIROTH, YOU LIMP DICK, DID YOU TELL LAZARD THAT I STOLE THE POPCORN MACHINE IN THE BREAK ROOM???: 👍

• Angeal changing the group chat name to "Dr. Phil audition tapes"

• Roche selling a used hair dryer and advertising it on the group chat as "USED HAIR, GOOD CONDITION, $20 GIL FREE SHIPPING

• That of course is followed by a mass advertisment spam where everyone is trying to sell their used products. Genesis in particular gets removed from the group chat for "ASSORTED TOYS, NEVER USED, SOLD TO ADULTS ONLY, $ 50 GIL A PIECE + AUTOGRAPH

• Genesis being removed allows Zack to advertise "BOX OF RANDOM SHIT I STOLE FROM GENESIS'S APARTMENT"

• Cloud, an infantryman who's secretly been a part of the group this whole time, finally outs himself the day Reno is discovered to be hiding in the group chat undercover.

• He sent this image:

[y-rhywbeth2]

Lore: Music

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. There's a lot of lore; I don't know everything. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

Useful for bards and priests, one assumes. I had to look up so many songs I'd never heard of to have a clue what half the comparisons were...

Musical education in the Realms (plus what the core Colleges (Lore and Valor) translate to in the Realms (where they aren't called that))

Musical vocabulary

Instruments

Music itself, including: operatic, 'symphonic'-ish, renaissance-style, hymns, 70s folk bands, and 70s rock music. [Popular music | Hymns | Opera | Demihuman traditions] (we got music that sounds like Leonard Cohen, Sinéad O'Connor, 70s folk music, 50s folk music, ELO, Genesis...)

Education

The majority of trained musicians, including bards, start off being apprenticed to accomplished bards willing to tutor, and some seek out Bardic Colleges. The exact focus, quality and curriculum varies by the institution.

To be admitted one must have some experience performing, and be able to pass an audition. They will perform before one of the master bards of the college, as well as one 'invisible' listener they're unaware of. Both masters must agree that the candidate is worth teaching or not for admission, if they don't agree further auditions will follow until they do agree on a verdict.

'Low-order' colleges generally concentrate on mastery of pitch, timbre and nuance. Students are taught to sing scales and perfectly duplicate overheard notes and tunes with their voice, as well as memorizing a set of tunes on a range of instruments to familiarise themselves with different keys and methods. The crafting and repair of one form of instrument is also part of the training.

'High-order' colleges offer a wider range of instruments and repertoire, teaching the history behind the music and lyrics, as well as some language tutoring - not necessarily to speak the language, but to be able to sing such songs perfectly.

New students to any college will be taught the basics in classes at first, but very soon will be passed onto a tutor for one-on-one tutoring.

Pretty much all official colleges in the Realms would make you a College of Lore bard in core DnD terms.

What is called The College of Valor does not actually involve colleges, and is found amongst warrior cultures like Orcs or the Illuskan Northmen, Uthgardt and Reghed: skalds - warrior poets, lorekeepers and clan storytellers.

The most prestigious colleges are the College of Fochlucan in Silverymoon, an ancient bardic tradition which I assume from the name is supposed to be from Ffolk tradition (the Moonshaes). This college has close ties to the Harpers, though most members will stress that their mission and activities are separate to avoid being targeted by the Harpers' enemies.

The College of the Herald is also found in Silverymoon and was founded by a Harper in 922 DR to preserve history. The college maintains a strict neutrality towards the conflicts of the world, and its focus is on preservation of history, folklore and legend over music.

The College of New Olamn, once Ollamh, another ancient bardic tradition, is in Waterdeep, established in 1366 by wealthy patrons of the arts.

On a less formal level, priests of Milil are charged with spreading music and teaching as many as possible to play and sing, and followers of EIlistraee are to 'nurture beauty, music, the craft of making musical instruments, and song wherever they find it.'

Vernacular

'Minstrelsy' is a term for live music, not including hymns and holy music. Recorded music does exist, though mostly in the form of spells that exist to capture and play the song back on command. People like to use them for study, meditation, fun, etc. If you don't have access to magic, due to cost or general mistrust of the stuff, the Gondians have invented music boxes. You can also get those jewellery boxes with the spinning dancer that play music when they open.

A 'song' is monophonic performance or piece, consisting pof a single vocalist with no instrumental accompaniment.

'Allsong' is the term for polyphonic pieces; covering vocals with instrumental accompaniment, multiple singers such as choirs, and orchestras.

'Newclang' is recent music that starts playing with or breaking conventions. May be viewed as a brilliant invention or modern pop garbage, depending on your tastes.

'song-cycles': 'extended stories told by ballads being sung in a particular sequence. Most of these are 'later inventions,' concocted by a minstrel or bard stringing together their personal favourites (or tunes that they could perform well, and that were popular with paying audiences) into a story of sorts, and then knitting them together with altered lyrics, additional linking songs, and sometimes short spoken-word orations, into the tale of one hero's life, or a romance, or the reign of a villainous king, or the saga of a fearsome dragon or other predatory monster (and its eventual defeat).'

If the performance is 'wordless' then there are no sung lyrics. There might be vocalisations along with the music, but as per the name, no words.

The concept of sorting music into genres apparently hasn't much occurred to anybody yet; music is music in most people's eyes. Historical music trends are named after popular artists of the time. Still you have lammuer (slow waltzes), whirls (reels) and tonsets (courtly formal dances).

There is no standard agreed upon scale that is used by the whole of the Realms.

-

Instruments

The instruments most frequently seen in the hands of common minstrels are lutes and harps. Bells, clapping or stamping one's feet, rhythm sticks and a small wooden pipe akin to a penny whistle serve as accompaniment, and for major percussion instruments you have hand drums and 'great drums' (kettle drums).

Ocarinas, kazoos and mouth harps are pretty common.

Yarting: An acoustic guitar, basically, with origins in Amn and Calimshan, but variations exist everywhere.

Songhorn: Recorders

Straele: A violin-like instrument, shaped a bit like a metronome and played cradled in one arm (preferably while sitting).

Great staele: Cellos and basses

Drone: A large, stationary double-reed instrument with a bladder and several mouthpieces, played by multiple musicians and sounding either like the drones of a bagpipe or an organ or synthesizer.

Jassaran: a crude 'keyboard-and-wires' instrument invented in Sembia that sounds something like a harpsichord.

Artang: A dulcimer, though artangs are only plucked or bowed.)

Shawm: A gnomish instrument that's something like an oboe or bassoon in form. There's also a bellows powered variant.

Zulkoon: A Thayan pump organ. Pipe organs also exist.

Tantan: tambourines. Popular with halflings.

Longhorns: flutes

'Birdpipes' or Shalm: pan pipes. Most popular with Lliirans and elves, particularly copper and green elves.

Tocken: carved oval bells set to hang so that they can be lightly struck. Instruments such as this are found in subterranean cultures (Dwarves and goblins, mostly). The sound echoes through the structures.

Glaur: Basically a trumpet (more specifically it sounds like a renaissance instrument called a serpent), shaped something between a cornucopia and a saxophone.

Gloon: Much like a glaur, but lacking in valves and it produces a markedly mournful sound.

'Whistlecanes' or thelarr: The bane of parents. Basically just a cut reed you can whistle with. People like to give them to children, who do as children do and proceed to give everybody ear aches from badly played instruments.

-

Music

With a note that a lot of the following kind of applies to the Sword Caoast, Heartlands, Cormyr, Dalelands and etc. Different regions of Faerûn have different music. The kind of Thayan music you'd hear in alehouses in East Faerûn, for example, apparently sounds like this. (Songs with such tunes are called 'thaeraeden,' or 'life laments', and the lyrics are often melancholy questions and challenges. Usually break up songs and unrequited love, the usual.)

So, switching out more modern instruments like drumkits and electric guitars, this is the kind of music you'd apparently expect to hear from minstrels, street and tavern performers and etc. This is basically turning on the radio:

Popular ballads and songs sound something like:

These: X, X, X, X,

Stuff like Leonard Cohen. X

1970s folk music, like Steeleye Span and Maddie Prior. Like the Prickle Eye Bush X, X.

Tongue-in-cheek songs like the Irish Ballad are popular with the working class. I feel like that one specifically would be popular with drow and Bhaalspawn, personally.

'Easy listening' being played in the background while you're passing the evening at a tavern sounds like standard Renaissance fare like Packington's Pound and My Thing is My Own.

Dance music would sound something like this: X

The kind of music you're likely to hear at an upper class party is going to be bringing in musicians and possibly orchestras and dancing. Stuff like this: X, X, X, X,

Orchestral music doesn't utilise strings very much, and prefers to use vocalisation in its place. You generally get more stuff like this.

-

The Opera

Inasfar as I can tell, the opera is exactly what you expect.

The most famous/popular operas include:

'the War of Three Castles:' Featuring a bunch of kings throwing their sons and daughters off to lead armies against each other. Disaster strikes, two princes and a princess are trapped in a tomb in the Underdark and a love triangle ensues. The princess decides fuck that nonsense, she will have both or neither but she's not having this drama, and they work out a polyamorous relationship, and agree that they will go home and have a 'marriage of three crowns' where they all marry each other, even if their fathers may try to stop them or execute them for it. Then they get back up there, discover that their fathers have been killed turning the entire region into a war torn region. They recover what is left, and they get married and unite their kingdoms in peace and like happily ever after.

'Alvaericknar:' The lovable rogue archetype who shares his name with the title bites off more than he can chew trying to rob a lich - who kills him. But he's prepared for that, and due to ensuring that the lich killed him in a spot that would set of several enchantments he manages to come back as undead, and proceeds to continue his hijinks. 'As an undead, he goes right on being a swindling, fun-loving rascal, only now he doesn’t need food or drink or shelter.'

'Downdragon Harr': An evil sorceress turns a princess into a dragon, uses magic to disguise herself as the princess, murders the king and takes over the kingdom. Her first decree is to have every dragon in the kingdom slain (all dragons are played by bassi profundi). A knight with a magic sword wounds the princess in her dragon form, and the enchantment on the blade breaks the spell on her. They fall in love via duet, and then go to the most ancient wyrm in the land (the titular Harr), wake him from his centuries long slumber and use him as their steed to fly off and challenge the sorceress. 'She sees their approach and uses mighty sorcery, that drains the life from most of her courtiers and all of her guards, to slay the dragon as it dives down on the castle—but in death, it slays her, crashing into the castle and crushing her to pulp under its great bulk as it slides to a (dead) stop. (It sings in death, and so does the queen from somewhere under it.) The princess and the knight begin their happy rule, and wedded bliss, atop the carcass of the great dragon.'

One suspects dragons do not care overmuch for this opera.

-

Hymns:

Religious music is typically plainchant, a form of music that usually consists purely of vocals (typically a solitary singer). There is no set rhythm, as the song consists of singing prayers and religious verse. Sometimes there's the occasional accompaniment from a instrument, such as an organ, or a slow heavy drum beat, in the case of Banite hymns.

They can be more complex: polyphonic hymns involve 'two or more singers or instrumentalists playing independent melodic lines at the same time.'

The hymns of most faiths sound most akin to Gregorian chanting. At its softest and most elaborate, you get something that sounds something like a simplified Enya song.

-

Elves

Ah yes, the mysterious and magic melodies of the Tel'Quessir...

Which apparently sound a lot like, say, Don't Bring Me Down, Land of Confusion, Domino Medley, Mr Blue Sky...

They also have your Enya and Loreena McKennit type stuff.

Replace the guitar with a harp, maybe throw in a flute, that's elven music. It's rock. Elven instruments are the only instruments thus far capable of sustain. The effects on the vocals can be replicated by elves, who have a strange quirk with their vocal chords where they can produce two notes/sounds at once, distorting their voice in a way that's similar. Some have a genetic quirk that allows them to sort of say 'two things at once.' Generally elves prefer softer singing voices.

Elven musical performances feature galadrae - three dimensional illusions depicting scenes to go along with the song, not dissimilar to what one might see at a modern concert. Generally the theme is the history/story behind the piece.

Common elven folk songs are apparently these: Laeryn's Lament My Love Green And Growing Blood of My Sisters The Moondapple Stag Knights On The Ride Thorn Of Rose Winterwillow [an instrumental] Greenhallow Mantle Stone Fall, Tree Rise The Lady Laughing

-

Dwarves

Dwarves like drums and metallic percussion for their music, and vocals tend to be plainsong.

Large clanholds with volcanic vents may build giant complex pipe organs.

'...usually dwarves play piano-like personal instruments (strings hit with hammers; hitting things with hammers is the dwarven way). Most such dwarf instruments look more like an accordion (small portable keyboard) and have metal strings.'

-

Gnomes

Gnomes like drones and oboes (or shawms, I guess). Traditionally, history and lore has been an oral tradition kept by women, so it wouldn't surprise me if some lorekeepers sing it.

-

Halflings

Halflings are apparently known for their comic, and usually bawdy, operas, which are popular with gnomes and dwarves. Titles include 'Ravalar’s Roister In The Cloister; Yeomen, Bowmen, and The Taming Maiden; The Seven Drunken Swordswingers Of Silverymoon; The Haunted Bedpan; The Laughing Statue Of Beltragar; and The Night Six In-Use Beds Fell Into The Castle Moat.'

Outside of that their music overlaps a lot with human music trends.

-

Orcs and goblins

Heavy drumbeats, gongs, warhorns and rhythmic shouting/chanting.

-

Dragonborn

Nothing outside of BG3 that I see, so I'd go with what the game says: throat singing.

[real-life-senshi]

Sailor Moon was always by my side. Mitsuishi Kotono and Kitagawa Keiko's special conversation on Sailor Moon Cosmos

(OP: This was from July 15th, 2023. Somehow I missed this article when it was first released... Whoops. Here's the belated translation.)

In 2014, when the new anime Sailor Moon Crystal began, fans of the 90s anime were gushing. We get to see Sailor Moon again...! And now, with the movie version of Sailor Moon Cosmos (both the first and second parts are in theatres), the series has finally come to its conclusion. This time, exclusive to MOVIE WALKER PRESS, Mitsuishi Kotono, who plays Eternal Sailor Moon/Usagi Tsukino, and Kitagawa Keiko, who plays Sailor Cosmos, got their dream to share a conversation come true! They reminisced on their experience during production, how they portrayed their roles, and what the existence of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon mean for both of them.

「 What I worked hard for in the '90s has actually come to fruition… I really felt that. 」 (Mitsuishi)

― This movie is the culmination of the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal series that started in 2014. From the initial Crystal series to this movie, people who grew up watching the 90's anime became the chosen cast… How was it for you, Mitsuishi-san, to work with the viewers of those days?

Mitsuishi 「 That's true. At first, I was the only confirmed voice casting for the film, and then the other Sailor Senshi auditioned and one by one, we finally came together. 」

― It is just like at the very beginning of the work, isn't it? At first, Usagi was alone, but then Sailor Mercury's Ami Mizuno, then Sailor Mars' Rei Hino, and so on, gathered together.

Mitsuishi 「 In the beginning I felt very lonely recording on my own, so I was glad when one by one the Sailor Senshi gathered together. Many of the cast and staff had told me “I’ve watched it back then”! “What I worked hard for in the 90s has actually come to fruition”, “the children who would proclaim ‘I want to be like Sailor Moon’ have become such splendid adults, all of them really flourished as a lady and just like a Senshi” was the impression I received firsthand. Of course, the girls are all professionals, so they were able to put aside their feelings as a fan and tackled their voicing roles seriously, and I felt that they supported me more than I did for them. We also get together in private, and I sincerely feel that I have made it this far because I had their support. 」

― Kitagawa-san, who plays Sailor Cosmos, is also a member of the so-called "Sailor Moon generation," right?

Kitagawa 「 Mitsuishi-san is a goddess to me. When I was a child, the first manga I picked up was Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, which I followed the serialization in Nakayoshi, and was part of the generation that also participated in Sailor Moon’s ``Great Service For All Applicants''. 」

― You can send stamps to the Nakayoshi editorial office and get cute goodies.  So nostalgic!

Kitagawa 「 Yes, that's right. When I first worked with Mitsuishi-san on the JDrama Rikokatsu, the first thing we talked about was Sailor Moon. I also loved Evangelion, so I recall we talked about that as well (Editor's note: Mitsuishi played Katsuragi Misato in the series Neon Genesis Evangelion.). I think it is probably the same for everyone from my generation, that I grew up listening to Mitsuishi-san’s voice, so during Rikokatsu it felt natural and comfortable for me to co-portray the roles of mother and daughter with Mitsuishi-san. Though we hadn’t worked together since the drama, we kept in touch from time to time, so it didn't feel like it had actually been that long of a time. 」

Mitsuishi 「 For me, because I often see you on TV.  When watching TV, I’d go “Ah, it's Keiko-chan! She's so beautiful!” (lol). So I also didn't feel like it had been a long time since I last saw you. 」

― When thinking about Kitagawa-san in this context, we’d easily think of the image of Sailor Mars from the live-action drama, but this time you will be playing a different role, Sailor Cosmos.

Kitagawa 「 I was happy when I initially received the offer, but I was also puzzled. In the live-action, Sawai Miyuu-san, who played Sailor Moon, was truly the center of our group, being supported by the 4 Senshi, but this time Sailor Cosmos’s role gives the impression of being " the root of the Sailor Senshi". Instead of being on the “supporting side”, that this role was so close to Usagi-chan's position, it felt like a sanctuary in a sense... a place that I felt I couldn’t jump into. So while I was very happy to be offered the role, and I was very eager to be a part of this new production, simultaneously I’d wonder “Am I the right person for this role?”… causing me conflicting feelings. I ended up seeking consult with all the members of what is referred to as the “Senshi-kai” (戦士会, Senshi Reunion) nowadays, the Senshi cast members of the live-action series. But, "This is the last production of the Crystal series, I’m so happy you get to play such a role in that, I definitely want you to do it!” was what everyone told me, and so they gave me the push I needed to accept the offer.」

― How was it for you when actually voicing the role?

Kitagawa 「 Before I recorded my part, I was provided a [voice] sample called a guide, and this time Mitsuishi-san was the one who dubbed the guide for me. It was already the perfect Sailor Cosmos. When I read the script, it was difficult to grasp the nuances of Sailor Cosmos' and Guardian Cosmos’s character, but Mitsuishi-san helped me realize it would be fine if I did it like this.  “Mitsuishi-san is amazing...”, I thought again in that moment. I feel that Usagi-chan's voice has also become deeper and deeper with each successive series. 」

Mitsuishi 「 About that, it's because the days have piled up...! (lol) 」

Kitagawa 「 Not at all, to have overcome many hardships, to be able to feel the image of “Usagi-chan of the present” really moved me. On the day of recording, Mitsuishi-san come to visit, as well as Takeuchi Naoko-sensei, so I was very nervous. (lol) 」

― For Mitsuishi-san, what were some things you were specifically mindful of when portraying Usagi-chan in this work?

Mitsuishi 「 This time around, her friends and Mamo-chan that she love all disappeared right in front of her, and in the second part, her friends appear as her enemies. Even though the scenario where everyone had become an enemy had also happened earlier in the series, this time was the toughest of them. Even though I felt fine when I was reading the script, it still became really tough when I actually heard the voices. Even when battered and bruised, I am determined to get back the people who are important to me, with a power that does not spring from hatred, it's with these thoughts I portrayed the role with a positive and great sense of power. 」

「 Having taught me many things, Sailor Moon is a series that is impossible for me to separate myself from. 」 (Kitagawa)

― Once again, what kind of existence does the work "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" mean for the two of you?

Mitsuishi 「 The reason I have made it this far as a voice actress is large because of this series, so it's a work that's very important to me. Since working on the Crystal series, I feel as if I'm giving back the energy everyone has given me when I was working in the 90s. Even in my daily life, I have the feeling that Sailor Moon is just around the corner in my mind. For example, sometimes the crescent moon is right above the Sky Tree, and whenever I see a picture of it on social media, my first thought is it looks like a big Moon Stick (lol). "If we had such a big Moon Stick, we could cleanse the entire Earth and bring peace to the world!" I sometimes think of outlandish things like that. 」

― That's an idea that only Mitsuishi-san, who has been playing Sailor Moon for a long time, could come up with... as expected!

Kitagawa 「 It really is! It's wonderful… 」

― And Kitagawa-san, what kind of influence did Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon have on your life?

Kitagawa 「 No matter with the series or with Mitsuishi-san, I've felt a sense of a destined connection with them. It was Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon that led me to make my debut as an actress, and when I worked as a lead actress on a drama series, or when I try my hand at voice acting, Mitsuishi-san often become part of such key moments of my experience. Moreover, this year marks the 20th anniversary of both the live-action series, and my career in the entertainment industry, I feel that Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon had been part of many significant turning points in my life. This is a series that is impossible for me to separate myself from. 」

Mitsuishi 「 In all honesty, I had originally been worried if I should bring up an old tokusatsu work with you given you are a major actress in the industry. 」

Kitagawa 「 I'm someone who prefers to speak openly and face things with dignity. I've always loved Sailor Moon, so much so I was like, "I'm going to audition and receive a role in the live-action version of Sailor Moon and work in Tokyo!" From the filming experience, I was taught filming methods, how to behave on set, how to act, how to dance, etc., and I really learned a lot. 」

Mitsuishi 「 Tokusatsu is a very difficult field. I've always felt that any actors or actresses who had overcome working in Tokusatsu would have the strength and spirit to survive in any field of the acting industry. 」

Kitagawa 「 It's the type of workspace and shooting site where you are required to do any and every sort of thing. Especially for the Sailor Moon series, even after transformation it would still be us actresses who are in costume, so that made it even more challenging. 」

Mitsuishi 「 Behind you it goes BOOM! And you'd still have to walk cooly in front of the explosion. 」

Kitagawa 「 At first I was shocked by the explosions, but I gradually got used to them, even napalm (explosions commonly used in Tokusatsu) I ended up not thinking anything of it (lol). I think the reason I've been able to do this for 20 years without faltering is that I have developed a great bond with everyone I have performed with the drama series. All members of the “Senshi-kai” (戦士会, Senshi Reunion) haven't left the entertainment industry, and we are all working hard in the same world. Even now would go to see and support each other's works, I am sure they will see this film as well. It's because of each other's presence that we have been able to continuously move forward, it's a sentiment that I hold deeply and feel very encouraged by. 」

― Lastly, for the Sailor Moon fans who have all grown up now, what are some of the highlights you'd like to share about this movie?

Mitsuishi 「 I think that as we grow older, with all the talks about 'love' and 'justice' that Sailor Moon does, more and more often we may feel embarrassed thinking about it. But for those who have loved Sailor Moon since the '90s", Usagi-chan's 'love' and 'justice' taken root somewhere in their hearts. So, I hope that this film will help them remember those things that they may have forgotten, and empower them to move forward with their lives with positivity. 」

Kitagawa 「 It's as if I was given the strength of 'positivity' and 'dedication' from this film. As I got older, there was a part of me that became afraid of failure... Because I'm in my 30s now and have been doing this job for 20 years, more and more I began to think 'I mustn't make mistakes'. In this film, Usagi-chan has to face and admit her past mistakes and works to correct her course, the part where she stands back up again to face her challenges, I was touched by that part of the story. I thought to myself, rather than shutting myself away in fear of failure or making mistakes, "I want to live my life with dignity" and was inspired to face live my life with positivity. It gave me the courage to not hold myself back and to take things easier. I am certain many people of my generation are at that point in their lives, too, and I think through watching this film Sailor Moon would give them a push to face their challenges and reassure them "It's okay". 」

[thistaleisabloodyone]

So, if one moves GENE from Jr.Exile to Founding Exile (my nickname for that set because LDH didn't give us one), that puts 4 groups per subgroup.

Exile, Exile the Second, JSB3, GENE

RMPG, FANTA, BBZ, PSYFE

LIL, TJBB, Kid Phenomenon, Wolf Howl Harmony

And I feel like there's actually - four distinct lines of inheritance of a variety going on. (tbeh, my reasoning is strongest with the Exile/RMPG/TJBB line and goes downhill from there 😂)

Exile -> RMPG -> TJBB

Basic Concept: Largest group in their set, tends towards dark colors, darker/gritter themes

Reasoning:

24karats Gold Genesis is the first 24karats release that doesn't include Exile, TJBB literally got some of Exile's old outfits.

All three groups had some amount of 'seasoned dancer' when they formed, with Exile's seasoned dancers being their founders; RMPG's performers came from the PBA (with some, like Kaisei and YamaSho, having prior dance experience from outside of EXPG); and TJBB's performers (for the most part) came from D.League.

TJBB is also the only Neo Exile group to have a proper vocalist/performer split - TJBB's rappers performed at the LDH Expo 2023 performer battle, as the only group from Neo Exile to do so

GENE -> FANTA -> LIL

Basic Concept: Widest variety of concept, swings back and forth between 'wholesome' and 'gritty'

Reasoning:

All three groups tend to give me Vibe Whiplash, especially LIL with that flip from 'Higher' to 'Lollipop'.

A lot of the members also come from EXPG and other such locations. LIL did do iconZ to be formed, but GENE's performers and FANTA's performers were picked - I know FANTA's members were picked from Exile Generations and I can't find anything about GENE's performers being from an audition like the PBA or any of the VBAs

JSB3 -> PsyFe -> Kid Phenomenon

Basic Concept: The "Exile Tribe Standard Seven"

Reasoning:

They're all roughly close to '2 vocalist, 5 performer/rapper' split

Bonus points for PsyFe and KP basically being proteges for JSB3 - PsyFe toured with Omi, while Naoto is the executive producer for KP

Exile the Second -> BBZ -> Wolf Howl Harmony

Basic Concept: More Mature, Romance Related Vibes

Reasoning:

Okay, so this one is the weakest, but I do get the vibe that Wolf Howl Harmony is leaning the most - mature and romantic of the Neo Exile groups (which, considering they're the only group where none of the members are teenagers, is a good thing, in my opinion). BBZ is also the main group from Jr.Exile that I can remember having - gasp shock horror - a female love interest in a MV. And I have seen one Exile the Second concert, but each member danced with a very attractive woman for several songs 😂

Also the first/main group in their set to really depart from the "Exile Tribe Standard 7" - The Second started off with 5 (Shokichi, Nesmith, Tetsuya, Keiji, and Kenchi) before Akira joined, BBZ is the first group to have everyone hold microphones and is actually split 4 vocalists/3 rappers, and Wolf Howl Harmony is 4 people, the smallest Exile Tribe group yet

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

Bayonetta: Needlemouse, be honest with me.

Sonic: Yeah, what’s your question?

Bayonetta: *Holds up a picture of Sonic’s running sprite from the Genesis/Mega Drive games* How is it that you’re able to move your legs in a circular motion in order to run when by all means of science and physics is literally impossible?

Sonic: Well, uh…

*Flashback to Sega’s auditions for a new mascot back in 1990, with 5 representatives judging each audition*

Sonic: Wanna see how fast I REALLY am? Check this out!

*Sonic starts to rev up speed in place before attempting to move his legs circular, followed by the sounds of bones snapping*

*Extremely audible screaming heard from inside and outside Sega HQ*

Sonic: … Special effects?

[thislovintime]

You might recall older posts featuring audio and/or quotes from Peter's June 1983 interview with NPR (such as here, here, here, and here). There are also some audio snippets on this fan page's YouTube channel. But since the full audio is too long to upload to YouTube, I transcribed the full audio interview, and thought I'd share that transcript here for anyone who might be interested in reading this snapshot of a moment in time.

Terry Gross: "Um, you wanna wait for the coffee before we start?" Peter Tork: "Yes, let’s wait for the coffee." TG: "Good. It’ll be a couple of minutes. We’re waiting for the coffee. Yeah." PT: "Push the button that says stop. [long silence] Does he have to get a key to stop the tape machine? (chuckles)" TG: "So, soon as the coffee’s ready, we’ll…" PT: "We’ll just hit it. (Speaks louder) Okay, now, the thing about the songs is, snatches, this is that, the piece of this, that’s all right, but if you put on songs, then I’m just gonna be the whole..." [recording cuts off]. TG: "Are you comfortable talking about The Monkees?" PT: "It’s a mixed bag. Sometimes I am. Actually, to tell you the truth, I’m not comfortable but it’s not because I… about talking about The Monkees, it’s because I haven’t had a cigarette since yesterday." TG: "Do you wanna light one up?" PT: "Noooo." TG: "Oh, you’re trying to stop." PT: "Well, I’m trying to put it off." TG: "(laughs) Savor it a little." PT: "Put off the next cigarette for, well, hopefully for a very long time, but just not smoke one right now." TG: "Okay. How did you first hear about the Monkees audition?" PT: "Stephen Stills called me and said, 'Go try out.'"

TG: "He auditioned?" PT: "I don’t know whether he auditioned exactly, or whether he had just met the producers socially, but… Steve was a friend of mine on the Village streets in early 60s. He, as a matter of fact, hit town and became instantly known as that guy who looks like Tork, which was my name in those days. And I ran across him on the street. I said, 'I know who you are. You’re the kid who looks like me.’ He said, 'I know who you are. You’re the kid I’m supposed to look like.’ Anyway, so we cut back again to a couple of years later, and Steve knows this guy, and it turns out to be Bob Rafelson, one of the producers, who says to him, in his own inimitable way, 'Well, we like ya a lot, but your hair and teeth are wrong for our production, they ain’t photogenic. You know anybody who looks like you who’s got good hair and teeth?’ Stephen said, 'My friend Peter.’ And so Stephen called me and said, 'Go try out for this thing.’ And I said, 'Yeah, yeah, sure, Steve, yeah, right, instant success, gimme a break.’ And he said, 'No, no, really, try out.’ 'All right, all right, all right.’ So, you know, I took my hard-earned savings, which I’d been making washing dishes at this club in southern, way southern California, fifty miles south of Hollywood, and took a bus up to Hollywood and back down again, and up and down for auditions. And eventually won the part." TG: "What was the audition like?" PT: "Well, it started off with just a huge gang of kids in the office. The office had one secretary type and two offices, one on either side. You went into which ever one was free next and if they didn’t like you, that was it. If they did like you, then you went into the next guy’s office when he was free, and if he liked you, then they sent you to this — they gave you a, what they called a personality interview: they just had the cameras running on the set of I Dream Of Jeannie or something, and they asked you questions. And then, if they thought that was… that was actually also, I think, a photogenic test — photo genesis test (chuckles): Were you born in the camera? But after that, then came the regular screen test, which was scripted, and they had a set there, and a director, and he said, 'Do this and do that, and don’t do this and do this other thing.’ And they had, by that time, had gotten down to eight guys, and they divided them up into teams of two, and each one of them did the screen test with the script and the stage actions: 'Hey, man, what’s really the matter?’ 'Aw, I don’t know, it’s about Celia, you know.’ 'Yeah, yeah, I know, man.’ Like that." TG: "So that was the audition." PT: "That was, well, that was the whole audition process." TG: "Did, did they test you for chemistry with each other, since this was a band that was put together by producers?" PT: "No, they made, they made their assumptions and shot. They said, Well, we need one of these and one of these, two from column A and one from column B." TG: "Yeah, so, so what were the types that you were supposed to fit?" PT: "Well, I actually think that what they did… They didn’t just say, 'Actually, we need one of each of these.' What they said was, 'We’re going to need a bunch of qualities and pretty much the qualities… and we need them somehow or another combined among these guys.' I think basically one of the reasons I was chosen was — I can think of two good reasons why I was chosen. One is that I brought that character of the dummy to the audition. And they needed an odd man out, a guy who is like a little, you know, slightly turned from the other guys; straight-ahead rock and roll band, and one kind of simpatico, simplicico kind of a guy, and that was my character. And so that was one of the reasons why I was chosen. The other reason I think I was chosen is because I did the screen test in one take. At least, I thought it was impressive, I hope they did, too. In any case, it was like that, I got — I was the odd man out, Davy was the little British or romantic, and then two other guys, one of them light and crazed, and the other kind of dark and serious. And so that was the way it was balanced out." TG: "Were you asked to watch Beatles movies or listen a lot to Beatles records to develop the kind of sound and image that they had?" PT: "No." TG: "Were you self-conscious of The Monkees being considered to be like a Beatles imitation band?" PT: "Well, I — there was a lot of criticism to that effect and I think I took it to heart, and now I think I took it to heart too much. Because, really, it was, I think in some ways, Micky and Davy had a healthier attitude about it as I look back on it now. They didn’t go for that imitation this or organic that, you know, they just read their scripts, they came to the studio and read their parts, and that was all they ever cared about doing. You know, 'Give me a part and pay me at the end of the week.’ That’s all. And if I’d had that attitude, I would have been a lot happier. I would have been able to not worry. Because I heard a lot of different criticisms — and it all sounded as thought it was coming from one seriously important source, to me in those days. That was how I was. And I now see that each person had their own little carping to do. For instance, nobody ever said, to, in my knowledge, in those days, that we were a bunch of talentless actors. Everybody said we were talentless musicians, but not talentless actors. Because in Hollywood, we were respected pros doing what we had to do, cranking out this stuff week in and week out. You got it out, you were a pro; that was all anybody cared about in Hollywood. And so I said, Well, at least we had that much respect.’ I later find out that the struggling New York actors crowd are calling us talentless actors. But what I heard was the struggling musicians crowd in L.A., and all of the would-be-goods that are going, Well, these guys don’t play their own instruments,’ and all that… horseradish." TG: "You find that the rap has changed about the program? Because so many people look back on it affectionately now as being, like, a real pop piece from that period?" PT: "I don’t — it’s a good question. I don’t know whether the rap itself has changed, but I’m hearing more good rap about it. Which maybe comes to the same thing." TG: (laughs) PT: "You’re laughing because I spilled my coffee." TG: "Because you spilled your coffee, yeah. Did the studio control your personal life or your image? Like, was it okay to have girlfriends?" PT: "Oh, sure." TG: "Um, was it okay to be seen with them?" PT: "It’s okay to have sex. (laughs)" TG: "(laughs) You never know with studios, like how much control they’re exerting or what they want you to look like to your public." PT: "Well, they wouldn’t let us criticize the war in Vietnam." TG: "Really?" PT: "Really." TG: "Did you want to?" PT: "Yup. I actually did, to a New York Times reporter, and they made me, asked me very seriously, very strenuously, to call her and ask her to withhold that section of the interview. And I did, and she did, she was very kind about it. But it was… I look back on it and it seems kind of silly, but I think that the whole point of the project was: don’t make waves. Look like revolutionary, look like something new, but don’t make waves. On the other hand, in the experience of an awful lot of our audience, we were something new. So I can’t knock that." TG: "Do you think you would have been more of an activist if you weren’t part of TV at the time?" PT: "I don’t know. I never did march, you know, I never did carry a sign. The only thing I ever did was a sit-down strike someplace. Not much. You know, I never really did get into activism, and I don’t know whether it’s just because I’m a flat-out coward or I have some deep understanding of the cosmic truth of the fact that it doesn’t do any good or whatever, in whatever case, that’s just — that’s what it is, I don’t do it much." TG: "Bob Rafelson, who was one of the producers of the show, is now also known as a director of such films as Five Easy Pieces. Have you kept in touch with him at all?" PT: "No." TG: "Did you, like, go to see his other movies?" PT: "I happen to have seen some of the other movies… Of course I saw Five Easy Pieces because we were still associated with those guys as that movie was being put together. I mean, Easy Rider, and then I saw Five Easy Pieces because it was Jack Nicholson who helped us make the movie Head, the Monkee movie. And, and I think, I think Jack is super. And of course, one of the things that I — I have a feeling about Jack because I see the crazy guy that he portrays on screen and I see him in life and he’s still got that, that something, you know, out of bounds is still there, and still, in his actual character, he is one of the great open-minded, open-hearted sweeties that I know. And to see a man with that, these vast, seemingly vast, differences, working and playing these crazed people on screen, and still — I mean, the reason that he’s as big a star as he is, is because he does have the capacity to be abstract about his own work. You should have heard, you should have seen what it was like working with him. He’s a great technician, which is one of the great attributes. You can’t be a crazy maniac like that and not be a good technician if you want to have a career. Because you’ll just go out of bounds without any kind of viewing. And… wow, how’d we get off on that?" TG: "Did you want to pursue acting after The Monkees?" PT: "I didn’t care what I did. I, I’m an entertainer. If I act, or play music, or like I’m doing tonight at Godfrey Daniel in Bethlehem, if I do that… I have a rock band now, it’s called The Peter Tork Project and we’ll probably be swinging through here. And we play thumping rock and roll, we just really beat the bejesus out of things and really stomp. And we have a hard time getting people to believe it, because I do my acoustic act and it depends almost entirely on rapport, and I don’t rock out too much because how much rock and roll can you do on an acoustic guitar or a piano? But… I do, so it’s very, a kind of quietish show, it’s a nice, mild show." TG: "What kind of material do you play solo?" PT: "Well, I do essentially… it’s like there’s an overlap. I do a large part of the same material in both shows. I do do some old Monkees songs, just because I know people want to hear that kind of stuff. And I do do some oldies, ‘50s rockers. And with the band, then we go on to the more heavy rock and roll, the band plays that and rockier stuff. And acoustically I play that and farther out stuff, more ballads, some… a J.S. Bach piece on the piano, one, count ‘em, one. And… like that. So, it’s old, old tunes; I play some more introspective stuff in an acoustic set." TG: "What kind of music do you listen to when you have time to listen?" PT: "Baroque, reggae, current pop from time to time if I happen — I don’t buy current pop records but I get them from my family for gifts and so on. I like Men At Work, I got that for Christmas, I thought it was great." TG: (laughs) PT: "That kind of stuff. The Police. Good — I like good music in almost every form. About the only kind of music that I really have a very hard time taking is opera, and Mozart. For some reason, Mozart I think is awful. I don’t know how come he’s so revered and so treasured. Out of about every dozen pieces that I hear, I think one is inventive and interesting, and the other seem to me just to be scales with flourishes." TG: "Well, I’ll send you all the angry mail when we get it. (laughs)" PT: "No thanks!" (laughter) TG: "Peter Tork is my guest, if you’re just joining us, who got started in, um, and came in very young when he was in The Monkees." PT: "Wait a minute, wait a — that’s not my start! I was playing in the Village for two and a half years. (jokingly) Made his mark in the entertainment industry, you might say, that, that would be fair." TG: "What kind of material were you playing in the Village?" PT: "Folk songs. Just the old folk songs, and 'Blowin’ In The Wind,' and protest songs and folk songs, five-string banjo stuff." TG: "Word was on The Monkees show that it was really studio musicians who were doing the instrumental part while The Monkees were actually doing the singing. Is that true?" PT: "The first two records. After that, we did a record all by ourselves, almost all by ourselves. And then after that, we went into a mixed mode, where it was a professional drummer and I’d be playing bass, or, you know I’d be playing guitar and we’d have a professional bass player, or something like that. At the outset it was — and the thing was that nobody was sure whether we could play, nobody had any idea of how much time. I mean, they really, you know, when you hire a professional studio musician, you know what you’re getting, you know that you can knock off a complete track of two tunes in three hours, maybe more. Just take them in, put the music in front of them, and hit it. And say, More of this, less of that, and okay, you got it. And that’s the way it goes. And they just didn’t know what it was like, and so because our services were needed most critically for making the TV series, it was just regard… also, Donnie Kirshner didn’t like to have people who couldn’t be told what to do. As a matter of fact, you may have noticed that, after he and The Monkees parted company, he decided that The Monkees were not plastic enough for him, went and did the Archies." TG: "Did he organize them also by audition?" PT: "The Archies? You’re kidding." TG: "I don’t know the whole folklore of the Archies." PT: "You know — have you ever seen an Archies comic book?" TG: "Yeah, oh! Of course. What am I thinking? Right." PT: "The Archies were those comic book characters, and whatever singers were willing to do what Kirshner paid them to do, did the records. And after that, they left. There were never any Archies, there never were. (laughs) Like I said, The Monkees were too real for Don Kirshner." TG: "Did you think of Kirshner as being an absurd character?" PT: "Yes." TG: "But powerful." PT: "Well, in his time he was powerful enough. He just was one of those characters whose set up and system happened to jibe with the commercial demand of the times. I don’t think Kirshner knew what he was doing at one level. At another level, he knew perfectly well what he was doing. He was… he listened to music, and he created music that he liked, and it sold millions to thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds." TG: "I’m getting the feeling that you were in a kind of awkward position of kind of understanding what kind of manipulation was happening and at the same time being willing to go along with it because it was good for your performing career." PT: "Well, I don’t know whether it was good for my performing career. The reason I went along with it is because I never took any initiative of anything on my own account. Really basically, I just did wherever I was pointed. You know, Stephen said, ‘Go try out,’ I tried out. They said, ‘Come here, do this.’ I did that. ‘Sign here.’ I signed there. And really, I’m just — I’m only recently now getting to the point in my life where I’m beginning to say, ‘Let me figure this out. What is it that I really want? What steps do I have to take, and what…’ And even then, you know, I have to recognize that I have no control over events. All I can do is say, ‘This is the kind of thing that I’d like, and this is the kind of thing that I have to do to make my chances better.’ And then I do that, and then I have to just let the results be whatever they are, to get into trying to make results happen, you know. As a matter of fact, in some ways that was one of the problems that… when I broke up with The Monkees, I left because I couldn’t get those guys back into the studio to do the same kind of thing that we’d done on our third album, which was Micky on drums, Michael on guitar, me on piano, our producer on bass, Davy Jones playing rhythm sections, and then hiring the occasional string player or something like that. Micky said, 'You can’t go back.' He thought he was Thomas Wolfe. And Davy said, 'I don’t wanna be banging a tambourine day in, day out. You guys, it takes you 54 takes to get your parts down, I’ve got my part down first take. Just bang a tambourine. I’m sick of banging a tambourine, Peter, I hope you don’t mind.’ 'Okay, Davy.’ And so we went into this mixed mode. But I wanted the guys to be a real, live group. I had this Pinocchio/Geppetto complex, you know. And when they wouldn’t go for it, I really — it burned me out. And there I was being burnt out because things wouldn’t happen my way, and it was a case of His Majesty The Baby, trying to, you know, have his own way. If I had had the good sense God gave me, I might have noticed that I was having my own personal way, that is, in the sense that I wanted for myself was happening. I could be in the studio playing bass or guitar or piano on every single cut The Monkees did from then on if I wanted to, but that wasn’t enough for me, I wanted things for other people to do, otherwise I wanted to produce and direct and write the script for the whole shebang." TG: "Why did you want everyone to be playing? Because you thought it was more honest? Or was there another reason?" PT: "I thought it was more honest, I thought it was a bigger deal, I wanted a real live group, I thought that this was the way things were done; I was a victim of the same illusions that other people were criticizing us for shattering in their lives. In other words, you’re not a — you don’t just do this all by yourselves, you’re not an organic group, you don’t this, you don’t that, and how could you, you’ve broken my heart.’ As if, you know, as if we’ve broken their heart, as if it wasn’t the shattering of false illusions. If you hang on to false illusions, of course your heart’s gonna get broken." TG: "Did you try to organize the band to maybe rebel against —" PT: "Mh-hm." TG "— the producer." PT: "Well, we did organize the band, and we did get — rebel against Don Kirshner, but it was Mike and me wanting to — each for reasons of our own — and Micky and Davy went along. And then we did the thing, and then everybody said, 'Well, that’s enough of that, thanks very much.’ And I went, 'No, no, no, you’ve got to do it the way we planned, the way I had in mind for us to do,' you know. The fact that everybody went along with what looked like my plan obscured my vision of the fact that everybody was doing what it was they thought they had to do for reasons of their own. And when their reasons changed, and their behavior changed, and my plan didn’t change, I went after them screaming to try to mend my shattered illusions. What a jerk." TG: "(laughs) How did being a television star and a recording star affect your schooling and your ability to have friendships and things like that?" PT: “I don’t know that it affected my ability to have friendships. Basically I don’t think I knew how to be or have a friend beforehand, and I don’t think I learned while I was in that operation. I mean, I had some good buddies, you know, but that wasn’t the same thing, I didn’t really understand. There was only one person in my life that I could turn to when I was hurting who happened somehow to know what it was, what it took to stop me hurting, and that was a woman named Karen Harvey, who later joined me on the West Coast. And I thought, well, here’s a friend come to join me and this will be a real friend. And we were pretty good friends, I guess, but there wasn’t any that, you know, that — I didn’t know what a friend did in a sense of how, on a day-to-day basis, do you maintain your friendships, do you go out of your way to make sure that things are nice and right and, you know, the kind of work that a friendship takes. You don’t just have a friendship without work. And I didn’t know that. And I’m not so sure I know it now. I can say it, but I don’t know if I have, I have the real gut understanding it takes. But in any case, so that… And my schooling, the reason that I was in entertainment was because I’d flunked out of college for the second time, and I never did finish and get a graduate — I mean, I never did get a bachelor’s degree. And to this day, I haven’t got one and I don’t know whether I ever will." TG: "Well, you don’t exactly send resumes around when you’re playing concerts. (laughs)" PT: "No, they didn’t ask me for my degree when they asked me to play Bethlehem. At the Godfrey Daniel tonight in Bethlehem, PA. Those of you who are within driving distance of there, who are within the sound of my taped voice now should hustle out there and take your money so that you can get in." TG: "Speaking of money — how much profits did people in the band, of The Monkees, have, from the millions of records that were sold, and the TV profits and syndication?" PT: "We got the usual — we got standard minimum shares of the TV show and the records. We got a raise, a modest substantial raise, some, you know, medium kind of a raise, after about six months they gave us a raise. We always got the standard record deal, which was: the group gets five points, which was five percent of ninety percent, and so we split one and a quarter points, which is, what, one and three tenths percent each person of whatever the going price was. And we get that today. If they sell a record, The Monkees Greatest Hits album is still on the Billboard middle-of-the-road or some — there’s some special chart that Billboard has that we’ve been on for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks." TG: "How do you feel about that?" PT: "Well, it’s money, I don’t care." TG: "Did you retire as a wealthy young man from the —" PT: "No. No, I didn’t. I retired as a man with some indeterminate amount of money which somehow indeterminately ran out." TG: "So, when you left, did you want to be known as the former Monkee or did you want to erase that part of your past —" PT: "I tried to erase it." TG: "— and start anew?" PT: "I tried to erase it completely." TG: "How do you do that?" PT: "Well, you just don’t do anything connected with it, just absolutely refuse to have anything to do with it, and… basically what I did was I retreated into — I wound up retreating into Marin County, California, which is just north of San Francisco. And there I worked, I belonged to a worker-owned restaurant, waited tables and was part of the cooperative that owned and operated the restaurant. Nominally owned the restaurant; it was actually owned by this guy whose parents had left him some GM stock, and he bought this thing and the co-op was supposed to pay him to buy him out over the long haul. I think they have done finally, I think it’s now a real workers’ co-op. And I worked there, and I retreated, and nobody said anything to me about my Monkees past except one or two guys said, You know, I’m glad to see you just on the street schlepping around, that kind of thing, which made me feel good. I belonged to a few groups; I belonged to a thing called the Fairfax Street Choir, which had 35 voices in the rock section and was very hard to stage. (laughs) Those little coffee house stages, 35 guys and women. And I also belonged to a kind of second on the bill act in San Francisco called Osceola for a year or so. And that kind of thing. And nobody said anything about The Monkees to me." TG: "Are you in touch with the former members now?" PT: "Occasionally." TG: "I would imagine that some people would be happy to see, like, a reunion. Would you ever imagine that happening? PT: Yeah. The only problem with that is mounting it and making it acceptable to everybody. The problem is, the real problem is that I can’t much see myself going onstage and doing an hour of Monkees greatest hits playing bass and getting offstage. I don’t think that any amount of money would particularly… I don’t suppose that no amount of money, but I don’t think that any amount of money that anybody would be interested in paying me would make me want to do that. I… And I don’t see what conceivable creative project could interest the four of us that would be backed with enough money to make it worth our while to develop any good germ of an idea into something full-blown. I just, I don’t see it happening, I just think that the chances are astronomical against it. It’s possible. We’re all alive. The Beatle reunion is not possible. I’m just reading Lennon’s interview, and he says that thoughts of a Beatle reunion are like going back to high school. Why don’t you go back to high school? When are The Beatles getting back together? When are you going back to high school?" TG: "Is that how you feel?" PT: "I — like I said, I would think that any just simple remounting of The Monkees greatest hits songs on a stage would be that, yes." TG: "Oh, but if you were able to do other material." PT: "That’s what I’m saying. If I thought that it could be creative and useful and engage everybody to the fullest of their capacities, I would, I would consider it. But who’s gonna, you know, pay for us to have hotels, to keep us supported in the styles to which we are accustomed for the two months or three months that it would take to create, carve, mount, produce and rehearse a show that would involve all of us to the maximum of our new capacities. I don’t think it can be done." TG: "How do you feel about audiences?" PT: "What do you mean, (laughs) how do I feel about audiences? What kind of a question is that?" TG: "Okay, because fans have kind of played it both ways with the members of The Monkees, you know, I think when the TV series was on and when millions were being sold, there were millions of fans who were really adoring. And then when you leave a group like that and everybody wants to hear from you only in that context, it’s probably —" PT: "How long have we been on that topic, on this? We’ve been a half an hour, we’ve been almost the entire show on that topic." TG: "What topic?" PT: "The Monkees." TG: "Right. So…" PT: "(gently) So what’s your question?" TG: "So do you have a mixed feeling about fans and audiences?" PT: "Well, fans and audiences are different. Audiences come and they catch the show and they like what I do or they don’t, and that’s up to them, and that’s just the way it’s supposed to be, no matter whether I ever was a Monkee or not. And fans… if a fan, if somebody really needs to remember The Monkees and identify with that, I have nothing to say about that because I don’t know what’s going on with them or what chord I may have touched at some point way back when that they still need to strum on themselves. And it’s none of my business." TG: "So where are you living now?" PT: "I live in Venice, California, legally and technically. As a business matter, I spend most of my time in New York. I still am a registered voter in southern California, my driver’s license is southern California, I’m married, I have children in southern California, I go back there as often as I can and be part of the family, I just don’t get out there very often, and as a business matter, I spend most of my time in New York. Eighty percent." TG: "Where have you been doing most of your performing?" PT: "The New York area these days, mostly. I went to southern Canada, southern Ontario to do a few shows, I’ve been to Boston, I’ve been upstate New York, and I did Pittsburgh a couple, about a year ago, I guess. You know, I operate out of New York basically because you can’t operate out of L.A. You cannot make a living as an entertainer operating out of L.A. Not that I make such a great living operating as an entertainer out of New York, but at least there’s a sense of whatever level I’m on, I can go to the next level and operate on that level for a while. In L.A., you either have to make it or you die. That’s it: you’re either making it or you’re dead. And once somebody has been to the top and come away, you don’t, as far as I see, get much of a second chance in L.A. I tried to knock around as a character, comic character actor for a while, and I got people to: 'Hi, you know, it’s good to see ya,' and they laughed at my jokes, and then they never invited me back." TG: "Um, I forgot what I was gonna ask you." PT: "(laughs) A hell of a note for a professional interviewer." TG: "(laughs) Oh! Do you watch TV much now?" PT: "A fair amount." TG: "Do you watch it very critically, having been — and also seeing what kind of roles are available, I imagine…" PT: "No, no, I don’t watch mass media pop TV much. Hillstreet Blues, that’s about it. The rest of what I watch is CNN, cable news, I don’t know if you get it here." TG: "We don’t get cable here yet." PT: "You don’t have cable in Philly? (jokingly) Oh, you poor people! MTV, also on cable, and, um, the odd cosmos show. I, I saw Carl Sagan say astrology had been completely debunked on a scientific basis. And I go, wait a minute. Not that I’m such a fan of astrology, but there’s no scientific proof that — it’s like, anything you don’t like, if you define it the way you don’t like it, you can prove it doesn’t exist. Like, he said, 'The premise is that the stars have a profound influence on life.’ No, that’s not it." TG: "Do you watch a lot of rock video?" PT: "I watch a fair amount of rock video, and a few pop, the news, you know. Then I listen to music and I read, and I perform and I rehearse, and I run around and take care of business, and that keeps my days filled." TG: "Will you be performing tonight at Godfrey Daniels?" PT: "I’ll be performing at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania." TG: "And which instruments will you be playing?" PT: "I’ll be playing the guitar, the banjo, and the piano. All at once. (laughter) No, no, seriously, folks, all kidding towards one side, I’ll be playing those three instruments, if they have a decent piano in Bethlehem; I didn’t bring my piano with me." TG: "I want to thank you a lot for talking with us. Thanks very much for being here." PT: "Well, I’m — it was all right, thank you, and I, I just, I just hope it turns out an audience in Bethlehem, that’s all." TG: "Thanks for coming." PT: "Okay." [audio cuts off]

I uploaded the full audio to Google Drive, here.

[creatorbiaze]

got bored, generated some incorrect quotes with the Fallen Pantheon

Vizerxa: Genesis, I don’t think I can handle any more of your tomfuckery.

Genesis: Oh yeah? Well I can keep going until you’re all tomfuckered out!

Light Song: *Turns on the kitchen light*

Videns: *Sitting at the table, eating bread*

Light Song: It’s four in the morning.

Videns: Turn the light back off.

Genesis: Maybe the real monster was the friends we both literally and figuratively murdered along the way.

Vizerxa, to Snow Sky: One universe, nine planets, seven seas, seven continents, and I had the unfortunate luck of meeting you.

Star Seer: Hey, that’s not very nice-

Snow Sky: There are only eight planets, you uncultured swine!

Star Seer, forgetting about Vizerxa: VIVA LA PLUTO, FUCK YOU!

Videns, grinning: Before you were what?

Genesis: Before I was-

Videns: What?

Genesis: Before I was inter-

Videns: Before you were interrupted?

Genesis: Cut me off one more time and I swear I'll-

Videns: What?

Genesis: *makes frustrated sound*

Snow Sky, nervously: Stop that. Before they hurt you.

Star Seer, rushing into the room: It’s terrible, just terrible! I am so upset!

Snow Sky: Star Seer, honey, sit down! Sweetheart, tell us all about it. Blood Moon, would you get Star Seer some water?

Blood Moon: What are they gonna do with water? Has water ever made you feel better when you were upset? Have you ever heard anyone say, “Thank God, the water’s here!”?

*the squad is at a dinner party but someone has been murdered*

Genesis: You’re acting pretty carefree for someone who’s life’s at stake. Who’s to say you aren’t the killer?

Snow Sky: It’s a murder, not a tax audit. I’ll be fine.

Aella: What about Star Seer? Nobody ever suspects Star Seer!

Star Seer: Well what about Videns? They have a gun!

Videns: Genesis has a knife.

Genesis: Yeah, for fun, not for murder! *stabs Aella in the arm*

Aella: I didn’t know that air fryers are a real thing. Used to think that they were made up by the internet as a funny joke and that their purpose was to “fry air”.

Blood Moon: WAIT, BUT IT FRIES THE AIR TO FRY THE FOOD??

Aella: I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS A KITCHEN APPLIANCE, MY FIRST ASSUMPTION WAS SOMETHING AKIN TO AN AIR CONDITIONER!

Amatus: IT’S NOT LIKE AN AIR CONDITIONER????

Vizerxa: You guys clearly don’t own an air fryer.

Videns: What are your adjectives?

Genesis: …You mean my pronouns?

Videns: No, I know what your pronouns are! What are your adjectives?

Genesis: …I dunno. What are yours?

Videns: Noisy and chaotic!

Genesis: I’ve never had something go from making no sense to making complete sense so quickly.

[omegaremix]

The Great Vinyl Purge.

I had a funny feeling during my last music-shopping victory spree. When I furiously dug and came across certain titles, I constantly paused on myself wondering if I already had them in my collection. Dollar records make way for hasty decisions and later regretted when you come home to see those same titles you purchased already in your library.

I audited my shelves to see doubles I didn’t realize I once had. Money well spent if only the first time. After that, you’re donating to your local record stores. That’s what’s called charity. With me buying vinyl faster than a cheetah hunting down his prey, I’m running out of space. I’m not realizing I’m spending money on records I already have, so they had to go. There were many impulse purchases made thanks to low price tags, a kick for the classics, and very little care of the artist other than the year they were made.

There were many duplicates from artists I’m familiar with. Components from my Atari and Nintendo youth in Belinda Carlisle (The Go-Go’s) and Phil Collins (Genesis), jazz-fusion artists Tom Scott and Ramsay Lewis, and an extra from Minnie Riperton. The Doors’ Greatest Hits had to go as I mistakenly bought a copy recently before the purge, and one from France Joli that I shouldn’t have had because I tried finding a song that wasn’t on there.

Not only did I take the duplicates out, but I also took records out of my collection I never listened to. Two titles from The Who and Melba Montgomery that I purchased at an Amityville veteran’s hall left the library because I literally never played them. Doobie Brothers, Nicolette Larson, and many children’s records rescued from a sidewalk dump from people who didn’t know better. They had to go. A few days later I woke up one morning and asked myself why I have almost the entire vinyl discography of Seals & Croft and The 5th Dimension?

And then these three: Al Jolson, M.C. Osso, and Justin Wilson …Meets Jean (John) Barleycorn. Those were three records my dad found ages ago from another stack tossed out for the morning pick-up. That was when I was oblivious to vinyl and record collecting. Hell, we didn’t have a turntable back then. How did I somehow keep them and why did I keep a fucking cajun comedy (?) record? I was better than this.

**********

Now that the vinyl purge was over, what did I do? I had no time creating a Discogs and wait for these records to be sold piece by piece. No record-stores would take them as the children’s records are water-damaged with dry mold. The only other option? Take the easy way out and give them to someone who appreciates them. Why? Friends and family had been charitable to me in the past. A no-longer-staffer of WUSB announced a roll-call for a huge vinyl giveaway donated to me, and later on most of those same records went to Syke. That’s the same Syke who ended up donating me some of his records he found in front of someone’s house; a customer of his who took her entire collection and threw them out in front of the curb. Not me. I give my gifts to a good home.

Once my dad found a collection of polka records and took them home. “What the fuck is this?” I asked him. There’s no way I’d be caught dead and Wee-Gee’d with polka records. Good thing this was right before WUSB’s 35th anniversary. I knew our resident polka lady Theresa was attending, so I donated my stacks to her. Problem solved. Caring is sharing and it goes both way, that is…when you’re not throwing your entire library out in the street.

So I gave them to J-Ro, host of WUSB’s Radio Free J-Ro, archivist, and vinyl fanatic. I dropped them off at the station in October and told him to come get it. He took home Carly Simon’s self-titled, Minnie Riperton’s Perfect Angel, Ramsay Lewis’ Tequila Mockingbird, Herb Alpert’s Rise, and whatever 5th Dimension records he didn’t have already. So that’s only 5% of the stack. As of now, most of it is still there. It’s now WUSB’s as far as I’m concerned. We have the space. Let ‘em deal with it.

Here’s all I parted with to make way for more records and books of my liking. Malcomb Forbes did say: “he / she who dies with the most toys wins.” Sometimes, it’s the nicer shinier ones that get you the victory.

France Joli: Now!

Tom Scott: Blow It Out

Paul Simon: Still Crazy After All These Years

Doobie Brothers, The: Minute By Minute

Phil Collins: Face Value

Carly Simon: self-titled

Minnie Riperton: Perfect Angel

Ramsay Lewis: Tequila Mockingbird

Herb Alpert: Rise

Belinda Carlisle: Belinda

Al Jolson & Oscar Levant: Songs And Comedy

M.C. Osso: Umbra Penumbra

Justin Wilson:  Justin Wilson Meets Jean (John) Barleycorn

Doors, The: Greatest Hits

Who, The: It’s Hard

Melba Montgomery: Don’t Let The Good Times Fool You.

Seals & Crofts: Unborn Child, The Longest Road, Diamond Girl, Closer, Summer Breeze, Greatest Hits, self-titled.

5th Dimension, The: Greatest Hits On Earth, Greatest Hits, Up Up And Away, Stoned Soul Picnic, The Age Of Aquarius, Portrait

[cheddar-inq]

GUESS WHOS AUDITIONING FOR GENESIS THIS YEARRRRR

[ohtobemare]

from kamp kilmer

“Sand” was Val Kilmer’s audition piece for Juilliard, which resulted in him gaining acceptance as the youngest student ever admitted to their drama department. Halfway through the line “I’m sorry can I start over”, when his auditioners responded he knew he had done a convincing job of delivering a believable performance. Val then went on to become one of the most prolific actors of his generation. This piece is really an expression of the beginning of Val’s journey as both an actor and poet, really the only choice for Val’s SuperRare Genesis. Kamp Kilmer

one of the most provoking, beautiful pieces I've ever heard. Laurence Fuller delivers this in one of the most grippingly, beautiful vocals I've heard in a long time. Sand is a profound journey of discovery and self reflection. Val is just unparalleled.

He really is a Shakespeare, a Twain if you will, of our era.

[everyone-is-incorrect]

Bayonetta: Needlemouse, be honest with me on this.

Sonic: On what?

Bayonetta: *Pulls up a picture of Sonic’s running sprite from the Genesis games* How the hell are you able to rotate your legs 360° clockwise to present the illusion of you running quickly?

Sonic: Well, uh… ‘Ya see, I…

*Flashback to Sega auditioning for a new mascot back in 1990*

*A group of representatives of Sega are intently watching Sonic, who was their 5th attendee of the day*

Sonic: Wanna see how fast I can go? Check this out!

*Sonic starts building up speed quickly on his legs before he runs, spinning his legs clockwise for a split second before hearing his bones crack*

*Extremely audible screaming can be heard both in and outside Sega HQ*

*Flashback end*

Sonic: Uh, special effects?

.

[pendantaudio]

CASTING CALL: 3 recurring roles for all genders in superhero/fantasy mashup audio drama Genesis Avalon: Patriot!

Audition deadline ***SEPTEMBER 18***

[briasfreespace]

Black Artist Exploration: The Illustrious Janelle Monáe

photos sourced by @themakeupbrush

(Before we begin, Janelle is nonbinary and uses she/they pronouns, and therefore, she and they will be used interchangeably)

In each of her distinct eras as a musician, @janellemonae has not only risen to the occasion but brought something extraordinary out of their listeners. They make music for what they're going through and what they're looking for. At every stage of their career, they unboxed new characters and new stories. New challenges for her audience to address in themselves and furthermore liberate themselves from. Monae is not only looking to take up space but to nurture a community for all the arch-androids and pleasure seekers out there. She is a Sagittarius doing right by the stars, liberating people through new ideas and perspectives, and guiding us to the new age.

🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖The Wonderful Janelle Monae🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖

Born Dec 1st in Kansas City, Kansas, Janelle Monae Robinson felt she was destined to be a star. They grew up in the church and theatre, always looking for new opportunities to show off their talent. They have described themselves on numerous occasions as ¨a free-ass motherfucker.” This free-ass personalities genesis started when she was young. Janelle often struggled with her early religious background which had an undesirable effect on her, into adulthood. She was once escorted out of church for singing Michael Jackson´s ¨Beat It.¨ The restrictions she often felt as a kid, is what helped evolve her into a liberated musician and adult.

After high school, they moved to NYC to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy for musical theatre. During her time there, she recognized that this was not the place for their talents to flourish. She explained to the Guardian´s Dorian Lynskey,

"I felt like that was a home but I wanted to write my own musicals. I didn't want to have to live vicariously through a character that had been played thousands of times – in a line with everybody wanting to play the same person."

She also acknowledged a lack of diversity drove her out of the school, and she made her way to Atlanta. This was the start of her career and where she would meet some very important names in Hip Hop and R&B. When they lived in Atlanta, they stayed in a boarding house and worked at Office Depot. She performed anywhere she could, including the library steps of Clark-Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spelman -all HBCUs. She would end up being fired from Office Depot, where says she was ¨pushing ink.¨ Ironically, she was fired for attempting to reach out to a fan on their computers. This was a push-comes-to-shove situation where she knew it was time to be all in.

Bria speaking: This exact fucking thing happened to me this year, and bitch, im still getting shoved. But I´m figuring it out every step of the way. For any of my creatives out there who are still trying to get their footing, Janelle´s story is for all of us.

The shove helped her create a song called ¨Lettin' Go,¨ off her 2003 demo The Audition, which brought her attention from none other than Big Boi. She would later be featured on OutKast´s Idlewild, and continued to be featured on a few other projects until in 2006, she signed to Bad Boy Records. This began the professional career of the artist Janelle Monáe.

The Era´s

Merriam-Webster defines an Era as a period identified by some prominent figure or characteristic feature or a stage in development (as of a person or thing)

Just to let y´all know, I am not going into intricate detail on these albums because we would be here all day. 😭

However, maybe I'll study the specific eras of artists in detail for another post, but not today.

The Android era, Cindi Mayweather, and Metropolis

In this era, everything is mechanic, robotic, and Black and white. This era begins with the first EP Metropolis: Suite 1 (the Chase). Here we were introduced to Cindi Metropolis, Janelle´s alter ego, who is an android from 2719. The records from this era, up to Electric Lady, introduce Janelle´s ideology, style, and most importantly the talent they have for world-building in audio and video. Archandroid and ¨We Are Young¨ (2011) were where I was introduced to them, and I have been a fan ever since. For more than half my life, I have loved her talent and their ability to step in and out of androgeny. There are features from Prince, Solange, Erykah Badu, and Miguel.

Dirty Computer and The Memory Librarian (2018)

Dirty Computer (2018) is my favorite era because this is the conclusion of all of the world-building she created in her previous era. This album is all about deconstructing ideologies imposed upon us through the hegemony otherwise known as the owners of the narrative. It´s about acknowledging the harm society has done to brainwash us into feeling shame about our sexualities and general expression. This is the era where Janelle would come out as bi-sexual, acknowledging her own shame around who she was becoming. I really recommend not only listening to the album but watching the film. They also co-wrote a book called The Memory Librarian, which is a collection of short stories that integrated the concept of Afro-Futurism -the integration of black culture and history into concepts of the future. Basically we been Black, will stay Black, and will forever be Black.

The Age of Pleasure and The Tig ole Bitties (2023)

This is the newest album of Janelle´s that caught her a lot of flack. She decided to show her breasts to the world, and many people were not so happy about this. I think her titties are pretty and most would agree. Unlike her earlier eras, this is where she completely omitted the outside world. She is talking about sex, seeking out sex, and partying after a time of the whole world being locked inside. This is where her ideas of liberation hit its pinnacle. You break out the system, and now time to party & fu...

Her influences

Janelle has cited Prince -someone who was a mentor and friend of hers, Sun Ra, Michael Jackson, Grace Jones (a recent collaborator), Quincy Jones, Pam Grier, Tina Turner, David Bowie, Parliament-Fundelics, Stevie Wonder (another collaborator,) Brian Wilson and so many more. Janelle is an artist who knows that to elevate, you need a background, you need a history. If you can´t name the artists before you, who will name you when you're gone. The moral of the story: Study your heroes and icons. You may even get to work with them one day.

Signing off,

B the Virgo

Sources:

For specific links from within the Wikipedia page, make sure you look at the footnotes. It was super duper helpful.

[gaybaiter]

i was tagged by @psychamore to post 10 songs i have on repeat ^_^

1. oblivion - grimes

2. shy boy - carly rae jepsen

3. audition (the fools who dream) - emma stone

4. asleep - the smiths

5. the art teacher - rufus wainwright

6. genesis - grimes

7. come back around - moon boots & cherry glazerr

8. changes - david bowie

9. hate yourself - tv girl

10. love me more - mitski

tagging @astrxus @pathofag @10hp @fakesoup @tw3wh and @morguerue plus anyone else who wants to do it obvi