#it's as fun as it can be frustrating to compare drummers all from the same band

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

Bands and their endless revolving door of drummers is something that can actually be so personal

[ohtheseboysilove]

Wrong roommate [Roger Taylor x F!Reader]

Words : 6, 000 K +

Warnings : +18! 

Summary : You go back to a guy’s flat and ended up the night with his roomie instead. 

Note : I literally dreamed about that two days ago and spent all my free time writing about this, I have to admit it was pretty fun and about 70% smutty. (That also the reason why I didn’t finish the chapter for TSFAFIS, I will post it next tuesday!!!) 

Tell me what you think lovies !! 

☀ Masterlist ☀  800 followers celebration !!!

“It’s okay, it happen to the best of us” You said and cringed internally at how awkward all of this situation was. “Really James, it’s no biggie, hum maybe next time yeah ?”

You quickly pulled back your skirt on and buttoned your cute blouse, ignoring the aching of your pussy. You were dripping wet and more frustrated than ever.

“Wait ! Give me just a minute okay ? I can…” James called you, he was sat on the end of the bed, one hand wrapped around his dick which was now wearing a worrisome purple shade. “Maybe if you show me your tits again ?” He glanced at you, fingers tugging like a crazy on his cock and honestly you were worried he would hurt himself.

You rolled your eyes and shook your head, it was time for you to go home. You were beyond desperate, your clit throbbing painfully and your nipples hard like rock. It should be the case of James’ dick too but nothing worked, he couldn’t go further than half-hard, no matter what you both tried. It was humiliating for him and for you too — weren’t you hot enough to make him hard ? — so you decided it was for the best to stop here.

“I will see you around James” You muttered and ignored his whining, closing the door behind you.

You sat on the sofa, kicking before an old and smelly tee-shirt and slid your right stilettos on your foot, sighing loudly. You couldn’t wait to go back at your dorm and taking care of yourself, you were never disappointed that way. You cursed internally James, technically it wasn’t his fault if he couldn’t have a hard-on but he should have know himself better. You gave him a handjob in his car before he drove you here and you asked him few times he was sure if he could get hard again if you make him cum. He said yes, of course! Fucking liar. He didn’t even finger you correctly, forgetting about your poor clit and he was too eager, not really knowing was he was doing. It was frustrating because you were really excited, he was incredibly hot with a perfectly sculpted torso, brunette hairs hanging in a bun and a killer smile. Everything you liked. The tattoos were only bonus.

“It’s not your fault, you know” You raised your head at the voice and were relieved than it wasn’t James, running after you. Instead it was a lanky boy, well he wasn’t that tall but he was shirtless and clearly thin compared to his flatmate James. “You’re not the first girl to end up the night disappointed with our little Jamie” He flopped himself next to you, a beer in his hand. “This block can’t get hard half of the time, doesn’t matter how hot the girl in his room is” The boy chuckled but his eyes ogling you without a once of shame.

“Thank you...I guess” You replied awkwardly and focused on closing the strap of your shoe, trying to ignore his intense stare. “Why are you looking at me ?” You asked without glancing at him, sliding on your second shoe.

“It’s just such a waste, you’re so hot” His voice was octave lower than before and when you looked at him, you didn’t miss the lust dancing in his pupils. You rolled your eyes. “Too bad you picked the wrong roommate” He cockily added, his tongue sliding on his bottom lip before taking a long sip of his beer.

You snorted at his words.

“And you’re supposed to be the good roommate to bring home ?” You sassily questioned, crossing your arms.

“I am better than good, sweetheart” He bowed his head toward you, giving you a better look of his soft features. “I’m. So. Fucking. Great” He murmured hoarsely, his hand went on your bare knee, squeezed lightly before moving it away.

You couldn’t deny that his little charming act made you more bothered than you already were. But honestly, you had enough disappointment in one evening.

“Yeah, yeah, I already heard that somewhere” You motioned to James’ door and closed your strap shoe before standing up. He did the same and chewed his lower lip, finishing his beer in a sip. “And no offence honey but you don’t look like you could handle correctly a girl” You murmured and he didn’t seems hurt, instead he smirked and ran a hand in his messy hairs.

That was true, compared to James who was muscular with broad shoulders and much taller, he looked a bit ridiculous. You took another glance at him. They were so different. This man was blond, you could see he dyed his hairs and you found that pretty weird for a boy but it did look good on him. Wild long messy lock. His eyes were big and deep blue, adored with insanely long eyelashes – honestly you were jealous –, you were almost sure he had black eyeline under his eyes. It was strangely turning you on. His features were soft, almost feminine with his little pink lips and his teasing tongue, always poking out. Alright, he was hot, a different kind of hot but still.

“Like what you see, Sweetheart ?” You moved your gaze away after his little comment and he took a step toward you and this time, you didn’t budge. “You’re really beautiful, ya know that ?” He murmured and pushed away a strand of hairs from your face, a low shiver rolling down your spine. “And so frustrated” He added, his finger trailing on your jaw but you slapped it away.

“That only because of your stupid roomie” You felt obligate to defend yourself. “I’m gonna home and take good care of myself” The nameless blond breathed loudly and he rubbed a hand on his bare shoulder, eyes checking your bare legs.

“I know you can, sweetheart” He nodded, his voice was filed with hunger and you could feel the tension in the air. Thick and hot. You could feel more than never the wetness on your panties and it wasn’t very comfortable, that was the least to say. “But I can do it better” The blond said without any cockiness in his tone for once, like it was just a fact.

You scoffed and turned your head, trying to ignore how distracting his breath against your cheek was, the warmth emanating from his body was making weak. You didn’t say anything and he took it like an encouragement, coming closer to you.

“I’m not like James, I don’t need to oversell myself to have a girl in my bed” The blond grabbed your chin softly, his eyes roaming on your red painted lips. “I’m sure he told you how insanely good he is and how big his cock is, right ?” You pouted as a confirmation and he chuckled gently, running a thumb on your bottom lip. Sensually and slowly. He was right, James promised you so many things for tonight, you weren’t that surprise that his dick was smaller than he said, most of men lied about it. Pride and all but he went too far, the guy couldn’t even get a boner ! “My poor little kitten, I bet this soaked knickers aren’t really nice to wear, hmm ?” You stopped breathing when his right hand found your waist and his other hand cupped your cheek, lips brushing lazily against your neck.

His mouth slowly travelled down your throat, putting light kisses all the way. The tip of his nose was cold making a contrast with his hot lips and it was a very nice feeling.  

“I don’t even know your name” You weakly protested, his hands slid down your bum and squeezed it cheekily, a low moan escaping your parted mouth.

“I’m Roger and you are (Y/N)” He murmured onto your skin, his teeth nibbling on your neck, making it very hard to think. “And I can give you a really good time, if you let me, sweetheart”

“How do you know my name ?” You asked absent-mindedly, your hands moving to cross on the back of his neck, head titling on the side lightly, giving him more space to work.

“Because I had planned to take you home tonight” Roger confessed and slowly walked back, his mouth still attached to your neck. “James was quicker, unfortunately” He sat on the sofa and tugged your hand to make you follow. You didn’t even think twice and straddled his thigh, your forehead falling on his.

You snorted quietly, his cocky tone making you laugh.

“That a very smooth line, even for you Roger” You slowly grinded your drenching panties on his jeans, moaning with relief at the feeling of friction against your clothed clit. His right hand slid under your blouse, caressing your soft skin of your belly and the other hand was helping you rocking on his leg.

“But it’s true” He chuckled and grunted loudly when you palmed him through his pants, more than delighted to feel hard under your touch. It didn’t take long. “I was at the End of the world too, in fact my band was playing in that pub tonight” His digits went on your cheek, grabbing your face and his teeth gently tugged on your bottom lip, sucking on it lightly.

You sighed with pleasure and quickened the pace of your rubbing, feeling the knot in your stomach tightening at every move.

“Really ?” You asked with surprise and he hummed in approval, letting go of your lip and barely brushed his mouth against yours, just enough to tease you and making craving for more. “I didn’t see you”

“The perk of being the drummer, always hiding in the back” Roger murmured, his voice thick with need and his hips were rolling at the same rhythm as you, his chest puffing up and down. “But I saw you, your perky, little bum barely covered with this tiny little skirt” He moaned against your lips, his large palms rolling up your cloth to knead shamelessly your ass. And you didn’t mind at all.

His fingers were callous and incredibly hot, your orgasm was approaching at a fast pace and Roger’s eyes were widely dilated with lust, making only groaned highly.

“Well, you were pretty good, the gig was amazing” You complimented truthfully but you were having trouble to keep your mind clear with the pressure building inside your belly.

“Thank you (Y/N)” He said and you mouth fell agape, few more seconds and you were done. “Let go for me sweetheart, cum on my pants” He whispered in your ear and you let out a strangle cry, feeling so so close.

“Kitten” You breathed out with difficulty. He arched a brow and you repeated. “I prefer when you call me kitten” You were too aroused to even be embarrassed by the need dripping from your voice.

He smirked but didn’t tease you and gently bit on the lobe of your ear.

“Cum for me kitten” That was all you needed and in a muffled sob – Roger’s lips captured yours at the same exact moment – you came on his pants. Hard.

And now he was kissing you, deeply and intensely, swallowing all your little moans and cries, making sure you rode all of your high. His tongue went to mess with yours, hot and sloppy kiss, only adding fuel in the fire burning between your thighs.

“Holy shit” You breathed loudly, breaking the kiss to breath. “I can’t believe I just did that. James could have walked on us at any moment” You wiped with your thumb the lipstick around Roger’s mouth and slowly stood up, pushing back correctly your skirt.

You just cum on a complete stranger’s jeans. You didn’t see it coming. It felt strange but you weren’t regretting it, you finally had an orgasm.

“That was so hot” The drummer murmured, his pads scratching lazily his little belly, covered with few light hairs. “Should we move to my bed room ?” He asked and you hesitated, feeling a bit weird to sleep with the roomie of your...date of the night.

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea” You mumbled, trying to tame your hairs a little. “I mean...James is a nice guy, I shouldn’t have sex with you just because he can’t get a hard-on” You chewed your lips awkwardly, Roger was visibly painfully hard and his jeans had a wet patch on it because of you. You didn’t own anything to James but you felt bad to do that, you wouldn’t like to see the guy you brought home go sleep with your roommate. Absolutely not.

“James...is not as nice as you think, kitten” The blond stood up and licked his swollen lips before grabbing your hand, his fingers playing with yours. “How mad would you be if I told you he has a girlfriend ?” He used his free hands to turned toward a framed picture on the shelf. It was James and a girl, beautiful one, his arm wrapped around her waist as she kissed his cheek lovingly.

“Fucking asshole” You groaned and humphed angrily, eyes darting toward his door. “He can’t fucking get a hard-on and he also cheat on his girlfriend ? What a useless little shit” You shook your head and a wave of relief rolled on you at the thought that you didn’t sleep with him. You found him hot but you were certainly not the kind of girl who sleep with the boyfriend of other girls.

“Laura, that’s her name, she is gone for three months for an Erasmus exchange and he didn’t wait more than a day before bringing someone else here” Roger explained with a sigh. “Most of the girls finished like you”

“What ? You mean on your thigh ?” You mumbled almost angrily. You felt like he used you, knowing you would be desperate. Maybe it was his thing ? Fucking the girls his roommate couldn’t satisfied ?

He chuckled loudly and shook his head.

“Hell no, I mean frustrated and disappointed” His baby blue eyes locked with yours and he easily picked up your irritation. “Usually the girls aren’t as hot as you, not at all. And I told you, I don’t have problem to bring girl back in my room” He shrugged and brought your hands to his mouth, kissing softly your knuckles.

“So why are you alone on a saturday night, Mister hottie ?” You chatted back and he grinned, like he wished you would ask that question. “Didn’t get lucky tonight ?”

He didn’t reply and crashed his mouth against yours, a surprise gasp leaving your throat. The kiss was slower but much, much deeper. Lips melting into each other in a frenetic need. He slid his hands under your knees and you automatically wrapped your legs around his waist, moaning at the pressure of his boner against your center.

“I already told you, I saw you and I really, really wanted to take you home, kissing these pretty lips of yours” He let go of your mouth and walked to – you supposed – his room. “And your other lips too, bet you taste fucking delicious kitten” He purred into your mouth, giving you another mind-blowing kiss.

You let out a shaky cry at his words, your pussy throbbing with need and desire. This man was good with his tongue and words. And you were sure you didn’t even see half of his talents.

“What didn’t you talk to me in the pub ?” You murmured as he dropped you on the bed, his body flushed against yours. He dove into your neck, sucking harshly on your skin then soothing the pain with his hot tongue.

“You were in deep conversation with James, I didn’t wanted to screw my chance with you” He glanced at you, fingers on your blouse and you nodded eagerly. His pads quickly unbuttoned your clothe and exposed your red bra, your favourite and you were glad you decided to wear it tonight. You were slowly discovering how interesting Roger was and you wanted to please him. “I thought I would wait until you were annoyed with him but then, I saw you leaves with him” He whined and threw somewhere in the room your blouse, mouth kissing the shape of your breasts. “I knew you would be frustrated with this idiot, I was about to bring a chick home too but I thought that maybe...I could save your night afterwards” He winked and unclasped your bra, a low and hot moan escaping his mouth at the sight of your hard tits.

“You were right” You giggled dizzily, his warm mouth was now sucking on your nipple and you couldn’t thing about anything else. “But Roger...I had been enough disappointed tonight, I couldn’t bare go through that again” You cried, his fingers zipping down your skirt, the cold airs tickling your soaked knickers.

He stopped for a sec and pecked softly your lips, his large palm kneading your boob in the most delicious way possible.

“I won’t disappointing you, kitten, trust me” And you did. When his lips kissed gently your wet thong, nose brushing against your throbbing clit, you couldn’t control the bucking of your hips, begging for more friction. “Let me take care of you” You sighed with pleasure when he tugged down your thong, chuckling about how wet you were.

He stood for a second and you pouted, completely needy for him, any ounce of pride had left your body. You just wanted him, right now. He winked at you and took off his jeans, giving you a good view of his – too – tight underwear. The outline of his shaft was visible, a hard cock with a little patch of wetness coming from his pre-cum, begging to be sucked. You stretched a hand toward his clothed dick but he brought it in his hairs instead.

“I’m not done with you, kitten” He winked and kneeled on the floor, putting your ankles on his shoulders and spread your legs with a hungry look. “So fucking wet” He licked his tongue and ran a finger into your folds then brought it to his lips, sucking his digit clean. You moaned loudly at the sight, his pupils wide and filled with lust. “And so fucking good. I knew that the minute you walked into that pub”

Roger’s mouth trailed on wet thighs, kissing and gently biting, teasing you a bit and you tugged his hairs to make it stop.

“I still don’t fully believe you about seeing me in the pub, could just be what you said to every girl James brought home” You murmured and he chuckled softly before pressing a kiss right on your center, your back arching without any control.

“I didn’t lie, kitten. I saw you before we started our set” He dove into your pussy, eagerly and hungrily, tongue lapping loudly your wetness. The sound itself could make you cum. “You were with two friends, a little brunette and her boyfriend probably” He sucked his middle finger and inserted it into you, earning a soft whimper of your throat. “You went to the bar, all by yourself and you ordered a pint, looking for someone to spend the end of the night with. Weren’t you, kitten ?” You giggled softly, hips rolling automatically against his mouth, your fingers tugging in rhythm on his hairs.

“I was” You agreed, sighing softly as he nudged your clit with his nose, examining every of your reactions. “Needed a good fuck” You confessed in a strangle voice.

“You did look like you needed a good shag” Roger chuckled and dove a second finger into your folds, thrusting in and out in a slow pace. You felt your body burned at his caresses, little whimpers leaving your mouth, making the drummer’s cock throbbed painfully. “I was on the stage, installing my drums kit but you didn’t look at me, not once. Was fucking disappointed” He quickened his pace, his pads rubbed against your walls until he found the spot. The one which made you see stars and your toes curled.

“Jesus, Roger !” You cried and dug your heels into his back, one hand around the sheet and the other strongly gripping on his hairs. He hissed loudly and slid his fingers out, making you actually sobbed. You wiped your eyes and looked at him with anger. “The fuck you are doing ?”

“Relax, kitten, I just need to take off your shoes before you stabbed me in the back with these heels” He took off the strap of your stilettos and put a kiss on each of your ankles before positioning himself back. His skin was red and scratched.

“M’ sorry” You murmured, hand wiping the sweat from your forehead

“There we go” He threw the shoes away and gave you an apologetic smile at your whining, these stilettos were very expensive. “Where were we, pretty girl ?”

“I was about to cum” You pouted and he hummed appreciatively, fingers going back inside you and his marvellous mouth went on your clit, sucking on it. The combination of the two stimulations made your body shake and shameful loud cried of Roger’s name echoed in the room as you cum for the second time. “Ho– holy shit ! Rog, baby...that was...that was amazing” You panted and watched the drummer licking your arousal from around his mouth, a cocky smile on his features.

You sat lazily and stretched your arms, watching the blond standing up. You immediately tugged on his waistband and freed his cock, red and hard as a rock, slapping against his stomach. The sight made you drool. James was definitively the problem, not you or your body.

“See what you did to me, kitten ? Just for you” He purred and brought your right hand on his shaft to make you felt it. It was burning hot and twitching into your grip, begging for some attention. You were more than eager to comply. You bowed your head and licked a strip on his cock, right on a throbbing vein. He automatically bucked his hips toward your mouth and cursed quietly. You kissed softly his tip then swallowed it, looking at Roger through your lashes, giving him your best does-eyes. “God, wait (Y/N)...shit!” The way you were looking at him was killing him and he was afraid to not last long enough to please you. “As much as I love having these pretty lips around my cock, I really need to fuck you, kitten” The drummer brushed the hairs away of your face and you letting his cock go, brushing a last kiss on his red head.

“Alright then fuck me, Roger” You cockily said, your head falling on the pillows and legs spread widely to give him a nice view of your soaking pussy. Your pads went pinching your hard tits, moaning softly the touch. He watched you caressed yourself several seconds, gaze following every of your movements until your digit disappeared into your folds, it was his spot. He quickly grabbed a condom and crawled on you, looking like a predator ready to jump on his prey. A shiver ran through your body. An excited and eager one.

“I was so mad that you didn’t look at me before our gig” He shook his head, trailing his lips on your jaw, his cock flushed against your bare center and honestly, your legs were shaking with anticipation. “Didn’t have time to go and talk to you before the start” He growled against your skin and you buried your head further into the pillow, one of his large palm caressing your bum. “And I couldn’t see you during the gig because I’m fucking blind and you were too far in the back” He complained and you whined softly, his teeth tugging on the flesh of your neck, adorning your skin with a love bite. “So I thought I would come and talk to you at the end of our set” His lips melted on yours, a sweaty and sloppy kiss that made your mind dizzy. He was an incredible kisser. In fact, it was the most skilled kisser you ever met but you wouldn’t certainly not tell him, he was cocky enough like that.

“You should have talked to me” You cried, watching him rolling the condom on his cock before rubbing his tip against your pussy, your hands clenching around his sweaty neck. “I wouldn’t have lost my time with this asshole” You pressed your bare heels into his pretty bum and he picked up what you wanted, inserting his hard cock into your core, both of you moaning into each other mouths in the hottest way possible.

“Didn’t have time, kitten” He protested and you both chuckled, his teeth nibbling on your jaw. His thrust were slow and lazy, not in a hurry to finish. “But I wanted to talk to you after the set but you were already busy with James, his tongue deep into your throat” He almost grunted, a sparkle of jealousy in his eyes.

“Were you jealous, baby ?” You purred with a smirk and gave you a particularly hard thrust, making your cocky smile fell from your face, immediately replaced with an agape and moaning mouth. “Yes, yes, yes ! Don’t stop, Rog !” You pleaded, eyes closing in intense pleasure and fingers tugging harshly on his roots.

The drummer wasn’t slow anymore, he was rough and merciless, pounding into you strongly, little cries falling from your lips in continuity.

“I was fucking jealous (Y/N), I knew he wouldn’t satisfied you and you deserved the best shagging of your life” The blond bended one of your knee to go deeper and reached this sweet spot again, your eyes rolling into your skull. “Then I saw you leave with him, so I packed my things, flirted a bit and went home, none of these girls were...interesting compared to you, kitten” His voice was hoarse and panting, drop of sweat rolling down his neck into your breasts, hips snapping against yours harshly.

“You– Oh! You’re quite the charmer, Roger” You moaned and giggled as the head of the bed started hitting roughly against the wall, echoing through the flat probably. “James gonna hear us” You whispered, chewing on your lips to not scream in pleasure.

“That’s the point, kitten” He gave you a wink like the cocky bastard he was and tugged on your bottom lip, letting your moans resounded in the bedroom. “Let our good old Jamie hear how good I make you feel, give him a little show kitten. Show him what he missed” Roger wasn’t the most impressive person with his soft features and high pitched voice but when he wanted he could be the hottest thing ever. He knew were he was skilled and didn’t lie about it. You listened to him and let out the dirtiest and filthy moans and whimpers, the name of Roger echoing again and again and again.

You wanted James to hear you, making this asshole regretting this evening, making your waste your time and using you to cheat on his girlfriend.

“Just like that, kitten, sing for me” The drummer cooed, mouth falling against your nipple, tongue twirling around it.

“Wait, wait” You gently pushed his chest away and he furrowed his brows, confused by your sudden gesture. “Wanna ride you, baby” You purred and the hottest little noise fell from his mouth, apparently loving the idea.

He slid out of you and quickly laid on his back, his chest dripping with sweat but you didn’t mind a bit. You didn’t lost any second and sunk on him, bouncing up and down eagerly, chasing your third orgasm of the night.  Roger’s gaze were on your breasts, watching them moving in rhythm, his palms stabilizing you by the hips, completely hypnotised by your beauty. Eyes closing in pleasure, mouth parted and hairs sticking everywhere on your face, cheeks flushed by all these...intense exercises.

“So beautiful kitten, so fuckin’ stunning” He complimented you, trailing one of his pads on your neck then sliding it in your mouth and you sucked on it automatically, your eyes back on him. “The hottest gi–“

He stopped himself when he saw the door behind you opening, a flustered James in hallway, gaze glued on your naked body. He was quiet and shocked, not expecting seeing you here.

“Get out of here, fucking weirdo !” Roger groaned when he saw his roomie completely starstruck by the scene. You turned your head and met James’s gaze, jealousy and shame drowning his pupils. You sent him a wink – you were surprised by yourself – and continued to ride Roger, slower and gaze locked with the brunette, moaning quietly. “James, get the fuck out !” The drummer yelled and sat up, his hands covering your ass and his sudden movement made his cock buried further into you.  

When James finally woke up from his dazed state, his cheeks were wearing a deep shade of red and he hurried to close the door, without a word. The room fell quiet for solid ten seconds before you bursted into laugher, head shaking against Roger’s shoulder.

“Oh...my...god...his face !” You giggled hysterically, your thumb wiping a tear from to much laughing. “Priceless !”

“I think he is traumatised” The drummer snorted, his ribs were hurting and he was extremely sensitive with his cock still inside you. “Kitten, sto– stop clenching around my dick” He whined and you giggled even more, making him laugh too.

“I’m sorry, I’m– sorry” You panted and brushed a kiss on his shaky lips, slowly calming yourself down. You felt your eyelids becoming heavy and Roger cupped gently your face, pecking several times your smiling mouth.

“Want me to finish, kitten ?” He asked softly and you nodded lazily, you didn’t have more energy to ride him anymore. You slowly moved off from him and laid down, Roger immediately following you. He pushed open your legs with his knee and bent both of your knees, allowing himself space to work. “Jesus, you feel so bloody good” He moaned with a strangle voice when he slid back into you, his lips putting few light kisses on your tired features.

“Oh Rog...I’m so close” You cried, your hands crossed behind his neck, fingers lazily tugging on his locks. Roger’s mouth fell on the shell of your ear, murmuring praises and, in a last deep thrust, you came for the third time this evening. The waves of pleasure rolled over yourself, drowning you in a dizzy but delicious way, mind clouded from the orgasm. “Mmm...”

You smiled stupidly and cooed gently at Roger when he came too, lazy little moans falling from his throat. You both looked at each other, in a strangely intimate way, the two of you sleepy and utterly satisfied. His nose brushed against yours then he gave you a long, sloppy kiss, his lips melting lazily on yours and a low sigh of happiness escaping your mouth.

“Wanna sleep here ? We could continue our activities in the morning...” The drummer murmured in his usual cocky tone, rolling on the other side of the bed. You watched him standing up, eyes following his pretty little bum as he threw in the bin the condom. He winked at you when he caught your gaze. You weren’t sure if it was a good idea to sleep here but the thought of getting more sex tomorrow was very attractive. “And we could tease James a bit more, having a nice awkward breakfast with him” He handed you a bottle of water and you took a big sip, throat dry from the moaning.

“That sound good” You replied and went to the bathroom to pee then cooling down your face with some fresh water. You came back and grinned at Roger’s gaze on you, roaming all the way of your bare body, clearly appreciating the view. “You don’t really like your roomie, hum ?”  You slid your knickers on and joined Roger on the bed, only wearing his underwear.

He brought you closer and let one of his hand slowly rubbing against bum, absent-mindedly.

“He is a pain in the ass” The drummer groaned as he switched off the night stand light and wrapped the both of you under the sheets, his eyes already closed. “I’m gonna move with one of my bandmate, I can’t wait. I’m gonna be closer to Uni, it’s good. You’re in Uni, right ?” You hummed in agreement, to lazy to reply verbally. “That’s good to know” He said in a charming voice, his finger playing with your panties’ elastic.

“Perv” You murmured with a little laugh, hand resting on his bare and sweaty chest. “Night Rog” You pressed a small kiss above his pectoral.

“Night, pretty girl”

**

The next morning was difficult. You were deliciously sore, needing to stretch yourself several seconds before leaving the bed. Roger wasn’t really a morning person, you could see it, how hard it was for him to wake up but he looked really cute like that. You washed quickly your face and attached your messy hairs as Roger slid his pants on, the clothe was a bit too big for him, falling loosely on his hips. It was strangely hot. He murmured something about tea and left the bedroom after giving you a little kiss.

You found your blouse somewhere and thankfully it wasn’t too creased so you put it again. It was a large clothe, falling right at the middle of your ass, giving a good view of it. You let the two first button open, just enough to be teasing and made your way to the living-room.

“Morning” You yawned and walked to Roger who was sat on an old chair, a cigarette hanging between his fingers.

He wrapped an arm around your waist and you gently unknotted his locks, earning a soft sigh.

“Sleep well, kitten ?” You nodded and watched James entered the room, a fuming mug in his hand, the journal in the other. He glanced at you, gaze starting a bit too long at Roger’s arm around you and sat on the other chair, clearing awkwardly his throat. “Want a tea, darling ?”

“Yes, please Rog” You replied and pecked quickly his lips before seating on the chair, there were only two of them.

“On it, kitten” He disappeared into the kitchen, his hips rolling lazily as he walked away, his hand scratching his shoulders.

You could feel James looking at you as you pretend to look at yours nails, humming quietly with the radio.

“How could you sleep with my roommate only because I didn’t get hard ?” He spat suddenly and you glanced at him, cocking your head.

“How could you sleep with me when you already have a girlfriend ?” You mimicked in a sarcastic tone and his eyes went wide as dinner plates. He swallowed nervously and blinked few times, surprise that you knew this information.

“It’s not...I...It’s complicated” He muttered with shame and ran a shaky hand on his hairs. “We’re not...She...”

“Yeah, I’m sure it is” You snorted and he stopped talking, bowing his head into his cup and you were savouring his quietness. Roger came back, a smirk on his face and you saw clearly that he heard your conversation, finding it very funny. “Thanks, Rog” You took the cup and stood up, letting the drummer sat before he grabbed your hips, perching you on his lap.

You spent the next fifteen minutes giving James a show, Roger kissing you obscenely, an eternal smirk on his face. His hands caressed your bum without any shame, his tongue meeting yours again and again. It was sloppy and too much, but it was incredibly funny to tease his roommate, he deserved it. James swallowed his breakfast so fast he almost chocked before leaving promptly the flat, his ears red with embarrassment.

“Did you see his face ? I almost feel bad” You giggled against Roger’s mouth.

“You shouldn’t, it was so funny” The drummer gently bit your jaw. “Wanna go shower with me ?”

“I saw your shower Rog, we won’t fit together in this tiny thing” You replied with a pout, tracing the shape of his lips with your digit, he softly nibbled on it.

“Trust me we will fit, kitten” He winked at you and you get up, snorting at his hard-on. He slapped your bum and tugged on your hand, almost running to the bathroom.

You quickly found out that Roger was right about the shower.

**

Permanent Tag list :  @jennyggggrrr @luvborhap

[queenarticlearchive]

Sophisticratic rock - Genevieve Hall gets a dressing down from Queen

Record Mirror

March 30, 1974

Genevieve Hall

Fire and brimstone, the gnashing of teeth and all of hell’s fury, is nothing compared to the anger and wrath of Queen.

It was the first journalist they’d encountered after having had their new album Queen II slagged off unmercifully in most of the music papers. Plus the fact that one particular journal had analytically delved into the depths of hype using Queen and Merlin as their prime examples.

So was it any wonder that all their embittered feelings of outrage, hurt, anger and frustration poured out like hot lava from an erupted volcano?

Lead guitarist Brian May picked up the paper and waves it under my nose. “This article is the biggest load of rubbish I’ve ever read in my life”, he declares vindictively.

“Look, there are people going to read this article - some of them won’t have heard of Merlin and some of them won’t know us. The headline screams out commercial pop. They’ve printed a very old picture of us, which we hate, looking extremely poppy, and underneath it is the word HYPE. The whole article says in a suggestive way that Queen are a hype.”

Hype

“To be honest it looks to us like a put-up job. They say we’re a put-up job. I say that’s a put-up job, and the reasons are that this paper completely ignored us all the time we were going around on the road building up a following. We draw about a minimum of a thousand people a night for the last God knows how many months and they all know where we’re at.

“This paper completely ignored us and so now that we’ve got to the position where our records are taking off and we’re in the public eye. Now we’ve got to that position without the help of the music papers, they can’t really admit that we’re good, they have to suggest we’re a hype or something.”

Is that how you really see it? I asked.

“That’s exactly how we think it is,” joined in their drummer Roger Taylor. “Supported by the fact that they’ve compared us to a totally new band who we’ve never even heard of. We don’t want to say anything against them, but, apparently they’re just a straight pop band. Whereas we’ve been playing and working up to this for years. Christ, I’m 24, Brian’s 25, Freddie is 27, John’s a bit younger 23. Plus the fact that we’re all intelligent enough not to want to be put across in that way. We want to put out music first.”

Is it coming first? I asked, we appear to be getting a giant-sized image with the music running a close second.

“That’s only ‘cos we want to put our music across in the most striking and entertaining way. We want to make an impact. Surely that’s what it’s all about - entertaining.

“And that’s another thing,” he continues, “They’ve given the impression that someone’s said to us, ‘here’s a load of money boys, go down to Carnaby Street and get yourselves some clothes.

“Freddie and I used to sell old clothes. In fact Freddie used to design and MAKE our stage costumes. We’ve always taken care to make sure that our clothes are just right and look good. Perhaps they’d prefer it if we went on in dirty jeans, but we don’t really think the public want to look at that. I think they’d rather see something that looks good.”

Their lead vocalist Freddie Mercury (the aristocratic one) reads aloud with indignation the parody of a hype lead singer, and comes to a part where it says that hype bands employ writers to pen their instant hit singles.

“Now how the hell do they think we fall into that category? They haven’t done any homework. They’ve even called John our bassist our drummer. They haven’t even bothered to find out what we’re really about.

“Everyone seems to object if you’re playing what you think is serious and the kids buy it, they can’t understand it.

“Well we’ve definitely had no Chinn and Chapman behind us,” Roger bursts out, “every song we’ve do is planned by us, including our album sleeves” (note the famous Queen crest designed by Freddie).

Uncontrolled

“We even have control on which tracks we want released. In fact out of all the bands, I think we’re the most uncontrolled.”

“Exactly,” says Freddie, “That’s why this article is a complete farce and nowhere near the truth.”

OK - so how come they’re able to obtain this uncontrolled freedom? It was Brian who answered. “Because the record companies desperately wanted us in the beginning. I know it sounds like blowing our own trumpet, but it’s true. We made demo tapes and everyone thought they were good and wanted us. They realised they were in competition with each other. So in the end we were able to settle for a deal which enabled us to dictate a bit.”

You can’t deny that you’ve been getting preferential treatment over a lot of equally good bands, I said glancing around at their specially provided de-luxe van, which had been given to them at the beginning of their British tour.

“Ah wait a minute,” says Roger. “It wasn’t until our record company realised we were succeeding before they started giving us the big treatment. At first EMI printed 5,000 copies of our first album and much to their surprise they had to reprint that number five times over. So naturally when we made our second album, they felt justified in a lot of work behind it. Which is really why there’s been enough copies in the shops to put it into the charts in the first week.”

“Yes, but any record company if they’ve got any sense is going to do that,” says Freddie, “it looks like we’re getting knocked for having the right people around us doing their jobs properly.”

Is that a large part of their success - having the right people doing the right job?

“No”, answered Roger, “that comes after. Our success is due to us being a bloody good band and also having common sense - ‘cos there a lot of bloody good bands around - to get things managed properly. But even so we wouldn’t have had the support of the people if they hadn’t believed in us in the first place.”

And now over to Freddie. “People think that if there’s a lot of money put behind a band and they seem to make it quicker than usual, then they’re a hype. But we’ve geared ourselves to jump a few hurdles and have benefited by doing so.” He glances down at his picture.

“Oh really,” he exclaims in disgust, “this paper has no flair - I mean to print this picture three times in succession … and just look at my arms!” He was horrified, “look at how fat they appear, now my arms aren’t like that at all - what do you think?”

He rolls up his sleeves for me to inspect and I’d like to state here and now that the poor dear’s arms are quite, quite slender!

Ripped-off

Phew! If after all that you think that the lads are hypersensitive to criticism and feel animosity towards their critics, then let Roger put you straight.

“No, we don’t hold grudges - we just go round and wrench people’s arms and legs off. Or send them bags of wet cement, nothing too violent!”

By this time John Deacon (who reminded me of the Alice’s doormouse) had woken from his slumbers (too many late nights and early mornings), he was reasonably cheerful for someone who had had his clothes ripped off the day before.

“By the law of averages,” he was saying, “it’s someone else’s turn to be ripped off today.”

You talk to him about the success of their Queen II album and he says, “It’s all our Mums and hype.” He’s a lot quieter than the other three, but can’t help warming to him as he’s completely unpretentious.

Freddie is a pretty dynamic character, he has an air of confidence which can sometimes be mistaken for arrogance. He has hair the colour of midnight, luminous brown eyes which he makes look evil with skillful use of make-up. He speaks ever so nicely (don’t you dear?) with the superfluous use of his hands, and commands attention rather than demands it.

Brian’s the tallest one and has a shock of dark curls which bring out the green flecks in his lucent grey eyes. He’s the thoughtful considerate one, and it’s a joy listening to him arguing with Roger.

And Roger - well he’s the pretty one with a sense of fun. He doesn’t look capable of busting a gut over a set of drums, but once he gets that adrenaline moving - the guy goes berserk.

Sucker

Music wise, Queen are a heavy electric rock band - but not raucous. There’s a fair amount of melodic structure incorporated in their material, which contains complex harmonies and could quite easily become messy was it not skillfully honed to precision. They’re exciting to listen to and watch, and have the good sense to capture rather than rupture the senses. The only word which describes their musical finesse is SOPHISTICATION.

After their British tour which climaxes at the Rainbow Theatre, Queen will take their ‘sophisticratic’ rock for a two-month stateside tour. Their opening night will be in Denver, Colorado, where they appear on the same bill as Mott the Hoople. I don’t know about the rest of you - but I’ve always been a right sucker for royalty.

[gothpanda]

A Little Bit of Attitude Chapter 2: I Was Only Half Joking

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WORD COUNT: 2.3K 

A/N: I forgot to mention in the first chapter. You can imagine either The Dirt guys or the real Motley Crue! any way Enjoy! Feel free to leave any comments! :3     

Read on Ao3

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        Sammi bounced into the breakroom running her fingers through her hair as she took off her scrunchie. “Since when did you hang out with Vince Neil?” Sammi jumped with a scare as she turned to see her friend Amanda sitting and eating lunch. “Since when did you know what Vince Neil looked like?” Sammi asked annoyingly punching out her job card turning to the straight-haired blonde.

             “I asked you first. Please tell me you’re gonna be the next Lily?” Sammi scoffed grabbing her things from her employee locker. “No, I’m definitely not the next Lily. He’s friends with my brother Tommy since high school. They live together now I think.” Sammi swung her backpack onto one shoulder, “Again, how did you know that was Vince? Lily never said his full name.”. 

           “I know him because not that long ago Britney tried to get with him. It was pretty gross. I don’t know what anyone sees in him. Or his friends” Sammi rolled her eyes at her friend thinking of her brother. “You do know Tommy is one of Vince’s friends right?” “Still doesn’t make him appealing in any way. Besides I thought you and Tommy weren’t even that close. I always say stuff about him.” Amanda said as she started getting up. “Seriously though, just avoid him and you’ll be perfectly fine. If Tommy was such a good brother, he would keep you away from guys like Vince or that punk guy next to him.” Amanda gave Sammi a pat on the shoulder before walking out of the breakroom. “Yeah you’re probably right”  Sammi mumbled grabbing all of her belongings and leaving for the day. 

              “Tommy, what does it mean when your sister wants to be called Samantha?” Nikki asked sipping on his soda as he sat on the edge of the indoor fountain in the center of the mall. “It means she hates you,” Vince said chewing on his straw as he eyed passing girls. Tommy rolled his eyes and kept turning to see if Sammi was actually going to come. “Man it’s been 30 minutes. I freaking knew she’d ditch us.” Tommy said with an annoyance throwing his empty soda cup at the trash can. “Cool it, T-Bone. She might be talking to her manager or somethin’ ” Nikki said moving towards the drummer holding him by the shoulder. Tommy turned to Nikki with a pout and sighed sitting back down on the fountain, “Sorry, man but Sammi bails on me every chance she gets. It’s nothing new for her to do it to us.” Tommy said waving his hands over his hand looking at his bandmates. Nikki huffed looking around hoping to find the redhead in the sea of teens. 

              Nikki didn’t get Sammi (or in his case Samantha) at all. From a first impression, she was nothing like the stories Tommy would say about his sisters. Tommy would talk about all the trouble they would all get into growing up from sneaking into closed-off baseball parks to riding dirt bikes at night. Athena was exactly how Tommy described her, a calm personality who liked being a performer like her brother. Sammi was just something completely different.  “Tommy man, what did you seriously do to Sammi? I haven’t seen her since she was 15 and smiling at everything.” Vince asked looking over to Tommy who had his head turned towards the direction of Contempo Casual. “Dude I’m telling you it’s her freaking friends. Especially that Amanda chick she mentioned. Ever since I met them, I’ve always had a bad feeling about them, Athena too!” Tommy said jumping up when he finally spotted Sammi. 

                 “You guys ready to go?” Sammi asked as she approached the misfits with the car keys in one hand. “Yeah but the hell took you so long?” Tommy asked attempting to take the keys from Sammi with an annoyance. Sammi yanked her arm away from her brother frowning up at him, “I’m fucking driving, Tommy. You don’t even have a license anymore remember?”. Tommy rolled his eyes snatching the keys up and tossing them to Nikki. “You’re right I don’t have a license, but I know that all three of us are a way better driver than you.” Tommy grinned as Sammi shot daggers at him then to Nikki. Nikki shrugged his shoulders to Sammi and spun the keys on fingers. “You know Samantha, it is a better idea if I drive so you don’t kill us,” Nikki said walking up to Sammi with his classic smirk plastered on his lips. “I wouldn’t kill anyone, you don’t even know how I drive!” Sammi said trying her best to wank the keys out of Nikki’s hands. Nikki stretched his arm above his head making it impossible for Sammi to grab. “Sorry sweetheart but you’re not gonna drive but you can still call the front seat,” Nikki said as Sammi rolled her eyes up to him. “Whatever let's go before I end up walking home,” Sammi mumbled turning around walking ahead leaving the guys behind. 

                  As Sammi pushed through everyone, Vince caught up next to her being the only brave on to talk to her. “So Sammi, how’s life been to ya? Going to college is a real big deal!” Vince said stuffing his hands in his pockets with a happy smile. Sammi chuckled as she eyed Vince remembering what Ashley told her. “Life’s been good to me so far. Working to get some money for an apartment with my friends. Gonna start my second year of school already.” Sammi said turning to see if Nikki and Tommy were still following them. They both looked at Sammi and Vince perplexed on how they seemed to be getting along. “You trust that Nikki guy right?” Sammi whispered to Vince who scrunched his eyebrows at her. “Yeah, Nikki’s cool. He is like the brain of our new band. A whole lot better than my last band Rock Candy.” Sammi giggled at the name as she pushed the entrance door to the parking lot. “Rock Candy sounds like a strip club!” “Hey, it would’ve been a cool strip club though!” Vince laughed following Sammi’s lead. “Okay Nikki, you better drive carefully because this is my dad's car,” Sammi said leaning on a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport that looked almost completely brand new. Nikki and Vince gawked at the beautiful car before Tommy interrupted their thoughts. “I still can’t believe dad let you have the freaking Impala,” Tommy said opening the car and jumping into the front seat. Sammi rolled her eyes sliding in the backseat with Vince next to her. Nikki slid into the front seat looking back at the shaggy blonde and redhead through the rearview mirror. Vince got comfortable in the backseat putting his arm on the seat behind Sammi. Vince scooted a bit closer to Sammi as Nikki started the car with an eye roll. “Buckle up kiddos because this is gonna be a bumpy ride!” Nikki said almost flooring the gas pedal completely. 

                  Once rolling up to the Lee House, Sammi busted out of the car ready to yell. During the majority of the car ride, Nikki was speeding, making fast turns, and yelling at others through the window. Vince and Tommy were laughing the entire time while Sammi wanted yank Nikki by his hair to stop him. “What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Sammi yelled as Nikki got out of the car slamming it behind him. “What? I thought it would be fun to have a joy ride!” Nikki smirked at the redhead who was ready to push him to the ground. Sammi screeched with annoyance walking to the other side of the car. “You really think I would’ve killed you compared to that fucking porcupine?!” Sammi yelled at Tommy as he got out of the car. Tommy could only laugh along with Nikki putting his arm around him as they leaned on the hood of the car. “Oh come on Sammi! You have to admit it was fun!” Tommy chuckled. “No, it fucking it wasn’t! What if we got pulled over by a cop?” Sammi said looking over at Vince staying quiet. “Well, then we would just blame it on you, sweetheart!” Nikki said with a devilish smile. Sammi paused walking up to Nikki with a look of irritation. Nikki’s smile immediately fades once Sammi got closer to him making their chest hit together. Sammi looked up at the darkened haired bassist meeting eye to eye, faces so close their noses almost touched. Everyone was quiet for a moment scared of what Sammi was going to do. Tommy and Vince could only watch and hold their breaths. Tommy never saw Sammi get frustrated or angry with someone she just met. Vince knew Nikki could be an asshole a majority of the time to girls, but they would just run with it no questions asked. This was different for all three of the men. “Never call me sweetheart again. You understand me?” Sammi said looking straight into the hazel eyes and for a moment Tommy could’ve sworn he saw Nikki swallow nervously. Nikki only nodded and said nothing more. Sammi backed away yanking the keys out of Nikki’s hand before walking towards the front dark wooden door. “Only Vince gets to come inside, Tommy,” Sammi said as she unlocked the door walking inside the two-story home. 

               Nikki followed Sammi with his eyes, not being able to voice a word before she disappeared into the house. Vince went by Nikki and Tommy with wide eyes at what he just witnessed. Vince weakly chuckled turning his head to the door “Damn when I said she hated you, I was only half-joking.”. Nikki huffed at the blonde before turning to Tommy “T-Bone what the hell is wrong with your sister?”. Nikki wasn’t annoyed by Samantha stepping up to him but he was intrigued by what she was. Tommy just shrugged his shoulders looking at the ground a piece of his hair falling on his face. “We’ll be right back, Man,” Tommy patted Nikki on his shoulders peeling himself off the hood “Come on Vince let’s go before I’m banned from entered.” 

                Tommy closed the front door behind him as Vince slowly took in the open living room. “Damn still the same from the last time I was here,” Vince said as he looked at all of the photos on the fire mantel. As he was seeing the photos of Athena and Tommy he stopped to see a photo of Sammi when she was 6 years old. Vince fondly smiled as he saw Sammi smiling big with two missing teeth and wearing an oversized baseball cap. Her dark short curly hair poking underneath the hat. Before Vince could think of anything else, he was snapped out of his thoughts as Tommy handed him a soda. “I think you’re braver than me to go up to Sammi’s room,” Tommy said sipping on his orange soda. Vince scrunched his eyebrows together confused by what Tommy just said. “You sure Sammi is okay with me going to her room?” “Yeah, Man. You saw how she was out there. Just go upstairs, make it quick, and I’ll wait outside with Nikki.” Tommy said patting Vince on the back on getting out of the house. Vince rolled his eyes and made his way upstairs. At the end of the hall, you could hear blaring Jessie’s Girl through the white door. Vince nervously rubbed his hands on his pants just before knocking on the door. “Hey, Sammi. It’s Vince can I come in?” abruptly the music stopped only being able to hear the pitter-patter of footsteps come closer to the door. Sammi opened the door ajar for Vince to see a glimpse of her bedroom. He was only able to see a pale lilac color wall with polaroid photos hung up in four straight down columns. Sammi peered up at Vince leaning on the doorframe “I don’t can you?”. Vince rolled his eyes with a chuckle as he pushed the door completely open and walked in. “Look Sammi while I love to joke around, I gotta make it fast and get that stupid bedsheet.” Vince asserted before sitting on the white bed in the corner of the room. “Fine. stay here while I go get it from the laundry room.” Sammi replied walking out giving Vince the chance to fully look at the girl’s room. It was completely different compared to Tommy’s old bedroom. He had posters covering an entire wall and a mess of drum equipment smashed into a corner. He barely had proper bed sheets on his bed compared to Sammi. Sammi’s room was organized and showed her personality. On a desk in the corner by the window showed her high school volleyball photos of her teammates with her college textbooks stacked up next to it. All of her polaroids were either of her family or her friends. Vince got up when he noticed one of him with Sammi and Athena sitting in the old van. 

            “Found it!” Sammi yelled from down the hall. Sammi walked back in throwing the big sheet at Vince’s face. “Thanks and hey look,” Vince folded the sheet underneath his arm. “we’re a couple of nice guys. Nikki just doesn’t know how to talk… in general.” Sammi smiled at Vince’s attempt at fixing things. “Why don’t you come by the apartment tomorrow and see our practice? You haven’t met our guitarist yet and you’ll get to hang out Tommy!” Vince suggested as they walked down the stairs towards the door. Sammi opened it up for Vince and considered for a moment. “Alrighty, I’ll go. I don’t have work tomorrow so I’m free all day.” Vince beamed with excitement hugging Sammi. “Awesome! I’ll tell T-Bone to call you so you know where we live!” walking out Vince turned back waving goodbye with a big smile. “The fuck you smiling, Vince?” Nikki asked stepping on his cigarette butt. “I got the keys to the van, let’s get out of here, Man.” 

As the boys piled into the van, Sammi closed the front door with a sweet smile on her lips.

[blurry-fics]

Glowing Eyes

Pairing: Tyler Joseph x Reader

Warnings: An argument takes place & some self-doubt from both Tyler and the reader

Word Count: 1927

Author’s Note: This is my first of two entries for @ohprettyweeper‘s Music of the Heart Challenge! This was super fun to participate in and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more writing challenges to do in the future! Also definitely give her a follow if you aren’t already! Anyway, the prompt is bolded in the fic and my second entry will be out Friday! :) (gif credit)

You idly fiddled with your sweatshirt strings as Tyler scribbled down some words in his notebook. The two of you had been in the middle of a nice conversation when he had abruptly cut you off in order to write down some idea that had popped into his head. It wasn’t anything new, ever since he had started the songwriting process for the next album, he would whip out his notebook to write down ideas anytime and anywhere.

“Did you think of anything good?” you asked, assuming that your previous conversation was old news by this point.

“No,” he grumbled as he snapped his notebook closed. “It’s just another lyric that doesn’t fit anywhere else.”

“Do you want to go on a walk or something? It might help clear your head.”

You subconsciously crossed your fingers, hoping that he would take you up on your offer. As much as you loved and supported him, it had been hard to pull his attention away from songwriting over the last few weeks.

He shook his head, “I just need to get one song done today. Or even a chorus. Something.”

It was hard to mask your disappointment, but you put on a smile. “Just don’t put too much pressure on yourself, ok? The best lyrics are the ones that come to you naturally.”

You reached out and lightly rubbed his back. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips for a brief moment before disappearing again.

“I just really want to make a career out of this, you know? It’s my dream. And in order to do that I need to be great.”

“You are great, Ty. I know you can make this work.”

He shrugged and grabbed his notebook. Rather than writing down lyrics, he began to draw in the margins of the paper. You hated to see him getting so down on himself.

“You know, Molly was telling me about how her cousin got a book deal. I think it’s a pretty big company too, but I can’t remember which one she said it was.”

Tyler stopped drawing and turned to face you. His eyebrows were furrowed, “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

You were a bit taken aback by his change of tone. Slowly, you removed your hand from his back and dropped it into your lap.

“I just thought it might give you some hope. People we know are getting successful. That could be you, Ty.”

“No, I get it. We all know somebody who knows somebody who’s doing great.”

“Ty, I didn’t mean it like-”

“Just stop, Y/N. You try to act like you know what I’m going through, but you don’t. You have a college education and a nice job all lined up for you. You could never understand.”

He opened his notebook and began to write down more lyrics. You just sat and stared the table, trying desperately to swallow the lump that had formed in your throat. Tyler had never snapped at you like that before, but he was too busy writing to even notice how upset he had made you.

“I’ll be upstairs,” you muttered.

Tyler didn’t even look up as you left the table. You wiped a tear away from your cheek as you climbed the stairs and made a beeline for the bedroom that you two shared. As soon as the door was shut behind you, you leaned against it and buried your face in your hands.

You hated that you were so upset over this. Tyler was just frustrated and you knew he didn’t mean the things that he said, but something about the tone that he had used while talking to you just set something off within you. Ever since the two of you had gotten together, you had tried your best to support him and his music in any way that you could. You had liked to think that you had at least some semblance of an idea of what he was going through, but apparently he didn’t agree.

You pushed some hair back from your face and began to walk the length of the room in some attempt to keep yourself from breaking down too much. All you needed to do was calm down a little and then you could go downstairs and talk things out with Tyler. He would feel bad as soon as you told him that he had upset you. Or at least, you hoped he would.

You walked over to where Tyler’s keyboard was tucked into the corner of the room, thinking of the countless times that you had sat on the bed and watched him play. Your favorite moments were when he would try to come up with melodies. He would sit at his keyboard for hours, trying out different notes and writing them down as he went. There was something so fascinating about watching him write songs.

You traced your fingers over the keys for a few seconds before you started to play, hoping that it would have the same calming effect as when Tyler played. He had taught you a few of his older songs, but they never quite seemed to stick in your mind. You had just remembered the intro to Implicit Demand for Proof when there was a soft knock on the door.

You immediately stood up from the keyboard and turned to the door, hoping that Tyler hadn’t seen you playing it. He opened the door just enough that he could slide in and then closed it softly behind him. His notebook was still in his hand, but he quickly set it on top of the dresser.

“Can we talk?” he asked quietly.

You nodded and took a seat on the bed. He sat down next to you and rested a hand on your knee.

“I’m really sorry about snapping at you earlier, Y/N. I know you were just trying to help me feel a little better, but my head gets so wrapped up in comparing myself to other people that hearing about their success just makes me feel even worse. But you didn’t mean like that and I shouldn't have gotten mad at you over it.”

You rested one of your hands on top of his, “Thank you for apologizing, Tyler. I’m just worried about you and want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

“Yeah, I know,” he sighed, reaching up to run his free hand through his hair. “And what I said about you not getting what I’m going though… you do get it. Better than anyone else, actually. I guess sometimes I just get so caught up in feeling like I’m alone in all of this that I forget.”

“I’m going to have your back through all of this, no matter what happens. I’ll always be your number one supporter.”

“Thank you,” he smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss to your cheek. “Speaking of supporting me, can we actually talk through some stuff? I’ve been bottling a lot of it up and I just need to talk through it.”

“Of course.”

You moved further back on the bed so that you could sit more comfortably. Tyler did the same, although he scooted a bit closer to you so that he could rest his legs against yours. He fiddled with a button on his shirt for a moment before he began to speak.

“This new album,” he started. “I just want it to be perfect, you know? The last one did decent, but decent isn’t enough to make a living out of. And now Chris and Nick are talking about having to leave the band, and I don’t think I can do this without them.”

He pulled his hand away from yours and covered his face. You reached out and rubbed his arm as you tried to think of the right thing to say.

“Ty, that was an independently produced album. All you need is a label to work under. Your music is fantastic. It speaks to people. Do you know how many times I’ve listened to it on bad nights when I just need to hear your voice?”

Tyler moved his hands away from his face and muttered a quiet, “Yeah.”

“And wasn’t Chris talking about a drummer he knew that might be able to take his place? What was his name… Jake?”

“Josh.”

“Josh, right. You haven’t even heard this guy play yet, he might be even better than Chris. This could be good for the band.”

He shook his head, “I just don’t think that I can do music anymore. This isn’t what I’m meant to do.”

“Tyler Joseph,” you reached forward and put a hand under his chin so that he would look at you. “You have something special, alright? And I know it’s hard right now because you’re trying to write an entire album and that’s a lot of pressure to be putting on yourself, but you’re doing something amazing. The melodies and little fragments of lyrics that I’ve heard will make amazing songs. I just know it.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

Tyler smiled and reached forward so that he could pull you into a hug.

“I love you, Ty.”

“I love you too,” he mumbled into your shoulder. “Thank you for never giving up on me.”

*     *     *

“Listen,” Tyler whispered.

Both of you stood silently on stage, listening to the hum of conversation on the other side of the curtain. None of the fans were aware that you were standing there while they waited patiently for the start of the show.

“This is crazy,” you said quietly. “That sounds like so many people.”

Tyler reached over and laced his fingers with yours, “That’s because it is a lot of people.”

You tugged on his hand a little so that he was close enough that you could wrap an arm around him. He laughed a little and rested his head on your shoulder.

“You made it, Ty.”

He gave you a light squeeze, “We made it. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

The two of you were interrupted by Josh joining you on stage. He smiled when he saw the two of you holding on to one another.

“They want us backstage in a couple minutes,” he said.

“Tell them I’ll be there in just a second. I’m enjoying this moment for now.”

Josh gave him a pat on the shoulder before disappearing backstage. Tyler was still leaned on your shoulder and you could just make out the smile on his face.

“Sometimes I wish I could just stand here with you forever. No worries. No responsibilities. Just you and me.”

“And all the fans,” you giggled.

“Yes, and all the fans.”

After a few minutes of you two standing in silence, Tyler finally stepped away from you. He kept your fingers intertwined as he led you backstage, away from the quiet hum that had once surrounded you.

“I should get up to my seat so that I don’t miss anything,” you said, fixing a loose strand of his hair.

“I’ll miss you,” he laughed.

You shook your head and planted a quick kiss on his lips before walking off with a security guard. As you walked, you couldn’t help but think back to the long nights spent watching Tyler sit at his piano tapping out the same melodies that he now played on stage in front of thousands of fans.

It was hard not to smile as you thought of how far he had come.

[lost-in-the-end-of-time]

New interview with Don Airey!

Jeb: I have major respect for you as an artist. I am excited to hear you have a new album coming in May of this year. It is called One of a Kind. And Don…you’re one of a kind. How did that name come about?

Don: It was from a jam in a local rehearsal studio with Carl Sentance and Simon McBride – listening back to my recording afterwards I heard Carl sing “One of a Kind” over the chorus section. I think he was referring though to a glamorous young lady rather than a crusty old keyboard player.

Jeb: Your last album in 2014 was called All Keyed Up. That one rocked and was not at all what I expected out of a keyboardist. Will this one be similar?

Don: Its very much in the nature of a band album and it’s not so “prog” as the preceeding albums have been. Eleven songs, lots of soloing, melodies, riffs, something for everyone hopefully.

Jeb: Tell me about how writing differs when writing One of a Kind and writing Deep Purple music.

Don: The main difference is the time factor – you have a couple of days to get things together rather than a couple of months. Same with the recording sessions. I just take all the ideas that come tumbling out of the jams and try to turn them into songs.

Jeb: You’ve played with some of the best hard rock guitarist on the planet…how does Simon McBride hold up against them?

Don: Its very hard to compare one with another. I met Simon six years ago. We became friends after he played at my biannual fund raiser in the village where I live. I got him in to play on “Keyed Up” and then into doing some of the gigs. He’s one of the nicest people I have ever worked with a fund of ideas. He has a fluidity in his playing I haven’t encountered since working with Gary Moore. Incidentally, Simon is from Belfast, almost from the same district as Gary. But he is nevertheless very much his own man, and just hope I can hang on to him for one more project before he hits the stratosphere with his own.

Jeb: All are the 11 new songs….new compositions? Or have some been lying around?

Don: They are all brand new. Carl and myself are fairly dutiful about getting together for writing sessions and having Simon involved added a welcome new dimension and immediacy to our output.

Jeb: This is slated to come out May 25, 2018 on earMUSIC as 2CD release. The bonus disc is live from a live concert you did. They are classic Deep Purple, Rainbow and Gary Moore tunes. Which of these was the most fun to look back at and play live?

Don: Without a doubt “Still got the Blues.” Simon just nails it and I don’t know of anybody else that has, or could. And of course, on a personal level, it honors the memory of perhaps the greatest musician I ever knew.

Jeb: Here is a hard one…there is no real music business like there was back in the day you came to prominence. Why bother doing this type of stuff? Isn’t it easier to just play the hits and collect the checks?

Don: Stuck in my ways, I guess. My publisher and good friend Stuart Taylor used to say “If you want to be in the music biz, you have to make music. What you got?” Collecting checks in the music biz is a good trick if you can do it though.

Jeb: You like the Hammond. I’ve heard you even play at your church in your local village. Is that true?

Don: Yes, I am officially deputy organist at the local church, the only proper job I have ever had. If I am around and needed it’s a privilege to play there, but not the easiest of gigs, I have to say. The organ dates back to Victorian times, and is a splendid instrument, and of course you have really to be on your toes…keeping up with the choir…and not missing the many service cues…and remembering the important part dynamics and phrasing play in hymns, anthems and psalms.

Jeb: Get specific on what I am going to hear in May with these songs. What can your fans expect?

Don: Well, a large helping of English classic rock – perhaps more Rainbow-ish than DP.

Jeb: Are there any you think the fan base will find particularly exciting?

Don: Yes, its quite “heavy” in parts

Jeb: I want to do an in-depth follow-up interview when this album drops. But…I also want to end this sucker with a few self-indulgent questions as I am a huge fan of your work. Let’s start with a biggie…is Deep Purple close to retiring?

Don: With DP the watchword always is “Expect the Unexpected” but, obviously things are winding down though ever so slowly.

Jeb: How big of an influence was Jon Lord on you? Do you remember hearing his playing for the first time?

Don: First heard Jon on “Hush.” I had actually seen him play a couple of years prior to that with the Flowerpot Men at Nottingham University. I thought his playing was astounding; he was loud, driving, technically adept, and made it all look so easy. A good friend over the years to so many of us as well.

Jeb: Where I grew up we were not aware of Colosseum II. You were on their album in 1976. Tell me what that was like and what I missed?

Don: It was one of the many fusion bands that emerged in the wake of the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s success, lead by one of the greatest pros I have ever known drummer Jon Hiseman, and featuring the youthful genius of Gary Moore. We never quite captured it on record, but live the band was absolutely explosive, maniacal even.

Jeb: You were on Never Say Die by Sabbath? I heard that band was a drug infested mess at that time. What was that like?

Don: I remember walking into the session meeting Tony and Ozzy and them offering me a cup of tea. The control room was as though we were in a family’s front room. The two days of sessions were cool, calm and collected. Bill Ward did say to me at the end that he was getting a bit worried about Ozzy though. They couldn’t have been nicer to me, or more professional. I love that album.

Jeb: How did you meet Cozy Powell? I think you played on a solo album of his before you joined Rainbow.

Don: I was in Cozy’s band Hammer that had three hit singles in 1974. A lifelong friendship ensued. He was an amazing musician, especially in a recording studio. He was multi-talented as well and could have made a career as a racing driver, or at show jumping – an incredible horseman apparently. We recorded Over the Top his first solo venture, in London, immediately after finishing recording Down to Earth with Rainbow in France. Great days ay!

Jeb: Michael Schenker is a great guitarist…but another strong personality.

Don: Michael was one of the first people I knew in the biz to give up drinking – astonishing in 1975 – partaking only of sparkling mineral water. Trouble was, the gas turned to acid in his stomach over the months and put him in hospital with a severe bout of peritonitis.

Jeb: I want the untold story of writing the intro to “Mr. Crowley.”

Don: It was recorded in half an hour on a Minimoog and a Yamaha CS80­­­—one of the first polyphonic synths—two hours into the Blizzard sessions. I thought little of it at the time.

Jeb: We all know the story that you flew in that plane only moments before Randy did. He was a friend to you. I think I saw where you played at a tribute to him recently.

Don: I just played at the “Remembering Randy Rhoads” event in Anaheim in January. It was a wonderful evening commemorating the man’s playing and composing. They even very graciously gave me an award. There is not a day goes by that I don’t think of Randy. He truly was one of a kind.

Jeb: That tour with Brad Gillis stepping into being Ozzy’s guitarist had to be emotionally hard…yet you guys killed it musically.

Don: Brad gave his all on his first real professional engagement and kept Ozzy afloat. Not very sure that Brad enjoyed his time in the band though. When I bumped into him recently in Nashville he couldn’t have been less pleased to see me.

Jeb: Gary Moore was another one…I’ve heard you were very important to getting Gary to start recording blues. Is that true?

Don: I mentioned to Gary that I had done a gig with a band called The Hawks in my local pub, featuring the twin guitar work of Mick Grabham and Ray Minhinnet. I said how impressed I was not only with their playing, but the whole measured blues feel of the band. Gary must have got hold of their album, because several of the same songs figured on Still Got the Blues. He also got hold of their rhythm section, bass player Andy Pyle and drummer Graham Walker. It definitely is the album where he found himself.

Jeb: Gary was a fast living guitarist. There has to be a couple tales of Gary and Don sucking down suds on the road…

Don: There are quite a few, but I can’t tell you them!

Jeb: Who am I missing? Oh…Glenn Tipton…Baptism of Fire. I think you played on the title track. Sad news about his health…

Don: I have worked on six projects with Glenn including three Priest albums. He is a gentleman and a scholar, and the real godfather of English heavy metal. Yes, very sorry to hear his news.

Jeb: Andrew Lloyd Webber…wow! Tell me about working with him.

Don: It was with Colosseum II. We were on the same record company. He’d heard War Danceand asked us to participate in the making of Variations. The recording lasted a week. Andrew was very charming, full of ideas, and before we knew it we were number 2 in the album charts. Still get the checks from his office 40 years on.

Jeb: Last one…what is up the rest of 2018 and next year? Will there be solo shows? More DP? What’s next?

Don: Just finished a three-week club tour of Europe with the band that plays on One of a Kind. Getting ready to do a four-month summer run of festivals with DP starting in Mexico in May, with perhaps a UK tour in November with my own band following up on the release of One of a Kind.

Jeb: Okay…really last one…you play with great guitarists…Are you really a frustrated guitarist?

Don: No, I’m really a frustrated keyboard player.

[etienne0615]

KURT COBAIN DIED by Angelica Anne S. Monteclaro

It was the last time he saw himself dead.

On the eighth day of April 1994, every drop of Seattle’s rain seemed to be an unending nerve agitation for Kurt. Rain was never a grunge artist’s trusted company, contradictory to cozy Sunday mornings pianists and violinists praise their gods for. His music enthralled the underground headbanging lost souls, unlike Jon Bon Jovi’s most awaited female-electrifying stage kisses.

Around 8:30 p.m., in his home in Seattle, particularly in the living room, laid on the table the heroin powder and pistol he’d prepared after his escape from Los Angeles Rehabilitation Center. Similarly comparable to the rain, Courtney Love, his rock icon wife who almost killed the yet unborn bean-shaped Frances Bean with the same drug, was no better than the howling fans and supporters being heard backstage. Too much love and affection became poisons, so did his band Nirvana.

“I can’t fool them anymore, Boddah,” he told his imaginary friend from Rome where he once attempted to overdose himself with champagne and rohypnol, ten times more potent than the ordinary tranquilizers, “It’s better to burn out than fade away.”

He was the 16-year old virgin from Aberdeen High School in Washington, the weirdo basic art and commercial art student who made it with Aberdeen’s fattest girl, the unwanted son, the senior year drop-out, and the frustrated musician who smoked weeds along train rails.  When he formed the band with his bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl, grunge felt like nirvana. Smells Like Teen Spirit, their first single, brought them out of the underground stage, until gradually, the music that was once home became an unfamiliar set of scream notes.

Snorting the white-brown powder on his table, he clutched his last letter on his left hand, while the pistol on the right.

To Boddah,

I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now. I feel guilty beyond words about these things.

For example when we're back stage and the lights go out and the manic roar of the crowds begins., it doesn't affect me the way in which it did for Freddie Mercury, who seemed to love, relish in the love and adoration from the crowd which is something I totally admire and envy. The fact is, I can't fool you, any one of you. It simply isn't fair to you or me. The worst crime I can think of would be to rip people off by faking it and pretending as if I'm having 100% fun. I'm too sensitive. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasms I once had as a child.

On our last 3 tours, I've had a much better appreciation for all the people I've known personally, and as fans of our music, but I still can't get over the frustration, the guilt and empathy I have for everyone. There's good in all of us and I think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too fucking sad.

I have a goddess of a wife who sweats ambition and empathy and a daughter who reminds me too much of what I used to be, full of love and joy, kissing every person she meets because everyone is good and will do her no harm. And that terrifies me to the point to where I can barely function. I can't stand the thought of Frances becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I've become.

Peace, love, empathy. Kurt Cobain

Frances and Courtney, I'll be at your alter. Please keep going Courtney, for Frances. For her life, which will be so much happier without me.

I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!

It was the last time they saw him alive. 

[icharchivist]

New session with A. and T. o/ this time from episode 92 to episode 105, we advanced a lot in the CA arc!

this time I took notes as they spoke so I have... Tons of stuff.

-A: “I’m scared to move on…. we’re at episode 91 and the arc already went to shit so bad i’m worried at how bad it’ll get”

-they forgot who kite was. they had to remember by saying “guitarist legolass”

-T: “The queen shouldn’t be proud of the King i mean it’s a fuckboi, look at that turtle on his head, it’s the shape for a a fuckboi”

-A: “Leol looks like a drummer in Kite’s band”

-A: “I wonder if it would have gone better with responsible adults” Me: “i think that’s why Leorio and Kurapika aren’t there. wait… maybe not Pika.” A: “i love Pika but he’s not what I’d call collected and responsible. Leorio tho...”   -T: “I’m sure Hisoka would have flirted with an ant if he could. or ate one. its like chicken”

-they say they have no pity for the queen ahah. They are WTF over the other baby.

-they got so sad at Gon and Killua crying

-T: “Why is there pipe on a strip tease” A: “there’s a cat a butterfly and a turtle trying to dominate the world and you question the choice of music?”

-A: “It gets so bad already and there’s still 30 episodes of that arc how bad can it gets…”

-A: “the only responsible adult of that arc is Killua and he’s neither an adult nor responsible” 

 -When Gon said he’d do anything for Palm after she said she wanted him to date her, T. spit out his drink and A. facepalmed in a pillow, both laughing “i cant deal with that kid anymore” 

 -A: “does Palm has any other ability aside of being creepy?” 

 -A: “the thing with Gon is that you never know if his ideas are genuis or terrible” T: “you especially dont know when he says “it’s a secret” if he knows what hes gonna do or if he doesnt” 

 -When Killua asks Gon about his dating past:  T. “that… became really gay suddenly” Me: “do you get why people say Killua is gay?” A: “Now yes.” 

 -A: “The presentator on tv has weird eyes…” T: “now she can see in 3D” 

 -A. at Palm and Gon’s date: “i relate to Killua… what a cringe…” 

 -T. at the date: “and let’s play my favorite game: what if we added hisoka to the situation?” A.: “im sure him and Palm would get along” 

 -they yelled at Killua remembering Illumi because of dissociation. they’re worried for him 

 -A., who loves classical ballets, told us that the Zoldyck’s theme is based on a romeo and juliet music 

 -A.: “When the zoldyck music plays, it always end up bad for the adversary…” T.: “It always end bad for everyone in that anime. except for Hisoka and Gon’s father. i dont even remember the name of that asshat.” 

 -After the date, as Killua and Gon shares Chcorobots, A: “Thats it i cant take it anymore i ship them. they are too cute i cant resist them” 

 -A, as Cheetu vs Morel and Knuckle starts: “this arc is such a mess i love it it goes so wrong” 

 -when gon was faced to Kite’s puppet , they started yelling about how no one was stopping him. when Gon started blaming himself, A. threw a hairtie to the screen in frustration. they are worrying for Gon now, feels like he’s losing it. they worry that the adults are using him. like they say “i dont care their reasoning, we’re talking about 12yo. they never saw what gon can do while angry he risked his life on a dodgeball game. it’s dangerous.” 

 -A: “dont tell me they will put rhe two unexperienced kids as a team…” 

 -They are overjoyed to see the Troupe again. A. wanted a showdown between the ants and the troupe. “at least i wont mind if there’s death on both side” 

 -They are disgusted by Pike and they dont get why Zazan is all dominatrix. 

 -“the goth team and the clear hair team” 

 -A: “i understand why you say Shalnark is probably linked to Kurapika, they have the same (lack of) survival instinct” 

 -T: “nice to have some anthropology exploration with that mummy guy" about Beleonov

 -A: “wait is Phinks’s condition really to only turn his wrist? he didnt think too hard about it, and Pika whos putting his life on the line like a moron….”

-A: “im sure kite’s nen was Ging’s idea. it’s a thing with Ging’s idea, it seems terrible and you dont even know if he would himself believe it’d work but it does” 

-Feitan against Zazan: “thats violent…” 

 -A: i dont know what to think of that arc anymore. i dont even know what to comment. 

 -about Kalluto: “it’s killua’s LITTLE BROTHER??? HOW OLD IS HE. 10??? WHY IS HE WITH THE TROUPE” 

 -“are Feitan and the Mummy in a contest of who is gonna blow up the biggest planet” 

 -*seeing the kimera* “is that nina” 

 -A when Phinks blushes when Shal and Feitan makes fun of him for looking for Chrollo: “do everyone has a crush on Chrollo holy fuck” 

 -T: “When it’s to the spiders to be in charge of lifting the weight of the arc….” A: well we wanted responsible adults, we got them” 

 -A. finds impressive how that deep ib the arc, the story is still coherent. the ants are all exploited and you dont feel lost in the substories. she finds it impressive  

-Me: “fun to have a geopolitic story in a furry arc” A: “i wonder what the next arcs will be. will there be a cooking arc” Me: “i mean, isnt it the cooking arc? “ A: *splilling her drink*”… you know what i dont say anything anymore” 

 -A:“… was the Queen on drugs when she created Shaiapouf?”

 -A: “i think i hate (pitou) more than hisoka…. i mean hisoka, you get used to him. she…. is too unsettling and sh’es too cute it makes me uncomfortable” T: “well i mean… hisoka is a p/edophile…”  A: “i mean true but at least you can predict hidoka, she replies to orders. you can discuss with Hisoka, not with her. Like how Pika talked with him” Me: “well then with Pika it was all on Hisoka’s intend...” T: “well you can discuss with him if you’re a teen” A: “Okay true but you can have an ally with hisoka at times. with Pitou, nah” 

 -T “now i thought hisoka was coming”  Me:“if he was in this arc he would have had the boner of the century” T: “thanks Chloé” 

 -when Gon trusted Meleoron right away “what the fuck with that kid. me too Meleoron” 

 -when Ikalgo appeared in that first corpse and started singing, T started laughing and loving him and almost spilled his drink, and A. burried her face in a pillow saying “i dont even know what to say anymore…” 

 -as Killua catches ikalgo: A-: i love this kid T: me i love this octopus omg 

 -as Ikalgo says he wanted to be a squid: A: “how can it be that fun, that wtf and that tragic at once?” 

 -T: i really love that octopus A: i really love that kid 

 -T is determinates and really really love the octopus :’) 

 -the darts game started and A . started to pull very worried faces 

 -When Gon says he will kill Meleoron if he betrays him, A:“this kid really scares me…. he always scared me.”

-they’re cheering as Killua won against the orsos bros and faked his death 

 -turns out T. plays darts too so as Killua was explaining how he survived, he kept figuring how it made sense 

 -they were tense as Killua almost died and they both left out a gasp as Killua apologized about not being of use for gon 

 -they adore Ikalgo, both of them and now they worry he’ll die 

 -A. keeps reading Meleoron as Melanchon, a french politician she doesnt like. we compared that politician to Leol 

 -A. saw Komugi and gasped because “oh no i saw her on your blog”. I’ve been yelling at her to stop looking at my blog and her reaction was “but I’d have to stop using tumblr!”. rood. 

 -T.’s mother walked in after a scene with Meleoron and with the King and she started laughing, not understanding what was going on, just surprised by the designs. she finds the plot about the games to be fun ahah 

 -Morel just told Cheetu he lost because hes an idiot and they both applauded 

-at the King trying to destabilize Komugi and failing T: “well it’s turning against him hes getting destabilized” A: “she controls him so much”

 -When the King ripped his own arm, they both gasped and A. froze and yelled “WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED” 

 -A: “the king is acting reckless and hurts himself… sounds so much like Gon.”  

-A loves how Komugi is in total control of the King ahah 

 -Me at the king's arm being ripped: "hxh and the constant abuse of arms". A. "ye i saw your posts about it. im still baffled by how much of them belongs to Gon"

For the most part, they seemed to like it! A. Kept repeating it was such a mess and she loved how much of a mess it was. It was getting worse and worse and they are seriously getting worried about the situation at hand. 

They are really, really involved in the arc and I’m so glad. For a lot of people I dragged in hxh (and.. me included to some extend) the ca arc was the hardest to get into, and I’m really glad they’re enjoying it that much.

They are looking forward for more and are impressed to have gone this far in the serie.

Despite the fact we skip opening/ending/previews (not my own will, they really don’t wanna see them dkjfhd shame for the previews but oh well) they keep singing the opening theme too. That’s fun :’D

So ye, a good session, a ton of fun, they liked it :D

See you all in another session o/

[wordsintimeandspace]

Who We Are (1/?)

Author: @wordsintimeandspace Pairing: fem!Ten/Rose (AU) Summary: When her 18th birthday and with that the appearance of her soulmark approaches, Rose is sure that it will only confirm Jimmy Stone as her soulmate. The realization that it’s not him turns her life upside down, especially when she meets Jane Smith, also known as the Doctor, only a few weeks later. Rating: Teen Words: ~1600 Notes: Thank you to @asmilelikestarlight​ for the beta! <3 I’m very excited for this story, and while I know that fem!Ten is not everyone’s cup of tea, I hope a few of you will be excited as well. :)

Read on AO3.

Rose nervously tapped her fingers on the beer bottle in her hands, a quick rhythm that didn’t quite match the music blaring from the CD player in the corner of the living room. Laughter reached her ears as Keisha and Shareen giggled over a story one of them just shared with the others, but Rose hadn’t been listening. With a sigh, she glanced at the clock on the other side of the room. For a moment, she watched the seconds tick by, slowly but surely approaching midnight. Rose rolled her tense shoulders and let out a long breath, trying to calm the anxiety coursing through her veins.

This was it, after all. The big day. She should be excited, but instead she only felt nervous. It was only an hour to go until her birthday, an hour until she turned eighteen, and Jimmy wasn’t there. She wanted him to be at her side when her soulmark was finally revealed, but he was late. Again.

Absently, Rose brushed her fingers over the skin of her wrist, the exact spot where her soulmark had started to become visible in the last few days. It had started with faded grey lines that grew deeper over time, forming a small box on the inside of her wrist. Now it was only a matter of minutes until the counter would appear within it.

Everyone on Earth carried this soulmark on their skin. The exact mechanics were still one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of science, but the principle was always the same. The clock appeared when someone turned eighteen, starting at zero and counting up until they met their soulmate. Right in that second the counter would stop, showing the days, hours, minutes and seconds from their eighteenth birthday to that fateful meeting for the rest of their lives. Numbers etched to the skin, tying the life of one person to the life of another. Two numbers that showed without a doubt that two humans belonged together.

Rose smiled at the thought. She already knew Jimmy was her soulmate, but in a short while she would finally be able to prove it to everyone who doubted her. She knew her counter would stop right after it appeared, like it always did when someone had already met their soulmate before they turned eighteen.

Rose startled as her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket, letting out a relieved breath when she saw Jimmy’s name on the display.

“Hi,” she answered, grinning as she waited for the confirmation that Jimmy was finally on his way to see her.

“Hey babe,” Jimmy said on the other end of the line. The tone in his voice was enough to make Rose’s stomach drop. “Sorry, I’m not gonna make it tonight.”

“What, but-” Rose started. She took a deep breath, speechless for a second. “Jimmy, it’s my birthday. Shouldn’t you be done with band practise by now?” She could hear voices in the background, laughing and hollering, and tried hard not to think about what that could mean.

“Look, I told you we have that gig next weekend. We really need to practise. Our drummer is playing like shit.”

“But…” Rose started, trailing off when she didn’t know what to say. Tears stung in her eyes, blurring her vision. Jimmy heaved a sigh on the other side of the lane.

“Look, babe. I really am sorry,” he said, his voice turning softer for just a moment. “We’ll spend tomorrow together instead, yeah? It’s still your birthday then.”

“I… I thought about dropping by mum’s tomorrow. Haven’t seen her in a while,” Rose protested.

“Oh, come on,” Jimmy answered, irritation creeping in his voice. “I’ll take you out for chips and we can go to that park you like, okay? It’s gonna be fun. You can visit your mum next week. It’s not like she’s going anywhere.”

Rose sighed, knowing that this was an argument she couldn’t win. And spending the day with Jimmy did sound nice - it had been ages since they’d done that, just the two of them. A day alone with her soulmate. Jimmy was right, it would be fun. Rose forced a smile on her lips, trying to bury her irritation underneath her excitement for the next day.

“Okay,” she finally said. “We’ll do that. But don’t be home too late tonight, yeah?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll try,” Jimmy said before ringing off.

Rose set the phone down with a sigh. Her friends had turned silent and were watching her instead. Rose kept her gaze down, not wanting to see the concern on their faces.

“He’s not coming?” Shareen asked and Rose shook her head, hesitantly meeting her friend’s eyes. “No, he’s got band practise. Takes longer than he thought it would.”

“Oh darling, I’m sorry,” Shareen said, rushing to Rose’s side and wrapping an arm around her. Rose leaned into her touch, grateful for the comfort.

“I’ll see him tomorrow. It’s all right,” she said, hoping that she sounded more convincing than she felt.

“Course it is. You’ve got us!” Shareen exclaimed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Keisha, get her another beer! We’re still gonna celebrate your birthday!”

Rose couldn’t help but smile. Shareen’s good mood was always infectious, no matter what. Before she knew it, she had another drink in her hands and her friends were surrounding her around the small coffee table, chatting and laughing, pushing her disappointment to the back of her mind. Rose nearly forgot that midnight was coming closer, until Keisha shrieked and pointed to the clock.

“Five minutes!” she exclaimed, moving closer to Rose. “How’s your soulmark looking now?”

Rose pulled her sleeve back, revealing the small box that had turned from faded grey to nearly black. “Nearly there,” Rose said, her heart skipping a beat. She grinned, the excitement making her giddy.

“Oh, that looks exactly like mine before it started,” Keisha said, revealing her wrist as well. Small black numbers flashed over her skin, counting each second. Keisha let out a sigh.

“It’s getting frustrating to watch that counter,” she complained. “It could be ages until I meet my soulmate. It’s so cool that you have already met Jimmy. It’s really rare, soulmates meeting before their marks appear on their skin.”

“My parents met before their eighteenth birthday,” Shareen chimed in. “It looks kinda weird. They both have zeros on their wrists.”

Keisha furrowed her brow. “Okay, but how did they know they’re actually soulmates? When they don’t have numbers to compare? It could’ve been someone else they met before they were eighteen.”

Rose laughed. “Have you met her parents?”

Keisha and Shareen looked at each other and dissolved into giggles.

“They’re so in love,” Shareen said with a roll of her eyes. “It’s disgusting.”

“Shut up, they’re so adorable,” Rose protested.

“For you, maybe. You don’t have to watch them snogging.”

“Quiet, you two! We have less than a minute to go!” Keisha interrupted. “Tonight is about Rose, remember?”

Rose gulped, glancing at the clock on the wall. Her heart beat faster in her chest. This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for ever since she’d met Jimmy and he’d revealed that his clock had stopped when he’d met her.

“Ten seconds!” Shareen yelled in excitement. “Come on, we’re doing a countdown!”

Giddy with excitement and nerves, Rose stared down at her wrist and listened to her friends chanting the seconds.

Five.

The box was now nearly black, a blank space where the numbers would appear any moment.

Four.

The numbers that would finally prove it to everyone who was doubting them. Proof for her mum, for her friends, for everyone who was worried about her ever since she had met Jimmy, dropped out of school and moved in with him on a whim. Rose had known it was the right thing to do, but now everyone else would finally see it as well.

Three.

And it would be proof for herself, for these dark moments when doubt crawled into her thoughts. Proof that she wasn’t wasting her time, that she would be with him forever. Because he was her soulmate, and they belonged together.

Two. One. Zero.

Holding her breath, Rose watched in fascination how the numbers popped up on her skin. A range of zeros, appearing out of thin air. A range of zeros that Rose was sure would be etched onto her skin forever. She thought she’d never seen more beautiful numbers in her life.

But all the happiness turned into dread when the unthinkable happened. The last zero turned into a one. And into a two. Three, four, five. Rose froze, staring at her wrist, unable to process what had just happened. She barely registered how her friends had gotten quiet next to her.

“But-” Rose started, her voice hoarse. She couldn’t form a clear sentence. Her mind was whirling, but she couldn’t hold on to a thought. It shouldn’t be possible.

“It can’t be,” Rose said, her voice shaking. “There’s got to be a mistake. This can’t be right!” Her voice grew louder with every word, more desperate. None of this felt real.

But as she continued to stare at the numbers on her wrist, changing with each passing second, she realized that the possibility she hadn’t even dared to think about in the past weeks had become a painful reality. Her soulmark was counting up. And that meant that after all this time, all these months in which she had been convinced that Jimmy was her soulmate, it had all been a lie.

Her soulmate was still out there, somewhere, waiting to meet her.

[carlculationinfinityinterviews]

FES Interview

Progressive three piece FES hailing from Peterborough features Pollyanna Holland-wing (Guitars+Vox) Tom-Hollandwing (Drums+Vox) and Matt West ( Bass ). FES deliver a refreshingly unique and atypical approach to songwriting. Their music features swiftly changing dynamics and transforming song structures that effortlessly displays a sense of fun and variety that  never fails to take the listener to new grounds without being extremely gaudy. FES are currently on tour to promote their split EP titled Sleep Less featuring the sonic triforce that is Exploder( previously titled Exploder Than You). 

Tell me about your individual music background and what inspired to you all to become musicians what was the first instance you can recall when you thought about playing music?

Matt: I've been playing the guitar since I was about 7. I can't really imagine doing anything else and I think i've been in bands solidly since I was about 14. I don't think I ever questioned pursuing music from a really early age so I don't think I had a specific moment where I was like "This is it, this is for me".

Tom: When I was in year 4/5 me and my neighbour started listening to a lot of bands like Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Green Day etc, and because he had just got a drum kit I thought it would make sense if I got a guitar. I also think my dad always regretted not learning the guitar, so he was keen for me to do it.

I went on to do my grades and whatnot and in year 8 I saw a second-hand drum kit in a shop, which again my parents were very open to letting me try out another instrument. I never had lessons for drums, I just slowly taught myself bit by bit over the years and when it came to starting a band with Matt and Polly, it made more sense for me to jump on the drums rather than the guitar so we could kick-start things faster!

Polly: I first had an interest in learning the guitar after watching Tom learn when I was about 7, that’s when I bought my first acoustic! I started off listening to bands such as Metallica and Nirvana but it wasn’t until I discovered singer-songwriter, Regina Spektor when I was about 13 that I decided to start writing my own music.

When did you realise that being a musician was the career path that you wanted to follow? What was the catalyst that caused this decision?

Matt: I grew up as a proper little metal head. Iron maiden back pack, long hair, wardrobe of black T-Shirts. The full works. I knew I wanted to be in a band as soon as I saw Iron Maiden live back in 2006. That was a big one for me.

Tom: I probably realised this around the start of secondary school, I just couldn’t imagine myself doing something not related to music. I would sit and play guitar for hours and hours a day and just couldn’t imagine my life any other way.

Polly: Music is always what believed I’ve been best at so ever since I started I wanted a career in it. I always thought I’d become a session musician when I was younger.

FES-Inside Out ( Directed and filmed by Lewis Cater and Nick Shield)

What was the first album or piece of music you sought out to purchase with your own money and what drew to towards that particular band/artist/album? What bands/artists/albums made you want to play in a band?

Matt: I think the first album I bought with my own money was Saint Anger by Metallica. I was in year 6 and I'm pretty sure the teacher confiscated it and gave it to my mum after class because it had a parental advisory label. Good times. Terrible Album though.

Tom: I believe the very first album I bought with my own money was Led Zeppelin’s ‘Led Zeppelin’. I was drawn to it purely because at the time all I was playing on the guitar was Led Zeppelin songs. The album I bought after this however was Shakira’s ‘Laundry Service’, because it’s a banger. Not even a guilty pleasure. But the band I credit to making me want to be in a band the most is Metallica. I adored all of their albums and I think I always will, but it is those guys who I truly credit for the position I am in now.

Polly: I had to think hard to remember this but I believe Biffy Clyro’s ‘Blackened Sky’ was the first album I bought. I fell in love with their album ‘Puzzles’ after a friend lent it to me and decided to go through their whole discography afterwards! As for who made me want to be in a band, I’d have to say Regina Spektor. She’s been my biggest musical influence to date and taught me I didn’t have to stay in any box. There’s no way I’d be where I am now without her music.

How would you describe the way you thought about music when you were first becoming musicians? How does that compare to what you want to create now?

Matt: I used to write in guitar pro5. I was obsessed with that software and I actually owe a lot to it! But back then in my mid to late teens, song writing as a concept was more about stitching riffs together than writing songs.

Tom: When I first started playing music, it was - as I’m sure it is for most musicians - very exciting. I was filled with anticipation of where I could go next with it because I knew I had a lot to learn about music.

But it is also completely different to how it is now. I’m not saying that it isn’t exciting now, but it’s a very different experience. My taste in music has altered tremendously from year to year and as I’ve understood how music works more and more throughout that time the ways in which I have conceptualised it has varied.

When I first started I just wanted to be alternative, whether it was heavy metal or grunge or whatever, I enjoyed listening to things that other people found hard to listen to. I still appreciated and liked other forms of music like pop, but I thrived on being different, it felt more fun to me. But as I’ve grown up I have come to appreciate other forms in a more rounded approach.

It’s no longer I am more this than that, I just look for the good in music no matter what it is really. I’m not saying I like absolutely everything, I just feel less need to only be listening to metal and grunge basically! However, I do credit my past experiences with music to where I am going now. I know that I could write some 3-song music and be done with it, but that’s not fun to me, hence why I love being a part of FES. We get to do whatever we want and not put a strict label on. Even though we fit in the math crowd, I wouldn’t label us math, because we’re not intentionally being as mathy as we can, we’re just doing what we like without following typical rules of music writing.

Polly: I thought of music as quite a simple concept when I was young. I pretty much followed a four chord progression for every song. Still, I had a lot of fun with it. I’ve realised over time that with music, the sky is the limit. You don’t have to stay in any box.

How would describe your approach taken with your instrument, what artists/bands/musicians/albums have lead to take this direction?

Matt: I only started truly playing the bass until FES. And since then, I have only really played our own material as a bassist. I suppose my influences from certain bands shine through the kinds of lines I write for FES but I wouldn't say that I am truly influenced by many bass players. I tend to try and say things like, "the bass should be more Blakfishy here" or I try to compliment to guitar or drums y'know.

I am definately a sucker for certain bass sounds and styles, particularly in the math scene. I think the bass lines from colour were incredible and pretty unique. But that was just colour.

Tom: If I’m honest, it’s hard for me to name specific inspiration when it comes to drums. It would be different if we were talking about guitarists, but I felt as I learnt guitar I just gained a good understanding of rhythm. When it came to playing in FES, Polly just hit me up with some riffs and I just went with whatever I matched it with and improved on it until it was something I was satisfied with. Saying this, the first drummer who stood out to me was John Bonham.

I believe he was ahead of his time for the band he was in, and he played like no one else did in that era. I always think of the song ‘Good Times, Bad Times’ for his use of kick control in those gaps, as far as I’m concerned no other drummer was playing like that and that resonated well with me.

Polly: Over the past few months people have mentioned artists my guitar playing reminds them of and I think a lot them do subconsciously shine through in my playing. Artists like Paramore and Biffy Clyro. But if I’m honest I believe I’ve grown as a guitarist after watching Tom play for over a decade. Other bands that have influenced my playing are Blakfish and Fishtank.

As for vocally, obviously Regina Spector is a HUGE influence behind my melodies, followed by others like Fiona Apple, Hop Along and Alanis Morissette. I think my main aim is to make every melody, both in my guitar and vocals as hooky as possible

FES-Tongue Tied ( Noise Cabin Session ) 

How do you maintain your proficiency as a musician and push yourself to venture on create new ideas and challenges?

Matt: I listen to Polly and try to keep up!

Tom: I teach music in both primary and secondary schools as well as privately, so that reeeeally helps me keep on my toes, especially when it comes to theory. I’m really grateful that I get that out of my work. Other than that I love practising anyway and will most of the time I have free.

Polly: I definitely find guitar difficult so I find I have to practice pretty much every day to stay on my toes. Often I have practice for hours at a time just to be able to sing and play one riff at the same time! It’s a frustrating process but it’s a satisfying outcome which I love!

What did you learn, practice and listen to when developing your skills as a musician, what steps did you have to take to play the music that you have written? Do you have a practice method that you work towards?

Matt: I used to be all about metronome / scale practising. Being a metal guy I was really into alternate and hybrid picking so I was determined to get real good at that for a while. There is a Protest The Hero song call "C'est La Vie" which I was real pleased with myself for playing! But I'm terrible at it now because I don't even use a plectrum anymore! #Basslife

Tom: In terms of song writing, I always used a programme called guitar pro 5, something that Matt used a lot too, as did many of our music friends back in the day. I credit the 10 years I spent on that programme to my song-writing and especially my understanding of rhythm. Writing drums before I could actually play the drums made venturing onto the actual kit a much easier process than what it probably would’ve been had I not used it in the first place. Other than that, getting home from school and then playing guitar with my neighbour and sisters until I went to bed probably helped.

Polly: Really I believe I started peaking at guitar after I started listening to Math Rock back in early 2016 just before I started the band. I was hugely into Blackfish’s album ‘Champions’ and Signals at the time. In my teenage years I would play music with my brother and sister all the time so that helped with my musical development.

How did FES come to form and how does it compare to playing in previous bands? What did you want to achieve this time around when forming a band?

Matt: We lived together for 2 years and Polly was working on a new project that eventually roped tom into and then me. It took a while before it became something that looks like FES now.

For me and Tom, where our previous band was a 7 piece Skacore band called Leroy's Mama, being in a 3 piece was kind of a revelation. We had a lot of fun in that previous band and probably had a lot of potential but we made loads of mistakes and I think it takes a few bands for you to work out what you're doing with them. This one was where we said "we're actually gonna try and do this properly this time".

Tom: Me, Polly and Matt moved in together just outside of Peterborough and we knew that something musical would happen. We didn’t set out to start a band, but as we lived together longer we realised that we understand each other very well musically so it made sense to get something cooking. I’ve been playing music with Polly since primary school too so I’m not afraid to tell her when I think something is bad and vice versa, and I could say the same to Matt, having been in multiple bands with him before. It’s funny though, because as a group we started off playing reggae music as we all have a deep love for it.

However in time this transitioned into whatever you want to call what we’re doing now, but it certainly isn’t reggae! My previous bands were great, I loved being in them, but they have taught me a lot about what it takes to be in a band and keep going. I’m not saying I know exactly what I’m doing, because I don’t, not by a long shot. But I, like Matt and Polly, have had a lot of learning curves with previous bands and projects and it all helps lead up to where I am now, and where I am going to be in time to come. I know for sure there are still learning curves ahead!

Polly: We all lived together at the time and I was going through a bit of a rough patch and needed a way to get out all my emotions . So writing angry/sad songs was originally how I achieved that. Before FES I was in a sibling band. I’ve always been comfortable telling Tom when an idea of his doesn’t quite resonate with me but it’s something I’ve had to learn to do with Matt. Although, 99% of the time their ideas are on point!!

How are the songs in FES written? Please describe this from A to B. What does each member bring to the band in this part of the process?

Matt: Most FES songs come from Polly. She will write riffs / melodies / lyrics at various stages of completion and then we put our individual perspectives into the mix. It's kind of a healthy way to do it. It is focused and lets each of us play to our strengths as me and Tom get to look at it and pull it apart and put it back together.

Tom: Every song typically starts with Polly. She is our main songwriter. She brings ideas to the table and then me and Matt bounce of them and we keep going, sometimes for weeks or months until we have a somewhat finished product.

Occasionally me and Matt will bring a riff to the table and Polly will branch off from that. Like for example, Matt started off ‘Talk It Out” with that 6/8 bass line, and I wrote the first section of ‘Flesh Out’ and then we carried on from there. But mostly, it’s Polly who does the main bulk and then the band fleshes it out (literally why the song is called Flesh Out by the way).

Polly: I typically write the base of the songs. I the write the riffs, chords progressions and lyrics and then bring it to Tom and Matt to help structure it better and make it more mathy usually. Although sometimes the boys will start off a song and I’ll finish it. Also, improvising in a band practice sparks a lot of ideas between us too.

How has this changed since you started playing in FES and how would you describe the musical impact each member has had on you?

Matt: We are definately not afraid to bin material anymore. I think we used to keep pretty much everything we wrote but there have been multiple times where we just have to admit a song has got away from us or sections that we think are cool simply don't work.

Polly has a cool saying she says all the time that is: Every line should be a hook. Which I think is a really cool way to approach writing, especially as a bassist. Adding my lines to her riffs has also allowed me to figure out what my style / sound / preference on the bass even is which is nice.

And with Tom, we have known eachother for like 10+ years and been playing in bands together for most of that. So I've learnt a lot from him about guitar playing and song writing. Annoyingly he has written my favourite bassline in any FES song which is the verse in 'Flesh Out' which does a little major third run. Screw him for that.

Tom: It’s pretty much the same now. It’s a process that seems to work for us so why not stick to it!

Polly: I believe the process is pretty much the same!

Tell me about the writing process for the new EP. What did you want to achieve in comparison to You Do You? How would you describe the progression of yourselves as artists creatively from the beginning to the end is the result different what you expected?

Matt: We wrote these two songs not too long after releasing You Do You I believe. I don't think we truly compared them and said we want to head in this direction more than any other but we kind of have a running joke where when we finish a new song, if it's not our new favourite FES song ever we bin it and try again. These 2 have been faves for a while.

Tom: When we wrote these two songs for ‘sleep less’, we had a lot going on in our lives in terms of mental health and relationships etc, and we just wanted to pour the passion of that into these two songs. For example ‘Inside Out’ is mostly centred around a bad mental health stage I personally went through in early 2017 and ‘These Days’ is mostly about the people around us, from Pollys point of view obviously, but it’s all relationship stuff. Even that song has mental health stuff in it too though. It’s a reoccurring theme for us! In terms of ‘You Do You’, the main thing I wanted to get out of these two songs was a sense of progression as a band.

I still don’t think we’ve found our true sound and I just wanted these two songs to be a reflection of how we’re changing as people as well as musically. I suppose I never had an expectation of what kind of musician I would be now, I tend to find I just go with the flow musically because I never truly know what I’ll be into next. I don’t want to say that FES will always have that typical ‘You Do You’ or ‘sleep less’ sound because I truly believe that next time we will sound different again, but right now I honestly don’t know how that’s going to turn out to be, but that’s also the exciting part about it.

Polly: The main difference between both EP’s is ‘You Do You’ was based around my own mental health whilst ‘Sleep Less’ is based around other peoples I suppose. The lyrics for ‘You Do You’ were typically written quite quickly in the moment, whereas I spent about a month writing for both ‘Inside out’ and ‘These days’. I always want to progress as an artist and don’t want to stay in any box but whatever we write, no matter what vibe, will always be FES because it’s us who’s writing it. If any of us left the band it would never be the same.

What was it like working with Iain Sadler., what was his approach to the songs you have written and how do you feel it would have turned out with another producer? How would you describe the process of working with a producer and would you say that there are any disadvantages or advantages to this process?

Matt: Ian was great to work with. We recorded 2 songs over 4 days and having that time gave us a lot of room for creativity. For example, we spent 2 hours hitting random objects in the studio on the last day, recorded Tom eating pringles and got a Microwave ping into 'Inside Out' which was pretty fun and made that track really come alive.

We loved recording You Do You with Will Cook of Classically Handsome Brutes fame, that experience showed we had a lot to learn and looking back we still think of things that we should have put on that record but didn't think of at the time. I would love to go back into the studio with Will and have a crack at those songs again! We only chose to work with Ian because personally, I like bands who change up production style on each release.

I like a sense of progression or movement. We went with Ian because of his work on Fish Tank's 'Henry' EP which is hugely influential on us as a band.

It was important for us to find a producer with a real creative input when making a record. We affectionately call Will Cook the 4th FES all the time so I think that would make Ian the 5th! He brought a lot of influence, especially regarding tones, that just made the songs sound huge!

Tom: We loved working with Ian. I think within the first half an hour of sitting down with him it was obvious to us we had gone with a goodun. It was a little scary beforehand having never met him before, but he understood our songs instantly and knew how to bring them to life in ways that we both wanted and didn’t expect, in a positive manner of course.

It’s hard to say what it would have sounded with another producer because I suppose we’ll truly never know. We often get described as being quite punky live, so perhaps that element of us would’ve shone through more, as I wouldn’t personally call us that punky on ’sleep less’. However, maybe others would, I don’t know, it’s all subjective.

Polly: It was great! He’s obviously very experienced and has worked with many well established bands already so I felt confident from the get go walking into his studio. Ian was quite experimental with ‘Inside Out’. We found random items around the studio to hit which definitely added to our sound. If you listen carefully you can actually hear a microwave which never would’ve ended up in the song if it weren’t for Ian!

What made you want to release a split EP with Exploder Than You?What are you also looking forward to with your upcoming tour?

Matt: We were not originally intended to release a split at all. Back when we released 'You Do You' in March, Christie (Manager of Rabbit Ear Records) wrote a really lovely review of the EP and we got to talking. Our plan was to release a solid A and B side this year on Rabbit Ear and from knowing exploder pretty well and obviously they being on Rabbit Ear, it just made sense!

Tom: It was actually Exploder’s idea to do the split in the first place. They coined the idea to us at our EP release for ‘You Do You’ at the Cornerhouse in Cambridge back in March 2017 I believe.

However, we were over the moon about them saying that because they were one of the main bands we were listening to just as we were initially thinking about putting the band together, and to have it happen so fast was pretty amazing!

For me, it’s just the tour in the first place. Over the last 6/7 years I have played loads of shows and the odd festival (nothing major however), but I have never toured before, so this is a first. Same thing for Polly and Matt too.

Other than that though we’re psyched to be hanging out with Exploder as we’ve only met them 2 or 3 times I believe. Also we will be meeting our lovely label manager Christie for the first time too! We’ve chatted loads over Skype and whatnot so it kinda already feels like we’ve met, so I often forget that we haven’t, so that’s something nice to look forward to.

Polly: I’ve always been a huge fan of theirs, even before FES was a thing. I love how they capture emotion through their instrumentation, they literally give me goosebumps every time I listen to them. They make me feel feelings I never knew existed.

It’s my first tour ever, so just getting the typical experience of playing every night and being in a different city everyday will be awesome. Getting to hang with Exploder and meet our Manager will be very sweet too!

FES, Exploder and Rabbit Ear Records Manager Christie O'regan 

What is the process for writing lyrics in FES? Are you  writing from personal experiences or subjectively about situations you are describing or have witnessed? Is there a method that you use? Where does the lyrical inspiration come from on Sleep  Well and how is that different from You Do You?

Matt: This is one for Polly but I know that she writes from experience about all sorts of subjects. A lot of our lyrics focus on mental health or anxiety as all 3 of us have dealt with that. There’s also a lot of Buffy references.

Tom: Polly literally writes all of the lyrics, and most if not all of them are very personal to her. When big things happen in our lives, that tends to be when Polly thrives on her lyric writing.

Sometimes when things are going well for us she complains that she has nothing to write about which is pretty funny really. Lyrically, inspiration is hard to differentiate between the two records just because I didn’t write them. Polly’s going to have to answer that one!

Polly: Writing lyrics is either a breeze for me or it’s the most frustrating thing in the world, there is no in-between!! I always write from personal experience and it’s typically about mental health. I tend only write in my room where I feel most comfortable getting out all my ideas. ‘Sleep Less’ is more about the people around me whereas ‘You Do You’ is much more about myself!

What does your setup consist of ? Does this differ to what you use live and when you are recording in the studio? ( Please go into as much detail as possible for the gear nerds out there)What are your personal preferences with your equipment, why do you use it in comparison to other companies/manufactures/string gauge/plectrums/drum heads/sticks/cymbals etc.

Matt: I play a 5 string fender Jazz bass. A lot of people ask why bother with the 5th string but I've never played a bass without it! I think it just opens up the fretboard and gives you the option of a lower B if you want it.

A few Pedals I run and recommend for bassists would the EHX Bass soulfood distortion. It's a subtle but gritty tone which isn't too overdriven. I use a EHX Knockout EQ as well for sections where I want to boost the low end to ridiculous amounts. And if you're a bass player, get a Sansamp. That goes without saying right?

Tom: in practice, 99% of the time I am playing on Matt’s electric kit. It works for us because we can practice at any time of the day/night and not piss off the neighbours. Other than that though, I don’t actually own a kit! I am still relying on kit shares due to being broke most of the time. I just get my practice on real kits at the schools I work at when no one is looking! I’m slowly making my way there though with my own kit, in fact it’s my birthday next week and I should be getting some Ziljian K hi-hats so that’ll be nice.

Polly: I still feel I’m trying to find my sound regarding my guitar pedals. It’s quite a simple setup at the moment consisting of an OCD distortion (my fave), a Tom’s Line chorus, a Cathedral reverb and a Marshall Echo Delay. I’m using a Black Star amp at the moment just because that’s all I have but ideally I’d like to buy a Fender amp sometime in the future. I actually use my brother’s Tele but I’m saving up for a Strat as we speak!!

What advice can you give to other artists and musicians that are playing in bands or thinking of becoming musicians? What is the best advice you have received that has helped you musically?

Matt: If you try to think of your band as a business it will help with how you decide what you want to achieve. Every decision you make matters so you have to think about doing what and when will help you achieve as much exposure. We started out with a live session of 'Tongue Tied' and as a very first release of any of our music it did wonders for establishing us.

Tom: The main thing I would say (as I would want this said to me at an early stage) is not to expect things to happen straight away. Unless you get lucky things will not turn out the way you want, a lot of things will just out-right fail too. But you have to treat them as learning curves and power on using your new knowledge to your advantage.

Otherwise, you will give up and that’s the dream is well and truly over. Most things come down to networking and who you know and making good use of the sources around you, but those contacts aren’t gained overnight, you have to give it time and keep trying. We’re still doing it massively ourselves!

Polly: Don’t leave after you’ve played your set (unless you absolutely have to)! It comes off as rude and also it’s the best way to network. It’s also the best advice I’ve been given!

What are you currently listening to and what was the last band or piece of art that surpassed the limits of what you thought was possible in a creative?

Matt: I am either listeniong to tons of math. So Ganglions Thirsty EP, Exploder, Dananananakroyd. But also tons of Hip-Hop like The Four Owls and B. Dolan. Anderson Paak's Malibu has not left my recently played list since it's release. That's a killer album.

Tom: A the moment there’s not much in particular that I’m listening to. I usually will come across something I like then whack it into a playlist and put it on random. However, particular bands I’m listening as of the last few days are: Owane, Led Zeppelin (funnily enough), Darwin Deez, Delta Sleep, Exploder, Hiatus Kaiyote & Submotion Orchestra just off the top of my head. Although I’m feeling another Sufjan Stevens session coming along soon… his work, especially his record ‘Illinois’ makes me feel things!

I’ve been listening to an artist called Owane again recently, I discovered him years ago but I’m listening to him again just in the past few weeks. He started off as a bedroom guitarist, but now he’s releasing records, all recorded himself, and I would describe it as technical electro-jazz with metal influences, but simultaneously not metal at all. I don’t know, I just really like him and I believe he’s not given as much credit that he deserves, so there ya go :)

Polly: Recently I’ve been listening to Marika Hackman’s new album. It’s a banger! I also have to agree with Tom though when we discovered Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Illinois’ last year. It’s a concept album and it blows my mind and I understand it a bit better every time I listen to it.

You can stream and purchase Sleep Less Here:

https://xpldr.bandcamp.com/ http://flatearthsocietyuk.com/album/sleep-less

Make sure you follow Fes, Exploder and Rabbit Ear Records in the links below:   https://www.facebook.com/FESuk/

https://www.facebook.com/xpldrrrr/ https://www.facebook.com/rabbitearrecs/ https://www.rabbitearrecords.com/

Get yourself out to see them on tour:

October 26th - Darwen: Exploder, FES, May The Night Bless You With Heavenly Dream http://bit.ly/2wkzGpi

October 27th - Sheffield: Exploder, FES, Ganglions and Mathletics http://bit.ly/2wkj7tL

October 28th – Leeds: CLASSICALLY HANDSOME BRUTES, Exploder, FES and Mathleticshttp://bit.ly/2wkR7pX

October 29th - York: Fat Spatula, Seatbelts - Falcon Tap http://bit.ly/2wkQAnI

[god-hunter]

Meteora - 2002

In 2002, my musical tastes changed a lot.  I was listening to a lot more thrash and prog metal.  If the song didn’t have an interlude and was under 5 minutes, it wasn’t good enough!  lol.

Nah, I still liked my old music.  I didn’t shit on it.  But when I heard Linkin Park was coming out with a new album, I wasn’t sure how I was gonna feel about it.  By that point I was so “beyond Radio Rock”...  But for these guys, I stepped off of my high horse.  Hybrid Theory left such a great impact on me, how could I not check out the next chapter of their career?

And I was really glad I did.

...Some people tote this as the forced album.  Some say, that there was a bunch of rehashing and retooling of old songs or ideas, done differently.  ...but I see a band that was running on a very Successful Train, and when they were put in a situation where Execs/the World needed more...  they delivered.

I won’t pretend to understand how the Music Business works.  But I will say that this is a solid album, with a bunch of great new songs to add to the Hybrid Theory set.  They definitely evolved and did different things on this album.  There were liner notes about the group being frustrated, lost and/or feeling a need to try different things.  But whatever the deal...  It worked man.

They put in a good amount of effort into this album and it showed.

The overall energy isn’t as groundbreaking, perhaps.  But there is still a lot of angst, some sweet grooves, vocally or otherwise, and definitely newer musical choices made that crossed genres a little bit.

This was no longer the Nu-Metal band that perfectly combined Rap-Rock.

This was starting to become more of a Heavy Alternative outfit, that occasionally provided raps.  And I was very okay with that.

Not every song was a hit, but favorable mentions are Don’t Stay, Somewhere I Belong, Hit the Floor, Easier to Run, From the Inside and Nobody’s Listening.

There are hits that got so overplayed that I don’t like them anymore...

But people will remember “Faint” and “Numb” the most from this album, I think.

So, we start with a “Foreward (intro)” which honestly shouldn’t even be it’s own track.  It’s literally 13 seconds long.  But I suppose they wanted you to be able to listen to “Don’t Stay” without having to hear a build up of rain and stakes being hit into the ground.  (Or whatever that sound effect is.)

...Either way, “Don’t Stay” starts with a cool drum sample part, and then the rest of the instruments jump in.  I suppose if you wanted to compare it to Hybrid Theory, this is sort of like a subdued “Papercut”.  I like Chester’s vocals though.  The vibe is more about breaking up and “STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!”  I dug that a lot.  If Hybrid Theory was about wanting, this one is about leaving.  Maybe.  So far..

“Somewhere I Belong” -   This song is where the album starts to feel really good. This was a new single in every sense of the word.  I heard this on the radio and definitely enjoyed it.  [Don’t remember if I heard it on the album first or not...  But either way...]  Mike Shinoda’s raps shine on this one in the verses.  There’s a beautiful build before we get to him.  But when he does go for it, the tempo is at a nice mid-pace, so he doesn’t sound like he’s rushing.  More like he’s just swooning us through a nice chill groove.  Chester plays back-up vocalist in the verse, but it happens so often, that it sort of really feels like a collaborated hybrid.  His chorus is awesome.  I still love singing it to this day.  “I wanna Heal. I wanna feel.  What I thought was never real. I wanna let go of the pain I felt so long.”  “...Like I’m close to something real. I wanna find something I wanted all along. Somewhere I belong...”

^ This is a theme I still feel to this day in terms of career...

And that’s what I like about this album, before I go on.  These songs are transcending the theme of relationships.  Certain things can be tied to other topics like just.. life in general.  Etc. etc.

“Lying From You” - This one starts with a cool sample thing, and then the guitar riffs take us away.  Mike Shinoda raps through the verse on this one.  Chester’s back ups are haunting as he adds in, before the chorus drops.  You can definitely feel already that this album is sort of mellow to Hybrid Theory in comparison, but that’s good.  [This is called the Sophomore Effect.  Songs start to either sound stagnant or far slower than the predecessor’s heavy hitters.  But what makes that okay is the fact that it really differentiates the set.  And sometimes a lot of the Sophomore efforts are Better!]  Lying From You was no different.  Definitely memorable guitar parts, and catchy enough to be a sweet song mid-set.

“Hit the Floor” - This song kicks in right after Chester ended the last one with, “The very worst part of you... is me!”   We are treated to this cool sounding high-pitched woodwind or something.  Mr. Hahn (who joined the band at this point), gives cool light sample sounds.  Then the guitars copy him.  I really like this song, because there’s a dark, mellow, upset energy.  Shinoda, again takes the verse here.  Very fast, Hybrid Theory-like rapping.  Chester takes over the chorus, driving the point home.  “ONE MINUTE YOU’RE ON TOP!! MAKING YOUR HEART STOP!  ONE MINUTE YOU’RE ON TOP!! MAKING YOUR HEART STOP!  And then it’s Alll Gooooone”.  This was the first time, we heard Shinoda sing along with Chester.  It was very chilling and cool.

^ Also, how about that theme?  Is the song about relationships?  Or the music business...?  Or more??  Again.  This is the growth that I’m talking about.

“Easier to Run” -  Okay.  Here is where people calling this a carbon copy album, have a point.  The theme of ‘running’ definitely feels like a call-back to Hybrid Theory.  But honestly?  This song is totally it’s own thing.  There are comparisons to Crawling’s build.  But I disagree.  Once the vocals come in, Chester takes us away with an awesome vocal line, which serves as the Chorus.  “It’s Easier to Run!  Replacing this pain with something more!  It’s so much easier to go!  Then face all this pain here all alooone.”

...There are some very chilling vocals here actually, knowing what we know now...  Rest in Peace Chester... =(

“Faint” - ...I hate this song.  I’m not gonna lie.  It was plastered all over the radio, and toted as the fun one.  Mr. Hahn’s string samples start this one.  It’s a very iconic and memorable sound, I suppose.  Then the rest of the band kicks in.  Shinoda takes the verse in this, and proves to the public that he is way more than a back-up guy on this number.  [A lot of this album is that, actually.]  There’s good energy when Chester does the Chorus.  ...I just don’t love it.  And I was lukewarm at best, when I heard this at 16/17..

“Figure. 09″ -  Uhhh...  What.  Could they not come up with a good song title for this or something?  (It’s not even the 9th song.)  This one was sort of a meh song.  I don’t really like the chorus.  “You’ve become a part of me...  I’ve let myself become you.”  [This sort of sounds like an answer to Myself, when I go by the Hybrid Theory comparison...]  I’d rather not though.

“Breaking The Habit” -  This song was different.  I appreciated that.  It gets credit for that.  I just don’t love it.  This is a solid Like.  3 stars out of 5.  This one is very electronic.  Mr. Hahn does it up with nice sounds, orchestral stuff and I can’t tell if that’s our real drummer, or Mr. Hahn.  But Chester joins him, and sings a very catchy verse and chorus.  The beat is quick and upbeat, and would almost resemble a punk beat if it weren’t so electric sounding.  It definitely gets points for being different.  But that’s about it.

“From The Inside” - I like this song lot.  It’s in 6/8 which is different.  I like the heavy riff in the beginning, I appreciate the soft verse, and I really enjoy the catchiness of the chorus.  “I swear for the last time, I won’t trust myself with you.”  That thought seems prevalent throughout the whole album.  Guardedness.  I guess that = growth...  I dunno.  I haven’t been mentioning this, but a lot of the songs seem to have a lot of the same break where Chester screams. This one is, “I WON’T TRUST MYSELF WITH YOU!!!”  I think that’s where people might’ve noticed that this album might fall flat in comparison to it’s predecessor.

But then come’s “Nobody’s Listening”.  This is absolutely a Rap song, with Shinoda rolling on, along with some awesome flutes in the background.  It sounds almost tribal in nature.  A simple back-beat is underneath it.  Very quick palm-muted guitars add that little bit of edge that I need.  The raps are an absolute pleasure to hear.  Then Chester joins in with a sing-songy gruff part for the chorus.  It’s not quite a scream, but definitely not a growl.  It’s just Chester’s ‘rough’ voice, which he’s developed at this point.  I liked this one a lot.  And again... kind of like “Forgotten” from the first album, I really would’ve loved to hear the band continue in this direction a little bit.

After that we’re treated to another Instrumental “Session” by Mr. Hahn.  And I don’t care about this one at all.  It’s far less insightful than “Cure for the Itch”, which was strange enough.  I happen to love instrumentals.  And this one isn’t bad...  But I’ll be honest.  It kind of feels like it was done, because it... needed to be.  Like, I’m not even bringing up behind-the-scenes stuff here.  I’m just saying that, it seems like, it was done because...  that’s what they do.  As if they were attempting to set a precedent.  And in this case, I don’t think it worked.  The last musical critique I’ll give on it is that it sounds like a bunch of jumbled up samples, corroding an already busy beat, without any interesting strings or piano stuff happening underneath.  Just one riff that sort of goes nowhere and shuts down after getting busy and scrambled.

Last we have “Numb”, which is a clear copy cat of “Pushing Me Away”.  I could even tell that on the first listen.  ...It left a weird taste in my mouth.  Was Linkin Park losing their touch.  Was this just a Sophomore Effort, that paled in comparison to the original?  ...Were they running out of ideas???

...I was 17 at the time.  And listening to Dream Theater and Iron Maiden on the regular at that point...  Honestly, as a kid, I couldn’t care less.

At their 2nd album, I already.. put myself at a distance from this band.  Linkin Park was no longer... My Band per se.  The songs didn’t exactly speak to me, quite the way that the first album did.

I chalk that up to me having a very small collection at the time.  When I was 15, I had... Metallica, Rob Zombie, Limp Bizkit, maybe Deftones..  and this!  (Disturbed too.)

When I was 17, I discovered more “underground” stuff like Moonspell and Lacuna Coil. Dream Theater, Iced Earth and the like...

So when this album came around, I was glad to give it a spin.  I appreciated the familiarity to the first album, but also the difference in not only tempos, but certain song choices.  Choosing different sound fonts and to go into 6/8 or have an upbeat electronic-punky number.

I thought I was over them, but no.  They evolved...  I was proud of them.

And so, there it was.  Linkin Park had 2 albums, and that was it for quite a while.

Behind-the-scenes, I’m not sure if they took a hiatus or what, but I heard that Mike Shinoda actually served some time in the Military!!  Whether that’s true or not, Linkin Park didn’t put out another album until 2007.

And by that point, they were VERY Different.  Let alone all of my personal changes in music and attitude.

By the time, Minutes to Midnight came around, I was a 20-something year old.  And very curious as to how my old friend was doing.  And it turns out that... he changed.