#src documentary

[platypusesforarms]

Pompeii, Italy | Pompeii - The New Dig

In AD 79, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius entombed Pompeii in metres of pumice and ash preserving the city and its people for two millennia. Today, Pompeii's ruins are the archaeological wonder of the world.

[yibo-best]

Tomorrow afternoon in Paris, as part of the UN conference, there will be a pre-screening of Yibo's documentary film about glaciers

Src: I_just_miss_you_安 >>

I'm wondering when we'll have the opportunity to watch this movie😟😟

[behind-the-screen-of-bangtan]

MUSE

Release date : 19 July 2024

Official page

Announcement

Pre-order notice

Teaser

Promotion Schedule

Highlight medley

Recording Behind

Official YouTube playlist

Official Merch

Thanks to Eng translation

Jimin's second release after this first solo album FACE. Several parts of the concept reference the smeraldo flower, a fictional plant from the Bangtan Universe (BU)

Right before the announcement, a discussion channel was opened on the official BTS account on Instagram to tease it. It featured a picture of a music sheet titled "La Lettra", that ended up being "전하지 못한 진심" (the truth untold) (src #1, src #2, src #3) from the album Love Yourself 轉 Tear. As for the "You will always find the first letter" hint, it was implying to check the first letter of each circled word to get "Closer Than This", a track of the album released in December 2023. The last picture sent on the channel is of a handwritten letter (eng trans).

It seems Jimin worked on MUSE and FACE at the same time since in the documentary Jimin's Production Diary that followed Jimin during FACE conception, he has the same nails as in the MUSE teaser (see this Bangtan Bomb at 0:13, cr.). In addition, there was a handwritten letter in the documentary that was titled 전하지 못한 진심(The Truth Untold) (src).

People also pointed out that in his Festa letter, released just a few days before the announcement, Jimin promised to come back with a letter, possibly hinting at the "La Lettra" music sheet (src).

On the day of the album release, the BT21 account posted a cute video of Chimmy (the character created by Jimin) with a smeraldo flower.

The album comes in two versions : BLOOMING and SERENADE. There is also an exclusive Weverse version. On the BLOOMING ver. the ME letters are bigger while on the SERENADE ver. the US letters are.

Tracklist

The pre-release track and the main track titles were teased through a crossword poster on the Instagram channel (archive).

Rebirth (intro)

Interlude : showtime

Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)

Slow Dance (feat. Sofia Carson)

Be Mine

Who

Closer Than This (see this post)

You can find all the lyrics and their translation on Bangtan Subs website, here.

Colin made a thread with his lyrics translations.

Mood Photo, concept photo & concept clips

Release date: 21-22 June, 6-7 July 2024

Mood Photo - BLOOMING ver. (BTS💜ARMY Weverse post)

Mood Photo - SERENADE Ver.

Concept Photo & Concept Clip - SERENADE ver.

Photo Sketch

Jacket Shoot Sketch

Melon exclusive photos (archive)

Outfit and accessories : belt (cr. BangtanStyling)

Smeraldo Garden Marching Band video

Release date: 28 June 2024

Lyrics

Teaser clip

Behind

Photo Sketch

Outfits & accessories: black suit

Jimin mentioned this title in the Jimin's Production Diary documentary (src). It's also mentioned in the Weverse magazine article "When you look into Jimin’s heart, this is what you find".

The concept is inspired by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, an album from the Beatles (src).

Like in the choreo for "Permission to Dance", the dance here features some sign language that says "love" (src #1, src #2).

Who

Release date: 19 July 2024

Teaser

Photo Sketch

Shoot Sketch

Dance analysis by JiminUncut

The MV was filmed on the New York backlot street at Korda Studio, in Hungary (src).

The Truth Untold : 전하지 못한 진심' 전시 개최 안내

Held on: 11 October - 3 November 2024

Announcement

Promotion, articles, and interviews

Nylon: "Jimin shares a new photo to go with his sunny, just-released single - exclusive"

Weverse Magazine: "Producers for Jimin’s album MUSE Pdogg and GHSTLOOP: “In that sense, love becomes his muse”"

NME: "Jimin – ‘Muse’ review: in the mood for love"

'Who' @ The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (teaser, Instagram post with pictures of the set, the performance was filmed at Suanbo Waikiki Hotel (src))

[dancingsalome]

About once a year I feel the urge to re-read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It’s one of my favorite books, and I have the idea to do more of a deep read of it. Anyone wants to join in. I’m planning to drop a chapter every Monday, starting with the Prologue on January 15.

In 1972 the teenage protagonist is living with her American diplomat father in Amsterdam.She has no memories of her mother, and is, on the whole, quite content with her life. But one day her father disappears, and while she goes looking for him, she also starts to learn how he, with a young woman called Helen, made a similar quest after his tutor, in the 1950s. And slowly, both the protagonist, and the younger version of her father, realizes that they are also hunting for Dracula.

The book is some 700 pages, and takes place in several countries, and during three timelines. It’s also pretty slow-moving at places. Personally I love all this. It also entwines the literary Dracula with the real Vlad Tepes, another thing I always enjoy.

My own interest in vampires, as well as the historical Dracula, was kick-started by a documentary called In Search of Dracula, narrated by Christopher Lee. He also plays both versions of Dracula. If you want to have a little more background before reading The Historian, this documentary is a good place to start.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pC_9GJv3a0g?si=AwuWKyj_i7qHpmBD" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[dalle2]

“A 1985 documentary film still of a full body view of the species Finiux balunasonni in its natural habitat”

Created with DALLE, a new AI system by OpenAI that creates realistic art from a description in natural language.

Sharing is caring!

Substack: dalle.substack.com

Twitter: @Dalle2AI

The heading of this post was used to generate the image, src

[copias-thrall]

Sweden Rock April 2025

Translation under Cut

Heavy LA

Translation under cut

Sweden Rock Src

SWEDEN ROCK APRIL 2025

GHOST

INTO THE BONE MARROW OF "SKELETÁ"

The timetable cracked. Tobias Forge was not happy with the original mix and went back to the drawing board. Now album number six by Ghost is finally released and it's really time to dig into the bone marrow of "Skeletá".

AV ANDERS LUNDQUIST, PHOTO MIKAEL ERIKSSON / M INDUSTRIES

Tobias Forge and I are meeting for Ghost talk on Valentine's Day. In the previous two weeks, we have, strangely enough, bumped into each other on three different occasions. First at Heavy Load legend Ragne Wahlquist's funeral. Then out on the town, when Tobias and his wife were probably on their way home. And finally at the preview of the documentary "Becoming Led Zeppelin".

However, the time for our interview about the new album "Skeletá", which is released on April 25 and is preceded by the tour premiere for Ghost and their new frontman Papa V Perpetua, is all the more scheduled and takes place at one of the record company's offices in Stockholm. As we don't really have time to finish - Forge is very chatty when he gets started - the whole thing is supplemented by a telephone interview exactly two weeks later.

You've said in previous interviews that Ghost's American record company disliked the fact that you've worked a lot "locally", i.e. mainly recorded in Stockholm, with Swedish musicians - and also with Swedish producers. Klas Åhlund produced both 2015's "Meloria" and 2022's "Impera". On the new album "Skeletá" you have for the first time since the debut album "Opus eponymous" (2010) produced an entire album yourself under your alter ego Gene Walker. What did your American record company think when you said you wanted to produce the album yourself? Would they have preferred a famous American producer or do they trust you after all the success?

- This time there was very little friction, actually. Now I'm making it sound like there was only friction before - and of course there wasn't. But certainly over the years there has been a wish from their side that I would embrace the opportunities that were given to a greater degree. If I'd been 20 years old, I probably would've moved to the United States and just been there. But I'm not - I have a family and so on. But given the amount of time I invest in promoting the record once it's done, I want them to respect that I want to work this way. Then we can always have a discussion about who we should work with and over the years there has been a lot of back and forth. I also want to put forth a small reservation: I am the producer of the album, but this time I've also worked with Vincent Pontare, Salem Al Fakir and Max Grahn.

The songs I did with Max we produced together, so to speak, and the ones I did with Salem and Vincent we produced together. However, the term producer means slightly different things in the pop and rock worlds. In hard rock, it's almost become as if the person recording is the producer - and that's not true. Then you are a sound engineer. I act as a producer in the way you do if you're an old-fashioned rock producer. This means that I partly decide how the guitars should sound, how the drums should sound and so on, partly over the record as a whole. The composition of everything. "That song can't be included, because the other one takes the corresponding place." Kind of like a producer would work if a new band came in that didn't know what to do. The others didn't have that responsibility.

Isn't it difficult to lack a sounding board when you alone are responsible for the overall production and thus also the vision?

- Sometimes.

What does it look like when you as an artist discuss with yourself as producer Gene Walker? Are you forced to "bulldoze" sometimes?

- Absolutely.

Can you give an example?

Long silence.

- Good question... Right now I don't offhandedly have an example.

I'm thinking, for example, of moments when you realize you've been on the wrong path and have to stop yourself and start over with a different angle, or maybe think bigger.

- You come up against things like that every now and then in such a process. Irritable things happen when things don't turn out as planned. The biggest thing this time was that we accidentally made a record that was way too long, which was a bit annoying.

Too long to fit on a vinyl record, you mean?

- Yes.

How did you solve that?

- Unfortunately, we had to go through the mixing process itself twice. We recorded until last July. In July/August, the record began to be mixed by Andy Wallace (who mixed the previous three albums) and that mixing could only take place where he was. I couldn't be there so it happened via link, which I have now sworn I will never do again. It's not possible for me to mix that way. So sometime in August, when the album was "finished" so to speak, I heard that it sounded completely wrong and understood that I had to go back and "kill the darlings". And then you have to do it a bit as an uphill battle. People say, "No, no, your ears are exhausted" and the "Chinese democracy" flag comes out. That was followed by a few days, maybe a week, when I thought, "Am I crazy? Doesn't this sound weird?" You know. Enter in first person: "Does this really sound accurate?" In with the next one. Same question. And then they say, "Now that you say so..."

 Who did you trust?

- No one, in the end.

But who did you play it for?

- I asked everyone close. And as soon as I noticed that they noticed it too, I realized it wasn't finished. I was not completely satisfied with the mix as some shortcomings had arisen. This was because the mixing itself was done in a pair of specific speakers, in a studio in the USA, and I had listened in a pair of misleading speakers on the road. Then you miss things. As soon as we opened up the mix again with assistant mix technician Dan Malsch - and Andy Wallace, who was on the link because he was on a safari vacation - in a studio in Stockholm, the relatively small adjustments were easy to implement, but they improved the result considerably in my opinion. I have to be in the same room as the mixer to be able to hear the exact same thing. It was in November that we re-mixed the record and I'm very happy that we did, even if it meant that it was delayed.

 How satisfied are you with the final result, compared to the first mix?

- Now I'm 90 percent satisfied. Then I was 60 percent satisfied and I was about to say screw it. Then I noticed how hard it is when you're tired and how important it is to invest in rest for the ears - and to rest from a project.  Now I understand that people reading this may be thinking: "That's easy to say, it's a matter of cost." And it absolutely is. But it was also about making time to do something that doesn't cost money. So to simply just pause and come back with "new" ears.

There must have been a time pressure as well, apart from the financial.

- There was absolutely time pressure and almost all musicians today can probably relate to that, regardless of what level you play at: that these days you have to book everything so far in advance. Everything has to be planned and there are so many forces that decide, for example, when tickets are to be released. There is a lot that has to be synchronized and it's very unsexy to talk about. But it makes you aware of the timing required so that it doesn't go wrong. I had a vision of being finished by a certain date, so that after that I could be off. So I stressed to be able to be off and it didn't work. This means that my free time has been used up. At the same time, it also provided a sense of calm once I slowed down and took the hits that resulted from moving the goal post.

Several Ghost albums refer to a certain era. "Skeletá" is described in the press material as introspective, but isn't that more of a state or a feeling?

- You can say that.

How did you come up with that concept?

- I probably got a little too much "cred" for my alleged clairvoyance on the earlier records, with plague and falling empires, and I felt that it wasn't really meant that way. So I tried purely thematically to write more... "down to earth" is probably the wrong phrase, but more about heart topics. Clearer and more basic topics - and thus more personal. Hence the album title "Skeletá". It was close. In English you would probably say "close to the bone". It really scrapes into the bone marrow.

When I listened through "Skeletá" the first time, I thought that almost every song was a potential single or a possible radio hit. Is there a risk that the album will have a shorter lifespan when the songs are so immediate?

- Good question. You try to write as well as you can. But sometimes, when it comes to the whole of it and the arrangement of the scenes... On previous records, the songs have been 80 or 90 percent songs with vocals and one or two have been instrumentals, plus little "snippets" that have sometimes been in between songs. During the creation of this record it hit me from time to time: "Am I making a mistake by not including an instrumental song?" But then my inner dialogue continued: "Who decided that? Well, me." I have pissed this territory myself. It's not like I always have to have a certain percentage that is exempt from singing. There are still long unsung parts, for example in "Umbra" which has a damn long part that is completely instrumental. And if you count how much of the record has instrumental parts in playing time, it surely corresponds to an instrumental song.

Or more.

- Yes. When you sit down with all the demo versions and put them in some kind of order for the first time, you get a pretty good synopsis of how the record feels and in this case I didn't feel like there was a seven minute long instrumental song missing.

What do you play yourself on the record?

- A little bit of everything. I've played bass on all the records. This time there was a lot of backing guitar and guitar solos on "Marks of the evil one" and closing "Excelsis". The other guitar solos are played, as on the previous album and the cover EP "Phantomime", by "Kulle", that is Fredrik Åkesson from Opeth.

Let's talk about the new album's songs. Opener "Peacefield" has a perfect mid-tempo that will probably get the audience's heads moving. A very complete song in that it is both catchy and rich in content. Is it possibly intended to be the opening song during the upcoming tour?

- That's the idea. Now, we usually open with the first song on the latest album at the time, so it probably won't be much of a surprise to anyone. It's more of a tried and true tradition. If many of the songs on the record are introspective, this particular one has a more positive message for the listener. These are dark times but…

..."it gets brighter again"?

- Exactly. Light a candle.

The guitar sound and the "single string" riff makes me think of the opening of "Poison" by Alice Cooper. The solo as well.

- It's probably because of the range used in "Poison". I started by writing the intro as a kind of school graduation song in the style of "Den blomstertid nu kommer", something that is also a huge part of my musical heritage. Although everyone in Sweden says that. However, I had an enormous fascination for Nordic song structure, classical music and psalms. It was difficult to find a transition from the intro and the verse ended up having the same chord progression as the intro. I don't remember if it was Vincent's or Salem's idea to try to find a completely normal rhythm to the same melody, but I went at it and worked hard on that transition. I often sit and play the songs on acoustic guitar and play some kind of verse versions of them and discovered that it was very loosely shaped during the verse and the up-beat, before the straight chorus comes. I also remember someone saying it was almost like "The riddle" with Nik Kershaw.

A reference to 80s pop again.

- Exactly. It's a melody that's not difficult to remember, but it is difficult to remember all the chords because they don't come naturally when you hear the melody. Just like with "The riddle" and some Swedish songs. "Den blomstertid nu kommer" changes chords for almost every new note in the song melody. It's not the Ramones!

The second track is "Lachryma" which you co-wrote with Max Grahn. The word means "tears" and if you just listen to the song you can easily think it's called "Crying", but you undeniably work hard to find interesting words for the song titles.

- Of course the song can't be called what is repeated in the chorus! (Big smile)

The song feels like an unforced and natural sequel to "Cirice", which received an American Grammy in 2016. "Lachryma" is also, in my opinion, the best song on the new album.

- Cool! I think so too. It's also a single. One of the reasons why I chose this particular one is that it is very representative. It contains just the right amount of recognition factor and signature, despite being a new song. That cannot be said about all the songs on the album.

Yes, it feels like an archetypal Ghost song.

- You often have a way of writing and also tend to come back to certain things. You shouldn't be afraid of that either. I mean, what if Carl Larsson had come in and said: "Isn't this damn commoner style a bit annoying?", haha.

Although it is natural that you sometimes get tired of your own ideas.

- Sure. But I don't sit and write songs every day and I don't sit and enjoy what I do every day either. Then you go crazy.

"Satanized" undeniably feels like a perfect title for a Ghost song.

- I had actually already written it for "Impera". If you listen to the demo from that period, the whole foundation is there. But "Impera" producer Klas Åhlund rejected it. And it's different what "push" you want to put behind something. It's not so fun to force a song if the other person doesn't like it. I want the person to get excited about it and hear what I hear. So when Klas rejected it, I felt: "Screw it then." The same thing has happened with many songs, that they have been moved from one record to another. Later, I showed "Satanized" to Salem and Vincent and they were immediately hooked. With it, I was trying to get in a song that could have been a cool hit by Scorpions in 1976. The kind of song that I know I would enjoy myself and that a bunch of buddies born in the 60s will think is hilarious. I don't know if the song is a hit in real life, but I love it. It smells very "Rockpalast" and Klaus Meine to me.

Let me check what I have made note of about "Satanized". Ah, I wrote that it "reeks of Michael Schenker Group and Gary Moore".

- You see!

The extremely tight staccato guitars also remind me a bit of Saga, while the chorus makes me think of more synthetic 80s groups like Ultravox and songs like "Dancing with tears in my eyes". A bit solemn, almost high-pitched. Which are also words you yourself have used in the past to describe Ghost.

- Yes, I'm not afraid to take big swings. Incidentally, I really love "Dancing with tears in my eyes". It absolutely belongs to "the soundtrack of my life". I always say that what I grew up with, if I'm going to get to the root - my ancient influences - are partly big records like "Never mind the bollocks" by the Sex Pistols and "Ride the lightning" by Metallica, but also radio to a very high degree. In my kitchen we had the radio on non-stop from the time I was born and I devoured everything until the mid 90s when I had no time anymore. I was born in 1981. Add to this a brother who was born in 1968 and you get the idea. From 1983-84 I was very interested in music and everything that happened on TV and VHS was filtered through my home via my brother, his girlfriend and pals.

"Guiding lights" feels like a power ballad with a musical feel and also a very good vocal effort in a key that suits the voice perfectly.

- It has an interesting history. On two separate occasions I had recorded ideas on my dictaphone, which I often do at home as my daughter has a piano in her room. If you play the melody on a piano (Forge hums the tune), it's so simple that you almost get annoyed by it. On the original demo, the melody is combined with the most common chord sequence in the world. But it stuck right away. And then I just had the line "that the road that leads to nowhere is long". And it was simple. Then there was the second part (singing again) which sounded very much like Italian "horror/zombie/beyond" and early VHS from Video Invest. Then I had two separate things that appealed to me. Then I was contacted by a woman who was in charge of music for the TV series "Arcane". She asked if I would like to write a song for a particular scene in the series. This was probably 2022 or early 2023. I hadn't even seen the series in question. But she said "watch it and remember that song that Imagine Dragons had in the series got really big". Then I watched the series and thought that it would probably be possible to do something clever with it. But there were some difficult guidelines for how to write the songs - that you should write with a certain person in mind. Plus I didn't really have time, because I was collecting material for a new Ghost record. So I sent what I just described and they replied "this is great, it could be the theme of the whole series", kinda. I was in between tours so I contacted Max and a day later we had "Guiding lights". We sent it off - and didn't hear a damn thing. Later we were told that they had decided on a different setup for the scene and they used a Chinese artist instead, as it was an international project. So nothing happened. But it turned out to be a good album song.

"De profundis borealis" is a fast, fiery song with the snare drum "on one".

- It was also never intended to be anything other than an album song, if you have to speak so categorically. But during its creation I of course tried to make it as concise and effective as possible in its storytelling.

 Was there any song that was particularly difficult to write, personally?

- Yes. There are touching moments in many songs where I felt it was "close". "Cenotaph" was hard. It is about the loss of someone and how to deal with it. But it's written so that the listener can apply the song to their own, corresponding experiences. Once you've written something, recorded it, and sent it out "into the ether," what it means to you tends to cool off while hopefully starting to mean more to others.

Speaking of "Cenotaph": is it a coincidence that it's both about death and has the same rhythmic figure as Black Sabbath's "Children of the grave"?

- Yes, it's probably a coincidence. There was no thematic thinking, but then it is self-evident that when you hear the rhythm (singing) you think of it, if you grew up with Black Sabbath.

The boogie riff made me laugh out loud. It's almost Status Quo-esque.

- Exactly. The idea was for it to be an uplifting song about something most people associate with "woe and horror". There would be something disarming and almost comical. Then again, I don't know if Status Quo are comical, but if you hear that kind of boogie woogie tendency, there's something about it that often makes people happy. Humor, joy and an upbeat atmosphere.

I once put on an old compilation album with Status Quo. My then teenage son came and asked if it was a joke tape I was listening to.

- Haha! You can think that. I know a lot of people born in the 60s and earlier who would be quite provoked by that comment, but Status Quo have aged in a way that people have created some sort of caricature of them. Joke rock, kind of. As a songwriter, it's a risk you take, but I'm a fan and can see it from multiple angles.

If it had been a normal band, the next song would have been called "Love rockets". Of course, Ghost strives to be more interesting than that and so it's Latin and mystery in the form of "Missilia amori".

- I played it for Leffe Edling from Candlemass and he also wondered if it was called "Love rockets". "Of course not," I said, but it's admittedly hard to deal with it without people starting to refer to it as just "Love rockets."

It has a classic hard rock riff of the kind Def Leppard wrote for records like "High 'n' dry" and "Pyromania". A song that sucks you in.

- You mean a song that gives a certain blow?

 Yes - in a positive sense, that is.

- It is meant to be exactly the kind of song that was written in the 80s. Typically cool, heavy songs that are just as suitable for headbanging as for stripping. It doesn't have that many elements. The method I used when writing it was to keep it very simple in sound and arrangement. Making a lot out of a little. A bit like a chef's challenge: open the fridge and make a good dish from what's there! If you succeed, it can be fantastic.

What is the textual theme?

- It would be something hard and mechanical. It's written from the perspective of the main character, who is some kind of middle ground between dictator and robot. It has feelings to some extent but is extremely insensitive to how the other party feels and sees any form of denial as unacceptable, whereupon one invades the other country and calls it love.

A geographical rape, in other words.

- Yes, exactly. This is of course also represented by other things in society. Not understanding that owning another person or another country is not a right. That you have to deserve it. In this way it is also related to Iron Maiden's "Run to the hills" and a number of other songs.

Were you thinking about Russia's invasion of Ukraine when you wrote it?

- It's an absolutely fantastic coincidence... But it's absolutely not a political record.

In "Marks of the evil one" it's time for some evil again. It's Ghost after all. Forge creates a triumphant feeling when he sings things like "the marks are spreading everywhere" and "disciples of the evil one". The song has an interesting and damn nice slightly odd verse melody. It feels worked through. In addition, letting a synth play in unison with the vocal melody strengthens the clarity.

I take it to mean that "Marks of the evil one" is about the four horsemen of the apocalypse?

- Yes, in the first place. If you read the text and understand that it is about that, you also understand that it is being explained in some kind of dummy perspective, where you have simplified the whole story. Much as if it was a cool story that you tell around the campfire when grilling hot dogs. That's kind of the point: that it's a bunch of fools who sit and make biblical interpretations for each other. Musically, it has no direct model. What sold the idea when I came up with the song - apart from the chord sequence and such - was that it has exactly the same rhythm throughout the entire song. I'm usually used to doing a lot of different rhythms. Klas Åhlund thinks that I constantly exaggerate it with a lot of syncope. That there is a lot of prog death. It's something that I myself clearly understand. You shouldn't make it more complicated than it is.

What do you mean by "prog death"?

- That you do so many clever things in a song that the listener loses the thread. And if the listener has lost the thread, the song has somewhat lost its role. That doesn't mean you can't listen to a song that's difficult. But when you present a song that you want the listener to absorb, you enter into some kind of pact where the songwriter has taken it upon themselves to guide the listener through the song, so that the person has ultimately had an experience and understood it. Someone like Mikael Åkerfeldt does that with Opeth's music too, but with much, much more advanced songs. But since I often say that I make songs that are somewhat easier to get into, it's easy that I, who sometimes try to do Mikael Åkerfeldt-esque things, might add an element where listeners who think it should be easier to understand are turned away instead of having an aha-experience. And then I have failed.

"Umbra", which roughly means "shadow", again presents 80s-scented synths in a real uptempo song. It's easy to associate it to Billy Idol with Steve Stevens on guitar. As previously mentioned, the song has a long instrumental part that includes an intense, stereopanned duel between guitar and organ.

Tell us about "Umbra".

- During the songwriting process, I felt that the theme of the record was a bit heavy and that a large part of being human is not to engage in cerebral gymnastics, but that there is a "physicality" and drive that is just as important, if not more important. One of our most basic drives, which makes most of us feel very good. And it's a lot of fun and extremely important, especially when you're doing it. And it has to do with the coital.

I don't know that word.

- It means dirty. So the text and content have roughly the same function as "All you need is love" for the record. Now the listener has waded through eight songs of rather difficult reflections on how it feels to live. Now we throw in a pretty basic guideline: after all, this is among the most important things we have. "Umbra" is there to illustrate the playfulness and fun of that part. Then it is in and of itself woven and draped in a dark cathedral where the play takes place.

As the closing track we have "Excelsis", an epic ballad in 6/8 time with a "We are the champions" feel. But of course it's about death.

I understand you like REM. But instead of "Everybody hurts", "Excelsis" could have been called "Everybody dies".

- Yes, exactly. If "Umbra" is the last scene of the film, this is the song on the soundtrack heard during the credits. If you want to end on a "high note", you can end with "Umbra", but if you want a final splash, you have "Excelcis". The message is nice: if you're listening to this song, which is about death, you're obviously alive. When you have finished listening, you are of course welcome to listen again, but the song's message is: "Go out and live your life - because you are alive!"

LA Heavy Src

LA HEAVY APRIL 2025

“I STILL THINK THERE'S A LEVEL OF SOUND PERFECTION I HAVEN'T REACHED”

Over the last decade, Ghost has cemented itself as one of the most influential and successful bands in rock and heavy metal. Their meteoric rise from small clubs to headlining festivals and selling out arenas around the world is a testament to their unique approach: a combination of theatricality, mysticism, and an accessible yet powerful sound. With a visual identity that evokes religious symbolism and a stage presence that turns every concert into a ritual, the band led by Tobias Forge has achieved what many contemporary acts can only dream of: becoming the natural successor to the large metal bands that have dominated the genre for decades JOSÉ CRESPO had the privilege of meeting with Tobias in London to meet POPE V PERPETUA for the first time and to speak to us exclusively in Spain about 'Skeletá', the band's long-awaited sixth LP, which will be released on April 25th, and the monumental tour that is about to begin and that arrives in Madrid (Palacio Vistalegre) on the 30th of this month.

LONDON: THE REFUGE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

London is a city with a special weight in the history of rock. From the gloomy alleys of Camden to the most iconic theaters, it has been the birthplace of countless bands aspiring to greatness. However, few have achieved the status that Ghost holds today. For Tobias Forge, the British capital represents much more than a stop along the way; it is the place where everything made sense, where for the first time he felt that his group had a greater destiny than he had ever imagined. On a cold, gray day, settled into the elegant but discreet Mandrake Hotel, he recalls Ghost's journey, from those uncertain days to their consolidation as one of the most important bands on the scene today

North London, and Camden in particular, hold a special place in the band's history. There, at the iconic Underworld venue, Ghost played their second show, an event that at the time may have seemed like just another one, but which marked a turning point in their career. With a melancholic air, Forge relives that decisive moment. "I didn't know what to expect," he says, immersed in memories. "We had just played the Hammer of Doom festival in Germany, where the reaction was cool. We weren't turned away, but there wasn't an explosion of enthusiasm either. We arrived in London and Underworld was completely packed. We only had our first album on the road, it had been available for five days, and there were already hundreds of people singing our songs. At that moment, I knew Ghost was more than just an experiment."

Over time, the mistaken belief has taken hold that Ghost's UK debut took place at the majestic Royal Albert Hall, but the reality is very different. The band started on the humblest circuits, facing tough nights and audiences that didn't always welcome them with open arms. We had terrible nights. We opened for bands whose fans didn't want to see us, like on a tour with Paradise Lost. I remember the show in Bochum, Germany, out of the 800 people there, at least 799 hated us; they didn't want us there. But there was one guy in the front row who loved the band, and it turned out to be Mille Petrozza from Kreator," he recalls with a laugh. "For several years, we went from playing in places where everyone wanted us, like in Camden, to stages where the audience wasn't interested in us at all. But that's part of the process for every band trying to break through."

Now, with five studio LPs, a Grammy, huge venues selling out all over the world, the theatrical release of their film, and millions of followers online, it might seem like everything about Ghost has been a meticulously calculated plan. But for Tobias Forge, success wasn't always so obvious. "On days like today, doing these interviews, it seems like the band is going in the right direction," he says with a smile.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS: MYSTICISM, ANONYMITY, AND A RELENTLESS VISION

Since their inception, Ghost has managed to combine an accessible sound with a theatrical image and an enigmatic concept, thus achieving an unprecedented impact on the rock and metal scene. But was it part of a calculated strategy from the beginning? "Yes and no," he answers. "I never thought that anonymity would be beneficial for commercial success. It actually goes against the idea of getting bigger. I had an artistic vision, and I didn't know we would be successful. Then I adjusted my strategy as we went along."

Over the years, Ghost has built a unique identity, with each album representing a new era spearheaded by a distinct character, while always maintaining the mystique surrounding the band. This approach has been key to their success, allowing for a constantly evolving narrative, similar to what Iron Maiden did with their iconic Eddie or what Alice Cooper achieved with his theatrical alter ego. "People tend to forget that Vincent Furnier isn't just Alice Cooper, he's a character," reflects Forge. "And in a way, what we do with the Popes in Ghost works in the same way."

The initial anonymity helped forge the aura of mystery, although Forge admits it wasn't always easy to maintain. "There was a point where we couldn't hide it anymore, but the concept was still bigger than ourselves," he explains. "The important thing was that the audience continued to connect with the character and the story rather than with whoever was behind the mask."

THE MAGIC OF MARKETING AND THE POWER OF ICONOGRAPHY

One of the most fascinating aspects of Ghost is their mastery of marketing, turning religious symbols into tools to build their aesthetic and message. "It's a satirical point of view about the Catholic Church. If anyone is offended... well, that's the idea," he states matter-of-factly.

The use of Catholic and Satanic imagery has been a hallmark of the band, but Forge makes a key distinction. "If you think about Satan from a religious point of view, it's a completely different thing than what he represents in popular culture," he explains. "In music, in literature, in film, Satan is not just the enemy of God. He's the character that symbolizes defiance, independence, hedonism. He's the guy who says, 'Do what you want, have fun.' And that's something that people have always found appealing."

This strategy has not only helped Ghost stand out in the industry, but has also allowed the band to connect with an audience looking for more than just music: a visual and conceptual experience. "Ghost is not just a band, it's a show and a constantly developing story," he says with a twinkle in his eye. "Every record, every tour, every Pope, has their role in this narrative. And I think that's part of what keeps people interested."

WHITE SMOKE

Once again with another impeccable marketing campaign, on March 5, 2025, the world witnessed the white smoke in Las Vegas, a symbolic event marking the arrival of Papa V Perpetua. Far from the solemnity of Rome, this new Pope fits much more with the spirit of Sin City, a place where spectacle and theatricality reign. At that same instant, Ghost announced to the world their long-awaited sixth studio album, "Skeletá," which will be released on April 25

La Heavy had exclusive access to this information long before. Minutes before the meeting with Tobias Forge in February, in London,

José Crespo had the opportunity to see some unpublished images of Pope V. Before accessing this material, Ghost's management team demanded the signing of a confidentiality agreement, so as not to spoil the campaign prepared for Las Vegas.

The first thing that stands out from that session is the imposing stature of the new Pope. "He is a very tall Pope," those in charge of the band's team repeated, emphasizing that his stage presence would be one of the most striking to date. His attire consists of black and purple robes with silver details, with a matching miter that reinforces his figure of authority. But the most striking thing is his mask, which only covers his eyes and nose, leaving the lower part of his face visible. For the first time, despite the makeup, Tobias Forge's facial features are clearly distinguishable, a decision that marks a break with Ghost's previous Pope designs

Despite the insistence on the subject during our chat in London, Forge avoided talking about Papa V Perpetua at all costs, dodging any questions about his personality or role in the band. "It's something that will be revealed in due time. I'm not yet comfortable talking about the new Pope. He and I still don't know each other well enough," he said firmly, making it clear that the mystery remains a fundamental part of Ghost's mythology. However, he did agree to talk about the previous Pope, Emeritus IV, who, according to Forge, has mixed feelings about his "replacement." "He's been promoted," he commented with a sarcastic smile. "The problem is, he thinks he's been deposed." For Tobias, the previous Pope clung too closely to the glitter and glory of the character, so giving up the throne has not been something he has accepted easily. "He doesn't really like being the boss; he just wants to get out there, be in the spotlight, and have a good time. But now he's not happy with having someone else over him." It should be remembered that unlike what happened with the previous Popes, Emeritus IV is still alive, so it is a mystery what will happen to him, but "he will continue to be part of the family."

SKELETÁ: A MORE INTROSPECTIVE WORK

If Impera was an album that explored the rise and fall of empires, 'Skeleta' represents a 180-degree turn in Ghost's artistic direction. Forge didn't want to repeat himself with respect to his previous work, but rather create something with a different, more emotional and human approach. "During the composition of 'Skeletá', I felt that the previous album, 'Impera', focused a lot on external structures, on society, on power systems. I didn't want to make a continuation of that; it didn't inspire me, it wasn't what I needed, and I also didn't feel like it was what people expected of me."

Instead, he wanted to immerse himself in an album that dealt with fundamental human feelings. "I wanted to make an album that spoke about love, hate, hope, regret, acceptance, self-deception... emotions that have been with us forever and will continue to be there long after we're gone." With this philosophy, 'Skeletá' is presented as a more introspective work, seeking to connect with the most primitive essence of the human being

As for production, this time Forge took on a more complete role as general producer, without the need for an outside contractor. "On the last four albums, I've worked with creative collaborators. Before, I used to do everything myself because I have a very holistic way of writing. When I make a riff, I'm already hearing in my head how the drums, bass, keyboards... everything should sound." However, he still knows how to delegate. "I realized that if someone is better than me at something, why not let them do it?" That's why, on 'Skeletá, he once again enlisted Frederik Åkesson of Opeth for the guitar solos, as well as Salem Al Fakir, who contributed his mastery on the piano. "Frederik plays guitar a thousand times better than me; he gives my demos another dimension. And Salem is a incredibly gifted pianist. "Music improves when you allow  the experts to do their work," Forge acknowledges.

One of the most striking decisions on 'Skeletá' was the absence of instrumentals, something that had always been present on Ghost's albums. "I decided this one would have ten songs with vocals. We already have enough instrumentals in our discography, so I wanted to focus on composing a completely sung album," he says. However, each song made up for that absence with instrumentally richer passages: "If a song wanted to be longer, I let it be longer. I didn't worry so much about the radio format this time; I just let the songs develop as they should."

A LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH SKELETÁ

The new album is a reflection of the contrasts that have always defined the band's music: the grandiose and the intimate, the celestial and the profane, the epic and the introspective. Among its most striking songs are references that explore spirituality, the power of temptation, and, surprisingly directly, current geopolitics.

The album opens with "Peacefield," a song that establishes an atmosphere of solemnity and ascension from the first seconds. An angelic choir gives way to an explosion of guitars, creating a cinematic effect that introduces the listener to the universe of 'Skeletá'. "I wanted the opening of the album to have that feeling of elevation," explains Forge. "The initial chorus is almost celestial, a sense of ascending to heaven before the guitar bursts in and brings us back to reality." With a sound that connects to the previous album, 'Impera,' but with a denser emotional charge, this beginning sets the tone for an album that aims at the deepest part of the human condition

Among the most conceptually charged tracks is "Missilia Amori," whose title plays on the irony of war and love, fusing the language of war with emotional obsession. "It's the idea of ​​one side demanding love from the other through violence," Forge reflects. "I don't know if that's love, but it's often mistaken for such." In a context where international tensions and armed conflicts are part of everyday life, the song feels more relevant than ever

But beyond its geopolitical interpretation, "Missilia Amor" also presents a stark vision of the human condition and how power becomes a refuge from the decline of values. "I'm not saying this album is completely free of social commentary," Forge clarifies, "but instead of approaching it from a political perspective, I've taken it to a much more earthly and natural level. In the end, everything we're seeing is perfectly human. Even the most inhuman characters are human at their core, figures who struggle because they have difficulty accepting reality. They are dictators who want to rule the world, but can't because they are incapable of relating to it. In the end, what they're doing is desperately clinging to life."

The image of aging world leaders trapped in their own delusions of grandeur resonates as one of the album's great metaphors. "If we remove the context of their position and look at them as that eccentric uncle we have in the family, sitting at home and clinging to the past, we realize that they are actually dying men. They cling to power as an extension of life itself."

On the other hand, "Satanized," the album's first preview, shows a darker, more theatrical Ghost. With a hypnotic rhythmic base, a catchy riff, and a guitar solo with marked '80s influences, the song introduces the listener to an atmosphere of demonic possession and internal struggle. "It's a song about temptation and the fear of losing control of oneself, about the weight of guilt and the fight against something that has perhaps already consumed you without you realizing it."

The music video for "Satanized" reinforces this narrative with a disturbing cinematic aesthetic, where the line between the sacred and the profane blurs. In an unexpected twist, Tobias Forge appears in the video, although unrecognizable thanks to the use of facial prosthetics that hide his features, a decision that adds an even more enigmatic air to the production. Additionally, for the first time in a Ghost music video, the Nameless Ghouls and Ghoulettes appear without their iconic masks, taking on the roles of monks and nuns in a disturbing ritual. The image and music intertwine to offer an immersive sensory experience, consolidating Ghost's theatrical identity and its ability to tell stories through symbolism

"IT'S NOT ABOUT BANNING TELEPHONES, BUT ABOUT PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM SPENDING THE CONCERT RECORDING IT INSTEAD OF EXPERIENCING IT"

THE MOST AMBITIOUS TOUR... AND WITHOUT MOBILE PHONES

As I have already pointed out, the United Kingdom has played a fundamental role in the band's growth, not only because of that legendary second concert in Camden, but because it has been the starting point for several world tours. Now, in April, the band will repeat history by beginning their new tour in British territory before landing in Spain on April 30, where they will offer a full show at the Vistalegre Palace in Madrid

"I would love to play a festival like Resurrection Fest, but we've always tried to avoid festivals at the beginning of the tour; we want people to experience the full show," he says. "We like to start in places where the audience has a special connection with the band."

With a more ambitious production than ever, Ghost is embarking on their biggest tour to date. "I know for a fact that the show is bigger than we've ever done before. Is it better too? I think so. We intend to improve on the previous tour," he states confidently. But beyond the technical display, one of the most significant changes will be the innovative decision to restrict the use of cell phones during the concerts

"I think people will love it, they just don't know it yet," he says with a smile. In a world where some people watch concerts through a screen rather than experiencing them, Ghost seeks to offer an immersive, distraction-free experience. The band won't be removing phones from attendees; instead, they will be kept in special bags that will remain closed during the show and can be unlocked at the end or in designated areas. "It's not about banning phones, but rather preventing people from spending the concert recording it instead of experiencing it."

The idea has already sparked interest from other bands. "There are very important groups that have told me they're waiting to see how it works for us so they can copy the same idea in their shows," reveals the singer. For him, this measure is part of an effort to bring authenticity back to live music. "When you go to a concert, you shouldn't feel obligated to document everything. We want people to be present, enjoy the show, and let themselves be carried away by the music and the energy of the moment."

But the absence of phones won't be the only thing that makes this tour a unique experience. Ghost will also have an increased number of Nameless Ghouls and Ghoulettes on stage, an expansion in the lineup that promises an even more powerful sound and a more spectacular stage performance. In addition, the band members will present new costumes, designed exclusively for this leg. "People will discover all this at the first show in Manchester; I don't want to give anything away."

Ghost has proven itself a band capable of taking on massive audiences, something it has learned from its experience sharing the stage with rock and metal giants. "You can't open for Metallica feeling small. You can't go on stage with the attitude of, 'Oh, I'm just an opening act.' If you do, you're dead," it states with conviction

The band has spent years opening for other major acts like Iron Maiden, facing crowds that, in many cases, weren't there to see them. "You have to go on stage with the mindset that you're important, that your show is just as relevant as the main band's. If you don't believe in what you're doing, the audience won't either."

The tour will include stops in Europe, the United States, and Latin America, with a closing show in Mexico City that won't be one. "It'll go on a little longer. We haven't announced everything yet," Forge reveals.

With a more ambitious production, an innovative phone policy, and a revamped lineup, Ghost's new tour will not only be their biggest undertaking to date, but also a testament to how the band continues to evolve and redefine what a rock concert means in the digital age

With 'Skeletá,' Ghost continues to build on its legacy with a work that not only seeks to make a musical impact, but also to provoke deep emotions and reflections. With the arrival of Papa V Perpetua and the beginning of this new era, Ghost reaffirms its ability to reinvent itself without betraying its essence. And with Tobias Forge's tireless ambition, its ascension to even higher heights is guaranteed. "I still believe there's a level of sonic perfection I haven't reached,"

New Tobi interviews!

93X

101 WRIF

KBEAR 101

Audacity Music

Planet Rock

[mamusiq]

Maria Callas:

biography of the legendary opera singer | Music Documentary

Maria Callas, nicknamed 'La Divina', was arguably the most famous soprano of the 20th century. The music documentary Maria Callas: Life and Art (1987) looks at the great singer as a person, pays tribute to her vocal artistry and her talent for distinctive portrayal of dramatic roles. The biographical film, produced and directed by Alan Lewens and Alastair Mitchell, was released in 1987 – ten years after Callas’ death. In extensive interviews, friends and companions describe how they saw her, and the diva herself even has her say in archive footage. And in between there are rare original excerpts from her breathtaking singing performances. In this way, the film creates a portrait of the legendary singer, who was torn between private and artistic ambitions. Maria Callas (1923 - 1977) was frenetically acclaimed and even revered as a goddess by many, while others criticized her harshly for her less-than-perfect singing. This documentary pays tribute to the life and art of the soprano beyond clichés and judgements. A must-see for all fans of Callas, and for all opera fans.

At a glance: (00:00) Giacomo Puccini: Tosca (1964) (05:33) Maria Callas interviewed (07:11) Maria Callas interviewed (13:24) Maria Callas interviewed (14:19) Maria Callas interviewed (17:39) Giuseppe Verdi: The Sicilian Vespers (23:38) Vincenzo Bellini: Norma (1955) (25:37) Luigi Cherubini: Medea (1953) (31:27) Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata (33:21) Gioachino Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia (39:32) Maria Callas interviewed (41:17) Maria Callas interviewed (48:10) Bizet: Carmen (1962) (49:43) Maria Callas interviewed (50:40) Giacomo Puccini: Tosca (1964) (53:02) Giacomo Puccini: Tosca (1964) (56:11) Maria Callas interviewed (59:30) Maria Callas as a teacher at the Juilliard School, New York (1:02:39) Maria Callas interviewed (1:04:12) Maria Callas with Giuseppe Di Stefano in Japan (1:07:00) Maria Callas with Giuseppe Di Stefano in Japan

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Maria Callas - the Finesse of the French Interview

This video is a sublime journey into the lost art of the elegant interview - as only the French are able to portray. Here the guest is Maria Callas, arguably one of the 20th century's most talented and beautiful women. The interview is languid, nonchalant, refined and sophisticated - all those terms commonly used to encapsulate the very best of French culture. The backdrop is sumptuous and the selected guests - personal friends - are able to give an insight into the opera singer's fascinating life. Callas herself is frank and philosophical about the joys and tragedies of being an artist. The 64 minute interview is totally captivating reflecting Callas's beauty, talent and personality. This video is the full interview of Maria Callas by Pierre Desgraupes for French television programme L'Invite du Dimanche in 1969. It features Luchino Visconti, Elvira de Hidalgo and Francesco Sicilliani. The interview is broken into the following chapters:

[earith]

List of known zionists. note. for the purposes of this post we’re using merriam-webster’s definition of zionism - “an international movement originally for the establishment of a Jewish national or religious community in Palestine and later for the support of modern Israel” src

A. C. Green - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Abigail Cowen - has shared Israel propaganda src

Adam Sandler - is a zionist src

Alona Tal - is sharing Israel propaganda src

Andy Garcia - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Anne Hathaway - both sided the Israel occupation src

Antonio Banderas - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Anson Mount - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Ari Emanuel - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Asanda Jezile - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Ashton Kutcher - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Ayesha Curry - has reposted IDF propaganda src

The Beach Boys - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Ben Platt - performed in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

Bill Maher - is an islamophobe who supports Israel bombing Palestinians and has called BDS a “bullshit purity test” src

C. S. Lee - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Caissie Levy - performed in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

Camila Cabello - has liked a post with Israel propaganda src

Cheryl Saban - chairs an annual IDF fundraiser src

Chris Evans - stared in the Israel propaganda movie, The Red Sea Diving Resort src

Chuck Norris - supports Netanyahu src

Courtney Cox - has liked a post with Israel propaganda src

Daniel Brühl - starred in an Israel propaganda movie, 7 Days in Entebbe src

David Draiman - attended an IDF fundraiser src

David Foster - attended an IDF fundraiser src 

David Mazouz - defended IDF src

Debra Messing - has shared Israel propaganda src

Demi Lovato - was paid for to post propaganda from a trip to Israel src

Esti Ginzburg - has posted Israel propaganda src

Fran Drescher - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Gabrielle Giffords - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Gal Gadot - has repeatedly supported IDF src

Gene Simmons - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Gerard Butler - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Gideon Raff - directed the Israel propaganda movie, The Red Sea Diving Resort src

Hailee Steinfeld - has participated in IDF propaganda src

Haim Saban - chairs an annual IDF fundraiser src

Haley Bennett -  stared in the Israel propaganda movie, The Red Sea Diving Resort src

Harry Styles - has repeatedly supported Israel src

Howard Deutch - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Howard Stern - is a zionist src

Inbar Lavi - supports IDF src

Jackie Mason - has a whole op ed about how he’s a zionist src

Jason Alexander - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Jason Segel - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Jenna Jameson - is an IDF supporter src who has defended Netanyahu src

Jerry Seinfeld - is a zionist src who has said Netanyahu would need a tank for protection if he came on his show src

Jon Bon Jovi - refuses to partake in BDS despite the more than 5.000 letters he got src

Jonah Platt - performed in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

José Padilha - directed an Israel propaganda movie, 7 Days in Entebbe src

Josh Flag - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Joshua Malina - took part in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

Kanye West - has ignored BDS and performed in Israel src

Kat Graham - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Katharine McPhee - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Kevin Moon - has called Israelis “very nice” after watching a documentary that included Palestinian refugee camps src

Lady Gaga - has said that Israel is “a beautiful place, the people are in good spirits” just one month after the 2014 Gaza war where over 2.000 Palestinians were killed src

Lana Del Rey - ultimately did cancel her show in Israel but initially said it was not political and that she believed in music bringing people together src

Lea Thompson - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Liev Schreiber - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Madelyn Deutch - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Matisyahu - performed in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

Mark Ruffalo - has posted Israel apologism src

Mark Wahlberg - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Maurice Marciano - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Mayim Bialik - calls herself a proud zionist and supports the IDF src

Michael K. Williams - stared in the Israel propaganda movie, The Red Sea Diving Resort src

Miriam Adelson - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Monica Crowley - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Nathaniel Buzolic - is a zionist src & src

Odeya Rush - has shared slides from this propaganda post src 

Paul Marciano - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Pharrell Williams - performed at a fundraiser for IDF src

Phoebe Bridgers - like a post both-siding the Israel occupation src and has had a song used in an islamophobic movie src 

Radiohead - have ignored BDS saying playing in a country isn’t the same as supporting their government, ignoring the impact movements like BDS had in South Africa src

Ralph Sampson - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Rihanna - - both sided the Israel occupation src

Rita (pop singer) - performed in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

Robert Horry - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Ronalee Shimon - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Rosamund Pike - starred in an Israel propaganda movie, 7 Days in Entebbe src

Roseanne Barr - is a zionist who supports Netanyahu src

Scarlett Johansson - did an ad for SodaStream, a factory in contravention of international law and said she did not regret it src

Sacha Baron Cohen - has a history of being a zionist src

Sebastian Roché - agreed with one of Nathaniel Buzolic’s zionist posts src

Selma Blair - has shared Israel propaganda src

Serge Azria - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Simon Cowell - has donated $150.000 to IDF src

Sheldon G. Adelson - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Shira Hass - took part in a virtual Israel Independence Day celebration src

Steve Tisch - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Victoria Pedretti - has called the calling out of Israel antisemitism src

Vivian Bang - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

Yaakov Daniel - attended an IDF fundraiser src

Ziggy Marley - attended an IDF fundraiser src 

Zoey Deutch - was part of a propaganda trip to Israelsrc

[natromanxoff]

PRODUCER: Mack

BAND: Queen

TRACK: One Vision

Mack has little truck with surnames in his life. And why should he? You see he's of German nationality and I imagine that far too great a proportion of the 12 years that he's been in the recording business has been spent with mono lingual English/American people, repeating and respelling his last name which it would appear, is of a particularly awkward and unspeakably Germanic nature. No one in the English office could guarantee a spelling and Mack himself didn't even want to discuss it. Simply, 'Mack', then.

This straightforward, no nonsense approach to things seems to have served him well as an engineer. In between explaining how to write umlauts, he has recorded no less than seven ELO albums, a couple of Donna Summer albums plus work for The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Marc Bolan and other such musical luminaries. Today he is based in Musicland Studios in Munich, and it was here (save for a few days in London's own Maison Rouge) that he engineered and co-produced the Queen single One Vision.

Mack: "I started working with Queen in 1979 as an engineer on The Game album. The project went very well, it was a huge international success and as I'd made a considerable contribution to how it went together the band agreed to give me a co-production credit. I've been co-producing with them since that time.

"Queen is a very democratic arrangement. Regardless of who writes the song, or comes up with the original idea for it, everyone will tend to have a degree of input, guided by whoever wrote it. In the case of One Vision it was very much a co-effort with no-one taking sole composer credit, which made it a little more complicated as regards putting it together because no one had the final say.

"The ideas for the song started in the studio. It's not always the case that everyone's around at the same time and so maybe Freddie will come in and put an idea down, then Brian might listen to it and put some more guitar-orientated things on tape. Roger actually already had a complete song ready, and so he recorded a rough idea of that. Everyone works in a different way; for instance John is very organised and has a mathematical mind, so when he comes into the studio, he has a fairly precise idea of what he wants to do. On the other hand Freddie will often come in with absolutely nothing worked out and he'll just say, 'Give me five minutes', and maybe come up with something great. He's very good in that way. And so, over the course of a week we recorded a whole series of ideas ending up with four or five songs-worth to choose the best from. Out of that came One Vision.

"Another unusual thing with this recording was that the promo video for the single was being shot as we recorded it. The idea was to go into the studio specifically to do a single and have it out and released quickly, and it was decided to do a semi-documentary of it to save having to go back and do weeks of filming and editing and stuff.

So for over a week of the four weeks that we were in the studio we had huge TV lights all over the place plus sound and camera crews. That made us a little more self-conscious than usual, and that's part of the reason it took so long.

"We started with the standard process of laying down SMPTE code on the multitrack so that we could use the SRC (SMPTE Reading Clock) to trigger synths and drum machines from although on this track a lot of things were actually played live.

"The weird introduction was done with the Kurzweil 250. Freddie had said that he wanted lots of strange noises and swirling sounds, but hadn't actually come up with anything definite. I came into the studio early one morning, and started playing around with sampling some of his vocal lines into the Kurzweil and playing them back with a downward pitch change, with various effects. I like the Kurzweil sampling because it's not only good quality, but it's also very quick to use and will give 20 seconds at full bandwidth. In fact many of the sounds on the track are standard Kurzweil factory samples, the string sound, for instance, is the 'Fast String' preset.

"A lot of people think that we go to great lengths to get Brian's big guitar sound, and certainly on some recordings it is built up with several harmonies and three or four double trackings per part. But I tend to like to keep it to one good take; I think if you get the right sound once, it sounds much bigger in the mix.

"Brian was using his Pete Cornish custom distortion box before the amps, and with that amount of distortion double tracking can produce a very messy, indistinct sound. So I generally prefer a single track and that's how I approached that guitar part on One Vision. The guitar he was using is the one he built himself which he calls The Fireplace, because the wood came from an old fireplace. We used a pair of Vox AC30s with a simple MXR delay line between them with the delay setting slowly drifting between 7ms and 12ms. We used the MXR because that's what Brian has in his own rack, although he's recently bought a tc electronics rackmounting unit which has two stereo delays/choruses in the one box. The great thing with that is you have two 'wobbly' signals, as opposed to one fixed and one wobbly. In other words the delay time on both units can be independently varied so that they sweep to and fro across each other which gives a much richer effect. It's also very quiet.

"I close-miked each amp individually, and didn't use any ambient mikes at all. Nothing is 'double tracked' as such, although there are places where there are two guitar parts – one's playing a higher inversion of the same chord, the two parts are split across the stereo image and I think you can quite easily tell when that comes in. Also, in the last chorus there is a three-part (single notes) guitar harmony, again using the two AC30s. The lead guitar break was recorded at Maison Rouge in London, using a single Galien Kruger amp, and again it was just a single track. By that stage we were running out of time and had to get it down quickly. In the mix I added a little reverb to the lead guitar whereas the rhythm part is completely dry.

"Where we did get into tracking was the choral backing vocals. They're basically a three-part harmony with an occasional fourth part, and each part was sung and recorded three times, by three people, which gives a very full final sound. I used AKG 414s for all the vocals, including Freddie's lead vocal.

"The rhythmical section was the Simmons kit triggered by the Linn 2, with real drums played live over the top. I used a Neumann FET U47 on the bass drum, an AKG 414 on the snare, and a Schoeps condenser on the hi hat. For the four toms I used a Neumann U87, and a couple of FET U47s, plus a B&K reference mike as an overhead. I don't use any ambient mikes as such, but I do leave a lot of space between the mikes and the drums – about a foot from the snare, and around 10 feet for the overheads. I made the snare sound a little more cutting by sampling a Simmons snare sound into an AMS delay and triggering it with the acoustic snare. For that kind of simple triggering, the AMS is much quicker than the Kurzweil, and it's much less fussy to use. Apart from the drums in that section we used some live Jupiter 8 and there are also a few guitar fills.

"For the strange ending I sampled a repeating 'Vision, vision, vision' into the Kurzweil and simply played it progressively lower down the keyboard until it just became the jet-like noise that finishes the track.

"I use several reverb units on mix down, including a non-linear programme on the EMT 252, the Lexicon 224 gated reverb programme, and for longer reverb times I like the Quantec because it's one of the few digital reverberators that stays clean and natural over long decay times. I also used a very short reverb time from an EMT 140 plate to give the bass drum a little air. I didn't gate the kit because for that kind of track you need all the ambience you can get to give it a Rocky feel.

“The recording process was so vague, I didn't really want to wipe anything, and so we used three multitracks in all, ending up with two in the end for mix down, having bounced down the originals. They were a Studer A80 and A800, and we mixed to a Mitsubishi X80 digital stereo, a Sony F1 and a Studer A810, just to be on the safe side! We used the Mitsubishi because it offers excellent quality and the advantage of razor blade editing."

International Musician and Recording World - February 1986

[platypusesforarms]

Elephants in Botswana | A Year on Planet Earth (2022)

An adult elephant needs over 200 litres of water each day. But the baby gets all he needs from milk so a trip to the river means it's time to play.

[yibo-best]

The official picture is the certificate of the first ascent. ... See you at the official announcement on the 17th. "Here is my name" VOGUE Ceremony Official announcement The photo of Wang Yibo's official announcement that he took does indeed contain his name (Src)

PS I don't know what all this means and why it was all kept secret (there was only one rumor), but it looks like Yibo might be participating in the Vogue event on October 17th

PPS this is Yibo's rock climbing certificate (when he climbed the Monkey mountain (29Jun2024), remember in episode 10 of the documentary), with a difficulty of 5.10A. The photo was taken by Yibo himself.

PPPS Vogue: these posts are stars who will participate, sharing their photos

[behind-the-screen-of-bangtan]

RM

Real name: 김남준 (Kim Namjoon)

Birth date: 12 September 1994

Home city: Ilsan

Former stage name: Runch Randa (....-2013), Rap Monster (2013-2017)

Studio name: Mon Studio, Rkive

Instagram account

BU character: Kim NamJoon

BT21 character: Koya

(src)

Biography

RM started as an underground rapper in Seoul, where he gained popularity to the point of being noticed and recruited by Big Hit Entertainment. A hip-hop group that then evolved to be a K-pop group was formed around him and he was appointed the leader.

While slowly but surely leading BTS at the top of the musical world, he shared his view on life and empathized with oppressed communities, from his inclusion of the LGBT community in song lyrics to his speech at the UN. He has always been invested in the writing, the composition and later the production of BTS songs. Yet, he still found the time for more personal projects, especially in 2015, the year he did the most solo activites.

For a more complete biography, you can check these resources: 

Pre-debut history: details RM’s activity as an underground rapper since 2007

biography from volume 7 of the Japan Official Fanclub magazine (trans by kocchi)

autobiography (part 1, part 2, part 3) for 힙합하다 (Hip-Hop Hada, meaning Do hip-hop)

4 Things Show: a documentary made by Mnet where RM tells his hardships during his trainee and debut days

Over 10 bytes of message, a Korean magazine made by the fansite SpectRuM/Hegemony about RM’s activities in 2015

RM has also shared tidbits of his daily life:

he used to post pictures of himself, the #김데일리 (KimDaily) series, where he showed his outfit of the day

new Mon studio 🎵  (he introduces his new studio)

Rkive 😍😜 and Rkive 2 (he introduces his Rkive studio)

[VLOG] 9 days of travel to Europe (2019)

미술관 VLOG (art museum vlog) (2022)

All Day (with 김남준): Part 1, Part 2 (2022)

Birthday albums: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Recommendations

Music

RM’s Spotify playlist

RM used to share songs he likes through the #RMusic series, on Twitter (Youtube playlist). Nowadays, he rather uses his Instagram stories.

There are Youtube playlists of the songs he shared on Spotify and on Vlive/Weverse.

Books

Namjoon's Library

Movies/Series/Artists/places

R(eco)M(mendations)

Art

Weverse magazine: “Getting to know Korean modern and contemporary art with RM”

RM visited a lot of museums and regularly share pictures of art he likes on Instagram.

Solo activity

Music (discography)

“Rap Monster” (2013)

“Where U At (cover)” (2013)

“Favorite Girl (cover)” (2013)

Rap Monster & 정국 - “Like A Star (cover)” (2013)

Rap Monster, Suga & 진 - “어른아이 (cover)” (Childish Adult) (2013)

“Something” (2013)

“Too Much” (2013)

“Monterlude” (2014)

“RM cyper ruff” (2014)

SOULSCAPE X RAPMONSTER -  “Unpack your bags” (for the 4 Things Show documentary, 2014)

Rap Monster x Warren G - “P.D.D.” (2015)

MFBTY - ”부끄부끄 (Buckubucku)” (Feat. EE, RM of BTS, Dino-J) (2015)

RM (2015) (see this post)

Yankie(얀키) - ”ProMeTheUs(튀겨)” (Feat. Dok2, Juvie Train, Double K, 랩몬스터 of BTS, Topbob, Don Mills) (2015)

Primary (프라이머리) - ”U” (feat. 권진아, 랩몬스터) (2015)

“Fantastic” (Feat. Mandy Ventrice) (2015)

랩몬스터 & 정국 - “Fools (COVER)” (2015)

RM & JK - “알아요 (I know)” (for the Festa, 2016)

“always“ (for new year, 2017)

Gaeko(개코) - ”Gajah(코끼리)” (Feat. Rap Monster(랩몬스터)) (2017)

RM, Wale - “Change” (2017) (see this post)

R&V - “네시 (4 O'CLOCK)” (gift for the Festa, 2017)

Fall Out Boy - “Champion (Remix)” (2017)

RM, SUGA, j-hope - 땡 (Daeng) (for the Festa, 2018)

Mono (2018) (see this post)

Drunken Tiger (드렁큰 타이거) - “Timeless” (Feat. RM of BTS) (2018)

HONNE - “Crying Over You” (feat. RM & BEKA) (2019)

Lil Nas X -  “Old Town Road” (feat. RM of BTS) (Seoul Town Road Remix) (2019)

Younha -  “WINTER FLOWER(雪中梅)” (Feat.RM) (2020)

eAeon(이이언) - “Don't(그러지 마)” (feat. RM) (2021)

“Bicycle” (gift for the Festa, 2021)

--- Chapter 2 ---

Balming Tiger - “섹시느낌 SEXY NUKIM” (feat. RM of BTS)

Indigo (2022) (see this post)

So!YoON! (황소윤) - “Smoke Sprite” (feat. RM of BTS)

Colde - “다시�� 사랑한다 말하지 마” (Don’t ever say love me) (feat. RM of BTS)

Right Place, Wrong Person (2024) (see this post)

Megan Thee Stallion - “Neva play” (feat.RM) (2024)

For more details about the songs that don’t have their own post, I listed all the info I had here. For Chapter 2 songs, please check here.

Shows

Mr. Mon’s 1minute English (2015, anchor)

episode 1 “Pardon”

episode 2 “July”

Problematic Men (2015, guest)

playlist of the episodes with English and Spanish subtitles

non-official masterlist

The Dictionary of Useless Human Knowledge (2022-2023, guest)

playlist on Youtube

non-official thread of the episodes

RM’s Instagram post

HYBE T&D Stories (2024, guest)

Youtube playlist

YOUNHA 20th ANNIVERSARY UNPACKED EVENT “Y” (2024, presenter)

Video

RM’s apparition in Younh’a event results from their collaboration on “Winter Flower” in 2020

Brands endorsement

K’hawah (2015): Teaser, 15s ver.

RM raps during this ad. All his rhymes end with “*a wa”, with the consonants in place of the * being listed in alphabetical order (src).

Bonetta Veneta (2023): RM’s Instagram post

iloom (2023) : Youtube playlist, official Instagram account, Taiwan Instagram account

Ambassadorship

Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed In Action Recovery & Identification Honorary: ambassador appointment ceremony

Magazines

Vogue Korea June issue: official tweets, interview

DAZED KOREA 2023 October issue: tweets

GQ Japan: cover story (eng trans)

Interviews

BE comeback interview: “I spend a lot of time thinking about where I am now”

Weverse magazine: “Getting to know Korean modern and contemporary art with RM”

Butter release interview: “I hope I’m on my way somewhere”

Proof release interview: “It’s a given when you’re an artist: You have to be the one and only”

Rolling Stone: “‘What If I Don’t Like Music Anymore?’: A Wildly Honest Conversation Between BTS’ RM and Pharrell Williams” (video) (RM’s Instagram post)

Weverse magazine: “RM’s Bibilly Hills”

Trivia

RM’s parents had a dog they named Rapmon (nicknamed Monie) as a nod to his stage name at the time. He passed away in 2023.

[dalle2]

“A documentary footage of Woodstock 69’ still of a large foam dinosaur with tons of bubbly foam leaking from its mouth behind the stage as a band is performing”

Sharing is caring!

Substack: dalle.substack.com

Twitter: @Dalle2AI

The heading of this post was used to generate the image, src

[bananaofswifts]

Taylor Swift’s Miss Americana Netflix documentary dropped today, and if you’re looking for an intimate look at the singer’s life, you’re probably only going to love half the content. The film does a good job showing her decision to become more politically active in the last few years, what her songwriting process looks like, and why she decided to step away from the spotlight for a while. The one thing it doesn’t go hard on, though, is her relationship with boyfriend Joe Alwyn. That’s okay. That’s how it should be. In the doc, she talks about what it was like to win Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2016 and not have anyone she felt like she could truly celebrate that with. “I didn’t have a partner that I climbed it with, that I could high-five,” she says. “I didn’t have anyone I could talk to who could relate to what I was… I had my mom, but I just wondered, ‘Shouldn’t I have someone that I could call right now?’” Fast forward a few minutes, and she continues talking about why she decided to take a year off from public life. She needed to reset her own mentality, for her sanity, but then she adds, “I was also falling in love with someone who had a really wonderfully normal, balanced, grounded life, and we decided together that we wanted our relationship to be private.” Joe is only shown once in the entire documentary, but there are a few videos the film uses that we, as the audience, are supposed to assume he took. In one of them, she’s playing the song “Call It What You Want” on her guitar, and she stops in the middle to mouth “I love you” to whoever the person filming is. (Joe. It’s Joe.) In another, she’s driving a car, and she takes the hand of whoever’s recording her and kisses it. It’s almost shocking how normal the interactions are, and it makes you realize that even the most famous people are allowed to have parts of their life that are just for them. Taylor Swift has been in the spotlight for, like, a million years now. Naturally, when you’re a girl growing out of your teens and into your twenties, you’re going to want to date around and figure out who you like. Taylor did all of that in front of the world, so, because society is sexist, people (the media in particular) dragged her to hell for the amount of people she dated. Like, there is still a headline on the first page of Google results for “Taylor Swift relationship history” reads: “Heartbreak Hotel! Taylor Swift’s Relationship Timeline.” Is that totally necessary? The public has felt entitled to a piece of Taylor since she was 17, but she doesn’t owe us anything. It seems like she’s figured that out, and also that the key to her happiness is keeping shit to herself. This doc made me respect that decision, because she could definitely benefit by putting her relationship out there for the world. Think about how crazy her fans would go if she and Joe walked a red carpet together. There is a lot to gain by being public with her boyfriend, but she is intentionally opting out of that Taylor had a hand in making this documentary. It seems clear that she’s excluding that part of her life from this narrative, and that’s a sign of growth I can get behind. In this case, what you don’t see is just as important as what you do.

[elchicodenim]

"TIME ME" INTERVIEWED 8 GUESTS WHO ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TIMES OF CHINA AND KRIS WU IS CHOSEN AS ONE OF THEM!

“Who is the face of the times in your heart? A character documentary shooted by Tencent will be released on July 6th. Witness the times and see yourself!”

Here's a brief introduction of other guests: ▪ Yuan Longping: One of the most important scientists in China. Known as the "Father of Hybrid Rice the World". Recipient of the Medal of the Republic. ▪ Deng Yaping: Former Chinese women's table tennis player. She was won 10 world championships in her life. ▪ Zhang Xiaogang: A famous Chinese artits. He documented 30 years of change in China with his paintings. ▪ Shu Qi: Famous actress, the winner of "Best Actress" at the 42nd Golden Horse Film Awards. She was a jury memner of the 58th Berlin IFF and the 62nd Cannes IFF. ▪ Chen Qigang: Talentd Chinese composer who created the 2018 Olympic them song "You and Me". His work has won several major French art awards. ▪ Zhang Weili "Magnum": Chinese MMA athlete. She's the first UFC Champion in China. ▪ Wang Jingchun: Excellent Chinese actor, he has won many filn awards, including the "Best Actor" award at the 69th Berlin Film Festival.

src: kriswubar