#I was going to do Laszlo but I could only find so many songs that related to the angst of the recent season finale and had to take a break

[ineffible-chaos]

Lyrics that remind me of my favourite characters

Morpheus, Dream of the Endless:

"I had a dream about a burning house/you were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out/...Love isn't all that it seems, I did you wrong/I'll stay here with you until this dream is gone. (Burning House- Cam)

"When I think about it too much, I can't breath/ And I have this dream where I'm screaming underwater." (Funeral- Phoebe Bridgers)

"The edge is razor thin between being numb/and feeling everything/Good days only serve as relief again." (Complex- Katie Gregson-MacLeod)

Dean Winchester:

"And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't/ 'Cause if I say that I miss you, I know that you won't/But I miss you in the mornings when I see the sun." (Something in the Orange- Zach Bryan)

"To you I'm just a man/To me, you're all that I have/Where the hell am I supposed to go?/I poisoned myself again/Something in the orange/Tells me you're never coming home." (Something in the Orange- Zach Bryan)

"You held the balance of the time/That only blindly I could read you/But I could read you/It's like you told me/Go forward slowly/It's not a race to the end." (You're Somebody Else- Flora Cash)

"I love this place/But its haunted/without you/My tired heart/is beating/so slow/Our hearts sing less that we wanted/we wanted/Our hearts sing cause we do not know." (Little House- Amanda Seyfried)

Marc Spector:

"Well, I came home/Like a stone/And I fell heavy into your arms."

"And I will wait, I will wait for you/So break my step/And relent/Well you forgave and I won't forget." (I Will Wait- Mumford and Sons)

"I remember one evening in the pouring rain/And my heart was an aching pain/Well, fare thee well, my honey, fare me well." (Fare Thee Well- Mumford and Sons)

Crowley (Good Omens):

"Got caught in love and stepped into sinking sand/You had ruin all of our plans/Packed your bags and you're leaving home/Got a one-way ticket and you're all set to go."

"I guess we drift apart in seperate ways/I don't have all that far to go/God knows I've learned to play the lonely man/I've never felt so low in all my life." (Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow- Freddie Mercury)

"Oh, you kissed me/Not to take me home/It was simple, it was sweetness/It was good to know." (We'll Never Have Sex- Leith Ross)

Percy Jackson:

"So long to all my friends/Everyone of them met tragic ends/ With every passing day/I'd be lying if I didn't say/That I missed them all tonight/And if they only knew what I would say if I/Could be with you tonight" (The Light Behind Your Eyes- MCR)

"Could this road get any longer?/I just want to go home/And maybe if I was a little stronger/He would face me, I dont know." (No Way Out- Divide Music)

"Sea and the rock below/Cocked to the undertow/Bones, blood, and teeth erode/With every crashing node/Wings wouldn't help you down." (Roslyn- Bon Iver and St. Vincent)

"A piece of that fractured mountain/I'll take whater comes with it/As long as its yours." (Piece of Your Heart- Mayday Parade)

"Just know you're not alone/Cause I'm gonna make this place your home/Settle down, it'll all be clear/Don't pay no mind to the demons, they fill you with fear." (Home- Philip Philips)

#song lyrics and characters #percy jackson #yknow its funny i found out about the trailer as I was writing his #brb sobbing #anyways #dream of the endless #dean winchester #marc spector #crowley good omens #I could've done more but my brain is like that cheese full of holes #i cant remember shit #I can only go through the songs in my music library so long #what was that cheese called???? #idk lol #anways x2 #I was going to do Laszlo but I could only find so many songs that related to the angst of the recent season finale and had to take a break #Laszlo Cravensworth you kill me #also i know percy definitely listens to mamma mia bc of course but i'm too tired to look up lyrics cuz i cant remember shit

[cookinguptales]

*spins the meta wheel* yeah okay, let's talk about Nandor.

One of the things that's always fascinated me most about his character is the way he desperately wants change but also seems to be more terrified of it than all the other characters put together. He talks about wanting things to be different a lot, but he always sabotages anything that might really materially change his life.

Like -- this quest for love. He talks about how much he wants a partner, he wants his life to change, but what do we actually see? In s3 and the beginning of s4, he's just consistently going after women who don't really want him instead of spending time developing the relationships he already has. He dips into shallow relationship after shallow relationship because the real relationships, the ones that might actually change his life, terrify him. The best/worst of these is probably the cult dedicated to literally living in a fantasy version of the past, which like. Not really helping him beat those afraid-of-change allegations.

(You can learn all the 80s and 90s songs you want, Nandor, we both know only Guillermo is exposing you to modern pop culture! And yeah, there's more than one metaphor there...)

And then in s4, he decides he wants a wife, so he chooses one in the most haphazard way possible and makes both of their lives miserable. He is constantly changing her to make her easier for him to deal with without actually changing his life, and then he gets rid of her when he's fed up with the monster that he's created.

His whole thing with the Djinn is that he's constantly asking him to change things -- and then change them back. He wastes so many wishes on things like Marwa. I want this. No, that. No, that. No, put it all back to the way it was originally.

He does this over and over and over, and nothing seems to perturb him more than finding out that things have changed when he wasn't looking. (See: his difficulty accepting that Laszlo is creating relationships with other people, his spiraling over the big bang, etc.)

So... how does this pertain to Guillermo?

Guillermo's frustrated with Nandor at the end of s4 because Nandor likes the status quo. Things are different, are constantly changing, but Nandor refuses to acknowledge any of that. (He even mentions off-hand that he forgets Guillermo is a slayer sometimes.) Guillermo has always worked for them all under the promise of change, so you could see why this would freak him out a little. He's realizing that things will never change with Nandor because Nandor won't let them. He's so scared of change that he just straight-up ignores it and hopes it will go away -- when he's not actively trying to stop it.

Nandor, who has been making and breaking plans with an almost manic frenzy for the entire season, is finally calm at the end of s4. Why? Because he thinks that everything has gone back to normal. Marwa is gone. Freddie is gone. Guillermo is no longer talking about leaving. Those are the important ones for him, but then Colin Robinson also returns and the house is set to rights, too, so like... why should he worry?

He has no idea what he's already lost. That's what's making me crazy. He doesn't know that he's already lost everything that matters to him. But I think he suspects.

The thing is, Nandor throws himself into his books and his self-help and everything else because I think he can tell, at least on a subconscious level, that things have changed. Indelibly. He knows that Guillermo has changed, and that's probably the one kind of change that scares him more than anything else.

But despite the fact that Nandor can tell that something is up, he still keeps insisting that it's no big deal. It must be some small perceived slight or something. It can't be a huge change that Guillermo is keeping from him. No, no, he already figured that out. He managed to reel Guillermo back in with the wedding scheme. He doesn't have to worry about Guillermo straying again.

:')

He's afraid of losing Guillermo to change, so he prevents change and ignores what he can't prevent. He doesn't realize that that's exactly what's driving Guillermo away. That it's already driven Guillermo away. Nandor's put the idea of Guillermo's transformation up on a shelf, nice to look at occasionally but not a thing he really has to interact with. The theoretical option for change is there, but he doesn't have to worry about it actually affecting his life.

As always, he's attracted to it, but it also scares him. He'll make a glitter portrait of a vampiric Guillermo at his side, but he can't seem to fully get his head (and heart) around the reality of giving Guillermo that kind of power and freedom.

He's afraid that giving Guillermo that kind of power/freedom will change their relationship further, when he's finally gotten it the way he (thinks he) likes it, and he's even more afraid that if Guillermo's leash is taken off, he'll run. He spent all of s4 trying to keep Guillermo from running, but he still seems to believe down deep that he'll do it.

And... he wasn't wrong. Guillermo did go elsewhere to get his bite. But Nandor is very much the one who drove him to do it. I think that's the tragic thing, isn't it? He was so afraid of his relationship with Guillermo changing that he forced Guillermo's hand, which caused the exact kind of change that he was most afraid of. Guillermo distancing himself, Guillermo leaving, Guillermo -- well, cuckolding him, really.

I think it's fixable, but Guillermo's not the only person who's going to need to eat dirt here. He may have been the one who "cheated", from the vampires' POV, but Nandor wasn't upholding his end of the deal, either. And he's going to have to acknowledge the way Guillermo has grown and changed throughout the course of the series, stop regressing to calling him his familiar, and apologize for his own inaction. It may not be the vampiric way, but it certainly would not be the first time Nandor has thrown away vampiric customs for Guillermo.

Nandor, friend, you gotta sit back and learn to embrace change. You gotta enter the 21st century. You gotta allow your relationship with Guillermo to grow organically.

Because Guillermo's gonna change one way or another, and it's really your decision whether or not he leaves you behind. :')

#see: things I care about so much that I wrote 50k words of fanfiction about it lmao #wwdits #wwdits meta #wwdits s5 #wwdits spoilers #long post #guillermo de la cruz #nandor the relentless

[bigasswritingmagnet]

Whatever it is People Go Away For Ch 7

Rating: M Fandom: What We Do in the Shadows Summary:

Did you ever see the 2006 romcom smash hit The Holiday, with Jack Black and Kate Winslet? This is that, but with vampires. Except they're human. Laszlo is a musician who can't remember how to make things for himself. Guillermo has a cheating ex-boyfriend he can't let go of. They both need a break from their lives, and swapping houses with a stranger sounds like just the ticket.

AO3 link

“Now,” Nadja said, hiking up her skirts to get her underwear on, “we must do something about your clothes.” 

Laszlo looked down at himself, in his usual dark jeans and collared shirt. 

“You only popped a few buttons.” 

Nadja frowned.  

“Laszlo, I can tell you are very smart so stop thinking like an idiot. Look at you, and look at me. I look like a sexy mistress of the night born in ancient Greece several hundred years ago. You look like you are late to give a presentation on how many paperclips it takes to build a cubicle. Which of us belongs in this night club?” 

“Oh.” 

“Yes, oh. Finish putting your dick away and follow me. We will find you an appropriate outfit.” 

Nadja took him to a clothing shop. It was small, looking squeezed between the two much larger buildings on either side. And yet, somehow, you couldn’t fail to notice it. The sign over the door said The Barony in curly red letters, underlined by a twirling measuring tape tailing a golden pair of scissors. 

There was a musical jangling of a bell overhead when Nadja pushed open the door, and Laszlo stepped back in time by at least two hundred years. The walls were lined with bolts of fabric and lace and brocade dangling across the shelves, soaking up the sound. Mannequins were dressed in decadent, gorgeous outfits that he’d only ever seen in history books and museums. 

A curtain twitched and a man emerged. Tall, thin, with long-white blonde hair, dressed in a sumptuous red coat with the most intricate embroidery Laszlo had ever seen. When he saw Nadja, his face lit up, his mouth twisting into an almost avuncular smile. He stretched out his arms, impossibly long fingers unfurling like the fanning of a peacock’s tail.  

“Nadja,” he crooned, and Laszlo immediately scratched the ‘avuncular’ descriptor. There was nothing even tangentially familial about that hug. 

“Afanas, this is Laszlo. He will be performing at my club tonight, and he needs to be properly attired.” 

“Yes, I can see that,” Afanas said, dryly. He circled Laszlo, humming critically. Then, with no words but a twitch of his elegant fingers, he glided back behind the curtain. Here there was a changing room in one corner, next to an angled mirror, and everywhere neat stacks and hanging racks of clothing. Afanas plucked a few items from their homes and dropped them unceremoniously in Laszlo’s arms. 

“Go forth,” he said, mildly, gesturing in a wide sweep for Laszlo to enter the changing room. With only a brief uncertain look at Nadja, Laszlo went forth. 

The door was not very thick, and anyway didn’t entirely reach the floor or ceiling, so Laszlo could very easily hear when Afanas whispered. “He does not seem your usual type.” 

“I promise, he is not as boring as he looks. Very good at following instructions.” 

“Really? Intriguing. How is he on his knees?” 

Laszlo immediately focused on getting dressed, doing his best to tune out the conversation discussing him as if he was breeding stock at the county fair, lest it cause interference with the fit of the trousers. 

The cravat was giving him a bit of trouble, so he turned to check in the mirror. And saw–and he was–the clothes were–

He felt…harpsichord, with violin accompaniment, woodwind section alto only. Four-four time–no, three-quarters, a waltz, but a quick one, the kind where you couldn’t think, only move. No crescendo, but a soaring finish that ended sharply rather than fading to quiet. 

A song you could listen to every day, every damn day, over and over and never be sick of it. 

But he didn’t like the cut of the jacket. It was too trim at the waist, he wanted something straighter. And he didn’t want the coat buttons to be so bright; he wanted the coat to be the accessory, not the statement piece, he wanted to wear it with different waistcoats that had patterns and colors and when had he ever thought the phrase “statement piece” in his fucking life? 

When had he ever thought about what he was wearing beyond “it fits and it won’t embarrass me in public”? When had he ever cared enough to have an opinion? 

When had he ever cared at all? 

“Laszlo, are you alive in there?” Nadja called, cutting through the maelstrom. Laszlo tied the cravat with shaking fingers, breathing hard, blinking away the heat in his eyes. 

“Just a moment.” He stepped out from the changing room. “Little trouble with the cravat,” he said. 

“Aha!” Afanas said, eyes lighting up. “ Now I see it.” 

Nadja nodded approvingly. 

“Much better. What do you think?” 

“I look like me,” Laszlo said, and was as horrified to hear the words as he was the wobble in his voice. He tried to flee back into the changing room–what he thought he was going to go when he got in there, he wasn’t sure, but away and out of sight was all that mattered. 

Nadja caught his wrist in a grip like a vice, but her voice was casual when she spoke. 

“Afanas, perhaps another outfit to try?” 

“Of course,” he said, as if nothing had happened or was happening.

Laszlo muttered something about the buttons, but wasn’t sure if anyone heard him. Only when Afanas had glided from the room did he feel a fingertip under his chin, tilting his head up. He kept his eyes averted, not wanting to see her expression. 

“Tell me, ó fílate ,” she said. “And do not say ‘nothing’,” she added sternly. 

His throat was too tight, he could barely breathe let alone say anything. 

“Laszlo,” she said. “I will not find it funny. I will not think less of you. Speak.” 

“Have you ever recognized yourself in the mirror?” Laszlo asked. “Looked at yourself and actually seen you, not…not someone else? Yes, that’s me, that’s what I look like. That’s who I am.” 

“Yes,” Nadja said. 

“I haven’t,” Laszlo said, barely more than a whisper, and forced himself to raise his eyes. There was no pity, no laughter, no derision, not even exasperation. 

“Agapité,” was all she said, when she wrapped her arms around him.  

Three hours later, Laszlo stepped out of the store in a canary yellow waistcoat, a long dark overcoat, fitted trousers, button shoes, and holding a top hat in his hand. 

“I think I just spent more money on clothing than I have the entirety of my life put together.” 

“How would you know? You signed the receipt with your eyes closed.” Nadja adjusted his cravat and smoothed her hands over the waistcoat. “Worth it, I think.” 

“Very much so. What time do we need to be at the club?” 

“I need to be there at 6, you go on at 8.” 

Laszlo checked his watch–maybe he should buy a pocket watch–and nodded. Then he twirled the top hat and set it on his head.

“Well then, my darling, we had best be off.” He offered Nadja his arm. She took it, giggling, and led the way back towards the club. 

For the first time in years, Laszlo couldn’t wait for the performance to begin. 

#wwdits #laszlo cravensworth #nadja of antipaxos #baron afanas #nadja x laszlo #i GOTTA remember to post my stuff on here lmao

[alexguard]

So I just watched the last episode of season 4 of What We Do In the Shadows. (As of writing this that is, which is really late. It’s posted at a different time) And.. holy shit that was.... a lot to take in. The song made me tear up, the revelations.. the.. well loss. Colin not remembering the childhood Laszlo and Guillermo had tried to give him, is so.. sad. Like when he’s at what could be consider a “teen state” is described as being in between child and adult; which is true. But it’s the fact it’s only there for.. 2 episodes, hell technically 1 1/2 episodes!! Which is accurate to how it feels to.. grow up. Your a kid one second, the next your in some weird state that isn’t a kid anymore but.. your not an adult, and next your an adult who can’t picture what being a kid was anymore. That’s not the same for everyone at all, but that’s what I got from this.  (I also saw briefly someone point out that there is hope that maybe Colin could get his childhood memories back from his YouTube videos, and hell even the footage from the documentary!! So here’s hoping; though I am mostly wishing for these memories to come back so Colin and Laszlo can have their bond back.) 

The other thing though, Guillermo.. him going to Derek to get turned is.. A BIG TURNING POINT. Like, when he said he’s going to make a change he MEANT it! This gives me so many... thoughts about what could happen next. There are multiple ways it could play out honestly.  Guillermo is turned by Derek and it shifts the dynamics more and forces change in a way to the other vampires! Derek refuses (Which is.. only half likely as the only reason I can see Derek not turning him is because he might think being a vampire sucks,) and Guillermo goes off to find someone else to turn him, and that’s a whole thing which.. would be, interesting I guess. BUT the one thing I have focused on is.. if he does get turned, how will his Van Helsing DNA react? Because clearly Van Helsing DNA is supernatural itself, since it gives Guillermo and his family innate vampire slaying skills, and what that requires! Plus how there is a physical reaction to being around vampires... so it’s clearly supernatural, even if it’s a little bit. Will this make it so he can’t even become a vampire? Probably unlikely.. but what if instead, he is a half vampire? Like well Blade. Since it is canonly possible in the WWDITS universe that half vampires exist, with Wesley Snipes just, being a real half vampire there. 

If Guillermo does become a half vampire, it could represent how he still got what he wants but it didn’t.. well change him in the same way as vampirism changes the others. I’d be a really big shift in the status quo. Him becoming a vampire itself already does that but, a half vampire it’s different. He has humanity in a way still, something Nandor has strived for. And with how cut off he is slowly making himself distant from Nandor, so the fact that Guillermo gained what he wanted but also kept something Nandor had been striving for, for himself is like great salt in the wound. 

Guillermo being a half vampire not only would put him on level playing field with the other vampires more, aside from the growth that has already occur over the seasons, but actually above now. Since he was already a vampire slayer by blood, but now he’s a vampire like them BUT he can still do what they can’t. 

If Guillermo becomes a full vampire, the impact will be the same of the dynamic getting flipped on it’s head. And showing the vampires that things DO change and won’t go back to the status quo. But the impact of him being a half vampire could... do a lot too in my opinion.

The Vampiric Council is already iffy on Wesley because he’s a half vampire who is also a slayer. So imagine the stress and intrigue of Guillermo not only being a half vampire slayer too, but one from the Van Helsing blood line. Now I don’t think anyone besides the vampires of the house and The Guide know about Guillermo’s Van Helsing blood, but the council do at least know he’s a slayer. They probably would do some digging cause he would be on their radar if he was another half vampire, and then be prepared to execute him if they figure out his heritage. Not only does he have the innate vampire slaying abilities, he now has their abilities as well, and if he IS a half vampire.. he can come for them at any time of day while they are vulnerable.

This started as a simple thought of the different ways that last scene could end up in season 5 (and some talk about Colin and Laszlo).. but now I just really like the idea of half vampire Guillermo. It’s more likely he’ll become a fully vampire. if one at all but come one.. he will be one, but it’s still something that could be interesting! 

#wwdits spoilers #wwdits #what we do in the shadows #GhostVoidScreams #I have not posted my own thing in a bit #and also never a text thing #haha #Glad to write it down though #this would have lived in my head for too long #I need mental space right now.

[bruhlsbees]

broken wing || dr. laszlo kreizler x fem!reader

summary: laszlo catches reader attempting to play the piano

pairing: dr. laszlo kreizler x fem!reader

warnings: this shit just pure angst but at the same time so soft

word count: 2924 (this got a little out of hand LOL)

a/n: based on this set of prompts specifically "stroke - my muse gently runs a hand over your muse's back/arm", takes place before the events of the first season of the alienist

You knew you shouldn’t have been in here. You were supposed to be helping Cyrus in the back with something to do with the chickens...or was in the weeds? To be quite frank, you hadn’t been paying much attention to what the man needed help with, you were fixed on doing one thing and one thing only…

Playing the piano.

The piano that sat in Dr. Kreizler’s study always fascinated you. You didn’t know how to play, but you were always tranced by the music that came from the keys. You had heard someone play once before, in one of the fancy restaurants that Dr. Kreizler often went to. While you hadn’t exactly been inside to see the pianist perform, you were out on the street, dancing under the light post to the adoring classical music of Mozart.

At the time, you had no idea that it was Mozart, but later that week when you were prepping Dr. Kreizler’s dinner, he overheard you humming the tune and questioned your knowledge of it.

“I heard it...on one of my walks. It’s beautiful - although I do not seem to be familiar with the composer.” You explained, looking down at him after setting his plate in front of him.

Looking up with a weak smile, Dr. Kreizler nodded once, picking up his silverware to cut into the chicken, “It’s Mozart. Concerto for Piano No. 20 in D Minor to be more specific,” He put the slice of chicken in his mouth, chewing it in thought before swallowing, “I had no idea you were fond of the piano.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, “I enjoy music, Dr. Kreizler...anyone who enjoys music is fond of the piano.”

Nodding his head once, Dr. Kreizler paused, glancing ahead of him at the piano that sat in the corner of his study. The tune was not one he had fond memories of, as they were attached to his childhood. It pained him to know how much she adored it, and how incapable he was of even being able to play it for her.

Pulling back from his thoughts, Dr. Kreizler looked up at you and his expression fell slack, as if something changed in the air that left him sour, “Thank you for bringing me my dinner. I wish you a good night.”

You were taken back slightly by the dismissal, not understanding what you did to upset him. Embarrassed by the situation, you could find yourself only nodding, bowing slightly before turning on your heels and quickly leaving the room.

Ever since that night you hadn’t brought up pianos or Mozart again. You found yourself biting down on your tongue when you were around the doctor to avoid from humming the tune and upsetting him again. But as much as you tried to forget, tried to avoid the subject, your curiosity only grew.

And here you were, in his study sitting at the piano, the keys glossy and free to be touched. You noted how the keys looked as though nobody had played them in so long.

Running your fingers gently along the keys, you smiled as your fingers maneuvered over the black and white keys. You felt like a sneaky child, sitting at the piano, trying to not make a sound and get caught. Your fingers would occasionally slip down too hard and a low note would echo from the instrument, sending chills down your spine. The smile on your face though never went away, no matter how on edge you felt.

You noticed the music book sitting on the stand in front of your eyes and your hands moved from the keys to the book, running your fingers down the cover.

Mozart’s Concerto for Piano No. 20 in D Minor.

A light gasp escaped your mouth and you instantly opened the book to the first page, looking at the notes that were on the pages. Did the doctor know how to play this?

While you read the music, humming in your head what you thought it sounded like, based on what you heard outside the restaurant, you knew that it wasn’t accurate. You had no idea how to read music, nor did you understand what any of this meant. You wished you knew how to play, to be able to recite note for note what you heard.

Sighing, you dropped your head down slightly and closed the book, not bearing to look at the music anymore, only feeling your heart twitch in pain...envy in a way, as to why you couldn’t play, yet so many others could.

Sliding off the bench, you figured it was time to go find Cyrus, before he came looking for you and turning the Institute inside out. As you turned around to leave, taking a step forward, you immediately stopped in your tracks, mouth gaped as you jumped, seeing the doctor in the entryway.

“Dr. Kreizler! I-I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t be in here I ju-”

“You’ve been intrigued by one of Mozart’s many fine compositions,” He said, cutting you off. A smile formed on his face as he made his way into the room and towards you, brushing past you to sit at the bench, looking at the music book, “I can’t say I can blame you. I do admire his work.”

While the doctor didn’t seem upset with you in his study, your body still felt tense, as if you were walking on eggshells. Your body stayed in place while your head turned, looking behind you as the doctor lifted his good arm up to the keys, playing a few notes.

The silence that fell over the two of you alerted him of your discomfort. “Please, why don’t you join me? I assure you I am not upset.” He explained, his voice soft as he knew the state of your emotions at the moment.

You were hesitant at first to join, part of you almost telling him that you couldn’t and had to go help Cyrus - but the chance to listen to the doctor play overcame you and you found yourself seated tightly beside him, looking at the keys in awe.

While you didn’t notice, the doctor was looking over at you, smiling in admiration at your newfound love for the instrument. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I believe that everyone should have the chance to learn. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Feeling his eyes on you, you glanced to your left for a moment, cheeks pink as your eyes faltered back to the keys, a small smile on your face as you nodded.

The doctor nodded back, smiling as he reached across with his left hand to open the music book to the beginning of the song, licking his fingers once to unstick the pages. When the book was at the beginning, he smoothed the spine so the book would stay open before leaning back.

“I must admit, I do not believe you’ll be able to play this piece today, but if you continue to practice and stick with it, I have no doubt your capability of performing the piece.” The doctor explained, pulling his weak arm up to the piano.

You noticed that Dr. Kreizler was a bit frustrated with the state of his weaker hand, not being able to properly show you how to play. He let out a faint grunt as he attempted to move his right hand to play the keys, failing miserably.

While learning to play was something you found yourself yearning for, you knew it was wrong, given the state of Dr. Kreizler’s condition and not wanting him to be embarrassed. Seeing him in so much pain broke your heart, as you couldn’t understand how the man who cared so much for the ones he saw didn’t have anyone to do the same to him.

Reaching out, you found your own right hand placed over his, stopping him from attempting to push down on the keys. In surprise, Dr. Kreizler looked over at you, eyebrows furrowed for a moment before the turned into a somber expression.

“I believe I got in over my head,” He admitted sadly, “I used to play, you see, but after my arm, I haven’t been able to play as it requires two hands.”

You didn’t want to press on the manner. You never knew much about his weaker arm, but assumed that it was a sore subject for him. Smiling weakly, you shook your head and took his weaker hand off the keys, placing it in your lap as you squeezed his hand, gently running your other hand up his arm.

The delicate flesh that sat under his shirt was noticeably thinner than his other arm. The bones felt more prominent and his muscles were miniscule, perhaps not even there. You could hear his breath hitch in his throat as you stopped as his bicep, holding his arm close to you, almost in a hug.

“Dr. Kreizler...you do not need to push your own comforts for me and my lust for the piano,” You admitted, turning to look at the man in the eyes. “Perhaps one day I shall be able to play, but right now it is not necessary.”

Dr. Kreizler returned the smile, staring down at you and into your eyes contently, his breathing still hitched from his rising nerves, “Perhaps...but it still doesn’t excuse that I wished to teach you,” He admitted before continuing, “And please, call me Laszlo.

Your hand that was holding his reached to his face, your fingers running down into his beard, “Laszlo…” You whispered, almost as if to test the name as it came from your own mouth. You noticed his smile twitched bigger at the sound of his name coming from you before closing his eyes and pressing his chin down on your head.

The both of you stayed in that embrace for moments, enjoying the sound of one another’s steady breathing and the scent of one another. The moment went on for several more minutes before you finally pulled back, smiling once more at Dr. Kreizle- Laszlo before leaning in to kiss his cheek.

“Forgive me, Laszlo, I just felt as though it would be nice to kiss you.”

Laszlo could only smile, his cheeks pink before he nodded his head, “There is nothing to forgive...if it wouldn’t be bold of me to ask, perhaps I could return one for you?”

Pausing for a moment, your smile crept into a toothy grin before nodding, watching as he leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss to your cheek, your face twitching slightly at the tickle of his beard.

“If you wish, I would still be willing to teach you,” Laszlo began suddenly, leaning back now and untangling himself from you, looking back at the piano. He looked over his right shoulder and smiled down at you, “We could have dinner together and practice for an hour. As part of our new nightly routine...that is if you are not busy after dinner.”

The offer was more than what you could have asked for. Dinner and time to practice the piano? The doctor was spoiling you, there was no doubt about that. But how could you deny the offer? It was far too good to turn away.

Nodding your head furiously, you couldn’t help but let out a laugh, ecstatic now for what lied ahead of you two, “Yes, yes I would quite enjoy that proposition, Laszlo. Thank you.”

Pleased to hear your agreement, Laszlo nodded and turned to the music book, pointing at the first note before directing you where to put your hands on the piano.

The rest of the afternoon and evening in the Institute was filled with repeating rhythms and phrases as well as the occasional echo of laughter between you and Laszlo. The time you shared that night went on for hours until you found yourself drifting off onto his shoulder as you listened to him explain the next measure that was more complicated than the others.

Laszlo couldn’t be mad at you for falling asleep as he was talking - in fact he was quite pleased to see, and feel, you asleep on his shoulder. Turning his body slightly, he looked over your face before leaning forward to place a gentle kiss to your forehead, pulling away after a moment. He heard light footsteps approaching and turned his attention from you and to the entryway where Cyrus now stood.

“Cyrus, please help me in assisting her off to her room. I don’t believe she will be waking up anytime soon.”

Approaching the two, Cyrus nodded and carefully scooped your sleeping figure into his arms, wishing the doctor a well evening before taking you up to your room, leaving the doctor to his thoughts for the evening.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Laszlo was more than impressed to see you seated at the piano no more than two months later, flawlessly playing Mozart’s Concerto for Piano No. 20 in D Minor. The two of you had spent every night since the night he found you practicing until you were seated there now, playing for himself and Cyrus.

You worked hard to be able to perform the piece for the two men, working late most evenings and oftentimes on your own once you were able to understand how to play without Laszlo’s assistance. He went above and beyond with you as his pupil, being more than patient and understanding when you couldn’t get the measure right after numerous tries or when you first started and you couldn’t understand the proper wrist form.

But here you were, no more than a couple months later being able to play the piece without any hesitations. You could hear the other accompanies in your head - the strings, woods, and brass - which made your playing more confident as you felt as though you were on a stage, performing for a grand hall.

When the song finally came to and end, however, you lightly moved your hands up, letting the notes finish ringing out before dropping them into your lap, mouth opened in awe at yourself for being able to perform the piece. Turning your head, being brought back to reality and into Laszlo’s study, you stood from the bench and bowed, like you were told by Laszlo that performers do once they are done, before your smile spread wide, seeing them applaud you.

You couldn’t help but blush, especially when both Cyrus and Laszlo presented you with flowers picked from the garden out back.

“That was wonderful. I haven’t heard such a lovely song in how long.” Cyrus praised, his hands back at his side, a proud smile on his face.

You couldn’t help but feel warm, not expecting the praise from Cyrus, “Thank you, Cyrus. Your words are too kind.”

Nodding, Cyrus smiled and gently clasped Laszlo’s back, “As much as I’d love to stay up and chat,” He said after a moment, “I better be off to bed.” He bid you both a good night before going to retire to his room, leaving you both in study to yourselves.

Twirling the two flowers in your fingers, your attention was fixed on the yellow and orange daffodils, doing your best to ignore how obvious it was that Laszlo was staring at you.

Your attention was soon pulled from the yellow and orange to meet the honey brown of his eyes. A smile grew on your face as you laughed lightly, motioning towards the flowers, “I should be giving you one of these, at the very least, after all, you were the one who taught me.”

Plucking the stem of one of the flowers, you gently placed the flower in the front of his coat pocket, taking a step back before letting out a giggle, thinking he looked charming, yet silly. “I don’t know, Laszlo, I don’t know if daffodils are your flower.” You teased.

Before your hand got drop fully back to your side, Laszlo quickly caught your hand with his good one, holding it as he looked down at your. His smile turned weak, shaky almost, as if he was trying to not cry. You frowned, confused by the sudden reaction before he beat you to it.

“I haven’t been able to play in so long, and now hearing you tonight play…” He found himself choking on his words before he swallowed the painful lump in his throat, bringing your hand to his lips to kiss before holding it against his face, “Thank you, for bringing some I love back to life.”

Your heart skipped a beat as his confession, how close you were to him, and how extraordinarily handsome he was this evening. Your mouth fell open, unsure as to what to say next before you found your gaze wandering to his lips.

“Laszlo I-”

But before you could make out your sentence, you felt his soft lips on your, his beard tickling your face as he kissed your sweetly. Instantly closing your eyes, you melted into the kiss and shifted your hold to be around his neck, kissing him back.

You felt his weak arm placed on your waist and didn’t mind the connection, in fact, you adored it. Moving your left arm down, you gently ran your grasp down his weaker arm, squeezing the flesh delicately. As you pulled away, you pressed your forehead against his, closing your eyes to preserve the moment before hearing him speak again.

“Thank you, for letting my passion fly again.”

#daniel brühl #daniel bruhl #daniel bruehl #dr laszlo kreizler #laszlo kreizler #dr laszlo kreizler x you #laszlo kreizler x you #dr laszlo kreizler imagine #laszlo kreizler imagine #dr laszlo kreizler x reader #laszlo kreizler x reader #angst #blurbs #the alienist

[rumblelibrary]

I was listening to Dust to Dust by The Civil Wars and it came to my mind that this song would be a great source of inspiration for a headcanon for Modern!Laszlo Kreizler. What do you think?

What me? Crying my eyes out??? How did you know?

The night was happy and light, the chorus of laughter that bursted around him made his lips twitch instinctively into a tensed smile.

A sense of emptiness pervading him, a sense of loss even though in the happiest of times: the case was solved, the disappeared child was back.

The joyous parents kissing those puffy cheeks, Sara sipping her wine and darting engaging looks at John. Laszlo scratched his cheek lightly as he observed them, he didn’t need all those degrees to see what was bare in front of his eyes. His soft scratching was a mix between a show of tension and a reassurance to himself.

After all that running around, fear of finding the corpse of a child, after all that begging and researching and striving.

Then why happiness didn’t hit him? Why there was no relief?

He knew the truth, but the reality of things was that he wasn’t ready to admit it.

“Already going away?” John asked him as he picked up his coat from the chair where he abandoned it.

“Yes, I have an early round of appointments tomorrow”

“We couldn’t have done it without your insight” John insisted. To celebrate in the conference room of the police station just showed how much the happy ending of such a potential tragedy struck everyone.

Laszlo’s eyes darted slowly over the happy family in the corner, the father holding the baby daughter kissing her cheeks as the mother kept a steady hand on her small back, her smile was everything that a sight should be graced of: fullness, undivided love and tenderness.

“I know” Laszlo said only making John huff and chuckle joking that he is humble as always. Laszlo only smiled holding the coat under his arm as he gave him a nod and left.

Only once he was out he realised he came in John’s car, so he resumed to walk his way home, he needed some fresh air.

He never regretted his divorce, he was dragging a dead horse. His ex wife hated the guts of him and he never realised how much he didn’t trust her until the time to get parted came. Until he saw how many times he closed, how many times he felt that she was there to hurt him and, ultimately, she did when the right time came.

He brought it upon himself, that’s what he kept saying.

He tried, but not hard enough, he offered his heart but her pain was so vivid back then that he wondered did he ever gave it all? Or maybe he just believed it, he believed to have done it.

The happy smile of the woman that just had her baby back kept hunting him, the unfiltered happiness they felt caused him a primal form of envy that he refused to acknowledge to himself.

The soft tug on his back woke him from his trail of thoughts. Hand pulling his shirt shooting him back to reality.

A lone man walking home with the damn expensive watch he wore, any other person would have been worried.

And yet, when he turned around and saw you he was the worried one, like you just pointed a gun at him. He opened his mouth lightly but didn’t speak up.

“John told me you left, I hoped to catch up on you”

The way you spoke, the way you smiled, the little huffing in your breath showing you run after him. This is so wrong. He kept telling himself.

He just, he didn’t deserve this, the way you looked at him.

You’re just good at crushing anyone else Laszlo.

The words of his ex engraved onto his mind more than he would ever admit.

“I was just going home”

“Are you close?”

“Yes”

You looked at him with a soft sigh veiled by a smile, like you were dealing with some stubborn child.

“May I walk with you?”

“If you like”

“I do”

He titled his head down looking up at your frame, the way you looked at him teasing something inside him, something that was scratching, a loud white noise in the back of his head that you made audible.

He moved on side as you positioned yourself on his right.

You didn’t speak as you just walked with him, he didn’t talk either.

A shiver run through him, a sense of nervousness pervading him as his street got nearer after every step.

“You should go home, I mean, it is already late, I could call you a taxi”

“Do you really want to get rid of me, don’t you?”

He didn’t answer, because the answer was yes.

He needed to keep you far from him, since he met you your presence was both joy and pain to his eyes.

You sparked a new light, you opened his mind, got his interest. Hearing you talk, watching you move, even the smallest quirks and the little pet peeves of you. Everything was entertaining to him. He felt this need, the need to get under your skin, both mentally and physically. He wondered how it is to blend against your body, to kiss your lips, to taste your tears and your skin. He wondered if you cry while watching sad films, if you have childhood fears, if you talk in your sleep. He wondered if you ever found him attractive, if you’d refrain from his touch, if your kisses begin slow or passionate.

The truth was that he was the one not ready for you, he was the one afraid to let you touch him, to be bare with someone once again.

“I live here” He said noticing the apartments building standing on his left.

You looked up at it and smirked as it was an old building, one of those that survived after hundreds of restyling and it ket this old beginning of 1900 kind of feeling.

“Can I come in?”

“You’re shameless” he said as he indeed was admiring your persistence.

“Also that”

He looked at you for a moment, you didn’t blink away, not even for a second.

Just leave, please, just go away, stay with me, no go, better if you go.

He kept debating inside himself as you waited silently.

“I can’t do this”

You leaned your head on side at his words, you waited for him to explain himself.

“This thing, I mean, I can’t really get anyone in my apartment, alright? It is still a work in progress”

“You have done fooling me around with your excuses Laszlo” you said to him “you can’t take decisions for me and you won’t”

“I am not good at this, I will just hurt you, I am good at the beginnings but I just fail with time, I get sloppy, I won’t be a good choice on the long run”

“Laszlo” you interrupted his rambling as he stared at you. His eyes were begging you, begging you not to force him into this.

“Stop it now” you took a step forward as the space between you two closed abruptly, he felt the warmth radiating from you, the way your eyes shone for him, a sense of being lost and found taking over him, the unreasonable fear of something happening at that ungodly hour, like the building falling, anything, something that will ruin this moment.

“Aren’t you tired?”

You asked it so simply and yet he felt like he was the child that got lost in the night and was now being found again.

He parted his lips, eyes erratically escaping yours as he looked for any word, any excuse, any reason.

“Terribly”

He just said it as your hand gently raised, it was a slow movement like you were about to touch some frightened animal.

His eyes were fixed onto yours as your fingertips traced his cheek and up his temple. Your hand was a little cold against his skin, yet warm into your intentions. He leaned forward slowly pressing his forehead against yours.

“I can’t do this to you”

You smiled as your hand gently moved down his neck giving him a soft caress.

“You have been lonely for too long” you whispered.

He opened his eyes slowly, dark lids blinking into yours as his jaw tightened, a little redness forming as he tried to conceal the emotions running through him.

“Don’t let me hurt you”

“You won’t”

“I will”

“Then I’ll be there” you just said “I’ll be there for you, for us”

He shivered closing the space between the two of you with a sealing kiss, the push that got through him, like his whole body rebelled his mind, made him crush you against the heavy bricks of the entrance.

You could almost sense the immediate regret he felt, but you tugged him in, you pulled him closer as your lips sweetened the kiss from its initial desperation.

There was no pain in what it was about to begin and you wanted him to feel it.

You had no fear, no fear of the empty dark spaces of his mind, of the loneliness of his soul or the searing pain of his past.

You watched him consume himself for too long.

The time of excuses was over, and as your hands cupped his cheeks and whispered softly to him he could almost feel the abrupt silence of his mind after the loud noise of you tearing down his first defence wall fainted into that kiss.

Tagged @cazzyimagines @lieutenantn @handmaiden-of-mischief @thesunflowersutra @zemomybeloved @fictionlandslanddreams@charistory @greeneyedblondie44 @apparrio @hb8301 @whatawildone @rhymerhymerhyme  @thehuiabird @lilith-blackrose @unbeatablecurlgirl @obsidianlaszlo @alindeluce @zemosimp05 @baronesszemo-blackwood @nocapesdahling @everythingbeginsineternity-blog @archangelproperty

#laszlo kreizler #dr laszlo kreizler #modern!laszlokreizler #modern!laszlo kreizler #the alienist au #laszlo kreizler x y/n #laszlo kreizler x you #laszlo kriezler x reader #laszlo kreizler imagine #laszlo kreizler headcanons

[lovelybucky1]

where do i start? i’m artemis, or lovelybucky as most people know me. i started this blog a little over a month ago in the hopes of getting out of my writing slump and to allow myself more freedom with the content i create, and look where i am now! i never expected to get this far, and i’m beyond grateful for all of you. whether you follow for my marvel content or my criminal minds (or something else), thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me.

in honor of this milestone, i will be hosting a writing challenge that lasts the entire month of august. under the cut is 31 songs to choose from, as well as a line or two from them. i will be writing one each day, but you could write as little or as many as you’d like!

rules

you must be 18+ to participate. whether your fic has smut or not, my blog does not allow minors

your fic can be any rating, any length and contain any tropes you want! smut and dark fics are permitted, i just request that you give proper warnings at the beginning of the fic

your fic does not need to contain the lyric given below, or any other lyric, but it does need to be inspired by the song in some way

after the challenge is complete, i will be putting all of the fics onto a masterlist. use #lovelybucky1’s 500 and tag me so i can find your fic and add it

there is no limit on how many people can do each prompt. you can do all of them if you choose, or only one, it will still be featured on the masterlist

please view the pinned post on my blog for more through guidelines on why type on content (specifically smut) is permitted. if your fic contains any of the things on the list, it will not be included on the masterlist.

characters

you can write about any character from marvel or criminal minds, as well as ships between characters. the characters below are non-marvel or criminal minds that are accepted.

jefferson (once upon a time)

ransom drysdale (knives out)

lance tucker (the bronze)

andy barber (defending jacob)

ari levinson (red sea diving resort)

tj hammond (political animals)

chip taylor (68 kill)

charles blackwood (we have always lived in the castle)

laszlo kreizler (the alienist)

if you have another character that you’d like to write about, send me an ask or a dm!

lastly, if you are going to participate in this challenge, i’d appreciate if you reblogged this post to spread the word and get others involved!

prompts under the cut

Youth- Troye Sivan “My youth is yours, Runaway now and forevermore”

Mad Hatter- Melanie Martinez “You think I'm crazy, you think I'm gone, So what if I'm crazy? All the best people are”

Woman- Harry Styles “I'm selfish, I know, But I don't ever want to see you with him”

Cherry- Harry Styles “Don't you call him what you used to call me”

Black Sheep- Metric “Our common goal was waiting for the world to end”

Dirty Little Secret- All American Rejects “I'll keep you my dirty little secret, Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret”

Take Me to Church- Hozier “I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies, I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife”

Cold Hard Bitch- Jet “Cold hard bitch, Just a kiss on the lips, And I was on my knees, I'm waiting, give me”

Self Esteem- the offspring “Now I know I should say no, But it's kind of hard when she's ready to go”

Motion Sickness- Phoebe Bridgers “I hate you for what you did, And I miss you like a little kid”

Somebody Told Me- The Killers “Well somebody told me you had a boyfriend, Who looked like a girlfriend, That I had in February of last year”

Carolina- Harry Styles “She's a good girl, She feels so good”

New Perspective- Panic! at the Disco “You come along because I love your face, And I'll admire your expensive taste”

Dress- Taylor Swift “Carve your name into my bedpost, 'Cause I don't want you like a best friend”

Bad Idea- Girl in Red “It was a bad idea, To think I could stop, Was such a bad idea, I can't get enough”

Kiwi- Harry Styles “And now she's all over me, it's like I paid for it, It's like I paid for it, I'm gonna pay for this”

This Love- Taylor Swift “This love is good, This love is bad, This love is alive back from the dead”

Teardrops On My Guitar- Taylor Swift “I'll bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about/And she's got everything that I have to live without”

Red- Taylor Swift “Touching him was like/Realizing all you ever wanted was right there in front of you”

Illicit Affairs- Taylor Swift “Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me/You showed me colors you know/I can't see with anyone else”

Wonderland- Taylor Swift “And in the end, in Wonderland, we both went mad”

Wet- Dazey and the Scouts “It's so depressing how the tear ducts in my eyes/Are so much wetter than the space between my thighs”

Nicotine- Panic! at the Disco “I taste you on my lips and I can't get rid of you/So I say damn your kiss and the awful things you do”

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things- Taylor Swift “It was so nice being friends again/There I was giving you a second chance/But you stabbed me in the back while shaking my hand”

False God- Taylor Swift “The altar is my hips/Even if it's a false god”

Scotty Doesn’t Know- Lustra “Fiona's got him on the phone/And she's trying not to moan/It's a three-way call and he knows nothing”

I Hate Everything About You- Three Days Grace “I hate everything about you/Why do I love you?”

Rebel Girl- Bikini Kill “Rebel girl, rebel girl/I think I wanna take you home/I wanna try on your clothes”

I Love You Like an Alcoholic- The Taxpayers “One last kiss, I need you like I need a broken leg.”

Hey Stephen- Taylor Swift “Hey Stephen, I've been holding back this feeling/So I've got some things to say to you”

Two Ghosts- Harry Styles “Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat”

#steve rogers x reader #bucky barnes x reader #lovelybucky1’s 500 #ransom drysdale x reader #stucky #sam wilson x reader #yelena belova x reader #wanda maximoff x reader #carol danvers x reader #agatha harkness x reader #natasha romanoff x reader #zemo x reader #steve rogers #bucky barnes #chris evans #sebastian stan #marvel #spencer reid x reader #aaron hotchner x reader #emily prentiss x reader #derek morgan x reader #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds #tony stark x reader #thor x reader #loki x reader #loki laufeyson x reader #thor odinson x reader smut #jj x reader #jennifer jareau x reader

[breanne-says-boo]

October 2020 NYCC - What We Do in The Shadows panel

We did learn a little bit more about the upcoming Season 3 in this panel! Things bolded are relevant to S3 (**potential spoilers ahead under the cut!**)

Video can be found here [ X ]

Kathryn VanArendonk (a critic for Vulture) was the moderator for the panel and was joined by Mark (Colin Robinson), Kayvan (Nandor), Harvey (Guillermo), Matt (Laszlo), Natasia (Nadja), as well as showwriter Stefani Robinson and producer/writer Paul Simms. Kathryn wrote this article about the show if you would like to read it.

Details below under the cut --->

Kathryn asked what each of their character would be doing in quarantine and how they would be handling COVID-19:

Kayvan: He immediately says there would be a strain between Nandor and Guillermo, especially with there being a lack of victims for him to eat. Nandor would make Guillermo order LOTS of delivery and eat the delivery workers.

Harvey: it would be very awkward in the house for Guillermo particularly after the events of the season 2 finale.

Paul: Guillermo would be the only one in the house to wear a mask because he’s really the only one who cares/pays attention. The vampires would be confused/irritated by it and ask him to take off his “stupid costume”

Natasia: The vamps would probably be like the people who wear the masks under their noses if they wear them at all. They might be sort of unsympathetic and say “Oh, here we go again” having lived through many pandemics. The vamps might take advantage of everyone being at home but Guillermo might be stressed having to worry which of their victims have COVID and touching the bodies to throw them out. Harvey adds on and imagines that maybe it’s revealed that one of the vampires in the house is responsible for a different pandemic like the Spanish Flu or something to that effect.

Mark: Colin is a no-masker (for the purpose of irritating others) and getting into arguments about his constitutional rights inside stores. He’d probably be pretty hungry since he mostly feeds at the office and his coworkers would have to work at home.

Matt: They’d probably have no idea because they don’t watch the news or pay attention to current events at all

Kathryn immediately then asks about the Nandermo relationship- she asks Harvey and Kayvan if their characters love each other and how that relationship is developing.

Harvey: he started playing Guillermo with this infatuation with Nandor and that there were “blurred lines” in how he sees Nandor. He then explains that it seems kind of curious to the audience why Guillermo would continue to serve Nandor and help the vamps they continue to treat him so badly, and in Harvey’s mind, Guillermo is just driven by love and driven by emotion. He’s just very human and wants to do the right thing. (Harvey then “steals” Kayvan’s question about if Nandor is in love with Guillermo and Kayvan goes into Nandor-mode and begins to chastise Guillermo for being rude. Nandor: “Do you see what I have to put up with?”)

Kayvan: Nandor needs Guillermo and is “wrestling with his feelings” towards Guillermo. It is “heading towards a dangerous” territory for him because he “can’t be falling again after all [his] marriages”...he’s excited to see what happens next, but things are pretty “rocky” for them as of where we left them off.

My thoughts: seems like this is indicating a role-reversal of sorts in season 3, with Guillermo falling out of his infatuation with Nandor and Nandor falling in love with Guillermo? 

Kathryn asks Matt about what it’s like doing the “musical” epsiode for Laszlo since he has legitimate music experience (Matt sort of laughs about her use of “legit” in regards to his music).

Matt says its essentially demo song work. It’s good fun doing short ideas for pitching these 30 second songs in the space with ‘Tasia (Natasia)

Natasia: says it was a dream to do the songs with Matt and “plant seeds” in the work space because of Matt’s musical background. She mentions that Mark had an improv moment where Colin goes on stage to join Nadja and Laszlo and begin singing/rapping. Mark says that Colin begins jokingly doing it but then we see him get more into the song and enjoying it.

Paul says that if we like the prospective idea of Colin singing, we should be excited because Colin gets a singing/song moment in season 3. Paul then says something along the lines of that he’s happy they get to do these sort of bits and that all the casts members go along with it because “We are all dedicated to being silly...and stupid in a clever way.”

Kathryn then asks the whole group what kind of scenes do they look forward to doing for their characters and which scenes they like to watch their co-stars taken on

Harvey: likes doing action stuff and getting the change to play almost like these two different personalities in Guillermo- his quieter side and his badass side! He has a fun time with all his cast mates doing scenes and watching them. He has a hard time doing some scenes with Kayvan because he makes Harvey laugh and takes him out of character.

Kayvan: he likes doing scenes with Karvey because of the “tenderness.” He also like the house meeting scenes because they spin out into something outrageous or hilarious that happens after the fact.

Natasia: she likes doing Talking Heads scenes (when the scene is just of their characters speaking to the audience and to each other like in an interview) with Matt. She also likes doing the Fancy Room scenes, scenes with other women, and scenes with Shaun/Sean the neighbor. She likes scenes where Nandor is “saying thick stuff” because of the contrast of Nandor being this fearless warrior but also really stupid. She likes scenes where Matt has to do stuff really fast or has to run because it makes her laugh.

Matt: likes doing “loose” scenes where they can do anything that they want to do with a scene. He also likes doing the Talking Heads scenes with Natasia and watching the stuntmen do stuff he’s supposed to be doing. Apparently Kayvan let out somehow that Matt is afraid of heights. Kayvan: “Did I?...you’re getting better though...”

Mark: likes opportunities to play off of what the others say. He likes watching scenes where “Matt deal with Kayvan” because Laszlo can’t stand fools even though [Nandor] is one of the biggest fools (he says Laszlo but I think he meant Nandor with the mention of Kayvan). Scenes where they belittle Guillermo and scenes with Natasia are also fun.

Then Paul said he had a special guest who could also answer this question and in popped Nadja doll into the chat in her own separate video box. They were teasing her for being “on mute” and had her answer yes/no questions by nodding her head.

Kathryn asks Stefani about debates in the writer’s room regarding vampire biology and life. She asks Stefani about what’s fun about bringing in new creatures to the show and developing the lore about the vampires.

Stefani: it’s fun but it’s also hard in the writer’s room making decisions about these sort of things. The ability to pick and choose parts of the lore, but there can be contradictions they have to deal with. She wants the lore and the aspects of their nature to come together and be grounded so that it’s fun but isn’t too ridiculous. She considers how these elements/creatures can be “show-pieces” for the characters to interact with and how they contribute to the story and how they are funny.

Stefani then notes that Jermaine was very anti-leprechaun but Paul said he tried to reason with him. They try to decide among themselves what “fits” within their world and what doesn’t but there really isn’t a specific reason for what they go with.

Paul says there will be 3-4 new kinds of creatures in season 3. But no aliens, he notes. 

Natasia asks if somehow Sesame Street/Muppets would exist within their world and could make a cameo (I’m guessing because of the Count connection?) Paul jokes and says “Stefani, I don’t know what you’re doing tomorrow...but if we can schedule another meeting we could spend 6 hours making this happen.” Natasia then says she would love to see Miss Piggy and Nadja have some great chats. Same with Kermit and Nandor. Matt says he thinks Guillermo should find R2D2 buried in the garden but none of their characters recognize it.

All of season 3 is currently written. Kathryn asks about anything else they can tease for us:

Paul says there is in fact a bit of dialogue (3/4 of a page) about Kermit the frog that Natasia “accidentally came upon” (I don’t know how serious he is about this).

The vampires will go on a roadtrip! They will be traveling someplace they don’t normally go to, and the issue of having to bring soil from their homeland will be brought up

There is a birthday! It’s a big important birthday...for Colin! (maybe Colin’s song moment is him singing Happy Birthday?)

Nandor is looking for love and decides that it is time for him to find a partner

Some characters will be coming back, including Shaun/Sean the neighbor who will appear in two episodes

#wwdits fx #What We Do in the Shadows #what we do in the shadows fx #nycc #wwdits tv #wwdits

[introvertguide]

Casablanca (1942); AFI #3

I am very proud to present the next film on the AFI list, Casablanca (1942). It is truly one of the best examples of fine film from Hollywood's Golden Age. I was surprised to find out that the film only received 3 Oscars and none for the acting. Lead actress Ingrid Bergman was actually nominated for another film that she had made that year (For Whom the Bell Tolls), but it is was highway robbery to think that Humphrey Bogart did not get a Best Actor award for this film. On the bright side, the 3 Oscars were for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. But maybe it really isn’t a good idea to try and compare older films, but instead recognize a masterpiece for what it is. I would love to continue complimenting the movie, but first let me relay the story to you. Oh yeah. One other thing as well:

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!! WE GOT ONE OF THE GREATEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME HERE!!! GO AND WATCH IT!!! DON’T LET ME SPOIL IT FOR YOU!!! SERIOUSLY!!!

The film starts out with stock footage and a map showing the plight of many Europeans and how they were being herded to Casablanca and looking for a way out to Lisbon and eventually to America. It is December 1941 and it is the height of the exodus in an attempt to escape Nazi invasion of France and any French colonies. In Casablanca, Morocco, there is an expatriate American that owns a bar in the city that serves both refugees and locals, French and German soldiers. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is the American and he is known for taking no sides and only looking out for his own best interest.

It is stated on the radio that two German couriers have been killed for their letters of transit and that people in Casablanca will pay top dollar (and by that I mean anything and everything) to get those papers so that they can leave the country. A conniving thief named Ugarte (played by the great Peter Lorre) entrusts Rick to hold on to the letters. Rick allows the local corrupt police captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) to arrest the thief and Ugarte dies in jail before revealing who has the papers. Things are getting a little hot and Rick is considering leaving the country so he is very happy to have the letters. It would take a lot for him to even consider selling the letters...that is until...

The reason that Rick is so cold and cynical walks in the door and asks the piano player to play “As Time Goes By” and it becomes apparent that this women has hurt Rick and is his kryptonite. A flashback shows that the two had met and fallen in love in Paris. When the city was raided and Rick and Ilsa were supposed to leave together on a train, he only found a letter that said she could never see him again. Even worse, it turns out that the woman, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), is with her husband, the notorious Czech Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) who is attempting to escape to Lisbon. A German major name Strasser has also arrived in Casablanca to make sure that Laszlo does not leave and ideally can be arrested or killed without making him into a martyr. 

To really exemplify how bad the situation has gotten, a couple of very short side stories show a young wife that is willing to sleep with the French captain in order to get a plane ticket for herself and her husband. At the bar, a proud French woman is drinking with a German soldier because she feels that some promiscuities might keep her safe and even get her out of Africa. Rick allows the young husband to cheat at roulette so that the wife can keep her honor and the two will have enough money to purchase a passport. Famously, the German that the promiscuous French woman is drinking with starts singing Die Wacht am Rhein and Laszlo asks the band to play La Marseillaise to drown out the German singing. Rick gives the OK, and the band plays the French nationalist song and causes a patriotic fervor, including the French woman who leaves her German partner and sings along with tears in her eyes. The German captain does not like this and tells Renault to close down the club, which he does.

Ilsa and Laszlo hear that Rick has the letters and she goes to try and get them. Rick does not want to give them up and she actually threatens to shoot him. She cannot follow through and she admits that she is still in love with Rick. It turns out that she was married before she met Rick and was under the impression that Laszlo had been killed when she was with Rick in Paris. She suddenly disappeared because she found out that he husband was alive and telling anyone where she was going would be a risk to both her and Rick. The bar owner finally melts off that icy crust. He is willing to give a letter to Laszlo and have Ilsa stay. However, Laszlo has been at a meeting that was broken up and he wants Rick to go with Ilsa to Lisbon to make sure she is safe.

Renault tries to arrest Laszlo on some fake charge that will only hold him the night, but Rick promises to set him up for a more serious crime. Rick pretends to turn on Laszlo, but he actually has used the time to arrange for Laszlo to leave on a plane that night. The German commander is informed and races over to the airport to stop everything and Renault is being held at gunpoint by Rick until Ilsa and Laszlo can leave. A final showdown occurs at the airport hanger where Rick is holding the two officers at bay while Laszlo and Ilsa leave. She is hesitant and that is when we get the famous “maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow” speech. It is beautiful and poignant, making for maybe the best couple of sentences of dialogue in American cinema. Strasser tries to warn the tower but Rick shoots and kills him. The French Captain tells his men to round up the usual subjects, not revealing who actually killed the German officer. Rick and the French captain walk away discussing what they will do next, ending the film with the famous line, “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

I am so happy to have watched this film again because it puts me in a great mood every time that I see it. Not surprisingly, the AFI has a strong affinity for this film and gave it accolades whenever possible. The film was #37 on the top 100 thrills, #1 on the top 100 passions, #4 greatest film hero for Rick Blaine, #2 song for “As Time Goes By,” 6 different lines on the top 100 movie quotes, and #32 on the top 100 cheer films. I have to be a little careful when I watch this films because it has a carryover effect and can make the films I see immediately before and after seem like garbage. Speaking of which...

I was surprised watching All the President’s Men with how close to the actual event that the movie was produced, yet Casablanca did it even closer in time and did a much better job. There are stories of soldiers that joined the military after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and saw the film before leaving to take part in Project Torch, which was the Allied mission to retake North Africa including Casablanca. The IMDB trivia mentions that some of the actors that played the extra Nazi officers were German Jews that escaped to America. The actress that played the French woman who was cavorting with the German officers is shown crying during the famous French National Anthem scene...that wasn’t scripted. She was a French citizen who had family fighting against the Germans back home and she was upset. The German singing was supposed to be a Nazi rally song, but the film producers could not acquire the rights without having to deal directly with Nazi representatives and possibly pay royalties to the group. That sure as hell wasn’t happening so they picked a royalty free German song.

There were a lot of Americans in the US at the time that did not think that the Nazis were all that bad and were more focused on the clear and present danger of Japan. There were many people that were confused why the US was fighting in Africa when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. At some level, this film served as a form of propaganda to help drum up support for the war in Europe and Africa. It worked well. The beginning intro to the film that explained the volatile situation in North Africa was news to many moviegoers at the time (it kind of was for me as well). 

I have spent the week praising this film, but I do have to point out a couple of egregious flaws with the special effects. There is a scene of Rick and Ilsa back in Paris and, since the country was occupied, there was no way lo film on location or even get any up-to-date establishing shots. Therefore, all they had was old background roll for driving and at a café, so that is what they two characters did in France: took a terrible looking car ride and sat at a café. It looks pretty terrible, but luckily it does not last and accounts for a very short portion of the film. They also couldn’t get permission to fly planes so low over Hollywood lots so they just paper used cutouts layered over the film to show the planes taking off and landing at the airstrip in Casablanca. It is blatant, but the movie is so old and is otherwise so perfect that it is more charming to me than anything else. 

So does this movie belong on the AFI top 100 as #3? Sure does. This is one of the quintessential American movies that should be seen. There was some discussion amongst my group of whether the film was too high because of films like Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz being lower, but there was no argument that it is Top 5 as far as greatest American films. Do I recommend it? Of course! It is a time capsule of the 40s, it is an excellent story, it has quotes that are excepted as part of American English vernacular, and it stars two of the biggest actors in all of Hollywood cinema history. Please go and watch it. And tell me what you thought, because I have not had anybody who was sorry that they took the time for a viewing. You will thank me later.

#casablanca #humphrey bogart #ingrid bergman #peter lorre #hollywood golden age #black and white #greatest movies #AFI films #Oscar winner #world war 2 #nazis #introverts #introvert #top 10 films

[crowleymalone]

Night Music

Martha heard the soft music drift through the air. She'd heard the song before but she couldn't place where and it always reminded her of a sad lullaby.

Following her ears she was unsurprised to find the sound coming from the control room.

She was about to speak when she saw the Doctor staring at the monitor, arms folded across his chest and wearing an expression she'd seen fleetingly a couple of times before.

XxXxX

He sighed as the song played over and over.

'Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper I love you,

Birds singing in the sycamore tree, dream a little dream of me.'

The melancholy melody did nothing to cheer his mood and the TARDIS refused to play anything else. Eventually he'd given up trying to ignore her and went to the monitor, seeing what she was up to. It was then he felt his hearts lurch.

'Say nighty-night and kiss me, just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me,

While I'm alone and blue as can be, dream a little dream of me.'

The TARDIS was playing a home movie of sorts. All his memories of Rose playing on the grainy monitor. Her smile lighting up the screen, her golden hair blowing all around as she laughed up at him.

He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to starve off the consuming coldness that was creeping over him and swallowing the painful lump that was forming. He wanted to look away, wanted to stop seeing these things because they hurt too much but he couldn't. Rose wasn't with him anymore and he'd take any hint of a shadow that he could.

‘Stars fading but I linger on dear, still craving your kiss,

I'm longing to linger 'til dawn dear, just saying this.

Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you, sweet dreams that leave your worries behind you,

But in your dreams whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.'

XxXxX

Martha watched from the shadows fascinated. She'd never seen the Doctor so open about anything. She shifted her position trying to se the monitor but she was too far away. She did however; see the tear that rolled down his cheek before he furiously wiped it away. Her chest tightened. He'd only mentioned Rose once or twice but she obviously crossed his mind many times because he got a far away look and a sadness seemed to seep in at the corner of his eyes at things people would say.She had seen it happen just a few hours ago. Tallulah had accepted Laszlo as he was and Martha had said about there being a someone for everyone. The instant she'd said it she knew she'd said something wrong, as the Doctor looked back to the city with the same heartbreaking look he had the few times he'd briefly mentioned Rose.

XxXxX

He found himself swaying from side to side and closed his eyes when he saw her mascara-streaked face surrounded by a dull, grey unwelcoming beach. He tried to picture her in his arms, swaying with him in time to the music, smiling up at him with that smile that warmed him all over, the one that made him realise how much he loved her.

Regret spread through him like a hot poker, he never got to tell her that. She'd told him she loved him and he never got to tell her, she'd never know how much he loved her.

The Doctor wondered what she was doing now, who she was smiling up at now and he felt dampness fill his eyes. Rubbing his eyes, he looked back at the monitor and couldn't help but laugh at the image of her in her pink 50's skirt.

XxXxX

Rose had obviously been someone incredibly important to the Doctor and Martha wished she knew more about her but she was afraid to ask. She just hoped the Doctor would eventually be able to move on. If she didn't know better she'd say that he loved Rose. Of course when she really thought about it she didn't know better. She hardly knew him at all. He avoided questions about himself except for that one time on new earth where she'd refused to move until he spoke to her. His face had softened talking about his home, just for a moment his defences crumbled and she saw the real him. It made her realise that he was acting most of the time. What you saw wasn't who he really was, there was so much more to him than she'd ever know, but she hoped one day she would know more. XxXxX

'Stars fading but I linger on dear, still craving your kiss,

I'm longing to linger 'til dawn dear, just saying this.

Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you, sweet dreams that leave your worries far behind you,

But in your dreams whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.'

As the song drew to a close, for what he hoped was the last time the last image was of Rose at Christmas, beaming at him as he walked through the front door in his new brown suit.

"I miss her too." He told his ship, giving the panel a comforting stroke, his voice cracking.

XxXxX

Martha decided to leave the Doctor dancing with his invisible partner, knowing that if she stayed to long he'd see her.

Walking down the corridor she paused at the door next to the Doctor's room. She'd seen him slip through that door many times at night time. He rarely spent any time in the room he'd pointed out as his and he'd blocked it from view when she'd moved in, telling her it was just storage.

Looking back down the corridor she dared herself to turn the handle and see just what was behind the door.

Curiosity won out and she opened the door, half expecting to find a room full of junk that was meaningless to anyone but him, alien things that she could never fathom what they were for. Instead, her hand few to her mouth, stifling a cry as she took in the surroundings.

The room was full of belongings all right, a girl's belongings. Martha took a step inside and closed the door behind her. Looking around she saw posters papering most of the walls. One wall however was covered with photos, a blond girl with various people. A tall handsome man, blue eyes, brown hair wearing a flight jacket. Another slightly balding man in a beaten leather jacket who also had blue eyes was grinning back with an impossibly big grin, his arm flung around the girl's shoulders.

Then she spotted the Doctor. He looked impossibly happy sat at a dinner table with the blond girl and two others, all wearing silly Christmas hats. The older woman in the photo looked like she could be the girl's mother, who the black boy was Martha had no clue.

"What are you doing in here?" The Doctor's voice made her jump.

"I was….I'm sorry I just…."

"This is Rose's room." He said wistfully, stepping over the threshold.

He didn't look angry or sound it, he looked a little sad, that was nothing new but there was a twinkle in his eye as his gaze swept the room.

"Rose?" Martha looked back at the photo wall. "Is this her?"

The Doctor walked up behind her. "Yes. That's my Rose." His hand extended over her shoulder pointing at one of the pictures. "That's her mother Jackie, hell of a woman although a little too ready with a slap for my liking. That's her….don't really know I suppose he's her friend, Mickey. That is Captain Jack Harkness."

"Who's that?" She pointed to the man in the leather jacket.

"That's me, can't you tell?"

"In what universe?"

"This one. It's a long story, hopefully one you'll never be witness to but to put it simply, if I'm fatally wounded I'll change my face. It's called regeneration."

Martha nodded as silence fell. She looked up at the Doctor as he plucked a photo from the wall. "What happened to her?" She asked finally.

"She's gone. That's all."

"Without her stuff? It looks like her entire life is here."

"It is, pretty much. This is Rose Tyler's life."

"So?"

"Not today Martha. One day, but not today." He said wearily as his eyes glazed slightly.

She nodded, not pressing him any further. This wasn't like New Earth; this wasn't a conversation she could force from him. This was his heartbreak and he wasn't ready to tell her about any of it. She doubted he would ever tell her what happened.

"Just one thing. Did she die?"

"No. No she's very much alive." A watery smile spread across his face. "She's living her life with her family and Mickey. She's fine."

"But I don't understand."

"Martha please; not now."

"Okay, I'm sorry." She mentally kicked herself, she'd promised herself she wouldn't push him tonight, especially after what she'd witnessed in the control room and here she was doing just that. "Well, I suppose I should get off to bed. G'night Doctor."

"Goodnight."

With one last glance over her shoulder she left the room, closing the door behind her.

The Doctor flopped heavily on the bed, still clutching the photo of him and Rose. Laying back he held it against his chest and closed his eyes trying to picture the pair of them together, in happy times. It was harder to do these days as most of his thoughts were haunted by the pain he saw on her face the last time he saw her.

Curling up on her bed the Doctor let himself relax and fall asleep.

'Doctor?'

'Hello' he grinned. He looked just as he always did. His brown suit rumpled and his hair misbehaving. 'You look beautiful'.

Looking down Rose saw her dress. A simple black dress that floated around her, silver sparkled across it like star dust.

They were in her room on the TARDIS, all her things scattered around them.

'What's happening?'

He took one of her hands in his and wrapped his other round her waist.

'Well Rose, I believe it's called dancing.' He told her with a chuckle as he started to sway to the music.

'But how?'

'Ah, that I don't know. But to be honest I don't care because it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that we're here and there's something you need to know.'

'What's that?' she smiled up at him.

'I love you Rose Tyler, have done form the minute you saved my life.'

'Which time?' She asked cheekily.

'The first time, the moment you trusted me when I told you to run in that cellar.'

His lips brushed hers lightly and she sighed.

'Is that what you were going to say on that beach?'

'Might be.' He winked.

'Well I suppose I should say it again. I love you.' She pressed a light kiss to his lips this time but it soon deepened as the need to hold and feel each other grew.

'You're going to be late for work.' He murmured

'What?'

'Come on Rose, up you get. At least it's Friday.'

Rose's eye's flickered open as light poured into her room. She groaned as she realised it was all a dream. Sighing she got up and headed to the bathroom.

"Rose what on earth are you wearing?" Jackie called.

Looking down Rose frowned before she started to giggle. "I went dancing last night." She grinned, disappearing out the door, singing to herself.

'Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper I love you,

Birds singing in the sycamore tree, dream a little dream of me.'

'Say nighty-night and kiss me, just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me,

While I'm alone and blue as can be, dream a little dream of me.'

'Stars fading but I linger on dear, still craving your kiss,

I'm longing to linger 'til dawn dear, just saying this.

Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you,

Sweet dreams that leave your worries behind you,

But in your dreams whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.'

'Stars fading but I linger on dear, still craving your kiss,

I'm longing to linger 'til dawn dear, just saying this.

Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you, sweet dreams that leave your worries far behind you,

But in your dreams whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.'

#tenth doctor #martha jones #fanfic #rose x ten #rose tyler #doctor who #doctor x rose #oneshot #song lyrics

[mossyrossaliceinterviews]

Tempesst-Music for Tempestuous Times

Oct 29, 2020

By Mossy Ross

Credit: Gyorgy Laszlo

Tempesst could be a band that’s one marijuana puff and a mushroom trip away from being a Ken Kesey novel. But they’re too smart for that. Maybe the rockstars of yore could stay up for days on end, free-lovin’ and festival-in,’ tripping balls for days on end. Or if we’re talking the 70s, snorting lines off of supermodels’ asses, and shooting up in the dingy downstairs bathrooms of, what are now, legendary music venues. But escapism is so last century. Now, the music venues have been replaced with condos. Our planet is facing extinction. Political unrest is threatening democracies. Social media is taking over our lives. And for many of us, a future with job security and healthcare is unlikely. But that isn’t stopping Tempesst. They’ve realized there’s nowhere to run, so might as well face the future head on…while still hanging on to what seemed like a much fun-ner past. 

Tempesst’s dreamy new album, appropriately titled “Must Be a Dream,” makes existential crises seem romantic. Their flavor of rock is one of my favorite kinds…pretty. Tempesst shows us that the shitty parts of life don’t always have to lead to screaming anger, but that something beautiful can come out of asking the hard questions. Their retro style gives the modern problems they sing about a feeling of comforting nostalgia. Showing us that we can still slip on a polyester suit, get behind a Hammond organ, and rock out; while being honest about the terrifying future we face. Tempesst reminds us that if all else fails, we always have an analog world to go back to. And that might not be such a bad thing.

Before you read my chat with lead singer, Toma Benjamin, start going down the rabbit hole with Tempesst by watching their video for “Mushroom Cloud.” It not only has addictive visuals, but three of my favorite things: kitschy decor, a man in makeup, and a slammin’ saxophone solo.

Mossy: What’s your band’s history?

TB: The four of us, Blake, Cain, Andy, and I are from the same town in Australia. It’s a collection of towns. But the closest, most famous of the towns, is called Noosa. It’s a little beach town. So Cain, Andy, and I grew up with each other. But Blake’s actually about five years younger, so I met Blake because he lived three houses down the road. But it wasn’t until we were all in London, that we were just part of two groups that happened to come together, and all of these sorts of coincidences. I suppose when you move to a new city, for us coming all the way from Australia, you tend to find other people who have done the same thing. And then you bond, because you’ve got this similar experience of leaving home behind, and coming to this new city.

Mossy: What brought you to London?

TB: We were in New York, and we would’ve loved to stay in America. We were trying to get a visa to come stay in the states. And we got this business visa through my dad’s film distribution company. He distributes all the really bad B-grade films before the internet. People would actually buy the rights for them and distribute them across Australasia, which is pretty hilarious. This was in the 90s and 2000s. So we got a business visa to stay in the U.S., but you had to renew itall the time. So we renewed it once, and we tried to renew it again, but they wouldn’t let us. So we had to pack up all of our shit in thirty days and go back to Australia. And after growing up and spending all this time in this little coastal town in Australia, and then going to the complete opposite end of the spectrum, living in New York and experiencing the city and the energy, it was just too hard to stay home. So we lasted about three months and then we were like, “Well if we can’t go to New York, where else can we go?” So, not so very romantic (Laughs). It was for practical reasons. We could easily get a visa to come to London, and then we fell in love with the place after coming here.

Mossy: I always have to ask people from England or Australia who their influences are. I feel like there’s always such refined musical tastes coming from those two countries. Who were you listening to growing up?

TB: I’m a little bit of a late bloomer, to be honest. We grew up in quite a sheltered environment. Our families are quite religious. Myself and Andy grew up playing music in church. So it wasn’t until I left that world when I was about eighteen, that I started to learn about other artists. And I was really lucky to have a close friend who was actually playing with us in the original Tempesst, when we first started the band. And he’s a music lover and would spend all of his time listening to music from all over the place, and would just introduce us to some really great art. And then when I moved to New York, he also moved with me to New York. And I would say moving to New York introduced me to a lot of DIY bands like Yeasayer and Darwin Deez. When I was there, they were really big, and it was kind of the first time for me listening to that. 

So getting into all the classic albums that I love now, that didn’t happen until well and truly in my twenties. And that was just because of my circumstance. But when I did start listening, it was just all the classics. I was just trying to catch up. Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley was one of my initial favorites. I still feel sometimes like I’m catching up. There’s just so much great music to consume, and not enough time to do it. And sometimes when you’re making music all day, the last thing you feel like doing is listening to music. So it’s kind of strange, I find myself listening to Talkback radio. I feel like I’m a 70 year-old man. (Laughs)

Mossy: What religion?

TB: Like Pentacostal, Christian. So yeah, I had some R&B gospel influences. My dad used to listen to George Benson, so I would try and mimic George Benson by playing guitar like George Benson, and singing the melodies with the guitar line. He might have listened to the odd Beatles song. But yeah, it wasn’t like my dad was listening to, like, really cool obscure records and introducing me to his favorite artists. He didn’t give a shit. (Laughs) He was listening to Christian music. 

Mossy: I’m always surprised at how many rock musicians I talk to who grew up religious. I always assumed they would have had the cool dad who listened to obscure records, but a lot of them were sheltered and didn’t get to hear any of that. It’s almost like that upbringing helps you create a really original sound, because you didn’t have those influences around you when you were growing up.

Credit: Gyorgy Laszlo

Your sonic landscape matches your aesthetic. The way you present yourselves. Is that life imitating art, or art imitating life?

TB: I wouldn’t say there was any intention. I think there’s certain music you feel inspired by, and there’s certain fashion that you like, and it tends to be that all of these things come from that same world for us. I would also say that sonically, a lot of the equipment we use is old, vintage equipment. We’ve got vintage synths and our desk is a 1979 Neve console, and it sounds like an old school desk. So I think it just so happens that that’s the kind of music we’re into. We’re influenced by the artists that led us to have a think about what kind of instruments or gear we want, and it just naturally creates this specific sound.

Mossy: Why the extra “s” in Tempesst?

TB: We originally spelled Tempesst with one “s.” But soon after, we found that there was a 20-year old Celtic rock band that had the name already. When we started releasing music, Spotify started listing our music on their band page.

Mossy: Where did you shoot the video for “Mushroom Cloud?”

TB: An old workmens hall here around the corner in Islington. It’s a little hall that you can hire out, and we just thought it was funky and fit the vibe of the song.

Mossy: Tell me about your album cover.

TB: That was done by a guy named Jose Mendez. We basically sent the record out to a bunch of artists, and asked them to send us back what the sound of the album would look like. And Jose sent us back this sketch. The ways he was describing the songs felt like he really understood what we were trying to say. And then when he sent us the sketch, we all felt like it was really cool and trippy, and quite bold. And we wanted the music to feel quite bold and unpredictable. So I guess what we loved about it, was that it felt very bold and sort of random. Some of the ways he personified the characters in the songs were really cool.

Mossy: How would you describe the Age of the Bored (the title of a song off their new album)?

TB: I would describe it as insular. I would describe it as a waste. It was actually Eric that came up with the lyrical concept, and we wrote the lyrics together. I think the frustration came from life caught in the vacuum of this device that sits by our bedside, and in our pocket, in a holder in the car. It’s literally your entire life is linked to this device, and all of the things that distract you, and pull your attention away from the things you should be doing. It’s like a loud voice just demanding your attention. Binging with messages and fucking emails, and everything just taking you off your focus. When I come in to the studio now, I leave my phone in my pocket, hang my jacket up behind the door, and it sits there all day. Because otherwise you find that your whole life is ruled by this device. As opposed to it being something that serves you, it actually takes over. So the idea of that song was just choosing to separate yourself from it at times, and not have this symbiotic relationship with your mobile phone. Everything comes from this idea of not wanting to waste. That life is precious and we only have limited time.

Credit: Gyorgy Laszlo

Mossy: I think it’s great when people who aren’t old, are telling people things that some people don’t realize unless they’re old. It takes a lot of self awareness to admit that this device gives you anxiety, and keeps you from being in the moment, and that you don’t have to have it by you all the time. I think it’s important for people to say that.

TB: One of my favorite lines in the whole record is in that song. It’s, “Offline, the new underground way to unwind.” How strange is it that, like, if you say to someone “I left my phone at home today,” they’re like, “What!? You have to go home!” It’s this bizarre idea that if you wanna unwind, if you wanna feel free, if you don’t wanna feel anxious, you don’t want to be ruled by this device and you leave your phone at home, people just freak out.

Mossy: It’s like a form of rebellion to leave your phone behind.

TB: Yeah, because we have lived in both worlds. So it’s like, you have the contrast. And it’s terrifying to think that at some point, if you have kids or whatever, that they’re gonna live in the world, and they won’t have that contrast. They won’t know what it’s like not to live with a mobile phone. It really will be a very different thing for someone to have that separation from their phone.

Mossy: “Is That All There Is?” also seems to have a message that speaks to a lot of people.

TB: I think again, it’s just another chance to talk about something that feels a little bit silly. That we aren’t always the best stewards of our time. That song’s probably more focused on a time of reflection. What happens is every year, I go back home for Christmas. And it’s a really strange time, because I have this contrast of leaving my busy life in London, and going back to this little beach town, and sitting on the beach. And I’m in this new environment, observing the people in that environment, reflecting on my year. And then the contrast always brings up these questions. For example in that song, “Is this it? Is this all we do? Just work our asses off all year?” And sometimes questioning even the whole creative process, and the creative lifestyle. And even questioning if that’s something that has merit. Does the world need more music? Does the world need another person trying to share their ideas? You’re grappling with this tension as an artist, wondering if the world needs any more fucking artists. (Laughs) There’s so much amazing music, you couldn’t possibly consume it all in one lifetime. And it’s also about just working out and reconciling with just growing up. That we’re not young forever. And we’ll have to, at some point, accept our mortality. And it’s that time when I go back to Australia, and I stop the busy-ness, and I’m sitting on the beach…that I get tormented with all these ideas. (Laughs) 

Listen to “Must Be a Dream” on all streaming platforms or, better yet, buy it on vinyl.

[theplaguezine]

SEAR BLISS

Interview with András Nagy by Daniel Hinds

(conducted February 2000)

Sear Bliss is one of the coolest bands to emerge from the dark/black metal scene in the past few years.  Mixing up elements of black, death and doom metal with acoustic guitar and mournful trumpet, the band really defines their own sound.  1998 saw the release of the epic The Haunting and the band has been busy readying a follow-up for release sometime this year, as soon as a solid deal is signed.

Bassist/vocalist András Nagy (pictured above with drummer Zoltán) reveals the story behind this dark and creative outfit...

Can you tell me a little about how you personally first got interested in playing bass? Well, I first got interested in bass when I was 14. Then I bought a bass guitar and started rehearsing with some of my friends. I had a couple of bands back then but nothing serious. Anyway, I started playing guitar when I was ten years old. Later, I discovered that bass is my instrument. When things turned serious with Sear Bliss, I went to a professional bass teacher to have some lessons. By the way, I have always been into low tones and I really love the grounding sound of the bass guitar. That's why I chose the bass.

When did you first get into metal?  What were some of your early favorite bands/albums? Probably it may seem impossible but I'm a metal fan since the age of 9. You know, I always had elder friends in the school and when they showed me Inside the Electric Circus from WASP, suddenly everything changed in me and I got hooked on metal. Of course, I didn't understand the meaning of it then but it changed my life. That is still one of my dearest albums anyway. Besides WASP, my early favourites were: Metallica (Master Of Puppets is one of the best album ever), Iron Maiden (Powerslave mostly), Running Wild, and some heavier like Sodom, Destruction, Kreator, Deathrow, etc..... I still like them very much.

Did you play in any bands prior to Sear Bliss? As I told you, I played in a couple of bands before but they were nothing serious. I formed Sear Bliss in 1993 and I was quite young then, so it was and still is my main band.

How did Sear Bliss first come together? In a very spooky night and a very eerie autumn... haha, I like these cliches. Actually, it happened in 1993 when I decided to form Sear Bliss with the aim to create something fresh and a bit outside the norm. The line up was ready quite quickly, as I had some musician friends. So, we started rehearsing like hell and we wrote a couple of songs. We have shown no sign of existence til 1995 when we recorded our first and only demo, entitled The Pagan Winter.

'Sear Bliss' is a great band name.  How did you come up with it?  Is there any special meaning behind it? I'm glad you like it. Thank you. Actually, I can't remember exactly how I come up with it. I often read poetry and I was inspired by a poem of Charles Baudleaire when I found out this name. I wanted something unique, not the average shit, you know. I was sick of the many boring and brainless band names at that time.

On the main page of your web-site, it says "Atmospheric Black Metal."  Is this how you would describe Sear Bliss' music? No. It was probably the idea of the web masters. I'm going to tell them to change it. I'm not into labeling our music as atmospheric black metal. I would describe it as a very dark and sorrowful music - similar to black metal. Our music is more complex in some ways. I mean, we use acoustic guitars, trumpets, etc. and we try to play intelligent music in the metal genre. It's a mixture of the feelings and emotions of the different personalities found in Sear Bliss. Anyway, it's up to the people to describe it.

Can you describe to me the typical process you guys go through when writing songs? We write our songs at home mostly. My ideas for a song are born when I'm alone. I play it for the other guys and each of us put his own ideas into the song. The process is very democratic in Sear Bliss. Each of us has got the right to put something into the song. We rehearse the parts and try to get a whole song together. Sometimes it takes quite a lot of time. By the way, a lot of things inspire us during the process of writing.

On The Haunting, you had a few people outside the band write or co-write some of the lyrics. How did you hook up with them? They are close friends of ours. They knew our music and the songs very well, so they created some lyrics for us that we liked and thought would fit well to the songs, so we used their ideas. We like these lyrics. The names of those who contributed to the lyrics are: Attila Halasz, he is a great friend of mine for a long time. He taught me to speak English and he helped a lot to Sear Bliss when we started. Anyway, he lives in Australia. Laszlo Fodor is a friend of ours and he is the editor of Stygian Shadows 'zine and David Bowers is a Sear Bliss fan from the States and we are in contact for years now.

The use of trumpet is very inspired and really adds to your sound.  What made you guys decide to take this rather bold step in the first place?  Can we expect more trumpet in the future? The idea of using trumpet in this rather violent type of music came to my mind when I formed the band. Actually we wanted to try fresh things and to be original and exciting, that's why we include this instrument. Actually, with the softening sound of the trumpet we try to find the right balance between anger and desire, the two main components of Sear Bliss' music. A lot of bands use violins and cellos but I think the brasses are a lot more powerful. Some people think it's nonsense to use a trumpet in this music but when they listen to our albums or come to our gigs, their point of view changes. Yes, you can expect more trumpet in future, definitely. We will give more creativity and space to this instrument.

It has been a couple of years since The Haunting was released.  Have there been any line-up changes during that time? Yes, there have been some changes, as we have a new guitar player and a new keyboard player now. Two years have passed since "The Haunting" and it turned out that some of us weren't dedicated to the band totally, therefore the changes were needed.

Have you started work yet on the new album? Absolutely. With full force. Actually, we have written the whole album. We are ready and eager to record it.  The fact is that our contract is fulfilled and we are looking for a good label. Fortunately, we got some offers, so I hope we can record the album soon. We will make an advance recording in February and hopefully we will record the album in spring. It will contain 7 songs and probably it is going to be our most powerful material.

How is it sounding in comparison to your previous works? The songs are more violent and fierce, but we keep the moody parts played with the acoustic guitars and the trumpet. We want to eliminate the faults we had in the sound last time. So, we are striving for a more dynamic production. Music-wise it is going to be more improved and it will have a deeper meaning but let's talk of it when we hold the CD in our hand.

Who will you have produce the new album?  Where will it be recorded? We will record it in Hungary this time, in a very professional studio and we will have a very good producer, so we hope the production will live up to our expectations. The advance recording in February will take place in a smaller but quite good studio in our town anyway.

The Haunting was recorded in Holland.  What made you decide to record there? Actually, our label advised that we should record there. It was a very good studio but our label fucked up the sound. We spent almost two weeks there to record everything and to make a rough mix which sounded quite good. Then we went home and let the sound engineer do the final mixing. When he finished, our label wanted to re-mix the whole thing because they were not satisfied with the sound. They did the remix without any sense for sound engineering and this is the result. We were quite angry because the production they did is quite shit but what can we do? We were not pleased with this label anyway. It was great fun to record in Holland, but this time we won't let anyone fuck the production up. We want to control everything by ourselves.

So far, all your releases have been through II Moons/Mascot.  How did you initially hook up with the label?  Are you satisfied with their work so far?  Will you continue working with them in the future? When we released our demo The Pagan Winter in 1995 we sent it to a lot of labels. That demo was quite popular in the underground scene, we sold 900 copies of it without any promotion and we got very good responses and reviews. Things went quickly and we got some offers from a couple of labels and Mascot seemed the most serious one, so we signed to them. As I told before, we are no longer at Mascot and we are looking for a better and more trustable label, so we will not continue working with them. All in all, we are satisfied with their work and they helped a lot in the early times which is good, but on the other hand they were dishonest sometimes and we don't like that, so the change was needed.

How is the scene in Hungary?  Are you in touch with many other bands or not? It's getting strong now, there are many good bands over here, playing serious music and wanting the world know that "yes" there is high quality original metal music in Hungary. I hope more and more Hungarian bands will get international recognition soon. We are not in touch with many bands. We are now used to working on our own.

Looking at the concert dates on your web-site, it appears you played a number of shows all over Europe in 1997.  Any special memories from that tour that you'd like to share?  Who all did you play with? Yeah, it was a very good and memorable tour. We played with Marduk and Tsatthoggua and it was a great opportunity for us. We have a lot of special memories, I wish I could return to those days. Marduk is a really great band and it was a nice surprise that they are such cool guys. As far as the shows are concerned, people were surprised by our music. You know our music is quite different than Marduk's. It was unusual for the crowd to see a trumpet player. It was good to see that Sear Bliss is not unknown abroad. Especially people in Holland and Italy have shown big interest for our music. I really enjoyed the whole tour. The guys from Marduk were great and it was good to meet some exciting people, to see different countries. Travelling a lot and playing each night is quite a big challenge, but I enjoyed it anyway. We had an opportunity to tour with Ancient to support The Haunting but unfortunately we had to cancel it due to my studying at a university. I regret it but I hope we can tour again after the release of our new album.

How have the albums sold so far?  What countries do you have the largest followings in? Unfortunately we don't know too much of the sales because of the dishonesty of our label. I don't know exact numbers but we know that almost 10,000 copies have been sold from the first album Phantoms, which is very good for a debut album. The Haunting was sold a bit lesser and The Pagan Winter mini-CD, too. Sale wise Holland, Germany and Greece were the best countries but I think we have the most enthusiastic following in Hungary.

All of your CDs have very beautiful, epic album covers.  Is it the same artist (Kris Verwimp) that did all of them or not?  How did you hook up with him? Yes, Kris did all of our cover artworks and we are very satisfied with his works. I think our covers are perfect visualizations of our music and Kris is able to paint what we want to see. We always tell him our ideas and draw some drafts, he listens to the songs and reads the lyrics to have a clue of what we want to express. Anyway, our label offered him and I was really astonished when I first saw the artwork for Phantoms. We met Kris in Holland when we toured and he is a nice guy. We want to continue working with him in the future.

Do you follow the metal scene at large?  What is your opinion about how the black metal scene as a whole has developed over the past ten years? Of course I follow the scene, as I'm interested in it very much. As far as the development of the black metal scene is concerned, I think it's got both the negative and positive side of it. I mean, it was good that suddenly a lot of great albums were released, but on the other hand, there were too many poor productions released. Many young bands without knowing how to play even one single note on their instrument. That fact surely destroyed the scene. I see that there are not too many black metal bands nowadays than a couple of years ago and the style is not so popular or trendy and that's good because the weak bands passed away and mostly the stronger and original bands stayed, there are not that many average ones. Black metal is existing for a long time and will be here forever.

The lyrics to "Land of Silence" are very interesting.  It seems to reflect a yearning for times of old, before so-called 'progress' destroyed the bond between humans and nature.  It also has something of an optimistic feeling, that there is hope.  Is this even close to what you were trying to express?  Please tell me what thoughts and feelings inspired this track. Yes, what you told is perfectly right but actually there was a real inspiration for this song.  After the first World War, the mighty Transylvania (along with other great territories) was stolen from Hungary. Transylvania now belongs to Romania because some fuckers decided that a beat country has to lose more. Transylvania is almost as big as the whole of Hungary now. It was a very mournful moment in the history of Hungary. I'm of Transylvanian origin, so it means a lot for me. My grandparents had to escape over the border to come to Hungary because the Romanians tried and are still trying to destroy everything which has got something to do with Hungary. These mournful things inspired this song. Transylvania is an incredibly beautiful place, full of enormous mountains and forests. If you read the lyrics now, aware of the things I mentioned, you can find these inspirations. Of course, these lyrics can be described the way you did figuratively.

What are your personal thoughts on religion vs. spirituality? Actually, I hate any kind of religion. Every religion is worthless when it becomes organized. So for me the image of any god means nothing. Religions destroy the personal freedom, individuality and spirituality too. Those who need religion are weak in some ways, I think.

Do you have any special interests outside of music? Sure. I have a lot of interests. For example I'm interested in movies, mostly David Lynch movies. I love sci-fi too. 2001 is definitely the best one ever created. I'm into motor bikes, too, and I'm interested in some sports, but these are just daily hobbies.

Has anyone in the band worked on any side-projects or is everyone pretty focused on Sear Bliss? Sear Bliss is definitely the most important for us; it is our main band, however some of us are involved in other bands, too. Our drummer is playing with a jazz band but it's only a project and he helps them as a session drummer. I got a side project which I do with our former keyboard player. It's a very dark and terrifying music. Quite horrible and chaotic, haha. Anyway, we plan to record a demo in the next couple of month.

Do you have any long-term goals for Sear Bliss? Of course we have. Now the most important is to record and release our new album firstly. Then we will have a couple gigs in the next months and we would like to tour as soon as possible. By the way, we have a strange plan for the summer. We were asked by a quite famous Hungarian director to do a very special performance. They want Sear Bliss to be featured in a Brecht opera on stage. He directs the opera with our music and it's quite strange as we don't write music for this opus, but he directs it to our songs. The money for the budget is almost there, so the rehearsals will start in April and the performances will take place in the summer as a tour in Hungary's theaters. It's definitely a unique plan and a great challenge for us. We don't know what to expect but we will see, haha. People will be surprised for sure.

www.searbliss.hu

#Sear Bliss #interview #feb2000