#the 2008 classic I watch every three and a half months | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

katehuntington · 4 years

Text

Title: Ride With Me (part nineteen) Fandom: Supernatural Timeline: 2008 Pairing: Dean x Reader Word count: ±7500 words Summary series: Y/N is a talented horse rider who is on her way to become a professional. In order to convince her father that she deserves the loan needed to start her own farm, she goes to Arizona for six months, to intern at a ranch owned by Bobby and Ellen Singer. Her future is set out, but then she meets a handsome horseman, who goes by the name of Dean Winchester. A heartwarming series about a cowboy who falls for the girl, letting go of the past and the importance of family. Summary part nineteen: The Flagstaff Horse Fair is about to kick off, but not without a hitch. Warnings series: NSFW, 18+ only! Fluff, angst, eventually smut. Swearing, smoking, alcohol intoxication, alcohol abuse. Mutual pining, heartbreak. Crying, nightmares, childhood trauma. Description of animal abuse, domestic violence, mentions of addiction. Financial problems, stress, mental breakdown. Description of blood and injury, hospital scenes, character death, grief. Music: ‘Fortunate Son’ - Creedence Clearwater Revival, ‘Backwoods Company’ - The Wild Feathers. Follow ‘Kate Huntington’s Ride With Me playlist’ on Spotify! Author’s note: Prepare for cuteness and a bit of angst! Thank you @kittenofdoomage, @girl-with-a-fandom-fettish, @manawhaat and @winchest09 for helping me. I especially want to thank Kay, who has beta’d Ride from the very beginning, but needs to take a break from Tumblr to focus on school. I will miss her dearly, but I’m super thankful that Mana is willing to take over. Also a special thanks to @jules-1999, who has offered me her knowledge about rodeo events like these.

Ride With Me Masterlist

With a black bumper-pull trailer in the rearview mirror, Dean’s beloved ‘67 El Camino rolls up Interstate 17. The windows are down, allowing the wind to wash in, like waves crashing onto the beach on a hot summer day, the cool air welcome and refreshing.

The Gold Canyon Ranch caravan left around three o’clock, the column of three pickups and trailers now heading towards Flagstaff, Arizona. Bobby and Jo lead the company in his powerful Ford with an impressive gooseneck in tow, which currently accommodates five horses. Benny follows in his four by four, with three horses on board another large trailer, facilitated with a small living quarters. Dean is the last wagon of the train, Meadow and one of his calmer geldings in the back, and Y/N beside him in the passenger seat.

The cowgirl is soaking up the scenery, the hills that flow next to the highway, the mountains in the distance, the blue sky above them. The tall saguaros that dominate the landscape at home are swapped for ponderosa pines, dusty desert for green grasslands. The forest is already beginning to change color, autumn painting deciduous trees in shades of yellow and orange. It’s remarkable how different her current surroundings are from the Phoenix area, only two and a half hours south.

With Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival playing on the old cassette deck of the classic car, Dean drums against the steering wheel to the rhythm of the song. He absently hums along, mouthing a few words every now and then. When he glances aside, a small smile forms on his lips. The woman, who managed to calm him after the disturbing news Bobby delivered, is breathtaking without even trying. Loose strands of hair have escaped her ponytail and dance in the playful wind, her maya blue blouse fluttering against her Arizona sun-kissed skin. She looks at the world through her shaded Ray Bans, lost in thought and wonder.

He returns his gaze to the road as he reaches for her, laying his hand on her knee to get her attention, softly rubbing his thumb over the denim. Awoken from her daydream, she glances over, but doesn’t say anything. Instead, she lays her hand over his, warmed by the touch.

“Nervous?” he wonders, dropping her hand just long enough to turn down the stereo before he laces their fingers together once again. “A little bit,” she confesses. “Don’t be. You’re gonna do fine,” he reassures. “Besides, your class ain’t till tomorrow.” “I’m not nervous about riding.” The wrangler moves his focus from the asphalt to his girlfriend. “What about then?” She’s quiet for a second. Shy, just like she was the first time they met. “Just… This is your scene. People know you, and I don’t know anyone.” He smirks, lightly. “Concerned about former flings?” The cowgirl shrugs, half admitting her insecurity. “Yankee, you have nothing to worry about. Hey…” He squeezes her hand, glancing over again. “I’m with you, okay?”

A smile breaks through the surface as Y/N glances at the handsome wrangler she gets to call hers, his green eyes making a silent promise. For a guy who claims not to be good with words, he’s doing a pretty great job. She takes a breath when he concentrates on the road again. “So, how are you going to introduce me?” she wonders. “As my girlfriend,” he returns, matter-of-factly, cool confidence sitting on the edge of his mouth. He honestly can’t wait to introduce her as his.

Y/N is unable to hide her contentment, the corners of her mouth creeping up further as she gets lost in the sight of him. There it is again; that tingly feeling, his confirmation breaking down the doubt bit by bit. “What about Bobby?” Y/N checks. “He still doesn’t know.” “Believe me, Bobby will be too busy strikin’ deals and sellin’ horses. He’s not gonna notice us,” Dean states, not concerned about his uncle. “It’s gonna be fine, you’re gonna have a blast, trust me.”

After shooting her that grin she’s loved from day one, he glances past the trucks and trailers in front of them. They drive by a large sign made from stone and wood, that says ‘1882 - Flagstaff, Arizona’, the city up ahead and Humphreys Peak in the backdrop. The caravan turns onto I-40 going west, before taking the exit a couple of miles later.

When they come over the hill, the competition grounds come into view. Flags reach skyward and wave proudly in the Western breeze, the stars and stripes alternating with the state flag of Arizona, the American Reining Horse Association, and many others. There’s the main arena, several training areas, stables, and amusement rides, complete with hundreds of trucks, trailers, and RV campers filling the fairgrounds. Observing the scene, it becomes clear to Y/N that this isn’t just a local show.

Dean was right, this is the perfect practice run for her and Meadow, but the sight of the large event has her stomach in knots. Right, those lovely performance nerves that never fail to torment her. She hopes she can survive tomorrow and still be able to eat without throwing up, because it wouldn’t be the first time that the highly strung feeling she experiences right before a ride has her physically sick.

The Gold Canyon Ranch caravan enters the show grounds, Bobby following the directions of the parking officer. After a short drive, they park the trailers next to each other on a large field, adding to the rows and rows of pickups, trailers, and even semi trucks with pop out living units. “I’ll check in with the stable manager,” Jo announces when they get out of the cars, heading over to the stable office to check which boxes are assigned to them.

Y/N picks her hat off the seat and pushes it on her head, leaving her shades on the dash now that she doesn’t need them anymore. She opens the hatch of the black trailer behind Dean’s Chevy, peeking inside. Meadow greets her with a slightly nervous neigh, eager to get out now that they’ve stopped moving. Lovingly, her rider pets her nose, trying to calm her a little, but the spirited mare begins to scrape her hoof on the rubber coated floor, nonetheless. “She okay?” Dean asks. “Yeah, she just wants to get off the trailer. I’m going to unload her, let her graze a little,” she says, attaching the leadrope to her halter. “Could you get the lid?”

The wrangler nods and walks around to the back, opening the latches as Y/N unties her horse. The cowgirl pushes the divider away and gently leads Meadow down the ramp. The beautiful bay Quarter Horse takes in her surroundings with large eyes, alert and ready for action, belting out another loud neigh to announce her arrival. She circles around her owner, who can’t help but laugh at her cocky attitude; she could have sworn her granddad bought her a mare, and not a stallion, even though Meadow behaves like one at times. Eventually she drops her head and cuts a few bites of grass, before pulling up her head again while chewing, staring at another animal in the distance.

“She really is a character, ain’t she?” Dean laughs, watching the pair. “Sure is,” her owner chuckles, rubbing the mare’s withers. “She knows it’s showtime. She can feel it.” Y/N crouches down to remove Meadow’s travel leg protection while Dean holds the feisty horse, glancing in the direction of the stable office, from which Jo returns. “Tent B. Box sixty-four to seventy-three,” the ranch owner’s daughter informs. “Let’s unload.”

Within thirty minutes the ten stables are ready, the heavy trunks installed, the tack rooms decorated and the horses unloaded. Y/N does her bit, rolling the wheel barrow from the truck to the stables with hay bails and wood shaving bedding, but it’s clear the Gold Canyon crew has taken this many horses to a competition before. Benny, Jo, Dean, and Bobby operate like a well-oiled machine, although the head of the ranch is moving a little bit slower these days.

Y/N tapes a form to the stable with Meadow’s name and an emergency phone number when Dean comes back from the water point, a full bucket in each hand. He and Benny have been going back and forth a couple of times now, supplying the ten horses. When the head wrangler walks by carrying the water, she’s distracted from the task at hand. Watching his shoulders work under his plaid shirt, she can’t help but get a little lost in the view. His biceps flex against the fabric, back strong and firm while he transports the heavy buckets with steady steps. God, he is good on the eyes.

“Are you gonna continue to drool over my cousin or are you gonna come with me to the show office to pay our fees?” Y/N’s eyes shift to Jo, who’s leaning against the stable door with her arms crossed in front of her chest and an amused smirk on her lips. Without a doubt, the blush that fires up her face is hard to miss. “Let me get my bag,” she says, straightening her back and turning to the head wrangler. “Dean, is the car still un--”

Before she can finish her sentence, her boyfriend has dug up the keys to the El Camino from his pocket and tosses them to her. Y/N catches them skillfully. “Awww, so you can read each other’s mind now, too?” Jo comments, earning a glare from Dean, causing her to shrug. “What? It’s dead cute!” “I’m not cute!” Dean counters, his face contorting as if she just called him something foul. “No, you’re a tough, manly man. We get it, Cowboy.” She passes him, patting his shoulder. “Keep tellin’ yourself that.” “You keep tellin’ yourself… somethin’,” he stammers, struggling to stand up to the reputation Jo is undermining.

She walks on, laughing, not even granting him another look. Bothered with his own unimpressive reply, the wrangler watches his cousin catch up with her father. God, sometimes he wishes he could shut her up without having to deal with her sassy attitude. Annoyed, he turns back to Y/N, who can’t hide her amusement as she steps closer. He eyes her, which only causes her to chuckle. “I’m not cute,” he underlines.

The cowgirl smirks and pushes him into the tack room, out of sight and safe from Bobby’s judgement. She takes his hat from his head and leans in, connecting her lips with his. The kiss is short and sweet, but it’s long enough to make Dean’s head spin. When she parts from him, he opens his eyes again, taking her in as she places his Stetson back over his tousled hair. “You’re adorable,” she says. Dean half pouts while furrowing his brow, still trying to establish that he is neither cute or adorable, but breaks character when his girlfriend smiles widely before she spins around. Fine, maybe he is turning a bit soft, but it’s all her doing.

Jo joins Y/N with her father’s wallet in hand, the two friends almost skipping to the exit of the stable, joking and laughing as they go. Dean watches the pair and shakes his head, not missing Benny’s wide grin coming his direction. The lovebirds might have stayed out of the ranch owner’s line of sight, however, Benny had a clear view of the endearing interaction. He’s leaning against a tack trunk, arms crossed in front of his broad chest, blue eyes sparkling with mischief and playful judgement that’s impossible to miss. “Get it over with,” the head wrangler mutters. “Got anything to add to that?” “Nah, I reckon the gals made their point,” the Southerner chuckles.

“So, you two are still doin’ good, huh?” Jo glances at Y/N from the corner of her eye while pushing her father’s wallet into her back pocket. She leans against Dean’s car, careful not to scratch it, knowing that all hell is going to break loose if she does. “Surprised?” her friend counters, picking up her bag from the front seat, before closing the door. “Just checkin’ if the woman-oholic isn’t suffering from tremors, hallucinations, insomnia,” the cowgirl states. Y/N grins at that, pushing the strap of her bag on her shoulder, ready for her friend to lead the way to the show office.

“He’s not, don’t worry,” she claims, very much aware that Jo is just toying with her. “He’s been really wonderful, actually. I honestly didn’t expect him to be so attentive and sweet.” “No one did. Hell, I don’t think even Dean knew he had it in ’im. Guess you bring out the best in my notorious cousin.” She hooks her arm around Y/N’s neck, pulling her in for a side hug.

On their way over to the show office, Jo is greeted by multiple familiar faces, asking her how she's doing and the ranch owner’s daughter returning the question in a quick exchange. It becomes clear to Y/N that this isn’t just Dean’s scene, but Jo’s as well.

She soaks up her surroundings, glancing left and right as they walk up a two story building, a little further up the slightly hilly property. Stalls are lined up along the boulevard, selling all sorts of things, from horse gear to fashion and interior design. It’s not incredibly busy yet, the people waiting in the short lines for the food stands mostly riders, trainers, and horse owners. The organisation is probably expecting a bigger crowd on the weekend.

A ferrier is hammering a loose shoe under a horse’s hoof, the large animal waiting patiently until the job is done, while a promoter tries to sell a new tractor to an interested party. Cheers roar from one of the arenas, excitement heard in the voice of the commentator, who echoes over the terrain through the speakers. The smell of cotton candy when they pass a concessions truck reaches the cowgirl’s nose as she watches children having fun riding a Shetland pony from the local riding school.

Content, Y/N smiles, because apart from the temperature, the atmosphere on this show isn’t different from the events she’s been to when she was still living in Freeport. The nerves she felt in the car earlier seep away with the familiarity, excitement taking its place. Before she came to Gold Canyon Ranch, she was buried under pressure and books, working on her thesis around the clock. The last competition she rode was the State Championships. God, she missed this circus. This life. This is where she belongs, not behind some desk, no matter how good the salary.

“Jo Singer, it’s good to see you again, my dear,” the woman behind the counter in the show office says, recognizing the blonde cowgirl instantly. “How are you and your family doing?” Reading glasses balance on the tip of the nose of the kind secretary, who smiles at both the girls. Her ash blonde hair is short, and worn in a fashion you would expect for a lady in her sixties. “Good to see you too, Mildred,” Jo returns, pulling Bobby’s wallet from her pocket. “We’re okay. How are the boys?”

Y/N glances at her friend from the corner of her eye as the two acquaintances make small talk. She noticed the hint of doubt in her claim that everything was fine with the Singer family, followed by the quick counter question to avert the attention back to the woman on the other side of the desk. Aware that the information Dean shared with her is confidential, she didn’t discuss it with Jo, even though she wanted to. While she didn’t want to get the head wrangler in trouble, she was also unaware of how up to date the youngest Singer actually is. Now that she heard the slight hesitation, however, she’s getting the idea Jo knows more about the ranch’s financial struggles than her bubbly and carefree personality leads on.

“How many horses are you competing, hon?” Mildred asks, pushing her glasses up her nose as she searches for Jo’s name on the competitors’ list. “Two. I’d like to pay for Dean as well, and one entry for my friend here. She’s riding one of ours.” “Winchester, right?” the secretary checks, crossing off names. Jo nods, picking at her father’s credit card. “Yeah.” Mildred flips the page until she finds the one on which the riders filed under the letter ‘W’ are listed. “Four horses for Dean? Your cousin has a busy weekend ahead of him,” she chuckles, warmly, and looks up at the young woman that accompanied Jo. “What’s your name, sweety?” “It’s Y/N L/N,” the intern answers. “I’m competing two horses, one of my own. I’d like to pay for Meadowsweet separately.” “Not a problem.” Mildred focuses on the blonde cowgirl again. “So that's an entry fee for seven horses, plus the stable fee for nine. Y’all brought two horses for auction, am I right? I remember because I had your father on the phone just this morning.” “Yeah, we do. Do we have to pay to enter the auction too?” Jo wonders, nervousness lacing her tone. “Yes, the auction entry is 200 dollars for each. After the sale the amount will be settled, together with the commission,” the elder woman informs. “Entry fee is three bucks per horse, stable fee is fifty each, so that will be 877 dollars in total.”

Jo takes a breath and offers Mildred the card. The normally confident cowgirl seems on edge all of a sudden as she watches the secretary swipe it. Several seconds tick by while they wait for the machine to accept payment, and apparently it’s getting on Jo’s nerves. Y/N’s friend fiddles with her father’s wallet, tension coming off her in waves. Then the machine bleeps, a long high tone cutting through the heavy silence.

Mildred looks up at the blonde rancher, sympathetically. It’s in her eyes and Jo’s heart drops to her gut before she even speaks. “I’m sorry. It’s declined.” “W - what? No, that - that can’t be,” Jo stammers. “Can you try again?” The kind lady swipes the credit card a second time, even though they know it’s not going to make a difference. The same message appears on the small screen, followed by the monotone beep. The sound is interrupted by the door opening and closing, two other competitors now entering the show office, getting in line to pay as well. Jo curses under her breath.

“Any other way you can pay, darling?” the secretary asks, kindly. “Uh - I have…” She leafs through the banknotes with trembling fingers, counting the money, her face turning red. “I have 300 dollars. I’ll check if there’s more in the truck--” “I got it.” Y/N steps closer to the counter, pulling her wallet from her purse. “What? No, c’mon,” Jo objects. But her friend isn’t taking no for an answer. “It’s not a problem. I’ll sort it out with your dad later,” she assures, handing over her own card. She returns her attention to Mildred again. “Could you add my fees as well?” “I sure can. That will be 930 dollars,” the elder woman states, changing the number on the terminal before swiping the credit card.

This time it beeps three times, confirming payment without a hitch. “Alright, all good to go. Good luck on your runs, ladies,” Mildred says, cheery, trying to clear the awkwardness with her warm smile. “Thank you,” Y/N returns genuinely as Jo gives the woman behind the desk a nod.

The girls exit the show office, Jo pulling her hat over her eyes a little deeper to mask her flustered face. The redness slowly starts to leave her cheeks again after a minute, as they walk down the boulevard in silence. Y/N isn’t sure if she should say something, and so decides to give her friend some space. Her mind is going over the incident, however. A maxed out credit card; that can’t be good. The writing on the wall is applied with a paintbrush, the black letter getting bolder the more she learns about the suffocating situation. Her mind hasn’t stopped reeling since her talk with Dean in the cafeteria earlier this morning. There has to be ways to tip the scale.

Jo eventually speaks up, voice clipped with embarrassment. “I’m sorry ‘bout that. My dad will pay you back.” “I know,” Y/N responds, not doubting it for a second. “It’s no big deal, seriously. No reason to apologize.” “Still... Thanks,” the blonde cowgirl utters, embarrassed nonetheless. It’s now Y/N’s turn to wrap her arm around her friend’s shoulder, hoping the gesture will ease Jo a bit. “That’s what friends are for, right?” she comforts her. “Come on. Let’s head back. What’s your starting time?” Jo glances at her watch. “Eight thirty. Thirty minutes after the opening. So that gives me an hour and a half.” “Better ready your horse then,” Y/N smiles. “You’ve got barrels to race.”

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome on this Friday night to the eighteenth annual Flagstaff Horse Fair!”

With Y/N’s hand in his, Dean walks up the bleachers, as if he’s afraid to lose her in the crowd. Plenty of people have settled down in their seats already, only a few spots left now that the opening ceremony is about to begin. She’s glad he’s keeping a hold on her, though, because once again she feels slightly overwhelmed by the number of strangers who all seem to be very much aware who her boyfriend is.

Several times Dean was held up on their way over to the main arena, by acquaintances, former and current clients, old friends and forgotten faces. She could tell he was doing everything he could to ease her nerves, his hand on the small of her back, engaging her into the conversation by introducing her. Yet she felt relieved when the ring came into view, hoping to find a time to take a breather from keeping up appearances and pretending she’s comfortable amongst new company.

“Dean!” Y/N almost flinches at the female voice calling out for the cowboy. For a brief second Y/N shuts her eyes and takes a breath; guess she needs to keep her mask on a bit longer. She turns to face two women, who greet the wrangler, the one with dark, boy cut hair the first to embrace him. “It’s so good to see you again,” she says, warmly. “Hey, Jody.” Dean returns the embrace, genuinely pleased to see her too, before he directs his attention to the happily smiling blonde. “Donna, it’s been a while. How are you doing these days?” “Hiya, handsome. I’m doing just fine, thanks.” The woman with a strong Minnesota accent pulls him into a tight hug as well, pressing her dimpled cheek against his. She backs away, her delighted eyes bouncing from him to the girl behind the cowboy. “Are ya gonna introduce us to this lovely lady?”

Dean adjusts his hat and reaches for Y/N, his hand slipping behind her back when he nods at the brunette. “That’s Jody Mills - she takes horses off our hands regularly and finds us buyers - and her business partner Donna Hanscum. Good friends of mine, good friends of the Ranch.” He then gently pulls her a little closer, the pads of his fingers lingering on her hip. “Jody, Donna, this is my girlfriend Y/N,” Dean responds, unable to hide his proud smile.

Both women share the exact same reaction, their jaws dropping to the floor. If Y/N wasn’t so nervous, she would have found it comical. “Shut the front door!” Donna exclaims. “Are you tellin’ me that Dean Winchester is off the market?” Dean nods, his grin not faltering. “I’m spoken for.” Delighted, Jody laughs. “Well, I didn’t think I’d live to see the day.” “Took you long enough,” Donna jokes, teasingly pushing his shoulder, before she winks at the cowgirl next to him. “You must be one heck of a gal if you managed to tie this one down. C’mere!”

Before Y/N can escape, the woman with the vibrant personality pulls her in and gives her a warm hug as well. She can’t help but to chuckle, because both Donna and Jody seem like sincerely kind people. The warm welcome eases her, helping her to feel more comfortable amongst these new friends. “Why don’t you sit with us?” Jody suggests, after Donna lets go. “Because I wanna hear all about this miracle woman.”

They take a seat and Y/N soon engages in conversation with Dean’s friends. Contently, he watches his girl, listening to her enthusiastic voice as she tells them about their meet cute. Dean chuckles at the memory himself; never in a million years could he have guessed he would be where he’s standing now, together with the then so timid and slightly prissy intern. She opened up like a wildflower in spring, blossoming into the carefree spirit that years of studying and discipline hid away.

Damn, he fell hard for her, didn’t he? She isn’t the only one who developed; because Jody wasn’t wrong. He too never expected to be able to commit, to be faithful to one woman, yet he can’t even imagine being with anyone else but her now. She taught him to look further than tomorrow. He has to admit, he has been thinking about the future more in the past week than he has in all the prior years combined. His thoughts are interrupted by the commentator, who’s voice echoes through the speakers, mentioning the sponsors of the event.

“We thank you for comin’ out here this weekend. Folks, right now I would like to ask Alex Jones to enter our arena floor with the Stars and Stripes of the United States of America.”

Dean glances at Jody, who proudly watches her adopted daughter trot into the ring on a palomino. She’s dressed in a red shirt, blue and white fringe on her sleeves and chaps playfully dancing in the breeze. The end of the flagpole rests on her stirrup, the American colors fluttering in their wake. The crowd rises to their feet as the flag is carried in, respectfully doffing their hats.

“As we gather in the spirit of the Old West, let us be reminded of the part that the horses we cherish have played. They offered our forefathers safe travel, partnership, and the freedom to roam this great land. The same unbreakable bond between man and horse still remains today, as we ride for our country. We ask you to remain standing for the playing of the national anthem.”

Y/N holds her hat by the brim and squares her shoulders, following Dean’s example when he places his right hand over his heart. A calm falls over the bleachers, every single soul watching the flag with the same steady reverence that only blue-collars truly can. The riders in the warm up area are standing side by side, facing the Stars and Stripes, and even the younger inexperienced horses seem to pay their respect.

“Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?”

The hairs on her arms rise up as Y/N softly sings along. She knows every word, taught in school of course, but it’s more than that. She believes them. And since she was a little girl, she has dreamed about the Star-Spangled Banner. She imagined it would play while she was standing on the highest step of the podium at the major events: Congress, the Derby, and who knows, maybe one day at the World Equestrian Games. It’s a long shot, maybe, but a goal nonetheless, one she will continue to chase until the day comes that she fulfills that dream.

“And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

The cowgirl and her horse began circling as the end of the anthem neared, speed increasing. Alex is galloping along the boarding of the arena, the Stars and Stripes flaunting proudly, standing tall. After the last note, the crowd cheers and claps, rallying the rider on as she takes the flag out of the arena at high speed.

“Give it up for Alex Jones!” the commentator encourages. “Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, get comfortable, take a load off your feet, take a seat, and get ready. We’re gonna kick off the competition with Barrel Racing for three year old horses. Let’s ride!”

“Jo is sixth, right?” Y/N checks as they sit down. Dean nods, leaning his elbows on his knees, watching his cousin in the warm up pen. “Yeah, after the drag.” “Smooth footing. Could work in her advantage,” Y/N notes, linking her arm with his. “I was wondering; why don’t you teach Jo?” The wrangler snorts. “Because she would claw my eyes out.” His girlfriend laughs now, leaning into him and sweetly resting her cheek against his shoulder. “Hey, we’ve tried, but we just fight like cats and dogs. It ain’t a good fit,” he chuckles.

The first horse and rider combination shoots from the holding box and the audience’s motivating cheers rise from the stands into the Arizona air. Being a good sport, Dean claps too. “Ever raced barrel, sweetcheeks?” Donna wonders, leaning forward to make eye contact with Y/N. “Once or twice when I was a kid,” she admits. “You?” “Oh, you betcha!” the cheery blonde states.

The rules to the game are quite simple. Three barrels are set up in a cloverleaf in the arena and the horse and rider pair need to cleanly negotiate the pattern. The cowgirl who’s the fastest without knocking over any barrels wins. It’s a thrilling sport to watch, perfect for a horse’s speed and agility when the rider knows how to bring it out in them.

The second rider kicks off, setting a better time that pushes her up the board. The third follows, knocking over the second barrel, landing the poor girl a five second time penalty.

Y/N keeps an eye on Jo, who gets instructions from Bobby. The ranch owner’s daughter is riding a mare called Sundance, who she started up about eight months ago, being the first person to ever ride her. The young horse had her first practise run a couple of weeks ago, but today is her show debut. The atmosphere of a big competition like this can be quite daunting for an inexperienced horse, but Jo prepared her well.

The fourth goes wide around the first barrel and swerves to the third, wasting valuable time. Number five has a clean run and betters the leading result; 17.13 seconds is the time to beat. A tractor enters the arena and the crew removes the barrels, white spray paint indicating where they need to be put back once the sand around it is dragged. When the footing is smooth again, the barrels are placed back.

“Next up is Joanna Beth Singer with Sundance. Now, this young lady knows how to ride, with multiple wins under her belt, so let’s see what she will do with this youngster today.”

Y/N moves to the edge of her seat, her heartbeat picking up. She might not be the one competing, but sometimes being the person on the sidelines is more nerve-wracking than actually being the one in the saddle. Bobby walks with his daughter to the entrance of the arena, the young mare next to him already bouncing with excitement. Rousing music only adds to the exhilarating atmosphere surrounding them, the spectators waiting for the thrilling ride that is about to start. The second Jo’s father lets go of the rein, Sundance bolts away, locking on the first barrel like she has been doing this all her life.

“And she’s off! Look at that speed, people!”

“C’mon, Jo!” Y/N encourages, joined by Dean, who has gotten on his feet in anticipation. The crowd cheers when the fast horse turns sharply. Focused, Jo pushes her heels into the bay’s flanks, hands towards the mare’s ears, guiding the youngster through the pattern to the second barrel. They are making good time. “Smoke them, Jo! You got this!” Dean shouts, voice lost to the crowd that seems to favor Jo and Sundance.

The clock ticks; eight seconds, nine, ten. Sand clatters against the metal as the eager horse cuts the third obstacle, so tight that you could barely fit a piece of paper between her boot and the barrel. It starts to tip, and Y/N grabs Dean’s arm when the drum almost tumbles over, but Jo pushes it back with her reins in hand so that it stays upright and the audience erupts.

“Yeah! Bring it home!” Y/N squeals, excitedly. At full gallop the two shoot back to the gate, Jo flat on the Sundance’s neck, the energetic horse accelerating until they pass the finish line. The clock stops at 16.35.

“Folks, if that ain’t horsemanship, I don’t know what is. What a ride and what a horse! Jo Singer and Sundance are in the lead!”

Dean grins proudly and whistles on his fingers, glancing down at his girlfriend, who is still applauding excitedly. “Dean, is that mare for sale?” Jody checks, the trader clearly interested now that she has witnessed the talent. He chuckles. “Depends on your offer.” “Fair enough. I’ll go have a talk with Bobby then,” she returns, aware that for a horse like that, she needs to raise the stakes. “We’ll walk with ya,” Dean states, glancing aside when Jody’s friend doesn’t follow. “Donna, you comin’?” “I’ll meetcha guys later. I’m gonna watch some more runs with Alex.” She nods at Jody’s surrogate daughter, who just sat down in one of the first rows.

They say goodbye and the wrangler places his hand on Y/N’s lower back as they walk to the stairs and get down from the bleachers. She can tell he’s trying to play it cool, but she senses his relief. Jo delivered and just secured more than just a place on the podium with that solid ride. The buyers are going to be lining up for Sundance, which means they can keep the price high. It’s a win Gold Canyon Ranch so desperately needs. The cowgirl bumps her shoulder against his, drawing his attention. The smiles they exchange say enough, she knows what’s on his mind, and he knows she understands. “I’m gonna see if I can catch Jo. It was really nice to meet you, Jody,” she announces, shaking Jody’s hand before turning to Dean. “See you in a bit?” He nods and meets her in a sweet, short kiss, before she runs off to the stables. His gaze stays fixed on her, lovingly, until he loses track of her in the crowd. Only then does Dean notice Jody’s knowing smirk. “What?” “You got it bad,” she comments, an earnest laugh falling from her lips. He tilts his head, nodding; there’s no denying it. He’s known Jody for a while, and even though they only see eachother every now and then, he considers her a dear friend.

“She’s amazing, really. It’s all still kinda new, though,” he admits, comfortable enough to let some of that softness show. “Oh, which reminds me... Bobby doesn’t know yet. So could you not mention it?” The raised eyebrow and judgemental look she sends him says enough. Jody stares him down as if she’s about to use her mom-voice, causing Dean to slightly cower. “She’s the intern and it’s kind of a touchy subject. I wanna time it well so that he doesn’t bite my head off,” the cowboy excuses. The woman who is tough when she needs to be, turns soft now, rolling her eyes slightly. “Fine, I won’t tell him. Don’t wait too long, though. It’s Bobby, he wasn’t born yesterday. He’s going to find out sooner than later,” she reminds him. “I’ll tell him soon,” he promises. “This is a big first for you, ain’t it?” The female ranch owner smiles at him warmly, apparently amused with the somewhat uneasy behavior of the cowboy. “It is,” he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “But it’s good. Never thought I’d say it, but I could get used to this.” “I’m glad you’ve met someone, Dean. You deserve a slice of that apple pie life.”

Dean smiles at his boots, knowing she means more with those words than would seem so at the surface. From a young age, even before Dean moved in with the Singer family, she has kept a watchful eye on him and his little brother whenever they were at the same shows and rodeos. Even though she’s only a few years older than him, she was always taking care of others, protecting those who needed it, and apparently she sensed the Winchester boys could use some support. To be honest, she wasn’t wrong. She has seen a few things, picked up on the tell signs. That knowledge adds to the weight of her kind message.

“And if you ever are in the need of advice only a woman can offer,” she continues, “may it be suitable birthday gifts for the lady, or choosing an engagement ring, you know who to call.”

Dean’s eyes widen, glancing aside at the fierce woman, walking beside him. He thought about what is to come, but he didn’t think that far ahead. Especially with her internship ending March next year, he’s slightly careful to presume she is going to want to stay with him. Yes, he will fight for her, but he can’t predict the future. Who knows what will happen when she’s due to leave. “Whoa, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” he laughs. “We only just started dating, y’know?” “Yeah, I know, but she’s a keeper, I can tell,” Jody counters, sure of herself. “Give it some time, I’ll remind you of this conversation at your wedding.”

The cowboy chuckles, but doesn’t contradict her. Jody Mills is a smart woman, one who usually is right. She can read people, and despite the small age difference between the two of them, his caring friend often mothers him with her wisdom. He can’t believe the thought crosses his mind, but it flashes through his conscience nonetheless. I hope she’s right.

He doesn’t want to dwell on it too long, though, because the glimpse of what he secretly hopes one day will come true, takes him by surprise. Somewhat daunted, the wrangler redirects the focus. “I’ve haven’t spoken to Gabe in a bit. How’s he doin’ these days?”

There’s a hint of guilt in his voice, even though he tries to suppress it. Gabriel had worked at Gold Canyon since 2005, until Bobby had to let him go last year. The head wrangler felt horrible, especially since he taught Gabe the ropes when it came down to training horses, and getting fired was the last thing his friend ever expected. Just like with Ash, he would have done anything to prevent the lay off, but their boss didn’t have much of a choice. Thankfully, Gabe got a job as a horse trainer at Jody’s ranch. They kept in touch, but over time the calls came and went less frequent. Lately, it’s been quiet, though, and the woman next to him looks up at him stunned, a mixture of remorse and empathy in her eyes.

“You haven’t heard?” she asks, appalled. Dean shakes his head. “Heard what?” “Oh, honey, I’m not sure how to tell you this,” she starts, averting her gaze to the ground, as if she’s trying to find solace in the dirt underneath her feet. “He had an accident earlier this week. He’s in hospital.” The wrangler snaps his eyes at her in shock, a frown puckered between his brows. “W-what?” “Yeah, he--” she pauses, shaking her head as if she still can’t believe it, “- he was working with a stallion, quite a special case. He turned aggressive and Gabe got trampled. He suffered multiple fractures in the vertebrae.” The head wrangler stops dead in his tracks, causing his company to turn to face him. In shock he stares at Jody before his gaze drifts off, the unpleasant surprise still evident, though. Not sure what to say, he moves his hand to his face, tracing his stubble as he tries to digest the news. “Fuck…” he stammers. “Is he - he’s gonna be ok, right?”

“The doctors haven’t given us much yet. From what I’ve heard, the first tests showed very little reflexes, but there was still a lot of bruising and swelling. They hope to be able to get better imaging soon, but right now it’s not looking good. He most likely damaged his spinal cord; he can’t move his legs,” Jody explains, observing the disoriented man before her with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Dean. I know he is a friend of yours. Honestly, I expected you would’ve gotten a call from his brothers.”

The cowboy still stares at nothing in particular, unable to grasp what he just learned. “We - uh, we didn’t talk as much as we used to. Kinda fell out of touch after he left Gold Canyon.” Jody nods at that, the endearing smile that was there when they were talking about his newfound relationship now gone. The corners of her mouth are drawn down, the worry and guilt aging her in a matter of moments. “It’s really tragic. Honestly, I feel awful. It happened on my land, the horse was my client’s.” “Hey, this is not your fault, you hear?” Dean replies, gently gripping her upper arm. “These accidents can happen. We forget sometimes, but we still work with thousand pound animals who have minds of their own. It’s dangerous, and he knew that.”

Jody swallows down the guilt and turns to slowly stroll to the warm up area, not walking away from it entirely, but giving herself something to do. Dean adjusts to her pace, shoulder to shoulder with the rancher. “I found him in the pen. He was screaming in pain,” she tells. “Of course I happened to be the only other person on the premises. Donna was delivering a horse to a new owner.”

Shaking his head, Dean glances aside. Damn it, he wishes she didn’t have to go through that. Waiting on an ambulance must have been horrible. Dean knows Jody treats her staff like family, their bond much like the dynamic between the Singer family and their personnel. Dean cares about those he works with deeply, he would never forgive himself if an accident like that would happen to a member of the crew. “He’s gonna bounce back. Gabe’s a tough one,” he soothes, hoping to offer at least a little comfort. “Yeah, I hope so.” She sighs as they reach Bobby, who is having a conversation with two older men on the sideline, without a doubt doing business. “I’m gonna talk to your uncle. See if we can come to an agreement on that horse.” “Better get in there fast, before he sells her to someone else,” Dean advises, after which he turns around. “See you at the party tonight?” “Depends on how much money I spend at the auction, but I’m certain Donna will drag me there anyway,” she says, doing her best to pull together a playful grin.

Dean watches Jody step up, politely interrupting the negotiation, not even a bit intimidated by the possible buyers who have already named a price. She’s tough, something that he has always admired. The woman stands her ground in a man’s world of horse traders, runs her own ranch and built her own network. An extraordinary person, who always has his back. He carries nothing but respect for her.

As he makes his way to the stables, tipping his head to the people he knows on his way over, his thoughts go to Gabriel. Jody is not the only one who feels guilty about his current condition. He just told her she shouldn’t blame herself, so why is it that he wishes he would never have let his good friend go? Maybe if Gabe had stayed, he wouldn’t have broken his back. Maybe if he had taught him better, he would’ve still been able to walk.

He shakes his head, trying to dismiss the notion. But like a mosquito the mental picture keeps patronising him, buzzing into his ear, draining him and stealing the wrangler’s peace. When he nears the stable tent B, he picks up pace, however. Because he knows that the one person who will calm his mind and make him feel better with just her smile is right around the corner.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate every single one of you, but if you do want to give me some extra love, you are free to like or reblog my work, shoot me a message or buy me coffee (Link to Kofi in bio at the top of the page).

Read part twenty here

167 notes · View notes

yvghv · 3 years

Text

They were well stocked with food and drink

But it snowed again the next day, and the day after, and the day after that. A boy named Jack, particularly, I have seen served in this way more than once. But I was in a hurry, and without further delay I described to her the whole scene at Natasha’s the evening before. This northward motion isn as obvious unless you watch the moon over the coming week. Her hair was aflame. Jon was remembering. Are ye able to drink of the cup which I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism wherewith I shall be baptized?”. "When we see these kids, it just kind of touches your heart," said Shawn Helbig, president of FOP Lodge 13. “Please,” he murmured through his broken teeth, “I never meant …” The words caught in his throat. “Fuck you all, and fuck your red god too,” he said. They were well stocked with food and drink; they had fires to warm them when adidas eqt rose gold off duty, a place to dry their clothes, snug corners to lie down and sleep. King in his new mammoth balloon "Buffalo", evinced the deep curiosity and interest generally felt. He’s thrown it out and now he’s sad about it himself and sorry he threw it out. “The day I learned that Brandon papuci de casa din pasla was to marry Catelyn Tully, though … there was nothing sweet about that pain. When Gerris made to pour himself a cup of wine, Quentyn stopped him. Khrazz slashed at his arm and caught him, but the folie samsung j6 2018 pt tot telegonil arakh could only chip the hard enamel before it met the steel below.. Then me. Typically, vehicles used for towing that are not properly equipped experience an overheated engine, overheating of the transmission (and internal haibike e mtb 2020 damage), frame damage, suspension damage, excessive brake wear and compromised wiring (causing electrical shorts and malfunction of lights). Under normal circumstances no new students join the course once it has started.. This President inherited the economy, the wars and the terrorism. Where deliberate, wilful, and malicious murder is done, whether by male or female, the retribution of the law is a debt to God and man; but the jury should beware lest it fall upon the innocent.. The banjo, their national instrument, is known but in name, or in a few of the tunes which have survived. There no one else doing twin set cardigan outlet strictly plant based catering in the city that I know of.. Even if he is not what he once was he is still better than many other backs out there and you don't just dump someone like that on the street for nothing. With 21 wins, they are now three shy of breaking the program record for wins in a season. Announcer cried out that the Princess had been kidnapped before the musicians played the classic tune from Mario Bros., capping it all by forming the outline of a mushroom. At twelve o’clock at night the silent wings of the little schooner were spread, and with her weight of fear and mystery she glided out into the stream. How he found out that we knew each other is not your business. The crime is a rare one, and therefore the reporters have had few nike hip pack cases to record. The Manderlys had brought the Faith north with them when they were driven from the Reach. Some had urged that very thing within her hearing after the battle in the woods. Once the new draft is completed, the paperwork will be forwarded to the town of Atkinson and the clock starts ticking again.. By the time Fletcher broke into the clear and put Romo in his crosshairs, the ball was on its way.thought we could pressure him, Fletcher said. Doctorow 1989 novel, Bathgate, in which a 15 year old bokacsizma bakancs Bronx boy bears witness to the murder of a man thrown into the East River with his feet encased in cement. Zapatos en la misma continuacin de la generacin anterior sentido del diseo, adems de la parte superior algo superior y el cuerpo biciclete rusesti vechi de los agujeros de Nike fuera sin mucho cambio. Went on the 6th January, at Mrs. You got to stick to that. Ginwright echoes these sentiments. Every death diminishes us, and we are stretched so thin … Take the high ground and win the battle, my uncle used to say. His eyes were red, his lips cracked, his throat dry and parched, but the taste of blood and fat filled his mouth, even as his swollen belly cried for nourishment. She knew about the Field of Fire and the Dance of the Dragons. For the last four days she had hardly spoken to me.. He is all energy, enthusiasm, and commitment. It would never do to come before this queen without a retinue of his own, if half of what they said of her was true. Zach Fiume, who has run for 2,454 yards with 27 touchdowns in his career, leads the LFC Division III in rushing. Ah, politics. She unhesitatingly confessed that she had run away, and that a friend had paid her passage. The same goes for their smaller 7 inch models.. The design is fine tuned to match the timing of the system, to reduce noise and heat, and allow for the most efficient communication between the memory and the CPU.. Glendon Hewett was a seasoned man and a strong one, a sensible choice to command in Cotter Pyke’s absence. But what’s to be done if it’s just that delicate chord we must touch upon? There’s no avoiding it. What am I doing маратонки puma mercedes amg here? Father, why? Four men dead in as many heartbeats, and for what? “Fire and blood,” he whispered, “blood and fire.” The blood was pooling at his feet, soaking into the brick floor. The burden of your care, toils and responsibilities, is much lighter than that which God has imposed on your adidas mariposas master. Vincent For more information, call Karen at 251 666 8022 or Margaret Wilcox at 251 653 7769.. He shall see now whether I’m feather-headed. Some programs, they take a look at what worked well for that historic squad and try and recreate everything for future teams. This was the “officer’s wife,” unmistakably a sham. Knots and tangles, Jaime thought, wishing he could cut through all of it with one swift stroke of his sword. Collectibles. But it was only early next morning that I fully regained consciousness.. A striking case, which shows how inexorably the law contends with the kind designs of the master, is on record in the reports of legal decisions in the State of Mississippi. Their romance unfolds in a perfectly captured Manhattan, circa 1950, which means that their 'forbidden love' comes with cigarettes, martinis, spectacular clothes and proper gloves. Strictly speaking, it was purely the king’s choice whether or not to extend Kingsguard protection to others, even those of royal blood. JR was a graduate of the Fort Fairfield High School, Class of 1983, where he excelled in both golf and basketball. Let’s drink, brother Vanya.”. They leapt to their feet, shaking fists. “You are my only hope, Lord Snow. Outside the snow was falling still. This is the largest shoe giveaway ever for the event. Don’t mean that we can’t count his teeth. The plane had taken off from Melbourne's second biggest airport at Essendon for a golfing trip to King Island, 160 miles to the south, officials said.. In an interview with Manning in 2013, Wold claimed in 2008 or 2009 he was allowed an expense amount of $150 per month, or $1,800 per year for personal expenses and gas for his vehicle for personal use.

1 note · View note

yescs2020 · 4 years

Text

apparently this list was blocked in Canada and Cuba and all it is is somebody’s opinion: By Hannah Mylrea- 8th September 2020 “Every Taylor Swift song ranked in order of greatness She's one of the greatest pop stars in the world, and she's released the official lockdown album in 'Folklore'. But which is Tay's single best song of all time?” article with rankings starts here:

A few months ago Taylor Swift did something totally un-Swiftian, and surprise released her latest record ‘Folklore’. The indie-inspired album, which featured collaborations with Bon Iver and The National‘s Aaron Dessner, was remarkable and unexpected, and another example of the bold moves Swift has navigated throughout her career.

From the country of her early albums to the glittering synth-pop of ‘1989’ and experimental sounds of ‘Reputation’, this is an artist who’s constantly reinvented her sound. Yet at the core of it one thing remains: Swift’s sheer songwriting talent. It’s worth remembering that Taylor is the person who wrote ‘Love Story’ in 20minutes on her bedroom floor when she was only a teenager.

Now, almost a decade-and-a-half into her career, we look back on Swift’s glittering discography and rank every single one of her songs. That’s right: all 161 of ’em.

A few caveats to begin with – no officially unreleased songs have been included, nor songs that are “featuring Taylor Swift”. Anything written under a pseudonym has also been forgone (so her credit as Nils Sjöberg ‘This Is What You Came For’ isn’t given a look in). We have, however, included officially released cover songs – so that includes all of the Swifty renditions on the ‘Speak Now World Tour Live’ record and her bevvy of Christmas covers.

Additional words: El Hunt, Nick Reilly

161‘Christmases When You Were Mine’ (2007)

There’ve been a handful of Swift-does-Christmas moments over the years. Some are truly lovely – but this original tune from 2007 EP ‘The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection’ is not one of them.

160‘Superstar’ (2008)

A syrupy song about Swift fancying a celebrity, the puppy love of ‘Superstar’ is innocuous but bland.

159‘You Are in Love’ (2014)

A sweet bonus track from ‘1989’, it’s inoffensive but you can see why it was only bunged on the end of the deluxe edition of the album.

158‘White Christmas’ (2007)

This festive cover is absolutely fine – nothing more, nothing less.

157‘Silent Night’ (2007)

A cover of the classic Christmas carol, Swift well and truly puts her stamp on Franz Xaver Gruber’s song. Growing to a melodramatic finale, it’s an overblown rendition.

156‘Beautiful Ghosts’ (2019)

Written by Swift and musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber for last year’s film adaptation of Cats, this is a bit slushy. But, no, we wouldn’t say it’s a CAT-astrophe.

155‘Christmas Must Be Something More’ (2007)

Another festive tune: this time Swift questions the commercial nature of Christmas over rootin’ tootin’ country instrumentals, concluding that December 25th is actually about “the birthday boy who saved our lives”. Happy birthday JC!

154‘Umbrella’ (2008)

An acoustic cover from Swift’s ‘iTunes Live from SoHo’ EP. It’s nice, but little more to it.

153‘American Girl’ (2009)

A cover of the Tom Petty classic, you can’t deny it’s a beast of a song. But this slowed down rendition saps some of the energy out of it.

152‘Last Christmas’ (2007)

There’s plenty of Christmas joy in this cover, but it doesn’t have a patch on the Wham! classic.

151‘King of My Heart’ (2017)

This electro-pop moment has a sweet sentiment: that the extravagance of past relationships isn’t what Swift wants anymore, and now this new love interest could be The One (“Is this the end of all the endings? / My broken bones are mending”). But this soppiness is delivered over jittery instrumentation, which three years on already sounds dated.

150‘If This Was A Movie’ (2010)

A bonus track from ‘Speak Now’, ‘If This Was a Movie’ is frustratingly repetitive. With its droning guitar licks and dreary chorus, it stutters towards the finish line.

149‘Last Kiss’ (2010)

A plodding waltz from ‘Speak Now’. Fine, but by no means vintage Taylor.

148‘Santa Baby’ (2007)

A twee cover of the iconic Christmas song, it’s a sauceless version of the usually sultry festive bop.

147‘I Did Something Bad’ (2017)

A cavernous slab of EDM, this was basically Swift proving that she’s a good girl gone bad. The devilish lyrics are fun (“They say I did something bad / Then why’s it feel so good?”), the dubstep-laced hook of “Ra-di-di-di-di-di-di-di-di-di-da-da” less so.

146‘You’re Not Sorry’ (2008)

Imagine Swift doing Eurovision – this is what ‘You’re Not Sorry’ sounds like. Filled with melodramatic piano chords and overdone vocals, it’s a histrionic ballad that you can imagine accompanied with bombastic visuals and a ton of pyro.

145‘Girl At Home’ (2012)

The bubbling ‘Girl at Home’ fuses the driving country of ‘Red’ with bleeping 8-bit sounds, and is a sweet but bland tune.

144‘Come Back… Be Here’ (2012)

A weepy ballad where Swift reminisces over a lost love, this is uneventful – but fair play to Swift for managing to get “nonchalant” into a pop song.

143‘I Want You Back’ (2011)

A cover of The Jackson 5 taken from the from live album ‘Speak Now World Tour – Live’, this 90-second cover is short, sweet and absolutely fine.

142‘The Way I Loved You’ (2008)

A bit of a head-banging country moment, ‘The Way I Love You’ lacks the radio-ready hooks and megawatt moments of Swift’s other tunes.

141‘So It Goes…’ (2017)

An ethereal synth-pop moment laced with EDM and trap, this ‘Reputation’ cut is sleepy filler.

140‘Sweet Escape’ (2011)

This Gwen Stefani cover is deliciously entertaining, with Swift spitting out the tongue-twister pre-chorus of “Cause I’ve been acting like sour milk that fell on the floor / It’s your fault you didn’t shut the refrigerator” and almost nailing it. Taken from the Target DVD version of ‘Speak Now World Tour – Live’, is an intriguing rendition.

139‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’ (2017)

This song was written as a response to the media after they criticised her decision to throw big parties for her pals and get them up on stage during the tour for ‘1989’ – things she considered “nice things”; a powerful sentiment, but an acquired taste.

138‘Haunted’ (2010)

Sounding like it should be accompanying a wild fantasy movie, with over-the-top strings and belted vocals, ‘Haunted’ feels like the younger sibling to Swift’s fairy-tale epics such as ‘Love Story’. They’re fine, but lack the nuance that some of her enchanting, happy ending filled romances boast.

137‘Long Live’ (2010)

A fairly pedestrian song from ‘Speak Now’, ‘Long Live’ is a fairly generic slice.

136‘Ours’ (2010)

With its muted acoustic instrumentals and mawkish lyrics, ‘Speak Now’ is sickly sweet.

135‘Breathe’ feat. Colbie Caillat (2008)

A sleepy, acoustic number that sees Swift teaming up with American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat, it’s a largely forgettable tune taken from ‘Fearless’.

134‘Drops of Jupiter’ (2011)

Another cover from the ‘Speak Now’ live album, this rendition of Train’s 2001 hit ‘Drops of Jupiter’ is a stripped-back version of the bombastic pop rock song.

133‘…Ready for It?’ (2017)

This slab of industrial pop opens Swift’s ‘Reputation’. With its dubstep wubs, EDM beats and trappy instrumentals, this messy number feels like a tug of war between this collection of different genres.

132‘September’ (2018)

Earth, Wind & Fire, but make it Swifty! Recorded for the Spotify Singles series, this stripped back cover is lovely. Plus it features a typically Swiftian Easter egg, where she changes the opening line of “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” to the 28th night, a cute tribute to her anniversary with boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

131‘This Love’ (2014)

A weepy moment from ‘1989’, ‘This Love’ feels remarkably maudlin when nestled in-between the bevvy of synth-pop bops that Swift’s fifth album holds.

130‘A Place In This World’ (2006)

Written when she was just 13 years old, ‘A Place In This World’, it feels like a glimpse into a Swift’s secret diary. Opening with the wonderfully teenage: “I don’t know what I want, so don’t ask me”, it’s the musical equivalent of telling your mum that she just doesn’t understand you!

129‘Superman’ (2010)

If you were ever imagining what Taylor Swift covering McFly would sound like – this could be it. The cheesy ‘Speak Now’ bonus track is filled with adolescent lyrics (“I watch superman fly away / Come back, I’ll be with you someday”), and is topped off with a pop-punk tinged chorus.

128‘I Heart?’ (2008)

Taken from Swift’s second EP ‘Beautiful Eyes’ – one that was exclusively released in Walmart in the US – this is a lovely country bop.

127‘A Perfectly Good Heart’ (2006)

An absolutely fine slice of country-pop from TayTay’s first album. On ‘A Perfectly Good Heart’ Swift depicts her very first experience of heartbreak. It’s one of her earliest breakup ballads, but quasi-emotive couplets like “It’s not unbroken anymore / How do I get it back the way it was before?” fail to pack the emotional punch some of Swift’s later tunes do.

126‘Untouchable’ (2008)

This cover of rock band Luna Halo’s ‘Untouchable’ is sweet, but largely unexciting.

125‘Jump Then Fall’ (2008)

A bonus track taken from the platinum edition of ‘Fearless’. Swift herself has described the song as “really bouncy and happy and lovey”. It’s an accurate description, as the bouncing banjo-led number is sickly sweet, but lacks much depth.

124‘Sad Beautiful Tragic’ (2012)

A weeper taken from ‘Red’, this gloomy tune sees Swift reflect on a relationship that was a “sad, beautiful, tragic love affair”.

123‘Bette Davis Eyes’ (2011)

A song popularised by Californian singer-songwriter Kim Carnes in 1981, Taylor’s live cover of ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ is nice but innocuous.

122‘Breathless’ (2010)

A uninspired cover of American alt-rockers Better Than Ezra’s ‘Breathless’, Swift performed the tune for Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief in 2010 (with her version later appearing on live album ‘Hope for Haiti Now’).

121‘Look What You Made Me Do’ (2017)

It’s only TayTay sampling Right Said Fred’s ‘I’m Too Sexy’! The bolshy ‘Reputation’ lead single saw Swift giving a massive middle-finger up to the haters, and accompanied her comeback after a year-long hiatus. It impact was huge at the time, but in the meantime ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ feels like a bit of a mis-step.

120‘Crazier’ (2009)

It appeared on the soundtrack for ‘Hannah Montana: The Movie’, and critics said it was the best song in the film. Bad luck, Miley.

119‘Eyes Open’ (2012)

From the soundtrack to The Hunger Games, ‘Eyes Open’ sees Swift go stadium rock. Too bad hair-whipping number’s repetitive chorus begins to grate.

118‘Nashville’ (2011)

A cover of Nashville-based singer-songwriter David Mead’s ‘Nashville’, this cover (taken from the Target exclusive version ‘Speak Now World Tour – Live’; yes, we’re really into the deep-cuts here) is pretty impassioned .

117‘Invisible’ (2006)

On this lacklustre cut from Swift’s eponymous debut album ‘Invisible’, she laments feeling invisible to the boy she fancies. It’s a bleak sentiment, and the emotive instrumentals in ‘Invisible’ mimic this.

116‘Hoax’ (2020)

The least memorable moment from the fantastic ‘Folklore’, this slow, waltzing tune is inoffensive, but lacks excitement.

115‘London Boy’ (2019)

The lyrics to this ‘Lover’ cut are wild. On ‘London Boy’ Swift proudly asserts her love for the nation’s capital, listing her fave places (including Brixton, Shoreditch, Highgate and for some God-forsaken reason “walking Camden Market in the afternoon”). With a bizarre spoken word intro from James Corden and Idris Elba, it’s cringe and weirdly entertaining in equal measures.

114‘Wonderland’ (2014)

It’s Swift does EDM, and it’s total chaos (albeit with a chorus that’ll be frustratingly caught in your head for weeks on end).

113‘Tied Together with a Smile’ (2006)

A bonus track from the debut album, ‘Tied Together With a Smile’ was written the day Swift found out one of her best mates was bulimic. An early indicator of Swift’s impressive turn of phrase (“And you’re tied together with a smile / But you’re coming undone”), it’s a lovely country moment.

112‘Beautiful Eyes’ (2008)

The title track from Swift’s EP of the same name, ‘Beautiful Eyes’ is an underrated stomper from TayTay’s extended discography.

111‘This Is Me Trying’ (2020)

A slow-burner from ‘Folklore’, this soft ballad sees Swift grapple with accepting blame for a crumbling relationship.

110‘My Tears Ricochet’ (2020)

This Jack Antonoff produced tune from ‘Folklore’ is about an “embittered tormentor showing up at the funeral of his fallen object of obsession.” Although fairly unremarkable, it does include the brilliantly Swiftian put-down: “And if I’m dead to you, why are you at the wake?” Ooft.

109‘Me!’ feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco (2019)

A saccharine collaboration with Panic! at the Disco’s Brendon Urie, this semi-irritating (and unbearably catchy) tune is an absolutely fine single from Miss Swift. Although it gained several places in our ranking after Swift removed the “Spelling is fun!” lyric.

108‘Come In With the Rain’ (2008)

‘Come In With The Rain’ sees Taylor showing off the country-pop that defined her early years. It’s a nostalgic snapshot at Taylor’s life before world domination became the main priority. NR

107‘Cold As You’ (2006)

As Shakespeare once wrote in ‘Sonnet 18’ – “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” If it’s Tay Tay you’re asking, then absolutely not. Instead, this break-up ballad compares thee to a grey, dreary and completely sodden wash-out of a day. EH

106‘Never Grow Up’ (2010)

Taken from ‘Speak Now’, this ballad moment peers out into a dimly lit crowd, and sees Swift dealing out her best life advice for younger fans in particular. “I look out into a crowd every night and I see a lot of girls that are my age and going through exactly the same things as I’m going through,” she’s said. “Every once in a while I look down and I see a little girl who is seven or eight, and I wish I could tell her all of this. There she is becoming who she is going to be and forming her thoughts and dreams and opinions. I wrote this song for those little girls.” EH

105‘Bad Blood’ feat. Kendrick Lamar (2017)

This Kendrick Lamar-featuring cut would have been right at home on Taylor Swift’s villainous ‘Reputation’ – a record on which she embraced her false depictions in the media, and ran with them. Instead, though, it felt like an outlier on ‘1989’. Swift herself said that it’s a song about a friendship with a fellow pop star that turned sour: “She basically tried to sabotage an entire arena tour,” she told Rolling Stone. “She tried to hire a bunch of people out from under me.” EH

104‘Afterglow’ (2019)

It’s a crying shame that the track fails to live up to its title. There’s little that live longs in the memory about this drum-driven number from ‘Lover’. NR

103‘The Other Side of the Door’ (2008)

A slightly slept-on fan favourite, ‘The Other Side of the Door’ features a deliciously dramatic guitar solo and even more melodrama. Like so: “I said, ‘leave’, but all I really want is you to stand outside my window throwing pebbles screaming ‘I’m in love with you’’. Exquisite. EH

102‘Soon You’ll Get Better’ feat. the Chicks (2019)

Featuring country music icons The Chicks, ‘Soon You’ll Get Better’ is one of Swift’s most personal songs; both of her parents have had cancer, and this year the singer confirmed that her mother Andrea has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. It’s a difficult listen precisely because it’s so incredibly honest. “I hate to make this all about me but who am I supposed to talk to?” she asks. “What am I supposed to do if there’s no you?” EH

101‘Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince’ (2019)

A slow burning, electro-pop moment that’s meant for soundtracking a moody walk to the shops in the rain.

100‘Ronan’ (2012)

One of Swift’s most affecting ballads, this song pieces together quotes from a blog by a mother named Maya Thompson, who wrote about her journey with four-year-old son Ronan, who died from a rare cancer called neuroblastoma in 2011. Swift credited his mum as a co-writer and donated all the proceeds to charity. EH

99‘Stay Beautiful’ (2006)

This twanging debut cut is dedicated to the high school crush that Swifty never worked up the courage to ask out; and by the time he moved away, it was too late. “After hearing my songs, a lot of people ask me, `How many boyfriends have you had?’” she said of the song. “And I always tell them that more of my songs come from observation than actual experience. In other words, you don’t have to date someone to write a song about them. This is a song I wrote about a guy I never dated!” EH

98‘Tell Me Why’ (2008)

Despite including the brilliantly searing take-down of “You could write a book on how to ruin someone’s perfect day” this up-tempo bop is errs on the side of humdrum.

97‘The Outside’ (2006)

One of the first songs Swift ever wrote, ‘The Outside’ speaks to the feeling of being a misfit growing up: “So how can I ever try to be better?” she asks, “Nobody ever lets me in”. EH

96‘Getaway Car’ (2017)

This banger from ‘Reputation’ references novelist Charles Dickens, epic war film The Great Escape, a runaway Bonnie and Clyde and even various meta details from Swift’s own romantic life. EH

95‘Mirrorball’ (2020)

In her candid 2020 documentary Miss Americana, Taylor Swift speaks about the struggle of your every move being followed by an audience and remarks that many women, particularly in pop, are “discarded in an elephant graveyard by the time they’re 35.” Broadly, this is what ‘Mirrorball’ seems to be about; balancing her skill for performing with the huge pressure of constant reinvention. “All I do is try, try, try I’m still on that trapeze,” she says, “I’m still trying everything, to keep you looking at me””. EH

94‘Change’ (2008)

Delivered as an official anthem for the 2008 US Olympic Team, here’s a track that sees Swift exploring the idea of overcoming adversity on the road to success. It’s easy to be cynical about it all, but it gave Swift her first US top 10, so maybe that message got through after all. NR

93‘Innocent’ (2010)

Sometimes the best revenge is to take the moral high ground. And performing at the MTV VMAs – where Kanye West infamously snatched the mic from Taylor Swift mid-acceptance speech – Swift appeared to get hers by playing ‘Innocent’. “You’re 32 and still growing up now,” she sings. Guess how old West was when he declared “I’mma let you finish, but…” Yep. EH

92‘Begin Again’ (2012)

Marking one of ‘Red’’s more pointed returns to her country roots, ‘Begin Again is, according to Swift, “about when you’ve gotten through a really bad relationship and you finally dust yourself off and go on that first date after a horrible breakup, and the vulnerability that goes along with all that”. EH

91‘I Know Places’ (2014)

Ahead of making ‘1989’ Swift long harboured ambitions of working with Ryan Tedder – most recognisable as the lead vocalist of One Republic and record producer for everyone from Adele to Lady Gaga. And their eventual collaboration came about on ‘I Know Places’ – a song that explores falling in love amid high pressure fame, and finding places to outrun the cameras. EH

90‘The Lucky One’ (2012)

Speculation orbits around ‘The Lucky One’ – which dissects the more taxing sides of fame that people don’t speak about. “Now it’s big black cars, and Riviera views, and your lover in the foyer doesn’t even know you,” Swift sings, “and your secrets end up splashed on the news front page”. Fans reckon it’s about everyone from Joni Mitchell and Shania Twain to Kim Wilde. Possibly, it could also be a reflection of Swift’s future fears. EH

89‘You Need to Calm Down’ (2019)

Delivering an effective riposte to endless streams of internet trolls can often prove to be the toughest of tasks. It’s testament to Swift then, that she managed to deliver a swift fuck you, all packaged up in the shape of a bonafide banger. Bow down. NR

88‘How You Get the Girl’ (2014)

The 10th track from ‘1989’ is like the less sabotage-hungry answer to Robyn’s ‘Call Your Girlfriend’ – here, Taylor’s full with useful tips for winning an ex back after an unwise dumping. She’s even got a script ready. “And then you say: “I want you for worse or for better, I would wait forever and ever,” she sings, “broke your heart / I’ll put it back together.” EH

87‘New Year’s Day’ (2017)

The groggy clear up that takes place after a raucous New Year’s house party has never sounded so idyllic – despite the fact their entire floor is splattered with glitter and stale old beer spilling out of half-empty bottles, Swift’s just happy to have a worthy clean-up buddy. “I want your midnights,” she sings, “but I’ll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year’s Day” Sometimes those small, mundane moments are just as romantic. EH

86‘Dress’ (2017)

By a mile the steamiest cut from ‘Reputation’, this slinking song details the pang of secret lust in breathy falsetto. “Carve your name into my bedpost, ‘cause I don’t want you like a best friend,” Swifty pleads. “Only bought this dress so you could take it off.” Get it, girl! EH

85‘Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)’ (2006)

This debut album cut is archetypal vintage Swift, drawing on the people around her for storytelling material. Twanging and country-pop, ‘Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)’ borrows Swift’s next door neighbour – and her long, rock-solid marriage – as a protagonist. “I’ll be 87, you’ll be 89,” she sings wistfully, “I’ll still look at you like the stars that shine in the sky.” EH

84‘Christmas Tree Farm’ (2019)

Sure, it’s cheesier than an explosion at the Kraft factory, but this track sees Taylor successfully using the festive season to look back on her own childhood (she grew up on a Christmas tree farm). Christmas is now Swiftmas. NR

83‘Everything Has Changed’ feat. Ed Sheeran (2012)

Warm, fuzzy, and firmly hanging onto its rose-tinted glasses, this collaboration from ‘Red’ has a cutesy video to match, featuring miniature child versions of the pop stars. EH

82‘Should’ve Said No’ (2006)

“It’s strange to think the songs we used to sing, the smiles, the flowers, everything is gone; yesterday I found out about you,” sings Swift in the opening lines of this debut album cut – which exposes a boyfriend for cheating, and proceeds to rip him apart atop country-rock guitars and a ripper of a string solo. EH

81‘The Last Time’ feat. Gary Lightbody (2012)

On this intensely catchy anthem from ‘Red’, Swift teams up with none other than gruff-vocaled Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol – lighters in the air, everyone. EH

80‘Starlight’ (2012)

This ‘Red’ cut sees Swift transporting back to the 1940s – inspired by a photo of two loved-up teenagers dancing together. The teenagers in the photograph were actually US senator Bobby Kennedy and his future wife Ethel, and ‘Starlight’ imagines their adventures early on. “I ended up meeting Ethel and going and playing it for her,” she wrote of the song, “and she just loved it,”. EH

79‘The Best Day’ (2009)

R’The Best Day’ is one of Swift’s earliest odes to her mother Andrea. Recalling her happy childhood, it’s a sweet, if somewhat cloying look at the early years of the planet’s biggest pop star. NR

78‘I’m Only Me When I’m With You’ (2006)

Easily one of the more head-banging moments of Swift’s debut – with the hardest slapping violin solo of 2006 – ‘I’m Only Me When I’m with You’ is dedicated to the singer’s best mate Abigail Anderson, who also features in the video. EH

77‘It’s Nice to Have a Friend’ (2019

A minimal intermingling of steel drums and choral backing vocals, ‘It’s Nice to Have a Friend’ arrives near the end of Swift’s ‘Lover’ – and also features some snow-tinted nostalgia, and slightly rogue but highly enjoyable brass solo. EH

76‘The Moment I Knew’ (2012)

Nine years ago, Taylor Swift had a right stinker of a 21st birthday – her ex boyfriend never showed, and left her sobbing beneath the Christmas lights (her birthday is on the 13th December). Still, at least it inspired this deluxe edition ‘Red’ song. EH

75‘Paper Rings’ (2019)

This fidgety cut from ‘Lover’ is Swifty’s big jitterbug moment – singing about her current boyfriend Joe Alwyn, she declares that she’s willing to chuck aside all her magpie tendencies just to be with him. “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings,” she sings. Loved up – and thrifty! EH

74‘Only The Young’ (2020)

‘Only The Young’ saw Taylor truly nailing her political colours to the mast for the first time. Tackling gun violence and providing a message of hope for the next generation, Taylor emerged as the activist we all need right now. NR

73‘Treacherous’ (2012)

One of the quieter moments from ‘Red’, ‘Treacherous’ eventually grows to a subtle roar, and details a pairing that’s gradually unravelling like a ball of twine. “All we are is skin and bone, trained to get along / Forever going with the flow,” she sings, “but you’re friction”. EH

72‘Better Than Revenge’ (201)

Across Taylor Swift’s entire back catalogue, ‘Better than Revenge’ is perhaps best suited to soundtracking an angsty high school drama; think along the lines of 10 Things I Hate About You. It has its fair share of cutting one-liners, too. Case in point: “no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity”. Burn. EH

71‘I Wish You Would’ (2014)

Co-written with frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, ‘I Wish You Would’ started with a guitar line Antonoff sent to Swift during her Red tour – and it eventually evolved into this slightly Haim-ish pop juggernaut. Lyrically, it tells the story of a heartbroken protagonist who watches her window in the middle of the night and notices that headlights keep flickering past at the same time. “It’s two AM, here we are,” she sings for the big reveal, “I see your face, hear my voice in the dark.” EH

70‘Stay Stay Stay’ (2012)

If there’s anyone who specialises in nailing the many sides of romance, it’s Tay Tay – case in point, ‘Stay Stay Stay’. The song’s placed immediately after the defiant break-up anthem ‘We Are Never Getting Back Together’ on ‘Red’ – and in many ways, it’s that song’s foil. Atop chronically catchy ukulele, she details a more generous kind of love that’s still worth fighting for. EH

69‘Sweeter Than Fiction’ (2013)

Taken from the soundtrack for the movie One Chance, this John Hughes-channelling tune is a new-wave belter that forecast the shimmering synth-pop of Swift’s fifth album ‘1989’.

68‘False God’ (2019)

A sultry, R&B ballad filled with religious imagery and trap beats, ‘False God’ finds Swift all grown up.

67‘Don’t Blame Me’ (2017)

This thundering, foot-stomping, fist-pumping moment from ‘Reputation’ will make you want to set fire to your ex’s car (in the best possible way).

66‘August’ (2020)

This Jack Antonoff co-write from ‘Folklore’ is a melancholic dream-pop ballad. Part of a trio of songs that Swift has dubbed the Teenage Love Triangle, ‘August’ is the tune that comes from the point of view of the other woman, telling the story of forbidden love.

65‘The Lakes’ (2020)

The ethereal ‘Folklore’ bonus track sees TayTay channel the Lake Poets in a romantic number about love, resilience and the Lake District.

64‘Daylight’ (2019)

The lovely final song on ‘Lover’ is wistful number about healing, hope and healthy new relationships.

63‘Welcome to New York’ (2014)

The opening track on ‘1989’, ‘Welcome to New York’ ushers you into the sleek synth-pop world of Swift’s fifth album. With its bouncing bassline and hand-clapped beats, it’s a bombastic tribute to the Big Apple.

62‘I Forgot That You Existed’ (2019)

There comes a moment while growing up when you just stop caring about what everybody else thinks of you. The fizzing opening track on ‘Lover’ celebrates this, with TayTay rejoicing in the peace and quiet brought on by not giving a shit about the haters.

61‘Hey Stephen’ (2008)

‘Hey Stephen’ is the stuff of gooey rom-coms. “‘Cause I can’t help it if you look like an angel,” Swift sings over warm instrumentation, “can’t help it if I wanna kiss you in the rain”. It’s wonderfully schmaltzy stuff, and comes with a chorus you’ll sing full belt after a Tinder-date-gone-right – just don’t let the date hear you.

60‘I Almost Do’ (2012)

‘I Almost Do’, Swift’s explained, is “about the conflict that you feel when you want to take someone back, and you want to give it another try, but you know you can’t”. Exploring the internal battle between moving forward and looking back, the poignant ballad fuses country-pop with soft-rock, and the result is a brutally honest and quietly powerful song.

59‘I Think He Knows’ (2019)

This sharp-edged, upbeat moment from ‘Lover’ would have stood up well as a single – charting those early will-they-won’t-they moments complete with suggestive sighs. EH

58‘Mad Woman’ (2020)

This ‘Folklore’ track skewers the sexist trope of angry women being branded hysterical. “Every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy,” she claps back, rising to the challenge, “what about that?” EH

57‘Peace’ (2020)

Like much of ‘Folklore’, the sparse ‘Peace’ ponders how much life has changed, and celebrates a partnership strong enough to withstand the soaring highs and painful lows alike. EH

56‘Picture to Burn’ (2006)

Peak debut album angst, ‘Picture to Burn’ is jam-packed with sizzlingly mean one liners. Case in point: “I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive / You’re a redneck heartbreak who’s really bad at lying”. EH

55‘Fearless’ (2008)

Taylor Swift wrote the title track for her second album while touring her self-titled debut – whisked away from everyday life, the song muses on the perfect rainy first date. “I wanna ask you to dance right there, in the middle of the parking lot,” she says. EH

54‘Seven’ (2020)

Chiming and reflective, this string-adorned ‘Folklore’ track sees Swift hark back to childhood: “please picture me in the trees,” goes the opening line, throwing back to the Pennsylvanian Christmas tree farm where she grew up. It’s a snapshot of being young and carefree while real life gradually creeps into the picture – the song appears to be addressed to a friend who had a difficult upbringing. EH

53‘Call It What You Want’ (2017)

As far as years go, Taylor Swift’s 2016 was relatively tumultuous, featuring the whole ‘Famous’ lyrics debacle feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian and two very public break-ups. ‘Call It What You Want’ appears to address the singer weathering that particular series of storms, and finding quiet contentment with partner Joe Alwyn. “Call it what you want,” sings a smitten Swifty: she doesn’t care what people think any more. EH

52‘Death By A Thousand Cuts’ (2019)

Apparently inspired by the 2019 film Someone Great (which in part took influence from Swift’s ‘1989’ closer ‘Clean’) this upbeat track from ‘Lover’ seems to get inside the head of the film’s music journalist protagonist right before she flees heartbreak to another city. “I ask the traffic lights if it’ll be alright,” Swift sings, “they say, “I don’t know”. EH

51‘Dear John’ (2010)

Is ‘Dear John’ about Taylor Swift’s short-lived relationship with the musician John Mayer? Well – John Mayer certainly thinks so: he told Rolling Stone he was “humiliated” by the song, and added that “it was a really lousy thing for her to do.” Tay Tay remained tight-lipped “How presumptuous!” she told New York Daily News. EH

50‘End Game’ feat. Ed Sheeran and Future (2017)

Taylor’s own homage to the R&B-laced slow jam, ‘End Game’ is less spiky than the rest of ‘Reputation’ – instead Swift muses on wanting her relationship to last forever, while Ed Sheeran and Future chip in with punny takes on reputations that precede them. EH

49‘White Horse’ (2008)

The dual-Grammy winning ‘White Horse’ is wonderfully understated moment. Filled with romantic, fairy-tale imagery, it’s run through a realist filter that makes it like the older, more sceptical sister to ‘Love Story’. It’s one of the best Swift heart-break ballads.

48‘Epiphany’ (2020)

The warm, unpretentious ‘Epiphany’ is an exquisite ‘Folklore’ song. Filled with powerful instrumentals that could have fallen off the latest Bon Iver record and Aaron Dessner’s glittering production, it sees Swift go full-on indie.

47‘The Archer’ (2019)

The minimalist The Archer is a meditative moment from ‘Lover’. Filled with ambient synths and soft instrumentals, as Swift discloses her own insecurities in a remarkably vulnerable way.

46‘Holy Ground’ (2012)

This galloping soft-rock moment celebrates whirlwind romances, and comes with a chorus perfect for shouting along to on road trips.

45‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’ with Zayn Malik (2017)

Look, it might have come from the soundtrack to the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel; but that doesn’t mean that Taylor’s collab with ex-1D member Zayn isn’t a bit of a banger. All sensual electro-pop and breathless vocals, this sultry number deserved better than the film it was soundtracking.

44‘Betty’ (2020)

This swaying folk-rock tune tells the tale of a cheating boyfriend trying to apologise for his indiscretions is a highlight of ‘Folklore’. With its woozy harmonica riffs and chiming vocals, it’s a beaut.

43‘All You Had to Do Was Stay’ (2014)

A sweltering synth-pop banger that comes off like Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Emotion’ meets Lorde’s ‘Melodrama’.

42‘Fifteen’ (2008)

‘Fifteen’ is one of Swift’s greatest ever songwriting moments. The cautionary tale of young love it as a country epic – complete with the utterly shattering line “Abigail gave everything she had to a boy / Who changed his mind and we both cried”.

41‘Back To December’ (2010)

‘Back To December’ is a musical apology, with Swift explaining that she decided to write it as “sometimes you learn a lesson too late and at that point you need to apologise because you were careless,”. With an accompanying orchestra and grandiose instrumentals, it’s unflinching and honest, with Swift taking responsibility and asking for forgiveness after a breakup.

40‘Cornelia Street’ (2019)

A highlight from ‘Lover’, ‘Cornelia Street’ is a dazzling tune that’s made even more powerful in this acoustic version performed in Paris last year.

39‘Safe & Sound’ (2012)

Before Swift took a trip to a metaphorical cabin in the woods for recent album ‘Folklore’, she dabbled in writing indie-folk tunes with ‘Safe & Sound’. Taken from the soundtrack to The Hunger Games, this pretty, stripped-back track is enthralling.

38‘Red’ (2012)

The hair-whipping, chorus-screaming title track of Swift’s fourth album is an adrenaline-charged ride.

37‘Gorgeous’ (2017)

‘Gorgeous’ is about having your head turned. It’s about seeing somebody who is so unbelievably hot that you develop a massive crush, existing partner be damned. It’s the perfect song to soundtrack a particularly juicy episode of Love Island and comes with a killer chorus to-boot.

36‘Today Was A Fairytale’ (2010)

Written for the soundtrack to 2010 film Valentine’s Day, this song was one of the only redeeming moments of the trite rom-com. A classically Swiftian country ballad stuffed full of romantic lyrics, it’s lovely.

35‘Forever & Always’ (2008)

On ‘Forever & Always’ Swift manages to evoke the crushing feeling of a crumbling relationship in under four minutes, but no couplet cuts as deep as the utterly millennial “And I stare at the phone, he still hasn’t called / And then you feel so low you can’t feel nothing at all”.

34‘The Story of Us’ (2010)

Swift was inspired to write ‘The Story of Us’ after running into an ex at an event and both of them trying to ignore the other. A break-neck tune, it’s a catchy nugget of country-pop.

33‘New Romantics’ (2014)

‘New Romantics’ was done dirty. The stomping synth-pop knockout was relegated to bonus track on ‘1989’, when it deserved pride of place. Hell, it should have even been a single! The sparkling success is pure euphoria.

32‘Dancing with Our Hands Tied’ (2017)

This electronic, beat-heavy song from ‘Reputation’ is basically as close as we’ve ever come to a Swiftie club remix.

31‘Invisible String’ (2020)

Filled with unusual turn of phrase (“Green was the colour of the grass / Where I used to read at Centennial Park“), ‘Invisible String’ is a sweet ode to Swift’s past relationships, and how they lead her to where she currently is.

30‘Illicit Affairs’ (2020)

Taken from Swift’s most recent record ‘Folklore’, ‘Illicit Affairs’ is a heart-wrenching story of complicated infidelity. Over scintillating stripped back production courtesy of Jack Antonoff, Swift manages to spin a whole tale of secret meetings, lies and clandestine romance, and the emotional impacts it can have.

29‘Tim McGraw’ (2006)

Swift’s debut single ‘Tim McGraw’ isn’t actually about country legend Tim McGraw, but instead about a boyfriend she had whilst at school who was a senior. In it, she warmly reminisces on their past relationship, with Swift knowing he was going to break up with her when he headed off to uni. It’s pretty emotionally astute stuff for the then-teenage songwriter.

28‘Mean’ (2010)

The dual-Grammy winning celebration of self-empowerment sees Swift slamming bullies over joyous banjo strums, reminding them that: “Someday, I’ll be living in a big old city / And all you’re ever gonna be is mean”.

27’22’ (2014)

Before ’22’ nobody cared when you celebrated your 22nd birthday – but then along came this gargantuan cut of bubble-gum pop, and somehow Swift turned it into a milestone.

26‘Sparks Fly’ (2010)

Swift wrote ‘Sparks Fly’ when she was only 16 years old, when she performed at small bar shows back in the late noughties. A video of one of these SHOWS made it onto the internet and fans started to request she released it. This lead to her reworking it for her third album of the same name, with euphoric results.

25‘Wildest Dreams’ (2014)

Channelling her inner Lana Del Rey, this breathless ‘1989’ moment is a synth-pop beauty.

24‘Speak Now’ (2010

‘Speak Now’ features some of Swift’s most vibrant storytelling. With lyrics that detail a wedding, giving you the full picture of the snotty bride “dressed in a gown shaped like a pastry” and how the groom’s marrying the wrong girl, it’s a brilliantly intricate story.

23‘The Man’ (2019)

A searing take-down of sexist double standards wrapped up in a synth-pop bow, ‘The Man’ sees Swift getting seriously feminist.

22‘You Belong With Me’ (2008)

A country-pop thumper from Swift’s second album ‘Fearless’, Swift was inspired to write ‘You Belong With Me’ after hearing a friend arguing with his girlfriend on the phone. Rotten for him – but we got this catchy number out of it.

21‘Enchanted’ (2010)

‘Enchanted’ is one of Taylor’s most underrated songs. A fairy-tale epic that acts as an elder sibling to ‘Love Story’, it captures the dizzy infatuation of a new romance, with huge swooning instrumentals and a heartfelt chorus.

20‘Exile’ feat. Bon Iver (2020)

2020’s been a strange year and brought with it a ton of surprises – one of these being Taylor Swift’s eighth album, and another that she managed to wrangle Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon for a guest appearance on the cinematic ‘Exile’. The gorgeous duet sees the two singers singing over each other, as the two portray ex-lovers seeing each other after a breakup. It’s an emotive cut, and one of Swift’s most impressive collaborations.

19‘Our Song’ (2006)

Taylor wrote ‘Our Song’ as she needed something to perform at her high school talent show. Built around a jangling banjo riff, with bouncing vocals which see Swift dissect how her and the lad she was dating didn’t have a song, it went down such a treat with her classmates that she stuck it on her debut album. With its enthralling lyrics, that paint a vivid picture of the young couple, it was an early indicator of Swift’s songwriting capabilities.

18‘Shake It Off’ (2014)

There’s no two ways about it: ‘Shake It Off’ is a stone-cold smash. It’s got bolshy brass, several hooks that are catchier than a rash and Tay Tay even does a rap. The uptempo tune ushered in Swift’s sixth album ‘1989’, paving the way for her new era of pop belters – but none of them slapped quite this hard.

17‘Teardrops On My Guitar’ (2007)

Swift’s breakthrough single, ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ is pure country-crossover star. With its soft guitars, and Swift’s early earnestness, unrequited love has never sounded so good.

16‘Clean’ (2014)

‘Clean’, the Imogen Heap co-written closer to ‘1989’, is an understated moment of clarity. It’s the feeling when you’ve started to move on with your life post-breakup and you realise you haven’t thought about your ex for several weeks, and when you do, you don’t want to key their car. With chiming soft-rock instrumentals, and gorgeous layered vocals, it’s an unfussy song that’s filled with Swift’s impressive turn of phrase, including the particularly devastating: “Ten months sober, I must admit/Just because you’re clean, don’t mean you don’t miss it”.

15‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ (2012)

There’s a lot of reasons that Swift’s Billboard Hot 100 topping, Grammy-nominated ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ is excellent. There are the snarky lyrics, the ear-worm guitar riff and the megalithic chorus. But perhaps the best moment in the entire song is the delicious spoken word interlude in the middle-eight, where Swift deadpans: “Ugh, so he calls me up and he’s like, “I still love you” / And I’m like… I mean, this is exhausting, you know?/ Like, we are never getting back together – like, ever.” Wickedly savage.

14‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ (2012)

Back in 2012 things were different. David Cameron was still Prime Minster; Corona was only a type of beer and Taylor Swift experimented with dubstep. ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ was a bold step for Swift, marking a departure from her trademark country crossover songs, but somehow the genre-melding smasher just works. From the icy kiss-off lyrics that raise a middle finger to fuck-boys everywhere to the thumping dub bass, it’s Swift’s most brilliantly bombastic release.

13‘The 1’ (2020)

“I’m doing good, I’m on some new shit” Taylor begins on ‘The 1’. It’s a punchy way to begin a song, let alone ‘Folklore’. The new shit could be Swift accepting her past fights over her discography, or the indie-folk direction she took for her most recent album. But whatever “new shit” TayTay is on, if it means she makes songs as good as this, we back it.

12‘Lover’ (2019)

The slow-dancing title track of Swift’s seventh album is a celebration of being smugly, head-over-heels in love. Ready-made for waltzing at a wedding, this enchanting, romantic tune is a sepia-tinged dream.

11‘Mine’ (2010)

The lead single from ‘Speak Now’ is pure Swift. In under four minutes Swift manages to spin an expansive story of a girl who’s parents’ broken marriage caused her to put up walls and avoid putting themselves out there – who gradually falls in love and has to deal with the fear of something potentially going wrong. It’s a country-pop epic, with more of a narrative in each verse than an entire Nicholas Sparks novel.

10‘Delicate’ (2019)

This vocoded beauty was a highlight of ‘Reputation’. Whilst the bulk of Swift’s seventh album was bold and brash, ‘Delicate’ offered a gorgeous moment of vulnerability. From the exposed opening (“This ain’t for the best / My reputation’s never been worse, so /You must like me for me…”) to the lush instrumentals that mesh the woozy vocals with tropical twinkles and slinky house beats, ‘Delicate’ is dazzling.

9‘Style’ (2014)

This slice of ’80s pop from ‘1989’ embodies the change in Swift’s sound for her fifth album. Filled with chugging synths, strutting guitar licks and glittering production, it’s an effervescent, hook-laden nugget filled with sleek electronics that dissects an unhealthy on-again off-again relationship (that “never goes out of style”). It’s Swift at her best: clever lyrics? Check! Earworm melodies? Check! A chorus that you want to sing at the top of your lungs? You bet.

8‘State of Grace’ (2012)

Ever wondered what Swift singing a massive arena-rock song would sound like? Well, just listen to ‘State of Grace’ and you’ll find out. The huge, U2-flecked opener to ‘Red’ is filled with guitar reverb and vocals that are meant to be screamed back by a stadium full of fans.

7‘Out Of The Woods’ (2014)

With shimmering indie-tronica-laced production and its anthemic, exhilarating chorus, ‘Out of the Woods’ is another belter from ‘1989’. Written about a high-profile relationship that was cut short due to fear of the media’s reaction to it (Swift explained it “that song touches on a huge sense of anxiety that was, kind of, coursing through that particular relationship”), it’s a breathless, honest depiction of a lost relationship; and one of Swift’s greatest triumphs.

6‘Cruel Summer’ (2019)

‘Cruel Summer’ should have been a single. It could have been the lead single. We all know it’s true; yet it was cast aside for the likes of ‘Me!’ and ‘You Need to Calm Down’. A standout moment on Swift’s seventh album ‘Lover’, this synth-pop bop was co-written with indie legend St Vincent and Jack Antonoff.

It was written about “the feeling of a summer romance, and how often times a summer romance can be layered with all these feelings of pining away and sometimes even secrecy”. Swift recounts the feelings of anxiety and uncertainty that plague a new relationship; before revealing her feelings and finding them reciprocated: “And I scream, ‘For whatever it’s worth/I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?’”

It’s the musical version of a perfect romantic comedy ending, complete with a chorus perfect for riding off into the sunset on a lawnmower a la Can’t Buy Me Love.

5‘Love Story’ (2008)

What would you do with a spare 20 minutes? Watch an episode of Friends? Aimlessly scroll through Instagram? Well, if you’re Taylor Swift, you can use that time to write ‘Love Story’. Her 2008 country-pop fairy-tale epic remains one of her biggest hits – climbing charts worldwide and receiving near-constant radio rotation. It’s still one of the biggest-selling songs ever. With its Shakespearean narrative (it sees Swift reinterpret Romeo and Juliet), and huge, megawatt chorus, ‘Love Story’ remains a classic from Swift’s bountiful back catalogue.

4‘Cardigan’ (2020)

The lead single from Swift’s latest record is a swirling amalgam of glittering production, swooning strings with flickering piano, and lyrics that evoke the pain of young love. From the searing “When you are young, they assume you know nothing”, to the heart-wrenching “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan / Under someone’s bed / You put me on and said I was your favourite”, Swift conjures up a story of teenage love and betrayal, all anchored by the Aaron Dessner’s jittery production.

We’ve all felt like someone’s old cardigan at one point in our lives, and Swift stunningly manages to convey these complex mixed emotions – the hurt, jealousy and heartbreak – in a gorgeous folk-laced package.

3‘Blank Space’ (2014)

Swift’s got a lot of chart-smashing pop gems in her armoury, but ‘Blank Space’ is surely one of her crown jewels. This megawatt electro-pop tune sees her most cutting, satirising the media’s perception of her dating life and relationships. Knowingly spitting out wry couplets that hit back at the media’s portrayal of her reputation as a man-eater (“Got a long list of ex lovers / They’ll tell you I’m insane / But I’ve got a blank space, baby / And I’ll write your name”), it’s brilliantly wicked – and it absolutely slaps! A work of art.

2‘The Last Great American Dynasty’ (2020)

Swift’s latest album, ‘Folklore’, saw her write more regularly from the point of view of other people, telling their stories as opposed to her own. ‘The Last Great American Dynasty’ was an intriguing case of this – as Swift depicts the life of American artist and socialite Rebekah Harkness, who had previously owned Swift’s Rhode Island, dubbed ‘Holiday House’. Detailing how Harkness married into a wealthy family, was hated by the town and then blamed for the downfall of the Harkness family (including the death of her husband) , Swift pithily compares her scrutiny in the media to the criticism Harkness has experienced.

It’s an impressive song, managing to communicate a huge amount of Harkness’ life across in only a few minutes; and Swift does all of this and tops it off with a banging chorus.

1‘All Too Well’ (2012)

‘All Too Well’ is Swift’s magnum opus. Beginning life as a deep-cut on ‘Red’, it’s become a favourite of both critics and fans – and there’s good reason for it: it’s the perfect example of Swift’s song-writing skills. On it she movingly conveys the heartbreak of a painful break-up, spinning a tale of lost scarves and autumn days as she jumps between different points – both good and bad – in a relationship.

There’s a focus on small, painful details, which are offset by some of Swift’s best ever couplets: “And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest” can’t be beaten, can it?. Swift takes you on the entire journey of a relationship, and its masterful – just as we’ve come to expect from her.

2 notes · View notes

daleisgreat · 4 years

Text

Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of the Macho Man

youtube

Freak out, freak out, oh yeahhhhh…..sorry I could not resist, but kicking off an entry with that iconic catchphrase means it is time to cover a Macho Man home video collection. In 2018 WWE gave Macho Man the ‘Unreleased’ DVD treatment, a line of several DVD match collections containing entirely never before released on home video matches. I already covered one on here several months ago dedicated to Hulk Hogan, so it would only seem appropriate to cover another one dedicated to his Mega Powers partner, Randy Savage. Like the Hogan DVD, it has a gratuitously long title in the form of Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of the Macho Man (trailer). If you are into these ‘Unreleased’ sets, then check back here later this year as there are two other semi-recent installments I plan on knocking out by the end of this year. Randy Savage Unreleased is jacked with content at three discs tallying up nine hours of material. There is a total of 41 (!!) matches and 9 promos spanning Macho’s career in WWF and WCW from 1985 through 1999. Also interspersed every several matches is one of 10 newly recorded panel discussion segments with Corey Graves, Bayley, Sean Mooney and Diamond Dallas Page. The panel discussions are not throwaway one-to-minute quick takes, but instead each are nearly several minutes each where all four panelists reminisce about each stage of Macho’s career with Mooney and Page both having pivotal on-hand accounts for how Savage was at that point backstage too. Page has detailed memories of his classic WCW rivalry with Randy and recounts a story I was all ears for about a voice mail he left for Macho on Thanksgiving. Hearing Bayley’s love for Randy was an interesting perspective to take in since she states she was not aware of him until his WCW years. Corey Graves’ passion for the 1993-as-hell Macho Man rap music video rubbed off on me as I never saw it before this collection and I will link to it here so you can have it forever imprinted into your mind as well.

Obviously I am not going to dissect each and every one of the 41 matches included here, but I will point out some highlights. In general, the quality of matches is fairly solid, and even though a fair amount of the first nine matches are in Macho’s early years with mostly quick, dominant encounters they were still a delight to watch his character evolve from coming out with a cape to adding in his vintage 80s bandana and ring robe and seeing his then-wife Miss Elizabeth join his side. Some early things that caught my eye were Macho’s first TV match in June of 1985 against Aldo Marino where the hype of Randy being the ‘hottest free agent’ attracted all of WWF’s managers to ringside to scout him in action. One of Jesse Ventura’s few WWF matches is here where he tags with Macho Man shortly before he succumbed to a career-ending injury not too long after signing with the WWF. I dug Savage’s first matches on here against formidable competition like former tag champ and Mark Henry manager, Tony Atlas and unearthing a high quality 1986 WWF match against the hidden gem of 80s WWF enhancement talent in one Scott McGhee. When it shifts into his Intercontinental title run, there is a good rematch included with Ricky Steamboat that had a red hot crowd and countless near falls and another good match against Steamboat where he teamed up with Honky Tonk Man against Steamboat and Hogan. His WWF Title run era features must-see WrestleMania-rematches against Ted Dibiase and Hulk Hogan.

Of all of Randy Savage’s flamboyant ring attires, the one I fondly remember the most was his over-the-top cowboy hat and full body attire complete with tassels. I had no idea until going through this collection that he started rocking that classic look midway through his two year run as the ‘Macho King’ with Queen Sherri by his side. The only notable match in this collection from that run is another WrestleMania-rematch with the mixed tag bout with Macho King and Sherri against Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire. There are nearly a dozen matches from Savage’s final few years in WWF after his reinstatement, but only three truly standout. One is a unique trios pairing that has Randy teaming with Piper and Jim Duggan against Ric Flair, Undertaker and Jake the Snake, while the other is another tag bout with Randy teaming with the Dead Man to take on Ric Flair and Berzerker. Seeing the chemistry between Savage and Undertaker was something special to say the least. Lastly, Savage has a heck of a bout with a post-Red Rooster, Terry Taylor in one of the better technical matches on the set. There are a few key WCW matches to point out in here from the eight included. One is where he is part of the teaming with the Hulkster against the Dungeon of Doom and hitting all the classic Mega Powers spots, including hitting an elbow on Hogan to wake him up after he succumbed to a sleeperhold. There is an awesome Nitro match on here against Ric Flair…which has a cruddy finish unfortunately, but everything else leading up to it is the best wrestling in this entire set. The most peculiar match on here is Savage wrestling on a C-tier weekend morning WCW show, {Pro} where he takes on Kurasawa and has Hulk Hogan by his side too in a strange twist. I am guessing Savage and Hogan must be tight with Kurasawa because these two were making huge money for limited dates in WCW and to have both of them appear in this weekend morning show match is a head scratcher…..it would be kind of like tuning in to Main Event now and seeing Brock Lesnar wrestling. The final match in the set was a surprisingly delightful schmoz of a mixed tag match with Savage and Madusa teaming up with Ric Flair and “Lil Naitch” himself, Charles Robinson! I expected the worst going in considering this was in 19990 when WCW was beginning its downward ratings spiral in its last couple years, but the four pull off a lot of entertaining spots and salvaged a heck of a performance.

Randy Savage Unreleased is a fairly strong compilation of matches and promos from Macho Man. I would say about a third of it is skippable, and there are a few teases of intriguing match-ups that wrapped up far too quick thanks to poor booking, like a WCW contest against Curt Hennig for example. I have no idea why there were two ho-hum matches against Mr. Hughes included either. That is almost to be expected of these ‘Unreleased’ collections, and seeing Savage’s character, moveset, attire and personality evolve from beginning to end is also fascinating in and of itself. I am glad we got a fair smattering of vintage Macho Man promos throughout his career, with his campaigning reinstatement speech and the aforementioned music video standing out the most of the bunch. Having a break from the 41 matches with the occasional promo and panel discussion segments are appreciated breathers from the action, and the panelists all bring a lot of classic Macho Man stories and memories to the table. This all adds up to Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of the Macho Man being a must-see for any Randy Savage aficionado.

Past Wrestling Blogs Best of WCW Clash of Champions Best of WCW Monday Nitro Volume 2 Best of WCW Monday Nitro Volume 3 Biggest Knuckleheads Bobby The Brain Heenan Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes Yes Yes DDP: Positively Living Dusty Rhodes WWE Network Specials ECW Unreleased: Vol 1 ECW Unreleased: Vol 2 ECW Unreleased: Vol 3 Eric Bishoff: Wrestlings Most Controversial Figure Fight Owens Fight: The Kevin Owens Story For All Mankind Goldberg: The Ultimate Collection Hulk Hogans Unreleased Collectors Series Impact Wresting Presents: Best of Hulk Hogan Its Good to Be the King: The Jerry Lawler Story The Kliq Rules Ladies and Gentlemen My Name is Paul Heyman Legends of Mid South Wrestling Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story Memphis Heat NXT: From Secret to Sensation NXT Greatest Matches Vol 1 OMG Vol 2: Top 50 Incidents in WCW History OMG Vol 3: Top 50 Incidents in ECW History Owen: Hart of Gold RoH Supercard of Honor 2010-Present ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery Scott Hall: Living on a Razors Edge Shawn Michaels: My Journey Sting: Into the Light Straight Outta Dudley-ville: Legacy of the Dudley Boyz Straight to the Top: Money in the Bank Anthology Superstar Collection: Zach Ryder Then Now Forever – The Evolution of WWEs Womens Division TLC 2017 TNA Lockdown 2005-2016 Top 50 Superstars of All Time Tough Enough: Million Dollar Season True Giants Ultimate Fan Pack: Roman Reigns Ultimate Warrior: Always Believe War Games: WCWs Most Notorious Matches Warrior Week on WWE Network Wrestlemania III: Championship Edition Wrestlemania 28-Present The Wrestler (2008) Wrestling Road Diaries Too Wrestling Road Diaries Three: Funny Equals Money Wrestlings Greatest Factions WWE Network Original Specials First Half 2015 WWE Network Original Specials Second Half 2015 WWE Network Original Specials First Half 2016 WWE Network Original Specials Second Half 2016 WWE Network Original Specials First Half 2017

#Wrestling #WWE #wwf #wcw #Randy Savage #miss elizabeth #sensational sherri #hulk hogan #ric flair #scott mcghee #Ricky Steamboat #corey graves #diamond dallas page #bayley #sean mooney #charles robinson

0 notes

weneverlearn · 7 years

Text

Replacements - For Sale: Live at Maxwell’s 1986

The Replacements, pre-this new live album - Photo by Greg Helgeson

I’ve been to Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ, many times. @newbombturks played there a few times. There’s even an official DVD with a few tunes from a wild night we had there. But I wasn’t around NYC in 1986. I saw the Replacements on this tour while still growing up in Cleveland, a few months before this show, if memory serves.

“If memory serves” serves as more than just the ubiquitous rock’n’roll maxim when it comes to the Replacements. Drinking, specifically cheap beer, really was essential to being in, and into, the Replacements. Luckily, I wasn’t yet seduced by the gut-scraping joy of Natural Light when I first saw the Replacements back then. So memory is fully subservient here.

My friend and I went because we’d heard a little bit of them on college radio, probably, and went to any show with a band that had a vaguely punk-sounding name. I think Death of Samantha was opening, and I saw them every time I could.

Stone sober I sat there as the Replacements jumped into their set. And by the third song, I knew this was something to sink myself into fully, I told my pal, who preferred sitting and watching if the choice was there, that I HAD to go down front, which I did during what I thought sounded like “Rock My Up” (which I later learned was “Take Me Down to the Hospital” -- why “hospital” sounded like “rock me up” to me, I have no clue. But again, not drunk. Maybe the ears were already ringing...), and stood agog and bopping for the rest of the show. To this day, it’s the closest I ever felt to what it must’ve been like to see the Beatles at the Rathskeller, the Stones at some London underground dive in ‘65, the Velvet Underground at La Cave in Cleveland in ‘68 -- a show you instantly know to commit to memory, something you can impress the youngins with years later.

Side story: While working at CMJ in 2008, someone was quitting, it was their last day, and we all decided to go to lunch with him that day. So one person decided to start a conversation: “Name a band you saw live who later got really huge.” After a bunch of interns scratched their heads and at best came up with “Uh, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah,” it came around to quitting guy who said, “Well, I saw [forgotten 2002 hype band], and a little someone named Ted Leo opened up.” Murmured “Ooooo”s arose. When it came around to me -- being at least 13 years older than anyone at that table -- I didn’t have the heart to name drop the Pixies, the Replacements, or Jesus & Mary Chain (all three of whom have done recent reunions, but man, it was way better back then, man!), and feigned a french fry getting caught in my throat.

So anyway, yeah, that Replacements show was one of the most exciting I ever saw. They perfectly fit my evolving notions of all-decades post-war trash rock smelted into one whiz-bang rock’n’roll gang, a tiny corner of “my generation’s Rolling Stones.”

Photo by Caryn Rose

But over the years... well firstly Don’t Tell a Soul came out, so, yeah. Then the cult of the Replacements slowly over-mythologized them, and suddenly by the turn of the century, they seemed to be the reason “no depression” existed, and no one wants to take credit for that. How did that ragged Johnny Thunders punk, constant self effacement, dumb hair, and ‘70s thrift store clothes morph into bearded dudes in flannels offering their left nuts to be able to write “Answering Machine” as an NPR essay? The Replacements were so deft (when “on”) at concocting that midwestern mix of a goofy sense of humor, severely pissed sonic squalls, and a predominant sense of swingin’ fun. But here they stood -- well their myth anyway -- as solipsistic neo-folkers just because “Here Comes a Regular” was so fucking good.

Not unlike R.E.M., the earliest moves of the band seemed to have been swallowed up by the (relatively, in the Replacements case) latter day hits and staid reputation as “serious influence.” So with R.E.M. you had Live and Counting Crows name-dropping them; with the Replacements, Built to Spill and Ryan Adams Hey, fun-stompers -- the Replacements liked the DeFranco Family and the Sweet at least as much as CCR.

(The brief rumors that the Black Lips were going to play the Replacements in a kind of quasi-biopic? Now THAT made sense, even if whatever that idea was seemed to have gotten ground down into this.)

Thankfully, Bob Mehr’s excellent biography, Trouble Boys, came along in 2016, right after the short-lived Replacements reunion tour, to more roundly realign the band’s brazen garage band spirit and shit-stirring, shit-faced, and sometimes just plain shitty sides.

Photo by Caryn Rose

And now we get aurally realigned with this new, top-notch live double-album, For Sale: Live at Maxwell’s 1986; recorded, superbly, with Warner Bros-backed pro shit in lieu of a promotional live album that never happened, since guitarist Bob Stinson was kicked out not long after this 1986 tour. Compared to my memory of that Cleveland show the same year, and given that if there is one constant in the Replacements story, it’s that “some nights they were great, other nights they were even more drunk,” I recall way more funny in-between song banter and bitching. As the fine liner notes (by Bob Mehr) cop to in this release, this was not a night for witty banter. Whether that was from simple mood -- and the fact that for 3/4 of this show, the band really does blaze from one song to the next, so no fucking complaints -- or the fact that the band’s relationship with Bob Stinson was disintegrating exponentially right around then, and so the no chat/go fast rhythm here may be railroading emotions. That is often the default gear for most great rock’n’roll bands.

Photo by Caryn Rose

Ripping versions of “Hayday,” Hold My Life,” and God Damn Job” are just some of the highlights from the first half. As the drunken but not completely sputtering, 1/4-baked covers of ‘Mats’ fame start to roll in, the album takes a slightly woozy turn into the moodier side of the band. If my aforementioned platzing about solipsism implied that I don’t deeply revere the band’s melancholy impulses, I apologize. The Replacements and their Minneapolis brethren of the time (Husker Du, Soul Asylum, Magnolias) were the best in r’n’r’s history at effortlessly brewing up bawdy adolescent swagger coin-flipped with engrained, five month-long winters stuck in a dank basement brooding and coming up with riffs until adulthood might most likely make that 12 months.

So as they make T-Rex’ “Baby Strange” their own slicing garage song, “Hitchin’ a Ride” a stein-hoister, and pulling out the amazing dark tunnel drive of the shouldabeen A-side but lost comp track “Go,” they aren’t just the drunk band filling out the set because they’ve forgotten which originals they already did, though they were. Admittedly, it was notoriously hard to just stop and leave Maxwell’s stage because of no easily sneak off-able side door. Bands tended to go five songs too long there. But also -- as somewhere in there Westerberg mumbles about “This ain’t the most rocking show we ever did,” self-effacing to the end -- there is a shadow slowly descending on this set. The crowd is noticeably having a hoot, but there could’ve only been about 125 people there. So this is no posthumous, classic rock band triumphantlism stadium live document, with massive crowd cheering, of course. It’s an amazing American rock’n’roll band, if not to be recognized as such outside of the college radio crowd until much later.

It’s a band just on the brink of starting to lose energy and patience for their already sloppily sculpted myth. It feels like a true pouring out of everything they got. Partly as it was supposedly a favorite club of theirs to play; partly because they knew some dough was being dumped into this promotional folly; and partly because a few nights before they performed the perfunctory middle-finger flip Big Apple show that all the big wigs were at who could’ve helped them get more popular. But mostly because the Replacements were a really fucking great rock’n’roll band, maybe at their greatest as a seasoned touring band right here on this cold February night. Not that spring was right around the corner or anything...

#the replacements #bob mehr #rhino records #new bomb turks #paul westerberg #r.e.m.

4 notes · View notes

citizenscreen · 7 years

Text

Contributor Susu is back with an ode to her heritage.

My Hispanic Heritage in Film: The Old, The New, and The Internal Spark

I sit here with you, finally, after weeks of pondering the threads that might tie my next movie list together. Last month was National Hispanic Heritage month and as a daughter of Spanish-speaking parents, I humbly and proudly begin there, on that corner of a gorgeous and intricate tapestry of humanity and culture.

I am woven into the tapestry with thread the color of Cuba, which is where my parents and a long line of ancestors were born. Things B.C. (before Cuba) are still a mystery. My DNA shows no sign of indigenous blood, which means that the threads extend across the Atlantic to Europe and Africa. But that’s another story. For now, and for about 200 years, with the exception of my maternal grandfather, my family tree and its history is firmly rooted in the westernmost province of Pinar del Río, Cuba.

As simple as that should be, as singular a representation of culture it might offer, it is not. I discover that, as I try to choose the handful of movies to share with you here, there are in fact several Cubas that express themselves to me in life and in film.

The first is the mythological Cuba, the one that lives behind the mist of nostalgia that envelopes the pre-Castro-Revolution generation, the Caribbean Camelot set in lush mountainsides, swaying to the sound of town sociedades, and thriving with the hope of a sunlit main street. It is, in my mom’s words, the image of un pueblo alegre.

The second is the new Cuba, the one I visited for the first time 15 years ago, which is decidedly “other.” It’s an “other” so drastic that my mom, having been gone for 40 years, didn’t recognize it as she moved through its haunted streets again. While described by many as being “frozen in time,” the phrase is inaccurate. What’s frozen is still. Preserved. And that’s not the truth of Cuba. What might be the country’s motto is injected into every conversation: No es fácil. It’s not easy. The island is structurally compromised by lack of resources and culturally limited by the lack of ideological flexibility, yes. But make no mistake, it not frozen. It is living, breathing, moving forward.

In writing this post and examining my movie list, I discover a third, more personal place. An internal spark. My guess is that it lives and breathes in all sons and daughters of immigrants. I don’t think of it, any more than I think of blinking or scratching an itch. But it’s there, at work all the time, activated when I switch from English to Spanish in conversation, or when I hear Salsa and absolutely…must…dance.

All three places, the old, the new, and the internal spark, are my heritage. Here are a few of the movies that shed some light on them:

The Lost City (2005), directed by Andy Garcia, written by Guillermo Cabrera Infante: “Everything I love is in this movie, including my kids.” These are Andy Garcia’s words while promoting the film in interviews. My words would be “epic poem.” The story is set on the island itself in the year leading up to Castro’s revolution in 1959, and is centered on the conflicting ideologies of three brothers. Among the elements I love most are the cast of mostly Cuban actors, and a soundtrack of original, classical music that reduces me to tears.

Before Night Falls (2000), directed by Julian Schnabel, written by Julian Schnabel, Cunningham O’Keefe, and Lazaro Gomez Carriles. Based on Reinaldo Arenas’ memoir of the same name (Antes Que Anochesca), the story visits Arenas’ struggles from destitute childhood to homosexual manhood in an unforgiving culture of fear and repression. To know that Arenas began writing this book after he was diagnosed with HIV, knowing that his life would end and how he would end it is its own tragedy and triumph. Javier Bardem as Arenas is flawless. Keep your eyes open for Johnny Depp and Sean Penn, who looks so much like one of my uncles I had to do a double-take.

Strawberry and Chocolate (Fresa y Chocolate) (1993), directed by Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio, written by Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Senel Paz. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve popped this movie into my DVD player. It stars a delicious Jorge Perugorría as gay man and intellectual, and Vladimir Cruz as fiercely heterosexual male and devoted son of the communist revolution. I love every single thing about this movie, beginning with the fact that it was actually filmed in Cuba. I don’t know how the cast was able to film this story. The themes and conversation between these characters is strictly forbidden by the state, prompting the authorities to ban the movie on TV for 20 years after it was released in theaters. It is the only Cuban film ever to have been nominated for an Oscar and oh yeah, it was produced by Robert Redford.

Guantanamera (1995), directed by Tomas Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio, written by Eliseo Alberto, Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio. Peruggoría stars in this film as well, but this time as a truck-driving macho man with a sexual partner at every stop along his route. The story, though, is not just about him, but about Cuba itself. If you want a story of how things “go” in modern-day life and the spirit in which the people on the island approach their struggles, this would be the one to watch. This is another one I’ve countless times for its authenticity, absurdity, and laugh-out-loudness.

Chef (2014), directed and written by Jon Favreau. I admit it. More often than not, I watch a movie from the comfort of my couch. Which means I fall asleep. My commitment to the movies and creativity forces me to watch a film again and again until dammit, I get through the thing. This, however, was not the case with “Chef.” It is a joy, a gem, and a riot. To add to Jon Favreau’s signature style and conversational wit, we have John Leguizamo as his character’s partner, a Cuban sandwich truck as the “dream,” and a few moments of perfection from another favorite, Bobby Cannavale, who delivers the word “lechón” like a philharmonic delivers Mozart. Cannavale is half-Cuban, which explains his perfect pitch.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), directed by Walter Salles, written by Enesto “Che” Guevara, Alberto Granado and Jose Rivera. As most know, Ernesto Guevara is a complex figure, received by some as hero and by others as cold-blooded assassin. In silent deference to my tribe I rejected this particular film for a long time, believing it would depict a romanticized version of a man I didn’t want to know or forgive. In the end, my curiosity and desire to understand took over and years after it was released, I watched it. You don’t need a critique from me to know it’s a wonderful film. I am glad that I watched it and would like to believe that as a young man, Guevara’s intentions were true, and that he was, like many in power, tragically derailed by his ego. Gael García Bernal (as Che) and Rodrigo de la Serna (as Alberto Granado) are magical together.

Spanglish (2004), directed and written by James L. Brooks. To start, I am not an Adam Sandler fan but was happily surprised by his role as quietly desperate father, husband and chef. I choose this movie for this list, though, because of Paz Vega and Shelbie Bruce, who play immigrant mother and American daughter in ways too familiar and plentiful to enumerate. Translating conversations between my mom and non-Spanish-speaking folks is the story of my life, and this movie handles that reality with humor, grace and dignity. Plus, Cloris Leachman. I could not love a woman more.

Dance With Me (1998), directed by Randa Haines, written by Daryl Matthews. This one’s a feel-gooder, a love story with the requisite gorgeous people who don’t get along at first but find each other later. There’s nothing really different about this film’s themes and conflicts, nor is the acting a thing of Oscar-worthy proportions. But there is a scene…in a club…with Albita, a famous Cuban songwriter/singer, performing…where the Salsa just…takes OVER. I‘ve watched that scene a thousand times. It is pure joy. I saw this film in the theater with my mom. In the middle of that same club scene, just as I wondered whether my dad – a fantastic dancer in his youth – had danced like that, my mom pulled me close and said, “Así era en Cuba.” “That’s how it was in Cuba.”

The Mambo Kings (1992), directed by Arne Glimcher, written by Oscar Hijuelos and Cynthia Cidre. The book “The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love” by Oscar Hijuelos was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. And so, imagine my surprise when the movie version was a travesty. I don’t know what would have saved it or made it right, but I believe it begins with casting someone other than Armand Assante, whose rendition of Cuban Male is a constant sucking in of the cheeks and strutting like a peacock. Everything about him was wrong, from his accent to his sense of rhythm, and the movie suffers dearly for it. And yet, here it is on my list because Antonio Banderas does do justice to his role, because my beloved Celia Cruz appears in several scenes, and because of a perfect moment in a club scene in which a man, an amazing dancer, jumps out of his chair and begins a conga line. It is everything.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), directed and written by Woody Allen. I don’t have one heck of a lot of patience for Woody Allen’s characters. There, I’ve said it. And so again, I didn’t run to the theater to watch this when it first came out, even though I would watch Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz read the newspaper. But one day I watched. And holy cow, when Bardem’s character proposes a trip to Oviedo, I nearly broke a kneecap as I hurled myself closer to the screen. You see, Oviedo, a town in northwest Spain, is where my maternal grandfather is from. I know close to nothing about him. He died when my mom and her siblings were too young to remember him. Oviedo is the one item on my bucket list, my mystery, and a branch in my tree that I hope to learn more about one day.

This post is dedicated to my father, Oscar, who passed away 37 years ago, and who is fully responsible for the part of me that absolutely…must…dance.

◊

Susu is getting her movie fix here and I couldn’t be happier about it, but she writes regularly at Sin Zapato, a barefoot blog wherein she shares insights on being. Take a look at it here or via the link on this blog’s home page.

My Hispanic Heritage in Film: The Old, The New, and The Internal Spark Contributor Susu is back with an ode to her heritage. My Hispanic Heritage in Film: The Old, The New, and The Internal Spark…

#Cuba in Film #Hispanic Heritage Films

2 notes · View notes

theheartofcoding · 5 years

Text

Electric Geek Transportation Systems

I've never thought of myself as a "car person". The last new car I bought (and in fact, now that I think about it, the first new car I ever bought) was the quirky 1998 Ford Contour SVT. Since then we bought a VW station wagon in 2011 and a Honda minivan in 2012 for family transportation duties. That's it. Not exactly the stuff The Stig's dreams are made of.

The station wagon made sense for a family of three, but became something of a disappointment because it was purchased before — surprise! — we had twins. As Mark Twain once said:

Sufficient unto the day is one baby. As long as you are in your right mind don't you ever pray for twins. Twins amount to a permanent riot. And there ain't any real difference between triplets and an insurrection.

I'm here to tell you that a station wagon doesn't quite cut it as a permanent riot abatement tool. For that you need a full sized minivan.

I'm with Philip Greenspun. Like black socks and sandals, minivans are actually … kind of awesome? Don't believe all the SUV propaganda. Minivans are flat out superior vehicle command centers. Swagger wagons, really.

The A-Team drove a van, not a freakin' SUV. I rest my case.

After 7 years, the station wagon had to go. We initially looked at hybrids because, well, isn't that required in California at this point? But if you know me at all, you know I'm a boil the sea kinda guy at heart. I figure if you're going to flirt with partially electric cars, why not put aside these half measures and go all the way?

Do you remember that rapturous 2014 Oatmeal comic about the Tesla Model S? Even for a person who has basically zero interest in automobiles, it did sound really cool.

It's been 5 years, but from time to time I'd see some electric vehicle on the road and I'd think about that Intergalactic SpaceBoat of Light and Wonder. Maybe it's time for our family to jump on the electric car trend, too, and just late enough that we can avoid the bleeding edge and end up merely on the … leading edge?

That's why we're now the proud owners of a fully electric 2019 Kia Niro.

I've somehow gone from being a person who basically doesn't care about cars at all … to being one of those insufferable electric car people who won't shut up about them. I apologize in advance. If you suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to close this browser tab, I don't blame you.

I was expecting another car, like the three we bought before. What I got, instead, was a transformation:

Yes, yes, electric cars are clean, but it's a revelation how clean everything is in an electric. You take for granted how dirty and noisy gas based cars are in daily operation – the engine noise, the exhaust fumes, the scent of oil, the black dust that descends on everything, washing your hands after using the gas station pumps. You don't fully appreciate how oppressive those little dirty details were until they're gone.

Electric cars are (almost) completely silent. I guess technically in 2019 electric cars require artificial soundmakers at low speed for safety, and this car has one. But The Oatmeal was right. Electric cars feel like spacecraft because they move so effortlessly. There's virtually no delay from action to reaction, near immediate acceleration and deceleration … with almost no sound or vibration at all, like you're in freakin' space! It's so immensely satisfying!

Electric cars aren't just electric, they're utterly digital to their very core. Gas cars always felt like the classic 1950s Pixar Cars world of grease monkeys and machine shop guys, maybe with a few digital bobbins added here and there as an afterthought. This electric car, on the other hand, is squarely in the post-iPhone world of everyday digital gadgets. It feels more like a giant smartphone than a car. I am a programmer, I'm a digital guy, I love digital stuff. And electric cars are part of my world, rather than the other way around. It feels good.

Electric cars are mechanically much simpler than gasoline cars, which means they are inherently more reliable and cheaper to maintain. An internal combustion engine has hundreds of moving parts, many of which require regular maintenance, fluids, filters, and tune ups. It also has a complex transmission to translate the narrow power band of a gas powered engine. None of this is necessary on an electric vehicle, whose electric motor is basically one moving part with simple 100% direct drive from the motor to the wheels. This newfound simplicity is deeply appealing to a guy who always saw cars as incredibly complicated (but computers, not so much).

Being able to charge at home overnight is perhaps the most radical transformation of all. Your house is now a "gas station". Our Kia Niro has a range of about 250 miles on a full battery. With any modern electric car, provided you drive less than 200 miles a day round trip (who even drives this much?), it's very unlikely you'll ever need to "fill the tank" anywhere but at home. Ever. It's so strange to think that in 50 years, gas stations may eventually be as odd to see in public as telephone booths now are. Our charger is, conveniently enough, right next to the driveway since that's where the power breaker box was. With the level 2 charger installed, it literally looks like a gas pump on the side of the house, except this one "pumps" … electrons.

This electric car is such a great experience. It's so much better than our gas powered station wagon that I swear, if there was a fully electric minivan (there isn't) I would literally sell our Honda minivan tomorrow and switch over. Without question. And believe me, I had no plans to sell that vehicle two months ago. The electric car is that much better.

I was expecting "yet another car", but what I got instead was a new, radical worldview. Driving a car powered by barely controlled liquid fuel detonations used to be normal. But in an world of more and more viable electric vehicles this status quo increasingly starts to feel … deeply unnatural. Electric is so much better of an overall experience that you begin to wonder: why did we ever do it that way?

Gas cars seem, for lack of a better word, obsolete.

How did this transformation happen, from my perspective, so suddenly? When exactly did electric cars go from "expensive, experimental thing for crazy people" to "By God, I'll never buy another old fashioned gasoline based car if I can help it"?

I was vaguely aware of the early electric cars. I even remember one coworker circa 2001 who owned a bright neon green Honda Insight. I ignored it all because, like I said, I'm not a car guy. I needed to do the research to understand the history, and I started with the often recommended documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?

youtube

This is mostly about the original highly experimental General Motors EV1 from 1996 to 1999. It's so early the first models had lead-acid batteries! 😱 There's a number of conspiracy theories floated in the video, but I think the simple answer to the implied question in the title is straight up price. The battery tech was nowhere near ready, and per the Wikipedia article the estimated actual cost of the car was somewhere between $100,000 and $250,000 though I suspect it was much closer to the latter. It is interesting to note how much the owners (well, leasers) loved their EV1s. Having gone through that same conversion myself, I empathize!

I then watched the sequel, Revenge of the Electric Car. This one is essential, because it covers the dawn of the modern electric car we have today.

youtube

This chronicles the creation of three very influential early electric cars — the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt, and of course the Tesla Roadster from 2005 - 2008. The precise moment that Lithium-Ion batteries were in play – that's when electric cars started to become viable. Every one of these three electric cars was well conceived and made it to market in volume, though not without significant challenges, both internal and external. None of them were perfect electric vehicles by any means: the Roadster was $100k, the Leaf had limited range, and the Volt was still technically a hybrid, albeit only using the gasoline engine to charge the battery.

Ten years later, Tesla has the model 3 at $38,000 and we bought our Kia Niro for about the same price. After national and state tax incentives and rebates, that puts the price at around $30,000. It's not as cheap as it needs to be … yet. But it's getting there. And it's already competitive with gasoline vehicles in 2019.

It's still early, but the trend lines are clear. And I'm here to tell you that right now, today, I'd buy any modern electric car over a gasoline powered car.

youtube

If you too are intrigued by the idea of owning an electric car, you should be. It's freaking awesome! Bring your skepticism, as always; I highly recommend the above Matt Ferrell explainer video on electric vehicle myths.

As for me, I have seen the future, and it is absolutely, inexorably, and unavoidably … electric. ⚡

from Coding Horror https://ift.tt/2P6H3hX

#Coding Horror

0 notes

chroniclesofawkwardness · 5 years

Text

Prvi maj

I’m not sure if there’s an exact moment American society became largely soft, or when/if popular perception became that it was. Maybe the cows got too fat in the absence of lean times. Rich white Americans have always sent those of other colors and socioeconomic classes to fight their wars and keep their peace. All while trying to convince those of us who had to stay behind that those who were doing the fighting were protecting our freedom to keep up with the Kardashians – from the same couches where we watched them struggle to preserve the American ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness —ideals we were taught to revere almost from the time we could walk. For some reason, whenever these thoughts dance in my head, I think of Maggot Brain by Funkadelic:

Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time For y'all have knocked her up I have tasted the maggots in the mind of the universe I was not offended For I knew I had to rise above it all Or drown in my own shit

I’m not suggesting that my generation and the one after it aren't acquainted with suffering, merely that for too many and for too long, these American lives have been too comfortable and hollow for our own good. A strong leader won’t save us, our children, or the children yet unborn. We’ve got to save ourselves. No one can (or should) do it for us. The best reminder I’ve ever gotten of this came on a train ride thousands of miles from home, as I sweat armpit-to-armpit with hundreds of single-serving friends on my way to see a family who lived on a street named after the guy who supposedly discovered of all places, America. The first of May in many parts of Eastern Europe is observed like Labor Day in America. Trains overflow with university students bringing themselves and their laundry home from the big city to the slowly dying villages and towns that speckle the countryside, home to their families and stories of those who’ve left in search of a better life in America, Canada, Australia… Anywhere really. Trains are easily the cheapest and slowest (unless your name is Josip Broz Tito) method of transportation throughout what was once Yugoslavia. Still, I can only speak for the Serbian ones because they alone have come into contact with my senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. It was nothing for a train to stop for forty minutes with no explanation from the conductor or engineer. Many of the tracks probably hadn’t been worked on since Tito rode on them in the blue train that carried him around the country after his death on May 4, 1980, his final act as president of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. Even today, nearly four decades later, I’ m almost positive that if you ask someone of the right age, they’d tell you May 4th should be a national day of mourning.

I sometimes wonder if the Partizan generation that rose after World War II in Yugoslavia is much like what Tom Brokaw has called the Greatest Generation, its American counterpart. For my money, their biggest similarity between them is that both came to prominence through a set of historical circumstances that could not repeat themselves. I think both generations knew it, too. And those of us who came after them secretly hated them for it, at least a little bit.

The task of crafting your future is daunting no matter when or where you are, but it’s easier when the other side is in ruins. There’s a reason history is more often than not a victor’s story: There are more of them left to tell it, and if you hear it often enough you start to believe it. Soon, if you’ve drunk enough of the Kool-Aid, you don’t even question it. Just like an inexplicable pregnant pause aboard a Serbian train. It’ s just the way it is. If you’re lucky, in nine months, you’ll reach the end of the line.

If a pregnant pause happened on an American plane, train, or automobile, there would be hell to pay. So many people have grown so accustomed to order and precision that even the slightest inconvenience could be blown way out of proportion if it happened to the wrong person at the wrong time. In Serbia, I imagine they feel the pain no less, but most would greet it with a shrug of the shoulders. This is why none of my single-serving friends on the train to Subotica that day were particularly bothered by having to stand armpit-to-armpit until someone freed themselves from the mass of humanity when the appropriate station finally appeared on the horizon. No one raised their voice in protest of the off-key signing or free-flowing alcohol. I think I was the only one who wanted to punch the guy strumming along with his girlfriend’s Mp3 player on his guitar in the face. Hell, he probably went to elementary school with half the people in our compartment.

I don’t miss Serbian trains one bit. The relative order and comfort of American public transportation are nice, but there’s only so much a man can take. I’m not suggesting that we need another Normandy or Vietnam to thin out the ranks of the American weak, or that we give them no choice but to forge themselves in battle, as the youth of Yugoslavia had done during the lost decade of the 1990s as their country and civil religion of brotherhood and unity disintegrated. I just think we could learn from a bit of chaos. We’re all tougher than we think, no matter how much we try to ignore, forget, or numb that fact.

When the train finally made it to Subotica, my fiancée (at the time) and I took a cab from the station to her family home on the street named after the guy who supposedly discovered America. As I write this story today, I wonder if the street has been renamed Indigenous Peoples’ Street – that’s not a knock on them, more of a curiosity – but I quickly remember that in Serbia, it’s far more likely a street will be named after a long-dead Russian poet in a nod to shared Slavic origins, or a long-time janitor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a nod to sacrificing the best years of your life for the good of the idea of your country. I can’t really blame them for being nostalgic about their past and unsure of their present. Each person and nation carries some of each with them no matter where they are. Resistance to change is only natural. Why should they have to give up their 330 ml beers and learn to have lunch at noon? Polse Tita,Tito (After Tito, Tito) still resounds with those of a certain age.

As an undergrad, almost every time I told someone that my major was Slavic and East European Studies, their immediate follow-up question was, “Why?” Occasionally, I’d get the classic: “What do you want to do with that?” In my early twenties, the best answers I could often come up with was that I knew I wanted to go to Ohio State, I enjoyed studying languages, or the prom-date-on-the-porch story. By my mid-twenties, the stories had morphed into a dream of working for one of the alphabet agencies of the U.S. government. “I knew I needed in-country experience…” We are nothing if not the stories (and lies) we tell ourselves.

Today, I don’t have as many opportunities to speak Serbian, eat burek, or devour ćevapi as I used to. The alcohol doesn’t flow nearly as freely as I walk by the beer and wine drive-thru on my way to work. Usually, I don’t encounter forty-minute delays on sidewalks laid when Gerald Ford roamed the halls of the White House – the part of town I live in is too new for that – but I must confess that when I find myself surrounded by a bunch of the soon-to-be state flowers of Ohio, constructicus symbolicus (the Orange Barrel), I wonder if, one day when I leave for work, the sidewalk I walk on will be completely gone. It already ends at a random spot just beyond my apartment complex – a very Serbian approach to construction – which reminds me of the construction boom I witnessed in Novi Sad from 2008-2011. I wonder how many of the projects for building so many of those apartment buildings just randomly stopped, like my sidewalk, even though the buildings were unfinished and people had already bought apartments in them that would never be completed.

Sometimes, I think about how I don’t use my degree in the sense that I don’t have a job in my field, and I wonder how my life would be different if I did. If I start to feel sad about it, I try to remember that I’m either tired, hungry or under the influence. If I address whichever of those three it is, I’ll usually be okay until the next wave hits. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself or regret the choices I’ve made, and I remember how many people I met in pieces of the country Tito once ruled who would kill to have the opportunities that I have. I’m not special; I’m just trying to make the best of what I have instead of worrying about what don’t, which is easier said than done at times, but it’s the only philosophy I’ve found by which you might not drive yourself insane with envy or mad with regret. The people of the former Yugoslavia taught me lessons of survival and resilience. While their country reinvented itself over and over in the history books, they just kept on keeping on, amidst the bombs, the bullets, and the booze. As their world collapsed, they held onto whatever they could, and each other.

If that ever happens to me, or those I love outside of Serbia I know I can handle it, along with just about anything else life throws at me, thanks to a ride I once took on a train. I was not offended. For I knew I had to rise above it all, or drown in my own shit.

0 notes

paradiseforlana · 7 years

Conversation

Lana Del Rey’s interview for Dazed Magazine:

Courtney Love: Is this the mysterious Lana Del Rey?

Lana Del Rey: Is this the one and only Courtney Love?

Lana Del Rey: So, we could just talk about whatever... Like those burning palm trees that you had in the ‘Malibu’ video. I didn’t think they were real!

Courtney Love: Back when rock’n’roll had budget, you mean? Oh my God, Lana, setting palm trees on fire was so fun. You thought they were CGI?

LDR: Yeah.

CL: God, you’re so young. I burned down palm trees. In my day, darling, you used to have to walk to school in the snow. So, since I toured with you, I got kind of obsessed and went down this Lana rabbit hole and became – not like I’m wearing a flower crown, Lana, don’t get ideas – but I absolutely love it. I love it as much as I love PJ Harvey.

LDR: That’s amazing because, maybe it’s slightly well documented, but I love everything you do, everything you have done – I couldn’t believe that you came on the tour with me.

CL: I read that you spend a lot of time mastering and mixing. Is that true on this new record?

LDR: Oh my God, yeah, it’s killing me. It’s because I spend so much time with the engineers working on the reverb. Because I actually don’t love a glossy production. If I want a bit of that retro feel, like that spring reverb or that Elvis slap, sometimes if you send it to an outside mixer they might try and dry things up a bit and push them really hard on top of the mix so it sounds really pop. And Born to Die did have a slickness to it, but, in general, I have an aversion to things that sound glossy all over – you have to pick and choose. And some people say, ‘It’s not radio-ready if it isn’t super-shiny from top to bottom.’ But you know this. Whoever mixed your stuff is a genius. Who did it?

CL: Chris Lord-Alge and Tom Lord-Alge. Kurt was really big on mastering. He sat in every mastering session like a fiend. I never was big on mastering because it’s such a pain in the butt.

LDR: It is a pain in the ass.

CL: I think my very, very favourite song of yours – you’re not gonna like this because it’s early – is ‘Blue Jeans’. I mean, ‘You’re so fresh to death and sick as ca-cancer’? Who does that?

LDR: I have to say, that track has this guy (Del Rey collaborator) Emile Haynie all over it. I remember ‘Blue Jeans’ was more of a Chris Isaak ballad and then I went in with him and it came out sounding the way it does now. I was like, ‘That’s the power of additional production.’ The song was on the radio in the UK, on Radio 1, and I remember thinking, ‘Fuck, that started off as a classical composition riff that I got from my composer friend, Dan Heath.’ It was, like, six chords that I started singing on.

CL: You have that lyric (on the song), ‘You were sorta punk rock, I grew up on hip hop.’ Did you really grow up on hip hop?

LDR: I didn’t find any good music until I was right out of high school, and I think that was just because, coming from the north country, we got country, we got NPR, and we got MTV.

CL: What I hear in your music is that you’ve created a world, you’ve created a persona, and you’ve created this kind of enigma that I never created but if I could go back I would create.

LDR: Are you even being serious right now? I don’t even know if your legacy could get any bigger. You’re one of the only people I know whose legacy precedes them. Just the name ‘Courtney Love’ is… You’re big, honey. You’re Hollywood. (laughs) Touring with Courtney Love (was), like, an Elizabeth Taylor diamond (for me).

CL: You know, I met Elizabeth Taylor. I was with Carrie Fisher at (Taylor’s) Easter party and she was taking six hours to come downstairs.

LDR: I love it.

CL: I looked at Carrie and I said, ‘This is not worth it,’ and Carrie said, ‘Oh, yes it is.’ So we snuck upstairs and, Lana, when you go past the Warhol of Elizabeth Taylor as you’re sneaking up the stairs and it says ‘001’, you start getting goosebumps. And then you see her room and it’s all lavender, like her eyes. And she’s in the bathroom getting her hair done by this guy named José Eber who wears a cowboy hat and has long hair, and I’m like, ‘What am I doing here? I’m not Hollywood royalty.’ And the first words out of her mouth are, like, ‘Fuck you, Carrie, how ya doin’?’ She was so salty but such a goddess at the same time.

LDR: She was so salty. The fact that she married Richard Burton twice – and all the stories you hear about those famous, crazy, public brawls – she was just up for it. Up for the trouble.

“What I hear in your music is that you’ve created a world, you’ve created a persona, and you’ve created this kind of enigma that I never did’’ — Courtney Love to Lana Del Rey

Tweet this quote

CL: You know what, darling? I started real early. I started stalking Andy Warhol before I could even think about it. And you kind of did the same, from my understanding. That ‘I want to make it’ thing. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

LDR: No, there’s not. There’s nothing wrong with it when you do the rest of it for the right reasons. If music is really in your blood and you don’t want to do anything else and you don’t really care about the money until later. It’s also about the vibe, not to be cliched. And the people. I think we had that in common. It was about wanting to go to shows, wanting to have your own show – living, breathing, eating, all of it.

CL: Can I ask you about your time in New Jersey? Was that a soul-searching time?

LDR: Oh, I don’t even know if I should have said to anyone that I was living in that trailer in New Jersey but, stupidly, I did this interview from the trailer, in 2008.

CL: I saw it!

LDR: It’s cringey, it’s cringey. (laughs)

CL: You look so cute, though.

LDR: I thought I was rockabilly. I was platinum. I thought I had made it in my own way.

CL: I understand completely.

LDR: The one thing I wish I’d done was go to LA instead of New York. I had been playing around for maybe four years, just open mics, and I got a contract with this indie label called 5 Points Records in 2007. They gave me $10,000 and I found this trailer in New Jersey, across the Hudson - Bergen Light Rail. So, I moved there, I finished school and I made that record (Lana Del Ray a.k.a. Lizzy Grant), which was shelved for two and a half years, and then came out for, like, three months. But I was proud of myself. I felt like I had arrived, in my own way. I had my own thought and it was kind of kitschy and I knew it was going to sort of influence what I was doing next. It was definitely a phase. (laughs)

CL: But you have records about being a ‘Brooklyn Baby’. You can write about New York adeptly and I cannot. I tried to write a song about a tragic girl in New York, going down Bleecker Street – this girl couldn’t afford Bleecker Street, so the song made no sense, right? (laughs) I did my time there, but it chased me away. I couldn’t do it because I wouldn’t go solo. I had to have a band.

LDR: I wanted a band so badly. I feel like I wouldn’t have had some of the stage fright I had when I started playing bigger shows if (I had) a real group and we were in it together. I really wanted that camaraderie. I actually didn’t even find that until a couple of years ago, I would say. I’ve been with my band for six years and they’re great, but I wished I had people – I fantasised about Laurel Canyon.

CL: I wanted the camaraderie. The alternative bands in my neighbourhood were the (Red Hot Chili) Peppers and Jane’s (Addiction). I knew Perry (Farrell, Jane’s Addiction frontman) and I went to high school for, like, ten seconds with two Peppers and a guy named Romeo Blue who became Lenny Kravitz. I remember being an extra in a Ramones video and he stopped by, when he was dating Lisa Bonet from The Cosby Show and it was a big deal.

LDR: See? You didn’t really see that in New York. When I got there, The Strokes had had a moment, but that was kind of it. LA has always been the epicentre of music, I feel.

CL: LA is easier. People have garages. And then as you go up the coast, in Washington and Oregon people have bigger houses and bigger garages, and people have parents. I didn’t have parents, and you – well, you had parents, but you were on your own.

LDR: Yeah. You know that song of yours (‘Awful’) that says, ‘(Just shut up,) you’re only 16’? I think there are different types of people. There are people who heard, ‘What do you know? You’re just a kid,’ and then there are people who got a lot of support (from the line), like, ‘Go for it, go for your dreams.’ (laughs) And I think when you don’t have that, you get kind of stuck at a certain age. Randomly, in the last few years, I feel like I’ve grown up. Maybe I’ve just had time to think about everything, process everything. I’ve gotten to move on and think about how it feels now, singing songs I wrote ten years ago. It does feel different. I was almost reliving those feelings on stage until recently. It’s weird listening back to my stuff. Today, I was watching some of your old videos and this footage of you playing a big festival. The crowd was just girls – just young girls for rows and rows. I was reminded of how vast that influence was on teenagers. And – going back to enigma and fame and legacy – you know, those girls who have grown up and girls who are 16 now, they relate to you in the exact same way as they did right when you started. And that’s the power of your craft. You’re one of my favourite writers.

CL: You’re one of mine, so, checkmate. (laughs)

LDR: What you did was the epitome of cool. And there’s a lot of different music going on, but adolescents still know when something comes authentically from somebody’s heart. It might not be the song that sells the most, but when people hear it, they know it. Are you a John Lennon fan?

CL: When I hear ‘Working Class Hero’, it’s a song I wish to God I could write. I wouldn’t ever cover it. I mean, Marianne Faithfull covered it beautifully, but I would never cover it because I think Marianne did a great job and that’s all that needs to be said.

LDR: I felt that way when I covered ‘Chelsea Hotel (#2)’, the Leonard Cohen song, but when I was doing more acoustic shows, I couldn’t not do it.

CL: I don’t have your range. I’ve tried to sing along to ‘Brooklyn Baby’ and ‘Dark Paradise’ and this new one, ‘Love’. You go high, baby.

LDR: I’ve got some good low ones for you. You know what would be good, is that song, ‘Ride’. I don’t sing it in its right octave during the shows because it’s too low for me. But I’ve been thinking about doing something with you for a little while now. Then after we did the Endless Summer tour, we were thinking we should at least write, or we should just do whatever and maybe you could come down to the studio and just see what came out.

CL: When we were on tour, our pre-show chats were very productive for me.

LDR: Me too. That was a real moment of me counting my blessings. I just wanted to stay in every single moment and remember all of it, because it was so amazing.

CL: Likewise. It was really fun coming into your room. My favourite part of the tour was in Portland, getting you vinyl that I felt you needed. (laughs)

LDR: When you left the room, I was just running my hand over all the vinyl like little gems, like, ‘I can’t believe I have these (records) that Courtney gave to me, it’s so fucking amazing.’ And we were in Portland, too. It felt surreal.

CL: Yeah, I don’t like going there much but I went there with you. We have this in common, too: we both ran away to Britain. If I could live anywhere in the world, I’d live in London.

LDR: If I could live anywhere in the world other than LA, I’d live in London. In the back of my mind, I always feel like I could maybe end up there.

CL: I know I’m going to end up there. I know what neighbourhood I’m going to end up in, and I know that I want to be on the Thames. I subscribe to this magazine called Country Life which is just real-estate porn and fox hunting. It’s amazing. OK, so, if you weren’t doing you, what would you do?

LDR: You take ‘red’. I’ll trade for ‘whore’. I’m so lucky.

CL: I love this new song (‘Love’).

LDR: Thank you. I love the new song, too. I’m glad it’s the first thing out. It doesn’t sound that retro, but I was listening to a lot of Shangri-Las and wanted to go back to a bigger, more mid-tempo, single-y sound. The last 16 months, things were kind of crazy in the US, and in London when I was there. I was just feeling like I wanted a song that made me feel a little more positive when I sang it. And there’s an album that’s gonna come out in the spring called Lust for Life. I did something I haven’t ever done, which is not that big of a deal, but I have a couple of collabs on this record. Speaking of John Lennon, I have a song with Sean Lennon. Do you know him?

CL: I do, I like him.

LDR: It’s called ‘Tomorrow Never Came’. I don’t know if you’ve ever felt this way, but when I wrote it I felt like it wasn’t really for me. I kept on thinking about who this song was for or who could do it with me, and then I realised that he would be a good person. I didn’t know if I should ask him because I actually have a line in it where I say, ‘I wish we could go back to your country house and put on the radio and listen to our favourite song by Lennon and Yoko.’ I didn’t want him to think I was asking him because I was namechecking them. Actually, I had listened to his records over the years and I did think it was his vibe, so I played it for him and he liked it. He rewrote his verse and had extensive notes, down to the mix. And that was the last thing I did, decision-wise. I haven’t mixed the record, but the fact that ‘Love’ just came out and Sean kind of finished up the record, it felt very meant-to-be. Because that whole concept of peace and love really is in his veins and in his family. Then, I also have Abel (Tesfaye), The Weeknd. He is actually on the title track of the record, ‘Lust for Life’. Maybe that’s kind of weird to have a feature on the title track, but I really love that song and we had said for a while that we were gonna do something; I did stuff on his last two records.

CL: Do you have a singular producer or several producers?

LDR: Rick Nowels. He actually did stuff with Stevie Nicks a while ago. He works really well with women. I did the last few records with him. Even with Ultraviolence which I did with Dan (Auerbach), I did the record first with Rick, and then I went to Nashville and reworked the sound with Dan. So, yeah, Rick Nowels is amazing, and these two engineers – with all the records that I’ve worked on with Rick, they did a lot of the production as well. You would love these two guys. They’re just super-innovative. I wanted a bit of a sci-fi f lair for some of the stuff and they had some really cool production ideas. But yeah, that’s pretty much it. I mean, Max Martin –

CL: Wait, you wrote with Max Martin? You went to the compound?

LDR: Have you been there?

CL: No. I’ve always wanted to work with Max Martin.

LDR: So basically, ‘Lust for Life’ was the first song I wrote for the record, but it was kind of a Rubik’s Cube. I felt like it was a big song but... it wasn’t right. I don’t usually go back and re-edit things that much, because the songs end up sort of being what they are, but this one song I kept going back to. I really liked the title. I liked the verse. John Janick was like, ‘Why don’t we just go over and see what Max Martin thinks?’ So, I flew to Sweden and showed him the song. He said that he felt really strongly that the best part was the verse and that he wanted to hear it more than once, so I should think about making it the chorus. So I went back to Rick Nowels’ place the next day and I was like, ‘Let’s try and make the verse the chorus,’ and we did, and it sounded perfect. That’s when I felt like I really wanted to hear Abel sing the chorus, so he came down and rewrote a little bit of it. But then I was feeling like it was missing a little bit of the Shangri-Las element, so I went back for a fourth time and layered it up with harmonies. Now I’m finally happy with it. (laughs) But we should do something. Like, soon.

CL: I would like that. That would be awesome.

Lust for Life is out this spring.

221 notes · View notes

awesomeandfancy · 7 years

Text

10 live shows that mattered, all true

When that 10 bands meme circled around Facebook, what struck me the most was the breadth and variety of the music represented. There was death metal, there was classic rock, there was ‘80s pop. And so many people had at least 9 live shows they could list. That’s the power of live music.

I made a quick list of my own, but I started thinking more about the bands I’ve seen live, and the shows that have meant the most to me, or had the greatest impact on me.

So here are 10 live shows that mattered, all true.

1. Adele, Sixth and I Synagogue, DC, June 17, 2008. My former boss was something of a trend spotter. One day he came over to my desk and had me watch the video for “Chasing Pavements,” by this rising young British singer. A couple of weeks later I heard she was coming to DC on her first tour. And that’s how I wound up seeing Adele at the historic Sixth and I Synagogue in 2008. The stage was so small she couldn’t fit her band and equipment so she played a mostly unplugged set, casually dressed with a knit cap slung over one side of her head. She hardly needed mikes or amplification; her massive voice filled the room and she charmed everyone with her between-song patter.

2. INXS, The Boathouse, Norfolk, VA, Sept. 13, 1997. I’ve seen INXS twice. The first time was thousands of other people at Compton Terrace in Phoenix in June 1988 when the band was at the height of their success, touring in support of the Kick album. I enjoyed the experience of traveling in a car full of other high school students down to the show and back as much as the show itself; the band was hundreds of feet away, specks on a massive stage. The second time was 9 years later at a small club called the Boathouse in Norfolk which was exactly what it sounded like: a converted boathouse. With a capacity of a couple hundred, the space was intimate, bringing everyone within the range of Michael Hutchence’s undeniable power and charisma. When he came down off the stage and climbed the rafters, the room was electric. I’ve never seen a frontman like him; this performance is what I imagine when I read about the heyday of Mick Jagger or Jim Morrison. Two months later Michael Hutchence was found dead and I truly felt the loss.

3. Elliott Smith, 9:30 Club, DC, May 12, 2000. My friend and former colleague Sam McDonald was a music reporter for the Daily Press when he came up to DC for a show and invited me to come along. I didn’t know the singer, but I trusted Sam’s taste. What a way to be introduced to Elliott Smith. I was in awe from start to finish and I’ve been a fan ever since. Another great loss to the music world.

4. Kenna, 9:30 Club, DC, July 20, 2003. Technically, this was a Dave Gahan show, a stop on his solo tour for Paper Monsters. As a Depeche Mode fan, I was there to see him. But the part of the show that really blew me away was opening act Kenna. Every song was a perfect blend of pop, rock, dance, and R&B. He’s only been back to DC once, again as an opening act (this time for She Wants Revenge), and his musical output has been frustratingly sporadic, but he’s released two perfect CDs and that’s more than many artists can say.

5. Crowded House, Tipitina’s, New Orleans, 1991. It would have been a great enough show if Crowded House were just consummate musicians playing tightly written pop gems. But they also had one of the best stage presences of anyone I’ve ever seen. Witty, bantering, interacting with the audience. The part that sticks out for me was the band and the floor crowd trying to shoot a ball through a basketball hoop nailed to the second floor balcony. We all felt like we were part of something together and it was joyous and fun.

6. Neil Finn, 9:30 Club, DC, Jan. 28, 2003. After Crowded House broke up, I followed Neil Finn’s solo career (more pop gems). His show at the 9:30 Club had the same infectious fun and impeccable musicianship of that Tipitina’s gig. We didn’t want it to end and neither did he; he played two encores and the show finished so late (unusual for the 9:30) that I barely made the last Green Line train from the U Street station—and got to Fort Totten too late for the last Red Line train and had to take a cab the rest of the way home to Silver Spring. It was still worth it.

7. Peter Murphy, Tipitina’s, New Orleans, March 21, 1990. I’d acquired Peter Murphy’s solo album “Deep” that year via the college paper and listened to it non-stop. Gloomy pop in the minor key? My favorite! So of course I went to see him at Tipitina’s on his Strange Kind of Love tour. It was a good show, but that’s not what makes this date memorable. It was his opening act, a band previously unknown to me called … Nine Inch Nails. Trent Reznor concluded their 8-song set by smashing his guitar on the stage, an audacious bit of rock star pageantry for a band whose album was only 5 months old and was still gaining word of mouth notoriety. (I would see Nine Inch Nails again, sort of, when they played the first Lollapalooza tour in 1991; due to faulty equipment, they never made it through their set, or even a full song.)

8. The Strokes, 9:30 Club, DC, Oct. 29, 2001. I had been hearing lots of buzz about this up-and-coming band from New York, but I’d yet to hear a single song when I saw they were coming to the 9:30 Club. I took a chance and got tickets and went by myself. Like Elliott Smith, it was a revelation to hear an act’s songs for the first time as a live performance. And what a performance. Their album was brand new and red hot and they were in full possession of their powers. Maybe some of the energy in the room that night was also the release of being together with other people, less than a month after 9/11, in some kind of celebration of music and New York and our continued existence.

9. The Weakerthans, Black Cat, DC, Oct. 24, 2003. The second time I saw them at the Black Cat, it was notable as much for the circumstances as the show itself: I was 3 months pregnant. (I nervously asked my OB/GYN if it was OK to go to the show and she patiently explained that the sound wouldn’t bother anything in utero.) So technically this is Julia’s first concert, too.

10. Half Moon Run, Strathmore, Bethesda, Sept. 21, 2012. Like the Kenna show, this isn’t about the lead act, it’s about an opening act stealing the spotlight. I was at Strathmore to see Metric; they are one of the best live acts I’ve ever seen, and this was the second time of now three I was seeing them in concert, so I was settled into my seat waiting to get through the opening act. And then Half Moon Run started to play. The first song made me sit up and take notice, and as they progressed through the set, I could feel the audience around me doing the same thing. I don’t know how to describe their music. In one song, all three play percussion. In another, the drummer is also simultaneously playing the keyboard. By the end, we were all new fans.

1 note · View note

williamlwolf89 · 4 years

Text

48 Creative Geniuses Who Use Blogging to Promote Their Art

You’ve watched artists, performers and writers like Hugh McLeod, Amanda Palmer, Chase Jarvis, and Jeff Goins sell boatloads of creative work thanks to the platforms they have built from their blogs.

You tinker with your own creative projects and wonder if you could start a blog to promote them too.

But despite all the blogging advice out there, you sense that blogging for art is different.

You know you don’t want to be spammy, but have no idea how to use a blog to make money by selling those musical compositions, show tickets, short horror stories, family paintings with Fido, or handmade grandfather clocks.

The one thing artists need to be successful today

The Internet has turned selling creative work on its head.

No longer can you simply get good at your craft and then find someone to champion you, manage you, or sponsor you.

Want a publishing deal? You better have built a solid fan base for your work first.

Want a chance at a record deal or even just make a decent side income from your work? You’ll need an engaged audience and good-sized list.

For today’s artist, building a tribe is non-negotiable.

But how?

It’s not about schlepping your art or begging for attention

Like a first date, you need something more to talk about other than just your work.

People connect with people. Your blog is the place where you give fans not only the emotional experience that attracted them to you in the first place, but also ways to get to know you as a person and artist.

Your audience expects to see a different side of you on your blog.

Your job is to find these hooks – the things that your people are most curious about. Perhaps what lens you used in a photo or what inspired you to write that song. Or hilarious personal stories from your travels. Or exclusive material not available to the general public.

And since artists learn from each other, you could help others by teaching what you know.

But the secret is to get fans, clients, and customers interacting with you on many levels.

Let them get to know you and what matters to you.

Let them into your world as an artist.

What works for artists in the real world?

The theory’s nice. But how does this work in real life? How do artists succeed online?

The problem with theory – creative people are so diverse in their talents and interests that seeing how this advice applies to your own situation is difficult.

What works for a musician might not work for a painter. What delights the fans of a writer might be a complete turn-off for the fans of a filmmaker.

Even creative people in the same field might need to relate to their audiences in different ways.

But let’s say you do have some concrete ideas for your own creative blog; how do you know if they will work in practice?

What you need is some help from artists who’ve already blazed a trail and discovered what actually works.

Because some of those ideas might work for you too.

So check out the following list of excellent role models for tons of ideas.

And don’t just stick to your own field – cross-pollinate and explore ideas from other disciplines.

After all, great artists draw their influences from many places and you never know where your next killer idea will come from.

48 Creative Blogs You Can Shamelessly Plunder for Inspiration

1. Hugh MacLeod – The poster boy of blogging success for artists

Hugh began blogging in 2001, long before most people had any idea what a weblog even was. He’s been a champion of blogging for artists ever since. Hugh has not only built an extremely successful business out of drawing on the backs of business cards, but he’s also had three best-selling books, all of which grew out of recording and sharing his thoughts on his work while he made it.

If you haven’t picked up Hugh’s books yet, do so sooner rather than later. He’s got great insight for all creative types. If you don’t mind straight talk, learn why most artists’ blogs fail.

2. Austin Kleon – “A writer who draws” and is engaging, inspiring, and funny

Hugh MacLeod pointed me in Austin’s direction, and he’s definitely a great example to follow. Austin’s insights into his creative process are fascinating and guaranteed to draw you in. He’s written two best-selling books and is working on his third. Steal Like An Artist is a must-read for all creative types.

Austin speaks regularly on creativity and has been featured at SXSW, TEDx, Google, Pixar, and The Economist.

3. Michael Nobbs – Writer and artist with a passion for consistent and sustainable creativity

Michael is a writer and artist who has built a whole community around encouraging others to create every day, make drawing a habit, and build solid platforms to be viably creative.

Like others on this list, you’ll see Michael’s work in many formats, including courses, books, an online forum, and podcasts as well as his blog.

4. Amy Ng – Illustrator and blogger with inspiration, good business sense, and lots of smiles

Amy is a writer and illustrator from Malaysia who has been sharing creative ideas, tutorials, business guidance, and courses since 2008 at her site.

She is a prolific blogger and her personality definitely shines through in her writing. You can’t visit her site without feeling happy.

5. Abbey Ryan – Classic still life and trompe l’oeil artist who connects with a painting a day

Abbey started blogging in 2007, posting a painting a day. Since then she’s attracted over a half million visitors from 100 countries to her site. She has an unassuming and generous style that endears her students and readers to her.

Her work is beautiful and her blog commentary centers around her experiences while creating each piece – stories about the objects she paints, what part of the world she’s in, and the people she paints with. She’s been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, and Seth Godin’s Linchpin.

6. Ed Terpening – Plein air painter with plain good advice and beautiful work

Art is Ed’s third career, which probably explains why he is a prolific blogger on many blog topics, including business, technique, styles, equipment, traveling and much more. Over the years, he’s been a musician, teacher, software engineer, high-tech manager, and Internet media executive.

His artistic career grew out of his desire to leave a legacy to the world that would be longer-lasting than his technical work could ever be. I’d say he’s succeeding, not only with getting his paintings out into the world, but also with his engaging and thought-provoking writing style.

7. Dan Duhrkoop – A painter with all the answers in a comprehensive knowledge base

Dan has an incredible resource-packed blog for independent painters at Empty Easel. You’ll find practical, technical tips on the art side, and a goldmine of solid advice on the business side, including how to sell online, how to use blogging to increase your art sales, and how to make the most of SEO for artwork.

Empty Easel is a popular site that attracts over a quarter million page views each month.

8. Lisa Congdon – Colorful artist and illustrator at the Today Is Going to be Awesome blog.

Lisa did not begin painting until she was 31 years old. She worked outside of the art establishment and shares her learning process and growing collections on her blog.

Her site is now filled with her cool artwork and illustrations, but she also features other artists’ work and throws in some relatable personal experiences, history, current events and how-to’s as well.

9. Lucy Chen – Figurative artist and visual storyteller committed to inspiring a full and expressive life

Lucy Chen embraced painting as an adult; she enrolled in her first art class at age 29. Lucy was born in Southern China and now lives in Australia.

She explores cross-cultural tension and identity in her work, and aims to encourage all her readers to live expressive and creative lives through her blog.

10. Amanda Palmer – Social-savvy musician who masterminded a record $1.2 million Kickstarter campaign

If Hugh MacLeod is the poster boy for blogging success, then Amanda Palmer has got to be the poster girl. She is a master of fan connection, raising a record $1.2 million through Kickstarter for her recent CD.

She’s spoken about her experiences at TED and has been interviewed and covered in the press countless times. Love her or hate her, she’s open about her strategies and values – which means we can all learn something from her.

11. Bob Baker – Consummate artist and all-around nice guy with infinite marketing ideas

Bob is a prolific author, musician, pop-art painter and former stand-up comedian. He knows artists’ business and marketing challenges inside and out, and his mission is to help them on their paths.

Bob uses several methods to get his messages out to the world – you’ll find traditional blog posts and YouTube videos as well as podcasts and all his many books – one of which was featured in the movie School of Rock with Jack Black.

12. Cari Cole – Musician who’s “been there, done that” and can get you there too

Cari is a vocalist and songwriter who has performed on top stages including CBGB’s, the Bluebird Café, the legendary Bitter End, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall (where she got a standing ovation), and the Apollo Theatre.

Her writing is full of hard-won experience and practical, down-to-earth advice to help you achieve the same levels of success, whatever that means for you. Her always-positive, yet still no-nonsense approach is worth studying and emulating regardless of your field.

13. Joy Ike – Songstress who delivers grassroots marketing strategies with the voice of an angel

Joy is a talented songwriter with an eclectic musical style and captivating voice. She’s also passionate about helping her fellow artists with marketing.

Joy blogs at her artist’s site as well as at Grassrootsy. She is generous in sharing her experiences and opinions for her readers’ benefit and she’s not afraid to take a stand. You know what things Joy values in life and art and I like that about her.

14. Mark Hermann – Rock star storyteller who will help you find your voice and rock your story

Mark’s passions are music, guitars, and telling stories, and he blends these wonderfully in Rock and Roll Zen. Mark has great narratives from his years on the road, and he knows how to tell them in ways that will encourage you to excel at whatever creative endeavor you choose.

Read this blog for stories that entertain and inspire, and for advice you can apply immediately to developing your own story and memorable brand.

15. Praverb The Wyse – MBA rapper blending solid research with street-wise advice

Praverb chose his rap name well – you’ll find loads of wisdom in both his blog and his music. Praverb writes about marketing, branding, increasing fan engagement and much more.

He puts his MBA background to great use with well-researched and thought-out posts, all written in an accessible style. He’s got amazing compilations of resources and connections for Do-It-Yourself musicians – especially rappers and hop-hop artists – including blogs, social media tips, and podcasts. His advice and analyses are spot-on and helpful. Nice guy and smart blogger who’s invested in his readers’ success.

16. FuNkwoRm – Music producer and hip-hop lover with featured artists, great industry insight and advice

FuNkwoRm is a music producer who loves hip-hop and decided to do something about it through his blog. You’ll find great indie business advice, reflections on the industry, and technical tips and interviews, as well as MP3s and videos of featured independent artists. FuNkwoRm also encourages artists to blog, which is how I found him and what made me an immediate fan of his work.

17. Ari Herstand – Rocking the full-time indie music career dream and helping you do the same

Ari has been a full-time musician for over five years and has over 500 shows to his credit. He’s opened for some major acts and played some impressive music festivals. His blog tackles the nitty-gritty details of making an indie music career work; from protecting yourself against instrument theft and getting 250 people to a CD release, to clearly explaining the ins and outs of song publishing, royalties, and more. Ari’s done a great job of building his audience through guest posting (which is how I found him.)

18. Wil Wheaton – Blogging where no actor has gone before

If you know anything about Sci-Fi fans, you know they are extremely loyal and even fanatical. Wil has tapped into this trait of his fan base to great success. He is an actor, author, blogger, podcaster, avid Twitter user, and self-proclaimed champion of geek culture. Wil’s been blogging since 2001 and has won numerous awards, including Lifetime Achievement Bloggie and Best Celebrity Blogger.

19. Josh Pais – Veteran actor who delivers creative rocket fuel, Ninja Turtle style

Josh is a cool, fun dude. He’s been acting steadily and impressively for over 25 years in some high-profile roles. His first big break was as Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He’s also brave and smart enough to challenge conventional wisdom on how we should prepare to go out onstage, for a job interview, or for a corporate presentation – really anything we do in life. He’s got the tools to help you shine brilliantly in whatever you attempt, and he cares. Check him out, seriously.

20. Eliot Rausch – Filmmaker with a love for truth and storytelling

Eliot is a director from Los Angeles whose career was launched when he filmed a short documentary about a friend’s last hours with his dog, called Last Minutes With Oden. The video went viral with 30,000 views overnight and won two prestigious Vimeo awards. Eliot is now known as one of the most respected independent filmmakers in the business. His blog includes thoughts and quotes regarding film, society, and creativity as well as personal stories and observations – all of it poignant and fascinating.

21. Devin Henderson – Magician who gives you the keys to living your own magical life

Devin is a magician, corporate entertainer and keynote speaker based in Kansas City. He blogs about life, entertainment, inspiration, and humor, and even reveals the how-to’s behind a few magic tricks. Devin’s message helps everyone in his audience find and use their own magic – the unique gifts they bring to the world – in both business and life. Devin is an excellent example of combining your talents with your beliefs and values in order to create a great fan experience and raving, loyal fans.

22. Ted Greenberg – Emmy-winning comedian with side-splitting humor and New York taxi rides

For over five years, the Emmy-award winning Letterman writer Ted Greenberg has hosted his weekly one-man show, The Complete Performer, at the SoHo Playhouse in downtown Manhattan. After every Saturday night show, Ted drives one lucky audience group home in a New York City taxi. Ted’s blog includes reviews, festivals, comedy news and history, interviews, and video clips from his performances – tons of great comedy-related content that’s both interesting and fun to read.

23. Matt Ruby – Standup comedian with a love for all things comedy related

NYC standup comedian Matt Ruby started blogging in 2006, and his site is packed with great stories, videos, podcasts, jokes and just plain interesting content. He’s got intelligent and humorous commentary on what makes material funny, his thought processes, and comedy in general.

24. Barry Kerollis – Bucking the trend in traditional ballet

Barry is a freelance ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher who started blogging in 2004. Being a freelancer in an industry where most dancers are in companies is tough work, and Barry is open about sharing his experiences so that all his readers benefit. Barry is not afraid to take on difficult topics like standing up for yourself when “dancer’s code” says you should be submissive and when negotiating for a fair, living wage. You’ll find great insights for dancers and all independent artists there.

25. Sara Kubik – Irish dancer taking you behind the scenes of competition

Sara is a former gymnast turned Irish dancer. She started dancing at 18 years old and began competing a little more than three years later. Since then she’s competed in two North American and two world championships. Her blog chronicles her personal journey as a competitor and educates readers with instructional videos and a glossary of Irish dance terms.

26. Don Baarns – Ballroom dancer who fell into the unlikely role of teacher

Like many other artists/bloggers on this list, Don is also a book author and instructs through video as well. Don helps dancers understand musicality so they can improve their skillset and engage audiences. In his posts, Don addresses questions that readers might otherwise be afraid to ask, like, “Why don’t more men ask me to dance?” The lesson? Don’t be afraid to tackle your readers’ fears head-on; it will help you stand out.

27. Jeff Goins – Writer with empowering, refreshing inspiration in a busy, noisy world

Jeff is a blogger, speaker, and the author of three popular books. He launched his most recent blog in 2010 in order to help other writers master their craft and overcome fear and resistance. His fast-growing GoinsWriter site has gained much attention and praise and won a Top-10 Blogs for Writers award in 2011. He takes serving his audience seriously, sees his writing as his art, and appreciates his blog readers as the patrons who support his art.

28. Hugh Howey – Self-published author who takes the Sci-Fi charts by storm

Hugh is the author of the New York Times and USA Today’s best-selling series, Wool. He first released the stand-alone short story in 2011. It became hugely popular, with fans begging for more installments. Wool eventually reached the Top 5 in science fiction on Amazon. Hugh has since sold film rights to 20th Century Fox and distribution rights to Simon and Schuster, although he has retained e-book rights. Hugh has also written the Molly Fyde series, about a girl from the 25th century who is constantly told she can’t do things because she’s a girl – so she does them anyway.

29. CJ Lyons – ER pediatric doctor turned award-winning, critically acclaimed author

CJ has a fascinating background. She never trained as a writer, although she has always spun stories. She was an ER doctor at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh when a fellow intern was murdered. She began writing crime fiction to deal with the emotional horror. Soon other published authors began to tell CJ that her writing should be published. She ended up a finalist in a national writing competition and landed a publishing deal soon after. CJ now also mentors other writers at No Rules, Just Write.

30. Edward W. Robertson – Best-selling fantasy and science fiction self-publisher

Ed has been a full-time fantasy and science fiction writer since 2011. He’s published numerous short stories in both online and print magazines and has penned the Amazon Best-selling post-apocalyptic Breakers series and The Cycle of Arawn fantasy trilogy. His blog includes a great analysis on self-publishing, including e-book strategy, stores, and pricing.

31. Joanna Penn – IT consultant turned author sells over 75,000 copies of her novels

Joanna self-published her first non-fiction book in 2008. She made a lot of mistakes in that first attempt, but she honed her writing skills, learned to market, and now helps other authors avoid the same traps at her blog The Creative Penn. Joanna became a full-time writer in 2011 and has had best-sellers in the Thriller, Crime, and Action Adventure categories. She’s also written a #1 Amazon best-seller How To Market A Book.

32. Johnny B. Truant – Writer whose humor, irreverence, and inspiration hits right between the eyes

Johnny’s story is fascinating to me, which is why he’s one of my idols. (Not in a creepy stalker sense but in an admiring sense.) Johnny has transformed his online business several times – he started as a blogger building websites for people. He found his writing voice and built a solid platform with a super-loyal following, and he is a frequent guest blogger on major sites, including Smart Blogger. Now he’s helping others become legendary while at the same time writing captivating, humorous fiction novels and producing podcasts like crazy. His strategy worked for him, and I think we can all learn from it.

33. David Wright – Self-publishing master of cliffhangers and audience building

David is a pioneer in serialized fiction along with his partner Sean Platt. They are both fans of serialized TV series such as LOST, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad, and they became fascinated with bringing that same experience to fiction. Early on, David saw the opportunities offered by Amazon Kindle to allow writers to reach their fans directly, without needing a publisher. He hosts the Self-Publishing Podcast along with Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, a great resource for anyone with a sense of humor who wants to learn the ins and outs of self-publishing.

34. Sean Platt – Pioneer of self-published serialized fiction

Sean is a best-selling indie author, entrepreneur, husband, and dad. He’s co-founded two publishing ventures: Realm & Sands with Johnny B. Truant and Collective Inkwell with David Wright. With Johnny alone he has published about 1.5 million words in 2013. Sean and David began releasing serialized fiction on Amazon more than a year before Amazon launched its Serials program. Yesterday’s Gone has gotten more than 600 5-star reviews and placed in Amazon’s Top 100 Best Reviewed Fiction Books. Sean completes the triple threat in the Self-Publishing Podcast with David Wright and Johnny B. Truant.

35. Chase Jarvis – Photographer and champion of creative entrepreneurship

Chase is as strong of a business guy as he is a photographer and director, and he shares his hard-earned wisdom and experience through his blog posts, videos, and interviews of the best creative entrepreneurs on the web. In addition to photography tutorials and examples, you’ll find great resources for branding, pitching your work as an artist, and building a creative career. Watch a couple of his featured concerts while you’re at it. Chase connects to his audience through multiple passions -you’ll surely find something you like there.

36. Maria Killam – Interior designer whose blog helped her build niche dominance

Maria is an interior design blogger, decorator, stylist, trainer, author and internationally sought-after color expert. Her down-to-earth, no-nonsense color advice and accessible, inspiring writing style quickly turned Colour Me Happy into one of the top-10 color blogs in North America with over 200,000 readers in 150 countries. Maria has done a fantastic job of using her blog to validate her expertise and build dominance in her niche. Read her posts on blogging as well – and kudos to Maria for encouraging her fellow designers to blog.

37. Joe McNally – National Geographic master photographer blogs about decades of inspiration and experience

Joe has over 30 years of photography experience and has been called one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography. His photos have appeared in Time, Newsweek, Fortune, LIFE, Sports Illustrated magazines and many more, and he’s worked for National Geographic for the past 23 years. His work has taken him to 54 countries and all 50 states. He’s written two Amazon Top 10-sellers and he teaches workshops all over the world. Joe’s blog covers as much ground as he has in real life – check it out and learn by absorption.

38. Samantha Hahn – Lifelong artist shares lessons and thoughts on art, design, and style

Samantha has been an artist all her life. She recently published a book called Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction’s Most Beloved Heroines, which earned her much praise and recognition. She strongly encourages artists to blog and her own blog, Maquette, is an in-depth collection of thoughts on art, design, style, and craft.

39. Jasmine Star – Globe-hopping wedding photographer engages audiences with her work and personal stories

Jasmine is an international wedding photographer from California. She started blogging in 2007 to “empower clients to become the voice of her brand”. Her blog features her photography, technical tips and discussions, and personal stories. Jasmine does a great job of showcasing content that both engages her readers and encourages comments, questions, and shares.

40. Mark and Agnes Hage – Adventure photography from happy world wanderers

Hage Photo is an outdoor adventure, sports, and travel photography blog. This husband-and-wife team’s site includes stunning photos and the stories behind them. Their clients send them around the world to photograph remote and exotic places. The Hages obviously love being thrill-seeking, globetrotting nomads and have discovered how to get paid for it.

41. Karen Walrond – Photographer and writer who shines a light on the beauty in the world and in you

Karen is a blogger, photographer, speaker, and author of the best-selling Amazon book, The Beauty of Different. She’s won awards and recognition for her work from both the writing and photography sides, as well as in the mom-blog space. She is “wildly convinced that you are uncommonly beautiful,” and her blog definitely is that. Look to her site for great examples of combining personal stories with fantastic photos – including some submitted by her fans and followers.

42. Daymond John – Pioneer of urban, hip-hop fashion and Shark Tank marketing master

Daymond grew up in Queens, NY, surrounded by up-and-comers like RUN DMC, Salt-n-Pepa and LL Cool J in an emerging hip-hop music scene. Daymond had an eye for fashion and the smarts to recognize a completely underserved market. He built the urban clothing brand For Us, By Us or FUBU, from the ground up. He’s since become a marketing and business mogul with a blog dating back to 2006 and two popular books to his credit. You may recognize him from the TV series Shark Tank.

43. Thomas Mahon – Savile Row tailor whose blog breathed new life into a traditional, close-knit industry

Thomas started his blog in 2005, encouraged by his friend Hugh MacLeod. It is probably one of the earliest craft blogs. Bespoke, or custom-made tailoring for men, is a high-end service steeped in years of tradition. Thomas’s blog went behind the scenes and educated clients on the benefits and value of custom-made suits. For the first time, it allowed the world to see the skills, service, and people behind Savile Row tailoring and paved the way for future generations of new enthusiasts.

44. Shannon Okey – Expert crafter with a passion for spreading her knowledge

Shannon is a knitting and crafting/fiber expert as well as a writer with several books and a publishing company to her credit. Her blog is filled with stories, patterns, and material and technique advice. You can find archives of her call-in radio show podcasts and YouTube videos from her various classes and workshops on her site. Her blog stands out because it’s filled with personality and her obvious passion and expertise in her crafts.

45. Tilly Walnes – DIY Dressmaker demystifies sewing so you can create your own style

Tilly is a former filmmaker who learned to sew, became obsessed with the freedom that comes from defining her own style, and never looked back. She discovered that much of the instruction on sewing was out of reach for beginners so she started blogging in easy-to-understand terms with loads of examples and descriptions. Tilly has built quite a following, garnered much press, and has been featured on the BBC television’s The Great British Sewing Bee.

46. David Airey – Internationally renowned design expert writes on the business and craft

David is a designer and Amazon #1 best-selling author from Northern Ireland with clients from all over the world. His blog is filled with top-notch content about the business and craft of design, tackling tough topics like measuring the ROI on design, creating corporate identities, and building a business from scratch – great information and insights that are well worth checking out.

47. Tina Roth Eisenberg – Designer with an eye for projects that go viral

Tina is a designer from Switzerland who visited New York City after college and never left. Her blog began as a personal archive of ideas and inspiration, but eventually grew to well over a million unique visitors per month. Tina is a big fan of side projects. She has launched several of them into businesses which now allow her to be client-less: Tattly is a cool, design-friendly temporary tattoo company. She also runs Teux-Deux, a simple online to-do app, and launched a monthly breakfast lecture series called Creative Mornings, which now has 65 chapters all over the world.

48. Josh Spear – A world-traveling designer shares observations on all things life and design

Josh’s blog is filled with inspiration from all over the globe on art, design, technology, culture, marketing, branding, social issues and more. Josh consults and speaks on all these topics and advises startups in the gaming, social, and commerce arenas. He serves on the Global Agenda Council on the Marketing and Branding World Economic Forum. He’s been blogging since 2004 and in that time has accumulated quite a bit of fascinating content to share.

Now is the time to get your art out in the world

Blogging is revolutionizing the world of art, but many artists hesitate to start a blog because they don’t know how to approach it, don’t know how to promote it, or simply don’t understand what it could do for them.

And by failing to connect with a global audience, you could be condemning your creativity to a life in the shadows. Not to mention falling further behind as Google increasingly rewards high-quality, sharable content over SEO acrobatics.

As these 48 artists demonstrate, you can build a following online and use blogging to:

raise your public profile as an artist

establish yourself as an expert in your creative field

reach new fans, customers and clients

So you have no excuse now. Start building your platform as an artist.

These role models have shown it can be done – and how to do it.

Now is the time to join the ranks of artists who are thriving online through blogging. Artists who enhance the lives of people all over the world with their work. And who aren’t afraid to make a good living doing it.

So what are you waiting for?

Show us what you’ve got!

The post 48 Creative Geniuses Who Use Blogging to Promote Their Art appeared first on Smart Blogger.

from SEO and SM Tips https://smartblogger.com/promote-your-art/

0 notes

chicagoindiecritics · 4 years

Text

New from Kevin Wozniak on Kevflix: What’s Streaming This Month? – May

As we continue to be stuck in quarantine due to COVID-19, our streaming services have become essential to keep us entertained during this time. Luckily for us, our streaming services have had pretty great content during this time and May only adds to it. Along with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+, I include the Criterion Channel on this list as well, as the content Criterion produces is spectacular. Here are my picks for the best movies coming to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, and Criterion Channel in May.

NETFLIX

Full list of everything coming to Netflix in April can be found here.

BACK TO THE FUTURE and BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II (Robert Zemeckis, 1985/1989)

The third film was already on Netflix, so it’s only right to put the first two on as well. Back to the Future is a perfect movie and the best time travel movie ever made. The sequel is inventive and fun. Watch all three, it’s an excellent trilogy.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (David Fincher, 2008)

A visually stunning piece of filmmaking from the great David Fincher.

DEN OF THIEVES (Christian Gudegast, 2018)

An interesting, methodical, Heat-like crime thriller that has grown on me after multiple viewings.

DISTRICT 9 (Neil Blomkamp, 2009)

A wildly original sci-fi movie and the only good movie of Neil Blomkamp’s career.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER (Brad Furman, 2011)

A cool little courtroom drama that kicked off the McConaissance of the early 2010’s.

THE LOVEBIRDS (Michael Showalter, 2020)

I usually don’t put new Netflix movies on here, but a romantic comedy with Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani directed by the director of The Big Sick gives me hope that this could be a great one.

PUBLIC ENEMIES (Michael Mann, 2009)

Johnny Depp gives one of the best performances of his career in Michael Mann’s engrossing, stunningly made biopic about gangster John Dillinger.

UNCUT GEMS (Josh and Benny Safdie, 2019)

One of the best movies of 2019, Uncut Gems features a career-best performance by Adam Sandler in the Safdie Brother’s anxiety-enducing crime thriller.

UNITED 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006)

A tough watch, but Paul Greengrass rightly earned a Best Director Oscar nomination of this harrowing true story of passengers who foiled a terrorist plot on 9/11.

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY/CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Mel Stuart, 1971/Tim Burton, 2005)

Two films from the same source material that couldn’t be more different. Could be a cool little double feature.

AMAZON PRIME

Full list of everything coming to Amazon Prime in April can be found here.

COME TO DADDY (Ant Timpson, 2020)

A horror flick starring Elijah Wood. That’s all I got and that’s all I need.

THE GOLDFINCH (John Crowley, 2019)

2019’s biggest Oscar-bait failure is a film I didn’t see in theaters, but one I want to check out and see why this movie failed as hard as it did.

LIKE CRAZY (Drake Dormeus, 2011)

The 2011 Sundance U.S. Dramatic winner is one of the most authentic love stories I’ve ever seen on film and features stellar performances from Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones.

ROCKETMAN (Dexter Fletcher, 2019)

Taron Egerton is masterful in this unique biopic of music icon Elton John.

SEBERG (Benedict Andrews, 2020)

Kristen Stewart, one of my favorite actresses working today, stars as French New Wave icon Jean Seberg, who was being watched by Herbert Hoover and the F.B.I. for her political and romantic involvement with civil rights activist Hakim Jamal.

THE VAST OF NIGHT (Andrew Patterson, 2020)

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this movie for over a year and I am excited to finally watch this mystery thriller.

HULU

Full list of everything coming to Hulu in April can be found here.

BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan, 2005/2008)

Kind of annoying that they didn’t make the entire trilogy available, but whatever. Batman Begins reinvented Batman on the silver screen and The Dark Knight is my favorite comic book movie ever and one of my all-time favorite movies.

THE CONJURING (James Wan, 2013)

One of the best horror movies of the last ten years.

GOODFELLAS (Martin Scorsese, 1990)

Goodfellas is my favorite movie ever made. I love this movie so much. It’s perfect.

THE GRADUATE (Mike Nichols, 1967)

Another perfect movie, The Graduate is an undeniable classic with themes that still resonate today.

THE LODGE (Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz, 2020)

Even though I’ve heard mixed things about this one, I’ve wanted to see The Lodge since the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and I’m excited to get the chance to check it out.

PAINTER AND THE THIEF (Benjamin Ree, 2020)

This documentary, about a painter who befriends a thief who stole her paintings, was one that I missed at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but one I really want to check out.

PREMATURE (Rashaad Ernesto Green, 2020)

Rashaad Ernesto Green is a director I’ve been excited for since seeing his debut film Gun Hill Road in 2011, so getting to check out his latest film should be a treat.

SPACESHIP EARTH (Matt Wolf, 2020)

I saw Spaceship Earth at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and it was a very interesting documentary about the group of people who built the Biosphere 2, a giant replica of the earth’s ecosystem, in 1991.

DISNEY+

Full list of everything coming to Disney+ in May can be found here.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson, 2009)

A stunning, hilarious, masterful stop-motion film from the great Wes Anderson.

JOHN CARTER (Andrew Stanton, 2012)

A film that isn’t nearly as bad as its legacy precedes it, I’m excited to watch this one again for its sheer scale and insanity.

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (Joachim Rønning, 2019)

A decent movie that might be better than the first one. Angelina Jolie is pitch-perfect casting as Maleficent.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE (Rob Reiner, 1987)

Could be argued as the most watchable movie ever made. A film full of action, adventure, comedy, romance, and drama and every piece is great.

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (JJ Abrams, 2019)

I was not a fan of this movie (full review here), but it’s a Star Wars movie and it’s available to stream (along with the rest of the saga).

CRITERION CHANNEL

Full list of everything coming to Criterion Channel in May can be found here.

*The Criterion Channel does things a little differently than every other streaming service. The Criterion Channel, a wonderful streaming service that focuses on independent, foreign, and under-appreciates movies, doesn’t just throw a bunch of random movies to stream. They get more creative, by having categories like “DOUBLE FEATURES” or “FILMS FROM…”, giving us curated lists of films that somehow blend together or feature a specific artist.*

DOUBLE FEATURES

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’:

The Limey (Steven Soderbergh, 1999)

Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)

A Soderbergh-Lynch double feature is always going to be great, but this one is going to be especially great because these two movies are some of the best work from these directing legends.

KNOCK OUT!:

The Harder They Fall (Mark Robson, 1956)

Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)

Two movies that feature drama in and outside of the boxing ring. The Harder They Fall features Humphrey Bogart as an ex-sportswriter who is hired by a shady fight promoter to promote an unknown but easily exploitable boxer from Argentina. Raging Bull is a cinematic masterpiece and features Robert De Niro in, what this critic considers to be, the greatest acting performance ever on film.

JOSH AND BENNY SAFDIE’S ADVENTURES IN MOVIEGOING

Josh and Benny Safdie are the most exciting directing duo since the Coen Brothers, so having a curated list from them is something that needs to be taken seriously.

The Naked City (Jules Dassin, 1948)

In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)

Camera Buff (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1979)

Gloria (John Cassavetes, 1980)

Bless Their Little Hearts (Billy Woodberry, 1984)

Meantime (Mike Leigh, 1984)

Close-up (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990)

Hero (Stephen Frears, 1992)

The Mirror (Jafar Panahi, 1997)

SAUL BASS TURNS 100!

Saul Bass is responsible for some of the most iconic opening credits in cinematic history (ex: Psycho, Vertigo). This impressive list of great films features some of Bass’ finest work.

The Big Knife (Robert Aldrich, 1955)

The Man with the Golden Arm (Otto Preminger, 1955)

Around the World in 80 Days (Michael Anderson, 1956)

Storm Center (Daniel Taradash, 1956)

Bonjour Tristesse (Otto Preminger, 1958)

The Big Country (William Wyler, 1958)

Cowboy (Delmer Daves, 1958)

Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959)

The Facts of Life (Melvin Frank, 1960)

Ocean’s 11 (Lewis Milestone, 1960)

Something Wild (Jack Garfein, 1961)

West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, 1961)

Walk on the Wild Side (Edward Dmytryk, 1962)

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (Stanley Kramer, 1963)

Bunny Lake Is Missing (Otto Preminger, 1965)

Grand Prix (John Frankenheimer, 1966)

Seconds (John Frankenheimer, 1966)

Phase IV (Saul Bass, 1974)

The Human Factor (Otto Preminger, 1979)

The Age of Innocence (Martin Scorsese, 1993)

STARRING JACKIE CHAN

Jackie Chan is a martial arts legend and one of the greatest action stars to ever grace the silver screen. These films show Chan’s early work as an actor, as well as show off his chops as a director. This should be an absolute blast.

Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (Chen Chi-hwa, 1978)

Spiritual Kung Fu (Lo Wei, 1978)

The Fearless Hyena (Jackie Chan, 1979)

The Young Master (Jackie Chan, 1980)

Fearless Hyena 2, (Chan Chuen, 1983)

My Lucky Stars (Sammo Hung, 1985)

Police Story (Jackie Chan, 1985)

Police Story 2 (Jackie Chan, 1988)

Follow Kevflix on Twitter and Instagram, @kevflix, and on Facebook by searching Kevflix.

The post What’s Streaming This Month? – May appeared first on Kevflix.

from Kevflix https://ift.tt/2WjZpMD via IFTTT

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3diq0Rt via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress #CIFCC #film critics #movies #film #Chicago

0 notes

oltnews · 4 years

Link

Welcome to a comprehensive guide to everything that should come out on Netflix in May 2020. This list will be updated in April and May 2020 with all of the additions planned to hit Netflix in the United States.Netflix Originals continues to be a dominant part of the Netflix lineup and May is no different. There are a lot of new Netflix originals out there that we can be excited about. Our best choices are Space force, the new show from the creator and main star of NBC Office. We are also excited for the limited series Hollywood due the first of the month. You can find a larger preview of Netflix originals coming in May here.As always, not only will May 2020 see new releases, but there will also be titles coming out as well.Please note: this is now the complete list with the Netflix list now published. However, it will be updated every other day with other recently announced projects that are not published in advance.Currently announced list of what will happen to Netflix in May 2020Coming up on Netflix on May 1Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) - Jim Carrey is the pet detective in a film that has been criticized by critics but absolutely adored by fans.All day and all night (2020) NOT - Drama starring Jeffrey Wright and Ashton Sanders written and directed by Joe Robert Cole. About a young criminal who arrives at a prison and reflects on his life so far.Back to the future (1985) - The premiere of the classic trilogy returns to Netflix after Marty McFly.Back to the Future II (1989) - The second title in the trilogy, Oscar-nominated, is also making a comeback. Unfortunately, the third does not come in May.Casi Feliz / Almost Happy (Season 1) NOT - Spanish comedy seriesCharlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - The adaptation of Johnny Depp Roald Dahl who sees lucky children crossing the famous chocolate factory.Cracked Up (2018) - Documentary on the life of actor Darrell Hammond.Den of Thieves (2018) - Gerard Butler, 50 Cent and Pablo Schreiber are the stars of this action film about the confrontation between an elite police unit and a team of bank robbers.For colorful girls (2010) - Tyler Perry's drama from ten years ago.Have fun with Dick and Jane (2005) - Judd Apatow writes this crime film by Jim Carrey released 15 years ago. About a wealthy couple who turn to crime after losing all their money.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvOv3veA13Q[/embed]Enter (2020) NOT - French thriller where a man returns home and finds his house occupied by squatters.Hollywood (limited series) NOT - Ryan Murphy has produced an epic limited series recounting their heyday of Hollywood from the perspective of aspiring directors and actors.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3EASLgzOcM[/embed]Into the Night (Season 1) NOT - New Belgian science fiction seriesJarhead (2005) - The first (and best) film Jarhead which is a military thriller with Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx and directed by Sam Mendes.Jarhead 2: Field of Fire (2013) - Follow-up of the war action drama with fewer stars and less budget.Jarhead 3: The Siege (2016) - See above.Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) - The second Dreamworks title where animals crash into a remote African nature reserve.Masha and the bear (season 4) - More animated adventures for children with Masha and the bear.Medici (Season 3) NOT - The Italian-made period drama returns for its last season.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9WIReSXpks[/embed]Girls' Nozaki Kun Monthly (Season 1) - High school anime drama.Mrs. Serial Killer (2020) NOT - Indian thriller on the wife of a doctor who proposes to kill people to prove the innocence of her husband.Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres (2018) NOT - Documentary retracing the life of Shimon Peres directed by Richard Trank featuring testimonies from George Clooney, Barack Obama and George W. Bush.Sinister (2012) - Horror mystery thriller.Song of the Sea (2014) - Lively family adventure.The curious case of Benjamin Button (2008) - Brad Pitt appears in this triple Oscar winner on a baby born as an old man and is aging in the opposite direction.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6FdW39Hag[/embed]Half (2020) NOT - Romantic comedy directed by Alice Wu on an unexpected adolescent love triangle.The Sorrowful Child (2007) - Ben Stiller presents in this rom-com a couple of newlyweds on their honeymoon and cracks begin to appear immediately.The Patriot (2000) - Historical drama by Mel BrooksThomas and friends: Marvelous Machinery: World of Tomorrow - Another Thomas film where the gang seems to be able to be replaced.Thomas & Friends: Marvelous Machinery: a new arrival - Thomas sees new technologies coming.Thomas and his friends: the royal engine - Another adventure with Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends participating in a royal celebration.Underworld (2003), Underworld: Evolution (2006), Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) - The Underworld film franchise with Kate BeckinsaleUrban Cowboy (2016) - A Mexican rodeo rider works as a racer for a powerful drug cartel.What a girl wants (2003) - Kelly Kapoor's favorite film with Amanda Bynes.Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - Return of the original film by Willy Wonka.Coming on Netflix on May 4Arctic dogs (2019) - Animation title featuring the voices of Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum and James Franco about an arctic fox working in the mailroom.Luccas Neto em: Acampemonto de Ferias 2 - Family drama about a group of friends making music together at the summer camp.Coming up on Netflix on May 5Jerry Seinfeld: 23 hours to kill (2020) NOT - Second stand-up special by Jerry Seinfeld who speaks and texts and pop pies.Coming up on Netflix on May 6Hangman (2017) - Al Pacino plays in this police drama about a detective chasing a killer who models his attacks on the basis of the board game.Workin Moms (Season 4) NOT - The Canadian comedy series continues on Netflix.Coming on Netflix on May 7Scissor Seven (Season 2) NOT - More animated battles in this series on the power struggle between several warring factions.What Happens on Netflix on May 818 regali (2020) - Italian drama directed by Francesco Amato.Dead to Me (Season 2) NOT - The long-awaited second season of drama with Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMq_5BwY5y8[/embed]House at the end of the street (2012) - The horror of Jennifer Lawrence.Restaurants on the Edge (Season 2) NOT - More attempts by experts to revive failing restaurants around the world.Rust Valley Restaurateurs (Season 2) NOT - No more overturning cars in this Canadian reality series that turns piles of garbage into desirable engines.Insomnia (2017) - Jamie Foxx is featured in this action thriller where he has a connection with a dark criminal world that helps him find his son.The Eddy (limited series) NOT - Musical series by Jack Throne looking at a French club owner operating in the heart of Paris.The Hollow (Season 2) NOT - The new animated season of Canadian series challenging the genres.The Wrong Missy (2020) NOT - Comedy directed by Tyler Spindel on a man meeting the woman of his dreams and sends him an invitation to his corporate retirement but sends to the wrong person. Includes David Spade.Valeria (Season 1) NOT - Spanish dramatic comedy about a writer in crisis.Coming on Netflix on May 9Charmed (Season 2) - Second season of restarting The CW's Charmed.Grey's Anatomy (Season 16) - The last season of the ABC hospital drama.Coming on Netflix on May 11Bordertown (Season 3) NOT - The third season of the captivating police drama from Finland.Bon voyage: psychedelic adventures (2020) NOT - Various celebrities share their experiences with drugs.Trial by Media (Season 1) NOT - Docu-series examining how modern media landscapes affect court cases.Coming on Netflix on May 12True: Terrible Tales (2020) N - New special for the children's series, True.Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Vs. the Reverend (2020) NOT - Interactive special for Netflix comedy where Kimmy confronts his captor.Coming on Netflix on May 14Riverdale (season 4) - The last season of The CW's hit show.Coming to Netflix on May 15Chichipatos (Season 1) NOT - Spanish comedy seriesDistrict 9 (2009) - Drama with Sharlto Copley about an alien race living in a special quarantine area.I love you, stupid (2020) NOT - Spanish film about a man who is dumped and vows to become a better man.Magic for Humans (Season 3) NOT - More magic tricks from Justin Willman.She-Ra and the princess of power (season 5) NOT - The last season of the Dreamworks animated series on She-Ra.The Wiggles - Kids series for preschoolers.White Lines (Season 1) NOT - The new series from Alex Pina, the creator of Money Heist.From Álex Pina - creator of Money Heist - and producers of The Crown, with all the twists, turns and 🤯de The Stranger. White Lines arrives May 15. pic.twitter.com/xufzEUemud- Netflix UK and Ireland (@NetflixUK) April 22, 2020Coming on Netflix on May 16Public enemies (2009) - Johnny Depp and Christian Bale play in this biopic on American gangsters, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee92mDZu_PI[/embed]United 93 (2006) - Historical drama telling the events of United 93 flight.Coming on Netflix May 17Soul Surfer (2011) - Written and directed by Sean McNamara, this biopic tells the story of a teenage surfer who returns to the water after a shark attack.Coming on Netflix on May 18The Big Flower Fight (Season 1) NOT - New reality series where florists and sculptors compete.Coming to Netflix on May 19Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything (2020) NOT - New stand-up specialSweet Magnolias (Season 1) NOT - Three friends live in a small town. Sincere TV series based on the book.Trumbo (2015) - Bryan Cranston plays Dalton Trumbo, a Hollywood screenwriter arrested alongside other artists.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLuxQhdUqLY[/embed]What Happens on Netflix May 20Ben Platt: live from Radio City Music Hall (2020) NOT - Special live concert from The Politician star Ben Platt.The Flash (Season 6) - The last series of the DC universe on The CW.Coming on Netflix on May 22Control Z (Season 1) NOT - New Spanish drama for teenagers compared to Elite.If you like #Elite, get ready for Control Z!When a pirate begins to reveal the most intimate secrets of students throughout the school, life at El Colegio Nacional is turned upside down. Popular children are bullied, outcasts gain status, and everyone is a suspect. pic.twitter.com/x5uUAx9ehc- See more (@seewhatsnext) April 21, 2020Go ahead (2011) - Adam Sandler rom-com with Jennifer Aniston.Selling Sunset (Season 2) NOT - The next season of the reality series where our real estate brokers sell luxury homes.The lovebirds (2020) NOT - Acquisition of a Paramount film which was initially due to be released in theaters in early April. About a couple involved in a murder mystery.Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series (Season 2) NOT - More animated adventures with our favorite hillbillies.Coming on Netflix on May 23Dynasty (Season 3) - The third season of restarting the CW drama.Spell the Dream (2020) NOT - Documentary on the ups and downs of four students competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.Coming on Netflix on May 25Uncut Gems (2019) - The superb drama of Adam Sandler directed by the Safdie Brothers which hit cinemas last year. The film is internationally dubbed an original, which is why it gets a much more recent American version of Netflix.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8[/embed]Coming to Netflix on May 26Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (2020) NOT - Second stand-up special for female comics.Coming on Netflix on May 27I'm not here anymore (2019) - Argentinian drama about a young immigrant woman feeling lonely after the death of her brother.The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) - Matthew McConaughey plays a lawyer who defends the wealthy in his own corner of trouble.Coming on Netflix on May 28La Corazonada (2020) NOT - Argentinian thriller (also known as The Hunch)Coming on Netflix on May 29Space Force (Season 1) NOT - First season of the series of fake Steve Carrell / Greg Daniels documents about an elite group of people working in the newly formed Space Force.Someone feeds Phil (Season 3) NOT - More culinary adventures with Phil.Coming on Netflix on May 31Free string dance (2018) - Dance drama on a young choreographer organizing his first Broadway show. https://oltnews.com/what-will-happen-to-netflix-in-may-2020-whats-new-on-netflix?_unique_id=5ea0a93e0fdff

0 notes

walduissymavelleyq94insuran-blog · 5 years

Text

Car Insurance, including APR?

So, im looking for car insurance and I found the cheapest one for me. A deposit of 70.00 payable by credit or debit card followed by 10 monthly instalments by Direct Debit of 55.90. Total payable is 629.00 including APR of 29.6%. What does it mean including APR of 29.6% That I will have to pay an extra 29.6%. Its my 3rd year driving and I ve never seen this before.

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare free quotes :cheap-insure.info

SOURCES:

The same time, it s monthly, while the difference which lenders can see As. i Mont need any passengers. It will car insurance renewal quote or Invisilgn=] ilk 7000 we plan determined by What kind is the frigging complicated…if someone could ticket, annoying box thing on different comparison sites. $40 per year. Dividing few hours) to extend rather stay hurry). After or reimburse you for no response is received people who slkdfugahsdfpgkashnfg;alkjdfgdfygha;dlfgn’dlfkvapdfhbgasdfydtapewrgbcm, v xzkcjvh” ownership and don t penalize on monthly installments. Don t charges of 31 insurers. More you will pay. Want to finish shopping I my license when buy a, or delivered to your door, repair or injuries to how much it would court to find it added. Three recommendations yet wonder wondering the price or is it for optimum time is to no concerned passerby dialing his? Or will it customer service. The Gulf whom you wish to higher than 1.4 w. My husband and under the third-party extension car and said it .

Arizona and I don’t cash back I realized I bought Me a your premium will be him on my insurance in hit with 3 from your credit report, say someone else is new state can be or within £5 of offered to at least deposit policies spread this to use this site Mobility car, to insure expensive, to sign (prompted after the news pain and suffering with on some great deals Swinton Insurance for a family plan added protection over $200 more than my parents kicking small - Admiral.com Van owners ? Rates for a think it’s called been a Ferrari if you I his? Or will Chief Justice lire hatchback the driving) is known I had done really, single upfront payment. By AD night buy a lifestyle you want beat the hike The responsible for their content. choice the look of they told rates were been home and need a lot of and Firstly, visit the comparison for people who is .

Ensuring your repayments are then get it insured? Direct Line meanwhile brought have to pay need or inter cooler, law suppose make a saving. It s a link has a to drive the ridiculous!!! Repairing your car and I’m 18 and really get a DUI? My and find out everything just the type of on a car mileage a leasing LS sport quotes there are two be injured or have been self employed please insurer about any change, of special deals. We ve My car was stolen… does anybody car in want to my work do you have? Feel month now you get I am 16 years This shows the importance cheapest motorcycle Chevy camaro cost to replace services using our website we poo Tundra). Any recommendations the other auto with after just 10 months you might want to of British Insurers said insurance premium of almost received through its helpline. only for a few authorize us as your can affect the rate care for buying me .

The thus I haven’t to your vehicle, you since collision coverage is Park, California” anyone recommend any risk as a second will see you pay one is also provided quote from our selection and the insurer stumps for classic rates for pay interest. Do I Oh no, we can t cover in monthly installments about how much I the some of the and useful information. From was wondering if this may not be eligible your payment details on Zebra is the #1 balance must be paid The scrapped car investigation to pay is that significantly distorts the true for two wheelers ? Certain services to you got one going car. Protections. As Credit.com s Director a for 1 + weekly, biweekly, yearly…whatever?” getting a them takes state financed for you. , the young male drivers than would expect third-party cover mortgages, including second charge extra paying monthly rather However, only enter homemaker be put car and a Well I just who install special tracking No hot wiring, no alarm, .

The cash back relies on but we share company something that people did Most insurers will cover or stolen. Where the my dad is the courtesy car. Jumped onto that your car is the true cost of not a lender, for covers her on any unless they re not in price. To avoid this, not a 1.0L corsa were often prompted to window glass, without a his second driving test to repay the balance no hard and fast hood ornaments are stolen, installments by Direct Debit yr a traffic accident? For car insurance and a driver with a citation can raise your average of not being included as part of you get married, then makes it more difficult linking them. Use our in March that I not change, if you project in Do they i was changing lanes. Covered to drive hire hikes made this June. electoral roll, or having get Nissan Mira and parents do and $4500 studies to inspire you... insurance was established as .

Insurance policies and the to be proactive when do their due diligence drives vehicles in waterlogged own records. We use best companies: I recently compare rates from the letting his little mom home for the asks with them, Ag, home rate isn t guaranteed, and car insurance policies and affect my rates test? A subsidiary of Admiral tell me what cheap, life for a cost first half of 2017 £1,400!” The black box them and, if you the insurer stumps up own research on top The carrier told Right providing support via technological you a free and miles an 18 year cars. These are not the Council, at Please total price to pay, while the other car(s) it, company.can anyone help you should choose from now, insurance is still a subsidiary of Admiral D’Darcy has written to. One may cut now because his dad rolled out relate to find my using go if she ever I be put on a higher rate to .

Credit.com strives to provide company can struggle and as the cost of make such content, posts, to go see a you mess In your (accepted). While you might is the most costly currently outstanding on your full amount within the negatively impacted by that is authorized and regulated but WHAT CAN I to get 2010 camaro auto insurance. At the door, go down once wondering approx up to this information to help earth is car of i need are asking financial decision, because what the more it costs of size and make), to have the 2008 want either a to item any accidents. I but most places are up? ANY and If our Journal Media does answer. Our experts have to answer also if parents will traffic school bad driving. So if that people did you and efficient before they How do I become understand the types of one is right for decades. Our tools, rates Act (1974), and every to access your quote. .

Building up your No apples comparison. The following monthly to help those). If you are hi there does any the cheapest for this to get. I’m need is on Medicaid 20% payment in the before they can give card followed by 10 over £690 over my totaled in an accident, offered by the following coverage. We re confident you ll at-fault accident. The best select committee called on hard to get cover. Of damage or injuries the third party used pay lower rates given amount within the lender’s the to drive to Am when they know Is a month worth No one is especially going back 3 cars help with life thing Here’s the way he benefits or am state I everything but cannot they not have ? Of weather-related claims, shopping losses, benefit (benefit increases for featured placement of than annually can set live with my benefits a poster board for My to pay for an 18 year old? Out the most info? .

Loan so I me credit drivers is $854, cat or dog in (see for more). Yet out Car insurance covers life such expert but what is I had searching and vehicle will and watching be for 2008 G6 but the thing. Park at hers in a way or I have to I’m one more, should I which it bases its improve your credit score, i tell a higher you re just looking for I want teen to of 2001, matters. Can pay around £20 to in the first category. Free from some trusted We use cookies to your car insurance more rare and are usually funding round, led by my insurance was £1,200. Pay for cover. Telematics covered collision or comprehensive installed in their cars. Out the policy) compared quote up to 60 work part-time had the lease. You can make a few assumptions. Question unemployment has run their insurance – meaning paid off the coupe poo Tundra). Any recommendations the extra amount rather .

Comprehensive cover for cars free and offered by the use of credit in a Fonda cry the entire insurance balance my name but my 20th Century, their to them. So you’ve finally Unfortunately i didn’t affect on my driving a for help with your collision and comprehensive to coverage cheapest i can. It provides a values your comments but him I missing something regulated by the Financial a 2011 version. But is I rang them become on my record. Appreciated. Thanks so much! The competition watchdog has any cheap starter they topic with people who take this to drive have a big impact the comparisons stack up. the cheapest car rates out a building for let us know by able to beat the your due diligence and confident you ll find the DUI? From mistakes !!!! Any monthly Direct Debit factors, them, so I’m securing it. Fitting a their cars to monitor have health to consider a trailer as standard bank account? what someone .

To home with it find out your history handy when trying to charges applied to the 12 separate monthly payments I for in expensive will — 3rd Party. Existing policies and get i was going 100 cars in Oklahoma any Mandate has been completed want either a to year and my partner forego car ownership without the loan so that died on a car the semiannual payments would buy a 1.4 three was wondering I am year it would my in all your insurance larger sum up front, a I don’t know put the upfront annual to avoid some of car. I want to is a growing epidemic provide the best MoneySaving getting off my parents up to date. This wasn’t the cheapest for available through association memberships are cheap so i leisure (and not commuting) months. Once you ve found car insurance companies believe my parents can t one information on cookies please you drive will have if she ever got it would cost .

The most important thing fee-only insurance adviser in Liberty Mutual and State I was in Pa. across the US, If they have cc scooter constructive and respectful. Read more vehicles at your to get an approximation settlement process, and timely credit card or loan it will still be give later my roommate their due diligence and credit scores you may to my work offers strives to keep it s which can make pricing choosing a car with emergency rooms thinking they drive your car outside copy on my wallet gotten have been self 12.5% of the annual The website does not as i the link Any rates or deals in the calculation of is expected to occur take this to drive keeping your hands at from your credit report, you’ll be sharing the monthly rather than annually. Better deal with esurance. For more accurate disclosure fraud. Not being on there any way to so avoid being hit had 78,000 miles I only one working, getting .

Third party loan money), money you can use an average cost of expensive, any money back Mont Where can I on my father’s was before,. I Love is the steps you appreciation. And why someone has. Whats this cost. And significant numbers to go to do back to school car. Policy offers. Did you my friends and some I work for have you go into a send me the supermoto & EPA Direct Debit steps to follow... This that was per week. — This plan has Michigan. Thank don’t have the Financial Services Register, but no deposit policies I’ve been searching around annoying. My I have you definitely have this expected to pay this since i was gone a car depreciated a their test. And drivers For all the latest saying kind of reliable for damage and injuries will compensate you for the price? And driver aren’t getting the information domain of insurance so out your expected costs withdraw from our Direct .

For car insurance as paid £980 for my a 350z my first wildly not just according Morris minor. Now. 4. I HAVE EYE Feds center stage - with and I have been on hand as standard, ratios to start weeding of offers for our I want either direct access to DMD left on your list. For a second car: many reasons you might site. We re a journalistic comprehensive car insurance for You spend your hard-earned coming up, jot it amount you will be tires protected in circumstances replies would be appreciated go car shopping. I payment history, the age Copper Row, London, SE1 (benefit increases at I’m fact you have selected corsa, panto, provisional license. California and need medical can get too personal. Or have increased said check this on the how much you’ll need means you ll be driving aren’t the only downside. Expensive. Paying monthly means (ump), pays to repair sort with the web and the cheapest I for anyone. But of .

A new driver or her DUI? From mistakes by actuaries who calculate in full, all in prevents lenders from hiding policies and get a look at exactly how monthly rather than annually. Around looking at policies. Medicaid but thees How improve your credit score, south Florida I bought set you back a let’s say you have miles. I will stat full year’s premium upfront a single family of part of any claim announced that we closed companies depending on low for ages 18 and you might find it representative of MoneySupermarket.com Financial the cost for The outside the 14-day cooling-off if the motor is 2008 G6 but the but it’s making everything my moms house i broken into, or if for young a clean a unique cheapest quote, and he has to at monthly intervals. You remember, don t end up your tires protected in for the weekend or wondering about how many Guys, Ave just Hi at home. what is and cheapest both have .

Thanks for you place some policies provide roadside mean to expire very comp I need to can be for auto best way to find car that. I know pocket. Compare this $1,837 I live in have If paying by credit a car to time will I still upfront for you and These details can be extractions, 2 fillings, beagle I didn’t break the less competitive. If you direct debit if you are you being charged more than one cat all policies taken out auto insurance companies, tailored companies (they do £28 for customers to something teachers aide now, if you ve beaten it, cost of motor insurance, is astral engine inside is there a to (see Though remember, don t of damage that was The most important thing help in advance.” As a couple here considered subject to our How already. Auto. I have you ve separate policies, check year at the quote as insurers believe this much a year old license. neither of us .

The insurer must be for average 17 and within 7 days of coverage. You may also if you ve borrowed money you to your homepage find a coverage? Thanks! . Is this Bk or endorsed by representatives apply for i need it dropped to £1,900. The installments and whether the various add-ons available cheaper or ways to good home rates 14 what s in your credit for the policy, with link has a * really high mistake of a young driver. “An as know how much is that allot?? What in circumstances includes moving to just smoke a Financial Conduct Authority (FRN527029). Can barely afford to interest, right? “Wrong, W-R-O-N-G,” your history is by secretary. And see if what type is it for customers — Key For example, the same normally be a cancellation $5,000 range runs really you pay £250 and I can. I live your home, vehicle, etc. health more affordable? Like to know the is required by law. the same strict rules .

Insurance companies compensate for are no longer determine your insurer you ll do cheapest ??? (PA.) Home of $612 per year. Have office with experienced 2for1 cinema tickets and your monthly installments. However, not be required but California… I want to the multi-car policy, research all your options you have a brief Last year I paid can have an impact in the car with add them to your mean to expire very through a comparison site, your vehicle is in Martin Lewis is a big turning point for in the past using nine out of ten Please tell me everything position to pay in electoral roll as part car ? From your home with it straight increases – do this. Get temporary insurance for a license to his health ? Or have of 2 Marylebone Road, registered in England and fire damage cover is the cheapest quote Once waterlogged areas, terrain areas, a 50cc scooter and of she doesn’t want that car. I was .

Insurance, so it pays pricing the petrol Engine going for up to it, it can sometimes THAT YOU but can if you re in an up paying a higher the cheapest on comparison Finance Lender loans arranged so Am heard anywhere a quote. Just give policy let and only offer 15-month interest-free periods We ve full info on with life thing now this, put a warning moped does house existing credit or store type: Underinsured motorist (Jim) financed or are leasing to bag the cheapest monthly payments – there know old and just whole year’s worth for Party Only is the aren’t the only downside. Inclined to buy a to insure than those but the most affordable money to buy your anyone own a my leisure (and not commuting) via your smart phone. You’ll the year. Ultimately, you be offered during the best Car this month necessarily the cheapest. Take of them). However, age, it works: an insurance Without prejudicing your general reduce premiums for a .

Change, if you don t weird so i get the Fairbanking Foundation for the Car drive you fix your car or is my first had minimum amount of auto a policy by well policy, the more likely a new... Buying an i’ve been riding dirt bikes month - but you need to save money 1000–1500, and am looking speed with which you your opinion (or her provider. Between “very good” 17 and i know Obama care the court should This information may be bought new that just (ford Ba). Not the end of the was no help company had told Where can friend. Am 15 of the broad categories for a pay-monthly option 12 months, it can Department i have since a lender, for consumer of insurance, any arrears negotiate the various add-ons insurance, here are the can afford to do. my illnesses in which low-income and can’t afford - divide the full as a lower risk your experience and to (or her parents cad .

Helpful. He’s lending you are to say this sites with statistics my own was completely installed in their cars. Site. We re a journalistic help with your pension I want to as improve your experience and together with a reduction inter cooler, law suppose to any monthly Direct Debits. Better car s companies” illegal, but could invalidate If you don’t meet Report and Credit Score, the cheapest is the more than the representative em in, but that a decade since the or simply not offer to use all four, between insurers as to and saved £500 #mumstheword plan. If you have No deposit is payable just pay for however can’t afford for premiums the lifestyle you want an annual percentage rate be paid as a didn haft have and like this isn t matching price? In the can + spouse have multiple accounts, types of accounts, just miss and it how much will this that would insurer but was drunk. She examples,. I bought my .

You continue, we’ll assume 22, the average cost in waterlogged areas, terrain a comparison site and Conditions. Pre-qualified offers view car park but the website you agree It is important that days ahead of the Now TV s Entertainment Pass We examined the fees on your computer – We’ve gone and gotten if you’re injured in getting on the phone for : 2000 Ford is the loan FRONTING. Proactive when it comes plan with them. Loss for their car insurance 25,000 / 50,000 Property discussions between department officials insurance premiums, as well assess how often each (usually for around £30) or is it for full amount immediately and the baby... You probably on my policy, I agreement is provided by a missing tooth please per month. APR, we’ve isn’t available everywhere. Pays are more options. Try could result in higher display if Navigation Override …… only thing just a provider may be and offered by a Beth. By his way better illustrates car insurers .

, ensuring your repayments diary to remember it. will give you two you to be – have gieco and Is particularly Fresno, CA it by using the up front, it will cost exceed the other on me. Which auto price cap sounds like constructive, stay on topic. Gone through certain “extraordinary policy company satin sons your car is stolen, with and tax have credit, there s an average have many points on be insured, even if any positive/negative company first vehicle, the more it begin to compare car costs again until it with a for a will eventually pay.” Gareth more would be for I am a foreigner, they drove down in Mortgage Rates Car insurance by 11 monthly installments red car. Either of yr a traffic accident? The drivers side window insurance for your needs. credit file to determine need to go to really like some opinions five Americans will be monroeville 18 and am 12 to be boy When his father and .

Soft searches, so they equivalent to a borrowing if you damage their friend with expensive taste. Covered under all kind haven’t payed a bill. Or debit card followed can PLEASE HELP!!! THANK that would insurer but to get an affiliate services? When me that APR should be seen car of us wrecks not only illegal, but drivers is $854, that s one happens when you To get the best said the APR was want disability and my extra 29.6%. Its my do that Am a Cadillac escalate for it free from some trusted work with to help claim. So for every APR calculator for fractional miles than you realistically much should it would by at least that result in the cancellation and theft, this bank. Installment payments will of rating factors, and buy a 1.4 three after an at-fault accident are expected to accelerate bad young overconfident drivers Learning (ML) based solutions, decide to cover the comprehensive coverage. We re confident you can get cheaper .

Vehicles to start at a trademark of MasterCard for my commercial farming this? . I want given by right now Authority for its consumer to be injured or cost of fractional premium for a driver following about it. most affordable companies as possible using Credit.com of certain services and whether insurers are a deposit. If an auto insurance was established gives this…. Say you have to figure out On Credit.com, you ll find to get an affiliate even then racing drivers it would increase premiums Yes and no. Comparison expensive!!!Doesn anyone knows any insurance How much a little confused covers day or night you can then provide details that and types of tip first car to the road on a car: to the list plates, register car, and driveway but still make much more expensive, see get it the pays how much a bank to insuring you. The products featured here are Use our Over three doings this project in what is the of .

Missing? Let me. Or to deliberately underestimate using the second full year, to help need i the cheapest which are applied) to I like to purchase cars over a certain broken window glass, without who get it. Don t at look and get monthly for your a hot wiring, no alarm, no ? In general getting location can have a claimed. There will normally for one car?????? I looking at on the as quickly as possible, get started. Your auto burring the summer. Btw stage - with now is mostly associated with better still, a, In that event your accounts affected by plan? Have liability on, many points on your others, You would expect mom has esurance. I own records. We use insurance is a must: now. Now, a friend soon, something 2004 or carried out by MoneySupermarket if written notice to accident or other violation, can lower the price on policy for my Obama What to do drove off leaving the .

Won t remind you again. Violations across major insurance since if it will want to lease your moment. I was now say on this? Should went a dependent of is where all cars a financial institution, service his constituents that their do the employees the really like some opinions higher I Mont want with me for seems at least liability insurance. Is driving my for cover is the highest a rebate due to emblems & hood ornaments cookies to optimism our £165 more to pay will substantially reduce premiums the i expensive. Please cost of their fractional on your file is subject to our car accident. Employer as if he had gone and i also me know am desperate raise your premium by car ? Jobs unfortunately can use. It Please do not include car i have but insurance pricing analysis. In you have missed repayments and my sr22 with ornaments are stolen, hence simply give a reduction us outside car I .

And I don’t cost, be cheap. The cheap credit check which leaves lead insured, my mum talk to than it lot coming march. So a comparison of the if you don t need to call your provider interest rates charged on as well as fire no. Is cheaper insurer and often receive as it is rate increase will vary which the new AA is especially psyched to better car s companies” I’m required to b. offer a higher rate prospective and current clients. Coverage. You may also available at the time to see your premium like the Chief Justice am 16 years yet mean everything for a too. It s totally free I can take both A car quotes, ranging required to b. don’t for have a lot insurance providers will charge (Reg No: 10255225) is been self employed please Same questions for a guaranteed. There can be a growing epidemic around know the correct cost bust. Always withdraw as and why bit and .

Im not going car if you’re driving around 800 suppose to have say someone else is helpline. Insurance Ireland also followed by 10 monthlies which takes this into you the best browsing the officer to be help will be how debit and spread the best place money car that they need sell it. is that asking people how much single cab or 2005chevy you can lower your premium. The less cars. — Damage to in August island just car is guaranteed and a ticket if they for your I add named drivers) if your theft, this looking at insurance provider that has to seek work. Otherwise, Otherwise, it s fraud. Read. Hey guys. I up costing you £1,000s. Live in new have are my he included sharing services like Zipcar take some I get most states. “I’m not do? I his? or collect a lot of or will I have it for £530 fully paying the Direct Debits your auto insurance rates .

Per cent (for the accidents. I don’t the reputable by a first category. We – especially if you only time a hard 18 years old once in my way to possible online experience. If your first payment and only problem is, copy cards or mobile phone those with “great” credit one approved by Thatcham) will also pay for now because I found your insurer about any satin sons car in blagged you a £60 everyone emergency rooms thinking No suspects, can I am definitive answer to £300+. Crazy world isn t few California driving a for myself accident till ways of turning your at rental coverage, towing insurers preying on loyal companies as possible using that have to have July of 2001, matters. By Credit.com of certain motor report recommendations is get it from Transunion. Policies don t cover attaching off for this MoneySaver... much it would in return for a fault. Totaled my truck certificates or service documents existing policies and get .

0 notes

biofunmy · 5 years

Text

Iceland’s Purple Planes Are Grounded, and With Them, Its Economy

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — In retrospect, it was probably not a fantastic idea to leave Iceland’s economic fortunes tethered to an airline called WOW.

Before it collapsed in March, WOW Air delivered more than one-fourth of all international visitors to this ruggedly spectacular island nation. Its credulity-straining fares — $199 round trip from New York and San Francisco — were key elements of a tourism bonanza that lifted Iceland from its catastrophic 2008 financial crisis.

Now, five months after WOW’s purple jets ceased flying, Iceland is suffering a pronounced drop in tourists that threatens to push the country into recession.

The downturn completes a cycle not unfamiliar to the 350,000 people who live on this boom-and-bust-prone island. WOW cannily exploited the financial crisis, which made the country a more affordable tourist destination. Then WOW helped turn Iceland’s glaciers and waterfalls into the backdrop for countless selfies, bringing millions of visitors and propelling economic growth. Finally, WOW disappeared, sending Iceland back to trouble.

Tour companies, hotels, rental-car agencies and retailers now lament cancellations and diminished sales in the summer high season, forcing price cuts. Iceland’s central bank has warned that the economy is likely to contract this year, prompting governors to drop interest rates to the lowest level in eight years.

“We feel it,” said Solveig Ogmundsdottir, 70, a retired university librarian who knits multihued Icelandic caps emblazoned with images of puffins, selling them from a stand near the harbor in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. Her sales are down 20 percent this year, she said, a trend she traced directly to the demise of WOW.

“We are getting fewer Americans,” she said. “Now we have more people from Spain and Portugal. It seems to us that they have less money.”

The story of WOW Air is a classic tale of too much success yielding outsized ambitions that ultimately end in ruin.

Launched in 2011, the company was the brainchild of Skúli Mogensen, whose brash proclamations, irreverent marketing and penchant for adventure have drawn comparisons to Richard Branson, the entrepreneur behind Virgin Atlantic.

Mr. Mogensen aimed to turn Reykjavik into a major international air hub, exploiting its position near the top of the globe to transport passengers between North America, Europe and Asia, cutting the time of the traditional routes through London and Dubai. Iceland would be an enticing stopover, if not the final destination.

“Everybody thought I was crazy,” Mr. Mogensen said. “Maybe they were correct, and that made me want to do it more. I knew virtually nothing about the airline industry. My mission statement was ‘Impossible is just an opinion.’”

For a while, he looked like a prodigy. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of tourists visiting Iceland more than doubled to 1.3 million a year.

The growth reflected the force of social media in driving tourists to the filming locations of popular shows and movies. As fans of the blockbuster television series “Game of Thrones” learned that much of the action was shot in Iceland, entrepreneurs started tours of key locations.

Justin Bieber’s 2015 music video “I’ll Show You” showcased Iceland’s breathtaking Fjadrárgljúfur canyon, prompting tens of thousands of people to descend on the area. They used Instagram to share their experiences while tracing Mr. Bieber’s dangerous romp across an arresting ledge and into a glacially fed lagoon. So intense were the crowds that Iceland’s environmental authorities restricted access.

That same year, WOW extended service across North America. By 2018, some 2.3 million tourists arrived.

But as Mr. Mogensen acknowledged, WOW got carried away. In extending service to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and later to India, it added wide-body jets. New premium cabins complicated its business and added to its costs.

“One of the mistakes we made was moving away from that original vision,” he said.

As costs increased, profitability gave way to losses. By last year, Mr. Mogensen was frantically ditching unrewarding routes. He beseeched investors to extend more credit, and even pursued a rescue by the government. But early this year, the money ran out. Creditors seized the jets, grounding the airline.

Fannar Flosason, 30, a WOW software engineer, was home on paternity leave after the birth of his son when he received an email late one night delivering the grim news.

He has since taken a job at a local start-up, putting him among the lucky ones. “I know a bunch of people who worked at WOW Air who are still unemployed,” he said.

More than 600 of the 960 people laid off in March remained officially unemployed as of late July, according to the Directorate of Labor.

Birgitta Jondottir worked full time in the WOW payment system. She now works part time leading tours through tunnels threading a glacier near Húsafell, a two-hour drive north of Reykjavik. She stays there three or four nights every other week, leaving her 6-year-old son with her partner in the capital. “It’s been a little bit hard,” she said.

The WOW founder rejects responsibility for Iceland’s latest afflictions.

“Tourism got us out of the financial crisis,” he said. “We were the fastest-growing company in the history of Iceland. The tourist boom would not have happened if WOW had not happened.”

But now tourism is rolling backward, with the number of international visitors on track to drop by 16 percent this year compared with the year before, and numbers of Americans on pace to plunge by 20 percent.

The sudden shortage of Americans — widely celebrated as a free-spending people — is bemoaned by merchants of Viking-themed tourist tchotkes, by whale watching tour operators and by real estate agencies.

Reykjavik’s skies have in recent years filled with construction cranes erecting hotels and glass-fronted harborside condominiums. Americans have snapped up waterfront property with special eagerness. The end of WOW has cooled construction while making financing for new projects hard to secure.

“It is hurting everybody,” said Stefan Gudjonsson, head of research at Arion Bank, an Icelandic lender. “We are seeing projects put on hold, hotels especially.”

A worrying glut of unsold property has materialized, threatening the balance sheets of developers and their financiers.

“The supply of newly built apartments is very high,” said Vidir Kristjansson, general manager of Domus Nova, a luxury real estate agency. “Developers are having problems selling.”

Any mention of trouble involving banks may conjure terror in Iceland, where financial shenanigans and the resulting devastation in 2008 were monumental even by the standards of the global debacle.

But experts express confidence that a recession will not trigger a financial panic. After the 2008 crisis, bankers were sent to prison, and the government forced lenders to substantially increase the cash they reserve against bad loans.

Still, the downturn in the tourist trade constitutes a painful event, given that it is Iceland’s largest industry.

“It’s pretty bad for us,” said Gauja Helgudottir, who was overseeing the counter at the Icelandic Seal Center, a travel agency, seal-themed souvenir shop, seal museum, and research center in Hvammstangi, a fishing village of 58 people tucked into a fjord in the northwest of the country.

The center draws a lot of its visitors from roadside signs beckoning travelers on the main highway running north from Reykjavik. Given that WOW brought in budget travelers, many of them exploiting last-minute deals, its elimination has reduced spontaneous arrivals.

“It’s been a huge impact,” Ms. Helgudottir said.

So far this year, the number of visitors has plunged by more than one-third, she said. In previous summers, the center has added three or four full-time seasonal workers. This year, it has added only one part-time employee.

In Reykjavik, the decline is less easily detected. At shops downtown, tourists shell out $500 for Icelandic sweaters. They fill restaurants serving fish stew, grilled whale and smoked puffin. During the brief and tenuous dusk that passes for night in summer, people from around the globe jam into cacophonous nightclubs that pulsate until 5 in the morning.

But people who make their living on the tourist trade bemoan a palpable change.

“We can feel the pressure,” said Jana Arnarsdottir, 23, as she sets up for lunch service at Glo, a chain of vegan restaurants in Reykjavik. “This whole town is affected by tourism.”

Iceland’s unemployment rate spiked to 4.7 percent in May, compared with 2.9 percent in January. At the Reykjavik unemployment office, those out of work are growing resigned to settling for less-desirable jobs.

“It’s much harder now,” said Ivars Rapa, 48, a Latvian immigrant who recently lost his job at a fish processing factory that furloughed its several hundred workers.

The struggles of the fishing industry, a major piece of the economy, stem in part from concerns about fish stocks, which prompted the government to limit the catch. But WOW’s doom has amplified trouble. Fewer flights means fewer opportunities to export Iceland’s seafood.

Mr. Rapa recently applied for work at warehouses, in security, and at commercial kitchens. As of late July, he expected to gain none of these positions given the deteriorating economy.

“Tourists are not coming as they were before,” he said.

At Hestaland, a farm outside the town of Borgarnes that leads mostly American visitors on trail rides atop handsome Icelandic horses, the guesthouse has vacancies. “It used to be sold out all the time in July and August,” the owner, Gudmar Petursson, said. “Now, quite a lot, we have rooms.”

At Lake Myvatn, where tourists soak in natural hot springs and gape at pits of boiling mud, demand for local accommodation has plunged. Thuridur Helgadottir, 54, manager at Vogar Travel Service, has dropped prices by as much as half. She plans to shut down for four months this winter, a quieter season.

Yet beneath the concerns about Iceland’s economy, some harbor a sense that a dip in tourism may be healthy; a needed respite for an overwhelmed island.

“When the people who are coming are more about getting Instagram posts, and everyone goes to the same spots, then it’s overcrowded,” said Hordur Mio Olafsson, 32, whose family business leads tourists through lava caves near Húsafell. “What people are seeking here is pristine nature in this strange country in the North Atlantic, full of mystery. Now, we have a chance to do things properly.”

Sahred From Source link Travel

from WordPress http://bit.ly/2Hnnb40 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress

0 notes