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the-prsc · 10 months

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Day 3:

Previously in PRSC...

The boys in Genesis, Rush and King Crimson continue to progress and gain a tiny bit more comfort in their… difficult conditions.

Tensions within the Yes and ELP camps reach an all-time high. Steve Howe does a runner and reaches ‘The Court of The Crimson King’ by midnight. (Keyboard wizard) Rick Wakeman and (Fish) Chris Squire plan their well-needed escapes...

Death count: 0

In The Court of The Crimson King... Steve reached the camp late last night and has since been welcomed by all members of it (except Broof, who tries to ignore him following his awkward exit from Yes). He is put to work with John and David in doing various dull, laborious tasks overseen by Fripps right-hand-percussion-men, Bill and Jamie Muir who are ‘keeping them in check’. Although Steve feels tired, he also finds the structure, safety and sense of community that he felt was lacking with Yes. We cannot say the same for John and David.

Meanwhile in ‘Epping Forest’...

This is the supper of the mighty one! Genesis eat well tonight as (during a particularly long prance around the woods) Peter found nice, ripe fruit on the forest floor (little does the band know that Jon dropped it earlier that day, made clumsy by his consumption of the mushrooms). Tony is spending hours a day perfecting each detail of the entrancing face of his Etch-a-Sketch recreation of the Mona Lisa. Phil, Steve and Mike have managed to make primitive fishing rods out of the spare guitar strings that Steve forgot he brought (also forgetting to bring his guitar). Good one guys!

Rushing over to another camp…

Their fishing may be less effective (standing in the river and lashing out at any passing fish. In the event that one is caught, the band all stress out as to how to kill the thing) but, the three companionable Canadians of Rush continue their hygienic progress. The band have exhausted their camping supply of bottled drinking water and sadly, in the wilderness the band cannot dine on honeydew or drink the milk of paradise. Luckily Neil remembered a 7th grade science lesson he had where he was taught that boiling water kills all dangerous microorganisms and disinfects it. He removes the camping stove and small pot from his bag, fills the pot with water from the cleanest part of the river he could find and begins to boil…

Close to the Edge, Down By the River…

Near the ‘pretty view’ of the river Jon selected, Yes are crumbling to some extent. Steve asked Jon if he could go over to The Court yesterday and Jon reluctantly agreed and let him go. Steve didn’t mean it personally but I think Jon took it that way (poor guy). Meanwhile, Rick is getting fed up with waiting around for Jon and Alan to get vegetarian food when he could eat as much meat as he likes (though in reality, he is far too lazy to do so). Chris isn’t a fan of Jon’s leadership style. Its a sort of strange hotchpotch between Hippy and autocratic that he doesn’t like. All the while, it doesn’t help that Jon has found some magic mushrooms and spends quite a lot of his time in ‘dreamland’. He and Rick have planned to leave the camp to find ELP next time Jon and Chris go out gathering together.

In the ELP camp...

The last few hours have been somewhat monotonous at the ELP camp. The band’s relationship is fractured (particularly Keith and Greg’s). Morale is dipping sub-zero, and Carl still hasn’t figured out the drum part for Karn-Evil 9 so instead of making useful progress to prolong their lives, the half-starved threesome chose to discuss new project ideas for ‘when all this forest crap is out of the way’. One could call this a useful conversation to keep up hope and distract them. They could also call it valuable time and energy wasted that will eventually lead to their doom. Either way, in their hungry, delirious state discussion is getting heated quickly. Carl leaves early to actually try and help them survive, and is also hurt by the two of them calling him a ‘shit Buddy Rich knockoff’.

The issue on the table currently is Greg’s suggestion, ‘Love Beach 2 (Electric Boogaloo)’. This thought seems to be sending Keith into something of a violent frenzy.

I will spare the details of the real-time commentary for the next few minutes. This passage is written in retrospect: Keith and Greg got into a physical confrontation which included a lot of punches from Keith and in the process, Greg hit his head on a large protruding rock in the wood’s undergrowth and by the time Carl returned from his mission of trying to keep them alive, and managed to pry Keith away from his friend, it was too late.

The two of them aren’t talking as they submerge the body into the dark, cold river water. What he has done is beginning to dawn on Keith and he has been battling with his tears since they left to the water. All Carl can think about is that his friend and bandmate is a ‘fucking murderer’. He must negotiate a way away from this knife-wielding maniac. Luckily, upon return to the camp, he recognises two new, trustworthy silhouettes, CHRIS AND RICK!!! He is currently having a private discussion with the two of them featuring sentences like, ‘Guys please get me out of here. He’s a crazy madman with a knife. I’m gonna die’. Chris sensibly responds in a hushed voice, ‘We could always give those Canadian kids a go?’. And that is the plan for the three of them...

That’s all for today, so we’ll see you tomorrow for...

The Prog Rock Survival Competition!

#progrocksurvivalcompetition #prsc #progressive rock #prog rock #prog #rock #elp #genesis band #king crimson #rush #yes band

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chriscdcase95 · 2 years

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(Luz and Amity, cuddled on a bed with a laptop before them.)

Luz: "Alrighty, now that we have the time, I say we finally get back to our fic."

Amity: "Okay, but are you sure you want to start Azura's villain arc now ? I feel we should build it up a litt-"

(A drum beat occurs in the background. Luz and Amity look a little annoyed at the interruption. Hunter, Gus and Willow can be heard talking loudly in the background.)

Hunter: (offscreen) "Willow, Gus, check this out!"

Willow: (offscreen) "What is it ?'

Hunter: (offscreen) "Okay, say 'It's no stranger to you and me'."

Gus: (offscreen) "Why ?"

Hunter: (offscreen) "Humor me."

Gus and Willow: (offscreen) "It's no stranger to you and me."

(The drum beat of "In the Air Tonight" plays).

Willow: (offscreen) "Hey, that wasn't that bad."

Hunter: (offscreen) "Thanks, babe. Hey, you know what that songs about ? Phil Collins watching some guy watch another guy drown, and then the next night, he invited watching guy to be in the front row of his concert, so he could say it right too him and they could arrest the guy!"

(Amity and Luz are further distracted from their writing)

Willow: (offscreen) "Really ? Why didn't he just help the guy who was drowning ?"

Hunter: (offscreen) "I don't know, I think he was on a bridge or something. Like he could see it, but he couldn't get there in time."

Gus: (offscreen) "But he let a whole day pass ? Why didn't he call the cops ?"

Hunter: (offscreen) "Because he was busy writing the song.”

Willow: (offscreen) "Wait, if he just watched, doesn't that make him a little guilty ?"

Hunter: (offscreen) "Well, I'm not saying I wouldn't have taken Phil Collins in for questioning-"

Gus: (offscreen) "I'm starting to think this story is bogus."

Hunter: (offscreen) "Hold on, let me check Snopes."

(A momentary pause)

Hunter: (offscreen) "Ah, never mind. None of that happened. He was just really angry about his divorce."

(Luz and Amity sigh in annoyance as they close their laptop.)

Hunter: (offscreen) "I guess you can say it's all been a pack of lies!"

(plays a rimshot)

#incorrect owl house quotes #the owl house #luz noceda #amity blight #hunter toh #gus porter #willow park #lumity #good witch azura #huntlow #phil collins #in the air tonight #based off a Family Guy joke

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thesinglesjukebox · 4 months

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††† - "INVISIBLE HAND"

youtube

Claire recommends a Deftones/Far superduo with an ungoogleable name. (Literally! "Your search - "†††" - did not match any documents.")

[6.09]

Ian Mathers: Wait, is ††† just Chino from Deftones doing noisy synthpop? Did I forget about this? Was I not informed? [8]

Claire Biddles: This time last year, ††† released a cover of George Michael's "One More Try", a swoony bit of December melancholia that also served as a direct acknowledgement of inspiration. Much like Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, Chino Moreno has always carried Michael's influence in his vocal performance, and no more so than in his work with †††, his Depeche Mode-ish duo with producer Shaun Lopez. In "Invisible Hand", Moreno's croons are propelled by internal drama, lifting and surging in the middle of words. His lyrics are either enigmatic or nonsense, depending on one's position, but the song itself is dense with narrative. Lopez switches modes and textures with every verse, laying a sheet of synths only to shoot through it with ten-foot-tall industrial drops; stabs of synthesised voices are weaponised; glass shatters as if in a locked room. Listening to the song, looking at the blue-lit model on the album art, I'm struck by the commonalities between the sheen of '90s/'00s alt-rock and Michael's contemporaneous "adult" period: the thread that links "Spinning the Wheel" and "Digital Bath", ending up with "Freeek!" and "Invisible Hand" -- the kind of industrial that isn't made from scrap, but from chrome coated in silk. [9]

Michelle Myers: What kind of Deftones girl are you? I'm from the Saturday Night Wrist era, but I probably would have told you my favorite album was Around the Fur if you were a metal dude I bummed a lighter from at a party in 2007. Anyway, I like this as an album cut, though I'm not sure it stands on its own as a single. Still, nobody does hot, sleazy angst better than Chino Moreno. [6]

Micha Cavaseno: I've said plenty about Chino over the course of my life, so let me go over to Shaun Lopez (or "Slopez" for those of us with far too much familiarity) first. At one point, this guy was a great post-hardcore guitarist, responsible for a number of great records with his band Far. "Love, American Style" and "Bury White" still get regular play from me, and even though that comeback album was bad and his post-Far band The Revolution Smile was some of the worst middle-of-the-road radio rock possible... the guy's had great moments! Chino -- again, I've said so much about my love for the guy! Crosses... ? Always getting worse! Part of it is that Shaun is such an unimaginative producer. So many of these riffs and little digital stabs of "hard clubby synthpop" just come off like the worst sort of adult-oriented electronica. Deftones have been mostly uninspiring to me in the last decade and a half, but if I wanted Chino doing his best faux David Gahan over Phantogram-level cliches, I know he's done better. (Team Sleep was right there! And all their gimmicky electronica was perfectly in vogue with the '00s!). So here I am, begging these men to get off TikTok, stop scrolling through legions of goth girls calling themselves "baby bats" dancing to warmed-over faux-'80s music mislabeled as "darkwave," and get their heads back in the game. [2]

Katherine St Asaph: Chino from Deftones going Dave Gahan mode (NOTE UPON REREADING: pun actually not intended, god) over a song composed entirely of bridges and final choruses. So when the actual bridge and final chorus arrive, they're identical, no more tension to be had. The half-time bit at the end could have gone somewhere. [7]

Nortey Dowuona: I was kinda excited to hear Chino's powerful yet silky voice rise over the swollen stolen valor of the 808 kick by Shaun Lopez, who also provides the newly drowned synth keys and seething guitar. But then they decided to add a Phil Collins drum track throwaway for the chorus. Big sigh. At least it's only a test. [5]

Alex Clifton: When the synths hit in the chorus this is pretty cool, but the rest of the time it feels like a knockoff Imagine Dragons song. [5]

Brad Shoup: The AWOLNATION EP was a dud, so this will have to tide me over for yowling modern rock with self-conscious electronic production choices. (Well, this and the Pumpkins' space opera.) Chino's voice remains a marvel. His sighs still don't feel like shtick, which is why I'm amazed at how much I enjoy them on the chorus paired with bog-standard synthwave. [6]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: An expertly executed take on some shit I really, really don't want to listen to -- every big noise and faux-gothic tone here has clearly been assembled by true appreciators of a dogshit form. The hook soars and the bass breaks the speakers and oh my god this is so tedious. But honestly, I respect it -- relative to the active rock and alternative radio baseline that these guys are pushing up against, this is a masterpiece. [4]

Frank Falisi: That sound is stuck in me. You know the one. [10]

Tim de Reuse: An unnerving, staccato vocal sample and an pleasantly grimy bass stab segue abruptly veer into a competent synthpop cruise. It'd go down smoother if the lyrics reached beyond the vaguest tendencies of early-aughts nu-metal. By their tone I understand that we're not happy, but I haven't a clue what we're supposed to be upset about. [5]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

#chino moreno #shaun lopez #deftones #crosses #music #music writing #music criticism #music reviews #the singles jukebox #Youtube

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born-to-lose · 10 months

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Devil's Bells snippet #2

Liz & Jack meeting Phil for the first time

"Do you remember where the venue was when we drove by?" Liz asked Jack, laughing awkwardly as they climbed out of the van after finally finding a parking lot that wasn't packed already. Well, it was Paris, what did they expect?

"We gotta walk past this metro station right there of which I can't pronounce the name and then uh…" he tried to explain, but his confidence faded quickly. "I'm sure we'll find it. Eventually."

She raised an eyebrow but decided to follow the way he had just described and see where they were going. They arrived in the city early enough to have time to figure out where they needed to go before the show would start.

Walking past the metro station, they heard a young man's voice calling after them, accompanied by the sound of metal rings on the handrail of the stairs. "Salut ! J'adore vos tenues !" ("Hey! I love your outfits!")

The two stopped walking and warily turned around, spotting a tall and lanky guy with long wavy strawberry blonde hair, an earring, a half unbuttoned shirt, a black studded leather jacket, skinny jeans and sneakers scurrying upstairs. They had already seen some shady people in this city and didn't know what he wanted - at least Jack.

He wanted to open his mouth to say something along the lines of 'We don't speak French', but then Liz scraped together what she had studied at school and replied with a slight accent, "Merci ! Tu vas au concert de H.E.A.T aussi ?" ("Thanks! Are you also going to the H.E.A.T concert?")

"Oui, oui ! Vous n'êtes pas d'ici ?" ("Yeah, yeah! You're not from here?")

"Non, nous sommes… euh, je suis allemande, il est anglais. Mon français n'est pas super," she chuckled. ("No, we're… uh, I'm German, he's English. My French isn't great.")

Actually, her French was pretty good, but she was too lazy to make use of that more often than necessary if the alternative was simply switching to English, especially considering how fast French people spoke when they knew you understood their language but were a foreigner.

Jack watched in confusion as they talked without him understanding anything. He was relieved when they finally spoke English and the other guy came closer to them. "By the way, I'm Liz and this is Jack. What's your name?"

"Blaze. Phil Blaze," he answered in a low voice, taking a drag of his cigarette, before adding in a lighthearted manner, "Actually it's Philippe, but call me Phil, makes me sound less French."

"Your accent still gives it away," Jack joked and Phil shoved him in response, laughing "Buddy, that's about the best you get here."

The three of them hit it off right away. How often do you meet someone you can immediately joke around with like this? And in a foreign country at that.

As Liz and Jack didn't move and frankly looked kind of lost, he said, "I'm assuming you haven't been here before? I know the way to the venue, let's go!"

Making their way there together, they chatted enthusiastically about bands they listened to, bands who had influenced them, and concerts they had attended.

"What was the first album you bought?" Phil asked. "Mine was Van Halen's 1984, Hot for Teacher made me pick up the drums. Needless to say, it took me a while until I could play that song well enough."

Taking a pause to think, Jack replied, "Bella Donna by Stevie Nicks. I grew up on Fleetwood Mac's music and she was one of my first childhood crushes. Though I didn't actually buy it, I found it in a box with things to give away on someone's doorstep."

"Oh yes, she and Joan Jett were my bi awakening," Liz agreed before immediately adding with a contrived hair flip, "For me, Lizzy Borden's Visual Lies! I'm built differently I guess. Just kidding, I usually asked for CDs for my birthdays and Christmas so I owned a lot more before I started buying them myself."

"Can I ask you something?" After receiving a nod from her, Phil continued. "Is Liz your real name or did you take it from Lizzy Borden?"

She laughed, "You got me there! I'm not gonna give you guys my legal name though, it's not nearly as cool as my stage name, quite German."

Not too much later, they spotted a horde of glam rockers waiting outside what they were pretty certain was the venue. The doors were still closed so they had to wait a little longer, but even the way here hadn't seemed lengthy with their new friend and the last couple of minutes until they got in weren't going to be filled with silence either.

"Is this your first time seeing H.E.A.T?"

"Yeah, I love them and I've wanted to see them for a while, but bands always leave out all the other cities than Paris on their 'European tours', so now that I moved closer to Paris I finally get the chance," Phil told them excitedly before taking on a more frustrated tone. "Also to find some new musician friends because my old band just broke up three weeks ago and practicing drums isn't the same when you're just doing it for yourself. I've been playing almost non-stop in bands for about… five, six years now. Are you musicians?"

"Yeah! I mean, Jack plays bass, I sing and am a mediocre guitar player," Liz answered, mildly embarrassed, because despite all their desperate attempts, neither she nor Jack had been in a band before and Phil seemed like a professional.

"Hold up, do you guys have a band?" he asked full of hope.

"Well…" Jack started, glancing at Liz. "We would have one with you, and with a proper guitarist, so if you don't have any other plans…?"

"Fucking count me in!"

Just as they enthusiastically welcomed their new bandmate with a handshake and a pat on the back, loudly talking about how happy they were to get one step closer to forming a real band and discussing where they might find a lead guitarist, the other guests started squashing themselves through the entrance.

The group followed the crowd into the packed club where they were greeted by purple and pink lights and the further they walked into the main room, the louder the sound of glam metal blasting from the speakers and people chatting became. The walls of the corridor were covered in memorabilia like posters and signed instruments from the bands who had played here before. Many iconic ones of those Jack and Liz recognized and got annoyed they hadn't gotten the chance to see them here.

One thing was clear before the support act even started playing: wherever they would end up on their mission to find the last band member, they were absolutely coming back for concerts in the future.

#first of all i'm begging on my knees for forgiveness that it took so long and the fact that you forgot about it makes it even worse #meeting antonio snippet coming soon!#devil's bells #mel writes #yes i kinda described the local rock bar in the last paragraph what about it i don't know shit about paris venues but let me make things up

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phanfictioncatalogue · 1 year

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Mutual Masturbation (2) Masterlist

part one

and you already got the motion (ao3) - queerofcups

Summary: It's not like that, Phil swears. They're not like that.

Except.

Except maybe they are.

Breathless (ao3) - Phandiction

Summary: This is an alternative, chaptered ending to my fic Powerless

Coming On Skype (ao3) - intoapuddle

Summary: The title says it all, really

distance makes the heart grow fonder (ao3) - eloquentlyphan

Summary: phil's visiting his parents and dan is sad and alone. and tipsy. and horny. he decides to call phil and tell him exactly what he thinks about at night.

Gemini and Aquarius (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Dan and Phil are young, in love, and progressively exploring their sexual relationship while dealing with the agony of a long-distance relationship.

Got It (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Dan surprises his partner with a little stress relief while traveling on tour.

If You're In (ao3) - iihappydaysii

Summary: On Skype in 2009, Dan starts asking Phil questions about what it's like to be with a man.

I'm Distracted Imagining You (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Every time Dan's not fucking Phil, he's thinking about it.

in full bloom (ao3) - indistinct_echo

Summary: Where Dan is a lace lily and Phil is seagrass.

it's like 2009 again (ao3) - morelikeexisting

Summary: His laptop's charging. Fully charged now, thank heavens. His fingers drum against the laptop with impatience. He feels like he is 18 again, waiting for AmazingPhil to Skype him again; lips wet, eyes wide, and heart in his throat.

Phil picks up soon, lips parted, hair pushed back and glasses on his nose. He smiles, Dan does the same.

"Hi," Dan whispers, feeling giddiness fall over him.

"Hi," Phil whispers back, and after a long time, Dan feels like he is at home.

( or the one in which its quarantine, except Dan's in Reading and Phil's alone in London )

Let's share (ao3) - blackdoeeyes

Summary: It's 2016 and Dan and Phil have always been just platonic best friends. But everything somehow moves to another level, from dark corridor to dimly lit room.

Like I Need You (ao3) - notreallythatuseful

Summary: “'Phil, please,' Dan whimpers, and the look in Phil’s eyes when he pulls back sends a full-body shiver through Dan. He lets Phil walk him backwards with steady hands against his hipbones, lets him bite hot-mouthed kisses into his neck.

'Please, please,' he repeats mindlessly, his head lolling back and his hands pushing at the hem of Phil’s shirt.

Phil looks up, eyes heavy-lidded. 'Can I touch you?' he whispers, and Dan falls back onto the bed.

'Please.'"

Or, Dan and Phil finally make it to their third date. Smut ensues.

Love me while I love myself (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: Tour means they're always together but with no time to be together. Phil has to take matters in to his own hands.

Phoenix Rising (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Dan challenges Phil to a period of forced abstinence while on tour in America. The game becomes unbearable, and each man has moments of weakness. In the end, it is all about passion and urgency.

Secrets Hotels Will Hold (ao3) - Cadensaurus

Summary: 2016!Dan and Phil sitting in a hotel room, on separate beds watching each other wanking, just friends but both horny and decide 'fuck it'.

Stupid Skype (ao3) - MaeTaurus

Summary: Dan asks Phil about what it’s like to be with a guy but Phil gives him more than just an answer.

The Three A's of College: Alcohol, Assumptions, and Avoidances - jilliancares

Summary: Dan loves a lot of things about college. The only thing he really doesn’t like is his horrible roommate. (And when his best friend accidentally outs him to said horrible roommate, it becomes Dan’s life mission to avoid him).

that one knows me (ao3) - iihappydaysii

Summary: those early Skype sessions between dan and phil before they meet for the first time

Watching You, Watching Me (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Dan accidentally discovers his best friend and roommate pleasuring himself in the early hours of the morning and can't look away. In fact, he can't keep his hands off of himself. Phil is surprised by Dan's reaction, and two best friends make long-time confessions.

Why Dan left France early. (ao3) - larasunbetadscribbles

Summary: I wonder how biology can explain the physical pain you feel in your chest when all you want to do is be with someone. OR: Awkward phone sex.

Why You Should Wear Your Hearing Aids - jilliancares

Summary: Dan is deaf and doesn’t realize how loud he’s being while he masturbates, which is driving Phil crazy (in a good way).

Wish I Could See Inside Your Head (ao3) - truerequitedlove

Summary: Sometimes Phil moans and whispers and touches himself to fantasies that don’t involve Dan at all. Of course, Dan doesn’t mind. He loves to watch.

#phanfictioncatalogue #phan #phanfic #phanfiction #masterlists #sex tw #smut #mutualmasturbation #mutualmasturbation masterlist

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lastbuckshot · 1 year

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Seven Deadly Sins: Chapter 2

Words: 2.4k

Rating: PG-M-ish?

Pairing(s): Adam Cole/Adam Page (with a side order of a special guest)

Title: Lies of Omission

all i have to say is this chapter is a doozy. here’s the link to it on ao3

“Any volunteers for first?”

A hush fell over the room, the Archangel‘s hands eagerly clasped, awaiting a response. Most of the pairs whispered amongst themselves, nudging each other and talking under their breath.

Page turned around to meet eyes with Cole, who winked in return and took a sip of his coffee, which had left a ring of condensation on the dark oak table.

With no takers, Regal spoke again.

“Cold feet ‘round the room. That’s quite alright. I’ll break the ice, then, by getting a couple of obvious things out of the way.”

He gave Maxwell a few firm pats on the shoulder, stopping on the last to squeeze his shoulder tight.

“Young Maxwell,” spoke the Arch, “What say you about our new arrangement this week?”

“Not much to say. Phil’s a coward. He couldn’t take the heat, which, I might add, wasn’t even that much heat, picked up his ball, and went the fuck home. I’m a peach compared to some fucking degenerate like Eduardo.”

Across the table, the heft bearded man stood and slammed his hands on the table, Ruby trying fruitlessly to get him to sit.

“Keep my name out of your fuckin’ mouth before I wring that scrawny Burberry neck, you hear me?”

“Eddie--”

“No. Ruby, I appreciate you an’ all, but if I gotta jump across this table and knock the smile off this prick’s face, that’s what I gotta do. What’s the worst that can happen? They start me over again? Kick me out? I never fuckin’ wanted to be here noway. Nobody wants to fuckin’ listen to this guy.”

Max chuckled heartily, Eddie’s face red with anger, spit flying, and Ruby still fighting mightily to calm him down. Cole smirked, sipping on the last of his iced coffee, tilting his head back to talk to Page.

“And you think I cause a scene?”

“This isn’t a joke,” Page said sharply. “It’d do you some good to appreciate that everybody here is struggling with something. Including you.”

“Everybody?”

“Yeah, everybody.”

“What’re you struggling with, then?”

A verbal game of four square volleyed between the Arch, Max, Eddie, and Ruby. Hangman’s silence was loud enough for Cole to hear. He turned in his seat to look into Hangman’s eyes, which darted away as quickly as they’d connected.

With his eyes averted, bits and pieces of the surrounding altercation filtered in and out of Hangman’s ears.

“I don’t get why we’re even having this fucking conversation. Do you see me bursting out of my chair ready to fight? No. But what’s Eduardo doing? Disturbing the meeting.”

“Because you’re a fucking coward.”

“Eddie, could you please--”

“Coward? No. Fuck you. Fuck that. I’m a lot of things Hot Head Ed, but I’m not a fucking coward. Cowards tuck their tails between their legs and run to Regal to ask him to finish their homework for them.”

“That might be the first smart thing you’ve said in your life, kid.”

“KID?”

Meanwhile, the blonde picked at his hands, and the brunette leaned in close, the breath of his words wisping past Page’s cheek.

“Why can’t you look at me?”

Adam’s snaky smile curled over his lips, and his counterpart leaned forward in his seat, still averting his gaze. Across the table, a tangled-curled blonde glared at the exchange, drumming his pointer finger on the table.

Before a response could be elicited from either of the pair, a thunderous boom rattled the room, echoing off the walls, sending candelabras to the floor, and the chandelier that hung above the table swung violently to and fro.

Regal had crashed the end of a white and gold staff on the floor, rattling the Cathedral with a wave of energy, surging like flood waters over the room, which had now fallen silent.

With everyone’s attention on him, he spoke.

“As I was saying,” he began, “Philip has stepped down as Maxwell’s mentor, and as such, I’ve decided to take Maxwell on myself. Very atypical, but I do believe it’s called for at this time.”

Silent nods across the room, save for Eddie, who scoffed, before being nudged by Ruby.

“Second point,” the Arch continued, “Mr. Omega, it is not lost on me that you don’t yet have a mentor. Arrangements are being made, and once they are set in stone, those arrangements will be relayed to you. I can lend you some guidance in the meantime.”

Kenny, who had been silent to this point, peered up toward Regal, annoyed.

“I told you who I wanted my mentor to be.”

“And I told you that wouldn’t be possible.”

“I want it to be possible. And you can make it possible.”

“And this program isn’t about satisfying your whims, if you haven’t noticed. Ergo, I am working on your arrangements, and they will be relayed to you shortly. Yes?”

In that moment, Omega’s eyes trailed over the table, stopping at the blonde and brunette pair, then back at the Archangel.

“Sure.”

“Excellent,” said Regal with a joyous clap of his hands, “Then let us proceed with our usual roundtable. Athena, Jade, let’s start with you.”

Kenny’s sideways glances had not gone unnoticed by Cole, who took a long drag through his straw, staring holes through his adversary.

“This week’s been fairly good, Archangel.” Athena started. Before she could get another word in--

“I’ve been on my best behavior. I don’t even need to be here anymore. You can just graduate me, give me my ticket, and send me back.”

Mr. Regal smiled.

“Sounds like we’ve got a ways to go, then.”

Jade rolled her eyes, allowing Athena an opening to continue.

“Yes, sir. But to be fair, she’s come a long way. Even gave a few compliments backstage.”

“I told Abadon she looked more disgusting than ever,” cut in Jade.

Regal sighed with a smile.

“Any progress is good progress,” Regal said, turning his attention. “Kris and Mr. Cassidy, what say you two?”

“Honestly, not a lot of progress, Archangel,” said Kris. “I cranked up the radio, but he still slept through most of the trip here. We sat down and he slept at the table. Whenever I ask him if he wants to go out and do something, he’ll just shrug at me. I got him to go bowling with me a couple of days ago. He barely threw the ball. He flicked it a little and let it roll in the gutter.”

“I thought I did good.” Cassidy said flatly.

“You scored an 11.”

“Bummer.”

Regal covered a smile by rubbing beneath his nose.

“Mr. Cassidy?”

“Aye aye, Captain.”

“Perhaps the next time you and Ms. Statlander go out to bowl, you could at least try for... 30 points? As a small goal.”

Orange stared blankly through his sunglasses.

“That’s a lot of pins.”

With a snort, followed by a quick clearing of his throat, Regal turned his attention to Kris.

“Ms. Statlander, thank you for all of your hard work. You certainly have it cut out for you.”

“Trust me, I know. Thank you, Archangel.”

“Whatever,” mused orange. “Can we go?”

“No,” was the Archangel’s simple answer, before continuing around the table.

“Ruby, Eddie, we’ll talk after the meeting has adjourned.”

“I’m through talkin’.”

Ruby sighed.

“Yes, Archangel.”

The Archangel turned, now, to the curly-haired blonde and his brunette compatriot, who hadn’t stopped shooting glances at Kenny across the table between sips of watered-down coffee.

“And you, Mr. Page? How’s Adam been this week?”

Hangman cleared his throat, straightening up in his seat, clasping his hands together on the table.

“Um,” he hesitated. “Good, actually. Aside from the coffee trip he insisted on before the meeting, of course.”

Regal tilted his head back, interest piqued.

“Is that right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Nothing to report, then?”

Again, Page hesitated, despite not quite knowing why. It was his job, anyway.

The silence was dense and suffocating, and tightened its fingers around his throat, squeezing out the words in sputtering fashion.

“He did pull sort of a prank on me at the arena. Right before the meeting, I mean. I guess you’d call it a prank. I’m not sure if it’s worth reporting.”

“Do tell.”

“Well,” Page started, shifting in his seat, avoiding peripheral eye contact with Cole, “I was at the exit, under the awning, ‘cause it was comin’ down pretty hard. I was catching up with some folks--”

“Which, er, ‘folks’?” the Arch pitched in.

Hangman hung his head down.

“The Bucks, sir. Cutler, as well. And uh, we were talking, and I had motioned Cole to pull the car up, he didn’t. Then I went out to the car, got sorta wet, and uh, the car door was locked. He opened it, though, after he had a laugh about it. He thought it was pretty funny. I didn’t at the time, but, uh... I dunno. I don’t wanna harp on him for a joke is what I’m getting at, I think. Sir.”

Once he’d stopped talking, Page realized he’d been picking at his trembling hands. He tucked them away into his lap.

The Archangel turned up his nose, straightening his suit with both hands.

At the same time, Kenny smirked to himself, bowing and shaking his head. Cole shot another glare across the table, clenching his jaw and tightening his fist around his thumb.

"Noted. Thank you, Mr. Page.”

Regal glanced over the room once more.

“Does anyone have any more questions? Comments? Anything to add?”

No response.

Again, Cole glanced across the table. Kenny’s grin

“Right, then. This meeting is now adjourned. Pay attention to your phones for the time and date of the next one. You’re all free to leave.”

~~~

The car ride to the hotel was silent. Hangman took the helm this time, after Cole had unceremoniously tossed his keys into the air behind him for the blonde to catch in the lot of the cathedral.

The brunette had insisted that nothing was wrong, and seemed annoyed by Page’s asking. Page asked if he wanted to stop to get another coffee before they checked in. Cole had curled up his lip and shook his head, and kept his seat reclined and his hoodie pulled over his eyes up to now as they pulled up to check in.

Hangman sighed, putting the car in park. He stared out of the windshield, his hand sliding off the steering wheel and into his lap.

“Are you okay?”

Cole lifted his hoodie from over his eyes, looking out of his window and levering his seat upright.

“Oh,” he commented flatly. “We’re here.”

“Adam.”

“What?”

“Are you okay?”

Cole’s eyes flinted around the car’s dash and console, but never quite landed on Hangman. He tugged on his door handle, beginning to push himself out.

“I’m fine. Just need some sleep.”

The brunette slammed his door firmly once he’d gotten out, with Page following behind. Page popped the trunk, which Cole eagerly began to pry open before Hangman placed a hand on top of his, stepping in front of his field of view.

“You can be mad at me all you want about me tellin’ Regal about your little prank,” he started, “But I'm s’posed to be lookin’ out for you. And lyin’ doesn’t help either one of us.”

Cole twisted his lips, staring at the asphalt beneath his feet.

“It’s not about that.”

“Then what the hell is it about? We’re in the meeting, you’re fine, and by the time you get out to the car, you’re not fine. I just wanna know what’s wrong.”

“I’m fine.”

“Adam--”

“Jesus, are you my sponsor or my fucking therapist?”

By the time Cole realized what he’d said, it was too late to shove the words back into his mouth. He closed his eyes and pursed his lips, exhaling through his nose and piecing together what to say next.

Page nodded silently. Cole started to speak, but Page stopped him, holding up his hand and turning his head.

“No. It's okay. You’re right. This that you’re goin’ through, whatever it is, doesn’t have to be my business. But I'm here to help you. So we’re gonna grab our bags, get up to our room, and maybe we'll talk later. But not right now.”

Hangman unloaded the trunk one suitcase at a time, and Cole grabbed what was his as it came out. Once that work was done, Hangman pulled his suitcase alongside him, passing his keys to a quizzical valet as Cole followed guiltily behind.

He dragged his belongings behind him with one hand, the other in his hoodie pocket.

“God, he can’t stand you.”

Cole whipped around, one hand resting on the door, and the other still in the pocket of his hoodie. The valet sank into the driver’s seat of his car, and he could see nor hear anyone or anything, save for the buzzing cars across the street. A cold sweat on his temple, a tightness gripping his throat. Four walls closing in around him.

He quickly ducked inside to find Hangman finishing up at the desk. He extended his arm to Cole, pushing out one of two keycards with his thumb.

“Two kings and a balcony. Maybe it’ll help you clear your head.”

“He’s sick of you.”

Cole squeezed his eyes closed and shook the noise out of his head, taking a card.

“You’re just another job to him.”

Into the elevator.

“Not even a friend.”

Up the elevator.

“Just another number.”

Down the hallway.

“You’ll never be what I was to him.”

Through the room door.

Page set his belongings next to one of the beds, then turned to see Cole standing still by the door. His eyes were glazed over, and his mouth slightly ajar.

“Adam?”

Page’s voice elicited no response from the brunette. Page stepped closer, pulling back Cole’s hoodie, cupping his neck with one hand and feeling his cheek with the other. His skin was hot and rosy, and sweat stuck loose strands of hair around his neck and collarbone.

“God, you’re burnin' up. Can you hear me?”

“If you really care about him, then leave.”

Page’s words grew fainter, the other voice got louder, and the walls began to close in. His heart was beating out of his chest. The blonde’s words turned from words to parts of words, and from parts of words to sounds, and from sounds to floating images of his moving lips in front of him.

The closer the walls, the harder it was for him to breathe. His body was numb to the touch, but he could see Hangman’s hands cupping his face. It was almost enough.

Almost.

The walls.

Thewalls.

#bri's writing

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therecordconnection · 2 years

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Ranting and Raving: AC/DC’s “Back in Black”

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I think “Back in Black“ by AC/DC is an important precursor to rap-rock that has been swept under the rug.

Of course the big credit for rap-rock goes to Run-DMC and their 1986 collaboration with Aerosmith for their version of “Walk This Way,” a collaboration that benefited both parties. For Run, it continued their upward momentum and gave them legitimate cred with rock fans who were writing off rap as “not real music.” For Aerosmith, it introduced them and one of their biggest hits to a new generation of people who maybe only knew them as a relic of the mid-seventies. It also gave them a second wind that they were able to carry with them through the rest of the eighties and most of the nineties.

It’s not hard to see why Run-DMC thought “Walk This Way” would be a great choice to turn into a rap song. There are two reasons. 1) The group already had a love for rock and roll and classic rock samples that were being implanted into their music. 2) In the case of “Walk This Way,” all of the ingredients needed to make the quintessential rap-rock song were already there. All Run-DMC had to do was cook it up just right. That killer guitar riff that runs through the whole song, Steven Tyler’s lyrics and flow that already sound like he’s kinda rapping, that tight as hell drum beat that already sets a damn solid foundation for a track. All Run-DMC really had to do was change the production of the drums, translate the lyrics to fit their flow and style, get Steven Tyler back to do the chorus, maybe get Joe Perry to add some new guitar work on it, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a remix. It’s a perfect re-do because it doesn’t take anything away from the original. It enhances the original. In a way, I almost prefer this over the original. There’s just something about Run’s version that, while kinda cheesy and a bit dated, it remains fun to listen to. “Walk This Way” just feels like it was always meant to be a rap song, it only needed the right guys to come along and awaken it’s full potential. The video is fantastic and shows exactly what both groups wanted to do: break genre barriers and show that both worlds can co-exist. It looks silly and kinda corny now, but in 1986 it was a big deal.

But, listening to “Back in Black” again, I can’t shake the feeling that Aerosmith weren’t the only ones that accidentally provided evidence that the worlds of rap and rock could fuse together so beautifully... because “Back in Black” also has a lot of the same ingredients as “Walk This Way” has, it’s just got a bit of a different flavor. Phil Rudd’s drum beat is static and never changing, which provides the same kind of foundation Run-DMC’s “Walk This Way” did. The production also has that same weight and oompf that a lot of Run beats have. Like “Walk This Way” it has a killer guitar riff that runs through the whole song. Sonically, it has same framework that Aerosmith’s song had. You could sample “Back in Black“ and use it to build a pretty killer track. Hell, the Beastie Boys proved this in 1984 by (illegally) sampling the song in a now-famously out of print single called “Rock Hard.” It’s never been released digitally, mostly due to AC/DC refusing to give sample clearance.

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In hindsight, I think it was a stupid move on AC/DC’s part to not give the Beasties the clearance. The Beasties weren’t much in 1984, but by 1986, they would be the first rap group to have a number one album on Billboard with License to Ill. Like Run-DMC, the Beasties were also classic rock fans and the songs on 1989′s Paul’s Boutique is made up almost entirely of samples from old classic rock songs. One can’t help but wonder what the hip-hop world would look like if the Beasties and AC/DC had been the ones to fuse the two worlds instead of Run-DMC and Aerosmith. Both combinations are odd, but there’s a certain magic and charm to them. Either combination would’ve ended up breaking barriers somehow, as the Beasties were all Jewish and the boys in Run-DMC were all black. Both parties were trying to break into an industry with a new and unique sound but had the challenge of combatting what was big in the mainstream, a mainstream that was still predominantly white at the time Run-DMC’s “Walk This Way” became a hit.

I think the thing that really sold me on “Back in Black”’s potential as a rap-rock song has to be the lyrical content. There’s nothing mind-blowing or outrageously different here than what you get with any other AC/DC song. It’s the classic tough guy posturing, badass doing badass things for badasses type swagger that basically every AC/DC hit is formed from. AC/DC is the ultimate “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rock band. “Back In Black” stands out for a few reasons though. 1) New lead singer Brian Johnson wrote the lyrics as a tribute to Bon Scott, the band’s singer who had passed away in February of 1980, just a few months before the song was released. 2) Brian Johnson’s rhymes, flow, and meter just have a certain cadence that lends itself to being translated to rap easily. Listen to the second verse in particular to get a good idea of this:

Back in the back of a Cadillac Number one with a bullet, I'm a power pack Yes, I'm in a bang with a gang They've got to catch me if they want me to hang'

Cause I'm back on the track and I'm beatin' the flack Nobody's gonna get me on another rap So look at me now, I'm just making my play Don't try to push your luck, just get out of my way

The words just flow so well. The meter is just as tight as the guitar and drums. Johnson not only captures the wild hedonism and tough guy braggadocio that made the Bon Scott era so memorable, but Johnson also captures tropes that modern rappers are still exhibiting today. Mention of a slick ride? Check. Gang affiliation? Check. Having cred because you’ve been to jail and now that you’re out it’s right back to raising hell? Check. Bragging about toughness and making it clear that nobody should fuck with you unless you got a death wish? Check.

No wonder the Beasties wanted to sample this. Everything about this song just exudes power and respect. Two things that are important for survival in the rap game. Ultimately, I don’t think any song other than “Walk This Way” would’ve truly worked as a classic rock song reworked into a rap song, but it’s always fun to wonder.

#original content #music criticism #music essay #ac/dc #run-dmc #aerosmith #beastie boys #back in black #walk this way #Youtube

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joemuggs · 1 year

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Chimes of Freedom

Three years ago I did an oral history of Orbital's "Chime" for MOJO. This is it...

Paul Hartnoll: From the age of 13 I was in school bands and local bands in Sevenoaks, usually playing guitar. Then when I was 16 and my brother was 20, about ‘84, ‘85, we started getting drum machines and what have you together. We were listening to electro, hi-NRG, Tackhead, Cabaret Voltaire, Chakk, Severed Heads. We’d turn up at local discos with a Front-242 or Dead Or Alive record, or a bunch of electro 12”s, and pester the DJ to play them. Then, when house came along in ‘86, ‘87 – the stuff like (The House Master Boyz’) House Nation and (Nitro Deluxe’s) This Brutal House - we immediately thought, Great! This is like electro and hi-NRG together!

Phil Hartnoll: I was doing an apprenticeship, so I had a bit of money, and any spare cash I’d spend on synths. I never had aspiration, I just wanted to know what synthesiser sounds were. Paul was much more driven, he wanted to be in a band. We gradually got tapes together, we’d give them to a few people, then Paul found this guy Jazzy M.

Jazzy M: My show was called The Jacking Zone, and it was the first ever proper house show on London airwaves. The stuff was already coming in from Chicago, but I wanted to hear if people could make it here in the UK - so on my radio show, I asked, Are you making music? Come and bring it to me!, bold as brass. So (Paul’s pirate DJ friend-of-a-friend) Jack Man Jay brought me this tape. It’s wondrous to think back that I had no other information but ‘Paul from Kent.’

Paul: I went up to see Jazzy in this record shop in Croydon, My Price I think; it was quite terrifying, really, because he was like a John the Baptist of house music, such an evangelist, a real character. He ran around the shop collecting all these 12”s, then went, ‘What you do is brilliant, but it’s too fast, and you need to copy these records.’ I said, I haven't got any money. He just looked at me like this was an abstract concept, and went, ‘Money? Nah, you can have them. Copy those, come back when you need some more.’ He became my mentor right up to the time when I finally gave him Chime.

Phil: The way Paul wrote Chime was very impulsive and instinctive, that non-thinking-about-it creative vibe is really captured there. Normally he’s much more the musician, the nerdy one who’ll sit down and work things out, where I’m just a Tasmanian devil - Wurrrrgh, press that, what’s this do? - so actually it was funny for him to do such an unconscious, unconsidered kind of track.

Paul: I was just trying out a way of recording where I did it all live to the four-track, without worrying about mucking about and syncing different tracks. I started about four in the afternoon, I think it was a Wednesday, a couple of hours before I went to the pub. I guess I was trying to do something a bit Detroit techno, but really, I just took some random samples from my dad’s easy listening records, put in the ‘dum dum dum du-du-dum’ bass at the beginning, job done. Right at the end I thought, What’s that weird sound? and it was the descending string bit. Sounds OK, I’ll put that in… and that was literally it.

Phil: His mates were sitting on the sofa hassling him to finish it as he did the live recording to tape! I’ll be honest, Chime never floated my boat massively because that sort of Salsa-ey rhythm didn’t really sit right with me, but I realised it really stuck out as quirky and weird, which is why it worked for us and helped as break through. And it really did go mad.

JM: He brought it into me at Vinyl Zone at the weekend, the shop was packed with DJs, I put the tape on and the whole place went spare – ‘I want it! I want it!’, thinking it was a new 12”. I was really cheeky, like, Ha ha, no you can’t have it, it’s not released! Right that minute, I went, I’m having this. I’d been working on setting up the Oh’Zone label so it felt like perfect timing, spiritual almost.

Paul: Jazzy told me to go home and re-record it, but with an extra bit at the end where it all comes back in – ‘and do it on a metal tape as well.’ I spent £3.25 on a cassette to record it on, the most expensive one I’d ever bought, and I was thinking, It’d better bloody be worth it.

JM: I’ve still got that tape, it’s a TDK MA90 with just ‘CHIME’ written on it. The brilliant thing is, that’s what we mastered the vinyl off - 12, 13 minutes whatever it is, no edits, nothing, just straight on to the Oh’Zone 12" (released in December 1989). And that was my label launched! 1,000 copies, then another 3,000, it kept getting bigger. I even played it out off the cassette too, before the vinyl. I remember it was Clink Street or one of those really grubby underground raves. The whole place went absolutely crackers. Johnny Walker was DJing there too, he worked at Polydor which was in the same building as Tong - so that’s how he got to know about it.

Pete Tong: Soon as I heard it, I had to sign it. I did the deal with Jazzy on the track, then rolled it into a bigger deal with the boys - because I knew I wanted a longer-term thing for them with (London records dance imprint) FFRR. It was a bit of a seminal moment for British homegrown electronic music; before them we had DJs going into studios with the help of engineers – S’Express, Bomb The Bass, M/A/R/R/S - learning how to make records cut-and-paste style. Then the next big wave was the talent doing everything themselves: The Prodigy, Underworld, The Chemical Brothers and Leftfield. And Orbital really set the tone for that.

Helen Mead: My first thought on getting the record was, Wait, this isn’t The Orb! And second - and this is how trendy everything had become - I thought, Oh they’re supposed to be named after orbital raves? God that’s so over. But with their live shows, they started something else. At the time I had such a battle to make people realise that there could be any link between dance music and live music, whereas I knew they interlinked.

Paul: We’d only played one show before, as The Hartnoll Brothers, amazingly supporting a local Kent go-go band. But a friend of ours (Johnny Delafons) drummed for the Shamen, and we ended up meeting them (Orbital played their first gig supporting The Shamen at the Islington Town & Country Club 2, February 1990)

Mixmaster Morris: Doing the Synergy tour with The Shamen was their first proper live gig. I took them out to buy sequencers to make it easier to do the live sets, and the first time I ever heard them play was their first soundcheck. Everything was moving so fast in 1990, and I’ll always associate Chime with that. It was in the charts as we were touring, so it just got more and more popular, everyone got more and more crazy. The Shamen weren’t in the charts at that point, they didn’t have a hit ‘til 91, so Orbital got bigger than everyone else on the tour. They were still only getting £10-15 a night like the rest of us, mind.

Phil: When we did Chime on Top of the Pops (on March 22, 1990), we were a square peg in a round hole. We were so awkward standing there trying to mime - we thought we were being all clever having everything unplugged. Ugh, it was pretty painful. We had a big argument with them asking why we couldn’t play live, but at the end of the day you can’t refuse Top of the Pops! Then of course we had Snap! on afterwards doing, “I Got The Power!” and they just showed us up even more.

Paul: Between us, 808 State, The Shamen and their mates, it really felt like the beginning of something, of people deciding they didn’t like the old nightclub regime and wanted something new. From there we got involved with (crusty tribal rave promoters) the Megadog lot. It was very word of mouth, it was really about being evangelical for this culture. Very different to all the Sunrise and Energy raves which we’d play - they were run by blaggers who were only in it for the money, and they would run things very shoddily.

PT: They were very much in tune with the free parties, the traveller mentality, the DIY mentality. And they presented themselves as a band from the start. Them, The Shamen, The KLF, I think they showed the way. To this day, I tell producers starting out, If you want to be seen as a band, you’ve got to act like it, not just another DJ making a record.

Phil: Playing it live was where the magic came in for me. It was so simple, just a few samples, the 303 - which was my little baby to mess around with - and couple of other analogue synths, it was really easy to jam it out. You can hear how much we’d go off on one with it on Son Of Chime (released on the Live At The Brain album, 1990). Sometime around this we went up to Liverpool, that guy James Barton who started Cream asked us to do a private do for him and his mates, about 100 people. As soon as we’d played it, they’d go, Play Chime again, play Chime again! We must’ve played it for half an hour, maybe more.

MM: They played Synergy shows all through 1990, and we were doing underground parties at the same time - the whole point of those was to do an all-night party with no DJs, only live electronic music. A classic one was at a rehearsal studio in Willesden - maybe 1,000, 1,500 people, well overcrowded - which kickstarted (touring Megadog rave event) the MIDI Circus and was a precursor to Experimental Sound Field in Glastonbury in 1992, where Underworld, Orbital and everyone played for the whole weekend.

HM: It was probably 1993 before people realised how big this whole scene had become: that’s when you had Aphex Twin, Sabres of Paradise, Leftfield, all coming through. So Chime was big, but I don’t think anyone knew how big it was all about to get.

Paul: I could never get sick of hearing Chime. Aside from just being proud of it, it’s given me my entire life of doing music. How could I ever not get a thrill from that?

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ajoytobeheld · 6 months

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Mega, depressive, all tomorrow's party post

May 8th, 2009

Today, we should be at ATP. BY RIGHTS!! The next three days promise to be a stream of torturous reminders that we’re not.

So, to celebrate the fact that I’m gonna be miserable this weekend while my friends tweet and facebook and blog about how they’re having an incredible time, as I sit LONELY at msn, ABANDONED, here are some stream of consciousness, non-proof read reminisces about the four ATPs that myself and other members of LC! have attended. Plenty of name-dropping because I’m depressed, alright?

MAY 2006 The United Sounds Of ATP. Our first ATP. Phil Elverum with Herman Dune as backing band. Neil and Tom paid for tickets. I got the other…five of our pals “press passes” due to me being a BIG PLAYER in student media at the time. We slept the seven of us in and around a single double bed. John slept with his head in a bin and wore a dress for the weekend, got recognised by Huw Stephens while hitching up his skirt in the . Tom and Neil got their picture taken with Bill Callahan. Immediately accidentally deleted it. Cried. Beth Ditto called me “the cutest thing I’ve ever seen”. Met a really awesome girl, wrote a song about it. Did a conga line whilst watching the Shins. Shared a chalet with a Sheffield Wednesday fan, he was very tall. Two litre bottles of Strongbow. Vodka and slush puppies. Might have met Josie Long. Dancing with Sleater-Kinney to ‘Hot Topic’ by Le Tigre, WHILST WEARING a Bikini Kill t-shirt. 33 at 45. Mascis playing guitar with BSS, and forgetting to mute his pedals whilst tuning up, LOL. Absolutely OWNING the dancefllor for the entire weekend.I kind of peaked here. Pretty certain this was the happiest weekend of my life.

MAY 2007 ATP VS THE FANS The moment, watching Architecture In Helsinki, that, all at once, about 25 blokes in the crowd noticed a bit of one of their songs sounded like the BBC Cricket coverage theme tune, massive grins. Starting the weekend off with The Thermals, meeting loads of people off Drowned In Sound in the front row. Somebody told me Daniel Johnston had missed his flight. I drunkenly announced it to loads of people. Daniel Johnston hadn’t missed his flight. I’m still very sorry. The Notwist being amazing. Got a verse out of this one too. Yoni Wolf and Dose One performing part of Physics Of A Unicycle together. Incredible. Missed Shellac because we watched the frankly FUCKING AWFUL Chelsea v Utd FA Cup final. Asked to do a Los Campesinos! v Mogwai 5-a-side football match. Too scared.

CAN’T FIND ANY PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF THIS ONE!!

MAY 2008 ATP VS PITCHFORK We played this one. Esiotrot/4 or 5 Magicians/Los Campesinos! 5-a-side. Lot of fun. Maybe shouldn’t go to ATP with a girlfriend, makes it a bit rubbisher. Also, don’t jump off the drum kit during your set and sprain your ankle and subsequently have to spend the rest of the weekend on crutches. Except, ATP only had one pair of crutches, and somebody had already taken. In extreme pain for the rest of the weekend. But playing was probably the proudest I’ve ever been. I CROWDSURFED!! Last day of the Premiership season, United win it at Wigan. Found a disposable barbecue with a human turd on it. Times New Viking dedicating a song to us, and hanging out with them all weekend, gettin’ waaaaaaasted man. Saw the guy, who had the crutches, CARRYING THEM, WALKING FINE!!! BASTARD!! Was offered a Zimmer frame.

DECEMBER 2008 NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: MIKE PATTON/THE MELVINS Didn’t go until Saturday afternoon, because I had a football match Saturday morning. Watched about 3 bands. All very good, thank you very much. Watched about 5 football matches. Everton v Aston Villa was a hell of a game. United beat Fulham. Kept asking for beers with the stress on the wrong cyllables, hilarious. Got drunk and tried to go swimming. It was closed. Got tricked at ‘gay chicken’. Lots of Dance Dance Revolution. Me and Gui started our new band KrabIsland (news on that, never). I could be Teenage Jesus’ drummer.

I’ve been reasonably restrained here. Might add some more in a bit. We’ll be lucky if I don’t bust out crying…

No apologies made.

#2009 #gareth!blog #lc!blog #lc!image

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daggerzine · 8 months

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Gary Olson talks afternoon into evening! (interview by Eric Eggleson).

It’s been a while since I caught up with Gary Olson of The Ladybug Transistor; he’s quite the busy guy, but he’s never too busy to take time out of his schedule for Dagger. When he told me about a reunion tour and an amazing concert in Norway, I had to find out more.

How did you end up in the Norwegian festival? (Egersund) The Ladybug Norway connection goes back a couple of decades now. We had a lot of opportunity to play there in the early 2000s after Albemarle Sound was released. Audiences were great and we developed a lot of lasting friendships. It seemed like a natural place for a reunion.

What was it like playing the old tunes again? How much preparation went into practice? Oh, so much fun! It really brought home that we had four distinct writers (Gary, Jeff, Jennifer, and Sasha) in those days and our individual styles rounded into something special. We chose a set list months in advance and made notes… Everyone came prepared as we only had four days for rehearsals. We practiced in Norway as most of us live in different cities these days. Julia and I are in New York, Sasha is in Montana, Jeff is in Burlington, and Jennifer is in Pittsburgh.

How did you choose your setlist? We got together in 2019 to play the entire Albemarle Sound record for its 20th anniversary so we stuck with what worked best from that set and added some of the stronger material from Argyle Heir and Self-Titled.

Many great bands at Egersund, which were you excited to see? There was so much to see in those few days! High Water Marks, Minus 5, No Ones, Rishis and Teenage Fanclub. A new band called Colored Lights really stood out. They have an LP out soon that you should check out.

Did you join any of them on stage? Sasha and Jennifer sat in with the No Ones for a song.

How long were you in Norway? A few weeks. We arrived early to settle in, practice and do some sightseeing… hiking in the fjords. It’s a spectacular place to spend time in the summer. I did a duo tour with Ole Johannes (The Loch Ness Mouse) following the Ladybug show so that kept me there an extra couple of weeks.

The Elephant 6 documentary also aired; was that your first time seeing it? Yes, glad to finally see it. I was waiting for the opportunity to watch it on the big screen in a proper theater. Jeff Baron took part in the Q & A, along with Hilarie from Apples (and The High Water Marks), and Adrian from Elf Power.

Let’s move on to the reunion tour. Why only these five venues? We had a show at The Andy Warhol Museum booked in fall of 2020 and that got postponed during the pandemic. When they rescheduled for this year, we decided to build a little tour around it. Five shows seemed manageable. If it goes well, we will certainly be open to more.

Why these venues? Have you played at them before? We’ve played at Schubas in Chicago many times, but it’s been a while. We played Warhol ages ago. The rest are all new to us.

Any chance for more dates later? 2024 will be the 25th anniversary of The Albemarle Sound so I hope we have the opportunity to do something special. Feel welcome to make any suggestions!

Will you be bringing merchandise? (My t-shirts are getting small!) Yes, working on that now. Sasha is an astrology enthusiast and says this is meant to be the year of Ladybug’s return so we may make some comet themed merch.

Any news on opening acts? Kyle Forester and his band will open in Brooklyn. It seems especially appropriate as he’s been such a good steward to Ladybug through the years. Giant Day (Derek Almstead and Emily Growden) are opening in Pittsburgh. And we've just confirmed that Derek will be joining us on drums for the November dates.

Will you be playing any new songs? Just the oldies, but It would be fun write some new ones with them.

And now some updates on your production work. What bands have you been working or will be working with? Finishing some of Phil Sutton’s projects, Love Burns and Pale Lights. He’s a constant in the studio. I just completed an album for Auguste Juillet Meets The Swedish Miles, which is Jay (Hough) from Sapphire Mansions latest project. That should be out later this year. I worked on the new Sloppy Heads album that was recently released. Give them all a spin!

Are you writing any new music? Your solo album came out in 2020 (Wow, where did the time go?). Loved that, I’m also a huge Loch Ness Mouse fan! How did that come about? Ole Johannes from Loch Ness has been a close friend since my early visits to Norway. We started writing songs together along with his brother Jørn about six years ago and that evolved into an album. It’s a great partnership and we will do more.

Looks like Let’s Whisper is your most recent release. (That also includes Jeff!) Yes, it’s always great to work with the Vermont crew.

I see Jennifer is releasing another The Garment District album in the fall. Very excited for Jennifer’s new Garment District album. I got a preview of the vinyl, and it looks and sounds wonderful.

Well, there you have it, Gary is as friendly today as he was back when I interviewed him many years ago. (Time to check the Dagger archives.) I’ve listed the venues and ticket websites if you’re interested in catching this reunion tour. I know I won’t miss this one. I’m hoping the tour goes well so more cities can be added.

www.gary-olson.bandcamp.com

www.tapeterecords.de

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randomvarious · 9 months

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1997 London Playlist

Alright, folks, I'm taking a little blog vacation after I post this small late 90s London playlist update. I'll have some fun, nostalgic videos that'll be posted throughout the week, but I'm not gonna be writing anything. So, stay tuned for those.

This week, I added a little bit of much-needed jungle diversity to this 1997 London playlist that I've slowly been building up, with a song called "Searchers," by a guy named Pearl.

Pearl is the alias of Phil Earle, a UK drum n bass and jungle producer who also happens to own a little label called Law & Auder, who were known for putting out these cutting-edge, abstract, and experimentally themed double-disc various artists comps throughout the late 90s and early 2000s. Earle has never made a solo release of his own, despite being around since the early 90s, but he has made tracks for several various artists comps, including ones for his own Law & Auder label.

But "Searchers" doesn't come off of any of his L&A releases; instead, I found it on a quadruple-disc comp that I’ve been posting about for weeks now, from budget UK label Dressed to Kill, called Amberdelic Space II: Angel of Ecstasy, which isn’t very good, overall, but definitely has a solid handful of quality tunes on it, including this one.

And "Searchers" is simply a super underheard, next level journey that, very remarkably, seems to use only jungle breaks to form its beats. That means that, rather than getting a simple beat of a drum in order to serve as a single beat—like how virtually every song in the world with a drum works—you're getting a slice of a jungle break instead. And while that ends up making it such a fantastic track, this one still only has ~1,600 plays on Spotify!

Pearl - "Searchers"

This playlist is also on YouTube and YouTube Music.

So, as it currently stands, we're now at 11 songs that end up totaling 72 minutes on Spotify and 18 songs that total 2 hours and 5 minutes on YouTube. And the YouTube playlist has a bunch of goodies on it that you can't find on Spotify, like a couple stunners from who I think might be the most underrated IDM artist of all time, Freeform, a little downtempo, a little future jazz, a couple trance bangers, a Fatboy Slim re-work of Groove Armada's spectacular "At the River," which blends in some of the drums from Underworld's classic "Born Slippy," and a hard-to-find, blissfully bouncy house remix of Wildchild's "Renegade Master," by the duo of Stretch N' Vern. Simply put, you're not gonna find another playlist out there that's quite like this one. A lot of obscure, forgotten, underground heat here 😊.

And if you want more London playlists by year, check these out too:

1994 London: YouTube / YouTube Music 1998 London: YouTube / YouTube Music 1999 London: YouTube / YouTube Music

Enjoy!

More to come, eventually. Stay tuned!

Like what you hear? Follow me on Spotify and YouTube for more cool playlists and uploads!

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toyahinterviews · 1 year

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TOYAH AND STING ON BBC RADIO ONE WITH ANNIE NIGHTINGALE OCTOBER 1983

This was recorded in Lyon, France 3.10.1983 and broadcast in Janury 1984 ANNIE: Before I start thought I think I'd better explain how this programme came about. It's called a logistical nightmare. Or “if”. A while back, I discovered that Toyah was ensconced in deepest France at a place called Limoges where she was making a film with Lord Olivier I also discovered that for one day, The Police would be in France, and I thought wouldn’t it be nice to bring Toyah and Sting together again, particularly as they’d started out as relatively unknown actors in the film "Quadrophenia" The Police were going to be in Lyon. If you look at your average map of France, Lyon is only about an inch from the Limoges. So, no problem, I thought. Well, this is where the “ifs” really began Sting, I discovered, would be able to meet up with Toyah if the studio in Lyon was not too far from the airport and also if it was not too far from the Palais des Sports where he was playing that night

Toyah would be able to fly to Lyon if her filming schedule allowed her to leave Limoges to catch the one evening flight to Lyon if that arrived in time for her to meet up with Sting Well, with nothing further resolved I went off early on Monday morning on a wing and a prayer to Lyon. I spent all day chasing round the place, managed to lose Toyah at the airport and in the process despairing that I won't ever see her again I made my way to the Palais des Sports As I arrived here sitting in a car right in front of me was a very bewildered looking young lady with bright red hair. It was Toyah. The Police were about to go on stage and this is what happened afterwards ANNIE: It was a very strange sensation having Toyah and yourself within a few feet of each other. Toyah watching you on stage TOYAH: I was having a bop! ANNIE: Yeah and I just wondered how you, as a performer, react watching somebody else TOYAH: I was jealous (giggles)

ANNIE: Of what? TOYAH: Well, I haven't performed on stage for almost a year now. Not with the band. The stage crew and the band's whole attitude on stage. I thought it was wonderful ANNIE: It was a lovely show tonight. I mean, I thought oh, God I hope I come tomorrow TOYAH: Your stage crew are wonderful! They were so there! I love the guy who was passing your your basses and then went on and played himself. I mean, what an ideal man STING: He knows all my bass parts. In fact, when I broke my fingers - ANNIE: That was in Edinburgh. Yeah, I remember - STING: My roadie came on and did the whole set. He knows every nuance of my – he’s watched me for five years ANNIE: He's really been there … Is that Danny or Geoff? I can never remember - STING: It’s Danny. And Geoff did the same when Stuart was sick. We did a concert in France. The drum roadie played the gig - (Annie and Toyah talk at the same time)

ANNIE: I think that's a great compliment to you too that they’ve studied- STING: Thank God they don’t sing. I’d be out of a job - ANNIE: Seriously, the reason that I have brought you two together under an incredibly difficult - STING: Sounds like a marriage ceremony! (Toyah giggles)

ANNIE: It does, doesn’t it? (Sting sings the first line of "Here Comes The Bride") Your film careers actually took off at the same time in the same movie called “Quadrophenia” (above) Now Toyah, first of all, I want to know what did you think of him when you first met him? TOYAH: Sting was the person everyone had a crush on. Not me of course. But all the young girls sort of idolised Sting and there was a guy called Phil Daniels playing the lead, who sort of had to really fight in real life for the women to - not that I'm putting him down, anyone down, but that's what I remember most about Sting and of course the band was just taking off. His band. So he did nothing but talk about it the whole time (makes a snoring sound) STING: Yeah . . . I was really boring TOYAH: No - he wasn't at all! ANNIE: I can remember you telling me that you thought you were actually too old for the part when your auditioned for it

STING: I thought that. My agent said "look, they've seen everybody in the whole of England for the part in "Quadrophenia". Why don't you go?" And I said nah . . . I'm washing me hair . . . (they all laugh) And she said "look, go! " I said I’m too old. It’s all kids! I was about 24 (laughs) But I went anyway and I met the director, who was a Geordie, and I got on with Franc Roddam and I got the part ANNIE: What did you think of Toyah? STING: Well, it was funny for me because everyone on the film had actually acted before and I think Toyah was probably the most experienced of that bunch. Is that true? TOYAH: Yes, most experienced yet at the same time I think I felt very outside because I'd spent a lot of time concentrating on on my musical career. So at the time of doing "Quadrophenia" I hadn't acted for some time I don't think STING: But you had acted? TOYAH: Yes, I had acted. Well, I’d done the National and I did “The Corn Is Green” with (puts on an American accent) Kathy Hepburn -

ANNIE: Kathy Hepburn. I love that - STING: Well, I hadn’t even been in a school play - ANNIE: Hadn’t you? STING: No ANNIE: Were you very paranoid in those days about it? STING: I was pulling a fast one as far as I was concerned. I told Franc Roddam that I've been at the National, the Royal Shakespeare Company … (Toyah laughs) ANNIE: (in a newscaster voice) Sting exposed as a liar! Last confession! STING: I was poor. So I was very wary of the whole cast, which was a good thing because I was supposed to be outside of them. Sort of an alien they all kind of looked up to. So in a way it was useful that I felt a bit different TOYAH: I never for one moment thought you're older than us

STING: Didn’t you? TOYAH: No, not at all STING: I'm not that much older than you TOYAH: I was going to say! (giggles) ANNIE: Isn’t it as well to do with creating a kind of a positive thing? Him saying well, I thought it was a good thing being this alien character. Isn't it turning perhaps a negative situation into something positive? TOYAH: You’ve always got to think positively but it’s as Sting said - it's a question of pulling the fast ones. If you can pull your lies off - ANNIE: Have you conned - TOYAH: Yeah of course I have! ANNIE: Go on, tell us one

TOYAH: The whole time I lie in interviews to start with. Especially when I start getting bored. You know when you've got like a whole day of interviews and you get to the eighth one and you start lying. It's the only thing to do. But yes, where have I lied my way in? I think I did it at the National a bit. I had to lie to gain respect - ANNIE: What did you say? TOYAH: Because I was such a punk rocker that I had to con respectability out of people. I think I lied about my background - ANNIE: What sort of background - TOYAH: I remember Maximilian Schell was directing it, and he couldn't talk very good English at the time anyway, so I just lied to him that was very nice person, really ANNIE: Now, the other interesting thing is that you both worked with Mr and Mrs Olivier. In fact, that whole reason why Toyah is in this part of France, actually - we're in Lyon, but you're visiting from Limoges, because you've been making a movie with Sir Laurence Olivier (below with Toyah on the set of the movie). That is “The Ebony Tower.” Have you read that book, Sting? It’s John Fowles, who I think is a wonderful writer STING: I’ve read everything he's written. I like his early stuff better than the latest book, which is awful

ANNIE: I started reading it about three years ago and at the time didn't think of it as a possible movie, but now I can't see anybody else but Olivier playing a part of this old rue artiste TOYAH: He’s brilliant. I mean, he plays a real bastard and he's brilliant. But I love people that are bastards anyway - ANNIE: In real life? TOYAH: No, he's not a bastard in real life! ANNIE: No, I mean particularly - TOYAH: If I don't have to live near them but he's very good. I mean, he's stunning. I don't know what Joan (Plowright, Olivier's 3rd wife) was like to work with. He is certainly wonderful . . .

ANNIE: Miss Plowright or Lady Olivier was of course your co-star in “Brimstone and Treacle”. I thought she was wonderful in it. Was she an inspiration to you? STING: It was a very good experience for me because up till then I've done small parts in movies. But I really had to jump into the first division. I mean Denholm Elliott and Joan Plowright have made hundreds of movies and they've had 1000s of stage performances. And I had to play with them in a three cornered fight. So I really had to get up to their standard and the thing about great actors is, they give a lot The less good actors don't give you anything, but a really great actor will because it's, I think, it's about give and take. And they just gave me so much and they gave me so much confidence and so much help. Not by pointing things out all the time but just by being humane and human. And I just learned so much from them both (A clip of “Brimstone And Treacle” plays) ANNIE: Are you nervous when you're acting, Sting? STING: I'm still very much a novice. Yeah, I mean, I've made five movies now

ANNIE: It sounds quite a lot really - STING: Well, considering most actors learn their craft in the relative privacy of the repertory theatre and they do a play every night - TOYAH: Have you done any theatre yet? STING: No ANNIE: Would you like to? STING: No! (they all laugh and talk at the same time) TOYAH: The only thing that caught me off at one point during “The Ebony Tower” was you’ve got to pull your socks up to work with people like the Oliviers. You just can't get away with it. You can't bluff your way through that kind of acting. I thought my God! I've got to really work if I do this film and it's lovely. It's such a demanding thing to do ANNIE: Don’t you think it actually drags - TOYAH: It emotionally pulls you apart, which is what every actor and actress needs and it just stretches you but beyond every limit. It's beautiful

ANNIE: (to Sting) Why are you so anti doing theatre? STING: I was only joking. It was an ironic no ANNIE: I know. I remember reading something. You bumped into my old mate, Adam Faith (and he) told you you ought to do that, right? STING: Toyah and I are in a similar situation and that we've had parallel careers and we're lucky. But we've still got to make a big leap and many people will take you seriously as a musician or they'll take you seriously as an actor. But rarely will they take you seriously as something in between. You have to make the jump -

ANNIE: You're like a geometric pattern because you’ve both approached it from the opposite direction, haven’t you? Because you were more established as an actress, Toyah, before the music TOYAH: Yeah ANNIE: And Sting vice versa. So it's a very fascinating situation. How's it going to happen? How are you going to do it? STING: Bit by bit. You have to chip away at people's preconceptions and misconceptions about you. I think you don't have to be intelligent to be a rock and roller. You don't need to be intelligent to be a good rock and roller even - TOYAH: Does help though - STING: No TOYAH: Why? STING: Because some of the most stupid people that ever existed were really good at rock and roll ANNIE: Dare you say who you mean? (Toyah laughs) STING: No, of course I don’t. I don’t need to. But then again - ANNIE: I don't see how honestly you can substantiate that because I would think -

TOYAH: You’ve got to have an ounce of brains - STING: One of the thickest people I ever met was (puts his hand over his mouth and mumbles) TOYAH: You’re really limiting the names now! (giggles) ANNIE: I knew it would get bitchy! I knew it would! TOYAH: The great thing is that I find that if one area gets successful, you start to build the other area up. I, just within England, had to slow the band down at one point so that's when I went onstage with “Trafford Tanzi” (below) and started getting me as a person back together again because I found that the ridiculous success I had in England made me forget who I was

ANNIE: (To Sting) I must talk to you about “Synchronicity” – not the album so much as the word and how much it means - STING: Synchronicity was a term devised by Carl Jung, who is a Swiss psychoanalyst and he believed that there was a pattern to life that was perhaps larger than most of us can see. And so he collected together a series of coincidence. Lists of coincidental phenomena, great long scientific graphs and all kinds of things. Synchronicity is about a coincidence or two events that are connected symbolically but not causally ANNIE: Acausally, yeah STING: For example, in my song “Synchronicity”, there are two parallel stories. One story is about a man who's going nuts with this suburban hell. And the other story parallel to that is the growth of a monster in a lake somewhere in Scotland The monster comes out of the lake as demands and anxieties and frustration grows, so he becomes pathologically dangerous when the monster comes out ... and I’m using all these hand gestures on radio (chuckles) And that’s what synchronicity is. It’s two things that are connected ANNIE: What attracted you to that?

STING: I think it’s a fascinating idea. There's a lot of coincidence in my life, a lot of kind of fate takes a hand. It's an interesting idea ANNIE: Well, it's a new word to a lot of people but ever since it's been sort of put over via the record it's amazing how you start linking things up and thinking well, that’s strange. But then you think well, which has come first? Was it always there but you used to call it coincidence STING: Well, it’s a syncronitic event tonight. We're a day off but October the second, which is my birthday and it was yesterday … 1977 is when we were doing "Quadrophenia" (below, Toyah just behind Sting on the left) TOYAH: Oh really?! STING: And my birthday was also the day that I flew from Brighton, where we were shooting the film to Manchester to do the Old Grey Whistle Test, which was our first television appearance I think. And I was going to use two singers and I thought I'll use Toyah Willcox, who's in the film and another girl who was also part of the film - TOYAH: Tammy Jacobs

STING: Was that Tammy? So I rehearsed them the day before. And she (Toyah) was going to be in it. But then it all fell through. It was a very strange day. I sprayed my eyes with metallic paint and I was blinded for about an hour

ANNIE: That was the first time we ever met as well. That is . . . you see really . . . OK! I believe ! I believe! I always remember that bit about Whistle Test but I didn't know about Toyah. That is extraordinary STING: (To Toyah) You could have been in The Police (Toyah laughs) ANNIE: Oh, how do you feel about that Toyah? TOYAH: I’ve got to say I remember at the time I was so excited for you doing your Whistle Test and everything. I didn't for one minute think about me being in The Police. I was genuinely really pleased for you till you came back and said you’d blinded yourself. You said it was a bit of a nightmare ANNIE: Quite an interesting day STING: So that was my birthday ANNIE: I think it was 78’ but let's - STING: Was it?

ANNIE: There must have been other instances too which have aroused your interest in this business STING: Oh, loads. All the time. I think your career is - if it's not circular it's like spiralling up. You keep turning around and around and higher and higher evolutions and you meet people on the same sort of path. Bit like success. I suppose you meet them on the way down as well (makes a sad noise) TOYAH: It’s nice to think it’s a spiral - I just keep thinking (about) the ladder where you can only go rung at a time. Whereas if it's spiralling things can go up or down either way without you quite noticing. It's a nice image. I’ll forget that and use that one ANNIE: Have either of you ever worried about - because you’ve both spiralled up so far very, very successfully. Are either of you worried about spiralling down? TOYAH: Yeah. That's what keeps you going, really. Does for me anyway. My ambition is powered on never wanting to slow down or stop working, ever. And when I get days off I get the paranoia so I get . . . oh God, I can't survive anymore. Lack of success means no work. I’d go and scrub someone's floor, just something to do if I had a day off. I’d go mad! STING: Yeah . . . I scrub a lot of floors

ANNIE: You've admitted lots of times, Sting, that you are very ambitious. Is it getting stronger or has it slowed down or is it on an even keel now? STING: I think what I'm rehearsing for, practising for, is the ability to walk away from it in fact. I'd like one day to say I've had enough of this. I’d like to do something else TOYAH: It’s very hard to walk away from it - STING: It’s very hard to walk away but I think you have to prepare for it because there's a moment in your career when . . . you can't go up and you can't stay still TOYAH: But you can go sideways STING: Yeah, alright. Sideways . . . but then who might want to? I might sort of walk away TOYAH: See, when I feel I can't face the music industry anymore I go into the acting and vice versa. I can't face the acting anymore and I go bounce off the music wall. It's just like a ball you’re bouncing off different walls the whole time. But I could never walk away. I'd like to one day say right, I'm content and I'm just going to settle down and enjoy life

ANNIE: Could you enjoy life without doing what you're doing? TOYAH: No. I've decided quite recently that I'm going to have a kid before I'm 30. I think that's very important STING: I’ll give you a hand (they all laugh, Toyah is dying with giggles) (puts on a silly voice) It’s a talent I seem to have ANNIE: (laughing) Anyway, you both write songs and Toyah you've been saying to me that with your latest album - having established a lot of imagery in the past and your songs in the past - that with “The Vow” for instance, you're trying to change all that TOYAH: I'm trying to learn to write directly and simply whereas I've been using images to hide behind and also images - you can take an image and it will mean something to you and something totally different to someone else. And you can always use that as an excuse. Oh, make your own meaning up out of it With this new album “Love Is The Law” I've tried to work it from basic emotions, which the most basic of all really is love and hate and that's what I’ve based the whole album on, which has been hard for me because that's the subject I've always tried to avoid

ANNIE: Your kind of imagery has been very, very strong in the past. Sting’s has been - sometimes you write very directly. I feel I know what “Wrapped Around Your Finger” is exactly and and there's four lines in that which are absolutely beautiful - which I listened to over and over again. “Devil in the deep blue sea” etc which I think works very well. You seem to communicate very clearly what you're on about but is that just me thinking that I understand? Do you want people to know what you actually meant? STING: I think I wrote two kinds of songs. One is very simple. It's almost a tonal code. It's very easy to understand. And another type of song, which is deliberately … intricate and difficult. And you have to work hard to hear what the words are and work out what they mean. I think an audience has to be implicated. It needs to be drawn into the mystery. But sometimes, I like to write very directly (Can’t Stand Losing You plays)

ANNIE: Well that’s pretty direct in its meaning - one of the very early Police hits “Can't Stand Losing You”. But I think it takes immense bravery to write about real emotions TOYAH: Immense understanding. It depends how selfish you are really. When you get down to real emotions . . . I didn't feel I had any but they’re slowly coming out is I'm starting to mature, I feel. And my … what is it? ... Inhibitions are breaking down very fast, and therefore I can open up and be a book that has - ANNIE: That’s exactly what I meant. As I say, I feel that often, Sting, that your songs are like an open book. But maybe they're not . . . STING: What - do you think I'm being too confessional? ANNIE: Not too confessional. I don't think anybody can be. As I say it takes tremendous courage to do that. Because you’re really like baring your soul to everybody and say “this is how I feel!”

TOYAH: There's one of yours tonight, and I thought that was great. I think it was “Don't Stand So Close To Me” because I never really got to hear the lyrics and I thought it was that open lyric. It was wonderful. Because everyone has those fantasies. And I think you can hit a line where you're not being too brave because your audience has to admit they have those emotions too

ANNIE: When you're writing, both of you, do you think well, this actually could be a parallel situation where everybody else - or not everyone but a lot of other people … you do? STING: I write sometimes for a specific group of people ANNIE: Really? What kind of group of people? (they snigger) Like Roman Catholic priests? STING: Dustmen. Well, I mean “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” was written for school girls, obviously. “Every Breath You Take” was written for those who have experienced unrequited love - ANNIE: Why did you do the video in such an angry way? I was very surprised - STING: Angular? ANNIE: Angry (sings in an angry voice) “Every breath you take!” (Toyah laughs)

STING: I think the song is very, very sinister and ugly and people have actually misinterpreted it as being a gentle little love song and really it’s about jealousy and surveillance and 1984 ANNIE: Toyah’s - in the past songs - if there's one word that sums it up, I’d say mountains. You always sort of imagine great vistas about your songs - STING: Like a biblical epic (Toyah laughs) The 10 commandments ANNIE: Oh, by the way, another bit of coincidence if not synchronicity is that you have the same people doing your videos, which is - TOYAH: Really?! STING: Well, only the best! ANNIE: Godley and Creme obviously I'm talking about. They made you drive a chariot, didn't they? TOYAH: Yes ANNIE: Which song was it? TOYAH: It was “Thunder In The Mountains” (below, screen caps by toyah.net) I said I'll drive my own chariot, thank you very much and it was wonderful - ANNIE: Having to control the horse which you'd never done before? TOYAH: Yeah, we just get on and hope for the best

STING: That was Godley and Creme in a suit, not a horse (Toyah giggles) They are the best. They’re really are inventive. You give them a brief, you say what your interpretation is and they're faithful to that and yet they add so much of their own energy and enthusiasm to it that they're wonderful to work with TOYAH: And they can take the imagery off at a tangent that still makes the lyric work at its home base. It's like for “Rebel Run” they came up with the imagery for that. I just said I've got this really boring lyric about 1984 - what am I going to do with it? And they said "be a woman roller derby skater and just bash the hell out of yourself" ANNIE: Yeah, I don't care what you say about them being the best or whatever but I still think it seems very strange or maybe it is synchronistic that of all the video makers that there are around - and there's an awful lot of good ones - that you have both chosen Godley and Creme to direct yours!

STING: There's another synchronistic event which is that the colour of Toyah's hair, which is of a flaming carrot at the moment, is exactly the same shade as mine was a week ago. I had mine done for a film called “Dune” where I play this raving queen. And she's in this movie with flaming red hair as well. We just cannot get away from each other ANNIE: I fell out with somebody over that but very seriously, because I said I can't believe the characters because I just thought the name - I know it sounds very sort of simplistic but I found that the name sounded so unreal and unbelievable. So go on, convince me why you wanted to do it - STING: I don’t have to defend the book or even the film. I think a lot of people sort of find a religious theme in the book and that they're obviously very partisan and extremely … what’s the word? Excited by everything in it. And there are other people like myself who are indifferent to it I think it's a very well made book. Very clever book. You create a planet with its own histories and geography, its own ecology and history and politics and whatever. It's a very big achievement. But if you don't believe in it, you don't believe in it, Ann

ANNIE: That’s right TOYAH: Is it TV or - STING: (puts on a silly 1930’s voice) This is the biggest movie in the history of Hollywood and it’s costing $15 million, kid ANNIE: How much do you get? STING: Most of it (Annie laughs) ANNIE: And obviously it’s you and Francesca Annis. Is she very nice? STING: She is a wonderful woman - ANNIE: I thought so - TOYAH: (they all talk at the same time) There’s some great pictures of yourself STING: My body? TOYAH: With wings on STING: Yeah. I wanted to be nude

ANNIE: Did you?! STING: I wanted to be nude in that film. Holding my nose - ANNIE: Why wouldn’t they let you? STING: Because they want a PG rating TOYAH: What does PG mean? STING: Parental Guidance ANNIE: Yeah, so it gets a bit bigger theatre - STING: So they stuck this leather winged jockstrap on me. And I was having a shower at the time. But still … ANNIE: It's probably far more erotic than if you hadn’t anything on - STING: It’s very camp - TOYAH: It’s a great picture because he’s laughing his head off - ANNIE: Toyah has also just stripped off - TOYAH: (annoyed) I haven’t stripped off

ANNIE: No, I’m sorry, it’s very - TOYAH: I lie in the long grass reading a book basically while I let that Greta Scacchi get on with it - STING: Get on with what? TOYAH: Well, the rest of the scene. She hasn't got anything on either STING: Not a stitch on? Sounds like my kind of movie (Annie laughs) Has Olivier got clothes on? TOYAH: Of course he has! It's very tastefully done, but it's just those attitudes - ANNIE: (in Kenny Everett’s voice) Done in the best possible taste! I’m sure it is. Well, thank you both very, very much for coming along. It's been quite an effort on everybody's behalf STING: Thank you, Anne ANNIE: And next . . . well, who knows what and who knows where

Listen to the interview HERE

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