Him symbol for myspace
Saved You a Click: Helping Rid the Internet of Clickbait
2014.06.08 13:04 born_here Saved You a Click: Helping Rid the Internet of Clickbait
Don't click on that, we already did. Fighting clickbait for better journalism.
2014.06.16 05:40 STRYPER - Isaiah 53:5
This is for current and future fans of the Christian heavy metal band, STRYPER! Share a STRYPER meme, video, story, concert or album review, etc. All things STRYPER are discussed here. This Subreddit is not affiliated with the band other than being fans.
2017.01.30 18:43 GoatsDontShave Kekistan - It's an older meme Sir, but it checks out.
2024.04.01 09:31 Serious-Boss-4123 Just something I need to get off my chest. (I had it lucky compared to others I feel like)
Part of the Reason I am the way I am.
My Mother pressured my Father into getting married early in their 20s, My Biological Grandmother died when my mother was 6/7 Yrs Old. My Mother was the youngest of 4 kids, so my grandfather wasnt as strict on her growing up as he was the rest. When she was born, the Umbilical Cord was wrapped around her neck and she was almost suffocated before she made it. She always got whatever she wanted (within my grandfathers Ability making just a little better than minimum wage as a lineman). When she turned 16 she got a car, and one day she was driving out of a intersection on the side of a highway, and got hit just behind her driver door at 50-60mph, and it spun her car around, her driver door came open and she did have a seat belt on, but she was hit so hard her head was dragging the asphalt and she still has gravels stuck in her head from way back then.
Somewhere Highschool and Her first full time job she met my Dad, Brian Stewart. She apparently pressured him into getting married while they were very young, and she obviously wasnt mature enough to make that kind of decision just yet. But my dad said yes, but got tired of her probably constantly never being satisfied. My guess is they argued because she was probably being too flirty with strange men too often. So one day a Couple years after theyd been married, She just vanished from existence. Nobody knew where she was, she didnt tell a soul about anything, and she was missing for 2/3 weeks.
My Grandfather was worried sick, and so was my dad, and everyone thought she was kidnapped or worse. Until my dad went and logged in on their computer, and decided to check her facebook, or myspace or whatever it was, and found out she had been in these chat rooms with all these creepy strange dudes.
She had been messaging one for quite some time, and had told him she would come to his house.
This guy lived somewhere up north around Michigan or Chicago or New York, not sure. But he was Apparently Very Heavy set, and dark haired and tan.
But My Dad told My Momma's Daddy what he had found, and found the address to this guys house, and when my Aunt found out she was pissed.
My dad tried his darndest to do whatever to please her, and she just took advantage of him, even though she asked him to get married in the first place, (Probably a Social Status Symbol for her Ego)
So my aunt found a phone book for the Northern guy's Adress and found the number to his house phone.
She called the number, and the guy's MOTHER answered the phone, and aunt argued with her and demanded to put my mother on the phone.
She eventually came to the phone, and then came home after another 2/3 days. Then her and my dad started the divorce process after she said she wasn't happy or whatever the deal was there.
During the divorce, my mom went up north and came back for a few months at a time, and somewhere in between trips, she got pregnant with Me.
My dad volunteered to take up and raise me like his own even if i wasn't actually his "son", However, his parents Objected to that idea, and apparently that worked out good because his dad or granddad was an alcoholic.
So when i was Born my dad came and was there when i arrived, and my mother swore up and down i wasn't his kid, but obviously I'm not tan and dark haired, and especially looking now i am officially undeniably his son.
But my mother ended up having to move back in with my Grandparents, and eventually we moved to a trailer park, and it actually wasn't a bad place really.
She put me in a daycare within 5 minutes of my grandparents house so they would often come pick me up, or my Aunt would either one.
My mother and my aunt weren't really on good terms, but mostly because my mother refused every opportunity to mature and act right it seemed.
My mother would get jealous of my Aunt spending more time with me, but when i was home i was always just a nuisance to her, that's how she made me feel.
So I got to where i didn't want to go home with her, i wanted to spend as much time with my Paw Paw as i could possibly spend, He was and still is the greatest human being i have ever met in my life. I'd go back and deal with it all over again just to spend that time with him at that age again 1000 times over.
But my mother must have been getting more and more worried about balancing her social life and "status" with me, so she would demand that i come home, just so i could be a status symbol or something when i was in public with her.'
But she would have these raging fits over the smallest things ever it seemed.
Ill try and name of some of the instances in order as best as i can
She would get mad if i got a sticker tattoo, and proceed to yell at me to the point where i finally learned to talk back to her, and my aunt would tell me to just try to avoid the situation, but if she did it again, to just put my hands up so she couldnt hit my face.
I dealt with that on and off for 20 years.
I remember bawling my eyeballs out on my grandpas chest so many times telling him about all the stuff i'd been through and what was going on. And it made him feel guilty for not raising her better, but i know for a fact he didnt teach her to do that to kids, shes just that messed up in the head.
My mother would twist my words, and prevent me from telling my side of the story any time i made a mistake, she would just talk like i was supposed to know everything instantly without ever learning it once. I could never do anything "correct" so eventually i jsut gave up trying to get her to understand me and let her have her chance to be a "good mother".
I would lock myself in my room, or stay out doing whatever.
And that lead to me not being able to communicate effectively in person with people.
I used to not be scared to be me when i was 3-8 but when we moved in with my step dad, he would always take her side because he didnt want to / couldnt afford to pay child support for my half brother.
We never talked much when i was at their house, it never felt like a home to me, always arguing and doing stuff for my half-brother, and any and almost EVERY attempt to make any suggestion if I could be included in getting all those nice things was met with "The world doesn't revolve around you son" So i eventually gave up on doing anything with my "Parents" Or anybody. I felt so defeated, and so worthless that a stray dog laying in a ditch was more worthy of love and happiness than their own "Son"
So now I'm 23 and I've been trying my DAMNDEST to rebuild my confidence that was destroyed when I was little and kept down for all those years.
I just NOW comfortable looking people I've known and been friends with for YEARS in the eye. I'm learning how much i can throw my weight around without sending myself down into a spiral of failure, How to bargain for what i want in my life, and how to love myself when my own mother didn't even want me.
I've met so many people, Gained and lost friends, and got a few back for now it seems, still trying to figure life out, but I feel like I'm in last place, and that fuels me to speed to the front of the line, doesn't matter if i bounce off the walls, sit and cry, or take my time and get there but i AM DETERMINED i will not let my childhood destroy my future for me, my future family, and my friends and other companions.
I want to help other people that are going through or have gone through situations like this, because if it weren't for my Aunt and grandfather, I would probably be laying in a ditch on the side of the road somewhere, or dead, and that's NO Joke.
submitted by Serious-Boss-4123 to mentalhealth [link] [comments]
My Mother pressured my Father into getting married early in their 20s, My Biological Grandmother died when my mother was 6/7 Yrs Old. My Mother was the youngest of 4 kids, so my grandfather wasnt as strict on her growing up as he was the rest. When she was born, the Umbilical Cord was wrapped around her neck and she was almost suffocated before she made it. She always got whatever she wanted (within my grandfathers Ability making just a little better than minimum wage as a lineman). When she turned 16 she got a car, and one day she was driving out of a intersection on the side of a highway, and got hit just behind her driver door at 50-60mph, and it spun her car around, her driver door came open and she did have a seat belt on, but she was hit so hard her head was dragging the asphalt and she still has gravels stuck in her head from way back then.
Somewhere Highschool and Her first full time job she met my Dad, Brian Stewart. She apparently pressured him into getting married while they were very young, and she obviously wasnt mature enough to make that kind of decision just yet. But my dad said yes, but got tired of her probably constantly never being satisfied. My guess is they argued because she was probably being too flirty with strange men too often. So one day a Couple years after theyd been married, She just vanished from existence. Nobody knew where she was, she didnt tell a soul about anything, and she was missing for 2/3 weeks.
My Grandfather was worried sick, and so was my dad, and everyone thought she was kidnapped or worse. Until my dad went and logged in on their computer, and decided to check her facebook, or myspace or whatever it was, and found out she had been in these chat rooms with all these creepy strange dudes.
She had been messaging one for quite some time, and had told him she would come to his house.
This guy lived somewhere up north around Michigan or Chicago or New York, not sure. But he was Apparently Very Heavy set, and dark haired and tan.
But My Dad told My Momma's Daddy what he had found, and found the address to this guys house, and when my Aunt found out she was pissed.
My dad tried his darndest to do whatever to please her, and she just took advantage of him, even though she asked him to get married in the first place, (Probably a Social Status Symbol for her Ego)
So my aunt found a phone book for the Northern guy's Adress and found the number to his house phone.
She called the number, and the guy's MOTHER answered the phone, and aunt argued with her and demanded to put my mother on the phone.
She eventually came to the phone, and then came home after another 2/3 days. Then her and my dad started the divorce process after she said she wasn't happy or whatever the deal was there.
During the divorce, my mom went up north and came back for a few months at a time, and somewhere in between trips, she got pregnant with Me.
My dad volunteered to take up and raise me like his own even if i wasn't actually his "son", However, his parents Objected to that idea, and apparently that worked out good because his dad or granddad was an alcoholic.
So when i was Born my dad came and was there when i arrived, and my mother swore up and down i wasn't his kid, but obviously I'm not tan and dark haired, and especially looking now i am officially undeniably his son.
But my mother ended up having to move back in with my Grandparents, and eventually we moved to a trailer park, and it actually wasn't a bad place really.
She put me in a daycare within 5 minutes of my grandparents house so they would often come pick me up, or my Aunt would either one.
My mother and my aunt weren't really on good terms, but mostly because my mother refused every opportunity to mature and act right it seemed.
My mother would get jealous of my Aunt spending more time with me, but when i was home i was always just a nuisance to her, that's how she made me feel.
So I got to where i didn't want to go home with her, i wanted to spend as much time with my Paw Paw as i could possibly spend, He was and still is the greatest human being i have ever met in my life. I'd go back and deal with it all over again just to spend that time with him at that age again 1000 times over.
But my mother must have been getting more and more worried about balancing her social life and "status" with me, so she would demand that i come home, just so i could be a status symbol or something when i was in public with her.'
But she would have these raging fits over the smallest things ever it seemed.
Ill try and name of some of the instances in order as best as i can
- When i was around 3/4 Id been forced to come back to that trailer after begging and crying and screaming for her not to make me go back with her in front of my grandpa or my aunt one, and i was still bawling my eyes out when we got home, and she got angry, like she was talking to a grown man who was 6ft tall, picked me up and SCREAMED AT ME as loud as she could about "YOU ARE GOING TO QUIT CRYING OR I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And would slap me bout as hard as she could without going to jail if they saw the bruises on my face at school.
- Around the same age, similar circumstances, begging not to have to go back, She stepped on a lego or something i had been playing with and sucked them all up with a vacuum cleaner and made me pick it up and try to suck my fingers and hands up in the end of the vacuum hose.
- Around 6/7 I woke up in the middle of the night in my bedroom in the trailer, No Lights what soever, i couldnt see my hand right in front of my face, and had to go to the bathroom, and she woudlnt let me out, and proceeded to leave me in there to piss on myself and got mad at me the morning after.
She would get mad if i got a sticker tattoo, and proceed to yell at me to the point where i finally learned to talk back to her, and my aunt would tell me to just try to avoid the situation, but if she did it again, to just put my hands up so she couldnt hit my face.
I dealt with that on and off for 20 years.
I remember bawling my eyeballs out on my grandpas chest so many times telling him about all the stuff i'd been through and what was going on. And it made him feel guilty for not raising her better, but i know for a fact he didnt teach her to do that to kids, shes just that messed up in the head.
My mother would twist my words, and prevent me from telling my side of the story any time i made a mistake, she would just talk like i was supposed to know everything instantly without ever learning it once. I could never do anything "correct" so eventually i jsut gave up trying to get her to understand me and let her have her chance to be a "good mother".
I would lock myself in my room, or stay out doing whatever.
And that lead to me not being able to communicate effectively in person with people.
I used to not be scared to be me when i was 3-8 but when we moved in with my step dad, he would always take her side because he didnt want to / couldnt afford to pay child support for my half brother.
We never talked much when i was at their house, it never felt like a home to me, always arguing and doing stuff for my half-brother, and any and almost EVERY attempt to make any suggestion if I could be included in getting all those nice things was met with "The world doesn't revolve around you son" So i eventually gave up on doing anything with my "Parents" Or anybody. I felt so defeated, and so worthless that a stray dog laying in a ditch was more worthy of love and happiness than their own "Son"
So now I'm 23 and I've been trying my DAMNDEST to rebuild my confidence that was destroyed when I was little and kept down for all those years.
I just NOW comfortable looking people I've known and been friends with for YEARS in the eye. I'm learning how much i can throw my weight around without sending myself down into a spiral of failure, How to bargain for what i want in my life, and how to love myself when my own mother didn't even want me.
I've met so many people, Gained and lost friends, and got a few back for now it seems, still trying to figure life out, but I feel like I'm in last place, and that fuels me to speed to the front of the line, doesn't matter if i bounce off the walls, sit and cry, or take my time and get there but i AM DETERMINED i will not let my childhood destroy my future for me, my future family, and my friends and other companions.
I want to help other people that are going through or have gone through situations like this, because if it weren't for my Aunt and grandfather, I would probably be laying in a ditch on the side of the road somewhere, or dead, and that's NO Joke.
2023.10.19 07:16 Skyknight2278 so many toys
 | submitted by Skyknight2278 to toyscirclejerk [link] [comments] fireflies music video Owl City, with the musical genius of Adam Young at its helm, can be considered a revolutionary artist for several reasons. First and foremost, Young's distinctive blend of electronic and synth-pop elements in his music broke new ground and breathed fresh air into the music industry. He crafted a unique sound that was both accessible and innovative, paving the way for a wave of independent artists who could create music from their bedrooms and still gain widespread recognition. His success demonstrated that you didn't need a massive studio or label backing to make a significant impact in the industry. Another revolutionary aspect of Owl City is its lyrical approach. Young's lyrics often explore whimsical, dreamlike themes and transport listeners into imaginative worlds, making him a pioneer in storytelling through music. This approach challenged the traditional subject matter in pop songs, which frequently revolved around love and heartbreak. Instead, Owl City's tracks explored themes of wonder, nostalgia, and the joy of simple moments, resonating with audiences looking for a break from the norm. Furthermore, Owl City was at the forefront of the "bedroom pop" movement, which involves artists creating music independently in their own spaces and then sharing it online. This DIY approach empowered countless aspiring musicians to follow their passion and create music on their terms. Owl City's early successes on platforms like MySpace and YouTube inspired many other artists to take a similar path, ultimately revolutionizing the way music is produced, distributed, and consumed. In this sense, Owl City's impact extends beyond just the music itself, making it a truly revolutionary force in the music industry. Furthermore, Owl City's impact goes beyond just the musical and lyrical aspects. Adam Young's career embodies the power of the internet and social media in launching and sustaining an artist's journey. His rise to fame through platforms like MySpace and YouTube showcased the democratization of the music industry. This revolutionary approach to self-promotion and distribution allowed him to connect directly with fans worldwide, bypassing the need for traditional record labels. Young's early adoption of these platforms not only changed the way artists launch their careers but also offered a blueprint for how the music industry could adapt to the digital age. Owl City's influence can also be seen in the broader genre of electronic and indie pop music. His ability to seamlessly blend electronic and pop elements created a distinctive and influential sound that inspired a new generation of artists. Many musicians have cited Owl City as an inspiration for their own work, and his impact can be heard in the music of countless indie and electronic pop artists who followed in his footsteps. In conclusion, Owl City's revolution lies in multiple dimensions. From its innovative music and imaginative storytelling to its pioneering use of the internet and social media, the project of Adam Young fundamentally changed the music landscape. He demonstrated that a single artist working from a home studio could achieve international acclaim, shaping the way music is created, shared, and enjoyed. Owl City's revolutionary spirit continues to resonate with both aspiring musicians and fans, making it a symbol of the ever-evolving and democratized nature of the modern music industry. |
2023.07.07 22:47 Benji_Nottm Something like Threads was always coming, as was the downfall of Twitter. Elon Musk cannot o anything about it.
When Elon Musk walked into Twitter HQ holding a sink, nothing could have been more prescient.
And no it didn't really symbolize that he was going to sink Twitter, but himself via Twitter.
Before Elon came along people were already asking how long Twitter would last, it like any other social media site can fall as quickly as myspace did. The cracks were starting to show, and most clearly with all the Trump nonsense. The good times at Twitter were already over.
The need for alternatives was becoming clear and the sense Twitter was now on borrowed time arrived before Elon had the bright idea to buy Twitter. Why he paid so much therefore is a bit perplexing. It was all to similar to Rupert Murdoch paying an at-time-time crazy sum for myspace. It was so obviously going to end badly.
Any chance to prevent disaster was lost in the subsequent explosion of Elon's ego, and it was a fair size to begin with. He's actions mean the damaged to himself is going to bigger than it needed to be.
70 million flocking to Threads in 2 days should tell Elon that he's either made a lot of people dislike him or helped to make Twitter a place people want to flee...He's got no one else to blame now. Twitter is all on him....He's basically the only employee left...Which is probably why he hasn't found time to pay his bills.
Like it or not b making as many people pay attention to him as he can while so openly running a business he paid a truly crazy sum for, we've all got to judge him as a businessman, and the result is not good. He's clearly the kin of person who's got rich by exploiting the genius of others. The man is a complete idiot with the worst interpersonal and management skills. He's a complete bellend.
So as Twitter inevitably sinks so will Elon. He's laid himself bare, and for a man who probably has all sorts of money related shenanigans he doesn't want to be looked into, that is very stupid.
I'd wager that the tax man cometh.
submitted by Benji_Nottm to u/Benji_Nottm [link] [comments]
And no it didn't really symbolize that he was going to sink Twitter, but himself via Twitter.
Before Elon came along people were already asking how long Twitter would last, it like any other social media site can fall as quickly as myspace did. The cracks were starting to show, and most clearly with all the Trump nonsense. The good times at Twitter were already over.
The need for alternatives was becoming clear and the sense Twitter was now on borrowed time arrived before Elon had the bright idea to buy Twitter. Why he paid so much therefore is a bit perplexing. It was all to similar to Rupert Murdoch paying an at-time-time crazy sum for myspace. It was so obviously going to end badly.
Any chance to prevent disaster was lost in the subsequent explosion of Elon's ego, and it was a fair size to begin with. He's actions mean the damaged to himself is going to bigger than it needed to be.
70 million flocking to Threads in 2 days should tell Elon that he's either made a lot of people dislike him or helped to make Twitter a place people want to flee...He's got no one else to blame now. Twitter is all on him....He's basically the only employee left...Which is probably why he hasn't found time to pay his bills.
Like it or not b making as many people pay attention to him as he can while so openly running a business he paid a truly crazy sum for, we've all got to judge him as a businessman, and the result is not good. He's clearly the kin of person who's got rich by exploiting the genius of others. The man is a complete idiot with the worst interpersonal and management skills. He's a complete bellend.
So as Twitter inevitably sinks so will Elon. He's laid himself bare, and for a man who probably has all sorts of money related shenanigans he doesn't want to be looked into, that is very stupid.
I'd wager that the tax man cometh.
2023.05.21 05:58 Alpha-Sierra-Charlie Southern Gothic 3 - Of Bureaucracy & Vengeful Spite
Southern Gothic 3 - Of Bureaucracy & Vengeful Spite
First, Previous , Next
Me and Josh Carl had shut down a chaos cult ritual a full six days, seven hours, aaaaaaand... twenty three minutes ago. And I still hadn't gotten any more info out of the Freemasons on other cult activity in my area of responsibility.
Phone calls.
Emails.
Texts.
Instant messages.
Did you know MySpace still works? Tried that.
Even passenger pigeon (yes, really).
No. Answer.
Fucking Bureaucracy. I have ways though.
Which explains why I walked through the front door of the local Masons Lodge, gave the attendant a password I'm technically not supposed to know, then walked through a door I was definitely not supposed to go through unattended.
The two Knights Templar inside were suitably surprised, and with a autokinetic fuckery I was able to (mostly) gently subdue them both without getting riddled with bullets. I smiled at the camera in the small "airlock" as I deposited my pistols, knives, reloads, OC spray, and brass knuckles into a lockbox and locked it. I was sliding the key into my pocket when the interior door slammed open.
"Mr. Robertson! So nice to finally meet with you, I've been playing a one sided game of 'trying to get in touch with you'. I won."
Mr. Robertson ran this Lodge, as in the very name of his rank was a secret and he never actually used any of the entrances to this specific lodge.
"Get your ass in here. Now." He growled. He spun and I followed it into the back of the Lodge. The inside is much larger than the outside, I'm not sure if they create a space of non-Euclidean geometry and overlay a glamour that makes it navigable to humans, or if it's a custom pocket dimension. The one time I remember asking I ended up losing about forty-five minutes of memory. Message recieved.
"No need to be irate, you've had," I checked my watch, "almost a hunnerd and fitty-two hours of ignoring my humble attempts at communication."
"Oh, those communications were recieved."
Well no shit. "Communications attempts, communication requires a response."
Mr. Robertson turned on his heel and everyone in the Corporate McCorporateface office space we were in froze.
I slightly ruined his attempt at intimidation by taking an extra step before stopping very much inside his personal space, nose to nose.
I've been told I have authority issues. I tell those people they have no idea.
"So you thought you'd just waltz in here and assault our security personnel!?"
Hehe, got him. "Anger typically springs from a lack of communication, but now we have an open dialog." He looked like he was on the verge of an aneurysm. Too bad, he shoulda called me back. "And you can't blame me for not trying. My humble attempts to communicate were ignored. So I dispensed with a bit of humility."
I managed to not laugh when his whole damn head turned purple.
"MY OFFICE! NOW!!!"
"Excellent idea, we can talk without interruption there."
I may have pushed him too far. He didn't say a word as he stalked through cubicle farms and past conference rooms full of people and other things that dove out of the at the sight of his facial expression. I was tempted to Look at his aura, but unauthorized magic use inside a Masonic Lodge is not recommended.
We got to his office and I closed the door behind us, when I turned around Mr. Robertson was crushing the life out of a stress ball.
"I can't tell you what you want to know."
"Look man, we've worked together a long time. We're never at cross purposes and you've told me stuff you technically weren't supposed to before. There's a chaos cult with multiple cells that are capable of summoning extra-planar entities, and we both want that cult taken down. Help me get what we both want."
"No." He said. "I cannot tell you what you want to know."
Oh. "As in you're not allowed to?"
"I am incapable of telling you what you want to know."
Oh, oh shit.
"Fuck, they put a mindlock on you?"
No answer, so yes.
"Holy shit. So this is big. Um, do you want my help?"
Another silent affirmative.
"Ok. What can I do? Can't tell me, huh?"
"I can't."
"Unrelated to this, who should I talk to or what should I be doing to help you in general."
Mr. Robertson smiled, and pulled an hourglass from a desk drawer. He spoke some words in a language I didn't know and traced some runes I wasn't familiar with on one end, then held it sand side up in one hand and grimaced.
"Go to Susie's. Ask her about the farm. Ask her to recommend, hngggg, something to help with wha- mmmmm- what you want to do."
His hand was smoking where it touched the hourglass and I saw black spiderish symbols burned into his cracked red and steaming skin. The sand was running upward in the glass, and he opened a small glass bottle from his desk and poured the heavy smoke inside it over his injured hand.
Shaking, he told me with shuddering words that he hadn't told me anything, and to see myself out. And that if I pulled this stunt again I'd be fed to the things in the basement.
submitted by Alpha-Sierra-Charlie to HFY [link] [comments]
First, Previous , Next
Me and Josh Carl had shut down a chaos cult ritual a full six days, seven hours, aaaaaaand... twenty three minutes ago. And I still hadn't gotten any more info out of the Freemasons on other cult activity in my area of responsibility.
Phone calls.
Emails.
Texts.
Instant messages.
Did you know MySpace still works? Tried that.
Even passenger pigeon (yes, really).
No. Answer.
Fucking Bureaucracy. I have ways though.
Which explains why I walked through the front door of the local Masons Lodge, gave the attendant a password I'm technically not supposed to know, then walked through a door I was definitely not supposed to go through unattended.
The two Knights Templar inside were suitably surprised, and with a autokinetic fuckery I was able to (mostly) gently subdue them both without getting riddled with bullets. I smiled at the camera in the small "airlock" as I deposited my pistols, knives, reloads, OC spray, and brass knuckles into a lockbox and locked it. I was sliding the key into my pocket when the interior door slammed open.
"Mr. Robertson! So nice to finally meet with you, I've been playing a one sided game of 'trying to get in touch with you'. I won."
Mr. Robertson ran this Lodge, as in the very name of his rank was a secret and he never actually used any of the entrances to this specific lodge.
"Get your ass in here. Now." He growled. He spun and I followed it into the back of the Lodge. The inside is much larger than the outside, I'm not sure if they create a space of non-Euclidean geometry and overlay a glamour that makes it navigable to humans, or if it's a custom pocket dimension. The one time I remember asking I ended up losing about forty-five minutes of memory. Message recieved.
"No need to be irate, you've had," I checked my watch, "almost a hunnerd and fitty-two hours of ignoring my humble attempts at communication."
"Oh, those communications were recieved."
Well no shit. "Communications attempts, communication requires a response."
Mr. Robertson turned on his heel and everyone in the Corporate McCorporateface office space we were in froze.
I slightly ruined his attempt at intimidation by taking an extra step before stopping very much inside his personal space, nose to nose.
I've been told I have authority issues. I tell those people they have no idea.
"So you thought you'd just waltz in here and assault our security personnel!?"
Hehe, got him. "Anger typically springs from a lack of communication, but now we have an open dialog." He looked like he was on the verge of an aneurysm. Too bad, he shoulda called me back. "And you can't blame me for not trying. My humble attempts to communicate were ignored. So I dispensed with a bit of humility."
I managed to not laugh when his whole damn head turned purple.
"MY OFFICE! NOW!!!"
"Excellent idea, we can talk without interruption there."
I may have pushed him too far. He didn't say a word as he stalked through cubicle farms and past conference rooms full of people and other things that dove out of the at the sight of his facial expression. I was tempted to Look at his aura, but unauthorized magic use inside a Masonic Lodge is not recommended.
We got to his office and I closed the door behind us, when I turned around Mr. Robertson was crushing the life out of a stress ball.
"I can't tell you what you want to know."
"Look man, we've worked together a long time. We're never at cross purposes and you've told me stuff you technically weren't supposed to before. There's a chaos cult with multiple cells that are capable of summoning extra-planar entities, and we both want that cult taken down. Help me get what we both want."
"No." He said. "I cannot tell you what you want to know."
Oh. "As in you're not allowed to?"
"I am incapable of telling you what you want to know."
Oh, oh shit.
"Fuck, they put a mindlock on you?"
No answer, so yes.
"Holy shit. So this is big. Um, do you want my help?"
Another silent affirmative.
"Ok. What can I do? Can't tell me, huh?"
"I can't."
"Unrelated to this, who should I talk to or what should I be doing to help you in general."
Mr. Robertson smiled, and pulled an hourglass from a desk drawer. He spoke some words in a language I didn't know and traced some runes I wasn't familiar with on one end, then held it sand side up in one hand and grimaced.
"Go to Susie's. Ask her about the farm. Ask her to recommend, hngggg, something to help with wha- mmmmm- what you want to do."
His hand was smoking where it touched the hourglass and I saw black spiderish symbols burned into his cracked red and steaming skin. The sand was running upward in the glass, and he opened a small glass bottle from his desk and poured the heavy smoke inside it over his injured hand.
Shaking, he told me with shuddering words that he hadn't told me anything, and to see myself out. And that if I pulled this stunt again I'd be fed to the things in the basement.
2023.05.21 05:50 Alpha-Sierra-Charlie Southern Gothic 3 - Of Bureaucracy & Vengeful Spite
First, Previous
Me and Josh Carl had shut down a chaos cult ritual a full six days, seven hours, aaaaaaand... twenty three minutes ago. And I still hadn't gotten any more info out of the Freemasons on other cult activity in my area of responsibility.
Phone calls.
Emails.
Texts.
Instant messages.
Did you know MySpace still works? Tried that.
Even passenger pigeon (yes, really).
No. Answer.
Fucking Bureaucracy. I have ways though.
Which explains why I walked through the front door of the local Masons Lodge, gave the attendant a password I'm technically not supposed to know, then walked through a door I was definitely not supposed to go through unattended.
The two Knights Templar inside were suitably surprised, and with a autokinetic fuckery I was able to (mostly) gently subdue them both without getting riddled with bullets. I smiled at the camera in the small "airlock" as I deposited my pistols, knives, reloads, OC spray, and brass knuckles into a lockbox and locked it. I was sliding the key into my pocket when the interior door slammed open.
"Mr. Robertson! So nice to finally meet with you, I've been playing a one sided game of 'trying to get in touch with you'. I won."
Mr. Robertson ran this Lodge, as in the very name of his rank was a secret and he never actually used any of the entrances to this specific lodge.
"Get your ass in here. Now." He growled. He spun and I followed it into the back of the Lodge. The inside is much larger than the outside, I'm not sure if they create a space of non-Euclidean geometry and overlay a glamour that makes it navigable to humans, or if it's a custom pocket dimension. The one time I remember asking I ended up losing about forty-five minutes of memory. Message recieved.
"No need to be irate, you've had," I checked my watch, "almost a hunnerd and fitty-two hours of ignoring my humble attempts at communication."
"Oh, those communications were recieved."
Well no shit. "Communications attempts, communication requires a response."
Mr. Robertson turned on his heel and everyone in the Corporate McCorporateface office space we were in froze.
I slightly ruined his attempt at intimidation by taking an extra step before stopping very much inside his personal space, nose to nose.
I've been told I have authority issues. I tell those people they have no idea.
"So you thought you'd just waltz in here and our security personnel!?"
Hehe, got him. "Anger typically springs from a lack of communication, but now we have an open dialog." He looked like he was on the verge of an aneurysm. Too bad, he shoulda called me back. "And you can't blame me for not trying. My humble attempts to communicate were ignored. So I dispensed with a bit of humility."
I managed to not laugh when his whole damn head turned purple.
"MY OFFICE! NOW!!!"
"Excellent idea, we can talk without interruption there."
I may have pushed him too far. He didn't say a word as he stalked through cubicle farms and past conference rooms full of people and other things that dove out of the at the sight of his facial expression. I was tempted to Look at his aura, but unauthorized magic use inside a Masonic Lodge is not recommended.
We got to his office and I closed the door behind us, when I turned around Mr. Robertson was crushing the life out of a stress ball.
"I can't tell you what you want to know."
"Look man, we've worked together a long time. We're never at cross purposes and you've told me stuff you technically weren't supposed to before. There's a chaos cult with multiple cells that are capable of summoning extra-planar entities, and we both want that cult taken down. Help me get what we both want."
"No." He said. "I cannot tell you what you want to know."
Oh. "As in you're not allowed to?"
"I am incapable of telling you what you want to know."
Oh, oh shit.
"Fuck, they put a mindlock on you?"
No answer, so yes.
"Holy shit. So this is big. Um, do you want my help?"
Another silent affirmative.
"Ok. What can I do? Can't tell me, huh?"
"I can't."
"Unrelated to this, who should I talk to or what should I be doing to help you in general."
Mr. Robertson smiled, and pulled an hourglass from a desk drawer. He spoke some words in a language I didn't know and traced some runes I wasn't familiar with on one end, then held it sand side up in one hand and grimaced.
"Go to Susie's. Ask her about the farm. Ask her to recommend, hngggg, something to help with wha- mmmmm- what you want to do."
His hand was smoking where it touched the hourglass and I saw black spiderish symbols burned into his cracked red and steaming skin. The sand was running upward in the glass, and he opened a small glass bottle from his desk and poured the heavy smoke inside it over his injured hand.
Shaking, he told me with shuddering words that he hadn't told me anything, and to see myself out. And that if I pulled this stunt again I'd be fed to the things in the basement.
submitted by Alpha-Sierra-Charlie to u/Alpha-Sierra-Charlie [link] [comments]
Me and Josh Carl had shut down a chaos cult ritual a full six days, seven hours, aaaaaaand... twenty three minutes ago. And I still hadn't gotten any more info out of the Freemasons on other cult activity in my area of responsibility.
Phone calls.
Emails.
Texts.
Instant messages.
Did you know MySpace still works? Tried that.
Even passenger pigeon (yes, really).
No. Answer.
Fucking Bureaucracy. I have ways though.
Which explains why I walked through the front door of the local Masons Lodge, gave the attendant a password I'm technically not supposed to know, then walked through a door I was definitely not supposed to go through unattended.
The two Knights Templar inside were suitably surprised, and with a autokinetic fuckery I was able to (mostly) gently subdue them both without getting riddled with bullets. I smiled at the camera in the small "airlock" as I deposited my pistols, knives, reloads, OC spray, and brass knuckles into a lockbox and locked it. I was sliding the key into my pocket when the interior door slammed open.
"Mr. Robertson! So nice to finally meet with you, I've been playing a one sided game of 'trying to get in touch with you'. I won."
Mr. Robertson ran this Lodge, as in the very name of his rank was a secret and he never actually used any of the entrances to this specific lodge.
"Get your ass in here. Now." He growled. He spun and I followed it into the back of the Lodge. The inside is much larger than the outside, I'm not sure if they create a space of non-Euclidean geometry and overlay a glamour that makes it navigable to humans, or if it's a custom pocket dimension. The one time I remember asking I ended up losing about forty-five minutes of memory. Message recieved.
"No need to be irate, you've had," I checked my watch, "almost a hunnerd and fitty-two hours of ignoring my humble attempts at communication."
"Oh, those communications were recieved."
Well no shit. "Communications attempts, communication requires a response."
Mr. Robertson turned on his heel and everyone in the Corporate McCorporateface office space we were in froze.
I slightly ruined his attempt at intimidation by taking an extra step before stopping very much inside his personal space, nose to nose.
I've been told I have authority issues. I tell those people they have no idea.
"So you thought you'd just waltz in here and our security personnel!?"
Hehe, got him. "Anger typically springs from a lack of communication, but now we have an open dialog." He looked like he was on the verge of an aneurysm. Too bad, he shoulda called me back. "And you can't blame me for not trying. My humble attempts to communicate were ignored. So I dispensed with a bit of humility."
I managed to not laugh when his whole damn head turned purple.
"MY OFFICE! NOW!!!"
"Excellent idea, we can talk without interruption there."
I may have pushed him too far. He didn't say a word as he stalked through cubicle farms and past conference rooms full of people and other things that dove out of the at the sight of his facial expression. I was tempted to Look at his aura, but unauthorized magic use inside a Masonic Lodge is not recommended.
We got to his office and I closed the door behind us, when I turned around Mr. Robertson was crushing the life out of a stress ball.
"I can't tell you what you want to know."
"Look man, we've worked together a long time. We're never at cross purposes and you've told me stuff you technically weren't supposed to before. There's a chaos cult with multiple cells that are capable of summoning extra-planar entities, and we both want that cult taken down. Help me get what we both want."
"No." He said. "I cannot tell you what you want to know."
Oh. "As in you're not allowed to?"
"I am incapable of telling you what you want to know."
Oh, oh shit.
"Fuck, they put a mindlock on you?"
No answer, so yes.
"Holy shit. So this is big. Um, do you want my help?"
Another silent affirmative.
"Ok. What can I do? Can't tell me, huh?"
"I can't."
"Unrelated to this, who should I talk to or what should I be doing to help you in general."
Mr. Robertson smiled, and pulled an hourglass from a desk drawer. He spoke some words in a language I didn't know and traced some runes I wasn't familiar with on one end, then held it sand side up in one hand and grimaced.
"Go to Susie's. Ask her about the farm. Ask her to recommend, hngggg, something to help with wha- mmmmm- what you want to do."
His hand was smoking where it touched the hourglass and I saw black spiderish symbols burned into his cracked red and steaming skin. The sand was running upward in the glass, and he opened a small glass bottle from his desk and poured the heavy smoke inside it over his injured hand.
Shaking, he told me with shuddering words that he hadn't told me anything, and to see myself out. And that if I pulled this stunt again I'd be fed to the things in the basement.
2023.05.04 12:14 LANDWOLF_LW Pepe the Frog Is Dead: Creator Kills the White Supremacist-Hijacked Icon
After fighting an uphill battle to reclaim the feel-good image of his popular character after it was perverted by a culture of hate, cartoonist Matt Furie laid to rest Pepe the Frog in Fantagraphics’ Free Comic Book Day offering, “World’s Greatest Cartoonists.” In a one-page strip, Pepe lies in an open casket while “Boy’s Club” friends Landwolf, Brett and Andy mourn him in their irreverent fashion.
Furie debuted Pepe and the “Boy’s Club” characters on his MySpace blog in 2005 and published four issues of the crew’s adventures through Buenaventura Press, stories that were collected into a single volume by Fantagraphics in 2016. Pepe, as seen in “Boy’s Club,” is a mellow dude getting stoned with his friends, regularly engaging in gross-out humor. But more recently, Pepe has been adopted as an icon and mascot by the extreme conservative “alt-right” movement, and as memes showing the chill frog promoting white nationalist and anti-semitic messages graduated from 4chan and Reddit into the mainstream, the Anti-Defamation League last year designated Pepe a hate symbol.
Pepe had starred in more innocent memes for years, his “Feels good, man” mantra applicable to all manner of situations. But as detailed by the Daily Beast, this began to change in 2015 thanks to a coordinated campaign on a subversive corner of 4chan. A self-identified white nationalist told the Daily Beast that, “We basically mixed Pepe in with Nazi propaganda, etc. We built that association.” When, later, Pepe was used in images promoting Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency, the memes served both as a coded message to the “alt-right” subculture and, through exposure of their version of Pepe to mainstream audiences, an amplification of the group’s more extreme content.
Furie and Fantagraphics denounced the “alt-right’s” use of Pepe. “It’s completely insane that Pepe has been labeled a symbol of hate,” he wrote in an essay for Time magazine. “It’s a nightmare, and the only thing I can do is see this as an opportunity to speak out against hate.”
“Before Pepe the Frog was a meme designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, he began his life as a blissfully stoned frog in my comic book ‘Boy’s Club,’ where he enjoyed a simple life of snacks, soda and pulling his pants all the way down to go pee,” Furie wrote in Time. As early Pepe memes elevated his popularity and Furie was entertaining multiple licensing deals, the cartoonist recalls thinking, “Memes rule!”
“But that was before 2016, a time when our culture evolved to include Internet culture in this election (mostly to seek out the Millennial vote). A smug Trump-Pepe was shared by Trump himself on Twitter in the beginning of the election race, a move I assumed was a nod to young voters. Or perhaps it was a more sinister nod to some fringe, racist groups that used Pepe as a mascot for their agenda. Or just another famous person sharing a Pepe meme because it’s cool (like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj did in the past). I have no idea.”
Furie ended his essay by stating that “Pepe is love,” and soon responded with a new comic showing Pepe horrified at what he’s become.
Earlier in 2016, around the time Fantagraphics’ “Boy’s Club” collection was released, Furie spoke with CBR about his creations. “[T]he characters in ‘Boy’s Club’ will always be a part of me. Andy the wise guy, Landwolf the party animal, Brett the fashionable dancer, and Pepe the chill frog — they are all tweaked reflections of my own values and sensibilities,” Furie said at the time. “Their personalities unfolded and blossomed as time went on, but just like the person in your life that you love the most, one day they will die. And death can be as beautiful as life, because it’s what makes life important.”
Now, it would seem, that day has come. The rehabilitation of Pepe was always going to be a struggle, and it’s hard to imagine Furie taking much joy in creating new Pepe strips knowing that, whatever his own intentions, the character would read through tinted lenses.
While it’s unlikely Pepe’s official death will stop extremists from co-opting his image, this was, perhaps, the most effective way for Furie to reclaim his character; Pepe’s soul has returned to his creator. Rest in Peace.
submitted by LANDWOLF_LW to u/LANDWOLF_LW [link] [comments]
Furie debuted Pepe and the “Boy’s Club” characters on his MySpace blog in 2005 and published four issues of the crew’s adventures through Buenaventura Press, stories that were collected into a single volume by Fantagraphics in 2016. Pepe, as seen in “Boy’s Club,” is a mellow dude getting stoned with his friends, regularly engaging in gross-out humor. But more recently, Pepe has been adopted as an icon and mascot by the extreme conservative “alt-right” movement, and as memes showing the chill frog promoting white nationalist and anti-semitic messages graduated from 4chan and Reddit into the mainstream, the Anti-Defamation League last year designated Pepe a hate symbol.
Pepe had starred in more innocent memes for years, his “Feels good, man” mantra applicable to all manner of situations. But as detailed by the Daily Beast, this began to change in 2015 thanks to a coordinated campaign on a subversive corner of 4chan. A self-identified white nationalist told the Daily Beast that, “We basically mixed Pepe in with Nazi propaganda, etc. We built that association.” When, later, Pepe was used in images promoting Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency, the memes served both as a coded message to the “alt-right” subculture and, through exposure of their version of Pepe to mainstream audiences, an amplification of the group’s more extreme content.
Furie and Fantagraphics denounced the “alt-right’s” use of Pepe. “It’s completely insane that Pepe has been labeled a symbol of hate,” he wrote in an essay for Time magazine. “It’s a nightmare, and the only thing I can do is see this as an opportunity to speak out against hate.”
“Before Pepe the Frog was a meme designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, he began his life as a blissfully stoned frog in my comic book ‘Boy’s Club,’ where he enjoyed a simple life of snacks, soda and pulling his pants all the way down to go pee,” Furie wrote in Time. As early Pepe memes elevated his popularity and Furie was entertaining multiple licensing deals, the cartoonist recalls thinking, “Memes rule!”
“But that was before 2016, a time when our culture evolved to include Internet culture in this election (mostly to seek out the Millennial vote). A smug Trump-Pepe was shared by Trump himself on Twitter in the beginning of the election race, a move I assumed was a nod to young voters. Or perhaps it was a more sinister nod to some fringe, racist groups that used Pepe as a mascot for their agenda. Or just another famous person sharing a Pepe meme because it’s cool (like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj did in the past). I have no idea.”
Furie ended his essay by stating that “Pepe is love,” and soon responded with a new comic showing Pepe horrified at what he’s become.
Earlier in 2016, around the time Fantagraphics’ “Boy’s Club” collection was released, Furie spoke with CBR about his creations. “[T]he characters in ‘Boy’s Club’ will always be a part of me. Andy the wise guy, Landwolf the party animal, Brett the fashionable dancer, and Pepe the chill frog — they are all tweaked reflections of my own values and sensibilities,” Furie said at the time. “Their personalities unfolded and blossomed as time went on, but just like the person in your life that you love the most, one day they will die. And death can be as beautiful as life, because it’s what makes life important.”
Now, it would seem, that day has come. The rehabilitation of Pepe was always going to be a struggle, and it’s hard to imagine Furie taking much joy in creating new Pepe strips knowing that, whatever his own intentions, the character would read through tinted lenses.
While it’s unlikely Pepe’s official death will stop extremists from co-opting his image, this was, perhaps, the most effective way for Furie to reclaim his character; Pepe’s soul has returned to his creator. Rest in Peace.
2023.04.29 12:33 landwolf_eth Pepe the Frog Is Dead: Creator Kills the White Supremacist-Hijacked Icon
After fighting an uphill battle to reclaim the feel-good image of his popular character after it was perverted by a culture of hate, cartoonist Matt Furie laid to rest Pepe the Frog in Fantagraphics' Free Comic Book Day offering, "World's Greatest Cartoonists." In a one-page strip, Pepe lies in an open casket while "Boy's Club" friends Landwolf, Brett and Andy mourn him in their irreverent fashion.
Furie debuted Pepe and the "Boy's Club" characters on his MySpace blog in 2005 and published four issues of the crew's adventures through Buenaventura Press, stories that were collected into a single volume by Fantagraphics in 2016. Pepe, as seen in "Boy's Club," is a mellow dude getting stoned with his friends, regularly engaging in gross-out humor. But more recently, Pepe has been adopted as an icon and mascot by the extreme conservative "alt-right" movement, and as memes showing the chill frog promoting white nationalist and anti-semitic messages graduated from 4chan and Reddit into the mainstream, the Anti-Defamation League last year designated Pepe a hate symbol.
Pepe had starred in more innocent memes for years, his "Feels good, man" mantra applicable to all manner of situations. But as detailed by the Daily Beast, this began to change in 2015 thanks to a coordinated campaign on a subversive corner of 4chan. A self-identified white nationalist told the Daily Beast that, "We basically mixed Pepe in with Nazi propaganda, etc. We built that association." When, later, Pepe was used in images promoting Donald Trump's bid for the presidency, the memes served both as a coded message to the "alt-right" subculture and, through exposure of their version of Pepe to mainstream audiences, an amplification of the group's more extreme content.
Furie and Fantagraphics denounced the "alt-right's" use of Pepe. “It’s completely insane that Pepe has been labeled a symbol of hate,” he wrote in an essay for Time magazine. “It’s a nightmare, and the only thing I can do is see this as an opportunity to speak out against hate.”
"Before Pepe the Frog was a meme designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, he began his life as a blissfully stoned frog in my comic book 'Boy's Club,' where he enjoyed a simple life of snacks, soda and pulling his pants all the way down to go pee," Furie wrote in Time. As early Pepe memes elevated his popularity and Furie was entertaining multiple licensing deals, the cartoonist recalls thinking, "Memes rule!"
"But that was before 2016, a time when our culture evolved to include Internet culture in this election (mostly to seek out the Millennial vote). A smug Trump-Pepe was shared by Trump himself on Twitter in the beginning of the election race, a move I assumed was a nod to young voters. Or perhaps it was a more sinister nod to some fringe, racist groups that used Pepe as a mascot for their agenda. Or just another famous person sharing a Pepe meme because it's cool (like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj did in the past). I have no idea."
Furie ended his essay by stating that "Pepe is love," and soon responded with a new comic showing Pepe horrified at what he's become.
Earlier in 2016, around the time Fantagraphics' "Boy's Club" collection was released, Furie spoke with CBR about his creations. "[T]he characters in 'Boy’s Club' will always be a part of me. Andy the wise guy, Landwolf the party animal, Brett the fashionable dancer, and Pepe the chill frog — they are all tweaked reflections of my own values and sensibilities," Furie said at the time. "Their personalities unfolded and blossomed as time went on, but just like the person in your life that you love the most, one day they will die. And death can be as beautiful as life, because it’s what makes life important."
Now, it would seem, that day has come. The rehabilitation of Pepe was always going to be a struggle, and it's hard to imagine Furie taking much joy in creating new Pepe strips knowing that, whatever his own intentions, the character would read through tinted lenses.
While it's unlikely Pepe's official death will stop extremists from co-opting his image, this was, perhaps, the most effective way for Furie to reclaim his character; Pepe's soul has returned to his creator. Rest in Peace.
submitted by landwolf_eth to u/landwolf_eth [link] [comments]
Furie debuted Pepe and the "Boy's Club" characters on his MySpace blog in 2005 and published four issues of the crew's adventures through Buenaventura Press, stories that were collected into a single volume by Fantagraphics in 2016. Pepe, as seen in "Boy's Club," is a mellow dude getting stoned with his friends, regularly engaging in gross-out humor. But more recently, Pepe has been adopted as an icon and mascot by the extreme conservative "alt-right" movement, and as memes showing the chill frog promoting white nationalist and anti-semitic messages graduated from 4chan and Reddit into the mainstream, the Anti-Defamation League last year designated Pepe a hate symbol.
Pepe had starred in more innocent memes for years, his "Feels good, man" mantra applicable to all manner of situations. But as detailed by the Daily Beast, this began to change in 2015 thanks to a coordinated campaign on a subversive corner of 4chan. A self-identified white nationalist told the Daily Beast that, "We basically mixed Pepe in with Nazi propaganda, etc. We built that association." When, later, Pepe was used in images promoting Donald Trump's bid for the presidency, the memes served both as a coded message to the "alt-right" subculture and, through exposure of their version of Pepe to mainstream audiences, an amplification of the group's more extreme content.
Furie and Fantagraphics denounced the "alt-right's" use of Pepe. “It’s completely insane that Pepe has been labeled a symbol of hate,” he wrote in an essay for Time magazine. “It’s a nightmare, and the only thing I can do is see this as an opportunity to speak out against hate.”
"Before Pepe the Frog was a meme designated a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, he began his life as a blissfully stoned frog in my comic book 'Boy's Club,' where he enjoyed a simple life of snacks, soda and pulling his pants all the way down to go pee," Furie wrote in Time. As early Pepe memes elevated his popularity and Furie was entertaining multiple licensing deals, the cartoonist recalls thinking, "Memes rule!"
"But that was before 2016, a time when our culture evolved to include Internet culture in this election (mostly to seek out the Millennial vote). A smug Trump-Pepe was shared by Trump himself on Twitter in the beginning of the election race, a move I assumed was a nod to young voters. Or perhaps it was a more sinister nod to some fringe, racist groups that used Pepe as a mascot for their agenda. Or just another famous person sharing a Pepe meme because it's cool (like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj did in the past). I have no idea."
Furie ended his essay by stating that "Pepe is love," and soon responded with a new comic showing Pepe horrified at what he's become.
Earlier in 2016, around the time Fantagraphics' "Boy's Club" collection was released, Furie spoke with CBR about his creations. "[T]he characters in 'Boy’s Club' will always be a part of me. Andy the wise guy, Landwolf the party animal, Brett the fashionable dancer, and Pepe the chill frog — they are all tweaked reflections of my own values and sensibilities," Furie said at the time. "Their personalities unfolded and blossomed as time went on, but just like the person in your life that you love the most, one day they will die. And death can be as beautiful as life, because it’s what makes life important."
Now, it would seem, that day has come. The rehabilitation of Pepe was always going to be a struggle, and it's hard to imagine Furie taking much joy in creating new Pepe strips knowing that, whatever his own intentions, the character would read through tinted lenses.
While it's unlikely Pepe's official death will stop extremists from co-opting his image, this was, perhaps, the most effective way for Furie to reclaim his character; Pepe's soul has returned to his creator. Rest in Peace.
2023.04.23 03:22 FelicitySmoak_ Michael doesn't seem to have normal relationships with women. Doesn't this make him seem kind of suspicious?
 | My favorite body part on a woman is her heart"- Michael Jackson submitted by FelicitySmoak_ to MJInnocent [link] [comments] It's funny how in the absence of any tangible evidence, people will resort to making useless observations about Michael Jackson's personal relationships. The fact of the matter is, you don't know Michael Jackson any better than I do. I could sit here and list everything he's ever said and done that is indicative of his heterosexuality (and I will list a great deal) but it would be pointless because I don't know him. Neither do you so how can you possibly say that he doesn't have normal relationships with women? Have we become so accustomed to the hyper-sexual alpha male type, that a self proclaimed 'old fashioned gentleman' seems that out of place? Michael loved women, especially slender, classy and simultaneously tomboyish women. He always treated all women with dignity. He admired them, respected them, and idealized them. https://preview.redd.it/vcs0slnh8jva1.jpg?width=525&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b7667acec6fa8728ce62440b859252b5f38a633 He never really had a chance to see closely how a real relationship works. Due to performances and traveling, his parents weren't together much when he was young. From an early age, he was exposed to nightclubs and sex - he saw striptease girls, he saw people throwing themselves on each other, and was a witness of sexual contact of his brothers and father with their fans. That was way too soon, much sooner that anybody should have seen that. It alone affects a child very negatively for the rest of their life. But there was also a big conflict between this lifestyle and Michael´s religious upbringing and his ideals. He didn't like to see women undersell themselves, he wished dignity for them. But he watched women closely. https://preview.redd.it/u3l2xzkm8jva1.jpg?width=602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93a5be9084c30e80bf5abf1accf862a6cfc248fb When he saw dysfunctional relationships of his brothers, he stayed focused on his career. He longed for a partner but for intimacy not that much. He would have only gotten serious with someone he would consider marrying. He dated for marriage. Even then, he preferred flirting and giving gifts instead of surrendering himself completely to someone. https://preview.redd.it/w8vxlx9r8jva1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e1c4348620dfc3eb5ef53b4b012cb9ad9b702bee Michael's thoughts on women: "When I was little I grew up in an adult world. I grew up on stage. I grew up in night clubs. When I was seven, eight years old I was in nightclubs. I saw striptease girls take off all their clothes. I saw fights break out. I saw people throw up on each other. I saw adults act like pigs. That's why to this day I hate clubs. I don't like going to clubs - I did that already, I've been there. That's why I compensate now for what I didn't do then. So when you come to my house, you'll see I have rides, I have a movie theater, I have animals. I love animals - elephants and giraffes and lions and tigers and bears, all kinds of snakes. I get to do all those wonderful things that I didn't get to do when I was little, because we didn't have those things." - Michael Jackson in Gold Girl Interview "I've seen my brothers, you know, when we were traveling and stuff and doing the circuit and all that. Joseph would be in another room messing with a girl and it was obvious they were having sex.I didn't wanna tell mother, and Marlon and I didn't wanna tell them but… all my brothers kind of just… did the same thing, so, Joseph… I remember, like I told you before, when Marlon and I had to share a room with Jermaine and Bill was asleep. Jermaine would have girls up there all the time, screwing and stuff. I always said I'd never and Marlon said the same thing. I felt so guilty when we used to get home from the circuit before we made it, y'know, we used to do the club circuits and stuff. I felt so guilty, and I just cried and Joseph choked me, almost broke my arm one day. But he was proud of it. It's like,(Joseph's voice) "Oh, this is what you should do, boy". I mean, he didn't say that, but he was screwin' women in the other room and stuff. Mother would say when we came home, she and the girls would be in there you know, waitin' back at the house and all happy, "Joseph's back!" Joseph would come home, so glad to see mother. It'd just make me sick. And then Jackie and everyone, they started doing that. I told this girl - Jackie saw her when we were on stage. I told this girl, I said, "Don't go with Jackie."He found out and he went backstage and stuff and I said, "Don't go with him, please don't go with him. " She's like, "Why?" I said, "Please don't go with him,he's gonna hurt you. " So, she went. She met him. She was a virgin. And he had sex with her and stuff like that. And in the limo, we were in the limo. And they were gonna take this girl home. Like, I said, "Why did you do that? Why you didn't just listen to me? Why did you do that? Why did you go with him?" And she was just crying. I said, "Did he hurt you?" and she said, "No. But he told me after we had sex that he never wanted to see me again." I said, "Why did you go with him? I told you backstage don't go with him." - Michael Jackson in Glenda Tapes "When we did the Apollo Theater in New York, I saw something that really blew me away because I didn't know things like that existed. I had seen quite a few strippers [due to being on Chitlin' Circuit with the Jackson Five as a child], but that night this one girl with gorgeous eyelashes and long hair came out and did her routine. She put on a great performance. All of a sudden, at the end, she took off her wig, pulled a pair of big oranges out of her bra, and revealed that she was a hard-faced guy under all that make-up. That blow me away. I was only a child and couldn't even conceive of anything like that. But I looked out at the theater audience and they were going for it, applauding wildly and cheering. I'm just a little kid, standing in the wings, watching this crazy stuff. I was blown away.As I said, I received quite an education as a child. More than most. Perhaps this freed me to concentrate on other aspects of my life as an adult." - Michael Jackson "I didn’t really have any girlfriends when I was in school. There were girls I thought were cute, but I found it so difficult to approach them. I was too embarrassed – I don’t know why – it was just crazy. There was one girl who was a good friend to me. I liked her, but I was too embarrassed to tell her." - Michael Jackson ‘Because I really don’t want to offend anyone by watching them. Some people really get uptight if they know someone is looking at them. But I have this weakness - I love looking at girls!’ ‘Just watching a girl can give me the best reason to smile. Girls are something very special and you got to treat them that way. That’s why I always say don’t stare right at a chick. She’ll begin to fidget,wondering if her hair’s messed up or if her make-up is smeared. It’s kind of like going to an art gallery to see beautiful paintings. If you look at a painting just the right way, you get the most out of it!’ The guys who are doing the rating are missing the whole point. They’re so busy counting up the scores that they’re not looking - I mean really looking at the girls.’ ‘The way a girl walks. You can tell a lot from the walk. If she’s happy or sad - if she’s proud of being a girl. And then, there are the chicks that look so helpless that I want to rush over to them and put my arms around them!’ ‘And if I’m lucky enough to be close enough to see her face - well, that’s like your favorite dessert after a fine meal!’ ‘The eyes - do they wink at you? What makes them shine like they do? Love? Or just happy at being alive?’ ‘And the mouth. Is it smiling at some secret? Or is she just doing her best to spread a little happiness by smiling at every person she sees?’ - Michael Jackson, in Tiger Beat Magazine Article, 1972 "Sometimes a young lady´s physical beauty can by no means outshine the inner beauty that radiates from her heart and spirit." - Michael Jackson, 1976 “Let’s face, I’m too darn young to be thinking about marriage and kids. I’m still just a kid myself. Being nineteen soon doesn’t mean that I’m ready to settle down." - Michael Jackson, 1976 “I’m too busy for dating girls right now. I’d like to try, maybe. What do you think? Think I should, yeah? Well, I’ll think about that. I’ll think about what you said. We’ll see… But I’m happy. ” - Michael Jackson 1977 “I’m certain that I will get married and settle down to raise a family – I’m just not ready yet. I do meet young ladies that I respect and enjoy being with – but marriage is an important step and I want it to last forever. A family is something that I want more than anything in the world.” - Michael Jackson, 1981 "Needless to say, I love the interaction between the sexes; it is a natural part of life and I love women. I just think that when sex is used as a form of blackmail or power, it’s a repugnant use of one of God’s gifts." “I do think that marriage can be a wonderful thing if it’s the right thing for the two people involved.I believe in love – very much so – how can you not believe after you’ve experienced it? I believe in relationships. One day, I know I’ll find the right woman and get married myself.” Sometimes it's hard for me to look my dates in the eye even if I know them well. My dating and relationships with girls have not had the happy ending I've been looking for. Something always seems to get in the way. The things I share with millions of people aren't the sort of things you share with one. Many girls want to know what makes me tick - why I live the way I live or do the things I do - trying to get inside my head. They want to rescue me from loneliness, but they do it in such a way that they give me the impression they want to share my loneliness, which I wouldn't wish on anybody, because I believe I'm one of the loneliest people in the world." - Michael Jackson in Moonwalk, 1988 https://preview.redd.it/3xdhwzye9jva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=07ee95c44685940578fbd2ee6b74a57cb419a0a0 MJ: A woman I really liked and respected was Princess Diana. SB: Why? MJ: Because she was classy and sincerely cared about people and children and the plight of what was going on in the world. She didn’t do it for show. I like the way she made her kids wait in line to get on a ride for something. SB: Can we say that there was an ever so innocent slight romantic attraction? Or do you not want to say that? Do you just want to say that you thought she was a very special? She was a feminine kind of woman? MJ: Very feminine and classy. She was my type for sure, and I don’t like most girls. There are very few I like who fit the mold. It takes a very special mold to make me happy and she was on of them. For sure. Schmuley Tapes, 2000/2001 From travelling around the world, I've met females of almost every race and I have a sort of universal mind when it comes to women. I've met some very beautiful women during my travels but unfortunately many of them had personalities that were not to my liking. It's difficult to find beauty and kindness in one girl." - Michael Jackson in Black Beat Magazine "I don´t like women who are always saying, ´My nails to be done. I have to do my toes. I need a manicure." I hate all that. I like it when girls are a little bit more tomboyish. If they wrestle, climb a tree... I love that. It is sexier to me. I like class though. Class is everything." - Michael Jackson in MJ Tapes "The only difference between me and an ordinary 13 year old boy is that he can go to a place by himself. With me, it’s a little different. I can walk to stores around my hometown by myself but anytime I go somewhere else, I have to have some kind of security. I don’t mind. I kind of like the idea of the girls trying to get to me.! - Michael Jackson 1972 Ebony: Any Black ladies in your life? Michael: "Sure, but you wouldn't take me seriously." Ebony: Try me. Michael: "It's Diana Ross. I love her." Ebony: Do you mean as a "big sister?" Michael: "No, that's not what I mean. See, I told you that you wouldn't take me seriously." Ebony: You're not saying you'd like to marry Diana Ross, are you? Michael: "Oh yeah, I'm saying that." Ebony Magazine 1984 "Debbie and I love each other for all the reasons you will never see on stage or in pictures. I fell for the beautiful, unpretentious, giving person that she is, and she fell for me, just being me." - MJ, OK Magazine Interview April 1997 https://preview.redd.it/x95hjk5m9jva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d4bd04e9e15f74acbac15ff5070c3a5197fca75 Michael Jackson during an Interview In 1970, Aged 12: Michael: (gets up and browses through magazines on a table, picks one up and goes to sit back down) Jermaine: Michael, please. No, he got the Playboy. He got the Playboy. (tries to snatch it away - from him) Michael: (fighting his brother off) No, sit down. (to interviewer): Now, I would like to tell you all the people on (Inaudible) TV (flicking through it) one of my favorite things… Brother: (Inaudible) Michael: … in The Playboy magazine. Jermaine: Michael, they filming you. Michael: (looking like he’s been caught, looks up at camera and smiles) @ 8:56 Michael: (flicking through the magazine) This is a big butt. Mrs. Fine - Michael what is this??? Michael - nothing ._.From Glenda Tapes, 1992: G: Tell me something, you know what? You told me before that you’re the loneliest person.Friends & Family Commentary on Michael and Women: ”Back home, I had been seeing a lot of Hazel Gordy, but while we liked each other – and send endless love letters – puppy love had not advanced into anything serious, leaving me free to build my experience on the road. We older bothers had a way of describing how far we got with a girl: from 'first base' (the kiss) to 'second base' (touching/clothes off) to third base (the sex) and, in my hotel room, I was an LA Dodger running wild, eyes closed, on top of this girl, kissing and touching with a freedom I didn't think possible. “That feels really good…” she said. I was getting serious, she was groaning. Third base was in sight. I had one hand stroking her face, and the other on the mattress beside her head. “I love how you stroke my thighs,” she continued, “… you’re real gentle…” I’m not stroking yourthighs, I thought. “It feels good,” she whispered. I peeked open my eyes and maneuvered my headto take a sly look down the bed, and that’s when I saw it – Michael’s arm, reaching up and over fromunderneath the bed, his hand circling her thigh. “MICHAEL!” I jumped up, the poor girl was mortified and Michael, chuckling, was already scrambling for the door. I could have killed him, not only because he was hiding there the whole time, but because he heard me whispering all these sensual, sweet nothings that he would tease me with for weeks after. I refused to speak to him that night. When we turned out the lights and he wished me goodnight, I said nothing. He waited a few minutes in the dark and then brokered the peace. “She got some real creamy thighs!” he said. And we both burst out laughing” - Jermaine Jackson,Michael's brother Tito Jackson explains who his brother Michael really was, September 2019 Q: "Was Michael ladies´ man?" Tito Jackson: "Oh! Are you kidding me? I used to tell people, when they used to say things, ´He´s gay´or whatever, I said no. Leave your wife or your girl with him for a day and you’ll find out.” "The weird thing about my uncle... and I shouldn't call it weird... it's just, as men, we think about sex often. And for him, he was thinking about his craft, musicianship and all that stuff. So, it was secondary, it wasn't the main focus. I think that's where people, kind of, don't understand. Because he wasn't out there sleeping with groupies, and all that stuff. He was into relationships, he talked about women all the time, in terms of liking them and thinking they're cute. He was just naturally shy, as well, in that aspect of it." -Taj Jackson https://preview.redd.it/430p2nhrajva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1aa096f0e584b0f0207b94204fc07d6220282b6a He’s always saying to me that there is a beautiful woman. He and I talk about him not having many dates and it’s because he doesn’t know if they are interested in his money and celebrity or whether they have a genuine interest in him. He’s a romantic.” - Rabbi Schmuley on Howard Stern, April 6th, 2001 https://preview.redd.it/7fc1bybvajva1.jpg?width=1060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a183a8805110520c1b74a70447ce124b2cbc549 "He didn't know how to be in a relationship, and he wasn't willing to learn. He only knew what he knew. Marriage, with its sharing, conflicts and compromises, just didn't work for him." - Frank Cascio, Michael´s friend “Don’t believe the nonsense about Michael being gay and stuff. When there were girls around he’d talk about them to the guys and run around pinching their asses and then run away. He was a real funky street dude, know what I mean?” - Michael Lovesmith, former fellow Motown recording artist about young Michael “He’ll see a girl and comment on her or want to touch her [bottom]. He likes girls.” - Aaron Carter ‘We’d go out for dinner or a coffee and he would notice women walking past and say, ‘She’s so cute, she’s got a nice tush,’ but then he would be very apologetic." - Mark Lester "When we were riding around in a car in Berlin, Michael would look at the women in miniskirts and high heels …”Look at her hips!” and “Look at her ass!” Michael would say. However, when we passed the girl in question he realized she was a 50 year old woman. It is needless to say that Michael and I had a good laugh about that. It goes without saying that Michael is pro ass" - A bodyguard for Michael Jackson in Berlin 1988 (rough translation) Question: Did you see MJ flirting with girls a lot? Was he a natural flirt or just avoided the whole thing because of his shyness? MJ´s bodyguard: I was not going to answer this, but I'll give you guys a little. Yes, MJ was very charming, he did flirt from time to time. Sometimes he would ask me to get someone's number or ask do I think someone is cute? It was so funny to watch the dude flirt. I tell women I meet that I have a dog, I would hear MJ tell women he has a Zoo! How do you top someone that has a Zoo?
https://preview.redd.it/t67jriuabjva1.jpg?width=592&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=887c7def8d5e12e475bb04d619e6d7ff907d6f8e Bill: Being a father myself and being a man, men know men, he had the desires of women like we do. Narration: In fact, they say he had at least two girlfriends, dispelling that other rumor. Bill: We had a curtain that covered the backseat, you couldn’t see in the backseat, they talked back there… I mean, you know. Interviewer: So he’s making out in the backseat. Bill: Or chewing loud gum (everyone laughs). Interviewer: It sounds like you’re chaperoning two teenagers on a date. (All nod and agree) Javon: It was cute for us. - Bill Whitfield & Javon Beard, bodyguards 2006-2009 https://preview.redd.it/ibcqo49dbjva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1826a1291181f61a3862369c834c55f7c56c4f7 https://preview.redd.it/9b78kmoebjva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0785bbf60fa77ebc18bfa5565a89dde956759bd2 Testimonials from women in his life: "By this time I was about 20 and we had much more to talk about. I’ll never forget the first thing he asked me was about my aunt. He had a thing for my Aunt J in the 80′s. She was ten years older than him and about 100 pounds heavier than him. She had always been pretty big and curvacious, most of her weight settling towards her lower body. It cracked me up that after all that time he was still checking for her. My mother had always told me that she thought Michael was some kind of undercover freak. He tried to be a shy boy in his younger days but he often got caught stealing some peeks. As she says, she thinks Michael was an “ass man.” We caught up over the phone. He never failed to remind me of what a “pretty woman” I had grownup to be. He also never hesitated to bring up my childhood (and adulthood lol) crushes on Jermaineand Jackie. The Michael I was talking to was no “freak” and he surely wasn't weird. In fact he wasway more normal than me. We called each other for the next few years and chatted about this andthat.He was the same ol Michael to me. I started to think about making him pay my phone bill becausehe liked to talk…A LOT. The Michael that people read about and see on TV was not the real Michael. They portray him to be some weird, quiet, asexual, virgin hermit that he’s not. Michael Joseph Jackson was one of the most flirtatious men I’ve ever encountered. It always throws me that people think he’s asexual or even gay. Michael loves women. Period. Black women, big women, little women, white women, tall women, short women…all women. No woman could be safe around the King of Pop. As shy as he was, he never hesitated to place his hands on my hips or stare at different women. He would be embarrassed to be caught taken a peak at cleavage or a booty. It was always a good laugh catching Mike glancing at someone’s assets. I saw him with different women over the years and I can be a witness to him being very much hetero. We would get together and drink a little. We chatted about everything under the sun and laughed about everything. No one can make me laugh the way Michael did. He liked to joke about his bad luck with women. Some of the best laughter I’ve ever had was hearing him drop an f-bomb every now and then or his face when I made him dance with me to In The Closet. There was never a quiet dull moment around him. He allowed me to steal kisses from him and playfully tug at his clothes. I’d let him sneak a kiss in and I wouldn't bust him out for feeling up my thigh. I would never pass up the chances I got to get the famous MJ hugs. He has the best hugs in the world. But our relationship was never anything but platonic with a bit of the good ol Jackson flirtation." - Myspace post from someone who knew him V"Michael and I did get intimate on Thriller, yes," Ray confesses for the first time. "I went to his trailer one day and that's where I had my second kiss with him." "I kissed him for the first time on the set, I kissed him on the cheek, then he asked me to come into his dressing room one day and I went in there and we sat down and had a conversation and we got really close and that's when he kissed me the second time. "It was a very passionate kiss and, you know, we also did a little something else, but that's all I'm gonna say." She added: "I'll just tell you this much. He undressed in front of me, I'm not going to tell you anymore about it - you've got to read my book." I wanted to save a little bit for my book," she told DailyMailTV. "Getting intimate with Michael made me feel really, really good." "I mean, I did not expect for something like that to happen, but you know, because of the time that we spent together on set, the two weeks we spent together, we just became very, very close. - Ola Ray, "Thriller" video girl & Playboy Playmate of the month (June 1980), also commented that she believes Michael chose her for "Thriller" after seeing her in Playboy (as he was a long time subscriber) “I came out front with him and we were dancing around and playing guitar, and he was right next to me,” she said, encouraging fans to visit her website to look for photos of the two together. “We never really had any contact with each other. We’re doing the show, night after night after night. One night, I think we were in Buenos Aires, or Chile, I can’t remember which … I had my eyes shut and I’m playing guitar, doing a guitar solo. All of a sudden I feel something on my butt. I was like, ‘Oh my God, some crazed fan had somehow gotten past security and was on stage. But he was just having fun with me. I turned around and I saw that it was him, and my jaw dropped. And the drummer, I think he skipped a beat because he was laughing so hard.” - Becky Barksdale, lead guitarist for Michael during the Dangerous World Tour https://preview.redd.it/juxa9nrrbjva1.jpg?width=285&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5b3a3b90b746cd50bad3024bad3a8b40bea572b Interviewer: Did he ever flirt with you? Kai: Oh yeah, he would flirt you know, in his own charming way. I remember Prince coming into the kitchen, “daddy wants to know when dinner’s going to be ready?” I said, “It’s going to be ready at 6:30.” "Okay, well when it’s ready can you come and set it on the table.” So I’m in the dining room and I’m putting the dishes down and the food and what not and he walks in. I have menus on the table for the kids to see. So I’m leaving the area and I have on my chef’s uniform, the chef’s jacket and on the back there’s a little openning at the back of the apron. So I have my white jeans on and I remember as I’m walking out, I turn around just to see and all of a sudden “psssst” his head turned and it was right on my tush. I was like okaaaay. Interviewer: Fair to say that in that moment the King of Pop was reading more than one menu at the same time. Kai: (laughing) I think so.- Kai Chase, Michael´s personal chef during his last months https://preview.redd.it/5uclr8lybjva1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=994323eb1a6426aa81adbea0ea37f0d5667b9146 He would always, like everywhere he went, he would kind of (shows looking around) - he called it fishing. He looked around for all the hot girls and he was like: ´Turkle, Turkle, that one´s really hot, look look, oh she, look how her hair is...´ (...) I think he had fears about intimacy, you know, from his childhood. I don't think he really had great examples of how a relationship works." - Karen Faye, MJ´s longtime make-up artist & hair stylist Q: "Was Jackson gay?" https://preview.redd.it/xza0h334cjva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1696d1a2aac5d497b8b1c59f75e68901b4d0725d Michael's Love Letters https://preview.redd.it/tkjebob8cjva1.jpg?width=551&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e805cdd0b4c7bbbfdf392a3bb8ea7dd9e365e07 Why did you take away your love, the same love that made me unable to speak and made me forget my worries, the love that saved me? Tell me, did I come to short? Wasn’t I enough? Have I done or said something wrong? I believe in miracles and [blocked] angels. I know you escaped through heaven’s gates to brighten the [blocked]. I believe in FAITH, deep inside I feel that nature has banded us. I have seen nothing but misery in my life until [blocked] all these years, I have been seeking to give while I only desire now to receive from you. Your heart commanded me to follow while my soul was hurt and my mind CONFUSED. I allowed you to take possession of my feelings. In return, I loved, obeyed and honored you beyond words. I revealed myself to you in ways from which I thought they were impossible. I saw and still see you as my soulmate, as my wife and as the mother of my fourth child. https://preview.redd.it/96f4f6nccjva1.jpg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=601db53073b7db030bee26750063fa88bd6ec4ff Then what is your reason for leaving? Why did you go away, silently in the middle of the night without me, the slave of your heart? I cannot conceive it possible. I know we are meant to be, I can feel it. Still I have no regrets for what happened between us, [blacked out]. I can only come to the conclusion that you have made an unnatural decision that was not supported by your heart, nor were these your words. It is my will to believe that other matters have caused you to run away like this. But whatever the reason maybe, I will not let it divide us. I prefer myself to believe that our parting is only temporary. Let me strive for another outcome. [blacked out] For ever yours [blacked out] Call me [blacked out] Reported source: A newspaper article, claiming to have spoken with a previous girlfriend of Michael, who could “prove” this with a love letter. The title is “We’re getting the facts right. Is this the prove that J\*o was not gay?”* Former girlfriend shows proof. The writer asks why she comes forward while she wants to remain anonymous. She tells she is tired of the lies and the filthy press. She wants the world to see and know Michael for who he really was. She is not looking for publicity or money. She tells he always was a loving person, very sweet, always concerned, nervous type, cared for and wanted to save the entire world. She refused to answer to intimate questions concerning their relationship, if they had sex etc. She says people who accused him from all these bad things should go straight to prison or hell. She says they broke him, hurt him so much, he was lost when she met him the first time. He feared to trust. She also tells about how much he loved the fans, how much they meant to Michael, how much he talked about the fans and how he missed the fans during the years he was gone. Then she talks about Michael and children, that he lived for children. There is also a part about Neverland. She never went there. She never asked Michael to go there with her. She did view pictures of Neverland from before the accusations. https://preview.redd.it/0cnkfy2qcjva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b94525f0470b4af2cba94e59ba65769415085ab This painting was sold on behalf of an anonymous woman. It's believed it was given to a woman Michael had been serious about and whom he proposed to circa 1991 https://preview.redd.it/g87rtk0vcjva1.jpg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=731082719957c6e1f52719fdf254674a9dc21c80 https://preview.redd.it/ms0jgolwcjva1.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38d666ea24712181174d837e1e144aa8942a9f0d Michael Jackson with women Michael scoping out girls Michael the fisherman Michael flirting Michael admiring the female form Michael talking about finding a date https://preview.redd.it/gufe48i4djva1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=852ea62f676b364d7d6c3f898071b0f15e566b90 https://preview.redd.it/kgmvff56djva1.png?width=568&format=png&auto=webp&s=485ed2ceb9d73c17b59546a67555344162e6d6de Please tell me some more about how Michael didn't like the ladies... |
2023.03.30 16:33 GalaxiGazer The only one who could ever reach me ... was the son of a preacher man 🥰
This is to you, J.S.,
This truly unsent letter has been in the making for almost the past 30 years. But it's about time that I finally give voice to my 12-year-old self, to that 12-year-old girl who really liked you and honestly crushed on you. You, at the time, were 16. So even though we're nearing our 40's (well, you're already there lol), I'll first address you as that 16-year-old boy then close out addressing you as a man.
I remember that note I wrote and gave to you after church that night. I saw you from a distance and noticed your reaction. You were blushing as you and James were laughing. I wasn't sure how you took my being forward, so I approached you later to talk. When I showed up, you noticed me right away and you complimented, "Your note was appealing." We were starting to talk until my parents showed up and we went home and we couldn't talk anymore.
What was it about you that I was drawn to, that I really liked? While the other girls saw you more as a status symbol ("He's the pastor's son! giggles), I saw beyond that. I noticed how calm yet confident you were, that you didn't feel the need to brag on yourself. You had a clear head on your shoulders. There was always something to learn from you whenever we would talk. I liked the fact that I could be real with you, you took me seriously, and you treated me with respect.
Eventually our brief story would come to an end. While my 15-year-old self was enjoying Six Flags in Hotlanta, you were being prayed over as you were preparing to leave The Aloha State in pursuit to follow your dreams of becoming an actor in Los Angeles. I checked your MySpace page (circa 2006) and, from what I could tell, you're doing quite well for yourself. No, you're not exactly on the A-list quite yet, but I know that you will get there someday. You have that talent, that passion, that gift. I remember during the Hallelujah Celebration '96, you played one of the journalists reporting on the live action as Joshua and company advanced into the Promised Land and leaving Jericho behind in the dust ... literally. You guys even danced to the chorus "Let the walls fall down" (Joy was sitting on your right, I definitely remember her! Lol). I knew that you were destined for and going to do great things. You'll get there someday, I know you will.
So, what's prompted me to reach out after all these years? I'm taking a serious inventory of my life, more specifically my love life, and seeing where I had gone wrong. I went from a 12-year-old who was attracted to guys who had common sense, who were responsible, who demonstrated real maturity, and knew where they were headed in life to being a 38-year-old woman who seems to attract broken, toxic, unhealthy and unavailable men. I'm trying to figure out where I had gone wrong so I can start putting myself back together and get on the right road for myself.
As I look back now, you're a template that I can now use moving forward. It is possible for me to one day be with a man like you. Maybe one day I can be with a guy mature, responsible, available, healthy, and he knows where he's headed in life. One day. For right now, though, my focus needs to be on fixing myself and doing some serious overhauling on myself so I can be a healthy and better woman.
As for you, I do appreciate the blessing of your memory. Even though I'm not able to tell you these words directly, I do thank you for the brief time I had gotten to know you. I know that you still have great things in your future. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the very best in your journey. I look forward to the day when I hear, "*And the award for Best Actor goes to ..." and see you beaming with pride on that stage. Then I can give my own "I remember him when" story.
Take care of yourself and good luck!
~ K
submitted by GalaxiGazer to UnsentLetters [link] [comments]
This truly unsent letter has been in the making for almost the past 30 years. But it's about time that I finally give voice to my 12-year-old self, to that 12-year-old girl who really liked you and honestly crushed on you. You, at the time, were 16. So even though we're nearing our 40's (well, you're already there lol), I'll first address you as that 16-year-old boy then close out addressing you as a man.
I remember that note I wrote and gave to you after church that night. I saw you from a distance and noticed your reaction. You were blushing as you and James were laughing. I wasn't sure how you took my being forward, so I approached you later to talk. When I showed up, you noticed me right away and you complimented, "Your note was appealing." We were starting to talk until my parents showed up and we went home and we couldn't talk anymore.
What was it about you that I was drawn to, that I really liked? While the other girls saw you more as a status symbol ("He's the pastor's son! giggles), I saw beyond that. I noticed how calm yet confident you were, that you didn't feel the need to brag on yourself. You had a clear head on your shoulders. There was always something to learn from you whenever we would talk. I liked the fact that I could be real with you, you took me seriously, and you treated me with respect.
Eventually our brief story would come to an end. While my 15-year-old self was enjoying Six Flags in Hotlanta, you were being prayed over as you were preparing to leave The Aloha State in pursuit to follow your dreams of becoming an actor in Los Angeles. I checked your MySpace page (circa 2006) and, from what I could tell, you're doing quite well for yourself. No, you're not exactly on the A-list quite yet, but I know that you will get there someday. You have that talent, that passion, that gift. I remember during the Hallelujah Celebration '96, you played one of the journalists reporting on the live action as Joshua and company advanced into the Promised Land and leaving Jericho behind in the dust ... literally. You guys even danced to the chorus "Let the walls fall down" (Joy was sitting on your right, I definitely remember her! Lol). I knew that you were destined for and going to do great things. You'll get there someday, I know you will.
So, what's prompted me to reach out after all these years? I'm taking a serious inventory of my life, more specifically my love life, and seeing where I had gone wrong. I went from a 12-year-old who was attracted to guys who had common sense, who were responsible, who demonstrated real maturity, and knew where they were headed in life to being a 38-year-old woman who seems to attract broken, toxic, unhealthy and unavailable men. I'm trying to figure out where I had gone wrong so I can start putting myself back together and get on the right road for myself.
As I look back now, you're a template that I can now use moving forward. It is possible for me to one day be with a man like you. Maybe one day I can be with a guy mature, responsible, available, healthy, and he knows where he's headed in life. One day. For right now, though, my focus needs to be on fixing myself and doing some serious overhauling on myself so I can be a healthy and better woman.
As for you, I do appreciate the blessing of your memory. Even though I'm not able to tell you these words directly, I do thank you for the brief time I had gotten to know you. I know that you still have great things in your future. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the very best in your journey. I look forward to the day when I hear, "*And the award for Best Actor goes to ..." and see you beaming with pride on that stage. Then I can give my own "I remember him when" story.
Take care of yourself and good luck!
~ K
2023.01.27 06:29 CP4-Throwaway When did the Tens begin?
2008
https://preview.redd.it/mayn1qaqihea1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=3343a368d9a9072749c74c69c065f06854fcc267- The post-9/11 "spend, spend, spend" excess culture comes to end due to the global financial crash in the fall, which led to the bankruptcy of the Lehman Brothers, and what Strauss & Howe mark the beginning of the Fourth Turning or "Crisis" period
- The death of Heath Ledger
- McBling culture really fades away after the crash happeens
- The popularity of Barack Obama, which led to his election win against John McCain, being the first black president to be elected as POTUS
- Emo evolves into scene
- Hipster culture starts becoming popular
- The cancellation of Total Request Live
- The popularity of the Disney Channel Big 3 (e.g. Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato) and the Jonas Brothers
- The very beginning of electropop music, thanks to Katy Perry's One of the Boys and Lady Gaga's The Fame albums respectively, which was the exact moment that Millennials overtook Generation X in pop cultural influence
- Kanye West taking over 50 Cent as the #1 hip hop artist of the day
- The cancellation of Toonami, which to some older fans would mark the true end of Cartoon Network
- WWE switches from TV-14 to PG, officially beginning WWE's PG Era
- Facebook starts to become more popular than MySpace
- The launch of Breaking Bad, which was a very influential TV show of the 2010s
- The cancellation of The Wire, which was pretty much a swan song for the classic HBO
- The release of Iron Man, which began the Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Hollywood and the U.S. Film industry begin to expand their box office globally, to China, which would be a huge impact on the quality of films going forward
2009
https://preview.redd.it/e1xiz6eajhea1.png?width=1391&format=png&auto=webp&s=22f633681a55f571e158cad2e6966cc72b237698- The inauguration of Barack Obama, officially marking him the first black president of the United States, and helped further shift the mood away from the 2000s zeitgeist
- Ringtone rap and R&B begin to fade away in the second half of the year
- Electropop truly takes over this year with the mainstream popularity of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, plus hits from the Black Eyed Peas, Jay Sean, Pitbull, Owl City, David Guetta (who actually had a ton of EDM hits in the era), etc.
- The ultimate purge of 2009 (e.g. Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze, John Hughes)
- The beginning of the skinny jeans trend taking over and baggy jeans are officially uncool, thanks to the New Boyz's "You're a Jerk" single
- The death of Michael Jackson (this deserves a bullet point of its own because of BIG this was, pretty much stopped the whole world for a day)
- The release of Windows 7
- Disney buys Marvel
- Two popular artists of the 2010s have a moment at the VMAs (Kanye West, Taylor Swift)
- The beta release of Minecraft
- Jimmy Fallon replaces Jay Leno on late night programming
- The H1N1 pandemic
- The debut/rise of Ke$ha, Justin Bieber, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, Kid Cudi
- The absolute worst of the Great Recession is over
- Nickelodeon's trademark Splat logo gets replaced to a more generic, modern, minimalist logo, beginning a new era for the network
- The launch of 2010s defining TV shows such as Glee, Modern Family, The Middle, Nurse Jackie, Vampire Diaries, Archer, 16 and Pregnant
- The release of the movie "2012" which began the 12/21/12 "end of the world" hype for the next few years
2010
https://preview.redd.it/vxjaluepjhea1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=bbfae27c9598573e54bdd0f78d2265cd7d703e25- The official beginning of the 10s decade on January 1st, 2010 (in the sense that it starts with 201x)
- Post-Grunge is no longer popular (Nickelback is irrelevant) and Pop punk has its last hit, Orianthi's According to You; officially taking rock completely out of the mainstream
- The release of Angry Birds at the tail end of the previous year officially starts the rapid popularity in mobile games
- The Affordable Care Act (ACA) being signed
- 00s shows Lost and Scrubs came to an end
- The year electropop was EVERYWHERE, peak of the club boom
- MySpace is completely dead and irrelevant
- The launch of Instagram, a 2010s social media platform
- The retirement of Shawn Michaels and departure of Batista from the WWE, Ruthless Aggression era icons, as well WWE ECW getting cancelled for NXT (the new developmental program for WWE, replacing FCW)
- The launch of Halo Reach and Call of Duty: Black Ops, which was a big change in gaming, starting the FPS trend of the 10s
- The release of the iPad
- The rise of Bruno Mars & B.O.B.
- Katy Perry becomes more popular than Lady Gaga
- The end of the Shrek franchise
- The release of Toy Story 3, which marked the end of the Golden Age for Pixar in the '00s
- Republicans take over the Congress in the midterms
- The launch of the Walking Dead, a very 2010s defining show
- The launch of Adventure Time (which began the era of Cal-Arts style animation), followed by the rebrand of the CN logo, the launches of Regular Show and MAD, the cancellation of late 2000s shows like Chowder and Flapjack, and the focus shifted away from shows like Total Drama and Johnny Test, which began the Cartoon Network Renaissance era of the early-mid 2010s
- The Lakers win their last championship for a decade, as well as Kobe's last champrionship, officially marking the end of the Kobe era of dominance; LeBron James leaves Cleveland and heads to South Beach, which begins the LeBron era of dominance
2011
https://preview.redd.it/bbd9dckmvzkc1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=b961a25e68d2fcd53d231476447eb72f0acbdb13- The actual beginning of the 2010s on January 1st 2011 (because there was no year zero)
- The death of Osama Bin Laden, which symbolically marks the end of the 9/11 decade, followed by the end of the Iraq War later on in the year
- Occupy Wall Street
- The release of the 3DS and PS Vita, which is the beginning of the eighth generation handheld consoles
- 00s show Law & Order: Criminal Intent came to an end
- Smartphones start to become highly ubiquitous this year
- The return of The Rock to the WWE, Edge's retirement and the brand split ending (the final blow to WWE's Ruthless Aggression era of the '00s), and CM Punk's "Pipebomb" promo, which set the tone for 2010s wrestling
- The launch of Snapchat, another 2010s social media platform
- Electropop was at its absolute peak and slightly changed its sound later on in the year, with more EDM, dubstep influence and less hip hop, rock influence
- The breakthrough year for Adele, Wiz Khalifa, Meek Mill, and LMFAO
- Minecraft (the full game) is officially released to the public
- The cancellation of Hannah Montana and Suite Life on Deck, the dying popularity of Wizards of Waverly Place, the debuts of A.N.T. Farm and Jessie, followed by the popularity of Good Luck Charlie and Shake It Up, which started a new era for Disney Channel
- The debut of The Amazing World of Gumball and the Looney Tunes Show, which fully kicked in the Cartoon Network Renaissance era
- The conclusion of '00s movie franchises Spy Kids and Harry Potter, ending an era
- The launch of Game of Thrones, beginning a new era for HBO
- The release of the Kindle Fire
- First sign of 90s nostalgia coming in (e.g. TeenNick's "The '90s Are All That" block)
2012
https://preview.redd.it/tg8zk3i4khea1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ebe92d6c22fe14459adf46324ea34084add8a2a- The Iraq War ending at the tail end of the previous year pretty much put a close to 2000s politics
- The death of Trayvon Martin (which directly led to the formation of BLM), KONY 2012, and the mass shootings that happened (Aurora, Sandy Hook) really set the tone for the 2010s political landscape
- Electropop started to get pushed out as EDM, progressive house, hipster indie, and dubstep were more prominent, as well as the genre becoming less genuine and more generic
- The release of the Avengers movie, fully ushering in the MCU and drastically changing the movie landscape
- The launch of Duck Dynasty, a 2010s defining TV show
- Disney buys Star Wars
- The release of The Amazing Spider-Man was another movie that defined the 2010s
- The 2010s teen pop era kickstarts with the popularity of One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful", along with the Wanted's "I'm Glad You Came", and Taylor Swift switching from country pop to a more bubblegum style with her new album Red
- Cartoon Network relaunches Toonami, Gravity Falls and Lab Rats debut on Disney Channel and Disney XD respectively, as well as the cancellations of Wizards of Waverly Place and iCarly (last major remnant of '00s Disney Channel & Nickelodeon respectively)
- The breakthrough year for Carly Rae Jepsen, Lana Del Ray, J Cole, Ellie Goulding, and the debut of Macklemore
- 00s shows like House MD and CSI: Miami came to an end
- Justin Bieber's new album Believe and his new hipster haircut was kind of different from his first album My World (1.0 & 2.0), which kinda sounded late '00s, as well as his emo bowl cut
- Emo/scene fashion/subculture fades out and gets replaced by the hipster fashion/subculture
- The release of the Wii U, starting the transition from the seventh generation to the eighth generation of video games
- Smartphone adoption hit 50%
- The release of Gangnam Style ('nuff said)
- The release of the Hunger Games started the era of dystopian young adult fiction
- The return of Brock Lesnar to the WWE, The Rock vs. John Cena, Raw 1000 (which begins the era of 3-hour Monday Night programming), and the launch of WWE Main Event
- LeBron James wins his first NBA championship
- Core '10s trap rap overtakes the late '00s hip hop sound (thanks to DJ Mustard, Lil Wayne fading out of popularity, rise of Kendrick Lamar and Chief Keef)
- The popularity of Tumblr and Twitter
- The Barack Obama v. Mitt Romney election
- The release of Windows 8
- The rise of the Minimalist Flat design and transition away from Frutiger Aero
2013
https://preview.redd.it/an52ci46khea1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=d6ea69d20e2c0dfb5e3b50ece912b0a1f2a5e56a- The world did not end on December 21st 2012, which put an end to the "2012" hype going on during the 2009-2012 era
- The second inauguration of Barack Obama
- The launch and popularity of Vine, which really shifted culture
- Electropop fades away and EDM, indie hipster, teen pop, etc. become the dominant sound of music (although there would be many traces around, some even until 2014-15')
- The effects of the Great Recession are no longer felt and the economy starts to get better
- The Apple operating systems (Macs, iPhones, iPads) go through a massive overhaul and look a lot more flat, followed by the release of the iPhone 5S
- The musical return of Justin Timberlake
- The popularity of Instagram and Snapchat
- Miley Cyrus changes her good-girl, "Hannah Montana" image and becomes slutty and risqué (Bangerz era)
- The release of Lorde's "Royals", which really shifted music away from the constant upbeat, optimistic party music to an alternative, more dark, introspective theme
- The release of Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online, which is still very relevant to this day
- The hype and eventual release of the PS4 and Xbox One, which officially began the eighth generation era of video game consoles and started phasing out the seventh generation consoles (an '00s holdover)
- The breakthrough year for Macklemore, who truly ushered in hipster culture to the mainstream
- The Harlem Shake ('nuff said)
- YouTube integrates with Google+ (a big change for the website)
- The end of 'electropop era' shows like Jersey Shore, The Office, Gossip Girl, Dexter, and Breaking Bad
- The release of Teen Titans GO!, the beginning of the end for Cartoon Network IMO
- The rise of Lorde, Ariana Grande, Sam Smith, Fifth Harmony, Migos
- Streaming starts to become popular when Netflix debuts their first original series "House of Cards" and later on "Orange is the New Black"
- Debatably the end of the PG era, thanks to The Rock having his last match with John Cena, Daniel Bryan defeating John Cena for the WWE Championship, The Authority forms, World Heavyweight Championship gets retired
- Victorious ending, which pretty much signified the end of the Dan Schneider era of Nickelodeon that began in the mid '00s with Drake & Josh (he had shows on Nick afterward, but they weren't as good, including Sam & Cat), as well as Big Time Rush coming to a close (which signified the end of the first era of Nickelodeon, post-Splat logo), and new shows airing such as The Haunted Hathaways and The Thundermans
2022.12.17 18:00 IndieheadsAOTY The r/indieheads Album of the Year 2022 Write-Up Series: Alex G - God Save The Animals
 | Howdy folks! Welcome back to Day 17 of the indieheads Album of the Year Write-up Series! This is our annual event where we showcase pieces from some of our favorite writers on the subreddit, discussing some of their favorite records of the year! As always we'll be running everyday through the length of December with one new writeup a day from a different indieheads user each day! Up today, u/shiggidyshiggidy talks Alex G's God Save The Animals. submitted by IndieheadsAOTY to indieheads [link] [comments] September 23rd, 2022 - Domino Listen: Bandcamp YouTube Spotify Background: Alexander Giannascoli of Havertown, PA, released his first album under the moniker Alex G in 2010 at the age of 17. After the release of Race, Giannascoli spent the next 4 years building an underground fanbase through MySpace and Bandcamp uploads and through word of mouth acclaim. In 2014, he released his lauded label debut, DSU, which officially cemented him as a force to be reckoned with in the indie rock world. Since then, Giannascoli has signed to Domino Records and has only continued to make his star shine even brighter through collaborations in the world of music and film. God Save The Animals, released on September 23, 2022, is his ninth album. Review by u/shiggidyshiggidy: “Wow, Alex G has really come a long way,” is something you could have said to yourself at multiple points in the last 7 or so years of his musical career and not been wrong. It could’ve been said when he had the opportunity to score Jane Schoenburg’s film We’re All Going To The World’s Fair; It could’ve been said when he collaborated with Frank Ocean on one of the most acclaimed and influential projects of the last decade; Hell, you could’ve said it when he signed to Domino Records in 2015. Any level of mainstream success could be considered overachieving for an artist who made a name for himself self-recording and self-releasing music on Myspace, but what he’s accomplished in his exponential rise over the last few years is nothing short of extraordinary. Ever the workhorse, Alex G has shown no sign of slowing down, which makes it so interesting that God Save The Animals feels so much like the ending of something, or at least a culmination. It’s not that the album feels bombastic or even like a true-blue finale, but there’s something in the amount of reflection and meditation on the record that positions Alex G, only 29 years old, as some kind of indie elder statesman looking back at a career that has deceptively spanned more than a decade. It feels like he just got here, really, but when you hear the weariness and the abundance of the past tense throughout this album, it’s hard not to imagine something like Johnny Cash in his final run, looking back and taking stock of what he’s built and what it cost to build it. You would think that Alex G had lived an entire lifetime leading up to this album, and I guess when you consider how much has happened in his relatively short career, he sort of has compiled a lifetime’s worth of experiences in this frame. And really, calling this album “weary” is a bit of a misnomer on my part. In fact, out of the 9 albums and the plethora of music he released unorganized and unsigned before that, God Save The Animals is by far the most content and joyful work he’s produced to date. Of course, you have to keep in mind that this is Alex G we’re talking about, so what “joy” sounds like in his world might be completely dour in someone else’s. To understand Alex G’s interpretation of happiness would require an understanding of his interpretation of sadness, which is the mode in which he spent a lot of his career up until this point. This isn’t to say Alex G himself has been sad personally for the last decade or so, but his music had predominantly been defined by his brand of melancholy outlined by a sharp anxious edge that pervaded so much of his work. Going back to Race, every hint of jubilation was undergirded by ennui, whether it came from a sinister synth line in the background or an unexpected minor chord in a progression. The potential for unfettered joy was always just there beyond reach, like a piece of candy covered in anthrax. God Save The Animals is not without its moments of prickliness or loneliness, but what has changed is the perspective on these emotions. For example, “Ain’t It Easy” is a song that would’ve fit nicely on DSU or Trick because it recalls the slowcore-influenced sound that he employed so often in that period of his work, but it differentiates itself with a certain aged tenderness that he would hint at on those earlier records but could never seem to totally grasp for keeps. And that tenderness, that warm spirituality and zen is the biggest difference maker on this album. You can hear it very clearly on songs like “Miracles”, a lovely Laurel Canyon homage that is one of Alex’s sweetest songs, and the driving soft rock single “Runner”, but it’s even present on the “weirder” songs like “S.D.O.S.” and “Immunity”, where Alex G trademarks like pitch-shifted vocals and dreamlike storytelling are deployed in a way that doesn’t feel as unnerving or difficult to navigate as it might have years ago. The places in his music where there was once an underlying danger or menace below the beauty have now been replaced by a certain softness that seeks to invite rather than repel. The Christianity-tinged lyrics are, by his own admission, more inspired by the experiences of people in Alex G’s life rather than a spiritual breakthrough on his own part, but it does feel like he’s created a sort of big tent for listeners that might have been warded away before by the relative strangeness of his previous work. Usually when an artist makes their work more “accessible” it means that they’ve instituted some big course correction to their creative philosophy, which isn’t exactly true of Alex G. There’s an obvious throughline through all of his works that makes every album uniquely his, with the biggest difference I noticed between albums being that he becomes increasingly less indebted to the 90s indie rock that inspired him. Each successive album has a little less Elliott Smith, a little less Modest Mouse, a little less Sparklehorse. As a result of this, you could call God Save the Animals his most “pop” record, but even when those inspirations were at the forefront of his earlier albums, he still had that ear for melody and hooks that made him stand out even at his most experimental. Because of this, the 90s comparison that is actually the clearest to me is Ween instead of those previously stated groups that might have had a more literal influence on his music. Beyond the obvious surface level comparisons of DIY beginnings and a tendency for fucking around with the vocals, I think the core similarity between the two is in their songwriting methods. To a certain extent, they are both defined by their various oddities and experimentations, but the principal quality that drives their work is the fact that they are just really, really good at their craft. So good, in fact, that they’re not afraid to get a little freaky with it. At the center of almost every Ween and Alex G song is a catchy melody or inventive structure that wears its strangeness and oddities like ornaments, almost blinding you to the fact that you’re just listening to a well-written song if you were to strip away all the garnishing. That window dressing, the off-kilter humor and random screams and silly vocals, might seem like an insecure impulse to distract the listener from a song they had no confidence in, like a child scribbling over a drawing before someone else can see it in its purest form, but I think it shows the opposite; They have such an abundance of confidence in their music that they feel the freedom to experiment. In this context, representing the late(ish) career turn towards the relatively “mature”, God Save The Animals stands as Alex G’s Quebec. Another convergence point for the two is the relative juvenility that they often tap into in their songs, but while Ween mostly deals in adolescent Beavis-and-Butthead-esque humor, Alex G seems to write from a much younger and innocent perspective. Much has been made of the childlike nature of a lot of Alex G’s music, mostly due his blunt and vivid lyricism and the sickly nostalgia that seeps into his melodies and instrumentation, but God Save The Animals seems to have dialed that aspect back in favor of a more wisened perspective. It has been 7 years since he signed to Domino, and a person is bound to grow and change a lot in a 7 year span, but this aspect of his life and career would just be a footnote if it weren’t for the fact that it feels so well documented in his music and storytelling. I think that you can even see a narrative of maturation begin to form if you look at his whole career in retrospect, but especially in the 3 album stretch from Rocket to God Save The Animals. Rocket is an easy point of separation in Alex G’s career because it marked such a big change in sound from Beach Music, but there’s almost a linearity you can see in the storytelling that begins at Rocket, develops on House of Sugar, and concludes in God Save The Animals. Rocket, even compared to the rest of his records, is a very youthful album imbued with a sense of wide eyed curiosity. Like a child, it’s prone to an emotional volatility that’s epitomized by the whiplash-inducing run of “Brick” to “Sportstar” to “Judge”, and it’s very interested in asking questions: “Why’s my friend going to jail?” “Who do I want to be when I get older?” “Why do you keep lying to me?” Rocket is filled with simple lyricism that has a certain anxiety bubbling below the surface, an anxiety that comes out fully on House of Sugar. On that record, reality has set in, and the songs are filled with tortured and conflicted individuals that are lost and plagued by death and addiction. The curiosity of Rocket has its questions answered by American adult life on House of Sugar, and even the playfulness of songs like “Bad Man” and “Cow” can’t fully distract from encroaching reality. This brings us to God Save The Animals, which, at risk of making this whole piece obsolete, can be described in one word: unburdened. The struggle and strife of the previous two records is still present, but Alex G, through his own voice and through his characters, has decided to react to these aspects of life with forgiveness and a relinquishing of control, opting to lean on others rather than bare these crosses alone. The multiple references to God on the album then become more of a symbol of the admission that you cannot do everything alone like you thought you could. It’s a work full of “Jesus Take The Wheel” moments that people are prone to have regardless of faith; Jesus, in this case, is all of us, helping each other. This style of writing makes him seem more like the late John Prine than a millennial Elliott Smith, in that they both are concerned with the plight of everyday people without neglecting the fact that these people are as connected to the true heart of life as anyone else. There’s even a lyric on “After All” that seems to almost call back to those people, the downtrodden and troubled that have populated so many of his songs: “Were you young when you lost innocence?/Did the world feel so unkind?/Well the years have passed and I can say/That a love will come in time." Alex G has spent a large part of his career with characters of this ilk, whether as extensions of himself or effigies to certain ideas, but it feels like only now that these hypothetical people, and possibly Alex G himself, are finding some kind of peace. It feels like the end of a story, the credits soundtrack for a final act that doesn’t tie up every loose end but leaves you with a glow in your gut. The trials and tribulations of life will always be present, but time will at least provide perspective if not solutions. This idea is summed up nicely on the first single for the album “Blessing”, where a distorted Alex G chants a reminder, “Every day/Is a blessing/As I walk/Through the mud." As we all trudge through the muck of life, we can be unified in grace and understanding or divided by regret in our own personal Sugarhouses. On “Forgive”, the closing minutes of the album, a simple case for one path is made; Alexander Giannascoli, pleading and voice straining, tells us to choose the former: “Forgive yesterday." Favorite Lyrics: You say one day that we should have a baby, well
There are rooms where I can't hang my head
God is my designer
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2022.11.03 20:15 seanderlust Cyberpop Rate (Charli XCX/Grimes/Kero Kero Bonito/M.I.A.)
Introduction
I have a rate for the communists...
Hello popheads! Myself, u/vayyiqra and u/nt96 are SO excited to welcome you to Cyberpop AKA Accelerationist Pop, an idea first put forward by the wonderful u/kappyko, and that we are so thrilled to be able to co-host and so hopeful we can do this wonderful idea justice. Let’s dive in.These four albums are seminal albums in edgier, more experimental yet still radio-friendly pop that came out of the mid-2010s. There is a throughline between the four albums of experimenting with more technologically advanced methods of producing music as well as gaining a cult following via the internet! That little series of tubes we can use to find cooking recipes and meet other fans of pop music and ruin elections from remote locations. Whatever floats your boat!
If you already know the drill because you're a regular rater and are ready to get started, feel free to get rolling with the rate. Below are links to submit, a Pastebin ballot, and playlists for both Spotify and Apple Music:
Submission Link
Pastebin Ballot
Spotify Playlist │ Apple Music Playlist YouTube Playlist
CHARLI XCX - POP 2
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
Ten stacks, ten keysThis is not a drill, do not adjust your sets. Your eyes do not deceive you - Pop 2 is finally being rated in full!!
Swimmin' pools, goin' real deep
L.A., A. G. (A. G.!)
Studio with the real beats
The Charli mixtape that we have tried often to rate came at an interesting turning point in Charli’s career. She had released two studio albums and two mixtapes to varying critical acclaim and had toured with Katy Perry and this obscure indie producer with whom I’m not sure Popheads will be familiar - DAE know Jack Antonoff? She had also broken new, more experimental ground with an EP that was filled with bangers and soaked with SOPHIE production - Vroom Vroom. She soon announced a third studio album which was to have one foot in this experimental production, the other in her more radio-friendly pop roots. However, after the album was delayed, Charli instead doubled down on this left-field avant-garde pop gamble with two A.G. Cook-produced mixtapes - Number 1 Angel and Pop 2.
Pop 2 was recorded over the course of two months, a rapidity she would duplicate in 2020 with How I’m Feeling Now. A.G. and Charli treated these recording sessions as a fresh start, choosing to lean into experimental production and a strong usage of auto-tune for fresh, electronic soundscapes still rooted in pop sensibilities. The mixtape was treated with a communal attitude - Charli prioritized giving her collaborators enough space to feature prominently and have their moment. The finished product was a glossy over-the-top romp into electronic pop with pop tropes cranked up to 11, and was later considered a pioneering work into the genre we would come to know as hyperpop.
Critically, Pop 2 was soaked in praise, earning critical acclaim from outlets such as Pitchfork, NME and checks notes ... the Financial Times? Hm. It would also earn the #40 spot on Pitchfork’s 100 Best Albums Of The 2010s, which is an incredible feat but that list also did put Lemonade ten spots below 4, so ... take it with a grain of salt. To this day the mixtape continues to earn streams and sales for its rightful place as a forward-thinking classic.
Sit back and enjoy the seminal moment in Gay Rights! that is Pop 2.
- Backseat (feat. Carly Rae Jepsen)
- Out Of My Head (feat. Tove Lo and ALMA)
- Lucky
- Tears (feat. Caroline Polachek)
- I Got It (feat. Brooke Candy, CupcakKe and Pablo Vittar
- Femmebot (feat. Dorian Electra and Mykki Blanco)
- Delicious (feat. Tommy Cash)
- Unlock It (Lock It) feat. Kim Petras and Jay Park
- Porsche (feat. MØ)
- Track 10
GRIMES - ART ANGELS
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
Note: For the YouTube playlist, "laughing and not being normal" may have a region block, and also "Flesh Without Blood" and "Life in the Vivid Dream" are in the same video, so the tracklist is a bit out of order. Also note that some other songs in her official music videos on YouTube are different from the album, but we are rating the album versions. Feel free to ask us for help finding them if you need it!Why you looking for a harmony? There is harmony in everythingOoh, angel baby, there is nothing I'd rather do ... than rate this album, the fourth by Canadian synthpop artist Grimes, and the one that cemented her place in the pop music canon. Grimes needs little introduction, since much like another artist in this rate, she is known for her music as well as her (let's call it) colourful personality and outrageous internet presence. Put another way: is she a musical genius? An outspoken feminist? A capitalist sellout? A harmless geek? An annoying (or amusing) troll? Maybe all of the above? It depends on your own point of view. "Chaotic" and "polarizing" are other words coming to mind that describe her. But remember - we're not rating her as a person, we're rating her music. So let's talk about that.
It's a butterfly whose wings span the world
So fly away
If you're looking for a dream girl ... I'll never be your dream girl
Grimes is from British Columbia, Canada but her career began in Montréal, Québec, where she went to university.. As Canada's second-largest city, Montréal was also the centre of a prolific electronic and indie scene in the 2010s. She began as an underground artist, putting out two albums. After the spooky, gothic feel of her early music, which fell into the "witch house" microgenre, she broke through to the mainstream with her critically acclaimed third album Visions (2012), a heavily electronic, psychedelic and surreal take on dance-pop. A largely self-taught musician, she famously made the album in just a few weeks by herself in a darkened room.
What next? She then shocked everybody by moving to the United States and putting out a new album in 2015 of bright, upbeat and poppy songs that kept her electronic production but added new elements like guitars, violin, and much clearer vocals. Maybe the most surprising thing, however, was how much almost everyone loved it. Many critics named Art Angels one of the best albums of the year and it is now seen by many fans as her masterpiece. Years later, a rumour spread through the media that she disavowed the album and believes it to be "crap" - which she has debunked.
While Grimes' early music did not focus on lyrical meaning (her most famous song "Oblivion" being an exception), sometimes not having intelligible lyrics at all, Art Angels was also a shift toward writing about themes important to her. Unlike many pop artists, almost none of her songs are about love or romance, including none on Art Angels. Many songs, such as "California", allude to her experiences as a woman and musician, and the sexism she has felt in the music industry. Some songs talk about friendships, like a falling-out that is the topic of "Flesh Without Blood". One fan favourite, "Kill V. Maim" stems from a bizarre mental image she had of a vampire flying through space, played by Al Pacino (???). She brings up heavier subjects like self-harm (on "Pin") and sexual objectification ("Venus Fly"), the feeling of existential struggle on "Realiti", as well as more lighthearted ones like her love for the city of Montréal ("Artangels") and the wistful album closer "Butterfly".
As a side project to the album, Grimes travelled to Italy where most of the music videos for the album were shot, in collaboration with her friend and fellow artist HANA. These videos were compiled into a short film called the Acid Reign Chronicles. They can also be found separately on YouTube.
In sound the album is her most eclectic - there is a classical intro, acoustic pop with a country tinge, heavy electronic bangers, and an abrasive rap song (with Pan Wei-Ju) in Mandarin. Grimes' aesthetics are often a mix of beautiful and weird imagery, and that shows up in her music with her trademark "ethereal" sound and airy vocals being punctuated by sudden loud shrieking or distorted guitar. It's an eclectic pop album that, befitting of her love of sci-fi, sounded like the future when it came out. And in its best moments, it's transcendent, even angelic.
- laughing and not being normal
- California
- SCREAM
- Flesh Without Blood
- Belly of the Beat
- Kill V. Maim
- Artangels
- Easily
- Pin
- Realiti
- World Princess part II
- Venus Fly (feat. Janelle Monáe)
- Life in the Vivid Dream
- Butterfly
KERO KERO BONITO - BONITO GENERATION
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
I just put the radio onPopheads continues its journey backwards in the discography of KKB with Bonito Generation, released in 2016. At this point in their careers, KKB were still fairly new on the scene - they had self-released their debut mixtape Intro Bonito to fairly quiet reception along with its compilation remix album Bonito Recycling. Both multi-instrumentalist Gus Lobban and vocalist Sarah Perry had released solo work and Sarah had featured on a few tracks here and there. For the most part, their careers were just blossoming - remember that Intro Bonito and Bonito Generation both came out pre-"Flamingo" memeification.
Heard a song, I can't stop thinking about it
Though it didn't last very long, it's in my head
Arguably because of this early stage of their career, they were still working to solidify an identity for the project. They had initially planned to write a songwriter-driven album in collaboration with PC Music but eventually chose to move in a different direction. If I had a nickel for every time a potential banger of a PC Music co-produced album by one of this rate’s artists got scrapped, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.
In lieu of that, they worked on Bonito Generation from 2015 into 2016. The album was kicked off with five singles, three of which received music videos: Picture This, Lipslap, Break, Graduation and Trampoline. The album was released in October 2016 to critical acclaim, receiving an 81/100 on Metacritic, 4 out of 5 stars on AllMusic, and an 8 out of 10 from Anthony Fantano. Sonically, the album is mostly upbeat, filled to the brim with joyous electropop synths. It kept one foot in KKB’s debut mixtape’s J-pop, video game music (there’s straight-up a Mario Kart sample in this one) and 90s dance influences, while it experimented with synthpop and hyperpop stylings. Arguably, it eschewed its predecessor’s Japanese rap influence (the influence was still there, just less prominent than it was on IB) in favor of more melodic vocals.
Lyrically, the album explores themes of youthful identity through playful ordinary situations which serve as metaphor and simple observations of everyday life. Topics range from light-hearted ones like really enjoying a song (I’m gonna beat Popheads to the punch and say One Direction outsold to job hunting, to emotionally driven ones like experiencing the highs and lows of life and keeping in touch with ones parents in spite of physical distance. Throughout, they keep that sugary optimism and infectious joy that makes early KKB so delightful.
Welcome to Bonito Generation.
- Waking Up
- Heard a Song
- Graduation
- Fish Bowl
- Big City
- Break
- Lipslap
- Try Me
- Paintbrush
- Trampoline
- Picture This
- Hey Parents
M.I.A. - MATANGI
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
If you're gonna be me, you need a manifestoOne of the most outspoken pop figures of the past 20 years, M.I.A. has never shied from the limelight, whether its through her bold artistic statements, her online antics or her unique fashion; she's dedicated her career to walking that fine line between controversy and adoration, giving a peace sign on one hand and the middle finger on the other with equal indifference.
If you ain't got one, you better get one presto
Yeah you got money, we sell bootlegs only
When the shit counts, our numbers way plenty
We started at the bottom, but Drake gets all the credit
Paper route or life route, yeah we be ready
Her real name is Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam. She was born in London to Tamil parents, they moved to Jeffna, northern Sri Lanka when she was 6 months old. At just 11, she and her family experienced heavy displacement caused by the Sri Lankan civil war, prompting her family to return to London, only this time as refugees. It was here that the war and its aftermath would have a lasting effect on MIA's artistry. Around 2000, she began as a visual artist, filmmaker and designer, and thanks to some encouragement from a little-known artist named Peaches, she started her recording career just two years later.
Her singles, "Galang" and "Sunshowers" were viral sensations thanks to social media sites like Myspace. Her debut, Arular was a critical and commercial success, making her one of the first pop stars to gain popularity through the internet. Her next album Kala, with her signature song, "Paper Planes" brought her to mainstream attention and cemented her as one of the 2000s preeminent global icons. Her next album, MAYA focused heavily on information politics, dividing critics with her bold lyricism and graphic imagery.
Which brings us to the album in focus: Matangi
Released in 2013, the title is derived from M.I.A.'s real name as well as the Hindu goddess herself. Matangi is a patron goddess of untouchables who governs speech, music and the arts. Her mudra is two raised middle fingers and her mantra is “Aim)”, hers is the path of inner thought manifested in an artistic way but this energy can take any form, any of the 64 forms of artistry known as “Kala)”.
Any of these ring a bell?
Using her trademark hodgepodge, globetrotting hip-hop soundscapes, M.I.A continues this and pushes Matangi towards greater heights and more aggressive territories. Her bhangra influences are very evident on songs like the title track, "Warriors" and Lights, all the while blending pop-adjacent, EDM and trap flavors on tracks like "Double Bubble Trouble" and "Exodus". Needless to say, Matangi is a wildly eclectic album at heart.
Lyrically, M.I.A. focuses less on politics and more on themes related to religion, specifically Hinduism. "Y.A.L.A" for instance, has references to karma. Its title also doubles as a reference to reincarnation (Y.A.L.A. stands for You Always Live Again) and a response to Y.O.L.O. by Drake, not the first time she's referenced him though (see the title track "MATANGI"). "Boom Skit" contains lyrics mentioning M.I.A.'s appearance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, where she flipped the bird on live TV. And who can forget her female empowerment anthem, "Bad Girls"?
Matangi received rave reviews, with many calling it a return to form as well as one of her strongest efforts.
It was named among the best albums of 2013 by several publications, including NME (12th), Pitchfork (46th), Time (10th), and Complex (32th). For The Barnes & Noble Review, Robert Christgau ranked Matangi 33rd on his year-end best albums list. In 2019, NME placed the album at number 92 on their list of the best albums of the 2010s decade.
- Karmageddon
- MATANGI
- Only 1 U
- Warriors
- Come Walk With Me
- aTENTion
- Exodus
- Bad Girls
- Boom Skit
- Double Bubble Trouble
- Y.A.L.A. Strobe Warning
- Bring The Noize
- Lights
- Know It Ain’t Right
- Sexodus (feat. The Weeknd)
BONUS
In addition to the above, we are including as a bonus rate two songs from each artist that either they were featured on or songs they made themselves near each artists’ respective eras.- Charli XCX - boys
- Charli XCX - After The Afterparty
- Grimes - Entropy feat. Bleachers
- Grimes - RealiTi (Demo) (not on streaming)
- Kero Kero Bonito - Forever Summer Holiday
- Kero Kero Bonito - Chicken
- M.I.A. - Like This
- M.I.A. - Gold
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE HOST
I have co-hosted two rates, this one and 2010s Ultimate. In the Ultimate write-up, I put a personal note that is unfortunately once again relevant. I have pasted it below with some updates:Not to be too personal in a rate that includes a song
( - seanderlust)
—
Rules & Instructions
PLEASE READ THESE THOROUGHLY TO AVOID HAVING TO DEAL WITH ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR BALLOT LATER.
- You must listen to and score every song in the main rate. Ballots with missing scores will not be accepted.
- Your scores must be on a scale from 1 to 10 and can include one decimal place but no more. So 7.3 is fine, but 7.31 is not.
- You may give one song in the whole rate a score of 11 and one other a score of 0, so if you want to award these scores, save them for your favourite and least favourite songs in the rate, respectively. You must leave a comment on the songs you give an 11 or a 0, and they must be songs from the main rate, not the bonus.
- We encourage you to leave comments of your general thoughts or reasoning behind your scores on any songs you wish. If you choose to do so however, they must be in this format, simply leaving one space after your score:
Exodus: 10 Exodus more like SEXod– *looks further down the tracklist* oh damnit.Any other formats will get your ballot rejected. WRONG EXAMPLES:
Lucky: You will NEVER be Britney!!!! (5) (WRONG!)
Lock It (Unlock It): 7: Me trying to find my car in a crowded parking lot (WRONG!)
- If you'd like to leave a comment on any of the albums as a whole they must be formatted like this, leaving colon then a space after the album title.
Album: Pop 2: I didn’t watch the original Pop so I really didn’t understand the plot of this one.
- Your ballot must be formatted exactly like the template in the message link, so make sure you use it, or the template in the backup pastebin, for your scores to be accepted.
- Your scores are not confidential. They will be revealed, along with any comments, with your username attached.
- DO NOT SABOTAGE the rate by giving outrageously low/high scores for the sole purpose of skewing the results, we reserve the right to exclude any ballot we suspect of this. If you're worried your scores could be mistakenly perceived as such, all you need to do is leave comments explaining the reasoning behind them. We acknowledge that this rate especially runs the risk of this, given the aforementioned bad behavior of those involved with some of the albums; if you’re tempted, as rate hosts we get where you’re coming from but please refrain from doing this.
- If you want to change any of your scores or comments after you've already submitted your ballot, feel free to message me before the submission deadline to sort it.
Finally, here are the links you'll need to start rating:
Link to send in your scores
If there's a problem with it, here's the backup pastebin.And the playlists of all the songs in the rate.
DUE DATE DECEMBER 9, REVEAL OVER DEC 16-18
Enjoy!2022.10.31 03:34 CyberpopRate Cyberpop Rate Post
Introduction
I have a rate for the communists....
Hello popheads! Myself, u/vayyiqra and u/nt96 are SO excited to welcome you to Cyberpop AKA Accellerationist Pop, an idea first put forward by the wonderful u/kappyko and that we are so thrilled to be able to co-host and so hopeful we can do their wonderful idea justice. Let’s dive in.These four albums are seminal albums in edgier, more experimental yet still radio-friendly pop that came out of the mid-2010s. There is a throughline between the four albums of experimenting with more technologically advanced methods of producing music as well as gaining a cult following via the internet! That little series of tubes we can use to find cooking recipes and meet other fans of pop music and ruin elections from remote locations. Whatever floats your boat!
If you already know the drill because you're a regular rater and are ready to get started, feel free to get rolling with the rate. Below are links to submit, a Pastebin ballot, and playlists for both Spotify and Apple Music:
Submission Link
Pastebin Ballot
Spotify Playlist │ Apple Music Playlist YouTube Playlist
CHARLI XCX - POP 2
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
Ten stacks, ten keysThis is not a drill, do not adjust your sets. Your eyes do not deceive you - Pop 2 is finally being rated in full!!
Swimmin' pools, goin' real deep
L.A., A. G. (A. G.!)
Studio with the real beats
The Charli mixtape that we have tried often to rate came at an interesting turning point in Charli’s career. She had released two studio albums and two mixtapes to varying critical acclaim and had toured with Katy Perry and this obscure indie producer with whom I’m not sure popheads will be familiar - DAE know Jack Antonoff? She had also broken new, more experimental ground with an EP that was filled with bangers and soaked with SOPHIE production - Vroom Vroom. She soon announced a third studio album which was to have one foot in this experimental production, the other in her more radio-friendly pop roots. However, after the album was delayed, Charli instead doubled down on this left-field avant-garde pop gamble with two A.G. Cook-produced mixtapes - Number 1 Angel and Pop 2.
Pop 2 was recorded over the course of two months, a rapidity she would duplicate in 2020 with How I’m Feeling Now. A.G. and Charli treated these recording sessions as a fresh start, choosing to lean into experimental production and a strong usage of auto-tune for fresh, electronic soundscapes still rooted in pop sensibilities. The mixtape was treated with a communal attitude- Charli prioritized giving her collaborators enough space to feature prominently and have their moment. The finished product was a glossy over-the-top romp into electronic pop with pop tropes cranked up to 11, and was later considered a pioneering work into the genre we would come to know as hyperpop.
Critically, Pop 2 was soaked in praise, earning critical acclaim from outlets such as Pitchfork, NME and checks notes …the Financial Times? Hm. It would also earn the #40 spot on Pitchfork’s 100 Best Albums Of The 2010s, which is an incredible feat but that list also did put Lemonade ten spots below 4, so…take it with a grain of salt. To this day the mixtape continues to earn streams and sales for its rightful place as a forward-thinking classic.
Sit back and enjoy the seminal moment in Gay Rights! that is Pop 2.
- Backseat (feat. Carly Rae Jepsen)
- Out Of My Head (feat. Tove Lo and ALMA)
- Lucky
- Tears (feat. Caroline Polachek)
- I Got It (feat. Brooke Candy, CupcakKe and Pablo Vittar
- Femmebot (feat. Dorian Electra and Mykki Blanco)
- Delicious (feat. Tommy Cash)
- Unlock It (Lock It) feat. Kim Petras and Jay Park
- Porsche (feat. MØ)
- Track 10
GRIMES - ART ANGELS
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
NOTE: For the YouTube playlist, Grimes' official audio vids were Laughing And Not Being Normal with the region blocks, so Flesh Without Blood and Life In The Vivid Dream are in the same video, so the order is a bit out of order.Why you looking for a harmony? There is harmony in everythingOoh, angel baby, there is nothing I'd rather do ... than rate this album, the fourth by Canadian synthpop artist Grimes, and the one that cemented her place in the pop music canon. Grimes needs little introduction, since much like another artist in this rate, she is known for her music as well as her (let's call it) colourful personality and outrageous internet presence. Put another way: is she a musical genius? An outspoken feminist? A capitalist sellout? A harmless geek? An annoying (or amusing) troll? Maybe all of the above? It depends on your own point of view. "Chaotic" and "polarizing" are other words coming to mind that describe her. But remember--we're not rating her as a person, we're rating her music. So let's talk about that.
It's a butterfly whose wings span the world
So fly away
If you're looking for a dream girl ... I'll never be your dream girl
Grimes is from British Columbia, Canada but her career began in Montréal, Québec, where she went to university.. As Canada's second-largest city, Montréal was also the centre of a prolific electronic and indie scene in the 2010s. She began as an underground artist, putting out two albums. After the spooky, gothic feel of her early music, which fell into the "witch house" microgenre, she broke through to the mainstream with her critically acclaimed third album Visions (2012), a heavily electronic, psychedelic and surreal take on dance-pop. A largely self-taught musician, she famously made the album in just a few weeks by herself in a darkened room.
What next? She then shocked everybody by moving to the United States and putting out a new album in 2015 of bright, upbeat and poppy songs that kept her electronic production but added new elements like guitars, violin, and much clearer vocals. Maybe the most surprising thing, however, was how much almost everyone loved it. Many critics named Art Angels one of the best albums of the year and it is now seen by many fans as her masterpiece. Years later, a rumour spread through the media that she disavowed the album and believes it to be "crap"--which she has debunked.
While Grimes' early music did not focus on lyrical meaning (her most famous song "Oblivion" being an exception), sometimes not having intelligble lyrics at all, Art Angels was also a shift toward writing about themes important to her. Unlike many pop artists, almost none of her songs are about love or romance, including none on Art Angels. Many songs, such as "California", allude to her experiences as a woman and musician, and the sexism she has felt in the music industry. Some songs talk about friendships, like a falling-out that is the topic of "Flesh Without Blood". One fan favourite, "Kill V. Maim" stems from a bizarre mental image she had of a vampire flying through space, played by Al Pacino (???). She brings up heavier subjects like self-harm (on "Pin") and sexual objectification ("Venus Fly"), the feeling of existential struggle on "Realiti", as well as more lighthearted ones like her love for the city of Montréal ("Artangels") and the wistful album closer "Butterfly".
In sound the album is just as eclectic--there is a classical-inspired intro, acoustic pop with a country tinge, heavy electronic bangers, and an abrasive rap song (with Pan Wei-Ju) in Mandarin. Grimes' aesthetics are often a mix of beautiful and weird imagery, and that shows up in her music with her trademark "ethereal" sound and airy vocals being punctuated by sudden loud shrieking or distorted guitar. It's an eclectic pop album that, befitting of her love of scifi, sounded like the future when it came out. And in its best moments, it's transcendent, even angelic.
(Note: while we are rating only the album versions of the songs, many have alternate versions in their music videos. If you like, you can watch most of them in a compilation called the Acid Reign Chronicles or separately. Also note the video for "Realiti" is the demo version released before the album came out.)
- laughing and not being normal
- California
- SCREAM
- Flesh without Blood
- Belly of the Beat
- Kill V. Maim
- Artangels
- Easliy
- Pin
- Realiti
- World Princess part II
- Venus Fly (feat. Janelle Monae)
- Life in the Vivid Dream
- Butterfly
KERO KERO BONITO - BONITO GENERATION
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
I just put the radio onPopheads continues its journey backwards in the discography of KKB with Bonito Generation, released in 2016. At this point in their careers, KKB were still fairly new on the scene - they had self-released their debut mixtape Intro Bonito to fairly quiet reception along with its compilation remix album Bonito Recycling. Both multi-instrumentalist Gus Lobban and vocalist Sarah Perry had released solo work and Sarah had featured on a few tracks here and there. For the most part, their careers were just blossoming - remember that Intro Bonito and Bonito Generation both came out pre-Flamingo meme-ification.
Heard a song, I can't stop thinking about it
Though it didn't last very long, it's in my head
Arguably because of this early stage of their career, they were still working to solidify an identity for the project. They had initially planned to write a songwriter-driven album in collaboration with PC Music but eventually chose to move in a different direction. If I had a nickel for every time a potential banger of a PC Music co-produced album by one of this rate’s artists got scrapped, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.
In lieu of that, they worked on Bonito Generation from 2015 into 2016. The album was kicked off with five singles, four of which received music videos: Picture This, Lipslap, Break, Graduation and Trampoline. The album was released in October 2016 to critical acclaim, receiving an 81/100 on Metacritic, 4 out of 5 stars on AllMusic, and an 8 out of 10 from Anthony Fantano. Sonically, the album is mostly upbeat, filled to the brim with joyous electro-pop synths. It kept one foot in KKB’s debut mixtape’s J-pop, video game music (there’s straight up a Mario Kart sample in this one) and 90s dance influences, while it experimented with synth-pop and hyperpop stylings. Arguably, it eschewed its predecessor’s Japanese rap influence (the influence was still there, just less prominent than it was on IB) in favor of more melodic vocals.
Lyrically, the album explores themes of youthful identity through playful ordinary situations which serve as metaphor and simple observations of everyday life. Topics range from light-hearted ones like really enjoying a song (I’m gonna beat popheads to the punch and say One Direction outsold to job hunting, to emotionally driven ones like experiencing the highs and lows of life and keeping in touch with ones parents in spite of physical distance. Throughout, they keep that sugary optimism and infectious joy that makes early KKB so delightful.
Welcome to Bonito Generation.
- Waking Up
- Heard a Song
- Graduation
- Fish Bowl
- Big City
- Break
- Lipslap
- Try Me
- Paintbrush
- Trampoline
- Picture This
- Hey Parents
M.I.A. - MATANGI
Spotify │ Apple Music │ Youtube
If your gonna be me, you need a manifestoOne of the most outspoken pop figures of the past 20 years, M.I.A. has never shied from the limelight, whether its through her bold artistic statements, her online antics or her unique fashion; she's dedicated her career to walking that fine line between controversy and adoration, giving a peace sign on one hand and the middle finger on the other with equal indifference.
If you ain't got one, you better get one presto
Yeah you got money, we sell bootlegs only
When the shit counts, our numbers way plenty
We started at the bottom, but drake gets all the credit
Paper route or life route, yeah we be ready
Her real name is Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam. She was born in London to Tamil parents, they moved to Jeffna, Northern Sri Lanka when she was 6 months old. At just 11, she and her family experienced heavy displacement caused by the Sri Lankan civil war, prompting her family to return to London, only this time as refugees. It was here that the war and its aftermath would have a lasting effect on MIA's artistry. Around 2000, she began as a visual artist, filmmaker and designer, and thanks to some encouragement from a little known artist named Peaches, she started her recording career just two years later.
Her singles, Galang and Sunshowers were viral sensations thanks to social media sites like Myspace. Her debut, Arular was a critical and commercial success, making her one of the first pop stars to gain popularity through the internet. Her next album Kala, with her signature song, Paper Planes brought her to mainstream attention and cemented her as one of the 2000s preeminent global icons. Her next album, MAYA focused heavily on information politics, dividing critics with her bold lyricism and graphic imagery.
Which brings us to the album in focus: Matangi
Released in 2013, the title is derived from M.I.A.'s real name as well as the Hindu goddess herself. Matangi was a patron Goddess of untouchables who governs speech, music and the arts. Her mudra is two raised middle fingers and her mantra is “Aim)”, hers is the path of inner thought manifested in an artistic way but this energy can take any form, any of the 64 forms of artistry known as “Kala)”.
Any of these ring a bell?
Using her trademark hodgepodge, globetrotting hip-hop soundscapes, M.I.A continues this and pushes Matangi towards greater heights and more aggressive territories. Her bhangra influences are very evident on songs like the title track, Warriors and Lights, all the while blending pop-adjacent, EDM and trap flavors on tracks like Double Bubble Trouble and Exodus. Needless to say, Matangi is a wildly eclectic album at heart.
Lyrically, M.I.A. focuses less on politicism and more on themes related to religion, specifically Hinduism. Y.A.L.A for instance, has references to karma. It's title also doubles as a reference to reincarnation (Y.A.L.A. stands for You Always Live Again) and a response to Y.O.L.O. by Drake, not the first time she's referenced him though (See MATANGI track). Boom Skit contains lyrics mentioning M.I.A.'s appearance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, where she flipped the bird on live TV. And who can forget her female empowerment anthem, Bad Girls?
Matangi received rave reviews, with many calling it a return to form as well as one of her strongest efforts.
It was named among the best albums of 2013 by several publications, including NME (12th), Pitchfork (46th), Time (10th), and Complex (32th). For The Barnes & Noble Review, Robert Christgau ranked Matangi 33rd on his year-end best albums list. In 2019, NME placed the album at number 92 on their list of the best albums of the 2010s decade.
- Karmageddon
- MATANGI
- Only 1 U
- Warriors
- Come Walk With Me
- aTENTion
- Exodus
- Bad Girls
- Boom Skit
- Double Bubble Trouble
- Y.A.L.A. Strobe Warning
- Bring The Noize
- Lights
- Know It Ain’t Right
- Sexodus (feat. The Weeknd)
BONUS
In addition to the above, we are including as a bonus rate two songs from each artist that either they were featured on or songs they made themselves near each artists’ respective eras.- Charli XCX - boys
- Charli XCX - After The Afterparty
- Grimes - Entropy feat. Bleachers
- Grimes - RealiTi (Demo) (not on streaming)
- Kero Kero Bonito - Forever Summer Holiday
- Kero Kero Bonito - Chicken
- M.I.A. - Like This
- M.I.A. - Gold
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE HOST
I have co-hosted two rates, this one and 2010s Ultimate. In the Ultimate write-up, I put a personal note that is unfortunately once again relevant. I have pasted it below with some updates:Not to be too personal in a rate that includes a song
( - seanderlust)
—
Rules & Instructions
PLEASE READ THESE THOROUGHLY TO AVOID HAVING TO DEAL WITH ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR BALLOT LATER.
- You must listen to and score every song in the main rate. Ballots with missing scores will not be accepted.
- Your scores must be on a scale from 1 to 10 and can include one decimal place but no more. So 7.3 is fine, but 7.31 is not.
- You may give one song in the whole rate a score of 11 and one other a score of 0, so if you want to award these scores, save them for your favourite and least favourite songs in the rate, respectively. You must leave a comment on the songs you give an 11 or a 0, and they must be songs from the main rate, not the bonus.
- We encourage you to leave comments of your general thoughts or reasoning behind your scores on any songs you wish. If you choose to do so however, they must be in this format, simply leaving one space after your score:
Exodus: 10 Exodus more like SEXod– *looks further down the tracklist* oh damnit.Any other formats will get your ballot rejected. WRONG EXAMPLES:
Lucky: You will NEVER be Britney!!!! (5) (WRONG!)* If you'd like to leave a comment on any of the albums as a whole they must be formatted like this, leaving colon then a space after the album title.
Lock It (Unlock It): 7: Me trying to find my car in a crowded parking lot (WRONG!)
Album: Pop 2: I didn’t watch the original Pop so I really didn’t understand the plot of this one.
- Your ballot must be formatted exactly like the template in the message link, so make sure you use it, or the template in the backup pastebin, for your scores to be accepted.
- Your scores are not confidential. They will be revealed, along with any comments, with your username attached.
- DO NOT SABOTAGE the rate by giving outrageously low/high scores for the sole purpose of skewing the results, we reserve the right to exclude any ballot we suspect of this. If you're worried your scores could be mistakenly perceived as such, all you need to do is leave comments explaining the reasoning behind them. We acknowledge that this rate especially runs the risk of this, given the aforementioned bad behavior of those involved with some of the albums; if you’re tempted, as rate hosts we get where you’re coming from but please refrain from doing this.
- If you want to change any of your scores or comments after you've already submitted your ballot, feel free to message me before the submission deadline to sort it.
Finally, here are the links you'll need to start rating:
Link to send in your scores
If there's a problem with it, here's the backup pastebin.And the playlists of all the songs in the rate.
Enjoy!2022.04.07 04:27 jaxc311 Short essay I wrote for a class about Owl City. Analysis of Fireflies
I just wanted to share this short little song response I had to write for a class. You can ignore the parts where I declare I don't actually like OC, I just didn't want to admit it publically. Let me know what you guys think. It's kinda jumbled and not really my best work, but I thought you guys would like it. And, just to be clear, I don't actually agree with the entirety of my theory. I think the synergy-immersion dichotomy I drew is actually arbitrary. Especially once you pass ATBAB. Anyway, here ya go:
Adam Young, the sole musician behind well-known project Owl City, first began making music in his parent's basement during bouts of insomnia. From his humble beginnings in Owatonna, Minnesota, he rose to fame through online sites such as Myspace and Twitter, eventually becoming a world-touring synthpop sensation. His music is typically comprised of bubbly and upbeat vocals, square and saw waves often described as “bleepy” or “crunchy”, complex arrays of programmed drums, and random/surrealist lyrics. Though he has produced several hits over the years, his most popular song is without a doubt the 2009 track ‘Fireflies’, garnering over a billion plays on Spotify and YouTube. I initially selected this song for analysis due to childhood nostalgia, with me being 7 when it first exploded in popularity, but since listening to it again, and subsequently binging the rest of Adam’s discography, I’ve found it a pivotal track in the Owl City premise and a quaint exposition on human reverie. Nonetheless, I must preface this by stating that it is unfortunately the case that despite the overwhelming musical talent of Adam, the content and style of his work for Owl City remains too juvenile and too processed for my personal taste. (I much prefer the precursory 2003 group ‘The Postal Service’, created and fronted by indie writer Ben Gibbard.) However, as a turning point for the Owl City essence, an insight into Adam’s idealistic contrivance, and as an object of cultural infatuation, Fireflies certainly remains worthy of analysis.
To begin, it is imperative to understand the underlying themes of Owl City music relative to how songs are arranged throughout his first four albums/EPs. Adam’s music, except for occasional religious imagery, exclusively explores the produced dissonance between the “real world” and his imaginative dream state. Owl City inspects the confrontation between the innate human spirit and the seemingly sparse, dull world of adulthood/reality. This rivalry heavily infuses his music with escapist attitude, a regression into childlike non-philosophical idealism. This theme can be seen throughout his pre-2012 discography, albeit in two distinct phases. The first, dubbed the synthesis stage, is one of dreamy romanticization. Topics such as flying, sailing, sunsets, subway travel, and even literal grass are sufficient to generate marvel. In this domain, it is the reverence of the ordinary from the aperture of dream that is the central focus. Reality is partially considered, and a habitable synthesis of normality and wonder emerges. The second stage, however, begets a far more cynical conclusion, with reality fully considered and instead discarded for the pursuit of all-encompassing engagement with imagination. This is the immersion stage. The excitement, pace, and auditory tone remain the same, but the meta substrate has fundamentally changed. This overall division is vaguely chronological, with his early work tending toward synthesis, and his later towards immersion, although exceptions exist. His first four albums, with paired essence, are as follows: Of June – Synergy, Maybe I’m Dreaming – Synergy, Ocean Eyes – Immersion (the album with Fireflies), All Things Bright and Beautiful – Immersion.
What then, does Fireflies have to do with all this? Well, somewhere along the line, there must be a transition. A moment in Adam’s catalogue where we leap from synergy to immersion. As you may have already guessed, Fireflies is that transitional piece. It is the intermediary that moves us from coexistence to full inhabitance. Where that desire is chiefly expressed, romanticized, and agreed to be acted upon. Support for this theory is generally comprised of internal sources, mainly lyrical content. However, it also extends itself externally through public legacy and collective interpretation. Fireflies has fulfilled its role not only within the confines of Owl City, but also in the broader domain of public evocation, acting as a symbolic mural for the very state it yearns. And although I will only be covering the textual evidence here, once conclusions are drawn it is very easy to see how they could be applied to a social model of remembrance and nostalgic perception. Now, the first clause I must disclose is that there are actually two of these transitional tracks on Ocean Eyes. The first, of course, is Fireflies, which whimsically recites the longing to leave reality and enter that exhaustive dream state. The second transitional piece is ‘Cave In’, a song that discusses the actuality of leaving, the psychical and figurative notions. Quote: “and if my intentions stray, I'll wrench them away, then I'll take my leave and I won't even look back.” However, being that the direct or metaphorical content of Fireflies necessitates it's coming first, as desire (conscious or not) must precede this type of action, it is the primary transitional piece in my eyes, and will be the sole focus of this essay.
Intra-textual support for my theory comes from a few key lines that elaborate both discontentment with reality, and a subsequent desire to ‘fall asleep.” Something, I’ve concluded, that alludes to entering a metaphorical domain, rather than the literal act of sleeping. This is, of course, just a subjective meaning I’ve dispensed upon the lyrics, but given the synergy-immersion dichotomy, and the propensity for Adam to include emblematic imagery, I do not think it is a stretch. Especially considering the very obvious impossibility of the lightning bug maneuvers he describes mid-anthem; this is certainly not a song based on literal, actual events. So, I’d like to begin retrogressively, looking first at the very last lines of the song. They are: “It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep, because my dreams are bursting at the seams.” I think it’s pretty clear here that this is an admittance of the calling of his dreams. An obvious statement that he’d rather be asleep, in a dream state, than be awake in reality. Although, there is a certain air of gossamer caprice present, almost as if there was an ongoing process of self-admittance via this tiredness. This flavoring is actually indicated every time the first half of this line is uttered throughout the song. It also must be noted that this line, in its very last usage, is sung in a way that indicates positive connotation. A certain note of acceptance, tiredness, and positive balminess is conveyed through tone and digital effects. A melancholy nostalgia of sorts.
Another well-known line that indicates my theses is “I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly.” The meaning of this line is not so obvious as the previous. And so, the first question we should ask is, why would you not believe that the earth turns slowly? What state of conditions led to this disbelief? Well, maybe it’s not exactly literal. So, in this regard, I propose two things, the first is that this line represents an idealistic abstraction that is the antithesis to the frustration Adam faces with the current modernity of the world. And the second, that this line highlights the conscious settlement to pierce the vail of immersion. Concerning the former claim, we must see that Adam’s worldview in this sense is one of discontent with the state of things. He sees a fast-paced, indifferent, adult world, and so to escape from that he has created a domain of his own, an imaginative state. What this line then becomes is a representation of that ideal. The phrase “planet earth turns slowly” has, in my opinion, an innate calming aura, a positive force. Couple that with the misty way it is vocalized, and it emerges as this tranquil portrayal of Adam’s creative province. A symbolic representation. The world which he wants to live is the one where planet earth turns slowly, but that’s not the one he currently inhabits. The second supposition can be understood through the first half of the line, where great vocal emphasis is placed on “I’d like to make myself believe.” This is the conscious proclamation of the intent to enter the immersion stage. An almost triumphant revelation. So, if we take the first half of the line as the declaration to traverse, and the latter half as a lyrical picture of the domain of which we are to traverse, the phrase in its totality can quickly be understood.
The last piece of textual evidence to analyze, and one of the strongest, is the line “Please take me away from here.” This sentence is sung three times during the third verse, and plainly reveals the discontent I’ve been talking about in the past few paragraphs. It’s almost so self-evident that it doesn’t need explanation. I only need remind you that the disposition Adam is expressing interest in regressing into during Fireflies is childlike reverie, and this line makes perfect sense. The harshness of the real world has him begging to be taken away, back to childhood. But by what? Who is he begging to take him back? Probably, the fireflies. I do think that the fireflies are the guardians or representatives of this dream state (childhood), and so when they ultimately leave, he is of course distraught. There is a line in the song which describes the fireflies, stating: “they fill the open air, and leave teardrops everywhere.” So, we must ask, why would they leave teardrops? This is because they represent childhood innocence, and their leaving is the loss of innocence, which is usually seen as inevitable, but certainly a tragedy. So, this means that the entire song follows Adam in his journey of losing his childhood innocence, or, more likely, the process of realizing he has lost it. But, as we can clearly see, Adam decides he can’t bear to take that loss, or at the minimum doesn’t want to, so he proclaims his commitment in returning back to that state (the original or a contrived model.) Recall that ‘Cave In’ is the song where Adam actually leaves reality, which means Fireflies is precisely what I’ve described above, the lamentation of this loss of innocence (seeing the actuality of the world), and the commitment to entering the immersive dream state. This real return to naivety is precisely what allows Owl City to get away with having such juvenile lyrics and content, its entirely authentic.
submitted by jaxc311 to OWLCITY [link] [comments]
Adam Young, the sole musician behind well-known project Owl City, first began making music in his parent's basement during bouts of insomnia. From his humble beginnings in Owatonna, Minnesota, he rose to fame through online sites such as Myspace and Twitter, eventually becoming a world-touring synthpop sensation. His music is typically comprised of bubbly and upbeat vocals, square and saw waves often described as “bleepy” or “crunchy”, complex arrays of programmed drums, and random/surrealist lyrics. Though he has produced several hits over the years, his most popular song is without a doubt the 2009 track ‘Fireflies’, garnering over a billion plays on Spotify and YouTube. I initially selected this song for analysis due to childhood nostalgia, with me being 7 when it first exploded in popularity, but since listening to it again, and subsequently binging the rest of Adam’s discography, I’ve found it a pivotal track in the Owl City premise and a quaint exposition on human reverie. Nonetheless, I must preface this by stating that it is unfortunately the case that despite the overwhelming musical talent of Adam, the content and style of his work for Owl City remains too juvenile and too processed for my personal taste. (I much prefer the precursory 2003 group ‘The Postal Service’, created and fronted by indie writer Ben Gibbard.) However, as a turning point for the Owl City essence, an insight into Adam’s idealistic contrivance, and as an object of cultural infatuation, Fireflies certainly remains worthy of analysis.
To begin, it is imperative to understand the underlying themes of Owl City music relative to how songs are arranged throughout his first four albums/EPs. Adam’s music, except for occasional religious imagery, exclusively explores the produced dissonance between the “real world” and his imaginative dream state. Owl City inspects the confrontation between the innate human spirit and the seemingly sparse, dull world of adulthood/reality. This rivalry heavily infuses his music with escapist attitude, a regression into childlike non-philosophical idealism. This theme can be seen throughout his pre-2012 discography, albeit in two distinct phases. The first, dubbed the synthesis stage, is one of dreamy romanticization. Topics such as flying, sailing, sunsets, subway travel, and even literal grass are sufficient to generate marvel. In this domain, it is the reverence of the ordinary from the aperture of dream that is the central focus. Reality is partially considered, and a habitable synthesis of normality and wonder emerges. The second stage, however, begets a far more cynical conclusion, with reality fully considered and instead discarded for the pursuit of all-encompassing engagement with imagination. This is the immersion stage. The excitement, pace, and auditory tone remain the same, but the meta substrate has fundamentally changed. This overall division is vaguely chronological, with his early work tending toward synthesis, and his later towards immersion, although exceptions exist. His first four albums, with paired essence, are as follows: Of June – Synergy, Maybe I’m Dreaming – Synergy, Ocean Eyes – Immersion (the album with Fireflies), All Things Bright and Beautiful – Immersion.
What then, does Fireflies have to do with all this? Well, somewhere along the line, there must be a transition. A moment in Adam’s catalogue where we leap from synergy to immersion. As you may have already guessed, Fireflies is that transitional piece. It is the intermediary that moves us from coexistence to full inhabitance. Where that desire is chiefly expressed, romanticized, and agreed to be acted upon. Support for this theory is generally comprised of internal sources, mainly lyrical content. However, it also extends itself externally through public legacy and collective interpretation. Fireflies has fulfilled its role not only within the confines of Owl City, but also in the broader domain of public evocation, acting as a symbolic mural for the very state it yearns. And although I will only be covering the textual evidence here, once conclusions are drawn it is very easy to see how they could be applied to a social model of remembrance and nostalgic perception. Now, the first clause I must disclose is that there are actually two of these transitional tracks on Ocean Eyes. The first, of course, is Fireflies, which whimsically recites the longing to leave reality and enter that exhaustive dream state. The second transitional piece is ‘Cave In’, a song that discusses the actuality of leaving, the psychical and figurative notions. Quote: “and if my intentions stray, I'll wrench them away, then I'll take my leave and I won't even look back.” However, being that the direct or metaphorical content of Fireflies necessitates it's coming first, as desire (conscious or not) must precede this type of action, it is the primary transitional piece in my eyes, and will be the sole focus of this essay.
Intra-textual support for my theory comes from a few key lines that elaborate both discontentment with reality, and a subsequent desire to ‘fall asleep.” Something, I’ve concluded, that alludes to entering a metaphorical domain, rather than the literal act of sleeping. This is, of course, just a subjective meaning I’ve dispensed upon the lyrics, but given the synergy-immersion dichotomy, and the propensity for Adam to include emblematic imagery, I do not think it is a stretch. Especially considering the very obvious impossibility of the lightning bug maneuvers he describes mid-anthem; this is certainly not a song based on literal, actual events. So, I’d like to begin retrogressively, looking first at the very last lines of the song. They are: “It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep, because my dreams are bursting at the seams.” I think it’s pretty clear here that this is an admittance of the calling of his dreams. An obvious statement that he’d rather be asleep, in a dream state, than be awake in reality. Although, there is a certain air of gossamer caprice present, almost as if there was an ongoing process of self-admittance via this tiredness. This flavoring is actually indicated every time the first half of this line is uttered throughout the song. It also must be noted that this line, in its very last usage, is sung in a way that indicates positive connotation. A certain note of acceptance, tiredness, and positive balminess is conveyed through tone and digital effects. A melancholy nostalgia of sorts.
Another well-known line that indicates my theses is “I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly.” The meaning of this line is not so obvious as the previous. And so, the first question we should ask is, why would you not believe that the earth turns slowly? What state of conditions led to this disbelief? Well, maybe it’s not exactly literal. So, in this regard, I propose two things, the first is that this line represents an idealistic abstraction that is the antithesis to the frustration Adam faces with the current modernity of the world. And the second, that this line highlights the conscious settlement to pierce the vail of immersion. Concerning the former claim, we must see that Adam’s worldview in this sense is one of discontent with the state of things. He sees a fast-paced, indifferent, adult world, and so to escape from that he has created a domain of his own, an imaginative state. What this line then becomes is a representation of that ideal. The phrase “planet earth turns slowly” has, in my opinion, an innate calming aura, a positive force. Couple that with the misty way it is vocalized, and it emerges as this tranquil portrayal of Adam’s creative province. A symbolic representation. The world which he wants to live is the one where planet earth turns slowly, but that’s not the one he currently inhabits. The second supposition can be understood through the first half of the line, where great vocal emphasis is placed on “I’d like to make myself believe.” This is the conscious proclamation of the intent to enter the immersion stage. An almost triumphant revelation. So, if we take the first half of the line as the declaration to traverse, and the latter half as a lyrical picture of the domain of which we are to traverse, the phrase in its totality can quickly be understood.
The last piece of textual evidence to analyze, and one of the strongest, is the line “Please take me away from here.” This sentence is sung three times during the third verse, and plainly reveals the discontent I’ve been talking about in the past few paragraphs. It’s almost so self-evident that it doesn’t need explanation. I only need remind you that the disposition Adam is expressing interest in regressing into during Fireflies is childlike reverie, and this line makes perfect sense. The harshness of the real world has him begging to be taken away, back to childhood. But by what? Who is he begging to take him back? Probably, the fireflies. I do think that the fireflies are the guardians or representatives of this dream state (childhood), and so when they ultimately leave, he is of course distraught. There is a line in the song which describes the fireflies, stating: “they fill the open air, and leave teardrops everywhere.” So, we must ask, why would they leave teardrops? This is because they represent childhood innocence, and their leaving is the loss of innocence, which is usually seen as inevitable, but certainly a tragedy. So, this means that the entire song follows Adam in his journey of losing his childhood innocence, or, more likely, the process of realizing he has lost it. But, as we can clearly see, Adam decides he can’t bear to take that loss, or at the minimum doesn’t want to, so he proclaims his commitment in returning back to that state (the original or a contrived model.) Recall that ‘Cave In’ is the song where Adam actually leaves reality, which means Fireflies is precisely what I’ve described above, the lamentation of this loss of innocence (seeing the actuality of the world), and the commitment to entering the immersive dream state. This real return to naivety is precisely what allows Owl City to get away with having such juvenile lyrics and content, its entirely authentic.
2022.03.10 07:05 Neat-Ship-2277 Guide To Be An Alien Supervillain (Chapter Two)
•Official Power Classification•
Tanker: A class of mantle whose power grants immense strength and/or enhanced durability.
Paladin: A class of mantle whose power grants unconventional mobility and/or enhanced celerity.
Ranger: A class of mantle which ability pertains to the nature of projection effects.
Savant: A class of mantle which ability pertains to the nature of cognitive function.
Caster: A class of mantle whose power affects the surrounding environment.
Tracer: A class of mantle whose power based upon physical contact.
Warlock: A class of mantle which ability allows for the manipulation and/or conjuration of living entities.
Morpher: A class of mantle whose power alters one's own physiology and/or physical property.
Artificer: A class of mantle whose power allows for supernatural craftsmanship.
Ruler: A class of mantle which ability to affect the concept and/or nature of power in itself.
———
CHAPTER TWO: NEWFOUND THREAT
Melbarrow Fartown, Highland, Ordos
"At midnight yesterday, an unidentified object appeared on Liphin Park, not before damaging a few local estates beforehand. It is later reported that the object in question displays a sign of activity two hours after its dormancy. The local chief enforcer, Darmon Elliric, reported that the aforementioned object immediately heads towards the east coast of Pistonburg, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. There has been no confirm of sightings afterwards nor had there been any mantle faction claim responsible for this incident–"
Edryeas blearily made her way to the fridge, her hand clumsily roamed the cold interior before she found her desired item, and with a gentle tug the Geminite pulled out a transparent bag full of grainy foodstuffs. The cerulean-skinned Geminite frowned at the depleted content of her breakfast before she dragged herself to a stool, slumped and poured Ordos' equivalent of a cereal to her ceramic bowl.
The young Geminite continued along with her morning ritual with a jug of lox milk, the glistening gold liquid flooded her bowl, the congregation of foodstuffs floated above as some fated to sink under the viscous fluid. Edryeas let out a sigh and indulge herself with a spoon of cecreax before her sister could lecture her on about the baleful substance they put in it. The Geminite paused, the thought of her sister abruptly reminded her of the event of yesterday's night.
Edryeas turned to look at the older of the Olinium siblings with a suspicious scowl, the person in question sat at the couch with tired look on her face, staring at the castbox. It had only been five in the morning and her sister had already soaked in the morning news. It was even more concerning, considering that she arrived yesterday clad in thick coat in an attempt to hide the very noticeable bruises. To say Edryeas was livid at the time was an understatement, though her anger (and concern) were subsided at the mention of her sister's 'friend' safety.
Edryeas wondered just who this 'friend' be, as she recalled her sister to have very little luck with any companionship since secondary academy. A thought that brought about a chuckle from her.
"Here, we have monovid footage of the incident taken from our crew's orthopters yesterday." The lady in the castbox droned, as the screen flickered to the video of yesterday's incident.
Edryeas' eyes narrowed as it showed the egg-thing skittered through layers of hardcrete walls with very little effort and shrugged off a barrage of lasfires. The young Geminite could only name twelve mantles in this city that could do that, excluding of course, those from outside Melbarrow. Her gaze flickered to her pop-phone, the flat oval device resting neatly at the countertop waiting to be touched.
She had seen the related article on her phone, how the topic of the night's incident became viral. There were already six respect threads from different subspace on the Minklite website pertaining upon the nature of the so-called 'Sonic Sphere'. Edryeas found it amusing how quickly the media attached a name to something mantle-related, it had been less than six hours and there were more than a dozen suggestions for the egg's designation.
The Geminite shifted her attention when the monovid showcased the scene where the 'Sonic Sphere' unleashed a torrent of invisible wave towards the nascent superhero Stalwart. It was a brutal scene, a young woman harassed by an intense projection of concentrated vibration. Edryeas shuddered to imagine being under such torture, her crystalline physiology weren't evolved to handle a high frequency wavelength.
Sonic weapons, though it wasn't exactly a profound concept, the principle of its technology was science-fiction at best. Edryeas had heard how the Highland military once attempted to develop a Long Range Acoustic Device, yet the sheer impracticality and monumental requirement to manufacture such a device eventually put the project on hold. Of course, there were a few mantlebearers that possessed some form of sonokinesis—and they were often considered highly dangerous—but none of them displayed the sheer intensity and tactile precision of the Sonic Sphere.
There had been debate over Stalwart's exact durability, but past feats had at least proven that the young hero could tank multiple shots from a heavy lascannon back to back. Placing the new hero at one of the top twenty Tankers, at least in terms of durability, on the national power ranking.
"-Oh, I was just vibin' in my crib with my girl when that thing suddenly smash through that store right over from the street. It was loud as hell. When I walk up to the window, that's when I saw the unholy hell crawlin' out like a [censored] wolpider. Damn, that [censored] is huge as hell. Reminds me of my old Mamaw."
Edryeas rose up to her feet and scooted forward before finding a spot beside Iryana, the half empty bowl still in hand. Her eyes fleeted from the castbox and back to her sister. "Something on your mind, Sis?"
Iryana wearily turned to her sister and let out a soft grumble. "Nothing... it's just that thing with yesterday was a lot more intense than I predicted."
"Oh, is this about that 'friend' of yours?" Edryeas wiggled a brow, her lips quirked slightly.
Her elder sister merely groaned in irritation as she buried herself deep in the cushion. "Oh shut up, it's not like that."
"Oh c'mon now 'Yana, live a little. You spent your weekdays writing books and your weekends... writing more books, when will you ever learn to go out there, be free, touch grass and interact like a normal people?" Edryeas clutched her chest dramatically, ignoring the spilt droplets of milk on the floor. "Besides, you both work at the same department right? You've must known him for quite awhile now, he can't be that bad if you're willing to risk your life." That last point still irritated Edryeas but she relented.
Iryana glared irritatedly before she rose to her feet and reached for the remote. "First of all, I like writing. It's the only reason why I stayed with my job, it's my way of living as you put it. Secondly, I'm not interested in any sort of relationship right now, because my god would that be a huge headache. Also, you are not in any position to talk about my love life, considering your own."
"Ouch," smirked Edryeas.
"Anyways, all that aside. I have paperwork needed done, and I'll probably be home late. Is there anything else you want, Edryeas?" Iryana asserted.
The younger sister paused for a split second, consideration crossed her mind followed after with a shrug. "If you pass by a grocery could you buy me a box of cecreax?"
Iryana frowned, "you're an adult and you're still eating that?"
"How dare you, it's a sacred food!" Edryeas gasped dramatically, one hand placed upon her temple.
The oldest of the siblings grumbled under her breath before she ceded, too tired to an argument in the morning. "Settle down, princess..." Iryana ambled herself to the door, her bag slung to her back as she reassessed her items for the second time. The Geminite turned, glancing at the sprawled form of her sister before she bid her farewell. "Keep the house clean when I'm back, 'kay?"
"Mmkay," Edryeas answered noncommittally, barely keeping track of her sister's departure as the door closed. "Don't forget the cecreax!"
———
Unknown Seafloor, Ordos
Yesterday, yesterday was a disaster. Adrian groaned, still unfamiliar with the planet's day and night cycle. From little of what Grid could gather, he would need to adjust to a twenty-six hours of one planetary cycle. Not that it bothered him much, a healthy sleep schedule was a long forgotten art for him now.
The young man paced throughout his spacecraft and plopped himself on one of the bolted chairs, skimming past the data recorded by Grid. There was a lot to be learned of this world, many of which were... concerning. He was thankful that their encryption technology were comparable to that of the early internet, but that came at the cost that their local network was also as advanced as the primordial age of Google. The system they used was severely outdated by the standards of even the pre-Third War era, let alone with the level of technology he operated. They were not as slow, fortunately, but still considerably limited in its application. It felt like he had stumbled during the early days of YouTube, when MySpace was still a thing.
He shoved those inane thoughts aside and focused himself upon the layers of data transferred to his ship. They were plenty and abundant, a mountain of intelligence ripe for the plucking. However, translating their entire database was a monumental task in itself, filtering through relevant details was another torment he had to sort through. Adrian found his prior vigor waned, but relent he did not. It was hours of tedious repetition, along with the undesirable condition of working at the depth of the ocean floor, Adrian could feel his sanity slowly slipping away.
Spam. He couldn't believe that thousands of light-years away, separated further by the ever expanding universe, and this cancer managed to worm its way through the cosmos. A horrible thought crossed Adrian's mind at the prospect that it's a tradition shared amongst the sapients between the stars, that would be a grim and dark reality indeed.
First, he needed to learn of their science, then their history, followed by their culture. A task that would take him months, if not years, of research and study. At this moment, Adrian wished that he had accepted the corporate's offer to upgrade the implant to his cerebral cortex, it would have made this task far easier. Though considering the risk to his privacy, Adrian shot down the idea rather quickly.
Firstly, their biology. It was fascinating and frustrating all the same, Grid could recognize at least oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, calcium, and phosphorus. Six essential elements of the human body, so that was yet another list of parallels there. However, the Grid had also encountered three new elements—or rather, exotic compounds, absent within the periodic tables, of which names remained unknown. They were impossible things, each of them, a type of atomic structure unfounded anywhere in nature.
Two of which shared the same atomic mass as carbon, yet wasn't any isotope of carbon. One was calculated to be slightly heavier than iron. Furthermore, they all shared one consistency, in that they were completely devoid of any baryonic particles. In its place instead were... he had no idea what. What were the odds that he would be the first human to found an alien civilization and three new exotic matter? Oh if only his ship still functioned, he could've won a Nobel prize. Probably.
The third matter, the not-iron, mostly concentrated at the stem of their brain—another organ that required intensive research in itself—held some manner of dormant energy field unrecognizable by the computer. Adrian felt his headache grow, he was only given three subjects to study and all three of which were corpses he discovered during his escape from the locals. The human tried not to think much at the grim notion of his discovery. Perhaps he had simply stumbled upon an underwater funeral, mayhaps even a common culture of this world. Nothing more, nothing less.
His brief study revealed that these aliens possessed an inactive gene that, once triggered, emits an unknown type of (hopefully) harmless radiation. One that for some reason caused a distortion field at a nanoscopic scale.
An oddity for sure, but one that needed time and attention for which he did not have for now. The human sighed and shoved himself away from the countertop, his bolted chair slid along its designated rail before he stood on his feet. His eyes darted outside, through the holographic window, only to see the ever present darkness that enclosed the ship. He had ensured for the Pod at a steady pace across the ocean bed.
Today had been the second day of his adventure in an unknown world, and Adrian had expected to be swarmed by their military force by now, but it seemed his paranoia remained unfounded. The man flicked his attention back to the holographic monitor, Grid had confirmed that their atmospheric content was almost identical to Earth save for a minimal percentage deviances. Their microbial biosphere also seemed to be lacking, but sparse as it were, still present a potential threat.
Adrian had every intention of going out there again and studied their society, but alas, his spacecraft were already recognized as a threat and he didn't bring a cloaking drone with him. The human mentally listed everything the Pod possessed, with his only viable option was the micro-replicator that not only drained immense energy but also demanded a vast quantity of raw materials to fabricate. Not much of a surprise really, it was a machine that could perform molecular rearrangement with atomic precision that required one to bypass the electrostatic interaction between particles.
Adrian was at a loss. No place to call home, no methods to return, no friends to seek aid. Alone, vulnerable, in a world far away. The man chuckled, yeah he would be just fine.
———
The busy street of Melbarrow was a common sight to behold, people of many ages crowded the sidewalks under the morning sun, unbothered by yesterday's event. Not a surprise really, the Melbarrowens had long desensitized themselves with mantle-related activity. The damaged park still remained unchanged, but would undoubtedly be fixed soon.
Iryana glanced at the park as she took a leisure stroll, the cold morning air waft past from the east, a refreshing change compared to yesterday's debacle. Despite the uneven terrain, there were still some stubborn folks that decided to use the park as a part of their exercise routine. It was a habit, she supposed, not something she could blame them for. The Geminite ignored the occasional glance from others as she walked. Ever since her Awakening, Iryana discovered her previously lanky appearance shifted to that of a tall and lithe built.
It took her weeks of pretence to convince her sister that she'd hit the gym since early this year, something that surprised Edryeas a lot. Iryana still felt guilty lying to her sister, but it was something needed to be kept secret. Edryeas was a protective sister. With the odd sibling dynamic they had, Iryana felt that sometimes her little sister was the more mature of the two. Edryeas seemed so confident and assured in life, an opposite to her own.
The Geminite took a sharp turn to an alleyway, cast a brief sweep around before she settled herself. Iryana hid inside one of the abandoned portable lavatory, the unpleasant smell studiously ignored as she withdrawn her costume out of the bag. The Geminite was rather proud of her work. Though it was made of cheap silk, her tailoring skill made it appeared presentable and professional. A full bodysuit, slightly thicker than the usual form-fitting outfit some mantlebearers fond of, with a black and red cape clipped to her shoulder pads. Her mask was something much simpler, yet harder to make. It ensured most her face remained hidden yet her mouth exposed—a way to keep her expression visible. Her eyes both covered behind a thin piece of plexplane. The gold-tinted, transparent material was a bit of a hassle to work with but she'd managed.
It didn't take long for the Geminite to slip into her costume, one she had designed and perfected for two months, one that she had kept since her first debut. Her cape billowed dramatically as she shot herself off the ground at a blinding speed, racing upward till she reached far enough. The cold air rushed to her body, clung to her face as it fluttered her cape. The city from above was a sight to behold, a cluster of tiny silvered spires complemented with a congregation of automobiles scattered across the blackstone roads. A flock of chamrosh birds lazily hovered above, migrating from the south to north.
Iryana exhaled slowly and locked her eyes at the center of the city, located quite a distance away. There was a massive structure, enclosed in an even larger dome, a towering spire that stood out like a grey needle amidst silvery toothpicks. The aptly, yet unimaginatively named Central Dome, the central base of the Warden Force and the Aegis Agency in Melbarrow. Its inception dated seventy cycles ago, with continual modification to its design every ten cycles ever since the District 6 incident.
The Geminite cast a careful glance down below before she steadily descended, keeping her posture straight, ears perked and her tail slightly raised. There were many eyes upon her now, in awe and surprise. Iryana bit back her anxiety with a perfectly replicated confident smile, one that inspired a sense of astonishment to those nearby. It would be a lie to say that she disliked her Stalwart persona, one that was considerably different to her civilian lifestyle.
Every step she took felt bouncy, her black and red costume was a prominent presence, a dazzling beacon amidst a cluster of motes. Iryana quickly reeled back such thought, reprimanded herself again for that. It was a difficult endeavor to remind herself that she, like them all, was a Geminite. Not a goddess amongst mortals. Especially not after yesterday.
The Central Dome was segregated from the rest of the city with a sizable moat encircled around itself, where the only viable mode of transportation was through water and air. Iryana held herself from directly flying straight towards the Dome, a mistake she'd promise to never repeat. That event was a quick discovery of her immense durability against lascannons. The memory sent about internal amusement out of her, it took her a week worth of work to mend her costume.
Iryana perked as she saw one of the Agency's watercraft approached with a speed incompatible to its massive size. The vessel stretched at a hundred medem long, sixty medem wide and thirty medem tall. It had a sleek, arched front with a rounded surface at the top, stretched from the front to the back. Her gaze fell down to its side, the bog-standard insignia of a circular shield with two sprawled wings stretched at the side, the symbol of Aegis.
The watercraft parked to the side of their reinforced pier where Iryana was later greeted with a suited man flanked by two guards. The Geminite before the hero was a centimedem shorter than her, neatly trimmed blue hair and a pair of onyx eyes. "Miss Stalwart," he started, a smile etched his face.
Iryana steadied herself with a practice nod and forced a relaxed stance. "I was told that I was summoned here. I presumed this to be a discussion of yesterday's event?"
The amethyst-skinned Geminite politely nodded, both ears flipped backwards. "I'll be your guide, the meeting won't be till an hour. You'll have plenty of time to wait and relax, the watercraft provides you with the highest quality of service we have."
"This is just a fifteen minutes ride right?" Iryana murmured uncertainly.
"The meeting place will be held at Hall Six on Floor Two, there's already a sizable gathering at the Base Floor," the man continued, ignoring her comment. He took a step aside and motioned the hero, "come inside please."
Iryana hummed a reply before she slowly levitated herself unto the watercraft, eyes tracing the polished mistwood flooring. She tentatively set her foot down, the invisible force that held her slowly diminished away. She caught the slight twitch from the man, not awfully obvious, but it was there. The uncertainty and surreality most Baselines felt when faced with a mantlebearer up close. She knew that feeling well, witnessing the miracle that was their Gift, able to perform the impossible only thought to be of myths by their ancestors.
The ship set sail, the semi-organic bubble engine thrummed with a set tempo, grinding away at work as the propeller churned underwater. The young hero didn't share much fascination with modern technology with her sister, but she at least could appreciate the intricacy of cutting edge machine. Like most technology of Geminite design, the watercraft was built from a thick layer of urion composite, a rather common crystalline formation often found deep underground as the base material to most of their constructs.
Since metals were a rare mineral in Ordos, most of their technology was built from composite material and crystalline substances made to reinforce the organic nature of their machines. Iryana recalled that some scientists theorized that copper could possibly be used as a medium to carry current if not for the existence of cultivated circuit-built algae which became the foundation of most of their electronics. The Geminite wondered what it looked like, for a civilization with an abundance of metal ripe for harvest, the ability to build advanced machinery without relying on cultured algae and bioengineered machine-parts.
The prospect of an automobile not powered by a bubble engine or propelled by biochemical reaction was an intriguing concept, and could perhaps be the solution to most of their device's short lifespan and terrible maintenance requirement. However, interesting as it might be, such notion of advanced engineering was beyond her and best left for those experts in the field.
Iryana's attention darted to the Dome that sat at the center of the large moat, if it could be called as such. To her, it seemed like the structure in question was built in the middle of a rather huge lake. The Geminite didn't bother to indulge herself with the luxuries provided for her. She was here, at the headquarter of the world's largest mantle organization.
The Dome itself, if she recalled, was a dense layer of electromagnetic protective field, using the principle of electrostatic repulsion. Created by no other than their resident Artificer, Sage. It was huge, a scale roughly that of half a city's district. The surface of the barrier shimmered, faint light refracted, forming an iridescent glow from a certain angle. It was otherworldly. Iryana let out a bout of excited and nervous giggle, her first impression of the Dome was hellfire and death when she first approached it a month back.
Now that she wasn't assaulted by a barrage of lascannon, Iryana could finally appreciate its architectural marvel.
———
The Dome's interior was just about what Iryana expected, a wide open area with several massive buildings scattered neatly, none of which matched the sheer height of one spire situated at the center of it all. The Needle Spire was the nexus of Warden Force's activity, where they established themselves to be at the axis of the city's webwork. An imposing structure that brought about a sense of astonishment to those who set their eyes upon it. Some had likened it to the Warden's grand palace.
Her tail lowered in reverence, ears furled forward in anticipation. Being here was enough of a distraction from yesterday's embarrassment. Her guide stood patiently at the side, showing comprehension to her reaction with a slight smirk to his lips.
"Should we move along, Miss Stalwart?" He voiced.
Iryana blinked and cast the man with a sheepish smile. "U- uh yeah, where's the Base Floor again?"
Their short stroll across the Central Dome was quiet, accompanied only by the ambiance of the place. Iryana let her gaze wandered in amazement at the fact that they managed to established a park here, along with a large tree in the middle of what she was sure to be affected by powers. Yintree didn't often grow to that size, nor did it bloomed at this time of the season.
There were other Geminite here, all clad in standard Aegis attire. With a few of them donning military outfit, armed with a lasrifle. She could also spot a few dazzling costumes, heroes most likely, heading to the same location as her. Iryana corrected her posture and presented herself to be as calm, collected and confident as she could be. She was here now, to be amongst the echelons of heroes, the champions of Ordos, the protector of innocents.
Two months ago, Iryana would be daunted by the task ahead of her. Well, the sentiment was still there, muted as it was, but there was also a greater sense of responsibility and the grandiose of it all. For the most part, the young hero was still clouded in a mountain of self-doubt, one she buried under pretense of bravado that carried her career for two months.
Iryana faintly noted the attention she garnered, where she could see from the corner of her eyes, some of the Aegis staff whispered amongst themselves and several heroes gave her a brief but appraisal glance. She was well aware of the reputation she carried, her achievements in a short period of time. Suffice to say, she was initially ecstatic at the acknowledgement of her abilities and the persona she'd built, but one she quickly learned to be difficult to maintain. It was a burden really, many regarded her status as the 'talented novice' of the mantle community, and the 'upstart neophyte' by the veterans of this profession.
She could count several accounts of disgruntled comments from a few vigilantes she encountered and a flurry of unflattering remarks from the villains she thwarted. Not that the latter of which bothered her much.
The Needle Spire, Iryana noted, had a distinct greyish exterior that displayed its weathered state. It was an old structure, constantly modified, reshaped and mended, yet its core foundation remained. She faintly recollected a passing statement that the Spire was built as a symbol of the Warden's 'piercing justice', whatever that meant. Layers of hardcrete stacked atop the other to form this towering edifice, the young hero wondered how they were able to continuously revamped the entire building every kilocycle. It was insanity just thinking about it.
"This is as far as I can take you, I'm afraid I have other tasks I have to attend to," her guide chimed politely.
Iryana gave him an affirmed nod before she sauntered forward and was met with the chilled air of the Spire's interior. The Geminite was unbothered by it, her durable skin could withstand a much harsher environment. Her eyes trailed the massive antechamber where a large gemstone chandelier hung high above the ceiling, the twinkling choir as the small crystal shards frictioned against cold air generated a series of mellifluous hum. Iryana quickly made her way to the front desk, where she settled upon a long black desk manned by three staff members.
"I'm here for–"
"Take the elevator to your right at Floor Two, the Meeting Hall would be further along until you reach the blue door," the receptionist spoke succinctly, leaving no room for Iryana to respond.
The mantlebearer paused for a moment before awkwardly uttered her thanks, which she then swiftly made her way to the aforementioned elevator.
———
"Okay, Grid. What the fuck is a medem?" Adrian expressed aloud, frustration crept to his voice. The man had spent hours studying the local network and had stumbled upon several hindrances to his progress. He'd hoped that the Grid's decent learning program could solve this predicament quickly, but it seemed he had been spoiled with his time spent in human-affiliated space.
"There suggests a set of literary structure that indicates it to be a form of local measurement unit. From my estimated extrapolation of provided data, it seems that a single medem is equivalent to ninety-eight point five centimeters in length. The nature in which their language is structured suggests it shares a similar pattern to metric measurement units. Ergo, one kilomedem is equivalent to one thousand medem and one megamedem is equivalent to a million medem, so forth and so on."
"Okay..." Adrian breathed out, still irritated by it all. "Can you list down all the local equivalents of a metric system?"
"Affirmative, sir."
Adrian glazed the short list of data provided, irked by the lack of knowledge he possessed. It was fortunate that these living gemstones shared a standardized unit system, lest his remaining sanity had all but evaporated. Not only did he needed study their measurement unit, numerical system and mathematical concepts but also comprehend their time system, geography, dozens of different languages each with its own dialect, historical culture and the nuances of their social structure.
All that aside, Adrian had uncovered a whole new layer of revelation upon the nature of their technology. All of their constructs, for one reason or another, lacked the metallic substance that encompassed the majority of human engineering since the bronze age. Instead, in its place were complex carbon composite that served parallel functions one might find in human technology. They also incorporate large quantities of living organisms into their build, operating under a symbiotic function.
It was genuinely intriguing and far more fascinating than all the other tedious work needed be done. Adrian could spend days just learning about the details of this so-called 'bubble engine' seemingly prominent in most of their vehicular constructs.
Adrian sighed, his gaze darted back to the list of new information Grid had presented for him. The local understanding of physics and chemistry had been comprehensive thus far, but he had only a sample of their work so it was something to be judged at a later date. However, he found there to be a surprisingly lack of space-based technology save for the few orbital satellites deployed. That was something to be reviewed in the near future, maybe overmorrow if he's lucky.
"Shit, this is going to be a long day." Murmured Adrian before he stretched his aching bone and returned to his studies. "Grid, could you play me a song? Anything to hype me up is fine."
"Would 'The Only Thing They Fear Is You' by Mick Gordon suffice?"
"Okay maybe not that," Adrian winced. "Something less... intense is fine."
———
"What the fuck?" Adrian exclaimed aloud, his intensified headache came at a full swing, bringing along a sledgehammer to truly nail the migraine deep into his cranium. It had been two hours since his first research and what he found only brought about a wave of confusion, frustration and incredulity.
The human stood, unmoving for a moment as he reread everything Grid had given, disbelief still colored his face. It was a long agonizing moment of comprehension before the man settled himself back to his seat, fingers pinched upon the bridge of his nose. A harsh exhale expelled from his lungs, his eyes furrowed to a scowl.
"This can't be real," Adrian murmured.
"It matches the pattern provided by our study of their biology, Sir."
"Superpowers, really?" The human whined. "Shit, is that how that one flew?"
"The correct term for their species is Geminite, Sir."
"How the hell am I going to survive here, Grid? It only take one of them with some obscure power to fuck me over!"
The virtual intelligence did not answer, opting instead to a deafening silence. It was programmed after all, to study its user and act accordingly to the informed personality it gathered from its host.
"Fuck me," Adrian breathed out. From what little he could parse, the nature of these 'powers' ranged wildly and occured only to a small percentage of their population. Lesser than a percent, which meant nothing when they had a population of six billion. There were estimated to be three million superpowered beings across their globe each with vastly unique and deviating abilities.
The information indicated that the majority of them were minor threats and could be dealt with modern weaponry (assuming the data he gathered were in any way accurate, to say the least), but that still meant that a sizable number of these so-called 'mantlebearers' presented a major threat.
Adrian perused the list of popular 'mantles' worshiped by the locals, of what he initially presumed to be some religious figure. It came to a surprise then that he had uncovered a cobweb of an entire societal construct that were built upon the idolatry of these beings. It was an eerie parallel to the geek culture of his own species, especially those fond of comic book settings. The complexity of this situation was both daunting yet admittedly interesting.
His initial intent to learn of their geography, cultural borders and history immediately shifted away and focused wholly upon this 'mantle' concept. The idea of a species that relied upon the power of the minority to oversee the majority was... concerning to say the least, especially when these same beings wields the power to abuse. Of course, that was the notion of his judgemental cynical side who viewed this from the lense of mankind.
The nature in which this society was constructed was similar enough to human civilization of the early 21st century that it made this entire debacle less... pain-inducing. Conception of the mantlebearer stated to begin a 'centurum' ago, an odd temporal unit system to describe the passing of a 'hundred cycle'. The concept of a 'cycle' still eluded the human, but it was similar enough to the concept of 'year' that he considered it as such.
A decade after the establishment and public acknowledgement of these mantlebearer, the nature of heroism, and thus villainy, came into light, followed later by the formation of several agencies and organizations related to mantle-related activity. Oh, and there were sparse mentioning of something called the 'Harbingers', a subject needed research for the foreseeable future.
His biggest concern however, were a particular set of group known as the 'Custodians', a team of six of the most powerful mantlebearers in this world, at least according to the locals. They exist outside of the Warden Force's influence, that was to his understanding, a government-sponsored organization funded by something called an Aegis Agency.
The Custodians, even the scant intelligence he was provided paint a clear picture of the threats they presented. If Adrian wasn't stuck here deep in the ocean floor on a surreal planet, he would've associated them with the Justice League out of amusement. Yet, there was nothing amusing about this situation. His eyes slowly examined the holographic files in apprehension.
Bastion, Radiant, Faithfery, Tachyon, Firmament and Powerhouse. The only crew of the Custodians, with Powerhouse, Firmament and Bastion being the earliest members of the team. Their powers were all equally puzzling, terrifying and intriguing all the same.
Bastion was reported to possess an advanced form of tactile telekinesis that grants her invulnerability, immense physical prowess and complete control over her position in space-time, inadvertently granting the crystalline alien conceptual immovability. Apparently, there was no force in the universe that could push her if she anchored herself to an affixed point in space within a gravity well.
Next was Radiant, a powerful energy manipulator, dubbed by the natives as a radial dynakinetic. Adrian gaped when he read the detailed explanation of the alien's power. An entity with absolute mastery over the four fundamental forces of the universe, along with radiation and heat in a limited radius—a creature that could almost be considered omnipotent by the standard of modern science.
Then there was Faithfery, a great mystery in itself. Adrian was only given a brief sample of her appearance, and very little of her power save for it being 'unpredictable' in nature.
However, the next 'mantle', Tachyon, had a simple enough power. Superluminal speed, the ability to traverse at physics-defying motion that broke about the fundamental law of light. The local media assumed the alien's power to be some sort of limited chronokinesis, a theory Adrian frustratedly unable to find a comprehensive data to work with.
There was also Firmament, with the ability to generate spectral mist which could imitate the property of any matter in existence. Suffice to say, Adrian could easily see the sheer quantity in which such power could be utilized and how much danger it presented. If this so-called 'Firmament' wished to, he could unleash upon the world a truck's worth of anti-matter and witnessed an annihilation in which humanity was unable to replicate even with their supplies of antibaryonic missiles.
Finally, there was Powerhouse. The nature of his faculty was unknown even to the locals, but the alien displayed an array of different powers on his every appearance, seemingly ever growing as time passed. A concerning nature in itself, something to be studied closely for later.
Adrian felt the regret in him arose, the excitement he felt prior utterly diminished and vanquished. Replaced only by the apprehension of his future. He needed to act quick and learn more of them before they could learn more of him. He needed to scour every drop of intelligence, their powers, weakness and other strange oddities. Adrian's reluctance over tedious research was overshadowed by his fear of the unknown. The man shifted his gaze back at the hologram with a shudder to his spine.
The universe was a big place, he wasn't surprised to find peculiarity stranded about this corner of the cosmos. However, he just hadn't anticipated for such anomaly to be this.... bizarre. Hopefully, he survived long enough to tell this tale to his people.
[Previous/Next]
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Tanker: A class of mantle whose power grants immense strength and/or enhanced durability.
Paladin: A class of mantle whose power grants unconventional mobility and/or enhanced celerity.
Ranger: A class of mantle which ability pertains to the nature of projection effects.
Savant: A class of mantle which ability pertains to the nature of cognitive function.
Caster: A class of mantle whose power affects the surrounding environment.
Tracer: A class of mantle whose power based upon physical contact.
Warlock: A class of mantle which ability allows for the manipulation and/or conjuration of living entities.
Morpher: A class of mantle whose power alters one's own physiology and/or physical property.
Artificer: A class of mantle whose power allows for supernatural craftsmanship.
Ruler: A class of mantle which ability to affect the concept and/or nature of power in itself.
———
CHAPTER TWO: NEWFOUND THREAT
Melbarrow Fartown, Highland, Ordos
"At midnight yesterday, an unidentified object appeared on Liphin Park, not before damaging a few local estates beforehand. It is later reported that the object in question displays a sign of activity two hours after its dormancy. The local chief enforcer, Darmon Elliric, reported that the aforementioned object immediately heads towards the east coast of Pistonburg, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. There has been no confirm of sightings afterwards nor had there been any mantle faction claim responsible for this incident–"
Edryeas blearily made her way to the fridge, her hand clumsily roamed the cold interior before she found her desired item, and with a gentle tug the Geminite pulled out a transparent bag full of grainy foodstuffs. The cerulean-skinned Geminite frowned at the depleted content of her breakfast before she dragged herself to a stool, slumped and poured Ordos' equivalent of a cereal to her ceramic bowl.
The young Geminite continued along with her morning ritual with a jug of lox milk, the glistening gold liquid flooded her bowl, the congregation of foodstuffs floated above as some fated to sink under the viscous fluid. Edryeas let out a sigh and indulge herself with a spoon of cecreax before her sister could lecture her on about the baleful substance they put in it. The Geminite paused, the thought of her sister abruptly reminded her of the event of yesterday's night.
Edryeas turned to look at the older of the Olinium siblings with a suspicious scowl, the person in question sat at the couch with tired look on her face, staring at the castbox. It had only been five in the morning and her sister had already soaked in the morning news. It was even more concerning, considering that she arrived yesterday clad in thick coat in an attempt to hide the very noticeable bruises. To say Edryeas was livid at the time was an understatement, though her anger (and concern) were subsided at the mention of her sister's 'friend' safety.
Edryeas wondered just who this 'friend' be, as she recalled her sister to have very little luck with any companionship since secondary academy. A thought that brought about a chuckle from her.
"Here, we have monovid footage of the incident taken from our crew's orthopters yesterday." The lady in the castbox droned, as the screen flickered to the video of yesterday's incident.
Edryeas' eyes narrowed as it showed the egg-thing skittered through layers of hardcrete walls with very little effort and shrugged off a barrage of lasfires. The young Geminite could only name twelve mantles in this city that could do that, excluding of course, those from outside Melbarrow. Her gaze flickered to her pop-phone, the flat oval device resting neatly at the countertop waiting to be touched.
She had seen the related article on her phone, how the topic of the night's incident became viral. There were already six respect threads from different subspace on the Minklite website pertaining upon the nature of the so-called 'Sonic Sphere'. Edryeas found it amusing how quickly the media attached a name to something mantle-related, it had been less than six hours and there were more than a dozen suggestions for the egg's designation.
The Geminite shifted her attention when the monovid showcased the scene where the 'Sonic Sphere' unleashed a torrent of invisible wave towards the nascent superhero Stalwart. It was a brutal scene, a young woman harassed by an intense projection of concentrated vibration. Edryeas shuddered to imagine being under such torture, her crystalline physiology weren't evolved to handle a high frequency wavelength.
Sonic weapons, though it wasn't exactly a profound concept, the principle of its technology was science-fiction at best. Edryeas had heard how the Highland military once attempted to develop a Long Range Acoustic Device, yet the sheer impracticality and monumental requirement to manufacture such a device eventually put the project on hold. Of course, there were a few mantlebearers that possessed some form of sonokinesis—and they were often considered highly dangerous—but none of them displayed the sheer intensity and tactile precision of the Sonic Sphere.
There had been debate over Stalwart's exact durability, but past feats had at least proven that the young hero could tank multiple shots from a heavy lascannon back to back. Placing the new hero at one of the top twenty Tankers, at least in terms of durability, on the national power ranking.
"-Oh, I was just vibin' in my crib with my girl when that thing suddenly smash through that store right over from the street. It was loud as hell. When I walk up to the window, that's when I saw the unholy hell crawlin' out like a [censored] wolpider. Damn, that [censored] is huge as hell. Reminds me of my old Mamaw."
Edryeas rose up to her feet and scooted forward before finding a spot beside Iryana, the half empty bowl still in hand. Her eyes fleeted from the castbox and back to her sister. "Something on your mind, Sis?"
Iryana wearily turned to her sister and let out a soft grumble. "Nothing... it's just that thing with yesterday was a lot more intense than I predicted."
"Oh, is this about that 'friend' of yours?" Edryeas wiggled a brow, her lips quirked slightly.
Her elder sister merely groaned in irritation as she buried herself deep in the cushion. "Oh shut up, it's not like that."
"Oh c'mon now 'Yana, live a little. You spent your weekdays writing books and your weekends... writing more books, when will you ever learn to go out there, be free, touch grass and interact like a normal people?" Edryeas clutched her chest dramatically, ignoring the spilt droplets of milk on the floor. "Besides, you both work at the same department right? You've must known him for quite awhile now, he can't be that bad if you're willing to risk your life." That last point still irritated Edryeas but she relented.
Iryana glared irritatedly before she rose to her feet and reached for the remote. "First of all, I like writing. It's the only reason why I stayed with my job, it's my way of living as you put it. Secondly, I'm not interested in any sort of relationship right now, because my god would that be a huge headache. Also, you are not in any position to talk about my love life, considering your own."
"Ouch," smirked Edryeas.
"Anyways, all that aside. I have paperwork needed done, and I'll probably be home late. Is there anything else you want, Edryeas?" Iryana asserted.
The younger sister paused for a split second, consideration crossed her mind followed after with a shrug. "If you pass by a grocery could you buy me a box of cecreax?"
Iryana frowned, "you're an adult and you're still eating that?"
"How dare you, it's a sacred food!" Edryeas gasped dramatically, one hand placed upon her temple.
The oldest of the siblings grumbled under her breath before she ceded, too tired to an argument in the morning. "Settle down, princess..." Iryana ambled herself to the door, her bag slung to her back as she reassessed her items for the second time. The Geminite turned, glancing at the sprawled form of her sister before she bid her farewell. "Keep the house clean when I'm back, 'kay?"
"Mmkay," Edryeas answered noncommittally, barely keeping track of her sister's departure as the door closed. "Don't forget the cecreax!"
———
Unknown Seafloor, Ordos
Yesterday, yesterday was a disaster. Adrian groaned, still unfamiliar with the planet's day and night cycle. From little of what Grid could gather, he would need to adjust to a twenty-six hours of one planetary cycle. Not that it bothered him much, a healthy sleep schedule was a long forgotten art for him now.
The young man paced throughout his spacecraft and plopped himself on one of the bolted chairs, skimming past the data recorded by Grid. There was a lot to be learned of this world, many of which were... concerning. He was thankful that their encryption technology were comparable to that of the early internet, but that came at the cost that their local network was also as advanced as the primordial age of Google. The system they used was severely outdated by the standards of even the pre-Third War era, let alone with the level of technology he operated. They were not as slow, fortunately, but still considerably limited in its application. It felt like he had stumbled during the early days of YouTube, when MySpace was still a thing.
He shoved those inane thoughts aside and focused himself upon the layers of data transferred to his ship. They were plenty and abundant, a mountain of intelligence ripe for the plucking. However, translating their entire database was a monumental task in itself, filtering through relevant details was another torment he had to sort through. Adrian found his prior vigor waned, but relent he did not. It was hours of tedious repetition, along with the undesirable condition of working at the depth of the ocean floor, Adrian could feel his sanity slowly slipping away.
Spam. He couldn't believe that thousands of light-years away, separated further by the ever expanding universe, and this cancer managed to worm its way through the cosmos. A horrible thought crossed Adrian's mind at the prospect that it's a tradition shared amongst the sapients between the stars, that would be a grim and dark reality indeed.
First, he needed to learn of their science, then their history, followed by their culture. A task that would take him months, if not years, of research and study. At this moment, Adrian wished that he had accepted the corporate's offer to upgrade the implant to his cerebral cortex, it would have made this task far easier. Though considering the risk to his privacy, Adrian shot down the idea rather quickly.
Firstly, their biology. It was fascinating and frustrating all the same, Grid could recognize at least oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, calcium, and phosphorus. Six essential elements of the human body, so that was yet another list of parallels there. However, the Grid had also encountered three new elements—or rather, exotic compounds, absent within the periodic tables, of which names remained unknown. They were impossible things, each of them, a type of atomic structure unfounded anywhere in nature.
Two of which shared the same atomic mass as carbon, yet wasn't any isotope of carbon. One was calculated to be slightly heavier than iron. Furthermore, they all shared one consistency, in that they were completely devoid of any baryonic particles. In its place instead were... he had no idea what. What were the odds that he would be the first human to found an alien civilization and three new exotic matter? Oh if only his ship still functioned, he could've won a Nobel prize. Probably.
The third matter, the not-iron, mostly concentrated at the stem of their brain—another organ that required intensive research in itself—held some manner of dormant energy field unrecognizable by the computer. Adrian felt his headache grow, he was only given three subjects to study and all three of which were corpses he discovered during his escape from the locals. The human tried not to think much at the grim notion of his discovery. Perhaps he had simply stumbled upon an underwater funeral, mayhaps even a common culture of this world. Nothing more, nothing less.
His brief study revealed that these aliens possessed an inactive gene that, once triggered, emits an unknown type of (hopefully) harmless radiation. One that for some reason caused a distortion field at a nanoscopic scale.
An oddity for sure, but one that needed time and attention for which he did not have for now. The human sighed and shoved himself away from the countertop, his bolted chair slid along its designated rail before he stood on his feet. His eyes darted outside, through the holographic window, only to see the ever present darkness that enclosed the ship. He had ensured for the Pod at a steady pace across the ocean bed.
Today had been the second day of his adventure in an unknown world, and Adrian had expected to be swarmed by their military force by now, but it seemed his paranoia remained unfounded. The man flicked his attention back to the holographic monitor, Grid had confirmed that their atmospheric content was almost identical to Earth save for a minimal percentage deviances. Their microbial biosphere also seemed to be lacking, but sparse as it were, still present a potential threat.
Adrian had every intention of going out there again and studied their society, but alas, his spacecraft were already recognized as a threat and he didn't bring a cloaking drone with him. The human mentally listed everything the Pod possessed, with his only viable option was the micro-replicator that not only drained immense energy but also demanded a vast quantity of raw materials to fabricate. Not much of a surprise really, it was a machine that could perform molecular rearrangement with atomic precision that required one to bypass the electrostatic interaction between particles.
Adrian was at a loss. No place to call home, no methods to return, no friends to seek aid. Alone, vulnerable, in a world far away. The man chuckled, yeah he would be just fine.
———
The busy street of Melbarrow was a common sight to behold, people of many ages crowded the sidewalks under the morning sun, unbothered by yesterday's event. Not a surprise really, the Melbarrowens had long desensitized themselves with mantle-related activity. The damaged park still remained unchanged, but would undoubtedly be fixed soon.
Iryana glanced at the park as she took a leisure stroll, the cold morning air waft past from the east, a refreshing change compared to yesterday's debacle. Despite the uneven terrain, there were still some stubborn folks that decided to use the park as a part of their exercise routine. It was a habit, she supposed, not something she could blame them for. The Geminite ignored the occasional glance from others as she walked. Ever since her Awakening, Iryana discovered her previously lanky appearance shifted to that of a tall and lithe built.
It took her weeks of pretence to convince her sister that she'd hit the gym since early this year, something that surprised Edryeas a lot. Iryana still felt guilty lying to her sister, but it was something needed to be kept secret. Edryeas was a protective sister. With the odd sibling dynamic they had, Iryana felt that sometimes her little sister was the more mature of the two. Edryeas seemed so confident and assured in life, an opposite to her own.
The Geminite took a sharp turn to an alleyway, cast a brief sweep around before she settled herself. Iryana hid inside one of the abandoned portable lavatory, the unpleasant smell studiously ignored as she withdrawn her costume out of the bag. The Geminite was rather proud of her work. Though it was made of cheap silk, her tailoring skill made it appeared presentable and professional. A full bodysuit, slightly thicker than the usual form-fitting outfit some mantlebearers fond of, with a black and red cape clipped to her shoulder pads. Her mask was something much simpler, yet harder to make. It ensured most her face remained hidden yet her mouth exposed—a way to keep her expression visible. Her eyes both covered behind a thin piece of plexplane. The gold-tinted, transparent material was a bit of a hassle to work with but she'd managed.
It didn't take long for the Geminite to slip into her costume, one she had designed and perfected for two months, one that she had kept since her first debut. Her cape billowed dramatically as she shot herself off the ground at a blinding speed, racing upward till she reached far enough. The cold air rushed to her body, clung to her face as it fluttered her cape. The city from above was a sight to behold, a cluster of tiny silvered spires complemented with a congregation of automobiles scattered across the blackstone roads. A flock of chamrosh birds lazily hovered above, migrating from the south to north.
Iryana exhaled slowly and locked her eyes at the center of the city, located quite a distance away. There was a massive structure, enclosed in an even larger dome, a towering spire that stood out like a grey needle amidst silvery toothpicks. The aptly, yet unimaginatively named Central Dome, the central base of the Warden Force and the Aegis Agency in Melbarrow. Its inception dated seventy cycles ago, with continual modification to its design every ten cycles ever since the District 6 incident.
The Geminite cast a careful glance down below before she steadily descended, keeping her posture straight, ears perked and her tail slightly raised. There were many eyes upon her now, in awe and surprise. Iryana bit back her anxiety with a perfectly replicated confident smile, one that inspired a sense of astonishment to those nearby. It would be a lie to say that she disliked her Stalwart persona, one that was considerably different to her civilian lifestyle.
Every step she took felt bouncy, her black and red costume was a prominent presence, a dazzling beacon amidst a cluster of motes. Iryana quickly reeled back such thought, reprimanded herself again for that. It was a difficult endeavor to remind herself that she, like them all, was a Geminite. Not a goddess amongst mortals. Especially not after yesterday.
The Central Dome was segregated from the rest of the city with a sizable moat encircled around itself, where the only viable mode of transportation was through water and air. Iryana held herself from directly flying straight towards the Dome, a mistake she'd promise to never repeat. That event was a quick discovery of her immense durability against lascannons. The memory sent about internal amusement out of her, it took her a week worth of work to mend her costume.
Iryana perked as she saw one of the Agency's watercraft approached with a speed incompatible to its massive size. The vessel stretched at a hundred medem long, sixty medem wide and thirty medem tall. It had a sleek, arched front with a rounded surface at the top, stretched from the front to the back. Her gaze fell down to its side, the bog-standard insignia of a circular shield with two sprawled wings stretched at the side, the symbol of Aegis.
The watercraft parked to the side of their reinforced pier where Iryana was later greeted with a suited man flanked by two guards. The Geminite before the hero was a centimedem shorter than her, neatly trimmed blue hair and a pair of onyx eyes. "Miss Stalwart," he started, a smile etched his face.
Iryana steadied herself with a practice nod and forced a relaxed stance. "I was told that I was summoned here. I presumed this to be a discussion of yesterday's event?"
The amethyst-skinned Geminite politely nodded, both ears flipped backwards. "I'll be your guide, the meeting won't be till an hour. You'll have plenty of time to wait and relax, the watercraft provides you with the highest quality of service we have."
"This is just a fifteen minutes ride right?" Iryana murmured uncertainly.
"The meeting place will be held at Hall Six on Floor Two, there's already a sizable gathering at the Base Floor," the man continued, ignoring her comment. He took a step aside and motioned the hero, "come inside please."
Iryana hummed a reply before she slowly levitated herself unto the watercraft, eyes tracing the polished mistwood flooring. She tentatively set her foot down, the invisible force that held her slowly diminished away. She caught the slight twitch from the man, not awfully obvious, but it was there. The uncertainty and surreality most Baselines felt when faced with a mantlebearer up close. She knew that feeling well, witnessing the miracle that was their Gift, able to perform the impossible only thought to be of myths by their ancestors.
The ship set sail, the semi-organic bubble engine thrummed with a set tempo, grinding away at work as the propeller churned underwater. The young hero didn't share much fascination with modern technology with her sister, but she at least could appreciate the intricacy of cutting edge machine. Like most technology of Geminite design, the watercraft was built from a thick layer of urion composite, a rather common crystalline formation often found deep underground as the base material to most of their constructs.
Since metals were a rare mineral in Ordos, most of their technology was built from composite material and crystalline substances made to reinforce the organic nature of their machines. Iryana recalled that some scientists theorized that copper could possibly be used as a medium to carry current if not for the existence of cultivated circuit-built algae which became the foundation of most of their electronics. The Geminite wondered what it looked like, for a civilization with an abundance of metal ripe for harvest, the ability to build advanced machinery without relying on cultured algae and bioengineered machine-parts.
The prospect of an automobile not powered by a bubble engine or propelled by biochemical reaction was an intriguing concept, and could perhaps be the solution to most of their device's short lifespan and terrible maintenance requirement. However, interesting as it might be, such notion of advanced engineering was beyond her and best left for those experts in the field.
Iryana's attention darted to the Dome that sat at the center of the large moat, if it could be called as such. To her, it seemed like the structure in question was built in the middle of a rather huge lake. The Geminite didn't bother to indulge herself with the luxuries provided for her. She was here, at the headquarter of the world's largest mantle organization.
The Dome itself, if she recalled, was a dense layer of electromagnetic protective field, using the principle of electrostatic repulsion. Created by no other than their resident Artificer, Sage. It was huge, a scale roughly that of half a city's district. The surface of the barrier shimmered, faint light refracted, forming an iridescent glow from a certain angle. It was otherworldly. Iryana let out a bout of excited and nervous giggle, her first impression of the Dome was hellfire and death when she first approached it a month back.
Now that she wasn't assaulted by a barrage of lascannon, Iryana could finally appreciate its architectural marvel.
———
The Dome's interior was just about what Iryana expected, a wide open area with several massive buildings scattered neatly, none of which matched the sheer height of one spire situated at the center of it all. The Needle Spire was the nexus of Warden Force's activity, where they established themselves to be at the axis of the city's webwork. An imposing structure that brought about a sense of astonishment to those who set their eyes upon it. Some had likened it to the Warden's grand palace.
Her tail lowered in reverence, ears furled forward in anticipation. Being here was enough of a distraction from yesterday's embarrassment. Her guide stood patiently at the side, showing comprehension to her reaction with a slight smirk to his lips.
"Should we move along, Miss Stalwart?" He voiced.
Iryana blinked and cast the man with a sheepish smile. "U- uh yeah, where's the Base Floor again?"
Their short stroll across the Central Dome was quiet, accompanied only by the ambiance of the place. Iryana let her gaze wandered in amazement at the fact that they managed to established a park here, along with a large tree in the middle of what she was sure to be affected by powers. Yintree didn't often grow to that size, nor did it bloomed at this time of the season.
There were other Geminite here, all clad in standard Aegis attire. With a few of them donning military outfit, armed with a lasrifle. She could also spot a few dazzling costumes, heroes most likely, heading to the same location as her. Iryana corrected her posture and presented herself to be as calm, collected and confident as she could be. She was here now, to be amongst the echelons of heroes, the champions of Ordos, the protector of innocents.
Two months ago, Iryana would be daunted by the task ahead of her. Well, the sentiment was still there, muted as it was, but there was also a greater sense of responsibility and the grandiose of it all. For the most part, the young hero was still clouded in a mountain of self-doubt, one she buried under pretense of bravado that carried her career for two months.
Iryana faintly noted the attention she garnered, where she could see from the corner of her eyes, some of the Aegis staff whispered amongst themselves and several heroes gave her a brief but appraisal glance. She was well aware of the reputation she carried, her achievements in a short period of time. Suffice to say, she was initially ecstatic at the acknowledgement of her abilities and the persona she'd built, but one she quickly learned to be difficult to maintain. It was a burden really, many regarded her status as the 'talented novice' of the mantle community, and the 'upstart neophyte' by the veterans of this profession.
She could count several accounts of disgruntled comments from a few vigilantes she encountered and a flurry of unflattering remarks from the villains she thwarted. Not that the latter of which bothered her much.
The Needle Spire, Iryana noted, had a distinct greyish exterior that displayed its weathered state. It was an old structure, constantly modified, reshaped and mended, yet its core foundation remained. She faintly recollected a passing statement that the Spire was built as a symbol of the Warden's 'piercing justice', whatever that meant. Layers of hardcrete stacked atop the other to form this towering edifice, the young hero wondered how they were able to continuously revamped the entire building every kilocycle. It was insanity just thinking about it.
"This is as far as I can take you, I'm afraid I have other tasks I have to attend to," her guide chimed politely.
Iryana gave him an affirmed nod before she sauntered forward and was met with the chilled air of the Spire's interior. The Geminite was unbothered by it, her durable skin could withstand a much harsher environment. Her eyes trailed the massive antechamber where a large gemstone chandelier hung high above the ceiling, the twinkling choir as the small crystal shards frictioned against cold air generated a series of mellifluous hum. Iryana quickly made her way to the front desk, where she settled upon a long black desk manned by three staff members.
"I'm here for–"
"Take the elevator to your right at Floor Two, the Meeting Hall would be further along until you reach the blue door," the receptionist spoke succinctly, leaving no room for Iryana to respond.
The mantlebearer paused for a moment before awkwardly uttered her thanks, which she then swiftly made her way to the aforementioned elevator.
———
"Okay, Grid. What the fuck is a medem?" Adrian expressed aloud, frustration crept to his voice. The man had spent hours studying the local network and had stumbled upon several hindrances to his progress. He'd hoped that the Grid's decent learning program could solve this predicament quickly, but it seemed he had been spoiled with his time spent in human-affiliated space.
"There suggests a set of literary structure that indicates it to be a form of local measurement unit. From my estimated extrapolation of provided data, it seems that a single medem is equivalent to ninety-eight point five centimeters in length. The nature in which their language is structured suggests it shares a similar pattern to metric measurement units. Ergo, one kilomedem is equivalent to one thousand medem and one megamedem is equivalent to a million medem, so forth and so on."
"Okay..." Adrian breathed out, still irritated by it all. "Can you list down all the local equivalents of a metric system?"
"Affirmative, sir."
Adrian glazed the short list of data provided, irked by the lack of knowledge he possessed. It was fortunate that these living gemstones shared a standardized unit system, lest his remaining sanity had all but evaporated. Not only did he needed study their measurement unit, numerical system and mathematical concepts but also comprehend their time system, geography, dozens of different languages each with its own dialect, historical culture and the nuances of their social structure.
All that aside, Adrian had uncovered a whole new layer of revelation upon the nature of their technology. All of their constructs, for one reason or another, lacked the metallic substance that encompassed the majority of human engineering since the bronze age. Instead, in its place were complex carbon composite that served parallel functions one might find in human technology. They also incorporate large quantities of living organisms into their build, operating under a symbiotic function.
It was genuinely intriguing and far more fascinating than all the other tedious work needed be done. Adrian could spend days just learning about the details of this so-called 'bubble engine' seemingly prominent in most of their vehicular constructs.
Adrian sighed, his gaze darted back to the list of new information Grid had presented for him. The local understanding of physics and chemistry had been comprehensive thus far, but he had only a sample of their work so it was something to be judged at a later date. However, he found there to be a surprisingly lack of space-based technology save for the few orbital satellites deployed. That was something to be reviewed in the near future, maybe overmorrow if he's lucky.
"Shit, this is going to be a long day." Murmured Adrian before he stretched his aching bone and returned to his studies. "Grid, could you play me a song? Anything to hype me up is fine."
"Would 'The Only Thing They Fear Is You' by Mick Gordon suffice?"
"Okay maybe not that," Adrian winced. "Something less... intense is fine."
———
"What the fuck?" Adrian exclaimed aloud, his intensified headache came at a full swing, bringing along a sledgehammer to truly nail the migraine deep into his cranium. It had been two hours since his first research and what he found only brought about a wave of confusion, frustration and incredulity.
The human stood, unmoving for a moment as he reread everything Grid had given, disbelief still colored his face. It was a long agonizing moment of comprehension before the man settled himself back to his seat, fingers pinched upon the bridge of his nose. A harsh exhale expelled from his lungs, his eyes furrowed to a scowl.
"This can't be real," Adrian murmured.
"It matches the pattern provided by our study of their biology, Sir."
"Superpowers, really?" The human whined. "Shit, is that how that one flew?"
"The correct term for their species is Geminite, Sir."
"How the hell am I going to survive here, Grid? It only take one of them with some obscure power to fuck me over!"
The virtual intelligence did not answer, opting instead to a deafening silence. It was programmed after all, to study its user and act accordingly to the informed personality it gathered from its host.
"Fuck me," Adrian breathed out. From what little he could parse, the nature of these 'powers' ranged wildly and occured only to a small percentage of their population. Lesser than a percent, which meant nothing when they had a population of six billion. There were estimated to be three million superpowered beings across their globe each with vastly unique and deviating abilities.
The information indicated that the majority of them were minor threats and could be dealt with modern weaponry (assuming the data he gathered were in any way accurate, to say the least), but that still meant that a sizable number of these so-called 'mantlebearers' presented a major threat.
Adrian perused the list of popular 'mantles' worshiped by the locals, of what he initially presumed to be some religious figure. It came to a surprise then that he had uncovered a cobweb of an entire societal construct that were built upon the idolatry of these beings. It was an eerie parallel to the geek culture of his own species, especially those fond of comic book settings. The complexity of this situation was both daunting yet admittedly interesting.
His initial intent to learn of their geography, cultural borders and history immediately shifted away and focused wholly upon this 'mantle' concept. The idea of a species that relied upon the power of the minority to oversee the majority was... concerning to say the least, especially when these same beings wields the power to abuse. Of course, that was the notion of his judgemental cynical side who viewed this from the lense of mankind.
The nature in which this society was constructed was similar enough to human civilization of the early 21st century that it made this entire debacle less... pain-inducing. Conception of the mantlebearer stated to begin a 'centurum' ago, an odd temporal unit system to describe the passing of a 'hundred cycle'. The concept of a 'cycle' still eluded the human, but it was similar enough to the concept of 'year' that he considered it as such.
A decade after the establishment and public acknowledgement of these mantlebearer, the nature of heroism, and thus villainy, came into light, followed later by the formation of several agencies and organizations related to mantle-related activity. Oh, and there were sparse mentioning of something called the 'Harbingers', a subject needed research for the foreseeable future.
His biggest concern however, were a particular set of group known as the 'Custodians', a team of six of the most powerful mantlebearers in this world, at least according to the locals. They exist outside of the Warden Force's influence, that was to his understanding, a government-sponsored organization funded by something called an Aegis Agency.
The Custodians, even the scant intelligence he was provided paint a clear picture of the threats they presented. If Adrian wasn't stuck here deep in the ocean floor on a surreal planet, he would've associated them with the Justice League out of amusement. Yet, there was nothing amusing about this situation. His eyes slowly examined the holographic files in apprehension.
Bastion, Radiant, Faithfery, Tachyon, Firmament and Powerhouse. The only crew of the Custodians, with Powerhouse, Firmament and Bastion being the earliest members of the team. Their powers were all equally puzzling, terrifying and intriguing all the same.
Bastion was reported to possess an advanced form of tactile telekinesis that grants her invulnerability, immense physical prowess and complete control over her position in space-time, inadvertently granting the crystalline alien conceptual immovability. Apparently, there was no force in the universe that could push her if she anchored herself to an affixed point in space within a gravity well.
Next was Radiant, a powerful energy manipulator, dubbed by the natives as a radial dynakinetic. Adrian gaped when he read the detailed explanation of the alien's power. An entity with absolute mastery over the four fundamental forces of the universe, along with radiation and heat in a limited radius—a creature that could almost be considered omnipotent by the standard of modern science.
Then there was Faithfery, a great mystery in itself. Adrian was only given a brief sample of her appearance, and very little of her power save for it being 'unpredictable' in nature.
However, the next 'mantle', Tachyon, had a simple enough power. Superluminal speed, the ability to traverse at physics-defying motion that broke about the fundamental law of light. The local media assumed the alien's power to be some sort of limited chronokinesis, a theory Adrian frustratedly unable to find a comprehensive data to work with.
There was also Firmament, with the ability to generate spectral mist which could imitate the property of any matter in existence. Suffice to say, Adrian could easily see the sheer quantity in which such power could be utilized and how much danger it presented. If this so-called 'Firmament' wished to, he could unleash upon the world a truck's worth of anti-matter and witnessed an annihilation in which humanity was unable to replicate even with their supplies of antibaryonic missiles.
Finally, there was Powerhouse. The nature of his faculty was unknown even to the locals, but the alien displayed an array of different powers on his every appearance, seemingly ever growing as time passed. A concerning nature in itself, something to be studied closely for later.
Adrian felt the regret in him arose, the excitement he felt prior utterly diminished and vanquished. Replaced only by the apprehension of his future. He needed to act quick and learn more of them before they could learn more of him. He needed to scour every drop of intelligence, their powers, weakness and other strange oddities. Adrian's reluctance over tedious research was overshadowed by his fear of the unknown. The man shifted his gaze back at the hologram with a shudder to his spine.
The universe was a big place, he wasn't surprised to find peculiarity stranded about this corner of the cosmos. However, he just hadn't anticipated for such anomaly to be this.... bizarre. Hopefully, he survived long enough to tell this tale to his people.
[Previous/Next]
2021.12.18 18:25 heliandin Writing of Fearless Timeline
DISCLAIMER: None is this is my opinion, unless stated otherwise. Some dates might be wrong, I was not in the fandom when Fearless was released, I joined shortly after Fearless Platinum dropped. If you saw the rollout of the release, I'd love to hear your story!
Early 2005: Taylor has a writing session with the Warren Brothers. They write That's When.
December 1, 2006: [Interview with CMT] Taylor talks about the Debut rejects that will later become some of the Fearless Vault Songs in 2021.
Early 2007: Taylor writes The Other Side Of The Door.
May 30, 2007: First performance of Sparks Fly in Oroville, CA.. Steve from the Inner Circle/Dark Blue Tennessee.com filmed it and posted it online.
Somewhere in June 2007 (not confirmed): [From the Inner Circle] “On the Bus Solo Acoustic- Fearless (K-Bull Utah). MQ / Fearless (KMPS Seattle). MQ / Fearless (98.5 Denver). MQ. Three solo acoustic versions of Fearless played by Taylor in different cities during the middle of her first album tour. Radio contest winners were treated to these special performances on Taylor's tour bus. Some sites have mislabeled these live performances as demos of the song.”
July 2007: Taylor has written more or less 75 songs, including Fearless.
August/September 2007 (not confirmed): Tell Me Why and Acting Like A Boy, both co-written with Liz Rose, are registered together in her Music Publishing catalogue (Sony/ATV). Acting Like A Boy is the 66th song and Tell Me Why the 67th. Shortly after, a song called Too Beautiful, solo written, is copyrighted.
November 7, 2007: After months of putting it off, Taylor finishes Change after winning the CMA Horizon award. This will be the last time in which her fiddler Emily Poe would perfom with Taylor.
December 13, 2007: Taylor turns 18. Footage from her birthday party will be later turned in the Beautiful Eyes music video.
December 27, 2007: The Mirror tracklisting is released:
March 28, 2008: [Rollling Stone Interview] “I’ve recorded six songs, including one that I wrote with Colbie Caillat, that she’s going to throw some harmonies on, which I can’t even wait to hear. And I’m going in to record six more this week and then we have another session scheduled for summertime. We’re really trying to just cut a bunch of stuff and put whatever is best on the album.”
Early June 2008: Taylor records Crazier and White Horse.
July 15, 2008: Beautiful Eyes is released.
July 29, 2008: First live perfomance of Untouchable from the Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008 is the album which was released without Taylor's approval in April 2020. Before the "official" Big Machine release, these songs were on the Target YouTube channel. YouTube channel EAS Music Official waited until Taylor regained possessions of Fearless before uploading a 4K remastered version of Love Story from this live. Both videos are ethical-sourced.
August 5 and 6, 2008: Shooting of the Love Story music video at the Cumberland University and Castle Gwynn in Arrington, Tennessee.
August 8, 2008: Change is released.
August 15, 2008: Week of the Jonas Brothers 3D Movie shooting where Taylor performs Should've Said No; Should've Said No reaches No. 1; Fearless is announced for November.
August 30, 2008: [From MySpace] “So now is the time for planning. In 73 days, November 11th will be here and so will the release date of my new album. And so right now I’m in the middle of writing my ‘thank you’ section and thinking about track listing order (wondering “What song should go first..? Or last? How do you get the perfect flow of an album? What IS the "flow” of an album? Hmmm..“). And I’m also thinking about the secret codes to put into the lyrics. [...] This next record is on my mind 24/7, all the time. It never stops. I’m always either listening to a new mix of a song or scanning through pictures to make sure we’ve chosen the right ones, or wondering which songs you guys are going to like the best. I’m just so obsessed with it right now, all the planning. And sometimes I just have to sit back and remind myself that 73 days is not going to be here any sooner if I obsess. It’s still going to be 73 days away.”
Somewhere between July and August 2008: Taylor writes Jump Then Fall and Today Was A Fairytale.
Somewhere in 2008: Taylor and Liz Rose write You Belong With Me.
September 22, 2008: While in the studio, Taylor writes and records Forever & Always, a last addiction to Fearless.
September 30, 2008: [From MySpace] “So this week, we’re in “final approval mode” for the album. You know, all the emails that say in the subject lines “Fearless album booklet: FINAL APPROVAL” or “CD design: FINAL APPROVAL”. So I’m doing a lot of approving. And then they send it to the magical CD maker people and they make all the CDs just in time for November 11. Actually, it’s called the distribution branch, but I prefer “the magical CD maker people”.”
Somewhere during the last two weeks of September 2008: Drama Queen, co-written with Martin Johnson is written and recorded. It will be mastered along with the rest of the Fearless songs and another re-recording of R-E-V-E-N-G-E (not the one leaked). Since the song was mastered, it's considered an outtake and not a demo.
March 19, 2009 (not confirmed): [From MySpace] “I've been in the studio all day (I know, I know.. We JUST put out a new album. I think I have a problem, I cannot stop writing songs.)”. The song is possibly Mr. Perfectly Fine.
Other Sources used:
U.S. Copyright Office;
Mastering Archive Website;
Sony/ATV Catalogue;
Fearlyssa/Rare TS Songs Website;
Alexa Skills from Fearless TV (audio courtesy of u/emmafan3070, transcripts by me);
Big Machine Interviews Archive;
Taylor's Concert History;
TS MySpace Archive on Tumblr
Last but certainly not least, the king of Taylor's timeline: Robert Ellis Orrall.
submitted by heliandin to TaylorSwift [link] [comments]
Early 2005: Taylor has a writing session with the Warren Brothers. They write That's When.
- [BMI Article from May 2005] “She has written songs with a list of renowned writers including Troy Verges, Brett Beavers, and the Warren Brothers.”
- [Alexa Skill for Taylor's Version] “That's When is a song that I wrote with the Warren Brothers and it was really fun writing with them because they're just hilarious people in general and I remember it was a classic Nashville songwriting session: you sit around a room, you go to a publishing office, you sit around in a room, everybody's got guitars and we just kind of came up with this song about space and independence and what happens when two people love each other but one of them just needs to take a breather and think about it and what would happen if rather than saying "No, if you're not sure, then leave and I don't want to talk to you ever again", what would happen if the partner was like "Do what you need to do, I'm here and I'm sure that I want to be with you, so if you need to take some space then do it", and we're just kind of playing around with that idea and we came up with this song.”
- It's also possible that That's When was written later (but before September 2005) and they wrote Long Time Going and Welcome Distraction first.
- [Taylor to Amazon Music] “The song You All Over Me is one that I wrote with a writer who goes by the name Scooter Carusoe, his name is Travis Hill. This was one of the songs that I remember us painstakingly going over the lyrics and trying to come up with all these different symbolic imagery references to how it could feel after you have your heart broken, just to feel like you've been ruined by the whole thing and I think that's one of the hardest things about heartbreak, this feeling like it's damaged you and now you carry that damage with you.” The original 2005 recording of You All Over Me leaked in 2017.
- [Taylor to Amazon Music] “Don't You is a song that I wrote with Tommy Lee James, who's a fantastic writer. We wrote it about the idea of seeing someone that you used to have a thing for and seeing them out in public for the first time after you've heard that they've moved on and that you know your life is your life is kind of in shambles and they have moved on and they're really happy and it's almost like even them being nice to you hurts you because you're in such a state of pain and you haven't moved on yet, so that was a really fun song to write because that's just a well spring of emotion to draw from.”
- [Tommy Lee James] “The crazy thing about this song is that I remember writing with Taylor that day, and I remember her just being really sharp and smart. I knew I was writing a good song. And then normally, back then I’d probably just do like a worktape or whatever, and I would throw it into my Garage Band on my computer just to save it and label it. But for some reason, I never labeled it correctly. And then, all of a sudden, Taylor comes out with ‘Tim McGraw’, and all of a sudden she’s a star. My publisher at the time, she’s going, ‘Where is that song you wrote with Taylor!?’ And I was like…'I cannot find it.'”
- There are three demos of Don't You. Taylor only sings in a piano worktape, while other people sing on the other two. The IC owns these three demos since 2019. They bought them from Music Row. They described the worktape as: “A melancholic piano demo with haunting vocals, that have a sadness and longing to them, this was likely recorded in 2005, and was probably considered for the first album. Taylor runs into her ex and feels pain, because it brings back so many hard feelings and sad emotions, she feels that she still loves him and wonders why he doesn’t feel the same way, she will try her best to go along to go on with her life.”
- One thing that I want to point out is that Majorly Indie was Arturo Buenahora's website. Buenahora is the executive who signed Taylor to music publisher Sony/ATV and introduced her to many songwriters, including Scooter Carusoe and Deric Ruttan. Buenahora left Sony/ATV and founded his own publishing house called Ole Majorly Indie, which then changed its name to Anthem Entertainment. This is Liz Rose's music publisher.
- There are two demos each for Sweet Tea & God's Graces and We Were Happy, all four of them have leaked.
- Come In With the Rain (acoustic) (4 min 03 sec / Acoustic)- Simply Taylor and her acoustic guitar in this early demo recording. Passionate guitar playing during the breaks between vocal parts when Taylor stops singing.
December 1, 2006: [Interview with CMT] Taylor talks about the Debut rejects that will later become some of the Fearless Vault Songs in 2021.
- “I've been very selfish about my songs. I had this dream of this project [Debut Album] coming out for so many years now that I just stockpiled. I'm so happy that I did because now we have a second album full of songs and a third album full of songs, and I don't have to lift a finger.”
- White Horse (3 min 36 sec / Studio) - A perfect acoustic studio version. Taylor sounds so young here, it makes us think this song was written prior to the first album. Lots of fake versions are in circulation.
Early 2007: Taylor writes The Other Side Of The Door.
- Description of The Other Side of the Door Studio Demo from the Inner Circle (in circulation but not leaked), which I think it's pretty accurate: “4 minutes and 01 seconds: Starts with a catchy drum loop similar to the studio version of "Permanent Marker" and has less instrumentation. Very country with electric guitars coming in sooner.” She sounds SO young in the demo, it's basically the same baby voice she has in the Christmas songs.
- [Interview from October 2008] “I wrote it about maybe a year and half ago about this guy that kept apologizing and kept doing the same thing over and over again and after a while you just have stand up to that person and say, ‘You’re not sorry. At all... bye.’”
- “I wrote a few more songs [other than Should've Said No] on this upcoming record about him just because, you know, I wasn’t done being mad about it. I know he's on the edge of his seat waiting.
- “It is about this guy who turned out to not be who I thought I was. He came across as Prince Charming. Well, it turned out Prince Charming had a lot of secrets that he didn’t tell me about. And one by one, I would figure them out. I would find out who he really was. I wrote this when I was at the breaking point of, ‘You know what? Don’t even think that you can keep on hurting me.’ It was to a point where I had to walk away.”
May 30, 2007: First performance of Sparks Fly in Oroville, CA.. Steve from the Inner Circle/Dark Blue Tennessee.com filmed it and posted it online.
Somewhere in June 2007 (not confirmed): [From the Inner Circle] “On the Bus Solo Acoustic- Fearless (K-Bull Utah). MQ / Fearless (KMPS Seattle). MQ / Fearless (98.5 Denver). MQ. Three solo acoustic versions of Fearless played by Taylor in different cities during the middle of her first album tour. Radio contest winners were treated to these special performances on Taylor's tour bus. Some sites have mislabeled these live performances as demos of the song.”
- I was not able to find the months in which Taylor performed it but she was in Colorado on March 3rd and June 22nd, in Washington on March 22nd, and in Utah on June 21st. Not sure when it was though.
- According to its copyright file, Christmases When You Were Mine was written in 2007, but it's totally possible that it was written around Christmas '06. In my opinion, since Nathan Chapman is credited as writer, it was likely written in the studio just for the EP.
- Christmas Must Be Something More was written in 2003. The Acoustic Demo from 2003 has never leaked and its existence only surfaced in 2018 thanks to Bob Orrall.
July 2007: Taylor has written more or less 75 songs, including Fearless.
- [Unrated Magazine Interview] “I've got, like, 75 written, and we just have to whittle it down to whatever number of songs we want to put on the album, and start recording. I wrote this song that I'm really excited about called "Fearless." It's about the best first date that I haven't been on yet. I just try and put myself in the position of "this is really happening,' and what would happen on the coolest first date. So I haven't ever written a song about, you know, that feeling before. I've written songs, but I haven't recorded them or put them on an album, and so I think that would be a cool.”
- “She conceived the song while touring as opening act to promote her eponymous debut album: "This is a song about the fearlessness of falling in love. No matter how many break up songs you write, no matter how many times you get hurt, you will always fall in love again. When I wrote “Fearless,” I wasn’t dating anyone. I wasn’t even in the beginning stages of dating anybody. I really was all by myself out on tour and I got this idea for a song about the best first date. I think sometimes when you’re writing love songs, you don’t write them about what you’re going through at the moment, you write about what you wish you had. So, this song is about the best first date I haven't had yet.”
- [Hillary Lindsay to MusicRow.com] “I had a writing date with Taylor, and she came to my home. She came in like a fireball. She was young, but she knew exactly what she wanted. She had been working on the song with Liz, but wanted to finish it with me.”
- “I wrote this song on the road and didn’t tell my mom about it. I decided that I was going to keep it a secret and give it to her as a surprise for Christmas. I wrote it in the summer and then recorded it secretly with the band in the studio. After it was done, I synched the song up to all these home videos of her, and my family. She didn’t even realize it was me singing until halfway through the song! She didn’t have any idea that I could possibly write and record a song without her knowing about it. When she finally got it, she just started bawling her eyes out.”
August/September 2007 (not confirmed): Tell Me Why and Acting Like A Boy, both co-written with Liz Rose, are registered together in her Music Publishing catalogue (Sony/ATV). Acting Like A Boy is the 66th song and Tell Me Why the 67th. Shortly after, a song called Too Beautiful, solo written, is copyrighted.
- The singer told The Associated Press that this was inspired by her frustration at a boy that she liked acting up. She explained: "I walked into Liz's house, and I said, 'I can't believe what's going on right now, I've gotta tell you about this.' I told her all about it. She goes, 'If you could say everything you were thinking to him right now, what would you start with?'" Swift began venting: "I would say to him, 'I'm sick and tired of your attitude, I feel like I don't even know you' ... and I just started rambling, and she was writing down everything that I was saying, and so, we turned it into a song."
- “I’d been talking to a guy I’ve never “officially” dated. Sometimes it’s the hardest thing when you have all these dreams of dating them, and you’re getting close, but it doesn’t work out. He would say things that would make me go, “Did you just say that?” It bothered me so much because he would say one thing and do another, do one thing and say another. Because he didn’t know what he wanted, he would just play all these mind games. So I went over to write with Liz and was just ranting and raving about how this guy is such a flake and such a jerk sometimes, and so cool other times. I was like, “Liz, I don’t know what’s up with this guy!” So I just started playing the beginning, “I took a chance, I took a shot. And you might think I’m bulletproof, but I’m not.””
- Description of the Tell Me Why Acoustic Demo: 3 minutes and 7 seconds long. An extremely rare worktape demo from the Fearless album sessions. With studio production stripped away, we are left with Taylor singing along to an acoustic guitar using vocals that are softer and carry more emotional weight. The lyrics are different in some places, which makes for fascinating comparisons.
- Description of Acting Like A Boy (worktape): Taylor starts this demo in a unique way by stating the song title. The boy Taylor has been dating has been sending her mixed signals. He has been playing a little game, acting like he doesn't care, and picking fights with her. Taylor is not going to put up with this forever. She is going to slip through his hands soon and he won't find her anymore. This song has a very pretty chorus melody.
- “I wrote this around the story line of my best friend from high school, Abigail. I started everything with the line “Abigail gave everything she had to a boy who changed his mind” and wrote everything else from that point, almost backwards. I just decided I really wanted to tell that story about our first year of high school because I felt in my freshman year, I grew up more than any year in my life so far.”
November 7, 2007: After months of putting it off, Taylor finishes Change after winning the CMA Horizon award. This will be the last time in which her fiddler Emily Poe would perfom with Taylor.
- “That’s when I finished it, because I knew I couldn’t finish it until something like that happened. It was absolutely the most amazing night of my life, getting to see the emotion of all the people who worked so hard for me.”
- “At one point, I began to understand that it would be harder for me on a smaller record label to get to the places and accomplish the things that artists were accomplishing on bigger record labels. I realized that I wouldn’t get favors pulled for me because there weren’t any other artists on the label to pull favors from. It was going to be an uphill climb and all that I had to encourage me was the hope that someday things would change. That things would be different. After so many times of just saying that to myself over and over, I finally wrote it down in a song.”
- “She was doing a show in Nashville and I just happened to be in town, so we got together and wrote a killer song. It’s really cool, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. She’s gonna record back up vocals on it for my new album. (They’ll be really loud back up vocals, because she has an incredibly awesome voice and I want it to be turned wayyyy up).”
- [Alexa Skill for Taylor's Version] “Breathe is a song about having to let go of someone in your life who you care about and you don't want to hurt but you've outgrown the friendship or the relationship and I wrote this one I wrote the idea for it and Colbie Caillat was in town playing a show and I brought her this idea and she really liked it and we wrote it together, we sat there and wrote the song right before her show, I mean it was the afternoon she was about to play that night. She's singing backup vocals on it that are just so haunting and I'm so lucky because she agreed to do the same backup vocals on my version of Breathe, so it absolutely would not have been the same without her.”
- “It’s a song about having to say goodbye to somebody, but it never blames anybody. Sometimes that’s the most difficult part. When it’s nobody’s fault. I was a huge fan of Colbie’s record. When it came out, I fell in love with the way that she makes music. I contacted her management right away and I asked if I could write with her and, sure enough, Colbie had a date coming up in Nashville where she was going to be playing a show and she had the day off. I think she sounds beautiful on it. I’m so excited to have her voice on my album.”
- “When Taylor sat down in December 2007 to start planning her sophomore album, she knew she had a tough act to follow — her self-titled debut had just been certified double platinum. “Pressure is one of my favorite things in the world,” Taylor told the Tennessean. “When I heard before my second album, ‘Is she going to experience a sophomore slump?’ it made me more motivated to make sure that didn’t happen. ‘Is she going to keep this fan base?’ ‘Is this thing going to run off the tracks?’ Those things motivate me. My gut instinct has worked so far, and I’m not going to mess with that.””
December 13, 2007: Taylor turns 18. Footage from her birthday party will be later turned in the Beautiful Eyes music video.
- [From MySpace] “I had an amazing time at my party. I wore a hot pink dress. Pictures soon! The party was a blast.. My favorite thing about it was this photo booth. All of us were taking pictures in there the whole night. We had tarot card readers and palm readers and all kinds of fun stuff to do. I’ve never really had a big birthday party before, so it was amazing to get that chance! My record label surprised me with this HUGE pink truck!! They’re so sweet to me, and I’ve always wanted a truck.”
- Around this time, an alternate version of Christmases When You Were Mine is released thorough Entertainment Weekly.
December 27, 2007: The Mirror tracklisting is released:
- Permanent Marker
- Tell Me Why
- I'd Lie
- Fearless
- Dark Blue Tennessee
- Sparks Fly
- The One Thing.
- “Bye Bye Baby [previously known as The One Thing] is a song that I wrote with Liz Rose and it was just one of those ones that it would always get stuck in my head, just the idea that you're facing disappointment when it comes to somebody that you really cared about, and kind of that grand letdown that happens when you're growing up and you're learning to trust people and trying to learn about love and everything and kind of realizing that you have to let go.”
- “I got this idea for a song about being in a relationship with a nice guy who is punctual and opens up the door for you and brings you flowers... but you feel nothing. The whole time you’re with him, you’re thinking about the guy who was complicated and messy and frustrating. So I brought that idea, the title and where I thought the song should go to John. He was able to relate to it because he is that complicated, frustrating messy guy in his relationships. We came at the song from different angles. It was just so cool to get in a room and write with him because he really is an incredible writer.”
- John Rich is a Republican and spoke against Taylor in 2018 after Marsha Blackburn won, so this is probably all we'll ever know about their writing session.
- [Description of the song from the Inner Circle] The singer reflects back on how there can be really bad days and nights where it seems like everything goes wrong. But things can change for the better in a single moment when we meet the perfect person. The story in this song culminates in a romantic proposal and wedding. This song is unique because Taylor only sings background vocals and the story is told from the boy's perspective.
- Video of Taylor and Matt explaining how she contacted him.
- “We were recording at John and Martina McBride’s studio [NdR: Blackbird Studios in Nashville] and he was like, ‘My kids are dying to meet you. Do you think that you could say hi to them?’ I said, ‘Sure, have them come and hang out while we’re recording.’ So his daughters and their friends from school – there were about ten of them there – they all came into the studio when we were recording “Hey Stephen” and they loved it. They were singing along with it by the end of it." The children ended up snapping their fingers on the song.”
- [From Everyday is a Fairytale by Liv Spencer] “Taylor wrote this song lying on her bedroom floor in a mere 20 minutes and recorded a rough cut of the track in 15 minutes of studio time the next day.”
- [Nathan Chapman to ProAudio] “The vocal was a tracking vocal — that's the vocal she cut live with the band," Chapman reveals. "The band was just acoustic guitar, bass and drums; everything else was overdubbed.”
- Nathan is likely talking about these two demos: Love Story (4 min 8 sec / Acoustic in a Studio) Taylor went into the studio to record this demo shortly after writing it and you can hear Nathan (the producer) speaking during the recording; Love Story Justin Niebank Master Mix (3 min 58 sec / Studio) - As the music starts playing, Taylor clears her throat in preparation for singing. This album demo is more like a raw unmixed studio version. Sometimes Taylor's vocal is simply one take with no enhancements. At other times, harmonies are mixed in loudly or there are multiple Taylor vocals all singing together.
- [Taylor on Rolling Stone, January 25, 2010] “Love Story wasn’t technically the last one, but it was very, very last minute.”
- “This is a song I wrote when I was dating a guy who wasn't exactly the popular choice. His situation was a little complicated, but I didn't care. I started this song with the line "This love is difficult, but it's real." When I wrote the ending to this song, I felt like it was the ending every girl wants to go with her love story. It’s the ending that I want. You want a guy who doesn’t care what anyone thinks, what anyone says. He just says, “Marry me, Juliet, I love you, and that’s all I really know.” It’s sort of told in a character kind of thing, where it’s Romeo and Juliet, and it’s not me saying that I’m getting married or anything...but I think it’s fun to write about it.”
March 28, 2008: [Rollling Stone Interview] “I’ve recorded six songs, including one that I wrote with Colbie Caillat, that she’s going to throw some harmonies on, which I can’t even wait to hear. And I’m going in to record six more this week and then we have another session scheduled for summertime. We’re really trying to just cut a bunch of stuff and put whatever is best on the album.”
Early June 2008: Taylor records Crazier and White Horse.
- “I actually wasn’t going to put this song on the album. I was going to wait for the third album because I really felt like we had the “sadness” represented on this record. Then my agency out in LA set up a meeting with executive producers Betsy Beers and Shonda Rhimes at Grey’s Anatomy because that’s my favorite show. It would just be a dream come true to have a song on it. So, I played them “White Horse.” It was just me and my guitar and they freaked out. They loved it. They said, “We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.” For a while, we didn’t know if we were going to put it on the record because if it wasn’t going to be on the show, then we weren’t going to put it on the album. Then they called and said they were very interested in the song. We recorded it right away, sent it off to them, and they put it in!”
- “To me, White Horse is about what, in my opinion, is the most heartbreaking part of a break-up – that moment when you realize that all the dreams you had, all those visions you had of being with this person, all that disappears. Everything after that moment is moving on.. But that initial moment of "Wow, it's over" is what I wrote White Horse about.”
- [Billboard Interview, March 2008] There are songs that I wrote when I was 13 that I think are perfect to bring out now. I didn’t get a chance to put ’em on the record the first time around. There’s so much stuff that I’m gonna pull from the back drawer and then there’s some stuff that I will write today and cut tomorrow.
- I'm pretty confident that the songs written at 13 which she considered to release were Crazier and R-E-V-E-N-G-E.
- I'm not entirely sure it was June, but Crazier, White Horse and Beautiful Eyes were mastered together, so I'm gonna assume it was a period between her cameo in Hannah Montana and the release of the Beautiful Eyes EP. Grey's Anatomy was in post-production in that period, so that checks out.
July 15, 2008: Beautiful Eyes is released.
- [From MySpace] “I’m only letting my record company make a small amount of these - the last thing I want any of you to think is that we are putting out too many releases. I’m not going to be doing a bunch of promotion for it, because I don’t want there to be confusion about whether it’s the second album or not.”
- Beautiful Eyes was written by April 20, 2004 and recorded on August 9, 2004 and it was produced by Orrall. The song released is actually the exact same demo, not even remixed, just mastered. [Source: Bob Orrall's Instagram]
- I Heart? was written in early 2004 and the demo recorded in June 2004. The released version, available for download if you bought her Debut album the first week at Best Buy, was recorded on November 3, 2005 (instrumentals) and on November 4, 2005 (vocals). Both versions are produced by Bob Orrall.
July 29, 2008: First live perfomance of Untouchable from the Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008 is the album which was released without Taylor's approval in April 2020. Before the "official" Big Machine release, these songs were on the Target YouTube channel. YouTube channel EAS Music Official waited until Taylor regained possessions of Fearless before uploading a 4K remastered version of Love Story from this live. Both videos are ethical-sourced.
August 5 and 6, 2008: Shooting of the Love Story music video at the Cumberland University and Castle Gwynn in Arrington, Tennessee.
August 8, 2008: Change is released.
August 15, 2008: Week of the Jonas Brothers 3D Movie shooting where Taylor performs Should've Said No; Should've Said No reaches No. 1; Fearless is announced for November.
August 30, 2008: [From MySpace] “So now is the time for planning. In 73 days, November 11th will be here and so will the release date of my new album. And so right now I’m in the middle of writing my ‘thank you’ section and thinking about track listing order (wondering “What song should go first..? Or last? How do you get the perfect flow of an album? What IS the "flow” of an album? Hmmm..“). And I’m also thinking about the secret codes to put into the lyrics. [...] This next record is on my mind 24/7, all the time. It never stops. I’m always either listening to a new mix of a song or scanning through pictures to make sure we’ve chosen the right ones, or wondering which songs you guys are going to like the best. I’m just so obsessed with it right now, all the planning. And sometimes I just have to sit back and remind myself that 73 days is not going to be here any sooner if I obsess. It’s still going to be 73 days away.”
Somewhere between July and August 2008: Taylor writes Jump Then Fall and Today Was A Fairytale.
Somewhere in 2008: Taylor and Liz Rose write You Belong With Me.
- “I came into the writing session with Liz Rose and said: “I’ve got this idea. I had overheard a friend of mine talking to his girlfriend and he was completely on the defensive saying, “No, baby...I had to get off the phone really quickly...I tried to call you right back...Of course I love you. More than anything! Baby, I’m so sorry.” She was just yelling at him! I felt so bad for him at that moment. So I came up with the first line “You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset, going off about something that you said,” and I ran that into the story line that I’m in love with him and he should be with me instead of her. It just became this whole picture. It was really fun for us to write the line, “She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts.””
- You Belong With Me (3 min 7 sec / Acoustic)- Provides an incredible window into the songwriting process which went into this future hit song. Taylor clears her voice and then unleashes her acoustic guitar as she sings along with great feeling. There are some unique lyrics on this demo including an entirely different bridge. Simply stunning.
- [From MySpace] “A lot of people have been asking me what inspired this song.. I think the line that sums up what that song is about is “This love is difficult, but it’s real.” It just means that sometimes you have to fight for love, but sometimes it’s worth fighting for. Like with Romeo and Juliet. Except without the death. :) To me, the song isn’t really about living in a castle and having met your true love at a royal ball. It’s simpler than that. It’s about love being worth it. The hard times, the things that keep you apart, the times when you question it.. I would really like to think that the right love is worth the energy we put into it. So that’s what this song is about. Love and Romeo, and how we fight for those things that we can’t be without. In 1789 or in 2008. Whether you’re 16 or 60.”
- Taylor will call the guy who inspired Love Story “a creep” in a 2011 interview.
September 22, 2008: While in the studio, Taylor writes and records Forever & Always, a last addiction to Fearless.
- [From MySpace] [...] And I recorded a new song the other day for Fearless. I think it’s fun to put yourself under crazy pressure to finish a song by a certain deadline. That’s what I did with this last song. And that makes 13 songs on the new album. 13….. I think that’s a good number of songs to end up with….<3
- “Forever & Always is about when I was in a relationship with someone and I was just watching him slowly slip away. I didn't know why, because I wasn't doing anything different. I didn't do anything wrong. He was just fading. It’s about the confusion and frustration of wondering why? What changed? When did it change? What did I do wrong? In this case, the guy I wrote it about ended up breaking up with me for another girl. Guess I know why he was fading.”
September 30, 2008: [From MySpace] “So this week, we’re in “final approval mode” for the album. You know, all the emails that say in the subject lines “Fearless album booklet: FINAL APPROVAL” or “CD design: FINAL APPROVAL”. So I’m doing a lot of approving. And then they send it to the magical CD maker people and they make all the CDs just in time for November 11. Actually, it’s called the distribution branch, but I prefer “the magical CD maker people”.”
Somewhere during the last two weeks of September 2008: Drama Queen, co-written with Martin Johnson is written and recorded. It will be mastered along with the rest of the Fearless songs and another re-recording of R-E-V-E-N-G-E (not the one leaked). Since the song was mastered, it's considered an outtake and not a demo.
- Fun fact: Along with I'd Lie, Drama Queen and R-E-V-E-N-G-E are the only three unreleased songs to have been mastered.
March 19, 2009 (not confirmed): [From MySpace] “I've been in the studio all day (I know, I know.. We JUST put out a new album. I think I have a problem, I cannot stop writing songs.)”. The song is possibly Mr. Perfectly Fine.
- [Alexa Skill for Taylor's Version] “Mr Perfectly Fine was definitely an early indicator of me sort of creeping towards a pop sensibility. I've always listened to every type of music and even though Fearless is a country album, there were always these pop melodies creeping in. But I really love this song and, I love the bridge, I think the lyrics are just wonderfully scathing and full of the teen angst that you would hope to hear on an album that I wrote when I was 17 or 18 or you know on that cusp.”
Other Sources used:
U.S. Copyright Office;
Mastering Archive Website;
Sony/ATV Catalogue;
Fearlyssa/Rare TS Songs Website;
Alexa Skills from Fearless TV (audio courtesy of u/emmafan3070, transcripts by me);
Big Machine Interviews Archive;
Taylor's Concert History;
TS MySpace Archive on Tumblr
Last but certainly not least, the king of Taylor's timeline: Robert Ellis Orrall.
2021.12.14 14:53 UltimateTraders 12/14/2021 Daily Plays, Be very careful as speculation pops, when will the rest of the market rotate? This speed now is quicker than ever, if you read my briefings I had foreshadowed this since start of October when I started with PUTS on BILL, SE, DASH, UPST, the MEME as we did know it is dead!
Good morning everyone. I am glad there were some of us that still made money yesterday in a very rough market. Be careful PTPI came out with an S1 that revealed the selling of 4 million shares, not a lot, but that can make a small difference. I completed 4 rounds yesterday and lately the past 3 weeks I have been doing something like this, in general. This is not up to me, this is up to market conditions.
Do not be down on yourself if you have not done well the past few months or if you entered the market after February, MEME heaven. Since September, the Nasdaq aside from top 10 companies is down nearly 30% off the highs…not the 5% we see here. Even the great Cathie Wood is down near 20%. Speculation is starting to burst.. What signs did I see?
I saw stocks with no sales, let alone earnings, obviously you can not make money with no sales hitting insane valuations. Stuff like DWAC, PHUN, MARK…they are great for trading in the mean time but bad for the overall market. GME/AMC was extremely bad because it was very misleading for many who came into the market and felt simply that if you love a stock enough it will go up forever. [that is the case as long as the company does not sell shares, and has execution to bring in fresh money to keep buying!!!!] When you hold a stock you are not a factor in the current stock price. So this diamond hands are clueless on how the stock market works. Diamond hands make it easier for a stock to move up/down because smaller amount of shares traded are needed to make it move….however if a company has 1 million shares and only 10 are traded the fate of the 999,990 shares are being judged/evaluated on the 10 traders…. So while you diamond hand AMC/GME the weak hands are selling/panic/margin call and the stock gets wiped out… Is it better to have a big company diamond handed your stock or your neighbor that cant pay for breakfast.. So when apes said they own the float, that is pretty much 1 of the dumbest things I have ever read in the stock market..I have traded forever.. Another dumb statement, I am glad insiders are selling, they have no balls….fresh print means cheaper shares for me… they are all dumb terms I have first seen on Reddit that shows me the inexperience of many of this retail. This does not just go for these 2 stocks, it can go for even a trillion dollar company like TSLA. Who also was the first MEME and rose from 80 January 2020 to now 5,000+ after a 5 for 1 split. This was not company execution, as I said I have traded forever trust me.. This is a magician tricking everyone… AMC/GME was retail being tricked, Musk has even money managers fooled…..This is not the first time money managers were fooled. I told you that Ackman had 4 billion in VRX which he lost! The company was worth 100 billion. I was not fooled, I blindly followed him into this trade… I did wonder how the company can be worth 100 billion, have debt near 40 billion [It is 32-33 billion now 6-7 years later] and not have the sales/earnings to support this market cap……..I was not fooled by the BBIG CEO who issued shares of HMNY to buy Moviepass. He printed shares into oblivion. I was speculating because it went from 10,000 members to 3 million in months…what I did wrong is I assumed an Ex NFLX founder Mitche Lowe the CEO of moviepass would know how to monetize the members and get the theater chains to buy in…..You did not know me then, but I said even 3-4 years ago that if AMC, Regal, Cinemark, do not team up for some of these ideas it can be their demise… Yes, I believe had I been the CEO of Moviepass I could have turned it around and everything to this day would be different!... Unfortunately I didn’t use social media as much back then and I didn’t try and reach out to CEOs, Investor relations since 2011.. yes, occasionally id tweet a CEO, but I wouldn’t go hard…
The record highs on Crypto and NFTs being purchased for millions are peak signs to me that speculation is yelling thru the roof. There probably will be at least 5-10 coins that work but not everyone… And if there is a world where people are spending 2-3 million on an NFT, or buying property in some crap metaverse for millions like Zuck thinks, we are in for a terrible society… No am I not afraid to say that that’s a dumb move, and I do not care that he is worth 100 billion.. For 50,000 id have flown anywhere in the world over a week to consult him on other ways to deflect the negative attention of FB that wont cost the company 10+ billion… if he did this stunt because he believes we are ready for Metaverse now.. he is pretty dumb…I do not care that he reads this, a lot of people assume that because the guy is a billionaire and made great moves that everything he does is on point. So the company makes money and buys a ton of things to be in everything… that I agree with, paying 21 billion for Whatsapp that had less than 50 workers, well I guess he wanted it bad, 1 billion for IG was great, now we see the 4 billion for Oculus…Now money will be spent on AVR and it definitely makes sense to be in this space.. I believe years from now people will spend money as the technology makes it easier but to revamp your trademark, change your name, stock symbol is pretty dumb and once again I do not care if he or any employee read this.. In fact I hope they do so he can pay me for some ideas… I have nothing against facebook and I had it when it crashed near IPO around 25! I did trade it up to I believe 50! I also say he is lucky that FOX bought Myspace for around 600 million and made the focus music while FB made it more social! That was dumb too! Myspace had a huge head start but once again, I am not running their companies… as I said weeks ago Etoys was king and AMZN was an online bookstore……..I do have something against Musk because he has lied repeatedly, gets away with it, all CEOs lie…well most, but he cost me over 75,000.
Why is speculation so bad? Why can’t we just trade and make money? Why does Nathan want to tell people what to do?
From Dot com bust in 2000 to 2019 the market was somewhat predictable. You would have oddities here and there but generally you know what to expect and how to make money. A company beat by a ton, stock would go up, company buys/insider buys up… company prints/sells down.. You can see charts and see where sentiment is, and just hop on when the tables are turning and sell when it is somewhat level.. In this market you can throw out whatever you used before.. It is very hard to predict what happens with these grenades…but 1 thing you must remember is that this is an auction. If money flows into speculation that means it flows out of real companies. ZIM, TUP, ZEUS, RADA, NLS, VOXX and it effects greatly the way people trade/value real companies when they want to buy RBLX, BILL, TWLO, CRWD instead. Money has to go somewhere and even though it keeps printing to help the record highs as you can see the bubble is starting to burst! I am not the trader that decides when, but I can tell you it will get a lot worse and when people do pivot real companies will move.. People will wonder how on earth PTON which loses money can be worth nearly 100x more than NLS…….
So what do I want? Why all this? My stocks should move, and I need other furus to wake up and see that. They are pumping grenades that are worthless their followers are losing a lot of money, they need to wake up and pivot. Many of us are down on HMPT, LDI, NLS and does that make sense to you? These companies trade at 2-5x what they make in profit… DKNG, RBLX is trading at 20-30-40-50-60x sales!! Forget profits, sales!!! I had a slow start to Twitter I started using it 2 months ago when Zack and crew were pumping CEI, DATS [Check where they are now] that is when I realized the power of Twitter.. Eventually I would like them and most to play real companies where no one gets caught holding the bag…… Why they don’t do it now? Because real companies wont go up 25-100% in da day… Pumpers don’t like that… only some will.. I keep talking AHPI because it has the catalysts to do so…
Memes as we saw it before may be dead!!! To many newbies that came in are now being burned.. It is unfortunate, but it was bound to happen and cant believe it lasted this long.. There are countless people losing thousands, life savings into a fictional belief that a stock should just go up, even if the company is losing money, selling shares, has a bleak future, tons of debt… and they are now facing reality. What does that mean? It means pumps wont work as long as they used to, hence people are selling into pumps early and you rarely get the SPRT, BBIG, ATER, IRNT anymore and probably will never see a GME, AMC ever again….. once again I have traded since my 14th birthday in the 90s and thought I have seen everything in my life until a bunch of apes combined together using social media to get these trash companies to insane heights…. Why trash? Normally I am not like that… I got about 5 messages from followers yesterday that lost tons of money in AMC/GME or both and are now asking me what to do……it gets me mad!
Hot money be very careful, this market is tough!
ALZN – Grenade
KPLT – Runner, insider bought 2.7 million shares at 3.74!! that is confidence!!
MIND – Grenade
NES – Grenade
OPAD – Runner…not sure why its up
STRN – Grenade, chatter
UVXY – Market Bear
XCUR – Grenade
YANG – China Bear
The contents of this post are for information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. ... By choosing to make a trade you are responsible for your own actions. Please do some due diligence. These are trades I am making and you can follow along. If you make a winning trade, I do not even expect a bravo or thanks but that’s fine, if you lose on a trade the same difference.. I do not even expect an upvote or reward… The Elite team is aware of the risks and volatility in the market.
Good luck everyone let’s make money. Share trades, ideas here during trading hours. Our main goal here is to make money so I hope we can help eachother. I will be in and out of here as well.
submitted by UltimateTraders to UltimateTraders [link] [comments]
Do not be down on yourself if you have not done well the past few months or if you entered the market after February, MEME heaven. Since September, the Nasdaq aside from top 10 companies is down nearly 30% off the highs…not the 5% we see here. Even the great Cathie Wood is down near 20%. Speculation is starting to burst.. What signs did I see?
I saw stocks with no sales, let alone earnings, obviously you can not make money with no sales hitting insane valuations. Stuff like DWAC, PHUN, MARK…they are great for trading in the mean time but bad for the overall market. GME/AMC was extremely bad because it was very misleading for many who came into the market and felt simply that if you love a stock enough it will go up forever. [that is the case as long as the company does not sell shares, and has execution to bring in fresh money to keep buying!!!!] When you hold a stock you are not a factor in the current stock price. So this diamond hands are clueless on how the stock market works. Diamond hands make it easier for a stock to move up/down because smaller amount of shares traded are needed to make it move….however if a company has 1 million shares and only 10 are traded the fate of the 999,990 shares are being judged/evaluated on the 10 traders…. So while you diamond hand AMC/GME the weak hands are selling/panic/margin call and the stock gets wiped out… Is it better to have a big company diamond handed your stock or your neighbor that cant pay for breakfast.. So when apes said they own the float, that is pretty much 1 of the dumbest things I have ever read in the stock market..I have traded forever.. Another dumb statement, I am glad insiders are selling, they have no balls….fresh print means cheaper shares for me… they are all dumb terms I have first seen on Reddit that shows me the inexperience of many of this retail. This does not just go for these 2 stocks, it can go for even a trillion dollar company like TSLA. Who also was the first MEME and rose from 80 January 2020 to now 5,000+ after a 5 for 1 split. This was not company execution, as I said I have traded forever trust me.. This is a magician tricking everyone… AMC/GME was retail being tricked, Musk has even money managers fooled…..This is not the first time money managers were fooled. I told you that Ackman had 4 billion in VRX which he lost! The company was worth 100 billion. I was not fooled, I blindly followed him into this trade… I did wonder how the company can be worth 100 billion, have debt near 40 billion [It is 32-33 billion now 6-7 years later] and not have the sales/earnings to support this market cap……..I was not fooled by the BBIG CEO who issued shares of HMNY to buy Moviepass. He printed shares into oblivion. I was speculating because it went from 10,000 members to 3 million in months…what I did wrong is I assumed an Ex NFLX founder Mitche Lowe the CEO of moviepass would know how to monetize the members and get the theater chains to buy in…..You did not know me then, but I said even 3-4 years ago that if AMC, Regal, Cinemark, do not team up for some of these ideas it can be their demise… Yes, I believe had I been the CEO of Moviepass I could have turned it around and everything to this day would be different!... Unfortunately I didn’t use social media as much back then and I didn’t try and reach out to CEOs, Investor relations since 2011.. yes, occasionally id tweet a CEO, but I wouldn’t go hard…
The record highs on Crypto and NFTs being purchased for millions are peak signs to me that speculation is yelling thru the roof. There probably will be at least 5-10 coins that work but not everyone… And if there is a world where people are spending 2-3 million on an NFT, or buying property in some crap metaverse for millions like Zuck thinks, we are in for a terrible society… No am I not afraid to say that that’s a dumb move, and I do not care that he is worth 100 billion.. For 50,000 id have flown anywhere in the world over a week to consult him on other ways to deflect the negative attention of FB that wont cost the company 10+ billion… if he did this stunt because he believes we are ready for Metaverse now.. he is pretty dumb…I do not care that he reads this, a lot of people assume that because the guy is a billionaire and made great moves that everything he does is on point. So the company makes money and buys a ton of things to be in everything… that I agree with, paying 21 billion for Whatsapp that had less than 50 workers, well I guess he wanted it bad, 1 billion for IG was great, now we see the 4 billion for Oculus…Now money will be spent on AVR and it definitely makes sense to be in this space.. I believe years from now people will spend money as the technology makes it easier but to revamp your trademark, change your name, stock symbol is pretty dumb and once again I do not care if he or any employee read this.. In fact I hope they do so he can pay me for some ideas… I have nothing against facebook and I had it when it crashed near IPO around 25! I did trade it up to I believe 50! I also say he is lucky that FOX bought Myspace for around 600 million and made the focus music while FB made it more social! That was dumb too! Myspace had a huge head start but once again, I am not running their companies… as I said weeks ago Etoys was king and AMZN was an online bookstore……..I do have something against Musk because he has lied repeatedly, gets away with it, all CEOs lie…well most, but he cost me over 75,000.
Why is speculation so bad? Why can’t we just trade and make money? Why does Nathan want to tell people what to do?
From Dot com bust in 2000 to 2019 the market was somewhat predictable. You would have oddities here and there but generally you know what to expect and how to make money. A company beat by a ton, stock would go up, company buys/insider buys up… company prints/sells down.. You can see charts and see where sentiment is, and just hop on when the tables are turning and sell when it is somewhat level.. In this market you can throw out whatever you used before.. It is very hard to predict what happens with these grenades…but 1 thing you must remember is that this is an auction. If money flows into speculation that means it flows out of real companies. ZIM, TUP, ZEUS, RADA, NLS, VOXX and it effects greatly the way people trade/value real companies when they want to buy RBLX, BILL, TWLO, CRWD instead. Money has to go somewhere and even though it keeps printing to help the record highs as you can see the bubble is starting to burst! I am not the trader that decides when, but I can tell you it will get a lot worse and when people do pivot real companies will move.. People will wonder how on earth PTON which loses money can be worth nearly 100x more than NLS…….
So what do I want? Why all this? My stocks should move, and I need other furus to wake up and see that. They are pumping grenades that are worthless their followers are losing a lot of money, they need to wake up and pivot. Many of us are down on HMPT, LDI, NLS and does that make sense to you? These companies trade at 2-5x what they make in profit… DKNG, RBLX is trading at 20-30-40-50-60x sales!! Forget profits, sales!!! I had a slow start to Twitter I started using it 2 months ago when Zack and crew were pumping CEI, DATS [Check where they are now] that is when I realized the power of Twitter.. Eventually I would like them and most to play real companies where no one gets caught holding the bag…… Why they don’t do it now? Because real companies wont go up 25-100% in da day… Pumpers don’t like that… only some will.. I keep talking AHPI because it has the catalysts to do so…
Memes as we saw it before may be dead!!! To many newbies that came in are now being burned.. It is unfortunate, but it was bound to happen and cant believe it lasted this long.. There are countless people losing thousands, life savings into a fictional belief that a stock should just go up, even if the company is losing money, selling shares, has a bleak future, tons of debt… and they are now facing reality. What does that mean? It means pumps wont work as long as they used to, hence people are selling into pumps early and you rarely get the SPRT, BBIG, ATER, IRNT anymore and probably will never see a GME, AMC ever again….. once again I have traded since my 14th birthday in the 90s and thought I have seen everything in my life until a bunch of apes combined together using social media to get these trash companies to insane heights…. Why trash? Normally I am not like that… I got about 5 messages from followers yesterday that lost tons of money in AMC/GME or both and are now asking me what to do……it gets me mad!
Hot money be very careful, this market is tough!
ALZN – Grenade
KPLT – Runner, insider bought 2.7 million shares at 3.74!! that is confidence!!
MIND – Grenade
NES – Grenade
OPAD – Runner…not sure why its up
STRN – Grenade, chatter
UVXY – Market Bear
XCUR – Grenade
YANG – China Bear
The contents of this post are for information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. ... By choosing to make a trade you are responsible for your own actions. Please do some due diligence. These are trades I am making and you can follow along. If you make a winning trade, I do not even expect a bravo or thanks but that’s fine, if you lose on a trade the same difference.. I do not even expect an upvote or reward… The Elite team is aware of the risks and volatility in the market.
Good luck everyone let’s make money. Share trades, ideas here during trading hours. Our main goal here is to make money so I hope we can help eachother. I will be in and out of here as well.
2021.12.06 14:24 UltimateTraders 12/6/2021 Daily Plays, Be ready in case we go very red, RBLX puts, GCP/TACO buyout! Both in "Plays" Taco was a favorite, big whales see value, Come on NLS, LDI, HMPT, buyout?! Still looking at puts on SNOW, I will trade my BBD, GOGL, HIMX, waiting on NYMT, dont force trades, Careful
Good morning everyone and welcome back. I hope this week will be better than last week but I do not see the signs just yet. I will treat any bounce as a dead cat bounce. [Something that will just fall the same day or next few days] until I see a sign that it is over… Speculation has really come off. You can see this is Crypto. Much of crypto is backed on faith that someone else will pay you more… the same as momentum stocks that cant build value or have no sales. I will try and do a video at night with the state of the market but I have many videos about the subject to get people ready for this.
BKE on Plays, special dividend near $6! Raised quarterly…GCP buyout at 32… Taco buyout at 12.50… This is common for tickers in plays because these companies normally generate cash. They add value to their companies’ but the stock price is not rewarding performance. When that happens to long either the company buys back, gives dividends or becomes a target by someone or some company. HELLO NLS, LDI, HMPT, RADA, VOXX. These are companies that are executing, sales, earnings, bringing value to their company but the stock is crippled. When your company does nothing or is a 70 billion dollar company like RBLX, that wont make 1 billion for many years to come. Does not even have sales over a billion [70x sales!, what is the value it brings relative to stock price, SNOW, BILL, this is what the video will go over]. If you are trading a company with no sales, obviously they cant make money, if they have no money guess what?? They are printing shares! What is going on with Cathie Wood isn’t surprising I had comments in February, I even wrote a post I believe in March that she needs help. It is in the forum….. This is not rocket science. Her as long as many of you are buying stocks of companies that are years away from sales/profits or have zillion PE ratios. It is obvious that at 1 time things are coming back to earth… DOCU was no surprise for me, it was when not if… And Cathie bought the dip again….. SNOW, BILL, SE, RBLX not a surprise. Their business model does not support their current stock price. Neither does the mighty TSLA or NVDA.. NVDA is a real company but never had a 100x PE ratio until retail… If the new traders leave NVDA can easily fall to 150.. Why if over 10 years it has had a 20-30x multiple [They make 2-3 dollars a share] did the stock fly? Gamma squeeze, retail pile on, it was not fundamentals that has done this. The recent run up was also the CEO said NVDA is huge on Meta Verse and Zucks hail mary to get Facebook out of the limelight has caused many VR companies to rally.. RBLX! I assure you Myspace made a mistake in the mid 2000s focusing on music, and their miss step is why Facebook took over. Now Facebook bought IG, Oculous, Whatsapp, almost Snapchat so their size allows them to make the mistake of Meta. Yes, it is a mistake, can we have Meta 1 day… yeah, but definitely not now, we are years away. When speculation pops, so will NFTs and people will stop buying property/food in VR world and come back to the real world….Would I consult Facebook? Absolutely, he has wasted billions on this name change, is delaying the symbol change and would not surprise me if he back tracks this whole meta blunder…Id have flown to Cali, Florida, even China, give me 500,000 and fire your team..Billions in blunder… I look up to Marcus Lemonis, at least ask him.. The Profit. He is very good at management, turn arounds.. now if Zuck’s point was to take away negativity on Facebook, he has succeeded.
We traded Taco for months as a safe defensive play of a company that makes money and has sales/growth. I know NLS, HMPT, LDI, RADA, VOXX and WTRH at these prices are targets. All these companies are very small and have been adding value or delivering exceptional performance… Yes, I can see, the stock price isn’t showing it… but many people say I want to get in early… Do you? Because when the stock is down, you are asking me every few days what is going on….If NLS is valued at 250 million. Has 140 million in paid inventory for the holidays, may have a record year in terms of sales and earnings, how is it not a target? They still have 25 million in cash once all debt is paid.. The sell thru on inventory is higher than ever… WTRH is now valued at 115 million, the entire company.. The company is basically break even and has near 200 million in sales. They have a lot of new agreements with food delivery. In 2022 they hope to be delivering weed…. So are things getting better or worse? This is not a 500 million dollar company with absolutely no way to demand its valuation.. How can BILL say they are worth 30 billion? The company plans to have 500 million sales in all of 2022 and plans to lose 100 million on those sales… yes, I like the growth but at $100, ill speculate…. If F or GM is ordering 20-40 million of VOXX for their cars maybe buy them? Mercedes bought AMG for cheap. BMW bought “M”, Toyota owns most of Mark Levinson if not all…..So at some point when you have a stock that makes money, it will be build value or if it does not, do not worry a shark/whale will come….
I wrote about JNPR yesterday. I loved JNPR in the 90s. It was supposed to be bigger than CSCO… It never came to fruition. The stock was 250, 22 years ago and is now 30… So why is GM, F, Honda, TM, Volkswagen, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes going out of business? They have the plants, production and history to support otherwise… but TSLA is worth more than then all combined.. RIVN, LCID is worth more than most of them… NIO, XPEV, LI… that is freaking ridiculous.. Are you aware that TM sells and can produce more cars in 1 month than TSLA in a year.. that is not FUD, its facts!!!! JNPR, JNPR!!!
I will still focus on my super defensive and buy puts on high fliers…Hot money be careful.
ACET – Grenade
BKE- Unshortable, dividend announced
CFVI – Grenade, chatter
CYTH – Grenade
DWAC – Grenade, chatter
PPSI – Grenade, chatter
VYNE – Grenade
The contents of this post are for information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. ... By choosing to make a trade you are responsible for your own actions. Please do some due diligence. These are trades I am making and you can follow along. If you make a winning trade, I do not even expect a bravo or thanks but that’s fine, if you lose on a trade the same difference.. I do not even expect an upvote or reward… The Elite team is aware of the risks and volatility in the market.
Good luck everyone let’s make money. Share trades, ideas here during trading hours. Our main goal here is to make money so I hope we can help eachother. I will be in and out of here as well.
submitted by UltimateTraders to UltimateTraders [link] [comments]
BKE on Plays, special dividend near $6! Raised quarterly…GCP buyout at 32… Taco buyout at 12.50… This is common for tickers in plays because these companies normally generate cash. They add value to their companies’ but the stock price is not rewarding performance. When that happens to long either the company buys back, gives dividends or becomes a target by someone or some company. HELLO NLS, LDI, HMPT, RADA, VOXX. These are companies that are executing, sales, earnings, bringing value to their company but the stock is crippled. When your company does nothing or is a 70 billion dollar company like RBLX, that wont make 1 billion for many years to come. Does not even have sales over a billion [70x sales!, what is the value it brings relative to stock price, SNOW, BILL, this is what the video will go over]. If you are trading a company with no sales, obviously they cant make money, if they have no money guess what?? They are printing shares! What is going on with Cathie Wood isn’t surprising I had comments in February, I even wrote a post I believe in March that she needs help. It is in the forum….. This is not rocket science. Her as long as many of you are buying stocks of companies that are years away from sales/profits or have zillion PE ratios. It is obvious that at 1 time things are coming back to earth… DOCU was no surprise for me, it was when not if… And Cathie bought the dip again….. SNOW, BILL, SE, RBLX not a surprise. Their business model does not support their current stock price. Neither does the mighty TSLA or NVDA.. NVDA is a real company but never had a 100x PE ratio until retail… If the new traders leave NVDA can easily fall to 150.. Why if over 10 years it has had a 20-30x multiple [They make 2-3 dollars a share] did the stock fly? Gamma squeeze, retail pile on, it was not fundamentals that has done this. The recent run up was also the CEO said NVDA is huge on Meta Verse and Zucks hail mary to get Facebook out of the limelight has caused many VR companies to rally.. RBLX! I assure you Myspace made a mistake in the mid 2000s focusing on music, and their miss step is why Facebook took over. Now Facebook bought IG, Oculous, Whatsapp, almost Snapchat so their size allows them to make the mistake of Meta. Yes, it is a mistake, can we have Meta 1 day… yeah, but definitely not now, we are years away. When speculation pops, so will NFTs and people will stop buying property/food in VR world and come back to the real world….Would I consult Facebook? Absolutely, he has wasted billions on this name change, is delaying the symbol change and would not surprise me if he back tracks this whole meta blunder…Id have flown to Cali, Florida, even China, give me 500,000 and fire your team..Billions in blunder… I look up to Marcus Lemonis, at least ask him.. The Profit. He is very good at management, turn arounds.. now if Zuck’s point was to take away negativity on Facebook, he has succeeded.
We traded Taco for months as a safe defensive play of a company that makes money and has sales/growth. I know NLS, HMPT, LDI, RADA, VOXX and WTRH at these prices are targets. All these companies are very small and have been adding value or delivering exceptional performance… Yes, I can see, the stock price isn’t showing it… but many people say I want to get in early… Do you? Because when the stock is down, you are asking me every few days what is going on….If NLS is valued at 250 million. Has 140 million in paid inventory for the holidays, may have a record year in terms of sales and earnings, how is it not a target? They still have 25 million in cash once all debt is paid.. The sell thru on inventory is higher than ever… WTRH is now valued at 115 million, the entire company.. The company is basically break even and has near 200 million in sales. They have a lot of new agreements with food delivery. In 2022 they hope to be delivering weed…. So are things getting better or worse? This is not a 500 million dollar company with absolutely no way to demand its valuation.. How can BILL say they are worth 30 billion? The company plans to have 500 million sales in all of 2022 and plans to lose 100 million on those sales… yes, I like the growth but at $100, ill speculate…. If F or GM is ordering 20-40 million of VOXX for their cars maybe buy them? Mercedes bought AMG for cheap. BMW bought “M”, Toyota owns most of Mark Levinson if not all…..So at some point when you have a stock that makes money, it will be build value or if it does not, do not worry a shark/whale will come….
I wrote about JNPR yesterday. I loved JNPR in the 90s. It was supposed to be bigger than CSCO… It never came to fruition. The stock was 250, 22 years ago and is now 30… So why is GM, F, Honda, TM, Volkswagen, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes going out of business? They have the plants, production and history to support otherwise… but TSLA is worth more than then all combined.. RIVN, LCID is worth more than most of them… NIO, XPEV, LI… that is freaking ridiculous.. Are you aware that TM sells and can produce more cars in 1 month than TSLA in a year.. that is not FUD, its facts!!!! JNPR, JNPR!!!
I will still focus on my super defensive and buy puts on high fliers…Hot money be careful.
ACET – Grenade
BKE- Unshortable, dividend announced
CFVI – Grenade, chatter
CYTH – Grenade
DWAC – Grenade, chatter
PPSI – Grenade, chatter
VYNE – Grenade
The contents of this post are for information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. ... By choosing to make a trade you are responsible for your own actions. Please do some due diligence. These are trades I am making and you can follow along. If you make a winning trade, I do not even expect a bravo or thanks but that’s fine, if you lose on a trade the same difference.. I do not even expect an upvote or reward… The Elite team is aware of the risks and volatility in the market.
Good luck everyone let’s make money. Share trades, ideas here during trading hours. Our main goal here is to make money so I hope we can help eachother. I will be in and out of here as well.
2021.10.22 01:29 autobuzzfeedbot I Never Would’ve Guessed How These 19 Celebs Got Their Stage Names
- After her beloved dog Iggy survived a near-death experience, Iggy Azalea got a necklace with his name on it to honor him, and as more and more people asked if it was her name on the necklace, she decided to adopt it as her stage name.
- Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable "love symbol" — which is the shape of the guitar in the picture below — as an act of rebellion against his record label, which refused to let him release new music when it was ready and held him in a tight, burdensome contract.
- When Doja Cat began rapping, she "was heavily addicted to weed and weed culture," and she thought the word "doja" — which means "weed," according to Urban Dictionary — "sounds like a girl’s name."
- Fish earned his nickname from spending too much time in the bathtub.
- People used to tell Whoopi Goldberg she was "like a whoopee cushion" because of the way she would fart onstage.
- Joan Fontaine was working as a chauffeur for her sister, actor Olivia de Havilland, when a Warner Bros. Studios employee offered to help her break into acting, but their mother insisted that "two de Havillands on the marquee would be too many, so [Joan] had to leave Olivia’s distinguished name for her and...took [her] stepfather’s name.”
- Machine Gun Kelly named himself after a well-known mobster from the Prohibition Era, George "Machine Gun Kelly" Barnes.
- Meat Loaf "was born bright red," so when he was only 4 days old, his dad told the doctor, " I want you to name my son there ― because he looks like 9½ pounds of ground chuck. I want you to put a name tag on the front of that plastic crib and it say ‘Meat’ on it."
- When Post Malone was 14, he put his real name into a "random rap name generator" and decided to stick with the results.
- When Megan Thee Stallion was a teenager, "older guys would always be like, 'Oh, you a stallion,'" so she made it her Twitter name, which morphed into her stage name.
- When Alice Cooper and his then-bandmates found out that another group was going by "the Nazz," they changed their band name to sound as if they "were somebody’s aunt," and after people kept assuming the band's name was also the singer's, he adopted it as a stage name.
- When Yungblud was first with his manager, he was their youngest client, so the entire team started calling him "young blood."
- Eight-year-old Queen Latifah found the name Latifah (which, according to the singer, means "delicate and very kind") while flipping through a book of Arabic names, and she decided to combine it with "Queen" because the contrast between the two represented her personality.
- When he was 16, LL Cool J chose a name that stood for "Ladies Love Cool James" — which "was completely wishful thinking" at the time.
- Back in her Myspace days, Saweetie used a nickname from her grandmother on her profile — and it stuck.
- Lil Yachty's name was a consequence of his status as the "baby" of the group during his time in Yacht Club.
- When Bow Wow was 6, he climbed onstage with Snoop Dogg and started rapping, and Snoop, impressed with his rap skills, took him to LA and nicknamed him "Lil Bow Wow."
- While Sid Vicious was playing with John Lydon's pet hamster Sid, the rodent bit him, so he exclaimed, "Sid is really vicious!"
- And finally, while Sting was performing with the Phoenix Jazzmen, he often wore a yellow-and-black striped sweater, so one of his bandmates nicknamed him after a bee.
2021.09.04 22:25 Dreemur1 [Youtube Horror Community/Creepypastas] The tale of "Obey The Walrus": How a teenager with grandiose delusions spawned a cult around his persona and immortalized a single creepy video onto internet history
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If you've been using the internet for a long time, you may have heard or seen Obedece a la morsa (Obey The Walrus), a bizarre video of a weirdly shaped individual who clumsily tap dances, accompanied with a creepy song in backwards and surreal video effects. While the video itself is extremely popular, the drama its creator caused in the early Hispanic YouTube community is not well known. The sole documentation of the video's backstory consists on ten years old blogs and YouTube videos with less than 3k views, and to my knowledge this incident is completely unknown outside the Hispanic internet. Because of this, I decided to take one for the team and bring this little saga to the rest of the world :)
Content warning: mentions of sexual abuse, transphobia (and deadnaming in some of the linked videos), paraphilias, gore, etc. It is worth mentioning that this is my first write up of this kind and I tried my best, so I hope it doesn't suck hehe. Also English is not my first language so sorry for any grammatical errors. Also, I was not present for this drama so most of the content is sourced from YouTube videos, blogs and archives from old dead forums (I will link to everything I can in the end of the post).
Also (this is the last "also" I promise!) some of individuals mentioned in this story are still active on the internet. I beg you to not harass them nor contact them in any way. These events happened nearly 15 years ago, and I'm sure all of them have moved on and don't want to be reminded of this stupid shit they did in their teenage years. Without further ado, here's the story of "Obedece a la morsa" :)
She also struggled with gender identity, more specifically from the lack of support from her family regarding this (her mother was ashamed of her and usually deadnamed her). The perceived weakness of being trans and feminine, alongside the physical weakness granted by her disability, made her an easy target for humiliation and sexual abuse in the foster homes she used to reside in.
Feeling like an outcast in an era where queer identity and disability were not very well understood, she found a welcoming home in the Hollywood underground. She started a career as a drag queen, becoming an icon of the underground which helped her to form significant connections with artists of all kinds. She acted on numerous independent films, was featured on musical videos and was the subject of several art photography projects, one of which is part of the Louvre's permanent collection (The Goddess Bunny as Leda by Joel-Peter Witkin, dated 1986. Just a warning before you look it up: the picture depicts nudity).
Most relevant to this story is the self-titled documentary The Goddess Bunny, which was released in 1994. It is a tour to the queer Hollywood underground with a focus on the queen of it all: Sandie Crisp herself. It is an amazing showcase of weirdness and uniqueness, a film that depicts curious and bizarre (yet heartwarming) individuals and avant-garde performances/art. In one specific scene the documentary showcases the content of a single tape which was sold on rare/underground VHS video stores: The Goddess Bunny tap dancing with rock 'n' roll music on the background. It is a wholesome tape to be honest, Sandie looks like she is enjoying herself and makes funny faces to the camera. Sadly, in the future this footage would fall into the wrong hands and catapult her to infamy 14 years later.
It all started in 2006, when the YouTube user Contron would upload a series of videos to his channel, titled Mentally Disturbing. They may have pioneered the "creepy mysterious video" genre that the YouTube horror community has come to love, being one of the first of its kind as far as I know. It has to be mentioned that these videos don't feel very scary nowadays lol, but you can see how these served as a blueprint for what was going to come in the following 10 years or so.
Anyway, the 4th episode of this series (WARNING: contains small frame of gore at the end) features lots of weird "creepy" video samples, but most importantly for us is the soon-to-be infamous tap dancing footage from the Goddess Bunny documentary. The editing, the music and the fact of being paired with jumpscares and similar creepy footage made this dancing scene look way more disturbing than it actually was, distorting its original intent and giving it a terrifying aura at the expense of The Goddess Bunny's physical condition. It was a disgusting thing to do, but at the end of the day it was a short clip in an otherwise long video filled with lots of other clips. Sadly, it inspired a bored teenager to make her the focus of a video that would make her viral for the wrong reasons.
Enter Obedece a la morsa. It's October 5th, and the YouTube channel ObeyDaWalrus sees the light of the world, bringing this infamous video with it. 80% of the video depicts the tap dancing footage, sometimes sped up and sometimes slowed down, the colors changing and distorting themselves while some kind of warped children's song plays in the background. It was exploitatively creepy, and while nowadays we can just shrug it off as some badly edited video it shook waves in the Hispanic YouTube community back then. It was something they have never seen before, so obviously lots of people downloaded it and made it viral in this cellphone-video-sharing pseudo community. But it wouldn't stop there: it would become one of the most viewed videos on the entire platform, amassing an impressive (at the time) amount of 5 million views in the next 12 months.
But the truth is, Obedece a la morsa was not the only video created by ObeyDaWalrus. In its 1-year long run another 10 videos were uploaded to the channel: Insomnio (Insomnia), La liebre y la bestia (The Hare and the Beast), Dance of Doom (WARNING: contains small clip of seemingly acted gore), La venganza (The Revenge) [WARNING: contains frames of extreme gore, though this reupload is very low quality so it is hard to figure out any of the visceral details, still disgusting though], La masa lo sabe (The Mass Knows), No, Holly Shamow... El toro en mi pijama (Holly Shamow... The Bull in My Pajamas), Ratatouille: La muerte de Remy (Ratatouille: Remy's Death) [WARNING: depicts a rat being eaten by a snake], Juicy Maraca (WARNING: contains flashing lights) and La pasión (The Passion). All of these videos share the creepy surreal aura of Obedece a la morsa, but also add something seemingly lacking in the original video: subliminal messages.
All of this sparked interest in ObeyDaWalrus' persona and his motives for uploading these videos, and the community was hungry for answers. Who was the lady in the tap dancing footage and why was she featured in some of the other videos? Who was behind the channel and why did they create this content? Was this some weird art project? Or were the motives behind this something more sinister?
At first, not much was known about the channel's owner (let's call him Obey). The only info that could be found in the channel's description was his name and therefore his gender (he had a male name) and his location (he lived in Mexico). Other than that it was pretty much a mystery, and therefore lots of conspiracy theories were thrown around by horror enthusiasts: the video was satanic propaganda, or it was a MK Ultra type mind controlling scheme, or it was the work of a transexual cult which hid subliminal messages in children's music, among other theories. Some of these false hypothesis lasted for years after the ending of this story, overpassing the facts and becoming myth. The thing is, there was no clear answers at this point.
Sooner than later, a community would form around this mysterious individual. Lots of people tried to contact him through YouTube comments and/or private messaging, to no avail. To address this newfound influx of "enthusiasts", Obey opened a MSN account where he could chat with those he deemed "worthy", which often was a very small amount of people. He used his YouTube blog frequently to express his ideas, used a MySpace account to showcase his drawings (here's a compilation with some of them) and opened a forum to interact with the people interested in his content. Upon the following weeks Obey's personality would come to light: he seemed to be extremely disturbed, enjoyed questionable content like gore or coprophilia and apparently believed himself to be a god.
He clearly wasn't a sane person, and his forum's structure was another proof of this. Some of the subforums that are worth mentioning are The Believers (for worshippers of The Walrus), The Mass (for those who were not convinced of following The Walrus, but expressed interest in the videos), The Walrus Speaks (threads about recent events, but they included commentary from Obey himself), Satisfy Your Morbidity (a hub for all kind of depravities), among others. It was pretty clear that Obey wanted to establish some kind of cult, and those fascinated by his videos followed suit.
The extent of which these enthusiasts actually believed in the ideology and lore preached by Obey or were rather just playing along in a roleplay kind of way is unknown to me, as browsing the forum is really hard because the archive on the Wayback Machine is extremely broken. I was able to gather the existence of "initiation rituals", where people could ask to prove their worth through several tasks given by the mods and Obey himself. The content of the rituals were secret though. I believe enough context is provided to affirm that some of the fans were really invested in the lore and community.
And while Obey had people begging to talk with him and participating in the initiation ritual, there was another group of people who were actually displeased with all of this stuff. And who can blame them? Here was a person who literally used gore in his videos, was pleased in scaring others with his bizarre content and had a significant grandeur delusion. A legion of haters would soon emerge, and the de facto leader at the time was an user by the name of MusicIsMyFaith.
[I will take a moment to explain the Loquendo community of Hispanic YouTube because it is deeply entrenched to this story. Around 2008-2012 there was a scene that was centered around the use of a text-to-speech voice synthesis software called Loquendo. Anonymity was very valued and people didn't want to use their real voices in their videos, so they used this program to generate the speech used in the content. Almost all of the user-created content in YouTube back then used Loquendo in some way, be it either Let's Plays, video tutorials of all kinds, reviews of movies/shows/music/etc, essays, parodies and even Machinimas (GTA San Andreas Loquendo was extremely popular in this era).
The Loquendo voices (specially the Jorge voice) ended up becoming iconic in Hispanic YouTube. Watching these videos is to experience relics of the early web as we know it, as they showcase a culture that is really hard to replicate nowadays, not that I'd like it anyway, as these videos contained really edgy humor, bad words, lots of drama, etc. It would be lying if I said Loquendo doesn't feel nostalgic though: it defined the web and its humor for a whole generation. Anyway, I explain this because most of the players that will be mentioned from now on were part of this community.]
MusicIsMyFaith was a Loquendo YouTuber who, like everyone else, was intrigued and disturbed by Obey's videos and persona. He was disgusted by Obey's behavior, so he decided to take the bullet and start a thorough analysis of all his content to better understand why he acted like that. He uploaded a three-part series titled No obedeceré! (I Will Not Obey!), which lauched a wave of similar titled series by other users where they would analyze all the videos and form their own conclusions. In MusicIsMyFaith's series, he was able to identify the person on the tap dancing footage (a.k.a. Sandie Crisp) and included analysis of sounds and visuals on all of the videos uploaded so far, discovering subliminal messages and shared imagery between them all (such as the white bunny symbolism or the use of children's music/videos to represent infancy). To quote his opinions on the whole matter:
One thing worth nothing is that MusicIsMyFaith struggled to find a subliminal message in the original Obedece a la morsa video, as it was the simplest of them all. To him, it was a complete mystery because there had to be something hidden that he missed to uncover.
To this day only the first 2 videos of the series survive so the conclusion of MusicIsMyFaith's investigation is unknown to us, but it can be surmised that it caused quite a stir. Soon a war would ensue, and flame wars, response videos defending one side or the other and general pettiness would come. Sooner than later the existence of two groups was determined: those who obeyed and those who rebelled.
Such user was Conquasabit. This individual seemed to truly believe in Obey's deity status and desperately craved to be his right hand. He contacted him, expressed his admiration to him and the videos and affirmed he could help him to spread his message. Obey seemed weirdly interested in this proposition, so he asked him to prove his fidelity in the form of tribute videos, which would have to include the similar editing and subliminal content that were so characteristic of his own videos. Conquasabit obliged.
He soon uploaded three videos: ¿Le temes a la morsa? (Are You Scared of The Walrus?), Sueña con la morsa (Dream with The Walrus) and La diestra de la morsa (The Walrus' Right Hand). These mostly featured footage from the Goddess Bunny documentary, paired with the classic creepy editing of Obey's videos. Obey seemed to be very flattered by this, so he privately named Conquasabit his "Prince of Terror"... only to deny their connection when asked about it publicly. Conquasabit was not fully worthy of being Obey's public right hand, but that would slowly change over the following weeks.
At the first stages of their friendship Obey only gave Conquasabit false information about his life, feeding him lies as manipulators often like to do. But as time passes Obey would get very comfortable with him, to the point of publicly acknowledging him as his true right hand. After all, Conquasabit was the Prince of Terror and blindly believed in Obey and his status of the true God...
All this newfound attention to Conquasabit would make him a secondary target of Obey's hater legion. Relevant to our story is 77tortelini, another Loquendo YouTuber who made his own No obedeceré! series. This time he focused on Conquasabit and his three videos, revealing the subliminal messages hidden in them and showing how he used the symbolism of Obey's content into his own. It is worth mentioning that 77tortelini is one of the most savage players of this whole story, probably the second most disgusting after Obey himself: he sprouted hate and resentment against Conquasabit and Obey both, which passes the "using lots of bad words and insults" line and goes into very questionable terrains (such as joking about abuse, ew). This is an excerpt from the final episode of his series:
Ignoring the edgy aura of his videos, 77tortelini goes too deep into this shit and his conclusions are kind of surprising (this is Evangelion-tier overanalyzing to be honest), but since those deep analysis aren't relevant to the drama I will not explain them in the write up (if you're interested but are unable to watch his videos because of the language barrier, just ask me and I can explain it to you in a comment!). One thing worth nothing about this is a parallel he discovered that was implied in Conquasabit's videos: Obey/Conquasabit and Kira/Mikami from the popular anime series Death Note.
Kira wrongly believes he is a god, while Mikami blindly believes this and aids him in his quest for cleansing the world of all evil. Conquasabit used the Kira/Mikami theme song Semblance of Dualism in his videos, and the title of this track is an apt description of Obey's/Conquasabit's relationship: the dualism between a god and a mortal, a king and his servant, a manipulator and his victim. The fact that 77tortelini used a picture of Near (a detective in Death Note who worked to bring Kira down) as his YT avatar only makes this metaphor far more compelling.
(As a side note: 77tortelini also failed to find any deeper meaning in the original Obedece a la morsa video).
So for Conquasabit, the act of becoming Obey's closest ally didn't come without its consequences. He became a target of the anti-Obey legion, got analyzed with the same scrutiny Obey once was and was universally hated by those not worshipping Obey. Such is the price of being noticed by your true God.
Enter Cafsamechsamech, another Loquendo Youtuber who made his own No obedeceré! series (these videos are lost media, I didn't link to any reupload because they don't exist). Cafsamechsamech analyzed Obey's and Conquasabit's content and explained his own theories, but the most relevant thing was a couple of MSN screenshots he showed in the video, which were leaked to him by MusicIsMyFaith. These reveal a conversation between MusicIsMyFaith and Conquasabit, where the latter feeded Obey's personal information to the former for him to make his final "No obedeceré!" video. Conquasabit seemed to have betrayed ObeyDaWalrus, and the two of them permanently broke contact after this. The semblance of dualism was broken, but from the looks of it, it never existed at all.
Cafsamechsamech also accidentally dropped the password for Conquasabit's YT account (I guess Conquasabit showed it to MusicIsMyFaith in the MSN conversation and therefore Music unknowingly leaked it while leaking the screenshots? All we can do is speculate because the leak itself is lost media). This prompted some users to upload fake videos in his account which had nothing to do with the lore. Conquasabit deleted these videos and changed his password as soon as he could to protect his account, and begged Cafsamechsamech to delete the reveal because it ruined his entire plans. But the jig was up, and Conquasabit had no options but to face the music and spill the beans.
Conquasabit started a series of Loquendo videos in his own channel, the first one being titled La supuesta realidad de ObeyDaWalrus (The Supposed Truth of ObeyDaWalrus). Here he states his true intentions: from the very beginning, all of his praise for Obey was part of an elaborate plan to find out everything he could about him, compilating information to discover the real motives behind all of the videos and to reveal to the world who he truly was. In the first episode he explains how he managed to obtain Obey's trust, revealing one of the "tasks" he asked him to do: Obey wanted Conquasabit to take a picture of himself holding a white bunny while being naked, with the words "I did this for The Walrus" written on his chest. Yup. Conquasabit affirmed that Obey was not a character: he was a disturbed and mentally ill person who needed psychiatric help, and sooner than later Conquasabit would be able to prove it.
The next episode is El ejército de La Morsa vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 1 (The Walrus' Army vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 1). In this video Conquasabit attacks and debunks some of the investigations and accusations done agaisnt him amidst the release of La supuesta realidad de ObeyDaWalrus, some done by randos and other done by people close to Obey's inner circle. Such examples are Axelexa (an admin of the forums and Obey worshipper who produced several write ups calling out Conquasabit's alledged lies; sadly these posts are lost to time) and Tibasauqnoc (a Conquasabit impersonator who played in Obey's turf, even making a fake website in order to profit from ad revenue).
In El ejército de La Morsa vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 2 (The Walrus' Army vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 2) he attacks three familiar faces from our story: 77tortelini, Cafsamechsamech and MusicIsMyFaith. Conquasabit rightly criticizes all the terrible remarks done by 77tortelini in his videos, asking why he needed to throw so much shit against him, and also debunking part of 77tortelini's analysis by showing the real explanations for the subliminal messages hidden in his own videos. In Cafsamechsamech's case, Conquasabit calls him out for his carelessness on leaking the MSN conversation and disturbing his plans, stating that he could've recompiled way more information on Obey if the MSN conversations weren't leaked. Also, he berates him for leaking his password.
The criticism of MusicIsMyFaith is way weirder: Conquasabit accuses him of not trusting his word, as he didn't use any of the information provided in his final No obedeceré video while also publicly affirming that he didn't believe in Conquasabit's remarks from the leaks. Also, Conquasabit accuses him of being active in Obey's forum and even colaborating with some of the regulars, which I could confirm by simply browsing the archive of the forums: starting in March of 2008 he seemed to act really friendly around Axelexa and other Obey worshippers. (Music also states he loves Obey in this YT comment (the third one)...) He wonders if MusicIsMyFaith is a double agent working for both sides. Don't ask me how, I don't even know... This whole saga is so fucking weird.
Meanwhile, Conquasabit stated in these three videos that the truth would come out soon. Answers have been found, and although his original plan had been broken by Cafsamechsamech and MusicIsMyFaith's shenanigans, he recompiled enough information to make definitive conclusions about Obey's motives and identity. Conquasabit only needed to back up all of his hypothesis, and the only thing people had to do was to wait.
His findings would be published in the long awaited final investigation, which was uploaded in November 7th of 2008. Pt. 1 of the video showcased an analysis of all the drawings, which seemingly represented different traits of Obey's personality and mental state: aggression, voyeuristic behavior, sexual perversion, distortion and confusion regarding sexual identity, maternal dependency, schizoid personality, regressive and childish behavior, obsessive-compulsive behavior, belief of own delusions and disgust of obesity and race. Conquasabit stated that he showed a few of Obey's videos to the professionals, who affirmed that they shared the same themes as the drawings. The videos were practically animated editions of the drawings, and then it can be concluded that they weren't meant to be artistic, aesthetically pleasant nor creative: according to the specialists they were just a venting method for Obey, a way of showing his thoughts and inner struggles for the world to see.
The community finally had some answers at last, but there were still two big mysteries that were not quite solved. Who was ObeyDaWalrus? And what is the meaning (and subliminal message) behind the original video, "Obedece a la morsa"?
In Pt. 2 Conquasabit reveals the final piece of the puzzle: Obey actually didn't believe he was a god. This was something Conquasabit knew beforehand, as he used to be his closest ally, but it was unknown to the whole community surrounding this drama. Obey indirectly alluded to this in his "demonic forces" rant, revealing the true God he worshipped and believed in: The Walrus. According to Conquasabit, Obey seemed to be in the initial stages of schizophrenia and actually believed in his own delusions.
And Obey's belief of The Walrus was the moment when it all fell into place for Conquasabit. To give a little bit of context, he explained a mission given by God in the Bible called the Great Commission, which is explained inside the book in Mark 16, 15-16:
But thanks to Conquasabit's efforts the truth was out, and the world didn't have to obey anymore. Obey's biggest fear was to lose the little amount of control he had in his life, to be exposed and therefore removed of the power of manipulation he was bestowed by the YT community when he uploaded that cursed video. And Conquasabit just gave the final hit that broke the camel's back, making Obey's biggest fear a reality: he could make more videos and ask people to obey The Walrus, but it didn't matter because people already knew the truth.
Conquasabit affirmed that amidst this knowledge Obey's real identity was not relevant at all, but since people asked so much he decided to dox him in the end of the video. He revealed his full name, the city where he lived, the college where he studied and his real age. He was just a 19 years old boy. To conclude the investigation video, Conquasabit begged him to find help, because there was something wrong with him and he could end up considering suicide if he continued down this dark path.
Conquasabit also expressed this urge for Obey's to find help in the only way he would really understand: with a final video ridden with subliminal overtones. El fin de ObeyDaWalrus (The End of ObeyDaWalrus) [WARNING: it includes frames from La venganza, a.k.a. extreme gore] was meant to denounce Obey's immorality and his own internal struggles in a raw and direct way, trying to break his grandeur fantasy and putting a mirror in front of him in an attempt to make him realize his situation for the first time. The only thing Obey could see in that mirror was a reflection of his own anger, loneliness and despair: he didn't have no one who actually liked him for who he was and he needed urgent psychiatric help before it was too late.
This final video also expressed a feeling of victory from Conquasabit's part. Much of the video features the 4th movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, the famous Ode To Joy meant to praise humanity and a world at peace, and it was a very fitting musical choice. By showing a tomb with the word ObeyDaWalrus engraved in the stone, Conquasabit announced to the world that they were finally free from The Walrus and its malevolent manipulation: Obey's plan had failed and the truth was known, so people didn't have to fall deep into its claws again. People were free, and this video was a celebration of this newfound hope.
In November 9th of 2008, two days after Conquasabit uploaded these three videos, Obey deleted his YouTube account and disappeared from the internet.
One of the things that directly followed after the whole incident was the Finihario videos wave. After Obey's death some people felt compelled to continue his "legacy", so they started to create similar content: soon, a little corner of YouTube would be filled with videos ridden with surreal editing and subliminal messages (which were not related to The Walrus' lore at all though, they were their own thing). Users like the previously mentioned Axelexa, but also others like LAICAGM, Alexkea7, Arslot, Destinocasualidad, among others, tried to launch this movement in a legitimate way, creating art that was born out of pure creativeness instead of delusions or mental illness. I would argue that the Finihario movement is one of the few good things that came out of this whole drama (I wouldn't say the content itself is very good but hey, I support the artistic vein these people had!).
While the drama itself seemed to wrap up in a perfect "final season of the show" kind of way there still was some questions left unanswered, the first example of this being the validity of Conquasabit's final investigation. The weight of his hypothesis were carried by the interpretations of Obey's drawings, the traits displayed in them and how those correlated with the ideology and the videos. But some users have affirmed that Obey didn't know how to draw at all and the images in the MySpace account were actually drawn by another person. If there was any shred of truth in these allegations Conquasabit's investigation would have made no sense: he might've psychoanalyzed an entire different person which would render all of his efforts useless.
(this got too long and surpassed Reddit's character limit, check this comment for the rest of this write up)
submitted by Dreemur1 to HobbyDrama [link] [comments]
If you've been using the internet for a long time, you may have heard or seen Obedece a la morsa (Obey The Walrus), a bizarre video of a weirdly shaped individual who clumsily tap dances, accompanied with a creepy song in backwards and surreal video effects. While the video itself is extremely popular, the drama its creator caused in the early Hispanic YouTube community is not well known. The sole documentation of the video's backstory consists on ten years old blogs and YouTube videos with less than 3k views, and to my knowledge this incident is completely unknown outside the Hispanic internet. Because of this, I decided to take one for the team and bring this little saga to the rest of the world :)
Content warning: mentions of sexual abuse, transphobia (and deadnaming in some of the linked videos), paraphilias, gore, etc. It is worth mentioning that this is my first write up of this kind and I tried my best, so I hope it doesn't suck hehe. Also English is not my first language so sorry for any grammatical errors. Also, I was not present for this drama so most of the content is sourced from YouTube videos, blogs and archives from old dead forums (I will link to everything I can in the end of the post).
Also (this is the last "also" I promise!) some of individuals mentioned in this story are still active on the internet. I beg you to not harass them nor contact them in any way. These events happened nearly 15 years ago, and I'm sure all of them have moved on and don't want to be reminded of this stupid shit they did in their teenage years. Without further ado, here's the story of "Obedece a la morsa" :)
Prologue: The Queen of the Underground
To give a little bit of context, I want to start this write up explaining who is the person featured in the video (this is the part everyone knows so feel free to skip this prologue if you want). The individual depicted is Sandie Crisp, also known as The Goddess Bunny, a transgender woman who was born on January 13th, 1960 in California. Her life story is extremely tragic: as soon as she was born she started to suffer from polio, and negligence from part of the doctors made her suffer far more severe consequences from this illness. For example: they introduced a 18 inch long steel rod in her back when she was a child, it was never removed and it severely disfigured her body. It was hard for her to walk at all, so she usually used a wheelchair to move.She also struggled with gender identity, more specifically from the lack of support from her family regarding this (her mother was ashamed of her and usually deadnamed her). The perceived weakness of being trans and feminine, alongside the physical weakness granted by her disability, made her an easy target for humiliation and sexual abuse in the foster homes she used to reside in.
Feeling like an outcast in an era where queer identity and disability were not very well understood, she found a welcoming home in the Hollywood underground. She started a career as a drag queen, becoming an icon of the underground which helped her to form significant connections with artists of all kinds. She acted on numerous independent films, was featured on musical videos and was the subject of several art photography projects, one of which is part of the Louvre's permanent collection (The Goddess Bunny as Leda by Joel-Peter Witkin, dated 1986. Just a warning before you look it up: the picture depicts nudity).
Most relevant to this story is the self-titled documentary The Goddess Bunny, which was released in 1994. It is a tour to the queer Hollywood underground with a focus on the queen of it all: Sandie Crisp herself. It is an amazing showcase of weirdness and uniqueness, a film that depicts curious and bizarre (yet heartwarming) individuals and avant-garde performances/art. In one specific scene the documentary showcases the content of a single tape which was sold on rare/underground VHS video stores: The Goddess Bunny tap dancing with rock 'n' roll music on the background. It is a wholesome tape to be honest, Sandie looks like she is enjoying herself and makes funny faces to the camera. Sadly, in the future this footage would fall into the wrong hands and catapult her to infamy 14 years later.
It all started in 2006, when the YouTube user Contron would upload a series of videos to his channel, titled Mentally Disturbing. They may have pioneered the "creepy mysterious video" genre that the YouTube horror community has come to love, being one of the first of its kind as far as I know. It has to be mentioned that these videos don't feel very scary nowadays lol, but you can see how these served as a blueprint for what was going to come in the following 10 years or so.
Anyway, the 4th episode of this series (WARNING: contains small frame of gore at the end) features lots of weird "creepy" video samples, but most importantly for us is the soon-to-be infamous tap dancing footage from the Goddess Bunny documentary. The editing, the music and the fact of being paired with jumpscares and similar creepy footage made this dancing scene look way more disturbing than it actually was, distorting its original intent and giving it a terrifying aura at the expense of The Goddess Bunny's physical condition. It was a disgusting thing to do, but at the end of the day it was a short clip in an otherwise long video filled with lots of other clips. Sadly, it inspired a bored teenager to make her the focus of a video that would make her viral for the wrong reasons.
Part 1: Obey The Walrus
It's October of 2007. At this time YouTube was barely starting to break through the masses' consciousness, but even then it was not very well known in Hispanic America (which is where this story takes place). In this scenario YouTube itself was mostly irrelevant, as most of the viral videos were shared between cellphones through Bluetooth or infrared file transfer. Hundreds and hundreds of low-quality .3gp videos were shared by teenagers on a daily basis, be it funny dancing animals, manipulative propaganda about abortion, parody songs or whatever was popular amongst this audience at the time. Hispanic YouTube was mostly used as a host for these videos which achieved viral status through word of mouth, and the rest of the content was just boring family photos slideshows and irrelevant content. But that changed with the upload of one single video.Enter Obedece a la morsa. It's October 5th, and the YouTube channel ObeyDaWalrus sees the light of the world, bringing this infamous video with it. 80% of the video depicts the tap dancing footage, sometimes sped up and sometimes slowed down, the colors changing and distorting themselves while some kind of warped children's song plays in the background. It was exploitatively creepy, and while nowadays we can just shrug it off as some badly edited video it shook waves in the Hispanic YouTube community back then. It was something they have never seen before, so obviously lots of people downloaded it and made it viral in this cellphone-video-sharing pseudo community. But it wouldn't stop there: it would become one of the most viewed videos on the entire platform, amassing an impressive (at the time) amount of 5 million views in the next 12 months.
But the truth is, Obedece a la morsa was not the only video created by ObeyDaWalrus. In its 1-year long run another 10 videos were uploaded to the channel: Insomnio (Insomnia), La liebre y la bestia (The Hare and the Beast), Dance of Doom (WARNING: contains small clip of seemingly acted gore), La venganza (The Revenge) [WARNING: contains frames of extreme gore, though this reupload is very low quality so it is hard to figure out any of the visceral details, still disgusting though], La masa lo sabe (The Mass Knows), No, Holly Shamow... El toro en mi pijama (Holly Shamow... The Bull in My Pajamas), Ratatouille: La muerte de Remy (Ratatouille: Remy's Death) [WARNING: depicts a rat being eaten by a snake], Juicy Maraca (WARNING: contains flashing lights) and La pasión (The Passion). All of these videos share the creepy surreal aura of Obedece a la morsa, but also add something seemingly lacking in the original video: subliminal messages.
All of this sparked interest in ObeyDaWalrus' persona and his motives for uploading these videos, and the community was hungry for answers. Who was the lady in the tap dancing footage and why was she featured in some of the other videos? Who was behind the channel and why did they create this content? Was this some weird art project? Or were the motives behind this something more sinister?
At first, not much was known about the channel's owner (let's call him Obey). The only info that could be found in the channel's description was his name and therefore his gender (he had a male name) and his location (he lived in Mexico). Other than that it was pretty much a mystery, and therefore lots of conspiracy theories were thrown around by horror enthusiasts: the video was satanic propaganda, or it was a MK Ultra type mind controlling scheme, or it was the work of a transexual cult which hid subliminal messages in children's music, among other theories. Some of these false hypothesis lasted for years after the ending of this story, overpassing the facts and becoming myth. The thing is, there was no clear answers at this point.
Sooner than later, a community would form around this mysterious individual. Lots of people tried to contact him through YouTube comments and/or private messaging, to no avail. To address this newfound influx of "enthusiasts", Obey opened a MSN account where he could chat with those he deemed "worthy", which often was a very small amount of people. He used his YouTube blog frequently to express his ideas, used a MySpace account to showcase his drawings (here's a compilation with some of them) and opened a forum to interact with the people interested in his content. Upon the following weeks Obey's personality would come to light: he seemed to be extremely disturbed, enjoyed questionable content like gore or coprophilia and apparently believed himself to be a god.
He clearly wasn't a sane person, and his forum's structure was another proof of this. Some of the subforums that are worth mentioning are The Believers (for worshippers of The Walrus), The Mass (for those who were not convinced of following The Walrus, but expressed interest in the videos), The Walrus Speaks (threads about recent events, but they included commentary from Obey himself), Satisfy Your Morbidity (a hub for all kind of depravities), among others. It was pretty clear that Obey wanted to establish some kind of cult, and those fascinated by his videos followed suit.
Part 2: Those Who Obeyed and Those Who Rebelled
Obey's fanbase continued to grow over the following months. Dozens of people commented on the channel, posted on the forum, discussed the videos and praised Obey. Few people would manage to catch his attention though, because he was very strict on who would get to make contact with him. Those (un)fortunate to speak with him through MSN were greeted with talk related to all kind of depravities: zoophilia, coprophilia, sadism, auto-penetration and other kinds of edgy disgusting topics.The extent of which these enthusiasts actually believed in the ideology and lore preached by Obey or were rather just playing along in a roleplay kind of way is unknown to me, as browsing the forum is really hard because the archive on the Wayback Machine is extremely broken. I was able to gather the existence of "initiation rituals", where people could ask to prove their worth through several tasks given by the mods and Obey himself. The content of the rituals were secret though. I believe enough context is provided to affirm that some of the fans were really invested in the lore and community.
And while Obey had people begging to talk with him and participating in the initiation ritual, there was another group of people who were actually displeased with all of this stuff. And who can blame them? Here was a person who literally used gore in his videos, was pleased in scaring others with his bizarre content and had a significant grandeur delusion. A legion of haters would soon emerge, and the de facto leader at the time was an user by the name of MusicIsMyFaith.
[I will take a moment to explain the Loquendo community of Hispanic YouTube because it is deeply entrenched to this story. Around 2008-2012 there was a scene that was centered around the use of a text-to-speech voice synthesis software called Loquendo. Anonymity was very valued and people didn't want to use their real voices in their videos, so they used this program to generate the speech used in the content. Almost all of the user-created content in YouTube back then used Loquendo in some way, be it either Let's Plays, video tutorials of all kinds, reviews of movies/shows/music/etc, essays, parodies and even Machinimas (GTA San Andreas Loquendo was extremely popular in this era).
The Loquendo voices (specially the Jorge voice) ended up becoming iconic in Hispanic YouTube. Watching these videos is to experience relics of the early web as we know it, as they showcase a culture that is really hard to replicate nowadays, not that I'd like it anyway, as these videos contained really edgy humor, bad words, lots of drama, etc. It would be lying if I said Loquendo doesn't feel nostalgic though: it defined the web and its humor for a whole generation. Anyway, I explain this because most of the players that will be mentioned from now on were part of this community.]
MusicIsMyFaith was a Loquendo YouTuber who, like everyone else, was intrigued and disturbed by Obey's videos and persona. He was disgusted by Obey's behavior, so he decided to take the bullet and start a thorough analysis of all his content to better understand why he acted like that. He uploaded a three-part series titled No obedeceré! (I Will Not Obey!), which lauched a wave of similar titled series by other users where they would analyze all the videos and form their own conclusions. In MusicIsMyFaith's series, he was able to identify the person on the tap dancing footage (a.k.a. Sandie Crisp) and included analysis of sounds and visuals on all of the videos uploaded so far, discovering subliminal messages and shared imagery between them all (such as the white bunny symbolism or the use of children's music/videos to represent infancy). To quote his opinions on the whole matter:
Well, we've now been hearing lil' subliminal messages and lil' subliminal messages one after the other. My mind has probably now turned into a complete clusterfuck after hearing that disgusting shit so fucking much.That's Loquendo for you!
One thing worth nothing is that MusicIsMyFaith struggled to find a subliminal message in the original Obedece a la morsa video, as it was the simplest of them all. To him, it was a complete mystery because there had to be something hidden that he missed to uncover.
To this day only the first 2 videos of the series survive so the conclusion of MusicIsMyFaith's investigation is unknown to us, but it can be surmised that it caused quite a stir. Soon a war would ensue, and flame wars, response videos defending one side or the other and general pettiness would come. Sooner than later the existence of two groups was determined: those who obeyed and those who rebelled.
Part 3: A Semblance of Dualism
The ObeyDaWalrus vs. MusicIsMyFaith war was in full motion, and this meant more and more worshippers who wanted to be part of Obey's turf. While some people would end up forming part of Obey's circle, most of those wannabes were promptly deemed as unworthy by Obey. But there was one single user who ended up being more than worthy: he would end up becoming so invested into the whole lore that he became Obey's closest confident and ally.Such user was Conquasabit. This individual seemed to truly believe in Obey's deity status and desperately craved to be his right hand. He contacted him, expressed his admiration to him and the videos and affirmed he could help him to spread his message. Obey seemed weirdly interested in this proposition, so he asked him to prove his fidelity in the form of tribute videos, which would have to include the similar editing and subliminal content that were so characteristic of his own videos. Conquasabit obliged.
He soon uploaded three videos: ¿Le temes a la morsa? (Are You Scared of The Walrus?), Sueña con la morsa (Dream with The Walrus) and La diestra de la morsa (The Walrus' Right Hand). These mostly featured footage from the Goddess Bunny documentary, paired with the classic creepy editing of Obey's videos. Obey seemed to be very flattered by this, so he privately named Conquasabit his "Prince of Terror"... only to deny their connection when asked about it publicly. Conquasabit was not fully worthy of being Obey's public right hand, but that would slowly change over the following weeks.
At the first stages of their friendship Obey only gave Conquasabit false information about his life, feeding him lies as manipulators often like to do. But as time passes Obey would get very comfortable with him, to the point of publicly acknowledging him as his true right hand. After all, Conquasabit was the Prince of Terror and blindly believed in Obey and his status of the true God...
All this newfound attention to Conquasabit would make him a secondary target of Obey's hater legion. Relevant to our story is 77tortelini, another Loquendo YouTuber who made his own No obedeceré! series. This time he focused on Conquasabit and his three videos, revealing the subliminal messages hidden in them and showing how he used the symbolism of Obey's content into his own. It is worth mentioning that 77tortelini is one of the most savage players of this whole story, probably the second most disgusting after Obey himself: he sprouted hate and resentment against Conquasabit and Obey both, which passes the "using lots of bad words and insults" line and goes into very questionable terrains (such as joking about abuse, ew). This is an excerpt from the final episode of his series:
You disgust me ObeyDaWalrus, you're a loser and don't deserve any kind of forgiveness. You've caused so much damage, do you know how many children had nightmares because of you? Do you know how many people have felt confused because of your delusions? People like you shouldn't even exist in this world, and if more people like you happen to be born we're all gonna get our brains filled with shit, but not like your brain which is already shit-filled in abundance. A dog's waste is more significant than you, yet you believe you're a god and you're above us. In reality, you're less than any single thing that exists in the wide and foreign universe.This excerpt consists of only 30 seconds of the video, and it's one of the milder quotes of a 9mins long rant... That's Loquendo for you, I guess...
Ignoring the edgy aura of his videos, 77tortelini goes too deep into this shit and his conclusions are kind of surprising (this is Evangelion-tier overanalyzing to be honest), but since those deep analysis aren't relevant to the drama I will not explain them in the write up (if you're interested but are unable to watch his videos because of the language barrier, just ask me and I can explain it to you in a comment!). One thing worth nothing about this is a parallel he discovered that was implied in Conquasabit's videos: Obey/Conquasabit and Kira/Mikami from the popular anime series Death Note.
Kira wrongly believes he is a god, while Mikami blindly believes this and aids him in his quest for cleansing the world of all evil. Conquasabit used the Kira/Mikami theme song Semblance of Dualism in his videos, and the title of this track is an apt description of Obey's/Conquasabit's relationship: the dualism between a god and a mortal, a king and his servant, a manipulator and his victim. The fact that 77tortelini used a picture of Near (a detective in Death Note who worked to bring Kira down) as his YT avatar only makes this metaphor far more compelling.
(As a side note: 77tortelini also failed to find any deeper meaning in the original Obedece a la morsa video).
So for Conquasabit, the act of becoming Obey's closest ally didn't come without its consequences. He became a target of the anti-Obey legion, got analyzed with the same scrutiny Obey once was and was universally hated by those not worshipping Obey. Such is the price of being noticed by your true God.
Part 4: "I Did This for The Walrus"
Almost a year had passed since The Walrus mythos and its series of videos has come to light. Everything seems to be going on as normal as ever: the forum is still active with conversations and fans, haters are hating and Obey is being worshipped by Conquasabit among others. All is well for Obey, but the beginning of the end was about to start.Enter Cafsamechsamech, another Loquendo Youtuber who made his own No obedeceré! series (these videos are lost media, I didn't link to any reupload because they don't exist). Cafsamechsamech analyzed Obey's and Conquasabit's content and explained his own theories, but the most relevant thing was a couple of MSN screenshots he showed in the video, which were leaked to him by MusicIsMyFaith. These reveal a conversation between MusicIsMyFaith and Conquasabit, where the latter feeded Obey's personal information to the former for him to make his final "No obedeceré!" video. Conquasabit seemed to have betrayed ObeyDaWalrus, and the two of them permanently broke contact after this. The semblance of dualism was broken, but from the looks of it, it never existed at all.
Cafsamechsamech also accidentally dropped the password for Conquasabit's YT account (I guess Conquasabit showed it to MusicIsMyFaith in the MSN conversation and therefore Music unknowingly leaked it while leaking the screenshots? All we can do is speculate because the leak itself is lost media). This prompted some users to upload fake videos in his account which had nothing to do with the lore. Conquasabit deleted these videos and changed his password as soon as he could to protect his account, and begged Cafsamechsamech to delete the reveal because it ruined his entire plans. But the jig was up, and Conquasabit had no options but to face the music and spill the beans.
Conquasabit started a series of Loquendo videos in his own channel, the first one being titled La supuesta realidad de ObeyDaWalrus (The Supposed Truth of ObeyDaWalrus). Here he states his true intentions: from the very beginning, all of his praise for Obey was part of an elaborate plan to find out everything he could about him, compilating information to discover the real motives behind all of the videos and to reveal to the world who he truly was. In the first episode he explains how he managed to obtain Obey's trust, revealing one of the "tasks" he asked him to do: Obey wanted Conquasabit to take a picture of himself holding a white bunny while being naked, with the words "I did this for The Walrus" written on his chest. Yup. Conquasabit affirmed that Obey was not a character: he was a disturbed and mentally ill person who needed psychiatric help, and sooner than later Conquasabit would be able to prove it.
The next episode is El ejército de La Morsa vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 1 (The Walrus' Army vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 1). In this video Conquasabit attacks and debunks some of the investigations and accusations done agaisnt him amidst the release of La supuesta realidad de ObeyDaWalrus, some done by randos and other done by people close to Obey's inner circle. Such examples are Axelexa (an admin of the forums and Obey worshipper who produced several write ups calling out Conquasabit's alledged lies; sadly these posts are lost to time) and Tibasauqnoc (a Conquasabit impersonator who played in Obey's turf, even making a fake website in order to profit from ad revenue).
In El ejército de La Morsa vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 2 (The Walrus' Army vs. Conquasabit, Pt. 2) he attacks three familiar faces from our story: 77tortelini, Cafsamechsamech and MusicIsMyFaith. Conquasabit rightly criticizes all the terrible remarks done by 77tortelini in his videos, asking why he needed to throw so much shit against him, and also debunking part of 77tortelini's analysis by showing the real explanations for the subliminal messages hidden in his own videos. In Cafsamechsamech's case, Conquasabit calls him out for his carelessness on leaking the MSN conversation and disturbing his plans, stating that he could've recompiled way more information on Obey if the MSN conversations weren't leaked. Also, he berates him for leaking his password.
The criticism of MusicIsMyFaith is way weirder: Conquasabit accuses him of not trusting his word, as he didn't use any of the information provided in his final No obedeceré video while also publicly affirming that he didn't believe in Conquasabit's remarks from the leaks. Also, Conquasabit accuses him of being active in Obey's forum and even colaborating with some of the regulars, which I could confirm by simply browsing the archive of the forums: starting in March of 2008 he seemed to act really friendly around Axelexa and other Obey worshippers. (Music also states he loves Obey in this YT comment (the third one)...) He wonders if MusicIsMyFaith is a double agent working for both sides. Don't ask me how, I don't even know... This whole saga is so fucking weird.
Meanwhile, Conquasabit stated in these three videos that the truth would come out soon. Answers have been found, and although his original plan had been broken by Cafsamechsamech and MusicIsMyFaith's shenanigans, he recompiled enough information to make definitive conclusions about Obey's motives and identity. Conquasabit only needed to back up all of his hypothesis, and the only thing people had to do was to wait.
Part 5: A Reflection of Anger, Loneliness and Despair
Saying that Conquasabit's actions shook Obey to the core would be a severe understatement: in fact, he nuked the entire forum amidst a nervous breakdown. All the threads, all the praise and the hate, the depravities and the worshipping, and even the drama that was starting to cook inside the halls of the forum- all deleted and long gone. His explanation for the nuking seemed like delirious rambling, but I will transcribe it here in its complete form as it gives great insight into Obey's mind, and will be relevant later:As you will see, the forum is no longer the same as before. Several threads, many of them, have disappeared due to the demonic forces. It is difficult to explain this to you mortals, as your understanding of the nature of the universe is a bit limited, so I will explain it in an easy and simple way so y'all can understand.The nuking of the forum did not stop Conquasabit at all anyway, since his plan of action was carried out outside of the internet. Remember the MySpace account where Obey uploaded his drawings? Conquasabit would print all 21 of them and show them to numerous professional of the mental health field, to have a better gist of what was going on inside his subconscious mind and finally crack the case. Since he was a psychology student in college he had the possibility of meeting 9 psychologists and psychiatrists face to face and discuss his own different hypothesis, while also gaining new others proposed by all these specialists. It's safe to say this dude was not playing around: unlike the rest of players in this story so far, Conquasabit was determined to back up his claims with evidence and the scientific method.
The demonic forces were born before time, when the universe was there but not the understanding of its existence. But in spite of this situation a mystical force struck the grounds, and from that day on everything that this force touched is known as "life". However the demonic forces would not allow this, and so they decided to fight to regain what was once theirs. This war has lasted millions of millennia, and until recently these two forces were still at war. But then, something we call The Walrus came along.
The Walrus is the organization of the 365 lights and shadows, and is in charge of keeping peace between the two forces. Until 4 millennia ago everything was going well, until the demonic forces devised a plan to dominate both the mystical force and The Walrus to finally win this eternal war. The mystical force decided to give all its spiritual juice to The Walrus to aid it in this battle, and because of this there currently are only two beings: The Walrus and the demonic forces. The demonic forces have sworn to end our world as we know it, but luckily we have The Walrus, who will always protect us from the spirits and demons that roam around us.
PS: Forum topics have disappeared due to demonic forces, as apparently a new age of evil is beginning. What has been done to the forum is just the start, so for now please keep starting more threads to confront these demons and tell them "we are not afraid". Outside of The Walrus you will be unprotected but don't worry, because The Walrus has a splendid idea that I will share with you later.
His findings would be published in the long awaited final investigation, which was uploaded in November 7th of 2008. Pt. 1 of the video showcased an analysis of all the drawings, which seemingly represented different traits of Obey's personality and mental state: aggression, voyeuristic behavior, sexual perversion, distortion and confusion regarding sexual identity, maternal dependency, schizoid personality, regressive and childish behavior, obsessive-compulsive behavior, belief of own delusions and disgust of obesity and race. Conquasabit stated that he showed a few of Obey's videos to the professionals, who affirmed that they shared the same themes as the drawings. The videos were practically animated editions of the drawings, and then it can be concluded that they weren't meant to be artistic, aesthetically pleasant nor creative: according to the specialists they were just a venting method for Obey, a way of showing his thoughts and inner struggles for the world to see.
The community finally had some answers at last, but there were still two big mysteries that were not quite solved. Who was ObeyDaWalrus? And what is the meaning (and subliminal message) behind the original video, "Obedece a la morsa"?
In Pt. 2 Conquasabit reveals the final piece of the puzzle: Obey actually didn't believe he was a god. This was something Conquasabit knew beforehand, as he used to be his closest ally, but it was unknown to the whole community surrounding this drama. Obey indirectly alluded to this in his "demonic forces" rant, revealing the true God he worshipped and believed in: The Walrus. According to Conquasabit, Obey seemed to be in the initial stages of schizophrenia and actually believed in his own delusions.
And Obey's belief of The Walrus was the moment when it all fell into place for Conquasabit. To give a little bit of context, he explained a mission given by God in the Bible called the Great Commission, which is explained inside the book in Mark 16, 15-16:
15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned".Conquasabit formulated a hypothesis regarding the subliminal message of Obedece a la morsa (and it was confirmed by the specialists he contacted): the message wasn't hidden in the visuals nor the sounds nor the themes, but in the title all along. Obey's main goal was to spread The Walrus' word, and his preferred method was to create a video so creepy it would be endlessly shared all over the world out of morbid shock. It was his own self-imposed Great Commission: by making a video so different and bizarre people had no other option but to share it with their friends and make it viral, so millions of people would subconsciously obey The Walrus' Great Commission and spread their word. And since this video managed to surpass the 5-million-view mark in one year, it means that everyone obeyed.
But thanks to Conquasabit's efforts the truth was out, and the world didn't have to obey anymore. Obey's biggest fear was to lose the little amount of control he had in his life, to be exposed and therefore removed of the power of manipulation he was bestowed by the YT community when he uploaded that cursed video. And Conquasabit just gave the final hit that broke the camel's back, making Obey's biggest fear a reality: he could make more videos and ask people to obey The Walrus, but it didn't matter because people already knew the truth.
Conquasabit affirmed that amidst this knowledge Obey's real identity was not relevant at all, but since people asked so much he decided to dox him in the end of the video. He revealed his full name, the city where he lived, the college where he studied and his real age. He was just a 19 years old boy. To conclude the investigation video, Conquasabit begged him to find help, because there was something wrong with him and he could end up considering suicide if he continued down this dark path.
Conquasabit also expressed this urge for Obey's to find help in the only way he would really understand: with a final video ridden with subliminal overtones. El fin de ObeyDaWalrus (The End of ObeyDaWalrus) [WARNING: it includes frames from La venganza, a.k.a. extreme gore] was meant to denounce Obey's immorality and his own internal struggles in a raw and direct way, trying to break his grandeur fantasy and putting a mirror in front of him in an attempt to make him realize his situation for the first time. The only thing Obey could see in that mirror was a reflection of his own anger, loneliness and despair: he didn't have no one who actually liked him for who he was and he needed urgent psychiatric help before it was too late.
This final video also expressed a feeling of victory from Conquasabit's part. Much of the video features the 4th movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, the famous Ode To Joy meant to praise humanity and a world at peace, and it was a very fitting musical choice. By showing a tomb with the word ObeyDaWalrus engraved in the stone, Conquasabit announced to the world that they were finally free from The Walrus and its malevolent manipulation: Obey's plan had failed and the truth was known, so people didn't have to fall deep into its claws again. People were free, and this video was a celebration of this newfound hope.
In November 9th of 2008, two days after Conquasabit uploaded these three videos, Obey deleted his YouTube account and disappeared from the internet.
Part 6: The End of an Era
The imagery of passing away used in Conquasabit's video made the community take Obey's disappearance as a symbolic death, even if the symbolism wasn't meant to be taken literally. Lots of people were happy they didn't have to deal with Obey's disgusting behavior anymore, and some others were extremely shocked and literally mourned his death (some of his friends even made a posthumous video to honor his memory). But the wide majority of people were only sad because this era, filled with mystery and drama, had finally come to an end. While the news initially made quite a shock inside the community, the whole incident would be slowly forgotten in the following years.One of the things that directly followed after the whole incident was the Finihario videos wave. After Obey's death some people felt compelled to continue his "legacy", so they started to create similar content: soon, a little corner of YouTube would be filled with videos ridden with surreal editing and subliminal messages (which were not related to The Walrus' lore at all though, they were their own thing). Users like the previously mentioned Axelexa, but also others like LAICAGM, Alexkea7, Arslot, Destinocasualidad, among others, tried to launch this movement in a legitimate way, creating art that was born out of pure creativeness instead of delusions or mental illness. I would argue that the Finihario movement is one of the few good things that came out of this whole drama (I wouldn't say the content itself is very good but hey, I support the artistic vein these people had!).
While the drama itself seemed to wrap up in a perfect "final season of the show" kind of way there still was some questions left unanswered, the first example of this being the validity of Conquasabit's final investigation. The weight of his hypothesis were carried by the interpretations of Obey's drawings, the traits displayed in them and how those correlated with the ideology and the videos. But some users have affirmed that Obey didn't know how to draw at all and the images in the MySpace account were actually drawn by another person. If there was any shred of truth in these allegations Conquasabit's investigation would have made no sense: he might've psychoanalyzed an entire different person which would render all of his efforts useless.
(this got too long and surpassed Reddit's character limit, check this comment for the rest of this write up)
2021.08.12 23:53 darthphallic My friend the neckbeard, his fake crazy pills, weaponized dandruff, and the monster that made him this way.
There are two creatures in this double feature, Flake and Crusher, you’ll see why I picked these nicknames soon enough.
A bit of background to start, for the first half of my adolescence I was what could easily be considered a loser, a lanky shy kid with a perpetually dorky haircut who was far too into things like Dungeons & Dragons and Star Wars, a situation only made worse by a sudden divorce and quick move to a new school district. I had only two other friends throughout elementary school, other dorks who knew to stick together. Once we got to Jr. High we met flake, an instant friendship started when we saw him spelling swear words with his food at lunch. He was a sweet goofy theatre kid with even sweeter parents I considered a second mom and dad. The four of us were thick as thieves and honestly none of us were /that/ weird at the time, just unlucky enough to be the 4 poor kids at a school with weird districting lines made of mostly wealthy families.
The summer after 8th grade is when things started to change, I was blessed and had a hardcore glow up which paired with the highschool being in a different school district meant I had a fresh start at a social life. Even though I suddenly found myself moderately popular once highschool started I had been through too much with my childhood friends to abandon them even if I got the occasional side eye for hanging out with the “weird kids” because they were my brothers. That being said, Flake sure made that stance beyond difficult with the new persona he adopted once we hit our teenage years.
I don’t know why he started acting like a complete goon, but I blame cringe early 2000’s New Grounds animations like Foamy the squirrel and Happy Tree Friends. He started wearing all black every day, with tacky spiked arm bands or sweat bands adorned with pentagrams & anarchy symbols on his wrists (that god so dirty they changed colors and made the skin under them damp and 10 shades more pale). All his shirts were either Slipknot Tee’s or those button up shirts with skulls & flames, basically the worst of those hot topic catalogues. I could honestly deal with his awful fashion choices, most of us had cringe fashion back in the MySpace days, but it was his over the top fake “edgy” personality that drove me up the wall.
He would spend class with these awful fake “psychotic” scowls on his face, interrupting teachers by making some completely unrelated comment about how much he liked fires or knives or swords, sometimes following that up with some stupid “crazy” laugh that just sounded like a witches cackle. Once a teacher that had a low tolerance for clowns rolled their eyes and very sarcastically said “Okay flake calm, I’m starting to get scared.” To which flake replied “YOU SHOULD BE!” With a self satisfied smirk. Our second year some poor new teacher who didn’t know better sent him to the guidance counselor out of concern, which flake wore as a badge of honor saying he “freaked out a teacher so badly she sent me to the crazy doctor.”. The absolute WORST was before class when everyone was talking and joking with each other would yell “BE QUIET, I CANT HEAR THE VOICES IN MY HEAD” as a sad bid for attention.
Like all neckbeards his hygiene was questionable, and when not closing for attention he would spend class vigorously scratching thick flakes of dandruff onto a folder, blowing it out into the open air once he amassed a sizable pile. At assemblies he would sit behind people he didn’t like on the bleachers and lean over to sneakily shower them in his blizzard of dandruff. He also had a redhead obsession, and any girl with even remotely reddish hair would be in his crosshairs. A few of them were too nice to tell him off and he would stay glued to them, trying to play the long game of winning their attraction as a friend. He would physically hang off them in long uncomfortable hugs saying “best fraaaaaand” in a voice not unlike Stitch from Lelo & stitch. This made ALL of their boyfriends uncomfortable and over the years I had to use my clout to convince more than one of them not to kick his ass because he was harmless and posed less that zero threat.
By the end of Year 2/ sophomore year rolled around I was hanging out with people from neighboring schools as well and decided I’d try introducing some of them to flake. His obnoxious persona was nonexistent outside of school when there wasn’t a crowd and I thought maybe he could get some friends who didn’t know him as an edgy try hard with weaponized dandruff. Boy was I wrong, as soon as they showed up it was lights camera crazy. I tried keeping conversation non controversial so he didn’t have any opportunity to be weird, but even talking about music he steered the conversation towards Slipknot and how all the music about people being shit and being alone and full of anger spoke to him. The cherry on top was when he pulled out a bottle of prescription pills, showing off the black & yellow capsules before saying “Hold up, I gotta take my crazy pills, they make sure I don’t lose it and do something fucked up.” …..They were fucking acne pills, I knew because I was prescribed the exact same kind. To this day I still wonder if maybe I should have let him have his moment but I was so tired of his performance I went “Flake c’mon, those are pills for Acne, I take the exact same ones.” His cocky smirk instantly vanished, and he stuttered out some excuse about how he must have gotten the bottles mixed up. I can’t remember the rest of the hangout, I was too mortified, but I know he never saw those people again.
The summer between year 2 and 3 all my questions about what happened to flake were suddenly answered when Flakes friend who was normally only in town for summer (that I had never met) moved here full time. This dude, crusher, was THE neckbeard. Top tier cloud of stench, multiple chins, fedora, and the most edgy attitude paired with an undeserved “I’m better than everyone else” level of confidence with a compulsive liar garnish. It was clear that for whatever reason Flake idolized this fucking loser, maybe it was because he was naive and believed crush whenever he lied about knowing the members of any given metal band and having three ways every weekend (think Dermit from venture bros only morbidly obese). He was the type who would never admit he was full of shit, one time we played smash bros melee after he claimed to be a national champion and the string of matches went like this “Okay well you only won because I went easy on you and didn’t play my character” next match he loses as his main “Well you only won because you played a cheap character (marth I guess?)” play another match and let him literally pick my character, he picks peach and I still win “Pffft whatever, I don’t have time to sit around playing smash nonstop, it’s no fun playing with try hards.” Whenever I would ask him to prove he had all these music industry contacts or girlfriends he’d say I was “too untrustworthy to keep it on the down low” and whenever I’d call him on his bullshit attitude he’d just say I “couldn’t take a joke and was killing the vibe.”
He called women females or bitches depending on how he felt that day, and the only joy I ever got out of hanging out with him were the MANY times he tried talking tough to the wrong person and turned into a wimpering puddle of spineless goo when they got in his face, the best being when he waddled off full on crying after someone cold cocked him in the jaw for commenting on their girlfriends breasts. The only reason I never even backhanded him myself was that Flake always asked me to just be cool and put up with him as a favor, and despite how annoying and weird flake was he was still my friend so I honored that. I couldn’t find a way to organically work it into the story but the nickname “crusher” came from his habit of causing whatever he sat on to break with his girth. Multiple friends lost lawn chairs to his fat ass and one super unfortunate friend was never ever able to open the trunk of his car again after Crusher sat on it during a hangout where flake dragged him along. Thankfully by the end of the first semester the school found out Crusher’s mom had lied about his address and he was shipped off to another school district to terrorize more people and I never saw him again.
So there you have it, how I met the omega neckbeard and how he turned my childhood friend into a near insufferable edgelord. If Flake was Darth Vader then Crusher was Emperor Palpatine. I lost touch with Flake after highschool but according to his social media it looks like he finally got rid of Crusher, cleaned up his life, and even has a wife and kid now.
If you guys liked this one I got plenty more, my school had some real beardy winners
submitted by darthphallic to neckbeardstories [link] [comments]
A bit of background to start, for the first half of my adolescence I was what could easily be considered a loser, a lanky shy kid with a perpetually dorky haircut who was far too into things like Dungeons & Dragons and Star Wars, a situation only made worse by a sudden divorce and quick move to a new school district. I had only two other friends throughout elementary school, other dorks who knew to stick together. Once we got to Jr. High we met flake, an instant friendship started when we saw him spelling swear words with his food at lunch. He was a sweet goofy theatre kid with even sweeter parents I considered a second mom and dad. The four of us were thick as thieves and honestly none of us were /that/ weird at the time, just unlucky enough to be the 4 poor kids at a school with weird districting lines made of mostly wealthy families.
The summer after 8th grade is when things started to change, I was blessed and had a hardcore glow up which paired with the highschool being in a different school district meant I had a fresh start at a social life. Even though I suddenly found myself moderately popular once highschool started I had been through too much with my childhood friends to abandon them even if I got the occasional side eye for hanging out with the “weird kids” because they were my brothers. That being said, Flake sure made that stance beyond difficult with the new persona he adopted once we hit our teenage years.
I don’t know why he started acting like a complete goon, but I blame cringe early 2000’s New Grounds animations like Foamy the squirrel and Happy Tree Friends. He started wearing all black every day, with tacky spiked arm bands or sweat bands adorned with pentagrams & anarchy symbols on his wrists (that god so dirty they changed colors and made the skin under them damp and 10 shades more pale). All his shirts were either Slipknot Tee’s or those button up shirts with skulls & flames, basically the worst of those hot topic catalogues. I could honestly deal with his awful fashion choices, most of us had cringe fashion back in the MySpace days, but it was his over the top fake “edgy” personality that drove me up the wall.
He would spend class with these awful fake “psychotic” scowls on his face, interrupting teachers by making some completely unrelated comment about how much he liked fires or knives or swords, sometimes following that up with some stupid “crazy” laugh that just sounded like a witches cackle. Once a teacher that had a low tolerance for clowns rolled their eyes and very sarcastically said “Okay flake calm, I’m starting to get scared.” To which flake replied “YOU SHOULD BE!” With a self satisfied smirk. Our second year some poor new teacher who didn’t know better sent him to the guidance counselor out of concern, which flake wore as a badge of honor saying he “freaked out a teacher so badly she sent me to the crazy doctor.”. The absolute WORST was before class when everyone was talking and joking with each other would yell “BE QUIET, I CANT HEAR THE VOICES IN MY HEAD” as a sad bid for attention.
Like all neckbeards his hygiene was questionable, and when not closing for attention he would spend class vigorously scratching thick flakes of dandruff onto a folder, blowing it out into the open air once he amassed a sizable pile. At assemblies he would sit behind people he didn’t like on the bleachers and lean over to sneakily shower them in his blizzard of dandruff. He also had a redhead obsession, and any girl with even remotely reddish hair would be in his crosshairs. A few of them were too nice to tell him off and he would stay glued to them, trying to play the long game of winning their attraction as a friend. He would physically hang off them in long uncomfortable hugs saying “best fraaaaaand” in a voice not unlike Stitch from Lelo & stitch. This made ALL of their boyfriends uncomfortable and over the years I had to use my clout to convince more than one of them not to kick his ass because he was harmless and posed less that zero threat.
By the end of Year 2/ sophomore year rolled around I was hanging out with people from neighboring schools as well and decided I’d try introducing some of them to flake. His obnoxious persona was nonexistent outside of school when there wasn’t a crowd and I thought maybe he could get some friends who didn’t know him as an edgy try hard with weaponized dandruff. Boy was I wrong, as soon as they showed up it was lights camera crazy. I tried keeping conversation non controversial so he didn’t have any opportunity to be weird, but even talking about music he steered the conversation towards Slipknot and how all the music about people being shit and being alone and full of anger spoke to him. The cherry on top was when he pulled out a bottle of prescription pills, showing off the black & yellow capsules before saying “Hold up, I gotta take my crazy pills, they make sure I don’t lose it and do something fucked up.” …..They were fucking acne pills, I knew because I was prescribed the exact same kind. To this day I still wonder if maybe I should have let him have his moment but I was so tired of his performance I went “Flake c’mon, those are pills for Acne, I take the exact same ones.” His cocky smirk instantly vanished, and he stuttered out some excuse about how he must have gotten the bottles mixed up. I can’t remember the rest of the hangout, I was too mortified, but I know he never saw those people again.
The summer between year 2 and 3 all my questions about what happened to flake were suddenly answered when Flakes friend who was normally only in town for summer (that I had never met) moved here full time. This dude, crusher, was THE neckbeard. Top tier cloud of stench, multiple chins, fedora, and the most edgy attitude paired with an undeserved “I’m better than everyone else” level of confidence with a compulsive liar garnish. It was clear that for whatever reason Flake idolized this fucking loser, maybe it was because he was naive and believed crush whenever he lied about knowing the members of any given metal band and having three ways every weekend (think Dermit from venture bros only morbidly obese). He was the type who would never admit he was full of shit, one time we played smash bros melee after he claimed to be a national champion and the string of matches went like this “Okay well you only won because I went easy on you and didn’t play my character” next match he loses as his main “Well you only won because you played a cheap character (marth I guess?)” play another match and let him literally pick my character, he picks peach and I still win “Pffft whatever, I don’t have time to sit around playing smash nonstop, it’s no fun playing with try hards.” Whenever I would ask him to prove he had all these music industry contacts or girlfriends he’d say I was “too untrustworthy to keep it on the down low” and whenever I’d call him on his bullshit attitude he’d just say I “couldn’t take a joke and was killing the vibe.”
He called women females or bitches depending on how he felt that day, and the only joy I ever got out of hanging out with him were the MANY times he tried talking tough to the wrong person and turned into a wimpering puddle of spineless goo when they got in his face, the best being when he waddled off full on crying after someone cold cocked him in the jaw for commenting on their girlfriends breasts. The only reason I never even backhanded him myself was that Flake always asked me to just be cool and put up with him as a favor, and despite how annoying and weird flake was he was still my friend so I honored that. I couldn’t find a way to organically work it into the story but the nickname “crusher” came from his habit of causing whatever he sat on to break with his girth. Multiple friends lost lawn chairs to his fat ass and one super unfortunate friend was never ever able to open the trunk of his car again after Crusher sat on it during a hangout where flake dragged him along. Thankfully by the end of the first semester the school found out Crusher’s mom had lied about his address and he was shipped off to another school district to terrorize more people and I never saw him again.
So there you have it, how I met the omega neckbeard and how he turned my childhood friend into a near insufferable edgelord. If Flake was Darth Vader then Crusher was Emperor Palpatine. I lost touch with Flake after highschool but according to his social media it looks like he finally got rid of Crusher, cleaned up his life, and even has a wife and kid now.
If you guys liked this one I got plenty more, my school had some real beardy winners
2021.08.11 15:00 veryoondoww Had never been on this sub until this rollout, and as a fan since ‘01-‘02 as a producer, I’ve reminisced a lot these last few weeks about his career.
(I posted this in a response in a daily discussion, but thought it might make for a nice group discussion about OG fans that recall his ascent to fame in real-time. I encourage people to share those first memories, or their Kanye discovery stories!)
Since we all used to buy cd’s, I would study linear notes. Producers, samples used, etc. noticed four songs on the blueprint was produced by a Kanye West, as was one on his dynasty album. Noticed the same for talib kweli’s “quality” album. Particular loved “guerilla monsoon rap” and “good for you.” Didn’t realize until later how many songs he did vocals on, like the hooks on guerilla/never change, as I didn’t know what his voice was like haha.
This continued as I happened to buy a lot of albums he produced on, whether chicken and beer from ludacris with “stand up,” which I think was ‘03, the tracks on blueprint 2 in ‘02. I got really into the fix from Scarface, on which Kanye produced “guess who’s back” and “in cold blood.”
Fast forward to 03/04, and I remember turning on bet (I’d watch rap city and 106 and Park nearly every day and just watch videos while doing homework) and the through the wire video came on. I was like wait a sec, Kanye West the producer? He raps now? Weird...
This video came out WAY before the album dropped. I remember an unmastered leak of the album I had months before college dropout actually releases. It had the much more raw/minimalist versions of hey mama (which wildly didn’t hit until late registration), family business, Jesus walks. Also had my way, the original version of home, heavy hitters, etc.
It was cool when college dropout actually came as it had so many new tracks and updated version of what was on that bootleg, that it felt brand new (my bootleg didn’t have spaceships, breathe in breathe out, others).
I was a junior and senior in high school (34 years old now) during 04, and to see him get popular, to hear slow jamz play at the student store in the cafeteria, to hear jocks rocking “we don’t care” on a boombox while we played hoops in the gym during lunch time, was kind of surreal. I remember when “all falls down” was playing on mtv and bet constantly thinking “damn he’s got like two hits now.” Jesus walks being a huge talking point as it was a religious song that was a big single during an era and of g-unit and gansta rap/lyrics. I remember Jesus walks being talked about in media as a huge shift for rap music.
The biggest Kanye ever was, to me, was graduation. Big in a sense that he was everywhere. I remember when “stronger” dropped, and rap-hating people who didn’t understand sampling hated hard on MySpace and in person about how he stole the song from daft punk (which is hilarious because the daft punk song itself samples its beat entirely from another song itself). Every single on that album was big. “Stronger” was inescapable and a HUGE symbolic point at which hip hop became more electronic/melodic/area-size. “Good life” was everywhere. I remember partying at Oregon state university visiting my girlfriend at the time and we would bump “flashing lights” on repeat all the time. 808s and all that was all great, but I’ll always have the fondest memories of the original three records and his impact on the industry and genre during that period.
Never once when I saw the through the wire video or heard that bootleg did I think, despite loving them, that he would become a big artist, let alone a superstar. I figured he’d be part of the rocafella canon with cam and bleed, sigel and them, and that’s about it. It’s his pure mainstream appeal, devotion to craft, and his willingness to do what he needed to do to succeed, that made it happen. In retrospect, shit was not an accident.
The coolest thing about that era was you felt like you were in on a secret once he found success on college dropout and began being featured as an ARTIST on all the songs for others he produced, and in the videos. Like somehow from buying cds and recognizing his beats via liner notes, I got early access to fandom.
I’m 34 now. To think I was downloading stuff like “livin a movie” and “my way” off limewire like in ‘03/04. It’s been a fun ride
submitted by veryoondoww to WestSubEver [link] [comments]
Since we all used to buy cd’s, I would study linear notes. Producers, samples used, etc. noticed four songs on the blueprint was produced by a Kanye West, as was one on his dynasty album. Noticed the same for talib kweli’s “quality” album. Particular loved “guerilla monsoon rap” and “good for you.” Didn’t realize until later how many songs he did vocals on, like the hooks on guerilla/never change, as I didn’t know what his voice was like haha.
This continued as I happened to buy a lot of albums he produced on, whether chicken and beer from ludacris with “stand up,” which I think was ‘03, the tracks on blueprint 2 in ‘02. I got really into the fix from Scarface, on which Kanye produced “guess who’s back” and “in cold blood.”
Fast forward to 03/04, and I remember turning on bet (I’d watch rap city and 106 and Park nearly every day and just watch videos while doing homework) and the through the wire video came on. I was like wait a sec, Kanye West the producer? He raps now? Weird...
This video came out WAY before the album dropped. I remember an unmastered leak of the album I had months before college dropout actually releases. It had the much more raw/minimalist versions of hey mama (which wildly didn’t hit until late registration), family business, Jesus walks. Also had my way, the original version of home, heavy hitters, etc.
It was cool when college dropout actually came as it had so many new tracks and updated version of what was on that bootleg, that it felt brand new (my bootleg didn’t have spaceships, breathe in breathe out, others).
I was a junior and senior in high school (34 years old now) during 04, and to see him get popular, to hear slow jamz play at the student store in the cafeteria, to hear jocks rocking “we don’t care” on a boombox while we played hoops in the gym during lunch time, was kind of surreal. I remember when “all falls down” was playing on mtv and bet constantly thinking “damn he’s got like two hits now.” Jesus walks being a huge talking point as it was a religious song that was a big single during an era and of g-unit and gansta rap/lyrics. I remember Jesus walks being talked about in media as a huge shift for rap music.
The biggest Kanye ever was, to me, was graduation. Big in a sense that he was everywhere. I remember when “stronger” dropped, and rap-hating people who didn’t understand sampling hated hard on MySpace and in person about how he stole the song from daft punk (which is hilarious because the daft punk song itself samples its beat entirely from another song itself). Every single on that album was big. “Stronger” was inescapable and a HUGE symbolic point at which hip hop became more electronic/melodic/area-size. “Good life” was everywhere. I remember partying at Oregon state university visiting my girlfriend at the time and we would bump “flashing lights” on repeat all the time. 808s and all that was all great, but I’ll always have the fondest memories of the original three records and his impact on the industry and genre during that period.
Never once when I saw the through the wire video or heard that bootleg did I think, despite loving them, that he would become a big artist, let alone a superstar. I figured he’d be part of the rocafella canon with cam and bleed, sigel and them, and that’s about it. It’s his pure mainstream appeal, devotion to craft, and his willingness to do what he needed to do to succeed, that made it happen. In retrospect, shit was not an accident.
The coolest thing about that era was you felt like you were in on a secret once he found success on college dropout and began being featured as an ARTIST on all the songs for others he produced, and in the videos. Like somehow from buying cds and recognizing his beats via liner notes, I got early access to fandom.
I’m 34 now. To think I was downloading stuff like “livin a movie” and “my way” off limewire like in ‘03/04. It’s been a fun ride