Masha's Roulette 3
Welcome back to my weekly random grab-bag of recommendations newsletter, where I will show you some things to read and some things to listen to, and my solemn promise that at least one item in here will be new and interesting to you.
First, Some Things to Listen To
Two of the musicians I recommended previously, Yorushika and MIMI, both just dropped new songs! And I like both of them. I think Yorushika's use of non-music sounds is interesting, and MIMI's use of Miku and the piano is pretty. Yorushika's also has an interesting music video.
Unrelatedly, my friend asked me if I could translate two lines of Russian text in someone's Discord status, and I was very excited because those two lines were from the only Splean song I like, "Sugarless Orbit." And then my friend was like "it's from a song?" and I was like "YEAH AND IT'S GOOD... PLEASE LISTEN TO IT..." And now I am imploring all of you to do the same.
Also I still love Sasakure.UK's Magical Mirai song (and gorgeous music video by kawasemi!) FUTURE EVE
Now, Some Things to Read
(a classic XKCD)
This week instead of fanfictions I bring you... interesting and less well known Fanlore articles, because I'm assuming if you are here you've already heard all about msscribe and hivliving and the omegaverse lawsuit. I have prepared for you several DEEP CUTS of fandom history.
The Rat Patrol Sockpuppet Incident
What is Rat Patrol? How many sockpuppets were made? What even happened here? I am not completely sure, but the article intro mentions "sockpuppets, fake small children, bullying, the pitching of Americans against the Canadians, false eyewitness accounts of terror at the World Trade Center on 911, marriage infidelities, pseudocide, and other various hijinks" which all sound like great reasons to click the links in the Further Reading section to me.
The 1988 Blake's 7 Bootlegged Zines Discussion
I find stuff like this really fun because it happened a full decade before I was even born, I do not know what Blake's 7 is, and the kind of fandom culture and technology supporting it that existed in this time is just completely alien to my own fandom experience. Also everyone seems very angry and there were lawyers involved.
A fascinating glimpse into a very different fandom experience, again.
The Broccoli Test (if the link doesn't work please add a right parenthesis to the end of the URL)
This one is not drama but it is simply a fandom term I think we should bring back into common use.
The Fandom Ghost this is also not drama but is instead my favorite fanlore article ever and I think about it all of the time and if you've ever seen me use the word "ghosthux" in your presence this is where it is from.
If you really really need a fanfiction recommendation to make it through the week, I haven't read anything I really liked recently, but I am always, in the back of my mind, thinking about if you ask for a cup of water they will give it to you for free by KIBITZER. It is Fire Emblem: 3 Houses, Edelgard/Rhea, modern AU but Rhea is still a goddess and Edelgard works at a coffeeshop and they text. Highly absurd, somehow reminded me of the best parts of Homestuck fandom?
I'll be back next week with more things to listen to and read!
Also, from now on, I'm open to submissions! Send me something you'd like to recommend by replying to this email or in my tumblr askbox and I'll be happy to take a look at it!