How can a fistfight be romantic? (primer)
Requested by algernon_mouse, written on the fly in a ridiculously slapdash manner. Please call me on any inconsistencies or errors!
For those of you who are kind enough to click on my lj-cuts even though you're not into the fanfiction thing, I'm writing about my current favorite bandslash band, The Used.bandslash: Also known as "bandom." Fanfiction (in this case male/male slash) written about a rough grouping of rock, pop-punk, and pop bands that generally tour together. Includes (but is not limited to): My Chemical Romance, Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, any and all of the bands Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) has signed to his label (Fueled By Ramen), and the Used.
The members of this band are Bert McCracken (vocals), Jepha Howard (bass), Quinn Allman (guitar), and Dan Whitesides (drums). They have one former member, Branden Steineckert (drums).
Bert McCracken.
Distinguished by long hair (usually black, although he had a blonde period), blue eyes, scary facial expressions, being shorter than everyone else in the world band (5'2"), noticeable drug use. He can play the trumpet and the piano, and he is a former gymnast.
He is currently involved with a woman named Allison, from what I understand, and in the past has been tied to Kelly Osbourne and a woman named Kate, who OD'ed while she was pregnant with his child. He's open about his sexuality, likes to kiss Quinn and has described himself as flexible.
How I write Bert: he zooms between manic and contented, confessional, even warm. He has a lot of love in his heart for kids, dogs, and people who don't normally get a say. He is borderline or even outright rude to people who bore him (Youtube: for example, interviewers). From my timing, he has about a five minute attention span at maximum, unless it has to do with someone in his band. He has been (very occasionally) known to be so intoxicated that he can't perform at shows, but he has been sobering up lately (this is based solely on my perception of recent interviews).
I definitely write him with his history of homelessness, refusal of LDS, and reliance on friends in mind. (See my Bert primer for more on this.) I also write him as dirty, but not in a gross, disgusting way; it's more that he can handle not showering for a while, and refuses to brush his hair. (Youtube: Jepha says Bert is made of love.) I suggest not running him down in my journal, because I'm three different kinds of irrational about him. About this band, too, but Bert in particular.
Quinn Allman.
Distinguished by blonde hair (early) and light brown-blonde hair that is thinning (later), washboard abdominals, being taller than everyone but Dan, being ridiculous.
I think he has a girlfriend named Marie? Maria? Someone who is better at canon than me, please speak up. Kisses Bert onstage, has a quiet -- less vocal than Bert, anyway -- love for Bert.
How I write Quinn: he is a giant dorky doofus. He loves pranks and teasing people. He frequently has a slight edge to his humor, which Bert also has but (from what I can tell) deploys less often. He has less patience with idiots and boring people than Bert does, but a slightly longer attention span, which leads to sarcastic and slightly huffy interviews. I like to write him with a short temper, quick to forgive his "family" (including his band) and really, really unlikely to forgive anyone else. He is more often visibly intoxicated for interviews than Bert, so I usually write him as a drug/alcohol user. He's been very, very poor, but his family let Bert crash at their place when he was given an ultimatum by his parents.
Quinn and Bert are best friends. The Used existed under two different names before they became the Used, which you can read about on the Wiki site.
How I write them (even when it's not romantic): Bert encourages Quinn to do the stupid things that Quinn would do anyway and showers Quinn with undying affection and unquestioning love. Quinn supports Bert in doing the stupid things he would do anyway and gives Bert unswerving loyalty and unquestioning love. They are soulmates, irregardless of their sexual inclinations, and they know it and acknowledge it. They are both dirty, in the funky-sweat kind of way. They really like playing stupid jokes with their bodies, in the way that small children do, and they find bodies in general kind of fascinating. (Youtube: Bert wins at carrying a beer bottle on his head, pokes at Jepha's penis, Quinn drinks laundry detergent (emetophobe warning).)
Bert and Quinn are my OTP. OTP: One True Pairing. The pairing that you love, cherish, believe in, and will read craptacular stories for. The pairing you secretly cherish stupid story ideas for. (See: my secret desire for Bert sexswap, my secret desire for slave!fic about Bert.) The pairing you end up writing by default, even when you meant to be writing something else. ("Why is Bob putting his penis in Frank's mouth? THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GERARD'S PENIS, FRANK.") Many people, including me, don't stick by one OTP, meaning that they suck at the letter of the law acronym.
Speaking of OTPs, I also really love Dan/Jepha.
Dan Whitesides
Distinguished by dark, shaggy brown hair, muscular forearms, height (6'1", gigantic by bandom standards), two female dogs named Frankie and George, ridiculous Muppet voice, tendency to pull stupid shenanigans in keeping with Bert and Quinn.
Dating a girl named Shannon, from what I understand. Totally digs grabbing his bandmates' crotches, why not hey hey. Mimes giving Jepha the hot beef injection on the regular.
How I write Dan: Goofy. Goofy goofy goofy. He's very tall and very strong -- you really can see the muscles in his forearms, it's insane -- but he acts like a tiny little kid in interviews and with the other guys. He encourages Jepha's occasional goofy tendencies, much as Quinn does. He was Jepha's friend before he joined the band, and I usually write him as being most attached to Jepha; I also usually write it that Jepha invited him into the band. He's defiant of gender roles, see: his dogs and the fact that he wore his girlfriend's underwear one day when he ran out of clean pairs (Youtube: Dan's dogs, underpants). He's very easygoing. I also think of him as one of the steadying influences on the band, mostly because he's got a general aura of "I don't give a shit wheeee pants on my head!"
Jepha Howard
Distinguished by a slightly weird name (Jepharee, goes by Jepha or Jeph), dark, artfully cut hair (although now it's long and floppy), and tattoos. More tattoos than you think. I'm slowly piecing together a primer on his tattoos, that's how many tattoos. (Youtube: Jepha getting a tattoo.) He also has a lot of piercings. He has a cock sleeve and a Prince Albert, from what I've heard. Basically, the boy likes experiencing his corporeality, in ways that most people don't.
Linked to people like Kasha (Suicide Girl) and has made references to dating/doing/liking to kiss boys.
How I write Jepha: sweet, devoted to his friends, and very genuine. His smile in the above picture is one of the crucial things, and shows how someone so tattooed and pierced can be a goofy sweetiepie as well. He's into pain, in my personal canon, but not in a creepy h/c way, more in a "ooh, spanking!" way. Canonically he's into trying new things in the bedroom. He's been outed by an ex-girlfriend as being into pegging. (Does anyone have the canon for this?)
He's very calm, especially compared to the rest of his band. He really likes Japan, and is fascinated by the culture. He has an addiction to green tea. He reads quite a bit, and leads a quiet, mostly straight-edge life, with some drinking. He's actually surprisingly reserved, in the sense that you don't find out a ton about him that he doesn't want to share; there's a lot going on beneath the surface, which is really apparent in interviews. Intelligent, although not ostentatiously; I've gotten the sense that if he senses that you're not critically engaged or on the same level, he's going to stop talking to you or paying attention. He's really devoted to their music, and to improving on the bass. When he plays pranks or does silly things with Quinn and Bert, he goes all out. He is committed. He's also the guy most likely to remain friends with other bands; there've been reports of him remaining in contact with Frank from MCR even after Bert and Gerard had their fiery deathpit of a breakup. He's really good friends with Bob, as well. (They're, um. another OTP of mine. Whatever, my OTP is porn/porn.)
Just because I love this picture:
Dan! Jepha! Tea! Snaww.
Branden Steineckert
I don't write Branden as often, just from lack of exposure, so I'm including everything about him in one block of text. It's been said in interviews -- notably once by Bert -- that Branden had personal issues with someone in the band. Bert said in the same interview that it was not with him, and Branden was very good friends with Jepha, so that leaves Quinn.
It seems mostly likely that Branden wasn't on board with the music in the Lies for the Liars era, for whatever reason. There was news of some rancor between him and the band when they parted ways, but I also get my news from the punknews bulletins, which have articles with no background/corroborating links and lots of stupid comments. Go there for fic ideas, I guess, and wild rumor-mongering.
Here is some crucial information: Branden left the band in 2006. There were rumors on the internets, of course, after Warped, and then there was an official announcement in September. (The Wiki is pretty good for a timeline.) This was around the same time as Bert and Gerard getting into whatever tiff they had ("EX-BOYFRIENDS" screams the tinhat), so it might be related, and you definitely have to write those things affecting one another. (That is, that time period during their lives was really fraught.)
Branden now plays with the band Rancid, which you maybe might have heard of once or twice. This is actually a much more suitable band to his straightedge identity and interest in old school punk.
To boil down the Wiki timeline:
2001ish: Branden sends music to John Feldmann of Goldfinger.
2001: band is signed to Reprise.
2002: self-titled album released.
2004: In Love and Death released.
2005: summer of Warped, also known as "Summer of Like," Bert/Gerard and Pete/Mikey.
2005/6ish: Bert and Gerard on the outs.
September 12, 2006: Branden confirmed as leaving the band.
2006: Dan Whitesides announced as new drummer.
2007: Berth (live music and candid video) and Lies for the Liars released.
Something I always forget: Dan Butterworth of Good Charlotte did the drums on LftL, not Dan Whitesides.
2008: Shallow Believer released. Wiki info.
2008: The Used announce that they are working on their next studio album.
And just because I have a crush:
Brian Schechter
Distinguished by being a hot-ass, kicking people in the nuts if they're jerks, being short, did I mention being a hot-ass, being a hot-ass.
How I write him: I don't. Ahaha, that's a lie, but I would fangirl this man so hard if I ever met him. He manages bands like the Bled and My Chemical Romance. He worked with the Used back when he was a tour manager; he became MCR's manager because he was passionate about them and their music, and subsequently quit the road managing gig. I usually assume that he remains friendly with Jepha, although people could disabuse me of this notion.
Here's a great starter article on the early band: From Blender Magazine.
xoverau wrote a brief primer here, which is old, but gives you a sense of canon as it stood then.
If you want to trawl through the stuff I consider worth saving, go to my del.icio.us tag, which includes what fic I've found. If I'm missing a Used story that you think is worthwhile -- I don't care if it's gen or het -- please link it to me.
Speaking of which, if you have links that you think I should include, please comment and I will endeavor to include them when I next have internet access.
For those of you who are kind enough to click on my lj-cuts even though you're not into the fanfiction thing, I'm writing about my current favorite bandslash band, The Used.bandslash: Also known as "bandom." Fanfiction (in this case male/male slash) written about a rough grouping of rock, pop-punk, and pop bands that generally tour together. Includes (but is not limited to): My Chemical Romance, Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, any and all of the bands Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) has signed to his label (Fueled By Ramen), and the Used.
The members of this band are Bert McCracken (vocals), Jepha Howard (bass), Quinn Allman (guitar), and Dan Whitesides (drums). They have one former member, Branden Steineckert (drums).
Bert McCracken.
Distinguished by long hair (usually black, although he had a blonde period), blue eyes, scary facial expressions, being shorter than everyone else in the world band (5'2"), noticeable drug use. He can play the trumpet and the piano, and he is a former gymnast.
He is currently involved with a woman named Allison, from what I understand, and in the past has been tied to Kelly Osbourne and a woman named Kate, who OD'ed while she was pregnant with his child. He's open about his sexuality, likes to kiss Quinn and has described himself as flexible.
How I write Bert: he zooms between manic and contented, confessional, even warm. He has a lot of love in his heart for kids, dogs, and people who don't normally get a say. He is borderline or even outright rude to people who bore him (Youtube: for example, interviewers). From my timing, he has about a five minute attention span at maximum, unless it has to do with someone in his band. He has been (very occasionally) known to be so intoxicated that he can't perform at shows, but he has been sobering up lately (this is based solely on my perception of recent interviews).
I definitely write him with his history of homelessness, refusal of LDS, and reliance on friends in mind. (See my Bert primer for more on this.) I also write him as dirty, but not in a gross, disgusting way; it's more that he can handle not showering for a while, and refuses to brush his hair. (Youtube: Jepha says Bert is made of love.) I suggest not running him down in my journal, because I'm three different kinds of irrational about him. About this band, too, but Bert in particular.
Quinn Allman.
Distinguished by blonde hair (early) and light brown-blonde hair that is thinning (later), washboard abdominals, being taller than everyone but Dan, being ridiculous.
I think he has a girlfriend named Marie? Maria? Someone who is better at canon than me, please speak up. Kisses Bert onstage, has a quiet -- less vocal than Bert, anyway -- love for Bert.
How I write Quinn: he is a giant dorky doofus. He loves pranks and teasing people. He frequently has a slight edge to his humor, which Bert also has but (from what I can tell) deploys less often. He has less patience with idiots and boring people than Bert does, but a slightly longer attention span, which leads to sarcastic and slightly huffy interviews. I like to write him with a short temper, quick to forgive his "family" (including his band) and really, really unlikely to forgive anyone else. He is more often visibly intoxicated for interviews than Bert, so I usually write him as a drug/alcohol user. He's been very, very poor, but his family let Bert crash at their place when he was given an ultimatum by his parents.
Quinn and Bert are best friends. The Used existed under two different names before they became the Used, which you can read about on the Wiki site.
How I write them (even when it's not romantic): Bert encourages Quinn to do the stupid things that Quinn would do anyway and showers Quinn with undying affection and unquestioning love. Quinn supports Bert in doing the stupid things he would do anyway and gives Bert unswerving loyalty and unquestioning love. They are soulmates, irregardless of their sexual inclinations, and they know it and acknowledge it. They are both dirty, in the funky-sweat kind of way. They really like playing stupid jokes with their bodies, in the way that small children do, and they find bodies in general kind of fascinating. (Youtube: Bert wins at carrying a beer bottle on his head, pokes at Jepha's penis, Quinn drinks laundry detergent (emetophobe warning).)
Bert and Quinn are my OTP. OTP: One True Pairing. The pairing that you love, cherish, believe in, and will read craptacular stories for. The pairing you secretly cherish stupid story ideas for. (See: my secret desire for Bert sexswap, my secret desire for slave!fic about Bert.) The pairing you end up writing by default, even when you meant to be writing something else. ("Why is Bob putting his penis in Frank's mouth? THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GERARD'S PENIS, FRANK.") Many people, including me, don't stick by one OTP, meaning that they suck at the letter of the law acronym.
Speaking of OTPs, I also really love Dan/Jepha.
Dan Whitesides
Distinguished by dark, shaggy brown hair, muscular forearms, height (6'1", gigantic by bandom standards), two female dogs named Frankie and George, ridiculous Muppet voice, tendency to pull stupid shenanigans in keeping with Bert and Quinn.
Dating a girl named Shannon, from what I understand. Totally digs grabbing his bandmates' crotches, why not hey hey. Mimes giving Jepha the hot beef injection on the regular.
How I write Dan: Goofy. Goofy goofy goofy. He's very tall and very strong -- you really can see the muscles in his forearms, it's insane -- but he acts like a tiny little kid in interviews and with the other guys. He encourages Jepha's occasional goofy tendencies, much as Quinn does. He was Jepha's friend before he joined the band, and I usually write him as being most attached to Jepha; I also usually write it that Jepha invited him into the band. He's defiant of gender roles, see: his dogs and the fact that he wore his girlfriend's underwear one day when he ran out of clean pairs (Youtube: Dan's dogs, underpants). He's very easygoing. I also think of him as one of the steadying influences on the band, mostly because he's got a general aura of "I don't give a shit wheeee pants on my head!"
Jepha Howard
Distinguished by a slightly weird name (Jepharee, goes by Jepha or Jeph), dark, artfully cut hair (although now it's long and floppy), and tattoos. More tattoos than you think. I'm slowly piecing together a primer on his tattoos, that's how many tattoos. (Youtube: Jepha getting a tattoo.) He also has a lot of piercings. He has a cock sleeve and a Prince Albert, from what I've heard. Basically, the boy likes experiencing his corporeality, in ways that most people don't.
Linked to people like Kasha (Suicide Girl) and has made references to dating/doing/liking to kiss boys.
How I write Jepha: sweet, devoted to his friends, and very genuine. His smile in the above picture is one of the crucial things, and shows how someone so tattooed and pierced can be a goofy sweetiepie as well. He's into pain, in my personal canon, but not in a creepy h/c way, more in a "ooh, spanking!" way. Canonically he's into trying new things in the bedroom. He's been outed by an ex-girlfriend as being into pegging. (Does anyone have the canon for this?)
He's very calm, especially compared to the rest of his band. He really likes Japan, and is fascinated by the culture. He has an addiction to green tea. He reads quite a bit, and leads a quiet, mostly straight-edge life, with some drinking. He's actually surprisingly reserved, in the sense that you don't find out a ton about him that he doesn't want to share; there's a lot going on beneath the surface, which is really apparent in interviews. Intelligent, although not ostentatiously; I've gotten the sense that if he senses that you're not critically engaged or on the same level, he's going to stop talking to you or paying attention. He's really devoted to their music, and to improving on the bass. When he plays pranks or does silly things with Quinn and Bert, he goes all out. He is committed. He's also the guy most likely to remain friends with other bands; there've been reports of him remaining in contact with Frank from MCR even after Bert and Gerard had their fiery deathpit of a breakup. He's really good friends with Bob, as well. (They're, um. another OTP of mine. Whatever, my OTP is porn/porn.)
Just because I love this picture:
Dan! Jepha! Tea! Snaww.
Branden Steineckert
I don't write Branden as often, just from lack of exposure, so I'm including everything about him in one block of text. It's been said in interviews -- notably once by Bert -- that Branden had personal issues with someone in the band. Bert said in the same interview that it was not with him, and Branden was very good friends with Jepha, so that leaves Quinn.
It seems mostly likely that Branden wasn't on board with the music in the Lies for the Liars era, for whatever reason. There was news of some rancor between him and the band when they parted ways, but I also get my news from the punknews bulletins, which have articles with no background/corroborating links and lots of stupid comments. Go there for fic ideas, I guess, and wild rumor-mongering.
Here is some crucial information: Branden left the band in 2006. There were rumors on the internets, of course, after Warped, and then there was an official announcement in September. (The Wiki is pretty good for a timeline.) This was around the same time as Bert and Gerard getting into whatever tiff they had ("EX-BOYFRIENDS" screams the tinhat), so it might be related, and you definitely have to write those things affecting one another. (That is, that time period during their lives was really fraught.)
Branden now plays with the band Rancid, which you maybe might have heard of once or twice. This is actually a much more suitable band to his straightedge identity and interest in old school punk.
To boil down the Wiki timeline:
2001ish: Branden sends music to John Feldmann of Goldfinger.
2001: band is signed to Reprise.
2002: self-titled album released.
2004: In Love and Death released.
2005: summer of Warped, also known as "Summer of Like," Bert/Gerard and Pete/Mikey.
2005/6ish: Bert and Gerard on the outs.
September 12, 2006: Branden confirmed as leaving the band.
2006: Dan Whitesides announced as new drummer.
2007: Berth (live music and candid video) and Lies for the Liars released.
Something I always forget: Dan Butterworth of Good Charlotte did the drums on LftL, not Dan Whitesides.
2008: Shallow Believer released. Wiki info.
2008: The Used announce that they are working on their next studio album.
And just because I have a crush:
Brian Schechter
Distinguished by being a hot-ass, kicking people in the nuts if they're jerks, being short, did I mention being a hot-ass, being a hot-ass.
How I write him: I don't. Ahaha, that's a lie, but I would fangirl this man so hard if I ever met him. He manages bands like the Bled and My Chemical Romance. He worked with the Used back when he was a tour manager; he became MCR's manager because he was passionate about them and their music, and subsequently quit the road managing gig. I usually assume that he remains friendly with Jepha, although people could disabuse me of this notion.
Here's a great starter article on the early band: From Blender Magazine.
xoverau wrote a brief primer here, which is old, but gives you a sense of canon as it stood then.
If you want to trawl through the stuff I consider worth saving, go to my del.icio.us tag, which includes what fic I've found. If I'm missing a Used story that you think is worthwhile -- I don't care if it's gen or het -- please link it to me.
Speaking of which, if you have links that you think I should include, please comment and I will endeavor to include them when I next have internet access.