Well, Then...

[przed]

I've just spent the last three nights watching Take That videos on You Tube, poking about Hell Yeah Take That! on Tumblr, reading Take That RPS, and yes, buying the newest Take That album on iTunes.

Also, I've talked a friend into seeing The Eagle on Monday night at the very last theatre in the area still showing it. (Okay, it didn't take much talking into. I might have mentioned there was slash. And said friend might have enthusiastically agreed to go.)

I blame some of you.

And when I say some of you, I mostly mean halotolerant and sineala. And Robbie Williams, of course.

And really, I should say "credit" rather than "blame."

Here, have the Take That vid that started all of this:

And a pic of Jamie Bell in The Eagle.



I now return to my regularly scheduled session of drabble writing. (Starsky & Hutch for loyseofverlaine!) Though is it really a drabble when it's edging ever closer to 1,000 words?

Comments

[przed.livejournal.com]

The Beautiful World and Circus concert disks are here! And sitting on my desk taunting me. I'm just hoping I have time to watch a bit tonight.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Yay! *bounces with empathetic anticipation*

I like 'psychic whiplash' - describes it well! There was a lot less to catch up on with I first got into TT in 2008 but still a huge chunk of backstory. I'd definitely see 'For the Record' - it's not always easy viewing but I love watching it *knowing* that Gary and Robbie are going to be friends eventually! *iz soppy*

Described as the 'civil partnership duet' (yes, I know, no Markie *g*)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Well, I had a bit of time whilst making dinner, so I threw the Beautiful World disk in. Made it threw about 30 minutes of the concert, then fast forwarded to Shine, and then to the documentary and got to Howard's pneumothorax before Ros and the Sweetie got home from the park. I lurvvvvvv it. All of it. (Okay, maybe not the pole dancing stripper number, but everything else.)

That is a lovely rendition of Shame. I am gradually overcoming my aversion to Gary and coming to appreciate the guy. (I've had this instinctive, serious dislike of Gary from the start, and couldn't put my finger on why. I finally realized he looks like the grown up version of the kid who beat me up all through grade school who's name was, wait for it, Jerry. I can't blame Barlow for that, I know. l figure a bit more OT4/OT5 goodness and I'll be over it.)

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Ah, see, I just love Howard and Jason pole dancing! *g* (btw, the dancer giving Howard the lapdance is Gary's wife, she's also in the Ultimate Tour!)

When I was in aforementioned formative years getting into pop, Gary Barlow was (in no small part thanks to Robbie's very vocal opinions about him) the least cool thing ever, his name was a joke. That he has got past that point still amazes me sometimes and I dare say amazes him. I felt a kind of natural sympathy for him at first, but also swiftly realised he's the natural leader/competent/slytherin-ish type that I do rather like *g* And he's had this personal journey which he discusses in his book basically realising that he was a prick to the others not a little bit in the past and that he helped make Jason, Mark and Robbie's lives in particular more traumatic than they needed to be - but he acknowledges this and apologises and moves on and I really like that *g*

When I got into TT back in 2008, the idea of Robbie and Gary ever appearing in public together still seemed impossible - I still can't quite believe it some days now!

[przed.livejournal.com]

I missed them pole dancing! I saw the women, rolled me eyes, and went into the kitchen to peel potatoes whilst listening. Shall have to correct that situation immediately. *g*

Apart from personal association, I think I subconsciously pinged a bit to the formerly prickish side of Barlow, and that put me off him a bit. I like super-competent blokes, but have a natural aversion to anyone who abuses his position. It is good to know he's moved well beyond that now, because he really does seem to think about the others now, and works to make sure everyone is having a good time. And my natural affection for the underdog is glad he's overcome being a cultural joke. (His biography sounds fascinating. I will not order it. I will not order it. )

Given their personal history, it is astounding that Robbie and Gary not only are on stage together, but honestly seem to be getting along quite well.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Aha, I see - if you watch the commentary they explain how they wanted to move from the 'politicians at the podium' to the seedy underbelly of politicians at the strip club, but being TT they then do a 'power swap' and become the lapdancers themselves *g* There's a fascinating article from their first time around in a magazine talking about how they are men who have been packaged as 'women' (not sexually agressive but sexually open, being naked, often together, inviting gaze/touch) and I think they've always played with that.

His autobiography is very interesting *is unhelpful with the not!ordering thing* and very self-aware and really quite slashy as well (lovely descriptions of when they first ever reformed and gave a press conference Howard falling to the floor weeping afterwards and Jason hugging him...) but respectful of the privacy of the others too. If you ever watch their old concerts etc you can see that he's taking himself very seriously and is oblivious to how the others look when he talks about how great their manager is etc and around the split time when he was about to go solo he is not very likeable but what I love is how he went through that and learnt and grew *g* And yes, if you watch 'Look Back Don't Stare' you will see that they all feel looked after by him now - he's massively more secure in himself than any of the others and they rely on that *g*

I genuinely think they are. I think a lot of what was between them had to do with other issues they both had and they've both grown up a lot since the various events that hurt each other. God, it hits my soppy happy ending kink so very hard *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

I went back and watched the poledancing number, and it is far more interesting than it first appeared. I love the switch in power dynamics. They really are far more savvy than I gave them credit for.

Okay, you're making Barlow's autobiography sound way too interesting. Also, he sounds like he's grown up a heck of a lot, and the fact that he's looking after the rest of them does rather endear him to me.

I definitely have to get me mitts on Look Back.

I'm finding this an interesting fandom, because usually I get involved in fandoms where I bitch if the boys/lads/men talk about their feelings and weep in each other's arms. But with TT, they actually act that way. For real! Extraordinary! It's sort of liberating.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

One thing that I actually found astonishing about Gary's book is that in it he has a chapter explaining how he was in one of the tubes that was blown up in the 7th July bombs in London (having previously talked about how pleased he was to be able to use public transport again). He has literally never mentioned it since. Now, it's not every celebrity that wouldn't capitalise on every damn second of that or pontificate about it in interviews.

It is rather fun to be able to make everyone in fic hug and kiss each other as a baseline! *g* It does make it seem like a feast after famine in some ways though I think because one gets used to going 'oh look, here's this incredibly slashy bit where character x and character y's eyes meet!' and in TT world it's like 'well, here's them topless in leather snogging, but that's not even the slashiest bit...' *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

That is very interesting about the July 7 bombs and Gary. (I found several copies of the book on the Amazon marketplace for a penny plus shipping. I sort of have to get it, don't I?)

Having them all hug and kiss, not to mention talk about their feelings, is kind of brilliant actually. I like the stoic, manly sort, obvious, but sometimes having it all out in the open is rather fun. And my estimation of them all has risen sharply since I've watched some of the commentary on the BW concert disk. The fact that they're so deeply involved in both the technical aspects of the shows and in shaping the theatricality of them makes my theatre geek heart swell. They're a smart bunch of lads, as well as funny, attractive and slashy.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Gary's book is definitely worth having. Mind you, I spent a year buying every last published item relating to Take That on ebay (what do you mean 'not surprised to hear that'? *g*) so I'm clearly not necessarily a judge of utter necessity...

*g* They're not bad at that. This is why I'm so excited about the 2011 live shows - that level of dedication plus Robbie's level of inspiration... *bounces*

And wow, I've just realised I forgot to tell you about the maybe bestest ever Mark/Robbie quote of all time, from the first of the two glossy photo books Take That put out in 2009, basically pictures with some few comments on each from some or all of them, including one early one of Rob licking Mark's nose and Gary's comment:
Mark will never say this. A girl has never broken his heart. But Robbie did, the day he left the band (in the Jan 5th entry below loads of other goodies here:http://robandmark-.tumblr.com/)

Just, you know, for inspiration and that *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

For that price, I'm definitely going to give the book a go. Shall just have to hide it from the Sweetie. (He rather suspects I've gone off the deep end with the TT love. And he's totally right. But I don't have to let him know that. *g*)

I'm hoping they do DVDs of this year's live shows. And I'll be getting them as soon as they come out.

I've seen that quote kicking around--and it kills me--and that pictures, but didn't realize they'd shown up together.

I've also seen copies of those books kicking around on Amazon.ca for about twenty bucks, which is a lot less than they're turning up for on Amazon UK. (Noooo, not more merch!)

As for that Tumblr feed, it has killed me ded. These are the pics I knew must be kicking around! One of the Jan. 5 entries, with Robbie hugging Mark, and Mark with his eyes closed leaning back into Robbie, is now officially my favourite pic ever! (I shall endeavour to stop abusing exclamation marks now. Really! *g*)

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Oh no doubt there'll be a DVD. It was the biggest selling album in two decades in the UK *g*

Take One and Take Two are lovely but not vital in terms of written content. Visual content now, well... *g* But I guess you might as well save something for later! I envy you getting to see all this stuff for the first time *g*

Thought you might enjoy *g* Those pics are from the promo around the 'Pray' video when Mark was almost too beautiful to exist! But oh yes, srsly, Mark *adores* snuggling into Robbie. He always looks happiest there, and just the right height too!

Rob's book (sort of autobiography/documentary but written by another person) 'Feel' has some lovely bits but also a lot of stuff non-TT/Markie related, so to save another purchase you could just look at the relevant bits here (http://community.livejournal.com/takethatslash/157624.html) if you haven't already! Knebworth concert related-stuff *g*