[hider=Dorian] [center][hr][color=FFF0F5] Dorian Elias Scruggs [/color][hr] [img] https://www.suitsandtheplatformboots.com/resources/received_1128140394018233.jpeg [/img] Faceclaim: Gyasi Hues | [color=FFF0F5] LavenderBlush [/color] “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” [sup]___[/sup] Oscar Wilde [hr] [/center] [color=FFF0F5][b]| NAME |[/b][/color] [indent]Dorian Elias Scruggs[/indent] [indent] Rory Rhinestone is his stage name and acquaintances often address him as Rory. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| DATE OF BIRTH |[/b][/color] [indent]May/ 23 (Gemini)[/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| AGE |[/b][/color] [indent]25[/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| GENDER |[/b][/color] [indent]Male[/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| SEXUALITY |[/b][/color] [indent]Homosexual [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| RELATIONSHIP STATUS |[/b][/color] [indent]Single[/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| PLACE OF BIRTH |[/b][/color] [indent] Erwin, Tennessee [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| APPEARANCE DETAILS |[/b][/color] [indent][b]HEIGHT:[/b] 5’ 11” [b]WEIGHT:[/b] 132 lbs [b]HAIR:[/b] Strawberry Blonde [b]EYES:[/b] Brown [b]SKIN TONE:[/b] Pale [b]CLOTHING STYLE:[/b] Dorian loves to wear bold and attention-grabbing outfits that incorporate elements of vintage fashion with a modern twist. Possessing an impressive wardrobe is to him a matter of pride. On stage his signature look consists of a rose gold jumpsuit bedazzled with sequins, rhinestones, and other sparkling embellishments; it hugs his slender frame like a second skin. He pairs the jumpsuit with bedazzled platform boots or high-top sneakers, and an assortment of jewelry. [b]OTHER:[/b] The tattoo on Dorian’s inner left arm is a striking image of cascading diamonds that appear to be flowing down his arm in a fluid motion. The larger diamonds at the top of the design are more prominent and defined, while the smaller gems towards the bottom of the design are more abstract and scattered. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| PERSONALITY |[/b][/color] [indent] Dorian can be described as a confident, charismatic, and energetic young man with a flair for the dramatic. Despite his keen social graces, he is never above demonstrating his sharp wit and sense of humor should the situation call for it. He absolutely adores performances and thrives on the attention of others. At times he can be a bit of a drama queen. He has a larger-than-life personality that is both colorful and charming, and he's not afraid to push boundaries or take risks in his life. Despite his outgoing demeanor, Dorian has a vulnerable side that stems from his tumultuous upbringing. He frequently struggles with feelings of abandonment and of insecurity, which he tries to mask with his glamorous stage persona. Deep down he's also an emotional person, and his music at times dispenses with the pageantry to mirror his innermost feelings. He's not always the most responsible person, but he genuinely cares about his friends and family. This craving for attention and acceptance means Dorian is hard pressed to turn away those toxic individuals offering empty platitudes who just wish to take advantage of him. Despite his reluctance to do so he can be self-serving at times, crushing those in his way under his bedazzled heels. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| LIKES |[/b][/color] [indent] Singing and creating music with his bandmates. Experimenting with different fashion styles and looks. Digging through crates of vinyl records, cassette tapes, and CDs in order to find obscure gems from yesteryear. Supporting various LGBTQ+ charities and causes. Hanging out in various art installations or clubs at odd hours. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| DISLIKES |[/b][/color] [indent]His deadbeat father. Closeminded people. Feeling uninspired or stuck creatively. Having to deal with the business side of the music industry, such as having endure prolonged contract negotiations. Having to deal with the drudgery of having to toil away at jobs unrelated to his passion. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| HABITS |[/b][/color] [indent]Has a tendency to play the most esoteric music when handed the Aux Cord. He is known to indulge in illicit substances before going on stage to help calm his nerves and get into the right mindset for performing. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| FEARS |[/b][/color] [indent] Compliancy: Dorian fears reaching a point in his musical evolution where he is unable to create anything unique or meaningful thereby become part of the status quo. Autophobia: His father exiting his life for good when Dorian was only five years old was a particularly traumatic experience, leading to a deep-seated fear of being abandoned by those closest to him. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| BACKGROUND |[/b][/color] [indent] Dorian was born in the small rural community of Erwin, Tennessee to parents Otis Scruggs and Harriett McCarthy. Otis was one of the mainstays of a local country-western and bluegrass collective known as The Cumberland Ramblers. The Ramblers were mostly a regional success, with their only national exposure occurring when their signature track "Whiskey Tears and Barroom Fights" briefly entered the lower rungs of the Hot Country Singles for a scant few weeks; as an unabashed braggard Otis would loudly remind everyone within earshot of this rather hollow accomplishment. Despite this modicum of success, The Ramblers were never a particularly profitable venture due in no small part to Otis’s volatile temper coupled with his overt narcissism; any the money Otis earned from gigs on the honky-tonk circuit rarely found its way back to his family. Otis was known to leave for extended periods of time to tour with the group or embark on solo outings, often leaving his wife and young son alone for weeks or even months at a time. In addition to raising their child Harriett was forced to work long hours at a local factory to stem the family’s slide into abject poverty. When he was not on tour, Otis refused to seek gainful employment. He was often found hanging out in seedy bars with the rest of the local riffraff where he would regale them with his oft exaggerated exploits while also indulging in his twin vices alcoholism and adultery. When Dorian was only five years old his father supposedly left on a national tour to support his recent solo album “Backroads & Byways”, despite the tour never materializing having been canceled weeks prior, it was one in which Otis would intentionally never return from. The last memory Dorian has of his father is of covertly watching him late in the evening meticulously pack up his fiddle and other travel essentials into a shabby duffel bag before departing their modest home for what was unbeknownst to his son the last time. Otis is very much alive but is most likely living under an assumed name in order to dodge the financial responsibility he owes the numerous children he allegedly fathered when on the road. Despite the ensuing financial struggles in the wake of Otis’s departure, Harriett was determined to give her son a good upbringing and encouraged his burgeoning interest in music, even buying him his first guitar from a flea market at the age of ten. As a teenager, Dorian, struggling with his emerging homosexuality, found solace in the glam rock music of the 70s. He was inspired by the flamboyant stage presence and androgynous fashion of artists like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and Marc Bolan. It is around this time Dorian started experimenting with makeup and fashion, using them to both express his individuality and rebel against the traditionalist norms of his small town. He spent countless hours practicing his guitar and perfecting his stage presence, dreaming of one day becoming a famous rock star. After barely graduating high school, Dorian moved to Los Angles to pursue a career in music. He has been playing gigs at local bars and clubs ever since, attempting to build up a following with his energetic performances and glittery, androgynous style. His music blends the theatricality of glam rock with the twang of country music, creating a rather unique sound. It is here in the City of Angels where he met group of similarly passionate and eccentric musicians. Together, they formed the band " Rory Rhinestone & the Cosmic Cabaret" and quickly became known locally for their high-energy performances and over-the-top costumes. The band consists of lead guitarist Blair Bexley, bassist Adrian Fitzgerald, keyboardist Asjad Mian, drummer Bruce Douglas, and saxophonist Levi Keswick; Dorian is the charismatic lead vocalist and primary song writer. Their manager/agent is the perpetually overworked Dominic DiMorra, who oversees a lot of local acts for somewhat reasonable fees in the hopes that one of them makes it big someday thereby netting him a huge windfall. This has yet to happen. He often books the band at the most random of places and often times they are not even the featured players on the marquee. Dorian and his bandmates are currently workshopping songs to be included on a debut album should they ever get signed. It can be said that the band in its current incarnation has not yet hit their stride and are certainly an acquired taste. Like many aspiring superstars living in Los Angeles Dorian works a variety of odd jobs to cover his living expenses. It is not uncommon for him cycle through a variety of positions in a matter of months. He is currently working as a clerk in a record store, which is one of the more rewarding positions he has had in terms of the corporate world. His measly earnings allow him to rent a rather modest apartment inside the city limits. Dorian made fast friends with the other tenants that occupy the building and feels a strong bond forming between them. [/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| MISCELLANEOUS |[/b][/color] [indent]The oddest instrument that he can play with any degree of proficiency would be the hurdy-gurdy.[/indent] [color=FFF0F5][b]| The Band |[/b][/color] [hider=The Cosmic Cabaret] [hider=Blair Bexley] [img]https://i0.wp.com/bsidesbadlands.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Amy-Darling-Rock-n-Roll-Woman-Debut-Video-Exclusive-Premiere-Feature.jpg?resize=1291%2C859&ssl=1[/img] [b]Blair Bexley (Age 24, Birthday: June 10th):[/b] Blair is the lead guitarist of The Cosmic Cabaret, and she's known for her virtuosic solos. She's developed a guitar tone which is rich, searing, thick and conversely both heavy and delicate. Unlike a vast majority guitarists, she kept her left-hand fingernails on the longer side to create unique sounding vibratos and bends. She plays a Les Paul black custom with the finish removed on the front so that it exposes the wood finish beneath. [/hider] [hider=Adrian Fitzgerald] [img] https://tinnitist.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Honey-Harper-The-Infinite-Sky-640x640.jpg [/img] [b]Adrian Fitzgerald (Age 26, Birthday: October 18th):[/b] Adrian is the bassist of the band, and he's the one who keeps the rhythm section tight and grooving. He constructs his bass-lines to be tasteful and interesting, without detracting from the melody of the piece. Adrian is considered the most level-headed member of the group and often tries to rein in some of the excesses that his bandmates revel in. Outside of the context of the band, he dabbles in amateur woodworking and is quite passionate about it. He plays the Fender Precision Bass. [/hider] [hider=Asjad Mian] [img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmkBZ9DXEAA6Aco?format=jpg&name=medium [/img] [b]Asjad Mian (Age 24, Birthday: March 5th):[/b] Asjad is the keyboardist of Issac's band, and she's the one who adds the lush textures and melodies to the music. She traces her linage to Kurdish refugees who fled from Iraq in mid-seventies and eventually settled in California. Her love of music has its origins in her very early childhood where she would watch her grandfather playing traditional Kurdish folk songs on the Tanbur. Though she did not discover her love of the piano until grade school when at home sick she through happenstance saw she archival concert footage of Sir Elton John on VH1 while channel surfing. She has been hooked ever since. [/hider] [hider=Bruce “Posy” Douglas] [img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FP72hzHXsAk3MdJ?format=jpg&name=large [/img] [b]Bruce “Posy” Douglas (Age 23, Birthday:[/b] July 24th): Bruce is the drummer who provides the driving force and energy to the music. The son of a rather infamous shipping magnate, Bruce grew up in the lap of luxury. However, it seems none of his father’s business acumen or the years of prestigious private school education rubbed off on him. He is a Momma’s boy and uses her unconditional love to ensure father never permanently cuts off his personal stipend of a few hundred dollars a month. His personality can best be described as cavalier, carefree, and leisurely. He’s played in a variety of bands over the years and been kicked out of most of them once they realize his wealthy father refuses to bankroll his son’s band into instant stardom. He has a passion for drumming partially because it allows him to avoid the spotlight his father has been urging him to stand under his whole life; it also allows him to vent his frustrations by banging on something. [/hider] [hider=Levi Keswick] [img]https://ftm.imgix.net/bands/820/photos/fa90d76aa20fb1bcc1daac430a9efda1538ec45a/1920.jpg?fm=pjpg&auto=compress,format&w=1500&h=1500[/img] [b]Levi Keswick (Age 21, Birthday: December 12th):[/b] The baby of the bunch Levi is the saxophonist of the band, and he's the one who adds soulful flourishes to the music. He's been playing saxophone since he was in Marching Band back in middle school. He's studied jazz theory and improvisation extensively. In almost all regards he embodies your stereotypical band geek. He is unabashed about his love of Larping and is an active member of a few local communities. He is the nephew of band manager/agent Dominic DiMorra, which probably contributed to his inclusion in the unit though he has since earned the respect and friendship of his fellow bandmates. He has on multiple occasions privately rebuffed his Uncle’s suggestions that he allow himself to be reassigned to one of DiMorra’s more hotter prospects. [/hider] [hider= Dominic DiMorra] [img] https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w500/wUCt3DnpiX1zj0j3t4nb3hVdwvP.jpg [/img] [b]Dominic DiMorra, (Age 59, Birthday: December 24th):[/b] He is the charismatic manager and agent of The Cosmic Cabaret. Dominic is always at the heart of the conversation, sometimes annoyingly so, interrupting topics to make it all about himself. He is a loudmouth, always talking about how much money he's making or the latest hotshot he's landed. His morality is sketchy at the best of times and the talent often finds that his checks are prone to bouncing. He has burned a plethora of bridges in his lifetime and has many detractors. Despite his sometimes-grating personality and less than ethical business pratices, Dominic is an incredibly hard worker, perpetually overworked and underpaid. He's constantly on the phone, negotiating deals and booking gigs for his ever-expanding roster of clients. Dominic's nephew is Levi Keswick, the band's saxophonist. While he tries to remain objective, it's clear that Dominic is partial to the band and especially proud of his nephew's success. Despite his flaws, Dominic is a valuable asset to the band, and they rely on him heavily to navigate the often cutthroat music industry. And while he may sometimes drive them crazy, they know that he always has their best interests at heart. 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