I hope you enjoyed this video! I have just launched a 'Buy Me a Coffee' ☕️ 👉 buymeacoffee.com/danblackwell This is another way you can help me to keep creating the content you enjoy. Every bit helps and means so much! ✌️🧡
People tend to avoid revisiting content that was capable of eliciting feelings of distress or discomfort & rarely admit to feeling vulnerable or acknowledge shutting down… It says a lot about you that you recognized how it made you feel & made you react, says more that you were willing to revisit it, & is something to be proud of that you put this out there for others.
My mom was abused as a child. When I was grown, she told me about that and about how hard it was for her not to react in the same way she'd been treated when I was being a little shit, as all kids are at times. She was very conscious of the risk of continuing the cycle of abuse. She would yell like champ, sometimes, but she never once struck me in anger. I am forever grateful that she was, as you put it, a chain breaker.
"Chain breakers"...sounds like a great name for a band lol. Not all of us have the faculties to regulate our emotions. You are so "on the mark" as far as I'm concerned. I feel like you're a person that wants to help people heal without expecting notoriety. Big virtual HUG to you.
Oh yeah! It does doesn't it? Haha Thank you for saying that, I think the most important thing in life is to be kind and love each other. Big virtual hug to you too! 🧡🧡🧡
I liked that you’ve come back to discuss this. I found the first listen quite shocking too and it took a couple of rewatchings to fully appreciate it. As well as the cycle of abuse, I think there are several themes, including the failings of the foster system. Overall, see the trilogy as Ren shedding light on issues that are too often hidden, prompting the listener to consider how things could be improved and what is needed to break the cycle. And the importance of a nurturing upbringing - which imo is where your thoughts about the transfer of love resonate. Best wishes x
I so appreciate you caring enough to revisit this. Your honesty and vulnerability is so precious. Thank you. I really enjoy your considered reactions. Unfortunately it’s common when there’s sexual and physical abuse as a child to gravitate to similar situations as an adult. We’re drawn to what’s familiar. Childhood conditioning is powerful. Even when we’re aware and work on breaking the cycles, we’re not always successful or it may take time❤
❤❤❤❤ I'm so sorry you had violence like that visited upon you, especially as a kid. It is supposed to make us recoil in horror because it is horrible. Too often people turn a blind eye. Coming from a 6 year abusive relationship, it struck me, but it was liberating to see it talked about, to see it spark discussion in the comments, and to feel seen. I saw many women who commented in reactions who were abused either as children, like Violet, or as women from domestic violence, that felt the same. As well as Jenny & Screech sparking discussion of the failure of the foster systems in many countries, and the lack of attention to the rise in street crime from desperate situations.
Respect! And thanks for the follow-up video, from a 54 year old with massive childhood trauma and a massive Ren fan, Ren has REN-EWED my heart, mind and soul for the better, it's like he's making me not only hear music but he's making me feel music for the 1st time in my life
Thank you for your seriousness and compassion. My prescription for an antidote to the circle of hate is Ren's speech on reaching a million subscribers on RUclips. I'd be really interested to see your reaction to that. Or just watch it for yourself. Take care.
Your reactions, no matter how they look like to other people are your reactions and you don't need to explain them to anyone. They're real, genuine and totally understandable. Back on 74 or any (even all) Love Music are good antidotes. Also check out his 1 million subscribers video, it shows how truly humble and genuine he is.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness about this! Your thoughts are appreciated and I agree with you! Ren often opens the door for difficult conversations to be had and to spark us to do better. 🫶
I love that you’ve come back to discuss this. Your reaction to The Tales was amazing… totally authentic. I also love that it makes us THINK enough (albeit often traumatic) to want to discuss it. I think that’s the whole point… to make us think, face it and god willing CHANGE.
Great idea revisiting this. Its almost unfair to expect people to see that for the first time and be able to share their reaction on the spot. Like you said it needs to be digested for a while.
The Tale of Jenny and Screech hits hard, especially the first time. Your reaction showed that. ❤ I believe intergenerational trauma is all of the things you mentioned. Ren's work and these conversations inspire love and light from us...to add positively to that energy. 💚✌️
Ren is our very own modern Shakespeare! Thank you for revisiting. I was a little worried about you too. You seemed stunned and overwhelmed. Glad you’re ok!
I really admire people who do live reactions. I have to have processing time, especially with an artist like Ren. It's nice to have you come back like this and explain where you were and why. I can't wait to see what you think of the Money Games series! ❤🎶
I identified strongly with this addendum. I was so profoundly affected by Ren's portrayal of domestic violence that I shut down and completely missed the twist at the end. It's a testament to his storytelling skills that he can draw you in so completely and touch deep wounds.
Thank you for the extra reaction on the Tales. I thought you had gotten overwhelmed at the end to be honest, as it's not the first time I see it happen. It can sometimes be a bit of sensory overload bc there's so much to take in. Like listening to a really interesting lecture but towards the middle your mind sort of drifts into it's own thoughts without realising. 😊 My personal view on the Tales is that Ren was incensed by the fact that as a society, we feel so blasé about these issues instead of understanding why they happen and trying to prevent them by protecting the vulnerable. If Violet's children had been loved and cared for properly by a loving adoptive family, would their outcome have changed? If Violet would've felt safe to talk to someone about the abuse going on at home when it started, would it have prevented her from falling for another abuser? If Violet's mother had felt that she had the option to leave an abusive husband early on, would she have left him as soon as she realised what kind of a guy he was? Because as much as Violet's mother was culpable in this case, I think she too has felt that there was no way out for either herself or her daughter, hence her alcoholism. Abusive men have a strong psychological hold of their partners especially if she too came from a similar environment. And so it goes on and on. With these women feeling that this is normal and what they must put up with. But if there is a clear message from society that this behaviour is not acceptable and punishment is swift and severe and adequate support and protection is given to the victims, then these cycles could be broken. But systems in place don't work as well as they should and social workers/women's refuges are overwhelmed. Needless to say the stigma of having to admit you are an 'abused woman' isn't nice either. The foster care system is also barely working and it's incredibly difficult to adopt a child in this country too, lowering the possibility of a good outcome for these vulnerable children too. I'm deriving these conclusions based on the knowledge that Ren was triggered to write the Tales be because he saw a report once about how a teenage boy stabbed a young prostitute to death in London and how the reporter ended the report by just saying 'it was a shame'. Two lives had been ruined or lost and I believe Ren was a bit outraged by that. That people just didn't care about why they ended up in that situation in the first place. Anyway...sorry about the long comment. I think I you would really appreciate to hear Ren's 1 Million Subscribers speech. It's wonderful and from what you said here, I feel you will really get it. ❤
Agreed, his 1 million subs video is short but tells us a LOT about who Ren is as a person and what he values. Which, then explains why his fans are so devoted to him 🫶 A great suggestion 👍
Your reaction in the end WAS a reaction indeed: nice to hear Your ok ❤️ I love how Ren makes us think. He doesn't afraid to take difficult subjects, but takes them to the center and "forces" us the deal with it. 👍🏼 Waiting for mire reactions, I like Your take on the songs 💕 Maybe something lighter song next like Power or Murderer 👍🏼
I sadly noticed Ren only 1,5 years ago. I wish I had known his work sooner. Every song from him has something unique. I struggle with mental illness and and unidentified autoimmune disease, so I relate heavily to being misdiagnosed, feeling like doctors just going through a Spiel instead of really listening. I get meds for the mental illness but no therapist or psychiatrist wants to take the case ( because Dissociative disorder, trauma, PTSD, depression seems like to much for them) so I just survive. Rens music has helped more than meds have in the last year. I can only recommend doing more Ren reaction. Us Renegades are avid in listening to every word about the songs. I can recommend I forgot how to be me and Chalk Outlines which he did together with Chinchilla and Suicide and .....damn.....a very old song from him, where he hadn't been diagnosed correctly. It will come back to me. It is basically just about battling mental illness and being afraid of being left behavior and because his struggles get to much for other people. Oh, jeez, and money game trilogy. But that song is more topical and philosophical and political, while the others deal with mental illness. But I looked into your catalogue and I like what you do otherwise as well.
Oh, my I do see, hear, and understand your frustrations. We are fellow travelers in the worlds of complex trauma and DID. I’m so sorry that you cannot find a decent therapist. I hear your frustration, disappointment with the system and lack of proper care and the cycle of misdiagnosis and my heart goes out to you. I’m so thankful for the support of the Renegade community. I don’t know where we’d be without Ren’s music. He writes lyrics that lifts survivors up. He is a constant inspiration and refuses to let people with hidden illnesses to continue to feel invisible. I actually needed his songs as a reminder to be proud of my own survival and for not letting the Bast*tds Win. I’ve been listening to his old track, Patience a lot lately. He’s talking about his struggles, his resilience and his strength to keep pushing forward; even when he was holding on by a thread. His music speaks to my soul. Our own long time therapist retired just before the Covid pandemic. I’m running into similar roadblocks to finding a good therapist. In our case it’s because we’re “old” and also have autoimmune diseases, 1 diagnosed, 1 that’s showing up in testing but not enough for the doc to say what it is yet. I’m likely old enough to be yer GrannyRenegade. 😉 DID and my inner circle is the only world I have ever known. I didn’t find any therapists until I was in my early 20s. I burned through a lot of them pretty quickly because they were a bad fit, they didn’t understand much about PTSD outside of military trauma, others thought DID was not real. Labels were often tossed around; personality disorder or some other demeaning term. It isn’t a disorder. It’s a superpower and a survival skill. DID wasn’t even in the DSM then. Music, animals, and my insiders were the only ones I could trust. I had figured out by the time I was a teenager that my life and experiences were not “normal”. Before that we thought everyone lived in similar homes, and that everyone’s minds were filled with Many Voices and feelings. We have always been extremely careful to not attract attention and blend in with the rest of the world. We journaled a lot, wrote dark poetry, did art. It all helped in its own way. You are right. It is easier for health providers to just stick another label on complex issues and throw another medication at you, pat you on the head and send you out the door. It’s easier to medicate than to help by finding a person a good trauma therapist. Has anyone tried to find a trauma based therapist who can give you the type of specialized help you need? I’m the end you have to teach your care team. Some are just stuck in the dark ages when it comes to complex PTSD/DID. Trauma Informed Stabilization Therapy has become more common and more accessible in the last decade, it’s really a game changer. Sending you all my best thoughts and deepest respect for surviving and for continuing to push for the right care. I do hope you can find someone who specializes in CPTSD. (DID typically comes along with it. ) unfortunately, CPTSD isn’t recognized in the US yet in the DSM. But they are teaching therapists about TIST methods to work with people who have been overlooked and misdiagnosed. You are not alone. Neither am I. It’s pretty crowded in here, but man, they’re a cool bunch of scrappy, awesome lovers of Ren’s music. 🤔😂
The beauty of all art is that however it makes you feel is the correct reaction! I thought your reaction at the end of your last video was perfectly valid. It IS a big reveal, and it does leave you stunned. I love your interpretation of how negative energy spreads. I look at the tales of Jenny, Screech, and Violet as how we're all basically stuck where we started. We may nominally have upward mobility, but it's so hard to get out of the pit you start in, and that's a systemic issue. I guess that's basically generational trauma, but it feels more socially engrained to me. Anyway, thanks for checking back in! There's never a wrong answer in art!!
That scene is so visceral… and the part where he’s speaking at her “do you think I want to do this Violet”.. it’s like you can almost she her broken and cowering on the ground. It’s so triggering!! So it’s totally understandable that you had to shut down. Yes, Violet is the mother of Jenny and Screech. Jenny was just like her mother - silent. Screech was just like his father - violent. Despite likely being separated after their mother’s death and likely being taken into care homes… they still became like one of their parents and then sadly met in the most awful circumstances not knowing who the other was. Absolutely tragic.
I think most people need to take time to absorb what they just watched, in fact anyone who merrily goes on and does their normal closing comments after watching this seems very odd to me 🤔 Glad you felt comfortable enough with us to come back to it. Thanks x
I am 65 years old and Ren is the only artist who makes me cry not only the first time of hearing but on eve RT y play of Violets tale. The one positive i take from this trilogy is that the chain is broken with the death of Jenny and Screech. Would like to know how Richard coped with his trauma, No other artist has had this effect on me , the tragedy is we all know terrible things go on which either goes unreported or we as a sociey prefer to look the other way.
Thank you for returning to express yourself so clearly ❤ I'm going to suggest something completely different for your next Ren reaction - "Why My Woman" by The Big Push, Ren's previous band. Simple, pure fun, retro rock vibe & showcases Ren's acting skills (he also directed it, as he does most of his videos) ❤
Good on you Dan. Interesting and worthy reflections. Thank you for coming back to revisit. I really like the concept of how we can use Ren’s incredible piece of art to imagine what the opposite could look like. From what I have picked up from his ethos and approach to the world, I suspect he would appreciate that approach very much. I know you have received a number of recommendations for ‘lighter’ Ren videos. Here’s mine FWIW - “I shot the sheriff /Road to Zion / Hip hop” . The Big Push(live) musically fascinating, brilliant - Back on 74/Message in a bottle (mashup) - Power
The simple fact that this conversation about trauma, and the ugly reality that many people live through is occurring across all the reaction communities and their subscribers due to this REN's amazing art piece brings awareness and highlights the power of the creative community. We need independent creatives that are free to explore and bring topics that most signed artists are not able to touch. Thank you Dan for your first authentic reaction and then having the courage to do a follow up once you have had the time to digest and understand your own reaction. As an Empath I totally understand the experience of emotional overwhelm and the almost freeze type response when confronted with the amount of sensory information this theater piece presents. I also have to say that the discussions within the comments of 99% of REN's music is kind, supportive and most importantly respectful of other peoples opinions. It is so refreshing from the nasty stuff that seems to be typical across most social media. So to come back to your point about can love and kindness also spread. Ren's renegades are proving that it can.
Trust your instincts Dan! I believe the very fact that you’re opening a dialogue means Ren’s artistic vision is accomplished💫 I recommend “Power” for a lighter side or should I say layer of our Boi👍🏼
I’m so glad you did come back to this. It is an emotional subject and when I first heard Hi Ren followed by the tales I was emotionally wrecked. It felt like I had finally connected with other people who knew the feelings and subjects. Which is why I love Rens music because his realness and authenticity seeps out of him. He’s not afraid to be him which grants others the freedom to be themselves. It’s ok, we are good enough to be ourselves
I loved your take and thank you for the followup! It is a great piece touching many important themes and how there were moments where the cycle could have been broken, but it did not. It is shocking and sad but also so real. You are right though that the smallest of things like a smile, kind question, show of appreciation, a hand offered in earnest can be the start of a positive cycle as well.
The thing you may be missing is that Ren is still fighting the forces of evil. He’s just doing it by showing it now. I love his grasp of what life is really like for so many people. He’s putting it out there. In a genius way. You have a good grasp on how Ren is trying to explore these things. And that starts your explorations. I too had a horrific childhood. In ways that cannot be accepted by those who may have participated or watched or cowered with fear in the corner. I’m not sure if Ren will go onto happier subjects, but I really appreciate his ability to tell the story that so many have experienced
Ren is a genius, a fantastic performer, singer, actor, songwriter, composer, etc, etc he can do it all... These 3 videos are filled with so many small tidbits that you might have missed by seeing this for the first time: - the way he uses his words and sets the scene for example when he could've simply say that Screech stabbed Jenny, he does it in a much more poetic way (and continues to do it in other instances in the songs, like when the Police is coming for Screech "the shrill cry of justice like a Banshee in the night"), just the same when Jenny froze he says it in a fantastic manner that sets a scene in your head... The way he used the Guitar to knock on the door in Screech's tale, the frantic camera going around him while he stood still to show the state of mind Screech was in, how he used the phone in the middle of the song with pauses and all to wait for the call to connect... how he said the police was coming instead of just saying "the police are coming" is truly amazing, and how he said that Screech was going against the police without saying just the obvious words... how he alternates between characters and narrator, both in voice and acting (see how at the end of the call to the girlfriend he's panting, gasping for air as Screech and in the next second he's completely composed when he becomes the Narrator again, he even gets his posture to be more upright)... how he uses the guitar to fire the shots and the cameraman getting shot and falling to the floor... an amazing storyteller. - The way he tells that history repeats itself on Violet's tale, from being abused by her father to the cycle repeating with her boyfriend that ends up killing her... the way he knocks on the door and then shows how he picks her eyelids and opens them and he's right there face first on the camera, out of focus... how he again uses the guitar to simbolize the sounds of violence when Stevie hits Violet, like a crashing pilot! - The way he rewinds time at the start of Violet's Tale when he says "We must rewind time for Violet's Tale" and then he makes the rewind time sound with the guitar and then starts Violet's story... then after Violet gets beaten up he uses the guitar again, this time to un-rewind time and gets us back to the start of the song when you heard the sounds of the hospital machines, now we know why those sounds were there and how everything happened... it's pure genius!!! - And how he ends the story with the Twins "aligned side by side", they came into this world side by side and they left this world side by side, one street apart. - Also, it's inevitable to draw parallels between Jenny and Violet and Screech and Stevie (his father) and the grandfather... despite not knowing any of their relatives, Jenny was just like her mother, Violet was silent, didn't fight back when she was abused and ended up being killed... Jenny when confronted by Screech completely froze, like a statue, wasn't able to move, to say anything, to defend herself, just like her mother... Screech was violent and troubled and ended up a murderer just like his father... All very tragic!! - To tie it all up, the Tales from Jenny and Screech were recorded in 2019 and Violet's Tale is, because of that set in 2005 (two zero zero five), 14 years before because in Jenny's tale we are told that Screech was 14 years old! Cheers
Oh woow thank you so very very much for this video!!! I so often wish for a short, second video just a view days later because i really love to see the first reaction of people but I'm also really so interested in the second thought after watching it again, digesting and thinking about it ❤ thats the girst time i see someone doing a part 2 of the first impression and I'm really really thankful for that ❤
Always happy for a follow up video - many things take time to process. It's clear you're very thoughtful, and it's worth taking the time to percolate as well as the experiencing immediate reaction , Both are authentic✨
(Watched your first vid on this and saw the shutdown or the inability to say anything bc you had been put in a place that wasn't so positive. That's just what I saw.) This was a wonderful and uplifting re-reaction. So many good thoughts expressed. I'm so glad to see you say what you're saying. Thank you. 🧡 (Not a reg viewer, but interested in your channel now.)
Thank you so much for sharing your additional thoughts. Ren's music brings out the philosopher in us all. Personally his music has helped me face past demons of bullying and emotional abuse. I may fear the ghosts of my past, but revisiting them through the medium of music takes the sting out of it somewhat.
Great real raw video mssg. Trilogy got me to. When I was young I was quiet kept to self didn’t have physical abuse but grew up with daily verbal abuse and downgrading and dealt bullying at school so can relate to your part of story. When I had my son hardest day was first day of kindergarten what hung him walk to school doors knowing now he’s going to find out how mean and cruel people can be. Being just him and myself I showered him with so much love building him up different from no love my home had. Luckily he had only one small incident but happy the man he is grown to be and he’ll be 35 this month but still I remember that first day of school feeling as it was yesterday but was better for him so I’m pleased I was able to give him different cuz my childhood still lingers with me sometimes til this day. Just want to say great mssg much love sorry for your childhood bullying and fights. Excuse my rambling there. Thank you and happy new year ❤🫶
Hi Dan. I just want to thank you for your reactions. I find Rens music definitely makes you think about the world and to be the best version of yourself. I appreciate your expertise in the composition and the musical aspects. I hope you carry on falling down the rabbithole.
I know many Ren fans love the Tales and it's often one of the first pieces recommended. Even though it's a fantastic set of work, I wish they wouldn't push it so hard, as they don't know what trauma that individual has experienced. Or at least, provide some form of a content warning, so that the reactor can be prepared. Don't worry - you aren't the first person to be left rather shellshocked. As someone else has also commented, it would have been way more weird/concerning had you continued as normal. Back on 74 will make you feel better. x
Glad to see you back to process this a bit more. Appreciate your perspective. Love to hear any more thoughts you have about the musical composition as well.
Hey Dan - compelled to comment here! Firstly, Violet IS the twins' mother - Ren names them at the end of Violet's Tale ;-) Secondly: here's my alternative story: Jenny and James are fostered from birth by a nice couple who eventually are allowed to adopt them. James can be a bit of a handful - he suffers from anxiety and ADHD and isn't doing so well at school, tending to hang out with the more disruptive kids. Sensing trouble ahead, his parents decide to move the whole family to Pembrokeshire, Wales, where the dad grew up. The children are able to spend most of their time outside, on the farm and the beach. Their school is small and James gets all the extra help he needs. Jenny loves looking after the animals and James gets into surfing, where he finds good mates and an antidote to his anxiety. Screech never exists and James grows up to be a competitive surfer, then a youth worker, while Jenny becomes a vet... I would say that then the Tales would never exist as a trilogy, but, sadly, there are others to take their place. But at least the twins would be safe and happy! x
I'm so glad you came back to revisit this. It's a tough subject. I think one message we can take from these stories is the importance of breaking the cycle of violence. Some of the ways we can do that are support for child abuse victims to hopefully keep them from falling into abuse as adults - like Violet, as well as better systems of taking care of children like Jenny and Screech so they have good mental health support and don't end up separated, and in transient potentially abusive foster care. There are so many points at which this story could have been turned around.
Appreciate you. Yes, these songs are hard. But that's what also makes them important. These are realities in our world, but watching the videos is so visceral, it feels like all this is new information and new emotions. Love ya man.
My simple opinion on Generational Trauma I can best summarize as: Those that are likely to be targeted for abuse tend to end up in environments where the next generation is also likely to be targeted for abuse.
I think you need something more "fun" from ren... i recommend his remix of "Losing It" he took an Australian edm song and added some playful and extremely skillful rapping on top of it
I appreciate what you are saying as to negativity transfer. Also Violet wanted to save her unborn children which was her last action in life. Lots of love from Violet. It is good Ren reminds about things in life
Thanks for this. It is a traumatic video. I think when love is not experienced as a child - it takes a lot of work for that child to find him/her self worth loving and being able to love anyone else. I had a mother and a step mother, both of whom were abandoned at birth and both had difficult childhoods- They did not know how to be mothers in the sense of taking care of their own children or loving themself. My mother left me and my brothers when I was a baby. I did see her occasionally as an adult and there was an emotional absence. There has to be a point hopefully when the wounding is acknowledged and healing done. I was lucky - I had help, but I can see how easily the generational trauma in people and countries go on and on.
I'm happy you are okej. I could see you "tuning out" a bit in the last video. Very well put! You explained the "transfer of energy", very eloquent there... I can relate to the "suppressed anger" issues... I watched my Mom get beaten and abused when I was a child; but the "anger/rebel without a cause"- persona I took on; was often directed to my MOM!; and not to the man who abused her. (Not my own dad, thank God) 😘 Such a twisted soul I was growing up. And then, I ended up with a "bad boy" myself, and history repeated itself. So weird!?? Why is it like so?? Those "Echoes of violence", needs to be worked through! I finally did so, but those years were such a waste. Especially the anger to my Mom, which she didn't deserve...❤
I appreciate this thoughtful reflection. I think you are spot on in your analysis. No need to apologize though, Violet’s Tale is such an intense and visceral I felt like I needed to call the police or do something after watching it 😭😅
Hearing you talk about the transfer of positive energy brought a beautiful song Ren did very early in his life you would absolutely adore. It has a music video, it’s called “it’s alright” by REN not the one by the big push that’s a different song.
I’m not sure if it’s nurture or nature. I thought about this a lot. I come from many generations of abuse. My great grandfather, my grandfather, my mother… were all physically and mentally abusive. I decided when I was a child that I would never treat my kids that way. Now I have a family and my kids have no idea what abuse is because I decided that they weren’t going to ever see anything like that. It’s a decision on how you wanna live your life and I respect Ren for bringing attention to these terrible situations in his music. He brings awareness.
You are the kind of person that could put together a coherent analysis and conversation reacting to Kujo Beatdown and Mackay in the same session. It could be useful to poke around Ren's universe for a bit first to get context, especially for the catharsis being expressed in Kujo Beatdown. For most people I would suggest this as a joke, they are so wildly different. You have the musical and emotional range to actually add to the conversation instead of just spotting the same things that many others have seen.
Thoughts on Ren's performance, songwriting, lyricism and musicianship? His video directing and the fact that these were 3 live, single take video performances?
Thank you for your thoughts. 🫶 Someone, and of couse I don't remember her name 🙄 - actually did an alternativ song about Jenny and Screech where nobody died.
I view it as a peek into a certain 'class' of society, people who grow up with limited financial or psychological support (mainly from their parents) can get stuck in a cycle of violence and desperation. While we love to watch reality shows about celebrities who have everything there are people out there with almost nothing.
It’s fight or flight. And some would say nature vs nurture; I don’t think it’s that simple or “ either/or”. Jenny froze, and she was completely silent. James/Screech fought, and he was very vocal and very aggressive from the moment he entered the scene. It took me MONTHS to fully process Hi Ren and I then listened to Chalk Outlines, How To Be Me , and The Big Push - so when I heard the aggression of Screech coming from Ren I was completely taken aback. It’s probably the place where I was shook , and then completely fell apart during Violet’s Tale. That place where you went was the one where you “ protect yourself by intellectualizing the emotional. You are among kindred spirits with the Renegades. ❤
Ren seems to be able to pluck emotions like strings. If you’d like something more elevating I would suggest Humble or Power. Excited to see someone who clearly knows music find him🤙🏽
Like any art Dan, there is no right or wrong way to interpret it. We each get from it what we as individuals perceive it to be. In your case it stirred feelings influenced by your own trauma and also your visceral reaction to the notion of violence towards women. As for the over arching theme, I think it's interesting that Screech turned out like Stevie and Jenny turned out like Violet even though they didn't know them. And then the tragic circumstances of Screech not even knowing that he's killed his own sister, the assumption being that they both went into care and grew up separately.
My suggestion for something abit lighter from REN would be: -Animal flow -Sickboy -The hunger REN has so may other songs that i love. Some of my favorite deeper songs -Chalk outlines -How to be me -Su!clde All 3 parts of money game
For real, Money game may be dark in its own way, but I think it makes you a better person after watching it and Pt 3 might be my favourite video and it shows another “genre” of REN imo
I find Violets tale triggering, didn't realise how much I needed it. You have to face it head on and sit with it when it hits so personal. Ren is a therapist! Touches the subjects that shouldn't be buried or skirted around.
Hey Dan, thanks for this additional reaction to the tales 👍❤ As others may have written, Ren was inspired to write the Tales by a magazine article that made him wonder why such things happen. What I like about the tales is, that you finally see that Screech somehow is a victim as well (which in no way excuses his actions). But as you said, it is extremely difficult to break out of this cycle of violence. If kids like him end up in homes or prisons, it probably doesn't help them to break the learned behavioral patterns. There is a great reaction video by Stuart J Randall to the Tales that deals with this topic. He is a psychotherapist himself and works with juvenile delinquents: ruclips.net/video/KAbS58TwEFU/видео.html By the way there is a video/song called 'Jenny & Screech - BUT THINGS TURN OUT OKAY!' ruclips.net/video/cTjfztLQ4ug/видео.html The song is created with help of AI but I love it anyways. It's done with a lot of love. And I love the idea that the story might turn out different in another universe. There's also a Richard's Tale (the police officer) on that channel. It's so great how Ren inspires people to get creative.
To me it’s not so much generational trauma in the sense of hereditary, but more parents in horrible situations bad enough that their children end up in government housing, causes the kids to have trauma from being raised through the government because we hear too many stories of either foster parents doing horrible things to them, or the fact that institutions are basically like prison for kids.
Children who have been abused tend to have low self esteem and have no idea of what a healthy relationship looks like. They often choose abusive partners, not knowing anything different exists or that they are worth anything better (it’s a lot more complex than that but for the sake of brevity I’ll leave it at that). Trauma is also passed down in DNA, there’s a lot of epigenetic research on this. Children of parents that grew up in war zones have a higher rate of anxiety, depression & PTSD, even though they were born in another country and didn’t experience war in utero. Another study, where mice were conditioned to fear the smell of cherries, saw that their offspring inherited the fear, as did some of their offspring’s offspring (there was a lot of offspring’s there 😊) People actually expect the loss of language after watching The Tales. I think it speaks greatly of your humanity and empathy. I also think that’s how Ren intended it to be received. People need love and kindness, we can all be the change we want to see x
I think REN writes on many levels. He does cry out for social injustice…. So while it was inspired by a story he read/saw on the news about how a cop basically said, “It’s such a shame”….. rather than comment on why/how a 14 year old boy becomes a murderer. So, that was the germ of the idea according to REN in interviews. A lot of sonengs talk about society… Moneygame 1,2,3, Money Ties, Sick Boi (medical industry), etc….. so I don’t think it’s farfetched for him to do a song on generational violence. For all that we know about REN, we don’t know his personal life… we know a bit of his artistic life…. And that doesn’t give us his personal history, nor should it do if he doesn’t want to share it. However, listening to REN all across the board… I KNOW he equally cries out at injustice in various songs, but I also know he just as easily does an homage to the Beastie Boys. As to Jenny/Screech… generational trauma…. That is something that REN believes should have a spotlight to disperse the shadows because he makes mention of that in another song…. The more you listen to him, the more you can see how interconnected his songs are, and the callbacks he does in various songs. So, yeah, I think the news story inspired a social commentary piece from REN as he ruminated on generational violence… One thing I saw someone say that I hadn’t even thought about was that Violet may have been impregnated by her “step”father…. Not the carbon copy bf she found once she escaped that house. It’s horrible to think, but it’s also gives a feeling of sinking horror of that possibly being true. I love the time you took to ruminate over this piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
3:57 all of the above I suspect... genetics definitely informs how mammals respond to stress, fight, flight, etc... and lived experience influences how sensitive we are or how low threshold we become to certain types of stress. If you have someone who's genetically prone to a fight reaction, who is then put in circumstances were they become conditioned to react very quickly or overreact, that's a mammal who can become very dangerous very quickly... (I'm a dog trainer by trade, and as much as we think of ourselves as more evolved, there is a lot of human behavior that is very primal) Layer in learned experience, and a little epigenetics, and the cycle gets more complicated yet... in short... I think we have only begun to scratch the surface on understanding the interconnection between nature and nurture... and I'm sure we'll still be studying it in another 20 years.
As a child I watched my alcoholic father kick the shit out of my mum many times so Violets Tale is too much for me, I watched it once but I cannot watch it again so I have to skip to the very end when I’m watching reactions. The psychological trauma of domestic abuse never leaves you.
Yes, these songs "Tales" need to be taken and digested to be able to get it deeply. please look out for this version made by a Renegade: Jenny & Screech - BUT THINGS TURN OUT OKAY! [Alternate Universe AI Ren Tales] ruclips.net/video/cTjfztLQ4ug/видео.html
I hope you enjoyed this video! I have just launched a 'Buy Me a Coffee' ☕️
👉 buymeacoffee.com/danblackwell
This is another way you can help me to keep creating the content you enjoy. Every bit helps and means so much! ✌️🧡
People tend to avoid revisiting content that was capable of eliciting feelings of distress or discomfort & rarely admit to feeling vulnerable or acknowledge shutting down…
It says a lot about you that you recognized how it made you feel & made you react, says more that you were willing to revisit it, & is something to be proud of that you put this out there for others.
My mom was abused as a child. When I was grown, she told me about that and about how hard it was for her not to react in the same way she'd been treated when I was being a little shit, as all kids are at times. She was very conscious of the risk of continuing the cycle of abuse. She would yell like champ, sometimes, but she never once struck me in anger. I am forever grateful that she was, as you put it, a chain breaker.
Love to your mum, no one should have to go through that. We need more strong people like her in the world 🧡🧡🧡
🫡 Much respect. Thank you for sharing and for including us in your journey.
Thank you for joining me on it! ✌️🧡
"Chain breakers"...sounds like a great name for a band lol. Not all of us have the faculties to regulate our emotions. You are so "on the mark" as far as I'm concerned. I feel like you're a person that wants to help people heal without expecting notoriety. Big virtual HUG to you.
Oh yeah! It does doesn't it? Haha
Thank you for saying that, I think the most important thing in life is to be kind and love each other. Big virtual hug to you too! 🧡🧡🧡
I liked that you’ve come back to discuss this. I found the first listen quite shocking too and it took a couple of rewatchings to fully appreciate it. As well as the cycle of abuse, I think there are several themes, including the failings of the foster system. Overall, see the trilogy as Ren shedding light on issues that are too often hidden, prompting the listener to consider how things could be improved and what is needed to break the cycle. And the importance of a nurturing upbringing - which imo is where your thoughts about the transfer of love resonate. Best wishes x
That's a very good point about the foster system! Totally with you. Thank you x 🙏❤️
I so appreciate you caring enough to revisit this. Your honesty and vulnerability is so precious. Thank you. I really enjoy your considered reactions.
Unfortunately it’s common when there’s sexual and physical abuse as a child to gravitate to similar situations as an adult. We’re drawn to what’s familiar. Childhood conditioning is powerful. Even when we’re aware and work on breaking the cycles, we’re not always successful or it may take time❤
Loved that you took time to come back to discuss this with us.
I also love your openess and reactions. So welcome to the family.
❤❤❤❤
I'm so sorry you had violence like that visited upon you, especially as a kid.
It is supposed to make us recoil in horror because it is horrible.
Too often people turn a blind eye.
Coming from a 6 year abusive relationship, it struck me, but it was liberating to see it talked about, to see it spark discussion in the comments, and to feel seen.
I saw many women who commented in reactions who were abused either as children, like Violet, or as women from domestic violence, that felt the same.
As well as Jenny & Screech sparking discussion of the failure of the foster systems in many countries, and the lack of attention to the rise in street crime from desperate situations.
Respect! And thanks for the follow-up video, from a 54 year old with massive childhood trauma and a massive Ren fan, Ren has REN-EWED my heart, mind and soul for the better, it's like he's making me not only hear music but he's making me feel music for the 1st time in my life
❤
Thank you for your seriousness and compassion. My prescription for an antidote to the circle of hate is Ren's speech on reaching a million subscribers on RUclips. I'd be really interested to see your reaction to that. Or just watch it for yourself. Take care.
yes, i second that suggestion
Thank you Dan for talking with us. ❤️
Your reactions, no matter how they look like to other people are your reactions and you don't need to explain them to anyone. They're real, genuine and totally understandable. Back on 74 or any (even all) Love Music are good antidotes. Also check out his 1 million subscribers video, it shows how truly humble and genuine he is.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness about this! Your thoughts are appreciated and I agree with you! Ren often opens the door for difficult conversations to be had and to spark us to do better. 🫶
I love that you’ve come back to discuss this. Your reaction to The Tales was amazing… totally authentic. I also love that it makes us THINK enough (albeit often traumatic) to want to discuss it. I think that’s the whole point… to make us think, face it and god willing CHANGE.
Great idea revisiting this. Its almost unfair to expect people to see that for the first time and be able to share their reaction on the spot. Like you said it needs to be digested for a while.
The Tale of Jenny and Screech hits hard, especially the first time. Your reaction showed that. ❤
I believe intergenerational trauma is all of the things you mentioned. Ren's work and these conversations inspire love and light from us...to add positively to that energy. 💚✌️
Ren is our very own modern Shakespeare! Thank you for revisiting. I was a little worried about you too. You seemed stunned and overwhelmed. Glad you’re ok!
I really admire people who do live reactions. I have to have processing time, especially with an artist like Ren. It's nice to have you come back like this and explain where you were and why. I can't wait to see what you think of the Money Games series! ❤🎶
I appreciate the update / follow up. Sometimes it just takes a while to sort things out and I'm glad you came back with further thoughts
I identified strongly with this addendum. I was so profoundly affected by Ren's portrayal of domestic violence that I shut down and completely missed the twist at the end. It's a testament to his storytelling skills that he can draw you in so completely and touch deep wounds.
Thank you for the extra reaction on the Tales. I thought you had gotten overwhelmed at the end to be honest, as it's not the first time I see it happen. It can sometimes be a bit of sensory overload bc there's so much to take in. Like listening to a really interesting lecture but towards the middle your mind sort of drifts into it's own thoughts without realising. 😊 My personal view on the Tales is that Ren was incensed by the fact that as a society, we feel so blasé about these issues instead of understanding why they happen and trying to prevent them by protecting the vulnerable. If Violet's children had been loved and cared for properly by a loving adoptive family, would their outcome have changed?
If Violet would've felt safe to talk to someone about the abuse going on at home when it started, would it have prevented her from falling for another abuser? If Violet's mother had felt that she had the option to leave an abusive husband early on, would she have left him as soon as she realised what kind of a guy he was? Because as much as Violet's mother was culpable in this case, I think she too has felt that there was no way out for either herself or her daughter, hence her alcoholism. Abusive men have a strong psychological hold of their partners especially if she too came from a similar environment. And so it goes on and on. With these women feeling that this is normal and what they must put up with. But if there is a clear message from society that this behaviour is not acceptable and punishment is swift and severe and adequate support and protection is given to the victims, then these cycles could be broken. But systems in place don't work as well as they should and social workers/women's refuges are overwhelmed. Needless to say the stigma of having to admit you are an 'abused woman' isn't nice either. The foster care system is also barely working and it's incredibly difficult to adopt a child in this country too, lowering the possibility of a good outcome for these vulnerable children too.
I'm deriving these conclusions based on the knowledge that Ren was triggered to write the Tales be because he saw a report once about how a teenage boy stabbed a young prostitute to death in London and how the reporter ended the report by just saying 'it was a shame'. Two lives had been ruined or lost and I believe Ren was a bit outraged by that. That people just didn't care about why they ended up in that situation in the first place. Anyway...sorry about the long comment.
I think I you would really appreciate to hear Ren's 1 Million Subscribers speech. It's wonderful and from what you said here, I feel you will really get it. ❤
Agreed, his 1 million subs video is short but tells us a LOT about who Ren is as a person and what he values. Which, then explains why his fans are so devoted to him 🫶 A great suggestion 👍
Agree w watching and reacting to Ren’s 1 Million Subscribers video.
Your reaction in the end WAS a reaction indeed: nice to hear Your ok ❤️
I love how Ren makes us think. He doesn't afraid to take difficult subjects, but takes them to the center and "forces" us the deal with it. 👍🏼
Waiting for mire reactions, I like Your take on the songs 💕 Maybe something lighter song next like Power or Murderer 👍🏼
I sadly noticed Ren only 1,5 years ago. I wish I had known his work sooner. Every song from him has something unique. I struggle with mental illness and and unidentified autoimmune disease, so I relate heavily to being misdiagnosed, feeling like doctors just going through a Spiel instead of really listening. I get meds for the mental illness but no therapist or psychiatrist wants to take the case ( because Dissociative disorder, trauma, PTSD, depression seems like to much for them) so I just survive. Rens music has helped more than meds have in the last year.
I can only recommend doing more Ren reaction. Us Renegades are avid in listening to every word about the songs. I can recommend I forgot how to be me and Chalk Outlines which he did together with Chinchilla and Suicide and .....damn.....a very old song from him, where he hadn't been diagnosed correctly. It will come back to me. It is basically just about battling mental illness and being afraid of being left behavior and because his struggles get to much for other people. Oh, jeez, and money game trilogy. But that song is more topical and philosophical and political, while the others deal with mental illness. But I looked into your catalogue and I like what you do otherwise as well.
Oh, my I do see, hear, and understand your frustrations. We are fellow travelers in the worlds of complex trauma and DID. I’m so sorry that you cannot find a decent therapist. I hear your frustration, disappointment with the system and lack of proper care and the cycle of misdiagnosis and my heart goes out to you. I’m so thankful for the support of the Renegade community. I don’t know where we’d be without Ren’s music. He writes lyrics that lifts survivors up. He is a constant inspiration and refuses to let people with hidden illnesses to continue to feel invisible. I actually needed his songs as a reminder to be proud of my own survival and for not letting the Bast*tds Win. I’ve been listening to his old track, Patience a lot lately. He’s talking about his struggles, his resilience and his strength to keep pushing forward; even when he was holding on by a thread. His music speaks to my soul. Our own long time therapist retired just before the Covid pandemic. I’m running into similar roadblocks to finding a good therapist. In our case it’s because we’re “old” and also have autoimmune diseases, 1 diagnosed, 1 that’s showing up in testing but not enough for the doc to say what it is yet.
I’m likely old enough to be yer GrannyRenegade. 😉 DID and my inner circle is the only world I have ever known. I didn’t find any therapists until I was in my early 20s. I burned through a lot of them pretty quickly because they were a bad fit, they didn’t understand much about PTSD outside of military trauma, others thought DID was not real. Labels were often tossed around; personality disorder or some other demeaning term. It isn’t a disorder. It’s a superpower and a survival skill. DID wasn’t even in the DSM then. Music, animals, and my insiders were the only ones I could trust. I had figured out by the time I was a teenager that my life and experiences were not “normal”. Before that we thought everyone lived in similar homes, and that everyone’s minds were filled with Many Voices and feelings. We have always been extremely careful to not attract attention and blend in with the rest of the world. We journaled a lot, wrote dark poetry, did art. It all helped in its own way. You are right. It is easier for health providers to just stick another label on complex issues and throw another medication at you, pat you on the head and send you out the door. It’s easier to medicate than to help by finding a person a good trauma therapist. Has anyone tried to find a trauma based therapist who can give you the type of specialized help you need? I’m the end you have to teach your care team. Some are just stuck in the dark ages when it comes to complex PTSD/DID.
Trauma Informed Stabilization Therapy has become more common and more accessible in the last decade, it’s really a game changer. Sending you all my best thoughts and deepest respect for surviving and for continuing to push for the right care. I do hope you can find someone who specializes in CPTSD. (DID typically comes along with it. ) unfortunately, CPTSD isn’t recognized in the US yet in the DSM. But they are teaching therapists about TIST methods to work with people who have been overlooked and misdiagnosed. You are not alone. Neither am I. It’s pretty crowded in here, but man, they’re a cool bunch of scrappy, awesome lovers of Ren’s music. 🤔😂
The beauty of all art is that however it makes you feel is the correct reaction! I thought your reaction at the end of your last video was perfectly valid. It IS a big reveal, and it does leave you stunned.
I love your interpretation of how negative energy spreads. I look at the tales of Jenny, Screech, and Violet as how we're all basically stuck where we started. We may nominally have upward mobility, but it's so hard to get out of the pit you start in, and that's a systemic issue. I guess that's basically generational trauma, but it feels more socially engrained to me.
Anyway, thanks for checking back in! There's never a wrong answer in art!!
That scene is so visceral… and the part where he’s speaking at her “do you think I want to do this Violet”.. it’s like you can almost she her broken and cowering on the ground. It’s so triggering!! So it’s totally understandable that you had to shut down. Yes, Violet is the mother of Jenny and Screech. Jenny was just like her mother - silent. Screech was just like his father - violent. Despite likely being separated after their mother’s death and likely being taken into care homes… they still became like one of their parents and then sadly met in the most awful circumstances not knowing who the other was. Absolutely tragic.
I'm a 55 year old Rennagad3 from belgium and i want to tell you that you Rock. Keep on rocking in the free world
Thanks mate! Love to Belgium! 🧡🧡🧡
I think most people need to take time to absorb what they just watched, in fact anyone who merrily goes on and does their normal closing comments after watching this seems very odd to me 🤔 Glad you felt comfortable enough with us to come back to it. Thanks x
I am 65 years old and Ren is the only artist who makes me cry not only the first time of hearing but on eve RT y play of Violets tale.
The one positive i take from this trilogy is that the chain is broken with the death of Jenny and Screech.
Would like to know how Richard coped with his trauma,
No other artist has had this effect on me , the tragedy is we all know terrible things go on which either goes unreported or we as a sociey prefer to look the other way.
I love that you made this. Great analysis.
Thank you so much! ❤️
Leaving a comment for the algorithm 😊 much love ✌️
Thank you! Much love to you too!✌❤
Thank you for returning to express yourself so clearly ❤
I'm going to suggest something completely different for your next Ren reaction - "Why My Woman" by The Big Push, Ren's previous band. Simple, pure fun, retro rock vibe & showcases Ren's acting skills (he also directed it, as he does most of his videos) ❤
Good on you Dan. Interesting and worthy reflections. Thank you for coming back to revisit.
I really like the concept of how we can use Ren’s incredible piece of art to imagine what the opposite could look like. From what I have picked up from his ethos and approach to the world, I suspect he would appreciate that approach very much.
I know you have received a number of recommendations for ‘lighter’ Ren videos. Here’s mine FWIW
- “I shot the sheriff /Road to Zion / Hip hop” . The Big Push(live) musically fascinating, brilliant
- Back on 74/Message in a bottle (mashup)
- Power
The simple fact that this conversation about trauma, and the ugly reality that many people live through is occurring across all the reaction communities and their subscribers due to this REN's amazing art piece brings awareness and highlights the power of the creative community. We need independent creatives that are free to explore and bring topics that most signed artists are not able to touch. Thank you Dan for your first authentic reaction and then having the courage to do a follow up once you have had the time to digest and understand your own reaction. As an Empath I totally understand the experience of emotional overwhelm and the almost freeze type response when confronted with the amount of sensory information this theater piece presents. I also have to say that the discussions within the comments of 99% of REN's music is kind, supportive and most importantly respectful of other peoples opinions. It is so refreshing from the nasty stuff that seems to be typical across most social media. So to come back to your point about can love and kindness also spread. Ren's renegades are proving that it can.
Trust your instincts Dan!
I believe the very fact that you’re opening a dialogue means Ren’s artistic vision is accomplished💫
I recommend “Power” for a lighter side or should I say layer of our Boi👍🏼
Loved your thoughts about being chain breakers. It doesn’t come as easy but kindness is every bit as strong as rage and it spreads just the same.
Well said! 🧡🧡🧡
I’m so glad you did come back to this. It is an emotional subject and when I first heard Hi Ren followed by the tales I was emotionally wrecked. It felt like I had finally connected with other people who knew the feelings and subjects. Which is why I love Rens music because his realness and authenticity seeps out of him. He’s not afraid to be him which grants others the freedom to be themselves. It’s ok, we are good enough to be ourselves
I loved your take and thank you for the followup! It is a great piece touching many important themes and how there were moments where the cycle could have been broken, but it did not. It is shocking and sad but also so real. You are right though that the smallest of things like a smile, kind question, show of appreciation, a hand offered in earnest can be the start of a positive cycle as well.
The thing you may be missing is that Ren is still fighting the forces of evil. He’s just doing it by showing it now. I love his grasp of what life is really like for so many people. He’s putting it out there. In a genius way. You have a good grasp on how Ren is trying to explore these things. And that starts your explorations. I too had a horrific childhood. In ways that cannot be accepted by those who may have participated or watched or cowered with fear in the corner. I’m not sure if Ren will go onto happier subjects, but I really appreciate his ability to tell the story that so many have experienced
I’m so pleased you gave yourself the space to debrief, and then digest the impact of the Tales with us ❤
Ren is a genius, a fantastic performer, singer, actor, songwriter, composer, etc, etc he can do it all...
These 3 videos are filled with so many small tidbits that you might have missed by seeing this for the first time:
- the way he uses his words and sets the scene for example when he could've simply say that Screech stabbed Jenny, he does it in a much more poetic way (and continues to do it in other instances in the songs, like when the Police is coming for Screech "the shrill cry of justice like a Banshee in the night"), just the same when Jenny froze he says it in a fantastic manner that sets a scene in your head...
The way he used the Guitar to knock on the door in Screech's tale, the frantic camera going around him while he stood still to show the state of mind Screech was in, how he used the phone in the middle of the song with pauses and all to wait for the call to connect... how he said the police was coming instead of just saying "the police are coming" is truly amazing, and how he said that Screech was going against the police without saying just the obvious words... how he alternates between characters and narrator, both in voice and acting (see how at the end of the call to the girlfriend he's panting, gasping for air as Screech and in the next second he's completely composed when he becomes the Narrator again, he even gets his posture to be more upright)... how he uses the guitar to fire the shots and the cameraman getting shot and falling to the floor... an amazing storyteller.
- The way he tells that history repeats itself on Violet's tale, from being abused by her father to the cycle repeating with her boyfriend that ends up killing her... the way he knocks on the door and then shows how he picks her eyelids and opens them and he's right there face first on the camera, out of focus... how he again uses the guitar to simbolize the sounds of violence when Stevie hits Violet, like a crashing pilot!
- The way he rewinds time at the start of Violet's Tale when he says "We must rewind time for Violet's Tale" and then he makes the rewind time sound with the guitar and then starts Violet's story... then after Violet gets beaten up he uses the guitar again, this time to un-rewind time and gets us back to the start of the song when you heard the sounds of the hospital machines, now we know why those sounds were there and how everything happened... it's pure genius!!!
- And how he ends the story with the Twins "aligned side by side", they came into this world side by side and they left this world side by side, one street apart.
- Also, it's inevitable to draw parallels between Jenny and Violet and Screech and Stevie (his father) and the grandfather... despite not knowing any of their relatives, Jenny was just like her mother, Violet was silent, didn't fight back when she was abused and ended up being killed... Jenny when confronted by Screech completely froze, like a statue, wasn't able to move, to say anything, to defend herself, just like her mother...
Screech was violent and troubled and ended up a murderer just like his father...
All very tragic!!
- To tie it all up, the Tales from Jenny and Screech were recorded in 2019 and Violet's Tale is, because of that set in 2005 (two zero zero five), 14 years before because in Jenny's tale we are told that Screech was 14 years old!
Cheers
Your reaction to the tales makes sense now. Glad you are ok and glad you came back to share.
Oh woow thank you so very very much for this video!!! I so often wish for a short, second video just a view days later because i really love to see the first reaction of people but I'm also really so interested in the second thought after watching it again, digesting and thinking about it ❤ thats the girst time i see someone doing a part 2 of the first impression and I'm really really thankful for that ❤
Oh thank you so much! I'm really glad I did it as well 🧡🧡🧡
Interesting concept for thought and discussion. Generational violence is combination of all you said. Perhaps even ancestrral spiritual transfer.
I think you're right!
Always happy for a follow up video - many things take time to process. It's clear you're very thoughtful, and it's worth taking the time to percolate as well as the experiencing immediate reaction , Both are authentic✨
I appreciate your reactions, but it's important that you take care of yourself as well. Thanks for reacting to Ren's stuff.
(Watched your first vid on this and saw the shutdown or the inability to say anything bc you had been put in a place that wasn't so positive. That's just what I saw.)
This was a wonderful and uplifting re-reaction. So many good thoughts expressed. I'm so glad to see you say what you're saying. Thank you. 🧡
(Not a reg viewer, but interested in your channel now.)
Thank you so much for sharing your additional thoughts. Ren's music brings out the philosopher in us all. Personally his music has helped me face past demons of bullying and emotional abuse. I may fear the ghosts of my past, but revisiting them through the medium of music takes the sting out of it somewhat.
Deep respect to you for sharing your heart and being so authentically vulnerable with your RUclips family-it’s truly inspiring ❤
Great real raw video mssg. Trilogy got me to. When I was young I was quiet kept to self didn’t have physical abuse but grew up with daily verbal abuse and downgrading and dealt bullying at school so can relate to your part of story. When I had my son hardest day was first day of kindergarten what hung him walk to school doors knowing now he’s going to find out how mean and cruel people can be. Being just him and myself I showered him with so much love building him up different from no love my home had. Luckily he had only one small incident but happy the man he is grown to be and he’ll be 35 this month but still I remember that first day of school feeling as it was yesterday but was better for him so I’m pleased I was able to give him different cuz my childhood still lingers with me sometimes til this day. Just want to say great mssg much love sorry for your childhood bullying and fights. Excuse my rambling there. Thank you and happy new year ❤🫶
Hi Dan. I just want to thank you for your reactions. I find Rens music definitely makes you think about the world and to be the best version of yourself. I appreciate your expertise in the composition and the musical aspects. I hope you carry on falling down the rabbithole.
I know many Ren fans love the Tales and it's often one of the first pieces recommended. Even though it's a fantastic set of work, I wish they wouldn't push it so hard, as they don't know what trauma that individual has experienced. Or at least, provide some form of a content warning, so that the reactor can be prepared.
Don't worry - you aren't the first person to be left rather shellshocked. As someone else has also commented, it would have been way more weird/concerning had you continued as normal.
Back on 74 will make you feel better. x
Glad to see you back to process this a bit more. Appreciate your perspective. Love to hear any more thoughts you have about the musical composition as well.
Hey Dan - compelled to comment here! Firstly, Violet IS the twins' mother - Ren names them at the end of Violet's Tale ;-) Secondly: here's my alternative story:
Jenny and James are fostered from birth by a nice couple who eventually are allowed to adopt them. James can be a bit of a handful - he suffers from anxiety and ADHD and isn't doing so well at school, tending to hang out with the more disruptive kids. Sensing trouble ahead, his parents decide to move the whole family to Pembrokeshire, Wales, where the dad grew up. The children are able to spend most of their time outside, on the farm and the beach. Their school is small and James gets all the extra help he needs. Jenny loves looking after the animals and James gets into surfing, where he finds good mates and an antidote to his anxiety. Screech never exists and James grows up to be a competitive surfer, then a youth worker, while Jenny becomes a vet...
I would say that then the Tales would never exist as a trilogy, but, sadly, there are others to take their place. But at least the twins would be safe and happy! x
Wonderful ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I really enjoyed your review and thanks for visiting it again.
Sometimes you have to walk away and think about it for a while.
I'm so glad you came back to revisit this. It's a tough subject. I think one message we can take from these stories is the importance of breaking the cycle of violence. Some of the ways we can do that are support for child abuse victims to hopefully keep them from falling into abuse as adults - like Violet, as well as better systems of taking care of children like Jenny and Screech so they have good mental health support and don't end up separated, and in transient potentially abusive foster care. There are so many points at which this story could have been turned around.
Appreciate you. Yes, these songs are hard. But that's what also makes them important. These are realities in our world, but watching the videos is so visceral, it feels like all this is new information and new emotions. Love ya man.
My simple opinion on Generational Trauma I can best summarize as: Those that are likely to be targeted for abuse tend to end up in environments where the next generation is also likely to be targeted for abuse.
Enjoyed your reaction! Back on 74 cover is a great feel-good follow up
Very beautifully spoken yes I agree we need to break our own patterns.... Breaking free of our own personal fear!
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Props to you for waiting to be fully there and reflective in your reaction.
I think you need something more "fun" from ren... i recommend his remix of "Losing It" he took an Australian edm song and added some playful and extremely skillful rapping on top of it
I appreciate what you are saying as to negativity transfer. Also Violet wanted to save her unborn children which was her last action in life. Lots of love from Violet. It is good Ren reminds about things in life
Ren is all over the place with his music, i really dont think a label could handle is creativity. Oh he plays the piano as well.
Thanks for this. It is a traumatic video. I think when love is not experienced as a child - it takes a lot of work for that child to find him/her self worth loving and being able to love anyone else. I had a mother and a step mother, both of whom were abandoned at birth and both had difficult childhoods- They did not know how to be mothers in the sense of taking care of their own children or loving themself. My mother left me and my brothers when I was a baby. I did see her occasionally as an adult and there was an emotional absence. There has to be a point hopefully when the wounding is acknowledged and healing done. I was lucky - I had help, but I can see how easily the generational trauma in people and countries go on and on.
I'm happy you are okej.
I could see you "tuning out" a bit in the last video.
Very well put!
You explained the "transfer of energy", very eloquent there...
I can relate to the "suppressed anger" issues...
I watched my Mom get beaten and abused when I was a child; but the "anger/rebel without a cause"- persona I took on; was often directed to my MOM!; and not to the man who abused her.
(Not my own dad, thank God)
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Such a twisted soul I was growing up.
And then, I ended up with a "bad boy" myself, and history repeated itself.
So weird!??
Why is it like so??
Those "Echoes of violence", needs to be worked through!
I finally did so, but those years were such a waste.
Especially the anger to my Mom, which she didn't deserve...❤
Appreciate you & your thoughts, sorry to hear that people have been cruel towards you in the past.
Thank you ♥
I appreciate this thoughtful reflection. I think you are spot on in your analysis. No need to apologize though, Violet’s Tale is such an intense and visceral I felt like I needed to call the police or do something after watching it 😭😅
Hearing you talk about the transfer of positive energy brought a beautiful song Ren did very early in his life you would absolutely adore. It has a music video, it’s called “it’s alright” by REN not the one by the big push that’s a different song.
I love that song and video!!
Oh man, welcome to Rensrabbithole. We are mostly all like wtf just happened, give me more
Cheers mate, it's all pretty mind blowing hey? 🤯✌️❤️
I’m not sure if it’s nurture or nature. I thought about this a lot. I come from many generations of abuse. My great grandfather, my grandfather, my mother… were all physically and mentally abusive. I decided when I was a child that I would never treat my kids that way. Now I have a family and my kids have no idea what abuse is because I decided that they weren’t going to ever see anything like that. It’s a decision on how you wanna live your life and I respect Ren for bringing attention to these terrible situations in his music. He brings awareness.
You are the kind of person that could put together a coherent analysis and conversation reacting to Kujo Beatdown and Mackay in the same session. It could be useful to poke around Ren's universe for a bit first to get context, especially for the catharsis being expressed in Kujo Beatdown.
For most people I would suggest this as a joke, they are so wildly different. You have the musical and emotional range to actually add to the conversation instead of just spotting the same things that many others have seen.
Thoughts on Ren's performance, songwriting, lyricism and musicianship? His video directing and the fact that these were 3 live, single take video performances?
Check out the previous part 1 video where I react to all three 👍
Thank you for your thoughts. 🫶
Someone, and of couse I don't remember her name 🙄 - actually did an alternativ song about Jenny and Screech where nobody died.
Welcome to the RENagades ❤❤
Thank you for your insights.
Thanks for your support 🙏✌️
I would recommend Ren It's Alright. It will soothe your soul.
Who doesn’t love baby Ren🥰
I view it as a peek into a certain 'class' of society, people who grow up with limited financial or psychological support (mainly from their parents) can get stuck in a cycle of violence and desperation. While we love to watch reality shows about celebrities who have everything there are people out there with almost nothing.
Thanks
This is awesome ❤
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It’s fight or flight. And some would say nature vs nurture; I don’t think it’s that simple or “ either/or”.
Jenny froze, and she was completely silent. James/Screech fought, and he was very vocal and very aggressive from the moment he entered the scene. It took me MONTHS to fully process Hi Ren and I then listened to Chalk Outlines, How To Be Me , and The Big Push - so when I heard the aggression of Screech coming from Ren I was completely taken aback. It’s probably the place where I was shook , and then completely fell apart during Violet’s Tale. That place where you went was the one where you “ protect yourself by intellectualizing the emotional. You are among kindred spirits with the Renegades. ❤
For an example of the opposite effect to the transfer of hate is ruclips.net/video/tgg2Nb7yunw/видео.htmlsi=CxIj1VoKyqNDIjKk the transfer of love ❤
you must be the change we wish to see in the world ~Mahatma Ghandi
Ren seems to be able to pluck emotions like strings. If you’d like something more elevating I would suggest Humble or Power. Excited to see someone who clearly knows music find him🤙🏽
Like any art Dan, there is no right or wrong way to interpret it. We each get from it what we as individuals perceive it to be. In your case it stirred feelings influenced by your own trauma and also your visceral reaction to the notion of violence towards women. As for the over arching theme, I think it's interesting that Screech turned out like Stevie and Jenny turned out like Violet even though they didn't know them. And then the tragic circumstances of Screech not even knowing that he's killed his own sister, the assumption being that they both went into care and grew up separately.
My suggestion for something abit lighter from REN would be:
-Animal flow
-Sickboy
-The hunger
REN has so may other songs that i love.
Some of my favorite deeper songs
-Chalk outlines
-How to be me
-Su!clde
All 3 parts of money game
For real, Money game may be dark in its own way, but I think it makes you a better person after watching it and Pt 3 might be my favourite video and it shows another “genre” of REN imo
I think the other takeaway is that you need a couple lighthearted Ren tracks next 😅
I find Violets tale triggering, didn't realise how much I needed it. You have to face it head on and sit with it when it hits so personal. Ren is a therapist! Touches the subjects that shouldn't be buried or skirted around.
Hey Dan, thanks for this additional reaction to the tales 👍❤
As others may have written, Ren was inspired to write the Tales by a magazine article that made him wonder why such things happen. What I like about the tales is, that you finally see that Screech somehow is a victim as well (which in no way excuses his actions). But as you said, it is extremely difficult to break out of this cycle of violence. If kids like him end up in homes or prisons, it probably doesn't help them to break the learned behavioral patterns. There is a great reaction video by Stuart J Randall to the Tales that deals with this topic. He is a psychotherapist himself and works with juvenile delinquents: ruclips.net/video/KAbS58TwEFU/видео.html
By the way there is a video/song called 'Jenny & Screech - BUT THINGS TURN OUT OKAY!' ruclips.net/video/cTjfztLQ4ug/видео.html
The song is created with help of AI but I love it anyways. It's done with a lot of love. And I love the idea that the story might turn out different in another universe. There's also a Richard's Tale (the police officer) on that channel.
It's so great how Ren inspires people to get creative.
To me it’s not so much generational trauma in the sense of hereditary, but more parents in horrible situations bad enough that their children end up in government housing, causes the kids to have trauma from being raised through the government because we hear too many stories of either foster parents doing horrible things to them, or the fact that institutions are basically like prison for kids.
Children who have been abused tend to have low self esteem and have no idea of what a healthy relationship looks like. They often choose abusive partners, not knowing anything different exists or that they are worth anything better (it’s a lot more complex than that but for the sake of brevity I’ll leave it at that). Trauma is also passed down in DNA, there’s a lot of epigenetic research on this. Children of parents that grew up in war zones have a higher rate of anxiety, depression & PTSD, even though they were born in another country and didn’t experience war in utero. Another study, where mice were conditioned to fear the smell of cherries, saw that their offspring inherited the fear, as did some of their offspring’s offspring (there was a lot of offspring’s there 😊)
People actually expect the loss of language after watching The Tales. I think it speaks greatly of your humanity and empathy. I also think that’s how Ren intended it to be received. People need love and kindness, we can all be the change we want to see x
I think REN writes on many levels. He does cry out for social injustice…. So while it was inspired by a story he read/saw on the news about how a cop basically said, “It’s such a shame”….. rather than comment on why/how a 14 year old boy becomes a murderer. So, that was the germ of the idea according to REN in interviews. A lot of sonengs talk about society… Moneygame 1,2,3, Money Ties, Sick Boi (medical industry), etc….. so I don’t think it’s farfetched for him to do a song on generational violence. For all that we know about REN, we don’t know his personal life… we know a bit of his artistic life…. And that doesn’t give us his personal history, nor should it do if he doesn’t want to share it.
However, listening to REN all across the board… I KNOW he equally cries out at injustice in various songs, but I also know he just as easily does an homage to the Beastie Boys.
As to Jenny/Screech… generational trauma…. That is something that REN believes should have a spotlight to disperse the shadows because he makes mention of that in another song…. The more you listen to him, the more you can see how interconnected his songs are, and the callbacks he does in various songs.
So, yeah, I think the news story inspired a social commentary piece from REN as he ruminated on generational violence… One thing I saw someone say that I hadn’t even thought about was that Violet may have been impregnated by her “step”father…. Not the carbon copy bf she found once she escaped that house. It’s horrible to think, but it’s also gives a feeling of sinking horror of that possibly being true.
I love the time you took to ruminate over this piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
3:57 all of the above I suspect... genetics definitely informs how mammals respond to stress, fight, flight, etc... and lived experience influences how sensitive we are or how low threshold we become to certain types of stress. If you have someone who's genetically prone to a fight reaction, who is then put in circumstances were they become conditioned to react very quickly or overreact, that's a mammal who can become very dangerous very quickly...
(I'm a dog trainer by trade, and as much as we think of ourselves as more evolved, there is a lot of human behavior that is very primal)
Layer in learned experience, and a little epigenetics, and the cycle gets more complicated yet... in short... I think we have only begun to scratch the surface on understanding the interconnection between nature and nurture... and I'm sure we'll still be studying it in another 20 years.
Suggesting Kimbra, another highly talented artist that isn’t well known. Settle Down or her cover of Plain Gold Ring live studio.
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As a child I watched my alcoholic father kick the shit out of my mum many times so Violets Tale is too much for me, I watched it once but I cannot watch it again so I have to skip to the very end when I’m watching reactions. The psychological trauma of domestic abuse never leaves you.
Yes, these songs "Tales" need to be taken and digested to be able to get it deeply. please look out for this version made by a Renegade: Jenny & Screech - BUT THINGS TURN OUT OKAY! [Alternate Universe AI Ren Tales] ruclips.net/video/cTjfztLQ4ug/видео.html
It’s a Cycle of Violence, term I learned at University.
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