Bartees Strange has a debut album on the way, Live Forever, and his latest preview of it is a new video for “Kelly Rowland.” It’s a brief song, clocking in at under two minutes, but that’s all the time it needs to deliver smooth, aural comfort.
Strange tells Stereogum of the single, “‘Kelly Rowland’ is my peak hedonistic dream, if I had no rules. I was in Berlin, and I saw the most beautiful, talented, wealthy, amazing people, we partied all night and danced all night. And I was like, ‘I cannot believe people live every day like this.’ It’s this hyper-idealized vision of what I wish I could be, for a moment.”
The track actually samples Rowland and Nelly’s “Dilemma,” of which Strange wrote on Twitter, “Another song that will probably stick with me forever because I had the hugest crush on Kelly Rowland and I copied literally every stylistic move Nelly did as a high schooler. Band aid included.”
Another song that will probably stick with me forever because I had the hugest crush on Kelly Rowland and I copied literally every stylistic move Nelly did as a high schooler. Band aid included. https://t.co/oqwBQOPS8i
He also previously said of his music, “I’m often the only Black guy in the room when I’m playing in a band or working in a studio and I’ll be honest, I don’t think the engineer always knew what I wanted to capture, what I was trying to do or what I was referencing. I wanted a space where I could be in control of how it was gonna sound, and have people there to check me that I trust.”
Watch the “Kelly Rowland” video above. We also spoke with Strange in a recent Instagram Live interview, so check that out here.
Live Forever is out 10/2 via MemoryMusic. Pre-order it here.
Brian Posehn is a comic probably best known for his roles on The Big Bang Theory,The Sarah Silverman Program,Mr. Show, and Just Shoot Me. Currently, he’s headlining this weekend on RushTix, a virtual comedy club, on Saturday, September 19th at 10pm EST. His show, Brian Posehn Live: An Evening with Grandpa Metal, will allow fans to laugh and headbang with Brian and special guest Johnny Taylor as the show streams live. Tickets for the show are available here.
Brian was kind enough to take a few minutes from his busy schedule recently to take part in our twenty questions questionnaire series.
1. You walk into a bar. What do you order from the bartender?
An Old Fashioned. First I ask them what kind of whiskey they have like I know what I’m fucking talking about.
2. Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Tommy Lee/Obama
3. What’s currently waiting for you on your DVR or in your streaming queue?
Restaurant Impossible and The Boys.
4. It’s your last meal — what are you going out with?
Google Maps, Lego.com, eBay and the occasional trip to FarmersOnly.com.
6. What’s the most frequently played song on your mobile device?
Rush: “Subdivisions.”
7. If you could go back and give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice what would it be?
Don’t be a fucking idiot.
8. What’s the last thing you Googled?
“The Jerky Boys”
“Yojimbo”
“What is wrong with my balls?”
9. Dogs or cats?
Dogs
10. Best concert of your life was…?
The last Rush show at the Forum.
11. What book are you most likely to give as a gift?
The Stand orThe Dirt
12. What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Kept me working.
13. South Park or Family Guy?
What? Really? South Park.
14. You have an entire day to do whatever you want. What would you do?
No agenda, no plans at all. No pants. Watch movies, read, listen to music, play video games, fuck around on my guitar, have a whiskey, whack it, swim, be high.
15. What movie can you not resist watching if it’s on?
So many. Anything with Kurt Russell.
16. The sports team or teams you’re most passionate about?
I grew up with the SF and Oakland teams, classic teams, Stabler’s Raiders, Reggie Jackson’s A’s, Montana’s Niners. I still follow the Giants a little, love Metallica Day the most.
17. Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Either The International House of Pancakes or French Laundry, I forget.
18. The last movie you saw in a theater?
Sonic the Hedgehog. No shit.
19. Who was your first celebrity crush?
Daphne from Scooby Doo, Yvonne Craig (Batgirl), Lee Meriwether (Catwoman). I’m hella old.
20. What would you cook if Nic Cage were coming to your house for dinner?
As protests broke out over the police killing of George Floyd in late May 2020, Jimmy Fallon found himself mired in controversy after an old Saturday Night Live sketch was unearthed that showed him using blackface for an impression of Chris Rock. The Tonight Show host issued a public apology on Twitter for the offensive sketch.
“In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. There is no excuse for this,” Fallon tweeted. “I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.”
While the scandal seemingly vanished almost as quickly as it emerged, Rock has stayed quiet about the topic until now. In a new interview with the New York Times, the comedian has nothing but love for Fallon. “Hey, man, I’m friends with Jimmy. Jimmy’s a great guy. And he didn’t mean anything,” Rock said. “A lot of people want to say intention doesn’t matter, but it does. And I don’t think Jimmy Fallon intended to hurt me. And he didn’t.”
During the interview, Rock was also asked if he thinks people are taking things too far by trying to “expunge blackface from any movies or TV shows where it previously appeared.” Here’s his response:
If I say they are, then I’m the worst guy in the world. There’s literally one answer that ends my whole career. Blackface ain’t cool, OK? That’s my quote. Blackface is bad. Who needs it? It’s so sad, we live in a world now where you have to say, I am so against cancer. “I just assumed you liked cancer.” No, no, no, I am so against it. You have to state so many obvious things you’re against.
Over the past few days, Kanye West has been emphatic about his issues with the music industry, both in terms of his own contractual obligations and those of other artists more broadly. This afternoon, he continued to express his dissatisfaction with the industry, doing so with a symbolic display: He shared a video in which he appears to pee on a Grammy Award trophy.
The video was shot from a top-down point-of-view angle and it shows Kanye, or at least somebody wearing Yeezy Foam Runners, seemingly urinating into a toilet. In the toilet, however, sits a Grammy Award, presumably one of the 21 that Kanye has won over the course of his career. He captioned his post, “Trust me … I WONT STOP.” The video racked up 1.6 million views in its first 20 minutes.
The clip appears to be a form of protest against the music industry at large. Last night, he tweeted about how artists should own their own master recordings, writing in a series of tweets, “In the streaming world master ownership is everything… that is the bulk of the income … in COVID artist need our masters … it’s more important than ever before. […] The artist deserve to own our masters … artist are starving without tours … Ima go get our masters … for all artist … pray for me.”
There’s a chance you’ve never even heard of Rochester, New York. It’s the state’s third-largest city but not overly notable (I can say this without reprimand — I live here). Birthplace of Susan B. Anthony, Genesee Beer, and Eastman Kodak. Home of the locally-beloved “Garbage Plate.” But while you might not venture all the way to Western New York for a plate of macaroni salad, home fries, cheeseburger patties, meat sauce, raw onions, and mustard all loaded onto one mouthwatering pile, you’ll probably be tempted to pick one up if you casually end up in Rochester.
While you’re in town, you should also check out Black Button Distilling. This grain-to-glass distillery proudly crafts its spirits with New York State grains, but it’s not located in the middle of a cornfield somewhere. It’s based near the public market smack dab in the middle of the Flour City. Jason Barrett (who also serves as master distiller) founded the distillery in 2012 and called it Black Button as an homage to the button factory his family has operated since 1922.
While that factory has made buttons that have adorned suits of presidents, kings, and celebrities, Barrett makes whiskey, gin, vodka, and other spirits along the Genesee River and his distillery is starting to garner not only national, but global attention. Recently, we were lucky enough to sample some of the various whiskeys made by Black Button. Below you’ll find tasting notes for its Cask Strength Bourbon, Four Grain Straight Bourbon, Single Barrel Bourbon, and Empire Rye.
This cask strength bourbon was created to be uncut, unfiltered, and high proof. Made up of 60 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, 11 percent malted barley, and only 9 percent rye, even with high proof, it remains mellow and easy to drink.
In the simplest terms, this is Black Button’s popular Four Grain Straight Bourbon at its straight-from-the-barrel strength.
Tasting Notes:
This well-crafted cask strength bourbon deserves to be nosed before taking your first sip. The first aromas that swirl around your nostrils are subtle cinnamon, sweet cream, and hints of charred wood. The first sip brings sweet brown sugar, vanilla, and butterscotch. The finish is long, warming, and filled with hints of toasted oak and caramel.
Bottom Line:
While we love to sip this high proof bourbon, the subtle heat might not be for whiskey novices. For those folks, it’s well suited as a base for a classic Manhattan.
If you were going to pick a flagship whiskey from Black Button, it would probably be its Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey. As we mentioned in the cask strength blurb, this is a high corn/low rye bourbon. It’s called four grain because it’s literally made up of four different grains, corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley. Each is proudly grown in New York State.
Tasting Notes:
When taking in this whiskey’s aromas, the first scent you’ll notice is dried cherries, sweet caramel, and mild cinnamon spice. The first sip is light, pleasing, and delivers notes of sticky toffee pudding, rich vanilla, charred oak, and just a hint of sweet cream. The finish is long, dry, very warming, and full of vanilla pudding and toasted oak.
Bottom Line:
This highly complex whiskey is equally suited for mixing as it is for sipping. We prefer to sip on it slowly in a rocks glass with a single ice cube.
One of the hottest trends in the spirits world right now is single barrel whiskey. Black Button got in on this trend with its supremely high proof Single Barrel Straight Bourbon. This 121.2 proof bourbon is no joke. Made from New York State grown grains, master distiller Jason Barrett hand selects the barrels that go into this truly small-batch bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
You might assume that whiskey with this amount of alcohol would be abrasive to your nose. We’re here to dismiss that theory as the first nosing brings forth immediate sweet caramel, dried fruits, charred oak, and (once again) cinnamon. The first sip yields sweet corn, butterscotch, baking spices, and dried orange peel flavors. The finish is medium in length and surprisingly mellow with hints of candied toffee.
Bottom Line:
Another whiskey we don’t want to hide in a cocktail. Single Barrel deserves to be sipped neat or on the rocks on a cool, fall evening.
Taking a break from the onslaught of bourbons, we’re turning our attention to Black Button’s award-winning Empire Rye. This is a rye for fans of the spicy grain, as it’s made up of 95 percent rye in its mash bills. The result is a very spicy, peppery whiskey — which is ramped up to a new level by the fact that it’s unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
Rye fans will appreciate the pleasing punch of peppery spice in the first nosing. This is followed by a subtle nutty flavor that moves into toasted oak. The first sip drops more black pepper along with dried fruits, candied orange peel, and soft caramel flavors. The finish is long, warming, and full of pecans, toasted oak, and subtle leather notes.
Bottom Line:
If you have a go-to rye cocktail, use this whiskey as its base. You definitely won’t be disappointed when the spicy rye pairs perfectly with the ingredients in your favorite mixed drinks.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ head coaching position, arguably the top job available in the NBA, is expected to entice all the top candidates in the league, but according to a new report from Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mike D’Antoni may be in pole position.
From Pompey: “… the job could be D’Antoni’s to lose. The source said the 69-year-old would have to bomb his interview with the Sixers owners not to be offered the job, and said D’Antoni is the candidate they want.”
D’Antoni is expected to fly to Philadelphia to interview in the coming days and has, according to Pompey, backed away from mutual interest with the Indiana Pacers in order to more aggressively pursue the Sixers’ job. The former Rockets coach, who opted not to pursue an extension team following its departure from the 2020 postseason, spent time in Philadelphia in 2015 when he was making his way back to coaching after failed stints in Los Angeles in New York, giving him familiarity with general manager Elton Brand — then on the Sixers’ roster as a player — and the rest of the organization.
However, candidates such as Ty Lue and Billy Donovan are also expected to get a look from Philadelphia’s brain trust. And it’s not a logical fit stylistically, as the Sixers are centered around two interior non-shooters in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons while D’Antoni is coming off many years with a unique and regimented threes-and-layups system in Houston that runs counter to how the Sixers have played through this core.
Given their social media shenanigans involve fake fan giveaways and ab-tastic handstand challenges, it sure seems like Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal became even closer pals while filming Spider-Man: Far From Home together, but it turns out that they don’t tell each other everything. Holland recently revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he had no idea that Gyllenhaal was producing the Netflix film The Devil All the Time, and it sure sounds like the Mysterio actor had no idea Holland was joining the film either. Communication is the key to a good relationship, guys.
“When Jake and I were working together on Spidey 2, he was asking me what I was going to do next,” Holland told EW. “I pitched him this movie and he was like, ‘Wait a minute, I’m producing that movie.’ And I was like, Well, I’m in that movie.’ I guess someone had like messed up in the email and didn’t tell us that each of us were part of the film.”
In another superhero twist for The Devil All the Time, Holland stars along side Robert Pattinson who impressed fans with the jaw-breaking teaser for The Batman in late August. Holland’s MCU co-star Sebastian Stan also appears in the Netflix film.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
In Knockemstiff, Ohio and its neighboring backwoods, sinister characters — an unholy preacher (Robert Pattinson), twisted couple (Jason Clarke and Riley Keough), and crooked sheriff (Sebastian Stan) — converge around young Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) as he fights the evil forces that threaten him and his family. Spanning the time between World War II and the Vietnam war, director Antonio Campos’ The Devil All the Time renders a seductive and horrific landscape that pits the just against the corrupted. Co-starring Bill Skarsgård, Mia Wasikowska, Harry Melling, Haley Bennett, and Pokey LaFarge, this suspenseful tale is adapted from Donald Ray Pollock’s award-winning novel.
The Devil All the Time is currently streaming on Netflix.
Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers’ typically stoic star, gave his diagnosis of the issues that led to the team’s Game 7 loss to the Denver Nuggets. While speaking with the media late Tuesday night, Leonard offered a critique of the Clippers’ basketball IQ and team chemistry.
Simply put, Leonard told reporters, the Clippers need to “get smarter as a team.”
Kawhi Leonard said repeatedly Clippers have to get smarter: “That’s when it comes to the team chemistry, knowing what we should run to get the ball in spots or just if someone’s getting doubled or they’re packing the paint…get smarter as a team. Basketball IQ got to get better”
As just one example, it’s surprising that just about all fans and analysts were able to identify second halves — and third quarters in particular — as a weakness for Los Angeles, and yet they were still not able to overcome those failures. The Clippers also had no answers for the Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray two-man game that, while devastating, is a fairly predictable go-to set for Denver and didn’t pose nearly the same issues for the Trail Blazers in last year’s second round.
Journeyman guard and sixth man Lou Williams agreed with Leonard’s explanation.
“I think a lot of the issues that we ran into, talent bailed us out; chemistry it didn’t,” Williams said. “In this series, it failed us. We know this is our first year together. We are a highly talented group and we came up short.
“Chemistry is something that you’ve got to build. You build it over time. I thought we were moving in the right direction at the end of the year before the COVID thing happened and coming in after the break. … Continuity is very important.”
As with any disappointment, the explanation is never as simple as one or two things. Chemistry is earned, not bought, and the Clippers had little time to integrate Marcus Morris, acquired at the trade deadline, before the NBA shut down in mid-March. They were without Williams and Montrezl Harrell for most of the Bubble seeding games. And Leonard, like last year in Toronto, frequently missed games to nurse lower-body injuries and rest up for the postseason.
Both Leonard and Paul George can be free agents in 2021, meaning the Clippers will need to discover a winning formula quickly to solve the problems their stars identified last night.
Aside from being featured on the show’s soundtrack (on the song “Quicksand“), SZA is the self-declared “biggest fan” of the HBO show Insecure. The show’s writer, producer, and star Issa Rae put SZA’s knowledge to the test on behalf of Billboard for the publication’s Quizzed series, challenging her on a video chat with questions from the show’s biggest moments.
After the two discuss their respective smoking/drinking habits — Issa drinks but doesn’t smoke, SZA smokes but doesn’t drink — they commence with the questions, which include a “true-or-false” round, a general trivia round, and a quotes round. SZA gets five of seven of the true-or-false questions correct, missing the names of Lawrence’s app and Issae’s rap alter ego. In the general trivia section, SZA garners a perfect score, displaying near-perfect recall of some of the show’s funniest moments, including the wine-down apartment fire and the name of Molly’s dog.
Unfortunately, the “Hit Different” singer doesn’t wind up answering any questions from Issa about her new music. While she argued with TDE president Punch about not having a release date, she told her fans her music wasn’t being held hostage but that she just goes back-and-forth about whether she’s “strong enough” to release it.
The Big Ten made waves earlier this summer when the conference announced its decision to postpone all fall sports in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant that college football would not occur in the rust belt — and Maryland/New Jersey — this fall, which led to a major backlash that included everyone from coaches, to players, to families, to people in politics calling on the conference to reverse course.
For days, it seemed like the conference was on the verge of opting to play football, and on Wednesday afternoon, those rumblings became reality. The Big Ten announced that, following a vote by its Council of Presidents and Chancellors, an 8-game season will occur this fall, starting on Oct. 23-24 and culminating with a championship weekend on Dec. 19 in which each team will play the squad that sits in the same spot in the standings in the opposite division — 1 v. 1, 2 v. 2, etc.
The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020. The decision was based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force, a working group that was established by the COP/C and Commissioner Kevin Warren to ensure a collaborative and transparent process.
The Big Ten will require student-athletes, coaches, trainers and other individuals that are on the field for all practices and games to undergo daily antigen testing. Test results must be completed and recorded prior to each practice or game. Student-athletes who test positive for the coronavirus through point of contact (POC) daily testing would require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result of the POC test.
As the conference explained, daily testing will begin on Sept. 30, and if a player tests positive, they will be sidelined for a minimum 21 days. The conference also announced that players who test positive will “undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI,” with a cardiac registry getting set up — a major reason the conference cited to postpone the season back in August was information on a condition called myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle.
The Big Ten additionally set up benchmarks that the programs and the universities will need to reach in order to play football safely, going on a green, yellow, red system.
Big Ten
While the remainder of the sports that are normally played in the fall and all winter sports are still up in the air, the conference announced that news regarding those will come soon.
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