Urban Meyer issued up a response on Monday morning to the viral pictures and videos of him at a bar in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend in the aftermath of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Meyer, who said he was “stupid” and apologized to his team “being a distraction,” was caught dancing with a young woman who was not his wife, among other things that popped up on the internet in recent days from his night out.
In response to all of this, ESPN’s Marcus Spears believes we have enough evidence to suggest that Meyer should be fired. Both Spears and fellow NFL Live panelist Dan Orlovsky advocated for the team to fire him, with the former saying that this is the latest in a line of decisions that show Meyer can’t be tasked with running an NFL team and the latter saying it’s impossible for him to lead when these sorts of things are going on.
Marcus Spears and Dan Orlovsky call for Urban Meyer to be fired on ESPN Live over lap dance video pic.twitter.com/cbjTmGBSPS
“Shad Khan, you need to find you a new head coach, bruh,” Spears said. “It’s time for Urban Meyer to be dismissed and relieved of his duties. This is not the first distraction, right? This is not a visceral reaction to what Urban Meyer did, even though there needs to be one to that as well. He brought in a strength coach that had a racist history, he brought in Tim Tebow to play tight end, which he never did in the NFL before. This is a pattern that we’ve seen go on since Urban Meyer has been the head coach in Jacksonville.”
“I wanna put myself in [Trevor Lawrence’s] shoes and talk to coach Urban Meyer,” Orlovsky said. “As the coach, it’s hard for you to lead me when you can’t lead yourself. How can I sit here in the locker room and listen to you preach about culture when you do things like this?”
Spears kept going on Meyer, expressing his belief that when you look into his past, it becomes hard to justify him sticking around as a coach.
“We got enough evidence about who Urban Meyer is, America,” Spears said. “We have enough. If you wanna research it yourself, go ahead and do it. I’ve researched it, I’ve talked to people in circles, it’s enough out there for everybody to understand why Urban Meyer shouldn’t be the head coach of anybody.”
Meyer is four games into his time as an NFL head coach following a lengthy and successful college career. The Jaguars sit 0-4 on the season.
We don’t like to talk much about the weather. Especially this time of year. It will just bum us out to realize that summer (and its lighter, hoppier beers) is in our rearview mirror and we’re heading straight towards winter (with its dark, malty brews) at a faster speed than we’d like. This means the time is right to start stocking up on darker, richer, more robust beers for now and well into the blustery, snow-filled (depending on where you live) winter ahead.
While we’re not limiting this conversation to any particular styles, we want each beer to be extremely warming. This means barleywines, strong ales, brown ales, barrel-aged beers, and even a few bold IPAS. Heat us up. Get the blood flowing. You get the idea?
To find these beers, we enlisted the help of some beer-centric professionals. We asked a handful of brewers and craft beer experts to tell us the best warming beers to drink this fall and winter. Check out all of their answers below, grab a warm blanket, start a fire in the fireplace, and enjoy one of these exceptional brews.
Trust us, the weather won’t stay mild for long. You want to be prepared.
I’d have to go with N’ice Chouffe from Achouffe Brewery. There is something romantic about Belgian winter/holiday beers to me. This beer has a dark caramel and spice character that makes it the perfect beer to sit down with when the days are getting shorter and colder.
Firestone Walker Sucaba
Firestone Walker
Stephen Hale, founding brewer at Schlafly Brewing in St. Louis, Missouri
Not attempting to dodge this one, but since we can no longer get Young’s Old Nick Barleywine, which was simply a truly luscious beer, I would lean towards the strong side of the list and get your favorite barleywine, imperial stout, quadrupel, or one of those that warms you up on those seemingly long, cold days. There’s a bevy of choices these days, it’s really hard to narrow down, but it’s the sublime effect of deep, rich flavors and considerable alcohol strength that guides one to having one by the fire. And of course, always an imperial stout.
If I had to pick one, I’d go with something like Firestone Walker Sucaba. This 13% barleywine is oaky, slightly fruity, filled with caramel, and sublimely warming.
North Coast Old Rasputin serves this purpose as well, given that it’s 9% ABV. I also like a good Double/Imperial Red ale like Port Brewing’s Shark Attack, just big and brash and bitter. Alternatively, a high-octane Belgian dark strong ale, e.g. Rochefort 8, St. Bernardus Abt 12, etc. It’s well-balanced, flavorful, and sneakily strong.
The Bruery Black Tuesday
The Bruery
Skip Schwartz, innovation and wood cellar lead at WeldWerks Brewing Co. in Greeley, Colorado
I would have to say one of the best warming beers of all time is Black Tuesday from The Bruery. This beer is out of control with tons of oak, tons of chocolate, and roasty flavors bursting through tons of alcohol. The huge ABV of this beer — usually about 16% — is what makes this beer a real star when it comes to warming you up on a cool fall night.
Westvleteren 12. I was first introduced to this beer many years ago riding my bike across Belgium with my wife, and it has held a place in my heart and my beer cellar ever since. With Westvleteren 12 there’s enough alcohol to know it’s there at 10% ABV, but beyond that, the flavors are so complex and lingering that each sip presents something different, and delightful.
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza
Jolly Pumpkin
David “Zambo” Szamborski, brewmaster at Paperback Brewing in Glendale, California
On the cold fall and winter days, we have once a decade here, I like to warm up with a Belgian holiday beer. One American brewer did a take on a Belgian sour that is great around the holidays if you can find a fresh bottle. Jolly Pumpkin’s Noel de Calabaza is a wild ale with notes of oak and tartness enveloped by rich dark fruit flavors. Have it with a nice cheese board.
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Sierra Nevada
Ariel Schwartz, head brewer at TALEA Beer Co. in Brooklyn, New York
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. It represents the end of Summer and hops harvest with the addition of the first hops of the season to the beer’s build which is released in Autumn and carries us through the Winter. It is still easy drinking like so many of their beers. Citrusy and bright hoppiness in a beautiful display of Chinook hops helps balance the maltiness coming through to remind us of the changing of the seasons.
It’s just really tasty and also widely available for everyone to enjoy.
Westbound & Down Double Barrel Aged Louie
Westbound & Down
Brandon Capps, owner and head brewer of New Image Brewing in Arvada, Colorado
When the weather turns cold, nothing beats sipping on a glass of Westbound & Down’s Louie. It’s a blend of English barleywines aged in port-finished rye barrels. Delicious and almost infinitely complex, everything I like about classic English barleywines, but with the modern spirit-barrel component.
Fantome De Noel is a perfect, warming beer. After brewing with Dany Prignon (founder of Brasserie Fantôme) years ago, I truly understood what it meant to be a farmhouse brewer. He wrapped desert lavender we foraged with a bar towel and threw it directly in the kettle without thinking twice. This beer embodies that freewheeling ethos with expressive spicy notes and that tart dryness I have come to love in their beers.
Heavy Seas Winter Storm
Heavy Seas
Julie Walker, vice president of experiences for City Brew Tours
When I want a beer that warms me right up, I head to Heavy Seas Beer. Known for their high ABV brews, their limited release Winter Storm Imperial ESB is the perfect blend of rich, robust flavor and cozy heat. An extra special bitter can sometimes get overlooked in the brewing world. However, its smooth malt sweetness is balanced out with a surprisingly bitter finish, making this classic style the perfect sweater weather beer. We’re lucky that we get to bring our tours to this amazing Baltimore brewery.
St. Bernardus Christmas. Belgian beers like this hold a special place in my heart and my memories. This 10% seasonal beer shows up for only the last few months of each year. The jolly monk on its label waves his same smile as the other bottles in their world-class lineup, however with this festive brew he’s adorned with a Santa cap and a small cloud of snowflakes.
This big beer has a delicious creamy carbonation that makes what would be a chewy and dense beer so much more drinkable. Big raisin, fig, fruitcake, and banana nut bread are some of my favorite things.
Whenever I want something to warm the belly and the soul, I seek out Aventinus Eisbock by Schneider Weisse. A style that was discovered by accident, traditional ice bocks — or “eisbock” in German — are made via freeze distillation, resulting in a bock with rich, deep flavors of raisins, figs, and chocolate that comes in at 12% ABV.
This beer’s title is just as much of a mouthful as the beer itself. This imperial stout was brewed with coffee, almond, and vanilla. It’s super warming and tastes like you’re drinking the smoothest, richest, most delicious biscotti ever created.
It’s bold, robust, and filled with caramel, vanilla, and features a gentle, nutty sweetness throughout.
This 5.8% brown ale is a great combination of caramel malts and light hops. It’s complex, well-balanced, and well-suited for those random extra chilly fall days as well as the brutally cold winter nights to come. All in all a great, warming, memorable beer.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
A pop star like Selena Gomez might’ve been an unlikely collaborator for Coldplay on prior albums. Sure, they’ve worked with Beyonce, but still the band’s indie rock roots were running deep. Enter the Music Of The Spheres era, though, and a lot of things have changed. They’re working with Max Martin on production, collaborating with the biggest K-Pop group in the world, BTS, and yes, have enlisted Selena for a feature on a new track. Both the band and Gomez shared the news today, along with a brief clip of their collaborative new track.
While Selena just shared the music on Twitter, the Coldplay account also offered a bit more info about the song. It’s called “Let Somebody Go” and as mentioned before will be part of Music Of The Spheres, which drops on October 15. What they didn’t share in the teaser, though, is when this new single will be shared. So stay tuned on updates for that. Check out the teasers below:
For her part, Gomez has also had a pretty busy year. She released her first-ever Spanish-language EP, Revelación, and received a strong positive reaction from fans to the project as it topped the Latin charts. It sounds like she’ll be singing in English for this latest track, but you never know.
While it’s hard to believe we’re nearing the PlayStation 5’s one year anniversary, it’s somehow even harder to believe it’s still next to impossible to find one in stores. If you’re among the many still queuing up in digital lines, checking Amazon weekly, and calling GameStop way too often, we understand your suffering and are here to reassure you that you’re not alone. We’re also here to point out a lovely silver lining: with all the great games already on the PlayStation 4, chances are you don’t yet need that PS5 to experience one of the many compelling stories exclusive to PlayStation.
While just about all of the games on this list are your big name, AAA “blockbusters,” it doesn’t stop them from being quintessential PlayStation titles that kind of earned their fantastic reputations. So, even if ten folks have already told you, “you’ve just gotta play (insert game here),” here’s hoping this list puts on just a biiiit more pressure and finally convinces you to give one of these great games you haven’t played a shot.
NAUGHTY DOG
1. The Last of Us Remastered
While technically a PlayStation 3 title, The Last of Us came so late in the console’s life cycle it basically feels like a PlayStation 4 title, and all the touch-ups in the remastered edition, as well as the addition of the Left Behind DLC, make this version the definitive way to experience Joel and Ellie’s first story. So, why should you play it? Well, when it comes to what game is considered the quintessential, prestige narrative game exclusive to Sony — of which there are now oh-so many — The Last of Us is perhaps the most celebrated entry, and for good reason. With incredible performances, a heartbreaking story, and a criminally underrated multiplayer mode, this game deserves the heaps of praise it gets. Oh, and bonus: with the HBO television show based on the game just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to play.
2. God Of War
While the original God of War series was, uh, a bit bruitish, 2018’s God of War succeeded in the difficult task of redefining the franchise for a modern audience while retaining its roots. While the game is still combat-driven, packed with mythos, and doesn’t shy away from Kratos’ frequent dismemberment of anyone who stands in his way, this God of War tells a more emotional story and grounds the brooding, bulky deity. With the addition of a new pantheon, new world, colorful cast of characters, and the frankly incredible feeling Leviathan axe, this first entry in Kratos’ new saga creates a world that feels vibrant and mythical to an extent never before seen in the series.
3. Horizon Zero Dawn
While fans weren’t sure what to make of Killzone developer Guerrilla Games’ pivot away from the first-person shooter genre when they first saw footage of Horizon Zero Dawn, we know now that the team’s drastic departure definitely paid off. When Horizon Zero Dawn hit shelves in 2017, players were immediately taken aback by how incredibly fun and fluid the action role-playing game was, as well as by the lush and beautiful post-apocalyptic world of machines Guerrilla created. On top of earning heaps of praise from both fans and critics, the game’s success ultimately led to some other pretty wild things happening for the team as well. I mean, for one thing, Sony was so impressed by what the studio accomplished, co-founder and managing director Hermen Hulst was offered the position of PlayStation’s head of Worldwide Studios after the legendary Shuhei Yoshida stepped down back in 2019. Furthermore, when developer Hideo Kojima was debating what engine he would use to create Death Stranding, he ultimately settled on Horizon Zero Dawn‘s Decima Engine after being so impressed by how phenomenal the game looked. Suffice to say, people really like this game. And with its sequel coming in just a few months, now is a great time to play it.
Insomniac
4. Marvel’s Spider-Man
It’s been an amazing decade to be a Spider-Man fan and Marvel’s Spider-Man for PlayStation 4 is one of the many reasons why. While there have been quite a few Spidey games over the years, Insomniac Games used their studio’s great power with great responsibility and managed to create what is largely considered the definitive one. Never before has swinging past the skyscrapers of New York City felt so hair-raising, and the Arkham series-esque combat system feels perfectly at home in the comic book-inspired title. Combine that with an emotional story that’s sure to appeal to old web-heads, new fans, and folks of all ages, and you’ve got a universally beloved game centered around one of the world’s most adored arachnids. If not the only adored arachnid.
5. Bloodborne
Alright, it’s officially October which means it’s time to bust out a spooky game, and this year I’m asking you to try out Bloodborne. Made by the same team behind the infamous Souls games and Sekiro, Bloodborne is arguably the greatest entry-point for folks who’ve always wanted to try one of the former out but are worried about their notorious difficulty. While still grim and grueling, it’s markedly easier to get the hang of than the developer’s other titles and is so aesthetically rewarding it will motivate you to power through even the most grating of fights. Furthermore, I simply cannot praise enough the atmosphere created in Bloodborne and the design behind the desolate city of Yarnham, which is every bit as tense and terrifying and it is intricate and beautiful. It is an unforgettable game, and one worthy of the blood, sweat, and tears you’ll put into it.
6. Persona 5 Royal
Back when the original PlayStation launched in North America in 1995, it quickly became the best way for American audiences to discover and play all the countless Japanese role-playing games never before available to them. Since then, the PlayStation family has remained the definitive console for JRPGs, making it only suiting that one of the highest-rated JRPGs from the last generation is a PlayStation 4 exclusive. Persona 5 Royal has just about everything fans of the genre could possible want and then some — charming characters, breathtaking art and music direction, an enjoyable turn-based battle system, time management elements, social links, and of course, a story equal parts tense and fun as hell. It’s the type of game that has something for everyone, and I can guarantee you’ll never play anything quite like it.
Sony
7. Ghost of Tsushima
If the idea of playing an extremely good Assassin’s Creed game set in Feudal Japan sounds like a fun time to you, I’d definitely recommend picking up Ghost of Tsushima. While I should point out it’s not actually an Assassin’s Creed game — or even a Ubisoft title, for that matter — it does have the same feel to it, complete with a vast map filled with things to do and jaw-dropping sights. Furthermore, the game gives you quite a bit of liberty in regards to how you explore this land, allowing you choose where you go, whom you help, and if you will ultimately slink in the shadows like a ruthless assassin or meet your foes head-on like a true samurai warrior. With a seemingly endless skill tree, a photo mode you’ll spend literal hours in, and incredible story focused on family, community, honor, and identity, this one (or its shiny new director’s cut) is a must-play.
8. The Last of Us Part II
I’ll be honest, I can’t even imagine how stressful it must have been for Naughty Dog to work on the sequel to the game that ultimately became Sony’s crown jewel. When “award-winning” and “perfect” are what you’re forced to live up to, how do you come up with an entirely new and challenging story that doesn’t fall flat and does justice to what came before it? Turns out, you make The Last of Us Part II. While the game is undoubtedly controversial and received more mixed reactions than the first entry in the series, it’s still one of the system’s highest-rated games and is largely considered a masterclass in storytelling that not only lives up to the first game but expands upon its story in unexpected and a truly meaningful way. Grim, grisly, and honestly gut-wrenching, this one isn’t for the faint of heart, but does have a whole lot of it.
9. Final Fantasy VII Remake
And speaking of the unimaginable stress of following up a perfect game, throw on a twenty-something year legacy and now we’re looking at what Square was tackling with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. When Final Fantasy VII was released back in 1997, it quickly became known as one of the greatest games of all time (as well as my personal favorite of all time but, you know, neither here nor there). When fans heard they were remaking the game, it was met with as much excitement as it was skepticism. When news later came out that the remake would only be covering the original game’s first seven hours — while also adding about 20 hours of new content — excitement and skepticism turned into awe and bewilderment. However, Final Fantasy 7 Remake kind of absolutely nailed it, adding better characterization to fan favorites and injecting so much love and care into the game, old fans got more than a bit misty-eyed. In addition, the game managed to somehow be incredibly accessible to newcomers to the series, while also appeasing fans, while also treading entirely new ground in a way that honored the game that came before it. When it comes to remakes, this is kinda how you do it.
Naughty Dog
10. Uncharted: Lost Legacy
Following the finale of Nate Drake’s four-part adventure, Naughty Dog made the bold call to continue the story in a fairly unexpected way: a spin-0ff game featuring two of the series’ side characters. Even more unexpected, it completely worked and might even be the title with the most heart in the entire Uncharted series. In Lost Legacy, both Chloe and fresher-face Nadine are given far more characterization and charm than they are ever allowed in the main series and ultimately become two people we are completely invested in. What’s even better is this game is actually a fantastic entry point to the series, as you don’t have to know much to enjoy it and it packs all the same action-packed punches the rest of the Uncharted series does in a short n’ sweet package.
Brand new Saturday Night Live cast member James Austin Johnson came firing out of the gate for his premiere episode with an impression of Joe Biden that’s definitely an improvement over Jim Carrey‘s attempts to satirize the current president. Best known for his viral Donald Trump impressions, Johnson did a pretty decent job stepping up to the plate as he he parodied Biden’s less than stellar summer, which involved pulling out of Afghanistan and the Delta variant spiking cases across America.
“How’s everybody doing? What’s cookin’? What’s good? How was everybody’s summer? Mine was bad!” Johnson’s Biden joked right out of the gate. “Not Cuomo bad, but definitely not Afghanistan good. Everybody keeps razzing me about that drone strike, but on the bright side I went the entire summer without falling down once.”
Johnson was also flanked by Cecily Strong as embattled Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema, who had just been the focus of an odd Axios article about her wine-drinking renegade ways. It was quite the political two-hander, and a welcome surprise for SNL fans considering Strong’s return for Season 47 was up in the air until literally days before the season premiere.
But as good as Johnson’s Biden impression was, nothing can compare to his fireworks illegal in Pasadena masterpiece of a tweet from this summer. Good luck getting this sucker back out of your head.
On December 3rd, Arca will release the new album, Kick ii, on XL Recordings. The release follows 2020’s Kick i, which just last week received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album. Kick ii is the next installment in the Kick anthology series of albums and sees the multi-talented Venezuelan experimental producer and performance artist exploring the amorphous self states within her.
Along with the album announcement, Arca has also dropped a spectacular video for new single “Born Yesterday” featuring Sia on vocals. The track opens with Arca’s typically polished avant-pop production, before breaking into a glorious hyper pop assault. In the clip, Arca seemingly acts as an envoy for Sia’s singing, with an interpretative dance that she increasingly loses herself in as the track builds. “Born Yesterday” comes on the heels of previous collaborations on Kick i with Rosalía, Björk, SOPHIE, and Shygirl. And while it’s the only track on Kick ii with a guest vocalist, the album also features production and songwriting appearances from Cardopusher, Boys Noize, Mica Levi, Jenius Level, Wondagurl, and Cubeatz. Check out the album’s full tracklist below.
KICK ii tracklist:
1. Doña
2. Prada
3. Rakata
4. Tiro
5. Luna Llena
6. Lethargy
7. Araña
8. Femme
9. Muñecas
10. Confianza
11. Born Yesterday featuring Sia
12. Andro
Sia is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ordinary Joe (NBC, 10:00pm) — It’s like Sliding Doors but with TV Prince James Wolk (Watchmen, Mad Men, Political Animals, Zoo) and no Gwyneth Paltrow. If that’s not enough to make you climb aboard, consider that Wolk not only plays a rock star (!) but also a nurse and a police officer, all during parallel timelines following a pivotal choice after college graduation. This week, Musical Joe decides to crash a birthday party while Nurse Joe is planning a birthday party in an alternate timeline.
On My Block: Season 4 (Netflix series) — This coming-of-age comedy, filled with street-savvy teens and Emilio Rivera as Uncle Chivo, takes one final trip around the inner-city block. An unburied secret causes more conflict, but the friends will have to band together and learn not to avoid the past.
9-1-1 (FOX, 8:00pm) — The citywide Los Angeles blackout ain’t over yet, so amid the mayhem, Athena must confront a tragedy while Eddie’s thinking about his future. Get it together and help the team, Eddie.
Roswell, New Mexico (CW, 8:00pm) — Liz relents to an agreement while everyone’s trying to save Max, and a discovery happens for Rosa and Isobel.
Y: The Last Man (FX on Hulu) — The acclaimed graphic novel gets its due as a dystopian TV drama starring Diane Lane as the globe’s de facto president. Her son becomes, as the title suggests, the very last man on Earth following an apocalyptic event that pretty much obliterates the Y chromosome. FX recently made it known that although the Y appears to refer to the chromosome, the show takes a nuanced approach and does not operate on a merely gender-binary level.
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Seth Meyers, Cobie Smulders, Farruko
Late Night With Seth Meyers — Blake Griffin, David Chase, Barrett Martin
In case you missed these weekend picks:
The Many Saints of Newark (Warner Bros. film on HBO Max) — David Chase’s The Sopranos prequel movie arrives in theaters and in your living room this weekend. The mob-movie cast (including Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga) is almost too good. Notably James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, stars as Young Tony. He’s coming of age (and learning to be a mob boss) while rival gang warfare swirls around the family. Our own Mike Ryan enjoyed the film with some qualifiers while calling it both exhilarating and confounding, and Vince Mancini has rounded up the 10 episodes of The Sopranos that will refresh you before the film.
The Guilty (Netflix film) — Jake Gyllenhaal plays an 911 emergency dispatch operator who walks into a situation that he thinks he’s prepared for, but he has no idea… or does he? This movie’s a remake of a Danish film of the same name, and if you’re not familiar with that work (or perhaps even if you are), you aren’t ready for this.
According to a report from ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks, the NBA and NBPA have agreed to reduce a player’s salary by 1/91.6 for each game they miss as a result of being unvaccinated, a conclusion that projects to impact Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. This decision prices in preseason, regular season, and postseason games, though teams will not garner any relief from the luxury tax for reductions in player salaries.
Both New York and San Francisco have implemented city-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandates, which threatens to affect members of the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks. These protocols stand to cost Irving roughly $380,000 for each home game he misses, which would run north of $15 million if he does not become vaccinated at any point throughout the year. Irving participated in Brooklyn’s media day last week via Zoom and conveyed a commitment to the Nets.
“I know that I’ll be there every day no matter what and just be present for my teammates as one of the leaders on the team and be there for my growing tribe off the court,” Irving said. “I know the focus has to be at an all-time high, no distractions. This is the last thing I wanted to create, was more distractions and more hoopla and more drama around this. I’m doing my best to maintain this with good intentions and a good heart.”
Irving participated in the Nets’ training camp last week in San Diego, though he, James Harden, and Kevin Durant all sat out in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bontemps and Marks reported the Nets are scheduled to practice in Brooklyn on Tuesday ahead of preseason games against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, all of which Irving cannot take part in. Last month, Nets general manager Sean Marks said he does not anticipate the vaccination requirements “being any sort of hindrance” to the team and that he believes the situation will be rectified before the start of the regular season.
Last month, it seemed quite possible that the film industry could be completely shut down as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada (or IATSE, for short) called for its members to vote on a strike authorization. Now, however, a strike almost seems imminent.
According to The Wrap, IATSE members have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a strike authorization, “giving the union new leverage when it returns to the negotiating table with studios on a new bargaining agreement.” The report states that of the IATSE’s reported 60,000 eligible voters, 90% showed up to cast their ballot this weekend, with a staggering 98% of the votes in favor of the strike.
BREAKING: IATSE Members in TV and Film Production Voted to Authorize the first nationwide industry strike in our 128-year history.
While this vote doesn’t immediately start the proposed strike, it does increase pressure on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to meet with the IATSE and accept the union’s terms in order to avoid the looming mass exodus of workers and, subsequently, the industry taking a fairly devastating blow. On an Action Network petition page, IATSE laid out the four issues they have with AMPTP and are hoping to find resolutions for, including: excessively unsafe and harmful working hours, unlivable wages for the lowest-paid crafts, consistent failure to provide reasonable rest during meal breaks, between workdays, and on weekends, and workers on certain “new media” streaming projects get paid less, even on productions with budgets that rival or exceed those of traditionally released blockbusters. Following the vote, IATSE president Matthew Loeb released a statement on matter:
“The members have spoken loud and clear. This vote is about the quality of life as well as the health and safety of those who work in the film and television industry. Our people have basic human needs like time for meal breaks, adequate sleep, and a weekend. For those at the bottom of the pay scale, they deserve nothing less than a living wage.”
However, following the vote the AMPTP released a statement claiming that they already are addressing the union’s demands, citing “a proposal that included increases of 10-19% in minimum wages for 871 members, an average of 18% increase in minimums for certain new media productions, and covering the $400 million deficit in the IATSE Health Plan without raising premiums and other healthcare costs like deductibles and co-pays for dependents,” according to The Wrap. The alliance then expressed they are still “committed to reaching an agreement that will keep the industry working,” though it will require “both parties working together in good faith” to resolve their issues:
“The AMPTP remains committed to reaching an agreement that will keep the industry working. We deeply value our IATSE crew members and are committed to working with them to avoid shutting down the industry at such a pivotal time, particularly since the industry is still recovering from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. A deal can be made at the bargaining table, but it will require both parties working together in good faith with a willingness to compromise and to explore new solutions to resolve the open issues.”
For the first time in four years, emo staples The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die are prepping a new record. Illusory Walls is as dense as anything the band has released to date, but with an even deeper layer of intense lyrics that revel in the dullness of life in a modern capitalistic hellscape. With two tracks clocking in at 15+ minutes, Illusory Walls is a sprawling, emo infused, post-rock masterpiece, one that will take some time to sink in.
To celebrate the new album, producer/guitarist Chris Teti sat down to talk Paramore, layered production, and an epic chest tattoo in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Dense, Atmospheric, Ridiculous, Eclectic
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
A unique band that carved it’s own sound and drew influence from a wide range of artists. Just friends collaborating on music together however we see fit for the given album or song.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
Basically anywhere in Brazil or Germany.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
For me personally it would be Ken Andrews from Failure. I loved that he produced his band’s album Fantastic Planet and that was a huge influence on me wanting to do the same with our albums. I love all the weird layers and production on that record and it really changed how I viewed music.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Sesame Vegan Chicken at China Pan in CT. RIP China Pan
What album do you know every word to?
Carry On – A Life Less Plagued. A close second would be The Red Chord – Clients (Deluxe Edition). Specifically the Deluxe Edition where they cover “We Did It Again” by Metallica, Ja Rule, and Swizz Beatz.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Ok I have a few: Genghis Tron, Baroness, The Red Chord, Converge at the Palladium Upstairs in Worcester, MA 2008. Bear Hands at a Wesleyan College frat house in 2008. Merauder, Snapcase, Sick of It All in NYC 2011
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
A black Comfort Colors bootleg shirt from Paradise of Flowers with black jeans and black vans. My favorite colors are black and camo.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
Ice-T.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
For me it would be a mix of No Doubt and Paramore until my phone runs out of data by day 2 and then David had endless awesome playlists.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“Minuments band” because I mis spelled the word “Monuments.” I was curious about their lineup after seeing an Olly Steele playthrough.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Destroy The Machines by Earth Crisis.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
Punk squat in France. Actually I don’t know if I would say “punk” it was just a squat. 100% the most terrifying and shocking place I’ve ever been in my life. It seemed like an abandoned laboratory. The wifi password was actually around 100 characters long and all the doors slide open automatically. I felt like I was in a movie.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
My chest piece is a combination of Failure’s Fantastic Planet, Cave In, and Mars Attacks. It is basically an outer space war with the Cave In satellite, astronauts + spaceship from the Fantastic Planet cover, and Mars Attack aliens.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Honestly I don’t listen to the radio, but if we’re talking radio via streaming it would maybe be…. Paramore, Ceschi, Rage Against The Machine, Body Count, Neurosis, anything Mike Patton or Walter Schriefels, Tera Melos, L7, Fugazi, Gouge Away, Deftones, These Arms Are Snakes, Karnivool, Mewithoutyou…
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Greg Thomas of END took me on as a studio intern in 2010, and definitely didn’t need to haha.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
I guess it would be my 19-year-old self, but I would tell myself- Paper + Plastik will flake on pressing your band’s (My Heart To Joy) 7 inch, so don’t count on them. Even though it feels like the end of the world you’ll do way cooler things.
What’s the last show you went to?
Knocked Loose in Harford, CT. Shout out to their new guitarist Nicko Calderon. His band Church Tongue is awesome and their recent EP (The Hubris of Gods Departed) is one of my favorites. It was produced by my studi Partner Greg Thomas.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Total Recall.
What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?
I would start off with wine glasses filled with Monster “Ultra Paradise.” and an appetizer of Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Meal would be vegan pizza from Nice Slice in Providence, RI. Fake chicken pizza with bbq and buffalo sauce swirled together on it. I would then talk to him at length about the self-titled Paramore LP for dessert.
Illusory Walls is out October 8. Pre-order it here.
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