Meandering canals. Locals on bikes zooming by. Colourful tulip gardens. Busy boulevards full of excitement. It might feel like there is too much to see in Amsterdam thanks to the many things it's known for. But don't let that put you off; all these things and more come together to make it one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations and this travel guide to Amsterdam gives you the best sights to see. A city as rich in culture and history as it is in modern excitement Amsterdam has something for absolutely everyone.
Giving the city much of its character are the canals that radiate outward starting at the Central Station. Do it the Dutch way and rent a bike for a relaxed waterside ride or charter a boat for a more romantic ride. Cycle your way through one of the numerous tulip gardens showing off hundreds of varieties of Holland's most famous export. Pick up some bulbs at the impossibly colourful Flower Market on Singel canal.
Being a city of culture with such a rich history, Amsterdam's offering of museums is staggering. Visit the Anne Frank House to understand first-hand the tragic wartime story of this young heroine. Follow it up with a trip to the Rijksmuseumand see some of the world's most iconic works of art from the old Dutch masters Rembrandt, Vermeer and van Gogh. If you still want more, try out the Rembrandt House museum, the Stedelijk museum or the National Maritime Museumfor a view of this city's connection with the seas.
When you're ready for a refreshing break, learn how one of the world's most popular beers is made at the Heineken Experience, one of the most popular sights in Amsterdam. The entry price includes a fascinating tour of a Heineken brewery and of course, a beer tasting. Only a 15-minute walk away, kick back and relax with the locals in the Vondelpark, by far Amsterdammers' favourite city spot for sunshine and green grass. The park is also a venue for free concerts and theatre performances in the summertime.
There are many exciting things to see and do near Amsterdam and with getting around this small country being so easy, day trips are very easy to do.
Zaanse Schans Windmills – This quaint Dutch town is home to a pretty family of windmills spinning slowly in the breeze. Only 20km from central Amsterdam.
Keukenhof Tulip Gardens – Nicknamed "the Garden of Europe", this massive flower and plant garden is one of the largest on earth, with millions of bulbs being planted each year to bring an explosion of vibrant colour each spring. Definitely a thing to see near Amsterdam.
Rotterdam – Almost completely leveled in World War II this culturally vibrant city is also Europe's largest port. Stop by for a change of pace from Amsterdam and enjoy seaside life.
Brussels – The seat of European government and all things official, don't let the stuffy-sounding parts scare you off from a visit to the capital of Belgium. Just a few hours away by high-speed train, you can arrive in time for breakfast waffles.
Though the area most frequented by tourists is tight and compact, there is a lot shopping in Amsterdam, large and small. Big brands and small boutiques offer their wares to the keen shopper.
Kalverstraat – Arguably Amsterdam's main shopping street, it hosts two shopping centres and several department stores like V&D and Bonneterie as well as a variety of well-known chains.
Flower Market - An incredibly large array of flowers, bulbs, seeds and plants are displayed in full bloom here aside a pretty canal.
C.Hooftstraat – Come here for your luxury brand needs as you'll find all of the fanciest names all in one place.
Local markets – Seemingly any type of product can be found at one of the many markets in Amsterdam - antiques at Antiekcentrum, fresh produce at Boerenmarkt and second-hand clothes and fashion at the Waterlooplein flea market. A very different style of shopping in Amsterdam!
There are many popular examples of Dutch cuisine that you may already know and many more that you might not and food & drink in Amsterdam is a real treat. Sample something really traditional to get a true taste of Amsterdam.
Maatjesharing – Pickled herring, best enjoyed like the Dutch do - with finely chopped onion and pickle dangled into the mouth.
Cheese – Gouda and Edam are very well known Dutch cheese but there are other varieties with a range of flavours waiting to be enjoyed, like Maasdam and Leyden.
Bitterballen – Satisfying balls of savoury beef and herbs crumbed and deep fried. A bar-stool favourite.
Stroopwafel – A layer of sticky sweet syrup sandwiched between two thin, chewy waffle layers. Very sweet!
Poffertjes – A popular snack food in Amsterdam, these small pancakes are fried until crisp and sprinkled with icing sugar.
Beer – The Dutch are known for their love of beer and many homegrown brands like Heineken and Amstel are known around the world. However, there is a whole world of Dutch beers waiting for you to try, from dark ales and porters to fresh new lagers.
Coffee – Enjoyed widely and available across the city in its many cafes and eateries. The local version of Café au lait, Koffie Verkeerd, can be enjoyed any time of day.
Wines & Spirits – International and local styles freely available. Try Jenever, a traditional Dutch juniper infusion reminiscent of gin.
Amsterdam's streets are naturally restricted by the canals they follow, which means narrow roads and a lot of congestion. Luckily this also means that foot-friendly means of getting around are very much accommodated for. All public transport in Amsterdam run on the GVB joint ticketing system, making getting around a breeze.
By foot – The city is compact with most tourist destinations within walking distance of each other. Pedestrians are well catered to with most streets having a footpath. Avoid walking in the bike lanes as this isn't appreciated in bike-mad Amsterdam.
By bike – Famous as a city of bikes it should be no surprise how much of Amsterdam you can see like a local on two wheels. Bikes can be rented from many vendors and there is a bike-sharing system available.
By car – Driving in Amsterdam is not advisable, especially in the densely-crowded city centre. Once out of the city driving is fine and roads are of a very high standard.
By metro – Mostly serving the suburbs, there is a small section covering the downtown area.
By tram – Trams run through the city centre and have many routes, making them an attractive option for getting around quickly.
By boat – whether for fun or to get from place to place, small ferryboats carry passengers along the waterways on set routes.
Electricity – 230 volts, 50hz, European type-C plug.
Tips – Not expected but welcomed.
Payment / card – Accepted everywhere but have cash for markets and street stalls.
Time zone – CET / UTC+1.
Water – Safe to drink everywhere.


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Kyle Barraclough
Angels Sign Magneuris Sierra, Kyle Barraclough To Minors Deals
By Mark Polishuk | January 13, 2022 at 4:36pm CDT
The Angels have signed outfielder Magneuris Sierra and right-hander Kyle Barraclough to minor league contracts, according to Baseball America's Chris Hilburn-Trenkle. Both players are eligible to be signed during the lockout since they entered the offseason as minor league free agents.
A veteran of five MLB seasons, 2021 saw Sierra receive his most playing time as a major leaguer, as he made 225 plate appearances over 123 games with the Marlins. However, Sierra hit only .230/.281/.268, which roughly matched his slash line over his 315 previous career PA with St. Louis and Miami from 2017-20.
Though consistent hitting was hard to come by even in the minors for Sierra, he was still a well-regarded prospect based on his defensive ability alone, with Baseball Prospectus ranking him as the 56th-best minor leaguer in the game prior to the 2018 season. Sierra came to the Marlins as part of the four-player prospect package the Cardinals sent to the Marlins for Marcell Ozuna back in the 2017-18 offseason, and while he did indeed show some solid glovework at all three outfield positions in his limited big league playing time, the Marlins outrighted him off their 40-man roster at the end of the 2021 campaign.
Sierra will now get an opportunity to earn a backup outfield job in Anaheim, or at least serve as minor league outfield depth at the Angels' Triple-A affiliate. Sierra will be joined by a former Marlins teammate in Barraclough, as the two were both on Miami's roster in 2018 — which was also essentially Barraclough's last effective year as a big league reliever. The righty had a very solid 3.21 ERA and 29.8% strikeout rate over 218 2/3 innings from 2015-18 working out of Miami's bullpen, if with the warning sign of a 14.3% walk rate.
Since the Marlins traded Barraclough to the Nationals in October 2018, however, he has managed only a 5.59 ERA over 46 2/3 frames, thanks in large part to a big spike in home runs allowed. The past three seasons have been Barraclough pitch at the big league level with the Nats, Giants, and Twins, and he also was briefly a member of the Yankees and Padres organizations on minor league deals. With the Angels in constant need of pitching help, there would seemingly be a path for Barraclough to win a job in their bullpen if he can show some improvement during Spring Training.
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Kyle Barraclough Los Angeles Angels Magneuris Sierra Transactions
Players Recently Electing Free Agency
By Mark Polishuk | October 16, 2021 at 5:56pm CDT
As the offseason gets underway, players around baseball continue to elect minor league free agency. While the threshold for big league free agency (six-plus years of Major League service time) is well known, there are several methods of qualifying for minor league free agency. The most common criteria: players with 3+ years of MLB service time who have been outrighted off their teams' 40-man rosters this season, players who have been outrighted off a 40-man roster multiple times in their career, or unsigned players not on a 40-man roster who have spent parts of at least seven seasons on a minor league roster or injured list.
Each of these players has recently hit the open market in the last few days, according to the official transactions pages for both Triple-A East and Triple-A West.
Andrew Albers (Twins)
Kyle Barraclough (Twins)
Austin Brice (Red Sox)
Brandon Drury (Mets)
Luke Farrell (Twins)
Neftali Feliz (Dodgers)
Ian Gibaut (Twins)
David Hess (Rays)
Sean Kazmar Jr. (Braves)
Mike Kickham (Dodgers)
Reyes Moronta (Giants)
Joseph Odom (Rays)
Ben Rowen (Angels)
Troy Stokes Jr. (Brewers)
Nik Turley (White Sox)
Tyler Webb (Cardinals)
Andrew Albers Austin Brice Ben Rowen Brandon Drury David Hess Ian Gibaut Joseph Odom Kyle Barraclough Luke Farrell Mike Kickham Neftali Feliz Nik Turley Reyes Moronta San Francisco Giants Sean Kazmar Jr. Transactions Troy Stokes Tyler Webb
Twins Outright Six Players
By Steve Adams | October 8, 2021 at 9:23am CDT
The Twins have outrighted six players off their 40-man roster after they went unclaimed on waivers, as first noted on the transactions page at MLB.com. Right-handers Kyle Barraclough, Nick Vincent, Ian Gibaut and Luke Farrell were all removed from the roster, as were lefty Andrew Albers and infielder Drew Maggi.
All of the players dropped from the roster today will be eligible to become free agents. The 30-year-old Farrell spent more time in the big leagues than any of the bunch this season, tossing 24 2/3 innings with a 4.74 ERA, a 22.1 percent strikeout rate and an 11.5 percent walk rate. It was the fifth straight season with some Major League action for Farrell, although the Twins are already his fifth big league team as well. In 87 2/3 innings at the MLB level, Farrell carries a 4.93 ERA.
Vincent, 35, is the most experienced of the group, having accrued more than seven full years of Major League service time across the past 10 seasons. He held opponents to just one run in 12 2/3 innings, albeit with a tepid 19.1 percent strikeout rate, a higher-than-average 10.6 percent walk rate and a fastball that averaged just 89.3 mph. Vincent was set to become a free agent anyway, based purely on service time, so his outright is largely a formality.
The 31-year-old Barraclough worked in a setup role for the Marlins from 2015-18, logging 218 2/3 innings of 3.21 ERA ball with a hefty 29.8 percent strikeout rate but also a bloated 14.3 percent walk rate. He's bounced around the league a good bit since that time, and in 13 frames with Minnesota this season allowed eight runs on 12 hits and eight walks with 18 strikeouts — a 5.54 ERA on the whole.
Albers, 36, returned for a third stint with the Twins and was tagged for 16 runs in 19 innings (7.58 ERA) in a late-season call back to the big leagues. He had a solid year in the rotation for the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, logging a 3.88 ERA in 102 innings. Albers had spent the three prior seasons pitching with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, logging a 4.02 ERA in 266 1/3 innings.
Gibaut, 27, only pitched 6 2/3 big league innings with the Twins. He held opponents to a pair of runs in that time but spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A St. Paul, where he posted an unsightly 6.80 ERA with a solid 26 percent strikeout rate against a 10.1 percent walk rate. He's now seen MLB time with the Rays, Rangers and Twins but only managed a 5.40 ERA in 33 1/3 innings.
Maggi, 32, had his contract selected to the Majors late in the season, but the Twins somewhat surprisingly didn't get the veteran minor leaguer into what would've been the first big league game of his career. He's spent two seasons in their system and turned in a .252/.354/.456 batting line with a career-best 16 home runs and a dozen stolen bases while playing shortstop, second base, third base and left field in Triple-A this year.
Today's slate of subtractions will help to open roster space for a Twins club that finished the year with eight players needing to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list. They'll still need to open a couple more spots to accommodate a 60-day IL group that includes Kenta Maeda, Taylor Rogers, Alex Kirilloff, Cody Stashak, Devin Smeltzer, Randy Dobnak, Kyle Garlick and Lewis Thorpe.
Andrew Albers Drew Maggi Ian Gibaut Kyle Barraclough Luke Farrell Minnesota Twins Nick Vincent Transactions
Twins Select Andrew Albers, Kyle Barraclough
The Twins have selected the contracts of pitchers Andrew Albers and Kyle Barraclough, according to Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (Twitter link). Left-hander Lewis Thorpe is landing on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder impingement, while righty Edgar García is being optioned to Triple-A St. Paul. Minnesota removed right-hander Beau Burrows from the 40-man roster. Burrows has already cleared outright waivers and will remain in the organization on assignment to St. Paul.
Albers is back in Minnesota for his third separate stint with the club. He broke into the majors with the Twins in 2013 but was released the following offseason so he could pursue an opportunity in the Korea Baseball Organization. Albers returned stateside in 2015 with the Blue Jays, then found his way back to the Twins in 2016 in free agency. He saw some big league time with the Mariners in 2017, then signed with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2018 campaign.
The well-traveled Albers signed an extension with the Buffaloes to keep him in NPB through 2020. He returned to affiliated ball this past offseason, singing a minors pact with the Twins in February. Assigned to St. Paul, Albers has been a mainstay in the Saints' rotation. Over 91 innings in that hitter-friendly environment, he's worked to 3.86 ERA, offsetting a below-average 19.8% strikeout rate with an incredible 2.3% walk percentage. That strong showing has earned the 35-year-old another big league opportunity, where he figures to be a multi-inning relief option for manager Rocco Baldelli.
Barraclough hasn't been away from the big leagues quite as long as Albers has, but he's back at the highest level for the first time in two years. The hard-throwing righty looked like a key bullpen piece for the Marlins early in his career, working to a 2.78 ERA across 97 innings between 2015-16. But Barraclough's always-shaky control became less palatable as his strikeout totals fell over the coming seasons, and he hasn't pitched in the majors since a tough 2019 campaign split between Miami and the Nationals.
Signed to a minor league deal by the Yankees over the winter, Barraclough was granted his release in mid-June and hooked on with the Twins two days later. Between the two teams' Triple-A affiliates, the 31-year-old has posted an even 3.00 ERA with a massive 38.7% strikeout rate. Barraclough's walk rate has still been troublingly high at 14.8%, but his impressive swing-and-miss stuff will earn him a look in a Minnesota bullpen that had to cover almost ten innings yesterday because Thorpe departed with shoulder soreness early in his start.
Burrows was a first-round pick of the Tigers in 2015 and was seen as one of the more promising pitching prospects in the Detroit system over the next few years. He dominated the lowest levels but hasn't yet found much success above Double-A. The 24-year-old owns a 5.15 ERA over 94 1/3 Triple-A innings and has been tagged for 22 runs over a brief 17 2/3 frame look at the major league level.
Clearly, Burrows' time in the big leagues hasn't gone as he'd envisioned to this point. That said, he's still young enough it's plausible he can eventually deliver upon some of the promise that made him so well-regarded not long ago. The Twins are surely happy to get an opportunity to work with Burrows, whom they added on a waiver claim from Detroit in late June, without having to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to him.
In other news for Minnesota, Baldelli informed reporters (including Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com) that star center fielder Byron Buxton is set to embark upon a rehab assignment with St. Paul tomorrow. It'll be his first game action in nearly two months, as Buxton suffered a left hand fracture after being hit by a pitch on June 22. Position players can spend up to twenty days on rehab assignments, so Buxton looks likely to be back in the big leagues by the first week of September so long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks.
Buxton's return comes as the Twins have started to play more to their expected level coming into the year. It's too late for Minnesota to make a playoff push, but an improved second half could reinforce the front office's belief the club is capable of returning to contention in 2022. Buxton's return for the season's final month-plus will be a welcome opportunity to give him some needed reps. It's certainly been a frustrating campaign for Buxton, who has been brilliant (.369/.409/.767) when healthy but has required a pair of significant IL stints. The 27-year-old missed around six weeks between May and June with a right hip strain, then made it back for just three games before suffering the hand fracture.
Andrew Albers Beau Burrows Byron Buxton Kyle Barraclough Lewis Thorpe Minnesota Twins Transactions
Twins Sign Kyle Barraclough
By Anthony Franco | June 20, 2021 at 3:20pm CDT
The Twins have signed reliever Kyle Barraclough to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A St. Paul, according to an announcement from the Saints. The right-hander was released from a minors pact with the Yankees earlier this week.
Barraclough has pitched in the big leagues in parts of five MLB seasons. A one-time setup man with the Marlins, Barraclough has always missed plenty of bats. The 31-year-old has struck out a lofty 29% of opposing hitters at the big league level, generating swings and misses on an above-average 12.6% of pitches. He's always coupled that high-end stuff with poor control, though, walking batters at a higher than average rate in every season en route to a career 14.1% mark. Barraclough's high-strikeout, high-walk tendencies were even more extreme with the Yankees Triple-A affiliate this year; he punched out 43.6% of batters while walking 20.0% across 14 innings of 3.21 ERA ball with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The 31-year-old Barraclough couldn't crack a Yankees bullpen that has been among the league's best, but there seems to be an easier path to the majors in Minnesota. Twins relievers have compiled a 4.89 ERA that ranks just 26th leaguewide. The Minnesota bullpen has been middle-of-the-pack in terms of strikeout/walk rate differential (15.2 percentage points) and SIERA (3.86).
Kyle Barraclough Minnesota Twins Transactions
Yankees Release Kyle Barraclough
The Yankees have released reliever Kyle Barraclough from his minor league contract, per an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He's now a free agent.
Barraclough signed with the Yankees in February and has spent the entire 2021 season with the RailRiders. Over 14 innings, the righty pitched to a solid 3.21 ERA and struck out a fantastic 24 of 55 batters faced (43.6%). Barraclough doled out far too many free passes, though, issuing eleven walks (20%). Those control issues made it tough for Barraclough to crack a Yankees bullpen that has been one of the game's best this season.
Those high-strikeout, high-walk ways are nothing new for Barraclough, who pitched in the majors for the Marlins, Nationals and Giants between 2015-19. He's punched out a lofty 29% of opponents in his big league career while 14.1%. In each of his five MLB seasons, Barraclough struck out and walked batters at a higher than average rate.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see him draw interest from teams needing bullpen help now that he's back on the market. The 31-year-old was a quality option for much of his tenure in Miami and has demonstrated he's still more than capable of missing high-level bats this season.
Kyle Barraclough New York Yankees Transactions
Yankees, Kyle Barraclough Agree To Minor League Deal
By Connor Byrne | February 2, 2021 at 6:23pm CDT
The Yankees have agreed to a minor league deal with free-agent right-hander Kyle Barraclough, Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets. The contract includes an invitation to major league spring training.
In Barraclough, the Yankees are adding a hard-throwing 30-year-old who overcame control problems to prevent runs at a strong clip as part of the Marlins' bullpen earlier in his career. Barraclough amassed 163 innings of 2.87 ERA ball from 2015-17, during which he logged a 31.7 percent strikeout rate against a 14.5 percent walk rate and averaged upward of 95 mph on his fastball.
Barraclough's production declined during the next two seasons after his successful stretch, especially in a 2019 divided between the Nationals and Giants. He could only muster a 5.61 ERA in 33 2/3 innings that year, when his average heater dropped to 93.5 mph and his strikeout percentage hit a career-low 24.4. After the Giants cut ties with him, Barraclough signed a minors deal with the Padres last winter, but he elected free agency before the season started and didn't catch on elsewhere.
Juan Lagares, Kyle Barraclough, Seth Frankoff Elect Free Agency
By Steve Adams | July 14, 2020 at 4:25pm CDT
The Padres announced Tuesday that a trio of veteran players have elected free agency. Outfielder Juan Lagares and right-handers Kyle Barraclough and Seth Frankoff are all returning to the open market and will now be free to sign with new clubs. None of the three had been included in San Diego's player pool.
Lagares, 31, joined the Friars on a minor league pact back in February and, at least in the initial version of Spring Training, was seen as a legitimate candidate for the Opening Day roster. The organization's thinking looks to have changed in the months since the March shutdown, and Lagares will now look for another club with interest in adding him to its player pool.
The longtime Mets outfielder posted a career-worst .213/.279/.326 batting line in 285 plate appearances last year, but Lagares remains a highly regarded defensive player who'd make a nice reserve option for any team with questionable outfield defense and/or an injury among the team's starters. The Padres have a crowded outfield mix, however, and younger options they'd seemingly like to get a look at in this shortened season.
Barraclough, 30, was a quality late-inning arm with the Marlins from 2015-17, but he saw his production dip a bit in 2018 before completely cratering in 2019. In 33 2/3 frames between the Nationals and Giants last season, Barraclough was clobbered for 5.61 ERA thanks largely to allowing nine home runs in that short time. Control has always been an issue or Barraclough, who has averaged 5.5 walks per nine innings in the Majors, but he's also never had a problem missing bats (11.4 K/9).
The 31-year-old Frankoff has just two Major League innings under his belt but is a veteran of eight minor league seasons and a pair of successful campaigns in the Korea Baseball Organization. Frankoff spent the past two seasons with the KBO's Doosan Bears, pitching to a combined 3.68 ERA with 8.3 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 0.6 HR/9 in 266 2/3 frames (50 starts). Like Lagares and Barraclough, he joined the Padres on a minor league deal this winter in hopes of earning his way back to the big leagues with a strong camp showing, but he'll now need to find another club to give him that opportunity.
Juan Lagares Kyle Barraclough San Diego Padres Seth Frankoff Transactions
MLBTR Poll: Best Bargain Bullpen Signing Thus Far
By Dylan A. Chase | January 4, 2020 at 10:00pm CDT
Though the adrenal rush that was this year's Winter Meetings made for great spectating—and great content for sites like ours—getting spoiled in the offseason's early months does make for a slower run-up to spring training. Yes, there are still some big fish out there lurking in the waters (here's looking at you, Josh Donaldson), but, by and large, the next few months should largely be about teams making value-oriented additions at the edges of their 40-man rosters.
When it comes to bullpen arms, especially, this time of year can be like open season for cost-conscious GMs. Sure, there have been a few teams willing to spend at the top end of the market this offseason—with Will Smith, Drew Pomeranz and Will Harris all netting guarantees of at least $24MM in free agency—but many a good bullpen gets solidified this time of year through more low-key signings.
The Nationals, a team hamstrung in recent seasons by poor relief pitching, finally got over the hump in 2019 in part because their bullpen gelled down the stretch. Daniel Hudson, a guy the Angels signed to a minor-league deal in February last year, ultimately ended up on the mound for the Nats when they formed the celebratory dogpile. That trajectory from bargain-bin depth pickup to central cog in a World Series-winning unit is pretty good evidence as to why we should maintain a close eye on transactions in the run-up to camp.
So, which bullpen signing thus far has the best chance of being this coming year's version of Hudson? An exhaustive list of all relief signings to this point in the offseason sounds, frankly, exhausting—for both author and reader. Perhaps a better format is to consider a few choice arms signed to relatively budget deals, with at least some proven track record of success in the majors.
Alex Wilson, signed only today by the Tigers to a minors deal, stands out as one arm that could deliver a solid return for a tiny investment. Though he's not a strikeout artist by any means, with a 6.13 career K/9, Wilson still maintains a career 3.44 ERA—even after a dreadful sample of 11.1 innings with the Brewers last year.
San Diego's minor league signing of Kyle Barraclough also promises to yield dividends—assuming manager Jayce Tingler's staff can get him back to the form he showed from 2015-17 as a member of the Marlins when he logged a 2.87 ERA with 219 strikeouts in 163 IP. Last year represented a low point so far for Barraclough, as his brief stay in D.C. saw him post a 6.66 ERA across 25.2 innings; that ERA figure is not exactly a good omen, but the righty is still just 29 and has demonstrated an ability to strike out batters with consistency.
Like the Padres, the Reds are looking to wrap their rebuild this coming year and may do so with some cheap innings from Tyler Thornburg. Now 31, Thornburg has had a disastrous past few seasons after logging an impressive 1.9 fWAR as a reliever with the Brewers in 2016. Statcast indicates his raw stuff is still there, however, and part of his struggles can be tied to presumably fixable control issues.
Tyler Clippard is perhaps the most accomplished reliever on this list, having logged over 800 innings with a respectable 3.14 career ERA with nine separate big league teams. The Twins will now become his tenth team after a nearly decade-long courtship, providing him with a one-year, $2.75MM deal last month. Clippard was rather good in 2019, posting a 2.90 ERA in 62 innings with the Tribe, but less so from 2016-18, when he bounced between five teams while posting a 3.98 ERA across 192 innings. The now 34-year-old is probably the most stable option here, but it's worth noting those quality results last year were undercut by a 4.94 xFIP.
Edinson Volquez was reportedly set on rejoining Texas' staff after rehabbing himself back from injury with the Rangers last year. He's never worked exclusively as a reliever, although his repertoire—and periodic inconsistency—has often caused observers to wonder what he would look like as a late-inning pen option. Last year, the Rangers got seven scoreless innings of relief work from the journeyman, so perhaps there's a second chapter in Volquez's career yet to be written.
Surely, there are still quite a few arms out there who could find themselves pitching October innings after signing frugal winter deals. Of this admittedly subjective selection of signings, which do you like best? Which other minor league or low-cost pickups do you like heading into 2020? (Poll link for app users)
Which Low-Cost Bullpen Signing Will Perform Best In 2020?
Alex Wilson Edinson Volquez Kyle Barraclough MLBTR Polls Tyler Clippard Tyler Thornburg
Padres To Sign Kyle Barraclough
By Jeff Todd | December 17, 2019 at 6:16pm CDT
The Padres have agreed to a minors deal with righty Kyle Barraclough, according to MLB.com's Jon Morosi (via Twitter). It includes an invitation to participate in the MLB side of spring camp.
Barraclough has at times tantalized with his talent as a late-inning reliever, including a run of success to open his career with the Marlins, but he has been wholly inconsistent. He spent much of 2019 with the Nationals, who jettisoned him after 25 2/3 innings of 6.66 ERA ball.
After landing with the Giants, Barraclough allowed only a pair of runs in eight innings. But he also issued nine walks to go with ten strikeouts, continuing a career-long battle with free passes and convincing the team to allow him to reach the open market at season's end. Now, the division-rival Friars will take a low-risk shot at getting Barraclough back to being an effective hurler.
Kyle Barraclough San Diego Padres Transactions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Événements
 31 août : Ambroise Paré devient chirurgien du roi de France.

Publications
 Rembert Dodoens : De frugum historia, 1552 ;
 Charles Estienne :  ;
 Bartolomeo Eustachi : Tabulae anatomicae, Venise, 1552 ;
 Thierry de Héry : La Méthode Curatoire de la maladie vénérienne vulgairement appelée grosse Vérole et de la diversité de ses symptômes. Arnoul L'Angelier. 1552, Paris, Nicolas Pepingué, 1660. C'est le premier ouvrage français sur la syphilis ;
 Ambroise Paré : La Manière de traicter les playes faictes tant par hacquebutes que par flèches et les accidentz d'icelles, comme fractures et carie des os, gangrène et mortification avec les pourtraictz des instrumentz nécessaires pour leur curation et la méthode de curer les combustions principalement faictes par la pouldre à canon. Veuve Jean de Brie, Paris, 1552-1553 ;
 Edward Wotton : De differentis animalium, 1552.
   : Libellus de medicinalibus indorum herbis

Naissances

 28 février : Jost Bürgi (mort en 1632), horloger, et constructeur d'instruments suisse.
 14 août : Paolo Sarpi (mort en 1623), scientifique vénitien.
 20 septembre : Lorenz Scholz von Rosenau (mort en 1599), médecin et botaniste allemand.

 Petrus Plancius (mort en 1622), commerçant néerlandais qui s'illustra en théologie, géographie et astronomie.
 Luca Valerio (mort en 1618), mathématicien italien.
 Vers 1552 : Walter Raleigh (mort en 1618), écrivain, poète, courtisan, officier et explorateur anglais.

Décès
 21 avril : Petrus Apianus (né en 1495), astronome et mathématicien allemand.
 18 mai : Theodoricus Dorstenius (né en 1492), médecin allemand.
 26 mai : Sebastian Münster (né en 1488), savant humaniste allemand.
 12 novembre : Jodocus Willich (né en 1501), médecin et humaniste allemand.
 11 décembre : Paul Jove (né en 1483), médecin, historien et ecclésiastique italien.

Notes et références

Science
Chronologie de la science

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ron Gallo releases reassuring garage rock anthem "It's All Gonna Be OK"
The Philadelphia-born, Nashville-based garage rocker Ron Gallo is the king of disruption. His guitar-heavy, frantic form of rock is reminiscent of the early punk and garage movements of the '70s, but with the added bonus of witty and personably lyricism. On his newest single "It's All Gonna Be OK" off the forthcoming LP Stardust Birthday Party, released via New West Records, he channels all of the energy of punk but with none of the nihilism.
The track begins with an intoxicating riff that swells like a wave, crashing suddenly when his vocals comes in at the thirty-second mark. While the various time signature changes display a musician that's in full command of his craft, his slacker shout tends to slip into high-pitched shriek at a few key moments. This is where he's at his most compelling, when he lets himself lose control. His fast-paced shouts indicate a mind that works faster than delivery allows, but somehow, Gallo gets all of his words out — ending each explosive verse with the reassuring line, "It's all gonna be okay." Ron Gallo seems determined to will this into existence, and your only options are to follow him on the ride or get out of his way.


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text:
Jazzy Group of Companies \ 2ND MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND MALAYSIA GOLDEN GLOBAL AWARDS
May 18, 2017 Posted by Admin in
2ND MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND MALAYSIA GOLDEN GLOBAL AWARDS
Date: 25th February 2018 to 2nd March 2018 (MIFFest), 3rd March 2018 (MGGA) Time: To Be Confirmed Venue: To Be Confirmed GREAT HUMAN STORIES REMAIN AT THE HEART OF 2ND MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND MALAYSIA GOLDEN GLOBAL AWARDS KUALA LUMPUR, 17 May 2017, Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) and Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA) today announced key dates for its' inaugural return, following the success of surpassing over 100,000 audiences last year. The 2nd MIFFest will run from 25th February 2018 to 2nd March 2018, while the 2nd MGGA is set for 3rd March 2018. This year, MIFFest and MGGA unveil 'Humanity' as the main theme and key message for the film festival. A new design concept was created to represent the 2 faces of humanity, which are 'Despair' and 'Hope'. Hope is a common theme in films, as hope means to bring joy and excitement that is arguably the most basic desire people long for. It is the most life-affirming aspect that people share, a common hope. At the other end of the spectrum is despair; all our lives are touched by moments of loss, grief, tragedies and despair. Films educate everyone on how to handle these moments of extreme loss and despair, and how to move on from these moments with empathy and fortitude. These two elements will be presented in all the movies chosen to be displayed at the MIFFest. Film enthusiasts can look forward to the film festival as forums and workshops will be conducted by renowned filmmakers at MIFFest. To discover talents of the creative arts, cinematic and entertainment industry, 2nd MIFFest is bringing in a new category: 'Southeast Asian Film Focus'. This will open the doors for filmmakers from Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore to showcase their films in the film festival. MIFFest created 'Southeast Asian Film Focus' to highlight the diversity of cinematic creation and the richness of films in Southeast Asia, as well as to stimulate the creativity of Southeast Asian filmmakers. With the support of National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) and Tourism Malaysia, MIFFest will showcase 20 local and international films from around the world. Whereas MGGA will have 2 new award categories this year; 'Best Supporting Actor' and 'Best Supporting Actress' in addition to recognizing the achievements of 8 different categories as previous year; 'Best Actor', 'Best Actress', 'Best Director', 'Best New Director', 'Best Film', 'Best Screenplay', 'Best Cinematography' and 'Lifetime Achievement Award'. Winning recipients are rewarded based on their commitment to humanitarian efforts and selfless contributions to improve the lives of others. "These events celebrate uniqueness and champion humanity. To recognize and honour human excellence through films that inspire, enlighten and uplift the human spirit. MIFFest and MGGA help to promote tourism and diversity of Malaysian arts and cultures to the global audience, it also aims to strengthen Malaysia's position as a major leading creative hub of film and cinema within the ASEAN region", proudly said Joanne Goh, Chairman of MIFFest and MGGA. Kindly visit our official websites at http://www.mgga.com.my/ and http://miffest.com.my for more information. Please don't hesitate to email us at pr@mgga.com.my for any further queries.
OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE 2nd MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (MIFFest) AND MALAYSIA GOLDEN GLOBAL AWARDS (MGGA)RUNNING WITH STARS SEASON 3
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A Thousand Blended Notes
by Scott Faulkner
While procrastinating through a bit of writer's block just now, I mindlessly scrolled social media. Something I do more often than I'd like. As the great algorithm in the sky bombarded me with celebratory wedding anniversaries, tragic school shootings, silly cat videos, cataclysmic climate change, successful concerts of many colors, and the disparate commentary for and against these topics, I became sadder not happier. I also flashed on a favorite poem, "Lines Written in Early Spring" by William Wordsworth, written in 1798. It goes:
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure: —
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
This poem always grabs me. Today, instead of explicating its themes of universality, melancholy, nature, and humanity, there was for me a fermata over the first line: "I heard a thousand blended notes." As a musician, arts administrator, board member, teacher, and writer; hearing, creating, and advocating for thousands of blended notes are what I spend a good bit of my life doing. Wordsworth's aleatoric blended notes were made by chirping birds, blowing breezes, and babbling brooks. Mine are made by violins, string basses, pianos and the like, very intentionally and precisely blending together. On social media, the blended notes are too often strident, dissonant, incomplete, accusatory, and downright mean.
Have I not reason to lament?
I may have reason to lament, but I don't have to. This is saying something coming from a defensive pessimist like myself. I'm not a "glass half empty" pessimist. I'm a "the glass is too close to the edge of the table, and no matter how much water is in it, you're likely to knock it onto the floor with your elbow" pessimist. So, I choose to move the glass a safe difference from the edge and go on blending thousands of notes, which I hope will be for good in a world that seems to have more and more cacophony.
(left to right) Elias Rodriguez, Emily Tsai, Scott Faulkner, Dustin Budish, Martin Beaver — Photo Credit: Thom Mayes
Last week I, and our community, had an oasis of beautifully blended notes, when the Reno Chamber Orchestra (RCO) presented the Nevada Chamber Music Festival (NCMF) Summerfest. I am fortunate to have been one of the musicians who performed, and also to have been the executive director of the organization at the festival's birth in 2004. Since that beginning I have been a broken record (you know you're getting old when your references might have to be explained to a younger generation) about the incredible experience and value this event provides our community.
The bass player aside, the musical ability of the NCMF musicians is just stunning. In addition to fantastic performances from local musicians Dmitri Atapine, Dustin Budish, Kelly Kuo, John Lenz, Peter Lenz, James Winn, and last-minute savior, violinist Martin Beaver, who stepped in on very short notice to fill-in for an ailing Ruth Lenz, for this festival iteration, artistic director Clive Greensmith invited two remarkable pre-formed ensembles: WindSync and the Alameda String Quartet. Both of these groups performed with their ensembles and in various combination with the other aforementioned musicians. This proved a winning and inspiring combination.
WindSync is a well-established and well-loved, internationally renowned woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn). After winning some major competitions and awards that launched the ensemble a decade ago, WindSync has built a remarkable career and following. Take a look and listen to their incredible, memorized take on Gustav Holst's "Jupiter" from The Planets here. If you want to hear more, check out their recently dropped recording "All Worlds, All Times."
One of the many reasons that having Clive Greensmith lead the Nevada Chamber Music Festival is such a coup is that he leads the chamber music program at the prestigious Colburn School in Los Angeles, and in that role, he identifies, nurtures, and has access to tomorrow's superstars. Reno reaped the benefit of this reality when he invited the Alameda String Quartet to NCMF Summerfest. Greensmith knows something about string quartets, having been the cellist in the Tokyo Quartet from 1999-2013. So, when he invites a quartet, half of whom still haven't graduated, to headline his festival, you know they are something special. And they are! Listen here to their performance at the Colburn School graduation ceremony two weeks ago. You'll hear virtuoso and nuanced music making far beyond their years. As fate would have it, on the final day of the NCMF, they were featured in this LA Times article (which mentions our festival) discussing the important and too long forgotten repertoire by composers during the Holocaust.
The blended notes that resounded during the three days of the NCMF Summerfest provided audiences with uplifting, inspiring, introspective, and beautiful experiences that give us all reason to celebrate that this happens in our community. The only reason to lament would be if a person wasn't there for the music.
Scott Faulkner is principal bassist of the Reno Chamber Orchestra and the Reno Phil. He is also director of the League of American Orchestras' Essentials of Orchestra Management seminar as well as its Alumni Network.
More from Scott Faulkner
Music Not to be Missed in Mayby Scott Faulkner — May 6, 2022
Classical Music Galoreby Scott Faulkner — April 8, 2022
Chord Changes by Scott Faulkner — April 1, 2022
This PBS Reno series delves into the local arts scene, looking at the lasting impact the arts have in our communities and beyond.
PBSReno.org
ART VIEWS on PBS Reno


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"We like roaches: Neva dyin', always livin'."
there's absolutely nothing new. But the last time we posted something was over half a year ago, so here's a write-up, just for the sake of it.
Last year was fine. We learned a lot, met a few cool gals and dudes and we think, we're better now, than we were twelve months ago, so that's not too bad... Ah! We met Blake Schwarzenbach and gave him one of the like eight (?) shirts we made, the last one, to be accurate. He's probably wearing it right now, working in his backyard or doing his laundry, at least we'd like to think so. Nah, he most likely just threw it away five minutes after we gave it to him.
Kinda took the wrong turn there, here's the important part:
WE RECORDED AN ALBUM!
At Rama Tonstudio, with the wonderful Christian Bethge, who is a dear friend of ours now. Currently working on the mixes, but we're most def. gonna put it out this year. Time will tell.
Ah yeah: Next Shows
02/21/2014 with Lost Girls in Marburg @ Café Trauma
02/22/2014 with Lost Girls and Die Nerven in Wiesbaden @ Schlachthof
Swing around, say hi and watch us making a fool of ourselves.
Love, bye.
P.S. Here's a funny pic of Philipp, strolling along the beautiful roads of Andalucía to round things up:


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Toyota Mirai is a hydrogen fuel-cell car that brings the future to us. In Japanese, Mirai means "the future". The name is chosen to show and prove to the world that the new technology is coming. Toyota executives said that the car and its hydrogen fuel-cell technology will be the first step for the next century of the automotive industry.
What makes hydrogen fuel-cell interesting? We have to know that hydrogen fuel-cell delivers all of the benefits of electric cars without using conventional charging cord. The Mirai seems to be targeted to optimize the idea. The car provides a lighter fuel-cell system, cheaper and smaller options that is come before it. When tested on the actual road, the car was able to deliver 300 miles of range. It means, Mirai promises a better range than plug-in electric cars.
Though has been sold in its origin, the future of the car in the US is still confined to California. It happens because California is the only place where Mirai owners can easily find public hydrogen stations. However, Toyota executives said that his company is planning to sell the four-door in the Northwest, especially if new hydrogen stations between New Jersey and Massachusetts have been built. Apart from such issue, Toyota Mirai is truly a car worth considering.
What about the design? As a future car, the Japanese sedan is trying to offer something different. The car was designed to stand out from the crowd with a daring shape marked by scoops, accent lines, curves and some radical angles. When we try to see the inside, we will find spaceship-like instrument layout that also gives another strong impression. We will just find four seats in this car because the added weight of the fifth passenger would affect the performance and range.
If we are interested with future car, hydrogen fuel-cell car is the perfect option. We can say that this car is the only available option. Maybe, there is Hyundai Tucson FCEV that is also a fuel-cell car but the supplies are very limited. There are rumors stated that another Japanese car manufacturer, Honda, plans to make the similar car this year but we may need a longer wait.
The fuel-cell sedan is bringing standard equipment, including 17-inch aluminum wheels, cruise control, LED headlights, neoprene-look cloth upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-way heated power front seats with lumbar adjustments, heated tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, heated rear seats, a rearview camera, an 8-inch touchscreen, a navigation system with fuel-station finder, BL audio system, USB port, auxiliary jack, phone connectivity and Bluetooth audio.
Toyota gives a special feature to the car, which is a trunk-mounted power take-off system allows the car to work as a generator, providing 60 kWh of electricity. Such amount is enough to power a small house for up to 7 days.
Toyota Mirai comes as a front-wheel sedan driven by an electric motor that delivers up to 151 HP and 247 lbs-ft of torque. Toyota also put a 1.6 kWh nickel-metal hybrid battery behind the rear seats that can be used when the car needs extra burst of power.
On the road tests, the Mirai was able to accelerate from zero to 60 mph within 8.7 seconds. It means that the car is faster than the current Prius. The top speed of the fuel-cell sedan is 111 mph and it can travel about 300 miles using 5 kg of pressurized hydrogen. 1 kg of hydrogen is able to deliver the same amount of energy as 1 gallon of gasoline, means that the car's fuel-efficiency is about 60 mpg.
Toyota puts standard safety equipment to the fuel-cell car, includes traction and stability control, antilock brakes, rearview camera and front and rear side airbags. Active safety equipment includes a blind-spot monitor, lane-departure alert, a frontal collision mitigation with automatic braking system and also high-tech adaptive cruise control. There are hydrogen sensors that will warn the drivers and automatically shut the hydrogen tanks down if there is a hydrogen leak. The hydrogen tank is also protected by special shell to keep it safe.
As a four-door sedan, Toyota Mirai is smooth and comfortable in term of its ride quality. Just like in other electric cars, the torque on the Mirai is available as soon as the driver starts pressing the accelerator. The car accelerates quickly from 0 to 40 mph but after that, things slow down. As hydrogen fuel-cell car, there will be no smoke or other substances come out from its tailpipe. The only substance that will be found is just water, which means that this car does not produce any dangerous pollutants.
The existence of the fuel-cell car like Mirai shows us that eco-friendly car is not just a dream. Car like Mirai must be used as an example by other car manufacturers that environment-friendly car has a bright future.
11 Comments on "Toyota Mirai, the Real Environment-Friendly Future Car"
First of all, thanks to the fact that it is environmentally friendly . Realized that the the features are unique in relation to different autos . But how effective it will be financially holding up to see . If you increase the number of hydrogen stations worldwide are expected to be able to find good popularity.
As far as I know, it is powered by an electric motor but their power is generated by mixing oxygen with hydrogen from the car's fuel tank, rather than being drawn from a battery like in a conventional electric car. Another auto Hyundai ix35 from pretty much any of the advanced features that are well known? You say something? Thank you.
Hey, I'm excited to buy this awesome car. I can't wait anymore.
Where can I buy it ? Recently I saw the hydrogen station near the New Jersey. I'm so glad to see this type of car.
What is the height from the ground? I mean how will it benefit Uneven Path?
Is there enough cargo space?
Will a child seat fit?
Where to go to buy ?
The thinking behind the car is great. It is fast,more efficient and most of all Eco friendly.The design looks great too.Use of Hydrogen fuel means less pressure on bio fuels and cheap.Just one question when will it be available on market?Finally, thanks for this amazing car.
This is just ugly to me. I'm sorry. That's my opinion. I love Toyota and you make some pretty awesome better looking vehicles than this.
Isn't this car like $55,000???


If you are looking for a way to draw near to God in the new year, refreshing how you approach Him might be a good thing. Here are four very different approaches to some quiet or not-so-quiet time with our relational God.
My dad has had a beard since before beards were hip. He keeps it pretty closely shaved, so it feels a little like a scrubby sponge if you touch it with your cheek. When I was a little girl, I used to sit in my dad's lap just to feel the beard.
For me, the comfort of my dad's beard wasn't about texture or shading (bits of white coming in for as far back as I can remember). It was about invitation. If my dad was talking to adults around a dinner table, I knew I could push my way through his arms and maneuver my way onto his lap and there wouldn't even be a single break in the conversation. When I had a bad dream at night, I'd knock on my parents' door and he'd bring me back to bed, staying long enough to calm my fears with promises of God's protection. In every instance, I'd rub the top of my head on his beard. Touching a beard is an intimate thing, and my dad always offered it freely to me. The beard was an open invitation to draw closer, to be loved on, and to draw near.
Not all of us have awesome beard memories with our dads, and some of us struggle with more difficult memories than comforting ones. But we do have an invitation to draw near, every day, from a Father who enjoys sharing our time, our thoughts, our fears, and our lives. One of the best things about studying The Song of Songs is that we see intimacy in relationships from many different angles. The drawing near in relationship isn't confined to husband and wife, but to the friendship found in the chorus of supporters and the life of the family (beards or no beards). One thing this can teach us is that we are invited to approach our relationship with God through different expressions, at different times.
If you are looking for a way to draw near to God in the new year, perhaps a refresh on how we approach Him might be a good thing.
Since God is vast and multifaceted, perhaps our communication with God might also be vast and multifaceted?
Sometimes we need to see and remember God as big and infinite. He can't always be understood through the relationships we see and experience here on earth. As you sit down to draw near, pull out Genesis 1 or Job 38. Look around you and notice one detail of nature and creation. Consider God's voice speaking this thing into being.
What care does God have for this one small detail?
What authority does He have over it?
What gift(s) does He give us through it?
Imagine how Jesus will restore all things in the new creation. Ask Him what He has put before you to steward and care for in the meantime.
Slowly read through a short passage in the Gospel accounts.
Who is Jesus connecting with in this account?
What is He doing and/or saying?
Open your hands up and ask God where He would like to send Jesus into the world, through you today. How is the Holy Spirit faithfully directing your words in daily conversations? In Bob Goff or Greg Finke fashion, ask God what adventures, even the most mundane ones, He has planned for you today.
The epistles are what I like to think of as "big-word books." They teach us about abstract concepts like propitiation, redemption, atonement, and righteousness. This can be intimidating, but also enlightening. Read through one of the letters of the New Testament (Romans is always a good place to start) and focus on a word you don't understand or are simply intrigued by. Look up cross references in your study Bible or on a Bible app, ask a pastor about it, post on social media to hear other people's thoughts on the word (considering the source and with the filter of the Word of God), pray for God to direct you in His Word and in the catechism to true knowledge and understanding about this concept.
We have a friend, Matt, who starts every prayer with, "Jesus, we love You." This simple phrase did a number on my prayer life. I realized that I never told God how I felt about Him. Yes, He knew, He knows, but communicating emotions—positive or negative—is part of drawing near in every relationship, including our relationship with a Father who loves us enough to sacrifice His Son. God tells me He loves me over and over in the Word.
What if I told Him how much I loved Him?
What if I told Him when I was angry at Him, rather than shutting myself off from communicating with Him?
What if I scratched the top of my head back and forth on His metaphorical beard and let Him comfort me?
The Letters of John and the Book of Psalms are especially helpful for seeing God as loving Father, holding us and giving us hard truth in love, comfort in affliction, and conversation in the everyday.
So, beyond a story about the merits of beards for dads, I hope you take this article as an opportunity to see God from many angles. Today, open the Word, be wowed by His infiniteness, nurtured by His sacrifice, and comforted by His affection.
Learn more about how to draw near in Heidi's Bible study, Altogether Beautiful: A Study of the Song of Songs.
I love my husband, my kiddos, Post-it notes, Jesus, red wine, dark chocolate, Star Wars, and new ideas . . . not necessarily in that order. If I could pour time and energy into anything in this life, it would be loving God and the people around me, even when I'm hangry (or slangry?).


text:
Kanye West Interviewed
Extended chat with our cover star
Clash Music
Clash Music /
With the confidence of a superstar and the music to match, while his country is exploding in optimism, America's most out-spoken superstar is ushering in a new era for hip-hop. Clash speaks exclusively to Kanye West.
The cover star of Issue 33 of Clash, Kanye talks about the recording of his new album '808s & Heartbreak' and lots lots more.
Are you excited about the new album coming out?
Yes I am!
How long have you been recording for? Is it quite a prolonged process? Or did it come together quite quickly?
Yeah, it's quicker than any of my other albums.
How long were you recording for?
A month but then you know once we got the basic idea done there's three weeks of tweaking and mixing and mastering. You know, you change the songs as you mix it sometimes.
Are the albums quite distinct entities? Would you ever use material that was originally intended for a previous record?
Yeah, but that didn't happen with this one.
Did you always intend to release something this year?
No. I didn't even intend to finish Jay-Z's new album and I did Jay's album and then I just did this album. I just had a bunch of ideas due to the tour. I mean, we went and did the tour and had to very quickly put together all the music from over three albums and make it sound like they went together. We remixed tracks like Touch The Sky and Through the Wire and made them sound as though they're part of one story. And in the process of doing that it inspired me to start making new music and I tried new instruments. We used lots of monk choirs, timpanis and 808 sounds and I made music with what I thought was the coolest instruments possible. And the coolest melodies possible. And the coolest subject matters…
Yeah – I mean 'Jesus Walks', 'Never Let Me Down' both had Auto-Tune on it. But even if I had never used it before; so what, I like it now.
I heard you said that the reason you chose to use Auto-Tune so heavily on the album was because it was so fun to use. Is that right?
Yeah, but also because I really like the way it sounds.
I agree it sounds great and there are obvious parallels with your past work that people seem to have overlooked when discussing their surprise at its use. 'Spaceship' seems an obvious example…
Yeah – I mean 'Jesus Walks', 'Never Let Me Down' both had Auto-Tune on it. But even if I had never used it before; so what, I like it now. You know, I'm an artist at the end of the day and sounds are like my paints. Basically no-one can tell me what to paint with and that's the medium I chose to make these paintings with. I just really want to tell anybody who wants to say anything about me for using Auto-Tune and they don't like it… Fuck 'em!
So when you go into the studio where does the record come from? Do you have firm ideas already, or is it an organic process once in there?
Sometimes I think of a song concept as I'm talking to somebody – like "oh that would be a good song concept" or "wow, that's good. Oh wow that's good". Regular conversation just gets into my music. But I usually just freestyle. There are tracks that I freestyle all the way from humming them to doing the drumbeat really quickly to going in the booth and singing, then we finish the song. So a lot of stuff is freestyle. I mean 'Love Lockdown' was a freestyle. I wrote the original song in one take – I just freestyled it all the way through. And I was like "I'm not loving you…" and by the end of it I was going "just keep your love locked down, your love locked down, keep your love locked down…" And then I went back and worked through it.
The version you premiered at the MTV VMA's seemed quite different to the final version. There were less drums…
But that's because it was live…
I thought there was a different version available on iTunes?
No it was live…
The version on iTunes?
No – the on MTV. So whenever you perform something live it's always gonna sound different.
Is that important to ensure the live sound is different to that on the record? Do you think you owe it to people to make the show different to the album?
I don't owe anything to anyone. But I just think it came out different because it was live. There's nothing more than that.
Did you enjoy the MTV EMA awards in Liverpool last week?
Yeah I had a lot of fun there!
You performed 'American Boy' alongside Estelle. How did that collaboration come about?
Just through John Legend – she's one of his artists and stuff. They asked me to come and check out the album and gave me a few different tracks to think about, but I think that's the one she wanted me on and I like that track too. So I went in and wrote a rap. And actually my rap was way way longer; I thought up a bunch of stuff and we had to cut it down. Even though I'm rapping and it seems pretty long on that song, we cut out a bunch of lyrics too…
Back to the album and the title 'Heartbreaks and 808s', I presume you're referencing the Roland 808 synthesiser? Growing up in Chicago amongst the house movement there I wondered what kind of influence that had on you growing up?
Yeah house – I definitely loved house music. But even back then, I might have liked hip-hop music but when you go to a hip-hop club everyone would stand around and watch somebody break dancing or flexing in the middle. You know, somebody might get a chance to break-dance and kick a girl in the head! But you go to a house club and you could actually dance up on a girl – so I said "man, I'll listen to hip-hop in the car but when I go to a club I want to go to a house club. At a house club I can feel on girls!"
So would you have bought and played house music at home?
I didn't really play much house music at home, but it was very much a part of my culture just because I from Chicago.
Can you remember the first record you bought?
Yeah, it was, errrr, A Tribe Called Quest 'Low End Theory'.
What do you think of Q-Tip's new album?
I'm about to buy it today, but I heard its dope!
Who did you look up to in terms of artists when growing up?
I mean, yeah – A Tribe Called Quest, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, George Michael. I'm thinking about when I was a little kid, LL Cool J… People don't never take it back to when we just kids, Madonna, Phil Collins.
So a lot of that is pop music, which often gets a bad name…
Yeah, but when you're a little kid you don't listen to underground music – you listen to what your parents listen to and shit that's on the radio. Like when you're five… I mean this is before the internet, before you had a choice of what you listened to. You had a choice of like two big songs. The problem was when people started to process pop music. I mean there were once real pop artists; Phil Collins, Madonna, Michael Jackson. No underground artist has been able to compete with what they did and I think people cop out by not wanting to be pop.
Are you happy to be considered pop music?
Yeah, I am pop music.
So it's not something that you consider a negative term?
Yeah – it's a complete negative term. But being black was a negative term in America for a long time.
So there's no reason to avoid it?
Yeah – you can't avoid it! But that doesn't mean that I'm negative. In fact, that's why I embraced the concept of pop! I've said through the years that man, I want to be pop. But I've invented my own genre of music now called Pop Art because it's pop that has all the sensibilities of art. And it needed to be separated because of all these people who engineered boy bands with all these different people writing songs for them. I mean, I'm a true singer, songwriter, producer, director, stylist… Basically think of every aspect and I'm that type of artist. And I think that it's great for me to take everything that someone thinks is negative - Auto-Tune, the term pop – whatever it is that you might think is not keeping it real and show that you can make really good songs with this. I mean, I've had some hip-hop songs that I've loved in my lifetime – but they are not as good as Phil Collins' 'Something In the Air Tonight'. They're just not as good! They're just not as good as 'I Wanna Rock With You' by Michael Jackson. Matter of fact, with rap and shit there are very few rappers who can write raps that are entertaining and important enough to hold your attention. I mean, I started running into that problem when I was working on 'Graduation'… Songs like 'Good Life' and 'Stronger'; those tracks took a long time to write. You couldn't just say anything! A lot of the time with rappers you just say anything – I mean right now I could completely freestyle for you, but that doesn't mean its good enough to perform in front of 100,000 people. But now I'm getting to the point where I can say things that are just that strong and that big. And travelling the world, you know – people just get caught up too much in the language they use. That's what is great about Barack – he can speak in a way that allows a lot of people to understand him and that's what I want, for people to understand what I'm saying across the board.
Talking about Barack, I presume you're happy with the election result?
But are you not at all worried that he's coming to the job with an almost impossible task to clear up the previous eight years of the Bush Administration? An economy on the slide, unpopular wars…
(Laughing) Do you think I would say yes to that question? I think he already beat the most difficult thing he had to face. It's all down hill from here… I don't mean down hill! I mean everything is easier from here on in. Overcoming America is the hardest challenge, with politics with music with money with style. Anything. Overcoming America is the hardest thing to do. Once you can take America, you can take the world.
And will the election of Barack change the world's view of America? Is that even important?
Well, I'm gonna tell you like this. All questions have been answered. There are no questions you can ask about it that doesn't now have an obvious answer. Right when he won and you heard he had won; all questions were answered at that point. It's a new face, open-minded, new thinking, hope that the concept you can go us being brought over as slaves to us becoming president… It restores all types of hope in the concept of democracy. It's a new face for America.
Do you think it's important for artists to speak out?
No. You do whatever you want to do. It's not important for artists to speak out. I'll tell you what it's important for artists to do; make a good fucking song. Everything else is on you what you want to do in your spare time. It's not important for artists to go to Africa. It's not important for artists to give back. It's not important for artists to sign new artists. It's like, if that's something you're into then you should do it. If you like it, then do it. If you're really into clothes then maybe you should do something that takes in that influence. If you're really into like helping people, then maybe you should help people. Whatever you're into, you do. All this whole role model bullshit; you don't have any extra responsibilities because you made some good songs! You're only responsibility is to make good songs and there are so few people who can consistently make good songs for multiple albums and sometimes when maybe people are doing all this charitable stuff, why don't you leave the charitable stuff to people who can't make good songs and you focus on making a good song instead.
Who at the moment is consistent then?
Coldplay, U2, me, Jay-Z… It's just that they are so few and far between. I mean, maybe the new Green Day album will be really good. I liked the first two Killers albums, so let's listen to the new one and see if it's really good. I'm sure there are people I'm not thinking of, but it's certainly few and far between. People may have two great albums under their belt, or have the hottest album this year like MGMT. But can they keep it going?
So you keep abreast of new music?
I'm always listening and trying to promote new bands. I always have who I see as next to blow up as the opening act on tour. Like we got Rhianna at the perfect time. I mean, think about that Rhianna was the opening act on my tour last year and now she is arguably the biggest artist in the world.
Yeah, I was at the opening Seattle show of the Glow In the Dark tour.
Well she improved her set from there!
But the line up was spectacular; N.E.R.D., Rhianna, Lupe Fiasco… It was like a moving festival.
Yeah, we spent a lot of time like thinking 'who are we going to bring out?'. And the thing is, Lupe is such a friend of ours and a friend of the family that you almost overlook using him. And we almost overlooked that he is one of the greatest rappers out there right now and has his own movement. So we were like 'we gotta bring Lupe!' (Laughs) And that tour was a sign of the times – all those artists together like that.
The UK dates have Santogold opening. How did you come to hear her?
I heard her at a Stella McCartney fashion show. And then I saw her perform later that evening and I was like 'man, I love this girl' and I got her number after that as I wanted to put her on something, but it didn't work out. I still wanted to work with her anyway I could and now we're touring with her.
Back to the new record, the 'Love Lockdown' video was directed by Simon Henwood. How did the two of you end up working together?
Well Simon actually designed the Glow In The Dark tour I did this time last year. The original run. He designed that run and so we became really good friends and we worked on different ideas and projects together, hanging out. We were always supposed to do a video and when it came to this I was like 'Simon, lets do this'.
And how much input do you have into your videos?
I certainly had some input on 'Love Lockdown'. With the new one for 'Heartless', Hype Williams did it and I was just like 'direct me'. I put a lot of thought into the overall styling though. I like to find people who I can trust to just direct it well so I can use less of my brain sometimes. Because I think I use too much of my brain and need to let some of it rest.
You do seem to take a real hand in all aspects of your records – from the sound through to the cover art and the way it's presented. Do you ever wish you could take a step back and let other people shoulder more of the workload?
Well there's a lot to be said for picking the right people. I had a really good engineer on this record who was able to mix the album without me even being there. This is the first time that the entire mix of the album was done without me actually sitting there in front of the board. And you know what? The album sounds good. There were songs produced over the phone where I was changing drums, you know; 'lets stop this here, mute that, put that snare there…' There are times when I tell my management; you just figure it out. What's your choice on this, what's your opinion? I'll trust you. It's good to have people who taste and judgement you trust maybe even more than your own. That's what I want to get to the point with my clothing, where the people I work with I can trust the opinions they will make on it.
What kind of people do you trust then? Someone like A-Trak seems to be someone you work closely with…
(Laughs) No – we have completely different opinions and tastes! He's good to bring things from another perspective.
I wasn't put on this earth to make money – I was put on this earth to make magic. I was put on this earth to make music and art.
And does he introduce you to new music?
Always, always – but the way I'm making music at the moment is way less thought out then previous. Now I just do stuff that I think is dope and I really just freestyle and upchuck the music and shit. This album came from playing basketball again. I used to play ball a lot at high school a lot and when you play ball you shoot and it's just one idea. You have to make the decision, shoot then you're off to the next thing. You can't shoot, stop the ball in the air, switch it and change it and make it bounce different. A lot of times you do that with music, but on this album I got the ideas by free styling all the way through and do what I'm feeling right now blah, blah, blah and it would feel more natural and harder for anyone else to do. It's just so natural and on such a higher skill level. A higher zone out level of musicality that is really just impossible to touch. I mean, the music I'm delivering on this new album when I hear it I'm like 'man, I'm really happy I'm me because if I wasn't I'd really be scared'. If I'm competitive and want to be the number one artist, I know Jay-Z, Beyonce… I don't know how many people want that number one spot. But if you want that number one spot you need to listen to my album and try to beat it.
But surely that's a healthy outlook?
Yeah! I mean, I think there should be competition in music. Lil Wayne, TI, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Justin… They all kick me in the ass and make me want to come out and beat them. And because of that the fans get better music.
Looking at your lyrics, do you write from personal experience? Are they intended to be taken as the first person? Other art forms (authors, directors etc.) don't have this assumption made about them in the same way…
My songs are about me. Well, except sometimes I write songs that might be about things I've put people through but I still sing it in first person. So on this new album particularly there are experiences that I might be the one I'm singing about – flipping it to that person's perspective.
And when producing, do you find it easier to produce for other people as opposed to yourself?
Yeah because at a certain point you let them make the decision that they are satisfied with how it sounds. For me it often takes a long time until I'm satisfied and I keep on pushing it until I think it's really ready. I'm pretty good at coming up with stuff really quickly and tweaking a hit out of something, refining it down. When you work with other people they can often cut that off before you get chance. They're like 'hey, I like it like this' and you're like 'that's cool'. Sometimes things blow up that people just like as they are. But songs like 'Stronger', 'Good Life' and 'Flashing Lights' – all these hit records that I've had have been really tweaked by me. But you know, I don't really produce now for anybody but my friends. I'm not now a quote unquote producer. People can't get a track off me unless I really respect their music, we hang and we're good friends. It's really weird though because my production style is so different that there are no two Kanye West tracks which sound alike. Or two tracks I've done for Common or Jay-Z. But if you name any other producer they have a bunch of shit that sounds exactly alike. And if you're just putting out stuff that sounds so alike you can make as many beats as you want. But if everything is literally a special painting, it's a whole other issue. I mean, I'd be down to produce a person's whole album rather than just do a beat for them. Instead of spending two days with you, I'll spend two weeks with you. Give me something to be excited about. I don't want to do one song for you that you may or may not use as a single.
How did you come to find the MIA sample on for 'Swagga Like Us'?
MIA pointed it out to me… Made me look good (laughs).
And with so many people on a track like that (Kanye, TI, Lil Wanye, Jay Z) do you ever hit ego problems?
We're just about to shoot a video for that actually – it should be fun. I think it all comes down to mutual respect for everyone that's on that track. At this point everyone has paid their dues and held that number one spot at some time or another.
Is there anyone you'd like to collaborate with that you haven't yet?
Santogold, MIA, Cool Kids, Feist, The Killers I'd like to do something with them…
When I spoke to Brandon from The Killers a month or so ago they said that you were the top of their list to collaborate with.
Ah man! That's dope.
This marks your fourth album in five years. Do you think it's down to you being prolific or other artists not having the drive to get things released?
Both things.
And are you still planning to release another album in 2009?
Well, I'm not going to put that pressure on myself. I'm just going to focus on making clothes now…
And is the clothing line still looking likely to appear?
Well every day is a struggle (laughs) I'm in the same position I was in with music before I got it together and finally managed to figure out what my style was. I used to have tracks that sounded like Timbaland and the next track would sound like DJ Premier… So when I'm doing designs I have one thing that looks like Venice and Ralph shit and the next thing is in the BAPE area. So it's really about figuring out how to embody all of these things I like but have my own voice. I have that opportunity to put my name on something and people will buy it, but I want to create something that has its own voice and other designers can look at it and be inspired by. I wasn't put on this earth to make money – I was put on this earth to make magic. I was put on this earth to make music and art.
What can people expect when they come to see you play live?
It's just the best shit ever up to this point as we haven't done the next show yet (laughs)
So the current show is always the best?
If you ask me a question like what is your greatest accomplishment, it should be what I'm about to do. And I'm about to perform tonight and people will be like 'yo, that shit is crazy!'. I was opening up for Bono and he said to me that nobody from my community has ever figured this out – apart from Michael Jackson. Although I wouldn't want to be in Michael Jackson's shoes. He did something so great and has given so many gifts, yet people tear him apart any chance they get. He can't do anything without people calling his by name and the paparazzi all over him. How do you wake up in the morning and deal with that? I really respect Michael Jackson for living through all of the different type of press and blah blah blah he gets. For me it's definitely difficult as I'm a real person. I feel like when anyone says anything about me, I'm back at high school – so you say something and I'm gonna talk to you at lunchtime (laughs).
And would you work with Michael Jackson?
Yeah, I've talked to him a few times. I wouldn't be opposed to working with him.
Is the time right for people to reappraise him? Make a comeback?
Anything can happen with incredible and relevant music.
And am I right in thinking you are working on a puppet show? Alligator Boots?
Yeah – we worked on it but are still working out what network will put it out. But we did a pilot. I don't like when there's a lot of press on something before it appears though. I like to hit people so they're like 'damn!'. You see the product and the press comes from it.
Was that the thinking behind the new album appearing pretty much out of the blue? To heighten the impact?
Yeah – with 'Love Lockdown' it just dropped. I'll drop the video and then the next video. I think people are going to be surprised. People were surprised by 'Love Lockdown', but when people listen to the album they think they won't get the same feeling as when they heard 'Graduation' or 'Late Registration'. Especially hip-hop fans. But when they listen to it, they'll be like 'wow – this doesn't feel too far off hip-hop or the songs that hip-hop was made from'. You know? At the end of the day, ninety percent of hip hop is based on a song that did not have rap on it.
And you have faith that people will see this shared genealogy?
Yeah. This shit is hard music. Every beat on that album 50 Cent would have took. Every beat on the album the Clipse would have took. Every beat is hardcore shit. And actually it's talking about love, which is the hardest thing because love has no logic. So you're talking about some shit that can make you go crazy like drugs (laughs). If someone was to make a whole song about being on drugs, I guess that's like 'Rehab' a little bit, but say a whole album about being on drugs that's what it is to make an album about being in love. 'I was on drugs and I had no control of my emotions…'
Is it difficult to work on an album that is emotionally raw?
It's difficult and therapeutic at the same time. You can work through stuff.
How do you find playing to UK crowds?
I can't wait to perform tonight. My agent was talking about not doing this tour because ticket sales are down and all this shit. And I was like 'dude, I'm gonna sell tickets – I'm Kanye, the most important artist in the game' (laughs) I mean I fucking rock shows and people know what it is. And we sold out our shows. They say they don't know whether to bring the tour to the UK because it won't sell? We dropped two shows at the O2 and they sold out in hours and had to add an extra show. This is what we do. People should come to the show. In fact, you would be doing a disservice to not see this show if you have any appreciation for performance, music, spectacle, light, authenticity… Everything that goes in to making a quality show. This is the moment to see me. You might never see the likes of an artist at this point in his career again. You never know where I'll be tomorrow, where I'll be three years from now, five years from now… But right now this is the greatest show you could possibly see anywhere on Earth. I mean, you wanted to see Madonna right after Madonna dropped fucking 'Live To Tell' – that era. Can you imagine seeing Madonna in that era?! To be able to go and tell your kids twenty years from now that I saw Kanye in concert the year after 'Stronger' came out. I mean, 'Stronger' is going to be around forever. You can say that you saw me at that point. Because how many artists get to that pinnacle? As many artists you may like that have potential, they get one hit and are good… But to see a person at their height? And I unabashedly realise that I am at a high point. There is the possibility that there are other mountains to climb which allow me to get even higher than this, but I'm nowhere near U2's status of performing to one hundred thousand people consistently. But I think that comes with time – they become finer with time. When we do 'Through the Wire' people dance and sing to it just as much as a brand new cut like 'Love Lockdown'. Artists come out and say that their new album is better than the Beatles. You can't say that! Those songs are thirty years old. That's like when you have a best friend you've had all your life and some new guy comes along who's super cool and you're like 'man, this is my new best friend' – he is not going to be a better friend than someone you've known your entire life and these songs you have known you entire life. So I'm at this point where I have super hot songs but also songs that are like five years old that are in people's lives. People have listened to Spaceships to get through their day. People have listened to 'Rose', 'Hey Mama', 'Stronger' to help them. I get people come up and tell me that 'Stronger' helped me. And that's different to 'it made me dance'. But it's great that it makes people dance too.
You think that music can connect on different levels? It can sound good in the club but have the emotional richness to see you through hard times?
Yes. What's so funny is that I was making these records whilst having little media problems. People thinking I was a monster because I should have won, shit like that. Shit that didn't mean anything really but inspired these songs that meant everything. And then it really helped people when they were going through real situations. And then – wow, I've just gone through the hardest year of my life and I'm like performing these songs and they're helping me.
I remember seeing you perform 'Stronger' in Las Vegas quite a while before its release and the crowd loved it. If something fell flat in a situation like that would you go back and reconsider the track?
Yeah, you'd maybe improve on the song. But I told people when I did 'Stronger' that it was my greatest beat to date. I could play just that beat and it got such a reaction out of people; even more than 'Jesus Walks' which was the best before that. Yet it's even better now in hindsight! We'd be doing shows in Asia and shit and after the show I'd be like 'man, I am really happy I have that song'. It embodies everything a Killers song, a U2 song, a N.E.R.D. song has. Everything you want in a song, it has. It's got crowd participation, it has the build up, it has the longevity, it has the emotional chords, it has the message.
Where did the Daft Punk connection come from?
Oh that was A-Trak. He pointed that out. What's great is that I really look up to Daft Punk. I mean that's a group where I look at shit they're doing and bow to them. I feel they've created music and visuals that surpasses what I've heard up to that point. It's great to have groups like that which I can look up to. One day I can be on the level of sophistication that Daft Punk are. But that's the way the French are, you know? They're art, fashion and style is at the highest point on the globe. I completely believe in stereotypes! Like the best rap music is from America, mostly from the East Coast as that's where hip-hop was born and that's the best there is. The absolute best animators now are, to me, from Asia. You can think like Korea, Hong Kong, Japan – that's a big thing to say as its billions of people, but that is where it is done. The best clothing and heart of fashion is obviously Paris. And it trickles down from there, so you're not too far off when you get to London. And you're not too too far off once you get to New York. And you're not too too too far off when you hit Chicago and by the time you get to LA (laughs) it's gone. Is that bogus? It's funny though…
So what about Britain? What are we best at?
This is Britain right here? I thought this was Ireland?
No – Northern Island, which is part of Britain…
(laughs) Oh yeah, I knew that! Well I failed geography I'm proud to say. And who knew that I would actually need that skill? If I'd have thought I'd be travelling this much I might have studied! It could help me more in airports and shit. I can't even find my gate (laughs). Erm… There has to be something more than drinking tea!
How about drinking lager?
What's lager?
(laughs) Hell yeah man! Like I'm gonna say that Paris is known for fashion and you guys are known for beer! Shit – give me something positive to say… Oh, I got one thing! Stadium music is from UK. Stadium bands. You have people like Coldplay. There are no American stadium bands apart from me now.
How about The Killers?
Yeah. Well, we'll have to give it time and see. But The Killers are my favourite group. But they'll have to be consistent. Three or four great albums that have three or four great songs on each. I saw The Killers at the V Festival and that was amazing to me. Brandon from The Killers is one of the most stylish people, which I think is important. What happened to the Mick Jaggers, Michael Jacksons, Madonnas… People who are really fresh to death. I'm not going to name any names, but I feel like there are people who have the potential to do that and that alone holds them back. They look whack! (laughs) And that's another reason I think Barack won too. Nobody wanted to look at McCain anymore! For the four years he's going to be here and shit, people didn't want to look at that dude. Looking good does take you a long way. I mean this is entertainment. Look at me, I just switched it from politics to entertainment – but politics can be entertaining to people though.
It is true and there's a reason that we find certain people attractive or feel someone looks trustworthy. We've evolved that recognition.
Absolutely. If Barack had a missing tooth I guarantee he wouldn't have done so well (laughs)
So what's coming up next for Kanye?
I'm definitely having some clothes come out next year and some more singles from this album. I will be touring the next album by next summer though. You saw the show in Seattle right? Well what you're about to see tonight is way better than that. It had a bunch of kinks in it… You got the jist of what was going on, but now it's another league!
I saw you play at Global Gathering too.
Oh yeah, that's where the press made up that lie about me ordering in Indian takeaways for my entourage… That was a super lie and actually the catering was nasty as shit (laughs). We didn't have good food at all. It was super dirty in the back!
Would you play Glastonbury? Did you see the issues surrounding Jay-Z's performance?
Yeah, I mean I appreciate the racism. I experienced racism in a way that I couldn't overcome at Bonnaroo festival this year. I experienced it with my set being sabotaged and my time slot being moved; just everything about it. What was great about Jay-Z was that he overcame the racism and broke down more barriers and we're fighting every day… When I saw that image of Barack on CNN stood with his whole family on stage, I felt like I was in some futuristic movie. I was like damn; first we have iPods and now we have Barack – we are really in the future!
The edited version of this interview can be found in Issue 33 of Clash magazine, out December 4th. Read more about the issue here