Maker’s Mark, No Shot In The Dark – Toro magazine
DRINKS
None too many reckon where the tradition of brewing Kentucky bourbon in charred White Oak barrels started, but many attribute the legend to a certain Baptist reverend, Elijah Craig. Back in the days before prohibition, it was common for the clergy to handle the brewing of spirits, with examples from Trappist monks to the Benedictines. Others say the trend was just a matter of struggling Irish, Scottish and German settlers keeping up with the Joneses, McDougals and Schmidts in the new country.
Either way, newcomers to America in the 1700s who migrated up to Kentucky noticed that the waters in the area were relatively soft, and iron free, perfect for brewing liquors like bourbon, as no sludgy iron sediment was left in the distillate. The qualities of the water made their bourbon excellent capital and became their main source of currency.
They also, at the time, noticed that using charred wood yielded a golden caramel flavour and an glowing amber colour emanating from the liquor. Much more appealing than the White Dog bourbon, the standard brew of the day’s of the American revolution, a drink that harkens back all the stereotypes of frontier-land ‘firewater’ before barreling techniques had been perfected. White Dog is still batched by Maker’s Mark, far for commercial distribution, but more as a test substance to gauge the quality of their ingredients.
A whiff off the semi-legal moonshine leaves a sharp burn on the nose, but a sweet prominent tingle on the tip of the tongue. Drinkers who get their hands on a bottle will want to practice what’s called ‘nosing’ in some circles, or in Confederate states, the ‘Kentucky Chew.’ Swish the bourbon in your glass observing the liquid left behind towards the top. Breathe it in through your nose, and take a sip while inhaling, swishing it around in your mouth and making slight chewing motions with your tongue and lips.
Sadly, towards the 1920s, Prohibition and the Temperance movement rolled around and killed off the centuries old tradition. Poor, clandestine, brewing conditions yielded rocket-fuel tasting drinks and was in poor taste, both in social circles, and on the tongue. Decades of bourbon-barreling tradition were squandered, and the mixologist’s trade, “once as respected as doctors and lawyers,” went to waste, says Maker’s Mark distillery diplomat, Matt Jones. “Bartenders had to learn over 500 to 700 different cocktails and mixtures by name, along with a wide spectrum of bitters.”
But high-end modern bourbon was saved late in the 1950s by Bill Samuels, an eighth generation Kentuckian, who decided to pick up his family’s 170-year-old tradition. A chemist by trade, Samuels hated his family’s original recipe so much, that he burned it and set out to compile a more distinguished ratio.
Gentle red winter wheat was used rather than rye, which tended to yield a sharper taste seen in rye. Not wanting to imitate the already popular Jack Daniels and Jim Beam, he held a family meeting to figure out the new name. Maker’s Mark seemed fitting as his wife Margie suggested, inspired by her collection of antique pewter, as a pewter maker would only put his mark on his very best work. The signature wax seal, inspired from cognac, was melted and dipped in the family’s deep fryer. Maker’s Mark still uses a, hand-dipped waxing technique, which according to marketing manger James Monaghan, has been legally patented, “allowing us to sue any other competitors who try to use a wax dipped bottling technique. Some of the dippers have been there since the very beginning and you can tell if they are left or right handed by the way it drips down the bottle.”
After 52 years, Maker’s Mark is currently celebrating the release of their newest batch, 46 (in limited quantities at LCBO for $49.95) , aged for 9-16 weeks in French oak barrels. It’s 96 proof with a smooth finish and notes of caramel, sweet corn, vanilla and cinnamon.
http://www.toromagazine.com/lifestyle/drinks/b00c50ec-449b-9e74-b94d-d7a0ca3e2824/No-Shot-in-the-Dark/index.html
Rusko Interview – NowTube (Now Magazine)
NOW sits down with the reigning king of dubstep Rusko to talk about his new collaboration with Cypress Hill, his pop writing rejection, and his new live show
An Interview with Rusko (Part One) from NOW Magazine on Vimeo.
Interview by Jesse Ship
Cinematography by Kevin Sarasom
Produced and Edited by Graeme Phillips for www.nowtoronto.com/video
Jun Cha – Antenna Mag, Spring 2011
Click the article to read the full story!
At just 21, Jun Cha is making waves for his fine art and gothic inspired tattoos from his LA-based, Arudima Studios. Some of Jun’s celebrity clients include Freddy Gibbs and Rob Dyrdek, who hired him for a full back piece to honour his lifelong sponsors, Monster Energy Drink.
Elucid – Pain Parade
So, this is a great big wtf mess of noise. Elucid, (stalwarts, Breakage & Jamie Vex’d [who now goes by Q-d0]) call it the ‘Pain Parade’, which is probably the effect it would have on your mom’s ear drums, and it comes from their new album Super Chocolate Black Simian, dropping Jan 11. Dubstep seems to be going through an awkward, pubescent growth spurt, (let’s call it a tumorous), spreading its seed into all sorts genres where it doesn’t necessarily belong, like post-rock and east-coast hiphop.
Also, tune in for ‘Together’ a more forgiving, and melodically sophisticated track featuring what I believe to be a sample from the original white boy selektah, David Roddigan.
How I spent My Summer Vacation… – Egypt Travel Story – Antenna Magazine, Winter 2010
The Bug – Infected – Album review – Seen In Exclaim
By Jesse Ship
Just in case you have yet to be bitten by the Bug, Kevin Martin goes for the jugular, making sure you stay sick with his super-heavy dub madness. “Catch A Fire” will appeal to the angsty teen inside of you who can’t get enough of subversive little Asian girls chanting about burning the world down. This track features Hitomi as the agent provocateur, and the entire EP is built around this deeply disturbing track, easily the most infectious of the set. Autechre’s remix of “Skeng” is reminiscent of the Bug’s earlier work in the industrial scene, as dark sound textures are explored in depth with heavy clanks and echoes. Flow Dan’s vocal bits are reduced to eerie mutterings, with occasional splatting and squishing noises combined with the constant fritzing of a mosquito lamp battling a winged swarm. Also on the album is Roots Manuva on “Tune In,” a track bound to get your mojo, er, juju rising, as well as a remix by Scratcha DVA of the already anthemic “Poison Dart.” You may have a hard time finding a hardcopy with Hitomi’s buggy drawings (seen on many other bass-heavy albums), but the e-store is just a few clicks away.
(Ninja Tune)
Tricky Interview – Exclaim.ca
Tricky
INTERVIEWS 
WEB EXCLUSIVE NOV 2010
By Jesse Ship
Tricky’s newest album, Mixed Race, like his previous Knowle West Boy, features an eclectic bag of trendy minimal, electro, funk, and soulful sounds with some high-end collaborators. Making guest appearances are the ghetto-tech dancehall queen, Terry Lynn, the soulful North African lute player Hakim Hamadouche, Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, and Tricky’s youngest brother, up-and-coming rapper Marlon Thaws. The current single, “Murder Weapon” is a cover of the quirky ’90s dancehall hit by Echo Minott, which could find its place in a Guy Ritchie soundtrack given the right musical planner. As a self-identified experimental artist you can’t expect him to return to his pre-millenial days, but the production level is still engaging enough.
What does “Mixed Race” mean to you?
I was doing a show in Ireland while I was still demoing the new album, and my uncle came from Manchester to see me. He brought up loads of pictures of all my family, many of whom were white. For the first time, I saw a picture of me and my mum together, who passed when I was four. I’ve seen pictures her, and myself, but never us together. My knees buckled, and I got really hot, like I felt I had been punched. That’s when I knew that the album was going to be called Mixed Race.
How does that reflect on the music?
I think it reflects on the music I grew up on when I was younger, as well. I was a rude boy, but I was also a skinhead. I wore doc martins and jeans. You didn’t see many black skinheads back then. I was also a boy from rap. I think it must show in my music.
The album has a pretty mixed sound. How do you figure out what you want on it?
Albums let you know when they’re finished. I don’t make music, music makes me. I had people tell me, “Oh, your album’s really short.” But I didn’t realize it. I had no idea. Music makes me. I’m still very naïve in the studio. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t make chords, or play music, I’m still like a kid, like. I press keys and buttons, and fuck around with the bass, guitar, or piano, but I can’t really play.
What prompted you to cover Britney Spears’ “Piece of Me”?
In that world, Justin Timberlake is more credible than Britney Spears, but I think he’s a fake, he’s a culture vulture. People take the piss out of her sometimes, and frankly, I don’t understand why. I can understand someone laughing at JT, because I think he’s a joker, a comedian. “A Piece Of Me” is like, we did it sad, so I think, it must be hard being Britney Spears. And you listen to the lyrics more, and it’s not Britney. I was just trying to go into her life. My version makes me think of her, and makes me feel sad. She’s a young girl in a very high position; it must be a lot of pressure. I think she’s way better than him, musically. If were listening to “pop,” I’d rather have her. If we have to have over commercialized music, I’d rather hear Britney. Some of her stuff is really banging. There are a couple wicked club tracks on “Blackout.”
Do you identify with her then, given your own past?
I identify with her because she is critiqued so much. I get critiqued a lot because of Maxinquaye. They say that album changed things. I can’t just release an album without being really heavily critiqued. So we’re similar in that way, and we get crucified for little things. We show ourselves. JT is squeaky clean. You never hear any gossip about him; he’s got this perfect little PR bubble. The minute I, or she, does anything, it’s on the internet.
How is it working with your brother Marlon Thaws?
It’s so cool. He’s 25 now and I got him writing when he was 17, but he wasn’t good enough, he was sounding like other rappers, and I didn’t want to put him on an album just because he’s my brother. But now, I really respect what he does, and his talent.
You don’t seem to do too many remixes. Do you have an opinion on them?
I was doing remixes way back in the day for guys like Elvis Costello, and they said that I created the remix of taking everything and changing it, when I first came out. People usually remixed and kept a piece of the song but changed the bass, or the drums. But when I did it, I didn’t know about remixing, so I changed everything, and made it totally different. I just don’t do it so much now.
You are often the name behind the album, but you work with artists on your tracks where sometimes they are featured much more than yourself.
Yeah. I think that sometimes it’s because I’m lazy. Once I’ve written the lyrics and melody, it’s easier to pass it on to someone else. My managers and label are always saying, “put more of your voice” but I don’t think about it sometimes.
Another thing, the big sound right is dubstep. Do you recognize them or shy away with the new work?
No, because a lot of dubstep artists say they are influenced by me, so I don’t want to go there. They created something from what I did, so I think that’s great, I love some of the dubstep, but it’s not worth me going back and doing something that I helped create. I can’t be involved with that; it’s got to live its own life. I’ve got to grow and learn and find new music. Every time I do a new album, I’ve got to do something different. It would be going back and influenced by myself, in a way, which I don’t think makes much sense.
Ninja Tune – XX 20 Years of Beats and Pieces – Exclaim Magazine
Various Ninja Tune XX
By Jesse Ship
Best known for founding their fan base during the infancy of sampling in the early ’90s, or the “gee, aren’t we clever?” days by founders Matt Black and Jonathan More (aka Coldcut), this massive 20th anniversary release is mostly made up of cutting edge electro-, bass- and dubstep-inspired tunes and remixes. Low End Theory bass bin shakers like Daedelus, Eskmo, Poirier, Toddla T and the Bug appear in a big way, although it still has a dab of nerdy, jazzy, yet soulful, bedroom pontificating many associate with the label, like Floating Points Ensemble, Andreya Triana and Jaga Jazzist. The label is using this release as an opportunity to show the world what it’s been working on lately rather than what it did in the past. It’s time to move on and Ninja is keenly aware of this. As a label, Ninja Tune still has the impeccable taste of an eagle-eyed, young crate-digger, and is using the compilation, a year in the making, to show the world that Ninja Tune still has it. The compilation does make some concessions to the glory of the past, with familiar Amon Tobin and Coldcut remixes getting facelifts by the likes of the Orb and Switch, obscure cuts by a rarely heard, dub-y, ethereal Diplo, with “Summer’s Gonna Hurt You” (Diplo 2010 Remix), a joint Bonobo and Speech Debelle track titled “Sun Will Rise,” and stalwart UK rapper Roots Manuva getting remixed by Hot Chip for a built for the dance floor lyrical ride on “Let The Spirit.” Along with the six discs, the set includes a book, posters, lifetime memberships, six seven-inch singles and more.
(Ninja Tune)
Tricky – Mixed Race Review – Exclaim Magazine
Tricky
Mixed Race
By Jesse Ship
Tricky’s Mixed Race, like his previous Knowle West Boy, features a, well, mixed bag of current sounds and collaborators, in support of the once top rude boy of British trip-hop. The single, “Murder Weapon,” a cover of the quirky ’90s dancehall hit by Echo Minott, could find its place in a Guy Ritchie soundtrack, given the right musical planner. It does its job for the radio, with a steady beat and infectious chorus, but it’s little more than background noise. “Time to Dance” references two-step and minimal techno, vocally driven by Franky Riley, with literally a hint of his whispers in the background. Terry Lynn, known for her diverse bass lines, appears with a blunted redo of her Jamaican ghetto-tech anthem “Kingston Logic,” with Tricky dropping a couple bars so he can claim the song as his, but it’s robbed of its bass mentality. As an experimental artist, he’s constantly seeking to re-invent himself, so one shouldn’t expect a return to anything of his pre-millennial days. If anything stands out on Mixed Race, it’s that Tricky can still create well-produced, commercially palatable music. It may pique the interest of new listeners, but this one is mostly for open-minded fans.
(Domino)
