turns out the answer to “are they malicious or just stupid” — a question often asked about big media boss types — is “yes, but sliiiightly more the former”

I hope whoever did this is haunted by Merle Haggard songs randomly blasting at maximum volume out of every speaker they own.

A quick reminder that this thread is turning into the best overall place collating Kaleb's longer-form work; Jake's been steadily adding to it, with the latest entries just today. (And the tweets and the photography and the podcast and etc. are all out there too.)

A farewell to my friend, Kaleb Horton, a great writer who died unexpectedly this past weekend.

I had to think for a long while how best to remember that remarkable writer and good soul, Kaleb Horton. I have done what I could. "An Absent Friend," via my Tumblr.

Kaleb Horton was a great writer because he wrote like someone who genuinely talks to ghosts. His words were alive, raw with wonder and weariness. You could feel the road under his sentences down to the pavement.

Kaleb Horton wrote one of the most powerful things I’ve ever read about memory and nostalgia. kalebhorton.ghost.io/memory-nosta...

RIP Kaleb Horton, one of the most dazzling, funny, kind, & truly original writers to ever grace this endangered medium. I was lucky enough to edit him for the most popular piece we ever did theLAnd. A strange poultry odyssey of true brilliance. thelandmag.com/pioneer-frie...

And now I'm just spelunking around and here's this Facebook post by Kaleb Horton from September 2017. It was three months after MTV dumped its freelancers. I'm sure it would have been a piece there; instead he posted this on FB just to have it written out: Toys 'R' Us as societal microcosm.

Some important info on Kaleb Horton and his writing for MTV: as I learned, he'd reupped the Merle piece on his site earlier this year, but otherwise his 2016-2017 work there was scrubbed and long unavailable. Happily, I was able to find a Wayback link with them all. Share, read, and remember.

Man, I remember hopping on the phone with Kaleb for this piece and thinking, "Oh you write almost exactly how you talk." He was so thoughtful & cared about his truth, his blue and funny vision of the world. Loved this piece, one of his many great accomplishments in life pitchfork.com/reviews/albu...

I always admired Kaleb Horton's writing so much and am terribly sorry to hear of his death. It's a long list of singular writers who didn't have the careers they should have because of the people, places, and things that killed online media, but his name is right at the very top. I hate all of it.

My hometown of Bakersfield, CA is a strange place, and few understood it better than Kaleb Horton, a brilliant writer that I’m sad to hear died this week. RIP to a writer of tremendous talent, and a photographer with an eye for the Central Valley like no other. The world feels really fucked today.

Kaleb Horton wrote this perfect obituary of Shane MacGowan www.gq.com/story/shane-...

my husband @kalebhorton.bsky.social hated the phrase “passed away” and had nothing but scorn for softening euphemisms in general. he was a firm believer in the comedy rule of threes, but only if the third thing can hit as a surprise. and he just died

This, I think, is what a lot of us are thinking. Also this: it's needed. It will not replace him. He should have been here for it.

Gutted at the news that Kaleb Horton is gone. Kaleb was a brilliant writer, of course, but he was also a gifted photographer. Years ago I encouraged him to sell his pieces. His work was so good, I told him, and people should see it. Here are some of his beautiful shots.

Kaleb Horton was an incredible writer with each new piece appointment reading, but I personally was so inspired by his photography. I had an album of his photos saved on my phone that I’d use as inspiration when writing myself. I needed him to put out that book.

An important update.

One of the best pieces by Kaleb Horton ever is no longer easily available, because of course MTV wouldn't maintain actual good music writing done for its site once. Thankfully I found it again via some digging: his 2016 memorial to Merle Haggard on his passing. Link here, screencaps to follow.

Count me among the hundreds of people who wish they could've met @kalebhorton.bsky.social and among the hundreds who want to keep writing as vivid as his alive. This piece, for example, about George Harrison and Formula 1 racing. www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

RIP Kaleb Horton kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/

Back here briefly to say that @kalebhorton.bsky.social was a truly incredible writer and photographer, and one of the funniest posters over on the last place, and I'm absolutely stunned to hear that he's died.

Amy Winehouse’s 'Back to Black,' Elton John’s 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and the Hamilton original cast album were entered into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

The Associated Press wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists, citing the 1st Amendment.

So sad today about the death of Clem Burke from cancer at the too-young age of 70. I kept seeing people mention his drumming on "Dreaming," which is one of my very favorite Blondie songs, and so I dug into why the tune (and his performance) is so brilliant. anniezaleski.substack.com/p/dreaming-i...

RIP Clem Burke, a magnificent rock (and disco) drummer. The isolated drums of "Dreaming," which are essentially non-stop fills for the entire track--genius. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xse...

It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer. (1/7)

Aerial view of today's #HandsOff2025 protest in PVD by @conormcd.bsky.social

Dua Lipa and Neill Finn dueted on “Don’t Dream It’s Over” last night at her show. ! youtu.be/2tlOZDPc6mE?...

NEW VIDEO: Well kinda... Here is my revisit of the development of Synth-Pop video I made four years ago, now twice as long with a bunch of bands and artists I forgot about including Stevie Wonder, DEVO, Sparks, Yellow Magic Orchestra, John Carpenter, and many many more. youtu.be/NLuSOMzSy9k

Hi all! I made an appearance on @rockinretropod.bsky.social talking about all things Phish in light of their Rock Hall nomination. It was really great talking to Nick about the band, their history, their fan culture, and their chances in the Hall this year.

oooooh yeah that's good

the star trek timeline is one where 90s world music never went away & there’s a hundred ft statue to bill laswell on the federation square

The great Adam Schlesinger died of Covid complications five years ago today. Here’s the tribute I wrote back then. Sorely missed

Up there with the "What do mean there's no ice? You mean I gotta drink this coffee hot?" line in Clerks with people totally missing the forest for the trees on the idea of iced coffee in the early 90s before it became ubiquitous.

The end of an era. The Apex ziggurat roof was one of the great oddball Rhode Island highway landmarks alongside the Crook Point bridge and the Big Blue Bug.

This is a great review from @allysonaj.bsky.social of the new Japanese Breakfast album for @inbetweendrafts.bsky.social.

As prologue you should watch all the hilarious celebrity crowd reactions from when Phish inducted Genesis and played "Watcher of the Skies":

Hey! I went on the Who Cares About the Rock Hall? podcast to lobby for Phish. Spoiler: I think they should get in.

Broadcast's singular debut album ‘The Noise Made By People’ was released 25 years ago today 💿

It feels subversive and wonderfully stupid that at a conference filled with expensive tech and AI blockchain crap, we are showing off the 30-year-old California Raisins video game

never seen a better create-a-pro wrestler

There are a million reasons to get into physical media but it's especially pressing for Looney Tunes, a universally beloved series of cartoons that have stood the test of time and that Warner Brothers seems -at best- embarrassed to be associated with.

Presumably, they're going to Tubi or another FAST service. Lots of shorts had been removed past year or two and this is just Warner fully ripping the bandage off. But Warner not having the *mascots of the company* on their streaming service anymore is a truly baffling move.

It’s life’s illusions we recall: new #HitParadePod episode on @slate.bsky.social is about forgotten ’60s hits from the Singing Nun to Jeannie C Riley. I identify 5 categories of forgotten hits—like easy listening, instrumentals &bubblegum—from a Boomer decade that was more ‘Mad Men’ than ‘Big Chill’

Nancy By Ernie Bushmiller March 14,1949

Absolutely wild that Tubi is now streaming the Sid & Marty Krofft "Bay City Rollers Show." 70s-tv.com/bay-city-rol...

NEW VIDEO!...and yes, it's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial for the Atari 2600. It's a game that's been covered a lot, but coverage of it and the crash in North America isn't always good. When it's easier than ever to make slop, it's worth doing it right. Enjoy and please share :) youtu.be/nEdAIXp2dqg