I wrote about Sonny Rollins - a huge influence on me as a saxophonist, and a man whose creative philosophies I'll forever be trying to understand and emulate.

When Kirk and I worked together at Kotaku, we bonded over a mutual love of jazz and especially Sonny Rollins. So glad he wrote this beautiful appreciation.

I wrote about Sonny Rollins - a huge influence on me as a saxophonist, and a man whose creative philosophies I'll forever be trying to understand and emulate.

Sonny Rollins makes me so unbelievably happy. 95 years of a beautiful, unflinchingly creative life. Sad to see him leave this form of existence but so grateful that I get to live the rest of my life with what he left us.

No other player had a bigger impact on me, as a musician and as an artist. I am so grateful to him. RIP Sonny Rollins, the colossus.

Every tribute is a translation. Ahead of the Miles Davis centennial, I wrote about a blazing show (or a few of them) in West Peabody, Massachusetts, and some traces left behind.

The new episode of Strong Songs returns to Miles Davis's 1959 jazz masterpiece KIND OF BLUE. 🎶🎺 I focused on three solos: Wynton Kelly's piano solo on "Freddie Freeloader," and Trane and Cannonball's tenor/alto sax solos on "Flamenco Sketches." I hope you dig it - as always, thanks for listening!

The new episode of Strong Songs returns to Miles Davis's 1959 jazz masterpiece KIND OF BLUE. 🎶🎺 I focused on three solos: Wynton Kelly's piano solo on "Freddie Freeloader," and Trane and Cannonball's tenor/alto sax solos on "Flamenco Sketches." I hope you dig it - as always, thanks for listening!

I wrote about Mixtape, I game I liked and then began to have increasingly complex feelings about:

dude triads are so cool. major, minor, diminished, doesn't matter. Put em over a different note and they become a different chord. I mean is there anything they can't do??? triads, man, I'm tellin you

The newest episode of Strong Songs is about Megadeth's "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due." 🎸🤘🏼🎶 This episode was a blast to make - it gave me a new appreciation for Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman, and for how well they complemented one another. Hope you dig it, thanks for listening!

The newest episode of Strong Songs is about Megadeth's "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due." 🎸🤘🏼🎶 This episode was a blast to make - it gave me a new appreciation for Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman, and for how well they complemented one another. Hope you dig it, thanks for listening!

The newest Strong Songs is about Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” - an incredible song that has only grown more meaningful with time. I'm very proud of this episode, and I hope you enjoy it. If you do, consider spreading the word, and/or joining the Patreon! Happy listening, y'all - 🎶

The newest Strong Songs is about Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” - an incredible song that has only grown more meaningful with time. I'm very proud of this episode, and I hope you enjoy it. If you do, consider spreading the word, and/or joining the Patreon! Happy listening, y'all - 🎶

this morning anya taylor-joy was hit with a question that has never been asked before in the history of the universe

This bit in the From Russia With Love game made me laugh out loud. You've got a fairly grounded, low key fight based on the one in the movie, then the most video game looking fucker of all time slides into frame.

you could be watching this right now

I hope Capcom never stops using the flashlight-to-shoulder reload animation

Me [over party music]: I really did only have an iced coffee that whole day Bella Hadid: That’s crazy

I wrote about how *where* people made a thing can matter almost as much as how, especially in this age of faceless, placeless AI:

The newest episode of Strong Songs is about “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie — a one-night collaboration in Montreaux that resulted in an unusual, occasionally awkward, and ultimately triumphant song. I’m really happy with this episode and I hope you enjoy it! 🎶

I wrote about how *where* people made a thing can matter almost as much as how, especially in this age of faceless, placeless AI:

This episode of Strong Songs podcast by @kirkhamilton.com is a glorious and gorgeous tribute to an iconic 80s classic. I never realised there was a saxophone 🎷 in Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie! Give this a listen with your best headphones on strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episod...

The newest episode of Strong Songs is about “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie — a one-night collaboration in Montreaux that resulted in an unusual, occasionally awkward, and ultimately triumphant song. I’m really happy with this episode and I hope you enjoy it! 🎶

i talked to the lead designer for Seance of Blake Manor, one of my favorite mystery games of last year. it's not as brain-destroying as something like Blue Prince and that's very much by design. you can walk away and come back to it, for example www.mothership.blog/seance-of-bl...

STRONG SONGS LIVE! 🎶 THIS SUMMER IN PORTLAND!! 🌹GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!!! 🎶 🎟️ Saturday, July 11, at the Alberta Rose Theatre. A full band playing a mix of original music and Strong Covers. A musical journey filled with singing, learning, storytelling, and sax solos. It's gonna be so good aaaaa

Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step. 1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish. 2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.

STRONG SONGS LIVE! 🎶 THIS SUMMER IN PORTLAND!! 🌹GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!!! 🎶 🎟️ Saturday, July 11, at the Alberta Rose Theatre. A full band playing a mix of original music and Strong Covers. A musical journey filled with singing, learning, storytelling, and sax solos. It's gonna be so good aaaaa

Born and raised a Hoosier, he never cared about college football until he attended the University of Miami. Now, one man faces a choice he never thought he’d have to make

Strong Songs Season Eight is now underway! The season premiere is about “Rosanna” by Toto. This episode was incredibly fun to make - what a band, and what a great song. (And what a pair of guitar solos??) I hope you enjoy it. 🎶

Strong Songs Season Eight is now underway! The season premiere is about “Rosanna” by Toto. This episode was incredibly fun to make - what a band, and what a great song. (And what a pair of guitar solos??) I hope you enjoy it. 🎶

Born and raised a Hoosier, he never cared about college football until he attended the University of Miami. Now, one man faces a choice he never thought he’d have to make

hi! i'm co-founding a new gaming website with my former polygon colleague @zoehhannah.com. it's called mothership.blog. i made it for someone like me... the kind of website i always wished we had in our space. watch the video to learn more :D

how do you know what I expect

I wrote about podcasting’s ongoing pivot to video, and the power of listening without also watching:

Every game should do this!

How many different ways can a single paragraph tell you it was written by AI

I wrote about podcasting’s ongoing pivot to video, and the power of listening without also watching:

The final Calvin and Hobbes, which appeared in papers 30 years ago today.

Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up. I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.

The 5 words every woman wants to hear

My top 10 video games of 2025, in order of name length: Dispatch Sunderfolk Blue Prince Split Fiction News Tower Donkey Kong Bananza Hollow Knight: Silksong The Roottrees Are Dead Kingdom Come: Deliverance II The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Discussed in depth on this week’s Triple Click!

My top 10 video games of 2025, in order of name length: Dispatch Sunderfolk Blue Prince Split Fiction News Tower Donkey Kong Bananza Hollow Knight: Silksong The Roottrees Are Dead Kingdom Come: Deliverance II The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Discussed in depth on this week’s Triple Click!

I’m from Whoville, and I say kill the Grinch!

A few things I wrote recently that I never shared here - First up, how musical practice helps me better understand difficult games like Celeste and Silksong:

So long, Substack! I've moved my newsletter, Kirk's Notes, to a new home with its own URL and everything. I wrote about that, along with some other plans for 2026: www.kirksnotes.com/p/new-home-n...

So long, Substack! I've moved my newsletter, Kirk's Notes, to a new home with its own URL and everything. I wrote about that, along with some other plans for 2026: www.kirksnotes.com/p/new-home-n...

This is a fantastic interview in general, but the realness of this particular answer stopped me cold