Deb Never and Kenny Beats Pay Homage to Steve Austin in "Stone Cold"

image

Photo: Jenn Kang

Some would argue that the closest we have to modern-day Shakespeare is the WWE. Those some would be right. After all, where else can Stone Cold Steve Austin being hit by a car turn into a Holmesian style whodunit with numerous unexpected twists and red herrings? It is a love for theatrics and larger-than-life personalities that builds the foundation for Deb Never's and Kenny Beat's "Stone Cold."

READ: Discover Deb Never and the Infectious Melancholy of 'House on Wheels'

From Dominic Fike's "Phone Numbers" to the animated world of Denzel Curry's Unlocked, "Stone Cold" arrives in a long line of Kenny Beats - produced projects, and paints Deb Never as an artist who is undeniably up next. While most previous Kenny Beats-assisted affairs have been built around leftfield pop personality and booming hip-hop, "Stone Cold" retains Never's effortlessly cool flair.

Backed by a sauntering, ominous bassline, Never delivers a track that doubles as an homage to the infamous Stone Cold Steve Austin and an examination of toxic masculinity. "Stone Cold Steve Austin / Desperate for attention / He's slamming bodies left and right / Just to prove a point / That he's the strongest man alive / But a lonely boy," Never states in a characteristically nonchalant fashion.

"Stone Cold" also arrives alongside a video that adopts the theatrical approach of a backyard WWE show ripped straight from the attitude era of the late '90s and early '00s. With Never donning inflatable muscle arms à  la SpongeBob and Kenny Beats making for a grade-A announcer, we may just have an early contender for the best music video of 2020 on our hands.

Listen to "Stone Cold" below:

Related Articles

Atlanta Shoegaze Band, yearn, Explores the Depth of Grief, Desire, and Nostalgia [Track-by-tracj]

Atlanta Shoegaze Band, yearn, Explores the Depth of Grief, Desire, and Nostalgia [Track-by-tracj]

July 7, 2026 We reached out to the band to get the track-by-track breakdown of the EP in their words.
Author: OTW Staff
Keo Refuses to be Labeled

Keo Refuses to be Labeled

July 2, 2026 Despite being mischaracterized as a maverick guitar band for Gen-Z, Keo’s music demonstrates multi-generational appeal, their reckless sound derived from bands such as Pearl Jam and Nirvana, attempting to put listeners onto comparable music from previous eras.
Author: Noah Wade
Keo
Get Ready To Fall In Love With All-Girl Punk Band Honeymoon Phase [Q&A]

Get Ready To Fall In Love With All-Girl Punk Band Honeymoon Phase [Q&A]

July 1, 2026 Honeymoon Phase's raucous debut single “Polaroid” is a dazzling and dynamic kiss-off to a lover they’re feeling more than a little ambivalent about.
Author: India McCarty