By Roman Wolfe
The backlash against Maxim magazine over a pair of negative reviews of albums by the Black Crowes and Nas continues.
Pete Angelus, the manager of the Black Crowes wrote an open letter today (February 28), responding to comments Maxim’s editorial director, James Kaminsky made to the Associated Press.
Kaminsky admitted to prematurely reviewing the Crowes upcoming album Warpaint, the first release for the band in seven years.
Maxim is also being accused of prematurely reviewing Nas’ upcoming album Ni**er.
Kaminsky apologized to readers yesterday (February 27) for reviewing albums that had not been completed.
"I will be the last person to mince words here: This is a mistake," Kaminsky told the Associated Press. "It's a mistake that won't happen again, but it's not a mistake that appears in other parts of (the magazine's entertainment section). ... There should be no blurry line between what's a preview and what's a review."
Both The Black Crowes and Nas’ albums were given 2.5 star ratings, even though the reviewer admitted to hearing just two tracks on the albums.
In an interview with the New York Post, Nas chastised Maxim for reviewing his album while he is still recording it.
"I'm finishing the album now, and it will be out April 22," Nas said of his highly anticipated album. "I’d prefer (a review from) Playboy. That kind of stuff doesn't reach my radar or effect anybody around me. I don't know what a music rating from Maxim is…I don't know what it even means really."
While Kaminsky apologized to the Crowes in an interview with the AP, Angelus was not satisfied with the editor’s explanation.
"Apparently the ‘mistake’ has allegedly occurred with another artist," Angus wrote today. "The recording artist Nas publicly stated that Maxim gave his unheard, unfinished material a 2.5 star rating. Was that a preview or a review that rated his material while he was still in the recording studio? In either instance, I feel it is indefensible. Angelus is demanding a direct apology from Kaminsky, who apologized via The Associated Press interview.
"After three public statements made by your publication, I feel that offering an apology through an Associated Press writer without addressing the band directly is offensive," Angelus wrote. "Although my comments may be perceived as unforgiving, the fact remains: Maxim has yet to issue a public apology directly to The Black Crowes."
