Slicing Up Eyeballs is an American website dedicated to rock music, in particular 1980s college rock. Founded in 2009 by journalist and music critic Matt Sebastian, the site publishes content including news, interviews, and polls. It has been identified as one of the Internet's most reliable resources for 1980s rock music.
 | |
Type of site | Music news |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Editor | Matt Sebastian |
| URL | slicingupeyeballs |
| Launched | 2009 |
| Current status | Active |
Background edit
Slicing Up Eyeballs was founded in 2009 by Denver-based writer Matt Sebastian.[1][2] A graduate of the University of Colorado, Sebastian had a 20-year career at the Daily Camera, where he worked as a music critic. He also wrote for various newspapers in Utah and the San Francisco Bay Area, and in 2018 joined The Denver Post as an editor.[3] Sebastian has alternately served as a radio presenter, hosting a Sunday night dark wave show for Sirius XM, as well as a Tuesday night show on Strangeways Radio.[2] He penned a guest column for USA Today in 2012, stating, "Slicing Up Eyeballs... is devoted to the genre that first turned me into a lifelong music geek: '80s college rock, aka modern rock, aka alternative rock, aka indie rock."[2] The site takes its name from a lyric in the 1989 Pixies song "Debaser".[1]
Content edit
The site provides music news,[4] user polls,[5] and interviews with musicians;[6][7] Erasure singer Andy Bell's official site, in sharing his 2010 interview with Slicing Up Eyeballs, described the page as "brilliantly named".[8] Exclaim! referred to the site as "one of the internet's most dependable resources for '80s rock",[1] while Westword said it "has established itself as one of the best sources around, maybe in the world, for news about '80s college, modern and indie rock".[4] Slicing Up Eyeballs articles have formed the basis of, or have been used as a reference in, pieces by mainstream outlets including the Irish Independent,[9] Clash,[10] Uncut,[11] Spin,[12] Pitchfork,[13] Rolling Stone,[14] NME,[15] Billboard,[16] and BBC America, who noted that a 2012 Slicing Up Eyeballs report about a potential new Kate Bush track caused a "hot fuss".[17] Artists such as Peter Hook, the Alarm and Deathline International have announced or premiered new material through the site,[6][18][19] while Martini Ranch's Andrew Rosenthal publicly addressed the death of bandmate Bill Paxton via the page.[20]
In May 2015, Sebastian announced that he would no longer be updating the site, but would maintain the Slicing Up Eyeballs presence on social media.[1] Its retirement was lamented by Newsweek, who featured Slicing Up Eyeballs in an article on "good pop culture sites" that ceased operations in 2015.[21] Sebastian revived the site in February 2017.[22]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Hudson, Alex (May 4, 2015). "Slicing Up Eyeballs Calls It Quits". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ a b c Sebastian, Matt (November 12, 2012). "Meet guest blogger Matt Sebastian". USA Today. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Matt Sebastian". The Denver Post. 25 October 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ a b "Best Of: Arts & Entertainment (2012)". Westword. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Slicing Up Eyeballs' Best of the '80s: Overall aggregate results for 1980-1989". Slicing Up Eyeballs. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Staples, Derek (November 24, 2010). "Peter Hook to record new 'Joy Division' EP". Consequence. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ Robb, John (February 3, 2021). "Daniel Ash announces new band: Ashes and Diamonds". Louder Than War. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Andy Bell interview for Slicing Up Eyeballs". Andy Bell. June 14, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Morrissey album in US sales halt". Irish Independent. August 22, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Murray, Robin (October 3, 2019). "R.E.M. Singer Michael Stipe Preps Debut Solo Single". Clash. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Watch Pixies debut new songs live". Uncut. September 9, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Martins, Chris (May 22, 2013). "Here's Morrissey's Life Story Read By a Robot". Spin. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (October 23, 2012). "Listen/Watch: New Depeche Mode Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ^ Perpetua, Matthew (February 22, 2011). "Digest: LCD Soundsystem Sell Out Four More Farewell Shows; Dave Matthews Band to Host Summer Music Festivals". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Disalvo, Tom (February 2, 2023). "Mark E. Smith's family hit out at 'extremely offensive' new project by former members of The Fall". NME. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Bits: Lady Gaga, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Greg Dulli and More". Billboard. February 18, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ McAlpine, Fraser (August 2012). "So Who's Going To Appear At The Closing Ceremony Of The London Games?". BBC America. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "The Alarm debut video for Thirteen Dead Reindeer at Slicing Up Eyeballs". The Alarm. 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Grech, Aaron (August 3, 2020). "Deathline International Shares Cover of Punk Rock Classic 'Troops of Tomorrow' Featuring Jello Biafra, Christopher Hall of Stabbing Westward, John Fryer, Members of Pigface and More". Mxdwn.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Homer, Aaron; Kennedy, William (June 27, 2022). "The 1980s New Wave Band You Didn't Know Featured Bill Paxton". Grunge.com. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
- ^ Schonfeld, Zach (December 26, 2015). "Dissolved But Not Forgotten: Why Did So Many Good Pop Culture Sites Die in 2015?". Newsweek. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Sebastian, Matt (February 11, 2017). "FAQ: The return of Slicing Up Eyeballs". Slicing Up Eyeballs. Retrieved June 12, 2021.