Maxim reviewer: I thought I was a previewer

Maxim's decision to carry reviews for albums still unheard continues to create a fascinating sideshow: Today, David Peisner, the man whose reviews upset Nas and the Black Crowes, puts his side:

“I’m a freelance writer. I was assigned to write previews of the Black Crowes and Nas albums. I did that. When the issue came out, the previews were laid out as reviews complete with star ratings. I never at any point or to anyone claimed to have heard these albums in their entirety. Whatever decisions Maxim made after I turned in my work were beyond my control.”

Peisner doesn't say if this sort of thing has happened to him before - he's been writing for Maxim for at least two years (he reviewed - or possibly previewed - Lindsay Lohan for Maxim back in 2005).

The Black Crowes - who must be loving the publicity for an album which otherwise would have slid out largely unnoticed - aren't satisfied with this. Manager Pete Angelus continues to rail:

“There’s no accountability for Dave Peisner, editor James Kaminsky or Maxim magazine. They issued a partial apology to their readership, but no apology directly to the artist whose work they denigrated without having heard more than one song, while attempting to pass it off as an album review. I think Peisner’s claim is absurd. He wrote a review of music that he never heard, he disparaged both the band and the material. He said, ‘It hasn’t left Chris Robinson and the gang much room for growth,’ and yet now he’s going to attempt to pass off his actions on Maxim? Absurd.”

Perhaps Maxim are waiting to see if the album actually does turn out to be better than the review suggested it would be. It would be terrible if they had to then apologise for issuing an apology, wouldn't it?