Slicing Up Eyeballs

{{Short description|International online pop culture magazine}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Infobox website

| name = Slicing Up Eyeballs

| logo = Slicing Up Eyeballs header.jpg

|url={{url|slicingupeyeballs.com}}

| type = Music news

| language = English

| editor = Matt Sebastian

| launch_date = {{start date and age|2009}}

| current_status = Active

}}

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.

Background

Slicing Up Eyeballs was founded in 2009 by Denver-based writer Matt Sebastian.{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/slicing_up_eyeballs_calls_it_quits|title=Slicing Up Eyeballs Calls It Quits|last=Hudson|first=Alex|date=May 4, 2015|website=Exclaim!|access-date=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/popcandy/2012/11/12/meet-matt-sebastian/1699279/|title=Meet guest blogger Matt Sebastian|last=Sebastian|first=Matt|date=November 12, 2012|website=USA Today|access-date=June 12, 2021}} A graduate of the University of Colorado, Sebastian had a 20-year career at the Daily Camera, where he worked as a music critic and entertainment editor. He also wrote for various newspapers in Utah and the San Francisco Bay Area, and in 2018 joined The Denver Post as an editor.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/author/mattm-sebastian/|title=Matt Sebastian|website=The Denver Post|date=25 October 2019 |access-date=June 12, 2021}} 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. 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." The site takes its name from a lyric in the 1989 Pixies song "Debaser".

Content

The site provides music news,{{cite web|url=https://www.westword.com/best-of/2012/arts-and-entertainment/best-music-blog-5158733|title=Best Of: Arts & Entertainment (2012)|website=Westword|access-date=June 12, 2021}} user polls,{{cite web|url=http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/best-of-the-80s-aggregate-results/|title=Slicing Up Eyeballs' Best of the '80s: Overall aggregate results for 1980-1989|website=Slicing Up Eyeballs|access-date=June 12, 2021}} and interviews with musicians;{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2010/11/peter-hook-to-record-new-joy-division-ep/|title=Peter Hook to record new 'Joy Division' EP|last=Staples|first=Derek|date=November 24, 2010|website=Consequence|access-date=February 7, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/daniel-ash-announces-new-band-ashes-and-diamonds/|title=Daniel Ash announces new band: Ashes and Diamonds|last=Robb|first=John|author-link=John Robb (musician)|date=February 3, 2021|website=Louder Than War|access-date=June 12, 2021}} Erasure singer Andy Bell's official site, in sharing his 2010 interview with Slicing Up Eyeballs, described the page as "brilliantly named".{{cite web|date=June 14, 2010|title=Andy Bell interview for Slicing Up Eyeballs|url=https://www.andybell.com/andy-bell-interview-for-slicing-up-eyeballs/|access-date=June 12, 2021|publisher=Andy Bell}} Exclaim! referred to the site as "one of the internet's most dependable resources for '80s rock", 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". 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,{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/morrissey-album-in-us-sales-halt-30528743.html|title=Morrissey album in US sales halt|date=August 22, 2014|website=Irish Independent|access-date=June 12, 2021}} Clash,{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/rem-singer-michael-stipe-preps-debut-solo-single|title=R.E.M. Singer Michael Stipe Preps Debut Solo Single|last=Murray|first=Robin|date=October 3, 2019|website=Clash|access-date=June 12, 2021}} Uncut,{{cite web|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/news/watch-pixies-debut-new-songs-live-18545/|title=Watch Pixies debut new songs live|date=September 9, 2013|website=Uncut|access-date=June 12, 2021}} Spin,{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/05/morrissey-birthday-wikipedia-entry-read-out-loud/|title=Here's Morrissey's Life Story Read By a Robot|last=Martins|first=Chris|date=May 22, 2013|website=Spin|access-date=June 12, 2021}} Pitchfork,{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/48312-listenwatch-new-depeche-mode-song/|title=Listen/Watch: New Depeche Mode Song|last=Minsker|first=Evan|date=October 23, 2012|website=Pitchfork|access-date=February 7, 2023}} Rolling Stone,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/digest-lcd-soundsystem-sell-out-four-more-farewell-shows-dave-matthews-band-to-host-summer-music-festivals-251191/|title=Digest: LCD Soundsystem Sell Out Four More Farewell Shows; Dave Matthews Band to Host Summer Music Festivals|last=Perpetua|first=Matthew|date=February 22, 2011|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=June 12, 2021}} NME,{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/mark-e-smiths-family-reject-new-project-created-by-former-members-of-the-fall-this-is-extremely-offensive-3391048|title=Mark E. Smith's family hit out at 'extremely offensive' new project by former members of The Fall|last=Disalvo|first=Tom|date=February 2, 2023|website=NME|access-date=February 6, 2023}} Billboard,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/959334/billboard-bits-lady-gaga-the-cure-depeche-mode-greg-dulli-and-more|title=Billboard Bits: Lady Gaga, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Greg Dulli and More|date=February 18, 2010|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 12, 2021}} and BBC America, who noted that a 2012 Slicing Up Eyeballs report about a potential new Kate Bush track caused a "hot fuss".{{cite web|url=https://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2012/08/so-whos-going-to-appear-at-the-closing-ceremony-of-the-london-games|title=So Who's Going To Appear At The Closing Ceremony Of The London Games?|last=McAlpine|first=Fraser|date=August 2012|publisher=BBC America|access-date=June 12, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424205125/https://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2012/08/so-whos-going-to-appear-at-the-closing-ceremony-of-the-london-games|archive-date=April 24, 2016}} Artists such as Peter Hook, the Alarm and Deathline International have announced or premiered new material through the site,{{cite web|url=http://thealarm.com/the-alarm-debut-video-for-thirteen-dead-reindeer-at-slicing-up-eyeballs/|title=The Alarm debut video for Thirteen Dead Reindeer at Slicing Up Eyeballs|date=2019|publisher=The Alarm|access-date=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2020/08/03/news/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/|title=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|last=Grech|first=Aaron|date=August 3, 2020|website=Mxdwn.com|access-date=June 12, 2021}} while Martini Ranch's Andrew Rosenthal publicly addressed the death of bandmate Bill Paxton via the page.{{cite web|url=https://www.grunge.com/832524/the-1980s-new-wave-band-you-didnt-know-featured-bill-paxton/|title=The 1980s New Wave Band You Didn't Know Featured Bill Paxton|last1=Homer|first1=Aaron|last2=Kennedy|first2=William|date=June 27, 2022|website=Grunge.com|access-date=February 6, 2023}}

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. Its retirement was lamented by Newsweek, who featured Slicing Up Eyeballs in an article on "good pop culture sites" that ceased operations in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/why-did-so-many-good-pop-culture-sites-die-2015-grantland-408333|title=Dissolved But Not Forgotten: Why Did So Many Good Pop Culture Sites Die in 2015?|last=Schonfeld|first=Zach|date=December 26, 2015|website=Newsweek|access-date=July 3, 2021}} Sebastian revived the site in February 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2017/02/11/the-return-of-slicing-up-eyeballs/|title=FAQ: The return of Slicing Up Eyeballs|last=Sebastian|first=Matt|date=February 11, 2017|website=Slicing Up Eyeballs|access-date=June 12, 2021}}

References

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