CHASEZ APOLOGIZES FOR 'OFFENSIVE' CD TITLE

Courtesy of charlidos, because she's fabulous.

From the New York Post Online, Page Six. Yes, *again* with the New York Post. The last sentence is completely uncalled for.

CHASEZ APOLOGIZES FOR 'OFFENSIVE' CD TITLE
by Richard Johnson

March 8, 2004 -- THE publisher of Schizophrenia Digest is furious at the cover of JC Chasez's new album, "Schizophrenia." Bill MacPhee, also a victim of the disease, is so upset over the album cover, which features Chasez in a straitjacket with rumpled hair and a dark look on his face, he claims "BMG Zomba and Jive have ignored the U.S. Surgeon General's call on the entertainment industry to help eliminate stigma to address the public health crisis that exists." MacPhee also says the album is "grossly misrepresenting the nature of the disease" and notes, "It is important for us all to understand the real symptoms and real implications of the disease. Ignorance will only stall advances for current and future disease sufferers." Chasez's freshman effort debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard charts this week. Chasez said via a rep: "I apologize to anyone I may have offended with the title and cover of my album. I took artistic license . . . as it was in reference to the wide range of music styles in the album." The singer is also said to be upset that his former *NSYNC bandmate Justin Timberlake has not come out to help him promote the album, but a rep for Jive denied this.

Plug It In review!

From Pitchfork, a review for 'Plug It In.' I saw this earlier but couldn't post it because of my lunch buddies! Blast them! So. I think the rating is one and a half stars, but that seems pretty low considering the compliments given. Who knows, I've given up trying to figure out what these reviewers are thinking. Edited to add: I'm a doofus! Thanks to revisionary for pointing out that the stars *follow* the review. Which means that 'Plug It In' got four and a half stars! Yay! Which makes more sense, considering the compliments it received. :-)


Basement Jaxx [ft. JC Chasez]: "Plug It In"

The UK-friendly "Lucky Star" was a solid choice for the first single off Basement Jaxx's Kish Kash, but in my mind doesn't stand a chance against the record's two great dance numbers, "Right Here's the Spot" and the newly released second single, "Plug It In". Part of me can't help but view "Plug It In" as much more of an American dance track, and it should put Basement Jaxx among steady vinyl pulls at the clubs-- at the least more so than "Lucky Star" did.

Much like the album it's culled from, "Plug It In" is extremely dense. Every moment is packed with nine or ten synthlines, whistles, vocal cut-ups (some even from other Kish Kash songs), horn hits, auxiliary percussion, and a good share of hooky early-90s Michael Jacksonisms that manage never to recall the more popular recent work of JC Chasez's former bandmate. Yet, for all this tomfoolery, Basement Jaxx's bass and drum programming keeps everything in line and everyone dancing-- which is really dance music's only responsibility-- and provides enough of a diversion for the floor to keep the magic of "Plug It In" from exhausting itself, if that were even a possibility.

[Nick Sylvester; March 8th, 2004]

JC's song "Slept with My Best Friend" at musicfreedom!

Thanks to Cusa86 at the JJB for the heads up!

Register to download and burn one of JC's unreleased tracks.

( Here's what happens after you register )

Edited to add: This is from Rachael at the JJB. It's the next part of the process. Some people are having trouble - they're having to re-register with musicfreedom.

( Download and burning instructions )

And here's the information concerning ripping your new CD - you can't!

( Anti-rip technology! )