scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 For those who don't know, I am the managing editor at Alternative Press, a national music magazine that covers many bands who are popular on the VC boards as well as many more that aren't. I don't really talk openly about my job in here because there's no real need to, but lot of people here tend to have questions (or in some cases, accusations) about what I do for a living, so let this thread be a catch-all. I will do my best to answer any question within reason, but please keep in mind I am an active employee and as such can't go into super-sensitive topics. But if there's something you want to ask, this is the place and now is the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Jesus christ... jared, Shitty Rambo and withengineheart 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevorxramage Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Jesus christ... My thoughts exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billya Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Does AP require applicants to have an English degree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noalarmplanet Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Will ICE NINE KILLS ever make the cover?!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Does AP require applicants to have an English degree? No. We have no specific college degree requirements for any department, although obviously if you have a degree in journalism you'd be a better candidate for an editorial position than someone who doesn't. That said, my degree is in speech communication and they still hired me; a large part of that was from the work I did on Punknews.org. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Will ICE NINE KILLS ever make the cover?!!!! Absolutely not. I literally got pitched on them yesterday by their new manager and it took me all of 30 seconds to write back and tell him we currently have zero plans on ever covering that band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noalarmplanet Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Absolutely not. I literally got pitched on them yesterday by their new manager and it took me all of 30 seconds to write back and tell him we currently have zero plans on ever covering that band. Awesome! That thread was amazing, what a bunch of tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
element101 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 What has been your least professional/biggest geek out moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selfreliable Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Will Casey and I have to reunite to shit on AP again and again? I kinda miss my friendship with Casey and our mutual bonding over how shitty the company you work for is. Serious question though, Why dont you guys pimp Fred Durst anymore? jared 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Jesus christ... Don't like the thread? Don't read it. But it gets really old having people on this board throw around half-truths and misconceptions about what I do for a living when they have no actual knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noalarmplanet Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Ok serious question this time: Have you ever thought about collecting all your oral histories into a book? konk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseydave77 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'll bite Scott - thanks for offering. I got the subscription during one of the offers so I've read enough issues. I often feel like there is room for more hard-hitting or critical questions to be asked. I felt in particular like the guy from Dance Gavin Dance was given a virtual pass on way too much stuff. I figure AP is more for entertainment but you billed it as coming clean etc. Why doesn't AP pound a little harder at the touchier stuff? I like enough of the music discussed in your mags pages that I'd like a bit more. Then again maybe I'm just an old dude and I'm way outside the demographic. Ok, I know I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Don't like the thread? Don't read it. But it gets really old having people on this board throw around half-truths and misconceptions about what I do for a living when they have no actual knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
controlthebleeding Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I remember the last time i asked you about your job, birdwell and I had the worst experience imaginable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collectivemike Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I remember the last time i asked you about your job, birdwell and I had the worst experience imaginable. Woah woah woah. Where the hell has birdwell been? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
controlthebleeding Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Woah woah woah. Where the hell has birdwell been? he's around doing the work thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abovetheearth Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Writing and music takes passion. How do you write an article of a band you're just not into? Does the business just assign certain groups to people who are more into a band? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 deeted that question, could get you in trouble if you answered me real question, what is the coolest bribe you've gotten to cover a band, but then never actually covered said band? collectivemike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jared Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Don't like the thread? Don't read it. But it gets really old having people on this board throw around half-truths and misconceptions about what I do for a living when they have no actual knowledge. mjglor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Ok serious question this time: Have you ever thought about collecting all your oral histories into a book? Yup, this has been talked about a lot and is one of those "rainy day projects." I'd love to see it come to light this year. We have sooo much extra content from those oral histories that we just couldn't fit into print that would make a book totally awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 deeted that question, could get you in trouble if you answered me real question, what is the coolest bribe you've gotten to cover a band, but then never actually covered said band? There already is a national freelance writers union: http://www.nwu.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 I remember the last time i asked you about your job, birdwell and I had the worst experience imaginable. Business dinner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
213041284s Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 please explain this taylo234 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 What has been your least professional/biggest geek out moment? Hmm, that one's tough. I've always really tried to come off as professional as possible when I'm at work (although I'm sure I've had more than my fair share of "punisher" moments with bands I really love when I talk to them after a show or something). My biggest fanboy concern was both times I got to interview Rivers Cuomo, but I felt like I maintained a decent level of professionalism during those, too. I definitely try to sneak in a few fanboy-only questions toward the end of interviews like that, though, only because I know what I would want to get out of an interview if I were on the other side. I also remember really, really trying to impress Ben Folds the one time I interviewed him back in 2005 or so. He was very uninterested in the interview (it was an in-the-studio piece for the album that would become Songs For Silverman), and I really had to push the boulder uphill and show him I was actually interested in who he was as a person and as a musician. Once I did that, he let his guard down and we had a nice chat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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