MAXIM Writer Distances Himself From BLACK CROWES Controversy

David Peisner, the Maxim freelance writer responsible for penning a negative review of the BLACK CROWES' new album without hearing the whole CD, has released a statement to the Los Angeles Times music blog "Soundboard" distancing himself from the controversy.

Peisner writes: "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."

BLACK CROWES manager Pete Angelus had this to say about Peisner's statement, in a phone interview with "Soundboard":

"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."

"Warpaint", the BLACK CROWES' first album in seven years, is set for release March 4. The blues-rock group, fronted by Chris Robinson, has released only one song from the disc, "Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution".