Loading ...
VH1 talking-head staple and former Rolling Stone executive editor Joe Levy has been named editor-in-chief of Blender, according to a release that just landed in our inbox. Levy is apparently replacing Craig Marks, who had been Blender’s editor-in-chief since 2004; the magazine also appointed a new publisher in December. Guess this means Levy won’t be on the next season of I’m From Rolling Stone! Full release after the jump.
New York, NY (January 9, 2008) — Alpha Media Group Inc. CEO Kent Brownridge today announced the appointment of Joe Levy to Editor-in-Chief of Blender, the award-winning music magazine. Levy will oversee the editorial strategy and direction of Blender. He joins Ben Madden who was named Publisher in December.
Levy joins Blender from Rolling Stone where he most recently served as Executive Editor. For the past ten years, Levy helped define the editorial direction of Rolling Stone, steered the magazine’s music coverage, edited features and cover stories, and supervised special issues such as Rolling Stone’s 1000th issue and the RS 500, the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Prior to Rolling Stone, Levy was a senior editor at Details and an editor at the Village Voice and Spin. He taught at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Recorded Music as an adjunct professor and is the co-editor of The Rolling Stone Interviews (Back Bay Books).
Kent Brownridge, CEO of Alpha Media Group Inc. said, “Joe is the Dean of today’s music magazine editors–he is well known among his peers in the music industry, and beyond, for his passion and professionalism and I am thrilled to welcome him.”
Levy graduated from Yale University with distinction. He and his wife reside in New York City.
Blender [Official site]
[Photo: MTV]
What the hell is with rock critics being the “Dean” of things, anyway? Was that ever a cool title/nickname?
Craig Marks’ entire career as Blender ed was predicated on his being a CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND of Courtney Love and therefore having access to all the celebs Courtney, ah, palled around with (Winona, Jack Osbourne, Billy Corgan, JT Leroy, and other cutting-edge names). I suppose as soon as Alpha Media’s honchos went to People’s site and found out Courtney, in a few weeks, was just going to be another old lady drooling on Cornelia St at 3 am, his days were numbered.
Seems like Kent is looking for any way to take Jann down….
Maybe now Michael Ian Black will take over Rolling Stone.
And we can now look forward to years and years of VH1 and Blender present the 100 Sexiest Scandaliest Metaliest Hip-Hoppiest Guiltiest Pleasures of the 80’s and 90’s…3D!!!
Not unexpected but handled awfully poorly. Marks is a fine editor and will have no problem lining up a next gig. Kent Brownridge as usual shows no class. End of story.
Joe Levy’s always been one of my guilty crushes. I’ve long wanted to contempt-shtup him.
Is that wrong?
There is only one dean.
@Chris N.: Dean Wermer.
When I worked at RollingStone, Joe seemed cool except for a slight ‘God’s gift to women’ attitude about him. Craig Marks was a COMPLETE asshole (and was reportedly one at Spin) and made terms up like whether a certain star was ‘rape hot’ or not. I hope his next job sucks.
Previous co-editor Andy Pemberton still has Craig’s knife in his back and is probably smiling at the news.
Blender is the perfect magazine for the retard generation.
I’ve worked with Craig Marks for six years at Blender, have known him for even longer, and have huge respect for him as a magazine editor and as a person. The accusation that he would use the phrase “rape hot” is vile and obviously untrue. Slimshadenfruede can say whatever he wants about the quality of Blender or how Craig “reportedly” behaved at Spin; but an anonymous accusation about rape humor is beyond the spectrum of decent behavior, even behavior motivated by spite and pettiness.
@robtannenbaum: Second that.
I worked with Craig Marks for three years at SPIN. I can’t imagine him ever having used the phrase “rape hot.” And I was with him in meetings where the dialogue about cover choices could sink as low as it could go. He stood out as a person of decency in that realm. Try again.
Craig may be a tough nut and not the most warm and fuzzy mag ed in town, but he’s done a great job putting out a decent magazine for a creepy publishing company. he’s probably lucky to get out of Kent’s clutches. Why Joe would go there is hard to fathom, since I doubt Kent is inclined to make him rich. So who’s the next editor of RS gonna be? Jonathan Safran Foer?
oh, and by the way, andy p is a total tool. it was a mercy killing.
I have worked with Craig at various magazines for years and he is a close personal friend. He would never advocate a sick phrase like “rape hot.” In 1993, he coproduced the pro-choice benefit album “Born to Choose” — the project was his idea and he fought against the fears of record execs to see it to fruition, finally, at Rykodisc. He’s supported the careers of writers like Elizabeth Gilbert and editors like Kim France. His wife, Rene Steinke, is a National Book Award finalist and a strong feminist. Craig is a great editor and I know he will land on his feet. No disresepect to Joe, he is also a great editor (I worked with him at the Voice in the 1990s), but please stop bashing Craig. Those who know him, know his worth.
Blender is the Stereogum of music magazines, down to the blog-awful writing, vapid trendiness and my masochistic desire to keep reading it.
I haven’t written for Blender in a while, but I always liked Craig, both professionally and personally.
Case in point: He probably could have helped make my previous comment a bit more zippy.
Ahhh, just as expected all the defensive commenters are people Craig actually hired so GO FUCK YOURSELVES. Go back to your asskissing fading jobs.
I’ve worked with both, and both are seriously decent human beings. That said, Joe Levy is pretty fucking hilarious. I’m actually looking forward to seeing what he’s going to bring to a magazine I already like. Anyway, RS is getting so boring. Bring on the witty captions, Levy. (Sorry, Marks.)
Is Kobe Bryant allowed to use the phrase “Rape Hot”, or is there a blanket ban??
@SlimShadenfruede: Thanks for thoroughly discrediting yourself, but time for you to move on.
Gawker, could you ban this person? Ban me too, if necessary, but get rid of this garbage and improve the level of discourse here.
Slim is also pointing a gun at me :(
Learn how to spell Schadenfreude, Slim!
Libeling someone the day they lose their job. Nice. This is why Gawker sites and their odious commenters are held in even lower esteem than dying print media.
Anonymity is the Dutch courage of bloggers, so it’s relevant to point out here that SlimShadenfruede’s real name is Gary French.
Here’s a bio he posted online in 2004 when he was creative director of Drill magazine:
A veteran of the men’s magazine scene, French’s design background includes stints at a range of men’s magazines including Blender, Stuff, Maxim, Maxim Fashion, and FHM. He has also worked at USA Network and Mirabella. In addition, French’s pop-star illustrations appeared regularly in Blender.
He now works for AtticWitt.com, where his bio reads:
Gary French (The Art Guy) has over 10 years of experience overseeing creative design teams in editorial and advertising.
Gary’s most recent position was at the New York City headquarters of the U.K. based custom publishing house, John Brown Publishing. At John Brown, Gary developed and was Art Director of their first original title, Drill, a competitor to Maxim.
Gary began his design career at Hachette Filipacchi, eventually becoming Art Director of Popular Photography. He then moved to Dennis Publishing. At Dennis, Gary oversaw layout and illustration for the marketing and advertising materials of Stuff, Maxim and Blender.
Gary’s minor role at Blender would not have put him in close contact with Craig Marks, who was the editor of the magazine.
@jackbarber: Before you ask the Gawker gods to get rid of me, I hope they read your past comments:
“Why has Gawker gotten so collegiate all of a sudden? I could give a shit about Dartmouth, Bard, Wesleyean (which I’m too dumb to even spell) etc”
Dumb you are! I speak the truth, you speak lies. hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaaha!
@SlimShadenfruede: You are such bad person. leave us now!
Joe, my question is very personal: How do you do it? How do you keep upbeat and so wonderful?
Joe Levy is one of the brightest editors I’ve ever worked with, and certainly the most even-handed. .
I think the answer to Luke’s question is: Therapy.
It obviously didn’t work for me! : )