Allow Me To Introduce Myself

Opus is a webzine masquerading as a weblog masquerading as a homepage, or something like that. Opus is the homepage of Jason Morehead—that’s me—where he rants and raves about stuff that interests him—music, movies, web design, computers, religion, video games, etc.—with the help of various and sundry contributors.

But enough of the third person. Opus has been around, in one form or another, for the last 8 years or so. This is the latest incarnation of the site, and is far more stripped down and minimal than those that came before. For this version, I stepped back and gave the site a second thought. How do I run the site now, as opposed to 2 or 3 years ago? How do I update it? What gets updated? How often? The answers to those questions gave rise to the form you see before you.

This is Opus stripped down its barest essentials, much of the dross and stuff that hasn’t been updated removed. Some parts will come back, eventually, but for now, the key is simplicity—reducing the site to its most necessary and vital components.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this thing all about?

I started Opus several years ago as a mere personal homepage, as well as a way to mess around with web design (something I'd become very interested in). Since I spent a lot of time on-line reading about my favorite bands and finding out about new music, I though I'd try my hand at writing a review or two. Originally, it was something I did for myself, and a few close friends. Of course, that's changed somewhat. I finally got around to registering a domain name a few years ago and Opus began in earnest.

Where is Opus located?

Opus HQ is located in the bustling metropolis of Lincoln, Nebraska, where I live in a house that was built in 1915 with my lovely wife, 1 kid, 0 pets, and a collection of CDs and DVDs that most folks find rather stupefying.

How often do you update Opus?

Opus is updated pretty much constantly, hence the move towards a structure that's more blog-like than zine-like in nature. Music and movie reviews are posted right alongside everything else.

What do you use to maintain Opus?

For many years, I used a homemade content management system built with PHP and MySQL. However, I have now switched over to using ExpressionEngine for all of my content management needs. As for other software, I use the trusty ol' standbys; Adobe Photoshop, ImageWell, Transmit, and of course, BBEdit.

I've noticed that a lot of your reviews are pretty positive. Shouldn't you be more objective?

The vast majority of stuff I review is stuff that I've purchased. I'm not going to buy something I know I'm going to dislike, so that right there is why a lot of the reviews are positive. Another reason is that I simply don't like trashing stuff. I always try to find a few good things about whatever I review. In my mind, that makes for better reading than simply writing "This sucks" and leaving it at that. Finally, Opus has always existed as a platform for me to write about the stuff I like. Simply put, I'd rather write about stuff I love, than trash stuff I hate.

Can I send you my band's demo/release/etc. to review?

Yes. If you'd like to send Opus a demo, please contact me. Also, a brief bio about your band, influences, etc. would be helpful. It doesn't have to be too elaborate, just something to give us more information about you and your music.

I sent you a CD a long time ago, but you haven't reviewed it yet. What gives?

Don't worry, I didn't sell it at the local CD Warehouse or anything to help pay the mortgage. Please remember that this is not my job. As much as I'd love to, I can't spend every waking hour working on Opus, though it feels like it sometimes. It's simply impossible for me to review all of the CDs piling up on my desk.

You guys are full of sh*t! <Insert Album/Movie Title Here> rocked.

Congratulations. You just stated your opinion. And that's all I do with my reviews. If you don't like my opinions, that's great. And if I trashed your band's CD, then I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. It doesn't mean we can't be friends.

Will you post my music/movie reviews?

You betcha! Just contact me and I'll take a gander. Your review may be edited for spelling, grammar, and general readability. However, the overall tone and message of your review will not be altered. If you feel that a review you've submitted has been altered wrongly, let me know and I'll make any corrections you deem necessary. Before you send me a review, please peruse the other reviews and think really hard as to whether or not your review would fit in here.

Can I put a banner ad on your site?

In a word, no. I do not put banner ads on Opus. It's not that I don't want to help you out. It's just that banner ads are eyesores and wastes of space. And don't try to sway me with promises of money. If I think it's cool, I'll write about it. It's that simple.

Can I reprint your reviews?

Absolutely! You can use as many reviews as you like, as long as you give the original author full credit, provide a link back to Opus (or put the URL somewhere in your 'zine), and don't try to profit from the review without my permission.

What happened to all of the photos and movie stills that used to be on the site?

I haven't erased them. I'm in the process of moving a lot of the photos to the Opus Flickr account. As for the movie stills, I'm not sure what I'll do about those yet.

What else do you do besides run Opus?

I work as a web developer at Firespring -- who has graciously hosted this site for many years -- where I focus on usability, interface design, web standards, etc. I've also been known to dabble in a wee bit of freelance work from time to time.

Contributors

Over the years, a number of contributors have lent their time and talents to Opus, writing reviews, taking photos, etc. The list includes, in no particular order:

Ian Armstead, Chris Brown, David Clasen, Aaron Coleman, Andrew Collier, Richie DeMaria, Jonathan Donaldson, Jeff Edwards, Hans Jakup Eidisgard, Jeffrey Ellinger, Paul Fain, Matt Fink, Heather Glenboski, Lars Gotrich, Pearson Greer, Jeff Keibel, Eric Kesner, Michelle Kiefel, Tricia Krull, Richard Maaranen, Pekky Marquez, Chris Martin, Autumn Miceli, Justin McVicker, Damian McVeigh, John Morrison, Paul Morton, Jared Neher, Jon Neill, Andrew Olson, Gala M. Pierce, Jorrit Polane, Liz Root, Nolan Shigley, Roger Simonsen, Josh Spencer, Anna Maria Stjärnell, David Thorpe, Phil Troop, Steve Tudor, Ruth Williams, Jordan, Matt, Rook, and Voideth.