About Opus

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Welcome to Opus. If you’re new here, this page should tell you everything you need to know about the site. Last updated August 28, 2023.

What is this thing all about?

I started Opus several decades ago as a mere personal homepage, as well as a way to mess around with web design (something I’d recently 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 and Opus began in earnest.

Note: When referring to this site, its proper name is Opus, not Opuszine.

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 1978 with my lovely wife, three kids, no pets, and a continually growing collection of music, movies, and books.

How often do you update Opus?

Opus is updated several times a week.

What do you use to maintain Opus?

Opus originally ran on a homemade content management system built with PHP and MySQL. After that, I used ExpressionEngine for many years. However, Opus now runs on Craft.

A lot of your reviews seem 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 many reviews are positive. Also, 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. Opus has always existed as a platform for me to write about the stuff I like.

Put simply, I’d much rather write about the stuff I love than trash the 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, 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 something a long time ago, but you haven’t reviewed it yet. What gives?

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. It’s simply impossible for me to review all of the promos and releases filling up my inbox.

You’re so full of crap!

Congratulations. You just stated your opinion. And that’s all I do with my writing. 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.

Isn’t Opus a blog? Why can’t I comment on your entries?

Put simply, web comments the worst. Too often they’re abused as an avenue for mudslinging, trolling, and whatnot. And with the advent of Twitter, Facebook, et al., they’re not the only method for having an online dialog.

Will you post my music/movie reviews?

Contact me and I’ll take a gander. Before you send me a review, though, please peruse through the current reviews and think really hard as to whether or not your review would fit in amongst them.

Can I put a banner ad on your site?

I don’t run any banner ads on Opus. It’s not that I don’t want to help you out, but 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.

That said, if you’d like to support Opus financially, the best way is to become a subscriber.

Can I reprint your entries?

Absolutely. If you do, however, 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. Refer to the site as Opus, not Opuszine or Opus Zine.

What else do you do besides run Opus?

I work as a web developer at Firespring 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. I’m an editor for Christ and Pop Culture and I’ve also written for Filmwell, ScreenAnarchy, Christian Research Journal, and Christianity Today.

Contributors

Over the years, a number of folks have lent their time and talents to Opus by writing reviews, taking photos, etc. The list includes 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.

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