Self (band): Difference between revisions
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==Band members== |
==Band members== |
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* [[Chris James (audio engineer)|Chris James]] – piano, keyboards, mixing {{small|(1996–present)}} |
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* [[Matt Mahaffey]] – lead vocals, lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums {{small|(1993–2005, 2012–present)}} |
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* [[ |
* [[Chris James (audio engineer)|Chris James]] – keyboards, mixing {{small|(1995–2005, 2012–present)}} |
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* Jason Rawlings – drums {{small|(1995–2005, 2012–present)}} |
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* [[The Plain (band)|Mac Burrus]] – bass guitar {{small|(1998–2005, 2012–present)}} |
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* [[Mike Mahaffey]] – backing vocals, guitar {{small|(1994–2005; his death)}} |
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* Brian Rogers – guitar, backing vocals {{small|(2012–present)}} |
* Brian Rogers – guitar, backing vocals {{small|(2012–present)}} |
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* [[Fluid Ounces (band)|Seth Timbs]] – bass, keyboards, backing vocals {{small|(1997, 2011–2013)}} |
* [[Fluid Ounces (band)|Seth Timbs]] – bass, keyboards, backing vocals {{small|(1997, 2011–2013)}} |
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* Swan Burrus - backing vocals, percussion {{small|(2001, 2003)}} |
* Swan Burrus - backing vocals, percussion {{small|(2001, 2003)}} |
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'''Timeline''' |
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{{#tag:timeline| |
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ImageSize = width:905 height:auto barincrement:20 |
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PlotArea = left:100 bottom:110 top:10 right:10 |
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Alignbars = justify |
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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy |
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Period = from:01/01/1993 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}} |
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TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy |
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Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 |
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ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1994 |
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ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1994 |
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Colors = |
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id:lvocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals |
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id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals |
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id:lguitar value:teal legend:Lead_guitar |
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id:bass value:blue legend:Bass_guitar |
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id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards |
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id:drums value:orange legend:Drums |
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id:all value:yellow legend:Various_instrumentation |
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id:album value:black legend:Studio_album |
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id:other value:gray(0.7) legend:Other_releases |
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LineData = |
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color:other |
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layer:back |
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at:01/01/1998 |
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at:04/08/1999 |
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at:16/12/2000 |
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at:27/07/2001 |
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at:14/04/2005 |
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at:29/07/2014 |
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color:album |
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layer:back |
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at:24/10/1995 |
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at:05/03/1997 |
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at:13/07/1999 |
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at:05/09/2000 |
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at:25/08/2017 |
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BarData = |
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bar:Matt text:Matt Mahaffey |
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bar:Mike text:Mike Mahaffey |
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bar:Tim text:Tim Nobles |
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bar:Mac text:Mac Burrus |
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bar:Chris text:Chris James |
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bar:Jason text:Jason Rawlings |
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PlotData= |
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width:11 |
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bar:Matt from:start till:end color:lvocals |
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bar:Mike from:start till:25/05/2005 color:lguitar |
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bar:Tim from:15/11/1995 till:01/01/1997 color:bass |
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bar:Mac from:01/01/1998 till:09/10/2005 color:bass |
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bar:Chris from:15/11/1995 till:09/10/2005 color:keys |
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bar:Jason from:15/11/1995 till:09/10/2005 color:drums |
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bar:Mac from:29/12/2012 till:end color:bass |
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bar:Chris from:29/12/2012 till:end color:keys |
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bar:Jason from:29/12/2012 till:end color:drums |
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width:3 |
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bar:Matt from:start till:end color:all |
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bar:Mike from:start till:25/05/2005 color:bvocals |
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}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
Revision as of 07:01, 8 January 2025
Self | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S. |
Genres | |
Discography | Self discography |
Years active | 1993–present |
Labels | |
Spinoffs | Wired All Wrong |
Spinoff of | Ella Minopy |
Members |
|
Past members |
|
Website | self |
Self (often stylized as sElf) is an American pop rock band formed in 1993 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The band is led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey, additionally consisting of keyboardist Chris James, bassist Mac Burrus, and drummer Jason Rawlings. Former members include guitarist Mike Mahaffey and touring bassist Tim Nobles. The group began as a duo on Spongebath Records with the Mahaffey brothers, immediately picked up by Zoo Entertainment to release their debut album, Subliminal Plastic Motives (1995). It sold over 40,000 copies in its first two years with support from the singles "Cannon" and "So Low". After expanding the lineup for live performances, the band embraced an experimental approach with The Half-Baked Serenade (1997), followed by a compilation of demos, Feels Like Breakin' Shit (1998).
The band signed with DreamWorks Records for their third album, releasing Breakfast with Girls (1999), which included the single "Paint by Numbers". Originally receiving mixed reviews, it has retrospectively achieved critical acclaim despite its numerous production challenges and delays. In 2000, Gizmodgery, an album created entirely with toy instruments, showcased the band's creativity and featured the fan-favorite single "Trunk Fulla Amps". Self also contributed songs to film soundtracks, including "Stay Home" for Shrek (2001). The band's planned fifth album, Ornament and Crime (2003), was delayed and shelved due to DreamWorks' dissolution.
Following the death of Mike Mahaffey in 2005, the band went on hiatus. Matt Mahaffey pursued solo projects, including Wired All Wrong, and continued producing music for other artists. While Chris James worked with Prince, Jason Rawlings played drums in Suburban Tragedy, and Mac Burrus joined the Jimmy Kimmel Live! crew. Self reunited for the EP Super Fake Nice (2014), highlighted by the single "Runaway", and celebrated the twentieth anniversary of Subliminal Plastic Motives with a vinyl reissue and live performances. After years of stagnation, the band returned in 2024 with the single "Love You Less" and the holiday track "Merry Christmas, Santa".
History
1993–1996: Formation and Subliminal Plastic Motives
Self was formed in 1993 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee by Matt Mahaffey. Simultaneously, his band Ella Minopy with Seth Timbs disbanded, and Spongebath Records was founded by the two and talent manager Richard Williams.[3] Mahaffey began writing his debut album after encouragement from Williams,[4] recruiting his brother Mike Mahaffey as a guitarist into Self for recording assistance.[5] After a public performance in Nashville, Tennessee, he received and accepted a recording contract from Zoo Entertainment in March 1995.[4] The label partnered with Spongebath to co-release albums for a year, distributing them through BMG.[3]
Mahaffey finished the project in May 1995,[4] releasing Subliminal Plastic Motives on October 24. The band's debut single "Cannon" supported it,[6] followed by "So Low". Jesse Peretz directed music videos for both songs in 1996,[7] airing them on MTV.[8] The album was commercially successful, with sales exceeding 40,000 units by 1997,[3] and its singles receiving radio play.[8] After release, Self recruited three more members for live performances: keyboardist Chris James, a college friend of Mahaffey; drummer Jason Rawlings, from the local band Brian Cuzies; and bassist Tim Nobles.[9]
1997–1998: The Half-Baked Serenade and Feels Like Breakin' Shit
After touring, Tim Nobles was removed from the band. In an interview with Silent Uproar, Mahaffey stated that "it just wasn't working out". He additionally felt that his first album gave the band an inaccurate public image, reinforced by Mahaffey's discomfort with his extravagant new lifestyle.[9] He declared Self to be "anti-rock",[10] significantly reducing guitar usage and leaning into electropop instrumentation.[8] He then began writing and recording a new album in his living room, releasing it as The Half-Baked Serenade on March 5, 1997.[3] To further repel fame, it was distributed without any promotion,[11] and sold exclusively through mail order via Spongebath.[3]
Various scrapped songs and demos of the Subliminal Plastic Motives and The Half-Baked Serenade were saved by Mahaffey,[8] later compiled into a disc titled Feels Like Breakin' Shit. After sharing multiple copies with Spongebath personnel, it leaked online and became popular among fans.[11] Self officially released it as a compilation album in 1998.[8] During this time, the band was auditioning in search of a horn section and new bassist for concerts. They settled on Mac Burrus for the role, who visited Mahaffey's home after Self's second album was released.[9]
1998–1999: Breakfast with Girls
After their second album, Self received an offer for and accepted a recording contract from DreamWorks Records. Their significantly higher budget led the band to collaborate with acclaimed musicians, including Ken Andrews of Failure, Richard Dodd, and Hugh Padgham. Recording occured in multiple professional studios, and Mahaffey could experiment more with production.[11] Multiple issues occurred during this process, such as file corruption,[12] disagreements over singles for the album,[5] and numerous delays in the release date. First announced to release on August 25, 1998,[13] Breakfast with Girls was finally released via DreamWorks and Spongebath on July 13, 1999.[14]
As consolation for the delays, the EP Brunch was given to customers who pre-ordered the album,[8] featuring scrapped songs.[11] "Paint by Numbers" was released as the first single of Breakfast with Girls on July 21, 1998,[15] as part of the soundtrack for the 1998 film Dead Man on Campus.[16] It was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1999 Nashville Music Association Awards.[17] Another single for the album, "Meg Ryan", received airplay as the album's radio single.[18] On August 4, 1998, the band released a cover version of Depeche Mode's "Shame" as part of the tribute album For the Masses.[19]
1999–2001: Gizmodgery and B-side releases
While spending weekdays working on Breakfast with Girls, Mahaffey began producing a fourth studio album on his weekends.[20] Originally conceived as an idea in 1995, he was inspired by the Pianosaurus album Groovy Neighborhood (1987) to create an album entirely with toy instruments.[9] To achieve the desired sound, Mahaffey extensively used Pro Tools to equalize and fix the audio's abundant mid-range frequencies.[21] Gizmodgery released through Spongebath on September 5, 2000,[22] as an HDCD.[23] The album's sole single, "Trunk Fulla Amps", has been commonly cited as a fan favorite.[2][24][25] A music video for it was published in February 2001 as part of MTV's "Indie Day", but wasn't aired due to Self's DreamWorks connection.[11]
Gizmodgery sold 10,000 units in its first week,[9] garnering praise for its unique production and playful energy.[2][22][26] Retrospectively, Todd Olmstead of Vice described Gizmodgery as Self's best-known album.[20] Its songs "Dead Man" and "What a Fool Believes" have since resurged in popularity on Spotify as the band's most popular songs.[8] The band's second EP, Self Goes Shopping, consists of instrumental remixes of six Self songs. It was planned for DreamWorks distribution, but released through Spongebath on December 16, 2000.[9] Intermittently through mid-2001, Spongebath released Self's second compilation album, Selfafornia. The full album, featuring scrapped songs and demos, became available on July 27, 2001.[27]
2001–2005: Film songs and Ornament and Crime
The band contributed the song "Stay Home" to the 2001 animated fantasy comedy film Shrek. Originally composed for its opening sequence, it was moved to the end credits in favor of Smash Mouth's "All Star", but still opens the soundtrack album. This was followed by the song "Out with a Bang" appearing in the 2001 sci-fi comedy film Evolution,[28] a track that would later appear on Self's fifth studio album. They began recording it in 2002, planning to return to the rock styling of the band's debut.[9] On November 10, 2003, Ornament and Crime was completed.[29] Before the album could be released, DreamWorks Records was bought and dissolved by Universal Music Group, who left the album indefinitely unreleased.[8]
For the 2004 teen sex comedy film EuroTrip, Self was asked to create the song "Scotty Doesn't Know". After being presented with its subject and characters, Mahaffey quickly wrote it and sent it to the film's producers, who generally enjoyed it. However, when they tasked the band Lustra with the same style of song, their result was favored.[30] Additionally, when Mahaffey was offered work for the 2004 film Shrek 2,[31] they wrote "This is Love" and covered the Archies' song "Sugar, Sugar", but were not featured. In 2005, Self released their third compilation album, Porno, Mint & Grime. It consists of scrapped songs and demos from Ornament and Crime, including "This is Love".[citation needed]
2005–2006: Unreleased DVD and side projects
A live video album, intended to be released on home video formats, remains unreleased. Recorded in 2005 at Spaceland, the performance includes a cover of AC/DC's song "Back in Black". Several videos of songs from the DVD, including the "Back in Black" cover, have been posted online on Mahaffey's MySpace and YouTube profiles.[32][33] The band went on hiatus after Mahaffey's brother died,[8] with a show played in his honor on October 9, 2005.
Mahaffey continued performing as Self while on hiatus but without other band members, who began working on other projects. Rawlings played drums in a group called Suburban Tragedy, and Mahaffey also formed a new band, Wired All Wrong, with former God Lives Underwater member Jeff Turzo. Wired All Wrong released their first album, Break Out The Battle Tapes on September 12, 2006.[34] Additionally, Mahaffey has worked as a producer and performer for other artists including Beck and Hellogoodbye and as a composer for children's TV shows including Nickelodeon's Ni Hao, Kai-Lan.[35]
2007–2014: Super Fake Nice
A project titled Super Fake Nice was announced in 2007, initially slated to be the band's sixth album.[29] Two songs from its recording sessions were published in 2009: "Orchid" and "Monogamy".[34] On July 8, 2008, the band released a cover of "Ana Ng" for the They Might Be Giants tribute album Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants.[36] On May 10, 2010, Self released the single "Could You Love Me Now?" alongside a music video,[36] followed by the track "Looks and Money" on November 28, 2011.[37] In January 2012, Mahaffey finished building a home studio in Franklin, Tennessee, and began writing and recording more songs.[38] Later in the year, Self began working with El Camino Media, an independent label they would later sign to for the project's distribution.[20]
For his album Lasers, Lupe Fiasco featured Self on the song "State Run Radio",[39] releasing it on March 7, 2011.[40] A sold-out reunion show at Exit/In in Nashville was played on December 29, 2012, with Fluid Ounces guitarist Brian Rogers filling Mike Mahaffey's position.[citation needed] Self contributed the song "Stranger than Strange" to the compilation Songs for Blake - Embracing Autism on May 13, 2014.[36] On July 11, "Runaway" was released as a single for Super Fake Nice, now classed as the band's third EP. It additionally received a music video,[41] which placed at number ten on Rolling Stone's top 20 music videos of 2014.[42] The EP was released on July 29, followed by Self's TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the next day.[43]
2014–present: Re-issues and singles
In January 2014,[36] Subliminal Plastic Motives was re-issued through Fat Possum Records, on vinyl for the first time.[29] Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, the band performed the entire album at Gramercy Theater in New York City on January 10.[44] For Record Store Day 2015, "Monogamy" and "Could You Love Me Now?" were bundled together and released as a 7-inch vinyl on April 18.[45] Later in the year on September 11, El Camino Media re-issued Gizmodgery for its fifteenth anniversary, on vinyl for the first time.[23] The label additionally released Ornament and Crime on August 25, 2017, being its first official issue after thirteen years since completion.[8]
Since 2017, music from Self has been stagnant; in 2022, Matt announced via his Instagram account that he was making new Self music for the first time in nearly 10 years.[46] The band released the single "Love You Less" on November 6, 2024.[47] On November 29, 2024, he contributed the song "Merry Christmas, Santa" under the pseudonym Elfs to the album Christmas in Space by Cake in Space, a composer collective by Mahaffey.
Discography
Studio albums
- Subliminal Plastic Motives (1995)
- The Half-Baked Serenade (1997)
- Breakfast with Girls (1999)
- Gizmodgery (2000)
- Ornament and Crime (2017)
Band members
Current members
Current touring musicians
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Former members
Former touring musicians
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Timeline
References
- ^ Walters, Barry (September 1999). "Self: Breakfast With Girls". Spin. Vol. 15, no. 9. p. 201. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Owen, Spencer (August 21, 2001). "Self: Gizmodgery Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Flippo, Chet (August 9, 1997). "Murfreesboro: An Emerging Music Mecca". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 32. pp. 66–67. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c McCall, Michael (November 16, 1995). "Personal Best". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b Conant, Brian (July 21, 1999). "Self's frontman knows art when he hears it". U. Magazine. Archived from the original on June 11, 2002. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Flick, Larry (October 28, 1995). "Popular Uprisings - Self Assured". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 43. pp. 28, 89. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Atwood, Brett (May 18, 1996). "Peretz Has Lighthearted Approach". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 20. p. 80. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Besecker, Gabe (December 11, 2023). "sElf-Indulgent: A Retrospective on the Band That Started Matt Mahaffey's Career". Woof Magazine. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Harkey, Scott (September 11, 2000). "Self / Interviews". Silent Uproar. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Eliscu, Jenny (August 1999). "On The Verge". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 72. p. 18. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Duritz, Darius (March 10, 2000). "The PiG Interview with Matt Mahaffey". PiG Publications. Archived from the original on April 19, 2001. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Parker, Lyndsey (August 15, 2014). "Self-Awareness! Rediscover Matt Mahaffey's Returning Cult Band Self". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Eliscu, Jenny (September 1998). "Just Out - New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 61. p. 86. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ "Radio 200 Adds". CMJ. Vol. 59, no. 626. July 12, 1999. p. 19. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Olson, Catherine Applefeld (June 6, 1998). "Soundtracks and Film Score News". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 23. p. 17. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Henson, E. A. (August 4, 2022). "BBP!'s Album of the Week: "Breakfast With Girls," Self (1999)". Biff Bam Pop!. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Flippo, Chet (December 5, 1998). "Earle, Williams Lead Nashville Music Assn. Noms". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 49. p. 79. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Anthony, Christopher (August 12, 2014). "sElf: Super Fake Nice [Album Review]". The Fire Note. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "For the Masses Review". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Olmstead, Todd (July 24, 2014). "Self, a.k.a. the Dude Who Made the Expedia Dot Com Jingle, Is Back". Vice. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Botchick, Cheryl (November 8, 2000). "SELF: Regression Therapy". CMJ. Archived from the original on February 11, 2001. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Gizmodgery Review". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b The Five 10 (August 4, 2015). "sElf / Matt Mahaffey to Release 15th Anniversary Vinyl of Gizmodgery". The Five 10. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Ribas, Bill (November 18, 2000). "Street Beat: Reviews of Unsigned, Newly Signed or Independent Label Bands". NY Rock. Archived from the original on August 20, 2001. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Barker, Samuel (November 3, 2000). "Reviews: Self -"Gizmodgery"". RockZone. Archived from the original on December 28, 2001. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Shaw, Andrew (October 26, 2000). "'Hungry, Hungry Harmony': Self uses toys to create music". The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Laurent (September 15, 2001). "Self - Selfafornia". Indiepoprock (in French). Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Murray, Noel (June 7, 2001). "Self Promotion". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Heisel, Scott (August 27, 2014). ""We never broke up, but we got burned out"—Matt Mahaffey on the return of Self". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on August 30, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Ryan, Mike (August 17, 2018). "Don't Tell Scotty but Here's an Oral History of 'Scotty Doesn't Know'". Uproxx. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ Huart, Warren (August 21, 2017). "7 Ways to Go Against the Grain and Make it in the Music Industry". Produce Like A Pro. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ "sElf - Back In Black". YouTube. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ A.S. (2005). "Matt Mahaffey - Biography". MComet. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b Sharp, Brock (October 7, 2009). "Interview: Matt Mahaffey Of Self". Rock Sellout. Archived from the original on October 10, 2009. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ^ Masters, Andrew. "Epic Home Studio Set-Up 2022". YouTube. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d Mike (June 27, 2014). "Self's Super Fake Nice Coming August 1st". Traffic Beat. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ "Self – "Looks and Money"". We Own This Town. November 30, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Freeman, Jon (January 23, 2012). "Matt Mahaffey Returns To Tennessee With New Studio". Music Row. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Kibbe, Stephanie (February 28, 2011). "[Listen] Lupe Fiasco - "State Run Radio (featuring Matt Mahaffey)"". Some Kind of Awesome. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ Martens, Todd (March 7, 2011). "Album review: Lupe Fiasco's 'Lasers'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ Parker, Lyndsey (July 21, 2014). "Is Self's 'Runaway' the Greatest Cat Video Ever?". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Parker, Lyndsey (December 22, 2014). "The 20 Most Awesome Music Videos of 2014". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (July 31, 2014). "Self Released A New EP And Played Kimmel Last Night". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Anderl, Timothy (January 8, 2014). "Self's Subliminal Plastic Motives gets vinyl release". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Obenschain, Philip (March 12, 2015). "sElf Premiere "Looks & Money" Video". No Country For New Nashville. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Mahaffey, Matt (May 10, 2022). "Making NEW sElf MUSIC for the 1st time since 2014". Instagram. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ Good, Jamie (November 12, 2024). "Self "Love You Less" – Dan's DJ Pick of the Week". Lightning 100. Retrieved January 7, 2025.