Member Since: 1/3/2014
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The Making of Ashlee Simpson's 'Autobiography'
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More than most pop stars over the past decade, Ashlee Simpson was unfairly maligned. Yes, she flubbed Saturday Night Live, and yes, she was booed at the Orange Bowl. And yes, her post-debut releases caught plenty of flack, despite the fact that much of it was good.
What you forget, though, is Ashlee had a chart-topping debut, Autobiography, a collection of pop-rock gems that helped Ashlee establish her own as a musician. The album, released July 20, 2004 via Geffen, has sold more than five million copies worldwide and spawned a number of hit singles including “Pieces of Me,” “La La” and “Shadow.”
To boot, she had her own (surprisingly entertaining) MTV reality show, The Ashlee Simpson Show, that documented the album's creation process. While in some respects it was, well, amusing to see her transform from a bubbly blonde into a dark-haired Urban Outfitters-chic rocker, it nonetheless provided a glimpse at her undeniable hard work and dedication.
Despite the post-SNL backlash, Ashlee went on to release two more albums—2005’s I Am Me and 2008’s Bittersweet World—and record a second season of her reality show. Though the future releases didn’t match the success of Autobiography, her debut still has a lasting influence as one of the best pop outlets of that year.
To commemorate Autobiography’s 10th anniversary, we spoke with John Shanks (Miley Cyrus, Bon Jovie), the album’s producer and primary songwriter, about Ashlee’s true musicianship, the SNL debacle and why the album’s music to this day has fans running the gamut from heavy metal rockers to John Mayer and Haim.
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Beautifully written and such wonderful words from John Shanks.
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