Is this like a corporate version of our little Hideout? From an email I just received: Friends of The Underground Garage, Stevie Van Zandt is excited to announce the Beta release of Fuzztopia – “all things Rock and Roll.” We need your help adding content, and we’ll be rewarding a few of the best profiles. As a “one-stop” for FANS and bands, Fuzztopia will ultimately include: --a place for you to purchase songs and albums from bands, including content exclusively available on Fuzztopia. --advice and tools, from “city secrets” and “cool stuff” to “techville,” “video games,” and “da biz,” among other things. We’ll be gathering content from our favorite sites, but we’ll also have recommendations and feedback from musicians, bands, and people like Little Steven that just haven’t been available anywhere else. Think of “city secrets” as all the places in your hometown (restaurants, bars, clubs, etc.) that you would recommend to visiting friends. Likewise, if you have “city secrets” from other parts of the world you’ve visited, Fuzztopia is a fantastic place for that insight. --tons of streaming video content. At “The Drive-In,” fans of B-movies will soon be able to watch and chat in real time. Meanwhile “Fuzz TV” will have live concert footage, original programming, and music videos. Here’s where we need your SUPPORT & EXPERTISE: --sign up as a fan, and create a profile --add TWO of your favorite videos --provide 5-10 “City Secrets,” plus ANY PHOTOS. --ADD comments about “secrets” AREADY posted by others. Remember, people will be looking for your input! We know you have the inside scoop, and we want you to share it. --create a playlist from the bands that have already uploaded their music. --the beta version of Fuzztopia isn’t just about building - we want your feedback. Are there things you don’t like? Areas that need improving? A feature missing? Is anything confusing? Should we add something else? What do you like best? This is the time to tell us. We will REWARD the best profiles with a couple of great prizes: GRAND PRIZE (one winner) * A pair of tickets to ANY one of the remaining Summer/Fall tour dates with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band! PLUS you and your guest will receive exclusive laminates to meet Stevie Van Zandt backstage before the show! 1st PRIZE (one winner) * Fender Stratocaster Squire Classic 50’s guitar signed by Stevie Van Zandt! 2nd PRIZE *FIFTEEN 2nd prize WINNERS will be selected RANDOMLY among the COMPLETED PROFILES, so everyone creating a thorough profile has a chance to win: *A script for an Underground Garage radio show PERSONALLY signed by Stevie Van Zandt. PLUS a double CD copy of the applicable show. The scripts are always written by hand, and include a bunch of commentary. This is a highly collectible, immensely cool look at the creative process for the show Here is the sign-up page: http://beta.fuzztopia.com/PreRegister.aspx Thanks for your help making Fuzztopia the best place for “all things rock and roll.”

I don't think anybody expects him to "sound more like garagepunk." The problem with Bruce's music is it's rock without the roll.

The Ungodly 77s said:

Yeah, I've always felt that if he just got rid of the E Street Band, and stripped the sound down, his tunes would sound way better. E Street Band is talented and all, but way way too much. 

He is a good songwriter, good storyteller, but I guess we just want him to sound more like garagepunk, right?

Yeah, I've always felt that if he just got rid of the E Street Band, and stripped the sound down, his tunes would sound way better. E Street Band is talented and all, but way way too much. 

He is a good songwriter, good storyteller, but I guess we just want him to sound more like garagepunk, right?

LOL!!!  I do like Springsteen, but I have to admit, that is a very funny (and sadly accurate) observation about his later material, starting with "Born in the USA."

todd a williams said:

I'm no bruce fan; I am sure he has a great record collection and digs great records-he has made it clear in interviews i've read that he's a big fan of suicide....a band that is clearly not for everyone. 

the odd thing is that bruce springsteen is, to my ears, america's number one synth-pop band!  he's got 4 guitars in the band, sax, bass, drums, yet the synth is always way way up in the mix!! where are the goddamn guitars!

bruce springsteen; the working man's depache mode!

I'm no bruce fan; I am sure he has a great record collection and digs great records-he has made it clear in interviews i've read that he's a big fan of suicide....a band that is clearly not for everyone. 

the odd thing is that bruce springsteen is, to my ears, america's number one synth-pop band!  he's got 4 guitars in the band, sax, bass, drums, yet the synth is always way way up in the mix!! where are the goddamn guitars!

bruce springsteen; the working man's depache mode!

I kind of agree with everyone on this, in various ways:

I sure as hell wouldn't pay to see Springsteen, let alone Steven, not even if I could afford tickets that cost thousands of dollars. I am not a fan. But, as far as radio stations go (and trust me, I am NOT a fan of commercial radio), Steven's is better than most, and he does offer a better lot of music to the masses and squares that wouldn't normally hear music pointed in the direction of true garage. Does he spin tunes that we at the GPHO forum consider cool garage? Probably not. His stuff sounds relatively boring to me, but it might be provocative to the squares and they might eventually wind up here at GPHO enjoying our little forums and podcasts. 

Also, if Steven truly is trying to raise a good chunk of cash for music education in schools, good for him. Of course, I don't know what kinds of schools (public vs. private, needy vs. not-so-needy, etc.), where they are located, how much he is raising, how much he gives away, how much he pockets, etc. It seems like a good cause, but only rich people can afford to buy those super-inflated tickets. I hope that is not the only way you can get rich people to give back to their communities and to public services. 

Cheap Trick kicks Springstink's ass, though.

zacharythax said:

Really, who WOULD care about Springsteen tickets? Plus I remember one Halloween he had the "Cheap Trick or Treat" [GROAN] 

Really, who WOULD care about Springsteen tickets? Plus I remember one Halloween he had the "Cheap Trick or Treat" [GROAN] 

I gotta give Little Steven credit for bringing garage to the masses. He definitely gave the Creatures of the Golden Dawn much deserved national exposure. I see it as creating an appetite for what WE have to offer. Have you listened to the Sirius channel? It's OK and frankly it's more palatable to the average Joe on the street than a lot of the GP podcasts, but there's too much Springsteen, Cheap Trick, Beatles, and other stuff that has me reaching for the dial. 

Me either....I received an email from Underground Garage with the message that is on the website posted below.The email had a link to take me to this website, which i thought would have more info....it doesn't.

Is it a joke?? I dunno, but it sure PISSED me off when i read the $ amounts!!

kopper said:

What the fuck? Is that a joke? If so, I don't get it...

whatwave dave said:

Check this out.....

http://www.rockandrollforever.org/tickets

Apparently, he is trying to raise money for music programs in struggling schools, according to the same website:

http://www.rockandrollforever.org/

What the fuck? Is that a joke? If so, I don't get it...

whatwave dave said:

Check this out.....

http://www.rockandrollforever.org/tickets

Check this out.....

http://www.rockandrollforever.org/tickets

I'm sure there's tons of folks on this board that'll be jumping on this and purchasing tickets......NOT!

Check this out:

http://garagepunk.ning.com/profiles/blogs/little-steven-you-got-it-wrong-my-top-five-garage-bands

I am so sick of the Springsteen thing. I think Little Steven's Underground Garage is just a vehicle right now for the tour and record he is releasing.  Come on does he really need that much hype. Why doesn't he do this for any other band, yeah I wonder why.  It is becoming evident that the Springsteen thing is the most important thing at the underground garage, right now.  

Joeybombstyle said:

Rag on it all you want but  I enjoyed getting to see the backstage of MSG and as someone who likes Springsteen getting seats like that for free is not something I won't complain about.

Rag on it all you want but  I enjoyed getting to see the backstage of MSG and as someone who likes Springsteen getting seats like that for free is not something I won't complain about.

amen, my brotha.  I also have a show called Kustom City Sounds and it definitely has a garage slant, i don't limit mself to only playing garage music. I agree with you that he just thought up a cool name, and of course with anything that's starts cool, it gets co--opted into something else.  I just say on my show that if it has the spirit of rock and roll then it get's played. maybe he should do something in that vain, but I am sure he has registered the name and blah blah blah.  I just don't see how Springsteen was ever considered cool, just my opinion.  His show has kind of become a place for Bruce shit, but I do listen sometimes.  

 

joey fuckup said:

What I'm going to say here is by no means important, nor is it going to part the rock 'n' roll sea, but I personally think Little Steven should have, or should call his show something else other than what it goes by now. I mean "Underground Garage" is a cool sounding name, IF the show was JUST THAT. Don't get me wrong, it's fine that he plays a variety of music, after all, it is his show, he can play whatever he wants or sees fit. But it would be a lot more fitting if he just called it something like "Little Steven's Rock 'N' Roll (whatever)", which may sound lame, but at least it won't come across as advertising itself being an all garage show. For people who aren't familiar with garage music will come to his show and get a distorted idea of what the genre is. And yes, I have listened to his show on the radio (when my shit rock station here carried it), and it was refreshing to hear '60's garage mixed in with newer bands that I liked. But there was others added into the mix that had me scratching my head, as has been mentioned in this discussion. Whatever, he plays what he wants, I just don't think he should advertise it with such a banner of the scene. If you do think about it, people who have no clear idea on what garage is are going to think that bands like U2 and Green Day are relevant to garage rock 'n' roll, when they don't...Bottom line: Don't promote yourself (or show) as something you may not be. I host the "Hayride To Hell" podcast, and even though I play country music, I don't promote it as a country show.

joey fuckup said:

For people who aren't familiar with garage music will come to his show and get a distorted idea of what the genre is.

 

Yep, and those distorted ideas just helps contribute to stuff like this:

http://garagepunk.ning.com/forum/topics/is-garage-trendy

What I'm going to say here is by no means important, nor is it going to part the rock 'n' roll sea, but I personally think Little Steven should have, or should call his show something else other than what it goes by now. I mean "Underground Garage" is a cool sounding name, IF the show was JUST THAT. Don't get me wrong, it's fine that he plays a variety of music, after all, it is his show, he can play whatever he wants or sees fit. But it would be a lot more fitting if he just called it something like "Little Steven's Rock 'N' Roll (whatever)", which may sound lame, but at least it won't come across as advertising itself being an all garage show. For people who aren't familiar with garage music will come to his show and get a distorted idea of what the genre is. And yes, I have listened to his show on the radio (when my shit rock station here carried it), and it was refreshing to hear '60's garage mixed in with newer bands that I liked. But there was others added into the mix that had me scratching my head, as has been mentioned in this discussion. Whatever, he plays what he wants, I just don't think he should advertise it with such a banner of the scene. If you do think about it, people who have no clear idea on what garage is are going to think that bands like U2 and Green Day are relevant to garage rock 'n' roll, when they don't...Bottom line: Don't promote yourself (or show) as something you may not be. I host the "Hayride To Hell" podcast, and even though I play country music, I don't promote it as a country show.

I'm not trying to get smart with you; I'm actually saying I agree with you about how long this has taken, and I'd like to know myself.

kopper said:

And I'm not asking YOU that question! Why do you feel like you have to answer for the guy?

MikeL said:

Well, Kopper, I can't answer that question.  I've been asking it myself.  I'm just going to wait and see what happens.

kopper said:

I'm not sure what you guys are talking about, but I just think it's very strange that someone of Little Steven's, um, stature(?), intuition(?), wherewithal(?), organizational skills(?), connections(?) can't figure out a way to launch a friggin' website. It was in "beta" over two years ago, then it disappeared. C'mon, it's not rocket science. Hire someone to build the site or set up your own Ning network. That shit can be done in one afternoon. I know because I've done it myself!

MikeL said:

I've had similar thoughts.  You may be right.

doornail said:

I have a sneakin' suspicion that he is having trouble as you well know, kopper trying to get everything and everyone on the same page.  Even though a lot of music now is going back to independent labels, they are trying to territorialize everything and not allow certain whoevers to be on other sites where money might be made without them.  Or, at least that is my opinion.  The cake is carved up way to small for this type of endeavor at this point of the record industry, no matter what type of genre you are talking about.  

MikeL said:

Kopper, I'm not trying to start a fight with you, but I met Little Steven a couple of weeks ago in NYC when I went up there to see the Cocktail Slippers.  I asked him about Fuzztopia, and he said it will be launched next year.  My guess is that maybe he's going to do this in conjunction with the ten year anniversary of the launch of the Underground Garage, which will be this April.  Yes, I know you think he's lying to me, or he's just saying that in the hope that it will happen, but I still wanted to say this anyway.

 

Now, I will say this...it sure has taken a ridiculously long time to get this thing up and running.  It reminds me of a documentary about the making of "Heaven's Gate," an epic western that went way over schedule and budget when it was being filmed.  I have no idea why this is the case with fuzztopia, and now I'm starting to think that if fuzztopia ever does get launched, it's going to feel kind of anti-climatic at this point.

 

BTW, the site has been down for quite some time.  This really isn't news to me.

kopper said:

Not sure what happened, but Little Steven's Fuzztopia site has apparently VANISHED!

www.fuzztopia.com

I guess they realized they couldn't compete with the Hideout after all, nyuck nyuck nyuck...

And I'm not asking YOU that question! Why do you feel like you have to answer for the guy?

MikeL said:

Well, Kopper, I can't answer that question.  I've been asking it myself.  I'm just going to wait and see what happens.

kopper said:

I'm not sure what you guys are talking about, but I just think it's very strange that someone of Little Steven's, um, stature(?), intuition(?), wherewithal(?), organizational skills(?), connections(?) can't figure out a way to launch a friggin' website. It was in "beta" over two years ago, then it disappeared. C'mon, it's not rocket science. Hire someone to build the site or set up your own Ning network. That shit can be done in one afternoon. I know because I've done it myself!

MikeL said:

I've had similar thoughts.  You may be right.

doornail said:

I have a sneakin' suspicion that he is having trouble as you well know, kopper trying to get everything and everyone on the same page.  Even though a lot of music now is going back to independent labels, they are trying to territorialize everything and not allow certain whoevers to be on other sites where money might be made without them.  Or, at least that is my opinion.  The cake is carved up way to small for this type of endeavor at this point of the record industry, no matter what type of genre you are talking about.  

MikeL said:

Kopper, I'm not trying to start a fight with you, but I met Little Steven a couple of weeks ago in NYC when I went up there to see the Cocktail Slippers.  I asked him about Fuzztopia, and he said it will be launched next year.  My guess is that maybe he's going to do this in conjunction with the ten year anniversary of the launch of the Underground Garage, which will be this April.  Yes, I know you think he's lying to me, or he's just saying that in the hope that it will happen, but I still wanted to say this anyway.

 

Now, I will say this...it sure has taken a ridiculously long time to get this thing up and running.  It reminds me of a documentary about the making of "Heaven's Gate," an epic western that went way over schedule and budget when it was being filmed.  I have no idea why this is the case with fuzztopia, and now I'm starting to think that if fuzztopia ever does get launched, it's going to feel kind of anti-climatic at this point.

 

BTW, the site has been down for quite some time.  This really isn't news to me.

kopper said:

Not sure what happened, but Little Steven's Fuzztopia site has apparently VANISHED!

www.fuzztopia.com

I guess they realized they couldn't compete with the Hideout after all, nyuck nyuck nyuck...

Well, Kopper, I can't answer that question.  I've been asking it myself.  I'm just going to wait and see what happens.

kopper said:

I'm not sure what you guys are talking about, but I just think it's very strange that someone of Little Steven's, um, stature(?), intuition(?), wherewithal(?), organizational skills(?), connections(?) can't figure out a way to launch a friggin' website. It was in "beta" over two years ago, then it disappeared. C'mon, it's not rocket science. Hire someone to build the site or set up your own Ning network. That shit can be done in one afternoon. I know because I've done it myself!

MikeL said:

I've had similar thoughts.  You may be right.

doornail said:

I have a sneakin' suspicion that he is having trouble as you well know, kopper trying to get everything and everyone on the same page.  Even though a lot of music now is going back to independent labels, they are trying to territorialize everything and not allow certain whoevers to be on other sites where money might be made without them.  Or, at least that is my opinion.  The cake is carved up way to small for this type of endeavor at this point of the record industry, no matter what type of genre you are talking about.  

MikeL said:

Kopper, I'm not trying to start a fight with you, but I met Little Steven a couple of weeks ago in NYC when I went up there to see the Cocktail Slippers.  I asked him about Fuzztopia, and he said it will be launched next year.  My guess is that maybe he's going to do this in conjunction with the ten year anniversary of the launch of the Underground Garage, which will be this April.  Yes, I know you think he's lying to me, or he's just saying that in the hope that it will happen, but I still wanted to say this anyway.

 

Now, I will say this...it sure has taken a ridiculously long time to get this thing up and running.  It reminds me of a documentary about the making of "Heaven's Gate," an epic western that went way over schedule and budget when it was being filmed.  I have no idea why this is the case with fuzztopia, and now I'm starting to think that if fuzztopia ever does get launched, it's going to feel kind of anti-climatic at this point.

 

BTW, the site has been down for quite some time.  This really isn't news to me.

kopper said:

Not sure what happened, but Little Steven's Fuzztopia site has apparently VANISHED!

www.fuzztopia.com

I guess they realized they couldn't compete with the Hideout after all, nyuck nyuck nyuck...

 My Beta player does'nt work anymore. The Laserdisc , I'm unsure of.

I'm not sure what you guys are talking about, but I just think it's very strange that someone of Little Steven's, um, stature(?), intuition(?), wherewithal(?), organizational skills(?), connections(?) can't figure out a way to launch a friggin' website. It was in "beta" over two years ago, then it disappeared. C'mon, it's not rocket science. Hire someone to build the site or set up your own Ning network. That shit can be done in one afternoon. I know because I've done it myself!

MikeL said:

I've had similar thoughts.  You may be right.

doornail said:

I have a sneakin' suspicion that he is having trouble as you well know, kopper trying to get everything and everyone on the same page.  Even though a lot of music now is going back to independent labels, they are trying to territorialize everything and not allow certain whoevers to be on other sites where money might be made without them.  Or, at least that is my opinion.  The cake is carved up way to small for this type of endeavor at this point of the record industry, no matter what type of genre you are talking about.  

MikeL said:

Kopper, I'm not trying to start a fight with you, but I met Little Steven a couple of weeks ago in NYC when I went up there to see the Cocktail Slippers.  I asked him about Fuzztopia, and he said it will be launched next year.  My guess is that maybe he's going to do this in conjunction with the ten year anniversary of the launch of the Underground Garage, which will be this April.  Yes, I know you think he's lying to me, or he's just saying that in the hope that it will happen, but I still wanted to say this anyway.

 

Now, I will say this...it sure has taken a ridiculously long time to get this thing up and running.  It reminds me of a documentary about the making of "Heaven's Gate," an epic western that went way over schedule and budget when it was being filmed.  I have no idea why this is the case with fuzztopia, and now I'm starting to think that if fuzztopia ever does get launched, it's going to feel kind of anti-climatic at this point.

 

BTW, the site has been down for quite some time.  This really isn't news to me.

kopper said:

Not sure what happened, but Little Steven's Fuzztopia site has apparently VANISHED!

www.fuzztopia.com

I guess they realized they couldn't compete with the Hideout after all, nyuck nyuck nyuck...

I've had similar thoughts.  You may be right.

doornail said:

I have a sneakin' suspicion that he is having trouble as you well know, kopper trying to get everything and everyone on the same page.  Even though a lot of music now is going back to independent labels, they are trying to territorialize everything and not allow certain whoevers to be on other sites where money might be made without them.  Or, at least that is my opinion.  The cake is carved up way to small for this type of endeavor at this point of the record industry, no matter what type of genre you are talking about.  

MikeL said:

Kopper, I'm not trying to start a fight with you, but I met Little Steven a couple of weeks ago in NYC when I went up there to see the Cocktail Slippers.  I asked him about Fuzztopia, and he said it will be launched next year.  My guess is that maybe he's going to do this in conjunction with the ten year anniversary of the launch of the Underground Garage, which will be this April.  Yes, I know you think he's lying to me, or he's just saying that in the hope that it will happen, but I still wanted to say this anyway.

 

Now, I will say this...it sure has taken a ridiculously long time to get this thing up and running.  It reminds me of a documentary about the making of "Heaven's Gate," an epic western that went way over schedule and budget when it was being filmed.  I have no idea why this is the case with fuzztopia, and now I'm starting to think that if fuzztopia ever does get launched, it's going to feel kind of anti-climatic at this point.

 

BTW, the site has been down for quite some time.  This really isn't news to me.

kopper said:

Not sure what happened, but Little Steven's Fuzztopia site has apparently VANISHED!

www.fuzztopia.com

I guess they realized they couldn't compete with the Hideout after all, nyuck nyuck nyuck...