Well, then, stop going to that site. whatwave dave said:

I got that message too.....went on that site a few times and it was a total waste of my time......unless i was having trouble sleeping that is.

MikeL said:

BTW, here's an e-mail that I received from fuzztopia. Maybe that was the plan all along, to just keep it in a beta format for a while to see how it would work out...

Fuzztopia would like to thank everybody who has created a profile and helped us test the site. Your feedback and contributions have been a huge help!

The site will be coming down for a little bit as we are in the process of making some changes based on your comments (better user interface, updated look and feel, faster load times, profile customization etc.), as well as continuing to get more cool content, and real opportunities for bands.

We will continue to keep you updated as we move closer to the launch.

I got that message too.....went on that site a few times and it was a total waste of my time......unless i was having trouble sleeping that is. MikeL said:

BTW, here's an e-mail that I received from fuzztopia. Maybe that was the plan all along, to just keep it in a beta format for a while to see how it would work out...

Fuzztopia would like to thank everybody who has created a profile and helped us test the site. Your feedback and contributions have been a huge help!

The site will be coming down for a little bit as we are in the process of making some changes based on your comments (better user interface, updated look and feel, faster load times, profile customization etc.), as well as continuing to get more cool content, and real opportunities for bands.

We will continue to keep you updated as we move closer to the launch.

BTW, here's an e-mail that I received from fuzztopia. Maybe that was the plan all along, to just keep it in a beta format for a while to see how it would work out...

Fuzztopia would like to thank everybody who has created a profile and helped us test the site. Your feedback and contributions have been a huge help!

The site will be coming down for a little bit as we are in the process of making some changes based on your comments (better user interface, updated look and feel, faster load times, profile customization etc.), as well as continuing to get more cool content, and real opportunities for bands.

We will continue to keep you updated as we move closer to the launch.

You make it sound as though this is some kind of dark conspiracy. Would you mind elaborating on this? Mole said:

Dubious to say the least - almost certainly not to be trusted....

Dubious to say the least - almost certainly not to be trusted....

It appears that Little Steven is finally making some progress with fuzztopia. Why it's taken so long, I don't know, but it looks as though it will soon be out of its beta phase.

I'm just a fan of Fuzztopia, but I know how easily things can get delayed or sidetracked or bogged down in arguments. This whole thing has taken a lot longer than expected; Fuzztopia was originally supposed to be launched in 2008. It's not as if I'm in total disagreement with Kopper; I myself am not too keen on how the videos and pictures are set up (I myself have posted a ton of pictures at Fuzztopia, along with a nice batch of videos). However, I would like to wait until the actual site is launched before passing any judgment. Yes, I too hope it will be far more spectacular than the current beta site. I get a little defensive about this stuff because I really enjoy the Underground Garage, both the syndicated show and the Sirius/XM channel. I got turned onto a lot of stuff that I probably would have never discovered, and I also enjoyed all the live events that Little Steven put on. It's just that Kopper's remarks remind me of others whom I know personally who have issues with LS, and sometimes they make it sound like I'm wrong for listening to his program or going to his shows. Yes, I know Kopper's remarks are not directed at me personally, but it just reminds me of that. Yes, I know I should stop doing that. BTW, lets just be thankful Silvio survived until the end of the series. Just like any other character, he could have been whacked anytime:) Florida Rocks Again! said:

MikeL said:

And another thing...the people at Renegade Nation have posted a notice that they are still working on the official site, so you're not seeing the finished product yet. And yes, it is taking longer than expected, but keep in mind that maybe they're running into setbacks, or maybe they're still debating on how to do this.

Personally, I think you people are being a little unfair about this.

Are you involved with Fuzztopia as an employee, fan, or band?

Kopper's comments aren't some kind of a pissing match. Just valid points. I'm in the pro-LS camp, signed up for Fuzztopia, and am a fan of his show and Sirius Channel (I also thought his character, Silvio, got a raw deal in the last season of The Sopranos!).

I just think the site design of Fuzztopia is lacking, and could/should/would be so much better without much effort on behalf of the designer. The Hideout proves that it's not difficult to design a user-friendly social networking site with great content, and plenty of functionality. Maybe when Fuzztopia is out of Beta, it will improve dramatically. That said, it needs to.

MikeL said:

And another thing...the people at Renegade Nation have posted a notice that they are still working on the official site, so you're not seeing the finished product yet. And yes, it is taking longer than expected, but keep in mind that maybe they're running into setbacks, or maybe they're still debating on how to do this.

Personally, I think you people are being a little unfair about this.

Are you involved with Fuzztopia as an employee, fan, or band? Kopper's comments aren't some kind of a pissing match. Just valid points. I'm in the pro-LS camp, signed up for Fuzztopia, and am a fan of his show and Sirius Channel (I also thought his character, Silvio, got a raw deal in the last season of The Sopranos!). I just think the site design of Fuzztopia is lacking, and could/should/would be so much better without much effort on behalf of the designer. The Hideout proves that it's not difficult to design a user-friendly social networking site with great content, and plenty of functionality. Maybe when Fuzztopia is out of Beta, it will improve dramatically. That said, it needs to.

And another thing...the people at Renegade Nation have posted a notice that they are still working on the official site, so you're not seeing the finished product yet. And yes, it is taking longer than expected, but keep in mind that maybe they're running into setbacks, or maybe they're still debating on how to do this.

Personally, I think you people are being a little unfair about this.

Think he be mad if someone won the guitar and asked not to have his scribbles all over it?

Yes, the site still needs some work, but hopefully it will get better. And I'm speaking as someone who is involved in both this site and fuzztopia. If you don't like the latter, then just stick with this site. I'm only interested in learning about garage rock; I'm not interested in pissing contests between webmasters. kopper said:

Have you even checked it out? It's really pathetic... and I ain't just sayin' that cuz I run a similar site. I mean, I joined it months ago (probably last summer) and I just noticed it's still in "beta"... it's just really poorly designed and organized, and I haven't found one single RSS feed anywhere on it. The forum looks like an old BBS from the early '90s, the videos appear to be just a collection of thumbnails that, when clicked, open the YouTube player in flash pop-up window... nowhere to rate it, favorite it, or comment. For a "social network," it appears to be lacking even the most rudimentary social networking functions of every other social network out there! Just really strange that someone with such big corporate sponsors and connections would create "the coolest rock'n'roll lifestyle destination on the Web" that pales in comparison to what any idiot (see: myself) could create on Ning!



Wipeout! said:

kopper said:

What's funny is I keep seeing people joining the Hideout and they're putting on their profile that they heard about the site on Little Steven's show... wondering what the hell they were talking about, I've tried to follow up with them, sending them messages asking exactly what they meant by that, thinking that Little Steven might have actually mentioned GaragePunk.com or something, right. WRONG! Finally one of them responded, and he told me that he'd made a mistake, that he found the Hideout when he Googled for "Fuzztopia." WTF? Yep! Try it yourself. The second link that comes up is to this discussion about Fuzztopia.

I dunno... *shrug* I thought that was kinda funny.

The internets is a weird beast...but let's take this as fortune from the Great Magnet and run with it...fuck Fuzztopia, long live the true fuzztopia, GP.com Hideout fer all!

Agreed. I did the same thing, and was amazed at its lack of functionality, and overall lameness. That said, LS's Sirius channel is nice for those for those rare occasions when I rent a car, and the LSUG syndicated show actually inspired me to get back into radio seven years ago. That's another seven years of my life wasted. Thanks, Little Steven! When I went on Fuzztopia, I was struck by how much better the Hideout was/is. Maybe you should get a gig as a paid consultant for Renegade Nation, and show 'em how it's done. Whoever designed that site is basically stealing from LS's Sopranos residuals.

Have you even checked it out? It's really pathetic... and I ain't just sayin' that cuz I run a similar site. I mean, I joined it months ago (probably last summer) and I just noticed it's still in "beta"... it's just really poorly designed and organized, and I haven't found one single RSS feed anywhere on it. The forum looks like an old BBS from the early '90s, the videos appear to be just a collection of thumbnails that, when clicked, open the YouTube player in flash pop-up window... nowhere to rate it, favorite it, or comment. For a "social network," it appears to be lacking even the most rudimentary social networking functions of every other social network out there! Just really strange that someone with such big corporate sponsors and connections would create "the coolest rock'n'roll lifestyle destination on the Web" that pales in comparison to what any idiot (see: myself) could create on Ning! Wipeout! said:

kopper said:

What's funny is I keep seeing people joining the Hideout and they're putting on their profile that they heard about the site on Little Steven's show... wondering what the hell they were talking about, I've tried to follow up with them, sending them messages asking exactly what they meant by that, thinking that Little Steven might have actually mentioned GaragePunk.com or something, right. WRONG! Finally one of them responded, and he told me that he'd made a mistake, that he found the Hideout when he Googled for "Fuzztopia." WTF? Yep! Try it yourself. The second link that comes up is to this discussion about Fuzztopia.

I dunno... *shrug* I thought that was kinda funny.

The internets is a weird beast...but let's take this as fortune from the Great Magnet and run with it...fuck Fuzztopia, long live the true fuzztopia, GP.com Hideout fer all!

kopper said:

What's funny is I keep seeing people joining the Hideout and they're putting on their profile that they heard about the site on Little Steven's show... wondering what the hell they were talking about, I've tried to follow up with them, sending them messages asking exactly what they meant by that, thinking that Little Steven might have actually mentioned GaragePunk.com or something, right. WRONG! Finally one of them responded, and he told me that he'd made a mistake, that he found the Hideout when he Googled for "Fuzztopia." WTF? Yep! Try it yourself. The second link that comes up is to this discussion about Fuzztopia.

I dunno... *shrug* I thought that was kinda funny.

The internets is a weird beast...but let's take this as fortune from the Great Magnet and run with it...fuck Fuzztopia, long live the true fuzztopia, GP.com Hideout fer all!

You have to check out the commercial for the flagship- http://renegadenation.com/ If you haven't already...

What's funny is I keep seeing people joining the Hideout and they're putting on their profile that they heard about the site on Little Steven's show... wondering what the hell they were talking about, I've tried to follow up with them, sending them messages asking exactly what they meant by that, thinking that Little Steven might have actually mentioned GaragePunk.com or something, right. WRONG! Finally one of them responded, and he told me that he'd made a mistake, that he found the Hideout when he Googled for "Fuzztopia." WTF? Yep! Try it yourself. The second link that comes up is to this discussion about Fuzztopia. I dunno... *shrug* I thought that was kinda funny.

That's what the internet is for:) It's a place to indulge in your obsessions, regardless of how weird or obscure they are. That's why porn took to the internet like a fish to water. Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

Some of the bands I mentioned did make it on later and the show did get better as it continued. I just haven't been happy with it lately, but that's my problem. I don't have Sirius Radio but I guess those shows are available on his archives as well. I should just be happy that I do have alternatives and options.

Some of the bands I mentioned did make it on later and the show did get better as it continued. I just haven't been happy with it lately, but that's my problem. I don't have Sirius Radio but I guess those shows are available on his archives as well. I should just be happy that I do have alternatives and options.

The Pandoras and the Nomads are staples on the Sirius/XM channel, if that's of any consolation to you. Keep in mind that Little Steven's playlist boils down to what he likes, so naturally he's not going to please everyone. I'm sure there is a lot of great stuff he's overlooking or ignoring, but then again that does leave an open niche for sites like this one. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister has his own show called "House of Hair," which, of course, is an all metal show, and I'm sure a lot of headbangers take issue with some of his selections. That's just the way it is with any genre. One more thing I'd like to point out...one thing I do like about the UG is that he does throw in some variety. If he stuck to a pure garage rock format, that would get a little boring for me, because I would just get tired of hearing the same fuzztone guitar and Farfisa organ over and over again. I like the way he mixes in bands like Hanoi Rocks, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith and Alice Cooper with both classic and contemporary garage bands, along with girl groups and power pop. I also like a lot of those songs I've heard from the "Tracks" boxed set by Springsteen (I especially love that song "Where the Bands Are"). To me, it's all about good songs, not so much about whether or not those songs fit perfectly into the format. Now, don't think for a moment that I'm an apologist for LS...yes, I've heard songs and bands that I didn't care much for either on the UG. However, like everything in life, you just have to take the good with the bad. Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

Well, I took another look at the first year's archives and I guess my memory was a little off on what revival bands got played when. I just assumed that bands like the Cynics didn't make it on until the second year probably because I was so bothered by what else made it on. Other bands that were on included Chesterfield Kings (first episode), Creatures of the Golden Dawn, The Vipers, Swingin' Neckbreakers (Jersey boys of course), The Barracudas, The Greenhornes, Fuzztones, Hatebombs, Miracle Workers, Lyres, and Fleshtones. But I still feel there could have been a whole lot more. He also played Aerosmith, Bruce of course, solo Keith Richards, a lot of Graham Parker (like he's obsessed with the guy), Southside Johnny and the Jukes, Hole, Midnight Oil, Foo Fighters, and some others I had never heard of before but reminded me of MOR rock. Garland Jefferys? Tom Robinson band? They don't ring a bell. He introduced the Shazam, The Anderson Council, and Contrast but also two groups that sounded out of place called Cotton Mather and Mr. Brown. And I'm still put off by E'Nuff Z'nuff. Where were the Namads, Pandoras, Brood, the Gruesomes, Etc....?

Well, I took another look at the first year's archives and I guess my memory was a little off on what revival bands got played when. I just assumed that bands like the Cynics didn't make it on until the second year probably because I was so bothered by what else made it on. Other bands that were on included Chesterfield Kings (first episode), Creatures of the Golden Dawn, The Vipers, Swingin' Neckbreakers (Jersey boys of course), The Barracudas, The Greenhornes, Fuzztones, Hatebombs, Miracle Workers, Lyres, and Fleshtones. But I still feel there could have been a whole lot more. He also played Aerosmith, Bruce of course, solo Keith Richards, a lot of Graham Parker (like he's obsessed with the guy), Southside Johnny and the Jukes, Hole, Midnight Oil, Foo Fighters, and some others I had never heard of before but reminded me of MOR rock. Garland Jefferys? Tom Robinson band? They don't ring a bell. He introduced the Shazam, The Anderson Council, and Contrast but also two groups that sounded out of place called Cotton Mather and Mr. Brown. And I'm still put off by E'Nuff Z'nuff. Where were the Namads, Pandoras, Brood, the Gruesomes, Etc....?

Agreed. Although the music played is timeless – so not exclusively for newbies. Also, I swear I’ve heard “John Rock & Roll Sinclair” played on the station before. If not, it certainly should have been…

That's exactly what a friend of mine said, that the UG is geared for people who aren't all that familiar with garage rock. I'll admit, I was one of them. Bob Blackstone said:

When it comes to Bruce I always enjoyed Nebraska, the earlier albums are good in a classic rock sorta way. I guess Little Steven's is what it is...I mean if your new to the genre or garage rock in general, you'll be exposed to the heavy hitters or common names...I've heard him play the Ramones, The Jam, The Music Machine, The Count Five, The Kingsmen, The White Stripes, Dirt Bombs, Cramps, Black Lips and so forth....but if you like the local stuff from the 60's or 70's (Bent Wind, Les Sinners, Contents Are, Rocket From The Tombs, Mirrors) or international artists like the Bintangs, the Outsiders, Los Brincos, The Savage Rose, Los Mockers, The Dogs (70's punk band) and so forth... good luck because he doesn't play anything that far out....it's more mainstream stuff for newbies. I guess it's good for a spring board or jumping point. I'm sure his forum will have somewhat of a cold, corporate feel and throw certain unworthy groups a bone or two but whatever...that's today's society.

Good points, all of them.

Yeah your right, Bruce is/was for the average Joe, everyday man...that's why people respect him. So was Dylan early on, but he never admitted it and Christy Moore over in the UK. Nostalgia, your right about that too..alot of his lyrics reflect union and political issues...But that's not the only thing that's changed....I remember as a kid (here in the United States) people actually used to be thin....I walk around today, whether it be in NYC or the country and everyone is fat, fast food, self indulgence, greed what have you - it's all here in the States - what the hell happened to this great country.

I have a tough time with Springsteen's early work only in that it IS a little over my head. But I don't believe that Springsteen was necesarilly selling out when releasing "Born In the USA" just as Nirvana thought they were going to have a modest little seller with "Nevermind". He probably thought that it might do just a little better than "The River" but I don't think he figured it was going to be the monster it was, especially with his anti-Vietnam stance in the lyrics and pro union industry nostalgia in "Glory Days" referring to when America was affordable and good wages were handed out to people who actually loved their jobs and making things that were made right here. It doesn't help the album though that it has the fist waving in the air style drum beat at the top of the album. But I figure he felt he was making a modest album that would appeal to his age group and say something to them. And also he wanted that classic rock (and I mean real classic rock as in a 50s-60s way, not Zep and the Doors) feel with 12 good tunes. Some of it sounds cheesy today but I think it was a decent album. Don't tell anybody that I said that though. What's said in the Hideout stays in the Hideout. MikeL said:

I agree with you on Springsteen. I love "Born to Run" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town," and his first two albums had some real gems, and "The River" was pretty good too, even though it was his first hint of becoming more commercial. "Born in the USA" was not a bad album, but it was definitely his sell out album for the 80s, back when greed became good. I have not been impressed with is new material. Then again, this happens to almost everyone, i.e. living on their past glories.