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MTV2's Subterranean...AAARRGGHH!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:19 pm
by ghosty
Anybody here watch Subterranean? It used to be called 120 Minutes until 2000 when the length was shortened and all semblances of fun went out the window. Generally it's STILL the best place for Indie-videos on Cable (NY Noise and The Dive on Fuse being the only other two outlets). I have a few big problems with the show though:

When interviewing a band, it might be a good idea to...oh I don't know...follow that segment with one of their videos!!! rather than cutting to a completely unrelated artist. Case in point: Morningwood were on last night and while it was great to see "Nth Degree", they could've run "Jetsetter" after one of the other interview clips rather than something from Tom Vek. Does'nt make sense.

Jim Schreer, last seen cavorting with college coeds at the MTV Beach house, simply is'nt given much to do other than appearing affable and uninvolved. That causes a strange disconnect with the audience. Wish they'd consciously try to address the interests of the indie scene. Even a "Music News" segment would be welcome. It just seems like they phone this show in. Don't really care about it or us.

They need to play at least one "classic" video from the likes of The Smiths, The Cure, etc. to acknowledge Subterranean's storied past as "120 Minutes".

Please!!! Cut down on those animated link segments. They could be running at least two extra videos per week! I get the concept of these animations being "works of art" and therefore appealing to the college crowd the show is aiming for but there's simply too many of them and more than half are'nt interesting or creative.

Finally, this thing really ought to be 2 hours. Call it "120 Minutes". Lose the fake "boiler room" set and how about having some live acts?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:31 pm
by Horrorgrrl
Yeah, I watch it. I've watched it pretty much since it's inception as Subterranean. However, it WAS a two-hour show for a short period of time. For awhile, Subterranean UK aired before the regular Subterranean on Sunday nights - a full two hours of underground and indie music, with the UK version being much better than the American version. The UK version had a different host, who seemed much more knowledgeable about the scene, and much easier to watch. I agree with you about Jim Shearer (sp?). I really can't stand him as a host, and generally just DVR the show, watch it at a later time, and fast forward through his segments - except the band interviews, where he continually asks the most inane and moronic questions. Sometimes you can almost see some of the band members roll their eyes at his stupid queries. However, I don't if that's the show's writers' fault - or his. At any rate, I don't like him. Also, if you're one that watches the show every week, you'll notice many repeats. They generally only have one or two new premieres every week. If it were a longer show, half could be devoted to new music premieres, and half to classic and repeats. With the big boom in the indie scene over the last couple of years, I'm really surprised this show hasn't taken off and done better - I suppose you are correct in your comment about them not really caring about it or us, ghosty - which is a damn shame.

Tess[8D]

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Tess's Indie-Wave:

http://www.live365.com/stations/horrorfreak13

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:45 am
by ghosty
Jim Schearer has ZERO credibility on this show, it's true. He was just another one of those hapless VJ's hosting the wet bikini contest pn MTV's Spring Break when he was apparantly plucked from relative obscurity to host the show. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I get the feeling he's not really into the music and you're correct about his lame-brained questions which might be evidence of that (unless there's an actual writing staff for this show...oh man!).

PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:25 pm
by Bitter Almonds
Whatever happened to Matt Pinfield? He was the Robert Osborne of music knowledge. Dream job, right there. Both hosts were/are like gods to me.

PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:51 am
by ghosty
[quote][i]Originally posted by XXX[/i]
<br>Whatever happened to Matt Pinfield? He was the Robert Osborne of music knowledge. Dream job, right there. Both hosts were/are like gods to me.
[/quote]

Pinfield works at Sirius (we're on the same channel).