https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIyS-PhIueU
I discovered it roughly around 2004 - 2005. It was when I started to get into real music aside from mindless pop. I fondly remember the 2005-2007 era when I was in middle school/just starting high school. Not as much about school itself - because that wasn't a great period of time for me, save for 7th grade; but for my memories of FUSE and the music I listened to. At that time, Alternative Rock or "Emo" music was hugely popular. So much so that MTV was playing the music videos of My Chemical Romance, Fallout Boy and Panic! At The Disco.
Yes, shocking; MTV playing music!!!!
Before its gradual decline in the late 2000s, it was such a fresh and unique take on music television. They didn't have a myriad of half- baked "reality" shows or movies running just to fill empty air time, but they had music videos and music related programming airing nearly 24/7. This wasn't an easy feat in that era, with the birth of Youtube and any music video you want to watch being a click away; but they pulled it off. Although most of the music on the channel was alternative and rock, they played some pop, hip hop and rap as well. Sadly, when they began to cater more to the mainstream, the channel lost all of its magic and freshness.
Then there was Video on Trial where a panel of various people critiquing music videos. I also vaguely remember a show titled Fastest Fingers where people would text messages to air beside their favorite music videos. There were countdowns, fan voter competitions and so many more shows.
Possibly the most well known from FUSE was Steven's Untitled Rock Show. This show was one of my favorites and made a huge impact on me. It was always on when I came home from school so I would watch as I did my homework.
It featured Steven Smith, the most popular and well known host on FUSE. On his show he interviewed bands and played music videos. For me, the most remembered interview was one with My Chemical Romance where Steven toured their tour bus and Gerard Way taught him how to do his signature stage makeup look.
Here are a series of clips from SURS featuring the band Aiden:
He went on tour with bands to interview them. When Fuse had their "Warped Wednesdays" on Wednesdays during the summer, Steven would attend Vans Warped Tour; he would talk to bands and with fans. I always set my alarm in the mornings to watch it and stuck with it all day. It was fun! We got to see different sides of our favorite bands in between videos from the musicians on the tour in that year. Warped Tour was a big deal on FUSE, it basically was the forefather of the alternative and punk scene as we know it today.
Another popular show, Loaded I loved as equally. I believe Loaded is still around today but it isn't the same as it was. Loaded is a show spanning a half hour that plays music videos dedicated to a singe artist. It was always fun when your favorite band was featured on an episode. Though I don't remember the title of the show, they also aired behind the scenes episodes depicting how your favorite music videos were made.
I forever wish that these programs would be resurrected, but that is highly unlikely. At least this moment in time was captured and some kind souls uploaded it to the internet for all of us to revel in the nostalgia. FUSE these days is sad - more so featured on hip hop and 90% of the programming consists of random movies and 90s sitcoms. If you watched FUSE back in the day, feel free to comment with your memories!
Xoxo
Heather Zombie
There was a show back in 2006 that had unknown people like makeup artists, grips, whomever from the crew interviewing the bands. Do you recall that one?
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