Occupy Fuse: Bring Back Steven’s Untitled Rock Show

Pardon the trip down memory lane, but today Steven Smith of Steven’s Untitled Rock Show tweeted a classic Valentine’s Day video back from when he and Jared Cotter ruled Fuse. Around 2006 through 2008-ish, Fuse was the only channel my brother and I could agree on, and we loved the quirkiness of one of the only music channels that actually aired interviews and music videos (no, really!). But more than anything, we loved SURS. 

It’s the only show I’ve ever seen that really succeeded in catering to alternative music community. In print, we have specialty magazines like Alternative Press, and online we have a menagerie of sites, most notably ones like AbsolutePunk. But when it comes to music television, it’s hard enough to find shows covering popular music, let alone the alternative scene. But SURS did just that and it did it well. 

I think most of its success came from its charismatic host Steven Smith, who I think is one of the best interviewers on television. He draws his strength from the fact that he knows the music he writes about. He’s been to all the shows and he owns all the albums, and some of my favorite moments on the show came when he interviewed artists who he was  truly obsessed with. When Steven interviews, he asks the kind of questions you would ask your favorite musician, and sometimes he geeks out just like you or I would. He’s never pretentious and he never claims to know more than he does, although the man knows more about the origins of alternative, punk and pop than just about any one else in music journalism. He has his ear to the ground of the scene, and that shone through in his interviews. The kings and queens of alternative music always returned to SURS because they had such a good time with Steven and his low-key interviews.

The show itself was understated and simple. It was just Steven sitting in a chair and talking music, the kind of conversation you’d have with your best friend while listening to the new Taking Back Sunday album. Even just having a show that played music videos was wonderful. Sure, having music videos at your fingertips, any time, any day, is nice, but there’s something great about seeing videos on the TV screen where they belong. The music SURS played directly influenced my taste the entire time it was on the air, and I was exposed to artists I may not have picked up otherwise. 

One of my most distinct memories from SURS comes from the 8-minute premiere of Death Cab for Cutie’s video for “I Will Possess Your Heart.” My brother and I sat on the Oriental rug in our living room, sitting in silence as this gorgeous redhead traveled the world in silence and that distinctive bass riff filled the speakers. This was what music television should be: video premieres and interviews and exposure to new, wonderful music. 

Bring back SURS. Bring back music television.