Why VH1 Classic's "Alternative" show is now the greatest thing on American TV:

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Essentially VH1's version of "120 Minutes", each ep is filled with a dozen worthwhile vids that I never saw the first time around. Tonight they had Husker Du's "Makes No Sense at All", a Jesus & Mary Chain vid from _Automatic_, then My Bloody Valentine's "Soon".

Fuckin' perfect. This makes it all worth the cost of digital cable.

Heh. Followed by the Damned's "Anything" and the Pixies' "Velouria". Damn, I'm glad that this is on three night's a week now.

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah I know we already have a VH1-C thread. What's your point?

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I have all those old videos on tape somewhere.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i think i'm gunna start taping this show, so we have something to play on the video monitors between(and during) the bands at the bar i do sound at...

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:04 (twenty-one years ago)

We have an ILM thread where The Alternative is pitted against Subterranean on Sundays:One terrible band after another...

So far it's The Alternative by a mile.

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:07 (twenty-one years ago)

altho, it should be mentioned that the Alternative has the benefit of hindsight and about 15 years of vids to draw from...

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I've seen that "Makes No Sense At All" video at least ten times already, on VH1C's "We Are the '80s" program, which I USED to love but since "The Alternative"'s debut haven't bothered with much. That song's really, really, really catchy.

Much of today's program seemed to repeat a lot of videos I'd seen time and again on the program (ha, one of the costs of being a loyal viewer of "The Alternative"!), but I was thrilled to catch PJ Harvey's "Man-size" and the Pixies' "Velouria". And what was that Mission U.K. video they played? Loved that one, too. As for "Soon" -- ah yes, I squealed on Ned's behalf. :)

altho, it should be mentioned that the Alternative has the benefit of hindsight and about 15 years of vids to draw from...

Point taken. :)

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:15 (twenty-one years ago)

did they play the 2nd part to both "Makes No Sense At All?" 'Cause originally they segued into "Love Is All Around."

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, they did. They always do -- on VH1C, anyway.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:20 (twenty-one years ago)

We must be spoiled here - theres a show on the ABC (aust BBC basically) called "Rage" thats been going about 20 years and has VAULTS full of video clips of all kinds.

It means Ive seen most 70s-90s alterno/indie/ounk clips about 101 times each, not that Im complaining.

Best moments: They Might be Giants programming the show, and picking shitloads of hiphop in amongst the obvious thigns like Yello (plus, ALL of their own clips); and when the Butthole Surfers did the guest spot and it was plain Gibby Haines was tripping off his trolley.

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:32 (twenty-one years ago)

(ounk? Gah. I meant punk obv)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:32 (twenty-one years ago)

it was plain Gibby Haines was tripping off his trolley.

awesome. was he actually running around the studio?

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah but he was lying around on the floor saying weird shit like "whats dead backwards in a texan accent? Its 'daed!'" and other such weird crap.

And one of the other guys was telling a tale about how they went to a Depeche Mode concert and all the crowd were gorgeous teen goth girls. So Gibby says "I wanted to kiss them, right between their legs". And then they cut to "Personal Jesus".

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

(Theres no audience on this show I should point out - its just whichever band is running the night, talking about why they picked the tracks they did, and telling stories and whatever).

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:41 (twenty-one years ago)

could they drink on camera?

― Lt. Kingfish Del Pickles (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

That reminds me, did anyone see the Courtney Love thing where she took over MTV2? I only read about it. Something about introducing the Strokes by saying something like, "With me now are a group of homosexuals. They're here to talk about gay rights."
Wish someone could hook me up with a tape...

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:44 (twenty-one years ago)

You know, I dont know - but it wouldnt suprise me if half the acts Ive seen have been drunk, stoned or otherwise whacked out. The Dandy Warhols looked really stoned as well now I think about it. I have tapes of the Dandys, Butthole Surfers and TMBG guest nites - theyre great for sticking on at parties as background music/clips (usually 3 or 4 hours worth of stuff).

http://www.abc.net.au/rage/guest/img/butthole.jpg
This was the Buttholes guest spot!

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:45 (twenty-one years ago)

(argh xpost)

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:45 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.abc.net.au/rage/guest/img/dandy03.jpg

"Man, Bauhaus were like, so gawth"

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:49 (twenty-one years ago)

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