Comments on: MTV's Buzz: fantastically forward-thinking TV from 1990 http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-643092 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-643092 I'm surprised there's not more Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Pop Will Eat Itself references. I’m surprised there’s not more Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Pop Will Eat Itself references.

]]> By: scifijazznik http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642340 scifijazznik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642340 Wow. Now that was a great trip in the wacky wayback machine. Every once in a while, I remember a time when MTV had actual good moments scattered throughout the detritus of Billy Ocean and Def Leppard videos and I wonder if it was indeed real. What's striking to me now is how much work went into the production of those segments. Doing all that with video tapes and toasters...man, those were (not) the days. Wow. Now that was a great trip in the wacky wayback machine. Every once in a while, I remember a time when MTV had actual good moments scattered throughout the detritus of Billy Ocean and Def Leppard videos and I wonder if it was indeed real.

What’s striking to me now is how much work went into the production of those segments. Doing all that with video tapes and toasters…man, those were (not) the days.

]]> By: certron http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-643887 certron Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-643887 There was a DVD that compiled two VHS tapes of content from Liquid Television called Wet Shorts. I should still have it on DVD... someplace. There was a DVD that compiled two VHS tapes of content from Liquid Television called Wet Shorts. I should still have it on DVD… someplace.

]]> By: footage http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642609 footage Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642609 @Ian70: good point about EBN. Bunch of convergent work back then. Mark Pellington (co-producer of BUZZ) had worked as an on-air promo producer at MTV and was a key vector of the scratchy look and found-footage sensibility that characterized the channel in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As music videos got more visually predictable, MTV's on-air look kicked out to compensate. When we supplied footage to Natural Born Killers in 1993-94, we heard that the editors credited Pellington for its mixed-media, collagish, breakneck-edit style. @Ian70: good point about EBN. Bunch of convergent work back then. Mark Pellington (co-producer of BUZZ) had worked as an on-air promo producer at MTV and was a key vector of the scratchy look and found-footage sensibility that characterized the channel in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As music videos got more visually predictable, MTV’s on-air look kicked out to compensate. When we supplied footage to Natural Born Killers in 1993-94, we heard that the editors credited Pellington for its mixed-media, collagish, breakneck-edit style.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642612 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642612 i believe Rupaul is in the beginning . i believe Rupaul is in the beginning .

]]> By: mwiik http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642102 mwiik Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642102 I remember this show, it was great! I should have several episodes on video tape. Beta most likely... I should find them. I remember this show, it was great! I should have several episodes on video tape. Beta most likely… I should find them.

]]> By: RalphthePunk http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642627 RalphthePunk Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642627 Memories - BUZZ folks at Art Futura where I didn't meet Mark Neale (who briefly appears in the first BUZZ clip), but with whom I worked with later. Mark Neale/EBN/U2 connection. Helped out Survival Research Lab, met Perry Hoberman, William Gibson, Scott Fisher, Brenda Laurel, and Brad deGraf among many others. Hung out with Sally and Johnie in Barcelona. Blood stained crosses hung from balconies to protest SRL and their tesla coils and sonic cannons. Heady times. thanks for the memories. Memories – BUZZ folks at Art Futura where I didn’t meet Mark Neale (who briefly appears in the first BUZZ clip), but with whom I worked with later. Mark Neale/EBN/U2 connection. Helped out Survival Research Lab, met Perry Hoberman, William Gibson, Scott Fisher, Brenda Laurel, and Brad deGraf among many others. Hung out with Sally and Johnie in Barcelona. Blood stained crosses hung from balconies to protest SRL and their tesla coils and sonic cannons. Heady times. thanks for the memories.

]]> By: @0MICD0G http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-708721 @0MICD0G Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-708721 I have been looking for this series for years! I (club DJ/producer) remember watching the first episode with a friend (Bouncer) and remarking how far ahead of its time the show was, he looked at me and shook his head in disbelief, not getting it at all. Right then I knew BUZZ would be pulled from the schedule, they don't call it "broadcast" for nothing. A "narrowcast" doesn't pay the bills, after all, and its obvious very few of us knew what we were seeing. What I did NOT know was how few must have gotten it and how far this series would buried! Thank You for sharing, and nice work! -A. Dog > ) I have been looking for this series for years! I (club DJ/producer) remember watching the first episode with a friend (Bouncer) and remarking how far ahead of its time the show was, he looked at me and shook his head in disbelief, not getting it at all. Right then I knew BUZZ would be pulled from the schedule, they don’t call it “broadcast” for nothing. A “narrowcast” doesn’t pay the bills, after all, and its obvious very few of us knew what we were seeing. What I did NOT know was how few must have gotten it and how far this series would buried! Thank You for sharing, and nice work!
-A. Dog
> )

]]> By: elevatedprimate http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642180 elevatedprimate Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642180 Wow. This inspired me to go search out a bunch of the old Concrete TV stuff. I think my head might melt from too much video collage. Wow. This inspired me to go search out a bunch of the old Concrete TV stuff. I think my head might melt from too much video collage.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-659592 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-659592 I used to drop acid and watch this show! It really is mind-blowing! It still looks and sounds so fresh, it's shocking it's more than 20 years old. I had all the shows on vhs, but it was thrown out by my mom cleaning, years ago. I've been looking for it ever since! Thanks for the links. This and Andy Warhol's 15 minutes were shockingly hip, MTV sure did change! I used to drop acid and watch this show! It really is mind-blowing! It still looks and sounds so fresh, it’s shocking it’s more than 20 years old. I had all the shows on vhs, but it was thrown out by my mom cleaning, years ago. I’ve been looking for it ever since! Thanks for the links. This and Andy Warhol’s 15 minutes were shockingly hip, MTV sure did change!

]]> By: Daemon http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642699 Daemon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642699 What I find interesting is what this says about how we view violence as it relates to gender. You can make a video game where you kill and/or main hundreds of guys and and nobody has any problems... The gender of the target shouldn't be what pisses people off. What I find interesting is what this says about how we view violence as it relates to gender.

You can make a video game where you kill and/or main hundreds of guys and and nobody has any problems…

The gender of the target shouldn’t be what pisses people off.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642189 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642189 "I remember a time... Ohh, it was so long ago.." (piano music) “I remember a time… Ohh, it was so long ago..” (piano music)

]]> By: footage http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642201 footage Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642201 With Kathy High, I produced the segments on virtual reality (with Jaron Lanier and Scott Fisher), hackers (RU Sirius, John "Captain Crunch" Draper, Lee Felsenstein and others), and cryonics. It was amazing interviewing legendary figures in their homes and workplaces, and I wished BUZZ would go on forever, but it didn't. My involvement ended abruptly when HBO, where I was working at the time, learned I was also working for MTV and called me in and read me the riot act. --Rick Prelinger With Kathy High, I produced the segments on virtual reality (with Jaron Lanier and Scott Fisher), hackers (RU Sirius, John “Captain Crunch” Draper, Lee Felsenstein and others), and cryonics. It was amazing interviewing legendary figures in their homes and workplaces, and I wished BUZZ would go on forever, but it didn’t. My involvement ended abruptly when HBO, where I was working at the time, learned I was also working for MTV and called me in and read me the riot act.

–Rick Prelinger

]]> By: yellowcab666 http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642460 yellowcab666 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642460 Test Dept! Test Dept!

]]> By: Ian70 http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642473 Ian70 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642473 I kept expecting to hear the words: ..EMERGENCY.. ..BROADCAST.. ..NETWORK.. This production is very reminiscent of EBN (no telling who borrowed from whom). I wish that group had produced more stuff... I really liked them. I kept expecting to hear the words:
..EMERGENCY..
..BROADCAST..
..NETWORK..

This production is very reminiscent of EBN (no telling who borrowed from whom). I wish that group had produced more stuff… I really liked them.

]]> By: Jeff Hirsch http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-878004 Jeff Hirsch Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-878004 Wow, how did I miss this posting when it ran last year? BUZZ was a huge favorite with my crowd of happy mutants in college. I have possibly every episode except one in decent quality on HiFI VHS tapes. I should get them transcribed and out there for all the other BUZZ freaks. I had no idea anybody else even saw the show except me and my freaky friends. Wow, how did I miss this posting when it ran last year? BUZZ was a huge favorite with my crowd of happy mutants in college. I have possibly every episode except one in decent quality on HiFI VHS tapes. I should get them transcribed and out there for all the other BUZZ freaks. I had no idea anybody else even saw the show except me and my freaky friends.

]]> By: amida http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642499 amida Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642499 I miss the old future. I miss the old future.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-643267 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-643267 Man, those were the days. Buzz was so freakin' awesome! My God, I remember watching this show when I was a senior in High School! This show, along with the works of EBN, and U2's Zoo TV tour inspired me to go into video! What happened? You turn on MTV and you get nothing but horrible reality shows, shows where people deliberately hurt themselves doing stupid stunts, and shows like "Wondershozen:" which is not only in bad taste, (Worse than anything Beavis and Butt-head ever did,) but also not funny at all. I wish MTV would get rid of whoever is in charge and bring back Buzz and stuff like it! Go back to the way things were before Real World first premiered! Man, those were the days. Buzz was so freakin’ awesome! My God, I remember watching this show when I was a senior in High School! This show, along with the works of EBN, and U2′s Zoo TV tour inspired me to go into video!

What happened? You turn on MTV and you get nothing but horrible reality shows, shows where people deliberately hurt themselves doing stupid stunts, and shows like “Wondershozen:” which is not only in bad taste, (Worse than anything Beavis and Butt-head ever did,) but also not funny at all.

I wish MTV would get rid of whoever is in charge and bring back Buzz and stuff like it! Go back to the way things were before Real World first premiered!

]]> By: David Pescovitz http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642246 David Pescovitz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642246 Whoa, Rick! I didn't realize you were involved in Buzz. Perfect. Whoa, Rick! I didn’t realize you were involved in Buzz. Perfect.

]]> By: GrymRpr http://boingboing.net/2009/11/19/mtvs-buzz-fantastica.html#comment-642516 GrymRpr Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-642516 This and Liquid Tv are two shows that MTv need's to put out on Dvd. This and Liquid Tv are two shows that MTv need’s to put out on Dvd.

]]>