Underground Garage

Infobox Radio Station
name = Underground Garage


area = United States, Canada
slogan =
airdate =
frequency = Sirius 25
Dish Network 6025
format = FreeForm
owner = Renegade Nation
distributor = Sirius Satellite Radio class = Satellite Radio Station
website = [http://www.sirius.com/undergroundgarage www.sirius.com/undergroundgarage]

"Underground Garage" is the name shared by two related but different radio outlets, a syndicated show and a satellite radio station, both created and supervised by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt to present rock 'n' roll and garage rock on radio. Both outlets play a mixture of garage rock both old and new, and the music which influenced today's garage rock.

One of the outlets is a weekly syndicated radio show (full title: "Little Steven's Underground Garage") heard on over 200 terrestrial FM radio stations in 130 major cities in the USA and in many countries outside the US. The two-hour show is written, hosted and produced by Van Zandt. The show debuted on approximately 30 US stations in 2003 and has become one of the fastest-growing syndicated music radio shows in the US. It is heard by approximately one million listeners in the US each week.

The other outlet is a 24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week satellite radio channel (named: "Underground Garage") heard nationwide in the USA & Canada on Sirius Satellite Radio and via Dish Network satellite TV - and heard worldwide on Sirius Internet Radio.

The radio channel is programmed and run by Van Zandt. The programs are hosted by a team of personalities personally selected by Van Zandt. On-air hosts on the channel include original Rolling Stones manager/producer Andrew Loog Oldham, punk rock singer Handsome Dick Manitoba, veteran FM radio deejays Kid Leo and Bill Kelly, rock entrepreneur Kim Fowley and musician/producer Genya Ravan (originally the singer in Goldie & the Gingerbreads).

As of February 19th 2007 Van Zandt will have a regular spot Monday through Friday at 11am, 3pm, and 7pm in between each program.

In musical terms, the radio channel is an extension of Van Zandt's own weekly radio show and shares the same philosophy.

Musical philosophy

The music format of both the weekly terrestrial radio show and the 24/7 satellite radio channel is based on Van Zandt's musical philosophy and approach to rock 'n' roll. Van Zandt believes that rock 'n' roll is a continuum from the early 1950s onwards and that it is artificial and counter-productive to segregate music by the decade it was created. So the Underground Garage presents music from every decade since the beginnings of rock 'n' roll in the early 1950's to the present day. The music is fully integrated so that listeners hear recordings by rock pioneers such as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Elvis Presley juxtaposed with records by present-day garage bands like The Contrast - and multiple artists from the four decades between.

Van Zandt has stated that he hopes to draw younger listeners (who are attracted because of the current artists) to hear the historic acts that paved the way for today's rock. And older listeners (who are attracted because of the vintage artists) to hear the artists who are carrying on the tradition.

On both the Sirius channel and on the syndicated show, one song is proclaimed as "The Coolest Song in the World This Week." At the end of 2006, listeners were invited to choose between the 52 songs to pick the year's best. The results were as follows:
*1. The Woggles: "It's Not About What I Want"
*2. The Charms: "So Romantic"
*3. Anderson Council: "Pinkerton's Assorted Colours"
*4. Primal Scream: "Country Girl"
*5. New York Dolls: "Dance Like A Monkey"
*6. The Shys: "Never Gonna Die"
*7. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: "Everyone Knows"
*8. The Raconteurs: "Steady, As She Goes"
*9. The Maggots: "King Of The Freaks"
*10. The Holograms: "Are You Ready For It"

Listening to the Underground Garage

The weekly syndicated radio show

* On FM radio stations in USA - [http://www.undergroundgarage.com Station details] (click on "Radio Affiliates")
* On select radio stations in Europe/Asia [http://www.undergroundgarage.com Station details] (click on "Radio Affiliates")
* In multiple nations worldwide via Voice of America Radio

The 24/7 radio channel

* On satellite radio in North America: Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 25
* On satellite TV in North America: DISH Network Channel 6025
* On the internet worldwide: Sirius Internet Radio [http://www.sirius.com]

ee also

* List of Sirius Satellite Radio stations
* List of Dish Network channels

External links

* [http://www.undergroundgarage.com Official website of the Underground Garage]
* [http://www.sirius.com/undergroundgarage The Underground Garage section on the Sirius website]