All Right!

HERE is where new members, Pop Pioneers, can find out the details of what PGH offers you!

Are ready to start enjoying the Pop Geek Heaven experience, the first big ‘ole members-only web site dedicated to and celebrating being…a fan of ‘power pop’?

“Well, all right fellas….Let’s go……” (cue rat-tatting snare drum from “Ballroom Blitz”)

So what is ‘the goal’ with Pop Geek Heaven?

It’s not written in stone but it’s about merging, connecting a part of our younger, music-obsessed selves with who we are in the present.  In order to have more joy in our lives tomorrow.

The rush, the surge of excitement of discovering a new band that just blew you away – and you gotta hit the ‘repeat’ button, pick up the album to check out the details of the credits and make your best music buddy knows about your new discovery.

THAT is a feeling, that our overly plugged-in, hectic modern lives and our veteran, cynical experiences with the music industry have muted.  Have dialed us down on.  We’ve allowed to become increasingly more grayed-out in our memories.

Want a good laugh?  This is embarrassing. Very. I had mimeographed(remember?!) fanzine in Boston when I was in junior high and early high school. Maybe I’ll share the rest of this rag with you, down the line. At the least, it proves that Big Star changed my life on January 10, 1975 when I bought “Radio City” at Woolworths for .97 cents (along with an original of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World”).  Note the name of it.  (click on the image to view)

Bringing a bit all I am talking about above(and to the left) – is what I humbly hope Pop Geek Heaven evolves into.

Talk about going full circle at 49 years old!  ;-P

So here – what you see right now – is the awkward first step into the unknown.

I have NO idea where this is going because so much of it is connected to you, us all here.

This is not a job for me – it’s just a dream, a vision for something better for music fans I’ve been working on for quite awhile now and now have the time to start sharing with fellow power pop fans all over the world.

There is no agenda here to sell or push ‘stuff’. Nothing is for sale.  Well, unless you click on links inside articles that will take you elsewhere on the net and buy from the artist or other retail sites.

I guess if there is an agenda, a purpose to everything here, it’s connected to the picture below:

This would be me, Bruce Brodeen. Age 16, 1980. Needham, Massachusetts.

If you knew what was in the background taped up onto the wall, you’d laugh.  Knowingly.  That Marc Bolan poster behind my left shoulder was my favorite–and still is. It’s around here somewhere.  (Don’t ask about how I got that “Do Not Enter” sign, though)

I have a sneaking suspicion that your bedroom, at around the same age, looked pretty similar.

So…Yes, you are…a Pop Geek. A Serious Music Lover.

Specifically, a POP PIONEER.

I use that term because what you are about to start enjoying here is something that’s not really been done before. There’s never been a site obsessively, singularly focused not only this type of music but one that brings together some of the emerging technological advances going on right now.

Pop Geek Heaven is an evolutionary platform. What you see here is in beta, Version .96, Step #1 in a journey where we’ll figure things out as a community of pop geeks together.

So…TWO OPTIONS on this tour of Pop Geek Heaven – but feel free to do both to get as a complete overview.

One, you can play the video above and get a guided tour of the site and how to use it, as well some important things to be aware of.  It will take a little over 5 minutes.

OR

Two, you can continue to read on below.

So let’s begin.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

When you come to www.popgeekheaven.com, make sure you log-in(in the top right corner of the site).  After you do that, you will be taken to an area called THE DASHBOARD.

The Dashboard is the command center, the central nervous system where Pop Pioneers can navigate and enjoy all the information, music and content on the site.

If you ever have any questions, ideas to share to make PGH cooler, better or want to volunteer to help out (tech stuff, writing, whatever…), you can reach me at: popgeekheaven@gmail.com.   Just remember, PGH is not my day-job — so be patient, please.

There are SIX AREAS on The Dashboard:  Music Discovery, The Guru Zone, Resources, Works In Progress, A Better Life and…oh yeah, The Surprise Box! Each ‘module’ has different areas to discover and explore.

SURPRISE BOX:   Every 2/3 days, this area will contain a new song(s) which you will be able to download and enjoy forever. The songs here will NOT be archived and will vanish, disappear as the new one(s) are uploaded. These songs will be new material, demos, unreleased or cool songs from the past.

MUSIC DISCOVERY:  

Music Discovery – (updated once a month) A full digital downloadable compilation with full-color art work to insert into a jewel case. In the future, a physical CD version of these compilation may occur if the PGH community wants it.

What’s New – a gathering of up-to-date news, buzz and gossip. As PGH hears about something(and you let us know what you are hearing), it will post here.

Lost Treasures – There are many hundreds of obscure, unknown releases that even the most informed power pop fan has not heard or heard of — or forgotten about! Lost Treasures will bring these out into the light.

The Artist’s Stage – Important Area: this will be a broadcast platform for bands/artists to let the PGH community know what’s going with their most recent projects, keeping us in the loop and informed.

Not Lame Experience – the Not Lame (notlame.com) mail order and web site(1995-2010) carried over 10,000 different CDs and its label released almost 100 CDs. Here, we’ll explore some of the unknown, over-looked gems buried inside Not Lame’s history.

PGH Podcast –  I’m hoping to have a new podcast here every three weeks.  Each show will be between 30-45 minutes and be downloadable so you can listen whenever you want to.

The NOT Pop Area – We’re all MUSIC lovers – and listen to a whole lot more outside of power pop, of course. Plenty areas at PGH will ‘draw outside the lines’ but this place will cover a lot of other music styles.

THE GURU ZONE: 

Pop Academy – Eventually, this area will develop into a college-level exploration into sub-niches inside power pop and other related genres and become a really interactive experience. For now, we’ll begin with the first digging in a more traditional approach.

Interviews – There will be regular updates here with interviews with new, developing artists alongside the more well known, higher-profile ones.

Exclusive Features – PGH has a small army of professional, freelance writers that will explore subjects that are not normally covered by print publications or even blogs.

Ask The Gurus –  (Coming Soon) Send along your questions about ‘what ever happened to’, bands you’ve heard rumors about, questions you’ve always wanted answered and we’ll get them to PGH’s panel of experts and see what we can all learn!

Bloody Red Baron – writer Mike Baron(Nexus, The Badger, Creem, Boston Phoenix, Isthmus) will be writing on various topics on a regular basis. Reviews, short articles and a special, ongoing series on “One Man Bands” will appear here.

RESOURCES: 

Buying Guides –  (Coming Soon)  This will be a PDF newsletter that will compile much of the information on the site into a convenient format to print out and enjoy at your leisure.

The Net Experience – So many, many web sites, blogs, magazines and resources. What’s going on and keeping track of the best, most interesting information is hard.  Here, PGH will filter through all the noise and keep it simple and clean. One place to launch into digging deeper.

Member Surveys – (Coming Soon) Music Geeks love polls, lists and surveys. PGH will do regular surveys on a lot of different areas of interest in the hopes of understanding what truly is of interest to all of us and enjoy understanding what ‘fuels up our engines’.

PGH Members –  Here you can see and meet other Pop Pioneers at PGH.  In the coming months, this area will be able to better compile any personal information about your favorite albums, artists, music and more.  This is just a starting point, presently.

Member Collections – (Coming Soon)

WORKS IN PROGRESS: 

One of the most exciting places here, as time goes on. WIP will be where you be plugged in and inserted into the creative arc of a project as it happens, many times from the beginning until the end. Bands/Artists participating with WIP projects will allow inside, personal access to their projects, allowing Pop Pioneers(that’s you!) the opportunity to give our input into art work, songs as they are written, the construction of a project, sequencing and special members-only interviews where we can really ‘get to know’ the musicians involved.

We’ll conduct live interviews with artists via webinar technology and, sometimes, will be taken into the studio with the bands as record and work the music out.  Later in 2012, I hope to be able to have special, exclusive live performances for PGH members.

Also, there are many (physical)book projects that will appear in “Works In Progress” and Pop Pioneers  have special access in the creation as these works as they are being conceived, grow into shape and, ultimately, ‘birthed’ into the world.  Upcoming books projects include “Power Pop 360″(the follow-up to “Shake Some Action – The Ulimate Power Pop Guide”), the next two volumes in “Power Pop Prime”, a new ‘power pop’ series to be announced and a comprehensive biography on Jellyfish.  Other book projects will be announced soon, as well.

The thrust, the drive of the “Works In Progress” area is to allow us, the fans, to be part of the creative process.  To almost ‘co-create’ alongside the musicians, the authors — and to have a small slice of our DNA to become part of the finished project.  As the months go on and I have the time to flesh-out my vision for WIP – and get input from you – this area is going to settle into being an always interesting, inspiring and innovative area.

A BETTER LIFE:  Because it’s about more than loving music, it’s about living happier, healthier life….   

Getting Stuff Done – Quick tips and ideas on being more productive without losing your soul and stressing out. Get More Stuff Done = more time to enjoy the things you love to do most. Example:  listening to music. ;-P

Exclusive Articles –  Articles on the subject of productivity, lifestyle and general interest outside of music.

Workbooks & Tools –  Included here will be a working manuscript of a book on productivity I’m writing but there will be updated lists and information on free or cheap tools to help you get more control of time and keeping focus on what matters.

Resources –  A gathering place for favorite sites, blogs and resources on the subjects and information covered here.

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Want to help out with PGH?

If you have any suggestions on how to make things cooler, better here at PopGeekHeaven – get in touch with me!  Making this as comfortable and something you are going to love is where I want PGH to move towards.  Email me at:  popgeekheaven@gmail.com

If you are a writer or have any technical skills (I’m not gifted in this department!), I would be over-the-top to hear from you!  🙂

Be patient in the coming weeks.  This is all new for me and I’m one person doing this in my free time as juggle a few different businesses, a family and general balancing of a healthy life.  It will be a progressive and, as I said above, evolutionary environment.

It’s all FREE, remember.

For now, everything at PopGeekHeaven (and there’s plenty of costs attached to this) is funded by sales at the Pop Geek Heaven Store.  If you are able to and find something that will add value to your music-loving experience, pick up something there – it will go a long way.  You can visit the store by clicking here.

Enjoy being a POP PIONEER at Pop Geek Heaven.  This is our place – get comfortable and ENJOY.

BRUCE BRODEEN (just another proud)Pop Geek