Allison Hagendorf

What about coming to Fuse excites you?

When I was doing A&R and signing unknown artists, getting coverage on Fuse was a huge deal — even more so than MTV in many ways because Fuse was all about the music. Being featured on Fuse was a huge opportunity since it really provided an outlet for emerging artists. I’m excited to now be part of the team.

What do you think you can bring to Fuse that might not be here already?

My mentor and colleague [former MTV and VH1 host] Matt Pinfield always had an organic rapport with the artists, as well as a real knowledge of the music. I strive to bring that same credibility to my interviews. I do my own research. I know about my bands and their music, as well as all the news, etc. I am a music person and a huge music fan, and that’s what I want to bring to the camera.

What was your biggest interview moment?

Perry Farrell. Definitely. I had a one-on-one with him in a small room and it ended up being long — a :30 interview. I rarely get star-struck or care much about celebrity — but for me, that was huge.

The music of the 90s was a renaissance — both for me and for music in general. I had grown up a dancer and as a result basically loved pop and R&B, or anything I could dance to. But I will never forget the second I first heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” — it was the song heard ’round the world, specifically mine. At that very second, everything changed for me. I traded in dance shoes for Vans and became all about bands like Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Blind Melon, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Temple of The Dog, Porno For Pyros, Jane’s Addiction, etc. Oh and I still love Chris Cornell.

What do you think is hot in Pop music right now?

Despite my rock-heavy background in A&R — I had worked with bands like Lamb of God — I really just love anything that has strong songwriting or you can dance to. So often the word “Pop” gets a negative connotation, but really the word “Pop” is short for “Popular Culture”. So that means it includes everyone from Lady Gaga to Kings of Leon to Kanye. “Pop” is about embracing all things pop culture and that’s what I aim to do with this show. I’m excited.

Speaking of Lady Gaga, do you think she is trying to copy Roisin Murphy as they’ve been saying in the press?

I don’t think Gaga is copying anyone. I think she is inspired by a multitude of sources of music, fashion, and pop culture in general. Her name itself Lady Gaga was inspired by the Queen song “Radio Ga Ga” and I know she has sited everyone from Bowie and Grace Jones, to Andy Warhol and Versace as influences. Perhaps Roisin Murphy is one of them.

The thing to note with Lady Gaga and artists like her, such as Katy Perry, is that they are amazing business women as well as artists. They both have a relentless work ethic and have been working on their music and image for years. Katy went through the traditional [A&R grill] with the labels and has obviously prevailed and succeeded. Lady Gaga did her thing down in the Lower East Side, tried on a bunch of looks and sounds and figured out what worked for her. Finally, she hooked up with the talented producer, Red One, and the two of them obviously had an amazing creative energy. I think radio is onto the fourth single from her album right now.

Both Gaga and Katy, are refreshing new faces of pop. They both write their own songs and write for other artists as well. Too often, the term “singer-songwriter” gets thrown around, diluting the weight of that phrase. Both these women are doing everything for themselves, and realize that work ethic is just as important as talent. They’ve combined talent, drive, and persistence, summoning their own success.

To learn more about the “The Pop Show”, go here: 

http://www.fuse.tv/ontv/shows/the-pop-show/bio.html