E3 Interview: VidZone

A lot of you have been asking for more information on the VidZone music video application in the comments section, so I met up with Lou Jackson and Michael Russo from VidZone to answer some of your questions.
VidZone, which will be available free from PlayStation Store on June 11, provides unlimited access to thousands of streaming music videos and the ability to create unlimited playlists, all on your PS3.

Here at E3 they’ve been showing a promotional video featuring Kasabian and Dizzee Rascal, so I asked whether we would also be able to access interviews and live performances.
“VidZone is partnered with a production company that provides us with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes music video features and live gig footage, and that’s going to be in place at launch,” replied Jackson. “PS3 owners will be able to watch an interview with Kasabian, as well as an exclusive live performance of Processed Beats, which was recorded in London and has a phenomenal vibe.”
“The PlayStation community is one of the most important parts of VidZone’s evolution and we’ll be listening to them and finding out which artists they’d like to see. Actually, we’re trying to choose an act for a live performance this summer and we’d love people to use the comments section of this post to tell us who we should try to get.”

I then asked how many videos will be available at launch.
“There are over 10,000 videos,” said Jackson “They will be updated every week, and in terms of quantities, those updates will be in the hundreds. Our ultimate dream is to have every music video ever made on the service, as well as classic live performances dating back to the 1950s, in their entirety.”
I know a lot of you want to find out which countries will be able to access VidZone and why certain territories will not be able to at launch, so I also asked for an answer on that.
“Initially, we’re launching VidZone in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Italy, France, Spain and Germany,” said Jackson.

“The reasons we’re only launching in those countries for the time being,” added Russo, “are largely to do with sourcing local advertising that is relevant and appropriate. We can’t wait to roll out in the remaining territories though; we’ll bring you more information when we have it.”
Having been able to play around with the service here at E3, I’m very impressed. The video quality is superb, the menus are slick and intuitive and it’s a piece of cake setting up playlists from the impressive collection of videos available.
To end the interview, Jackson and Russo gave me their dream playlists, and here they are:
Michael Russo:

Michael Jackson:Thriller
U2:Where The Streets Have No Name
Jamiroquai: Virtual Insanity
Lady GaGa: Poker Face
Mika: Grace Kelly

Lou Jackson: