ASPIRING rock stars, be warned: You’ve now got one less place to be discovered.Brownies, the East Village club that helped launch the careers of bands like Creed, Ben Folds Five, Sugar Ray and Veruca Salt is closing its doors next Saturday – because owner Mike Stuto needs a break.

“I understand that I’m the only person in New York who wants this place to close,” said the 35-year-old Stuto. “And I’m incredibly flattered that people are bummed about it.”

But all the begging bassists in the world couldn’t convince Stuto to change his mind.

After a few weeks’ hiatus, Stuto will reopen the spot under a different name – and without live music.

“The amount of time you have to put in has left me completely unable to do anything else,” he said.

“And the idea that I would still have this place and not have anything to do with it – I’m not interested in that. Nobody else can do it like I can.”

The Avenue A rock club has weathered the ups and downs of the music industry since opening in 1989, but always stayed true to its mission of being a home base for a wide variety of local bands.

“It’s not about the band that becomes big – it’s about the culture of the underground, the below-the-radar bands all over the planet,” says Stuto. “This is one of the only places where [those] bands can play in New York.”

With those days numbered, a devoted group of locals – many sympathetic to Stuto’s plight – showed up Thursday for one of the club’s last shows – Satanicide, a parody of a “big hair metal” band.

“Nobody wants to see bands anymore,” said graphic designer Paul Lyren. “It’s just easier to see a DJ.”

“It’s too bad,” agreed musician Matt Holford, as the band, clad in tight pants, makeup and enormous wigs, took the stage. “There aren’t a lot of places where you can see something like this, you know?”

“New York City, Brownies, 1989 to 2002! The end of an era!” screamed the guitarist for Satanicide, before launching into an earsplitting riff.

“Mike let us get away with anything in that club,” said Satanicide frontman Devlin Mayhem mournfully.

But Stuto promises the new bar will be a comfy consolation prize for his disgruntled patrons.

“It’ll be a fun place to hang out – very music-intense. Probably record covers all over the walls. The difference between a club and a bar is the TV – we’re going to have a TV.”

Stuto also hinted about a mysterious new contraption that he calls a “revolutionary jukebox.”

“I’ve invented a machine that enables me to have thousands of records to choose from – country, punk, hip hop, everything,” he said. “People will have to come down and see it for themselves.”

In the meantime, Stuto’s last-week lineup is full of his favorite bands.

Stuto booked the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for Monday night’s show because they represent what Brownies is all about to fans of the club.

As for the rest of the closing week, “it’s all pretty much friends, just people who live locally who are doing their thing,” Stuto says.

“We’re not really going out with a bang in the eyes of the media – but for me it is.”

Brownies bands

AMONG the rockers who’ve graced

Brownies’ beer-soaked stage:

The Strokes

Elliot Smith

Presidents of the United States of America

Local H

Third Eye Blind

Superchunk

The Jungle Brothers

Son Volt

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

The final acts

HERE’S who’ll be taking the stage for last call at Brownies:

* Tonight:

Tribute to Bad Brains II with Pure Hell, Tamar Kali, Simi, Cipher, Dr. Israel, Zionix, Soul Craft Symphony, and guest DJs.

* Tomorrow:

California Stadium, Ivory Coast, the Reputation with Elizabeth Elmore, Q and Not U.

* Monday:

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and “some friends.”

* Tuesday:

MX2, Hurricane Lamps, Blank Stares, Joanie Loves Trotsky.

* Wednesday:

Team USA, Saturnine, Sea Ray.

* Thursday:

The Oranges Band, Pilot to Gunner, Lifter Puller.

* Friday:

Hopewell, A Don Piper Situation, Champale, Jesse Malin

* Saturday:

Clara Venus, NYC Smoke, Scout, Hot Socky, plus special performance of “The Death of the Revolutionaire.”