I want my MTV: 120 Minutes, Alternative Nation, Headbanger's Ball, YO MTV Raps and the lost art of music video.

In my childhood and teen years, I fondly remember MTV being a terrific network that was led by creative professionals that were all about premiering quality music and entertainment. Much of their programming was all about introducing new and innovative music to the audience. Come reflect with me for a moment and let's revisit wonderful shows like 120 Minutes, The Headbanger's Ball, Yo MTV Raps, Alternative Nation, Amp, Beavis And Butthead, and Liquid Television.


I had a conversation with a friend the other day. We were reflecting on what a fine network MTV had once been. Maybe it's just me getting old, but I believe that the network has now become a neglected, irritating,  lost clone of what it once was. I came across a new book in our library system. It is called I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story Of The Music Video Revolution and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It follows the years from 1981 - 1992. The only problem that I had with the book is that it stops at 1992, right at the creative boom of alternative music and hip hop. Perhaps this means that the 90's era will have a book of it's own someday.

120 Minutes was a show on MTV that premiered in 1986 and ended in 2001. From there the series was then adopted by MTV2 and officially ended in 2003. Finally in 2011, 120 Minutes found it's way back on the air once again on MTV2. The show celebrated everything alternative and educated the audience on the origins of alternative music and the where it was going. The show usually ran between one and three am and I spent many high school nights up late doing homework while watching. Best music for concentration. It was a place for everyone who felt somewhat different than everyone else and were always welcome here. I always thought the best quote for the show would've been "Our little group has always been and always will until the end". -Kurt Cobain. The focus of the show was on new videos, guest interviews, and the show ended every week with a classics vault that would spotlight a particular innovator of alternative music like Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, The Ramones, David Bowie, The Cure and Elvis Costello. There is a wonderful archive that displays every single episode and personally is the playlist on my IPod. It is The120 Minutes Archive. This is the show that launched Nirvana, Soundgarden, Sinead O'connor, Pearl Jam, Tori Amos, Bjork, Sarah Mclachlan, Beck, Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beastie Boys, R.E.M.and Stone Temple Pilots. Due to the popularity of alternative music in the 90's, MTV had an evening spinoff that was shown weeknights and was called Alternative Nation.

The metalheads were given a show of their own as well.The Headbanger's Ball was basically 120 Minutes but specialized in Metal, Thrash, Industrial, and Hardcore Death Metal. The show became so popular that it was eventually given a three hour slot. The series went from 1986 to 1995 and featured bands like Metallica, Pantera, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, and Guns N Roses. Yo MTV Raps was the same formula but focused on everything Rap and Hip Hop.It ran from 1988 to 1995 and spotlighted many great artists like Ice Cube, Digital Underground, Tupac Shakur, N.W.A., Easy E, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. For the ravers and electronic audience MTV aired AMP which was two amazing hours of essential Electronic, House, Trance and Trip-Hop music. It ran from 1997-2001. Liquid Television was a mostly animated series of shorts that ran from 1991-1994 and gave birth to remarkable series like Aeon Flux and Beavis And Butthead. The Beavis and Butthead show had a knack for showing current and obscure music videos while the two subjects offered hilarious commentary.  It is the diversity and quantity of talent that I miss the most about the classic MTV.   Please give the book a try. Enjoy.

An addendum to my last post that focused on the Drive Soundtrack: On August 7th, Club Congress will be  featuring The Drive Tour which will feature the bands College and Electric Youth from the Drive Soundtrack. Check out this show if you are a fan of the film or into 80's new wave.

-Fred