MTV Turns 30

[Jahfin]

It's more than a little telling about the current state of MTV that their anniversary is being celebrated on VH1 Classic and not MTV itself.

From RollingStone.com:

Original VJ Mark Goodman recalls network's first

days: 'I think we only had 300 videos'

By ANDY GREENE

MTV VJs Mark Goodman, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn and JJ Jackson

Mark Weiss/WireImage

For original MTV VJ Mark Goodman, the news that music network is celebrating its 30th anniversary this weekend is hard to fathom. "It's freaking weird," he tells Rolling Stone. "I've lived like three lifetimes since then. It's just so long ago, and yet it also seems like yesterday. It's a weird number – and it's hard to believe that we're still talking about this 30 years down the road."

MTV launched on August 1st, 1981 at 12:01 a.m. The first images broadcast were the launch of the Apollo 11, followed by a video for the Buggles song "Video Killed The Radio Star." The network has gone through countless permutations since then, but this weekend VH1 Classic will commemorate MTV's founding with a three-day marathon of footage from the 1980s, including a re-broadcast of the network's first hour, starting Saturday at 6 a.m.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

[Electrophile]

I remember the 20th anniversary, because MTV actually aired the first 24 hours of the network. All the commercials, all the videos, everything. It was a lot of fun. The 25th anniversary was on VH1 Classic, because by then, MTV fell into the shitter.

Now, I don't even have MTV on my cable system. I had it removed since I never watch it.

[Jahfin]

For anyone that was ever a fan of MTV's 120 Minutes, it's back on the air on MTV2. To watch the first new episode click here.

[Honeybrown1976]

Yet, MTV hasn't celebrated. Disgusting.

But, I watched the celebratory marathon on VH1 Classic. I loved every minute of it. Though, it was a bit sad seeing a channel I grew up with and knowing where it is now (oh, and knowing that I'm older than the channel itself, ).

[Jahfin]

30 years of MTV in 3 minutes courtesy of Gawker.com.

[reids]

MTV died around the time they stopped being MUSIC TELEVISION & put on the Real World, (which led to all of this "Reality" series-based programming) and when they stopped airing / dropped playing videos regularly, having contests to win trips to hang out with bands and go win prizes, concert updates, world premiere videos, exclusive concerts on fridays and saturday nights, aired 120 minutes regularly, aired documentaries on music, specials like Guitar Influences with Neal Schon and Brian Setzer; basement tapes (contest for giving unknown bands/artists opportunities to get on mtv and record deal/videos on mtv); live aid, freddie mercury tribute concert. VH1 Classic is about the last place to find a fraction of what MTV used to be. MTV2 maybe has two or three hours of programming relating to what MTV was about,too. Other than that, VH1, MTV and MTVH today seriously pale in comparison...

Video killed the radio star...

R

[Electrophile]

I liked the first couple seasons of The Real World, back when it wasn't just an excuse to put seven good-looking people in an apartment and give them free access to alcohol. Once MTV realized they could make bank with that formula, they abandoned the "Real" part of the name, and just went for whatever would get them the highest ratings.

I loved Daria, 120 Minutes, early Yo! MTV Raps, Beavis and Butthead, Liquid Television, MTV Unplugged.....there were some great music-related programs on, but they went the way of rotary phones and mimeographs.

[Walter]

Thanks to MTV for setting the stage for the Plant/Page Unledded reunion. The highlight of their 30 years, IMO.

[Virginia]

Those were the days

It's funny; as much as my kids claim to not like older music, they really do enjoy a lot of those classic 80s videos (Cyndi Lauper, the Go-Gos, etc.).

[Jahfin]

It's funny; as much as my kids claim to not like older music, they really do enjoy a lot of those classic 80s videos (Cyndi Lauper, the Go-Gos, etc.).

I've seen the same thing here. The folks that are so quick to condemn the 80s blame it on the music that was popularized by MTV yet they're the very same ones that get misty eyed about when MTV was "good" back in the 80s.

[Anjin-san]

Hi all,

"Radio killed the video star."

J.J. Jackson, a DJ at the Rock of Boston WBCN and a huge fan and supporter of Zep,.......

KB

[planted]

Hi all,

"Radio killed the video star."

J.J. Jackson, a DJ at the Rock of Boston WBCN and a huge fan and supporter of Zep,.......

KB

[/quoteI

I remember JJ Jackson!

And, Nina Blackwood was my hero! I had such a girl crush on her.

[planted]

I can still remember being at my friend Karen's house, watching MTV, (cause my Mom and her husband at the time couldn't afford it.)

Cat's ass, I thought I was.

Anyone else recall 'Paint the muthah Pink' commercial by Mellancamp?

[Honeybrown1976]

Hi all,

"Radio killed the video star."

J.J. Jackson, a DJ at the Rock of Boston WBCN and a huge fan and supporter of Zep,.......

KB

I know! How awesome is that?

[Strider]

JJ Jackson will always be remembered by us Southern Californians as the DJ on KLOS 95.5 FM in the 70s...he introduced Led Zeppelin at many LA concerts, especially on the 1975 tour.

As for MTV, I remembered when it debuted...I was stationed at Fort Hood, TX at the time, but it wasn't an all-consuming event for me. At 19, and an avid reader and listener of all things music, I don't think I fit their target demographic anyway. I already knew about all the bands MTV first played in those embryonic days...and to be honest, with few exceptions, I found many of those early videos annoyingly awful and clumsy. They distracted from my enjoyment of the music...I didn't want a good song to be ruined by a bad video.

Us oldtimers remember how Billy Squire's career was destroyed overnight after this HORRIBLE video he did for "Rock Me Tonite":

But I didn't hate MTV back then...if you were stuck in some place with no decent radio station, it was good to have MTV on in the background if you wanted to listen to some songs without having to get up and put records on yourself. Plus, you really got to hand it to their marketing department..."I Want My MTV" was a brilliant strategy.

Over the years, that's all MTV was to me, background noise for the most part. Oh sure, every now and then, they would have some crazy-cool contests: Win a Weekend with Van Halen! was classic. As someone else already mentioned, the John Mellencamp one was also one of the better contests. But I think I can count on one hand the actual number of new bands that I discovered from MTV...usually I heard about new bands first from college/underground radio/media. To give MTV credit, though, it was on MTV that I first heard My Bloody Valentine, when they aired the "You Made Me Realise" video at 3am one night in 1988. So thank you for that.

Of course, Martha Quinn was my lust object on the channel...Nina Blackwood reminded me of too many strippers/prostitutes in Hollywood, eeeuuuwww...BUT Martha had this strangely compelling sexiness, a weird goofy charm going for her. Her interviews with David Lee Roth were must-see tv.

As Electrophile commented, it all began going south when they started airing "Real World". Now look at the schlock they foist on an ignorant public: "My Super Sweet 16", which of course, leads to "16 and Pregnant" and "Date My Mom", which I don't even want to know about(shudder). The term "lowest-common denominator" doesn't really do these shows justice in describing the level of filth and anti-social traits these shows flaunt. "Eye-rape" would be closer.

I recall watching the 25th Anniversary re-airing of the first 24 hours, as a sort of nostalgic remembrance, and to gawk at the 80s fashions and commercials. But I had no compulsion to acknowledge, let alone watch, the 30th Anniversary. It came and went with nary a thought from me. Like many others I gather, I dropped MTV long ago.

But they did have some good shit back in the day...what I remember most fondly from the old MTV: Martha Quinn, Beavis and Butthead, Daria, Liquid Television, MTV Un-plugged(the LL Cool J one was one of the most dope and surprising ones of all-time...and of course, they got Page and Plant together!!!), 120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps, the early MTV Video Awards (the ones where Madonna would rule), RANDEE OF THE REDWOODS!!!, Dennis Leary's ads for MTV where he RANTS...and most of all: THE YOUNG ONES!!! The only place you could see it in the USA...who doesn't remember Rick, Vyvyan, Mike, and of course, Neil the hippie?!? Right in the middle of an episode you'd get a music performance by a band like The Damned, Motorhead and Madness! It was fun, it was great, it was GENIUS! One of my favourite tv shows ever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67ePMmyDZWw&feature=related

And now, what do they show? "Teen Mom"...ugh. I DON'T want my MTV!

[Jahfin]

Of course, Martha Quinn was my lust object on the channel...Nina Blackwood reminded me of too many strippers/prostitutes in Hollywood, eeeuuuwww...BUT Martha had this strangely compelling sexiness, a weird goofy charm going for her. Her interviews with David Lee Roth were must-see tv.

[Strider]

^^^

Yes, Mojo Nixon's "Stuffin' Martha's Muffin" was classic!

Found another one of my favourite bits from The Young Ones...The University Challenge...see if you can recognize the Footlights College team! They all went on to greater fame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxA0a5G6ccg&feature=related

[Honeybrown1976]

JJ Jackson will always be remembered by us Southern Californians as the DJ on KLOS 95.5 FM in the 70s...he introduced Led Zeppelin at many LA concerts, especially on the 1975 tour.

As for MTV, I remembered when it debuted...I was stationed at Fort Hood, TX at the time, but it wasn't an all-consuming event for me. At 19, and an avid reader and listener of all things music, I don't think I fit their target demographic anyway. I already knew about all the bands MTV first played in those embryonic days...and to be honest, with few exceptions, I found many of those early videos annoyingly awful and clumsy. They distracted from my enjoyment of the music...I didn't want a good song to be ruined by a bad video.

Us oldtimers remember how Billy Squire's career was destroyed overnight after this HORRIBLE video he did for "Rock Me Tonite":

But I didn't hate MTV back then...if you were stuck in some place with no decent radio station, it was good to have MTV on in the background if you wanted to listen to some songs without having to get up and put records on yourself. Plus, you really got to hand it to their marketing department..."I Want My MTV" was a brilliant strategy.

Over the years, that's all MTV was to me, background noise for the most part. Oh sure, every now and then, they would have some crazy-cool contests: Win a Weekend with Van Halen! was classic. As someone else already mentioned, the John Mellencamp one was also one of the better contests. But I think I can count on one hand the actual number of new bands that I discovered from MTV...usually I heard about new bands first from college/underground radio/media. To give MTV credit, though, it was on MTV that I first heard My Bloody Valentine, when they aired the "You Made Me Realise" video at 3am one night in 1988. So thank you for that.

Of course, Martha Quinn was my lust object on the channel...Nina Blackwood reminded me of too many strippers/prostitutes in Hollywood, eeeuuuwww...BUT Martha had this strangely compelling sexiness, a weird goofy charm going for her. Her interviews with David Lee Roth were must-see tv.

As Electrophile commented, it all began going south when they started airing "Real World". Now look at the schlock they foist on an ignorant public: "My Super Sweet 16", which of course, leads to "16 and Pregnant" and "Date My Mom", which I don't even want to know about(shudder). The term "lowest-common denominator" doesn't really do these shows justice in describing the level of filth and anti-social traits these shows flaunt. "Eye-rape" would be closer.

I recall watching the 25th Anniversary re-airing of the first 24 hours, as a sort of nostalgic remembrance, and to gawk at the 80s fashions and commercials. But I had no compulsion to acknowledge, let alone watch, the 30th Anniversary. It came and went with nary a thought from me. Like many others I gather, I dropped MTV long ago.

But they did have some good shit back in the day...what I remember most fondly from the old MTV: Martha Quinn, Beavis and Butthead, Daria, Liquid Television, MTV Un-plugged(the LL Cool J one was one of the most dope and surprising ones of all-time...and of course, they got Page and Plant together!!!), 120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps, the early MTV Video Awards (the ones where Madonna would rule), RANDEE OF THE REDWOODS!!!, Dennis Leary's ads for MTV where he RANTS...and most of all: THE YOUNG ONES!!! The only place you could see it in the USA...who doesn't remember Rick, Vyvyan, Mike, and of course, Neil the hippie?!? Right in the middle of an episode you'd get a music performance by a band like The Damned, Motorhead and Madness! It was fun, it was great, it was GENIUS! One of my favourite tv shows ever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67ePMmyDZWw&feature=related

And now, what do they show? "Teen Mom"...ugh. I DON'T want my MTV!

Awesome! I am glad to be of the age where one would remember the good days (in other words, old). Good memories.