was 120 Minutes always like this??

And hey, the (New) Folk Implosion have a new album out, so why is that "behind the times"? A better question is: what should 120 Minutes be playing instead of what they're playing now?

Ditto. I'm a few years older than you, but would list most of those bands in my "thank you, 120 Minutes, for giving me this" list (also John Wesley Harding, Julian Cope, and ... well, I won't actually make a list). I was in NH, later found out I could sometimes get WFNX, Boston's alternative station, to come in if I was in the right room of the house and the antenna was pointed the right way, but had nowhere to buy any of the stuff I was discovering except during irregular trips to Boston.

So I spent vacation money on CDs instead of hookers and coke. Thanks, Dave Kendall.

I didn't realize the show was still on, though -- didn't they ditch it at one point?

Sebadoh, "Rebound"
Bright Eyes, "Bowl of Oranges"
Rainer Maria, "Ears Ring"
The Folk Implosion, "Natural One"
Liam Lynch, "United States of Whatever"
The Datsuns, "In Love"
Kinky, "Mirando de Lado"
Hot Hot Heat, "Bandages"
Cave In, "Anchor"
Burning Brides, "Arctic Snow"
Sebadoh, "Willing To Wait"
Spoon, "The Way We Get By"
The Shins, "The Past and Pending"
The Folk Implosion, "Insinuation"
Groove Armada, "Purple Haze"
The Folk Implosion, "Brand of Skin"
The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots"
The Elms, "Speaking In Tongues"
Pulp, "Bad Cover Version"

If I were programming the 120 Minutes playlist, I'd keep the Bright Eyes, Rainer Maria, Hot Hot Heat, Kinky Spoon, Shins, and maybe the Flaming Lips and Pulp, and I'd probably be required to play all the Sebadoh/Folk Implosion stuff, but ditch everything else. The Datsuns, Burning Brides, and The Elms are all crappy garage-rock also-rans; the Liam Lynch song is a ten-year-old novelty track from Sifl-n-Olly, for fuck's sake; and the Cave In is some kind of pallid nu-grunge that belongs in the Buzz Bin, not on 120.

True. However, that song has been stripped of all Sifl-n-Olly contextuality (Liam Lynch's video contains NO sock puppets. None. Not one), so it's become just another novelty song.

Classic: Watching 120 Minutes on TiVo. Best thing evah!

almost as bad as mercury rev.

Squirt TV had a better concept for a minute there in the '90s. Whatever happened to that kid? I also look forward to IRS's The Cutting Edge finding DVD release, if it hasn't yet...

It might seem utopian, but couldn't indie labels start putting together a national video distribution network for cable access shows like the Video K in Minneapolis? Or does this exist already? The only way you're going to see non-industry bands on TV is through those kinds of shows...

A very young and from-the-looks-of-it quite drunk Beck singing "Pay No Mind", fudging some lyrics and making some others up on the spot, apparently.

Jeff Buckley (whom I'd never heard at all beforehand) and his band playing live in the studio, doing "Last Goodbye" (awesome) and a monstrous "Grace" (I'll admit it, it made me fuckin cry it was so intense). Before they started playing, I was all like "oooh, look at these pretty boys", but once they got going, I was like "wait...why have I never heard this!?!".

A commercial for the SST compilation The Blasting Concept II that looked like it cost about eighty cents to make. (Actually, that may have been on the Cutting Edge.)

John Lydon pulling out a bottle of booze in the middle of one throughly snide interview (making no effort at all to hide it) and drinking from it.

The week Andy Partridge guest hosted. It turned into a lesson on How To Get Rude Jokes Past MTV's Censors. (His reaction to an action toy on the set that had its hands cupped: "I used to date a girl with a grip like that. Mmm.")

The Minutemen on heavy rotation. Yay!

The night they played a Night Ranger video by accident. (They claimed it was a joke, but I don't believe that for one second.)

Also, anyone else remember the first few 120 Minutes shows? They didn't play alternative music--instead, they played whatever they had on light rotation. Bar bands and the like. The alternative music thing seems to have been an afterthought.

I was not really aware of the Madchester thing going on at the time, so I was like, jeez, Dave, we know you're english already, quit playing the Inspiral Carpets so much.

I don't know if they got the jump on anything but it saved me back in the day regardless.

I do remember thought that I got my first real kiss and make out session while watching 120 minutes a couple days after Xmas during a school break. It was a live show edition.

Same here. When I read the title of the thread I was a little shocked to see it was still going.

120 Minutes was always a mixed bag. As Carey mentioned, there were weeks where it would be excellent and then the next week it would be a horrible wankfest of corporate altern-crap.

Jake hosted 12 Angry Viewers for a bit (I met him when I was on) and now does stand-up and improv comedy around NYC (I met him again recently when my band played Automatic Vaudeville - a weekly performance at Ars Nova he puts together). He's a nice guy.

The reality was always driven by the big labels and balanced by the programmers best they could (remember most if not all of the cool stuff they did play in the 80s were on the bigs). Ie: the labels would sorta trade favors with MTV, play this and we'll give you that. Frankly, 120 Minutes started out as a dumping ground (not so much as an alternative rock show) where MTV could play videos that didn't fit anywhere else, or more often, that they didn't want to play during the day, to accomodate the labels persistence. It is true that the programmers actually had decent taste (which changed a bit in the later years I guess) and constantly had to balance that with the demands of the market/bottom line which is why you had some horrific shows. This current MTV2 version is the same in name but not really in any other regard. MTV2 has a lot more flexibility in what is programmed (which is great) so the show isn't burdened so much as far is programming is concerned.

120 Minutes was the longest running show on MTV, so that's saying something. I love 120 Minutes and always will since it has a unique history and did actually change minds in the early days. I mean - seeing the Teenage Riot video early on probably changed my life in more ways than I'd care to admit.

yeah.. the Lollapalooza Twins ('95) twins... classic!

I still have it on tape somewhere.

*sigh*

Easy target, since that that video was in heavy rotation forever - but duty requires me to smite:

> POW! <

OK done.

Also, the Catherine Wheel did a great, probably 10-12 minute, version of "Black Metallic" that I wish I had taped.

*sigh*

second best MTV day since the day they played nothing but "True Blue" videos for that contest. My sister and I watched the whole day's worth.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nD13JLVP0Zk

Hey, I thought he destroyed a phone! I distinctly remember Beck destroying a toy phone during this interview!

Beck, I mean. Of course.

actually yeah, i think you're right! i hadn't seen it since it originally aired, so my sharpest memory was of beck throwing his shoe.

I still kind of like the speed-up-slow-down tape recorder bit though, and I chuckled when Mike D said Oprah Winfrey was on his tour.

Jeezus, they aired that a lot didn't they? I can barely make it through the whole song without turning it off 17 years later.

hahaha. Yeah it does seem like they played that a lot. Then about ten years ago I had some friends that played that song countless times. So yeah, I've really had it with that thing.

-- nickalicious (nza2342...), April 7th, 2003.

yeah, that performance...fucking.. insane.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jMCbvNrh8x8&search=jeff%20buckley

Thanks for that!

i've got a few surviving vhs tapes of episodes. the era commercials are pretty terrible yet evocative.

lots and lots of hair club for men with dudes swimming and water skiing and such and their gross permanent wet look pube hair staying on their heads and whatnot. and of course the "...i'm also a member" sy sterling bit.

the come back to at&t spots. back when phone companies were competing for your biz.

spike lee levis spots. dudes throwing fish around in their levis.

clearasil. teen holds up slice of pepperoni: "remind you of anyone's face?!"

some brand of body spray with a racy, naked chick spraying herself down. designer imposters maybe?

basically these on repeat for hours and hours and on through the night when they played "enter sandman" and "life is a highway" endlessly from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.

"i can do my hair in more of a 90s fashion"

That site is just reminding me how little I actually liked most 90s college rock and how I just watched 120 mins for the general atmosphere of cool.

This was my favorite thing in the world when Kevin Seal was hosting.

coming up on one hundred and twenty minutes we've got brand new videos from wire train, chicago's material issue, and peter murphy. but first here's lush with superblahst.

dk all the way.

dk all the way.

Agreed! Maybe its just that that was during my musical coming-of-age, but the content seemed better/more varied then. I still have a few on tape too, including the christmas 1989 one (with Joey Ramone coming on to do a top 10 list and the Ordinaires doing xmas tunes in the bkground), and one i can never throw away where they first showed Galaxie 500's "When Will You Come Home." 16 year old me went to mall first thing the next morning to get that tape!

Also, re: the ads: tons of art/design school ads i remember. Don't remember which school... Atlanta School of Art or something?

haha yeah. art institute of somewhere or other. there was one where the students were making this sci-fi movie and building sets and costumes and things with a spaceship on a wire and shit. start your career in the art and design world today! so so bad.

Wire Train! I had forgotten that name -- were they the ones with the "Chamber of Hellos" single?

My opionion re. the original question: 120 min. was cool in the late eighties beacause, back then indie was still indie. Maybe I was too young back then but I was so impressed by the "120 minutes into the future" slogan. I thought it was genuine, at least in intention; an attempt to be on the cutting edge. And, in a way, most of that stuff was the future of music. In a bad way, sadly.

Funny, I was casually looking through my sister's videotape collection on Saturday and came across a bunch of 120 minutes episodes from the day. Popped one in and Suede was the guest.

Brought me Thin White Rope so thanks. Oh yeah, and seeing "Babies" by Pulp for the first time was great too (hadn't heard of them before). Never watched it regularly though.

120 Minutes would be a terrible show if it were on nowadays.

It is, and it's called Subterranean, and it is terrible.

wow. thinking back on this show... the world seemed so much more mysterious and fun back then.

Yeah, Subterranean is awful. Did 120 Minutes ever have a host as bad as Jim Shearer? He might be one of the top five worst hosts MTV's ever had, actually.

jim shearer must be the child of a viacom executive because there is no other conceivable reason for his continued employment

Was involved with the show that was taped in Austin back in '85 or '86. The host back then was Peter Zaremba. I guess it was pretty much the first sighting of Daniel Johnston, by normal, non-Austin people anyhow. The fine band called Glass Eye would sometimes literally drag Daniel on stage to play as many or few songs as his mental state would allow. There was a pretty horrible monicker given to the emerging Austin bands at that time ("New Sincerity") but that was a great, great time to live in Austin.

120 Minutes IS on nowadays, at least it is on MTV2 in Europe. They show "classics" from late 80s/early 90s mixed with new stuff that vaguely fits the aesthetic. It's not bad, but I hardly ever watch music TV so I only ever watch it if happen to flick through channels at the right time.

<i>wow. thinking back on this show... the world seemed so much more mysterious and fun back then.</i>

sadly OTM

Although, when I think of 120M now, I get flashbacks of Wonderstuff videos.

Playlist of every 120 mintues episode 1986-2003

Yr all so AMERICAN. I haven't seen it for quite a few years now, but 120 Minutes on MTV2 UK used to be a highlight of my week (I'm cool) and it introduced me to a lot of stuff. I don't think it would really serve much purpose for me now, though. Recent playlists:

The Scottish Enlightenment - Eyes
Bjork - Earth Intruders
The Early Years - Say What I Want To
The Walkmen - Louisiana
Battles - Atlas
Love Is All - Ageing Has Never Been His Friend
Bugz In The Attic - Don't Stop The Music
Errors - Salut! France
Archie Bronson Outfit - Dead Funny
Kristin Hersh - In Shock
Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries
Prinzhorn Dance School - Up! Up! Up!
Sweatmaster - Good Looks, Big Deal
Cornelius - Music
Unkle feat. Ian Astbury - Burn My Shadow
Xerox Teens - Darlin'
Sister Vanilla - Can't Stop The Rock
Tapes N Tapes - Insistor
Dopplereffekt - Voice Activated
Architecture In Helsinki - Heart It Races
I Was A Cub Scout - Pink Squares
Scissors For Lefty - Mama Your Boys Will Find A Home
Pepe Deluxé - Mischief On Cloud 9 (real title is "The Mischief of Cloud 6"?)
James Yorkston - Woozy With Cider
M - Ma Melodie
Cat Power - Lived In Bars
Grindermen - Electric Alice
Los Campesinos - You! Me! Dancing!
Junior Boys - In The Morning
Sunny Days Sets Fire - Wilderness

Von Südenfed - Fledermaus Can't Get Enough
The Fall - White Lightning
Mouse On Mars - Shlecktron/Frosch
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Loop Duplicate My Heart
Shy Child - The Noise Won't Stop
Freedom Five - No More Conversations
Bonde Do Role - Office Boy
Benjy Ferree - In The Countryside
Cornelius - Fit Song
Emily Haines - Doctor Blind
The Softlightes - Heart Made Of Sound
Flaming Lips - Frogs
Chemical Brothers - Elektrobank
Massive Attack - Live With Me
Field Music - She Can Do What She Wants
Malajube - Pâte Filo
Broken Social Scene - Fire Eyed Boy
Elliott Smith - Son Of Sam
DJ Mehdi - Signature
DJ Vadim Feat. Vakill - It's On
DJ Rolando - Knights Of The Jaguar
DJ Shadow - Mashin'
Clinic - Harvest (Within You)
Peter, Bjorn and John - Let's Call It Off
Xerox Teens - B54
Deerhoof - The Perfect Me
Sonic Youth - Bull In The Heather
Bjork - Oceania
The Knife - Heartbeats
Junior Boys - In The Morning

Was involved with the show that was taped in Austin back in '85 or '86. The host back then was Peter Zaremba...

This is one of the Cutting Edge shows I have on tape. I started to replay each one to make up an index many years ago, but never followed through. I hope they're still playable. I think I also recorded at the slow speed to fit more on each tape, cheap bastard that I am.

That would be IRS's the Cutting Edge!

http://www.altmusictv.com/

I was just about to link to http://tylerc.com/120minutes/, but I see the link in the previous post redirects there. Awesome site.

July 30th a monthly A.D.D.-version of 120 Minutes premieres on MTV2.

It's 120 Minutes on MTV I'm yr host Doive Kendall & that was "Accidentally 4th Street" by Figures on a Beach. Next up, it's a new one from Poi Dog Pondering!

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhinbgzFhl1qdsgblo1_500.png

<3 Dave

Dave kendall loved the shit out of swervedriver

http://www.davekendall.com/newsite/index.html

And Swervedriver rules... They should bring him back for the new show.

Is that his online resume?

Oh Dave Kendall - such a lack of personality

He was the one John Lydon called out on-air for wearing a wig, I believe.

T/S: Dave Kendall vs. Matt Pinfield

I found an ancient VHS rip online a while back and realized for the first time that 120 Minutes was actually briefly hosted by Kevin Seal of all people.

i had no idea that show was still going in 2003

yeah I used to watch the Kevin Seal 120 Minutes. Dave Kendall would show up to a record report segment (before taking over as host)

I'm pretty sure I was watching during the Kevin Seal days. There are entire branches of my music taste that are based entirely on specific episodes during that time.

Dave Kendall with his accent saying "Videos coming up from Inspiral Carpets . . . The Charlatans UK . . ." is imprinted on my brain forever.

Joke we had back in the 90s about 120 Minutes was that Dave Kendall in an office re-org had to go to work for "Speed Week" and then one of my roommates would do in Kendall's accent 'This week on Speed Week we got interviews with Cale Yarborough and the new car for Bill Elliot'.

Alan Hunter hosted a lot of the first year's episodes. Adam Curry and Downtown Julie Brown hosted a few as well.

He was the one John Lydon called out on-air for wearing a wig, I believe.

Kendall came out to introduce the bands at a show I went to in 1991 or 1992. I can't remember if it was a Front Line Assembly show or a Laibach show. Probably the former.

I do not remember bald Dave Kendall.

Matt Pinfield, on the other hand...

I always think of Dave Kendall introducing Nitzer Ebb. Whenever I see their name I read it back in my head in his voice.

It's the same for me with Killing Joke

I don't know how I'd forgotten completely about Lewis Largent (his name just spontaneously generated in my brain), especially since he was the host for the entire stretch when I watched the most fanatically.

R.I.P. Lewis Largent. His career had an interesting start:

A native of Southern California, Largent was an enthusiastic golfer as a teen, and he met the general manager of the Los Angeles alternative-radio powerhouse KROQ while working at a country club. Impressed with Largent’s knowledge of music, the GM offered him an internship at the station that led to a full-time role in 1985. He rose quickly through the ranks and was named music director in 1989.

In 1992, Largent left the station to take a VP of music programming post at MTV, where he soon began hosting “120 Minutes.”

Re Dave Kendall — for me it’s him saying Naked Raygun lol!!

Sorry about Lewis Largent :(

https://archive.org/search?query=%22120+minutes%22+MTV