Happy 40th Birthday to MTV!

[T-ski]

If not for MTV, I might not have ever heard (of) Dream Theater.

I believe this would be true for me as well.

[Stadler]

It's easy to make fun of it now (though I watch MTV a LOT, because I find "Ridiculousness" to be hilarious) but it was ICONIC in the day.   I could remember playing pool at my friends house and competing to see who could name the songs BEFORE the little "name and album" header came on.   I am and was a metal head, but we spent as much time with Human League and Duran Duran as we did with Maiden and whoever else.  Vandenburg.  Krokus.  Early Def Leppard.  Priest.

It's amazing that now that all the archive stuff is being released and re-released, how many times the vintage videos are tacked on for good measure.  Some are cheesy AF, but some are legendary (I too thought Iron Maiden was the coolest thing on the PLANET from the RttH video).

[ZirconBlue]

Happy 40th, MTV!  Celebrating 14 years of music television!

[pg1067]

I can't hear about classic MTV without immediately thinking about Riki Rachtman and Matt Pinfield.

They came much later though.

Yup...I was way too busy crushing on Martha Quinn.  And I don't think I'd ever heard of Matt Pinfield until he showed up on a couple of AXS-TV shows.

Actually, the best two videos of all time tick all those boxes:

• https://youtu.be/nc0Mv4Iyxvc
• https://youtu.be/T9M_bqIB6EU

Does "best" mean something different in Italy?   
I quickly scrolled through that Pixies video.  Never heard the song.  It actually reminded me a little of this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTGTCSGj30

[Stadler]

I can't hear about classic MTV without immediately thinking about Riki Rachtman and Matt Pinfield.

They came much later though.

Yup...I was way too busy crushing on Martha Quinn.  And I don't think I'd ever heard of Matt Pinfield until he showed up on a couple of AXS-TV shows.

She was cute, that was for sure.   Here's a question that I've never satisfactorily answered:  was she in the J. Geil's video?   (I forget if it was Centerfold or Freeze Frame)? 

[TAC]

If not for MTV, I might not have ever heard (of) Dream Theater.

I believe this would be true for me as well.

And I likely wouldn't have heard of Iron Maiden (when I did), and may not have become the huge fan that I am, therefore I might have missed seeing DT open for them, so I guess you could say that they were kinda responsible for me discovering DT as well..

[Dream Team]

Great idea in it’s time (80s mostly when all legendary vids were made) but should have been put out of it’s misery a long time ago when became a travesty.

[romdrums]

Seems like everything changed with MTV when its parent company said, "now isn't it time you grew up and made real money?  You can't make money playing music forever."  Parents just don't understand!

[pg1067]

I can't hear about classic MTV without immediately thinking about Riki Rachtman and Matt Pinfield.

They came much later though.

Yup...I was way too busy crushing on Martha Quinn.  And I don't think I'd ever heard of Matt Pinfield until he showed up on a couple of AXS-TV shows.

She was cute, that was for sure.   Here's a question that I've never satisfactorily answered:  was she in the J. Geil's video?   (I forget if it was Centerfold or Freeze Frame)?

My first reaction upon reading your question was "huh?"  So I googled and found this article, in which she says nope, it's not her:  https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1985-04-21-0290200192-story.html

If not for MTV, I might not have ever heard (of) Dream Theater.

I believe this would be true for me as well.

And I likely wouldn't have heard of Iron Maiden (when I did), and may not have become the huge fan that I am, therefore I might have missed seeing DT open for them, so I guess you could say that they were kinda responsible for me discovering DT as well..

The two bands that I really attribute to MTV for me are Maiden and Triumph.  Flight of Icarus was probably my first exposure to Maiden, and then I saw Hills, Number and Trooper.  For Triumph, it was World of Fantasy, and I think they had one for Fight the Good Fight.  There's also one for Say Goodbye, but I don't have any recollection of seeing it back then.

[Stadler]

I can't hear about classic MTV without immediately thinking about Riki Rachtman and Matt Pinfield.

They came much later though.

Yup...I was way too busy crushing on Martha Quinn.  And I don't think I'd ever heard of Matt Pinfield until he showed up on a couple of AXS-TV shows.

She was cute, that was for sure.   Here's a question that I've never satisfactorily answered:  was she in the J. Geil's video?   (I forget if it was Centerfold or Freeze Frame)?

My first reaction upon reading your question was "huh?"  So I googled and found this article, in which she says nope, it's not her:  https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1985-04-21-0290200192-story.html

But then she says the other girl was "enormous"; hard to tell if that's a cover up or not.  Then again, maybe I'm reading that with "2021" thinking. 

[pg1067]

But then she says the other girl was "enormous"; hard to tell if that's a cover up or not.  Then again, maybe I'm reading that with "2021" thinking. 

I assume that was a reference either to her breasts or to her height.  Regardless, she denied it, and when I googled it, I couldn't find anyone claiming it was her.  After 40 years, I think it's pretty much established fact that it's not her.

[TAC]

I never thought it was her to begin with.

[pg1067]

I never thought it was her to begin with.

Same.  This "rumor" was new to me.  While Quinn and the girl in the video resemble each other, that was a VERY common hairstyle at the time, so all we've got to go on is cute young brunette with incredibly common hairstyle.

On a related note, am I the only one who always chuckles just a bit when the J. Geils Band is mentioned because of "Magic Dick"?

[jammindude]

I remember watching that really horrible movie Bad Channels just because she was in it. I had such a major crush on her. That movie had an amazing soundtrack even though it was truly awful.

But I suppose it had its own charm in a plan 9 from outer space sort of way

[King Postwhore]

Only Alan Hunter was in a video. David Bowie's Fame.  He was a dancer.

[The Curious Orange]

Over here in the UK MTV meant the excellent MTV's Most Wanted, presented by Ray Cokes, someone who should have gone on to be a huge TV star but disappeared without trace (Wikipedia tells me he moved to Belgium and had a TV career there). MTV Europe's highest watched show, and one of the most fun pieces of television ever. Fondly remembered by all who watched it.

And, of course, the gorgeous Vanessa Warwick. You Americans don't know what you were missing...

[Stadler]

But then she says the other girl was "enormous"; hard to tell if that's a cover up or not.  Then again, maybe I'm reading that with "2021" thinking. 

I assume that was a reference either to her breasts or to her height.  Regardless, she denied it, and when I googled it, I couldn't find anyone claiming it was her.  After 40 years, I think it's pretty much established fact that it's not her.

Fair point; she DID say she was "only 5' 1"" in the article, so that could be it. 

EDIT:  I just rewatched it ("Centerfold").  I don't think that's her.  it's just the hair.

[dparrott]

Happy 40th, MTV!  Celebrating 14 years of music television!

I love that joke.  There's been memes of that going around.

Yo MTV Raps, Headbanger's Ball and 120 Minutes were my weekends in the 90's.  I was glued to it.

[KevShmev]

Let's not forget the epic-ness of Friday Night Video Fights. 

[pg1067]

And, of course, the gorgeous Vanessa Warwick. You Americans don't know what you were missing...

Based on a Google image search...not much.   

[Dublagent66]

It was great back in the day, but certainly didn't age well.

Happy 40th, MTV!  Celebrating 14 years of music television!

That pretty much tells the story.   

[ozzy554]

I remember watching that really horrible movie Bad Channels just because she was in it. I had such a major crush on her. That movie had an amazing soundtrack even though it was truly awful.

But I suppose it had its own charm in a plan 9 from outer space sort of way

Oy, I don't take kindly to Full Moon Pictures slander. Bad channels is a lot of fun. Not top tier like puppet master or trancers but still a fun watch.

[jammindude]

I remember watching that really horrible movie Bad Channels just because she was in it. I had such a major crush on her. That movie had an amazing soundtrack even though it was truly awful.

But I suppose it had its own charm in a plan 9 from outer space sort of way

Oy, I don't take kindly to Full Moon Pictures slander. Bad channels is a lot of fun. Not top tier like puppet master or trancers but still a fun watch.

I enjoyed the soundtrack more than the movie (totally wish Sykotik Sinfoney would have made an album!!!!) but the movie was fun as well.

I always dream of owning it on DVD, but my wife isn’t into movies like that and so I don’t really have anyone to watch it with. 

[Zydar]

Happy 40th, MTV!  Celebrating 14 years of music television!

I don't quite get this joke. They didn't stop showing music videos in 1995? More like the mid 2000s.

[ZirconBlue]

Happy 40th, MTV!  Celebrating 14 years of music television!

I don't quite get this joke. They didn't stop showing music videos in 1995? More like the mid 2000s.

It's hyperbole, for sure.  The amount of music content was on a long decline as they added more and more non-music content.  There was a point where it seemed like the only videos they showed were during TRL.

[ytserush]

Happy 40th, MTV!  Celebrating 14 years of music television!

I'll go with celebrating 3.5 years of Music Television and largely bailed after that except for trying to catch new Rush videos on release.

[ytserush]

Seems like everything changed with MTV when its parent company said, "now isn't it time you grew up and made real money?  You can't make money playing music forever."  Parents just don't understand!

It officially changed when Warners sold it to Viacom in 1984 but there were signs it was changing before that when the playlist began to shrink and they started a weekly Top 20 Video Countdown.

[ytserush]

Only Alan Hunter was in a video. David Bowie's Fame.  He was a dancer.

Alan was my favorite VJ

[pg1067]

Only Alan Hunter was in a video. David Bowie's Fame.  He was a dancer.

Alan was my favorite VJ

I liked Goodman and Quinn.  Not a fan of Jackson and Blackwood.  Hunter was right in the middle for me.

[Stadler]

Only Alan Hunter was in a video. David Bowie's Fame.  He was a dancer.

Alan was my favorite VJ

I liked Goodman and Quinn.  Not a fan of Jackson and Blackwood.  Hunter was right in the middle for me.

I was indifferent on all of them.  I thought Hunter and Goodman were dorks, not in a bad way, but still; I felt no real connection to Quinn - who I felt was put there for eye-candy - and Blackwood - who struck me as a fading radio DJ who was given second life - and Jackson was a bit too earnest for me.  None of that is meant in a bad way; the only knock I have is that they all seemed to be trying a bit too hard*.   I've mellowed on them all since; if I had to pick a favorite it'd be Martha Quinn or Mark Goodman.

* (and they lost a LOT of credibility with me with the Live Aid show; I know that was a tough gig, a whole day live, but watching back as I periodically do, it was EMBARASSING.   If I had a dollar for every time they said the word "collaboration", I could join Bezos on the trip to Mars or wherever he's going next. 

[KevShmev]

Martha Quinn was always my favorite. She came off like one of your friends who loved music as much as you did and just wanted to talk about it.  That kind of relatability is always likeable, to me anyway.

[TAC]

That's kind of how I felt about Mark Goodman.

I thought Alan Hunter was a bit plain, but I didn't really like or dislike any of the original 5 VJs.



I heard U2's New Year's Day on the radio this morning on my way to work. I love that song, and that video was a staple on early MTV. I always stopped and watched it.

[pg1067]

I heard U2's New Year's Day on the radio this morning on my way to work. I love that song, and that video was a staple on early MTV. I always stopped and watched it.

I wish I had appreciated it more at the time.  I love it now, but didn't really like it at the time.  It was during my "if it isn't metal (or Rush or Styx), then it sucks" phase.

[KevShmev]

I heard U2's New Year's Day on the radio this morning on my way to work. I love that song, and that video was a staple on early MTV. I always stopped and watched it.

I wish I had appreciated it more at the time.  I love it now, but didn't really like it at the time.  It was during my "if it isn't metal (or Rush or Styx), then it sucks" phase.

Pretty sure Tim is still in that "if it isn't hard rock of metal, then it sucks" phase.

[ytserush]

Not exactly what I was looking for but it is interesting about what it was like back then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09D8yXEXH_8