Since yesterday was the 23rd anniversary of the network, why not share your favorite memories or comments about MTV. Good or bad.


IMO, I liked MTV until late 1997 when the current teen pop explosion came about, rap overload, and stopped the MTV 500 and treated the '80's like it never happened. Not to forget T.R.L. & Carsick Daly.  :P


Comments about music videos, Video Music Awards, VJs, etc. are welcomed.  :)

Thanks for posting this topic, woops ;) I have MANY memories of MTV before it SUCKED! IMHO it went down the tubes in the late 80's with the advent of rap-crap and the "Shows"....the closest thing to the GOOD days is VH1-Classic...although lately they are airing MORE commericials ::) My memories of the early days are of the "Fab Five"....Martha, Nina, Alan, Mark and The late J.J. Jackson :\'(.....Friday Night Video Fights, Concerts and of course the awesome videos :)

Like a lot of people I really watched most of my MTV during its "I want my MTV" period, late 1982 to 1985. After that I never really saw that much of it. I do remember catching every now and then a few minutes of its silly game shows they had on in the late '80s (what was the name of the pretty girl who was the hostess/helper for one of them? I don't remember off hand -- I'll check).

When MTV first came on it really opened the doors to music most radio stations didn't want to or couldn't play because it didn't "fit" their format.  It was unreal. You'd see and hear a hundred new songs on MTV and then turn on the radio and hear maybe one or two!

Didn't they get rid of the original VJs in 1985? Is that when it all changed?  ???

. I do remember catching every now and then a few minutes of its silly game shows they had on in the late '80s (what was the name of the pretty girl who was the hostess/helper for one of them? I don't remember off hand -- I'll check).




Remote Control (1987/1990), featured Colin Quinn, Ken Ober, Adam Sandler, Kari Wuhrer.

Now I did enjoy Remote Control, but when that became popular they started trying to fit other shows in. I think its stupid to have an MTV2 that plays video, when that station should've been for the show programming. I say this b/c alot of cable companies only have MTV. I don't ever really watch the station anymore and I used to watch it all the time. :\'(

I remember being ADDICTED to MTV back in the mid 80s. Corey Hart, Don Henley's (Sp) Boys of summer, David Bowie's fab videos ( I remember watching the double debut of Bowie's "Blue Jean," and that reminds me the debut of Springsteen's "Glory Days."  I would literally sit down at 11pm and watch 'til 2 or 3 am.  But how prophetic it was (Frighteningly accurate) that MTV chose as their first video The Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star?"  I still tell people, "The Buggles were right!"
God lyk!

http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~chewy/designs/images/tv6.jpg


I remember the old logos from back in the days and that doofy looking guy always saying "I Want My MTV".
But anyway,MTV was better back in the days now they have nothing but crap to watch and I rarely get into the new stuff.doesn't interest me anymore. :(


Howard

Spending morning,noon and night watching it. With my sister's. I really miss that. :\'(

Remote Control (1987/1990), featured Colin Quinn, Ken Ober, Adam Sandler, Kari Wuhrer.


Wasn't there a hostess by the name of Marisol before Kari Wuhrer?

I liked Martha Quinn and Jenny McCarthy.

Wasn't there a hostess by the name of Marisol before Kari Wuhrer?

She was the first hostess... Remote Control aired 1987-1991 (Adam Sandler first big gig was Remote Control)

Marisol Massey ....  Hostess (1987-1988)
Kari Wuhrer ....  Hostess (1988-1989)
Alicia Coppola ....  Hostess (1989-1990)
Susanne Ashley ....  Hostess (1990-1991)

She was the first hostess... Remote Control aired 1987-1991 (Adam Sandler first big gig was Remote Control)

Marisol Massey ....  Hostess (1987-1988)
Kari Wuhrer ....  Hostess (1988-1989)
Alicia Coppola ....  Hostess (1989-1990)
Susanne Ashley ....  Hostess (1990-1991)


Is Alicia Coppola related to Francis Ford Coppola?

I remember when MTV actually played videos and didn't sucked as it caters to mediocre music and those younger than 25!

Tanya

Yeah I remember when MTV was Music Television actually "Music" on Television. Their was nothing else.  People complain about VH1 a lot and yeah they don't always play Music related stuff..however they do much better than MTV does.

I remember when MTV used to play Rock and Roll...and they still do from time to time....if you can catch that 5 minute interval where they aren't playing Rap and crap like Christina Isuckalyra.

where they aren't playing Rap and crap like Christina Isuckalyra.
;D

I remember when it started.  We never had cable, but I can almost feel being in my friends basement watching Micheal Jackson.
Does anyone remeber "Friday night videos". and that show- called Fridays? similar to SNL?

I remember when MTV actually played videos and didn't sucked as it caters to mediocre music and those younger than 25!

Tanya




Yeah Tanya those were the days.You don't see that anymore. :(



Howard

Does anyone ever catch the teen stuff that they show on either VH1 Or MTV?  ???




Howard

Does anybody remember those short animated, or live action, promos like the skeloton cutting some guy's hair into an MTV logo, a snake going through a maze, the cab driver from the mid '90's,  etc?


Sadly, MTV2 now bites...  :P Like MTV, it's mostly shows & stuff.


Mostly today's rap, numetal, pop punk junk and rarely ever play  classic videos from the 1980's. And sometimes would throw in something from the '90's, but not a lot.

Good thing there's VH1 Classic & music video DVDs.  8)

In the early to mid-80s, MTV was great!!  I remember the days when they didn't have commercials, just musical interludes showing the MTV logo.  They also had concerts every Friday or Saturday night (I can't remember which night it was).  I also liked the Guest VJ hours.

Weird Al guest hosting for April Fools Day, 1984!

Does anybody remember those short animated, or live action, promos like the skeloton cutting some guy's hair into an MTV logo, a snake going through a maze, the cab driver from the mid '90's,  etc?


Sadly, MTV2 now bites...  :P Like MTV, it's mostly shows & stuff.


Mostly today's rap, numetal, pop punk junk and rarely ever play  classic videos from the 1980's. And sometimes would throw in something from the '90's, but not a lot.

Good thing there's VH1 Classic & music video DVDs.  8)










Good thing there's VH1 Classic & music video DVDs. 


Yeah.sure takes your mind off the other junk. ;D



Howard

I started watching MTV from day one!  I used to sit for hours and watch videos over and over.  Early MTV helped shape my musical interests and turned me on to bands I had never heard of.  The music was great, the VJs were awesome, and they had the best interviews!  I enjoy VH1 Classic today, but nothing beats MTV CLASSIC!!!!

I remember when it started.  We never had cable, but I can almost feel being in my friends basement watching Micheal Jackson.
Does anyone remeber "Friday night videos". and that show- called Fridays? similar to SNL?



I remember that show on NBC! Sometimes they played the whole video, sometimes they didn't. That's how I watched videos until my mom got cable in 1988, yes we were one of the last families to get it.

Tanya

http://www.unproductions.com/juliebig.gif

Remember Downtown Julie Brown with her "wubba,wubba,wubba goodbye and godbless signoff?  ;D



Howard

MTV Rocked when it first started and I was a faithful watcher until the late 1980's when it had already begun its deterioration into what it has become. :\'(

My favorite show late Friday nights though, was:

Friday Night Videos

All the info about the show:

http://www.angelfire.com/il3/timemachine/fnvideos.html

It was actually 21 years ago that FNV appeared on Channel 4 in 1983.



Howard

A present for you all:

http://atari.vg-network.com/temp/MTV_1st_broadcast.mpg

It's 23.91 mb, but worth the download regardless of what connection you have.

Enjoy!

I remember that show on NBC! Sometimes they played the whole video, sometimes they didn't. That's how I watched videos until my mom got cable in 1988, yes we were one of the last families to get it.

Tanya

Join the club,but I didn't have a choice, our cable company didn't even have MTV. but the little town about 8 miles away did!!!!?????

I remember having MTV on every morning as I got ready for work. It seems to me every morning they would ALWAYS play Hungry Like the Wolf. I can't hear that song today without thinking of those early days of MTV.

They used to have some great contests. I remember they had a house party, and I think even a town.

I also liked Remote Control. I liked it so much that I bought the video game but I couldn't play it on the computer I had (which was a dynosaur). When I first moved in with Carlos, he had a computer that I could play it on but by then, most of the questions were dated (Dead or Canadian-some of them are both now). When we got the new computer-now the game is a dynosaur and once again, I can't play it.

What I would like to know is what happened to the "M" in MTV as in MUSIC?




Cat

What I would like to know is what happened to the "M" in MTV as in MUSIC?

The M Should stand for muckTV. >:( :P




Howard

http://www.unproductions.com/juliebig.gif

Remember Downtown Julie Brown with her "wubba,wubba,wubba goodbye and godbless signoff?  ;D

Howard


I saw her on TV about a month ago.  She has not aged well at all.  Showing MAJOR mileage.

Kind of looked like maybe she had a botched face lift or something.  :-\\

Who remembers these guys?

http://www.80sretromusic.com/biography/E/ebn-ozn.jpg

A-E-I-O-U Sometimes Y
8)

They used to have some great contests. I remember they had a house party,


Cat


Wasn't that the one with John Cougar Mellencamp?  The pink house?

I remember when we got cable and MTV was something I could only watch when the folks weren't home.  I had cable in my room, but not a box so I only had the first 13 channels and MTV was 18. (I can't believe I remember that)

I loved Adam Curry...he was hot.  Headbangers ball was cool, too.  I miss the good old days of MTV.

I saw her on TV about a month ago.  She has not aged well at all.  Showing MAJOR mileage.

Kind of looked like maybe she had a bitched face lift or something.  :-\\
IMO, SHE was the beginning of the end..as was colin quinn :P

1981 to 1988= Music Television

1989 to 1996= Medocre Television or Media Television

Though I liked a few shows like Beavis & Butt-Head, The State, Sifl & Olly, and Liquid Television.
And still played videos, compared to today, 'till the mid 1990's.




1997 to present= Moronic Television  :P



Does anybody remember the Music Video Awards, New Years Bash, MTV 500, etc.

I remember it well. I was a fan of Remote Control, The Week In Rock, and Club MTV. As for Julie Brown, I'd like to know what idiot suggested she pose for Playboy when she was over 40! I kinda wonder what Adam Curry's doing now, he was always a cool VJ, as well as Colin Quinn. Anyone remember No Repeat Monday? The Spring Break specials were always fun, too.

I wonder if anyone ever heard this trivia question:

What did MTV VJ Mark Goodman predict he would be in the 90's?

I'll answer that in my next post. BTW, What's Martha Quinn doing these days? And, of course, RIP J.J. Jackson.

Your Pal,
Doc

Who remembers these guys?

http://www.80sretromusic.com/biography/E/ebn-ozn.jpg

A-E-I-O-U Sometimes Y
8)



How do you say their name?  ???



Howard

I really missed out.  I wish I knew the good old eMpTyV. :-\\

At least I can say I still remember VH1 when it was still good (A to Z summer marathon, top 10 countdown, Pop Up Video, etc.).  Actually, they still have some good stuff on VH1, but I think it was still better five to ten years ago. :)

I remember it well. I was a fan of Remote Control, The Week In Rock, and Club MTV. As for Julie Brown, I'd like to know what idiot suggested she pose for Playboy when she was over 40! I kinda wonder what Adam Curry's doing now, he was always a cool VJ, as well as Colin Quinn. Anyone remember No Repeat Monday? The Spring Break specials were always fun, too.

I wonder if anyone ever heard this trivia question:

What did MTV VJ Mark Goodman predict he would be in the 90's?

I'll answer that in my next post. BTW, What's Martha Quinn doing these days? And, of course, RIP J.J. Jackson.

Your Pal,
Doc
Indeed, RIP to "Triple J"  as the very lovely Martha Quinn used to say. Speaking of "Quinn", Colin makes me want to do This to this very day....http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/wuerg/vomit-smiley-007.gif
Sorry Doc, but this guy is right up there with Gilbert Gottfried on my most annoying people list ::)

Who remembers these guys?

http://www.80sretromusic.com/biography/E/ebn-ozn.jpg

A-E-I-O-U Sometimes Y
8)


I'd forgotten all about them!  I loved A-E-I-O-U Sometimes Y and Bag Lady. 

And all of a sudden she gets up and she says, she says "Hey, I really gotta leave"
D@MN!  :)

My favorite was seeing KISS unmask themselves. I also enjoyed watching a show called "Basement Tapes" which
showed videos from unsigned bands. 

Wasn't that the one with John Cougar Mellencamp?  The pink house?




I think that may have been a different one but I seem to recall that they did give away a pink house. I did a search to see if I could find anything about their early contests but came up with nothing.  :(




Cat

http://www.80sretromusic.com/biography/E/ebn-ozn.jpg



Were they on MTV at one time during the 80's live?  ???



Howard

I really missed out.  I wish I knew the good old eMpTyV. :-\\

At least I can say I still remember VH1 when it was still good (A to Z summer marathon, top 10 countdown, Pop Up Video, etc.).  Actually, they still have some good stuff on VH1, but I think it was still better five to ten years ago. :)



Yeah,those were the good old days but you I always liked VH1 Classic. :)



Howard

Hey, I didn't think Colin was that bad. Singing along with him was one of my favorite parts of Remote Control. Amazing how they'd show promo clips from the 60's & 70's and call it the "Closet Classics Capsule", and today the videos they showed all day in the 80's are also considered classics. Strange though, that even "Singled Out" has fallen by the wayside, not that I'm complaining. Of course, there never was anything real about "The Real World"!

But anyway, here's the answer to my 'Trivia Question', from my last post. In the early 80's, MTV VJ Mark Goodman predicted that, in the 90's, he would be:
THE ANSWER TO A TRIVIA QUESTION!
If I have any other thoughts, memories, or questions, I'll let you guys know. Long Live The 80's!

Your Pal,
Doc

Were they on MTV at one time during the 80's live?   ???



Howard

I don't know if Ebn-Ozn ever went live on MTV.  Coulda been.

Their primary instrument was Fairlight CMI (Computer Music Instrument).
http://code404.com/synths/images/fairlightIII.jpg
Back in the day it was THE state of the art computer music system, and of course it was DIGITAL.
They were incredibly expensive.  Most artists just used them in the studio, but Vince Clarke actually bought one.  That's how Clarke came to be involved with the Wire side project, Dome.  Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis asked him if they could use his Fairlight, he said yes, but only if he could be involved.  He was afraid Gilbert and Lewis would damage his $100,000 music computer!

BTW, Clarke gave up his MIDI ways in '86.  He's been an analogue man ever since.

Ned Lieben, the synthesizer whiz known as EBN, died in 1998 of a heart attack.  Robert Rosen (OZN) is still around.  He's been working in theater and painting.

http://code404.com/synths/images/fairlightIII.jpg


Wow,I do remember digital piano synthesizers.Back in the days of MTV music they sure used a lot of them. :o


Howard

Hey, I didn't think Colin was that bad. Singing along with him was one of my favorite parts of Remote Control. Amazing how they'd show promo clips from the 60's & 70's and call it the "Closet Classics Capsule", and today the videos they showed all day in the 80's are also considered classics. Strange though, that even "Singled Out" has fallen by the wayside, not that I'm complaining. Of course, there never was anything real about "The Real World"!

But anyway, here's the answer to my 'Trivia Question', from my last post. In the early 80's, MTV VJ Mark Goodman predicted that, in the 90's, he would be:
THE ANSWER TO A TRIVIA QUESTION!
If I have any other thoughts, memories, or questions, I'll let you guys know. Long Live The 80's!

Your Pal,
Doc
I meant no offense to you, Doc....I just HATE how he "Fakes" his raspy voice.....like that annoying Gilbert Gottfried......and there's SO much more why I can't stand him :P

My favorite memory of Mtv:

Adam Curry and his big hair hosting the top 20 video countdown.

I meant no offense to you, Doc....I just HATE how he "Fakes" his raspy voice.....like that annoying Gilbert Gottfried......and there's SO much more why I can't stand him :P



http://www.hollywoodsquares.com/assets/datab/profiles/profiles_gilbert_gottfried.jpg



He does have an annoying voice.I believe that's his gimmick,Mark.He doesn't really have an annoying voice.It's smooth. ;D


Howard

1981 to 1988= Music Television

1989 to 1996= Medocre Television or Media Television

Though I liked a few shows like Beavis & Butt-Head, The State, Sifl & Olly, and Liquid Television.
And still played videos, compared to today, 'till the mid 1990's.




1997 to present= Moronic Television  :P



Does anybody remember the Music Video Awards, New Years Bash, MTV 500, etc.









:o 2001 to present=Teen/Highschool drama TV

I remember MTV was cool 1989 to 1994/95 they did the week in rock,spring break all for 2 weeks,also top 20 countdown,good game shows and also bevis and butthead but the one I remember what MTV did was they had music blocks in the summer/fall of 88 or 89 forgot what year they had a rock block,rap block,hevy metal block you named it so MTV is now dumbdown

My fondest memories of MTV is when it was just that, when the emphasis was music videos and that's all they played. On the weekends, we had the Saturday Night Concert, which was great: bands like Quarterflash, Rush, Men at Work etc.

It's a shell of it's former self, as bitter as I may sound.

I never had the pleasure of seeing MTV.  Being from Canada, we have our own version called Much Music that launched in 1984.  Unlike what I have heard about MTV, our Much Music still plays mostly videos

I really just loved the music videos. All different types of music videos. They really don't play music anymore on that channel and its sad. I loved Remote Control . That was a game based on music. Alot of their shows and games have nothing to do with music. Their VJs actually sat there and just played music videos and that was cool. Now you only see VJs on TRL. They dont even have VJs saying whats coming up next . Thats just some random screen and a voice saying up next "insert dumb tv show".Anyways it sucks that not even VH1 plays videos anymore.

The fondest memory I have of MTV of old is the most awesomEST video to come out, "Take On Me"!!!! :)  And who could ever forget HEADBANGERS BALL!!!

I am going way back with this but I loved the Friday Night Video fights!!!  I liked Headbangers Ball too... and of course Daria and B& Butthead!!!  Daria was my fav.. I loved that show!

I can remember Club MTV with Downtown Julie Brown (Wobba Wobba Wobba, Goodbye and God bless)  Then of course there is the ultimate in entertainment. . . Remote Control! 8)

I watched MTV from day one.  I thought it was the greatest thing in the world!  I really enjoyed it late at night when they played the videos that didn't get much airplay during the day.  Those were the days!

I agree with whoever posted that said that MTV2 should be where they put all their crappy programming and leave MTV to music videos, which now can only be seen on MTV Hits.  MTV should change it's name to Pop Culture TV, since that's what they truly are.  I am very thankful for VH1 Classic, but lately they are starting to show some other programming that isn't videos, like "Behind The Music" and stuff like that.  That stuff is OK, but they really need to have separate channels for that stuff.  When I want to watch videos, I want to watch videos, not a documentary on Guns n' Roses.

http://www.geocities.com/yardjock/mtv.jpg

8) Posted before but I first saw MTV in Florida..first vidieo I saw was Hurts So Good...and I loved HeadBangers Ball...I Want My MTV!!...The guy bouncing on the moon!

How bout Randy of the Redwoods!!!  He was so cool.... ;)

Who remembers these guys?

http://www.80sretromusic.com/biography/E/ebn-ozn.jpg

A-E-I-O-U Sometimes Y
8)


I didn't know who they were until I saw their video on VH1 Classic twice in one day in late 2002, and it would be 4 years until I heard it again! Great tune indeed. Wounded Bird Records is planning to reissue their album.

So you know, I was really flipped out you know. She asked me if I'm angry or something, I said "Of course I'm angry, man. This isn't high school or anything,  you know. So I'm feeling really cavalier, and I say you know call me, you know if you want to. Yeah, call me if you want to. So she rang me up and she says "Hey, you wanna go out?" Huh! Do I wanna go out!

I didn't know who they were until I saw their video on VH1 Classic twice in one day in late 2002, and it would be 4 years until I heard it again! Great tune indeed. Wounded Bird Records is planning to reissue their album.

So you know, I was really flipped out you know. She asked me if I'm angry or something, I said "Of course I'm angry, man. This isn't high school or anything,  you know. So I'm feeling really cavalier, and I say you know call me, you know if you want to. Yeah, call me if you want to. So she rang me up and she says "Hey, you wanna go out?" Huh! Do I wanna go out!

I still have that album. You can pick up the video on YouTube.

Thank God for YouTube. I'm now able to view the videos I used to like in the '80s, and some by favorite '80s groups of mine (id. Ultravox, Heaven 17, Human League) that I never got to see!

I still have that album. You can pick up the video on YouTube.

Thank God for YouTube. I'm now able to view the videos I used to like in the '80s, and some by favorite '80s groups of mine (id. Ultravox, Heaven 17, Human League) that I never got to see!


Yeah, I've seen it on youtube. They also have an episode of Beavis & Butt-head on there that has the video.

Does anybody know if OZN has an official website? I've been trying to research him, but I can't find sheesh. I can't even find any information about his screen writing or what movies he worked on.

"MTV celebrates 35th anniversary with throwback programming"

http://lancasteronline.com/features/entertainment/mtv-celebrates-th-anniversary-with-throwback-programming/article_3baa51fa-57ed-11e6-b322-9f437e468b91.html

"MTV celebrates 35th anniversary with throwback programming"

http://lancasteronline.com/features/entertainment/mtv-celebrates-th-anniversary-with-throwback-programming/article_3baa51fa-57ed-11e6-b322-9f437e468b91.html


Didn't MTV Classic came out 15 days ago?

Not sure if this helps:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Classic_(U.S._TV_network)

Didn't MTV Classic came out 15 days ago?

Yes, it did. It replaced VH1 Classic.

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=54034.0

Overall, this new "MTV" is more or less geared toward the channel during its Silver Age (mid-90s to early 2000s) when it would run videos in the morning and have some music related programming at other times, but also some of the reality shows. I'd wish they would of had real shows like Club MTV, the Headbangers' Ball, 120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps, Remote Control and even some retro Top 20 Countdown shows just like how many radio stations still play classic Casey Kasem AT40 shows each weekend. Its OK if you're into that but it doesn't quite have the heart of the real classic MTV. If this channel added those in alongside the Silver Age shows (plus TRL), it would be a perfect balance.

Overall, this new "MTV" is more or less geared toward the channel during its Silver Age (mid-90s to early 2000s) when it would run videos in the morning and have some music related programming at other times, but also some of the reality shows. I'd wish they would of had real shows like Club MTV, the Headbangers' Ball, 120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps, Remote Control and even some retro Top 20 Countdown shows just like how many radio stations still play classic Casey Kasem AT40 shows each weekend. Its OK if you're into that but it doesn't quite have the heart of the real classic MTV. If this channel added those in alongside the Silver Age shows (plus TRL), it would be a perfect balance.


What about The Golden Age of MTV? ???

Overall, this new "MTV" is more or less geared toward the channel during its Silver Age (mid-90s to early 2000s) when it would run videos in the morning and have some music related programming at other times, but also some of the reality shows. I'd wish they would of had real shows like Club MTV, the Headbangers' Ball, 120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps, Remote Control and even some retro Top 20 Countdown shows just like how many radio stations still play classic Casey Kasem AT40 shows each weekend. Its OK if you're into that but it doesn't quite have the heart of the real classic MTV. If this channel added those in alongside the Silver Age shows (plus TRL), it would be a perfect balance.


They probably done this because people nowadays are very nostalgic towards the mid 90s to the early 2000s. In other words, it's probably targeted towards late Xers and early Millennials.

"Hey, MTV Classic: Gen X Also Wants Its MTV"

http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/mtv-classic-gen-x-also-wants-its-mtv.html