Posted on 07/31/2014 10:52:24 PM PDT by beaversmom
On this day in 1981, MTV: Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words (spoken by one of MTV’s creators, John Lack): “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.” The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to air on the new cable television channel, which initially was available only to households in parts of New Jersey. MTV went on to revolutionize the music industry and become an influential source of pop culture and entertainment in the United States and other parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America, which all have MTV-branded channels.
In MTV’s early days, its programming consisted of basic music videos that were introduced by VJs (video jockeys) and provided for free by record companies. As the record industry recognized MTV’s value as a promotional vehicle, money was invested in making creative, cutting-edge videos. Some directors, including Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Three Kings) and Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), worked on music videos before segueing into feature films. In the 1980s, MTV was instrumental in promoting the careers of performers such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince and Duran Duran, whose videos played in heavy rotation.
By the late 1980s, MTV started airing non-video programming, geared toward teenagers and young adults. Its popular reality series The Real World launched in 1992 and was followed by such highly rated shows as The Osbournes, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Laguna Beach, My Super Sweet 16 and The Hills. MTV also debuted animated series including Beavis and Butthead and Celebrity Deathmatch, as well as documentaries, news, game shows and public service campaigns on topics ranging from voting rights to safe sex. MTV developed a reputation for pushing cultural boundaries and taste; the airing of Madonna’s 1989 “Like a Prayer” video is just one famous example. In 1984, the channel launched the MTV Music Video Awards, which were followed in 1992 by the MTV Movie Awards. Today, MTV’s music-video programming is largely confined to one show, Total Request Live.
It is one of the best movies ever made.
A crazy take on Hamlet with lots of in-jokes involving wildly anachronistic events.
Can’t say enough good about it.
Netflix used to have it, and may still.
This is the video. I watched the whole thing one night a few weeks ago. Richard Harris, Oliver Reed, Keith Moon, and others. Ozzy is toward the end...
Hellraisers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD_O2cc7OkQ
Well, I have Netflix so I could actually look for it then.
Found it at IMDB. Seems interesting!
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100519/
Two minor characters from the play, “Hamlet” stumble around unaware of their scripted lives and unable to deviate from them.
The first concert I ever saw was “The Cars” at the old Brendan Byrne arena, it was 81 I think, I also recall going to Philly to see the B52s.
I do remember seeing The Hooters at City Gardens, and R.E.M back in college.
Now the concert I wanted to see was “The Wall”’, original tour. All the cool kids had tickets, but my mom wouldn’t let me go.
She let me go to Rocly Horror though. Weird.
Saw the B52s about 10 years later at the Garden St. Arts festival. Wasn’t as good, one of the gals, wasn’t there because she had a baby, and the lead guy had died recently from AIDS. Ah, the 90s. Still like the 80s better.
Wow, great memories! Especially regarding your mom being restrictive. Thanks for sharing! :)
First concert I saw was in 1982. The Who in Boulder, Colorado at Folsom field.
If I can get hold of a bed pan and two spoons, I’ll drum the intro to “Billion Dollar Babies”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyhG7zEmb2c
Wasn’t a Bruce fan until “The River”. I do love that album, I just have to forget about the politics.
What got me through those bad teenage years was Pink Floyd, Supertramp. I went through so many records of “Dark Side of the Moon”, and “The Wall”, and “Breakfast in America”.
My mom hatred Pink Floyd, and bough me every record by Barry Manilow.
And Wings albums.
She also hated Meat Loaf. Gosh, I loved “Bat out of Hell”
I could swear I saw that on TV.
My DVR is set to snag anything with Oliver Reed in it.
lol...I think us branching out into Richard Dreyfuss was even weirder. And I still haven't quite shaken the clown pic. :)
I remember you sharing about your Doberman(s) and her pretty coat. :)
We’ve lead parallel lives.
:)
Never saw The Who, the only British Band I ever saw was the Moody Blues,,again in the early 90s.
It was a great concert.
Worst concert was Air Supply, with Livingston Taylor opening. I only went because I was so infatuated with the guy who took me.
Oh wait, he also took me to a Dead concert. Just as bad, but for different reasons.
Cool!!! I had never seen a movie of his until I saw Gladiator in December last year. Love that movie and soundtrack. Anyway, I found out he died during the making of it. He was definitely a character to say the least. Have you seen the video of him getting into it with Shelly Winters on the Carson Show? Quite funny!
In 1993, at Honey Bear’s roadhouse, in Martinsburg, West-By-God-Virginia, I sat on Buck Dharma’s Marshall stack for the whole show.
I had a pricey camera and I reckon nobody thought to throw me off.
Eric hammed it up, probably thinking I was press.
I can truly say that I was onstage with BOC.
:)
Moody Blues would have been a great one to see. I don’t know a lot of their music, but enjoy a couple of their tunes.
I am the queen of ‘flying changes of subject’.
:D
Parallel lives? Maybe, but I bet anything you were cooler as a teen. I didn’t get cool until college.
High school I was miserable and read way too much Salinger and Plath for my own good.
I think I just heard yesterday that Alice Cooper is coming to Denver soon. I’m not sure, but I think they said something about Motley Crue. Didn’t catch if it was together or two different shows.
lol...well I think you are out East, but I am the Queen in the West...just so you know. :)
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