MTV at 25.....
Aug. 2nd, 2006 09:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poltr1Yesterday (August 1) was the 25th anniversary of the debut of Music Television (MTV). While they aren't hearalding that little fact, the rest of the entertainment press has.
I didn't hear about MTV until the summer of '83. I was invited to a party by a girl I knew who worked as a cashier at the Norton Cafeteria (an on-campus eatery I frequented). Her name was Janine. We developed a friendship over time as I became a regular at the cafeteria. Anyway, the party was at her place, on a Saturday afternoon. Her and her roommate had a 2nd floor apartment, above a garage if I remember correctly. It was a decent party. I remember seeing MTV for the first time there, and I'm quite sure it was a Duran Duran video or two. I was also introduced to taboule at that party. Yummy stuff.
We didn't get cable TV at home until '84. The first video I saw at home? "Caribbean Queen" by Bily Ocean.
Over time, MTV eveolved, moving away from music videos and towards programming for the college-age sector (18-25). The videos have moved to VH-1 and FUSE. Meanwhile, we got programs like Remote Control, Yo! MTV Raps, The Real World, Spring Break, and Beavis and Butthead (which![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
amazon_42 introduced me to back in '93).
But I still have fondness for the old MTV, with the VJs, and the videos they showed.
Here are my top 5 favorite videos. I've love to have these on DVD.
1) a-ha, "Take On Me". Beautifully executed. Both the story and the rotoscope animation grabbed me and held my attention. THere was also a sequel video, "The Sun Always Shines On TV", which didn't get as much airplay.
2) Dire Straits, "Money For Nothing". Gotta love the computer animation. That was state-of-the-art in '85.
3) Michael Jackson, "Thriller". The first mini-movie video, clicking in at nearly 15 minutes. Although some may say he looks scarier now thatn he did in this video. :)
4) Devo, "Jocko Homo". Devo was one of the first bands to exploit video in the late '70s. Somewhere I have a copy of "Devovision: The Men Who Make The Music", which was a collection of early Devo videos strung together with a pseudo-documentary story: "The Truth About De-Evolution". Boojie Boy lives!
5) Duran Duran, "Hungry Like The Wolf". One of the first videos I saw, and essentially defined the style of videos to come.
What are your favorite videos?
I didn't hear about MTV until the summer of '83. I was invited to a party by a girl I knew who worked as a cashier at the Norton Cafeteria (an on-campus eatery I frequented). Her name was Janine. We developed a friendship over time as I became a regular at the cafeteria. Anyway, the party was at her place, on a Saturday afternoon. Her and her roommate had a 2nd floor apartment, above a garage if I remember correctly. It was a decent party. I remember seeing MTV for the first time there, and I'm quite sure it was a Duran Duran video or two. I was also introduced to taboule at that party. Yummy stuff.
We didn't get cable TV at home until '84. The first video I saw at home? "Caribbean Queen" by Bily Ocean.
Over time, MTV eveolved, moving away from music videos and towards programming for the college-age sector (18-25). The videos have moved to VH-1 and FUSE. Meanwhile, we got programs like Remote Control, Yo! MTV Raps, The Real World, Spring Break, and Beavis and Butthead (which
amazon_42 introduced me to back in '93). But I still have fondness for the old MTV, with the VJs, and the videos they showed.
Here are my top 5 favorite videos. I've love to have these on DVD.
1) a-ha, "Take On Me". Beautifully executed. Both the story and the rotoscope animation grabbed me and held my attention. THere was also a sequel video, "The Sun Always Shines On TV", which didn't get as much airplay.
2) Dire Straits, "Money For Nothing". Gotta love the computer animation. That was state-of-the-art in '85.
3) Michael Jackson, "Thriller". The first mini-movie video, clicking in at nearly 15 minutes. Although some may say he looks scarier now thatn he did in this video. :)
4) Devo, "Jocko Homo". Devo was one of the first bands to exploit video in the late '70s. Somewhere I have a copy of "Devovision: The Men Who Make The Music", which was a collection of early Devo videos strung together with a pseudo-documentary story: "The Truth About De-Evolution". Boojie Boy lives!
5) Duran Duran, "Hungry Like The Wolf". One of the first videos I saw, and essentially defined the style of videos to come.
What are your favorite videos?
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 02:49 am (UTC)2.) Depeche Mode, Walking in my shoes. They won MAJOR kudos from this history buff by doing a video with Medieval plauge-repellent bird masks. Ah, heck, ANY video by Depeche Mode is amazingly seductive, decadent and just a bit naughty.
3.) Peter Gabriel, Sledgehammer and Big Time. I can't stop myself. I just have to sit there and watch the whole thing, blinking as little as possible, even though I've seen it a thousand times before. Transfixing.
4.) Tears for Fears, (Sowing the) Seeds of Love. Not only a great song, but the video is absolutely gorgeous. Makes me think I was once a hippie, just 20 years too late.
5.) DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Parents Just Don't Understand. The first rap I memorized in its entirity and thought the video was hilarious.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 05:29 am (UTC)2. R.E.M., "Losing My Religion" -- Michael Stipe dancing!
3. Missy Eliot, "Get Ur Freak on" -- I like it with the sound off.
4. The Buggles, "Video Killed the Radio Star" -- fun, cheesy, 1st!
5. Madonna, "Frozen" -- enjoyed the look, another w/sound off.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 05:57 am (UTC)2. Michael Jackson, "Beat It".
3. Duran Duran, "Hungry Like the Wolf".
4. XTC, "Dear God".
5. Kate Bush, "Running Up That Hill". Started me on being a Kate Bush fanboy. :-)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-04 04:26 am (UTC)