Growing Up With MTV: The Early Days
March 7th, 2008 | by Scott |MTV debuted on August 1st, 1981. I had just turned 13 years old and was a music lover. I didn’t watch that first day but it wasn’t long before I began to tune in regularly. Over the course of the next decade I would tune in almost religiously and watch my favorite videos of the day. From 120 Minutes to Headbangers Ball to The Top Twenty Video Countdown I was hooked. I would even sit through Girlschool videos.
Alas, my love for MTV and all it represented would wane as I grew older. The videos no longer held the same allure. The 90s would never be the 80s.
But through the advent of the net I am able to relive those glory days of Rick Springfield and John Parr, of Judas Priest and Mungo Jerry.
We all know the first video that MTV ever played. Despite its history, Video Killed the Radio Star is still a pretty lame song.
But the fourth song they played? That’s a different story. In the early days MTV would play a great bit of songs by The Who. Sure, they had already peaked and were on the downside of their greatness but they still were able to churn out some good videos. The first one MTV played was “You Better, You Bet.” It would be their last top 20 hit. It was also be on the first post-Keith Moon album they would record. Kenny Jones wasn’t the drummer that Moon was but he was still able to do an admirable job keeping time with one of the greatest guitarists of the era, Pete Townsend. I still love this song:
Four videos later they would catch another great band, but this one would be on its ascendancy. In the annals of great female rockers there is no greater luminary than Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. “Brass in Pocket” was their first true American hit and when MTV debuted almost two years later the video would assume heavy rotation.
Great times, great oldies
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Now playing: Martin Zellar - Freeze This Feeling
via FoxyTunes
18 Responses to “Growing Up With MTV: The Early Days”
By Jim MacKenzie on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Ah, The Who.. Face Dances was an under-appreciated album. I played it a lot that summer. I played a lot of The Who that summer.
Although it may have been my 18 year old angst that particular summer of ‘81 when I had a crush on Princess Di who went ahead and married Chuck! Alas, he had more to offer I guess…
By Kevin Bussey on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Martha Quinn! Need I say more?
By Jeff Slater on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
The first concert I ever went to was The Who in 1979 (I was a freshman in High School). I don’t know what Keith Moon had, but they were not the same after he died.
Yes, Martha Quinn was hot. I haven’t watched MTV since Beavis and Butthead went off the air.
By Scott on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Princess Di? Seriously?
I was more of a Nina Blackwood guy myself.
Jeff, that was around the same time I tuned out. Or around season 3-4 of The Real World.
By Jim MacKenzie on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Just kidding about Di, but you know, I am good British Commonwealth person…
I did watch MTV mostly for Martha.
In 1984, the guys in our house watched MTV constantly, but we had a list of videos that were banned. The TV had to go back to ESPN at that point until the offending video was over (the list was posted next to the TV). I can’t remember any of the banned videos though…
I’ll have to think.
By Matt on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Dude, the 90’s were SO much cooler than the 80’s…
We got a satellite dish (no cable out in the country) when I was in high school in the early 90’s and that was my first real exposure to MTV.
By That Girl on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
The 80’s were the greatest! In August 1981 I was starting my freshman year of college and there was nothing better than sitting and wasting entire afternoons watching MTV.
I miss Aldo Nova!
By Tracy on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
I would come home from school (early 90’s) and do homework to the top 20 countdown. And then there was Real World. I’ll admit. I watched it. But Beverly Hills 90210 was way better.
By Jim MacKenzie on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Tracy, you’re just showing how young you are… 90210? I had two kids by then!
Aldo Nova… a good Canadian. Yes there was a lot of time-wasting and little homework-doing in the fall of 1981!
Here are a few videos/artists I remember from our banned list: Anything by Madonna, Prince or the Culture Club; Eddie Murphy - Party All The Time (1985); and any “GlamRock/Hair” Band.
By Scott on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Matt, I don’t think we lived through the same 90’s.
Aldo Nova rocked! I still listen to Foolin’ Yourself from time to time.
Jim, Tracy was 5 years old in 1981.
That was probably a good idea to ban everything from the Culture Club but I imagine my reasons probably differ greatly than that school you attended.
By Tracy on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
I’m at a new place in which I enjoy being one of the youngest in the crowd. I’ll take it. For so long I’ve wanted to shy away from how young I was. Now that I’m a bona fide thirty-something; its not so bad.
I loved Milli Vanilli, Black Crows, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Cranberries. I’m Post-80’s music.
By Kevin Bussey on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Do you remember Night Tracks on TBS?
I miss Journey, The Police, Dire Straights, and all 80’s hair bands!
By Travis on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Ah…I remember August 1, 1981. It was 13 days before my first birthday, and mommy and daddy couldn’t pull me away from my MTV.
By Jim MacKenzie on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Slammin’ schools… now, now,
By justin on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
I wasn’t quite born in 81, but I am a huge “The Cars” fan, and love watching their goofy old videos, like the one where the lead singer is walking through the city with the giant woman. Or something like that?
I used to wake up in the middle of the night when I was in 3rd grade and watch videos on MTV. Introduced me to alt rock at a pretty young age.
MTV has been crap now though for the last ten years. Play some freakin music.
By len on Mar 9, 2008 | Reply
For those interested, this website lists the videos played on MTV’s first day: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_music_videos_aired_on_MTV
Styx, April Wine, The Who, Gerry Rafferty, REO Speedwagon, and Iron Maiden are some of those who were played more than once.
By greg on Mar 10, 2008 | Reply
Iron Maiden … played more than once.
Maiden should be played as often as possible.
“It’s like, you can say what you want about Maiden, but when it comes to making videos, they don’t screw around.” - Butt-head
By Belinda on Mar 10, 2008 | Reply
My hubby teases me all the time that I totally missed out on the 80’s - I was having babies. I’ve only recently learned to appreciate MTV on the “classics” channel.