First Day of MTV

To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of MTV, the pioneering music channel continues its 15 year tradition of playing no music videos. Instead, MTV has left it to VH1Classic to air the August 1, 1981 programming. Couldn't throw us old enough to remember a bone and at least throw it to VH1. Actually, it's only sort of the 1st day, as promised. There are no VJays; no MTV programming; references to ground breaking programs (AIDS awareness campaign, PSA's) and yet no footage. Many references to the then-ubiquitous "I Want My MTV" ad, but not one example. Too bad.

I've now watched an hour of this walk down memory lane. The videos I've seen:

Nazareth: Holiday (I don't want you to be a pop star, either)
Stevie Nicks: Stop Draggin My Heart Around (with Tom Petty)
The Bugles: Video Killed the Radio Star -- the one what started it all
Robert Palmer: Looking for Clues
Ph.D: Little Susie's On the Up
Rod Stewart: Passion ('Nice Pants' indeed)
Shoes: Cruel You
Pretenders: Talk of the Town (three of their videos on today; Brass in Pocket was shown in the first hour; also Message of Love in heavy rotation)
The Who: Don't Let Go the Coats
Fischer Z: So Long
April Wine: Just Between You and Me (A real live performance; a bad live performance, but credit where it's due)

Now they're repeating.....just like 1981

It's interesting to see pop music pre-makeup; before lip syncing was perfected and singers know to or not to look into the camera; before concert footage looked like a real concert (for the exception see April Wine); when female singers didn't have to writhe like hoo's (see Chrissie Hynde, above, a real female rock star, who along with Pat Benatar, got some love from MTV in the early days. Too bad MTV also helped create the femalesingerwithbigboobsandnotalent.

I wanted my MTV; it took some time for cable to come to Sayre and for my brother, sister and I to talk my mother into paying for it. (Ed.: Robert, please fill in details.)

I do remember vividly hearing her screaming at the TV, like she hadn't done since John Dean testified before Congress, declaring "I'm calling the cable company tomorrow and having this thing cancelled!" I believe George Michael was single-handedly responsible for that comment. Father Figure vied with I Want Your Sex for the honor.

She didn't cancel it, however. It died a natural death in our house, like in so many others, when we like Jackie Paper, outgrew it. I will say though, that in my day we did play music. With instruments and melodies and lyrics. OK, so the boys wore more makeup and hairspray than the girls. And, ok I sound like my aforementioned mother. I DO have Eminem AND Kanye West on my Ipod. So I ain't dead yet. Beyond MTV's demographic, yes. How far beyond.....let's not quibble.

Happy Anniversary.