MTV part deux
October 31st, 2008Gamera’s comment about Dave Kendall got me thinking about how much I didn’t like him when he was hosting 120 minutes. He always seemed smarmy and sycophantic, didn’t he? I remembered a bit where Sonic Youth were making fun of him, but I couldn’t find it on youtube (wha?!)…
a google search revealed it was from 1991: The Year Punk Broke, which I have a very fond memory of seeing at Grafton Stovall at JMU. A bit more hunting, and I couldn’t find the film anywhere…apparently Courtney Love is blocking them from releasing it on DVD for some reason…how can she do this? — they say it’s due to the fact that she has the rights (?) to K Cobain’s material? Maybe since she’s in it and would need to sign a new contract? Courtney = lame-o.
Anyway, thanks to the glory of the internet I was able to find someone’s upload of a VHS dub of it, so now you can check out the Dave Kendall bit, and a little ironic Courtney Love bit…
DK seems so nervous, and totally unable to handle Thurston’s vibe. Seeing him also makes me remember Matt Pinfield, 120 minutes’s brain (to DK’s heart)…and Lewis Largent, who I remember hating with a passion. One time he wore a shirt that said "Loser" (right around the debut of Beck) and Sean F and I referred to him as Loser Largent from that point on. I would tape 120 minutes and watch it the next day, so I could fast forward the vidz I didn’t care about, or that they had overplayed. And this was a good time, for a long time. But once Nirvana broke, and the rise of Alternative Nation took hold, they began to play the same tracks over and over and over. Even today if I see Green Day’s "Longview" I want to punch somebody (preferably Loser Largent). It got to the point where I was spending a half hour of fast forwarding to watch one or two videos. So I gave up. And then it went off the air.
Matt Pinfield was the ultimate sycophant. “Fawning” should have been his middle name.
on another note, it looks like next year i will have the opportunity to go back to Harrisonburg for the first time since 1997 and a trip to Grafton-Stovall is definitely on the agenda. movies are still only $2.50! popcorn is still only $0.50! i could be going to see Pineapple Express tonight!
http://upb.jmu.edu
other than the “Life On Mars”-era prices at G-S, i’m expecting to have my mind completely blown both by things that i had forgotten about that remain remarkably similar, and by familiar things that have completely changed. i’m thinking i will need at least 2-3 days to get to everything.
I remember digging Dave Kendall’s British stuffiness and bizarre name dropping. Once he relayed a story about sitting next to some guy from Flowered Up. Who? Who cares. The late 80s early 90s were overrun by boring British bands but 120 Minutes was my source. Matt Penfield was disturbing and Lewis Largent was atrocious. He tried so hard to be cool and was anything but. The best were the guest hosts esp. the Joey Ramone/Lemmy cohost show or anytime Thurston hosted. My favorite ever was when Thurston interviewed Beck who at one point removed his shoe and threw it in response to a question, perfromed an extreemely laconic version of “Pay No mind” and then finished the show with a noise jam between Mike D, Thurston and Beck.
jamie,
what’s the occasion for going to harrisonburg?
i never to find the lewis largent – malkmus interview. classic.
That was an amazing interview. In one corner, chucklehead Largent and in the other, a surly, caustic Malkmus. In the middle was Bob, somewhat unsuccessfully attempting to keep the peace.
I feel like I must’ve seen that Largent/Pavement int, but I sure don’t remember it. And as for The Thurston Moore guest hosting, I remember it well and loved it. The Beck one was great because Thurston seemed like an elder statesman to Beck’s crazy kid…I remember after Beck threw the shoe as an answer to a question, Thurston sort of nods and goes “Alright.”