Dave Kendall, the creator of seminal MTV alternative rock music video show 120 Minutes, has died. The news came from fellow 120 Minutes host Matt Pinfield, who wrote, “Dave was one of the true believers. Long before alternative music found its way into the mainstream, he was there every week on 120 Minutes, introducing people to bands that would go on to define an era. He didn’t just host a show. He gave a home to music that deserved to be heard. He loved the music, respected the artists, and connected with fans in a way that always felt authentic. That’s a rare gift. Sending love to everyone whose life he touched.”
As producer at MTV in the mid-’80s, Kendall pitched the network the idea for the show, which would focus on videos for songs being played on college radio and the country’s few commercial alternative stations, like the highly influential KROQ in Los Angeles. 120 Minutes debuted March 10, 1986 with a timeslot of Sunday nights from midnight – 2 AM; Kendall was the producer and writer, but it was originally hosted by a revolving group of VJs, including Martha Quinn, JJ Jackson, Alan Hunter, Downtown Julie Brown and Adam Curry. When Kevin Seal became the permanent host in 1987, Kendall starting appearing on the show in news and review segments, and he fully took over hosting duties from 1988 – 1992.
Kendall’s goth-tinged style and taste epitomized those years before Nirvana helped make alt-rock mainstream, when The Cure, Morrissey/The Smiths, REM, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Replacements, Depeche Mode, They Might Be Giants, Public Image Limited, New Order, The Red Hot Chili Pepper, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Peter Murphy and more were in regular rotation. At a time when not everyone had access to a radio station that played left-of-the-dial kind of stuff, 120 Minutes was a godsend and highly influential.
After 120 Minutes, Kendall was a host for early internet streaming series The Daily Dish, a producer at Channel 4, Travel Channel and Animal Planet, and hosted the SiriusXM radio show First Wave.
Rest in peace Dave.
Watch a few classic 120 Minutes segments with Dave below.
More: watch every video 120 Minutes aired in its original run.
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