VH-1 Classic 120 Minutes

So, I've been meaning to do this at some point, and figured, why not tonight (that, and I didn't really feel like talking about the State of Union or my long-awaited analysis of Props. 94-97).

Growing up in the early 90s, one of the shows I always taped was 120 Minutes with Dave Kendall. It was broadcast on MTV at midnight Monday morning (or something like that), and I would tape and watch it the next day. This lasted through college, and the days of Lewis Largent (who was terrible) and onto Matt Pinfield, as well as various "special hosts," who were just other musicians. I still have many of these episodes from the early and mid 90s on VHS tape. It was very exciting time for me, musically- I found a lot of new music from the show. Then it went off the air. One day a few years ago, I stumbled across VH-1 Classic and discovered they had a show called The Alternative, which played music videos of the bands I loved growing up from the 80s and 90s. The Alternative eventually was renamed to 120 Minutes. This is my blogging an episode of VH-1 Classic "120 Minutes" from Monday, January 28, 2008 broadcast at 1:00 AM Pacific.

I will skip the commercials, unless the ShamWow comes on- that thing looks awesome.

1) Concrete Blonde- Joey. I can't believe that I once liked this band. It must have been Johnette Napolitano's exquisite use of the crimping iron.

2) Boomtown Rats- I Don't Like Mondays. I suppose I should mention that this show repeats a lot of videos. . .I think this is the 15th time I've seen this video this year. Oh how I would love to go back and tell Bob Geldof to stop after "The Wall." Although he is wearing a sweet bolo tie and checkered sports coat in this video.

Fast Forward

3) REM- Orange Crush. One of my favorite REM songs, with a tasteful video by Matt Mahurin (who also did Metallica's "Unforgiven," and got himself in trouble with a photo he did for Time magazine that, shall we say, enhanced O.J. Simpson's skin color, but I digress). The vocals in this song are quite difficult in Rock Band, mainly because there's a whole batch of lyrics I didn't know were there after the "hut 2, 3, " that Stipe sings through a megaphone. One of my favorite REM bass lines.

4) Paul Westerberg- World Class Fad. Ok, I was never a Replacements fan- I know, being the indie fan I am, how can I say that? I don't know. . .Paul Westerberg's solo songs certainly don't help me with my opinion (although, the video for "Dyslexic Heart" does have an early Jeremy Piven, already being typecast as the asshole). So, video has Paul in a hotel room with a silver smoking jacket and pajama bottoms, then, with a pajama top and regular pants, then to full pajamas. Give it up Paul- I get it, you're lazy, errr, a slacker.

5) The Smiths- Panic. First off, I can't believe Panic! At the Disco dropped the exclamation point! Oh my God! Anyway, just a video of The Smiths live filmed over various scenes of some English city (I'm gonna go with Manchester, for obvious reasons). Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ, Hang the DJ................

6) Talking Heads- Wild Wild Life. I always enjoyed this video, and it took me forever to realize that most of the singers in the video are various members of the Talking Heads in different costumes. Oh, and it has a thin John Goodman, who was in the movie "True Stories," which I was only able to get through once, despite also having the late Spaulding Gray. But really, John Goodman was thin, at least thinner. And it has the Mexican singer who's in all the Robert Rodriguez movies. That's an unbeatable video combination.

7) Green Day- Longview. Yawn. Nevermind that I had a poster of the full album cover which this song is on, appropriately it was on the door to the bathroom. Watching this video in college, a guy who lived across the hall from me would watch the video and this first time he heard the line "when masturbation's lost its fun..." he'd say, that's never happened to me. He was from Arkansas, had a girlfriend in Arkansas, but would sleep with a different girl every weekend- but it was ok because he remembered all their names. Anyway. . .

8) Morrissey- There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. An older Moz live, what a showman. Oh how I thought I connected with this song in high school and college. Now, I still like singing the song- it's fun because you can sing about getting hit by a double decker bus and a 10 ton truck- that's right, not just a regular bus, but a double decker bus.

9) Pearl Jam- Evenflow. How could you not like Pearl Jam in 1992- they were so earnest. Anyway, video is a live performance, Eddie Vedder showing off his head banging, the drummer showing off how hard he drums by flailing his hair all around, various stage divers. It was a much simpler time. I don't think there are any girls in this video- unless you count Stone Gossard. Hmmmm.

10) The English Beat- Best Friend. Pseudo ska courtesy of Dave Wakeling, one of the whitest men ever, and Ranking Roger, who I'm still not sure what he does (in this video he's bouncing around and waving a tambourine in the air). Dave is playing his Stratocaster backwards and upside down- it's a right handed guitar and he's left handed. . .how Jimi of him. Wakeling and Roger later form General Public and play the same songs. Yeah, I know, not very interesting.

11) Jane's Addiction- Jane Says. This video is from the reunion show with Flea on bass. I don't know, I think this is a reunion that I could have done without- did we really need to ruin our memories of the punk Dave Navarro with what he became? They had their place, which is where I'll always remember them. I still like this song though.

12) Bjork- Big Time Sensuality. Bjork. A flat bed truck. New York City. Really, I don't think anything more needs to be said.

One hour mark.

13) Depeche Mode- Strangelove. The obligatory Depeche Mode video. An artsy black and white video, following a moody Dave Gahan and a woman, who's is in various modes of undress, around Paris. Andy Fletcher and Alan Wilder reprising their filler roles- really, how underappreciated were they in these Depeche Mode/Anton Corbijn videos. Course, what was Andy Fletcher doing in Depeche Mode to begin with; if Adam Clayton is the luckiest man alive, then Andy Fletcher is certainly up there.

14) The Pixies- Here Comes Your Man. I read somewhere that they were really high when filming this video. It makes sense, although I don't know why Dave Lovering looks so serious- maybe he's the paranoid type. My favorite parts of this video are all the faces Joey Santiago makes, and Black Francis' big head and blinking eyes on the final pan of the band.

15) Bad Religion- American Jesus (Version 2). I don't know what Version 2 means, because this looks a lot like the version I remember. Anyway, Greg Graffin walking around with goggles on his head- must have borrowed them from the lab where he was working on his doctorate in zoology. Lots of crosses. I think this song means something.

16) INXS- Original Sin. Michael Hutchence on a motorcycle. Just seems appropriate, no? And it has the goofy guy with big glasses who plays the guitar, then out of nowhere, is playing the sax (which reminds me, at some point I will have to rue about the lack of saxophones in today's music- whatever happened to all the cool bands having a sax player. . .I haven't figured out who to blame yet).

17) The Replacements- The Ledge. CURSES! Never tempt the 120 Minutes gods. Video has the 'Mats sitting around, doing nothing. I suppose I could go on about how the video represents the ennui of modern youth and the protagonist of the song, but, really, I bet they had like $20, and they spent $18 of it on hair products and Ripple.

18) U2- Mysterious Ways. The obligatory U2 song, normally it's within the first 3 songs. Anyway, I really don't have anything to say about this video- Bono doing his thing, the rest of band interspersed throughout. Interesting, another Stephane Sednaoui video, who also did Bjork's "Big Time Sensuality."

19) Throwing Muses- Juno. Live footage of the Muses (featuring Tanya Donnelly) with scenes of a housewife wringing her hands, making eggs, kneading dough, wringing out a cloth, and someone on a beach. . .I don't get it. At least the song is short.

20) XTC- Dear God. There's always an XTC video, and most of the time it's this one. I always watch an XTC video, even this one. People in a tree and Andy Partridge sings a child's letter to God, then beats the hell of the tree with a hammer- a ball peen and a claw hammer, ooooh. The violin/fiddle players in the tree always annoy me since they aren't even trying to play.

21) Sinead O'Connor- The Emperor's New Clothes. Sinead prancing around a stage, under 1 light bulb. It's a one person play with lights, leaves falling around her, then feathers, and people in the audience really getting into it- don't know why. Oh, disco balls are out. Fast forward.

22) Wire- Ahead. At least it's not "Eardrum Buzz." I actually like this song, course, I'm partial to the post-punk stuff. I don't really have anything to say about the video. Sorry.

23) The Cure- Friday I'm In Love. The band dresses up in different costumes as the backdrop changes often. Robert Smith stays in his untied hightop gym shoes. I don't understand why there are Laurel and Hardy impersonators though. I still like this album. The song? It's almost like the Shiny Happy People of that album, just not that annoying.

24) Dramarama- Haven't Got a Clue. I think they are supposed to be playing a house party. A fake hand in the fridge; a chimpanzee; Santa Claus; people watching slides on the refrigerator door (and enjoying them!). Yeah, I haven't got a clue about this video.

25) Doctor and the Medics- Spirit in the Sky. Ok. . .a guy that is made up with white face, big curly-q eyebrows and really big hair (frankly, he looks like a reject from Cats) singing Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky." This isn't right.

That is the final song of the night- quite a disappointment overall. Although, my DVR runs over into regular VH-1 Classic programming, and what a classic I'm treated to- George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set On You." I've always wanted to know who he smiles/smirks at in the video that's off the set, not to mention who did he think he was fooling by using the body double to do that little dance.