The Worst Episode of 120 Minutes. Ever.

As I did previously, I am reviewing a recent episode of VH-1 Classic's 120 Minutes (Sunday at 1:00 AM Pacific). Thankfully I have the episode on DVR and was able to scoot through this particular calamity. It's almost like they hired a new person and told them to put together the playlist, but this person is like 21 and only listened to top 40 alternative songs. I'm so upset with this episode that I'm not even gonna talk about the videos, I'm just gonna list the playlist. This is just ridiculous.

Hour 1

Pearl Jam- Jeremy
Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit
Weezer- Buddy Holly
Smashing Pumpkins- Tonight, Tonight
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Give It Away
Robert Palmer- Addicted to Love
Black Crowes- She Talks to Angels
Stone Temple Pilots- Plush
Van Halen- Panama
Chris Isaak- Wicked Game
Beck- Loser

Hour 2

The Cure- Just Like Heaven
The Human League- Don't You Want Me?
Simple Minds- Promised You A Miracle
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Give It Away
Jesus and Mary Chain- Blues From A Gun (1 hour, 24 minutes in)
Gin Blossoms- Found Out About You
Love and Rockets- Ball of Confusion
Talk Talk- It's My Life
Depeche Mode- Personal Jesus
OMD- If You Leave
Kate Bush- This Woman's Work

Yes, they played the same video twice. So, by my count, there was only really 3 1/2 videos worth watching: Just Like Heaven, Blues From A Gun, Ball of Confusion and Personal Jesus (that one counts for 1/2 a point since they play that video every other episode). The first hour was practically a mainstream breakdown of "alternative" music from the 90s, with Van Halen and the Black Crowes thrown in there for some reason. I'll give Chris Isaak a break mainly because when "Wicked Game" came out, his crooner status had allowed him to shift between alternative and AOR. As for Kate Bush, I realize that she holds some status from the early 80s scene, but I could never stand her songs.

Maybe I have too high of expectations for this show, maybe I'm too dorky for this show, and maybe I'm not the target audience for this show. Maybe this show is for people who only listened to the mainstream alternative music stations (which still play most of the these songs), and I was hoping for the old 120 Minutes and playing the popular and unknown.

So, was this just a one time offense? Let's find out as I also have Sunday night (9:00 PM) episode on DVR.

Hour 1

World Party- Way Down (I'll pass on World Party, although 120 Minutes did educate me by showing me that the lead singer of World Party, Karl Somethingoranother, was in The Waterboys). Skip
U2- Desire (Well, here's the obligatory U2 video, which the episode above somehow avoided)
REM- Orange Crush (This is a live video from their European tour last year; decided to try this song on expert level for Rock Band and I failed miserably as they changed around the drum pads for the high-hat and snare, it will take a few tries to get used to it).
INXS- Don't Change (Skip)
Big Head Todd and The Monsters- Bittersweet (WTF?)
Pixies- Monkey Gone to Heaven (Joey Santiago with more funny faces)
Yello- Oh Yeah (This video should never have been made, I mean, I don't think I've taken enough drugs to understand it; maybe I should be high or something to get it)
Beastie Boys- Gratitude (MCA was cool as the bassist)
Flesh For Lulu- Postcards From Paradise (skip)
Faith No More- Falling to Pieces (Mike Patton has an amazing vocal range. Also, I suppose they could be blamed for the rise in the rap/rock that came about in the 90s)
Morrissey- How Soon Is Now? (Live)
The Replacements- Bastards of Young (Never got into the 'Mats, but after the first episode, I'll take a group of 'Mats videos)
Inspiral Carpets- Two Worlds Collide (One of the first BritPop bands I really liked, and I still like this song, not to mention the awesome bowl cuts that are present- although, they have nothing on The Ocean Blue)

Hour 2

New Order- Bizarre Love Triangle (Ok, if anyone can explain to the purpose of the intermission scene about reincarnation, I would appreciate it. Is that supposed to be the bizarre love triangle? That's pretty weak)
Siouxsie and the Banshees- Cities In The Dust (Is this about Pompeii? That's odd, since the Beastie Boys video above is dedicated to the victims of Pompeii)
Afghan Whigs- Gentleman (I love this song and this video- Greg Dulli was a great frontman)
The Cure- Boys Don't Cry (Scary glowing eyes)
The B-52's- Deadbeat Club (I guess it's hard to have an uplifting video for this song, but, hey, it's got Michael Stipe in it)
Peter Murphy- All Night Long (Thank you Matt Mahurin for a moody black and white video. I still like "Cuts You Up" more, but I would like to see 120 Minutes play a Peter Murphy video other than this one or Cuts You Up.)
The Church- Under the Milky Way (I love this song. When my friend Brian was in Australia for a year for work, one of this things to do was see The Church in Australia; I believe he accomplished this)
Belly- Gepetto (Ahhh, Belly. . . .)
Romeo Void- Never Say Never (A band that was ruined by tv)
The Alarm- Strength (A band that is probably underrated in their harmonies and melodies- a boring video, except for the dueling "vocalists" that's apparently present in all of their videos as the bassist tries to get in on the act)
Catherine Wheel- I Want to Touch You (ohhh, loved the Catherine Wheel. They were the closest shoegaze got to being popular in the U.S. with this song and "Black Metallic")
The Smiths- Panic

Ok, so that was a much better episode and they played songs that just don't get old, at least for me. With that, I won't bother you readers with the 3rd broadcast that I have on DVR.