LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S ROCK AND ROLL

And-that is how it began-----MTV---Access to music videos 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That's the way it used to be. First, video killed the radio star, but, then, who killed the video star? At some point, Reality TV shows , dating game shows, tours of celebrities "cribs" , and other programming took the place of the original concept of the station.

I can complain about all of these shows being the death of the real MTV, but actually, I guess it was the only way to keep the channel alive for the younger generation of TV viewers. They wanted to see shows where a guy went out on a date with 5 women at one time all trying to outdo each other to win a one on one date with him. They wanted to see how a group of young adults( I use the word lightly) would act while living together, with no parental guidance, with all the world watching. Or better yet, a show that documents parents throwing a Sweet 16 Birthday party for their daughter and spending more money than the cost of my house, its entire contents, my car and my life savings. Besides, I had really stopped watching MTV several years before The Real World first aired in May of 1992. My real world had taken over and there was little time for MTV. "I want my MTV" gave way to my daughter wanting her bottle and my time and attention.

But, last night, as I watched MTV paying respect to Michael Jackson by playing all of his best videos back to back, I was taken back in time.

When "Video Killed The Radio Star" by the Buggles aired as the very first music video ,in August of 1981, I was just getting ready to start the 10th grade. (guess I'm dating myself here, but--that's ok!) My two favorite VJ's (video jockeys) were Mark Goodman, whom I think I may have had a crush on, and the very sweet and cute Martha Quinn.

The summer after 10th grade I moved with my family to Germany. Seeing as we only got one TV station for our viewing pleasure, and were at the mercy of what the AFRTS (Armed Forces Radio and TV Service) chose to air, we were (gasp) MTV-less! Luckily , my brother and mom were able to make a trip back to the States when my nephew was born. It was during Christmas break so we were out of school. My mom didn't think it wise to leave us alone in the house together during the day while my dad was at work and she across the ocean on another continent. So, since I was older, and probably had a babysitting job, my brother was chosen to go along with my mom. My brother used his stateside vacation very wisely and spent most of his time taping MTV on VHS tapes to bring back. We spent a lot of time watching those video's over and over and it helped us to feel connected to everything going on back across the ocean.

I'm sure if I think about it long enough, or get into some conversations, I will remember all of my favorite videos from that time. There are several that do usually come right to mind. I remember that I always really liked Owner of a Lonely Heart. I remembered bits of what was in the video, and knew it had a snake in it and some other weird parts, but when I looked at the video today(for the first time in at least 20 years-wow!), I wondered was a bit, how should I put it, grossed out!

Then there was, of course, the song that paid homage to MTV, Money for Nothing by the Dire Straits. Without a doubt, all of Michael Jackson's videos were great, with Billie Jean being the one that got me trying some of his fancy footwork. Loved the way each block on the pavement lit up as he stepped on it.

Lets see, there was Total Eclipse of the Heart, I Need A Hero, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time after Time, Borderline, (ditto almost all of Madonna's earlier videos) and Dancing in the Dark (oh yea!) , which featured the cute little Courtney Cox, long before she hung out with Rachel, Joey and the gang. I'm sure I could go on forever, now that I think about it. Oh yeah, cause there's Stevie Nicks in Stand Back (I practiced my dance moves with this song too) , and.......... (ok, enough)

Well, that was a nice trip down memory lane. Hope you liked some of the videos. Do you remember MTV back when there were still VJ's and 24 hour videos? If so, what are some of your favorite memories?

PS--oh nephew, thanks to the help of you and a fellow blogger (who's permission I did not get to put a link to her site) , I think I've figured out this link thing! Now you are going to remind me again, that sometimes less is more, huh? It was just a fun little learning experience. PS again-- I taught you to sing "Stand Back" and do hand motions when you were still in diapers. : )