120minutes.org | The 120 Minutes Archive | 1986-87 (original) (raw)

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The earliest known episode of 120 Minutes! I believe this is the 4th episode ever of this legendary program. After this episode, another episode starts with Mark Goodman hosting and he mentions that he will be playing Suzanne Vega, then the tape cuts off.

Our friends at Slicing Up Eyeballs wrote an article about this historic episode of 120 Minutes when footage of it surfaced on YouTube in April 2015.

June 22, 1986
Source for this playlist: Will Y.
Host: Mark Goodman

July 13, 1986
Source for this episode: dpallen
Host: Lou Reed
Guests: Mark Josephson, Suzanne Vega

One of the earliest episodes of 120 Minutes was hosted by Lou Reed, ahead of the 1986 New Music Seminar in NYC. There is no playlist available for this episode, but YouTube user dpallen uploaded several video clips from it in 2012.

The videos show Lou Reed grilling Mark Josephson, co-director of the New Music Seminar, as well as discussing "E=MC2" by Big Audio Dynamite, interviewing Suzanne Vega, and talking about U2 and Cactus World News.

Following Lou's death in 2013, we compiled all of the videos into a special feature "Lou Reed: Take no prisoners" that we encourage you to check out.

September 28, 1986
Source for this playlist: Mike W.
Host: Alan Hunter

January 25, 1987
Source for this playlist: Mr. Briefcase
Host: Downtown Julie Brown

February 1, 1987
Source for this playlist: Jon C.

The date listed for this episode is a guess based on the confirmed dates of adjacent episodes. If you know the exact date of this episode, let us know.

Date clues from the "120 Spotlight":
Sonic Youth recording new album Sister — released in June 1987
Upsidedowntown issued by Painted Willie — issued in 1987 per Wikipedia
Megadeth 12" release of Wake Up Dead — released in 1987 per Discogs

March 15, 1987
Source for this playlist: Mr. Briefcase
Host: Downtown Julie Brown

March 22, 1987
Source for this playlist: Jon C.

April 19, 1987
Source for this playlist: Keith B.
Host: Alan Hunter
(date clue: My Demon Lover in theaters "this Friday" – rel. 4/24/87)

May 3, 1987
Source for this playlist: Tom Walsh
Host: Alan Hunter

This is the only video I know for certain since the May 10, 1987, episode mentioned it premiered on "last week's show."

Probably at the beginning of the second hour.

May 10, 1987
Source for this playlist: Tom Walsh
Host: Alan Hunter

Note: Dave Kendall was only a voiceover at this point. I *think* he started appearing on screen (in shadows or solarized) during the Kevin Seal era.

* The (4) designates part of a "4 in a row" block.

May 31, 1987
Source for this comment: James B.
Host: Alan Hunter

From all that is known, an MTV X-ray segment from 5/31/87 was broadcast featuring the Butthole Surfers. It features Alan Hunter as host. [Playlist not available]

July 5, 1987
Sources for this playlist: Keith B., Kevin J.
Host: Alan Hunter
(date from Alan saying "I hope you had a rad Independence Day")

August 9, 1987
Source for this playlist: Mervius

August 16, 1987
Source for this playlist: Mervius

August 23, 1987
Source for this playlist: Valeri Burton

September 27, 1987
Sources for this playlist: Keith B., Mervius
Host: Kevin Seal

October ?, 1987
Source for this playlist: Keith B.
Host: Adam Curry

November 8, 1987
Source for this playlist: Mervius

November 29, 1987
Source for this playlist: Amy Macnamara
Host: Adam Curry

December 13, 1987
Source for this playlist: Amy Macnamara
Host: Kevin Seal

Dave's Record Reviews: Hagatha, a German Christian Industrial rock band whose name I can't spell, Jesters Of Destiny (?), and Dead Milkmen

120 X-Ray on the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Dave's Record Reviews: Less Than Zero (soundtrack), Straight To Hell (soundtrack), The Black Girls, Great Plains

New Music News: Nitzer Ebb will not be able to open for Depeche Mode in North America because their visas were turned down, Pogues make a new album with Joe Strummer + a clip from their new video "Fairytale In New York", AIDS Benefit in NYC called Where The Rubber Hits The Road.

Kevin Seal signs off and says "I leave you with Public Image Ltd, the Housemartins, and The Cure." Tape ends.

During the episode Kevin Seal also announces videos by That Petrol Emotion and Fields Of The Nephilum, which I didn't record.

December 20, 1987
Sources for this playlist: Amy Macnamara, Jonathan D.
Host: Kevin Seal

Amy noted: "This is a partial episode for sure and I can't reconstruct it because when I tried to play the tape it was nothing but blank static. I am going by what my 7th grade handwriting had written down on the tape insert:"

Jonathan later submitted the remainder of the playlist for this episode:

December 27, 1987
Sources for this playlist: David G., Jeremy H.

Comments from Jeremy H.: "What I have has Mojo Nixon as a special guest. He's talking about the U.S. funding of the contras. It's pretty cool to look at now."

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