October 1, 201411 yr Author Not sure if you are old enough to remember this in the early days of cable: Video Jukebox is an American television program that aired from 1981 to 1986 on HBO. It was a monthly series that showcased music videos from the popular recording artists of the time such as Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Prince, Culture Club, Linda Ronstadt, David Bowie, Hall & Oates, Madonna, Blondie and The Human League to name a few. A typical episode of Video Jukebox consisted of seven or eight music videos and lasted roughly 30 minutes, and the lineup changed in the middle of each month. During the late 1970s (and before the MTV network debuted), HBO was already airing one or two music videos (or "promotional clips" as they were known at the time) as filler in between their feature films and other series. These short clips also carried the Video Jukebox moniker. When Video Jukebox premiered as a half-hour series in December 1981, HBO was reaching more households than MTV (which had been launched only four months earlier), so a video that aired on Video Jukebox may have received a little more exposure than it would on MTV, a claim that would be short-lived as MTV quickly gained more cable markets by around 1983. When we first got cable when I was a teen, my parents were thrifty (can't blame them), and didn't buy the premium stations, and settled just for basic cable, so I missed out on the HBO Video Jukebox that you're talking about. Once MTV came on I didn't mind much because I just sat hypnotized in front of the tube and watched that endlessly. There was also a program called "Night Flight" that showed some cool music stuff especially at night on the USA Network. That seemed pretty cool and edgy introducing me to some interesting stuff. Around 1980 just before we had cable, Channel 64 aired an hour long Saturday Noon- 1:00 program called "Rock World" that I watched religiously. Some of the stuff I remember from that show was Adam Ant, and also that crazy "Fish Heads" song. I think they also had stuff like Talking Heads, Blondie, Elvis Costello, and the Pretenders. It was sorta underground and introduced me to a bit of "New Wave" before MTV took over and filled in the gaps, breaking tons of bands that weren't typically heard on the radio just yet. I was in the same boat as you B-Ball-fan, didn't get HBO, but my friends did. :thumb: I too was "glued" to MTV. I remember "Night Flight" as well, good stuff.
October 1, 201411 yr Can remember getting ready for church in the morning listening to Casey, and after Mass asking my Dad to turn on Q102 so we could listen to the end of the Countdown on the way home. Always hated that morning when there was a long homily cause we would miss a song or two on the way home. :lol2: That's funny you mention the Sunday morning church thing as that also went through my mind while mentioning the Top 40 show. After church I'd make a B-line to my room to catch whatever I still could of it. Sounds like our teen aged rock n' roll brains were on the same wave length. As a 13 year old I must've sounded like Rain Man to my classmates when on Monday morning I'd rattle off the top 10 rundown to kids, who although they dug music, could care less about the detailed specifics, and would roll their eyes at me obviously wondering what the hell was wrong with me. I was a four eyed, pimple faced nerdy little kid that didn't appear cool by anyone's definition, and to give popular music a sort of mathematical equation absolutely bored them to tears.
October 1, 201411 yr One of my earliest memories of digging rock n' roll was at 5 pretending to be the drummer of the Iron Butterfly. Quite a departure for me from age 4 of running around the house singing "Yummy Yummy Yummy I've got love in my Tummy", or "Sugar Sugar", or "I'm so dizzy my head is spinning". I kid you not, the first song I ever wrote was on a little plug in organ we had where I'd roll through 7 notes in succession and sing along my own penned words "All my days are bubble gum" to the applause of my older siblings and parents. I promised myself that if I ever put out an album, that 5 second song would be the 1st tune on it. "In a gadda da vida" is so flippin' groovy and never ceases to be. [video=youtube;UIVe-rZBcm4]
October 1, 201411 yr Author That's funny you mention the Sunday morning church thing as that also went through my mind while mentioning the Top 40 show. After church I'd make a B-line to my room to catch whatever I still could of it. Sounds like our teen aged rock n' roll brains were on the same wave length. :ylsuper: Quite a departure for me from age 4 of running around the house singing "Yummy Yummy Yummy I've got love in my Tummy", or "Sugar Sugar", or "I'm so dizzy my head is spinning". I kid you not, the first song I ever wrote was on a little plug in organ we had where I'd roll through 7 notes in succession and sing along my own penned words "All my days are bubble gum" to the applause of my older siblings and parents. I promised myself that if I ever put out an album, that 5 second song would be the 1st tune on it. :laugh: Too funny, yet very cool. :thumb:
October 2, 201411 yr I've been a huge Blondie for years but never saw this video until Youtube came along. [video=youtube_share;Hvqgb1D6Opw]
October 2, 201411 yr I've been a huge Blondie for years but never saw this video until Youtube came along. [video=youtube_share;Hvqgb1D6Opw] Love this song and love Blondie... haven't heard this one in a long time. Finally got to see her after all these years last year at Riverbend in Cincy. Great time and she still brought it. Thanks for posting. So much great music that I've forgotten about. Really digging all y'all tossing stuff out here to refresh the memory.
October 2, 201411 yr Love this song and love Blondie... haven't heard this one in a long time. Finally got to see her after all these years last year at Riverbend in Cincy. Great time and she still brought it. Thanks for posting. So much great music that I've forgotten about. Really digging all y'all tossing stuff out here to refresh the memory. I'm jealous!!!!! Blondie is one of the very few favorites of mine that I haven't seen live.
November 6, 201411 yr First saw her on, of all things, an episode of the old "Super Dave" show. [video=youtube;i16deO9QW-M]
November 7, 201411 yr Thanks to youtube, I found out this TV concert was on video. I get a kick out of watching these guys, I also can't imagine how they could perform at all considering the shape they were in. :lol2: [video=youtube_share;MB_dodhR7bQ] You think they may have been under the influence of anything when this was recorded? lol BTW, I love Dr Hook!
November 7, 201411 yr Y'all should get a kick out of this one from 1965. Check out this chick dancing. She really gets going little after the 1 minute mark. More bounce to the ounce. Shake it but don't break it. May be one of my new favorite videos!
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