August 1, 1981 MTV went on the air changing television and changing music. I have some very vivid memories during the birth of MTV. I graduated high school in 1982. I can’t recall if we had cable TV at home at that time. But, when I started college in the fall of 1982 at Normandale Community College the college union did have cable TV. They had a small room, maybe 25 feet by 15 feet, that was the TV room with a large screen TV. I don’t remember anything other than MTV playing on the TV. Upon starting college I remember this room was always packed with people, sitting on every available chair as well as sitting on the floor squeezing into every available space. People would cram into the doorway trying to grab a glimpse of a video, and waiting for someone to leave for class so they could grab their seat. Seems like there was a constant stream of people trying to watch MTV, including me. I know we were all waiting for a video from out favorite artist. At the time I remember hoping to see KISS I Love It Loud.

What was addicting about MTV? Easy, you always wanted to see what the next video was. Just one more video. Who was next? Once we got cable TV at home I would do the same thing, watching to just see who the next video might be. MTV was also ideal when you didn’t have time to watch a entire TV show, say you only had 15 minutes before you had to leave. Turn on MTV and catch maybe three videos.

Sometime around 1988 while at my first job after graduating college our company had rented a large video wall to use at a NACA Convention in Washington DC, we were showing videos of bands we were managing, The Ultraviolet and Unleashed. MTV was also putting on a Club MTV event at the convention and they asked if they could use our video wall for the show. In exchange for letting them use the video wall they send a bunch of MTV swag; including black satin MTV jackets and MTV beach towels. Both of which I still have; I actually just used the MTV beach bowel this past weekend.

I want my MTV back!