Dave Kendall, creator and former host of MTV’s 120 Minutes, has died, according to fellow MTV alum and former host Matt Pinfield on Tuesday.
Kendall conceived 120 Minutes after joining MTV as a producer, pitching the network a dedicated program for punk, post-punk, goth, synth-pop, ska, and other underground sounds largely ignored by corporate rock radio. The show debuted on March 10, 1986, and Kendall served as its host from 1989 through 1992.
“By far the most important thing about 120 Minutes was that it acted as a distribution channel for organic musical produce,” Kendall told Consequence in a 2016 interview. “The only other outlet for non-mainstream music at the time was a few local college radio stations.”
Pinfield wrote in a tribute: “Dave was one of the true believers. Long before alternative music found its way into the mainstream, he was there every week on 120 Minutes.” He added: “He didn’t just host a show. He gave a home to music that deserved to be heard.”
Following his departure from MTV, Kendall continued working as a television host and producer, performing as a DJ, hosting a show on SiriusXM’s First Wave, and serving as a correspondent for the Bangkok Post in Thailand, where he lived during the latter part of his life.
Source: Consequence
