MTV, the American cable-television music channel, started in New York in August 1981. Among the original VJs, or video jockeys, as they were called, were Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, and Martha Quinn. In this oral history, these first-wave VJs, celebrities in their own right at the time, tell their personal stories and describe the early days of the channel, including numerous on-air highlights, such as, most famously, Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean video, prior to which MTV played the videos of very few black artists unless, like Joan Armatrading or Garland Jeffreys, they sang in the rock genre. They also discuss the cultural impact of MTV and the broadcasting of live concerts such as Live Aid. Behind-the-scenes stories are here, too, such as the time that Bob Dylan invited Quinn to accompany him to Ireland on his private jet and tales about Madonna, John Mellencamp (or John Cougar as he was then known), Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel, and many others. Fun and gossipy. --June Sawyers
Review
“Nirvana for pop culture fans…a totally tubular testament to the excess of the ‘80s.” (Associated Press)
"Delicious...A slice of nostalgia from the people who were there, and wading through those pages is like going home again." (Huffington Post)
"[A] highly entertaining snapshot of a wild-frontier moment in pop culture." (Rolling Stone)
“This is an essential read for anyone who was there or for those who missed it when MTV really meant Music TeleVision. These 5 VJ's were thrown into a completely new format and made it work beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Mine included.” (Rick Springfield )
“At last--the real inside story of the MTV explosion that rocked the world, in all its giddy excess, from the video pioneers who saw all the hair, drugs and guitars up close. VJ is the wild, hilarious, addictive tale of how one crazy moment changed pop culture forever.” (Rob Sheffield New York Times bestselling author of Talking to Girls About Duran Duran)
“Dishy, hilarious, wild, and poignant.” (CBS News)
“In this wry, engaging oral history, the original veejays recount with bemusement—and occasional horror—their meteoric rise during MTV's heady first years. The first chapter commences with a big-haired, big-mouthed David Lee Roth— and from there the rollicking pace never lets up.” (Jancee Dunn co-author of New York Times bestseller Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir)
“There was no such job as a 'VJ' when this unlikely crew was chosen to serve as our hosts at a revolution. Their story is a revealing inside look at the highs, lows, and hairstyles that defined a generation.” (Alan Light author of The Holy or the Broken)
“VJ is a near textbook on ingenuity, luck, perseverance, fame, and the adjustment to life post-fame. There are also at least fifteen paragraphs that made me think, "I can't believe they're actually revealing this!" (Richard Marx )
“For latchkey kids of my generation, the original MTV VJs were the best babysitters we ever had. When our parents weren't looking, they gave us secret glimpses into a better, sexier world. They were the coolest people, on the coolest TV station, with the coolest jobs on the planet. This is their story.” (Michael Ian Black New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Doing it Right)
“MTV hit the airwaves during the golden age of album rock radio and massive rock touring, and took it all to another level. VJ is a fun and informative ride, told through the eyes of the five people who experienced the MTV phenomenon from the most intimate perspective possible.” (Kevin Cronin REO Speedwagon)
“Crazy days and nights in a different time--Nina, Mark, Alan and Martha will bring it all to life for you. This book is a joyride!” (Jane Wiedlen The Go-Go's)
About the Author
Nina Blackwood was one of the first MTV VJs and is a radio host on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Big 80s channel and host of two radio shows nationally syndicated by the United Stations Radio Networks, “Absolutely80s” and “New Wave Nation.”
Mark Goodman was one of the first MTV VJs and is a radio host on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Big 80s channel.
Alan Hunter was one of the first MTV VJs and is a radio host on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Big 80s channel.
Martha Quinn was one of the first MTV VJs and is a radio host on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Big 80s channel.
Gavin Edwards is the author of five books on music. A contributing editor at Rolling Stone, he has written for The New York Times Magazine, Details, and Wired.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
VJ
