MTV's Ballsy Beginning, Race Issues + Rise to Power Examined in New Oral History

Courtesy of Adam Curry

Beginning with the Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star,' MTV kicked off its music-video programming on Aug. 1, 1981. Back then, the network started as an up-and-coming all-music channel; by the mid-'80s, MTV became a crucial promotional vehicle for artists and the record labels. In its first 10 years, it was a springboard for then-new acts like Duran Duran and Madonna, and it showcased the musical styles of those times such as New Wave, hair metal, hip-hop, dance and grunge.

In 'I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution,' their recently published oral history of the channel, authors Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum focus on the period from 1981 to 1992, which they describe as the "Golden Age of MTV." Featuring numerous interviews with musicians, actors, directors and former MTV executives and VJs, 'I Want My MTV' offers insightful perspective and outrageous stories about the network and the era. The book also reveals the behind-the-scenes stories of videos such as Michael Jackson's
'Thriller' and Madonna's 'Like a Virgin.'

Spinner recently spoke with Marks about MTV's early years and how things changed at the network when original shows like 'The Real World' and 'Beavis and Butt-Head' emerged in the '90s