This week’s “120 Minutes” Rewind is short and sweet — the clip is just 22 seconds long — but it’s a great historical footnote for fans of the MTV Sunday night classic. As you can see in this segment from the Sept. 22, 1991, episode, host Dave Kendall is broadcasting from a Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians show in New York City when he asks a fan in the crowd whether he’s looking forward to the gig.
But it’s not just any face in the crowd, it’s a pre-MTV Matt Pinfield (who, yes, is very excited, and tells us why). By that point, Pinfield was a well-known DJ in the New York area, but it would be another four years before he’d be introduced as host of “120 Minutes” following a long line of rotating hosts who helmed the show after Kendall left in 1992.
These days, Pinfield is once again hosting the resurrected “120 Minutes” on MTV2.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- ‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: Lou Reed hosts early episode, interviews Suzanne Vega — 1986
- ‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: Downtown Julie Brown spotlights The Lucy Show — Jan. 25, 1987
- ‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: Original MTV VJ Alan Hunter hosts early episode — Sept. 28, 1986
- ‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: The The’s Matt Johnson talks to Kevin Seal — June 11, 1989
- ‘120 Minutes’ Rewind: Sonic Youth in studio with Dave Kendall — summer 1990
There’s another interesting Pinfield appearance from early 1993 where he almost sorta becomes the host for a bit. It was an ep covering the Gavin Convention in San Francisco where various bands each hosted their own segment. Two of the members of Jesus Jones (Mike Edwards being the main one with the mic) wander through a club, just being goofy. They bump into Pinfield and start talking to him. After a few seconds, they hand him the mic, and he starts interviewing them – all of the goofiness evaporates, and it becomes a serious interview. I’d have to watch the tape again (I think I still have it), but I think Pinfield may even send it to break.
I was gonna mention this as well. Unlike the Kendall clip above, Jesus Jones actually knew who Pinfield was and introduce him as a DJ for whatever Los Angeles radio station he was working for at the time. Pinfield then goes, “This is weird, you guys interviewing me. We’re on the wrong sides of this mike. Let’s switch.” At that point, Edwards gives Pinfield the mike and he starts interviewing Jesus Jones. A great moment.
Uggh! I never could stand Pinfeild. Only Lewis Largent kept him from scraping the bottom of the barrel. He always came off like he was higher on the food chain than the lowly fans he was talking down to. The sad part is that he rarely knew what the hell he was talking about. Take this clip for example. First of all, the album Robyn was touring in support of, at the time, was Perspex Island. An Egyptians album, not a solo record. And in what universe does anybody think Perspex Island is better than I Often Dream of Trains or Fegmania! (or Groovy Decoy or Element of Light or Black Snake Diamond Röle for that matter)??????