After 120 Minutes

April 1, 2006 11:51 AM

During the first few years of MTV's late Sunday night show '120 minutes' (1986-2003) it was followed by a show of experimental videos. Usually these would be devoted to some theme. The show lasted about a half an hour in length and was, I believe, an English product. Does anyone know what this show was called and anything about its history, current availability, and or producers?
posted by filchyboy to media & arts (19 comments total)

Are you talking about Liquid Television?
posted by Galvatron at 11:57 AM on April 1, 2006

Liquid Television, maybe? Perhaps Wikipedia's List of MTV Shows will jog your memory.
posted by unmake at 11:59 AM on April 1, 2006

No not liquid tv. That did have some cool stuff but this show was more like one long form experimental video dealing with a particualr theme such as patriotism, love, apathy, revenge, etc. I fear the wiki's list is incomplete as none of those shows seem to be the one I seek.
posted by filchyboy at 12:19 PM on April 1, 2006

I believe that Liquid Television replaced the show I am seeking in the time slot.
posted by filchyboy at 12:21 PM on April 1, 2006

Here's a list of MTV shows at wikipedia.
posted by stavrogin at 12:33 PM on April 1, 2006

I was curious too...but I honestly think that you're thinking of AMP. When I googled a bit I came across a Fark comment which said AMP was a great show. The first time I saw "Come To Daddy" by Aphex Twin... blew me away. That was way back when MTV used to have videos, though. Didn't it come on right after 120 Minutes or something like that?. And from an Amazon review: I stumbled across AMP one Sunday night after watching 120 Minutes. Etc.
posted by apple scruff at 1:22 PM on April 1, 2006

It doesn't quite sound like it's AMP, though that was an incredible show. AMP felt very experimental, but it was focused on electronica videos and I don't remember it ever having particular themes like you described.

It was the first thing I thought of, too, though- I think it did indeed follow 120 Minutes early on, and it certainly was very different from standard MTV fare, as this playlist archive shows.

Man, what I'd give for a DVD compilation of that show. Anyway, I can't recall anything else that might fit what you're describing, but now I'm curious to know what it was also...
posted by a louis wain cat at 1:44 PM on April 1, 2006

Well, if it was on MTV then it wasn't Night Flight, although the episodes sometimes started out with a half hour segment tied into one theme ("Take Off [whatever]").
posted by neda at 2:37 PM on April 1, 2006

There was something that fits your description on BBC2 during 1989-1990-ish called BUZZ. One show I remember was about, or featured, cryogenic suspension, and I remember a long, weird shot of something colourful exploding in slow motion while The Cure's Other Voices played in the background. It was all very surreal and experimental.

I've been searching for ages and can't find any details. I'll post back here if I find anything - I too would love to see those again.
posted by nylon at 4:09 PM on April 1, 2006 [1 favorite]

Filchyboy: Is this the same period that they were showing The Young Ones and Monty Python on Sunday nights? 'Cause I remember they also played some other British alternative comedies, too, and to my early-teenage eyes they certainly seemed like experimental films.
posted by Ian A.T. at 4:47 PM on April 1, 2006

I think buzz may be the show in question. AMP is not it. Ian yes it was during that same period. Any resources online for Buzz? Has it been released on DVD?
posted by filchyboy at 5:03 PM on April 1, 2006

I third the mysterious show called Buzz. I remember it was pretty much all about abstract imagery and abstract music. I was very much into the band Art of Noise at the time, and they seemed to go hand in hand.
posted by tfmm at 5:08 PM on April 1, 2006

The show you're looking for is SNUB TV, broadcast as a part of Night Flight on the USA network around 1988 or 1989. SNUB was an acronym for Sounds of New Underground Britain. I remember shows dedicated to the Fall, to Stevo's Some Bizarre label, and to Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound label. They issued 2 hour-long compilations on VHS in the early 90's which are probably long out of print.
posted by aninom at 6:18 PM on April 1, 2006

Was it "IRS's The Cutting Edge"?
posted by punkrockrat at 6:43 PM on April 1, 2006

After more digging around:

Buzz was a 'radical factual youth programme' produced by Malcom Gerrie in association with MTV, and first shown on Channel 4, not BBC2, in May 1990. Malcolm is now chief executive of Initial. I can't find anything else out, which is a damn shame - as I said, I'd love to see them again. Might be worth contacting Malcolm if you're desperate...
posted by nylon at 7:01 PM on April 1, 2006

I dunno, I'm leaning toward AMP myself. I still have several episodes in the closet on VHS. Great show. It lasted for like two hours too. I saw some amazing videos on AMP.
posted by smallerdemon at 7:42 PM on April 1, 2006

There is no question it was Buzz. Amp was much much later (late nineties), and I remember Buzz clearly because I thought it was awesome.
posted by nev at 8:54 PM on April 1, 2006

A little more about Buzz here.
posted by nev at 9:01 PM on April 1, 2006

Yea we have a winner. It was definitely BUZZ. Thanks for everyone's feedback. I added BUZZ to the MTV list of shows at the Wiki. Now I just want to find it on DVD.
posted by filchyboy at 9:51 AM on April 2, 2006