MV3 (1982–1984) User Reviews

VIDEO HEAVEN

[timmauk · 1 June 2004]

I remember when MV3 came on, it was sooooo cool. It was the poor man's MTV for us kids who's parents couldn't afford to get Cable TV. Just like MTV, they had their own VJ's who introduced the videos and live bands. I remember seeing the Bangles play live three years before they hit big with "Manice Monday". MV3 played all those great new wave videos like "I Could Be Happy" ALTERED IMAGES, "Let's Go To Bed" CURE, "I Eat Cannabals" TOTO CUELO, "Mexican Radio" WALL OF VOODOO, "Love My Way" PSYCHIDELIC FURS, and more.

The only VJ I remember is Richard Blade because he was attractive and later had a part in the 80's film GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN playing a host of a dance show for which Sarah Jessica Parker tries out. He also had a series of compilation CD's showcasing his new wave favs from his 80's radio show.

I see MV3 was on for two years, but our local station only carried it for one season. Luckily by then I had found Night Flight on USA and Night Tracks on TBS to satisfy my video cravings.

The show that introduced New wave Music videos

[themakeupman · 10/10 · 26 April 2021]

This show introduced America to New Wave and 80s culture to Americans who didn't have MTV. I was a paid dancer on the show and what an amazing experience to be a part of something so historic. Wish they would stream this somewhere !

Every Day I'd Switch from Cable to Antenna...

[robotomens · 9/10 · 17 December 2020]

... Because MV3 was a superior product compared to MTV. I'd hear/watch music videos from artists never featured on MTV, and I did not need all day constant rotation to know who's music to purchase. Plus in my area right after MV3, another UHF channel played a local Detroit show called The Scene, they played hits songs, but also feature great but less marketable artist like P-Funk, Kraftwerk, ...that list is large. Even better, the dichotomy going from MV3 (5-6pm) to The Scene (6-7pm), both genre's irked my parents, but The Scene really raised their closeted racist hackle something fierce. You should YouTube that show too.

Only 9 of 10 due to production quality, check the backgrounds and sets for a LOL.

Was a fun show to be on....

[barry-fitzgerald-1 · 10/10 · 10 March 2018]

First, I am pretty sure the show dates started in either 84 or 85 but I could be wrong on that. AFAIK it was only filmed in a studio in Burbank and was recycled a lot. I was by far the oldest person on the floor and had brought a van full of people from Orange County who were big KROQ fans. KROQ was an incredible station and LA seemed to be the heart of cutting edge music of the time. You could see bands that all would someday be famous but in smaller venues. Creativity in pop music was at its height and MV3 was the one place you could really see it on TV.

YES!!! This was a GREAT SHOW!!!!!!

[brianphotoalex · 3 December 2005]

I forgot what this show was called and I am so glad I found this!! I remember watching this show in my basement. I lived in a cable-free home and we were rather poor, so this was the only MTV that I ever go to see in my own home. (I had to go over to my friend's homes to see the real thing).

I was just stunned the first time I ever saw Annie Lennox with her bright orange hair in the 'Sweet Dreams' video as she beat her fist on the table. Then in 'Love is A Stranger' she pulls off her wig and I went nuts. I LOVED this show. Everything about it was cool.

Wham was on this show as I remember. They played 'Wham Rap' and interviewed them as well. God what memories!!! Some bands became household names like The Stray Cats and the Police and others like EBN-OZY (who sang A-E-I-O-U and sometimes Y) you never heard from again.

Other bands were Kim Wilde - 'Kids in America' and the Jam with 'A Town Called Malice'.

Shows original creator

[tonymonziotti · 27 August 2013]

This review in more to clarify than to review My name is Tony Monziotti, I was the third partner in Music Video Three MV3 I was the shows original creator along with Mike Ramsey and John Farley. I was the one who convinced Chuck Valona at KCAL channel 9 to run the show five days a week. I also created Video One which replaced MV3 and was the original host of Video One. Richard Blade came in to replace me Video One. He was the morning drive DJ on KROQ and the promotional incentives of that move made perfect sense. MV3 actually went farther than any other show in concept since it utilized the technology of the Ultamat system to integrate the on stage dancers with the videos that were being shown. The first live band to appear on MV3 was Oingo Boingo. Many people remember the both shows. But the in studio audience dance show MV3 was concept never duplicated.

MV3: Syndicated MTV Clone Brought Videos to the Unplugged Masses

[titusalone77 · 4 August 2011]

I watched this show when it aired on local Bay Area TV. My house was completely off the cable grid, so it was the closest thing to MTV we had (in fact, it pre-dated MTV's arrival on the local cable system). I was turned on to so many bands through this show. Richard Blade, DJ from LA's KROQ-FM, was the host. I knew of KROQ and its 'Rock of the 80's' format through some Bay Area radio stations, in particular The Quake (KQAK-FM, which aired a similar format. Up until MTV debuted the only place to see music videos on Bay Area TV was a show called Video West, which aired on public TV station KQED. That show featured mostly music videos by local artists like Commander Cody and Barnes & Barnes ("Fish Heads"). It also featured short films by Bay Area and LA filmmakers. MV3 was the first show of its kind for San Francisco and, as cheesy as it appeared, it was pretty cutting edge.