35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

What were you doing in the summer of 1981???

I was in between my freshman year and my sophomore year. 9th grade was at Jr High and 10th grade was at the High School. I just turned 15 in July. I went to my first year of Sr High youth camp and in the annual All Star game of the campers vs the camp staff, in a 5-5 tie in the top of the 7th inning, I got the winning hit, a double to center field that pushed two runs across the plate for an eventual 7-5 camper victory. The campers didn't win again for 15 years. Jim Larson preached that camp and it was epic.

The summer camps between 9th-12th grades changed my life.

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

I remember when it came out. I guess I would have been in between 3rd and 4th grade? That was the year I discovered Ozzy used to sing for Black Sabbath (thus uniting in my mind my two favorite bands). I was stunned lol.

I think that was also when Thundarr the Barbarian was on TV.

Also the year my mom accidentally burnt half the house down heating some grease in a skillet while watching General Hospital in the living room.

That was also the year one of my favorite movies (at the time) came out: Cujo. Maybe later that year or early next year?

Thanks to MTV I discovered Gary Numan, Flock of Seagulls, Devo, Adam Ant, and Van Halen, Joan Jett (I fell in love), an awesome one hit wonder band called Heaven, and some horrible freak show called Culture Club.

I got my first electric guitar that year as well. Had it well into high school until a "friend" pawned it for party money...

That was a formative summer for me, too. By the next year I was doing numerology, geomancy, card reading, the Llewellyn series on practical psionics, jnana yoga, astral projection/OBE, bringing step dad's weed to class, huffing acetone, forging my mom's signature on all my progress reports, began praying to The Devil (tm), communicating with spirit guides, started fighting, and generally became someone my teachers did NOT like.

I think I also discovered Dr Who that year, maybe?

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

Almost forgot! That summer I believe is when my parents got a 70s model VW bug and step dad was gonna work on it. It was yellow. I asked him if I could do some painting on it. He said yes (!) so I got a bunch of spray paint and latex paint. I spent a whole day jamming to Judas Priest and Kiss, and painted that car every color of the rainbow. I had all my favorite bands on it, upside down crosses, pentagrams, peace signs, anarchy signs, skulls, demons, monsters, some obscenities, a lot of "avant garde color splashes", etc. It was quite the sight, a mix of Andy Warhol and Hollywood heavy metal, pot leafs, doobies, swirling reds, blacks, greens, flames, Sex Pistols/punk nihilism, tales of brave Ulysses, Hendrix, Sabbath, Sgt Pepper, Helter skelter meets Richie Ramirez meets the Ramones on tour with Cheech and Chong.

Boy, was my step dad thrilled when he got home.

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

:/

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

Wow---you were doing all of that in 3rd and 4th grades???

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

My eldest sister also graduated that summer and left that fall for Bible school. It was strange to not have her at home anymore. Once the first kid leaves home, the family is never the same.

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

I was still in the oven. I wasn't born until 12/19/1981. That was the highlight of 1981 for me. lol. I didn't know MTV came out that year, but I wish it hadn't.

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

I was 4. That is all.

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

And more.

All I can say is thank God for the blood!

Re: 35 Years Ago Today, MTV Debuted
 

This explains a lot! LOL