Together, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn and the late J.J. Jackson invented the role of VJ and worked it on MTV from 1981 to 1985. They gave us our MTV. By Sarah Rodman Globe Staff. In an undated photo): J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, and Alan Hunter. From doing cocaine with David Lee Roth.

1. David Lee Roth Son
2. David Lee Roth Martha Quinn Biography

MTV VJs' book dishes on doing coke with David Lee Roth. Martha Quinn and the late J.J. Jackson invented the role of VJ and worked it on MTV from 1981 to 1985. The four survivors tell all in “VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV’s First Wave,” an oral history with Gavin Edwards. They were in business with the gods of rock.

The 1984 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 14, 1984, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1983, to May 2, 1984. The show was hosted by Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Herbie Hancock was the night's biggest winner, taking home five awards, followed by Michael Jackson, who won three. The night's main award, though, went to The Cars for 'You Might Think,' making this the first of a very small number of times in which the winner of Video of the Year did not take home any other awards that night.

In terms of nominations, Hancock's 'Rockit' and The Police's 'Every Breath You Take' were the year's most nominated videos, with each receiving eight nominations apiece. Meanwhile, the most nominated artist of 1984 was Cyndi Lauper, who aside from winning the Best Female Video Moonman received nine nominations that year for two of her videos: six for 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' and three for 'Time After Time.'

Other major nominees that night included the aforementioned Michael Jackson and The Cars, both of whom received six nominations for their videos 'Thriller' and 'You Might Think,' respectively; ZZ Top, who also received six nominations between their videos for 'Legs,' 'Sharp Dressed Man,' and 'Gimme All Your Lovin';' and Billy Idol, who got five nominations for 'Dancing with Myself' and 'Eyes Without a Face.' Lastly, David Bowie had four nominations for his 'China Girl' and 'Modern Love' videos, and he was also one of the night's honorees for the Video Vanguard award.

• 1Nominations

Nominations[edit]

Winners are in bold text.

Video of the Year[edit]

The Cars – 'You Might Think'

• Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit'
• Michael Jackson – 'Thriller'
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take'

Best Male Video[edit]

David Bowie – 'China Girl'

• Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit'
• Michael Jackson – 'Thriller'
• Billy Joel – 'Uptown Girl'
• Lionel Richie – 'All Night Long (All Night)'

Best Female Video[edit]

Cyndi Lauper – 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'

• Pat Benatar – 'Love Is a Battlefield'
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Time After Time'
• Bette Midler – 'Beast of Burden'
• Donna Summer – 'She Works Hard for the Money'

Best Group Video[edit]

ZZ Top – 'Legs'

• Huey Lewis and the News – 'The Heart of Rock & Roll'
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take'
• Van Halen – 'Jump'
• ZZ Top – 'Sharp Dressed Man'

Best New Artist in a Video[edit]

Eurythmics – 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)'

• Cyndi Lauper – 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Time After Time'
• Madonna – 'Borderline'
• Wang Chung – 'Dance Hall Days'

Best Concept Video[edit]

Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit'

• The Cars – 'You Might Think'
• Michael Jackson – 'Thriller'
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'
• The Rolling Stones – 'Undercover of the Night'

Most Experimental Video[edit]

Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit'

• The Cars – 'You Might Think'
• Thomas Dolby – 'Hyperactive!'
• The Alan Parsons Project – 'Don't Answer Me'
• Neil Young – 'Wonderin'

Best Stage Performance in a Video[edit]

Van Halen – 'Jump'

• David Bowie – 'Modern Love'
• Duran Duran – 'The Reflex'
• Bette Midler – 'Beast of Burden'
• The Pretenders – 'Middle of the Road'

Best Overall Performance in a Video[edit]

Michael Jackson – 'Thriller'

• David Bowie – 'China Girl'
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take'
• Van Halen – 'Jump'

Best Direction in a Video[edit]

ZZ Top – 'Sharp Dressed Man' (Director: Tim Newman)

• The Bongos – 'Numbers with Wings' (Director: Juliano Waldman)
• Ian Hunter – 'All of the Good Ones Are Taken' (Director: Martin Kahan)
• Billy Idol – 'Dancing with Myself' (Director: Tobe Hooper)
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Time After Time' (Director: Edd Griles)
• Huey Lewis and the News – 'I Want a New Drug' (Director: David Rathod)
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take' (Directors: Godley & Creme)
• ZZ Top – 'Gimme All Your Lovin' (Director: Tim Newman)

Best Choreography in a Video[edit]

Michael Jackson – 'Thriller' (Choreographers: Michael Jackson and Michael Peters)

• Toni Basil – 'Over My Head' (Choreographer: Toni Basil)
• Elton John – 'I'm Still Standing' (Choreographer: Arlene Phillips)
• Bette Midler – 'Beast of Burden' (Choreographer: Toni Basil)
• Donna Summer – 'She Works Hard for the Money' (Choreographer: Arlene Phillips)

Best Special Effects in a Video[edit]

Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit' (Special Effects: Godley & Creme)

• The Cars – 'You Might Think' (Special Effects: Charlex)
• Thomas Dolby – 'Hyperactive!' (Special Effects: David Yardley)
• Billy Idol – 'Dancing with Myself' (Special Effects: Eric Critchley)
• Talking Heads – 'Burning Down the House' (Special Effects: David Byrne and Julia Hayward)

Best Art Direction in a Video[edit]

Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit' (Art Directors: Jim Whiting and Godley & Creme)

• The Cars – 'You Might Think' (Art Director: Bob Ryzner)
• Billy Idol – 'Dancing with Myself' (Art Director: Kim Colefax)
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take' (Art Directors: Kim Colefax and Godley & Creme)
• Queen – 'Radio Ga Ga' (Art Director: Bryce Walmsley)

Best Editing in a Video[edit]

Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit' (Editors: Roo Aiken and Godley & Creme)

• Duran Duran – 'The Reflex' (Editor: Steven Priest)
• Billy Idol – 'Eyes Without a Face' (Editor: Kris Trexler)
• Elton John – 'I'm Still Standing' (Editor: Warren Lynch)
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take' (Editors: Roo Aiken and Godley & Creme)
• ZZ Top – 'Legs' (Editors: Sim Sadler and Bob Sarles)
• ZZ Top – 'Sharp Dressed Man' (Editor: Sim Sadler)

Best Cinematography in a Video[edit]

The Police – 'Every Breath You Take' (Director of Photography: Daniel Pearl)

• David Bowie – 'China Girl' (Director of Photography: John Metcalfe)
• Billy Idol – 'Eyes Without a Face' (Director of Photography: Tony Mitchell)
• Kiss – 'All Hell's Breakin' Loose' (Directors of Photography: Tony Mitchell and Jim Crispi)
• John Cougar Mellencamp – 'Authority Song' (Director of Photography: Daniel Pearl)
• Stray Cats – '(She's) Sexy + 17' (Director of Photography: Harry Lake)

Viewer's Choice[edit]

Michael Jackson – 'Thriller'

• The Cars – 'You Might Think'
• Herbie Hancock – 'Rockit'
• Cyndi Lauper – 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'
• The Police – 'Every Breath You Take'

Video Vanguard Award[edit]

The Beatles
David Bowie
Richard Lester

Special Recognition Award[edit]

Quincy Jones^[1]

Performances[edit]

Madonna performed 'Like a Virgin' as she emerged from a 17-foot wedding cake gowned in a wedding dress. Not long into the performance, Madonna accidentally kicked off one of her white high heel shoes and she rolled around on the ground in order to cover up the mistake. She told Billboard after the incident, 'So I thought, 'Well, I'll just pretend I meant to do this,' and I dove onto the floor and I rolled around'.^[2] Other performances included:

• Rod Stewart – 'Infatuation'
• Huey Lewis and the News – 'I Want a New Drug'
• David Bowie – 'Blue Jean'
• Tina Turner – 'What's Love Got to Do with It'
• ZZ Top – 'Sharp Dressed Man'
• Ray Parker, Jr. – 'Ghostbusters'

Appearances[edit]

• Ed Koch – proclaimed that Radio City Music Hall would be renamed 'Video City Music Hall' for the night before introducing hosts Bette Midler and Dan Aykroyd
• Cyndi Lauper – read the eligibility and voting rules in 'ancient Babylonian'
• Roger Daltrey – presented Best Overall Performance in a Video
• Diana Ross – accepted Michael Jackson's awards on his behalf
• Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas – presented Best New Artist in a Video
• J.J. Jackson – appeared in a backstage segment before a commercial break
• Ronnie Wood – presented Best Stage Performance in a Video
• Daryl Hall and John Oates – introduced the winners of the professional categories
• Peter Wolf – presented Best Choreography in a Video (with ballerina Cynthia Gregory)
• Alan Hunter – appeared in a segment from the mezzanine after a commercial break
• Dale Bozzio – presented Most Experimental Video
• Ric Ocasek – presented Best Group Video
• Mick Jagger – introduced the next presenters via a taped message
• Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland – presented Video Vanguard to The Beatles and Richard Lester
• Herbie Hancock – presented Video Vanguard to David Bowie
• John Cougar Mellencamp – interviewed by Mark Goodman from his seat before a commercial break
• John Landis – presented Best Direction in a Video
• Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood – presented the Special Recognition Award
• David Lee Roth – interviewed by Martha Quinn from his seat before a commercial break
• Fee Waybill – presented Best Concept Video
• Billy Idol – presented Viewer's Choice
• Carly Simon – interviewed by Nina Blackwood backstage before a commercial break
• Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes – presented Best Female Video
• Belinda Carlisle and Kathy Valentine – presented Best Male Video
• Iggy Pop – accepted the award for Best Male Video on behalf of David Bowie
• Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo – presented Video of the Year

David Lee Roth Son

References[edit]

1. ^'Internet Archive Wayback Machine'. Web.archive.org. 2000-03-01. Archived from the original on 2000-03-01. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
2. ^'Here's The Wardrobe Malfunction That Made Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' VMA Performance Legendary'. MTV News. Retrieved 2017-12-14.

External links[edit]

• http://www.mtv.com MTV official site
• http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1984 MTV Video Music Awards 1984
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110713044403/http://www.instyle.com/instyle/parties/party/0,20053852_20083005,00.html In Style's Most Memorable Moments of the VMAs
• 1984 MTV Video Music Awards on IMDb

• The Original MTV VJs
• Mark Goodman
• Nina Blackwood
• Vintage MTV
• Alan Hunter
• Stuck in the '80s
• Tony Orlando
• Fan Asylum

David Lee Roth Martha Quinn Biography