Dave Kendall, the British VJ who built MTV's 120 Minutes into one of the most influential music programs of the alternative rock era, has died at 68. The news was shared on Tuesday, July 14, by fellow 120 Minutes host Matt Pinfield in an Instagram post.
"Dave was one of the true believers," Pinfield wrote. "Long before alternative music found its way into the mainstream, he was there every week on 120 Minutes, introducing people to bands that would go on to define an era. He didn't just host a show. He gave a home to music that deserved to be heard. He loved the music, respected the artists, and connected with fans in a way that always felt authentic. That's a rare gift." Pinfield gave no cause of death.
According to Billboard, Kendall began his career as a journalist and editor, writing for publications including Melody Maker, Spin, and the New York Post. After relocating from England to New York, he was hired by MTV to create 120 Minutes. He spent seven years at the channel as a writer, producer, presenter, and news reporter.
During his run as host from 1988 to 1991, Kendall helped introduce audiences to acts that would go on to define the decade. Among the most significant moments was the premiere of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video in September 1991. The show continued under Pinfield from 1995 to 1999, had a brief revival in 2011 and 2012, and was ultimately canceled by sister channel MTV2 in 2003.
After leaving MTV, Kendall co-produced and hosted the nationally syndicated talk show Music Scoupe. He anchored the internationally simulcast 1994 concert Soccer Rocks the Globe and the Woodstock '94 pay-per-view broadcast. He also worked extensively in radio, hosting both local and nationally syndicated programs, and created an early video streaming site called alterworld.
Kendall had a seven-year DJ residency at New York's Limelight club and released the mix CD A Voyage Into Trance, Volume 2 in 2002. In 2011 he moved to Bangkok, where he hosted and produced the travel show Destination Thailand. Beginning in 2017, he wrote and edited for the Bangkok Post.
No cause of death has been reported.