35000 Watts: The Podcast

Morrissey, Romeo Void, Bob Mould | 120 Months - June 1989

It's the summer of 1989, and MTV's 120 Minutes was showcasing the latest from Morrissey and Bob Mould as they embarked on solo careers, while also taking a trip back to 1982 to feature a classic song from a "one-hit wonder"...but surprise! This song wasn't their hit.

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Tom Tom Club, The Cult, Robyn Hitchcock | 120 Months - May 1989

The journey through the first decade of MTV's 120 Minutes continues as we take a look at May 1989. We rediscover one of our favorite videos of all-time with Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love, have some fairly serious disagreements about The Cult's Fire Woman and learn about a college radio icon that we all kind of missed, Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians. Plus a mystery song that might be one of our favorite new (old) bands!

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120 Months - April 1989 - Simple Minds, Pixies, Love Tractor

On this episode, we talk about a UK band's lesser-known catalog and two American bands that helped define the sound of college radio and indie rock in the 1980s (and beyond).

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Interview with Jim Bolt and Chris Prosio - Co-founders of KEDG/KSSU

On Sept. 24 2026, KSSU at Sacramento State University will celebrate its 35th anniversary, so we chatted with the co-founders of the station, Jim Bolt and Chris Prosio, to find out how two college students were able to get a brand-new college radio station off the ground.

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120 Months - March 1989 - Peter Schilling, The Plimsouls, Jane's Addiction

In this episode, we revisit songs that fall into "possibly our favorite song of the 1980s" category...but we don't necessarily agree on which ones.

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120 Months - February 1989 - Gang of Four, Madness, Fine Young Cannibals

In this episode, we dive in to a 120 Minutes world premiere video that would go on to become a massive hit, along with a surprise twist from an influential band and blast of saxophone "madness".

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120 Months - January 1989 - Modern English, The Dead Milkmen, Front 242

We're continuing our journey through MTV's 120 Minutes by kicking off 1989 with a smash hit, an underground favorite and a lesser-known track from a trio of college radio favorites.

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120 Months - December 1988 - The Pogues, The Waterboys, Camouflage

We wrap up 1988 with an all-time classic Christmas song and a couple of lesser-known artists who briefly found a bit of fame on 120 Minutes.

120 Months - November 1988 - Edie Brickell, The Timelord, Siouxsie & The Banshees

In this episode, we explore a soon-to-be breakout hit from a Dallas band, a UK #1 that is more performance art than song and an all-time classic from an iconic goth(?) band.

120 Months - October 1988 - Cowboy Junkies, Sonic Youth, They Might Be Giants

If you listened to a college radio station in the late 1980s, you probably heard at least one of these songs every day. Tune-in as we talk about three bands that helped define college radio and alternative music.

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120 Months - September 1988 - Shriekback, Pere Ubu, Joy Division

In this episode, we're diving into two of the most influential bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s - Pere Ubu and Joy Division. We're also dipping our toes into some 70s funk with an 80s twist: a cover of Get Down Tonight by Shriekback.

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120 Months - August 1988 - The Sparks, Hoodoo Gurus, Psychedelic Furs

Our exploration of MTV's 120 Minutes continues into the dog days of 1988, featuring a pioneer of electro-pop, an all-time college radio icon and one of our favorite bands of decade.

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120 Months - July 1988 - Living Colour, The Sugarcubes, Ramones

In July of 1988, 120 Minutes served up a couple of American rock bands with classic videos and one Icelandic pop song with a bit of a dark story hidden in the lyrics.

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120 Months - June 1988 - Billy Bragg, Tracy Chapman, Ministry

Buckle up and get ready for possible whiplash as we run the gamut from quiet, contemplative folk to heavy-duty industrial, plus a fun video from an excellent mystery artist.

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120 Months - May 1988 - Big Audio Dynamite, Let's Active, Love and Rockets

An eclectic mix of styles from our three choices this week, plus one of the most unlikely mystery bands of all-time just happens to be our mystery video for the month.

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120 Months - April 1988 - The Church, The Damned, Midnight Oil

Our regular picks are all solid songs, don't get us wrong. But we'd be lying if we said the mystery song wasn't the star of the show this time around. You are definitely going to want to check this one out!

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120 Months - March 1988 - Screaming Blue Messiahs, Balaam & The Angel, The Fall

In this episode, we look at some lesser-known artists played on 120 Minutes in March of 1988, including our first "repeat offender". Will Keith be able to bring Scott and Michael over to his side? Tune in to find out!

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120 Months - February 1988 - Jesus and Mary Chain, Sisters of Mercy, The Vapors

In this episode, we dip our toes into the playlists of February 1988, where we find one of the architects of "shoegaze", a goth powerhouse and an early '80s classic one-hit wonder.

120 Months - January 1988 - The Replacements, Sinead O'Connor, Ultravox

In this episode, we kick off our tour through 120 Minute's 1988 playlists, starting in January with three amazing artists who each represent a completely different genre of music.

120 Months - December 1987 - Violent Femmes, The Smiths, Wire

We finish off 1987 with a couple of big name artists in Violent Femmes and The Smiths, along with a track from the unexpected later stage of Wire's excellent catalog.