Host of MTV’s ‘120 Minutes’ Lewis Largent dead at 58
It has been confirmed that Lewis Largent, the former host of MTV’s alternative music show 120 Minutes, has died at the age of 58. Largent was also a regular DJ at KROQ, and his family have now confirmed the news of his sad passing, saying that he died last month on February 20th, after being ill for some time.
Largent was born in Southern California and began his music industry career with an internship at the iconic Los Angeles alt-rock radio station KROQ. This led to a full-time job in 1985, and by 1989 he had been promoted to a music director role.
In 1992, Largent departed KROQ and began a new job at MTV as the Vice President of Music Programming. However, the title sounded more corporate than it ought to, as Largent began hosting video shows on the channel’s biggest alt-rock programme.
Between 1992 and 1995, Largent interviewed several names who would go on to become superstars, including Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Bjork, and Pavement. He even managed to score an interview with David Bowie and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nail when they had been collaborating.
Largent worked as a programmer at MTV after he stopped hosting 120 Minutes before eventually becoming a Senior Vice President of A&R at Island Def Jam Records. It was there that he signed different kinds of acts to the label, including Sum 41 and Andrew WK.
It appeared that writing was also a passion of Largent’s as he attended Sarah Lawrence College to earn a BA in Creative Writing before signing up for and completing the MFA in 2015. Matt Pinfield, Largent’s successor on 120 Minutes, said he is “completely gutted,” adding, “I loved Lewis very much. I am at a loss for words.” Largent is survived by his wife, Julie Greenwald and their two children.
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