Dave Kendall, the British-born music journalist and television host who created and presented MTV’s alternative-music program “120 Minutes,” has died, multiple outlets report. Kendall was identified as the face of MTV’s alt music coverage during the show’s run on the network from 1989 to 1992, a period repeatedly highlighted as when the program helped bring alternative and indie rock closer to mainstream audiences.
Accounts describe Kendall as a long-running MTV presence associated with “120 Minutes,” noting his characteristic look and accent. Several reports also credit him with championing alternative rock and helping create a platform for artists and scenes that were less widely promoted elsewhere at the time.
Matt Pinfield, a former “120 Minutes” host who worked with Kendall at MTV, is cited by outlets as sharing news of Kendall’s death on social media. Sources say Pinfield does not publicly disclose the cause of death, and the exact date and age at death are reported inconsistently across coverage. One outlet lists Kendall as 68; another places his age at 63.
