MTV VJ on ‘120 Minutes,’ KROQ DJ Dies at 58 – Billboard

Lewis Largent, the influential different rock radio DJ and MTV VJ that hosted 120 Minutes, died on Feb. 20, a consultant confirmed to Billboard.

He handed away after an extended sickness, Selection first reported.

Largent grew up in Southern California and launched his profession in music at L.A.’s KROQ, with an internship that changed into a full-time position in 1985. 4 years later, he was named musical director on the different radio station.

In 1992, Largent shifted over to MTV, the place he landed as a vp of music programming and have become the host of 120 Minutes, bringing artists together with David Bowie, Bjork, Trent Reznor, Radiohead and PJ Harvey to tv screens in every single place on Sunday nights. He was the face of the present by means of 1995, although he stayed with the corporate in his programming position till 1999.

His position as host was subsequent appointed to Matt Pinfield, who upon listening to of Largent’s dying tweeted Friday, “I’m fully gutted. I liked Lewis very a lot. I’m perplexed.”

Following his years with MTV, Largent went to Island Def Jam Data, the place as svp of A&R he signed artists equivalent to Sum 41 and Andrew WK. He left IDJ in 2004.

Later in life, he went again to school to review inventive writing, incomes a bachelor’s diploma from Sarah Lawrence Faculty and his Grasp of Effective Arts in 2015.

Largent is survived by spouse Julie Greenwald, Atlantic Music Group chairman and CEO, and their two kids.