Lewis Largent, the influential host of MTV’s 120 Minutes, KROQ radio DJ, and A&R senior at Island Def Jam Data, has died on the age of 58.
Largent died on February 20 after a protracted sickness, his household confirmed to Selection this week.
He fronted MTV’s various music present 120 Minutes within the early to mid-’90s after becoming a member of the model as Vice President of Music Programming, interviewing acts together with David Bowie, Trent Reznor, Radiohead, Björk and Smashing Pumpkins.
The southern California-raised tastemaker started his music trade with an internship at Los Angeles’ famed various rock radio station, KROQ. He started working for the station full time in 1985 and was promoted to a music director place in 1989.
Largent stepped down from presenting 120 Minutes for MTV in 1995 however continued to function a programmer for MTV till 1999 earlier than becoming a member of Island Def Jam Data as Senior Vice President of A&R. Below his supervision till 2004, the label signed various acts together with Sum 41 and Andrew WK.
He’s survived by his spouse, Atlantic Music Group CEO and Chairwoman Julie Greenwald, and their two kids.
Largent’s successor to 120 Minutes, Matt Pinfield, mentioned in a tribute on Twitter that he was “utterly gutted” in regards to the information. “I beloved Lewis very a lot. I’m confused.”
Lewis Largent, Influential MTV ‘120 Minutes’ VJ and KROQ DJ, Dies at 58 https://t.co/7mWzJ7MtWe through @variety I’m utterly gutted. I beloved Lewis very a lot. I’m confused.
— Matt Pinfield (@mattpinfield) March 10, 2023
Fellow MTV persona John Norris, who was a correspondent at MTV Information in the identical period, wrote: “Not gonna lie, I at all times wished that I used to be as cool as Lewis and he couldn’t have been extra chill and humble and type.”
Elsewhere, SiriusXM host and Largent’s KROQ colleague Doug “Sluggo” Roberts recalled being welcomed by “TheLewMonkey” when he first joined the workforce and credited one of many radio station’s “coolest phases…in huge half to him”.
You may watch some extra clips from Largent’s tenure on 120 Minutes together with additional tributes beneath.
How tragic. Not gonna lie, I at all times wished that I used to be as cool as Lewis and he couldn’t have been extra chill and humble and type.
RIP buddy. My ideas are with Julie and his household and family members.💔Lewis Largent, MTV ‘120 Minutes’ VJ and KROQ DJ https://t.co/9zhc1cfbl4
— John Norris (@Jonnynono) March 10, 2023
It’s heartbreaking to suppose we’ve misplaced Lewis Largent. The LewMonkey, as I known as him, couldn’t have been extra welcoming after I first joined KROQ at one among its coolest phases (thanks in huge half to him) and he rapidly grew to become buddy. RIP my brother! https://t.co/I1tJz58TD5
— Doug Sluggo Roberts (@SluggoDoug) March 10, 2023
Unhappy to see Lewis Largent died. As a faithful viewer of MTV’s ‘120 Minutes,’ he was a well-known face and presence each week. https://t.co/4N96xq0yZ1
— Annie Zaleski (@anniezaleski) March 10, 2023
Hanging out in companies notoriously ran by assholes #lewislargent was a fucking gentleman and an throughout good dude with platinum ears. #riplewislargent #lewmonkey
— Stephanie Bell (@djstephaniebell) March 11, 2023
Lewis Largent helped carry us to Island data approach again when and we thought the world of the man. It is a unhappy one. https://t.co/D1XPWo2CEQ
— thursdayband (@thursdayband) March 10, 2023
RIP Lewis Largent. Thanks for these 120 Minutes. 🎵📺 pic.twitter.com/VLxPYMcPiU
— Marc Munguia (@marcmunguia) March 11, 2023
RIP Lewis Largent. You had been an actual one, and a hero to music dorks in every single place.https://t.co/L5O4t6be7V
— Michael Tedder (@mtedder) March 10, 2023
