Remembering Lewis Largent
• Lewis Largent, who came to fame in the ’80s and ’90s, first as a jock on KROQ/Los Angeles, and later, as one of the original hosts of MTV’s influential Alternative music show, 120 Minutes, died on Feb. 20 after a long illness, his family confirms to Variety. He was 58.
A native of Southern California, Largent was an enthusiastic golfer as a teen, and while working at a country club met the GM of the KROQ. Impressed with Largent’s knowledge of music, the GM offered him an internship at the station that led to a full-time role in 1985. Largent rose quickly through the ranks and was named Music Director of KROQ in 1989.
Largent left the station in 1992 when he was named VP of Music Programming at MTV, where he soon began hosting 120 Minutes (pictured, left), a Sunday night tradition on MTV, which greatly expanded the reach of Alternative music — and Largent — nationwide. David Bowie, Bjork, Trent Reznor, Radiohead and PJ Harvey were among the many artists he hosted on 120 Minutes.
Largent stepped down from the show in 1995 but remained in his programming post until 1999, when he was named a Senior Vice President A&R at Island Def Jam Records. He signed Sum 41, Andrew WK and worked closely with a number of other artists before leaving the label in 2004. Seven years later, he decided to go back to college and got his BA in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College and his MFA in 2015.
Matt Pinfield, who succeeded Largent as host of 120 Minutes in 1995, tweeted, “I am completely gutted. I loved Lewis very much. I am at a loss for words.”
Largent is survived by his wife, Atlantic Music Group Chairman/CEO Julie Greenwald, and their two children.
