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MTV Unplugged
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MTV Unplugged is a series showcasing popular musical artists playing acoustic instruments. It was produced by Viacom and was directed by Beth McCarthy.
nplugged refers to acoustic music, that is, music that only uses instruments whose sound is not electronically modified, for example acoustic guitar, acoustic piano, etc., as opposed to electric guitar, synthesizer, etc.
The word became incorporated into the title of a popular MTV series that began in the 1989/1990 US TV season, MTV Unplugged, on which musicians performed acoustic or "unplugged" versions of their familiar repertoire.
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Encyclopedia
MTV Unplugged is a series showcasing popular musical artists playing acoustic instruments. It was produced by Viacom and was directed by Beth McCarthy.
Unplugged
Unplugged refers to acoustic music, that is, music that only uses instruments whose sound is not electronically modified, for example acoustic guitar, acoustic piano, etc., as opposed to electric guitar, synthesizer, etc.
The word became incorporated into the title of a popular MTV series that began in the 1989/1990 US TV season, MTV Unplugged, on which musicians performed acoustic or "unplugged" versions of their familiar repertoire. Many of these performances were subsequently released as albums, often featuring the title Unplugged.
Inspiration for MTV Unplugged
The inspiration for the Unplugged series has been attributed to the popularity among musicians of a variety of musical performances on stage, film, television and record in earlier decades. Elvis Presley's "In-the-Round" performance in his 1968 Comeback Special, and the Beatles informal studio jams in the 1970 film Let It Be were both precursors of the "Unplugged" concept.
Other more specifically "unplugged" performances occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s including the June 1979 appearances by Pete Townshend at The Secret Policeman's Ball - a series of benefit shows in London for human rights organization Amnesty International at which the usually electric guitar-wielding Townshend was persuaded by benefit producer Martin Lewis to perform his hits Pinball Wizard and Won't Get Fooled Again on acoustic guitar. The performances were widely seen and heard on the 1980 live album and the UK-only movie of the benefit and inspired other rock performers to emulate Townshend.
Two years later in September 1981 Lewis produced a sequel benefit show The Secret Policeman's Other Ball that featured similar performances by other rock performers including Sting, Phil Collins and Bob Geldof. The 1982 live album of these performances and the US version of The Secret Policeman's Other Ball movie (which incorporated a 'flashback' of Townshend's 1979 performances) both became very successful and were widely seen and heard in the USA.
The phenomenon of rock stars re-creating their hits in an acoustic manner was thus well established by the early 1980s though the word 'unplugged' had not yet been applied to the concept.
In addition, the late 1980s saw a renewed interest in folk and acoustic music in general (accompanied by a wave of nostalgia for the music of the 1960s, which also had a significant folk/acoustic movement). Many new acts established during the period had a strong folk/acoustic influence, e.g. The Indigo Girls, R.E.M., Sinéad O'Connor, Suzanne Vega, Lyle Lovett, Michael Penn, Enya, and Bruce Hornsby and the Range. At the same time, many established folk and folk-influenced artists of the 60s and 70s experienced renewed success — some reaching the greatest commercial success of their careers — such as Paul Simon, The Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Bonnie Raitt, Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler, Yes, and Bob Dylan.
The first rock artist to perform in an "unplugged" mode on MTV were Jethro Tull, who, on November 17, 1987 as an acoustic trio (Ian Anderson, Dave Pegg, and Doane Perry), performed a bit of "Serenade to a Cuckoo" and "Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of the New Day)". XTC performed in May 1989, and Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora performed "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" during the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards.
Following the popularity of the Bon Jovi performance, MTV began the Unplugged series of concerts.
It is common for the featured musicians to display their musical influences by covering other artists.
Memorable moments on MTV Unplugged
1989-1992
When the series first aired on November 26 1989, it featured Squeeze, Syd Straw and Elliot Easton. The first 13 episodes were hosted by American singer and songwriter Jules Shear.
On December 13, 1990 Poison recorded an episode, of which four songs appear on their Crack A Smile...And More! album.
When Paul McCartney himself appeared on the show in January 25 1991, he chose to release the set as Unplugged (The Official Bootleg). Show producer Alex Coletti has gone on record in an interview stating his view that had McCartney not released the album and its subsequent popularity, the concept would have never gained the cult status that it went on to enjoy.
In 1992 TNT were featured doing an acoustic version of their songs Lionheart and What I Need. Also, in 1992, Mariah Carey performed a cover version of The Jackson 5 song "I'll Be There" along with back up singer Trey Lorenz. That live version was released as a single and went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
10,000 Maniacs were the first act to perform on the show twice. They were featured on the February 4 1991 show as well as their more well-known performance in 1993, which was released on their MTV Unplugged album. R.E.M. was the second band to have performed twice, in 1991 and 2001. Other artists like Robert Smith (one with his band The Cure, the other as a Korn guest), MC Lyte and Maggie Estep also appeared more than once in the show.
In 1992 Eric Clapton recorded an Unplugged performance at Bray Studios in London. He heavily reworked many of his famous songs for the acoustic context, some becoming almost unrecognizable. The resulting Unplugged album went on to become the bestselling Unplugged album in the U.S., with sales of 10 million.
MTV has filmed over 100 Unplugged performances, but less than 30 of them have been released as albums. Although Pearl Jam's March 1992 set was not released at the time, their Unplugged appearance will be released on DVD as part of the reissue of the band's debut album, Ten, in 2009.
1993-1994
On February 13, 1993, Swedish duo Roxette became the first non-English speaking band ever to perform at MTV Unplugged. During the show they covered songs from other artists such as Aretha Franklin, Neil Young and The Byrds.
In Neil Young's 1993 performance, also released on album, two of the songs were played twice after Young was dissatisfied with them. He admonished the drummer both times for playing too fast. Four songs from the performance were cut from the final broadcast.
Nirvana's performance on Unplugged was one of the last televised performances by Kurt Cobain, recorded about five months before his death. Nirvana's setlist consisted of some of their lesser known originals, and covers of songs by the Meat Puppets and Lead Belly. The only real "hit" played during this performance was "Come as You Are." This contrasts with other Unplugged performances, where artists largely perform their hit singles and other original material. Nirvana's performance was released on CD one year later as MTV Unplugged in New York and then on DVD in 2007.
Bruce Springsteen also performed in 1993, and in a twist on the program's theme, most of his set was performed with amplified instruments. The show was released later on album and video as In Concert/MTV Plugged.
Some songs from Midnight Oil's 1993 performance on Unplugged appear on their album The Real Thing. Stone Temple Pilots' 1993 performance saw the debut of the song "Big Empty", which would go on to be a hit as a track on the band's 1994 album Purple.
Bob Dylan recorded an Unplugged concert in 1994 over two nights that was combined into one show.
On September 29 1994, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs performed the first Latin/Spanish show at MTV Miami studios. The playlist included covers of The Clash's "The Guns of Brixton" and reggae artist Clint Eastwood's "Stop That Train".
1995-1999
On August 9, 1995, Kiss performed on an episode that would lead to the reunion of the original members. (See Kiss Unplugged). Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons contacted former members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley and invited them to participate in the show. Fan reaction to Criss and Frehley at the Unplugged show was so positive that in 1996 the original Kiss lineup officially reunited, together for the first time since 1979.
On February 14, 1995, Hole performed on "Unplugged" with memorable performances of "Miss World," and "Doll Parts," and covers of the Nirvana songs "You Know You're Right" (as "You've Got No Right") and "Old Age", and also the Duran Duran song "Hungry Like the Wolf."
On April 10, 1996, Alice in Chains would give their first performance in three years and one of their last concerts as a group for 9 years. Lead singer Layne Staley was in visibly poor health from the heroin addiction that would eventually claim his life six years later. On July 30 of the same year, Alice in Chains released an Unplugged album from the performance, including a new song, "Killer Is Me," which had been introduced at the performance. The songs "Angry Chair," "Frogs," and "Killer Is Me" were not broadcast on the original show, but were included on the album.
Oasis were due to tape the show at the Royal Festival Hall on August 23, 1996, when lead singer Liam Gallagher pulled out at the last minute, citing a sore throat. The band performed despite this, with songwriter and guitarist Noel Gallagher handling the vocals. Liam watched the performance and heckled the group from a balcony.
Alanis Morissette's performance in 1999 featured songs from her mega-hit album Jagged Little Pill as well as her recently released Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. Her unplugged show was also released as Alanis Unplugged, featuring 12 performances from the night. Also that year, Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira's concert on MTV unplugged became the first episode of the program to be broadcast entirely in another language - her native Spanish.
2000-present
In 2000 the German band Fanta 4 has performed in the Balver Höhle.
In 2001, Japanese Pop Singer Hikaru Utada became the youngest singer and the third Japanese Pop Singer, the first and second being Chage and Aska, to be featured on MTV Unplugged.
Jay-Z: Unplugged is rapper Jay-Z's 2001 music album that contains some of his past songs with live acoustic instruments performed by Jay-Z himself with the hip-hop group The Roots. The album was recorded during the taping of an MTV Unplugged 2.0 episode on November 18, 2001. It sold more than 600,000 copies.
Lauryn Hill unveiled her much-anticipated new material on a 2002 MTV Unplugged special, and later released it on the album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0. It had been three years since the release of Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Hill appeared with her hair cut off and performed in a stripped-down, minimalist style. Her set included her playing an acoustic guitar, spoken word segments, and occasionally breaking down in tears.
MTV revived the series when Alicia Keys' Unplugged special aired on MTV on September 23, 2005. It was the first Unplugged for MTV in nearly three years, and special guests for Keys' performance included Mos Def, Common, Damian Marley and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. The show was released on CD and DVD in October 2005 (see Unplugged (Alicia Keys album)).
Ricky Martin performed in October 2006. The album was issued on separate CD and DVD releases on November 6, 2006, and reissued on May 2, 2007 in a combo-package CD+DVD format. In addition, Wal-Mart exclusively carries the bonus DVD "Making of Ricky Martin MTV Unplugged."
On March 2, 2007, MTV aired Korn Unplugged. Featuring guest appearances by Amy Lee of Evanescence and also The Cure, the show's setlist was a selection of the band's hits including "Got the Life", "Falling Away from Me", "Freak on a Leash", and "Blind", as well as a cover version of The Cure's In Between Days, which was performed with The Cure themselves.
Mexican Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winning artist Julieta Venegas' MTV Unplugged session premiered on June 5, 2008. She collaborated with Spanish rapper La Mala Rodriguez on her classic hit "Eres Para Mi", sang along with Juan Son on her song "", and released new material such as "", "" featuring Gustavo Santaolalla, and "" featuring Marisa Monte. This performance marks the first time a Mexican female artist is featured in the series. Her audio CD and DVD of the performance is set to be released on June 17, 2008.
Unplugged Summary
Since its premiere in 1989 MTV Unplugged has become a legacy for MTV and its sister channels MTV Tr3s, MTV Latin America and MTV Spain. This stripped-down live music show is a rare opportunity to see chart-topping, hugely popular Latin music acts perform in an intimate setting. From its venue and set design, to its eclectic set list and unique pool of artist cameos, MTV Unplugged is a diverse music experience like no other. MTV Unplugged offers a comprehensive look at an artist's catalogue, serving up the biggest hits an artist has to offer while also tapping into brilliant B-sides and eclectic collaborations.
MTV Latin America's MTV Unplugged concert series has won accolades for several of its nineteen productions. Ricky Martin's MTV Unplugged was awarded two Latin Grammys in 2007, one for "Male Pop Vocal Album" and another for "Best Long Form Music Video." In 2002 the Alejandro Sanz MTV Unplugged won three Latin Grammys: "Album of the Year," "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year." Mexican rockers Man á were awarded a Latin Grammy for "Best Pop Group or Duo" as a result of their 2000 MTV Unplugged. In 2001, Colombian singer Shakira won a Grammy and two Latin Grammys for her MTV Unplugged album and most recently, Diego Torres received a "Best Latin Pop Album" Grammy nomination for his 2004 MTV Unplugged compilation.
MTV Latin America, MTV Spain and MTV Tr3s highly anticipate their mutual premiere of MTV Unplugged with Julieta Venegas, a one-hour special that showcases the Tijuana native as she performs huge hits like "Limón y Sal," "Eres Para Mí," and "Me Voy" before a small audience. Drawing on the "Unplugged" experimental vibe, Julieta brought a unique take on classic songs like "Lento" and "De Mis Pasos" during her show, introducing guest artists and having her band experiment with instruments like the tuba, clarinet, xylophone and a string quartet. Joining Julieta onstage during this special event are Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla, Brazilian singer Marisa Monte and Spanish rapper La Mala Rodríguez. In addition to her classic catalogue, Julieta introduced fans to four new songs during the show: "El Presente," "Algún Día," "Mira La Vida" and "Ilusión."
Performances inspired by the "Unplugged" format
The success and popularity of the series has inspired artists to emulate the format in other venues.
Tesla released one of the first unplugged albums in 1990, Five Man Acoustical Jam.
Jethro Tull had a semi-unplugged European tour in 1992; the tour and subsequent album were both titled A Little Light Music.
MTV's sister channel, VH1, made the format even more intimate by interspersing semi-acoustic performances with the artists discussing the history and memories of the songs, in VH1 Storytellers.
Bon Jovi performed unplugged in 2007 on CMT. The Police, Mary J. Blige, Kenny Chesney and John Mayer were scheduled to perform, but it appears these were scrapped.
The fourth season of Canadian Idol featured an Unplugged night which was held at Toronto's Masonic Temple. This episode of Canadian Idol was a tribute to MTV in two ways: a direct tribute to the Unplugged Format, and to celebrate the recent licensing of the new MTV Canada which is, to this day, still located in the Masonic Hall. The highlight of the night was Eva Avila who wowed the judges, the nation and even the back-up singers. She would continue to build on this standout performance and claim victory of Canadian Idol's fourth season.
Rockband Seether recorded a Live & Acoustic Album at a show in Philadelphia called One Cold Night in 2006.
The Foo Fighters did an all acoustic American tour in 2007, with shows that resembled the Unplugged format.
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