MJ and Pride
I don't know if Michael Jackson influenced me like a lot of others have posted. I remember the Jackson 5 on Ed Sullivan in the last years of his show and being impressed by the little guy just like everyone else. I liked their early singles. I thought Ben was a decent song, but kind of a dumb subject. I bought Thriller as did about half of America between the ages of 10 and 30 when it came out, even if it had that hokey duet with Sir Paul because the rest of the album was just awesome. (I actually didn't buy it until Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' came out. Then I had to have it.) I missed all the video hoopla since we didn't get MTV in Spain, where I stationed with the Navy at the time. I do remember when MTV was pressured into playing MJ's videos though as it was a huge political issue. They wouldn't play any black artists' videos until Thriller came out. FWIW, for that issue alone, MJ should be remembered positively. His success essentially forced MTV to integrate.
After that, I still liked much of his music. The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Remember The Time, and the brilliant self-parody of the Leave Me Alone video are all brilliant. His personal life got weird. Don't know how much was true and how much was innuendo. After all, it was like the old joke "So Senator, when did you stop beating your wife?" A no-win situation. I actually felt sorry for him. He never knew what it was like to be a normal person. He was brilliantly talented and still flawed. And with his passing we accept that he was as important as Elvis or John Lennon to modern pop music culture.
I find it a bit ironic that he died so close to the Stonewall anniversary. I'm not sure how to approach this without offending some people. But MJ did have an arguably queer personality. I believe he was trying to suppress his sexuality, which was likely gay or bi. And surrounded by so many people who tried to run his life, he never got to socialize in the venues you and I take for granted.
I'll be at Pride this weekend in St Louis. And while I'm relaxing surrounded by mostly our own kind in a safe environment, I'll try to remember those who can't be there.
The current top MP3 album downloads at amazon.com
1. In The Hands Of God by Newsboys
2. Thriller by Michael Jackson
3. Essential Michael Jackson by Michael Jackson
4. Three Flights from Alto Nido by Greg Laswell
5. Number Ones by Michael Jackson
6. Thriller (25th Anniversary Edition) by Michael Jackson
7. Bad by Michael Jackson
8. Off the Wall by Michael Jackson
9. Far by Regina Spektor
10. The Long Road Home - The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection by John Fogerty
11. Off The Wall by Michael Jackson
12. Dangerous by Michael Jackson
13. Far [Deluxe] by Regina Spektor
14. The Ultimate Collection by Jackson 5
I already own HIStory. I've since augmented it with a few downloads that aren't on the CD and should be.
After that, I still liked much of his music. The Way You Make Me Feel, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Remember The Time, and the brilliant self-parody of the Leave Me Alone video are all brilliant. His personal life got weird. Don't know how much was true and how much was innuendo. After all, it was like the old joke "So Senator, when did you stop beating your wife?" A no-win situation. I actually felt sorry for him. He never knew what it was like to be a normal person. He was brilliantly talented and still flawed. And with his passing we accept that he was as important as Elvis or John Lennon to modern pop music culture.
I find it a bit ironic that he died so close to the Stonewall anniversary. I'm not sure how to approach this without offending some people. But MJ did have an arguably queer personality. I believe he was trying to suppress his sexuality, which was likely gay or bi. And surrounded by so many people who tried to run his life, he never got to socialize in the venues you and I take for granted.
I'll be at Pride this weekend in St Louis. And while I'm relaxing surrounded by mostly our own kind in a safe environment, I'll try to remember those who can't be there.
The current top MP3 album downloads at amazon.com
1. In The Hands Of God by Newsboys
2. Thriller by Michael Jackson
3. Essential Michael Jackson by Michael Jackson
4. Three Flights from Alto Nido by Greg Laswell
5. Number Ones by Michael Jackson
6. Thriller (25th Anniversary Edition) by Michael Jackson
7. Bad by Michael Jackson
8. Off the Wall by Michael Jackson
9. Far by Regina Spektor
10. The Long Road Home - The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection by John Fogerty
11. Off The Wall by Michael Jackson
12. Dangerous by Michael Jackson
13. Far [Deluxe] by Regina Spektor
14. The Ultimate Collection by Jackson 5
I already own HIStory. I've since augmented it with a few downloads that aren't on the CD and should be.