... but we lost another real talent last week ...

I know this is, ummm, "off-genre," but ...

I'll admit I'm a bit bummed by the death of Michael Jackson ... it's incredibly unfortunate that the "weirdness" of his last several years might, in some's minds, overshadow what an incredible, peerless talent this man was.

If you don't own "Off the Wall" or "Thriller" (on LP, no less), that's okay ... I'll admit that I do ... and they'll be played a few times in the coming weeks.

So slay/hammer/abuse me verbally if you must ... I'm a big (and old) man ... I can take it ... :-)

Frank in TN

and what an interesting head of hair .....

Hey Frank - no problems here... both classic albums - especially "Thriller" .... it was a had to have album when I was 13 and I was really getting into hard rock and heavy metal at that time too.... so it crossed all boundaries.

From his childhood days with the brothers - thru that album and even the Bad album - good songs and he really helped make the video age take off.

After that the wierdness kicked in and after 30-40 plastic surgeries and all the other legal issues ... it was easy to dislike him ... but his contribution to music will remain.

For the last several days - I've been showing my two boys some of the old MJ videos with the hilarious Wierd Al Yankovic versions.... thanks of course to You Tube.

However, when it's all said and done ... I'm not feeling the loss like I would for other famous people -- for example - now I can never take down my Farrah Fawcett poster.

E

I'm with Frank on this one. I grew up knowing very well who Ed McMahon was. When I heard the news of his death, I felt sad. I grew up knowing who Farrah Fawcett was. When I heard the news of her death, I felt sad. When I found out that Michael Jackson had died, I felt really sad and I cried. Nope, I didn't sob and feel as if the world might come crashing down on me, but I did shed a few tears from the sadness. In fact, I am still not quite used to the idea that he is gone. I wasn't obsessed with him (as my students say I am regarding WW&BTNX), but when I was a teenager (throughout most of the 80s), I of course heard a lot of Michael Jackson's music. I remember watching his videos on Friday Night Videos and seeing him on MTV when I was at a friend's house, because we didn't have cable at mine.

I truly love and appreciate the pop/ rock music of my teen years, and whenever I hear any of those songs, I am immediately taken back to that particular time. It's such a good feeling. Michael Jackson's music from that decade is just as effective in its ability to take me back as any other of that time,

I don't want to get into the speculation regarding whether he interacted inappropriately with children. That isn't what this is about. Michael Jackson had a gift for entertaining. He was creative and charismatic. No one can deny him that. No, I didn't know him, of course, but boy am I going to miss him.

Susan

You'll get no argument from me! I have always been a huge fan of Michael Jackson's music. He was one of the most talented and hard working artists that we will ever know.
It is very sad on many levels that he is gone.

OK I'll be REALLY stepping out into thin air... I never was a fan. Never thought there was alot of talent involved in his music. Jimi Hendrix, Rod Price, Rory Gallagher, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, Elmore James, Otis Spann, Sister Rosette Tharpe, Rusty Day, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Sun Ra, Django Reinhardt etc.... those artists have talent, and in most cases were innovators or inventors of styles of music. And, no, my views have nothing to do with his weirding out in the past 20 years. Nothing against anyone who was a fan, and I can see the nostalgia factor, just nothing I was into. OK, so now I have been banished from this site forever and bolts of lightning will follow me the rest of my days.

hey Ned, I'm purty sure WW fans won't kick you out fer not likin' Michael Jackson :-) ... we got all sorts on here, and that's what makes it a cool place!

>> K, so now I have been banished from this site forever and bolts
>> of lightning will follow me the rest of my days.

Or not.

I believe I'd pay extra to see Mr. Wilder do the moonwalk during the geetar solo for Tough It Out

Thank you for bringing this up Frank. I wondered if anyone might be brave enough to post about MJ. No slaying from me!

He was wonderfully talented and his music did cross genres. My daughter Keira (age 5) is also a big fan of MJ -- she probably knows as much MJ music as she does WW. (and that's ALOT!) So she was sad to hear of his passing.

I have to admit, the allegations over the last few years have been troubling and in many ways overshadowed his musical talents. It's unfortunate. I did not shed any tears, but can definitely recognize the loss.

~Christina

PS -- Moonwalking to Tough It Out would be sweet!

Michael definitely knew how to put on a show in the form of a music video. In my world at the time there was rock and disco. Hard core rockers would not even comment on disco and if they did it was negative. I have and am a little more open minded when it comes to art forms. In spite of all of the truly weird aspects of Michael Jackson's later life, I have to say that he did leave his mark on the entertainment industry. Too bad he went off of the deep end.

By the way, I know that I have absorbed alot of Webb's moves into my own frantic dance style. Moonwalk, maybe. Spin, twist & lean stuff would find me on my ass.

I was around when J5 was and through all the changes and many faces of MJ but i'm more saddened by the fact that he left his children. From the many reports, it says he cherished and loved them. I will never understand how people can say and feel these things and then do something or continue a lifestyle that will leave them without the person they believed loved and cared for them so deeply. It's too egotistical for me to comprehend. If he felt he was never loved then it makes even less sense to me. I suppose he was okay as a performer (I liked him better as a child) but I'm not sure I'll ever forgive him for that music rights stunt!

I too would pay extra for that Webb moonwalk, there's plenty of time to practice before WebbFest!

Humphrey just said that Michael Jackson had passed away. That's just terrible. Have you seen those Japanese word puzzles? I have worked a whole book of them.

I'm not a Michael Jackson fan and I'm not especially fond of his music. However, with that said, no one can discount his musical genius and his influence on the pop/rock genre. It is indeed sad how his life turned out (kind of reminds me of what happened with Elvis). When I heard about his concerts in London, I was really hoping that he would return to the top and find the happiness that so often eluded him. May Michael Jackson rest in peace.

A Rambling post in reply to many Good Posts! Read at the risk of being bored:-) (I do say nice things about Webb at the end!)

Of course not everyone thought of MJ as talented, but he was talented dancer and I think had a major influence on break dancing. Not everyone liked The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Elvis, Hendrix, either. That's the wonderful nature of music, to touch as many people as you can with emotions they've experienced in their own lives and to spread happiness and even hope.

MJ appeals to a multitude of all types of music lovers, and there is likely a similar number who do not care for his music as is true with all performers. I saw him once in concert from the opposite end zone of Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, and not a huge fan myself, the entire stage performance and his dancing was mesmerizing, and a great memory I'll never forget. MJ as well as those ultra-talented few who come along in each generation have influenced and re-invented what music is all about and how fortunate for all of us listening!

He had a surreal, fairytale life. On TV he seemed a happy child always smiling and cute, but behind the curtain, he had to deal with family and situations in his real life, too. Sadly, famous child stars sometimes end up involved with less than desirable habits and get weird. Some mentally break down, others act out strangely and irresponsibly.

The most horrible accusation for anyone is the heinous act of child molestation as Michael had dealt to him. Don't know if he was guilty or not, but during it all I don't remember anyone questioning the actions and responsibility on the Parents for allowing a child to spend the night alone with such an outwardly weird, obviously mentally confused man they do not personally know. I think that could be deemed "Prostitution by Proxy." I would NEVER let my child be alone with any celebrity. No promises of wealth, nor any amount of money could convince me to put my kids in a questionable situation. Most were quick to blame Michael, as was I, whether or not he had that perversion, but the buck (so to speak) should have first stopped with the star-struck parents.

MJ is answering for the actions of his life right now. He also deserves to be remembered for his contributions not just to music but also to entertainment.


Of course, ending on a fabulous note, Webb is one of those perfectly level-headed, mentally stable, steadfast Last of the Full Grown Men. I absolutely love his music and stage performance. His presence in person and onstage is bigger than life! He needs greater support in radio, and a street army to promote him! I even chatted with him YEARS AGO about a real outgoing fan club, but sadly it never manifested. Hey, Can we work on that again???

Respectfully, Suze, Franklin, TN

Webb is indeed steadfast, and we all love him, but "...perfectly level-headed, mentally stable..."?
Really?

Well, compared to Michael Jackson, I guess he is!
So are all the rest of us nut cases!

Tony and I would let Webb catsit for us. We don't have any kids, but we have cats that we love very much.
Susan

Well, all I've got to say regarding my maturity is,"I am one of the few people you will ever meet who has managed to grow old without growing up!" WW

I hear I'm on that list, too, WW

You know that MJ was a good person and that all that stuff everyone said about him is untrue. Why else would he have such fine spokesmen at his memorial? After all, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson stood up for him. They only do that for innocent folks like O.J. You can always judge a man by the quality of his friends.

Damn straight Chuck!

Agreed, and I don't even like Chuck Norris... er... ahhh... the REAL one that is :)

Just remember: Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door!

He is talented. I'll give him that.