1985, I'm 8 years old, and in the second grade at Will Rodgers Elementary in Ventura, California. I'm out on the playground, hanging around the tether-ball courts with my little group of friends, discussing whatever the important, relevant cultural issues and memes of the day. Garbage Pail Kids, Star Wars, Masters of the Universe (He-Man, as we then referred to it), Arcade Games, Gremlins, and of course, of COURSE, the man... Michael Jackson. We'd try as hard as we could to moon-walk, break dance, pose, and generally do what we could to emulate and be as absolutely fucking rad as Michael. Most of us didn't even own a MJ album (or cassette) at this point, but it didn't matter because we were surrounded by his music on the radio, and his image in commercials and TV spots. There was the Fleetwood Mac, Beatles, and Kenny Loggins that our parents all loved, but this shit was ours, and it was bad ass. How could anyone not love this dude? He was huge. HUGE. The best singer and dancer ever, and all of us kids knew it.
C'mon now,... Don't Stop Till You Get Enough? Thriller? Beat It? Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'?...Radical. Later on, in middle school, Bad, came out, and it was also, awesomeness.
Over the years, as we all got older, and it by consensus (at least in the circles I ran in) became progressively uncool somehow to be a MJ fan for whatever reason. Most reasons were centered around the apparent weirdness of his ever-morphing appearance, effeminate vocal timbre, and flamboyant dress. This actually never truly bugged me at all, but not wanting to seem 'weird' or have to hear "dude, you're gaaaaay!" from all my little prick friends, I'd usually just agree, nod my head or laugh and joke along. But the fact is, no matter what, Michael Jackson always rocked. Hard.
When I was starting high school, the Dangerous album came out, and it was like the second coming. It was a great album that I played the hell out of. One of my first great albums I got on CD. I'll never forget watching the Simpson's and waiting for the world debut of the Black or White video to air during the show. Epic.
Soon after this, in the spring of 1992, was when I decided to pickup and play the guitar that my dad had, as I was under the influence of the wave 'alternative' rock bands, namely Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr., and of course the usual high school boy's obsession with Led Zeppelin. I had all but forgotten about Michael Jackson, as I was on a quest to make my own noisy guitar driven music. I had forsaken anything that was regarded as 'pop music', and if it wasn't loud and noisy, I didn't want to hear it.
Legal issues and allegations surrounded MJ, and the guy became a freak to most, and a name that now commanded only ridicule from the general public. "Child Molesting pervert" is the response you'd get when you mentioned his name. Very sad.
(Personally, I truly believe he's innocent, and no more a pervert than anyone else, but a victim of his animal father, greedy leeches trying to cash-in on his strangeness, and the loneliness I'm sure he lived with.)
As much as I have listened to and admired all of the iconic 'shoegaze' and 'dreampop' bands of the late 80's and early 90's in my time as an artist, I've always had a particular musical vein running deep in the back of my consciousness that I couldn't identify, that colors my songwriting. I really feel that the music of the 80's and in particular Michael Jackson's music, had such a profound influence on my early years, that I'll never be able to, nor would I want to erase the effect his music had on me.
In the last 4 years or so, and especially in the last year with the birth of my son (who is mini clone of me as a boy) I have felt an intense desire to revisit the things that meant the most to me during my childhood. With the passing of Michael Jackson, I feel as though one more aspect of my life as a kid in the 80's, is gone, never to return. In the last week I've heard many people around me question the cultural relevance of the man's contributions to the world, and this fucking kills me. They scoff at his 'King of Pop' moniker, and refer to him as just another rich, drugged out, over-hyped artist. I can understand that most young kids just wouldn't understand as they didn't grow up with him. I've also heard that "he's no Elvis, the REAL king" from folks older than me... but, you know what? In my opinion, and I think I'm right on, MJ had more than 100 times the pure talent in his toes alone, that Elvis Presley had in his body. And thats the truth. Was MJ as groundbreaking? Absofuckingtively. I hate to make it a race issue, because that doesn't jive with the "message" Michael lived, but.... News Flash peeps...Elvis was a white dude. (As my wife points out, Elvis was introducing to all the white folk, what african americans had been doing for years) Michael Jackson was an african-american that broke through to everyone, and on a grand scale. No disrespect to Elvis, he was also hugely influential, no doubt, but c'mon, don't be stupid, people. The influence that Michael, Quincy Jones, and his production teams over the years has had on music, all music, will live on forever. It sounds so cliche, but it's 100% true, and no thinking fan of music would or could ever deny this.
Although I've been rocking MJ on my iPod for years now, it's only as of the last week sadly, that I again realize how truly special an artist this guy was, and will always be. Peace out, brother Michael, and thank you. <3
