CRACK and a thousand documentary filmmakers set off to find the real Michael Jackson. CRACK and a slough (slew?) of tasteless jokes arc in the air like sad toilet paper rolls. CRACK and everyone in the room looks down at their stomachs, to their 8-year-old stomachs and there in their hands is a vinyl of 'Bad' and not a shred of the last twenty years. You change the subject, force yourself to think about something else, people die all the time. And they do. And movies and art and music and money will be made out of all this. I love Chet tonight, it's a beautiful crackling excuse not to have an opinion on anything. [Pre-order]
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So Michael Jackson has died. I can't write about Michael Jackson, though, I'm not nearly schooled enough, I would much rather write about Chet. But I did mention him back in May (amazing song still up, for those looking to hear memories) and Sean mentioned him, it seems unknowingly, yesterday.
Posted by Dan at June 26, 2009 11:50 AMNever thought I'd say it but I'm disappointed with the StG crew in that there are no MJ fans. Listen without any social reservations to a song like PYT (http://hypem.com/search/pyt/1/) and you'll realize the man was a musical genius, and can absolutely be responsible for "Goin' Places." A blog of StG's caliber simply must be versed in his music, not just for his impact on pop but for the songs themselves. Everyone knows "Beat It" and "Bad" but listen to the less ubiquitous songs like "Man in the Mirror" (http://hypem.com/search/man+in+the+mirror/1/) and be amazed.
Posted by alfonso at June 26, 2009 1:58 PMI've been earnestly awaiting the new Chet album for months and months and months (turning and twisting and tweaking the words Chelsea, Silver, Please, Come, and Home in my head), and tonight, I'm awaiting so hard that it stings. In the background dies the King of a country I never got around to visiting -- but I'm just here, just awaitin'. What a good song this is.
Posted by Andy at June 26, 2009 2:47 PMAm exhausted from decades of hearing about MJ, and don't care to read any sort of evaluation of his career so thanks so much for this entry.
Music ain't make-believe.
Posted by thomas at June 26, 2009 6:29 PMThat's a beautiful song.
Posted by Walter at June 27, 2009 2:00 AM
i arrived in athens on the bus, got in a cab and learnt about the death. the radio was playing a retrospective and the cabby was BLASTING it,pumping his fist and driving like you might expect a Greek cabby in an overflowing city to drive.
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
