Michael Jackson: 1958-2009

It’s literally impossible to imagine pop music without Michael Jackson and that in itself is a testament to the importance of the role he’s played in music. He has influenced so many artists and genres that the music world would be a completely different place without albums like 1979’s Off the Wall and 1982’s Thriller and 1987’s Bad. Even if you don’t consider yourself a fan of his music, if you listen to pop music at all you have been impacted by Michael Jackson.  He was the King of Pop and he’ll likely remain unmatched as a recording artist and performer for many years to come. Sadly, he’ll always be remembered (and possibly unmatched) in his downfall as well. His entire adult life was a tragic monument to a lost childhood. Yet, out of this pain Michael Jackson gave us some of the best pop music of all time. He is (and should be) ranked among the greatest recording artists of the twentieth century along with Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and others.

The following video comes from Jackson’s legendary performance of “Billie Jean” on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special on March 25, 1983. This performance, which includes one of the first widely seen performances of his patented “moonwalk,” would be on a short list of most important music moments of the twentieth century. It ranks right up there with Elvis Presley’s appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, The Beatles’ performance on the same show in 1963, and Bob Dylan’s first electric set at the Newport Folk Festival in the summer of 1965.

This video shows one of the many things that made Michael Jackson great, he holds this audience (and the 47 million people who watched on television during its original airing) in the middle of his gloved hand. He was a natural performer. He could take a song about disputing a pregnant girl’s claim that he is the father of her child and turn it into a timeless drama with raw emotions and a compelling sense of tragedy. It’s this tragedy which marked many of his best songs, his rise and fall in the public eye, and his all-too-short life. His contributions to popular music are immense and he’ll be greatly missed.

UPDATE:

Many writers are posting their thoughts on Michael Jackson’s legacy.

Jim DeRogatis

Greg Kot

Nathan Rabin of AV Club

Roger Ebert

Various Artists react at Pitchfork

Various Artists react at Stereogum

NPR Music

AllMusic’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes a terrific tribute

Pitchfork’s Mark Richardson

Pop Matters’ Evan Sawdey

Johnny Pate: “Outrageous”

(out of 5)

It’s almost impossible to listen to Johnny Pate’s 1970 album, Outrageous, without thinking of the cinema. There are two reasons for this: First, Pate himself is probably best known as composer for the 1973 blaxploitation films, Brother on the Run and Shaft in Africa, as well as the brief television series based on the latter’s movie franchise. Second, Outrageous, contains ten tracks that each bring to mind many movies of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Pate’s slow jams and funky grooves here would probably be enough to thrill even 1970s aficionado, Quentin Tarantino. In fact, many of these songs would have fit perfectly fit in his homage to ’70s cinema, Jackie Brown.

Johnny Pate’s contract with MGM/Verve required him to release one record under his own name and in 1970 he fulfilled that obligation with this terrific set on Outrageous. One of the most impressive aspects of Outrageous is how effectively it bridges the gap between the late ’60s music trends (i.e. the organ and flute combo on “Constant Wind”) and the funky horns and electric guitars of the early ’70s (played to perfection here on the title track). Pate combines organs, flutes, guitars, congas, and horns into a melting pot of rock, soul, funk, and jazz. There are heavy doses of the jazz fusion that Miles Davis and others had been birthing at the end of the 1960s and also an undeniable Latin flavor to Outrageous. All of this serves to make this record a surprising and intriguing record that boasts ten great songs.

Bill Callahan: “Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle”

(out of 5)

For his second post-Smog record, Bill Callahan returns to the dark and moody style of his records under that moniker. In fact, the oddly named Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle sounds more like Smog than much of his recent output. These nine brooding songs revolve around Callahan’s deep voice and acoustic guitar while string arrangements, drums, and other instruments are built around them to provide a cocoon from which Callahan reflects on himself, lost love, and God.

The key to this album, and probably all of Callahan’s work, is his voice. His deep baritone has about as much emotional depth as it does range–that’s to say not very much. At first, this cavalier delivery can be a bit off-putting, but after a while it can become the best thing about the record. It seems as if everything Callahan is saying is some dry, dark joke. And so, during certain serious moments you don’t know whether you should laugh or cry. It adds a certain mystery and intrigue to the songs.