Goodbye Mike: Thank You For Being A Big Part Of My Life
June 26th 2009 09:19
've only shed tears two other times in my life when someone important in the music world passed away. The first was back in 1978 when "Chicago" guitarist , Terry Kath died. The second was just over a year ago when my "little brother", Stephen "Static Major" Garrett passed. Third, right now. I've been in car accidents that should've killed me. I was an innocent bystander during a double murder, but with Jackson's death, I have realized my own mortality for the first time. Perhaps because he was only a couple of years older than me.
I can honestly say that I've grown up with Micheal Jackson. I remember as a kid, a couple of years younger than he was when the Jackson 5 ruled the world, singing just about every song they put out on the radio. Little did I know way back then that being able to sing a Jackson 5 song could get you a lot of girls. Hell at that age, I didn't really care. All I knew was that if there was a song I like, I was going to learn it.
It seems like for a lot of us "soon - to - be- 50 - somethings", Micheal has always been there. Several projects during his teen years. The Jackson 5 becoming The Jacksons and the subsequent musical growth that came with it. A lot of people still think that Micheal didn't do anything solo until "Off The Wall", but I remember an album called "Music & Me" that was a personal milestone. I tolerated "Ben" (lol). C'mon, a song about a rat ? Give me a break !
I didn't realize until just this second how much of an emotional connection I've had with this man's music. Thinking back, I guess I was always a cheerleader of sorts whenever he showed growth, so you can imagine how I felt when he dropped "Off The Wall".
I was an young adult by then and just as I imagine Jackson contemplating his next move, I contemplated a career as a musician. You see, by that time, I'd been fronting a ten piece rock band with horns and of course, Micheal Jackson music was a part of my playlist. In fact, it was the Jacksons "Shake Your Body" that brought my mother one of her proudest moments as a parent. The band I was in, "Cargo", performed it as part of a set during a battle of the bands competition. It was the first time my mom had ever seen me perform on stage. Thank you Mike !
We both got older and more growth ensued. My career in radio started almost 31 years ago. I never imagined that I would go from listening to Micheal Jackson on the radio to playing Micheal Jackson on the radio. I remember driving home one afternoon in 1984. I was about to pull into my driveway when I heard the opening chords to what I still think is one of the best Micheal Jackson songs ever, "Beat It". I couldn't move and I couldn't turn off the radio either !! Micheal had officially reached "bad ass" status in my eyes. "Thriller" is still the largest selling album in history !! And yes I had one of those silly red zipper jackets LOL !!
I guess the one thing that I loved and hated about Micheal as time went on was his unwillingness or inability to reinvent himself. Through subsequent projects, the music sounded somewhat dated, but I rooted for Mike just the same. I always felt like there was THE seminal M.J. album for THIS period in time, just like "Thriller" was for the 80's. I thought he came close with "Invincible". When "You Rock My World" first came across my desk as a Program Director, I played it IMMEDIATELY ! When "Butterfly" was released as a single, I played that too ! I wasn't too thrilled with the label when they didn't push anything else from it.
Despite all of Micheal's problems, and he had quite a few of them, it was the music I always held on to and it's the music that I always will hold on to.
Blessed Be Micheal Joseph Jackson ! May the Lord and Lady keep you and make you whole again.
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I can honestly say that I've grown up with Micheal Jackson. I remember as a kid, a couple of years younger than he was when the Jackson 5 ruled the world, singing just about every song they put out on the radio. Little did I know way back then that being able to sing a Jackson 5 song could get you a lot of girls. Hell at that age, I didn't really care. All I knew was that if there was a song I like, I was going to learn it.
It seems like for a lot of us "soon - to - be- 50 - somethings", Micheal has always been there. Several projects during his teen years. The Jackson 5 becoming The Jacksons and the subsequent musical growth that came with it. A lot of people still think that Micheal didn't do anything solo until "Off The Wall", but I remember an album called "Music & Me" that was a personal milestone. I tolerated "Ben" (lol). C'mon, a song about a rat ? Give me a break !
I didn't realize until just this second how much of an emotional connection I've had with this man's music. Thinking back, I guess I was always a cheerleader of sorts whenever he showed growth, so you can imagine how I felt when he dropped "Off The Wall".
I was an young adult by then and just as I imagine Jackson contemplating his next move, I contemplated a career as a musician. You see, by that time, I'd been fronting a ten piece rock band with horns and of course, Micheal Jackson music was a part of my playlist. In fact, it was the Jacksons "Shake Your Body" that brought my mother one of her proudest moments as a parent. The band I was in, "Cargo", performed it as part of a set during a battle of the bands competition. It was the first time my mom had ever seen me perform on stage. Thank you Mike !
We both got older and more growth ensued. My career in radio started almost 31 years ago. I never imagined that I would go from listening to Micheal Jackson on the radio to playing Micheal Jackson on the radio. I remember driving home one afternoon in 1984. I was about to pull into my driveway when I heard the opening chords to what I still think is one of the best Micheal Jackson songs ever, "Beat It". I couldn't move and I couldn't turn off the radio either !! Micheal had officially reached "bad ass" status in my eyes. "Thriller" is still the largest selling album in history !! And yes I had one of those silly red zipper jackets LOL !!
I guess the one thing that I loved and hated about Micheal as time went on was his unwillingness or inability to reinvent himself. Through subsequent projects, the music sounded somewhat dated, but I rooted for Mike just the same. I always felt like there was THE seminal M.J. album for THIS period in time, just like "Thriller" was for the 80's. I thought he came close with "Invincible". When "You Rock My World" first came across my desk as a Program Director, I played it IMMEDIATELY ! When "Butterfly" was released as a single, I played that too ! I wasn't too thrilled with the label when they didn't push anything else from it.
Despite all of Micheal's problems, and he had quite a few of them, it was the music I always held on to and it's the music that I always will hold on to.
Blessed Be Micheal Joseph Jackson ! May the Lord and Lady keep you and make you whole again.
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