06/27/2009
Michael Jackson

Okay, I guess it's time to chime in here... Bullshit aside, Michael Jackson was one the most exciting and I will say influential Pop Artist my generation has EVER seen!
I had just landed in London when I heard the news that Michael Jackson had died. The first thing that I thought was, oh well, there goes another one... and thinking more about his life over the past handful of years.
When I had gotten to my hotel room and turned the television, the news about Jackson was everywhere!
they were showing old footage of The Jackson 5 and a young Michael singing and performing his ass off! I started grinning from ear to ear and realized that this man had been an ongoing part of my life.
My very first concert was at the Houston Coliseum, the day before my eleventh birthday. The Jackson 5 was performing. I even remember the day, Monday December 27, 1971 and it was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. They wore white knickerbockers w/ funky suspenders , black & white socks, white platform shoes and they were sporting those afros. The singing, the dancing, my mom having a great time, It truly was fantastic! I bought the mags, the posters, I even got my fro together.

Cut to my graduating year from High School 1979. I was playing all sorts of gigs, jazz, rock, funk, R&B, Top 40 gigs. I was doing some session work and the engineer brought in Michael Jackson's new LP "Off The Wall" I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I mean sonically and production wise. It had all my favorite studio musicians on it. Larry Carlton, George Duke, David Foster, Jerry Hey, Louis Johnson, Wah Wah Watson. I learn a lot from that album. I learn how to be a solid drummer from listening to John Robinson and David Williams. "Off The wall" is a recording that EVERY musician should have in their collection.

Then on December 2, 1983 The "Thriller Video" debuted. I already new every tune from the album by that time. Billie Jean was the shit! 120 BPM solid and funky as all get out! Jackson had performed it on Motown 25, blowing everyones mind.
The Thriller video was being advertised days before, and then it hit. Oh My God!
You know what I 'm talking about! Some of you are still doing all the dance moves to that video. MTV showed it twice an hour all day, around the clock.

Then "Bad" and all that came with that.
"I Just can't stop Loving You", "The way You make Me Feel", "Man In The Mirror", "Smooth Criminal", "Leave Me Alone", "Dirty Diana"
Then "Dangerous" with "Black & White" and "Do You Remember The time"

Yeah, Michael Jackson has been in my life, even when I had sorta forgotten about him. When ever I would see him on the tube, I couldn't turn it off. Even with all of his weirdness, he would captivate me with his energy. We lost an incredible entertainer and who knows if the planed 50 shows would hold have held up to the history of high standards. I have a feeling that it would have.

If all of this seems strange to you, just go back and listen to some early Michael...
"I'm Going Back To Indiana", "Stop The Love You Save" "I Want You Back" "ABC" "Ben" You can tell that little guy had been here before.


-H