Michael Jackson Archives - Page 2 of 2

J is for the Jackson 5ive

When the group moved from Motown to Columbia/Epic, Jermaine stayed at Motown, largely because he was married to Motown boss Berry Gordy’s daughter Hazel for a time. Little brother Randy replaced him as the group became The Jacksons.

L-R: Tito, Marlon, Michael, Jackie, Jermaine

My sister Leslie, who’s a little younger than I, had each of the first four non-Christmas LPs of the Jackson Five (or Jackson 5ive, as Motown sometimes cutely designated the group). I wanted to write them off as a silly piece of “bubblegum soul”. The problem with that was twofold:
1) I rather liked many of the songs, and
2) I discovered that my vocal range was quite compatible with Jermaine, who had the second lead on many of the songs (Tito sang low harmonies, Jackie high harmonies, and Marlon somewhere in the middle)

Oh, there was a third thing:
3) that preteen Michael was pretty darn good

The first album had I Want You Back [LISTEN], a #1 hit in 1970, but also Who’s Lovin’ You [LISTEN], a cover of a Smokey Robinson song that, when I listened to it, I thought, “How old IS this guy?” He was an old soul.

The second album included both ABC [LISTEN], the title song, and The Love You Save [LISTEN], both of which went to #1 for two weeks in 1970. The imaginatively titled Third Album contained I’ll Be There [LISTEN], #1 for FIVE weeks in 1970. I was always a sucker for Maybe Tomorrow [LISTEN], the title song from the fourth album, which only went to #20 in 1971. They had other hits, most notably Dancing Machine [LISTEN], #2 in 1974.

I won’t necessarily admit to having watched their animated series, which is now available on DVD.

Michael, who had done some solo work even with Motown, had some subsequent massive albums on his own, with Off the Wall, and Thriller. But the brothers, including Jermaine, got together for the 1984 Victory album and tour. Michael, of course, went on with his own career arc.

The group never broke up officially, but they haven’t recorded an album since 1989, though Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, and Marlon did appear in some bizarre reality show back in 2009, which ended up including their reactions to brother Michael’s death.

ABC Wednesday – Round 14

August Rambling

GayProf noted Perry when he wrote: “Numerous songs en vogue right now celebrate women consuming alcohol to the point of blacking out, hooking up, or hurling (not always in that order). ”

Because I was out of town, I managed to miss a couple of significant cultural anniversaries. One was the 50th anniversary of the first real Marvel superhero comic, the Fantastic Four, by Stan Lee and Jack “King” Kirby. Mark Evanier explains why it had a November cover date. Check out this hour-long Kirby documentary. And here’s a link to the intro to the FF TV show.

The other was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lucille Ball. I watched most, if not all, of the episodes of every single one of her ongoing series, from the seminal I Love Lucy (1951-1957; 8.9 out of 10 on the IMDB scale), which started before even TV Guide and I were born but lives through the clever concept known as the rerun; to the star-studded (and too long, in my recollection) episodes of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957-1960; 8.6); to The Lucy Show (1962–1968; 7.3), which was the one with Lucy as Lucy Carmichael, Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz in the earlier shows) as Viv, and Gale Gordon as Lucy’s testy boss, Mr. Mooney.

Then there was Here’s Lucy (1968–1974, 6.8), where “Lucy Carter, a widow with two teen children [played her real kids with Desi Arnaz, Lucie and Desi Jr.] takes a job as a secretary for her stuffy brother-in-law [Gale Gordon, again.] Finally, there was Life with Lucy (1986; 6.0) “Lucy Barker, now a grandmother living with her daughter’s family” Gale Gordon also appeared in this show.

They declined in quality somewhat – Life with Lucy was particularly bad, as I recall – but if I didn’t quite LOVE Lucy, I liked the woman from upstate New York (Jamestown) quite a bit.

I believe this was Lucy’s favorite scene from her first series.

As you may have noticed, Katy Perry becomes the second artist, following Michael Jackson, to send five songs from an album to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and during his birth month, no less. An accomplishment to be sure, though the charts don’t reflect the same level of sales they used to. (Similarly true of top-rated TV shows: the numbers are far less than they used to be.) Not incidentally, GayProf noted Perry when he wrote: “Numerous songs en vogue right now celebrate women consuming alcohol to the point of blacking out, hooking up, or hurling (not always in that order). “

In pictures of models, “there are women (and occasionally men) contorted into positions that, were you to see actual people in them, you’d find curious or peculiar or perhaps even alarming.”

Natalie Cole with the Allman Brothers. Check out the sidebar for David Crosby, Graham Nash, and others.

On Star Trek: The Next Generation, Data could reproduce the voices of humans with perfect fidelity. Brent Spiner can do the same with the voice of Patrick Stewart.

My new Kickstarter fave: Stripped is a documentary love letter to cartoonists and comic writers who’ve delighted newspaper readers for decades. Since 2008, 166 newspapers have shut down, leaving the future uncertain for many syndicated cartoonists. Amidst this industry upheaval, Stripped follows 60 cartoonists, including luminaries like Jim Davis, Scott McCloud, and Jeff Keane, as they navigate the uncharted waters of a new digital world.

Having seen the trailer for the Spider-Man movie reboot, I have no reason to actually see the movie. The first two movies with Tobey Maguire were great; even own them on DVD.
***

Two music legends died this month. Jerry Leiber of the songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller wrote more songs than just about any pop composer. Here’s a list of most of them. Listen to Big Mama Thornton singing “Hound Dog”, some four years before Elvis Presley. Also, hear Charlie Brown by the Coasters; coincidentally, Carl Gardner, leader of the Coasters, died a couple of months ago.

Nickolas Ashford, who died August 22, was the songwriting partner and husband of Valerie Simpson. Ashford & Simpson wrote songs for Motown artists, Aretha Franklin, and others, as well as performing themselves. Hear Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell do You’re All I Need To Get By. Also, here’s a song originally performed by Ray Charles, I Don’t Need No Doctor (live) by Humble Pie.

The Jerry Leiber Cover Story on Coverville.

The Salon story about Leiber and Ashford.

GOOGLE ALERTS

Roger with the hula hoop

Rollie Roger Green T-Shirt

Roger Green, the proprietor of Hair by Roger, said noise and vibrations from the work were spoiling the salon’s ‘peaceful environment’. A spokesperson from United Utilities said: “We are fully aware of the impact this scheme has had on the community…”

“The Black Boardwalk Cat is a distinctive animal that has acquired an unusual place in the hearts of many university employees and students,” said Roger Green, associate professor of political science and public administration.

Forgotten Book: THE THROTTLEPENNY MURDER, Roger J. Green. My contribution this week to Pattinase’s Friday’s Forgotten Books is a book I read in 1993.

“Former Wisbech Mayor and Wisbech Standard editor, Roger Green who died in a road traffic collision on the A47 Wisbech bypass…. This particular Roger Green got a LOT of coverage.

June Ramblin’

From the Monty Python movie “Life of Brian”, What have the Romans ever done for us?

Just a reminder that you have only three more full days to enter my giveaway. Rules are on the sidebar, but basically, from now through July 3 at 11:59 EDT, every time you comment to a post, assuming you haven’t commented already to that specific piece, gives you a chance at some prizes, including a complete DVD box set of The Dick Van Dyke Show and a Michael Jackson greatest hits CD.

Speaking of Michael Jackson: in honor of the anniversary of his death this past week, the full-length video of Thriller, performed with Legos.

I KNEW there was a way to post something on Twitter and have it show up on Facebook, but couldn’t suss out the instructions. This really helped me. And, in fact, it was one of my Facebook friends who provided the link.

Author Rebecca Skloot has interesting info about her best-selling book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on her website, including audio, video, and an excerpt.

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years.

Here’s a link about the book being discussed on PBS Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

Nice tribute to 7’7″ Manute Bol, noted as a basketball player, but noteworthy because of his humanitarian causes, who died last week at 47.

I’ve always liked U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), who died this week at the age of 92. Even as his politics evolved, from his brief flirtation with the KKK to civil rights supporter, from Vietnam hawk to Iraq dove, his love of the U.S. constution remained steadfast. He died at 92 this week, and here is an appreciation.

This may make sense only if you know football; I mean, American football: Unsportsmanlike Conduct Jesus.

A singalong version of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, a song originally from the Monty Python movie “Life of Brian.” That always reminds me of my favorite segment of the film, What have the Romans ever done for us?

Neil Gaiman defends libraries.

visit4info – The Place for TV Adverts and Funny Video Clips from the UK

The Apollo Party I’m Missing

The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a star-studded red carpet, followed by the Benefit concert and awards ceremony at 7:00 p.m. and culminating with a grand tented after-party, the Apollo Supper Club.

I’ve never been to the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City, although it’s only about 160 miles from where I live. “Legendary” gets thrown around too often, but the Harlem venue with a somewhat muddled history prior to 1934, when it became “Where Stars are Born and Legends are Made” from Ella Fitzgerald to Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Lauryn Hill.

So somehow I get this printed invitation in the mail to go to this event honoring The Queen of Soul, and the late King of Pop. Seems like a once-in-a-lifetime thing. And I haven’t been to Manhattan in quite a while.

Wait: what’s that? $1000 a head! Guess I WON’T be going after all. But what would I have gotten for my money?

Marc Anthony and JLo getting some award named for the great acting couple? Chase bank getting an award? Jamie Foxx hosting? Meh.

The invitation was a great piece of information for me.

The Chairman of the Board for the Apollo is Richard Parsons, former head of Time Warner, since mid-2009 head of Citigroup.
The board includes familiar names such as music producer Quincy Jones and historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the latter probably better known by most of America for getting arrested at his own home last year. Then there’s business tycoon Ron Perelman, honorary co-chair with Quincy of the benefit committee, who seems to court controversy wherever he goes; I know him best as the guy who almost destroyed Marvel Comics.

Some acting couples on the benefit committee, such as Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance and Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon; Baconologists, please note. Also, Bill Cosby and his wife Camille; director Spike Lee, and his wife Tonya Lewis; Denzel Washington, and his wife Pauletta; Marcia Gay Harden; and a musician who’s played at the Apollo, Smokey Robinson.

But what if I had MORE money to spend? What would be my options?

$15,000 Tier

2010 Spring Event Benefits

4 tickets to the 2010 Spring Benefit
Recognition on the Apollo marquee during June
Recognition on the Concert Program
Year-round Benefits

10 tickets to Apollo Amateur Night
Recognition in Apollo institutional media
10% group discount for the curator-led Apollo historic tour
10% discount on Apollo merchandise for employees

$25,000 Tier

2010 Spring Event Benefits

8 premium tickets to the 2010 Spring Benefit
Recognition on the Apollo marquee throughout June
Recognition during the Concert and in the Supper Club
Recognition on the Concert Program
Recognition on lobby and outdoor plasma screens
Year-round Benefits

Use of the Apollo Theater free-of-charge (production fees apply)
10 tickets to host one company night at the Apollo
20 tickets to Apollo Amateur Night
Custom marketing opportunities with the Apollo audience
Recognition in Apollo institutional media
Use of the Apollo brand in corporate literature
10% group discount for the curator-led Apollo historic tour
10% discount on Apollo merchandise for employees

$50,000 Tier

Annual Spring Benefits

12 premium tickets to the 2010 Spring Benefit
Preferred recognition on the Apollo marquee throughout June
Preferred recognition on the Red Carpet and during the event
Company logo on the Spring Benefit Invitation and Concert Program
Preferred recognition on lobby and outdoor plasma screens
Year-round Benefits

Use of the Apollo Theater free-of-charge (production fees apply)
20 tickets to host two company nights at the Apollo
20 tickets to Apollo Amateur Night
Recognition in Apollo institutional media
Custom marketing opportunities with the Apollo audience
Use of the Apollo brand in corporate literature
10% group discount for the curator-led Apollo historic tour
10% discount on Apollo merchandise for employees

$75,000 Tier – Diamond Salute Partner

2010 Spring Event Benefits

16 premium tickets to the 2010 Spring Benefit
Preferred recognition on the Apollo marquee during June
Preferred recognition on the Red Carpet and at the event
Company logo on the Spring Benefit Invitation and Concert Program
Preferred recognition on lobby and outdoor plasma screens
Diamond Salute Partner Benefits

Opportunity for senior executive to join the Apollo National Committee
Concierge purchasing service for 2010 Spring Benefit Events
Use of the Apollo Theater free-of-charge (production fees apply)
20 tickets to host two company nights at the Apollo
20 tickets to Apollo Amateur Night
Recognition in Apollo institutional media
Custom marketing opportunities with the Apollo audience
Use of the Apollo Theater brand in corporate literature
10% group discount for the curator-led Apollo historic tour
10% discount on Apollo merchandise for employees

$100,000 Tier

2010 Spring Event Benefits

20 premium tickets to the 2010 Spring Benefit
Industry-exclusive title sponsorship
Prime recognition on the Apollo marquee throughout June
Prime recognition on the Red Carpet and during the event
Branding opportunities during the Concert and Supper Club
Company logo on the Spring Benefit Invitation and Concert Program
Dedicated content on lobby and outdoor plasma screens
Year-round Benefits

Use of the Apollo Theater free-of-charge (production fees apply)
40 tickets to host four company nights at the Apollo
30 tickets to Apollo Amateur Night
Complimentary curator-led Apollo historic tour
Custom marketing opportunities with the Apollo audience
Recognition in Apollo institutional media
Use of the Apollo brand in corporate literature
10% discount on Apollo merchandise for employees

$150,000 Tier

2010 Spring Event Benefits

28 premium tickets to the 2010 Spring Benefit
Industry-exclusive title sponsorship
Prime recognition on the Apollo marquee throughout June
Prime recognition on the Red Carpet and during the event
Branding opportunities during the Concert and Supper Club
Company logo on the Spring Benefit Invitation and Concert Program
Dedicated content on lobby and outdoor plasma screens
Year-round Benefits

APOLLO THEATER TO REMEMBER A KING AND CELEBRATE A QUEEN
2010 Annual Spring Benefit Concert and Awards Ceremony
Monday, June 14, 2010

Hosted by comedian, multi-platinum recording artist and Oscar-award winning actor Jamie Foxx, this year’s Concert & Awards Ceremony will feature the induction of two royal new honorees into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame: the undisputed King of Pop Michael Jackson, and the one and only Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.

The awards ceremony will continue with the Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis Arts and Humanitarian Award presented to superstar couple Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. The Theater’s annual corporate award will be presented to JP Morgan Chase for its ongoing commitment to the Apollo and the Harlem community.

For more details, please click here to view the press release for the Apollo’s 2010 Gala.

To purchase tickets, please click here or call Nicole Judd at 212.531.5330.