Topic: Michael Jackson dies at age 50

[OldFred]

Fred, you have got to stop. Going off as a solo star is not having a comeback! #1. The Jackson 5 were never in the stratosphere of Michael Jackson the solo star...not even close. The Jackson 5 and Michael's solo career are two different entities. Elvis was never in a straight up band, everything he released commercially was as a solo star. Elvis had the comeback and Michael Jackson did not. Just stop...

shemps#1, I must respectfully disagree. The Jackson 5 were huge in their time, with many hits and sold out concerts. I think I can safely say that they were to the Black community and Pop Music what The Beatles were to everyone else. Even like The Beatles they had their own cartoon show. Up until they got older as they continued as just the Jacksons, they were still very popular but the hits were beginning to dry up. Michael had released some solo songs with a degree of success but it was 'Off The Wall' that really launched him as a major solo star and with the released of 'Thriller' he really hit the stratosphere. One has to separate his great success in the 70's with the Jackson 5 with his phenomenal success in the 1980's, and the 1979 release of 'Off The Wall' was the separation point.

As for Elvis, he did have a band in the 50's, made up of Bill Black on bass, D.J. Fontana on drums and the great Scotty Moore on lead guitar. It's Moore's guitar that you hear on all of Elvis' early hits and it was with this band that Elvis toured and made his first TV appearances. True, all the recordings were released as 'Elvis Presley', but that had more to do with the management of Col. Tom Parker who didn't want anyone else to overshadow his client. Prior to Col. Parker's arrival and before Fontana joined, the band was billed as Elvis, Scotty & Bill. Moore, Black and Fontana have long been recognized as great side men and have all been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Later when he returned to touring in the 1970's, Elvis formed another touring band with another classic guitar player, James Burton, who first played with Ricky Nelson. Burton is a recognized world class guitarist who has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yes, all the records said 'Elvis Presley', but Elvis was smart enough to surround himself with world class players.

And again, with all due respect, I am just expressing an opinion which I try to back up with some facts. You don't have to agree with me, but, isn't the whole purpose of a message board is to express an opinion? It would get awful boring if everyone just agreed on the exact same thing. In a case like that, there'd be no honest dialog. One of the things I like about the Stooges message board is that the dialog doesn't have to be all about the Stooges, there are sub-Threads that touch on other topics as well, including this one on Michael Jackson. And in the course of this thread, the Stooges/Jackson connection was touched on with Jackson's Forward in the Curly book.

I did reveal my age in an earlier post on this thread. In no way does it mean that I'm smarter than anyone else. But, I did experience more things than some of the younger posters on this board, including the first wave of the Stooge revival in the late 1950's into the 1960's. Whether that makes me a 'wise guy' in that regard is, I guess, just a matter of opinion.

Again, I say all this with great respect and I look forward to posting on other threads here on the Board on topics I can express an opinion on, including our mutual affection for the Stooges.

Now, Spread Out! 

[metaldams]

I just did a little research, and in the 27 years since THRILLER, Michael Jackson released a grand total of four albums.  One of them he did not have the confidence to sell on its own, so he made it a 2 CD set - CD 1 a greatest hits, CD 2 his new album.  

For such an "artist," the man had very little to say once his icon status was cemented.  He seemed more content keeping his name in the spotlight through the media than anything musical.

Elvis, minus his one year in the army, always had something on the table, be it recording sessions, movies, or touring.  Yeah, the guy did tons of crap (even in the 50's), but lots of great music as well, and he left behind such a vast body of work it can take one a lifetime to discover all the gems.  My opinion on Elvis is changing all the time because there's so much out there to discover and because he was so versatile.  Just when I think I have him figured out, I hear something of his completely new to me that makes me re-evaluate him.  There's a 5 CD box set for each decade Elvis recorded, and it's warranted.  I was born a year and a half after Elvis died.  I highly doubt somebody born in 2010 will have the same journey with Michael Jackson's music in 2040.  

Both Elvis and Michael Jackson have a huge cultural impact, and mostly for all the wrong reasons.  But if you look at the music, Elvis's body of work is more diverse, challenging, and rewarding than Michael Jackson's, and at least he always had the balls, no matter the circumstance, to perform.

[metaldams]

I think I can safely say that they were to the Black community and Pop Music what The Beatles were to everyone else.

That's really a shame, because Stevie Wonder was so much better.

[shemps#1]

Fred, sorry if our wires got accidentally crossed on the brainwaves of communications, but you do come on a little strong. You seem to take offense to anyone that says anything that isn't glowing about Michael Jackson (or the Monkees for that matter). I didn't even slam him (that time), I just said Elvis was bigger.

Again I will have to disagree with you. You have a point about them being comparable to the Beatles insofar as the Black Community, but the Black Community was and still is much smaller than "everyone else". Blacks represent roughly 10-15% of the US Population. The Jackson 5 did not cross over very well, and you cannot compare them to MJ as a solo artist.

[JazzBill]

I agree with you Jim. When I was a kid they didn't play much black music ( race music ) on mainstream radio. Sam Phillips was looking for someone to channel race music to the white audience. He found Elvis. He was the right man for the right job. With all of Michael Jacksons talent he still wasn't as important to music as Elvis was. ( in my opinion )

[The Spangler]

 You mean Elvis died too?? 

[xraffle]

I have to agree with Jim and Bill. Throughout my life, I've heard so much about Elvis, but very little about the Jackson 5. I was never an Elvis fan, but I've heard many of his songs on the radio and he was referenced a lot in TV shows and movies. But Fred, you are always welcome to share your opinion with us. There is nothing wrong with that, so rest assured.

[OldFred]

I have to agree with Jim and Bill. Throughout my life, I've heard so much about Elvis, but very little about the Jackson 5. I was never an Elvis fan, but I've heard many of his songs on the radio and he was referenced a lot in TV shows and movies. But Fred, you are always welcome to share your opinion with us. There is nothing wrong with that, so rest assured.

Thanks xraffle, you're a pal! 

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

I may be incorrect, and this may not mean much, but a previously unmentioned difference between Elvis & Michael comes to mind. Didn't Michael write a lot of his own songs, while Elvis wrote very little if anything?

Not that it means anything either, but... how many other first names are so inextricably associated with just one person like the name "Elvis" is? (Maybe "Shemp" for one...)

Personally, I respect what both E. & M. accomplished artistically, but there is not one song associated with either of them in my entire music collection, nor is there likely to ever be.

[Dog Hambone]

Maybe these should be in the Bad Joke of the Day thread, but...

They found out that MJ actually died from food poisoning. He ate a 10 year old wiener.

After MJ died, Kmart had to cancel their blue light special - boys pants half off.

 

[archiezappa]

In my opinion, The Jackson 5 were one of the best groups to come out of Motown.  No question about their talent.  I liked them better that way.  I never got into "Thriller" or anything else he ever did.  Yeah, I heard the McCartney collaboration songs.  Being a Beatles fan, I at least had to hear those songs once.  And then there's the Weird Al parodies.  Those were better than the originals.  And finally, there's the band Alien Ant Farm who covered "Smooth Criminal."  They really made a good heavy metal song out of that, even though it was a Michael Jackson song.

Well, he will be missed.  But I'm not really much of a fan.  But I'm curious:  What song did Michael write about the Three Stooges, as mentioned in his forward to the book on Curly Howard?

[OldFred]

In my opinion, The Jackson 5 were one of the best groups to come out of Motown.  No question about their talent.  I liked them better that way.  I never got into "Thriller" or anything else he ever did.  Yeah, I heard the McCartney collaboration songs.  Being a Beatles fan, I at least had to hear those songs once.  And then there's the Weird Al parodies.  Those were better than the originals.  And finally, there's the band Alien Ant Farm who covered "Smooth Criminal."  They really made a good heavy metal song out of that, even though it was a Michael Jackson song.

Well, he will be missed.  But I'm not really much of a fan.  But I'm curious:  What song did Michael write about the Three Stooges, as mentioned in his forward to the book on Curly Howard?

I tried doing a Google search on the song Jackson wrote about the Stooges, but couldn't find anything. I'll keep looking and hopefully someone else can dig something up.

[falsealarms]

[youtube=425,350]2RmneMDZlWQ[/youtube]

Bold to come out and say that.

[curlysdame]

Haha, Wantagh!  Half my family lives there!  I do have to agree with some of what that guy said though: 

"He was talented, a great singer, dancer, but people die everyday.  There's soldiers dying in Afghanistan."

Don't get me wrong, he was a great entertainer, and he'll be missed.  But the media coverage on this whole thing was f***ing nuts.  He didn't save lives, he made records.  I'm just glad that most of the news channels are pretty much back to normal.

[locoboymakesgood]

I'm really fucking sick of this shit. Our local newscasts are still saturated with this.

They're anticipating possible riots tomorrow. Seriously? I don't see how we can celebrate a pedophile this way.

[metaldams]

Whenever this country falls like the Roman Empire (how soon, Rob?), it will be events like this that people point to.  Some of you may think I'm nuts for saying this, but any society that propels Michael Jackson this high has serious cultural issues.  Like him as a camp entertainer, fine.  Propel him to god status?  Sickening.  We get the culture we deserve.

[xraffle]

I'm really fucking sick of this shit. Our local newscasts are still saturated with this.

They're anticipating possible riots tomorrow. Seriously? I don't see how we can celebrate a pedophile this way.

I see some Michael Jackson CDs, including Thriller, in stock at Amazon. You guys better hurry and purchase a copy before they run out of stock again. Hurry now!! 

[shemps#1]

Well I thought the whole the American Legion and Wall of Honor backdrops were too hokey and jingoistic I do agree that the coverage has long worn out its welcome, and if I were in his district I would consider voting for the guy based on his balls to speak out against Jackson when we are at a point where only positive things should be said about him and his pedophilia should be ignored (according to the media and Jackson fans).

One "celebrity" that needs to die is Al Sharpton. This fucktard has glommed himself onto Jackson's decaying teat securely and saying some ridiculous shit on top of it. Why this guy still gets Press after what he did to Steven Pagones is beyond me.

[xraffle]

One "celebrity" that needs to die is Al Sharpton.

I hate that guy. He supported Roger Toussaint when he started that illegal MTA strike a few years ago. All of us New Yorkers were affected for two days without any train transportation.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

...any society that propels Michael Jackson this high has serious cultural issues.  Like him as a camp entertainer, fine.  Propel him to god status?  Sickening.  We get the culture we deserve.

Well said.