I woke up early again this morning...blah, blah...
While reading various news sites I ran across an article that claims Twitter is in a rage (surprise!) because singer Sam Smith had the temerity to say he doesn't like Michael Jackson music. Gasp! I'm sure he will be deemed a racist before the "scandal" blows over for the next outrage.
What happened to diversity? Is one not allowed to have likes and dislikes anymore? Guess what Internet? I am not a big fan of Michael Jackson music either. And I'm just talking the music, I'm not even getting into the creep show that was Jackson's life in his last years.
There I said it.
Of course since I'm just a nobody with a little blog read by nine people and a cat, I will avoid the Internet of outrage. For his sake, I hope Mr. Smith doesn't accidentally let it be known that he likes his steak cooked medium well or that he does, indeed, prefer tightly whites to boxers. The outrage machine will melt servers spewing livid hate. Heaven help him if he ever muttered that on occasion Aretha Franklin was over the top or that her acting was subpar in The Blues Brothers.
Relax Internet, everything will be OK. we do not have to agree. Sure, if everyone accepted my guidance and that I represent truth and beauty and righteousness in all things we would be better off as humans. But the world would sure be a boring place.
Sorry, who is Sam Smith again that I should care?
ReplyDeleteAll of the cameos in Blues Brothers were kind of stiff, or just the person playing himself/herself. Cab Calloway seemed good, but he was playing Cab Calloway, same as James Brown playing James Brown in Rocky. You don't have to stretch your theater talents when they say be yourself for 3 minutes.
Who cares what I think of Michael Jackson's music. My questions are this: for greatness, how much influence did he have on music that came after him? Sure, he worked with the best to master the 80s pop of the time, but he took what was there and made something of it (meaning derivative, not break out creative), which was quite good in itself, but for the title of greatness? Rudy Valee mastered the new Victrola medium and showed that you didn't have to shout to the back of the theater anymore, opening a path for future "indoor voice" singers like Bing Crosby, then the Rat Pack. Of course you can point to the British Invasion bands changing American music from Doo Wop to 4 man rock bands from 1964 onward. Is there a Michael Jackson genre? Yeah Thriller sold 400 Brazilian copies, but people were also buying Aqua Net both men and women like it was running out, and disadvantaged urban yoots were putting shower caps on their heads in public without a hint of embarrassment for that one Saturday night of Jery Curl at the time, so add that for perspective. Sure MJ mastered manufacturing a persona that tapped into the heart of the culture of his peak days in the 80s, but Liberace did the same for blue haired old ladies in the 60s, himself a magnificent musician who left no king's X on music in his wake. A great craftsman at his art? No doubt. Great as in Beatles? You tell me.
We are of a like mind on Jackson.
ReplyDeleteSee this post: https://hoosierboy.blogspot.com/2009/07/legacy-of-michael-jackson.html
Certainly Crosby and Sinatra were pop icons of their era and both not only dominated record sales but conquered radio and movies to boot. Elvis was a far greater pop phenom and also made over 50 movies. All three had arguably greater influence on music than Jackson. Perhaps the Thriller video changed the MTV era, but when was the last time anyone checked out a music video?
In group of liberal college students and teachers, all women, someone mentioned a student who was a lesbian, praising her. I commented with much passion that I could not stand this student, Whitney. Everyone turned on me, saying that I should not hate Whitney because she is a lesbian. I told them I could not stand her when I thought she was straight, and I was not going to like her since I found out she was a lesbian. Not one person had an answer. There are all sorts of people I do not like, but it is not because the person is black, white, straight, gay or old or young. I get very belligerent when someone suggests I have a problem with a set of people.
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