The person referred to in the title is me.
I will soon stop paying tributes to other people and restart the usual tributes to myself (:D). However, I simply cannot ignore the immense musical loss of Michael Jackson.
You probably might have gone back and read that line again and thought 'WTF'?! I know that the prominent styles of music that have figured in this blog have been rock, jazz, blues, folk and soul. But like I was telling Rishabh the other day, if there was one more genre of music which I would pick to fit in with the aforementioned group, it would be disco.
I have always had a great fondness and weakness for disco, especially from the 70s. Songs like Funkytown, D-I-S-C-O, YMCA and actually anything which the characteristic disco groove and bass have always been among my favourite songs to dance to or even listen to. Which is why, Abba and Boney M figure very highly on my list of all time favourite artists. And which is also why, I have to pay tribute to 'The King of Pop'.
My Mom loves disco and MJ and hence, I have practically grown up listening to him. 'Thriller' was the first English album that I completely listened to. Songs like 'Bilie Jean', 'Wanna be Starting Something' and 'Beat It' were among my most initial introductions into the big bad world of English music. Needless to say, starting off with him, Abba and Boney M has given me a life long love for disco.
MJ may have had many controversies in life but that doesn't take away from the fact that he was bloody good at what he did. With music that appealed to everyone, simple melodies, catchy rhythms and occasional 'political' and 'social' songs like 'Heal the World' and 'Black or White', he managed to cross a lot of borders. In fact, a wonderful article in Foreign Policy talks about MJ being one of the original 'global' pop stars by achieving penetration into countries in Europe and Asia as well..leading to a mini-globalisation on his own. In that respect, the impact he has had is mind-blowing and his influences on music will continue. (Justin Timberlake has already adopted his vocal style here and there. I confess a weakness for those songs like 'Rock Your Body').
His death came as a huge shock to me..it was like losing a constant companion since childhood, whether you love it or hate it. I was hoping he would release a new album and even tried to win tickets for his last tour in London. Its sad that he died in such disgrace..and its nice that his controversies have been forgotten in his death (though the public phenomenon that his death has become is kind of upsetting). So here's to the great entertainer, sinner and genius that was Michael Jackson.
5 comments:
I so know what you're saying! My mom liked him a lot too.. I've listened to almost every song he's sung in the late '80s and early '90s, repeatedly! Yep.. he was a phenomenon, and an excellent performer, whether I like his music today or not.
Come to mention it, one of the first songs we sang in the school choir was also by him - 'Will you Be There'.
Aha..so at last you admit to your disco weakness.
Yes, I had to come out of the closet :) I can post an entry on 80's pop on your behalf :)
I actually liked him a bloody lot. I remember having bought all his albums (I stopped before Blood is on the Dance Floor ... no wait, I bought that too) and I remember the History Double CD Box set being the first CD I was given. In between we all kind of forsook him. But for all his controversies (the Catholic Priest sort) he really changed music, put in videos, and was an all-round performer.
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