Michael Jackson

[DaveDQ]

Re: Michael Jackson

I don't know if he's ever been proven guilty, has he? (of molestation)

If he has done that, I can't bear to listen to his music. When a child has that done to them, it scars them for life.

[KG]

Re: Michael Jackson

That video made me think about 2 things

1. All these young youtube kids dancing in front of cameras to crap like soldier boy. Back when MJ did all this it was cool, then sometime in the 90s it became uncool , and now look where we are again.

2. His feet were exceptionally quick. I know he was short but always wonder how good of an athlete he would have been.

[SPTO]

Re: Michael Jackson

2. His feet were exceptionally quick. I know he was short but always wonder how good of an athlete he would have been.

Not too good IMO MJ was and is even more so today thin as a rail. He'd be on injured reserve/disabled list within days of playing.

[coffeeholic]

Re: Michael Jackson

To me, gay or not gay, both Freddie Mercury and MJ will go down as being some of the most talented singers, performers ever. It is a shame that we lost Freddie at such a young age, imagine Queen rocking still to this day.

I hear you. I just bought a DVD of Queen live-1981(Queen Rock Montreal)-pure genius. Queen is still together with Paul Rodgers-whatever. Sorry to bump the thread-but I had to speak out about the new Queen DVD

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Michael Jackson

I know you guys are trying to shorten his name, but there is only one MJ in this world...

As for Jackson himself, everytime I listen to his music I say the same exact thing -- "How could someone so ****ed up in the head make such awesome music?"

[Rocky]

Re: Michael Jackson

I can separate the man from the musician. I HAVE to if I want to be consistent because Lord knows my favourite singer had skeletons in his own closet! As for MJ's genius. I think that gets talked up a tad too much. I'm not going to say he didn't have any musical genius because that'd be wrong but he never really wrote or produced his own material (tho I know he had huge imput on how his songs should sound) If you really look back at it objectively a lot of credit should go to Quincy Jones for MJ's output in the '80s. At least there was a focus to his music then. I've noticed that since he parted ways with Jones that he's tried just about every genre of music from rock to pop ballads with varying degrees of success.

I also think that MJ has stuck to one particular vocal sound for way too long. He isn't as versatile vocally as he was when he was younger. I'd like to see him slipping into different vocal ranges and such rather then the high pitched falsetto sound he has.

I actually think his Dangerous CD was awesome. Great New Jack-type R&B stuff with a touch of a very pleasurable rock influence.

[mgoblue]

Re: Michael Jackson

I appreciate the music but it's tough for me to hear his songs and not think about the latest outlandish, crazy thing that happened to him.

[jmood88]

Re: Michael Jackson

His name alone gets your attention.

One of the greatest artists of our time, it's a shame all the garbage and strange things he's gone through. You would think someone this talented wouldn't be as insane.

I was watching Smooth Criminal this morning and it's absolutely incredible. There aren't many music videos the same caliber as MJ's back in the day. B/w this, Bad, Billie Jean and most famous of all THRILLER, this guy was just an incredible musician and performer.

Agree, disagree? Can you separate the artist and apparently strange individual or are they one and the same?

I'm really mad at Mike for what he did to himself and for whatever reason the whiter he got the ****tier his singing was. When he was a kid was voice was amazing and it's strange how as he got older his voice got higher. I think it was after Thriller that he started screaming a majority of the time. He's still had some great songs but nowhere near what he did when he was younger. The old Mike:
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/trL4LEQ_eCM&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/trL4LEQ_eCM&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3I7c3SX0zFE&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3I7c3SX0zFE&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[jmood88]

Re: Michael Jackson

Got ya. It doesn't matter to me if you like the guy and his music or not, as long as you can respect how talented he is.

I thought you were saying the guy wasn't talented.

Is he really putting out a new album? I'm afraid it will bomb. Not in terms of sales, but quality-wise... it just won't compare. His music progressively got worse as he got older after Dangerous, IMO.

He's supposed to be working with Kanye West on a new album.

[jmood88]

Re: Michael Jackson

Young Michael vs Old Michael, I'd go with the young. I am talking about Michael Jackson from the Jackson 5 to Off the Wall. I think it was because even though you could see he was incredibly talented, he was also a lot more raw. It's like how Michael Jordan was the man once he perfected the fadea way and his entire repertoire, but he was so much more exciting as that young raw beast in his early days to me. Also, the music from those Mikes was a lot funkier than Thriller onward. My favorite song on Thriller was "Wanna Be Starting Something" but other than that, I'd much rather prefer OfW or J5 stuff. That whole family was just unreal to me.

I completely agree with you, when he was a kid up until he was a young adult his voice was much better and he just made better music. He was starting to change in Thriller and then it just went downhill from there.

[SoMiss2000]

Re: Michael Jackson

a Michael Jackson thread and this is not mentioned? I loved this game...

[TruFunkSoldier]

Re: Michael Jackson

Ha!



Wow... I like the guy and think he's amazingly talented as well... but what you just wrote made me feel... I don't know, it just came off as a bit stalker-ish. I agree that he carries an aura about him. Your last comment is actually why I brought up this topic. I don't know if I can call him a "gift to the world" after all the strange things we've seen/heard/read about this individual outside of his music and performance ability.

I can see how that sounds "stalker-ish" like you said, but I have actually met Michael, and I think I know more than most casual fans/indifferent/haters know about him from what they see on TV. I have also witnessed people who "don't like MJ" go crazy when he's around. He is larger than life, but if you ask anyone who knows him, the words you'll hear to describe him are "sweet," "humble," "nice," "innocent."

I thought about this yesterday. I have seen bad nose jobs, weird voice changes and odd looking hair, but I have never ever ever witnessed in my life someone changing the pigment of their skin color ever.

Yet one of our greatest icons who ever lived did this. No question that the man was/is talented, but wow what a freak.

These are all things you see on TV or read in the paper because they sell. For people on this board to call him "sick" or "weird" or worse is ignorant and spiteful. People would rather believe he bleached his skin than know that he has vitiligo, a disease that many people suffer from in varying degrees.

I don't know if he's ever been proven guilty, has he? (of molestation)

If he has done that, I can't bear to listen to his music. When a child has that done to them, it scars them for life.

People will continue to throw out these molestation allegations when there have been two "allegations" among the thousands of kids he has been around over the last 20 years. If you followed either case, neither "crime" was reported to police until many months later and several attorneys later. The same exact group of lawyers that tried to charge him in the early 1990s were the ones who charged him in 2005. The state of California spent millions and sent at least 80 FBI agents to all his properties looking for evidence. They wanted him. As we all know, he was found not guilty of all charges of molestation and conspiracy to abduct.

[Pared]

Re: Michael Jackson

He's supposed to be working with Kanye West on a new album.

Wow... I don't even know what to think about that.

TFS,

I see your points but his actions speak louder than anything I can read or be told. The creation of Neverland Ranch is in and of itself one of the strangest things I've ever heard of. It scream Willy Wonka to me... only in a sick and twisted sort of way.

He has to be somewhat unstable or off-base. I don't think anyone can deny that...

[TruFunkSoldier]

Re: Michael Jackson

I'm not going to say he didn't have any musical genius because that'd be wrong but he never really wrote or produced his own material (tho I know he had huge imput on how his songs should sound) If you really look back at it objectively a lot of credit should go to Quincy Jones for MJ's output in the '80s. At least there was a focus to his music then. I've noticed that since he parted ways with Jones that he's tried just about every genre of music from rock to pop ballads with varying degrees of success.

I also think that MJ has stuck to one particular vocal sound for way too long. He isn't as versatile vocally as he was when he was younger. I'd like to see him slipping into different vocal ranges and such rather then the high pitched falsetto sound he has.

He writes almost all of his songs. He also arranges, composes, and co-produces most. Check "Billie Jean" for example. I don't deny that Quincy Jones was hugely important for the "Thriller" album's sound. But Michael is the one who wrote, composed, sang, and performed.

Here are some hits Michael wrote: Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, Wanna Be Startin Somethin, Beat It, Billie Jean, We Are The World, Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Heal the World, Black or White, Will You Be There, Remember the Time, Dangerous, Scream, Stranger in Moscow, They Don't Care About Us, Earth Song, Whatever Happens, You Rock My World, Speechless

I agree that his vocal range has changed over the years. It's been 40+ years as he is almost 50. Can't expect anyone to sound like they were 30 years ago.

That video made me think about 2 things

1. All these young youtube kids dancing in front of cameras to crap like soldier boy. Back when MJ did all this it was cool, then sometime in the 90s it became uncool , and now look where we are again.

2. His feet were exceptionally quick. I know he was short but always wonder how good of an athlete he would have been.

He is extremely quick. I think that is why he wears white tape on his fingers and obviously the white socks. His movements are so exact that the contrast is important.

I thought he would be a good athlete too but if you watch the video for "Jam" where Michael Jordan tries to teach him Basketball, it's horrible!

I know you guys are trying to shorten his name, but there is only one MJ in this world...

Jackson was MJ way before Jordan!

I actually think his Dangerous CD was awesome. Great New Jack-type R&B stuff with a touch of a very pleasurable rock influence.

I am with you on this one. Dangerous is my personal favorite. The thing that separates his singing from others is the raw emotion in his voice. You can feel it - it is so real. Listen to "Give in to Me" featuring Slash. People call his music pop, but you listen to "Give in to Me" or "Stranger in Moscow" or "Rock with You" and you can't say its not r&b, rock, pop, soul all together.

Wow, way too much writing. Hope other fans on here will discuss!

[TruFunkSoldier]

Re: Michael Jackson

Wow... I don't even know what to think about that.

TFS,

I see your points but his actions speak louder than anything I can read or be told. The creation of Neverland Ranch is in and of itself one of the strangest things I've ever heard of. It scream Willy Wonka to me... only in a sick and twisted sort of way.

He has to be somewhat unstable or off-base. I don't think anyone can deny that...

He admits he has tried to recreate his childhood. I don't see why it is sick or twisted though. Every year he brings thousands of underprivileged youth to go on rides and play with the animals (before he moved out of the ranch). A while ago - not sure if it's still accurate - he was in the Guiness Book for charitable efforts among artists. I don't know why it's assumed to be twisted when he tries to help children. He has recorded so many songs about the Earth, children, and people in general to raise awareness and help. For those who remember the 1992 Superbowl, you remember the Heal The World halftime show. That was awesome! To me I find it sad that one of the most popular people to have ever lived has to isolate himself that much. Everyone around him sees him as $ and he has had to protect himself.

I agree he is eccentric. But people attack him in every way imaginable. Because of what? What if one of the greatest entertainers in history is an innocent man who actually does love and help children?