The Michael Jackson Songs...

I picked yesterday were met with a "OMG... Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuj!" by Viki (hint... she wasn't impressed)... so I'm being made to post a more acceptable selection of videos:

Earth Song (1995)
Billie Jean (1983)
Dirty Diana (1988)
Black Or White (1991)
Beat It (1983)
Blame It On The Boogie (as The Jackson 5) (1978)

The only one of my choices that she approved of was "Thriller"!

Hope that's better, draga!

The "OMG... I Just Can't Believe It's True" Post...

Didn't have the computer on last night, or the radio or anything, so didn't hear the big news story before I went to bed... just I got a text message from Viki after she'd set off to work this morning that ended with "Michael Jackson has died. Mivan!"

And, indeed, it's true... looking it up on the BBC news site on my mobile phone confirmed it:

Michael Jackson Dies Aged 50

He was declared dead at UCLA hospital at 10:26pm (British Time) last night.

It doesn't feel real yet though... Yes, I along with everyone else had read the stories about how his health was not good, and how there were doubts about his fitness for the series of concerts that were scheduled for the O2 Arena, but Michael Jackson wasn't really mortal... not like ordinary people... Not that I'm saying he was a god or anything like that, because - I'll be honest - he wasn't up there in my Top 10 artists, either as I was growing up, or now... I wasn't THAT big a fan... didn't own any albums or anything, never had his posters on my wall... and, yes, I thought (and still think) he was a bit "Wacko"... certainly there was something wrong with him... a naivety that bordered on mentally underdeveloped... But you can't deny his talent, showmanship, and influence on today's music and artists.

And he was always THERE... all the time I was growing up and discovering music and bands... Let's face it, he's been in pop longer than I've been alive... so you just kind of felt like he would go on forever.

It would be good if it was his music he was remembered for... rather than the baggage that followed him around... the accusations of child abuse (was he guilty? I guess we'll never really know)... the spendaholic lifestyle and subsequent money troubles... the demons that fuelled his plastic surgery obsession... all of that.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family... to his children... his ex-wives... his mother and father... his brothers and sisters... his friends... and to his fans worldwide who feel that they have lost someone special to them...

And I leave you with some of my favourite songs of his as tribute:

Heal The World (1992)
You Are Not Alone (1995)
Scream (With Janet Jackson) (1995)
Thriller (1984)
Say Say Say (With Paul McCartney) (1983)

Great Moments In Cinema...

And TV - Part 33

Did you figure out my oh-so-subtle clues I gave you in "The Musical Interlude..." then?

Let's examine the evidence...

Liam Lynch? Amazingly, he directed this film...
Foo Fighters? Dave Grohl had a starring role (reprising a character he'd played before) in the film... although you maybe wouldn't have recognised him, since he looked a "hornier" than he usually does (impossible as it may seem)...

Yep, it is (of course) the mighty "Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny"... and here's the opening song - "Kickapoo", featuring Meat Loaf and Dio - and the little kid playing JB is amazing!

IMDb page here: www.imdb.com/title/tt0365830/
Tenacious D website here: www.tenaciousd.com/

Why should you watch this film?: Cause it's a bad-ass, laugh-a-minute, rocking riot! I just watched it today, and I about wet myself laughing!

Oh, and as a special treat (one that doesn't appear anywhere on the DVD... gutted)... Here is the mighty "Tribute" video, starring some of the familiar faces from the film...

And for those of you who aren't easily offended, and have a sense of humour, here's a link to the video for "Fuck Her Gently"... www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvNPKeJ4ZUo