You Just Got to Be Startin' Somethin'!

Today the world mourns the loss of Michael Jackson, the first musical idol of my life. The love I had for this man stretches back to my early years, when his image graced my walls and many a Trapper Keeper folder (despite my grandmother’s distress that I had pictures of him where she thought my pictures of Jesus should be—a sure sign of the Apocalypse). My brother-in-law recalls the first time he met me in 1984; I was seven, and carrying around a Fisher Price portable tape recorder with the Thriller tape that I had memorized and sang by heart as I skipped through the neighborhood. When the scary Vincent Price laugh came on at the end of “Thriller,” I would turn the volume down for the requisite number of seconds until I knew it would be over.

Many an hour of my childhood was spent with friends performing the duet “The Girl Is Mine,” where I would always make the other person do Paul McCartney’s part because I wanted to be the one to say, “But Paul, I told you—I’m a lover, not a fighter!” And I can now recall with only fondness the night when a babysitter let me stay up late, despite my parents’ prohibition, to watch the “Thriller” video’s debut on MTV. My parents had forbidden the activity because they were afraid I would be too scared to sleep afterwards. They were right. The video scared the crap out of me and I couldn’t sleep for weeks, seeing over and over again in the viewfinder of my little brain those cat eyes as they were revealed at the end of the video. I lost a lot of sleep, but it was all worth it.

In thinking about this all day, I realized that Michael Jackson’s name has come up many times as people across the country have told me their stories about their earliest musical influences. Many jambands over the years have also paid homage by covering the King of Pop at live shows (remember Phish's tease of "Black or White"?). I thought I’d share some of the stories and comments I’ve collected. Who knows; maybe you have a story of your own you’d like to share!

Matty B., Arcata, California – Tour manager, Phish’s Waterwheel Foundation, on the moment he knew music was going to be a huge part of his life: “It’s hard to pinpoint a moment, but I remember selling greeting cards door to door as a kid to make enough money to but Michael Jackson's Thriller when it came out in 1983. In the end, the core essence [in all music] is the same. People coming together to celebrate being alive, to discover our commonality and underlying humanity. At times it is more tribal and extroverted and at others more personal and intimate. No matter how you describe it, it will keep people coming back for more until the end of time.”

Annabel L., Boulder, Colorado – Artist Relations Manager, Bonnaroo, on her earliest influences with music: “I grew up in New York City, and it was hard to find a community to fit into. The Beatles and the ’60s and ’70s had this community that I was too young to identify with. So I did my Madonna and my Michael Jackson. Then my dad took me to see Paul Simon in the Park. My girlfriend and I had gotten a six-pack of Coors Light tall boys and we smoked a joint with these 70-year-old people who were like, “It’s so great that you kids are coming to this; we were hippies back in the day.” I completely recognized how incredible that scene was.”

Jeff G., Denver, Colorado, a younger fan on an experience at a more recent show: “I saw Umphrey’s McGee on Halloween in 2008. They did this mashup of “Thriller” and “Another Brick in the Wall.” It was intense. If you’ve not heard these, I HIGHLY Recommend them!”

I guess this post is just my way of saying rest in peace, Michael Jackson, and may your music and its infectious danceability rage on eternally!