NEW (OLD) MUSIC THIS WEEK!!!

GNARLS BARKLEY * RUN
Can't buy it any where, but the newest single from Gnarls Barkley is all over the internets. Might I suggest The Hype Machine?! It's like Outkast's B.O.B. in that it's fast and catchy!


MICHAEL JACKSON * THRILLER

Yes, I was four when this album came out and no, I never ever actually owned it. Even when I got older. Why? Because even though I loved Michael Jackson, shit like this managed to scare the ever-lovin-shit out of me!!!



Yeah, yeah...I know there's a million other reasons I should have been scared of Michael Jackson as a kid, but that video singlehandedly fucked up my childhood. Well, Gremlins also did a toll as well...



Don't gimme that shit about it "being a comedy" either. I cried for days after seeing that film. PG MY ASS!!!

...anyway, I'm getting off tack. Thriller was probably the first I'd heard of Michael Jackson, but I was too young to actually buy records (or cassettes) yet, so I just heard "about it" more than listened to it myself. That changed with MTV and music videos. Once I saw "Thriller" I was done. I could handle that Michael Jackson had the ability to fight (or snap at) guys in bars and in the street, and even go as far as to believe certain sections of the sidewalk would light up as he walked over them. But he can change into a werewolf?! Dance with zombies?! Who kept that a secret?! Why must I find out about this shit on my own?!

From then on, it was a double-edged sword. I adored Michael Jackson, but was scared shitless of that video. Even listening to Vincent Price's voice at the begining was enough to make me pee my pants.

One of the worst memories to this very day was the fact that my Mom bought me (and her) tickets to the Jackson 5 World Tour here in Kansas City. It was at Arrowhead Stadium, I remember being down on the field, and NOT needing binoculars to see them up on stage. I was probably 6 (it was 1985...but I don't remember the month) and did awesome for the first half dozen songs...then the stage went black, and you hear the coffin opening and the fog machines start up and I begin screaming and crying as loud as I possibly could. My Mom assured me that it was okay and that there was nothing to be upset about. Just about then, some back-up dancers made their way throughout the crowd and that was it. These damn zombies were going to come and steal me away from my Mother!!! I had to get out of there! And she took me all the way to the gates...trying to get me to calm down and stop crying.

"Can't we just watch it from up here, Travis?" I remember her saying, "Let's just finish watching the concert from up here, and nothing can get you." But no, being the lil' babyhead I was (am) I made her walk through the "gate of no return" and exit out to the parking lot. My Mom spent the rest of the concert sitting in her car, with the window down, listening to the concert. I eventually calmed down and felt awful. My poor Mom bought us tickets and everything, and I had completely ruined the whole evening.

Oh well.

It's been 25 years. Let that sink in for a second. We're getting OLD, people. It's amazing how incredible this album still holds up. "Wanna Be Startin' Something" still makes me shake my moneymaker. I totally forgot that "Beat It" was even on here. (shut it) Billie Jean still makes me want to figure out how to get the sidewalk to light up. It's fun to re-listen to this music again (and not cry or pee myself to sleep.)