helterskelter.ca

JACKSON, Michael
1982 - Thriller.
1987 - Bad.
more JACKSON, Michael.
way more Helter Skelter.

November 30, 1982 - 2022: 40 years of: Thriller.

Intentionally designed to dominate ...domination ensued !

Michael's 9 million+ US-sales of 1979's Off The Wall LP, was a burning disco glitter-bomb that went from Motown to your town. At the dawn of a new era, the 80s, Michael Jackson would dictate the pace.

The hip fly-high "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" kick things off with a bang. Pop-disco, hip bass-line and that soul flair ...the ending coda is worth the price of admission alone. Young Michael commands with an iron hand in a rhinestone-glove. Love oozes on "Baby Be Mine" and the overdriven "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)". The solid drum-beat and keyboard overlay let's the slick and top-player "Billie Jean" assault every nerve, everytime.

Take a walk into darkness.

"Thriller" ...the unofficial Halloween track celebration. The immortal one brings forth the immortal track of all immortal-tracks. Air-tight grasping rhythms, NYC-delivered rap and the voice of death-incarnated ...Mister Vincent Price. A cryptic hit you could dance to was also a hit you could watch. John Landis (Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf In London, Twilight Zone) produced, this is a mini-movie with mega-implication, the matching long-version video would change the modus-operandi of this new format: music-videos. It is safe to say that 82% of the world-population have seen this clip and is aware of the dawning possibility of line-dancing corpses in a foggy midnight back-alley.

Quincy Jones strikes again.

The wall-moving rock rhythm-guitars of "Beat It" and decisive vocal-delivery is a sure shot. Let's electrify this one to 11. On guest lead-guitar, the hottest player around Edward Van Halen adds muscle and dazzles the mind with his finger-bending acrobatics. For a moment in time, Michael is now tempting hard rocknroll.

Another heavenly collaboration.

A power-ballad way before the term was even commercially used. The ultimate heartfelt "The Girl Is Mine" is a beautiful FM-destined hit, with FM-crafted esthetics. A gigantic 3:42sec trade-off duo featuring the gigantic singer / bassist / writer / performer / visionary / BEATLES ...Sir Paul !

The Thriller LP rapidly became not only iconic, but pushed the artist into unimaginable stardom. From MTV, to Pepsi Cola, to The White House, to We Are The World, the 1980s were now official ... pop-culture was now Jacksoned. From various merchandise to Stadium tours, the global phenomenon was instant and addictive. On the road, Michael invited his family along for the ride, one - last - time: the 1984 Victory Tour of the JACKSON 5.

The Thriller LP: #1 Chart-topping in many countries, numbers don't lie:

The Thriller LP: a staggering grand total of 70 million+ combined worldwide-sales ...commercially the best selling-album of all-time.

Winner of 8 Grammy Awards, from boy to men and from Jheri curls to fancy Fedoras, the almighty King Of Pop would later get down and dirty in 1987 and moonwalk his way to rougher looks and street-attitude ...from good to Bad !

*
Billie Jean = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_XLOBDo_Y
Beat It = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0
Thriller = long-version video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA
Thriller = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uj3zitETs4&list=PLI4I12TxwyJQTPcrXEjmNK-j7FQ5q9vmI
Interview in 1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2WclC-UubY
Live at Motown 25 in 1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlnqu2W7S18
Pepsi and The Jacksons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po0jY4WvCIc
Live Victory Tour in Toronto in 1984
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJN_1uxT8JE
Beat It live with Eddie Van Halen in 1984
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T7FshbrVik

August 28, 1987 - 2022: 35 years of: Bad.

How can you top history's best selling record ?
How can you top history's best single ever ?
How can you top being the world's most renown artist ?
Challenge accepted ...The King Of Pop revamped ...he's not good, he's bad !

After 1982's game-changer Thriller LP and 1985's We Are The World global unifying single, the most famous Jackson bites back at critics and pop-culture itself.

Biker look ? ...why not ! 1987's L.A. hardrock scene was all leather and studs so let's shake things up, and with a pelvic thrust, brush away the nice guy stigmata from the JACKSON 5 era.

The four initial punches from the opening "Bad" single sends lethal shockwaves deep within the Earth's core. There is a funk vibe and underground black cloud over this cut as Michael ascent with his authoritarian vocal delivery. Hip bass grooves and overlaid back-vocals, "Bad" presents a confident artists, in a crowded scene. One song, one call and all doubt's fades away, as Jackson humps on top of the world and once again dictates the scene in an iron glove. The 18min long-form video mini-movie takes hints from the NYC breakdance and brewing hiphop movement.

The lovely rock-ballad "Man In The Mirror" is a fine gospel crescendo, whereas the addictive crunch of "Just Good Friends" and the still fan-favorite "Smooth Criminal", sends ice-cold chills with it's hypnotic melodies and bass-rhythms.

The hardrock vibe of "Dirty Diana" features the electrified six-strings of Steve Stevens, while the lady-hunting "The Way You Make Me Feel" is another hard dry cut piece that redefines Jackson. The low-rider flair of "Speed Demon" displays more heaviness just like the final piece, the appropriately titled "Leave Me Alone" ...about the press and tabloid's gung-ho tactics.

Once again, master visionary producer Quincy Jones is at the helm, to finalize the immortal Jackson trilogy of 1979's Off The Wall LP and 1982's Thriller LP. Step aside George Michael, step aside INXS, step aside MADONNA and step aside the BANGLES ...Michael Jackson, the kid of show-business is now Michael Jackson the man of show-business.

RIAA-certified 11x Platinum, Bad is an astonishing accomplishment. Somewhat a bit short from Thriller's 34x Platinum universal take-over, but still, the King was on top of the pop food-chain and you just couldn't look away. Touring the globe with the help of Pepsi Cola, filling arenas and stadiums, as well as, pushing the limits of record-sales and MTV's modus-operandi, with the LP's many lavish promo videos. So hot that the 1988 Moonwalker documentary-concept was issued, to support the Bad world-tour.

The King Of Pop would return with a badder attitude, on his Dangerous CD, in the tide-changing to-be grunge infested Autumn 1991.

"You knock me off of my feet now baby, wooooooooooooh !!!"

RIP Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

*
Bad (long) = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd4SJVsTulc
Speed Demon = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l039y9FaIjc
The Way You Make Me Feel = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzZ_urpj4As
Smooth Criminal = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4
Leave Me Alone = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crbFmpezO4A
Bad = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Ncnh5dcJU&list=PL2dGD_SYpaj4r8ZRiwkOP5Bvvg8FWHMEf
Interview in 1987
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hARxBrSsa8
Live at Wembley in 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9shByOh8fVE
Moonwalker = full VHS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lupV92XLiXI

more JACKSON, Michael:

Night Of The Living Dead
&

We Are The World
&

Poprock 85-89