Subject: Michael Jackson

• Menomena Photos from October 30's Billiken Club Show

  October 31, 2007

• Petur Ben at the Schlafly Tap Room, Tim Rakel and David Rovics at Black Bear Bakery

  February 8, 2008

• '90s Hip-Hop Jam of the Week: SWV, "Right Here (Human Nature Mix)"

  June 13, 2008

• THROB, THROB

  November 24, 1999

• Show Review Photos Setlist: Fall Out Boy at the Creepy Crawl, Wednesday, December 3

  At the end of a rambling bit of stage banter about Fall Out Boy being known as "emo boys made good" or being a "douchebag pop band," swoop-haired bassist Pete Wentz (who noted that he is/was often on the receiving end of the douchebag tag) said, "We're okay being your guilty pleasure." Slide Show That throwaway quip sums up the appeal of the Chicago quartet to many -- although those who crammed into the Creepy Crawl on Wednesday night were diehards who weren't ashamed of their FOB fandom. (Ru

  December 4, 2008

• It's a Thriller on Broadway for Michael Jackson!

  Via the Associated Press: Producer James L. Nederlander says he has acquired the rights for a stage version of Michael Jackson's iconic music-video spoof of horror films. The show will include songs from two of the pop king's best-selling albums, "Thriller" and "Off the Wall."... "I love the idea of making 'Thriller' a musical. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, boy has big secret, now what?" said Nederlander, head of the company that owns nine Broadway theaters. Not gonna lie, I'm already kind

  January 26, 2009

• Remaking Michael

  Why waste money (or steal) those bogus Thriller remixes when you can get better Michael Jackson reinventions legally — for free? Plus, the history of the classic Harlem Globetrotters song "Sweet Georgia Brown."

  April 9, 2008

• Muppet Gone to Heaven

  Veteran bluesman Bobby Rush charms China, while B-Sides makes a mixtape for Elmo the Muppet’s life.

  January 16, 2008

• Dirty Dozen Brass Band

  December 26, 2007

• Video: Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch Auctions

  You might have heard that Michael Jackson was going to auction off the contents of his Neverland Ranch, but then decided to change his mind at the last second. However! Press in L.A. still had the chance to view the contents of the aborted auction -- and Videothing.com shot video of the contents of the estate. Check out the hilarious video here, and take a look at a slideshow of more curiosities below. Seriously. Erin Broadley

  April 15, 2009

• Tigercity

  October 31, 2007

• Thrill-Seekers Wanted

  October 24, 2007

• Buckin’ Backhoes

  October 17, 2007

• An American (and a Chinese) in Paris

  August 8, 2007

• Capsule Reviews

  Dennis Brown and Deanna Jent suss out local theater

  April 20, 2005

• Critical Fatwa

  Week of October 5, 2005

  October 5, 2005

• Robbie Fulks

  Friday, August 13; the Hi-Pointe

  August 11, 2004

• Remembrances of Backspins Past

  A breakdance battle is Radar Station's madeleine

  June 2, 2004

• Karaoke

  It isn't just for losers anymore

  November 26, 2003

• What's the Rudest Thing Anyone Has Said to You?

  Week of May 14, 2003

  May 14, 2003

• Man in the Mirror

  Michael Jackson proves he's even weirder than we imagined

  February 19, 2003

• Guilty Pleasures

  Nobody has the right to judge you for your secret musical kinks -- but everyone will

  December 18, 2002

• Bang the Drum All Weekend

  March 6, 2002

• Do You Need or Want Plastic Surgery on Any Part?

  July 11, 2001

• A Post-Poster World

  December 9, 1998

• Thriller Night at the Bookstore, or How I Met Michael Jackson

  flickr.com/photos/15373713@N06I must begin this story with a confession: I was probably the only kid in the 80s who didn't like Michael Jackson. Definitely the only kid at my school. (This was verified by a poll.) I listened to my friends' copies of Thriller and it did not move me.Part of this was a proto-hipster attitude: If it was embraced by the masses, it couldn't possibly be any good. Part of this was the fact that my own favorite record at the time -- which I still have -- was a reco

  June 26, 2009

• Show Review: The Avett Brothers and Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers at the Pageant, Thursday, June 25

  BY KATIE MOULTON The Avett Brothers barnstormed the Pageant last night and lead a stomping jubilee with its genre-razing folk-punk. Fronted by string-snapping multi-instrumentalist brothers Seth and Scott Avett, the band destroyed any notion of traditional or roots music with a raucous set where even the ballads blistered. Drawing mostly from its four albums since 2006, including many crowd-favorites from 2007's Emotionalism, the band twisted up pretty acoustic picking, powerful harmonizing a

  June 26, 2009

• Remembering Michael Jackson

  (Picture snapped tonight at Vintage Vinyl. I asked Matt Harnish if they had any Michael Jackson left. "Nope!" he exclaimed. I'm unsurprised. Other record stores in town -- have any MJ left?) Annie ZaleskiAs a child growing up in the '80s, there was no question that you liked Michael Jackson. It was just a given, a constant, something that was assumed. His hits - and that included nearly everything on Thriller, his duets with Paul McCartney and a slew of songs from Bad - were a part of you

  June 26, 2009

• R.I.P. Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

  Although TMZ.com reported this news quite a bit ago, the Los Angeles Times just confirmed via sources that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has died at the age of 50. Jackson reportedly went into cardiac arrest earlier today and was rushed to the hospital. CNN and the LAT reported that Jackson was in a coma. I really have no words right now. [Update, 6;15 p.m. DJ Trackstar posted a link to a Michael Jackson soulful mix by DJ Jaycee. Go snag it.] [Update, 7:15 p.m. Rob H

  June 25, 2009

• More Michael Jackson Coverage: Funky Butt Brass Band Covers "I Want You Back," Old Village Voice Stories, Filipino Prisoners Pay Tribute to MJ, Etc.

  The Michael Jackson tributes continue rolling in, both locally and nationally.*The Village Voice raided its archives and typed up a bunch of stories about MJ and the Jackson 5, which can be found here.*My colleagues in Houston and Nashville weighed in on memories involving MJ with Mick Jagger and E.T., respectively.*KDHX's blog has a King of Pop remembrance from Steve Pick and a video from the Funky Butt Brass Band covering "I Want You Back."*And finally, the same Philippine jail that's revolut

  June 29, 2009

• An ode to Michael Jackson; plus, NeighborhoodScout tells us who's bad

  July 1, 2009

• Michael Jackson Tribute Spin at Vintage Vinyl, Thursday, July 2

  From Vintage Vinyl: Vintage Vinyl welcomes DJ Needles & friends on Thursday, July 2nd, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. for a very special Michael Jackson tribute spin at Vintage Vinyl outdoors underneath the store marquee. DJ Needles and friends will be playing jams from Michael's entire musical career. Expect to hear the classic singles as well as some of the best album tracks that didn't get the proper recognition the first time out as we highlight Michael's musical accomplishments. Come out t

  June 30, 2009

• Michael Jackson Watched Donald Duck to Fall Asleep, Exercised with Incredible Hulk

  You getting sleepy, quack?I'm really not that obsessed with Michael Jackson's death (honestly!) but an Associated Press story yesterday about the pop star was just odd -- even for a man once rumored to be in the market for the bones of Elephant Man.The AP interviewed Jackson's personal nurse and nutritionist, Cherilyn Lee, who told of the entertainer's chronic insomnia and bizarre sleep rituals. Lee says that Jackson wanted her to supply him with the powerful, intravenous sedative Diprivan. Lee

  July 1, 2009

• Aaron's Thing of the Week - 1st July, 2009: But Wait, There's More!

  I found myself getting more than a little choked up last week over the death of Michael Jackson. Whatever the man may have been- and some of those things are certainly awful- he was the biggest thing in the world when I was growing up. I had a red leather jacket covered in zippers when I was five. I practiced for hours learning to moonwalk. In short, I was like pretty much every other kid who grew up in the '80s. I wanted to be Michael Jackson. But then, just a few days later, I was surpris

  July 1, 2009

• Last Week's Most Popular Daily RFT Posts, June 29-July 5, 2009

  If you missed any of these items posted last week on the Daily RFT -- or were like some of us and just checked-out for the holidays by Monday -- here's your chance to catch up before you have to do any real work this morning.Michael Jackson Watched Donald Duck to Fall Asleep, Exercised with Incredible Hulk"I'm really not that obsessed with Michael Jackson's death (honestly!) but an Associated Press story yesterday about the pop star was just odd -- even for a man once rumored to be in the market

  July 6, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of June 29-July 5

  Every Monday, A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Vintage Vinyl 1. WILCO: Wilco (The Album) 2. MICHAEL JACKSON: Thriller 3. MICHAEL JACKSON: Off The Wall 4. MICHAEL JACKSON: Essential Michael Jackson 5. MICHAEL JACKSON: Bad 6. MICHAEL JACKSON: Dangerous 7. MICHAEL JACKSON: Number Ones 8. MICHAEL JACKSON: Thriller - 25th Anniver

  July 6, 2009

• Video: Michael Jackson Tribute Spin at Vintage Vinyl

  Dropped by the Vintage Vinyl Michael Jackson tribute spin last Thursday. A good-sized crowd milled around in the aisles, many of them dancing and grooving to the hits being thrown down by DJ Needles and crew. What stood out is the music -- you don't really realize how many hits (scratch that: killer hits) Jackson had, until hearing them mixed together. The video I shot below isn't the greatest, but it does capture the atmosphere of the store quite well.The MJ memorial is in LA today. Randy Rober

  July 7, 2009

• Fred Durst Honors Michael Jackson

  Who can we count on most to honor the King of Pop? Why, Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, of course. Via his Yfrog/Twitter account:

  July 8, 2009

• Match Points: Readers chew on Match meat and tea parties

  July 15, 2009

• Susan Cowsill

  July 15, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of July 13-July 19

  Every Monday, A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Apop Records 1. DINOSAUR JR: Farm* 2. DEERHUNTER: Rainwater Cassette Exchange 3. BONE AWL: Not For Our Feet 4. SUNN O))): Monoliths & Dimensions 5. SIX FINGER SATELLITE: Half Control 6. CURRENT 93: Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain 7. SIR RICHARD BISHOP: Freak of Araby 8. WOLD: I

  July 20, 2009

• Your Wake-Up Call: Baseball Boogie

  Because  it's 7:00 a.m. I'm still a bit slap-happy, I present you this atrocious music video featuring the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers. That's former Cardinals outfielder Pedro Guerrero rapping at minute 1:05. In Espanol and English, tooWe're going to get down A little just  for youNote: Check out the fake Michael Jackson early on in the video.

  July 21, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of July 20-July 26

  Every Monday, A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Vintage Vinyl:1. MAXWELL: BLACKsummers'night2. MICHAEL JACKSON: Thriller3. MICHAEL JACKSON: Essential Michael Jackson4. MICHAEL JACKSON: Number Ones5. MICHAEL JACKSON: Bad6. MICHAEL JACKSON: Dangerous7. MICHAEL JACKSON: Vol. 1: Greatest Hits8. WILCO: Wilco (The Album)* 9. MICHAEL

  July 27, 2009

• A to Z Letterbox: Michael Jackson Hate Mail

  You know, we don't get a ton of dead-tree letters around these parts anymore, what with anyone able to fire off a comment on this blog quicker than they can find a stamp and a mailbox. But I did receive one yesterday that was too good not to share. Click on the image and enlarge it to read why one Richard C. Gunter did not like my piece on Michael Jackson.​

  July 29, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of July 27-August 2

  Every Monday (Tuesday this week -- sorry, Warped Tour), A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Euclid Records 1. SON VOLT: American Central Dust 2. WILCO: Wilco (The Album)* 3. LEVON HELM: Electric Dirt 4. FIERY FURNACES: I'm Going Away 5. MATTHEW SWEET/SUSANNA HOFFS: Under the Covers, Vol. 2 6. REGINA SPEKTOR: Far 7. DIRTY PROJEC

  August 4, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of August 3-9

  Every Monday A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Vintage Vinyl 1. K-JON---I Get Around 2. MAXWELL---BLACKsummers'night* 3. MICHAEL JACKSON---Thriller 4. MICHAEL JACKSON---Off The Wall 5. MODEST MOUSE---No One's First, And You're Next 6. DJ CD---Hard On The Streets 7. DEAD WEATHER---Horehound 8. MICHAEL JACKSON---Vol. 1: Greates

  August 10, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of August 10-16

  Every Monday A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Euclid Records 1. Bottle Rockets: Lean Forward* 2. Wilco: Wilco The Album* 3. Son Volt: American Central Dust 4. Matthew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs: Under The Covers Volume 2 5.Willie Nelson: Lost Highway* 6. Yim Yames (Jim James) Tribute To George Harrison 7. Green Day: 21rst Cen

  August 17, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of August 17-23

  Every Monday, A to Z publishes the best-selling releases from area independent record stores from the preceding week. An asterisk after an album name indicates that the act is coming to town. And so without further ado: Apop Records 1. Faust -- C'est Com...Com...Complique 2. Voivod -- Infini 3. Faust -- So Far 4. Russian Tsarlag -- Open Casket 5. Crocodiles -- Summer of Hate* 6. Silvester -- Anfang Silvester Anfang 2 7. Cacaw -- Get A Brain 8. V/A: Porno Groove The Sound of 70s Adult Fil

  August 24, 2009

• Top Sellers at Area Record Stores: Week of October 26 - November 1

  Euclid Records 1. Rosanne Cash - The List 2. Jay Farrar/Ben Gibbard - One Fast Move Or I'm Gone 3. Swell Season - Strict Joy* 4. REM - Live At The Olympia 5. OST - Where The Wild Things Are 6. Tegan And Sara - Sainthood* 7. Chuck Prophet - Let Freedom Ring 8. Michael Jackson - This Is It 9. Flaming Lips - Embryonic 10. Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

  November 3, 2009

• This is It? King of Pop goes out with a whimper

  November 4, 2009