Entertainment For Lively Minds
Stop Press: Michael Jackson did not invent dancing.
Posted by Patrick Crowther on 28 June 2009 - 4:26pm.
James Brown had more "AAAOW!" in his big toes than Wacko had in his whole body.
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Early moonwalking...
Here are lots of examples of early moonwalking, or variations on that move. Includes the bloke widely seen as the originator, Bill Bailey, abut 40 seconds in, who just uses it as a way of getting off stage. I like the chef at about 2m46s, though I suspect the illegal use of cooking oil.
SEE ALSO: Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar, moonwalking to "A Night To Remember" on Top of the Pops in 1982: http://tinyurl.com/n3jcn6
Bowie moonwalking in '74
Pop oddity
There's been a lot of talk, from Paul Morley among others, that Michael Jackson invented the "pop spectacular" - which keeps making me think back to Bowie's big shows in the Seventies - his cherry-picker voyages over the crowd and his general attention to imagery and spectacle. I suppose Jackson took it into the video age.
(Disclaimer: I don't usually get involved in who-invented-what arguments, and I'm not sneering at Jackson's achievements. Though after this week I'll need a long break from "Billie Jean").
Tik and Tok
They were brilliant, weren't they? They danced like a robot well before 1984. And if I recall correctly, they moonwalked like greased up bastards.
Tik and Tok
Wow, I'd forgotten them. And to think that nowadays I probably sneer at them as I walk through Covent Garden.
Trivia Quiz: What's the link between Tik and Tok and Tony Blair?
Did Mark Ellen ever play bass for Tik & Tok?
(gets coat)
You'd sneer
at Tony Blair, too?
Tik and Tok and Carole and Cherie and Tony
Tik and Tok were originally in a rock/mime/burlesque troupe (Gawd help us) called SHOCK. Also in SHOCK was Carole Caplin, who would one day become style adviser to Cherie Blair and centre of the "My conman boyfriend can get you some flats in Bristol, no problem" controversy.
Agreed
But he was, quite literally, very good.
Thanks .... similar to my Quincy debate
but with more actual credibility... I mainly wanted to head off the tidal wave of bullshitand over-reaction at the pass...
We all like a Jackson tune ...the moonwalk is funky ... but music did not begin and end with the Wackmeister.
It's sad for his brothers and sisters but most of us had kinda forgotten about him ... if we are to be brutally honest
and those of you suddenly rushing out to buy his records can feck off.
Has anyone actually said..
..that music began and ended with Jackson?.
Nobody on this board would seriously suggest such a thing would they?
I personally think music began and ended with Caravan..but that's me.
..and as shown above, Brown didn't invent rhythmic pop dancing either.
I would never accuse the Massive ...
...of such a crass assertion...but I have heard it more than once in the last few days of media shitstorm...stupid really as most of my anger is aimed at people who'd never read this blog.... maybe I'm just grasping for an Amen brother.
We are told today by some rag that Jackson died in Squalor like a Junkie Tramp.
What the hell is wrong with us?
Amen brother.
Particularly enjoyed 'and those of you suddenly rushing out to buy his records can feck off.'
Nothing wrong with us, Spin..
..it's them..them I tells ya!
Nature often beats us to it...
Wait a minute!
You don't think Mick Jagger ever saw any footage of James Brown, heard any Don Covay records do you...?
From the way he dances and sings?
..No.
It's the old line
about minor artists imitate while great artists steal.
Jackson stole his moves from JB and others but transformed them into something wholly fresh and new
I love the Stones - but some of Jagger's moves and vocal mannerisms from the Surrey delta provide some of their most cringe inducing moments.