More IU music scholars available to discuss life and legacy of Michael Jackson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Tributes continue to celebrate the life of pop star and musical icon Michael Jackson, who died last week (June 25) at the age of 50. Three Indiana University experts on popular music are available to discuss the Indiana native's life and musical legacy.
Creative Commons photo by White House Photo
Michael Jackson during his visit to the White House in 1984
Only Elvis and the Beatles achieved a higher level of superfame
Glenn Gass, a professor at the IU Jacobs School of Music and author of the first for-credit course at any music school or conservatory on the history of rock and roll, said that Michael Jackson was one of the looming figures in pop history. "Only Elvis and the Beatles achieved a greater level of superfame, and in his prime he was a great artist and force of nature, a fact that I am afraid is getting lost in all the other sensationalist news coverage," Gass said.
"The Jackson Five were the last stars of Motown's golden era, and they picked up where the Supremes left off, with a string of No. 1 hits to usher in the '70s. Like the Supremes, their hits were manufactured on Motown's assembly line, but for all the fine-tuning they ultimately depended on a great lead vocal, and Michael Jackson was a true Boy Wonder," Gass added. "Like Frankie Lymon, he sang far beyond his years, vocally and in terms of his musical sensibilities. He was an amazing singer and an important pop idol for young black listeners, but their music -- a seamless mix of pop, soul, funk and R&B -- reached a thoroughly integrated pop audience as well. They were the ultimate fulfillment of Berry Gordy's Motown dream.
"That would be enough for his passing to be a big and sad event, but of course Thriller raised the stakes much higher. The album almost singlehandedly saved the music business -- made records exciting again and brought the baby boomers back into the record stores and black acts onto MTV," Gass said.
"It has been a sad to watch his decline, so similar to watching Elvis self-destruct. They both tried to hard to be what they thought their audience wanted to see -- to be thin, or light-skinned -- and apparently, both died during semi-frantic training for an upcoming tour, and with apparent drug problems. Now Michael will be tabloid fodder like Elvis was, and an entire generation will only remember the freak show aspect of his life, though none of us can begin to understand the pressures that led to it. As time goes by the focus will return to what really matters, the great music and the performer, who was truly spectacular."
Glenn Gass is available at 812-322-4989 and gass@indiana.edu.
Jackson changed the color of American popular music
Portia Maultsby, a professor in IU's Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology and director of the Archives of African American Music and Culture, said, "Michael Jackson changed the color and face of American popular music in the 1980s through his singing, songwriting, chorography, videos and elaborate stage productions. He set new standards for the concept of musician as an entertainer, and he broke racial barriers at MTV in 1983 when his 'Billy Jean,' followed by the 'Beat It' video, became the first (MTV videos) aired by an African American."
Portia Maultsby can be reached at 812-855-9960, 812-855-2708 or maultsby@indiana.edu.
A Motown perspective
Charles Sykes, director of IU's African American Arts Institute and an adjunct professor of folklore and ethnomusicology, developed the first for-credit college course on the Motown Record Corp., offered additional comments in an advisory that was issued Friday (June 26) that is available online at http://newsinfo.iu.edu/tips/page/normal/11255.html. Sykes is available at 812-855-0350 or 812-327-7293 or csykes@indiana.edu.
