Sunday, June 28, 2009 | 12:01 a.m. CDT
COLUMBIA — Michael Jackson’s death on Thursday marked the passing of
an American music legend, and his influence hasn't gone unnoticed by
Columbia musicians and DJs.
Scott Walus, a singer and guitarist in the local band Pat Boone’s Farm, said Jackson's "King of Pop" title was well deserved.
“That man was so influential. If you grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s,
you knew how to moonwalk,” Walus said. “In general, it’s hard to find a
musician today that hasn’t at least grown up with a Michael Jackson
tape."
He said much of Jackson’s success came from how he made his music.
“'Thriller,' 'Bad' and 'Dangerous' are all fantastic appropriations
of pop culture," Walus said. "If you listen to these albums, you can
see how versatile he actually was as a songwriter and producer.”
“It was thoughtful pop, well reflective of the musical soundscape of the time,” he added.
Rapper and 2007 MU graduate Ray "Steddy P." Price said he's listened to Michael Jackson's music his entire life.
“I would always stare at my mother’s copy of 'Bad' on tape. It was
probably the first record I embraced and understood,” said Price, who
now lives in Kansas City and still performs in Columbia.
He remembers dancing with his parents to the "Thriller" and "Do You
Remember the Time?" music videos when he was 7 or 8 years old.
Tracy Lane, a former DJ at The Blue Note during the 1980s and '90s,
is also a long-time Jackson fan. The first concert she saw was The
Jackson 5 at the 1974 Missouri State Fair.
"He was this amazing musician who did these things that had never been done before," she said.
All three fans talked about the singer’s eccentric behavior, but preferred to remember his musical career.
“I hope when people think about Michael Jackson they think about him in his prime, not the last 15 years,” Price said.
“We’ll look back historically and see the kid out the window and the
blanket,” Walus said, “but I’ll draw the parallel to Elvis Presley.
There was the 'hunka-hunka' young Elvis, then the fat old Elvis. The
punchline is that everyone remembers how great Elvis was.”
Walus said he thinks that Jackson will remain a popular musician in the future.
Lane also brought up comparisons between Presley and Jackson, saying
her generation will remember Jackson like her mother’s generation
remembers Elvis.
After hearing of the singer’s death, Lane got together with friends
Brent Gardner, who was also a DJ at The Blue Note, Deb Rust and Robin
Ayers to plan a tribute to the singer. Rust and Ayers, who own Tellers
in downtown Columbia, hosted the tribute at the restaurant this past
Friday.
Lane and Gardner are also involved with "Don't Stop 'til You Get
Enough: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Michael Jackson," a
dance party at 9 p.m. Wednesday at The Blue Note. There is no cover
charge for the event.