It is always discouraging to encounter people who make no effort to appreciate, or even listen to, any kind of new music. They say none of it is any good and imply that everything was great in the past.
It wasn’t. There has been wonderful music and terrible music in every era.
Society has changed much in recent decades and standards are generally lower. Mega-talents on the level of Jackie Wilson, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, etc., are few and far between today.
I would have to say that my “super favorites” remain the Supremes, the Manhattan Transfer, the Beatles, Prince, Tina Turner, Dinah Washington, Jeffrey Osborne, the Clara Ward Singers and other veterans.
However, I am also very fond of Ne-Yo, the Black Eyed Peas, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Monica, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Christina Aguilera, Usher, John Legend, Chris Brown and others. I even like Eminem.
“The current state of music is the same as it ever was,” wrote David Fricke, a senior writer for Rolling Stone magazine. “There is the good and the bad, and there’s plenty of the former, if you are willing to seek it out.”
Looking at music through rose- colored glasses is counterproductive. The oldies and classics are special, worthy of our undying love, but that is no reason to refuse to open the door that leads to appreciation of other sounds and other artists.
REBBIE (MAUREEN) JACKSON (married name: Brown) recently made a painful acknowledgment about her beloved brother, Michael.
“My brother had a problem with drugs, and he was in denial,” said Jackson. “There were many interventions by family members. It was such a sad thing and it hurt so bad.”
By the way, Rebbie, who had a Top 10 hit in 1984 with “Centipede,” produced and written by Michael, is performing again. She also had hits with “Reaction” and “Plaything.”
I have always loved “Centipede,” but never understood what the lyrics mean.
Hard to believe but true: Saddam Hussein, tyrant president of Iraq, 1979-2003, received the key to the City of Detroit in 1980. It was for donating money to a Chaldean church. Coleman Young was mayor at the time.
Rapper/actress Eve’s next album will be titled “Lip Lock.” (Well, that’s different!)
Mo’Nique’s brother, Gerald Imes, made himself look even worse on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Some time ago Mo’Nique went public with having been sexually molested many times as a girl by her brother, whom she feared. She wanted to bring it out in the open to help other girls and women who had or are having the same horrendous experience.
Imes had to audacity to say, “Most of the time the abuse took place while she was asleep or it appeared that she was sleep.”
As if that lessens the offense!
IN LAST WEEK’S column we told you about Anita Baker saying there would be a number of surprises on her next album. Well, believe it or not, one of them will come by way of Baker’s remake of “Give Me Your Love,”written and first recorded by Curtis Mayfield and a big hit for Barbara Mason in 1972.
Baker’s rendition will feature a rap by Snoop Dogg!
Wow, not sure what to think about that! Baker should be praised for trying something new, but some will surely say this is pandering. Still, I am looking forward to hearing it.
Interesting quote from legendary crooner Billy Eckstine: “Don’t take the talent God gave you and think that will carry you through. You have to learn how to use it technically. Work at the technical and you will find longevity.”
Rap star Common’s next album, expected to be released in the fall, is being co-produced by Kanye West. Let’s hope West’s over-the-top ego doesn’t rub off on Common.
Adam Lambert’s “Glam Nation Tour” starts June 4, covering 15 cities. His opening act is fellow “American Idol” finalist Allison Iraheta. The show comes to the Royal Oak Music Theatre on June 18.
Speaking of touring, Whitney Houston should cease from doing so until she is again vocally capable. The regular vocal failures have become embarrassing.
One song lyric that always amuses me is from Janet Jackson, featured in “This Time,” a song from several albums back. Janet confronts the cheating boyfriend, accusing him of “runnin’ ’round with those nasty hoes.” What makes the song almost surreal is that it features an opera solo by the great Kathleen Battle. (She, too, found the line amusing.)
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that in 1979, Elton John had an R&B flavored hit titled “Mama Can’t Buy You Love,” featuring background vocals by the Spinners.
MEMORIES: “Kiss and Say Goodbye” (the Manhattans), “Ready For Your Love” (Chapter 8), “Hurt So Bad” (Little Anthony & the Imperials), “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” (the Emotions), “Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)” (Chaka Khan), “I Feel Good All Over” (Stephanie Mills), “Lost in Love” (New Edition), “Needle in a Haystack” (the Velvelettes), “Twenty-Five Miles” (Edwin Starr).
BLESSINGS to Sherrod Calvin, Annette Calvin, Robin Larkin, Milton Larkin, Antoinette Vinson, Gene Vinson, J. “Skeek” Munger, Craig Monroe, Rhonda Hite, Stager Horton, Wanda Horton and Mary Grace Wilbert.
WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Alan Cohen: “Truth keeps showing up. You can ignore it, deny it, stifle it, twist it, cover it up, pervert it, misuse it and outlaw it, but it keeps coming back. You can’t stop it.”
Let the music play!
(Steve Holsey can be reached at Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.)