RIP Levon Helm

Michael Jackson "King of Pop" 1958-2009

I was at work when I heard the news... Of course I was skeptical to what I was hearing, wasn't he was about to embark on a European tour?

When I was a little kid the movie "Moonwalker" was one of my favorite VHS tapes to watch. My sisters and I loved the music, the music videos, and the outrageous dance moves. Undoubtedly the man who invented the moonwalk deserves a lot of credit.

I guess my last tangible Michael Jackson experience was from the early Richmond days, watching his music video collection on DVD. Lucas owned the DVD, and since we didn't have one miserable channel on our television we'd watch The Man in the Mirror instead. Fond memories looking back on it, though I probably wasn't "thrilled" at the time.

Ah-hee-hee in peace, Michael.

Kurt Cobain RIP - 15 Years Later

Fifteen years ago today, Kurt Cobain, took his life. Hard to think that it's been fifteen years.

I remember watching Kurt Loder interrupt with an MTV news update. I couldn't comprehend at that exact moment what this would mean. For the next couple weeks, my buddy, Adam's older brother locked himself in his room, blasting Nirvana music. I remember thinking, "Man, Jonathan has been in his room a while, huh? Do you think he's been crying this entire time?" Mourning the fallen Grunge King was romantic. "I mean, Kurt's music spoke to me, maaaannnnnn!" sniffle, tear.

We all learned how to play guitar in the following years, courtesy of Kurt's "how-to rock with powerchords" formulas. Learning guitar was a tangible, takeaway, party bonus from being a fan. I can honestly say I have played every Nirvana album song on guitar. My favorite songs to play: Smells Like Teen Spirit, Drain You, Pennyroyal Tea, Heart-Shaped Box.

I doubt middle schoolers today are even able to understand what Kurt, the Anti-Hero, meant to us. Who do they have to look up to? Pete Wentz? Though Kurt was not a positive role model, in the traditional sense, but he taught me a lot. He seemed honest and transparent, though maintained mystery. He contributed to the development of my sense of art, style, weirdness, and integrity; I'm very grateful for that.

Who knows what he'd be doing if he were alive today. I'm pretty sure he would have gone solo, maybe did more acoustic stuff with R.E.M. Maybe he would have followed Neil Young's well worn path?

I still listen to his music today, and when thinking about how I felt fifteen years ago... I miss the comfort in being saaaaaaad.