Castle Shima

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
-- James Taylor

Death has been in news alot lately. David Carradine. Iran. Ed McMahon. Iran. Farrah Fawcett. Ir.. Wait! Michael Jackson?!

Yes, the King of Pop died today. Despite his truly strange antics, he did leave an imprint on the music industry and the world. His influence spanned across people and artists for generations.

There were video games made after him. His videos became a standard for future artists. Does anyone remember Captain Eo? How about the Filipino prison dance crew that danced to Thriller? The cover of Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm is absolutely brilliant. The man became a parody for shows such as Mad TV and Family Guy. Jackson even played a part in the career of one Wierd Al Yankovic, who became well known after making parodies such as Eat It and Fat.

Lets face it. He'll be up there in the tabloids and soon, he will be sighted in a 7-Eleven grabbing a Slushee with Elvis. Then Vegas will be over-run with Michael impersonators, doing weddings and bar mitzvahs.

So instead of the typical tribute song, I opted for something slightly different. Here is a little music reflecting Jackson's influence, not only in the lyrics, but also in the fact that same guy, Wierd Al, directed the video.

Rockin' The Suburbs by Ben Folds


Tomorrow, it will be back to more serious business such as Iran and Korea. For now, its just a trip down memory lane and our little point in history.