My Theory of Evolution ( #IWSG & #BOTB Results)

       I didn't start out my writing life as one of a million monkeys with a typewriter, but as a regular ol' kid with a number 2 pencil and some lined notebook paper.  No monkeys in my family tree as far as I'm concerned though a few of us have been known to monkey around...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 

Co-hosts for the November 7 posting of the IWSG are Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Ann V. Friend, JQ Rose, and Elizabeth Seckman--be sure to stop by their blogs to thank them.

November 7 question - How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

      Since I've been writing as far back as the third grade, my creative life has grown along with my life in general.   I began thinking in musical terms as I began writing poetry and songs.  I played violin in the school orchestra.   I learned to juggle and joined our family juggling act.  Experience has been my greatest teacher.  A curiosity about life and the world around me evolved into a quest to create

       Writing certainly did not set off my creative life, however writing became an integral part of my creative life.  The ability to express myself through written word opened up a whole new world of imagination, communication, and analysis.  I welcomed most writing projects in school when others dreaded the idea.  In my spare off-school time I would often turn to writing as well as reading. I imagined myself as a writer early on.

        Maybe it would be more accurate to say that my writing evolved in tandem with my creative life.  Writing has just been one part of the creative side of me.  It has been but one of the many things that I am.  

Battle of the Bands Results

        This most recent Battle put Michael Jackson against Willie Nelson with the old ballad "All the Things You Are".   From the outset I figured that Willie would pretty well out-distance Michael in the final vote count, but I wasn't concerned about a shut-out for this match because I was sure there would be a few who don't care much for Willie Nelson's vocals.  I was right.  No shut-out and actually not a horrible outcome for the late King of Pop.

        Since "All the Things You Are" is one of those songs that I like a great deal, I had been planning on using it for quite some time.  Finding the unique disco take by Michael Jackson cinched that choice as one for me to use since it was new to me and I quite frankly liked it.   Still Willie does the song the way I think it should be done and does it exquisitely.  I've got to join in with the majority and cast my vote for Willie.

Final Vote Tally

Michael Jackson       5

Willie Nelson           16

Next Battle of the Bands on Thursday November 15th

          I'm doing a special NANO tribute post for my upcoming Battle of the Bands face-off.   This one will be a bit quirky and a Battle that I think you'll have some fun with.

         

      Did you enjoy writing when you were in school?   Which of your talents have you honed the most in your life?   What would you most want to be known for at the end of your days in this world?  

All the Things You Are (#BOTB)

        There are so many things in life that we might dream of being.  On Halloween we can be some of those things for a fantasy fun time.  Sometimes the fun gets lost in the fantasy...

Sloppy the Clown Mask
from Morris Costumes

All the Things We've Been

       Another Halloween gone by and I hope yours was okay.  I've tended to mostly ignore Halloween since I stopped working in the business.  But the event of Halloween had a good run through my childhood.  I dressed up every year until high school and made my rounds candy gathering.  I was good at that sport, reaping a stash that would always last until the day after Thanksgiving.  On that Friday I'd either eat up whatever was left (and typically not much good was left by then) and then I'd dump the rest unceremoniously.

        Over the years we've seen so many costumes come and go as well as the traditional favorites that have likely been around for decades.  My mother usually bought us the packaged costumes.  One of my better costumes was the one I wore in 1962 when I was 11 years old.  My mother was in the hospital giving birth to my brother, Jeff, so my sister and I had to put together homemade costumes.  She used some old dance clothes and went as a ballerina.  I patched together some old clothes and hoop earrings and went as a pirate complete with facial hair drawn on with an eyebrow pencil.   Looking at a photo taken by a neighbor, I must say that my sister and I looked rather professionally costumed--far better than those prepackaged jobs we'd always gotten in previous years.

        It's not surprising to me that I eventually went into entertaining on stage and later managed a costume company.  I've played a lot of roles in my life, but we all do wouldn't you say?   Each day we can appear in different ways to different people.  Sometimes pretending just seems to be the way things are.  Some of us do our pretending with our writing.  With NANO now upon us there will likely be a lot of mental role playing as participants write (or attempt to write) their novels.

         What are your roles?   Who will you be tomorrow?   Or maybe we should just listen to a song about a more metaphoric, poetic way to look at this question...

Battle of the Bands 

Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some blogs there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle on the 1st of the month.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

All the Things You Are

         This Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein tune was originally written for the mostly now forgotten 1939 musical Very Warm for May.  This is the most well known song from this "lost musical" having appeared in a few subsequent films and recorded by a myriad of artists over the years.  Unique in its melody and chord progression, the song has become a true jazz and pop standard.

        "All the Things You Are" is another of those haunting melody songs that I have heard and loved since I was a child.   My BOTB post of a year ago today was another similar type song, "Where or When" which was from the 1937 musical Babes in Arms.   Sadly, songwriters of recent times don't seem to write as many melodies such as these songs. 

          For this Battle I've chosen relatively recent versions by two very well known artists.  Who wins for you?  I have a feeling how this will turn out, but I'm almost always surprised by the outcomes of these Battles.   Take a listen to both and tell us who you like the best...
     

Michael Jackson  "All the Things You Are"  (1973)

         This recording comes against a visual backdrop of earlier live performances by MJ and his brothers before he became the "King of Pop" serving as a reminder of a more innocent but still immense talent that Michael Jackson was.  This version gets a lively injection of disco pop sound which might just get you to dancing in your seats...





Willie Nelson  "All the Things You Are"  (1994?)

        Slowing things down more in keeping with the original versions of the song, this video comes from a live performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.   I'm not sure about the exact date, but I'm guessing he was promoting the album that featured this song and that one came out in 1994.  With lush orchestration and Willie's expressive vocals, this rendition of the song might instill a reverie filled with memories or it might bore you to death.  You'll have to decide and let us know...





Time to Vote!

       With elections coming up this is a good opportunity to get in voting practice while having fun.  What's your favorite between these two choices? Which song version do you like best? You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

         Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Angel's Bark  

Debbie Doglady's Den

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside



Winner of this Battle Announced Wednesday November 7th

       Not only will the winner of the above Battle be announced next Wednesday, but I'll also be submitting my contribution to The Insecure Writer's Support Group.  Best of luck to all of you who will be participating in NANO.  I've chosen not to be a part of this once again, but that's become a tradition with me--not participating.  

        Are you doing NANO this year?   Did you dress up for Halloween?  Do you like to fantasize about living a life other than what you're living now?  What would that be?  

Who Killed Michael Jackson?

Statue of Michael Jackson in Eindhoven, the Netherlands (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It's better to burn out

Than to fade away

My my, hey hey.

~~Neil Young

      Do you think that Michael Jackson's doctor was responsible for the death of the King of Pop?  Was concert promoter AIG at fault?  Can we blame the fans and the press who pervaded every aspect of his life?  Or is Michael Jackson himself to blame?  Maybe he isn't dead at all and has faded away into seclusion.

       Michael Jackson was one of the greatest talents of the 20th century, but somehow something broke in his life.   If he had played his life shrewdly he could have had the public in his power instead of becoming an object of spectacle to all and ridicule to many.  Then again, maybe the man boy facade was his defense mechanism and he was just a puppet with strings pulled by others.

        If Michael had lived but disappeared from public scrutiny to live a normal quiet life, would he eventually had been forgotten?   After all, some celebrities have become bigger in death than they might have been if they had continued to live.  It's doubtful that Michael Jackson could ever have attained normalcy and seclusion, but one might ponder what could have happened if his life had turned out differently.

I want your love
But I don't want to borrow
To have it today to give it back tomorrow
~~Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn (from "Love Me or Leave Me)

          You probably remember what happened to Ruth Etting.   Oh-- "Who's she?" most of you are probably thinking.   She made the song "Love Me or Leave Me" a smash hit back in the late 1920's.  For a decade or so she was a huge star on Broadway, in the movies, on records, and on the radio.  Then there was some scandal and she basically disappeared and faded away to die in Colorado Springs in 1978 at age 81.  She was a darling to the public for a period and essentially a non-entity to most of us today.

          Could something similar have happened to Michael Jackson if he'd lived?

The king is dead, the king is dead

Long live the king.

~~Elton John (via Traditional proclamation of succession of monarchies)

          We've seen many idols fall over the years--James Dean, Elvis, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain.   Every generation has its own fallen idols.   Now many memories live on for the most part due to strong marketing and the legacy left behind on film and in recordings.  There is money to made even after a celebrity passes on.  Maybe more money than they would have made if they had lived.  We can only speculate about the potential power these fallen idols could have wielded if they'd played the power game of their puppet masters.  


There's more to the picture

Than meets the eye.

Hey hey, my my.

~~Neil Young

      I'll admit I'm being a bit tricky in this post.   The real point of all this is that it's part of the game I'm playing.  Sure, I'm asking some legitimate questions and raising serious points, but this post is also a ruse to offer some clues for my upcoming Battle of the Bands post.

        My next Battle of the Bands post will appear this Saturday March 1st.  That's a special posting day for this blog and I hope you'll all stop by to hear the song versions I'm competing.  It's more fun when I have more voters.  It's easy.  I give you two versions of one song and you vote for your favorite.

          Today's post is one giant clue to my song choice for the next Battle.   A more specific clue is that none of the artists that I've mentioned or quoted in this current post have song versions in the battle.  This is actually a very tough clue post that I would expect few to catch unless you're a fan of British music of the 60's and then you might just catch what I'm alluding to.   More clues to come in my next post.

         Who do you think is really most responsible for Michael Jackson's death?   Do you think he was a victim of his fame?   What entertainment celebrity who has died do you miss the most?    Are you a Ruth Etting fan?    Do you have any idea what song I've chosen for the next Battle?

Related articles

• The Top Ten Dead Celebrities Still Earning Money
• Darlene Love: '20 Feet From Stardom'
• Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 100 Best Singers List
• The Jews (khazars) Behind Michael Jackson's Life and Death
• AEG Lawyer: Blame Michael Jackson For His Death, Not Us
• Michael Jackson Will Be Even More Famous In Death
• Photos: Michael Jackson Earned $160M, More Than Living Pop Stars

Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT!

          Some of us probably remember when the Jackson 5 first came on the scene.  The five young fellows from Gary, Indiana hit the charts with their peppy Motown sound and with bright dress styles and in sync choreography.  From the start the focus was on Michael, the cute lead singer with the captivating smile. We knew he was pretty good.  Then, with talents like Diana Ross and Quincy Jones there to mentor him, we saw his acting, dancing, and solo singing abilities and realized he was a star.  But when Michael slammed the pop music world with the huge selling album Thriller everyone could plainly see the man was a genius.  He had deservedly become the "King of Pop".

         I don't want to argue anything about what happened to Michael Jackson after the 80's or why he became the Wacko Jacko character of tabloid notoriety.  Whatever happened to him is a sad story to be told elsewhere and is certainly part of what caused his demise. Today I want to recognize Michael's last great contribution to his legacy as a great pop performer and the great film that has been left as a testimony to his genius.

       THIS IS IT! is a milestone in concert film making.  Though technically not a concert film, nevertheless it serves as history's record of a concert tour that never happened and a concert that may have been one of the greatest of our time.  In the film we see rehearsal footage of some of Michael Jackson's greatest hits as they are readied for the massive stage production that was to set out on a world tour.  This film is proof that Jackson was in top form at the time of his death and that he had assembled a top notch array of entertainment that would have blown us away.

          In the film, we see many aspects of Michael the entertainer, the craftsman, and the idol who cared about his cast, crew, and fans.   We watch as he works with the dancers, the musicians, the singers, and even the stage crew as they put together what would have been a most amazing show.  This is a fascinating behind the scenes look at what goes into putting a giant production such as this together.  We watch Michael working with his excellent musicians as they hone the arrangements of the songs.  We see Michael following the progress of filmmakers and effects artists who are assembling the stunning visuals that will make the show a dazzling sight to behold.  Michael is documented as he is hands on with every phase of the production.

         But in the end it's all about the man and his music--and what great music it is.  The sound quality on the DVD was excellent as it came through my surround-sound system.  At times you get the rehearsal cuts with stops and starts, but then you get the full songs just like they would have sounded in concert.  The back up band is hot and the dancers tear the stage up. We may not have gotten to see the actual concert, but this DVD gets you pretty close to what it would have been like.

          The world missed out on one great concert tour when we lost Michael Jackson.  If the tour had gone as planned, I'm quite sure there would have been a concert film made of it.  The superb cinematography and sound in the rehearsal film attests to the fact that they were getting it all down for the record.  What we see in THIS IS IT!  may have eventually ended up as a making of documentary film or maybe just extras on the DVD of the concert film, but thank goodness someone had the foresight to film as much as they did.

        THIS IS IT! , in my opinion, ranks as one of the best music films ever.  We are reminded of what it was that made us love Michael Jackson in the first place.  We see the talented human being that he really was and not the bizarre figure of media sensationalism.  This is the Michael Jackson that I want to remember.

What Are You Gonna Be For Halloween?

          Halloween is the time when you can be something other than who you normally are.  Of course, many of you will, like me, not dress up and just be your usual self.  On the other hand, many adults will be dressing up just like the kids will.  Halloween is a great time to live out your fantasy, blow off some steam, and have a good time.  If you are one of those who will be donning costume for Halloween, who or what are you going to be?

           According to many industry prognosticators, the most popular costumes will be witches and vampires.  Well, duh, who needs to tell us this?  These have always been the most popular.  Especially with the huge popularity of the "Twilight" series and all of the many books, movies, and TV shows about vampires and witchcraft.  These costumes can be done quite simply and inexpensively and don't require a mask or head covering.  I think that most people don't like the claustrophobic effect of enclosing the head and face.

           Yesterday the Michael Jackson movie opened after a huge publicity build-up. The reviews so far have rave with the word "Oscar" being mentioned by some reviewers.  This will cinch the Michael Jackson character as a costume choice for many.  Michael Jackson has been high on the list for costume choices in any case seeing as how half the year has seen Michael in the news.  The official "Michael Jackson" costumes have been listed in advertised in Halloween store circulars and internet sites since the end of August.  The Party City chain of stores has a very slick TV ad that features the Jackson Zombie character boogieing to the song  "Thriller".

        Actually Michael Jackson has been a popular Halloween figure for many years.  Ever since the "Thriller" album became one of the top selling albums of all time and the extended "Thriller" music video amazed his fans while garnering a whole legion of new fans, the Michael Jackson zombie has been very popular.  Everytime Michael would appear before the cameras he would be wearing some new costume.  The many faces of Michael Jackson were a wealth of inspiration for a whole array of costumes.  Over the past 20 years the Michael Jackson glove, sunglasses, and fedora have been accessory staples in costume shops everywhere.  Michael Jackson will be missed, but he may be around in spirit for years to come.

        The Saturday trick-or-treat crowd will surely be represented by the usual cast of charaters including pirates and princesses, clowns and caped heroes, ghosts and ghouls, and of course the witches and vampires.  There will be the licensed costumes from Disney, DC Comics, Warner Brothers, Sesame Street, and many other characters from comics, movies, and TV.   The adult crowd will more than likely stick with the standards and this years variants on the things that have come before.  Many women will continue to purchase the sexy costumes that have become so popular over the past several years.  There probably won't be a whole lot of costumed polical commentary-- that usually is seen more in election years.  Of course there could be something related to the issues of  health care reform.

        I like being myself.  And I would rather be at home than at some Halloween party. That's what I'll be doing this year.  I'll dole out some candy to the strangers at my door and then maybe close shop at 7:30 or so.  I'll douse the lights and my wife and I will sequester ourselves in our bedroom with a horror DVD from Netflix.  Hey, at least I'll be observing Halloween to some extent.  So what are you going to be doing Saturday night?  What kind of costume are you going to wear?