Michael Joseph Jackson’s untimely death on June 25, 2009 shocked the world. The world’s greatest entertainer had died and far too soon at that. MJ still had work to complete. There was the long rumored new album to launch his “comeback,” which I was anticipating. There was the record-setting 50 sold out shows in London, which he was to perform at the O2 arena. MJ seemed to be laying the groundwork for re-entry into the public music scene again. No one was more excited by this than I was – a loyal fan who’d been following his career since the age of six.

As a child, I had two huge musical influences that played a huge role in my life – Prince & The Revolution and Michael Jackson. MJ’s music first connected with me as a child with his Motown 25 performance. I remember being bedazzled with his performance of “Billie Jean” and of course, the moonwalk. After that performance, I became a fan for life, and I always stayed loyal to him. My faith in MJ as a human being, entertainer, and musical genius never wavered. Where many doubted he could perform the 50 This Is It shows, I never did. After viewing the This Is It film on opening day, it only reaffirmed what I always believed – that MJ still had it.

Note: Some portions of this review contain excerpts from my Twitter film review of This Is It.

When the beginning credits for This Is It rolled, you could feel the reverence, respect, and calm in the crowd. Never felt anything like it.

I actually saw This Is It twice before writing my review. At both showings, I was very much aware that I was amongst MJ fans. For both showings, there was such a respectful tone in the audience, and I really could feel the love and yes, even somberness of the others in the theater. It was definitely an interesting in-theater experience, which I will describe in further detail later. (more…)

If you aren’t listening to Wendy & Lisa, you should be because you’re really missing out. If you thought two of The Revolution’s most visible members disappeared, they didn’t. Other than carving out a career as TV/film scorers (i.e. Heroes, Something New) Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman have recorded five albums:

• Wendy & Lisa (1987)
• Fruit at the Bottom (1989)
• Eroica (1990)
• Girl Bros. (1998)
• White Flags of Winter Chimneys (2008)

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I have spent several months purchasing all of Wendy & Lisa’s albums in my quest to earn my musical Ph.D. in their solo work. The Girl Bros. LP is the last album I needed to complete my thesis and graduate from the University of Wendy & Lisa. Now, allow me to present my thesis defense and obtain my doctorate.

Based on what I heard and read online, I knew that the Girl Bros. LP – originally released in 1998 and re-released (digital only) in 2009 – is a more somber sounding album from Wendy & Lisa than previous releases. I have read that the album was part tribute to Wendy’s late brother, Jonathan Melvoin, (touring keyboardist for The Smashing Pumpkins) and was made during the breakup of Wendy & Lisa’s romantic relationship. As a result, I knew that Girl Bros. would be the opposite of Fruit at the Bottom – a fun, exuberant album that often makes me smile when listening to it. However, the somber sounds and lyrics on Girl Bros. are not something that made me long for previous Wendy & Lisa-sounding albums. In fact, I find Girl Bros. the most interesting because it is a clear turning point in their musical careers. Where Eroica started shifting Wendy & Lisa’s sound from their previous two albums, Girl Bros. took an exit off the freeway into a new yet pleasing direction. (more…)

Update: I moved the White Flags of Winter Chimneys album flash player beneath the post cut so that it wouldn’t auto-start while this particular page loaded. Thanks.

Note: I know I don’t write music reviews, but I’m giving it a shot for an artist that’s near and dear to my heart.

It’s been approximately four months since I reconnected with my love of all things Wendy and Lisa. During that time, Wendy and Lisa released White Flags of Winter Chimneys – their first album since 1998’s Girl Bros – through their website on December 9, 2008. For me, White Flags of Winter Chimneys was an exciting and hotly anticipated music release. I’d just began my musical journey with Wendy and Lisa’s solo work with their first album, Wendy and Lisa, in early November 2008. Although I’d heard some music from different phases of their solo career, I was still missing the full spectrum of Wendy and Lisa’s evolution as artists. After hearing Balloon and Invisible – two tracks from their new album – I was intrigued by their musical direction. As a long time fan taking a crash course in Wendy and Lisa’s music, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with the new album other than an alternative/rock feel. I’d dropped any preconceived notions that Wendy and Lisa needed to sound like The Revolution era long ago, and I was musically open and receptive to what they were doing now. Even though I was still playing catch up at the time, I had a gut instinct that White Flags of Winter Chimneys would be a musical experience to behold. I was glad my instincts were right. (more…)

Even though I have focused my efforts in one artistic field, I am a multi-artistic person. I have dabbled in several artistic areas that include dance, drawing, painting, music, writing, and graphics/web design. Out of those areas, I would say I was most skilled and talented in dance, music, and naturally, writing. Of course, not all artists cross over into different areas, but even if you’re artist working in just one field, there are common yet cool things that link all artists together.

1. You Have an Excuse to be a Perfectionist

If you’re an artist and anything like me, you seek perfection with your work. You concern yourself with the most minute details; cringe (and obsess over it) when you let a mistake slip out to the masses; and you just don’t know when to quit, even if it was “good enough” four hours or four days ago.

In your eternal quest for perfection, you also probably have a tendency to push yourself hard. It’s about the quality – no matter how long it takes and what you have to give up seeking it. Therefore, you lose sleep. You forget to eat. You miss phone calls and/or ignore them altogether. You wave off anyone who drops in on you while you’re in your creative zone. It’s all about your work during that moment, and nothing else matters until you achieve…less than perfection (even though you sure tried for perfection). Hey, not everyone can be in the Collective and connect to the hive mind. (more…)