Tag Archives: Music History

Professional DJ Rocks Michael Jackson

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I keep wondering when Michael Jackson’s appeal will diminish like most other Pop stars. The thing is that it seems to be increasing instead of decreasing. It is more common for me to get requests as a professional DJ now than ever before for Michael Jackson.

 

Lately I have been trying to at least play some of the songs that are not as popular as “Billie Jean” or “Thriller”. Last night I had a request for Michael Jackson. When I asked the woman if she wanted to hear anything specific, “No, but I do prefer his older stuff.” She smiled meekly as if asking for me to walk on the moon.

 

I reflected for a moment to see what would mix well with what I was playing and dove into The Jackson “Shake Your Body” and the dance filled in a matter of seconds! I thought would be fun to segue into a little impromptu medley and with a really cool remix of “Off The Wall” a Bride sent me last summer for her wedding and then “Dangerous”, which totally rocked the room!

 

In my lifetime there really is not anybody that compares to M.J. when it comes to really good dancers wanting to let loose. Last night was no exception. By watching this woman move, I am pretty certain she is either a professional dancer or dance teacher, or both. This is not unusual for Michael Jackson requests for a professional DJ. He seems to attract many incredible dancers to create and move to his music.

 

It is strange to think that Michael Jackson has pretty much been a part of my life as long as I can remember from the early days of The Jackson 5 to his younger solo efforts followed by The Jacksons and then his solo classics that still find there way into my professional DJ sets on a regular basis regardless of environment, genre or dancers. Amazing how there isn’t anybody else this is true for, not even Sinatra, Elvis or The Beatles. He shows up at weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, sweet sixteens, reunions and everywhere else people like to dance and party. Amazing.

Icon of the great Michael Jackson

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Hey Hey We’re The Monkees: A Rhode Island DJ Remembers

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I was just a little boy when I first saw The Monkees on TV; we still called it television back then.  They were a hilarious group of guys who happened to also make music, at least that is how I viewed them at the time through my child’s mind. I sang their songs and even owned a few of their albums including The Monkees and More of The Monkees.  In fact, I had an argument with my second grade teacher about the proper spelling of the word monkey since I have had ‘proof’ that it was spelled monkee, not monkey.

DJ Mystical Michael plays The Monkees

 

As I got a little bit older as an adolescent, I never admitted liking The Monkees when I was younger; I was too ‘cool’ for that. I never even threw my Monkees records away. They weren’t playable due to the fact that I was a kid and records of both sizes made great Frisbees.

 

Davy Jones was a legend among girls my age. They would swoon at the mere mention of his name. A photo would produce sighs and giggles without the ability for them to stop themselves. I think somewhat analogous to DJ Mystical Michael plays The Monkees with Davy JonesJustin Bieber today. Thee 60’s had many heartthrobs and Davy Jones was at the top of the list.

 

Many artists have either recorded, performed or credited The Monkees including Run-DMC. A little known fact is The Jimi Hendrix Experience was an opening act for The Monkees in July of 1967 and it was their first American concert tour. Hendrix music and sexual nature did not go over well with The Monkees wholesome teen audience. Hendrix gave the audience the ‘middle finger’ several times and eventually quit the tour due to his lack of audience appreciation.  It is funny to think of Hendrix and The Monkees together on a concert tour and Hendrix being booed of stage in favor of The Monkees.

 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have snubbed The Monkees allegedly due to them not playing their own instruments often on their records, which is more commonplace today than it was in the 60’s.

DJ Mystical Michael plays The Monkees

 

Regardless of what you think about The Monkees as musicians, they were an incredibly talented group of guys that made music fun and had no trouble playing absolute fools on TV. They entertained a generation in a way not previously demonstrated. They made five #1 albums and three #1 singles in a two-year period. Pretty impressive when you think about The Beatles and The Beach Boys were part of their competition.

 

Davy, thanks for the fun, laughs, music and memories. You gave us all permission to not think that music or life needs to be all that serious most of the time.

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Rock Band Fined For Profanity During Live Performance

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The year was 1970 in Oklahoma City. The date was today, Febrauary 27th. The band was Jefferson Airplane. The use of profanity broke a local ordinance. They were fined $1000 for this violation. The ordinance was drawn up due to Jim Morrison of The Doors allegedly exposing himself at a concert in Miami the year before.

 

Imagine an artist being fined today for use of profanity at a life show?

 

When I was growing up, it was a really big deal when there was a song with a curse word. I think about Pink Floyd, The Who and The Rolling Stones. In fact, the Van Morrison song, “Brown Eyed Girl” was banned from some radio stations due to this line, “making love in the green grass.” Just the mention of sex in a song was still taboo in 1967.

 

Early in my career as a DJ working in radio, we received a list of banned songs on a regular basis. One of the college radio stations I was Music Director and then Program Director would have team meetings to determine which songs we deemed OK for airplay from this list. Some of the choices we made were considered controversial. Some of our DJs had their FCC license revoked due to these decisions. Seems funny to reflect back on those years.

 

A little piece of trivia I find humorous whenever I see somebody watching the CSI TV show. The theme song in the show by The Who, “Who Are you”,  album version contains an F-bomb which is very funny considering how much it gets played on CBS during prime-time with the profanity removed. They use the single version of the song released for radio airplay in 1978.

Kanye West and Profanity

 

To bring us back to today, hard to imagine Kanye or Jay-Z making music without profanity. What would the music industry be like today if all profanity was banned from radio and most record labels would not allow profanity on recordings?

 

What the popularity of Rap be what it was has been in the last fifteen years without profanity? Would the genre even exist?

 

DJ Mystical Michael – Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Motown Great Smokey Robinson Birthday Today! Rhode Island DJ Celebrates

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Growing up, Smokey Robinson was one of my favorite artists with The Miracles. I had many of their ‘45s’ and played them till they didn’t work any more from creating grooves in the vinyl from overuse. When I became a DJ in my late teens, Smokey Robinson as a solo artist became a sensation all over again.  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles solo and as a group are a DJ’s dream since there are few listeners who do not like at least one of their songs. It is common for me to be playing a classic Miracles song like, “The Tears of a Clown” or “Love Machine” at a wedding or party and have a young adult come up and ask me, “What was that incredible old skool R&B stuff you were just playing?”

 

Of course, I smile and share with them “It is one of my musical influences, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.” They run away excited to tell their friends about this ‘new’ artist that jams.  Before the night is through, one of their friends will come up and request another Smokey Robinson & The Miracles tune, which I will oblige willingly.

Smokey Robinson

Still to this day, one of my favorite R&B mellow songs is “Crusin”. I know that “Being With You” achieved more commercial success globally but I still like it better.

 

The Miracles were the original artists signed by Motown Records. “Motown founder and First President Berry Gordy Jr. said: “Without The Miracles, Motown would not be the Motown it is today”.”

 

In 2006, Smokey was one of the Kennedy Center honorees. The Miracles received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 20, 2009 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on February 9th, 2012.

 

Thanks Smokey for sharing the miracle of your music with all of us!

Smokey Robinson

 

DJ Mystical Michael – Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

David Guetta: Dance Maker: Rhode Island DJ Recognizes

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It has now been enough years of David Guetta producing hit songs that have made it in the American music industry that his body of work gets requests from top shelf artists wanting to utilize his talents.

 

It took several albums before he was accepted in The USA after international success globally.  This is not unusual for many European artists still today. House music is still a growing genre here. It is gaining some strength on the East Coast but still lags behind Dance and Hip Hop for the Club and Pop audiences.

 

David Guetta was initially a Disc Jockey at the Broad Club in Paris at age seventeen. He played Pop hits and was turned-on to House music the following year. He began promoting shows at clubs and creating some mixes of his own. He produced some songs with Hip Hop artists from Paris with local success but still not a big break.

 

He released his first hit single in 2001 with Chris Willis, “Just A Little More Love”. They met while Willis was vacationing in France. In 2003 David Guetta released “Just For One Day (Heroes)”, a remix of a David Bowie song. He has won two Grammys and nominated for several others.

 

Some of the artists he has worked with include Kelly Rowland, Akon, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Black Eyed Peas, Flo Rida, Pitbull, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Hudson, Chris Brown, Leona Lewis, Fergie, LMFAO, Snoop Dog, Taio Cruz, Ludacris, Jessie J and Madonna. A virtual who’s who of dance and pop music. It is probable that over the next few years David Guetta will have his hand in many of the top hits worldwide from varying artists and genres all at once.

David Guetta

 

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Madonna: Thirty Years of Music And Still Evolving

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I remember as a new Rhode Island DJ when I was turned on to Madonna’s first single, a ‘45’ on Sire Records, “Everybody”.  As a DJ in New Jersey, the song was available regionally before its national release later that year.  Her sound was fresh, energetic and full of passion. We all knew at the time that we were listening to something unique and important. We had no idea that thirty years later she would still be a force in the music industry and the pop icon she grew to become. It certainly never occurred to me that I would be watching her performing at a Super Bowl in 2012!

 

Madonna has been a woman that has guided her life and career in her own way.  She has been willing to take risks and the potential consequences that have at times come with those risks. Madonna redefined what a female recording artist was capable of achieving in the music industry and paved the way for many of today’s female pop singers and performers. She used sexuality, courage and creativity to influence the fashion, music, art and film industries and still being recognized today.

 

“According to Santiago Fouz-Hernández, female pop performers such as Britney Spears, the Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue and Pink were like “Madonna’s daughters in the very direct sense that they grew up listening to and admiring Madonna, and decided they wanted to be like her.”

Madonna at Live8 with DJ Mystical Michael

Like her or not, Madonna has certainly left an imprint on pop culture for the last thirty years and probably will continue to do so till she decides she is done. Madonna has always done things her way and no reason to believe she will change now. Just like this New Jersey and Boston DJ:)

DJ Mystical Michael – Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

The Day The Music Died: 2/3/1959: A Rhode Island DJ Reflects

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On this date in 1959, a small plane crashed killing three American Rock & Roll legends and pioneers; Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as the pilot near Clear Lake, Iowa. The song by Don McLean, “American Pie” coined the phrase The Day The Music Died when writing about what most consider Rock & Roll’s most tragic plane crash, and its first.

 

It would have been enough if any of the three stars died, but to have all three of them taken from us in one night was a major blow to the early Rock & Roll movement. They were touring The Midwestern USA as part of the “The Winter Dance Party”, a tour that was scheduled to cover twenty-three cities in three weeks. Also on the tour was Dion DiMucci of Dion & The Belmonts, who was initially asked for the seat on the plane and changed his mind due to the fact that the cost was $36 and he felt that a seat on a plane was not worth being equal to his parent’s monthly rent.

 

Buddy Holly’s backup band; The Crickets were the backing band for the whole the tour for all artists. It is not widely known that Waylon Jennings was a member of his band at the time, although not mentioned int he lyrics of “American Pie”.

 

The legacy of the crash, “American Pie” and Valens’ influence on Latin performers in the Rock genre and Rock & Roll in general was illustrated in the film La Bamba.  I remember at the time before I knew the movie was released people began out of the blue requesting “Donna”, “Come On Let’s Go” and ”La Bamba”. The remakes by Los Lobos modernized the original hits and made them more accessible to the current generation of listeners. “La Bamba” is still a very requested song in many events and situations. My favorite Ritchie Valens song is “Sleepwalk” but am a fan of all his work.

American Pie

 

Even as kid I have always been a fan of Buddy Holly and his sweet mix of Rock, Country and Blues with a tight band and those great big eyeglasses.  Among the very long list of musicians that have expressed his influence on their music include Rock legends The Beatles, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. He was part of the initial group of inductees to The Rock and Roll Hal Of Fame and was #13 on The Rolling Stone’s list of  “The Fifty Greatest Artists of All Time”. He is one of my favorites and always am thrilled when receiving a request to play any of his songs, especially “Rave On”, “Every Day” and “Peggy Sue”. The actual album American Pie by Don McLean was dedicated to Holly specifically, although the song was about all three of them.

 

American Pie

 

For those that are not familiar with The Big Bopper, the one lasting legacy he left us was his mega-hit “Chantilly Lace”. He also wrote several #1 hits for other artists.

American Pie

 

DJ Mystical Michael – Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

First #! Hit By A Girl Group: A Rhode Island DJ Looks Back

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It is on this day in 1961 that the first girl group ever achieved a #1 single. The Shirelles reached the top of the HOT 100 with “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Carole was eighteen when she co-wrote this hit single. The Shirelles were from Paterson, NJ and signed a record deal after being noticed performing at a talent show at their high school.

Girl Group The Shirtelles

Girl Group Country Sold (only albums) Genre Studio Albums Members Years Active
1. Spice Girls  United Kingdom 75 million Pop 3 5 → 4 → 5 1996–2001, 2007–2008 (8 years)
2. TLC  United States 50 million R&B/Hip Hop 4 3 → 2 1991–2003, 2008–present (16 years)
3. Destiny’s Child  United States 45 million R&B 4 4 → 3 1997–2005 (9 years)
4. Bananarama  United Kingdom 40 million Pop 10 3 → 2 1981–present (30 years)
5. Speed  Japan 20 million Pop 4 4 1996–2001, 2003, 2008–present (10 years)
6. The Supremes  United States 20 million R&B 29 4 → 3 1959–1977 (19 years)
7. En Vogue  United States 20 million R&B 6 4 → 3 → 4 1989–present (23 years)
8. Morning Musume  Japan 16 million Pop 12 Rotational 1997–present (15 years)
9. Salt-N-Pepa  United States 15 million Hip Hop 5 3 1986–1999, 2008–present (17 years)
10. SWV  United States 15 million R&B 3 3 1990–1998, 2005–present (17 years)

 

Surprisingly, The Spice Girls are the greatest selling pop band in the UK since The Beatles. Surprising in a different manner is the absence of The Dixie Chicks. I wonder if the fact that they are not a typical ‘girl group’ and are actual musicians and writers that they are omitted from the ‘girl group’ genre.

 

It is interesting to note, The Supremes due to the fact of when they were at the height of the success it took 29 albums to reach sixth place on the list where-as The Spice Girls only recorded three studio albums. Clearly if The Supremes were at the peak of the popularity today they would be far and away the best-selling girl group ever. This illustrates how much the music industry has changed in the last twenty-five years.

 

When I was living in South Korea, there were several very popular girl groups. Young ladies idolized them and considered them role models.  The most famous at the time were The Wonder Girls. The rise in popularity outside of their native countries of J-Pop and K-Pop has introduced listeners worldwide to the various girl groups that head the charts in Japan and South Korea. As a side note, these stars are rarely found drunk, drugged, naked or breaking the law as young females celebrities are in The USA.

 

Who is your favorite girl group ever?

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Two Members of The Monkees Born on This Day

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December 30th brought us two members of The Monkees, Michael Nesmith in 1942 and Davy Jones1945.  The Monkees were a pop group formed by Robert “Bob” Rafelson and Bert Schneider in 1966 for the TV show by the same name. The show had a run from 1966-1968.

 

Initially the members of the The Monkees were not allowed much musical and creative input. They weren’t even permitted to sing live in the beginning. They fought for rights in musical output of the band and eventually were able to tour.

 

The Monkees singles and albums have sold over 65 million copies.  Their first four albums, all went to #1 in the U.S. including three #1 Billboard singles; “Last Train To Clarksville”, “I’m A Believer” and “Daydream Believer”.

 

The Monkees have a peculiar legacy in that they were clearly a pop band created for acting purposes and are still enjoying popular success today.  It is possible that they continue to draw interest as the guys who were not supposed to make-it as musicians but simply a bunch of funny, cute Beatle-like performers.

I find it very bizarre they had two members with the same birthday. Happy birthday Mike and Davy.

 

This video was created on December 31, 1966, must have been a birthday present to Mike and Davy.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

On This Date in 2008: Taylor Swift “Fearless” #1

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On this date, Taylor Swift “Fearless” began a seven week run at #1 on the Billboard Charts. She has continued to demonstrate incredible popularity and critical acclaim.

 

When she was ten years old, a computer repairman showed her three basic chords on the guitar and it lit the fire within her. She claims to have been a victim of bullying in school and felt like she did not fit in. Taylor Swift turned to songwriting to deal with these experiences. She states that her songs are highly biographical and references that they are like reading her personal diary in lyrical form.

 

When she turned fourteen, her family moved from Reading, PA to Nashville, TN to support her musical career. Taylor Swift’s first single released was “Tim McGraw”. She has enjoyed an unequaled run of charting and sales success as a female Country artist and is opening new doors for future Country artists, especially females.

Taylor Swift, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw at Grammy Awards

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ