Having problems with message search?
A numerical look at all things Michael Jackson. ... Plus City
Stages, Fan Mail.
FYI
* More Wade
Weekly on the web!
* Subscribe by e-mail
* Subscribe by RSS
* Email me
Copyright 2005 Birmingham
Post Co.
Wade
Weekly
Wade Kwon's weekly column
from the Birmingham (Ala.) Post-Herald
June 15, 2005
Michael Jackson: by
the numbers
By Wade Kwon
Birmingham Post-Herald
A numerical look at all
things Michael Jackson:
The trial, part 1
* Charges: 14, four of child molesting, one of attempted child molesting, one of conspiracy and eight of providing alcohol to minors.
* Bail (in millions of dollars): 3
* Possible jail time (in years): 20
* Charges convicted: 0
* Jurors: 20, with eight women and four men, plus eight alternates
* Age of oldest juror: 79
* Age of youngest juror: 20
* Percentage of jury that is black: 0
* Alleged euphemisms for wine: 2, "Jesus Juice" for white and "Jesus Blood" for red, both served in soda cans
Family life
* Length of first marriage (in months): 19, to Lisa Marie Presley
* Length of second marriage (in months): 35, to Debbie Rowe
* Children: 3
* Children named 'Prince Michael': 2
The trial, part 1
* Charges: 14, four of child molesting, one of attempted child molesting, one of conspiracy and eight of providing alcohol to minors.
* Bail (in millions of dollars): 3
* Possible jail time (in years): 20
* Charges convicted: 0
* Jurors: 20, with eight women and four men, plus eight alternates
* Age of oldest juror: 79
* Age of youngest juror: 20
* Percentage of jury that is black: 0
* Alleged euphemisms for wine: 2, "Jesus Juice" for white and "Jesus Blood" for red, both served in soda cans
Family life
* Length of first marriage (in months): 19, to Lisa Marie Presley
* Length of second marriage (in months): 35, to Debbie Rowe
* Children: 3
* Children named 'Prince Michael': 2
* Floor of Berlin hotel
balcony from which he dangled Prince Michael II in 2002:
4
Before the trial
* Years spent by county district attorney pursuing Jackson: 12
* Civil settlement between Jackson and boy who made similar accusation in 1993 (estimated in millions of dollars): 20
* Age of that accuser (at time of alleged incident): 13
* Age of current accuser (at time of alleged incident): 12
* Jackson's age: 46
* Jackson's age when career began: 4
Career in music
* Year 'Thriller' released: 1982
* Rank in U.S. sales history: 2, behind the Eagles' "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)"
* Sales (in millions): 26
* Songs on album: 9
* Top 10 hits: 7, "Billie Jean" (No. 1), "Beat It" (No. 1), "The Girl Is Mine," "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," "Say Say Say," "Human Nature," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' "
* Grammys: 8
* Year 'Invincible' released: 2001
* Sales (in millions): 2
* Top 10 hits: 1, "You Rock My World." ("Butterflies" reached Top 20, and the album debuted at No. 1)
* Year 'Number Ones' compilation released: 2003
* Sales (estimated): 906,000
* Actual No. 1 hits: 14 (out of 18 tracks included)
* Year inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 2001
The trial, part 2
* Population of trial location Santa Maria, Calif.: 88,000
* Credentialed journalists: about 2,200
* Countries represented in media pool: more than 30
* Length (in weeks): 14
* Witnesses: 141
* Time jury deliberated (in hours): more than 30, during seven days
* Jacksons in the courtroom: 6 (maximum seats for family members), parents Joe and Katherine, siblings Jermaine, LaToya, Randy and Rebbie. No Tito, though Janet was outside.
* Of those, posed nude in Playboy: 1, LaToya
Career in movies
* Runtime of 'Thriller' video, directed by John Landis (in minutes): 13
* Runtime of 'Captain EO,' 3D movie at Disney theme parks directed by Francis Ford Coppola: 17
* Runtime of 'The Wiz,' directed by Sidney Lumet: 134
* Runtime of 'Living with Michael Jackson,' 2003 documentary with British journalist Martin Bashir: 110
* Cost per minute for 'Captain EO' (in millions of dollars): 1, the most expensive film ever made at the time
Holdings
* Beatles' song copyrights owned: more than 250, through Sony ATV Music
* Value of his Sony ATV Music stake (estimated in millions of dollars): 500
* Size of Neverland Ranch (in acres): 2,600
* Current debt (estimated in millions of dollars): 270
The trial, part 3
* Percentage of Americans who disagreed with judgment (CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll): 48
* Percentage of Americans who agreed with judgment: 34
WADE WEEKLY BONUS | CITY STAGES
2005
Copyright 2005 Birmingham
Post Co.
June 10, 2005
Mixed CD gives good
overview of artists performing at City Stages
By Wade Kwon
Birmingham Post-Herald
For fans like me, City Stages
is all about the music.
I like the crowds, the food, the crazy weather, the downtown setting. But mostly, it's random discovery of the next great band, the one that fills space in my music collection.
Some people sing in the shower - I make music mixes. It started with tapes early on, but computers and CD burners and now iTunes software make it super easy and fast to slap 'em together.
So any occasion - wedding,
birth, whim - earns friends and family a mix of mood-setting songs.
The discoveries alone make it worth the culling through hundreds of
hours of tracks for the perfect disc.
I'm not alone. The new generation of audiophiles has left behind the album for individual tunes. Apple didn't call its online music store/program iDiscs.
I'm not alone. The new generation of audiophiles has left behind the album for individual tunes. Apple didn't call its online music store/program iDiscs.
With that in mind, I've put
together a humble assortment of some of the best coming to Vines and
Waldrep City Stages 2005. It's three days of music in 79 minutes -
17 tracks (for the 17th year of the festival) plus a bonus one. All
are available online for samples, purchase and download. It'll set
you back about $20.
Special thanks to Guy McCullough and Scott Register of City Stages for their insights and suggestions.
1. "Mr. Brightside," The Killers: The perfect time to catch this band, on its way up. This song's got a great hook and energetic feel, and still sounds fresh after hearing it everywhere.
2. "I Feel Lucky," Mary Chapin Carpenter: The many moods of Miss Mary are right there in her well-crafted discs. This early hit is playful and just country enough.
3. "I Am the Blues," Willie King: West Alabama bluesman King puts on the annual Freedom Creek Festival, a backwoods blues showcase. Here's a sample of what you're missing.
4. "Soulshine," Gov't Mule: I admit, I was a little wary of the new blues/jam style of Gov't Mule - until a colleague played this track for me. Now I feel the groove of this laid-back feel-good tune.
5. "Real People," Common: Gotta love the jazz-rap of Common. Now we're rollin'.
6. "Wave," Alejandro Escovedo: His haunting melodies capture life and longing (when not rocking out), and this track gives insight into the immigration to the United States from Mexico.
7. "Come Pick Me Up," Ryan Adams: Another singer-songwriter with bits of country, rock, pop. Hear the subtle power of his lyrics in this achy tune, with a nice touch of banjo.
8. "She Talks to Angels," The Black Crowes: When the Crowes hit the scene in the early '90s, their sound was fresh because it was retro rock 'n' roll. This ballad brings it all back again.
9. "Ashokan Farewell," Montana Skies: Cello and guitar pair up for original tunes and covers, including this lovely rendition of the theme from Ken Burns' "The Civil War" mega-documentary.
10. "Outono," Chiara Civello: An amazing sultry jazz vocalist who writes and sings in four languages. "Outono" ("autumn" in Portuguese) highlights one of her many influences, Brazilian.
11. "Baby Hold on to Me," Gerald Levert and Eddie Levert: Gerald Levert brings on the R&B with dad Eddie Levert (of the O'Jays) in this slow jam.
12. "I'm Tryin'," Trace Adkins: Don't be fooled by the gruff exterior - ol' Trace is a softy. Just listen to this Barry White-meets-country boy ballad.
13. "Think," Aretha Franklin: (Hidden track. "Let your mind go, let yourself be free." So much for the one that got away.)
14. "Fist City," Loretta Lynn: Does Lynn get enough credit for her early push for equality in the least likely of places, country radio? She ain't afraid to mix it up, even in this gritty ditty. Plus, catfight!
15. "Me and Opie," Rollin' in the Hay: Newgrass, Birmingham-style from a popular longtime staple. A fun foot-tapper, and the only free track of the bunch.
16. "Photograph," Def
Leppard: If you rocked in the '80s, if you scribbled band logos
on your notebooks, this was it. Relive the era with this slick
anthem.
17. "Pimpin' All Over
the World," Ludacris and Bobby V.: Festival organizers assure me
rapper Ludacris will perform the "clean" version of this "bling
king" shoutout. Even curse-free, pimpin' ain't
easy.
18. "Worn Me Down,"
Rachael Yamagata: With a sound resembling Fiona Apple and Tori
Amos, she could eventually be the new it girl for singer-songwriters.
An upbeat "Down" closes the mix, with a voice to die
for.
June 16, 2005
Alejandro
Escovedo's rich background feeds his music
By Wade Kwon
Birmingham Post-Herald
In Mexico, heroes are often
celebrated in a memorable fashion - in song.
Singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo speaks admiringly about the corrido, a Mexican folk song that usually tells the ballad of everyday people who are admired as heroes.
A corrido about the Texas man would tell about him growing up in an immigrant household, touring as an American troubadour, and struggling with a disease that almost ended his life.
Escovedo performs at 11 p.m. Friday on the Momentum Telecom Stage.
Escovedo's sound swerves from rock to Americana to country to Mexican folk.
"I think one day, (Escovedo will) be remembered as one of this country's greatest musical treasures," said Scott Register, who works with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, a trade group based in Vestavia Hills.
"He embodies the American dream, with the plight of his family, their coming to America.
"You see the art he's creating, and you can't help but cheer for him."
Escovedo, 54, has a rich background of musical influences and experiences, starting with his childhood listening to rock records and continuing with his first band, the Nuns, a San Francisco punk band. As the seventh of 12 children, he found music within his own family: Dad Pedro sang in mariachi bands, and brothers Coke and Pete played percussion for Santana and Malo. (And Pete's daughter, Sheila E., played drums for Prince.)
He spoke by phone recently from his home in the Texas hill country, between Austin and his birth place, San Antonio.
"All my first records, (my parents) took me to go buy when I was a little kid," he said. "They bought me my first Beatles album, and my first (Rolling) Stones album."
Like many families in the 1950s and '60s, they watched "The Ed Sullivan Show" together. "We were all into it. Mom (Evita) was a big Mick Jagger fan; Dad was a big Jim Morrison fan."
The ballad of Escovedo's life would also weave in his growing up in Texas and Southern California in a Mexican household. His father emigrated from Saltillo, Mexico.
Register said he recalls Escovedo's past Stages performances in 1995 and 1998, along with his other shows in town, promising even longtime fans will be surprised.
"One second, he's rocking out - the next, he's quiet and acoustic, that's what I love about him."
Escovedo's own career has been as varied as his music, moving from country punk to roots rock in various groups before going solo. His debut solo effort, "Gravity," came out in 1992.
"Thirteen Years" (1994) reflected love lost in a difficult divorce. "By the Hand of the Father" (2002) was the natural soundtrack extension of the play of the same name, co-written with three others. The play (and songs) chronicled their fathers' immigrant experiences in the early 20th century.
The collaboration has continued with a new partner, Kim Christoff, who married Escovedo on May 29. She co-wrote the song "Notes on Air" for the benefit CD "13 Ways to Live" (released in September), which he performed. "She's a poet," he said. "She's much wiser and writes more eloquent lyrics than I could do."
They share a 2-1/2-year-old daughter, Amala, and he has three other children from previous relationships living at home. And yes, the whole family listens together to music and plays and sings, including violin, keyboards, drums and guitar.
In 2003, the seemingly sudden onset of hepatitis C nearly cost him everything. Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by a virus, but signs may not appear for years. It can cause cirrhosis of the liver, as in Escovedo's case, and is treated by combination drug therapy. The touring stopped, and the sometimes-risky slow recovery began.
Singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo speaks admiringly about the corrido, a Mexican folk song that usually tells the ballad of everyday people who are admired as heroes.
A corrido about the Texas man would tell about him growing up in an immigrant household, touring as an American troubadour, and struggling with a disease that almost ended his life.
Escovedo performs at 11 p.m. Friday on the Momentum Telecom Stage.
Escovedo's sound swerves from rock to Americana to country to Mexican folk.
"I think one day, (Escovedo will) be remembered as one of this country's greatest musical treasures," said Scott Register, who works with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, a trade group based in Vestavia Hills.
"He embodies the American dream, with the plight of his family, their coming to America.
"You see the art he's creating, and you can't help but cheer for him."
Escovedo, 54, has a rich background of musical influences and experiences, starting with his childhood listening to rock records and continuing with his first band, the Nuns, a San Francisco punk band. As the seventh of 12 children, he found music within his own family: Dad Pedro sang in mariachi bands, and brothers Coke and Pete played percussion for Santana and Malo. (And Pete's daughter, Sheila E., played drums for Prince.)
He spoke by phone recently from his home in the Texas hill country, between Austin and his birth place, San Antonio.
"All my first records, (my parents) took me to go buy when I was a little kid," he said. "They bought me my first Beatles album, and my first (Rolling) Stones album."
Like many families in the 1950s and '60s, they watched "The Ed Sullivan Show" together. "We were all into it. Mom (Evita) was a big Mick Jagger fan; Dad was a big Jim Morrison fan."
The ballad of Escovedo's life would also weave in his growing up in Texas and Southern California in a Mexican household. His father emigrated from Saltillo, Mexico.
Register said he recalls Escovedo's past Stages performances in 1995 and 1998, along with his other shows in town, promising even longtime fans will be surprised.
"One second, he's rocking out - the next, he's quiet and acoustic, that's what I love about him."
Escovedo's own career has been as varied as his music, moving from country punk to roots rock in various groups before going solo. His debut solo effort, "Gravity," came out in 1992.
"Thirteen Years" (1994) reflected love lost in a difficult divorce. "By the Hand of the Father" (2002) was the natural soundtrack extension of the play of the same name, co-written with three others. The play (and songs) chronicled their fathers' immigrant experiences in the early 20th century.
The collaboration has continued with a new partner, Kim Christoff, who married Escovedo on May 29. She co-wrote the song "Notes on Air" for the benefit CD "13 Ways to Live" (released in September), which he performed. "She's a poet," he said. "She's much wiser and writes more eloquent lyrics than I could do."
They share a 2-1/2-year-old daughter, Amala, and he has three other children from previous relationships living at home. And yes, the whole family listens together to music and plays and sings, including violin, keyboards, drums and guitar.
In 2003, the seemingly sudden onset of hepatitis C nearly cost him everything. Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by a virus, but signs may not appear for years. It can cause cirrhosis of the liver, as in Escovedo's case, and is treated by combination drug therapy. The touring stopped, and the sometimes-risky slow recovery began.
"I'm still recovering. I try to take it as easy as possible," he said. Only earlier this year did Escovedo begin performing on the road again, albeit with a greatly reduced schedule.
His medical bills and lack of health insurance led to the formation of the Alejandro Fund, allowing fans and fellow musicians to aid the ailing singer. A two-disc benefit CD "Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo" featured performances from Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Los Lonely Boys and Rosie Flores. The fund has since turned its focus to other uninsured musicians.
During his recuperation, Escovedo didn't give up on music, penning the soundtrack to indie film "Robbing Peter," including "Pedro's Corrido" sung by Ruben Ramos.
Looking ahead, Escovedo said he expects to release a new CD by fall or spring. But he added that although it's difficult to play, songwriting "gives me a purpose in life."
Escovedo's own mythical corrido could have a triumphant coda. "The performance part (of music) allows me to get in front of people and give back to them.
"It's a way for me to say thank you and I love you for some amazingly giving gestures during (my illness and recovery)."
Alejandro Escovedo discography
* "By the Hand of the Father" (2002)
* "A Man Under the Influence" (2001)
* "Bourbonitis Blues" (1999)
* "More Miles Than Money: Live 1994-1996" (1998)
* "With These Hands" (1996)
* "Thirteen Years" (1994)
* "The End/Losing Your Touch" (1994)
* "Gravity" (1992)
If you like Alejandro Escovedo ...
Try out some of these acts at Vines and Waldrep City Stages:
* Jim Lauderdale: 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Momentum Telecom Stage. Singer-songwriter who helped pioneer Americana music in the 1990s. He's also dabbled in bluegrass.
* Mambo Gris-Gris: 2:25 p.m. Saturday, Vault Dance Depot. Huntsville band performs music from New Orleans and Mexico, including cumbia, salsa and merengue.
* Little Jimmy Reed: 4:10 p.m. Sunday, Momentum Telecom Stage, and 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Vault Dance Depot. Self-taught bluesman from Enterprise who learned guitar and harmonica around age 16.
* Mindy Smith: 7:40 p.m. Saturday, Momentum Telecom Stage. This singer-songwriter blends classic country and folk.
* Abdel Wright: 3 p.m. Sunday, Miller Lite Stage. Wright spent his childhood in Jamaican foster homes and then five years in prison, where he ended up writing politically charged reggae songs.
WADE WEEKLY BONUS
Copyright 2005 Birmingham Post Co.
June 13, 2005
Better read that
fine print
By Wade Kwon
Birmingham Post-Herald
It's been proven that
subliminal advertising doesn't work. So why has WRAX (100.5 FM)
invested in a print campaign with an unusual message for readers?
In the latest issue of one free city periodical, the station, aka The X, has a small ad listing a sampling of bands heard in rotation. But buried in this listing are four very uncorporate messages: "Buy An iPod," "We Are Not In The Business of Taking A Risk On New Bands," "Its All About the Money" and "What Happened To This Station?"
What, indeed?
Dale Daniels, general manager for WRAX, said the ad was "incorrect" and that the station was "looking into it." He said that the print ads are typically produced in-house. "There's really nothing to say about it," he said.
We suspect the party or parties responsible are X-employees by now.
In the latest issue of one free city periodical, the station, aka The X, has a small ad listing a sampling of bands heard in rotation. But buried in this listing are four very uncorporate messages: "Buy An iPod," "We Are Not In The Business of Taking A Risk On New Bands," "Its All About the Money" and "What Happened To This Station?"
What, indeed?
Dale Daniels, general manager for WRAX, said the ad was "incorrect" and that the station was "looking into it." He said that the print ads are typically produced in-house. "There's really nothing to say about it," he said.
We suspect the party or parties responsible are X-employees by now.
WADE WEEKLY FAN MAIL
LETTER #1
In response to my 6/10 column on the City Stages mix:
Good selection of songs, Wade.
I probably would have included some North Mississippi Allstars as well.
I probably would have included some North Mississippi Allstars as well.
I linked to the iMix on my blog, Red Hot and Daily
(www.jeremyflint.com).
Thanks!
Jeremy Flint
Birmingham
RELATED WORKS
- [link] 1/29/03 - E! Michael Jackson's 'Jesus Juice'
- [link] undated - Vines and Waldrep City Stages
- [link] undated - Alejandro Escovedo
- [link] undated - Post-Herald City Stages coverage
Offline 
Send Email