Michael Jackson: Time Traveler

One of the things that strikes me about Michael Jackson was his ability to be relevant to three generations.

For Boomers, the late 60's and early 70's brought a little R & B levity to a turbulent time with "Rockin Robin" and "ABC."

Gen X'ers came of age during "Thriller" and not since Willy Wanka was magic so believable.

And for Millennials it's "Smooth Criminal" (and that includes the Alien Ant Farm version) and "Scream" with sister Jane (the most expensive video of all time) . Even Sri Lankan/Anglo rap star M.I.A. said that two of the first English words she learned was Michael and Jackson.

Unfortunately, we all can claim the era of the last decade when all the wacky behavior and legal troubles emerged.

I think the thing we'll all grasp someday, if not now, is just the way Michael spoke to our childhoods and the collective possibilities of each generation. No entertainer in history had that kind of power.

Below is a soft drink ad and some videos that speak to Michael Jackson's ability to span the decades and time forever.

Mix Tape Thursday, 6/25/09

WTMD listeners take over the airwaves with three-to-five song sets on Thursday.

7 a.m. Jill Bucolo

This is actually the first five songs of the mix tape my boyfriend at the time--who is now my husband--used to listen to on the way to All Good when it was at Wilmers Park

* "Carnival," by The Band
* "Hurricane," by Bob Dylan
* "Road to Nowhere," by Talking Heads
* "Dear Mr. Fantasy," by Blind Faith
* "One More Saturday Night," by The Grateful Dead


9 a.m. Jean Tansey

Girls and summer, celebrating the first days of summer!

* "Girls In Their Summer Clothes," by Bruce Springsteen
* "Vacation," by The GoGos
* "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," by Cindy Lauper


11 a.m. Beth Lacey Gill

Five songs I didn't know before Virgin Fest 2007. I still listen to them constantly!

* "Narc," by Interpol
* "Fidelity," by Regina Spektor
* "I Turn My Camera On," by Spoon
* "Young Folks," by Peter, Bjorn & John
* "Your Hand in Mine," by Explosions in the Sky


1 p.m. Sarah Morgan

Some of my favorite songs for summer.

* "Sausalito," by Conor Oberst
* "Fat Man in the Bathtub," by Little Feat
* "Salvation," by The Avett Brothers
* "The Underdog," by Spoon
* "Wagon Wheel," by Old Crow Medicine Show


5 p.m. Miranda Sinicrope

I chose these songs because I feel that they represent the diverse sounds of what is coming out of the indie genre. It's exciting for these artists who, for the most part have been around and touring for years, to be succeeding while bands such as Passion Pit and the Harlem Shakes are creating a new exciting sound.

* "The Reeling," by Passion Pit
* "High Lonesome," by The Gaslight Anthem
* "Two Weeks," by Grizzly Bear
* "1901," by Phoenix
* "Sunlight," by Harlem Shakes


7 p.m. Tom Geary

These five songs were my favorite performances of the past two Virgin Festivals in Baltimore. It's moments like these that remind me of how much of a blast I had in '07 and '08 at Pimlico and get me excited for this year's festival!

* "Honeybear," by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
* "Your Touch," by The Black Keys
* "Ain't No Easy Way," by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
* "Fortunate Son," by Cat Power
* "Pioneer to the Falls," by Interpol

The Headless Spektor

I always love seeing Regina Spektor as much as I do hearing her; her face is just as expressive as that scatty/quirky voice.

And that really comes through on the video to "Laughing With" which appears on Far (out tomorrow). Check out the scene where she loses her head.

Jacknife Lee and Jeff Lyne (though she reportedly didn't know who exactly who he was when she hired him) are among four producers for this effort, so I have a feeling this song is not representative of all we're going to hear.

Tune in all day tomorrow to listen to cuts from it.