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BOOKMAN’S PERSPECTIVE: Michael Jackson: August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009
The group from Gary, Indiana was the Jackson Five fronted by an extraordinary and emerging young musical prodigy, Michael Jackson.
Beyond Indiana and the Chicago area, few had heard of the group. At the time, another family singing group dominated the musical charts and that was the Chicago based Five Stairsteps featuring an equally adorable five-year-old youngster named Cubie Burke.
It’s with a touch of irony that in early 1969, it was the Five Stairsteps and Cubie that eclipsed the then unknown Jackson Five. With their Curtis Mayfield produced 1970 hit, ‘Ooh Child’, the group dominated the Pop, as well as the Rhythm and Blues charts.
Both groups, the Jackson Five and the Five Stairsteps had other similarities that included dominant Father figures who guided and nurtured the youthful singers to the brink of stardom as well as equally beautiful and talented sisters. The Jackson Five was guided to fame by their Father, Joe Jackson, and the Five Stairsteps by their Father, retired Chicago Police Sergeant, Clarence Burke.
The Jackson Five shot to fame by the end of 1969, buoyed by the marketing genius of Berry Gordy and Motown along with the enormous talents of the five singing brothers, and a National debut on the widely watched ‘Ed Sullivan Show’. The story and legacy of the Jackson Five scaled to epic heights unlike any cultural event in the history of entertainment.
June 25, 2009, a date now seared in our consciousness, is the day that the world lost the physical presence of Michael Jackson. His music and the racial barriers he brought down will be analyzed and talked about for years. But many of his detractors will also continue an attempt to smear his legacy as they have done for nearly the length of his career. After all, he was a young talented Black Man who at one time performed live for millions in his fabulous concerts, with not only his enormous talents, but also the power, fame, and money that came with his success. The fact that he was not only a musical phenom, but also an incredibly adept Black businessman was too much for many to accept.
By the late 70s, the recording industry in America was in a deep recession. Following the profitable disco era, most major recording labels in America were on the brink of closing their doors. Sales were at an all time low. Few major stars were selling records. It was with little dispute that Michael Jackson with the initial release of ‘Off The Wall’ became the industry’s single biggest savior benefactor. According to Jon Parales in his book, “Michael Jackson at 25, A Musical Phenomenon”, Jackson had “become a one man rescue squad for the (music) industry.”
With the subsequent release of the mega hit album, “Thriller” in 1983 that remains the all time highest grossing album with over 50 million copies sold worldwide, Jackson’s one man rescue of the inept managed recording industry was all but complete. At the same time, the live concert industry was moribund. People were not buying tickets in sufficient numbers to many marquis artists. When Michael Jackson and the Jacksons embarked on the ‘Victory Tour’ wherein they played to large sold-out stadiums and arenas around the United States, the concert industry as a result begin to show a major recovery. The economic recovery within both the recording industry and concert industry as a result of Michael Jackson was simply a phenomenon as writer Parales had noted earlier.
But, perhaps his greatest accomplishment, beyond his legendary performances onstage and enormous talent of developing his own brand via creative videos and music, was that of his equal expertise as a brilliant businessman.
Historically, black performing artists from James Brown to Otis Redding to Little Richard to Sam Cooke to Prince and hundreds of others have long battled the recording industry for the enormous economic benefits of their talents; the lucrative publishing rights. The stakes are huge and few performing artists understood that more than Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson startled and shocked many when he bought the ‘music catalogue’ of the Beatles and dozens of other performers including Bob Dylan in a then unprecedented $48 million deal. This was perhaps one of the shrewdest business moves ever by a private performer in the history of the recording industry. In one single move, the acquisition of the ‘Beatles Songbook’, he’d sent a message to the recording industry that he was a business force unlike anything they’d encountered. And that perhaps the industry should rethink the manner in which it had historically usurped the lucrative earnings of artists, many of whom were black.
And that caused incredible angst amongst record company executives and many in the private businesses that sometimes prey on the success of artists, producers and writers in the recording industry. At the time of Michael’s maturity as a businessman in the late ’70’s, most in the industry were simply used to black performers having their earnings and royalties from recordings under accounted or simply over layered with costs and expenses wherein the recording artist ended up with virtually nothing.
The recording industry perhaps recognizing a threat to the manner in which it had historically controlled artists via accounting standards that would defy any reasonable definition, seemingly began to target Michael Jackson to literally break his will and him personally. The fact that they were attempting to destroy the very person who had brought the industry from financial ruin to profitability was of little consequence. It became an instance of ‘cutting the nose off to spite the face’, and perhaps, set an example.
Michael not only ensured himself and his family a steady stream of royalty income from the famed ‘Beatles Catalogue’ acquisition, estimated at potentially over a billion dollars in long term revenues, he might have unwittingly laid the motivation for what many think is at the core of the negative media stories, false accusations, and unwarranted legal actions that he’s been a target of for almost two decades. If Michael could be destroyed financially, he would have to sell the catalogue the reasoning goes.
Many of the resulting negative stories about Michael Jackson in the ensuing years through even today appeared to be orchestrated efforts to reign in, not only the performing talents of Michael Jackson, a superb black artist, but more importantly to the gurus in the industry, the need to strip him of the billion dollar ‘Beatles Catalogue’.
The negative media efforts against Michael seemingly had become a cottage industry. The ongoing and nearly two-decade negative campaign against Michael Jackson surely must have taken a toll on his personal health.
Today, we celebrate Michael Jackson’s life via a marathon of musical tributes. Fans around the world are demonstrating an outpouring of sympathy and sadness while listening to his music. It is an apt and fitting tribute.
But, equally important to thousands of musicians, songwriters, producers and others, are Michael Jackson’s business accomplishments of which he has possibly paid for with his the impact on his physical well being. It’s a part of his legacy that music moguls probably won’t mention today and in future days as they speak of the endearing legacy of Michael Jackson.
Other artists who followed have benefited from his bold actions in the battle to control their future. Some of his detractors in the media will continue the drumbeat of negativity. Fortunately, the record buying public never completely bought into the storyline. Around the world, Michael Jackson’s star power has never dimmed or even blinked. Witness the fact, that within hours, he sold out 50 consecutive performances at London 02 Arena in just a few hours. Over 750,000 tickets were sold for the now cancelled July concert events. It’s a feat that has never been accomplished before and will not likely be repeated soon.
We mourn. Yet, Michael Jackson’s legacy is not only enduring for the music and creative showmanship he brought to billions around the world, but also for the intellect and intelligence he brought to the recording industry. He’ll be missed, but his art endures
Ronald G. Bookman is President and CEO of
Ron Bookman & Associates
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