Double Michaels! Triple threats! Joe Jackson’s aggression! MJ the Musical titillates in a new touring production of the Broadway hit navigating the chaotic life of King of Pop Michael Jackson, highlighting the challenges public and private during his 1992-93 Dangerous world tour. The Pepsi-Cola-sponsored global event went on to gross $140 million for Jackson’s Heal […]
Tag: Michael Jackson
Posted inOn Politics
Happy birthday, Harold
It was just unofficially Harold Washington week in Chicago as the city celebrated the 100th anniversary of his birth. That’s right—had Harold lived, he’d have been 100 years old on April 15. Everywhere I look I see articles proclaiming Harold’s greatness. Oh, if only he had so much support when he was mayor. Look, I […]
Posted inMusic
Rescuing the legacy of Dancin’ Man
On December 13, I took a long drive to Des Plaines to pick up relatives of my friend Perry Kanlan, a showbiz-adjacent eccentric known as Dancin’ Man. The time on the road gave me the chance to reflect on the circumstances of my relationship with him. I formally met Perry in 2011, when my friend […]
Posted inMusic
Pieces of Peace cut most of their brilliant soul-funk for other people’s records
Chicago soul-funk band Pieces of Peace didn’t put out their only album till 35 years after they broke up.
Posted inMusic
Summoning the ghosts of Record Row
For two decades, a short stretch of Michigan Avenue hosted a concentration of creative entrepreneurship whose influence on Black popular music is still felt today.
Posted inMusic
Jay Wood of the Freesole collective on a rapper pushing the narrative of hip-hop
Current musical obsessions of Jay Wood and S.O.S of the Freesole collective and Reader intern Aaron Allen
Posted inMusic
Latham Zearfoss of Chances Dances on a Solange album for the ages
Current musical obsessions of Chances Dances cofounder Latham Zearfoss, artist and educator Jen Delos Reyes, and Reader music listings coordinator Salem Collo-Julin
Posted inMusic
Chicago producer Larry Sturm worked with Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley and Naked Raygun—just for starters
His influential career took him from house and punk to gigs for the likes of Prince, Destiny’s Child, and Michael Jackson.
Posted inArts & Culture
Defacing Michael Jackson uses a pop star and his fans as a metaphor for modern America
Five young people try their best to find a measure of grace in a society temperamentally unsuited to it.
Posted inBlogs
How Jake Austen found the lost Jackson Five demo
A great piece of detective work uncovered a great piece of Chicago music history.
Posted inMusic
Billie Howard of Aperiodic on Sia’s stripped-down United Center show
Current musical obsessions of Billie Howard from Akosuen and Aperiodic, Bow & Hammer violinist Kathryn Satoh, and the Reader’s Philip Montoro
Posted inBlogs
Former Hurt Everybody rapper-producer Supa Bwe focuses his powers as a solo artist on Dead Again 3
Supa is in peak form on the taut, minimal mixtape cut “Come Close (Get Away).”
Posted inBlogs
Follow DJ Spinn as he shops for records at Pitchfork
DJ Spinn talks about DJ Rashad and Michael Jackson in Pitchfork’s record fair.
Posted inBlogs
12 O’Clock Track(s): RIP Frankie Knuckles, a megamix
An assortment of some of the departed house legend’s greatest work