Martin Luther King Jr. James Brown and Vh1?
Tonight Vh1 rebroadcast a program they ran this weekend. The Night James Brown Saved Boston . That of course makes no sense when you first hear because James Brown is dead. Then you what a few minutes and realize they’ve gone all the way back to 1968, right after Martin Luther King’s assassination. Turns out James Brown was scheduled to perform in Boston the night after MLK was killed. So as part of Vh1’s Rock Doc series they put together this program to coincide with the 40th anniversary or Dr. King’s death.
The entire country, of course, was going through multiple crises-not the least of which was the intense Civil Rights movement, which I regularly refer to as the The Second Civil War. In this country we refuse to acknowledge that the latter half of the 60’s was essentially a social ware that did occasionally turn into actual violence. I could throw some statistics at you, but take it on the faith the number of racial conflicts and riots was staggering.
But back to the TV show on Vh1. You know, last week I wrote about how I used to occasionally watch Bravo TV. Or rather that network had a few shows that I would tune in for. But I guess I’m a Vh1 viewer now! And that’s a weird thing to realize. Its official; I’m old. I have no interest in MTV. At ALL.
There’s even a new comedy show on MTV, already in its second season called Human Giant. I hear its god but I literally didn’t even know about it because I’ve gotten too old. Nobody from MTV came to my house and disconnected me. But I just got to a point where I have ZERO interest in anything they’re showing . But I was good to go right on through the Jackass era, but now…I guess I’m done. It was that transition from 35 to 40 that did it. Now MTV2 might do some Jackass or Wonder Showzen reruns I’ll watch, but otherwise not even those shows. No bands I wanna see, no shows I wanna see, no personalities I wanna see. Check this out; I even stopped watching the Video Music and Movie Awards. And you want to know the kicker? I DO watch Vh1`. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggghh! I do! I’ve been watching for almost the exact period that I have NOT been watching MTV.
But I’m all over Vh1. I watched the Salt N Pepa show, the Breaking Bonaduce show, the Bridgett and Flavor show, the Celebrity Rehab show. It’s crazy. But they seem to have two types of these reality shows. Some that seem like a natural following of various subjects and then the contrived scenario type. So that’s why they can have a this…
And a this…
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I totally get where you’re at on this one. A few years back I went to see KISS and Poison, and it was “sponsored by VH1 Classic” and it almost freaked me out. Since when the hell was 80’s hair bands “classic rock?” WTF - then I (accidentally) find out that the “classic rock” station I grew up with as a kid was now playing Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, and on and on. This is the same station I “hated” as a kid because they played the Byrds, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Elvis, The Temptations and other stuff in the genre that I have always considered “classic rock”. Now Metallica is practically “classic rock”. When the hell did I get so old? Holy crap, I’m almost 40
hahahaha!
Hey JT, I was over at your place today bookmarking stuff.
But it’s weird right? And even weirder-try moving to a “rock” town. Coming back to Chicago from LA was…mind blowing to say the least. I did not realize what a “rocker” I was until coming home and having the radio play Rush, AC/DC, Queen, Molly Hatchet and my reaction was so matter of fact-oh this is cool. I just took in stride and that music was like second nature to me! I mean I can yodel along to Hocus Pocus by Focus and hit every note. Hahaha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpV5InLw52U
Focus, that’s hilarious. That’s like Black Betty, Green Eyed Lady, Radar Love, or even slow ride……I bet we know every word… and can sing every solo lick….
“one more radar lover’s gone…….”
I’ve been giggling, for like, 5 minutes straight!
LOT of downsides to gettin’ old, but the comedy of looking back with a peer is unmatched!
I watched that show too! Who would have thought that James Brown had that kind of power?
Hi Angelika
You and I are watching entirely too much TV!
But yeah, JB’s impact on the world is VERY far reaching when you sit down and think about. “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” that song by itself had massive impact.
I’m an insomniac.
What’s your excuse? ;-p
I head you could “make money online” and voila!
Nah, seriously I’ve got tons of projects that run the next 2 years, so I’m busy round the clock . Today I’m SUPPOSED to be putting siding on this house, but I’m gonna blog it out for another 4 days and then switch back to the house.
And of course VH1 has got me by the…