Jackson broke MTV’s color barrier. He became the first black artist to be prominently featured on that young, rock-oriented channel when the success of Billie Jean and Beat It became so overwhelming it could not be ignored. He also established a benchmark for the way videos would be made—with stunning cinematography and precision choreography that recalled great movie musicals.
But as Jackson’s fame grew, his eccentricities—from his strange affinity for children and childish things to his, at times, asexual image to his fascination with plastic surgery—began to dull the shine of his sparkling image.
If his plastic surgery made him disturbingly unwatchable, soon, allegations of child abuse would make him reviled by many. He was overwhelmed with legal and financial troubles and went into seclusion after the trial for child molestation ended in 2005.
A comeback seemed to be most unlikely. But when he announced he’d be doing a series of comeback concerts at London’s famed O2 Arena, not only did the initial dates sell out immediately, the demand was so insatiable he was signed on for an unprecedented 50 shows. He was expected to embark on a worldwide tour sometime after the concert series was completed in March.
Of course, there will be no comeback now, no Jackson 5 reunion, no new music to share with millions of fans. But the legacy he leaves behind is so rich, so deep, that no scandal can torpedo it. The“Thriller”may be gone, but the thrill will always remain.
以他忽动忽静的炫丽舞步和令人颤栗的性感高音,迈克尔·杰克逊影响了一代又一代的音乐人。这个名字所代表的,远不止是流行巨星,或小报怪人。
从贾斯汀·汀布莱克到麦当娜,从摇滚到流行再到R&B甚至饶舌乐,迈克尔·杰克逊对当代歌手、音乐流派、类型风格的影响可谓无人能及。
杰克逊进入公众视线始于1969年,当时不满13岁的他被视为一个可爱的奇迹,是家庭乐队“杰克逊五兄弟”中天才型的早慧歌手。早在那时,他模仿詹姆斯·布朗和杰基·威尔森等歌手的舞蹈动作就近乎完美。他的舞台表演甚至让许多乐坛老将都相形见绌。
然而好景不长,渐渐长大的杰克逊在20多岁时一度陷入低潮。直到遇见知名制作人昆西·琼斯,他的音乐之路才开始转变。
由琼斯制作的专辑《颤栗》是杰克逊最成功的作品,也是他职业生涯的巅峰。该专辑销量超过5,000万,该唱片勇夺全球销量桂冠,但《颤栗》的影响远不止这些。
杰克逊还打破了MTV的种族隔阂。专辑中歌曲《比莉·简》和《走开!》的大肆走红让以针对年轻人和摇滚乐为主的MTV频道无法忽视。因此,杰克逊成为首位登上该频道的黑人歌手。此外,他还树立了音乐电视的制作基准——要像大型歌舞片一样具备完美的摄影技术和精准的舞蹈编排。
但是,随着杰克逊名气的增长,他的很多怪癖——从对儿童和孩子气事物的迷恋,到他塑造的无性形象再到对频繁的整形手术的狂热,使他闪亮的明星光环黯淡不少。
如果说整形手术让他变得惨不忍睹,那么接踵而来的娈童案则让他成了众矢之的。当时的他完全被法律和财务纠纷击溃了。于是,他在2005年娈童案结束后毅然选择了隐居。
几年隐居生活之后,杰克逊似乎不太可能复出乐坛了。然而,当他宣布将在伦敦著名的O2体育场举办复出演唱会后,不仅最初几场的门票即刻售空,巨大的需求缺口迫使他又加签了50场,演出场数之多,无人能及。在三月份的系列演唱会结束后,他便开始着手世界巡演了。
至此,不会再有他的复出演唱会了,也不会再有“杰克逊五兄弟”的团聚了,更不会有新作品与数百万粉丝一起分享了。但是,他留给我们的回忆既丰富又深刻,任何丑闻都不能将之摧毁。那个唱着《颤栗》的“怪人”杰克逊走了,但他曾带给我们的震撼将永存人心。
实战提升
Practising&Exercise
单词注释
impossible [im5pCsEbl] adj. 不可能的,办不到的
veteran [5vetErEn] n. 老兵;老手;富有经验的人
measure [5meVE] v. 测量;计量
fascination [fAsi5neiF(E)n] n. 魅力;有魅力的东西
insatiable [in5seiFEbl] adj. 永不满足的;贪得无厌的
实用句型&词组
I couldn’t sleep for exquisite pain. ( 尖锐的)
One of the survivors needed plastic surgery. (整形手术)
This move made headlines worldwide last year. ( 遍及全球的)
翻译行不行
他的舞台表演甚至让许多乐坛老将都相形见绌。
由琼斯制作的专辑《颤栗》是杰克逊最成功的作品,也是他职业生涯的巅峰。
那个唱着《颤栗》的“怪人”杰克逊走了,但他曾带给我们的震撼将永存人心。
Justin Timberlake Named Most Stylish Man
in America 型男贾斯汀·汀布莱克
Grammy-winning pop singer Justin Timberlake has topped GQ magazine’s list of the“10 most Stylish Men in America,”and gives his banker stepfather the credit for his dress sense.
The men’s magazine praised Timberlake, 28, for his impact on fashion, his willingness to take risks and“knack for targeting trends”including hats, three-piece suits, skinny ties and beards.
The timing of the award is good news for Timberlake. William Rast, the clothing line he and friend Trace Ayala launched in October 2006, is on the runway at this week’s New York Fashion show for its second outing.
Timberlake said in the March issue of GQ that he got his sense of style from his stepfather, Paul Harless, a banker who laid out his suit for the next morning every night and went to work looking“like Richard Gere in American Gigolo.”
As for his signature style of wearing a suit with sneakers, Timberlake said it was more a matter of practicality than design.
“I just put sneakers on because I couldn’t dance in the shoes I had. I couldn’t leap with just insoles and dress shoes. I would’ve hurt myself,”said Timberlake, who rose to fame as a singer with the boy band ‘N Sync and went solo in 2002.
Other honorees on the list of“Stylish Men”include music producer Mark Ronson, who took second place, and photographer Alex Lubomirski, who was third.
They were joined by rappers Kanye West and T.I., actor Jason Schwartzman and hotelier Andre Balazs.
日前,“格莱美奖”得主、流行歌手贾斯汀·汀布莱克在《GQ》杂志评选出的“全美十大型男”中拔得头筹,他称自己的衣着品味得益于身为银行家的继父。
这本男士杂志大赞28岁的贾斯汀对时尚的影响力,他那敢于冒险的精神及其引领流行趋势的能力,如他的帽子、三件套西装、窄版领带及蓄胡须等。
对贾斯汀来说,这一殊荣来的正是时候。当时他与好友特雷西·阿亚拉于2006年10月创办的时装品牌William Rast正在纽约时装周上进行第二轮展示。
贾斯汀在《GQ》三月号中称,他的时尚品味受到继父保罗·哈利斯的影响。身为银行家的保罗·哈利斯每晚都会选好第二天要穿的衣服,然后“穿得像电影《美国舞男》中的理查·基尔一样”去上班。
对于自己西装配运动鞋的标志性风格,贾斯汀称这更多考虑的是实用性而不仅是美观。
贾斯汀说:“之所以穿运动鞋,是因为我穿别的鞋没法跳舞。穿着时装鞋再垫上鞋垫我没法跑跳自如,那样会受伤的。”贾斯汀在担任“超级男孩”乐队的主唱时一举成名,并于2002年单飞。
其他上榜的“型男”包括音乐制作人马克·朗森和摄影师亚历克斯·路波米斯基,他们分列排行榜第二和三位。
此外,说唱歌手坎耶·维斯特和克利夫·哈里斯、演员詹森·舒瓦兹曼和酒店业大亨安德鲁·巴拉兹也跻身该榜。
实战提升
Practising&Exercise
单词注释
credit [5kredit] n. 赊账,赊欠 ;(经济上的)信誉
sense [sens] n. 感觉;意识;观念
design [di5zain] v. 设计;构思:绘制
solo [5sEulEu] n. 独奏曲;独唱曲;独奏
hotelier [hEJ5teliE(r)] n. 旅馆老板;旅馆经营者
实用句型&词组
The book made a great impact on its readers. ( 作用)
Father and his partner launched into a new business. (积极投入;猛力展开)
The position suits with his abilities. ( 彼此协调)
翻译行不行
第一章 The Best Poses for Women (7)
这本男士杂志大赞28岁的贾斯汀对时尚的影响力,他那敢于冒险的精神及其引领流行趋势的能力,如他的帽子、三件套西装、窄版领带及蓄胡须等。
对于自己西装配运动鞋的标志性风格,贾斯汀称这更多考虑的是实用性而不仅是美观。
其他上榜的“型男”包括音乐制作人马克·朗森和摄影师亚历克斯·路波米斯基,他们分列排行榜第二和三位。
第一章 From Vagrant to Hollywood’s Favorite
冉冉升起的广告新星