Half-Time Score: Frank Zappa 14 - Michael Jackson 0

“Do we really want to know how Michael Jackson makes his music? No. We want to understand why he needs the bones of the Elephant Man -- and, until he tells us, it doesn't make too much difference whether or not he really is ''bad.'' (FZ)

How many of the world mainstream media outlets lead with the story of Frank Zappa’s death in 1993?

None, that’s how many!

Today’s unwarranted adulation of Michael Jackson exposes the injustice of a ‘true musical-genius versus marketing pantomime come phenomenon’.

We see this, in both the public and media circles.

Fuck throw-away POP-ULAR fucking Music!

It’s SHIT!

Let me spell it out for those of you, who may be hard of hearing……S…..H…..I…..T.

Ya, got it?

When The Spices Girls sell more than Radiohead, it’s apparent to anyone above puberty and doesn’t have a poster of their favourite band on their bedroom wall, that record sales are never indicative of talent.

When a so-called musician/singer (whatever you term him) is remembered for 'turning music videos into an art-form' and his dance-routine - we need to take a big step back & ask ourselves 'what about the music'?".

All this unjustified adulation of MJ, merely goes to prove Frank Zappa’s immortal quote:

“Most people wouldn't know music, if it came-up and bit-them on the ass”.

Sure it was sad to see Jackson drop-dead prematurely, but musically he was never on the same scale as immortals like Zappa and Lennon.

David Bowie is another, who towers above Michael Jackson.

I’ll leave you with some more Zappa quotes which seem to be purpose-built for this article.

“I don't give a fuck if they remember me at all”.

“Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe”.

“Rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, in order to provide articles for people who can't read”.

“I have an important message to deliver to all the cute people all over the world. If you're out there and you're cute, maybe you're beautiful. I just want to tell you somethin' — there's more of us UGLY MOTHERFUCKERS than you are, hey-y, so watch out”.

“If you wind up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest or some guy on TV telling you how to do your shit, then YOU DESERVE”

“There is no hell. There is only France ”

Buy the Brian ‘Head’ Welch Collectible Toy

This is Brian "Head" Welch, former lead guitarist for KoRn (only the R is appears backwards, which is hard to replicate on a conventional typewriter, and my Satanic one is on back-order)

Brain, has dumped his hedonistic ‘sex, drugs & rock n’ roll’ lifestyle, and found Jesus – a fact trumpeted by his new Christian marketers.

With his tattooed body, and ‘bad boy-gone good’ image, he’s now the new ‘born-again poster boy’ around the globe.

The local ‘Mana’ Christian store here in Christchurch, have his very poster in their front window, along with a prominent spot for his first ‘tell all’ book of redemption.

New Zealand is way behind the times, because his second best seller went on sale six months ago, and Harper Collins buoyed by sales, have paid for a third.

In the interviews I’ve read, Brain (who incidentally I meet, when I was did the bands N.Z tour equipment, about 10 years ago) gives a number of reasons for quitting KoRn, a band he helped, form in 1993.

“It was a little too crude for me."

"More to life, than chasing the almighty buck,"

“"I have a 6-year-old daughter, and I want her to be able to look me in the eye. I'm a single dad, that's what it comes down to,"

Now this is where it get’s confusing for me, and no doubt KoRn fans, as we all attempt to ‘joint the dots’ between Welch’s publicised motives for departing KoRn, versus his new public persona.

Since departing the band Welch has written two books and undertaken a promotional tour around the U.S Christian community & banked millions in royalties. He’s then embarked on a solo career using the name ‘Head’ (I thought perhaps, he was reminiscing about the good old days, with a groupie or two, but apparently his new moniker is short for Head To Christ) and with a blurb that reads “Man, when I get up there onstage, it's going to be me just letting things flow. I have no idea what I'm going to say, it's just going to come out." "I mean, I'm going to be like a kid up there. Because that's really what I am now. I'm a baby Christian."

I can’t see any ‘Parental Advisory, Explicit Content’ sticker accompanying any future recordings of ‘Head’, nor do I think his new brand of music, will appeal much to his former fans, nor for that matter, his old band-mates in KoRn (who still don’t talk to him, and continue on unhindered)

The You-Tube song below entitled ‘Ever Be’ is their frank, vitriolic ‘tribute’ to their old pal, and former guitarist.

Not helping his cause with resolving the rift with his old band-mates, was his widely publicised statement, made at his televised baptism in the Jordan River (yes ‘the’ Jordan) "I don't want to pollute the world anymore. I want to spread a message of love and understanding, and that's what I'm going to do."

For all intents and purposes Welch appears to have simply changed his direction- not his spots.

Some-where along the line Welch has quit drugs, and then began making claims to communicate with God.

And new voice(s) in Welch’s head told him to relocate to Phoenix (only God can explain that one, along with a troop of top psychologists)

In another recent twist ,he wants the world to now know “It was God that told me to leave the band” , thus abdicating himself from the decision-making process.

Strange, at one stage he told us, it was him that wanted to spend more time with his daughter, it was him that was trying to be a better parent, it was him that decided to stay away from drugs etc – but now it’s down to instructions from invisible entities, making one think, those years of meth-use may have caused some permanent damage up in his ‘head’ department.

And if Gods word to “quit the band” was that strong, why not at least talk to your fellow band mates and tell them why you were leaving ‘face to face’ – instead of that quick spineless, impersonal email?

God was similarly also looking over the born-again Welchs shoulder, when he penned a rambling, unintelligible letter to 50 Cent, remonstrating with him “ You're a huge force for the devil right now." “He's going to put demons around you that tell you I'm crazy”.

Message from Mars to Brian Walsh: It's not only The Demons, that think you are crazy.

So not a lot appears to have changed in Welchs lifestyle, excepting his claimed lack of substance abuse and his social circle, plus now, the lead from his guitar plugs directly into Gods speaker, and this new lead-singer gives him special lyrics, which only he can hear.

Rather than the record company pulling the strings, it’s his publicists and the Christian merchandisers, who cover his every step.

There is however a new tattoo to sport, it’s on about the only piece of skin left previously unoccupied, his neck.

Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

I wonder what else his marketing department will have in store, for us – a collectible doll, may be?

You’ll be able to accessorise it, with a cross, bible and an array of stick-on Christian tattoos, for a few dollars more.

When you press-it, it'll speak in tongues.