JJ Jackson, one of the initial five VJs on MTV, died yesterday. Condolences to his family and friends.
The first concert I ever went to was Asia, back in 1983. My mom’s friend John was the band’s financial manager. After the show, we got to go backstage to meet the band and guest emcee that night, MTV VJ Alan Hunter (the blond one)! Trust me: the VJs used to be celebrities. Of course, this was back in the time when MTV showed music videos.
The next concert I went to was Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, with Til Tuesday opening up. I don’t go to shows much anymore, and certainly not “concerts.” Most of the music I listen to nowadays comes from acts that are either dead, defunct, drawn or probably not too good live (unless the audience is dosed on X).