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Flashbacks

The Wiz arrives in Boston

Not truly spectacular, but significant
"If you believe in yourself, you will have brains, heart and courage to last your whole life through. . ."

By PHOENIX STAFF | June 30, 2009

Ozians Reach Musical Heights
For many years, people have been asking me, 'Quincy, what was your very first big assignment?' My answer now is, "THE WIZ." – Anytime you have 9 singing principals, 120 dancers, 6 sound technicians, 3 conductors, 4 contractors, 300 musicians, 105 singers, 9 orchestrators, 6 copyists, 5 music editors; you are talkin' big numbers.

By PHOENIX STAFF | June 30, 2009

Send in the clowns

The wacky worlds of Michael Jackson and Ozzy Osbourne
The New York Post got to resurrect its priceless "Wacko Jacko" headline. Barbara Walters scored Super Bowl-level ratings without having to lift a pretty little finger. And Michael Jackson, well, no matter how you slice it, he got screwed royally.

By MATT ASHARE | July 02, 2009

The Straight Dope: Michael Jackson and the Beatles

Does he really have the rights?
You think an overdubbed Beatles tune could be any weirder than a new Beatles song with John Lennon? Then again, "I Want to Hold You Hand" overdubbed by a guy with a hand on his crotch and his hair on fire would be pretty hard to top. But don't worry, it won't happen, or anyway, it won't happen as a result of Jackson owning the Beatles library.

By CECIL ADAMS | July 02, 2009

Abnormal encounter of the suds kind

Loosely speaking
What better place to show off your new brand of beer, Three Stooges, than at the annual Stooges convention in California? That's exactly what Dewey Parsons was doing recently when word came that the convention had to close early to allow a certain VIP to wander through.

By PHOENIX STAFF | June 30, 2009

Mommy, what's with Michael?

State of the art
" After I got HIStory , I played it incessantly. It was the greatest, strangest, angriest, most bizarre thing I ever heard. Michael Jackson is this iconic persona..."

By MICHAEL ENDELMAN | June 30, 2009

The Thriller is gone

For Michael Jackson, Bad ain't good
With the release of Bad (Epic), Michael Jackson ends a recording hiatus of nearly five years. He could have stayed away for 10 years and still not have escaped the shadow of Thriller , the biggest-selling album of all time.

By JOYCE MILLMAN | June 30, 2009

Michael Jackson and his fears

Solo contendere
At the dead end of a decade when everyone was too discouraged to wonder if pop had a center, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall (1979) gathered up disillusioned factions of fans as confidently as it punted four singles into the Top 10.

By MARK MOSES | June 26, 2009

Boston in the '70s: Part One

Photos of Chinatown from the Boston Phoenix archives
Chinatown in the '70s

By PHOENIX STAFF | June 24, 2009

Film: Universal Bites Jaws Into Vineyard

"All is grist to their mill."
Gov. Sargent posed for the photos on a pier in Edgartown, preparing to let fly a bottle of vintage California champagne against the hill of the Orca, a pleasure craft transformed into a Nova Scotian Trawler to be used in Universal's production of Jaws.

By PETER BIRGE | June 19, 2009

Robojudge

Stephen Breyer may be the right man at the wrong time
Judge Stephen Breyer, Bill Clinton's latest pick for the Supreme Court, has attracted support so broad that it spans ideological and political differences.

By HARVEY SILVERGLATE | June 11, 2009

Dr. Edelin and Dr. Sabath: They've Never Met

Indicted Doctors Talk on Abortion Issues
Last week the Massachusetts House passed a bill outlawing abortions after 19 weeks of pregnancy, except when the mother's life or physical or mental health are endangered — contrary to the Supreme Court ruling last year which allowed abortions through the second trimester or about 26 weeks.

By CONNIE PAIGE | May 28, 2009

Racism in real estate

Keeping the neighborhoods white
After more than a decade in the business, the real-estate agent knew that many landlords had very narrow ideas about whom they did and didn't want living in their apartments and houses. Most of them were fairly subtle about it. "I want the right people," they might say, being careful to couch their instructions in innocuous-sounding terms.

By SEAN FLYNN | May 13, 2009

Carter vs. the Clamshell: round one is a standoff

Inside, an impeccable incumbent fields the easy questions
The presidential party arrives in a rush through the side door near the stage, and those in the audience at Portsmouth High School stand to applaud. Many are on their toes and crane their necks to catch a glimpse of Jimmy Carter in the confusion down front.

By DIANNE DUMANOSKI | May 07, 2009

Sporting Eye

See how they ran: No loneliness for these long-distance athletes
There were 7800 official entries and between 2000 and 3000 others along for the ride. By our crude calculations, the leaders were a mile and a half into the course by the time the last runner crossed the starting line.

By GEORGE KIMBALL and MICHAEL GEE | April 30, 2009

Flashback: Sox Populi

A short story for opening week
The October wind plays tricks on a man when the last breeze of summer meets the first chill of winter in the stands at Fenway Park. When other teams in other parks are playing out the World Series, the air in the Fens hangs heavy.

By JAMES MCLINDON AND SCOTT BURRIS | April 27, 2009

The worst word

How F**K became our top taboo term -- and why we need it to stay that way
Then it happens: you look up at the TV screen and see Bono, the lead singer of U2, step up to the podium to accept a statuette for recording the Best Alternative Music album. "We shall continue to abuse our position," he says, "and fuck up the mainstream."

By TIMOTHY GOWER | April 07, 2009