Beat It by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (reddish hue)

The Chinese People's Liberation Army performs "Beat It", probably directed towards assorted running dogs and capitalist roaders, not to mention the US navy currently in the middle of military exercises in the Yellow Sea off Korea.

Look at that erhu go! Nice solo, man.

I was brought up on this stuff and had to sit through Madam Mao's model operas as a child, for which social services were surprisingly never called in, so this video is a blast from the past but with added Jacko appeal.

Either that or it's the Long March Cycle.

Hat tip Anglo Noel and Sue Katz.

UPDATE: Interesting situation in China. Socialist Unity has the gen: Is there an underground Maoist party in China? And would it look like the video?

Beat It by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (reddish hue)

The Chinese People's Liberation Army performs "Beat It", probably directed towards assorted running dogs and capitalist roaders, not to mention the US navy currently in the middle of military exercises in the Yellow Sea off Korea.

Look at that erhu go! Nice solo, man.

I was brought up on this stuff and had to sit through Madam Mao's model operas as a child, for which social services were surprisingly never called in, so this video is a blast from the past but with added Jacko appeal.

Either that or it's the Long March Cycle.

Hat tip Anglo Noel and Sue Katz.

UPDATE: Interesting situation in China. Socialist Unity has the gen: Is there an underground Maoist party in China? And would it look like the video?

Filipino prisoners do Thriller: Michael Jackson RIP

Oh, no! It's Michael Jackson looking brown bread ...!

In memory of the King of Pop, here are 1,500 inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Phillipines performing Thriller with an interesting leading lady. It's a pleasure to see these prisoners inspired by Jacko's funky groove, or a sad indictment of the way showbiz functions to keep us all in line under capitalism, depending on mood, politics and where I am in my monthly cycle.

Worth listening again if only to hear Vincent Price uttering the immortal lines, "The foulest stench is in the air, The funk of forty thousand years ..." and so on.

By the way, it's looking like Michael was taking Demerol, an elephantine pain-killer that was a favourite of William Burroughs due to its similarity to heroin.

UPDATE: Jacko's doctor, Dr Tohme Tohme [edit: we now know the doctor was Conrad Murray], who pumped him full of Demerol less than an hour before he passed out, has done a runner. The Daily Mail reports: One website quoted a hospital source as saying: 'Shortly after taking the Demerol, he started to experience slow, shallow breathing.

'His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped. His staff started mouth-to-mouth and an ambulance was called. He never regained consciousness.'

Filipino prisoners do Thriller: Michael Jackson RIP

Oh, no! It's Michael Jackson looking brown bread ...!

In memory of the King of Pop, here are 1,500 inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Phillipines performing Thriller with an interesting leading lady. It's a pleasure to see these prisoners inspired by Jacko's funky groove, or a sad indictment of the way showbiz functions to keep us all in line under capitalism, depending on mood, politics and where I am in my monthly cycle.

Worth listening again if only to hear Vincent Price uttering the immortal lines, "The foulest stench is in the air, The funk of forty thousand years ..." and so on.

By the way, it's looking like Michael was taking Demerol, an elephantine pain-killer that was a favourite of William Burroughs due to its similarity to heroin.

UPDATE: Jacko's doctor, Dr Tohme Tohme [edit: we now know the doctor was Conrad Murray], who pumped him full of Demerol less than an hour before he passed out, has done a runner. The Daily Mail reports: One website quoted a hospital source as saying: 'Shortly after taking the Demerol, he started to experience slow, shallow breathing.

'His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped. His staff started mouth-to-mouth and an ambulance was called. He never regained consciousness.'

Michael Jackson heart attack may be fatal

Uncomfirmed reports say that Michael Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest today, wasn't breathing when paramedics arrived at his Bel Air mansion and attempts to resuscitate him with CPR may have failed.

Initial suspicions that it was another sickie in order to get out of his imminent live tour have proved wrong and Peter Pan may be dead at 50.

UPDATE: Michael Jackson pronounced dead at 3pm.

Also dead today are Farrah Fawcett, 62, and former NME journo Steve "Swells" Wells at 49.

Michael Jackson heart attack may be fatal

Uncomfirmed reports say that Michael Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest today, wasn't breathing when paramedics arrived at his Bel Air mansion and attempts to resuscitate him with CPR may have failed.

Initial suspicions that it was another sickie in order to get out of his imminent live tour have proved wrong and Peter Pan may be dead at 50.

UPDATE: Michael Jackson pronounced dead at 3pm.

Also dead today are Farrah Fawcett, 62, and former NME journo Steve "Swells" Wells at 49.