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Baker's Dozen

Paid Attention: Johnny Dean Of Menswear's Favourite Albums
Wesley Doyle , June 23rd, 2014 08:11

With a new single from the rejuvenated Menswear recently released, frontman Johnny Dean talks about sax appeal, music as maths and why pop is as much about what you see as what you hear

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Michael Jackson - Thriller
I was a kid in the 70s so you would always hear Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, he was a services' radio staple when I lived in Germany for a few years. But Thriller was insane - it was like, Jesus Christ, look at this guy! Nothing like Thriller had been released before by an artist primarily known for soul, it was this crazy mash-up album. Even now I'm still blown away by it. 'Billie Jean' is probably my favourite - there's hardly anything on there, just his voice, the beat, the bass line and synth stabs. It's just amazing. I got Thriller on VHS one Christmas 'cause I wasn't allowed to watch it on TV and I used to go on about it all the time, I was seriously obsessed with him, it was kind of love actually. The Motown 25 performance where he did the moonwalk was the first time I realised what stagecraft was, when I became aware I was watching someone performing. He was a genius and Thriller was the pinnacle. I think most people would say they like something off that album.