Jacko's dead: where were you?
Friday, June 26, 2009 I never really "got" Michael Jackson. I liked one or two singles but not enough to buy an album. Nevertheless it would be churlish to deny that Jackson was a phenomenon and to hear that he had died was undoubtedly one of those "where were you?" moments (as Iain Dale points out HERE.)
In my case I must have been one of the last people to hear the news. I stayed overnight at a London hotel (where I had gone straight to bed after attending a corporate event at the Royal College of Arts) and there was nothing in the Daily Telegraph that I read over breakfast. (It must have been an early edition.)
So the first I knew of Jackson's death was when I was in WH Smith in Victoria Station around 8.30 and saw a copy of The Times with the headline: "Michael Jackson, the king of pop, dies at 50". (The Sun, I later discovered, had "Jacko's dead" in large caps on the front page.)
Like most people, I think, I was surprised but not shocked. And, I must confess, I immediately forgot about it until I sat down and wrote this post. Life, as they say, moves on.
I doubt that Michael Jackson will be remembered in 300 years but he undoubtedly made a mark in his own time - which is more than most of us will ever do. What a pity his fame, and his talent, didn't bring him lasting happiness.
Reader Comments (12)
I think that Michael Jackson was one of life's vulnerable souls and not the kind of person who is expected to die peacefully in their sleep in ripe old age. Still, it was a shock to hear of his death.
Victim or monster? No doubt the truth will out now he's dead.
For anyone interested to know, I was in bed,with a cuppa and a fag. I had watched Question Time and was about to watch This Week when I got a text from one of my daughters with the news.
By morning the jokes were already doing the rounds such as "Michael Jackson was about to go on holiday to Tampa with the kids when he collapsed...":({
Farah Fawcett arrived in heaven and was granted one wish, she wished for
all the children in the world to be safe. Next thing she was stood next
to Michael Jackson!!!!!!
Judging by the comments so far, I would ask not "Where were you when he died?" but "Where were you when he lived?"
He was, without doubt, the greatest combination of singer,dancer & choreographer this world has ever known. His genius was unique. We will never know another like him and no pop star, including Elvis, has come anywhere near his sales. Can so many millions of people be wrong? I could watch "Thriller" every day of my life and never not be carried away by the life force and magic of it.
As Joyce said, he was very vulnerable. He was also very innocent and caring. He was without guile and not able to combat the horror he had to endure. He loved chldren, in the purest sense possible, including his own. If he really was a chld abuser, why would he choose to populate the chldren's paradise he created with little bald cancerous children nearing the end of their tragic lives?
In contrast, how does Elton John spend his millions? What sort of people does he entertain?
Never forget that Jacko was acquited of all charges against him - and that included the evil contriving woman who deliberately instructed and placed her son with him in the hope of profit..
Rest in peace, Wacko Jacko. May you get the peace in death that you were never afforded in life.
In such a world, created by us, is it any wonder that we smokers are now surrounded by bigotry, lies and greed. It has often been said that if Christ was born again in our modern times, he would still be crucified..
"I doubt that Michael Jackson will be remembered in 300 years"...
Well according to some American producer on Sky news today he will. This guy was comparing him to Mozart, saying that MJs genius was on the same level.
I don't know what MJ got up to in private. What I do know is that he had a unique talent. I was never a fan, in fact he gave me the creeps, but I would never deny his outstanding singing, dancing and choreography. I have to say however that as a devoted, fully trained active musician in all disciplines, hearing him being put on the same level as Mozart is a bit rich.
"Hearing him being put on the same level as Mozart is a bit rich."
We'll never know, Timbone, MJ was only halfway through his life. Mozart composed in the fashion of his time and Jackson was also a groundbreaker in the fashion of his. There are now additional disciplines necessary in the production of musical entertainment, especially the visual ones. This includes not only an in-depth knowledge of the technicalities of special effects, but extends also to human physical appearance.
I can understand that a man could find Jackson's physical appearance a bit creepy, but to me he was beautiful - sort of a cross between a man and a woman. When performing, which he did from the depth of his soul, he was very much a sexy vibrant man. He was almost a new kind of being - full to bursting with love of life and symmetry.
To understand him better one can study the rest of his family. They are all shy and a bit "out of this world" They were an encapsulated family, brought up and disciplined throughout life as a musical entertainment machine. They don't seem to have mixed much socially with the outside world. This was evident when watching Janet Jackson on "Big Brother".
As to his relationship with children - all children like to cuddle each other and all children like to snuggle safely in bed with each other or with a loving adult.
Regarding the cause of MJ's death - here we go again, folks, Big Pharma raises his ugly head. How many more deaths from prescription drugs do we have to accept before somebody somewhere starts to seriously question this all powerful industry? So many drugs are prescribed to counter the side-effects of previously administered drugs. These end up as a lethal cocktail. And still we think that the doctor knows best.
In this country, some 500 000 people die each year. That is, around 1500 per day.A few days ago, a very dear friend of mine died. He was a man who served in the arnmed forces in his youth and later became successful in business, in a moderate sort of way. He was a good man, I have known many men and women like him - good people.
I know very little about this person, Michael Jackson. I mean, he sang songs and stuff, which is nice, but of what significance is HIS death compared with that of any young man or woman dying in battle in Afganistan? I am sorry, but No! No! No! His death is of LESS importaance than theirs.In fact, his death is of no importance whatsoever.
"his death is of no importance whatsoever"
- James Watson.
Are you then saying that millions of people in the world are wrong in their belief? Such bigotry is worthy of the worst of the anti-smoking brigade. Of course it is sad when good people die. As well as being world famous, Michael Jackson was a good person too.
We are born and then we die. It is what we give to life in between that matters. Some people give more than others. Some have more natural talent. Some are prepared to put more hard work and dedication in than others. Some are even prepared to give their entire lives no matter what the personal cost.
Recently, at Glastonbury, Bruce Springstein gave thousands of adoring fans a 2½ hour marathon of his superb music. His love for them poured out to them, and their love for him poured back to him. This love poured out to each other and to the whole world. It was the Pop stars who created “Live Aid” to bring the attention of the world to the forgotten starving millions in Africa and elsewhere.
Compare this, for example, to the violence and hatred engendered by massed football fans.
Music feeds the soul and can transcend personal greed, selfishness, tragedy and self-obsession. Compare the life of a musician, like Timbone, to your own. Just when you are settling down to a comfortable evening in your armchair with the TV on, he must leave all those comforts and set out to brave the world. He may be tired or not feeling well or not want to go at all. I am not a musician but, to me, as an art form, musicians are the bravest. They set themselves up, like Aunt Sally’s, in front of what can initially be an uncaring audience. They start from scratch, each evening, and there are no turns back. Each note must be the right note. They may have to over-ride people’s conversations and apathy to even be heard in the first place. Some gigs, for whatever reason, may not prove satisfactory. [The smoking ban won't help], Then they have to return home tired after a long evening and muster up courage to try again, the following evening. Their reward, when it does come, is to see their music take hold and enter the souls of the audience. Their reward is the happiness, appreciation and love which pours out to them from the people there and, in turn, from these people to each other and those they would mix with the next day.
This is what Michael Jackson did for the millions upon millions of fans who adored him and understood him. Their grief is genuine.
I suppose, in your eyes, they too are of no importance whatsover. A bit like smokers, really?
'..his death is of less importance than theirs'??? You really feel that you can place more importance on one poor soul than another?
The comparison you made is sick. Obviously you would prefer a world full of 'volunteer' soldiers willing to go anywhere a corrupt power sends them to blow the hell out of women and children, on a lie. Oh, sorry we already have a world like that. Yes, much better than a world where a few try to bring some happiness through music.
Michael Jackson's life as a singer/performer was one thing and his lifestyle was another.
But his death looks like its going to be a large pain in the ass for years to come.
They're already trying to turn him into another false god.
They dont know whether to build his shrine in Neverland (bad taste in my opinion after that scandal) and distrupting a peaceful neighbourhood, or Gary Indiana where he was born.
Bet its going to be Neverland.
Because the crazy fans would much rather go to sunny california rather than Gary, which is a run down and poor area and not so nice.
Nice surroundings are very important for worship and flagration.
Also more bucks would be made in California.
That's not like you, Ann. Live and let live is more your style. If the pilgrims want to go to Neverland or buy up all existing albums, and megabucks are made through this, so what? If the money made pays off all his debts it is justice. He obviously was not well enough to carry out these huge 50 planned tours, and paying off his debts was the purpose behind them.
Rememeber the Diana hysteria? Also the Elvis hysteria? Both still continue. I've even conducted tours to Diana's birthplace and watched the devotees climbing on the coach clutching their precious flowers to lay at her shrine. Her brother is certainly making money hand over fist there. Live and let live, I say. Whatever turns you on.
Of more interest to our cause, is the part that Big Pharma and the medical "profession" played in MJ's death - and his life. He was so very famous that you can be sure no stone will be left unturned in that sorry mess. Much good for mankind could come out of all this.
No, I won't go to Neverleand myself and have never collected memorabilia of any sort. I am just trying to give credit where it is due.
Michael Jackson was a great singer/performer and his songs were great.
Its sad to hear of his premature death due to prescription drugs and dodgy medics.
I bet if MJ smoked, big pharma would say it contributed greatly to his demise!