It’s 11:15, June 25th And Michael Jackson is Dead
It really didn’t hit me till now that Michael Jackson is dead. The news came across the Twitter feed earlier this evening and after a little searching I found that the news was true to some degree. For about an hour I looked into different feeds and news reports and heard everything from his cardiac arrest to his apparent hoax in order to boost upcoming tour ticket sales. Eventually I just turned the channel to CNN and saw that the LA Times made it official that the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, was dead.
I, like many of my peers, grew up with Michael Jackson in the 80’s. From his early days when “Rock With You” and “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” were hitting the charts. Through the “Thriller” years and the “Bad” times, he was an icon like no other. I first got my Michael Jackson jones on when Thriller hit the airwaves in January 1984. As a child I was a huge fan of horror. My dad was a horror movie nut and we used to watch old movies on late night tv… there was a show that came on after “Saturday Night Live” back in the day called… (Forgive me, I believe this is correct) “Saturday Night Dead” that my dad and I used to watch. Staying up late was a big thing for me at that age I guess, and just the time spent with dad was worth it. Anyway, when I first saw “Thriller” I just became hooked. Not only was is Michael Jackson turning into a Werewolf but it was the voice of Vincent Price eerily guiding your journey through the Thriller! The video had incredible special effects for the time and was number one on “MTV’s Top Videos Of All Time” for many years until a little band named, “Nirvana” came around. It was an instant hit off the “Thriller” album. I wanted this LP so bad when I was a kid… but I didn’t have a record player anyway… so it wasn’t a big deal. I was only 4 and the urge to acquire such vinyl came much later, but appreciate it, I certainly did!
I remember winning shitty keychain prizes at the local fair or carnivals with the “Thriller” album image on it and magnets with yellow werewolf eyes. Michael Jackson was huge! He was everywhere! I was a total Michael Jackson fan. I still remember arguments I had with other children my age (by this time, Im 7 or 8 I suppose) about which leather jacket was better; the red one from “Thriller” or the black on from “Bad”. When I say Michael Jackson was a big deal, I mean he was a big deal. I guess he was my first and probably only “Pop” icon.
His fame soared for a number of years. He released hit after hit, after hit, after hit. I subtly joked this evening with Maria about how he made all of China and Japan weep this day. I recall so many clips of videos where he’s singing “Man In The Mirror” or some other song where they show the crowd just exploding in tears and it made me wonder what it as like to have such a strong and passionate following… I’m not sure what that fame or that exposure does to you. I don’t know if it was the fame or the intense pressure of being a child star turning into an adult superstar that eventually turned MJ into somewhat of a side show act. There came a time when we joked about how we “knew Michael Jackson when he was black”. After numerous plastic surgeries on his nose and chin as well as supposed treatments to lighten his skin, Michael Jackson turned into more of a spectacle than an entertainer. I won’t even go into the years and years of history under MJ’s belt; from his years with Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, that Feldman guy, that Home Alone kid and so many others in Hollywood… his scandalous years and times of uncertain accusations and now, just hours after his passing you can view his Wikipedia page where it already list his death as this day.
I really think it sucks. Disregarding all the bullshit about his court cases and all the accusations, you can’t deny what Michael Jackson brought to the table of the last three decades. Incredibly creative and emotional, he brought his fantasies and dreams to life for the world to see and to share. He showed us a world beyond the reach of certainty and reality; just far enough to take you on a short journey through his eyes, guided by his music and genius, giving us lucky few that chance to say we were alive in the presence of a legend. Like many prolific musicians, artist and poets before him, he helped paved a path through history and through the lives of millions upon millions of fans all over the world. His inspiration and love for the world he lived in has stirred the deepest of emotions and tried the most terrible of times. Michael Jackson was, in many ways, and not to cut on Pepsi, the Voice of A Generation.
I really don’t know what else to say. I am shocked about the news… especially considering he was one of those guys who did ridiculous things in the name of health… I suppose I’ll watch the news for the next couple days and watch the specials that come on about him. I suppose I’ll fall back in memory and remember those good times… those good times that just wouldn’t be as good without him. We’ll all miss you, Michael, MJ, King… Mike.
Lancaster, PA
