RIP Michael Jackson: 1958-2009
I had never considered the possibility. I took him for granted. This news, that the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday is absolutely crushing, a blow that makes me sick to my stomach. I have been considering the best way to remember him for the last few days, yet nothing that I can say or do will change the fact that we have lost a true pioneer. Most things have already been said, so in this tribute I’ve tried to express how I feel and also to collate some of the speculation, alongside musical memories (see the end of the post). I’ll be posting a true musical tribute soon.
Michael Jackson collapsed at his California residence at around noon Pacific time on Thursday, June 25th. His personal doctor attempted to resuscitate him at the scene, before an ambulance arrived and took him to UCLA Medical Centre. Jackson was prounounced dead at 2.26 PM, from a suspected cardiac arrest. Michael was just short of his 51st Birthday.
However, a recording of the 911 call and a video of the ambulance’s departure point towards the possibility that there was never any hope for Michael. The urgency which you might expect was not there- the ambulance making multiple attempts to reverse out of the drive and no mention being made in the 911 call made that this was Michael Jackson’s residence. There have been reports that the ambulance team wanted to pronounce Michael dead at his house, but his personal doctor would not allow them to make ‘the call’.
An autopsy was performed on Saturday, with results pointing to no foul-play in the death- the Jackson family have already suggested they will request a second autopsy, and toxicology results from the first may take weeks to arrive. Michael’s personal cardiologist (Dr. Conrad Murray) was believed to be ‘on the run’ but has since co-operated with the investigation. It was initially believed that he administered a fatal dose of painkillers (Demerol, specifically) to Michael prior to his death, but was earlier told he was ‘free to go’.
Lisa Marie Presley’s (his first wife) outpouring also supports this fact- Michael purportedly said, in reference to the circumstances of her father’s (Elvis Presley) death “I am afraid that I am going to end up like him”. Michael’s supposed addiction started through back pain, and some say it was a vice that he was unable to beat.
This is the most affecting news for a long, long time. In the modern era, the effects are uncharted. Twitter closed down and Google went into self-defence mode as the number of queries for the term “michael jackson” rocketed beyond what was programmed into the systems. MTV devoted their entire network to Michael for 48 hours- fitting, considering all his work on the crossover video hits, including “Thriller” and “Bad”. And already, numerous artists have recorded tribute songs (see below).
His albums instantly found their way back onto the charts, occupying the top 12 spots on the Amazon UK CD bestsellers list and he has his first UK number one for six years with his “Number Ones” album. Fellow artists have all made their statements, and TIME have rushed out a commemorative issue.
The public outpouring is totally unprecendented, in my opinion unmatched since Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy’s death. The latter was before my time, and in Diana’s case, I feel the reception was more muted respect. Michael’s music has affected most people in some shape or form, and even those who aren’t great fans are paying their dues, admitting that this is a huge loss for the world, not just music.
Jackson’s comeback at the O2 arena was scheduled to begin on July 13th, mere weeks away. Many were hoping for a triumphant return, and on these terms, Michael will never get that chance to finally put the questions to rest. AEG (the tour promoters/organisers) stand to lose a lot of money, and the situation regarding the refund of tickets is starting to be released. I was one of the lucky few with a ticket to see him at the O2. On September 21st, I would have seen his ‘This Is It’ tour in London. It is a bizarre twist of fate- I have always held seeing him perform live as one of my musical targets in life, alongside many modern fans.
What of the man? His appearance and personal life polarised opinion and was the precursor to the modern paparazzi culture, but no one can argue that Michael made unmatched contributions to the world of music, raising the level of performance and recorded music.
His well-charted relationship with plastic surgery and health fads (hyperbaric chambers and masks- the latter an ‘illusion’) tarnished his image, alongside the tempestuous allegations of child-molestation. He was cleared of all charges, but never looked the same man. Those who know him well regularly comment on his health, and he was said to be in good shape for the O2 residency, having danced and sung in rehearsal on Wednesday night.
His character had it’s flaws, largely due to his highly unusual childhood. He was, however, a person with the best intentions at heart, clearly shown through his endless contributions to charities and people less fortunate. His talent was unquestionable, blessed with a pure voice and the Midas touch. His choreography is just as relevant today, and he raised the level of musical performance, directly influencing all those who produce music today. I share the opinion that someone like Michael Jackson only comes along once- he is simply untouchable.
Personally, I have many ‘musical moments’ with MJ’s albums. I remember searching endlessly for a live version of “Scream” on Youtube, finally finding one of the only performances on the History tour when he went it alone, without the backing track. And it is truly, truly impressive, one of his best performances to date (see below). “Thriller” soundtracked my mid-teens, exploring all the music that I had missed due to my age. I found “Money”, a real gem, on History. There are so many potential singles, spanning across his career, that never got the attention they deserved.
I really hope his family release the remaining material, including his as-yet unreleased album and video recordings of his rehearsals for the O2 performances. The ‘Dangerous’ tour tapes can be found on Youtube (”Beat It” below), and are the best display of his performing talent and character. For the latter part of his career, Michael mimed in many of his performances, but in the tapes he sings and dances, even adding in the sound effects and guitar solos when the sound team miss the cues. It is a special reminder of his talents, to see him with his guard down, having fun on stage, the place where he was ‘most comfortable’.
There are promising signs for the future- a catalog of 100 unreleased songs was kept for Michael’s children, but the debt which he accumulated will probably force their sale. Jackson has purportedly racked up $400 million of debts, but his death may be the only thing that can change the tide- industry analysts are already predicting 1 billion record sales (a huge increase from his charted 750 million) which should clear his estate of all outstanding costs. The back-catalogues are linked to his children’s trust funds, so the creditors won’t be able to touch it.
I am sure there are still a few more twists and turns to his story- I’ll be keeping the site up to date with any further developments. This is tragic, but I hope we always remember Michael the performer, the badass, the pioneer. He was taken before his time. Rest in peace, the King Of Pop. We will never forget you.
The Game ft. Chris Brown, Diddy, Polow Da Don, Mario Winans, Usher, Boyz II Men- Better On The Other Side (Tribute to MJ) Link 2 Link 3
Don Diablo- Song for MJ (Remember the time) Link 2 Link 3
Michael Jackson- Billie Jean (Home Demo from 1981) Link 2 Link 3
14 Responses to “RIP Michael Jackson: 1958-2009”
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We have lost a Legend…
Here is a video I made..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RTL8PSaFgY
Thanks for the wonderful video. Michael was just brilliant. He will always remain in our hearts forever. His dancing and music was an inspiration to many people. He went through all the phases of life bad and good times. For more in detail refer http://www.entertainmenttrend.com/befitting-eulogy-to-michael-jackson/
Thank you for providing some insight into an artist I respect, but have not had the pleasure of truly understanding.
The response to his death is absolutely incredible- it’s just a shame Michael could never see how much people appreciated him, for he was never comfortable being himself.
I’m still waiting to hear the rest of this story- sounds like the Jackson family are struggling to even get a look at the will, and that the children’s custody is uncertain. We shall see.
No problem- this is just how I feel about it at the moment. It’s so, so sad.
Whatever your opinion is of him, do you believe in destiny?
GodYesOrNo.com
Propecy, I do very much believe in destiny yes. Why do you ask?
i like many of you never got to see him preform in person because lets face it he gave up on the united states years ago. it seem to me like he was always on a world tour and when he was in the states he would sale out fast. so the closest i ever came to seeing live performances was tv specials or award shows.
my question is this does anyone know how he got his feet to echo in the performance seen here ? it was the last time he preformed Billie Jean live on tv as seen here
or you can go to this link to see the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAE3_gj9opc
btw my favorite songs were not hits
1 the lady in my life 2 you are my life 3 speechless
then billie jean the way u make me feel and all the others
Thank you for sharing your feelings, he will always be my biggest entertainer idol… he will forever be the king and he will forever be in my heart!
[...] Image via The Cold Cut. [...]
[...] Image via The Cold Cut. [...]
this is a very nice write-up. It echoes what i feel as an MJ fan myself. Thank you for remembering MJ for what he really is– a true musical genius who only comes once in this world.
hai,my name is husna ia like michael jackson