gothams3rdrobin (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
gothams3rdrobin) wrote2009-06-26 08:21 pm
gothams3rdrobin) wrote2009-06-26 08:21 pm
Entry tags:
RIP Michael Jackson
I realise that just about everyone's flist has got several posts of some description on this topic, but I wanted to note down my thoughts before they fade. I may well listen to Michael's songs almost constantly for the next week or so, but I doubt I'll feel inclined to talk about last night in any great detail by tomorrow.
When I was growing up, Michael was my favourite singer. I loved the Jackson 5 songs my Dad introduced me to, and the new songs he was releasing followed my changing taste in music with uncanny accuracy. I had posters from the 'Bad' era on my wall, and owned my casette copies of his albums with pride.
The very first concert I ever went to was his Dangerous tour, at the Cardiff Arms Park rugby stadium. My mother's boss Karen took me with her. And I can remember risking arriving at school late because I wanted to tape Red Dragon FM's first official broadcast of 'Black Or White' before I left. There hadn't been a new Michael Jackson song in years, so this was quite an event. And I wasn't disappointed.
This all changed after that though, when his behaviour became increasingly erratic. I don't profess to understand what was happening; was he going mad, or was he doing it for publicity? Only he really knew. But my worldview was changing, and he was quickly being demoted to my past. And when the trials happened, I really had no idea what to think.
I first heard the rumours of his death late last night, when my friends on Facebook (mostly locals that I work with or know through Rowan's school) began to post shocked and/or confused status updates. So I had the BBC news streaming in one Firefox tab, as I was watching something on TV, and we were talking about it on Facebook. It's a strange experience to be part of something like that, while alone in your living room. Initially I wondered if he'd just had another of his funny turns and was playing it for publicity.
Apparently not.
When they finally got confirmation, I was saddened, naturally. The man was a major part of my childhood. Like Chris Moyles was saying on the Radio 1 Breakfast show (and the first hour of his show, at the very least, is quite a moving tribute) this is the first artist to cause such an impact in his passing since John Lennon, and a lot of Michael's fans aren't quite old enough to remember that with any great clarity. I told Rowan about it when he woke up, and he was saddened - he knows who Michael was, but I don't think he really knew who he was till he saw and heard tributes today. He was the one who broke the news to a neighbour on the bus to school though, and he wanted to tell his teacher too.
Hah - I just remembered how, when I was pregnant, he would kick the hell out of my stomach if I was playing a Michael Jackson tape! *grins* I think he might have been dancing!
Interestingly, though, I was more devestated by the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991 - and I had only just really started to get into Queen at that point. I knew a lot of their songs, like everyone else, but 'The Show Must Go On' really drew me in.
I haven't shed a tear this time, and I doubt I will. I think I did my crying for that poor, messed up soul when Rowan was a baby; I'd just picked up a copy of the Jacksons' greatest hits and the sound of the young, enthusiastic voice of a boy with his whole life ahead of him just broke me for a minute.
*sighs* Ah well. I think he's in a better place now. And hopefully his kids can now grow up in a more stable environment than the media implied they were.
When I was growing up, Michael was my favourite singer. I loved the Jackson 5 songs my Dad introduced me to, and the new songs he was releasing followed my changing taste in music with uncanny accuracy. I had posters from the 'Bad' era on my wall, and owned my casette copies of his albums with pride.
The very first concert I ever went to was his Dangerous tour, at the Cardiff Arms Park rugby stadium. My mother's boss Karen took me with her. And I can remember risking arriving at school late because I wanted to tape Red Dragon FM's first official broadcast of 'Black Or White' before I left. There hadn't been a new Michael Jackson song in years, so this was quite an event. And I wasn't disappointed.
This all changed after that though, when his behaviour became increasingly erratic. I don't profess to understand what was happening; was he going mad, or was he doing it for publicity? Only he really knew. But my worldview was changing, and he was quickly being demoted to my past. And when the trials happened, I really had no idea what to think.
I first heard the rumours of his death late last night, when my friends on Facebook (mostly locals that I work with or know through Rowan's school) began to post shocked and/or confused status updates. So I had the BBC news streaming in one Firefox tab, as I was watching something on TV, and we were talking about it on Facebook. It's a strange experience to be part of something like that, while alone in your living room. Initially I wondered if he'd just had another of his funny turns and was playing it for publicity.
Apparently not.
When they finally got confirmation, I was saddened, naturally. The man was a major part of my childhood. Like Chris Moyles was saying on the Radio 1 Breakfast show (and the first hour of his show, at the very least, is quite a moving tribute) this is the first artist to cause such an impact in his passing since John Lennon, and a lot of Michael's fans aren't quite old enough to remember that with any great clarity. I told Rowan about it when he woke up, and he was saddened - he knows who Michael was, but I don't think he really knew who he was till he saw and heard tributes today. He was the one who broke the news to a neighbour on the bus to school though, and he wanted to tell his teacher too.
Hah - I just remembered how, when I was pregnant, he would kick the hell out of my stomach if I was playing a Michael Jackson tape! *grins* I think he might have been dancing!
Interestingly, though, I was more devestated by the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991 - and I had only just really started to get into Queen at that point. I knew a lot of their songs, like everyone else, but 'The Show Must Go On' really drew me in.
I haven't shed a tear this time, and I doubt I will. I think I did my crying for that poor, messed up soul when Rowan was a baby; I'd just picked up a copy of the Jacksons' greatest hits and the sound of the young, enthusiastic voice of a boy with his whole life ahead of him just broke me for a minute.
*sighs* Ah well. I think he's in a better place now. And hopefully his kids can now grow up in a more stable environment than the media implied they were.