OT: Michael Jackson

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:12 pm

The King of Pop, an icon in the music industry. His dancing moves were unique, a contraversial figure to say the least with his legal troubles but I am pretty sure the whole world will remember more for his talent and mourn this loss.

My favouite songs from Jackson: Dirty Diana, Billy Jean and Beat It among others.

Sad news, RIP.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:05 pm

ScoopBrady wrote:that doesn't mean I don't look back on watching the Jackson 5 cartoon, and "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" fondly. In his heyday he was pure magic.

Well said. I remember the Motown anniversary special with unbelievable clarity. I also remember sitting on the bus for a field trip listening to Billy Jean on the radio played every 4 minutes on one station or another. I've always been more of a Prince guy in the Beatles/Stones debate of the 80's, but Michael was amazing in his day.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:18 pm

The Thriller album was a Quincy Jones masterpiece. Billie Jean still sounds cool even today.

bulls23 · Post by **bulls23** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:21 pm

Being born after the Beatles heyday, and too young really to remember Elvis, Michael Jackson was the pop sensation of my generation. It makes me ponder my own mortality when an icon you grew up in awe of is gone forever.

Although he became completely bizarre in recent years, my hope is that people will remember him for his incredible musical talents and his charitable endevaours.

When I remember Michael Jackson, I'll think of how he appeared on his iconic Thriller album cover, the dance moves of magic in videos of "Beat It" and "Billie Jean", and not the way he looked today.

RIP Michael.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:27 pm

Rodster wrote:The Thriller album was a Quincy Jones masterpiece. Billie Jean still sounds cool even today.

That album was number 1 for 37 weeks....wow!

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:34 pm

Damn...

TheGamer · Post by **TheGamer** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:35 pm

RIP MJ. You are my favorite entertainer of all time.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:27 pm

Rodster wrote:The Thriller album was a Quincy Jones masterpiece. Billie Jean still sounds cool even today.

Agreed! Same for Smooth Criminal. That song is techno, rock and r&b all is one.

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:42 pm

Shock, I can't believe it. I was just reading yesterday about him training with Lou Ferrigno (no joke), and now he's gone.

Still have my Thriller record I picked up when I was 14.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:44 am

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:35 am

A co-worker of mine just sold his Thriller album on Ebay for $400. I guess others are going to be cashing in.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:47 am

Way to upstage Farah

Seriously, this came as a complete shock. I was never a big fan, but no one can deny how much of a icon he was. Right up there with the Betales and Elvis.

Strange that just yesterday I mentioned Smooth Criminal in the music thread. When he was big in the 80s I was into metal (still am), so I had a certain aversion to pop music. As I get older I like his music little more. I do like songs like Smooth Criminal, Dirty Diana, Beat It, and that song he did with Janet (angry space video is all I can remember). There are a few others I can't recall right now.

Music-wise I did like how he blended styles. He was a pop/R&B guy, but he injected a lot of rock and other styles to make to some interesting songs. Deinfitely not a cookie-cutter type of guy. Same goes for his life outside of music. Creepy allegations aside, I always admired his take on life. He wasn't afraid to be a big kid, although at times it did seems like he took a bit far. Given his own childhood, I wasn't real surprised. I also admired that fact that he really did seem to care for others more than money or fame.

RIP

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:02 am

Matt's post illustrates exactly why I was willing to give Jacko more of a pass than the garden-variety pedophile.

Were his transgressions sick? Arguably so. But I honestly believe the guy thought he was doing nothing wrong. I don't think there was anything calculated about it. His desire to cling to his childhood, which really never happened as Matt alluded, and be around children caused him to act and think like a child. Plus from all accounts, the guy had a heart bigger than his list of pop successes.

Again, that doesn't absolve him of his actions. But I always will believe he thought he was doing nothing wrong.

Grabbed "Off The Wall" last night. Forgot just how damn good that album is.

I'm sure it's the same for some of us, but it's sad that his death has caused me to remember just how many good tunes Michael Jackson performed, and I never was a huge fan of his solo work. Liked it, but didn't love it. But I LOVED the Jackson 5 as a kid. The Jackson 5's Greatest Hits was the first vinyl album I ever owned in the 70s.

Take care,
PK

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:30 am

Completely agree with PK and Matt's comments about Michael sincerely wanting to help people. Good article from a spiritual advisor to Michael.

In many ways his tragedy was to mistake attention for love....

Michael's death is not just a personal tragedy, it is an American tragedy. Michael's story was the stuff of the American dream - a poor black boy who grows up in Gary, Indiana, and ends up a billionaire entertainer. But we now know how the story ends. Money is not a currency by which we can purchase self-esteem and being recognized on the streets will never replace being loved unconditionally by family and true friends.

I miss Michael, I miss him very much. He was far from a saint. But there was a gentility and nobility of spirit that I found humbling and inspiring in a man so accomplished. My heart bleeds for his children whom he adored and who adored him in turn. I think of Prince and Paris and how attached they were to a father who regularly told me that he knew that when they grew up they would be asked by biographers what kind of father he had been. He wanted them to have only warm memories to share. Alas, the memories will remain incomplete.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite? ... 2FShowFull

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:34 am

Supposedly Jackson was 400 million dollars in debt. How is that even possible? I knowed he paid off his accusers, but damn....400 million dollars in the hole...

Maybe my numbers are off.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:45 am

sportdan30 wrote:Supposedly Jackson was 400 million dollars in debt. How is that even possible? I knowed he paid off his accusers, but damn....400 million dollars in the hole...

Maybe my numbers are off.

Apparently minimum of $500m, but his prime asset, the Beatles songbook, probably worth double that.

His music meant absolutely nothing at all to me, so I'll depart at this point.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:50 am

pk500 wrote: Grabbed "Off The Wall" last night. Forgot just how damn good that album is.

I bet you didn't pay $400 for it on Ebay

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:01 am

matthewk wrote:
pk500 wrote: Grabbed "Off The Wall" last night. Forgot just how damn good that album is.
I bet you didn't pay $400 for it on Ebay

No, sir!

Take care,
PK

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:02 am

TMZ is reporting that the doctor who was at the house injected him with Demerol, which family members said was too high of a dose. In fact, he had been getting daily injections of this drug. Sounds like he was obviously addicted to painkillers. So very tragic, especially when it sounds like this could have been averted.

johnvon314 · Post by **johnvon314** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:13 am

In thinking about Michael Jackson's career, I realized I had not listened to any of his big hits in over 20 years. This may be more due to the quality of 80's music which has not had the staying power of previous rock/pop decades.

I remember growing up in the 70's/80's that names like the Beatles and Elvis were legendary, and their music was played on many radio formats. The same has not occurred for Michael Jackson and most of his contemporaries. While MJ's success is arguably unparalleled (particularly Thriller), his era of music video and dance has not carried over very well.

I will be interested to see if his death ignites a resurgence in his music.

John

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:01 pm

Why would he be addicted to painkillers? To my knowledge he never played football or was a wrestler? I heard that he was recovering from a number of injuries in preparation of his comeback concert, but I never heard what they were or what they were from.

I would disagree wit the statement that 80s music has not had staying power. Sure the fashion has long since died out, but just look at Rock band and GH. MJ is on GHWT. Bands like Duran Duran, the Police, and Go Gos are featured on Rock Band.

I wouldn't know about the radio since I only listen to it for talk radio nowadays. I have a fews years worth of music stored up on my iPod, so the radio (for music purposes) has become entirely useless to me.

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:20 pm

matthewk wrote:Music-wise I did like how he blended styles. He was a pop/R&B guy, but he injected a lot of rock and other styles to make to some interesting songs. Deinfitely not a cookie-cutter type of guy. Same goes for his life outside of music. Creepy allegations aside, I always admired his take on life. He wasn't afraid to be a big kid, although at times it did seems like he took a bit far. Given his own childhood, I wasn't real surprised. I also admired that fact that he really did seem to care for others more than money or fame.

RIP

Good post, Matt. I don't have any music of his on my IPod, and doubt I ever will, but I agree with what you've said of his life outside music. The guy was an easy target, but I never really suspected him of being guilty of any of the crap that was alleged.

Strange life.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:31 pm

matthewk wrote:Why would he be addicted to painkillers? To my knowledge he never played football or was a wrestler? I heard that he was recovering from a number of injuries in preparation of his comeback concert, but I never heard what they were or what they were from.

Jacko was severely burned on his scalp when his hair caught fire in a pyrotechnics accident during the filming of a Pepsi commercial around 1984. That's what caused his initial addiction to painkillers, something he apparently had trouble shaking. No, I'm not kidding.

Plus I would imagine the VERY physical nature of his shows, with all of the dancing and choreography, would take its toll even on a 25-year-old body. But we forget the dude was 50. The joints, connective tissue and muscles just don't recover or heal as quickly when you're around that age.

Don't I know it!

Take care,
PK

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:38 pm

PK,

I don't think the arguement, "he thought he was doing good" is a very strong.

I think you are right that somewhere in his mind, he was so severely affected by not having a childhood and his family life. BUT either he was insane because that's sums up not knowing the difference between good, bad and reality. Or he was so screwed up that he knew it was wrong, and still had impulses.

No one probably knows that answer. Like all our lives it's a mix of parenting, family life, social and even our social status. I think it's a lot like Elvis where all he had around him were yes men. After a while if you can get what you want when you and want and no one really able to say no, maybe the lines of right and wrong are blurred because one thinks they can't get caught or it's not wrong because of their status.

Either way, great music, f***ed up personal life. You really and probably shouldn't seperate the two. Enjoy the music but maybe recognize he was a troubled individual.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:56 pm

Other related info to his supposed addiction to pain killers:

Oxman claimed Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal to help with pain suffered when he broke his leg after he fell off a stage and for broken vertebrae in his back.