Michael Jackson: Was He Off The Wall? June 26, 2009

Waking up to the news that Michael Jackson had died was something I’d never expected to hear, I don’t know why, but you think someone like Jacko is invincible, after all, he is, and will remain, The King Of Pop, and to some, Wacko Jacko.

The first time I really heard him I was in junior school, and I’d gone for tea to my friend Rachel Gregory’s house for tea, when we were messing about in her room putting make up on and generally acting like kids do, she put on one of his albums, and I heard The Earth Song for the first time.

There was something in hearing that song that made me really sit up and recognise how influential these lyrics were, and I asked Rachel to make me a tape of that CD… and when it was done, I was constantly rewinding The Earth Song as I walked to and from school.

It’s shameful to admit I only really listened to that, but let’s face it, I was only 10 years old, and my musical tastes weren’t quite as broad back then, I really only listened to what my mum used to sing along to in the car.

To be honest, I was never really a true ‘fan’ of Michael Jackson, and as I got older and saw the media calling him a peadophile and ‘Wacko Jacko’ I’m going to have say that, as an impressionable young girl, I took in everything they said.

I carried these opinions of the star with me into my adult life, as it seemed the papers only ever focused on the crazy antics of Michael, for example his colour changing skin, the adoption of a Chimpanze called Bubbles and the opening of Neverland Ranch, aimed to bring pleasure to under privileged kids.

Obviously the influx of children to his home led to money grabbing families to realise they could exploit the already negative image of Michael and a number of alleged assaults came to fruitition, with one of the families being quoted as saying; “If I go through with this, I win big-time. There’s no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever…Michael’s career will be over”

The problem is you see, whilst I appreciate what a massive recording artist he was, the only memories I really have of Michael, is that evening listening to him with my friend, and the reports of what a bad man he was, and I worry that his memory might be tarnished by what he did (or didn’t do) during his life, rather than his huge musical achievements.

No matter what your opinion is of Michael, or whether you own just one single or his whole back catalogue, the influence he had on this music business should never be overlooked when telling the story of this incredible human being.

Please share your thoughts with me, I would love to hear how Michael touched you.

Ruth. xx