Life | The King is Gone |
| Written by Andy Collins |
| Saturday, 04 July 2009 08:15 |
 Had I not suffered an injury to my back, I would have written this sooner but in hindsight it allowed me time for the emotions to settle and gave me time to reflect on Michael Jacksons passing.When Angelina rang me early Friday morning and told me to turn on the TV I knew I was in a “Where were you when you heard”- moment. I remembered where I was when I first heard that Elvis had died, Bob Marley, John Lennon and even Olof Palme. My heart sank as the TV stirred into life as I feared I would be greeted with the face of Obama. I know I’m not alone when I think of him as a person of whom a minority may want to do harm. Instead the TV presented the image of Michael Jackson. I was stunned. Not surprised or sad I guess, just stunned. As my children stared at the screen I began to explain who he was and why his death was a moment of note. As various pictures appeared of him throughout different periods in his life my daughter repeatedly asked ‘is that him, is that him?’ I wanted to know why he had died. Urbanlife had voiced concerns regarding the 50 dates planned for London and reports of cancer did little to dispel our fear that more shows would be cancelled or moved. Was the stress of these events too much? We must also remember that these shows were planned to take part over two years, not everyday, as some would believe. When Elvis died, a now well-known comment was – this was the best career move he could have done, and I can’t help feeling the same can now be expressed about MJ. The anticipation of seeing this great man perform his final ever concerts had caused a frenzy, with tickets more sought after than a cold coke in the desert. My cousin thought he had bought two tickets for £53 each, only to realise that they were in fact £530 each when his Visa card was later refused in the stores. However, could Michael Jacksons death be a hoax? A desperate escape secretly planned over the past few years? Hide out with Elvis and Bruce Lee. Go out on a high. Conspiracy theorists sign up here! I needed proof. I found proof. Here It wasn’t until I saw this picture that the truth hit home. He really was gone. Reports in London describe him as being very underweight, bald and with only pills in his stomach. Did he have a drug addiction? As each new report is revealed, the more fitting it seems. The similarities between him and Elvis are scary. Doctors can’t seem to say no to the stars. Amy Winehouse is another high profile artist who can get what she wants when she wants without a person or friend to say no regardless of the inevitable consequences. A few days after MJ’s death I received an email which spoke of the tragic passing of Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem. It read: We have lost a truly great man -- one who gave so much to Africans and people of African descent. He was also proud of his looks, his heritage and history. No surgery here. We shall all miss him, his intellect and his messages. May he rest in peace. After I read it my mixed thoughts on Michael Jackson resurfaced.
 The question of Michael Jacksons obsession to look Caucasian (allegedly he suffered vitiligo, a rare disease that causes patches of white colour, which in his case were not in patches) and the allegations of paedophilia are taboo subjects and mentioning them almost blasphemous. Both have never sat well with me to simply ignore. However, with genius must come madness! Van Gough and Einstein were both fruitcakes but undisputed geniuses.I have incredibly fond memories of sitting expectantly in front of the TV with my brother and sister eagerly awaiting the first showing of ‘The Thriller’ video. To say we were blown away would be a gross understatement. The world had not seen anything like this before. In ‘Thriller’ we saw a handsome young black man whose shear charisma leapt from the screen like lightning. This was the beginning of MTV and the music videos we see today. In fact, it was Michael Jackson who broke a race barrier when 'Billie Jean' became the first video by a black artist to be shown on MTV. Furthermore who could ever forget the now legendary Moonwalk. Like the moment people starting ringing in to a radio station desperate for the name of the black singer (Elvis), this too was a moment that affected everyone. There wasn’t a kid or adult not attempting it. MJ’s moves, energy and his incredible showmanship spoke to a generation and opened the door to a flood of imitations. But I guess we all appreciate things most when they’re gone. As I listened to my MJ back catalogue perhaps I listened more intently than ever before. I pictured what he might have been thinking as he composed each word to the songs, and I sensed every emotion in every note. We lost a legend of our generation but regrettably the circus that surrounded his life continues to grow as more and more bizarre revelations are revealed. This is one king who may be glad he's gone.
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