Michael Jackson

[SpikyDave]

A lot of people seem to have been fans from a very young age, most probably before they really had a choice of what to listen to. I suppose it's good that it's stuck as they've grown older but there's possibly a high percentage of those who just know no better.

The Bad album on cassette was the first one I ever bought & I saved up my pocket money for weeks if not months to buy it. Neither of my folks were particularly fans of his music & certainly never pressured me to buy his stuff. I just thought he was cool as fuck! Seriously, have you seen 'Moonwalker'? He turned into a FUCKING CAR!!! What kind of seven year old wouldn't think that's cool?! And then I borrow my mate's copy of the Thriller video... He turned into a ZOMBIE, danced with a bunch of other zombies & ended up lulling his bird into a false sense of security when we all knew he had glow-y yellow werewolf-eyes & huge fuck off teeth!!!

On a more serious note, the Bad album had some great guitar parts which led my seven year old self to trawl through the sleevenotes to find out which session guy played guitar on each track & who was the best guitarist (David Williams just edged it from Dan Huff, by the way...), & I've been kinda guitar obsessed ever since.

So Jacko's actually had a pretty big influence on me, really, if not much in terms of his recent music.

[shat noir]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVACUjHn6yU

[Damian]

As I often like to say, for every reaction there is an equal but opposite overreaction. Yes, the papers and TV have gone overboard but that's their fault, not Michael Jackson's. Although some will say the public gets what the public wants.

None of this means it isn't sad news for his family and his kids. None of this means he wasn't once one of the best singers, dancers and all-round performers the world has ever seen. So just because people are (rightly) becoming sick of reading non-stop copy about it and seeing it relegate actual news, that doesn't make it right in my opinion for people to be flinging lots of mud right now.

[Assmask]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVACUjHn6yU

I love that video, have forwarded it to so many people - his other videos are also excellent.

[Assmask]

None of this means it isn't sad news for his family and his kids. None of this means he wasn't once one of the best singers, dancers and all-round performers the world has ever seen. So just because people are (rightly) becoming sick of reading non-stop copy about it and seeing it relegate actual news, that doesn't make it right in my opinion for people to be flinging lots of mud right now.

Also agree with the above, however.

[markE]

i don't suppose frankie boyle gives a flying one about whether he was innocent etc. he is a comedian. he makes his living by pushing the envelope of what people may find offensive and what will make them laugh.

i agree with geordie's comments about the world having bigger problems than one man dying - its not like he was going to cure cancer or anything.

[neil]

i don't suppose frankie boyle gives a flying one about whether he was innocent etc. he is a comedian. he makes his living by pushing the envelope of what people may find offensive and what will make them laugh.

The problem for me is that what he said wasn't particularly funny, more just an angry rant at someone he clearly doesn't like. There's aspects of what he said that I can find sympathy with, but at the same time it makes horrific accusations which at best are dubious and libellous. I'm not at all familiar with who Frakie Boyle is, and I'm sure from reading this his sense of humour would be wasted on me, but there's an inferrence in what you say that him pushing the envelope of offense equates with comedy, and my disagreement with that probably explains why I don't find this funny.

I pretty much agree with everything Damian said, a nicely balanced opinion as always.

I think everyone would agree he was a deeply troubled individual, and most of us had their doubts about how he'd make it through the o2 shows, and are now sadly but not suprisingly proved right. I found out about his death at Glastonbury, with everyone walking around just repeating 'Michael Jackson's dead, oh my god' and similar expressions. Everyone just appeared quite shocked. There weren't exactly people in tears, but at the same time noone was saying anything negative, or speculating on how it happened, which given his life and press I found suprising and nice. I guess Glastonbury is one of the few places it would get that reaction from such a large group of people though.

[Damian]

Hey Neil - I was at Glastonbury too... what did you enjoy? Metronomy, Dan Black, Blur, Maximo Park, Franz Ferdinand, Baddies, Art Brut, Spinal Tap, Dizzee Rascal, Eagles of Death Metal and loads of others I can't remember were all great.

Glastonbury of course has the dubious tradition of people attempting to start death rumours, so it was a full two hours after I first heard until the point that I actually was given proper cause to believe it.

[neil]

To be honest I went by myself, which you'd never choose to do, but it meant I had the Glastonbury I've always wanted where I got to wander around unrestrained by the wishes of others and see more non-musical aspects of the festival. As a result I saw a lot of circus and cabaret, the circus I particularly enjoyed which was unexpected, and spent more time than normal in the hippy fields - I saw a few musical acts there which were far from revolutionary and not anything I'd buy, but at the time they fitted the mood so I enjoyed them. My musical highlight was the Dead Weather, I was suprised how good Alison was never having been a Kills fan, also enjoyed Neil Young, Eagles of Death Metal, Puppini Sisters, Spinal Tap, Prodigy...but I have to confess two of my favourite acts were Bjorn Again and Rolf Harris.

The way everyone was repeating the news on Thursday did make me think it could be a rumour as there was no other info being given. About 2am I heard a place in Arcadia playing MJ tunes, and was wondering if it was a tribute or if they were in on the joke. And I didn't bother to check with the outside world. The Q daily didn't mention it on Friday, which had me wondering and I forgot about it...until Rolf Harris mentioned it on Saturday, that was when I knew 100%. I guess the outside world was completely sick of the news by this point, it's nice to be somewhere you can escape reality to that degree for nearly a week.

[Ross]

Just proves the age-old maxim... Don't believe anything until Rolf Harris tells you it's true.