**June 25th, 2011 will mark the second year since Michael Jackson died. Time has flown by and I still find it hard to believe it when famous people like Michael die because it always seems too soon and too final. Below is a blog I posted 2 years ago and I thought I'd update it a bit and repost. ("Hollywood" video has been added to this soon to be 2 year old blog) Thanks for reading folks...
I hadn't heard that Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital. I hadn't heard that Michael Jackson had slipped into a coma. And, I hadn't heard that Michael Jackson had died. On that day, it was almost 5 o'clock and I had just finished packing all my belongings because I was being transferred to downtown Dallas, TX. No more 45 minute commuting to work. I was elated for 2 reasons; my day was ending and I would FINALLY be working within walking distance from my home. So while I was busy with all of my last minute packing on June 25th I got the shock of my life.
"DUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!!!" exclaimed Jared
"What?" I asked, thinking what the hell are you yelling like that for?
"Michael Jackson died!!!" Jared was standing as he announced to me and loud enough for the entire office of people behind cubicles to hear.
My first reaction was, of course, disbelief. You know? No matter how many people we know, close or distant, we are never really quite ready for the news of their death. Where there is shock, awe, denial and disbelief, there is or once was a love for that someone or hatred that has now become a loss.
I never wanted to admit that I am still a Michael Jackson fan. Buying "INVINCIBLE" is when I was forced to realize that I still am a listener of Michael Jackson's work. Like at an AA meeting where individuals stand up to accept the responsibility of their inebriated days by announcing out loud their recreation dependency: Hi. My name is Michael Bryant...and...I am a Michael Jackson Fan. Corny but there are many closet Michael Jackson fans out there.
Now, I didn't rush out to the stores to hoard up on Jackson memorabilia like most fans and since I am a music fan expected some of my friends and family expected to hear something from me about Michael Jackson on my facebook status. After his death and for many weeks, I wrote nothing. However, one day, thought hit me that my saying nothing WAS making a statement, which seemed a bit negative. So I decided to put to words my thoughts about one of my great musicians and distant brother, Michael Jackson.
I actually tried to go as long as I could to never mention his name, to never play his music and to never re-hash with others about his death, especially what led up to it. Emotions were raw and a chasm had ripped through society between those glad he was dead and those devastated by the news. Eventually, I caved and began writing about a man that changed my life forever, music-wise.
Michael Jackson was one of those people that even though thousands of miles away, if you are a fan or were one, you thought you knew him. His song choices and lyrics pontificating always seemed to draw people in to the heart of his themes. When he did write, you became closer to Michael, seeing the glimpse of fractals he allowed each of his fans to see. But it was his voice: the clarity, the pitch, almost perfect, and the sometime annoying "HEEEEw!!!!!" was his signature.
The reason I decided to break my silence and write about Michael Jackson came from an idea I read in a Tweet. I echo a few of this guy's words. "If I call myself a lover of music, I should write about the good AND the bad." If this is so, writing about Michael Jackson should have been written about, regardless of those court hearings. He was and still is the biggest part of the music business.
America has their positions of how each individual feels about him, but when you take a poll of the world's position, the fame of this guy is astounding! America is just 1/4 of the world's view. Once, Michael was spotted walking through an Oriental airport and what totally blew me away was the zillions of camera flashes from paparazzi. It was not just awesome but astounding. I don't think you have any idea what I mean by saying this, but then again, if you're a Michael Jackson you know what I am talking. Those flashes were at such a high frenzy that it was as if 10,000 people had 10,000 cameras and all of them were flashing at the same time and as fast as they could take pictures. That's when I realized that my idea of knowing Michael Jackson's fame and affect around the world was only minute and scratching the surface. The world was, simply put, mad about this guy. And I will tell why...
Normally merchants go for creating inventions because advertising cost is cheaper when boasting about their product. However, when Michael appeared on the scene, merchants and bankers knew one thing: CHA$$$$$$$CHING! This would be a guy that would change history, move billions, and yes, make them very, very very rich. But the one thing they never ever thought, and maybe they did, but I doubt it was how Michael Jackson affected the Economy like no other product has and the magnitude of his popularity. Never have so many people decided to buy while broke when hearing of his death.
My life during the life of Michael Jackson was a good one even though I did not know him personally. I thought I did, and that was all that mattered. I felt sorry for him and I thought he and those parents made huge mistakes.
Do I miss Michael Jackson? Tremendously! Am I sad that he died? Yes.
Do I wish that he never had died?
Hmmm.... Now that last question is a tough one, seeing how The Business can eat people alive and as deep as Michael was in The Business, that his entire life became a circus and a fishbowl for the world,
that's a tough question to answer...
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