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16 August 1977 – death of Elvis
8 December 1980 – death of John Lennon
24 November 1991 – death of Freddy Mercury
25 June 2009 will always be the date imprinted in the memories of so many for the death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
I’m sure we’ll all look back in years to come and be able to say where we were when we heard about his death but I wonder how many of you, who are around my age (37!) can remember when you first saw his Thriller video?
I do.
I was 11, it was 1983. My brother had recorded it on our brand new VHS video recorder. It was launched to the UK at some late hour on a Friday night in October, it was about 15 minutes long and one of the first ‘feature’ videos that I’d ever seen. My brother played it out to the whole family on Saturday morning. I was encapsulated. I’d never seen anything like it in my life and I will never forget it either. The storyline, the dancing and the singing was something new, exciting and different and I loved it!
Michael has had mixed press over his short life, some good, some bad. However no matter what is said about him his music will prevail. All of us can find one Michael Jackson track that we know the words to and enjoy, be it 'Rockin’ Robin', 'Don’t Stop til you Get Enough', 'Billie Jean', 'Beat it', 'Thriller', 'Man in the Mirror' or 'Bad!'
I never got to see him in concert, sadly. However those that had tickets to his brand new UK concerts must be disappointed. There was always some scepticism as to whether it would ever go ahead. Now those that held tickets are left with the dilemma, to get a refund, or to keep them as a memory of what could’ve been.
So, call him what you like: the King of Pop, Wacko Jacko, Peter Pan, MJ, the legend that was, whatever, but remember we are lucky. He left us the gift of his music and that will be remembered, listened to and enjoyed for decades to come.
Thank you Michael. RIP.
Louise Simmons
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