Michael Jackson: Death of a Mega Star

THE CHILD

Michael was born August 29th 1958, when I was 6 years old. He was born in Gary Indiana, in the USA, he was the seventh, of what would eventually be nine, children. I was born in the UK and had just one brother. The only similarity between our lives is that we were relatively poor. Not poor by abject poverty standards, but compared to today's families. Our small two bed roomed house would eventually be demolished in the 70's, long after we had moved on and away.However, Michael's family home was just as tiny but had to house so many more people. It is still standing today and shows that, many families in the USA are still living in extreme poverty. Is there any wonder that, with his own wealth, Michael Jackson, the Man, felt the need to purchase Never-land.

From a young age Michael was performing with his siblings. By the age of 11 Michael had a professional singing career. It seems that his father, a strict disciplinarian, can be credited with some of Michael's success, and much of his insecurities and strangeness. A hard taskmaster, his father would threaten and beat the young Jackson boys, until they performed to the highest standard. Michael himself gave credit to his father, for giving him the determination to succeed, but at what a price.

Performing from the age of 5, it is easy looking back to see the star that shone within Michael Jackson from a young age. The Jackson 5ive were all great performers but Michael just had that certain extra something. Whatever IT is he had IT.

THE MAN

So from an early age Michael Jackson and his brothers entertained us. So much so that, in no time they were a household name around the world. 1975 saw the Jackson 5ive leave Motown and become simply The Jacksons. The Jacksons have never officially split but, by the end of the 80's, Michael's career was so phenomenal that he just outgrew The Jacksons.

Michael was now having major successes. The Thriller album had been released in 1982 which, with the excellent video for the title track, became a monster success. This album won recognition and remains a best seller 27 years down the road.

STAR

Stardom just seemed to be an obvious transition for Michael Jackson. He worked hard at his craft and was an innovative performer. His famous Moon Walk dance moves were perfection. His videos, such as those for Thriller and Black or White, were always new, fresh and inventive. As he grew older he recorded and performed alongside stars such as Slash.

With fame came a paparazzi that would follow Michael, for any snippet of news that could be gleaned. As Michael turned in on himself, they would re-name him Wacko Jacko and sensationalise what they could.

HUSBAND

In May 1994 Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley. Coming just after accusations, of child abuse by Michael, many thought it was a strategic marriage which was carried out in order to cool the trail of paedophile accusations. The marriage lasted 10 months. Only Lisa and Michael know if the marriage was real, at any time, but personally I think it was. The union of two such adults, who had both endured troubled childhood years, due to fame and fortune, would make them kindred spirits. Michael married again, this time to to his medical assistant, Debbie Rowe. This marriage in 1996 lasted a couple of years or so.

FATHER

Michael and Debbie had two children. There was much speculation at the time as to whether or not the children were conceived via artificial insemination. In 2002 Michael claimed that he had another child by a surrogate mother and Michael Joseph Jackson III joined the Jackson family.

AS SOME WOULD SAY, THE FREAK

As a child Michael had been a cute looking child, of African American parents. His skin had been fairly dark and his hair quite frizzy, which was fashionable those days anyway. As he grew he became a beautiful looking man. He was slim, well toned and had perfect features. However, to Michael his looks were anything but perfect. Michael set out on a journey of re-invention that would see his looks ultimately become almost the stuff of horror movies.

Having suffered burns to his face, through an accident, some plastic surgery was inevitable. Michael always denied that he underwent many surgical procedures on his face. If that was the case he must have had some strange disorder which left him looking so different.

With health issues it is claimed that Michael became addicted to prescription drugs and, currently, the inquest has not ruled out an overdose, as a contributory factor to his death.

Michael also became whiter and whiter. In fact much whiter than most white skinned people. He was always covered up, so he would receive little exposure from sunlight, but even that does not explain these changes. Claims that he suffered from the skin disorder Vitiligo may have been true, but that would not explain Michael's skin changes.

Michael developed a friendship with a chimp called Bubbles, which the press grabbed onto in an attempt to ridicule Michael. There were claims that Michael would torture Bubbles and, eventually, nothing more was heard of Bubbles. There were also claims that Michael slept in an oxygen tent, in the hope of finding eternal youth, and more and more bizarre publicity followed on.

In the middle of all of this, Michael was accused of child abuse. He was acquitted of all charges but paid out a massive settlement. As a Peter Pan character himself, who knows what really went on. Michael had seemed to grow into a child, rather than a man, perhaps in an attempt to capture the childhood that he was never allowed to have.

There has been much press speculation about why Michael felt the need to keep changing his looks. Some initially would have just been the artist in him. As it carried on many felt he was trying to prevent himself resembling his father at all, but some claimed he wanted to look like his sister. Then again others said he wanted to resemble his good friend Elizabeth Taylor. We shall never know now.

DEATH OF A SUPERSTAR

Michael Jackson died on 25th June 2009 at the age of 50. He had recently announced that he would perform 50 dates at the O2 arena in England, as his swan song. Time and life had taken its toll on Michael. When he announced those dates he looked so unlike himself. That is the original Michael Jackson. However, despite being 50 he appeared young for his age. The quintessential Peter Pan of pop.

Michael's financial situation had become dire in recent years. Much of his estate was tied up for his children and this lack of disposable income seemed to be why he was performing again. Despite his acquittal of child abuse charges, the mud had stuck. Many people around the world had derided Michael Jackson for some time and he had quickly fallen from grace.

Death though does strange things to people.

With his death Michael Jackson's record sales are booming again. Two days later the news and press are still full of Michael Jackson, his life, his death and more. Adoring fans having been celebrating Michael's life and grieving over his loss. It's strange, isn't it, how it takes the loss of someone to raise their profile so much?.

IN DEATH AS IN LIFE MICHAEL JACKSON HAS GAINED FAME, NOTORIETY AND MORE PRESS THAN HE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BELIEVED POSSIBLE.

Let's hope the aftermath does not see money grabbers jumping on a roller coaster of shocking revelations, attempting to make one last buck out of Michael Jackson. Surely he has paid in full now.

RIP Michael. May you rest in the true peace that you never had in life.

 I am old enough to have seen the outpourings of grief when people such as JFK, Elvis Presley, Martin Luther King and John Lennon died. I have to say that this week's events, after the death of Michael Jackson, have far surpassed some of those. Perhaps it is because Michael comes from a time when there is so much memorabilia left behind due to computers, video and music. The phenomenon that is YouTube will play its part also. Of course there is no denying this man was special. Many have said there will never be another Michael Jackson and some may say thank god considering his troubled life. Not I though. He was a gifted individual who was unique, as most people are. He fulfilled much of his potential but got lost along the way. Overall that leaves a sadness behind for someone who had so much and yet so little.