R.I.P. Michael Jackson, forever the King of Pop

I'm so incredibly sad to hear that Michael Jackson passed away today. Thus far I've heard it was a heart attack, though that has yet to be verified. My personal feeling is that he finally succumbed to the insane amount of stress and vilification he'd been (imo unfairly) bombarded with for years. I don't know how anyone could have stood up to the kind of world-wide scrutiny he'd been under nearly his entire life.

I am, always have been, and always will be, a die-hard Michael Jackson fan. My very first favorite song was Thriller, off of the same-titled album that came out the year after I was born. My parents tell me I listened to and adored that song ever since I was a baby. I got all of his albums over the years, watched all his videos, and listened to all his music. It's such a shame I'll never be able to see him perform live or be able look forward to more wonderful music from him. I think a big part of the reason Savage Garden became my favorite band was due to the heavy influence of Michael Jackson on Darren Hayes; I felt and heard a lot of similarities in his music.

However odd he might have been in his personal life, there's no denying he is probably the most amazing singer/songwriter/dancer/all-around entertainer to ever live, and far and away lived up to his well-deserved title of King of Pop. My personal belief is that he was a sensitive soul who had a harsh childhood, or rather lack of one, and hence spent his fortune and adult years trying to relive and provide other children with what he missed out on. Yet because he was a single non-parent "weird" adult, he was unfairly demonized for it. I'm certain he simply truly loved children (and thought of himself as one; I'm not saying he didn't probably have some psychological issues that could have been worked on) and was a good person who wanted to share what he had with children in ways that some adults may have deemed abnormal. But fuck, if I was a kid (hell, even as an adult!) I *totally* would have given anything to spend time at his Neverland Ranch with all the animals and rides and fun stuff! I never once believed any of the molestation allegations, and I still don't; I think he just saw himself as a child in a lot of ways, and that's why he wanted to be with them. And you know what, even if all those awful things people said about him turned out to be true (which I most vehemently believe they are NOT)? I don't give a fuck. Michael Jackson is and forever will be a musical genius and legend who has bestowed mankind with a lifetime of incredible entertainment that will always be a part of our history and heritage. No matter how hard some people tried to taint him, nothing can take that away from us.

Long live the King of Pop. No one can ever come close to holding a candle to you. You will be forever in our hearts and sorely missed, always.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson, forever the King of Pop

I'm so incredibly sad to hear that Michael Jackson passed away today. Thus far I've heard it was a heart attack, though that has yet to be verified. My personal feeling is that he finally succumbed to the insane amount of stress and vilification he'd been (imo unfairly) bombarded with for years. I don't know how anyone could have stood up to the kind of world-wide scrutiny he'd been under nearly his entire life.

I am, always have been, and always will be, a die-hard Michael Jackson fan. My very first favorite song was Thriller, off of the same-titled album that came out the year after I was born. My parents tell me I listened to and adored that song ever since I was a baby. I got all of his albums over the years, watched all his videos, and listened to all his music. It's such a shame I'll never be able to see him perform live or be able look forward to more wonderful music from him. I think a big part of the reason Savage Garden became my favorite band was due to the heavy influence of Michael Jackson on Darren Hayes; I felt and heard a lot of similarities in his music.

However odd he might have been in his personal life, there's no denying he is probably the most amazing singer/songwriter/dancer/all-around entertainer to ever live, and far and away lived up to his well-deserved title of King of Pop. My personal belief is that he was a sensitive soul who had a harsh childhood, or rather lack of one, and hence spent his fortune and adult years trying to relive and provide other children with what he missed out on. Yet because he was a single non-parent "weird" adult, he was unfairly demonized for it. I'm certain he simply truly loved children (and thought of himself as one; I'm not saying he didn't probably have some psychological issues that could have been worked on) and was a good person who wanted to share what he had with children in ways that some adults may have deemed abnormal. But fuck, if I was a kid (hell, even as an adult!) I *totally* would have given anything to spend time at his Neverland Ranch with all the animals and rides and fun stuff! I never once believed any of the molestation allegations, and I still don't; I think he just saw himself as a child in a lot of ways, and that's why he wanted to be with them. And you know what, even if all those awful things people said about him turned out to be true (which I most vehemently believe they are NOT)? I don't give a fuck. Michael Jackson is and forever will be a musical genius and legend who has bestowed mankind with a lifetime of incredible entertainment that will always be a part of our history and heritage. No matter how hard some people tried to taint him, nothing can take that away from us.

Long live the King of Pop. No one can ever come close to holding a candle to you. You will be forever in our hearts and sorely missed, always.