Wako Jacko?

Many people, some of who have not put pen to paper since they have left school, may now feel the urge to write something about their feelings over this strange human beings death and the unprecedented media coverage that has ensued. Letters will be written to the family, messages will be entered into books of condolence, twitter will go into MJ breakdown and thousands of blogs will be written. The inspiration for all this writing will be the death of the mega talented, misunderstood enigma that was Michael Jackson.

I can’t remember anyone’s death resulting in this crazy media coverage before. Yesterday every radio station I tuned into was playing a Jackson song. Both mediocre (few) and the sublime (many). Earlier today listening to the top 40 I learnt that a third of the chart was now made up of Jackson songs. Not a good time for anyone else to release a signal although I am sure that Gordon Brown is secretly relieved as the spotlight is off him and his band of merry robbers. Love this Robin Hood in reverse thing they have going on but I digress. Tonight on my drive home four radio stations were broadcasting the same Jackson tribute programme but each a few minutes apart which meant I got to listen to ‘Dirty Diana’s’ great guitar rift 4 times and came to realise that Jackson’s talent attracted the most skilled of musicians, dancers, producers and film makers. It also attracted fanatical fans and, as in the case of the Queen of Hearts, the King of Pop had his fair share of press intrusion that fed the rumours and speculation. And like the Queen of Hearts he did his fair share of feeding the frenzy with tales of oxygen tents, masks and apes.

Jackson’s death will be the same as Kennedy’s, Elvis’, Lennon’s and Diana’s in as much people will remember where they were when they heard the sad news. But although all those deaths resulted in a huge out pouring of grief and world interest (which seems to be escalating with each ‘legends’ death) none of the pre Jackson deaths had the advantage (?) of technology which allows everyone to have their say and to be heard. Although record sales increased for Elvis and Lennon both had posthumous number ones it was weeks before it filtered through. Even Candle in the Wind took a week to hit the No 1 spot. But now, with instant downloads and the public being able to choose which songs they want, rather than waiting for a record company to release a song it feels is appropriate means that Jackson is topping the charts 48 hours after he took his final breath.

I am not a huge Jackson fan. But for me he has always been around. Although he doesn’t feature in my record collection (an error on my part – Bad and Thriller are phenomenal and my personal favourite, Billie Jean, should be on my Zen) his music is a soundtrack of my growing up. We are almost the same age and, had it not been for Donny Osmond and his beautifully teethed brothers, I may have taken more notice of the J5. But I was always aware of his talent and admired his work. I was relieved he was found innocent of being a paedophile simply because I think he was totally asexual. I don’t believe he had any sexual interest in women, men, boys or girls. This belief has been reinforced over the last couple of days watching his videos and other film of him. No matter how sexual the dance move, when he does it the move loses of sexuality and becomes just a perfectly executed dance move. When he sings lyrics that have a sexual meaning, that meaning is lost and you just feel the beat. And somehow it works. It makes it hotter and more pure. Hell - when he kissed Lisa Marie Presley he looked awkward and unsure….not because she was a fully grown female but because it was unnatural for him to kiss someone. He is likely to have died a virgin. And in this sex filled, if it moves (and is legal!) fuck it world anyone who is asexual and hasn’t joined a monastery has to be viewed with suspicion and because Jackson was who he was, mega rich, eccentric, weird, vulnerable and a living breathing Peter Pan he was the perfect target for unscrupulous people.

I read on piece of anti Jackson yesterday and was really pissed off by it. Not because the writer attacked Jackson but because he was angry that people admired his talent! A comparison had been made of Jackson with Mozart and the writer was truly offended. That someone had dared to suggest that Jackson was a genius really rattled this guy’s cage. ‘What? Like Shakespeare and Michelangelo? He huffed! He goes on to say that none of Jackson’s back catalogue could compare with Hamlet or the Sistine Chapel. I can’t really comment because those are two songs I haven’t heard!

What this prat fails to understand is that genius can and does take many forms. Some people are geniuses with the brush, some with the pen (or QWERTY keyboard). Some geniuses can come up with theories that unleash unheard of possibilities. Some are a genius with a football. And some, like Jackson, at creating a sound that touches your heart, gives you goose bumps, makes your toes tingle and your feet tap. A genius inspires. Maybe to paint, sculpt, read, dance or play football. A genius evokes a passion for exploration and imitation. How dare this idiot, with his snobbishness and narrow thinking dismiss the word genius being attached to a ‘pop’ star.