Ok, so I know the Michael Jackson stuff is all played out at this point, but I have to take an opportunity to express my deep sadness at his passing. See, I was a huge MJ fan, long after it was popular to be one.
Born in '76, some of my earliest childhood memories involved MJ. I remember being in second grade and watching tv while eating a grilled cheese in our observatory (yes, it still strikes me as hilarious that I had a room called an obervatory growing up), and flipping the channel (on the tv, you know, when you had to get up and turn the knob?) onto MTV *just* as MJ was turning into a werewolf. I quickly flipped it off again... it totally freaked me out.. and then it fascinated me.
My sister was a huge fan, she owned the red Beat It jacket and everything. I remember her going to the Jackson Reunion tour in Philadelphia. Afterward, my dad, big brother and I went to pick her up. As we waited for the show to end, my dad stepped up to the venue's fence and put me on his shoulder's so I could watch. I was fascinated.
Then when I was in high school, I watched the Oprah interview right when things were really going downhill for him and for some reason I was fascinated yet again.. I just became so amazed at his brilliance as a musician and songwriter and dancer and for a few years became his biggest fan.
When I graduated high school, he had married Lisa Marie Presley and they were doing a really awesome official Elvis anniversary tribute in Memphis at the Pyramid Arena. I convinced my mama to drive me and brought along my two best friends. Sure enough, they announced at one point that Lisa Marie, Priscilla, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson were in a box watching the show. We were slightly disappointed he didn't perform. My friend and I raced around the arena to get to the box right as he was rushed out the door into an elevator.
A year later I saw an ad on tv for the VH-1 Honors awards. The second I saw MJ was supposed to be there, I was all over it. At 19 years old, I hopped on a plane to Los Angeles without a credit card or a cell phone and went to the Shrine Auditorium in South Central L.A. It was actually one of the best shows I've ever been to with amazing duets (Annie Lennox and Smokey Robinson!). It was a star studded, televised event and this little girl from Louisiana didn't really know how she wound up allowed in the building! And sure enough, there was Michael Jackson, stepping on stage to do a little bit of a song with Boyz II Men. It was so very exciting.
As we all know, things continued going downhill for Mr. Jackson after that and slowly my love spread to other music. However, I always always always will love his music and will forever mourn the fact that I won't see him peform again.
Born in '76, some of my earliest childhood memories involved MJ. I remember being in second grade and watching tv while eating a grilled cheese in our observatory (yes, it still strikes me as hilarious that I had a room called an obervatory growing up), and flipping the channel (on the tv, you know, when you had to get up and turn the knob?) onto MTV *just* as MJ was turning into a werewolf. I quickly flipped it off again... it totally freaked me out.. and then it fascinated me.
My sister was a huge fan, she owned the red Beat It jacket and everything. I remember her going to the Jackson Reunion tour in Philadelphia. Afterward, my dad, big brother and I went to pick her up. As we waited for the show to end, my dad stepped up to the venue's fence and put me on his shoulder's so I could watch. I was fascinated.
Then when I was in high school, I watched the Oprah interview right when things were really going downhill for him and for some reason I was fascinated yet again.. I just became so amazed at his brilliance as a musician and songwriter and dancer and for a few years became his biggest fan.
When I graduated high school, he had married Lisa Marie Presley and they were doing a really awesome official Elvis anniversary tribute in Memphis at the Pyramid Arena. I convinced my mama to drive me and brought along my two best friends. Sure enough, they announced at one point that Lisa Marie, Priscilla, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson were in a box watching the show. We were slightly disappointed he didn't perform. My friend and I raced around the arena to get to the box right as he was rushed out the door into an elevator.
A year later I saw an ad on tv for the VH-1 Honors awards. The second I saw MJ was supposed to be there, I was all over it. At 19 years old, I hopped on a plane to Los Angeles without a credit card or a cell phone and went to the Shrine Auditorium in South Central L.A. It was actually one of the best shows I've ever been to with amazing duets (Annie Lennox and Smokey Robinson!). It was a star studded, televised event and this little girl from Louisiana didn't really know how she wound up allowed in the building! And sure enough, there was Michael Jackson, stepping on stage to do a little bit of a song with Boyz II Men. It was so very exciting.
As we all know, things continued going downhill for Mr. Jackson after that and slowly my love spread to other music. However, I always always always will love his music and will forever mourn the fact that I won't see him peform again.
