Farewell Michael.
OK, I must admit, I wasn’t the hugest of Michael Jackson fans. I, like millions of others, own a copy of Thriller (the vinyl edition sits in a box in my father’s basement on Long Island). And I, like millions of others, danced many a disco night (including at Studio 54) to “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” et. al.
But after the 80s, Jackson, and I, had moved on.
So it was with a little cynicism I took on the assignment of covering the Jackson death in London. But almost right away I realized how special he was to a lot of people.
Getting my Friday morning coffee at our cafeteria, I chatted with a young woman who was very sad. She was disappointed that she hadn’t been able to buy one of the 750,000 (!) seats for Jackson’s planned series of concerts in London which were sold out in a matter of hours.
When we were doing man-on-the-street interviews near the Michael Jackson sound-alike show “Thriller” in London’s West End, we ran into, by coincidence, two New York musicians who played with Jackson in 2001. Their deep, profound and heartfelt regard for his artistry moved me.
done
As did other warm comments from people ranging in age from around 12 to 60+.
By sheer coincidence, this has been a huge Rock weekend in the London area. The UK’s annual version of Woodstock, the Glastonbury festival, was being staged outside of the city. That drew artists to gigs in London.
Jackson’s death and these concerts got me thinking about what “Pop” music (remember he was the “King of…”) means to me…and us.
Last Thursday night I saw, for the first time, one of my more modern groups, The Dave Matthews Band. They usually play huge arenas in the States but as their following is smaller here, they played in a cozy smallish theater.
Friday, a venue in my Chelsea neighborhood hosted Roger McGuinn, founder of the legendary Byrds group. It was a bit forced, but he performed wonderful, absolutely iconic (there I said it), tunes from the Byrds’ catalogue.
Then, the big time. The Hard Rock Café sponsored a set of concerts at one end of Hyde Park in London getting a crowd of some 50,000 for each day’s set. The headliner Saturday night was one of my favorites, that old rock warhorse, Neil Young.
Sunday night at Hard Rock Calling, the headliner was none other than New Jersey’s hometown boy, Bruce Springsteen. He’s arguably been my favorite singer since the first time I heard “Rosalita.” His music a constant of passion, politics and hard–driving, good-natured rock. Sunday he didn’t disappoint.
The age of the audiences for all the shows literally spanned decades. And nearly everyone seemed to know the words to all the songs. And nearly everyone got into it.
At my relatively advancing age, I’m still belting out “Born to Run,” “Rockin’ in the Free World” “My Back Pages” and more.When I was young, rock’n’roll was the music of youth and rebellion. You always kind of thought you’d eventually grow out of it and by the time you were thirty you’d be listening to classical music and Frank Sinatra. But funny, that didn’t happen to me and it didn’t happen to a lot of other people.
One song at the Neil Young concert summed up the generation-spanning emotion-grabbing character of pop music. These days, Neil Young’s encore tune is an odd choice, the Beatles’ 1967 Sgt Pepper anthem, “A Day in the Life.”
Saturday night it was perfect :
After Young did the first part of the song (the bit Lennon wrote and sang, “I read the news today ‘O boy’…”), out came Paul McCartney from the side of the stage where he’d been watching the concert. And he sang the bit he wrote and performed (“Woke up, fell out of bed…”). They then finished it together including the endless final note, with back up vocals and cheers from EVERYONE in the crowd.
So what does this all have to do with Michael Jackson?
While a few acts at the Glastonbury festival paid tribute to Jackson, funnily enough, Jackson wasn’t mentioned at any of the four concerts I attended.
Disregard? Emm, not really.
Most of the acts had some link to Jackson. McCartney performed with him. Springsteen’s ‘80s albums dueled with Jackson’s. Both Young and Matthews use or have used backings that would not have been not out of place on any funky Jackson album.
No. I think tribute was paid by all of these performers simply by performing the music he championed, and made even bigger.
And again while “Beat it” might not have been in my pantheon of rock classics, I defy anyone to sit still when the riff “ABC….It’s easy as 1,2,3….It’s simple as Do-Re-Mi…” blasts out of the radio.
All the best, Michael.
Greg Palkot is a foreign correspondent for FNC. Palkot has been an
integral part of FNC's coverage of the War on Terror and was embedded
with troops at the time of Saddam Hussein's capture. 
All Michael Jackson, all the time. Enough already!
Be worried, America, very worried.
Obama is out of control. But how did we get to this point in history:
1. Foreign Affairs. Obama is a novice. But the world looks at America and wonders if we have the will and the might to lead.
Are you willing to serve in the military and fight for your country should it need you, or do you talk a lot and let someone, anyone else fight your battles for you?
2. Economics: America has always been a nation of capitalists with modest governmental restraints.
Are you willing to tighten your belt and live your own life, pursuing life, liberty and happiness on your own, or do you expect Uncle Sam to take care of you cradle to grave?
3. Social Structure. America was formed as a democratic republic and has slowly evolved into a republic with minor socialistic tendencies. Obama wants to move us to complete governmental control: i.e. socialism.
Do you believe strongly in democracy and are prepared to fight to preserve it, or is it ok to survive under socialism as long as you “get your share”?
It is decision time, America. Fight or hide. It is your decision.
I say, let’s roll…
I just got an inside tip.
Executor of Michael Jackson’s WILL is a lawyer named John Branca, one of the charities in Michael’s WILL is the Tiger Missing Link Foundation which operates Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge in Texas.
Michael supported them in the past and even sent 2 tigers there. Apparently Michael had many tigers under the same name at his Neverland Ranch.
In recent history Michael Jackson has been referred to as odd, eccentric, freakish, troubled and even having “serious issues.” These lines of discussion have been amplified by his recent death. With the exception of some haphazard discussion boards, I find it striking that the media has failed to acknowledge or even suggest that Michael Jackson may have been suffering from some significant mental illnesses. Even the casual observer would notice signs of an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, paranoia, delusions, post-traumatic stress disorder and even substance abuse. Instead of pointing out the obvious, likely due to his status and accomplishments, widespread reports have reverted back to referring to someone who may have a mental illness as “strange.” These euphemisms are destructive in many ways. They neglect the root causes of the man’s behavior, perhaps leading to a failure of those close to him to urge accessing treatment. This perception perpetuates the view that successful people and celebrities are somehow immune. Mislabeling common, legitimate mental illnesses serves only to relegate them to the stigma-ridden stereotype of carnival sideshow. Michael Jackson’s death is a prime opportunity for us to be reminded that even the richest and most successful can experience mental health and substance abuse problems. His death is a reminder that, gone untreated, these illnesses can have devastating affects.
All this fuss about Michael Jackson’s death? I do believe that I heard that Farrah Fawcett also dies!
Does she not count???
Enough with Michael Jackson already, please.
Why can’t MJ be buried at Neverland? Nixon and Reagan are not buried in a cemetery and I did not hear about any environmental concerns over their burial !!!
Is there anyone who doesn’t have at least one Michael Jackson song that they like? Face it, at some level everyone is a MJ MUSIC fan.
While it is easy to be repulsed by the last decade, an acquittal is an acquittal. But now is the time to take a higher road. The fact, Michael Jackson was huge, is huge, and megastars of his wattage are extremely rare.
Is there anyone who doesn’t like any Michael Jackson songs? At some level, about everyone is a MJ music fan.
Set aside the personal issues of the last decade, as this is a somber time.
The fact is, Jackson was huge. He is huge. Stars of his megawattage are extremely rare.
Oh my gosh, I just came to thinking about that sexy jackson….. JACKSON! JACKSON! OHHHHHHHHHHH JACKSON!
Who, cares if this sick thing died. Since when in America has our values lowered themselves to care so deeply about a child touching sick man. Come on people, let’s actually care about something or someone more deserving. Drugs, problem with children and an overall scary personna is not what we want our children to model themselves from. Calling it as I see it, will however admit there are a few
songs of his out there that I do enjoy. Unfortunately, music doesn’t make the man, or what ever he is.