Gone Too Soon (5 Years Ago)

06/23/14 05:57:04 PM

Where were you when this news suddenly popped out of our consciousness?

I remember... It's June 26, 2009 (June 25 in US), then a Friday morning in Manila, (around 6:25 AM, in fact); as I logged in on my desk and checked out my Yahoo! Mail inbox, news about then-dying Michael Jackson was selling like hot cakes in the circulation.

But after a few minutes, every browsing netizen was surely in shock: the news was already confirmed and final—the King of Pop is dead. In the social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, his name occupied a large portion of both news feeds. Every single post about him, by some Facebook pages turned viral. And the external links regarding the news as well.

Since it was indeed a Friday, one radio station turned their playlist into an instant all-Michael Jackson tracks. For one solid hour, Dennis Poliquit (or known popularly as Big Daddy Jake) had a tribute to MJ in 3-4 pm as part of the Magic 89.9's all-day old school music program named Friday Madness. I can recall, though, that one of the songs played during the Madness was  “Pretty Young Thing (P.Y.T.),” one of the songs originally written by MJ's producer Quincy Jones and singer-songwriter James Ingram, and part of that Epic album Thriller (also, EPIC records was the publisher name).

I can't recall if other dials and even online radio outlets followed suit, though all I know is that during his mourning era, at least there's a Michael Jackson track that circulated. If not “Billie Jean,” I have no idea (though for sure: there's a lot songs than his 1984 all-time marketable track off the album Thriller).

I personally missed the chance to watch the live airing of that final goodbye to MJ (yes, it was a worldwide telecast straight from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California). And as I browse my Top Stories feed, it was all about MJ tribute.

As the investigation went on, some substance was diagnosed as the main culprit on his passing.

The bottom line, I guess is that no one really saw it coming. Perhaps, the majority of us knew is that he's up for a worldwide tour which will have their kick-start outing at the O2 Arena in London. He's scheduled to perform there by July '09.

And suddenly, it looked like everything turned out into a shit-dust. Ticket-holders may be sympathizing on his demise. But of course, one blurting question suddenly popped out of their respective minds: “What about our tickets? Can we get our money back?!”

I saw “This Is It,” a documentary-slash-musical movie intended for Michael Jackson when they premiered worldwide five months later. Perhaps, it was the very last resort to make his “concert” possible, to say the least.

Too bad, he have a very high vision on how things would want to happen should the odds pull in his favor.

And a few years since his untimely and shocking departure, and even up to present, it seems like his songs are rolling yet again. Yes, the posthumous way. Nothing bad at all considering we  need this kind of music to solidify pop music yet again. On an era where Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and even One Direction were the current culture's primetime players, it's about time to remember the people who is the real “King of Pop.” However, comparing them, especially the Canadian teenager to someone who always a “rockstar” since his childhood days, is definitely unfair.

Both were controversial? I know, I don't like the present stars, but that only proves both MJ and the youngsters were human after all either. So why the fuck should we give a shit on comparison issues?

Time flies so fast. It's been five years. And after all of those times, I still have that 2-CD King of Pop Philippine edition album in my mini-jukebox (thank goodness it survived Ondoy!), I still play them on my player on a very random, moody basis. Yet most importantly though: I still have to learn the proper act of moonwalking. LOL!

Anyway, as time goes by, I can only afford to leave a quotable line from his 1987 track Man In The Mirror.

"If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change."

Author: slickmaster | ©2014 september twenty-eight productions