Michael Jackson
The ‘King of Pop’ was a performer who was perfectly complimented by dancing lights, rapid musical renditions and special effects.
WITH THE age and the passage of time, the body reflexes may grow atrophy but the sense of living should not; the level of joy should not. Life is the game of living – all out. I do no longer gyrate with the tunes of ‘Thriller’ or ‘The Lady in My Life’ and ‘The Girl is Mine’, but my heart and every vein of my body dances to the tunes of the ‘King of Pop’.
There was a time, in early eighties, when ‘Madame Tussauds Wax Museum’ at Marylebone Road in London was not packed with every Tom, Harry and Dick to call the visitors and to sell more tickets. It had a touch of class. I remember the biggest space, after the mini replicas of poverty stricken London, was occupied by the legend of music – Michael Jackson. The starlit stage at which the statue of the ‘King of Pop’ raised was a perfect blend of magical dancing lights, rapid musical renditions and special sound effects. There were intermittent recitals of his songs which sent impulses to every feet in the audience to move with rhythm; transformed every one in trance.
The charismatic singer has invariably filled the vacant spaces left by Elvis Presley. Nothing remains for ever and Michael Jackson was no exception. But his untimely and curious death left all the music levers aghast at the scheme of Almighty. After his death every one is talking – be it right or a wrong thing; and my thoughts won’t make any difference. However, a tribute is tribute and as a music lover I owe him that. Elizabeth Taylor, the closest friend of the Jackson expressed her sorrow said, “My heart, my mind are broken. I can’t imagine life without him.” Diana Ross, the former lead singer of ‘Supremes’ who introduced ‘the Jackson 5’ in 1969, couldn’t stop crying and paid her homage: “I am unable to imagine this.” Liz Marie Presley, his loving wife at one time, recalled what Jackson had said when they were still united: ‘I shall die young!”
As world wide mourning continues for the ‘boy of all times’ who moon walked his way into the sunset of his life, into the eternity of memory, his legacy of pop-revolution would remain, haunt and trance the coming generations with awe, respect, admiration and adoration. His health and his reputations – both were precarious and these uncertainties took their toll and painkillers finally killed the patient and the pain.
The singer’s Muslim brother Jermaine, who was converted to Islam in 1969, claimed that Jackson had been considering converting to Islam following acquittal and child abuse charges in 2005. ”When I came back form Mecca I got him a lot of books and he asked me a lot of things about my religion. I told him that it’s beautiful and peaceful. He read everything and he was proud of me that I found something that would give him inner strength and peace. I think it is most probable that Michael Jackson will convert to Islam.” No Jermaine, he was above the circuits of religion. To an ardent and fervent devotee of Michael’s music, no worldly religion can encompass the qualities of a creative person. Hundreds and hundreds of his fans, from all walks of life, who are making the pilgrimage to the ‘Jackson’s Family Compound’ in Los Angles, leaving flowers and messages of love are followers of a ‘Universal Religion of Music’ and Michel is a Prophet who filled this world with every feeling you name it.
The world of music is really poorer without him.
