Michael Jackson RIP

Michael Jackson

1958 - 2009

How many Michael Jackson memories do you have?



I remember watching the Motown 25th Anniversary special on TV, the one where Michael did a medley of Jackson 5 songs with his brothers and then did "Billie Jean." It was the first time he did the Moonwalk. Incredible!

All the kids at school the next day were moonwalking around. The first one who figured out how to moonwalk for real instantly became the coolest kid in school. I never did get it right, but how fun was it to moonwalk on the kitchen floor in your socks?! Don't tell me you never did!

I remember going to Specs Records & Tapes to get Thriller. I'm pretty sure Thriller is the first album I owned that wasn't kiddie nursery rhyme-type stuff or one of my parents' records. It's one of the very few albums I've owned on vinyl, cassette and CD. Thriller is a pop masterpiece like no other.

Do you remember the time... the first time you saw Michael Jackson's Thriller video?

My cousins and brother and I stayed up late at night waiting for MTV to play it, and we were blown away! When I was a kid, it was the coolest thing ever!

Then the Making Of video came out. I can't even imagine how many times I watched the Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller VHS tape... I wore that thing out!

My first concert ever was Michael Jackson at the Orange Bowl in Miami on the Victory Tour with the Jacksons. It was magical. I couldn't believe my parents got us tickets. For weeks I was super excited about the upcoming concert. We parked far away from the stadium the night of the show. I remember skipping, dancing and walking with my parents up to the Orange Bowl. My mom holding my left hand and my dad holding my right. I was wearing glitter socks!

The concert was bigger than life. It was the first time I saw a laser light show. Michael and his brothers sang and danced to the some of the best pop songs ever.

The Jacksons Victory Tour Setlist:

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Things I Do for You
Off the Wall
Human Nature (with "Ben" introduction)
This Place Hotel
She's out of My Life
Let's Get Serious
You Like Me Don't You
Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)
I Want You Back/The Love You Save/I'll Be There Jackson 5 Medley
Rock with You
Lovely One
Workin' Day and Night
Beat It
Billie Jean
Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)

Fast forward 25 years...

On Thursday afternoon I was at Sam Ash in Hollywood when I read a Tweet on my phone:

RIP Michael Jackson ;-(

What?! For real? Michael Jackson died?

Within two seconds, four people came up to me asking if it was true that Michael Jackson was in a coma. Coma? I just read he died!

We found the nearest computer and checked the news sites. They said Michael had been rushed to the hospital and was in a coma. Then Yahoo said he was dead. Then CNN.

Everybody was in disbelief.

I asked who had some Michael Jackson music. Nobody seemed to have any around. I checked my new iPhone 3GS which had just a small random set of songs on it. Any MJ? Just 3 songs: Beat It, PYT and Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. I asked the guitar guys how I could tap into the store's speaker system. They helped me plug my phone into the PA, and we listened to Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. It was surreal.

All day and night Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Michael Jackson was everywhere.