The legend that is Michael Jackson

I have always been pretty vocal about my support for Michael Jackson and was deeply saddened by his loss. I didn't want to believe it at first but now as the dust settles (let it settle tabloid journalists!) it is time to remember the fact that he was the world's greatest entertainer.

No one has ever had or will ever have the impact and influence that he has had on music. MTV is what it is today because of Michael Jackson. He struggled during racist times to get his music videos on to the white rock tv station but once he got Van Halen to play the guitar for Beat It and Epic threatened to pull other artist's videos off MTV we saw the first black artist's video and after the release of Thriller, MTV would never be the same again.

Three of my favourite quotes from celebrities which I think sum up the influence Michael Jackson had were from P. Diddy, Steven Spielberg and Usher:

"Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life!! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!"
P. Diddy

"Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson... His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him legend."
Steven Spielberg

"He influenced me in so many ways, more than just music...I wouldn't be who I am today without Michael Jackson."
Usher

Opinions are divided about Michael Jackson the person but they should never be divided about Michael Jackson the entertainer. If you have ever watched the Dangerous Tour DVD from 1992 you could watch it again now and still think that is way ahead of it's time, such is the genius of the King of Pop. We can go all the way back to the best selling album of all time and I ask the question that if the Thriller video of 1983 had just been released yesterday would you not still think that this was amazing? It is sad that his private life became a bigger topic of conversation than his music over the last 12 years but the record time in how all 50 of his concerts got sold out showed that his music speaks for itself and will remain timeless.

The tributes provided at his memorial were touching and you could see very clearly that Usher meant every word he said. I didn't quite agree with pushing a microphone on his daughter Paris but it did remind people that this man was a good father and has left behind 3 children who will miss him even more than his most obsessive fans. I first fell in love with Michael Jackson's music when I saw the video for the Way You Make Me Feel. From that day on I grew up with his music, copying his dance moves and buying his albums. As one friend of mine said in his condolence text "It is a sad sad day but you gotta keep dancing" and that is true. Michael Jackson fans should continue to celebrate his life and his music instead of mourning his loss. It is a hard thing to do, 17 days after his death I still find it hard to accept. I couldn't wait to go to his London concert with my tickets for the concert on the 23rd of July and I know I would have been one of those fans who went into hysterics when he appeared on the stage but now it will never happen.

My heart goes out to his family and all the fans who feel the same sadness that I do but through artists such as Usher, Ne-Yo, Beyonce and Justin Timberlake we will continue to hear more Michael Jacksonesque sounds and if it is true about the size of his back catalogue of unreleased material we may hear his own voice in new songs for years to come. Below is one song which appears to have been his but was never released.

RIP Michael, life is not the same with you gone but I feel blessed to have grown up in an age when I got the chance to witness your unearthly talent. You taught me how to dance and will always be the King of Entertainment.

Gareth O' Neill