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LIFE & TIMES: Despite a bizarre life, Jacko was the greatest star of his time
Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter29.06.09
The death of Michael Jackson at the age of just 50 should perhaps come as no surprise.
In the quarter of a century since his crowning achievement Thriller, which remains to this day the best-selling album of all time, the self-styled King of Pop's life had spiralled out of control.
He had so altered his appearance through plastic surgery he at times looked grotesque; he had been forced to pay millions to fend off lawsuits of families who accused him of paedophilia; the rest of his vast fortune had been frittered away on Neverland Ranch where he lived in an amusement park with a menagerie of exotic pets.
He had three children who would appear with him in public wearing like their father face masks or sometimes veils; while at one time his best friend appeared to be a chimpanzee called Bubbles. Tabloids routinely called him Wacko Jacko and it was an epithet sadly well fitting.
Yet what should not be obscured by those years of madness is that Jackson was the greatest pop singer and dancer of his era, responsible for some of the most famous pop songs of the past 30 or so years.
Jackson changed the face of the music industry. The then-nascent MTV was given its kick-start thanks to the 1982 release of Thriller, which has sold 59 million copies to date, and was accompanied by some of the most lavish and brilliant pop videos of all time. Jackson quite simply electrified the world when he debuted his Moonwalk.
He was born in Gary, Indiana, on 29 August 1958, the fifth of mother Katherine's nine children. Despite the size of her brood, she had already marked him out as special. I don't believe in reincarnation, she once said, But you know how babies move uncoordinated? He never moved that way. When he danced, it was like an older person.
The large family lived in a tiny house with just two bedrooms on a street later named Jackson Boulevard in their honour. His mother, a Jehovah's Witness, taught her children folk songs while his father Joe, a crane operator and one-time musician in an R&B band, coached Michael and his older brothers Jermaine, Marlon, Jackie and Tito into becoming singing group the Jackson 5.
Joe was a disciplinarian who would later be accused by Michael of physical abuse, standing over rehearsals with a belt in one hand. There were claims Joe, who had a fearsome temper, would also shove them against a wall if a dance step went wrong. There were times when he would come to see me and I would start to be sick, Jackson once said of his father. Joe, in a 2003 interview, retorted: I whipped him with a switch and belt [but] I never beat him. You beat someone with a stick.
Jackson, chubby cheeked and cute as a button, was the natural frontman. He was so energetic that at five years old he was like a leader, Jackie told Rolling Stone magazine. We saw that... The audience ate it up.
Jackson was still only six when the group secured their first gigs, playing in strip clubs and burlesque palaces in their hometown. By 1968, they had recorded their first single through a local record label. The big break came when singer Gladys Knight spotted them at a performance in Harlem and recommended them to Berry Gordy, founder and president of Motown.
The life of Michael Jackson - in pictures
A year later, the Jackson 5 had moved to California, released their first album Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, and enjoyed their first number one hit single I Want You Back, with an 11-year-old Michael Jackson singing lead vocals. They never looked back. Other hits quickly followed including ABC and I'll Be There, transforming Jackson, still not even a teenager, into a recognisable star who could no longer walk down a street without attracting attention. Soon, the Jackson 5 had their own television series, a morning cartoon show and licensed merchandise.
Their schedule was punishing. Still only children, they would play show after show or else spend hours in the recording studio. Between 1969 and 1975, they recorded a staggering 13 albums.
By 1972, Jackson had recorded his first solo album, including the hits Rockin' Robin and his first solo number one single Ben. He was still only 14, a teenager ridiculed by his overbearing father for his pug nose and acne stinging criticism that would lead later to his obsession with plastic surgery to alter his appearance.
The turning point that transformed Jackson from a teen sensation to worldwide superstar and a pop icon, however, was his decision to quit Motown and team up instead with producer Quincy Jones. He had met Jones while playing the Scarecrow in his first film The Wiz, a modern adaptation of The Wizard Of Oz, in 1978. A year later, their first album together Off the Wall went on to sell 19 million copies worldwide. It includes such hits as Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough and Rock With You. Jackson, who had been around seemingly for ever, was still only 21.
In November 1982, he released Thriller, which remains the biggest-selling album of all time and the single body of work for which he will be best remembered. It was a stunning, crowning achievement, producing such hits as Thriller, Billie Jean and Beat It.
Other huge selling albums followed Bad (which sold 30 million copies), Dangerous (22 million) and HIStory (20 million) but nothing ever bettered Thriller. In essence, it was all downhill from there for Jackson and it went downhill fast.
His appearance started to alter, subtly at first. His skin appeared a little paler, his nose a little more aquiline. His best friend was his pet chimpanzee named Bubbles, who would wear matching outfits to his owner, and he took to wearing a surgical mask in public. Jackson was paying the price of his fame.
In 1994, after years without a girlfriend in sight and amid speculation he was asexual, Jackson suddenly married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis. The marriage, and his earlier $47.5 million purchase of the publishing rights to the Beatles' back catalogue, secured Jackson's position in musical royalty.
It was a short-lived marriage 19 months prompting speculation he had only done it to avert attention from the first of the child sex scandals that were to engulf him. The year before, a 13-year-old boy Jordan Chandler accused him of sexual molestation. Jackson settled with the boy's family out of court for a reported $20 million.
I am not guilty of these allegations, said Jackson, then aged 35. If I am guilty of anything, it is of giving all that I have to give to help children all over the world. It is of loving children of all ages and races... It is of enjoying through them the childhood that I missed myself.
In 1997, Jackson married a second time on this occasion Debbie Rowe, his former nurse. They spent little time together but Ms Rowe produced two children for him Prince Michael and Paris. A third child, Prince Michael II or Blanket was born although he never disclosed the identity of his mother. In the end the child abuse scandals were too much for his backers to bear. Jackson lost his multi-million dollar Pepsi sponsorship and several film deals. Album sales never really recovered.
He grew increasingly reclusive, his public appearances increasingly bizarre such as the time he infamously dangled Prince Michael II from a hotel balcony in Berlin that led to calls for the children to be taken from him.
In an attempt to resurrect his career, he was persuaded to let the British journalist Martin Bashir into Neverland Ranch. He still invited children to share his bedroom, he confided to Bashir.
It's not sexual. I tuck them in, have hot milk, give them cookies. It's very charming, it's very sweet, he explained.
Not everybody thought so. The latest revelations led to Jackson being charged with seven counts of child abuse, and a trial that mesmerised both the media and fans. He was subsequently acquitted in 2005 after a five-month long trial that featured celebrity witnesses Jay Leno and Macaulay Culkin and increasingly bizarre appearances from Jackson who would turn up to court wearing pyjamas.
Since then, he lurched from one crisis to another, his debts piling up they were said to run to $300 million and his beloved Neverland ranch was threatened with seizure. It wasn't surprising then that he had been coaxed out of retirement by the AEG executives for 50 comeback shows at the O2 Arena. Gripped by stagefright, addicted to painkillers, he had told friends he never wanted the comeback gigs but he needed them to pull himself out of debt.
The astonishing thing is that despite the ridicule, the claims of abuse and the doubts over his health, millions of people were clamouring to see his comeback. Michael Jackson remained even in his final days the King of Pop. And no matter the scandal, they couldn't take that away from him.
Reader views (28)
Micheal Jackson was always on the top and will remained even after his departure.I said that no is equal to Micheal,people think that he was someone that influence the new generation by his music,but they were wrong Micheal have given a new way and path to those how was in the dark to find their own way.The sweet voice of Micheal is still here in my ears and i know that all his fans can say the same,its sure that you're missing all of us. Love you,miss you,kiss you,and will always remember you Micheal.
- Lacei, RDR Mauritius.
From a musical point of view, Micheal was a genius! We've heard countless of times,how talented and how he moved the world with his music. We forget to mention, more to the point how his dance has changed, how we interpret dance itself, many copy it to this day. When we look back it's Micheal who set the standards. Then there's the private man! I've been a fan of Micheal ever since I first heard his music, at the age of 9 in 1978, and was moved by his charms and many talents. I went to his concert at wembley in 88, had the tshirts, posters, record etc. In the 90's to this day, that talented man was a shadow of his formerself. Whatever his toubles in his private life reflected on how people saw him, he became isolated from the real world, as we know it! You can have a god given talent and all the money in the world! All this won't bring you joy or happiness! With Micheal along came loneliness and fear, and not being able to trust anyone, or what they were really after!I thank god that I have these things that WE SO take for granted! Even Micheal with all his talent and money couldn't buy these. ("The best things in life are free") unfortunately for Micheal, he simply didn't have it. He lost his ability of what real life was about, and in the end paid with a heavy price! He ended up lonely and vulnerable, he died alone! I hope he's in a better place now, (like legends) he'll never die. His memory will continue like those before him i.e Mozart. R.I.P Michal! candygirl
- Candice, brighton, england
I cant believe someone compared Oasis to Michael Jackson how very worrying. All those people commenting about MJ not having real talent are very misinformed. If you have a child at the age of 8 writing songs, which will be sung 40 years later by other children aged 8 in talent shows, that means you are gifted. His music transcended time even if he was a troubled soul. So for all of you who are making bizarre comparisons between MJ and Brahms, I think its best you tune into your classical music channels on the radio and leave the commnenting for the rest of us who can appreciate MJ, Brahms, Bach etc and most importantly know the difference between them.
- Merve, London
Some of the later comments about Michael Jackson are just plain silly ... 'I cannot see him being remembered for very long in musical circles', etc.
Michael Jackson had far more mass appeal than any other artist who lived. My mother was an Elvis and a Cliff Richard fan, being a product of the 40s. However, despite that, she loved Michael Jackson and recognised his sheer genius, as did most others of her generation and beyond. My brother was an Elvis fan, but Elvis had limited appeal to those of our generation and younger (born in the 60s). All my children and their friends love Michael Jackson's music, and are awestruck by his dancing! Michael Jackson was wholly unique. It is unlikely that we shall ever see the like of such a talent again - we certainly didn't deserve him as some of the more curmudgeonly comments prove.
- Mjf, Nottingham, UK
There is no question that Michael Jackson is a legend. HE IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS ONE OF A KIND(Gandhi, Mandela, Kennedy,Ali , the list goes on ) THAT COMES ALONG ONCE IN A LIFE TIME.From his Jackson 5 days he has been liked and loved because he was truly a genuine person who did not hold back but gave his best even until the end. He is up there with the likes of Mozart,Beethoven, Elvis Presley,John Lennon, Bob Marley and other such musical and cultural icons.
Thank you Michael for making the world a better place through your music and now may your soul rest in peace.
- Hazel, london, UK
Elvis Presley did far more concerts, sold more records and had more hits FACT.
Long live the KING
- Joe, Swanley Kent
Am I alone with Cally G in not having any Michael Jackson records, and having no intention of purchasing one? Do we have here another "Emperor with no clothes" syndrome? Sad tho' Mr Jackson's early demise is, I cannot see him being remembered for very long in musical circles...
- Jonathan Montmorency, cooden, uk
His music provided backdrop to many peoples lives, whether they were fans or not.
His quirkiness captured peoples attention, again, whether they were fans or not.
It's sad because he died unexpectedly and at a relatively young age.
Perhaps the concerts he was about to play may have changed his own perception of how the world viewed him.
- Gary, West London
Every time someone in the music or film media dies we get the same thing; they are irreplaceable, a one and only world genius; etc; etc.
In reality; had they never been born the world would still be the same.
I never saw the hysterical hype in Michael Jackson myself; he was just another pop star to me; like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra were just another couple of crooners.
Queen for instance sold more nearly 2 million more copies of their greatest hits, volume one, than Jacksons Thriller; Queen sold 5.4 million/ Jackson 3.6 million etc.
Even Queen Volume 2, equalled Jacksons biggest ever selling Thriller etc.
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - The Beatles (1967) (4.8 million.
"(What's The Story) Morning Glory" - Oasis (1995) (4.3 million)
Even Abba out sold thriller with Abba Gold Greatest Hits" - Abba (1992) (3.9 million)
Ok you youngsters think you invented music, even invented sex and the world; but that is only your opinion, not everyone elses; your parents felt the same about their parents; each generation thinks they know it all.
There is more to music than just pop; real music lovers are not one man bands; they tend to absorb all good music, and reject all bad music. I hate Wagner for instance; but loved Johann Strauss, Jr.
No I am not a classical fanatic; I grew up in the days of Glen Miller, Jazz, early rock and roll; right through to the Platters and Presley, then onward finally until today etc.
Jackson was just one more.
- Mickinlondon, london
@ Cally G..I dont think you can call half of those you named 'real music makers' im sure not many people have even heard of them,unless they listen to classical. However, Micheal Jackson is known by everybody whatever music they enjoy - that is what you call a true legend.
- Jennifer, london
I was around in the days of thriller but I do not remember the album being an earth shattering moment in the earths history. It was well marketed worldwide with a lavish video and ugly mass press manipulation. The songs were just pop songs that appeared in the hit parade of the, high production values but no content, eighties. No-one was cured of anything, ideas created, technology developed or planet landed upon by listening to this music or copying a moon walk dance. His subsequent lavish lifestyle was an 80s greedisgoodfest while millions starved. He was part of the Hollywood and not a musical genius. May he rest in peace but it is ironic that the fans who seem hurt by MJs demise are the ones responsible for giving him the resources to spiral downwards.
- Bob H, Streatham
@Cally
You, like everyone else are entitled to an opinion. But please don't try to pass it off as fact. The "real music makers" you speak of would no doubt have loved some of the modern music of today. Bear in mind that many of them were fascinated by the music surrounding them regardless of what genre it was. That was a large part of their inspiration.
It's your own fault that you cannot see past the gimmickry surrounding someone like MJ and simply listen to the music. The mere fact that you can't appreciate music unless the words are spoken or sung clearly highlights your complete ignorance towards music and life in general. There are no rules when it comes to one expressing themselves. What a boring place the world would be if there were.....
- Jon, London, UK
RIP MJ. You are a legend now and will always be. Shame on all your jealous critics. All those who could not benefit from your gravy train. They are in the minority yet they are extremely public about their hatred of you. Even though you were proven innocent of all charges re child molesting they will continue to dig this up to tarnish your reputation.
You were a genius - just like John Lennon - and I just wish the truth comes out re how you died. You deserve justice. I hope your family fights for it.
- Anil Pancholi, mumbai, India
He certainly sold a lot of records - but it was a revolution in global marketing and gimickry rather than musical innovation. "Thriller" had Vincent Price cackling all over it, hardly "Halleluyah". He is an entertainment legend (albeit with baggage) but a music legend?.
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane
His name is Michael Jackson not jocko he hated that name can you not please respect the dead and stop with the name calling
- Ann, Hackensack USA
This 65 year old mainly listens to classical music , but music like language evolves ; Jackson was a modern day Mozart.What Jackson now has in common with all the classicist mentioned above is they're all dead but their music lives on.
- Chris M, morbihan,france
He will be missed by so many....his music, his talent will always be remembered....my heart goes out to his family and his children.....I grew up listening to his music as well and I did get a chnace to see him when I was 10 years old in concert....I had planned to fly to London to attend the concert there....what a sad time for music lovers.
- Ashley, US
Cally G: just because his music (or it seems any music written in the past 150 years) doesn't touch you, it did for many millions of people all over the world from all backgrounds.
If you have nothing positive to say why did you bother writing?
Only time will tell what legacy he will have left behind - but with around 200 million album sales, I daresay people will be listening to his music for a many years to come.
- Adam, London
Many thanks, Jacko, for your great contribution to music and showbusiness...
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Cally G, i'm inclined to agree.
I'm less of a classical music fan but i see Michael Jackson's solo career as the beginning of when the dance moves became more important than the music itself. Now popular music is dictated by the needs of the choreographer not actual fans of music. He had a few half decent hit singles and thats about it. Most people would struggle to even play a greatest hits album from start to finish without skipping some tracks. Pretty poor for a career spanning 40+ years.
- Paul R, London
What Cally, Essex, fails to understand is, unlike the classical music, Michael Jackson's music transcended all races and social backgrounds. The same cannot be said for the likes of Bach, Handel, et al which is still does not. How many of these composers albums have sold in excess of 100 million?
I don't agree with certain aspects of his life, but I still believe he surrounded himself with children because he was never allowed to be one. It would be interesting to see how Cally would fare if she deprived of a normal childhood and lived most of her life in a goldfish bowl. I wouldn't wish his fame on my worst enemy.
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts
A really insightful and fair account of the life of Michael Jackson - people were always too quick to judge and ridicule him for whatever reason but David Smyth has highlighted what he should indeed be remembered for - his musical genius and contribution to the world of popular music - it is his legacy. The Motown moonwalk is something I will never forget in my lifetime, what innovation and creativity he possessed. May he rest in peace.
- Rebecca Kelly, Worcester, UK
a few years ago, I remember standing on the ground floor at the former departement store where Wholefoods - kensington is now located waiting for someone who went on the 1st floor to check for homeware. TV set showing Michael Jackson with his afro look on a TV show dancing, electrifying...all of us watching him were transfixed, not moving by the phenomena...a great master of showmanship!
- Val, London
I'm 37 and have been a huge Michael Jackson fan since I was 11yrs old. I shocked and very upset to hear about his death. I had tickets to see 3 of his O2 concerts and was really looking forward to seeing him in concert again.
I saw Michael Jackson close up many times from 1988-2008, and it makes me very sad that the last time I would see him alive was it his press conference at the O2 in March. Michael Jackson had a very claim, powerful and magical aura. He really was a genius and the greatest pop star of all time. His void in music will never be filled or surpassed.
- Ben S, London
Why would you ever feel this title is appropriate? Jacko? Please have respect for his family if nothing else.
- Nikki, United States
The M has gone from the Music.
RIP
- S Cooper, London
I beg to differ. I adore music - but classical music, not "pop music". MJ represents everything I despise about "pop music" - all gimmicks, no substance, and a lot of shouting, screaming and mumbling; I cannot understand what he or his contemporaries are saying because they don't have the intelligence to speak properly. Like most pop idols, he is a bad role model for society, has no sense of reality and looks like a freak with all that plastic surgery. His followers are hysterical beyond belief.
Thank goodness I admire real music makers - Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms... These are the people who create a proper musical legacy.
- Cally G, Essex, UK
"Michael Jackson remained even in his final days the King of Pop. And no matter the scandal, they couldn't take that away from him."
And THAT is the truth!
- Mek, London
