Michael Jackson: 1958 to 2009

 

(By Manavi Siddhanti)

In times when there were no grey areas between black and white... was born a child who would redefine the world of pop music. It was time for MJ to be born, seventh in a line of nine- Michael Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958 in a place called Gary, Indiana.

His mother, Katherine, would say that there was something special about Michael.' When he danced, it was like he was an older person.'

Katherine Jackson taught her children folk songs. Her husband, Joseph, played the guitar and taught his sons to strum. Michael was 4 years old when he and four of his brothers performing on stage… Marlon, Jermaine, Jackie, Tito and Michael they became the Jackson 5. By the time he was 8, he became the lead singer replacing the older Jermaine.

It was Michael's father, Joseph Jackson who wielded power and ruled his family with his fists and in terrible rage. Michael later in life said that his father often used a belt during rehearsals and hit his sons or pushed them into walls if they made a mistake.

Their first album, "Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5," was released in December 1969, and it gave the No. 1 hit "I Want You Back," the 11-year-old lead singer became an instant star. More chart-topping hits followed. The timing was perfect for going solo.

At 13, Michael Jackson launched his solo career.His album 'Got To be There' came out in 1971.

Michael Jackson was on the path to becoming a music sensation. He was gaining fame but losing his childhood.He left a double life-one where he was became the new pop sensation and the other of being by his father in the dressing room.

His second solo album 'Ben' came out in 1972.In spite of going going solo, Michael continued to work with the Jackson 5.

In 1978, Michael made his film debut as the Scarecrow in "The Wiz," a black-cast adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz." The movie launched a creative and commercial partnership with "Wiz" music director Quincy Jones.

This partnership was to reshape the world of pop music in the years to come.

The first fruit of the MJ QJ collaboration was 'Off the Wall' , Jackson's debut album on the Epic label. An infectious blend of pop and funk....the album included not one not two but three chart topping hits selling over 20 million copies worldwide.

In 1980, Jackson issued his epic album, 'Thriller' which remained in the top of the billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. This was truly the apex of Michael Jackson's career selling up to 109 million copies.

Michael became a musical phenomenon.

In 1983, Jackson performed live on the Motown 25 and electrified the nation with his Moonwalk... A dance step that created the illusion of levitation.

In 1987, he released the third, and final Quincy Jones-produced album, 'Bad'. Hits like 'Man in the Mirror' ,'The way you make me feel' marked this era.The Bad World Tour (1987-1989) broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium.

But by the time Michael had turned 30,he was still searching for his lost childhood.Never wanting to grow up, he never wanted to get back to his troubled and desolate childhood. A mixed desire led to creating the Neverland Ranch in California . Named after the fairytale land of Peter Pan - it was a fantasy where lived Michael's unlived childhood...

Nicknamed the "King of Pop" by actress and friend Elizabeth Taylor....Jackson made a record breaking deal with Sony Music releasing his 4th solo album, 'Dangerous' in 1991.

Hits included 'Heal the World','Remember the Time' and 'Black or White'.

At this time, MJ's skin colour appeared to change and reports of him undergoing extensive plastic surgery started surfacing. In a 1993 interview to Oprah, he openly spoke of abuse he suffered through his childhood and for the first time admitted that he had vitiligo,a skin disorder - which turned his skin white.

1994 saw the marriage of Michael Jackson and singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley - the daughter of Elvis Presley. After the marriage collapsed (in 19 months),Michael was accused of child abuse by 13-year-old Jordy Chandler. During these testing time,Michael started taking painkillers, and he was soon addicted. After going into rehab, in 1994, Jackson reportedly settled the case out of court for close to 20 million dollars.

Jackson's second short-lived marriage, in contrast to the high profile first, was to nurse Debbie Rowe in 1996. He named their two children after himself – Prince Michael Jackson and Paris Michael Katherine.

1995 saw Michael released a chart-topper fifth solo album,'History'. This was a double album,the first half with new compositions and second half included his greatest hits like Scream,You are not alone, They don't care about us.

In 1997 Michael released the remix album 'Blood On The Dance Floor: History in the Mix,' containing five new songs. The album reached number one in the UK, as did the title track. But Michael's personal life was crumbling- his second wife Debbie Rowe asked for divorce and got it in 1999. Jackson now took on sole responsibility for their children's upbringing.

2001. Jackson marked 30 years in show business with a huge concert, starring Britney Spears, N'Sync, and a reunion of the Jackson Five. But the rest of his decade saw his plummeting fall.

His next album 'Invincible', which reportedly took $ 40 million to produce, flopped. Jackson was forced to sell his Neverland ranch, to pay off creditors.

In 2005, MJ went on trial once again accused of molesting another boy as well as conspiring to abduct him. Nothing was proven against him, and the four-month trial ended in Michael being acquitted of all charges.His attorneys say these allegations instilled a fear in him, that destroyed the sensitivity of a child that had never left him.

But what found him was a longing for a comeback.To reclaim his rightful place in the heart of his fans.

Since May of 2006, Jackson was working on a new studio album.Named 'This is it', the 2009 series was billed as his last major live shows. The concerts were to kick off on July 13, 2009.

On the last day of his life, he was hard at work... Making music.

Thus was the life of a pop legend who has gone too soon.

Special mention of my friends,co-workers Geetali and Tarini for their inputs.