This is very sad. MJ was loved by millions around the world. One of the greatest entertainers of all time. He left us too soon. Michael will be missed.

Shit man, you are one cynic. I've given you the benefit of the doubt for years, as I did like your posts from time to time even though others hammered you... but man, this is bull. I know nothing will change with my post to you, but this is bull.

MJ was a genius. I give him benefit of the doubt about his personal life. I am not God and neither are you. This guy had ZERO childhood after age 10, the most important formative years, and even though he led a bizarre adult life, it doesn't mean he was a monster.

I live in Redneck Land and all of my friends fry him but that doesn't mean they are right. He was a very loving individual, in my opinion. If he was a pervert, then, I stand corrected and he was screwed up. But, aren't we all, in some ways? The guy is dead, at a very young age, let it be.

UD, you "hate to sound callous". Sorry, m8, but you do.

so much for a person having their own opinions! so I guess if no one agrees with your views, you take the ball from the sand box and go home?

[This message has been edited by mc (edited 06-30-2009).]

It's about at least showing some respect to an individual who has passed. Michael was no monster. He was a vic of today's media. We're not talking about some mass murderer here. So much of the negative in this mans life was ALL speculation. This man was prosecuted by society because the media has conditioned us to ALWAYS see the worst in a situation. Speculation alone destroys careers.

Opinions are fine.., have as many as you like..., but RESPECT is the issue here.

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Poor, sad, deranged little black/white boy/girl.
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That statement alone reeks of ignorance.., and can be taken as racially insensitive and a knock against sexual orientation. Sure some of us know UD.., but what about all those viewing this forum who don't know him. What message does that send to potential members (or even lurkers).



[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 06-30-2009).]

Just my honest opinion, man. Not trying to influence anyone here. Sorry if it ruffled your feathers, but I am torn on his behavioral issues, and I just wouldn't really put it past his thinking to pull a stunt like this. I actually hope I'm wrong, but it's just the way I feel. As a parent, seeing someone hold a small child over the railing of a high rise just makes me sick .... I can't trust his judgment. As for his talent, yes - he had a load of it, and Quincy Jones was the best thing that ever happened to him. Thriller was genius, as was Off the Wall...and We are the world was a classic for all time.

Sad thing is, we've got laws in this country to stop you using underage sweatshop labor. You can't make a kid lose his childhood toiling away to make jeans or sneakers, but there's little to stop an ambitious family from tossing their talented kid onstage and working them to the point where they don't HAVE a childhood...

We 'grow up' in school, on the playground, and doing 'family and friends' things. Deny a child that, and who should we point the finger at when they grow up to be bizarre and unstable? The parents, for doing it, or us, for not caring, as long as we get great music out of it?

Sadly, most of us simply pointed the finger at 'Wakko Jakko' and laughed.

Well, that's what human beings always do. When a person die people only seem to remember
(or want to remember) just the "good things".
Speaches flow over of "good stories" and how nice etc etc. While alive: That damn bastard
did this or that.........
An old say is: No smoke if no fire, and I think it's a wise say.
All that said, MJ sure made a lot of good music and nice performances during his lifetime,
and it's no doubt that he/she was a great entertainer.
Probably a generation issue, but it's soo many brilliant artists to choose and put into
my CD or MP3-player, majority of the MJ songs don't reach the top of my playlist.

Cheers
GJ

After re-reading that line, I could have worded it a little better, but I was only trying to state how unusual and bizarre his lifestyle was. I have no race or gender issues with anyone, but he seemed to be unsure of both.

To anyone who found it insulting, I apologize - the wording was a little off the wall...just like the subject matter.
Weird, but "Off the wall" is one of my favorite albums. Quincy was such a great influence on Michael as an artist. The combo made some great music. It's a shame that so much controversy surrounded the rest of his dealings with others.

A friend of mine has a CD that documents the development of the Off the Wall album... a lot of the early demos and outtakes. What shocked me was how close some of the Jackson family demos were to the final product. Michael and Janet playing the bottles percussion part on "Don't Stop til You Get Enough', Tito's basslines, that kind of thing.

While Quincy is 'the man', don't discount how talented and creative they all were even before he got involved.