mike . salon

We saw a performance artist this weekend dancing to Michael Jackson in Ann Arbor, my friend Pierre had told me he was up there and I was glad we had a chance to see him.

About two weeks before Michael Jackson died I was driving to a shoot and I set my pandora radio in the car to Michael Jackson. I hadn’t thought of him or his music really for ten years and had been surprised when at one of my last tattoo sessions Thriller came on the speakers. We listened as Jeff worked on my back and after two songs I said, surprised “Wow he really was very good wasn’t he?” So there that is probably the first time I’d thought of Michael Jackson other then as a blip on the news regarding something crazy.

Honestly I don’t think up until that moment I’d thought of him as a musician for a long time.

I would suppose I’m not the only one.

So I am seeing that the whole world now has done what I did tuning to Michael Jackson radio on my iphone and remembering that oh my, he was amazing.

I saw this post of all places on pdiddy’s twitter -Â why did I go over there I’m not sure but he’s right:

I guess for who knows how many years we forgot about what we loved about Michael Jackson. I did, I forgot that I sat up, letting the kids I was babysitting for stay up late on a hot summer evening to watch the Thriller video, and that as it played I called my mom at home and we talked about it, making sure that we watched it every hour on the hour for the next day…

I don’t think cryogenic rumors and bones really were more interesting then the music. And looking back on the trial and the craziness I don’t know.

But I think whether we are talking about Michael Jackson, or a friend, or a non-friend, or anyone, Mr Combs advice seems about right to me, and personally I would like to be sure that I apply that to the living while they are here, as well as to those who have left us.

My Bean doesn’t know a thing about elephant man bones or balconies but every once in a while I see him practicing the zombie moves from Thriller and humming different songs, Ares is in it for the music and that suits me fine.