As memories go you simply cannot Beat It.Byline: BILLY SLOAN I'LL never forget where I was when Michael Jackson Noun 1. Michael Jackson - United States singer who began singing with his four brothers and later became a highly successful star during the 1980s (born in 1958) Michael Joe Jackson, Jackson died. I stopped in my tracks - walking through Paris - when I saw banner headlines in La Parisien newspaper scream "Michael Jackson est mort". But I'll also never forget the first time I saw him perform live. It was May 1979 at the legendary Glasgow Apollo with The Jacksons. He and his brothers had played in the city two years earlier in a Royal Jubilee show. The Apollo gig had been due to take place in February but was cancelled after Michael became sick on a flight. Musically, the group were dynamite while Jacko's unique body-popping robot style was a revelation. There was never a dull moment covering Jacko's incredible career. In 1988, he blew me away on the opening night of his Bad tour at the Olympic Stadium The Olympic Stadium is the name usually given to the big centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games. Traditionally, the opening and closing ceremonies and the track & field competitions are held in the Olympic Stadium. in Rome. Jacko had psyched himself up on a surprise visit to the Trevi Fountain The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) is the largest — standing 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide — and most ambitious of the Baroque fountains of Rome. It is located in the rione of Trevi. at 5am to throw a coin into the water for good luck. I was there too in 1985 when Jackson unveiled a life-sized waxwork of himself at Tussauds in London, dancing on the roof of his limousine outside to the delight of thousands of fans. I joined him on the first night of his Dangerous tour in 1997 in Munich. After slaying the 60,000-strong audience, he rode dodgem cars in an after-show party staged in a local fairground. I watched in awe as he appeared to fly offstage at the finale of his Glasgow Green Glasgow Green is situated in the east end of the city on the north bank of the River Clyde at , is the oldest park in Glasgow dating back to the 15th century. gig in 1992 powered by a rocket jetpack jet·pack n. A backpack that is maneuvered by jets and permits an astronaut to move about alone in space away from a spacecraft. . It was actually a body double but the crowd were open-mouthed at the spectacle. While Jackson's troubles have dominated the headlines, his musical legacy is undimmed. The sheer adrenalin rush of hearing his first hit single - I Want You Back, recorded with The Jackson Five in 1969 - has never lost its magic. Their string of Motown classics, including I'll Be There, ABC and The Love You Save, are among the greatest records ever made. His solo records, including Don't Stop Till You Get Enough, Billie Jean, Bad and Smooth Criminal, are timeless music gems. We will never know what demons Jackson faced. Better simply to remember him by his classic songs that changed the face of music forever. Spectacular: Jacko on amazing Bad tour CAPTION(S): High Five: The Jackson brothers in 1977 Spectacular: Jacko on amazing Bad tour |
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