Watched 'This Is It' today. Finally. Yeah, I know. It's just that I'm not good at saying goodbye... :(

Michael Jackson was a genius performer. The ultimate performer. And he seemed in great shape, both physically and with his voice. The shows would have been amazing.
BUT.
musically... he didn't evolve after 'HIStory'.  'Blood on the Dancefloor' was good, but 'standard' MJ material. and 'Morphine' was more of a personal confession than of a song...
And 'Invincible' ... went unnoticed for a reason. It just wasn't 'different' enough...


I remember how different and revolutionary and new the extended video for 'The Way You Make Me Feel' felt at the time of its release. How it raised many eyebrows and put grins on so many faces. But now, to see the same moves repeated on a stage, in the year 2009... it felt... 'old'. They didn't even try to put too much of a new touch to it...

I remember the controversies created by the extended 'Black or White' video; and the catchy guitar line.

I remember going ‘ what is THAT’ when I first saw the video of ‘Give In To Me’. That was sort of unexpected for MJ and he pulled it off so well.

I remember how ‘Man in the Mirror’ changed my life.

The concerts that never happened would have been pure, sheer, glorious entertainment and nothing more.

Don't get me wrong. I WAS a fan. I screamed and cried and sang along with him at the very first concert he gave in Romania, in 1992. He was the first to give a concert of significant size and proportions in East Europe at that time.  I had his albums on vinyl, for crying out loud. I still treasure them. I cried two days when ‘Dangerous’ was released, because it didn’t sound like the MJ I knew. Then it grew on me and I embraced his new sound and lyrics and artistic persona. I grew up with him.  Then my life moved on; I kept on growing up while he didn’t –artistically-  but a part of me remained a fan ; and will always be. It's like the first love. One never forgets it. 

I still think ‘Stranger In Moscow’ is one of the best sad songs ever written.  I still love the way he sings ‘Human Nature’.  I still think he was a tragic, special, misunderstood human being.
And I still believe everything happens for a reason...


PS. I also noticed that he needed a ‘contact person’ or ‘translator’ through which to relate to the crew, dancers, etc.