MICHAEL JACKSON: DID HE STOP WHEN HE HAD ENOUGH?

No matter what you might think of Michael Jackson in his later years- by later years, I mean post 1987, when he had his best years behind him after the album "Bad"- he was a genius of showbiz talent and pizazz. Along with his mentor and super-producer Quincy Jones, his albums "Off the Wall", "Thriller" and "Bad" changed the face of modern music. These were stone-cold classics of mainstream R n b and that crossed over into the pop market. I vow anyone not to dance if "Billie Jean" ever came on in a club or at a dance or wedding, even "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" have their moments. The album, "Thriller", didn't become the biggest selling album of all-time for no reason. Thanks to Michael's talent and Quincy Jones' production, the album was 40 minutes of tightly arranged music and amazing songs, seven of which were released as singles and all of which went to No.1, in country after country, transcending race, gender, nationality and class.

Jackson, a product of an over-bearing and emotionally abusive father, never had a childhood, and was propelled into the limelight far too young. Obviously he had the talent and it needed to be nurtured, there was no point in pushing him out to work like some Motown chimney sweep at such a young age.

Not surprisingly, his later years were a delayed reaction to not having a proper childhood, having far too much money, too many hangers on and having an identity crisis which made him as troubled as he was. The skin condition, so severe that it changed his pigmentation, opened him to ridicule. His relationship with a monkey, made a monkey of his reputation. His possibly sexualised interest in young kids, overstepped the boundaries of fondness for children, making him somewhat of a pariah.

I remember the 15 minute video of "Thriller", a sort of riff on "American Werewolf in London", in which Michael becomes possessed, mainly because nothing like that had been seen before. As a mini-movie it blew people away, especially with the special effects and choreography. Michael's grace and dexterity in his dance moves, along with the synchronised zombies was fantastic, especially for 1984 and which has stood the test of time. The video didn't have all the flashy whip-panning or crane shots or sweeping movements, it just was able to capture the entire essence, letting Michael do his thing. In the U.K the video was so 'scary', they rated it "15", meaning you couldn't see it unless you were 15 or over. For some reason, we all watched it under-age in a chemistry lab, with the teachers blessing. I think they showed it on TV sometime after. But the video started the sell-through VHS craze and fans were only too happy to pay the £20 (a lot in 1984) asking price for a bit of thriller.

There was no way he was going to be able to do 50 shows at the O2 in London. Even if these shows were not 50 in a row, they still would have tested the endurance of any man or woman. Even Madonna, as fit as she is, would have struggled. It seems all the prescription drugs he was taking, the stress and pressure he put himself under, the enormous debts, the near-miss conviction for child molestation, all compounded his frail frame, until he couldn't take it anymore.

I didn't care for his later work, after 1987, and after Bad. By then he had go a bit potty and his aura became irritating and put me off. I liked "Remember the Time" as a song, but the rest left be cold. He had all the moves and sang all the right notes, but I think he just couldn't live a normal life, which is what he so badly craved. His death seemed to be symbolic of that famous white glove being held up as some sort of indication of surrender. Truly stopping when he had enough.

Sad that he's gone, but his music will live on and for Generation X, my generation, he'll be forever known as our Sinatra, our Elvis.