The King is No More!
News broke a few hours ago that Michael Jackson has passed away. So far the cause of death has been given as Cardiac Arrest, the official report is expected some time tomorrow.
Was watching TV, Waj was over he left and I went and woke my computer, took a quick glance at Facebook and people were posting RIP MJ status messages. Naturally I thought it was some internet hoax. So I immediately fired up Google News, and there it was as the top story.
I have been in a state of shock since. I headed back to the telly and watched the Sky News live coverage, till the point that the interviews and coverage was looping. So I was flicking through the channels, naturally I ended up at the music channels. MTV decided to run their Top 40 MJ Tracks program - hosted by David Guest, on all their channels. This was obviously recorded some years ago. David Guest has been Jackson’s friend since childhood, and had some really cool stories about the various songs and videos. As I write this it is still on just got to ‘15′ which is ‘Leave Me Alone’, amazingly Thriller went by ages ago charting at 30.
When Thriller came out I must have been seven or eight years old, I remember it especially since me and my friend were rushing home to watch Top of the Pops which was premiering the video that evening. My friend had a VCR so it got recorded, in those days TotPs was on thursdays, so friday evening, most of saturday and sunday we must have watched Thriller back to back at least 50 times. We were leaving marks on the carpet trying to moonwalk or moving the furniture so we could dance like zombies.
Still sitting here watching the program for the last few of hours has reminded me how truly great Michael Jackson was. I haven’t heard some of these songs in years, yet I know the words. Even the lesser songs from the Dangerous and History albums. Yet it’s strange if someone asked me to name 30 MJ tracks I don’t think I could do it.
Mati and me tried to get MJ tickets for the London comeback tour. However 02’s advanced ticket option failed us, since the majority of tickets went in a flash. When they added more dates we had realised it was not meant to be and did not even try again to get tickets. Our reasoning was that Jackson had not toured in years, the majority of dates were probably going to get cancelled or moved. (I hate being right!)
There had been lots of mixed press about the dates set to start next month, some stories indicating problems with Jackson’s health, that 50 nights was going to be very tough for him. When the promoters announced a few weeks ago that they were delaying the tour by a few days. All sorts of rumors started coming out, firstly MJ never wanted to do 50 dates, only 5. Then it came out he only agreed to 50 since he would be allowed to lip sync as opposed to actually perform. For some night he could even use doubles. After my previous bad experiences of seeing acts that I hold in high regard, do comeback tours, and turn out to be crap, is heartbreaking. So in many ways I was happy I did not get tickets. I figured if the tour worked out well, there would be new material resulting in more tour dates in the future, how wrong I was.
The news had a segment were they had the editor of NME at Glastonbury give a quick interview, he was clearly shaken up from the news. He must be in his mid-30’s so I guess being in the same age group I agree with the sentiment of what he said. Which was basically everyone should put away all the negative things we have heard about Jackson in the last 10 years, and that he should be remembered for most his music and his contribution to pop culture. To my generation he was and always will be the King of Pop.
The commute into work is going to be an interesting one, for some the cover of Metro will be the first they hear of the news, so obviously there will be some shocked looks on the tube in the morning. It will also be interesting to see how the organisers of the Michael Jackson concerts handle ticket refunds.
A Friends View!
Multi-talented, versatile and exceptional all are some how synonymous to Atta ur Rehman aka Nuke Guy. You might not have worked with him or you might not have the opportunity to get your projects supervised by him.
But they say “actions speak louder then words”; his work speaks for the conviction, passion and true sense of creativity bestowed to him.
He got the ability of enslaving an idea until it transforms to real. This workaholic knows the art of mastering every task he puts his hands on.
We say our mind is divided into two parts, each containing some millions of cells. I say his ‘brain’ comprises of millions of cells each of which independently knows how to make most of what they are blessed with. This chap you are reading about knows the real meaning of “grooming”.
To outline information & knowledge and their difference he is a beacon!
His graphics instinct and the sense of designing is obvious from his ventures that are already on view. From the end of been extremely creative to been utterly commercial all kinds of diversity lives in those hands.
However that is just the one side of the Nuke Guy. There is an altogether different aspect of Atta’s personality also- his music. He definitely got the potential to become one of the best musicians around in the long run.
On a personal level; he is a genuine guy, an ideal match of brain and heart- an intelligent mind and a golden heart. Knowing him personally I can say Atta is a person who knows his parameters fairly well and has the moral fiber which lets him define his priorities in a manner that is commendable!
I won’t write big adjectives for him as they might even not be able to express what I want to say. Just that he from been a very good friend travels the whole journey to become more of a being quite successfully.
The picture is still not complete. There are still many qualities of this gentleman yet to be encapsulated but where our words end our thought process starts. There is a lot be discovered by/ about him.
I with all your heart wish him very best of luck in life. May all the best always come his way. I wish this genie with many powers and many magic very thriving and flourishing days and years.
P.S. just two last lines: I am a bit silly but whenever you need a friend I am just a call away. You are definitely one of the nicest friends I have and I am always there for you- behind you, besides you and with you. 
By
Sariya Arika