Michael Jackson peaked with the Off The Wall album, an album with writer, performer, musicians and producer at their peak. Thriller, despite its unprecedented success, was the begining of the end of Michael Jackson as a soul artist and turned him into a pop star.
"Bad" further took him away from the roots of The Jackson Five and then his output veered from the bizarre to the mediocre as his appearance and image deteriorated into a cliche. Dangerous and invincible featured mawkish lyrics that the Archies would baulk at but the irony is that he reached peak popularity, a popularity across the globe in places where 'naffness' does not register in the same way. The hysteria that accompanied his public appearances was one step away from the reception a cult leader would receive.
And that, in essence is what he became; the leader of a cult.
A cult leader with trite dance moves, terrible clothes and a face that transformed into that of an extra from Dawn Of The Dead.
His sweet soulful voice became a series of screams, shouts and vocal spasms punctuated with asthmatic gasps. he went from glorious warbler to grotesque wailer
I am not going all in on his behaviour documented or otherwise as I feel this is a path well trodden, its the music, the once wonderful music that he made. The talent was always there and when he was good, oh, how good he was.
I won't be going to see "Michael" starring Jaafar Jackson as I don't feel the need to revisit the post Off The Wall years as this seems to be the main thrust of the film. I'd rather listen to songs from his his earlier mercurial career. Michael jackson is an America tragedy as far as I am concerned and that tradegy started when he decided to stop being a great Soul artist but "the King Of Pop"
I leave you with a reminder of the real magic-
https://youtu.be/euJQMVKHIj4?si=gqQHgFsMPFhaqTi-
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having said that;