I feel like I need to make some comment on the passing of a pop icon.
Unfinished Christian likens his death to that of Elvis or Lennon. I don’t think there’s very much doubt he was one of the world’s biggest pop-stars, certainly at his peak.
I suppose I would sum up my feelings as “Flawed Genius.” His achievements and failings will no doubt be covered in great depth in the Sunday papers, and I’m not even going to attempt it. But he clearly went off the rails at some point (in the 90s?), and I find it hard to shake the nagging feeling that we are all, somehow, a bit responsible.
His music more than speaks for himself, and the fact sold out the O2 shows his ongoing support and fanbase.
I will steal shamelessly from Unfinished, because they put it so well:
His music and legend will live of so let us today not focus on his eccentricities but let the genius of his music do the talking. Michael wanted his music to evoke these images and get us to change and understand how child-like qualities could really heal the world.