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Michael Jackson: Molly Meldrum tribute

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 26 June, 2009 - 10:24 AM

ABOVE: View a slide show of images from Michael Jackson's life accompanied by Ian 'Molly' Meldrum's detailed 3AW tribute to the pop star - who passed away today.

SNIPPETS from Molly Medlrum:

On his death:
"It's one of those things, I am still trying to get my head around it."

Impressions:
"I try to explain to people, it's really hard to work out the Michael Jackson thing because he has always been a star, he has only even known since being eight years old, as being a star. He lives in the Michael Jackson world."

"Michael Jackson was in that stratosphere of your John Lennons, your Elvis Presleys you know. It's hard to believe he is not here and it is hard to believe he is about to come in his concerts in England and he has sold over 50 in London alone."

On Michael on not having a normal childhood:
"One has to remember that Jermaine and Randy and everyone else had a fairly normal upbringing. But Michael because of his father Joe, just had him rehearsing, rehearsing, day in day out in the house so he didn't really know the real world. And basically when he wasn't rehearsing he was watching shows like My Three Sons, Leave It To Beaver, The Partridge Family and whatever. One of his complexes was he felt the only way he was really going to make it in the world was to be basically a white artist. Which is horrendous!  It's terrible, it's really sad.”

On Michael being fantastic entertainer and freak show:
"The thing is once he started doing all that plastic surgery, and then the whitening or whatever and then obviously all the other dramas in his personal life that went on and for any one of us it was surreal you know? Even the look of Michael Jackson seem without being cruel he started to look like one of the extras of the video Thriller."

Did Michael Jackson have a sad life?:
"I think it was a sad life in a sense. He didn’t know anything else and when you are a superstar at the age of 8 and that is all you have ever known in your life and you have to surround yourself with people, body guards, whatever, publicists that just have their own thoughts and everything. It would be very surreal.  Thank god you and I can go to the footy and enjoy it you know and have a pie! I don't think that he's ever been able to do that!"

On the allegations in the 1990's and 2005:
"It just became a bizarre trail. It was hard to know where, what, and what was fact and what was fiction and that just compounded the whole weirdness of being a Michael Jackson in the world."

Michael Jackson dead

It's been officially confirmed pop legend Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles. Read more.

Blog comments Your Say

  • I search to see if Molly has anything deep and inspiring to say about Michael. It's surreal to know that he has absolutely known nothing about MJ. MJ had Vitilgo and Lupus two kind of skin disease combined. He stated several times on different TV interviews since 1993. It's sad to see those ignorant people who think that they are so superior that MJ has to turn white to sucess. Check out youtub on subject about "Vitiligo ?? Does Michael Jackson REALLY have this disorder ?"
    "Lee Thomas interview with Larry King "
    People started to demonize him since his Vitiligo attact his body and the media attact his soul.

    Black or White it does matter Sunday 19 July, 2009 - 10:29 PM
  • Micheal was real talent,especially with the Jackson5 and his work up to Thriller inspirational.
    Unfortunatley i guess the real madness set in after Thriller,since that time his recording output wasnt all that great,so his private life took centre stage.
    There's a interview Micheal did for Jet Magazine Aug 16 1979,its very special,should be available to find online
    I really hope they let his fans and others who enjoyed his music take in his death,and not do some fast flashy tribute

    Karl Sunday 5 July, 2009 - 12:12 AM
  • Micheal Jackson...it didn't matter if he was black or white, he just mattered.

    I have an idea, wouldn't it be great if Micheal's last vision as an artist for the world to see his brilliance still went ahead, just once ? We cannot re-place him & would never try . but everything is ready to go, staging, lighting etc. So what if other artists that he inspired from around the globe eg; Madonna,Usher, Justin T, Jay Z etc etc etc, all got together on July 8 & sang his songs & " let the show go on " one more time in TRIBUTE to the MASTER the ONE & ONLY MICHEAL JACKSON. Televised live to the world we all get a chance to say good-bye & thanks for the BRILLIANCE. Wouldn't it be nice ! If anyone can make that call it's you sir, What do you think ? David xoxo

    David Sunday 28 June, 2009 - 4:24 PM
  • Michael Jackson was a very good singer and I loved all his music.
    I wish I could have met him in person.
    I would have loved to shake is hand.
    I will mist him very much.Rest in peace Michael.

    runescape money Saturday 27 June, 2009 - 6:17 PM

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