RIP MJ...You are a legend...

1st, Nov 1996, Friday...
I still remember that day.
Michael Jackson was suppose to perform in India and Mumbai for the first time at the Andheri Sports Complex...a stone throw away from my school.

I remember the frenzy surrounding the entire event.The place which depicted a somber look for most part of the year, was lighted up magnanimously, though it did help that Diwali was also around that time. The streets were cleared and cleaned and barricades were installed in matter of few nights running 5-8 kms in length.The entire look and feel of the place had changed & the Mumbai crowd were excited to catch a glimpse of "The King of Pop".

Sadly for me, I didn't attend that concert because as a 13 year old kid it was to much to ask my dad to buy me Rs 3k worth of concert tickets when I couldn't even string a line of lyrics the guy sang.However I remember very well that on 1st Nov of 1996 it was around 9 pm when I was coming back from school after having spent the entire afternoon decorating my class for the diwali party celebration which was to be held on the next day in school.

I remember walking all the way to home that day because of the traffic on the way and I could also hear the sound blasting from the complex where the concert was going on.

I remember hearing " the way you make me feel" while walking home followed by " black or white" as the music faded away.

My first memories were of the previous summer when I had saved money to buy my first M.J cassette i.e Dangerous...I also saved up for his History album which I used to listen religiously every time I studied.

Also during the same time,I was part of the school choir and the first song we performed for our annual day was " Heal the World" by who else but " the king of Pop".

With his death, I believe a part of my childhood has also died forever. I remember dancing to his tunes of Black n White, Dangerous, Smooth criminal trying to ape his moon walk with no success what so ever.

My school friend Vijay was our desi Michael Jackson for the way he danced.He was a sure shot performer in any function in school.

I guess as I grew up, I started growing out of the influence of M.J and graduated to different genre of music but for every kid of that decade I guess the king of pop was the first performer who got their interest into the world of music.

Thank you sir for your contribution to world music and also for making the small difference in my life...

RIP...The Legend of Pop...