Michael Jackson is, in my humble opinion, the greatest entertainer EVER – period. Today marks a year since the passing of one of my favourite Pop icons, and I found myself reminiscing about his work, only to realise that his career of work literally defines my life. Almost every song, music video or live performance I found while perusing the net took me back to a specific time, place and event in my life. Thank you for the memories and the inspiration – RIP MJ!

Check the FULL BLOG POST to see two of my favourite Michael Jackson performances of all time!

Michael Jackson performing “Human Nature” – Dangerous Tour (1992, Bucharest)

Michael Jackson performing “Billie Jean” – Dangerous Tour (1992, Bucharest)

Even looking through pictures of MJ makes my mind race with good memories…

The King of Pop is – as his own song said – “Gone Too Soon”, but his musical legacy will never be forgotten.

Mista Vybe OUTTT!!!

Wow. It’s a year already? It seems like you were here yesterday. I still miss you, bro. I know you are in a better place, but your work here still seems so unfinished in my eyes. Okay, I’m being selfish partly too. We only JUST got back cool man. Then, next thing I know, you’re in the hospital, and then you’re gone. I still can’t wrap my brain around that. It’s hard.

I know you said you don’t want to be referred to as $hel Shok anymore, because $hel $hok only brought you “pain and negative things”, but it’s hard to not use that name, because all the memories and all that music is attached to $hel Shok. Yes, I still remember you sitting in your studio in Valsayn telling me “My name is Sheldon. Call me Sheldon. You could even call me Dr. Beat is you want, but $hel Shok is dead.” Crazy… but I feel you on that.

Thanks again for being big enough to put all the bullshit aside and reach out to me so we could be cool in the end. I still can’t help but wonder – did you KNOW back then… or did you just feel it was time to get over things and be cool again? Either way you were right. I thank God for whatever it was, regularly.

From what I’ve seen and heard, Moms is doing okay. Your favourite baby sister Camille is still “trouble for days”. Garvin still has your swag, and your big sister is still your big sister lol. Marka and Chris are.. well it’s Marka and Chris. Same shit – different day lol. The honest truth is I don’t connect with them all as often as I should because it still hurts. I’ll work on that more though. I promise.

Please don’t yell at all those famous people up there. Tell Andre Tanker that Vybe said “Yoooo!”. He’ll laugh at that. I know you must be laughing too. Oh, and do me a favour and tell my boys Sterling, Curtis and Cox I said “whaddup”. And say his to my two grandmothers as well while you’re at it. Okay, I know you would yell at me for asking that. Never mind lol.

Anyway, I have to get back to my daily grind. Just wanted to let you know I’m thinking about you.

A whole year. Damn.

Love ya bro! Blessings,

Patrick.

P.S. Gonna listen to your favourite song that we did together and look at these pics of you. I know you’d like that.

So, while at the movies with my son, I saw the image of the Mad Hatter in the poster for the soon-to-be-released movie “Alice In Wonderland”, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp…

Tonight, I was surfing around and found these images of the Hatter, along with the Queen Of Hearts and the White Queen, which made my skin crawl even more.

And THEN I found the trailer for the movie on Youtube… which didn’t help because the trailer for the movie makes it seem just as dark and (dare I say it?) scary as the poster images suggest.

It reminds me of the last time Tim Burton and Johnny Depp brought their (obviously) twisted minds together to re-make another a classic Children’s movie – “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory” – remember that scary piece of madness?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton’s and of Johnny Depp’s as well… I just don’t think these guys should be making kids’ movies, given their dark tastes, that’s all. Let alone DISNEY movies, of all things.

Oh – and FYI, I’m fully aware that the original Lewis Carroll books about Alice (“Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland” and the sequel “Through The Looking Glass”) were dark novels, and that the version of “Alice In Wonderland” that was adapted for children’s books and popularised by the 1951 Disney animated movie was much more G-rated than the books… but the reality is that the majority of us instantly think of the happy children’s tale when we think of the “Alice” saga, right?

Bottom line: if this new “Alice In Wonderland” is going in the same direction as the “Willy Wonka” joint (which my son refused to finish watching out of fright when it came out, btw), then HOW THE HECK is this new “Alice” flick supposed to be a CHILDREN’S movie?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

END OF RANDOM THOUGHT