The following article appeared on El Globo's weekly supplement La Luna, one of Spain's major newspapers, on May 24, 2002.
It's Hard To Be a Fan
Especially if your idol is called Michael Jackson and is one of the most insulted artists of the planet. Not only this, now his record company tries to boycott him and to bury him. At last, this is what his very strong followers are saying, they demonstrated last Saturday in the center of Madrid (Spain) in an act of protest and support that has been repeated already in half of Europe.
INVINCIBLES. Or tireless. Among all the interests and passions, to be a fan of Michael Jackson one needs to achieve a high commitment degree. Yes, we are talking about the man who has sold more records in history, who turned from black to white, from human being to new species, but also we are talking about one of the more dissed personalities of the universe (even if few people dare to challenge this thought probably, he is a genius). And it demands very much support and unconditional love, especially now that, for bigger scorn, he has become a victim of a terrible conspiracy planned in the highest spheres. This is believed by his followers, who have uncovered a dark story involving millions of dollars, a record (Invincible, the last work of Jacko) promotion shut down, the Beatles' songs as a target (Michael owns the rights of this music) and the voracity of a few cruel executives. In order for the world to find out how the powerful Sony tries to destroy the former King of Pop, his supporters have programmed some demostrations that began on April 24th in New York, two weeks ago in Central Europe and now, they have culminated last Saturday with the demonstration in Madrid, where almost a hundred of fans come from the whole Spain, demanding justice for their idol. Here you can find their experiences with the supernatural being:
Cristina (Khris @ MJ's HideOut), 17 years old, student, Madrid.
Question: ¿How is the real Michael?
Answer: A man with a heart of gold. If people could read his lyrics they'd understand that he cannot be bad people.
Q: Which is, in your opinion, the detail that tells the most about him?
A: When all the allegations happened, I could not sleep, everybody was trying to hurt him and I had nightmares thinking he could die.
Q: What your parents think about your dedication?
A: They were very worried and can't understood me. Now they are OK.
Q: Is it really hard to be a Michael Jackson fan?
A: People try to say bad things about him and this is hard for us. Press only try to bury him. Sometimes its really hard for me, but I'm loyal. Altea (Alteilla @ MJ's HideOut), 23 years old, student, Oviedo.
Q: How many people join the fan club?
A: More than we are here today. Some fans won't join the demo cause they thing this could be bad for Michael or they feel shame. But I think the better way is to do it.
Q: How long have you been fan?
A: Almost since I was born: My parents are fans. It's really important for me, I have lived very good times related to Michael.
Q: How do you think he really is?
A: A very tender person. Michael has this kind of supporters cause he cares about them like no other artist could do.
Q: Do you think he is a beautiful man? R: That's not really important. Michael Jackson is the greatest living legend. Enough said. Ricardo, 13 years old, student, Madrid.
Q: How do you feel hearing Michael's music?
A: Its a really strong feeling, so strong that I can't find words to explain. I'm deeply touched and, sometimes, I want to cry.
Q: What do your friends think ?
A: They think I'm a little bit strange, but I don't care what they think or talk about.
Q: Has your idol disappointed you sometime?
A: When I didn't know about the skin colour change and thought he do it himself and all this stuff. Later, when I found the truth, he never has disappointed me.
Q: What you do in a fan club?
A: I think we do like all the fan clubs. We meet, talk about him, watch clips and enjoy parties. We are friends.
Beatriz (Bea Trinity @ MJ's HideOut), 22 years old, student, Oviedo.
Q: Which was your best moment with him?
A: 15 days ago, in Los Angeles, I met him at the limo. He asked me to stay with him, we talked a while and he thanked me cause he knows I'm traveling all around the world to see him.
Q: Which is the detail that says most about him?
A: When we was in NY attending the Madison Square Garden shows, last day we couldn't leave the USA because of the WTC attacks. He wanted to book a room for us at the Palace Hotel, finally his people took us to Jersey and bought us some presents.
Q: Most significative demo?
A: At the 5th Avenue, in front of the NBC studios. Was nice and spontaneous.
Q: Will you name one of your sons 'Michael'?
A: No. Maybe it doesn't look this way but... I have my own life.
Laura, (Mpenziwe @ MJ's HideOut), Phone marketing, Madrid
Q: Why is Sony trying to boycott Michael?
A: Cause Invincible is his last record with them. He used the Beatles rights to get a loan to record this album and now, the company heads preffer not to sell the record. That's the reason for not to promoting it and no letting him go on tour.
Q: Is this so important to you to be worried about?
A: Really important.
Q: How is he?
A: Is a really sweet person, very generous, always cares for his fans. When we went to Oxford he took our presents and looked really close and was nice to us. He is really different than people usually think.
Q: Do you think he is a beautiful man?
A: Michael suffers from vitiligo, a skin disease. He is not racist or nothing like this.
Elena (Tinkerbel @ MJ's HideOut), 19 years old, student, Madrid.
Q: Why you think Sony wants to destroy Michael Jackson?
A: Cause actually there is no respect for the legendary artist, this problem is not only happening with him. The whole music industry sucks.
Q: How about this new record?
A: Its a genius work, of course.
Q: What can you say for all the people who thinks your favourite singer is totally crazy?
A: They need to know the truth, they have to take all with no prejudice and try not to judge him only reading the tabloids, cause most of this stuff is not true.
Q: Do you think he is a beatiful man?
A: It depends, sometimes he is. Of course, I see a lot of more aspects about him.
Javi, 19 years old, student, Madrid.
Q: What do you feel hearing Michael's music?
A: Its a really strong feeling, like a drug. You always need more.
Q: How much time being fan?
A: Since HIStory, in this moment I started to enjoy it big time. I would love to live in Michael's golden age, but I came late.
Q: Why you think Sony wants to destroy Michael Jackson?
A: Invincible sold 5 million copies in 3 months. If the company says they prefer not to promote it, there is some shady reasons behind it.
Q: What can you say for all the people who think Michael is totally crazy?
A: They should stop thinking stupid things, they have to hear his music, enjoy his shows. He is the King.
Fuente: MJ Fan Club
It's Hard To Be a Fan
Especially if your idol is called Michael Jackson and is one of the most insulted artists of the planet. Not only this, now his record company tries to boycott him and to bury him. At last, this is what his very strong followers are saying, they demonstrated last Saturday in the center of Madrid (Spain) in an act of protest and support that has been repeated already in half of Europe.
INVINCIBLES. Or tireless. Among all the interests and passions, to be a fan of Michael Jackson one needs to achieve a high commitment degree. Yes, we are talking about the man who has sold more records in history, who turned from black to white, from human being to new species, but also we are talking about one of the more dissed personalities of the universe (even if few people dare to challenge this thought probably, he is a genius). And it demands very much support and unconditional love, especially now that, for bigger scorn, he has become a victim of a terrible conspiracy planned in the highest spheres. This is believed by his followers, who have uncovered a dark story involving millions of dollars, a record (Invincible, the last work of Jacko) promotion shut down, the Beatles' songs as a target (Michael owns the rights of this music) and the voracity of a few cruel executives. In order for the world to find out how the powerful Sony tries to destroy the former King of Pop, his supporters have programmed some demostrations that began on April 24th in New York, two weeks ago in Central Europe and now, they have culminated last Saturday with the demonstration in Madrid, where almost a hundred of fans come from the whole Spain, demanding justice for their idol. Here you can find their experiences with the supernatural being:
Cristina (Khris @ MJ's HideOut), 17 years old, student, Madrid.
Question: ¿How is the real Michael?
Answer: A man with a heart of gold. If people could read his lyrics they'd understand that he cannot be bad people.
Q: Which is, in your opinion, the detail that tells the most about him?
A: When all the allegations happened, I could not sleep, everybody was trying to hurt him and I had nightmares thinking he could die.
Q: What your parents think about your dedication?
A: They were very worried and can't understood me. Now they are OK.
Q: Is it really hard to be a Michael Jackson fan?
A: People try to say bad things about him and this is hard for us. Press only try to bury him. Sometimes its really hard for me, but I'm loyal. Altea (Alteilla @ MJ's HideOut), 23 years old, student, Oviedo.
Q: How many people join the fan club?
A: More than we are here today. Some fans won't join the demo cause they thing this could be bad for Michael or they feel shame. But I think the better way is to do it.
Q: How long have you been fan?
A: Almost since I was born: My parents are fans. It's really important for me, I have lived very good times related to Michael.
Q: How do you think he really is?
A: A very tender person. Michael has this kind of supporters cause he cares about them like no other artist could do.
Q: Do you think he is a beautiful man? R: That's not really important. Michael Jackson is the greatest living legend. Enough said. Ricardo, 13 years old, student, Madrid.
Q: How do you feel hearing Michael's music?
A: Its a really strong feeling, so strong that I can't find words to explain. I'm deeply touched and, sometimes, I want to cry.
Q: What do your friends think ?
A: They think I'm a little bit strange, but I don't care what they think or talk about.
Q: Has your idol disappointed you sometime?
A: When I didn't know about the skin colour change and thought he do it himself and all this stuff. Later, when I found the truth, he never has disappointed me.
Q: What you do in a fan club?
A: I think we do like all the fan clubs. We meet, talk about him, watch clips and enjoy parties. We are friends.
Beatriz (Bea Trinity @ MJ's HideOut), 22 years old, student, Oviedo.
Q: Which was your best moment with him?
A: 15 days ago, in Los Angeles, I met him at the limo. He asked me to stay with him, we talked a while and he thanked me cause he knows I'm traveling all around the world to see him.
Q: Which is the detail that says most about him?
A: When we was in NY attending the Madison Square Garden shows, last day we couldn't leave the USA because of the WTC attacks. He wanted to book a room for us at the Palace Hotel, finally his people took us to Jersey and bought us some presents.
Q: Most significative demo?
A: At the 5th Avenue, in front of the NBC studios. Was nice and spontaneous.
Q: Will you name one of your sons 'Michael'?
A: No. Maybe it doesn't look this way but... I have my own life.
Laura, (Mpenziwe @ MJ's HideOut), Phone marketing, Madrid
Q: Why is Sony trying to boycott Michael?
A: Cause Invincible is his last record with them. He used the Beatles rights to get a loan to record this album and now, the company heads preffer not to sell the record. That's the reason for not to promoting it and no letting him go on tour.
Q: Is this so important to you to be worried about?
A: Really important.
Q: How is he?
A: Is a really sweet person, very generous, always cares for his fans. When we went to Oxford he took our presents and looked really close and was nice to us. He is really different than people usually think.
Q: Do you think he is a beautiful man?
A: Michael suffers from vitiligo, a skin disease. He is not racist or nothing like this.
Elena (Tinkerbel @ MJ's HideOut), 19 years old, student, Madrid.
Q: Why you think Sony wants to destroy Michael Jackson?
A: Cause actually there is no respect for the legendary artist, this problem is not only happening with him. The whole music industry sucks.
Q: How about this new record?
A: Its a genius work, of course.
Q: What can you say for all the people who thinks your favourite singer is totally crazy?
A: They need to know the truth, they have to take all with no prejudice and try not to judge him only reading the tabloids, cause most of this stuff is not true.
Q: Do you think he is a beatiful man?
A: It depends, sometimes he is. Of course, I see a lot of more aspects about him.
Javi, 19 years old, student, Madrid.
Q: What do you feel hearing Michael's music?
A: Its a really strong feeling, like a drug. You always need more.
Q: How much time being fan?
A: Since HIStory, in this moment I started to enjoy it big time. I would love to live in Michael's golden age, but I came late.
Q: Why you think Sony wants to destroy Michael Jackson?
A: Invincible sold 5 million copies in 3 months. If the company says they prefer not to promote it, there is some shady reasons behind it.
Q: What can you say for all the people who think Michael is totally crazy?
A: They should stop thinking stupid things, they have to hear his music, enjoy his shows. He is the King.
Fuente: MJ Fan Club
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