Here is a photo of my brother Eric and me in the 80s. I can’t remember exactly where we took this but I remember that Thriller shirt.
Like just about every kid my age, I thought Michael Jackson was the coolest man on the planet. I did anything I could to be like him. Thriller was amongst the first records I owned and in addition to the sleeveless fashion gem seen above, I also had a red “Beat It” jacket and, of course, a white sequenced glove. Eventually, I stopped trying to dress like the King of Pop, but, like most people, I remained a loyal (if silent) subject of his royal smoothness.
It was sad to hear about Jackson’s death yesterday. Now, the inevitable tributes and retrospective biopics have begun. Every element, the good and the bad, of Jackson’s life will be brought to light yet again. While there are certainly more important things happening in the world, it’s hard not to think about the this creative blur of a man who danced, sang, and made millions of us happy doing those things so well.
I am jealous of this t-shirt, Eddie! What a cute picture.