Artist Tweets Remembering Michael Jackson
Twitter Posts from Tegan & Sara, Grizzly Bear, M.I.A., Coldplay, Lily Allen, Chris Walla, and Others
Jun 26, 2009 Michael Jackson
News of Michael Jackson’s sudden death spread quickly throughout the Los Angeles area and the world at large. Whether you heard it on the radio, watched it on television or read it online, we were all connected by it, fans and artists alike. Jackson was a musical icon. Having led an entirely musical life, this “King of Pop” worked with countless A-list musicians, producing records that reaped monumental success on a global scale. Needless to say, Jackson left legions of artists under his influence and in his debt.
Realizing this, we here at Under the Radar have collected tweets from artists responding to Jackson’s passing. The following are drawn almost entirely from Twitter. Some are silly, some are heartfelt, and we’d like to share them with you in case you missed any.
“Malcolm Middleton has been rushed to hospital in a co…. Ok, maybe not, that’s sick. But I am playing Stirling tonight if you fancy it.” - Malcom Middleton
“Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett on the same day!! One slept with Majors and the other…” - Clinic
“Thinking of Michael as we drive through Gary, Indiana.” - Au Revoir Simone
“We’re so saddened by the news of MJ. Hard to believe.” - Au Revoir Simone
“Really sad news about Michael, he was a talent from on high. #fb” - Slash
“RIP King of Pop. Very sad day.” - Faunts
“Stay classy, TMZ. From their URL: michael-jackson-dies-death-dead-cardiac-arrest” - Chris Walla
“Just had MJ listening party. Sara remembers the night the ‘Black or White’ video premiered. Even our grandparents watched. It was huge.” - Tegan & Sara
“Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett both gone in one day. Sad. :(” - Tegan & Sara
“Made it to London, but are stricken with sadness. RIP Michael Jackson” - Passion Pit
“I received a MJ scholarship frm the 25 mill he gave UNCF for performing arts students. Thank u MJ 4 inspiring & funding my dreams & education” - Saul Williams
“MICHAEL JACKSON the first 2 english words I eva spoke. The future sucx!” - M.I.A.
“Oh man. Can’t believe it. RIP Michael Jackson.” - Al Yankovic
“Wait a minute… MICHAEL JACKSON DIED??? Twitter me in on this…” - Dandy Warhols
“Is it in tremendous bad taste for iTunes to be highlighting Michael Jackson on the storefront?” - Dandy Warhols
“I am heartbroken. My prayers go out to the Jackson family, and my heart goes out to his children. Let us remember him for his unparalleled contribution to the world of music, his generosity of spirit in his quest to heal the world & the joy he brought to his millions of devoted fans throughout the world. I feel blessed to have performed with him several times & to call him my friend. No artist will ever take his place. His star will shine forever.” - Mariah Carey
“its .. sad” - Graham Coxon, Blur
“Michael Jackson was brilliant and I will miss him.” - Neil Diamond
“Things happen in 3s, and so far today I’ve heard of Steven Wells and Michael Jackson dying. Who’s next?!” - Manda Rin, Bis
“Bet you Jacko ain’t dead and is off to a wee private island somewhere. He’ll make headline news again in 25 years when he comes back.” - Manda Rin, Bis
“Got all my records from Montreal. Feels so good to have em back. Thriller‘s in there, naturally” - Nick Thorburn, Islands
“Eff TV news. I don’t wanna hear OD theories right now! I just wanna listen to his tunes and think about what an amazing artist we lost. RIP” - Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
“Wow. Shock. David told me over the phone like a relative died. RIP MJ. I like that KEXP is playing a ton of MJ (and also KanYe).” - Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
“One of my earliest memories is watching Michael Jackson videos on VHS with my Welsh nanny. Will miss him… LS” - Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
“Going to an MJ celebration. Bringing my MJ shades. Rock with me. ” - Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
“Listening to Thriller on vinyl by candle light. Wearing our MJ gear. Eating MJ cake. http://twitpic.com/8g35c” - Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
“Oh god…Michael Jackson just died. One of my childhood heroes. Moment of silence, sorrow and reflection on a massive talent & tragic life.” - Amanda Palmer
“Confirmed, Michael Jackson, the king of pop is dead. so, so sad….in so many ways.” - Amanda Palmer
“Any suggestions for MJ cover songs tonight? I bet Jenny & me could pull something out. Maybe “Ben”. I think I’d cry too much.” - Amanda Palmer
“Let’s share a shrine/moment of silence @ 7:45 pm outside @thetroubadour tonight. If you’re coming, bring candles and flowers for the king.” - Amanda Palmer
“The winner: ‘Billie Jean’. Hard at work. It’ll be a simple version, but I’ll figure out something.” - Amanda Palmer
“About to come outside for the small Michael Jackson memorial. Soundcheck with jenny was awesome, we’re going to slaaaaaaayyyyyyy” - Amanda Palmer
“Dying of happy poetry today. Missing michael….but just met @alyankovic who came to my show at @thetroubadour. Hero.” - Amanda Palmer
”http://twitpic.com/8fzoo - Thank you michael” - Amanda Palmer
“Michael Jackson, August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009. Rest In Peace.” - O + S
“RIP Michael Jackson. Greatest performer ever.” - Talib Kweli
“We gonna do it big for Mike tonight” - Talib Kweli
“Feeling extremely blessed to have grown up with Michael Jackson music in the house” - Talib Kweli
“WE ARE CRYING” - The Teenagers
“Where were you / what were you doing when MJ died??” - The Teenagers
“Wondering how many peeps are going to get a MJ related tattoo in the next month?” - The Teenagers
“Jesus christ Michael Jackson is dead” - The Streets
“East 17 and Michael Jackson will forever be intertwined in my mind. I realise now that the thunder by the ice cream van was a sign” - The Streets
“Is Michael Jackson dead?” - Lily Allen
“R.I.P Michael Jackson.” - Jack Peñate
“Oh my god!!! Have you heard?? Michael Jackson! Please please I don’t want him to die. Arghh! Hang on Michael. It’s not time! Oh!!!!” - Imogen Heap
“Noooooooo!!!! Michael Jackson was my childhood! I loved him. So so so so sad. So nearly saw him live. Just a couple of weeks. crying.” - Imogen Heap
“When I was 8 I performed a lip sync of ‘Bad’ in front of 800 people and won a local contest.it changed my life.MJ did! Long live the King.” - Hot Hot Heat
“I have no words.. I loved Michael Jackson.. RIP..” - MC Hammer
“I will be mourning my friend , brother, mentor and inspiration.. He gave me and my family hope. I would never have been me without him.” - MC Hammer
“Wounds of broken trust heal slowly, somehow he sung through the pain notes of Joy for Us and we beheld the beauty of his dance in our souls” - MC Hammer
“The dance of hope and the melody of freedom permeated from him,can we give him a moment of dignity in transition as a token of appreciation?” - MC Hammer
“For every Memory in your life that His music gave You may we all offer him dignity and respect as a token ? Respect The Dancer…RIP MJ” - MC Hammer
“1000th tweet is tragic. RIP Michael Jackson.” - Edward Droste, Grizzly Bear
“Shown MJ some love y’all come kick it Live at the wake and bake show!!! http://bit.ly/6Agaw” - Snoop Dogg
“Playn some# MJ right now LIVE!!! http://bit.ly/6Agaw” - Snoop Dogg
“Billie Jean is not my son!!! Mike went hard on this one..I’m live yall http://bit.ly/6Agaw” - Snoop Dogg
“Rip MJ gotta show you some love…blazzn live on ustream http://bit.ly/6Agaw” - Snoop Dogg
“MJ was the best of the best. His music and performances made the world a brighter place. His light will shine on forever.” - Coldplay
“Oliver Hunt from Manchester asked why there was nothing on our website about MJ. You’re absolutely right Oliver, there ought to be.
But let’s see, what can one say that hasn’t already been said, over and over and over… So Madonna has been in tears? Really… I’ve not been in tears, but it has been an extremely sad 24 hours.
I was glad we were in rehearsals today for the summer shows and were all able to process our feelings with each other. When I heard the news my first call was Nick, then Roger.
To say he was the greatest entertainer of his generation…Well yes, perhaps he was. He made one of my favourite albums, Off The Wall, and Thriller is pretty fucking amazing and even Bad had a renaissance with me a month or so ago.
It’s all terribly sad. The rumours, and the court appearances. It’s been sad and depressing and frustrating for years now. I’ve been so sick of the jokes for years, but this morning? Not for me thanks.
It was a surprise to get the news, but maybe less surprising than if he had turned up at the 02 and rocked the house, played all the songs we wanted to hear and left London in one piece.
His music and his legend will live on. His life is an inspiration to us all but also a caution. I’m very very sorry he’s not with us anymore, but for my Madonna tears I’ll probably have to wait until ‘Rock With You’ catches me unawares one evening, alone on a motorway somewhere.. By then I’ll be really missing him.” - John Taylor, Duran Duran (in a blog post that was linked to from Twitter)
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