I just caught up on this thread; I wasn't on line last night, but did find out about it last night.

I have to admit I'm a little ambivalent. Michael and I were almost exactly the same age, so his star has been around almost all my life. I was SUPPOSED to like him when I was young; I didn't. He was omnipresent at the dance clubs I went to on occasion in the very early eighties; I enjoyed some of his stuff. Thriller was genious - hands down.

His later life was, as I heard someone put it on NPR, "grotesque". That's tough to ignore. Yes, he was undoubtedly a tortured soul, and for that, I hope he has found peace. I also hope his children find peace, and some sense of normality, which they cannot have had to this point.

There will be comparisons to Elvis. To me, they are really two very different talents, and they were both very talented. Elvis had his tortures in life, as did Michael, they're both free of them now.

Peace, Michael.