This month should have been a good one for Michael Jackson. With the release of a new compilation album celebrating his number one singles and his first single in nearly 2 years being released in the US, the pop icon should have been basking in nostalgic glory and being the recipient of praise from both fans and the media for his contributions to pop culture. This should have been a formality had he not been arrested on Thursday the 20th November.
On Wednesday the 19th of November a warrant was issued for Jackson's arrest and he faced multiple charges of child molestation. On the Tuesday there had been an authorized raid on his 'Neverland' ranch in California by local police. And the saga continued through the week as Jackson was arrested at Santa Barbara airport, was taken to the local county, charged, fingerprinted and photographed, before being released on bail (which reportedly cost him £2m). Jackson has publicly refuted the claims but only time will tell if the 'King of Pop' will be found guilty or not.
It's all a far cry from the 'Motown' days when as a child Michael achieved worldwide success as part of the family group, The Jackson 5. One member stood out above the rest, Jackson's innocent 'babyface' and sweet, soulful voice won over the heart of millions and it was inevitable that he would be a huge star in his own right someday. With his record company eager to capitalize on the youngest Jackson's increasing popularity, Michael combined both the group work with solo material which was met with great success as well. After the family split as a group Jackson released his first 'adult' material with the highly successful 'Off the Wall' album. His following album 'Thriller' remains to this day one of the most commercially successful albums of all time. It was at the time of 'Thrillers' release in 1983 that media speculation began to grow concerning Michael's personal life, reports portraying Jackson as a figure trapped in an eternal childhood, insulated from the traumas of the real world.
