An Indianapolis man is one of the more than a million Michael Jackson fans waiting by their computers today, hoping to be get tickets for the late pop icon’s memorial service Tuesday.
Duncan Alney, 41, became a fan of Jackson in the early 1980s after hearing his “Off the Wall” record while growing up in India.
“Here was this young black kid with the cool dance moves and a sound we hadn’t heard before,” Alney said. “He was a combination of Hollywood and James Brown. We were all mesmerized by his cool, his fashion.”
About 1.6 million fans registered for the 17,500 tickets for the memorial service set for Tuesday morning at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Calling it “a landmark moment in popular culture,” Alney said he and his wife have made plans in case their names are picked in the ticket lottery, arranging to take a couple of days off work and using frequent flier miles to fly to LA.
Although most Hoosier fans aren’t likely to score tickets to the California event, Jackson’s hometown of Gary is planning its own sports stadium service. Fellow Gary natives Deniece Williams and former Miss Indiana Kellee Patterson are slated to sing at a memorial service slated for July 10 at the U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium.
Alney’s appreciation of the singer’s talent only grew over the years, even as Jackson appeared more on tabloid headlines than the music charts.
“The strands of his music are intertwined into our social DNA,” Alney said. “I remember him performing at the Super Bowl more than the game itself. We’ll probably never see a global superstar like him again.”
Luna Music owner Todd Robinson said his two stores haven’t been able to keep Jackson’s music on the shelf since his death.
“His music is timeless,” Robinson said. “The morning before he died, I was in my car with ‘ABC’ playing. These two construction workers heard the song, stopped what they were doing and started dancing. That says a lot about his appeal.”
Call Star reporter Robert Annis at (317) 444-5572.
