Michael Jackson tribute at the O2. 1958-2009

Yesterday would have been one out of 50 concerts that Michael Jackson would have performed in. Instead of which, thousands of fans including me gathered together and celebrated the life of this wonderful man. I went with my mum and she brought her friend along with her. It was an ideal tribute to one of the greatest ever entertainers of our time. The fans wanted to give Michael Jackson the best possible send off. People were dressing up like Michael Jackson and wearing his hats as well.

Throughout the day people were playing Michael Jackson songs on big speakers. The song that was stuck in my head was ‘They don’t care about us’. Me and my mum had a memorable night which was full of emotion and a great spirit. I stayed at the 02 for about 4 and half hours in total. I also spent some time in the 02 arena which was incredible. There were lots of shops and restaurants inside. It was the first time I had ever been in the Millennium Dome.

There were many messages on the wall at the back which were written and dedicated to Michael Jackson. The main stage at the back had some great dancers, such as Michael Lewis who did a fantastic job in capturing Michael Jackson’s charisma. At times there would be many fans standing on the stage calling Michael Jackson’s name and mixing with the crowd. I sang some Michael Jackson songs with the smaller crowd. Songs such as ‘Heal The World and ‘You Are Not Alone’ were a few I sang. There was also a massive screen high up at the back showing pictures of Michael Jackson from when he was a child and as an adult. I thought it was really beautiful when it was dark and fans were lighting candles and throwing lighted balloons into the air. There were also white and black balloons of Michael Jackson which were also released into the air. They were great moments.

The banners and pictures of Michael Jackson at the back were amazing. There seemed to be two main crowds of Michael Jackson fans on the night. Ones that were in the back and ones that were crowding around a smaller stereo. It was just around 15 yards from the back stage. From what I saw the fans were mainly young but there were some older ones as well. There were lots of people wearing Michael Jackson hats and costumes, to pay a great tribute. Some of the dancers were superb!

What has always gripped me about Michael Jackson was how mentally strong he was and how determined he seemed. He has a great positivity about his actions. He is a character of extremities and with him there is no middle way. Lisa Marie Presley had also said the same thing about him. Off course on the other hand however he was very vulnerable because of the fact that he did not have a proper childhood. This made him an easy target for the media and Martin Bashir. His vulnerabilities were being exploited. He was a very affectionate person with a lot to offer to the world. In time he will be recognised as a musical genius and his music will shine through; even more in years to come.

Back to the tribute night, it was full of great genuine fans who loved Michael Jackson. Towards the end of the night there was a minute silence to remember him. We all clapped together and cheered when the minute silence was over to celebrate his life.

My mum showed me a photo of the event in the Evening Standard newspaper today. I was on the right side of the photo as I was pleasantly surprised and shocked.

Overall it was a wonderful tribute to a true legend of our time. R.I.P. Michael.



The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk



Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
www.myspace.com/92945414

Michael Jackson, 1958-2009.

For the past year or so I have been listening to Michael Jackson’s music more and more. I was devastated to find out that he had a heart attack. But what inspired me about Michael Jackson more than anything else was his incredibly loving attitude and his amazing songs. A personal favourite song of mine is ‘human nature’ which I think is such a great song for so many different reasons. It captures the inner innocence and beauty of Michael Jackson as well as his care and love for other people.

Throughout the past year or so Michael Jackson has really helped me in terms of overcoming my personal difficulties in my life. For this I cannot thank him enough. I have become a major fan of Michael Jackson because of his music and personality. He has taught me that nothing in the world is more powerful than love and art. He has changed me as a person forever.

I feel as though I can relate to Michael Jackson in several ways. He is the only person I know who understands what it is like to be truly mistreated and suppressed. His father and the media were a lot to blame for this. Michael makes me feel that I am not alone and that there is someone that cares. If I feel like I am in a crisis I know I can turn to Michael, who will be there for me whether he’s alive or dead. Jackson has not received much love in his life but this is why he wants to give love. I am surprised by how positive he was despite all the suffering and pain the world has given him.

Additionally I think the reason why Michael Jackson has such powerful and distinct dancing is not only because he is talented but because he was forced to dance by his father. My theory is that he partly dances to attack those people who have mistreated him. Michael Jackson talks a lot with his dancing. He reflects his anger and disgust by dancing in a forceful way which he has been recognised for; he dances in an eccentric and furious manner. Blood on the dance Floor is an example of a song which shows disgust for those that have offended him.

When I found out that Michael Jackson was playing in London I was so excited. I bought two tickets for me and my mother. I had a lot of trouble getting the tickets because of high demand for them. To see him live would have been something really special for me and for all of his other fans. I am extremely happy that I was wise enough to appreciate him whilst he was still alive. Perhaps if more people concentrated on his music rather than his private life then he would still be alive now.

Michael Jackson deserves to go down in history for the greatest ever pop artist, The King of Pop. Especially considering how diabolically he has been treated in his life. He is a true performer and is the greatest human being you could ever wish to see.

Michael Jackson was just simply a vulnerable talented man who had too many obstacles in his life. He tried his best to prove the media wrong about him and his poor health but in the end it was far too much for him. People like Martin Bashir completely destroyed his life and I cannot forgive Martin for this. Michael Jackson will always have a place in my heart and soul and nothing will ever change that. R.I.P. Michael.

Looking out
Across the night-time
The city winks a sleepless eye
Hear her voice
Shake my window
Sweet seducing sighs

2nd verse

Get me out
Into the night-time
Four walls wont hold me tonight
If this town
Is just an apple
Then let me take a bite

Chorus

If they say -
Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say -Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way

3rd verse

Reaching out
To touch a stranger
Electric eyes are evrywhere
See that girl
She knows Im watching
She likes the way I stare

Chorus

If they say -
Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say -Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
I like livin this way
I like lovin this way(instrumental section)

4th verse

Looking out
Across the morning
The citys heart begins to beat
Reaching outI touch her shoulder
Im dreaming of the street

Chorus

If they say -
Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way
If they say -
Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that wayI like livin this way



The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk



Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
www.myspace.com/92945414

Myspace Music

I first came onto MySpace not knowing much about how it works. I joined mainly to write film reviews. I was pleased and surprised to discover lots of good bands on there as well. As I used it more I soon became familiar with it and the bands.

The first band that I went to see was ‘On Off Switch’ in March 2009. I saw them at a pub that was near King’s Cross station in London called ‘The Rats’. There are four members in the band. A drummer named Daniel Goudie, Kat Cheadle who is the vocalist, Robbie Sattin on Guitars and Chris Mathison who was on the Bass and synchroniser. They are a band that has a mixture of music genres. Elements of pop, rock, electronic and funk are all in the band which make them interesting. The singer Kat in my opinion is a great singer. The other members are also technically talented.

‘On Off Switch’ is only a small band but I think they have the potential to make it big. The crowd on the night was small but I think everyone could see the potential they had. The band is young and enthusiastic with lots more to offer as they are always producing new songs. I particularly liked ‘Chemicals’ and ‘OK Robot’- these were my favourite songs. The band is very energetic and they have similarities to groups such as K.T. Tunstall, Squarepusher, Madonna and Evanescence.

I came out feeling very satisfied and cheerful after the gig and talked a lot to my friend about them. I would definitely recommend them. Their MySpace address is: http://www.myspace.com/onoffswitch

The second band I went to see was ‘Mr Twist’. They played at 93 Feet East on 15th April 2009 in Brick Lane, London. The band was superb and played with other great bands that I had never heard of before. ‘Mr Twist’s’ influences are from bands such as Muse, Led Zeppelin, Biffy Clyro and Iron Maiden. They are quite an experimental band with a real passion for rock music. Their songs on Myspace are Break Before I Bend, The World Is Watching, Drink and Dial, Settle The Score and Lying On Demand.

The Venue was quite big and was fairly packed. The band is definitely unique and worth seeing. They were on stage for around 45 minutes and played first. The band has four members including a drummer, vocalist, guitar and Bass. I briefly spoke to the vocalist after the gig and he thanked me for coming. ‘Mr Twist’ are full of energy and passion and you could see that they are playing to makes themselves feel good and to make other people feel good. I hope they make it big as I think they deserve it. It is a shame that bands like Mr Twist are not bigger than they are because the guitarist, drummer and singer are all very good and committed. They made my day a little bit more special and made me cheerful. Their MySpace address is:
http://www.myspace.com/mrtwistband

The latest band I have seen is ‘Kyoshi’. I went to see them at Greenwich, London on April 23rd 2009. The band members are Leanne on Vocals, Dan on the guitars, Chris on the Bass and Ben on the drums. Some of the bands influences come from Jimi Hendrix, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Led Zeppelin and Bob Marley.

Kyoshi have a mixture of pop, ska and indie which make them fun and exciting. The bands best beats are ‘Bang’ and ‘Your Own Beat’. The support band ‘Esteban’ I thought were also great, but I thought Kyoshi were more interesting and different. The vocalist Leanne has a Lily Allen Posture and a similar singing style.

The band played around 30-45 minutes and showed their potential. They are a young band who could do well. The gig was free which made it extra special. The venue was fairly full and I think everyone enjoyed the music. I would recommend this band to anyone and I will see them again if they play in London. This band is very energetic and has potential. Hopefully they will be successful and will keep playing great music. Their MySpace address is:
http://www.myspace.com/kyoshimusic

I will continue to see more MySpace bands in the future. Considering how low the ticket prices are you get a great deal. Bands like ‘Kyoshi’ were free and I am sure there are more. If you are in a band and want to widen your audiences then MySpace is a great place to start. Or if you are interested in getting involved with other bands that can give you advice about music then MySpace is also useful for this.




The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk




Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
www.myspace.com/92945414

Constantin review

Constantin – Live at 229 Great Portland Street


Constantin are an exciting new electro-pop band. They played their second live show at 229 Great Portland Street last Saturday. I was there for the show and I have written a review of this excellent band. They have asked me to write reviews for them which I have gladly accepted.

See:
http://www.constantin.uk.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=34&Itemid=53

Constantin will be playing at the Water Rats, King’s Cross, London on 12th June.

Constantin’s web site is at: http://www.constantin.uk.com/

Constantin’s MySpace Profile is at: http://www.myspace.com/constantinspace

Posted here by Gregory Rikowski
The Ockress: http://www.theockress.com/




The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk




Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
www.myspace.com/92945414

Wonderful Town, 2007. Directed by Aditya Assarat

I went to see Wonderful Town at the BFI Southbank in London on 30th April 2009. The film is directed by Aditya Assarat. This was the director’s debut feature. Wonderful Town was made in 2007 and was made in Thailand.

The film is concentrated within a small thai town that was destroyed by a tsunami in 2004. More than 8,000 people died in the process. Assarat demonstrates how a disaster can have terrible effects and how hard it is to rebuild not only a town but also a person. The Tsunami destroyed many homes and left the town in pieces. Throughout the film we get to see the destruction of the town and how it had affected the people living there. Na, (Anchalee Saissontorn, actress) one of the main characters had lived in the town her whole life. Ton (Suppasit Kansen, actor) another main character, is an architect but also a volunteer to help supervise the rebuilding of a beach hotel destroyed by the tsunami.

The relationship between Na and Tom starts off gently and slowly. The relationship then starts to become more intense as they start to show affection to each other, without much dialogue. We first start to really understand their love when Tom drives by and talks to Na. He then asks her to go out somewhere with him but she makes an excuse for this. We can see on her expression when he drives past that she wanted to say yes, but for some reason she didn’t. Tragically Na’s brother doesn’t like the fact that she is sleeping with Tom. He ends up killing Tom and getting revenge on him. He said to Tom In the film ‘Once a gangster, always a gangster’. He ends up throwing Tom in the river.

The film ultimately is quite pessimistic and shows that the type of area and situation you are in has a huge effect on your life. In this case, the tsunami, which destroyed much of the Thai people’s, lives. It also shows that love cannot last in a place that has been destroyed and scarred.

The great thing about this film is that it’s not domineering and it has a calming feel to it. Most films have a strong and powerful narrative but this film is more subtle and free flowing. Throughout much of the film you can also see the wonderful and beautiful landscape of Thailand. The town is full of beautiful trees and open landscapes. Overall I find this film fascinating and very calming. Nothing in this film is evasive. Overall I would give this film 8/10.

The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk




Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
www.myspace.com/92945414

Sir John Everett Millais. Hearts and Trumps portrait

Sir John Everett Millais was an artist during the 19th Century. He was an Englishmen, born in Southampton who shows great character and perfection in his work. This painting named the hearts and trumps portrait is extremely vibrant and eye catching. The three sisters take up around half the room on the painting, leaving the other half to scenery and location.

I saw this portrait at the Tate Britain on 19th April 2009 where they also presented a large collection of his other paintings. Millais lived a fairly long life who had won himself a place in the Royal Academy Schools. One of his paintings which were not in the Tate Britain named Christ In The House Of His Parents was controversial because of the realistic portrayal of the holy family labouring.

Hearts and Trumps is one of my favourite paintings mainly because Millais makes the location and scenery look extremely exotic and very innocent. The flowers in the top right, the lake, the dresses and the colours are all examples of how colourful and how perfectly he expresses himself. He is successful in representing shade in a flamboyant and intricate manner. The women all look like they have a lot of time on their hands. Playing cards is shown in the portrait. They are all looking rather bored which may have reflected the lack of activities women had at the time. All of The sisters are also all wearing identical clothes and are showing similar expressions. The women in the left shows no interest in the painter but is focused purely on cards. The sister in the middle shows some interest in the cards but also some interest in her sister. Lastly, the sister on the right shows no interest at all in the cards and seems more interested in the painter and other things happening. Therefore, the sisters are all showing similar expressions but at the same time have a different focus. Sister on the right seems to be the most friendly and confident of the three. She even shows us her cards clearly which may indicate that she is the most confident and open. They seem to have competition between them all.

Overall I find the painting a fascinating piece of work that makes you feel calm and at piece. It shows the innocence and honesty of the human nature.




The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk




Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=92945414

The Cherry Orchard

The Cherry Orchard was written by Anton Chekhov who was born in 1860, in Tanganrog. Chekhov was very well known worldwide as he was very successful with his plays. Anton Chekhov died only six months after the Cherry Orchard was written and he was a great play writer. I went to see The Cherry Orchard on Saturday 4th October 2008 at the Kenneth More Theatre.

Even though the plot in The Cherry Orchard is fairly straight forward and the production was amateurish, the spirit of the play was captured beautifully. I found the use of Chekhov’s language revolutionary and exciting. The characters within the play are varied and all have their own unique status and position.

The plot is about an aristocratic Russian woman who returns to her estate. Just before she returns however she soon realises that the estate is up for auction to pay for the mortgage. The Cherry Orchard eventually ends up being sold as the family are left in tears. The Cherry Orchard was sentimental and especially for Ranyevskaya and her daughters Anya who is 17 years old. They return to find out the news as they are shocked and worried. The Cherry Orchard in the ends up being sold which upsets the whole family. It represents the downfall of the aristocratic way of living as the communist people were starting to take over.

The plot is a demonstration of dramatic changes and circumstances at the beginning of the 20th Century. Chekhov demonstrates a very powerful perception of events that captured its time in a symbolic manner. The society and the people’s lives were changing into a way which suited Russian communists and their ambitions. Socialist intellectuals were becoming more powerful which is portrayed by Trofimov, a student character in The Cherry Orchard. The artistic qualities in The Cherry Orchard make it a really powerful and alerting play that is excellently constructed and made.

The Cherry Orchard demonstrates the destruction from people and how elements such as love, art and culture can be easily destroyed. Subtleties within people are easily crushed by more dominant and forceful means.

Even though there weren’t many people in the theatre the play was intriguing and very entertaining. It was eye opening and brilliantly crafted.




The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk




Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=92945414

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 1931. Directed by Rouben Mamoulian

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was made in (1931), directed by Rouben Mamoulian and has influenced and changed the horror genre. I saw the film on New Year's day, 2009 at the BFI Southbank in London. I enjoyed the film very much and it raises many issues which I will discuss. The film concentrates in detail the status of the human mind.

The film is focused on a man (Dr. Jekyll) who struggles to break free of himself and tries to find religion as a solution. He has a split personality which was the result of a failed experiment which he had regretted. The film raises issues such as repression, individual moral conflict and also the battle between good and evil. The idea of individual moral conflict is used in the majority of horror films. Werewolves for example dominate the person and the person struggles to be their true selves due to having conflict between the beast of the wolf and their true characters. In consequence we are more fearful of their actions because of the anger and hatred these people/monsters have. We are fearful of Mr. Hyde because we can empathise with Dr. Jekyll and his good intentions that are being dominated by impulses and lust.

The film does emphasise high degrees of suppression on individuals and especially when it comes to sexual issues. One scene in the film which demonstrates this was when Dr. Jekyll meets a prostitute named Ivy Pearson who he finds attractive. He later arrives as Mr. Hyde who seduces her but she finds him hideous and tries to escape from him. He ends up destroying her life and he does not get the sexual pleasure and desires that he easily wanted. The film points out constraints on individuals and barriers society creates. The film also shows the faults of meddling with science and playing with the unknown. This in consequence creates uncertainty and distress. Mr. Hyde is a character who rebels norms and values of society but in the end suffers because of this. He wants to be free in the absolute meaning which creates tensions between him and Dr. Jekyll. As an audience we like and dislike the same person and we want Mr. Hyde destroyed. One particular example in the film when he behaves in a delinquent manner was the way he talks to Ivy Pearson and the threats he imposes on her in her house. He plays mind games with her by analysing her thoughts and he then starts behaving in a barbaric and disturbing way. He physically abuses her leaving marks on her back. He later leads her onto having suicidal thoughts. Later on in the film Dr. Jekyll arrives at her door as she bursts out in tears as she is terrified. He reassures her that Mr. Hyde would never come back. This promise fails however as Mr. Hyde returns later and kills her with his uncontrollable actions.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde differ in several ways. Firstly Mr. Hyde has no sense of morals and self control. Dr. Jekyll however has these elements in his life which makes him a likeable and respectable person. Even though we like Dr. Jekyll as a character, it seems as though Mr. Hyde is the real person that he would like to be despite their differences. He is against all suppression and constraints of individuals as he challenges the ideas of the world. I have never seen a film which expresses repression of an individual so well and how repression could lead that person to behave. Clearly the film deals with the psychoanalysis of a person. I think the film reflects the true repression of individuals but the scientific experiment that Dr. Jekyll takes upon himself made it clearer and more explicitly extreme.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not only a film about conflict but also about domination of individuals. Dr. Jekyll has faith within himself that he will conquer and solve the problem of the good and evil side of people. This attitude is a religious one but he does not recognise the social effects on a person. The film also reflects attitudes towards love and hate. Dr. Jekyll has much conflict within himself because Mr. Hyde seeks to destroy and hate people rather than to care about them. The destructive nature of Mr. Hyde over powers Dr. Jekyll and he soon dominates him. Dr. Jekyll sees people in terms of individuals and characters more than the way society moulds people. This idea leads him onto believing that he can fix many problems with the whole way people function. This film is very important in reflecting the ways in which people would like to be free and the frustrations they have. Overall it is a wonderfully crafted film with a sad ending. Dr. Jekyll is in the end killed because of Mr. Hyde’s uncontrollable and animalistic behaviour. He suffers because of this and ends up shot.

The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=92945414

Ham House

The CILIP in London summer outing (which I was kindly invited to) was at Ham House in Richmond on 12 August 2008. It was a really interesting day and the weather was also very sunny. It was the first time I had ever visited Richmond and it was certainly a day to remember. Richmond was very unusual for a London setting because of how natural it was and how peaceful it felt.

I learnt that the Ham House building was built in 1610 for Sir Thomas Vavasour, whose family had remained at the building up until 1948. Up to this point much restoration and renewals had taken place such as electricity and heat installation in the building. It was given to the National Trust in 1948. I found out that a ghost/ghostly presence has been reported there.

The Ham House building is very much part of our British heritage and British History. I really like Jane Austen, so was very interested to find out that Jane Austen’s 'Sense and Sensibility' had been filmed in the building. I myself had guessed beforehand, when walking up to it, and around it, that the area looked like a Jane Austen setting. During the 17th Century this kind of location was central to Europe’s fashion and power. The house has changed little since it was first built. The building also contains many paintings and old furniture which is ideal for keeping the sense of old English tradition. The paintings and furniture collections are rare and the level of light is to avoid any damage to these collections. William Murray took charge of the Ham House in 1626 and remodeled the great Hall (now the Hall gallery) where he placed paintings. He was very fond of art and architecture. William Murray joined the Civil War and unfortunately died in 1655.

Ham House has a fascinating library (which had been donated to it) which is extremely old and well preserved. It also has a complicated history. We had a chance to see the library and there was a presentation of the library which I found very interesting. The presentation involved a women showing us old books and giving us an idea of how the library was used. She said it was a ‘Gentleman’s Library’ and that the subjects in the collection represented the interests of the donor gentleman. She was very knowledgeable and obviously really enjoyed her work. There has also been an article written about the Ham House library by Mark Purcell which is named ‘The library at Ham House: National Trust Libraries 2’. It covers the period 1610-1900 and can be obtained from the British Library.

The Ham House building additionally has gardens which are extremely pretty. Amazingly the garden was one of a few formal gardens to survive the English landscape movement. It has a very pleasant and calming atmosphere which compliments the building itself. The walk from Richmond to the house, along the River Thames is beautiful and generally was very pleasant and enjoyable.

I took some photos of the Ham House gardens and along the River Thames as well and one of these pictures is on this blog.




The Rikowski web site, The Flow of Ideas is at:
http://www.flowideas.co.uk




Gregory's myspace profile and his blog is at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=92945414