Though I was only born when INXS frist started to take off, and though I never met Michael or ever came physically close to him, very few individuals--famous or otherwise--have had such a profound influence on my psyche.
As a poor young immigrant from Iran in the 1980's, I first encountered Michael's voice listening to a cheap portable FM transistor radio. The radio was an obnoxious shade of turqouise and was one of my first introductions to American pop music. Of all the songs that I grew up with in that period, and though my English was so poor at the time that I could only make out a quarter of the words, INXS's “Need You Tonight” stands out as one of the single most powerful prompts for a childhood flashback in my musical collection.
Strangely enough, though I grew to like all of the pop songs INXS sent to the charts, I never purchased an INXS album until adulthood. Somewhere between my high school and college years, I acquired INXS's Greatest Hits (likely through BMG). It wasn't until my graduating semester in college, a year injected with new hope and optimism out of the depths of a long and brutal depression, that I consciously delved deeply (and hence surrendered) into Michael's seductive and trance-inducing voice. Michael's penetrating vocal talents left a permanent imprint on my grasp of the human condition and serve as a constant reminder of one of the most triumphant and bitter-sweet experiences of my life.
Now, several years removed from the plush and open atmosphere of a college campus, I use Michael's talent to soothe me in troubled times.
Perhaps his ability to heal me has something to do with our our common mental afflictions and highly emotional nature (I too have seriously considered suicide in the past), but I consider my connection to Michael to be unique, real, and utterly honest.
I send my highest condolences to Michael's family and friends and to all of the fans in the world that received Michael's voice in an empowering way.
And most of all I send gratitude to Michael himself, for providing the world with his most unique and unimaginable vocal talent, and to the exhilarating upliftment and liberation that his music creates.
Regards,
Sohrab Sobhani
As a poor young immigrant from Iran in the 1980's, I first encountered Michael's voice listening to a cheap portable FM transistor radio. The radio was an obnoxious shade of turqouise and was one of my first introductions to American pop music. Of all the songs that I grew up with in that period, and though my English was so poor at the time that I could only make out a quarter of the words, INXS's “Need You Tonight” stands out as one of the single most powerful prompts for a childhood flashback in my musical collection.
Strangely enough, though I grew to like all of the pop songs INXS sent to the charts, I never purchased an INXS album until adulthood. Somewhere between my high school and college years, I acquired INXS's Greatest Hits (likely through BMG). It wasn't until my graduating semester in college, a year injected with new hope and optimism out of the depths of a long and brutal depression, that I consciously delved deeply (and hence surrendered) into Michael's seductive and trance-inducing voice. Michael's penetrating vocal talents left a permanent imprint on my grasp of the human condition and serve as a constant reminder of one of the most triumphant and bitter-sweet experiences of my life.
Now, several years removed from the plush and open atmosphere of a college campus, I use Michael's talent to soothe me in troubled times.
Perhaps his ability to heal me has something to do with our our common mental afflictions and highly emotional nature (I too have seriously considered suicide in the past), but I consider my connection to Michael to be unique, real, and utterly honest.
I send my highest condolences to Michael's family and friends and to all of the fans in the world that received Michael's voice in an empowering way.
And most of all I send gratitude to Michael himself, for providing the world with his most unique and unimaginable vocal talent, and to the exhilarating upliftment and liberation that his music creates.
Regards,
Sohrab Sobhani