MJ: Behind the mask

Michael Jackson. At his best, he's made the world groove to revolutionary feats of music and rhythm. At his worst, he's almost indescribably farcical, a modern star as painted by Dali. He has amazed us with his moonwalk and shocked us with his appearance. His appearance and lifestyle have certainly changed over the years. Meanwhile, many say his music has changed as well.

Things weren't always so larger than life for the Gloved One. Jackson, born in 1958, grew up in spectacularly ordinary Gary, Indiana, youngest son to Joe and Kate Jackson. Joe, a modestly successful steelworker and an allegedly abusive father, played the guitar in an R&B band for which Kate often sang.

Michael and brother Marlon joined three older siblings and The Jackson 5 was born. They started playing local clubs in 1963 and when Gladys Knight recommended them to Berry Gordy, their careers took off. Michael was clearly the star, singing the catchy leads to No. 1 hits like "I Want you Back," "ABC" and "I'll Be There". The group churned out 13 albums in only seven years. They would later become simply "The Jacksons," as their popularity began to decline.

Michael's first solo No. 1 hit came in 1972 with "Ben," the title track of a film about a boy and his rat. When he met producer Quincy Jones in 1978 on the set of The Wiz, (Jackson played the scarecrow) he found his mentor. It was Jones whom Jackson went to for advice on his first solo album.

That album, Off The Wall, was the first step towards Jackson's bright future, with hits such as "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" and "Rock With You." The album sold 10 million copies worldwide.

1983 was the year Jackson took over the world. Thriller, Jackson's biggest success, dropped like a comet out of the heavens and onto record store shelves and radio station set lists everywhere. The title track went No. 1 and inspired a music video which many consider to be the best of all time. Thriller also included hits such as "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." The album sold 51 million copies worldwide and spent 37 weeks at No. 1. Through his performances in concerts and videos, the public was exposed to his amazing dance moves and was first shown the Moonwalk on "Motown's 25th Anniversary Special." That year, he wrote "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie, which would played two years later on 5,000 radio stations at the same time. Jackson soon was making movies and built a theme park on his estate, the Neverland Ranch. He also began to use his status and wealth to raise money for numerous children's charities, as well as touring with his brothers. All this, along with the pressure of recording a highly-anticipated follow-up album.

Jackson would not disappoint. 1987's Bad followed in Thriller's footsteps by scoring five consecutive No. 1 hits. Accompanying the album was one of the largest grossing tours of all time, even though he admitted to lip-synching during the concerts. Although the album did not match the success of Thriller, it sold 25 million copies worldwide.

1991's Dangerous followed Bad, selling 27 million copies. However, it was knocked out of the No. 1 position by Nirvana's Nevermind, symbolizing a shift in public musical interest from pop to grunge/alternative.

Jackson has been famous not only for his music and dancing, but also for his bizarre lifestyle. His pet chimp attended the Bad sessions. He tried to buy the Elephant Man's remains for $50,000. He began wearing a surgical mask in public. In 1993, the strange accusations grew serious as Jackson was accused of molesting a teenage boy. He would go on to marry Lisa Marie Presley. The marriage was over quickly. Jackson then married his dermatologist's assistant, who bore him two children, and was gone more quickly than Presley.

HIStory: Past, Present and Future- Book 1, a compilation of Jackson's past hits and angrier current works, had a new sound which the public largely disliked. Despite the hype that surrounded the album, it was considered a modest success. His next album, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, was even more of a disappointment.

Through it all, Jackson has certainly had an illustrious career: 12 No. 1 records, over 131 million albums sold worldwide, 13 Grammy awards. Quite impressive for a little boy from Gary, Ind.

Jackson opened up white America to black music and influenced both black and white artists. With his androgenous vocals, Jackson changed notions of gender as well.

Michael Jackson's story is of a lost youth full of fame, talent and wealth, resulting in a bizarre celebrity lifestyle, and everything in between. He will always make an interesting story, no matter what he does.