Canadian Michael Jackson Fans Express Shock, Sadness

Canadian fans of Michael Jackson expressed shock and sadness upon hearing of his death Thursday and predicted talk of his career and legacy will continue to dominate conversations for the foreseeable future.

Alana Copps was out shopping in Toronto with her daughter Ashley Williams when she heard the news and had to stop and compose herself as tears started flowing.

“I never believed in this – crying over someone you don’t even know – but yet, I’ve known him from when I was two-years-old watching him on TV. My mother loved him, I’ve loved him, my kids have loved him,” she said.

“He’s amazing, that’s all I have to say.”

“He’s a big inspiration to everyone,” Williams added. “God bless him and his family and his kids.”

Trevor Mulvihill lost interest in Jackson’s music as his career waned but said he will be remembered for his classics and his great contributions to pop music.

“This is a huge deal,” he said. “I love his music, I think it’s great. On the other hand, he hasn’t done anything for 20 years or so either, but ‘Thriller’ is one of the greatest albums ever.”

Within hours of Jackson’s death, “Thriller” – the best-selling album of all time including hits like “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the title track – had shot back atop the charts on iTunes Canada, and four of the other Top 10 titles were Jackson albums.

Mulvihill said it’ll be a long time before the world gets over Jackson’s death and joked that his legion of fans may refuse to except his passing, like some Elvis Presley fanatics.

“It’s going to be 30 years of Michael Jackson sightings,” he quipped.

A throng of fans gathered outside the street-side studio of MuchMusic in Toronto late Thursday to watch as the national music network went live with a special commemoration of Jackson’s career and took calls from fans.

But not everyone was sad to hear of the eclectic pop star’s death.

Chris Searl acknowledged the indelible mark Jackson has left on popular culture but said the sexual abuse allegations he faced and his increasingly bizarre public behaviour turned him off.

“He’s a great musician, he’s done so many things for music but personally I think he’s kind of a creepy guy,” Searl said.

“He generated such a huge influence on a lot of artists that came after him – and in that regard I definitely have a lot of respect for him – but other than that, that’s kind of where it ends.”

In Vancouver, a custom T-shirt shop in the city’s downtown was already busy making Michael Jackson shirts with slogans like, RIP Michael.

Store supervisor Dave Lennon said sales were brisk.

“There’s been a lot – in the past couple of hours, probably half the people are getting Michael Jackson shifts,” Lennon said Thursday evening. “I mean, he’s really popular.”

But Lennon, who’s 20 years old, didn’t seem too affected by the pop icon’s death.

“Not really, I mean ‘Thriller’ is all right,” he said.

Several media outlets in the city were reporting that a candlelight vigil was planned outside a downtown music store.

But the few people who wandered by looking for the event kept walking when they saw no one else had showed up.

Fans of Michael Jackson gather at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto.