Where were you when you heard the news about Jacko?

[ollyh]

Was drinking at the flags by the pyramid stage at about 11.30 on the Thursday night when a random guy just came up to us and started going on about how MJ was dead and that he had had tickets to see him, at the time I was pretty tipsy so I hardly believed the guy until I quickly checked bbc on my phone and was just amazed when I saw it was true

[Glastonbury_2011]

Watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Great film by the way.

Edited June 29, 2009 by Glastonbury_2011

[scappaflow]

I was on the outskirts of the tent for East 17.

Was totally surreal watching East 17 and getting a pile of texts telling of the news.

My mate who sent the 1st text is very reliable and I am pretty sure it would have been one of the earliest on the site.

I showed it to my friend and we both went, 'yep, that's right' when we saw who had sent it.

Then started telling other people who didn't believe me, including one girl who had a ticket for an 02 show!

[ninja-style]

Was in the reggae tent, the DJ suddenly switched from reggae to MJ songs, we were like wtflip but it was still good. Then after about 3 songs he announced that he was dead. No one knew if he was joking at first but soon people were getting texts and checking the internet. It was horrible.

Also regarding the jokes...

its shocking how fast they appear. Its like someone was waiting for him to die and preplanned all these sick jokes

[halfpint]

On the way back from East 17 loads of people were running round saying it...i just thought it was a festival rumour. It took 5 texts from the states, one from my dad and a look at the bbc website before it dawned that is wasnt just a rumour

[nominaomi]

Walking back from Bubble Cafe in Dance world with Chris, he told me not to believe it, I thought it was true... I was right LOL

[Laura_Babs]

I was at our campsite when someone got a text through from my boyfriends little sister. At that moment i got a text from my sister asking if I had a good time.So I called her and asked about it. She said they had mentioned it on the radio but it hadn't been confirmed. So she called me back once she found out more. We then listened to BBC Somerset all night listening about him. They had Euri Gellar on being interviewed (is that how you spell Eury?!)

[chuckley]

I was at our campsite when someone got a text through from my boyfriends little sister. At that moment i got a text from my sister asking if I had a good time.So I called her and asked about it. She said they had mentioned it on the radio but it hadn't been confirmed. So she called me back once she found out more. We then listened to BBC Somerset all night listening about him. They had Euri Gellar on being interviewed (is that how you spell Eury?!)

Edited June 30, 2009 by chuckley

[Dominic1983]

We were sat 'round our campfire listening to Worthy FM, when they said MJ was in a coma. Shortly after, they announced he'd died. We were quite shocked, and immediately tried thinking of jokes or possible tabloid headlines. Best one we had was, 'Wacko Jacko Has Heart Attack-o'. Also, it was pure genius for the t-shirt stallholders to print shirts saying, 'I Was At Glastonbury When Jacko Died', just hours after the news broke!

A few of the many jokes I heard over the weekend:

Michael Jackson hasn't been this stiff since Macaulay Culkin stayed over.

Micheal Jackson was not pronounced dead at the hospital. He was in the children's ward having a stroke.

At his cremation, Michael Jackson is going to be melted down and they're going to make toys out of him, so kids can play with him for a change.

The truth is Michael Jackson died of food poisoning... he ate 12 year old nuts.

Have you heard all the jockeys at Newmarket tomorrow will wear black arm bands, in memory of the one man who successfully rode more three-year-olds than anyone else.

[VCK]

Also, it was pure genius for the t-shirt stallholders to print shirts saying, 'I Was At Glastonbury When Jacko Died', just hours after the news broke!

[Chris-TT]

I was walking to Trash City some girl tapped me on the shoulder and said she just got a text saying Michael was dead. I thought she was trying to spread a rumour or something and didn’t believe her, then 2 of my mates got texts and we realised there must be some truth unless there was big joke on a TV program to start a big rumour at Glastonbury. Minutes later everyone’s shouting it!

Really gutted, but glad how respectful everyone was being, yeah there were a few jokes, which is fair enough but the general harmony from people was respectful

[When Jokers Attack]

Was at Metronomy

[Ohinever]

Though not trendy to admit, I'm a massive MJ fan. Saw him live about ten times in late eighties/nineties. Had tickets for the opening night at the 02.

I was in the campervan fields, and bizarrely got a call from my friend who works for ticketmaster, saying he was rushed to hopsital and probably dead. Then my brother who lives in the States called. He said he was in hospital but not dead. None of the American channels had him as dead.

My Ticketmaster mate then text me saying dead. My bro was like "no way, not on the telly here". A few seconds laterand a moments silence from him: "shit, yeah, he's dead".

After bout an hour my gf encouraged me to go back in the festival to cheer up. But there were so many knobs shouting out "He's dead -- Yeeeessss!" and the like that I was depressed and went back to the camper.

The next day the mood was different I thought. Most people seemed generally affectionate. Was walking past that reggae tent by the Bread and Roses bar, and they were playing MJ none-stop. Spent an hour in there.

Later on that night returned. Brilliant disco going on, which then turned into about an hour of Mj. Everyone danced and cheered each song.

Couldn't help but think that if he'd been shown one tenth of the appreciation he has since he died in the last few years, he wouldn't be dead now, nor been making paranoid music for 14 years.

Anyone who ever saw him live will know how good he was. Definately the gretaest performer I have ever seen. One particular memory is back in 92 taking a hippy T-rex fan to Wembey to see him. He wanted to come as he couldn't understand why i was so enthusiastic about Jackson.

As soon as the concert kicked off (?the best ever stage entrance?) he stoood there silent for the whole concert. I was worried he was bored off his tits. At the end I asked him what he thought. He turned to me and muttered, "f**k me, that was f**king amazing".

Next thing the hippy T-Rex fan was on a coach with me to see Jacko again in Paris.

Edited June 30, 2009 by mooro

[Crouchie]

all of us had walked up to the field with the flags where you can look over the whole of the site, none of us had ever been up there and were pretty gobsmacked by the view. Then one of us got a text to say that he had died. we didnt think it was true at first but soon realised it was.

It was quite a moment being sat there in the dark looking out over all the lights.

I dont know what this hill is called but to us it is now Jackson hill

[MieleBee]

Then we went to queue up for Anvil and I hear more people talking about it. Texted my mate to be sure and it turned out to be true. Was gutted.

[gemsie1904]

We heard a few people's conversations as we were passing by but didn't believe it, then we got to the brothers bar and they started playing Michael Jackson songs so thought it must be true! Was really sad!

[Red Day]

Think I was in the Stonebridge Bar

[Detective McNulty]

We were walking around somewhere (no idea where) and heard someone talking really loudly and in a very suprised manner about Crisitano Ronaldo, then a few yards later someone saying 'I can't believe he is dead!'. That was a real WTF moment, but then we heard it was Jackson who was dead and my utter shock turned to real sadness.

Was a mental night, absolutely everyone talking about it.

[Magma]

Walking up from East 17 towards the Park when someone rushed up saying "I know this sounds mental, but do you know if Michael Jackson's dead?"

"No... it's Glastonbury, someone's winding you up mate"

"Yeah, that's what I thought, but I've just had it on a seperate text message too"

"Are they at the festival?"

"No"

"Do they know the first person who told you?"

"No"

"Shit."

*hats on crooked out of respect*

[beadfc]

I was at getting a toasted sandwich from the stand next to the John Peel stage when the guy working there asked if I knew anything about it. This was around 11.45, something like that on the Thursday night. Went for a drink in the Tolpuddle and everyone was on their phones trying to find stuff out.

[euler]

I got a text from my best mate at 23:05 saying the BBC were reporting him dead. Naturally, when I tried to tell anyone about it, they thought it was a wind-up.

This was the same mate who broke it to me on the Sunday of the 2005 festival that Richard Whiteley had died, so I was inclined to believe him.

[LusciousLucy]

Yup...10.39pm text message from a random number...phone had hundreds due to CT...it was a rumour...they always are...immediately started to sing all sorts 'Micheal Jackson's topped himself...you can sleep safe in your beds tonight children and so on...we were in a very happy Gay Meet conga...honestly honestly thought it was a rumour...didnt go into Babylon ever so didnt hear any tribute music...still thought it was a rumour...been going to G for 14 years now...rumour too good to be true...made it back to CT...still not believing it...5am forced someone to show me an IPhone...still didnt believe it...

kinda did when we got the Saturday Guardian...and promptly pinned the headline across my top...with words removed'....... ........ doctor who was with Jacko when he died'!!!!! f**king PRICELESS!!!! Found the tribute wall in the Caberet field...will be posting the image of this as the comments are ridiculously good! The best being...'still hoping it is a Glasto rumour'!

This kept rumour going in head until I got back in RealWorld and bought a couple of papers.

The best rumour/reality that has ever happened to the G...even better than the rumour/reality of John Major resigning as we arrived in 95! When you get a rumour...you start it and then let it get out of hand.

Actually before I left for the fest I was wondering what this year's would be as there is never anything actually true when the rumours start (although secretly with some you wish they were...see any Thatcher rumours for the past 15+ years!) MJ...not expected which is why this one was disbelieved for so long by hundreds!

[504329lt]

In the Avalon Cafe. Hobo Jones confirmed once on stage.

[FrayBentos]

To be honest, people are maing a massive deal of it, famous people die all the time, get over it

Besides he needed to be put out of his misery anyway

[HurrahBrother]

Thursday night, Some reporters doing a vox pop round the cider bus!