Jackson Inspires No Rush in O.C.

Several music stores in Orange County stayed open past midnight Monday when the new Michael Jackson album went on sale. At Tower Records and Video in Costa Mesa, only about 20 night-owls showed up. Five times as many had come out to buy Pearl Jam’s “Vitalogy” when it was released in December, according to Myles Cohen, the store’s singles buyer.

Cohen said he thinks people stayed away this time because of the allegation two years ago that Jackson had molested a 13-year-old boy. Jackson was never criminally charged.

“You got your die-hards” who bought the new album, Cohen said. “Then you got your people who didn’t like the little boy thing.” He said a few customers have told him they wouldn’t take the album if it were being given away.

A spokesman for Blockbuster Music (formerly Music Plus) said that the chain’s local stores stayed open late but that he couldn’t elaborate because company policy forbids employees to speak to the press. Wherehouse stores closed at the usual hour, according to Luke Johnson, operations manager for the chain in Orange County.