Local band won't play 'Thriller' in parade

NEW YORK -- Bloomington High School North's marching band reportedly decided not to play Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as part of its routine for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade because of the child molestation charges against the pop superstar.\nThe director of the band told Macy's producers he wanted to replace the planned number after the charges against Jackson surfaced earlier this week.\nDirector Thomas Wilson told The New York Times "Thriller" would not be "appropriate for the morals and the ideals and the sense of pride that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade represents."\n"This is my call as the director of the marching band," Wilson told the newspaper for its Saturday editions.\nThe band will instead play John Mellencamp's song "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."\nThe creative director for Macy's annual events, Bill Schermerhorn, said Macy's would likely have raised the issue if Wilson had not. But he said if the band had not prepared a substitute number, the parade would probably have gone ahead with "Thriller."\n"One thing is, we would never disappoint these kids when they have their moment on national television," Schermerhorn told the Times. "This band is absolutely wonderful."\nMichael Jackson surrendered to authorities Thursday on suspicion that he committed lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. Jackson has denied the charges, which his attorney called "a big lie"