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Sarah SchwabFrench singer and impersonator with a golden voice!
The official premiere has arrived last night in London.
Paris, Prince and Bigi Jackson came to London to see the musical.
Chris Tucker flew to London to be also present at the premiere.
John L. Hill is an American Portrait Artist, best known for his acrylic paintings on large canvases. Self-taught, Hill began creating art early on in elementary school at 9 years old, he found a love in creating portraits.
He said concerning this portrait :
“It is a purposefully “unfinished” portrait that allows us to see MJ in a different light than we usually see him…this piece sort of “normalizes” him in my opinion. Painting him this way encourages us to find the beauty and wholeness within the imperfection, which is symbolic to all of our lives because nobody in this world is perfect…but that is OKAY!! When we understand that and stop looking to “perfection”, we begin to love ourselves and we begin to focus on progression instead. That is where we can make a difference in our lives, and in turn, make a positive impact on the world around us…just like Michael Jackson!”
Too he created portraits of : Lebron James, Dr. Dre, Steve Harvey, Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, Kemba Walker, Jalen Ramsey, Cam Newton, The Game, Mike Tyson, Future, Phil Heath, and many more.
2.3.1088
Michael a interprété "The Way You Make Me Feel" et "Man In The Mirror" lors de la 30e cérémonie annuelle des Grammy Awards.
2.3.1988
Michael performed "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man In The Mirror" at the 30th annual Grammy Awards.
Bigi is passionate about karate, but also a producer and director, he graduated from the Buckley School in Los Angeles and produced an astonishing cartoon in 2014, Kill Them All. The short film traces the story of a boy who decides to avenge the murder of his father...
He recently received the award for best dramatic film for Rochelles, at the Santa Monica Film Festival, a short film which tells the story of two friends, thrown out when a prestigious restaurant puts them in competition for a coveted position in the kitchen.
He is realizing his dreams and continuing what his father would have wanted to do but did not have the opportunity and time to do, especially since he was not totally free artistically and because of uncaring people.
On February 12, 1998, a masterpiece for the pleasure of collectors was released in a limited edition of 400 copies with a letter of authenticity from the artist Vincent McKoy.
Each piece was signed by Michael on June 17, 2002 in London. The original was in Neverland.
Michael, Vincent McKoy & Adriant Grant.
In the early 90s when Michael asked him to paint two of his portraits, work with the artist began. He created a total of four works for Michael who brought them back to Neverland.
To understand their friendship, a deeper presentation of their careers and personal lives was needed.
By reading this book you get a better understanding of why such a strong was bond with each other.
Elizabeth fought throughout her life against prejudices, that all people have the same value. Among other things, she supported gay people and when it came out that Rock Hudson had AIDS, she never left his side. On the contrary, she started big fundraisers for AIDS research. She was loyal and loving, motherly, and tough, all things that appealed to Michael…
He loved that Elizabeth was fond of children, loved toys, games and cartoons. He admired her way of handling fame and her refusal to live her life according to other people’s terms. They not only shared childhood memories and celebrity.
When they were together, they were in their own world, a world few people understood or could come close to. About Elizabeth, Michael is said to have said “She is beautiful, the most beautiful I have ever met, and I love her.” Both Elizabeth and Michael were the last signs of larger-than-life stardom.
The author also writes about the Chandler case and Elizabeth’s active role in it. She was the first person Michael contacted for help and support, and it was she and her husband, Larry, who wanted to visit him, not his family.
During the Gavin Arvizo case, many wondered why neither Lisa-Marie nor Elizabeth were by his side. In Elizabeth’s defense, she had undergone a period of severe illness and was incapacitated.
But afterwards she defended Michael both in interviews and on her Twitter account. She believed it was much about money, exploitation, and the media’s bad attitude towards Michael.
The last time Michael and Elizabeth met was April 12, 2009. He and the children were present at Elizabeth’s Easter party.
When the news reached Elizabeth that Michael was dead, she broke down. She later wrote a post on her Twitter account, extract:
” I don´t think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I´ve ever known. Oh God!
Elizabeth died in 2011 and according to her wishes she is buried near Michael in Forest Lawn.
“Always he looked at her with adoring eyes and a smile that signaled some secret joy she brought him. Always she glanced at him in a protective, loving way.”
A new documentary called “The Greatest Night in Pop”, will get into the history of the 1985 charity hit “We Are the World.”
The film will have its premiere at Sundance on January 19 and then will be available on Netflix not long after on January 29.
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop will feature a plethora of previously-unseen footage as it traces the “We Are the World” story from the planning stages through the all-star recording session.
16.12. 2003 - Michael Jackson's album "Number Ones" was certified Gold by the RIAA.
The book “Icons and Instincts” by Vincent Paterson has been released in Spanish.
For the first time, the choreographer of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Björk and many others reveals stories from the set through his extraordinary journey. It was late in life that Vincent Paterson began his career as a professional dancer. It will take an exceptional turn when he becomes one of the main dancers in Michael Jackson's Beat It video. From this role of gang leader, through hard work, he rose to the rank of choreographer and director for the greatest singers, but also for cinema and musicals.
He recounts with naturalness and humility the exciting world of film sets, the rehearsal sessions where it is necessary to orchestrate and synchronize dozens of dancers, the backstage where it is sometimes necessary to manage a few whims of stars, the successes, but also the disappointments. It is a dive into the heart of the world of dance which shows all the importance of it in our world of images.
Source: https://appleheadteam.com/producto/iconos-e-instintos
Happy Halloween!
For the end of October and the beginning of November these 2 super rare albums are released to the delight of collectors.
Source: Music On CD
Taj Jackson just updated his GoFundMe.
“First of all, Thank you so much for your donation.
Secondly, I wanted to quickly clear up a few things that have been circulating around this project.
1. This docuseries WILL clear Michael Jackson’s name once and for all. That has always and will always be its main purpose and focus. It will tackle the topics and crap that those of us who defend Michael daily have to deal with. The series will finally educate the uninformed/ill-informed public.
That being said, It is equally important to also humanize Michael Jackson and show him as a real person and human being. Otherwise the general public won’t bother empathizing or sympathizing with him. I need them to feel all the horrors he was put through. It still amazes me to this day how strong my uncle was.
2. Although the last 4 years have taken its toll both mentally and physically, I will NEVER EVER stop fighting for my uncle. This docuseries is the top priority for me.
And for those of you who have fought right there alongside me on the front lines … I am eternally grateful. We have held each other up.
Last but not least…
I truly appreciate all the love, support and confidence you guys have continuesly shown me. Together we can and will Right HIStory.
That is a promise.Taj
An exhibition of Drew Struzan, to whom we owe the posters of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, The Goonies, Hook etc.
The fans know Drew for his first drawings of the HIStory Album concept, the original drawing of Drew for Michael HIStory Album is part of the exhibition.
The temporary Exhibition opened last June.
Musée Cinéma & Miniature
60, rue Saint Jean
69005 Lyon – France
Tonight on the Spanish regional television channel Radio Televisión Canaria will broadcast “Guess Who Played Tonight”, a documentary report on the concert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in September 1993.
From testimonies and impressions from public officials, music promoters, and media spokespersons, this concert brought together 50,000 spectators. This at 10:30 p.m.
Source: https://rtvc.es/en-directo/
A pair of moccasins worn by Michael during Sammy Davis Jr's 60th birthday ceremony where he performed the song "You Were There".
The estimate for this lot is between €10,000 and €15,000. Live public auction on Tuesday September 26, 2023. Hôtel des Ventes de Drouot Richelieu, room 2, 9 rue Drouot, 75009 Paris.
As well as the hat worn at Motown 25, emblematic objects.
Source: Lemon Auction
Prince Jackson, guest on Mike Tyson's podcast "Hotboxin'", indulged in some revelations about his father.
Said in particular that his father was "paranoid", and that he feared that the leaders of the music industry would come after him.
“He would come home worried about his safety, about his career, about his possessions, because he felt like he was messing with the wrong people. » He adds that his father felt judged “either through his messages of unity or by calling out other entities. Whatever the reason, he was becoming a target.
» Prince Jackson nevertheless specifies that despite the paranoia, his father never doubted his talent. Until the end of his life, the “King of Pop” considered himself “the greatest of all time”.
Now aged 26, he admits: “It was only after his death and when I was better integrated into society that I realized that this was not normal. »
Michael should have celebrated his 65th birthday on Tuesday, his sons, Blanket and Prince decided to honor his memory by traveling to Las Vegas.
They attended a Cirque du Soleil performance of Michael Jackson ONE, before interacting with fans of the singer at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Sin City Casino.
Source: elle
“Mike just does his thing and he does it so incredibly well. I mean, he just exudes … it just comes out of him and he just let me do my thing. So I just did what came natural to me and he just let me have the floor — that was basically it. There wasn’t, again, a lot of forethought. When I did “Give in to Me,” I went down to the studio [and] met up with Michael for like 15 minutes. He went to dinner, and I worked with the producer, and I just put guitars on the thing and left. Then Michael heard it, and I got a call back the next day. “Loves it. It’s great.” So it wasn’t what you’d call “true” collaborating, it was just like, “Slash do your thing on this.” [Laughs]. That kind of deal.”
He added: “It evolved into a lot of live performances and stuff during that period in the 90s. I guess he sort of related to what he thought my trip was all about and just let me do my thing. So it was great for me because I loved working with Michael because he’s such a phenomenal talent, and I would’ve been probably not into it if he tried to get me to conform to some other person or style or whatever, and it probably would’ve never have happened.”
Source: Comingsoon.net
An ethnic clash erupted on 3 May 2023 in India’s state of Manipur between the Meitei people, a majority that lives in the Imphal Valley, and the tribal community from the surrounding hills, including the Kuki and Zo peoples.
Despite the violence around them, children from a Kuki school decided to show love and tolerance by performing “We Are The World”
By actor Bryton McClure about Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson and Bryton James in its August 14 issue, the American weekly Soap Opera Digest features an interview with young actor and singer Bryton James (Bryton McClure), who shares his memories of his relationship with Michael Jackson.
How did you and Michael meet ?
When I was about 5 and playing in "Family Matters", we met someone on set who worked for his production company. I wrote her a letter and my parents gave it to her to see if she could pass it on to Michael. I told him I loved his music.
When you were 5, were you already a fan?
Even before I was old enough to talk, I loved EVERYTHING to do with Michael Jackson. It was really inexplicable, but I had this affection for him, just like everyone else.
You apparently heard from him afterwards!
He wrote me a letter in return! I was invited to attend the filming of one of his music videos, for the song "Will You Be There?" from the album Dangerous. I was able to meet him after his performance and take a photo with him. It was very brief.
When did you see him again?
A few months later. Raven-Simoné and I were asked to present him with the Artist of the Year award at the NAACP Awards. We were just kids! My parents and I got to talk to Michael backstage and he invited us to his house. The first time I went to Neverland Ranch, I was accompanied by my father. We spent two days there and some of Michael's family were there too. I became friends with two younger cousins who were a bit older than me. To this day, they're like brothers to me. After that, Michael kept in touch with me by phone and I went to Neverland several times a year with my parents. He would open the doors of the ranch to anyone he considered a friend. Even when he wasn't there, you could go and spend time there. He was the most generous person I ever met.
What was your room like? Were there any themed rooms, like "The Circus Room" or "The Space Ship Room"?
No, nothing like that. The rooms were very normal. His house was very simple and cosy. It wasn't like a museum or a hotel. It was old-fashioned, like a big cottage.
What was your favourite thing to do in Neverland?
There was a big castle with four towers connected by bridges. At each station there were giant water cannons and it was great to shoot with them. There was always music playing and the animals were amazing. And then there are the things you take for granted: there was a lot of space and it was very peaceful. When you went through the gate on the way out, you thought "Pfff, now I've got to get back to reality".
When was the last time you were at Neverland?
When I was 16 or 17 (Note: McClure was born in 1986), I went to the ranch when he was there with his cousins and Chris Tucker, I stayed there for about two weeks.
Do you think Neverland should be turned into a park open to the public, or should it remain private property?
I'd like it to be maintained in the same way as when I went there. Every week, he would bring in busloads of seriously ill children from hospitals, children with illnesses or who couldn't do normal things like go to Disneyland, funfairs or parks, so that they could spend the day there. I'd like that to continue, to preserve what he did and the way he opened it up to sick children.
Have you ever asked him what he thought of your music?
When the iPod has been launched, I had one and he'd never seen one before. He thought it was really cool and I had one of my songs on it. He listened to it and gave me some great advice. He's always done that with everything I've done on TV and in music, but he was also keen to make sure I experienced the things that kids should experience. He totally realised that I was happy doing what I was doing but he wanted me to enjoy being a kid.
What is your best memory of Michael?
There are two that I'll never forget. The first was when he asked me to sing on a song he'd written for the victims of September 11. Alongside Michael were Céline Dion, *N'Sync, Usher, Mariah Carey and Destiny's Child. All these other musicians and he asked me to be part of the choirs. I had to go to Washington to perform it with him and all these other artists. Being on stage with him and singing the same thing as him is an experience I'll never forget. The other experience was when I went to Neverland one night and he was the only one awake. Everyone else had gone to bed and we sat in these huge chairs in front of the fireplace and just chatted and shared stories.
Where were you when you heard about his death?
I was at home and had no idea what was going on. My father called me and told me to turn on the TV. I saw the news and at the time I didn't believe it. It took me a while to realise that it was true. I'd received around thirty missed calls and text messages from people who knew how close I was to him.
When was the last time you had contact with Michael?
The last time I spoke to him was just before the big trial he went through a few years ago. The year before, I saw him and spent a few time with him.
What do you think of all the crazy stories that have surfaced since his death?
I hope people are trying to understand what his life was like. I hope people will leave him in peace now. There were times when I spoke to him on the phone and he came close to bursting into tears because he didn't understand why people treated him the way they did. I think, in the end, he understood perfectly well the price he had to pay for being who he was.
If you had to sum up Michael, what would you say?
From what I've experienced, he's really an example of how I'd like to live. He faced so many intrusions into his private life and difficulties on such a grand scale... It's incredible to see what people can say about someone they don't even know. And despite all that, he remained a generous, altruistic and caring person. The thing I'd like people to realise is that despite all the strange stories, the jokes, the hype, the media circus and the tabloids, he remained a kind man.
Source: Soap Opera Digest
Rest in peace and thank you for strength and music, Tina Turner
MJFC3G
1992 - The Michael and Paul McCartney single "Say Say Say" was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Yamuna Sangarasivam was cast as an Odissi dancer in “Black or White” in 1991.
She was studying anthropology of dance at UCLA when she heard about his request for ethnic and modern dancers.
She said that working with Michael Jackson was amazing and that he was very gracious, humble and kind. He even sent a Mercedes to pick her up and brought her mother a warm blanket on set.
Yamuna’s 20-second duet with Michael Jackson on an LA expressway made her famous among her friends and family.
Today, Yamuna is a professor of anthropology and director of the Women and Gender Studies Program at Nazareth College in New York. She teaches courses on identity, culture and sexuality. She also continues to practice Odissi dance, a classical form from India.
Michael invited the NBA legend to dinner. The dinner revealed Michael's favorite meal to the world.
While Magic "was presented with an elegant plate of freshly cooked chicken garnished with parsley and a bed of rice". Johnson was delighted with the food and was about to eat when he realized there was no plate in front of Michael!
After a few minutes a servant came with a KFC bucket. Magic couldn't believe his eyes and asked Michael, "Is this your dinner?" Michael, with a smile, replied, "You bet you are. I love this stuff!" Magic, who was also a fan of KFC fries, was once again delighted and asked Michael to "pass some".
Later, the two are in good spirits and Michael offers Magic the role of Pharaoh.
Michael's work with Sega is pretty well known. However what is not well documented is his appearance in the 1993 simulator games “Scramble Training.”
Previously unseen footage of Michael as the lead actor in this game has been online.
The tape included everything, including the full credits and the sound test and visual test cards. It became the first time you could see Michael Jackson's performance in the game in high definition.
26 minutes that was on the tape here, with Michael performing and narrating the entire experience, including alternative endings.
Wayne Isham who directed the clip “You Are Not Alone” which featured the newlywed couple.
Said, “They had [an] innocent, playful relationship that I felt was a real relationship. So it all came off fine.
“There are so many different cuts of the versions of the song. You could see her laughing, him and her laughing, and her swimming around and coming up to the edge of the pool. It was a fun shoot. She was game for it, and she had a great spirit, and the two of them had a great time in it.”
The director revealed, “It was in that newlywed fun and humor and laughter and smiles that you can see. So it was all very positive. People have asked me this before, it’s like, ‘Is there a reality to their relationship, and what was going on there?’ It was all very fun. They had a great time and great relationship on the set, so the best I can reflect off of is that.” He even mentioned that Lisa and Michael had ‘genuine affection’ towards each other.
Rest in peace you two
Tommie Connor, a songwriter from Bloomsbury, in London, received a strange commission in the early 50s: to write a song promoting the annual Christmas card of the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue department store in New York. The song-sheet holiday card, which included Connor’s lyrics to “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” featured a cartoon showing a young woman kissing Father Christmas next to a decorated tree, with bags of presents strewn across the floor. This image would remain forever imprinted in the public’s mind after Jackson 5 released their version of the song, in 1970.
“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” was first recorded in July 1952 by Jimmy Boyd and it aroused controversy. Objections were raised by church groups, who took exception to the saucy lyrics, while radio stations in Boston, influenced by local Catholic Church officials, even banned the song when it came out. Boyd, a skinny, red-headed kid of 12, helped persuade stations to lift the ban, and his version of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” became a big hit, which led to a successful career in movies and on television variety shows for the Mississippi-born child star.
Though there have been hundreds of versions of the song since 1952 – including those by The Beverley Sisters, The Ronettes, Andy Williams, Reba McEntire, John Mellencamp, Jessica Simpson, Amy Winehouse, and John Prine – the most popular is by Jackson 5, who recorded it for Motown.
“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” was one of the tracks on Jackson 5 Christmas Album, which was released on October 15, 1970. The album was recorded when child prodigy Michael Jackson was on the cusp of his 12th birthday. Michael takes the lead on the part-sung, part-spoken track, which opens with his exclamation, “Wow! Mommy’s kissing Santa Claus.” The joke of the song, of course, is that the man kissing the woman under the mistletoe is in fact the boy protagonist’s father, who is wearing a Santa costume.
Source: Jacksons5
Happy Halloween
MJFC 3Generations Fan-Club
Tim Burton reveals he tried to make a House of Wax musical remake with Michael Jackson starring.
With a variety of other projects having never come to fruition, Tim Burton reveals he wanted to make a House of Wax musical remake with Michael Jackson starring. The string of eponymous horror movies stems from Charles S. Belden’s unpublished short story “The Wax Works,” revolving around a wax museum run by a mysterious sculptor and harboring a dark secret. The story was first brought to the big screen with 1933’s Mystery of the Wax Museum, which would go on to inspire a variety of remakes, including Vincent Price’s House of Wax.
While talking with Deadline at the Lumière Festival, Burton recalled his efforts to try and get a variety of projects off the ground throughout his career. One such project was a musical-style remake of the slasher horror movie House of Wax, which Burton said he was eyeing Michael Jackson to star in, with the pop singer being eager to take part. See what Burton said about why it didn’t move forward below: “I have worked for several months on things that got rejected. [The studio] said ‘no’. Can you believe that? [Laughs]”
1 October 1993 - C ertified the album "Dangerous" disk at six times platinum.
NBA superstar Magic Johnson has opened up about his close relationship with Michael Jackson.
Johnson and the King Of Pop had been friends since the early 1970s, befriending Michael during the Jackson 5 days, when he would accompany the brothers on tours. Reflecting on those days he said;
After Forewer Michael
The Jacksons meet the Queen of England, May 17, 1977
Rest in peace
MJFC3G
Legendary singer Gladys Knight has she misses Michael Jackson “every day”.
She knew Michael from the very beginning of his J5 days and labelled herself “an older sister” to Michael,
She told :
“I still miss him every day. Me and Michael, we started at a very young age. I know his mum and dad and brothers and sister. He knew all of my kids, we were very tight together. I’m so sad that he’s not here anymore. We would do shows together and afterwards sit in the lobby and just talk about life.”
“I remember one day he came over to my house, because he was friends with my kids, and we were having fun. And then he asked me something and it almost made me cry. He said, ‘Gladys, how do you make a family?’ I said, Michael, you’ll be able to have one, it’s got to be in your spirit, you’ve got to calm yourself down. It’s who you love, that’s what it is. You’ve got to take that time away, and one day love will fall into your lap. I think about him every day. He was an amazing young man.”
Source: MJWorld
Olivia newton-john
Thank you for your songs and your joy of living, rest in peace.
MJFC3G
Sean Lennon, the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, has spoken about the time he spent with Michael. He befriended Michael in the early 1980s and appeared with the King of Pop in his 1988 hit movie ‘Moonwalker.' Lennon said:
“I think that was a super strange time, but not in a dark way; in an odd way, in a unique way. It was odd because Bubbles was all dressed up in dandy outfits and we were all running around playing video games with this chimpanzee.”
Sean compared his time at Neverland Ranch to a combination of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and recalls fondly his memories with Michael. He continued;
“He was the coolest dude I'd ever met for sure. I mean people, you know, they have a lot of opinions about him and like anything else, my opinions can only be based on my experience.”
Source: Showbiz Cheatsheet
The Spanish Magician Mag Lari has just opened his house/museum called La Casa dels Àngels.
The magician acquired in 2018 the house of Cal Tarragona in the municipality of Castellserà, a building dating from the 16th century that he converted into his residence, and a museum dedicated to magic. But the house itself was already full of magic, secrets, objects and surprising rooms that Lari has been discovering little by little and now wants to share with the public.
Including his own costumes and Magic tricks, visitors will have the chance to discover secrets and magical items.
There are 300 objects showcased in the house , gold discs, or costumes and moore
Source: https://lacasadelsangels.com
NBA superstar Magic Johnson has opened up about his close relationship with Michael Jackson.
Johnson and the King Of Pop had been friends since the early 1970s, befriending Michael during the Jackson 5 days, when he would accompany the brothers on tours. Reflecting on those days he said;
“Michael Jackson, he was such a perfectionist. You know, see him look in a mirror for two hours, working on his moves without his brothers.”
One time the basketball star invited Michael to an LA Lakers game, but Michael only reluctantly agreed as he thought the fans wouldn't let him watch it in peace. Johnsons says;
“He was right. He sat down; people went crazy. They were running from upstairs, the sides. We had to stop the game to get him out.”
This happened a lot for Michael during his lifetime, often having to turn down the chance to watch something he would enjoy, as to avoid stealing the limelight.
Source: Variety
1983 - single "Beat It" hit #1 in the U.S.
A new digital magazine has just been launched dedicated to the golden age of the music video.
In this first issue, the magazine features an interview with John Landis about the making of the videos for Thriller and Black Or White, and Bob Giraldi, director of the famous "Beat It" video.
You can read the magazine here for free!
Sources: Music Video Time Machine
Suzanne signed off the Jackson 5 for Motown and developed the group to be as successful as possible with their first four singles went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 10!
How long was it before you met the Jackson 5?
Well, the first place I stayed in Detroit was this motel called the Harlan House, while they were getting a room ready for me in the building where they put up everyone from out of town, 1300 East Lafayette Street. Diana Ross had the penthouse, various executives and many of the artists who were not Detroit-based were there, like Cindy Birdsong and Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers.
In April, not long after I arrived, Martin Luther King was assassinated and there was rioting. One of my colleagues at the company, Billie Jean Brown, knew I was in a vulnerable place and came and picked me up and took me to her condo in the suburbs until things calmed down. Then I moved to the Lafayette house, and that's where in the late spring of 1968 I met the Jackson 5.
Bobby actually brought them in. He invited me down to his apartment — which I resisted at first — but they sang a capella for me, and it didn't take a genius to figure out this was something really special. When I finally reached Mr. Gordy on the phone, I said “Just wait till you see these kids — we've gotta sign them,” and he said “Kids?! I don't want any kid acts! Do you know how much trouble Stevie Wonder is?” You have to remember I was just getting my feet wet, but I was so persistent that he finally saw them, and the rest is history.
Joseph [Jackson, father and manager] was very instrumental in bringing them to a certain point, no doubt about that. But the Motown machinery, of which I was a very big part… Mr. Gordy put me in charge of everything having to do with them except the actual producing and writing of the records: the show, the wardrobe, the banter, the choreography — we did the choreography for “I Want You Back” in my living room — putting them in schools, finding them a house, doctors, a dentist; finding songs for them to cover because they didn't have enough hits for the early shows. And when I found the second act I wanted to sign — the Commodores with Lionel Richie — [Gordy] didn't even have to see them, he just said, “Sign them.”
What like first working with the Jackson 5 early on? Was Michael precocious even then?
Well, yes. Michael asked a million questions, was a very mischievous kid and so much fun. Before they were famous we had lots of time together, getting them ready. I understand there are a couple of shots in the Janet Jackson documentary of early rehearsals that I had with them.
How long was it before you launched them into the world?
Not quite a year, I think. And then there was this explosion — you can't imagine how overwhelming it was. It was like Beatlemania with young kids, none of us had ever seen anything like it. It was astonishing how quickly it all happened — we had four No. 1 records in a row.
How do you hang on when things are moving that fast? How do you prepare?
I don't know that it was anything one could prepare for — that meteoric thing that happened. And you have to understand, in those days we didn't have laminated backstage passes or security or entourages, so we just did it ourselves. We didn't have wardrobe people — the reason Michael is wearing that purple hat on “The Ed Sullivan Show” is because our luggage got lost and my cousin Tony Jones and I had to run down to the Village and buy them clothes for the show. We saw the purple hat on the shelf, “Oh, let's take that too,” not realizing it was going to become iconic.
How did they cope with the fame? Did they do okay?
Well, no. Not really. In the beginning, it was very egalitarian — people were interested in what Tito or Jackie or Marlon thought. And as the records became more popular and they became more popular, people really wanted to talk to Michael, and secondarily to Jermaine and not so much to the other guys. I think it really drove a wedge.
Was Michael's intelligence always evident?
Michael Jackson was a human sponge, and he was soaking up as much information and knowledge and experience as he could. He was very much a fan of old movies, as I'm sure you know — the Fred Astaires, Elizabeth Taylors, Katherine Hepburns, and those were the people that he pursued to get to know. He was definitely a curious, engaged, interested person. And I think it's no accident that he became the Michael Jackson that basically everyone knows.
Did you work with them less over time?
Yes, I came off the road after the second tour because Mr. Gordy had put me in charge of West Coast A&R. It was kind of creepy being on the road anyway. I would go out for soundcheck and if a different person was on the door when I came back, they'd think I was a groupie and I'd have to get one of our tech guys to get me backstage, things like that.
Source : Variety
1985 - Michael Jackson's "Making Michael Jackson's Thriller" won Best Video Album at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards.
Steve Stevens talks about his experience working with Michael Jackson.
Following the success of Thriller‘s “Beat It,” featuring Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather, the King of Pop wanted another guitar hero to play on the hard-edged Bad single. Jackson producer Quincy Jones reached out to Van Halen producer Ted Templeman, who recommended Stevens.
“Ted suggested that Quincy call me, which he did. So I flew out to Los Angeles, but I was not used to working outside of the way that I was accustomed to with Billy Idol, which was basically Billy, myself and our producer, Keith [Forsey], in the studio. Very intimate, very close-knit, concentrated effort. And here I am thinking, ‘Oh, I’m gonna go out and do this Michael Jackson thing, there’s gonna be an entourage, the monkey’s gonna be there, and it’s gonna be craziness.’ I’m not ready for that, you know?”
When Stevens arrived at the session, he was surprised to find a familiar work environment. “I get to the studio and I open the studio door, and it’s just Michael and Quincy and an engineer, the same way I was used to working with Billy,” he says. “And I said, ‘Oh, I’m at home. This is cool.'”
The guitarist remembers Jackson being “very exacting about the rhythm” and making a few suggestions about the “big picture” of the song, but otherwise, he let Stevens have free reign of the track. “He wasn’t one of these guys to say, ‘Play a B-flat here and diminished,’ you know. He would just hum it,” he adds.
Although the recording session was low-key, Stevens says he got “the ultimate Michael Jackson” experience when he showed up to the massive “Dirty Diana” video shoot. “I pull up, and there’s a van outside the soundstage,” he says. “There’s toys and swings and all this stuff set up. I go ‘Wow, this is great. They take care of the kids.’ No, no. This is [for] Bubbles. Bubbles Mobile [for] the chimp.” The guitarist fondly recalls meeting Bubbles and says the whole production was “exactly the way you’d imagine it.”
During the video shoot, Jackson asked Stevens about various elements of stage production, as he was about to embark on the gargantuan Bad tour, his first solo trek. “He had previously just done Jackson 5 tours, and on the R&B circuit, the productions weren’t as big, lighting wasn’t as big, sound wasn’t [as big],” Stevens says. “But Michael had seen Queen and Van Halen, and he knew what a rock show was about. So he was really hitting me up for all of, ‘Who does your sound? Who does your lights?'”
Jackson even peppered Stevens with some amateur trivia. “At one point [he asked me], ‘Oh, do you know Eddie?’ I go, ‘Yeah, I know Eddie.’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, he played on “Beat It.”‘ Like who doesn’t know that?” Stevens says bemusedly. “I go, ‘Yes, Michael. I know that’s Eddie Van Halen on “Beat It.”‘”
And that’s when Stevens saw Jackson do something he’ll never forget.
“He goes, ‘Do you like Van Halen? I like Van Halen,'” the guitarist remembers. “And he proceeded to do — now if you can imagine this, this is Michael Jackson, doing an impression of David Lee Roth. Now, that is something that probably I saw, and no one else on the planet. He did the whole, ‘Look at all the people here!’ Had him down perfectly, the strut. Great, man. That was the moment that I said, you know, I’m like pinching myself. I go, ‘Am I watching Michael Jackson impersonate David Lee Roth? Is that really what I’m seeing?'”
Jackson released Bad on Aug. 31, 1987. The album sold more than 11 million copies in the U.S. and notched a record-breaking five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Dirty Diana.” Jennifer Batten handled shredding duties on the Bad tour, but Stevens joined Jackson onstage at Madison Square Garden in 1988 to perform the song.
“I’ve had some absolutely incredible experiences,”
Source: Ultimate Classic Rock
On January 28, a magnificent reissue of the Jackson 5's album Boogie was released on CD.
The album released in 1979 is quite simply the rarest record of the Jackson with some unreleased tracks.
Yannick was Michael Jackson’s bodyguard during the 90s and was a true advocate to the King of Pop.
Caroline Allain, his wife, announced on Social media that Yannick passed 23/01/2022.
Yannick was more than a bodyguard to Michael Jackson. In 2009, he said “My first time in a maternity room wasn’t for my son but for Michael.”
Michael invited us to stop by the room to introduce Prince to me and Wayne. We both gave him a hug to congratulate him and all he remembered was the look on Michael’s face. The look of absolute pride. I’ve never seen him look so calm and at the same time so safe and happy without saying a word.
At that moment I think I felt that kinship of manhood, that only comes from becoming a father. A wonderful moment. “
He was also on the Dangerous World Tour and during the HIStory Era
He was Breton.
Back in 1991 the Goldstein family of Orlando, Florida.
Michael Jackson a went vacation to Bermuda with the Goldstein’s via child actor Macauly Culkin.
Alan, Lynn and their son, Brock, talk about their phenomenal, once-in-a-lifetime experience of hanging with Michael Jackson. The program also includes intimate, home-movie footage shot by Alan Goldstein and a wealth of personal photos from the trip.
MJ not only shows Michael Jackson as we’ve never seen before but provides an intimate glimpse into the troubled yet innocent world he lived in. “I was shocked when he got off that elevator for the first time,” says Alan Goldstein. “I didn’t believe it was really him but, more importantly, where was everyone else? I mean no handlers, no agents, no groupies, just him, all by himself.”
This quiet, little get-away turned into an extended fun-filled, escapist dream of an adventure. Money was no object and things got wild when the richest star of his day decided to party— five-star hotels, a bottomless shopping spree at a toy store, a stomach-churning speedboat ride with Ross Perot, water gun fights, pie fights, drive-by water gun attacks, ocean swims, and more.
Brock Goldstein was ten and an aspiring child actor. He happened to get cast in a Macauley Culkin film that was shooting in Orlando, “My Girl,” and developed an immediate friendship with Culkin. Several months later, when Brock’s parents announced that the family was going to Bermuda on a vacation, Brock asked if Macauley Culkin could come along. Alan and Lynn said yes. Then, a few days later, Brock mentioned that a friend of Macauley’s wanted to join them in Bermuda. Alan Goldstein explains: “So, I said to Brock—who’s the friend? And he goes, ‘Michael Jackson’ and I thought it was just the fantasy of a ten-year-old. But when we got to Bermuda, who shows up the next day but Michael Jackson!”
The Bermuda footage shows a surprisingly unguarded Michael Jackson literally re-living his childhood with two ten-year-old. “I think that was one of the few times he was able to have that sort of freedom,” says Brock Goldstein. “It seemed like he didn’t want the vacation to ever end.”
Movie “Moonwalker” was releasedon in 1989 on home video in the United States and Canada.
“Moonwalker” debuted at #NO.1 on the Billboard’s Top Music Video Cassette chart and stayed there for 22 weeks
Mark Ryden, the artist behind the DANGEROUS album cover, celebrated Dangerous 30 by sharing few of the concepts :
“30 years ago today, Michael Jackson's “Dangerous” album was released. Here are my other sketches for the project. I've never shown these before. I had 5 days to come up with ideas. I feverishly worked that week and came up with one resolved design per day. The parameters I was given were to focus on Michael's eyes, show the earth in peril, and include kids and animals. I was instructed the image could be scary, but should still be fun. This was the most exciting project of my life up to that point.”
Mark Ryden Source: Instagram Mark Ryden
1992 - Michael Jackson's single "Heal The World" was released. This version of the single contained a version of "Heal The World" with an intro.
30 years for the magnificent and sumptuous album DANGEROUS we have said almost everything about this album we are not going to remake its history.
Just listen to it with nostalgia.
Thanks Michael
"Thank you" is the 25th studio album of Diana Ross
"The Answer's Always Love" is a tribute to Michael with themes similar to "Man in the Mirror", for example, "What if there were no problems that we couldn't solve? / What if the only thing we had to do was get involved? / That's when we'd all know we're all one".
Written by Siedah Garrett and Barry Eastmond, the song has a "Man In The Mirror" feel to it since Garrett wrote the song for Michael on the BAD album, followed by "Keep The Faith" on the Dangerous album.
The lyrics also include "What if there were no boundaries to keep us apart / What if the only thing we made was music, love and art?
She sings it in a way that reminds Michael's singing techniques, a very nice tribute.
Prince Jackson’s Thriller Night 2021 was an absolute success last night!
The event took place on October 29, from 7pm to midnight at the former Jacksons house Hayvenhurst in Los Angeles hosted by Prince Jackson with special guest Chris Tucker.
Celebrities queued to get to the party of the year!
All donations from the Halloween Party will be given to Prince’s charity “Heal Los Angeles Foundation” which goal is to raise the quality of life for inner-city youth of Los Angeles by furnishing access to co-curricular educational initiatives that will emphasize the value of an active, healthy lifestyle, and provide the tools needed to earn an education.
Return 20 years later!
Why got this album fewer success ?
Taj Jackson sat down for a fan virtual interview with Pablo Rodríguez Lago from Spain.
In the interview Pablo asked about Neverland Ranch and surprisingly Taj responded:
“I am not allowed to say what’s going on [with Neverland]. I know something because I know something. I truly believe that Neverland is in good hands with someone who honours Michael. I always thought it would be part of our family and the the kids will grow older and all that stuff and it was hard for me to see it on the market, it felt like we were selling a part of Michael but when you find out it is in good hands, it makes you feel so much better that knowing that someone will honour and respect him […]”
Ron Burkle bought the famous home of Michael Jackson last December and fans have been worried about the future of the property. Renovation works also took place last March and made fans speculate about the future of the property. Burkle also spoke about Neverland in July but failed to say his plans for the ranch.
Michael Jackson stayed in Ireland in 2007 .
Liam and Heather Barrett, now in their 70’s, are closing the door of their much loved book shop.
During that time, their customers have included Michael Jackson and former US President Bill Clinton.
In 2007, Michael Jackson and his children visited the shop while staying outside the town.
“One day we got a request from his representative that his family would like to buy some books.
“Michael Jackson spent the best part of an hour with his children browsing the bookshop and they bought a considerable amount of children’s books. Our staff said he was a really lovely person and it was a great experience,” said Mr Barrett.
Gloria Haydock, known to all Fans for her many projects for Michael's Fans, has sadly passed away. With Adrian Grant, she created the magazines "Off The Wall" and "King", as well as the MJNI Fan Club 
We at MJFC3G were also in collaboration with her Fan-Club to give the Fans news, info and other projects like the : web6.servicehoster.ch
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It was also the time when there were more REAL Fans and also a bit the beginning of Michael's websites.
MJNI also organized MJ Day events in which Michael would participate from time to time or send a message to the Fans present.
Thanks to you Gloria and your collaborators and especially to one person who I think will recognize himself...
Rest in peace
Michael Jackson Fan Club 3Generations
Tito Jackson has just released the video for his new single “Love One Another” and boy it is packed with Jackson Family members and celebrities!
From Janet Jackson to Austin Brown pretty much the whole family has come together to sing “Love One Another” including of course the brothers.
Celebrities such as Chris Jenner, Claudette King, Darren Hayes, Kim Kardashian, Larusso, Peter Andre, Smokey Robison and UB40 are just among others!
Stevie Wonder performed on the Harmonica and Chris Tucker clotures the video.
Stop that killing, fighting, racism and all the bad things that are happening today. We need to love one another
Katherine JacksonLast Saturday a group of theatre kids took over downtown Barberton, a little city near Cleveland, USA, dressed as zombies!
Over 45 kids performed different numbers as part of the finale of their acting summer camp and one of them was Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance rooting.
Michael was such a good friend moore
Michael designated 20% of his post-death earnings to charity? From 2009 till 2019, with a pre-tax figure of $2.1 billion in earnings, Michael has donated $400 million in a decade! $40 million per year, $33,33 million PER MONTH since his passing!
It shows that Michael was and still is a true humanitarian!
MTV marks its 40th anniversary on August 1 of this year, and the milestone will be celebrated with an exhibition at the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Mississippi.
MTV Turns Forty: I Still Want My MTV, opens Friday, May 14, 2021. Why is it in Mississippi? Because one of MTV’s founders, Bob Pittman, is a native of that state.
In addition to exploring the history of MTV, the exhibit will feature memorabilia from some iconic performers who became superstars thanks to MTV exposure. On display will be the dress worn by Madonna in her video for “Vogue” and the leather suit Michael Jackson wore in the clip for “Dirty Diana,” plus contracts from his other video shoots, including the making of the “Thriller” video. Well after all, Michael Jackson made MTV with Thriller so make sense!
The Exhibition will include much more items from other artist and will run through the summer of 2022 and will also travel nationally and internationally.
When a son asked to be dressed up like Michael Jackson for all the videos of the King of Pop.
Makel Dickerson from Washington DC, USA just did that for his young 4 years.
And the dad did a great job with the dressing but the son killed it with the moves during the photoshoot!
1993 - Michael Jackson received the Caring For Kids Award at the Children's Choice Awards.
In his interview with Uncensored, Riley talks about leaving Guy, and collaborating with Michael Jackson.
“I felt like with Michael, I was a big brother and that I was also a little brother,” Riley says in the above preview clip.
“Anything that I ever needed, Michael, I didn’t have to call him for it,” Riley shares about the late King of Pop. “He would just feel something. He would just call and say are you alright?”
Following the release and tour of Guy’s second CD, “The Future” in 1990, Riley co-produced Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” album.
“Prior to working with Michael, hanging out with him was about a week,” Riley explained. “I was ready to get to the music and he was like, ‘we’re going to go to the studio, I just want to kind of spend some time. You get to know how I am, and I get to know how you are… He was studying me. He was studying everything about me.”
Riley also talks about spending time at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. He also explained that he quitted the group because of the death of his friend and the pressure on the group. He then took his car to Michael’s house with the demo of “Remember the Time” blasting from the car’s speakers.
Check out a part of the interview here:
During the interview, Riley also defends Michael Jackson from the false allegations.
“My view was that it was all lies,” Riley said firmly. “A lot of stuff that was going on in his life – especially with me being the one to know him as a friend and as a brother and spent the time with him – you can’t tell me nothing. All of those things are lies. Now it’s coming to the forefront. Everything in the dark always comes to light.”
SOURCE: TV ONE
This Saturday 20:30 on France 2 with Laurent Delahousse, will be special on the short film Thriller! (french tv)
Those of you who doubted…Those of you who accused…Those of you who were so insensitive? Those who didn't and couldn't understand? You ridiculed, judged, persecuted and hounded….Drove him into the ground! Now, do you see? After hearing the recordings yesterday – Even when and while he was in the control of and under the influence of his handlers, who aided, abetted and supplied his impairment of state of being he was focused on caring – caring for others. Moore
American Pop Culture comes in a vast variety of forms. The California Raisins didn't emerge from a popular TV show or a movie or a toy but instead, The Raisins became superstars with a 30 second commercial on September 14, 1986.
It all began in the mid-80s when the California Raisin Advisory Board (CALRAB) started to look for a way to make raisins a cool thing to eat. After few failed attempts, the CALRAB called Oscar-winner Will Vinton [ who passed away in 2018 ] to create clay animation figures for a commercial using Marvin Gaye's 86 hit “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”.
Vinton and his team hired human dancers to make the Raisins's dance moves look realistic. Because animators arranged each shot by hand, giving each raisin its own distinct personality (including individualized facial expressions and colorful sunglasses), the commercial took more than a month to shoot.
As for the music, the commercial featured Buddy Miles, a Carlos Santana collaborator and drummer for Jimi Hendrix, singing “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”—picked because of the obvious connection between grapes and raisins, but also because the song had seen a resurgence after the Marvin Gaye version had been used for the opening scene of the 1983 hit movie The Big Chill .
The first commercial was such a success. The president of music label Priority Records decided to give the fictional characters a real shot at a music career. The label hired musicians to produce the music and vocals for the Raisins in a 4 album run on the label!
The band's signature tune “Grapevine” charted the Billboard Hot 100 and its full length music video was aired on MTV and VH1. 2 of their albums featuring other Motown Hits covers went to platinum so the big guns were now hired to get the grapes to the higher stratosphere!
Ray Charles and Michael Jackson would join the Raisins to sing their own versions of “Grapevine” and appearing as claymation themselves.
Michael Jackson agreed to do the commercial for free with the condition that he only work with Vinton who he knew from their work on “Captain Eo”. Michael helped creating his own claymation raisin with the signature single white glove and fedora.
Vinton went to work with Michael again for the movie “Moonwalker” where you can see his talent on “Speed Demon” segment.
The success was so big that the company started to capitalized on merchandise in the image of the raisins characters! Lunch boxes, T-Shirts, Costumes, Figurines were created and even a Nintendo video game came to life! Fan clubs started to appear across the land and the raisins got their own comic books!
The success of The California Raisins commercials also launched the band into small-screen fame. The band appeared in CBS's A Claymation Christmas Celebration , a 1987 holiday special that would win an Emmy award. The next year, the Raisins got their own Emmy-nominated special with Meet the Raisins! , a mockumentary that told a fictional story of the band's rise to stardom, giving each member names for the first time—A.C., Bebop, Stretch, and Red. The group even got their own (short-lived) Saturday morning cartoon show, The California Raisins Show .
Like every pop culture phenomenon, the success of The California Raisins came to an end with the last campaign in 1994. CALRAB decided that the production costs was too high to carry on the venture, especially the popularity of the raisins was in decline!
But with nostalgia and collectors, The California Raisins have became a 80s pop culture icons.
In 2015, a plan to reboot the California Raisins was in talk with the creation of a movie but those plans never came to life.
Today people around the world are collecting the California Raisins merchandise and for us, Michael Jackson fans, we can be part of it. Michael Raisin got his own little figurine and it is a great item to add to any fan's collection.
SOURCE: Iconic Magazine Issue #8 – Interview with Will Vinton / Cartoonbrew
1993 Michael won Best R&B/Soul Album for "Dangerous" and Best R&B/Soul Male Single for "Remember The Time" at the seventh annual Soul Train Music Awards. He also performed "Remember The Time" from a wheelchair because "I was dancing and I went into a spin and I twisted my ankle very badly."
The Jackson 5five cartoon is turning 50 this year! The Cartoon was first aired on ABC on Saturday 11, 1971.
The series had 2 seasons with 23 episodes depicting the Motown raising group “The Jackson 5” with the last episode aired on October 14, 1972.
The Jackson 5 participated at the production by taking a photoshoot which will provide the base to draw the cartoon’s characters. You can actually see those photos in the generic. The production was mainly done in London at the studios of Halas and Batchelor and some parts were done in Spain and Japan.
The series returned on the small screen in 1984 and 1985 after Michael became popular after “Thriller”. Then it went back on TV very briefly in 1999. But it is only in 2013 that the full series was finally released on DVD and Blu-ray in the USA only.
You can watch the episodes on youtube as Motown has put each episode there in 2018:
On February 11, 1992, Michael lands at the Léon-Mba airport in Libreville. The banner proclaimed "Welcome home, Michael" and was carried by a crowd. He begins a two-week African tour!
13.2.1997
A 10 years old talented boy called Ethan Palagangwe is raising money to follow his dream of becoming a singer. The little boy is a huge fan of Michael Jackson, Chris Brown and Bruno Mars
Ethan was selected via open auditions to attend the prestigious Drakensberg Boys Choir School in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.
Ethan performed one of his favourite song from Michael Jackson: “Ben”.
Out of 1,600, Ethan was one of the 30 students to receive an acceptance letter to enrol at the private school as the panel was blown away by his performance.
1981 - Michael Jackson won the Favorite Male Artist, Soul/R&B and Favorite Album, Soul/R&B catagories at the 8th annual American Music Awards. And Diana Ross. In an interview with Justin Beckner of ultimateguitar.com, Toto's guitarist Steve Lukather talks about what it was like in the studio with Michael Jackson working on ‘Thriller'. Beckner: You've worked with so many great people. What was your first impression of Michael Jackson? What was that first meeting like? Lukather: “I was a fan. I always thought he was a great singer and all that. At the time I had been doing all of Quincy's stuff. It was after ‘Off the Wall' and he told me he would like to have me on the next record so I said that would be killer, I'd love to be on the next record. So one of the first things we did was the duet with McCartney, so that was a hell of a way to start it all off. It was just a blast, being in a room with these guys. They were the biggest stars in the world. Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, George Martin, Jeff Emrick, all of us, it was just a trip. That was a ‘pinch me' moment. It was like, ‘How did I get here?'. But Michael was always really cool to me. Michael was cool, man, he was a pro. He knew what he wanted and I guess he loved what we did. He kept hiring us.” Beckner: Is it true that the original riff for ‘Beat It' was deemed too heavy? Lukather: “Yeah, that's true. I did it knowing that Eddie (Van Halen) was already on it. So I figured if he's going to do something with Eddie, let's rock ‘n' roll it up. So, I quadrupled the riff with some Marshalls and stuff like that and sent it over to him. I played all the guitar parts and all the bass parts. He said, ‘It's too much. The guitars are too heavy. You've got to use one of you little Fender amps or something.' So I went in with my little Fender Deluxe and that calmed it down a little bit. Source: ultimateguitar.com Harry Benson turned 91 on December 2 and the famous photographer spent the day with his wife Gigi taking pictures of his 2 dogs. “I'll tell you now. I don't think I've taken my last photographs. I'm not ready to grow old. I don't want to go just yet.” Harry said about turning 91! Benson is maybe one of the most famous photographer in the world and has taken pictures of politicians, presidents, sports people and celebrities. The Scottish born photographer became sort after after photographing The Beatles and for being next to Robert Kennedy when he was shot in June 5, 1968. He then worked for the biggest personas in the world such as Bobby Fisher, Elizabeth Taylor, Spike Lee, Muhammad Ali, Queen Elisabeth and many more! But for us, Michael Jackson fans, Benson is well known for his shots of the King of Pop! From tours to personal moment, he took some of the most loved pictures of Michael! 36 years ago, Hollywood became Michael's town on November 20, 1984. The city honored Michael with a solo star on the Walk of Fame. Over 6000 fans blocked Hollywood Boulevard. Bruce Swedien has passed . The Engineer behind Michael Jackson’s albums was hospitalised with COVID-19 his daughter announced the very sad news of his passing My dad, Bruce Swedien, passed away peacefully November 16th. He was 86. A legend in the music industry for over 65 years and 5-time Grammy winner, he was known for his work with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and many more. He had a long life full of love, great music, big boats and a beautiful marriage. We will celebrate that life. He was loved by everyone. Rest in Peace dear sweet Daddy-ji. We will love you forever, R.I.P Bruce Swedien Michael Jackson Fan Club 3Generations Yann Dalon is a French artist based in Paris. His painting are a mix between traditional and digital painting.
They didn't really crank it in the mix. Then I went over and overdubbed and came up with some of the other rhythm parts that are on the record with Michael and Quincy in the room. The other stuff was just me and Jeff (Porcaro) trying to make everything work because someone in Eddie's camp cut the 2-inch tape and screwed up the SMPTE Code so it wouldn't sync back up. So we had to make a new version to the old version that didn't have a click track or anything. Jeff Porcaro, the genius that he was, kind of put that whole click thing together and we were able to remake the record.” 
Bea and Roberta
The recording of Beat It:
Van Halen listened to Beat It, asked if he could rearrange the song and added a solo during which, a speaker caught on fire.
Van Halen didn’t know how the King of Pop would react about the song.
“So I warned him before he listened. I said, ‘Look, I changed the middle section of your song,'”.
“Now, in my mind, he’s either going to have his bodyguards kick me out for butchering his song, or he’s going to like it.
“And so he listened and turned to me and said, ‘Wow, thank you so much for having the passion to not just come in and blaze a solo, but to actually care about the song, and make it better.'”
Great !
On October 23, Guernsey’s Auction will offer a huge collection of Bronze and other items taken from Neverland Ranch in 2009.
The collection is made of multiple items, statues and personal items which were on the Neverland Ranch Property.
The man behind the FX of Thriller, released a nice 2 volumes book set about his work.
Rick Baker: Metamorphosis Vol 1: 1950 – 1989, Vol 2: 1990, from Cameron Books is a gamechanger. It's a celebration featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photographs, as well as dozens of stories that elevate your favorite films beyond their already legendary status.
From An American Werewolf of London, Men in Black II, to Gremlins II,, you will find everything that Baker did! Including “Thriller” with some unseen pictures of the make-up artistry.
If you are a fan of Horror/FX movies, a must to have!
The definitive visual history of the thrilling make-up artistry of the legendary Rick Baker, a must-have for collectors and special effects afficionados. From the gory zombies of Michael Jackson's Thriller to the staggeringly lifelike results of Bigfoot in Harry and the Hendersons to the groundbreaking effects in An American Werewolf in London, Baker's special effects, makeup, and prosthetics are some of Hollywood's most enduring legacies.
This deluxe, two-volume set is replete with more than 1000 four-colour images and original sketches.
It covers the makeup artist's 40-plus-year journey, from his early days as a young “monster maker”, creating body parts in his parents' kitchen, to his more than 70 film and television credits–that earned seven Academy Awards, one Emmy, and three BAFTAs, among numerous other awards.
25Th time flies, Thank you Michael !
1995 - Michael Jackson's " HIStory: Past, Present And Future Book 1
Howard Bloom, considered one of the great thinkers, worked with Michael Jackson in 1983 and 1984.
I wanted people to see exactly who he was, because he was the closest person to a saint or an angel I have ever met on this earth. I am an atheist, but he was a human beyond the limits of anything we normally think of as humanity.
Michael was an incredible human being. He was a gift to all of us. He spent 50 years on this earth. For the first 25 years, he became Michael Jackson. For the last 25 years of his life, he was swinging on a cross in pain and it should never have happened to him. He deserved much, much better than that.
Einstein, Michael Jackson and Me is the story of my rock 'n' roll adventures and includes stories about how I learned in the most powerful way imaginable who Michael Jackson really was.
Roy Horn, the famed Las Vegas magic and entertainment duo Siegfried & Roy, has died of complications related to the coronavirus, partner Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement Friday. He was 75.
“Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Fischbacher said. “From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.”
Illusionists Siegfried and Roy recalled a special bond they had with Michael.
In 1989, when the illusionists were preparing their Mirage performances that ran for 13 years, Michael Jackson loved to watch the rehearsals.
Siegfried asked Michael if he would come up with a theme song to be used for the show.
“As I was talking to him, I noticed he was tapping out a tune with his fingers,” Siegfried said.
Michael often attended their shows at The Mirage. Siegfried would introduce him to the audience.
“People would applaud and he would stand up and wave,” Siegfried said.
1992 - single "In The Closet" debuted at #8 in the U.K.
Prince is finding a way to give back during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Helped out his community stay healthy by handing out food and supplies to those in need Wednesday in LA.
With many of the worlds population now self-isolating, or on possible lockdown and in quarantine due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the official Michael Jackson YouTube channel have re-released Michael's 1992 ‘Live at Bucharest' Dangerous tour and his ‘Live At Wembley' Bad tour for everyone to stream for free.
“We are
he world” 35 years
The founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and seen in “Moonwalker” has dies in South Africa at the age of 78. Despite Joseph being retired from the group which is still currently touring in the US, he was still the figure of the emblematic zulu music group.
Joseph's cousin, Albert, present in the original formation of the group recalled the first meeting with Michael Jackson:
“Because we were around Los Angeles our tour manager told us that Michael Jackson's manager called and Michael Jackson wants to meet Ladysmith Black Mambazo. I said ‘Really? Is this for real?'. He said yes and I remember that morning we were so excited waking up cooked breakfast, and then we went there to the studio to go record. When we got there he was already there. So he was sitting down with his family.”
“Then as soon as he saw us he stood up, he met us half way and he was wearing his gloves, so he took them off and then he put the gloves in his pocket and shook hands with us and gave Joseph, the leader of the group a hug. Michael Jackson is a real and authentic person. He said ‘I am so glad that you made time to come here. I'm a big fan. I brought some of my family here. My mother and my sister and one of my brothers. I would like to do something with you'.”
After this meeting, Joseph and the rest of Ladysmith went back to their hotel. Joseph got to writing and created choreography from moves within their repertoire. Later that evening they attended the rehearsal and taping of Moonwalker and presented what they created to Michael. The song was titled “Lindelani” which means “get ready”. He loved it.
Albert spoke on the moment where Ladysmith shared the song and dance with Michael.
“Joseph said we want to sing you a song. We thought you might like this song and then he sang ‘Hello My Baby.' And so we sang the whole song and did the dancing and everything. After that, he was smiling, looking down, and said, ‘So I hope you will be available tonight for rehearsal because I am doing a shoot for my project called Moonwalker'.”
Although written for Moonwalker , “Lindelani” would appear on their album Journey of Dreams released March 1988. The song expresses hope and joy and the magic of being in the moment. This is such a needed message then and now. A message of hope and faith and encouragement, which Albert explained at length when he spoke with us about the creation of this song.
“‘Lindelani' means wait for those blessings that are coming from above. Yes, and then you say they are coming above like the rain, like raindrops. Why Joseph wrote those lyrics were because he was seeing what was happening to us. To have that kind of blessing to be able to meet with Michael Jackson and work with him.
So he said, when we talked about it, he said, ‘You know sometimes you can sit and you don't know when your luck is gonna come, but just wait because everything is coming from above. So now is the time that our blessings are coming. So this is the time now'.
The song was about that. And then also when Michael talked about the moon he said the moon is above so everything is coming from above. Everything is coming to us. The song was written around the situation was happening at that time. The blessing I think is the only way that I can fit to describe what was happening.”
From the song to the choreography, everything was made to highlight this moment, meeting and working with Michael Jackson. Joseph used movements from Ladysmith's then-current choreography and incorporated steps from Michael and his dancers to add a certain amount of presence and to capture the feel of the experience.
“Something that amazed us was the kind of dancing they were doing,” Albert said. “The crew that they had was so tight with the dancing and so united. Something they did which is still amazing was when they were standing and leaning forward. I thought maybe it was something attached or some kind of invisible rope or something but no it was nothing. They just did that thing really and we just said, ‘Wow, amazing.' And then after that, he said ‘I'm going to do the song.'”
“‘When I sing the song you can just join in and do what you want to do,'” Michael told the group. “Joseph had written something after they spoke a little bit. So Joseph has a piece that he had been writing. When we do the dancing there were little infuses in the dances we did for him during the day so it was making it easier for us to relate it to one another. We had rehearsed it [on our own] maybe three times and even in the rehearsal we shortened it.”
Although Ladysmith Black Mambazo met with Michael Jackson that day in 1987, they never met again. This was their first and last collaboration. “Just one day and then we never met him again. Just one moment in time. That morning and then that night and then everything was done,” Albert said.
Mambazo have won five Grammy Awards. Currently, the group consists of a new generation of members, a majority of them are sons of the founding members. Shabalala and a majority of the founding members were retired from performing and recording.
South Africa and the whole continent have lost an icon and a pioneer. but the moon is still dancing…
“We are the world” 35 years
On January 28, 1985, Michael Jackson managed to get 40 great musicians to record ‘We Are The World', the solidarity song par excellence, which raised funds against the famine in Ethiopia.
The BBC was the first television network that aired the situation in 1984 in Ethiopia: a catastrophic famine that, in the midst of a terrible civil war, ended up killing more than one million people.
But the terrifying images of malnourished children, of scavengers waiting for the moment when the children died to take their ‘prey', touched the heart of the great music stars, who thought it was The time to start doing something.
On January 28, 1985, after the American Awards, a large number of artists in Los Angeles took advantage to come together at the A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, with Quincy Jones as a front man and who told them: “Leave your egos at the door.”
The group was named United Support of Artist for Africa (USA for Africa) and aimed to raise funds for a million Ethiopians. It was 10:30 pm when this fantastic choir entered to record on the audio track, created on January 22 with the voices of Richie and Jackson.
The main solo parts were from Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins , Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan and Ray Charles.
It was worth it, as it became one of the best-selling singles in history, with 20 million units and won the Grammy for the Song of the Year and the Disco of the Year.
But most important of all, is that ‘We Are The World' marked the way for artists who would like to contribute to humanitarian acts, and raising nothing less than 75 million dollars and becoming an emblem of the fight against poverty.
January 25. 2002
Michael Jackson's album "Invincible" was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
