Friday, June 26, 2009

Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general.

I can't recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Fathers Death.

At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, "I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did."

I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that.

14 years later I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the Cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears.

A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened. The person I failed to help is being transferred right now to the LA County Coroners office for his Autopsy.

All of my indifference and detachment that I worked so hard to achieve over the years has just gone into the bowels of hell and right now I am gutted.

I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once.

Our relationship was not "a sham" as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a "Normal life" found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much.

I wanted to "save him" I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened.

His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn't know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then.

At that time, In trying to save him, I almost lost myself.

He was an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated.

When he used it for something good, It was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad.

Mediocrity was not a concept that would even for a second enter Michael Jackson's being or actions.

I became very ill and emotionally/ spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him.

I was in over my head while trying.

I had my children to care for, I had to make a decision.

The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow.

After the Divorce, I spent a few years obsessing about him and what I could have done different, in regret.

Then I spent some angry years at the whole situation.

At some point, I truly became Indifferent, until now.

As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play by play The exact Scenario I saw happen on August 16th, 1977 happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted.

Any ill experience or words I have felt towards him in the past has just died inside of me along with him.

He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together.

I desperately hope that he can be relieved from his pain, pressure and turmoil now.

He deserves to be free from all of that and I hope he is in a better place or will be.

I also hope that anyone else who feels they have failed to help him can be set free because he hopefully finally is.

The World is in shock but somehow he knew exactly how his fate would be played out some day more than anyone else knew, and he was right.

I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening.

~LMP

June 25, 2009, is the saddest to us all especially to me personally. Since the start of this year two of my beloved relatives was taken away from me now Michael Jackson.

He has given his music, his heart to the world, sadly he gave his all that his fragile body was not able to take it. For us fans we mourn his passing. But we can do more, share the love he gave all of us. Continue helping the people close to his heart Children. No matter what people say us MJ Fans go on. In this way, we can hounor him even more.

To my brother Michael,

Thank you for every you gave us your fans. May you now in His arms feeling love your never felt in your life while you are with us. May He also give peace you longing for.

Peace,

Anna M.

The Legend and Undisputed King of Pop has died at age 50 due to cardiac arrest June 25, 2009. Cause is still unknown.

This webpage will update you or go CNN.

Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine has denied the singer's Neverland was ever for sale- insisting the property would go on the market "over my dead body".

California estate was reportedly scheduled to be sold off if Jackson fail to pay GBP 25.12 million he owned in property taxes by 19 March.

The Thriller hitmaker was believed to have saved his home by ageeing a deal with a investment group that will allow him ownership.

But Jermaine has insisted the property was never under threat.

He tells TMZ.com, " It's very simple . It is not for sale. Not over my dead body. It is not for sale

And when asked if the property would be sold if it went into foreclosure, he added, "That a myth.

Submitted by:

yahoo...

paul(mjcool)

Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine has denied the singer's Neverland was ever for sale- insisting the property would go on the market "over my dead body".

California estate was reportedly scheduled to be sold off if Jackson fail to pay GBP 25.12 million he owned in property taxes by 19 March.

The Thriller hitmaker was believed to have saved his home by ageeing a deal with a investment group that will allow him ownership.

But Jermaine has insisted the property was never under threat.

He tells TMZ.com, " It's very simple . It is not for sale. Not over my dead body. It is not for sale

And when asked if the property would be sold if it went into foreclosure, he added, "That a myth.

Submitted by:

yahoo...

paul(mjcool)

? Story Highlights
? "Thriller," released in Nov. 1982, just out in 25th anniversary edition
? Michael Jackson releases video thanking fans for its huge success
? Jackson: "Still much for to come for Michael Jackson"

NEW YORK (AP) -- Michael Jackson appeared in a video to thank fans for the success of "Thriller," the landmark record the reclusive singer is marking with a 25th anniversary edition.

Jackson will release the new version of the blockbuster album Tuesday, featuring new collaborations with Kanye West, Akon, Fergie and will.i.am.

"It's hard to believe that 25 years ago Quincy Jones and I embarked on an album named 'Thriller,' " Jackson said in a video message to fans released Monday by his record company, Sony-BMG.

It was not immediately clear exactly when Jackson had made the video, or where it was recorded. He also hinted that he's not through recording music.

"There is still much for to come for Michael Jackson," he said. "My passion for music has never stopped. ... It's my hope that 'Thriller' continues to live on for each new generation to discover."

Jackson, 49, soared to superstardom after releasing "Thriller" in November 1982. The instant classic spawned the hits "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and -- of course -- "Thriller," and introduced the moonwalk to legions of fans all around the world.

"To be able to say that 'Thriller' still holds the record as the biggest selling album of all time is just mind-blowing. I have you, my fans, throughout the world to thank for this achievement," said Jackson, who has sold more than 750 million albums worldwide.

Jackson -- whose previous disc, 2001's "Invincible," failed to produce any "Thriller"-level hits -- seemed poised for a career comeback after years of avoiding the spotlight (including a period of self-imposed exile in Bahrain following his acquittal in 2005 on child molestation charges.).

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

? Story Highlights
? A public auction has been set for March 19, according to court documents
? Jackson owes $24.5 million on the property
? Jackson insider: "The financing is all being worked out"
? The singer has not lived at Neverland Ranch since June 2005

(CNN) -- Pop star Michael Jackson will avoid foreclosure on his Neverland Ranch property with a new loan, a Jackson insider told CNN Wednesday.

Documents show that Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, California, is scheduled for a public auction on March 19 at Santa Barbara's downtown courthouse.

But the Jackson source said that won't happen.

"Michael Jackson's ranch is not going to be auctioned off at the courthouse," the Jackson insider said. "The financing is all being worked out."

"There are plenty of lenders willing to work with him. The real estate market is very bad right now and Jackson is being affected just like many other Americans," the source said.

The Santa Barbara County Recorder's Web site lists a "notice of trustees sale" by Jackson and his property lenders, Financial Title Company, filed Monday.

In California, title companies typically represent lenders in foreclosure cases.

A notice of trustees sale cannot be posted earlier than 90 days after a notice of default is filed. That notice is not filed unless a loan is in substantial default, sometimes six months or more past due.

A real estate source inside Santa Barbara County said the trustees filing is only the first step in a long process that could drag on for months.

The real estate source said other options are available to Jackson, including selling the ranch directly to another party or making a payment on his $24.5 million Neverland debt that would satisfy the trustee.

The recorder's Web site also reveals there was a release of lien on Jackson on February 4, showing he paid off all or part of delinquent taxes to the state of California.

"It seems unlikely that someone would pay off back taxes, only to let the ranch go up for auction a few weeks later," said the real estate source.

Jackson has not lived at Neverland since June 2005, after a Santa Barbara County jury found him not guilty of child molestation charges.

? Story Highlights
? Michael Jackson still owes $24 million on his Neverland Ranch in California
? A public auction has been set for March 19, according to court documents
? Jackson has until that time to pay the money and keep the property


LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch will be put up for sale at a public auction next month unless the pop star pays the more than $24 million he still owes on the property, according to a Tuesday court filing.

Financial Title Co. filed the notice of trustee's sale with Santa Barbara County Superior Court, setting the auction date for March 19.

A spokeswoman for Jackson did not immediately return a call for comment.

Julie Wagner, a manager at the San Francisco-based title company, confirmed that Jackson's property was set for auction.

Court documents obtained by Fox News warn Jackson that he has until the date of the auction to take action to keep his lavish Los Olivos estate.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

According to Global Track Chart, the official global hitlist compiled and provided by Media Traffic, Michael Jacksonfs eThriller 25th Anniversary Editionf debuts at the top of the Global Album Chart (week 9/2008) with sales of 381,000 copies.

Source: Global Track Chart

paul(mjcool)

Ann Powers - LOS ANGELES TIMES

There are two ways to listen to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," 25 years after its release. Scandal addicts will find trace evidence of the obsessions that would sink the greatest pop star of his generation into Hollywood Babylon: the repressed, explosive sexuality in his breathy vocals; the racial ambivalence he would encode on his body, evident in genre-busting songs such as "Beat It"; the innocence fetish that made ballads such as "Human Nature" sparkle but led the singer into a shadowy life among paid-off children in his own Neverland.

The dirty stuff is all there. But so is wonder, pure and complex, and some willful forgetting can bring you back to it. Put aside jackson, the tragic example. Return to Michael, the musical prodigy who filtered a host of cross-cultural and intergenerational influences through his own weird radar to create music as surprising as it was definitive.

Enjoy that Michael, at play in the fields of new technology with producer Quincy Jones and the best team of studio pros since Brian Wilson roped in the Wrecking Crew. At 24, that Michael embodied the vertiginous power of being young -- his love songs were all longing and playful innuendo, his angry songs half bluster and half nightmare. That Michael believed that pop songs could have the effect that classic tales have on kids, coloring their dreams and staying forever in their memories. "Thriller" was the first Neverland he built -- the one he'll never lose in bankruptcy court.

The just-issued 25th anniversary of "Thriller" includes remixes by will.i.am and Kanye West and guest appearances from Fergie and Akon. But the classic content is what still resonates, even if younger listeners need to be lured in by names they associate with the Hot 100. Here, nine Los Angeles Times staff writers and contributors offer their views of the album's original tracks.

? "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' ": Hot as Jackson was after the quantum leap that 1979's "Off the Wall" brought his solo career, few expected him to match, much less dramatically surpass, those heights so quickly. But "Thriller's" leadoff track immediately established the new album as another giant step forward. It connected to "Off the Wall" with an irresistible Afro-Caribbean funk, dance-floor pulse and peppery horn accents akin to "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," then rocketed to new heights with even more sinewy bass and guitar lines propelling his impossibly nimble vocals. If "Off the Wall" demonstrated that Jackson was a kid no more, "Somethin' " signaled the full maturity of his musical acumen. All the more impressive for a song built on just two chords. (Randy Lewis)

? "Baby Be Mine": Imagine if this weren't the better of the two non-singles from a monster album but a one-shot single by an unknown artist. The sweet midtempo glide of "Baby Be Mine" probably would have bubbled into the R&B Top 20 and gotten lots of roller-skate play, been included on recent mix CDs by cutting-edge European DJs and been remade as a slow jam at least three times. We would have wondered at the bionic singer, the effervescent synth arrangements, the popping groove. In short, it would sound like the hidden classic it remains, even in plain sight. (Michaelangelo Matos)

? "The Girl Is Mine": Treacly, insipid, weak, embarrassing -- that's how detractors describe Jackson's gentle sparring match with his then-favorite Beatle, Paul McCartney. Borne forward on a beat light as hair mousse and synth flourishes supplied by the guys from Toto, it's a long way from the paranoid funk of "Billie Jean." But its spun-sugar vocal line is like the G-rated version of "Unchained Melody," and the cornball lyrics (I know, "doggone") invoke a show-tune Arcadia that both MJ and Macca fought to preserve as pop got ever filthier. The lift Jackson gives the word "endlessly" midsong can still make a listener feel like she's swimming in a sea of Love's Baby Soft. (Ann Powers)

? "Thriller": If ever a video killed the radio star, "Thriller" was it. The song was adequately groovy -- funked-out beat, lyrics seemingly lifted from some little kid's "scary storybook" -- but the video was legendary: Costing $800,000, the 14-minute mini-film was the most expensive video of its time. Back then it was over the top; to today's viewer, jaded by bloated-budget videos, it still looks epic -- and deliciously campier than ever. That dialogue ("I'm not like other guys")! That Vincent Price rap interlude! And, most of all, those choreographed zombies, dancing in a style that -- thanks to Usher, Ne-Yo and Chris Brown -- still gets its close-up on MTV. (Baz Dreisinger)

? "Beat It": A secret not closely guarded: The uncredited guitarist who whipped out the fluttering, squealing solo on this ode to macho cowardice was Eddie Van Halen, whose extracurriculars ranked among the provocations for singer David Lee Roth's 1985 departure from the megalithic rock band Van Halen. The aerodynamic metal flight pumped crossover fuel that would boost the success of "Thriller" -- a gimmick Jackson would flog later with spots from Slash and Carlos Santana. Without the Van Halen precedent, there might have been no collaboration of Run-DMC and Aerosmith on the 1986 rap/rock version of "Walk This Way." (Greg Burk)

? "Billie Jean": Twenty-five years later, "Thriller's" central chamber has lost none of its fevered mystery. This is where the album's material plane gives way to a haunted interior, excavated by that remorseless bass line and shaped by a taut interplay of instruments -- the arrangement is ingenious, so lean and spare that it's hard to accept that there are three synthesizers at work. Jackson finds a new voice here, a victim's voice that shudders in the shadows of this remarkable sonic space, lashing at his own naivete and at the false accusers who were just starting to gather at his door. (Richard Cromelin)

? "Human Nature": Jackson is a sensual vampire flying over the city looking for juicy necks to bite. A template for new jack swing and hip-hop soul ballads, "Human Nature" is comparatively slower and more intimate than "Thriller's" other songs. "If this town is just an apple, let me take a bite," quivers Jackson's voice over a cascading synthesizer and percolating bass line. Though written by John Bettis and Steve Porcaro of Toto, the lyrics resonate with Jackson's yearning to break free from his tower of celebrity and mingle with young people in a "city that winks its sleepless eye." (Serena Kim)

? "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)": It's all about the chipmunk. The production has a compelling charm already; It's not as forceful as "Beat It" or as slick as "Human Nature," but those squiggly synths and chewy bass lines do their work well. But besides the robo-accented "P.Y.T." hook, what seals the deal is that helium-pitched voice after the bridge. Honestly, to this day, I still can't decipher what line is blurted out, but just the chipmunk effect has been enough to imprint the song in my head. Given that Kanye West looped the same passage for his Grammy-winning "Good Life" only confirms I'm not alone in my infatuation. (Oliver Wang)

? "The Lady in My Life": And the '80s pop big bang ends with a ... whimper? So it might have seemed at the time, this Rod Temperton-penned and arranged trifle closed "Thriller" on an unconvincingly romantic note -- even pre-scandal. Yet today, "Lady" shines for its classic simplicity and nuanced craft, a verse melody straight from vintage Burt Bacharach (the muted trumpet early on leaves no doubt) topped with a chorus that's almost a Stevie Wonder homage. And Jackson's delivery is refreshingly unaffected -- not until shortly before the final fade does he even let out an ooo! No, not a whimper. A sigh.

paul(mjcool)

When Michael Jackson took his three children to see ?The Lion King? at the Minskoff Theatre on Sunday, the family was wearing costumes almost as ornate as the actors in the long-running show, the New York Post reported today.Aspen magazine fashion editor Sue Hostetler was backstage when ?all of a sudden, Michael Jackson appears with his three kids - who all had wigs and baseball caps on,? she told the Post.
Jackson introduced his kids as Paris, Prince and Blanket to the cast before taking pictures and ?running out.?
NY Post

The Jackson family have released the following statement:
People Magazine has followed other publications in reporting untrue and inaccurate information about Michael Jackson and the Jackson family. Of theses widely reported rumors, what has become the most troubling and heinous, is that my son, and brother, Michael Jackson, is dependent on painkillers and alcohol.
People, and other news organizations, have quoted "sources" indicating that our family has attempted a drug intervention, and engaged in an effort to take over his business affairs, because of this alleged drug and alcohol usage.
We categorically deny ever planning, participating in, or having any knowledge of any kind of intervention, whatsoever. We strongly believe that these "sources" and others, no matter who they are, are making these defamatory, inaccurate, and untrue claims for monetary reasons.
Michael Jackson, and the Jackson family, has endured years of false accusations and misrepresentations.
It is time for these unfair and hurtful rumors, for profit to end.
Thank you.
The Jackson Family
with thanks to PJR
Source: MJStar

Mood:  on fire

To all Mj fans:

I just recently saw a bulletin posted about a new MJ Bashing site. When I went to check it out. I was horrified by the disgusting disrespect and lack of Human decency that Michael as well as he?s fans were being subjected to. This site has taken upon themselves to Threaten Michael, by saying they will stop at nothing to get him executed and put behind bars. They have also manipulated pictures of his fans to make it look like They are all MJ haters. The website?s URL is:

www.childrenhatemj.net


This site is obviously run by a group of immature, pathetic, ***holes who don?t have a life. If any of the MJ fans on my friends list truly love Michael please help me by reposting this bulletin to all your MJ friends. Hopefully we all can find some kind of way to get this website removed.

Thank you.

LOS ANGELES -- An attorney for Michael Jackson said Tuesday that the pop star will agree to a judgment directing him to pay $216,000, plus interest, to a Torrance law firm that sued him for overdue fees.

The law firm of Ayscough & Marar sued Jackson on Feb. 21, 2006, in Torrance Superior Court. Work that the firm did for Jackson included obtaining court orders to delay discovery in civil cases and keeping information from being publicly released while Jackson's child molestation trial was in progress in Santa Maria in 2005, according to the lawsuit.

Ayscough & Marar also helped defend Jackson against a lawsuit brought by former business associate Marc Schaffel, alleging the singer owed him $1.4 million for past work.


A Santa Monica jury last July 14 awarded Schaffel $900,000, but directed him to pay Jackson $200,000 to satisfy a countersuit alleging Schaffel misappropriated funds.

Ayscough & Marar's case against the singer was moved to the downtown Los Angeles courthouse last October at the request of Jackson's lawyers. Trial of the case was scheduled to begin today.

But Jackson's lawyer, Marshall L. Brubacher, agreed to a judgment against his client after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant ruled that the entertainer's lawyers could not use many of the defenses they had hoped to raise during trial.

Brubacher told Chalfant that agreeing to the judgment made economic sense for his client.

"We want to stop the hemorraging," Brubacher said. Brubacher also said he and Jackson's other lawyers will not challenge the judgment later on the basis that their client was not present in court.

Chalfant said he was striking the defenses because of Jackson's "willful failure" to turn over information requested by the law firm, and for ignoring a June 12 court order to finish a deposition the singer walked out of on Feb. 27.

Michael McCarthy, an attorney for Ayscough & Marar, said yesterday that Jackson was scheduled to resume the deposition last Friday at the Westlake Village law office of another of his lawyers, Thomas C. Mundell, but never showed up. Brubacher said after today's hearing that he does not know why the singer did not appear for the deposition, but the lawyer told Chalfant that Jackson likely would not have known the answers to the questions McCarthy intended to ask.

McCarthy said interest on the judgment amounts to another $40,000, meaning his clients are actually entitled to $256,000. McCarthy said he also will ask Chalfant to order Jackson to pay him about $280,000 for the lawyer's work in representing the law firm. Brubacher said he has not yet figured out how much interest there will be on the judgment, and that the additional $280,000 McCarthy wants is too high.

"This was a simple case," Brubacher said. "We tried to settle this several times." Jackson countersued the law firm last Aug. 29. The singer's allegations included a claim that one of the firm's lawyers threatened to expose confidential information about him to the media.

Chalfant later dismissed the Jackson countersuit, finding it lacked merit, said Brent Ayscough, a partner in Ayscough & Marar. He said Jackson remains mired in debt because of his lifestyle.

Jackson, 48, was acquitted of the molestation charges and was represented during the trial by attorney Tom Mesereau.

KNBC..
paul(mjcool)

June 27, 2007


Washington, D.C. ?. There have been several news reports regarding Mr. Michael Jackson that are untrue, defamatory and malicious in nature.

Mr. Jackson is not bedridden nor on any type of medication?including painkillers. In fact, Mr. Jackson is doing very well, and conducted a meeting with his advisors yesterday, which included Former Attorney General Benjamin R. Civiletti, and Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., among others.

There was no press release issued from Mr. Jackson?s organization regarding any European tour plans. Despite reports to the contrary, Mr. Jackson is currently in the studio putting finishing touches on his music.

Mr. Jackson has not ?left? Las Vegas nor is he being ?evicted? from his residence in Las Vegas. He decided not to exercise the option to purchase the house. Period.

Mr. Jackson does not believe that his brother, Randy Jackson, has stolen monies from him, nor does he believe that Randy, or any of his family members, would ever steal from him. Reports regarding the same were untrue and malicious.

Contrary to published reports, Mr. Jackson is neither losing, nor is he selling his share of the ATV/Sony partnership. Reports regarding the same are ludicrous, without merit, and are being written without sufficient personal financial information to make such an unwarranted pronouncement.

Mr. Jackson is concerned that his assistant, Grace Rwaramba, is constantly being attacked by Fox News? Roger Friedman. There have been vicious and untrue reports concerning Ms. Rwaramba, who lives a very private life and has done nothing wrong, but is being attacked for her professional relationship and proximity to Mr. Jackson.

While in his entire career, Mr. Jackson has never uttered a disparaging word to any reporter, nor has he ever used or instructed his security to use any force toward any reporter, there are those whose vehement hatred for Mr. Jackson has reached a level where all journalistic integrity has been lost, in order to write reports for which there is no substantiation, are untrue, written to create a frenzy, or used to try and destroy Mr. Jackson?s image. They know who they are; and, this is a sad commentary?a commentary which Mr. Jackson?s attorneys will address.

When it comes to the history of black music - or simply music, period - very few people have achieved accolades, success and the adoration of fans throughout the world like Michael Joseph Jackson.

Not only has Jackson dominated pop and R&B charts over the course of five decades, he ushered in the MTV era, helping the burgeoning network draw viewers in the 1980s with his music videos that were more feature-film than a few minutes of smoke and mirrors to sell a song. The most awarded recording artist in history, Jackson is a double inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ? as a member of the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist.

With his albums reaching platinum status multiple times over, Jackson has truly earned the symbolic Guinness World Records title "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time." And the electrifying dance moves he displayed in his sold-out shows - brilliantly captured in his Emmy Award-nominated, "moonwalk"-punctuat ed performance at "Motown 25" in 1983 - are still being imitated by today's R&B upstarts and impersonators across the world.

Yet despite Jackson's extraordinary talent, his personal life has recently overshadowed his untouchable musical abilities. But true fans remain loyal.

"He is a super talent regardless of the stuff that's happened," said Niecy Davis, assistant programs director for Radio One in St. Louis. A self-proclaimed "die-hard Michael Jackson fan," Davis said she's followed the Gloved One's career for more than 30 years, from the "Jackson 5" cartoon of the 1970s to the famous video debuts of the 1980s and 1990s that were appointment television for everyone.

"Michael Jackson has always been unique and daring. Man, he is just the bomb."


"I was glued to all of his videos. The choreography was always good, and the music just had a feeling to it," Davis told BlackAmericaWeb. com. "Michael Jackson has always been unique and daring. Man, he is just the bomb."

It all began for Jackson in the early 1960s. Touring with his brothers in their native Indiana, Jackson, and the group that would become the Jackson 5 won a local talent show in 1966. The winning song was a rendition of The Temptation's "My Girl," with Michael singing the lead. It was only a matter of time before the Jacksons would become label mates with the Temptations, signing with Motown Records in 1968. A string of hits would follow ? "I Want You Back," "ABC," The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There." In addition to the success the group saw, Michael Jackson was a solo cash cow for Motown, releasing "Got to Be There" and "Ben."

Life wasn't all roses with Motown for the Jackson 5, and the group - with strict disciplinarian father/manager Joe Jackson leading the way - signed a contract with CBS Records. The move angered Motown, and a suit accusing the group of breaching their contract was filed. In the end, the group had to rename themselves The Jacksons and brother Jermaine - who was married to Motown head Berry Gordy's daughter - was replaced by the youngest Jackson son, Randy. From 1976 to 1984, Michael Jackson was more than a front man for The Jacksons. As the lead songwriter, he penned such hits as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)," and "Can You Feel It."

As the 1980s approached, Jackson was once again focusing on a solo career and, after appearing in "The Wiz" as the Scarecrow and performing songs produced by music impresario Quincy Jones, Jackson started a business relationship that would reap big rewards.

In 1979, Jackson released "Off the Wall," an international chart-topper that produced four Top 10 hits, including "Don't Stop 'Til You get Enough" and "Rock with You." The Jackson/Jones collaboration spent 48 consecutive weeks on the Top 20 charts, with song lyrics and music written by Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, to name a few.

The next year, Jackson won his first awards for his solo work. He won Favorite Soul/R&B Album (for "Off the Wall"), Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Single (for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough") at the American Music Awards. That hardware would be followed by two Billboard Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male (for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough").

"Michael was and really always will be a major force in R&B."


The Jackson 5-less Michael Jackson was a true phenomenon, said Al Payne, operations manager for Radio One in Richmond, Va.

"When Michael broke out on his own, it was obvious that he would take the world by storm," Payne told BlackAmericaWeb. com. "From his moves to his showmanship to his Quincy Jones-infused grooves, Michael was and really always will be a major force in R&B."

That force hit with vengeance in late 1982 on the wings of "Thriller," the biggest selling album in history, with worldwide sales totals that surpass 104 million. It delivered a slew of classic tracks - the first album to garner seven top-10 Billboard Hot Singles - including the title cut, "Beat It" and "Billie Jean," which was the first music video by a black performer to be aired on MTV.

Ironically, Jackson's entry into music video history would not come easily, despite his subsequent mastery of -- and influence on -- the medium.

An October 2005 article in Blender, lauding "Billie Jean" as its top pick of "The 500 Greatest Sings Since You Were Born, details how CBS Records heads Walter Yetnikoff "went ballistic" at the music channel's refusal to air the video. "I said to MTV, 'I'm pulling everything we have off the air, all our product. I'm not going to give you any more videos. And I'm going to go public and f---ing tell them about the fact you don't want to play music by a black guy.'" "Billie Jean" was promptly put in heavy rotation, and neither Jackson nor MTV ever looked back."

Even the critically-acclaime d, often-referenced video for "Thriller" was a groundbreaking piece of filmmaking: Directed by John Landis, it was 13 minutes long and even led to a VHS release entitled, "Making Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'," which become the best-selling music home video ever.

Davis says she can still remember racing home to catch one of Jackson's music videos, regardless of how many times she had already seen them.

"I was sitting in front of MTV everyday trying to catch the entire 'Thriller' video," Davis told BlackAmericaWeb. com.

The relatively new concept of music videos didn't hurt record sales; "Thriller" was the No. 1 song for 37 weeks and as a certified Platinum album 27 times over, stayed on the Billboard charts for 122 weeks - or slightly more than two years.

At an age where most people are beginning to find their way professionally, Jackson was being lauded in ways that many veteran musicians never see. The New York Times called Jackson a "musical phenomenon" when he was just 25, saying, "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else." While Jackson was easily a crossover act, appealing to white audiences as well as blacks, his success also helped black artists get mainstream radio play for the first time since the 1970s.

"Michael Jackson took the baton from James Brown and worked his own magic into it," Payne said.

Jackson also showed his humanitarian side, serving as one of the forces behind "We Are the World," sharing co-writing honors with Lionel Richie in 1985. With 20 million copies sold, "We Are the World" won Song of the Year honors at the Grammy Awards. Jackson also allowed "Beat It" to be used in anti-drunk driving ads and was honored at a White House ceremony for lending his song to the cause.

The 1990s saw Jackson marry and divorce twice - to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, and to Debbie Rowe, a dental hygienist. His union with Rowe produced two children, Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson, Jr. and Paris Katherine, both of whom Rowe and Jackson say were conceived naturally.

"Jackson remains one of the most popular musical icons of all time"


And the 2003 documentary "Living With Michael Jackson" was the match that lit the fire under accusations that Jackson engaged in improper behavior with children. Jackson, who always seems to speak as if he's the childhood lead of the Jacksons, shared with camera crews that he would share his bed with young children. Later that year, he was charged with two counts of child molestation and acquitted of all charges in May 2005 after a highly-publicized trial.

Despite the controversy, Jackson remains one of the most popular musical icons of all time. He is especially beloved overseas, where throngs of fans appear whenever he is out in public. Even in the United States, Davis said, his star still shines bright, if not in mainstream circles.

"He is a super talent, regardless," Davis told BlackAmericaWeb. com. "Sometimes you find super talented people that are very eccentric, and that's Michael Jackson. People get wrapped up in his personal life. And at the end of the day, that's really none of our business."


Source:Black America Web


paul(mjcool)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Raymone K. Bain

May 18, 2007


Las Vegas, NV ??.Michael Jackson and Universal Express are pleased to announce the completion of a confidential resolution to the action disputing title to the items being auctioned at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on May 30 and 31, 2007, or by logging on to liveauctioneers.com.


?Mr. Jackson is satisfied with the negotiated settlement,? stated Raymone K. Bain, Jackson spokesperson, ?and is pleased that some of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to certain charities. As this is a confidential agreement, we will be making no further comments. ?

?Although the road to auction has been long, we look forward to being able to introduce to the world the glory of the Jackson family and take great pride in the five charities that will benefit from the sales proceeds, stated Richard A. Altomare, Chairman and CEO of Universal Express.


Items belonging to Mr. Jackson, included in the auction, will be accompanied by written authentication.



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Raymone K Bain
__._,_.___

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Raymone K. Bain

May 17, 2007


Las Vegas, Nevada ?? Contrary to published reports, Mr. Michael Jackson

will not be personally appearing in court in Las Vegas, Nevada on

Friday, May 18, 2007, regarding the auction items issue.



Thank you.
Source
Raymone Bain