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Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 22 ottobre 2020, 22:33
da soulmum
“The Michael Jackson trial was unique. More accredited media covered these proceedings than the O.J. Simpson and Scott Peterson trials combined. When the verdicts were reached, people in every capital around the world were riveted to their radios, computers and televisions. The "King of Pop" was more popular than anyone, including Elvis Presley..." #ThomasMesereau

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 23 ottobre 2020, 20:47
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 24 ottobre 2020, 10:28
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 24 ottobre 2020, 10:38
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 26 ottobre 2020, 12:16
da soulmum
"All the people he had around him, the tugging, and the yes people, you could tell that he knew 90 per cent of them were full of s***. I felt sorry for him in that sense. I did a couple of shows with Michael in Tokyo and saw how this whole massive f***ing thing worked, and he was the centre of it. The only time I really felt like he was in any kind of comfort zone was when he was actually onstage." Slash
Source: https://bit.ly/2EBI0KN

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 27 ottobre 2020, 20:35
da soulmum
Keen Zhang
@mkgenie
Another MJ tribute statue, the sixth this year, will be placed in Chengdu, Sichuan, China on the day of Halloween! A celebration will be held that night! Stay tuned!
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 28 ottobre 2020, 7:13
da soulmum
“l always told Michael, ‘you only get out of life what you put into it.’ I think those words stayed with him. Michael always knew what he wanted to do and how far he wanted to go. He believed in hard work, a positive attitude and perseverance. No matter what he set out to do in his career, he wouldn’t settle to just be ‘good’…it had to be his best. He worked tenaciously for as long as it took until he was satisfied with the outcome. His efforts did not stop there either. Above and beyond his tenacity was his vision." #KatherineJackson

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 28 ottobre 2020, 14:15
da soulmum
"We gravitated towards the same kind of music and we loved collaborating and he was the easiest person to write with. The more we got to know each other the more those ideas entwined." Barry Gibb
Source: https://bit.ly/2S5EkDW

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 28 ottobre 2020, 14:41
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 29 ottobre 2020, 6:37
da soulmum
In 2011 interview, producer Elliot Strait (Dr. Freeze) talked to mjfrance.com about his friendship with #MichaelJackson and his work on the songs "Break of Dawn," "Blue Gangsta" and "A Place With No Name.
MJ France: We would like to know how you started working with
Michael Jackson? How did he get in touch with you ?
Dr. Freeze: "I knew his manager, John McClain. I was working on the album with my partners Spydermann. After the album was finished, things didn't go as planned and we had to cancel the release. I was very upset. And then John McClain said, "Freeze, don't worry, I have another project for you. You're going to work with Michael' - "Which Michael?" - I don't get it. He said, "With Michael Jackson!" At first I didn't believe it, it was incredible! And then, one day someone calls me and in the other line ... And it was Michael! That's how it all started. That's how we met.'
MJF: Do you remember the exact number of songs you wrote for him ?
Dr. Freeze: I offered him many songs. The main songs we work on together are "Break of Dawn", "A Place With No Name" and "Blue Gangsta".
MJF: What thoughts did you have on your first day in the studio with Michael? How did you feel?
Dr. Freeze: It was really scary! I felt like I was back in elementary school and didn't know anything about recording! With Michael, I learned everything again. The other producers and I were like students in front of a teacher. With Michael, it was as if we knew nothing about our business: we had to reexamine everything. He taught us to do our best: Michael was a perfectionist and we had to start from scratch to create music in the best possible way. I was very, very nervous, but very flattered! He was the most wonderful person you can dream to work with. That was great! He knew everything about the music industry, everything about everything, nothing was strange for him, and he taught me a lot. Finally, he was a very humble person'.
MJF: About the song "Break of Dawn", did you rework it following his advice ?
Dr. Freeze: "No, he just needed to record the vocals, add his own magic. And he did that. Everything he played became magical ! I was shocked !
MJF: So "Break of Dawn" was composed in advance ?
Dr. Freeze: "Yes, he liked the music and wanted to leave it as it was. The music was all written by me, I didn't change anything. He didn't want to change anything, he wanted to keep the magic of the music completely intact. What you hear in Invincible is exactly the version I brought to him before adding his vocals to it.
MJF: How long did it take to record the song ?
Dr. Freeze: "It took a while because he was trying to get more momentum in your voice, especially the harmony part you hear in the chorus. It took almost as long as it took to record a movie!''
MJF: Was he working on other songs for Invincible at that time?
Dr. Freeze: Yes.
MJF: So he recorded his vocals, listened, made arrangements and started working on other songs, and came back days later to add extra touches ?
Dr. Freeze: "Yes, it was a gradual work. Sometimes he recorded the lead vocals, sometimes just the chorus... He also listened to different mixes and changed the details here and there. He completely controlled the creative process. We wanted the music to be perfect - like a director making a film that changes the script or the actors to improve the image. That was the process of working on the music and the Invincible album in general.
MJF: So he could change one verse, then start working on another song and then come back to you...
Dr. Freeze: "Yes. He would come back, make changes, suggest ideas and listen carefully. Sometimes he would add something to the arrangement but in the end, he would make all the decisions. He was the boss. He was open to any criticism and suggestions that would benefit the music, and it was an effective approach. All he wanted was a number one hit'.
MJF: Do you have any funny stories about your studio sessions?
Dr. Freeze: "It was great working with him. Michael loved jokes. We talked about different topics with him - about video games, etc. Then we got back to work.'
MJF: Did he warm up before recording the vocals?
Dr. Freeze: "The warm-up is always necessary, both in sports and singing. We never personally witnessed his vocal exercises, but when he came into the studio to record, he would stand in front of the microphone and the music would catch fire. He would leave the studio in ashes and our jaws on the floor.''
MJF: Back to 'Break of Dawn', it's a very sexy song and it was the first one where Michael talked about making love. How did he feel when he recorded this song, how was his mood?
Dr. Freeze: "No, he just told me he really liked the song. I didn't give him any instructions, he knew exactly what to do. He controlled the flight, I just watched the take-off.
MJF: By the way, did he call you Elliot ?
Dr. Freeze: "No, he always called me "Freeze" !
MJF: And you? Did you immediately start calling him by his name ?
Dr. Freeze: ''We got very close. To be more precise, I referred to him by his diminutive name - "Mike" instead of "Michael"
.
MJF: You mentioned about video games. Do you remember which games you played with him ?
Dr. Freeze: "He had many games: Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Flight Simulator. We spent a lot of time playing.
MJF: Did you work in the studio or Neverland ?
Dr. Freeze: "Yes, I went to Neverland for both work and leisure. We worked a lot there. He had a studio on the ranch. He used to say during his work, "Give it a rest, Freeze! Go take a break: watch a movie, go for a walk at the zoo. Neverland was almost like a second home to me.''
MJF: I didn't know you were working at Neverland! That's very interesting because we don't have much information about Neverland studio. Was there a professional studio there ?
Dr. Freeze: "Yes, complete. There was a lot of professional equipment: Pro Tools and so on.''
MJF: Michael used everything when he was alone ?
Dr. Freeze: "Of course !
MJF: Actually, we know he couldn't play musical instruments, so I always wondered if he could have recorded anything by himself without the help of sound engineers.
Dr. Freeze: "He could have done it all by himself. He was a real "live instrument". He could play some chords on the keyboard, he was good at it. He also knew how to program rhythms.''
MJF: Where did you get your inspiration for the songs "Break of Dawn", "Blue Gangsta" and "A Place With No Name"? How was the creative process ?
Dr. Freeze: "Break of Dawn" is just an ordinary romantic ballad I wrote in one day. In the case of Blue Gangsta, I wanted to do a new Smooth Criminal. Something more modern, with the sound of the 2000s. That was the idea. "A Place With No Name" is an escape from the music of reality; you close your eyes and are transported to a wonderful world. In fact, this song was born from the American hit "A Horse With No Name". I wanted to update it, make, again, a version of the 2000's.''
MJF: 'Did you get permission to use the music? Did you ask the group for permission ?''
Dr. Freeze: "Yes, of course. The group from America liked the idea. The new version seemed absolutely incredible to them. They were very excited about this project. This song is a great soundtrack for a movie like Avatar, because it shows us a wonderful world where people are different, happy. This song is an escape from everyday life. A song that takes you to a different place.
MJF: The song "Blue Gangsta" was remixed by Tempamental rapper "No Friend of Mine ....".
Dr. Freeze: "When I heard that remix, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. People started calling me and asking - I didn't understand what had happened. I don't even know who leaked this song! That remains a mystery. Why did they do that? Where did this rap come from? How did the original come to them? We knew nothing about this story - neither I nor Michael. We don't understand how the leak happened...'
MJF: Have you worked with Michael Jackson on other songs besides these three ?
Dr. Freeze: "We work on other songs too, although they are not finished. I'm not sure I can talk about it'.
MJF: How many songs did you write for Michael in total ?
Dr. Freeze: "About thirty, and I wrote five or six with him.
MJF: Do you have those songs now ?
Dr. Freeze: ''Most of the songs are on file now. I have no control over anything. They keep everything.''
MJF: They're the estate ?
Dr. Freeze: "Yes. John McClain is responsible for that. He's in charge !''
MJF: It would be so cool if you could name an unreleased track that you especially remember and sing a little about it...
Dr. Freeze: ''Michael and I work on a song called Rise Above It All. But I don't know if he recorded the vocals for it.''
MJF: What is this song about ?
Dr. Freeze: ''It's an animated song. Even when you feel bad, when you're sad about what's going on in the world, try to be optimistic, enjoy life and put the negative aside. Overcome adversities, be above problems, wars, hunger. Join together, hold hands, raise your hands to heaven and overcome everything. That is the theme of this song. I don't know if he recorded the vocals but we work on it. There are other songs we work on but I can't say anything else'.
MJF: Did you talk to John McClain about the songs you recorded with Michael and what he intends to do with them?
Dr. Freeze: "No. It's hard to establish direct contact with John McClain, he's very busy. This subject hasn't been discussed yet''.
MJF: Are there videos of your sessions with Michael ?
Dr. Freeze: No, cameras were not allowed. He didn't like to be photographed and shot in the studio. Therefore, it was forbidden.
MJF: At the beginning of the interview, you said he knew how to program rhythms and played keyboard in front of you. Can you tell us more ?
Dr. Freeze: "Sometimes he created songs quite naturally and that shocked me. Most of the time they were just ideas depending on his emotions at the moment. It was a creative process - from dusk to dawn, he continually created sounds, melodies, harmonies. It was an incredible experience for me. I learned a lot from him'.
MJF: Which studios did you record in ?
Dr. Freeze: "We recorded in different studios. Sometimes in New York, sometimes in California. We spent a lot of time at the ranch. We recorded at HitFactory in New York and, if my memory serves me correctly, at RecordOne in Los Angeles. We also use John McClain's studio and work at Neverland.
MJF: Are there fragments recorded at Neverland in the final mixes of the songs ?
Dr. Freeze: '' All my songs are from big studios. But he also recorded songs with other producers in Neverland. Unfortunately, I can't say exactly which ones. Although I remembered the song that was included in the last album. "'Hollywood Tonight'. I remember that he worked on it in Neverland'.
MJF: So he worked on other projects when you were there?
Dr. Freeze: ''Yes, he worked on other songs too. Sometimes he would ask my opinion. But I wasn't alone there. There were other producers he collaborated with.
MJF: When you finished your sessions, did you know that the work was finished or did you expect to return in the future ?
Dr. Freeze: "As soon as we started recording songs, I dedicated myself totally. I didn't want to work with anyone but Michael. I promised not to work for anyone else. It was full-time: I worked with him for many years. I was in the studio with him just before he died.
MJF: You were in the studio with him just before he died ?
Dr. Freeze: "We talked a lot and we were ready to start recording. I remember going to his house in Las Vegas, and there was a studio. It was just before he left there.
MJF: Did you record anything ?
Dr. Freeze: "No, so nothing was recorded, we just exchanged ideas. We were going to start recording and preparing the studio equipment. I showed him some new songs that I wrote especially for him. He really liked them and wanted to record them, but he's gone...
MJF: What was your first impression when you met Michael? Was she what you expected ?
Dr. Freeze: "I already knew that Michael was the most humble person that you could meet. He became my best friend. It's like meeting Captain Kirk - who doesn't like Captain Kirk? This is a fictional character: cool, friendly, cool guy. Michael looked a little like him. As you may have guessed, I'm a Star Trek fanatic, which is why I'm talking about Captain Kirk. Meeting Michael was a bit like meeting Captain Kirk - it was amazing! Today there are no stars with that aura. I was shocked when I met him. Our communication was not limited to a professional relationship. I became his friend, best friend. I still love him to death. We were like brothers, very close. So yes, to sum up, my meeting with Michael was like making friends with Captain Kirk !''
MJF: Michael is recognized throughout the world as one of the greatest artists. You knew him and he was one of your friends. Do you have any funny stories about him that we don't know about ?
Dr. Freeze: "He was a genius. He was an angel - that's why his name was Michael. He was a real angel.
MJF: What impressed you most about the artist Michael ?
Dr. Freeze: "Michael loved his fans, loved his music and loved making music for his fans. He wanted to give people love and joy. This was his mission. He was dedicated to his work. He wanted to do it and he believed that this was his vocation.
MJF: Do you remember what the last conversation with Michael was ?
Dr. Freeze: "I was going to record a new album and when he heard my songs he told me he wanted to release them as soon as possible. He liked my new sound. This was our last conversation. He said "I love you" and that's it.
Source ; Interview published by mjfrance.com in January 2011

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 29 ottobre 2020, 7:29
da soulmum
Michael Bearden's Fan Page

Eleven years ago today, a film we made premiered here in downtown Los Angeles. ⠀
I have not watched ‘This Is It’ since that day, (personal choice. I lived every frame)⠀
However, almost everyday since then, I receive some kind of acknowledgement on what the film means to them, from fans all around the world! ⠀
And for that alone, I’m grateful! ⠀
MJ once asked me, “you know how you live forever?” I said, “how MJ?” He said, “through your art!”⠀⠀
There’s no question in my mind that MJ will live forever! M~ ⠀

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 30 ottobre 2020, 11:52
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 31 ottobre 2020, 9:25
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 31 ottobre 2020, 13:31
da soulmum
“Michael Jackson's dedication to his art was unique. During the recordings of the albums, which sometimes lasted for months, he rarely rested. He worked on the lyrics all the time. Michael was so professional, he was so amazing to work with. When he arrives at the studio to record the vocal part, he usually has the lyrics and melody memorized. Michael was polite and adorable. So he would say, 'Can I hear a little more of the piano in the headphones, please?' And then he gave thanks. The music industry is a place where you don't hear those words much. That is the reason why I totally respect Michael, and for all his musical quality." #BruceSwedien

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 1 novembre 2020, 11:49
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 3 novembre 2020, 11:00
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 3 novembre 2020, 16:19
da soulmum
"I don’t think he was capable of hurting anyone. I think there’s something really biblical about what happened to him. It’s one of the most epic stories of our time, to go from such heights to such depths. He’s a modern-day martyr.”

David LaChapelle

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 5 novembre 2020, 9:45
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 5 novembre 2020, 10:45
da soulmum
"On the eve of Halloween 2003, #MichaelJackson asked me if we could order ′′ candy or stuffing ′′ with his children. We were in Las Vegas and MJ wanted to knock on the doors of the North VL, one of the most dangerous areas of the city. Everybody knows that you shouldn't be in this neighborhood when it's dark and unsafe; and also safe.
But Michael had decided and we did . His children dressed up as Spiderman and Princess, but Michael Jackson wanted to dress up ′′ in . Michael Jackson, wearing just a shirt and pants. I never thought he could get away with it but he did! The people who gave them candy admired their fantastic ′′ fantasy of Michael Jackson". He and his kids finally laughed out loud and had a great time."
#WayneGalley (Michael Jackson's bodyguard in 2002/2003)

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 7 novembre 2020, 7:30
da soulmum
′ I was alerted to your presence and discovered your mission to rebuild Africa. I couldn't resist. I love Africa.... You are not alone." Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings and the First Lady expressed their gratitude to #MichaelJackson by elegantly presenting ′′Diamond of Africa"

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 12 novembre 2020, 19:50
da soulmum
November 13, 1988. #MichaelJackson, while performing
his last US concert of the year at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena,
he received backstage an award with a proclamation by LA Mayor Tom Bradley who declared the entire month of November as "Michael Jackson month".
For the record, 330,630 loving fans came to see Michael for the second leg tour in USA from September to November.

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 13 novembre 2020, 6:36
da soulmum
"He can tuck his long, thin frame into a figure skater’s spin without benefit of ice or skates. Aided by the burn and flash of silvery body suits, he seems to change molecular structure at will, all robot angles one second and rippling curves the next. So sure is the body that his eyes are often closed, his face turned upward to some unseen muse. The bony chest heaves. He pants, bumps and squeals." #GerriHirshey, for Rolling Stone Magazine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 13 novembre 2020, 13:49
da soulmum
"Thinking back to when we met and the many times that we spent together and whenever we were out together, there would be a caption of some kind, and the caption usually said something like 'an odd couple' or 'an unlikely pair,' but to us, it was the most natural and easiest of friendships." Brooke Shields
Source: https://on.mtv.com/2EAhLUT

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 13 novembre 2020, 16:01
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 14 novembre 2020, 6:58
da soulmum
Forbes has finally released the full list of The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities Of 2020 and Michael Jackson is still at the top place !
Here the full list:
1 - Michael Jackson – $48 Million
2 - Dr Seuss – $33 Million
3 - Charles Schulz – $32.5 Million
4 - Arnold Palmer – $25 Million
5 - Elvis Presley – $23 Million
6 - Kobe Bryant – $20 Million
7 - Juice WRLD – $15 Million
8 - Bob Marley – $14 Million
9 - John Lennon – $13 Million
10 - Prince – $10 Million
11 - Freddie Mercury – $9 Million
12 - George Harrison – $8.5 Million
13 - Marilyn Monroe – $8 Million
SOURCE: Forbes

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 15 novembre 2020, 12:51
da soulmum
November 15-16, 1991. #MichaelJackson performed 'Black Or White' with Slash and 'Will You Be There' for MTV's 10th Anniversary TV Special at Santa Monica Airport in Los Angeles. The stage performance was choregraphed by Vincent Paterson.
"I would just get up and do my thing, but every so often I would look up and be dazzled by how naturally and how fluidly he worked. He was genuinely great to witness in person. He could have 80 people onstage all doing the same dance move, but he was the one guy who had that natural flow that nobody could match." #Slash

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 15 novembre 2020, 20:35
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 19 novembre 2020, 7:27
da soulmum
“Recording was never a static event. We used to record with the lights out, Michael on my drum platform. Michael would dance on that as we did the vocals. What an incredible experience. The talent was just indescribably huge. Michael combined elements of pop, jazz and soul into a new kind of music and galvanized the world. The way I want to remember him is as the ultimate musician. He was just fantastic and he brought a tremendous amount of musical integrity with him every time he came into the studio.”
"Damn near any chimpanzee could record Michael. I mean he is such a pro, it is unbelievable! ... Michael was not an ordinary vocalist or an ordinary singer. If any young people in the music industry take the decision to use Michael as an inspiration, that's about the smartest thing that they could possibly do. In the studio you hardly knew he was there ‑— he was extremely quiet and polite and kind ‑— but he really cared about the quality of what we were doing. Not only the technical quality, but the musicality, and his pitch, and the lyrics, the arrangements, and so on. For example, I don't think I ever saw Michael with the lyrics in front of him. He'd always been up the night before memorising the lyrics and he sang the songs from memory. And every day that we recorded vocals his vocal coach was there, and he warmed up for an hour beforehand. That made a big difference.”
“Michael Jackson's dedication to his art was unique. During the recordings of the albums, which sometimes lasted for months, he rarely rested. He worked on the lyrics all the time.
Michael was so professional, he was so amazing to work with. When he arrives at the studio to record the vocal part, he usually has the lyrics and melody memorized. Michael was polite and adorable. So he would say, 'Can I hear a little more of the piano in the headphones, please?' And then he gave thanks. The music industry is a place where you don't hear those words much. That is the reason why I totally respect Michael, and for all his musical quality.".
Bruce Swedien

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 20 novembre 2020, 13:04
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 21 novembre 2020, 11:26
da soulmum
"One More Chance" song was written
by R. Kelly and Jackson with co-producer Michael Jackson and R. Kelly
for inclusion on Michael Jackson's compilation album 'Number Ones' and released on November 2, 2003, in the UK, and three weeks later in the US.
Directed by Nick Brandt, Michael Jackson had been shooting the music video late into the night of November 17, 2003 at CMX Studios in Las Vegas, Nevada, but production was stopped following a raid on the Neverland Ranch by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office in relation to allegations of child sex abuse by Michael Jackson. The music video was directed by Nicholas Brandt. The single was instead promoted using a montage video of highlights from Michael Jackson's career.
On October 13, 2010, the official website of Michael Jackson announced that the music video would be finished with what footage they had available, and was released in a deluxe DVD box set Michael Jackson's Vision on November 22, 2010. A rough two-minute cut of the video leaked online on November 15, 2010.
On November 19, 2010, the full length of the video premiered on Michael Jackson's official website. As with the song being the last brand new single released during his lifetime, the music video is also Michael Jackson's last music video and the first with new footage to be released posthumously.

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 22 novembre 2020, 6:47
da soulmum
"The cliches seem to fall away when you watch Michael perform. When he says he´s inspired by things spiritual you believe him. And when he says that four letter LOVE, you believe him too." #MollyMeldrum (1987)

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 23 novembre 2020, 20:17
da soulmum
"Michael's the type of artist who wants to present exactly what he feels is his best. Over a series of meetings, he told us what he wanted to do and it was up to us to bring his visions to life. In some cases an artist will compromise due to cost or technical difficulties and perhaps adapt his act to suit the stage, but there's actually very little that can't be done if you've got the money. It was largely a matter of fitting the pieces around Michael, not the other way round.” - Benny Collins (his production manager)

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 25 novembre 2020, 15:32
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 26 novembre 2020, 7:37
da soulmum
Mourad Mesellaty

#StoryOfTheDay...One day a #MichaelJackson's bodyguard stated this..."During his stay in New York, we were chased by fans, from place to place, all day. Wherever we went, they were already there and I soon felt somewhat frustrated with these young people. So, I thought about what I could do to make it easier for us and came up with an excellent plan, in my opinion.
When we went to the next meeting, I made arrangements with the driver to go undetected to the back door of the building. This way, we wouldn't have to go out in the crowd, waiting, and I was sure this was something Michael would be happy about, because I believed he was getting tired of all the commotion too.
Then, when the time came, I picked him up from his date, we snuck through corridors and staff entrances, towards the waiting car. We managed to get out of the building without being seen by a single fan and I felt really big and proud of myself.
Suddenly, Michael asked me, "Mike, are all the fans gone?" And I proudly said to him, “No, sir! I brought you out the back of the building, to avoid the crowd. ”
But he continued, "But why did you do that?", and I replied, "Well, I thought they were bothering you." But what he said to me, then, really made me think:
“Mike, these people are my fans! They buy my records, they come to my shows and I really love them! You should never, never, never try to sneak up behind them, because I appreciate my fans and if that means that I'm bothering you, know that is OK with me. They are the only ones who care about me, buy my music and support me and I wouldn't be here today, without my fans ! ”
I must confess that it was not the kind of reaction I had in mind, when I had made my plan to get him out of the building. However, this was kind of my “pinch me” moment and I started to understand what he meant when it comes to appreciation and tolerance and that it doesn't matter what social status , nationality or what race you are. ”

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 27 novembre 2020, 7:22
da soulmum
"The amazing thing, I was only meant to be on the film, the project for three days and it turned out to be like three and a half weeks, almost a month of filming and the thing I took from it the most was watching Michael Jackson perform at performance level in his rehearsals. I said ‘wow that’s the consummate artist right there, that’s the pinnacle of where I would like to go and the kind of skills I would like to have as an artist that I can come and my rehearsals are performances, you know. So, I took that from him and that’s what I’ve been trying, to be consistent with in my work as well.” #WesleySnipes

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 28 novembre 2020, 16:17
da soulmum
Opening Up About Michael Jackson & Their Relationship! Brooke Shields In Her Own Words

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHy9uka ... 9G4ryGRWtg

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 30 novembre 2020, 12:25
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 1 dicembre 2020, 9:14
da soulmum

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 1 dicembre 2020, 12:34
da soulmum
https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/the ... 1_oh1_4MZk

The Incredible Way Michael Jackson Wrote Music
By
Lucy Jones
29th August 2018

Immagine

If you’ve ever heard the below early demo of ‘Beat It’, you’ll know Michael Jackson’s extraordinary process of writing songs – by building each element of a track with his voice. Every note of every chord, harmony, melody, bass and even the rhythm through beat-boxing. The full harmonies will blow your mind:

https://youtu.be/eZeYw1bm53Y

Jackson couldn’t read or write music at all. Contrary to received wisdom, he could play instruments a bit – he’s credited as playing keyboard, synthesizer, guitar, drums and percussion on ‘HIStory’ – but none proficiently. He didn’t have any formal composition training, though one could say he was trained harder than any other performer by his father.

But just as Mozart could hear whole symphonies in his head, Jackson fully realised his songs before they were put down on paper. “The lyrics, the strings, the chords, everything comes at the moment like a gift that is put right into your head and that’s how I hear it,” said Jackson during the ‘Dangerous’ court case of 1994.

A top team of engineers and producers would work on the tracks that he brought into the studio but even they were wowed by his genius. Rob Hoffman, sound engineer, describes the process (h/t Rhythm Of The Tide):

“One morning MJ came in with a new song he had written overnight. We called in a guitar player, and Michael sang every note of every chord to him. “’Here’s the first chord, first note, second note, third note. Here’s the second chord first note, second note, third note’, etc etc. We then witnessed him giving the most heartfelt and profound vocal performance, live in the control room through an SM57,” says Hoffman.

“He would sing us an entire string arrangement, every part. Steve Porcaro once told me he witnessed MJ doing that with the string section in the room. Had it all in his head, harmony and everything. Not just little eight bar loop ideas. He would actually sing the entire arrangement into a micro-cassette recorder complete with stops and fills.”

One of the most interesting and revealing interviews about the way Jackson crafted his work is the audio from the ‘Dangerous’ court case. Songwriter Crystal Cartier took him to court for plagiarism and during the trial Jackson was asked to describe his song-writing process. “I’ll just sing the bass part into the tape recorder,” he said between snips of sung melody, totally pitch perfect. “I’ll take that bass lick and put the chords of the melody over the bass lick and that’s what inspires the melody,” he explained, before beat-boxing in court.

https://youtu.be/LnQh9cdebm0

On Billie Jean he says: “Listen, you’re hearing four basses on there, doing four different personalities, and that’s what gives it character, but it takes a lot of work.” At this point he had written a couple of hundred songs and said he’d usually be working on five songs at any one time. It’s well worth listening to the 10 minutes of the trial in the video above if you want to know more.

Here’s another example of Jackson’s ability to beatbox to show how he created ‘Tabloid Junkie’. It’s from an interview with Diane Sawyer in 1995 (h/t MJ World) and you won’t believe the sound’s made by man not machine:
https://youtu.be/-a4j5Cc-pdw

Of course, you don’t need to be formally trained in music to be a successful artist. Paul McCartney has sold over 100 million records without learning how to notate. There are loads of ways musicians have found inventive methods to write songs without being able to actually pen down the chords – or if they just fancied going off the traditional path. You’ve got John Lennon assembling 10 people with pencils used to loop different sonic elements for ‘Revolution 9’. Then there’s Radiohead ‘Idioteque’ with a backbone made from a snippet of a recording Jonny Greenwood gave Thom Yorke (Greenwood’s the only trained musician in the group). “There was this section of about 40 seconds long in the middle of it that was absolute genius, and I just cut that up and that was it,” explained Yorke. Other examples include OMD who created their own notation system early on and Jason Pierce, Spiritualized’s lead singer, who wrote all the orchestral parts for ‘Let It Come Down’ by singing them into a portable tape recorder. Ian McCulloch wrote ‘The Killing Moon’ by inverting the chords to David Bowie ‘Space Oddity’ and Goldie basically draws his tracks, using weird diagrams and squares and squiggles to write – watch this episode of Producers House, it’s amazing.

Jackson created some of the greatest pop anthems of all time. As anyone who’s tried to write a song will know, it’s pretty damn hard, even if you have some grasp of chords. That he managed so amazingly without only adds to the sense that what MJ had was a special, special gift.

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 2 dicembre 2020, 10:35
da soulmum
Immagine

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

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“His manager said to me, ‘make sure you find room for him to dance’. So I went through it with him, and said we had this chorus that we could do the dancing.
When we came to do it, I said ‘I’ll show you all the paving stones that light up’, and I led him along the street. ‘This one, these two, that one…shall we walk it through and rehearse?’, and he said ‘no, let’s just do it.’
I’m on camera tracking back as he came forward - and it was astounding. When he came forward through that chorus, my eyepiece literally steamed up, and I’m thinking, ‘fucking hell, this is amazing, he is incredible.’ Dancing on his toes, the whole thing.
We shot that first take, got to the end, and everyone – up in the gantries, eating their sandwiches, reading the paper, painters working on another set – just burst into applause.
We all just knew we’d seen another era of superstar that the world was about to see. It was a major moment.”
#SteveBarron on the making of his video for Billie Jean

Immagine

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Re: Honour MJ Campaign

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"He influenced me in so many ways, more than just music... as a humanitarian, as a philanthropist, as an artist, as an individual who transcended culture. I wouldn't be who I am today without Michael Jackson. Really, he created an eclectic style of life and, throughout the years, from his childhood to his adulthood, he managed to continue to be successful, but also to continue to push the limits and push everyone's expectations." - Usher #MJHumanitarian

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 9 dicembre 2020, 12:22
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"I live and breathe confidence, but when I got into a room with Michael, y’know, I’m there with the King of Pop. But then after I got into a rhythm with him, and we became friends, it became easier and easier." Rodney Jerkins
Source: https://bit.ly/2SesKXg

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 11 dicembre 2020, 8:15
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#MichaelJackson's former artistic director and choreographer Kenny Ortega confessed to the New York Post that he constantly feels the presence of his great friend. Kenny Ortega, who was the director and producer of his This Is It tour, but also since the #BadWorldTour, made sure the King of Pop is always around 24 hours a day, always whispering something to him...′′ Michael is here 24 hours a day and always here whispering in my ear. I mean he's indelible, he's forever He's always alive in the spirit with me," #KennyOrtega

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 13 dicembre 2020, 8:22
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Speech in full

Read Madonna’s VMAs Speech Dedicated to Michael Jackson
By ROLLING STONE
Madonna surprised MTV’s VMAs tonight by opening the show with a long speech about Michael Jackson that was followed by a performance by Janet Jackson. The show closed with a spectacular look at This Is It, the film assembled from Jackson’s concert rehearsals. Read Madonna’s entire tribute here:

Michael Jackson. [Cheers] I have a little bit more to say than that. OK, here we go again. Michael Jackson was born in August 1958. So was I. Michael Jackson grew up in the suburbs of the Midwest. So did I. Michael Jackson had eight brothers and sisters. So do I. When Michael Jackson was six, he became a superstar, and was perhaps the world’s most beloved child. When I was six, my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the stick. I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood. And when you never get to have something, you become obsessed by it.

I spent my childhood searching for my mother figures. Sometimes I was successful, but how do you recreate your childhood when you are under the magnifying glass of the world?

There is no question that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest talents the world has ever known. That when he sang a song at the ripe old age of eight he could make you feel like an experienced adult was squeezing your heart with his words. That when he moved he had the elegance of Fred Astaire and packed the punch of Muhammad Ali. That his music had an extra layer of inexplicable magic that didn’t just make you want to dance but actually made you believe you could fly, dare to dream, be anything that you wanted to be. Because that is what heroes do and Michael Jackson was a hero.

He performed in soccer stadiums around the world, and sold hundreds of millions of records and dined with prime ministers and presidents. Girls fell in love with him, boys fell in love with him, everyone wanted to dance like him. He seemed otherworldly — but he was a human being.

Like most performers he was shy and plagued with insecurities. I can’t say we were great friends, but in 1991 I decided I wanted to try to get to know him better. I asked him out to dinner, I said “My treat, I’ll drive — just you and me.”

He agreed and showed up to my house without any bodyguards. We drove to the restaurant in my car. It was dark out, but he was still wearing sunglasses.

I said, “Michael, I feel like I’m talking to a limousine. Do you think you can take off your glasses so I can see your eyes?”

Then he tossed the glasses out the window, looked at me with a wink and a smile and said, “Can you see me now? Is that better?”

in that moment, I could see both his vulnerability and his charm. The rest of the dinner, I was hellbent on getting him to eat French fries, drink wine, have dessert and say bad words. Things he never seemed to allow himself to do. Later we went back to my house to watch a movie and sat on the couch like two kids, and somewhere in the middle of the movie, his hand snuck over and held mine.

It felt like he was looking for more of a friend than a romance, and I was happy to oblige. In that moment, he didn’t feel like a superstar. He felt like a human being.

We went out a few more times together, and then for one reason or another we fell out of touch. Then the witch hunt began, and it seemed like one negative story after another was coming out about Michael. I felt his pain, I know what it’s like to walk down the street and feel like the whole world is turned against you. I know what it’s like to feel helpless and unable to defend yourself because the roar of the lynch mob is so loud you feel like your voice can never be heard.

But I had a childhood, and I was allowed to make mistakes and find my own way in the world without the glare of the spotlight.

When I first heard that Michael had died, I was in London, days away from the start of my tour. Michael was going to perform in the same venue as me a week later. All I could think about in this moment was, “I had abandoned him.” That we had abandoned him. That we had allowed this magnificent creature who had once set the world on fire to somehow slip through the cracks. While he was trying to build a family and rebuild his career, we were all passing judgement. Most of us had turned our backs on him. In a desperate attempt to hold onto his memory, I went on the internet to watch old clips of him dancing and singing on TV and on stage and I thought, “my God, he was so unique, so original, so rare, and there will never be anyone like him again. He was a king.”

But he was also a human being, and alas we are all human beings and sometimes we have to lose things before we can appreciate them. I want to end this on a positive note and say that my sons, age nine and four, are obsessed with Michael Jackson. There’s a whole lot of crotch grabbing and moon walking going on in my house. And, it seems like a whole new generation of kids have discovered his genius and are bringing him to life again. I hope that wherever Michael is right now he is smiling about this.

Yes, Michael Jackson was a human being but he was a king. Long live the king.

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 13 dicembre 2020, 15:21
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Michael Jackson Greece

“It don’t matter if you’re BLACK OR WHITE”
Although this week we were supposed to give you the second part of Martin Bashir’s exposure and deceit towards Michael, we decided to shift the focus of attention to one of Michael’s most important artistic statements and finish off with Bashir next week in our last article of the year. December 7th marked 29 years since “Black or white” peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the fastest chart topper since the Beatles’ era. So tonight we’re going to talk about “Black or white”, the innovative filming methods which were used, the messages conveyed through the lyrics, the accompanying short film and the “Panther dance” segment controversy.
“Black or white” was released as the first single of Michael’s eighth studio album “Dangerous” and it was written, composed and produced by Michael and Bill Bottrell. The song in general talks about racial harmony, calls for unity and equality and its title passes on its main message: color and race do not and should not play any role in people’s lives. It became one of Michael’s strongest artistic statements in his lifelong anti-racism campaign. From the beginning of the song, Michael “told about equality and it’s true either you’re wrong or you’re right” constantly repeating that “it don’t matter if you’re black or white”. The matter of color has tortured the human race for centuries and the fact that people have been and continue to be judged by the color of their skin- even killed in the name of it- and not by the content or the quality of their character, has made the world a very cruel place for diversity to blossom. It tortured Michael’s life as well, because people refused to believe that the main reason why his skin tone changed was that he suffered from Vitiligo but kept on making up stories and accusing him of denying his own race, even after his death when his autopsy report proved that he really did suffer from this skin disorder. In the segment where the song becomes more “hard rock” let’s say, Michael bursts against the whole business, possibly meaning the music industry and the media, who have violated every aspect of his private life for the sake of money (“I’m tired of this business”) while he is also tired by racism which he describes as a “devil”. And let’s not forget that this song was written way before the first allegations broke, so we can assume that he knew all too well the dirt that accompanied the industry. He also seems very confident while aggressively stating that “I ain’t scared of nobody” including the people that may want to harm him through their acquaintances or contracts (“brother, sheets”), but also not letting anyone with racist views negatively affect him or his beliefs of racial unity. In the rap part, the lyrics talk about how “gangs, clubs and nations” have formed some specific opinions about race which have become protected “causing grief in human relations”, not letting all voices be heard. He describes it as “a turf war on a global scale” in which “he’d rather hear both sides of the tale”. This lyric refers either to the general theme of racism in the song, in which Michael tries to persuade people to hear both sides before deciding what’s wrong or right or to his own personal torments with the media and rumors. People should be more aware, listen to his side as well and not blindly accept what’s been spoon-fed to them. Furthermore, Michael doesn’t want the label of a different race; in fact he wants no labels whatsoever, as in “I’m not gonna spend my life being a color” he sides against labeling in general and wants people to accept diversity in all its forms. Judge one another upon each one’s actions, character, personality or contributions and not upon color, race, sexual orientation, background education, etc. He wants to be treated as a person and not as a color.
The accompanying short film starts with a typical American family, where the father is watching football, the mother is reading a newspaper with “I was abducted by a UFO” as its front page (directly stating that people read all kinds of garbage masked as “news” every day) and the son, portrayed by Macaulay Culkin, listening to loud music upstairs. The father angrily bursts into his son’s room and orders him to stop the music and go to sleep. When he storms the door behind him causing a Michael Jackson poster to fall down and break, the boy sets large speakers with the dial turned up in “ARE YOU NUTS!?!” in the living room, gets a guitar and tells the father to “Eat this!”. The sound shutters the windows of the house and sends the father seated in the chair half way across the world where the song actually starts. Michael included different cultures in the video and joined them in their traditional dances while also incorporating his own moves, starting from African Zulu hunters, traditional Thai dancers, Native Americans, a Sri Lankan Tamil Odissi dancer and a group of Russian dancers with Ukrainian clothing dancing the Hopak. Michael joined them as well and showed how gifted and talented he was, adjusting to any kind of dance. We’re then transported to the outer space where 2 babies (one white and one black) are sitting on what appears to be Planet Earth and are playing with a snowglobe and this supports Michael’s speeches about children being the center, future and hope of this world. Children are not born hating each other but they’re rather taught to hate each other. He then walks through visual collages of fire which show war scenes and destruction before the rap scene where he is joined by children, including Macaulay Culkin, his niece Brandi and Wade Robson, who seems to enjoy the spotlight for the attention-seeking immoral guy that he is. The final verse is performed on a large sculpted torch which is revealed to be The Statue of Liberty and while the camera zooms out we see other famous world structures like the Parthenon, Taj Mahal, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc. At the end, different people (famous and not) with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds dance as they morph into each other in order to show that we are all humans after all and nothing matters more than that. A black panther walks out of the studio and then morphs into Michael. He puts his hat on and performs some of his most classic but also complicated dance moves and routines even when no music is being played but he is also shown beat boxing giving himself a rhythm to dance on. The “Panther Dance” segment as it was named came to be criticized for its supposed suggestive and provocative scenes where Michael is grabbing his crotch, a move that Michael introduced years ago in the performance of “Billie Jean” but we guess that it did not bother anyone at that time, it bothered them now that Michael was trying to pursue world peace and unity among races. Suggestive scenes also included zipping his pants, smashing and destroying a car’s windows and throwing a steering wheel and a trash can in another window. They literally accused him of his artistic ideas in their effort to shift the focus of attention from the actual message of the song. Michael later apologized saying that “the violent and suggestive behavior was an interpretation of the animalistic instincts of a panther into a dance”. According to the media, Michael as a role model for young people was provoking them to engage in violent actions while all he was trying to do was preach against organizations who want to eliminate all forms of diversity and that’s why he produced an altered version of the “Panther dance” where the windows which he attacks have various racist messages on them like “No more wetbacks” or “KKK rules”. They baptized the segment “controversial” and later cut it from various streams.
The song was performed live during the “Dangerous” and “HIStory” world tours and was supposed to be included in the “This is it” tour, which was cancelled due to Michael’s untimely death. “Black or white” became an anthem on diversity, racial equality and unity amongst races like no other. While it is true that Michael always took the chance to insert his own personal message against the war he was dealing with the media, he never deviated from his main goal: to make this world a better place for everyone. All he wanted was for people to be good towards each other and not let color or race influence their relationships. His message seems so relevant even today that racism is still a major problem and for some, a reason to kill. Do not fall into this trap guys, it really “don’t matter if you’re black or white”.

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 13 dicembre 2020, 20:00
da soulmum
#OnThisDay December 14th, 2008. #MichaelJackson wearing a Zorro mask while shopping in Los Angeles.
“Sometimes he would call me up and pretend to be his own secretary. That high, frilly, innocent voice of his was one of three or four different voices he had." #BarryGibb

Re: Honour MJ Campaign

Inviato: 14 dicembre 2020, 15:10
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December 14th, 1969. Ed Sullivan wanted to book the kids on his show. He and Berry Gordy reached
an agreement and The Jackson 5 was booked to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
That night, Ed Sullivan introduced The Jackson 5 as "a sensational group" and the brothers took to the stage to sing "Stand" for Sly and the Family Stone. The song, which included a charming dance number, was filled with feelings. After that, a lovely Michael Jackson, dressed in a striking hat and a bright purple vest, told a story about a girl he met in the sandbox at school, which led to Smokey Robinson's "Who's Loving You. Michael really showed his vocal range in that number. The third song on the set was The Jackson 5's first single "I Want You Back. The song dazzled and surprised the audience. Ten-year-old Michael had a smile and a confident attitude along with an incredibly moving voice and impressive dance moves. He had a special glow in his eyes and was seen incredibly at home performing on stage.
At the end of his set, Ed Sullivan shook hands with the boys and called Diana Ross in the audience. He introduced her as "the person who discovered The Jackson 5. At that point, it really didn't matter who discovered the five young people, as they had won over the studio audience and everyone watching across the country. That night, Ed was amazed at Michael's enormous talent and clearly liked it when he said, "The little boy in front is amazing."