Michael Jackson's final rehearsal for London concerts may be released as album

http://www.nydailynews.co...JmbSYQuh&D

Michael Jackson's final rehearsal for his London concert tour was recorded in high definition video and audio on the eve of his death -- and could be released as the King of Pop's final album, sources said Sunday.

The rehearsals at the Staples Center in Los Angeles were taped by concert promotion company AEG Live to produce an album and DVD of what Jackson had billed his "final performance" tour called "This Is It," according to Sharon Waxman of the Hollywood blog TheWrap.com.

One AEG official boasted to a colleague this weekend, "We have a live album in the can," Waxman writes.
Jackson had failed to appear at many of the scheduled rehearsals in Los Angeles over the past two months, but he was there for an "electric" full rehearsal on the night before his death.

The rehearsal, which went on for several hours, included dancers, musicians and aerial performers. Three people close to the production said it had been captured by multiple cameras, and the audio was digitally recorded in a manner that could be used to produce surround-sound DVD and audio products.

Randy Phillips, president and CEO of AEG Live, the nation's second largest concert promoter, emailed that he would not comment for the story. The spectacular 50-concert series at London's 02 arena was set to begin in July.

AEG Live may stand to lose millions due to the unexpected cancellation of Jackson's 50-show London concert series, but potential earnings from recordings of the star's final moments could offset the losses - and then some.

Retailers like Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble have reportedly sold out of Jackson goods in the days after his death.

Patrick Woodroffe, a lighting designer for the concerts, watched the final rehearsal, he told the BBC.

"We had rehearsed for the last couple weeks. We put together a complicated show, quite a spectacular show," Woodroffe said.

"Of course a huge part of it was him, and I would say for the last week he hadn't really been with us. He would appear, and he would rehearse sometimes, and he would not rehearse," he said.

"I guess that we were nervous whether we would be able to carry off this show at the 02."

Rogue588 said:

It's ironic U ask that question. My Dad was listening to the radio this morning (I think it was Steve Harvey's show), and he told me that a caller described how he suffers from Vitiligo and has a COMPLETE loss of melanin, with no patches of brown skin anywhere. So unless the caller was lying, yes, it's possible. The caller also said that he understood why Michael decided to have facial surgeries after he began to lose his color, because he (the caller) has been teased for being completely "white" with African features, and cannot afford plastic surgery.

lazycrockett said:

That's exactly what I thought when hearing that story. Nothing was handled properly at all.

kibbles said:

Yes, indeed. And if he was diagnosed with "anxiety" disorder, he was a definite worrier, and concentrated on his health nonstop. Plus, not having an appetite, and the stress on his body from those rehearsals apparently made his condition worse, both physically and mentally. Prescriptions may have contributed to his poor state, but I believe stress directly caused all of this to happen.

Shit, I heard you're not supposed to take Advil on an empty stomach...imagine taking all those hard drugs and not taking care of yourself...

Randy Phillips and AEG need to be checked out! They are shady as hell!

I can't believe the amount of stress they placed on this poor man to perform 50 shows:-x
[Edited 6/28/09 20:03pm]

Gibson9000 said:

I think it was a dig but not a racial one. It was a dig about Michael being childlike.

EmeraldSkies said:

They said Monday. I think they have to have some time to get it already, no? It's not like the internet...

suga10 said:

I think they are the most responsible as well. The quote where Randy says he was out dancing the 20 year olds at the rehearsal the night before totally pisses me off. He was 50! F**kin' delusional to think he was going to be able to perform high intensity dance routines. I guarantee you AEG used Prince's 21 nights as bait to make him commit to 50 shows..."Sure, Mike, 10 shows is great but you know Prince did 21 right?"

mynameisnotsusan said:

Exactly.

Randy Phillips is a jackass and one of many moneymaking leeches Jackson was surrounded by.

I find it odd how he hasn't said anything since MJ passed away.
[Edited 6/28/09 20:40pm]

His early death is very sad. It's also sad that he didn't get to do the comeback with the 50 concerts in London. Reflecting on his life he didn't get the chance to have a proper childhood which I think influenced him a lot in his adult life. He leaves us with an impressive musical legacy. Thanks for all the music Michael.

mynameisnotsusan said:

nah. MJ is the most responsible.

VinnyM27 said:

I don't know if it was a dig at all. A huge part of Michael's charm was based on the image he created of himself as Peter Pan figure. He was the unstoppable philanthropist who cared about starving children and heralded his chimp bubbles as a close friend. Dig or not, it was accurate.

errant said:

No they are responsible. They are the ones who fired all of MJ's old staff, and put in these "new people"
[Edited 6/28/09 20:48pm]

mynameisnotsusan said:

This is great news. I was really hoping to eventually see or hear something from the This Is It shows, but a rehearsal would be heat as well.

suga10 said:

Michael Jackson wasn't doing anything Michael Jackson didn't want to be doing, I can guarantee you that.

lazycrockett said:

Well honey, Joe surely was on the BET awards, he's holding up pretty well!

They were saying the family was kept away from Michael during his last days? What a crock of shit. This Cardiologist is saying Michael owes him over 100,000 for prescription drug meds!

Chic35 said:

I thought the doctor worked for AIE? Which brings up another thing, do you really think MJ only had one doctor?

lazycrockett said:

NO he was Michael's personal physican and the contract was to be signed by Michael Jackson, in order for him to get paid, is what I saw on CNN. Michael NEVER signed the contact. Plus the Dr is saying Michael owes him 300,000 extra! They are so far saying the Dr isn't a suspect. He showed up to be quetioned with a shitload of lawyers. The cardiologist said Michael was so frail he couldn't even admit CPR the correct way.

Guess who is NOT getting paid!

Micheal had several Doctors visiting him to hook him up with prescription drugs. I don't know if he still associated with them at the time of his death though.
[Edited 6/28/09 21:19pm]

This is some crazy stuff here. This was said in December.

http://www.dailymail.co.u...gPage=true

I don't believe everything Halperin is saying in that article, but he mentioned about several things which might seem valid.



Strange how his entourage says Jackson has six months to live. This was said in December.






[Edited 6/28/09 21:29pm]

It's lookin' like there was something "not right" about his entire life.

suga10 said:

Well I don't know if I'm going to believe the Daily Mail and all of its "sources".

suga10 said:

Damn that was an interesting read! Arthelle Nevell, said Michael's health was fading and that is why he moved back to Los Angeles. I am starting to think even if drugs didn't play a factor he wouldn't have held on much longer. Think about it if he was in perfect health do do those concerts, why the hell would he have a cardiologist there at his home??? I think the Jackson Family knew the inevitable and some of his close friends, we the fans were the last to know!

Somebody opened a thread about this and it was locked, as a rumor! Now he has passed, that is VERY SPOOKY!

So still no offical word on funeral arrangements? Whether it will be public or private or not? What day? Anything?

http://www.inquisitr.com/...sy-leaked/

i really hope this isn't true. but if it is than why did the guy at the press conference say that there was no indication of foul play

I don't believe everything written in that article.

Michael might not have been in greatest health, but I think his entourage pushed him over the edge in his final days.

cdcgold said:

Holy shit! If that is true then he was a walking corpse! According to Gladys Knight he's been sick for a while. I could believe that report, reporters said he was was frail. Deepak Chopra said parts of his body was disfigured due to years of cosmetic surgery.

I'm watching E news and they're acting like the 'One more chance' video photos were recent? It's really annoying. They're saying it was for a new single. They really don't know there facts do they?

Chic35 said:

No he did not. He said his body was disfigured from Lupus and vitiligo. And from a result of that obession with plastic surgey began.

Michael Jackson needed help and it was up to him to get it. It is very hard for families to help drug addicts who do not wish to be helped. The addict is usually in deep denial. They lie and they alienate their families. They surround themselves with other junkies to feed their addictions, and they often get very angry and defensive, sometimes violent against those that love them and want to help them. I am sad that this happened to MJ, but he contributed to his own death. Yes, he had a hard life but so have others. At some point we must all accept responsibility for our own actions and stop blaming our childhoods, and our mommies and daddies for all our adult issues. That is just a cop out.

I speak from experience because like Janet, I too have a brother that is slowly killing himself with drugs and no matter what we do or say, all we can do is watch as he destroys himself. As I watched the MJ reports with my brother the other night on CNN, I wondered if he saw himself, and at the same time I was terrified to bring up his addiction because he has lashed out against me in the past. This is what it is like to love an addict. It is a life full of heartache,and unless THEY choose to get help, the families have nothing but heartache to look forward to.