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Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! |
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ProtegeGlow said: Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! I don't think it proves anything, let alone what you claim his silence to! It's your expectations that are pissing you off. Everyone has the right to offer condolences or not. But I'm sure Prince will give your opinion the thought and time it deserves  | |
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ProtegeGlow said: ...so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. I bet that will be his way. | |
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BlueNote said: ProtegeGlow said: ...so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. I bet that will be his way. Mick Jagger not said anything as far as i know, in fact alot of stars have said very little, they are all in shock, i mean he was only 50 that's very young  Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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why would prince need to say anything public about M.J.?
prince is not a media whore,he probably give condolences to Jacksin family in private the way it should be. half of the starts who said anything about michael didn't realy give a shit about him they wanted media space. When asked about michael prince said:genius, when asked about janet prince said genious sister,so that enough. stop panting and wishing prince to be a media whore | |
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On paulmccartney.com, McCartney wrote:
Some time ago, the media came up with the idea that Michael Jackson was going to leave his share in the Beatles songs to me in his will which was completely made up and something I didn’t believe for a second. "Now the report is that I am devastated to find that he didn’t leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report was true and therefore, the report that I’m devastated is also totally false, so don’t believe everything you read folks! In fact, though Michael and I drifted apart over the years, we never really fell out, and I have fond memories of our time together. At times like this, the press do tend to make things up, so occasionally, I feel the need to put the record straight. Paul This is the reason most stars keep their mouths shut... [Edited 7/11/09 9:18am] Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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thebanishedone said: why would prince need to say anything public about M.J.?
prince is not a media whore,he probably give condolences to Jacksin family in private the way it should be. half of the starts who said anything about michael didn't realy give a shit about him they wanted media space. When asked about michael prince said:genius, when asked about janet prince said genious sister,so that enough. stop panting and wishing prince to be a media whore Exactly. Asked about Michael, he answered Genius. Asked about Janet, he answered Genius' sister. Asked about the CM allegations, he said (paraphrasing): "we don't know all the facts, so we should chill on that" Ahdio Transmission from NPGMC Year One: he mentions the Jackson 5 among other "legacy" artists that need to be respected and protected I haven't read eulogy statements from A LOT of "peers", some of which have worked with him: Prince, Bono, George Michael, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, etc. Don't single Prince out. But, I really do think he'll do some sort of tribute to MJ at Montreaux. |
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ProtegeGlow said: Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! Bull. Prince (or any other public figure for that matter) doesn't owe the public anyththing in terms of how he chooses to recognize this passing. The public and his fans don't own him. While you may consciously choose to own his music, sorry, but you don't call the shots on how she should personally and respond to death. That's not your, my or anyone else's place.  | |
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LondonStyle said: On paulmccartney.com, McCartney wrote:
Some time ago, the media came up with the idea that Michael Jackson was going to leave his share in the Beatles songs to me in his will which was completely made up and something I didn’t believe for a second. "Now the report is that I am devastated to find that he didn’t leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report was true and therefore, the report that I’m devastated is also totally false, so don’t believe everything you read folks! In fact, though Michael and I drifted apart over the years, we never really fell out, and I have fond memories of our time together. At times like this, the press do tend to make things up, so occasionally, I feel the need to put the record straight. Paul This is the reason most stars keep their mouths shut...
[Edited 7/11/09 9:18am] I agree and no matter what Prince might say, people would find fault with it. Why are people obsessing about this, I don't get it? | |
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midiscover said: nurseV said:  You can inherit even eyebrows Stop running
Blanket is his kid that's for sure but not the two eldest ones Can someone throw Blankets pic up next to the young MJ's pic ? do a side by side of them on this thread? this is the time of the first fast. | |
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ProtegeGlow said: Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
What connection did Prince have to MJ?
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! He had a greater connection to JB. Did he issue a public statement then? | |
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ProtegeGlow said: Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! ACTUALLY ABCNEWS MENTIONED THE FACT THAT PRINCE HADNT ISSUED A STATEMENT AND ADDED THAT MJ AND PRINCE HATED EACH OTHER. I READ THIS ONLINE ABOUT 3-4DAYS BACK I COULD PROVIDE A LINK IF NEEDED. |
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Prince didn't issue official statements when:
Rick James died Jame Brown died His parents died His son died 'Nuff said. We all handle grief differently. | |
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asg said: ProtegeGlow said: Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! ACTUALLY ABCNEWS MENTIONED THE FACT THAT PRINCE HADNT ISSUED A STATEMENT AND ADDED THAT MJ AND PRINCE HATED EACH OTHER. I READ THIS ONLINE ABOUT 3-4DAYS BACK I COULD PROVIDE A LINK IF NEEDED. ABC News knows as much about the relationship between Prince and MJ as anyone on the org.... So the only FACT is they don't know r.i.p. MJ Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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Craig David and other British artists respond to Michael Jackson's death. [Edited 7/11/09 10:39am] | |
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Vendetta1 said: ProtegeGlow said: Okay President Obama, President Clinton, Madonna! All have spoken publicly about the passing of Michael Jackson. It's starting to piss me off that Prince hasn't issued a statement.
What connection did Prince have to MJ?
Don't give me this "everybody mourns differently or privately" baloney! When you are a public figure, especially with some connection to the famous person who died, you owe it to the public to make a statement. Now granted Prince may not have appeared in public since MJs passing, so I'm giving him until he hits the stage in Montreux to say something or pay tribute. If he stays mum, it will prove he is the most self-centered, selfish bastard that ever lived! He had a greater connection to JB. Did he issue a public statement then? No. | |
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bboy87 said: ya'll just ignored my essay.....
ya'll muthafuckas don't appreciate nothin'! runs out of thread DUDE, they ignored my review too, calm your black ass down. | |
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EmeraldSkies said: Death and taxes: Big IRS bill looms for MJ estate
NEW YORK – The Tax Man is in the mirror for the estate of the late King of Pop. Creditors and heirs of Michael Jackson hoping for a cut of his musical empire will have to line up with the Internal Revenue Service, which could lay claim to $80 million or more in federal estate taxes. To settle his tax bill, the executors of his estate may have to sell or borrow against lucrative but hard-to-value assets or ask the IRS for a multi-year extension. That could allow the estate to pay the tab over time with earnings from Jackson's share in rights to songs by the Beatles and his own music — prized properties whose value will likely make the estate's tax bill only bigger. "The government is not going to take a Beatles record as payment. They want to be paid in cash," said Roy Kozupsky, a veteran estate lawyer in New York who has worked on behalf of several wealthy clients. Given the convoluted nature of Jackson's finances, coming up with the cash won't be easy. Technically, the tax bill is due nine months after the date of death. In special cases, estates can spread out the payments for a period of up to 14 years. Once paid, the tax bill could dramatically shrink the inheritance passed on to the pop star's heirs — his 79-year-old mother and three children. "It's going to mean less money going to the beneficiaries," said Lawrence Heller, a partner in the tax and estate practice of the law firm Bryan Cave in Santa Monica, Calif. "They're the ones that are going to suffer." The estate's tax dilemma highlights the cost and complexity of dying wealthy in America. Ironically, had Jackson died six months later, his estate may have had to pay no estate tax at all. Under current law, the estate tax is set to be lifted for one year starting Jan. 1, 2010. However, most experts expect Congress to overturn the one-year suspension before the end of 2009, meaning the estate tax would remain in place. Established in the early 1900s, the so-called "death tax" assesses up to a 45 percent tax on individual estates worth more than $3.5 million. As in a bankruptcy case, Jackson's creditors will jockey for first crack at his fortune. But the estate's initial obligation will be to pay the late star's taxes, said Beth Kaufman, a Washington-based attorney specializing in estate tax issues. "There is no question that the U.S. government has first priority," she said. To calculate the amount owed, subtract an estate's debts from its assets and set aside 45 percent of what's left for the IRS. The first $3.5 million is exempt. The IRS also allows unlimited, tax-free transfers of assets to a spouse and charities, as well as deductions for funeral expenses, attorneys' fees and other administrative costs. The current value of Jackson's estate isn't known, making it impossible to know how much he'll owe in federal estate tax. According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, he claimed $567.6 million in assets as of March 31, 2007, including Neverland and his share of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog, which holds the rights to songs by the Beatles, Bob Dylan and other artists. The documents also show that Jackson had $331 million in debt. That would leave him with a net worth about $236 million at the time. Based on that number, Jackson's federal estate tax bill could exceed $83 million after exemptions. California, where Jackson lived at the time of his death, has no estate tax, but some states do. Representatives of Jackson's estate declined to comment. The pop icon died June 25 of what his family said was cardiac arrest. According to his will, all of Jackson's assets will go into a trust. The twice-divorced entertainer left 20 percent of his estate to charities. That could leave 80 percent of his net estate subject to "a very sizable" death tax, said Randy Godshall, an estate attorney at Los Angeles-based Sheppard Mullin law firm. "But there will no doubt be a lot of negotiation with the IRS on that, because his assets are hard to value," Godshall said. The IRS is not required to accept the estate's appraisal of Jackson's assets, and very likely will conduct its own audit, he said. "They'll often come back with their own, higher values — I've never heard of them coming back and saying, 'You overvalued this'," he said. The IRS declined to comment, citing federal rules prohibiting it from discussing individual taxpayers. If the two sides can't agree, the case would go into litigation. In rare cases, the IRS can seize assets to cover a tax bill, but usually settlements are reached. Worries over estate tax were a big factor in the lengthy legal battle over the estate of singer James Brown, who died of heart failure on Christmas Day, 2006. A judge in May approved a settlement that gives nearly half of his assets to a charitable trust, about a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to Brown's adult children. The IRS won't say how much tax is owed on his estate. The federal estate tax affects less than 1 percent of the U.S. population. It will generate an estimated $26 billion this year — only about 1 percent of federal tax revenue. Still, the estate tax has become the subject of political debate in recent years. In Washington, some Republican lawmakers want to abolish it. Others have called for exempting estates up to $10 million from the tax. They also want estates larger than that to be taxed at a 35 percent rate. As it stands now, the threshold for the estate tax is set to fall back to $1 million in 2011, but the Obama administration is expected to change that so the tax will still kick in at $3.5 million. None of the proposed changes would impact Jackson's estate, whose tax bill is technically due March, 25, 2010. Experts say it's likely the IRS will grant a multi-year extension. But even then, the estate would still have to begin paying interest in March. Jackson's estate may have planned for a big estate tax bill. He had an insurance trust in his name as of Aug. 26, 2003, according to a financial document addressed to the singer and obtained by the AP. Insurance trusts are often set up by estates to pay federal estate tax. One possible wild card: Jackson's estate could claim that his debt exceeds his assets, in which case he'd owe no estate tax. But "it would be hard to incur that kind of liability," Kozupsky said, noting that creditors would be wary of such debt-ridden borrowers. He noted we may never learn the amount of Jackson's estate tax bill since the IRS isn't required to say. "It could remain a mystery for quite a while," Kozupsky said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...kson_taxes Wow... who knew? | |
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Copycat said: Prince didn't issue official statements when:
Rick James died Jame Brown died His parents died His son died 'Nuff said. We all handle grief differently. I think Prince has spoken to the media/news/music/record compaines in this official statement in 1997: 
(dead like elvis) {sample repeated in song} Check, check, 1 2, check U know what hes sayin? Face down! {x2} Somebody once told him that he wouldnt take prince through the ringer Let him go down as a washed up singer Aint that a bitch? Thinkin all along that he wanted 2 be rich Never respected the root of all evil and he still dont 2 this day, huh Bury him face down, let the motherfuckers kiss a ass, ok? Face down! {x2} Told em he wanted 2 sing a song about a black child goin buck wild And they just laughed in his face Talk 2 your lawyer but u got no case What u need 2 do is keep your place Next time u pull a card, it better be a ace motherfucker Or u can lay face down (face down!) 1 2 Face down! 1 2 Horn {x2} Bass {x2} Him and her meaning who Im singin about And his psychoanalyst kinda saw the catalyst As the devil with the blue jeans on, huh Aint it kinda funny when u see the dawn? Sign the name they gave ya But when them motherfuckers turn around ass up, ure what? Face down! 1 2 Face down! new power generation in the house, bury em all Face down! yes, oh lord Face down! Orchestra {x3} Face down! Orchestra Face down! Its in his will, I read it He shot 2 kill, he said it 4 those who know the number and dont call Hmph, fuck all yall Face down! {x3} Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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>edit> [Edited 7/11/09 10:28am] | |
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Lotus2unfld said: midiscover said:
Blanket is his kid that's for sure but not the two eldest ones Can someone throw Blankets pic up next to the young MJ's pic ? do a side by side of them on this thread? I posted a picture of young Mike a few pages back and he looks exactly like Blanket  | |
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LondonStyle said: Copycat said: Prince didn't issue official statements when:
Rick James died Jame Brown died His parents died His son died 'Nuff said. We all handle grief differently. I think Prince has spoken to the media/news/music/record compaines in this official statement in 1997:
(dead like elvis) {sample repeated in song} Check, check, 1 2, check U know what hes sayin? Face down! {x2} Somebody once told him that he wouldnt take prince through the ringer Let him go down as a washed up singer Aint that a bitch? Thinkin all along that he wanted 2 be rich Never respected the root of all evil and he still dont 2 this day, huh Bury him face down, let the motherfuckers kiss a ass, ok? Face down! {x2} Told em he wanted 2 sing a song about a black child goin buck wild And they just laughed in his face Talk 2 your lawyer but u got no case What u need 2 do is keep your place Next time u pull a card, it better be a ace motherfucker Or u can lay face down (face down!) 1 2 Face down! 1 2 Horn {x2} Bass {x2} Him and her meaning who Im singin about And his psychoanalyst kinda saw the catalyst As the devil with the blue jeans on, huh Aint it kinda funny when u see the dawn? Sign the name they gave ya But when them motherfuckers turn around ass up, ure what? Face down! 1 2 Face down! new power generation in the house, bury em all Face down! yes, oh lord Face down! Orchestra {x3} Face down! Orchestra Face down! Its in his will, I read it He shot 2 kill, he said it 4 those who know the number and dont call Hmph, fuck all yall Face down! {x3} Prince knows the deal: kiss your remains when you're dead and gone but call you a fool and spit at you when you're alive. That's the lives of musicians/celebrities in general. | |
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Timmy84 said: EmeraldSkies said: Death and taxes: Big IRS bill looms for MJ estate
NEW YORK – The Tax Man is in the mirror for the estate of the late King of Pop. Creditors and heirs of Michael Jackson hoping for a cut of his musical empire will have to line up with the Internal Revenue Service, which could lay claim to $80 million or more in federal estate taxes. "It could remain a mystery for quite a while," Kozupsky said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...kson_taxes Wow... who knew? The funny think about these media stories is that as soon as MJ passed away the big Financial Companies looked at his estate and its legacy, within 48 hours all the respected one's agreed that MJ is loaded...(has a lots of money) I.E. his estate can pay off all debts and then some the IRS will get their money they know this already...that was the first calculation made.. It's sad that the media need to sell MJ stories to make money as they are all going out of business... The only thing that is selling globally are 1. Drugs, 2. War. 3. MJ Cd's... FACT... R.I.P. M.J. Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us! | |
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Copycat said: Prince didn't issue official statements when:
Rick James died Jame Brown died His parents died His son died 'Nuff said. We all handle grief differently. You Copycat'd my thoughts! | |
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matthewgrant said: utopia7 said: Lets lighten the mood in here lol @ Eddie
! that never gets old for a good laugh. I like the song too actually.um... the less said about this, the better
one good thing ... it's nice to see Michael in such a relaxed, casual mood in a video, which is kind of rare when you think about it. | |
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Michael Jackson: The Essential Playlist Culling a playlist from an artist as estimable and earth-shaking as Michael Jackson is a monumental task. There's always going to be the one that got away —the shoulda-been classic that got dwarfed simply because his classics were just too towering to allow any runner-ups. But whether chart-topper or quiet victory, what stands out about the best Michael Jackson songs is how the music mostly cleared the way for his outsized personality. His vocal style was marvelously flexible, often favoring simple attack over cheap pyrotechnics, and he applied it to some of the most indelible melodies ever written. It's those qualities that cement his legend as pop legend bar none. "I Want You Back" What better place to start than at the beginning? If anything, this whirling R&B number sounds even better some 40 years on than it did when it was released. Eleven-year-old Michael's voice on this tune is a wonder: aching and expressive like the best of his years-older soul peers, dicing up syllables on the verses and clinging on to long sustains in the chorus. As close to perfect as pop songs can get. "Rock With You" And with this song, the template for Justin Timberlake's career was established. What's remarkable about "Rock With You" is how unobtrusive it is: a silky string section and barely-there twitch of guitar — Michael doesn't even hit the word "Rock" all that hard — he just glides over it, preferring to charm with a wink and a smile rather than with aggression or ferocity. "Billie Jean" Michael practically sobs out the verses on "Billie Jean," his wrung-dry, pained performance at the center of this stormy pop classic. Jackson and producer Quincy Jones load the song with weird, wonderful touches: that sudden, diving string section, the stray doodles of organ, Michael's sampled gasp turning up between measures like he's coming up for air. It's been said before, but it's worth repeating: "Billie Jean" is a masterpiece, and one that doesn't lose its strange, dark power, no matter how many times you hear it. "Give In to Me" Michael Jackson was often at his best when he was indulging a dark streak, and this strange, sinister number about obsessive love from Dangerous is all ice and shadows. Jackson sounds agonized on the chorus, and Slash's eerie descending arpeggios envelop the song like spiderwebs — one of Jackson's more masterfully ominous numbers. "Thriller" And speaking of masterfully ominous. "Thriller"'s 13-minute video is so rife with camp charm it's easy to overlook the song's inherent, cheeky darkness. This is, after all, a song that begins with something evil lurking in the dark, makes a brief stop at demon posession before ending with an army of zombies descending on their prey. But Jackson and Quincy Jones surround those lyrics with such spectacular robo-funk — that simple six-note synth riff rolling over and over, unmistakable and unforgettable — that it's easy to miss the skeletons crouching in its shadows. "Human Nature" Simple, stark, quiet and beautiful and boasting a windswept synth-string part that Nas would later sample for "It Ain't Hard to Tell," "Human Nature" is one of Jackson's most subtle and affecting ballads. The way his voice tumbles down the notes in the chorus is a master class in vocal delivery, and his pleading repetition of "Why? Why?" is the sound of quiet heartbreak. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' " The refrain sounds like confrontation, but in between the title's repeated jabs come genuine sympathy: "You're stuck in the middle, and the pain is thunder." The song is Motown revisited, its roaming synth-bass a stand-in for James Jamerson, its edges rounded out with roving horn charts and gospel-tinged backing vocals. "The Way You Make Me Feel" Four and a half minutes of unadulterated bliss, "The Way You Make Me Feel" cruises slowly on a rubberband bass line elevated by Jackson's ecstatic whoops and yelps. Every piece of this song is in perfect place, the big brass punctuating each of Jackson's heartfelt demonstrations of affection. "Smooth Criminal" Tense and agitated, Jackson turns his voice into a machine gun, reducing the verses to a hail of tiny sounds. He pulls off a mean feat in this one, seeming to sympathize with both the aggressor and the aggressee, his hoarse, whispered "Annie, are you OK?" sounding like the set-up in some odd horror film. "Black or White" It's the weird facial morphing at the end of the video that everyone remembers, but the lead single from Jackson's Dangerous is a tidy bit of pop, Jackson's soulful vocal framed by a bright, ringing guitar phrase. Jackson had the tendency to skew obvious when being topical, but "Black or White" keenly smuggles social commentary into a love song, using matters of the heart to erase racial barriers. "In the Closet" Jackson's minor hits are just as fascinating — if not more so — than his blockbusters. On this 1991 song, he seems to be imagining the whole of post-'00s pop music. The beats are Timbaland-tiny, and Jackson's voice is barely more than a stutter until the chorus, where he stretches out long and lean and limber. "Scream" The much-vaunted collaboration between Michael and sister Janet was viewed by some as a disappointment when it was unveiled in 1995 — bolstered by what was, at the time, the most expensive music video ever shot. Now, though, it's a terrific bit of pop paranoia, the Jacksons bitterly lashing out against doubters and naysayers over a fierce electro backdrop — one periodically pierced by Jackson's pained yelps. "I Can't Help It" Michael does Stevie: a light, elegant Wonder-ful ballad finds Jackson scaling back his vocal assault, floating just above a lush bed of organ and bass. He takes his time on this one, making its pleasures simple but irresistible. "Leave Me Alone" Picking up where "Scream" left off, "Leave Me Alone" finds Jackson taking a toothier tack against his tabloid assailants. The song works because the music sounds like vintage Michael: a batch of thick chords for Jackson to vamp over, a kind of darker inversion of "The Way You Make Me Feel." This time, though, that way was worked-up and angry, and Jackson's aggressive scraping of the high notes makes plain his frustration. "P.Y.T." Another of Jackson's elegant R&B numbers, he cruises cleanly up the center of the burbling backdrop; like most early hits, "P.Y.T." finds Jackson at his most controlled, saving his big yearning yelps for the chorus, and making them all the more indelible by their infrequency. "Beat It" And why not end with another bona fide classic? This song is so familiar it hardly bears much exposition, but what stands out now is its marvelous simplicity: that simple, toothy guitar attack and one of Jackson's fiercer vocal attacks. This is edgy Michael at his best, and Eddie Van Halen's searing central solo only serves as a mirror of Jackson's own urgency. Again, the song is a sly subversion: What Jackson's advocating isn't attack, it's retreat. "Beat It" is, in the end, a celebration of the spot-on of the confidence that comes from knowing you have nothing you need to prove. Link | |
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Michael Jackson: The Love We Save
Holly Cara Price Here's an equation for you. Take one aging celebrity, mix in a hefty scoop of childhood abuse, add a few dozen helpings of bad publicity for pedophilia charges and just plain bizarre behavior, mix in a lethal cocktail of dangerous prescription drugs, plus the loss of billions of dollars due to years of mismanagement and an over the top lifestyle most of us could never even dream of. There's really only one way out of that mess, and it happened two weeks ago to 50 year old Michael Joseph Jackson: Death. For most of his short, anguished time on earth he was larger than life, but in death MJ has eclipsed all other dead celebs (okay, except for, um, Jesus of Nazareth) for sheer marketability and money-making prowess. And talk about a TV ratings bonanza; holy mamasay-mamasah, the whole world stopped to make room for the breaking news of Jackson's death on June 25th. Iran? Forgotten. Mark Sanford? Luckiest guy in the world, apparently. Recession? Snore. New Iphone? Whatever. And the memorial service? Viewership numbers through the roof, all over the world. We'll get to that. Perhaps you remember that for a few minutes, right before MJ was rushed to the hospital that Thursday, the world had been stunned and transfixed by the cellphone video of 26 year old Neda Soltani, killed in living color during a protest in Tehran. The video of her death made the situation in Iran immediate and present to us; it made it real. Such is the power of the internet, which transcends all media, making it immediate in every sense. MJ needed no such boost to make his death relevant to the world. Love him, hate him, you can't help but acknowledge that he changed the world of music forever. But watching the carrion circling him now is plainly horrific. I worry about those three children, who have just inherited the biggest therapy bills known to humankind (although possibly, some day, also the biggest book deals of all time). Their lives up to now must have set new standards for weirdness; what's incredibly sad is that that was nothing compared to the future. Jermaine told NBC News, in tears, that he wishes it had been him who died instead of Michael (hmm...new reality show? I'm A Jackson, Get Me Out of Here!). And Debbie Rowe has done an about face and declared she suddenly wants the two kids she gave birth to, after saying just the opposite right after Jackson's death. Way to go, Deb. Break up a family that's just lost their father. She's obviously ripe for reality TV, maybe she can get signed on to the Octomom's TV deal or something equally tasteless. It's now abundantly clear that Jackson's money-making abilities are even more pronounced after his death (it's the Kurt Cobain / Anna Nicole Smith / Elvis Presley / Heath Ledger syndrome - times ten). This is clearly a cash cow of such magnitude that it makes my head hurt. Downloads of Jackson's music since his passing set a new standard for internet music sales. His album sales for the last week of June were more than the entire year of sales for the same records. News of his death nearly brought down the largest and most robust internet media sites. Over 31 million U.S. viewers watched the public memorial service on Tuesday on broadcast television. It's estimated that a number close to that watched it live on the web. And ... may I say ... his final sleep chamber, the gold coffin covered in flowers positioned center stage at the Staples Center - was that really necessary at a ceremony planned to celebrate his life? This is only the first two weeks, people. Now that it's clear that MJ was, if anything, worth more dead than alive, we're so in for it. This news story will go on forever. There will always be someone else crawling out of the woodwork saying they sat next to him in fourth grade or waited on him in a supermarket at 2 a.m. or similar crazy stuff. Any unreleased audio and video material is going to be doled out to the public with big price tags, now that it's clear there is an insatiable thirst for anything related to MJ. That AEG footage of his tour rehearsals? Certainly a ploy to whet our appetite for the rest of that material, of which there is said to be quite a bit. In fact, Time Magazine said today that plans are underway for a show in London on Aug. 29 - Jackson's 51st birthday - featuring footage from the rehearsals plus performances by Jackson family members. The only thing missing would be MJ himself. This makes me very queasy; I can now picture years of Jackson tours ahead - the brothers Jackson suddenly being marketable again after decades of living in MJ's shadow. Each show will be a tribute to Michael and a massive sales success. You see it too, don't you? It's inevitable. He may have died in debt, but in no time at all that debt will be erased - if it hasn't been already by the album sales. Eleven days later. Unused tickets to the shows at O2 Arena will no doubt be worth their weight in gold in years to come. Who needs a refund when you have that sitting in your dresser drawer - the value will only go up. AEG has opened a web shop for the concert merch they were planning on selling at the shows. You can buy "Who's Bad" belt buckles, King of Pop wallets, wine glasses, tote bags, socks and other apparel (check out the Michael Jackson Decadent Berry Women's Shirt). Oh yeah, and in case you haven't noticed, everyone suddenly has had to put in their two cents about Jackson, what he meant to the pop culture zeitgeist, and why he died. My favorite comment yet comes from Rush Limbaugh, who said on his radio show: "Michael Jackson's biggest successes took place in the 80's . . . he flourished under Reagan, he languished under Clinton/Bush, and died under Obama . . . I mean, facts are facts, a timeline's a timeline . . ." Death. It's a whole new media strategy for success. The only problem is, you're not around to enjoy the spoils. This column originally ran in a slightly different form on the blog The Critical Condition. Follow Holly Cara Price on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hollycara | |
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kibbles said: ehuffnsd said: adopted kids are family! yes but as i said upthread and desiree echoes, there is a concern that the rules will change with respect to mj if those kids aren't his bio kids. If Debbie Rowe (or how ever she spells it) is behind these nasty rumors.... there are a couple of points to remember. 1. She abandoned owenership and property rights to her ovum and fertilized egg and succeeding children born of that fertizliation, upon entering her agreement with MJ to act as surrogate to his children. 2. Furthermore, as part of that agreement she also agreed to abandon the children .... custody rights to those children she gave birth to in leiu of payment for services rendered so unlike a work for hire contract. Just a little more complex. Anything created or produced in that collaboration would belong to MJ. 3. She has established a precedence ...which is a BIG deal in the courts, by keeping with this agreement, the meets, bounds, terms and conditions of that agreement...something like a work for hire agreement for years after the fact. A little late in the game to come back now and claim anything different. She can't sya that lived in fear for her life, that MJ beat her or anyting like that, waaaay too late in the game to claim something that outragous and no one would ever believe her anyway ..especially at this point. So the only she might be able to come up with is that now she is and possibly has been secretly fearful for the kids. If she goes that route... fear for the kids ...all these years... and there is ANY reason to Possibly give any standing .. then the state should invstigate Debbie for Criminal neglicet of those children. Take Debbie to Superior Court... Probate will be there anyway ..so that will be handy. Let Debbie go diamond hunting ...tick off Probate court and find her but in jail, for child neglict and endangerment and even child abuse on Her. child abuse in the factor that she now claims she thought the kids were in danger and took money to stay away from those kids and keep quiet. I better quit with the strategizing. I'm not an attorney any way. I just have a natural love of the law and I love to analyze. However, the Jackson's will have the best possible legal team putting there game plan down. They'll be alright. Those kids are well documented in the public eye as MJ's children. It's also well known to the public at large that Debbie Rowe was a wife of convienence for a time ... whose true purpose was to act as surrogate as the two of them had agreed upon ...even before marriage, if I'm not mistaken. They were not in love with each other. No one in the public eye was ever confused about that fact. But to hear of this woman trying to pull this stunt ... is appauling. So what if MJ cut her out of the will. She had already agreed to something quite different with him ... she was an acting surrogate ... not really family to him. those poor kids. They shouldn't have to go through this at all..and esp. while their grieving. Shoot poor Mrs Jackson... she lost her son and has to face a big convulted legal mess ..that's just getting started. Bless her heart... Bless that whole family. this is the time of the first fast. | |
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