The other thread was over two hundred posts long... and it's hard for those without DSL or a cable modem to keep up... so, by request... here's a new thread to continue the conversation.

Remember...

No drawn out court cases or docs... no politics (sure, discuss the topic, just don't flame)... just the 'what's happenin' now' shit. (current updates are cool!)

If you got it, post it.

Let's keep away from the over-exaggerated rights and wrongs...

Let's stay with the middle o' the road updates... okay?

K... let's groove tonight.


Hee.. heee....

[Note to those who clearly don't want this thread here, don't participate - it's not permanent, it's just allowing those who wish to discuss this topic a forum that is up front and ready. And yes, it's in the proper forum. - June7]

This just in:

LAPD Nixes Michael Molestation Case
Wed Jun 2,10:00 PM ET
By Joal Ryan

Michael Jackson did not molest a child.

That's the conclusion of Los Angeles police who this spring opened an investigation into an alleged molestation involving the embattled entertainer in the late 1980s.

Both L.A. police and Jackson's camp released statements Wednesday saying the probe turned up nada--no evidence that a crime occurred.

"Michael Jackson (news) has always maintained his innocence of these false and malicious allegations from individuals seeking to capitalize on his current legal situation," a release from the singer's spokesperson said.

In April, Jackson, 45, was indicted on 10 counts of molesting a child in Santa Barbara County, California, and conspiring to keep the kid under wraps. The alleged crimes reputedly occurred at the pop star's famed Neverland Ranch between February and March 2003. Jackson has pleaded innocent to all charges.

Unlike the L.A. matter, which never resulted in criminal charges, the Santa Barbara case remains very much open. Last week, a judge set Sept. 13 as the start of Jackson's trial.

Possibly with an eye toward dissing authorities in Santa Barbara, or furthering Jackson's new model defendant look, the singer's side was quick to applaud L.A. police for their "extensive" two-month investigation into the most recent allegations.

Los Angeles has been kind to Jackson in the past. Southland child-welfare officials had first crack at the accuser in the ongoing Santa Barbara case, but declared the allegations "unfounded."

Details on the decades-old L.A.-based case were few. It was not known who'd done the accusing, or how old the accuser was at the time of the alleged crime.

Jackson has been accused of molestation before and emerged with his record clean. In 1994, he reportedly paid out as much as $20 million to the family of a boy who sparked an earlier Santa Barbara probe. After the settlement, the child declined to cooperate with authorities and the case was dropped.

In another victory for Jackson this week, the Associated Press reported that a New Jersey businessman sued by the gloved one in a memorabilia dispute has been ordered by a court to stop peddling the popster's things.

This could also be viewed as a victory for Santa Barbara prosecutors, who reportedly have rifled through the popster's said things--underwear included--looking for evidence.

the media doesnt care about the evidence being unfounded.


Ok, now.. what the hell is that thing saying on PYT? At the end?

UK Chart Update
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Number Ones still remains in the top 100!

It's been over six months since Michael Jackson's greatest hits album Number Ones hit the top of the charts, and it's STILL in the UK Top 100.

Rising eight places from 75 to 67, the King of Pop compilation just carries on selling!

http://www.mjni.com/news/...cleNo=1126

thats cool I think Number Ones sold almost 1.5 million just in UK

The early promotion for Number Ones in the UK was massive. I guess it paid off.

yes. and i think people dont hate mike in uk as much as in usa...michael has been to uk couple of times for every of his world tour...and he didnt do any dates in USA for HIStory Worl tour So americans are not so in touch with his music
[This message was edited Thu Jun 3 2:48:28 2004 by LightOfArt]

geez lol this is certainly a popular subject lol

Hey Ive read a weird but an interesting theory about MJ in a fan website...Here it is:

Michael was born in the Dog Year of Chinese Zodiac...So according to this, every dog year must be a lucky one for MJ

1958 - Mike was born

1970 - Jackson 5 had 4 number ones in a row making history

1982 - Thriller was released..need I say more?

1994 - Child molestation thing was over Jordie was over and Michael was getting ready to realease the best selling double album of alltimes: HIStory

And the next Dog Year is 2006...Is this gonna be Mikes big return ???

LightOfArt said:

Well the theory sure loses steam as 1994 wasn't exactly a super year for Michael.

CinisterCee said:

true wasnt histry released in 95?

LightOfArt said:

He'll be what, 47 or 48 then? Unlikely. Dude isn't gonna recapture the sales or prestige of his youth, that's a given.

VoicesCarry said:

he needs to start embracing his old age
no need to satisfy these teenagers
time to make some grown folx music
in my opiniio

Luv4oneanotha said:

but theory seems cool and in 94 he got married and was in love and everything...well we ll see

hey michael left a voice message to fansites!!!!! There it goes:

" I love you all, I thank you for your love and support, from around the world. I love my fans, you are my friends very loyal to me and thank you for everything youve done. And Im working on something "VERY VERY" special at the moment. God bless you.....I love you.....Bye Bye "

Dammit, I'm listening to Man In The Mirror right now and it's such a great song, so full of honesty and soul...

...there's no way Mike is guilty.

I'm not so sure, look at the current success of Prince. I think that MJ still has the potential to release a hit record which will sell millions. All MJ has 2 do is hook up with Quincy and Rod Temperton again and he'll have a hit album. MJ should try and avoid all the new producers like The Neptunes, Rodney Jerkins, Teddy Riley etc. and either work with Q again or write and produce an album on his own. The best trax on 'Invincible' r the 1's which MJ wrote IMO. I also think MJ could work with old skool songwriters like Holland-Dozier-Holland, Smokey, Stevie etc. so he could create a cool 'soul' album bcuz MJ IMO is best at singing soul music like he did with The Jackson 5, The Jacksons and on 'Off The Wall' which IMO is a soul album.

Just my 2 cents but I say don't count out MJ from being a huge success again bcuz if he works with the right people (Q, Rod Temperton etc.) or writes and produces his own music then he'll b a success, plus he has a fan base who will always buys his records.

Luv4oneanotha said:

I agree, he needs 2 make a great soul album like 'Off The Wall'.

Another question what do all the MJ fans think of the track 'Carousel'?, I think that songs really cool. Its on the 'Thriller' special edition CD and was written by Mike Sembello who has worked with Stevie and co-wrote 'Saturn' with him.

I like Corousel but Someone In The Dark is better which is on thriller speciat ed. too...

Yes your right I would love to see Q and MJ together...Or better I would like to see mike do all the job himself...he is a genius afterall

Personally i think it would do some good if he worked with Prince. not only because it will be a blockbuster album
but because at this time he can connect with P better, MJ brought up as a JW
and Prince being one Is a good notion to start a bond of friendship
Throughout the years P has matured and worked out any animosity toward MJ I.E. "BAD"
At this moment MJ Is trying to compete with Popstars like Usher Justin Timberlake Etc
He needs to realize that he can't do it anymore, teenagers arent looking for the king of pop anymore
they have other pop stars to look up to.
MJ needs to come back to his roots HE needs to Let the soul Out
He's not te king of pop, he never was, yes he soared the pop charts but he was never a king
He just ressurected a battered industry and the Industry is too badly bruised to be ressurected again
it will fall
MJ was the king of ooey gooey RnB melodies like Human Nature and You are not alone and Recently Butterflies
Michael needs to set aside the gitz and glam of the POP LIFE and needs to join his age group
Following Prince's footsteps by tampering with jazz and blues and he should finally Bring his musicianship to light
show millions that he can handle a guitar or play a ballad on the piano
his Image will never be ressurected to his height in the past, so why force it?
all these years chasing thriller and he's traded it in for Raw musical expression
no need for wealthy producertake off the glove Mike
grab a guitar pick and do an acoustic set of Beat it
and then every now and then treat us with a dance number
If i was Michael , I'd forget about soaring the charts
i would just focus on one main thing
Raw Expression

You know what I most want him to release? The ORIGINAL LP AND SINGLE versions of the songs. Because that's what we don't have. Here's a history of most of Michael's single releases, from Off The Wall onward. It focuses on what isn't available on CD (ie. HASN'T been on the Number Ones collection, the HIStory single/double disc sets, the original CD pressings or the subsequent Special Editions):

Off The Wall

The original pressings of Off The Wall (which I still have never heard) contained different mixes of "Rock With You" and "Get On The Floor." When the "Rock With You" single was released (backed with "On the Floor"), those songs were remixed, and future LP pressings were replaced with the remixed versions, which "disappeared" and have never been issued on CD. Jackson did the same thing with some of the songs from "Bad," such as "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," which omitted the spoken intro after the early US pressings.

The "Rock With You" US 45 was an edit of the remixed version, cutting the middle instrumental break in half. It's only been issued on CD on an out-of-print Japanese CD3, coupled with "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough." But that would be very easy to recreate yourself. "Rock With You", as on the original 1979 LP, cassette, and 8-track, is different than anything you find now on CD. After the first run of the album, MJ ordered all future releases of the album contain the single mix, starting with the half-speed version. This is why all CDs contain the single mix. Differences between the original mix and the single mix are that the guitar track is different, the song is stripped of most of the overdubs that are found on the remix and there are no handclaps on the original. Also, the hi-hat was boosted on the remix.

The song "Get On The Floor" has more radical differences between the original mix and the remixes found on all CDs.

The single version of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (the US 45 version) is not the short radio edit that has been issued on some CDs.

Thriller

The 45 of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was actually a 4:15 edit of the extended dance mix, which is very slightly different from the LP version. The dance mix has been issued on a couple of import CDs, but the 45 mix is M.I.A. on CD... and it's not quite possible to create the 45 version from the dance mix. There's one edit point that doesn't match up - the 45 was actually its own mix.

The version of "Thriller" on "Number Ones" is NOT the US 45 edit - it's the DJ edit. The 45 version completely omitted the Vincent Price rap - it's just music where the first two lines of the rap would have been, then it cuts to the section after the first portion of the rap, and fades out before the second part of the rap. It also omits the sound effects and "build" at the beginning of the song. The actual running time of the single is 4:09, not 3:56 as labelled.
The Japanese CD3 (backed with "Human Nature") is the only place in the world it's ever been issued on CD.

The single version of "Human Nature" featured a different solo and is shorter than the LP cut. It is also a slightly different mix, with a different instrumental break in the middle of the song. "Human Nature (Single Version)" runs 3:47, some 15 seconds shorter than the LP version. The 45 lists the running time as 4:05, but I don't have it, so I can't verify (sources tell me it's inccorectly listed there, however). It is available only on the Japanese CD3 backed by the single version of "Thriller".

Bad

"The Way You Make Me Feel" was a remix, which is the same mix that appeared on the "HIStory" CD, but the 45 version was a good 30 seconds shorter, cutting out one chorus. It was issued as a 3-inch CD single in the US.

"Dirty Diana" was a remix with a lot more punch than the LP version, also faded out about 10 seconds earlier. It also was issued as a US CD3. (I understand that has also been swapped on newer pressings of the "Bad" CD.)

"Another Part Of Me" and "Smooth Criminal" were both edits of the Extended Dance Remixes, which were slightly speeded up from the original LP versions. The single versions were issued on CD3 in Japan, and on the US promo CD singles. "Man In The Mirror" was slightly edited, though it sounds to my ears like it could be a remix. Again, it was released as a CD3 and promo in the US.

Dangerous

"Black Or White" -- almost any of the worldwide CD singles contains the single version, which cut out the long intro on the LP and extended slightly the weird sound effects at the beginning.

"Remember The Time" was the LP version.

"In The Closet" was a remix, which was slightly speeded up, heavily edited, cut out the spoken intro, and changed the intrumental intro. It's called the 7" Mix and it ran 4:47. It was issued on most non-US CD Singles at the time.

"Jam" and "Who Is It" were both the LP edits.

"Earth Song" was not issued as a commercial single in the US, so I don't know about that one. It was a #1 hit in England, but a promo CD was released to US radio and it didn't do well, so the single was canceled.

Invincible

The US 45 (yes, vinyl 45 -- even had a picture sleeve) of "You Rock My World" was the full LP version with spoken intro, but no commercial CD single was released in the US. The Radio Edit is availalbe on Number Ones.

B-Sides/Other

The E.T. Storybook song was called "Someone In The Dark," and it was issued as a bonus track on the recent "Thriller Special Edition," but as I recall there is some talking over the intro to the song on the original LP version (note that the intro seems to be a rather abrupt edit on the "Thriller Special Edition" version - it sounds as if something's missing).

He did a B-side called "Can't Get Outta The Rain," which backed both "Thriller" and "Billie Jean", I think, which has never been issued on CD. It was scheduled to be released last year in Australia, as Sony Australia was issuing a 7-CD single set of the Thriller singles, but the whole thing was cancelled for some reason. It was even up for pre-order on HMV and Amazon, but it was scrubbed just a few weeks before release. I have no idea why.

He did two songs for Captain Eo, one of which was "Another Part Of Me," which later wound up on the "Bad" album, and the other was "We Are Here To Change The World," which I believe remains unreleased outside the film, unless it's on some Disneyland CD or something.

I'm not sure what happened with "What More Can I Give," why it wasn't released when it was recorded. I THINK it was eventually available as a downloadable single, but the website (www.whatmorecanigive.com) has nothing past the home page. I don't know if it was ever released or not.

Jackson records tons of songs he never uses for every album. I think he said he recorded 40 or 50 songs for "Thriller." On his last album I think it was at least that many. There's a snippet of an unreleased song called "Carousel" from the Thriller sessions on the Thriller Special Edition, but just a snippet.

I believe the song was originally going to be a part of the album - according to Quincy Jones, a song was omitted after he and Jackson heard the original test pressing and decided the mix was awful, mainly because it had to be so compressed to fit on a vinyl LP (it was originally a full 50-minute album). So they remixed the whole album more sparsely, cut out one song, and shortened some of the other songs. I'm not sure if "Carousel" is that song or not.

The "Thriller: Special Edition" disc also has as a bonus track an extra verse of the Vincent Price rap that was not included in the final mix.
[This message was edited Fri Jun 4 12:11:26 2004 by VoicesCarry]

thetimefan said:

It's just a snippet, though - not the whole track (1:49).

June7 said:

you know i'd like every once in a while for the media to publicize these events
or is that asking too much
we musn't pry away journalist from making meaningless propaganda

VoicesCarry said:

You can download the whole track from Mike Sembello's site. It's a great song. I'll see if I can find the link.

Here it is

http://www.michaelsembell...rousel.mp3

WildStyle said:

Thanks! I really didn't care about all the interview tracks on the special editions. They should have stuffed them full of B-sides, single versions, mixes and unreleased tracks (or whatever they could get their hands on).

WildStyle said:

Thanx!!!

This thread is truly fantastic. Thanks guys for keeping it real!

VoicesCarry said:

Yeah, I could have done without those interviews that sounded like they were conducted over the phone while Quincy Jones stuffs his face with food

This talk reminds me of some other un-official news:

WWW.DANCINGNATION.TK
Spanish Official Fan Club
BOX SET M. JACKSON

The box set is 5 discs in a long "digibook".

MICHAEL JACKSON
The King Of Pop

4 CDs - career spanning from Motown to Current featuring all hits PLUS
unreleased tracks, demos, rarities, live.
1 DVD - Live At Bucharest - previously unreleased LIVE concert event.
plus:
comprehensive liner notes about the MUSIC/Career (not a biographical essay
- all about the MUSIC)
discography of albums/singles w/chart info and more.
timeline
tracklisting w/all pertinent chart history, release dates, etc.

Package concept is black leather-look 3 panel display book w/ 5 snap in
disc plates. booklet in pocket which will cover the DVD (5th disc) snap
in.
US pricing will probably be $64.98

Edición: Octubre

Singles box set: On hold due to this set.