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Joe Jackson says son Michael Jackson never capable of 50 tour dates
Posted in Concert, Michael Jackson on the July 14, 2009
Michael Jackson’s father says the late pop star was never capable of completing his 50-date comeback tour.
Joe Jackson insists his son was forced into booking more performances for the ‘This Is It’ tour than he could handle.
“The comeback tour was a good idea, but the wrong idea about it, was there was more tours added onto it,” Jackson told Good Morning America.
“Michael told me himself. That he agreed to 10 shows. But they went and added all these other shows.”
Jackson died on June 25 at the age of 50, and was due to have kicked off his tour at London’s O2 Arena today.
Joe Jackson says he believes foul play was involved in his son’s death, and that he was concerned promoters were pushing him too hard.
“I was worried about his health because all the shows that I’m seeing – no artist can do those many shows you know, back to back like that,” Jackson said.
One of Jackson’s longtime friends, Leonard Rowe, told GMA he agreed with Joe Jackson.
“Michael Jackson was not ready. He was not fit,” Rowe, no relation to Debbie Rowe, said.
“If you can call weighing 110-115 pounds fit and no.”
But producers for the tour insist that Jackson was in good shape and would have had significant rest between shows.
“If that was too many, then one would have been too many,” AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips said.
Jackson manager Frank DiLeo also denied claims Jackson was being pushed too hard.
“He built up his stamina. There would have been no problems, I don’t think, with him doing this tour,” DiLeo said.
“Nobody was pushing him into it. Nobody was overworking him. You know, all those reports are false.”
Jacksons had private open casket viewing night before memorial service
Posted in Michael Jackson on the July 10, 2009
The Jackson family held a private viewing of the pop star’s body, according to a new report.
Close family members of Michael Jackson had an open casket viewing of his body at the Forest Lawn site in Hollywood Hills on the night before the public memorial service held at the Staples Center.
A cousin, David Fossett, 50, told People.com: “He looked like himself. He looked like he just was laying there sleeping. He looked peaceful.”
The family, apart from parents Katherine and Joe who were not present, reportedly talked and cried around the casket.
After the viewing, the group retired to the Jackson family compound in Encino where Jacko’s three children have also been staying since his death
Fossett, a native of Gary, Indiana, Jackson’s hometown, said, “It was a somber mood. Even though he’s this big entertainer, he’s still our family.”
He said he recited some memories of Jackson and that he and others stayed overnight at the Encino home.
On Tuesday, the family had a quick breakfast before travelling in a convoy of their cars to a short private service where the casket was closed and covered in red flowers.
Some 70 Jackson relatives gathered for the short service at Forest Lawn as another cousin, Wendell Hawkins, performed a Jehovah’s Witness service.
Michael Jackson ’saw his face as a work of art’
Posted in Michael Jackson on the July 9, 2009
Michael Jackson thought his face was a work of art, his doctor has revealed.
Dr Arnie Klein told Larry King he worked on the pop icon’s face a number of times but said it was only to restore what other surgeons had already done.
He said: “I think that he believed that his face was a work of art. You want to talk about Andy Warhol’s work of art. And there are women in Paris and elsewhere and men who do works of art. Some of them implant things under their skins through surgeries. He felt he was a piece of art, that his face was a piece of art.”
Klein said that he worked on Jackson after the star had already been through many surgery procedures.
“I stopped him from going to the surgeon because I said, ‘this isn’t working anymore, you have to stop it’,” Klein said. “And what I spent the last part of the year doing is rebuilding a lot of things that I thought were done poorly.”
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UK memorial for Michael Jackson
Posted in Michael Jackson, Singer on the July 8, 2009
A UK memorial for Michael Jackson is rumoured to be in the works.
The memorial event is set to be held in London on August 29, on what would have been the Thriller singer’s 51st birthday.
Kenney Ortega, director of Jackson’s planned This Is It UK concert tour, has met family members and other organisers to discuss the event, although there is no word yet on which stars would take part or pay tribute.
US reports claim the concert will take place at the O2 Arena where Jackos’ 50 date tour had been booked.
The news comes just hours after the late pop star’s family, friends and fans gathered for a three hour public memorial at the Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles.
Source: Splash News
Jacko’s mother Katherine Jackson has reportedly turned his bedroom into shrine
Posted in Michael Jackson on the July 7, 2009
Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson has reportedly turned the star’s old bedroom into a shrine.
Katherine, 79, created her own memorial of her son, following his sudden death in LA on June 25.
There are reportedly three life-size statues of Michael in the bedroom, which were given to him from waxwork museum Madame Tussauds.
The walls of the rooms have allegedly been decorated with photos of the King of Pop from his childhood, including one when he got As in maths, history and English grammar.
A source claims Katherine had been told that building a sanctuary would help her deal with her grief.
Jacko fans get chance to win free tickets to King of Pop’s memorial service
Posted in Michael Jackson, Singer on the July 6, 2009
Michael Jackson fans wanting to pay their respects to the Thriller singer will have to enter an online lottery to get tickets for his memorial service in Los Angeles.
The Jackson family have made available 17,500 free tickets for the extravaganza at the Staples Centre next Tuesday (7 July).
Registration for tickets started today – with millions of fans expected to apply in the US – and closes on Saturday.
A computer will then randomly pick names, but hopeful fans will have to wait until Sunday to find out if they have won the chance of scooping a pair of tickets.
However, the draw is only open to US residents, which is sure to upset many European fans who have travelled to LA especially for the event.
Michael Jackson was a ’strict’ dad
Posted in Michael Jackson on the July 3, 2009
Michael Jackson’s former photographer has said the star was a “strict” dad who wanted the best for his kids.
Jackson died suddenly in LA on June 25 after reportedly suffering a heart attack. He has three young children - Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, seven, who was also known as Blanket.
Photographer Ian Barkley, who was hired by the star in 2002, said: “His kids totally love their dad and he was extremely protective over them. Even when we were just around his staff, he was protective.”
He added: “We would baby-proof everywhere, like really expensive suites. They would tape up every corner with cardboard and make sure the kids couldn’t hurt themselves. They were very strict on what the kids would eat to make sure they didn’t have allergies.”
Barkley said the star’s mood always depended on whether he had taken any drugs or not: “There were two sides to him. When he wasn’t on pills he was extremely mentally sound, very business-like, very smart. But when he was on drugs, he would do some really odd things.”
Source: Splash News
Michael Jackson’s track Man In The Mirror set to reach number one
Posted in Hit Song, Michael Jackson on the July 2, 2009
Michael Jackson’s track Man In The Mirror is set to storm the UK Singles Chart this week and reach number one.
The 50-year-old star died suddenly in LA on June 25 after he reportedly suffered a heart attack.
The single, released 21 years ago in 1988, was Michael’s favourite track, and it is currently at number 11 in the charts.
La Roux’s track Bulletproof is currently at number one and it is claimed Man In The Mirror has sold 24,000 downloads in the midweek charts, five thousand more than Bulletproof.
The British public have bought 300,000 of Michael’s albums and singles in just two days following the star’s tragic death.
HMV boss Simon Fox said: “Looking back at what happened with Elvis in ‘77 and John Lennon in 1980, the lift we have seen is far bigger than those two events.”
Source: Splash News
Michael Jackson was on top form as he rehearsed for O2 shows
Posted in Concert, Michael Jackson on the July 2, 2009
Photographer Kevin Mazer took some of the last pictures of Michael Jackson and said the star was on top form as he prepared for the O2 shows.
Michael died suddenly in LA on June 25 after he reportedly suffered a heart attack.
Kevin took some pictures of Michael rehearsing for the shows and said he was looking forward to the London gigs.
Kevin said: “I watched in awe. From what I saw, Michael was back - and in real style. He was amazing, happy and energetic. He performed virtually non-stop for two hours and ran through about a dozen greatest hits.
“He stopped just a couple of times to tweak arrangements and work on moves with dancers. Every track he sang sounded terrific. I honestly could not wait to see the show.”
Kevin said Michael seemed excited about returning to the stage for his London shows.
He said: “He loved going through all the props and was excited about performing Thriller with these zombie puppets. I’m very sad people won’t be able to see it.”
He added: “He was the same old Michael. At one point, he got on a cherry-picker crane and was hoisted over the audience - it was an amazing sight.”
Plans to move Michael Jackson’s body back to Neverland hit legal hitch
Posted in Michael Jackson on the June 30, 2009
The Jackson family plans to move Michael Jackson’s body to Neverland may be in jeopardy.
The family needs a special events permit if they want to hold an open public viewing at the ranch this coming Friday.
They would also need a different permit to bury the pop star’s body in the grounds of Neverland, if they push ahead for a Graceland-style shrine that fans can visit.
But Santa Barbara County officials have confirmed that they have not been approached by Jacko’s family with any request to bury the late singer at his Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos.
Third District Superviser Doreen Farr added: “If… Mr Jackson’s family request assistance, we will help them… We would have to co-ordinate with public safety and public works to ensure nothing happens if they had a public memorial.”
Neverland comprises 2,800 acres of land that is zoned for agriculture and is under an agriculture preserve contract.
Changing the zoning to accommodate a Graceland-type attraction would require a lengthy application process involving a public review, plus a final decision made by the Board of Supervisers.
Residents were approached a long time ago about the ‘Graceland’ idea and rejected it.
Source: Splash News
Michael Jackson fans offered souvenir tickets
Posted in Concert, Michael Jackson on the June 30, 2009
Fans who bought tickets for Michael Jackson’s concerts are being offered souvenirs instead of their money back.
Promoters for the 50 London concert dates have promised a full refund for tickets.
But they have also given people another option – to get a special souvenir ticket instead of the cash.
Fans forked out around £75 per ticket.
Jacko fan Ava Zadkhorvash, who was second in the queue to get tickets for his concerts bought six of them.
She said: “Of course, like, I want to have the memory because he designed it himself, I’d love to have one but because I’ve got six I don’t think I’ll be keeping all six tickets, I’d like to get one and get my money back on the others.
“But right now we’re not really thinking about the tickets and the money back. We just want any memory.”
Source: Splash News
Beyonce: Michael Jackson was ‘incomparable’
Posted in Beyonce Knowles, Michael Jackson on the June 26, 2009
Singer Beyonce said Michael Jackson was “incomparable” and his death is a “tragic loss”.
The 27-year-old singer revealed her grief at the death of the King of Pop, who passed away in LA aged 50 after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
She told Entertainment Tonight: “This is such a tragic loss and a terrible day. The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music.”
She added: “He was magic. He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the king of of pop. Life is not about how many breaths you take, but about how many moments in life that take your breath away.
“For anyone who has ever seen, felt, or heard his art, we are all honoured to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you Michael.”
Source: Splash News
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Posted in Michael Jackson, Video on the June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Paramedics confirm Michael Jackson wasn’t breathing
Posted in Michael Jackson, Singer on the June 26, 2009
Paramedics have confirmed that pop star Michael Jackson was not breathing when they responded to a 911 call from his house.
Captain Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson’s home around 12:26pm on Thursday lunchtime.
Ruda said: “He was not breathing when they arrived, so the paradmedics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center.”
The paramedics were called to a home on the 100 block of Carolwood Drive off Sunset Boulevard. Jackson rents the Bel Air home for US$100,000 a month and it is described as a French chateau estate built in 2002 with seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 12 fireplaces and a theatre.
The home is about two minutes away from UCLA Medical Center.
The news comes as Jackson, 50, was attempting a comeback after years of tabloid headlines, most notably concerning his trial and acquittal on child molestation charges.