Episode 014 – Travelling With a King Special

Epiosde 014 - Travelling With a King Special YouTube ArtOn this special episode of The MJCast, Jamon and Q interview author of the ‘Michael Jackson travel guide’ book Travelling With a King, Christophe. Topics include the book itself, his working relationship with co-author Antoine Cardinot, his fandom of Michael Jackson and the writing process behind the book. We also talk about Christophe’s French Michael Jackson magazine, MJBackstage, some of the intriguing locations mentioned within Travelling With a King and finally we delve into a discussion around Christophe’s views of places like Neverland and Hayvenhurst being considered tourist attractions.

As mentioned on the book’s official website, “Travelling With a King is the first ever travel guide totally dedicated to Michael Jackson. This fully colored and glossy paper book contains hundreds of places linked to the King of Pop, from studios to houses, venues and statues. You’ll find everything you need to know including historical and geographic details about each location. Travelling With A King – Book 1, is the first part of this totally unique travel guide. Book one contains North, Central & South America and, as bonuses, a few selected places [in] Europe and Asia. Its A5 format and light weight will make it easy to bring it with you every time you travel.”

For purchasing Travelling With a King at a discounted price, make sure to visit this special website which Christophe has created specifically for listeners of The MJCast!

Lastly, stay tuned at the end of this show to hear about various celebrations around the world for Michael’s 2015 birthday on August 29th!

Links
Travelling With a King’s official website, Facebook and Twitter pages
MJBackstage’s official website, Facebook and Twitter pages
Visit this page of Travelling With a King’s website to purchase the book at a discounted price!
Michael Jackson performing Who Is It acapella for Oprah Winfrey
Michael Jackson’s HIStory statue in Best, Netherlands
The house featured in the Michael Jackson short film Thriller.
Michael Jackson shopping at The Regis Galerie in The Venetian, Las Vegas.
LMJ Magazine’s interview with the Christophe and Antoine, authors of Travelling With a King.
The 1980’s unauthorised interview with Michael and La Toya Jackson at Hayvenhurst.
Enola Lee’s website devoted to Neverland, titled Neverland – For Michael, For Love, Forever.
Remember the Time – Protecting Michael Jackson in his Final Days, a book by bodyguards Bill Whitfield, Javon Beard and Tanner Colby
You Are Not Alone – Michael: Through a Brother’s Eyes, a book by Jermaine Jackson.
Information on Michael Jackson’s birthday weekend in Sydney, courtesy of MJ Book Club and the MJ Fans of Melbourne Facebook pages.
The Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Sydney is set to celebrate Michael’s birthday with a special screening of Moonwalker!
Walk the World for Michael, an annual charity event on Michael’s birthday which contributes funds by initiatives by the charity organisation, Michael Jackson’s Legacy.
Cirque Du Soleil and Michael Jackson One are set to celebrate Michael’s 2015 birthday in style!
Michael’s birthday celebration in Perth, Western Australia.
Katherine Jackson’s August 21 – 22 I Just Can’t Stop Loving You charity weekend in Gary, Indiana
Footage of Michael Jackson visiting China during the late 1980’s.

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Episode 013 – Take a Fire Department to Cool Her Down

The MJCast Episode 013 - Take a Fire Department to Cool Her Down YouTube ArtQ and Jamon discuss Tito Jackson’s latest performance (with a little help from UK journalist Charles Thomson), new footage of Michael Jackson from his The Way You Make Me Feel short film and Triumph Tour, the tragic death of Christian Audigier and Sony Music being sued by the American Federation of Musicians. We also discuss Tavis Smiley’s new book on the death of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson’s new music video for the single No Sleeep, Katherine Jackson’s upcoming I Just Can’t Stop Loving You charity weekend and the new MJ101 project, HIS2ORY. Finally, we delve into a discussion around the newly leaked MJ song Seeing Voices.

News
Tito Jackson performs at Under the Bridge in London to launch his new album.
New footage of Michael Jackson in his short film The Way You Make Me Feel has leaked.
New footage has leaked of MJ performing on The Triumph Tour.
Ed Hardy designer Christian Audigier has died at age 57. Click here to see Christian Audigier celebrating his birthday in style with the King of Pop and here to learn about his ill fated fashion line with MJ.
The American Federation of Musicians is suing Sony Music over the film, This Is It.
Tavis Smiley is set to release a new book about the last sixteen weeks of Michael Jackson’s life. Click here to watch his discussion around this with Chris Tucker.
The Michael Jackson Story Quilt Project website and Facebook page
A new Janet Jackson video for her single No Sleeep premieres. Also take a look at this behind the scenes video of the shoot!
Katherine Jackson’s upcoming I Just Can’t Stop Loving You charity weekend
The new MJ101 eBook entitled HIS2ORY

Discussion Topic
Michael Jackson’s song Seeing Voices has leaked in full. Read about it here in this Damien Shields article.

Finds of the Week
Q – King of ArtPop. The Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga mash-up album.
Jamon – Harry Coade performs his MJ mash-up of forty songs in three minutes on the Ableton Launchpad.

Additional Links
Michael Jackson’s The Remix Suite on iTunes
The Daft Punk white label remix of Rock With You
The Ummah’s remixes of the song History (The Ummah Radio Mix and The Ummah DJ Mix)
The Blood on the Dancefloor Refugee Camp Mix
Nick*’s website Remixed by Nick*. Check it out for some great MJ remixes!
A Rolling Stone article on Lady Gaga buying Michael Jackson costumes

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on the show, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.comKeep Michaeling!

Episode 012 – HairCast

Jamon and Q discuss recently released footage of Michael rehearsing to Billie Jean in 2001, newly published photos of Michael and his family from the 1970’s onwards, the Munich Memorial Petition and the Michael Jackson Estate’s fourth Accounting Report. Following this, a reflection on the recent and unfortunate death of Captain EO composer James Horner, Janet Jackson’s new single and BET appearance and finally, the prospective sale of Neverland Valley Ranch.

News
UK tribute artist, choreographer, author and media personality Anthony King has released new footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing Billie Jean for his 30th Anniversary Celebration concerts in 2001.
Alex DeJean and Time publish never before seen photographs of Michael and The Jacksons from the 1970’s and Hamid Moslehi has also released photos of Michael from a range of eras, including his rehearsals with Britney Spears for his 30th Anniversary concerts in 2001.
German MJ fans have invited fans from around the world to sign this  Munich Memorial Petition.
The Michael Jackson Estate’s fourth Accounting Report document summary as published by Ivy of DailyMichael.com.
James Horner, famed composer of Captain EO has tragically and suddenly passed away.
Janet Jackson has released the first single from her first album, entitled No Sleeep and recently appeared on the 2015 BET Awards.

Discussion Topic
Jamon and Q’s thoughts on the sale of Neverland Valley Ranch as discussed by Forbes and DailyMichael.com. Also take a look at Enola Lee’s website Neverland – For Michael, For Love, Forever to see some amazing photographs of Neverland, and more!
An announcement of the winners of our competition for three copies of D Francis’ book Michael Jackson: Innocent – 28 February 2005 Book 1.

Finds of the Week
Jamon – The Kelly Alexander Show and their 20th Anniversary of Scream episode which features an exclusive interview with choreographer Tina Landon.
Q – E82 The Epcot Legacy’s Captain EO: The Complete Experience album

Additional Links
Michael Jackson’s 30th Anniversary Special
The 3T song Why from their debut album, Brotherhood
Piers Morgan’s 2012 interview with Katherine Jackson
60 Minutes’ The Resurrection of Michael Jackson segment with a special interview with Karen Langford, the Archivist of the Michael Jackson Estate
Nick*’s remix of 2Bad. Check out his Soundcloud page as well!
Author D Francis’ book Michael Jackson: Innocent – 28 February 2005 Book 1 on Amazon

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on the show, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.comMichael on!

Episode 011 – June 25th Special with Darren Hayes

Episode 011 - June 25th Special With Darren Hayes YouTube ArtOn June 25th, 2009 the King of Pop, Michael Jackson tragically and unexpectedly passed away amidst preparations and rehearsals for his final live concert tour, This Is It. Although his passing and our present day lives are separated at this point by six years, for fans around the world the pain associated with this devastating event still lingers on. What a loss it was for the world. It’s clear that the Michael Jackson fan community is still coming to terms with and processing what happened six years ago and how we can move forward in a positive way. During his life, Michael spoke about the concept of love perhaps more than any other topic….love for Planet Earth, love for its children, love for ourselves…and love for each other. So with love in mind, this podcast episode was put together. It’s intention is certainly not to celebrate the occasion, but to reflect on the tragedy that happened and to assist in unifying the community in processing what occurred…but above all else, to remember, honour and reflect on the magical life that was Michael Jackson’s and the love that he gave to the world.

Former member of pop duo Savage Garden and now world renowned multi-million album selling artist in his own right, Darren Hayes, agreed to join us for this significant occasion in honouring and remembering Michael on the sixth anniversary of his passing. Q and I interviewed Darren about his Michael Jackson fandom, his views and thoughts on a range of Michael related issues and about his life as an artist.

Following this, Q and I explore and discuss our own experiences on June 25th, 2009 and how we feel Michael should be remembered, before handing over to some of our listeners to discuss the same topics. Thank-you to all of our listeners who submitted audio for us to consider in playing on this show. It was a pleasure listening to all of the submissions and they certainly had both Q and I reflecting on Michael and his legacy. For those of you who are still emotionally processing Michael’s passing, we hope this episode acts as a way for you to connect with other fans around the world who are as well. In this episode there are moments of joy and moments of sadness, but through it all, remember that we are all fans of Michael. We must carry on his message of love and positivity as a way of honouring his memory and everything that he gave to the world. From the bottom of our hearts, Keep Michaeling!

Links
Darren Hayes’ official website and Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr accounts.
The He Said, He Said Show’s iTunes page.
Michael Jackson’s Bad World Tour live in Brisbane. Look out for a young Darren Hayes in the first ten seconds!
Michael Jackson’s Captain EO on YouTube.
Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service from 2009, at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.
Amateur footage of Billie Jean live at Michael Jackson’s 30th Anniversary Celebration concerts in 2001.
Michael Jackson’s 1987 Molly Meldrum interview.
Xscape Origins – The Songs and Stories Michael Jackson Left Behind, a book by Damien Shields.
Bad 25 – A documentary on Michael’s ‘Bad’ album, by Spike Lee.
Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean performance on Motown 25. Look out for his first ever moonwalk at the end of Billie Jean!
Darren Hayes’ Secret Codes and Battleships limited deluxe two CD edition on Amazon and iTunes.
The new Savage Garden album The Singles, and the re-releases for Savage Garden and Affirmation on iTunes Australia.

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on the show, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.com. We hope you enjoy this special episode of our Michael Jackson podcast, The MJCast. Keep Michaeling!

Episode 010 – Vindication Day 10th Anniversary Special with Tom Mesereau

Episode 010 - Vindication Day 10th Anniversary Special With Tom Mesereau YouTube ArtTo mark this important occasion, the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s acquittal from false child molestation allegations on June 13th, 2005, we are releasing this special episode. The MJCast’s Legal Correspondent Charles Thomson along with regular hosts Jamon Bull and Q interview Thomas Mesereau, one of the foremost criminal defence attorney’s in United States legal history. Mesereau served as Michael’s principal attorney during his mid 2000’s criminal trial around false child molestation allegations and continued representing Jackson and his affairs for a time afterwards. Ten years ago today Jackson was acquitted of all fourteen charges brought against him by the Arvizo family and their prosecuting lawyer, Santa Barbara Country District Attorney Tom Sneddon. In addition to Michael’s obvious innocence, his vindication and exoneration are also due to the professionalism and efforts of Tom Mesereau and his then legal partner Susan Yu. Topics of discussion include Mesereau’s childhood, his history as a lawyer, what it was like working with Michael Jackson and also the trial itself. We then delve into a dialogue around Jackson’s posthumous legacy, the legitimacy of his Estate executors, the events surrounding his death and what Michael Jackson’s victory in 2005 has meant for his legacy long term.

The MJCast would also like to thank friend of the show Dan Villalobos who has worked so hard on composing and producing our new intro music, which can be heard for the very first time on this episode! Dan is a phenomenal sound engineer, music producer and MJ fan from London, England who has worked with artists such as Maddison Wilson, Robyn Sherwell and has had his work featured on BBC Radio. Check him out at www.danvillalobos.com, and make sure to visit his SoundcloudTwitter and Instagram accounts. Thanks Dan and we can’t wait to have you on the show.

Links
Triumph: Celebrating a Decade Since Michael Jackson’s Acquittal – An article by Syl Mortilla.
One of the Most Shameful Episodes in Journalistic History – An article by Charles Thomson.
Michael Jackson: Innocent – Author D Francis’ book which covers the mid 2000’s Michael Jackson trial. Win a free copy!
Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson – A biography by Randall Sullivan.
The MJCast’s ‘Episode 005 – Kerry Anderson Special’. Listen to this special interview with Michael’s Director of Security during the time of his mid 2000’s trial.
Mesereau Law Group – Tom Mesereu’s official website.
Charles Thomson’s Twitter account and official website.

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Competition – Win a Free Copy of Michael Jackson: Innocent!

michael-jackson-innocent

Here at The MJCast we love supporting quality books on Michael Jackson, whether they’re texts that explore and analyse his genius, or even ones that delve into the complexities of his life such as his tumultuous legal battles. Michael Jackson: Innocent – 28 February 2005 Book 1 by author and legal expert D Francis is one such book, and since its release on May 5th, 2013 it has gone on to garner critical acclaim from other authors who have written on Michael Jackson such as Lynton Guest. Francis’ book offers a rich, detailed and complex discussion around the ‘trial of the century’, Michael Jackson’s penultimate court battle against child molestation allegations in the mid 2000’s.

As part of our recognition of the 10th Anniversary of Michael’s acquittal against these heinous child molestation allegations on June 13th, 2005,  The MJCast is proud to announce a special competition in partnership with D Francis in which we will give away three physical copies of Francis’ fantastic book.

To enter, all you need to do is like, retweet or reblog our original post about this competition from our Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or Instagram accounts respectively. Doing this on any of our social networks will gain you one entry. If you would like an additional two entries for an even greater chance of winning, you can comment on this blog post on themjcast.com with your thoughts around what Michael’s vindication has meant for his legacy. On the very next regular podcast episode of The MJCast, we will randomly draw the three winning names and will contact the winners to find out a suitable address the books can be mailed to. We are truly honoured to do our part in spreading the truth around what happened in Michael’s mid 2000’s trial in the form of this great book.

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D Francis’ book ‘Michael Jackson: Innocent’

Lynton Guest, author of The Trials of Michael Jackson states that “D Francis has produced a book about Michael Jackson like no other. It is based on the premise that because the trial of the artist on numerous child abuse charges in 2005 was not televised, the only facts in the public domain have been filtered through the sieve of incomplete and prejudiced reporting in the media.

D Francis has gone to great lengths to acquire the actual trial transcripts, a volume running to over 14,000 pages to write a series of books straight from source.

In Michael Jackson: Innocent she concentrates on the trial testimony and adds her commentary; in the process revealing exactly why Michael Jackson was acquitted on all charges.

The Author believes that international media coverage at the time focused far too heavily and uncritically on the prosecution case, which is why so many believed the Michael Jackson was guilty, despite the verdict. So, centring mainly on the defence case and the various legal arguments, she shows precisely how we were all misinformed by a media whose main interest was always in boosting the titillation count rather than giving us a true picture of events.

Michael Jackson: Innocent 28 February 2005 is in fact the first in a series of mini-books, each of which narrates a day in the trial. It is a mammoth project. When it is complete, it will comprise a must-have archive both for the general interest reader, students of journalism and the US criminal justice system.

Michael Jackson: Innocent will thus be a unique series of books, which will stand as a legitimate and factual account of Michael Jackson’s vindication.

This book highlights the cracks in the prosecution case, the shifting timeline of allegations, and inconsistencies in the prosecution Opening Statement. You will be left wondering how this case ever made it to trial.

The first book in the series, Michael Jackson: Innocent 28 February 2005, has been on the Amazon Best Seller’s Kindle list, frequently reaching #1 or within the top #100 in the book category of Biographies & Memoirs for Michael Jackson.

Between 2003 to 2005 the media misrepresented what actually happened at court. It is time that those myths, and mistruths are addressed and the truth is made visible and available. By purchasing a new book you support this project.

Ultimately, this project seeks to look behind the media misrepresentations that has cast doubt on Michael Jackson’s reputation for over 20 years”.

Along with releasing this series of books on Michael’s innocence, D Francis is also releasing a series of podcast like audio snippets on her YouTube channel which serve to introduce Michael’s fan community to her work. Below you will find the first episode, which features Francis herself reading an excerpt from the book.

Francis has also explored other avenues in promoting Michael’s innocence and the truth behind the trial, going as far as commissioning an artist to create a line of hand painted t-shirts that can be bought through her website, www.13june2005.com.  If you’d like to support D Francis in her work, then make sure to take a look at these great shirts. From all accounts, they also serve as a fantastic conversation starter around Michael, his trial and what his acquittal has meant for his legacy. D Francis does not receive any money from the sale of the hand painted t-shirts, this is purely fashion to inspire discussion.

We hope you participate in this great competition. It’s a wonderful chance to win a free copy of ‘Michael Jackson: Innocent’ and to also assist D Francis in her quest to promote the truth around Michael’s trials and tribulations. Francis is currently researching her second book which is to focus on Martin Bashir and the media’s impact on the trial. She is aiming to release the book late in 2015 or 2016.

Update: The competition is now closed. Thank-you for your participation. Winners will be announced on Episode 12 of The MJCast.

D Francis’ official website for the book series ‘Michael Jackson: Innocent’
Michael Jackson: Innocent – 28 February 2005 Book 1 on Amazon
An excerpt of ‘Michael Jackson: Innocent’ as read by Lynton Guest
D Francis’ Facebook and Twitter pages

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Episode 009 – Sausage Fest?

Episode 009 - Sausage Fest? YouTube ArtJamon and Q discuss a range of exciting issues with guests Jerome Horne and Marni Carlsson. Topics include The Jackson’s recent appearance on American Idol and their upcoming ‘Proms in the Park’ performance, a new Janet Jackson album for 2015 and further discussion on Dimitri Reeves and the Baltimore Riots. We also delve into a fantastic question which was sent in by listener Austin Ernst around what Michael would be doing artistically if he were still alive. Please note, the recording of this show wrapped just minutes prior to Janet Jackson announcing her new album and world tour on the 16th of May, 2015. We’re pretty good at predicting the future though right…?

News
The Jackson’s performance on the American Idol Season 14 finale.
The Jacksons to headline BBC’s Proms in the Park 2015.
New Janet Jackson album coming in 2015?
Revisiting the Baltimore Riots and Dimitri Reeves.

Discussion Topic
Austin Ernst AKA @TheCreativeArtAPE asks on Twitter “If Michael would’ve never passed, where would he be and what do you think he’d be doing right now in terms of the arts?”

Finds of the Week
Q – Le P’s History remix on Soundcloud
Jerome Horne – Best of Billie Jean Live montage on YouTube
Marni Carlsson – S.H. Figuarts ‘Smooth Criminal’ Michael Jackson action figure on Amazon
Jamon – Where Michael Got His Looks: Michael Jackson’s Beautiful Grandmother Crystal Lee King-Jackson. An article by Raven at AllForLoveBlog.

Additional Links
Prince’s song Baltimore on Soundcloud
Marni Carlsson’s ‘MJ 50 Files’ Max Music TV Spot
Damien Shields’ ‘MJ 50 Files’ Max Music TV Spot
Damien ShieldsXscape Origins book
JankinsMoonwalk Talks Michael Jackson podcast
Jerome Horne’s FacebookTwitter and Instagram accounts

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Episode 008 – Xscape Origins Special

Epiosde 008 - Xscape Origins Special YouTube ArtOn this special episode of The MJCast, Jamon and Q interview acclaimed author Damien Shields on his new book Xscape Origins. Topics include Damien’s writing process, his collaborative partner James Alay’s contributions to the project, Damien’s experiences talking with Michael’s collaborators, a never before heard story about Damien’s ill fated interview with Michael Jackson himself. We also take the opportunity to capture some of Damien’s fascinating opinions on a range of Jackson related topics. As a special treat for listeners of The MJCast, you will also hear an exclusive audio snippet of an interview Damien conducted with C. J. DeVillar (Michael’s bassist and recording engineer during the early Invincible sessions) and a never before released version of the song She Was Lovin’ Me which was co-produced by Cory Rooney and Taryll Jackson.

As explained on Damien’s website, “Xscape Origins pieces together stories about the real Michael Jackson; the musical genius at work. As told by the songwriters, producers, musicians, and technicians who worked intimately with him in the studio, and featuring a touching foreword written by his longtime engineer Matt Forger, the book takes you inside the recording studio, delivering captivating fly-on-the-wall insights into the creative process of the greatest artistic visionary the world has ever known”. At its heart, Xscape Origins delves into the history of the eight original Michael Jackson songs which were remixed for the 2014 album Xscape, released in partnership between Sony Music and the Estate of Michael Jackson. Reading Damien’s work will give you a level of knowledge that will allow you to appreciate the songs in a much deeper way. If it’s Michael’s artistic process you love learning about, look no further than this fantastic book. It’s undoubtedly the best book on Michael’s art that I’ve ever read.

Links
Get your physical copy of Xscape Origins today at xscapeorigins.com.
Xscape Origins is also on Amazon, iBooks and Google Play as eBooks.
Read Damien’s latest Michael Jackson related articles at damienshields.com.
Joseph Vogel’s book on Michael’s artistry, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson
Chris Cadman’s book series ‘The Maestro’ Volume’s I and II, excellent reference books on Michael’s creative work.
Keith Murphy’s fantastic Vibe article on Michael’s final (and still mostly unreleased) musical work. Read ‘Redemption Songs’.
Damien’s FacebookTwitter and Instagram pages

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Episode 007 – We Come in Peace

Episode 007 - We Come In Peace YouTube ArtQ returns from his US/Canada/Hong Kong trip and is back on board to discuss the future (or lack thereof) of Captain EO in Disney parks, Michael Jackson being nominated by the Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Album of 2015 with Xscape and the upcoming Broadway version of The Wiz. We also discuss Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson, MJ tribute artist Dimitri Reeves performing Michael’s music amidst the Baltimore Riots, the Estate of Michael Jackson partnering with Authentic Brands Group for an international merchandising business relationship, Kingvention 2015 and the Thriller Studio Tour at Westlake Recording Studios, Hollywood! Lastly, we launch into an in depth discussion around Q’s experiences at the Cirque Du Soleil MJOne show at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

News
Disney’s Captain EO to be closed?! What’s really going on here?
Michael Jackson’s Xscape album is nominated for Top R&B Album of 2015 by the Billboard Music Awards.
The Wiz is set to be NBC’s next live musical in late 2015, also coming to broadway in 2016 with Cirque Du Soleil‘s inolvement!
Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson is out. Read all about this great album on this NBC article.
Michael Jackson tribute artist Dimitri Reeves performs MJ songs amidst the Baltimore Riots and gives an interview about it here!
The Estate of Michael Jackson and Authentic Brands Group partner to expand the Michael Jackson brand worldwide.
A Michael Jackson convention called Kingvention 2015 is happening in London on Saturday the 12th of September, 2015.
Thriller Studio Tour at Westlake Recording Studios in Hollywood is Back for 2015!

Discussion Topic
Q’s thoughts on Michael Jackson One, the Cirque Du Soleil/Michael Jackson show at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Finds of the Week
Jamon – Tristan Jackson’s #MakeThatChange video project
Q – 2CELLOS They Don’t Care About Us music video

Additional Links
Messenger King: Michael Jackson and the politics of #BlackLivesMatter by D.B. Anderson
Kerry Anderson’s Facebook page and Agape Love, the Facebook page for his upcoming book.
Red Bubble’s Keep Michaeling t-shirt
Xscapeorigins.com, the website for the new book on Michael Jackson’s creative process, by Damien Shields.

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Michael Jackson – Planet Earth (An Earth Day Project)

Earth Day Network and Michael Jackson, two immutable forces who have spent decades crying out in defence of our planet. On April 22nd, 2015 it will be the 45th annual Earth Day, which is in my estimation one of most important annual events on the global calendar. On this day, literally hundreds of millions of people around the world unify, focusing on our planet and its perfection, but also its plight. Many of these individuals will just so happen to be fans of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson as well. Being one of them, it’s almost impossible to think of the wellbeing of our planet without reflecting on the selfless and timeless activism that Michael engaged in too.

One could argue that Michael’s ability to entertain the world through his music and dance is perhaps the most central part of his legacy. We would certainly hope he is remembered for such genius considering the nature of his impact on modern popular culture. Yet it is also important to remember that Michael was deeply passionate around other noble efforts in addition to his groundbreaking art. One such effort included bringing awareness, awakening and hope to people regarding the plight of Planet Earth…our home, our place.

Not only did Michael write and perform entire songs with the purpose of tapping into humanities empathy for our planet, but he also wrote poetry for this cause and raised vast sums of money for it as well. This wasn’t a passion that waned with time, or was done for some selfish cause, Michael genuinely cared for “Mother Earth” and felt the pain we as humans inflict on her quite acutely.

From deforestation, to climate change, to the extinction of species and overpopulation, Michael had the wellbeing of the planet and by extension its inhabitants foremost in his mind. Evidently, this shines through in his art, and in many of his public speeches and discussions also.

During the rehearsal’s for his final concert tour, Michael Jackson took the time to explain his ethos around nature and the planet in detail as evidenced in the documentary film This Is It. “I respect the secrets and magic of nature. That’s why it makes me so angry when I see these things that are happening, that every second, I hear, the size of a football field is torn down in the Amazon. I mean, that kind of stuff really bothers me. That’s why I write these kinds of songs, you know. It gives some sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people. I love the Planet, I love the trees. I have this thing for trees – the colors and changing of leaves. I love it. I respect those kind of things. I really feel that nature is trying so hard to compensate for man’s mismanagement of the planet. Because the planet is sick, like a fever. If we don’t fix it now, it’s at the point of no return. This is our last chance to fix this problem that we have, where it’s like a runway train. And the times has come, This Is It. People are always saying: ‘They’ll take care of it. The government’ll–Don’t worry, they’ll–‘ ‘They’ who? It starts with us. It’s us. Or else it’ll never be done…”

On October 26th, 2009 the Estate of Michael Jackson released Michael’s first posthumous album, a companion product to the film and ill fated concert tour entitled This Is It. The album featured many of the songs Michael was to perform live on his comeback tour, but with the interesting and intriguing inclusion of one spoken word track entitled ‘Planet Earth’.  This previously unreleased track is a simple, poetic piece which focuses on Michael’s love for our planet. Prior to 2009, it had only ever been engaged with by fans in its written form as published in Michael Jackson’s brilliant book, Dancing the Dream. The piece clearly demonstrates the sense of wonderment Michael must have felt when contemplating our planet, but it’s the contrast that draws the listener in. The quiet and simple vocal delivery, with subtle revelations of Michael’s emotional depth, juxtaposed against the sheer cosmic scope of the lyrical content. Planet Earth is a stroke of genius that only Michael could have delivered.

“Do you care, have you a part
In the deepest emotions of my own heart
Tender with breezes, caressing and whole
Alive with music, haunting my soul.”

So with all of this in mind, I felt it important to acknowledge Michael’s efforts on this extraordinary day, and to also do my part in bringing awareness, awakening and hope to people regarding the beauty of this planet. And so I edited together a video. My goal for this project was to create an extension to the piece Michael had already crafted. To draw on a range of source material and add musical and visual elements that add an entirely new dimension for the audience.  Hopefully I’ve succeeded in my mission and have done Michael proud.

At its heart, this video is a love letter to and celebration of Planet Earth, but it also represents an alignment between these two extraordinary forces that are Michael Jackson and Earth Day Network. This network is an eco-activism phenomenon which co-ordinates an event that involves over one billion people, twenty two thousand official partners in one hundred and ninety-two countries every single year. It is the world’s largest, non-secular celebration and truly represents what’s possible when our modern world and its billions of people mobilise for a positive cause. Visit www.earthday.org to learn how you can help heal the world. Happy 45th anniversary, Earth Day!

#MJ4EarthDay