159: E Q&A

It’s been a minute since we did a Q&A, MJFam! Elise Capron is usually the one asking the questions, but in this episode, she takes a turn in the hot seat, and answers a wide range of questions submitted by listeners, covering everything from her fan history and personal MJ picks, to thoughts on the biopic, Estate projects, her podcast guest wish-list, behind-the-scenes of The MJCast, and much more. Huge thanks to all of you who sent in submissions! It is a reminder of what a great fan community we have.

Questions
Simonpaulwilkie (Instagram)
1) Brave! 🔥 As a long time lover of the show, I’d love to know what it was like going from listener to presenter. Any surprises in how the show is put together and what it takes to make an episode. I couldn’t think of any way to say thank you better than contributing my own time to something I adore so much. Keep it up! ❤️

Xollophoto (Instagram)
2) What are all the Michael Jackson-related places you’ve visited (i.e. Thriller house) and what’s your favorite?

Charlie Carter (Twitter)
3) What is your favourite MJ song and why is it Just Good Friends?

Dane Thomson (Twitter)
4) Why is the Bad era your favourite?

Mumofsuperstars (Instagram)
5) Have you met any of the Jackson family 🙂

Etebeye (Instagram)
6) Elise, which of Michael’s concert tours do you wish to go back in time for and watch live?

Etebeye (Instagram)
7) Which movie character, past or present, would Michael have been a good fit?

Etebeye (Instagram)
8) Was Michael cool or a dud in your school growing up?

Sanja1980 (Instagram)
9) First of all thanks for all your hard work on the show! Questions: who was your favorite special guest so far and who do you wish you could interview for the show in the future?

JayKay0603 (Twitter)
10) Who are some special guests you would like to come on the show in the future, and if given the opportunity who would YOU personally like to interview if they ever came on?

JayKay0603 (Twitter)
11) And another MJ question if that’s okay, if you could be on the set of only ONE of Michael’s short films, which one would it be and why?

Genesta Coleman (Twitter)
12) Love the MJ cast ❤️👑♥️ why you don’t have a live stream ? And a call in show so MJ fans can talk openly about different topics ? 🤗🤗 Thank you so much for coming into my life.

Constantinos Isaias (Threads)
13) With no limitations, which one could have been your favorite special guests that you have like to interview?

Q (Threads)
14) Oh cool! Hello over here on peaceful Threads! I’d like to know what would be your Top 3 dream guests (living or passed.).

Q (Threads)
15) Cheeky second question(s), with talk of a director calling out Captain EO as prime material for a feature film, (I personally don’t see this happening but it could be fun), tell us about your first ever Captain EO experience, and if it ever became available as a physical product (it won’t), what would you include in the package?

Porter Wolff (email)
16) If you had a wish-list for future MJCAST Specials, who would be your top 5? Mine would be Buz Kohan, Freddie DeMann, Gary Hearne, Bill Bottrell and Nick Brandt.

Momowelz65 (Instagram)
17) What is your favourite Michael Jackson estate project, the MJ musical not included?

Xuedan Wang (Instagram)
18) Is the MJ One fan brunch on Michael’s birthday worth going to?

Joshua Klein (email) – Tucson, Arizona, USA
19) Hello Elise and the rest of The MJCast, been binging a lot of episodes for the past year now and I love the show and have been keeping up with new episodes ever since. I’ve heard plenty of discussions around everyone’s feelings towards the MJ estate and in some ways I completely agree with some of the opinions given. But as a casual fan of Michael, is it morally wrong to also buy new products/attend estate hosted events such as the birthday celebrations in Las Vegas? I like Michael and look forward to anything they put out, but sometimes I feel like I’m on a see-saw. Anyways thank you for taking the time to see my question, keep up the amazing work you all are doing and keep Michael-ing!

Porter Wolff (email)
20) If you had creative control of the estate, what would be the one project you would make and what would it include? A new album, short film boxset, album deluxes, a concert release?

Porter Wolff (email)
21) It’s been mentioned that an Estate Roundtable episode has been in the works, any update on if that is still the case?

Porter Wolff (email)
22) Do you know the level of completion for songs like “Buffalo Bill” and “Make or Break”, which are bad era tracks made with John Barnes. What about “Rich Girl”, which was made with Brad Buxer during history.

Porter Wolff (email)
23) You went to a seminar where John Barnes spoke, were there any stories he told there that you were unable to ask during his special episode? (Note to Porter: I fully intend to follow up on this question down the road! -E)

Jace Bain / MixingHistory (Instagram)
24) You’re writing the upcoming MJ biopic; how do you open and w/ what song?

Evaeva7 (Instagram)
25) And how would you close it and with what song?

Sydni Taylor (email)
26) Are you excited for the biopic? As a fan, I fear that the media will mock and pick at it the minute a trailer is released, I also fear that these movements for victims would have something to say, hell I wouldn’t be surprised if people protest against the film when it’s time for theatrical release, people protested against Victor Salva’s film which I understood because he was actually guilty, but MJ isn’t but some people aren’t open to hearing that he’s innocent, I also fear the other film directors will get the idea to make a negative movie about MJ.

Sue Vick Finley (Instagram)
27) Someone just told me MJ had surgery to keep his voice high. I don’t believe that is true, but I didn’t know how to definitively say there is proof.

Sue Vick Finley (Instagram)
28) We just saw MJ the Musical. There was a part where he was signing papers to leverage Neverland against the dangerous tour. Did something like that really happen?

Sue Vick Finley (Instagram)
29) Black Music Archive: the voice the singing the explained Michael Jackson. Have you seen this. Is it a source to be trusted?

Sue Vick Finley (Instagram)
30) Any news on how Taj’s project is coming?

Sue Vick Finley (Instagram)
31) How can I watch Sonic Fantasy? It doesn’t seem to be on any platform for the average person to watch it. Thanks for all the wonderful work you all do on this podcast!

Cindy Messina (Instagram)
32) What are your thoughts on the new MJ podcast called Think Twice?

Sue Vick Finley (Instagram)
33) I recently read that Lisa Marie was a scientologist. Do you know anything about that play a role in their marriage?

Freakinuhmazin (Twitter)
34) Why do you think no one ever talks about how Lisa and Michael kept getting back together and breaking up for four more years after their divorce? I think it’s awesome that they kept clapping cheeks. 😂😁

Gsingh1385 (Instagram)
35) Would it be possible to do a round table on the Living with Michael Jackson documentary?

Sydni Taylor (email)
36) Does anyone know if Prince Jackson is still interested in being a film director?

Also, big thanks to Italian_to_go for questions on the allegations, Andrew for questions on State of Shock, and Heli Tenhunen for question about Michael Jackson’s personal believes. All of these questions were left out of this episode because Elise decided they were either better addressed by another team member, and/or should be saved for a longer discussion on a future episode!

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Additional Links
• TheMJCast 063: Q Q&A
• TheMJCast 069: C Q&A
• TheMJCast 074: J Q&A
• TheMJCast 099: Leaving Neverland Q&A
• TheMJCast130: An Evening With Charlie and Jamon
• TheMJCast147: The Big British Q&A

Support Us
• Please consider donating through PayPal to help cover our costs. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and charity donations.
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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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. Stay Bad!

151: Matt Forger Special (Part 2)

Matt Forger, legendary studio engineer and Michael Jackson collaborator, joins co-hosts Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson for Part 2 of an extensive interview in celebration of Thriller’s 40th anniversary, Blood on the Dance Floor’s 25th anniversary, and marking 150 episodes of The MJCast.

Forger is an icon in the music industry. He recorded classic Michael Jackson songs for the albums Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, and Blood on the Dance Floor, worked on Captain EO, and much more. Not only was Forger a crucial player in shaping many of music history’s most important tracks, but he worked with the King of Pop during his creative and commercial peak. He also worked closely with other well-known Jackson studio collaborators and innovators such as John Barnes and Brad Buxer. Forger, through his technical wizardry, helped Michael Jackson push the boundaries of pop music, creating songs and experiences that will live on for generations to come.

These are the stories behind the songs.

This episode was edited by Jamon Bull.

Additional Links
• The MJCast 142: Reflections on John Barnes Roundtable
• The MJCast 089: John Barnes Special

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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. Keep Michaeling!

150: Matt Forger Special (Part 1)

Matt Forger, legendary studio engineer and Michael Jackson collaborator, joins co-hosts Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson for an extensive interview in celebration of Thriller’s 40th anniversary, Blood on the Dance Floor’s 25th anniversary, and marking 150 episodes of The MJCast. This is the team’s first two-part interview, which will be continued in #TheMJCast151.

Forger is an icon in the music industry. He recorded classic Michael Jackson songs for the albums Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, and Blood on the Dance Floor, worked on Captain EO, and much more. Not only was Forger a crucial player in shaping many of music history’s most important tracks, but he worked with the King of Pop during his creative and commercial peak. He also worked closely with other well-known Jackson studio collaborators and innovators such as John Barnes and Brad Buxer. Forger, through his technical wizardry, helped Michael Jackson push the boundaries of pop music, creating songs and experiences that will live on for generations to come.

These are the stories behind the songs.

The entire MJCast team would like to thank our listeners, from the bottom of our hearts, for all the support and engagement through 150 episodes of interviews and fan discussion. We could not do this without you, and cherish the community we’ve built, all for honoring the legacy of the King of Pop!

This episode was edited by Jamon Bull.

Additional Links
• The MJCast 142: Reflections on John Barnes Roundtable
• The MJCast 089: John Barnes Special

Connect with Us
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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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. Keep Michaeling!

142: Reflections on John Barnes Roundtable

Brad Buxer, Matt Forger, and Brad Sundberg join host Jamon Bull for a very special episode in remembrance of the late John Barnes. From Barnes’s early work with Jackson at Hayvenhurst, to deep-dive discussions around technical recording aspects and some of their collaborative works like the brilliant song “Another Part of Me”, Matt and the two Brads take you inside the studio. Not only did Barnes and Jackson share a deep friendship, but also a unique artistic partnership that resulted in musical masterpieces that will be enjoyed by fans forever.

John Barnes was a force in the music industry for over 50 years, having worked with an extensive list of music icons, from The Miracles, to Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, Celine Dion, Diana Ross, and, of course, the King of Pop. His work with the Jackson family started in 1976, and he connected with Michael Jackson in 1982. Barnes and Jackson’s meeting would launch a long and productive professional, creative, and personal relationship that would last decades. The two owned a company together, called Experiments in Sound, and John became a central part of Michael’s creative team. Early on, Barnes worked on the Jacksons’ “Victory” album, and worked extensively on “Captain EO”, including creating sounds for the film and co-writing the song, “We Are Here to Change the World”. His work with the synclavier was considered revolutionary, and was a massively important part of his recording work with Michael Jackson.

During the “BAD” album recording, Barnes worked daily at Hayvenhurst, alongside Bill Bottrell and Matt Forger. While often unfairly dubbed “The B Team”, and noted for creating demos, while Quincy Jones and Bruce Sweden did the main work on this album, the reality was that the Hayvenhust team was central to the creation of the album, producing nearly final versions of many of the songs, such as “Smooth Criminal” and “The Way You Make Me Feel”.

Barnes would also go on to have roles on Jackson’s later albums, as well, including “Dangerous”, “HIStory”, and “Blood on the Dance Floor”. He continued his work with Jackson through the very end of his career, even going to Bahrain in 2006 to work on the still-unreleased charity single, “I Have this Dream”.

Barnes, who passed away after a long illness on March 19, 2022, was not only an amazing musician and visionary, but he was passionate about humanitarian issues. This was a driving force in his close relationship with the King of Pop, and included important creative work, such as co-writing the song, “We Are The World”, which raised $50 million internationally to end hunger in Africa. He was full of genuine passion for his art, sometimes at the cost of not getting the credit he deserved. In this incredible discussion, Barnes’s colleagues and friends share memories and unique stories about him and the moments which made him a true icon.

The MJCast is deeply appreciative to our special guests on this episode, and sends our condolences to John’s family and friends. The world will not be the same without him.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Guests
• Brad Buxer, who worked with Michael Jackson for 20 years, from the “Dangerous” album onwards through “Invincible”, and who became one of Michael’s closest production, music, and songwriting collaborators. He was also Musical Director for both the Dangerous and HIStory World tours. He has a close personal relationship with Michael into the final years of Michael’s life.
• Matt Forger, who worked with Michael Jackson starting with the “Thriller” album, where he was credited as a technical engineer, and continued to work on just about every project Michael did through the rest of his life. He also played a central roll in “Captain EO”. In addition, Matt is well-known for his many years of studio work with the Japanese superstar Yuming.
• Brad Sundberg, who was Michael Jackson’s Technical Director and studio engineer for 18 years, starting as an assistant on “Captain EO”, and also designed and built the extensive sound and lighting installations at Neverland. These days, Brad runs the seminar series, In the Studio with MJ, with events held around the world.

Additional Links
• John Barnes’ official website.
• Articles on the passing of John Barnes by Music Radar, MJWorld and MJVibe.

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• TheMJCast.com
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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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. Keep Michaeling!

130: An Evening With Charlie and Jamon

It’s been far too long since The MJCast had a good old fashioned Q&A episode, so the team is bringing this format back with host Jamon Bull and everyone’s favorite Brit, Charles Thomson! The guys received over 80 questions, with no topics barred, covering everything from their favorite songs, to fan experiences, to insights on legal proceedings. We so appreciate all of our MJ Fam who submitted questions (and wish we could have gotten to each and every question), and hope you enjoy this fascinating, deep-dive chat about all things MJ!

“The Pale Prince of Peculiarity”
1) Can you tell us what you know about MJ‘s relationship with Sony? What went wrong and why did he hate them so much at the end of his life? It‘s a really confusing topic for me.

Annie
2) If the planet was about to be blown up by an evil super villain, and the only way to save humanity was for Charles Thomson to perform either Heal The World, The Lost Children or I Just Can’t Stop Loving You – which one would he choose?

Neil G
3) There have been reports of a MJ movie in the works. Is this a good idea? If so, who should play Michael?

Tom Rujitermann
4) Do you think it’s possible that Taj’s series could change the minds of many people? Or do you feel Michael has been so dehumanised that people will never be able to see past what the media portrays?

Curtis Roberton
5) Invincible is Michael’s last album and probably worst in eyes of a lot of people. But for me, it’s one of his best. I have friends who aren’t MJ fans and I have shown them the Invincible album and they think it’s amazing and start downloading the album, almost like a lost MJ album. What positives can you say about Invincible?
6) During This Is It, there are moments where MJ looks fragile and ill, like the start of The Way You Make Me Feel. Later on, when MJ is in the blue, he looks on top form, same with They Don’t Care About Us–he looks great and on form? Why is this?

Gillian Rice
7) How often does Charles listen to Michael’s music? And what are his top 3 songs?

Wendy
8) Can you tell us what you know about all of the aftermath of Michael’s injuries during the 1999 concert? Like medically, how was he treated, how did people around him respond to it, and more?
9) Do you think Dan Egghead Reed Is going to make Leaving Neverland 2?

?
10) Do you like John Branca, and tell me all the reasons why not?

Bob
11) Were you surprised that the court dismissed the James Safechuck lawsuit?

Jonny
12) Any idea why MJ used to let Prince have his hair bleached at such a young age? Always wondered and unsure if it has ever been answered. Very young age to colour a child’s hair. Maybe the freedom of expression he allowed his children behind closed doors?

Bella
13) Are you ever going to do the estate roundtable episode you’ve been teasing us with for years?

Genevieve Castello Branco
14) Marcos Cabota’s documentary “Sonic Fantasy” is completed, but he’s facing legal issues to release it. Any details about such legal issues, which probably involve Bruce Swedien’s estate?

Bob
15) Off the Wall or Purple Rain?

Captain Blackthorne
16) Which song has Michael’s most impressive vocal performance? My vote it for Earth Song or Billie Jean.
17) Do we know any details about the “lost classical album” that Michael worked on before his passing?

Marni Cochrane
18) Dear Charles, what is the most interesting or surprising thing you learnt about MJ, his life and/or his work while working on the documentary with Taj and other collaborators, which was totally new to you?

Anita
19) How do we manage that Jamon and Elise will be invited to the next Halloween party hosted by the Jackson family?

Dane Thomson
20) What has shaped your views on life throughout your years?

“Oprah”
21) If MJ Estate approached you with an olive branch and ask for your help and input, what are the top 5 list of things that you like to immediately work on and do?

“Billie Jean”
22) Which MJCast special episode is your favorite why?

Constantinos
23) Top 5 guests who you would love to interview in the near future?
24) Would you like one day to create your own visual documentary to combine all your special interviews?

MJJQ
25) Out of each of Michael’s full length solo albums (OTW, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and Invincible), could you choose 1 track which is your personal favourite, and on the other hand, an unreleased demo or outtake song which could replace your least favourite track on each album – with short explanations as to why.

“James Brown”
26) Does anyone know what happened to the Vogue documentary that had a preview on YouTube and why it was never released?
27) How do you feel about supposed friends of MJ such as Quincy, some of the Ross family, etc, still openly supporting Oprah? Or do you think Oprah is just so big that it’s career suicide to come out against her?

Kieran Kibble
28) What are your top 3 MJ short films and why? Thanks for all the work you guys do in supporting Michael’s legacy.

Ben
29) What motivates you both to still remain active in the MJ fan community all these years later?

Dorsa
30) If you had to choose one documentary/book that captures the whole essence of Michael Jackson, which one would it be?

Suzie
31) If you had a time machine and could make two trips to the past, one to any MJ performance and one to any moment in Michael’s life where you could use your time to speak with him personally (and maybe warn him of certain things), which moments in time would you choose?

Debi T
32) How do you as hosts of The MJCast who have interviewed several members of the Jackson family feel about reports coming from the bodyguards, Randall Sullivan, and others that Michael’s family were a bunch of grifters during his life and after his death?

Mira Kontar
33) What are the best arguments to make when discussing Michael’s status as the greatest entertainer? I see weak arguments like he makes people faint or he can just stand there and entertain us, which doesn’t hold when discussing skill-set. I have my own answer, but I’d like to hear yours.

Dexter Williams
34) Between catching snippets of the Chauvin trial on television, and seeing discourse and comments about it on social media, I’ve wondered what effect having filmed MJ’s 2005 trial would have had. Do you think, in hindsight, that filming/broadcasting the 2005 trial on television would have hurt or harmed MJ’s reputation as far as the general public is concerned?

Shawn Clarence
35) If you had access to Michael’s vault and could release ONE Definitive Project, what would part/parts of Michael would you showcase and why?
36) Jamon, if you could sit in the studio and watch Michael record a song what would it be?

Additional Links
• The MJCast 063: Q Q&A
• The MJCast 069: C Q&A
• The MJCast 074: J Q&A
The MJCast 099: Leaving Neverland Q&A

Sponsors
• Thank you to our anonymous listener, whose donation to The MJCast has allowed us to give back to Children International.
• The MJCast’s official shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our merchandise.

Connect with Us
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Facebook
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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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. Keep Michaeling!

089: John Barnes Special

The MJCast’s Elise Capron and Jamon Bull are honoured to interview renowned musician, arranger, songwriter and mixer John Barnes, who has worked with an incredibly wide range of the world’s top musicians and entertainers, including, of course, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

John has been recording music since the early ’70s, and has collaborated with artists such as Marvin Gaye, The Miracles, Lionel Richie, Celine Dion, Diana Ross, and many more. He first teamed up with the Jackson family in the early ’80s, playing synthesizer and handling arrangements on The Jacksons’ Victory album. He also worked independently with Janet and Jermaine during this time.

Captain EO
and the Bad album marked the beginning of John’s deep involvement in Michael Jackson’s solo career. While Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien were working at Westlake, John, Matt Forger, and Bill Bottrell spent their days at Michael’s private home studio at Hayvenhurst, bringing to fruition Michael’s own musical creations. John took on many different roles in the creative process. He was a musician, programmer, and developed ideas from the group up alongside Michael, including co-writing ‘We Are Here to Change the World’.

John worked with Michael in his later years as well, and spent time with him in Bahrain following the 2005 criminal trial in which he was found not guilty. Not only was John a crucial member of MJ’s creative team, but he has also had a major impact on the popular music landscape as we know it, both as a traditional musician and with his revolutionary work with synth sound programming. Today, John continues his work in the music industry as the CEO of Innersound Studios.

Additional Links
• 
John’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
• Janet Jackson – Don’t Stand Another Chance
• U.S.A for Africa – We Are the World
• Michael Jackson’s Captain EO film
• The infamous 1983 James Brown concert where both Michael Jackson and Prince were called up on stage.
• 
Michael Jackson – I Have This Dream (Instrumental)

Ad & Music Breaks
• Michael Jackson – Al Capone
• Michael Jackson – We Are Here to Change the World
• Michael Jackson – We are the World (Demo)

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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!

087: Happy 60th Birthday MJ!

On this episode celebrating Michael Jackson’s 60th birthday, Q, Elise and Jamon go on a trip down memory lane with special guest Sean Fitzgerald, who was part of the team who ran The Magic World of Michael Jackson Fan Club in the U.S. from 1989-1995. Sean recreates the incredible moments he experienced during this golden era for MJ fans, such as attending Michael’s fabled Bad World Tour shows at Madison Square Garden and having front-row access to the filming of MTV’s 10th Anniversary Special, where Michael performed Black or White and Will You Be There for the first time. He also talks about the infamous 1995 HBO Beacon Theatre show that was cancelled when Michael fell ill and organising ‘MichaelFest’ fan gatherings.

Plus, Sean goes into detail about his fan club’s very positive relationship with MJJ Productions, who invited Sean and other fan club organizers to their LA office on multiple occasions. Sean also gives interesting insight into how the fan community was organised pre-internet, and how that time contrasts to the online community today.

Sean Fitzgerald is based in New York, and now works in marketing. He’s been married to his high-school sweetheart (who is also an MJ fan!) for 27 years, and they have five children together. Sean is also very active in Church ministries (prison ministry, youth ministry and bible study) and has multiple degrees in Theology. He still has many very personal items from his collection of MJ memorabilia, including a range of items signed personally from Michael Jackson.

The MJCast can’t imagine a better way to celebrate sixty years of Michael than with these fantastic memories.

Additional Links
• 
The Barking Lot (Elise’s other passion in life, besides MJ!)
• 
The Jacksons perform You Are not Alone as a tribute to Joe Jackson at a recent concert in Southern California.
• Michael Jackson – Black or White video
• Michael Jackson’s performance at MTV’s 10th Anniversary Special
• Behind the scenes at MTV’s 10th Anniversary Special
• Sean Fitzgerald’s email address. You can contact him here!

Ad & Music Breaks
• 
Broadway United – We Are The World
• Bad Tour New York ‘88 E.T. Report
• Michael Jackson – Black or White (DJ KaktuZ Atmospheric Remix)
• Michael Jackson – Will You Be There (SWG Studio Mix)

Connect with Us
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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, 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. Stay BAD!

077: Let’s Make HIStory Special with Brice Najar

Q flies solo today, welcoming returning guest Brice Najar back on the show, along with his wonderful wife, Laetitia Latouche. Brice is well-known in the Michael Jackson community for his books on The Jacksons and the King of Pop, but this discussion is focused on his most recent book, Let’s Make HIStory. Najar’s book goes into detail about the recording of Michael’s brilliant HIStory album. Based around interviews with key collaborators, the book is a comprehensive and fascinating look into the creation of a masterpiece.

Q, Brice, and Laetitia discuss what makes Let’s Make HIStory an important contribution to Michael Jackson literature, why the HIStory era is of particular significance, what it was like to interview collaborators, the process of getting this book published, and surprises that Brice discovered along the way. Brice and Laetitia also talk about MJ Music Day in France, and how that event came together.

Links
• Brice Najar’s website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.
• Brice Najar’s books: Let’s Make HIStoryMichael Jackson: itinéraire d’un passionné and The Jacksons: Musicographie 1976 – 1989.
• Michael Jackson’s 1995 Wetten Dass performance
• Michael Jackson’s 1996 Brit Awards performance
• Brice Najar’s interview with photographer Steven Paul Whitsitt
• Brice’s favorite MJ books: Moonwalk, Mike Smallcombe’s Making Michael, • Isabelle Petitjean’s Dangerous – from Mark Ryden to Michael Jackson and Xscape Origins by Damien Shields.
• MJ Music Day and Association On The Line’s website

Music Breaks & Ads
• Michael Jackson – Scream (feat. Janet Jackson) [Dave ‘Jam’ Hall Extended Urban Remix]
• Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow (Classic Mix)
• Michael Jackson – They Don’t Care About Us (Uncensored Olodum Cut)

Connect with Us
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• Facebook
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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. Keep Michaeling!

071: MJ101 Special: Bad 30

Creator of the free MJ101 eBook series Andy Healy has released his new book, Bad 30, and what a great opportunity for us to explore both the book and the album for our second last episode of Season Three of The MJCast.

Joining returning guest Andy is a new voice for listeners, Chris Lacy. Chris is a lifelong Michael Jackson supporter in more ways than one. His fiery passion for music and dance came from studying Jackson’s artistry while he was growing up on Navy bases. Chris eventually became a dance instructor while learning from Stephen “tWitch” Boss and Allison Holker of So You Think You Can Dance? fame. His appreciation for Michael Jackson expanded beyond the music when he started battling vitiligo at the age of twelve, a skin condition Jackson also endured. Fortunately, his strong Christian faith has not only helped him with his own struggles but has also inspired him to mentor youth who wrestle with various self-esteem issues. Chris is also a Contributing Writer for Albumism with heartfelt tributes for Bad (1987) and Dangerous (1991) under his belt, among others.

Andy, Chris, Jamon and Q explore and discuss the tracks on Michael’s critically and commercially acclaimed late 80’s masterpiece Bad. As Andy was lucky enough to see Michael live through witnessing The Bad World Tour in person, we also get to hear his account of this incredible concert, making us all slightly envious!

Links
• MJ101: Bad 30
• The official MJ 101 website and Twitter page
• The Michael Jackson Archives Facebook group
• Chris Lacy’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages
• Chris Lacy’s Dangerous 25 and Bad 30 articles on Albumism
• Chris Lacy’s Jam tribute video
• Annie Leibovitz’ Michael Jackson photoshoot
• Bad short film
• Bad live on the Bad World Tour
• Prince is interviewed about Michael Jackson’s Bad
• The Way You Make Me Feel short film
• The Way You Make Me Feel live on the Bad World Tour
• Moonwalker film
• Speed Demon short film
• Liberian Girl short film
• Just Good Friends footage from Bad 25
• Michael Jackson – Abortion Papers (Song Groove)
• Michael Jackson – I’m So Blue
• Another Part of Me short film
• Another Part of Me live on the Bad World Tour
• Chris Tucker dancing to Another Part of Me in Rush Hour
• Captain EO film
• Man in the Mirror short film
• Man in the Mirror live on the Bad World Tour
• Prince’s Sign O’ the Times album
• Michael Jackson’s 1988 Grammy Awards performance
• I Just Can’t Stop Loving You live on the Bad World Tour
• Dirty Diana live on the Bad World Tour
• The Weeknd – D.D.
• Smooth Criminal short film
• Smooth Criminal live on the Bad World Tour
• Moonwalker video game playthrough
• The MJCast – Episode 064: Vincent Paterson Special
• Leave Me Alone short film
• The Bad World Tour Live in Brisbane (1987)

Music Breaks & Ads
• 
Original 1987 television commercial for the Bad album
• Michael Jackson – Bad (Dance Extended Mix)
• Federico Malaman – Speed Demon
• Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror (Instrumental Live Piano Version)
• Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal (Annie Mix)
• Original 1988 television commercial for the Bad World Tour live in Denver
• Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana (Live in Rome, 1988)

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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!

070: Nobody Gonna be Payin’ Us

Q and Jamon are back in the saddle and ready to discuss all things Michael Jackson and the Jackson family! The fellas kick things off with some discussion around a previously unseen version of the Victory album cover, Michael’s influence across the hip-hop genre, Tito Jackson’s interview around unreleased Michael music and a recent Dee Dee Jackson Foundation and Heal Los Angeles Fundraiser. Q and Jamon then delve into the new Blood on the Dancefloor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-up) remix, Paris Jackson’s Melbourne Cup visit, Janet’s State of the World Tour and Out100 Gala appearance and Austin Brown’s new EP Canyon Sessions. To round out the news, the boys update listeners on Katherine Jackson’s position as guardian of Bigi ‘Blanket’ Jackson, Mike Smallcombe and Andy Healy’s book announcements and the Dangerous World Tour (Live in Oslo) leak. The main discussion topic for this episode is all around Q and Jamon’s thoughts on the CBS TV special Michael Jackson’s Halloween.

P.s. We apologise for the audio issues on Jamon’s vocal throughout this episode. He needs a new mic chord!

News
• 
Michael Whelan, illustrator of the Victory album cover, has revealed two early concepts for the design
• MJ’s influence across hip-hop video
• Tito Jackson gives an interview around unreleased Michael Jackson music
• Dee Dee Jackson/Heal Los Angeles fundraiser event takes place at Hayvenhurst for Halloween
• Sony have released a new mash-up video for Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-up)
• Paris Jackson visits Australia for the Melbourne Cup and suffers terrible treatment by Australian media, and also some great media here, here and here.
• Janet Jackson attends official LA #SOTW Tour after-party and performs at Hollywood Bowl with Jackson’s in attendance. Reunites with previous dancers for If, Scream & Rhythm Nation medley.
• Janet Jackson honoured with the 2017 music icon award at the Out100 Gala
• Austin Brown releases a new EP titled Canyon Sessions
• Katherine Jackson resigns as guardian of Bigi Jackson
• Mike Smallcombe is set to release a revised version of Making Michael
• Andy Healy’s Bad 30 101 is available for download
• Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour (Live in Oslo, 1992) has leaked
• LaVelle Smith Jr shares footage of Michael’s 2002 “A Night at the Apollo” lip-synced performance of Heal the World
• Stance launches official Thriller socks range
• Director John Singleton shares memories of working with Michael
• Jermaine Jackson performs on Dutch TV show Tijd voor MAX as well as engaging in some interviews while in the Netherlands.

Main Discussion Topic
• 
Michael Jackson’s Halloween

Finds of the Week
• 
Q – Sammy Davis Jr. Sings Michael Jackson’s Bad
• Jamon – Michael Jackson – You Are Not Alone (Full Length Mix)

Additional Links
• 
Moranbah. Where Jamon lives.
• 
Did Prince Cause The Jacksons to Remove Dove from Victory Album Cover?
• Michael Jackson at HOT 97’s Summer Jam with Jay-Z in 2002
• The Notorious BIG – Unbelievable
• The Jackson’s Legacy book

Music Breaks & Ads
• 
Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal (BlkPanther SOLO Orchestral Mix)
• Janet Jackson – No Sleeep (Even When You Sleep ’86 Remix)
• Moonwalk TV ad
• Michael Jackson – Workin’ Day and Night (Live in Oslo, 1992)

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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!