147: The Big British Q&A

It’s been quite a while since the team’s last Q&A episode, and this round features three of our favorite Brits in the fan community: Charles Thomson, Samar Habib, and Charlie Carter. With nearly 100 questions received, the guys tackle a wide range of topics, from the allegations, to Taj Jackson’s documentary project, to favorite Michael Jackson books, insights on MJ’s lyrics and politics, and much more. A huge thank-you to all those listeners who submitted questions! We wish we could have gotten to them all. Grab yourself some tea and biscuits and enjoy this deep-dive fan chat.

Questions
Emma (Twitter) – South Wales, UK
1) Aside from the Brett Barnes episode (which I think everyone needs to listen to at least once), what would be your Top 3 episodes that a new listener (but lifelong MJ supporter) should listen when delving into previous MJCast podcasts? Emma.

GNTalk (Twitter)
2) Sorry – allegation question. Do the guys think there will ever be a day when one of the accusers, JC in particular, may come public and give their true account?

Dane Thomson (Twitter) – Brisbane, Australia
3) Are British tabloids worse than American tabloids? If so, why do you think this is?

Sydni Taylor (email)
4) Taj said on his Livestream earlier this year that he still believes Jordan Chandler will come forward, do you think Taj is saying this because he contacted Jordan or is it just wishful thinking. Do you believe Jordan will ever come forward. I personally don’t think he’ll ever tell his story.

Rob Seymour (Facebook) – Watford (Near London), UK
5) I’d be interested to know how things worked with regards to the 93 Chandler extortion attempt, if it was actually reported to the Police and whether they actually investigated it? Also Was it part of the settlement that the extortion charge was dropped? And how would that work as you cannot pay someone off to stop them testifying so how would it be legal to drop the extortion charges?

Dr. Andrew Greene (Twitter) – United States
6) My question is for Samar. Samar, I follow you on social media and admire the fact that you aren’t afraid to get a little political. Michael Jackson transcended a lot of barriers, one of those barriers was politics as is evident by his fans from around the world and people around him. From rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush, to performing for Bill Clinton at his inauguration and later the Democratic Party, to being beloved by those in countries like communist Russia. What is it about Michael Jackson that you believe attracts people from all political spectrums to Michael Jackson? Also, do you believe that Jackson’s music reveals an evolution of his own [political] beliefs as he got older?

Kris (Twitter) – Kansas, USA
7) Yes, if a gun was at your head, what do you guys think are the top 3 MJ songs that never had videos that absolutely HAVE to be turned into videos? Kris from the US.

Andrew Gray (email) – Chicago, USA
8) What are your favorite MJ books?

MJUnreleasedMix (Twitter)
9) How different do you think the last decade of Michael’s life would have been if the bridge collapse in Munich ’99 at MJ & Friends never happened? If he isn’t on painkillers, does the Bashir documentary still happen? The trial? This Is It? Might he still be here today?

Eva (email) – Amsterdam
10) Hey MJ friends! This is Eva from Amsterdam. I have a very specific question but it’s been on my mind for a while and I’m curious to hear your thoughts about it. Do you believe that the song Morphine was a cry for help? And are you aware if anyone responded to that at the time? I remember when the Blood on the Dance Floor album came out I thought “oh, that’s a cool and interesting song,” but I thought nothing else of it (granted, I was only 12 years old at the time). Also throughout my later years as a fan I never looked for a deeper meaning behind it. After Michael’s death, the song suddenly seemed like an ominous foreboding. The extent of MJs addiction to pain killers was widely exposed after he died and some of the lyrics in the song sounded like he predicted his own death and also talked about his own struggle with addiction during his lifetime. “A heart attack, baby”, “Demerol, oh god he’s taking Demerol”; “He’s tried / Hard to convince her / To be over what he had / Today he wants it twice as bad / Don’t cry / I won’t resent you / Yesterday you had his trust / Today he’s taking twice as much / Demerol”, “Relax / This won’t hurt you / Before I put it in / Close your eyes and count to ten /Don’t cry / I won’t convert you / There’s no need to dismay / Close your eyes and drift away”. Those last lines could even be the soundtrack to the scene between ‘doctor’ Murray and MJ in the moments before he died. Looking back, it feels like Michael may have written this song with great self-awareness and consciousness of his addiction. Could this have been a way for him to ask for help? As far as I am aware he never spoke publicly about the extent of his addiction and from what I’ve learned he also kept people who were close to him away from it. And then suddenly he releases this song, which in retrospect seems to be fully autobiographical. Do you know if after he wrote and released this song, there was anyone reaching out to him about it or asking about it? Or was everyone just like me, “hey that’s a cool song bro” and that’s it. When I imagine the loneliness he must have felt if that was indeed the case, it breaks my heart. Imagine sharing your darkest problems in a song (and how desperate you must be to do so, especially as such a public figure) and no one responds to it. Curious to hear your thoughts! I’m also sending this question to Brad Sundberg btw because he may have a perspective on whether anyone in the studio heard any alarm bells when they recorded this song. Warm regards and thank you so much for all the great episodes, Eva.

Rachel Doosti (email) – Dubai
11) Hi Jamon, You and Elise are doing a phenomenal job, love love love the direction of the podcast. Thank you so much to both of you for taking the time and providing great episodes with small children, full-time jobs, and family life. Bless you, both. I recall in one of the episodes Charles went to US and was helping Taj for his doc and reviewing materials and he shared da story of a video of Michael dancing with Jermaine while having a bandage on his nose but he did not share anything else with us. If it is not an intrusion, I love to have more insights on what he saw and reviewed in that trip and share more insights with us. Best Rachel Doosti

David Edwards (email)
12) Here’s my question for Charles Thomson: Are you still involved with Taj Jackson’s documentary “Re-Righting HIStory”, and if so, can you give any updates on its status? Thanks, David Edwards.

Anonymous (email) – Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
13) Why do you think it is that fans invest so heavily in the reporting of Roger Friedman around certain subjects (like the allegations) given that Michael publicly denounced his journalistic integrity while accusing Friedman of writing what Michael described as “vicious and untrue stories in an attempt to destroy my image” throughout the last decade of Michael’s life? Moreover, since Michael’s death Friedman has spent 12 years relentlessly perpetuating the lies of Eddie Cascio, James Porte, Sony and the estate regarding their fake songs, during which he has used his platform to call fans “deranged, bitter, stupid, nuisances” and Michael’s family “greedy and jealous.” Why do fans hold this man up so highly regarding some topics given his egregious conduct on others?

Emmet (email) – Ireland
14) Hi lads, I’ve always been fascinated with the cancelled HBO December 1995 show that MJ had planned but obviously didn’t happen. We always had the visual of MJ performing in stadiums to a sea of people, but I’m sure there is a large proportion of MJ’s fanbase that would’ve loved to have seen a more intimate, less pomp and circumstance concert that focused on his singing ability rather than the usual MJ style that we got from the Bad to History world tours. From what I understand, this concert was going to be just that, and it’s always been a sore spot for me that we never got to see it. Does any of the panel know if any footage exists of MJ rehearsing for that show? We all know he recorded nearly everything relating to his performances, so perhaps there is something in a vault somewhere? Why was the show never rescheduled? Was he unhappy with the production of it? I always wished he’d done a stripped down show, but unfortunately it was never to be. Long-time listener and love the show, keep up the great work! Emmet, Ireland

Jamon Bull – Brisbane, Australia
15) Charlie and Samar. You’ve both spoken about Invincible before, with Charlie being critical of the album and Samar being supportive of it. Is there some common ground that could be reached?

Jamon Bull – Brisbane, Australia
16) Charlie and Samar. Similarly to my Invincible question, you’ve both got very different opinions on Janet Jackson as an artist. Again, could some common ground be reached?

Seány (Twitter) – Russia
17) I felt the discussion reg #MJtheMusical on a past ep was rather unfair & I disagreed with almost 100% of the guests review (I had seen the show 3 times by the time that particular ep had aired) Since its continued successes & accolades, are you more inclined to now want to see it?

Jamon Bull – Brisbane, Australia
18) Charlie, you told me once that you wish you’d had a chance to speak on the episode Elise, Q and Björn did together about whether Michael was a gay icon. Tell me your thoughts.

Jamon Bull – Brisbane, Australia
19) Carter. What was it like looking down on Neverland while flying over it? How much would you like to walk the grounds of Neverland one day?

Mookie864 (Instagram)
20) My question is for CET. Charles, after finishing your Podcast, ‘Unfinished’, last year, I was left feeling like there may be more coming in the future. Can you reveal if you are still investigating the Shoebury topic and if there will be a season 2?

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

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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!

146: Cascio Tracks Removal Roundtable

On November 8, 2010, Sony Music and the Estate of Michael Jackson unveiled the first song from their new Michael Jackson album in a worldwide premiere via michaeljackson.com. The song, called “Breaking News,” was said to have been written and produced by Eddie Cascio, James Porte and Michael Jackson. But there was one problem… The Jackson family, several of Michael’s former collaborators, and thousands of fans around the world believed the track was fake, with vocals sung by an impostor.

Five weeks after the premiere, “Breaking News” and two other songs also believed to be fakes were commercially released on the album, simply titled “Michael”. Despite the ongoing protests of fans around the world (including The MJCast), the album would remain commercially available in music stores, via online retailers and on streaming platforms for nearly twelve years. One fan in particular, Vera Serova, filed a class action lawsuit against the Estate, Sony, Cascio, Porte and their production company in 2014, which remains unresolved to this day.

Finally, in 2022, the three tracks in question have been removed from digital platforms.

In this conversation, host Jamon Bull is joined by author and Cascio track expert Damien Shields, studio engineer Dan Villalobos, award-winning journalist Charles Thomson, and Friends of the Show James Alay and Samar Habib. The panel discusses the impact of the Cascio Tracks, the long-running lawsuit to have them removed, emerging news that the songs have been removed, and also a statement from the Michael Jackson Estate’s online team that they have removed the songs from sale not because of their legitimacy, but because they have been distracting fans from buying more posthumous products.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Participants
• Jamon Bull
• Damien Shields
• Dan Villalobos
• James Alay
• Charles Thomson
• Samar Habib

Additional Links
• The MJCast’s Remove the Cascio Tracks Now campaign
• #TheMJCast067: Joseph Vogel Special
• Damien Shields’s website, with a section dedicated to the Cascio Tracks.
• Damien’s upcoming Faking Michael podcast
• Damien’s book, Michael Jackson: Songs & Stories From The Vault

Connect with us
• 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!

128: An Exotic Location Called Ohio

We’re back for Season Seven of the The MJCast! In this regular episode, hosts Jamon Bull and Elise Capron are joined by mega-fan Rickey Alexander, who was most recently on the podcast for the #History25 Roundtable. In this in-depth discussion to kick off 2021, the team digs into loads of news in the world of Michael Jackson, including the sale of Neverland Ranch, a new podcast by Brad Sundberg, two compelling new MJ books, fan community drama, Superbowl chat, expanded re-releases from The Jacksons, a frustrating John Branca interview, updates on the Cascio Case, and much more. The MJCast team is excited for the season to come. Thank you for joining us!

Discussion Topics
• Neverland Ranch has been sold to Ron Burkle.
• Brad Sundberg has launched his In The Studio podcast.
• We copped some heat on our stance regarding RazörFist and John Ziegler.
• MJNewsDigest has featured The MJCast in his ‘Exposed’ series.
• Talitha Linehan has released her book called ‘Michael Jackson and Me’.
• Aileen Medalla has released her book called ‘The King of Pop and I’.
• Is The Weeknd’s video for ‘Save Your Tears’ a reference to Michael Jackson?
• The Jacksons have released expanded digital versions of their eponymous album, ‘Goin’ Places’ and ‘Destiny’, as well as a vinyl-only re-release of ‘The Jacksons Live’, available for pre-order on Amazon.
• Chinese company PureArts is releasing a crazy-expensive Michael Jackson figurine.
• Tom Mesereau is a featured guest on the legal podcast “Hashing Out the Law” with Arash Hashemi.
• Possible book and documentary coming from Hamid Moslehi?
• New interview with John Branca.
• Michael Jackson Chart Data Year In Review.
• Rickey Alexander’s new essay on Medium, ‘What is Michael Jackson’s Magnum Opus?

Additional Links
• Rickey Alexander’s Twitter page.

Sponsors
• Audible – Great audiobooks. Great a free one-month trial (including one free audiobook) and help support the podcast by using our custom MJCast promo link.
• The MJCast’s official shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our merchandise.

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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!

127: Season Six Christmas Special

Taj Jackson, Charles Thomson, and Q join forces to celebrate the holidays and reflect on this past year… Welcome to The MJCast’s annual Christmas Special!

Before getting into the bulk of the discussion topics, Taj breaks the incredible news that he and his wife Thayana are expecting Baby #2! The MJCast sends a special congratulations to Taj’s whole family.

The guys then discuss loads of news updates and developments in the world of Michael Jackson, including a new book by Brice Najar, the launch of a virtual edition of Kingvention, updates with Vera Serova’s lawsuit as well as the Estate’s lawsuit against HBO, a new version of the online documentary ‘Loving Neverland’, and a new film project by Jin Chohan. Plus, Taj goes into detail about progress and plans for his documentary project, ‘The Truth Runs Marathons’. This episode is full of amazing fan and Jackson Family chat, reflections on the highs and lows of this past year, and hopes for 2021.

Also, while Jamon and Elise are not able to be on this episode, they give huge thanks to Q, Charlie, and Taj for making this episode possible and for wrapping up Season 6 of The MJCast. Thanks, guys!

We also want to thank our listeners for all your support throughout the year and hope that you enjoy our episodes coming up in Season 7! Happy holidays, #MJFam!

Discussion Topics
• Brice Najar’s ‘Book on the Dance Floor: Let’s Make HIStory in the Mix’ has been released.
• Big news! Taj Jackson and his wife, Thayana Sco Jackson, are expecting their second child!
• Kingvention went online this year with KV:Global, a three hour global Michael Jackson convention including interviews with Jean-Marie Horvat and Bill Bottrell.
• Vera Serova’s lawsuit against Sony Music and the Michael Jackson Estate has received support from key consumer protection groups.
• HBO has lost their appeal against the #MichaelJackson Estate in the ongoing ‘Leaving Neverland’ lawsuit.
• ‘The Truth Runs Marathons’ update from Taj. You can help support his documentary here.
• An improved version of ‘Loving Neverland’ with non-automated narration has been released. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4.
• Jin Chohan is raising money money for a documentary in support of Michael’s innocence called ‘Trial By Media: The Michael Jackson Story’.

Sponsors
• Audible – Great audiobooks. Great a free one-month trial (including one free audiobook) and help support the podcast by using our custom MJCast promo link.
• 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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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!

116: We’re All Experts in the Rearview Mirror

Damien Shields returns to The MJCast as a guest host, joining Jamon for our first regular news and discussion episode of Season 6! Damien is a long-time Friend of the Show, author, and Cascio tracks expert. The fellas catch up on loads of updates in the world of Michael Jackson, including the Estate’s #HealTheWorld2020 video, newly leaked MJ vocal snippets, an awkward snafu by Teddy Riley, developments around Dan Reed, good news for Tom Mesereau, a beautiful film-tribute to Michael Jackson’s artistic legacy, and more. Plus, Jamon and Damien ask the question: Could HIStory 25 happen?

Discussion Topics
• Cirque du Soleil temporarily suspends MJOne due to COVID-19.
• French documentary Lettre d’amour à Michael Jackson premieres on YouTube.
• Teddy Riley claims that a previously released vocal cover of the song Joy, sung by MJ vocal impersonator Marcus Williams, is actually a demo he recorded with Michael.
• Michael Jackson’s Privacy acapella has leaked.
• Rodney Jerkins allegedly plays an unreleased Michael Jackson snippet called Rampage during a live stream event.
• Previously unreleased footage of Michael Jackson surfaces at gottahaverockandroll.com
• Dan Reed successfully gains access to film future court proceedings involving Wade Robson and James Safechuck.
• Tom Mesereau is now working as Special Counsel for John Branca, co-executor of the Michael Jackson estate.
• So #HealTheWorld2020 happened.
• Is HIStory 25 going to be a thing?

Additional Links
• Damien’s Twitter page, website, and book, Michael Jackson: Songs & Stories From The Vault.
• Dan Villalobos’ website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Orbits EP on Apple Music and Spotify.

Ad Breaks
• Crack Corn – Ridiculously delicious puff corn
• The MJCast Shop

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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.comStay BAD!

093: Season Four Christmas Special

It’s the time of year for cookies and carols and ornaments on the tree…and The MJCast’s annual Christmas Special!

Jamon, Q, and Elise wrap up Season Four with discussion of developments in the world of Michael Jackson, including John Cameron’s terrific Musicology podcast, the “On the Wall” exhibition moving to Paris, Janet Jackson’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett’s health scare, and the inspiring results of a music scholarship which Michael Jackson established in 1984. The MJCast Correspondents also chime in, with news on the Cascio Case, MCFFC charity efforts, and the Jackson family.

It’s been a whirlwind year, full of great discussion, lots of Jackson news, and illuminating conversations with amazing guests. The team reflects on the past year, highlights favorite clips from this season’s Special episodes, and also looks to the year to come, as The MJCast continues to grow.

We want to thank our listeners for all your support throughout the year and hope that you enjoy our episodes coming up in Season 5! Happy holidays, #MJFam!

Follow Up
• #UndieGate
• #MoonwalkWalks #Book4 is out in the QLD wild!

News
• John Cameron has dropped his latest episode of #JCsMusicology, focusing on Michael Jackson’s HIStory era
• “Michael Jackson: On the Wall” exhibition has moved to the Grand Palais in Paris
• Janet Jackson is to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
• Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett suffered an emergency triple bypass operation and has started a GoFundMe page to help with his medical costs
• The Cascio Case is headed to the Supreme Court of California
• The artistic director of Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, is designing a new collection based on Michael Jackson
• Groovefunkel has released a new remix of Michael Jackson’s Thriller
• The 1984 music scholarship fund that Michael donated has awarded scholarships to four students! (Thank you to listener Kayla Salem, of Jacksonville, Florida, for this tip.)

Season Four Highlights
• Episode 076 – MJ101 Special: Thriller 35
• Episode 077 – Let’s Make HIStory Special with Brice Najar
• Episode 079 – Bryan Loren Special
• Episode 081 – Vindication Day Special with Aphrodite Jones
• Episode 082 – June 25th Special with Damien Shields and TJ
• Episode 083 – Reflections on Joseph Jackson Roundtable
• Episode 084 – Judith Hill Special
• Episode 086 – Dick Zimmerman Special
• Episode 089 – John Barnes Special
• Episode 090 – Thriller 3D Roundtable
• Episode 092 – Humanitarian: The Real Michael Jackson Special

Main Discussion Topic
• A year in review.
• What’s to come in Season 5!

Finds of the Week
• Q – Adam Lambert vs Michael Jackson – Cuckoo For Your Entertainment (DJ DigiMark’s Off the Wall MixMash), thank you to our Live Tweeting Queen Carley, @MJisMyGoldenBoy
• Jamon – Five-Year-Old Dances Through Cancer Treatment with Epic Michael Jackson Moves
• Elise – Blast Points Podcast episode about Captain EO

Ads & Music Breaks
• Janet Jackson – The 1814 Megamix Induction Edit)
• Michael Jackson – Another Part of Me (AJAX’s Extended Mix)
• Michael Jackson & Haus of Glitch – R3M3MB3R TH3 T1M3
• Michael Jackson – Dangerous (AJAX’s Alternate Mix)
• Jermaine, Jaafar and Jermajesty Jackson – The Christmas Song (Live at MAX Proms 2017)
• Michael Jackson’s Christmas messages – 2002, 1995, 1992

Correspondent Appearances
• Courtney and Cam of Janet Today, Janet Tomorrow, Janet Forever podcast (Janet Jackson Correspondent)
• Charles Thomson (Legal Correspondent)
• Steven Hodges of MJFFC (Charity Correspondent)
• Janneke van der Linden of Jackson Source (Jackson family Correspondent)

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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.comStay BAD!

Remove Cascio Tracks Now

Eight years ago, on November 8th, 2010, Sony Music and the Estate of Michael Jackson ignored the express wishes of the Jackson family, Michael’s collaborators and his loyal fans. They released a track that they falsely stated was sung by the King of Pop, the Eddie Cascio and James Porte produced ‘Breaking News’. Five weeks later, the song and two other fakes were commercially released on an album sold to millions of fans around the world. The album, ‘Michael’, is still available for purchase through physical and digital retailers, bringing continual profits to those who were complicit in the fraud.

The time has come to once again raise our voice as one and remind Sony Music and the Estate that we will not stand for such disrespect and vandalism of Michael Jackson’s artistic legacy. Demand change. Demand they #RemoveCascioTracksNOW. We will continue our call to action through December 14th, the eight year anniversary of the ‘Michael’ album’s release, at which time we will request a formal response from Sony & the Estate. If sending an email, include the following recipients.

Sony Music CEO
Rob Stringer (rob.stringer@sonymusic.com)

Michael Jackson Estate Co-Executors
John Branca (johnb@ziffrenlaw.com)
John McClain (jmcclain2004@aol.com)

Michael Jackson Estate & Sony Music Attorneys
Howard Weitzman (hweitzman@kwikalaw.com)
Zia Modabber (zia.modabber@kattenlaw.com)

For sample email text, please feel free to personalise the below.

Dear Rob, John, John, Howard and Zia,

December 14th will mark the eighth anniversary since the release of Michael Jackson’s first posthumous album, ‘Michael’.

My name is [insert name here]. Unfortunately, I’m not writing to you today to express joy around your representation of the greatest entertainer who ever lived, like I’d one day hope to be able to, but to express my disappointment that there are still fake Michael Jackson songs for sale at retail outlets (online and physical) around the world even after eight years of protest from Michael’s family and fans.
The songs I am referring to are known as the Cascio tracks, a set of songs written, produced and arranged by Eddie Cascio and James Porte, sung on by vocal impersonator Jason Cupeta AKA Jason Malachi, and then sold to Sony Music. Three of them; Breaking News, Keep Your Head Up and Monster, were included on Michael’s titular debut posthumous album in 2010. I’m sure you’re aware of the controversy that ensued after ‘Breaking News’ premiered on www.michaeljackson.com eight years ago.
Regardless, any member of Michael’s family that has spoken out about this issue has said the songs are fake (including some of his beneficiaries). Most of Michael’s studio collaborators have confirmed the same thing and thousands upon thousands of his fans, yet the songs remain for sale. It concerns me greatly that Sony and Michael’s estate executors continue to defend the people who are responsible for this fraud, instead of defending Michael’s own beneficiaries and Michael’s artistic legacy itself.
This is an affront to what Michael stood for as an artist. He publicly stated he wanted to immortalise himself through his work. Michael deserves much better than this. So here’s what I am asking for…
1) All three Cascio tracks are permanently removed from sale in all retail stores around the world (digital and physical).
2) The Estate of Michael Jackson & Sony Music release public statements apologising to fans for selling fake Michael Jackson songs.
3) Fans who wish to receive a refund for the 2010 ‘Michael’ album are offered one.
I appreciate the position you found yourself in, in 2010. In fact, many fans agree that the Estate and Sony are victims of the Porte/Cascio fraud too. Im sure there were contracts signed, but I see no excuse for ignoring the advice of Michael’s own mother, a beneficiary to his Estate. The right choice would have been to not include the songs on the Michael album and to challenge Eddie Cascio and James Porte in court, but alas, it’s not too late to do the right thing, even though eight years have passed.
I hope that I don’t need to send a similar email to this one in the future, but I will continue to contact you until this matter is resolved. I would really appreciate a reply from someone this time. Let’s open the lines of communication around this.


Sincerely,

[Insert name here]

“Cause there’s a time when you’re right and you know you must fight.” – Michael Jackson.

Jamon Bull

088: Janet Got Busy

After a whirlwind summer of Jackson events, anniversaries, and special guests, Jamon and Q catch up on lots of news and developments in the world of Michael Jackson! On this episode, the guys welcome first-time guests Courtney and Kam, who co-host the Janet Jackson podcast, Janet Today, Janet Tomorrow, Janet Forever. The podcasting foursome chat about the story behind the new podcast, as well as updates in the world of Janet, including the buzz around her fantastic new single, ‘Made For Now’.

On the Jackson news front, the team discusses the recent media explosion around the Cascio Case, and the upcoming, limited-series podcast by Damien Shields, titled Faking Michael, which will document the history of the fraudulent tracks. They also chat about new books by Anthony King, Richard Lecocq & Francois Allard, and Vincent Paterson; the upcoming Quincy Jones documentary showing on Netflix; and the one-week run of “Thriller 3D” in IMAX theaters. Plus, they recap events at the Diamond Celebration in Las Vegas, and get updates from The MJCast correspondents.

News
Official Michael Jackson merchandise was been released by Culture Kings in Australia. Oh, and Cotton On.
• Anthony King has released his first book on Michael Jackson, called Michael Jackson & Classical Music.
Richard Lecocq & Francois Allard’s book Michael Jackson – All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track is due for release on October 23rd
Netflix lands a Quincy Jones documentary for September 21 release.
• Vincent Paterson’s autobiography, Icônes et Instincts is now available in French. The English version is coming soon!
• Jacksonville students to benefit from 1984 donation from Michael Jackson for scholarships.
• The article, ’60 Years of Michael Jackson, The Fashion Icon’, appears in Britain’s VOGUE magazine.
Damien Shields launches a teaser trailer for his Faking Michael podcast.
• Frank Cascio’s book to be turned into mini-series
Cascio Case media explosion and updates
‘Thriller 3D’ to play in IMAX theatres for a one-week run
Diamond Celebration discussion
Audio from the ‘Diamond Celebration’ Q&A with John Branca in Las Vegas
Janet’s throwback video to MJ’s Remember the Time

Main Discussion Topic
Janet! Janet Jackson releases a new single and two new music videos for ‘Made For Now (feat. Daddy Yankee)’
Janet’s recent performance on Jimmy Fallon

Finds of the Week
Jamon – Mark Ryden shares a YouTube video in which he discusses making a frame for his original Dangerous album art piece. His original design sketches of the frame are also available here.
Q – A video that listener (and legendary Aussie MJ tribute artist) Paul Rizzo posted, comparing the original release and the Number Ones DVD release of the film clips for Blood On The Dance Floor, and the differences between them!

Additional Links
iTunes and Twitter for the Janet Today, Janet Tomorrow, Janet Forever podcast.
Janet discusses motherhood and learning to love her body on Eonline!e!
CBS Executive Les Moonves was obsessed with ruining Janet Jackson’s career article from Huffington Post.

Ad & Music Breaks
The Jacksons – State of Shock (Remixed by Nick* Redux)
Nathan Jay – Take Me Away (feat. Michael Jackson)
Janet Jackson – If (Haus of Glitch 2018 Mix)
Janet Jackson – Made For Now (feat. Daddy Yankee) [Trace Adam Remix]

Correspondent Appearances
Janneke van der Linden of Jackson Source (Jackson family Correspondent)
Charles Thomson (Legal Correspondent)
Steven Hodges of MJFFC (Charity Correspondent)
Serena Butler gives a special report on the Diamond Celebration events and Q&A with John Branca.

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

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.comKeep Michaeling!

Thoughts on Sony…

As Sony Music issues an email to retailers calling Michael Jackson the ‘self-proclaimed King of Pop’ and referring to him as ‘Jacko’, The MJCast’s Jamon Bull explores the star’s troubled relationship with the label.

In the summer of 2002, Michael Jackson put his career on the line. Taking the stage on July 9th, at the headquarters of Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in Harlem, New York, Jackson was the main speaker at an event titled “Equality for Blacks in the Music World”. Standing shoulder to shoulder with a host of musicians, producers and music executives, the King of Pop accused the record industry of racism and corruption, alleging a ‘conspiracy’ to create a systemic disadvantage for black artists signed to major record companies, including himself. His childhood heroes – game-changing artists whose innovations continued to inspire new generations – were never adequately compensated, he lamented.

“It’s very sad to see that these artists really are penniless,” he told the crowd. “They created so much joy for the world and the system, meaning, the record companies, totally took advantage of them. And it’s not like they always say, you know, ‘They built a big house, they spent a lot of money, they bought a lot of cars’. That’s stupid. That’s just an excuse. That’s nothing compared to what artists make [for the record labels]. I’m really, really tired of the manipulation. I’m tired of how the press is manipulating everything that’s been happening in this situation. They do not tell the truth.”

The July 9th event was the third time in less than a month that Jackson had excoriated the music industry in a public speech – and the media reaction to the previous two had been unkind. His latest album, Invincible, had sold just over five-million copies since its release eight months earlier – a colossal hit for any other artist, but below what Jackson, his label and the media had come to expect from the King of Pop. The project had been branded a ‘flop’ and a public war of words had broken out between the artist and the label.

Sony claimed it had spent twenty-six million dollars on promotion but that Jackson had demanded unjustifiable sums for music videos and refused to travel or tour to boost sales. Jackson countered that Sony was lying about how much it had spent, saying he believed the label was deliberately sabotaging the project to ensure it made a loss, so executives could try to seize his fifty per cent share in the company’s music publishing catalogue as payment for the debt. Sony’s former vice president Cory Rooney would later say in an interview that Jackson had been correct all along.

His trip to New York had come shortly after a visit to London, where he had demonstrated outside Sony’s UK headquarters with fans and, on June 15th, delivered a speech claiming the label was trying to sabotage him.

“Being the artist that I am at Sony, I’ve generated several billion dollars for Sony,” he said. “I’m leaving Sony a free agent, owning half of Sony… and they’re very angry at me because, well, I just did good business, you know? So the way they get revenge is to try and destroy my album.”

“Michael’s going gangsta today!” one excited fan screamed.

But he wasn’t done. On July 6th, he took to the stage at the National Action Network for the first time and ramped up the pressure on Sony, this time making a potentially industry-shaking claim – that the company’s CEO, Tommy Mottola, was a racist.

“The record companies really, really do conspire against their artists,” he told an assortment of national and international news crews. “They steal, they cheat, they do whatever they can. Especially the black artists. Sony, Tommy Motolla is the president of the record division. He is mean, he is a racist and he is very, very, very devilish… Tommy Motolla made some very racist remarks. What he said was, to one of the artists who worked at Sony, who has a contract with the record company – he called him a ‘fat, black n****r’.”

The comments sent shockwaves throughout both the record industry and the media. One can’t underestimate just how bold an act this was for Jackson. He wasn’t just attacking one of the most important men in the recording industry, but as a board member of Sony Music and fifty per cent owner of its publishing empire, he was blowing the whistle on his own company, which he had helped to build.

But what fans saw as Michael’s ’emancipation’ moment, the media appeared to consider as little more than an uppity black man playing the race card. The media scolded Jackson for daring to bite the hand that fed him.

Sony issued a statement calling Jackson’s allegations ‘ludicrous’, ‘spiteful’, ‘hurtful’, ‘unfounded’, ‘unwarranted’ and ‘a serious abuse of the power that comes with celebrity’. Suggesting Jackson was mentally unstable, the company he co-owned stated: “The bizarre, false statements Mr Jackson made on Saturday make it clear that his difficulties lie elsewhere than with the marketing and promotion of Invincible.”

According to several media outlets, Sony sources began briefing off-the-record that the real reason Invincible hadn’t sold well was because Jackson was perceived as a child molester – although that would fail to explain the far greater sales of other Jackson projects released subsequent to his having been accused in 1993 of abuse. The New York Daily News quoted one anonymous executive saying: “Charges of pedophilia have really spooked a lot of American record buyers.”

The Washington Post accused Jackson of ‘pulling the race card’ because his career was ‘sliding into the abyss’. It said ‘riled up’ Sony execs were briefing the media that Jackson was a ‘weirdo’ and a ‘pouty diva’. Mocking Jackson’s skin condition vitiligo, WPGC-FM radio DJ joked that Jackson’s next song should be, ‘Say It Loud, I’m Vanilla and I’m Proud’. Michael Miller, at Columbus Business First, branded Jackson ‘a flaky, spoiled has-been, more famous for his plastic surgery than his music’.

The New York Post’s Eric Fettmann said Jackson’s ‘wild charges’ had made for a ‘bizarre spectacle’, particularly given Jackson was ‘racially androgynous’: “[Jackson] has made millions upon millions of dollars, but now plays the race card in a desperate attempt to deal with his declining popularity and precariously dwindling finances.”

The media backlash was so severe that even Al Sharpton distanced himself from Jackson’s comments, saying: “I have known Tommy for fifteen or twenty years, and never once have I known him to say or do anything that would be considered racist.”

But the suggestion that Jackson’s gripe with Sony was rooted in poor sales of his album Invincible was disingenuous. The first sign of tensions between the two appeared in an interview Jackson conducted with a fan magazine, Black and White, in 1998. The star and his interviewer were discussing his 1997 album Blood on the Dancefloor, which – despite fairly recent allegations of child abuse – had broken a Guinness World Record to become the biggest selling remix album of all time.

Asked whether he liked the remixes, Jackson responded that he didn’t: “The least I can say is that I don’t like them. I don’t like that they come in and change my songs completely. But Sony says that the kids love remixes.”

Upon hearing from the fan that the fans didn’t really like remixes, Jackson reportedly threw a fist in the air, then sighed and shook his head, muttering: “I knew it. I was sure.”

In the next few years, as he recorded Invincible, relations between the artist and label worsened – particularly between Jackson and Mottola. According to a source who spoke to Rolling Stone magazine, Mottola became somewhat obsessed with Jackson, hiring spies to monitor his activities. The source was quoted as saying: “The minute Michael would get close to anyone, Tommy would hire a detective to investigate him.”

Jackson was even seen crying in the studio during recording sessions Mottola would visit. Music producer Bryan Loren recently sat down with The MJCast for a podcast interview and discussed how emotionally disturbed Jackson would become when Mottola showed up at the studio.

“I watched him go through a bunch of stuff even while I was with him… I watched Tommy Mottola dig in on him because he wanted to get the record done. We were working on Dangerous and I watched Tommy dig in on him. I didn’t see it. You know, Tommy came to the studio, went in the room, they were in the room for ten minutes, he came out and left and when Michael came out he was crying.”

Jackson’s aversion to Sony continued long after 2002, until his death – again undermining any suggestion that it was, as Sony called it at the time, a mere ‘publicity stunt’. Bodyguard Javon Beard said of Jackson’s final years: “His hatred of Sony was on a whole other level. One day, Mr. Jackson told us he wanted some headphones to listen to music while he walked on the treadmill. One of the other security guys went out and got him a pair. I was in the house less than a week later, and I saw that they’d been broken in half. These things weren’t dropped. They were broken on purpose. I picked them up and saw they were Sony headphones. I wouldn’t have bought him anything that said Sony on it, but whoever purchased them probably wasn’t aware of the situation.”

In terms of knowing exactly what Michael stood for, the 2000’s was simply not a confusing for Michael Jackson fans. It was a trying time perhaps, seeing their hero so embattled, but not confusing. Jackson was actively protesting Sony. And so did his fans. They saw him bravely waving protest placards above an open top bus, wearing a bullet proof vest. It was a call to arms, and fans proudly defended their hero through boycotts. Many still do.

In 2009, Jackson was tragically killed whilst rehearsing for his sold out London concert residency. Months after his homicide, the executors of his Estate sold him straight back to the very company he’d despised and spent the last seven years boycotting. Just over a year after his manslaughter, Sony released its first posthumous album – of remixes – to extreme criticism. Acting directly against the express wishes of his grieving relatives, studio collaborators and fans, Sony included three fake Michael Jackson songs, sung by a white vocal impersonator, on the album’s track-list. That incident remains the subject of ongoing litigation, in which Sony and Jackson’s Estate have conceded that the tracks are likely fake – but they continue to sell them.

Now – eight years after the Cascio fiasco, and sixteen years after Jackson’s anti-Sony protests, the label continues to disrespect him. Roughly a week ago, on July 23rd, a listener of our podcast leaked us an email from a high level executive at Sony Music Australia. This email, titled “SURPRISE: PRE-ORDER SETUP :: MICHAEL JACKSON PICTURE DISC VINYL RELEASES” contains extensive information around track-lists and “blurbs for websites” that wish to promote this new product. This collection of picture discs is a box set being released by Sony and Jackson’s Estate in celebration of his ‘diamond anniversary’.

Although there are a myriad of issues with this instructional email, there are two that can’t be overlooked. The author of this email provides the following information for retailers in describing the album Invincible:

“The question for a 42-year-old Michael Jackson heading towards the end of 2001 was whether or not the self-proclaimed King Of Pop could make his presence known on the charts after having spent much of the ’90s laying low. If the chart-topping position achieved by INVINCIBLE is any indication, then the answer is a resounding yes. The album is primarily produced by Jersey wunderkind Rodney Jerkins, and Jacko wasted no time tapping other top-flight artists and knob-twirlers to help out, including Teddy Riley, Babyface and R. Kelly.”

For a casual observer not averse to poking fun at Jackson as some kind of societal punching bag, the terms ‘self-proclaimed King of Pop’ and ‘Jacko’ may not appear particularly inflammatory. But for educated Michael Jackson fans, the use of this language by a company supposed to be representing Jackson’s interests is beyond incompetence. This belittling description was disseminated in an email by one of Sony’s highest paid employees. Their identity is being protected at the request of the person who leaked us the material.

The term ‘Jacko’ has long been a thorn in the side of Michael Jackson fans around the world. It was first used by British tabloid The Sun during the mid-to-late 80’s in the form of ‘Wacko Jacko’. This effort to paint Jackson as mentally ill and then mock him for it with a demeaning moniker stands in stark contrast to how the press have elevated white entertainment icons like Elvis and Bruce Springsteen, referring to them, respectively, as The King and The Boss. 

Using the term ‘Jacko’ wasn’t the first instance of The Sun publicly belittling a black luminary through attaching a derogatory title that calls into question their mental state. Following world boxing champion Frank Bruno’s retirement, and eventual mental health problems, the Sun ran a front page calling him ‘Bonkers Bruno’. The outcry was immediate, enormous and the paper had to change the front page for later editions and publicly apologise. Meanwhile, ‘Wacko Jacko’, also a slur on somebody for perceived mental health problems, continues to go totally unchallenged.

Michael Jackson himself made clear how hurtful he found the name ‘Jacko’ in a 1997 interview with Barbara Walters. When asked about the derogatory name, he passionately responded: “You should not say he’s ‘Jacko’. I’m not a Jacko. I’m Jackson… Yeah, Wacko Jacko. Where did that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and I have feelings. I feel that when you do that to me. It’s not nice… Don’t do it. I’m not a wacko.”

Yet here we are in 2018, and his own record label is instructing music retailers to call Michael ‘Jacko’.

Sony’s instructional email also expressly tells retailers to call Michael Jackson the ‘self-proclaimed King of Pop’. Jackson himself refuted the allegation that he’d given himself this title, telling Oprah Winfrey in 1993: “I didn’t proclaim myself to be anything. I’m happy to be alive, I’m happy to be who I am. ‘King of Pop’ was first said by Elizabeth Taylor on one of the award shows.” In this instance, it’s likely that Jackson was actually wrong. The phrase ‘King of Pop’ was used to describe him as early as February 1985, by TV Guide.

The frustration for Michael Jackson fans with Sony’s album blurbs will not end with the use of this denigrating language. They are also riddled with errors. They claim that Jackson was ‘laying low’ in the 1990’s and that HIStory album includes the theme of suicide. The label even gets his age wrong and lists Leave Me Alone as being on the Bad vinyl when it actually isn’t.

Upon spotting these errors, The MJCast contacted the Sony executive who sent them out. Correspondence lasted several days. He seemed more interested in finding out the source of the leak than actually fixing the problems. Of course, the problems weren’t fixed, as retailers like JB Hi-Fi and Sanity are still using Sony’s descriptions on their websites.

In some handy investigative work, Richard Lecocq, co-author of ‘Michael Jackson: All the Songs – The Story Behind Every Track’, discovered that the text certainly didn’t originate from Sony, but was probably lifted from this website.

This has to stop. Sony and the Estate’s ongoing disregard for Michael Jackson must stop. They continue to sell fake songs on the Michael album. They continue to produce factually incorrect and ludicrous social media posts on their official accounts, including accidentally tweeting photos of impersonators, tweeting fabricated images and praising magazines who used the word ‘Jacko’. They continue to ignore fans’ wishes. And now, they’re actively calling Jackson a belittling name that he detested, while instructing major retailers to do the same. Michael Jackson didn’t protest this company in 2002 for nothing. He did it so his fans could rally behind him in demanding they treat him and all other black artists with the dignity they deserve.

To join us in expressing your frustration around this, email Sony Music Australia’s CEO at [removed] and tweet the company publicly at [removed] on Twitter. Demand that they contact music retailers and ask them to amend their advertisements to fix inaccuracies and remove the insulting names ‘Jacko’ and ‘self-proclaimed King of Pop’.

He’s not a Jacko. He’s Jackson.

Jamon Bull

Update (06/08/2018 5:50pm) – Gordon Pitt (General Manager of Sony Music Australia​, Legal & Business Affairs) has emailed The MJCast​ to apologise for errors in their marketing email and not correcting the language when I pointed it out to them. Sony has now contacted retailers who used the information to have it corrected. I can confirm that this is the case. JB Hi-Fi and Sanity have both updated their Invincible vinyl re-issue listings to remove offensive descriptions of Michael Jackson and factual errors. Thanks everyone in the fan community who raised their voices as one to fix this. Gordon has given us permission to share the below email.

062: They Didn’t Need an Expert to Say That

Jamon is back from his paternity leave, rejoining Q to co-host Episode 062 after a few months off. They are joined by recurring guest host and legal correspondent Charles Thomson, plus lifelong MJ fan Angela Kande. Charles and Angela discuss their recent visits to Santa Maria, Forest Lawn and the Jacksons’ 50th Anniversary Tour, before helping Jamon and Q dissect all of the latest MJ and Jackson family news.

After the news, Jamon and Q first delve into Angela’s fan story, where she shares some of her most vivid memories from the ‘frontline’ of MJ fandom in the 1990s and 2000s. In addition to attending the HIStory Tour in 1997 and the World Music Awards in 2006, Angela spent time at Michael’s hotels and other places he visited during his trips to the UK. She recalls the lows (like witnessing a photographer assault Michael outside a recording studio) and the highs (like bagging a seat right behind Michael at a London theatre) of her time spent in Michael’s orbit. She also discusses the origins of her spoken word poem ‘Legacy’, about the impact of Michael’s death on his fan community.

The hosts then turn their attention to Charles. Despite first appearing on the MJCast in Episode 002 and having been a frequent contributor ever since, Jamon and Q recently realised they had never asked Charles some of the key questions they usually ask guests during their first appearances on the show. What begins as a simple interview about Charles’ favourite songs, albums, videos and concerts turns into an emotional discussion about what Michael means to his fans – and the wider world – and how the fan community must fight for his legacy as his Estate allows it to crumble.

This episode marks Angela’s first ‘live’ appearance on the MJCast, although she did appear as one of Charles’ interviewees in his World Music Awards 10th Anniversary Special last year.

News
• 
Michael’s Estate announces a one-off cartoon, ‘Michael Jackson’s Halloween’, featuring ‘reimagined’ versions of his music.
• 
A 3D version of Thriller, plus the Making of Thriller documentary, are to be shown at the Venice Film Festival.
• 
Producer Teddy Riley, a major contributor to Michael’s Dangerous album, discusses his time in the studio with Michael in a new two-and-a-half interview.
• 
Remixed by Nick* has made a large number of his Michael Jackson remixes available for download.
• 
Jimmy Safechuck’s posthumous demands for money over alleged abuse by Michael have been thrown out of court by a judge, and Wade Robson’s case looks set to follow.
• 
Quincy Jones has been awarded more than $9million by a jury after he sued the Michael Jackson Estate for underpaying him.
• 
An attempt by Frank Cascio to auction a CD of fake Michael Jackson songs for upwards of $50,000 has been called off – but the disc remains available for private sale.
• 
Jermaine Jackson performs at the grand finale of BBC talent contest Pitch Battle.
• 
Michael Jackson’s Thriller has been used as the soundtrack to the new trailer for Stranger Things – Season Two, after producers were eventually able to secure the rights.
• 
Michael Jackson’s Estate has granted Sony, a company Michael despised, continued permission to control the licensing of his music.
• 
New transcripts from the class action lawsuit over the release of fake Michael Jackson songs reveal a judge has accused lawyers for Sony, MJJ Productions and the MJ Estate of throwing their co-defendants under a bus by conceding they may have been duped into selling bogus material.
• 
Michael’s son Prince has produced a music video for Swedish singer Nano.
• 
Filmmaker Spike Lee has announced his latest Brooklyn Loves MJ street party.
• 
The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles has added new Michael Jackson exhibits to its collection.

Main Discussion Topic
• 
Angela and Charles’ fan stories

Additional Links
• 
MJFFC Global Birthday Party
• Charles previously discussed elements of his fan story in Episode 039, with fellow guest Sam Habib.
• 
Michael’s circular moonwalk on the Victory Tour.
• 
Angela Kande’s spoken word poem ‘Legacy’.
• 
Angela’s previous MJCast appearance, in Episode 44 – The World Music Awards 2006 10th Anniversary Special.
• 
Angela’s Twitter page.

Music Breaks & Ads
• 
Michael Jackson’s Perfume/Cologne Commercial
• BJ Griffin & Jason Brown – The Way You Make Me Feel Cover
• Michael Jackson – Midnight Groove
• Miles Davis – Human Nature
• Michael Jackson – With a Child’s Heart (Stripped Mix)

Connect with Us
• 
TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

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!