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

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!

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
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

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.

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
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• YouTube

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
• 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!

126: TJ Jackson Special

TJ Jackson joins Jamon and Q (with an appearance by Cousin Kam from The Janet Jackson Podcast) for a very special episode to discuss TJ’s new solo EP, “Damaged”, his impressive music career and a range of stories on his uncle Michael and his amazing family.

TJ is the third son of Tito Jackson and Dee Dee Martes, and the nephew of Michael Jackson. As part of the group 3T, TJ and his brothers rocketed to super-stardom as teenagers, selling over 3.5 million copies of their debut album, “Brotherhood”, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary. The brothers have performed all over the world, appeared on television, and starred in a Lifetime docuseries, “The Jacksons: Next Generation”. As a solo artist, TJ debuted his single and music video, “Insomnia” in September of 2019. This release marked the start of a trilogy of projects, including his EP, “Obsession”, released in March of 2020, and his newest EP, “Damaged” which came out in November of 2020. His solo records mark a departure from the sounds of the work he did with his brothers, presenting a style that is all his own. In addition to being an amazing musician, TJ also hosts the Family Rules Podcast with his wife, Frances Jackson.

In this chat, TJ shares incredible stories of growing up as part of music royalty, creating records with his brothers, working with his uncle, the King of Pop, and his impressive adult solo music career. Plus, they go deep into his experience as a Jackson since the release of Leaving Neverland and what Michael was like as a father. TJ also talks about dealing with past issues such as the AEG trial, the Cascio tracks, fulfilling his duties as legal guardian for MJ’s children, and more.

Additional Links
• TJ’s main website and Linktree to all social media pages and music channels.
• TJ and Frances Jackson’s podcast and Youtube series, The Family Rules.
• 3T albums on Apple Music and Spotify.
• The TJ Jackson Official Facebook Group.
• The Dee Dee Jackson Foundation.
• “The Power of Love” radio show/podcast.

Sponsors
• Crack Corn – Delicious premium puff corn.
• 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
• 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!

120: I’ve Found Peace Within Myself

Damien Shields returns to The MJCast as a guest host, joining Elise for a jam-packed news and discussion episode! Damien is a long-time Friend of the Show, author, and Cascio tracks expert. The duo catches up on loads of updates in the world of Michael Jackson, including several new MJ-related books, a new podcast, updates on MJ One and the Robson/Safechuck hearings, Paris Jackson’s debut EP, lots of recently leaked MJ songs, amazing new content for fans from John Cameron, Marcos Cabota, Brad Sundberg, ?uestlove, Single White Glove—and much, much more. Plus, Damien and Elise discuss the Estate’s approach to HIStory25.

Discussion Topics
• New footage from the Bad World Tour live in Los Angeles 1988 has leaked.
• Single White Glove’s Heal the World video has premiered.
• MJFanGirl and The Detail have teamed up to release a new podcast called Michael Jackson Unspun. The latest episode is with Michael Bush’s assistant.
• Pez Jax’s book ‘The Story of HIStory’ is now available for pre-order, and will be officially released on July 20.
• Brice Najar has announced his new book, ‘Blood on the Dance Floor: Let’s Make HIStory in the Mix’.
• Dwayne Swingler, Neverland Valley Ranch supervisor has released a book.
• MJ Memorial Day Live happened on Facebook on June 25th, hosted by the King of Pop Events group. It featured interviews with Travis Payne, Jimmy Locust, Steven Paul Whitsitt and others. You can see the whole series of interviews here
• New Facebook group for online events and fan chat: Michael Jackson Book Club.
• MJ One is currently set to re-open in Las Vegas in early August. Meanwhile, Cirque du Soleil is over $1 billion in debt, and is seeking bankruptcy protection. They have laid off 3,500 employees, including Blue Man Group. However, all their non-touring shows plan to re-open as soon as they are allowed to do so.
• Marcos Cabota’s Sonic Fantasy documentary gets a trailer.
• Archival interviews of Michael Jackson’s children have been released on YouTube channel ‘Jacksonology‘, apparently created for a cancelled documentary about MJ.
• Soundflowers’ docuseries, ‘Unfiltered: Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn’, streaming on Facebook through the summer. Plus, their debut EP has been released.
• Sia and Paris drama.
• Danny Wu’s Square One has been released on Amazon Prime.
• Charles Thomson has released his first podcast, called Shoebury’s Lost Boys, which details his decade long investigation into one of Britain’s most serious child sex abuse allegations cover-ups.
• Robson and Safechuck trial update. As predicted, Dan Reed was there filming.
• The Jacksons’ video for Can You Feel It gets released on YouTube, as well as Michael Jackson’s HIStory teaser.
• Original versions of some 2007 Ebony photoshoot pics have leaked.
• ?uestlove has streamed three massive Jackson family DJ experiences here, here and here. Full “Quarantine Live DJ Sets” playlist available here.
• John Cameron is about to release his latest episode of #JCsMusicology, which will focus on the Off The Wall era.
• Brad Sundberg has shared his ‘7 Songs, 7 Stories’ series on YouTube as a way to honour ‘MJ Week’ during COVID-19 restrictions.
• So…it’s been a bit leaky lately. See this channel.
• HIStory25 got the Dangerous25 treatment.

Additional Links
• Damien’s website.
• Damien’s excellent book, Michael Jackson: Songs & Stories From The Vault.

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
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
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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!

101: Taryll Jackson Special

Q and Jamon are thrilled to welcome special guest Taryll Jackson to the show! Taryll is the second son of Tito Jackson and Delores ‘Dee Dee’ Martes, member of 3T, and an amazing solo artist. His new album, “Crazy Love”, has recently dropped, and the guys couldn’t be more excited to chat with Taryll about his new music, upcoming shows, and his incredible music-royalty family.

In this discussion, Taryll shares amazing stories with the guys about growing up playing music with his bothers, Taj and TJ, what it was like to experience the mega-success of 3T, how he moved into the recording and production side with 3T’s most recent album as well as remixing other artists’ music, and how he’s continued to evolve with his solo work. He also goes into personal accounts of what it was to deal with the sudden, tragic loss of his mother, the positive and negative of being part of such an iconic family, and touches on the never-released 3T album. Taryll, Jamon and Q also delve into a discussion on the posthumous reality of Michael Jackson and the fraudulent Cascio tracks which he blew the whistle on in 2010. And, of course, Taryll shares memories of growing up with his father, Tito, and his uncle, the King of Pop.

The MJCast is honored to consider Taryll a Friend of the Show, and hopes that listeners get a chance to hear his new album and see him in concert!

Additional Links
• Tickets for Taryll’s first-ever solo concert, on June 8 in the Netherlands.
• Taryll Jackson’s website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Taryll’s new album, “Crazy Love”, on iTunes, Google Music, and Spotify.
• 3T albums on iTunes, Google Music, and Spotify.
• The Dee Dee Jackson Foundation, which “thrives to provide an outlet for those who have suffered a loss in life. The mission of DDJF is to connect those who have a commonality in grief and provide a safe space to share stories, advice, and build a community in which no one feels alone.”
• “The Power of Love” radio show/podcast.
• Taryll’s management company, Tobing Agency.

Music Breaks
• 3T – Why (feat. Michael Jackson) [DW Bonus Mix]
• Taryll Jackson – Make You Mine on Apple Music
• Taryll Jackson – Best of All Time on Apple Music

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
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• 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.comMichael On!

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.

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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.comKeep Michaeling!