067: Joseph Vogel Special

After an extended break from the Michael Jackson fan community, author and Merrimack College professor Dr. Joseph Vogel is back. He appears on this week’s special edition of The MJCast to mark the release of his fully revised book, ‘Earth Song: Michael Jackson and the Art of Compassion‘.  Interviewed by Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson, Vogel gives the most candid interview of his career.

After attracting criticism for his endorsement of fake tracks released on the MJ Estate’s first posthumous album, Vogel left social media several years ago. In this exclusive interview, Vogel tells The MJCast he no longer stands by his old comments and now believes the songs are fake. The Estate assured him it had evidence they were real but, over the years, he came to realise that simply wasn’t true.

Fans who boycott the Estate over the release of those songs are being perfectly reasonable, says Vogel. He hasn’t spoken to the Estate for around two years and hasn’t been approached to appear in Spike Lee’s rumoured Thriller documentary. He is now actively seeking a publisher to reprint his first MJ book – ‘Man in the Music‘ – in part so he can remove his words on the fake tracks and cease to acknowledge them as MJ songs.

Also in this bombshell interview, Vogel discusses how and why he revised his Earth Song book, why he left social media, whether the fans who turned on him were justified and what his next projects will be.

Joe’s revised edition of ‘Earth Song: Michael Jackson and the Art of Compassion’ includes fresh insights based on new evidence and interviews with key MJ collaborators, like Earth Song short film director Nick Brandt.

In addition to writing several books on Michael Jackson, Joe has appeared in the Estate’s documentaries on the Bad and Off The Wall albums and wrote the liner notes for the Estate’s Bad 25 box set.

Links
• 
Joseph Vogel’s website, Twitter and Facebook pages
• Earth Song: Michael Jackson and the Art of Compassion
• Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson
• Michael Jackson and the Reinvention of Pop
• Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues 1989 documentary
• Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album
• Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
• Michael Jackson’s Dangerous deposition
• Michael Jackson’s The Girl is Mine deposition
• Michael Jackson’s Bad 25 album and documentary
• Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall album and documentary
• Crack Kills lyrics
• Nick Brandt’s websiteEarth Song short film
• Stranger in Moscow short film
• Childhood short film
• Brad Sundberg’s website, Twitter and Facebook pages
• 
Earth Song live at Wetten Dass (1995)
• 
Earth Song live at the World Music Awards (1996)
• 
Earth Song live at the Royal Brunei concert in Brunei (1997)
• 
Earth Song live on the HIStory World Tour in Munich (1997)
• Earth Song live at Michael Jackson & Friends in Munich (1999)
• Earth Song live at the This Is It rehearsals (2009)
• Michael Jackson’s This Is It documentary film
• Jason Malachi – Breaking News
• Joseph Vogel’s Huffington Post article; Exclusive: The Inside Story Behind Michael Jackson’s Controversial New Song and Album
• Joseph Vogel’s Huffington Post article; Is Michael Really Michael? A Review of the King of Pop’s New Album
• Joseph Vogel’s Huffington Post article; Michael Jackson’s Forgotten Humanitarian Legacy
• Howard Weitzman’s official statement on the Cascio tracks
• The MJCast’s online repository for Cascio Case court documents
• Joseph Vogel’s article; Regarding the Cascio Tracks
• The Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music’s Michael Jackson Halloween album; Scream.

Music Breaks & Ads
• 
Funkyphon – Stranger in Moscow (Orchestral Version)
• Michael Jackson – Earth Song (Demo)
• Michael Jackson – Rock With You (Live in Yokohama, 1987)

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.comMichael on!

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!

053: You Don’t Feel it Coming?

Episode 053 of The MJCast sees Jamon teaming up with co-host Charles Thomson and debut guest host Greg Spinks in Q’s absence. The boys begin the show by discussing follow-up around Paris Jackson’s debut as a television actress on Star and a brief update on the Cascio case. Headline news items include 3T’s retraction of their lawsuit against Radar Online, Jason Malachi’s return to the music scene, Tito Jackson’s new single, Kingvention 2017 and The Jacksons Glastonbury announcement. Jamon, Charles and Greg then discuss Michael’s alleged interest in playing Professor X in the X-Men movies, Paris Jackson presenting at the GLAAD Awards, Charles’ new favourite song by The Weeknd, new footage of Michael Jackson and finally HLN’s Michael Jackson episode of How It Really Happened. The main discussion topic of this episode is Greg Spinks’ history as an MJ fan and the previously untold story of his creation, the greatest Michael Jackson forum that ever was (in Jamon’s estimation), Maximum Jackson. We hope you enjoy this episode of the internet’s premiere podcast on all things Michael Jackson and the Jackson family.

Follow Up
• 
Episode 053 of The MJCast is dedicated to the mother of Taj, Taryll and TJ Jackson, Dee Dee Jackson. Please consider making a donation to the Dee Dee Jackson Foundation in her honour.
• 
Paris Jackson makes her TV acting debut on Star. See a brief interview with her here.
• 
Vera Serova challenges Eddie Cascio, James Porte & Angelikson’s request for reimbursement of their legal fees. Relevant court documents are the March, 2017 docs here.

News
• 
3T retract their lawsuit against Radar Online
• 
Jason Malachi is back on the music scene
• 
Tito Jackson has dropped his new single When The Magic Happens (feat. Jocelyn Brown)
• Kingvention 2017 tickets are now on sale
• The Jacksons expand their U.K. show dates to include Glastonbury festival
• 
Michel Jackson wanted to play Professor X in the X-Men films
• 
Paris Jackson to present at the GLAAD Awards
• 
The Weeknd releases he new Jacksons inspired video for I Feel It Coming (feat. Daft Punk)
• 
Shana Mangatal is releasing rare videos of Michael Jackson on her YouTube channel including videos of Michael with Ryan White, Michael on the Bad World Tour and on the set of In The Closet
• HLN air their Michael Jackson episode of How It Really Happened

Main Discussion Topic
• 
Greg Spinks’ history as a fan and the untold story behind Maximum Jackson

Finds of the Week
• 
Jamon Bull – The Many Typefaces of Michael Jackson
• Charles Thomson – The Jacksons – I’ll Be There (Live in Antwerp, 2012)
• Greg Spinks – Prince Jackson’s new MJ inspired tattoo

Additional Links
• 
Greg Spinks’ FacebookTwitter and Instagram accounts
• 
Charles Thomson’s Facebook, Twitter and website
• Maximum Jackson’s closure announcement and in-depth article
• Paris Jackson: Inside Her Calculated Rise to Fame article
• Miss Castaway and the Island Girls IMDb page
• The Jacksons Night of the Proms full performance live in Antwerp
• 
Footage of Michael Jackson visiting Stan Lee in 1999
• 
The Jacksons – Can You Feel It short film
• The Weeknd – D.D.
• The Prince episode of HLN’s How It Really Happened
• 
Ian Halperin’s Unmasked – The Final Years of Michael Jackson book
• 
Rush Hour 2 on iTunes
• Michael Jackson – You Rock My World video and hilarious review
• Red Dragon special feature with Brett Ratner, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Jackson
• Damien Shields’ website and Xscape Origins book
• 
Alvin and the Chipmunks Billie Jean video
• Nada Basheer’s book review of Michael Bush’s King of Style: Dressing Michel Jackson

Music Breaks & Ads
• 
Michael Jackson – Human Nature (Louis La Roche Remix)
• 3T – Anything (Cool Out Urban Remix)
• Tame Impala – Stranger In Moscow
• Michael Jackson – Who Is It (Divyns Remix)

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!