Tag Archives: Shawn Shackelford

185: Thank You and Keep Michaeling

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In this episode, Jamon Bull, co-founder and co-host of The MJCast for eleven seasons, discusses his decision to step back from the show. Innumerable memories have been made, friendships formed, and a record of the King of Pop’s iconic legacy has been captured through Jamon’s tireless work. The show will continue on, in a slightly new form, even in light of this bittersweet news. Jamon: We love you and will miss you.

In his last regular episode, Jamon joins Elise Capron, Charles Thomson, Q, Charlie Carter, and Shawn Shackelford for a massive catch-up on all the latest news in the world of Michael Jackson and the Jackson family. They discuss Mariah Carey’s recent reveal about an unreleased duet with the King of Pop, a possible upcoming album in tribute to Michael Jackson’s Ireland sessions, legal updates around the Cascio Family and Jackson Estate, Paris Jackson’s continuing public alarm-ringing over Estate legal fees, major fan events around the US, Finds of the Week, and more.

This episode was edited by Simon Wilkie.

Discussion Topics
• Rest in peace Roberta Martin. We love you.
• Musician D’Angleo has passed away at age 51.
• Mariah Carey reveals unreleased duet with Michael Jackson.
• The Michael Jackson estate paid $2.5mn to Cascio Family, with private arbitration decision ahead.
• Frank Cascio breaks his silence on the new allegations.
• Paris Jackson continues to raise alarm over estate legal fees.
• Belinda Dileo has gone public over her concerns regarding the biopic.
• This is Thriller happened on Halloween in LA.
• Kingvention happened in NYC.
• London version of “MJ: The Musical” to close before embarking on a national tour.
• “MJ: The Musical” heading to Brisbane before moving on to Perth.
• Jamon has decided to step back from The MJCast.

Finds of the Week
• Jamon Bull – Motown 25 rehearsal snippet
• Q – brainrot fun and Give In To Me appreciation reel
• Shawn – Full soundboard recordings of the “Destiny” (Memphis 11/25/79) and “Triumph” (Chicago 05/09/81) tours. Plus, his great story of meeting Jackie & Marlon Jackson, with an assist from Brandi Jackson. 
• Charlie Carter – MJ Tribute Artist
• Elise Capron – Kpop Demon Hunters and Captain EO unite!

Like this episode?
• If you have the means, consider a donation in any amount through PayPal to help cover our costs of creating the show. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and charity donations.
• We also have an official merchandise shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our fun merch.
• Learn all about the various ways you can support and engage with The MJCast through visiting our website.

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Bluesky
• Facebook
• Instagram
• X
• Threads
• 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!

184: Michael Teaser Roundtable

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Q, Charles Thomson, Paul Black, Shawn Shackelford, and Charlie Carter join host Elise Capron to discuss the recently released teaser trailer for the ‘Michael’ biopic, which will hit theaters around the world on April 24, 2026. The just-over-one-minute-long trailer dropped unexpectedly on November 6, 2025, and immediately broke records, racking up 116.2 million views globally within its first 24 hours, making it “the largest 24-hour trailer launch ever in Lionsgate‘s history and the most-viewed trailer for any music biopic or concert movie in motion picture history”, according to Deadline.

In this chat, the team shares their hot takes and comments on everything from the most thrilling moments of the teaser to complaints about factual inaccuracies, and dissect the editing quality, Jaafar Jackson’s look as the King of Pop, make guesses about what we might see in the final film based on this short, but punchy, presentation, and much more.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Participants
• Elise Capron
• Charles Thomson
• Charlie Carter
• Shawn Shackelford
• Q
• Paul Black

Additional Links
• Official teaser trailer on YouTube.

Like this episode?
• If you have the means, consider a donation in any amount through PayPal to help cover our costs of creating the show. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and occasional charity donations.
• We also have an official merchandise shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our fun merch.
• Learn all about the various ways you can support and engage with The MJCast through visiting our website.

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Bluesky
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Mastodon
• X
• Threads
• 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. Stay BAD!

173: Gregg Wright Special

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Gregg Wright joins Jamon Bull and Shawn Shackelford for a fascinating interview about Gregg’s time working with the King of Pop, as guitarist on the Victory Tour.

Gregg has been called “one of the most innovative guitarists of our time”. He began his professional career on the U.S. Southern circuit in the mid-1970s, and honed his craft with years of playing one-nighters across the Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Texas, often opening shows for the big national touring acts of the day. An ’80s move from Louisiana to Los Angeles saw Wright become a session man and “hired gun” touring guitarist. His reputation grew over the next decade doing albums and tours with Mick Fleetwood, Michael Jackson, and the Gap Band.

In this interview, the guys chat with Gregg about his incredible career, how he came to be hired for the iconic Victory tour, and what it was like being a live music collaborator with Michael Jackson.

This episode was edited by Jamon Bull.

Additional Links
• Gregg Wright’s Instagram and website.
• Brice Najar’s interview with Gregg.
• The Jacksons’ Victory Tour live in Toronto (1984).

Like this episode?
• If you have the means, consider a donation in any amount through PayPal to help cover our costs. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and charity donations. Learn all about the various ways you can support The MJCast through visiting our website.
• We also have an official merchandise shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our fun merch.

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Mastodon
• Twitter
• Threads
• 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!

169: I’m Going to Have to Start Selling Some Organs

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Jamon Bull welcomes back MJCast co-founder Q, along with frequent show guest Shawn Shackelford, MJ Radio’s Jason Garcia, and YouTuber Hannah Savage for a big fan chat around news and updates in the world of Michael Jackson. They discuss the announcement of a new docuseries and album for The Jacksons, MJ birthday celebrations in Vegas, recent “wins” by the Estate, including acquiring Steve Porcaro’s music rights, defeating Katherine Jackson in court, and a California judge ruling against Robson and Safechuck in allowing access to past court files, updates on Taj Jackson’s journey to defend his uncle’s legacy, recent and upcoming fan events, and much more. Lots of major news items happened in the days immediately following the recording of this episode. The MJCast will be releasing a follow-up episode soon to address new developments.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Discussion Topics
• Linda Deutsch has passed away at age 80.
• A new Jacksons docu-series and album are in the works.
• Don’t stop till Kamala Harris is president.
• Michael Jackson’s estate hosts a 66th birthday celebration, including an uninspiring Vegas event (with zero news on the biopic).
• It’s over for Katherine Jackson vs The Estate.
• IPSO rejects Taj Jackson’s complaint.
• Taj Jackson has launched Righting HIStory website.
• Judge says no to use the precedent criminal case files.
• Steve Porcaro is selling his music rights to the Estate.
• Jamon and Q, are you going?!
• Kingvention coming to LA on October 12 (Elise will be there).
• Heal LA has been doing King of Popcorn movie nights this year (Elise attended June date), and will be doing This Is Thriller in October.
• The return of Fuzzball?
• Glendale’s Mayor declares Michael Jackson Remembrance Day.

Like this episode?
• If you have the means, consider a donation in any amount through PayPal to help cover our costs of creating the show. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and charity donations.
• We also have an official merchandise shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our fun merch.
• Learn all about the various ways you can support and engage with The MJCast through visiting our website.

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Mastodon
• X
• Threads
• 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!

154: It’s Really Really Season Nine

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Brad Sundberg, Michael Jackson’s Technical Director, is celebrating ten years as the host of “In the Studio with MJ“, a touring seminar exploring Michael’s music.

But in January of this year he fell victim to a crime which sent shockwaves through the fan community, when his personal equipment was stolen by a bootlegger, who raided and released the contents.

In his first and only interview about the devastating theft, he speaks to The MJCast co-hosts Elise Capron, Jamon Bull, and guest host Shawn Shackelford.

Kicking off Season Nine of The MJCast, Brad explains for the first time how the thief made off with hundreds of unreleased Michael Jackson songs and videos and the impact that has had on Brad’s personal and professional lives.

He also shares stories from his time working with the King of Pop, explains what it takes to run a touring seminar on the scale of ITSWMJ, and reveals what’s next for Brad Sundberg.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Participants
• Elise Capron
• Jamon Bull
• Shawn Shackelford
• Brad Sundberg

Additional Links
• The “In the Studio with MJ” website and new merch
• Brad Sundberg’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages
• The MJCast 015: Brad Sundberg Special
• The MJCast 142: Reflections on John Barnes Roundtable
• 100% of The MJCast’s content is, and will remain, free. If you enjoy our show, consider a donation to help support us. All donations go directly towards off-setting our costs of running the show: Website hosting, equipment purchases, and more. You can donate any amount via PayPal. Thank you so much for your support!

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Mastodon
• Twitter
• 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!

152: Thriller 40 Roundtable

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Michael Jackson’s album, Thriller, is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and important albums in music history. Released 40 years ago, on November 30, 1982, it changed the landscape of pop music, and may have even saved the music industry itself.

In this episode, Charlie Carter hosts a deep-dive fan discussion reflecting on all things Thriller 40. Joining him are guests Damien Shields, Shawn Shackelford, and Paul Black. The guys talk about the continuing influence of Thriller, the bonus tracks included on the 40th anniversary edition, the long-awaited release of the 4K versions of the short films “Thriller” and “Beat It”, the upcoming documentary by Nelson George, and they contemplate what they would have liked to see on their own version of the Thriller 40 release.

This episode was edited by Jason Garcia and Charlie Carter.

Participants
• Charlie Carter, Audio Producer of The MJCast
• Damien Shields, author of Michael Jackson: Songs & Stories From The Vault, and creator of the podcast series The Genesis of Thriller and the upcoming Faking Michael.
• Shawn Shackelford, long-time Jacksons fan and regular guest of The MJCast.
• Paul Black, Sydney-based Film editor, and Friend of the Show (whom we’re happy to have back on after a long absence!)

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!

139: Invincible 20 Roundtable

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Released in 2001, Invincible was the seventh adult, solo studio album from Michael Jackson. Having released HIStory and Blood on the Dance Floor in uncharacteristically quick succession, Jackson had then largely retreated from the limelight for four years, appearing only at a handful of awards ceremonies and benefit concerts between 1998 and 2001.

Anticipation in the fan community was high. Appearing at the World Music Awards in 2000, to be honoured for his unparalleled success in the music industry, Jackson had teased in his acceptance speech: “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” But whether the eventual album lived up to Jackson’s hype has split fans for the past two decades.

Invincible would be released in 2001 to a lukewarm critical reception, with many reviewers saying the man dubbed the King of Pop for his trendsetting career was now reduced to following trends instead, bringing in younger artists and lending his vocals to their work. With just two entirely self-penned songs on the 16-track album, Jackson seemed to be something of a passenger on his own album.

With his physical appearance attracting more interest than his art, and coverage of the album’s release unfortunately coinciding with the biggest news event of the century – the 9/11 terror attacks – the album charted well upon release but quickly sank, receiving little promotion from either Jackson or his record label.

By summer 2002, artist and label were locked in a vicious battle, with Jackson accusing Sony of sabotaging the project as part of a racist conspiracy, and the label countering that Jackson’s career had been killed by allegations of child molestation.

So what is Invincible’s true place in Jackson’s legacy? Did it deserve the critical pasting it received? Have the songs aged well? Would they have fared better if they had been released at a different time? In what is bound to be one of the most controversial episodes in this podcast’s history, our panellists (Jamon Bull, Shawn Shackelford, James Alay, John Cameron and Charles Thomson) ask and answer these questions, and many more.

This episode was edited by Jamon Bull.

Participants
• Jamon Bull
• Shawn Shackelford
• James Alay
• John Cameron
• Charles Thomson

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!

134: My Father Was Ready to Go

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In this regular episode, host Jamon Bull is joined by co-founder of The MJCast, our very own Q, as well as first-time guest, mega-fan Shawn Shackelford. The guys cover loads of updates in the world of Michael Jackson, including the Estate’s hiring of Prince Jackson, the return of MJ fan events, including MJ One in Las Vegas and the launch of MJ: The Musical, an honor for Jackson from the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame, updates on Ron Burkle’s purchase of Neverland, and much more. Plus, Shawn tells his amazing fan story, which includes getting to see Michael Jackson in concert during the Triumph, Victory, and Bad tours!

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Discussion Topics
• The Jacksons release two music videos for “Can You Feel It” remixes, the “Kirk Franklin Remix” and “Jacksons x MLK Remix”.
• The Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame inducts Michael Jackson.
• Cast changes and merch have come for the MJ: The Musical.
• Events are coming back! MJ One in Las Vegas returns on August 19th, with events planned around Michael Jackson’s birthday. Brad Sundberg has just had his first in-person In The Studio event since COVID started.
• Ron Burkle discusses his plans for Neverland.
• Lil Nas X pays homage to Michael Jackson in a recent performance.
• Prince Jackson officially joins the MJ Estate.
• Michael Jackson has been certified as the biggest selling solo artist of all time
• Tito Jackson new song “Love One Another” is out. The album “Under Your Spell” will be out August 6th.
• Paris Jackson will appear on two episodes of American Horror Stories, a spinoff of the American Horror Story series.
• John’s Cameron’s new episode “Janet Jackson (1996 – 1998)”.
• Shawn Shackelford’s fan story.

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!