097: Bill Whitfield Special

Welcome to Season Five of the The MJCast! In this special episode, Jamon Bull and guest co-host Damien Shields are excited to welcome to the show Bill Whitfield, Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard and co-author of the bestselling memoir, Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days. As head of Jackson’s security during the last years of his life, Bill has incredible memories from this period of time which continues to fascinate fans around the world.

Bill shares his stories of working for the King of Pop, protecting him and his family in risky situations, Michael’s relationship with Sony, as well as watching him interact with his children. Bill saw the real Michael, and was there as Jackson was mentally attempting to recover from the ordeal that he and his family were put through during the false 2005 allegations and trial, and his insights around those difficult moments are invaluable during this particularly tumultuous time for the Michael Jackson fan community.

Additional Links
• Bill Whitfield’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram pages and website.
• Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard’s book, Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days.
• Damien Shields’ Twitter and Website.
• Damien Shields’ book, Michael Jackson: Songs and Stories from the Vault.

Ad & Music Breaks
• Michael Jackson – Leave Me Alone (SWG Dance Mix)
• Michael Jackson – Privacy (Reconstructed NOT GUILTY Remix)

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!

094: Harrison Funk Special

This week, just as The MJCast was about to release a surprise episode between seasons, news broke that the Sundance Film Festival was preparing to screen a documentary smearing Michael Jackson as a child molester.

As shockwaves rippled through the fan community and listeners sprang into action, it seemed to be an inappropriate time to release the episode.

The show’s special guest was to be Harrison Funk, renowned entertainment, fashion, and advertising photographer best known for being Michael Jackson’s personal photographer from the early 1980s through the mid-2000s. The interview with Funk had been recorded months ago, and The MJCast team had kept it in the can, ready to release as a special New Year treat for listeners. 

But, upon re-visiting the interview in light of this week’s horrifying news, the timing could hardly be more apt. Harrison spends a great deal of time during his conversation with Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson discussing the false abuse allegations which plagued Michael from 1993 onwards. He speaks movingly about the physical and psychological toll the allegations took on his friend, and how those who loved Michael rallied around him, but watched helplessly as his life and his health slowly fell apart until his eventual death in 2009.

As the media prepares to stick the knife into Michael one more time and give it a sharp twist, this interview with one of Michael’s closest friends makes for a sobering listen.

In addition to the allegations, Harrison discusses the kind of man Michael really was, not the lie Dan Reed, Wade Robson and Sundance are going to try and sell the world. The MJCast and Harrison explore stories around Michael’s process as a live musician, the Victory Tour, the Bad era, Harrison’s love of photography, his fascinating observations as he photographed Teddy Riley​ producing Cascio tracks in the studio and SO much more!

This episode of The MJCast is dedicated to Friend of the Show and fellow MJ podcaster Jordan King of King Jordan Radio, who recently and tragically passed away. We will always be missing you, Jordan.

We hope this episode brings some positivity and truth to an otherwise dark time for MJFam.

Additional Links
• Harrison Funk’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• The MJCast – Episode 044: World Music Awards 2006
• Michael Jackson’s 2006 World Music Awards performance
• LIFE Magazine commemorative issue featuring Harrison Funk’s signature photo of Michael Jackson
• The Jackson’s Victory Tour Live in Dallas
• The Jackson’s Victory Tour Press Conference
• The Jacksons – Torture
• The Jacksons – Body
• Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl
• Michael Jackson’s Bad World Tour Live in Yokohama
• Michael Jackson’s Personal Photographer: ‘He Didn’t Identify as One Gender’ – The Guardian article
• Documentary Accusing Michael Jackson of Sexual Abuse to Premiere at Sundance – Rolling Stone article
• Stop Leaving Neverland NOW – The MJCast article

Ads & Music Breaks
• The Jacksons – Torture (12″ Dance Mix)
• Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow (SWG Extended ‘Fader A Capella’ Mix)

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!

079: Bryan Loren Special

As regular listeners of The MJCast know, Jamon and Q are sensitive to the delicate nature of leaks. While often thrilling for fans, they can profoundly affect the trajectory of a song, an album, and a career. In the case of renowned record producer, singer-songwriter, and instrumentalist Bryan Loren, much of his work with Michael Jackson, to which he dedicated years of hard work, leaked out to the public. Because of these unfortunate events, as well as other factors, Loren never got credit or compensation for much of the material he created. Loren is now inviting Michael Jackson fans to consider respectfully offering him a token of thanks, a voluntary sum of money through his website, along with a note on how we’ve enjoyed his music over the years.

In this week’s exclusive interview, Jamon, who is hosting solo, welcomes Season 4’s first musical collaborator special guest, Bryan Loren. Loren has worked as a producer with a number of notable artists, including Whitney Houston, Barry White, Sly Stone, Sting, and, of course, Michael Jackson. A talented musician at a young age, Loren was a professional session artist by age 15 and had signed his first contract at only 17. He had two Billboard-charting R&B songs in 1984 as a solo artist, including ‘Lollipop Luv’ and ‘Do You Really Love Me’. Loren started working with Michael Jackson in the years leading up to the release of the Dangerous album in 1991. They collaborated on several songs together, including, to name just a few, ‘Work That Body’, ‘Serious Effect’, ‘She Got It’, ‘Man In Black’, ‘Superfly Sister’, ‘Mind Is The Magic’ and ‘Do the Bartman’. Their collaborative relationship and friendship would last for many years beyond those early sessions. Loren continues to make his own music as a solo artist, and plans to release his new album in the Summer of 2018.

This week’s episode is a a tough but important discussion about the deep and complex impact that leaks and other events have had on Loren’s life and career. Ultimately, The MJCast hopes that this interview will inspire listeners to think about the rights of artists, and about where lines must be drawn.

Links
• Bryan Loren’s website and letter to fans, which includes information about how to make financial contributions.
• Bryan Loren’s Facebook, Twitter and Apple Music pages.
• You can read Jamon’s ‘Thoughts on Leaks…’ op-ed here.
• The Philadelphia Experiment album
• The Jacksons’ self titled album and Goin’ Places
• Bryan Loren – Lollipop Luv (12″ Version)
• Michael Jackson – Superfly Sister
• Do The Bartman
• Gavin Christopher – One Step Closer
• Rufus & Chaka Khan – Destiny
• Bryan’s three favourite albums (Stevie Wonder’s Music Of My Mind, Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and Steely Dan’s Aja).

Music Breaks & Ads
• Michael Jackson – Work That Body
• 
Michael Jackson – Serious Effect
• Do The Bartman
• Michael Jackson – She Got It

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.com. Keep Michaeling!

077: Let’s Make HIStory Special with Brice Najar

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

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

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

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

Connect with Us
• 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.com. Keep Michaeling!

048: Season Two Christmas Special

Merry Christmas, listeners. Here’s our Season Two Christmas Special. What a year it’s been for all of us here at The MJCast! We can barely believe that we’re at the end of our second season. After two years of podcasting, it’s still shocking to us that our little news and discussion show on Michael Jackson and the Jacksons has been received so well. Thank-you so much to everyone who has made what we do possible. We recently put together this Season Two Christmas Special for MJ fans to enjoy over their holidays. Q and Jamon kick the show off with a year in review discussion around all things 2016 and Q shares his recent experiences at the Dangerous 25 celebrations in Melbourne, Australia. Following this, the boys discuss the major MJ headlines including MJ Beats’ leak of the HIStory World Tour concert in Basel, a new MJ101 book, Janet Jackson’s baby and finally new photos from the You Are Not Alone shoot.

After the news, Jamon and Q then reminisce on the special episodes of Season Two, making sure to play some of their favourite highlight clips. To round the show off, a special audio montage is played which features special guest’s answers to the question how should Michael Jackson be remembered? Next up, our Season Two blooper reel! Finally, Jamon and Q discuss their hopes and dreams for Season Three of The MJCast and give a few special shout outs and thank-yous.

Listeners, have a happy holidays with family and friends. Share love on Christmas Day and be safe. Following this final show for 2016 and Season Two of The MJCast, we look forward to returning in February 2017 with Season Three. Until then, have yourself a merry little Christmas…

Follow Up
• Year in review
• 
Q’s Dangerous 25 experiences in Melbourne

News
• MJ Beats has shared never-before-seen HIStory World Tour footage from Basel, Switzerland.
• Andy Healy’s new book in the MJ101 series; Dangerous 101 is out soon.
• 
Has Janet Jackson had her baby yet?
• New photos of Michael Jackson from the You Are Not Alone shoot have leaked.

Special Highlights
• Episode 026 – Diana Walczak Special
• Episode 030 – Rob Hoffman Special
• Episode 031 – Making Michael Special with Mike Smallcombe
• Episode 033 – Vindication Day Special with Scott Ross
• Episode 034 – June 25th Special feat. Kevin Stea
• Episode 035 – MJ101 Special: The Performances
• Episode 044 – World Music Awards 2006 10th Anniversary Special
• Episode 047 – The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson Special with Elizabeth Amisu and Karin Merx

Additional Links
• Q’s footage from the Dangerous 25 celebration in Melbourne, Australia
• Jackson 5’s Christmas Album
• Michael Jackson’s Dream Lives On podcast web page and iTunes page
• Moonwalk Talks’ websiteTwitter and iTunes pages
• MJ Book Club’s Facebook and Twitter pages
• Michael Jackson Australia’s Facebook page
• Kingvention’s website and Facebook page
• Michael: The Last Photoshoots’ Facebook page
• Kerry Anderson’s Facebook page
• The MJCast’s Cascio Case court documents page
• Daily Michael’s page on the Estate vs. IRS lawsuit
• Pierre et Gilles Wikipedia page
• Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor (8mm Version)
• Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor (Refugee Camp Mix)

Music Breaks & Ads
• Disneyland Paris – Magic Everywhere (Christmas Version)
• Michael Jackson – Remember The Time (Funk LeBlanc Remix)
• Jackson 5 – Christmas Medley
• Jackson Source
• Jackson 5 – Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Stripped Mix)
• Jackson 5 – Give Love On Christmas Day (Group A Capella Version)

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!