توماس میزرو، وکیل مدافع مایکل جکسون در دادگاه سال ۲۰۰۵، به تازگی در گفتگو با LA Canvas از عمده‌ترین باورهای نادرست اجتماعی در مورد مایکل جکسون سخن گفت. توماس میزرو از نام نیکی در حرفه‌ی خود و در بین همکارانش برخوردار است. او وکالت متهمین بی‌بضاعت را رایگان برعهده می‌گیرد. همکارانش او را فردی درستکار می‌دانند که وقتی صحبت بر سر صداقت، عزت نفس و معیارهای انسانی در بین باشد، با هیچ فردی سازش نمی‌کند. این ویژگی او در بین همکارانش شناخته شده و بی‌رقیب است. بسیاری از افراد نزدیک به مایکل از مرگ او به عنوان فرصتی برای مطرح کردن نام خویش بهره جستند، اما توماس میزرو نه. می‌گوید مایکل جکسونی که او می‌شناخت، انسانی مهربان و نجیب بود که به خاطر تمایلش به خلوت گرایی، قربانی قضاوت‌های نادرست اجتماع شد. "مایکل دلنشین‌ترین موکلی بود که من در عمر داشتم." این را توماس بدون فکر و درنگ می‌گوید. "برای من غافلگیرکننده‌ترین چیز در مورد او این بود که چقدر متواضع، با صداقت و واقع‌گرا، و چقدر کنار آمدن با او آسان بود." او در مورد پوشش خبری فوت مایکل می‌گوید: "افرادی از جمله وکلا ادعا می‌کردند که بسیار به او و خانواده‌اش نزدیک بودند و تصویرهای گوناگونی از او ارائه می‌دادند که حقیقت نداشت. بطور قطع نفرت‌انگیز بود. می‌شنیدم که در بیرون بیمارستان مردمی این طرف و آن طرف می‌دویدند و فقط برای آنکه توجه رسانه‌ها را جلب کنند، می‌گفتند که از نزدیکان مایکل بوده‌اند تا بدین ترتیب به نفعی برسند." "بزرگ‌ترین سوء برداشتی که مردم از مایکل داشته‌اند این بود که فکر کردند او یک کودک آزار است. متاسفانه از آنجا که او بسیار مشهور بود و بسیار بر سرش جنجال بر پا میشد و یک نابغه در هنر بود، مردم فکرهای عجیب و غریبی در مورد او می‌کردند و همین فکرها را وارد امور جنایی کردند." "او یک کودک آزار نبود. او یک جنایتکار نبود. و کاری که مردم برای نفع شخصی با او کردند، اینکه او را شکنجه دادند تا از او فردی جنجالی خلق کنند و از عجیب و غریب بودش به سودی برسند، یکی از بزرگ‌ترین تراژدی‌های دوران ماست." منبع: eMJey.com / lacanvas.com

(۲۳-۵-۲۰۱۱) Adrian Grant, author of several books about the King of Pop including Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary, and creator of the amazing stage production THRILLER LIVE, recently gave an interview to the Northampton Chronicle. That interview can be read below. ۱. Can you tell me a bit about the Thriller Live show? Thriller Live is the ultimate celebration of Michael Jackson's music. We don't tell the story of Michael's life, but we celebrate the King of Pop via two hours of song and dance. It's a feel-good show that the whole family can enjoy. ۲. And what are your thoughts on the cast? I'd say we have one of the hardest working casts out there, and the audience certainly get their money's worth with a high-tempo, high-energy production. ۳. What was it like meeting Michael Jackson in person? I first met him in ۱۹۹۰ and didn't have any preconceptions of what he would be like. But from the moment I did meet him he was kind, funny and had a big smile. He was very talkative about many different subjects, but mainly he liked to have a laugh and joke around. That's not to say he wasn't ever serious because he was an absolute genius in the recording studio and when performing. ۴. What do you think was Jackson's musical legacy? There will never be another Michael Jackson. The music industry has changed and is far more instant then it was ۱۰, ۲۰, ۳۰ years ago. Michael grew up during the Motown era, and worked hard with his brothers touring and perfecting their craft. Furthermore, he learnt from greats such as Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Jackie Wilson and James Brown. He always said he would "study the greats and aim to become better!" You may find an individual who can sing better or dance better, but what made Michael the King of Pop was that he did everything, and he did it so very well and with his own style. As a songwriter he was sometimes underrated, but hits such as Billie Jean, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Earth Song and Don't Stop Til You Get Enough are pure pop classics. As a singer he had an incredible four-octave range, and as a dancer he created breakthrough videos such as Beat It and Thriller, and was complimented by none other than Fred Astaire. ۵. What was it like for you to be able to attend the memorial service alongside the Jackson family? My first thoughts were for his family, especially his mother Katherine and three children. They had lost a father and a son, and this became evident when I went to the family house after the service. I gave a copy of my book, Michael Jackson - The Visual Documentary, to Paris, and when she looked at the cover and saw a picture of her dad, she just thanked me and gave me the biggest hug. She was a really nice girl, and she ran into the lounge to tell her grandmother Katherine about my book. Mrs Jackson was also a lovely lady, and it's good to know that Michael's kids will be brought up with the same love and devotion that he would have given them. ۶. Which is your favourite Michael Jackson song? There are too many to name just one. Many of them are in the Thriller Live show which is just over two hours long, but because Michael has so many great songs the show could easily have been five hours long. So I just had to choose songs which would take people on a journey through his career as well as including the big hits such as Billie Jean and Smooth Criminal. My favourite section of the show though is from the Off The Wall album with songs like Rock With You and Don't Stop Til You Get Enough. ۷. What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? Michael told me that you needed rhinoceros skin to survive in the entertainment industry. He also taught me to really reach for the stars, follow your dreams and be the best you can. He was very much a perfectionist. ۸. What does your perfect day involve? Sunshine, good friends, good music and good food. ۹. How do you like to spend your time when not working? I like to chill out at home, watch a good movie or some football, usually Liverpool FC. ۱۰. What book did you last read? I'm currently reading The Accidental Billionaires (about the founding of Facebook), which inspired the film The Social Network. ۱۱. What meal do you most like to cook at home? I live by myself so usually keep it simple with a pasta dish or jerk chicken and rice. ۱۲. What is your proudest achievement? Having Thriller Live open in London's West End in January ۲۰۰۹ and it is still playing there two-and-a-half years later. ۱۳. What is your worst habit? Getting up at the break of dawn. ۱۴. What car do you drive? A Range Rover. ۱۵. What is your most treasured possession? My memories, but as for items it would be a signed picture that Michael Jackson gave me and a prayer book I was given as a child from my mum. ۱۶. What has been your best moment? The birth of my daughter in ۲۰۰۱. ۱۷. What has been your worst moment? Not being able to play football any more due to a hip injury. ۱۸. What makes you laugh? Stand-up comedy, used to like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. Today I find Chris Rock very funny along with the TV show The Inbetweeners and Misfits. ۱۹. Who has most inspired you in your life? Michael Jackson, Richard Branson and Martin Luther King. ۲۰. What ambition would you most like to fulfil? To write and direct a film that stirs great emotion in millions of people around the world. Thriller Live will come to Northampton's Royal & Derngate this week and will run from May ۲۶ until ۲۸. To book tickets you can visit their website here. Source: MJFC / northamptonchron.co.uk Adrian Grant Talks About 'Thriller Live' (۲۹-۵-۲۰۱۱) Next month will mark two years since Michael Jackson died, and many fans around the world are still trying to figure out how to deal with the grief. For many, it is still sinking in that the King of Pop will never tour again. However, the stage show 'Thriller Live' has found a home in the hearts of many and next month it will go to Abu Dhabi for two nights on June ۹ and ۱۰. The show, which is still in the middle of its third West End run in London, captures something of Jackson's spirit. It is a tribute rather than a musical with five singers of different ages, races and sexes and ۱۰ dancers staging versions of the hits, from ABC to Man in the Mirror. Short video presentations between the songs give highlights of the superstar entertainer's career (like his still-unbeaten number of awards and record sales), while the singers and dancers encourage the audience to get out of their seats and sing, dance and cheer along. The staging is basic, but there are some pyrotechnics and a glitter cannon and, of course, some moonwalking. To some, this might all sound like an obvious attempt to cash in on the grief of a dead star's fans but, nothing could be further from the truth. The show's creator, Adrian Grant, began putting on Michael Jackson tributes many years ago and even spent time with Jackson at Neverland when, at ۱۹, he started a fanzine dedicated to the singer, who read it and invited him to his ranch. "Michael was really down-to-earth," Grant says now. "Laughing around, joking around; he was a big kid at heart. Inquisitive, very knowledgable, a genius in his studio, and a very humble person." In addition to interviewing Jackson that day, Grant also hung out in his studio, met his pet giraffe and chimpanzee, played arcade games, watched films and ate lunch with the singer. "It was an unbelievable day," Grant says. "At the end Michael says 'Come back any time,' so I used to go back there once or twice a year. It highlights his generosity. He didn't need to do that, but he was just a kind person." Inspired by Jackson's support, Grant began putting together an annual tribute show and Jackson himself flew to the UK to attend the ۱۰th edition. After the show he took to the stage to say a few words, calling the show "incredible" and "beautiful." It was this production that evolved into 'Thriller Live,' the theatrical touring show we know today. "Michael watching [that show] gave me the inspiration that if you've got something you believe in you should follow it through, you can make things happen," Grant says. "Everything else that followed is thanks to him." 'Thriller Live' began in ۲۰۰۶, and Jackson told Grant that when he came over to London for his This Is It tour, he would come and watch the show - in disguise to avoid being mobbed. Sadly, that of course, never happened. Jackson died on June ۲۵, ۲۰۰۹ during rehearsals for the tour. "I didn't believe it," Grant says of the news. "It took a couple of days to sink in and then my first thoughts were for his family; his children and his mother." Grant says he considered cancelling the show for the immediate future but "there was such an outpouring from the public that the Lyric Theatre [where 'Thriller Live' was performed] turned into a bit of a shrine and there was a lot of demand for people to come and see the show and pay their respects to Michael. So we've continued in that vein and ever since it's become more of a celebration and tribute to his legacy." The show went on the night after Jackson's death and Grant describes it as a "very charged performance," with lots of tears among the cast that day. Since then, the show's popularity has skyrocketed. There are now three versions of the show going on in different parts of the world simultaneously, and ۱.۲ million people have been to see it. With all the other Michael Jackson tribute shows sprouting up everywhere, you might say that 'Thriller Live' is the original, and the only one personally endorsed by the King of Pop himself. "Thriller Live is what it always was," Grant says. "I started it because Michael had been getting a lot of negative press and I wanted to focus on the music. It wasn't a case of trying to commercially exploit anything. Since Michael's passing there have been a number of other copycat tribute shows popping up here and there, and I think they're the ones that have really jumped on the bandwagon." Source: MJFC / thenational.ae

ادی ون هالن (Eddie Van Halen) گیتاریست آهنگ Beat It از آلبوم تریلر مایکل جکسون از این آهنگ به عنوان اثر برجسته در کارنامه‌اش یاد کرده است: "آهنگ بیت ایت از مایکل جکسون یک کار برجسته است. کویینسی جونز از من خواست گیتار این آهنگ را بزنم. در عرض ۱۵ دقیقه دو قطعه ضبط کردم و به آنها گفتم هریک را که می‌خواهند انتخاب کنند. سپس مایکل وارد شد و گفت «وای! من واقعا از این چیز تند و زیری که نواختی، خوشم می‌‌آید.» کار بر روی این قطعه بسیار مفرح بود. دیوانه کننده است که چیزی که در مدت بسیار کوتاهی آماده شد، فرای دورترین مرزهایی که می‌توانستید تصورش را بکنید پیش برود." منبع: eMJey.com / smithsonianmag.com

دیپاک چوپرا (Deepak Chopra) نویسنده، پزشک روحانی، معلم معنوی و استاد دانشگاه بوستون آمریکا، از دوستان قدیمی مایکل جکسون است. این پزشک هندی ۶۵ ساله نخستین بار مایکل را در سال ۱۹۸۸ ملاقات نمود و دوستی بین آنان دو دهه دوام آورد تا اینکه مایکل سال ۲۰۰۹ بر اثر ایست قلبی ناشی از تزریق داروی بیهوشی پروپوفول که توسط پزشکش صورت گرفته بود از دنیا رفت.شماره‌ی مستقیم چوپرا بر روی شماره‌گیر سریع تلفنی مایکل جکسون قرار داشت و آن دو بسیار با یکدیگر سخن می‌گفتند. چوپرا می‌گوید می‌داند که آخرین آهنگی که سلطان پاپ بر رویش کار کرده بود چیست. چوپرا در مصاحبه‌ای گفته است که مایکل دو روز پیش از فوتش با وی تماس گرفته بود. "او یک پیغام بر روی پیامگیر تلفنی من گذاشته بود. گفته بود که می‌خواهد خبرهای خوبی به من بدهد. آیا مایکل تحت فشار بود تا تور برگزار کند؟ خوب این چیزی است که در اخبار می‌گویند. اینکه مجبور بود کنسرت‌هایی را برای بازگشت به صحنه اجرا کند. اما در پیغامی که برای من گذاشته بود لحن کلامش به گونه‌ای نبود که تحت فشار است. او در مورد «Breathe / تنفس» آهنگ جدیدی که ساخته بود هیجان بسیاری داشت. او می‌خواست که من نگاهی به ترانه‌اش بیاندازم. آهنگ در مورد محیط زیست است." چوپرا می‌گوید چنین مرگی در تقدیر مایکل نوشته شده بود. "او به سمت این تقدیر پیش می‌رفت. او می‌خواست مانند الویس پریسلی بمیرد." لیزا ماری پریسلی، دختر الویس و همسر سابق مایکل روز بعد از فوت وی در وبلاگش نوشته بود که مایکل سالها پیش به او گفته بود که فکر می‌کند مانند الویس از دنیا خواهد رفت. چوپرا ادمه می‌دهد: "مایکل یکبار از من پرسید «آن چه دارویی است که یک فرد را به دره‌ی مرگ می‌کشاند و بعد او را بازمی‌گرداند؟» حالا می‌فهمم که این دارو «پروپوفول» است. در آن زمان نمی‌دانستم." چوپرا نمی‌داند مایکل آن آهنگ را ضبط کرده است یا نه اما متن ترانه‌اش هنوز در دستان چوپرا است. "با بنیاد تماس گرفته‌ام تا آن را پس بدهم. نمی‌توانم چیزی که به من تعلق ندارد را نگاهداری کنم." مایکل در کتاب «رقصاندن رویا» (Dancing The Dream) که حاوی سروده‌هایی از اوست، از دیپاک قدردانی کرده بود. چوپرا میگوید که در نوشتن شعری از این کتاب با عنوان «سیاره‌ی زمین» (Planet Earth) با مایکل همکاری داشت. مایکل این سروده را به شکل دکلمه اجرا کرده بود که پس از فوت وی در آلبوم دیس‌‌ایزایت (This Is It) انتشار یافت. منبع: eMJey.com / ndtv

Carrie Fisher On Michael's Last Christmas (۳-۱۱-۲۰۱۱) Actress and author Carrie Fisher has a new book out called Shockaholic, in which she talks about her regular use of electro-convulsive therapy to combat depression, her encounter with an offensively rude Ted Kennedy and, in the following excerpt, what happened when she spent Christmas Eve with Michael Jackson and his children. Turns out, it would be Michael's final Chirstmas and Ms. Fisher had some really wonderful things to say about the experience. You can read that excerpt below: Michael's celebrity turned many people into eager, greedy stargazers who only wanted something from him above and beyond what a normal human is willing or expected to give. They were there for the anecdote. It's what I call the "shine." People want to rub up against it, and in so doing, their own value is increased. But I'd like to propose a reason why Michael might've preferred the company of children to what I've heard referred to as adults. Kids of a certain age, being too young to understand the peculiar phenomenon of fame, are potentially easier to trust and hang out with than a certain kind of adult, who, as I said earlier, more often than not have a tendency to start acting completely disorganized around someone as outrageously famous as Michael. And children are far less likely to act this way because they don't exactly know what fame is yet. To them, famous is cartoon characters, or Muppets, or Barney. It's too abstract a concept for kids. * * * On Christmas Eve ۲۰۰۸--Michael's last--I went over to his house, which is located just down the hill from me and a few blocks over. He was giving his children the childhood that he never had. A childhood outside of celebrity with people who didn't objectify them. Because normally, for Michael, life was like being an animal at the zoo. An endangered species forever behind bars. I could get in the cage with Michael and not get freaked out, and there weren't that many people who would've known how to, or known that it was even something they might actually be required to do when with him. But I did. So I joined Michael after hours at his zoo. We took pictures and ate cookies and decorated the tree. And then, to change it up, Michael asked me to do the Star Wars hologram speech for his kids. I didn't mind. Someone actually had to remind me what a big Star Wars fan Michael was. While I was there, though, we weren't really experiencing the situation for the most part, we were taking pictures of it. Arnie took pictures of me and Michael and the kids, and I took pictures of Arnie and his friends and the Michael family package. My favorite was taking a picture of Michael reading my book "Wishful Drinking." I will always cherish that weird Christmas configuration of ours. Looking back, it was as if Michael didn't know how to just be in a situation without recording it on a camera. The thing is, he was just so used to being documented. But the main reason the documentation came up this time was mostly for Arnie's friends, who wanted to take pictures of their meeting with Michael so they could carry his shine around. The encounter elevated them. It became, "Oh, I had Christmas Eve dinner with Michael Jackson. What did you do?" Anyway, we all f*cked around holiday style and having fun, and it was fun. We took pictures, we acted childish (at least I think that's what it was). At some point, Michael said, "Okay, I'm letting you take my kids' pictures because I know that you won't show them to anyone because you know I don't want anyone to see my children." He wanted his children to be as unrecorded as possible. If the Africans believe that you lose a piece of your soul each time you have your picture taken, then Michael hadn't had one for a very long time. But he was trying to arrange things so that his kids could keep theirs. And his children are very sweet, good children. And that's because whatever else he was or wasn't, I think Michael was a really good father. I mean, his children are kind, really polite, even-tempered, and essentially unspoiled kids. And that can't come from a nanny. You can't fake that stuff. It has to come from the parent. And that parent was Michael. From SHOCKAHOLIC by Carrie Fisher. Copyright © ۲۰۱۱ by Deliquesce Inc. Reprinted with permission from Simon & Schuster, Inc. Source: MJFC / huffingtonpost.com

Jermaine Dupri، نامزد جانت جكسون، مايكل را به حضور در مجامع عمومي فراخوانده است. به عقيده ي او، مايكل به جاي كناره گيري از عامه ي مردم، بايد با شجاعت حكم برائت خود را در تلويزيون به رخ همه ميكشيد. "اگر من جاي او بودم، فورا در مصاحبه اي با شبكه ي TRL به مردم ميگفتم: اگر هركس حرفي در مورد من دارد، ميتواند بزند. شما در حال حاضر بيش از آنچه كه اتفاق افتاد، چيزي براي گفتن نداريد." در حاليكه بسياري از ستارگان، بازگشت خود را با مصاحبه هاي اشكباري با اپرا وينفري يا باربارا والترز همراه ميكنند، Dupri اين عقيده را كه مايكل بايد شرمسار باشد، به تمسخر ميگيرد. "او مجبور نيست چنين كاري بكند، زيرا هيچ كار خطايي انجام نداده است. هر كدام از آنها (ستارگان ديگر) كاري انجام داده بودند، اما او نه. چه خطايي از او سر زده است؟ چرا بايد برگردد و اشك بريزد؟" Dupri همچنين در مورد بازگشت سلطان پاپ به عرصه ي موسيقي ميگويد: "مايكل يك خصوصيت جادويي دارد كه باعث ميشود هميشه براي مردم جالب باشد. اگر مايكل جكسون همين حالا وارد اين اطاق بشود، هيچ كس در اين اطاق وجود نخواهد داشت كه بتواند چشمانش را از او بردارد. ماداميكه چنين نيرويي در وجود شماست، هرگز آسيب نميبينيد. او اين نيرو را بر روي همه اعمال ميكند. اگر مردم نتوانند چشمانشان را از شما بردارند، يعني اينكه شما براي آنها بسيار جذاب هستيد. شما هرگز آسيب نميبينيد." Dupri پيش از اين نيز از جامعه ي سياه پوستان آمريكا خواسته بود براي حمايت از مايكل با هم متحد شوند. منبع: Associated Press

Flo Rida، خواننده ی رپ (Right Round) در مصاحبه ی تازه ای گفت که اگر مایکل جکسون نبود، احتمالا هرگز وارد حرفه ی موسیقی نمی شد. او که مایکل را یک الهام بخش بزرگ می داند، از فروش رفتن تمامی بلیط های ۵۰ کنسرت مایکل در طی چند ساعت تعجب نمی کند. او اعتقاد دارد: "اگر مایکل سد ها را در هم نشکسته بود، احتمالا افرادی مانند من هرگز این حرفه را شروع نمی کردند. من با ایکان و نی - یو در آلبوم جدیدم کار کرده ام و اگر مایکل نبود، هیچ کدام از ما هم اینجا نبودیم. تاریخ آمریکا - آفریقا تحت تاثیر شخصیت و هویت مایکل جسکون تغییر بسیار عظیمی پیدا کرده است، چه برسد به موسیقی اش که رکورد ها را شکست و بعد از Thriller، کلیپ های موسیقی را وارد مرحله ای دیگری کرد. او را در سرتاسر این دنیا در سطحی بسیار وسیع می شناسند و دوستش دارند. وقتی جوان بودم، او زندگی مرا تغییر داد. آهنگ هایش بسیار احساسی هستند و او افتخار بسیار بزرگی برای موسیقی است." منبع: eMJey / Digital Spy / The Daily Star

ایکان، خواننده ی سیاه پوست آمریکایی در مصاحبه ای با Take ۴۰ گفت که Hold My Hand آهنگ دو نفره اش با مایکل جکسون بر روی آلبوم جدیدش عرضه نخواهد شد. پیشتر خبر داده شده بود که این آهنگ بر روی آلبوم جدید ایکان قرار خواهد گرفت. اما ایکان میگوید که این آهنگ به برش نهایی نرسیده است. "آهنگ Hold My Hand بر روی اینترنت لو رفت و تمام برنامه هایی را که برای این آهنگ در نظر داشتیم خراب کرد. در مجموع احساس کردیم، با توجه به نوع همکاری بین ما و با در نظر گرفتن اینکه این اولین بازگشت مایکل پس از یک مدت طولانی است، باید همه چیز درست انجام شود. ما تصمیم گرفتیم که در آینده بیشتر بر روی آن کار کنیم و راه دیگری را برای آمدن بیابیم. حتی اگر قرار باشد با یک آهنگ دیگر بازگردیم." منبع: eMJey / Take ۴۰

جید گودی، بازیگر زن ۲۷ ساله که به سرطان گردن مبتلاست و احتمال دارد طی هفته های آتی بر اثر این بیماری از دنیا برود، هفته ی گذشته پیغام تلفنی ای در بیمارستان از مایکل جکسون دریافت کرد. او در مصاحبه با New! Magazine، در این باره گفت: "آیا می توانید باور کنید که من یک پیغام از مایکل جکسون دریافت کردم؟ از سلطان پاپ! من همیشه طرفدار پروپاقرص او بودم. عاشقش هستم. او به بیمارستان زنگ زد چون میخواست با من حرف بزند و برایم آرزوی سلامتی کند. اما من خواب بودم! واقعا که! بنابراین او بر روی تلفن برایم پیغام کوتاهی گذاشت و جک (همسرش) آن را برایم پخش کرد. او در این پیغام می گوید: «سلام جید، من به فکرت هستم و امیدوارم همه چیز به بهترین شکل پیش برود. من میخواهم تو به کنسرتم بیایی و مرا ببینی. برادرم مدام از من حال تو را می پرسد.» پس از این پیغام هنوز نتوانسته ام بر احساسم غلبه کنم. باید برای کنسرت اش بلیط می گرفتم." منبع: eMJey / New! Magazine

James Brown در گفتگويي با شبكه ي راديويي Xfm در دفاع از مايكل جكسون سخن گفت و خوشحالي خود را از تبرئه شدن سلطان پاپ ابراز كرد. " خوب من بسيار خوشحال هستم زيرا دنيا به مايكل احتياج دارد و بسياري از مردم از اجراي او لذت ميبرند. او هميشه هيجانات فوق العاده اي در بين مردم ايجاد ميكند و خوب است كه اين جنتلمن را براي مردم به روي صحنه بفرستيم تا آنها بتوانند صداي او را بشنودند و لذت ببرند و اوقات خوشي داشته باشند. من بسيار خوشحال هستم كه مايكل آزاد شد. " او همچنين گفت كه خوشحال است كه مشكلاتي كه مايكل با آن روبرو بود، به اثبات بيگناهي او و نجاتش از زندان انجاميد. منبع: Xfm.co.uk

جی زی، خواننده ی رپ و تهیه کننده ی سیاه پوست میگوید We Are The World نباید دوباره سازی میشد. او روز شنبه در مصاحبه اش با ام تی وی عنوان کرد که علاقه ای به نسخه ی تازه ی این آهنگ ندارد. "میدانم که همه منظور مرا اشتباه درک خواهند کرد. من عاشق این آهنگ هستم و هدفش را می فهمم و فکر میکنم عالی است. اما برای من We Are The World همانند Thriller (آهنگ دیگری از مایکل) است. حتی نمی خواهم ببینم کسی نزدیکش میشود. من مشکلاتی که در هایتی وجود دارد را میدانم و از تلاش خواننده ها تقدیر می کنم. اما We Are The World در موسیقی لمس ناپذیر است درست مانند Thrilller. (آهنگ جدید) تلاش دلاورانه ای بود. اما آهنگ قدیمی برای من لمس ناپذیر است." جی زی همچنین گفت که به جای استفاده از آهنگ قدیمی We Are The World باید آهنگ تازه ای برای کمک به هایتی نوشته میشد. منبع: eMJey / MTV

(۲۲-۶-۲۰۱۱) The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait recently interviewed 'This Is It' band director, Michael Bearden about his career and his time working with the King of Pop. During the interview, Bearden spoke about his friendship with Jackson as well as Jackson's humanity. You can read an excerpt from the interview below: MJTP: You first met Michael Jackson in ۱۹۹۳, and worked with him professionally for the first time in ۲۰۰۱. What were both experiences like for you? MB: I met MJ in Mexico, at his concert in ۱۹۹۳. I was working with Madonna at the time and we all went to see the show. He was having a difficult time breathing in that Mexico City altitude. I was having a hard time and I wasn't even on stage performing. We went back stage and I was able to say hello and all of that. He's always been one of the nicest artists you ever wanted to meet. He was just a really sweet human being. I first worked with him on stage in ۲۰۰۱ at his ۳۰th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He wasn't what I was told he would be. He was easy to talk to, engaging and not as shy as I had heard. His brothers were around so maybe he was in his comfort zone. I found him to be extremely professional and very detailed oriented. He knew what he wanted and how to get it. His talent speaks for itself. MJTP: Did you keep in contact between ۲۰۰۱ and ۲۰۰۹? MB: Not every single year, but I did see him a few times when he was recording. MJ always recorded a lot of music when he was working on a record and I was in the studio with him for a few of those recordings. A lot of stuff I played on never made the final record, but it was always great working in the studio with Michael. MJTP: How did you come to get signed on for This Is It? MB: When I found out I was on the short list of music director hopefuls for MJ's tour, surprisingly I was somewhat reluctant. I had been the music director for so many big stars in my career and wanted to pursue other musical endeavors closer to home. However, when it's Michael Jackson calling you have to at least explore the possibilities. I first met with the This Is It director Kenny Ortega. We had a great meeting and he invited me back down that evening to meet with MJ. I asked that there be keyboards in the room when MJ and I met. When they finally brought MJ in to see me, I was already playing around on the keyboard. He walked in smiling broadly with pep in his step. Instantly, he started dancing and swaying to me playing "Workin Day and Night". We hugged and began talking about what he was looking for, and I told him what I was looking for. I interrupted him several times to have him sing songs as I played them. To his credit he did and we had a great bond immediately. We did a concert for about half an hour; just him and me. As I was leaving, I asked him for the set list and he just laughed. They were looking at a few more guys after me. He said, "God bless you," and I left the room. I wasn't even home good before I got the call to be his musical director. I had a private gratitude moment and went right to work learning songs! MJTP: Michael Jackson knew every element, instruments, notes and chords in his music. He knew when something wasn't right and we see this in the film with his song "The Way You Make Me Feel." Was this the only time you and he didn't see eye to eye with a musical arrangement? MB: Many people seem to think me and MJ didn't agree in that moment. Not true. We we're having a "creative joust" as we called it. MJ had a strong opinion and so did I. We laughed and hugged at the end of it and you can see the mutual respect and love in the film. I have never been one to just be a sycophant and bow down to everything the artists say. Why else would you hire a musical director? Just hire a person to execute what you want to have happen and go with that? MJ was brilliant in that he always wanted to grow and push boundaries. He would always tell me to push him so that's what I did. I have no problem doing that with any artist I work with. That's the way it was with MJ and me and that's the way it is. We saw eye-to-eye and then pushed our vision even further. The results are always better with that approach. It was all done in love. MJTP: What is your most memorable moment working with Michael on This Is It? MB: That question is always so hard to answer. I grew up idolizing Michael Jackson and the Jackson ۵ as many of us did. And now here I was working closely with a childhood hero. Not only working but confiding in, hanging with and having the blessings of his trust and faith in me to deliver him to the next level of his professional life. What can be more memorable than that? Towards the end, MJ trusted me implicitly and told me as such while he was here. I've been eternally "validated", if you will, by MJ, and that alone is memorable enough for me. MJTP: Other people who have known Michael, speak about energy or an aura that surrounded him- that when he walked into a room the air literally changed. Did you experience that? MB: Yes, actually I did. Everything they say about that is true. MJ just had a certain swagger with him nobody else could duplicate. That aura was real. The air would change because he always made it a concerted effort to smell good. And he smelled amazing! I always knew when he was around even if I didn't see him. MJTP: You were the last one from the company who saw Michael after that last rehearsal. Did he seem happy and ready to do this tour? MB: You've done your homework. Yes, he was very happy. Kenny Ortega and I were with him for the better part of the day taking care of tour business stuff. Travis was out working with the dancers. We got to the stage late that evening, but put in a full rehearsal. MJ looked great and he said he felt good. The band said he had a glow about him that night. They were right. I hugged him; he told me he loved me, talked about the next day and we got in our cars and left Staples Center. I have a very positive mental image of the last time we spoke. I'm at peace with it. MJTP: Many people have said Michael would never have been able to complete ۵۰ concerts. What is your opinion on this? MB: Who are these many people and were they at the same rehearsals I attended? I'm always amazed at people who talk in full confidence with no advantage of firsthand knowledge, obviously basing their opinions on hearsay and rumor. Look, It's difficult to say if MJ would have completed all ۵۰ dates or not. He was never one to mark when he worked. He always went full out every time I've worked with him. A couple of his brothers did express surprise when they saw an early cut of This Is It. They couldn't believe that was MJ going full out like that. They told me he always used to try and save it for the show. I guess MJ felt he had something to prove. In my opinion, he was well on his way to doing it too. There is no way to fake what he did in This Is It. That was MJ doing what he did best. He was working his way back up to being show ready and those last few nights he was on! And he knew it! I don't see any reason why we would not have made it through those dates. He even talked about the possibility of extending the tour in another country. That said it all to me. MJTP: Looking back on all the love that has been expressed for your friend since he died, what do you imagine he would say about that? MB: I don't really have to imagine. I know he would be very humble about it. He would embrace it and wallow in it. Even from the hypocrites. MJ only wanted to be loved for the art he created. I know he was hurt by all of the tabloid attention and paparazzi stalking him, but he understood it. He just wanted to be judged fairly and to have the attention he garnered to be more balanced. He was a giving and loving person and wanted that in return. As his friend, I will never try to deify him. He was only a man and not a deity, albeit an extraordinary man. MJTP: If you could have time to spend with him today what would you say to him? What would be very important for him to know? MB: There is not a day that I don't think about MJ. Not one day since he passed. We will be linked forever and I'm good with that. I don't really like to live my life in hypothetical, but if he were here the most important thing he would need to know is that his children are doing well and look as though they are going to be extraordinary world citizens. He would be most happy about that. All other issues would be secondary to him. I'd also let him know his true friends have never abandoned him and would back it up with actions and deeds, not just words. Then, we'd probably laugh a lot and go get something to eat from a place we liked to have lunch. I'd enjoy that immensely. MJTP: Have you experienced his spirit with you as so many others have? MB: Yes, but not in the way you might think. I experienced it when he was here. There is a moment in This Is It when we're working on "Earth Song". MJ is explaining what he wants and then he tells me when to "start that piano." At the very moment he gives a thumb up to me, I felt something. I remembered it as I drove home from rehearsal that night. I forgot about it until we started making the film. As soon as I saw it, I got the exact same feeling I did the first night it happened. Transferring of energy is real amongst creative beings, but that was something else. MJTP: What is the one thing that you will always consider to be your fondest moment with Michael? MB: I have many fond moments with MJ. He was just that way. One of my favorite moments is when he and I were working on the set list in the beginning of rehearsals, even before we had a band and dancers. We talked about how the show should flow and how we were like roller coaster designers. That's what he wanted his show to feel like- a roller coaster ride. The warm moment for me was when he showed me his personal hand written notes about the set; he pulled out his reading glasses. I looked at him and smiled and he said, "What"? I said nothing and we just kept working. It was great to see his humanity on display. He was always so complete in public; it was cool to see him a little vulnerable. It was also cool to know that our relationship was changing to something more than just a music director/star relationship. He felt very comfortable around me and I appreciated that. He knew I didn't want anything from him other than to see him back on top. Those glasses affirmed it to me. MJTP: What do you think is Michael's greatest legacy? MB: That's hard to say. His art means different things to different people. For me, his legacy is probably his simplicity. Never in my career and probably in the history of music, has an artist affected so many human beings simultaneously. I can't tell you how many times I hear from fans telling me that their ۲, ۳, ۴ or ۵ year-old children have discovered Michael's music. This is just extraordinary to me. What is it about his music that appeals to so many people? He used to say to me, "When you're coming up with new arrangements for the songs, make sure they're simple." He would say, "They gotta be able to hum it. If they can't hum it's too complicated." He wanted his music to be sung by ۸ to ۸۰ year-olds. He succeeded! To read the entire interview, please visit the MJTP website here. http://mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/issue/a-powerful-truth/article/interview-with-michael-bearden Source:The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait Newsletter

امسال شبکه‌ی MTV که زمانی فقط به پخش موسیقی اختصاص داشت، ۳۰ ساله می‌شود. کریگ ماکز و راب تاننبام تاریخچه‌ی دهه‌ی نخست عمر ام‌تی‌وی را که باور دارند دوران طلایی این شبکه است، در کتابی با عنوان I Want My MTV بازگو کرده‌اند. در این کتاب از غولهای دهه‌ی ۸۰ که برترین‌شان مایکل جکسون بود سخن به میان می‌‌آید. قطعا آلبوم تاریخ ساز تریلر نیز نمی‌تواند از قلم بیافتد. این دو نویسنده در مصاحبه‌ی جدیدی با این پرسش مواجه شدند که سلطان پاپ چه تاثیری بر ام‌تی‌وی داشته است: "آیا هیچ هنرمندی هست که بتوان گفت بدون وجود او، ام‌تی‌وی ادامه‌ی حیات نمی‌داد و بدین شکل ساخته نمی‌شد؟" راب تاننبام: "قطعا! مایکل جکسون! او کسی است که ام‌تی‌وی را نجات داد. در نخستین سالهای فعالیت این شبکه، آنها به ندرت موسیقی آفریقایی تباران را پخش می‌کردند. عذر ناموجه‌شان هم این بود که می‌خواهند فقط راک پخش کنند و موسیقی سیاهان هم راک نیست. حال آنکه بسیاری از آهنگ‌هایی که پخش می‌کردند اصلا راک هم نبود. برای مثال آنها آهنگ‌های سبک آراندبی سفید پوستان را پخش می‌کردند. پس اگر می‌توانستند آراندبی سفیدپوستان را پخش کنند، چرا نمی‌توانستند آراندبی سیاهان را پخش کنند؟ فکر می‌کنم این چیزی بود که مردم را نسبت به ام‌تی‌وی عصبانی کرده بود. مایکل در سال ۱۹۸۲ ساخت ویدیو برای آلبوم تریلر را آغاز کرد و آن زمان ام‌تی‌وی تنها ۳ ماه با ورشکستگی و از بین رفتن فاصله داشت." کریگ مارکز: "این داستان همچنین نشان می‌دهد که ام‌تی‌وی تا چه حد پولکی بوده است. در ژانویه‌ی ۱۹۸۳ آنها هیچ ویدیویی از موسیقی اوربن پخش نمی‌کردند، اما در نوامبر همان سال هم اوربن پخش می‌کردند و هم می‌گفتند پس از ۱۰ دقیقه‌ی پیش رو «دوباره» برای شما تریلر را نمایش می‌دهیم. وقتی چیزی خوب است یعنی خوب است. فکر می‌کنم از اینکه سرانجام غرورشان را زیر پا می‌گذاشتند، خوشنود بودند." نکته: بیلی جین نخستین ویدیوی سیاه پوستان بود که در ام‌تی‌وی به نمایش درمی‌آمد. این ویدیو و نیز بیت ایت و تریلر آنچنان انفجاری و محبوب بودند که ام‌تی‌وی نتوانست در برابرشان بیش از آن مقاومت کند. مایکل قوانین تبعیض آمیز این شبکه را برای همیشه از بین برد و نیز ام‌تی‌وی با بهره‌مندی از هجوم مخاطب به سمت این شبکه برای تماشای این کلیپ‌ها، به موفقیت و اعتباری رویایی دست یافت. منبع: eMJey.com / USA Today

Ne-Yo در مصاحبه ی اخیرش، در مورد تجربه ی صحبت تلفنی خود با مایکل جکسون گفته است: "من تلفنی با او صحبت کردم و این یک موقیعت خیالی بود. من داشتم به صحبتهای او گوش میدادم اما تمام مدت در پس ذهنم با خود میگفتم: _ آیا متوجه هستی که داری با مایکل جکسون تلفنی صحبت میکنی؟ آیا حتی میتوانی این را درک کنی؟ تو همین حالا داری با مایکل جکسون حرف میزنی!" منبع: eMJey / Yahoo

خواننده‌ی رپ آمریکایی، راک مارسیانو (Roc Marciano) به تازگی در مصاحبه‌ای با Complex.com، آلبوم «غیر معمول» مایکل جکسون محصول ۱۹۷۹ را آلبوم‌ مورد علاقه‌ی خود معرفی کرده است: "من عاشق این آلبوم هستم، مرا به دوران کودکی‌ام بازمی‌گرداند." او که آلبوم Marcberg خود را در سال ۲۰۱۰ منتشر کرد، می‌گوید: "زمانی که سرگرم ضبط مارسبرگ بودم، در فروشگاه چشمم به صفحه‌ی گرامافون Off the Wall افتاد. نتوانستم آن را نخرم. حتی امروز هم اگر در فروشگاهی چشمم به این آلبوم بیافتد، آن را خواهم خرید. نمی‌توانم باور کنم که این آلبوم همچنان در دسترس است. به نظر من این آلبوم، دوره‌ی اوج مایکل بود. این آلبوم مملو از احساسات آتشین است." منبع: eMJey.com / Complex

موسیقیدان و تهیه کننده ی مراکشی-سوئدی، RedOne (ندیر خیاط) بر روی چند آهنگ برای آلبوم جدید مایکل کار کرده است. این تهیه کننده در مصاحبه ای گفته است که نمی داند آیا مایکل تصمیم به انتشار آهنگهای مشترکی که کار کرده اند، دارد یا خیر. او گفت: "تا زمانی که آلبوم او را نبینیم، نمی توانیم پی ببریم (که مایکل چه آهنگهایی را انتخاب کرده است.) در هر دو صورت چه این آهنگها منتشر شوند و چه نشوند، باز هم خوب است. چون من با مایکل کار کردم. این یکی از دستاوردهای زندگی من است." منبع: eMJey / Reuters

RedOne، تهیه کننده ی ۳۷ ساله ی مراکشی که نام اصلی اش ندیر خیاط است، طی سالهای ۲۰۰۸ در لاس وگاس و لس آنجلس و ۲۰۰۹ در لس آنجلس سرگرم کار بر روی چند آهنگ با مایکل جکسون بود. او امروزه یکی از بهترین تهیه کنندگان موسیقی است. با اینکه آهنگ ها تکمیل نشده اند اما خیاط معتقد است آنقدر آهنگ خوب در دست دارد که بتواند یک آلبوم از آنها منتشر کند گرچه هر گونه اقدامی نیازمند جلب موافقت بنیاد مایکل جکسون و کمپانی ضبط اش است. او میگوید: "اگر چیزی منتشر کنم، پولش را به خیریه میدهم تا مایکل از این کار احساس غرور کند. در طول زندگی مایکل همیشه سایرین از او سو استفاده کردند تا به پول برسند." "آهنگ هایی که می ساختیم خوب بودند، واقعا خوب و پر انرژی بودند. نشاط آور و روحیه بخش بودند. باعث ناراحتی است که نتوانستیم کار را به اتمام برسانیم." "مایکل همیشه تمرکزش بر ساخت آهنگ درجه یک بود، نه ساخت آهنگ. به خاطر همین همواره تعداد بسیار زیادی آهنگ میساخت و از بین شان بهترین ها را دستچین میکرد. فرمول کار او این بود و من عاشقش هستم." منبع: eMJey / Reuters

T-Pain در مصاحبه ای تازه گفت که بر روی سه آهنگ مختلف با مایکل جکسون همکاری داشته است. او در مورد تجربه ی ملاقات با سلطان پاپ گفت: "بار اولی که او را دیدم همه چیز عجیب و جادویی بود، چون، میدانید، او مایکل جکسون است! و بعد، پس از اینکه شروع کرد به صحبت کردن، مثل یک فرد عادی و باحال بود." T-Pain در اکتبر ۲۰۰۸، اعلام کرد که کار دو آهنگ را با مایکل به پایان رسانده است و گفت که شاید آهنگ سوم در ماه نوامبر یا اوایل سال بعد ضبط شود. وی در سال ۲۰۰۸، گفته بود: "او مرا به خانه ی خودش دعوت کرد و ما ساعتها در آنجا وقت گذراندیم. من هیچ وقت تصورش را نمی کردم که مایکل جکسون روزی با من کار کند. جدی می گویم او یک نفر را دنبال من فرستاد. به خاطر همین چیزها، اوضاع یک جورایی هم عجیب غریب بود و هم باحال." مشخص نیست که آیا مایکل هیچ یک از این آهنگها را به آلبومش راه میدهد یا نه. سوالی که در مورد تمامی آهنگهای مشترکی که از سال ۲۰۰۵ تا کنون برای آلبوم جدیدش کار کرده است، صدق میکند. منبع: eMJey / Boombox Music Blog

Usher خواننده ي R&B از مردم خواهش كرد كه در مورد مايكل زود قضاوت نكنند. " قضاوت نكنيد. قضاوت كار ما نيست. اين مشكل رسانه ها در اين روزهاست. چرا هر وقت تلويزيون را روشن ميكنيد فقط اخبار منفي ميشنويد ؟ آيا به اين خاطر است كه فقط اخبار منفي وجود دارد ، يا به خاطر اين است كه اين تمام آن چيزي است كه آنها ميخواهد شما ببينيد ؟ اخبار بد ، بسيار سرگرم كننده تر هستند ، اما چون مردم به يكديگر ياد ميدهند كه از اشتباهات ما درس بگيرند و جلو بروند ، شايد اينطوري دنياي ما بهتر شود. " Usher خود از دوران كودكي يك ستاره بود. او در سن 13 سالگي بعد از اينكه در يك اجراي نمايشي ، برنده ي Star Search شد ، به شهرت رسيد. بنابراين او با تمام فشارهايي كه يك كودك ستاره با آن روبروست ، آشناست و از قضاوت در مورد مايكل خودداري كرده است.

Will.i.am رهبر گروه موسیقی پاپ - رپ بلک آید پیز که در ساخت نسخه ی جدید آهنگ We Are The World همکاری داشت در مصاحبه ای گفته است: "من ترانه هایی به این آهنگ اضافه کردم. We are The World آهنگ کلاسیکی است و برای هر زمانی مناسب است. اما چون ما می خواستیم به هایتی کمک کنیم، من می خواستم ترانه هایی در آهنگ بگذارم که وضعیت موجود در هایتی را نشان دهد. من فکر کردم که اگر مایکل بود چه می نوشت، نه اینکه چه میخواند. زیرا من نمی توانم مانند او بخوانم. اما فکر کردم او از چه چیزی در یک قطعه ی هنری احساس غرور میکرد. ترانه ی من ویرایش شد، کمی تغییر کرد اما جوهر آنچه را که میخواستم بگویم در خود نگاه داشت." او که شش آهنگ با مایکل نوشته است می گوید: "من آنها را منتشر نمی کنم. فکر نمی کنم منصفانه باشد که آهنگ های ناتمام او را منتشر کنم تا از مرگش بهره برداری نمایم. این درست نیست. وقتی زنده بود آنها را منتشر نکردیم. پس چرا حالا که رفته است این کار را انجام دهیم؟" منبع: eMJey / Wall Street Journal