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News
Can you dance like MJ? Battle it of on Facebook, Myspace or Bebo
Fans will have opportunities to win prizes by playing new online game.
Startin August 22, fans can now compete with their friends on their own network, and with users on the other two.
This cool competition is the first to run across all of the three major social network sites.
The game will allow users to control the King of Pop's legendary dance moves as they aim to keep up with the steps during his tracks in a dance-mat style routine. By the use of arrows it will direct users to try and build up the biggest combination of moves they can.
Prizes will be awarded for the highest hourly and daily scores, such as exclusive ringtones for hourly winners, and limited edition iPod Nanos for the daily winners.
The lucky moonwalker overall winner will have the chance to win two round-the-world plane tickets, a state-of-the-art TV or Playstation 3.
The contest coincides with the release of the King of Pop album, a record made up of top Michael Jackson hits as voted for by fans.
source NME/METRO/MJJC
http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?in_article_id=265473&in_page_id=7&in_a_source=
http://www.nme.com/news/michael-jackson/38936
Mentionings
This article is written my some people's opinions only. Feel free to discuss it the way you like. I have edited it a little bit, but left some of the negative remarks there to don't get all "blindsighted" about whats actually written about him. Overall, there are some very positive comments about Michael Jackson wich shows he's a living legend and that nobody can touch that.
Edit: I notice after posting that the article below was posted yesterday. My apologies.
Pop icons at 50: Michael Jackson
Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson were turning the music world upside down in the '80s. This summer, they're turning 50. USA TODAY examines the vital signs of the durable pop triumvirate.
Jackson's initial breakthrough was at age 11 when the Jackson 5's I Want You Back scaled the chart. He embarked on a solo career in 1972 with modest-selling Got to Be There. The sizzle generated by 1979's Off the Wall went nuclear with 1982's Thriller, an unprecedented phenomenon that dominated music sales for two years and moonwalked into the record books. While never able to match Thriller's success, Jackson dominated pop for the next decade. He co-wrote 1985's all-star benefit single We Are the World; 1987's Bad generated five chart-toppers.
He last performed at a benefit in 2001 after he released Invincible, his most recent studio album. In July, he was photographed wearing PJs and a surgical mask while being pushed around Las Vegas in a wheelchair. He's rumored to be recording new music.
Jackson hit the jackpot with 1982's Thriller, which sold 27 million and ranks second (behind the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975) among history's best-selling albums in the USA.
Jackson's three-show 1997 stint in London's Wembley Stadium was the U.K.'s biggest engagement of the year, tallying $9 million in ticket sales.
Though Jackson's touring history is sporadic, "with his body of work and undeniable onstage charisma, he could very much still be a strong concert draw," says Ray Waddell, Billboard's senior editor for touring. "Whether he is physically capable of a large tour or even wants to tour is anybody's guess."
Early in his career, Jackson made shrewd investments, including his purchase of Neverland Ranch and the Beatles catalog. But as earnings failed to keep pace with spending, debt has eroded much of his fortune. In 2005, Forbes placed Jackson's publishing and real estate holdings at $650 million, but he owed $339 million in loans.
The peak was Everest, the valley was Death, and no star has experienced a steeper career nose dive. Jackson, arguably the globe's most famous celebrity, ruled pop after Thriller. His downfall began with bizarre behavior and plastic surgery, then escalated with accusations of child molestation in 1993 that entailed an out-of-court settlement. New charges resulted in a media-saturation trial in 2005 that ended in acquittal but failed to restore his Peter Pan image.
"He thought he was running the tabloid show, but it ended up in charge of his life," Blender editor in chief Joe Levy says.
"In terms of pop songs and performance, Jackson pretty much has no peer," Spin editor Doug Brod says. "Every current pop star, from Kanye West to Rihanna, will say he's their biggest influence. His impact on the pop charts has been phenomenal."
Even as Jackson's career sputtered, the Thriller quake never stopped generating aftershocks.
"When you look at Chris Brown or Justin Timberlake, you see people consciously working inside a pop-star framework that Jackson created," Levy says.
With the current state of Jackson's career so uncertain, his future is difficult to ascertain, Brod says. "He's been inactive so long, I'm not sure he'll be relevant at 60. And I don't know if he can get away with that wispy tone of voice at that age."
His new music could be great, "but the likelihood of reviving his career without a tour is very slim. And pictures of him in a wheelchair don't make you think, 'There's a guy ready to perform Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough for 240 nights.' "
Us Weekly editor in chief Janice Min sees little hope for a comeback. "The whole story takes you to a really dark place, and no PR person could turn that around for him. Whether you find him repulsive or sympathetic, it's an amazing fall."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-08-14-michael-jackson_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Rock Hall Of Fame Eyes Big Apple
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is coming to New York City -- the city that spawned hip-hop, the Velvet Underground, and gave Bob Dylan and the Ramones their start.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said an annex to Cleveland's famed museum will open its doors at a downtown location on Mercer Street in November.
"New York City has a longstanding reputation as the land of opportunity for aspiring artists and musicians, and as a result some of the most internationally celebrated musical performers of this century have had their start right here on our streets," Bloomberg said at a Wednesday news conference, flanked by New York musician Billy Joel and record producer Clive Davis.
"It’s only fitting that the role our city has played in launching the careers of so many of the world’s most talented artists be recognized and honored with the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex," Bloomberg said.
The 25,000-square-foot facility's exhibits, films, interactive kiosks, education programs and public events will mark the first time the hall of fame has expanded outside Cleveland. It will include a theater showing historic performances by the likes of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and The Who. There will be exhibits ranging from Grateful Dead lyrics to 50 Cent's impact on popular music.
Other memorabilia -- a handwritten poem by Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley’s motorcycle jacket, Michael Jackson's jacket from "We Are The World," John Lennon’s Record Plant Piano and Bruce Springsteen’s 1957 Chevrolet -- will also be displayed.
The original 150,000-square-foot Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, designed by famed architect I.M. Pei, opened in 1995. More than 6 million visitors have toured the facility since then, the museum said.
http://www.nbc10.com/travelgetaways/17193196/detail.html
Her 'Madgesty' turns 50
“MY SUGAR IS RAW. STICKY AND SWEET.”
There aren’t many 50-year-olds who can get away with lyrics like that, but fortunately for her legions of gay fans, Madonna is one of them.
Those words are featured prominently in “Candy Shop,” the lead track off her latest album, “Hard Candy.” As the pop culture icon hits her 50th birthday on Aug. 16, the words could be a rallying cry that Madonna isn’t backing off the mantra that has made her career from the beginning: “Sex sells.”
“If you look at Michael Jackson and Prince and even Janet Jackson, they are all putting out music and have huge fan bases,” he says. “I think as any artist ages, the key is staying relevant in their genre of music.
“Madonna is a different woman than she was 10 years ago,” he adds. “Will I want to hear an album by Madonna when she’s 70? Honestly, probably not. But do I think she will still be an icon and relevant in pop culture at 70? Absolutely.
Full story http://www.sovo.com/2008/8-15/arts/feature/9022.cfm
Live Reviews: Angus & Julia Stone, The Edge Festival, Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Aug 11 ***
Singles And Albums With Rick Fulton
IT'S easy to see why people love this Australian brother-sister songwriting duo. They sing sweet songs about boy-girl relationships, speak very, very politely and decorate their stage with cardboard cutouts of stars, moons and elephants. What could be more twee?
Julia, who sounds like Bjork aged 12, could be a wee fairy, dancing across the stage in a pretty dress whenever she wasn't singing or playing a harmonica.
Angus sounds like Michael Jackson and is so self-conscious he practically plays with his back to the audience.
The jewel in the Stones' crown was Just A Boy. It's the sort of dark, bittersweet song you'd expect to hear in a Tim Burton movie. If they keep coming up with tunes like this there's a high chance you might.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entert...-liquid-room-edinburgh-aug-11-86908-20697724/
'Oz' gets a gritty makeover for Gary stage
Call it a "Wiz" for the streets.
"Oz in the Hood" will put an urban twist on "The Wizard of Oz" at the Glen Theatre in Gary. Set for a performance tonight, "Oz in the Hood" draws inspiration from a classic 1939 film. "Our show's really a spin-off of the characters in 'The Wizard of Oz,' " Nathaniel Tate, the director of "Hood," said. "It just places them in today's time."
Starring Judy Garland, "The Wizard of Oz" ranks as a sentimental adventure, while 1978's "The Wiz" was a hip retelling of the saga as a big-screen musical featuring Michael Jackson.
As for tonight's adaptation in Gary, another slant is incorporated.
"This one is mainly a comedy," said Tate, who'll play the Scarecrow in tonight's production. Tate, founder of TNT Productions, said he wrote "Oz in the Hood" with the help of Gary's Pamela Starks, who portrays Dorothy.
"The way we play her, she's real naive," Tate said. Showcasing Gary talent, the play has some bite to it -- even incorporating a plot device that involves a pimp.
African American Achievers Youth Corps Inc. is presenting "Hood," according to Vernon G. Smith, board chairman of the organization, which owns the Glen Theatre. Smith said the play includes a humorous scene dealing with an attempt to shear the Cowardly Lion in order "to make a fur coat." Smith also alluded to another story line. "The characters go to audition for what's called a praise dance competition," said the Democratic state representative from Gary.
If you go
What: "Oz in the Hood"
Where: Glen Theatre, 20 W. Ridge Road, Gary When: 7 tonight
http://www.post-trib.com/entertainment/1107922,ozinthehood.article
Family Force 5 Release Dance or Die Next Week, Stop in Canada
Georgia rockers Family Force 5 have finished their sophomore album Dance or Die and will be releasing it on August 19. Funky rhythms, club grooves, infectious hooks, and stadium presence, the band describes the album as, "Prince getting down at a Daft Punk concert where Michael Jackson busts out the moonwalk in the center of the dance floor."
The band have finished a successful trek on the Vans Warped Tour and is gearing up for the Dance Rawr Dance 2 tour which kicks off in October. Family Force 5 plan to wear matching futuristic spacesuits and bring the Family Force 5000, a massive drum machine they personally invented that will bring the audience back to the days of massive spectacle on a rock tour.
Canadians can check them out at the following stops:
October 16, Toronto, ON – Mod Club
October 21, Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
For more information please visit www.myspace.com/familyforce5
http://soulshine.ca/news/newsarticle.php?nid=5301
News
Can you dance like MJ? Battle it of on Facebook, Myspace or Bebo
Fans will have opportunities to win prizes by playing new online game.
Startin August 22, fans can now compete with their friends on their own network, and with users on the other two.
This cool competition is the first to run across all of the three major social network sites.
The game will allow users to control the King of Pop's legendary dance moves as they aim to keep up with the steps during his tracks in a dance-mat style routine. By the use of arrows it will direct users to try and build up the biggest combination of moves they can.
Prizes will be awarded for the highest hourly and daily scores, such as exclusive ringtones for hourly winners, and limited edition iPod Nanos for the daily winners.
The lucky moonwalker overall winner will have the chance to win two round-the-world plane tickets, a state-of-the-art TV or Playstation 3.
The contest coincides with the release of the King of Pop album, a record made up of top Michael Jackson hits as voted for by fans.
source NME/METRO/MJJC
http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?in_article_id=265473&in_page_id=7&in_a_source=
http://www.nme.com/news/michael-jackson/38936
Mentionings
This article is written my some people's opinions only. Feel free to discuss it the way you like. I have edited it a little bit, but left some of the negative remarks there to don't get all "blindsighted" about whats actually written about him. Overall, there are some very positive comments about Michael Jackson wich shows he's a living legend and that nobody can touch that.
Edit: I notice after posting that the article below was posted yesterday. My apologies.
Pop icons at 50: Michael Jackson
Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson were turning the music world upside down in the '80s. This summer, they're turning 50. USA TODAY examines the vital signs of the durable pop triumvirate.
Jackson's initial breakthrough was at age 11 when the Jackson 5's I Want You Back scaled the chart. He embarked on a solo career in 1972 with modest-selling Got to Be There. The sizzle generated by 1979's Off the Wall went nuclear with 1982's Thriller, an unprecedented phenomenon that dominated music sales for two years and moonwalked into the record books. While never able to match Thriller's success, Jackson dominated pop for the next decade. He co-wrote 1985's all-star benefit single We Are the World; 1987's Bad generated five chart-toppers.
He last performed at a benefit in 2001 after he released Invincible, his most recent studio album. In July, he was photographed wearing PJs and a surgical mask while being pushed around Las Vegas in a wheelchair. He's rumored to be recording new music.
Jackson hit the jackpot with 1982's Thriller, which sold 27 million and ranks second (behind the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975) among history's best-selling albums in the USA.
Jackson's three-show 1997 stint in London's Wembley Stadium was the U.K.'s biggest engagement of the year, tallying $9 million in ticket sales.
Though Jackson's touring history is sporadic, "with his body of work and undeniable onstage charisma, he could very much still be a strong concert draw," says Ray Waddell, Billboard's senior editor for touring. "Whether he is physically capable of a large tour or even wants to tour is anybody's guess."
Early in his career, Jackson made shrewd investments, including his purchase of Neverland Ranch and the Beatles catalog. But as earnings failed to keep pace with spending, debt has eroded much of his fortune. In 2005, Forbes placed Jackson's publishing and real estate holdings at $650 million, but he owed $339 million in loans.
The peak was Everest, the valley was Death, and no star has experienced a steeper career nose dive. Jackson, arguably the globe's most famous celebrity, ruled pop after Thriller. His downfall began with bizarre behavior and plastic surgery, then escalated with accusations of child molestation in 1993 that entailed an out-of-court settlement. New charges resulted in a media-saturation trial in 2005 that ended in acquittal but failed to restore his Peter Pan image.
"He thought he was running the tabloid show, but it ended up in charge of his life," Blender editor in chief Joe Levy says.
"In terms of pop songs and performance, Jackson pretty much has no peer," Spin editor Doug Brod says. "Every current pop star, from Kanye West to Rihanna, will say he's their biggest influence. His impact on the pop charts has been phenomenal."
Even as Jackson's career sputtered, the Thriller quake never stopped generating aftershocks.
"When you look at Chris Brown or Justin Timberlake, you see people consciously working inside a pop-star framework that Jackson created," Levy says.
With the current state of Jackson's career so uncertain, his future is difficult to ascertain, Brod says. "He's been inactive so long, I'm not sure he'll be relevant at 60. And I don't know if he can get away with that wispy tone of voice at that age."
His new music could be great, "but the likelihood of reviving his career without a tour is very slim. And pictures of him in a wheelchair don't make you think, 'There's a guy ready to perform Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough for 240 nights.' "
Us Weekly editor in chief Janice Min sees little hope for a comeback. "The whole story takes you to a really dark place, and no PR person could turn that around for him. Whether you find him repulsive or sympathetic, it's an amazing fall."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-08-14-michael-jackson_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Rock Hall Of Fame Eyes Big Apple
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is coming to New York City -- the city that spawned hip-hop, the Velvet Underground, and gave Bob Dylan and the Ramones their start.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said an annex to Cleveland's famed museum will open its doors at a downtown location on Mercer Street in November.
"New York City has a longstanding reputation as the land of opportunity for aspiring artists and musicians, and as a result some of the most internationally celebrated musical performers of this century have had their start right here on our streets," Bloomberg said at a Wednesday news conference, flanked by New York musician Billy Joel and record producer Clive Davis.
"It’s only fitting that the role our city has played in launching the careers of so many of the world’s most talented artists be recognized and honored with the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex," Bloomberg said.
The 25,000-square-foot facility's exhibits, films, interactive kiosks, education programs and public events will mark the first time the hall of fame has expanded outside Cleveland. It will include a theater showing historic performances by the likes of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and The Who. There will be exhibits ranging from Grateful Dead lyrics to 50 Cent's impact on popular music.
Other memorabilia -- a handwritten poem by Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley’s motorcycle jacket, Michael Jackson's jacket from "We Are The World," John Lennon’s Record Plant Piano and Bruce Springsteen’s 1957 Chevrolet -- will also be displayed.
The original 150,000-square-foot Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, designed by famed architect I.M. Pei, opened in 1995. More than 6 million visitors have toured the facility since then, the museum said.
http://www.nbc10.com/travelgetaways/17193196/detail.html
Her 'Madgesty' turns 50
“MY SUGAR IS RAW. STICKY AND SWEET.”
There aren’t many 50-year-olds who can get away with lyrics like that, but fortunately for her legions of gay fans, Madonna is one of them.
Those words are featured prominently in “Candy Shop,” the lead track off her latest album, “Hard Candy.” As the pop culture icon hits her 50th birthday on Aug. 16, the words could be a rallying cry that Madonna isn’t backing off the mantra that has made her career from the beginning: “Sex sells.”
“If you look at Michael Jackson and Prince and even Janet Jackson, they are all putting out music and have huge fan bases,” he says. “I think as any artist ages, the key is staying relevant in their genre of music.
“Madonna is a different woman than she was 10 years ago,” he adds. “Will I want to hear an album by Madonna when she’s 70? Honestly, probably not. But do I think she will still be an icon and relevant in pop culture at 70? Absolutely.
Full story http://www.sovo.com/2008/8-15/arts/feature/9022.cfm
Live Reviews: Angus & Julia Stone, The Edge Festival, Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Aug 11 ***
Singles And Albums With Rick Fulton
IT'S easy to see why people love this Australian brother-sister songwriting duo. They sing sweet songs about boy-girl relationships, speak very, very politely and decorate their stage with cardboard cutouts of stars, moons and elephants. What could be more twee?
Julia, who sounds like Bjork aged 12, could be a wee fairy, dancing across the stage in a pretty dress whenever she wasn't singing or playing a harmonica.
Angus sounds like Michael Jackson and is so self-conscious he practically plays with his back to the audience.
The jewel in the Stones' crown was Just A Boy. It's the sort of dark, bittersweet song you'd expect to hear in a Tim Burton movie. If they keep coming up with tunes like this there's a high chance you might.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entert...-liquid-room-edinburgh-aug-11-86908-20697724/
'Oz' gets a gritty makeover for Gary stage
Call it a "Wiz" for the streets.
"Oz in the Hood" will put an urban twist on "The Wizard of Oz" at the Glen Theatre in Gary. Set for a performance tonight, "Oz in the Hood" draws inspiration from a classic 1939 film. "Our show's really a spin-off of the characters in 'The Wizard of Oz,' " Nathaniel Tate, the director of "Hood," said. "It just places them in today's time."
Starring Judy Garland, "The Wizard of Oz" ranks as a sentimental adventure, while 1978's "The Wiz" was a hip retelling of the saga as a big-screen musical featuring Michael Jackson.
As for tonight's adaptation in Gary, another slant is incorporated.
"This one is mainly a comedy," said Tate, who'll play the Scarecrow in tonight's production. Tate, founder of TNT Productions, said he wrote "Oz in the Hood" with the help of Gary's Pamela Starks, who portrays Dorothy.
"The way we play her, she's real naive," Tate said. Showcasing Gary talent, the play has some bite to it -- even incorporating a plot device that involves a pimp.
African American Achievers Youth Corps Inc. is presenting "Hood," according to Vernon G. Smith, board chairman of the organization, which owns the Glen Theatre. Smith said the play includes a humorous scene dealing with an attempt to shear the Cowardly Lion in order "to make a fur coat." Smith also alluded to another story line. "The characters go to audition for what's called a praise dance competition," said the Democratic state representative from Gary.
If you go
What: "Oz in the Hood"
Where: Glen Theatre, 20 W. Ridge Road, Gary When: 7 tonight
http://www.post-trib.com/entertainment/1107922,ozinthehood.article
Family Force 5 Release Dance or Die Next Week, Stop in Canada
Georgia rockers Family Force 5 have finished their sophomore album Dance or Die and will be releasing it on August 19. Funky rhythms, club grooves, infectious hooks, and stadium presence, the band describes the album as, "Prince getting down at a Daft Punk concert where Michael Jackson busts out the moonwalk in the center of the dance floor."
The band have finished a successful trek on the Vans Warped Tour and is gearing up for the Dance Rawr Dance 2 tour which kicks off in October. Family Force 5 plan to wear matching futuristic spacesuits and bring the Family Force 5000, a massive drum machine they personally invented that will bring the audience back to the days of massive spectacle on a rock tour.
Canadians can check them out at the following stops:
October 16, Toronto, ON – Mod Club
October 21, Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
For more information please visit www.myspace.com/familyforce5
http://soulshine.ca/news/newsarticle.php?nid=5301
Today in
Michael Jackson History
Michael Jackson History
1995 - Michael Jackson's single "You Are Not Alone" was released.
1993 - Michael Jackson began the second leg of his tour in Hong Kong.
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unk: :bluemj:
