May
31, 2001: David Gest Talks About MSG Concert !!!
The
following has been taken from Planet
Jackson:
In a recent issue of the the Hollywood Reporter,
journalist Robert Osborne talks about Michael
Jackson's forthcoming concert event at Madison Square
Garden. Here is an excerpt from the article:
Produced by showman-entrepreneur David Gest,
a pal of M.J.'s since they were kids together, the event
is called "Michael Jackson-The Solo Years: The
30th Anniversary Celebration" to commemorate
two Jackson landmarks: the September 1971 release of Michael's first solo record [Motown's "Got
To Be There"] and September's release of his
first new album in five years.
"It's going to be a party to end all parties," said Gest, who has proved that he knows how to
throw one, notably a rouser in December in that same
Madison Square Garden space. Gest will also fly in
more than 200 celebritiesand dignitaries from
around the world. Rare for a Gest show, this will
be taped for television. Although he has produced
literally hundreds of television specials and/or live
galas, including ones for Princess Diana and Houston,
Gest said: "I usually don't like to do events
like this one for television because the feel and the
flow are so different when there are cameras around.
But it would be a crime not to televise this one. The
great challenge is going to be making sure this feels
as if there is no camera interference." Adds
David Gest, "I must say, I've never been more
excited about any show I've produced as I am about this
one." The available 20'000 seats at the Garden
are expected to be sold within not hours but minutes.
[source: Planet
Jackson]
May
29, 2001: Casting For MSG Concert !!!
The
following has been taken from Backstage:
MICHAEL JACKSON CELEBRATION
6/6 at 10AM, 1PM & 4PM at SIR Studios, 310 W. 52 St.,
NYC.
Casting for an all-star salute to "The King of Pop",
"Michael Jackson: The Solo Years 30th Anniversary
Celebration". David Gest, prod'r; Brian Thomas &
Glenn Packard, choreos.
Seeking professional male and female dancers versatile
in jazz and hip-hop for a one-night performance at Madison
Square Garden, to be televised on network television.
All ethnic backgrounds are encouraged. AFTRA rates apply.
Must be available July 15 - Sept. 7 for rehearsals.
Also seeking tumblers and specialty acts. Auditions
will be held Wed. June 6 at 10AM for tumblers and
specialty acts [three minutes max], 1PM for male jazz
and hip-hop combo. dancers, and 4PM for female jazz
and hip-hop combo. dancers at SIR Studios, 310
W. 52 St. [between 8 and 9 aves.], NYC.
Callbacks will be held Thurs. June 7. AFTRA/NON-AFTRA
PERFORMERS. [First posted 5/25].
Additional notices only available to members of Backstage.com
[see Michael Jackson Celebration]. Click
here to visit Backstage.com's website.
The King of Pop is getting ready to celebrate the 30th
anniversary of his solo career with a spectacular
star-studded concert at Madison Square Garden.
Have you ever wanted to be able to say, "Thank you"?
To tell Michael what his music has meant to you over
the years? To show him what an important part of your
life he has been? Well, now is finally your chance!
A wonderful artist named Nijel has been commissioned
to sculpt an award to be presented to Michael
during his celebratory concert at Madison Square Garden!
MJFC
has been informed by the organizers of the concert,
that there will be opportunity to present Michael
with this very special fan award.
[source: MJFC]
May
22, 2001: Album Release Date!
The
following has been taken from Planet
Jackson:
Michael Jackson and Sony Music have now come to a final
decision with regards to the release date for
the new album.
Michael Jackson's new album will either be released
on September 18th or September 25th. It is Michael
Jackson's will to do his utmost to release the album
before September 30th.
[source: Planet
Jackson]
May
17, 2001: CBS Plans To Broadcast New York Concert
CBS' lineup, disclosed to advertisers Wednesday
at a Carnegie Hall presentation, is almost as notable
for what's missing as for what made the cut. Long-running
staples "Diagnosis Murder" and "Nash
Bridges" have both been axed, as has the network's
Wednesday movie franchise.
For midseason, CBS has ordered "First Monday",
ensuring that the network, like ABC, will have a midseason
series about the Supreme Court. CBS also announced
plans to broadcast the September tribute concert to
Michael Jackson, an "I Love Lucy" anniversary
special and a "Carol Burnett Show" reunion.
New records were set Tuesday for the artists Jeff
Koons and Gerhard Richter at Sotheby's spring contemporary
art auction, with Koons' sculpture "Michael Jackson
and Bubbles" fetching $ 5.6 million, obliterating
the previous mark of $ 1.8 million.
The large 1988 porcelain sculpture, which the auction
house described as melding "pop culture and high
art", depicts the so-called King of Pop reclining
with his arm around a monkey. It was bought by an anonymous
bidder for $ 5'615'750, well above its pre-sale
estimate of $ 3 million to $ 4 million.
The piece, one of three in a set by Koons, smashed the
old record for the artist of $ 1'817'500 and was the
No. 2 lot of the sale, which took in $ 45'312'400, including
the premium for Sotheby's. That was well within the
estimate of $ 38.5 million to $ 53.8 million.
Please see April 19, 2001 news-bit for a picture of
this great artwork!
May
10, 2001: Cancelled: HIStory Volume 1 - Re-Issue
The
following has been taken from Planet
Jackson:
Michael Jackson has decided to cancel the release
of "HIStory - Greatest Hits - Volume I".
The compilation CD won't be released after all.
Except for a few copies mistakenly put on the market
last March by Sony Music Argentina in Argentina, Paraguay
and Uruguay, all existing copies of the record have
been destroyed.
[source: Planet
Jackson]
May
10, 2001: Beatles Catalog Not For Sale!!
The
following has been taken from Planet
Jackson:
Adressing rumors that appeared in the media earlier
this week, Michael Jackson issued a statement
today to inform the press that he has no intention
to sell the ATV Music catalog that contains most
of the Beatles’ songs.
States Michael Jackson, “I want to clarify a silly
rumor: the Beatles catalog is not for sale, has
not been for sale and will never be for sale."
[source: Planet
Jackson]
May
06, 2001: VH1 Names Thriller Greatest Video Of All Time!
Michael Jackson's "Thriller", a mini-movie
that was more of a pop culture event than a mere music
video, topped VH1's list of the "100 Greatest
Videos", which the cable music channel released
Tuesday.
Clocking in at 17 minutes and directed by John Landis,
"Thriller", was much hyped before its 1983
premiere on VH1's precursor and sister channel, MTV,
and it helped catapult Jackson's album of the same name
to the top of the all-time best-seller list.
The video features Jackson turning into a werewolf after
going on a date to a scary movie, then performing one
of his signature dance routines with a gaggle of ghouls
behind him.
Coming in second was Madonna's "Like a Prayer",
which caused a stir for depicting the pop diva kissing
a black Jesus figure. Madonna had six videos on the
list, more than any other artist. Her "Justify
My Love", which MTV refused to air in 1990 because
of its kinky sexual images, came in seventh.
Jackson had the second-highest number of videos on the
list with five. The high-tech, black-and-white video
for "Scream", a duet with his sister, Janet,
was No. 9.
Several animated videos made the list. Peter Gabriel's
colorful, stop-action extravaganza, "Sledgehammer",
came in third overall. The video for the Norwegian trio
A-ha's "Take on Me", which combined live action
and comic book-style pencil drawings, was No. 8. Rounding
out the top 10 were Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen
Spirit", the first hit from the pioneering Seattle
grunge band, at No. 4; the dramatic "November Rain"
by Guns N' Roses at No. 5; Pearl Jam's "Jeremy",
with its images of school violence, at No. 6; and Herbie
Hancock's mechanical "Rockit" at No. 10.
More than half the videos - 53, to be exact - first
appeared in the 1980s, the decade when the music video
explosion occurred. The oldest video, Bob Dylan's "Subterranean
Homesick Blues", was made in 1967. It's No. 28.
Three of the videos first appeared in 2000: Red Hot
Chili Peppers' "Californication" at No. 35;
Creed's "With Arms Wide Open" at No. 92; and
Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" at No. 97. And the
first video MTV aired when it began life in 1981, The
Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star", only
reached No. 79 on the list.
VH1
will air a series of specials on the "100 Greatest
Videos'" at 10 p.m. EDT, May 7-11. A panel
of music experts at the channel ranked the videos.
