"Michael may be the purest talent I've ever seen. He's incapable of a false moment." - Director Sidney Lumet, on Michael Jackson in "The Wiz."
Michael Jackson, along with his almost otherworldly talent, was always one of the most emotional performers. In the pantheon with James Brown, Judy Garland, Jackie Wilson, and a handful of other electric live performers, Jackson's onstage persona and performing ability was akin to the Big Bang, there was no end to the expansion. People responded to him personally, and, because he started out so young, a generation grew up with him, identified with him, watched in awe at his transformations. Spike Lee's documentary "Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown to Off the Wall," premiering on February 5th on Showtime, is as emotional as its subject matter. Kobe Bryant, interviewed in the documentary, says at one point, "It's easy for people to get sidetracked. They talk about his complexion. They don't focus on what this man was, and how he was that." What with the tabloid frenzy of Michael Jackson's life, not to mention his early death, Lee's documentary is a welcome corrective as well as an almost aggressive act of redress and celebration. It does not get "sidetracked." It's about Michael Jackson's work, and how he worked. Maybe most pleasingly, it's a track-by-track history lesson of Jackson's 1979 album "Off the Wall," an album that still gets so much radio play today that if you didn't know better you might think it was released last weekend.
The plot points of Jackson's early life (the rise of the Jackson 5 on Motown, their jump to Epic, Michael emerging as the solo star, culminating in Off the Wall) may be well-known to those who grew up in that era but Lee presents it in a way that passes the information on to a new generation. When there is an artist as big as Michael Jackson was, as important, as ... improbable, really (and it's more improbable the more you learn), it's essential that an understanding of the achievement of that art is passed on (especially to kids who may only know him as the weird man in sunglasses on the cover of every tabloid). A film like Lee's says: "See what he did? See how much space he created for others? For you? Honor that."
Format-wise, the documentary is pretty standard: fun archival footage of concerts and cartoons and interviews, beautiful still photographs, and lots of interview subjects. Quincy Jones, Motown's Berry Gordy, Philadelphia soul producers Gamble and Huff, Ron Alexenburg at Epic, Marlon and Jackie Jackson, all provide background for the Motown years, the Epic years, for the explosion of the Jackson 5 as a worldwide phenomenon.
Counterpointed against the professional memories of Jackson's colleagues, are the voices of those inspired by Michael Jackson, including Lee himself. Lee Daniels ("He's everything I aspired to be"), David Byrne, Mark Ronson, Rosie Perez, John Leguizamo, Questlove, Misty Copeland, Kobe Bryant, Pharrell, John Legend ... all weigh in with memories of what he meant to them, how he pushed them to be better in their own work, try harder, work harder.
What happens as you listen to the chorus of voices is that a different kind of story starts to emerge. Talent is one thing. Michael Jackson obviously had that. But he was not just a raw genius who knew how to sing and move. Even as a child, he approached his work (and the Motown giants around him) with curiosity, inquisitiveness, and an insatiable desire to learn from them. He himself said that the key to success was "listening." The documentary pays tribute to his dancing as well as his singing. Jackson was a prodigy dancer, obsessed with The Nicholas Brothers, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Sammy Davis, Jr., able to replicate their routines perfectly after watching them only once. What became his recognizable dance style had long roots in the culture, and his moves incorporated the whole history of American dance.
One of the most gratifying sections of the documentary is the in-depth "Off the Wall" discussion, song by song by song: the "hooks," the rhythm sections, the horns, the guitars. Musicians reminisce about playing on that album, and contemporary musicians talk about the impact that this or that specific sound had on their own work. It's so rich and so informative that the moment I finished watching the documentary I listened to the album front to back. I grew up with Michael Jackson. I have all the albums. It may sound trite, but watching all of the footage in the documentary, the concerts, music videos, television appearances, his beautifully simple performance of "Ben" at the 45th Academy Awards, at age 14, drives home just how much we lost when we lost him.
The other element of Michael Jackson's career that becomes crystal clear in the documentary is the fact that nobody—not even music industry people who thought Michael Jackson was talented—could perceive just how big he was going to get. How many cute child-stars go on to become as huge an adult star as Michael Jackson? Who could even envision something like that? The perception of the Jackson 5 was that they were very successful, but they were a "packaged" commodity, a novelty act. A lot of the people at Epic didn't want them on the label. Campaigns on their behalf had to be fought all along the way, as insane as that sounds now.
Michael Jackson's career is a powerful example of what it looks like when an artist loves what he does. It's a high bar, but that's as it should be. If you don't approach your work like that as an artist, why do it? It's a concept brought up again and again in the documentary, perhaps its most emotional component. How many music stars today barely seem to like what they're doing, let alone love it? The documentary is a reminder, and an important one, about what Michael Jackson brought to the table, and it was more than talent, it was love. That is what audiences felt when they watched Michael Jackson, and when they listened to his songs. It's why Rosie Perez almost tears up in her interview, talking about her sense of "thankfulness" to him because of how much joy he brought to her life. Exquisitely researched, beautifully put together, with that celebratory knowledgeable chorus of voices pouring over us, what Spike Lee's documentary really is is an act of love.
Source: Michael's journey
NEW YORK, March 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Corporation ("Sony") and the Estate of Michael Jackson ("the Estate") announced today that Sony Corporation of America ("SCA"), Sony's wholly owned subsidiary, signed a binding memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with the Estate to obtain full ownership of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC ("Sony/ATV") by acquiring the 50% interest in Sony/ATV held by the Estate.
The MOU calls for total payments of 750 million U.S. dollars, which includes a lump sum payment by SCA of approximately 733 million U.S. dollars as well as distributions previously committed to by Sony/ATV to be paid to the Estate. The payment also reflects certain contractual and accounting adjustments related to the Sony/ATV joint venture and other commercial opportunities involving Sony and the Estate.
The sale is the culmination of a process that began in September 2015 when Sony exercised a right that has existed since the joint venture was formed by Michael Jackson and Sony in 1995. This right allows for one partner to purchase the other partner's interest pursuant to a procedure outlined in the Sony/ATV operating agreement.
The parties expect to execute a definitive agreement by March 31, 2016. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Sony expects that this transaction will have no material impact on its consolidated results forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, and its impact on Sony's consolidated financial results for the fiscal year endingMarch 31, 2017 is currently being evaluated.
"The entertainment businesses have long been a core part of Sony and are a key driver of our future growth," said Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Corporation. "This agreement further demonstrates Sony's commitment to the entertainment businesses and our firm belief that these businesses will continue to contribute to our success for years to come."
The Estate noted that the transaction will not affect its continuing substantial interests in other music assets, including all of Michael Jackson's master recordings as well as Mijac Music, the publishing company that owns all of the songs written by Michael Jackson as well as songs by some of his favorite songwriters and artists that were acquired by Michael during his life. In addition, the Estate will also retain its ownership interest in EMI Music Publishing.
"This transaction further allows us to continue our efforts of maximizing the value of Michael's Estate for the benefit of his children," said John Branca and John McClain, Co-Executors of the Estate. "It also further validates Michael's foresight and genius in investing in music publishing. His ATV catalogue, purchased in 1985 for a net acquisition cost of $41.5 million, was the cornerstone of the joint venture and, as evidenced by the value of this transaction, is considered one of the smartest investments in music history."
"When Sony first partnered with Michael Jackson 21 years ago to create Sony/ATV Music Publishing, we knew that this company had the ability to reach great heights," said Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment, Inc. "This acquisition will enable Sony to more quickly adapt to changes in the music publishing business, while at the same time continuing to be an unparalleled leader in the industry and a treasured home for artists and writers. We want to express our gratitude to the Estate of Michael Jackson and to the Jackson family for their years of partnership. All of us at Sony look forward to continuing to work with the Estate to further Michael Jackson's legacy in many different ways."
Source: MJJCommunity
Prince left this Earth on April 21 2016. It is very sad to imagine a world without Michael Jackson and Prince... REST IN PEACE!
"Today we celebrate the birthday of a legend, but don't forget to celebrate the Man," he wrote on Twitter. "Here is a sonnet written for him."
Michael and Me: The Untold Story of Michael Jackson’s Secret Romance
Elizabeth and Michael: The Queen of Hollywood and the King of Pop — A Love Story
The controversial deal, which was approved recently, means that Sony Corp will now own the copyrights for music by The Beatles and acts like Taylor Swift outright.
Despite concerns that the deal would be anti-competitive, the European Commission stated: "The transaction will not materially increase Sony's market power vis-a-vis digital music providers compared to the situation prior to the merger."
The transaction worth an estimated $750m, would lead to a "concentration of catalogue in the hands of Sony ATV, a company which arguably holds some 30% of the music publishing market," and would "put further strain on pricing and give Sony/ATV even more negotiating power on deal terms with over the top companies in the music market."
BRUSSELS - EU antitrust authorities will rule by Aug. 1 whether to allow Sony Corp (6758.T) to buy out the Michael Jackson estate's stake in its music publishing joint venture, a move which rivals such as Warner Music Group say gives Sony too much power.
Sony requested approval on June 24, according to a filing on the European Commission website. The EU competition enforcer can clear the deal unconditionally or demand concessions.
It can also open a five-month long investigation if it has serious concerns the deal may harm consumers and rivals.
Sony signed a deal in March to acquire the stake that the deceased pop star held in Sony/ATV Music Publishing for $750 millions, the world's largest music publisher, which owns copyrights to most of the Beatles' songs and songs by the Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West.
Warner Music Group has conveyed its concerns to the Commission, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, while lobbying group Impala which represents independent labels and national trade associations, has also done the same.
Ghana's President John Mahama told global leaders on Wednesday they should learn a thing or two from the King of Pop Michael Jackson and finally turn his song "Heal the World" into reality.
Mahama, who is to seek re-election later this year, touched on some of the more serious issues affecting his continent ranging from the plight of African migrants to growing xenophobia across the world and regional leaders clinging to power.
Entire article Reuters
Some of Jackson’s rebellious pieces—a black sequined silk jacket, an equally-sequined red, white and blue shirt, and his signature fedora—are part of the collections at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and will be on view in the museum's inaugural exhibition "Musical Crossroads." The show is chockablock with iconic treasures tracing musical traditions and genres from gospel to rock 'n' roll to hip-hop. More details
The Bee Gees star has recorded a new album with the help of his sons, and he caught up with Good Morning Britain to discuss the latest record, but first he gave his opinion on the greatest ever artist.
Barry counted Michael Jackson among his closest friends and the two would often hangout together in the studio making music and giving each other advice.
However, Barry claims that despite all of Michael's success as one of the biggest selling musicians of all time, he was incredibly insecure and had some severe self esteem issues.
Barry said: "I've never known an incredibly famous artist that had good self esteem. Michael was the same, very much afraid, afraid of everything."
He added: "He'd say to me, 'Barry, do you think Prince is better than me?' I'd tell him he had no equal."
Barry thinks that fame made the Thriller singer insecure, and that's something he has seen in many other stars in both film and music.
"Mega-fame is destructive", he said. "My wife is the reason I didn't wind up going down that path."
Source: Mjjcommunity.com
The March sale of Michael Jackson’s half of the Sony/ATV music publishing catalog, famous for its library of Beatles tunes, for $750 million puts him at the top of our annual ranking of the top-earning dead celebrities, an ironic finish given that many critics and even advisors once derided the catalog as a badly overpriced investment. Jackson’s total pretax payday of $825 million ranks as the biggest annual haul by any celeb dead or alive.
In 1985, Jackson paid $47.5 million ($140 million in 2016 dollars) to buy the Beatles-packed ATV publishing catalog. Ten years later, Sony paid him $115 million to form a 50/50 joint venture, then purchased his remaining half in March. In all, the sales (and accompanying distributions) gave Jackson’s estate, which is overseen by lawyer John Branca and music exec John McClain, a 30% annualized return on investment.
Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz came in second on Forbes’ list with $48 million, largely due to the 2015 The Peanuts Movie, which earned $45 million its opening weekend. Golf veteran Arnold Palmer, who passed away just last month, claimed the No. 3 spot with $40 million, while music legend Elvis Presley ($27 million) and Prince ($25 million), who died just in April, took fourth and fifth place.
Source: FORBES
Gaga took the stage in North Carolina at Clinton's final campaign event and the singer's jacket looked a lot like Michael Jackson's.
As it turns out, the jacket was indeed once owned by the King of Pop.
Jackson actually wore the black and red military-esque ensemble to the White House in 1990 when he met with President George H. W. Bush and received a humanitarian award.
The jacket was one of 55 items Gaga bought from an auction of Jackson's belongings in 2012.
Source: Yahoo.com
All this month, we’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Dangerous!
Source: Michael Jackson official website
John Gregory Branca (born December 11, 1950), is an entertainment lawyer who specializes in representing rock and roll acts, as well as independent investors, music publishing catalogs, and independent music labels. He has represented over 30 acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, Carlos Santana, Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, Fleetwood Mac, Bee Gees, Earth, Wind And Fire, John Fogerty and The Doors, which is believed to be more than any other entertainment attorney.
Branca is currently the chairman of the large corporation, The Michael Jackson Company, and serves as Co-Executor of the Michael Jackson Estate.
Billboard Magazine named Branca its 2016 "Lawyer of the Year".
MOONWALKING TO THE BANK WITH JOHN BRANCA