Nice articles or posts of Michael on his birthday 29/08/2014

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5 Reasons Why We'll Always Remember Michael Jackson

We find it really hard to believe that it's been five years since Michael Jackson passed away, especially with the release of his second posthumous album, "Xscape." Who hasn't listened to "Love Never Felt So Good" a thousand times already?

As we exchange stories about the very first MJ concert we attended and our failed attempts at doing the "moonwalk," our conversation shifts to his iconic style. So in celebration of what would have been his 56th birthday today, here are five reasons why we'll always remember him fondly.

1. How he always looked so badass in those Balmain jackets with the sharp shoulders. Shamone!
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2. The way those few curls always fell into his face... and he smiled anyway.
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3. How he caught the light -- and every woman's attention -- with all of his shiny regalia.
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4. The way he melted our hearts while wearing aviator sunglasses. Swoon.
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5. How he even got men to kiss his single sequin glove. #Bowdown
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/29/remembering-michael-jackson-style_n_5726360.html
 
Watch Michael Jackson Accept The Video Vanguard VMA — 26 Years Before Beyonce
Happy birthday, MJ!
by rob markman 1 hour ago

There was a time when MTV’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award was simply known as the Video Vanguard Award. But in 1988, the King of Pop changed all that.

On Sunday, August 24 at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards Beyoncé took home the Moonman that was once the Lifetime Achievement Award and a hallmark that stood for an almost peerless contribution to music — a standard set and upheld by Michael Jackson throughout his entire career, a standard that we continue to celebrate five years after Jackson’s death.

Had Michael not passed away on June 25, 2009, he would’ve turned 56 on Friday, August 29. MJ has left us with so many unforgettable moments, but given it’s Michael’s birthday and given the unbreakable ties between the VMAs and Michael’s MTV history, we dug into the MTV vaults and pulled out one that felt appropriate: Michael Jackson’s 1988 Video Vanguard Award win.http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1988/

Unforgettable.

http://www.mtv.com/news/1916023/michael-jackson-56-birthday-vanguard-award-vmas/
 
Happy Birthday Michael Jackson: His Top 10 Music Videos
Mary-Ann Russon By Mary-Ann Russon
August 29, 2014 17:30 BST

Michael Jackson on the HIStory World Tour in 1996
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This weekend it's not just Labor Day that's being celebrated, but it's also Michael Jackson's 56th birthday, and fans around the world are remembering the late singer's impressive contributions to the music industry.

Fans of the king of pop are encouraged to celebrate his existence on social media using the #MJWeAreOne hashtag, as part of the Cirque Du Soleil Michael Jackson One campaign.

Fans are encouraged to share a video over Instagram and then pin it to a map on the official Michael Jackson website to celebrate how the star has inspired them to make "the world a better place".

Internet users can also share content using the #MJGBP2014 hashtag on Twitter, which stands for the MJ Global Birthday Party, an exclusive website running live music, chatrooms, fan-made videos and live 3D video content from Google + Hangouts.

There are also tribute festivals happening around the world, such as the one happening in Gary, Indiana this weekend.

Join us as we take a look at our top 10 favourite Michael Jackson music videos:

1. Motown 25: First moonwalk

Okay, so we're cheating a little by including this video, but this was Jackson's very first recorded moonwalk performance at the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever 1983 TV special:

2. Thriller

This 13-minute-long music video is one of the most ambitious ever created. Directed by John Landis, it was the first music video to premiere worldwide on MTV and won a Guinness World Record for being the the most successful music video ever:

3. Smooth Criminal

The track Smooth Criminal is from the 1987 Bad album and the video features Jackson performing the famous 45-degree anti-gravity lean. The 1930s-style ganster music video won three awards - Best Music Video at the 1989 Brit Awards, the Critic's Choice "Best Video" award and the People's Choice Awards for "Favorite Music Video":


4. Black or White

Upon its release Black or White was broadcast in 27 countries to an audience of 500 million viewers, the most ever at one time for a music video. Featuring a cameo from McCaulay Culkin, the video was controversial for featuring potentially sexually suggestive scenes and racial graffiti messages to highlight racism and vandalism:


5. Remember The Time

Michael Jackson embraced his fascination with ancient Egypt with Remember the Time, which starred Eddie Murphy and supermodel Iman. The video was promoted as a documentary and was one of Jackson's longest videos at nine minutes long:


6. Billy Jean

The music video for Billy Jean is widely considered to be the video that helped make MTV into a mainstream music TV channel and is considered to be one of the best music videos of all time:



7. They Don't Really Care About Us

The music video for They Don't Really Care About Us is one of Jackson's most controversial and he had to go to court to overturn an injunction preventing him from showcasing the poverty of Rio's slums. Thanks partly to Jackson's involvement, Rio is now now a model for social development:


8. Ghosts
Ghosts was a short film co-written by horror novelist Stephen King and has been honoured as the longest music video of all time. The video is just over 39 minutes long and features three songs - Ghosts, Is It Scary and 2 Bad:


9. Bad
Bad is an 18-minute-long short film directed by Martin Scorsese that features street gang dancing in Brooklyn and is heavily influenced by the 1961 film West Side Story:


10. Earth Song
The environment-focused music video Earth Song from 1995 was shot on four continents and won several awards including the Le Film Fantastique: Best Video Award in 1996, the 1995 Doris Day Music Award at the Genesis Awards and a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. Earth Song remains Jackson's top-selling single of all time:



http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/happy-birthday-michael-jackson-his-top-10-music-videos-1463180
 
Michael Jackson's Birthday: remembering the King of Pop
By Matt Mauney, Orlando Sentinel
9:46 a.m. EDT, August 29, 2014

Michael Jackson would be 56 today.

A little over five years ago on June 25, 2009, the world lost one of its most well-known musicians.

The King of Pop is being remembered today in different ways around the world.

Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas has launched the #MJWeAreOne campaign in conjunction with MichaelJackson.com.

Fans worldwide are urged to use Instagram by sharing videos -- using the hashtag #MJWeAreOne -- honoring MJ and sharing ideas of how to make the world a better place.

The MJ Global Party has fans celebrating Jackson's birthday in live-time around the world using the hashtag #MJGBP2014. Check out the website here.

The fifth annual Michael Jackson Tribute Festival of the Arts is underway in Jackson's birth home of Gary, Indiana. The three-day festival celebrates Jackson's life and career while helping revitalize part of Gary.

So on this day, remember the King of Pop in your own way. Listen to your favorite MJ song. Watch the video for "Thriller" a thousand times.

Heck, do Jackson's famous moonwalk down your office hallway. Your co-workers will understand.

View the gallery above for photos of Jackson at Walt Disney World and other places around Florida through the years.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/the-list/os-michael-jackson-birthday-20140829,0,5578755.post
 
Epic Records @Epic_Records • 20 Min.
Happiest of birthdays to the King of Pop, @MichaelJackson. We love you and miss you, Michael! #MJWeAreOne #MJXSCAPE

Spike Lee @SpikeLee • 5 h.
Happy 56th Born Day To Michael Joseph Jackson

BET @BET • 7 h.
Happy Birthday to the greatest of all time, Michael Jackson!

iamnaomicampbell
#happybirthday #MichaelJackson #loveyou&missyou #foreverinourminds ❤️❤️
http://instagram.com/p/sR0vyfo5uu/?modal=true

Taryll Jackson @tarylljackson · 1 Min.

Photo: I miss you. #love http://tmblr.co/ZwCoVx1PWIHIO
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orianthi @orianthi · 4 h.

“@marielacecilia: #HappyBirthdayMichaelJackson #MichaelJackson & @orianthi http://youtu.be/LrowD6znXFI pic.twitter.com/0bmfRCVqyO”
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Rushka Bergman @Rushka_Bergman · 3 h.

Happy Birthday my dear friend Michael ! You will be with me FOREVER @MichaelJackson #rushkabergman… http://instagram.com/p/sSZd-GC98P/

billboard @billboard · 3 h.

We're celebrating @MichaelJackson's birthday with his 50 biggest @billboard hits! http://blbrd.cm/OZTNed

Newsweek @Newsweek · 1 h.

Remembering Michael Jackson on what would have been his 56th birthday: http://trib.al/6K9MZ4e

Def Jam Recordings @DefJamRecords · 27 Min.

Happy Birthday to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson. #DefJam30 #RIP
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MJ Quotes @MJInspirational · 2 h.

"Michael Jackson" is trending. #HappyBirthdayMichaelJackson
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Austin Brown @AustinBrown · 3 h.

Happy Bday apple head I honestly miss the kind human being and crazy personality that made you, you. The laughs and many jokes, memories.

Brenda Harvey Richie @BrendaRichie · 7 h.

Happy Birthday Michael. I am so blessed that you knew how much I loved and love you!

Jules. @escapissm · 9 h.

Do you ever just smile because he was here? I couldn't imagine life without him.

La Toya Jackson @latoyajackson · 10 h.

A lost is such a pain U can NEVER recover from! Such an emptiness 2day! I want 2 call & say HAPPY BIRTHDAY but I cant! I'll ALWAYS LOVE YOU!

Paris Hilton @ParisHilton · 11h.
Happy Birthday Michael Jackson! Love & miss you lots! You will always be special to me & close to my heart. I will never forget this day being on set with you for your music video. Thinking of you on your birthday. Love always Paris ��http://instagram.com/p/sRl5ccqgBy/
 
MelanieLuvsXSCAPE @Mellie4Justice · 1 h.

We sent flowers to Michael at Forest Lawn ! #happybirthdaymichaeljackson http://instagram.com/p/sSrVkJnjre/

GuinnessWorldRecords @GWR · 3 h.

Remembering @michaeljackson - multiple Guinness World Records holder who would have turned 56 today #KingOfPop
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Cirque du Soleil @Cirque · 2 h.

It’s MJ’s birthday! Celebrate w/ #MJONE. A daylong bday event w/ fans & exclusive offers. http://cirk.me/XYTdu2
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Marsha Ambrosius’ Michael Jackson Stories Make Us Miss Him All Over Again [VIDEO]

The late Michael Jackson certainly had the Midas Touch and any artists would be honored to work on music with him. Marsha Ambrosius was his last collaboration before he passed when they produced Butterflies in 2001. She remembers their time together and her stories make us wish Michael Jackson all over again.

See Video Here: http://theurbandaily.com/2014/08/29/marsha-ambrosius-michael-jackson-butterflies/
 
In Rome for Michael Jackson Day at Rainbow Magicland Amusement Park. Warmly greeted by the welcoming committee, looking forward to performing for MJ fans tomorrow on his birthday.
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Was greeted by hundreds of Michael Jackson fans today at Rainbow Magicland Amusement Park In Rome. So much love for MJ on his birthday!
 
Taj Jackson ✔ @tajjackson3
His message spreads love. His light guides us in darkness. His spirit is eternal. Love you Uncle Michael #MJForever

TJ Jackson ✔ @tjjackson
My Uncle lived for spreading love and peace to the world. His heart was one of gold. Period. #proudnephew #iloveyoudoodoo

kai chase @chefkaichase
Happy Birthday Michael Jackson!! Let's celebrate his legacy and his love today! pic.twitter.com/8MpjxmXWIK
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Bill Whitfield @MJBODYGUARDS · 4 h.

Happy Birthday Mr. Jackson!
 
The backstreet boys tweeted about Michael and Nick carter also tweeted a picture of him and Michael.

backstreetboys ‏@backstreetboys · 2 h.
Happy birthday Michael Jackson. #NeverGone

Nick Carter ‏@nickcarter · 1 h.
I forgot about this. Wow time flies. Happy birthday Michael Jackson.
http://t.co/nqv4cjfiK6

(Sorry don't know how to copy the picture.)
 
Happy Birthday MJ: How 'Remember The Time' Reminds Us Of Michael Jackson's Greatness
Keith Murphy Posted August 29, 2014

[video=youtube;LeiFF0gvqcc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeiFF0gvqcc[/video]

Michael Jackson would have turned 56 today. Since his 2009 death, the otherworldly music icon's ever-evolving legend has taken an even more surreal turn: his peerless mystique a study in how the afterlife of music's highest selling solo act has skyrocketed into an unprecedented fourth act. Jackson's estate has raked in more than $700 million through such projects as his recent posthumous album Xscape; his critically acclaimed Cirque du Soleil shows based on his hit songs; and the well-received concert film This Is It, which according to Forbes has grossed over $260 million across the globe.

But when discussing the impact and accomplishments of the larger-than-life entertainer who proudly embraced his chest-beating title as the undisputed King of Pop to at times remarkable excess, one era for Michael Jackson is often times eclipsed by the post-disco genius of Off The Wall (1979); the world-beating, record breaking hysteria that is Thriller (1982); and the obsessive pop craftsmanship of Bad (1987). 1991's Dangerous is largely viewed as Jackson's not so subtle attempt to recapture his R&B base after years of ruling the pop universe. But MJ 's musical alliance with New Jack Swing visionary Teddy Riley should be viewed in another important context: It ignited R&B's next great run. And the primary song we have to thank for that is "Remember The Time."

In the early '90s, rhythm and blues was king as the Billboard Hot 100 charts saw a dominating streak of African-American artists crossing over on their own terms. In 1993 alone (arguably R&B's last great commercial run before hip-hop's complete cultural takeover), 23 of the 25 top pop singles of the year came straight from the Hot R&B Songs charts as the likes of R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton and MJ's baby sister Janet ruled the top 10. However, it could be said that this impressive streak was not only sparked by the emergence of SoundScan in 1991—which finally gave a more accurate figure for music sales over the retail counter—but Jackson's full embrace of Riley's sound.

Before Dangerous' "Remember The Time," New Jack Swing had enjoyed a hugely successful run as America's coolest trend-setting youthful soundtrack. Riley produced statements by Keith Sweat and Teddy's own groundbreaking supergroup Guy sold millions of albums and managed to impact the pop charts without ever having to water down its signature sound that boldly merged gospel, soul and hip-hop. Bobby Brown became the biggest R&B star on the planet selling over 7 million copies of his sophomore 1988 solo work Don't Be Cruel, an album propelled by the Riley orchestrated monster anthem "My Prerogative," a game-changing No. 1 pop single that showed the music industry that New Jack Swing was more than ready for its mainstream close up.

Everyone it seems wanted that Teddy Riley magic, including the biggest entertainer on the planet—Michael Jackson. After meeting with the Harlem-born producer, the unlikely pair discussed some of the demoed tracks that would later make the cut on Jackson's fourth adult solo effort. One track in particular caught MJ's ears.

"When I played my demos for Michael he stopped me at the fifth song, which was 'Remember The Time,’" Riley once told me of his early meetings with Jackson. "He took me to the back room and I thought I was going to get fired. I thought I had done something wrong, but it was a chord that he couldn’t get around. He didn’t know the church chords. The first chord you hear on ‘Remember The Time’ started off that song in a very church way. He never started off his songs in that way, and that’s why he pulled me in the back because it was so unusual for him."

It was indeed a gamble for Jackson. Yes, Off The Wall (arguably his most potent pure artistic statement) was straight-no-chaser R&B; a nearly flawless dance floor boogie foot stomper that often time bubbled over with swaggering funk despite its pop chart success. But after Thriller and Bad, MJ's fans had come to expect a more universal sheen to his work than the unfiltered church-inflected soul of "Remember The Time," which seemed worlds apart from the pure pop confections of say "Beat It," I Just Can't Stop Loving You," and "Smooth Criminal." And yet the results proved to be stunning.

While Dangerous' sugary first single "Black Or White" was savvy business-as-usual for the criminally underrated songwriter (Jackson gift for melody had few peers), "Remember The Time" exploded out the speakers. "Do you remember/Us holding hands/In each other's eyes we would stare," a heartfelt Jackson sung. "Remember The Time's" ancient Egyptian-theme video, which featured an all-black cast, was telling. From it's visuals to its gospel-rooted groove, "Remember The Time" was unapologetically black.

Maybe a little too black.

"Remember The Time" peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 7, 1992, but topped the R&B charts as Jackson's first no. 1 single since Bad's "Another Part of Me." Yet the track's overall reach was clear as it hit the top 10 in more than 11 countries. Jackson had taken Riley's New Jack Swing to new global heights making the newest era of rhythm and blues into the go-to pop sound.

"Working with Michael was like going to college," Riley said of the experience. "He basically gave me the map. He navigated me on how to actually compose. I could say I introduced the New Jack Swing chords to him. All of those songs were great to work on: ‘In The Closet’; ‘Jam’; ‘Can’t Let Her Get Away’…that’s history for me. It was a great feeling to be a part of a huge selling album like that…over 30 million records of Dangerous.”

Thank the Music Gods for Michael Jackson. —Keith Murphy (@murphdogg29)

http://www.vibe.com/article/happy-b...er-time-reminds-us-michael-jacksons-greatness
 
In The Studio With Michael Jackson
13 hours ago · Edited
He would have been 56 today.

Beyond all the tabloid headlines was a remarkably talented guy who created a soundtrack for millions of people. He was an entertainer, plain and simple, on stage and off. He was also a good client, boss, and friend.

Many of you know that I worked with him on countless projects spanning some 18 years. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many "famous" people, but none more interesting or polarizing than this man. When people learn that I worked with him for such a long period of time, they are understandably curious. Typically, the opening line is, "So, was he as weird as he seemed?". But I can't really blame them. The media did a great job of painting him in such a way that it seemed he rode around on a monkey carrying the Elephant Man bones in a backpack wearing pajamas around Neverland.

When I wrote the following article shortly after his death, I received countless notes of appreciation for introducing people to the artist that I knew. I will continue to write and share these stories, as he was a truly unique individual, and he deeply impacted my life and career path.

If you can turn down the media madness for just a few minutes, I would like to tell you about a friend of mine as a tribute on his birthday. His name is Michael Jackson.

In 1985 I got married, got my first job in a recording studio (Westlake Audio), and met one of the kindest young men I have ever known, Michael Jackson. Quite a year. To attempt to sum up a nearly 20 year working relationship and friendship with Michael in one article is impossible, but let me try to give you a glimpse into the incredible world I was privileged to be a part of.

Michael was working on Captain Eo for Disneyland and Epcot Center. He was fresh off the Victory Tour, the Thriller album, his dominance of MTV, and he was back in the studio. I wish I could remember our first meeting, but it was likely just passing each other in the hallway. He was always warm, yet shy. Over time we would chat now and then, but it took time to build the trust.

Around that same time he did an often forgotten album, The ET Storybook. This was when I met Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien. Early in 1986 the team moved into Westlake Studio D in Hollywood to record the BAD album, and welcomed me in. I worked other sessions during the day, but at night I was invited to sit in and learn. Eventually I worked my way up to technical director for the team, and the trust was solidified. It was during this time that Michael nicknamed me "Really Really Brad," a twist on the chorus, "Bad, Bad, Really Really Bad."

Over the next ten years I worked with Michael doing tour prep for the BAD tour in 1988, then back in the studio for the Dangerous album in Los Angeles, followed by the HIStory album in New York. Toss in countless music videos, the HIStory tour, the Moonwalker project, Blood On The Dance Floor album, and various side projects, and I got to know him pretty well.

So who was Michael Jackson, and why did he have such a profound effect on my life? Not for a moment do I pretend to have been his closest friend or a confidant. Rather I worked for him and with him, and considered it an honor.

He was a consummate professional. If his vocals were scheduled for a noon downbeat, he was there at 10 am, with his vocal coach Seth, singing scales. Yes, scales. I would set up the mic, check the equipment, make coffee, and all the while he would sing scales for two hours.

He typically drove himself to the studio alone. For a while he drove a big Chevy Blazer with dents and scrapes on it. He was not a great driver. More than once he called into the studio to say he would be late after being in a fender bender.

He was intensely curious about "normal life." He asked me about Christmas, and couldn't understand how kids could wait until Christmas morning to open the gifts. You see, he was raised Jehovah's Witness, so Christmas was not celebrated in the Jackson family.

Since I was so close to this world, let me try to give you some insight. A "typical" MJ album would take between 10 and 16 months in the studio. His budget allowed for as many as 100 songs to be recorded for any given project. Some would be discarded early on, while others were fine tuned. Musicians would be brought in to add their textures and ideas, but in the center of it all was Michael. The team was remarkably small given the scope of the projects. Each project was slightly different, but typically there were less then eight of us working day to day, from the first day until the project was mastered. No entourage. No Elephant Man bones. No groupies. No drugs. Just music. And food.

During the BAD album, Fridays quickly became known as "Family Friday." He would have his two chefs, affectionately known as the Slam Dunk Sisters, prepare a large dinner for the crew, musicians and any family members that might be around. Since I was working sometimes 80+ hours a week, it was not uncommon for Deb to come have dinner with us. Michael loved these family get togethers. In later projects I would bring my girls, whom he loved and would play with. There is one moment in time in my head when Deb brought my daughter Amanda, who was just a baby at the time, into the studio for the afternoon. She set up a play mat and brought some toys, and Michael sat and played with her for a while. He looked at Deb and said, "This is her own little world, isn't it?"

When you work in this environment, your sense of normal begins to shift. It was not uncommon for celebrities or VIPs to stop in. One day the Secret Service searched the building for a couple hours before Nancy Reagan came for a visit. Next it was Princess Stephanie from Monaco. (She has a cameo on the song "In The Closet.") The chimps were common guests in the studio, as was a giant snake, both of which I would wind up holding during MJ's vocals. Michael loved mixing fun and work, but work always came first.

I have watched him write many songs, and the process is amazing. I asked him where they came from, and he said they were gifts from God. He could hear the entire song in his head before we could get tape on the machines. He would sometimes sing the drums, bass, percussion, keyboards, etc., and we would later bring in musicians to replace his demo tracks.

His lounge would be decorated with Disney posters and old Hollywood memorabilia. He loved innocence, and displayed gentleness, humor and patience.

This driving work ethic also had to escape from time to time. There were many days we would show up at the studio, only to find he had flown to Europe or Japan for a few days, and neglected to tell us. This sometimes meant an unscheduled few days off for us, which was awesome.

There were also memories that he would sometimes share about the endless travel and work schedule when he was just a boy. I remember him telling me about grown women throwing themselves at him when he was just 9 or 10 years old. One story I will never forget was him telling of flying with his dad and brothers through a lightening storm at night. The plane was being tossed around, lightening was flashing, and he started crying in fear. His dad ignored him, embarrassed. A flight attendant sat with until the plane cleared the storm. Hearing him tell that story, with tears in his eyes, gave another glimpse into his remarkable, often mis-understood life.

There are few people I have worked so closely with for so long than Michael Jackson. There were many months when I spent more time with him than I did my own wife. Sometime in the late 80's he asked me to visit a ranch he had purchased, and design a sound system for a carousel. The next thing I knew I was at Neverland Valley Ranch, in Santa Ynez, CA. There was construction everywhere, and the amusement park was in the early stages of installation.

Over the next few years Michael asked me to build system after system, putting music on the bumper cars, in the petting zoo, on two trains, all around the amusement park, the boat lake, the train stations, and eventually inside the house, and inside his bedroom and bathroom. Deb loves to tell of the times Michael would call at 2 in the morning (his sleep schedule was never normal) to talk to me about a new attraction he had coming to Neverland, and if I would put music on it. I still have an old answering machine tape of him thanking me for one of the systems we had built.

Michael had very little patience when it came to new rides. When the second train was ordered for the ranch, we were flown to Ohio to install the lights and music before it was trucked to California. That way, as soon as it rolled off the truck onto the track it was ready for Michael. He lived for those moments!

In it's day, Neverland Valley was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. He loved that ranch. He could act like a kid, drive golf carts, throw water balloons and just have fun. Week after week the buses would roll in, bringing inner city kids, Make A Wish kids, friends and families. I have been there with sick kids whose dying wish was to spend a day with Michael.

As Neverland grew, I got the bug to continue building systems, and eased out of the recording studio. Soon I was working for Elizabeth Taylor, building a massive outdoor music system for her, followed by my good friend Quincy Jones.

This was the Michael I knew. Innocent, child-like at times, but not childish. A professional who worked to be the best performer in the world, yet knew how to have fun. If he was comfortable, he would laugh and joke with everyone, but if someone was there that made him uncomfortable, he would disappear.

We used to say there were two Michaels: the one we worked with, and the one who went on stage in front of 100,000 people and entertained them. There have always been singers and dancers, but Michael was in a class by himself. I have been to perhaps 12 of his concerts (my daughter Amanda was on stage with him in Paris with several other kids singing "Heal The World"), and there is really no one that comes close to his level of artistry.

Thank you Michael, for letting me be a small part of your world. You have taught me more than you will ever know. Your friendship and trust is something I will always cherish. I raise a toast to you, and wish you a very happy birthday. I only wish you were around to celebrate with us.

Sincerely,

Brad (or Applehead, if you prefer)

www.inthestudiowithmj.com
 
Stephanie Mills @PrettyMill1 · 19 h.

Happy birthday babe. Rest in peace

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Jimmy Jam @flytetymejam · 19 h.

Celebrating @michaeljackson B'day I'm sharing a note he taped to my keyboard collaborating on "history"#gone2soon

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Brett Ratner @BrettRatner · 28. Aug.

Back in the day with @serenawilliams christucker4real and #MJ theforgerestaurant in #MiamiBeach http://instagram.com/p/sOK5FHItn9/
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michael bearden@MichaelBearden15 h.

Top L, me age 5. Top R, Michael Jackson around age 10. Bottom,both! Happy Birthday my friend! You are missed! M~ #MJ

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3 Michael Jackson Songs That Mean More Than Ever Before
AUGUST 29, 2014 BY AFROBELLA

If he were still with us, today Michael Jackson would be 56. He’s still so loved and so deeply missed, and still so ubiquitous in pop culture. This summer, Love Never Felt So Good was part of the barbecue playlist and in regular rotation in TV commercials. MJ is still with us. Another way he’s still with us, is lyrically. In light of some of the recent headlines at home and around the world, it’s truly striking how poignant his lyrics are. More than ever before, it’s like Michael is speaking to what’s happening in the world.

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That’s just one of the many things I love about him. Michael Jackson was undoubtedly a wealthy man in his life but he never made music that was materialistic or shallow. His lyrics were about real life. Love, life, often what he was going through in the spotlight, and current events. Some of MJ’s lyrics reveal, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Check out these 3 songs for example.

- They Don’t Care About Us

“Tell me what has become of my rights
Am I invisible because you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty,
Now I’m tired of being the victim of shame
They’re throwing me in a class with a bad name
I can’t believe this is the land from which I came..”

Michael came out with strong statements about inequality and police brutality, but this song got swept up in lyrical controversy and his larger point was forgotten. In light of recent events in Ferguson, New York, and elsewhere, this song has been hitting me extra hard lately.

[video=youtube;QNJL6nfu__Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNJL6nfu__Q[/video]

- Scream

“Tired of injustice
Tired of the schemes
The lies are disgusting
So what does it mean?
Kicking me down
I got to get up
As jacked as it sounds,
The whole system sucks”

Scream was SUCH a big deal when it came out, but the message of the song was definitely not the main focus. It was all about the super expensive video and the fact that Michael and Janet were collaborating for the first time, not the lyrical content.

[video=youtube;0P4A1K4lXDo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P4A1K4lXDo[/video]

- Jam



“I asked my neighbor for a favor, she said later
What has come of all the people, have we lost love of what it’s about
I have to find my peace cause no one seems to let me be
False prophets cry of doom, what are the possibilities?
I told my brother there’ll be problems, times and tears for fears
But we must live each day like it’s the last”

Who knew Jam was so deep? To my mind this song was more about dancing and basketball than a message about the need for unity and community to combat against apathy and destruction.

Michael Jackson did a lot in his time on earth and he left us with messages to consider, and songs that will live forever. Even while we danced and sang along, the message was bigger and deeper than the surface revealed.

[video=youtube;JbHI1yI1Ndk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHI1yI1Ndk[/video]

We will forever miss you, Michael.

What are your favorite Michael Jackson songs, in terms of lyrical content?
**** I wish Earth Song was mentioned too. Especially with the wars going on, it would have been appropriate.

Article link : http://www.afrobella.com/2014/08/29/3-michael-jackson-songs-that-mean-more-than-ever-before/
 
Rich+Tone Talauega@Rich_and_Tone 12 h.
Celebrating #MichaelJackson bday wit da big bros @ItsTravisPayne Jamie King happy bday @michaeljackson #MJONE
Rich+Tone Talauega@Rich_and_Tone 12 h.
Extending @michaeljackson bday celebration, on the way to Mexico #loveneverfeltsogood pic.twitter.com/YEme5jE5Md
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