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Michael Jackson Legacy Tour to start

I shared this link to Michael Prince, and he replied to me as follows:

"I read many of the comments and truly was saddened. Brad's and my comments in the video were not about the Legacy, but about Michael ! MJ has the greatest fans in the world, and I can understand how and why their often emotional views are expressed, as we are all still dealing with the devastating loss of not only the greatest entertainer in the world, but one who cared about and loved all..

I invited several big MJ fans and friends (engineers and musicians) that have worked with MJ to the showcase, and they were blown away by what they saw and heard. The show will speak for its self. It will mainly focus on MJ in the Bad era, when he was singing mostly live. Eventually a newer song or two may be added.

"Many of us have seen the Immortal Show, and felt that not only would MJ have not allowed it, but it didn't give the fan any clue as to who Michael was, or what he could do live. No movie or Cirque show can ever deliver his unique energy, and no one will ever be Michael. But, The Legacy will take the fans on a journey that will capture as much of his music, dance and live energy as humanly possible. The video was shot in a rehearsal room with no production (video wall, etc), lighting, final costumes or personnel. William Hall has been doing a tribute to MJ since 1988, and MJ, LaVelle and Mrs. Jackson have all seen his performance years ago, and gave him two thumbs up. It will take time to build the buzz, but with the people involved, who worked with MJ almost every day, I can assure you that it will be closer to what he would love that any fan could ever know.

We believe shows may start as early as December 31, 2014. We should know in 2 weeks."
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^^ So the Cirque show does not capture Michael's essence but this impersonator does and shows what Michael could do live? Ugh, OK. I guess MP and BB make more money out of this than they did from the Cirque show.
 
mkgenie said:
I shared this link to Michael Prince, and he replied to me as follows:
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Thanks for this, but still big fat NO from me. Like someone said, if they were having MJ's voice playing and him dancing on the screen - then yes, but look alikes NO. In my opinion it's insulting because MJ did not look like that.

I'm not a fan of Immortal either but bashing it like that is not cool! ("and felt that not only would MJ have not allowed it") - HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW THAT??

I love Prince & Brad very much but this is not something they should be doing. I know they are frustrated because Estate didn't include them in finishing Michael's music and that sucks, but they should do it anyway. They should be creating their mixes of the songs they careated together (from all those hard discs that were spinning) and maybe Estate will release them eventually on some boxset aimed for the fans. They shouldn't just give up on that and do cheap things like this.
 
respect77 said:
I guess MP and BB make more money out of this than they did from the Cirque show.
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They didn't make any money from the Cirque show. Why would they? They weren't involved! That sucks yes. They are the ones that should have been mixing the tracks instead of Kevin Antunes or whatever his name is, because he never even met MJ.

But this is not the way to deal with their frustration or to make money!
 
Its all about cashing in nothing more. cirque would be the best thing since sliced bread if they were involved and getting a slice. mj was nothing more than a commodity to many. and u see that with their disrepectfull advertisment
 
They didn't make any money from the Cirque show. Why would they? They weren't involved! That sucks yes
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thats what they are saying. like the family. Ie if i arent involved and making money off it then its rubbish
 
elusive moonwalker said:
They didn't make any money from the Cirque show. Why would they? They weren't involved! That sucks yes
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thats what they are saying. like the family. Ie if i arent involved and making money off it then its rubbish
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Yeah, something like that with the difference being that Prince & Brad should be involved in Estate's projects and family shouldn't.
 
Ugh the cirque show looked more professional than legacy and I think MJ would have appreciated that much. Plus I'm pretty sure MJ was working and had enjoyed cirque shows.

None of those impersonators sound like MJ live or otherwise.

And I also don't appreciate the fact that they referenced fans grieving and getting "emotional"as if that invalidates our concerns.

And I definitely don't appreciate the dismissal of mj's later (post-bad) live shows as those shows are what made me a fan in the first place lol

And I don't buy that they were talking about MJ and not legacy. They very clearly stated that this show would be like seeing MJ live and fact is, it will not be. Just by the video, it won't come even close.
 
Of course we have emotional reactions even if we were just discussing a regular piece of theatre. Theatre experience is an emotional one. As is music.books. Any art.
And the Beatles had a Cirque show. Elvis had a cirque show. Michael would have wanted one too. No doubt in my mind.
Maybe we can't see him live anymore but we can see and hear performances on film and recording and that's how you live forever.
 
Let's just take a step back and wait for the final thing before we judge.
I guess the concentration on bad era is because you can't compare it to some big production MJ did himself. But musically, they probably will be more spot on than the cirque show ever could.

How are they/the fans supposed to keep "it" alive apart from past concerts if not like this? At least it keeps it out there, even if it's just reminding people he was in another league (than the impersonator).
 
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Xscape2041 said:
How are they/the fans supposed to keep "it" alive apart from past concerts if not like this?
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Live concerts in theatres in 3D (HIStory Tour), Thriller video in theatres in 3D...

This Is It was marvelous, Cirque shows are OK.

Elvis thing someone mentioned would be great. Michael's band members playing live with MJ A capellas and him dancing on the big screen - that is something I would like to see.

Brad Sundberg is doing nice tribute with his seminars (minus playing unreleased songs and footage).

Maybe Estate approved tribute concert with MJ This Is It band members and all star guests singing his songs - something like Freddie Mercury tribute concert.

Or even a Tour with Michael's band members and guest vocalist (NOT impersonator - because there is no one like Michael Jackson, just parodies and caricatures or wanna be singers), like Queen is touring with Adam Lambert.

There are plenty ways of how you can do a tribute respectfully and this is not one of them, Prince and Brad.
 
I think the only thing that comes close to "the real deal" would be the original TII stage with a very advanced hologram capable of interacting with real dancers like it was the real TII(TII look and costumes). And even then it would be very bittersweet and not the same. It's very unfortunate how things went...

Let's not judge beforehand. They are doing no harm in the end, just doing "their part" with this tribute (also if they don't call it tribute).
 
^^Yeah, but if it were some no names that were doing this, I would say ok. But Brad and Prince?? They should be doing something more worthy, more respectful and meaningful, something for the fans (like unreleased songs they have with MJ). This will be (contrary to what they are saying) nice thing for non fans or regular people to watch, but no way for the fans. I don't see how can a fan enjoy this, it would be like enjoying a Cascio track.
 
I don't have a problem if they do a tribute show. Jennifer is doing one with Carlo Riley. Thriller Live is a tribute show (that I wish would tour the US. Cirque is a tribute show.
The hologram was a tribute. To each his own.
Just don't say it's like seeing the real thing or bad mouth other shows.
 
barbee0715 said:
I don't have a problem if they do a tribute show. Jennifer is doing one with Carlo Riley. Thriller Live is a tribute show (that I wish would tour the US. Cirque is a tribute show.
The hologram was a tribute. To each his own.
Just don't say it's like seeing the real thing or bad mouth other shows.
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I agree with what you said especially with "Just don't say it's like seeing the real thing or bad mouth other shows."

But I don't think that look alikes (that look nothing like MJ) are a tribute to MJ. If all the musicians are real respectful musicians, then the singer should also be professional singer and vocalist. MJ was one of the best singers in the world, ever. The best dancer ever. The greatest entertainer that ever lived. So why not try to sign someone who can actually sing and dance, someone with a real talent. And not someone who just puts ton of make up and do unnecessary plastic surgeries to look nothing like MJ. To me that is insulting to MJ as a person, as an entertainer and as an artist, performer, singer and dancer.

To me tribute artist should be hiself, maybe wearing iconic MJ clothes. And that is it. No wigs, ugly make up, plastic surgeries. Vocal impersonation... No. You can't do it like Mike, no one could, no one can and no one ever will. Just be yourself. Like Adam Lambert is not trying to be Freddie, but he is doing his tribute to Freddie by singing his songs.

Or just not use Michael (like Cirque shows, like Elvis tribute). Band members playing the songs and using real MJ on the screen and real MJ voice - that would be a tribute to MJ. Or Cirque shows - they are being creative in another way and by using MJ's voice and his songs they are doing their tribute, witout impersonators!

If Cascios just released instrumentals of their work with MJ - that would be respectful and some kind of tribute. Or James Porte demos. Or like Ne-Yo once said that he will release his demos he did for Michael as a tribute to MJ. No impersonators - that is just tacky, wrong and creepy.

No one can replace MJ and no one can look or sing like MJ. No one can be MJ! Just stop with impersonators and do your tributes respectfully. Because this to me looks like an insult (parody, caricature) to how he looked or how he sang.
 
Honestly I don't see a problem with impersonators - even with make up and the whole nine, because that is pretty much the definition of impersonator, to impersonate. It is their way of paying tribute and it's not always to say "hey I can be MJ" but moreso "I admire this guy so much that I've studied his every mannerism and I want to capture it as best as I can"

everyone knows that if it looks like a cheap attempt - they aren't good impersonators lol. to me, it has no reflection on mj's legacy either way. There are good impersonators and bad ones - that goes for any celebrity. And my opinion on the quality is not what made me mad nor was it the fact that it was a collection of impersonators , but rather they claimed it would be a chance to see MJ live. Just no lol. Say it's a tribute - say it's an attempt to capture a live MJ concert - don't say it's pretty much the real deal, because it isn't lol. Be humble, be respectful to MJ - don't try to pass it off like a MJ concert with out admitting that in reality, nothing will come close to the real deal.
 
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I agree with that. All of the interviews that I've read about impersonators that do it for a living are very respectful and work very hard at it as well. I don't think I would want to see an impersonator in a Michael show (well, not yet-maybe 20 years from now when my glaucoma finally makes me totally blind)and I don't appreciate seeing a bunch of them in pix at Forest Lawn on special dates, but that's just me.

I think real impersonators got a bum rap when everybody was doing Elvis, which was spoofed hilariously in "Honeymoon in Vegas." I died laughing whenever "Elvis" showed up.

Ironically, the first male singer that made me perk up and listen in the last 25 years was Bruno Mars-and when I ran to the computer to see "who is this guy"-he was the baby Elvis in that very movie. And in his teen years he impersonated Michael as well. Not with the makeup, of course, but the vocals and dancing. Now he's also channeling James Brown and particularly Jackie Wilson-so he's been tapping the best in his own great work.
So yes, some impersonators are wildly talented.
 
I honestly don't impersonators, most of them look like a caricature of Michael in this case and if they sing, no one sound like him, including Bruno Mars.

No one would be angry if it was promoted like what it truly is, a tribute show but they (in their minds) substituted him which is blasphemous, disrespectful and offensive comming from people who worked with Michael for many years and had the privilege to know him.
 
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