On TRUE and FAKE Michael Jackson’s friends
DATE: December 6, 2010
DEFENDANTS: The Cascio family in an interview with Oprah.
PROSECUTION: Savvy Michael Jackson “fans”.
Testimony of the Defendants:
Part 2 of the testimony:
CROSS-EXAMINATION by the Prosecution and Defense live from the fan courtroom:
So… they show a pic of the studio WITHOUT Michael actually in it… and their ONLY evidence is, “honestly, it’s Michael, you can hear it, no one can sing like him”.. Well, we already know that, that’s why the tracks are being questioned. Just look at their behaviour, it’s nervous and scared. I don’t believe them one bit, sorry. Money talks.
FAKE MUSIC & FAKE FAMILY, NO MORE TO SAY.
this doesn’t prove anything? :s. just another family trying to extort Michael in death.
and if you look at the family from right to left, see the man on the left (with glasses) doesn’t look very comfortable at all!
who would be comfortable in front of Oprah lol. The Cascios have never talked about MJ except during the trial when they were defending him on some kind of lawyers’ tv
they keep quiet about their friendship with mj but made millions off mj’s songs.
made millions? theres only 3 songs on the album that were made at their house and people are saying they fake and the album isnt even out yet so where you got millions from
Teddy Teddy Teddy..you know the truth..we know the truth..
Hes lying, look at his face!! hes fuckin lying, when he said “yep he recorded right there in my basment” look at his lying smiling face
3:57 (he recorded right there in my basement) his eyes glaze over slowly, just look closely at his eyes, for a split second his eyes show signs of him lying like he is thinking about somthing
(same comment as for the first part of the interview) So… they show a pic of the studio WITHOUT Michael actually in it… and their ONLY evidence is, “honestly, it’s Michael, you can hear it, no one can sing like him”.. Well, we already know that, that’s why the tracks are being questioned. Just look at their behaviour, it’s nervous and scared. I don’t believe them one bit, sorry. Money talks.
@greencookiemonsters totally agree. And now the delusional hoax believers will go crazy because Riley sai Michael LIVES he IS smiling… in heaven peeps. Also about none can to that scream, correct but it can be perfectly “copied and pasted” in any song. Almost forgetting, Epic Records doing a forensic a investigation to authenticate Michael’s vocal in those songs? Jesus! OF COURSE! who is the seller?? why in the hell they would say it’s a fraud? Get a life pees!
why wouldn’t Epic Records would push for a forensic investigation on Michael’s murder like they done on to authenticate his volcals on this album?
@cleide97 I think it’s weird Riley should say that no one can do a scream like Michael – they’ve copypasted all his ad libs in those songs, so it’s like he’s telling us it’s not really Michael. Yeah, those people all benefit from the sales of this album so of course they’re going to tell us it’s completely authentic.
I wonder how much money $ony spends in so many people, Oprah, Cascios, Teddy, Branca, and who knows who else… And it’s true, their behavior is weird, they are nervous lieing on TV.
They are making money from the Casio-produced songs so they have everything to gain from saying that the songs are authentic.
“It’s better to have some Michael rather than no Michael.” This is what they said. Tells all I need to know.
OMG, the hippo-crit! NOW she promotes Michael’s album? And how much did Sony pay her to get Eddie and Teddy to “dispel the rumours”? Yackkk!
@susiacik He’s lying. He can’t look her in the eye, he keeps looking at the floor. Shame on you, Teddy Riley. Selling out your “friend”!
Teddy copy/pasted MJ’s vocals here and there that doesn’t make it a Michael Jackson album!!! They are laying, low life SCUMBAGS!!!! I am disgusted.
I really could shoot this family..Fucking Lyers!
Teddy’s face is priceless, you can see from the plane he is lying. Cascio lies better. Teddy, WE life time mj fans know the truth, we dont care if you worked with MJ, bc we are the one who have listened his voice almost every day for more than 20 years, not you! And NO we dont hear the autenticity of MJ’s voice in those songs! and about the screams you are talking about, yes some of them belong to MJ because you put them there from the others old songs. Thnx for the other 7 100% real MJ songs
No Oprah you didn’t have to ask this boring stupid question again and again !! Michael was an innocent ! how mant times do peole have to tell you??? I believe she(oprah would like to hear a different answer but Oprah you won’t get one!) These people are traitors , they shouldn’t have come out with their stories , We know what Michael was like when he was alive , they didn’t say anything new regarding Mike, What we have here is MONEY TALK AGAIN AND AGAIN!! I wonder how much they got!!!
We the fans have always known about this “secret” family. During the 1993 allegations, Frank and Eddie travelled with him much to the amazement of the toxic media. Dominic told the press that he trusted Michael with his sons 100%. Frank even spoke out in Mike’s defence during the 2005 trial. Michael never forgot their loyalty and friendship and probably trusted them more than some members of his own family. So stop trashing people who were there for him during his darkest times. God bless them.
Lies irritate me.
Lies irritate me too. I was wrong, completely wrong when I said the Michael haters’ time was up – I definitely said it too soon. The haters have changed their colors, have painted themselves “fans” and are hissing at every corner at those who are willing to listen – it’s not him, it isn’t his voice, their behavior is suspicious, they are looking at the floor, no doubt it is fake, they are lying, money talks, we don’t believe them one bit….
AND I DON’T BELIEVE YOU ONE BIT, FAKE MICHAEL’S FANS.
Michael knew better who was a friend to him or who was not. We don’t need you to tell us who they are – the Cascios were always standing by Michael’s side at the worst time of his life, never sold their souls to the media to tell what was expected of them and never abandoned him until his last day on earth.
So how DARE you speak of them in such an outrageous manner now?
This family is telling us what Michael Jackson was really like – calling at their place in the middle of the night, freely wearing pajamas in their home, celebrating Christmases together, cleaning the house (the way he could), taking out garbage for the family, feeling there comfortable enough to fall asleep even in the basement studio, dancing and training there and even leaving his most precious with them – his children.
The family is telling us that Michael NEVER gave them a single chance to think he was someone they could not leave their small children with. Remember the glare the children gave to their father when he asked him if they ever saw anything bad – “Are you serious?”
And are you serious, guys, by finding fault with them for this and that now? Why do you shift all the attention to something you don’t like in the music – which was recorded not in the professional studio and which is nevertheless great and is clearly Michael’s judging by the lyrics in the first place?
Why not be just thankful to the family instead for the great friendship and support they offered to Michael? Isn’t it something for which we should all be bowing our heads to them? Especially if we remember that they always stood by Michael even at the expense of possible ridicule and gossip around their own children?
Isn’t their life-long friendship and staunch support for the man we respect, love and are trying to clear of all slander reason enough to believe them?
Cascios are the people Michael himself selected as friends and on whom he relied for many years of his life. So do we have any moral right to doubt anything these people are saying? Or isn’t vilifying them almost the same as vilifying Michael – because if you don’t believe his true friends WHOM ELSE can you believe then?
These “life-long” fans cited above?
Why are some people so terribly ready to believe those who allow themselves to pass their ignorant judgment on Cascios? What do we know about these “life-long fans” that makes us so gullible to their words? What valuable help did these guys render Michael which now gives their words more weight and priority over what the Cascios are saying? Independent of where the Cascios are looking during the interview – at the wall, ceiling or floor?
I agree – you have every right not to believe me (I did no good to Michael while he was alive) but not believing THE CASCIOS? If not the Cascios WHO ELSE CAN BE TRUSTED?
I’ll tell you what. Those who don’t believe Michael’s TRUE FRIENDS, don’t (and didn’t) believe HIM either.
So do you need any other proof to know WHO these sceptics really are?
* * *
Update from our reader DIALDANCER on Dec. 8, 2010:
I call these Fake Fans Uncover Haters. Many don’t hate they are just doing a job. Helena you are right they are evolving. As they lurk and sometimes blend in with us they learn and adapt. A couple I thought were loving Fans turned out to be something else.
3 times within the past 2 weeks “Fans” have posted information on negative programs or articles without providing the originating source.
One was meant for us to attack Gale and then Oprah for a comment not made, but claimed to have been heard on Gale’s radio show. The other is a petition over an article which none have been able to find. The third was over an article on some trumped up webpage copied, paste and with seriously edited content. (Each was checked by an Advocate and each was found to be false) Only one group went to the supposed offending site before checking.
The intent is to distract and derail us by having us made unprovoked attacks on others. This will allow the Media & TV Persons and the dissidents to report we are out of control and not rational and therefore should under no circumstances be listened to. A bunch of overly emotion people making up stories to “excuse” our Idol.
Forget that each person of the MJ Community is just an extension of our own society; we will be held to a higher standard. Our evidence will always have to be more factual then the Media stories, our arguments more rational then theirs in the hope of getting listened to.
There are powerful forces at work here folks. There are many of us who are active Advocates worldwide, if we are having this problem needing to address this many attacks can you imagine what it must have been like for Michael before, during and after the trial?
As for real Fans battling among one another over who is right and who is wrong, well it is a matter of personal perception of Michael, which of his words we took most to heart. Once we had Michael and he did all the talking and now we don’t. I think the family & friends are just as torn, confused and sometime jealous of the other. None had Michael every moment and I doubt that any had his total confidence in all matters.
ROGER FRIEDMAN said the following about the Cascios in 2005:
Friday, January 14, 2005
By Roger FriedmanThere was yet another leak from Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon’s office in the Michael Jackson case yesterday. The testimony given by the boy is about Jackson serving wine to minors in his wine cellar.
I can tell you now, through my exclusive sources, that this account will be refuted if it makes it to the stand. That’s because Sneddon takes on Jackson’s most ardent supporters and surrogate family, the Cascios of Franklin Lakes, N.J.
I’ve told you about the Cascios before. Dominic Cascio was a banquet manager at the Palace Hotel in New York when he met Jackson some 17 years ago. He was the married father of three, eventually four.
Jackson immediately embraced the Cascios, and vice versa. Sources tell me he appreciated their close-knit, loving family. Over the years Jackson has spent a lot of time at their house and reciprocated by taking them on trips.
The kids, three boys and a girl, have literally grown up at Jackson’s Neverland Valley Ranch. They have had free access to all rooms in the house, including Jackson’s fabled bedroom and bed, without incident.
The eldest child, Frank, who is now 24 and uses the nom de plume Tyson, has worked for Jackson in various capacities. He is cited as one of the unnamed, unindicted co-conspirators in the current case, accused, unofficially, of holding the California boy’s family “hostage.”
My sources laughed yesterday when they heard the story of Michael serving wine to Frank’s 15-year-old sister, 12-year-old brother and the accuser and his brother.
Here’s the problem as it’s been laid out for me. The Cascios, who operate two family restaurants in northern New Jersey, are Italian-American and have always let their kids have a sip of wine here and there. If they are called to testify in the case, they will explain that it’s in their culture.
Curiously, even though Sneddon leaked this information yesterday, he has not subpoenaed any of the Cascios, including Frank Tyson. And the Cascios, I am told, are furious that he involved their minor children in a publicity scheme to promote the prosecution’s case.Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,144362,00.html:
And this is what ROGER FRIEDMAN said about the songs on October 10, 2010:
The Huffington PostOctober 10, 2010Even in death, Michael Jackson can’t catch a break.Sony and his estate are trying to put together an album of his unreleased materials. Their original plan was to get it out for Christmas and holiday sales. But they’re being thwarted at every turn.
A few months ago I was the first to report that Michael, unbeknownst to anyone, had recorded a bunch of songs in the summer of 2007.
This is what happened:
He’d turned up on the doorstep, literally, of his long time friends Dominic and Connie Cascio, in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. With him were his three kids, a tutor, and some pets. They’d escaped from an estate in northern Virginia, where Michael had sought refuge after a short stint in Las Vegas. He had no place else to go.
He wound up staying with the Cascios from August until November. And during that time, with nothing else to do, he listened to the couple’s son, Eddie, record with a singer named Bobby Ewing. Eddie’s brother, Frank, had helped write and produce the Ewing tracks. They asked: Why not erase the vocals and have Michael sing over them? Michael agreed. When it was done, Eddie Cascio put away the tapes. No one ever discussed it again.
Meantime, I reported that there were fewer known unreleased Michael Jackson tracks than anyone realized. Many conversations with Michael’s long time engineer Bruce Swedien resulted in this fact: this would be no Jimi Hendrix situation. So when the Cascio tracks were revealed, everyone should have been jumping for joy.
But not so happy are Michael’s nephews, the three sons of Tito Jackson. The Jacksons have always been wary of the Cascios: after all, Michael liked the relatively normal Italian-American family from New Jersey more than his own blood relatives. Tito’s kids — known as 3T — had recorded with Uncle Michael early in their career, but not in recent years. When the news broke, the 3Ts weren’t happy. Why hadn’t Uncle Michael left them a legacy like this?
In the last few weeks Sony has had to call in forensic audiologists to prove that the voice on the Cascio tracks is that of Michael Jackson. (The conclusion: it is.)
The 3Ts, I am told, along with co-executor John McClain, have claimed it’s a Jacko impersonator. It’s not about money. It’s about ego, and pride. Sony wants to include five of the Cascio songs right away on the new album. They made an agreement this year with the Michael Jackson estate that could be worth $200 million. In the end, Sony will get what it wants. The estate will make millions. And Michael’s nephews, and the rest of his biological family, will have to accept reality.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roger-friedman/michael-jacksons-new-albu_b_776333.html
Updated by Lynette Dec.8, 2010:
I think this is a perfect example of how personal the grieving process is to each person that feels a sense of loss. There are so many people involved in this grieving process and they will all grieve differently. Michael’s nephews are dealing with different aspects of the grieving process than his Mother, his children, his brothers and the Cascios; they all feel his loss differently. Grief is such a funny thing I think that the fans have to realize that even though Michael loved us he did not know us as individuals or we him, and we should respect the family and his closest friends to try to find their own way through their grief. We all feel his loss but it cannot compare to those that actually knew him. (for the full text see the comments)
Updated by VindicateMJ Dec. 8, 2010:
I absolutely agree. What was said by Roger Friedman about 3T may be reflecting only part of the problem – it is easy to judge somebody from the outside when it doesn’t affect you personally and when your emotions are not involved. The pain of the family is much deeper than any of us can imagine and this is why they take everything that’s going on with Michael’s legacy much closer to heart.
I think Taryll has every right to express his own opinion about the Cascio songs – Michael’s voice does sound slightly different in the Monster, for example. The reason for that we will probably never know – it may be the studio, or the song could only be half-finished so that some ‘effects’ had to be added to it – everything is probable here.
This is one of those situations when everyone can be right – both Cascios who had the draft of the song only and Taryll who says the end result is not genuine enough. However the lyrics of Monster prove to me that it was Michael who wrote the song and it is only the way it was ‘finished’ which may be disputed.
We will be extremely lucky if we hear Michael’s new songs polished by him to the point of perfection – we are no longer in a position to expect that now, alas. So Michael’s music legacy will undergo the same natural process as with all geniuses – first some finished pieces will be released, then half-finished will follow and then will come a time for fragments only each of which will be regarded as a precious gem. Look at how elated they are with new tiny fragments of Mozart and you’ll see what I mean.
It seems to me that fighting Michael’s songs – even half-finished ones – is like fighting the wind. It is not only useless but harmful too as it is a waste of time and energy which could be spent on Michael’s vindication instead. As to the Cascio songs I have no doubt that Michael did have a hand in them even in case they were drafts only and had to be ‘finished up’.
But the most essential thing is that all this music talk does NOT allow Michael’s fans to abuse and insult the people who proved themselves to be Michael’s true friends and who staunchly stood by him when he was going through the many years of lies, humiliation and trials.
TEDDY RILEY said on December 13, 2010:
Michael Jackson Producer: Controversial New Songs Underwent ‘More Processing’
By Zach Dionne Posted Dec 13th 2010 08:10AM
Just days before the first posthumous Michael Jackson album hits, controversy is still raging. A new UK Reuters interview with Teddy Riley, one of the “main producers” on ‘Michael,’ reveals that the vocal material culled for the album was far from finished.
“I had to do more processing to the voice, which is why people were asking about the authenticity,” Riley says. “We had to do what we had to do to make … his voice work with the actual music.”
The album is set for release Dec. 14. Of the batch of recordings used for ‘Michael,’ Riley, who worked with Jackson before his death, says MJ would “never consider it being a final vocal.”
“But because he’s not with us he cannot give us new vocals. What we did was utilize the Melodyne (technology) to get him in key,” Riley says. “With the Melodyne we actually move the stuff up, which is the reason why some of the vibrato sounds a little off or processed, over-processed. We truly apologize for that happening, but you are still hearing the true Michael Jackson.”
Riley worked on three of the ten songs on ‘Michael,’ including ‘Breaking News’ and the 50 Cent-featuring ‘Monster.’
Of the controversy and negative publicity, Riley targets the unhappy Jackson clan. “Some family members … didn’t totally get the last say so they kind of hate the project. So there you have it, a chain reaction, a domino effect that makes the credibility of ‘Michael’ go down.”
Indeed, Jackson’s brother Randy came out swinging on Twitter in mid-November, writing: “I became suspicious about the album, when I heard armed guards were involved since my brother’s passing, may he rest in peace. John McClain [executor of MJ’s estate along with John Branca] insisted that no family members were allowed at his studio where the project was being completed. My first thought was, what are they trying to hide?”
Riley insists no matter how the songs sound, they are Michael, and he will stand by the first album since the King of Pop’s death. “I am here to protect that, because I know it’s him, I know it’s great material, I know that it needs to be out,” Riley says. “I know that the legacy needs to continue because he’s such a great person, and there’s more to come.”
The producer says he would “definitely” be a part of future Jackson albums if offered the opportunity. A reported $250 million deal between Sony and the executors of MJ’s estate looks to put out 10 albums by 2017.
Teddy Riley had more to say on December 14, 2010:
Teddy Riley Takes Shots At Quincy Jones: “Look At His Age, He Can Barely Hear You Talk. How The H*ll Could He Hear Michael?”
» by Jason Weintraub December 14, 2010, 14:30pm (click on the link to read the full story):
As the new Michael Jackson album hits shelves today more than a year after his death, drama continues to erupt as Teddy Riley is the latest to speak on the controversy.
While Will.I.Am, Katherine Jackson and Quincy Jones have all said that the album should of never been released, Teddy Riley said he fought hard to release it.
In an interview with the UK Guardian, Riley said,
“I’m confident Michael would have wanted his message out there, and that’s what counts. I fought against his family big time. The only reason I fought against them all and fought against the fans was to make them believe that this is Michael Jackson’s vocals.”
Riley also made sure to speak on the comments of Quincy Jones’ comments about the questionable voice that may or may not be Michael on the album.
“Look at his age. He can barely hear you talk. How the hell could he hear Michael? Anybody who says [it is not Jackson on the album], I do have a comeback, because you’re not right. That’s just the bottom line.”
You can join the debate and see for yourself whether or not it is Michael on the album by picking it up in stores today.
Collaborators Say New Michael Jackson Album Honors Legacy
December 10, 2010 Associated Press
Michael Jackson spent the last two years of his life plotting his musical comeback. Besides a spectacular, record-breaking concert series planned for London, he was also tapping the hottest producers and biggest names for an album he hoped would help restore the luster to his spectacular yet troubled career.
“He wanted to give the world a gift. He didn’t want the world to depend on ‘Thriller,’ or ‘Bad’ or ‘Off the Wall,’” said Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, one of the last producers to work with Jackson. “He wanted to give them something new and fresh, and something they could hold and remember forever.”
Jackson didn’t live to see his dream come to fruition, but with help from Feemster, the singer’s estate and several other collaborators, another Jackson album has been crafted for his fans.
“Michael,” to be released Tuesday, contains 10 songs, most of which Jackson was working on when he died in June 2009 at age 50. The tracks were at different stages of completion, but producers like longtime Jackson collaborator Teddy Riley, Grammy-winner Tricky Stewart and rocker Lenny Kravitz worked over the last year to put the finishing touches on an album they believe Jackson would have been proud to call his own.
“I know he stood behind it, so I’m cool with what I did,” said Kravitz. “I was proud to put it out and knew that he’d be all over it, that he’d be really with it.”
Yet some are questioning whether “Michael” should be considered a true Jackson album since the King of Pop — a notoriously meticulous creator who labored over his creations until he thought they were as perfect as they could be — never put his stamp of approval on it.
Earlier this year, the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, who had done some work with Jackson before he died, harshly rebuked the planned posthumous release in an interview with The Associated Press, saying: “Now that he is not part of the process, what are they doing? Why would you put a record out like that? Because he was a friend of mine, I just think that’s disrespectful.”
That’s not the only criticism of the project. When the single “Breaking News” was previewed for fans on michaeljackson.com, his three nephews publicly assailed the song, a condemnation of the media, and said the voice featured on the track wasn’t Jackson’s. This led Riley, former manager Frank Dileo and others to come out and vouch for the track’s authenticity.
“I don’t think that it’s fair for anyone to say it without any proof. You have no proof,” said Riley in a recent interview, adding that the producers “took it to the next level” and hired three forensic musicologists in defense of the album.
Sony Records, which is releasing “Michael,” also got the backing of other Jackson collaborators to prove that it is Jackson.
John Branca, who was Jackson’s lawyer for years and is co-executor of his estate, would not specifically address the veracity of Jackson’s vocals, saying the facts speak for themselves.
But as far as whether Jackson would have approved of the release of the songs, Branca, while calling Jackson a “perfectionist,” compared the upcoming album to that of last year’s “This Is It.” That film was based on rehearsals for Jackson’s sold-out comeback shows at London’s O2 arena that were never to be. With careful editing, a dazzling — if unfinished — portrait of Jackson emerged.
“If you remember, there was criticism about the movie ‘This Is It’ because it contained rehearsal footage,” said Branca. “Some said Michael would not have wanted to release it. But people loved it and it expanded people’s love for him.”
“Michael,” a mixture of soulful pop ballads and up-tempo, mechanical-sounding grooves that recall his “Dangerous” era, is a much more polished artistic project than “This Is It,” party due to the top names brought in by the estate to finish Jackson’s creative vision.
Stewart, who has worked with such top talent as Beyonce and Rihanna, never collaborated with Jackson but was asked to work on the ballad “Keep Your Head Up,” which Jackson co-wrote. Stewart said the process was a bit intimidating at first.
“It was a tremendous amount of pressure because Michael was one of the great record-makers in the history of music,” said Stewart. “Not only are you trying to make sure that you’re keeping the integrity of the record, but you’re also trying to love up the body of work.”
To that end, Stewart said he tread more lightly on Jackson’s song than he would have on his own material: “I moved a bit more delicately because I knew there was going to be an approval process … I felt like it was just a situation that I wanted to bring them back the product that they were anticipating.”
For Kravitz, finishing the song “I Can’t Make It Another Day,” which the two recorded in part while their children were milling about, was bittersweet without Jackson’s participation. But he’s confident in its quality: “I think it was him at a very strong point … he is singing his behind off.”
Feemster said he and Jackson would spend time listening to all the top hits on the radio before crafting their songs in the hope of making something contemporary but innovative. He said Jackson’s motto was “give them something familiar but also give them something that they never had before.”
Riley considers “Michael” a work that will stand favorably against classics like “Thriller” or “Off the Wall.”
“I would say that this is a masterpiece,” declared Riley. “It goes along with the piece of the puzzle.”
Yet Akon, who co-wrote the album’s first single, “Hold My Hand,” thinks the album should be considered more of an attempt to honor the memory of a legend than an example of his finest material.
“I wouldn’t compare this album to any of his albums. The albums that he made up ‘til now were legendary … Mike at his peak, at the height of his creativity,” said Akon.
“This is not like a finished product that you can compare anything to,” he added. “It’s more of an album that you can hold onto to commemorate and appreciate his legacy.”
Copyright 2010 by Associated Press.
http://preview3.accesshollywood.com/news/collaborators-say-new-michael-jackson-album-honors-legacy_article_40920?__source=rss|news
Vindicating Michael 
@Vindicate,
I read Frank’s book and loved it to pieces. I think the Cascios meant more to Michael than we will ever know, and after reading Frank’s book I can say that was a very unique friendship and bond.
You are right about Frank on the stand. After seeing several of his interviews he is not very smooth. Mez made the right call.
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“I sat with Maculay Culkin and his entertainment lawyer and his entertainment lawyer was scared to death. Where as Maculay was cool as can be said “when Michael needs me I am there” – Thomas Mesereau.
Macaulay is an exceptionally honest and brave guy. After his ‘Home alone’ movies his testimony at the trial was the next best thing he did in his life. Macaulay didn’t like the idea of testifying either as he told Larry King, but when he realized Michael needed him he didn’t hesitate. And his nature, character and eloquence were an added advantage – he didn’t allow to be intimidated in court and gave so clear and definite answers that they brought home to everyone what craziness they were talking about. Great guy, I respect him a lot.
“Frank’s lawyer told me he was willing to testify…He also had to be willing to testify against Michael and he refused it. Even though that would have been a very safe way to go to make sure that you aren’t charged. You gotta give him credit for that. I decided that I didn’t need to call him”
I never doubted Frank Cascio. He was no less harassed than Michael and it required a lot of courage to still be willing to testify in those circumstances. If he had testified he would have done his best of course, but since he is shy his testimony wouldn’t have produced a big impression. Thomas Mesereau was right when he decided against calling him – it would have been a huge strain and even personal risk for Frank, while Sneddon would have bullied him to death there.
Frank is very honest and sincere, was a true and reliable friend to Michael and his support for him is indisputable. However I remember how severely the so-called Michael’s fans attacked Frank for his songs, calling them fake – while a person like that is simply incapable of lying. Now I hear that he is no less harassed for his words about Michael’s Demerol addiction which did take place at some point in his life and about which Michael was quite outspoken himself.
Let me say one thing in this connection. What made me realize it are the circumstances of Murray’s trial and the media dancing around Michael’s killer as if he were a hero.
What we are dealing with is an exceptionally unscrupulous, unceremonious and ruthless hydra in the face of the worldwide media and those who are orchestrating the whole thing.
The media will go on telling lies about those who are defending Michael’s interests and praise those who actually destroyed him.
This hydra is unbeatable while at least some Michael’s supporters believe its nasty lies.
The only way to deal with it is to turn a deaf ear to the hydra and shield Michael’s friends from its hate.
Instead of incessant fault-finding with them we should bring all of them together and stand as a wall behind their backs.
The media will tell us even more lies about these people. If Michael’s fans fall for everything the media says about Michael’s friends and acquire the same petty scandalous and tabloid style – attacking them for every little thing they say or do – it would be better if we didn’t “support” Michael at all, packed our things and went home instead.
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Here is the transcript of Mesereau’s comments on Frank Cascio: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/ehs71k
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There is a special post about the Cascio family, so I am repeating Suzy’s information here. This is from MJJC:
“T-Mez was just on Positively Michael live podcast and he was asked about Frank Cascio and 2005 trial. In short he confirmed everything Frank Cascio said about the 2005 trial.
T-Mez said that Sneddon brought that conspiracy charge to stop Frank and other people that were there when Arvizo’s was there from testifying.
T-Mez said that as a co-conspirator they were facing prison sentences so they had to get lawyers and be careful and try to protect themselves.
T-Mez said that he told Michael and Frank to cease communications totally.
T-Mez said that he talked with Frank’s lawyer regularly and Frank’s lawyer was cautious to protect his client.
T-Mez said that this somehow created the perception that Frank wasn’t cooperating but T-Mez says Frank told him that he would testify for Michael and T-Mez says it was his decision to not call Frank to the stand.
T-Mez also confirmed that Frank rejected immunity offered to him by Sneddon and he should be credited for that.”
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I heard that interview Roger Friedman did with Matthew Drudge a few weeks ago and that is what made me re-think Roger Friedman. And Matthew Drudge for that matter. I may not always agree with Friedman – but I think he was brave to go against the mainstream in 2005. And his knowledge of Michael’s associates and life is far more comprehensive than I have seen amongst the mainstream journos. I rate him as far more knowledgeable that JRT. For example – Michael’s dispute with Tommy Mottola. If you follow JRT’s narrative SONY found MJ to be so valueless that they completely supported TM and treated MJ as a “low priority”. RF reports that TM was fired two months after Michael’s protest and the head of SONY “loved” Michael. Who to believe? It is always difficult to sift fact from fiction when Michael is concerned. But I feel that there are three “charges” that the media laid against MJ that did most damage to his image: 1) he was a p-do, 2) he wanted to be white and 3) that his career was in decline/ he only ever made three great albums, all with QJ. Anyone in the mainstream media that goes against this orthodoxy IMO is someone we can do business with and gain as a total supporter. And RF at least looks further than his nose.
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@justme
I may not be Roger Friedman fan myself but he was fair to Michael during the trial unlike alot of other journalists at the time, at a time when it was not popular for journalists to say Michael was innocent. Here are a few interviews he did with Matt Drudge during the trial just to give an example of what I’m talking about.
(Roger’s interview with Matt Drudge starts at 7:23)
(The rest of the full interview Roger had with Matt Druge continues at this link)
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Hmmm, so now Friedman is to be believed, swallowed hook, line and sinker after all the lies he’s told about MJ in the past? Not buyin’ it.
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@ Debbie,
Thank you for your words I am glad you came. I read Reflections on the Dance. Your site like MJ777, allforlove and others is where I go to be reminded of the beauty of Michael’s creations; to clear my mind and soul of the muck that comes from vindicating him. I could not stay the course without out them. As far as the controversy over the album I think it comes with the territory of being a Fan and person. No two see things the same way other than we agree upon Michael’s innocence and to me that is the most important.
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@VindicateMJ, I completely agree with you. I’m the creator of the Reflections on the Dance website http://www.reflectionsonthedance.com and I’m right there with you in wanting to show the truth amidst all of the ugly lies. We are very much on the same page 🙂
I also understand how frustrating all that is going on in regards to the new album is. I agree it’s a personal choice and that nobody should be telling anyone they can’t buy it, etc. Personally, I think the album has some great tunes on it and they are Michael’s messages. I won’t get too into that whole debate, but I do understand what you mean (((hugs)))
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Debbie, it is okay. Mistakes are made by all of us and it is good when misunderstandings are clarified.
We here take special care to check up our sources and give our assessment of them. Since you are only starting reading the blog it will probably shock you that we often use haters’ sources where we find truly invaluable information which is commonly not found in fans’ sites. Yes, I am afraid it isn’t a usual fan site with love hearts all over the page – it is a research site where Michael’s advocates do a lot of dirty work usually avoided by Michael’s fans.
The goal is to find precious grains of truth behind the lot of dirt splashed over Michael and refute haters’ lies which is impossible to do unless you know their arguments and study their sources. Hence is our difference – you dig up the mud feeling dirty all over, then sift through the web with a fine-tooth comb for the documents to disprove their filthy lies, then you put everything together and show the result.
P.S. And then somebody says it is okay for you to do the job – only don’t you ever dare tell them to buy Michael’s album because they have an opinion. Sorry for this angry remark, I am making it only because I am also entitled to an opinion as you can guess.
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““As far as Michael laying down vocal tracks in the Cascio’s home studio, this is a fact”.
I know that too from my sources and his bodyguards had confirmed it long time ago.
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@VindicateMJ…no, I’m sorry if my post was taken the wrong way. What I meant was that I was agreeing with what Dialdancer said as I have seen so much of that going around. We all make mistakes. No worries. I was just agreeing that I have seen so many posts without sources or facts checked. It happens to all of us, so I did not mean to be condemning in any way ❤ I was just reiterating what she said about that and how we all have to be careful. I've not followed the entire thread of comments as I was just reading this post today, so I apologize if my comment caused any misunderstanding. I really appreciate the work you guys do here.
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“We have to be diligent in what we post, providing sources and additional information and checking sources thoroughly before posting as so much of the opposite is being done and is inciting further anger and agitation within the fan base. We have to make sure we are being responsible and diligent and not just jumping on the next bandwagon of attacking individuals or groups. This is exactly what those who want to silence Michael’s message and his legacy, want.”
Debbie, if you are talking about Dialdancer apologizing for her comments about Oprah I must say that it is solely my fault. I received the information from another of our co-admins who in her turn had received it from the author of the information letter – and she is a highly respectable and honorable person in every way. This is why it never occurred to me or any of us to recheck whether the Discovery channel is really Oprah’s or not. Next time I will as I’ve learned my lesson.
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I am just re-reading the blog post here and I think I may have mis-understood the original intent. I apologize. It seems the comments that included hateful language were used to show the hypocrisy that has run so rampant now in the fan base. I’m sorry if I misunderstood previously.
@Dialdancer, I have seen what you are referring to popping up all over the place and it is worrying. We have to be diligent in what we post, providing sources and additional information and checking sources thoroughly before posting as so much of the opposite is being done and is inciting further anger and agitation within the fan base. We have to make sure we are being responsible and diligent and not just jumping on the next bandwagon of attacking individuals or groups. This is exactly what those who want to silence Michael’s message and his legacy, want.
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“As far as Michael laying down vocal tracks in the Cascio’s home studio, this is a fact. So, no, they were not lying about that. It’s been verified. I’ve spoken to people who spoke to Michael while he was staying at the Cascio’s and he was there and did lay down tracks. So that fact, to the best of my knowledge, is truth.”
Debbie, oh, at least this is good news. The Cascios are not liars and every attempt to call them this word is a disgraceful deed on the part of Michael’s supporters.
The finish of the songs may be disputed, but again – it doesn’t have anything to do with Michael’s legacy! His legacy is what it is – phenomenal and monumental, but the new songs should be taken for what they are – unfinished songs which are nevertheless greater than the finished pieces of many other artists!
If new pieces by great composers of the past were suddenly discovered now the musical world would be buzzing with excitement over them – they would be fighting for the right to perform them! Why Michael’s music should be regarded differently I don’t understand… It seems that someone is doubting that even the ‘waste’ of Michael’s music can be so good that very few can rival it.
And I don’t doubt it even for a second. Michael was a genius, so even his “worst” is still the “best” as compared with everyone else. Has it ever occurred to you that some might be just jealous?
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I’m going to be honest here and say that I’m not sure why so many hateful comments were included in this post. I love the research you guys do here and I support so much of what you delve into and your diligence, but including comments from fans who use foul language and with some going so far as saying they wish they could shoot the Cascio family, is highly disturbing. This is not at all what Michael was about. Michael was all about being humble, kind, loving. His message was all about love and coming together, not about violence and hatred. If we call ourselves fans and supporters, and if we truly want to honor Michael and his legacy, then we are going to have to take a look at the man in our own mirrors and make some changes.
Mohatma Ghandi said, ‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attitude of the strong.’…Michael included this in his 2001 Oxford University Speech. Michael spoke about forgiveness, not hatred.
Whatever your opinion of the Cascio’s or anyone else, hate, anger and violence should NEVER figure in. That’s not what Michael stood for. The truth will all come out eventually, whatever that truth is, and we must remain patient and be kind and learn from Michael’s messages. Otherwise, the messages Michael died trying to share with us, are all for naught.
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David, you are an excellent guy and you always speak out of the best intentions. I have tried to finish off that post about Larry Feldman but simply cannot refocus on it as my mind is somewhere else. I realize I need to do other things before I ever go back to any of those topics.
P.S. Okay, I’ll have another try with Larry Feldman to make at least that one complete.
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As far as Michael laying down vocal tracks in the Cascio’s home studio, this is a fact. So, no, they were not lying about that. It’s been verified. I’ve spoken to people who spoke to Michael while he was staying at the Cascio’s and he was there and did lay down tracks. So that fact, to the best of my knowledge, is truth.
As far as anything else that did or didn’t happen to the finished version of the vocals, I can’t say. We will have to see what comes out in the wash. Just praying that at the end of the day, what we remember is Michael and all that he left us with, and that we all unite for truth, but do so in a kind, loving, respectful manner just as Michael would have. Let’s make him proud. ❤
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@ Helena
If you need to take a break from the allegations, that’s fine! But are you at least going to finish the series on Larry Feldman? You were making so much progress with him! I think you had one more part to do on him. And don’t forget parts 2 and 3 of the “Was it a Deposition?” Other than that, you should be done with the allegations for a while.
Didn’t you also say you were going to write on MJ’s lupus? And another post on MJ’s friends? You already did one on Dave Dave and Ryan White, and I think you said there were others. Since those don’t involve the allegations, they shouldn’t be as mentally taxing on you.
You could also do a post on all of those photo comparisons that I emailed you a few weeks ago! Like the one with MJ’s photo from the 2002 civil trial, where he has tape on his nose? Or the ones comparing him from the 80’s to the 2000’s? I’m just trying to give you some ideas of non-vindication topics to write about.
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“Tell me that you are not going to stop from searching and providing us the facts about the allegations?”
Ares, your support is invaluable to me. If the research I’ve done is important at least for one person here (and others who also told me that) it will surely go on – only I need some time to get over this Sony thing and need to investigate the boycott.
Yes, we’ve missed the golden opportunity and the haters have won but I will do my best to explain exactly these two things to those who are still there to listen.
Just give me some time please. Research is a serious thing – it is not done in a day. It involves much reading, much thinking and getting up at night with new ideas coming to your head. But if all you have in your head is a boycott of MICHAEL’S album – which is totally unthinkable to me! – the research of past allegations is the last thing you can do.
If you understand what I mean I can’t even raise myself to do any research for those who refuse to listen to me in matters of the album and don’t buy it. I take their boycott as a personal affront to Michael and – frankly – don’t want to do anything for them any more.
BUT FOR YOU – YES, I DO!
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“What he said is correct: I didn’t leave the blog, I will still comment as a regular poster, I just signed off as a co-admin that’s all.”
Suzy, I will be really, really happy if you are help David and Lynette with the vindication process. I will also be commenting and will occasionally do vindication posts (when/if I can) but now my interests have mostly turned to today’s reality where Michael’s vindication is required no less than in the past.
I remember you’ve asked me a question which I’ll try to answer now. The question was:
“I don’t know guys if you realized this but Sony or the Estate left out a line from the song “Hollywood Tonight”. In the booklet it’s there but in the song it’s cut out! Why is it interesting from our perspective? Because this is the verse and line I am talking about:
“West bound Greyhound
To tinsel town
Just to pursue her movie star dreams
She’s giving hot tricks to men
just to get in
When she was taught that’s not clean
Because she’s only fifteen”
The “because she’s only fifteen” line is cut out and replaced by “she’s headed for the big time, that means” which is inserted here from another part of the song. It seems like Sony are uncomfortable with Michael talking about (and against!) child abuse – that’s probably also why they wouldn’t release “Do you know where your children are”, which I find really, really sad….”
To me it is a sign that Sony is afraid – yes, afraid – to bring into the general discussion more controversy than is already there. If they didn’t want us to know the lyrics they wouldn’t have published them AT ALL – and we would never have known they ever existed. But this mess speaks to a difference of opinion they have between themselves – first they mixed the song and then decided to restore the real lyrics in print. This was clearly a decision taken later as printing the booklet is much less time-consuming than making the music and copies of the CD.
Yes, it seems that Sony is uncomfortable about Michael talking about child abuse, but only because they feel that when fans don’t support them they have to appeal to the general public whom they don’t want to tease with more controversy. They most probably decided to make the album quiet, smooth, neutral and free from any radical thoughts which could remind people of those ”molestation” issues.
In my opinion it is a wrong decision as Michael could speak for himself better if his full lyrics were heard – but when people are emotionally pressed they tend to make mistakes. However the fact that Sony did print the real lyrics shows they are not hopeless – they are making themselves more vulnerable to criticism by disclosing their own difference of opinion, but they are nevertheless taking this risk!
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@Helena
, tell me that i understood wrong? Tell me that you are not going to stop from searching and providing us the facts about the allegations? Please tell me that. Unfortunatelly, we can not do much about the album now. What is done is done. The controversy, the fans reactions, the lack of promotion by Sony -wich i find very strange and more irriteting than the fans reaction – all of this have lead to poor sales. The album is not doing well at all and some people have given their hopes. A fried of mine said that we had been given a golden opportunity and we burned it./ Some say that MJ’s legacy is written on a stone, if i am saying it right, and low salles will not affect it but they are forgetting that MJ’s legacy is followed by child molestation allegations wich no one is bothered to report the true facts and disolve the myths. And those allegations are able to unwritte whatever it is written. If they don’t understand that, then they are living in their own Neverland. And that is it why i agree with what Teva said about the importance of this album.The fans that are loyal to MJ are very few and if we want his legacy to live, we want new fans, we want the new generation to learn about him.Trust me when i say that.I live in a country where MJ is basically insignificant. There are a few fans but in the general pubblic he is not relevant at all.Before he died i never, ever heard his music, his name was never mentioned in music shows. He was completely forgotten. That changed a little bit when he died. But now things are the same.So, if we are boycotting every single opportunity how is this exactly going to change? / Helena, what you are doing is very very important.I have learned so many things wich i report to whoever is judging MJ. / To me even if you manage to change the mind of one person, you will have succed your goal. This is why you shouldn’t stop what you are doing now.
@Suzy
I am happy that you are still with us.I don’t think that three song should divide us.Now we have to be more united that ever. Because we are the only one that can change the injustice that is done to MJ. His family doest care , or better they care more about profits , his company doesn’t care but we do. We have to make a change.
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“I see that this topic of fake songs & fake friends is upsetting you. I have to tell you honestly that you are beating a dead horse. Peoples’ minds are made up on this one and you will never be able to convince them otherwise.”
Teva, you are probably right about a dead horse. This is why I felt (and still feel) so frustrated with my inability to change anything that wanted to stop vindication on my part and pass it over to David and other co-admins. Every human being has a certain limit.
I am afraid that in the near future David and Lynette will be our only hope in the vindication process – I physically and morally cannot go back into 1993 and 2005. My mind, heart and soul are wholly in the present and the pain of what they are doing to Michael’s fans is so big that despite my complete unwillingness to look into the boycott against Sony I think I will have to.
I know my efforts will most probably be a failure as I’ll be going against the tide but feel that this is the only way I can now follow. The prospect of being completely alone in expressing something unpopular is of course a very unpleasant one – but my only driving force has always been search for the truth and this search is taking me elsewhere now.
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Can i make a personal request? Can we return back to the vindication posts? Those who want to buy the damn album will buy it, those who don’t, will not in a million years. Their mind is set.
Ares, please – if you can – please believe me that vindicating Michael ‘as such’ is useless if nobody is interested in the man. The way the situation with the album is evolving it is getting clearer and clearer to me every day.
Even if our vindication makes tremendous progress the success will be shared by a small group of supporters who will have no chance to make it available to the general public because no one will be interested in the man. To ardently need justice for Michael you need to remember him in the first place and if there is no interest no justification works.
Now I see that the success of the album is essential to Michael’s vindication. It will keep up interest in him, it will make people listen to his lyrics, new fans will wonder why Michael is expressing so much anger in his songs, will be compelled to look and research. If there is no interest there will be no new fans, while the old ones are busy sorting out various problems between themselves.
Ares, same as you I also underestimated the attack against the album and thought that raking in the past was much more important than today’s struggle over it and now see it was a grave mistake.
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Thank you, David! What he said is correct: I didn’t leave the blog, I will still comment as a regular poster, I just signed off as a co-admin that’s all.
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@ Teva and Ares
Just to correct a misconception, Suzy did not leave the blog. While she is no longer a co-admin, she will still comment and contribute research and information. Even before the falling out with Helena, she didn’t have much time to write articles anyway, so she may have still relinquished co-admin rights. But she will still visit the blog and comment. I just wanted to clear that up. Thanks!
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@Helena
I see that this topic of fake songs & fake friends is upsetting you. I have to tell you honestly that you are beating a dead horse. Peoples’ minds are made up on this one and you will never be able to convince them otherwise. God or Michael will have to say that is was him singing.
The album is now history. I stand behind my original comment – I believe the album will probably do well as a whole, but I am skeptical it’s singles will chart against the likes of Rhianna, Katy Perry, Drake and Bruno Mars for reasons previously stated.
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I am sorry to hear that Suzy has left the blog, I think she was an asset.
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@Helena
Can i make a personal request? Can we return back to the vindication posts? Those who want to buy the damn album will buy it, those who don’t ,will not in a million years.Their mind is set.And it is their right after all. I really think that the vindication of MJ is the most important thing because it is that that tarnishes his legacy and not some allegedly fake songs. I really thought that this album would help people focus their attention again in MJ’s music but from what i have learned the album is not doing so well so, i guess, this whole situation ends somewhere here.We, who support the album, did what we thought it was right and bought the album. Those who don’t support it did what they thought it was right.They won, we lost. Now we can unite again and find a way in crearing MJ’s name from those awful allegations./ I am making this comment because i was really surprised that Suzy left the blog. I really could never think that this album would divide so much the fans. It’s really very sad.
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“I agree with your assessment of the Cascio family. If we don’t believe them when it comes to the authenticity of the songs, then we won’t believe them in their staunch defense of MJ against the allegations.”
David, thank you so much! In the circumstances your support is doubly precious to me. Please let me say here again what I think about the Cascio songs.
It seems that all this talk about the album being genuine or fake (or partially fake) is not mere music discussion. Why I so whole-heartedly support the album as genuine is because the songs come from this particular family. If we don’t believe Cascios I don’t know who else we can believe and if they are considered liars in music their testimony about Michael’s innocence will be devalued too.
Somebody was shrewd enough to start a devaluation campaign against Cascios because they are an easy target with their unfinished songs – but if the Cascios are lying it also automatically casts doubt on all other Michael’s friends too. Why should we believe the word of Macauley, Robson, Brett Barnes and many other witnesses then? Why are they better than the Cascios? What if they are lying too? You only start with it and you see where it takes us…
What I mean is that when we allow to doubt the word of Michael’s best friends the absolute scale of judgment disappears and everything turns into the statement “everybody lies” – which is followed by the next step “and this is why we will never know whether Michael was guilty or not”.
It is my huge belief that people like Cascios have earned our respect and trust by the many years of their genuine support for Michael and they should be believed no matter what – even if some vibrato in their songs is found a little strange.
And since what Cascios say is an absolute piece of truth to me the thought arising from it is – if somebody wants to destroy these people as liars it is their detractors who should be looked into. It would the same if somebody told you bad things about your mother – you wouldn’t doubt her, would you? Instead you will look into those who tell stories about her and wonder why they do it, right?
So all this talk about the album is not about whether we like some songs or not – it is about haters AGAIN. And if people don’t see the point it is terribly disappointing.
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““I didn’t know them,” Jackie tells USA TODAY’s Andrea Mandell, his soft voice stiffening.
He’d never heard of them? “Nope.”
David, I think there are two possibilities here. He either really didn’t know them and then it tells us how “close” he was with Michael after the Jackson Five era and the second one is that he intentionally ignores the Cascios as he is siding with the other members of the family who are unhappy about their songs.
Frankly the first option seems to be more probable than the second (or it may be a bit of both) – it seems that Michael’s siblings don’t know much about the later years of their brother so that the Cascios may be complete strangers to them. They prefer to talk only of the time they were together when they were young stressing the “family bond”.
I recently saw a video of Jackie Jackson speaking with Kadir Nelson, the painter who made a cover for the latest album and decided not to quote it in the blog because Jackie did not even mention Michael’s name there – all the talk was about the guitar, Tito, Mowtown, the wagon bus, Marlon, him and the family things – and not a single word about Michael!
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T2GVJA2fmc
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Helena, I agree with your assessment of the Cascio family. If we don’t believe them when it comes to the authenticity of the songs, then we won’t believe them in their staunch defense of MJ against the allegations.
Speaking of the Cascios, I was utterly shocked when I read this interview with Jackie Jackson, who said he had “never heard” of the Casco family! I thought to myself “How can that be? They’ve travelled with MJ all over the world, spent an enormous time with him at Neverland, helped supervise the Arvizos during their so-called imprisonment, and Frank Cascio was named as an unindicted co-conspirator! How could you NOT know about them, Jackie?”
For Jackie to not know about the Cascios is the equivalent to Latoya not knowing about Victor Gutierrez when she hugged him earlier this year! Maybe this family is truly as clueless and dysfunctional as we all thought they were!
Here is a quote:
“I didn’t know them,” Jackie tells USA TODAY’s Andrea Mandell, his soft voice stiffening.
He’d never heard of them? “Nope.”
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2010/12/jackie-jackson-never-heard-of-michaels-secret-family-/1
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First, I like to say that I really am sorry Suzy you felt you needed to leave as being co-admin. Hopefully, with time you might come back.
I had read Raven’s topic the other day, which I found very interesting. Like I had posted to gtf, I thought their post was very well said.
It really is unfortunate to see things happening like this.
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Guys, when I began to think that the two or three people here who support Michael’s new album are all alone in the world I suddenly found a great many others who are also amazed by the boycott same as I am. They have left their comments in Raven Woods’ remarkable blog where she has recently made a post explaining how the Melodyne technology is working – I highly recommend it to those who haven’t seen it yet: http://allforloveblog.com/?p=4746
The post doesn’t answer all the questions but is positive, encouraging and together with the comments has revived my spirits a bit. And the spirits have sunk low to almost a zero point. If you remember we’ve had here a notable discussion with Suzy whether the album is genuine or fake (or at least partially fake). Unfortunately it brought about such a division between us that Suzy decided to leave the blog as a co-admin. Her decision – not mine.
I am not going to pretend I don’t mind her leaving because I do. It is a big blow to me, the blog and Michael’s vindication. But I can’t help thinking that things like that between Michael’s followers are precisely the goal of those who imposed this senseless boycott on all of us. Confuse, divide and destroy us one after another.
The comments from allforlove blog which impressed me most are exactly about this idea.
gtf says:
December 15, 2010 at 7:20 am
Ιt’s funny how some fans act like Michael authorized them to be the handlers of his will or his music. It’s funny how lots of them act like those haters who believe in the allegations. They have made up their mind that the songs are fake and they are not willing to hear at anyone or have an open mind.
It is funny how those fans, like the haters, will believe any stranger out there who will feed their theory but their are not willing to believe the people that have actually worked with Michael and then worked on the album.
It is funny that they have gone so long as to leave bad reviews in sites like amazon in order to prevent people from bying it. First it was boycotting This is It because apparenty This Wasn’t It and of course the fans believed papa Jeo Jackson who said that there were lookalikes in the film. I didn’t see any look alike but i remember that the family or better Joe was against that progect. He wanted fans to boycott it.
Here we go again with this album. Same thing all over again. BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT. And what is the problem this time? Oh yes, there is an imposter who is singing in Michael’s place. So apparently This In not It either. And how do we know that there is an imposter? Oh, but we can hear him. The thing is like this. Those fans want to hate somebody. No matter how much evidence anybody provides them, they just want to hate. Period.
Because i can not explain how all those people would believe that the Cascio family, the same family, the ONLY FAMILY, that defended him during the trial would do such a thing to him. I also think that their acts makes us all look bad. Because who in hell is going to believe a Michael Jackson fan when he/she is defending his innocence regarding the allegations, when the same fans are boycotting his work, are accusing people who supported him during his lifetime, of conspiracy, or are supporting crazy theories. ARMY OF LOVE MY ASS. Army of hate and ignorance and arrogance.
One last thing. This album IS Michael jACKSON. Whether it was made with his blessing whether not, it is him. And with all those people’s crazy acts they are preventing from a new generation to know a deferent Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson the artist and not the crazy person that the media wanted him to be. Because if you don’t have. I really expected negative reaction for the album. But i was expecting it mostlly by Michael’s detractors. How happy must they feel now that we, the “fans” are making their job so easy.
HOORAY FOR US.
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@ rockforeveron, Helena and others
It’s not that Michael has a vibrato. Of course he does. Who said he didn’t? He’s a singer. Vibrato is just a musical effect consisting of a regular pulsating change of pitch.
But his is very smooth. While the person on KYHU. Well, I have never heard Michael have a vibrato LIKE THAT….
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David,
No, a person asked Teddy today on twitter about the song ‘Joy’. And he replied yes that MJ did recorded his own version of this song. I would so love to hear MJ’s version! Really is a beautiful song.
Never read that interview he did after the memorial. I’ll check that out too. Thanks.
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@ Suzy
They were processed before Teddy came in by other producers and then he was called in by IRONICLY the Jacksons to polish it off. The other producers never worked with MJ so they wanted some1 who had in the last decade.
I keep seeing stuff like it’s all for money blah blah blah. 1. You don’t sign a £250 million contract for music to make a loss.
2. Michael’s kids may be able to look after themselves financially when their older, but for the time being it will give them more freedom to chase their dreams if they have money behind them as it takes the risk factor away. All the family seem dependant on Michael’s music (which i don’t understand). The estate has already paid off the morgage on family home.
A question I would like answered is why is Michael’s legacy paying for his neice and nephews upbringing? Shouldn’t their parents be making money for them to live off? Hint hint Jermaine!
That is why IMO Katherine is asking for more money each month for their upbringing and if that is the case the estate are absolutly right to say “hold on, this money was left for his kids and mum not the entire family!”
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@ Gigi
Are you talking about this interview he did last July after MJ’s memorial? http://www.maximum-jackson.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=11201 If so, that is when I first found out about Joy. I asked him about it in more detail on his blog, and as soon as he answers I’ll let everyone know what he says!
BTW, in that interview he said that his group Blackstreet will cover “Heaven Can Wait” on their next album! Can’t wait to hear it!
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David,
I noticed someone asked Teddy if MJ had recorded his own version of ‘Joy’. Teddy said he did and its in the vault. I tried to listen to the video you posted, but its not playing for me.
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“Last time on Twitter he said when he got the songs they were already processed. Now he claims he processed them. Which one is true?”
Both can be true. They could have been processed by Cascio, for example, and could have been passed over to Teddy for further improvement or correction. But if they were processed by Cascio IT DOES NOT MEAN that they faked it – it only means that they tried to do the rough job while the final work was to be done by Teddy.
Suzy, it seems that you are just being oversuspicious here. Actually each such “discrepancy” has an explanation – only in this case we don’t even need one. I haven’t listened to many other songs but Monster is definitely Michael’s – the lyrics and the fury standing behind the words can be his only . Of course if he were alive he would have made it perfect, but HE ISN’T – so why deny ourselves the joy of hearing at least a variant of it?
Now I begin thinking that to many fans Michael was probably a singer and dancer only – while to me it is his genius of a composer and a human being that comes first. I marvel at his music, the message of his songs and his dance (which we alas will never see again) – and this makes each of his songs top valuable to me even if it is only hummed by him. I cannot imagine in my worst nightmare that some of Michael’s greatest legacy created in the later period of his life would be rejected due to some vibrato or other similar stuff!
“I know it’s him, I know it’s great material, I know that it needs to be out,” Riley says. “I know that the legacy needs to continue because he’s such a great person, and there’s more to come.”
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Last time on Twitter he said when he got the songs they were already processed. Now he claims he processed them. Which one is true?
Both? The Cascio’s processed them before giving them to Teddy and he tweaked them further?
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You can hear MJ’s vibrato here on You Rock My World too….
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@ Helena
Teddy is not totally honest, in my opinion.
Last time on Twitter he said when he got the songs they were already processed. Now he claims he processed them. Which one is true?
Here is what he said on Twitter last week:
TeddyRiley: The fact is they’re heavily processed…meaning Mj vox were melodyne heavy. Melodyne is much like autotune.
Damien Shields: Thanks again. Were they processed before u got them, or did u process them? Any chance of original unprocessed vox coming out?
TeddyRiley: Yes they were.
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“It was Erin Jacobs who called in that day. She runs Justice 4 MJ, and is dedicated to getting Dr. Murray’s charges upgraded and organizing fans to picket outside of the courthouse whenever he shows up to court. Here is her site: http://www.justice4mj.com/ She also runs the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California on facebook. She is definitely a bigtime supporter of MJ, and she encourages fans to buy the album to support MJ, and not necessarily Sony, which has drawn the ire of some fans, such as Bonnie Cox. I’m very close with Erin, and we speak on the phone often.”
David, thanks for the information. Give my best regards to Erin for her support of Michael’s album and her desire to overcome this strange division among Michael’s fans. By the way I earlier took her site for another one with an almost identical name – Justice4MJJ which adheres to a totally opposite point of view than Erin’s (they are haters of the album). Strange they made their name so look-alike with Erin’s blog.
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“Sony is not doing any great job for michael. They just want the money.”
Jaqueline, and Michael’s children don’t need money?
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“If a song is so unfinished that you will have to use someone else’s voice to complete it or you need to over-process it so much that it raises doubts, then do not release that song!”
Suzy, it was a hypothesis only and I have already taken my words back. Teddy Riley explained it in much simpler terms:
“What we did was utilize the Melodyne (technology) to get him in key,” “With the Melodyne we actually move the stuff up which is the reason why some of the vibrato sounds a little off”.
The way I understand it there could have two or more versions – an instrumental and an acapella ones (or parts of them) with half a tone difference between the two, so that Michael’s voice had to be taken UP via a computer to match the instrumental part. It is nothing much, they probably do it all the time when mixing a song.
As regards using someone else’s voice – this version is theoretically possible but is highly unlikely. I’ve listened to some probable substitutes and none of them have a vibrato. So why should the producers select someone specifically with a vibrato if they could have chosen someone without it is a question which is difficult to answer – unless it is Michael’s voice.
What you are saying about other songs coming first is actually the ORDER in which they were selected – but the time for the rest will come anyway! They probably didn’t choose “Do you know where your children are” for the first album not to tease the haters over the SUBJECT of the song and let the sleeping dogs (haters) lie. But sooner or later it will be released too – that is why they are erasing it all over the internet now.
What we see here with Michael’s songs is an ABSOLUTELY NATURAL PROCESS. When a famous writer dies the full collection of his works is usually published (complete with the drafts, letters, unfinished pieces, etc.). And while some prefer to read only his major and polished works, others like reading his correspondence or see his unfinished work too – and NOTHING HAPPENS TO THE LEGACY OF THIS WRITER! You can just have a concise collection of “the best only” or you can have the complete collection in several volumes – but the attitude towards the writer and the scope of his genius do not change because of that!
Frankly, I don’t understand why people are fighting this natural process.
Just as I’ve already said – it is like fighting the wind.
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I bet Sony is saying this now:
“Why didn’t Michael Jackson die before?”
Sony is not doing any great job for michael. They just want the money. Michael’s death meant money to them. That’s all.
Be blind if you want, but that is the truth.
Michael Jackson, in my opinion, was a human being, not an “entity” or an “state”, as you are saying.
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Well, someone (apparently a musician) wrote on an MJ forum that he uses Melodyne all the time and it doesn’t change the vibrato…..
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Oops, sorry, the last post was mine. Suzy
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@ Helena
Vox is just a slang for voice.
Let me venture a hypothesis here – what if Michael managed to fully record only part of the song? Let us say the end of it and as to the rest of the song he just hummed the tune, sang it in low voice or didn’t sing there at all? What will you do if Michael left you a tape like that? Is it genuine? IT DEFINITELY IS. Can it go the way it is in the album? No, it can’t.
If I were in the place of the album producers I would try to reconstruct the missing parts by computer processing, strenthening his voice or even using some else’s to make it complete.
I think that is exactly what happened. But I can’t accept it. If a song is so unfinished that you will have to use someone else’s voice to complete it or you need to over-process it so much that it raises doubts, then do not release that song! There are other great songs in the vault which are completed – like the great Do you know where your children are – then go with those songs! I just cannot accept Michael’s songs being completed with someone else trying to sound like him or being this over-processed. To me it IS a problem which will just make me skip the Cascio songs.
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France made it gold too loke Holland and it’s no 1 in Greece now. The cd was released in Europe the previous week and it’s already doing pretty good.
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UPDATE ON I-TUNES MUSIC CHARTS for “Michael”
-Germany: #1
-Belgium: #1
-Denmark: #1
-Italy: #1
-Luxembourg: #1
-Switzerland: #1
-New Zealand: #1
-France: #2
-Sweden: #2
-Austria: #2
-Australia: #3
-Netherlands: #3
-UK: #4
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Helena I am trying to post 2 videos to another post but nothing happens
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“…because he’s not with us he cannot give us new vocals. What we did was utilize the Melodyne (technology) to get him in key,” Riley says. “With the Melodyne we actually move the stuff up which is the reason why some of the vibrato sounds a little off or processed, over-processed. We truly apologize for that happening, but you are still hearing the true Michael Jackson.”
Well, David, this settles the problem of that vibrato once and for all. I’m happy Teddy Riley has at last disclosed the big secret – there is nothing better and more disarming than the truth. And again it proves that the Cascios were never lying! By the way the article says that by 2017 we can have up to 10 new albums! Wow!
David, I’ll add this article to the post.
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@gigi Riley has already answered about this, he believes he is physically alive
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Here is an article where Teddy Riley discusses the “over-processing” of some of the vocals.
“I had to do more processing to the voice, which is why people were asking about the authenticity,” Riley says. “We had to do what we had to do to make … his voice work with the actual music.”
The album is set for release Dec. 14. Of the batch of recordings used for ‘Michael,’ Riley, who worked with Jackson before his death, says MJ would “never consider it being a final vocal.”
“But because he’s not with us he cannot give us new vocals. What we did was utilize the Melodyne (technology) to get him in key,” Riley says. “With the Melodyne we actually move the stuff up which is the reason why some of the vibrato sounds a little off or processed, over-processed. We truly apologize for that happening, but you are still hearing the true Michael Jackson.”
http://www.popeater.com/2010/12/13/michael-jackson-producer-controversial-posthumous-songs-underwe/
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@Helena
We are here to help each other 🙂
Sure. This is the best part of being a supporter of Michael. One of the biggest impressions Michael creates is the people he has collected around himself.
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@Helena
We are here to help each other 🙂
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“As for the vibrato part you should listen at Butterflies.”
Let us not put off until tomorrow what can be done today.
Here is the Acapella version of the song:
Visitor, the vibrato is there (sorry I never noticed it) and I take my words back!
P.S. And some crazy people still doubt Michael’s orientation…
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@ Helena
It was Erin Jacobs who called in that day. She runs Justice 4 MJ, and is dedicated to getting Dr. Murray’s charges upgraded and organizing fans to picket outside of the courthouse whenever he shows up to court. Here is her site: http://www.justice4mj.com/
She also runs the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California on facebook. She is definitely a bigtime supporter of MJ, and she encourages fans to buy the album to support MJ, and not necessarily Sony, which has drawn the ire of some fans, such as Bonnie Cox. I’m very close with Erin, and we speak on the phone often. I’ll tell her to make a comment here on the blog. She will be interviewed on that radio show in a week or two because she wants to educate fans on what’s going on with the upcoming preliminary hearing in January.
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I was at “All for Love” Blog and i come across this comment wich i liked it very much. The user gives an additional reason why he/she supports this cd. I am posting it as i found it. I thing i agree with him/her.
gtf says:
December 11, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Raven, here is another reason why i am not against this or any other future Michael album. For so many years the media choose to present only the negative parts of Michael’s life.This, combined by the fact that Michael himself hadn’t released any new material for quite a long time (well when someone is fighting for their life in a court room i don’t know how easy it is to writte songs, but anyway)had a very negative influence in Michael’s image. People who used to love him kinda forgot why they loved Michael and why was he named “The king of pop”.The new generation grew up listening and watching Michael from media perspective. And we all know that that perspective was skewed , seriously biased and negative.They never heard about Michael the amazing artist or the incredible dancer or the gifted songwritter etc. They grew up being told that Michael was this monster that they should hate.
I think that the release of this projects will once again introduce us to Michael that we loved.And that is the artist.We will focus again in what really matters and had been forgotten for so long.His work.The new generation will learn another Michael.And i hope that they will begin to appreciate and love that Michael.
In the beggining i was kinda affraid of this whole idea.I thought that those albums might damage his legacy.But hearing the songs (exept from Breaking News wich althought it has great lyrics,for some reason i don’t like it.I don’t like the melody at all)i came to the conclution that his estate is making a good efford to preserve his music legacy (i have a beef on the way they are handling other matters but this is not the place and time for that).The songs are not bad at all in my opinion.And if the future cd’s will contain this kind of songs then i don’t think that Michael’s legacy will be damaged (or at least i hope so.)
Τhis will probably be the last positive comment that i will ever writte on your blog because, as you may have already realize, i do complain a lot and i often tend to focus on the negative aspects of something. So cherish this comment for ever LOOOL. I really hope this positive attitude won’t turn out to be false and bitte me in the @ss in the end.
@Helena
As for the vibrato part you should listen at Butterflies.
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“Everybody knows that this song ain’t Michael Jackson
They’re out here killing the love of Michael Jackson
Just when you thought it was done now its a weapon
You turn your back on His love
And sell a Phony as Him
No matter what you just wanna hear it again
Sony’s curupt and you know it’s about money”
David, I don’t think it funny. Someone on the web made a very valid point – out of the hundreds of songs Sony now has access to why would they select the fakes ones for the first album? To ruin the whole thing from the very start? Do you see any reason in such a move?
Why would they invest so much money in marketing the fake songs if they have a big collection of genuine ones in their vault? For example, “Do you know where your children are?” which is definitely Michael’s and which they will probably release when people are ready to take its lyrics without prejudice?
And why is Sony so terribly to blame for making profit? Firstly they are business and no charity, and secondly, aren’t they also making money for Michael and his children? Or is there somebody there who is terribly uncomfortable with Michael earning money after his death? Who are they, I wonder?
And what about this “killing love of MJ and turning back on his love” idea? Who kills whose love? The more they speak about love they more I resent it because they pay lip service to it only – these are catchy but meaningless phrases with the good word largerly devalued by a dishonest use.
In short is it a haters’ hymn meant to brainwash Michael’s fans?
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I don’t know if it’s just me or what, but Teddy’s blog is even more confusing to me than his twitter page. The way he replies to people sounds like he believes MJ is physically alive. He doesn’t draw the distinction enough between sounding like he believes MJ is still on earth hiding somewhere. Verses believing that MJ is alive in his heart and not spiritually dead, but speaking from the eternal life aspect meaning that MJ is sleep, which are all those who have passed on and will pass who are in Christ, which is what I believe. If, Teddy is speaking of the latter than I will have to say I feel where is coming from and I say yes, for me MJ is physically gone but spiritually alive and I will see him again.
I’m going to ask him later on today if he could clarify that better.
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“I’m not accusing the Cascios of anything! I don’t know how it happened, why it happened. All I know I can’t help not having doubts whenever I hear those songs. Yes, it can be that I’m wrong.”
Suzy, you are probably not wrong. Please excuse me for not knowing for vox is, but some things sound strange to me too. In the “Monster” for example (which I like immensely) out of the Cascio tapes there is a vibrato which we’ve never heard before – however the end of the same song sounds very much like Michael and looks absolutely genuine to me.
Let me venture a hypothesis here – what if Michael managed to fully record only part of the song? Let us say the end of it and as to the rest of the song he just hummed the tune, sang it in low voice or didn’t sing there at all? What will you do if Michael left you a tape like that? Is it genuine? IT DEFINITELY IS. Can it go the way it is in the album? No, it can’t.
If I were in the place of the album producers I would try to reconstruct the missing parts by computer processing, strenthening his voice or even using some else’s to make it complete. And though the result will be heavily processed, for me it will still be Michael – because it is him who composed the song, it is him who wrote the lyrics and wanted us to hear its message and and it is him who sang at least part of the song – and the result despite its confusing beginning (I agree) is great, just great!
If some think that it is better to have only a fraction of Michael but “purely” him I must say that there is nothing more painful that to hear a beautiful fragment sung and then abrubtly cut – it leaves you virtually on the point of tears because you want it to go on and go on and don’t want it remain a pitiful invalid – you want to enjoy it instead of sobbing at it being unfinished!
So I fully agree with Teddy Riley – if we have no other choice but either “some” Michael or “no” Michael at all, I definitely choose the first.
Listen to this marvel – would you prefer it to be cut and incomplete?
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“I think a lot of this ‘gonna download without buying’ was further influenced by what Ms. Karen Faye had wrote the other day.”
Gigi, I am surprised to hear that about Karen Faye – probably she knows something about Sony we don’t know. But whatever is the case Sony is doing a great job for Michael now- they are helping him to return to us and for this I am deeply thankful to them – otherwise how else could we hear Michael?
But if Sony or some of its people were in any way involved in Michael’s death there will be a time when we should look into that too – one thing does not rule out the other.
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“Michael merged his EMI catalogue with Sony in 1995 and they have not been separate entities since that merger. What Sony is doing is paying for the marketing of his new songs for the Michael Jackson Estate. It benefits Michael to buy any song that is in the Sony/ATV Michael Jackson catalogue. None of the songs in his own personal song catalogue were included in the merger. What Michael got was 50% of the royalties from all the songs in the Sony catalogue and 100% rights to his own personal MJJ MIJACK songs.”
Lynette, thank you for the details. Does it mean that the estate (the children and mother) have 100% rights for Michael’s new album? Well, if they had 10% only I wouldn’t doubt a minute whether to buy it or not, but if their share is even bigger I can’t see how any Michael’s supporter in his right mind can refuse buying it. What is good for his children is good for Michael – I consider all of us to be their foster parents (and them being welcome in every country they go to).
The cd is not on sale here yet, but I’ve ordered 8 pcs to give them as New Year presents to my friends and think I should have ordered more as some colleagues are not covered yet.
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“This is David Edwards, the guy that Bonnie dissed in her blog recently. I used to have a cordial relationship with Bonnie, but things changed because a few weeks ago I did a radio show, and a pro-Sony fan called in and aired her opinions, and because I didn’t refute her I was labeled as “pro-Sony” too!”
Wow, David, I didn’t know you had such a stormy relationship with Bonnie Cox!
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Hey guys, did you hear this? This is a spoof of “Breaking News”, and it’s called “Breaking Rules”! It’s a diss song directed at Sony!
No matter where you stand on Sony, or the authenticity of the Cascio tracks, you gotta admit this is a funny song! This is going to spread through the fan community like wildfire!
Here is the video and the lyrics!
Sony’s out here tellin the world its Michael Jackson
They’re out here sellin this song as Michael Jackson
Just when you thought it was wrong they go and do it again
Pushin this around the world today
You know that He wouldn’t want it this way
No matter what you just gotta hear it again
Sony’s curupt and you know it’s about money
It isn’t strange if Sony wrote this song
Cause it’s not Michael and you know its wrong
I don’t know what the Hell they’re thinkin of
But they’re Breakin Rules, they’re Breakin Rules
Everybody knows that this song ain’t Michael Jackson
They’re out here killing the love of Michael Jackson
Just when you thought it was done now its a weapon
You turn your back on His love
And sell a Phony as Him
No matter what you just wanna hear it again
Sony’s curupt and you know it’s about money
It isn’t strange if Sony wrote this song
Cause it’s not Michael and you know its wrong
I don’t know what the Hell they’re thinkin of
But they’re Breakin Rules, they’re Breakin Rules
It isn’t strange if Sony wrote this song
Cause it’s not Michael and you know its wrong
I don’t know what the Hell they’re thinkin of
But they’re Breakin Rules, they’re Breakin Rules
On the News today they say its MJ
He came all this way for them to take it
OH NO
It isn’t strange if Sony wrote this song
Cause it’s not Michael and you know its wrong
I don’t know what the Hell they’re thinkin of
But they’re Breakin Rules, they’re Breakin Rules
It isn’t strange if Sony wrote this song
Cause it’s not Michael and you know its wrong
I don’t know what the Hell they’re thinkin of
But they’re Breakin Rules, they’re Breakin Rules
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@Teva
I agree i’ts difficult to know how the album will do in the U.S. I am disappointed in the lack of promotion for “Hold my hand” and such little promotion for the album. There was so much more promotion for “This is it” the movie and the country was still realing from Michael’s death too. I think alot of people still needed closure and the movie helped bring that. I fear many casual and longtime fans have moved on though. I like to think that Michael won over some new fans with that movie, it did moderately well considering it was a documentary about the preparation for the comeback that never was.
However, after that there really wasn’t anything new to come out about Michael as an entertainer/recording artist until the Vision DVD’s, the video gams, the Cirque shows and now the album. It was a alot of time for new fans to lose interest, IMO. So I’m not sure if casual fans and loyal longtime fans will fill in the gap if new fans don’t come through.
I am pleased to see the European fans coming through for Michael, (even though I’m American.) I just really appreciate the support that Michael has gotten other parts of the world even if he can’t get that same amount of support here.
I hope I’m wrong too, but seeing how little the album and single is being promoted I can’t help but be worried. Lets hope were both proven wrong 🙂
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A music insider gives some comments sometimes on Twitter regarding certain things…
She’s said that she wasn’t surprised that the vocals sounded the way they did considering that he did them in that basement, she said that Mike was known for using specific rooms and atmospheres when recording songs so that there’d be as little post production work on his vocals as possible.
She also made some interesting comments about the Jacksons, she says they’re very poorly regarded in the industry and that the twitter comments from them in the last month have only sealed the deal.
Suggesting that so many professionals who work in the biz (that the estate listed in its letter) are lying/being paid off by Sony probably hasn’t done them any favours either.
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The album is currently #9 on Amazon’s Bestseller list and it hasn’t even been released yet:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/music/ref=amb_link_85137631_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=0B79FWVXE29YPS5QAXGJ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1279415482&pf_rd_i=5174
I think it should do well. 🙂 I expect it to hit Number One easily.
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well i like 3T and i like the cassio family. i know the songs arent perfect but , for me , i dont need perfection because i like to hear mj thoughts and words. if they put a short film out of mj video or pictures of him while doing the oxford speech, or other thoughts of his, i would love it because he was a brilliant person and i like to hear what he says.
for me that trial was so insulting to this beautiful man that i am glad that with breaking news, or monster, through his lyrics, we get a statement from michael that we all know the press never would have covered or taken out of context..i am glad he got his say ….and we get to hear it….
as more people come to realize the real truth of that trial , i just think michael ending up getting the last word is some kind of poetic justice, at least i hope so..
i look at michael jackson as more than a singer, he is a historical figure who spoke out about the injustices he saw in the world and he made a huge impact on society, through his actions , words and music…..i think some of his contemporaries have trouble acknowledging that because then they would have to reflect on their own accomplishments and most peoples would pale in comparison….but he is definitely someone who is going to transcend generations ..
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Hey guys, Teddy Riley just started his own WordPress blog! He’s using it to communicate with fans, and he’s answered some of their questions so far! Instead of asking him about the album controversy, I asked him about the song “Joy” that his group Blackstreet recorded back in 1994. MJ wrote that song, and I asked Teddy if MJ recorded it (I believe he recorded it for Dangerous, but didn’t use it). It would be great if he recorded it, because it’s one of my favorite Blackstreet songs, and I was excited when I found out MJ wrote it.
For those of you who haven’t heard “Joy” by Blackstreet, here it is. Just imagine hearing MJ sing this beautiful song! If you scroll through the comments on this video, you’ll see people mentioning MJ giving this song to Teddy Riley & Blackstreet.
Here is Teddy’s blog:
http://teddyrileyblog.wordpress.com/
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@Teva the cd is doing fine in Europe and Holland already made it gold last Thursday. The European charts made Hold my Hand no 1. US will may be a different story because of media coverage, as it happened with his previous releases.
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It seems to me that they are several issues surrounding the controversy over the posthumous album. Firstly IMO the Jacksons problem with the Cascios’ tracks is the Cascios – it seems personal. I get the distinct impression the authenticity is being questioned because of the source. Of course I have no way of knowing this, but I get the feeling the Jacksons did not approved of Michael’s friendship with the Cascios, and they might be some ill will. These 3 tracks seem to be singled out and not the others. Why? It can’t be simply because they do not sound like Michael because Michael switched it up all the time e.g. 2000 Watts. Tunes recorded in someone’s basement are not going to sound the same as if they were done at the Hit Factory. If 3T and Randy had not come out with the fake songs theory would fans be up in arms about these specific 3 songs being fake- I doubt it.
Another issue is the Jacksons were excluded from control of the estate, this can’t be overlooked. Katherine Jackson cannot even will her portion to anyone. To use their brother/son’s name, or likeness the family has to seek approval from outsiders that could create anger issues.
The fans are interesting. There is a vehement section that strongly believes Sony not only is evil, but murderous. Therefore, when the Jacksons come out saying that the Cascio songs are fake it naturally made sense that Sony would be behind such a calculated plot. At this point in the fan base it is not about whether Michael is singing on these tracks or not, but about finding blogs or groups that agree with your opinion.
Ahhh the media. Someone posted articles from the Guardian and Rolling Stone surrounding the controversial album. IMO the media has a vested interest in fake songs, it would be perfect. Controversy draws attention from the public leading to millions of advertising dollars. Sounds familiar? Glance back to 2005. This would be a money pit with screaming headlines all over the world that Michael Jackson and Milli Vanilli share a common history. Who really stands to lose M.O.N.E.Y if the songs are fake?
Finally I don’t know how the album will sell in the US it all depends on the fans, but I do know there is a generation of people that only know Michael Jackson as a reality star. They only know of him from tabloids & television shows. For this reason I have doubts that the singles will chart against Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Ga Ga and others. I don’t know if the new music will win over new fans, and isn’t that it is not good. I hope to be wrong.
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@Beatriz
What confused me about that article is it says Katherine complained to Oprah about the tracks. I’ve heard this before and I expected it to be the airing but it wasn’t. So did she really complain to Oprah and then it was cut from final airing or what that just a rumor, I wonder?
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Interesting article:
Producer Teddy Riley, the man behind Michael Jackson’s posthumous new album, has had to fight the singer’s family to get the CD released
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/12/row-over-michael-jackson-new-album
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@ares
You buy what you want to buy.
I buy what I want to buy.
Is it OK with you?
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That’s OK, Visitor. I don’t like conspiracy theories either. I don’t want to say anything more about this Cascio thing, because, honestly, I don’t know.
There are a few songs on the album I really love (“Best of Joy” is my favourite right now, and also “Much too Soon”) and I will focus on those.
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@Suzy
In no way did i call you stupid or conspiracy theorist.On the contrary, based on your comments i find that you have a pretty balanced and fare opinion on the subjects concerning Michael’s life.I was refering to the general attitude of fans. I think that we see enemies even when there are not any. Do the Cascio songs sound strange in some parts.Well yes but we don’t know if Michael gave his 100% when he recorded them or if he was really going to release those songs or was just experimenting on that studio. I do not think for a second that the Cascios would do such a thing to Michael.This is what i meant. Ι was not trying to insult you with my comment.If you felt offended then i sincerely apologize.
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BTW, I’m not intending to stir the pot. I am aware I may be mistaken about those songs. But I can understand everybody who has doubts, because I have them too. On the other hand I like the Cascios and I don’t want to think they would ever betray Michael for money or for a career for Eddie in showbusiness or whatever. Maybe something did happen to those songs but it isn’t their fault. Frank also made a strange comment on his FB when all hell broke loose about Breaking News in the fan community. He said, the song is 100% MJ, it’s just “the wrong mix”? Wrong mix? What does that mean? So I thought maybe what they gave to the Estate was genuine material (although probably VERY unfinished), however someone at the Estate/Sony manipulated the tapes (including maybe adding others’ vocals to finish the unfinished parts?) before giving them to Teddy? I don’t know. It’s just a theory but I’m really conflicted about all this. Also when I heard the acapella to Breaking News, it was like a copy&paste patchwork. A word pasted here, a hee-hee pasted there, a sentence pasted there. When did Michael ever record demos like this? Why the need to do this at all?
I’m not accusing the Cascios of anything! I don’t know how it happened, why it happened. All I know I can’t help not having doubts whenever I hear those songs. Yes, it can be that I’m wrong.
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@ Visitor
Of course I heard all those songs. To me the Cascio songs are different. You can put that down as “imagination”, you can call me a conspiracy theorist (far from it) or stupid or whatever. But that’s just my honest opinion. And I have nothing against Michael’s Estate, Sony or the Cascios. I know what they have done for Michael. I liked them on Oprah too. I will even buy the album. Maybe it’s really 100% Michael on those songs. But I can’t get my head around some of the things I hear there, sorry for that. I also found Teddy’s comment melodyne pretty strange and that didn’t do anything for me to make my doubts go away….
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For those who question the Cascio’s songs let me ask you this. Have you ever heard 2000 Watts, Money,Shout, Butterflies (i mean the vibrato in the song) etc? If this songs ,that there is no doubt that is Michael who is singing them, were reliases now, what would you say?
When you say that you have doubts about the Cascios what exactly do you imagine.Michael died and the Cascios, the same family who suported him like no one else during his trial and never turned their back at him, called an imposter and told him to record this songs.And then they took the songs at Sony. I think that if they wanted to profit from their relationship with Michael, they would have done it years ago.Michael knew them for 25 years.
I think that we should accept some things as they are.That there is not something sinister behind everything.Enough with the consipacy theory in every aspect of Michael’s life.It’s really stypid and really tiring.And of course it hurts Michael’s legacy.
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@Jaqueline
You know what i really hate in people. Hypocricy.Just say that you don’t want to spend your precious money in buying the cd.All the rest are pure excuses. You can do whatever you want but do not expect people to ease your conscience.
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@David
It was really after Bonnie dissed you on her blog that I started to doubt her. Whenever I have a free time, I like to read all the blogs fans write about Michael and I always saw everybody saying nice things about you, David.
Helena, Seven, Raven. They always say: Thanks to David, David sent me a link to this or that… I know you are really a true fan of Michael. Bonnie cited you on her blog, the girl who runs “reflections on the dance” blog (which I like a lot) and many, many others.
Then, I thought she was going too far with the things she was saying. She did so many crazy theories that it came to a point where I didn’t understand absolutely nothing anymore. But after she came with that “Michael is alive” thing, I really gave up on reading that. I thought I was loosing my time. (And while she attacked fans, she defended Murray?)
She had caught me because she says a lot of things about God and Jesus and as I am a very religious person, I agreed with her. But as I said, I think she really believes in what she writes (I think). But I never read her blog again after that “Michael is alive hidden in a safe place”.
@Lynande
I really don’t understand anything about catalogs, merge of catalogs, debts and nothing. But I know what Sony did to Michael during his whole life (according to his own words). That is the only reason why I don’t buy the album. And, yes. I understand that download songs for free is illegal and piracy. But I have to say to you that I live in a country where everyone does this and it’s so commom that nobody remembers if it is wrong or not. I don’t know how things work in US, but here… I know very few people who buy original CDs or whatever. Just if they really love the artists. I love Michael very much, but he is not here to say if he wanted those songs released that way. He was a perfectionist. On the other hand, I liked the songs and they are beautiful, so… I don’t think I’m killing anyone by download them.
I hope you don’t criticize me. I’m sorry if I’m wrong, but, as I said everybody does this here where I live, if you say to them it’s piracy, they will laugh at you. If you expect to go to prision here for download a song for free you will have to arrest the police too. My teacher even teachs how to do it in my college. Really.
I’m really sorry. I don’t want to offend or say wrong things, that is just my decision and I totally and absolutely respect yours.
@ares
I don’t buy anything from Sony. Neither Michael’s songs, nor any other artist’s. The only singer I like is him. I like others too, but I don’t buy.
God bless you all and forgive me if I’m wrong.
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As for the album. I am one of those who is not sure about the Cascio tracks. I know they look like nice folks and I’m grateful for their support of Michael. I won’t say they are betraying him now in death because I just don’t know. I don’t know what happened to those songs and why. But I know all the Cascio tracks sound very strange to me when I listen to them. And it’s not like Michael has suddenly lost his abilities while growing older. “Best of Joy” was recorded later than the Cascio tracks and it’s his usual, perfect self. We have also heard him sing on TII. Again: his usual perfect self. But when I listen to the Cascio tracks, they feel weird. The vibratos sound nothing like how Michael ever sang! To me KYHU is rather painful to hear and I just cannot listen to Breaking News. If it’s Michael then he must have been sick or something. Then that is the reason why these songs should never be on an album!
Having said that, I will buy the album for the rest of the songs (Best of Joy and Much too Soon are wonderful, Behind the Mask makes me wanna dance, I love Another day and The way you love me). But I can’t say I’m happy about the Cascio tracks and they spoil the experience to me. I really like the Cascio family, so it’s not that I want to find fault in them. But their songs do sound strange to me and I cannot deny it.
BTW, this is a fan (Damien Shields) asking Teddy Riley on his Twitter the other day (Teddy didn’t answer the last three questions):
damienshields Damien Shields
@TeddyRiley1 Teddy are you open to the possibility that someone tricked you into producing fraudulent vocals? PS where can I see ur blog?
TeddyRiley1 TEDDY RILEY
@damienshields No after hear and know the true facts. If whoever think it isn’t Mj lets take it back to the ring. I have facts. Ty
damienshields Damien Shields
@TeddyRiley1 Thanks TR. Can you explain the oddly fast vibrato that MJ has never had? I dont have facts, just opinion. What R the facts?
TeddyRiley1 TEDDY RILEY
@damienshields The fact is they’re heavily processed…meaning Mj vox were melodyne heavy. Melodyne is much like autotune.
damienshields Damien Shields
@TeddyRiley1 Thanks again. Were they processed before u got them, or did u process them? Any chance of original unprocessed vox coming out?
TeddyRiley1 TEDDY RILEY
@damienshields Yes they were.
damienshields Damien Shields
@TeddyRiley1 Y did the Cascios supply you with processed vox tho? That doesn’t make sense to me…. Did they supply music too or just vox?
damienshields Damien Shields
@TeddyRiley1 YOU are the expert, so why not give YOU the original unprocessed vox and let YOU process them? Like Hollywood Tonight….
damienshields Damien Shields
@TeddyRiley1 I really feel bad that you’re caught up in this mess Teddy. I think you’ve been lied to big time. And that’s not your fault
—–
I just find it odd why Teddy got the Cascio songs already “melodyne heavy”, why didn’t he get them in their pure demo form? I don’t know folks. I really want to believe the Cascios are one family who never betrayed Michael but there are odd things going on with their songs. So I’m very confused.
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@ David
I’m sad to hear about how Bonnie Cox has treated you. No wonder she’s a pariah now.
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Lynette,
Well said I agree. I think a lot of this ‘gonna download without buying’ was further influenced by what Ms. Karen Faye had wrote the other day. Lot of folks called her out on what she said. Ms. Faye has always had her own feelings in regards to Sony and the album. However, despite her feelings I’ve seen her tell people that she would never tell them whether ‘to buy or not buy the album’. Well, that went out the window a week before MJ’s album is about to release. I’m actually surprised she didn’t delete those tweets, which I have seen her do after she crosses the line by what she says. That line gets crossed pretty often by her, btw.
wingheart Karen Faye
Please, if you loved Michael, don’t pay for this album. Find a way to get it without giving your money to Sony.
7 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply
wingheart Karen Faye
I am not PRO PIRACY. I am PRO ARTIST’s rights, like Michael. He is once again, in death, as in life, being raped (cont) http://tl.gd/7c5ev1
7 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply
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Michael was Sony and Sony was Michael. Together they formed what would be correctly known as the SONY/ATV Michael Jackson catalogue. Michael relinquished 50% of his 50% back in 2006 to: 1. relieve the debt on Neverland when it was in foreclosure. 2. Refinance the loan he had with Wells Fargo for which he had used his shares in the catalogue as collateral. They had the right to claim those 50% of 50% shares if he defaulted. He also used the catalogue as collateral in a loan with AEG to produce the O2 concerts. Michael merged his EMI catalogue with Sony in 1995 and they have not been separate entities since that merger. What Sony is doing is paying for the marketing of his new songs for the Michael Jackson Estate. It benefits Michael to by any song that is in the Sony/ATV Michael Jackson catalogue. He never retained ownership of the publication rights to certain individual songs he had 50% ownership or royalty rights for all the songs. None of the songs in his own personal song catalogue were included in the merger. What Michael got was 50% of the royalties from all the songs in the Sony catalogue and 100% rights to his own personal MJJ MIJACK songs. I don’t know what is wrong with some of the fans but I can tell you that none of you know what a merger is or how it works. And after reading David’s post about Bonnie Cox all I can say is she has gone way off the deep end. She has that kind of history with the other fans as well. It is this kind of fan that really gives the world a tainted image of the average Michael Jackson fan. Michael is not alive. His children were taken into the room with him to say goodbye. No Doctor ( and it wasn’t Murray) would do that if he really wasn’t gone. His children have already had enough trauma without nonsense like that going on. I have already purchased the album and intend to chose my own favorite song on it. I have bought it I preordered it . Most of the songs are him and the only ones you are depriving of money is his estate which is his children and his mother. When you download his songs without purchase it is a copyright violation, I happen to live in the only state where a housewife with 3 children was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison and fined 100 thousand dollars for doing just exactly that. If you like his music and want it buy it . If you don’t like the music don’t buy it, but don’t feel it is your right to download songs for free because that is called piracy
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@ Jaqueline
This is David Edwards, the guy that Bonnie dissed in her blog recently. I used to have a cordial relationship with Bonnie, but things changed because a few weeks ago I did a radio show, and a pro-Sony fan called in and aired her opinions, and because I didn’t refute her I was labeled as “pro-Sony” too! I’m going to show you now what kid of a liar she is:
In this blog from Dec. 5th, she said the following: http://michaelsguardian.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-michael-hidden-in-his-lyrics.html
David Edwards sent me many, many “friend suggestions”. He began bombarding me with appeals to post his blog which seemed to concentrate on Michael’s innocence during the trial and the press. I didn’t understand why he concentrated so much on the past when many others had already done so (Aphrodite, Geraldine), it got to the point where I felt he was trying to distract me from the direction my blog was taking. I learned later he was. He supports Thomson, Sony and Branca.
The reason I sent her links to this blog and others was so that she could post them to help educate her readers on facts pertaining to MJ’s innocence, or to dispel myths about him, and definitely not to “distract” her! For example, she had a blog about how the media has tried to say he was gay, and I gave her a link to an interview MJ gave in 1979 where he said he was called gay by a female fan because he wouldn’t kiss her, and guess what? Not only did she post it, but she openly THANKED ME for giving her the link! http://michaelsguardian.blogspot.com/2010/08/theyre-back-theyre-spinning-and-theyre.html
“The Plot from the beginning? (links contributed by David Edwards. Thank you David <3) I will include David’s commentary as I thought what he had to say was very complimentary to Michael and he made some astute observations:”
Notice how she said that I was “very complimentary to Michael and made some astute observations”. If I was “bombarding” her with links, then why didn’t she ask me to stop? Exactly!!! She’s a hypocrite!
And just for the record, I don’t “support” Sony, the Estate, Branca, or anyone! I only support Michael Jackson!! It’s your choice to buy or not buy the album, and I would never recommend one or the other to anyone. And yes, I do emphatically support Charles Thomson, regardless of what he said in a forum years ago! If the fan community is going to attack Charles Thomsom, then that means we should also attack Aphrodite Jones too, right? After all, she said a lot of bad things about MJ, except it wasn’t in a forum for MJ fans, but on NATIONAL TELEVISION!
Bonnie Cox has become a pariah in the fan community, and nobody takes her seriously anymore!!
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@Jaqueline
When you are saying that you are going to download Michael’s music and not give your money to Sony because they are the devils then i suppose you are not going to buy any product that comes from the same company and of course you are not going to buy any other artist’s music that belongs to the same company? Right?Or is just Michael’s music?
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Hi, everyone
I used to read Bonnie Cox’s blog a lot because I agreed to everything she was saying about Michael, Sony, and she talked about Michael in a very sweet, kind and lovely way. But then she started to create some crazy theories and I don’t understand anything that she says anymore. Now she is sure that Michael is alive, faked his death (he was fearing Sony) and she says we must do everything we can to reunite Michael with his children again.
After Bonnie started inventing weird things, attacking other fans, I stopped reading her blog, because I wasn’t understand anything anymore!
But I don’t think she is a bad person or that she has an agenda, no. I believe that she really believes in the things she writes.
I’m not going to buy Michael’s album (it’s my decision), but I’m not going to criticize anyone who buys (and I hope you don’t criticise me, too). The songs are beautiful and I’m going to download them all, but I don’t want my money with Sony( they are devils).
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Helena check your e-mail in about 10 minutes. I am scanning the booklet and I will send it to you.
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Guys I just came back home and I have the cd. I only checked the Hold My Hand credits with the ones I saw in a comment below. I don’t know what I missed here, but the credits are correct at least for the one song I checked. I will read the rest later
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“I’m sorry I’m not buying a single word Bonnie says for one second. I’m very cautious of Bonnie Cox and I believe she has an agenda. All this is doing is trying to discredit MJ. It is offensive that there are a pocket of folks out here spreading a smear campaign. Bonnie is another one of these people I call a virus. A human virus targeting all the social networks with their illogical nonsense.”
Gigi, I can’t agree with you more. I also wanted to leave a comment on Beatriz\Bonnie Cox’s message but yours is so exhaustive that there is nothing to add. I will only just say that if another composer finished off Mozart’s Requiem after his death it does not strip this great last piece by Mozart of its genius – whatever it is, it is still Mozart. Same with this great Michael Jackson’s album – whatever they say it is still Michael Jackson.
Joe Vogel’s review is fantastic – very informative, educational and professional – I haven’t read anything better yet. Here it is in full and I am also adding the link to his Huffington post article to the blogroll for easier access:
Is Michael Really Michael? A Review of the King of Pop’s New Album
This past Friday I listened to Michael Jackson’s highly-anticipated posthumous album, Michael (Epic), which is expected to hit stores in the U.S. on December 14th. I had many questions going in, not only about the music itself, but the process. How were the tracks selected? How much were they altered or embellished? And what was the end result?
Posthumous works are notoriously tricky. There are essentially two philosophical approaches: 1) present the material basically as it was found; or, 2) try to complete the artist’s vision based on instructions and/or intuition. Either way comes with its own unique challenges and complications.
For the 2009 documentary, This Is It, the Estate of Michael Jackson opted for the first approach. Audiences around the world witnessed the raw rehearsals of what would have been an unprecedented concert spectacle. At the time, some complained that Jackson wouldn’t have wanted people to see anything but the final, finished result. He was a perfectionist who gave everything to a performance; in the footage, however, he was often conserving his voice, marking his dance steps, and correcting mistakes.
Yet there was something undeniably riveting and enlightening about watching the artist at work. It was tragic, of course, that his full vision was never realized. But for many viewers it humanized the singer, even as it showcased his extraordinary talent.
With this first posthumous album, however, a different approach was taken. All of the songs were completed within the past year by various collaborators and caretakers–ranging from Teddy Riley to Neff-U to Estate co-executor John McClain. Michael, his Estate said, left a “roadmap” behind, and they felt an obligation to finish what he had started.
It was a risky decision that has caused a severe backlash amongst many of Jackson’s core fans. A similar controversy resulted in 1995, when Paul, George and Ringo “finished” two John Lennon tracks (“Free as a Bird” and “Real Love”) under the banner of the Beatles. For some fans, it could never be an “authentic” Beatles track without Lennon’s full participation. Similarly, no matter how closely Akon, Lenny Kravitz and others worked with Jackson, could they ever fully intuit what he would have wanted on a given track?
In some cases, Jackson did indeed leave very specific notes and instructions. It is also well-known to those familiar with his artistic process that he frequently returned to tracks from previous album sessions and updated them. Versions of “Blood on the Dance Floor,” “They Don’t Care About Us,” and “Earth Song,” for example, were all originally recorded during the Dangerous sessions; but Jackson continued to tinker with each of these songs for years until he felt they were ready. A Michael Jackson song was never final until it made an official studio album.
This return-treatment is essentially what his collaborators have attempted on Michael. They wanted to make these tracks as fresh, vibrant and relevant as possible, believing that this is what Jackson would have wanted as well. Of course, in the end, since none of them are Michael Jackson, the best they could do is approximate. The album, then, is a hybrid creation. At times it feels truly inspired and very close to what Michael himself would have done; at other times, it feels a bit more like a tribute, similar to the remixes on Thriller 25.
Much of this probably won’t even register to the average listener, who will simply listen to the music and decide whether they like it or not.
But because Michael Jackson is one of the most important artists of the past century the question of how much to modify the work he left behind is a very serious one. As amazing as the new version of “Behind the Mask” sounds, for example, it isn’t the version Michael last worked on in the early 1980s. If for no other reason than documenting history, then, it would seem worthwhile to release the originals/demos as well (perhaps as bonus tracks or a supplementary album), even if they aren’t perfectly polished or updated.
With that preface in place, I proceed to my review of the actual album, which, on the whole, really is an exciting and enjoyable listening experience. Indeed, for all the controversy about its authenticity, going through the album song by song, Jackson’s presence is undeniable. His habits, his obsessions, his versatility, and his genius are on display at every turn.
Who else could move so seamlessly from social anthem to floor burner, fleet hip hop to cosmic rock, vintage funk to poignant folk ballad? Who besides Michael Jackson would follow a tender love song with a trenchant critique of the media? An uplifting gospel tune with a ferocious polemic on the monstrosity of Hollywood culture?
This, ultimately, is the most important quality of Michael: it feels like Michael.
The Estate and Sony should be given credit for retaining much of Jackson’s edginess and eclecticism where they could have easily opted for a more traditional lineup. (For all the uproar over “Breaking News,” I thought it was a pretty bold statement out of the gate in terms of its lyrical target.)
The album also contains some nice, natural touches, including Jackson’s incredibly dynamic beatboxing (displayed most prominently on “Hollywood Tonight”), and a phone message introduction to “(I Like) The Way You Love Me,” in which Jackson explains the composition of the song to longtime collaborator, Brad Buxer. The point of these examples is that Jackson the artist and person doesn’t get swallowed in “over-production,” as some have feared. In spite of its limitations, from opening line (“This life don’t last forever…”) to closing (“I guess I learned my lesson much too soon”) a very intimate, authentic, humanizing picture evolves.
Below, is my song-by-song breakdown of the album:
Hold My Hand
Simple, but powerful love song turned social anthem. Since I already reviewed this, I will just point to the link. I’m actually stunned this isn’t charting better in the U.S., but maybe that will change when the video premiers and the holidays draw closer.
Hollywood Tonight
Definitely an album highlight. The song begins with a haunting Gothic church choir, before transforming into an energetic dance stomper. I’m not too keen on the spoken parts (performed by nephew, Taryll Jackson), but clearly there were places in the song Michael hadn’t filled yet. The track features Michael in a notably deeper voice, and concludes with military-style whistling. As Ellen displayed on her show last week, the song will get people up and moving.
Keep Your Head Up
Narrates the life of an ordinary woman “looking for the hope in the empty promises.” The song is well-suited to the current economic climate and will likely resonate with many listeners. The back half of the song offers a classic MJ crescendo, with the gospel choir providing the lift and communal strength the woman needs to keep going. (Fans will be happy to know the “Earth Song” ad libs heard on a leaked version of the track were removed.)
(I Like) The Way You Love Me
Great new production by Neff-U that was being actively discussed and transformed with Michael in Los Angeles (the original demo appeared on the 2004 boxed set, Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection). The new version retains all of the charm of the original while injecting some fresh elements, including new piano, bass, strings, and vocal effects.
Monster
A blistering rhythm track that probably hits harder than any song on the album. Features a rap solo by 50 Cent, guitar work by Orianthi, and excellent production by Teddy Riley. As Jackson holds a mirror up to society, asking us to observe the distorted reflection, I couldn’t help but picture the horrifying scene of paparazzi shoving their cameras up against the ambulance carrying him to the hospital. “Everywhere you seem to turn there’s a monster,” he sings. “Paparazzi got you scared like a monster.” Some reviewers continue to dismiss songs like this as petty “ranting” and “paranoia,” but this is some deft social criticism for those who look beyond the surface. It has all the makings of a hit single.
Best of Joy
A breezy mid-tempo ballad, Jackson’s falsetto is as effortless as ever as he sings promises to a loved one. Recorded in Los Angeles in 2009, this was one of his final recordings, and he still sounds fantastic.
Breaking News
The song will likely be forever-linked to the controversy surrounding its vocals. Yet in spite of the backlash, the content of the song is classic Michael Jackson, following in the tradition of anti-media tracks like “Leave Me Alone, “Tabloid Junkie,” and “Privacy.” The repeated use of the name, “Michael Jackson,” highlights the way his name has been objectified–it is simply a media construct, a “boogieman,” that the real Michael feels detached from.
The exaggerated way the name is uttered humorously mocks the way the media exploits him for sensational effect. While the strength and clarity of the vocals clearly aren’t up to Jackson’s standards, the song itself is quite good. The harmonized chorus is catchy and memorable. Teddy Riley gives the song a fresh but faithful sheen. One can easily imagine the song as an outtake from the Dangerous or HIStory sessions.
(I Can’t Make It) Another Day
Originally recorded by Jackson and Lenny Kravitz in 1999 at the legendary Marvin’s Room Studio, the track has Michael summoning a cosmic power over a rugged, industrial funk beat and a soaring chorus. This is an example, however, of the new version sounding more like a Kravitz tribute to Jackson, rather than a Jackson track. In the original, Jackson’s vocals are less overwhelmed by the drums and guitar, allowing him to convey the full mystery and wonder of the lyrics. Kravitz’s update isn’t too different, but enough to change the feel of the song. It still rocks, but in a different way than the original.
Behind the Mask
“Behind the Mask” was originally intended for Thriller, but left off reportedly because of a song credit dispute. It was later covered by Jackson’s keyboardist Greg Phillinganes as well as Eric Clapton. Had Jackson released it in 1982, the quirky Yellow Magic Orchestra adaptation likely would have been a big hit. Estate executor John McClain updates it skillfully in this new version, making it sound brand new and retro at the same time. It is definitely one of the highlights of the album. Still, many fans will likely be anxious to hear those classic sheets of synth and 80s production on the original demo. Modernizing the production does make it fit better with the album, though it’s unclear if Jackson himself planned to update the track.
Much Too Soon
An excellent choice to end the album, “Much Too Soon” showcases Jackson’s ability as a singer-songwriter to magnificent effect. An exquisite expression of loss and yearning, it stands should-to-shoulder with some of the best folk ballads of The Carpenters and The Beatles. The lyrics almost read like a W.B. Yeats poem.
The track was first written by Jackson in 1981 and revisited multiple times over the years. The vocal on this version was recorded in 1994 at The Hit Factory during the HIStory sessions. It was originally engineered and mixed by Bruce Swedien (this version leaked online a couple weeks ago); the album version, featuring more prominent accordion and strings, was re-produced for the Michael album by estate co-executor John McClain.
In the song, a forlorn Jackson, accompanied by the subtle acoustic guitar work of Tommy Emmanuel, sings about being separated from a loved one “much too soon.” The bridge features a harmonica solo that highlights the song’s folk-blues essence, before Jackson returns with a final verse about “never letting fate control [his] soul.” It is a beautiful, bittersweet song that perfectly balances hope and regret, loneliness and the desire for reconciliation. For all Jackson’s superstardom, “Much Too Soon” reminds that behind the media construct was a human being.
Conclusion:
Call it a collage, an approximation, or a tribute. Or call it, as many of Michael’s collaborators have: “a labor of love.” That sentiment certainly shines through on the record. Yet obviously, this is not the exact album Jackson would have created. For a variety of reasons, many tracks that Jackson was working on during his final years aren’t on the tracklist (including those with will.i.am). In addition, the vocals, particularly on a couple of the “Cascio tracks,” don’t always measure up to Jackson’s typical strength and vitality, leading some to label them as “fake.”
Until a forensic analysis or some other concrete evidence proves otherwise that conspiracy theory doesn’t hold up for me–especially after hearing the final album versions on very good speakers. But occasionally, the creative liberties taken do seem questionable, or at the very least, unexplained. For the purists (myself included), it would be nice, in addition to the current album versions, to have some of these songs as they were last heard by Michael–just as it was nice to see Michael un-mediated in This Is It.
But the bottom line is this: Michael contains some very impressive new material. One job of Jackson’s Estate is to extend his legacy to new generations of listeners and this album will likely accomplish that. At ten songs, it is a tight, diverse, almost 80s-esque LP–which also means fans have many more songs in the vaults to look forward to. In the meantime, songs like “Hollywood Tonight,” “Monster,” “Behind the Mask,” and “Much Too Soon” make excellent additions to an already legendary catalog.
© Joseph Vogel
Joe Vogel is the author of the forthcoming book, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson (Sterling 2011).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-vogel/is-michael-really-michael_b_791987.html
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Danna, thank you for the article: http://www.tmz.com/2010/12/10/michael-jackson-fans-discovery-channel-petition-autopsy-special/
I’ve looked up the comments as usual and found a lot which tells the sad story of human degradation and downfall. Well, it seems that we cannot stop the program but we can at least distance ourselves from this type of thinking and behavior.
The title for the comments will be “Freedom for each of us to turn back into a monkey”:
National Geographic does the same thing. They just showed a special where a grizzly bear mauled a guy to death and showed it over and over five times! These channels, like Nat Geo, will do anything for rating under the guise of providing information. They don’t care squat about the families. Disgusting!
Posted at 1:15 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by Phil
So also get a petition to ban everything else that is brutal on tv.
You can’t pick and choose.
Find something and stick to it.
Jeez.
I hate band wagons.
How about all the brutal stories reenacted of children severly abused?
I don’t see petitions going out to stop those shows. Or people who were murdered?
Those 1500 people need to get a life.
Posted at 1:20 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by random
I know! RIGHT on! Everyone loves him more than himself/herself. LOL His plastic surgery looked worse than many real autopsies.
Posted at 1:54 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by aq
…and why not a re-enactment of the MJ autopsy? What is wrong with knowing the truth about what was in the man’s system at the time of his death, for those who want to know? I mean…he was so wholesome…right? Thank God we live in America, where if someone doesn’t like what is broadcasted, they can change the channel. I am sick and tired of people who feel it there duty to decide what EVERYBODY ELSE SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT SEE on TV. You don’t like what’s being aired, then don’t watch it! Or are you that drawn to all things MJ?
Posted at 2:02 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by Jeff
I want to see it…
I am getting sick of these pushy ‘fans’ making decisions for me and everyone else regarding MJ. He does not belong to you. Stop trying to act like his estate attorneys by denying anyone to even breathe his name. If it is immoral or hurting to MJ in any way, the execs will move on it so you people need to just step off & get involved in your own damned lives.
It’s human nature to be curious, especially if there could be more facts revealed about his death. I will definitely watch this.
RIP Mike
Posted at 2:16 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by BarbieJean
The Beatles were real musicians. Jacko could never play an instrument, he was just a dancing monkey.
Posted at 2:41 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by Jazzy
Belligerent people will be fraudulent looking for blaming the media, Sony & whoever they could imagine for his death. Needles didn’t accidentally fly into his veins. How many fathers don’t know Propofol isn’t sleep medicine?
I don’t care how crazy the doctor is, no one agrees to inject their veins & pretend to survive that. Too many games in delusional minds of MJ & his fanatics.
Posted at 2:32 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by aq
It’s not really him. Don’t watch it if it bothers you. People do this everyday because it’s their jobs. One day it might happen to you. You’ll get an education what they do to your dead lifeless body on the cold table. Enjoy.
Posted at 3:02 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by Sad sad
Yes…IMO he wanted to be a white woman like those famous white women he met. Gay & awestruck boys were attracted to a half-woman who sang/spoke with high pitch & pointed his feet like a little girl.
Posted at 3:18 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by aq
we have a right to see this..its all about freedom man…
freedom is just another word for nothing left to loseeeeee
we want to see it
we want to see it
stoned while we watch it
Posted at 4:08 AM on Dec 11, 2010 by MIDNIGHT TOKER
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Beatriz, i am sure that before Michael died you didn’t give a ish about him.If you really cared about him i think that you would worry more about the fact that whoever killed him is still free and not about 2 or 3 songs. Epic fail.
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http://www.tmz.com/2010/12/10/michael-jackson-fans-discovery-channel-petition-autopsy-special/
Michael Jackson fans are scrambling to stop the Discovery Channel from broadcasting a gruesome reenactment of MJ’s autopsy … calling the whole thing an “affront to human dignity.”
TMZ has learned … fans have already collected nearly 1,500 signatures — all demanding the network pull the plug on a special entitled “Michael Jackson’s Autopsy” … in which MJ’s bloody autopsy is expected to be reenacted in gory detail.
The fans behind the petition call the documentary “an affront to human dignity” — adding, “This type of sensational and unscrupulous reporting can only cause harm.”
The petition states, “We ask the directors of the Discovery Channel programming to proceed with the outright cancellation of this indecent documentary.”
The doc is scheduled to air January 13th in the UK.
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‘And finally, an interesting details of the credits of the CD (by Bonnie Cox):
I found on one of the Michael fan forums the leaking of the credits for the Album “Michael” by Sony’
I’m sorry Beatriz, Red Flag going off here.
First, I really don’t believe a word that Bonnie Cox says. No source link to this ‘Michael fan forum’ where these supposed album credits were posted. As it occurred to you that Bonnie could have removed all the information showing Michael Jackson vocal credits? Or, maybe that some other person is behind this spreading false album credit information and that Bonnie is just helping them along? Second, Rolling Stones is notorious for criticizing anything Michael Jackson.
Now, Taryll and his brothers have only mentioned having issues with the 3 Cascio tracks and they have been very vocal about their concerns. Now, Bonnie Cox is out here again as per usual spreading and stirring the pot even more by now claiming that every song on this album (except Behind the Mask) is sung by some other guy and not Michael Jackson. If that is the case (according to Bonnie). Then, why aren’t Taryll, his brothers, the whole Jackson family, Teddy Riley, music experts who did voice analysis, producers who worked with MJ 20+ years, voicing their concerns with the whole album not being sung by Michael?
The little commentaries she wrote on each is ridiculous, but the one’s that really have me going ‘whuutt???’ is her saying that ‘Hollywood Tonight’, ‘Much Too Soon ‘, ‘The Way You Love Me’ , ‘Another Day’ ‘Hold My Hand’, & ‘Best of Joy’ is not Michael Jackson singing. Really is she serious?
What really as me rolling is Bonnie’s commentary on MJ’s song ‘The Way You Love Me’ Its obvious that Bonnie Cox is not familiar at all with MJ’s work, cause if she was she would know that MJ released his song ‘The Way You Love Me’ on his ‘The Ultimate Collection’ box set back in 2004? Is she seriously thinking MJ released a song on his album and had some other person sing it for him? Don’t make a bit of sense. Btw the version of this song on the new ‘Michael’ album is a remix and not the original demo MJ sang and released. Has for ‘Much Too Soon’ that was written by MJ in ’84 fully sung and fully recorded completed track by MJ in ’94. There is no way in the world all those songs on ‘Michael’ are sung by some other person. Especially ‘Hollywood Tonight’ ‘Much Too Soon’ and 1 of my favorites ‘Best of Joy’ that is all MJ baby. The commentary on ‘Another Day’ sounds very
snarky to me. MJ & Lenny Kravitz did meet and they did the song together. Same with Akon.
So, yeah I’m sorry I’m not buying a single word Bonnie says for one second. I’m very cautious of Bonnie Cox and I believe she has an agenda. All this is doing is trying to discredit MJ. It is offensive that there are a pocket of folks out here spreading a smear campaign. Bonnie is another one of these people I call a virus. A human virus targeting all the social networks with their illogical nonsense.
For a real review of this album I suggest you read Joe Vogel’s review. Someone who knows what they are talking about and is familiar with Michael Jackson’s body of work. The link is below.
Here’s My Review of ‘Michael’ album
additional notes were made in () after i had listened 2 the full album. I’ve listened to this album so many times I’ve lost count.
I really enjoyed Joe Vogel’s review of ‘Michael’. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-vogel/is-michael-really-michael_b_791987.html
I’ve heard the full version of ‘Hollywood Tonight’ and I love it. I didn’t mind the spoken parts by Tayrll at all. It sounds like Michael is beat boxing the whole instrumental to me. I can’t sit still on this song.
I completely agree with Vogel about the ‘Monster’ track. I really like this song. As I had said previously, I love how the chorus was done. What Michael is saying in this song is more important than anything. I think because its a Cascio track, it will get over looked by a lot of people who may be hesitant by their tracks. Also, the full version I heard doesn’t have the rap solo. So I don’t have a clue what 50 Cent did with that. (after heard the full version w/ 50 cent I’m not diggin his part sounds better w/o 50 Cent).
I love ‘Behind the Mask’ can’t sit still on this song either. Vogel is right I would love to hear Michael’s original version. They should have included that as well on the cd. (now heard the full version of this song and its awesome! mix of jazzy, 80′s disco & modern feel all in 1.)
I loved the leaked version of ‘Another Day’ better I could hear Michael more. Its still a great song though.
Love ‘Best of Joy’ only heard the snippet. And to hear it was recorded in 2009. It has the classic feel to me like ‘Much To Soon’. And from 94 to 2009 when Michael is singing in this range his voice hadn’t changed with age at all to me. (now heard the full version and love love love this song its absolutely beautiful! There is a special part in this where Michael’s voice becomes even more amazing! really breathtaking literally puts a smile on my face.)
I like ‘Hold My Hand’ wish MJ had more verses than Akon though.
I love the original version of ‘The Way You Love Me’ MJ had released on The Ultimate Collection album waaaay better, than the version on this album. This song didn’t need to be touched at all! The feeling is all wrong and not smooth like the original. I guess I feel this way cause I’m use to hearing it the MJ did it originally. I miss the ‘Uuuuuuuuuuh uuuuuuh (x10)’ ‘Chcksthtshtshtsh Lalalalala lalalalala lalalalalalala’ on the ending from the original. The only thing I don’t mind is hearing MJ speaking and beatboxing at the beginning.
My other lil nick-pick is I wish 2 other songs of MJ’s were included on this album. ‘Do You Know Where Your Children Are’ (aka 12 o’clock) & his ‘Blue Gangster’ (the real version of just MJ singing & not that rap version rappers got a hold of and recorded all over). If there’s a next album, I hope these two songs will be released and left just the way they are, cause they’re perfect as is.
Overall, I think ‘Michael’ is a really nice album. (I always have favs on any MJ album. So, my favs are ‘Hollywood Tonight’, ‘Best Joy’, ‘Behind the Mask’, ‘Much To Soon’, ‘Another Day, & yes I really do like ‘Monster’ & ‘Keep Your Head Up’ (glad the Earth Song sample was removed). I admit even though I’m iffy about some of the vocals on ‘BN’. Michael wrote this song and I’m diggin how the chorus was done. So I’m warming up to this song with each listen.
Now that I have listened through this album so many times. I have to say it is Michael singing on every last one of these songs. Don’t mean to sound all contradictory RE: ‘BN”, I’ve been going back & forth on vocal thing myself, but I let me stress I can hear MJ on there more.
Well, there you have it folks that’s my take on the album.
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And finally, an interesting details of the credits of the CD (by Bonnie Cox):
I found on one of the Michael fan forums the leaking of the credits for the Album “Michael” by Sony. I thought I would go over this with you because I find the omission of certain participants interesting. I caution you that the source may not be reliable, but I was able to corroborate some of this as you will see below.
Hold My Hand (Duet with Akon)
Written by Aliaune Thiam, Giorgio Tuinfort, Claude Kelly / Published by Byefall Productions, Inc./Sony ATV Harmony (ASCAP), Piano Music/Sony ATV Tunes (BMI), Talpa Music Publishing (BUMA), Studio Beast Music/Warner Tamerlane Music Corp (BMI) / Produced by Akon for Upfront/Konvict, Giorgio Tuinfort for Piano Music / Co-Produced by Michael Jackson for MJJ Productions, Inc. / Akon appears courtesy of SRC/Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. / Recorded by Mark ‘Exit’ Goodchild for Milk Money Consulting at Palms Studio’s Las Vegas, US, Solitaire Studio’s Atlanta, US, Metropolis Studio’s London, UK, Wisseloord Studio’s Hilversum, Netherlands and FC Walvisch Studio’s Amsterdam, Netherlands / Recording Assistants: Mack Woodward, Justin Pintar, Matt Paul, Miguel Scott, Kory Aaron, Eelco Bakker and Ryan Wiese / Orchestra Recorded by Wessel Oltheten / Orchestra Recording Assistant: Dennis Krijnen / Mixed by Serban Ghenea / String Arrangement: Franck van der Heijden / All Instruments and Programming: Akon and Giorgio Tuinfort
“Hold My Hand” is the first single on the “Michael” album that Sony exchanged after family members and those working with Michael declared that “Breaking News” was not Michael’s voice. In looking at the “Duet with Akon” which I have heard and was released originally on Akon’s album and released as a single for Michael in 2007 (could not find confirming source for date of single as of this writing). The song was written by neither Michael nor Akon and was published by Byefall Productions, Inc and Sony ATV Harmony. This listing does not credit vocals at all, only recording assistants.
I am also learning that as different parts of songs are produced in different studios at different times, what looks like a collaboration may not be, as you will see below.
Hollywood Tonight
Written by Michael Jackson, Brad Buxer / Spoken Bridge Written by Teddy Riley / Published by Mijac Music, Adida Music Inc. / Produced by Teddy Riley, Michael Jackson / Co-Produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster / Mixed by Jean-Marie Horvat, Teddy Riley, Scott Elgin / Programming and Finisher: Teddy Riley / Vocals Recorded by Michael Durham Prince and Mischke / Additional Background Vocals: Mischke / Spoken Bridge by Taryll Jackson / Whistling: Danny Ray McDonald, Jr., Michael Durham Prince / Engineered by Scott Elgin, James Murray, Michael Durham Prince, Jon Nettlesbey / Assistant Engineer: Quentinn Gilkey / Keyboard: Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Edward Brown / Guitar: Erick Donell Walls, Eric Jackson / Horns: The Regiment
Hollywood Tonight writer is credited to Michael Jackson and the spoken bridge by Teddy Riley. Here is where the “collaboration” appears. The producers are listed as Teddy Riley and Michael Jackson, but Michael Jackson did not put this album together obviously. Michael’s production happened obviously before June 25, 2009. Teddy Riley’s production work happened later, while sprucing this up for the album. Notice the vocals on this . . . Michael Durham Prince and Mischke. Background vocals are Mischke. Where is Michael? Whistling credits by Danny Ray McDonald and Michael Durham Prince. No credits for Michael vocals. Cascios appear nowhere in the credits for this song.
Keep Your Head Up
Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte / Published by
Mijac Music, Jab Me Music / Produced by C “Tricky” Stewart for Red Zone Entertainment, Inc., Angelikson, Michael Jackson for MJJ Productions, Inc. / Mixed by Jaycen Joshua for the Penua Project / Mix Assisted by Jesus Garnica / Background Vocals: Michael Jackson, James Porte / Additional Backing Vocals: Duawne Starling / Engineered by Brian “B-Luv” Thomas, Andrew Wuepper / Engineering Assisted by Jason Sherwood, Steven Dennis, Travis Harrington Stuart Brawley, Joe Corcoran, Drew Harris / Musicians: Jamie Wollam, Rudy Bird, Sean Hurley, Stuart Brawley, Joe Corcoran, Eddie Cascio, James Porte, Lamont “Monty” Neuble, Cameron Stone, Nicole Garcia / Drum Programming: Joe Corcoran and James Porte
Finally, we see Eddie Cascio on the third track on this album/CD. Mijack is publisher for this and the previous song and produced by C “Tricky for Red Zone Entertainment (whoever they are). AND Michael for MJJ Productions. No credit for recording vocals, Michael is listed as background vocals along with James Porte and Duawne Starling for additional backing vocals. Eddie Cascio is listed as a musician on this but not Michael. This could be one of the unfinished tracks that Michael’s nephew and family identified.
Michael Jackson / Jason Malachi Voice Comparison “Keep Your Head Up” :
(I Like) The Way You Love Me
Written by Michael Jackson / Published by Mijac Music / Produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Michael Jackson / Mixed by Serban Ghenea / Engineer for Mix: John Hanes / Assisted by Tim Roberts / Vocals Recorded by Michael Durham Prince / Engineered by James Murray / Piano: William C. Champlin / Guitar: Erick Donell Walls / Bass: Thomas Drayton / Percussion: Paulinho da Costa / Keyboards and Drum Programming: Theron “Neff-U” Feemster
This song is written by Michael, published by Mijac and co-produced by Michael, however vocals are Michael Durham Prince. Neither Michael nor Cascio appear nowhere else on this song. The credits on this are scant, but no Michael listed for vocals at all except for Prince. The credits possibly reveal not only an unfinished track, but one in which Michael never produced vocals for, only the music.
Monster (Featuring 50 Cent)
Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte / Rap Lyrics Written by Curtis Jackson / Published by Mijac Music, Jab Me Music, Curtis Jackson 50 Cent Music Publishing (admin by Universal Music Publishing) (ASCAP) / Produced by Teddy Riley, Angelikson, Michael Jackson / Mixed by Jean-Marie Horvat, Teddy Riley / Programming and Finisher: Teddy Riley / Background Vocals: Michael Jackson, James Porte / Kids’ Scream: Nigel and Naiden Maynard / Recording Engineer: Scott Elgin, Khaliq Glover AKA Khaliq-O-Vision, Quenton Gilkey (Assistant Engineer), Luis Navarro, Zachariah Redding (Assistants Engineer on the Rap) (Recorded at Boom Boom Room), Stuart Brawley, Glen Marchese, Joe Corcoran, Drew Harris / Rap Performed by 50 Cent courtesy of Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records / Musicians: Rudy Bird, Joe Corcoran, Eddie Cascio, Stuart Brawley, Cameron Stone, Sharon Jackson, Orianthi courtesy of Geffen Records
This song, vocals listed are background for Michael and James Porte. Eddie Cascio is listed as well as Orianthi as musicians. Did Orianthi know Michael before TII? If we assume no, then we must also assume that Orianthi recorded her part of the track AFTER which means she had no problem coming in to do this for Sony. Judging by the credits this looks like an unfinished track that Sony brought people in to “finish”.
Best Of Joy
Written by Michael Jackson / Published by Mijac Music / Produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Michael Jackson / Co-Produced by Brad Buxer / Mixed by Serban Ghenea / Engineer for Mix John Hanes / Assisted by Tim Roberts / Vocals Recorded by Michael Durham Prince and Mischke / Additional Background Vocals: Mischke / Engineered by James Murray / Guitar: Erick Donell Walls / All Other Instruments: Theron “Neff-U” Feemster
This is another unfinished track in which Vocals for Michael do not appear present. Credits for Vocals listed are for Prince and Mischke only. Michael is credited with writing and publishing through Mijac and co-producing with Neff-U, who probably finished production on an unfinished piece.
Breaking News
Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte / Published by Mijac Music, Jab Me Music / Produced by Teddy Riley, Angelikson, Michael Jackson / Mixed by Jean-Marie Horvat, Teddy Riley / Programming and Finisher: Teddy Riley / Recording Engineer: Scott Elgin, Khaliq Glover AKA Khaliq-O-Vision, Stuart Brawley, Glen Marchese, Joe Corcoran, Drew Harris / Assistant Engineer: Quenton Gilkey / String Session Recording Engineer: Reggie Dozer / String Session Assistant Engineer: Brandon Datoli / Voiceover Engineers: Myron Chandler And Dave Hampton / String Session: The Benjamin Wright Orchestra / Arranged and Conducted By Benjamin Wright / Musicians: James Porte, Stuart Brawley, Eddie Cascio, Joe Corcoran / Voice Talents: Stuart Brawley, Sandy Orkin, Stacey Michaels, Michael Lefevre, Lisa Orkin / Voiceover Producer: Michael Lefevre
Ah! The “controversial” song! Let’s look at voice first . . . Musicians are listed as Porte, Brawley, Cascio and Corcoran. Voice Talents are Brawley, Orkin, Michaels and Michael Lefevre and Orkin. Voiceover Producer is Lefevre and voiceover engineers are Chandler and Hampton. There IS NO Michael here. None. Michael wrote it with Cascio and Porte but he is nowhere in the talent on this song. Riley however, is producer, mixer and programming and finisher. Michael . . . where for art thou, Michael?
(I Can’t Make It) Another Day
(Featuring Lenny Kravitz)
Written by Lenny Kravitz / Published by Lenny Kravitz/Miss Bessie Music / Produced by Lenny Kravitz / Co-Pproduced by Michael Jackson / Mixed by Lenny Kravitz / Lead and Background Vocals: Michael Jackson / Background Vocals: Lenny Kravitz / Michael Jackson’s Vocals Recorded at Marvin’s Room by Henry Hirsch / Electric Guitar: Lenny Kravitz / Bass: Lenny Kravitz / Mini Moog: Lenny Kravitz / String and Horn samples: Lenny Kravitz / Timpani: Lenny Kravitz / Gong: Lenny Kravitz / 12-String Electric Guitar: Craig Ross / Drums: Dave Grohl / Drum Programming and Noise: Dave Barron and Lenny Kravitz / Synthesizer Programming: Dave Baron / Studio Technician and Additional Programming: Alex Alvarez
This song is more Kravitz than Michael. Michael Co-produces, lead and background vocals. Michael did not write it, Michael did not publish it, Michael had no rights to this song. Michael did not even record it in the same place as Kravitz. Did they ever meet? I am picturing Michael in a plane, just dropping “parts” of songs and them landing in different areas for different artists to pick up just to see what Sony would do with them. In looking through this I can’t help think that this too was calculated, but not by Sony. If you want to see how deviant a music label can be, just leave pieces of your work laying around giving them the idea that you will never see it again, and see what they do with it.
Behind The Mask
Written by Michael Jackson, Chris Mosdell, Ryuichi Sakamoto / Published by Mijac Music (BMI) All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) & by Alfa Music, Inc. (JASRAC) All Rights Administered by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP) / Produced by Michael Jackson, John McClain & Jon Nettlesbey / ‘Behind The Mask’ contains a sample of the recording “Behind The Mask” as performed by Yellow Magic Orchestra. (P) 1979 Alfa Music, Inc. Licensed by Alfa Music, Inc. All Rights Reserved. / Mixed by Jon Nettlesbey, Khaliq Glover / Lead & Background Vocals: Michael Jackson / Additional Background Vocals: Shanice Wilson, Alphonso Jones / Background Vocals Arranged by Leon F. Sylvers III / Engineered by Jon Nettlesbey, Allen Sides, Khaliq Glover / Saxophone and Saxophonic Percussion: Mike Phillips courtesy of Hidden Beach Recordings / Keyboards & Drum Programming: Big Jim Wright / Additional Keyboards: Greg Phillinganes / Bass: Alex Al / Percussion: Paulino Da Costa / Additional Keyboards, Drum Programming, Sequencing & Digital Editing: Jon Nettlesbey
Behind the mask looks to be the rare completed piece although we would never know because Michael is not here to tell us. Michael’s credits on this song are co-writer, Mijac published (administered by BMI Warner-Tamerlane and Alpha Music. Sony/ATV also ). Michael co-produces or I should say PRE-produced, then John McClain and John Nettlesbey. Lead and background vocals is Michael (FINALLY! Is that all we get on this album?)
Much Too Soon
Written by Michael Jackson / Published by Mijac Music / Produced by Michael Jackson, John McClain / Mixed by Allen Sides / Guitar: Tommy Emmanuel / Khora: Dean Parks / Harmonica: Tommy Morgan / Accordion: Suzie Katayama / Arranger & Conductor: David Campbell / Contractor: Suzie Katayama / Concertmaster: Charlie Bisharat
This is another scant credit list for this song. Michael’s credits are writer, Mijac published, coproduced (pre-produced, with John McClain finishing). No credit for vocals listed on this at all.
I did a search on all copyrights listed under Michael Jackson while trying to find copyright information on “Heartbreaker”. What resulted was a huge list of copyrights which were categorized into “Michael Jackson Company, LLC”, “Michael Jackson Estate”, and “Michael Jackson Productions”.
Under the estate I found a list of music that are NOT on this new “Michael” album. They are:
Adore you, Boy No., Brad Loop 3.3.7. MJ., Changes, Days in Gloucestershire, Don’t be Messin’, Hollywood, I Am a Loser, I Was a Loser, Innocent Man, Jungle, Just Remember, Light the Way, Michael’s Affirmation, Neverland Landing, Pray for Peace, Rocker, Thank Heaven, and World of Candy.
Of all the music listed, all of them are electronic files, and all of them hold this info on the Copyright record:
Description: Electronic file (eService)
Copyright Claimant: Bradley Buxer. Address: 553 Summit Oaks Ct., Nashville, TN, 37221, United States. The Michael Jackson Estate,
Transfer: By will. Address: c/o Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States.
Date of Creation: 2009
Authorship on Application: Bradley Buxer; Domicile: United States; Citizenship: United States. Authorship: music. Michael Jackson;
Domicile: United States;
Citizenship: United States.
Authorship: music.
Rights and Permissions: Bradley Buxer, Songwriters Guild of America, 209 10th Avenue South, Suite 321, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States, (615) 742-9945, sfein@songwritersguild.com
Copyright Note: C.O. correspondence.
Names: Buxer, Bradley Jackson, Michael Michael Jackson Estate
Michael Prince Durham is credited with many of the vocals on the “Michael” album songs. Just who is Michael Durham Prince?
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3667021/
Bradley Buxey is listed as co-writer for one song on this album, “Hollywood Tonight” which could be the same music copyright “Hollywood” in the list of songs. He comes up nowhere in searches, even using Boolean search. Yet he is the copyright claimant for every single new song listed under Michael Jackson/Michael Jackson Estate.
More disturbing? This post found on a Michael Jackson Fan Forum
“Michael Durham Prince Worked On New Songs”
“I was the first who reported about dozens of new songs MJ recorded with Bradley Buxler in 2009.
Now I can tell you that Michael Durham Prince was also present on these recording sessions, and will be credited if these songs will ever be released. He was the audio supervisor of the planned This Is It live shows.”
Source
http://michaelsguardian.blogspot.com/2010/12/breaking-news-or-breaking-wind.html
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On Twitter:
On Tuesday 7th December 2010, @Taryll said: I remember when Teddy and I were at Encore listening to KYHU. We both knew it wasn’t my Uncle. He stopped working on it because (and I quote) “it didn’t sound enough like Michael. Michael doesn’t swing like that.”
“He also said he was only working on the Cascio records in hopes that he would eventually be given a “real Michael Jackson song.” As he knows, I never agreed with that logic. I’ll never forget when Teddy called me telling me, “I’m so excited, I finally got a ‘Michael record.’ It’s called Hollywood Tonight and it’s him.”
Frank hurt and betrayed my Uncle years ago, so when I learned about Eddie I wasn’t completely shocked. The names are different but the story’s the same. People taking advantage of my Uncle and now his legacy. I wish Oprah would have asked about the ridiculous amount these FAKE songs were sold to the estate for.
@Taryll I’ve always admired the talent of Teddy Riley, but after hearing him lie on Oprah I am terribly disappointed.
RollingStone “This is not a Michael Jackson album …”: Our review of “Michael.” http://bit.ly/gXA2xK
———————————-
This comments are enough for me. There are good reasons to believe more in his nephew who doesn’t make any money with it than people who are making a lot of money at the cost of Michael’s legacy.
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If that was a real friendship as you say and they kept everything in secret, why they are publishing now??? when Michael can not say a word of course.
For “love to Michael’s fans”? come on. Is it just charity to the fans??
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The Fans` of mj can not have it both ways,first complaining that oprah only interview that will only re-enforce her negative impressions of mj.finally here comes this family that actually loved supported and stood by mj during his most trying and difficult time,and for whatever reasons the fans have now turned against them just because they decided to talk about mj on oprah we will just be making it hard for other people to come out.
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“they don’t even seem to appreciate this family that Michael knew for 25 years defending him against the accusations. I saw someone on twitter put them in the same category as the Chandlers and the Arvisos”.
Oh Anna, exactly! I’ve also read some of those people saying that the Cascios are “extorting money”. Only completely ignorant (and malicious) people can throw words like that at someone whom they don’t know the first thing about.
And thank you for the videos – I never knew that a shy man like Frank Tyson defended Michael on TV. The sound is not very good, but I’ve found an article with some quotations from the interview which will help to understand it better:
Frank Tyson, Unindicted Co-Conspirator, Defends Pop Star in Molestation Case
http://www.mjj2005.com/kopboard/index.php?showtopic=7298
June 1, 2005 —
Before jury deliberations begin in the Michael Jackson child molestation case, a longtime friend and confidant of the pop star is speaking publicly for the first time to express his belief that Jackson is innocent.
Frank Tyson told ABC News’ “Primetime Live” co-anchor Cynthia McFadden: There’s “not a question in my mind who’s telling the truth. I know who’s telling the truth and I know who’s lying.”
Tyson, who worked as an assistant to Jackson, attempted to cast doubt on the teen who is accusing the pop star.
“He was from the street, this kid … And he is not like a shy little boy … He is tough … If anyone pushes him the wrong way, or touches him — he is to be the first one, to push you back,” Tyson said.
If the allegations were true, Tyson said, the accuser “would be the first one to knock Michael out and say, ‘The hell with this. I am not doing this.’ ”
Tyson said he was speaking out now because he wants to express his support for the pop star, who he described as “a father figure, a brother.”
“To see him going in and out of court every day, frail, 90 pounds. See him deteriorate day by day — it’s hard for me to see this,” Tyson said. “To see how they’re trying to destroy him, I’m not just going to sit there in my chair in my home, and watch this affect him.” (thank you, Frank!)
The prosecution has alleged that Tyson played a role in holding the family at Jackson’s Neverland ranch against its will, but Tyson denies that such a plot existed. “There was no such thing as keeping a family hostage, or a conspiracy,” he said. “This is something that the prosecution and this mother created.”
In fact, he said the accuser was angry with his mother because they were leaving. “You would think, if [the accuser] was being touched inappropriately, he would be the first one [to say] ‘Thank you Mom, for taking me away,’ ” said Tyson.
Tyson says he considers the accuser’s mother “delusional.”
“I really believe that she created this in her head,” he said. “This is a family, and a mother who would do anything, to any extent, to get any type of fame. Even to this extent.”
The indictment also says Tyson threatened them at one point, allegedly telling the accuser sometime between February and March 2003 that “I could have your mother killed.” (Frank Tyson threatening them?)
Tyson says the allegation is a lie. “Like, I’m Frank Tyson from Jersey, from the ‘Sopranos?’ ” he said. “Come on, man! That’s crazy! I’m not that person.” (I easily believe that)
Tyson also rejected the prosecution’s other allegations against Jackson.
The prosecution has alleged that he and Jackson showed the accuser and his brother pornography on the Internet, but Tyson says he and Jackson were out of the room when the boys found the Web sites themselves.
He said the pop star expressed concerns when they did. “He says, “‘Frank, they can’t do that. I do not want this coming back on me,’ “ Tyson told McFadden.
Tyson also denied that Jackson has ever forced, given or offered alcohol to children. “He would never do that,” he said.
He did acknowledge that Jackson drank alcohol out of soda cans when he was around children. But he said the pop star did so precisely to protect the children around him — so they would not see him drinking alcohol and feel that they should try it themselves.
“He is known all around the world,” Tyson said. “He does not want to influence a child, to — especially drink alcohol.”
Tyson first met Jackson as a young boy two decades ago. His father worked at a hotel where the pop star stayed. Over the years, they developed a friendship, and Tyson went on to work for Jackson.
Like the accuser, Tyson says he spent nights as a boy in Jackson’s bedroom, but he insists nothing improper or inappropriate happened. “My brother and I slept in the bed, he stayed on the floor. That’s what happened,” he said.
He says his parents were not concerned. “I never even felt uncomfortable by the slightest bit,” Tyson said. “It was no cuddling or nothing like that, it wasn’t like that. It was like sleeping with your college roommate.”
“I’m going to tell you something,” Tyson went on. “If Michael Jackson ever laid a finger on me I would not be in this chair right now. And I don’t believe in what they’re saying. I don’t believe it, because it’s not true. At all.”
Asked about some of the accusers that Jackson has faced over the years — including the current accuser and two other boys, one of whom received a $20 million settlement from Jackson, and another, a $3 million settlement — Tyson responded: “They’re all lying.”
All the five parts of the interview are here at the MJtruthnow site:
http://mjtruthnow.com/2009/08/frank-tyson-part-1/
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I say god bless the Cascio’s. What bothers me is that some fans are so upset that vocals recorded at their home doesn’t sound like Michael that they don’t even seem to appreciate this family that Michael knew for 25 years defending him against the accusations. I saw someone on twitter put them in the same category as the Chandlers and the Arvisos. Uhhh, come again? The Chandlers and the Arviso’s were responsible for Michael being falsely accussed in the first place. The Cascio’s are denfending Michael against the Charges (and always did off camera and Frank did during the trial).
Karen Faye retweeted a tweet from someone (I won’t post the user name for the tweet) that said this “Watchn now. Cascio family say Michael was a target… then I guess they r arrows”…..Where is the logic in saying that? Frank Cascio was 5 and Eddie was 3 when Michael met them. Were they targeting Michael when they were children, or is the implication that the parents were targeting Michael, the parents don’t even have anything to do with he tracks except that they were recorded in their house but the production and recording was with Eddie mostly. People are just rattling off hate that doesn’t even make sense, why?
And I have nothing against Karen Faye personally, she has also stood by Michael through tough times, but she also answered personal questions about Michael on her facebook shortly after he died. Answering questions about Michael’s relationships with Lisa Marie and Debbie Rowe and other personal questions. All I’m saying is how could she know if Michael would be happy with that, so maybe she should not be casting stones at others Michael was close to.
Frank Cascio also known as Frank Tyson, publicly defending him during the trial.
Here he is on Court TV,
and again to Cynthia McFadden on Primetime
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=811054&page=1
I’m not going to completely discount this entire families motives and loyalties because of some tracks that don’t sound like Michael, 2000 Watts doesn’t sound like Michael to me either so I don’t know what to think about that.
I do appreciate the love and support that gave Michael while he was alive and I appreciate them defending him to Oprah.
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I have had this emailed to me urgently:
Hi all,
As you are no doubt aware a serious situation involving some potentially offensive programming by Discovery UK is scheduled for forthcoming release.
The first Discovery documentary billed as — ” Michael Jackson’s Autopsy: What Really Killed Michael Jackson ” has been out-produced by Renegade Pictures LTD — and is scheduled to air on 13/01/11 at 21:00 pm, then 14/01/11 at 22:00 pm, 16/01/11 at 22:00, 17/01/11 at 22:00.
A call placed to Discovery Europe revealed the official description of the programme as:
” We re-create his autopsy using anatomically correct synthetic cadaver and examine the official coroner’s report calls on the testimony of experts. ”
As you can imagine many people are concerned about the tone and approach Renegade (and by extension Discovery), will be taking on this program, and a radio programme that will discuss this is scheduled on BlogTalk radio on December 12 at 13:00 pm Central Standard Time with Reverend Catherine Gross.
This is the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/a-place-in-your-heart
The information pre-released by Discovery also mentions that a ‘long time personal physican’ of Michael’s will comment during the program. That information also states that doctor who will be performing this autopsy is a Dr Michael Hunter. http://forensic-doc.com/
I have also included a recent mail out compiled by Reverend Barbara Kaufmann ( see below) for your perusal, so that you can see what many have been doing so far regarding this news.
I received this urgent message:
To: Reverend B Kaufmann
We have to speak up. Thus is URGENT. Write a letter to the Discovery/OWN Channel. Tell them that what they are doing is disgraceful, disrespectful, and unnecessary. This is going too far to get ratings. Address your letters to;
Nicolas Bonard Senior Vice President
Discovery Enterprises International Discovery Networks Europe /Oprah Winfrey Network
Chiswick Park Building 2
566 Chiswick High Road
London, W4 5YB
UK
~Please E-mail your letters to MJ Justice Project at
mjj@innocent.com
MJ Justice Project and MJ Children have united to bring you the truth about the Discovery Channel.
The Discovery Channel, which is actually the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) will broadcast 13 January 2011 a documentary on events surrounding the death of Michael Jackson. Based on the autopsy report and court documents, the film will show a reproduction of the body of the star in every detail. The documentary aims to follow a doctor who will dissect the body and reveal the true reasons for his death. Let me say it again;
The Discovery Channel is actually OWN,The Oprah Winfrey Network.
Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications formed OWN, which will be seen in 70 Million U.S. homes, and includes the power of Oprah.com
OWN,The Oprah Winfrey Network
http://corporate.discovery.com/?dcitc=w99-540-ah-1001.
Are you enraged? If you are, join us.
MJ JUSTICE PROJECT AND MJ CHILDREN WILL EXPLAIN & ANSWER QUESTIONS: Sunday, December 12 at 1:00pm
A Place In Your Heart Radio
Hosted by Rev. Dr. Catherine Gross
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There is speculation aswell because they has been talk that robert alexander giles or marcus joseph (see you tube) were used to finish the album.
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Yes, Olga thanks.
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Helena did you get my e-mail?
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The article “Does the American Dream Have to Die With Michael Jackson?” has won the poll run by Hubpages by a large margin (it got 85% of the votes in its category). This means it will be featured in Hubpages’s newsletter which reaches around 60 000 people.
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Hubnugget-Team-has-fun-at-the-tree-farm
Suzy, thank you for the good news! Another step made in climbing the mountain and getting to the top.
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The article “Does the American Dream Have to Die With Michael Jackson?” has won the poll run by Hubpages by a large margin (it got 85% of the votes in its category). This means it will be featured in Hubpages’s newsletter which reaches around 60 000 people.
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Hubnugget-Team-has-fun-at-the-tree-farm
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I forgot to add a curious detail.l. even the so hated Rabbi S talked very good about Frank Cascio in his Tapes Book.. I read the book and he always liked Frank and he explained he kept the friendship with Frank even after Michael and the Rabbi split separate ways..
its just a curious note dont you think?
Michael always loved the Cascios. and knew them since the Cascios kids were little ones..
they trusted Michael.. and Michael trusted them ..
that must mean somthing..
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I am can relate completely to : Julie, visitor, Lynette, rockforeveron, nenabuena, Cris.. and everyone who thinks all the same about this topic..you have explained very well the important points in here.. and I cant talk of myself as a long life fan or a fan since 30 years.. but I can see some ” old fans” behaving and saying that the album is almost all fake.. that dissapoint me so much. .what kind of “fans” are those?
I dont like even to call myself a “fan”.. the word isnt proper.. I am a RESPECTFULL and forever ADMIRER of Mr MIchael Jackson .. and all the work and legacy he left..
we all know he isnt here to polish the album.. but for me its HIS work..
and I am very glad to have the chance to hear the songs..
I am pissed of about all those fights and argues..
I respect all the opinions but for once in the life.. this fights are showing the world as us the admirers of Michael are out of mind.. :(((
I bought “Michael” .. and I will enjoy it..
its all I have to say..
thank you so much for posting this article…
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Lynette, I absolutely agree too. What was said by Roger Friedman about 3T may be reflecting only part of the problem – it is easy to judge something or somebody from the outside when it doesn’t affect you personally and when your emotions are not involved. The pain of the family is much deeper than any of us can imagine and this is why they take everything that’s going on with Michael’s legacy much closer to heart.
I think Taryll has every right to express his own opinion about the Cascio songs – Michael’s voice does sound slightly different in the Monster, for example. The reason for that we will probably never know – it may be the studio, or the song could only be half-finished so that some ‘effects’ had to be added to it – everything is probable here. This is one of those situations when everyone can be right – both Cascios who had the draft of the song only and Taryll who says the end result is not genuine enough. However the lyrics of Monster prove to me that it was Michael who wrote them and it is only the ‘finish’ of the song which may be disputed.
We will be extremely lucky if we hear Michael’s new songs done by him to the point of perfection – we are no longer in a position to expect that now, alas. So Michael’s music legacy will undergo the same natural process as with all geniuses – first some finished pieces will be released, then half-finished will follow and then will come a time for fragments only each of which will be regarded as a precious gem. Look at how elated they are with new tiny fragments of Mozart and you’ll see what I mean.
It seems to me that fighting Michael’s songs – even half-finished ones – is like fighting the wind. And I have no doubt that Michael did have a hand in those Cascios songs even in case they were drafts only and had to be ‘finished up’. But all this music talk does not allow Michael’s fans to abuse and insult the people who proved themselves to be Michael’s true friends and who staunchly stood by him when he was going through the many years of lies, humiliation and trials.
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Well, said Lynette. I agree. Whenever any of the family say how much the miss Michael via twitter. I always say to them ‘we’ or ‘I’ do too, but it will never compare to how much you miss him.’ When, I notice how a lot of people on the outside have really been affected and miss Michael. I always think to myself man I can’t even beginning to image the grief his family (especially his kids & mother) and his real close friends are going through.
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I think this is a perfect example of how personal the grieving process is to each person that feels a sense of loss. There are so many people involved in this grieving process and they will all grieve differently. Michael’s nephews are dealing with different aspects of the grieving process than his Mother, his children, his brothers and the Cascios; they all feel his loss differently. Grief is such a funny thing I think that the fans have to realize that even though Michael loved us he did not know us as individuals or we him, and we should respect the family and his closest friends to try to find their own way through their grief. We all feel his loss but it cannot compare to those that actually knew him. It saddens me to think that people are letting the marketing of an album overweigh the songs on that album.
I know when the album was first announced last year there were many fans that jumped on the Boycott Sony bandwagon because there were some very vocal fans saying that they killed Michael for his catalogue. They must be very young or they know nothing about marketing or finance because it would not have benefitted Sony in any way to kill Michael, because they would not get his shares in the SonyATV/Michael Jackson music catalogue. Michael retained ownership of the catalogue and it would have been willed to any beneficiaries he had namely his children and any other family members that were named in his will. This is what is known as his estate.
Michael unfortunately used his shares in the catalogue as collateral on AEG financing the This Is It concerts. Whether he did it knowingly or was coerced remains to be determined. It would have benefitted AEG greatly and in particular Randy Philips to try to get Michael’s catalogue through foreclosure in the event that he could not perform the concerts. It was AEG and in particular Randy Phillips who hired Dr. Murray. This is why Katherine and the children are suing AEG for wrongful death.
All Sony is doing is helping the family market the album. They are allowing people that knew Michael very well to create new albums and then they are marketing them for the Michael Jackson Estate. Don’t blame anyone for what you think are inferior tracks on the album. Buy the album and see which ones you like the best there is something on it for every fan out there.
In other words if Michael was alive and had released them just as they are would you still not buy it? As a matter of fact many of the younger and newer fans probably wouldn’t be in on the debate because they all had to be convinced it was okay to like Michael Jackson music because of the allegations.Critics have been doing this very thing to every album he ever released since Thriller, not everyone is going to be satisfied with every song on every album.
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Sorry, I meant Michael’s nephews, not cousins!
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Helena, thank you for this post. I agree with every word of you and with the other comments here. These “fans” have lost control over themselves. I became more and more depressed when I saw what happened after BN had come out.
I’m sure Roger Friedman is right: This has a lot to do with jealousy and envy on the part of Michael’s cousins. That’s where it comes from. It’s really sad. I always liked the guys.
@zeromarcy: I understand your confusion, but you just need some common sense to know who is more believable. Just watch all the hysteria WITHOUT ANY PROOF. They do the same they accuse the media of. And they do the same to the Cascios as was done to Michael: Accusations and hate without proof. And this means they are insulting Michael himself.
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“IMO this is all Taryl Jacksons doing. He wasn’t content with having talking parts on some of the album”
Chris, it won’t surprise me to see Michael’s family wanting a different version of the same songs – they are sucessful musicians themselves and may see this music material differently. This is natural and can eventually bring us several versions of one and the same song – which wouldn’t be bad at all. Fans will be able to compare and choose the best. Another good thing about such an outcome is that Michael’s musical legacy will only spread and become more popular.
However what the new “fans” are doing is the opposite – they doubt the authenticity of the songs, thus cutting short all possible new interpretations of them and their future in general. And in addition to robbing these songs of their future they are also casting a heavy shadow of doubt on Cascios’ integrity.
So the first thing to do is to take any musical criticism apart from the people to whom we owe a lot for all the immense good they did to Michael!
If it were the matter of music choices only the discussion would be not that hysterical and would be contained within the framework of solely music preferences. But the hysteria is taken to a completely different field – doubting Cascios word, thinking them to be liars, degrading them – which is the usual package of tools used by the haters.
I’ve added to the post an article by Roger Friedman for you to see that in the midst of the 2005 trial Cascios were regarded as ardent Michael’s supporters and that Michael deeply appreciated them as his another family. The second article gives interesting details about how the songs came into being and of the 3T controversy over it.
Whatever is the case with the song we should never give away Cascios to Michael’s haters or anyone who has been fooled by them. IF WE DO WE WILL BETRAY MICHAEL HIMSELF.
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“some fans thought it was strange that they were going to release MJ’s songs on the first album after his death”
Zeromarcy, the work was probably not finished when Michael died – – considering the perfectionist he was it could have lasted several years more – but now that he is gone it can’t be helped and nothing can be made on the music except some ‘cosmetic’ improvements. We have to be satisfied with what we have – though it is great even as it is. This is what Teddy Riley meant when he said “It’s better to have some Michael than to have no Michael”.
But even this true observation which I share whole-heartedly was distorted by new Michael’s “fans” who interpreted it as a sign of a lie on the part of Teddy.
Can’t you recognize the same style, the same hatred and even the same words haters use in respect of Michael and Michael’s fans? Now these “new guys” say that some fans are ‘delusional’ enough to believe the hoax! It is the same mocking manner and same lack of conscience which is giving their true intentions away immediately.
You don’t need to look twice to see who they are. Lack of conscience, total lack of gratitude to those who really supported Michael and utter lack of respect for Michael’s legacy are all the proof we need. Michael’s true followers are different.
If there are any Michael’s fans here who are still in doubt THIS IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO AWAKEN AND MAKE YOUR CHOICE.
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Dial, I can’t agree with you more and will add your comment as an update to the post. I think your conclusions are absolutely correct.
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“family is what we are given, friends are the family we choose. He would have hated the bickering at their expense.”
Exactly, Lynette! Friends are indeed often closer than the family because they share the same interests with the man and very often know about him more than a mother would (a typical situation) though a mother’s love for her son goes undisputed. Very often she just doesn’t know what friends do.
And Michael would not have allowed his closest friends to be insulted and ridiculed in such a shameless way. I am amazed that those who support Cascios’ detractors now don’t realize they are actually underminining Michael. How can anyone allow themselves to be so easily led astray and fall into the trap laid out by Michael’s haters?
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the entire Michael album is streaming free on MichaelJackson . com
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P.S. I have not purchased any new music nor downloaded any new that was leaked. Ok I did get the “One More Chance” YouTube. (a slip) That is my decision until I am more assured that some matters concerning his Estate and businesses is what he would have wanted. See I did not believe that being 300,000,000 in debt for a multimillionaire was all it was made out to be. I believed that even with the civil court not always playing fair Michael was still the captain of his ship and like any other businessman had highs and lows it just his lows were always magnified out of proportion. That others could handle his business better than he.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Michael-Jackson—Money,-Myth-and-the-Mainstream-Media&id=2779807
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The Cascio’s all loved Michael and he them. I loved watching Michael in their home movies with the babies did everyone see how happy he was with them. Their relationship was not a secret to anybody but Oprah. They probably knew him better than anyone else. He was their friend and they were his. There is a saying that goes something like family is what we are given friends are the family we choose. Michael chose the whole family not just Frank and Eddie but Marie Nicole, Connie, Dominick, and Aldo. He chose their cousins and uncles and aunts just like they chose him. hasn’t anybody paid any attenetion to just how little those boys were when he met them and their parents. They would have been like little brothers and sisters to him. He would have hated the bickering at their expense.
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I call these Fake Fans Uncover Haters. Many don’t hate they are just doing a job. Helena you are right they are evolving. As they lurk and sometimes blend in with us they learn and adapt. A couple I thought were loving Fans turned out to be something else.
3 times within the past 2 weeks “Fans” have posted information on negative programs or articles without providing the originating source.
One was meant for us to attack Gale and then Oprah for a comment not made, but claimed to have been heard on Gale’s radio show. The other is a petition over an article which none have been able to find. The third was over an article on some trumped up webpage copied, paste and with seriously edited content. (Each was checked by an Advocate and each was found to be false) Only one group went to the supposed offending site before checking.
The intent is to distract and derail us by having us made unprovoked attacks on others. This will allow the Media & TV Persons and the dissidents to report we are out of control and not rational and therefore should under no circumstances be listened to. A bunch of overly emotion people making up stories to “excuse” our Idol.
Forget that each person of the MJ Community is just an extension of our own society; we will be held to a higher standard. Our evidence will always have to be more factual then the Media stories, our arguments more rational then theirs in the hope of getting listened to.
There are powerful forces at work here folks. There are many of us who are active Advocates worldwide, if we are having this problem needing to address this many attacks can you imagine what it must have been like for Michael before, during and after the trial?
As for real Fans battling among one another over who is right and who is wrong, well it is a matter of personal perception of Michael, which of his words we took most to heart. Once we had Michael and he did all the talking and now we don’t. I think the family & friends are just as torn, confused and sometime jealous of the other. None had Michael every moment and I doubt that any had his total confidence in all matters.
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Guys i have to say this:
I’m one of the fans who are not sure it’s Michael on bn ( i do not say I’m 100% sure it’s not him, because I’m not), and i want to say that probably IF SOME OF THE FANS said that kind of words it’s even because of the argument between the family (taj , tj) and teddy. Plus i want to say that the base there are MORE things behind that simple thing, for example the fact that after the 06/25/09 we lost more or less everything and we do not know what to think and who to believe anymore (the famnily and rooney? the cascio and teddy??),because in truth we are being used (in general).
I respect the Cascios for what they rapresented and what they did for Michael, but on the other end it seems to me quite obiouvs that some fans thought it was strange that they were going to release MJ’s songs on the first album after his death, I’m not saying that i agree with them, but at the beginning i thought about that too.
Btw, i hope u will not call me fake fan just because i have doubts on bn(breaking news):D
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IMO this is all Taryl Jacksons doing. He wasn’t content with having talking parts on some of the album. I believe he wanted to put parts on the Cascio tracks got refused and the rest is history. I’m slowly losing all respect for the Jacksons. The sooner their 18 the better!
Would Michael have put talking parts out of his cousin if he was alive for those tracks? The Jacksons spat their dummy out, the Cascio’s stayed loyal and quiet until unwillingly going on Oprah. You wonder why he stayed at the Cascios.
Isn’t the story of Michael when he was forced to move and he had nowhere to go packing alone because their was no one else who cared enough to help him that was when he went and lived with the Cascio’s?
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Hi! I’m glad you brought this up. Ive been avoiding the fan forums ever since this drama about the Cascio tracks have come up. Honestly, I’m very very disappointed with these ‘fans’, it’s like they are turning into the Dimond, the Sneddon’s, the Allreds, everything we despise. There are so many people to be disappointed with & to hate already in connection to Michael Jackson, isn’t that enough? Do we need to add more to the list? I feel like these ‘fans’ are just hating for the sake of hating. & I question whether those that originated all these hatred are real fans to begin with. It started with the TINIs, & then continued with the stalking of so many people, until what we have now. i fear, this is like some snowball effect, this sort of negativity hating & unjust allegations will keep building & building among the more gullible & hateful of the fanbase until it destroys everything in connection with Michael. I’m just tired of it all, tired of the fighting, tired of the unnecessary drama but I fear that if I give up now, there will be fewer more sane people defending these hater fans victims. Why can’t we appreciate those that stood by Michael in his most trying of times? there were so few of them already, & I imagine these people are really hurting right now. Do they need this? & I fear that if every MJ defender or true friend is being stalked & harassed incessantly by these hater fans, who will be left to defend MJ in the end? It’s like these ‘fans’ are making sure to destroy anyone & everyone who tries to preserve & defend MJ’s legacy. In fact, I question whether they are real fans to begin with instead of saboteurs working in the guise of ‘fans’.
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Thank you for posting this. The hysteria amongst some fractions has reached ridiculous proportions. I’m tired of the Jacksons and Karen Faye manipulating these fans into doing their bidding. It’s so distasteful and I’m so sad to see how poorly informed these people are.
I bet most of these people have no idea that one of the guy’s on the show helped vindicate his friend back in 2003-2005.
They claim they’re Sony boycotters – I’d bet a great deal of money these people still have Playstations, Ericson phones, watch Columbia/Tristar movies, pay for Beyonce music/tickets and watch Columbia/Sony paid for programming. They’re really just Michael Jackson Boycotters and should be called such.
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My comment is going to be Michael talking about how to make music. It is an excerpt from “Moonwalk” by Michael Jackson. It was as you all know originally published in 1988 and was co written by Shaye Areheart and edited by Jacqueline Onassis. On Page 263 Michael says this about working with Quincy Jones and his music:
I have a hard time explaining how Quincy Jones and I work together on making an album. What I do is, I write the songs and do the music and then Quincy brings out the best in me. That’s the only way I can explain it. Quincy will listen and make changes. He’ll say “Michael. You should put a change in there.” And I’ll write a change. And he’ll guide me on and help me create and help me invent and work on new sounds, new kinds of music.
And we fight. During the Bad session we disagreed on some things. If we struggle at all, it’s about new stuff, the latest technology. I’ll say “Quincy, you know music changes all the time.” I want the latest that people are doing. I want to beyond the latest thing. And then we go ahead and make the best record we can.
We don’t ever try to pander to the fans. We just try to play on the quality of the song.
That is what Michael said about music. He expected it to change. He wanted it to change. What haven’t changed on the album are the lyrics and the messages that he was always writing in them. I know that Will.I.Am does not agree with the music and says that because Michael was such a perfectionist he would not have wanted them out there in what he considers an incomplete state. Well I don’t know what he would have wanted and neither does Will.I.Am does he think he would like them to sound more like something from The Black Eyed Peas?
I know some of the fans believe that this is not right that it isn’t the way Michael would have wanted it and are looking for someone to blame. Well don’t blame the Cascio’s it is not their fault. They are not liars and Michael loved them. If you want someone to blame, blame AEG and Dr. Conrad Murray he’s the one that stopped all the recording sessions when he killed Michael.
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Unfortunately, these hysterical and poorly informed “fans” makes the rest of us look bad too. I some times become shoked with some of their words or behaviour. They act worse that haters do. And how hypocritical of them.They are not going to buy the cd because is “fake” but they are going to download it illegaly. But if they think it’s fake then why bother listening to it. For me those people are not fans.
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That’s an excellent post. I don’t understand why everyone goes on Oprah and I certainly don’t understand with all of the resources Oprah has that she doesn’t seem to do any real research regarding Michael Jackson; however, it doesn’t take a whole lot of searching to find Frank Cascio, a/k/a Frank Tyson, connected with Michael Jackson nor the rest of the family from the 1993 debacle up until Frank was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in that mess. He staunchly defended Michael and was interviewed after Michael’s passing by GMA. I, for one, am glad when I hear anyone defend him in any manner especially to Oprah. I hate that there is all of this fighting going on, especially between Teddy Riley and Taryll Jackson/Corey Rooney. It serves no purpose other than to just keep things stirred up. On the one hand though, maybe that’s what stirs up the controversy and people’s interest in the record. I don’t know. But you are right!
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