Today in MJJ HIStory

1985 - Michael sprained his right hand during the filming of a dance sequence on the set of Captain EO, and was taken to Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City, the same place he had been rushed to eighteen months earlier when he was burned on the set of the Pepsi commercial.

Accompanying him was young Jonathan Spence, a boy (ten or eleven years old) who had been friends with Michael since about the fall of 1984.

1988 - Michael had his own TV special. Michael Jackson: Around the World was a 90min special featuring concert footage of the Bad tour, with Michael, as usual, having final appoval of the footage to be included. While the concert footage of the Bad tour was impressive, it still only gives a small taste of the excitement of seeing MJ perform live. Clips of Michael with his band, singers & dancers performing "Working Day & Night" gives only a small sense of the song's elaborate production. Footage is shown of Michael's concert performances of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Human Nature", "Beat It", & the Jackson 5ive classics, "I want You Back" & "The Love You Save".

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Michael's band members speak of the excitement of playing London's Wembley Stadium. Frank Dileo adds, "Playing Wembley is one of the biggest honors any artist could have. It's a status symbol within artists themselves, whether or not they can sell out Wembley Stadium, and of course Michael set a new record. He sold it out 7 times. You can't get any bigger than that."

The program also featured the premiere of Michael's latest video, for "Another Part of Me". Filmed at London's Wembley Stadium on July 15, 1988, the video is of an actual performance of the song from the Bad tour. Too frequent cuts, however, detract from Michael's fancy footwork performed during the song.

MJ:Around the World was the highest rated summer special ever in its time slot, it aired at 11:30 p.m. It earned a 8.7 rating, which is equal to 27% of the tv audience. The program was later renamed MJ: Fans Around the World & rebroadcast on MTV several times. An edited, hour long, version was shown in April, 1989, on the BET network. BET presented Michael with an award in recognition of the tour's success while he was winding up the tour in LA.

Filed under  //   1985   1987  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1984 - The Jacksons perform Victory Tour in East Rutherford, New Jersey attending 44,282, including Katherine, Janet, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon & Bob Girladi among others.

1992 - Michael fetches characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse from Euro-Disney, returns from Disneyland Paris with his helicopter and lands on Haggerston park. Together they went to the "Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children" in London, and distributes toys to the ill children there.

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Filed under  //   1984   1992  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1979 - Michael released the first single from the forthcoming album; “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”. The song was solely written by Michael and featured a spoken intro, a surprising falsetto voice and amazing percussion by Michael and his brother Randy. The song was released with a bright music video that featured Michael dancing in triplicate in the song’s bridge. It was his first “short film” and it was directed by Nick Saxon. The song went to number 1 in the US and Australia and was a top 10 hit in 6 countries.

1989 - Michael became the newest claymation member of the Raisin Family by appearing in their new TV commercial called "Michael Raisin". Michael's speaking voice is used in the ads, but his singing voice on the song "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" couldn't be used because of his exclusive contract with Pepsi. Michael agreed to lend his image to the commercial after working with the claymation creator on "Moonwalker".



1995 - Michael is seen in his newest video You Are Not Alone" with his wife Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson during its premier on ABC-TV.
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The music video directed by Wayne Isham, begins with a large number of paparazzi taking photographs of Jackson. The plot then centers around two locations: a temple where Jackson appears in an affectionate semi-naked scene with Lisa Marie and a theater where Jackson performs the song to an empty hall. Jackson also appears alone in other locations such as deserts and mountain tops. The special effects were used to give Jackson white feathery wings.

1998 - Michael Jackson announced the creation of a new company, Michael Jackson Japan Co. Ltd. The company was intended to build theme parks and sell toys throughout the world.

Filed under  //   1979   1989   1995   1998  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1987 - "I Just Can’t Stop Loving You" Michael's duet with Siedah Garrett was released as the first single from the Bad album.
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The balled written & composed by Michael, traveled to #1 on the US, UK & European charts, including Belgium, Denmark, Netherland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain. The song became the 1st of five consecutive #1 Hot 100 singles from the Bad album & it also hit #1 in Hot AC & Hot R&B charts.
The song was the highest debuting single of 1987 and the #3 best selling single of
1987 on the States.
Michael & Siedah recorded a Spanish version of I Just Can't Stop Loving You, titled To Do Mi Amor Eres Tu.

1991 - Michael invites the Jackson family in Neverland to celebrate the first ever Joe Jackson Day. Katherine, Joe, Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine & Janet and the grandchildren attend the event. Later at Hayvenhurst, Joe receives his present from Janet & Michael : A boat!

1995 - Michael attends a press conference in New York City to announce the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards nominations at the Bryant Park Grill. He also announces about the special HBO concert planned at the Beacon Theater on December 10.

1997 – Michael Jackson performs HIStory World Tour in Nice, France, at Stade Charles-Ehrmann Stadium.

1988 - Michael held a press conference at the Okura Hotel in Tokyo, Japan to announce his new Japanese Company Wonder World – Land Of Toys. The company will create a new theme park with its own hotel, golf club, restaurant and shops selling his original goods. The theme park is expected to be completed by September 1999.

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Filed under  //   1987   1991   1997   1998  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1968 - The Jackson 5ive were officially signed to Motown Records during a meeting with Joe Seltzer. Michael Jackson was just 9 years old.

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After seeing the video tape of J5's performance, Berry Gordy immediately decided to sign the group to his prestigious label.

Gordy was especially taken with young Michael. His early mastery of the moves of James Brown is incredible. He duplicates his idol's steps perfectly.
This eager, unjaded nine-year-old, only months away from the end of his childhood--a childhood he would pursue for the rest of his life--charmed Gordy with his dancing ability & the emotion with which the 9 year old sang.

"This little kid had an incredible knowingness about him that really made me notice. He sang his songs with such feeling, inspiration and pain – like he had experience of everything he was singing about." Gordy recalls.
Although he and Joe Jackson signed a contract on July 26, the group’s existing contract with Steeltown had to be dealt with before the new one could be considered legal.

1974 - Jackson 5ive in Concert, Buffalo (New York)

1988 - Michael performs Bad World Tour in Cardiff, Wales, at Cardiff Arms Park.

1991 - Michael & Emmanuel Lewis visit the "Community Youth Sports & Art Foundation" Center in Los Angeles, California, (charity addressing drug abuse problems and approaching relief programs for families with gang members), talks to the children there, offers them financial support and a wide-screen television set.

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1997 - "The Best of Michael Jackson And The Jackson 5" hit #5 in the U.K.

Filed under  //   1968   1974   1988   1991   1997  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1971 – The Jackson 5ive perform at Detroit Olympia Stadium.

1973 – The Jackson 5ive perform at Chicago International Amphteathre.

1992 - Michael perform to a 40,000 fans at a concert in Lansdowne Road sports stadium (Dublin, Ireland), during the first leg of his Dangerous World Tour. While on tour he announces a donation of 400,000 pounds, out of his concert earnings, to various charities there. A delay provoked by a malfunction before his Dangerous Tour concert in Leeds, UK, leads to the singer being fined by a national council with 60,000 pounds, that are paid by Jackson to a music charity fund.

After his hugely successful first solo tour Bad, the star claimed that he would not tour again, and would instead concentrate on making films and records. On February 3, 1992 in a Pepsi press conference, Michael made a announcement stating that he would be touring again:

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The only reason I am going on tour is to raise funds for the newly-formed Heal the World Foundation, an international children's charity, that I am spearheading to assist children and the ecology. My goal is to gross $100 million by Christmas 1993. I urge every corporation and individual who cares about this planet and the future of the children to help raise money for the charity. The Heal the World Foundation will contribute funds to paediatric AIDS in honour of my friend, Ryan White. I am looking forward to this tour because it will allow me to devote time to visiting children all around the world, as well as spread the message of global love, in the hope that others will be moved to do their share to help heal the world.

Ultimately, the tour grossed up approximately $125 million and all profits were donated to various charities including the new Heal the World Foundation that was set up by Michael.

1995 - Michael Jackson attends a packed press conference at the Bryant Park Grill in New York City, NY to announce the 1995 MTV Video Music Award Nomination together with Mayor Rudolf Giuliani.


Second fiddle has never been Mayor Giuliani’s favorite role, but he played it like a good sport yesterday when he joined Michael Jackson to welcome the MTV Video Music Awards back to New York.

Jackson, wearing a crisp deep reddish-purple military jacket and dark glasses, spoke for about 10 seconds and later said in response to shouted questions that he arranged to play a Dec. 10 HBO concert in the city because "I love New York."

To other questions, like where the concert would be, he smiled politely the kind of smile that suggested reporters might as well have been asking him to compute the square root of pi.

The MTV awards show will be Sept. 7 at Radio City, with a live MTV telecast. Jackson will perform two numbers, including the opener, and he may spend the rest of the night shuttling to the awards podium, because it was announced that his "Scream" video has a record 11 nominations.

His stage time totaled about 2 minutes, and his professional, smiling demeanor couldn't entirely hide that this was a promotional obligation he wanted to complete quickly. As Jackson and his entourage left the Bryant Park Grill restaurant in midtown, a few fans tried to touch him or, failing that, climb onto his car.

Jackson’s celebrity power lured hundreds of reporters, camera crews and stargazers.

Giuliani sat on the stage for almost 10 minutes, making small talk with MTV CEO Tom Freston, before Jackson came out to say a few sentences and pose for photos shaking the mayor’s hand.

Jackson said he was honored to have so many nominations, and he announced R.E.M. as the winner of this year's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award so named, it is said by insiders at MTV, as a condition for insuring his participation.

Giuliani welcomed the MTV awards back to New York for the second year and promised they will be given "that special New York flair."

1997 – Michael Jackson performs HIStory World Tour in Basel, Switzerland, at Saint Jakob Stadium, attending 40,000.

1998 - Michael attends the Kick Boxing Champion All-Star Match.

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During a press conference held in Japan, Michael Jackson announces the creation of 'Michael Jackson Japan Company Ltd.'.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have joined forces with Prosperity Enterprise Corporation to develop a number of global family-oriented entertainment-driven-themed attractions in Japan and around the world...not just Japan, but this is going to be around the world...to develop a billion-dollar business. 'Michael Jackson Japan Company Ltd.' has been formed,"
the singer declares.

1999 - Michael, Grace and the kids, stop by London where Michael meets Mohamed Al Fayed & Prince Naseem.

2005 - Sony releases the live concert DVD Michael Jackson Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour.

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The concert took place during Jackson's first leg on his Dangerous World Tour on October 1, 1992 at the Bucharest National Stadium, with a sold-out attendance of 70,000. This concert is the only concert by Jackson that has been officially released on DVD in the United States.

All the footage in this version is from the Bucharest concert. The version that appears on the DVD was broadcast on HBO in 1992, which became the highest audience in the channel's history for a single broadcast.

The DVD has sold over a million copies worldwide & certified 6x Platinum in US alone.

2010 - Billie Jean and Thriller versions of the official Michael Jackson dolls went on sale. Two more versions, Beat It and Moonwalk, were scheduled to be released around Christmas 2010 (London).

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Filed under  //   1971   1973   1992   1995   1997   1998   2005   2010  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1985 It was announced that Michael Jackson will star in a 3-D science-fiction musical film, "Captain EO", to be shown exclusively at Disneyland and Disney World.
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Michael:
"I'Captain EO' came about because the Disney Studios wanted me to come up with a new ride for the parks."
"I flew up to San Francisco a couple of times to visit George at his place, Skywalker Ranch, and gradually we came up with a scenario for a short film that would incorporate every recent advance in 3-D technology. 'Captain EO' would look and feel like the audience was in a space-ship, along for the ride."

More than a year after this first announcement, "Captain EO" ["EO" is Greek for "dawn"], Michael's 17 minute space fantasy 3-D movie, premièred on September 12, 1986 at Epcot Center in Disney World, Florida. The film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola ["Dracula"] and produced by George Lucas ["Star Wars"], becomes [and up to today still is] the most expensive film -"minute-for-minute" - ever made. [Estimated costs for the 17 minute film - US$ 30 million].
Michael stars in the title role alongside Anjelica Huston, and two new songs by Michael were featured: "Another Part Of Me" and "We Are Here To Change The World".
After its première at Disney World Florida, the 3-D movie was shown at all 4 Disney Theme Parks [Florida, California, Japan, France] with tremendous success and became one of the main attractions of the parks. "Working on 'Captain EO' reinforced all the positive feelings I've had about working in film and made me realize more than ever that movies are where my future path probably lies", Michael says later.
Only 4 months before the première of "Captain EO", Michael made history again. On March 12, 1986 a press conference announced the new Pepsi-Cola contract with Michael Jackson. Michael enters The Guinness Book Of World Records and is acknowledged by them as having the largest endorsement agreement in history between an individual and a major corporation [Pepsi-Cola]. A record of US$ 15 million were reported.
Filed under  //   1985  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1968 – The Jackson 5 give an audition to Motown at the Hittsville Studio in Detroit.

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On July 23, 1968, at around 10 a.m., the band’s audition in Detroit was videotaped. Although the record company’s president, Berry Gordy, was not present, several members of Motown’s creative department were there to witness.

After performing an impressive set with James Brown’s then current hit "I Got the Feelin'" and “Who’s Lovin’ You”, the audition tape was sent to Gordy two days later, whereupon he immediately decided to sign the group to his prestigious label.

"I canceled the Frost show, Bobby Taylor wanted to take us to Motown to audition, and we decided to go. We’ve all been sleeping on the floor at Bobby’s. The boys have already auditioned -- Motown even filmed it. We haven’t been offered a contract yet, but, judging by the smiles on everyone’s faces, Kate, I know it’s going to happen!"
Joe explained excitedly.

1984 – The Jacksons concert their Victory Tour at Jacksonville [Florida, USA] by Gator Bowl, attending 45,000.

1984 – Michael Jackson is on People magazine.

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Michael Jackson is on McLean’s magazine.

Michael Jackson is on Sound Magazine.

1988 – Bad World Tour London [England, U.K.] Wembley Stadium, attending 72,000.

Michael Jackson’s single “Dirty Diana” hit #4 in the U.K.

1994 – Michael Jackson is on Derniere Heure Magazine & Le Lundi Magazine.


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1998 – Disneyland Paris announced that August 17, 1998 would be the last day that Michael Jackson’s Captain EO will be shown.

Filed under  //   1968   1984   1994   1998  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1968 - The Jackson 5 opened for Motown acts Gladys Knight & the Pips and Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater, during the summer of 1968. The brothers caught Knight's attention, whereby she tried to get Motown brass to come to Chicago to see the boys. Taylor was also very impressed with the boys, and he decided to make the commitment to bring them to Detroit and Motown. Joseph and The Jackson 5 stayed on the floor of Bobby Taylor's Detroit apartment the night of July 22, while Taylor and Motown executive Suzanne de Passe arranged for the Jackson 5 to audition for the label.
The group is invited to perform on the David Frost Show in New York but Joe cancels their TV debut when Bobby Taylor asks them to come to a Detroit studio to make an audition for Motown executives Suzanne DePasse and Ralph Seltzer, and other company staff.

1972 - Concert in Dallas (Texas)

1973 – Concert at the Madison Square Garden of New York City

1981 – The Jacksons give a special benefit concert for the Atlanta Children's Foundation at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia.

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They raise 100,000 dollars for the charity, subsequently to lengthy episodes of Black youth disappearances and murders in the mentioned city. Speaking on behalf of himself and his brothers, Michael Jackson reveals, "We Are doing this because we care". LeBaron Taylor, vise president and general manager of Divisional Affairs for CBS Records, distributor of Epic Efforts for whom the Jacksons record, and coordinator of the special event comments, "We are pleased that The Jacksons have scheduled this special performance for such a worthy cause".

1988 – Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck present Michael with a pair of specially engraved ice skates backstage before his fourth concert in Wembley (London, UK).

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Michael soldout Wembley Stadium on the 14th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd July, 26th & 27th August – a stadium record 504,000 people!
Michael's band members speak of the excitement of playing London's Wembley Stadium. Frank Dileo adds,
"Playing Wembley is one of the biggest honors any artist could have. It's a status symbol within artists themselves, whether or not they can sell out Wembley Stadium, and of course Michael set a new record. He sold it out 7 times. You can't get any bigger than that."

1989 – Michael Jackson’s Liberian Girl hit #13 in the U.K, eventually the single went to number one in the UK. and become his 9th Top 30 hit from album–yet another record!


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Liberian Girl was released in July 1989, prior to shutting down the Bad album campaign as the 9th and final single. The song was dedicated to Michael’s good friend, Elizabeth Taylor. The promo directed by Jim Yukich was a real star-studded affair, starring thirty-five of Michael’s celebrity friends: Bubbles, Quincy Jones, Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta, Weird Al Yankovic, Billy Dee Williams, Dan Aykroyd, Jackie Collins, Don King, Paula Abdul, Lou ‘The Incredible Hulk’ Ferrigno, Debbie Gibson & David Copperfield; who wait on the set for Michael to film the music video, only to discover he is behind the camera, filming them all along.

1992 - Michael Jackson performs Dangerous World Tour in Werchter, Belgium, at Festival Ground Stadium, attending 40,000.
Filed under  //   1968   1972   1973   1981   1988   1989   1992  

Today in MJJ HIStory

1969 – Following day for recording Session: Who’s Lovin’ You.

The most famous cover of “Who’s Lovin’ You”, and the one most future covers were based upon, was recorded on 1969 by The Jackson 5. Michael Jackson was the lead singer on this recording, with his brothers Marlon, Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie on background vocals; Bobby Taylor of The Vancouvers served as producer. The Jackson 5 version of “Who’s Lovin’ You” was one of a number of early recordings the group made at the Hitsville U.S.A. recording studio in Detroit, Michigan, with the Funk Brothers on instrumentation. Just after recording this song, Berry Gordy moved the entire Jackson family to Los Angeles, California to record the hit pop songs he would co-write for the group with The Corporation.

The song was issued as the b-side to The Jackson 5′s first single, “I Want You Back”, with a full version included on the first Jackson 5 LP, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5. The single went to #1 on both the pop and R&B charts. An alternate take featuring fewer backing vocals was released on Michael’s Love Songs compilation release in 2002.

1971 – Jackson 5ive in Concert, Toledo (Ohio)

1972 – Jackson 5ive in Concert, Tulsa (Oklahoma)

1973 – Jackson 5ive in Concert, Long Pond (Pennsylvania)

1974 - Jackson 5ive in Concert, Richmond (Virginia)

1984 – The Jacksons brought their Victory Tour to the Gator Bowl stadium in Jacksonville, FL on three nights from July 21-23, 1984 to perform in front of over 135,000 fans.

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The show has a simple story line, based on the tale of the sword in the stone. Huge creatures called Kreetons appear on the stage. They’re followed by several warriors who attempt to pull a sword from a stone. One warrior, Randy Jackson, does just that. He slays a Kreeton and thereby paves the way for the kingdom of the Jacksons.

Moments later, Randy, Michael, Tito, Marlon and Jermaine appear majestically on stage, pump the entrance for all its worth, and delight the fans. Fantasyland? You bet.

Two spiderlike creatures attempt to gobble up Michael. Michael writhes on the stage like a snake in the heat of battle before he is saved by magic and levitated out of danger. He reappears moments later on an elevated spot on stage wearing the red jacket he wore in the Beat It video and launches into that song.



The Jacksons’ show was written and designed by Michael, whose instrumental in moving the rock video into new territory with master-pieces like Thriller. Now the Jacksons become the first group to transform a concert into a video & to use robotics in a musical stage performance.
High-tech stage antics are one thing, but Michael Jackson is another. He out dazzles the electronics!
The Jacksons have somehow struck the perfect balance between theatrics and musicality.

Part Walt Disney World and part Music Television, it’s an escapist pop show for those in love with fantasy; entertainment for those who hanker for movies like Star Wars, E.T. and Peter Pan; a musical for those who enjoy exquisite dancing and singing.

Surely the Jacksons have realized that a larget percentage of their fans are of the MTV generation, roughly ages 10 to 30. Such audiences understand video-styled theatrics in live shows, and crave the heightened pleasure that stems from sensastional effects created with lasers, lights, and booming sound. This is the same age group that made Star Wars such a hit.

And the Jacksons play to this audience. Even so, the Jacksons have made an unprecedented move with their stage production, and this isn’t lost on the fans.
Source: Concert Rewind: Jacksons’ Victory Tour show by Kevin Bezner

2001 – Michael Jackson’s Speechless is released.

Michael Jackson wrote “Speechless” after a water balloon fight with children in Germany. In an interview with Vibe magazine, the musician commented, “I was so happy after the fight that I ran upstairs in their house and wrote ‘Speechless’. Fun inspires me. I hate to say that, because it’s such a romantic song.” He added, “But it was the fight that did it. I was happy, and I wrote it in its entirety right there. I felt it would be good enough for the album. Out of the bliss comes magic, wonderment, and creativity.”

“Speechless” was one of only two song from Invincible to be written solely by Jackson.

Vaughn Watson of The Providence Journal hailed “Speechless” as Invincible’s “best song, and one of Jackson’s finest of any album”. He added that with the song, the musician acknowledged the pain that accompanies isolation.

2003 – Michael Jackson said that he believed that the U.S. Congress should make no laws that would put people in jail for illegally downloading songs over the Internet.

I am speechless about the idea of putting music fans in jail for downloading music. It is wrong to illegally download, but the answer cannot be jail. Here in America we create new opportunities out of adversity, not punitive laws, and we should look to new technologies like Apple’s new Music Store for solutions. This way, innovation continues to be the hallmark of America. It is the fans that drive the success of the music business.

~ Press statement (21 July 2003), quoted in “Jackson attacks music piracy bill” in BBC News (22 July 2003)
Filed under  //   1969   1971   1972   1973   1974   1984   2001   2003  

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