Today in MJJ HIStory

1984 - The Jacksons perform Victory tour at Olympic Stadium, Montreal [Canada] attending 58,270.

1986 - Michael Jackson's film Captain EO opened at Disneyland in the Magic Eye theater. The film actually debuted in Disneyland's Journey into Imagination at Epcot Center on September 12.

1989 - A California Raisins commercial that featured a "claymation" version of Michael Jackson debuted on U.S. television.


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The new California Raisin commercial first aired in theaters in July featured a claymation MJ. The claymation MJ dreams of being Michael Raisin, who performs "Heard It Through The Grapevine". Michael's singing voice isn't used in the ad, but his speaking voice is. When clay Mike wakes up, he figures the strange dream he had must been due to, "something I ate".

Even though Michael's own singing voice couldn't be used in the ads, due to his exclusive contract with ; he did contribute to the making of the ads, acting as a model for the claymation figure & contributing to the creation of six other backup raisins. A 30 minute film of Michael performing was made to serve as a model for the figure's movements. Michael received a $25,000 fee for his contribution to the ads, which he donated to charity.

1992 - Michael performs Dangerous tour at Olympic Stadium, Barcelona [Spain] attending 42,000.

1993 - Tele Poche, a French magazine features MJ on its cover with the story L'affaire Michael Jackson.

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2010 - HIStory concert at El Menzah Stadium - Tunis, Tunisia was aired by the Nessma TV channel in Tunisia.

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Today in MJJ HIStory

1973 - Michael was on a recording session of CALL ON ME, arranged and produced by Gene Page, Fonce Mizell & Freddie Perren. The song included, with added overdubs and remixed, on the solo compilation FAREWELL MY SUMMER LOVE, issued in May 1984 in the States and June 1984 in the UK.

1985 -

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Keeping with the philanthropic theme of the times, USA for Africa's instant-classic "We Are the World" won Best Group Video (and with everyone from Michael Jackson and Tina Turner to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, it was some group), as well as the Viewer's Choice Moonman.

Lauper and Ken Kragen prove music can be used for a noble cause, accepting a Moonman on behalf of USA For Africa at the MTV Video Music Awards held at Radio City Music Hall, NY.

1987 - Michael performs Bad tour at Tokyo Dome, Tokyo [Japan] attending 45,000.

Michael displays his support towards a campaign against racism, as well by lending his name to the NAACP's endeavour to help arrest prejudiced conduct and widespread discrimination against black artists.

1989 - Michael Jackson signed a $28 million deal with L.A. Gear.

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A press conference was held in Los Angelese to announce Michael's new multi million endorsement deal with "L.A. Gear". The two year deal called for Michael to design and market a line of sports shoes and sportswear as well as appear in commercials. Under the marketing campaign 'Unstoppable' a wide range of activities was promised to promote the collection.

At the press conference, Michael wore black pants and jacket with a purple shirt and sunglasses. He also wore, instead of the usual black loafers, a pair of black & silver L.A. Gear tennis shoes. As usual, Michael was very brief with his comments: ""I look forward to the challenge of creating and designing with this hot LA fashion lead... I am very happy to be part of the L.A. Gear magic and I hope we have a very rewarding, successful career. Thank you."

Pop singer was said to be paid close to $28 million to be the company spokesperson and to design a line of men’s leisure shoes, black shoes, and T-shirts - for double what Pepsi had paid him, the highest corporate association ever.

The company's stock responded strongly, rising four points in the three days following the announcement. The company's use of Michael Jackson was 'more than a growth opportunity, they're trying to maintain their fashion image,' Paine Webber analyst Frank Podbelsek told Advertising Age. Under the umbrella theme Unstoppable L.A. Gear prepared to tap Michael Jackson's worldwide popularity by coordinating the Jackson line rollout with the release of a collection of his greatest hits called A Decade which was never released and the deal was dropped after only one commercial.
DECADE: Originally scheduled for release in November, 1989, DECADE was to be a double album of Michael's greatest hits with 3 to 5 new songs included, among them his cover of the Beatles' Come Together. Slated for release simultaneously was a DECADE video cassette. The poject was later shelved due to an avalanche of new material, prompting thoughts of a brand new album instead, much to the delight of his fans, which become, DANGEROUS.

In August 1990, commercials for "L.A. Gear" with Michael began airing in movie theatres.

1992 - Michael performs Dangerous tour at Hippodrome de Vincennes, Paris [France] attending 85,000.

1993 - Jet magazine features MJ on its cover with the story Family And Fans Support Michael Jackson In Child Abuse Investigation.

1995 - Michael Jackson's "Dangerous - The Short Films" was certified Platinum.

1996 - During HIStory tour, Michael visits a state orphanage in Bucharest, Romania, prior to his concert at Lia Manoliu Stadium attending 70,000 fans.
He gives away toys & sweets to and plays with children from the "Leaganul De Copii Sfanta Ecaterina" state home, which he also acknowledges with 35 million Lei ($ 1 million).
Along with children, he visits the monument dedicated to the victims of the 1989 Romanian revolution, kneels before the memorial & renders a bouquet of flowers.


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Michael was also is invited at the Parliament Palace, where children give performances for him. He attends a folklore performance - music and dances - by children dressed in traditional Romanian attire, after which is received on stage by the children, chanting his name and thunderously applauding him. They also perform a few song remakes in Romanian of famous anthems, such as Stephen Foster's "Oh, Susanna" or The Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", to which Jackson happily bops his head and claps his hands.


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When he is invited to take the stage, he makes the following appreciative discourse: "This performance was one of the most amazing performances I’ve ever seen in my entire life. And I’m not just saying that, I really mean it from my heart. It was the highest in artistic presentation and I only wish all of the world leaders could be here to see this, because I think they would think twice when they so quickly send our brothers to the killing fields. Because this is our future – all the children. And I love you so much. And… [children loudly chanting his name] I just once again wanted to say thank you very very much, and from the bottom of my heart I truly and endearly love each and everyone of you. Thank you so much." (rare footage provided by LovinTheKingOfPop on YouTube)

1997 - Michael attends a public service for Princess Diana at St. James Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, CA.

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2003 - Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch was opened for a "once in a lifetime" event for guests that had paid $5,000 for a tour and two meals.

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Michael hosted a star-studded charity event at Neverland. Only 400 tickets were available for purchase. Ticket price at pre-sale was $725, with proceeds going to charity. Among those in attendance were Aaron and Nick Carter, Mike Tyson, Penny Marshall, Pink, and Boys II Men, to name a few. R&B singer Ashanti performed her hit single, Aww Baby mixed with Michael's hit Rock With You, from the Off The Wall' album. The Carter brothers later presented Michael with a belated birthday cake. This led to a massive food fight—which of course, Michael started! Michael addressed those in attendance: "Thank you all for coming tonight. For in my opinion, in my opinion, is a very special cause and the cause is our future and the future is our children. I will continue to fight for them for the rest of my life."

2009 - The trailer for THIS IS IT was premiered at the MTV Video Music Awards.

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Today in MJJ HIStory

1989 - The MTV Music Video Awards were presented. Dominating the nominations with 9 were videos by none other than Michael Jacksom. "Leave Me Alone"was nominated for Best Video, Best Special Effects, Best Art Direction , Best Editing, Breakthrough Video & the Viewer's Choice Award. "Smooth Criminal" was nominated for Best Dance, Best Choreography, and Best Cinematography. The outcome was dissapointing with the only award for Michael's video going to Jim Blashfield for Best Special Effects for his work on "Leave Me Alone". Michael did not attend the award presentation.

1993 - Newsweek magazine featured MJ on their cover with the story Michael's World - Is He Dangerous Or Just Off The Wall?

1996 - In Prague, Chech Republic, he visits a children’s hospital.

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Michael spend 4 days Prague to embark on his HIStory World Tour on September 7th, 1996. During his stay in the Czech capital Michael had received police escorts throughout the ancient city, and been treated like royalty.

2001 - Thursday, Michael Jackson made a surprise appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards with NSYNC at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City, NY.

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Shunning the notion that the boy band era would end, also winning big was *NSYNC, in all their frosty-locked glory. They walked with four awards for "Pop" -- Best Dance Video, Best Group Video, Best Pop Video and Viewer's Choice. And what could be more fitting than a surprise appearance by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, near the end of *NSYNC's performance of the song? Nothing, that's what. Jackson lit up the stage with a short but dazzling dance number including some of his trademark dance moves while Justin Timberlake beat boxed. Incredible. His cameo surprised the crowd and made headlines all over the world and was considered by observers and critics as the highlight of the show.

Apparently Michael Jackson wanted to get the dust off his signature black penny loafers 24 hours ahead of schedule. He performed in front of a U.S. audience for the first time in years when he joined 'NSYNC onstage at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Toward the end of the group's performance of "Pop," the words "King of Pop" appeared on a giant Etch a Sketch, only to be replaced by a silhouette of Jackson. As the oversized drawing device was elevated, Jackson, dressed in a white V-neck T-shirt and a black shirt and pants, came onstage and started to do the robot, pop-lock and show off his often-imitated spins and feet shuffling, but he did not sing.

Jackson's only acknowledgement to the audience, which gave him a standing ovation, was a single point of the finger.

Dressed in his trademark white T-shirt and penny loafers, he did not join the group to sing but instead busted into a handful of some of his signature dance moves while 'NSYNC member Justin Timberlake beatboxed to accompany him. It was a poetic moment, especially considering how much Timberlake was clearly inspired by Jackson. Michael's return to the MTV stage made a big splash, and got the ball rolling on the buildup to his new album Invincible.

Along with fellow former-'NSYNC members JC Chasez and Lance Bass, Timberlake spoke about the moment after learning of Jackson's death on Thursday. "I can't find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael's passing," Timberlake said. "We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him onstage."

Filed under  //   1989   1993   1996   2001  

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.

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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.
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Today in MJJ HIStory

1987 - 25 CBS Records executives and representatives are invited to a dinner party at Hayvenhurst where they are treated with a preview of the Bad album and the Bad short film.
Epic announces that the Bad album has been completed and will be released on August 31.

1989 – Michael Jackson is on Bravo Magazine, Germany.

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1992 - The World première of the Who Is It video clip took place on on BBC2's "Def II" during the Michael Jackson Special.
On July 14, 1992 the video clip is withdrawn by Michael because he is said to be unhappy with the editing and angry about its early release. The video is later re-released in a re-edited version.
The video clip was not released in the U.S.A. In May 1993 the accompanying video premièred in the U.S.A. It is a compilation of earlier video clips. The European version of the video is available in the US only on Dangerous: The Short Films.

1993 - Michael Jackson's single Will You Be There was released.
The gospel-flavored track written & produced by Michael, became the 7th song to reach the top 40 from his Dangerous album. Featured in the film Free Willy (also, on the accompanying soundtrack album), Will You Be There gave Michael his first Top 10 single on the Hot 100 in four attempts; it peaked at #7. The song was truly a whale of a hit: doubling as the theme to the film Free Willy, it won the MTV Movie Award for Best Song in a Movie in 1994. It was also included in the album All Time Greatest Movie Songs released by Sony in 1999. The single sold over 500,000 copies in U.S. & 10,530,000 copies worldwide, later being certified Gold by RIAA.

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Song Facts:
Michael wrote Will You Be There while sitting in the Giving tree at his Neverland Ranch.
The song includes a classical prelude & chorus featuring the Cleveland Orchestra performing a portion of Beethoven's ninth symphony; followed by a chorale interlude arranged by Andrae and Sandra Crouch.


Lyrics:
Hold Me
Like The River Jordan
And I Will Then Say To Thee
You Are My Friend

Carry Me
Like You Are My Brother
Love Me Like A Mother
Will You Be There?

Weary
Tell Me Will You Hold Me
When Wrong, Will You Scold Me
When Lost Will You Find Me?

But They Told Me
A Man Should Be Faithful
And Walk When Not Able
And Fight Till The End
But I’m Only Human

Everyone’s Taking Control Of Me
Seems That The World’s
Got A Role For Me
I’m So Confused
Will You Show To Me
You’ll Be There For Me
And Care Enough To Bear Me

2009 – Michael Jackson had been slated to start a series of comeback concerts in London on July 13, running until March 2010. Givi

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