THE MAN IN THE MIRROR
Michael Jackson, the ‘King of Pop’, was unquestionably the greatest recording artist that ever lived. He was the biggest 80’s pop star of all time and was one of the very few individuals to be known in every corner of the world. His passion and love for music and dance went far beyond any other recording artist in the industry. He re-created and sculpted music in a different way that had never been seen previously. As Michael’s career began to lift off, more attention was beginning to focus on his unusual eccentricities. He spent most of his life trying to hide his personal life and as a result did very few interviews as he believed they were an invasion of his privacy.
Family
Michael was born in Gary Indiana, USA, on the 29th of August, 1958. Michael was the 7th child of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. Joe Jackson worked at ‘The Mill’ in East Chicago, 30 minutes from Gary, as a crane operator moving steel beams back and fourth. Working long tiring 10-hour shifts a day, Joe was forced to take up a second job in a canned-food factory when Michael was born, for his family to survive. Katherine Jackson worked at a Sears department store, but as Jermaine Jackson claims “I don't remember a time when mother wasn't pregnant.” (You are Not Alone: Page 71) Joe and Katherine had 9 beautiful and talented children, Reebie (1950), Jackie (1951), Tito (1953), Jermaine (1954), La Toya (1956), Marlon (1957), Michael (1958), Randy (1961), and Janet (1966).
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The Jackson 5
Jackson 5 Photoshoot
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At the age of 5 Michael displayed a talent for music, when his mother Katherine caught him singing while making his bed. Katherine then approached Michael’s father Joseph about making him the lead singer, of the Jacksons. Joseph refused at first but was surprised when he listened to him, automatically changing Jermaine as lead singer to Michael. The Jackson 5’s talent, abled them to perform opening acts at places like Harlem’s Apollo theatre, where they won an amateur night award in 1967. The Jackson 5 were soon signed to the Motown label as Motown singer/producer Bobby Taylor, had them sing an opening act for him at Chicago’s legendary Regal nightclub in 1968. Telling Motown how impressed he was with the Jackson brothers, they had them come in and audition. Michael, joined by his brothers, went on to make music that would go straight to the top of the billboard charts.
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In 1969 when Michael was 11, the Jackson 5 debuted their first singles ‘I Want You Back’, ‘ABC’, ‘The Love You Save’, and ‘I'll Be There’. The group was the first in pop history to have all four singles dominate the charts. Later in ’71, Motown was prepping Michael for a solo career, with his first single being ‘Got To Be There’ which was in the Top 5 of the charts towards the end of the year. Michael’s solo career skyrocketed in ’72 with his smash number one hit ‘Ben’. The song was based on a children’s thriller film, of a boy who befriends Ben, a highly intelligent gang member of homicidal rats. ‘Ben’ received one Oscar nomination. The success of the Jackson 5 and Michael’s solo career began to dwindle, leading them to sign with Epic Records label in 1975 and became The Jacksons. They still were the public's favourite musical group and had several single hits.
Jackson 5 Audition 1968 - I got the feeling
CHILDHOOD IDOLS
As a small child, Michael grew up idolising performers like James Brown, Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Wilson. They inspired him to dance and sing better, to create a new form of music. One of Michael’s most famous quotes is “The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work. Study the greats and become greater.” He continued to use this philosophy throughout his life, despite his success and fortune he made, he always knew he could be better at his profession.
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James Brown and Michael Jackson
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OFF THE WALL
Michael landed himself an acting role in the all-black musical film The Wiz, co-starring with Supremes member, Diana Ross. Whilst making the film he became close with producer/composer Quincy Jones. Jackson out shined his brothers talents and once again was pursuing a solo career with Epic Records creating his ‘Off the Wall’ album (1979), ‘Thriller’ album (1982) and 'BAD' (1989) produced by Quincy. Michael was the first solo artist to have four singles in the top 10 on the billboard 100.
Thriller
Thriller short film
Michael decided to team up with director John Landis, in hope of creating his first short film for his biggest selling hit. The music video featured rotting zombie’s and a midnight wolf. In the year of 1984 Michael received several nominations and awards for the album. It won 8 grammy’s including album of the year, the track ‘Beat It’ won record of the year, Guinness World Records awarded him best selling album of all time, American Music Awards gave him the Special Award of Merit and MTV awarded him best overall video for ‘Thriller’. Finally Michael's hard efforts paid off and he was sitting on top. He broke the barriers between racism, as he was the first black recording artist to be seen on MTV and a new art form of music videos was born. In ’84, between July and December, Michael toured the US and Canada with all six brothers, performing songs from the Jackson 5 era, to the 'Thriller' era. The tour profited 75 million US dollars and set a record for the highest grossing tour. Michael wore his white sequined glove and did his most popular dance move, the Moonwalk. Although the tour focused on Michael's songs, they named the tour after the Jacksons last album 'Victory'. This was the final time the brothers would perform together.
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Even after Michael’s ‘Off the Wall album’, the white community were still not impressed by his efforts. This made Michael really upset and he became unhappy, lonely and felt as though the music industry didn't appreciate his hard work. Jackson strived to create an album that would blow the worlds mind away and this is when ‘Thriller’ was created. Michael worked with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton who wrote songs for the album. ‘Thriller’ includes a collaboration with Paul McCartney, a voice over by Vincent Price, Eddie Van Halen who plays the guitar solo in ‘Beat It’, and Janet and La Toya Jackson did backups in 'P.Y.T'. Over 30 songs were written for this album but through the process of elimination, it was narrowed down to 9 songs. ’Thriller’ is still the biggest selling album even to this day. It has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and had 7 single hits. The song ‘Thriller’ spent 37 consecutive weeks at number one on the billboard charts.
Victory Tour Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones Grammy awards 1984
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Bad
It had been a full 6 years before Michael had produced an album, and in 1988 he finally released his album ‘BAD’. The disadvantage of ‘Thriller’ was it was near impossible to match it’s success. He constantly wrote reminders like "100 million” on mirrors or notes to motivate himself. Jackson couldn't reach his goal but sold an impressive 30 - 45 million albums. Michael had written and composed over 100 songs for this album, which meant many songs wouldn't make the cut. The iconic song, ‘Smooth Criminal’ almost wasn't added to the album as he considered it not to his usual standard. Stevie Wonder made a special appearance on the album, singing a duet ‘Just Good Friends’ with Michael. 3/4 of the songs from this album were seen on the charts throughout the years of 1987, 1988 and 1989. The album also winning the first award for over 5 number one hits.
BAD TOUR - 'BAD'
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2300 Jackson Street Music Video
Once the album became successful, Michael and his manager Frank DiLeo announced his first World Tour. Across the globe he would perform one hundred and twenty-three concerts, the first being in Tokyo Japan, on the 12th of September, 1987 and the last in Los Angeles, USA, on January 28th, 1989. On tour Michael met Princess Lady Diana and Prince Charles in London. Michael especially removed his song ‘Dirty Diana’ from the show in honour of her. The London shows at Wembley Stadium were by far his most successful of all European concerts. Having only 5 tour dates for the venue, the demand for tickets exceeded by 1.5 million, the stadiums capacity was 72,000, it was enough to have filled the venue 20 times. In 1988 it was nominated for ‘Tour Of The Year’ at the Inaugural International Rock Awards.
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Dangerous
Who Is It Photoshoot
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It wasn't long before he released his album ‘Dangerous’ on the 26th of November, 1991. All songs on the album were recorded from the 25th of June, 1990 to the 29th of October, 1991 at Ocean Way Studios. This time Quincy Jones wasn't apart of producing his album, after agreeing to split the partnership after 'BAD'. For the very first time Jackson produced this album with his own production company MJJ Studios. 'Dangerous' featured 8 hits including ‘Heal the World’, ‘Remember the Time’, and ‘Black Or White’. This album clearly expressed his anger towards racism, poverty, paranoia, romance, the welfare of children and self-improvement. Michael would go on to creating his tour for with Kenny Ortega, giving all his profit money to his own ‘Heal The World Foundation’. The tour began in November 1992 but ended November ’93, as Jackson needed hospitalisation due to illness. Michael became dependent on painkillers to ease his pain, as he suffered from dehydration, migraines and injuries. Only completing 69 concerts, he still reached out to 3.5 million fans across the globe.
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Dangerous tour - Concert opening "Jam"
HIStory
Michael Jackson aged 37, created yet another album ‘HIStory’, with Epic Records. The album was divided into three CD's, HIStory Begins, HIStory Continues, and HIStory in the Mix (also known as Blood On the Dance Floor). HIStory Begins was his best selling songs as a solo artist and HIStory Continues was his new 15 unreleased songs. HIStory in the Mix was a separate album, including the tracks ‘Ghost’, ‘Is It Scary’, and ‘2 Bad’, which he later made into another short film. Michael had a lot of angry things to say, as tabloids continued to intrude his personal life, the world, humanity and the government. Janet Jackson and Michael wrote and recorded their first track together, ’Scream’. Janet did backups for ‘P.Y.T’ on the 1982 ‘Thriller’ album, but this was the first time the pair had composed a duet together.
HIStory Tour - 'HIStory'
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HIStory Album Teaser
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The lyrics of the song expressed their frustration and anger with the media and tabloids, “With such confusions don't it make you wanna scream, Your bash abusin' victimise within the scheme.” Due to it’s many controversial songs like ‘They Don’t Really Care About Us’, the original album was pulled from the shelves, and new copies were distributed with an apology from Michael, in hope fans who were offended would forgive him. Jackson's second world tour was directed and staged by Kenny Ortega. It was a 2 hour event showcasing his greatest songs and dance moves from all three albums, and would be the last time he performed in concert. The stage production was bigger and better than any other set up he had designed. The tour started in late ’96 and ended late ’97.
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Invincible
Signed to Sony, Invincible would be his last album released before he passed away. Jackson made this album more exciting for collectors by having 5 different covers, which came in white/silver, blue, green, red and orange. The album hit number one in 12 countries and had 8 - 10 million copies sold. Michael being a perfectionist, was indeed more than disappointed with the sales. Jackson blamed Sony for not properly promoting the album and after much conflict, they ended on bad terms.
You Rock My World MSG 30th Anniversary Performance
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Album Signings 2001
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THIS IS IT
Michael surprised his fans in 2009 with his London ‘This Is It’ Tour. He would preform 50 shows only in London. Sell out tickets amazed Michael, as he began to think everyone had turned on him after years of controversy. He famously said “this is the final curtain call”, “see you in July”, which unfortunately never happened. Michael and concert producer Kenny Ortega worked feverishly to produce the perfect last show. They both made massive plans to create a show audiences had never seen before. Adding new dances to old ones and making pyrotechnics more extravagant.
'THIS IS IT' OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER
'THIS IS IT' - PRESS CONFERENCE
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Michael and Aussie Guitarist Orianthi Panagaris
This is It Tour Rehearsals
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DANCE
Time and time again Michael Jackson wowed us with his iconic dance moves. He spent hours practicing to music at his home in Neverland, perfecting and re-creating his unique dance style. He worked with several choreographers to make his music videos entertaining and inspiring. Songs such as ‘Thriller’, ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Beat It’ all have well known dances that remain popular even with children of this generation. He made the moonwalk and tiptoe stand his own, even though not creating it, he perfected it and made it synonymous with his name. He enhanced moves done by his idols, and performed them at his shows. Jackson was lightning on his feet and there was no denying his talent.
Panther Dance
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HIStory Live Show
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NEVERLAND
Neverland Ranch, located in California was an oasis for Michael, which he constructed for himself in 1988. Jackson couldn’t enjoy public outings because of mobbing fans, and press following his every step. Michael decided to make his ranch reflect his personality. He built a theme park to recapture the childhood he never had, referring to himself as Peter Pan. Michael owned bubbles the chimp, muscles the snake, alpacas, elephants and birds. Jackson installed rides which he never had the chance to go on as a child and had a home theatre to relax in. In between working and touring, Michael invited disadvantaged children to the ranch for free, enabling them feel like normal children, so they could forget they were sick or less fortunate. Often cancer patients or children with disabilities spent the day at Neverland enjoying the rides, the magic shows, animals and movie theatre.
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Healing the world
Michael’s love and belief in Jesus, taught him that the world needs to love and care for each other, especially focusing on the disadvantaged children. He wrote many songs on how we can make this world a better place together, inspiring his fans to help others and to give back. He showed his love for the world by donating large sums of money to foundations all around the world, visiting hospitals, and even creating his own charity ‘Heal the World’. For every concert Michael had, he saved tickets for sick children to come and see his shows. Michael was awarded with the Humanitarian of the year several times, and also awarded as the most charitable celebrity.
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PRESS AND MEDIA
Much of Michael Jackson’s life was scrutinised by the press and gossiped about in the tabloids, intruding on his private world. His achievements were constantly buried by unproven stories and allegations about his behaviour and eccentricities. The target of many jokes and controversy due to his obsession with plastic surgery and his constant changing appearance. In an interview with Martin Bashir, Jackson admits to only two plastic surgeries but the story goes far beyond that. As a child, Michael was physically abused by his father Joe, whilst practicing their staged routines in an effort to force them to perform better. Joe would often tease him about his skin being too black, his acne and his wide nose.
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Even in the early stages of Jackson's career, rumours about his personal life spread like wild fire. His shyness and hate of interviews encouraged more speculation and controversy as the years passed by. Media even accused Jackson of taking hormone treatments, that made him keep his young high-pitched adolescent voice. Michael's close friendship with Elizabeth Taylor caused rumours of a proposal but were denied as false. Tabloids front pages were flooded with photographs of Michael in a hyperbaric chamber that allegedly slowed the ageing process, but he claimed it was in fact for burn victims to help heal their wounds. After visiting the bones of John Merrick (the Elephant Man), media made quick judgement that Jackson brought his bones. Michael admitted he felt a closeness to John Merrick as he saw similarities in both of their lives, but never purchased the bones.
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Michael had a strong hate for his father as a young child, and feared his presence. As Michael grew older he saw a similar reflection in the mirror to the one his father had. The situation worsened after his scalp suffered severe burns from failed pyrotechnics, in the 1984 Pepsi commercial. Discovering plastic surgery he began reconstructing his face to change his appearance, also having to wear a wig to hide burns. It was at this time that Michael became addicted to prescription drugs to deal with pain. After ‘Thriller’ Michael was diagnosed with a skin condition that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, called Vitiligo. Jackson began to bleach and cover his skin with makeup to hide his spots. Jermaine Jackson recalls he “looked like a white man splashed with coffee” (You Are Not Alone: Page 24).
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Personal life
Elvis Presley introduced Lisa-Marie to Michael in 1974. Lisa-Marie would often come and watch him and his brothers, but when Lisa-Marie turned 18, Michael became determined to make her his girl. He constantly asked his lawyers and manager to contact her, but failed several times as she didn’t want to meet him. Jackson never gave up and Lisa and finally she gave in. To her surprise she found him very interesting, cool, sweet and affectionate. After 4 months of being apart from each other, Michael brought up the topic of marriage and proposed over the phone. The couple had a private ceremony in 1994 on May 25th. Speculation grew as the media made accusations that it was too convenient, as Jackson had only recently been taken to trial for child molestation. Lisa clearly stated in several interviews that “she would never marry anyone if she didn’t love them." The pair divorced in ’96 as Lisa-Marie began to see Michael struggle the same way her father Elvis had. She wasn’t oblivious to the fact that Jackson was taking drugs, because she saw doctors around the house all the time going in and out of Michael's bedroom.
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Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson on their wedding day
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Lisa-Marie Presley and Michael Jackson
Later in the year of 1996, Michael proposed to his dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe and married later that year in Sydney Australia while touring. Michael and Debbie conceived a baby whilst he was still married, but away from Lisa-Marie; however the child was miscarried. Michael wanted children very badly, and Debbie gave birth to a baby boy, Prince Michael Joseph Jr the 1st known as Prince, on the 13th of February, 1997. Prince had to be taken into intensive care soon after his birth. The new born struggled to breathe, but after a long wait the doctors said he could go home. Debbie was pregnant again, with another baby, Paris-Michael Katherine born on April 3rd, 1998. Having difficulties again, Paris was born feet first and was being chocked by the umbilical chord. When Paris was born, Jackson was so fearful of being told she had medical problems, he took his daughter to his home straight away, leaving Debbie in the hospital. On October 8th, 1999, Debbie and Michael divorced, giving him full custody of both children. Michael later surprised the world, with the news he was to have another child. Prince Michael II, was born February 21st, 2002. This time with an unknown surrogate mother, who Jackson admitted to having a short relationship with. The baby was nicknamed Blanket because in the Jackson family, you give a blanket to someone as a blessing.
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While on a trip to Berlin to receive his Bambi Award, Jackson was seen holding Blanket over the railing of a hotel, showing his fans his new baby boy. Although the show only lasted a few seconds, it sent the worlds media into a frenzy. Jackson never allowed his children to be seen in public without their identities being covered. Michael and Debbie received several threats that their children would be taken or harmed. They concealed their identities, so they could have as normal of a life as possible. Michael's family and friends said that he loved his children so much and that they meant the world to him reporting that he was an amazing Father.
Death
To the worlds shock, on June 25th, 2009 the King Of Pop had past away. Michael suffered from a cardiac arrest in his Holmby Hills, Los Angeles home due to a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose, 11 days before his debut ‘This Is It’ Tour. His personal doctor/physician Conrad Murray had been administering the drugs and said he found Jackson’s body in his room on the bed, not breathing with a barely detectable pulse. Murray performed CPR on Michael in his bed but couldn't revive Jackson as it was only pushing him further into the mattress and not having any effect on restarting his heart or breathing. An ambulance was called at around 12:20pm and paramedics treated Michael straight away. They couldn't revive Michael on the scene, so he was taken to hospital.
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Once it was confirmed that Michael Jackson had died, his body was taken to the Los Angeles County Coroner office, where they did a post-mortem examination on his body, they found the evidence of his overdosage and closed the case as a homicide. In 2011, Conrad Murray was taken to trial and the jury convicted him of involuntary manslaughter, and was served a 2 year prison sentence. Michael had two separate memorial services, one for his close family and friends, and the other a public service. It was held in the Los Angeles Staples centre on the 7th of July, where they had been rehearsing for his the ‘This Is It’ comeback tour. Jackson's casket was made out of fourteen carat gold and was lined with blue velvet. There were speeches from Berry Gordy, Brooke Shields, a poem written especially for Michael by Maya Angelou and many other caring, loving family and friends. Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson all performed tribute songs for him and John Mayer played guitar. The Jackson brothers all wore a white sequinned glove in remembrance of his legacy.
Michael
Michael Jackson will be remembered as one of the greatest artists that ever lived sharing his talent for over 40 years. His music and his legacy will live on decades after his passing. People will remember him as a one of a kind talent, caring, giving, sweet and most of all a loving person. Throughout his life he was a very lonely man hiding from the criticism of his personal life. He was faced with more than several ups and downs, but he got through them and continued his life, creating hit songs, award winning films and spreading his message of love, to heal the world and truly make it a better place.