“He’s very demanding in that he doesn’t allow us to settle.”

Making of GHOSTS

Travis Payne

 “Press freedom is essential to our democracy, but the press must not abuse this license.  We must be careful with our power.  We must avoid, where possible, publicity circuses that make the right of fair trial a right difficult to uphold.  We must avoid unwarranted intrusions upon people’s privacy.  Liberty and, no less, one’s reputation in the community are terribly precious things, and they must not be dealt with lightly or endangered by capricious claims of special privilege.”

A REPORTER’S LIFE

Walter Cronkite

1996

Settling…a word that was not found in Michael Jackson’s vocabulary.  “I’m a perfectionist by nature.  I like things to be the best they can be.  I want people to hear or watch something I’ve done and feel that I’ve given it everything I’ve got.  I feel I owe an audience that courtesy.  When you know something’s wrong for you, you have to make difficult decisions and trust your instincts”  Michael Jackson MOONWALK 

I have discovered something that is very wrong for me and falls into the category of SETTLING in a huge way.  Each morning when I turn on my computer, I feel this ache creep into my belly.  I have come to dread seeing the day’s sound bites for fear one or more of them will be yet another attempt for today’s media to wave their brainwashing, unencumbered sword and thrust it into Michael Jackson.  A wave of relief cools my sweaty brow when I see nothing.  And, I ask myself…IS THIS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE?  Shouldn’t I feel delight in anticipation of an article sharing Michael’s truths?  Shouldn’t my heart race feeling a glow that warms my senses and tells me AT LAST…THE DAY IS HERE.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1MGCNYU4WE

Enter NEWSWEEK’S attempt to reclaim their place in periodical prowess.  Who do they use to kickoff their campaign…OHHHH, OF COURSE, IT’S MICHAEL JACKSON.  A beautiful picture of Michael graces  the cover, for we all know that Michael’s image sells.  I hesitated ordering the magazine, again, that ache in my belly…that “HERE WE GO AGAIN” feeling.  But, to stay ahead of the information highway, I placed my order, remembering Michael’s words: “AND YOU DON’T GO TO BUY IT, AND THEY WON’T GLORIFY IT, TO READ IT SANCTIFIES IT.”  Struggling with the dilemma of ignoring it or facing it, I almost wished it would never be delivered.

To tell you that I studied it would be an understatement.  I virtually MEMORIZED it.  Then, I allowed the text to swirl in night’s filled with unsleep.  What I ultimately decided was that I was NOT going to be GRATEFUL that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.  THAT WOULD BE SETTLING.  The many errors that stood out in individual stories revealed typical lack of quality and research which has lost the media our confidence and their believability.  The final article was MYTH-MAKING at its best…in fact…in typical CUT AND PASTE “standards”…it was an article written JULY 13, 2009!

WE, THE NEW MEDIA, have moved on since July 13, 2009.  We have read and researched and studied and viewed and written and shared…AND, WE HAVE TOLD MICHAEL’S TRUTHS.  We are not lazy and WE DO NOT SETTLE.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUBPCPhkjzc

Since David Gates is either unable or unwilling to do the research and to tell the truth, WE WILL.  I often wonder how long it is going to take for today’s media, whose line between journalistic integrity and tabloid has been erased, to realize that THE NEW MEDIA has access to a wealth of information and has been educated.  Those who want to know the truth CAN.  So, allow me to correct the media hype.

“My father announced calmly…’Motown called!’  A chill ran down my spine.”  (Later, after the audition), “We were jubilant when we learned we had passed the Motown audition.  (Later still), “They decided that our new album would be called ‘Diana Ross presents the Jackson 5” Michael Jackson MOONWALK

“Michael did not partake in traditional exercise to keep fit touring, his ritual involved fasting and dancing for several hours every Sunday.  In an effort to also develop vocal endurance for his choreography, Michael would sing and dance by himself in the studio.  He was intuitive in his methodology and believed in hard work and perseverance.  His aim was to deliver a high-energy performance, constructed with ground-breaking choreography and special effects for every single show he did.

Katherine Jackson

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

THE KATHERINE JACKSON STORY

“When I perform, I lose myself.  I’m in total control of that stage.  I don’t think about anything.  I know what I want to do from the moment I step out there and I love every minute of it.  I’m actually relaxed onstage.  Totally relaxed.” 

“Michael told me that his original Thriller jacket was made by Marc Laurent but that his first performance Thriller jacket was for the Bad Tour was done by Bill Whitten.”

Michael Bush

THE KING OF STYLE

DRESSING MICHAEL JACKSON

“Michael simply viewed his new image as a kind of performance.  The world was his stage, and he was ready to try out a new character.  As the sexual dynamism irradiating from the arch of his dancing body challenges government standards for nuclear meltdown.  Undeniably sexy. Absolutely safe.  Eroticism at arm’s length.”

“Once the songs were chosen for recording, it was about creating sounds the ear hadn’t heard before.  He wanted to innovate sonically.  A perfectionist has to take his time, Michael explained.  He shapes and molds and sculpts that thing until it’s perfect.  He can’t let it go before he’s satisfied…he can’t”

“Anybody who charges studio hackery is too narrow-minded to be able to hear pros out-doing themselves.”

“Bruce Swedien describes as the widest variety of soundfields.”

“Jackson refused to simply rest on his laurels or repeat proven formulas.  He was ready for a new challenge, a new sound and a new vision.”

“”With this diverse, talented creative team, Jackson tackled DANGEROUS with all the energy, imagination and hard work he possessed.  Recording would take place, on and off, for nearly three years, which tested everyone’s patience.  However, Jackson was on a creative high and his passion was infectious.  He wanted DANGEROUS to be his best work yet.  He wanted to prove he could make a great album without Quincy Jones.  He wanted it to sell one hundred million copies.  He wanted the quality to be so high the music would live forever.  These were lofty goals, but then, Jackson was never one to aim low.”

“Jackson’s perfectionism meant he refused to release anything until it was as close to that mark as possible.”

“Before people even heard the music, they were confronted with the fascinating album cover.  Mark Ryden created a sleeve so symbol-laden it could provide grist for an entire symposium of pop psychiatrists.”

“Michael Jackson’s finest song and dance is always sexually charged, tense, coiled…he is at his most gripping when he really is dangerous.”

“Michael was at another level and it was a hell of a level to go to.”

“The sheer richness of the instrumental and vocal scoring is probably unprecedented in the entire realm of popular recording.”

“I don’t know that many people would ever have the patience or work ethic to create the records that Michael did…we’ll never have the budgets again, that’s for sure…There was this constant pursuit for sounds the ear has never heard.”

MAN IN THE MUSIC…Joseph Vogel

“No, I am not gay.”  Michael Jackson

“Michael believed that his clothes served one purpose and one purpose only:  showmanship.  People thought that Michael ran around wearing his famous sequined glove, but it was only worn when he was moonwalking.  He didn’t care about wearing his show clothes beyond the purpose they were intended to serve.  He loved to keep people guessing because it meant they were paying attention.

Michael Bush

THE KING OF STYLE

DRESSING MICHAEL JACKSON

“John Landis would be perfect for “Thriller” since our concept for the short film featured the same kind of transformations that happened to his character (in An American Werewolf in London).  Michael Jackson MOONWALK

“No, there was never any discussion about Vincent Price being in the film.”  Michael Jackson 1999 MTV Interview

“We didn’t have time to track down the original so Dennis immediately began to cut a pattern for a military jacket.  This might be the last image the world would see of Michael, if the family decided to allow it and he needed to be wearing the stones of a king:  pearls.  ‘If anything happens to me,’ Michael told us, ‘please don’t put that glove on me.  That glove is only for Billie Jean.’  Michael Bush

“We’re beginning our tour tomorrow and I wanted to talk to you about something of great concern to me.  We’ve worked a long time to make this show the best it can be.  But we know a lot of kids are having trouble getting tickets.  The other day I got a letter from a girl in Texas named Ladonna Jones.  She’d been saving her money from odd jobs to buy a ticket, but with the current tour system, she’d have to buy four tickets and she couldn’t afford that.  So, I’ve asked our promoter to work out a new way of distributing tickets, a way that no longer requires a $120.00 money order.  There has been a lot of talk about the promoter holding money for tickets that didn’t sell.  I’ve asked our promoter to end the mail order for ticket system as soon as possible so that no one will pay money unless they get a ticket.  Finally, and most importantly, there’s something else I am going to announce today.  I want you to know that when I first agreed to tour, I decided to donate all the money I make from our performances to charity”  Michael Jackson July 5, 1984

May 10, 2008  Foreclosure on Neveland Valley Ranch cancelled.  “I am pleased with recent developments involving Neverland Ranch and I am in discussions with Colony and Tom Barrack with regard to the Ranch and other matters that would allow me to focus on the future.”  Michael Jackson

April 14, 2009 Neverland Valley Ranch Julien Auction cancelled.

The final article in the Newsweek Magazine spews the writer’s bias toward Michael…it is an old  and tiresome tale and one the educated world community knows to be false.  I must say, as a female, the writer hasn’t a clue about Michael’s sex appeal and amazing good looks.  That aside, I return to the Walter Cronkite statement.  I do believe one’s reputation in the community is important.  Michael’s reputation and legacy are important…he expressed those feelings often.  And, Paris, Prince and Blanket want their father to be respected and treated fairly and honestly.

And so, we come back to SETTLING.  Yes, this periodical contains Michael truths.  Here, I have outlined my rebuttal for its falsehoods and inaccuracies.  I will place it with my growing collection of Michael research and I will refer to it in future.  Each of us will draw our own conclusions.  I am sure it is clear my sensitivity is high when it comes to all things Michael.  I will not settle for SOME Michael truths.  On this I follow Michael’s lead and refuse to aim low.  As a society, I can think of no other profession that practices unprofessionalism, inaccuracies, private agendas, unpreparedness, sloppiness and unaccountability.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qLY0vbrT8Q

I continue to be strengthened by THE NEW MEDIA…we who take the time to learn and to educate and to practice truth. The first step in solving a problem is to realize there is one.  I am not saying that as human beings any one of us is completely perfect.  But, at the end of the day, I remember Michael’s words, “I like things to be the best they can be.”

Thank you for all YOU do to PAY MICHAEL FORWARD AND TELL HIS TRUTHS.  Together, we will never settle until the world knows.  I love you.

Jude

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