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FRI
NOV 30th 2007
Sony
BMG Press Release - Thriller 25
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EPIC RECORDS/LEGACY RECORDINGS UNVEIL
THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
OF MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST SELLING ALBUM OF ALL TIME
Newly Expanded Deluxe Edition of Multi-Platinum Grammy-Winning
Album
With New & Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks
Including Remixes By Akon, will.i.am & Kanye West
+ Bonus DVD Featuring Digitally Restored Short Films
& Michael Jackson’s Historic Breakout Performance
From “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever”
Television Broadcast
Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition
Available Worldwide Week Of February 11, 2008
* * * * *
Epic/Legacy Recordings proudly celebrates the 25th
anniversary of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the
world’s biggest-selling album of all time, with
a newly expanded deluxe edition of the phenomenal
record-breaking pop culture touchstone, available
worldwide the week of February 11, 2008.
The Michael Jackson Thriller 25th anniversary celebration
kicks off in December 2007 and continues throughout
2008 with the release of a new single and a multi-faceted
global marketing campaign featuring high-profile television,
radio and online events around the world.
The Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition will include
the original album in its entirety as well as eight
bonus tracks and a DVD featuring Michael Jackson’s
groundbreaking short films from Thriller (”Thriller,”
“Beat It,” and “Billie Jean”)
and the artist’s Emmy-nominated breakout performance
of “Billie Jean” from the legendary “Motown
25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” television special
(first broadcast on NBC on May 16, 1983).
The newly expanded version of Thriller premieres
five tracks previously unreleased in any form: a new
Kanye West remix of “Billie Jean”; a new
2008 version of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”
with Akon and will.i.am; will.i.am remixes of “The
Girl Is Mine” and “P.Y.T.”; and
“For All Time,” a rare unreleased cut
from the original Thriller recording sessions, newly
mixed and mastered by Michael Jackson.
Additional bonus material on the Thriller - 25th
Anniversary Edition includes “Someone In The
Dark,” “Carousel,” and Michael Jackson’s
original demo recording of “Billie Jean.”
The deluxe Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition packaging
contains a personal greeting from Michael Jackson
to his fans penned exclusively for this special release.
Originally released 25 years ago early December 1982
by Epic Records, Thriller, Michael Jackson’s
sixth solo album and second with producer Quincy Jones,
rocketed the former child-star lead singer for the
Jackson 5 into the stratosphere of international superstardom.
Introducing the “robot” and the “moonwalk”
into the international lexicon of clubland dance moves
via the pulsing sounds of Thriller, Michael Jackson
revolutionized all aspects of mainstream pop culture
— from radio airwaves to the newly emerging
art form of music videos — becoming the world’s
most popular entertainer in the process.
The original Thriller spent an astounding 80 consecutive
weeks in the American Top 10, 37 of those at #1. Seven
of the album’s original nine tracks became Top
10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 while Individual
singles from Thriller reached #1 chart positions in
the US, the UK, France, Italy, Australia, Denmark,
Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand
and Canada.
Thriller made history as the first and only record
to be America’s top-selling album two years
running (1983 and 1984).
Thriller has been certified 27x platinum by the RIAA,
giving it Double Diamond Award status in the US. In
addition, the album has achieved Diamond or Multi-Platinum
status in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada,
Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the
UK. Thriller was named the Best Selling Album of All
Time by the Guinness Book of Records in 1985.
In February 1984, Michael Jackson held a record-breaking
12 Grammy nominations, going on to win eight, which
stands as the record for most Grammy Awards to be
won by anyone in a single year. Seven of Michael’s
Grammys that year were for Thriller: Album of the
Year; Record of the Year (”Beat It”);
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (”Thriller”);
Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical (Thriller);
Best Male Rock Vocal Performance (”Beat It”);
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (”Billie
Jean”); Best R&B Song (”Billie Jean”).
(Michael’s eighth Grammy that year was in the
Best Recording For Children - Single or Album, Musical
or Spoken category for “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”).
That same year, Michael Jackson took home eight American
Music Awards and three MTV Video Music Awards. The
following year, “The Making of Michael Jackson’s
Thriller” took home the Best Video Album trophy
at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards.
Named the “Most Successful Entertainer of All
Time” by the Guinness World Records, Michael
Jackson is among the most highly acclaimed and influential
artists in pop culture. He was named the World Music
Award’s Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the
Millennium and received the American Music Award’s
Artist of the Century Award. He has been inducted
into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: in 1997
as a member of the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist
in 2001.
* * * * *
THRILLER - 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Thriller - original track listing - US Billboard
Chart Peaks
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”
- (#5 Hot 100, #5 R&B)
“Baby Be Mine”
“The Girl Is Mine” (with Paul McCartney)
- (#2 Hot 100, #1 R&B, #1 Adult Contemporary)
Thriller” - (#4 Hot 10, #3 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Singles & Tracks)
“Beat It” - (#1 Hot 100, #1 R&B)
“Billie Jean” - (#1 Hot 100, #1 R&B,
#9 A/C)
“Human Nature” - (#7 Hot 100, #2 Adult
Contemporary)
“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” - (#10 Hot
100)
“The Lady in My Life”
Bonus Material:
10. Someone In the Dark ^
11. Billie Jean (Michael Jackson’s original
demo recording) ^
12. Carousel ^
Previously Unreleased Tracks For 25th Anniversary
Edition
13. The Girl Is Mine 2008 with will.i.am*
14. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008 with Michael
Jackson and will.i.am*
15. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008 with
Michael Jackson, Akon and will.i.am*
16. Billie Jean 2008 with Kanye West*
17. For All Time (unreleased track from original Thriller
sessions)*
^From 2001 Thriller Special Edition
*-previously unreleased
Bonus DVD
The Videos
1. Thriller
2. Beat It
3. Billie Jean
4. Billie Jean performance from Motown 25: Yesterday,
Today and Forever
25th Anniversary Executive Producer: Michael Jackson
Original Album Produced by Quincy Jones for [Quincy
Jones Productions logo]
Sony BMG
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TUES
27th NOV 2007
Jackson
5 'to tour with Michael'
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UNCONFIRMED**UNCONFIRMED**UNCONFIRMED**
Seventies supergroup The Jackson 5
are to re-unite for a tour next year according to
a report. Pop star Michael Jackson is expected to
join the group.
Jackson 5 singer Jermaine Jackson
told the BBC that concert dates have been discussed
and could take place "sometime in 2008".
"We feel we have to do it one
more time Jackson said. "We owe that to the
fans and to the public."
"Michael will be involved,"
the singer and guitarist confirmed. "He has
to be," he said. "He is a Jackson. He
was at the meetings."
The group, including Jermaine and
brothers Tito, Marlon, Jackie, Michael and Randy
were famous for hits like as I Want You Back, ABC
and Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground). They last
toured in 1984.
Jermaine confirmed the group had been
looking to perform for years, but touring was delayed
by Michael's trial for child abuse in 2005.
"There's been so much going on,
getting over all the hurdles that we all were faced
with during Michael's trial," he told the BBC.
SOURCE : http://tvnz.co.nz
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WED
NOV 21ST 2007
AKON
- THRILLER 25?
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Make off it what you will but
it does two important thing's?
1) It brings a new generation to the
sound of MJ's Music, ( This may sound crazy but I do
remember a friend telling me they had had an argument
with a teenager about who first released SMOOTH CRIMINAL
- what ever happened to Alien Ant Farm?)
2) The only person who can sing a Michael
Jackson song is Michael Jackson!
MICHAEL JACKSON brought trendy Melrose
Avenue in Los Angeles to a standstill on Thursday for
a little clothes shopping.
The hooded pop superstar and a female
friend spent 30 minutes shopping in stores Unica and
Moist Wear before dashing back to a dark blue Jeep to
make a hasty getaway from a small gang of fans.
In an effort to shop in peace, Jackson, wearing a black
hood, blue baseball cap, black blazer a pyjama-type
trousers asked the bosses of the clothing store Moist
Wear to close the shop - and lock out fans and curious
passers-by who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the
pop star.
One fan managed to speak with Jackson and get his autograph
before the pop superstar went into lockdown.
He says, "He seemed very nervous and begged me
not to tell anyone he was there. He said, `Don't tell
anyone...' over and over.
"But he was very gracious and signed an autograph
for me. I asked him what he was doing on Melrose and
he said, `Just trying to be like you.'
The unnamed fan also reveals it was only
when he heard Jackson speak that he knew who he was.
He adds, "I had an inkling as I walked by him;
he was just propped up by a wall outside one of the
stores - he just looked like a homeless guy. But then
it clicked!
"Despite his appearance, there's still something
magical about the guy. He was very gracious."
As Jackson and his pal left Moist Wear with three new
shirts, he was swarmed by fans who followed the pair
through an alleyway to their getaway car.
And, just when Jackson felt his low-key shopping trip
couldn't get any worse, his associate realised she'd
picked up a parking ticket on her windshield.
Ironically, among the unsuspecting shoppers who passed
Jackson on Melrose was Desperate Housewives star Eva
Longoria.
A spokeswoman for Michael Jackson on Friday denied reports
that the "King of Pop" will be forced to give
up his Neverland ranch in California over delinquent loan
payments.
Jackson's spokeswoman Raymone Bain said in a statement
that the singer, who has not lived at the property since
his acquittal on child sex charges in 2005, did not
default on a 23.2 million dollar loan on the home.
"Contrary to published reports, Mr. Jackson was
never in default of the loan," the statement said.
"Mr. Jackson is in the final stages of refinance
and will not lose Neverland Valley Ranch.
"No further comments will be made regarding this
subject as it has been our long-term policy not to address
Mr. Jackson's personal financial affairs."
According to a foreclosure notice of default report
posted by Fidelity National Financial insurance company
in Santa Barbara County, Jackson owed 23.2 million dollars
on a 23 million dollar loan he took out in March 2006.
Neverland was put as collateral for the loan, according
to celebrity site TMZ.com. Neverland, set over 1,000
hectares (2,800 acres), is 200 kilometers (125 miles)
northwest of Los Angeles.
MICHAEL JACKSON made his first public
appearance in his native California since his 2005 acquittal
of child molestation charges on Thursday (08Nov07) night.
The Billie Jean singer attended a party
at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in honour of his friend
Jesse Jackson's 66th birthday. And the pop superstar
led the crowd, which included U.S. TV veteran Larry
King, through a spirited rendition of Happy Birthday
for the civil rights campaigner.
Is this MJ at LA airport?
