Michael Jackson Dead at Age 50

[Old Croc]

Jackson then began a business career buying, selling and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists. Shortly afterward, Northern Songs—a music catalog holding thousands of songs, including The Beatles' back catalog—was put up for sale.^[42][43]

Jackson took immediate interest in the catalog but was warned that he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, "I don't care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]". Branca then contacted the attorney of McCartney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding; "It's too pricey". After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million.

Jackson purchased the Beatles catalog from an Australian, Robert Homes-a-Court, who was then the owner of channel 7 in Perth W. Aust.

Part of the sale agreement was that Jackson had to appear on that station's annual charity telethon. He flew his private plane half way around the world for a ten minute (or so) appearance on the show, and then went back to the airport and returned to the US. I was working at the airport at the time and briefly had a close encounter with him.

[polecat]

What will happen with his three children?

I hope Janet Jackson does not get custody.

The kid's mother?

Brigante7.

The kids' father?

[wefearourdespot]

LA Times saying he has died...

oh no..

Are you one of his many creditors ?

[syd barrett]

He is dead.

But why does the BBC World News channel have blanket coverage of the death?

What about the situation in Iran, in Iraq and Afghanistan, these more important news issues have not had a look-in for the last six hours and as the U.K. awakes in a few hours, I don't expect the BBC blanket coverage will end for days. Pathetic.

[marsteele]

they all die so young I am glad I am Joe citizen without the pressures of fame and fortune.

RIP

[imaneggspurt]

michael was 400 million dollars in debt. FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS!

Everyone says what a 'hands-on' business person he was. Well, I'm glad he didn't have his hands on my business dealings. I'm zero dollars in debt, and have been for 30 years. If his purchase of half of the old Beatles songs was such a smart business move, why is he so grossly in debt?

He was also one of those people who used a whole heck of a lot of resources. For all the talk of him being such a sensitive person, I say, "what about sensitivity to using energy and resources"?

There are millions of rich people who use gargantuan amounts of resources - far beyond the needs of each individual. This is a finite planet, and the less wasteful of resources (oil, coal, trees, paper, water, plastic, glass, metal, etc) the better. Pompous and wastefull people like Michael used about as much resources individually, as ten thousand hill tribe villagers.

While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles "The Girl Is Mine" and "Say Say Say", the pair became friendly, occasionally visiting one another. In one discussion, McCartney told Jackson about the millions of dollars he had made from music catalogs; he was earning approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. Jackson then began a business career buying, selling and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists. Shortly afterward, Northern Songs—a music catalog holding thousands of songs, including The Beatles' back catalog—was put up for sale.^[42][43]

Jackson took immediate interest in the catalog but was warned that he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, "I don't care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]". Branca then contacted the attorney of McCartney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding; "It's too pricey". After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million. When McCartney found out he said, "I think it's dodgy to do things like that. To be someone's friend and then buy the rug they're standing on". Reacting to that statement, biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli observed that McCartney made millions of dollars from the music of other people. He had more money than Jackson at that point so could have made a substantial bid for his own music and would not have suffered financial difficulties from Jackson owning the catalog....... Debt caused by Sony, so they could get their hands on the catalogs............ A new package proposed by Sony would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake).^[95] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal, although details were not made public.^[126] Despite these loans, according to Forbes, Jackson was still making as much as $75 million a year from his publishing partnership with Sony alone.

"Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything

you

say, because

you're a reporter

. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, 'I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight,' people would say, 'Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is

nuts

. He's cracked up. You can't believe a dam_n word that comes out of his mouth.'"

^[53]

—Michael Jackson

In 2000, Jackson was listed in the book of

Guinness World Records

for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality

the list is extensive, 75 million a year without lifting a finger..... yeah 400mill was a big debt, NOT! Its a car payment for him.... get it right! The message is CLEAR don't fall out of favour with the wrong company if you want your life to be normal

Well id rather have " he died owing 400 million " on my headstone than " he died in soi baekaow with a chang in one hand and a falling rain in the other "

[marsteele]

the man is dead let's not kick the corpes

[jumnien]

He was the OJ Simpson of the music world! Great and not so great... How will his story be spun?

[webfact]

He was the OJ Simpson of the music world! Great and not so great... How will his story be spun?

OJ Simpson of the music world... What's it all about?

[Jimjim]

He had a few good songs with the Jackson Five and one really excellent album (if you do not count the lousy song, "The Girl is mine") and a few more LPs that were very derivative of Thriller - with no real spark of creativity. He was good, but he got a lot more credit than he ever deserved. He was mostly in the right place at the right time.

That's the King of understatements when you're talking about the KING of POP.

[ubonjoe]

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[Jimjim]

He is dead.

But why does the BBC World News channel have blanket coverage of the death?

What about the situation in Iran, in Iraq and Afghanistan, these more important news issues have not had a look-in for the last six hours and as the U.K. awakes in a few hours, I don't expect the BBC blanket coverage will end for days. Pathetic.

Because they spend time on that news every single day. It's nothing new. This is something new, and since news is all about reporting on a new story and it's about getting viewers there is a huge market for this news, considering he's an extremely well-known and iconic figure of music the last 40 years. To keep it simple, its news, man. Big news. So that's why they'll cover it. Not all news has to focus on all the dying soldiers and martyrs across the world every single day. This is not necessarily important news in reality, but it's news just the same.

My American friend, who was living in Bangkok at the time with his Christian missionary parents, went to that Bangkok concert back in 1993 (someone said it was 1993 so I assume it's the same one). His mother took him and his brother and she told me she thought it was "fun." What a cool mom, my mother certainly would not be saying that about a Michael Jackson concert and would have never taken me to something like that.

[babuhavas]

"BLACK OR WHITE"

i love this song

[MKAsok]

this news hit me surprisingly hard- i really feel like i have grown up with michael jackson. and yeah he came off as a freak in the end, but surely the amount of pressure he had in his life was enough to turn anyone into a weirdo. bottom line is most of us will never know the true story about him, and i prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt. no matter what, he was a kick ass entertainer, and he will be missed.... RIP jacko

I second this. I also grew up with the man and his music. I feel sick about this. Sure, he went completely fcuknuts, but that doesn't detract from the fact that this guy was one of the most talented ever. Off the Wall, for me, remains probably the best pop/soul album ever made. And him belting out 'Who's Lovin' You?' with the Jackson 5 is so good, it makes you want to weep. RIP to a great soul brother.

[t.s]

So it's not confirmed yet.

Man this will be one of those events were you will allways remember where you were or what you was doing when you heard the news.

I sure hope this is not true!

no i wont.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Me neither. It's just hours later and I already don't remember where I was.

Oh wait.

[jumnien]

The King of Pill Popping has popped his final pill. I used to have a t-shirt with Elvis's last prescription on it; maybe they'll be selling Michael's last prescription now.

[Lancelot]

He was contoversial but he did OK for a poor boy from Gary IN. Pretty well known internationally. RIP Jacko

[timinchina]

Whatever anybody says on here or anywhere else,he will go down in the history books of music as one of the greatest performers of all time,love him or hate him,that won't change.

He was at his peak when I was a schoolboy growing up so I will certainly always remember him,he seemed to have lost his way towards the end but his planned comeback tour with 50 dates at the Wembley Arena was to change all that,shame he never got the chance.

R.I.P. Michael,you will be missed by millions.

[ThaiPauly]

He is dead.

But why does the BBC World News channel have blanket coverage of the death?

What about the situation in Iran, in Iraq and Afghanistan, these more important news issues have not had a look-in for the last six hours and as the U.K. awakes in a few hours, I don't expect the BBC blanket coverage will end for days. Pathetic.

DUH...coz its BIG NEWS

[Journalist]

Did he wear a hairpiece?

I've always wondered ever since there was that incident where the stagelight set his lacquered hairdo ablaze years ago.

If so, was he bald?

[stiggy]

I will always remember where i was when i heard...!

Sitting on my sofa having just woke up scratching my tads ,and really not caring that plastic whacko who had dubious connections with kids had died...

Yes he had some good tunes and was insanely successful dosent change what he was though.

[Bobsyouruncle]

So it's not confirmed yet.

Man this will be one of those events were you will allways remember where you were or what you was doing when you heard the news.

I sure hope this is not true!

no i wont.

Yes you will

[astral]

RIP Michael.

[Patsycat]

I am sad.

RIP you gave alot of people alot of joy.

[norwayeagle]

Hola .Am in the livingroom ( back in norway 4 a mnds holy day)watching the earthsong video.My tears is running..Then my baby daughter 18 come in look me in the eyes and say,Daddy,,, I Love You.

[norwayeagle]

So it's not confirmed yet.

Man this will be one of those events were you will allways remember where you were or what you was doing when you heard the news.

I sure hope this is not true!

no i wont.

Yes you will

.

[polecat]

Did he wear a hairpiece?

I've always wondered ever since there was that incident where the stagelight set his lacquered hairdo ablaze years ago.

If so, was he bald?

I don't think he was a fan of body hair at all.

[thirdeyedmt]

Did he wear a hairpiece?

I've always wondered ever since there was that incident where the stagelight set his lacquered hairdo ablaze years ago.

If so, was he bald?

I don't think he was a fan of body hair at all.

id have to agree with you there! i think he wore a wig

[Datsun240Z]

On alot of drugs perscriptions, operations, skin disease, and the bad fuc_ked up economy, michael thought it's time to go.