Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Michael Jackson sign is restored at Hollywood school
For seven years, the gleaming silver letters that once proclaimed the Michael Jackson Auditorium at Gardner Street Elementary School in Hollywood were hidden behind white plywood boards.
The boards had been placed there to hide the name of the pop singer at the behest of parents shortly after Jackson was arrested on suspicion of child molestation in 2003. Since his death last year, fans had rallied for the restoration of the sign, which they saw as a symbol of Jackson’s legacy.
Now, Jackson’s name gleams again.
Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Ramon C. Cortines ordered the boards stripped away Friday "in recognition of Michael Jackson’s musical legacy and contribution to modern culture."
A school district spokesman said the decision was made in large part because Jackson had been acquitted of criminal charges in the molestation case.
On Friday night, a Facebook page calling for the restoration of the sign was overflowing with joyous comments.
"I could cry!!" one person wrote. "I wish he were here to see this!!"
On the page, devotees from places as far away as Japan and Sri Lanka posted photos of themselves holding handmade posters calling for the boards to be stripped away.
Fans had planned to show up at a school board meeting Tuesday to demand that the sign be revealed.
Jackson was briefly enrolled as a student at Gardner Street Elementary. In 1969, he and his family moved to Los Angeles from Gary, Ind., so that Jackson and his brothers could make a record with Motown.
Jackson was an 11-year-old sixth-grader at the school when the Jackson 5 released their debut album, a smash hit that foreshadowed Jackson’s record-breaking solo career.
The Gardner auditorium was dedicated to Jackson in 1989. He attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where the school's choir sang "We Are the World," a tune Jackson co-wrote.
An illustration of Jackson's face was posted in the auditorium in 1989, and a picture depicting the singer surrounded by children was hung in the main office. The auditorium drawing was removed several years ago because it kept falling down. The picture in the office also was removed to make room for a new intercom system.
-- Kate Linthicum
Photo: L.A. Times file
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
I Love Wembley Stadium!
They showed Mike sooo much love!
(He’s listed first for a reason! Keep reading!)
Music
Wembley Stadium became a musical venue in August 1972 with an all-star rock 'n' roll concert called the London Rock and Roll Show. It since played host to a number of concerts and events, most notably the British leg of Live Aid, which featured such acts as David Bowie, Queen, Paul McCartney, The Who, Dire Straits and U2, was held at the stadium on 13 July 1985.
Other charity concerts which took place in the stadium were the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert, The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness and the NetAid charity concert.
Acts who played at Wembley Stadium include:
- Michael Jackson (fifteen times, selling over 500,000 tickets in the process)
- The Rolling Stones (twelve times)
- Madonna (nine times)
- U2 (eight times)
- Genesis (they had four sold out shows in a row in early July 1987)
- Phil Collins (five times)
- Bon Jovi (five times) (they had three sold out shows in a row from 23 June to 25 June 1995)
- Tina Turner (four times, who had two sold out concerts recorded during her Twenty Four Seven Tour for the live tour DVD in the year 2000)
- The Animals (twice, once 1965 performing three songs at the NME Poll Winners Concert and the other on December 31, 1983, during their reunion tour, which was released as "Rip It To Shreds!" in 1984)
- Bryan Adams (Bryan Adams had two sold out shows, 1992 and 1996)
- Oasis (two times, and recorded their video and album Familiar To Millions at Wembley)
- The Cure (who recorded tracks for their "Pictures of You" single)
- Guns N' Roses (In 1991 Izzy Stradlin played his last show as an official member.)
- Fleetwood Mac (They had 10 sold out shows in 1988 on their "Shake The Cage" tour)
- Queen (Played two shows on the 1986 "Magic Tour", with the concert on 12 July recorded for a live album, VHS release and DVD release)
- George Michael (twice)
- The Corrs
- Gary Numan (Performing for three sold out nights in 1981)
- Grateful Dead (Halloween shows - October 30 and 31, 1990)
- Johnny Cash (Played in 1979, recorded for the BBC in 1981 and 1986)
- The Who (18 August 1979: "The Who And Friends Roar In". Following a series of smaller warm-ups this was the band's first major concert after the death of drummer Keith Moon the previous year. An 80,000 sell-out.)
- AC/DC
- Bob Dylan
- Billy Joel
- Aerosmith
- KISS
- Jethro Tull
- Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
- Prince
- Sting
- Celine Dion
- Rage Against the Machine
- Cliff Richard
- Cornelius Mendez
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
- ABBA
- The Bee Gees
- Status Quo
- Elton John
- Jean Michel Jarre
- The Beach Boys
- The Eagles
- Van Halen
- INXS
- Blur
- Pink Floyd (2 nights in August 1988, World War II search lights were used outside the stadium for dramatic effect for approaching fans)
- Metallica
- Simple Minds
- Spice Girls (two times, one of which was recorded and released as a VHS/DVD)
During Michael Jackson's Bad Tour in 1988, seven sell-out concerts were staged at Wembley which included five in a row, and two at a later date. Each concert had an attendance of 72,000 people. According to the Guinness Book of World Records Jackson set a new world record with 504,000 people attending the seven total concerts. These seven concerts were highly anticipated and created huge media attention. A further six sell-out concerts followed in 1992 during his Dangerous Tour and his three shows in 1997 during his HIStory Tour brought total tickets sold to over 1.1 million. Until the demolition of the 1923 stadium, this record had not been beaten.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
NPR's 50 Great Voices 2010
Yes, that’s right – Michael is NOT listed. I searched. Several times.
As I look @ this short list (of just a few names I recognized from the complete list), it leads me to believe, this nomination doesn’t just recognize “the voice,” but the artist’s “reach” & impact – worldwide – as well as the content of their songs, as they related to the “current events” taking place @ the time.
Well, with that said, whyyy then, is Michael absent? I nominated Michael & used “Earth Song” as proof of his “voice,” showcasing his range; “content,” showcasing his song-writing abilities that expressed his heart-felt compassion for our environment – which relates to the times, then & now. I even submitted the track in the email, as well as the lyrics.
I’m really confused. Is it just me?
(I found out about the nominations on michaeljackson.com (SONY sponsored), so it’s not as if the nominations were a secret.)
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Karen Faye – A Life Intersected – August 29, 2010
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Click the photo, which will take you to Karen’s blog page. there, you will be able to feast on her recollection of Michael & his heartfelt dilemma when it came to the celebration of birthdays :-(
Thank you Karen for sharing!
August 29, 2010 -- Happy Birthday Michael!
My Birthday wish for you, is not a wish, but a continuous prayer: I’m happy for you, that you’re finally @ peace! I pray you heard the words, "Well done, my good & faithful servant..." & that they were music to your ears! My dear Angelman remain forever happy, in the company of the Angels, around God's throne - singing & dancing w/eternal joy – you, the creation - becoming one w/your Creator!
Thank You & God Bless You Miss Katherine!
AnMarie
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
No Charges Filed Against Other Jackson Doctors
By: Greg Risling, Associated Pres
The doctors were part of an investigation by state Attorney General Jerry Brown's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, spokeswoman Christine Gasparac said.
One doctor whose name was not released has been referred to the California Medical Board for prescribing drugs to a Jackson alias, she said.
Candis Cohen, a board spokeswoman, declined to confirm the action, saying complaints and investigations were not public record.
Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, has pleaded not guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death. Authorities say Murray provided Jackson with a mix of sedatives, including a powerful anesthetic that killed him.
Murray was not among the seven doctors involved in the state investigation.
Los Angeles police who investigated the death had asked state and federal investigators to look into the prescribing practices of doctors who previously treated the 50-year-old pop star.
The federal Drug Enforcement Agency has also stopped investigating the actions of any other Jackson doctors, agency spokeswoman Sarah Pullen said.
"I am very disappointed," said attorney Brian Oxman, who represents Michael Jackson's father Joe Jackson in a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray. "The misuse of medications by Michael Jackson in the last years of his life was excessive and to fail to bring that to the public eye is ignoring reality."
The state investigation included the search of a prescription drug database that tracks doctors who prescribe controlled substances. The database also monitors the quantity and recipients of those drugs.
---
AP Writer Thomas Watkins and AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.



