In the ongoing journey of cleaning out my computer files…some classics for your viewing pleasure.

Janis Joplin. Would kill to have that voice.

Jean Seberg. Would kill to have stared in the film “Breathless.”

Jim Morrison. Would kill to have been alive to have seen him perform live. That would be a great story.

Jimi Hendrix. Another performance I would love to have seen in person. Oh, and that jacket…I need to find one like it ASAP.

Priscilla Presley. My mum was in Germany shortly after Priscilla and Elvis hooked up and always had wished that she had gone earlier (maybe it would have been her…that would mean I could have been Elvis’ kid). I love these old pictures of her. The hair, the make-up…perfection.

And last, but most certainly not least…TERENCE STAMP. I found this picture in a Vogue coffee table book about what they had going on in their mag in the ’60s. I feel in love with that page it was on (opposite an amazing picture of Julie Christie…another beauty). He reminds me a bit of Serge Pizzorno from Kasabian.

The marriage certificate of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley will soon be auctioned.

The King of Pop and Elvis Presley’s daughter signed the document in 1994 after a 15-minute marriage ceremony in the Dominican Republic on 26 May.

The certificate will go under the hammer at an estate sale in New York in January next year.

Auctioneer Philip Weiss expects the bid to be high.

“Anything relating to Michael Jackson is of extreme interest right now because of his untimely death and the release of the movie (This Is It),” Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

He added: “But when you have an item that combines his name and legend with the Presley name and legend – their marriage certificate no less – with both of their signatures on it, you”ve got something that’’s almost impossible to predict what it will bring at auction.”

Jackson and Presley had parted ways in 1996.

Scientology didn’t give Katie Holmes quite the career boost she was counting on, now did it?

So earlier in the week, film director Paul Haggis – a long, devoted Scientologist – disavowed himself from his pyramid scheme of a religion, mostly due to the organization’s lack of action against anti-gay legislative initiatives.  And my first reaction was “that’s what finally got him to jump ship and not all of the other bat-shit crazy stuff the cult  proclaims?” To each his own, I say. 

You know, I expect actors and directors to fall for the over-the-top declarations of a meglomaniacal science writer who’s been quoted as saying the best way to make some money is to start a religion…they live in Los Angeles for Christ’s sake…where even alien-inspired immortality is possible (L. Ron Hubbard’s words, not mine).  I’m not entirely convinced that some of them haven’t sold their souls to the Horned One/Tom Cruise in order to further their careers.  Beats having to blow Harvey Weinstein, that’s for sure.

So color me incredulous, but I expect more out of my rock stars/musicians than to fall for the likes of Scientology.  I guess I think of those in the music business as being a bit more jaded and savvy, and therefore not as likely to fall for L. Ron Hubbard’s dianetic debacle of a faith.  But I was wrong.  So wrong.  Take a look at the following in the music business who claim to be – gulp – Scientologists:

Ok, some of them you already know like…

Lisa Marie Presley (they can have her. No big loss)

Isaac Hayes (who’s dead and gone – guess he didn’t get high enough in

the organization to achieve Immortal Status, hmm?)

But did you know that Chaka Khan is one?

And Brandy?

Along with Dave Davies from The Kinks? THE KINKS???

Scientology can also lay claim to Rob Thomas, Doug E. Fresh

And last – and the one that breaks my heart the most….

Beck.

Sigh. You’re just too cool for Scientology. And supposedly, too intelligent and hip and funny to fall for a raging lunatic’s delusion of grandeur scheme. 

There were others before you, Beck, who had fallen for the Dianetic Diatribe, but came out the other side.  Here’s a list of former musician Scientologist who just….who just….stopped taking drugs long enough to realize what they’d gotten themselves into….they are:

Liz Phair

Leonard Cohen

Gloria Gaynor

Courtney Love (and psst, if you know that Scientology was too crazy for Courtney Love, then MAN, it must be WHACK)

Al Jarreau (what’s with all the black people in Scientology? Do they get a discount on auditing sessions or something?)

Lou Rawls

Van Morrison (yep. Really).

Hey Church of Scientology…you can keep all the rest of them, but please, not Beck.  And one last word on the subject…

Athough already featured on Horiwood.Com, here’s Lisa Marie Presley and her twins magazine cover from New Idea, again. They’re too cute.

The grief headline, makes reference to Lisa Marie’s casting as a young girl, as the heir born into a Graceland empire, that exists for fans to remember and grieve her dad, Elvis‘ death.

I don’t think Lisa Marie, grieves much. She is too busy raising her brood of talented, strong-willed children, but New Idea seems to thinks she does to sell their cover. Lol!

Copyright (c) 2009 Derek Clontz/Your World Report. All rights reserved.

Over half of 45,000 Michael Jackson fans who’ve voted in derekclontz.wordpress.com’s world-exclusive “Death Hoax Poll” say the King of Pop did, in fact, fake his death of a heart and is still alive today.

Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley together in Heaven? Maybe, maybe not.

And no, that is not a misprint.

In our professionally audited polldaddy.com survey,  45,208 men, women and children from 112 countries around the world have voted so far in the global survey – far and away the biggest and most impressive of its kind.

And look at these numbers: 25,519 (56 percent) insist MJ planned and pulled off a death hoax – while  just 19,689 (44 percent) say the King of Pop is dead.

The poll is linked to our stunning  Michael Jackson is Alive report dated June 29, 2009. You can still vote through our polldaddy.com interface on that page or by scrolling to the end of this story and making your voice heard there.

“The numbers,” says derekclontz.com editor Derek Clontz, “are stunning.  When we published the poll and invited readers to respond on June 29, I predicted 25 to 30 percent of fans would respond to our question, Do you believe Michael Jackson faked his death?, in the affirmative.

“Interestingly, the Jackson figures are much bigger than those that have been attached to Elvis Presley in the years since his death – or disappearance – in 1977.  At one time it was estimated that 25 to 30 percent of Presley fans thought The King had faked his death of a heart attack.

“That’s just half the number of fans who believe Jackson’s death was a hoax.

Derek Clontz

“But there is a common denominator: Both were overwhelmed by the insane pressures that come from living your life in a celebrity fishbowl. In that regard, Elvis and Michael – despite significant differences in their ages, backgrounds and careers – were, on one level, the same.

“Our Jackson poll is still ‘live’ and running, by the way, and I invite and encourage everyone who has an opinion to vote at the end of this story. Meanwhile, we will continue to monitor things and publish new numbers and information as they become significant.”

Here’s the poll breakdown:

Do you believe Michael Jackson faked his death?

Yes. It fits the pattern of his life and I think his comeback will be historic. 56% (25,519 votes)

No. Michael was a great performer, past tense. He, tragically, is dead. 44% (19,689 votes)

It’s no wonder, why Lisa Marie Presley is a little bit reclusive. A lock of her dad, Elvis Presley’s hair just sold for $18,300. I think that people should give anyone’s hair back to their family after they die. So this is nuts.

Being raised a Maori in beautiful New Zealand, taught me that chief’s remains go back to their family. It’s culturally correct. Not so in America though as fame supersedes all rationale. Especially with Elvis fans, who go insane for a piece of an American King’s cultural legacy, as this news item shows today.

Over 150 items that once belonged to Gary Pepper, former president of the Elvis Presley fan club went on the auction block at Chicago’s Leslie Hindman auctioneers.

The lock of the King of Rock N Roll’s hair, was believed to have been cut off his head when he was conscripted into the army.

A red ultra-suede tee worn once by Presley, sold for $34,000. And we wonder why the Jackson family are a very private family too. That’s insane!

Meanwhile, Lisa Marie Presley, debuted Elvis’ twin granddaughters Harper and Findlay to the world, via Hello Magazine. Cute. Lisa Marie knew the papparazi would try and get the pics anyway.

I like how she rolls, while her eldest son, Benjamin Presley is following in grandad Elvis’ footsteps as a rocker. She’s a good mom.

MOST WANTED DUET – Nummer 4

Het duet van Elvis Presley en Lisa Marie waarbij ze samen In the Ghetto zongen, was hier al een jaar geleden te zien. Ze namen dit op om te gedenken dat het dertig jaar geleden is dat The King overleed.

Lisa Marie nam vorig jaar met haar vader het volgende nummer op: Don’t cry daddy.

Concerto meraviglia quello di Richard Hawley ieri sera allo Shepherd’s Bush Empire e una rivelazione inaspettata:

“Penso sia ora di uscire allo scoperto e svelare al mondo la collaboratrice con cui lavoro ormai da molto tempo. Si tratta di una musicista davvero incredibile: Lisa Marie Presley.”

E noi tutti sbigottiti. Hanno suonato insieme un loro pezzo, “Weary”, Lisa Marie ha cantato e Hawley l’ha accompagnata con la chitarra insieme al resto della band, senza cantare. L’ha salutata con un bacio iper  affettuoso e lei è sparita nel backstage. La recensione del concerto la troverete sul Busca di dicembre. Intanto vi racconto la mia solita gag da pellegrina. Visto che è Hawley è un tizio davvero simpatico – lo dico senza sarcasmo – mentre noi fotografi stavamo per uscire da sotto il palco, dopo i primi tre pezzi, ci ha blaterato qualche sfottimento in slang di Sheffield ma non ho capito quasi nulla anche perché stavo intenta a raccapezzare tutta la mia attrezzatura. Poi ci ha chiesto: 

“Ma avete fatto belle foto? 

Mi sembrava scortese non rispondere così gli ho detto: “Yesssss… thanks!”. E lui “Bene, dopo le guardiamo una per una insieme!” Stranamente, non è successo, chissà perché. Comunque di battute ne ha fatte una marea ieri sera, era in vena, ma non ve le racconto altrimenti che scrivo poi nella recension? 

Michael’s Neverland residence will be featured inside November’s issue of Architectural Digest. You can check out some photos that won’t be featured in the magazine on their website. I’m copying and pasting below, but you should definitely click the above link for bigger and clearer photos.

In 1982 real estate developer William Bone completed a sprawling residence—including a 13,000-square-foot main house—for himself and his family in California’s Santa Ynez Valley.

These pictures are of the residence as it was when Michael Jackson bought it from Bone in 1988, completely furnished, and just the way he lived in it for many years. Jackson named it Neverland, added some furniture and many paintings to the interior and transformed the grounds into his very own amusement park. Of course, the King of Pop also added a throne.

Oak ceiling and walls distinguished the library (above), which featured a hidden movie screen that lowered from the ceiling. On the Heriz rug stood an 18th-century drop-leaf table flanked by a circa-1840 English comb-back Windsor chair on the right and a leather-upholstered English Gainsborough chair on the left. Above the fireplace, two paintings of English coaching scenes hung on the wall between a pair of French bronze horses signed by Moignier.

The dining room featured an 18th-century refectory table and English yew Windsor chairs, a 19th-century oval English yew-wood gateleg table and a circa 1780 cross-banded oak Welsh dresser base used as a sideboard. The painting by Paul Clemmens, 1978, is a portrait of William Bones’ wife and children.

Grassy lawns and the Santa Ynez Mountains could be viewed from the library. A circa 1820 French tilt-top table rested on an antique Hamadan rug.

A pair of 17th-century French monastery mirrors with embroidered frames hung above a wood sculpture once in the Louvre’s collection. In front of the antique French worktable was a Chinese porcelain tobacco jar.

Butcher block and Portuguese tile adorned the islands in the kitchen, which also featured two walk-in pantries, leaded-glass skylights and a Wolf range and ovens.

Wood tones dominated the gentleman’s bath, which was accented with brass candlesticks and fixtures, a marble countertop, a camel-hair Heriz rug, a mid-19th-century linen press and an antique stool.

Bouquet Canyon stone and rough-sawn Douglas fir characterized the barbeque area, which had a gas grill, a dishwasher, an icemaker, a trash compactor and two cooktops.

The following actually is the article featured in the magazine, I believe. I’m still probably going to pick up a hard copy of it, though, in case there’s something more inside. I love the design and decor of the main house.

Photographer Harry Benson Flashes Back
Photographer Harry Benson’s first-person account of his visits with Michael Jackson at Neverland.
Text and Photography by Harry Benson Published November 2009

I first met Michael on a hillside in Colorado in 1984. He was on the famous Victory Tour with his brothers.

Michael was the first to come running over to help when I slipped going up a steep muddy hill. I was fine, but a couple of lenses got covered in mud. That was the first time Michael took a liking to one of my brown Scottish tweed sports jackets, so I took it off and gave it to him. He seemed pleased by my gesture and immediately put it on, put both arms out and twirled around in the bright sunlight while I photographed him running and jumping. On stage that night he glittered in sequins. I flew back to New York with the photographs.

The momentum of the Victory Tour kept building, so I joined Michael in Philadelphia for more photos. The same thing happened again. This time it was a gray Harris tweed jacket. I saw him looking closely at the colors in the tweed. They seemed to fascinate him, so again I gave him my jacket. Sometime later I was amused to see a news clip of Michael actually wearing the jacket, running into a limo, mobbed by fans.

In 1985 I photographed Michael at the “We Are the World” all-night recording session in Los Angeles, conceived to raise money for the starving children of Africa. Quincy Jones posted a sign that said, “Leave your egos at the door,” and the 45 stars who participated did just that. The artist known as Prince kept telephoning to say he was thinking of coming. Quincy told him to hurry, as they had begun working. I overheard Michael say, “Prince will never come while I am here.” When Prince called again, Quincy told him not to bother; it was all over.

On first encounter, Michael seemed shy. He spoke in the very soft, high-pitched voice recognizable to the world, but, oddly enough, after about 10 minutes his tone deepened, although he still spoke very softly. I find that many powerful people, heads of state and such, speak very softly. They don’t have to shout to get your attention. Try to hear what they say the first time—they don’t like to repeat. Michael was like that. An hour later, when we met again, it was like starting over—again, the high-pitched, quiet voice, which morphed into something deeper after about 10 minutes.

When I saw Michael in 1995, again my tweed jacket was coveted, so again I gave it to him. He put it on for the photographs with new bride Lisa Marie Presley.

In 1997 I visited Neverland to photograph Michael with his firstborn, Prince Michael. While he was feeding Prince, the baby’s face became covered with food. Michael joked, “Oh, it’s Linda Blair time,” referring to the actress in the film The Exorcist. The baby was happy and laughing. Later, we took Prince upstairs to his room, where Michael gave him a bottle and held him until he went to sleep, singing little songs to him, something about Daddy’s baby. Michael told me Prince had inspired him to write more music than he had written at any other time in his life.

The following day Michael took me into the rehearsal studio where he had refined the moonwalk. He told me he often brought Prince there to watch him practice in front of the mirrored wall and said they would dance together someday. I was convinced that was going to be the next act. Prince sat playing with a microphone and watching his father’s every move. Michael told me the moonwalk was very easy to do. “Just do this, Harry, and pull your foot back.” Needless to say, I wasn’t stupid enough to try.

Standing outside his bedroom was a wax figure of a queen’s Household Cavalry guard. The bedroom itself was dark and quite plain, in tones of beige and brown, and, to be honest, a bit depressing. Adjacent to the bed was a huge, red, thronelike chair ornately trimmed in gilt. Above the mahogany four-poster was a painting of a blond Jesus.

Michael was easy to work with and delighted in showing me his home. All the photos were done quickly. That’s the thing people forget—you have to work quickly so that your subject doesn’t become bored. When Michael asked what I wanted him to wear, I said, “Just be yourself. Wear what you feel comfortable in.”

One could see how Neverland could take Michael’s mind off all his worries and transport him from the reality of his stressful life. He had everything he wanted there. I got the impression that in no way was Michael a recluse. He read the papers and kept up with the news. Once he asked me what I thought of the Reagans, who were in the White House at the time. He was also curious to know what the Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was like, as Michael had seen my photograph of him. Michael made a point of knowing who was who, while all the time those sad eyes were searching, looking closely at me. Occasionally he would break into a laugh, but mostly he was just looking.

Although I wasn’t close to Michael, we were friendly and respectful of each other, and that’s really all you want, someone who allows you to do your job. I will miss him. We will all miss his immense talent.

A closet filled with toys and memorabilia.

Neverland’s sign made clear its fantasy-land theme.

Bubbles the chimp and Jackson near the barn. Bubbles is now 26 and lives at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.

Elvis Presley’s 17 year old grandson, Benjamin Presley (son of Lisa Marie) has just signed a $5 million record deal to crank out 5 albums for Universal.

Apparently his music is “nothing like” Elvis’ (thank god) and his spokesman describes him as “a typical 17-year-old. He doesn’t get up before midday and then grunts at you.”

He’s also “taking a break” from recording at the moment and hopes to have an album out by next year.

You get offered a $5 million record contract and you’re “taking a break” from recording?! WTF?

I am looking forward to hearing his album, I really liked his Mama’s album a few years back.

[image courtesy google.com/images]

As I’ve mentioned a few times before, I love hearing stories of Michael in person… away from the cameras, stage, and press. I ran into something on a message board written a couple months ago by a guy named Rob Hoffman who worked with Michael during his HIStory album. It’s a great read.. check it out:

I was fortunate enough to work with MJ early in my career. He was an incredible artist. Talented beyond your wildest dreams. Extremely generous, and a hard worker. I actually went from a staff assistant at the Hit Factory in NYC to freelance engineer under Swedien and MJ. They were due to start in Los Angeles when the Northridge earthquake hit so they moved to New York. One room was all Bruce, the second room was the writing room. I started assisting Bruce’s writing partner Rene Moore. I would track stuff with Rene, and Bruce would come in and tell me what I did wrong, sit in for a few hours and set us straight. After a couple months MJ arrived and the entire tour rig was moved in along with Brad Buxer, Andrew Scheps, and Eddie Delena. I continued to assist them until the whole crew moved to L.A., they decided to take me with them. I would assist Bruce during the day, and help out every where else at night – assisting, engineering, programming, and on one song playing guitar. We had two rooms at Record One, and two rooms at Larrabee where I met John. At one point in NYC we had just about every room at the Hit Factory. The crew was great, and I learned so much from all of them. I learned to engineer from Bruce Swedien, John, and Eddie, and got to sit in with producers like MJ, Jam And Lewis, Babyface, David Foster, Teddy Riley, and Dallas Austin.

I was actually asked to leave the project early on because there were too many people around and MJ didn’t know me. Luckily, I was rehired about 10 days later. At the wrap party MJ apologized profusely, and expressed his gratitude. Truly the most sincere man you will ever meet.

Some random memories:

One morning MJ came in with a new song he had written overnight. We called in a guitar player, and Michael sang every note of every chord to him. “here’s the first chord first note, second note, third note. Here’s the second chord first note, second note, third note”, etc., etc. We then witnessed him giving the most heartfelt and profound vocal performance, live in the control room through an SM57.

He would sing us an entire string arrangement, every part. Steve Porcaro once told me he witnessed MJ doing that with the string section in the room. Had it all in his head, harmony and everything. Not just little eight bar loop ideas. he would actually sing the entire arrangement into a micro-cassette recorder complete with stops and fills.

At one point Michael was angry at one of the producers on the project because he was treating everyone terribly. Rather than create a scene or fire the guy, Michael called him to his office/lounge and one of the security guys threw a pie in his face. No further action was needed . . . . .

During the recording of “Smile” on HIStory, Bruce thought it would be great if Michael would sing live with the orchestra. But of course, we didn’t tell the players that. We set him up in a vocal booth off to the side. They rehearsed a bit without vocals in, then during the first take Michael sang, just about knocked them out of their chairs.

His beatboxing was without parallel, and his time was ridiculous.

His sense of harmony was incredible. Never a bad note, no tuning, even his breathing was perfectly in time.

Once, while we were taking a break, I think we were actually watching the OJ chase on TV, there was a news program talking about him being in Europe with some little boy. I was sitting next to the guy while the news is making this crap up. He just looked at me and said this is what I have to deal with.

I spent close to 3 years working with him, and not once did I question his morals, or ever believe any of the allegations. I wasn’t even a fan then. I saw him interact with his brothers kids, other people’s children, and at one point my own girlfriend’s kids. I got to spend a day at Neverland with them. A completely incredible human being, always looking for a way to make all children’s lives better. Every weekend at Neverland was donated to a different children’s group – children with AIDS, children cancer, etc., and most of the time he wasn’t there.

He was simply living the childhood he never had. In many ways he never grew up.

I was assisting Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis while they recorded the background vocals for “Scream” with MJ and Janet. The two of them singing together was amazing. Super tight, no bad notes. One part after another. When they took a break they sang the showtunes they used to sing as kids. Again, perfect harmony. Mj refused to sing the “stop f*ckin’ with me part” because he would NOT curse.

I was the tape op for the recording of the background vocals on “Stranger in Moscow”. Scared the hell out me. Michael was dropping in and out on syllables, rearranging the notes and timing as he put it down. No Pro Tools at the time, just 2″ tape, and my punches.

I erased a live keyboard overdub that he played one night. He came in the next morning, replaced it, and never uttered another word about it.

I was there when Lisa Marie was around. They acted like two kids in love. Held hands all the time, and she hung out at the studio for quite a while. I never questioned their love for each other.

We recorded a Christmas song during the summer of ‘94 that needed a children’s choir. Michael insisted that the entire studio be decorated with xmas lights, tree, fake snow and a sled for their recording. And he bought presents for everyone.

The last weekend of recording on HIStory he came to me and Eddie Delena, and said “I’m sorry, but I don’t think any of us are going to sleep this weekend. There’s a lot to get done, and we have to go to Bernie on Monday morning”. He stayed at the studio the entire time, singing, and mixing. I got to spend a couple quiet moments with him during that time. We talked about John Lennon one night as he was gearing up to sing the last vocal of the record – the huge ad libs at the end of “earth song”. I told him the story of John singing “twist and shout” while being sick, and though most people think he was screaming for effect, it was actually his voice giving out. He loved it, and then went in to sing his heart out. . . .

Later that night, while mixing, everyone left the room so MJ could turn it up. This was a common occurrence during the mixes, and I was left in the room with ear plugs, and hands over my ears, in case he needed something. This particular night, all the lights were out and we noticed some blue flashes intermittently lighting up the room during playback. After a few moments we could see that one of the speakers (custom quad augspuergers) was shooting blue flames. Mj liked this and proceeded to push all the faders up . . . .

MJ liked hot water while he was singing. I mean really hot !!!!! It got to the point that I would melt plastic spoons to test it.

Bruce and I were talking about walking to the studio everyday in NYC, and what routes we took. Michael looked at us and said we were so lucky to be able to do that. He couldn’t walk down the street without being harassed. It was a sad moment for all of us.

The studio crew got free tickets to the Janet show so we all went right from work one night. About halfway through the show we see this dude with a long beard, dressed in robes dancing in the aisle behind. I mean really dancing . . . it was Mj in disguise. Kind of like the costume Chevy Chase wears in Fletch while roller skating.

He got one of the first playstations from sony in his lounge . . . we snuck in late at night to play the games that hadn’t been released yet.

A couple people on the session hadn’t seen Jurassic Park while it was out, so MJ arranged a private screening for us at Sony.

He was a huge fan of Nine Inch Nails Downward Spiral . . . .

I was lucky enough over the course of 3 years to have access to the multitrack masters for tour prep, videos, and archive purposes. To be able to pull these tracks apart was a huge lesson in production, and songwriting. A chance to look into the minds of geniuses.

Of all the records I’ve worked on, MJJ was the only company to give platinum award records.

One day we just all sat in the studio listening to his catalog with him for inspiration. He loved the process, he loved the work.

-Rob Hoffman

Original source=here.

Hace unos días comentaba con un amigo sobre la verdadera historia de “la muerte” del conocido rey del pop Michael Jackson. A pesar de conocer sus padecimientos y enfermedades, nos extrañó tratándose de una persona tan joven, colmada de bienestar y confort,  eso sin incluir las pocas aclaraciones difundidas por la prensa en cuanto a la causa y al resultado de la autopsia.

Desde nuestros primeros años de vida, crecemos  bajo la influencia de la publicidad y los efectos que ella provoca. Digo esto porque algunos ya se cuestionan si detrás de su “deceso”  existiera toda una campaña manipuladora para atrapar la atención de la gente y a la vez darle a “Jacko” la tranquilidad tan anhelada.

Empecemos mencionando un pequeño artículo de sus prendas de vestir como su guante plateado que siempre utilizaba como un rasgo identificativo en sus conciertos, el cual fue vendido hace unos días en Australia por algo más de 46 mil euros.

En lo personal recuerdo un documental sobre su carrera, donde apareciera el llamado “doble”  del artista, explicando lo sumamente complicado que era tener una vida llena de fama y popularidad, cuando se es idénticamente igual a Jackson.

Otra de las preocupaciones es que su funeral estuvo reflejado por la ausencia de su mejor amiga Elizabeth Taylor, sus ex esposas: Lisa Marie Presley y Debbie Row, grandes amigos como Macaulay Culkin, Diana Ross y Quiency Jones.

Su testamento por ejemplo cae también en la interrogante de, ¿por qué alguien que tiene planeado vivir 150 años haría un testamento antes de los 50?

Según el periódico inglés “News of the world”, el cantante habría escrito en el espejo de su baño una serie de notas manuscritas con recordatorios y deseos para la humanidad el mismo día que murió, el 25 de junio.

Esta foto fue tomada un día después de la muerte de Michael Jackson ¿Por qué esta Joe Jackson riéndose a carcajadas a un dia de la muerte de su hijo?

“Jacko”, que estaba en plena preparación de una serie de 50 conciertos, quiso motivarse con notas como ésta: “Estoy muy agradecido por ser un imán para los milagros”. La frase “imán para los milagros” se usa mucho en Estados Unidos en diversos programas de auto ayuda y se cree que su repetición ayuda para alcanzar el éxito.

La siguiente nota decía: ¡Amor, no violencia! Recuerda una bonita promesa del futuro”. Esta nota mostraría que estaba contento y optimista las horas antes de su muerte y resaltaría el carácter inocente de la personalidad de Jackson, que siempre veía lo bueno de cada uno, según sus amigos y familiares más cercanos. Es triste comprobar lo ilusionado que estaba “Jacko” con el futuro en ese momento…

Si las primeras notas eran de un Michael positivo y contento, las siguientes muestran que su mente estaba un poco desordenada. Algunos apuntan a que sus adicciones podrían estar afectando a su memoria y por eso escribió también ese día notas recordatorias para no olvidar que tenía que cantar “We are the world” en el show que preparaba, o que tenía que “llamar a Temperton”. Se especula con que seguramente este Temperton sería Rob Temperton, un compositor y productor inglés con el que ya trabajó en “Thriller” o “Rock with you”.

Por su parte el FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) abrió una serie de investigaciones sobre si la causa de la muerte era homicidio y el informe forense apunta a “otros condicionantes que contribuyeron a su muerte: el efecto de las benzodiazepinas”. Las benzodiazepinas son un grupo de drogas utilizadas para calmar la ansiedad y el insomnio.

Otra especulación apunta a su doctor, Conrad Murray, quien le venía inyectando una dosis cada noche por 6 semanas.

Michael and Lisa in France during happier times

She came. She cried. And she said her last goodbye to the man she married 15 years ago. Lisa Marie Presley finally let go of all the hatred and indifference she once felt and attended Michael’s funeral.

Lisa went with her daughter Riley and sat on the last row. Sources say she cried throughout the entire service. Just goes to show how HE really meant to her.

Here is the only picture of her and daughter Riley arriving at Forest Lawn.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————- I know most of you have already read this blog post made by Lisa a day after he died. Here it is, in its entirety.

Friday, June 26, 2009

He Knew.Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general. I can’t recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Fathers Death. At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, “I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.” I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that. 14 years later   I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the Cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears. A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn’t predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened. The person I failed to help is being transferred right now to the LA County Coroners office for his Autopsy. All of my indifference and detachment that I worked so hard to achieve over the years has just gone into the bowels of hell and right now I am gutted. I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once. Our relationship was not “a sham” as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a “Normal life” found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much. I wanted to “save him” I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened. His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn’t know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then. At that time, In trying to save him, I almost lost myself. He was an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated. When he used it for something good, It was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad. Mediocrity was not a concept that would even for a second enter Michael Jackson’s being or actions. I became very ill and emotionally/ spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him. I was in over my head while trying. I had my children to care for, I had to make a decision. The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow. After the Divorce, I spent a few years obsessing about him and what I could have done different, in regret. Then I spent some angry years at the whole situation. At some point, I truly became Indifferent, until now. As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play by play The exact Scenario I saw happen on August 16th, 1977 happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted. Any ill experience or words I have felt towards him in the past has just died inside of me along with him. He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together. I desperately hope that he can be relieved from his pain, pressure and turmoil now. He deserves to be free from all of that and I hope he is in a better place or will be. I also hope that anyone else who feels they have failed to help him can be set free because he hopefully finally is. The World is in shock but somehow he knew exactly how his fate would be played out some day more than anyone else knew, and he was right. I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening. ~LMP

This is allergy season, and I keep waking at one in the morning. If my boss didn’t insist on my being in the office at eight, I would simply get up and do something productive until I was sleepy enough to return to bed.

As it is, I stay in bed and try not to wake thoroughly, and so remain in the netherland between dreams and consciousness when random thoughts about Michael Jackson pass through my brain. I probably should get up anyway, since I still wake with a sense of sleep deprivation.

A registered nurse, Cherilyn Lee, was the first to state Jackson wanted powerful drugs to fight his insomnia.

Since, sleep specialists have discussed the dangers of chronic insomnia and sleep deprivation as if what they were discussing was the same thing Jackson meant. However, his insistence of anesthetics suggests what he wanted wasn’t simple sleep with REM cycles filled with dreams, but immediate and complete unconsciousness.

Everyone who has had bad dreams or suffered sleepless hours and has followed Jackson’s life could suggest a different source for a fear of dreams and half-awake associations: something in his childhood, that burning hair, the upcoming tour, the trial for child molestation. Some might even speculate on why the problems got worse recently.

What’s truly frightening is that the most useful solutions were unavailable to him, and would be shunned by most of us. Freud may have had people willing to describe their dreams, but most of us are leery about seeing a specialist who might then be forced to report to some legal or insurance authority. As it is, almost anyone who could claim special knowledge about Jackson was talking after his death, either to assuage their own shock or to gather some reflected light.

And of the people Jackson allowed to get closer to him, Gerald Posner believes Liz Taylor is the one who first overcame his childhood, Jehovah’s Witness grounded aversion to drugs by her own example. She’s the one who introduced him to the Svengali dermatologist, Arnold Klein, who was providing her with illegal drugs in the 1980’s.

Jackson’s former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, said he was self-destructive 14 years earlier, in the middle 1990’s, and that it was impossible to help him without being consumed by him. His personality was so strong, it was impossible for her to walk away without feeling guilty and angry for years. Those feelings resurfaced when he died. Most of his friends, sooner or later, faced the same choice.

To die from a fear of dreams. It’s too bad he didn’t listen to Ernest Tubb when he was young. Then he would just have gotten out of bed and sung “Walking the Floor over You.”

Notes:
Associated Press. “Nutritionist Says Jackson Pleaded for Insomnia Sedative,” 1 July 2009.

Posner, Gerald . “The Jackson-Liz Drug Link,” The Daily Beast website, 6 July 2009.

Presley, Lisa Marie. Her 26 June 2009 MySpace comments after Jackson’s death have been widely repeated.

Taking centre stage for the last time, Michael Jackson was finally laid to rest 10-weeks after his death.

In a private service at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California, family and friends said their final farewells to the King of Pop, who was interred in the cemetery’s Great Mausoleum, a voluminous building that also houses the remains of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.

Amongst Jackson’s family, attendees at the funeral included Elizabeth Taylor, Macaulay Culkin, Lisa Marie Presley, Corey Feldman and Chris Tucker.

The ‘Thriller’ star, who was 50, died on the 25 June of a drug overdose. The Los Angeles County have since ruled his death as homicide.

R.I.P

La doua luni dupa ce a decedat, Michael Jackson a fost inmormantat vineri la cimitirul Forest Lawn din Glendale, suburbie a Los Angelesului, California.

Ceremonia a durat cateva ore, iar la ea au participat in jur de 200 de prieteni si rude, informeaza AP.
Reverendul Al Sharpton a vorbit in cadrul ceremoniei iar Gladys Knight, o prietena foarte buna a starului, a cantat. Dupa ceremonie Al Sharpton a postat pe pagina personala de pe Twitter ca Michael Jackson a fost inmormantat.

Sicriul, care a fost adus de fratii starului, purtand cate o manusa alba, a fost bagat in ciment si va fi monitorizat cu camere de luat vederi.
Starul a fost inmormantat intr-un sicriu suflat cu aur si isi va petrece somnul de veci alaturi de Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Sammy Davis Jr. Si Walt Disney, potrivit MTV.
“A fost cel mai mare artist care a existat vreodata”, a mai scris reverendul pe pagina personala, potrivit The Mirror. Al Sharpton a mai spus ca in ciuda problemelor intampinate, Michael a reusit sa treaca peste tot.

Printre starurile care au participat la inmormantare s-au numarat Elizabeth Taylor, Barry Bonds, Stevie Wonder, Al Sharpton, Macaulay Culkin, Brooke Shields, Mila Kunis, Chris Tucker, Kenny Ortega, Corey Feldman si Lisa Marie Presley. Nu se stie deocamdata daca Debbie Rowe a fost si ea la ceremonie.

Initial se stabilise ca inmormantarea sa inceapa la ora 05:00, ora Romaniei, insa a intarziat din cauza ca familia starului a venit la funeralii in jurul orelor 6:00, lasand staruri precum Elizabeth Taylor sa astepte.

“L-am iubit, am ras cu el, am cantat cu el. Am dansat cu el. Am este timpul sa il celebram”, scria pe invitatia la ceremonie, potrivit Sky News.
In urma cu cateva zile s-a dezvaluit faptul ca familia a achizitionat 12 locuri de veci, tocmai pentru a nu se afla in care va fi pus.

Desi autoritatile se temeau ca vor fi nevoite sa intervina cu forte speciale pentru a opri presa si fanii, se pare ca ceremonia s-a desfasurat fara incidente.
Regele muzicii pop a murit pe 25 iunie, la varsta de 50 de ani, in urma unui stop cardiac. In privinta mortii lui au existta foarte multe zvonuri, insa pe 28 august medicul legist a confirmat ca este vorba despre o crima, ceea ce ar putea duce la acuzatii grave pentru medicul personal al starului Conrad Murray.

Potrivit rezultatelor autopsiei, propofolul, un anestezic puternic, si sedativul lorazepam au fost principaele medicamente responsabile pentru moartea lui Michael Jackson.

In this day and age, people have a lot to be sick of. 

I’m sure many of you are sick of 24/7 Swine Flu coverage, health care reform, arsonists that cause destructive California wildfires, and bad television.  I could spend three weeks bitching non-stop about the decline of television.  But, this week, these are the things really getting my panties in a bunch:

Two Faced Bitches – Yeah, you know who you are. 

You act nice to me, then complain about me daily.  I actually hear you do this.  Hello!  Why are you so damn

I have no idea why you are this way, but let me just tell you this – You make me sick, and I promise you, Karma is going to kick you in the ass one day.   

Journalists who don’t read the books they are paid to review -

Sadly, I’ve caught TWO writers for major publications write book reviews on the new Pat Conroy book South of Broadthat were completely off base, incorrect, and eerily similar to one another.  The real sad part is that I only read two reviews of this book.  Both reviews were very similar, and it was clear to me that they DID NOT read past the first few chapters of the book. 

Saying that South of Broad was like The Prince of Tidesis a joke.  The new book is about many new things, including racism, religion, and friendship.  We even visit a city that Mr. Conroy has never written about before, and I promise you, it is not in the south!  I am so disgusted that I almost outed the two of you here.  But a wise writer (Haven Kimmel) once told me you never bash another writer in print, so consider yourselves lucky!  FYI – This book is #1.  Crap reviews will never keep away fans of beautiful writing. 

Oakland University -

Hmmm, in the desperate Michigan economy, does anyone think it is ok that this college gave its President (Gary Russi’s) a $100,000 pay raiseand then froze everyone else’s salaries?  No wonder the professors are on strike right now, and the thousands of people trying to get an education at OU they can’t get their education they already paid for?  All because someonemade a HUGE MISTAKE.  Hey OU, my work has had a hiring and wage freeze for years.  You can’t give one person a 40% raise!  Sad when the government understands this principle better than a place where higher education exisits. 

09-09-09 -

Yep, I’m mad at an actual date!  I can’t justify pre-ordering my dream family Christmas gift.  I desperately want The Beatles Rock Band in my hands next week, and because I’m losing my job, I can’t afford one.  My heart is broken.  I’m being serious, I’m really heartbroken.  Another huge Beatles fan who is very well offbragged to me yesterday about getting both the stereo cd set and Rock Band next week, and I know more people will approach me the day of, asking me if I bought it.  I’m already sick of people telling me you’ll find a job.  No, I won’t.  I couldn’t even score an interview with a major non-profit agency today for a VOLUNTEER JOB, despite having twelve years of experience doing that type of work. 

So, instead of being jealous of the millions of people who will rant on and on for years about this game, I have chosen to just hate the date instead.  Those people didn’t go to Liverpool on their honeymoon like I did.  They haven’t been performing Beatles songs for 35 years like I have.  I hate you 09-09-09! 

Honorable mention this week:

E! interupting Chelsea Lately,twice, with coverage of Michael Jackson’s funeral.  Ugh!  I was trying to figure out if she looked preggers or not.  Nine weeks ago this man passed.  However, you have me interested now that I know Lisa Marie Presley is there.

With Fathers Day coming up on Sunday, our theme this week was a lay down misere: dads, grandads, step-dads, good dads, bad dads… even sugar daddies got a look in on our show dedicated to FATHERS. 

We opened with a song about one of the worst father’s in pop-music. The Temptations PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE talks of a Dad who was a dishonest, cheating, alcoholic. But hey, not everyone’s perfect! With a huge variety of music in the playlist,  I’m sure we addressed the balance.

 A song that puts a lump in my throat is Billy Bragg’s TANK PARK SALUTE. There are several songs about grieving for a father who has died, but none seems as powerful as this track. It was written as a way of addressing the silence and denial that surrounded his dad’s illness. Take a look at this 1991 performance:

My Dad died many years ago now and if you’ve been through it you’ll know that the event creates one of life’s turning points. Equally, becoming a parent is also a life-changing event. Most new dads only get to bore their friends, but the proud rock-star dad can annoy the whole world if he chooses. One of the few truly likable songs about fatherhood is David Bowie’s cheerful, self-effacing KOOKS – although advising “Don’t pick fights with the bullies or the cads” is a bit much from someone who christened his poor son Zowie. Another newborn inspired Radiohead’s end-of-the-world lullaby SAIL TO THE MOON. 

Creedence Clearwater Revival have a different take on paternity and destiny in FORTUNATE SON: a cry of blue-collar resentment, directed at the privileged elite who used their connections to protect their sons from being sent to Vietnam.

 Neil Young gave us OLD MAN with a little bit of help from James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt; Eric Clapton sang of a father he never knew with IN MY FATHERS EYES. And then it was Elvis with the song that his daughter Lisa Marie sang at the 20^th anniversary celebrations of his death: DON’T CRY DADDY. Check out this amateur video of the performance. It seems its the only version, unfortunately, as its also on the offical Elvis site.

Luther Vandross’ song, DANCE WITH MY FATHER, won the 2004 Grammy Award for song of the year. We followed that with Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland’s DUST GOT IN DADDY’S EYES and The Winstons’  song COLOR HIM FATHER that was dedicated to all the step-fathers out there. 

Not wanting to get too serious at the Theme Park, so it was well and truly time for James Brown and PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG. Here’s a clip from the Ed Sullivan show, May 1966. I love the way Ed Sullivan is beaming at the end of the performance and exclaims “Wow, that was exciting wasn’t it!”. Yes, Ed it was. Long live the Godfather of Soul.

Time for some jazz: I didn’t want to overlook one of my favourite kinds of Dads and Julie London’s ode to the Sugar Daddy was perfect.  And then it was Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with GO DADDY-O. A very nice segue into Hawkeshaw Hawkins with RATTLESNAKIN DADDY and The Heartbreakers with ROCKIN’ DADDY O.   

And we didn’t want to forget the dear old, (or young as the case may be), Grandads: Fats Waller gave us GRAND OLD DAD. A change of pace saw the Dave Matthews Band rock out with DREAMS OF OUR FATHERS and then Everclear lamented an absent father in FATHER OF MINE. Here’s the very cool video clip:

A couple of songs for my children who lost their father when they were quite young: For Jack a song by his father’s favourite artist: John Lennon and BEAUTIFUL BOY. And for Zoe, it was another favourite – Paul Simon singing FATHER AND DAUGHTER. Here’s a live performance of that song from 2006.

When I played Eric Clapton’s very moving TEARS IN HEAVEN I guarantee there wasn’t a dry eye at the station. Clapton wrote the song after losing his son Connor in a terrible accident. And then it was a song that isn’t overtly about fatherhood but I interpret it that way, and you may too.  It’s Roy Orbison and the Mavericks doing a cover of Simon & Garfunkle’s BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER. 

Ian Hunter grieves that his relationship with his Dad is just like Two Ships That Pass in the Night in his song SHIPS. Ian Dury followed with MY OLD MAN, a quirky, affectionate memento of his Dad, an East End bus driver. At Dury’s funeral in 2000, the song was performed by his own son, Baxter. Here he is with the Blockheads performing live.

Thanks to Ku Promotions for the tickets we gave away to the COOL NIGHTS BIG BAND performance. It encouraged me to go out with a jazz standard: SONG FOR MY FATHER by the Horace Silver Quintet. Released on the Blue Note label, the cover art features a photograph of Silver’s father. If you listen to the opening bass piano notes, you might just recognize what Steely Dan borrowed for their song RIKKI DON’T LOSE THAT NUMBER.

Happy Fathers Day to all you Dads for next Sunday. Here’s this week’s playlist:

Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone  - The Temptations 

Daddy’s Home - Shep & The Limelites

Tank Park Salute - Billy Bragg

My Father’s Waltz - Hem

Kooks - David Bowie

Sail To The Moon - Radiohead

Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Old Man - Neil Young

My Father’s Eyes - Eric Clapton

Don’t Cry Daddy - Elvis Presley

Dance With My Father - Luther Vandross

Dust Got Into Daddy’s Eyes - Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland

Color Him Father  - The Winstons

Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag - James Brown

Daddy - Julie London

Go Daddy-O - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Rattlesnakin’ Daddy - Hawkshaw Hawkins

Rockin’ Daddy O - The Heartbreakers 

Grand Old Dad - Fats Waller

Dreams of Our Fathers - Dave Matthews Band

Father Of Mine  - Everclear

Daddy’s Song - Harry Nillson

Beautiful Boy - John Lennon

Father and Daughter - Paul Simon

Tears In Heaven  - Eric Clapton

Bridge Over Troubled Waters - Roy Orbison & the Mavericks

Ships (That Pass In The Night) - Ian Hunter

My Old Man - Ian Dury & The Blockheads

Song For My Father - Horace Silver

Next week: BIRDS (the feathered variety).

Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 2-4pm, Sydney time.

Also streaming on http://www.bayfm.org

Tragically also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maccalyn

and Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/themeparkradio

Flashback 1994.

May 26,1994- Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in La Vega, Dominican Republic.And we thought that there was nothing more to the 15 minute spanish language civil ceremony?

Apparently, there was a little celebration afterward. Want proof?

Here it is :

MICHAEL JACKSON & LISA MARIE PRESLEY WEDDING SOUVENIR CHOCOLATE BAR Milk chocolate candy bar molded to read, "Lisa Marie and Michael" with a heart and musical note. Wrapped in gold foil and contained in a plastic box. These bars were given as souvenirs to wedding guests at the marriage of Michael Jackson to Lisa Marie Presley. The couple married in 1994 and divorced in 1996.

You can actually buy this chocolate bar from Julien’s auctions for $200 – $300. Size of the box is 2″ x 4 “.

I wonder how that chocolate tastes like now. It’s been what? 15 years? Haha.

Mike and Lisa during happier times. How Sweet.

A ex-nanny for Lisa Marie Presley has filed a lawsuit against her, claiming she’s been overworked caring for the rock star’s twin babies.

Christine White says she became the primary caregiver for the children several weeks after Lisa gave birth to Finley and Harper in October last year.

The nanny claims she wasn’t given breaks for meals, and was forced to work seven days a week without overtime pay.

She says she didn’t even get 10 minute breaks during her workdays.

Lisa Marie shot back calling the claims ridiculous. and says she paid White . She said the nanny, who was paid $650 a day, had her own guest house on the property where she would sleep and take “many breaks.”

Presley gave birth to the twins at the age of 40 — after two years of trying to get pregnant.

Related Articles:

• Lisa Marie Presley Introduces Us To Harper and Finley
  
• Lisa Marie Presley Welcomes Twin Girls!
  
• Lisa Marie Presley Sexy In Marie Claire

PHOTOCREDIT:John Russo via PEOPLE

SOURCE

Losing a father (or a parent for that matter) is emotionally hard on any child. A certain kind of emptiness is left behind and will stay on through adulthood.

In the case of children whose celebrity fathers died too young, it is doubly hard. They have to put up with the unending public attention. And most often than not, they are pressured to follow in their famous parent’s footsteps just to gain validation. Some pull it off, some don’t. But just the same they are hounded.

Here are some of the famous daddies who died leaving their little kids behind:

—KURT COBAIN—

(1967-1994 aged 27)

Kurt and Frances Bean

Frances Bean Cobain was just 2 years old when her father died allegedly after shooting himself in the mouth. Her mother, Courteney Love read portions of Cobain’s suicide note to the crowd during the memorial and broke down and chastised Cobain.

Now 17, this is what Frances had to say regarding the people who constantly follow her:

These people are fascinated by me, but I haven't done anything. "If you're a big Nirvana fan, a big Hole fan, then I understand why you would want to get to know me, but I'm not my parents. “I get it, I really do, but at the same time it's creepy. People need to wait until I've done something valid with my life." As to what that might be, Frances says she’s considering photography or the noble profession of the professional journalist. “I'm taking my time. But I get asked what I want to do all the time because of my parents and because of the life I live,” she says.

—JOHN LENNON—

(1940 – 1980 aged 40)

John and Sean Taro Ono Lennon

Sean Lennon (who shared the same birthday as his Dad – October 9) was just 5 years old when his father died after being shot by a “loony” named Mark David Chapman.

Hours before his murder, Lennon told RKO Radio that he felt he could go out anywhere in New York City and feel safe. While still a Beatle, Lennon was asked how he might die. Lennon replied:

“I’ll probably be popped off by some loony”. True John. True.

Sean, who’s 34 is already an accomplished musician in his own right. He has recorded several albums, the latest being “Friendly Fire”. He is also touring the States under the group title The Ghost Of A Saber Toothed Tiger with girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl and friend Vincent Gallo during 2009 to promote the Chimera Music MMIX A.D. album.

On his former record label Grand Royal Records :I think I found the only label on the planet who doesn't care who my parents are and what my name is. It's a good feeling to know that I wouldn't have gotten the offer if they wouldn't have liked my songs. That's pretty rare in the music business!

—-Michael Hutchence—

(1960-1997 aged 37)

Michael and Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily

Tiger Lily Hutchence, only child of former INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was just still a one year-old baby when her dad died after hanging himself in his Sydney hotel room. Three years after she would lose her mom, Paula Yates to a heroin overdose. Tiger Lily ,who was reportedly born in a bathroom was described by her father as “exactly just what we ordered”.

To this day, 13 yr old Tiger Lily is still caught between a bitter custody battle between her mom's ex-husband Bob Geldof (who was given custody in 2000) and her paternal grandparents.

—Elvis Presley—

(1935 – 1977 aged 42)

Elvis and Lisa Marie

Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only child was just 9 years old and was at Graceland at the time of her father’s death in August 16,1977. He was found unresponsive in his bathroom floor. Cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia brought about by combined drug intoxication.

Lisa Marie, now 41 is a singer songwriter who has released 2 albums to date : To Whom It May Concern (2003) and Now What (2005)

—Michael Jackson—

(1958-2009 aged 50)

Michael with Prince, Paris and Blanket

That fateful June 25th afternoon, Michael Jackson’s children were hysterical following their father’s personal doctor’s frantic calls for help. They were crying and praying at the same time, hoping he’d be Ok. They lost their father that day, due to cardiac arrest. To this day, the autopsy reports have still remained off limits to the press. But it is widely believed that Michael Jackson’s death is linked to his illegal use of the anaesthetic IV med Propofol.

For the first time during their father's memorial service, Michael Joseph Jr. (Prince), Paris-Michael Katherine and Prince Michael II (Blanket) were seen for the first time without their masks on. Katherine Jackson, their paternal grandmother, now has full custody. They are still being home-schooled, are not allowed on the internet, and are rumored to be raised as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Here is a video of Paris’ now-famous impromptu speech at his father’s memorial service

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