Pai quer construir Museu Michael Jackson

Essa família é incansável! Joe Jackson, pai do Rei do Pop, declarou que tem planos de construir um museu em Gary, Indiana, Estados Unidos, cidade natal da família.

O Sr. Jackson declarou que acredita que os fãs de Michael de todo o mundo ficarão orgulhosos, pois será um grande monumento em homenagem ao artista.

Não se sabe ainda se o projeto será apoiado pelo Fundo Michael Jackson, administrado por John Branca e John McClain.

Outra dúvida: Será que a família Jackson bancará a construção do projeto? Segundo o empresário Simon Shouri, o prefeito de Gary informou que o projeto contará com doações.

Bastou a notícia começar a circular na imprensa, para surgirem novos questionamentos. Ainda não se sabe se o acervo do museu vai contar com peças que remetam para o lado esquisito da família Jackson: escândalos, conflitos, brigas, processos…

A campanha para arrecadação de fundos já foi lançada em Las Vegas e a primeira doação foi de Johnny Brenden, o dono de um cinema no Hotel Palms Casino. Ele enviou um cheque de US$ 10 mil. O empresário se sensibilizou com a causa, por motivos bem pessoais: seu cinema era o escolhido por Michael Jackson para assistir a filmes ao lado de seus filhos, que sempre se hospedavam no hotel.

The New Music Middle Class

The New Music Middle Class

 

There is not many more Michael Jackson or Janet Jackson’s created.  The days of the big budget transitions to mega hits are becoming too risky at best.  Sure there are a few big stars out there but are they as big as they seem or were they ever.  I mean is fame money or an expense.  Is success being surrounded by body guards at $250G a hit, being chauffeured in limousines and spending $500,000 on video to be seen at your cost, as music videos are still considered promos.

 

Radio shows are being simulcast; it like really few local DJ’s anymore, so where is all the money going?  It seems like a hand full of people is getting paid large at high tax brackets or not paid at no tax bracket.  But a strange thing is taking place in the music industry, evolving is a new middle class.  Very few people are selling a million CD’s, people are taking lessons from people like Tyler Perry and going back to building fan bases to old fashion way city to city and town to town.  People are recording on privately owned studios and self promoting their material.

 

To make a long story short, people are realizing that it is not worth having a multi-million dollar contract to clear $100G per year or even be in the red, when they can freelance and make $500G and have a life.  As we know so well there is a disparity between what a star makes and what they pocket after video recoup, producers, studio costs, taxes, security and all the stuff that comes with the package called a star..

 

 

StuFFilM Special: ก่อนจะมาเป็น Michael Jackson's This is it!!!!

StuFFilM Special: ก่อนจะมาเป็น Michael Jackson’s This is it!!!!

This is it เป็นคอนเสิร์ต ที่ Michael Jackson ราชาเพลงป๊อบตลอดกาลได้กล่าวเป็นรางไม่ดีตั้งแต่แรกเลยว่า “นี่จะเป็นคอนเสิร์ตครั้งสุดท้ายของเขา” โดยได้มีแถลงข่าวการเปิดตัวคอนเสิร์ต วันที่5มีนาคม ณ เดอะ โอทู อารีน่าในกรุงลอนดอนด้วยตนเองโดยที่มีแฟนเพลงของแจ็กสันกว่าเจ็ดพันกว่าชีวิตและนักข่าวสามร้อยกว่าชีวิตมารอ และได้เริ่มเปิดการจองบัตรเมื่อ 17 มีนาคมซึ่งสิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นคือบัตรถูกขายหมดภายในไม่กี่ชั่วโมง ในตอนแรกคอนเสิร์ต This is it มีการแสดงคอนเสิร์ตเพียง 10 รอบแต่เมื่อบัตรขายได้เยอะขนาดนี้จึงมีการเพิ่มรอบขึ้นถึง 50 รอบ ทำให้ได้ทำลายสถิติคอนเสิร์ตที่ “แสดงมากรอบที่สุด โดยศิลปินคนๆเดียว” ใน Guinness book

ต่อมาแจ็กสันก็ได้ทำการซ้อมกับคอนเสิร์ตนี้อย่างหนักและได้มีการบันทึกวิดีโอขณะซ้อมรวมทั้งหมดถึง 100 กว่าชั่วโมงเลยทีเดียว
และคอนเสิร์ตครั้งนี้ก็ได้รวมเอาหัวกระทิทั้งๆหลายของหลายๆวงการมาควบคุมการผลิตต่างๆของการแสดงโดยหนึ่งในนั้นคือ Kenny Ortega

(หรือผู้กำกับของภาพยนตร์ This is it เรื่องนี้นี่เอง!! รวมทั้งผลงานกำกับที่เคยสร้างความประทับใจไว้อย่างหนังเพลงโรแมนติกเด็กๆใน High School Musical ทั้ง 3 ภาคเลย)คงจะอยากรู้กันว่าหนึ่งในคนควบคุมคอนเสิร์ตทำไมถึงได้มาเป็นผู้กำกับเรื่องนี้เหตุผลเพราะ หลังจากที่ Michael Jackson ได้เสียชีวิตลงคอนเสิร์ต This is it 50 รอบ จึงต้องถูกยกเลิกและหลังจากนั้นก็ได้ดึง Kenny Ortega มากำกับภาพยนตร์เบื้องหลังคอนเสิร์ตนี้ และแน่นอนหลังจากที่ Michael Jackson ได้เสียชีวิตลง ก็ต้องมีเครียดกันละสิ ตั๋วที่ผู้ชมจำนวนมากได้ซื้อไปจะทำอย่างไร พวกเขาจึงตัดสินใจนัดวันคืนเงิน ผู้ที่ซื้อบัตรคอนเสิร์ต This is it ไป แต่!! แฟนเพลงทั้งหลายของแจ็กสันก็ไม่ขอเอาเงินคืน พร้อมกับให้เหตุผลว่า อยากเก็บบัตรคอนเสิร์ตแห่งประวัติศาสตร์นี้ไว้ ถึงแม้จะไม่มีวันได้ชมตลอดกาล แต่ความทรงจำดีๆก็จะได้เก็บไว้ในใจเช่นกัน
เป็นที่น่าเสียดายเป็นอย่างมากเพราะอีกแค่ 18 วัน!! แจ็กสันก็จะได้ขึ้นแสดงคอนเสิร์ตรอบแรกวันที่ 13 กรกฎาคมแต่ดันเกิดอาการ
หัวใจวายเฉียบพลันจึงเสียชีวิตลงเมื่อวันที่ 25 มิถุนายน พ.ศ.2552 ทำเอาคนทั่วโลกช็อกไปเลยก็ว่าได้ ส่วนตัวเรื่องภาพยนตร์มีรายงานระบุ
ไว้ว่ารายได้จากการฉายของภาพยนตร์เรื่อง This is it จะได้นำเข้ากองทุน Michael Jackson Family Trustซึ่งจะเป็นการช่วยค่าใช้จ่ายต่างๆของตระกูลแจ็กสัน

ภาพยนตร์ตัวนี้จะเป้นยังไงสามารถรีบไปชมที่ภาพยนตร์ในระบบดิจิตอลได้แล้ววันนี้ ซึ่งตัวหนังจะฉายเพียง 14 วัน ไม่รีบตัดสินใจ
ระวังพลาดโอกาสสำคัญ!!!!

This is the moment, This is it!!

'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Is 'Bittersweet' For Brothers

by Jocelyn Vena

Two of Michael Jackson’s brothers, Marlon and Jackie, had nothing but shining compliments for “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” after the film’s sparkling Los Angeles premiere. But, they said, the documentary was also a reminder that they had lost their beloved brother.

“It was fantastic. It was amazing. It’s a bittersweet moment for us, ’cause you know [we experienced] the passing of our brother,” Jackie said. “But at the same token, I wanted to see Michael do his thing. It was electrifying.”

Jackie went on to say that judging by the response in the Nokia Theatre, where the premiere was held, the audience loved the film as well. He thinks it reminded them all how talented Jackson was when he was up on stage.

“They loved it,” he said. “It was his final rehearsal. He was working with his band, his background singers and he was teaching them steps, the moves. It was great to see him in action.”

Marlon said his brother would have been happy to see that his fans got the chance to see MJ create his This Is It concerts. “I think he would have appreciated the fans across the globe [getting the opportunity to] respect his work, appreciate his work,” he said. “That’s all we want people to do is appreciate what we do.”

The brothers also addressed why their mother, Katherine, and their sisters haven’t yet screened “This Is It”: “Because it’s hard for them to see it right now,” Jackie explained.

“Everybody’s different, so you might want to give a little more time,” Marlon added. “But they’re going to see it, and if it’s never, then it’s never, but we respect that.”

Jackson’s three children, Prince, Blanket and Paris, also need more time before they see the film, their uncles said, denying the rumors that the children had a private screening of the film. “They’re going to see it on their own time,” Jackie said. “It’s already been arranged.”

Las otras películas de Michael Jackson: Fantasmas, magia y Smooths Criminals.

Cuando hace tiempo anuncié aquí la muerte de Michael Jackson, el rey del pop y, en su momento, la persona más famosa del mundo, comentamos que quizá no tenía mucho que ver con el mundo del cine, aunque sí, claro, sus videoclips eran piezas fuera de serie, había aparecido en Men in Black 2 y algo más. Su influencia es más que notable en el mundo cinematográfico, pero su presencia física más bien discutible. El caso es que Michael Jackson afirmaba que el cine era el “arte definitivo”, porque tenía música, imágenes… Se consideraba un enamorado de Spielberg, Star Wars, Tiburón, y decía que le encantaría hacer películas. Curiosamente a finales de este mes se estrena una de ellas, ‘This is it’, presumiblemente un megahit taquillero que amasará una fortuna a la velocidad de la luz, quizá por el morbo de una inminente muerte y el desconocimiento del tipo que la va a sufrir. Te la venden como “La” película de Michael Jackson, pero lo cierto es que este hombre tiene varias piezas en su filmografía.

Vamos a conocerla un poco mejor, con la esperanza no sólo de quitarnos ese peso de encima que supone haber pasado de él hasta que un paro cardíaco se lo ha llevado a un carísimo cementerio, sino también para conocerle mejor que con todos los documentales posibles y recordar una época que desgraciadamente ha pasado a la historia en la que confluyeron algunos de los más grandes profesionales del mundo.

“Me encantan las películas, me han gustado desde que era niño. Durante dos horas puedes ser transportado a otro lugar. Las películas pueden llevarte a cualquier sitio. Eso es lo que a mí me gusta. Puedo sentarme y decir: “Muy bien, a partir de ahora no existe nada más, llévame a un lugar maravilloso y hazme olvidar mis angustias, preocupaciones y mi programa de trabajo.” Michael Jackson.

Hasta la llegada de Thriller, un videoclip era un tipo cantando una canción. Ni más ni menos. Su famosa coreografía rodeado de Zombies, dirigida por John Landis, director de películas como ‘Un hombre lobo americano en Londres’ consiguieron que su disco fuera el más vendido de todos los tiempos (y tal como están las cosas, nadie lo baja de ahí ni a tiros). Luego llegó Bad, dirigida por Martin Scorsese, que relataba una historia basada en un hecho real: la de un chico de los bajos fondos que logra hacer una carrera universitaria y que al regresar a casa es obligado por sus amigos a demostrar su valentía atacando a un transeúnte. La gracia de ambos videoclips consistía en un despliegue visual diferente a lo habitual. Antes sólo podías cantar o bailar, o tratar de compaginar ligeramente ambas disciplinas (que se lo digan a Fred Astaire, que le costó lo suyo), mientras que Michael demostró que era capaz de hacerlo todo, y bien.

Con Thriller (que se iba a haber llamado Starligth Love) alcanzó la cúspide mundial. Y fue a partir de ahí cuando dejó la apariencia de una persona normal para vivir en la opulencia y excesos propios de la década de los ochenta, como podemos ver en su ropa en el videoclip de Bad. Se dice que Freddy Mercury, tras grabar varias canciones con Jackson, aseguró que éste “había perdido todo contacto con la realidad” tras Thriller. Quedándonos con ese pequeño detalle, sigamos adelante y analicemos ‘Captain Eo’.

CAPTAIN EO

“Captain Eo se hizo porque los estudios Disney querían que yo montara un número nuevo para los parques. Dijeron que no les importaba lo que hiciera mientras fuera algo creativo”. Michael Jackson.

En 1986 George Lucas seguía siendo el tipo que iba a revolucionar el cine, era relativamente joven y el mundo brillaba con purpurina, ilusión, hombreras y la explosión del Challenger a pocos segundos después de abandonar la plataforma de lanzamiento. Bajo aquel panorama mundial y con la recurrente moda del 3D en auge, George Lucas y Michael Jackson se juntaron para dar forma a un cortometraje de 17 minutos. En un principio se intentó contar con Steven Spielberg para dirigirlo, pero como estaba ocupado, el elegido fue Francis Ford Coppola.

A grandes rasgos el cortometraje trata acerca de una nave espacial llena de perdedores, a punto de ser expulsados de la legión, que tienen la misión de entregar a una maléfica reina un regalo. Son claros su aire infantil, los guiños y homenajes a Star Wars y un cierto tufillo a Dune. Por ejemplo, Michael (El capitán Eo) es el único humano de su nave espacial, mientras que los demás son marionetas de peluche, robots y seres alienígenas bastante incompetentes que no pueden impedir que los ataquen en pleno vuelo. Mientras la nave entera arde y saltan chispas, un holograma del comandante de la flota le pregunta a Michael qué está pasando, y el responde: Nada, señor, un pequeño malfuncionamiento en las armas. Exactamente el mismo chiste con el que Han Solo trataba de justificar un tiroteo en el Episodio IV. Luego viene una larga persecución por algo muy parecido a la trinchera de la estrella de la muerte, que culmina en un accidente y con que todos son capturados.

Ante la reina, Michael le dice que el regalo es propio para alguien de su belleza interior, pero que no tiene una llave que la pueda mostrar al mundo. Por supuesto, el regalo consiste en que los miembros de la tripulación cogen instrumentos (y un robot que se transforma en tal) y empiezan una canción, mientras Michael recluta a todos los esbirros de la reina y con rayos los transforma en los bailarines que habrá detrás. Están los momentos graciosos con el tripulante más tonto de la nave, un elefante que toca el piano y que recuerda sospechosamente a uno similar que aparecía en “el retorno del Jedi” tocando en la guarida de Jabba el Hutt, y el consiguiente cambio físico de la reina malvada por una mujer más normal, los aplausos y los vítores para empezar a tocar una canción mucho más alegre mientras el Capitan Eo y los demás regresan a la nave y emprenden el viaje de regreso.

‘Captain eo’ tuvo su guiño en la serie Padre de Familia, que podeis ver aquí.

Sin embargo poco hay de ironía o de mala baba en Captain Eo. Se trata de un cortometraje cargado de ilusión y buenas intenciones que seguramente hizo disfrutar a muchas personas cuando se estrenó y que se ha vuelto a emitir en Disneyland tras la muerte de Jackson. Por aquella época se suponía que los niños eran inocentes, cosa que hoy día no es así, y que Captain Eo iba dirigido a ellos. Si miráis la foto de abajo, y una vez visto el cortometraje, os daréis cuenta de que efectivamente hubo un niño que se lo pasó realmente bien con él.

Moonwalker.

“Me gusta estar con los niños, ellos lo observan todo, no pasan de nada, miran las cosas con ojos nuevos y mentes abiertas, esto es, entre otras cosas, lo que les hace tan creativos. No se preocupan por las reglas, el dibujo no tiene que estar en el centro de la hoja, el cielo no tiene que ser azul, y también aceptan a las personas. Lo único que exigen es que se les trate con justicia y que se les quiera. Me parece que eso es lo que pedimos todos.” Michael Jackson.

Lo siguiente es una rareza. Se sigue considerando la única película que hizo Jackson, y es digna de estudio. Digamos que no sigue un hilo argumental o la estructura propia de un filme, aunque se le llame así por su formato, duración y distribución. Al principio se nos hace un repaso por su vida y evolución desde que era un niño cantando con los Jackson Five hasta la canción rockera Dirty Diana. Sus premios, su accidente grabando el anuncio de Pepsi que le cambiaría la cara para siempre… Luego daremos paso a una versión de su video Bad realizada por niños que al final atraviesan una nube de humo para ver a Michael al fin, como si hubieran crecido, y que de pronto se ve asediado por un enjambre de marionetas de plastilina que le siguen como posesos. Alguno de ellos parece un ciempiés con decenas de cámaras de fotos, por lo que tiene que correr por todo un estudio de cine hasta esconderse en un armario y allí disfrazarse con lo primero que encuentra, es decir, con ropa y máscara de conejo. Aun así no logra despistar a sus fans, y se inicia una persecución que no es ni más ni menos que el videoclip de otra canción suya: Speed Demon.

Así que mientras los va dejando atrás podemos ver al susodicho conejo huyendo en moto…

O transformándose en alguien famoso para despistar, un gallifante a quien descubra quién es este obrero.

Finalmente llega a un desierto que parece sacado de un capítulo del coyote y el correcaminos, se quita el traje pero éste parece cobrar vida por sí mismo. Entonces ambos bailan hasta que un policía le multa por infringir la señal que podéis ver más abajo. Michael intenta excusarse diciendo que estaba allí con un amigo, pero éste ha desaparecido, así que coge la multa, va a montarse en la moto y, por un momento, se ven en las montañas la forma del conejo, que le guiña un ojo. Michael sonríe y pasamos a otra parte del film.

“Quizá lo mejor de Michael fuera antes de que sucumbiera a la presión de ser Michael” Jane Fonda.

El siguiente fragmento de Moonwalker es el videoclip de “Leave me Alone”, con el que trataba e enviar un claro mensaje: déjame solo. Cantaba a todos aquellos que le hacían la vida imposible, publicando en los periódicos noticias falsas o que contaban la mitad de la verdad. Que sí había montado un templo a Elizabeth Taylor en su casa, que si se había operado la nariz (él admitió que si, y qué importaba) que si intentaba parecer más blanco (aunque siempre alegó que fue una enfermedad, pocos le creyeron hasta que su autopsia le dio la razón) etc, etc…

Luego viene la que quizá sea la parte más famosa de Moonwalker, una edulcorada historia acerca de un gánster interpretado por Joe Pesci (el ladrón bajito y calvo de sólo en casa, si es que soy más útil que la wikipedia) que quiere incitar a los niños al consumo de drogas, pero Michael y una niña le descubren y por eso intentan matarlos. Lo más curioso no son los fragmentos a cámara lenta en la que los niños y Michael disfrutan jugando en el campo (fuente de incontables chistes sobre su supuesta pedofilia) sino que Michael resulta que es un mago que obtiene su energía de las estrellas fugaces y que es capaz de transformarse en un coche molón y en un robot gigante para acabar con todos los malos segundos antes de cambiar de forma y sobrevolar la zona como impresionante nave espacial. Además, con su magia es capaz de entrar en una discoteca que lleva abandonada desde los años 30 y encontrársela llena de gente, donde se realiza uno de los mejores y más famosos videoclips de la historia: Smooth Criminal.

La opinión general es que Moonwalker es una bizarrada de cuidado, con un par de buenos momentos. No es más esperpéntica que la película de Operación Triunfo o el almacén de cosméticos del cantante de Tokio Hotel, pero por no seguir un patrón más “clásico” se recomienda su visionado únicamente a los fans del artista. Sin embargo aún queda una más, ‘Ghost’, que nos muestra mejor que nadie las consecuencias de su extrema fama y sus rarezas.

GHOST

“Un día, en plena preproducción, Michael se quedó dormido. En otra ocasión llamó a Tabby (mi mujer) para preguntarle un teléfono donde yo fuera a estar ese día. A los cinco minutos Michael volvió a llamar llorando porque decía que al no tener bolígrafo había tratado de escribirlo en la alfombra. Tabby, con mucha paciencia, se lo volvió a dar… pero nunca me llamó.” Stephen King.

Ghost es una historia que pretende ser terrorífica y a la vez divertida. Como lo habitual en alguien como él era el videoclip, Ghost es el más largo del mundo, con una duración de 40 minutos plagados de efectos especiales y cuentos de fantasmas. Para ello Michael Jackson recurrió a dos reyes más, a Stephen King, el rey del Terror, y a Stan Winston, el rey de los efectos especiales. Este último, creador de prácticamente todo lo bueno de los últimos treinta años de FX, falleció el año pasado llevándose una forma de hacer y entender la magia en el cine. King y Jackson escribieron juntos una historia acerca de un hombre llamado “El Maestro” que vive encerrado en una mansión que se dice está encantada, y de un pueblo aparentemente normal, con un alcalde que quiere expulsarle de él.

Lo curioso es que en este cortometraje los niños también tienen un papel protagonista. Son los que conocieron al Maestro y éste les asustó y encantó con sus trucos de magia (no voy a hacer chistes, porque bastantes hay ya) y en cierto modo son los únicos que no ven mal que haya un hombre como él viviendo en el pueblo. Sin embargo los padres, escandalizados por el comportamiento del Maestro, que “vive solo y no sale nunca” recurren al alcalde que le dice al maestro frases tan duras como “Vuelve al circo, porque eres un anormal, monstruo. Lárgate o tendremos que hacerte daño… eres raro…. Y no me gustas.” Entonces el Maestro, aficionado a los juegos de terror decide que el primero que se asuste, tendrá que irse del pueblo.

“¿A todos les gustan los juegos aquí? ¡Helloooou!!!! Hora de jugar!!!”

Así empieza el contraataque del Maestro. Empieza poniendo muecas estúpidas, diciendo: “¿Crees que esto da miedo? ¿No? Bien, ¿Y esto?” pero como el alcalde sigue insultándole opta por gritar: ¿Esto te asusta?

El maestro se quita toda la piel de su cabeza y deja al descubierto su cráneo, cierra las puertas y no deja salir a nadie diciendo: Es demasiado tarde, sois mis huéspedes. Por cierto… ¿Os dije que no estaba solo? Conoced a la familia.

Así que luego presenciamos varios minutos de coreografías en las que la ley de la gravedad, por ejemplo, no importa en absoluto. Algunos momentos maravillan al público y otros los aterran, hasta el extremo de que, cuando el alcalde mira con infinito odio al Maestro, éste se despoja de ropa y carne para mostrarnos su esqueleto.

Así se inicia la lucha entre estos dos hombres por ver quién tiene derecho a quedarse. Ghost es un portento de efectos especiales que incluso hoy, trece años más tarde, no han envejecido en absoluto. Quizá el que más impresione no es el esqueleto recreado con captura de movimientos, (una réplica perfecta, con todo lo truculento que eso conlleva, de la forma ósea de Michael) sino uno de los múltiples personajes que éste interpreta: Al propio alcalde del pueblo.

Y es que es sencillamente alucinante lo bien que queda en pantalla este hombre siendo nada más y nada menos que kilos de maquillaje y prótesis de látex. Una muestra de por qué el estudio de Stan Winston se merece todos los Óscars que se ha llevado y más, lo que reafirma mi opinión de que el abuso de ordenadores ha destruido una parte importantísima de la “gracia” de hacer cine. Un detalle a resaltar es que con ese maquillaje puesto Michael Jackson pudo por primera vez en toda su vida salir a la calle sin que la gente gritara y le persiguiera, y sentarse en un banco en mitad de Disneylandia sin cientos de personas a su alrededor buscando una parte de él.

Ghost se estrenó fuera de concurso en el festival de Cannes en 1997, donde obtuvo buenas críticas y fue lanzada en VHS junto con copias de una película de Stephen King, “Maleficio”. Es la última de las películas de Michael Jackson, en la que queda patente sus ganas de ser otra persona, de escapar de todo aquello que consiguió y poder tener un día tranquilo y normal, salir al supermercado y llenar el carro con comida, disfrazarse, transformarse, ser inocente como los niños y la tristeza de ser considerado un bicho raro. ¿Era verdad toda esa inocencia que destilaba fuera de los escenarios? ¿Realmente era un niño grande al que Internet, en sus comienzos, le jodió la vida porque era raro, callado, tímido y demasiado famoso como para no creerte cualquier cosa que le sucediera? Con tanta ironía como hay en el mundo, con tantas insinuaciones acerca de que su amor por los niños era algo más carnal que lo que él aseguraba llorando y hasta con rabia, ¿Era él de las últimas personas inocentes que he visto en este mundo?

‘This is it’ promete darnos una nueva visión de este hombre. Algo como “nunca se ha visto”, que “cambiará para siempre nuestra percepción sobre un genio como él”. Esto ya lo he escuchado antes, y siempre nos contarán lo mismo. Dentro de unos días os diré cómo ha sido ‘This is it’, y si es verdad todo lo que nos anuncian. De momento, si queréis sacar algo más de cómo era el verdadero Michael Jackson, os dejo con dos frases que espero que os hagan pensar.

“El precio de la fama puede ser muy alto. ¿Merece la pena? Piensa que, en realidad, no tienes vida privada. No puedes hacer nada sin tomar una serie de medidas especiales. Los periódicos imprimen todo lo que dices, informan de todo lo que haces. Saben lo que compras, qué películas ves, todo lo que puedas imaginar. Si voy a la Biblioteca Pública dan los títulos que pido. Una vez en Florida publicaron en el periódico mi programa completo: Todo lo que hice desde las diez de la mañana hasta las seis de la tarde. Recuerdo que pensé: ¿Y si hiciera algo que no deseara ver publicado? Ese es el precio de la fama. Mis amigos y colaboradores saben que hay “otro” Michael al que me resulta difícil exponer en las extravagantes situaciones públicas en las que a menudo me veo.

Mucha gente me pregunta cómo soy: Mi música favorita es una mezcla extraña, me gusta la música clásica, me encanta la comida mexicana, soy vegetariano así que mis platos favoritos son a base de furta y verdura fresca. Me encantan los juguetes y los artilugios. Si me gusta alguno, me lo compro. Para mí, nada hay más importante que hacer feliz a la gente, distraerles de sus problemas y preocupaciones, aliviar sus cargas. Que digan que mi espectáculo les ha gustado y quieren volver, para mí es lo único que cuenta”. Michael Jackson.

“Si lo miráis veréis la tristeza de Jackson y el deseo casi doloroso de agradar. Sí, soy extraño, dicen sus ojos, pero estoy haciénolo lo mejor que puedo, y quiero haceros felices. ¿Es eso tan malo? El jurado lo declaró inocente, sin embargo el mundo lo encontró culpable de ser raro en tercer grado, y lo condenaron a vivir recluido. De castillo encantado en Castillo encantado. Finalmente, murió en uno de ellos.” Stephen King.

ipanonima

mixtape: dj jazzy jeff - he's the king, i'm the dj (2009)

holy massive tracklisting. i can’t wait to sit down and listen to this. hit the cut for the tracklist/back cover. from mtv:

Jeff said he was inspired to do the mixtape after fellow DJ Mick Boogie suggested putting his playlist together as a proper release.

“I did it exactly as I would play it out live,” Jeff explained. “I kind of wanted to give a feel like you heard it in a club. I didn’t necessarily want to go in a certain order, ’cause everybody in the world plays certain Michael Jackson songs. And I wanted to play songs that not everyone plays, play some obscure album cuts. And if you listen to it, I have some a capella and versions of songs that not everyone had heard. So, I kind of wanted to mix it up and keep people off guard. Just give them an example of all that Michael was like.”

download he’s the king, i’m the dj:

- panda

Remember the Time

Nunca había visto este video completo. Hasta el día en que murió Michael Jackson. Hoy, a tres meses de eso, lo recuerdo: Iman y Eddie Murphy. En un Egipto alternativo.

¿Quién —¿y en qué estado?— habrá hecho el pitch de este video? Mis comentarios abajo, a ver qué te parece.

Michael Jackson – Remember The Time

Posible pitch: “OK, entonces un mago avienta un polvo mágico que hace figuras sobre el mármol (antes de concentrarse en un círculo perfecto), y por ahí se crea una especia de hoyo negro (quizá un aleph) donde el mago desaparece dejando atrás la bata como cuando muere Obi Wan… and then it gets crazy.”

Entonces, ¿Michael ya conocía a la princesa egipcia? O sea, ¿la amaba desde niño y se retiró a estudiar magia y baile para venir a salvarla?

John Singleton o alguien en su equipo investigó el periodo que se iba a utilizar o fue más de: “y quiero a Magic Johnson de guarura”.

Remember the Time está bueno. Me gusta la canción. Me molesta un poco que el video no se resuelve. Se hace polvo y se va. Sin explicaciones.

"This is It" agora o filme

Ao anúncio de Michael Jackson de sua nova (a última) turnê que seria feita na Inglaterra a partir de Julho deste ano, todo o mundo havia voltado os olhos a ele por um pequeno instante. Realmente era o aviso de um momento, uma chance. Uma última chance de reerguer-se ao som de comentários duvidosos da capacidade de Michael em fazer uma turnê tão longa. Talvez realmente ele não aguentaria até o fim. Mas ao ver as primeiras imagens dos ensaios, semanas antes de sua morte, alguns voltaram atrás: “É ele não está tão mal”.

Com Lupus fazer o que aquele homem fazia era quase sobre humano, mas com uma doença que torna dolorido qualquer movimento, ele dançou e dançaria mais se precisasse, com toda certeza – para quem aguentou coças a fio por ensaios na primeira infância, talvez não fosse nada para o eterno Peter Pan. Pena que alguém ou alguma força maior não permitiu,o fato é que se o  filme de MJ já promete vendas recordistas – como toda sua obra. Imagine como seria esta turnê. Como pudemos inferir, não haverá grande problema para a gravadora Sony que entra no filme-evento como maior realizadora, Michael realmente parece estar dando mais lucro morto do que vivo, como disse sua irmã Latoya, pois ressurgir após a morte é para poucos e excelentes artistas que enriquecem seus queridos e amados parentes e outros sangue-sugas.

O filme estréia dia 28 de Outubro (quarta-feira agora) e permanece por duas semanas na Arena O2 em Londres, local onde aconteceriam as 50 apresentações do artista.

Entrelinhas para  Michael Jackson.

Assista ao Trailler oficial do filme produzido com imagens dos ensaios para a turnê “This is it”.

Michael Jackson - "This Is It" (Oficial)

Escutem: Michael Jackson, “This Is It” (Oficial).

Special Honors for Michael Jackson at the 2009 Soul Train Awards

by michaeljackson.com/us

No stranger to the Soul Train stage, the late King of Pop will be honored posthumously at the forthcoming 2009 Soul Train Awards. Michael Jackson’s contributions to music will be recognized with a special “Entertainer of the Year” award during the show, scheduled for November 3rd in Atlanta.

Michael Jackson and many of the Jackson family have made appearances on Soul Train programming at the start of their careers. The memorable 1972 Jackson 5 performance of “I Want You Back” is still remembered because of the incredible showmanship.

Al Green Interview

For The Quietus

The sleeve notes to Al Green’s 1969 album, the seminal Green Is Blues, introduced him as “a young man who is a red hot rhythm and blues singer with a difference that is gonna be greatly dug by all who tune an ear to the variegated tones and shades of this album”.

And so it came to pass: by the time Al Green became the Reverend Al Green in 1976, half a decade of prolific album-releasing and hit-making had established him as the father of a new breed of soul music. Combining Memphis label Stax-Volt’s brassy arrangements with the caramel vocal of Motown, Green, abetted by producer and friend Willie Mitchell, seduced soul fans and the pop charts, peppering the top 40 with his effortlessly sexy falsetto throughout the early seventies.

Now 63, Green is as effusive as your archetypal evangelical, barely getting through his sentences without breaking into song and then dissolving into laughter. These days he’s back into soul, touring compulsively and preaching that same old kind of stay-together love from way back when, while the record labels and agents tot up the royalty fees on his behalf.

As can be the case with interviews with artists of Al Green’s stature, it can take a while to actually get a hold of the man. By the time we speak, there’s already been two cancellations and, this time, we make sure we listen to the preconditions. We’re advised that Green is unaware Demon Digital are repackaging Green Is Blues for a reissue to celebrate its 40 years this June, let alone that there’s an accompanying Most Sampled CD collating, um, his most sampled tracks – a fact that will be all too apparent when we finally get to speak to Green himself.

We think we’ve been stood up for a third time then, just as interview notes are going the way of the paper bin, the phone rings. Michael Jackson’s ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ is playing. It could be morbidly appropriate hold music – except for there’s a preacher man singing along in the background – and then suddenly Reverend Al comes on the line.

Does it feel like 40 years since Green Is Blues was released?

Al Green: Oh god, no, it seems like it was just yesterday, remember?

Well, I don’t, no…

AG: That was when Michael [Jackson] was playing the Wizard Of Oz.

Do you feel like a different person now to the person who released that album?
AG: I guess so… I guess I’ve grown up in the meantime and I’m a lot stronger now, but I’m still Al, it’s just that I know more and therefore I don’t know anything, if you can make any sense of that.

I wondered about your return to secular music, which you’d kind of departed from by the 80s, and then this decade you came back to making ’sexy’ songs again – why did you come back to it now?
AG: Oh… oh, I don’t know, that was just what came to pass, I’m just following what was laid out, I’m not the author of anything. The big man upstairs is the author of everything, and you know what else, I got a whole record label named Demon! That’s right! When I go to heaven they’re going to be like ‘huh?’ [laughs] But they’ve really been a great company for me in the European and I guess international areas, so I can’t complain, they’ve been really good.

Okay, so you don’t think there’s any contradiction between making sexy music and being a reverend?
AG: Jeez… you wanna ask the tough questions, huh?! Well, no, I don’t think so, I think there’s a tonne of difference between, say, secular, natural secular, or spiritual, now that’s the dividing line, that’s the difference. Like the ‘Belle’ line, “It’s you that I want but it’s him that I need,” so we can’t go further than that unless you have that element to go further, which is dealing in spiritual things right, right, right, right, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT! [laughs] Now what about this album they’re putting out, what do you think about that?

The reissue?
AG: Yeah.

Well I love it, but it’s been about for a long time now.
AG: Did you guys remix it?

[Demon man comes on the line]: No, we didn’t remix it, we’ve released it in it’s original form with some bonus tracks on it.

AG: Well, now, that’s just… you gotta send me a complimentary copy. [laughs]

Demon: No problem.

AG: Now, Hazel you’re a witness to that right?

Oh I’ve got it all here, don’t worry. Speaking of the Green Is Blues album, you covered the Beatles on that right?
AG: Yeah, the Beatles, that’s right, and I was just 22 or something, going into the studio with Willie Mitchell, um, it was the beginning beginning. So I feel like really it’s the beginning beginning of the ‘One Woman’ song that opens up the album that you know, going into the ‘Give Me A Ticket For An Aeroplane’, the Boxtops, and the Beatles, and ‘Get Back’… I don’t know! We were just cutting a lot of stuff! You know, we were cutting a lot of stuff! We were just flowing! [sings] “Ain’t no love like my baby’s love…” Whatever! [laughs] We didn’t have a direction back then, we didn’t know what Al was, what is Al? You know, Willie kept telling me, “Sing Al Green,” and I was like, “What’s that supposed to sound like?” I didn’t know.

Do you think you know now?
AG: Oh yeah, oh yeah! We know now! We just played the Superdome in New Orleans, Lousiana to 60,000 people… I think we just about know now.

So is it better now that you know who Al Green is and you don’t have to keep striving for that?
AG: Well, I’m never satisfied with him, I always want to push him further and further and further and further, it’s like a line or a track – because I know the hill’s over here, you don’t try to… uh, try to interpret it before it comes, you just finish the journey. Don’t worry about the hills or the valleys, just finish the journey, and that’s what we’re trying to do.

Okay, so you never really feel like you’ve achieved what you set out to do?
AG: Well, you say Creations, Al Green and the Creations, when you start saying Creations you start saying Green Is Blues because that was what he created in himself.

And you’re still striving to create something new every time?
AG: Well, yeah, there’s this guy in the band, and he says to me after the show, ‘Why do you sing so hard? You already cut this song, this song’s already perfect,’ and I go, ‘Well, I keep trying to make it better. In my head, I keep trying to make it better.’ That’s right.

Do you think that’s why you’ve lasted so long when so many of your contemporaries have fallen by the wayside?
AG: I don’t know. I think you’ve got to find maybe one thing or two things you can do, and do those real well. And that’s kind of the philosophy of our National Anthem, ‘Let’s Stay Together’, you know. That’s what we do, and everybody comes in on the [sings] “I’m,” – it kills me! – ’so in love with you!’ Yes yes, okay, great, sit down! [laughs]

Did you ever hear what the Beatles thought of your cover of ‘Get Back’?
AG: It’s like the Roy Orbison song, ‘Pretty Woman’, it’s like the same thing… those guys are so fantastic, so far advanced it what they wrote, it’s just incredible. And people were asking me ‘how do you sing it?’ But I didn’t know – Willie wouldn’t let me hear the song! He said, “Sing what’s inside!” But I’d only heard it on the radio! So he said, “Just sing that!” But he wouldn’t let me hear it! So I had to kinda just improvise… but I think it turned out alright.

What about all the artists, hip hop artists especially, that sample you – Kanye West, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G – do you mind?
AG: Their stuff is incredible.

Do you listen to it?
AG: Yeah, I have to because I’m in the music business. And whether it’s rap, or whatever, I have to listen to it because I have to share in the vocation I’m in.

Okay, sure. So you don’t feel protective over your music when someone is cutting it up and reusing it?
AG: No, I think they do good – Talking Heads ‘Take Me To The River’, that’s just fantastic; Tina Turner ‘Let’s Stay Together’, I said “Hey, man, that’s another interpretation – why didn’t I think of that?!” [laughs]

Have you ever heard your music used in a way that you really didn’t like?
AG: I don’t really know because they send me from Los Angeles only what they want me to hear! [laughs] So I don’t know, I guess it’s a screening process or something! I probably should cut through that, but I don’t know, I guess they’re like “The man is a Reverend, he’s been in the church for 30 years, and now he’s been doing this here for 40 years and we kinda wanna protect the whole career…” the ‘Tired Of Being Alone’, the whole career, you know, ‘God Blessed Our Love’, fine fine fine. The whole thing is illustrated here on the wall with these gold records – but I can’t take these boys with me! Can’t take the money, can’t take the car.

Your music’s got a reputation for being really sexy…
AG: Sexy?

Yeah, really seductive, but why is that?
AG: You’re making an old man nervous! [laughs] Sexy, sexy… well when a man is 22 he’s got hips and a nice BO, he’s got that stance… I mean, Otis Reading didn’t try to be sexy, but he turned out to be sexy anyway – you know, 6′6” tall, young, handsome… come on man, I couldn’t hack it!

It’s still hard to explain why some music can be so seductive…
AG: I guess it’s kind of seductive if you’re playing it in the car on the way to work or something, and you’re thinking, “I should turn right here…”

What about your music, do you listen to stuff that’s in the charts or when you go home do you have your favourite records that you’re still listening to?
AG: Well, I mean, with the tragedy of Michael they sent me all of Michael’s records, and I’ve played 1, 2, 3, 4 of Michael’s records so far, just incredible to listen to the talent of the man. I met Michael, and I hugged him, I gave him one of those boy hugs, type of thing, because we were over at Tito’s house, and they was having like a pool party with little crackers and champagne or something, and we were all out around the pool when Michael came in, with Germaine and, oh I don’t know man, it was a long time ago. And he says “Oh, I like your music,” and I said “Thanks, I like yours!” He’d been singing longer than me. It’s kind of hard to realise the fact that’s taken place for me. It’s just that everything ain’t right. A wonderful talent – a super-talent!

Yeah I know, but we kind of watched his decline over the last few years, that’s why I was talking about you still having the drive to get out there and do it – that takes a special kind of person.
AG: Yeah, I mean, we’re doing like 100 dates, more than 100 shows a year, so you’ve got to be committed to it, you’ve got to love it to stay in it that long, to do that. Because if you don’t love it you get out of it real fast.

And who knows whether Jackson wanted to do it in the end or whether he just wanted out, you know.

AG: Yeah, it’s kind of a question of whether he wanted to do it, and if he did want to do it, the people were saying he only weighed 112pounds! That he had anorexia! 112pounds! For 50 shows! I don’t know if he could’ve done the 50 shows. But he was a great talent, anyway.

For you personally, was there ever any one moment when you really thought ‘I’ve done it’?
AG: Well, I keep pushing Al, I hug him and tell him how good he is, like at the Superdome, I keep telling him, ‘fantastic, fantastic, now come on, move of further, come on,’ But I don’t know how to tell him he’s done a good job, I just tell him to move on further to the next ladder.

Do you think hip hop and r&b have taken over from where soul music left off?
AG: How can Monday be Tuesday? You gotta have your Mondays and you gotta have your Tuesdays. So why don’t Monday stay over in Monday’s slot and Tuesday stay over in Tuesdays slot, Wednesday will be in his slot, Thursday stay where he belongs, and everything will be fine!

Michael Jackson: El error de su testamento

The Mistake in Michael Jackson’s Will

Posted Oct 22nd 2009 2:00AM by TMZ Staff

Michael Jackson’s 2002 will has a mistake in it, TMZ has learned — but it looks like a case of no harm, no foul.

As we first reported, according to the will — dated July 7, 2002 — it was signed in Los Angeles. But Randy Jackson told TMZ Michael was in New York City on that date.

Randy thinks the signature on Michael’s will is a forgery. But Howard Weitzman, the lawyer for the estate, tells TMZ the signature is valid and the witnesses saw Jackson put pen to paper. (Randy piensa que la firma de Michael es una falsificación. Pero el abogado del estate, dice a TMZ que la firma es válida y que los testigos vieron a Jackson firmar de su puño y letra.)
We’ve now confirmed Jackson definitely signed the will in New York City on 7-7-02. So the reference to Los Angeles is clearly a mistake.

Our sources say the person who wrote “Los Angeles” is one of the witnesses to the will and simply forgot where he was.

This mistake will not invalidate the will. Ironically, if the will were declared invalid, the prior 1997 will would be probated. Just like the 2002, the 1997 will creates a trust. We’ve learned the ‘97 trust — just like the 2002 trust — leaves the same percentage to the same people — Katherine Jackson gets 40% for her lifetime, MJ’s kids get 40% and the remaining 20% goes to charity.

By the way …guess who one of the executors is in the ‘97 will? John Branca.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/#ixzz0Udvfrf5K

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Girl's Generation & Son Ho Young Get VN Love

Girl’s Generation & Son Ho Young made their first trip to Vietnam as part of the Vietnam-Korea Friendship Festival!

Both the idol group and veteran singer were surprised from the amount of love Vietnamese fans showed them.  It’s no surprise that both parties hold such big fan groups since most of Asia are now fans of each others’ music.  The girl troupe sang both “Gee” & their last hit “Genie” while Son Ho Young rocked the crowd to his “G.O.D. medley” and his last hit, “I Know.” Both groups came together at the end, along with other singers, to sing MJ’s “Heal the World.”

An over zealous fan got a bit excited to see the girls, and apparently ran past security to give Jessica a hug. Reports have been saying “VN Fan Attacks Girl’s Generation” however, it was more of an exuberance then someone actually “attacking” her. VN Soshi’s have already posted a message, to the girls, apologizing for the girl’s behavior.

Check out the fancams and interviews below!
Girl’s Generation – Gee FanCam

Girl’s Generation – Genie + Interview

Son Ho Young – Interview
Son Ho Young – g.o.d. Medley

Be my Joneses

Be my Joneses

 

It was said that it is not so much important as to what goes into your mouth but what comes out of it, which is a maker of your character.  A very good word historically used as a negative connotation is Joneses meaning basically neighbor.  It is a saying to “keep up with the Joneses.”  Suggesting that you be in competition with your next door neighbor, sort of like they by a fence and you buy a more expensive fence, they buy a car and you buy a better car.

 

But in actuality the term Joneses is a friendly and non competitive term.  I call on the Hip Hop community to replace the terms “Nigger” and “bitch” with “Joneses.”  I call on them to say in there songs “be my Joneses.”  Because like Rev. AL Sharpton said, you are what you say you are.

 

Let us bring back a community to raise a child mentality and be truly neighbors and not allow ourselves to just simply be victims on the system.  A change in mentality is in our grasp, we can determine our destiny, by changing how we speak and therefore changing how we think.

 

It is like the new Mafia is a non profit organization for the betterment of our communities and not a self destructives movement of surviving by any means, because we are packed in the projects like sardines.  We have to address our circumstances and the situations we are facing such as the expansion of prisons, wars around the world and the AIDS pandemic; single parenthood, illiteracy and the symbolically castrated Blackman?

 

As simple as it may seem, a major step in the right direction as a new greeting of camaraderie (Friendship) is to stop calling your brothers or sisters Niggers and bitches and say “that is my Joneses.”  I call on major Hip Hop community to introduce this concept into their culture.  Personally I really like some Hip Hop and Rap music, but I am embarrassed by it; I think the term Joneses will sell more records and allow the music to reach more homes.  At least consider it. And most importantly it would create a safer community and brotherly and sisterly love among our youth.

Twitter seance, aims to contact Michael Jackson

Tweance, the online attempt to contact Michael Jackson beyond the grave, is being billed as the world’s first Twitter séance.

 

By Tom Chivers , http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/6314882/Tweance-the-Twitter-seance-aims-to-contact-Michael-Jackson.html

 

 

The move is a paranormal publicity stunt by a fancy dress shop in central London ahead of Hallowe’en.

 

Jackson – booked for his first posthumous appearance on 30 October, the day before Hallowe’en – is only one of the dead celebrities the Tweancers hope to contact.

 

The organisers, including “psychic” Jayne Wallace, also have their spectral sights set on Patrick Swayze and Farrah Fawcett, both of whom died this year.

 

Twitterers can also make suggestions of other big late names they would like to contact. One, @andywartrol said they would like to speak to “The Beatles…..oh yeah, I forgot Ringo is still alive (everyone knows Paul is dead).”

 

@AlanPIMPChung said, controversially: “I’d like to see you talk to Adolf Hitler.”

 

Benjamin Webb, a spokesman for the Angels Fancy Dress shop where the event is taking place, said: “I’d love to hear what Elvis Presley would have to say”.

 

This is not Mrs Wallace’s first beyond-the-veil star-spotting. She claims that she “spoke” to Jade Goody, the Big Brother star who died of cervical cancer in March.

 

Apparently the late mother of two said she wanted to apologise to her mother, Jackiey Budden, for not listening to her about marrying Jack Tweed, saying it was “the biggest mistake she ever made”.

 

Not all Twitterers are impressed, though, claiming that it is exploitative and wrong. @Brian_Rossiter spoke for many when he dismissed it as “a load of garbage”.

 True Hidden Secrets Video 

 The Strange Chatroom

Großbritannien: Kontakt mit der Seele von Michael Jackson geplant

In einer Show im britischen Pay-TV soll live ein Kontakt zu Michael Jacksons Seele aufgenommen werden. Dies berichtet eine Fachzeitschrift.
Die Sendung, welche vom Pay-TV Sender “Sky One” ausgestrahlt werden soll, wird wohl zwei Stunden dauern. In der ersten Stunde soll in einer Séance der Kontakt zur Seele Jacksons aufgenommen werden. Danach soll es eine Rückblende auf Jacksons Leben geben.
Beim Sender spricht man von einer “einmaligen Möglichkeit”. Möglicherweise solle “seine letzte Nachricht an die Welt” zu erfahren sein. Die Ausstrahlung der Sendung ist für November geplant.

Michael Jackson vs Mr. Bean

Espectacular el nuevo trabajo de stop-motion realizado por el canadiense Patrick Boivin. La pieza está realizada como ves con dos muñecos, uno de Michael Jackson y otro de Mr. Bean, como los que puedes encontrar en las tiendas de comics. Por cierto que ese muñeco de Michael Jackson está muy cotizado en la actualidad: su precio en e-Bay puede superar los 600 $

Via:Pixel&Dixel

Headshot Party

If you’re an actor you know that one of the most important tools of our trade is the headshot. This is nothing more than a picture of our faces, so, you know, it’s aptly named.

The problem with shooting headshots is that it’s one of the most nerve wracking things we have to do. Not only does the picture have to look exactly like us, it also has to convey personality and the wide world of possible characters we can play.

In one picture.

And when the people who are in a position to hire us for work as actors see these photos they will see them as teensy, tiny thumbnails amongst dozens or hundreds of similar pictures, so it has to stand out.

And this picture is the first impression we make on casting directors, directors and producers. If they don’t like your headshot they won’t bother to find out anything else about you. So… sort of a tall order.

Yuri Lowenthal

No wonder, then, that actors freak out when it comes time to take headshots. It’s you, a photographer you may or may not know at all and perhaps a makeup artist, if you can afford one. And once you’ve laid out $300 – $400 for a photographer, $150 for a makeup artist and you’ve hauled your entire wardrobe to the photographer’s home or studio you have to really really hope you get that magical shot. Because you won’t get a free re-shoot just because you didn’t nail it. It’s up to you to be thinking something fascinating in your head which will translate into something eye catching in the photo.

So, yeah, this process makes actors tense. And as a person who’s had my fair share of bad headshots (I was even on the cover of Backstage West’s headshot issue holding up a bad one and a good one) I thought it was high time I did something to make it an easier process.

Conor holding up the issue of Backstage West featuring me on the cover

And thus was born the headshot party.

What casting directors look for in a headshot is personality, something they can identify with in 2 seconds. They are not looking for photographic artistry. They need a picture that’s in focus and well lit, sure, but it’s not going to hang in the Louvre. So why not take our own pictures?

We have a good camera and a lens that’s ideal for up close pictures of the human head. We also have a flash called a ring flash which evenly lights the face and smooths out the little things that we don’t want to see, like under eye shadows.

me

We invited a few friends over and they dragged all their clothing to our home where instead of a sterile work environment they found a party.

I’d imagined we’d get together, advise each other, joke around, drink a few shots then take a few headshots. We did that and more. Everyone looked out for one another. We all stood together while shooting and made each other laugh, or think those deep thoughts and then we’d run back and change clothes again. We helped each other find the most flattering looks, even swapping outfits occasionally, and everyone kept an eye on everyone else’s hair and makeup.

Most importantly, though, and this is what I really wanted, we had fun. At the end of the session I’d shot pictures of 7 other people and some of them had shot me and I was exhausted. Truly, all photo shoots are tiring; you have to be ‘on’ the entire time and you’re overseeing a million details. But in this case, though the workload was greater the results were also much much better than they are in those high stress shoots. Because this didn’t cost any money and everyone was focused on having a good time, there was very little pressure to get the best headshot and we got out of our own way and we all got some fantastic shots.

And, as an added bonus, we got to spend a few hours with people we love and have a few laughs.

John Sylvain

These are some of our shots from the headshot party. They’ve not yet been retouched or color corrected but the personalities come through and I think everyone looks phenomenal.

Tara Platt

Conor Logan

Button doesn't realize that in a headshot you should always be looking into the camera lens

This is the way I always want to shoot headshots. Anything done with a large group of friends is always more fun and I like feeling in charge of my own success.

Infarct!

Oooooh, babelor, nu, nu, nu, nu, nu!!!
Rău! Fut! Fut! Caca! Rău!

Babelor,
Deschid Times-ul de azi, pe net. Să văd ce, să văd cum. Printre alte ştiri, dau peste următorul titlu:

“1960s singer gets half of publishing rights to Michael Jackson song”

Bine, îmi zic, normal, Michael a furat un cântec şi acum cineva îşi reclamă drepturile. Foarte bine. Deschid articolul, citesc primul paragraf:

“Michael Jackson’s estate has agreed to give an obscure 1960s Canadian singer 50% of the publishing rights to ‘This is It,’ the song released posthumously yesterday, after Paul Anka, the singer, claimed that Jackson ’stole’ the song from him.”

Şi cam aici am suferit infarctul. Nu m-a durut, şi nici n-a ţinut mult, mi-am revenit repede şi acum sunt ok.
Dar babelor, babelor! The Times, ziarul meu de căpătâi! Care mai avea puţin şi ajungea homepage-ul meu în Firefox! Să scrie că Paul Anka, autorul şi interpretul unor piese fantastice, celebre şi geniale cum ar fi “Diana”, “You are my destiny” şi “Put your head on my shoulder” este un cântăreţ canadian obscur din anii 60!
OBSCUR? OBSCUR E MĂ-TA!

Why didn't you try to intervene

On 26th June 2009, Firpo Carr made the following statement to People magazine:

Says Dr. Firpo Carr, a friend and confidante of Jackson’s, “I sensed something was wrong and, quite honestly, I wasn’t terribly surprised when I got the news. I would get word from people in his camp that things weren’t quite right.”

Firpo Carr was a friend of Randy Jackson in the early part of this decade – that is a fact. He also claims to have been a close friend and confidante of Michael Jackson. If this is true Firpo, WHY DIDN’T YOU TRY AND INTERVENE AND WHY DID YOU RUN TO THE MEDIA THE DAY AFTER MICHAEL DIED??

Those that we know did try to help Michael:

Joe Jackson

Janet Jackson

Jackson Brothers

Confirmation from Marlon Brandon

Grace Rwaramba

Karen Faye

Dr Susan Etok

Zoom. INTERVIU. Ca$$a Loco. Partea 2

Partea a doua din interviul cu Ca$$a Loco se axează mai mult pe aspecte tehnice … problemele industriei muzicale la noi.

…

CZB: Cum vedeţi problema din lumea artiştilor autohtoni cu lipsa de respect dintre generaţii?

Cosmin Tudoran: La noi nu s-a întâmplat. Dimpotrivă, noi nu am fost neapărat prieteni cu cei din generaţia noastră. Noi ne-am înţeles mereu bine cu Cargo, cu Direcţia 5. Probabil şi pentru că am fost roackeri o grămadă de vreme înainte de a cânta pop-hip hop şi alte chestii.

CZB: Am observat asta în special în scena underground.

Bogdan Mureşan: Lipsa de respect porneşte clar dintr-o frustrare. Această frustrare îi face pe aceşti artişti să devină aroganţi. Totul porneşte de fapt de la cei şapte ani de acasă. Eu toată viaţa mea am crescut cu viniluri de la Holograf, Direcţia 5, Roşu şi Negru, pentru că părinţii mei asta ascultau acasă. Primul lucru pe care l-am făcut când m-am văzut cot la cot cu ei în culise la festivaluri şi nu numai, m-am simţit extrem de onorat … WOW! Mă gândeam când eram mic şi scoteau ai mei vinilurile şi le puneau la pic-up şi ascultam muzica şi vedeam artiştii la televizor, iar acum stau lângă ei şi îmi spun ei mie că le place piesa cutare din programul nostru. Mi se pare nu onorant asta, ci You Really Did It! Atunci, din punctul meu de vedere, ai ce învăţa de la generaţia mai veche. Dar, de altă parte, starea pe care o au cei tineri faţă de bătrâni o am eu faţă de ei, pentru că întotdeauna când cineva a vrut să mă întrebe ceva, am răspuns mereu extrem de politicos şi normal, dar când îi vezi pe aceşti tineri că au impresia că ei au inventat gaura la macaroană şi că de la ei se învârte ceasul, este clar un lucru de subliniat şi de atacat, pentru că dacă ai făcut acele 2-3 single-uri You Really Did It, şi ele au fost difuzate la radio şi TV, aia nu te transformă neapărat într-o vedetă, un VIP sau un Star. Eşti doar efemer. Din punctul meu de vedere, muzica din ultimii ani este de o efemeritate strictă şi de can can … decembrie, ianuarie, februarie şi punct. Aşa o să fie şi se confirmă. Au fost deja atâtea proiecte care au început cu mare tam-tam şi au terminat la fel de repede.

…

CZB: Care este părerea voastră de formaţiile care copiază pe alţii de afară unu la unu?

Bogdan Mureşan: Ce părere să avem? Fiecare cu treaba lui, nu am nici o boală pe ei. Nu am nici un sentiment negativ faţă de ei. Chiar se copiază şi între ele. Aşa-i spiritul în România. Fac un chioşc, vând gogoşi. Eu m-am chinuit pentru acel chioşc, să-l proiectez, să-l aranjez, să cresc marfa. Am pus bani la ciorap să fac acel chioşc. În momentul doi, apare altul care are banul şi se găndeşte, ai, mamă ce chioşc tare are ăsta cu gogoşi … şi şi-l face fix lângă tine. Bineînţeles, pentru el a fost mult mai uşor, că a scos banii din bancă şi a făcut chioşcul. Nu ştiu, aici dacă prinde acordeonul, băgăm şi noi acordeon. Asta este. Ca să supravieţuieşti şi să poţi face muzică în România, faci ce se cere, nu ceea ce simţi, din păcate, DIN PĂCATE.

…

CZB: Cum explicaţi reticenţa publicului la nou?

Cosmin Tudoran: Reticenţa publicului la nou vine prin faptul că Românul s-a obişnuit cu ceea ce i s-a dat. Aşa îmi explic eu această problemă. Românul nu a fost capabil să aleagă; el nu a fost capabil să se uite într-o pătură mare de produse şi să zică: Vreau aia, aia, aia. Aia nu-i bună, aia e de câcat, aia nu e bună. Nu. El a luat ce i s-a dat. Dacă lui i s-a dat mereu acelaşi lucru, el nu ştie să aleagă alt lucru pentru că nu este deschis să poată să aleagă alt produs. Ori, legat de muzică, atâta vreme cât posturile de radio au luat nişte piese pe care au aşteptat să aibe un anumit efect deja pe piaţă … ei au acceptat mimetismul.

No, acuma mergem numai pe mâna lui Marius Moga. Marele Moga ne-a dat o piesă. Toată lumea ia acea piesă … o difuzează … şi aşteaptă o altă piesă. Toţi artiştii se duc la Moga pentru că numai Moga intră pe radio.

Bogdan Mureşan: Dar acuma e Constanţa la mare căutare. Moga a cam apus … şi uite tot aşa din când în când o să apară câte unul. Nu există o piaţă diversificată în România. Dacă acuma se ascultă minimal de Constanţa, doar minimal de Constanţa se ascultă. Poate să scoată Holograf orice … şi acum ne referim la un public destul de tânăr, nu la cei în vârstă care ascultă orice ar scoate Holograf. E destul de ciudată piaţa în România.

…

CZB: Voi v-aţi lansat într-un moment în România când a apărut şi Playboy pe piaţă. Dacă o cântăreaţă se dezbrăca pentru Playboy, acea fata cânta vara la toate festivalurile de bere.

Cosmin Tudoran: Când noi am apărut, cred că am fost o conjunctură foarte drăguţă. Am avut nişte texte şi nişte abordări NOI, care pe atunci nu ştiu cum a prins. Eu am luat-o în felul următor. Noi întotdeauna am prins la generaţiile oarecum tinere şi părinţilor generaţiilor tinere. De ce? Pentru că noi mereu aveam două sau trei versuri care aveau două sau trei înţelesuri sau dedesubturi. Ziceam una dar lăsam de înţeles altceva. Chiar pe drum spre Cluj ieri, ascultând umorul care se promova în România în trecut, precum Toma Caragiu, care avea acele monologuri celebre unde vorbea despre tenis, dar de fapt el vorbea despre ceva cu totul şi cu totul altceva. Eu cred că de aceea am prins aşa, pentru că am avut acelaşi stil de umor. Românul a fost învăţat cu înţelesurile ascunse. Spui ceva, dar de fapt dai de înţeles altceva. Eu cred că tocmai de aceea am prins la momentul respectiv. Acum, generaţiile schimbându-se … cineva ne-a zis că noi am devenit clasici. E un lucru drăguţ, frumos, apreciabil, dar mi se pare că totuşi după 10 ani nu poţi să devii un clasic, pentru că dacă vrei să vorbim despre maturizarea Brandului, este prea devreme.

CZB: Probabil consideră că dacă aţi reuşit să vă impuneţi în zece ani, în timp ce generaţii întregi de trupe prefabricate au apărut şi dispărut în acelaşi interval de timp … că sunteţi clasici.

Cosmin Tudoran: Da. Ne-am impus şi prin Eterna şi Fascinanta Românie, piesă compusă în 2001 care prinde la fel de bine şi în 2009. Piesa are acelaşi efect, lumea citeşte aceleaşi versuri şi înţelege acelaşi lucru. Pe de o parte, este norocul nostru că România nu s-a dezvoltat în aşa hal încât atunci când asculţi o vrăjeală ieftină, o glumă din 2001 … în 2009 … poţi spune că este la fel de valabilă.

…

CZB: Cât fân aţi vândut ca să vă mutaţi la Bucureşti?

Bogdan Mureşan: Greu am ajuns la Bucureşti. El s-a mutat de la început, de când a ajuns la Radu Fornea, iar eu sunt mutat acolo de trei ani.

Cosmin Tudoran: Băieţii se aflau în Bistriţa. Studioul se afla acolo. Nu era nevoie ca ei să vină în Bucureşti.

CZB: În perioada când se lucra la serialele TV cum vă descurcaţi?

Bogdan Mureşan: Veneam şi stăteam la Cosmin, nu era nici o problemă. Primii doi ani m-am adaptat foarte greu. Deci: greu, greu, greu, greu, greu. După care, pur şi simplu nu mai bag în seamă unele chestii. M-am obişnuit.

…

CZB: Dar consideri asta o etapă?

Bogdan Mureşan: Când am ajuns în Bucureşti, ziceam că o să stau un an, doi, trei, după care mă mut înapoi în Ardeal. Am un pieten care a cugetat şi mi-a zis că odată ce am băut apă din Dâmboviţa, nu mai plec de aici! Asta o ţin minte de acum trei ani.

Lucrurile aşa evoluează că deja îmi dau seama că mai trebuie să stau acolo.

CZB: Legile lui Murphy.

Bogdan Mureşan: Da, exact, Murphy acela care zicea de lucrurile provizorii cu caracter permanent

…

CZB: Eu aşa am interpretat, că relaţia dintre voi şi casa de discuri, spre deosebire de alţii, a fost foarte ok de-a lungul celor 10 ani. Aţi reînnoit contractul în 2003, în 2005…

Leonard Muha: Exact. Eu pe Dan Popi îl ştiu din 1995. Bunicii lui sunt din Lechinţa, de pe la noi, şi am mizat pe treaba asta. Noi când am dus piesa Sorel la Bucureşti, am prezentat-o la trei case de discuri. Am ajuns cu ea şi la Transglobal Media, unde ne-au luat la mişto şi au râs de noi. Am plecat foarte penibil de acolo, am mers la CAT Music, iar Dan Popi când a ascultat prima dată, a listat contractul şi l-a pus pe birou să semnăm. El a avut mare fler, şi am zis că dacă a fost aşa, trebuie să rămânem cu el. Am avut o singură ofertă concretă la un moment dat de la Roton şi la momentul respectiv nu ne-am înţeles şi am rămas cu CAT Music, iar totul a fost în regulă. Noi acum nu am abandonat CAT Music pentru altcineva. Încercăm să facem singuri treaba asta pentru că şi casele de discuri sunt într-un impas foarte mare: nu se mai vinde nimic. Principalul lor scop este tocmai să vândă suportul pe care-l crează şi atunci, rolul lor era oarecum inexistent în momentul acesta pentru noi. Până se reorganizează un pic cu trupele mai serioase, o să evităm să mai semnăm cu ele. Atâta timp cât ele sunt axate pe trupele de Popcorn, eu nu sunt dispus să merg pe mâna lor, deoarece nu au nici o autoritate în acest domeniu. Nu o să merg la ele, să le şi dau 20% comision din concertele mele. Trupele mai noi fac treaba asta. Noi nu putem accepta aşa ceva.

…

CZB: Dacă tot aţi fost la emisiunile PRO TV, de ce nu s-a realizat contractul cu MediaPro Music?

Leonard Muha: MediaPro Music era pe atunci slab dezvoltată. Greutatea în muzică la vremea respectivă era la CAT Music şi Roton, care în mare parte sunt şi acum şi pentru noi MediaPro Music nu prezenta un interes. Noi am primit chiar o hârtie de la CAT Music prin care ni se permitea să lucrăm cu Pro TV. Andrei Boncea a cerut acest gentleman’s agreement pentru activitatea noastră la ProTV, dar noi nu am fost tentaţi la momentul respectiv să ne implicăm cu MediaPro Music.

Chiar acum o lună am avut o discuţie cu MediaPro Music, dar rămâne să vedem dacă ei ne vor face o ofertă după ce lansăm piesa nouă. Prefer acum să schimb un pic ordinea firească a lucrurilor, pentru că din păcate casele de discuri fac tot mai puţine lucruri concrete pentru artişti, şi dorim să prezentm un produs mult mai bun, de la o trupă care se relansează la nivel înalt, şi atunci se pun tot mai multe condiţii noi din partea casei de discuri, nu este normal. Adică, după 10 ani eu nu merg la o casă de discuri să-mi spună că îmi face disc doar după ce intră piesa pe trei posturi de radio. Suntem un brand, suntem foarte bine cunoscuţi şi nu se poate trata problema aşa cu noi. Rămâne de văzut. Putem şi de unii singuri să facem toată treaba asta.

…

Byte. CAT Music se ştie că avea înţelegerea ei practic exclusivă de  promovare a artiştilor prin intermediul televiziunii Antena 1.

…

CZB: Cosmin, cum ai ajuns la United Media Artists (UMA, în 1999), la Radu Fornea?

Cosmin Tudoran: Am lucrat acolo patru sau cinci luni, oarecum din întâmplare. Mă mutasem recent la Bucureşti, aşteptam după casa de discuri să ne lanseze albumul de debut. Între timp îmi tot căutam de lucru, să am ceva de făcut în timpul zilei şi am ajuns din întâmplare să lucrez pentru agenţia de impresariat şi management United Media Artists (UMA).

…

URMEAZĂ o pauză din interviu. Am scos albumul de debut să mi-l semneze. Îmi explică faptul că nu îl mai are şi că este incredibil s îl vadă după atâţia ani. Mă ofer să îi dau CD-ul cu piese (fără jewelbox, adică cutia de plastic şi coperta. Nu i-am explicat, dar la un chef mi s-a furat carcasa de la CD, şi am recumpărat albumul din comerţ, ca să am şi coperta albumului. Discul rămăsese în aparat. Astfel, am o carcasă cu două discuri.)

…

CZB: Aveţi o părere faţă de ceea ce s-a întâmplat anul acesta în Basarabia?

Cosmin Tudoran: Nu aş vrea să fim trataţi ca aroganţi sau ignoranţi. Ne-am uitat, am citit, dar pur şi simplu noi nu ne vedem bine de drumul nostru în ţara noastră şi acuma ar mai fii, totuşi, zic ca şi baba, care se piaptănă când arde cetatea … ca şi eveniment, ca şi efect al tehnicii moderne, este demn de luat în seamă că nişte oameni s-au adunat datorită Twitter-ului şi aşa mai departe, dar nu cunosc în esenţă ce se întâmplă acolo.

Bogdan Mureşan: Nici eu, în afară de Discovery, nu mă uit la televizor la absolut nimic. Ştirile la care sunt abonat pe internet sunt despre muzică sau aparatură muzicală. Altceva nu prea mă interesează. Sincer, mi-aş ocupa memoria i gândurile cu alte frustrări, şi chiar am ales să nu mă intereseze. Deja de doi ani de zile am ales şi decis să nu mă mai uit la televizor.

…

CZB: Vin alegerile, cu cine o să votaţi?

Cosmin Tudoran: Nu cu Băsescu. Eu cred că mă duc la vot şi anulez votul, pentru că nu am cu cine vota.

…

CZB: Cum v-a afectat decesul lui Michael Jackson?

Cosmin Tudoran: Eu am fost poate printre cei care au aflat după o oră, că întâmplarea face ca eu, în bar-ul meu de bookmarks să am TMV-ul şi pentru mine a fost ceva … dacă stau bine să mă gândesc … eu dacă aş zice ca artist, m-am născut în momentul în care eu, cu Bogdan şi cu soră-sa aveam o trupă de dans Michael Jackson în clasa a 5a. Pentru noi, Michael Jackson a fost o orientare muzicală, îi ştiam toate albumele, îl ascultam de când eram mic…

Bogdan Mureşan: Aveam foarte multe postere cu Michael Jackson, toate albumele le-am ascultat, ştiam toate piesele pe de rost. Pe mine m-a şocat în primul rând, nu îmi venea să cred.

Cosmin Tudoran: Mi-am dat seama că regret cel mai tare că nu am văzut un show Live cu Michael Jackson. Acesta este cel mai mare regret artistic al vieţii mele. Bineînţeles, că pe urmă am intrat la discuţii din alea, că stai, că nu e mort, că alea, alea … un bun marketing.

Mă gândeam şi eu la un proiect din ăla, să te dai rănit grav, şi dintr-o dată să faci un show Holografic … cred că toată lumea ar face infarct … mă aştept să apară iarăşi. Cred că la 50 de ani, a murit prea repede. Michael Jackson a fost un super artist.

…

Prima parte a interviului cu Cassa Loco (Leonard Muha),  CITIŢI AICI.

Det �r nog p� tiden…..

Rick James – Super Freak

Fortsätter på en annan av mina associationsbanor och då måste jag ju ta med den här gamla favoriten. Jag minns så väl i början av 80-talet då det lite stod mellan Rick James och Prince om vem som skulle kunna titulera sig kung av funken. Sen trasslade ju Rick James till det för sig med droger och annat så han fick sitta inne periodvis. Det var först i slutet på 90-talet som han verkade få någon slags rätsida på sitt liv men 2004 så checkade han in för gott då kroppen lade av till följd av hans drogmissbruk.

Hur som helst så var han alltid min favorit när jag var tvungen att ställa honom och Prince mot varandra. Rick James var lixom lite mer naturlig och kändes mer äkta på något vis. Finns ett kanonexempel där Prince mer eller mindre gör bort sig på scenen. Det är när Michael Jackson och han blir uppropade på scenen under en James Brown-konsert 1983. Michael Jackson visar direkt var skåpet ska stå, men sen när Prince kommer upp på scenen så blir det lite mer tafatt och man bara känner hur karln vill vara nån annanstans just i det ögonblicket. Han verkar inte alls bekväm med att improvisera, något som stärker mig i teorin om att Rick James var mer äkta.

 

James Brown, Michael Jackson & Prince on stage 1983

Ja, det finns inte så mycket mer att säga om det här klippet då det talar för sig själv. Men jag vill avrunda med att säga att Prince har ju kommit med en mängd kanonbra låtar genom åren, så som artist är han helt ok. Men han är nog inte det där naturbarnet som många vill tro. Där får han pisk med hästlängder av Rick James som var en makalös personlighet och artist.

Tjillevippen

notbugs

The End of Fortress Journalism?

Is the journalist a valiant fighter locked in a castle as he battles against dragons and knights to defend their hold and win the girl?

No.

Have the walls which once kept Fleet Street an invite only club come down?

Yes.

Peter Horrocks, Director of BBC World Service since February 2009, wrote a fascinating piece on the subject, and asked where journalism is moving.

It was part of a document called the Future of Journalism, published for the BBC College of Journalism.

Don’t just take my word for it – click here to get the full document.

A lot comes out of Horrocks’s discussion – but I am going to focus on three key issues raised when looking at on-line journalism:

1 – The Dawn of BBC Online

2 – Should News Services Act as a News Jukebox?

3 – Where Does the ‘Journalist’ Sit in Online Journalism?

1 – The Dawn of BBC Online

“BBC Online was not itself integrated. Instead the model that was generally adopted was of each division of the BBC launching separate websites related to their particular programme brands or subject genres.” [pg.12]

How amazing!

Ten years-ago when the BBC first opened its on-line wing they did not for a moment forecast how much it would take off.

All you need to do now is to jump to bbc.co.uk and you have an integratedhomepage with any genre of information you could hope for – ranging from local news to international business, and history to Shooting Stars.

Newspaper, radio and TV were the dominant forces and since 1999 the internet has changed it all!

2 – Should News Services Act as a News Jukebox?

Horrocks alludes to the fact news services are changing to suit the user and I have certain reservations over this.

The BBC homepage is a prime example – as it offers individuals the opportunity to customize it so the news or sections are there where they want them, and obsolete sections removed.

This is a great tool – as at the end of the day what is the point of wasting time and shifting through articles and features which you would not consider to take a second glance at.

However, when news editors become obsessed with the most popular stories and prioritises them, could we not fall into the trap of front pages being  dominated by ‘My Pet Tiger: The Story of a Himalayan Girl who Befriended a Giant Feline’, resulting in serious, newsworthy pieces becoming hidden?

Horrocks himself arrives at the rather diplomatic position of: “Users still want clear professional editorial judgement. But the judgement can be much better informed by a sophisticated understanding of the data.” [pg.10]

I don’t think he goes far enough either way.

3. Where Does the ‘Journalist’ Sit in Online Journalism?

-          Is there still a place for the Journalist online?

-          Can or should bloggers be defined as Journalists?

-          Should Journalists try to defend the remnants of ramparts which were once their Fleet Street castle?

The debate is long and messy, but bloggers will always be around and will often provide a better source of news than the journalists.

The case is the same and always will be – it’s about who you know.

So if a blogger gets a tip off about a death the blogging community scoops the biggest story of the Millennium thus far – as TMZ.com did when they were the first news outlet to announce the death of Michael Jackson.

9

Lindsay Dee Lohan born July 2, 1986 is an American actress, model, an pop singer .

Her father Michael Lohan, decided to speak out he says his daughter needs some help.I agree because …I don’t know whats is going on, with this epedemic situation? Everyone seem to be using prescription drugs lately…

I know that there are a lot of problems going on in others life ,but that doesn’t make using drugs okay…Prescription drugs can be valuable for some and dangerous to others.It is one way to take them for sickness or for entertainment..like wanting to feel GOOD.IF YA KNOW WHAT I MEAN!

WOW…. Prescription drugs can ruin some people if its not taken properly.

Cajas chinas: Michael Jackson, el oído absoluto, una ambulancia y un piano no de cola.

Introducción 

Viernes, 26 de Junio de 2009: nos sorprendemos con la muerte de Michael Jackson, al parecer causada por una sobredosis de tranquilizantes. No puede haber noticia más poderosa: artista fallecido; vida agitada, convulsa y controvertida; circunstancias de la muerte que alientan la polémica. Sobreviene lo esperable, lo previsible: un aluvión de crónicas, reportajes, vídeos y entrevistas. Gracias, o a pesar de ello, conocemos o reconocemos toda su historia: sus inicios en los Jackson Five, su éxito fulminante con Thriller, sus operaciones quirúrgicas, sus trastornos, sus juicios. Pero a uno, que siempre le inquietaron los talentos precoces, los niños consagrados, le sorprende un detalle que parece pasar sin importancia: Michael Jackson, entre otros dones, poseía uno en particular: MJ tenía oído absoluto. Y uno, que también es previsible, decide que es una buena oportunidad para indagar en ello. 

Así pues, 

 

Puente y Tema 

¿Qué es el oído absoluto? El oído absoluto es la habilidad de nombrar y reconocer estímulos auditivos aislados sobre la base de la nota misma sin ninguna referencia externa (1) .

Las definiciones se necesitan, pero generalmente los ejemplos se prefieren. El primer recuerdo que tengo de alguien con oído absoluto fue un concursante del programa ¿Qué apostamos?, ese espacio en el que los participantes trataban de sorprender al público con sus curiosas habilidades.

(también era el programa en el que solía acabar duchándose Ana Obregón, para mayor estímulo de las audiencias)

Uno de aquellos concursantes afirmó que era capaz de reconocer e identificar cualquier sonido, sin importar el instrumento del que proviniese, y sin necesidad de ninguna referencia. Es decir, que sería capaz de nombrar la nota que le hicieran sonar sin conocer ninguna previa (generalmente se usa el la) de la cual inferir la nota problema. Uno, que siempre tuvo grandes problemas de oído, no podía dejar de sorprenderse cada vez que el concursante acertaba: la bemol, do, re sostenido; tocados con un piano, una flauta, un xilofón. Fueron innumerables las notas que acertó. Y no sólo es que no cometiera ningún error, es que las respuestas eran inmediatas, es que no había ápice ni lugar para la duda.

Sin embargo, ante algo así, visto un viernes por la noche en la televisión, uno desconfía y lo aparta de sí. Se convierte en San Pedro y Santo Tomás: lo ve, pero como no lo toca, lo niega. 

Años más tarde uno se entera de que: 

No se sabe a ciencia cierta el origen del oído absoluto. Se cree que hay una importante influencia genética, pero también son importantes las condiciones ambientales. Así, parece que la preparación entre los 2 y los 4 años es especialmente relevante, siendo mucho más difícil su adquisición a pesar del entrenamiento a partir de los 5 años (2). Incluso se ha observado que las poblaciones con “lenguas tonales” (con un mayor intervalo de frecuencias en el habla) presentan una mayor proporción de personas con oído absoluto (3). 

Y empieza a creer.

 

“El número de vidas que entran en la vida de uno es incalculable” John Berger.

Sin embargo yo creo que debo conocer al menos a 40.000 personas. Me explico: el oído absoluto se estima que se da con una frecuencia de 1/10.000 (curiosamente 1/20 entre los autistas). Y si creo definitivamente es porque yo conozco a cuatro de ellas. Uno es mi amigo J., a otros 3 los conocí un verano en unas clases de música en las que participé. De ellos dos eran gemelos (idénticos); la tercera era la hija de un conocido compositor. No se puede deducir, por tanto, la influencia de la carga genética o ambiental, porque los dos gemelos fueron seguramente expuestos a los mismos estímulos y porque ella, siendo hija de quien era, no sólo tendría la herencia sino también la educación precoz. El caso es que mientras la profesora tocaba al piano nosotros teníamos que identificar las notas, los ritmos, los tonos. Y mientras yo, con mi mediocre oído relativo, y tras saber cómo sonaba el la, me esforzaba en desentrañar si aquella melodía subía o bajaba, mientras incluso silbaba para intentar ayudarme, mientras pedía a la profesora una y otra repetición, mientras sucedía todo eso, aquellos tres habían completado el dictado a la primera, sin esfuerzo, y, sobre todo, sin fallo. 

Y terminé por creer.

 

¿Cómo funciona el oído absoluto?

No parece conocerse a ciencia cierta su funcionamiento. Se sabe que los estímulos auditivos viajan desde el oído interno hacia la corteza cerebral y que allí ésta cumple una doble función. Por un lado el hemisferio derecho se encarga de la interpretación melódica y de las frecuencias, mientras que el hemisferio izquierdo, más especializado en el lenguaje, asigna un nombre a dichas frecuencias, lo que inevitablemente nos lleva aquí. Se podría pensar que los dotados con oído absoluto tuvieran una mejor comunicación entre ambas áreas, pero lo único que se ha observado es que presentan un mayor e incierto desarrollo del lado izquierdo. Se deduce por tanto, como casi siempre se suele deducir, que se necesitan nuevos estudios.

 

Curiosidades y pequeña coda

No se necesita poseer oído absoluto para ser músico, aunque algunos parece ser que sí lo tuvieron, como por ejemplo: Bach, Paganini, Tchaikovsky. Incluso Ana Torroja.

(me pregunto si en realidad conozco a bastantes más de 40.000 personas).

En realidad, lo que más se necesita generalmente es un buen oído relativo (es decir, la capacidad de identificar sonidos a partir de notas previas), especialmente para músicas de conjunto, donde uno debe apoyarse en el sonido del resto. Incluso puede tener efectos perjudiciales: algunos músicos con oído absoluto pueden tener más difícil el tocar en orquestas donde no se sigue una afinación estándar, por ejemplo. O incluso pueden sufrir molestias cotidianas, de hecho

no me lo podía creer cuando J. me decía que sufría con los sonidos de las ambulancias. Para él, más que sonidos eran palabras, y no hacían más que repetir “si, mi, si, mi” como una voz interior inevitable. 

Algo que también le ocurría a Charly García, un músico argentino, que decía: 

“¿Por qué en Madrid todas las bocinas están afinadas en mi?. Todas están afinadas en mi y eso me gusta mucho porque puedo dormir. En Buenos Aires están afinadas en la y no puedo dormir porque me pone nervioso.” 

Pero había otra cosa que le ocurría a Charly García, que contó su técnico de sonido, Marcos Sanz, y que puede llevar a otros caminos:

 

Coda final 

“Marcos Sanz contó que en una ocasión Charly le dijo: quiero saber cuál es tu resonancia, cuál es tu nota. Marcos se sintió extrañado por esta pregunta, por lo que el cantante le explicó: sí, mira, tienes que hacer una cosa: respira profundo, abre la boca. Y tras darle un golpecito le dijo: tú estás afinado en sol. Tu  caja torácica, tu caja de resonancia es sol, y eso es agradable para mí porque, por ejemplo, yo a los si no los soporto, a los que están afinados en si no los soporto”. 

*** 

 

Post-coda:

Fred Astaire, tras ver a Michael Jackson actuar en una gala de la Motown dijo que acababa de conocer al mejor bailarín del siglo XX. Buceo en sus vídeos de niño para ver si el talento era innato, si como yo creía el ritmo ya estaba y poco se podía hacer por trabajarlo. Si sólo era cuestión de cuidarlo y evolucionarlo. Si la herencia o el ambiente. Si debería dejar de una vez mis agotadoras clases.

Pero compruebo que apenas si se movía. Que por lo menos dos de sus hermanos eran claramente más naturales, que eran mejores que él. 

 

Por Jesús Méndez

 

 Referencias

1. (1982) «Absolute Pitch», The Psychology of Music, D. Deutsch (Ed.) edición, Orlando: Academic Press. 431-452.

2. Sakakibara, A. (2004). «Why are people able to acquire absolute pitch only during early childhood?: Training age and acquisition of absolute pitch.». Japanese Journal of Educational Psychology 52: 485–496.

3. Deutsch, D., Henthorn, T. y Dolson, M. (2004). «Absolute pitch, speech, and tone language: Some experiments and a proposed framework». Music Perception 21. 339-356.

 

 

This should be a place for feelings and thoughts

MICHAEL J. JACKSON – I have never seen an another man with such a cute smile, such a good heart.He gives all he can to help others and to make people happy and for this he only wants to be loved.

There were so many really ugly things that the press wrote about him and nothing, NOTHING is or was true. But there was never a bad word from him about that sh.. .There are only misconceptions about his doing. I`m feeling really sorry for him, this is not, what he deserves !!!

First I`d like to say, that I have opened this blog, to have a place for my thoughts and feelings, because I can`t tell anybody about this.They already think  I´m a little bit crazy.

Perhaps there is someone out who feels the same way.

My opinion about Cassandra : she`s an incredible, real friend for MJJ. For sure it`s hard to have a life, a family and to do by the way a friends such a big favor…

I believe in her words, that he is alive, but I can`t imagine, that he will really come back. WHY? It took so much hard work to do this, he broke the law for it. And this only for one year in peace and freedom?
If it`s so, than he got for sure good reasons , but at the moment I can`t reproduce that. But we will see.

About me:I´m just a fan like all others. I`m a mom of 2  ( 7 and 2 years old) and since the day “X” I´m feeling incomplete.

I heard from his `gone-away` in the night to June, 25th. My ” man” woke me up and told me about.Well, it felt like I`m in a bubble. My only thought was:  MICHAEL! MICHAEL? No! NEVER! Then : Bright idea! What a man, there were no better promotion for anything in the whole world since now. What a great thing, when he comes out for the first concert…

I could not, would not and will not believe this! He was always there, good or bad news, as long as I can remember and now he is gone away forever???

( It was only a few weeks ago when I got `Number Ones`. I was feeling like a little child on Christmas eve. I remembered when I bought me `Dangerous`… That was my first money I earned by delivering papers. I was 12 or so.)

Since that day I`m spending the little bit time I have on the web, read the books written about MJJ and watch every interview I can find only to see him and to hear his voice again. All  in the hope, to find a clue that gives me sureness that he is ok and alive!!!

All I can say is, that I wish him the best. All my love is on his side and god may bless him!!!

So if you feel like I do,  you can leave your thoughts here, but please be kindly and don`t leave ugly comments.

Michael Jackson's Ghost Video xD

Today is my dad’s birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDYYYY xxx) and so we went up to my nanny’s house. My mum, sister, nanny, dad, and myself went out of for dinner and when we got back my dad told me to watch Michael Jackson’s ghost video and he’s been trying to get me to watch it for ages and so as it was his birthday i finally gave in and told him i would watch it. OMG!! It was hilarious. Okay the actual video wasn’t but i was laughing at my reaction after wards. Seriously there’s the footage of his ghost going past the corridor and i was like ‘I’ve seen this loads of times!!!’ then this thing pops up on the screen and it screams and I’m not joking i screamed so loudly. My nanny’s neighbours must of thought i was being murdered or something . So i want all my friends to watch it too see their reaction. Next time i go to Evelyn’s (love you babby x) I’m gonna make her watch it Which will be on Friday Ahh so anyway I’m gonna go to bed now cause I’m in a bit of a bad mood and don’t really feel like talking to my mum or sister (no offence just a bit pissed off :/ which explains my ‘is it?, oh, yeah, no’ answers) so i’ll go and laugh at something maybe (or at least try :/). That Michael Jackson video would calm me down but i don’t really feel like screaming either soo… talk to you later. See ya x

Barbie au cinéma, mais quelle actrice pour jouer à barbie ?

Mais qui donc, oui qui donc, pour interpréter Barbie à l’écran ? La poupée, bien sûr, pas la brute de Montluc. Barbie va donc devenir un film cinéma, et tandis que les scénaristes s’arrachent les cheveux pour trouver quelque chose à dire à cette créature sortie du ruisseau du tiroir, des casteurs castent à tour de bras – un peu partout dans le monde semble-t-il – des jeunes filles pour trouver la perle rare, celle qui par sa chevelure blonde, sa taille de guêpe et son absence de cerveau sera capable de jouer l’héroïne cellulosée dans les regards des petites filles.

Mais bon, soyons pragmatique, s’ils ne trouvaient pas, ils pourraient se rabattre sur des actrices connues non ?

Tenez Jeanne Moreau. Sans vouloir faire mon Gerra, notre formidable comédienne ferait parfaitement l’affaire dans une version numérique du film ; bien refaite, avec une voix passée au synthétiseur, nous aurions là une Barbie contrefaite tout à fait en phase avec l’origine plastifiée et sous cellophane des grands magasins.

J’entends d’ici que vous vous lamentez de mon mauvais esprit. Soit. Prenons une autre grande actrice, l’une de ses figures majeure du 7ème art : Arielle Dombasle. Elle a les cheveux, elle a la taille de guêpe et elle peut parler de Borgès (prononcez comme elle “Borrrrèsche”), ce qui avouons-le, apporterait une touche culturelle non négligeable au film car, si mes archives ne me trompent pas, Barbie est plus connue pour des problèmes d’enfilage de pantalons que pour un souci de Dasein heidegerrien.

Reste à trouver un Ken.

Evidemment, en choisissant de passer de l’autre côté comme on dit dans les enterrements barbants, le chanteur des 2be3, Filip Nikolic, a raté le rôle de sa vie. Il était pourtant parfait. Idem pour Mickaël Jackson, qui aurait fait un partenaire idéal avec Jeanne Moreau au moment où Barbie rejoue à l’envers la scène de Thriller.

Mais ainsi va le cinéma, qui n’attend pas le nombre des années pour ériger en star d’illustres inconnus avant de les replonger dans le chaudron infernal du-quotidien-du-peuple, là, juste derrière la barrière de sécurité en contrebas du palais des festivals. Aussi, attendons-nous à ce que Barbie et Ken ne soient incarnés que par d’illustres inconnus directement extraits de leur chambre d’adolescent. On les maquillera, on les habillera exactement comme des poupées, et les immenses mains du réalisateur en feront leur jouet, le temps d’un tournage.

Mais au fond, ne sommes-nous pas au fond les Ken et Barbie d’un univers qui se plaît à nous faire tourner sur nous-mêmes, comme les mains d’une petite fille, sa maison de poupée…

A Blast from the Past - The late Michael Jackson

I saw these two article on Michael Jackson’s website and I thought I would share it here. Having been familiar with Michael Jackson’s work though my favorite pub, the Unicorn, it was time to share two articles from his website on Beer.

Article #1 is about the great diversity of beers in American and the availability of beers in America. Europe brews some of the best beers in the world, but most pubs have only a few on tap. In most countries, the pubs are “closed houses”. In other words they carry beers from only one brewery. There are “free houses”, such as my favorite pub in London, the Hollybush, but they are few and far between.

Article #2 is about one of the great American brewers, Bert Grant. Bert was one of the main players in the craft beer revolution in America, but never got his due. He was the first brewer to brew an Imperial Stout in the United States, as far as I know and he made extensive use of locally grown ingredients in his beer. I am also partial to Bert Grant having met him through the Unicorn, when he would stop by on occasion with a new beer. Bert was one of those characters that craft brewing, just seems to have.

These two stories give an insight into what makes American craft brewing so great.

Paris Jackson culpa empresários por morte do pai

A irmã do cantor Michael Jackson, La Toya Jackson, contou em entrevista ao canal da TV inglês, Chanel 4, que a filha de Michael, Paris, de apenas 11 anos, credita a responsabilidade pela morte prematura do pai aos empresários donos da turnê This Is It Tour.

No entendimento da garota, os empresários teriam forçado demais os limites do cantor que faleceu dia 25 de junho. “Se o cardiologista dele era o melhor, então como isso pode ter acontecido? Para mim o que aconteceu é que eles forçaram o limite do meu pai!”, teria dito Paris, ainda no hospital onde Michael recebeu os primeiros socorros depois de não se sentir bem em casa.

Segundo a tia, Paris acredita que Michael estava pressionado a trabalhar sem tempo sequer para descansar: “Você não entende. Eles forçaram ele trabalhar sem parar. O papai nem queria, mas eles obrigaram ele a fazer isso constantemente.”