Chapter 20 Michael and MTV

Chapter 20

Michael and MTV

In the early 1980s, the music channel MTV appeared. At first, the channel played mostly rock music by white artists, but Michael Jackson’s huge success changed all of this. In 1983, the channel agreed to play Billie Jean several times each day and it was hugely popular. The same was true for the Thriller videos, and many other Michael Jackson hits.

After Michael Jackson’s solo success in the 1980s, it was less unusual for black singers to be on MTV, to be on the front cover of magazines, and to be in the main pop charts.

Chapter 19 The Motown Years

Chapter 19

The Motown Years

In 1960, Gordy wanted to bring black music to white America. He carefully controlled the image of his artist – including their clothes and dance style. Motown had many hugely successful black artists in the 1960s and 70s including Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and, of course, The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson. Things had changed a lot, but many people still spoke about a ‘ colour barrier ‘ for  African – American artists.

Chapter 18 A sad Goodbye to The King Of Pop

Chapter 18

A sad Goodbye to The King Of  Pop

On July 7^th , 2009, the Jacksons family at a large theatre in LA to say goodbye to Michael. There were almost 18,000 free tickets foe Michael’s fans, but many more wanted to come. The celebration lasted over two hours and was shown on TV all over the world. Many famous people spoke about Michael with love and sadness at his early death.

Others will remember the strange stories in the press and the unusual way that he lived his life. One thing is certain – for forty years, Michael Jackson gave the world music and performances that people will remember for a long time. The ‘ King Of Pop ‘ may be dead but his music lives on.

Chapter 17 This is it !

Chapter 17

This is it !

Fans who weren’t even born at the time of Thriller wanted to see him. And, of course, older fans wanted to watch him perform and see the moonwalk one more time. In the months before his death, Michael was very busy. Dancers were chosen for the shows and he was practicing hard with them. But Michael had not performed for a long time. However, Doctors said that his health was fine, but to the outside world, he often seemed too thin and weak.

On the last day of his life, he was at his house in LA. He had slept very badly, and he asked his private doctor, to give him a very strong painkiller called ‘ propofol ‘ At midnight, Michael fell the floor. Was it a heart attack? Dr Murray tried to help him while a guard called 911 for help. Michael was taken to hospital but doctors there were unable to save him. He died at 2.26 pm.

Chapter 16 Jacko’s Wacko Neverland Sale!

Chapter  16

Jacko’s  Wacko Neverland Sale!

In the spring of 2006, Neverland closed. Plans were made to sell the unusual collection of Michael’s things. Fans became very excited when they heard about the sale. But the sale never happened. When he visited a hotel, he paid for the best and usually took around twenty people with him. Then Michael’s big brother Jermaine had a friend in Bahrain, Sheikh Abdullah. Michael flew to Bahrain in 2005 with his children, and the two men started making plans.

However, He left Bahrain, he started working on the Thriller 25 album in Ireland. To celebrate this and make the album more modern , Michael worked with Kanye West and Will. i. am from the band The Black Eyed Peas. Thriller 25 came out in 2008. Neverland was sold now, but Michael still needed money. And so, four months later he made an important choice. Finally, the King of Pop would perform again. He would play last ever concert in London. And he got on a plane to give the news to the world’s press.

Chapter 15 Hard Time

Chapter 15

Hard  Time

For once, Michael did not have total control, he couldn’t change or cut it. But Michael was confident that he could show the world the true Michael Jackson. But not everyone saw things in the same way as Michael. He even put out on his own TV interview , trying to explain the Bashir film. But the wasn’t so easy. After the shown of film, the LA police received  phone call from a doctor. She had seen the film and thought that there something wrong with Michael and Gavin’s friendship.

In November, 2003, the police went to Neverland and searched the house once again. This time they arrested Michael Jackson. The nightmare was getting worse and worse. In 2005, He didn’t have to come to court often, but when he did he looked weak and ill. It seemed that he was taking more and more painkillers to help him through this difficult time. In the end, the store gave the family money because they didn’t want to go to court. For Michael, life would never be the same again. His manager said, ‘The  Bashir programme broke him. It killed him. He took a long time to die, but it started that night’. 

Chapter 14 Jacko Hangs Baby son from Hotel Window!

Chapter 14

Jacko Hangs Baby son from Hotel Window!

Blanket became a big story in newspapers around the world when Michael was staying in a hotel in Berlin . Michael came to the window and held the baby out high over of fans outside. People around the world were angry and surprised, they said that this was a dangerous and stupid thing to do.

At the time, marry people attacked the singer, saying that he was not a good parent. But as one of the most famous people in the world. When they went outside, their faces were often covered because Michael didn’t want people to see them. He had never  had a change to be a child and he didn’t want this to be true for his own children.