Michael Jackson: Difference between revisions
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'''Michael Joseph Jackson''' (born August 29, 1958, died June 25, 2009) was an [[United States|American]] [[R&B]] and [[pop music|pop]] singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. One of the most successful musical performers of the rock era, Jackson's 1982 album ''[[Thriller]]'' is listed in the [[Guinness Book of Records]] as the highest selling album of all time. He began his career as a child, serving as lead singer of the group [[The Jackson 5]] (later The Jacksons) with his elder brothers [[Jackie Jackson|Jackie]], [[Tito Jackson|Tito]], [[Jermaine Jackson|Jermaine]], and [[Marlon Jackson|Marlon]], and later his younger brother [[Randy Jackson (singer)|Randy]]. | '''Michael Joseph Jackson''' (born August 29, 1958, died June 25, 2009) was an [[United States|American]] [[R&B]] and [[pop music|pop]] singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. One of the most successful musical performers of the rock era, Jackson's 1982 album ''[[Thriller (Michael Jackson album)|Thriller]]'' is listed in the [[Guinness Book of Records]] as the highest selling album of all time. He began his career as a child, serving as lead singer of the group [[The Jackson 5]] (later The Jacksons) with his elder brothers [[Jackie Jackson|Jackie]], [[Tito Jackson|Tito]], [[Jermaine Jackson|Jermaine]], and [[Marlon Jackson|Marlon]], and later his younger brother [[Randy Jackson (singer)|Randy]]. | ||
On 24 January 1984, Jackson's life changed forever when, during a [[film shoot]] for a [[Pepsi]] commercial at [[Los Angeles]]' [[Shrine Auditorium]], his hair ignited due to a premature [[pyrotechnic]] explosion during the sixth take. Jackson suffered second and third degree burns to his face and scalp, which required plastic surgery, and left him relying on wearing wigs to cover his scalp and cosmetic tattoos and makeup to hide his scars.<ref>{{cite news|title=The shock findings of the Michael Jackson autopsy|date=29 June 2009|url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2505693/The-shock-findings-of-the-Michael-Jackson-autopsy.html|work=The Sun|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> It also left him with a dependence on sedatives and pain killers, which he never fully overcame. Jackson's former security guards told law officials in July 2009, that Jackson consumed as many as 40 [[Xanax]] pills a day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Michael Jackson Took Up to 40 Sleeping Pills a Night, According to Former Employees|date=10 July 2009|url=http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/49118/michael-jackson-took-up-to-40-sleeping-pills-a-night|work=EntertainmentWise|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> During the 1990s, his career stalled further following a series of allegations of child molestation claims made against him. In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexual abuse by Evan Chandler, father of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. Jackson became the subject of intense media scrutiny, resulting in Jackson becoming reclusive, and cancelling his ''Dangerous'' world tour. Before the allegations could be legally tested however, on 1 January 1994, Jackson's insurance company settled the civil suit out of court with the Chandler family and its legal team for US$22 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Scandal That Won't Go Away|date=29 September 1996|url=http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/381252/Jordy-Chandlers-secret-diary-of-sex-abuse-with-Michael-Jackson.html|work=News of the World|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> It seriously damaged his standing with the public, and his music sales subsequently declined. Jackson was also the subject of discrete [[FBI]] investigations, which were only made public following his death under [[Freedom of Information Act|FOIA]], involving seven sexual misconduct complaints dating back to the early 1990s.ref>{{cite web|url=http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/jackson_michael.htm|title=Federal Bureau of Investigation: Michael Joseph Jackson| publisher=FBI|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> During a 2003 [[Granada television]] interview with [[Martin Bashir]], Jackson claimed there was nothing wrong with sleeping in the same bed with children and that nothing inappropriate had happened.<ref>{{cite news|title=Michael Jackson confesses: 'I sleep with boys'|date=4 February 2003|url=http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30853|work=World Net Daily|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> In 2005, Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of alleged sex crimes, filed complaints with the Los Angeles police and Jackson was indicted for four counts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor, one count of abduction, and one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive at his 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch. On 13 June 2005, Jackson was found not guilty by jury verdict.<ref>{{cite news|title=Celebrity factor to blame for defeat, says prosecutor|date=14 June 2005|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article533114.ece?|work=The Times|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> | |||
== Solo discography == | He died suddenly on 25 June 2009; the cause cardiac arrest due to an overdose of the intravenous surgical sedative [[Propofol]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Michael Jackson: Coroner's official report documents|date=10 February 2010|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/02/10/michael-jackson-see-his-coroner-s-official-report-documents-here-115875-22033602/|work=The Mirror|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref> | ||
==Solo discography== | |||
*1972: ''Got to Be There'' | *1972: ''Got to Be There'' | ||
*1972: ''Ben'' | *1972: ''Ben'' | ||
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*1997: ''Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix'' | *1997: ''Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix'' | ||
*2001: ''Invincible'' | *2001: ''Invincible'' | ||
==Notes== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
Revision as of 03:11, 6 March 2010
Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958, died June 25, 2009) was an American R&B and pop singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. One of the most successful musical performers of the rock era, Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest selling album of all time. He began his career as a child, serving as lead singer of the group The Jackson 5 (later The Jacksons) with his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon, and later his younger brother Randy.
On 24 January 1984, Jackson's life changed forever when, during a film shoot for a Pepsi commercial at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, his hair ignited due to a premature pyrotechnic explosion during the sixth take. Jackson suffered second and third degree burns to his face and scalp, which required plastic surgery, and left him relying on wearing wigs to cover his scalp and cosmetic tattoos and makeup to hide his scars.[1] It also left him with a dependence on sedatives and pain killers, which he never fully overcame. Jackson's former security guards told law officials in July 2009, that Jackson consumed as many as 40 Xanax pills a day.[2] During the 1990s, his career stalled further following a series of allegations of child molestation claims made against him. In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexual abuse by Evan Chandler, father of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. Jackson became the subject of intense media scrutiny, resulting in Jackson becoming reclusive, and cancelling his Dangerous world tour. Before the allegations could be legally tested however, on 1 January 1994, Jackson's insurance company settled the civil suit out of court with the Chandler family and its legal team for US$22 million.[3] It seriously damaged his standing with the public, and his music sales subsequently declined. Jackson was also the subject of discrete FBI investigations, which were only made public following his death under FOIA, involving seven sexual misconduct complaints dating back to the early 1990s.ref>Federal Bureau of Investigation: Michael Joseph Jackson. FBI. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.</ref> During a 2003 Granada television interview with Martin Bashir, Jackson claimed there was nothing wrong with sleeping in the same bed with children and that nothing inappropriate had happened.[4] In 2005, Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of alleged sex crimes, filed complaints with the Los Angeles police and Jackson was indicted for four counts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor, one count of abduction, and one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive at his 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch. On 13 June 2005, Jackson was found not guilty by jury verdict.[5]
He died suddenly on 25 June 2009; the cause cardiac arrest due to an overdose of the intravenous surgical sedative Propofol.[6]
Solo discography
- 1972: Got to Be There
- 1972: Ben
- 1973: Music and Me
- 1975: Forever, Michael
- 1979: Off the Wall
- 1982: Thriller
- 1987: Bad
- 1991: Dangerous
- 1995: HIStory - Past, Present and Future, Book I
- 1997: Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
- 2001: Invincible
Notes
- ↑ The shock findings of the Michael Jackson autopsy, The Sun, 29 June 2009. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
- ↑ Michael Jackson Took Up to 40 Sleeping Pills a Night, According to Former Employees, EntertainmentWise, 10 July 2009. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
- ↑ The Scandal That Won't Go Away, News of the World, 29 September 1996. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
- ↑ Michael Jackson confesses: 'I sleep with boys', World Net Daily, 4 February 2003. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
- ↑ Celebrity factor to blame for defeat, says prosecutor, The Times, 14 June 2005. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
- ↑ Michael Jackson: Coroner's official report documents, The Mirror, 10 February 2010. Retrieved on 2010-03-06.