'Soul Train': 6 performances from Don Cornelius' heyday [Video]

During the 22 years that Don Cornelius hosted "Soul Train," the show put the spotlight on some of the most important musical performers, not just of the day, but of all time. While Cornelius and "Soul Train" struggled to stay relevant to the youth culture as the show entered its third decade (Keenan Ivory Wayans did a parody of the show on "In Living Color" called "Old Train"), during its heyday it was a time capsule of everything important in music.

Ike and Tina Turner appeared on the last episode of the show's first season in 1972, performing their Grammy-winning cover of "Proud Mary."

Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson were already working on solo careers by the time the Jackson 5 performed on "Soul Train" early in the show's second season. Jermaine had a top 10 hit with a cover of the song "Daddy's Home" and was being pushed as a star, hence the giant "Jermaine" behind the group during their October 1972 performance.

A very young Stevie Wonder -- he was 22 at the time -- made his first appearance on "Soul Train" in January 1973 performing his No. 1 hit "Superstition."

Though "Soul Train" was often compared to Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," Cornelius' show was a little more sensual than Clark's wholesome "Bandstand." Just check out this 1974 appearance by Marvin Gaye, giving a very relaxed performance of "Let's Get it On," while moving his way through a bevy of very excited young ladies in the crowd.

Though "Soul Train" was known primarily as a showcase for African American performers, it wasn't exclusive. In January 1976, David Bowie made his first apperance on the program, one of the first white artists to do so, performing his first crossover hit in the United States, "Fame."

As the '70s gave way to the '80s, the cutting edge of R&B was moving toward more militant hip hop, as exemplified by this appearance by Public Enemy in 1987, performing "Rebel Without a Pause." Cornelius later admitted he was not as comfortable with this new music as that of the previous decade.  And you can tell from the awkward post-performance interview with Chuck D and the group, which Cornelius described as "frightening."

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Photo: Don Cornelius. Credit: Associated Press

Michael Jackson's legacy set in concrete at Grauman's

Michael Jackson's three children led a celebration that immortalized their late father in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday.

Prince, Paris and Prince “Blanket” Michael II capped the hour-plus ceremony, which also featured dance tributes, song medleys and video montages, by imprinting the King of Pop’s hand and footprints in concrete.

PHOTOS: Michael Jackson hand and footprint ceremony

The ceremony was held on a massive stage erected in front of Gruman’s under a promotional backdrop for the new Jackson-themed Cirque du Soleil show “Immortal,” which opens at Staples Center on Friday.

Beatles versus the Stones: Who’s better?

Beatles versus the Stones: Who's better? What about MJ versus Prince? These and other pop music debates are settled.

Friday night at the Brixton South Bay in Redondo Beach, a score was settled. It’s a question that historians have wrestled with, that drunken pub-goers have come to blows over, that has broken up thousands of otherwise happy couples over the last four decades: Which is the better band, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Although the answer to this musical litmus test is obvious to anyone with half a brain (see below for details), two tribute acts, Abbey Road and Jumpin’ Jack Flash, sought to definitively answer this question in a contest of dueling sets made up of formative era-songs of the mid-1960s through their later work. (Considering the stakes, it was surprising that CNN and BBC satellite trucks weren’t stationed outside.)

During the duel on Friday, the four-piece Abbey Road came out as the dark-suited, mop-topped young Beatles and dropped quality renditions of “She Loves You,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” while Jumpin’ Jack Flash delivered the way raunchier — and darker and smarter, catchier and well, better — “Mother’s Little Helper,” “Paint It Black,” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The next night, No Doubt cover band No Duh was on a bill with the Red Not Chili Peppers and 40 Oz. to Freedom, a Sublime tribute act. Below, a few other yin-and-yang couplings that might work well in the future — the preferences of which may or may not serve as a reliable barometer of a person’s musical tastes.

• Biggie or Tupac

Imagine for a moment if the Beatles versus Stones rivalry had turned ugly, and Beatles manager Brian Epstein had been implicated in a hit on Brian Jones that saw Andrew Loog Oldham retaliating by taking out John Lennon: That’s one mythic scenario that’s grown around the beef between Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace and Tupac Shakur, both of whom were murdered at their respective artistic peaks. Biggie’s flow or Tupac’s urgency?

• Prince or Michael Jackson

Although it may not seem so since the late Michael Jackson was enshrined as the King of Pop, in the 1980s the more obsessive of Prince fans cast dispersions on MJ as being a mere pop star, albeit one with a lineage to die for, a couple classic jams, and one amazing Moonwalk. Meanwhile, Prince remains the visionary funk auteur with a commanding artistic vision. A preference for one over the other is telling.

Michael Jackson's kids to impress his hand, footprints at Grauman's

Michael Jackson never had the chance to have his hands and feet immortalized in the concrete in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood (probably because he was never really a movie star), but that hasn't stopped the executors of his estate and the new owners of the Chinese from making the impossible a reality.

On Jan. 26, Jackson will have his hand and footprints marked in concrete to celebrate the debut of the Cirque du Soleil production "Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour." The producers have recruited the late singer's children --  14-year-old Prince, 13-year-old Paris and 9-year-old "Blanket" -- to use his sequined glove and shoes to make the impressions.

Album Review: Michael Jackson's "Immortal"

This early into the musical afterlife of Michael Jackson, it’s hard to know how to react to something like “Immortal.” Should we be excited about an officially sanctioned DJ mix/score to the new Cirque du Soleil production of the same name, peppered with odd vocal interludes, weird New Age accents, crazy funk breakdowns and something called “The Mime Segment”? Or should we reserve our enthusiasm for whatever lies in the archive that’s rarer and/or more revealing of our fallen superstar, no doubt waiting in the wings for the next prime-time opportunity?

More precisely: Whose interest is “Immortal” serving? Is the goal to expand Jackson as an artist, an estate, a brand or a visionary?

Big questions out of the way (and unaddressed), “Immortal” is a double-disc mix of Jackson’s hits both as a solo artist and as a member of the Jacksons and the Jackson 5. (It’s also available in a single-disc “highlights” version.) It was compiled and recontextualized by Kevin Antunes in much the same way that George Martin and Giles Martin reworked the Beatles’ catalog for the Cirque production and soundtrack to “Love,” the dance company’s interpretation of the Liverpool band’s oeuvre. “Immortal” is also, at its worst, way cheesier than “Love,” filled with easy-listening strings, spoken-word interludes buried in spooky echo, and curious pacing.

But to call it a mixtape of Jackson’s music isn’t entirely accurate, because the soundtrack is beholden to the Cirque/”Immortal” story line and therefore sequenced not for the dance floor but for a Las Vegas-style production. As a result, a wildly inventive remix, such as what Antunes does for “Dancing Machine,” barely gets going before grinding to a halt a few minutes in and we’re stuck with a young Michael, surrounded by the sounds of wild animals in the jungle, singing a tribal version of “Ben.” And the composition built around Jackson’s vocal hook in Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” serves little purpose as an audio-only experience other than to remind listeners that Michael made some serious artistic missteps in his life.

But aside from a few weird choices, none of this is Antune’s fault. After all, who’d want to fiddle with “Human Nature,” “Beat It” or “Billie Jean,” some of the most popular songs of the last half-century? That he mostly pulls it off is a testament to his abilities as a sound designer, though it’s not rich enough to make this essential listening. For that, there’s “Thriller” and “Off the Wall.”

Michael Jackson

"Immortal"

(Epic Records)

Two and a half stars (Out of four)

--Randall Roberts

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Michael Jackson hits reworked for 'Immortal' album, due in November [updated]

As the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's former physician Conrad Murray continues to make headlines, the late king of pop's estate and Epic Records are moving forward with Jackson's third posthumous album, "Immortal."

The album, which is slated to hit stores Nov. 21, is a soundtrack to the new Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. Described as a "musical tapestry," the soundtrack will feature reworked versions of some of Jackson's classic hits, mash-ups and never-before-released outtakes, a la the Beatles' reworked album "Love."

[For the record: An earlier version of this post referred to “Immortal” as Jackson’s second posthumous album. “Immortal” would be the third posthumous album from the Jackson estate released through Epic Records. Other Jackson albums have been released posthumously by other labels.]

 “Michael's legacy as the greatest entertainer of our lifetime is inspiring beyond words. It was clear from the start that Michael's voice and overall musical essence was the sole/soul source of creative energy driving the project," musical designer Kevin Antunes said in a statement.

Antunes spent a year in the studio working Jackson’s original masters for the soundtrack, which will feature outtakes, including an alternate take on the Jackson 5’s “ABC” and a choir-led version of “They Don’t Care About Us.”

The collection will, naturally, come in several editions, one of which will be a deluxe $50 bundle that features the CD, a T-shirt and show program.  

The Cirque du Soleil production "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" opened in Montreal on Sunday. The show combines Jackson's choreography, music and videos with the acrobatic troupe's signature big-budget spectacle. The tour will travel to 27 cities across North America and reach Los Angeles' Staples Center and Anaheim's Honda Center in January. There will be an extended stay in Las Vegas in December.

Jackson's first posthumous album, "Michael," was released in December.

Check out footage from the show after the jump:

KISS off Oct. 8 Michael Jackson tribute concert

 
Hard-rock group KISS has been dropped from the lineup of the Michael Jackson tribute concert slated for Oct. 8 in Cardiff, Wales, because of disparaging comments group member Gene Simmons has made about Jackson in the past.

Jackson fans expressed anger over the booking of KISS for the event by the promoter, Global Live Events, which has announced on the official Twitter account for the concert that fans’ wishes would be heeded.

“KISS invitation has been revoked,” according to a post on the event’s official Twitter page. “Apologies to everyone... our primary focus has been to do justice to Michael’s memory with this tribute.”

Fans objected, citing Simmons’ remarks in the days after Jackson’s death in 2009 that he believed Jackson had molested children. Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges.

Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green set for Michael Jackson concert

Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Leona Lewis and Smokey Robinson are among the performers who will be headlining a Michael Jackson tribute concert, promoters announced Thursday.

"Michael Forever: The Tribute Concert" is slated for Oct. 8, and organizers are hoping that 75,000 Jackson fans will make the pilgrimage to Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Global Live Events said the the bill will also include Craig David; British boy band JLS; Alien Ant Farm,  which scored a massive hit with its rock cover of "Smooth Criminal"; and 3T, the group that features the three sons of Jackson's brother Tito. More acts are expected to be announced.

Late last month, Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, and siblings Marlon, Tito, Jackie and La Toya announced the concert, but were tight-lipped on details, promising only that it would be a "thriller of an event."

The concert's announcement hasn’t come without controversy. Jackson’s estate isn’t affiliated with the show, and it responded after the initial announcement that promoters and Jackson's family hadn't gotten permission to use the king of pop's name and likeness. Jackson's brothers Randy and Jermaine have denounced the event, releasing a statement questioning the appropriateness of the show, as it will conflict with the scheduled trial of Jackson’s doctor in connection with the pop star’s 2009 fatal overdose.

"We want to make clear that this does not reflect the position of the entire family," the two said in a joint statement. "While we wholeheartedly support the spirit of a tribute that honors our brother, we find it impossible to support an event that is due to take place during the criminal trial surrounding Michael's death."

The official website for the show has posted that Katherine "has agreed to attend the concert with as many of Michael's children as are available."

Purchasing tickets for the tribute is nearly as complicated as following the familial affiliations. Fans can register their interest in obtaining tickets online. At first, this was to be through offering a charitable pledge, with the higher pledges getting better chances to purchase tickets, which would range in price from 55 pounds ($88) to 240 pounds ($387). The website has since backtracked and now states that any donations, though encouraged, will have no weight in the chances of getting tickets.

Proceeds are expected to benefit AIDS Project Los Angeles and the Prince’s Trust.

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Michael Jackson family to announce 'thriller' of concert tribute

 
Members of Michael Jackson’s family have called a press conference for Monday in Beverly Hills to announce a concert tribute to the late pop star that will benefit charities in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

Jackson’s mother, Katherine, will be joined at the Beverly Hills Hotel by his siblings Marlon, Tito, Jackie and LaToya  to reveal details of the tribute, with strong hints in the press release that it will focus on Jackson’s “Thriller” album. The press release issued Thursday referred to the concert as a "thriller of an event," which is being coordinated by the family members and promoter Global Live Events, not Jackson's estate.

A spokeswoman for the event said no other information is available until Monday’s press conference. Pop & Hiss will carry more details after the announcement.

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How we were thrilled

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-- Randy Lewis

Photo: An image from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. Credit: MJJ Productions. 

 

Crowd-sourced video for Michael Jackson's 'Behind the Mask' premieres

What’s a record company to do when it’s time for a new music video but the star isn’t around to make one? That’s the dilemma Sony Music and Michael Jackson’s estate have faced with the posthumously released album “Michael.”

So for the new single “Behind the Mask,” rather than attempting to cobble together something from archival footage, the label and Jackson’s estate invited fans around the world to submit their own clips, which have been patched together into a “crowd-sourced” video premiering Tuesday on YouTube and a Facebook page that's been set up.

It’s directed by Dennis Liu, who also worked on the Grammy-nominated crowd-sourced video for Johnny Cash’s “Ain’t No Grave” two years ago built on myriad sketches, drawings and paintings of the singer created by fans.

Fans had access to a template video that was posted in March and were asked to shoot video footage of themselves executing a Jackson-like dance step, choreography routine, facial expression or other moves.

They were integrated into a 4½-minute video that incorporates more than 1,600 quick shots selected from among entries submitted from 103 countries. Most are young men and women in their teens and 20s, but there are also snippets from 2- and 3-year-old mini-MJs. Jackson’s reach appears not to be limited to one species, as there’s also a section from fans who shot their pets moving to the music.
 Of course, there’s none of Jackson’s own charisma or electric physicality, which some viewers have already noted in comments posted on YouTube.

“This is not the caliber of concept that we have become accustom[ed] to as Michael Jackson fans,” Whitney Getz wrote. “I’m glad this isn’t being considered a ‘Michael Jackson’ video. Because if it were I’d be very disappointed.”

The video for "Hollywood Tonight," the previous single from the album, was a mini-movie illustrating the song's story of a young woman pursuing her dreams in Hollywood. It's since scored more than 12.5 million views on Vevo and YouTube. 

The broad swath of fans represented in the "Behind the Mask" video largely seem to be interested only in conveying ongoing appreciation for Jackson, many from within the confines of their bedrooms, others from the streets of their neighborhoods.

Liu calls it “the most exciting and most fun project I think I’ve ever been involved in…. [It] was incredibly moving to see so many people from all over the world join as one, their creative voices, dance and musical talents bound together by Michael Jackson’s spirit and incomparable artistry. We received submissions from the Sahara Desert to Venice Beach, from mountaintops to suburban backyards, with some shots featuring well over 100 people apiece. All who participated delivered brilliantly.”

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