Feb.1 in history

22 Years Ago --- Pop Star May File For Damages Boston Globe February 01, 1984 Pop star Michael Jackson may file suit for damages because of injuries he suffered when fireworks set his hair on fire during the filming of a commercial, his lawyer says. The 25-year-old singer is recovering quickly and won't have to cancel any scheduled appearances because of the accident, said Larry Larson, a secretary for Jackson's tour manager. A tour reuniting the singer and his brothers is still scheduled for May, he said. "I think it's an outrage that this thing has occurred at all," attorney John Branca said Monday. But an official at the company that filmed the commercial during which the accident occurred said yesterday his firm "did everything properly" in setting up the special effects fireworks. Ralph Cohen, executive producer of Bob Giraldi Productions in New York, told City News Service in Los Angeles that comments on the cause of the accident are still "total speculation." "I don't think anyone really knows for sure what happened," the local news agency quoted Cohen as saying. --- 18 Years Ago --- Pop Rock Los Angeles Times February 01, 1988 Prince Charles and Princess Diana apparently think "Bad" is good and will be attending Michael Jackson's July 16 concert at Wembley Stadium, a spokesman for Buckingham Palace has announced. It is expected the royal couple, both music enthusiasts, will meet Jackson before the show. Some of the proceeds from the concert with go to the Prince's Trust. The July 16 performance will be the third show of Jackson's unprecedented five-night run at the 72,000-seat Wembley Stadium. --- 17 Years Ago --- Michael Jackson Outsells Himself The Gazette February 01, 1989 Michael Jackson has outsold himself now that Moonwalker has become the top-selling music videocassette ever. Sales of the video totalling about $12.5 million have surpassed the half-million mark set by the entertainer's Making Michael Jackson's Thriller, said Eliot Sekuler of CBS. Moonwalker, which co-stars Sean Lennon and Brandon Adams, has also taken top slot on Billboard magazine's music videocassettes chart. --- --- Schoolgirl Turns Tables On Jackson Toronto Star February 01, 1989 English schoolgirl Elizabeth Ashcroft sadi she turned the tables on pop star Michael Jackson by presenting him with a T-shirt bearing the slogan, I've Met Elizabeth Ashcroft. Elizabeth, 12, won a contest to attend one of Jackson's concerts in Los Angeles last week and to meet him backstage. "The T-shirt was my own idea," she said yesterday. "I've got hundreds of things with his name on, so I thought he would like something of mine." Elizabeth, from Stroubridge, said she got a thank you and a hug. --- 16 Years Ago --- Cinema Awards Los Angeles Times February 01, 1990 "I'm going to turn Elizabeth's purple eyes green!" Donna Crean draped herself in her amazing emeralds for Saturday night's tribute to Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Smart planning. When you're going to mingle with a 2,000-strong crowd containing a galaxy of stars, you don't throw on basic black and pearls or you get lost in the sparkle.) So Crean, who attended the American Cinema Awards Tribute with her husband, John, and their sons Johnnie and Andy, not only wore her amazing emeralds, she wore her shimmering sequins. Her shimmering purple sequins. (La Liz kept the purple to her eyes. She wore flowing black silk and her amazing diamonds.) --- 15 Years Ago --- N.Y. Woman Sues Michael Jackson The Sun Baltimore February 01, 1991 A New York woman is asking for $500,000 plus expenses in a federal lawsuit filed in Baltimore against the Capital Centre in Landover and the corporation that promotes entertainer Michael Jackson, claiming her wrist was broken because of poor security at a Jackson concert on Oct. 17, 1988. Patricia Parker Hailman, of Flushing, N.Y. says security was inadequate for the large crowd attracted by Mr. Jackson. She said she was injured in the auditorium when an unnamed couple nearby fought, knocked her to the floor and broke her wrist in three places. --- 14 Years Ago --- Colorado Girl, 7, In Video Debut Tomorrow Night Denver Post February 01, 1992 Megastar Michael Jackson wasn't the first person to see something special in 7-year-old Vanessa Gallegos when he picked the Highlands Ranch girl to be in his latest music video. "When she was a little baby, people who saw her always said she was gorgeous," her mother, Patricia, said. "They would say, 'She's so cute. You should get her involved in acting or commercials."' Vanessa will make her national television debut tomorrow when Jackson's "Remember the Time" airs on the Fox network. The video will be shown in Denver at 7:30 p.m. on KDVR, Channel 31. "My first thought was, WOW!" Vanessa said of her reaction when she learned she was to be in the video. Earlier this month, Vanessa's father Abe and her mother took her to Los Angeles to hunt for a manager and talent agent. They had been encouraged to do so by a woman who led a John Roberts Powers modeling seminar. They visited three management and three talent agencies, all of which wanted to represent Vanessa. She signed with the Michael Linden Greene management agency in Beverly Hills. After seeing pictures of Vanessa dancing, Greene told the Gallegoses that Jackson was looking for children to perform in his new video. "Then they went on to talk about a different subject," Vanessa said. "Then my mom asked about the Jackson video. He (Greene) said, 'Let me call up one of the guys.' It was the casting director. They said they had picked all the people." But Greene wouldn't take no for an answer, Vanessa said. "He said 'There is a beautiful little girl here from Colorado. You got to see her.' They said to send over some pictures. We did, and they called us up the next morning and said I got the part. "And they said Michael Jackson has the last word on his videos. He picks everyone he wants to be in them." Her part was taped Jan. 15. On the set, Michael asked her to come to his trailer so he could meet her. They visited for an hour. "It was really fun," she said. "We talked about all kinds of stuff. My brother came in and Michael said, 'Do you guys ever fight?' and we said, 'Yes.' He asked, 'Who starts the fights?' My brother said, 'My sister does,' in a real loud voice. Michael started laughing a real lot..." --- 13 Years Ago --- Jackson's 12 Minutes Make Halftime Super St. Petersburg Times February 01, 1993 In the battle of Super Bowl entertainment, Garth Brooks had a commanding lead in time of possession of the spotlight, but Michael Jackson's halftime blitz propelled the King of Pop to victory. The enigmatic singer played Jackson-in-the-box, exploding through a trapdoor with a Super Bowl performance worthy of instant replay. Jackson's halftime show was a benefit for Heal the World, a charity for inner-city children. His true gift, however, was a dazzling diversion from a lopsided Super Bowl, brimming with throat-clutching sentiment and special effects. After an abbreviated Billie Jean, Black or White was punctuated with brotherhood banners spread by attendants. Fans used colorful flip cards to "draw" cartoon children along the Rose Bowl bleachers. Gliding along the stage, Jackson posed among hundreds of children in international clothing while a colorful globe inflated. Jackson's songs gently urged everybody to Heal the World and reminded us that We Are the World... --- 12 Years Ago --- Michael Jackson Hires PR Firm Of Other Celebrities Los Angeles Times February 01, 1994 ...Michael Jackson, whose inner circle has been in a state of flux since summer as he has battled child molestation allegations, has added a new publicity firm to his camp. Entertainment publicist Michael Levine confirmed that Jackson last week hired his Levine/Schneider firm, whose work includes public relations for such clients as Barbra Streisand and Jackson's sister Janet. It was unclear what role longtime Jackson publicist Lee Solters will now play in the entertainer's career. Levine said he does not know what Solters will be doing. Solters said he is still working for Jackson and will remain involved in various matters for him... --- 11 Years Ago --- Brownstone's Debut LP "From The Bottom Up" Washington Informer February 01, 1995 What would it take to be signed by Michael Jackson for his new MJJ label? Whatever it is, Brownstone has it. Michael himself refers to their talent as being "extraordinary," which is about the strongest endorsement one can receive in Black music. Brownstone's debut album, From The Bottom Up, is the beginning of a bright career for these radiantly talented young women. The group is made up of three beautiful young ladies; Mimi, Nicci and Maxee from New Orleans, Detroit and Guyana respectively. Their look is mature sophistication with a down to earth edge. Their music is never over-done or over simplistic and fights to inject more soul into the sound of R&B... Other tunes worth listening to would be; Grapevyne, Sometimes Dancin' and Fruit of Life. The album is a strong debut that has gotten rave reviews. However, some of the hype must have been influenced by the fact that it is a debut on Michael Jackson's new label, MJJ Music. (Jackson received the label as part of his 1993 contract with Sony Music...) --- 9 Years Ago --- World News The Commercial Appeal February 01, 1997 At an auction in Bombay, a diamond merchant who sponsored Michael Jackson's recent performances in India paid $10,181 for a pillowcase on which the star had laid his weary head. The money will go to a charity for Indian children. --- 4 Years Ago --- For Music Lovers About... Time February 01, 2002 n celebration of his legacy, a 4-CD box set entitled The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones, was recently released along with a companion book entitled The Autobiography of Quincy Jones. Just in case you don't know how versatile Jones has been over the years, let me provide a brief overview of the legends with whom he has worked... Michael Jackson describes Jones best on the back cover of the 4-CD set: "Quincy Jones is one of the most versatile and potent figures of popular culture...When you listen to his impressive and monumental body of work, it's easy to understand how and why he's touched such a broad audience of music lovers." This box set helps you appreciate the legacy of Quincy Jones. And the order of the CDs serves as roadmap that makes the musical journey easy to follow... --- 1 Year Ago --- Thousands of Fans Greet Jackson For Start Of Trial Belfast Telegraph February 01, 2005 Thousands of fans, many of whom had camped out all night, screamed encouragement and pressed against barricades as Michael Jackson arrived at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California, yesterday, for the beginning of what is being called the "trial of the century".Accompanied by family members, lawyers and bodyguards, one of whom held an umbrella over Mr Jackson's head, the singer smiled and waved towards the sea of placards brandished by his fans. In the hours before his arrival, the fans had held an impromptu party to keep spirits up, singing, dancing and chanting support for their idol. Then, dressed in white, Mr Jackson waited his turn to pass through the metal detectors at the doors of the courthouse and held his arms out to be scanned by a security guard.The case is being heard in Santa Maria (population 85,000) because Mr Jackson's Neverland Ranch, the scene of the alleged offences, is in northern Santa Barbara County... The first task of the court will be the selection of 12 jurors from up to 750 candidates. That is expected to take a month.Businesses in the town are expecting a financial bonanza. All hotel rooms have been booked for months. Many residents have rented their houses to news organisations and bars and restaurants have laid in extra supplies of food and drink. Rooftops surrounding the courthouse are being rented to television networks for £1,200 a day; parking spaces are £250. Although more than 1,000 journalists are in the town, few will have seats in the courtroom. A pool of six reporters was allowed in yesterday and others listened to the proceedings in an overflow room. The courthouse was jammed, with the first batch of 150 jurors who will be given seven-page questionnaires to fill in before being questioned by lawyers for both sides and by the Santa Barbara County Judge, Rodney Melville... ---