Jan. 29 in history

22 Years Ago --- Michael Jackson Discharged Boston Globe January 29, 1984 Superstar Michael Jackson, hospitalized with burns from fireworks that ignited his hair during filming of a commercial, was quietly discharged from a hospital yesterday against his doctor's recommendation. Dr. Steve Hoefflin said he believed it was best for Jackson to stay at Brotman Memorial Hospital burns institute, but reluctantly agreed to his release at 3:30 p.m. (EST). Hours earlier, he had told reporters Jackson would be hospitalized "for several days." He said Jackson may require reconstructive surgery. Nurse Pat Lavalas, the burn unit supervisor, said Jackson was in good spirits yesterday morning and he received many telephone calls, including get-well wishes from singers Teddy Pendergrass and Stephanie Mills. "He sang a Stephanie Mills song in the bathroom. He stayed in bed and opened telegrams, and he got a big kick out of one from a fan that said, I know you're hot, but this is ridiculous,"' the nurse said. A spokesman for Jackson said the singer requested that a tape of the accident be made public as soon as the film can be processed. One witness told United Press International that Jackson removed his jacket without breaking stride and tried to put out the fire. Extra Daryoush Maze, 25, said: "It seemed like it was part of the show. He was doing it very professionally, still dancing. He's a good trouper." Dennis Fliegelman, a hospital spokesman, said Jackson can resume public appearances in about two weeks. There's other good news for Jackson. His latest LP, "Thriller," sold so many copies that Bantam Books had to stop the presses Thursday on the paperback edition of the Guinness Book of World Records to enter it as "the biggest selling solo album." --- 20 Years Ago --- A 'World' of Singers Newsday January 29, 1986 The prominent crowd at the three-hour American Music Awards gala telecast Monday night was different. Hundreds stood and clapped in unison as many of the 45 original "We Are the World" performers joined hostess Diana Ross onstage for a first-anniversary rendition of the song that has so far raised $44 million to feed starving people. Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Kim Carnes, Stevie Wonder and others who created the song Jan. 28, 1985, sang along with Ross and Elizabeth Taylor, who attended the gala at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. The program honored "We Are the World" and pop music's year of charity, as special awards of appreciation were given to Belafonte, Irish rock star Bob Geldof and Willie Nelson for their fund-raising efforts... --- 19 Years Ago --- Fashion Notes Providence Journal January 29, 1987 Erstwhile Big Star Michael Jackson, who last year turned up as a doll, has now put his MJ logo to a line of clothes for children and young juniors... Who is supposed to wear these clothes? According to the press kit, they are designed for "savvy youngsters. They are mall-roamers and window-shoppers. They know what's tops on the charts, they know what's in the stores, in magazines, on TV. Most importantly, kids today know what their friends and schoolmates are wearing. They don't want to be kooky - they do want to be current, and maybe just a little bit ahead!" Michael Jackson sportswear comes in girls' sizes 7 to 14, boys' sizes 8 to 20, and junior girls sizes 3 to 13... As his news release states: "It was at Murjani that Hirsh pioneered the aggressive, total marketing approach he is known for." He projects first-year Michael Jackson sales at $35 million. --- --- Prehistoric Ride Helps Propel Knott's Future Los Angeles Times January 29, 1987 ...Nearby, in Knott's 800-seat, Cloud Nine ballroom, a three-dimension, 22-minute movie will premiere in March. Details of the film have not been released. But despite apparent similarities, Van Gorder insisted that the film is is not a reaction to Disneyland's "Captain Eo," a much-publicized high-tech video made by singer Michael Jackson. "It's the most obvious entertainment medium today" and saves the cost of paying live performers, he noted... Knott's promotional efforts will focus on the new dinosaur ride, a prehistoric competitor of Disneyland's futuristic Star Tours. The studio which created the dinosaur attraction stars is also the one that created Universal Studio's new King Kong: Sequoia Creative Inc., of Sun Valley, Calif. Sequoia also was the breeding ground for the two mechanical spiders that "attacked" Michael Jackson during his Victory Tour two years ago. --- 18 Years Ago --- Earth, Wind & Fire in Cosmic Tradition Newsday January 29, 1988 Earth, Wind & Fire; The pop-soul group, reunited, Wednesday night at Radio City Music Hall. Sold-out shows continue through Sunday. No one was surprised When Earth, Wind & Fire called it quits in 1983: The flame had been burning low on one of the most popular black pop and soul bands of the 1970s for years. Prince had already outflanked them in funk innovation, Lionel Richie (once a member of EWF's competitors, the Commodores) had the market cornered on crossover ballads, and Michael Jackson - well, Jackson was about to obliterate everyone else with "Thriller." --- --- Minneapolis Sound Star Tribune January 29, 1988 If you want the "Minneapolis sound," then you might turn to Bobby Z's brother, producer David Rivkin. Jermaine Jackson, older brother of Michael Jackson, will come to the Twin Cities next month to record with Rivkin, best known for his work with Jody Watley, the Jets and Sheila E. The Jackson deal was arranged by Arista Records chief Clive Davis, who has guided the recording careers of Whitney Houston and Barry Manilow. This week, Rivkin has been producing a session here for Paul Shaffer, the musical director of TV's "Late Night with David Letterman." It is one of several tracks Shaffer will be recording for his debut album, "Coast to Coast." "It's a concept album to pay tribute to different centers of regional sounds," said Shaffer. "I consider Minneapolis to be one of them in the '60s and to be one now. Minneapolis was the center for the garage (rock) sound in the '60s, and we want to combine that with the new funk sound..." --- 16 Years Ago --- Can't Beat It Newsday January 29, 1990 Michael Jackson and Sophia Loren smiled for the cameras Saturday at the American Cinema Awards in Los Angeles. Loren presented Jackson with the Entertainer of the Decade prize. --- --- Painting One of a Kind The Gazette January 29, 1990 Superstar Michael Jackson has unveiled a painting of himself that was described as a bargain by the Japanese businessman who bought it for $2.1 million US. The painting by Australian artist Brett-Livingstone Strong is called The Book. It was bought by Hiromichi Saeki, president of the PAX Corp. of Tokyo, a multinational company trading in hotels, real estate, and sports and leisure complexes. At a news conference to present the 130-centimetre by 100- centimetre canvas, Saeki feigned surprise at being asked why he thought the portrait was worth $2.1 million. "I think I got a bargain," the 43-year-old entrepreneur replied. "I think it's cheap at that price. Michael Jackson is priceless. This painting is one of a kind. There is no other painting in the world like it." He said he bought the portrait because Jackson is the most popular entertainer in Japan, and he was an admirer of the star. The picture will be hung in the gallery of the new PAX Theatre in Tokyo. Jackson appeared at the news conference Friday but did not speak. The painting depicts Jackson as a "modern renaissance man" dressed in a red jacket and blue tights sitting on a stool and clasping a book, which does not have a title on the cover. --- 14 Years Ago --- Caught Sequin-handed Newsday January 29, 1992 There it was, the glove. Michael Jackson's white, crystal-beaded glove, and the devoted fan of the singer couldn't resist. He grabbed it. The sequined glove, which Jackson took on a concert tour in the mid-1980s, was stolen in October from the Motown Museum in Detroit. Bruce M. Hays, 23, faced up to 12 years in prison for the theft, but was placed on 2 years' probation yesterday after he pleaded no contest to the charge of felony larceny. Hays, of Flint, Mich., wouldn't comment after Judge Dominick Carnovale gave his decision, which also included 20 hours of community service. But Hays' mother, Pamela, told The Associated Press, "Sure I'm relieved. Jail was always a possibility." Before sentencing, Hays gave the judge a statement saying that police posed for photos with the glove before arresting him two days after the theft. --- 13 Years Ago --- Super Bowl Musical Punt Tops Off a 50-yard-line Thriller Orange County Register January 29, 1993 On Sunday, Michael Jackson's televised halftime extravaganza is the winning play that will snag an anticipated one billion not-necessarily-football-fans worldwide. At 4:52 p.m. Sunday afternoon the King of Pop is slated to top the largest halftime show in Super Bowl history. The Bills-Cowboys carnage may well be an anticlimax after Jackson takes the Rose Bowl's 100-yard field with a cast of 3,500 singing, swaying LA schoolchildren. But at 10 minutes in length, Jackson's performance is also one of the shortest halftime shows ever... This year's Jackson Bowl is a quick, explosive musical punt featuring the "Thriller" and "Bad" boy himself atop a 10-ton stage at the 50-yard line, flanked by two 520-square-foot Jumbotron viewing screens and sparked by one ton of imported fireworks. It's produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning Don Mischer, who produced the "Motown 25" TV special that premiered Michael's signature moonwalk. And it's coordinated by Radio City Music Hall Productions, which brought us Chubby Checker, the Rockettes and 88 grand pianos for Super Bowl 22. If all goes according to schedule, more than 250 volunteer policemen and firefighters will scramble to get Jackson and more than 500 singing children, including students from Gardener Elementary, Jackson's alma mater, mounted on the colossal 22-piece set and rolled onto the football field in five minutes flat. Then, more than 2,000 other members of youth choirs and high school drill teams will converge on Jackson from tunnel entrances, stands and sidelines, as an audience-participation card stunt fills the entire Rose Bowl. Choreographer Dee Dee Wood, who's worked with Cher, Diana Ross, and Debbie Allen, will be planning all the smooth moves. Precise musical details are being kept under close wraps but should conclude with a rendition of Jackson's new "Heal the World" anthem... --- 10 Years Ago --- An AIDS Victim's Mother Moves Audience To Tears Times Union January 29, 1996 Jeanne White, whose son Ryan died in 1990, speaks at HIV Policy Conference. Ryan White, the courageous hemophiliac who symbolized the devastation of innocence by AIDS, was dying. Elton John was in his room and Michael Jackson phoned. White's mother, Jeanne, told an Albany audience Sunday night that she told Jackson, "It's no use." The youth was in a coma and could hear nothing. But Jackson implored her to put his call through anyway, insisting, "Oh no, he'll be able to hear me, I know he will," so for five minutes they held the receiver to Ryan's ear. Then Elton John turned to her with tears running down his face, she recalled, and said quietly, "You know, with all the money that's in this room, we can't bring this boy back to life!" The story, recounted in a quavering voice, was part of a keynote speech by White's mother that sparked applause and tears from an audience of 1,500 gathered at the Omni Hotel during opening day of the sixth annual statewide HIV Policy Conference... When Ryan died, people told his mother that her grief would abate with time. "Believe me," she said, "it doesn't get easier." Her sadness grows as she continues to watch AIDS kill many of the soldiers in the battle, she said. "But," she said as audience members rose to their feet, "I know I am going to get to see my son again someday soon. And he won't have hemophilia, and he won't have AIDS." --- 6 Years Ago --- Record-breakers In The News National Post January 29, 2000 The Guinness Book of Records has been compiling amazing feats for 55 years -- many by kids. Here are some of the highlights from the 1999 and brand new millennium editions. ... Youngest singer in a band to top U.S. singles chart Michael Jackson was 11 years old when he sang the lead on I Want You Back by the Jackson Five, which reached Number 1 on the U.S. charts in 1970. He later went on to make the largest-selling album of all time, Thriller (1982), with sales of 45 million worldwide. Stevie Wonder was the youngest singer to top the U.S. singles chart at age 13, when his song Fingertips reached Number 1. ... --- 5 Years Ago --- Jennifer Lopez Hits Her Stride On Sophomore Disc Newhouse News Service January 29, 2001 ...Before the comparisons go too far, for the record, Lopez's surprisingly successful sophomore album, "J.Lo," is far better than anything teen queen Spears has recorded. Lopez may be limited as a singer, but she's got star power to spare, and she's made the most of it here. The disc is a significant improvement over her 1999 debut, "On the 6," mainly because the Latin heartthrob has stopped trying to be something she's not. Steering clear of upper-octave histrionics and staying within a cool comfort range, Lopez lets her allure carry the savory blend of dance pop, R&B and Latin flavors. Some of the best moments on the disc have a definite Jackson influence and that's not just Janet, but Michael as well. "We Gotta Talk" is a standout piece of sizzling dance magic in motion, evocative of Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" period. Both the hit single "Love Don't Cost a Thing" and the lusty ballad "Secretly" the latter of which Lopez simply purrs her way through are reminiscent of sister Janet, whose influence on modern dance pop is often underrated... --- 2 Years Ago --- Judge Orders Kelly Not To Mingle With Jackson At Grammys Milwaukee Journal Sentinel January 29, 2004 R. Kelly won't be mingling with Michael Jackson during next month's Grammy festivities: A judge has ordered the R&B star, who is awaiting trial on child pornography charges, to stay away from the King of Pop, himself facing child molestation charges, when Kelly attends the awards. Kelly, who is based in Chicago, has produced two songs for Jackson: the 1995 hit "You Are Not Alone" and last fall's "One More Chance." Kelly is nominated for two Grammys at the Feb. 8 ceremony and had to get a judge's permission to attend the Los Angeles event; Jackson is not up for any awards, and there are no indications he plans to attend the event. Prosecutors and Kelly's lawyers said they never raised the issue of a meeting between Jackson and Kelly during a hearing this week about Kelly's travel. Cook County Circuit Judge Vincent Gaughan made the edict on his own, they said... --- --- Neverland Fairytale Liverpool Echo January 29, 2004 Liverpool band Chione have come a long way since they were nominated for an ECHO Entertainment Award - from Kensington to Neverland,in fact. Chione - currently based in Los Angeles - were recently guests at Michael Jackson's ranch in California,as part of a documentary the star is making called You Are Not Alone. And they tell The insider that answering a call of nature at Neverland can be an interesting experience as all the toilets pipe out the story of Peter Pan on speakers! Chione singer Natalie Reeves says: "We were invited via a friend of our manager's,and it was a surreal experience. It was a fantastic day. We met Michael's mum and dad and they were lovely. There were elephants and camels and a giant toy train that you could ride on. "When we got there, we got to eat and drink free food and play in the games room which was state of the art. It was a beautiful place. Michael arrived surrounded by friends." The show - including a performance by MC Hammer - was running late,and Natalie had to leave before meeting Michael but hopes to in the near future... ---