Superstar MICHAEL JACKSON will follow in the footsteps of PRINCE and play a London residency next year (08), according to reports.
The Thriller hitmaker is rumoured to be in negotiations with promoters AEG Live to organise a series of concerts to help settle outstanding debts of $325 million (£162.5 million).
And Jackson is reportedly looking to emulate the Purple Rain singer’s success when he played 21 dates at London’s O2 Arena over the summer (07).
A source tells British newspaper the Daily Star, “The general consensus is that Jacko has the fan base to attract enough gig-goers from all over the world to make this a huge success.
“Booking the O2 up for more than a couple of nights might seem like a big gamble on his and his promoters’ part, but just think of the history. People will flock to witness Jacko cover his back catalogue.” And the promoters have further fuelled speculation about the London dates.
AEG Europe’s David Campbell says, “We have two big residencies booked for the fourth quarter of 2008.”
Michael Jackson has been given 25 days to submit financial information to a California law firm or face handing over massive unpaid legal fees.
Yesterday (12.12.07), a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered Jackson to provide records to Ayscough and Marar - who he employed during his child molestation case in 2005 - or pay the $256,000 in unpaid legal fees the firm were awarded in a judgement against him in July.
Judge James C. Chalfant said: “While the court has no reason to doubt the sincerity of the representations of his attorneys, the fact of the matter is that under law, Jackson must provide further responses to the law firm’s request, particularly since he agreed to do so through the meet-and-confer process.”
Jackson’s lawyer Marshall L. Brubacher told the judge his client would be able to come up with the funds in nine days, once he has finished the refinancing of his Neverland Ranch in California.
Brubacher also said sorting through Jackson’s financial documents could take longer than 25 days.
He said: “I went to Neverland last week, and it’s a mammoth amount of work, because there are 30,000 boxes of financial documents.”
Ayscough and Marar’s lawyer Michael McCarthy countered: “Thirty-thousand boxes, that’s not even credible.”
Pop superstar Michael Jackson has been depending on the kindness of friends to provide him and his children shelter after being sent out of places he rented in Las Vegas and Washington.
Pagesix.com reports that Jackson, who is nearly broke and about to lose his Neverland Ranch, had to spend last week at the Beverly Hills home of his good friend Ron Burkle.
“The whole family has been hiding out. They were holed up in Burkle’s place behind the Beverly Hills Hotel. They even refused to come out of their rooms and hid when Burkle had guests over,” said a source.
Jackson is at default on a $23 million loan against his ranch and is on the verge of losing his entire fortune. Before he decided to shack up with Burkle, the singer was living in a private home in New Jersey.
Rumors of a Jackson 5 reunion show for 2008 have been sparked by a concert promoter.Leonard Rowe promoted Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall tour the late ’70s/early ’80s. He has now met with the Jacksons to discuss the possibility of a reunion tour in 2008.
Rowe told Access Atlanta: “His brothers are ready. Janet is ready. But the motor of that car that makes the car run, isn’t just yet.”
Rowe added: “In April of this year, I flew out to Las Vegas and met with them all and he told me, ‘Let’s look at ‘08.’ We wanted to go this year, but [Michael] said it would take a lot of preparation. He didn’t say no.”
The last Jackson 5 studio album was 1989’s 2300 Jackson Street.
Michael Jackson is planning to launch his own US talent show. He is set to team up with 52-year-old brother Jermaine, 78-year-old dad Joe and Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx to front a series to rival Simon Cowell’s ‘American Idol’.
A source close to the family said: “Michael has seen how big ‘American Idol’ has become, but knows that by teaming up with his family and high-flying friends he can do even better.”
The 49-year-old pop superstar is set to appear as a mentor on Cowell’s UK talent show ‘The X Factor’ in December.
Cowell said recently: “I got a call from his people saying he really likes the show and would love to be a part of it.”
California residents just might see the following real estate listing very soon …
Foreclosure Sale: Priced to Sell! Stunning 2,500-plus acre ranch surrounded by gorgeous vineyards in the lush rolling hills of Los Olivos, Calif. Property features a magnificent mansion as well as unique improvements including bumper cars and a primate center.
Of course, this estate also comes with loads of baggage, as it was once the primary residence of the self-proclaimed King of Pop.
Michael Jackson is at risk of losing his Neverland Ranch if he does not pay at least $212,963 on his delinquent $23,212,963 loan. Jackson took out a $23 million loan in 2006 amid mounting debts.
The Mortgage Lender Implode-O-Meter, a foreclosure tracking Web site, discovered the property listed on a Notice of
According to that report, Jackson is, as of October 12, delinquent $23,212,963 on a $23,000,000 loan.
Notice of Defaults in the state of California typically go out when a homeowner misses their third payment. After another 30 days, the homeowner is issued a foreclosure notice.
According to this document, it appears that the King of Pop is $212,963 delinquent on the loan’s principal of $23 mil.
Lookin Good!