£100m in Debt, Michael Jackson Pledged 50 Concert Run

The pop star's comeback tour seemed less motivated by desire than necessity, and there were doubts over his fragile health


At a much-anticipated press conference at the O2 arena in January, Jackson kept 7,000 fans waiting for two hours before announcing an initial 10-date residency at the venue. He spoke briefly to the crowd and told them he loved them. "When I say this is it," he said, "it really means this is it."

Reportedly £100m in debt, forced into selling his Neverland ranch to an investment company, his comeback seemed less motivated by desire than by necessity. He need not have worried about ticket sales, the day after the press conference, they were selling on eBay for between £300 and £16,000, with the official Michael Jackson website receiving 16,000 hits a second.

The 10-date run was extended to 50 dates spread over six months soon after the initial announcement, with 800,000 lucky and devoted fans getting their hands on a ticket. The troubled pop singer vowed that he record-breaking run – a joint venture between the O2 and AEG Live – would be his last in the British capital.

But rumors about what the series concerts, entitled This is It, would include, and why he was doing such a punishing run when he seemed so fragile, began almost immediately. There was debate over whether Jackson would sing, or lip-sync, and claims that he was planning to perform a medley of Jackson 5 hits. Tabloid newspapers reported that he was planning to play his greatest hits, including Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal and Thriller.

From the outset their were doubts over whether the star would ever complete the grueling residency, his first live shows for 12 years. Arthur Phoenix, former publicist to the Jackson family and adviser to Jackson's brother Tito, said soon after the dates were announced that he doubted Jackson would complete the concerts. "I just don't see it happening. I think there were 10 shows planned and then ticket sales were overwhelming and another 40 concerts were added," he said. "But Michael is not mentally, physically or spiritually ready for these shows. There's something missing in his soul. He's like Mike Tyson – it's over!"

Pete Waterman, of the music producing trio Stock Aitken Waterman, also warned fans to buy tickets to earlier shows, in case the singer's health faltered. Those fears seemed to be confirmed when Jackson announced that he was delaying the start of the residency.

The series of concerts received another setback earlier this month when the organisers of a proposed Jackson 5 reunion concert filed a $40m (£24m) lawsuit against the singer, claiming that Jackson's forthcoming O2 arena residency violated the terms of their 2008 contract. New Jersey-based promoter AllGood Entertainment claimed breach of contract and fraud – demanding $20m in compensatory damages and $20m in punitive damages. They alleged that in November of 2008, Jackson's manager, Frank DiLeo, signed an agreement promising that Jackson would perform in Texas in July 2010, alongside brothers his Marlon, Jackie, Tito, Randy and Jermaine, and that he had agreed to not perform solo until that time.

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 6/26/2009
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