Throughout his life and career, Michael Jackson was the subject of countless rumors. Talk of plastic surgery, child molestation, and homosexuality dogged him for years. Most importantly, before his death, Michael Jackson was not healthy – physically or emotionally. Author Ian Halperin penned the first book about the King of Pop after his death. His research for the book involved gaining undercover access to the pop star, and as such Halperin was privy to information about Jackson the public may not have known. In this video WatchMojo speaks with Halperin about Jackson’s plastic surgery, his health before he died, and his sexuality.
John Mellencamp’s new album Life, Death, Love and Freedom debuted at #7 on the Billboard Pop Chart and is his most acclaimed record to date. He is currently on tour to support the release. Please feel free to check out is his new video for “My Sweet Love” below.
John Mellencamp’s newest collection, Life, Death, Love and Freedom, debuted at #7 and has sold more than 56,156 copies in its first week of release. His new record was released on HEAR Music and is currently available in traditional retail outlets as well as Starbucks company-operated locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The album marks the songwriter’s 22nd release of his legendary career, his fourth top ten debut and 11th top ten album overall.
Critical response for Life, Death, Love and Freedom has been outstanding. Rolling Stone’s Mark Kemp wrote, “Mellencamp teamed up with producer T Bone Burnett to create a whole new sound — a set of textured, atmospheric folk and country blues that adds up to one of the most compelling albums of Mellencamp’s career.” TIME Magazine called the album Mellencamp’s “best in a decade. A -.”
The 14-track album was produced by T Bone Burnett and is the first of its kind employing the ΧΟΔΕ (CODE) format, a proprietary audio technology that creates high-definition audio files that are virtually indistinguishable from the original master tapes.
Mellencamp recently completed performances on the Late Show with David Letterman and the CBS Early Show in Daley Plaza, Chicago. Earlier this year the songwriter was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and this past December he received the ASCAP Foundation’s Champion Award for his outstanding use of music in the service of humanity. Mellencamp kicked off a month long tour in support of the new release on July 8, 2008. Later this year Mellencamp and his band will be touring throughout Australia and New Zealand for the first time in 16 years.
John Mellencamp starts a tour this week in support of the release, by Hear Music, of Life, Death, Love and Freedom. The album, the 22nd of his career and the first to have been produced by T Bone Burnett, is out July 15. The tour starts Tuesday, July 8 at Philadelphia’s Mann Music Center. His concert performances will highlight music from the new album as well as well known material reflective of the breadth of the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s creative output.
“My Sweet Love” Audio Streams:
The album’s release has been preceded by broad acceptance of its first track, “My Sweet Love” that includes back-up vocals by Karen Fairchild of the hit country music vocal group Little Big Town. Upon its debut, it was the number one most added song at both the AAA and Americana radio formats and has entered the Top 20 in both within three weeks. Among the stations programming “My Sweet Love” are WXRT/Chicago, KFOG/SF, KBCO/Denver, WXPN/Philadelphia, WFUV/New York, WZLX/Boston, KINK/Portland, KMTT/Seattle, KLOS/Los Angeles and many others. VH1 is set to debut the video for “My Sweet Love,” shot on location in Savannah, GA and directed by Martyn Atkins, this week Mellencamp will be performing music from the album on Late Night with David Letterman on Thursday, July 17th and on the CBS Early Show in a special remote concert broadcast from Chicago on Monday, July 21st.
Early critical response to the album has been excellent. Reviewing the album for Rolling Stone, Mark Kemp wrote, “Mellencamp teamed up with producer T Bone Burnett to create a whole new sound — a set of textured, atmospheric folk and country blues that adds up to one of the most compelling albums of Mellencamp’s career.” Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote, “Everywhere he looks he sees shattered expectations and looming sorrow, both in his own future and in the wider world. And where, in decades past, he would shrug off any odds against him and come up grinning, now he strives for simple perseverance. It’s a brave album in the way it sets aside all his old consolations.”
The album is the very first ever release employing the ΧΟΔΕ (CODE) format, developed by Burnett and his team, offering high resolution audio playable through any DVD player. All copies are packaged with a standard CD at no additional charge. Hear is also releasing the album on vinyl, as well, to address the analog renaissance.
Later this year Mellencamp and his band will be touring Australia and New Zealand for the first time in 16 years.
John Mellencamp Tour Dates
July 8 Mann Music Center - Philadelphia, PA
July 10 Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY
July 11 PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ
July 14 Bank of America Pavilion - Boston, MA
July 15 Bank of America Pavilion - Boston, MA
July 18 DTE Energy Music Theatre - Clarkston, MI
July 22 Charter One Pavilion @ Northerly Island - Chicago, IL
July 23 Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
July 25 Ford Center - Oklahoma City, OK
July 27 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Denver, CO
July 30 Santa Barbara Bowl- Santa Barbara, CA
July 31 Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Aug 2 Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA
John Mellencamp’s eagerly anticipated new album, Life, Death, Love and Freedom, produced by T Bone Burnett, will be released July 15 by Hear Music at Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as traditional music retail.
Mellencamp has characterized the album as a collection of “modern electric folk songs.” With backing from his legendary touring band, the album’s 14 tracks were recorded at his studio in Bloomington, Indiana and mixed in Los Angeles with Burnett behind the boards for all of the sessions. Mellencamp cites Burnett’s production as key to “finding the soul of each song.” As far as signing to Hear Music is concerned, he noted, “In today’s business environment, each artist needs to pursue his own path and determine what works best. For me, Hear is the right way to go for this album. I’m glad to be working with a team of open minded people who seem to be interested in what the music is about and what it sounds like.”
“John Mellencamp is true original, a writer and performing artist of passion, talent and spirit who in the course of his exceptional career has maintained a unique and distinctive voice in his songwriting,” said Glen Barros, president & CEO of Concord Music Group who oversees the Hear Music label. “The songs on this record are perhaps his most intimate, honest and poignant of his career. We are delighted to have this opportunity to work on ‘Life, Love, Death and Freedom.’”
“My Sweet Love” Audio Streams:
The album will be the first ever release in the ΧΟΔΕ (CODE) format. T Bone Burnett and his team of engineers developed CODE, a proprietary audio technology that creates high-definition audio files that are virtually indistinguishable from the original master tapes. The resonance, warmth and presence that has been realized with CODE is unprecedented in the digital era. The CODE version of “Life, Death, Love and Freedom” is a DVD that will come packaged with a standard CD version of the album, available at all retail outlets, at no additional cost to the consumer. The CODE disc is playable on virtually all DVD machines including stand-alone players and drives integrated into computer systems. The DVD’s content can be copied into most computer music software including iTunes and can, then, be downloaded onto personal music players such as the iPod. The standard CD is included to answer all possible compatibility questions. Mellencamp commented, “When T Bone introduced me to CODE, it was a remarkable experience. I could hear the music the way it was intended to be heard. I’m very happy the people are going to be able to share this experience in a way that’s so true to our original intent.”
John Mellencamp Official Site:
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