WORLDWIDE CLAMOR BY MICHAEL JACKSON FANS
Make MJ’s 2001 Invincible Album – VISIBLE
Buying Event Starts on October, with a 10th Year Anniversary Special held in Astroplus Mall of Asia on October 2 and Astroplus SM North Edsa (Annex) on October 30
Michael Jackson’s last studio album – Invincible – is approaching its 10th year anniversary since it was released in 2001, this October. Old and new Michael Jackson fans are launching a worldwide campaign to put this album back on top for its anniversary, with 80 countries participating.
The album has 16 tracks – a far cry from Thriller’s (album) 9 tracks. Almost a ‘double-album’ with its number of songs, Invincible is considered a throwback to Jackson’s Motown roots with its focus on Funk, Soul, and R&B.
Invincible’s production lasted 3 years with the collaboration of 2 renowned industry producers – Rodney Jerkins and Teddy Riley. Out of the 16 tracks, Jackson wrote and co-wrote 14 of them.Typical of a Jackson project, a myriad of award-winning and legendary artists are prominent throughout Invincible. 11-time Billboard award-winner ‘R. Kelly’, BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year ‘Babyface’, 14-Grammy Winner guitar guru ‘Carlos Santana’, 2-time Oscar winner and The Godfather himself ‘Marlon Brando’, and comedian Chris Tucker (best known for his Rush Hour Michael Jackson impersonation) – are but a few names littered throughout the project. Yet, the album did not quite get the usual numbers expected of a Michael Jackson album. With such prominent names and its 3 extensive years of production, what happened?
Two things happened: Michael Jackson and a former Sony executive had a conflict which affected the album’s promotion, and two, the 9/11 terrorist attacks on World Trade Center happened. With 9/11, all efforts to promote the album ceased. It was a hard time in American history. And thus, despite the album’s impressive first sales figures, Invincible took a step back behind the 9/11 tragedy.
8 years later, with the re-release of Michael Jackson’s albums on record stores after the star’s passing, fans, new and old, rediscovered an album they never heard before. The album quickly became a fan favorite, it has even been used as a way to differentiate the ‘avante-garde’ fan, from the pedestrian:
Elena Delgado of ‘Michael Jackson Fan Club of the Philippines’ (MJFCP) says:
“My favorite Michael Jackson album happens to be Invincible, it is the most soulful of his work. In my opinion, Michael grew as an artist and Invincible proves that. You will never hear such songs as ‘Speechless’, which happens to be my favorite MJ track of all time, with its depth & richness anywhere else. People who claim the 80s albums to be the best are not aware of his later albums. I happen to be a lover of Classical Rock & Celtic Music, and I need more than surface pop to move me like Invincible has.”
Such sentiment is shared by many in the fanbase. MJFCP has taken the task of promoting this album and getting it heard by the mainstream in the Philippines. A collaboration with Astroplus has been anticipating 2 events this coming October. An event filled with dancing to Invincible songs, The Experience gameplay, a raffle, and prizes that will kick-off the Invincible launching party in Astroplus Mall Of Asia on October 2, and Astroplus SM North Edsa (Annex) on October 30.
3 Promotional Teasers were made, with 3 more in the works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ99ScaFXcM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GigeUOcCzbY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J25gwB_8H_8
But the worldwide support for the campaign is not limited to the Michael Jackson community alone:
Highly acclaimed author and scholar Joseph Vogel, author of the highly anticipated study of Jackson’s musicology ‘Man In the Music’ (to be released in November), lent his support;
“what would be cool is if #mjsinvincible was re-released as a double album (with unreleased songs). MJ always wanted to do a double album.! I support #mjsinvincible.”
"Whether protesting environmental destruction, racism, media distortion, materialism, war or injustice, Michael Jackson consistently used music as a means to challenge the status quo and change the world. While critics have been slow to acknowledge his dissident role, he stands alongside musicians like Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Radiohead as one of the most astute and powerful protest artists of the past century."
Lynton Guest, former member of the 60s group ‘Love Affair’ and their hit ‘Everlasting Love’, and author of the controversial ‘The Trials of Michael Jackson’ says:
“I am pleased to support this campaign. Invincible is certainly one of the best albums Michael Jackson made and it deserves to be recognised as such. I for one hope it gets back to number one.”
"I remember driving in London one day when Speechless came on the radio. I was blown away. I had to stop the car and pull in to the roadside, to the annoyance of the other drivers. I just couldn’t help it. How was it possible, I thought that this man could top his previous efforts? And so effortlessly!"
Anthony Chidiac, otherwise known as DJ 2greendollars, who collaborated in the production of the film documentary THIS IS IT, also gives his strong support with his remix of ‘Invincible’ and ‘Whatever Happens’:
“Michael's last album for Epic (and last album made while he was alive) was arguably his best ever work….”
Debbie Francis a.k.a. mjinvincible, founder of the Invincible Campaign, discovered, like many new Michael Jackson initiates: “When he died I wanted to buy it in the shops and could not find it, had to go online and then found out what had happened….”
Thus the campaign began, as a way for Debbie and other fans to vindicate Jackson, especially with the upcoming Conrad Murray trial in tow. The Campaign has since, reached over 80 countries worldwide.
The album will hit shelves on October on all record stores in time for its 10th year release. It must be time for INVINCIBLE to be visible.
For more information about the INVINCIBLE campaign or to schedule an interview with Nena de la Concepcion, please call or text Liz Mamucud at 0916-781-5500 or message Miss Liz atdragonhart32@yahoo.com or http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1317316969
The Michael Jackson Fan Club of the Philippines began out of the tragic passing of the King of Pop, Rock and Soul. It started as a way for Filipino fans to gather, to mourn, to celebrate, and to remember an icon with those they found a kindred spirit with. It has since expanded and evolved into an active fan community dedicated in spreading and pursuing Michael Jackson’s legacy through various charitable causes, worldwide events, and worthwhile vindication efforts all based and focused in the Philippine locale and community.
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