Happy Birthday Michael Jackson!

The 'King Of Pop' turns 50 today!

We wish him a splendid celebration.

Visit MJ at his official site.

MP3: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #418

'Billy's Toxic Britney Bitch'

'Billie Jean' & 'Toxic'

VERSUS

'Super Freak' & 'The Hardest Button To Button'

MP3: 'Billy's Toxic Britney Bitch'

Is Michael Jackson Hiding Out In New Jersey?

The Huffington Post seems to think so: *Michael Jackson, homeless and drifting -- and still in default on a $23 million loan against his Neverland Ranch -- spent the last three months living in Franklin Lakes, N.J., in a family's private home, trying to be normal. Sources have confirmed for me that Jackson showed up on the door step of Dominick and Connie Cascio in mid-August and stayed until the day he left for Los Angeles and Jesse Jackson's birthday party around Nov. 7. Jackson had been spotted on Halloween day at a costume shop in Wyckoff, N.J. That was the tip off that a new weird chapter in Jackson's soap opera was being written. But the visit got little buzz and the news mostly faded before it left the confines of the Garden State.* Draw your own conclusions and/or one-liners. MJ MP3 below.

MP3: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

Today In WTF: M. Jackson Buys Stake In Bjork & Beck's Tunes

NME is reporting that Michael Jackson has bought a stake in the back catalogs of Beck, Bjork, Shakira & Eminem amongst others.

The official statement reads: "This is a milestone event for Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

The diverse collection of songs in this catalogue range from timeless classics to contemporary hits, and I am pleased to add the acquisition of Famous Music to Sony/ ATV."

Thoughts? Yay, nay or indifferent?

MP3: Beck - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes

Today In WTF: $3500 For 30 Seconds With MJ

That's what some Japanese superfans are paying today to hang out with the former King Of Pop at an exclusive party thrown by Michael, himself.

Yahoo! has more on the event: At the VIP party, guests paying $3,500 will get to mingle with Jackson and spend 30 seconds to one minute each of exclusive face time with the Gloved One, according to organizers. It was unclear whether the star will perform any songs. While in Tokyo, the star will also host a fan art contest for Japanese who cannot afford VIP tickets, organizers Davis, Bain and Associates said in an e-mail. Three winning artists chosen by Jackson will have brunch with the star and their picture taken together.

$3500 and you don't even get to hear a song! L.A.M.E! Read the entire story here. In related news, it's still unclear if Michael will make his rumored comeback this summer at a Vegas theater, originally built for Celine Dion (whose 3-year run is now finally over).

MP3: Michael Jackson - Rock With You

Smooth Criminal Not Guilty After All...

Like you missed it on, you know, everywhere.... Micheal Jackson (BBC, NY Times, Guardian, NME.com) turns out not to be guilty after all. Wonder if he's going to start issuing libel lawsuits against people like liquidgeneration.com?

In other news, Green Day are asking fans to star in a DVD. If you have .bittorrent, then you're probably better off (legally, I think!) downloading this DVD of Green Day's MTV Storytellers performance (American Idiot in its entirety - registration required).

Download this week's Tartan Podcast. Go oooon, you know you want to.

The Guardian appreciate Malcolm Middleton's apparently 'odd combination of summer sounds and wrist-slashing words [which] initially sounds like a poet of doom at the karaoke'. I am going buy this album. And the Moaners' record too, that sounds awesome, yeah!

Mogwai are recording a new record. Yippee! I was listening to Come On Die Young the other night, and realised that I'd forgotten just how great this band is, with their quiet, mathematical noodling and MIND SHATTERINGLY LOUD BITS. What a combo.

Oh, and tickets for live8 in Edinburgh are available via a text lottery now. What's the link? I'm not telling you, I want them for myself... now to text for the 78th time...

A late addition - blatantly stolen from the largehearted boy, but good enough I thought to share...a link to the White Stripes performance at Atlanta's Music Midtown...