European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 2, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Michael Jackson the eccentric Man child musical Genius  by atm inter Titt nut behaviour have kept wags wig gang end cameras clicking. Barichar Deatley associated Pressi t s seen four years since Michael Jackson s thriller in was released a landmark work that grew into he most successful album of All time Wilh More than 40 million copies sold worldwide. The Effort produced eight grammy and seven top 10 singles including Bear ii and Billie Jean. And ii lionized Lor All Lime the reclusive Young artist whose shyness faded the moment he hit a stage or walked in front of a camera. The album also blew open the doors of crossover music by incorporating musical signatures from pop. Rook heavy Metal soul and rhythm and blues. Lbs records released Jackson s first up since thriller oar Ngy called bad onaug.31. The eccentric performer will also tour Japan and Australia to promote the record. Bui How Well the album does will probably take a Back seat to talk on Iho eccentricities of its multimillionaire artist. Jackson who turned 29 on aug. �9, is private and inaccessible to All but a Glove Ful of friends and associates still Ever since his first sob up Oil the Wall 1979he has kept wags wagging and cameras clicking for any Little Nugget about his bizarre interests and behaviour that rivals that of the late Howard Hughes one of Jackson s personal heroes another is Peter pan. There have been claims that he wanted to live 1 50 years by using an oxygen pressure chamber that he keeps a huge menagerie of exotic animals at his Encino calif., estate and had extensive plastic surgery to reportedly make him look like song stylist Diana Ross. Then there were his recent efforts to buy the deformed Skeleton of elephant Man John Merrick for $1 million. Me also created a shrine to actress Elizabeth Taylor in his Home and has mannequins he reportedly dresses to resemble Taylor floss and actress Sophia Loren. Jackson was a devoted Jehovah s witness Lor Many the Jackson family Empire by Dolores Barclay associated press Oseph Jackson was a musician whose band never quite made it no matter. His nine children did. Big. One Hundred million record albums big. Jackson Heads a musical Empire of sorts and the Crown Prince is his fifth son. Michael the phantom of fantasy who became a recording Industry legend with his last up thriller. But surely the Empress of the Empire is the youngest Jackson. 21 year old Janet whose Best Selling control up produced the hits Eva say a bad have you done Lor me lately and when / think of you. She also was nominated Lor three grammy this year. Janet was not born when her Brothers first formed the Jackson 5 in 1964 in Gary ind., where their father worked in the steel Mills and their Mother Katharine worked part time at Sears. The group performed Lor pay at or. Lucky s in Gary in 1965, they won a local Talent contest at a Gary High school singing my girl and shake it baby. Michael with his prep Bescan Wail and who gyrated and dipped his Best James Brown was Lead Singer for older Brothers Marlon Tito Jackie and Jermaine. The group began Louring locally within two years and by the time Michael was 10, they were performing in such locales As new York and Philadelphia. A winning performance at the new York Apollo theater s Amateur might attracted the attention of song stylist Gladys Knight wow recommended the Jackson s join the Detroit hit factory motown. Their first motown record was want you Back in 19o. It reached no 1 in a dozen weeks. By september 1970, Tamla motown reported the adolescent hoppers had sold 10 million singles worldwide of l want you Back abcs xxi the lava you save. It was something of a recording Industry phen Nenton. When Michael was it the family went to Hollywood. It was freezing in Indiana Michael said in a 1983 interview with Newsweek. The Sun the swimming pools a whole other image a whole other  we used to talk to the boys about gelling big Heads their Mother once said. None of them is belter than anyone else. One might have a Little More Talent but thai does t make you  the group left motown in 1976 for the epic Label and became the Jacksons. Their musical career began to dip and was revived Only by the up destiny the first they had entirely written themselves. Then Michael cams out with his first Solo up off Trie Walt suddenly spinning him tar beyond his Brothers. He rejoined the family in 1981 and went on a 39-City tour that grossed s5.5 million. He performed again with his Brothers in the highly publicized 1984 Victory tour. Though he remains the family s superstar his Brothers and Sisters have not languished in his Wake Maureen known As Rebbie 37. Her big debut up was Centipede in 1934. Michael wrote and produced the title Cut. She s been married for 18 years and has two children. Sigmund Esco known As Jackie. 36. Divorced two children. Member of the Jack sons. Toriano Adaryll known As Tito. 33. Member of the Jacksons. Jermaine. 32. He left a Jackson 5 in 1975 and went on to make Solo recordings. His big hit was in 1984 with dynamite. Appeared on As the Ivorid turns with Whitney Houston. Married to daughter of Berry Gorfy. President of motown. Latoya. 31. Had a recent hit Wilh heart Don i be. She is spokeswoman for mahogany cosmetics. Marlon. 30 debut Solo up will be released in september. He wrote All 16 tunes Randy. 24. Joined the Jacksons when Jermaine left. Janet 21. Had big hit Wilh Contro up. Appeared in to s Fame series and Good times warned Singer James Debarge in 1984 Ano later had marriage annulled years bul the sect recently confirmed thai he inc longer a member his relationship with he group has been strained since his Ghoul tilled the Llor video opened him to charges to was obsessed with the occult. He denied in Jackson enjoys scary stuff. Fans saw it m the Tutor and they will hear it in Iho the now up s smooth criminal Cut. The tune opens Wilh highly realistic sound Elleds to simulate an intruder entering a bedroom in the dead of night and brutally attacking a sleeping victim supposedly the listener. You will Freak out. Michael told me he wanted to break out every teen Ager who put their headphones on said Hugo Zucarelli whose hol phonics sound system was used to record the sequence Jackson also used hol phonics Tor the Way you make me feel which opens with the Singer whispering Sweet nothings Inlo Tho listener s ear. He chose to record the Pillow talk sequence by actually lying in a bed with Zucarelli s head shaped robotic recorder a Ore surrounding Jackson is willing to comment on his activities and there was no response from his publicist. Lee pollera. To a request from the associated press for an interview Wilh the performer. His representatives however took a Sharp turn and went Public a year ago when Jackson decided he wanted to buy a to hyperbaric oxygen chamber Lor his Home. Doctors said the closed chamber which forces oxygen into the system through pressurization was dangerous to use without constant supervision by a physician. The chamber is used to treat the Bonds gangrene and Burn victims. I am extremely unhappy with Michael s decision said manager Frank Dileo at the time in a rare statement of disapproval from Jackson s Camp when the pop Star wanted to buy Merrick s deformed Skeleton last May from London Hospital medical College Dileo said Jackson s doubled offer of $1 million was to show the seriousness of his intent and his guarantees to assume responsibility of or. Morrick s  there was nowhere in the publicity release a hint thai there was anything Odd about wanting the remains of Merrick who died in London in 1890 after suffering trom a severe Case of  characterized by benign lumps on Tho skin and nerve cell tutors. A Book play and movie have been written about Merrick. And Dildo said Jackson had become a student of Merrick s life. That intense studious Ness also extends to his menagerie of chimpanzees snakes Llamas giraffes tarantulas and Black swans according to Laszlo de Borondy owner of Casa de pets in Sherman Oaks. Cafil., where Jackson sometimes purchases his pets. His knowledge extends even to animals he does not have their environment their food their habitat. He is very Knowledg abbe in a these areas remarked de Borondy. Who said the Singer often wears a surgical mask Michael apart his boyhood touring and recording with his older Brothers As the Jackson 5, isolating him Iran friends his own age and Normal childhood activities As an adult he spends a lot of Lime at Amus Ament Parks As if to make up or a childhood he never had and is Friendly with 11 year old Sean Lennon Ani tiny Emmanuel Lewis of Webste Fame. He has few buddies his own age bul maintains friendships with Elizabeth Tayka and Brooke Shields and often talks on the phone to Diana Ross and Marlon Brando he and Sean son of the slain beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono have taken the Universal studios Lour together three or tour limes a week this summer. The King Kong exhibit is said to be his favorite. Tour officials allowed the pair to use the tour s photon laser gun game by themselves for a regular two minute session that would normally entertain up to 40 visitors. His Tove of anonymity has forced him to Wear exotic disguises especially at Disneyland where his Captain eo3d film is featured he reportedly has disguised himself As an old woman for trips to the Anaheim Park and at Southern California s Renaissance pleasure Fate Rrt 1986, he came dressed As a Clown he won t talk about the plastic surgery he s had to thin his nose eyelids and lips raise his cheekbones and alter his Chin but accent no lies aside Jackson a Man child whose musical Talent explodes and whose achievements Are of highly respected in the music work. Wednesday. September 2, 1967 the stars and strikes Page 17