For Sale: King of Pop
February 15, 2009 10:20 PM   Subscribe

In April, an extraordinary auction will provide an unprecedented look into the private world of Michael Jackson. More than 2,000 items, ranging from personal effects and costumes to pieces from Jackson's private art collection as well as fittings and furnishings from his Neverland ranch, will be up for sale. The auction is so extensive, a six-volume book was printed just to detail every lot.

If you're so inclined, you can register to bid (pdf).
posted by Ugh (35 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
No matter what... He is and will always be the King of Pop.
posted by wfrgms at 10:27 PM on February 15, 2009 [1 favorite]


He is and will always be the King of Pop.

Thriller was released in 1982.

/Department of Pointing Out the Bleeding Obvious
posted by Wolof at 10:36 PM on February 15, 2009


Whee hee! Jamon motherfucker!
posted by Artw at 10:36 PM on February 15, 2009


Dibs on the "boy's underwear 1/2 off" joke!
posted by sourwookie at 10:45 PM on February 15, 2009 [1 favorite]


Is this where I get to bid on the rights to the B-side of Abbey Road?
posted by joe lisboa at 10:46 PM on February 15, 2009 [1 favorite]


No matter what... He is and will always be the King of Pop

A dubious distinction.
posted by nola at 10:48 PM on February 15, 2009


i wonder if there are any remaining sixpacks of jesus juice. that'd be a hit at a party.
posted by Hat Maui at 10:53 PM on February 15, 2009 [1 favorite]


A dubious distinction.

Dude, say what you will, but I think the days of any LP putting 7 of its 9 tracks on the Billboard Top 10 are long gone. And while I think the title "King of Pop" largely belongs to Quincy Jones and not Michael thanks to said record's production, it's pretty futile to argue against the merits of Thriller. Though I presume you were just making a snarky point about "pop music" generally, and while I'm not the biggest Michael Jackson fan or anything, it's hard to overestimate his cultural significance, for good or ill.
posted by joe lisboa at 10:54 PM on February 15, 2009 [2 favorites]


Justin Timberlake is the new king of pop.
posted by Artw at 11:23 PM on February 15, 2009


Looking at this makes me feel like I'm gawking at a car wreck while driving by on the freeway.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:42 PM on February 15, 2009


I must say, I covet the scissorhands.
posted by Rumple at 11:58 PM on February 15, 2009 [1 favorite]


Washington, listen up-- if there's any unpleasant legislation you need to get out, do it during the auction, because this is going to consume several news cycles.
posted by nax at 3:55 AM on February 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


I'm definitely bidding on that mamase mamasa mamamakusa, so suck it, Manu Dibango!
posted by orme at 4:34 AM on February 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


I want this. I would replace the Neverland plaque for a Racingjs one though.
posted by racingjs at 5:26 AM on February 16, 2009


I hope to live long enough to hear someone say "Michael who?"
posted by HuronBob at 6:43 AM on February 16, 2009


it's hard to overestimate his cultural significance

Nonetheless, you just did.
posted by DU at 6:56 AM on February 16, 2009


It's like a little-boy recruitment handbook!
posted by nevercalm at 7:31 AM on February 16, 2009


it's hard to overestimate his cultural significance

Nonetheless, you just did.


No, I agree with Senor Lisboa.

Basically, you have Elvis, the Beatles, maybe the Rolling Stones, and Michael Jackson. Those are the luminaries of Pop music for the last 50 years. Notice I didn't say "all music", so everyone please put your guns down.

Notice how there is no one after Michael?

There was a time I thought Britney was going to be the next Michael, until the wheels came off. Justin may well be on his way, but he's still a dozen Top 10 records away, which I expect he will achieve someday assuming, again, he doesn't have a trainwreck like Brit.

In truth, I expect Justin will move to movies soon. That is just idle speculation on my part, backed by nothing, but I think it is plausible. His performances on SNL have been as good as almost any co-host outside the (my) holy Trinity of Martin, Baldwin, and Goodman.

But overstating the impact of Michael Jackson on Pop (again, proper noun) music is practically impossible to do. The only way would be if you actually made the claim that he invented Pop music, which I'm sure a few would actually agree with. I would say it is reasonable to say he re-invented modern Pop music.

According to this wiki page, Thriller has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and is not only the largest selling album of all time, it is by over DOUBLE the margin of its nearest competitor.

Looking back at it 25 years later, it is hard to "remember" what a sensation MJ was. But at the time, he was everywhere. Watching early 80's music videos where it was just as likely to be staged concert footage with a handheld camera and swoopy analog effects as anything else, then having Beat It or Thriller come on, was truly amazing.

Michael Jackson is legendary in the same way that the other MJ, Micheal Jordan, is. The men are more than just their accomplishments. Each was an entity, a force unto themselves, of which at their time they had, quite literally, no peer.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:53 AM on February 16, 2009 [3 favorites]


I am going to but as much as I can, and then eat it, so I can consume his power. So hopefully there will be a lot of food up for auction. But I'll eat his oxygen tent if I must.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:20 AM on February 16, 2009


A few days ago, we had the FPP about the Sullivan show, with a Jackson 5 clip or two.
A few weeks before that, I tracked down a copy of The Wiz, so that my wife could see it for the first time.
Yesterday, I saw this photo of Michael.

And each time, all I could think was: that poor guy had so much talent, so much gift. It is so sad how hard living his life must have been to turn anybody into…well, into the Michael Jackson we now think of.
posted by paisley henosis at 8:45 AM on February 16, 2009 [2 favorites]


"And while I think the title 'King of Pop' largely belongs to Quincy Jones and not Michael thanks to said record's production, it's pretty futile to argue against the merits of Thriller."

True, but Quincy Jones never could have sold that many albums being the front man. He's immensely talented, but Jackson brought his own talent and star power to it.
posted by krinklyfig at 8:47 AM on February 16, 2009


Oh, and 2 grand for a Gaggia machine like that is an absolute steal.
posted by paisley henosis at 8:48 AM on February 16, 2009


Notice how there is no one after Michael?

Depending on how you are scoring this, Mariah Carey belongs on this list. Her best selling album is only in the 30 million club but her total of number one songs is second only to The Beatles. She also has the longest stay at number one and is tied for the second longest stay at number one.
posted by Bonzai at 8:50 AM on February 16, 2009


Notice how there is no one after Michael?

NKotB? And yeah, Mariah Carey? There have been plenty of crappy singers in the top spot for a long time. That Titanic chick. Whitney Houston. If I had some back issues of People handy I could go on.

There was a time I thought Britney was going to be the next Michael, until the wheels came off.

If there's one thing Michael Jackson is known for, it is that all his wheels have remained firmly in place.
posted by DU at 8:57 AM on February 16, 2009


Bonzai and DU, comparing Mariah Carey and boy bands to MJ is apples to oranges, ESPECIALLY if you go outside the US. I like Mariah, and think she was immensely talented, probably over-talented for "just" Pop music to be honest. But I don't think you'd find her following anywhere near that of Jackson or the Beatles.

But Mariah fits in with Celine and Whitney and maybe even Shania. Clearly top-shelf talents and performers, true, but still they're not Michael Jackson. When you are the standard, it is hard to be surpassed.

And in a pure googlefight, I'm pretty sure Brit would win, probably by several orders of magnitude, but I suspect not because of her music.

It is what I was saying at the end of my previous post... it is about records being set, but also the cult of personality following that person. Tiger Woods will to a great many be the greatest golfer who ever lived, even if he quit playing tomorrow, and if every one of his accomplishments were surpassed.

In time there will be another Michael Jordan. In time there will be another Michael Jackson. But not anytime soon.

Look at Elvis. Elvis is not the King of Pop, he's just The King. How long has it been since he had a gold record? And how many people still practically worship him?

And DU, we all know the trials and tribulations of MJ, but it happened AFTER he had already solidified himself as King of Pop.

If Britney had continued on her previous track for 10 more years, THEN had a trainwreck, then yes she may have been the Queen of Pop.

Maybe she is anyway? /shrug
posted by Ynoxas at 9:11 AM on February 16, 2009


Remember when Mike was at that awards show, and he accepted an artist-of-the-millennium award that didn't actually exist?
posted by box at 9:15 AM on February 16, 2009


Oh and DU, the fact that you'd need back copies of People to identify them just solidifies my point that there have been no peers to Michael Jackson. From 1980 to 1995, I would assume his recognizability across the globe would be higher than Reagan and Ronald McDonald put together.

Do you think anyone who was between the ages of 6 and 39 during the 80's would need any reference material of any kind to know who Michael Jackson was?
posted by Ynoxas at 9:17 AM on February 16, 2009


Oh, and 2 grand for a Gaggia machine like that is an absolute steal.

No kidding! If there was a "Buy it Now" button I would be in terrible trouble with my fiancée right now.
posted by Shepherd at 9:17 AM on February 16, 2009


I want the six volume set for $100. Birthday present!

Think Different.
posted by Chuffy at 11:47 AM on February 16, 2009


Has anyone searched it yet to see what the lowest expected priced object is?

How does one go about doing a phone bid anyway?

I'd be willing to pay a trifling amount for practically anything from this auction, just for the novelty.
posted by Ynoxas at 12:02 PM on February 16, 2009


Oh, and 2 grand for a Gaggia machine like that is an absolute steal.

You know the Tom Waits song A Soldiers Things? Looking through this catalogue gave me the same feelings of sadness. Almost all of this stuff, even if it gets well above the expected / projected prices, will be sold at a huge discount to what was originally paid. Michael Jackson was a chump.

"Oh, yes indeed, Mr. Jackson, we shall create for you a custom ottoman, it shall be made of the finest damask silk, with your portrait lovingly hand painted and encrusted with the finest rhinestones and zirconias."

"Will it be the best and most expensive ottoman ever?"

"Oh indeed, Mr Jackson, we will be sure that it is the finest and most valuable ottoman in the history of the world, fit for the King of Pop! We would never dream of selling you anything less than the very best and most exclusive ottoman ever seen by man."

(original purchase price: $75000)
(expected price at auction: $1500 - because let's face it, who would really want such a tacky piece of crap?)

From symbol of success to cheap novelty item. Sad.
posted by Meatbomb at 12:51 PM on February 16, 2009 [1 favorite]


Ynoxas : Notice how there is no one after Michael?

I'm not sure there ever will be either. I think the industry has changed enough that it is going to be difficult for another performer to pull off more than 75% of an album being in the Billboard top 10.

Which isn't to say that that I have any particularly strong feelings for Jackson's work, I just think he represents, for better or worse, the end of an era in music.

Artw : Justin Timberlake is the new king of pop.

I still prefer Coca-cola.
posted by quin at 1:21 PM on February 16, 2009


Dear Santa. I been gud. I want this for crimbles. tanx.
posted by stonepharisee at 2:45 PM on February 16, 2009


I would like to see this in action before I place my bid.
posted by Sailormom at 8:05 PM on February 16, 2009


Ah, bugger: I was brewing an FPP but its too close to doubling this post.

But anyway: also for sale, Jackson's huge collection of arcade games -- including this amazing thing. There's a sucky-Flash-tastic catalog online; if you get tired of page-flipping, CrunchGear has the full list of games.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:08 PM on March 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


« Older Boris Indrikov   |   Heroes of UK comics Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments