Sources have confirmed to Billboard that a deal between the Michael Jackson Estate, AEG Live and Sony for a theatrical release of the Michael Jackson rehearsal footage from the ill-fated This Is It concerts could close today.

King of Pop will reportedly be buried August 29 at Forest Lawn, according to his father.
By Gil Kaufman

Michael Jackson

Photo: Tony Barson/ WireImage

It’s been nearly two months since Michael Jackson died of as-yet-unannounced causes at the age of 50. According to the New York Daily News, Jackson will finally be buried next week, on what would have been the pop star’s 51st birthday, August 29. Quoting the singer’s father, Joseph Jackson, the paper reported that Jackson will be buried at Los Angeles’ Forest Lawn Cemetery in accordance with plans that were finalized over the past few days.

The Jackson family has not previously commented on what would become of the singer’s body, and there has reportedly been a split between those who want to inter the pop star at his former home, Neverland Ranch, and others who prefer Forest Lawn. Brother Jermaine is said to be pushing for turning Neverland into a Graceland-esque tourist attraction (Graceland is the former home of Elvis Presley), while other family members are against the idea given Jackson’s distaste for his former home in light of a 2003 raid on the ranch tied to child molestation charges for which he was acquitted in 2005.

Joseph Jackson described the burial plans to the paper and also said he is supportive of the Los Angeles Police Department’s investigation into his son’s death, which he has said he believes occurred under suspicious circumstances. A spokesperson for the Jackson family would not comment on the reported burial plans.

Meanwhile, rival paper the New York Post reported over the weekend that Jackson’s body has been stored in a freezer at Forest Lawn pending the decision on where his final resting place will be. The paper claimed that Jackson’s mother, Katherine, has made several visits to Forest Lawn to see her late son. The report also claims that one of the other things delaying the burial is an internal Jackson family dispute over whether Michael should be buried in an unmarked grave in order to avoid potential desecration or disturbance.

The results of Jackson’s autopsy are being withheld by the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office pending completion of the Los Angeles Police Department’s investigation into his death.

Related Videos

• Michael Jackson: The Memorial

Related Photos

• Michael Jackson: A Life In Photos
• Michael Jackson’s Public Memorial At Staples Center

Related Artists

• Michael Jackson

Sources have confirmed to Billboard that a deal between the Michael Jackson Estate, AEG Live and Sony for a theatrical release of the Michael Jackson rehearsal footage from the ill-fated This Is It concerts could close today.

Danish rock duo The Raveonettes has announced the dates for a fall tour in support of its fourth studio album, Billboard.com can exclusively report.

Jackson Browne is hopeful that the protection of music copyrights will be bolstered by the settlement of his lawsuit against U.S. Sen. John McCain and the Republican Party over unauthorized use of one of his songs in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

Alt-rock acts Florence & The Machine and Kasabian have emerged as the bookmakers’ favorites for the 2009 Barclaycard Mercury Prize, the U.K.’s album of the year award.

Sony Corp.’s movie studio has bid $50 million to acquire the worldwide distribution rights to a film based on rehearsal footage for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” comeback concert series, according to a person familiar with the bid.

John Fogerty’s “The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again,” a new collection of Fogerty recordings of some of his favorite classic songs, is set for release Sept. 1 on Fortune Son/Verve Forecast. The album, recorded under the guise of the mythical group of his 1972 solo debut, includes guest spots from Bruce Springsteen and members of the Eagles, and features covers of songs by John Prine, Buck Owens and John Denver, among others, as well as Fogerty’s own “Change in the Weather.”

The Beastie Boys’ Adam “MCA” Yauch has been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo surgery, he announced in a video posting on the group’s website this morning. The band has canceled its summer tour plans and delayed the release of its forthcoming album, “Hot Sauce Committee Part 1,” in order to allow time for his recovery.

JLS, the British boy band who were runners-up to Alexandra Burke in the fifth series of talent series “The X Factor” last December, scored a No. 1 U.K. single yesterday (19) with their first release, “Beat Again” (Epic/Sony Music Entertainment). “The Essential Michael Jackson,” also on Epic, got a third week atop the album chart.

For nearly a decade, the Eagles’ “Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975″ has been the recording industry’s ultimate evergreen release, certified by the RIAA as the all-time best-selling album in the United States. But thanks to continued robust demand for Michael Jackson’s catalog since his June 25 death, “Thriller” appears on the verge of matching “Their Greatest Hits,” at least in the eyes of the industry trade group.

Paula Abdul’s new manager says she may not be returning to “American Idol.”

If you don’t know Dubspot, the music production and DJ school has quickly entrenched itself as the defacto spot to learn the tools, tips and techniques for the DJ trade. Whether it’s making music with Ableton Live, scratch classes using Serato, or DJing with the Pioneer DVJ mixing console using DVD’s, the school has a class for you.

Dubspot’s 2009 Summer registration is under way and you’ll need to jump on it quick, because I hear that classes are filling up. According to a recent NYTimes article about DJing in the dowturn, Dubspot enrollment has doubled to 300 since last year. Since the economy took a turn for the worse, it’s always good to use the time to pick up a new skill. While some are transitioning to nursing and health care or other sectors, you might be thinking about leaving the corporate carer behind to do something infinitely more creative than crunching spreadsheets and building Power Point presentations.

Recently, Dubspot celebrated its two-year anniversary with a weekend long event from June 25th to the 28th. I wasn’t able to attend, but the folks at Dubspot and Plexi PR were able to provide this wrap up:

DubSpot, New York City’s home for dynamic electronic music production and DJ education, celebrated its 2 Year anniversary with a long weekend June 25th-28th.  In addition to hosting three individual birthday parties, DubSpot also brought its Live 8 U.S. Sessions Tour in for its home stop, with Ableton Live 8 production and performance workshops.  An abundance of high profile artists were involved throughout the events, and the weekend has received enthusiastic praise from all participants not only for its ingenuity, but also its originality and high standard of quality.  Full workshop videos with techno auteurs Richie Hawtin & Ambivalent, Dub pioneer Scientist, Peter Kirn of CreateDigitalMusic.com and much more to be made available online soon.  Check out the DubSpot blog here for updates.

The first of DubSpot’s 2 Year Anniversary parties was the Funk Aid for Africa NYC release party.  The album, and the fundraising effort in general, had been riding high already from a 4 star review from Time Out New York, and DJ sets from OBaH, Reborn and Ticklah carried the party late into the night. The second of DubSpot’s 2 Year Anniversary Parties was held at Love, and saw Minus’ Richie Hawtin take to the decks for a special 4-hour set.  Hawtin set the place ablaze in an all too rare club appearance in New York.  Working with our partner, NYC techno promoters  Blk|Market Membership, DubSpot packed the house with instructors, students and friends, and danced until dawn to the banging beats of world-class techno. Sunday night’s Hi-Fidelity DubSpot Sessions kept the momentum going late, as Scientist mixed Dub Is A Weapon live, plus sets from Badawi, DJ Kiva, Matt Shadetek, and DJ Rupture.  The show was widely enjoyed and appreciated as a world-class night of music and community.

Below are a list of classes and dates. I’ve included the recent July dates just in case there’s an opportunity to join in late, since they only started a week ago. Click the links for more information.

DubSpot Upcoming Class Start Dates : Summer 2009
Registration is open for DubSpot’s summer sessions. Get started on bringing your musical ambitions to life.

July 21: DJ Beginner & Extensive packages Tuesdays will begin with DJ OBaH at 7:15pm.
July 21: Turntablism classes meeting on Tuesday will begin with 2007 DMC World Supremacy champ DJ Shiftee at 5:15pm.
July 23 Music Production package B: encompassing Reason Ableton & Logic Thurs 6:15 taught by Chris Petti of the Reason Users group.
August 2nd Ableton Live with Jon Margulies: Sundays at 4:00pm Can be taken separately or as part of our year long Ableton certificate program
August 7th Ableton Live with Jon Margulies: Class will meet Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:15pm. Can be taken separately or as part of our year long Ableton certificate program
August 14th  Logic Intensive with Matt Shadetek of Dutty Artz – Mondays Wednesdays Fridays 10:15am
August 18th Ableton Live: Class will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:15pm. Can be taken separately or as part of our year long Ableton certificate program
August 18th DJing with Video class with Lars of DVJ Vision begins Tuesdays at 5:15pm.

In just two short years, DubSpot has fully emerged as a force in the electronic music world.  The Live 8 U.S. Sessions Tour will continue this Fall in Los Angeles in October, then move on to 5 other cities including Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin and Washington D.C.  And that’s just this first round.  The tour will continue to grow, and continue to be the ambassador of DubSpot’s devotion to excellence in electronic music.  By providing unique opportunities for established and aspiring artists alike to develop their knowledge, careers, and production and performance abilities,DubSpot will secure and advance its position on the cutting edge of electronic music education! – Quote courtesy, Plexi PR

DubSpot 348 West 14th Street New York, NY 10014
212.242.2100 // info@dubSpot.com
www.dubspot.com

- by Tony Z.

Paula Abdul’s new manager says she may not be returning to “American Idol.”

It’s a familiar narrative: wunderkind with a gift for music takes it seriously, and lands a major-label deal before he gets his driver’s license. Usher, Chris Brown and Britney Spears all fit the formula. Now, Justin Bieber can add his name to the list.