JOE JACKSON: 'MICHAEL ONLY EVER WANTED TO DO 10 SHOWS'

Last updated: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

JOE JACKSON: 'MICHAEL ONLY EVER WANTED TO DO 10 SHOWS'

MICHAEL JACKSON's father JOE knew his superstar son would have struggled to complete his 50-date comeback in London - because the Thriller legend only ever wanted to perform ten concerts.

Joe Jackson at Michael Jackson Hometown Memorial held at the U.S. Steel Stadium.
Gary, Indiana - 10.07.09

The tragic singer was set to kick-off his ill-fated This Is It tour at the British capital's O2 Arena on Monday (13Jul09), with the series of concerts continuing into 2010.

At the initial press conference for the comeback shows, Jackson insisted he would perform his last ever ten concerts.

The number of shows was subsequently bumped up to 50 due to phenomenal demand from the star's fans across the globe.

But Jackson clan patriarch Joe insists his fragile son would never have been able to handle the gruelling schedule - and that the family were all concerned about the toll the comeback would have on the star's health.

Speaking to America's ABC News, Jackson explains, "Michael only agreed to 10 shows. Then they went and added all these shows.

"I was worried about his health because all the shows I'm seeing, no artist can do all those shows, back-to-back like that. I knew Michael couldn't do all those shows without a rest in between."

And Michael Jackson's financial advisor Leonard Rowe also backed-up the singer's dad's comments - insisting the legendary performer was not ready to take on such a big job.

Rowe adds to ABC News, "Michael Jackson was not ready. He was not fit. If you can call weighing about 110 to 115 pounds fit. Besides that MJ told me himself that he never wanted to do 50 shows, he only wanted to do 10."

But Randy Phillips, boss of concert promoters AEG who masterminded the concerts, states it was Jackson himself who wanted to extend his comeback to 50 gigs - and insists the star would have only been working a three-day week.

He says, "If that (three shows-per-week) was too many, then one would have been too many."

Source: WENN

| Tuesday, July 14, 2009

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JOE JACKSON: 'MICHAEL ONLY EVER WANTED TO DO 10 SHOWS'

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