KNOTORYUS is in mourning today.

We are fans.

To tell you the truth, we’re a bit stumped. It feels like such a loss.

Our favourite vids and tracks + what I find to be the best Michael Jackson mixtape ever, created by DJ Ayres: after the jump.

DOWNLOAD THE DJ AYRES CHRONOLOGICAL MICHAEL JACKSON MIX HERE

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Beat It. The video that drew me in. I was 7 at the time.

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Favourite guilty pleasure: Liberian Girl.

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The performance that changed everything: “Billie Jean” live at the Grammy Awards 1984 (25 years of Motown celebration)

This Vinyl is from 1969: Diana Ross introduces a new band called The Jackson 5, live on stage.

Favourite MJ tracks of all time:

LGF

1. Man in the Mirror

2. P.Y.T.

3. Human Nature

4. Don’t stop ’til you get enough

5. I want you back (Jackson 5)

D

1. Human Nature

2. Man In The Mirror

3. Will You Be There

4. Remember the Time

5. Smooth Criminal

You are missed.

Inspiration is a rare commodity.

About a month ago, I first stumbled upon the blog of Akiko Matsuura. It consumed the best part of my day.

Akika is in no less than THREE good bands. All of which you should know about.

THE BIG PINK is the name you are most likely to have heard already. It’s been making the rounds on the blogs for a while.Their MySpace looks like a ‘best of’ of my desktop screensavers.

See the pic above, or, for example: these Kenneth Anger screenshots.

This is my favourite THE BIG PINK track: ‘Velvet’.

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The Big Pink is playing (a.o.) at Glastonbury, T in the Park and Pukkelpop. I’ll be the one at the Pukkelpop gig looking all intense and understanding in the front row. Akiko will be the girl on drums.

Next up on Miss Matsuura’s list:  PRE

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They’ve been described as “Ren and Stimpy, playing Black Flag.” Which is close enough. Their Debut album has just been released. It’s called “Hope Freaks” and has been produced by Steve Albini (he of Shellac, and producer of Pixies, Nirvana, Will Oldham, etc.)

This is Akiko with Nathan (The Gossip) and Cassetteplaya at the “Hope Freaks” release party, which was also the release party for a little thing called “Music For Men”, the New Gossip album.  Akiko and Nathan are BFF’s.

Kate Moross and Jack Penate at that very same party. Love Jack’s Michael Jackson shirt. He and Akiko are also BFF’s.

Proof:

Here they are making sushi together.

Back to The Gossip. They are by all standards a huge fucking global phenomenon right now. They are also very nice people.

Proof:

Here’s The Gossip picking Akiko up in a cab to cheer her up when she had the blues:

Here they are giving free hugs in their hotel room:

And here they are ordering every kind of food & booze you like from room service at 4 AM.

Hands up who wants to be friends with The Gossip, toooooooo!

Last band on the list: COMANECHI

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With songs like “My pussy” and choruses like “Don’t touch me, I am disgusting”, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll hear this on your local radio. You can, however see them live soon, as they are supporting the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Europe.

This is the studio of Nova, who are designing Akiko’s stage outfit.

Quote: “She measured my height and everything, check out how midget I am! the tallest one is Jamie Raynolds from Klaxons on the top! 6.6ft.”

Follow Akiko on her blog: “Exceedingly Good Keex“. In between hanging out with her friends and playing in three ‘bands to watch’; Akiko also does things like:

posing for Richard Kern.

Getting fake tattoos from Farris Badwan (The Horrors)

and Much Much More.

An electric cart featuring an image of Jackson as Peter Pan on the bonnet and Peter Pan cushions. Guide price $4,000-$6,000

What would you buy?

I’d go for this one:

A Sega flight simulation arcade game with safety barrier and attendant station. Guide price $4,000-$6,000.

Vodka & Sega Simulator Party at my house!

Lots more after the jump.

An orange spandex glove covered with orange Swarovski Loch Rosen crystals and rectangular mirrored beads. Guide price $1,000-$1,500

A pair of Michael Jackson’s Triumph-era socks with uppers covered in rhinestone banding. They date back to his 1981 Triumph tour with the Jacksons. Guide price $600-$800

The brown toes underneath the glitter make me want to cry.

A robotic Michael Jackson head featured at the climax of his 1988 film Moonwalker, when he transforms into a robot and defeats Joe Pesci’s evil character, Mr Big. Guide price $2,000-$3,00

The robotic head lights up as each piece of the face pushes out and expands before retracting back into the shape of Jackson’s face. It still animates at the push of a button.

A painting on stretched canvas featuring iconic figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein wearing Jackson’s trademark sunglasses and glove. Guide price $1,000-$2,000

Accessory pieces from Jackson’s Moonwalker costume including: a black leather and gold metal belt, a gold metal necklace with matching purple and blue stones and matching bracelet and rectangular epaulets. The belt can be seen in the opening sequence of the film Moonwalker. Guide price $1,000-$1,500

A hanging swing featuring scenic wild animal panels and elaborate carvings. Guide price $1,200-$1,80

Inside his Rolls Royce, as designed by Jackson. Guide price $140,000 – $160,000

To be auctioned off at the Beverly Hills Hilton in April 2009.

All Images:  Shaan Kokin/Julien’s Auctions

That was some trip.

The KNOTORYUS  F.E.A.R. book dropped at Colette a day ahead of schedule.

(thank you so much Sebastien & Sarah)

One of the other highlights was the Jeff Koons exhibition at Versailles.

If you have time go see!

It’s art, drama and pop.  People were having anxiety attacks, it’s fluo, shiny and there is a bear blowing a cop’s whistle.

Really.

Loads of pics after the jump!

Colette

Jeff Koons 

Jeff Koons at Versailles until 14/12/08

This mixtape dropped a while ago, but since Kanye posted a snippet on his blog, there’s been people snooping around to see if they can still get it. And who are we to deny those folks of this brilliant little gem? I’m not the biggest Mark Ronson fan, but this is a great mix; using the Michael Jackson catalogue for beats & vocals and the MJ interview with Martin Bashir for the skits. Press play to set the mood or click to download the whole thing and check the trakclist.

Download here.

(Right click, save as)

“Michael Jackson & The Jackson Five: The Motown Years” was the first reasonably priced cd I ever bought. Thriller was the first cassette tape I ever brought to school to show my friends, quickly followed by ‘Destiny’ by The Jacksons. When I was nine, I danced with my father to “Blame it on the boogie”. When I was eleven, I knew the lyrics and dance routine to “Smooth Criminal” by heart (still do, actually). When he was on trial in 2005, I wrote a 12-page op-ed/biography for a fashion magazine, culminating in watching the verdict in a London hotel room, getting drunk on mini-bar wodka while outside in the streets of Albion, every single bar and club started playing MJ’s greatest hits for the rest of the night. Needless to say, I have a special bond with the gloved one, so I was thrilled to hear the latest news about Michael and Kanye West…

February 2008 will mark the release of the new “Thriller”. Celebrating its 25th birthday, the classic (104 million copies sold worldwide) will be re-released with additional remixes by Akon, Kanye West and Will.i.am. plus rare and unreleased material from the time period. I’ve posted the full tracklisting below, along with a U2b fan post of “carousel”, one of the previously unreleased songs to appear on the album. My guess is Billie Jean 2008 with Kanye West will be the single. I’m very much dreading the will.i.am version of P.Y.T, which is possibly my favourite song of all time.

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”

“Baby Be Mine”

“The Girl Is Mine”

“Thriller”

“Beat It”

“Billie Jean”

“Human Nature”

“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”

“The Lady in My Life”

“Carousel”

“Someone in the Dark”

“Billie Jean” (demo)

“The Girl Is Mine 2008? with will.i.am

“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008? with Michael Jackson and will.i.am

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ 2008? with Michael Jackson, Akon and will.i.am

“Billie Jean 2008? with Kanye West

“For All Time”

Carousel:

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And here’s an extra little treat: the original video for “The secret Garden”, another soulful smash written by the same team that did P.Y.T. (Quincy Jones & James Ingram), performed by El DeBarge, Al B.Sure & Barry White.

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