Michael Jackson’s anticipated “This Is It” concert series, slated to have kicked off this week in London, would have been amazing for fans. But according to Sony Executives close to the iconic entertainer, he feared touring and ultimately thought it would kill him. “Iâm going to go back probably eight years ago and Michael told me, âCory, I canât tour anymore. Iâm not gonna tour anymore. Ok?â I said, âwhy Mike?â He said, âBecause it will kill me,â executive/producer Cory Rooney told Chris Yandek of CYinterview. “Thatâs what he said to me. He said, âIt will kill me.â Why would you say something like that? He said, âWell, remember when I was preparing for my concert and I passed out at the Sony Studio?â He said, âWell, itâs because when I get ready for a tour I get dehydrated. I donât eat. I donât drink. I donât sleep. I put so much of myself into preparing for a tour.” Rooney’s words follow weeks of speculation surrounding the King of Pop’s untimely and shocking death, including rumors that he feared the vast amount of dates booked at London’s O2 Arena. The dates, booked through Spring of 2010, each required Jackson to perform a considerable amount of material from his now record breaking catalog that moved over 9 million units over the last few weeks. According to those close to him, including at one time Sony Executive Chris Apostle, Michael Jackson was pushed to the brink. “Iâm sure he decided to do this comeback tour and net a bunch of cash, which he honestly deserves to have. I still think that like Cory said, he was pushed to the brink by people that were extremely powerful and he was not treated fairly,” says Apostle. Click Here for more on what Rooney and Apostle have to say about the late and King of Pop and today’s music industry.
