After recently announcing that KISS would take stage at Michael Jackson’s upcoming tribute concert, promoters had to drop the legendary rock band from the line-up after a plethora of fan complaints.
Jackson’s dedicated fans were appalled by KISS’ addition due to comments made about the late entertainer by bassist Gene Simmons in the pass. Following Jackson’s acquittal in 2005 for molestation charges, up to days before his untimely passing, Simmons’ was outspoken against the pop king. Simmons previously said to Classic Rock Magazine: “Well, you know, where there’s smoke there’s fire. There’s no question in my mind he molested those kids. Not a doubt.”
In statement to Billboard.com Global Events Live CEO Chris Hunt said: “Under the circumstances, we fully agree that even though Kiss is a band Michael admired, we have no choice but to rescind our invitation for them to appear at our tribute concert.”
Brother Jermaine Jackson, who doesn’t support the tribute concert due to its timing, slammed organizers over the disaster.
Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “I’m appalled as all fans (are) that Global Live booked an artist like KISS after all Gene Simmons had said about Michael. It doesn’t matter (that) KISS’ invitation is revoked. This mishandling reinforces my view that this promoter is getting it all wrong⦔
The “Michael Forever: The Tribute Concert,” which is slated for October 8, will feature acts like Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, Smokey Robinson, Cee Lo Green, Craig David, JLS and more.
The Michael Jackson tribute concert was meant to be a celebration of one of the most iconic pop culture figures of all time. But then it took an unexpected turn when KISS, a legendary rock band, was announced as part of the lineup. Fans were outraged and for good reason – the two acts couldn’t have been more different in style and sound. The backlash from fans was so strong that KISS has now been removed from the program entirely. It’s a strange turnaround that has everyone talking about what happened and why this controversial move had to happen. In this article, we take a look at how fan backlash got KISS removed from the upcoming Michael Jackson tribute concert.
It all started with some social media posts announcing KISS’ involvement in the show. Fans quickly voiced their opinions and made sure their feelings were heard loud and clear: they weren’t happy about this decision. Some argued that it didn’t make sense to include a hard-rocking act like KISS in such an event celebrating Michael Jackson’s legacy; others felt that it would simply overshadow or disrupt the whole atmosphere of what should be an evening dedicated solely to MJ’s music and artistry.
It wasn’t long before organizers realized they needed to listen to these voices if they wanted any chance at success for the night. So ultimately, with much reluctance, they decided to remove KISS from the bill altogether – despite having already done months of preparation leading up to their performance slot on stage. This is undeniably a difficult situation but one that can teach us something important about making sure events are tailored appropriately to fit their audience needs.
Overview Of Situation
The news that the band Kiss was going to be included in an upcoming Michael Jackson tribute concert sent shockwaves through the music community. Fans of both artists were looking forward to seeing what kind of collaboration would take place between two legendary acts. However, fan backlash quickly changed the situation and led to the removal of Kiss from the show.
As soon as it was announced, fans began voicing their opinions on social media about whether or not it was appropriate for a hard rock act like Kiss to pay tribute to one of pop’s most iconic figures. Some argued that because of their different styles, there could never be enough common ground between them for it to work. Others thought that having them perform together was a great way to honor his memory by bringing together seemingly disparate genres.
Ultimately, though, those who disagreed with including Kiss in the show had louder voices than those who supported it. The producers decided they had no choice but to remove them from the lineup out of respect for MJ’s legacy. As a result, fans will miss out on what could have been a unique and memorable performance at this special event honoring Michael Jackson’s life and career.
Controversy And Repercussions
The controversy surrounding Kiss’s inclusion in the Michael Jackson tribute concert sparked a great deal of discussion online. Fans who were against their involvement argued that MJ’s music was largely based on soul and R&B, and did not have anything to do with hard rock. Additionally, they questioned if it would be appropriate for an artist from one genre to pay respect to another within such a short time frame. Those who supported the idea countered by pointing out that both genres had been blending together more frequently over the years and could potentially create something special when put together.
Ultimately, however, those opposed to having Kiss perform at the event won out in the end. The producers decided it wouldn’t be wise to risk alienating any fans of either artist by having them collaborate onstage in such a sensitive situation. As a result, Kiss was removed from the lineup and will no longer be part of this special occasion honoring Michael Jackson’s memory.
This decision has upset many fans as they feel like they’ve been robbed of what could have been an incredible performance between two artists from different worlds coming together and creating something unique in honor of him. It serves as a reminder that even though people may disagree or debate passionately about certain topics, ultimately we all want what is best for our favorite stars’ legacies and must sometimes accept defeat gracefully when others share different opinions.
Conclusion
I. Summary of the Situation
The Michael Jackson tribute concert scheduled for August 29th has caused a great deal of controversy due to its inclusion of KISS, one of his contemporaries and most popular bands in music history. Fan backlash against their appearance at the event resulted in them being removed from the lineup.
II. Controversy & Repercussions
This decision was met with both approval and disappointment among fans, who felt that KISS was an essential part of honoring Jackson’s legacy. Those in favor argued that it would be disrespectful to have them perform, while others believed they should not be excluded simply because some people disagreed with their selection as performers. The disagreement over this issue highlights how difficult it can be to find consensus when attempting to honor a beloved artist such as Michael Jackson.
III. Conclusion
Ultimately, it is up to each individual fan to decide what he or she believes is appropriate when paying tribute to someone they admire so deeply. While I understand why certain fans were unhappy with KISS’ involvement in the show, I still believe that they should have been allowed to perform if they wanted to do so out of respect for Jackson’s memory and influence on contemporary music culture. In any case, my hope is that all involved will remember the man behind the music and continue celebrating him even after this incident fades into distant memory.
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