The Interviewer becomes the Interviewee: Part Two

Author Lorette Luzajic today uploaded Part Two of our brand new interview. In this part she asks me about my role in the release of Michael Jackson's FBI files and what we learned from their contents, as well as asking me about the strange similarities between Jackson's obsessive fans and his obsessive detractors.

Click here to read Part Two of our brand new interview.

In the coming days the interview will continue to be serialised, a few questions at a time. In upcoming segments I will talk about the overzealous fanatics who think they are improving Jackson's legacy but are actually staining it, and the methods employed by conspiracy theorists who are taking advantage of Jackson's vulnerable fans.

In other news, I have uploaded another clip from my interview with 'This Is It' dancer Kriyss Grant. To receive YouTube alerts each time I upload a new video, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

The Interviewer becomes the Interviewee

I was recently interviewed at length by author Lorette Luzajic about my work on Michael Jackson and my strange experiences with his fans.

During the interview I spoke about how and why I became instrumental in the release of Michael Jackson's FBI files, the peculiar similarities between Jackson's supporters and his detractors and the farcical series of events which led conspiracy theorists to accuse me of assisting in Michael Jackson's murder.

The interview was long and detailed so will be serialised on Lorette's blog over the coming days, a few questions at a time. I will update my blog and my twitter page each time another part of the interview is uploaded.

Click here to read Part One of my brand new interview with Lorette Luzajic.

Earlier this year Lorette interviewed me about my growing fame as a Michael Jackson expert and my take on the allegations made against the star. Click here to read part one of our prior interview, and click here to read part two.

YouTube Update: Kriyss Grant talks to Charles Thomson

I've added another clip to my YouTube page, this time taken from my interview with Kriyss Grant. In this clip, he talks to me about meeting Michael Jackson for the first time after his successful 'This Is It' audition.





I will be uploading more clips to my YouTube page in the coming days and weeks. In order to receive updates every time I add a video, you can subscribe to my Channel.

Cazwell Interview Now Online

My interview with US rapper Cazwell has now gone online. Click here to read it.

As another treat for my blog readers, here's a second audio excerpt from the interview, in which Cazwell discusses his upcoming music videos.



In the coming days and weeks I will be uploading clips from past interviews, and I will also upload clips from future interviews as and when they're conducted. To receive YouTube updates when I upload new clips, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Cazwell Interview - A Teaser

I recently interviewed US rapper Cazwell for Sawf News. The full article will go online in the coming days - and I will update the blog when it goes live - but in the meantime here's a short teaser, in which Cazwell talks to me about homophobia in the hip-hop industry.

Thanks to Aphrodite Jones

I was pleasantly surprised to log into my emails this morning and find that author and TV presenter Aphrodite Jones had defended me in a recent interview. Here is the extract, taken from from this article on the 'All For Love' blog:

But on that note, we also talked about the increasing division among the fanbase, and how it is doing more harm than good by undermining our best efforts... But I dropped a bomb she wasn’t expecting when I mentioned the latest source of division-Charles Thomson. She was absolutely shocked about that.

“WHAT?! You’re kidding me! Oh, and he’s such a sweetheart, too… Why are they attacking him? He’s written so many great articles about Michael.”

I said I only knew some things I had heard from various boards... but she cut me off before I could even make headway. “Oh, please,” she said, digging furiously among the contents of her bag until she had extracted a copy she just happened to very handily have on hand of the Andrea Peyser article, in which Peyser, of course, is ranting on and on about The Saratoga Dance Hall Of Fame honoring “a pedophile.”

Holding the awful article up as an example, she said righteously, “Do you see this? This is what you guys need to be concerned about. This is what we need to be fighting.”

So I just thought I'd take a moment to say thanks to Aphrodite for her kind words of support. Back in 2008, when I interviewed Aphrodite for Deadline magazine, she said my article was the best she'd ever seen written about her career. Since then she's always been available to give me quotes for articles or help me out with my research.

In the last month or two, a number of my followers have shown themselves to be extremely fickle and very easily led. It is nice to know that Aphrodite is not among them.

R.I.P Phelps 'Catfish' Collins

R.I.P Phelps 'Catfish' Collins, 1944-2010
(Photo: Flickriver)

I learned today from my friend Tony Wilson that Phelps Collins, the legendary James Brown and P-Funk guitarist, passed away earlier this month.

Phelps, best known as Catfish, passed away on August 6th after a battle with cancer. His death came while I was on vacation in Cyprus with scant internet access and so passed me by. It was with great sadness that I learned today, several weeks later, of his death.

Catfish Collins is a legend in the world of funk music. His stint playing guitar for James Brown was short but prolific. Alongside his brother, bassist Bootsy Collins, Catfish worked with Brown for only 11 months between 1970-1971. However, during that time he played many of the most famous funk guitar riffs of all time, working on tracks such as Sex Machine, Super Bad, Soul Power and Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothin'.

L to R: Bootsy Collins, James Brown and Catfish Collins live in 1971.
(Photos: Getty)

In 1972 Catfish joined George Clinton's group Funkadelic where he recorded even more funk classics, including numerous credits on the album America Eats Its Young and, perhaps most famously, playing the infectious guitar riff on timeless party anthem Flashlight.

Stints in brother Bootsy's 'Rubber Band' aside, Catfish largely avoided the spotlight in later years.

I met Catfish briefly at London's Cumberland Hotel in 2008 while he was on a rare tour with his brother, paying tribute to the late, great Godfather of Soul. While waiting for an interview with Bootsy that never materialised - a long story for another time - I chatted to Catfish about life on the road. He complained that he'd never really enjoyed touring and was sick of living out of a suitcase. This would be his last tour, he said.

My friend Ron Roelofsen, a James Brown archivist, met Catfish at another stop on the same tour and had much the same conversation. "I had the honour to meet [Catfish] in person in 2008 during the JB tribute tour in Holland and Belgium," Ron wrote on his website after hearing the sad news. "A very nice and also funny guy. I never forgot his answer to my question, 'What have you been doing for the last 30 years?' Catfish: 'Fishing'. 'And is there a chance that you will be making some new music again after this tour?' 'No, I go back fishing.'"

In losing Catfish we have lost one of the architects of funk music. Despite the brevity of his time with James Brown and Funkadelic, he leaves behind a tremendous legacy. James Brown is famously the most sampled artist of all time, but little credit is given to the musicians playing in those samples. Catfish is one of the most (if not the most) sampled guitarists in the history of recorded music. Long may his music live on.

Bootsy Collins is hosting a tribute concert for his brother on September 4th at the Madison Theater in Covington, Kentucky. For details and tickets, click here.