Oscar winner musician A. R. Rahman appears to be focusing on international live concerts. In January alone, he is giving three live performances and all are out of India. Starting with a live concert on January eight at Doha (Qatar), he will give two-and-a-half hour outdoor free and exclusive music-dance performance involving over 40 Bollywood dancers-singers-musicians near Sydney (Australia) on January 16. On January 21, he will showcase another live concert in Muscat (Oman).

Rahman is also using social networking sites Twitter and Facebook. Acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed has applauded Rahman for creating a bridge between the music of east and west and for strengthening the worldwide market and stature of Indian music.

Rahman, who has reportedly recorded sales of over 300 million, was called “Mozart of Madras”” by Time magazine. Rahman sees music “as a way to connect to spirituality and embrace it” and for “creating harmony in troubled times”.

MICHAEL JACKSON considered quitting work on his iconic 1982 album THRILLER – because he thought it “sucked”. In newly released tapes, obtained by Britain’s News of the World newspaper, the King Of Pop revealed he broke down in tears because he thought the record’s sound was “cp”.

Jackson was unhappy with the Quincy Jones-produced album – and even told pals he didn’t want to release it. In the recordings, Jackson is heard saying, “Thriller sounded so cp. The mixes sucked. When we listened to the whole album, there were tears… I just cried like a baby. I stormed out of the room and said, ‘We’re not releasing this’.”

But a visit to a local school playground convinced Jackson to change his mind. He added, “One of the maintenance crew in the studio had a bicycle and so I took it and rode up to the schoolyard. I just watched the children play. When I came back I was ready to rule the world. I went into the studio and I turned them songs out.” The album has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.