Jackson leaves sheikh rattled and rolled

AN ARAB sheikh is suing Michael Jackson for £4.7 million after the singer allegedly reneged on a deal to record the sheikh's own songs.

Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad al-Khalifa, an amateur songwriter and second son of the King of Bahrain, planned to revive Jackson's career with tracks he had written himself, London's High Court heard.

Lawyers for the sheikh said £4.7 million was given to Jackson as an advance on the book and joint recording project. Jackson claims the money was a gift.

The court heard yesterday that the sheikh had set Jackson up with a recording studio at his Neverland ranch and then sent him his compositions.

Bankim Thanki, QC, representing the sheikh, told Mr Justice Sweeney that the day after Jackson's trial in California on child-molestation charges ended in 2005, the star recorded one of the compositions the sheikh wanted released as a charity single to help victims of the Boxing Day tsunami.

Mr Thanki promised the judge that a recording of the song would be played in court during the trial.

"It shows the quality of Sheikh Abdulla's song-writing skills and that of Mr Jackson's voice," he told the judge.

The two had a "close personal relationship" and discussed the chances of Jackson moving to Bahrain after the end of his trial to "continue their musical collaboration in a more conducive environment", said Mr Thanki.

The sheikh had plans to rejuvenate Jackson's musical career, releasing records through their own music label.

"Sheikh Abdulla began to support Mr Jackson financially after 2005 when it became clear that Mr Jackson was in very serious financial difficulties, much to Sheikh Abdulla's surprise," said Mr Thanki.

He said the sheikh was first asked by an assistant of Jackson for £21,000 to pay utility bills at his Neverland ranch. The following month, in April 2005, Jackson asked for £610,000 through an assistant.

"Sheikh Abdulla made many more payments on his behalf or to others," said Mr Thanki. These included the £1.35 million legal bill for Jackson's trial.

The sheikh is suing the pop legend for allegedly reneging on a £4.7 million "pay-back" agreement that was designed to repay money he advanced to Jackson during his worst financial troubles.

He claims he and Jackson entered into a "combined rights agreement" (CRA) under which the troubled superstar was committed to a recording contract, the production of an autobiography and a musical stage play.

But Jackson is contesting the claim, insisting there was no valid agreement and that the sheikh's case is based on "mistake, misrepresentation and undue influence".

In his pleaded defence, Jackson says the payments he received were "gifts" and that no project was ever finalised.

Mr Justice Sweeney heard that an application would be made for Jackson to give evidence via video link from Los Angeles.

A DVD of the making of the recording of I Have This Dream in the Metropolis Studio was played in court.

The sheikh claims that both he and Jackson agreed the quality of his vocals was not good enough for the single, but the star failed to attend the studios to re-record the song.

He also says he paid for and built a recording studio in Bahrain for Jackson and himself to make recordings together.

The hearing continues today.