The world was not kind to Michael... I feel him with me when I perform

Musician opens up ahead of UK gig with siblings

- EMMA DONNAN

SOME 15 years since the death of Michael Jackson, the huge sense of loss is still as clear as ever for his brother Tito.

He feels Michael's presence whenever he walks out on stage. He sees Michael's smile in the faces of his children. And he fights for Michael's legacy, now more than ever.

Today, as Tito returns to the UK, staying just a few miles from The 02 where Michael was due to play his fateful This Is It residency, he has a certain bone to pick.

He said: "The world was not kind to Michael at all. I don't know why. I would always say if we didn't have him, we sure would miss him.

"His death was such a major tragedy. The world definitely missed out on a lot of goodness from him, because he wasn't just a musician or an artist, he was a loving person. He loved to give." Whether his death brought the Jacksons closer together or further apart is of much debate.

They have been plagued in recent years by reports of family feuds, fuelled by court cases.

The latest saga involves a battle between the estate's executors and the Jacksons' matriarch, Katherine, 93, over who controls the finances.

It is clear that Tito for one, is tired of it all. He said: "I don't have time to put it in my head. We know ourselves and we know each other. It just angers me.

"There are not too many people that I trust. Learning from this business... Well, there are a whole lot of wealthy people in showbusiness that are not artists, so you wonder how they got all their wealth." For Tito, it almost does not matter which side he inevitably chooses.