Michael: The REAL Story Behind The Album

[Nakiska]

very interesting. thanks.   Michael's problems were indeed with Tommy Mottola and not with the entire company.

[Do]

Not everyone is so sure about Sony's 'innocence'. I took a part from the blog of Bonnie Cox, what do you think about it, because I really don't know what to believe anymore.....

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Sunday, December 5, 2010
Is Michael Hidden in His Lyrics?

“…All is possible if God is on my side”  Michael Jackson – Speechless

The entertainment industry has been key in steering what is normal and considered acceptable in society.  Not just with Movies, but with music, and other mediums of art.  It has also infiltrated our sources of news, our children’s schools, and our government systems.  It is not just here in the states either.   The destruction of the message began before Michael sung about it.  

I get so overwhelmed thinking about this sometimes, like writing this blog update investigating Branca, because it is not just him.  I have to sit back because I find the tears are blurring my vision before I even realize I my thoughts have completely left the topic I am writing about.  But has it?

Michael’s songs about this are all through his albums.  This message is all over his speeches.  My God this man TRIED!  They buried him in bad press, sycophants and thieving employees and two horrendously damaging accusations which patterns followed each other to the letter.  Michael told us, and some of us have already forgotten it.  You want to know why I get angry about this Sony album that was put out and THAT is really such a small battle in part of a bigger war.  If we lose that one?  What hope does Michael have?  Everything he suffered will have been for nothing and personally, that is not acceptable to me.

They attempted to financially sabotage Michael.  They couldn’t do it directly, he was too loved.  They began with the rumors in the press, moved people in around him and replaced people that worked for him.  Michael’s trusted were systematically removed and you want to know how?  By doing the SAME THING they are now doing to fans.  Using plants and setting up groups on Facebook to entrap fans, only with Michael, rumors were started by “employees” about other employees, undermining the trust.  This blog and others have been responsible for educating them, so now who do they target?  The newbies.   Same pattern, they just pick up and move on to the next group, spinning their faulty webs.

Michael said to Jesse Jackson, “Conspiracy, all around me”.  Deborah Kunesh, Charles Thomson, the TINI group, and those bloggers (you know who they are) are busy at work following the same blueprint they used to turn the public against Michael.

No, Michael was not nor did he ever want to work with Sony ever again.  The same people doing this to him are still with Sony.  Fans are seeing exactly what has been going on now, because unlike the artist these people were trying to destroy, they don’t have an original idea one in their head.  They can’t even come up with new lies.  Their contradictions to Michael’s own history gives them away.  

Michael’s “Thiller 25th Anniversary Album” was Michael’s last contractual obligation to them.  How do we know for sure?  Because Michael said so!  From 4:27 through 4:43, Michael mentions Sony by name three times.  At 5:42 Michael says that “we” (that is ME AND YOU) "can’t let them get away with what they are doing".  “THEY” - Not “Tommy Mottola” only . . . but T-H-E-Y.  And those T-H-E-Y people are STILL WITH SONY Today!  

At 5:50 Michael says, “I just owe Sony One More Album – It’s just a box set, really”.  That BOX SET was the Thiller 25th Anniversary Album.  All remixes.   Mark down the times mentioned above and listen to Michael:
[youtube:1w609ckl]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfG-V7tE_bI&feature=player_embedded[/youtube:1w609ckl]

The Ultimate Collection and the Definitive Collection were PUT OUT BY SONY because they could put out any previously recorded music of Michael’s that they wanted, without permission or collaboration. The work was already done.  Sony owned the rights to them until July 7, 2009.  One of Michael’s “two new songs” that he “owed Sony “ (mentioned at 5:56, which he wrote AGES ago), was distributed between those two “collections”.  The “collections” were a “nose-thumbing” to Michael.    

Notice Michael lets his fans in on the fact that “Thriller 25”  is “just a box set, really . . .”  Why would he do that if he was concerned about its sales?  Because he wasn’t.  He didn’t want Sony to make ANY money on it.  At the time, Michael was a “free agent” as he said.  He had other projects planned.  Shortly after this 2002 speech, is when they went in for the kill; Then the editing of the Martin Bandier documentary (sure she means Martin Bashir), the tampering with witnesses who ORIGINALLY defended Michael (Arvizos), then the 2005 trial in which they tried like hell to financially and psychologically ruin him.  They failed.  Michael prayed.  God prevailed.
Who are T-H-E-Y?  Marty Bandier, the original counter bid against Michael for the ATV catalog back on 1985.  Tommy Mottola, who is still VERY MUCH involved with Sony (The “gatekeeper of Michael’s unreleased music” – at 0:13)
[youtube:1w609ckl]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sItXxlQEmMs&feature=player_embedded[/youtube:1w609ckl]

John Branca is still very much involved with Sony, McClain, Howie Weitzman, and others, which we will cover later.  

Nothing much has changed at the top.  Only the rotating stalkers, fake journalists and facebook entrappers change.  If they are contradicting Michael, they are NOT for Michael.  It’s that easy to spot them.

Even me, who lives in nowhereville, who started a blog originally to document the process of getting to know Michael and who he REALLY was, has had the same thing happen.  At least one blog was created since June of this year, specifically to attack my blog.  That began when I first started seeing and reporting that AEG just may have been helping Michael.  Since then another blog started up, then rotating “facebook friends” when I expose them and delete them, more apply.  David Edwards sent me many, many “friend suggestions”.  He began bombarding me with appeals to post his blog which seemed to concentrate on Michael’s innocence during the trial and the press.  I didn’t understand why he concentrated so much on the past when many others had already done so (Aphrodite, Geraldine), it got to the point where I felt he was trying to distract me from the direction my blog was taking.  I learned later he was.  He supports Thomson, Sony and Branca.  You see their alliance to the same all over facebook with the same explanations:

1. “Michael and Sony had a good relationship.  His problem was only with certain individuals”

…Of which still work for Sony.  See Michael’s speech above again.  Michael says Sony, Mottola says he still controls Michael’s unreleased music.  Michael’s entire speech was about Sony, Mottola only took up a minute and thirty-one seconds of that almost ten minute speech.  It was SONY as WELL as other individuals.

2. “Branca was rehired by Michael in 2003, the same year he was fired”

We’ve proven this is not the case and that Branca showed up in Michael’s life only after Sony got involved in the concerts and quite possibly after TII footage was sold to Sony.  Michael never rehired him as his attorney.  Sony edited and had complete control of the “TII” footage after they purchased it.  They could have added producers, credits, anything.  Branca and McClain were added as producers and they also appeared with Michael’s 2002 Will after he died,  AND WERE APPOINTED by Melville even though blatant conflict of interest existed.

3. “Boycotting the Sony Produced “Michael album will hurt Michael’s children”.

No, it will not.  Michael’s children HAVE already been provided for.  At 6:09 minutes on that Sony Speech video above, Michael tells us he writes at least 100 to 120 songs PER ALBUM.  Michael did not stop writing songs after Invincible.  The first Posthumous album Sony can throw together is this mess called “Michael” with the jacked up demo tracks including an Michael impostor?   Somebody has those other hundreds of songs in safe keeping for his children.  Michael’s children are quite safe.  Don’t you think after this speech and after that trial that Michael would have made sure of that?

4.  “Michael’s brothers are not to be trusted, they are money hungry, took advantage of Michael”

Let’s take a look at this closely.  How much money has Michael’s brothers made since Michael died?  (off of Michael).  How much money has AEG made?  How much money has Sony made?  How much has Branca/McClain made off of their 10% of the increases in the estate?  Who is the one making a killing here?  Only the last two entities mentioned are making big bucks from Michael’s earning power, NOT his family or his children!  Jermaine is getting sued for back child support according to the last update I saw on him.  This is Michael’s brother.  Regardless of what you think about Jermaine’s reaping what he has sown, the fact of the matter is, Jermaine is family, Branca is not.  And Branca has made a lot more money off of Michael then his family did!  He wants to make sure that continues!

While we’re on the subject of “killing”, if everything is so hunky-dory with Michael/Sony and The Estate, then again WHY ARE PEOPLE GETTING KILLED?

These arguments that these Sony-worms are putting out are NOT making sense when you look at the HISTORY, look and LISTEN to MICHAEL’S OWN WORDS and compare it to their self-contradicting arguments.

The “official word” from the Jackson Estate has NOTHING to do with Michael.   It  is worth nothing.  Michael is not running the estate, Branca and Weitzman are.
Any question you may have regarding who was behind what happened to Michael?  Ask Michael.  He is all over youtube.  It is not that hard to find the answers, unless you don’t WANT to find them.

Michael’s “legacy” has already been created, musically.  Any albums with his name on it put out WITHOUT HIM is the only thing that will undermine that legacy .  It is NOT MICHAEL’S WORK.  It is SONY’S LIES.

On the “Sony Speech” above, at 6:52 Minutes, Michael says “I am leaving Sony . . . Owning HALF of Sony Publishing, and they are VERY ANGRY WITH ME because of it…”

There it is Mr. Branca, in Michael’s own words.  Just how angry were you?  You can’t argue with truth, but you can try to cover it up.  However, it is not going to work.  Michael documented nearly everything on video.  And much like the song “Threatened” he is showing up all over the place, isn’t he?  

Aggravating, isn’t it? ;o)

And what of the “certain individuals” within Sony who they say Michael really had the disagreement with?

Well, out of a nine minute and 40 second speech, Michael gave Mottola a whole minute and thirty-one seconds.  The rest is what SONY was doing to Michael.  And much like the garbage going on with the rotating Facebook stalker-friends Sony did nothing to Tommy but rotate others in his place.  Mottola is still very much awaiting his payola just like the rest of them.  Anyone trying to tell you different is a liar, and probably an individual with multiple facebook profiles to make it look like there are a larger number of Sony-compliant fans than there actually are.  Trust me on this.  I used to do the very same thing in marketing online to avoid spam issues.  You will know them by their arguments (fruits).

With that said I want to embark on a little project.

INVINCIBLE
Michael’s Invincible Album was his last original, recorded album.  Let’s talk about some of the songs on this album since Sony wanted no part in promoting it when it was first released.  (Because they Suck.  How’s that Michael?)  I have wanted to dig into this for a very long time.  I listen to the songs repeatedly and much has come to light since my friend Miss “J” sent it to me.  Some songs I thought were to Lisa Marie really weren’t, if you really listen to the lyrics.  I get chills up my spine just thinking about what we are about to discover together.

Michael’s Invincible Album contained these songs:

Unbreakable
Heartbreaker
Invincible
Break Of Dawn
Heaven Can Wait
You Rock My World
Butterflies
Speechless
2000 Watts
You Are My Life
Privacy
Don't Walk Away
Cry
The Lost Children
Whatever Happens
Threatened

Most of the songs on this album is Michael’s life.  I think it’s time we take a closer look at what this man went through.  Judging by the timing of this album, the fact that it was Michael’s last with originally recorded songs, I think it is safe to say that Michael was aware of quite a few things and that just possibly, that was why Sony did not want to release it.

I have a lot of information on John Branca that some of you may not have known and some new info on Michael’s real financial situation pre TII.

This Time Around…

This time around I'll never get bit
Though you really wanna get me
This time around I'm taking no shit
Though you really wanna fix me
Somebody's out
Somebody's out to use me
They really want to use me
And then falsely accuse me
This time around
They'll take it like spit
'Cause you really can't control me
Source

Spoken Lyrics wrap provided by Notorious Big

“Listen, I've got problems of my own
Flashin' cameras, taps on my phone
Even in my home I ain't safe as I should be
Things always missin'
Maybe it could be my friends
They ain't friends if they robbin' me
Stoppin' me from makin' a profit, see
Apology shallow like the ocean
I guess I'll resort to gun totin'
If I was dead broke and smokin'
I'd probably be by my lonesome
I'm a killer nigga I ain't jokin'
Endo smoke got me choked and I'm hopin'
The fool comes slippin'
So I could blow'em open
This time around
I changed up my flow
Got rid of the rocks
Got Pitts by the door
I've raised other peoples to watch my back
Stay away from strangers
So I won't slack
And I know my nigga Mike like that”

Yeah . . . He knew what was going on.  I’m surprised that Mr. Branca and the Sony gang didn’t catch this.  You people have made billions off of his music.  Perhaps maybe you should have spent some time getting to know it?  He had your number and you didn’t even know it.  

Let’s see what else we can find.

“It doesn’t seem to matter and
It doesn’t seem right
‘Cause the Will has brought no fortune . . .”
Mmmmm….

[skyways]

Michael passed away as his vision was taking shape for his next album, working diligently on songs he expressly wanted to share with his fans.

These songs could simply have become part of the rich legacy of unreleased work left behind by one of the world’s great artists. But as it soon became clear to both the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music, there was an obligation not only to Michael’s fans but to Michael himself :!:  :!:  not to let this amazing music gather dust in a vault.  It was decided the album that was taking shape needed to be properly completed and released in a thoughtful, dignified way that would honor Michael’s legacy.

While Michael was not there to complete the tracks as only he could, he had left behind a unique roadmap mapping out his creative vision in the form of notes and detailed conversations with the people he was working with as well as those he was planning to work with.

This enabled everyone involved in “Michael” to follow his voice and the guiding hand they felt was present in helping them complete the album. For those who generously lent their creative talents to “Michael,” this was a labor of love honoring someone who had inspired all of them.

How “Michael” Came Together :!:

“Michael” had been evolving as Michael Jackson albums would.

In 2004, Michael, with the help of his then-attorney, John Branca, ended his relationship with Sony Music and its then CEO, Tommy Mottola. In the intervening years, Michael had been working on music intended for a forthcoming release, drawing up its creative blueprints and recording tracks that would provide the foundation while, at the same time, the regime at Sony Music changed and Michael developed good relations with its current executives, working with them on the 25th Anniversary album commemorating “Thriller” in 2008. Michael was delighted to personally receive special multi-platinum discus for the project at a reception held by Sony Music in Los Angeles in February 2009.

As work for the new album resumed, he would slowly narrow down the tracks and refine them as his vision took shape. Much of the recording was taking place out of the public eye and in secret. Akon noted in an interview that after their song “Hold My Hand” was leaked to the Internet due to a security breach, both he and Michael became extremely cautious about the location of any work they might do to protect it from being exploited in that way again.

Akon:    ......

And So and So....

While much of the album stems from new inspirations and work Michael was doing with contemporary artists he wanted to work with, as was often the case some songs fermented over time until they found the right album. Two songs on “Michael” - “Much Too Soon” and “Behind the Mask” -- fit the spirit of those songs that Michael would eventually find homes for. In fact, it was John McClain, one of the co-executors of the Estate and a producer for the song “This Is It” released last year on the companion album for the highly acclaimed documentary, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It”, who chose to work on both songs himself. “Much Too Soon” was written around the time of “Thriller” but Michael had never found the right album for it. “Behind the Mask” also had its origins in the 1980s when Michael heard the music performed by the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and contacted Ryiuchi Sakamoto asking for permission to write lyrics for it.

The “Authenticity” of Three Tracks :!:

The debut of “Breaking News,” one of three tracks on the album Michael recorded in the New Jersey home of the Cascio family, led some to cast doubt on the “authenticity” of these songs. This triggered no shortage of bizarre theories by people seeking attention and those claiming to have knowledge of a vast conspiracy. One London tabloid printed a claim by a Michael impersonator from Italy armed with these “facts”: He thinks he may have recorded tracks in secret in a studio in Switzerland “after being approached by a man, whom he thinks was from Bahrain, to record the studio sessions, and paid 2000 Euros per track.”

Mindful of the importance of Michael’s legacy and how much he valued his fans, both the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music went to even greater lengths on their own to authenticate the tracks before it was even announced they would be included on the album. As Estate attorney Howard Weitzman detailed in a letter circulated among Michael’s fans:

-   Six of Michael’s former producers and engineers who had worked with Michael over the past 30 years, Bruce Swedien, Matt Forger, Stewart Brawley, Michael Prince, Dr. Freeze and Teddy Riley were all invited to a listening session to hear the raw vocals of the Cascio tracks in question. All confirmed that the vocal was definitely Michael.

-   Michael’s musical director and piano player on many of his records over a 20-year period, Greg Phillinganes, played on a Cascio track being produced for the album, and said the voice was definitely Michael’s.

-   Dorian Holley, who was Michael’s vocal director for his solo tours for 20 plus years (including the O2 Concert Tour) and is seen in the film, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It”, listened to the Cascio tracks and said the lead vocal was Michael Jackson.

-   Engineers, producers and musicians who worked on tours and/or in the studio with Michael when he was recording Bad, Thriller, Off The Wall, Dangerous, Invincible, HIStory and Blood On The Dance Floor, all listened to the music and they all reconfirmed their belief that the lead vocals were Michael’s voice on the Cascio tracks.

-   Two of the nation’s preeminent forensic musicologists in the United States independently evaluated the tracks using audio analysis. Both reported that the lead vocals analyzed were those of Michael.

-   Two prominent persons in the music industry who played crucial roles in Michael’s career, were also played the music and both believe that the lead vocals were Michael’s.

As a result, Sony Music concluded: “We have complete confidence in the results of our extensive research as well as the accounts of those who were in the studio with Michael that the vocals on the new album are his own.”

And the album was mastered and prepared for release using a mural created by artist, Kadir Nelson, as its cover. The mural is the visual story of Michael’s life and career and acknowledges those people and events that influenced him.




MICHAEL’S SONGS: :!:

1. Hold My Hand (Duet with Akon)

Written by Aliaune Thiam, Giorgio Tuinfort, Claude Kelly

Produced by Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort & Michael Jackson

“Hold My Hand” debuted as the first single. Recorded with Akon in 2008 in Las Vegas, it leaked out and was never released. Akon completed the song, with a music video to premiere December 9. “Hold My Hand” was written by Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort, Claude Kelly and produced by Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort and Michael Jackson.

2. Hollywood Tonight

Written by Michael Jackson, Brad Buxer/Spoken Bridge Written by Teddy Riley

Produced by Teddy Riley, Michael Jackson/Co-Produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster

Written by Michael during the time of the Invincible album, Michael pulled the track out of the archives in 2007 to work on the song with producer Ron “Neff-U” Feemster, Hollywood Tonight was written by Michael Jackson; the spoken bridge was written by Teddy Riley and the track was produced by Teddy Riley, Michael Jackson with co-producer by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster.

3. Keep Your Head Up

Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte

Produced by C “Tricky” Stewart, Angelikson, Michael Jackson

In 2007, Michael wrote that inspirational ode with Eddie Cascio and James Porte in New Jersey. Keep Your Head Up was produced by Tricky Stewart, Angelikson, and Michael Jackson.

4. (I Like) The Way You Love Me

Written by Michael Jackson

Produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Michael Jackson

This song was originally released in its early stages of development as a demo on Ultimate Collection in 2004; it was song that Michael loved and was finishing in Los Angeles. The Way You Love Me was written by Michael Jackson and produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster and Michael Jackson.

5. Monster (Featuring 50 Cent)

Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte/Rap Lyrics Written by Curtis Jackson

Produced by Teddy Riley, Angelikson, Michael Jackson

Recorded in New Jersey in 2007 at the Cascio home, Michael actually recorded some of his background vocals through a PVC pipe for the song. The song also features the rap of 50 Cent, who Michael had contacted about the collaboration. Monster was written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio and James Porte with Rap Lyrics Written by Curtis Jackson. It was produced by Teddy Riley, Angelikson and Michael Jackson.

6. Best Of Joy

Written by Michael Jackson

Produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Michael Jackson

Co-Produced by Brad Buxer

“Best of Joy” is one of the very last songs Michael was working on and had planned to continue to work on while in London for the O2 arena shows in Summer 2009. The song was written by Michael Jackson and produced by Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, Michael Jackson and co-producer by Brad Buxer.

7. Breaking News

Written by Michael Jackson, Eddie Cascio, James Porte

Produced by Teddy Riley, Angelikson, Michael Jackson

“Breaking News” recorded the song in 2007 in the New Jersey home of the Cascio family. Writers on the song are Michael Jackson as well as Eddie Cascio and James Porte. The song was produced by Teddy Riley, (Eddie Cascio & James Porte) Angelikson and Michael Jackson.

8. (I Can’t Make It) Another Day (Featuring Lenny Kravitz)

Written by Lenny Kravitz

Produced by Lenny Kravitz

Co-Produced by Michael Jackson

Recorded as a demo with Lenny Kravitz during the Invincible era, the song unexpectedly leaked in 2008 prompting Lenny to finish the song. Dave Grohl is the featured drummer on the track. Written by Lenny Kravitz and produced Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jackson.

9. Behind The Mask

Written by Michael Jackson, Chris Mosdell, Ryuichi Sakamoto

Produced by Michael Jackson, John McClain

After hearing "Behind The Mask" as performed by Yellow Magic Orchestra, Michael contacted Ryiuchi Sakamoto asking for permission to add his lyrics on the track. It was recently completed by John McClain. The song is written by Michael Jackson, Chris Mosdell and Ryuichi Sakamoto and produced by Michael Jackson and John McClain. “Behind The Mask” contains a sample of the recording "Behind The Mask" as performed by Yellow Magic Orchestra.

10. Much Too Soon

Written by Michael Jackson

Produced by Michael Jackson, John McClain

“Much Too Soon” was written at time of Thriller. But never found the right home on an album. The song was written by Michael Jackson and produced by Michael Jackson and John McClain. David Campbell is featured on the strings.

A special thank you to The Estate of Michael Jackson AND Sony Music for their kind, honest and clear determine words. Michael's legacy is in great hands, it's time for us to come together and give our FULL support to Sony and The Estate for all they are doing.

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WELL, WELL...
What can I say? - Very Clever and Direct  explanation ONLY may coming from Man Himself  

[skyways]

And So and So....


Several people, including Neff-U, Eddie Cascio and Frank Dileo, Michael’s manager at the time of his passing, knew of Michael’s plans to continue recording once he relocated to England for the start of what would have been the O2 performances, the rehearsals of which were featured in the hit film “Michael Jackson’s This is It.”  

After an inventory was taken by the Estate of the songs Michael had been working on, the decision was made that to bring Michael’s artistry to completion and to do it proper justice, many of the very producers and talent he trusted his work to in life or those he had planned to work with would be asked to bring his vision to reality. Using the blueprints  :!: Michael provided  :!: with his notes, his voice and the creative ideas he had shared, they took the songs in various stages of production and completed the album.

Three of the tracks have relatively mundane origins. Michael had a longstanding friendship with the Cascios, a suburban family he got to know because patriarch Dominic was one of the managers at the Helmsley Palace Hotel, where Michael regularly stayed while visiting New York. :!:  He was welcomed into the home of Dominic and Connie for dinners as a respite from his hectic life as a superstar artist, and became a mentor to sons, Eddie and Frank, who growing up had musical aspirations.

In 2007, Michael and his family spent four months staying with the Cascio family at their Bergen County home, which had a simple home recording studio in which the tracks for “Breaking News,” “Monster,” and “Keep Your Head Up”’ were recorded. Frank Dileo, Michael’s former manager, has confirmed that he spoke to Michael by telephone at the Cascio's home studio several times while he was recording with them, and said Michael “was excited and enthused by the music and the experience.”