Had it been April 1 I would have thought of one of those april’s fool news, but it came out on March 31, so it had to be true… and unfortunately it was. Sony Music and John Branca announced again a “new” Michael Jackson album, “Xcape”… new? Eight demos that have been available for free download on the web for years revisited by Timbaland and Stargate, which apparently allows Sony to say, “hey, this is a new version of the song, come buy the album”. Well, to say it with Darren Hayes’ words, if you find a drawing of Monet’s and have other painters finishing it, that’s NOT a painting by Monet. Quite easy. And yet, millions of fans are still rejoicing at the perspective of buying a new MJ album, totally forgetting what the man went through and that there might be the chance that these new albums could be the very reason why he was killed.
Why is that? Why do fans hang on to the idea that buying whatever crap has the MJ name on (forgive my being so French) is still worth spending the money? Are they being delusional? Is it because it makes the loss less hurtful?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to understand the “new”, post-mortem fans: they don’t have a history with the “real” Michael Jackson, the one who used to spend years working on an album because all he cared about was perfection and high standards, and this should ring a bell as to why he would never accept these desperate efforts by Sony to cash in with poor-quality demos.
What is more difficult for me to understand is the “old” fans, those who have been to hell and back with him… why are they cheering at the idea of buying a CD full of old demos that they already have? I doubt it’s because Timbaland’s remixes and the packaging make them “official”… So, why?
I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and I think many fans are simply being delusional. The act of still seeing a CD with MJ on the cover makes them feel, in some kind of way, that he is still here with us, that nothing happened on June 25, 2009. Of course, being such a huge pop-star actually does make Michael Jackson immortal, but in a different way. The man is dead and the record company is simply trying to profit on products that he would have never agreed on. Remember, he was fighting with Sony over control issues, and now they got just what they want: put his name on low end products that, unfortunately, will sell no matter what.
Releasing a new album with never-heard-before songs, fully recorded and edited when he was still alive, would be the best way to celebrate his immortality, but this is not the case. This is the case of a record company who has been taking advantage on his fans’ delusional behaviour, counting on their illusions, offending his memory release after release.
Amen.
Michael Jackson’s legacy is self-sustaining. It’s foolish to think that after 4 decades of mastering he’d need the ‘aid’ of today’s artists.
Xscape is NOT a new album by Michael Jackson..it’s a Branca/Sony collaboration! 2 names that wld NEVER be on a Mj Album!
The cheek of you ASSUMING that anyone who plans to buy this album is a “new” – “delusional” fan, and / or, who badly needs to see MJ on the cover of a new album, regardless. Bla, bla, bla. For starters, I have been a fan / admirer of Michael since a young girl…for around 40 years, now. I attended three of his concerts in my country, yet was never an obsessive fan. I didn’t even get around to purchasing the History or Invincible album at those times.. Stop assuming and guessing about people you don’t really have a clue about!
Truth is, the Sony issue happened over 12 years ago and many would know the story with that one. However, NONE of us know 100% what Michael’s personal feelings about Sony not long before he passed …NO-body!! Tommy Mottola, however, is another story…and he was later fired from Sony!
With the above in mind, there are those who are just focusing on the MJ Estate and his children, who would also gain from this. All record companies take a monetary share when releasing recordings…That has ALWAYS been the nature of the business for ALL…when artist is alive and for posthumous. Some are talking as if the Estate / children were not going to benefit from this.
What about EPE…Having NOTHING new to offer except repackaged material? I’ve never witnessed some of those fans boycotting and some of the media making a point of criticising another release of the same stuff. Sorry, but unless I KNOW exactly how MJ felt about something that had happened over a decade before he passed, I am going to purchase it to help his Estate / children , and to boost his post-passing musical legacy. I am purchasing the Deluxe for the originals, as I doubt I will like the up-dated tracks. I might not even particularly like every song, which would be nothing new with me regarding all of Michael’s work …This kind of carry-on is what will sabotage MJ’s post-passing musical legacy – Not those who are going to purchase. I am not going to contribute to this only going by half’s…Something from over 12 years ago, and to which NONE of us can be 100% sure of how MJ felt about it near the end of his life. I am, however, purchasing it to support Michael’s Estate / children and further boost his musical legacy, That, is something I AM 100% sure of…simple!
And who are you, Gessica Puglielli, to write this hateful article? Oh, yes, someone who made money off MJ fans with your book! What right do you have to ask us why we want to buy the album? Maybe because we don’t like to listen to illegally leaked songs? Maybe because we want Michael’s children to get the royalties? Maybe because we simply want to keep Michael’s albums in the sales charts? Whatever our reasons, it’s none of your business. And I feel offended by every single name you’ve called me, as an MJ fan. I expect some apologies.
Couldn’t agree more with you. You put all my thoughts together. The fans that knew him are the only ones that are making any sense, the “new” fans and the fans that never cared in the first place are just delusional. Thank you for a brilliant article.
U r looking at it all wrong. This is not a monet because he didn’t have rights over the colors he used to paint, wheres MJ’s voice is a unique worldly treasure which posses qualities that can be transmitted and transferred to audiences through our wonderful technology. His soundbits and tracks are gold but I won’t be giving that money to Sony Music and that’s the real issue.
Sony Music and the MJ Estate (not “John Branca”) announced this release. It is new because it is new music. These songs were mostly written and were performed by MJ, ergo it is MJ music. Are Quincy Jones and Teddy Riley produced MJ-music not MJ music? Of course it is. MJ was killed by an incompetent “doctor,” no one else.
This new music is not “crap.” It has been praised by critics who usually love to bash anything MJ. MJ never recorded “poor-quality” demos. If he recorded something, it was because it was worth recording. MJ and Sony ended up on good terms. Sony helped out with MJs finances and MJ agreed to collaborate on Thriller 25.
MJ-fans has and will continue to support high-quality projects initiated by the MJ Estate. If haters dont like it, they can Beat It.
Reblogged this on Life of a rebel blog.