21 replies to this topic

[MJSunshine]

http://breakingnews....aeljackson.com/



What's your opinion about it?

I L-O-V-E the lyrics from what I could understand so far
I have been away for some days and didn't hear about all these rumours spread from the Jacksons that it wouldn't be Michael's vocals on that track. I just listened to the song today and my first impression was: this doesn't sound like Michael... But, at some times, it really sounds like MJ. I'm puzzled. Maybe it's just too much computerwork. But there's something missing in his voice...

[rosesandsillydreams]

MJSunshine, on 08 November 2010 - 05:53 AM, said:

http://breakingnews....aeljackson.com/



What's your opinion about it?

I L-O-V-E the lyrics from what I could understand so far
I have been away for some days and didn't hear about all these rumours spread from the Jacksons that it wouldn't be Michael's vocals on that track. I just listened to the song today and my first impression was: this doesn't sound like Michael... But, at some times, it really sounds like MJ. I'm puzzled. Maybe it's just too much computerwork. But there's something missing in his voice...

I feel the same way about the song. Some parts of the song make me doubt if it's really Michael but then there are some points in the vocals where I just scream in my head, "That's so Michael!" I really love the song nonetheless, I feel like it is something that Michael would write and want to sing about. Hopefully the fans will all get some more info about the song sometime soon.

[Yvonne Hime]

LYRICS for BREAKING NEWS

Everybody wanting a piece of Michael Jackson.
Reporters stalking the moves of Michael Jackson.
Just when you thought he was done,
he comes to give it again.”

no matter what, you just wanna read it again
no matter what, you just wanna feel it again

now is that strange that i fall in love
who is the boogie man you thinkin’ of
all went crazy coz im just in love
this is breaking news X2

everybody watching the news of michael jackson
They want to see that I fall,
cause I’m Michael Jackson

You write the words to destroy
like it’s a weapon

you turn your back on the love and you think you can get it again

no matter what, you just wanna read it again
no matter what, you just wanna feel it again

[Ben S]

It doesn't sound like Michael, I don't think it's Michael singing. Some of the phrasing is slightly different to Michael's vocals. And the texture of the voice sounds a rougher and less refined than Michael's voice when not singing at a high register. The song sounds like it was written for Britney Spears, and Michael never named dropped himself in songs, it just doesn't seem like Michael to use his own name "Michael Jackson" in a song. If he did, I'm sure it was just to let of some steam in the studio, and something he would never liked to have been made available to fans or the public.

The Hee, Hee's sounds too mannered and contrived, and not like Michael at all. Michael's aoaws and hees were always spontantous and sounded so, and they don't on Breaking News. The "Hee, Hee" parts are too predictable, and Michael didn't really do them much after the Thriller album, and he didn't even do them on the "Michael Jackson's  This Is It" movie.

Michael always did his own backing vocals, and the backing vocals have no melody/harmonies like Michael's always had. I'm sure the only parts that sound like Michael are the "Aoaws" and one "Hoow", and they sound as though it's been sampled from other Michael Jackson songs. I also don't think all three of Michael's nephews 3T would be kicking up a fuss that it's not Michael's vocals on Breaking News for no reason at all. 3T are along with Jackie, Tito and Marlon, are the Jackson's that don't set out to gain self publicity and the ones I believe are honest and humble like Michael. So I trust their word, and I believe 3T are telling the truth that this song is a fake, and not a Michael Jackson song.

Edited by Ben S, 08 November 2010 - 06:13 PM.

[Dirty_Scarecrow]

i feel the same.

I Didnt believe in Sony...

[MJPC]

Ben S, on 08 November 2010 - 04:07 PM, said:

It doesn't sound like Michael, I don't think it's Michael singing. Some of the phrasing is slightly different to Michael's vocals. And the texture of the voice sounds a rougher and less refined than Michael's voice when not singing at a high register. The song sounds like it was written for Britney Spears, and Michael never named dropped himself in songs, it just doesn't seem like Michael to use his own name "Michael Jackson" in a song. If he did, I'm sure it was just to let of some steam in the studio, and something he would never liked to have been made available to fans or the public.

The Hee, Hee's sounds too mannered and contrived, and not like Michael at all. Michael's aoaws and hees were always spontantous and sounded so, and they don't on Breaking News. The "Hee, Hee" parts are too predictable, and Michael didn't really do them much after the Thriller album, and he didn't even do them on the "Michael Jackson's  This Is It" movie.

Michael always did his own backing vocals, and the backing vocals have no melody/harmonies like Michael's always had. I'm sure the only parts that sound like Michael are the "Aoaws" and one "Hoow", and they sound as though it's been sampled from other Michael Jackson songs. I also don't think all three of Michael's nephews 3T would be kicking up a fuss that it's not Michael's vocals on Breaking News for no reason at all. 3T are along with Jackie, Tito and Marlon, are the Jackson's that don't set out to gain self publicity and the ones I believe are honest and humble like Michael. So I trust their word, and I believe 3T are telling the truth that this song is a fake, and not a Michael Jackson song.

Ben: Agree 1000%.  WTF is Sony thinking?!? I really hope this isn't representative of what else is on this album.  The cover is horrid, and I agreed with your other post that MJ would not use such a simple font.  But also the TITLE.  I mean "Michael"? That's the best they could come up with? What's the next one going to be--"Michael Part 2" or "Jackson"? This is what you get when you put two attorneys in charge of a MUSIC project, and they hire someone (Jackie) who hasn't produced a record in what, 20 years? What, Randy J. wasn't available? It's been a year and a half, and this project looks to be thrown together with very little thought.  What a shame.  Ron

[MJPC]

About Sony, it reminds me of what they did with the song "This Is It".  They presented it as if it were a recently recorded song that was meant to coincide with the O2 concerts.  Then we find out it was a Paul Anka collaboration...from 25+ years ago.  Who the F@CK at Sony would be so brain dead to pull sh*t like this? Did they not think that Anka would notice this and mention to them that they would owe him royalties on this? And now we get "Breaking News", and it's not even MJ singing the song?! JC.

[Ben S]

MJPC, on 08 November 2010 - 08:19 PM, said:

Ben: Agree 1000%.  WTF is Sony thinking?!? I really hope this isn't representative of what else is on this album.  The cover is horrid, and I agreed with your other post that MJ would not use such a simple font.  But also the TITLE.  I mean "Michael"? That's the best they could come up with? What's the next one going to be--"Michael Part 2" or "Jackson"? This is what you get when you put two attorneys in charge of a MUSIC project, and they hire someone (Jackie) who hasn't produced a record in what, 20 years? What, Randy J. wasn't available? It's been a year and a half, and this project looks to be thrown together with very little thought.  What a shame.  Ron

I agree. Jackie hasn't produced a song in 20yrs, but he was after Michael the best producer and songwriter out of the rest of the Jackson's. Which is why I think Michael's estate and Sony choose to use him to over see the "Michael" album. I wonder if was aware of Sony putting "Breaking News" together. I must be remembered that though the Jackson family are talented, they are not a family of geniuses like Michael was. Michael was something totally unique and special even within his own family. So standards are not going to be as high in song selection if Michael was still alive. I personally would have thought Jackie was a good choice, and will wait until I hear more songs from the new album before I fully judge his work for for over seeing the "Michael" album. Ideally I would have had Quincy Jones oversee this project, he's the only producer who worked with Michael who was a genius, but even he didn't have the edge Michael had as he didn't want Billie Jean or Smooth Criminal on Michael's albums when they were recording Thriller and Bad. Maybe Tito's son Taj from 3T should over see Michael's music in the future, because he was very close to Michael. And would along with his two brothers Taryll and TJ have been given Michael's estate if Michael had no children etc (as they were named in the will for this, no other nieces of nephews were). He's intelligent, still young enough and is intelligent.

The song "This Is It" is not good (in my opinion), I can't stand it. It's one of the very few songs of Michael's I don't have on my iPod, and I'm not surprised it wasn't released by Michael when he was alive.

I wish I could be in creative control of Michael's music and videos until his children are adults, but obviously that's not going to happen. No one at Sony or working with them seem to be doing a good job with Michael's music.

Michael is a lazy name for the new album, it's not very inspiring. It is very difficult to name a Michael Jackson album without Michael around. I think it's best to choose a song title, at least it's something Michael created.

Edited by Ben S, 09 November 2010 - 09:22 AM.

[Hiikari_MJ]

Sighs, if Michael is still here, none of these madness will happen.

[Ben S]

Hiikari_MJ, on 09 November 2010 - 11:51 AM, said:

Sighs, if Michael is still here, none of these madness will happen.

Very true. Michael told his mother after the trial that he no longer trusted anyone. Well I will say, that Sony can't be trusted with Michael's music. John Branca and John McClain who are in charge of Michael's estate should be doing more to ensure quality control of Michael's music that Sony are releasing. The song "This Is It", isn't good and despite the title matching the name of Michael's concerts "This Is It" and the movie, that song which was originally just a demo should never have been released. But using an impersonator sing a Britney Spears type song, and saying it's Michael Jackson is just the lowest. Sony should remember, it's not just the reputation of Michael's music they could ruin, but also ther own music label with their stupid tricks. Michael was and still is the biggest and most important artist Sony has, and they should take far more care with Michael's music and not rush release a new album of unreleased songs, with a crappy cover and fake songs.

Edited by Ben S, 09 November 2010 - 01:10 PM.

[RockinRobin]

When I heard "Breaking News" for the first time, it was more like a "fist in my ear". Really. The harmony, the melody and rhythm don't match, they don't sound good when combined. I feel that the Sony-people chose one random (perhaps) unfinshed song and started remixing it like mad. I don't think it sounded like this when Michael was singing it. I even have my doubts that this is Michael singing at all. Of course, his voice started to change a little through the years, but there is this something in his voice which you can always regonize, no matter which song or from which album/era.

This is very peculiar. I'm rather devastated about this. Michael always had a clear vision of the art/music he made. He planned everything in advance. Every tiny little detail. And we've seen the result, which is amazing, too good to describe. At first I was rather anxious thinking of the fact that new material is going to be released, but judging by the lack of creativity in the album's name "MICHAEL", the album cover and the slice of the song, I can't say that I'm going to be pleased.

[MJPC]

Ben S, on 09 November 2010 - 09:18 AM, said:

Maybe Tito's son Taj from 3T should over see Michael's music in the future, because he was very close to Michael. And would along with his two brothers Taryll and TJ have been given Michael's estate if Michael had no children etc (as they were named in the will for this, no other nieces of nephews were). He's intelligent, still young enough and is intelligent.

It all comes down to UPBRINGING.  "3T" are all great kids and humble...just like their father Tito.  Any doubts that Jermaine and Randy's kids are all selfish little pri@ks? Yes, that's right, just like their Daddy.

I do NOT agree that if MJ were still here, there would not be all this "madness."  Chaos followed MJ (or vice versa) especially ever since 1993.  If MJ were still here, the family would still be broke, and still fighting over every last penny (there would just be less to fight over).  And MJ would not be releasing any new material, in part because of his contention with Sony.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[RockinRobin]

MJPC, on 09 November 2010 - 03:00 PM, said:

...
I do NOT agree that if MJ were still here, there would not be all this "madness."  Chaos followed MJ (or vice versa) especially ever since 1993.  If MJ were still here, the family would still be broke, and still fighting over every last penny (there would just be less to fight over).  And MJ would not be releasing any new material, in part because of his contention with Sony.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I guess it depends on what you understand under "madness". Michael was followed by chaos through out his life, and I find it hard to say how the situation would be now if Michael hadn't died. He would have performed his concerts in London, and I suppose that everything else has a big question mark behind it. I think what the most people mean (and myself do so to) is if Michael was alive and really had planned to release an album, he would have been the one to decide which songs came on the album, album cover, etc. As I mentioned before in my previous post, Michael had a clear vision of how his songs, albums, music videos, concerts, etc., were supposed to be. I don't think that there is a creative mind in the gold-diggers' hole.

[Ben S]

In defense of Jermaine's kids. Jaffar and Jermanisty seem very humble and well mannered kids, and I personally think most of Jermaine's kids are well brought up and that Jermaine is a good father, despite his complicated and unconventional love and family live, ie having children with his brother Randy's ex wife etc. I just think Tito's son's are the most like Michael and he obviously saw that.

As far as I'm aware Sony just had first option via MJJ Productions if Michael wanted to release it through them as an indepentant, like both David Bowie and Prince had done with Sony. Michael would have just used Sony for promotion, as his contract ended with them in 2004 and he had no contract with Sony or any other label as far as releasing new music. Sony just had a contract with Michael to look after his music from 1979-2004, ie manufature CD's and mp3's for sale in shops and online. All the music he released with them from 2005-08 were one off projects controlled by Michael, like Thriller25. Michael now has a new contract, but that wasn't signed by Michael, but by John Branca and John McClain.

As far as music goes, if Michael was alive songs wouldn't be released from the vault that Michael didn't want. At worst if he was alive Sony may have pressured Michael in to releasing a single, like they insisted he release "You Rock My World" as the first single from Invincible, when Michael wanted Unbreakable as the first single. Obviously Sony have to be sure they make their money, so they will have a say in what they think is best musically, ie in 1987 when Epic was owned by CBS not Sony, the music executives didn't like Michael's original idea for the Bad album cover, which showed Michael with a vail over his face. That was replaced with a photo of Michael taken with his Bad video outfit. On that occasion Epic were right, on other occasions like Sony noting agreeing with Michael that "Unbreakable" should be the first single, Sony in my view were wrong. Sony never had any power/say over the vaults of Michael's unreleased music until now. I'm not even sure if Breaking News is from Michael vault of unreleased music, because if it's Britney Spears sound.

Edited by Ben S, 09 November 2010 - 05:50 PM.

[MJSunshine]

Estate's announcement

Dear Fans

There is nothing more important to the Estate than Michael’s music, his legacy and his fans.

As the Michael album was being put together, it was decided to bring Teddy Riley on board to work on several songs, including “Breaking News,” a song Michael recorded with Eddie Cascio and James Porte in late 2007 while living at the Cascio family home with his children. Riley produced and submitted “Breaking News” to Sony for inclusion on the album. At that time, no one ever mentioned that the vocals we heard on the Cascio songs, which were basically in demo format, might not be Michael. It was known, however, that the background vocals were a combination of Michael and James Porte.

After the tracks were submitted to Sony, three of these Cascio songs were selected to be on the album, and “Breaking News” was one of the three. The day after the submission and selection of the album tracks, for the very first time, the authenticity of Michael’s vocals on the Cascio tracks was questioned.

Because of these questions, I was immediately asked by co-Executors John Branca and John McClain to conduct an investigation regarding the authenticity of the lead vocals on the Cascio tracks.

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 of these persons listened to the a cappella versions of the vocals on the Cascio tracks being considered for inclusion on the album, so they could give an opinion as to whether or not the lead vocals were sung by Michael. They 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 This Is It film, listened to the Cascio tracks and told me the lead vocal was Michael Jackson.

These are all 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, and they all reconfirmed their belief that the lead vocals were Michael’s voice on the Cascio tracks.

The Estate then retained one of the best-known forensic musicologists in the nation to listen to the vocals without any instrumental accompaniment (“a cappella”), and to compare them with a cappella vocals from previous Michael songs. This expert performed waveform analysis, an objective scientific test used to determine audio authenticity, on the Cascio tracks, as well as previously released tracks with Michael’s voice, and reported that ALL of the lead vocals analyzed (which included Cascio tracks) were the voice of Michael Jackson.

Sony Music conducted their own investigation by hiring yet a second well-respected forensic musicologist who also compared the a cappella lead vocals from Cascio tracks against previously released vocals of Michael's, and found that Michael’s voice was the on all sets of the raw vocals. The Cascio tracks were also played for two very prominent persons in the music industry who played crucial roles in Michael’s career. Both of these individuals believed that the lead vocals were Michael’s.

Just to be absolutely certain, I also contacted Jason Malachi, a young singer who some persons had wrongfully alleged was a “soundalike” singer that was hired to sing on the Cascio tracks, and I confirmed that he had no involvement with this project whatsoever.

Sony decided that, given the overwhelming objective evidence resulting from the exhaustive investigations outlined above, they wanted to release a record that included three of the Cascio-Porte tracks - because they believed, without reservation, that the lead vocal on all of those tracks were sung by Michael Jackson.

Although there still seem to be concerns being expressed in some quarters about the authenticity of the lead vocals, notwithstanding the opinion of those who worked with Michael, and two independent forensic analysts, ultimately, Michael’s fans will be the judges of these songs, as they always are. We take all fan comments very seriously, and as I’d stated above, there is nothing more important to the Estate than Michael’s music, his legacy and his fans.

Michael’s fans are extraordinary in their quest for accuracy and their passions to raise their voices in a search for truth! We join with them in our care and concern for Michael. We are continuing to follow up with those who have worked in the studio or on tours with Michael, and if any new information comes to light, we will keep you and the fans advised.


Thanks,

Howard


Howard Weitzman, Esq.
Attorney for the Estate Of Michael Jackson
Santa Monica, CA

[MJPC]

Hmmm.  It sounds like Sony is trying to cover their ass.  And a huge ass it is.

[Stevie]

Just out of curiosity, if the Cascio brothers where great friends with Michael, why would they have not given the music material to Michaels three children instead of Sony, I smell a rat, a huge one and it ain't BEN. Sorry I don't buy it, now when Paris,Prince and Blanket are old enough and can take charge to release all of Michaels unreleased music, then I will by all means start purchasing his music again. While the money spinners are in charge not a hope on GOD'S earth will I.

[Ben S]

The message to fans from Michael's estate still won't convince me that "Breaking News" is Michael singing. Even though I don't like this Britney Spears sounding song, I would still like to think it really was Michael's vocals, because it would give me confirmation Sony are looking after Michael's legacy is a respectful manner (though I don't know why they would release a weak song like Breaking News).

I agree with the above ^ post by "Steve" that I smell a rat, and I think Sony are trying to cover there tracks. I also think Stevie brought up a very good point. Why didn't the Cascio brothers give the songs Michael allegedly recorded to Michael's children or estate instead of Sony. Because the fact it, Michael's unreleased vault of songs/his masters are owned The Michael Jackson Estate, and only those songs are the ones that should be getting released.

[DanaMJ]

I do not think it's sung by MJ Breaking News...in few parts of songs is he but not it seems to be totally....

[JANNYBANNY]

Ben S, on 09 November 2010 - 01:10 PM, said:

Very true. Michael told his mother after the trial that he no longer trusted anyone. Well I will say, that Sony can't be trusted with Michael's music. John Branca and John McClain who are in charge of Michael's estate should be doing more to ensure quality control of Michael's music that Sony are releasing. The song "This Is It", isn't good and despite the title matching the name of Michael's concerts "This Is It" and the movie, that song which was originally just a demo should never have been released. But using an impersonator sing a Britney Spears type song, and saying it's Michael Jackson is just the lowest. Sony should remember, it's not just the reputation of Michael's music they could ruin, but also ther own music label with their stupid tricks. Michael was and still is the biggest and most important artist Sony has, and they should take far more care with Michael's music and not rush release a new album of unreleased songs, with a crappy cover and fake songs.