MICHAEL: "Rod, please don't quit, I need you. I have a creative direction I want myself to go in, and I don't want to be piggybacking off of you. I need to make Michael; I need to make the sound and feel and groove that I want to be known by. My whole career up to this point, I have been force fed what to say, and do and be, and this album, BAD, is the perfect opportunity that I can't pass up, to let every eye and critic and fan, know the magic and escapism that is inside of me. It's an opportunity to give them a peek inside of what makes me, me and what makes my soul sing. I want to do independently, but I'll always need your expertise and ear for creating magic by my side. You're a miracle in my life, and I couldn't keep going without you Rod."MR ROD: Michael, what year is it? Record Groove of Midnight for the CD version of Bad, and I'll stay.