Xscape General Discussion

Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

the customers want to have a michael jackson product, not remixes.
never heard that the people prefer crap mixes against iconic michael jackson tracks.
Escape is the REAL title.

I am a costumer and MJ fan and I want to hear and own both versions. Original version and Album version.

Those are not remixes, those are Album versions.

Crap mixes?? You heard 1:30 min of Slave and 15 sec of Escape.. And both sound amazing.
Iconic unfinished Michael Jackson tracks? Get real. Customers want to have finished recordings. Doesn't matter who finish it.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

1) Read Damien Shields' "Let's Guess the Tracklist" article -- that gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect, which is official releases of the original recordings of some of the most popular leaked demos we've heard as well as some of the most talked about unheard tracks (Chicago, She Was Lovin' Me) along with newly produced / "contemporized" versions of these songs. Frickin' Awesome.

That's my only gripe here. Don't listen to Damien Shields's article; he has contacts but he majorly misspoke here. For example, he wrote that he heard that Timbaland reworked Do You Know Where Your Children Are, and many fans are immediately using that to say that it will make the album. That is not the case at all. Additionally, he is only including songs that he himself has heard or heard of, and I'm positive the estate isn't limiting their search to that. Also, I'm not listening to anything any producer says. Let's keep in mind that Jerkins was saying that he would appear on Michael but in the end nothing appeared.

But otherwise, APOM, I'm with you on your entire post.

would you prefer the tracks 06 to 13 on BOTDF over their original versions on HIStory?

Ah, my friend, here is the difference: those are remixes. Remixes in and of themselves are intended to destroy the original song and make it something different. Reproductions are done to complete the song and make it sound like something Michael would have done. Granted, for the most part this wasn't done necessarily perfectly, but they are two distinctly separate things.

This is most evident in that the BOTDF remixes were made into EDM tracks, and I hate that genre. So obviously, the album cuts win it for me. But when it comes to the Michael album, I find the new versions of Hold My Hand, Hollywood Tonight, (I Like) The Way You Love Me, Behind the Mask and Much Too Soon to beat their original recordings.

See this is what puts old school MJ fans/Music fans in general against the new style "put a beat over anything" style music fan. Hollywood Tonight is far far far less interesting in the album cut, unless repetitiveness is your thing, the album version is a fricken train wreck and by the standards of music Michael produced in his life it rates a 1/10 man, the whole track got shit on big time, from start to finish by a has been amateurish producer, again its the "slap a beat on it and go" 4 hour remix version, as opposed to listening to Michael make the song, listening to him voicing his opinion on record, or beatboxing and working out new ideas as he lays them down vocally, or the musicians improvising, little percusiion here and there, the formation of what will become the final song...............which was completly different and superior to what we finally got xD

To each his own. Personally, the demo bores the hell out of me haha. It's funky and all but it's quite obvious that it is a very early recording. Weak drums, the bass doesn't shake the speakers like Michael wanted it to, and his vocals aren't to full power. Had he finished it, I might be inclined to say otherwise. But for now, Teddy has him beat! The only thing I will admit was that Teddy completely ruined it with the spoken word verse. I mean, Michael wrote an entire bridge to use. Why not have Taryll rap that? Why write your own version entirely?
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

I wanted to say that Timbo and J Roc usually work together..So i won't count them as 2 producers but kinda team :D :D So Timbo is lead producer and the other are co producers :D
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

BTW I really hope that Love Never Felt So Good is not on the album, althought I'm quite curious how a Timbo production of it would sound.

Timbo didn't work on it -- John McClain did.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Anyone else thinking DYKWYCA might the lead single?
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Those are not remixes, those are Album versions.
any song of an artist that's been modified and/or mixed by anybody except the artist him/herself is called a remix.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

not really digging the sound of either sttr or xscape but they are REALLY short clips. cant wait to hear them in full. hope i like them. this album is gonna be great, i can feel it!
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Can we please stop with the Damien Shields links, he is not a credible source therefore not permitted on MJJC's pages.

Thank you.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

any song of an artist that's been modified and/or mixed by anybody except the artist him/herself is called a remix.

Direct definition of the word remix: "A remix is a song that has been edited or completely recreated to sound different from the original version."

This is not the goal of anything on the album. They embellish the song to make it sound complete, but still maintain the sound, aura and feel of the original version. Not a remix.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Why are people interested in snippets of remixed / material when we're going to get the originals / outtakes, mixed and mastered?!. No matter how dope these remixes sound I highly doubt they'll sound as great as Michael's original versions. Can you imagine a better 2014 version for Blue Gangster. I doubt it. I'm only interested in the other (original) half of this album. I don't care if Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake or even Justin Bieber are featured on the remixes.

People are interested because not everyone thinks like you. Some of us are not that narrow minded as you.

I like Michael's Original versions and those tracks are ESSENTIAL to be released with the new mixes. But new mixes are the ones that will be played on the radio, clubs, streets. Those versions will sell and top the charts. Some mixes may sound worse, but maybe some will sound better. How do you know how rough Slave original music is? Or DYKWYCA? You don't! Maybe it's just MJ's vocals with guitar like Much Too Soon...

Also shame on you for putting Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga in the same category with Bieber. Shame.
 
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Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

SO excited about the new album .... and LOVE the cover!!!!

May just tooooooo long away.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

To each his own. Personally, the demo bores the hell out of me haha. It's funky and all but it's quite obvious that it is a very early recording. Weak drums, the bass doesn't shake the speakers like Michael wanted it to, and his vocals aren't to full power. Had he finished it, I might be inclined to say otherwise. But for now, Teddy has him beat! The only thing I will admit was that Teddy completely ruined it with the spoken word verse. I mean, Michael wrote an entire bridge to use. Why not have Taryll rap that? Why write your own version entirely?

Yeah each to their own :/ you do know that the bass not shaking the speakers, Teddy used the same bass its ripped straight from the demo, he just EQ'd out the high end and boosted the bass and the vocals Teddy just over compressed them (I mean OVER) and autotuned them. Teddy changed the outcome of the song by removing that 15 line and writing in the spoken bridge, the lyrics dont work anymore.

"She's giving hot tricks to men
just to get in
When she was taught that that's not clean
She's headed for the big time, that means"

Apparently giving "not tricks to men" even though you know its not "clean" means you are heading for the bigtime *insert thumbs up*

Teddys version is a happy ending, Michaels was based on a true story and ended in sadness.

Just hope theres no Censoring of Michaels lyrics on this new album :D
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

I personally love the cover.
 
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Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

original tracks was always his big sellers, not the remix albums.

Wrong! Finished tracks was always his big sellers! Not unfinished tracks from past 2 decades.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Can we please stop with the Damien Shields links, he is not a credible source therefore not permitted on MJJC's pages.

Thank you.
Sorry. I thought the article was a good read and an interesting starting point for a discussion re. the possible tracklisting. I dont believe I presented it as facts in my post -- I didn't intend to, at least -- but will edit my post accordingly.
 
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Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Mixtapes and EP's. Albums, I don't think so.

The album will probably be 12-13 songs. The 8 remixes [new versions] and maybe 4-5 originals / demos. I'll be pleasantly surprised if it was 16 , 8 & 8. I hope it is.

Please, go read again the statement. Please.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Just saw a picture of the cover. Is it a real picture or is it a Photoshopped picture? I mean did he take a picture in that suit?
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Yeah each to their own :/ you do know that the bass not shaking the speakers, Teddy used the same bass its ripped straight from the demo, he just EQ'd out the high end and boosted the bass and the vocals Teddy just over compressed them (I mean OVER) and autotuned them. Teddy changed the outcome of the song by removing that 15 line and writing in the spoken bridge, the lyrics dont work anymore.

She's giving hot tricks to men
just to get in
When she was taught that that's not clean
She's headed for the big time, that means

Apparently giving "not tricks to men" even though you know its not "clean" means you are heading for the bigtime *insert thumbs up*

Teddys version is a happy ending, Michaels was based on a true story and ended in sadness.

Really? Interesting. In any sense I don't care for either bass line to be quite honest. Teddy's is indistinguishable for the most part, but Michael's has a lot of treble in it. Both have potential that they don't match.

But as far as the lyric change goes, I see why it was necessary. Michael singing of child prostitution? That doesn't leave a good taste in the mouth. Which is a major catalyst in my reasoning that Do You Know Where Your Children Are shouldn't be released, at least not any time soon. In any sense though, I do enjoy the album cut better than Michael's. *shields myself from tomatoes you're surely throwing at me* ;)
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Just seen someone say Do You Know is on there, and that the first track is killer. The best since Dangerous apparently.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Just seen someone say Do You Know is on there, and that the first track is killer. The best since Dangerous apparently.

I have a feeling that was Damien Shields, and if it was, he didn't say that it was included, but rather that Timbaland did his own mix of it. And an associate of his said it was "killer".
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Really? Interesting. In any sense I don't care for either bass line to be quite honest. Teddy's is indistinguishable for the most part, but Michael's has a lot of treble in it. Both have potential that they don't match.

But as far as the lyric change goes, I see why it was necessary. Michael singing of child prostitution? That doesn't leave a good taste in the mouth. Which is a major catalyst in my reasoning that Do You Know Where Your Children Are shouldn't be released, at least not any time soon. In any sense though, I do enjoy the album cut better than Michael's. *shields myself from tomatoes you're surely throwing at me* ;)

Ha ha no tomatoes thrown, Dunno I think Hollywood is more about a girl going and lieing about her age to get in places and it not working and leaving with nothing but bad memories, kinda smashes that "hollywoods Great" vibe, Mj wrote it about a true story which kinda pisses me off more they changed it, could have held it back and let MP and BB release the more updated version they made, dunno. Anyhow these mixes will be interesting, kinda got a feeling some of the demos we get are gonna be quite bad too so, am not easily pleased me xD
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Ha ha no tomatoes thrown, Dunno I think Hollywood is more about a girl going and lieing about her age to get in places and it not working and leaving with nothing but bad memories, kinda smashes that "hollywoods Great" vibe, Mj wrote it about a true story which kinda pisses me off more they changed it, could have held it back and let MP and BB release the more updated version they made, dunno. Anyhow these mixes will be interesting, kinda got a feeling some of the demos we get are gonna be quite bad too so, am not easily pleased me xD

That's how I always viewed it, but you know critics. If Michael even says the word "child" they can make an entire article around it xD But in any case I'm still surprised Prince and Buxer weren't contacted. I mean they have some of the best material from what I've heard, and they're arguably the most beloved collaborators in Michael's final years besides Neff-U. Imagine what they could do if they got to pick the songs that were included!
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

Can we please stop with the Damien Shields links, he is not a credible source therefore not permitted on MJJC's pages.

Thank you.

Have you seen the tracklist or not? How can you say he's not a credible source if you didn't see the tracklist? Damien was right about everything in all of his articles.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

We're getting both - up to date tracks to draw potential new fans, and Mike's tracks as he last left them for those that hate anything 'modern' - so why are some arguing? Is it just for the sake of being negative, I wonder?

I find this generalization wrong. We don't talk against certain tracks because we "hate anything modern", they get criticized because the modern mixes either completely pale in comparison to the originals or go completely against what Michael himself, wanted for the song. Hollywood Tonight for example.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

The album version of HT is a mess imo. It just sounds messy to me, rushed, probably cause it was lol. The demo is much better imo.
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

DYKWYCA is on the New Album ! And the man who heard it say it's AMAZING !
 
Re: News and discussion about new MJ album : Xscape, May 13, 2014.

People are interested because not everyone thinks like you. Some of us are not that narrowminded as you. Also shame on you for putting Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga in the same category with Bieber. Shame.

For me not caring about a bunch of remixes that Michael had absolutely nothing to do with whatsoever and being more interested in the original outtakes and demos Mike actually had input in and helped create from scratch makes me narrowminded? me? hahaha.

I wonder how many people were excited when they found out BOTDF had a handful of remixes from the HIStory album? I'm sure they were so gassed, they just couldn't wait to hear masterpieces like Earth Song and Stranger In Moscow in the clubs / streets. No my friend, they could care less. It's the 5 unreleased songs that were eagerly anticipated and well worth the wait I might add.

I said I don't care if even these artists are featured on the remixes because that's how much i DON'T CARE about them.

By the way, Michael Jackson's music has surpassed "the charts". His entire catalogue is on the charts, day in, day out. He doesn't need remixes to top the chart. This album regardless of it's quality will top the charts. It's Michael Jackson.
 
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