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How would you compile a new posthumous album?

AlwaysThere

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Let’s say Branca and McClain reach out to you and ask you to put together a brand-new, full-length album for release in 2023. You have access to all of their resources, and you are allowed complete and uncontested creative control with its track list, promotion, short films, so on and so forth. What would you do?

Here’s my list of “demands”:

- Bring in Brad Buxer and Michael Prince as executive producers and archivists. Have them comb through the vaults for material, assemble the selection pool, and oversee the album production.
- Retain John McClain and Neff-U as the lead producers.
- Prioritize the material MJ was working on during the final years of his life.
- Approach the music with a “finish/polish” mentality, not a “rework” one. Use the existing demo as the foundation, build/embellish elements only as necessary, and ensure that the final album mix is true and respectful to the original. Think the album version of “Hold My Hand” or the leaked version of “Do You Know Where Your Children Are.”
- Include “Remember What I Told You” as a “hidden” bonus track for the fans.
- Craft another artificial duet using one of the less-finished tracks (perhaps “Boy No”), and release it as a single.
 
Oh so we are totally free in our choices.
In that case give me an album of demos untouched in the state they were left in, in fact make it a boxset.

After that they can do what they want and create as many duets and remixes they want with the available demos

But your idea works too alwaysthere
 
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I have 2 options. Option 1 is an idea I really think they should eventually do, and would work well. Option 2 is a full length album much like Michael/Xscape albums (minus the controversy)

Option 1
For this one, I'm doing an Anthology Boxset (maybe even multiple Anthology boxset releases), much like the Beatles in the 1990s. On these sets, I'm mostly releasing demos of previously released material, snippets he was working on, but not enough for full length songs to be completed, maybe some dialog of Michael talking to producers or doing interviews about his creation of certain songs.

I'm also releasing various versions of songs he recorded multiple times over his life time (like Don't Be Messin Around which is rumored to have been worked on many times, etc

For option 1, I'm not releasing any demos of songs or completed songs that have never been released, with the exception of the MJ/Freddie Mercury collaborations. If I can get the green light from Queen and the Freddie Mercury estate, I'm putting at least State Of Shock and Victory on this album. Seeing as There Must Be More To Life Than This was already done by them, I most likely won't put it on here...at least not until Anthology II. All other demos or full length unreleased songs are being saved for future album releases.

Option 2- Michael Jackson- "We've Had Enough" album

For this album, I'm releasing previously unreleased tracks (minus a couple that appears on The Ultimate Collection boxset that IMO got buried and should be highlighted on a single disc album for more notoriety from the media and general public)

  1. Shout
  2. Niteline
  3. Hotstreet
  4. Throwing Your Life Away
  5. Chicago 1945
  6. Dream Away
  7. For All Time
  8. Serious Effect
  9. To Satisfy You
  10. On The Line
  11. If You Don't Love Me
  12. Someone Put Your Hand Out
  13. Can't Get Your Weight Off Of Me
  14. We've Had Enough
For this, I'm picking the 14 strongest contenders available, and I'm putting them in order by era's...minus the opening track, as I feel Shout is a great intro to the album. For All Time is on here because of it's inclusion on Thriller25 made no sense, and deserves some spot light on here. Same with On The Line, which gives the album it's "anthem", Michael always had on his albums from Bad onward, and Someone Put Your Hand Out deserves some love too.

We've Had Enough finishes the album, and is the title track, as I feel is the strongest and best song of the bunch. I would also heavily promote it as a single, with a potential music video. I would go on an all out social media blitz to get it promoted and get it to number 1 on the Billboard 100.

Other song contenders would be
  • "Men In Black"
  • "She Got It"
  • "Work That Body"
  • "Days In Gloucestershire"
  • "She Was Loving Me/Chicago"- (Rock Version)..IMO this should have been on Xscape, not the contemporized version we ended up getting.
  • "People Of The World" (seeing as it's not finished, I would finish this up with multiple recordings artists, in the vein of We Are The World, to go along with Michael's vocals)
 
Prince Of Pop said:
I have 2 options. Option 1 is an idea I really think they should eventually do, and would work well. Option 2 is a full length album much like Michael/Xscape albums (minus the controversy)

Option 1
For this one, I'm doing an Anthology Boxset (maybe even multiple Anthology boxset releases), much like the Beatles in the 1990s. On these sets, I'm mostly releasing demos of previously released material, snippets he was working on, but not enough for full length songs to be completed, maybe some dialog of Michael talking to producers or doing interviews about his creation of certain songs.

I'm also releasing various versions of songs he recorded multiple times over his life time (like Don't Be Messin Around which is rumored to have been worked on many times, etc
Click to expand...
Yes!! This, this, THIS!!! :)
 
I was eagerly waiting for someone to ask me about how a fan want the album... 🥹🥹🥹


1. Name of the album
I will first name the album... Just like MJ loved to do... Based on a song in the album...

And surely put more spotlight on already released bangers like CHEATER and STREETWALKER...

with this one track to include that is already released... We are having a possibility to make sure these tracks get more attention... As they really need!...

Also cheater has 2001 Darkchild version...


So the name of upcoming album should be CHEATER / STREETWALKER....

2. For track selection:

There's must be a POV, how MJ likes the tracklist?
Love songs +
Motivational +
World/Children related (Xscape album has zero of them) +
Story based +

This is how he targeted different audiences....

I also like the concept of contemporization of old songs, unfinished ones... This really brings the idea of targeting younger age groups... But also I hate the fact that Blue Gangsta's original version was pathetic as compared to the leaked version... Somehow sony managed to destroy the composition...

But contemporization did wonders on Chicago and Loving You
So...

Contemporized songs +
Original ones....

I don't know much about the producers, but I guess DarkChild, Brad, Teddy Riley, NEFF-U for sure, etc ..




3. Album Documentry
After watching the Xscape project 😂😂😂 Documentry most the fans felt that estate is not sharing the actually story behind the songs... We want to know how MJ made that song... What was his plan?? Why he didn't release it? We really don't want to know what new producers felt... We want to know the real story... The era... Different takes, the studio footage .... Come on guys... If that fall again recording footage exists this means there must be a lot of footage MJ singing in the booth... That estate not putting enough efforts for fans!!!!!😭😭💖💖💖

4. Music Videos 🥲
Here comes the most missing part 😭
MJ be like "where are the short films?"
where's the concept that MJ loved... The short films?

The concept of Hollywood tonight was fine... That an actor could play as in the storyline... That's it... But A PLACE WITH NO NAME'S footage doesn't seem upto the mark...

5. Cameo / Featuring
We can include the feature version of the song as well... I like the LNFSG duet and love the original, and the contemporized one...

6. Live Hologram 🥹🥹🥹
Also I love to see MJ HOLOGRAM performing to the singles from this album...

That's it.. 🙂
 
zinniabooklover said:
It's not hard, is it? Or it shouldn't be.
Click to expand...
It has nothing to do with that.

Just releasing the untouched demos with context along with maybe a booklet detailing the songs is not going to be commercially successful for the Estate.

Besides, the Estate have already showed that they aim mainly at the general public/casual fans that represent a bigger demand for their products.

One has to take a look at the previous, posthumous releases, which none of them aimed mainly at the singer's die-hard fans.

There is also the Estate's statement (on their official website) about releasing untouched demos: this would not be a commercially successful move because they are, by definition, unfinished (songs).
 
mj_frenzy said:
It has nothing to do with that.
Click to expand...
Yes, I do realise that.

mj_frenzy said:
Just releasing the untouched demos with context along with maybe a booklet detailing the songs is not going to be commercially successful for the Estate.
Click to expand...
Yes, we all know this. We all know the MJE priorities.

mj_frenzy said:
Besides, the Estate have already showed that they aim mainly at the general public/casual fans that represent a bigger demand for their products.
Click to expand...
See above.

mj_frenzy said:
One has to take a look at the previous, posthumous releases, which none of them aimed mainly at the singer's die-hard fans.
Click to expand...
I'm not a die-hard fan. And I'm not interested in previous releases. I would like to see an interesting anthology / box-set release of the type I believe @SmoothGangsta was imagining.

mj_frenzy said:
There is also the Estate's statement (on their official website) about releasing untouched demos:
Click to expand...
Yes, I've seen that. As it happens, I disagree with their statement.

mj_frenzy said:
this would not be a commercially successful move because they are, by definition, unfinished (songs).
Click to expand...
No-one is claiming it would be commercially successful. People are saying that an interesting, artistic product with unfinished songs could be - almost certainly would be - a wonderful addition to anyone's collection.
 
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I would stick to the basics, make an Xscape/Michael style album. Lots of songs that are mostly finished, definitely more latter day stuff if I can help it. Hot Street could appear. I would invite some new producers and I'd also check in with a few of the originals. The goal wouldn't be "contemporization", but it wouldn't be finishing it either. I would simply say to make the song as authentic and good as can be. Maybe let multiple producers redo the songs, compare all of them and see what comes out the best.

If I'm gonna be executive producing then I'm the one who's gonna know what the original sounds like and I'll take the brunt of the work in making sure it resembles MJ's ideals.

I wouldn't reuse any songs. Not in that context. Once the song has come out, it shouldn't be "reused". Anniversary stuff is different. A lot of demoes would be in anniversary Reissues.

As far as a box set, I would make a new Ultimate Collection with new demoes. Sketches mostly.
 
Good idea mate, I think we're on the same page to be honest.

I'd get, Michael Prince, Brad Buxer, Matt Forger and Bill Bottrell to go through all the songs that are complete enough to release.

We would then go through, what Mike felt about each demo and take notes on the direction of the tracks and any information on them (era they're from and so on)

I'd then go to Teddy Riley, John McClain, Dr Freeze and Neff-U to "finish the songs" and see how they felt Mike would improve the songs, while staying true to Mike's vision.

I think these 4 producers would stay true to Mike's vision while making the songs more "contemporary" (see Mike's 1994 Dangerous deposition to gear his thoughts on Teddy's abilities)

I feel this way you'd get the most natural and organic album you could, under the circumstances. It's a shame they didn't do this initially, when the Estate had more material to work with

Great thread mate
 
mj_frenzy said:
It has nothing to do with that.

Just releasing the untouched demos with context along with maybe a booklet detailing the songs is not going to be commercially successful for the Estate.

Besides, the Estate have already showed that they aim mainly at the general public/casual fans that represent a bigger demand for their products.

One has to take a look at the previous, posthumous releases, which none of them aimed mainly at the singer's die-hard fans.

There is also the Estate's statement (on their official website) about releasing untouched demos: this would not be a commercially successful move because they are, by definition, unfinished (songs).
Click to expand...
An estate not solely in it for the money would be a good start.
 
zinniabooklover said:
People are saying that an interesting, artistic product with unfinished songs could be - almost certainly would be - a wonderful addition to anyone's collection.
Click to expand...
This apparently would only be feasible via a Michael Jackson collectors label, ideally under Sony Music.

A Michael Jackson collectors label can undertake the production, packaging and distribution of demos, pre-mixed versions of songs, songs with slightly different vocals, songs with very few vocals, alternate studio takes, unreleased works from certain sessions, and so on.

A Michael Jackson collectors label can even release (previously unseen) video material from the singer's 3 solo tours, and even (previously unseen) video rehearsals from these tours.

Actually, such collectors labels exist and release stuff aimed at a given artist's die-hard fans (like, Bob Dylan's 'The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3' box set).
 
Maxym said:
It's actually 'The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-16' box set ... and soon 17.

And guess who's in Branca's reference list? https://johnbranca.com/ > Client on "Clients".
Not sure what the "**" means but MJ has them too. Now I think that the list is not only his "current" clients.
Click to expand...
Lol, Frenzy literally drops incorrect information in all his comments like Where's Waldo. It's not even an MJ fact this time.
 
Ngl, I appreciate frenzy for always trying to be informative and but why does he go out of his way to send fake info with an obviously bullshit source (or with no source at all) 95% of the time lmao. Makes zero sense to me.
 
foralltimerishi said:
I was eagerly waiting for someone to ask me about how a fan want the album... 🥹🥹🥹


1. Name of the album
I will first name the album... Just like MJ loved to do... Based on a song in the album...

And surely put more spotlight on already released bangers like CHEATER and STREETWALKER...

with this one track to include that is already released... We are having a possibility to make sure these tracks get more attention... As they really need!...

Also cheater has 2001 Darkchild version...


So the name of upcoming album should be CHEATER / STREETWALKER....

2. For track selection:

There's must be a POV, how MJ likes the tracklist?
Love songs +
Motivational +
World/Children related (Xscape album has zero of them) +
Story based +

This is how he targeted different audiences....

I also like the concept of contemporization of old songs, unfinished ones... This really brings the idea of targeting younger age groups... But also I hate the fact that Blue Gangsta's original version was pathetic as compared to the leaked version... Somehow sony managed to destroy the composition...

But contemporization did wonders on Chicago and Loving You
So...

Contemporized songs +
Original ones....

I don't know much about the producers, but I guess DarkChild, Brad, Teddy Riley, NEFF-U for sure, etc ..




3. Album Documentry
After watching the Xscape project 😂😂😂 Documentry most the fans felt that estate is not sharing the actually story behind the songs... We want to know how MJ made that song... What was his plan?? Why he didn't release it? We really don't want to know what new producers felt... We want to know the real story... The era... Different takes, the studio footage .... Come on guys... If that fall again recording footage exists this means there must be a lot of footage MJ singing in the booth... That estate not putting enough efforts for fans!!!!!😭😭💖💖💖

4. Music Videos 🥲
Here comes the most missing part 😭
MJ be like "where are the short films?"
where's the concept that MJ loved... The short films?

The concept of Hollywood tonight was fine... That an actor could play as in the storyline... That's it... But A PLACE WITH NO NAME'S footage doesn't seem upto the mark...

5. Cameo / Featuring
We can include the feature version of the song as well... I like the LNFSG duet and love the original, and the contemporized one...

6. Live Hologram 🥹🥹🥹
Also I love to see MJ HOLOGRAM performing to the singles from this album...

That's it.. 🙂
Click to expand...
what version of blue gangsta you are talking about? there was only one original version....
 
AlwaysThere said:
Let’s say Branca and McClain reach out to you and ask you to put together a brand-new, full-length album for release in 2023. You have access to all of their resources, and you are allowed complete and uncontested creative control with its track list, promotion, short films, so on and so forth. What would you do?

Here’s my list of “demands”:

- Bring in Brad Buxer and Michael Prince as executive producers and archivists. Have them comb through the vaults for material, assemble the selection pool, and oversee the album production.
- Retain John McClain and Neff-U as the lead producers.
- Prioritize the material MJ was working on during the final years of his life.
- Approach the music with a “finish/polish” mentality, not a “rework” one. Use the existing demo as the foundation, build/embellish elements only as necessary, and ensure that the final album mix is true and respectful to the original. Think the album version of “Hold My Hand” or the leaked version of “Do You Know Where Your Children Are.”
- Include “Remember What I Told You” as a “hidden” bonus track for the fans.
- Craft another artificial duet using one of the less-finished tracks (perhaps “Boy No”), and release it as a single.
Click to expand...
i like Xscape album scheme of releasing unreleased material.... Its much better than Michael's scheme... Beacuse in this way everybody got satisfied: old fans that dont like remixes and new generation.... that will love MJ because of cool remixes... Remixes is a good thing, but we also need original versions... And better the last LAST versions, which Michael left unfinished
 
Richard76 said:
what version of blue gangsta you are talking about? there was only one original version....
Click to expand...
There's a version from 1999 that leaked in 2010, the version on Xscape is from 1998. I still can't make sense as to why the Estate released the outdated versions of the demos instead of more fleshed out versions...
 
ChanceToDance said:
There's a version from 1999 that leaked in 2010, the version on Xscape is from 1998. I still can't make sense as to why the Estate released the outdated versions of the demos instead of more fleshed out versions...
Click to expand...
its fan version...?
 
SmoothGangsta said:
This one is better

Click to expand...
i highly doubt it was made by Michael... there is a lot of messy sounds.... Most likely it is fans mix or mix made by some other people.... But its definately not Michael's....
that is MJ's version. And it is the best version of BG for sure
 
Richard76 said:
i highly doubt it was made by Michael... there is a lot of messy sounds.... Most likely it is fans mix or mix made by some other people.... But its definately not Michael's....
that is MJ's version. And it is the best version of BG for sure
Click to expand...

It's not a fan mix at all, it's a later version of the song. Version on Xscape is one of the earliest versions of the track.
 
Dr. Freeze did update Blue Gangsta posthumously in 2010, but that version hasn't even leaked has it. This version is straight outta 1999.
 
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