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Tommy Mottola talks about Michael Jackson in his book Hitmaker - Comprehensive summary
- Thread starter ivy
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Prometheus77
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^^Are you sure that company was started by him? This is the first time I'm hearing about this. Also I don't remember any concrete talks about a tour. I do remember a competition though to attend one of his concert. Don't know how that one ended up though. Either way. I'm still not convinced. The timing seems off with Blanket and all. Especially considering his stance on touring. But if he really had plans, he should have followed through with it... would have been much better for him than protesting against Sony... and probably could have prevented all the other crap that followed.
Here I'm going to post quotes from Frank Cascio's book
A musician’s partnership with a record label is like a marriage. There is plenty of discussion and compromise over how the children should be raised. Sony was very happy with the album, and during that meeting they helped to narrow down the list of songs that would be on it. A conflict arose when Tommy Mottola, the head of Sony Music, didn’t want “Lost Children” on the album because he was of the opinion that associating Michael with children would only serve to stir up unpleasant memories of the 1993 allegations. Michael thought this was absurd and was adamant that “Lost Children” stay on the album. It was a battle, but Michael eventually won.
Michael and Sony also disagreed about the order in which the singles would be released. Michael wanted to release the song “Unbreakable” as the first single, and was eager to make a video for it. (He never, by the way, used the word “video” when referring to one of his filmed songs. If anyone used the word, he would say, “Short film. It’s a short film. I don’t do videos.”
Michael even knew exactly how he wanted to open the “Unbreakable” short film. He would be on the roof of a very tall building that was under construction, held over the edge by some thugs, and then they would let him go. He would go hurtling to the ground, seemingly dead, but slowly, his body parts would come together and he would turn into fire— dancing on fire from scaffold to scaffold as his body parts reassembled themselves. Michael envisioned creating a dance for “Unbreakable” that people would remember forever.
He fought for this vision, but unfortunately that’s not how things finally went down. Sony wanted the first single to be “You Rock My World.” Don’t get me wrong: Michael loved “You Rock My World,” but he wanted it to be the second single from the album. As a compromise, he thought “Unbreakable” should follow as the second single, but Sony wanted “Butterflies.” Sony wasn’t behind it. Ultimately, there were three singles: “Rock My World,” “Butterflies,” and “Cry,” but the only one that would also be a music video was “Rock My World.”
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The plan was to release the song “What More Can I Give” as a single to benefit the victims of 9/ 11, but Tommy Mottola was worried that this would compete for attention with Invincible.
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When Invincible didn’t perform as Michael had wanted— after all that hard work— he pointed the finger of blame at Sony and its executives. He thought the label was failing to promote the album. Sony certainly had a conflict of interest in this instance because of their interest in the Beatles catalog. Back in the fall of 2001 when the album was released, Michael had done a promotional event at the Virgin Megastore, signing autographs while the store sold albums. I sat on one side of him, my brother Eddie on the other. I knew that Sony wanted Michael to do more such promotions— they wanted him to tour as he had with his past albums, a surefire way to drive sales— but Michael was tired of all that. He’d been touring his whole life. He wanted Sony to find an innovative way to promote the album, but he didn’t want it to include their most powerful asset: him.
All along, Michael had the power to turn the situation around. But he was so outraged that he made all his efforts contingent on Sony’s commitment to a marketing plan that never materialized. Ultimately, Michael’s and Tommy Mottola’s egos got in the way of promoting a great album."
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Then, in June 2002, Michael chose to take a somewhat perverse course of action: he stood atop a double-decker bus and held up “Go to hell, Mottola” signs as it circled Sony’s headquarters. Just because I was no longer officially working for him didn’t mean I had to keep my opinions to myself. Protecting Michael was a habit I couldn’t break. Hoping I still had some influence, I met with him in his hotel room at the Palace.
“What are you doing?” I said. “You’re Michael Jackson. You’re better than this.”
Michael was sitting at a desk. He’d just gotten off the phone with the president of his fan club, making plans to rally his fans to his cause. “Frank,” he replied, “these people, they’re trying to take my catalog. I’m tired of being taken advantage of. We have to expose them.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you about Sony,” I said, trying to be as supportive as I could. Try as I might, I just couldn’t see the point in parading around with the signs. “But I’m against the bus.”
Michael looked tired. And angry. This kind of public display was out of character for him, but he was at the end of his rope. He’d hoped and expected that this album would bail him out of his financial troubles— and the lawsuits that plagued him. He was taking out his disappointment on Sony. If I’d been working with him, I would have done everything in my power to cool him down, talk it out, and avoid this kind of undignified acting out. I don’t know who had Michael’s ear at the time, but if anyone was urging him to fight in this way, I thought it was bad advice. Sony’s marketing plans for Invincible had nothing to do with race, and trying to make it seem like they were was, I believed, beneath Michael.
A musician’s partnership with a record label is like a marriage. There is plenty of discussion and compromise over how the children should be raised. Sony was very happy with the album, and during that meeting they helped to narrow down the list of songs that would be on it. A conflict arose when Tommy Mottola, the head of Sony Music, didn’t want “Lost Children” on the album because he was of the opinion that associating Michael with children would only serve to stir up unpleasant memories of the 1993 allegations. Michael thought this was absurd and was adamant that “Lost Children” stay on the album. It was a battle, but Michael eventually won.
Michael and Sony also disagreed about the order in which the singles would be released. Michael wanted to release the song “Unbreakable” as the first single, and was eager to make a video for it. (He never, by the way, used the word “video” when referring to one of his filmed songs. If anyone used the word, he would say, “Short film. It’s a short film. I don’t do videos.”
Michael even knew exactly how he wanted to open the “Unbreakable” short film. He would be on the roof of a very tall building that was under construction, held over the edge by some thugs, and then they would let him go. He would go hurtling to the ground, seemingly dead, but slowly, his body parts would come together and he would turn into fire— dancing on fire from scaffold to scaffold as his body parts reassembled themselves. Michael envisioned creating a dance for “Unbreakable” that people would remember forever. He fought for this vision, but unfortunately that’s not how things finally went down. Sony wanted the first single to be “You Rock My World.” Don’t get me wrong: Michael loved “You Rock My World,” but he wanted it to be the second single from the album. As a compromise, he thought “Unbreakable” should follow as the second single, but Sony wanted “Butterflies.” Sony wasn’t behind it. Ultimately, there were three singles: “Rock My World,” “Butterflies,” and “Cry,” but the only one that would also be a music video was “Rock My World.”
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The plan was to release the song “What More Can I Give” as a single to benefit the victims of 9/ 11, but Tommy Mottola was worried that this would compete for attention with Invincible.
------------------
When Invincible didn’t perform as Michael had wanted— after all that hard work— he pointed the finger of blame at Sony and its executives. He thought the label was failing to promote the album. Sony certainly had a conflict of interest in this instance because of their interest in the Beatles catalog. Back in the fall of 2001 when the album was released, Michael had done a promotional event at the Virgin Megastore, signing autographs while the store sold albums. I sat on one side of him, my brother Eddie on the other. I knew that Sony wanted Michael to do more such promotions— they wanted him to tour as he had with his past albums, a surefire way to drive sales— but Michael was tired of all that. He’d been touring his whole life. He wanted Sony to find an innovative way to promote the album, but he didn’t want it to include their most powerful asset: him.
All along, Michael had the power to turn the situation around. But he was so outraged that he made all his efforts contingent on Sony’s commitment to a marketing plan that never materialized. Ultimately, Michael’s and Tommy Mottola’s egos got in the way of promoting a great album."
-------------------------
Then, in June 2002, Michael chose to take a somewhat perverse course of action: he stood atop a double-decker bus and held up “Go to hell, Mottola” signs as it circled Sony’s headquarters. Just because I was no longer officially working for him didn’t mean I had to keep my opinions to myself. Protecting Michael was a habit I couldn’t break. Hoping I still had some influence, I met with him in his hotel room at the Palace.
“What are you doing?” I said. “You’re Michael Jackson. You’re better than this.”
Michael was sitting at a desk. He’d just gotten off the phone with the president of his fan club, making plans to rally his fans to his cause. “Frank,” he replied, “these people, they’re trying to take my catalog. I’m tired of being taken advantage of. We have to expose them.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you about Sony,” I said, trying to be as supportive as I could. Try as I might, I just couldn’t see the point in parading around with the signs. “But I’m against the bus.”
Michael looked tired. And angry. This kind of public display was out of character for him, but he was at the end of his rope. He’d hoped and expected that this album would bail him out of his financial troubles— and the lawsuits that plagued him. He was taking out his disappointment on Sony. If I’d been working with him, I would have done everything in my power to cool him down, talk it out, and avoid this kind of undignified acting out. I don’t know who had Michael’s ear at the time, but if anyone was urging him to fight in this way, I thought it was bad advice. Sony’s marketing plans for Invincible had nothing to do with race, and trying to make it seem like they were was, I believed, beneath Michael.
Prometheus77;3772090 said:
Yes, it's started 12/24/2001, it lists Michael Kane - Michael's business manager- as an agent and Estate's accounting lists it as a Michael Jackson and now Estate owned entity. Recently Estate closed it down.
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And From Jermaine Jackson's book
IT WAS REPORTED SOMEWHERE THAT INVINCIBLE didn’t max out on sales because Michael didn’t want to take it on tour, but that was never true. An album tour was planned, designed, and he was ready and willing to go on the road in spring 2002, nationally and overseas. But then 9/11 happened, and it was canceled at Michael’s request. I know this led to an argument over the phone with Tommy Mottola. Michael blamed him for not promoting his album, and Tommy blamed him for not doing the tour that would have promoted the album. I didn’t understand Sony’s argument because my brother was one of countless artists who canceled tours that year, including our sister Janet; the mood at that time was not to travel within the heightened sense of alert. If American targets were at risk and those terrorists audacious enough to take down the Twin Towers, then a stadium filled with fans for America’s greatest entertainer could be hit, too. Michael took the decision not to put his fans or his tour staff in that position: it was common sense.
Personally, I think that when Michael backed out of that tour in the September, Sony put the brakes on a full-fledged promotion in the October. It kept telling Michael that it had spent $24m on the album and needed an artist who was prepared to promote it. At one point, Michael attempted to win over the situation by playing politics with Tommy, seeking to appease him by inviting his wife, Thalia, to sing on the Spanish version of “What More Can I Give?” I don’t know if that version was ever released in Latin-American territories, but if Michael had hoped it would increase the level of promotion for Invincible, he would have been disappointed. The big sadness was that if 9/11 hadn’t happened, the tour would have gone ahead, keeping him performing into the year 2004.
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He based that on information received in a phone call from someone he trusted. He felt strongly that everything was designed to back him into a financial corner: the less successful his albums, the less royalty income. The less he earned, the more reliant he’d be on his share of the Sony-ATV catalogue which he’d already borrowed against to the tune of $200 million from Bank of America . . . guaranteed by Sony. And the more debt he had, the stronger the chance he’d be forced to sell his interest in the catalogue. At least, that was Michael’s thinking.
Petrarose
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Ivy those excerpts from the books really bring tears to my eyes. Can you imagine what could have been if all this stupid squabbling had been ironed out in a more professional manner? It seems no side wanted to meet in the middle & no one wanted to back down. The idea of that unbreakable short film is out of this world. Now I will be dreaming of the "could have beens." What a great loss & tragedy this fallout caused, which to me now seems so foolish.
Prometheus77
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^^Hmm, well... interesting... if it was listed 12/24/01 then not touring had nothing to do with 9/11 though. Either way... we have now 3 opinions (4, if we include Michael's) regarding Invincible and every opinion is slightly different than the other. Frank and Jermaine's assement do seem plausible though. A shame though regarding that Unbreakable video. Even though I had and have no desire to see Gibson in a MJ video.... oops, I mean short film.
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Prometheus77
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Yeah. Indeed. It's kind of like a timeline/timetravel movie... if history hadn't taken a totally different course than what was usual for Michael's albums, he probably would still be with us.
Now add all these different versions together - Mottola, Frank Cascio, Jermaine and what Michael said. As well as Sharpton.
There were disagreements with Sony in regards to the songs, singles, videos - Frank details that in his book, Mottola conveniently omits that. Also both Frank and Mottola says Sony were happy with the album in general.
Both Frank and Mottola mentions Michael expecting high sales. Mottola makes it sound like a not realistic goal, Frank makes it sound like it was a realistic goal with an expectation to pay debts.
$24 Million - $25 Million promotion number is both mentioned in Mottola's and Jermaine's book, making it seem like - true or false- this has been a number that Sony claimed to pay for Invincible promotion for years.
Disagreements about promotion also seems to be common at both Frank and Jermaine's book. Frank and Jermaine both says Sony wanted Michael to be more involved in the promotion and Michael wasn't interested in being involved due to multiple reasons (ranging from not wanting to be involved to legitimate 9/11 fears). Frank's book states that they couldn't find a middle way - a solution to these disagreements.
Again Jermaine and Mottola agree that Sony cut the promotion , either due to sales not covering costs or due to cancellation of Invincible tour - or perhaps even due to Michael telling Sony he would be leaving Sony.
Overall it seems like everyone agrees that 9/11 events had a significant impact on the sales , promotion and tour. and also it seems like majority (Mottola, Frank, Sharpton) seems to think that this wasn't a race issue. Both Frank and Shapton also seems to believe that someone was in Michael's ear and Michael did not have the all the information. Jermaine also states that it was someone that told Michael the possibility that Sony was after his catalog.
It's also important to point out that Frank twice states out Sony clearly had a conflict of interest due to Sony / ATV catalog. Jermaine explains the reasoning. (Not being able to pay the debts could have resulted in Sony making a move for the catalog). It's also clear that Michael believed this to be case. That's why he protested on the top of a bus, holding signs. (However more than a decade later we also know that Sony did not make a move to get Michael's catalog. )
There were disagreements with Sony in regards to the songs, singles, videos - Frank details that in his book, Mottola conveniently omits that. Also both Frank and Mottola says Sony were happy with the album in general.
Both Frank and Mottola mentions Michael expecting high sales. Mottola makes it sound like a not realistic goal, Frank makes it sound like it was a realistic goal with an expectation to pay debts.
$24 Million - $25 Million promotion number is both mentioned in Mottola's and Jermaine's book, making it seem like - true or false- this has been a number that Sony claimed to pay for Invincible promotion for years.
Disagreements about promotion also seems to be common at both Frank and Jermaine's book. Frank and Jermaine both says Sony wanted Michael to be more involved in the promotion and Michael wasn't interested in being involved due to multiple reasons (ranging from not wanting to be involved to legitimate 9/11 fears). Frank's book states that they couldn't find a middle way - a solution to these disagreements.
Again Jermaine and Mottola agree that Sony cut the promotion , either due to sales not covering costs or due to cancellation of Invincible tour - or perhaps even due to Michael telling Sony he would be leaving Sony.
Overall it seems like everyone agrees that 9/11 events had a significant impact on the sales , promotion and tour. and also it seems like majority (Mottola, Frank, Sharpton) seems to think that this wasn't a race issue. Both Frank and Shapton also seems to believe that someone was in Michael's ear and Michael did not have the all the information. Jermaine also states that it was someone that told Michael the possibility that Sony was after his catalog.
It's also important to point out that Frank twice states out Sony clearly had a conflict of interest due to Sony / ATV catalog. Jermaine explains the reasoning. (Not being able to pay the debts could have resulted in Sony making a move for the catalog). It's also clear that Michael believed this to be case. That's why he protested on the top of a bus, holding signs. (However more than a decade later we also know that Sony did not make a move to get Michael's catalog. )
Petrarose
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Ivy^^ Now that you put the 3 together we get a clearer picture, but don't forget that Jermaine got his information form maybe Frank or TM, but somebody, so that is sort of indirect information. Who did Cascio get his information from, since it appears he was not really working with Michael at the time? That would be good to know too, so right now my best information is what you have from Michael who was there & TM who was there.
PS: Is Michael Kane supposed to be one of the people who was whispering in Michel's ear that Frank is talking about.
PS: Is Michael Kane supposed to be one of the people who was whispering in Michel's ear that Frank is talking about.
Frank was working with Michael during Invincible recording and release. He was there at YRMW video shot and so on. He states the stopped working for Michael at March 2002 so he wasn't working for Michael when Michael was protesting Sony. So even though Frank wasn't working during the protests, he would still have the first hand knowledge about what happened before the protests and about Invincible release and the promotion issues.
I don't think Frank is a source for Jermaine - as the Jacksons don't get along with Cascios. I would think Mottola as a source is unlikely too. If I need to take a guess I would think Wiesner to be a likely source for Jermaine.
I agree he should have performed the songs from Invincible more than he did--which it seems was only once--You Rock My World at the 30th Anniversary Special. Personally, and I probably have said this before (sorry) I would have loved to see him perform Break of Dawn, Whatever Happens, Don't Walk Away, Heartbreaker. Why not, SONY???
144000
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Well only the victim knows for sure. We can discuss this till it becomes fodder for another section of the forum, although, however, I understand the need for discussion as this is a discussion board. And all the living parties...Mottolla, Jermaine, Sharpton.. have the advantage over the party that's no longer here. and rumours never really amount to truth. It's not like Michael's the first artist to protest his label's treatment of him, so it's not like the label's blameless. I think of Prince, for example.
Anyway...an album doesn't necessarily need a tour to promote it in this info age. There are millions of ways to promote music..and the stronger the music is, the easier it is. Strong music doesn't go away, no matter how hard one tries to quash it. These artists are human, and there's such thing as burnout. There have been artists in the past that have died due to burnout from being pushed to tour too much. So, touring really isn't the issue. Sony has no excuse for putting a ceiling on this album, but because of theh strength of the music, the album is still being talked about and sold, today, so that alone trumps that. Whether or not an album sells at a hundred miles an hour or three hundred miles an hour, doesn't matter, as long as it sells. It's obvious, this album is not dead, despite Mottolla's efforts. As long as there is time, there is Invincible.
As far as Michael's infrequency with performing songs..that's been a staple all his life. 'Never overexpose'. It's worked wonders for him. There was at least four years between all his albums, and it left the audience wanting more. The number one complaint among consumers with most songs, is overplaying them..overexposing them. I hear people everyday turn songs off on the radio because radio overplays them. Michael was a genius, with great self awareness...and song awareness. he did just enough to get the songs out there, then they took on a life of their own.
Also, just because Sharpton says something is not a race issue, doesn't necessarily means he's right. I've seen plenty of instances where people like Sharpton would play both sides...or are just interested in his political agenda, and would willingly drop one person of his own race for his own gain, and only consider Sharpton's own angle, own experience, and not Michael's. Anything is a possibility. As I stated originally, only the victim, Michael, knows for sure.
Anyway...an album doesn't necessarily need a tour to promote it in this info age. There are millions of ways to promote music..and the stronger the music is, the easier it is. Strong music doesn't go away, no matter how hard one tries to quash it. These artists are human, and there's such thing as burnout. There have been artists in the past that have died due to burnout from being pushed to tour too much. So, touring really isn't the issue. Sony has no excuse for putting a ceiling on this album, but because of theh strength of the music, the album is still being talked about and sold, today, so that alone trumps that. Whether or not an album sells at a hundred miles an hour or three hundred miles an hour, doesn't matter, as long as it sells. It's obvious, this album is not dead, despite Mottolla's efforts. As long as there is time, there is Invincible.
As far as Michael's infrequency with performing songs..that's been a staple all his life. 'Never overexpose'. It's worked wonders for him. There was at least four years between all his albums, and it left the audience wanting more. The number one complaint among consumers with most songs, is overplaying them..overexposing them. I hear people everyday turn songs off on the radio because radio overplays them. Michael was a genius, with great self awareness...and song awareness. he did just enough to get the songs out there, then they took on a life of their own.
Also, just because Sharpton says something is not a race issue, doesn't necessarily means he's right. I've seen plenty of instances where people like Sharpton would play both sides...or are just interested in his political agenda, and would willingly drop one person of his own race for his own gain, and only consider Sharpton's own angle, own experience, and not Michael's. Anything is a possibility. As I stated originally, only the victim, Michael, knows for sure.
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AliCat
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I thought that Michael took out the three hundred million dollar loan with Bank of America, in 1999, using the Beatles Catalog as collateral, that Michael was paying for his short films, like the one, "Rock My World," where he paid Marlon Brando one million dollars to appear in this short film. Chris Tucker has even commented that Michael Jackson asked him to not make so many jokes because of how much this was costing Michael (as the Producer).
I'm taking Frank's version with a grain of salt. He would've been 21 in 2001, and since he never majored in Business, much less Economics, I don't think Frank really has the inside dope like he'd like people to believe.
Michael Prince said Michael was going to tour, except Michael Jackson did cancel because of the 911 Attacks on America. Did the sales of "Invincible" really scare Michael off, to the point that he went for publicity in his campaign against Tommy Mottola, because Michael's record sales have always kept him afloat financially.
About the only Sponsor Michael had, or so it seems, was Sony. No Pepsi company Sponsorship, and no rich middle eastern Prince at the time, if Michael had gone on tour. All Michael had was his three hundred million dollar loan floating him and he had to make those monthly payments or else!
Michael Jackson - You Rock My World (Extended Version)
I'm taking Frank's version with a grain of salt. He would've been 21 in 2001, and since he never majored in Business, much less Economics, I don't think Frank really has the inside dope like he'd like people to believe.
Michael Prince said Michael was going to tour, except Michael Jackson did cancel because of the 911 Attacks on America. Did the sales of "Invincible" really scare Michael off, to the point that he went for publicity in his campaign against Tommy Mottola, because Michael's record sales have always kept him afloat financially.
About the only Sponsor Michael had, or so it seems, was Sony. No Pepsi company Sponsorship, and no rich middle eastern Prince at the time, if Michael had gone on tour. All Michael had was his three hundred million dollar loan floating him and he had to make those monthly payments or else!
Michael Jackson - You Rock My World (Extended Version)
AliCat
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Well, I was rather pissed when I heard my tickets for what was supposed the be the second show, turned out to be tickets for the 2nd last show
And he rescheduled because they weren't ready. They weren't ready because he didn't rehearse enough, because he was stressed, couldn't sleep etc, etc, propofol. The End.
When I heard that they had rescheduled the shows my reaction was something like: "not this again, maybe he'd be better off dead, so some of his glory will remain".
Which, sad enough, turned out to be true.
...within days before Michael died, tickets went on sale, as more seats were added to the Shows and everyone was helping everyone else to secure seats, with their special code.
Since the Show was pretty much in the bag, this allowed room for more seats, the size of the Show!
mj_brainiac
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mthalen;3771183 said:
A TV series is not the same as promoting a record. Pulling the plug on an album barely 4 months after it's released is almost sabotage.
Not saying that Mottola was outright trying to ruin Michael's career, but he was definitely working record label politics with the cancelling of the promotion by showing he was THE boss
and when an album starts to decline in sales, that's REALLY when labels start pushing the album more. That's how it's been for some time. The label sees a major release isn't really selling as much so they put more effort in marketing. Invincible sold 8 million which is REALLY well so they should've put more effort and time.
Not to make it a comparison, but look at Thriller. It debuted at #11 and didn't hit #1 until a month after it's release. Imagine had CBS/Epic had pulled the plug too soon
I don't understand why Michael was not allowed to release Unbreakable first. It was his album and I would think he would have a say in it at that point in his career. I don't know how the record company works.
It's not like how it used to be. I notice with other artists now that when their album comes out it gets noticed at first and then when it doesn't do as well or drops in the charts it just gets forgotten.
It's not like how it used to be. I notice with other artists now that when their album comes out it gets noticed at first and then when it doesn't do as well or drops in the charts it just gets forgotten.
Ashtanga
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mj_brainiac
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goodness gracious...I'll just say I disagree
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Petrarose
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Who knows--maybe TM will enlighten us, but then how can we judge the truth.
MJ brianiac ^^"good gracious" indeed. Sometimes a few words says it all.
Alicat great post ^^
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Snow White luvs Peter Pan
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Maybe I'm late to make a comment about it but I need to vent it. I don't understand either why making emphasis on Michael's skin/physical appearence along with his art. First of all Michael has never been white, he has never looked white. Seconly, he's a black man void of color, caucasians have way more color than him, his skin is translucent due to the absence of melanine. He has universal vitiligo and the fact it's that severe, it didn't change his DNA and most importantly, his skin disease has never interfiered with his creative genius.
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Ashtanga
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144000
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how come some feel it's harder to believe that Michael could sell 100 million records, but easier to believe that he wracked up 300 million dollars unpayable debt? Just sayin.(especially when those hypocritical Michael accusers probably overuse credit cards all the time, without collateral, and Michael always had collateral and still has it in his estate's possession.)
How come Mottolla believes not being able to recoup is closer to reality, than the proven Michael being able to sell 100 million records? Reality is what one makes it, or chooses to believe...for themselves, alone, and no one else.
How come Mottolla believes not being able to recoup is closer to reality, than the proven Michael being able to sell 100 million records? Reality is what one makes it, or chooses to believe...for themselves, alone, and no one else.
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PaceMioDolceCuore
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Yeah, no kidding. They tried going that route with boy bands.
Funny thing is that from Mozart (who was quite legendary for his falling out with his 'boss'), Schumann etc - you name it.
Schumann's publishers was also quite insistent he compose stuff people can 'underderstand more easily).
And some of the greatest musical figures have all been accused of delusions and delusional grandeur blablablabla. It's such boring scheme and is an ancient practice of those who are 'the suits'. Please, the couple of millions they whine about are nothing compared to what Sony pulled in. All publishers even back then liked the glory - but wished for genius androids, even when they, publishers, would have been nothing without their cash cows.
I remember CD prices of over 20 Dollars in the early 90ies. And then records companies wonder why people didn't feel like getting ripped off.
mj_brainiac
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These are some interesting articles about Mottola's firing from Sony. It seems he wasn't well liked by his superiors
http://blogcritics.org/music/article/tommy-mottola-canned-by-sony/
http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_8387/index1.html
If anyone is interested, check out George Michael' autobiographical documentary "A Different Story", he talks about his attitude going into the follow up to Faith, "Listen Without Prejudice" and why he sued Sony when he felt they didn't promote it the way they should have (George felt he was overexposed from the promotion of Faith and decided to appear in the videos for LWP1 but still toured)
http://blogcritics.org/music/article/tommy-mottola-canned-by-sony/
http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_8387/index1.html
If anyone is interested, check out George Michael' autobiographical documentary "A Different Story", he talks about his attitude going into the follow up to Faith, "Listen Without Prejudice" and why he sued Sony when he felt they didn't promote it the way they should have (George felt he was overexposed from the promotion of Faith and decided to appear in the videos for LWP1 but still toured)
AliCat
Proud Member
Published April 19, 2002
that Sony purposely backed away from Jackson's Invincible album when the singer refused to renegotiate his loan. This very column wrote something similar several months ago.
I said then that it was odd that Sony had refused to release any commercial singles from Invincible, and also refused to release Jackson's planned charity single, "What More Can I Give?" Even though Invincible wasn't the greatest album in the world, it had potential hits in "Cry" and "Butterflies." In neither case did the record company make an effort to promote them. For all intents and purposes, Invincible, with domestic sales of around 2 million copies, is now dead.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,50695,00.html#ixzz2Jo5dlZKz
Perhaps this did outrage Michael, in the behind the scenes with his problems with Sony, in particular Tommy Mottola!
bluetopez
Proud Member
I believe MJ version of events way more then the rest! I think there some truth in what everyone else had to say but not in all! They gave up on Invincible way to soon over at Sony w/ TM making sure it happened over some B.S disagreements because he was boss and wanted to show that IMO. And no I wouldn't think Sony would have dared to try to take MJ Catalog off of him after he publicly said they would! SMART MOVE MJ! lol
AliCat
Proud Member
"He's a mean, racist and very very very devilish"