Tag: Michael Jackson

Teddy Riley explaining his involvement in Michael Jackson’s Dangerous and Invincible albums

I was the scariest person on earth when I met Michael Jackson [laughs]. When I first met him he scared the [crap] out of me…literally. I was at his compound in a room that [housed] all his accomplishments. I saw his humanitarian awards…all of that stuff. And there was also a chessboard there in the middle of the room. So I’m touching it because it’s gold and platinum. And when I put my hand on the first piece Michael had his hand on my shoulder. And all I could do was fall to the ground. All I saw was Michael laughing. That put me at ease because usually when you are touching somebody’s stuff in their house they look at you funny, but Michael just laughed. My heart was calmed down, until it was time for us to go into the studio to work on Dangerous. But before that whole experience of working with Michael I was going through a big transition in my life.

Like I said, I lost both my brother and best friend. So, right after that Guy show I’m driving in my Ferrari. I had gone through so much and all I wanted to do was produce. So I get a call on my cell phone from Michael Jackson! He’s telling me that he wants to work with me! Michael was like, ‘Can you be here next week?’ That was the transition between Guy and me taking my career to the next level. I was struggling. I had moved back to the projects. I was going from hotel to hotel. And you know what saved me on my way to working with Michael? It was doing the remix to Jane Child’s ‘Don’t Wanna Fall In Love’. I can remember being in a hotel and Benny Medina (influential label executive) called me. He’s like, ‘I really want you to do this Jane Child remix because I want it to go urban…it’s too white’ Now, I already loved ‘Don’t Wanna Fall In Love’. It’s a record that I had wished I produced. And then Benny calls me! Funny how the universe works. I knew I was going to tear that remix up.

That song saved my life. I’m thinking $20,000 for that remix. I thought it would help me pay off my credit card because that’s all I had. I was on the outs with Zomba, so I wasn’t getting any money from publishing. They thought I was stocking songs away. But Benny got me $75,000! That money got my family back to New York. I was ready to move everyone to New Jersey to a three flat condo. But my mom told me she wasn’t going to move in with us until I brought her a house. And then my brother Brandon was shot. This was all in my mind going into Dangerous.

Bringing back Michael to his R&B roots is something that I stood for. I didn’t just want to go the pop route because that’s not what he called me for. He called me for that New Jack Swing. That’s what he wanted and that’s what he got. When I was working on ‘Remember The Time’ this was at the same time I was doing a remix for ‘D-O-G Me Out’ in one room, ‘Don’t Wanna Fall In Love’ in another room, and all of the other tracks I was presenting to Michael. I was at Sound Works studio in New York. I was using Q-Tip’s (lead MC and producer of A Tribe Called Quest) little studio he was renting out. When I told him I needed a studio to work on Michael Jackson songs he was like, ‘Oh, hell yeah!’

Working with Michael was like going to college. He basically gave me the map. He navigated me on how to actually compose. He taught me all the different ways of working with Quincy Jones and Greg Phillinganes. When I played my demos for Michael he stopped me at the fifth song, which was ‘Remember The Time.’ He took me to the back room and I thought I was going to get fired. I thought I had done something wrong, but it was a chord that he couldn’t get around. He didn’t know the church chords. The first chord you hear on ‘Remember The Time’ started off that song in a very church way. He never started off his songs in that way, and that’s why he pulled me in the back because it was so unusual for him.

Michael was testing me to see what the chord really was and what it meant to me. And he wanted me to play it right in front of him on this piano he had in his room. He was used to the straight C majors. He wasn’t used to the C augmented chords. I could say I introduced the New Jack Swing chords to him. All of those songs were great to work on: ‘In The Closet’; ‘Jam’; ‘Can’t Let Her Get Away’…that’s history for me. It was a great feeling to be a part of a huge selling album like that…over 30 million records of Dangerous.

Mike and me started the Invincible album in New York. That’s when Michael built this studio for me on the top floor of a building. He had Criteria Studios build me a studio in a penthouse in two weeks. I kid you not. I went home and Michael was like, ‘Go home…the studio will be built in two weeks.’ We finished everything else in Miami. When I started working on Invincible one of the songs that stood out for me was ‘Whatever Happens.’ It came from an artist that was signed to my label. We were going to sign him to Interscope, but this guy started tripping out. So I ended up going to the writers of that song and asked them could I produce the song for Michael. They let me do it. I told the label that I wanted a 40-piece orchestra to do strings on this record. And I told Michael that it would be great to have Carlos Santana on the song because of the guitars on there. Michael was like, ‘Okay, we will make that happen.’

I wanted ‘Whatever Happens’ to be special. But we had a problem. Santana didn’t want to leave the house at that time. He told us, ‘This is family time.’ He takes time out, for months, to spend with his family. So anything that would have to be done would be done at his home, so we went to his home studio. Santana was such a good guy…very spiritual. And he is a very big fan of my idol Miles Davis. This dude had a Miles Davis guitar and all these performances on video. During the guitar track to ‘Whatever Happens’ Santana was doing the whistling that you hear. And Michael loved it. I remember his excitement over the record. He said, ‘Let’s keep it!’ So we are working on the Invincible album and around the same time I invited Michael to Virginia. That was moment Virginia had a real respect for me. They were like, ‘If he could bring Michael Jackson to Virginia as well as Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, he’s bringing revenue to the state. So we have to respect him.’ And I’m talking about getting respect from the political side.

I was in so much mess with this album [laughs]. Michael had me responsible for so many things. I remember Tommy Motolla (one-time head of Sony Music Entertainment) cursing me out telling me, ‘This will be the end of your career if you don’t turn over those masters!’ I had no idea that Michael had told him I had the masters [laughs]. I called him up and said, ‘My God Michael…you put me in trouble with Tommy Motolla. Do you know who Tommy Motolla is? But I ended up helping Michael. I took the masters and I held them for him. Michael was upset with the marketing plans for the Invincible record. I was going to stand behind Michael and that’s what I did. To me it was an album that was going to do the big numbers. But when Michael saw the marketing plans he told me, ‘I’ll be surprised if this album does only two million.’ They took money from his budget, too. I didn’t care about anything else. I just believed in Michael.

2012

vibe.com

audio review : Invincible ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Invincible ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

This is Michael Jackson’s sixth album since kick-starting his solo career on Epic Records, but there’s a problem at the start. The first song; Unbreakable, which would be a less cheesy album title than Invincible; is, well, broken. It has punchy hip-hop drums going for it and not much else. The concept is appropriate, but the vocals are surprisingly hackneyed. Invincible is the first Michael Jackson album that, as hard as it tries, doesn’t start with an aesthetic bang. The next two songs, also laced with faulty beats by Rodney Jerkins and both featuring a rapper who should’ve been limited to one song or the other, do better, but only because MJ’s signature ad-libs are still vigorous enough to lift them up from mediocrity. That’s the case with about half the album. The other half are songs that were much better in the first place, but they’re scattered about, so if Threatened is the new Thriller, Invincible is a mixed Halloween candy bag.

The best songs are nearly on par with the Michael Jackson hits we all know and love. Banal lyrics plague the entire album, particularly compared to the poetic depth of his previous two, but the vocal melodies on romantic candle burners like Break Of Dawn and Heaven Can Wait reign supreme with sweet beats to match. You Rock My World is an all-out classic without the tacky Chris Tucker intro and Butterflies sounds gorgeous. Though I generally prefer a more uptempo and less pussy-whipped Michael Jackson, I kind of wish the whole album sounded like these songs. The Michael Jackson brand, however, which started in Motown, expanded beyond the confines of soulful groove music a long time ago, so here we have The King Of Pop trying to please the masses; the youngsters sending imitators up the Billboard charts he once ruled; by dumbing down, chasing trends and potentially losing longtime fans in the process.

2000 Watts; the missing title cut from Tyrese’s latest album; is a prime example. The beat; a Teddy Riley production designed to be played in a flashy vehicle at a very high volume; goes hard, but the vocals, sang with a digital deepening effect; probably the album’s biggest artistic blunder; are stuck in second gear until Michael Jackson finally starts finessing the track with ad-libs near the end. You Are My Life is enhanced in the same way, but Babyface’s dated croon music sticks out like a sore heart on an album that’s supposed to be new. Privacy; a paparazzi plea in which it is mistakenly implied that Princess Diana died in the winter as opposed to the summer; another major blunder; sounds fresher, but it’s Michael Jackson’s weakest rocker yet. Don’t Walk Away; a solemn heartbreak ballad; and Cry; Invincible’s version of Man In The Mirror; are a lot better. Then comes The Lost Children; a lament that is both schmaltzy and soothing.

The agitated outcast who dominated the History era with clenched teeth rarely shows up here. When he’s not making desolate mood music; even Whatever Happens tells the story of two protagonists facing what seems to be some sort of impending doom; the Motown sensation who sang I Want You Back is back to being a tenderhearted romantic. That’s a disappointment for me. I prefer the Michael Jackson who grunts, sighs and makes weird hiccup noises à la Is It Scary; arguably the best song he’s ever made; over the one who simply sings, but this isn’t a negative review. Invincible is his worst album, yes, at least since he’s been on Epic Records. It lacks the majestic vibe and overall cohesiveness of Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and History; even Blood On The Dance Floor; but most of its songs are good, if barely so. I think that says something in regard to his inferred claim of pop music Invincibility.

my rating : 4 of 5

2001
 

jb82 :

While this is not a spectacular album its still MJ and his mediocre stuff sounds good to me everything cant be like his number one hits

teop.peace :

Which CD are you listening to with your negative comments? It seems from your review that you are fighting hard to be negative even while lefthandedly praising songs like Butterflies, break of Dawn, and You Rock My World. Its your opinion to which you are entitled and I respect that, but your review comes off like a reluctant critic. It comes off as if you know you are supposed to hate it officially but the high caliber of each track (which is classic MJ) just wont allow you to pan it too much. This is a very good CD and the more I listen the more I like it. If Sony hadn’t been so bent on its own goals and the entertainment press hadn’t been so intent on playing up aspects of MJ’s personal life, this CD would have received to alcalades it truly deserves. Time will go to show this is a great CD. peace

audio review : History ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : History ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Presented amidst a promotional campaign comparable to the second coming of Christ with movie theater trailers and 32-foot statues, Michael Jackson’s History album hits the world of popular music like nothing before it. It’s the most important album by the most important song artist, the presentation seems to suggest, and you just have to hear it.

With that, it should be the happiest of times for The King Of Pop, but there’s a dark cloud overhead and a bitter tone to most of these songs. “Stop pressuring me,” he Screams on his long-awaited duet with Janet Jackson, “Stop fucking with me!” The siblings take turns firing back at the slanderous news media, though it’s Michael who’s been under attack.

Biased journalists have partaken in what seems like a worldwide conspiracy to ruin his name, especially since he’s been publically accused and investigated, but not actually charged, with molesting one of his Neverland boy friends. It’s a case that was eventually settled out of court for a lot of dough. That convinces a lot of people that he’s guilty.

Some people are smarter than that. We wonder what kind of parent whose kid was sexually abused pursues cash over justice. So we nod our heads as he sings about people who’ll do “anything” for Money; the best part of the album is the last chorus section of this song; or Tabloid Junkies who believe “everything” they read in a magazine or see on the TV screen.

There’s even a song about Tom Sneddon; the prosecutor responsible for trying to put him in prison. “You know he really tried to take me down by surprise”, Jackson ponders in the angry and strained vocal style he’s taken on over the years. It’s a stark contrast to the tender crooning he does on Childhood or the ballad about the ghost girl he refers to as Little Susie.

The album would be better without the cover songs; Come Together by The Beatles and Smile by Nat King Cole, which, on a Michael Jackson album, amount to mere filler. He also repeats the Dangerous blunder of featuring rappers, though The Notorious BIG, who’s surprisingly allowed to refer to Michael Jackson as “my nigga”, provides a remarkable verse.

Even on that song, Mike is in defense mode, paranoid about people being out to “get” him. I commend him for addressing the scandal that would’ve been the elephant in the room if this were an album of romantic love songs, but the amount of time he spends on it takes away from the History concept, which is supposed to be about his legacy as a whole.

The message of the title song, which samples historic audio bits like Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream speech, is to live your life to the fullest and be the best you can be. It’s advice Michael Jackson certainly has the credentials to give, but he’s doing a lot of polishing to keep his crown from tarnishing and that’s starting to affect the quality of his music.

Most of these songs are good, but none of them are great. Some of the songs on his previous album are great. That makes History a disappointment after Dangerous like Bad was after Thriller. It’s unusual to be disappointed by good albums, but Michael Jackson has set unusually high standards for himself. I guess that just comes with being The King.

my rating : 4 of 5

1995

Though this album is promoted and presented as a double album; Michael Jackson’s most popular songs from the Past and new songs from the Present; my review is limited to the new songs.

audio review : Bad ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Bad ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Making an album that stands up to Thriller is a daunting task for any artist, but Michael Jackson, dressed in a black leather jacket with silver highlights, feels he’s up to the challenge. He even wraps tape around his fingers like the boxers do as the guy who once described himself as a romantic “lover”, “not a fighter”, stands face-to-face with the leader of a notorious street gang with no plans to Beat It.

“I’m bad,” he declares on the funky title song before daring any man to slap him in the face if they don’t like what he’s saying. It’s a ballsy invitation, especially coming from a guy in eyeliner whose only source of weaponry consists of melodic tough talk and flashy dance moves. Luckily for him, the act is over before you can dent your eyebrows and muster-up an answer to the question, “Who’s bad?”

From there, the album goes into more familiar territory as his attention goes back to the girls and The Way they Make him Feel. He’s especially head over heels for a Liberian Girl, who, as far as he’s concerned, is “more precious than any pearl”. He Just Can’t Stop Loving Siedah Garrett, but he’s not so fond of an obsessive groupie named Diana. Her relentless seduction inspires the album’s Dirty rock song.

The dirty dance song is Smooth Criminal, about a guy who murders a girl in her apartment. It’s also the best song as Michael Jackson, playing the role of the narrator, crashes the fourth wall to ask if she’s okay. The whole album is Bad meaning good, but it isn’t a Thriller. The drums are too clanky, the synthesizers too unnatural. Not to mention a Speed Demon that should’ve never made it pass the finish line.

my rating : 4 of 5

1987

audio review : Thriller ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Thriller ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

The title song would be perfect at the end. Instead it lingers near the middle. When the album does end, it does so with a serenade to a girl Michael Jackson promises to love more and “more each day”, even when she’s “old and gray”. Rod Temperton is to blame for those lyrics, but, as far as music and melody goes, The Lady In My Life is gorgeous. It’s one of his best songs like almost every other song on this album.

Not only is Thriller his best album, including the ones he did with his brothers, it’s the best album I ever heard. Almost every song reaches a level of greatness other artists can only hope to obtain once on a single release. Even the worst song, a duet that has Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney playing tug-of-war over a girl who might be playing them in a game of her own, floats along with a charming groove.

The next worst song is Human Nature, which is good. That says a lot about the rest of the album, which consists of just nine songs. Perhaps making a Thriller isn’t as daunting as it seems. The secret is to cut the filler and put out an album of funky beats and magical vocals. “No one wants to be defeated,” Michael Jackson declares on rock song Beat It. It’s harmonized melody is one of the catchiest you’ll ever hear.

Other highlights include Billie Jean and a party jam about people who always Wanna Be Startin Somethin. Both songs are amazing. There’s also a Valentine’s Day theme entitled Baby Be Mine that’s amazing. The album as a whole is amazing. It’s just not perfect. It would’ve come close if Michael Jackson or Quincy Jones, the album’s sole producer, thought enough to put the title song at the end where it belongs.

my rating : 5 of 5

1982

audio review : Off The Wall ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Off The Wall ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson steps into his own spotlight with the help of Quincy Jones from the Wiz album. It’s not his solo debut, but it may as well be. The pop star is allowed artistic control of his music for the first time in his career. From the start, it’s clear the album’s main job is to get people onto the dance floor. Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough, it goes, or at least until you Burn This Disco Out. It’s an all-night groovefest with funky instruments and suave falsettos.

Most of the songs deal in romantic love. Stevie Wonder provides a slinky jazz ballad about how some people Can’t Help but love other people in that way. It’s a bit of an anticlimax because the clunky chorus can’t compare to the vibe of the verses. It’s better than Paul McCartney’s submission though; a silly song entitled Girlfriend that has Michael Jackson threatening to tell her boyfriend what they’ve been doing if she doesn’t come clean on her own.

The best song is, ironically enough, the one you can’t really dance to. It’s a ballad entitled She’s Out Of My Life, about a girl who might’ve hung around after two years if only Michael Jackson had expressed to her how much he loved her. It’s a good thing there are so many other girls in the club, which seems to never stop playing Michael Jackson songs. Heartbroken or not, all the guy has to do is walk up to the next one and pull her off the wall to make her his.

my rating : 4 of 5

1979