Soulflower

Going to discuss another MJ album now that I got the new Xscape album out the way. I will only be discussing underrated gems, non-singles, music videos and special behind the scenes photos, facts, etc. If anybody wants any info or requests let me know! I think I am going to switch it up for my boo... you hear that Madonna, MY BOO... this time as well, xxx

Next up,

Soulflower

Dangerous was an eclectic work of art that demonstrated Michael's growth as an artist and songwriter. The album covers a wide range of subjects such as racism, injustice, self esteem, poverty, love, lust, infidelity, Michael's personal problems, social issues and philanthropy. For Dangerous, Michael broke away from Quincy Jones, his long time producer for his first three previous adult albums. The album covers a wide range of genres such as Rock, Folk, Rap, New Jack Swing, Opera, and Gospel. It took a year to record the album. Dangerous showcases Michael's best work to date and some of his most iconic pieces of performances, songs, music videos and choregraphy. What inspired Dangerous? Michael hoped for a more darker and edgier sound for Dangerous and was heavily inspried by the new upcoming genre, New Jack Swing at the time.





The first page in the Dangerous Cassette/CD booklet begins with a poem written by Michael Jackson titled, "The Dance".

The Dance

"Consciousness expresses itself through creation. This world we live in is the dance of the creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on. On many an occasion when I am dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred.In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists.

I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved. I become thevictor and the vanquished. I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song. I become the knower and the known. I keep on dancing then it is the eternal
dance or creation. The creator and creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing...and dancing...and dancing. Until there is only...the dance.” - Michael Jackson

Throwback: Dangerous Cassette







Producers: Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley, Bill Bottrell, Bruce Swedien


Teddy Riley Talks About MJ's Album "Dangerous"
Teddy Riley Talks About MJ's Album "Dangerous" | Michael Jackson Beat
by R.J. on Thursday, April 02, 2009

Producer Teddy Riley
Michael Jackson had just launched the best selling New Jack Swing album of all time! The year was 1992 and anticipation had driven the largest viewing audience of all time for "Black Or White". 5 years had already passed since the King of Pop released his last studio album "Bad" in 1987. Yet a lot has happened within those gaps.

Mr. Jackson bid farewell to Q in favor of the more industrial sounds of New Jack Swing producer Teddy Riley. Whom he first met on the set of "2300 Jackson Street". The last Jackson's studio album which led them to break up eventually. The singer was said to be so impressed that he invited him to recording sessions for an upcoming album(then just a rumor). This is also when Michael was introduced to Hip-Hop for the first time.

So after the album and all subsequent singles were released, Riley agreed to get interviewed by Keyboard Magazine on his many ventures. Including his crowning work with Michael Jackson which I have excepted right here.

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When you do have a bass part, it often has a strong analog feel, as on "Remember the Time."

For me, that song was true R&B. I didn't put hip-hop into it until the remix. For that, I used a real upright jazz bass on a hip-hop beat. I really like that one. I also changed the organ part on the remix and did it with my voice through a vocoder.

Some of Michael's early work with Quincy Jones was much more fully orchestrated. Were you consciously deciding to go in an opposite direction in your collaboration?

As far as my production, yeah. I didn't want to go the same way Quincy went, but I also didn't want to leave his style. So I took a little bit of each. I had my style and his style in my head, and I put them together.

What is there on "Dangerous" that reflects Michael's earlier style? On "She Drives Me Wild," for example, there seem to be some chordal echoes of "Thriller".

Well, that's what he wanted. He said, "You know what I'd like to have overlaid to new jack swing? I'd still like to have my strings. I want the strings to be really wide." So that's what we did, even on "Dangerous."

Michael also seems to be referring to "Bil-lie jean" in his falsetto vocals on "Dangerous".

"Dangerous" had already been recorded by Bill Bottrell [co-producer of four cuts on Dangerous), but the music didn't move Michael. I told Michael, "I like Billy. I like his producing, and everything about him. But this is your album, Michael. If this is the right tune, I can utilize what you have in your singing. Let me change that whole bottom and put a new floor in there." He said, "Try it. I guess we gotta use what we love." And we did. I'm quite sure that if anyone else had come up with a better "Dangerous," he would have used that. So it's not actually about me or Billy; it's about the music. I always say that the music is the star.

Was there an element of having to follow in the formidable footsteps of Quincy Jones on this project?

Well, that's my plan. I want to be like Quincy Jones. I've always looked up to him, more than to any other producer out there. He's the one. Like Quincy, I just can't stay in one category. I'll do any kind of music. It's like being a scientist: You have to find the right method for solving a problem or curing a disease. That what producers do. When you're working with someone, you've got to find the right style, the right sound, for them. You have to draw a circle around each artist and make them fit into that circle.

How much of your work on Dangerous was based not just on finding a sound that works, but on finding a sound that contrasts with the one that Michael and Quincy developed?

Almost all of it.

So if you came up with something that sounded a bit too much like Thriller, for example, that was reason enough to abandon that approach and search for something different.

Yes. We didn't want to sound like another Thriller. We wanted to top it, even though that's impossible. I guess some people are saying that Dangerous is better than Thriller or Bad. But I won't say it's better until it sells as much as those albums. If Dangerous doesn't sell more than Bad, even with the recession that we're having, then I don't feel that it's better.

You play keyboards on all of the cuts that you produce on Dangerous. But a number of players in addition to you are also credited as keyboardists on the opening song, "Jam."

Well, "Jam" was brought to me as just a drum beat. Rene Moore and Bruce Swedien came up with the idea and gave it to Michael as a beat, so you can't take that credit away from them. But it was just a stripped tune until Michael did his vocals and I came in with the icing. I actually added most of the keyboard parts, all of the percussion elements, all of the horn parts, and all of the guitar parts to make the tune what it is today

Producer Bruce Sweiden and Michael RARE behind the scenes video of making of Dangerous









Producer Bill Bottrell and Michael


Bill Bottrell answers questions about the "Dangerous" album to fans
Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Post here if you worked on Michael Jackson's DANGEROUS album
I was doing remixes that John McClain would bring me. It was early in his career and he became quite the cheerleader for me. He went to school with the Jacksons and convinced them, one at a time, that I was the best. I started with Jermaine's solo album and moved into the Victory album, when I met Michael, who brought me the tapes of State of Shock with Freddy Mercury to mix.
Michael talked like it was purely fictional, a feeling, really, that of poor southern country folk doing mischief to each other. I can't know if there was anything autobiographical about it, but I believe the title didn't help get it released after not making the Dangerous album.
Michael told me he was hurt by some statements Sheryl made to the press about her touring with him. I just let the two worlds stay apart.
I, too, remember the booze, etc. Mostly, it went very easy. Slash wanted to bring his own engineer, and I didn't like that idea too much but I went along. The other song was the "intro" to Black or White, the scripted vignette. The way the credits were eventually printed seems to have made it unclear who played the hook on Black or White. Slash played the scripted vignette, I played the song.


No, that was my demo to play my words to MJ. He fell in love with it immediately, much to my surprise, and we never touched it again.
I wrote on Monkey Business, Dangerous, Black or White, Give In To Me.
The core of my work during the Dangerous period, was, for me, Black or White, Earth Song, Dangerous, and Monkey Business. Who Is It and Give In To Me were late bloomers, and didn't, I feel, have as much of my influence. I was dissapointed when Monkey and Earth didn't make the record, but I got over it.
I have to look through my tapes to see what else is there, I can't remember. But I do remember If You Don't Love Me, always was a bit of an orphan, but somebody leaked it on Youtube and now it sounds pretty fun. There was also "Streetwalker" a true orphan, I made that track while MJ was on tour for Bad. Holed up at Smoketree for a couple weeks, played all the stuff, and my friend Jasun Martz came and played the blues harp solo, when I sent it in Michael said, "Billy that harmonica is ignorant!" (and not in a good way) I wrote the whole thing off until noticing a week ago that they released it! As is. During the Bad sessions, Michael asked me to drive him home to Westwood one night. During the drive, we played lots of Beatles songs he had compiled on a tape, he was pretty interested in my opinion, and I told him we should pick Come Together.


Within a couple days I had thrown a track together playing guitars and using some crude midi stuff. (This was 1985) I never intended that track to be released that way
They put it out without informing me, and I still don't know what the credits say. Michael was growing and wanted to experiment free of the restrictions of the Westlake scene. That's why he got me and John Barnes to work at his home studio for, like, a year and a half? On and off. We would program, twiddle, and build the tracks for much of that album, send the results on two-inch down to Westlake and they would, at their discretion, re-record, and add things like strings and brass. This is how MJ started to express his creative independance, like a teenager leaving the nest.
I eventually got fired from Bad and Frank Delio took me to lunch and said, "Don't worry, next album you will be a producer" and everybody kept their word.

Necromancer

I personally think one of the best songs that Michael Jackson ever recorded, was a song written by Smokey Robinson in 1960, Who's Lovin' You, while he was with the Motown label during 1969.

The song was also recorded by various other major artists through the years as well like The Miracles,iThe Temptations, Brenda and the Tabulations, The Supremes, Terence Trent d'Arby, and so on.

Its quite amazing hearing so much soul, passion, and feeling emulated by an eleven year old with a perfect voice.

Some of the best falsetto I've heard by any artist.

Frownland

Ah I get ya, kind of like the Dali quote "I don't do drugs, I AM drugs". MJ didn't do dope, he IS dope.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

musicfinder13

i love MJ

wedoitfortheloveofmusic

Hands down Michael Jackson is the King of Pop! Though his character was rather sketchy there's no denying his unbelievable talent. I mean he has influenced everyone from Eddy Murphy to Justin Timberlake through fashion and music. Not to ignore his issues with the kids but he's actually done a lot for the people of the world. I think the number is about $350 million in donations to charities. So I say let his memory live on!

Soulflower

Dangerous Outtakes

stay tuned...

Paul Smeenus

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Gentle Giant Catalog Review

The entire Ditty Bops catalog reviewed

Frownland

How's Soulflower going to break her 18 consecutive posts record with comments like that interrupting them?

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Soulflower

Serious Effect
Michael Jackson ft. LL Cool J


Fun facts:
Written by Teddy Riley and Michael Jackson
Song features rapper who was also a friend of Michael's, LL Cool J
The song was recorded in 1991 and was suppose to be released on a special edition of Dangerous


She Got It
Michael Jackson


Not sure who wrote this song, sounds like an unfinished track, demo
Genres: Rock, Jazz, New Jack Swing, sounds like a Prince song


To Satisfy You
Michael Jackson and Bryan Loren


Written by Michael Jackson and Bryan Loren
This song was recorded in 1990 during the Dangerous sessions
On this sexy Jam, Bryan sings lead and MJ's smooth vocals escapes in the backgrounds. I might have to snoop some more to find the song where MJ sings lead. This is the demo.
Fun fact: Michael did not like this and gave it to Bryan Loren for his 1992 album Music from the New World


Michael Jackson
Work that Body


Written by Michael Jackson and Bryan Boyen
Originally written for Dangerous album