喬•沃格爾：墮胎、名望和《飆》，聽傑克遜的未發行樣帶

來源：MJJCN.com / theatlantic.com

文/ 喬•沃格爾（Joe Vogel）
翻譯：Badthriller

2012年9月12日 - 1986年底，邁克爾•傑克遜（Michael Jackson）在西湖錄音室（Westlake Studio）的D錄音間來回踱步，對自己唱著：“感覺太糟，感覺真糟，上帝啊，音樂讓我好受（I feel so bad, I feel really bad, God music makes me feel good）。”

“當時，我們不知道專輯的名字會叫《飆》（Bad）。”錄音助理拉斯•拉格斯代爾（Russ Ragsdale）開玩笑說。
這還不是西湖錄音室團隊的唯一發現。在結束《顫慄》（Thriller）和正式開始錄製《飆》的這段時間裏，傑克遜已經寫了60 – 70首新歌。11首最終入選專輯，還有一堆完成度不盡相同的好歌留在剪輯室的地板上。

在過去的幾年裏，一支團隊在傑克遜遺產管理委員會的指導下仔細地保存和數位化這些樣帶。“我們找到的一些歌曲還在非常初期的階段。“傑克遜遺產管理委員會執行人約翰•布蘭卡（John Branca）說，”一些已經非常完整，除了邁克爾•傑克遜，其他藝人可能會把它們當作完成的歌曲。還有一些介於兩者之間。”其中6支樣帶入選了將於9月18日發行的《飆25》

（Bad 25）套裝第二碟。

最近我獨家試聽了這些從沒聽過的樣帶，驚豔於它們的完整和有趣。這些不是小小的歌曲片段，儘管有些歌曲的製作有點過時，但副歌部分朗朗上口。真正讓它們特別的，是真實。沒有一首歌曲被現代技術美化，讓你更親密地看到錄音藝術家傑克遜在1985 – 1987年間工作的場景。我們聽到他的創意、他的熱情、他的痛苦、他的幽默和他的能量。在我看來，這裏面最好的當屬華麗的中速歌謠《好難過》（I'm So Blue），緊張的節奏勁曲《名氣的代價》（Price of Fame）和《阿爾•卡彭》（Al Capone）也相當入耳。每支樣帶（還有兩支已經發行過了）都包含自己獨特的痕跡 —— 最重要的，所有都是100%未經修飾的真邁克爾•傑克遜。

接下來就是對每首歌的評論，還有來自錄音師和傑克遜長期好友馬特•佛格（Matt Forger）的獨家透視：

別胡鬧 Don't Be Messin' 'Round

6月份，我寫過一篇關於這首感染人的波薩諾瓦風格歌曲製作過程的文章，當時它發行在了傑克遜第一名情歌《止不住的愛戀》（I Just Can't Stop Loving You）的單曲B面。歌迷的最愛（傑克遜製作多年，有很深的感情），為這個套裝做了很好的開場。要是有一天歌迷能聽到加長版和後來的化身會陶醉的【傑克遜的許多歌曲和樣帶都有更長的版本，他常常在昆西•鐘斯（Quincy Jones）的要求下不情願地剪掉】。
馬特•佛格：“我喜歡這些樣帶的地方是它們的原生態。邁克爾可以自由表達，不用思考，‘哦，昆西要判斷聲音，或者這得完美。’這是邁克爾喜歡的，試驗，玩樂。

 

”好難過 I'm So Blue

這是一首簡單優美的歌謠，講的是通過唱歌驅走憂傷。懶洋洋的惆悵感隨著豐富的鍵盤、輕快的弦樂和深情的口琴漸漸加強，好像在溫暖的夏日黃昏裏聽傑克遜講述一段錯過的愛情故事。“已經唱了這麼久（I've been singing for so very long）。”他悲歎，“我還在哭/告訴我該怎麼做（Still I'm crying/ Tell me what should I do）。無語的副歌（sha da da da da da da）就是逆來順受中的歎息。就像老一輩的布魯斯歌手，他在音樂裏躲避孤獨悲傷。
馬特•佛格：“這是邁克爾跟我和比爾•博特賴爾（Bill Bottrell）一起製作的歌曲，那時就已經混音了。這是一首中速、憂鬱、適合雨天在壁爐旁聽的歌曲，讓人有點想起史蒂夫•旺德（Stevie Wonder） —— 口琴、音調。史蒂夫是邁克爾生命裏重要的部分，在他的作品裏看到這樣的影響不足為奇。

 

”墮胎文件 Abortion Papers

傑克遜不是第一個在歌裏探討“墮胎”這個爭議話題的錄音藝術家，尼爾•楊（Neil Young）、麥當娜（Madonna）、西尼德•奧康娜（Sinead O'Connor）和勞倫•希爾（Lauryn Hill）等人的作品中也有提及。在《墮胎文件》裏，傑克遜小心（並模棱兩可地）處理這個問題：不是站在教條的政治角度，而是通過一個長在篤信宗教家庭裏的女孩和那個愛拿《聖經》勸誡她的父親間的衝突展開故事。在關於這首歌的紙條裏，傑克遜寫道：“我得用某種方式才不會冒犯那些已經墮過胎的女孩或讓她們懊悔，所以這得小心謹慎……我真的要好好考慮。”傑克遜用激昂的聲音講述了這個故事。諷刺的是，這首歌最大的缺點是它不夠吸引人。跟著一首關於墮胎的歌曲又唱又跳有點怪，但讓人上癮的律動就這麼神奇。用深思熟慮的方式探討一個敏感話題的想法是好的，儘管傑克遜似乎不太確定該怎麼放給聽眾。

馬特•佛格：“這首歌在我們存檔時原本錯過了。盒子上寫的是《歌曲律動》（Song Groove），所以我們忽略了，等我們明白是什麼時，開始把它們拼起來。歌曲由布萊恩•馬盧夫（Brian Maloof）和蓋瑞•O（Gary O）錄製，他們和邁克爾短暫工作過一段時間。當我們聽到時，知道這會引起爭議，尤其在政治上。但當你聽歌時，裏面有個故事。邁克爾真的仔細拿捏，他不知道該怎麼講。其中有聲音的變化—— 他不想讓歌曲妄下定論，他很清楚。但他想呈現出一個真實複雜的情形。”

 

自由 Free

“要自由（Got to be free）。”傑克遜在這首輕快歌謠的最後大喊。他明亮喘息的聲音回到了生氣勃勃的傑克遜兄弟/“瘋狂”（Off the Wall）時期。歌曲的唱段顯然還在製作中，但副歌【自由，像風兒吹拂般自由/像麻雀高飛般遠走（Free, free like the wind blows/ To fly away just like the sparrow）】跟和聲足以撣去你一天的煩惱。優美的歌。
馬特•佛格：“有時候回頭聽這首歌真是動人的體驗。當我開始製作《自由》時，真是如此。當你聽這首歌，你能聽到邁克爾的靈魂和快樂。原汁原味，自由放鬆，如魚得水，專注所長。第一次聽到，我就失控了。每天如此。”

 

名氣的代價 Price of Fame

傑克遜作品 —— 廣泛出現在《飆》專輯及未收錄歌曲裏 —— 中一個重複的主題就是控制與被控制。考慮到他的生活，尤其在《顫慄》發行後，這種念念不忘並非空穴來風。他如何在令人窒息的觀察、諂媚和期待中保留自己的身份、神志和隱私？於是陰暗的沉思歌曲《名氣的代價》應運而生，開頭有“員警樂隊”（Police）《物質世界的靈魂》（Spirits in a Material World）的神韻，緊接著就是《比莉•珍》（Billie Jean）式唱段【部分和絃會讓你想起《他是誰》（Who Is It）】。“父親總告訴我你無法安安靜靜過日子（Father always told me you won't live a quiet life）。”他很後悔，“如果你想要名望和財富（if you're reaching for fortune and fame）。”聲音裏浸透著痛苦的嘲諷。《比莉•珍》傳遞了母親的懇求“小心你愛的人（be careful who you love）”，這裏卻是父親嚴厲告誡演藝圈的現實。“這就是名氣的代價（It's the price of fame）。”傑克遜在副歌部分唱，“別有什麼痛苦/這就是名氣的代價/別有什麼抱怨（So don't you feel no pain/ It's the price of fame/ So don't you ever complain）。”儘管歌曲的製作沒有完全達到傑克遜的標準，但聲音還是很強勁的【聽他咬牙切齒地唱“我父親從不撒謊！（My father never lies!）”】。與上面歌曲的輕鬆愉快一比，他不顧一切地渴望遠走高飛和“自由”的原因就不難理解了。
馬特•佛格：“比爾和我製作了這首歌，我想這是比爾那時的混音……你能聽出這是首情緒激烈的歌曲，源自他的親身經歷。邁克爾常常根據自己的親身經歷寫歌，但其中也會融入其他特色和別人的經歷。

 

”阿爾•卡彭 Al Capone

“《阿爾•卡彭》有多像《犯罪高手》（Smooth Criminal），《街頭流鶯》（Streetwalker）就有多像《危險》（Dangerous）。”（也沒那麼像吧。）兩種情況都是傑克遜選了自己喜歡的元素，改造成全新的東西，這是傑克遜才華、耐心和職業道德的證明。儘管這個早期版本有很好的潛力（傑克遜的許多同輩人很可能就發行了），但他堅持製作，唱出了不朽經典《犯罪高手》。這支樣帶證明了傑克遜寫好聽副歌的高超技巧。聽過一遍，那些用假聲唱的和聲就在腦海裏不停重播了。
馬特•佛格：“這個例子展示了一首歌的一部分是如何啟發這首歌的另一個版本。邁克爾多次這麼做，他會想著一首歌，從中提煉出概念、歌詞或旋律。《阿爾•卡彭》的低音部分 —— 你能聽出它是怎麼變成《犯罪高手》的。幫匪主題貫穿始終 —— 儘管跟一個特定歷史人物不太相關，更多是講一個情景和故事。你能聽到邁克爾嘗試這種他後來使用的斷音、快速唱詞技巧。

 

街頭流鶯 Streetwalker
《街頭流鶯》還是“飆”時期的最佳未收錄歌曲【《騙子》（Cheater）緊隨其後】。雖然早在2001年特別版《飆》上就發行了，但收錄進這個套裝也不錯，和專輯其他歌曲完美契合，能被更多聽眾聽到。傑克遜其實想把這首歌收錄進《飆》，但最終聽從昆西•鐘斯的意見換上《我的另一半》（Another Part of Me）。這首歌的低音部分殺人於無形，還有布魯斯口琴的伴奏，傑克遜的嗓音更是經典。

遠走高飛 Fly Away
也發行在2001年特別版《飆》上，美麗的歌謠滿是欣快。不像一些早期海文赫斯特（Hayvenhurst）樣帶，這一首的製作乾淨質樸，傑克遜的嗓音如高山流水般滑過。
新混音

第二碟最後有一些混音，毫無疑問是把傑克遜介紹給新一代聽眾。至今為止，最好的就是強勁高能的《速度之魔》（Speed Demon）混音，由尼祿（Nero）製作。應該可以成為當今的夜店或電臺熱曲。

Abortion, Fame, and 'Bad': Listening to Michael Jackson's Unreleased Demoshttp://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/abortion-fame-and-bad-listening-to-michael-jacksons-unreleased-demos/262242/

 

Sep 11 2012

 

The stories behind the tracks that will finally see the light of day for the album's 25th-anniversary rerelease

 

In late 1986, Michael Jackson was pacing in Westlake Audio's Studio D, singing to himself: "I feel so bad, I feel really bad, God music makes me feel good."

"At the time, we had no idea the name of the album was going to be called Bad," jokes assistant engineer, Russ Ragsdale.

 

It wasn't the only revelation for the crew at Westlake . It turned out in the interval between Thriller and the official start of the Bad sessions, Jackson had written some 60-70 new songs. Eleven ended up on the official album, leaving numerous great tracks on the cutting room floor in various stages.

 

Over the past couple of years, under the direction of Jackson 's estate, a team has been carefully archiving and digitizing these demos. "Some tracks we found were very early recordings," says Jackson estate co-executor John Branca. "Some were actually so complete that any other artist but Michael Jackson might consider them finished tracks. Still others were in between." Of these, six demos were chosen for Disc 2 of the forthcoming Bad 25 box set (out September 18).

 

Recently I was given an exclusive listen to these never-before-heard demos. I was struck by how finished and enjoyable they are. These are not mere song fragments. While the production on a couple of them sounds a bit dated, all have great hooks and choruses. What makes them really special, though, is their authenticity. None have been given a modern makeover. What they offer is a more intimate picture of Jackson the recording artist, circa 1985-87. We hear his ideas, his warmth, his pain, his humor, and his energy. The best of the bunch, for me, is the gorgeous mid-tempo ballad, "I'm So Blue," though a case could easily be made for the edgy rhythm tracks, "Price of Fame" and "Al Capone." Each of these six demos (and two others that had been previously released) contains its own unique imprint—and most importantly, all are 100 percent real, unembellished Michael Jackson.

 

What follows is a track-by-track review with additional insights from recording engineer and longtime Jackson friend, Matt Forger:

 

"Don't Be Messin' 'Round"

 

I wrote an in-depth piece on the making of this infectious, Bossa Nova-styled rhythm track back in June when it was released as a B-side to Jackson 's No. 1 hit ballad, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You." You can read that piece here. A fan favorite (and a song Jackson worked on many years and for which he had great affection), it is an appropriate opener to this collection. Some day it would be fascinating for listeners to hear the extended cuts (many of Jackson 's songs and demos have longer versions which he often reluctantly trimmed down at Quincy Jones's bequest) as well as its later re-incarnations.

 

 

Matt Forger:"The thing I love about these demos is the rawness. Michael had the freedom to just get the expression out there without thinking, 'Oh, Quincy is going to be judging the vocal, or it has to be perfect.' It's just Michael going for it, experimenting, having fun."

 

Jackson wrote, "I have to do it in a way so I don't offend girls who have gotten abortions or bring back guilt trips so it has to be done carefully....I have to really think about it."

 

"I'm So Blue"

 

This is a simple but beautiful ballad about singing to keep the blues away. Its languid, wistful feel is augmented by a lush keyboard bed, airy strings and soulful harmonica. It conjures a warm, summer dusk as Jackson narrates a tale of lost love. "I've been singing for so very long," he laments. "Still I'm crying/ Tell me what should I do." The wordless chorus (sha da da da da da da) is a resigned sigh. Like the blues men of old, he takes refuge from his loneliness and sorrow in the music.

 

 

Matt Forger: "This was a song Michael worked on with me and Bill Bottrell. It was already mixed from that era. It's a mid-tempo, melancholy, rainy-day-by-the-fireplace kind of song. It's a bit reminiscent of Stevie Wonder—the harmonica, the tonality. Stevie was a big part of Michael's life. It's not unusual that you would see that influence in his work."

 

"Abortion Papers"

 

Jackson isn't the first recording artist to explore the controversial subject of abortion in song. It has also surfaced in the work of Neil Young, Madonna, Sinead O'Connor, and Lauryn Hill, among others. In "Abortion Papers," Jackson approaches the matter carefully (and ambiguously): rather than presenting a dogmatic political perspective, he personalizes it through the story of a conflicted girl raised in a deeply religious home and her Bible-admonishing father. In his notes for the track, Jackson wrote, "I have to do it in a way so I don't offend girls who have gotten abortions or bring back guilt trips so it has to be done carefully....I have to really think about it." Jackson narrates the track with a strong, passionate vocal. Ironically, the main drawback of the track is its catchiness. It feels a bit strange wanting to dance and sing along to a song about abortion, but that's exactly what the addictive groove inspires. Kudos to Jackson for attempting to tackle a sensitive issue in a thoughtful manner, though it appears even he wasn't quite sure about how it would play to listeners.

 

Matt Forger: "This was a song that we initially missed during archiving. It was titled 'Song Groove' on the box so we overlooked it. Once we figured out what it was we started to put the pieces together. It was recorded by Brian Maloof and Gary O., a couple of engineers who worked with Michael for a brief time. When we heard it we knew it could be controversial, especially with what's been going on politically. But when you listen to the song there's a story being told. Michael really reflected on what the approach should be. He wasn't sure how to narrate it. There were different variations with vocals—he didn't want it to be judgmental. He was very clear about that. But he wanted to present a real, complicated situation."

 

"Free"

"Got to be free," Jackson exclaims in this breezy ballad's conclusion. His bright, breathy vocal hearkens back to the carefree vitality of the Jacksons/Off the Wall era. The verses on this track were clearly still being worked out, but the chorus ("Free, free like the wind blows/ To fly away just like the sparrow...") and harmonies are enough to whisk one away from the worries of the day. Beautiful song.

 

Matt Forger:"There were times when going back and listening to this stuff was really an emotional experience for me. That was especially the case when I started working on the song, 'Free.' When you listen to this song you hear Michael's spirit and joy. It's raw, it's loose, it's him in his element, doing what he loved to do. The first time I listened to it I broke down. This is what it was like every day."

 

"Price of Fame"

 

One of the recurring themes in Jackson 's work—pervasive on the Bad album and its outtakes—is about being in control versus being controlled. Given the nature of his life, particularly after Thriller, this preoccupation makes sense. How does he retain his identity, his sanity, his privacy amid such suffocating scrutiny, adulation, and expectations? Out of this context comes the dark psychological rumination, "Price of Fame," with its Police-like, "Spirits in a Material World" opening and "Billie Jean"-esque verses (there are also chords with echoes of "Who Is It"). "Father always told me you won't live a quiet life," he rues, "if you're reaching for fortune and fame." The vocal throughout is drenched in painful irony. Where "Billie Jean" relays a mother's plea to "be careful who you love," here the father dominates via harsh dictums about the realities of show business. "It's the price of fame," Jackson sings in the chorus. "So don't you feel no pain/ It's the price of fame/ So don't you ever complain." While the song's production isn't complete by Jackson 's standards, it does offer a powerful vocal (listen to the way he bites into the lyric: "My father never lies!"). It is a striking juxtaposition to the easy bliss of the previous track, revealing why he so desperately yearned to fly away and be "free."

 

Matt Forger: "Bill [Bottrell] and I worked on this one and I believe this is Bill's mix from that era... You can just tell it's an emotionally charged song. It's clearly based on his experience. But Michael often did songs that are based on his experience but blended with other characters and people's experiences as well."

 

"Al Capone"

 

"Al Capone" sounds about as much like "Smooth Criminal" as "Streetwalker" sounds like "Dangerous" (i.e. not very much at all). In both cases, however, Jackson took elements he liked and transformed them into something completely new. It is a testament to Jackson 's instincts, patience, and work ethic. While this earlier version has great potential (and likely would have been released by many of Jackson 's contemporaries as is), he kept at it and came up with the timeless classic that is "Smooth Criminal." The demo also demonstrates Jackson 's remarkable knack for choruses that stick. One listen and those falsetto harmonies are on repeat in the brain.

 

 

Matt Forger: "This is an example of a song where a part of it inspires the next version of the song. There have been many cases where Michael has done that, where he would dwell on a song and refine concepts, or lyrics or melodies. The bass line in 'Al Capone'—you can see how it evolved into 'Smooth Criminal.' And the whole gangster theme carried over—though as it evolved it became less about a particular historical figure and more about a situation and a story. You can also hear Michael experimenting with this staccato-type of vocal, this rapid wordplay that he would later use."

 

"Streetwalker"

 

"Streetwalker" retains its place as the best of the Bad-era outtakes (closely followed by the unincluded standout, "Cheater"). While it was first released on the 2001 special edition of Bad, it is nice to have it in this collection as it fits so perfectly with the other material on the album and will now be heard by millions more listeners. Jackson actually wanted the track on the final lineup of Bad, but eventually conceded to Quincy Jones on "Another Part of Me." The song features a killer bass line, bluesy harmonica fills, and a classic Jackson vocal.

 

"Fly Away"

 

Also originally released on the 2001 special edition of Bad, this beautiful ballad is pure sonic bliss. Unlike some of the early Hayvenhurst demos, the production here is pristine and showcases Jackson 's voice in sublime form.

 

Remixes:

There are a handful of remixes at the end of Disc 2, intended, no doubt, to introduce Jackson to a new generation of listeners. By far, the best among these is the driving, high-energy remix of "Speed Demon" by Nero. It feels like it could be a club or radio hit today. You can take a listen here.