5 replies to this topic

[Jasi]

I'm actually doing some video game music in my dissertation, and a friend of mine pointed me toward this article: http://testkitchen.h...eljacksonsonic/

 

Of course we're all Nintendo folks here but. Did any of you guys know about this before??

[DarkJuno]

I read about that awhile back, it's interesting that it's been so long since both his death and even longer since Sonic 3 the full story would've leaked out in someone's biography by now, but all we have are still almost truths and hearsay. I thought the (current) accepted theory was that Michael Jackson at least started working on the game, but "stuff" happen, and Sega took his cues and either finished them or did sound a likes for the real game.

Though if everything in this and the original article I read way back end up being the rest of the truth, I hope we do get some ex-Sega of America exec spilling his guts out sooner rather then later.

[JRPomazon]

Like DJ said, I remember reading about it as well. First time I heard about it, it gave me the idea that he didn't like the limitations of the Sega Genesis' sound card and opted to not have his name on it. It wasn't until much later that I read it had more to do with his the allegations he was facing at the time and less on creative frustrations. Considering the circumstances, his name could have done more harm than good for it to be on the game.

[SteveT]

Same here, but this is certainly the most thorough explanation.

 

Similarly, Iggy Azalea contributed to Mario Maker.

 

[Jasi]

That's awesome. I kind of wish whoever made that had taken out the Iggy Azalea bass line though, it got a little muddy there...

[Hana-Nezumi]

I was aware of this, yes. Props to the writer for his dramatic telling. If you stick to the facts...
 
What we know:

• Jackson was involved with the soundtrack at some point.
• People who worked with Jackson are credited in the game.
• There are some parts of tracks in the game that sound identical to parts of Michael Jackson songs.

What we don't know:

• Whether Michael Jackson chose not to be credited because of the poor quality of the compressed sound. That's what Jackson's people claim, while Sega's people claim that they dropped him due to his controversy.
• If Jackson's contributions were removed from the game, and if so, to what extent. Sega's people claim replacement, Jackson's people say that their work made it in.
• Whether the similarities of music in the game to Jackson songs are the result of Michael Jackson's work, or just his composers'.