Michael Jackson to Start New Record Label

[Woodrow]

I just saw this on Foxnews and thought it was pretty cool... Check it out:

"Jacko's backo. He's starting a new record label with the backing of a company that changed its name today from ID Medical Group to Opus Media.

A music business Web site, Hitsdailydouble.com, speculated that Jackson might be involved when Opus issued a press release today stating that they'd gone into business with a major pop star.

But a check by Fox 411 into the financial filings of ID Medical shows that back in May, when Jackson was freaking out about money and Tommy Mottola, he was busy making the deal with Opus Media's Robert Gordon.

From ID Medical's May SEC filing:

"The Label Agreement contemplates that ToolTrust and MJJ Ventures will form a California Limited Liability Company to operate a music label, tentatively called "Neverland Records." ...

"The Label Agreement provides recording artist Michael J. Jackson with discretion to grant or deny approval of any artist seeking to sign a recording agreement. Mr. Jackson also shall have final approval of all creative elements in connection with master recordings and videos. Ultimately, however, Mr. Jackson's level of participation with the music label (or none at all) shall be determined at his sole discretion. MJJ Ventures may "opt-out" of the Label Agreement if the music label is unable to secure a distribution deal or the music label has not substantially satisfied any material goals set forth in its business plan. Mr. Jackson may opt-out for any reason after three years. In any such case, ToolTrust is obligated to buy out MJJ venture's interest in the music label. "

What's very strange about this endeavor is that ID Medical may be risking its profitable online medical identification business if Jackson's venture proves to be a failure.

According to the same filing:

"The Company is in immediate need of funding to complete the music label venture described above and to carry out day-to-day operations, including funding of the online medical records business. If the Company does not secure financing to sufficiently fund operations, it may lose all amounts paid to MJJ Ventures. There can be no assurance that financing will be available when needed or on terms acceptable to the Company. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to continue as a going concern, or achieve material revenues and profitable operations."

And here's another update on Michael Jackson's new label: Word is that Jackson's producer Rodney Jerkins will be in charge of the label, which may be distributed by Clive Davis's J Records.

Gordon, the CEO of Opus Media, is excited about his new endeavor with the weird King of Pop.

They met when Jackson tried to get Gordon to direct market his charity single "What More Can I Give?" last year. "Michael had the single and no one at his record company would cooperate and release it," Gordon said. "McDonald's had pledged $30 million to market it, but Sony didn't want it to interfere with Michael's album."

At last we have an answer for what happened to the infamous single. This column reported the McDonald's connection exclusively last October.


 
AP
Anthony Hopkins attends Monday's Red Dragon premiere.
"We work with a lot of non profits," Gordon continued. "We have access to over a million people we can direct market to. One conversation led to another, and we realized we could market records to those lists ourselves."

Neverland Records will operate on two levels -- as direct marketing and in record stores, distributed by Clive Davis's J Records. Rodney Jerkins will run the label for Jackson.

Gordon has not met Jackson, by the way. All the deals were done through Jackson's agents and lawyers.

And Jacko will not be the only artist on Neverland. "We're talking to three or four platinum selling acts," Gordon said. "Established stars who want to be part of this plan."

Gordon said he didn't know much about Jackson's financial situation but it didn't matter since an investment bank has signed on to raise the $35 million capitalization.

Stay tuned, because you know it will only get more interesting. "

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,64526,00.html


Damn, I wish him the best of luck... I hope what Janet said a while back is true and invincible was just a tease of whats to come... It'll be good to see sony kicking themselves in the ass...

[Trauma-san]

I'll believe it when I see it  Mike signs about 2 or 3 business deals a month, so these kinda stories don't mean crap to me anymore.  Everytime you turn around, he's signing liscensing agreements, movie agreements, etc.

[bez]

Dope shit, hope this is true, I cant never get enough of jackson, his shit is always dope.

[KURUPTION-81]

I cant wait to get new mj music.

[D.R.E.-Dogg]

Dope shit, hope this is true, I cant never get enough of jackson, his shit is always dope.

word

I don't get why invincible wasn't sucessfull

[Trauma-san]

No videos, poor promotion, no tour, no singles, plenty of reasons.  It did pretty good, though,I think it sold 8 million worldwide, that's decent.  Mike's gonna go down as a misunderstood genius, like Brian Wilson of the beachboys, John Lennon, Frank Zappa, etc. etc. list goes on and on.  

[Hatesrats™]

Peep's expectation's are just Way toooooooooo high when it comes to MJ.
It's like peep's expect their ear's to bleed from the dopeness or something...lol

Bottom line is tho, imagine if any other artist (Usher--Timberlake) would have released that lp under their name it would have been considered a monster sucess and praised for the dopeness and tight innovative music, but since it's Mj we are talkin' about.
You know how it is.......it suck's being at the top.

Hatesrats 2oo2

Mj = a classic everytime.

[Trauma-san]

Yup, hey, what do you guys think about Blood on the Dance floor? I think it's hella underrated, classic cd, even though it had all those remixes.  Most of the remixes were dope, and the first 5 new tracks were all good.  I mean, Morphine, was awesome, with Mike singing and yelling about Morphine, Demorol, and all the drugs he was addicted to, lol.  Is it Scary? Is probably one of his most emotional songs, but it's kinda heavy.  He's talking about how people treat him, lines like "If you came to see, Excentricalities, I'll be grotesque before your eyes... /.... If you came to see, the truth in purity, it's here inside a lonely heart, so let the performance start... is that scary for ya, baby?"  That's amazing lyricism to me.  Amazingly honest song.  

Blood on the Dance Floor was a great dance track, "Ghosts" Was alright, and "Sister" whatever it was called was a banger.  That's the one with that sick bassline, where he keeps saying "LOVE AINT WHAT IT USED TO BE, that is a what they tellin me, push it in, stick it out, that ain't what it's all about"  great song.  Towards the end, he says "Tellin' him that she got it done, Keep his Jimmy on the Run (then he yells His JIMMMmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyy in the background, lol).   Great album.  I'd give it 8.5 at least.  

[Hatesrats™]

Yo "Blood on the Dance floor" was like Mike's "Makaveli" or "Lost tapes" lp it came outta no-where without promotion or much comercial cutz, just raw emotion and heartfelt soul...lol

ImO
it was a tight cd aswell, a must have for an MJ fan fo sho'

Hatesrats 2oo2

[bez]

I am getting all the albums soon, cant wait. I have history and thriller on tape but I am guna get every MJ album off a friend and I am really looking forward to it cos I love the fuck out of his music.  

[LyRiCaL_G]

does this mean he'll make another album soon or nope?

[=[Euthanasia]=]

Peep's expectation's are just Way toooooooooo high when it comes to MJ.
It's like peep's expect their ear's to bleed from the dopeness or something...lol

Bottom line is tho, imagine if any other artist (Usher--Timberlake) would have released that lp under their name it would have been considered a monster sucess and praised for the dopeness and tight innovative music, but since it's Mj we are talkin' about.
You know how it is.......it suck's being at the top.

True that. I was talking to this guy who's a huge MJ fan last night and we was saying the same thing, I can't believe people consider "Invincible" a flop, I mean sure it's a little low compared to what he's sold in the past but by no means do I consider that a flop, thats absurd. Also, I find some people attitude to MJ's new work as disspointing, but I asked him what he thought and he said he considers "Invincible" to be MJ's second best album (I forgot what he said his #1 was, I was a bit drunk at the time  ). But anyways, to get to the point, I think too many people read into the media's opinions and expectations of MJ instead of forming their own.

[KURUPTION-81]

I consider is it scary as one of Mj greatest songs.

[Trauma-san]

^^ Definately!!!! I've posted the lyrics to it on here about 5 times, lol but people don't want to hear it.  He's amazing.  My all time best albums list from him would probably be like this:

1. dangerous
2. Thriller
3. Invincible
4. Blood on the Dance Floor
5. Bad
6. History
7. Off the Wall

And man, that's saying a lot! I mean, History is one of my favorite albums of all time, but he's got 5 albums alone that I like better than that one, lol.  I'd say off the wall is better than 99 percent of the albums ever made, and it's my 'least' love it to death favorite of them all.  

[teecee]

King Trauma:  are you serious that you think there was no promotion of Invincible?  That is some crazy shit, he had his own special on ABC with everyone there, and his video for You ROck My World premiered on ABC during a prime time slot.......that is what i call promotion.

I think waht happened is, people somehow did not feel You ROck My World (it iwas incredible i thought).......it shoulda been the song in every club, but i think people are honestly freaked out by MJ now, and also it just isn't cool anymore for people to admit they like MIke (i always got laughed at).......besides, MIKE did not have a SURESHOT second single on his album, and maybe SOny felt like they should cut there losses after spending like 30 million to make the album and another couple million on the video for You Rock My World.

There were many great songs on Invincible, but not a second single (except for the song with Carlso Santanaa maybe).........Butterflies was a great song, but seriously most of the general public thought it was seriously very corny.