An unreleased version of Michael Jackson’s “Hollywood Tonight” that was considered for the controversial 2010 ‘MICHAEL’ album has surfaced online.
The track, which was uploaded to yourlisten.com by Faster Pussycat lead guitarist Ace Von Johnson five months ago, was produced by former Jackson-collaborator Ron “Neff-U” Feemster and engineered by James Murray in 2010.
During production on the track Murray brought Von Johnson in to record guitar overdubs and a solo on the bridge. Von Johnson considers the solo his favourite he has ever written.
“The engineer was a buddy of mine and invited me to come down to lay down some tracks,” recalls Von Johnson in an interview with metalliville.com. “I did some stuff on a tune that they cut from the album at the last minute.”
The record label, Epic Records, felt that the versions Neff-U was turning in for consideration were lacking something. They then had the files delivered to Teddy Riley who crafted a percussive beat box from Jackson’s vocal scraps that served as the foundation for the track. and added a spoken bridge featuring the King of Pop’s nephew Taryll. Riley’s version was ultimately selected and released on the ‘MICHAEL’ album. Neff-U was given a co-production credit for laying the groundwork of the mix, along with Brad Buxer who produced the original demo with Jackson.
For the past four years the Neff-U/Ace Von Johnson version, which keeps relatively true to Jackson and Buxer’s original demo, has remained unknown to fans around the world – until now.
“Released or not, that was a big deal for me,” adds Von Johnson. “I’m proud that I’m lucky enough to be able to play music for a living. Most people never will never know what its like to achieve that.”
Listen to the Neff-U produced version of “Hollywood Tonight” featuring Ace Von Johnson below:
Or listen via YouTube:
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Listening to this, all I can say is that Teddy Riley did an AMAZING job with the song. His version is the best, far superior than Neff-U Mix. The only thing Teddy fucked up is removing the “She’s only fifteen” line and adding that horrible spoken bridge that changed the meaning of the song. But music and production by Teddy is the best by far.
I think that Teddy Riley actually fucked up this song. Of course the album version still sounds more finished than this, but you should know that “Neff-u” made 2 mixes. According to Joe Vogel, Riley’s mix is based on Feemster’s mix (guitar riff and horns) and it seems that he meant the 2nd mix, which is still unreleased. So I think that we haven’t heard this “better” version from Theron Feemster” yet.
Agreed. Riley mix is best, but I like the guitar lick…gives the song a little more grit and bridge. It needs something. I heard every version. This song is just missing something. MJs vocal just feels restrained, and this song just never climaxes. The spoken bridge is just weird and lame. I can think of many songs that needed a guitar lick to peak out the song. Such as Fall Out Boy, Light Em Up ( My songs know what you did in the dark). Why in earth does that song not have a guitar riff at the climax??? Hollywood Tonight never has that rise either. The song just does not go anywhere, and MJ knew it but was not done with it. Maybe there was little you could make if it except what it is.
You’re right when you say Michael wasn’t done with this song. It’s a demo. Regarding what could have been done; rather than the spoken bridge Teddy used (which Teddy wrote himself) they could have used the additional lyrics MICHAEL had written and planned to use on the track:
“She’s a streetwalker at her age/ She’s young and she’s afraid/ She sells her body to get paid/ It’s too much for a girl her age/ Police is stalking her today/ They now know she ran away/ She is running ’cause she’s scared… She doesn’t even have a ticket/ She doesn’t even have a way back/ She’s lost and she’s alone/ There’s no place for her to go/ She is young and she is cold/ Just like her father told her so…”
Not only that but they could have taken the vocal instructions that MJ left on the bridge he’d done and re-created that using a choir or something. Even just the bridge as MJ left it with his voice alone is chilling enough. The dark mood of it is terrific – something Teddy completely eradicated from his version.
Hi,
Could you PLEASE offer any insight into which version of Hollywood Tonight that is online is the “real” song (meaning the version MJ last worked on)? From what I can gather, there are 4 that I’ve seen.
1. Album Version (with spoken bridge) – 4:31
2. Single Version (no spoken bridge) – 3:48
3. Neff-U Version: 4:17
4. Original Demo: 5:04 (this is the one I really want to know whether or not it is authentic or some fan-made remix – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG2-570D6eM)
Thanks for your insight. It is a shame that truly special “leaks” of demos are diluted by fan-altered mixes and other unofficial material.
Michael
None of those you mentioned are the version Michael left behind.
This, however, is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBsCkAWaMvI
Thanks SO much. This is very helpful and I am going to delete the other versions! Just out of curiosity, what is your source? Is there a particular place I can go to verify what is “official” or listen to real material (not “extended”, “a capella” or “unreleased” fan-made versions)?
The other one I have been struggling with is “Monster” as I have seen 2 different “demos” online but don’t know if either (or both) are legit. One at 5:09 and one at 5:06. Looks like they may have been removed from YouTube though. Thanks!
Sources of confirmation that it’s Michael’s final version are Brad Buxer and Michael Prince. They worked on the original.
Regarding “Monster”; I wouldn’t waste my time. Personally I’ve always been confused as to the interest fans show in demos of songs that are not authentic to begin with. You’ll have to ask James Porte and Eddie Cascio regarding that one, and I can guarantee you that they will not respond.
Do you mean not authentic because it may not be Michael’s voice or not authentic because it wasn’t officially released? I’ve been so confused regarding the “controversial” tracks from the Michael album. It is shocking to believe they may not really be him. I hope that lawsuit goes through so the answer is finally put to rest. In your opinion (which I value), would you say Monster is not Michael at all and therefore whether it is the demo or not, it is garbage? If so, I am going to take that off my playlist forever! Thanks as always…
Then the story was the climax. And it was tainted. Imagine the original dark lyrics with a nasty guitar riff and chorus…
This version sounds like they sampled Hall & Oates’ song “I Can’t Go For That” on the opening beat.
One thing that concerns me when giving these producers untethered freedom to manipulate these tracks is to what degree of restriction and boundaries are determined.
This is a point made in the documentary, Sound City-where 24 track mentality cones in. You commit to what it is. With ProTools and whatever processing software of choice you can always come back, or change it. It’s like a great painting, you have to know when to STOP. You can’t keep messing with it. Restrictions make good music. As we know Thriller was restricted to the the length based on the recording density (grooves too close together on vinyls in the LP days). That ultimately may have proved a good restriction. For example, I was listening to the Akon version Wanna Be Startin Something next to the original track. Akon’s is so compressed and muddled with dull and flat tone, while the original is more crisp and bright. The Akon is overworked-it’s tires me with garbled, too bassy mess.
I don’t know what restrictions Riley had but I don’t think he should of had liberty to ignore MJ’s vocal instructions and take away/replace lyrics…ultimately change the story. If you gave Riley a story, would the Titanic miss the iceberg, would Dorothy wear sapphire slippers, or maybe Romeo & Juliet decide to break up???
Producers should be FORCED by restrictions to make definitive creative choices instead of going back into the software and trying, even forcing to make a track work.
I’m not familiar enough with the people who post here to know whether or not Eric H is kidding since we know Billie Jean had its bass line lifted from I Can’t Go For That, and one of the Going Hollywood mixes is an obvious lift off a Billie a Jean. I’ll assume he’s intentionally joking. If not still funny anyway
if were gonna talk about things that were lifted.. the flute sound in billie jean sounds a heck of alot like part of Van Morrison’s Moondance. I never knew for sure if it was where Michael got it from, but found it interesting that this song was to one Michael used to unveil the Moonwalk.
Arectlis like this make life so much simpler.
Hey Shalini just luvd it.. As it is, I have a weakness for sch poems that portray some events and stories.. The ending about the mother nature’s fury was a brilliant way to bring to an end the humane acts, all in a day’s work!
I read your post and wished I’d written it
I love Teddys version of this song………i fail to see anyone comment that apart from the obvious Hall and Oats I cant go for that sample……it also bites off Billy Oceans Carribean Queen melodically and lyrically…..the guitar lick is identical…..great song and production…..the bridge isn’t perfect but its a hit Mj could have done with on the Invincible album.
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I have another version of this track that James gave me but it was a far less finished than the one I put online a while back. It was really just to share with the fans and to give myself a bit of credit for the effort I put in (and was never compensated for the sessions). I was very honored to be asked to be involved, and my dear friend James Murray passed away shortly after. It was kind of my way of showing him some love. Enjoy it or not, it was neat and in my opinion, much truer style-wise to what I think the track should have been, than what ended up on “Michael”. Thanks for listening.
-Ace