Book Description

These are the stories about the real Michael Jackson; the musical genius at work. As told by the songwriters, producers, musicians, and technicians who worked intimately with him in the studio, and featuring a touching foreword written by his longtime engineer, Matt Forger. Xscape Origins: The Songs and Stories Michael Jackson Left Behind takes you inside the recording studio, delivering captivating fly-on-the-wall insights into the creative process of the greatest artistic visionary the world has ever known. "Damien Shields has taken on the task of researching some of these songs and the stories behind their creation, and for that I thank him," says Forger. "There are so many lessons to learn from a creative genius like Michael Jackson. Just as Michael said 'study the greats and become greater,' we are now left to study how he, a poor child from a Midwestern American town, rose to be the most popular entertainer on the planet. These stories are a detailed examination of how some of the songs unreleased in his lifetime came into existence. It is important to document the process and tell the story, not only because it s history, but also to pay tribute to a person who loved storytelling and would want the story to be told." For the first time--featuring exclusive never-before-told stories--Xscape Origins puts all the pieces of the puzzle together to reveal how the King of Pop and his collaborators conceived and developed the original versions of "Love Never Felt So Good," "She Was Loving Me" (a.k.a. "Chicago"), "Loving You," "A Place With no Name," "Slave To The Rhythm," "Do You Know Where Your Children Are," "Blue Gangsta," and "Xscape" (a.k.a. "Escape"). Compiled from exclusive interviews with: Michael Prince(Engineer, 1995-2009) Matt Forger (Engineer, 1982-1997) John Barnes (Composer, arranger, musician, 1983-2009) Cory Rooney (Songwriter, producer, A&R, 1999-2001) Fred Jerkins III (Songwrtier, producer, 1999-2001) Brian Vibberts (Engineer, 1994-1999) CJ deVillar (Engineer, musician, 1998-1999). And exclusive first-hand insights from: Rodney Jerkins (Producer, songwriter, 1999-2001) Brad Buxer (Composer, arranger, musical director, 1989-2008) Kathy Wakefield (Songwriter, 1973-1984) Dr. Freeze (Songwriter, producer, 1998-2001).