Jimmy Jam talks about working with Janet (NEW)

[Paul]

Do you have an article or video to back this up? Because I just read an article where Jimmy described the recording process and he didn't mention that. He did say that Janet didn't want to record once Michael did his initial vocals though.

I heard Janet say it out of her own mouth in an interview back in 1997. I think it was the Oprah one.

[bu.]

I heard Janet say it out of her own mouth in an interview back in 1997. I think it was the Oprah one.

I'll wait until someone can post the source/link. Not that I don't believe you but I'd rather hear it for myself .

[Paul]

It's true, Janet said she was annoyed that her vocals had been "mixed down" after MJ was given the track to put on his album

[bu.]

It's true, Janet said she was annoyed that her vocals had been "mixed down" after MJ was given the track to put on his album

I'm looking for it now

[Idrag4mj]

ignorant like MJ is responsible for the mixing of the vocals in the studio ....blame the engineers not mj

[Reyna ♔]

I'm looking for it now

Part 1. I haven't reviewed it, but I found it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpeBowda6-o

[bu.]

Part 1. I haven't reviewed it, but I found it.

I just watched the full interview and it wasn't in that.

[Reyna ♔]

I just watched the full interview and it wasn't in that.

Oh really?

[bu.]

Oh really?

. I'm assuming Austin or Henry know where it was said.

[Reyna ♔]

. I'm assuming Austin or Henry know where it was said.

Possibly. If the receipts are there, I look forward to seeing them.

[Paul]

I don't care about receipts - I know what I heard, Janet said it out of her own mouth. I don't expect any of you MJ stans to remember because most if you had no interest in Janet until after he died.

[bu.]

I don't care for hearsay. I'll wait for someone to post it.

[bu.]

Oh and idrag4mj...I don't know about Scream but according to Jimmy...Michael was very involved in how the songs they worked on sounded. So if Paul is right then It may well have been Michael's decision.

"It was great too, working with Prince and working with Michael, they were polar opposites in the way they worked. Prince would walk in the studio at the beginning of the day and he’d walk out with “1999,” done. Michael, we’d spend a day just on the volume of the handclaps. I mean, literally. And we’d turn them up and he’d say, “Okay, I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen to it again.” We come back the next day, and he’d go, “Can we turn that up just a little more?” Yes, we turn it up. “Okay, make me a tape.” Okay. “I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen again.” I mean, it was literally like that. But that was, you know, learning from people like Quincy Jones, people who were very meticulous about what they did."

http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/music/an-interview-with-jimmy-jam-of-the-original-7ven-part-two/

[jarrylf]

Oh and idrag4mj...I don't know about Scream but according to Jimmy...Michael was very involved in how the songs they worked on sounded. So if Paul is right then It may well have been Michael's decision.

"It was great too, working with Prince and working with Michael, they were polar opposites in the way they worked. Prince would walk in the studio at the beginning of the day and he’d walk out with “1999,” done. Michael, we’d spend a day just on the volume of the handclaps. I mean, literally. And we’d turn them up and he’d say, “Okay, I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen to it again.” We come back the next day, and he’d go, “Can we turn that up just a little more?” Yes, we turn it up. “Okay, make me a tape.” Okay. “I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen again.” I mean, it was literally like that. But that was, you know, learning from people like Quincy Jones, people who were very meticulous about what they did."

http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/music/an-interview-with-jimmy-jam-of-the-original-7ven-part-two/

I LOVE THAT PART, and its so funny because its kinda exactly how I thought they were in the studio, like I know Prince only does (and always has) 3 takes at the most (mostly 1) of the vocals for him and all his artists, and would spend a day on a entire song, but with MJ he'd take his time with every single detail of a song. I have a HUGE appreciation for both methods.

Tho if I were a musician, I'd probably go the Prince route cause when I start with something, tho I enjoy the moment, Im ready to get it finished and done as soon as possible. But I have low patience too, but I have a huge respect for artist who spend time on every little detail of their work.

[bu.]

I LOVE THAT PART, and its so funny because its kinda exactly how I thought they were in the studio, like I know Prince only does (and always has) 3 takes at the most (mostly 1) of the vocals for him and all his artists, and would spend a day on a entire song, but with MJ he'd take his time with every single detail of a song. I have a HUGE appreciation for both methods.

Tho if I were a musician, I'd probably go the Prince route cause when I start with something, tho I enjoy the moment, Im ready to get it finished and done as soon as possible. But I have low patience too, but I have a huge respect for artist who spend time on every little detail of their work.

Personally I couldn't do what MJ did . I get that 'art' can't be rushed and that method works for some but for me once I start something then I need to finish it asap...or at least have a rough draft done lol. If I was a singer/artist then I'd probably be the one that hardly sleeps and just stays in the studio until most of it is done ala Mariah lol.

[Reyna ♔]

Oh and idrag4mj...I don't know about Scream but according to Jimmy...Michael was very involved in how the songs they worked on sounded. So if Paul is right then It may well have been Michael's decision.

"It was great too, working with Prince and working with Michael, they were polar opposites in the way they worked. Prince would walk in the studio at the beginning of the day and he’d walk out with “1999,” done. Michael, we’d spend a day just on the volume of the handclaps. I mean, literally. And we’d turn them up and he’d say, “Okay, I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen to it again.” We come back the next day, and he’d go, “Can we turn that up just a little more?” Yes, we turn it up. “Okay, make me a tape.” Okay. “I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen again.” I mean, it was literally like that. But that was, you know, learning from people like Quincy Jones, people who were very meticulous about what they did."

http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/music/an-interview-with-jimmy-jam-of-the-original-7ven-part-two/

And this is one of the reasons why I love Michael. He and I are so much alike on this. Everything in our work has to be just right. Every detail, no matter how small it is, needs to be exact. Rushing my art would drive me nuts. Gotta invest 500% or more and go above and beyond what's expected.

I don't care for hearsay. I'll wait for someone to post it.

[Mr. Wonder]

I don't care about receipts - I know what I heard, Janet said it out of her own mouth. I don't expect any of you MJ stans to remember because most if you had no interest in Janet until after he died.

[janetDAYZ]

Oh and idrag4mj...I don't know about Scream but according to Jimmy...Michael was very involved in how the songs they worked on sounded. So if Paul is right then It may well have been Michael's decision.

"It was great too, working with Prince and working with Michael, they were polar opposites in the way they worked. Prince would walk in the studio at the beginning of the day and he’d walk out with “1999,” done. Michael, we’d spend a day just on the volume of the handclaps. I mean, literally. And we’d turn them up and he’d say, “Okay, I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen to it again.” We come back the next day, and he’d go, “Can we turn that up just a little more?” Yes, we turn it up. “Okay, make me a tape.” Okay. “I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll listen again.” I mean, it was literally like that. But that was, you know, learning from people like Quincy Jones, people who were very meticulous about what they did."

http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/music/an-interview-with-jimmy-jam-of-the-original-7ven-part-two/

My GOD that man was anal! I knew Mike was but thats on a whole nother level I didn't know. How did he ever get an album done?

But its doesnt surprise Prince and Mike were different in how they worked. Prince always seemed like he liked the "rawness" of one or two takes and THATS the RECORD!...as Mike always came off more strategic and a perfectionist. Not to say that Prince isnt a perfectionist.. but I think he appreciated the "raw" element more in his music than mike did.

[bu.]

So you can't post anything to confirm that point?

[Mr. Wonder]

So you can't post anything to confirm that point?

Paul bringing it up was my first time hearing about it. I downloaded a few of the "Scream" remixes a couple of months ago, and I did notice Janet's vocals were tuned down a bit.

[bu.]

Paul bringing it up was my first time hearing about it. I downloaded a few of the "Scream" remixes a couple of months ago, and I did notice Janet's vocals were tuned down a bit.

Ok

[Paul]

So you can't post anything to confirm that point?

You could always pop the CD from Janet's number 1s album in and see if her vocals and backgrounds are louder than they were on the original mix on history. I can't remember if they are but if they are then that might give you your confirmation.

I know that Janet said it when she was talking about the fact that she and MJ hadn't seen each other since the scream video was made (this was a couple of years later) and that she wasn't happy with the version that ended up on history because her vocals had been lowered.

[Paul]

Even MJs stans are pressed over Janet. According to them scream is MJ featuring Janet. Bitches it's a DUET which she wrote and produced alongside. The producers were hers, the video director was hers.

[bu.]

You could always pop the CD from Janet's number 1s album in and see if her vocals and backgrounds are louder than they were on the original mix on history. I can't remember if they are but if they are then that might give you your confirmation.

I know that Janet said it when she was talking about the fact that she and MJ hadn't seen each other since the scream video was made (this was a couple of years later) and that she wasn't happy with the version that ended up on history because her vocals had been lowered.

I'll try that.

Even MJs stans are pressed over Janet. According to them scream is MJ featuring Janet. Bitches it's a DUET which she wrote and produced alongside. The producers were hers, the video director was hers.

You seem more pressed by MJ stans tbh. Mark Romanek hadn't directed a Janet video before Scream

[Mr. Wonder]

^^^But they used Janet's choreographers (with the conceptual input from MJ's), Janet's producers, and MJ even had Janet come up with the concept for the video.