Michael Jackson's Thriller - 40 years' 2CD special edition - November 30th

Well that digital only extra "disc" actually gives me hope that we aren't just gonna get a bunch of demo and alternate versions on disc 2, though I'm sure that's still possible that we get a few. I do think we are most likely getting some previously released tracks along with some unreleased. This is my guess for which songs will be on the set (no clue on the order):

"Can't Get Outta the Rain" (b-side)
"Someone in the Dark" (soundtrack song)
"For All Time" (from Thriller 25)
"Got The Hots" (Thriller 25 Japan bonus track)
"Carousel" (released in longer version on some versions of King Of Pop compilation)
"Hot Street"
"Niteline"
"Behind the Mask"
"She's Trouble"

That would be four previously unreleased cuts along with five songs the public is not very familiar with. Then you add the aforementioned sprinkling of more demo or alternate versions or (*shudders*) remixes of the classics. We will see soon enough.

 

I would have omitted all the 2008 remixes and the short Beat It demo and the Billie Jean demo and replaced them with these previously released songs:

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (12" Mix)
Thriller (Instrumental)
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin1 (7" Mix)
The Girl Is Mine (Demo)
Carousel (Full Version)
The Girl Is Mine (Edit)
Billie Jean (Instrumenal)

 

Sucks! Fergie? Kayne? will.i.am? None belong on this set. Ridiculous.

 

At least they won't be on the CD.

 

I agree, however I suppose another way of looking at it is that they are included as they are part of the Thriller project that Michael signed off on.

 

I really want to hear the original demo / work in progress of "Behind The Mask", I think the remix was pretty significant - I'm hoping for something a little closer to the Greg Phillinganes version.
Probably one of the worst decisions in music business history for Alfa / YMO / Sakamoto etc to have failed to reach an agreement on the royalty split.

 

Do we know if Bernie Grundman is gonna cut the new vinyl?

 

Well, I think I may be getting my hopes up a bit, but the annual birthday event at the MJ One Cirque show was streamed the other night, and Greg was actually speaking at it. He spoke about Mj's version of Behind The Mask that was gifted to him, and they played a verse and a chorus of it over the PA so I'm wondering... is this a sneak preview of what's to come or just another road leading nowhere like most MJ music related roads tend to be. I would absolutely love to hear the original demo in whatever form it's in. Love the original, love Greg's version, love Clapton's and I love the remix from 2010. Crazy good vocals.

 

I agree, this Thriller 40 release is shaping up to be a good release...

 

I'm just wondering if once they release the tracklist for the bonus tracks, the price of the CD will skyrocket. I think a lot of fans aren't buying the set until they know what's coming. Please don't fudge this release, estate. So far the official MJ store hasn't updated the page since May.

 

Behind the Mask is one of the more likely candidates for inclusion, as Sony has been sending takedown notices to Youtube channels who have uploaded fanmade demo versions of the song.

I’m not that interested in the demo, as we already have the vocal track on the « Michael » album.

 

I hope "Off The Wall" will be released in audiophile format.

 

In all likelihood, the 10 tracks will comprise of a lot of what has been leaked over the past 20 years online:

Hot Street/Slapstick
Nite Line
She's Trouble
Starlight
The Lady In My Life (Full Version)
Billie Jean (Studio Demo)
Carousel (Full Version)
Baby Be Mine (Demo)
Got The Hots
The Girl Is Mine (Solo Demo)

As others have pointed out, Behind The Mask (and Starlight) are being removed from YouTube the past few months so Behind The Mask is a high possibility. Other songs could be Learned My Lesson (original version of Much Too Soon), Roll The Dice and Spice of Life (both Temperton songs). Freddie claims that he could have been on Thriller, but I thought that State of Shock and There Must Be More To Life Than This were recorded in '83 or later.

At least we will be finding out one song at a time.

Edit - sorry @sweetdudejim I only just saw your post now which renders mine redundant!

 

‘Thriller 40’ Bonus Track: ‘Behind The Mask’
Michael Jackson’s Estate, along with Sony Music, are announcing the bonus tracks for “Thriller 40” one at a time between now and its November release. Today they kick started their announcement with the original demo of “Behind the Mask.”

‘Thriller 40’ Bonus Track: ‘Behind The Mask’ - Thriller 40

 

Half of my wishes have been fulfilled - the other being uncut version of The Lady In My Life

 

I think with Behind The Mask being confirmed, I'm not too fussed about the remaining 9 tracks!

 

Behind The Mask original demo is a track I've wanted to hear for decades, as a YMO fan as much as a fan of this particular album.

 

Is it expected to sound very different than the “Michael” LP version?

 

It should sound something like this. Someone mixed the Michael version with the instrumental of Greg Phillinganes' version.

 

ahh that is different, love the 80s synths. This will be great to have.

 

That's actually the YMO version from '79 with the MJ vocal over the top, which was very likely how Michael wrote the song in the first place. The Greg Phillinganes version is a very close cover but noticeably different, with funky guitar added.

 

70s synths - that is the YMO version recorded in '79, released in the US on "Multiplies" in '80.
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor

Yellow Magic Orchestra - X∞Multiplies

Another link between YMO and MJ was Paul McCartney. Paul and Linda knew YMO through Mika Kato, wife of producer Chris Thomas, who used to be in Sadistic Mika Band with Yukihiro from YMO. There was an aborted recording session with McCartney that had to be cancelled due to his drug bust in Japan.
YMO's label also released an album by Quincy Jones as part of their licensing deal with A&M in '81.

 

I came across this video last night. I haven't read books about Jackson or Thriller, yet I thought I knew a lot about the album. It was interesting to hear how strongly Jones wanted all of the songs to be different from each other. I also had never heard the story about an early test pressing with different mixes and longer versions. Five songs were edited.



I'm trying not to get my hopes up but I'll be disappointed if Hot Street, Nite Line and Got the Hots are not on the second disc.

 

Just came back to this thread and was surprised the picture on the OP is also 'updated'. Probably they re-used the same URL that was for the older Thriller 40 artwork.

 

Weird. There is a slightly different looking picture which also has the discs' faces 'updated'. No replica(s) of the 80s CD design anymore.