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Paul Anka Claims 'This is It' is a Rip-Off

Michael was a perfectionist. He had a LOT of music that he didn't release. He was a VERY prolific song-writer, but the vast majority of what he wrote wasn't released because that's what he chose. If it wasn't exactly right to him, he didn't release it.

He chose very carefully for his albums. There are not that many albums, compared to his LONG career, because of his perfectionism. He had artistic integrity about his own work and what he put out there. Now, he has no choice (obviously) and no artistic control over what is done with his unreleased (and sometimes unfinished) material. I can only hope that the family will have some voice as to which songs reach the public?
 
Victoria83 said:
Michael was a perfectionist. He had a LOT of music that he didn't release. He was a VERY prolific song-writer, but the vast majority of what he wrote wasn't released because that's what he chose. If it wasn't exactly right to him, he didn't release it.

He chose very carefully for his albums. There are not that many albums, compared to his LONG career, because of his perfectionism. He had artistic integrity about his own work and what he put out there. Now, he has no choice (obviously) and no artistic control over what is done with his unrealeased (and sometimes unfinished) material. I can only hope that the family will have some voice as to which songs reach the public?
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Yeah that's what I meant too. Hope there's at least someone who can jump in for him and make sure it will work out okay.
 
ruchie said:
I know how you feel.. It's All SONY'S FAULT.
SONY REALLY SUCKS BIGTIME. I wonder what else they intend for Michael to fail at since Michael's spirit is somewhere annoyed and he's somehow rolling over in his casket pissed ?:(:no:

I wonder if he was somewhere alive(wishful thinking but I know he's gone) what he would say about this whole mess?
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Mike has millions and millions of fans all over the world. We are letting a small few scream louder than us and it is throwing us off our game. Keep spreading factual positive messages about Mike and we can shut them up. Reasonable people will see the truth. You can't worry about the IDIOTS. They will always be IDIOTS.
 
Mrs. Music said:
Yeah that's what I meant too. Hope there's at least someone who can jump in for him and make sure it will work out okay.
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I think it's because of things like this that Katherine wanted to be at the table too, and not just the co-executors making all the decisions? There must be some quality-control. . . . . Michael has MANY unreleased songs and demos. Some, he used to record in a funky little tape-recorder, as he was composing. They would be far from studio quality with the vocals. He was very careful about what he let out there, and someone must see to his interests as an artist?
 
Eric said:
Anka has a right to recieve money from his own song. If MJ's estate didn't give a cut to Anka, they would be steating from Anka.
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ok Anka has a right to 50%??!! of the proceeds of the album??? I don't think so. THAT is stealing. 50% when he did none of the singing, none of the other songs, etc. What if everyone who had some claim to writing each of the songs wanted 50%? Maybe I misunderstood but since there isn't supposed to be a single put out, and there is only the album, how are they going to work that? MJ CO-WROTE it! So does his work on singing count for nothing??? This does not seem fair. Sure a cut is probably fair IF he owns rights to the song, but 50%? Why should he get that much? It would be different if people were actually fair about things, but how can Anka think that him getting 50% is even close to now being fair? Simply because it now goes in his favour does not make it fair.
 
Not the album - just the "This Is It" song.

Ape said:
ok Anka has a right to 50%??!! of the proceeds of the album??? I don't think so. THAT is stealing. 50% when he did none of the singing, none of the other songs, etc. What if everyone who had some claim to writing each of the songs wanted 50%? Maybe I misunderstood but since there isn't supposed to be a single put out, and there is only the album, how are they going to work that? MJ CO-WROTE it! So does his work on singing count for nothing??? This does not seem fair. Sure a cut is probably fair IF he owns rights to the song, but 50%? Why should he get that much? It would be different if people were actually fair about things, but how can Anka think that him getting 50% is even close to now being fair? Simply because it now goes in his favour does not make it fair.
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with the lake of respect from anka I don't think I will buy this album I really disgusted
 
Ape said:
ok Anka has a right to 50%??!! of the proceeds of the album??? I don't think so. THAT is stealing. 50% when he did none of the singing, none of the other songs, etc. What if everyone who had some claim to writing each of the songs wanted 50%? Maybe I misunderstood but since there isn't supposed to be a single put out, and there is only the album, how are they going to work that? MJ CO-WROTE it! So does his work on singing count for nothing??? This does not seem fair. Sure a cut is probably fair IF he owns rights to the song, but 50%? Why should he get that much? It would be different if people were actually fair about things, but how can Anka think that him getting 50% is even close to now being fair? Simply because it now goes in his favour does not make it fair.
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I don't think that's the case? Anyone know how that works? Legally, each time a song is played (radio, in a musical, whatever), the song-writer or song-writers get a royalty payment. Unless, as is the case with ATV and the Beatles, for example, someone else has purchased the rights to the songs. In that case, the owner or owners (Michael's estate and Sony) get the royalties (but not the singer if the singer is not the owner). Royalties can go on for decades, or longer.

On the other hand, the singer of a song is payed according to whatever arrangement has been made by the recording company. This will be a percentage of the total revenue from albums sold, legal downloads, or whatever. The singer is NOT necessarily paid royalities each time a song is played (as in on the radio or in a commercial). It's the owner of the song who is paid, whether or not the owner is the writer, or co-writer, or also the singer, or not.

My understanding is that Michael's estate will be paid royalties, split with Anka fifty-fifty, for each time the song is played. Michael's estate, only, will get a percentage of the sales, because he was the singer? Can any legally minded folks on here confirm? Of course, they could have made some other arrangement with Anka, but this one (above) seems likely?

Clear as mud?
 
^ That's right, the real money is in songwriting/publishing rights. The singers deal is usually a separate one with the record company they are with. Like I think Michael had one of the best deals per units sold out of any artists at one time.
 
Victoria83 said:
I think it's because of things like this that Katherine wanted to be at the table too, and not just the co-executors making all the decisions? There must be some quality-control. . . . . Michael has MANY unreleased songs and demos. Some, he used to record in a funky little tape-recorder, as he was composing. They would be far from studio quality with the vocals. He was very careful about what he let out there, and someone must see to his interests as an artist?
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I find myself wishing that Michael had named Janet as a co-executor if for no other reason than to oversee his unreleased songs and demos. He mentioned on more than one occasion that they thought alike when it came to music, dance, videos, etc. I would think that she, more than anyone, would have an idea of what he would have wanted released, how he would have wanted certain songs to sound and so on.
 
the fact that the brothers moans were recorded and used in the song means the family has no issue whatever with this song . "quality-control" ? and who is the one in that family who is going to determine whether a song is good or bad , even the only one with some talent Janet did not do any good NOT great ,only good song in many years.
 
mjjfan4ever said:
ok--- someone please post or PM me with the phone number to mcclain's office.

tried googling but can't find the number.

and fans should be pissed about "stealing".... and give them a respectful hell.... that is to mcclain..... if he wants to cover his ARSE for incompetency ... that is something.

to throw mike under the bus when he can't defend himself is UNACCEPTABLE.
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310-552-3388.

call them. I will, tomorrow.
 
mjdove said:
I just wanted to write SOMETHING Mr. Anka, but on his website contact is disabled. But I found these addresses on web

Address Information:

Paul Anka Productions, Inc.
Nigro Karlin Segal & Feldstein
(Production Company)
10100 Santa Monica Blvd
Suite 1300
Los Angeles, CA 90067
USA
Phone: (310) 858-0797
Fax: (310) 553-5930

Corporation
PAUL ANKA PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Number: C1112155 Date Filed: 5/17/1982 Status: active
Jurisdiction: NEVADA
Address
10100 SANTA MONICA BLVD STE 1300
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
Agent for Service of Process
MICKEY SEGAL
10100 SANTA MONICA BLVD STE 1300
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067

May be someone can find out an e-mail contact?

I will search for McClain too.
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thanks so much for that info, mjdove!
 
Access Hollywood interviewed Paul Anka tonight and he is still acting like a bitch. He kept saying MY song. The commentator did state that the song was co-written by both Michael and Paul, but not Paul. He kept talking like it only him that wrote it. He's disgusting.
 
Paul Anka wrote 50% of the song, so of course he would get 50% profits of that song. It's basic music biz %, so what's the big deal? If I wrote a song, I would want credit and royalty for it. I think all of us would.

How Paul went by it was totally wrong, because he ran to the press. He should have had his lawyer's get to SONY. Kepp it private, instead of calling Mike a thief.
 
I'm drinking some wine now - and I'd explain it all - but essentially, there are 2 royalties for a songwriter/publisher:

1) Mechanical royalties - each song on an album is owed a royalty PER SONG, so if you write 1 song, you get 1 royalty as per the rate designated by the US Copyright law (unless you are an artist of the recording label who releases the song, which probably will rate your royalty as a "controlled composition" which is less than the statutory, regular rate). If there are 10, then multiply that royalty rate by 10, per album sold. So far, the statutory rate is a little over US$ 0.09 cents for a sole songwriter. If there is more than 1 songwriter, then the royaties are split in whatever agreement was made with the other songwriter.

2) Perfomance Royalties - these are the royalties that are paid by the performing rights organizations like BMI, ASCAP and SESAC - which are radio/TV/broadcast song plays.

Very friggin complicated (the wine is hitting me right now) but able to explain this in another more sober moment. :D :wild:






Victoria83 said:
I don't think that's the case? Anyone know how that works? Legally, each time a song is played (radio, in a musical, whatever), the song-writer or song-writers get a royalty payment. Unless, as is the case with ATV and the Beatles, for example, someone else has purchased the rights to the songs. In that case, the owner or owners (Michael's estate and Sony) get the royalties (but not the singer if the singer is not the owner). Royalties can go on for decades, or longer.

On the other hand, the singer of a song is payed according to whatever arrangement has been made by the recording company. This will be a percentage of the total revenue from albums sold, legal downloads, or whatever. The singer is NOT necessarily paid royalities each time a song is played (as in on the radio or in a commercial). It's the owner of the song who is paid, whether or not the owner is the writer, or co-writer, or also the singer, or not.

My understanding is that Michael's estate will be paid royalties, split with Anka fifty-fifty, for each time the song is played. Michael's estate, only, will get a percentage of the sales, because he was the singer? Can any legally minded folks on here confirm? Of course, they could have made some other arrangement with Anka, but this one (above) seems likely?

Clear as mud?
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elmari said:
Access Hollywood interviewed Paul Anka tonight and he is still acting like a bitch. He kept saying MY song. The commentator did state that the song was co-written by both Michael and Paul, but not Paul. He kept talking like it only him that wrote it. He's disgusting.
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And again, my message to Paul WANKA is:




 
In my opinion, this guy is acting smug and nasty because he knows that the public kiss the butts of anybody who makes claims of whatever nature against Michael with no questions asked. And anybody who actually comes to them with a counter-argument of the truth gets ignored. Michael being gone has only intensified people's willingness to have a go at him. And it's like a big party now for them to say stupid and disgusting things because he's not around to defend himself. These folks have been ripping Michael's legacy to shreds even more since the day he died. So I'm not surprised by this at all.
 
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williamorange1 said:
even the only one with some talent Janet did not do any good NOT great ,only good song in many years.
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Jermaine is a way better singer than Janet, and he's also an multi-instrumentalist like Prince, Stevie Wonder, & Teena Marie. Jermaine also produced some acts and did some A&R at Motown. Just because Jermaine doesn't dance, doesn't mean he lacks talent.
 
jayde123 said:
anka could of easily called up branca and kept this between them. branca seemed willing to work this out. he wanted some media attention.
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I was looking at yahoo, and guess who was in the part of the most searched people, YES!!! "mr" Paul Anka ladies and gentleman....

Eric said:
jeez man, you really need to relax some. Most of your posts are about the media out to get MJ, the haters out to get MJ, everyone in the world out to get MJ. You seem to be filled with anger. Just breathe and relax.
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man, he has a point Sony is trying to belittle Michael Jackson's artistry for what? 15 years now...

aliana101 said:
Great now they're calling MJ a thief. :/
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Yes they are! i as hearing the radio, and they say Michael Jackson stole a song, they are, and they know is not true, but they keep on saying it... i dont know why...



coltzishory said:
Choose the wright answer: 1.Sony has non-pro people;
2.They will try to diminish the importance of Michael Jackson name in global culture;
3.They will try to rip off the estate through underground contracts with claimers:fifty-fifty from the sum they will recoup.
I choose nr2. and 3.!And I am as angry as my mood showes!
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SONY IS TRYING TO BELITTLE (not to say, destroy) MICHAEL JACKSON'S ARTISTRY, they will not be able, but hell! they are trying their Best

PrettyYoungThang said:
Fark me. Seriously!? Even the fans new that this song was already done back in the 80's by some unknown. So why the hell didnt sony square this away before they released this "single"? Thought they would just try their luck I guess and now this guys laughing all the way to the bank, the estate receives less of any profits and the media have yet another opportunity to make Michael look bad. Add that to the fact that Sony didnt properly publicise that this is an OLD recording, A DEMO, etc and listen to the critics sayin that it is a mediocre offering. This whole thing has been a complete dogs breakfast.

Sony seriously need a bomb under them or something. F**king assholes.
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See, im not lying, Sony is doing its best to break down Michael's legacy, i know it, Michael knew this also, he said it many times.

Memefan said:
We MUST take action. I do want to support the estate but I am not willing to give my money to Anka (for insulting Michael and calling him a thief) or to McClain (for insulting MJ's legacy as a songwriter to cover up his own incompetency).

What do you guys think if, instead of buying the "this is it" soundtrack we buy the "number ones" album? (you can gift it to someone, if you already have the CD)

it would accomplish 2 things:

1) it would help #1 remain the best seller in the US (Taylor Swift is trailing MJ by only 86K, and she is re-releasing her album in November. She will definitely outsell MJ before the end of the year and take the #1 seller for 2009)

2) Paul Anka would not be getting our money. He is getting 50% publishing rights (rightfully so)....but do you really want to give your hard earned cash to that jerk after he call MJ a thief? I don't...I really really don't.

McClain will also receive $$ for finishing the song, and after insulting MJ's legacy, I do not want to honor him by buying this particular song. He should know better...he did not have to belittle MJ to cover his and Branca's mistake. That is UNACCEPTABLE from a co-executor of the estate.

Most fans want to support MJ's estate ...we can still do so without that jerk Anka profiting from it more than he should.
We cannot do anything about the song appearing at the end credit of the movie, but the payment is usually a one-time fee.
Bottom line, Anka thinks he hit the jackpot and that pisses me off. He did not have to go to TMZ to call MJ a thief...MJ is not here to defend himself, but we the fans are.

Let's call for a group boycott of the "this is it" CD...and instead buy "Number ones". We can give the press a warning, so they don't question fans support for MJ.

I know we have tons of issues with Sony, but they did not insult MJ's memory.

Can we all organize this, together?
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Im really thinking of it, i dont want to give a penny to sony, i just dont want to, they mess up with Michael, that i cannot forgive, i just cant, they dont even respect him now, when he has died, i mean what do they want ?? to make him desappear??? well let them DREAM




KJ777;2275597[B said:
]Anka referred to Michael as Michael "Johnson"[/B] wtf??? Take your 50% and stick it where the sun don't shine...you know his name. McClain...get it together or move on! There would be no need for damage control if they themselves would stop doing the damage. Eh? Jackasses! Not surprised by any of it. Completely incompetent and have no regard for Michael or his legacy, never did. First song out since his passing and they can't get it right...Damn! I have to wonder what Michael thinks of this...
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well he's a veteran, and he must have forgotten the pill of the day, pathetic...

StaceyMJ said:
He called him Michael Johnson? Is that a ****ing joke? What is this dudes problem?
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He's old man, he's a DINOSAUR, anka=dinosaur


Blackcat said:
Ok wait...if Michael were still alive, would "This is it" be on the new album (with credit to Anka or whoever) or is it just a coincidence???

They just can't take a song and say, oh great, this will be on his new album. (best-of...:doh:)
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NOOOOO, Michael would have never put that song, listen to its a pourly worked demo, im sure he didnt even remembered that song anymore...


Rockin. said:
What a mess.
Hah!.. oh yeh.. Billie Jean wasn't good at all was it.
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well see why i and Michael were saying?? Sony is trying to belittle Michael's work, ALL THE TIME

MichaelMySoul said:
People are saying Michael ripped the song from Safire, how the heck is that possible when Michael clearly recorded this song in the 80's and Safire sang it 1991? I hate media, they love twisting things up to make Michael look bad.
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I didnt even know Safire existed...

shimar said:
Exactly!!! Paul Wanka is acting like such a f*ckwad over this. He could have taken the NORMAL way of doing this - by having his lawyers straighten it out QUIETLY.

But here's a message to Paul Anka, from Florida:

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:rofl::rofl::rofl:, thats good,

Anka you are a DINOSAUR:wild:
 
DuranDuran said:
Jermaine is a way better singer than Janet, and he's also an multi-instrumentalist like Prince, Stevie Wonder, & Teena Marie. Jermaine also produced some acts and did some A&R at Motown. Just because Jermaine doesn't dance, doesn't mean he lacks talent.
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DuranDuran why dont you go and listen DURAN DURAN:bugeyed, wtf man??
 
Draliongirl said:
DuranDuran why dont you go and listen DURAN DURAN:bugeyed, wtf man??
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Must I question why you said that when DuranDuran (and they're great, by the way, though not as great as Mike - obviously) just stated the truth? No, really, I didn't get it. You know that even if Michael's a genius and his legacy will live forever... That's not saying there's no talent everywhere else in this world, right?

PS.: If Anka's has the rights, well, he has the rights... But he didn't need to say bad things about Michael. That's the problem. He could have sorted it out with Sony like a MAN and an ARTIST but he chose to sort it like a JERK LOOKING FOR ATTENTION. Lost all my respect. And who the hell is Safire?
 
eeew that safire version is gross!!!
Michael's voice is lovely but he wouldn't be happy as it was a demo. Poor michael, i hate all these people making decisions for him. It is his reputation at stake and they are all just rushing everything and making a mess of it. I for one would have been much happier if EVERYTHING (including movie, album, tribute) had been left till at least next year. Then it would be more as a sign of remembrance and RESPECT and not cashing in.
 
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