Fred Jerkins: Unreleased Michael Jackson songs are on the way

Fred Jerkins III has announced that he is working on some unreleased Michael Jackson songs.

During a Q&A session with students at Paul and Rock Middleland University in Texas, he said that he also has a number of videos showing the album recording process. According to Jerkins, the project to release these songs is currently underway. Jerkins collaborated with Michael on writing some songs for the Invincible album. He is the brother of Rodney Jerkins, who produced the album with Michael. The two brothers worked on Invincible alongside Michael starting in mid-1999. The album was released to the market in late October 2001.

The songs Jerkins refers to were recorded while working on Invincible, and fans are familiar with several of them, including “We’ve Had Enough” and “Escape”—the first was released on the “Ultimate Collection” set, while the second leaked. Another song is called “Can’t Get Your Weight Off Of Me.”

However, Jerkins says the idea of working on these songs has been in his head for years. In August 2010, he received the green light from the Michael Jackson Foundation. The plan was for songs by will.i.am and Jerkins to be released on an album titled MICHAEL in 2010, but that didn’t happen.

Before Michael’s death, Jerkins said: “We have so many great songs that haven’t been released yet. I think some of these unreleased tracks were the best songs we worked on.”

Jerkins says these songs are so good that you could make a separate album out of them.

“I’ve worked with Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Brandy, Monica—everyone—but Michael is at the peak. I’m happy to say that I had the chance to collaborate with the most successful showman and entertainer in history. He allowed me to film all the album recording sessions. I have some of the best scenes on tape.”

Jerkins had previously promised fans that these videos would be released, but in the end he decided otherwise. These videos have not been seen yet.

Jerkins, who performs under the stage name “Dark Child” along with his brother, described Michael to the music students at a Thursday meeting as a dignified and charming gentleman, and said:

“I worked with him exclusively for two years. That’s the biggest professional achievement of my career. He came to our studio in Pleasantville, New Jersey. We built a very strong relationship and became very good friends. I remember that he, just for fun, picked up a tricycle that had been parked in the parking lot and belonged to a disabled person—and rode it. He was very easygoing and comfortable, and these are things you don’t expect to hear and see about Michael Jackson. We were comfortable with him like he was part of the family. My son celebrated his fifth birthday at Neverland (Michael’s ranch). It’s truly hard to bear the deaths of people like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, because I had a close relationship with both of them.”

Fred Jerkins, who has worked with many stars, advised music students to spend more time learning the ins and outs of the craft and progressing in their studies, rather than having the dream of winning talent shows like The X Factor. Talent-show stars reach worldwide fame overnight and take over music charts, but that success is very short-lived and temporary.

“I come from a place where there was no stage for performing music. We were the only ones who entered the music industry—but many of those who came after us say that if it weren’t for us, they wouldn’t be here now.”

Rodney Jerkins said he was unaware of what his brother was talking about exactly, and that he doesn’t know which songs Fred was referring to. However, in any case, Fred Jerkins’ new promise and the commitment he said Brian Mc—made to release the joint songs of Michael and Freddie Mercury—has gotten fans excited. Let’s hope that this time, these promises will actually be carried out.

Source: eMJey.com / birmingham mail