Chapter 108. Trust Me

At first glance, the song Rolling in the Deep seems to be about a romantic relationship, mainly because Adele performed it, and listeners tend to associate it with that context. However, if Michael Jackson were to sing this song, considering his current circumstances, it would take on a new meaning—a battle from the depths of despair, transforming it into an inspiring story.

That's why Eric specifically chose this song for Michael. It's similar to the song Heaven by Tengri, which some interpret as a tribute to his deceased daughter, while others believe it's dedicated to his homeland.

Eric didn't know many English songs, but he could sing popular hits like Let It Go, See You Again, and Despacito. However, these songs were not right for Michael. He couldn't suggest a light-hearted song, as it would only fuel the rumors about his behavior.

After receiving this gift, Michael couldn't sleep. The fatigue from a busy day vanished instantly, and he dragged Eric into his studio.

Eric hummed the melody over and over, while Michael, based on his hums, reconstructed the music. The process didn't take long; with Michael's talent, it took just over an hour, leaving only a few details to refine.

The main task was arranging the song. A song consists of three parts: lyrics, melody, and arrangement. The lyrics are the words of the song, the melody is the note recording on the staff, and the arrangement is the instrumental accompaniment, including various instruments and vocal parts.

Eric sang each line, and Michael tried different combinations of instruments—piano, guitar, drums, bass—until he found the perfect mix.

Gal Gadot and Elizabeth initially watched the process with interest, but soon, feeling bored, they left. There were no clocks in the studio, and time seemed to stand still.

"Ahhh!" Michael shouted as he finished the last element, and he and Eric collapsed onto the floor, like after a hard but successful job. Sunlight was streaming through a gap in the curtains.

Michael squinted, "Is it morning already? I haven't felt such excitement from work in so long. To finish a song in one night."

"Eric, if I told my friends about this, they wouldn't believe it. They know I'm a slow worker."

"So, is the song ready?" Eric asked.

"Almost. I just need to polish a few details with the team. But I'm still amazed that you came up with it yourself. It's incredible."

Not wanting to take undue credit, Eric said, "Great, let's release it. I can't wait to hear it."

Michael smiled with satisfaction, "Absolutely. And I'll credit you as the lyricist, composer, and arranger. This is entirely your accomplishment."

"When the song is finalized and a video is filmed, we can release it as a single."

This was not yet the era of streaming, and songs weren't just posted online for download. CDs remained the primary medium. Releasing a single was different from releasing an album; an album contained several songs, with one or two being the main hits accompanied by videos.

Releasing a single meant putting out the main hit, always with a video. Otherwise, people wouldn't buy a CD with just one song.

Eric said, "Shooting a video won't be difficult. We can use your current situation as the backdrop. If needed, MGM can find directors and screenwriters."

"I'm a fast worker. Transformers took two months, and that was a record in the industry."

Michael smiled, "Thanks. That's good news, but I just realized there's one problem that might delay the release."

"What problem?"

"Eric, do you know which company releases my songs?"

"Seems like Sony. I don't know much about the music business."

"Yes, Sony Music. But I have a strained relationship with them now. It actually started a few years ago."

Eric listened quietly.

"It's a long story that began in 1986 when I bought the ATV company. It owned the rights to songs by many famous artists like The Beatles and Elvis Presley. In 1991, Sony Music approached me to join their company, and I brought those rights along with me. In return, I received half of Sony Music's shares."

"From that moment, I wasn't just an employee of Sony but also a co-owner of the company. However, I didn't participate in the management. Over time, Sony Music grew, signing artists like Madonna, Oasis, Bob Dylan, Celine Dion, and Norah Jones. This meant that from every dollar earned, half went to me. However, the rights to my own songs remained with me, except for the recording rights, which were soon to expire."

"Initially, my relationship with Sony was excellent, but things changed over time. Sony couldn't accept that they had to share profits with me forever, especially as the company grew and revenues increased. In 1993, they tried to buy back those rights and gain full ownership of my songs, but I refused."

"Since then, our relationship began to deteriorate. My last album, released in 2001, took five years to make. It could have been completed sooner, but Sony hindered its completion at every turn. When it finally came out, they put almost no effort into promoting it. Usually, new releases involve numerous events and videos, but they gave me minimal resources, like I was a new artist."

"Eric, if you followed the news last year, you probably heard about our dispute with Sony. We argued in the papers over the Invincible album, which didn't even sell a million copies. The actual sales might have been higher, but on paper, they reported less than a million. About three years ago, all my album sales stopped. I suspect Sony froze them. I tried to audit, but even though I own half of the company's shares, I don't participate in management. Even the accountant I hired couldn't find any violations."

Eric nodded. "Falsifying reports is common practice in Hollywood. Even billion-dollar movies can look like they're in the red. All companies know how to pull off these tricks. Trying to uncover such violations by yourself is almost impossible. Even Wall Street experts wouldn't be able to do it. The only way would be through a tax audit, and that would take years."

Michael gave a sad smile. "Exactly. That's why I can't do anything about Sony. On top of that, I still have debts."

"You didn't sell your rights, so Sony is trying to bankrupt you, hoping you'll be forced to sell them off to cover your debts?"

"Yes, I think that's exactly what they're aiming for."

Eric sighed. If that was true, Sony's tactics were truly ruthless. It all came down to money. Sony in 1991 and Sony in 2003 were different companies. Back then, they were sharing a few million dollars with Michael, but now we're talking about hundreds of millions. Anyone in their position would want to stop sharing that kind of profit—the only difference lies in the methods.

If Michael weren't so influential, Sony might have been even harsher. They would have simply crushed any other artist.

"Michael, what about the 1993 case and the current situation?"

Michael nodded. "I suspect Sony might have been involved. In 1993, I wanted to see the case through. Evan Chandler had no evidence, and I was confident I'd win in court. But at that time, I was on the Dangerous world tour, and Sony insisted that I focus on my career. My team also advised me to settle things quietly."

"However, after I agreed to a settlement, the tour was still cut short. We performed for less than three months. I don't know if Sony was directly involved, but our relationship was already starting to sour."

"Now, things are even worse. Sony won't cooperate with me, and I don't want to deal with them either."

"What about other labels? Like EMI or Universal?" Eric asked.

Michael sighed. "That's one of the options. After I finally fell out with Sony last year, Universal and EMI both approached me about collaborating, wanting a share of my 50% publishing rights. But we never finalized the terms, and then, in February of this year, another scandal broke out."

"Public opinion is against me now, and negotiations have stalled. It's unlikely any studio will take the risk of releasing my album right now."

"Sorry, Eric, but you might have to wait a while longer before you hear that song."

Seeing how troubled Michael was, Eric realized how complex the situation was and how many resources it took to navigate these behind-the-scenes power struggles. Sony might only be part of the problem. Other forces might also be involved. Michael was too valuable a figure, too big a prize, and the fact that he was a Black artist made the situation even more complicated.

Eric tapped his fingers on the floor, thinking through potential solutions. Michael was not just an idol and someone he respected, but also an essential part of his professional plans. However, discussing business on their first meeting would be inappropriate. He needed to wait for the right moment.

No matter what, Eric couldn't allow a great star to fall into the abyss.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Gal Gadot entered, looking surprised to find the two men lying on the floor.

"Oh my god! Did you guys not sleep all night?"

Eric nodded, and Gadot frowned. "You can't work like this. It's like you're trying to burn yourselves out."

"I'll bring you something to eat, and then you both need to get some rest."

With that, she left, shutting the door with a loud snap.

"Eric, you've got a wonderful girlfriend," Michael said with a touch of envy, recalling his difficult relationships with his former wives.

"Yeah, I think so too," Eric replied.

A while later, she returned with milk and some food. She also handed Eric the phone. "It's Spielberg. I wouldn't have disturbed you if it wasn't him."

Smiling, Eric kissed her and took the call.

"Yeah, Steven, I'll get in touch with our people, and DreamWorks representatives can come over on Monday."

"Haha, now we're partners, no big deal."

"Maybe we can play golf with Jeffrey and David sometime? I'll invite my father along."

"Ha-ha-ha... Alright, it's settled. See you then."

After finishing the call, Eric noticed Michael's curious gaze.

"Spielberg? You're working with him?"

Eric nodded. "Yes, MGM and DreamWorks are strategic partners now. Steven and I have known each other for a while. Are you a fan of his too?"

Michael smiled. "I've known Steven longer than you. When he was making Indiana Jones and E.T., we were already friends."

"Really? Then we should play golf together sometime. By the way, DreamWorks has a music division. Maybe we could ask David Geffen for help. He's a big name in the music industry."

But when Michael heard David Geffen's name, he quickly shook his head. "No, no, it's best if I don't meet with David."

"Why? Do you have disagreements?"

Michael looked uncomfortable. "We had a good relationship in the early 90s. Madonna and I even went to his birthday party. But then some unpleasant things happened, and we stopped talking."

"What happened? Is it serious?"

Michael shook his head, clearly not wanting to discuss it.

"Alright, then I'll talk to David first. If he agrees to help, I'll get Steven involved, and we'll try to work it out. You won't have to get involved."

"No, that would be awkward."

"Michael, in situations like this, you have to seek help. Trust me, I'll try to find a way."

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