In a surprising discovery that took place in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, a former highway patrol officer found unpublished material of Michael Jackson, the iconic ‘King of Pop’, that had been stored for over three decades.
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According to a report by the specialized media outlet Hollywood Reporter last Thursday, retired officer Gregg Musgrove found in a storage unit 12 cassettes and digital recordings (DAT) with previously unheard songs by Jackson, dating back to before the release of his album Dangerous in 1991.
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The unreleased songs found of Michael Jackson
The material was found in a warehouse that had been acquired by a partner of Musgrove, and had previously belonged to the music producer Bryan Loren, who had worked with major artists such as Whitney Houston and Sting. However, Loren's current whereabouts are unknown.
Despite the excitement that this discovery generated among Jackson's fans, the unreleased songs will not see the light of day, at least not legally. Musgrove, who upon learning of the material contacted the custodians of Jackson's legacy, received some sad news: the recordings are protected by copyright. A lawyer hired by Musgrove contacted the Jackson Estate, the entity responsible for managing the singer's rights, which informed him that they own the copyright to all of Michael Jackson's recordings and compositions, meaning that the songs cannot be published or commercialized.
The Jackson Estate also clarified that it owns the original tapes and explained to Hollywood Reporter that "nothing commercial or otherwise can be done with the DAT copies".
Within the found recordings, some include conversations between Michael Jackson and Bryan Loren, which seem to capture moments of discussion about the songs and the creative process behind them. In this regard, Musgrove commented: "Hearing Michael Jackson talk and joke around was really cool," adding a personal and unprecedented layer to this discovery.
Will the songs be able to be listened to?
Among the songs found, titles such as "Don't Believe It" stand out, a song that apparently refers to the rumors about Jackson's alleged sexual abuse of minors. Another song, "Truth on Youth," is a track in which Jackson appears to participate in a rap duet with the renowned rapper LL Cool J.
Although Jackson’s fans won’t be able to officially listen to these songs, Musgrove has planned to offer the tapes to major auction houses. In the past, items related to Michael Jackson have reached high values at auctions. In 2012, for example, Lady Gaga acquired 55 pieces of Jackson memorabilia, including one of his crystal gloves. Additionally, a jacket that Jackson wore during his Bad tour was sold for $240,000.