Michael Jackson History: Past, Present And Future Book 1 CD

Personnel includes: Michael Jackson (vocals, various instruments); L.T.B., Vincent Price (vocals); Jeff Mirinov, Michael Thompson, Rob Hoffman, Jen Leigh, David Williams, Marlo Henderson, Christopher Currell, Paul Jackson, Dean Parks (guitar); Bill Bottrell (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); Steve Lukather (guitar, bass); Paul Peabody (violin); David Paich (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Rod Temperton, Chuck Wild (keyboards, synthesizer); Steve Porcaro (keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Greg Phillinganes (keyboards, Rhodes, synthesizer); Nathan East (bass); Ndugu Chancler, John Robinson (drums); Ollie E. Brown, Richard Heath (percussion); Christa Larson, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters (background vocals).
Producers include: Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Janet Jackson.
HISTORY BOOK 1 contains one disc of Jackson's greatest hits and one disc of all-new songs. It features a 52-page booklet with liner notes by Janet Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor, as well as many never-before-seen photographs.
HISTORY BOOK 1 was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Album Of The Year. "You Are Not Alone" was nominated for Grammy Awards for Song Of The Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and the Michael Jackson-Janet Jackson duet "Scream" was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
One of the most expensive albums ever made, both in production and marketing costs, Michael Jackson's double-disc HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I is a monumental achievement of ego. Titled HIStory Begins, the first disc is a collection of his post-Motown hits, featuring some of the greatest music in pop history (including "Billie Jean," "Don't Stop Til Ya Get Enough," "Beat It," "Rock With You," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"), as well as some of the most cloying ("Heal the World," "Black Or White"). It leaves some hits out -- including "Off the Wall," "Human Nature," "Will You Be There," "In the Closet," and the number ones "Say Say Say" and "Dirty Diana" -- yet it's filled with enough prime material to be thoroughly intoxicating. That can't be said for the second disc, called HIStory Continues and consisting entirely of new material -- which also happen to be the first songs he released since being accused of child molestation. HIStory Continues is easily the most personal album Jackson has recorded. References to the scandal permeate almost every song, creating a thick atmosphere of paranoia. If Jackson's music had been the equal of Thriller or Bad, the nervous, vindicative lyrics wouldn't have been quite as overbearing, which would have saved the album from appearing as a mean-spirited attack. However, HIStory Continues reiterates musical ideas Jackson has been exploring since Bad and the songs aren't as fresh as the material on Dangerous. Jackson certainly tries to stay contemporary, working with R. Kelly and incorporating stronger elements of hip-hop rhythms, yet he has a tendency to smooth out all of his rougher musical edges with a fondness for show-biz schmaltz, as evidenced by his cover of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." Occasionally, Jackson produces some well-crafted pop that ranks with his best material: Kelly's "You Are Not Alone" is seductive, "Scream" improves on the slamming beats of his earlier single "Jam," and "Stranger in Moscow" is one of his most haunting ballads. Nevertheless, HIStory Continues stands as his weakest album since the mid-'70s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Michael Jackson's double-disc HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I is a monumental achievement of ego. Titled "HIStory Begins," the first disc is a collection of his post-Motown hits, featuring some of the greatest music in pop history, including "Billie Jean," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Beat It," and "Rock with You." It leaves some hits out -- including the number ones "Say Say Say" and "Dirty Diana" -- yet it's filled withRolling Stone (8/10/95, pp.55-58) - 3.5 Stars - Good - "...HISTORY's ultimate goal is to position Michael Jackson's music as a planet, a genre, a law....As time passes and singles break, maybe those superhuman plans will touch back down on earth."
Q (8/95, p.120) - 3 Stars - Good - "...HISTORY is basically an appeal on behalf of the rich and famous....the metallic clatter of jackhammer rhythms and Michael's own complaints remain this record's defining features..."
Musician (9/95, pp.86-87) - "...incorporates tougher musical textures and deliberately `blacker' vocal inflections....more open about expressing negative emotions....also more pointed about political and racial issues, moving from...safe genralities...to more controversial stances..."