I Was An Expert Witness in the Quincy Jones vs. The Estate of Michael Jackson Trial

AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer recounts his experience serving as an expert witness in the recently concluded Quincy Jones vs the Estate of Michael Jackson trial. Jones sued for $30,000,000 and was awarded by the jury $9.4 million. In this video Michael shares with you his adventure.
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[@antonioramirez694]

As an attorney and an audiophile, I enjoyed this story tremendously. You have a way of describing things that literally places you in the room. As an attorney, getting the opposing party to stipulate an expert’s testimony is a huge win and a tribute to how powerful and compelling your testimony must have been.

[@Theomite]

I didn't know how much I needed this story until I heard it. Marvelous.

[@boyshanks]

I’m here in 2020 and loved the story

[@Acoustic_Theory]

I have never owned any Michael Jackson albums, but after watching this video, I bought the 2001 "Remaster" of Bad, and through luck of the draw it seems I got the 1987 original from the seller, not the remaster. I had never considered how much musical content is really on this album until hearing you describe each part of the intro to "Bad" and then hearing it for myself.

[@JJDPROMEDIAPRODUCTION]

I have all of his original Albums/CDs

[@kaafaa5944]

remaster are in war sound level

[@KevinStriker]

The remasters are more like remixes when you consider the straight up changes made to the album since its original release. They removed the horns in the chorus for "Bad", ad-libbing was added to the outro of "The Way You Make Me Feel", no spoken intro in "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Dirty Diana" uses the shortened 7'' single mix, and no breathing (but more drums) in "Smooth Criminal".

[@jmiguelsimpkins]

I hate the remaster. I refuse to listen to the streamed version. The original mix is the standard

[@donquixoteupinhere]

Woaw didn’t realise this. Wanna get me a copy now to hear it!

[@crunchyfrog555]

I have the original CD I bought back in the day, and it is one of the best recordings of the time. Truly clear, beautiful and dynamic. I daren't listen to the remaster.

[@John3v8]

WHHOOOAAAA!!! Michael Fremer that was an AWESOME story. Not so expunged anymore, LOL!!!! Thank you so much for that. The contribution of Bruce Swedien and QJ to what came out of those recording sessions, and following MJ albums, is still too little understood by the public, and it needs someone like you to tell that story as well as you did. Many thanks again!

[@seeyouinmist3924]

Michael, I want to thank you for a fantastic 2017. You have brought me many happy moments of enjoyment from your fantastic videos. I wish you all the best for the holiday season and for a happy, healthy and analogue 2018!

[@terrywho22]

What a great story. I was completely absorbed though the entire video. As an aside, I have to say I love looking a the waveforms (in Audacity or otherwise) as a check for what I am hearing. Glad you employed that to great effect. Thanks for sharing.

[@jackprick9797]

Simply amazing story! Thanks for sharing. Fantastic job Fremer.

[@velchuck]

Absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[@1978lukather]

wow, what an story! thanks fos sharing, Michael!

[@nicholascremato]

You did something great not just for Quincy Jones but for every person who wants to make a great recording and everyone who wants to hear a great recording!!!

[@andrewspencer4843]

Fantastic! I could listen to your experiences over and over. Cheers

[@paltamas7745]

Hey Michael, I loved your story and I'm deeply motivated and humbled by your passion towards sound and hi-fi audio. Greetings from Romania !

[@AGS1000]

I thoroughly enjoyed you explanation. Not only were you enthralling, I also learned a few terms from you. You explained most of the reasons I love music! You also encapsulated the Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson experience brilliantly!

[@mikes9939]

A great video, very informative. The general public never gets to hear about these kinds of things so many thanks to you for sharing this with us.

[@ShawneeUnion]

Seen this video in my feed for months but never watched it. Wow, that was a great story and storyteller 👏🏽

[@KarlHamilton]

That was amazing. Cheers for sharing!

[@SilentShadowz]

just stumbled on this. this is a great story. thanks for sharing!

[@vinylcrow3789]

That's an amazing story Michael. Thanks for sharing it. Glad to see that everyone in the courtroom loved and can hear the full dynamic range of the original recording than the awful demasters. After watching this video I went back and listened to my original vinyl pressing of bad and It was exactly the way you explained it, actually enjoying it even more. Hopefully one day the music industry will make good dynamic mixes again and end the loudness wars.

[@saucerful4351]

Absolutely wonderful story, Michael. I had a good laugh. Thank you for sharing.

[@ejb7969]

Superb! I'm a musician and record collector. (Vinyl, cassette, reel-to-reel, CD, minidisc, DAT, mp3 (yuck), FLAC.) Where have you been all my life? Your descriptions of everything (even the raw narrative) but especially the audio experience are magnificent and so true-to-(my)-experiences of 50+ listening years, both good and bad. I'm headed to your website ASAP.

[@biggestliberacefan1988]

Thank you Michael for sharing that fascinating experience and by the way that was a fantastic impersonation of Dustin Hoffman doing Dorothy from Tootsie when you shared with us how the lawyer from Texas spoke well done cheers Carl.

[@keenear6341]

"I can't say what I don't believe" Good thing you dropped out of law school, you can't make it as a lawyer with that attitude.

[@keenear6341]

I know they are. I'm bad mouthing lawyers in general, not you.

[@brez9091]

Such a cool way, to demonstrate, that our passion for sound, which some find whimsical and time misspent, has real value. And in typical fashion, the newspapers presented an ultra compressed and distorted account. Unfortunately, the newspaper account will make history. And HIStory will lie expunged, to be heard never more. Thank you for sharing all the great stories over the years. I know, from reading many comments , that occasionally you rub some people the wrong way. That's the "Boston effect". That's one effect you never want to lose, and should keep on or about your person. Those comments are easily expunged. As they pass through, from one ear and out the other. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

[@user-zj6xq8qd5t]

hahaha

[@Morgooooo]

I could listen to your stories all day.

[@jopavel]

The greatest HI-FI story ever!!

[@zeljkomarovic1654]

Bravo Josipe , sve ste rekli u jednoj rečenici .

[@WillieDWashington]

This is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!

[@enotdetcelfer]

Great Story! Stumbled on this but I was riveted the whole time, you told it really well :)

[@MilGrip76]

"Story Time with Michael Fremer", these are great! Happy Holidays!

[@Ricktpt1]

I've always loved your gear and LP technology reviews. Non-Classical Music reviews, maybe not so much....but nobody's perfect, lol... Thanks for decades of informative and educational writings.

[@amarjeetnagi]

Thanks Paul for clearing that up for a lot of audio enthusiasts looking to upgrade their audio equipments.

[@gunstrucksbbq]

A really good storyteller and a really good story makes for a great video. Thanks Mike for these!

[@JonPickles]

Absolutely fab story Michael. That one and the Phill Brown interview were my top two videos of 2017!

[@TheFRiNgEguitars]

Enjoyed this completely, fun stuff!

[@CHIBA280CRV]

Fantastic story, I wish would have been there in the jury and listened to those songs. Thanks for sharing..

[@osterkenn]

That was a fascinating story Michael! thanks for sharing that!

[@MrRobfarr343]

Michael, I've subscribed to Stereophile for fifteen years and I often recognized the humorous flavor in your column, but I didn't know about your stand up comedy background until I happened to be watching your turntable set-up DVD and let it play on after the end credits, when after a few minutes some grainy b & w video showed your youthful self performing at various locations in Boston during the 70's. I think that you should been on SCTV, if not SNL; you were that good. Best to you.

[@oldschoolaudioenthusiast]

Michael, what a great story! Thanks for sharing it!

[@blakkpatron]

Great story Michael, thank you for sharing.

[@jonathanvillalobos7994]

Great and interesting story.Oh and btw Happy holidays Michael!

[@johnbravo7542]

I loved hearing that,you have a great comedic sense of humour.

[@CarstenPeterOlsen]

I really enjoyed listening to that story. Thank you for sharing 👍

[@mroflynn7769]

Brilliant story Michael and you earned anything you got. Well done, you have such a way of conveying a story it should be available on line !!

[@Virvenator]

This was really fun to watch. 😊

[@fredericktennant9151]

Great video, while listening I thought that I had not heard the remasters but I still have the original on both CD and Vinyl, so I got it out and OMG your right about the opening even on my office setup, I will be listening to the rest of the album later today, nice one.

[@mfr58]

I'm convinced and I never heard it!! Fantastic story, told fantastically!!

[@thomasnelson5758]

This was enthralling, I'm always a big fanatic of audiophile relation discussion especially with how it pertains to modern production and releases, because we really do brickwall everything to death and crush it under ungodly levels of compression and distort the volume for the sake of making it sound good in cars or loud speakers. So it was so interesting listening to this whole story of trying to convince a jury that all these rereleases are not doing their favorite musicians and their music justice, because once you make anyone do a side by side comparison, they WILL hear the difference.

[@Raskolnikov1863]

This is a great story! I watched it twice and shared with non musically inclined family and friends and I think they are convinced now that audio matters

[@Farkurnell]

Amazing story mate. Thanks for sharing.

[@kayakuprising5914]

This is pretty awesome, can't believe i'm just now finding this video in 2022 :)

[@metnoc10]

Thanks for sharing!

[@alldhat-n-den-sum4190]

Couldn't help but notice the quality turntable and hi fi in the background [nice]. nice info too big up

[@gradydrago]

Well done, good for you, and good for all of us that care about quality music! Oh yeah, and Quincy.

[@kyles7087]

Thank you! I’m an MJ fan and student of audio. I wrote an essay on Bruce Swedien, and those recordings are a masterclass. The only good thing to come from the remasters is to highlight how terrible it can turn out when someone comes along years later and tampers with the original art. How incredible to have had the opportunity to prove that in a courtroom!

[@PanAmStyle]

Love this. And Michael you are one of the funniest people I know. Two thumbs way up.

[@TheDistrict644]

Incredible story! They were listening, I finished your sentence before you could .That's whats so great about a great system , detail!! I did the same thing with my girlfriend on her copy of Yes and my copy. She was amazed by the differences, in the mastering by the engineers. Thanks for sharing.

[@rick-val22]

Great Story!!!! Really enjoyed it

[@VinylGourmetTV]

Wow, that's an amazing story, thanks Michael, keep it up :)

[@TheGlass50]

Listening to him was so compelling.

[@robertobrandoli4462]

Super Fun and very nice audiophile story!!

[@LyndonSoulGroove]

good to watch this again

[@BurtBenz]

Thanks for sharing this! I cherish the sound of an original BAD cassette tape (1987) playing over a great sound system at a contest where I lipsynced and danced to it. Goosebumps! I remember my surprise when I found out that a copy of the original LP transferred to cassette tape sounded even better. Was this even possible? Digital reissues really bummed me out and pissed me off. The BAD 25 even switched the left and right channels compared to the original.. Did you mention this in court?

[@stephendouglas1797]

Your one of the best most fascinating people on youtube plus earth!;)

[@serennosquadcast8297]

Great story! It sure does pay off to strive to be an authority on the subject. The best opportunities will be given to those who are known for their passion and hard work. Congrats Mike!

[@jesusbalderrama2369]

absolutely love that story my friend!

[@Nephilim-81]

Crushed is an understatement. You did a good thing, Michael. Really appreciate you.

[@grahamevans9606]

Enjoyed that very much.

[@intotheblue50]

I really enjoyed that Michael, wow, and as usual you make me laugh.

[@davids1618]

Great story,. I like the way you presented it.

[@TheWusster]

great story, Michael. hopefully this case sets a great precedent for producers to begin rescuing the legacy of their works from the hands of modern mastering mistakes. and thus the tide of the LOUDNESS WARS can finally turn.

[@JAWs313]

What I would give to have been there in person, to hear ANY of Michaels tracks on a speaker like THAT, in such utter clarity...would be worth its weight in gold! It would have been amazing!

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

I've seen this video so many times like I would listen a song. It's that great!

[@antonmedvedev1128]

Blime me I've had goose bumps down my spine and arms when you reached the play time before court ladies moment! 🏃🏃🏃🏃 I literally could see that bloody room and the actual sounds you had just described, awesome! Man, you are a pro with a capital P!!!! 👍👋💜 Hugs from Russia 👍😊🏄🐎

[@brewt1mer]

I enjoyed that Michael .. great picture quality on the vid too

[@elpaso--west7354]

GREAT STORY MIKE.....THANKS

[@kjaristabusch7034]

Great video Michael! I listened to both versions via KZbin using headphones and focused on what you explained to the jury. Very good, except for the chorus being, "layers of women on both sides of him". Both versions, to me, have layers of Michael Jackson as the chorus. Anybody else get that?

[@mssha1980]

Yea it’s MJs layering of his background vocals

[@DocJJohnson]

Great show

[@d00msay3r3]

Love the story. I only wish I could have been a juror and gotten to listen to the music with you as you describe it. Man that would have been a treat!

[@gojdartamas34]

I must say the video of the Year

[@AudioGuyBrian]

Great story. Man, I'll bet that was one fun day for sure. Good job!

[@jasonrealYT]

Brilliant testimony! The defense wanted your deposition to be expunged from the record because they were cornered and nowhere to go.

[@stephendouglas1797]

LOL The Quincy Jones attorney phone impersonation !LOL

[@mortcola]

Michael, I've read and utilized your advice for as long as I can remember, from my big-bigger--biggerer-buck turntable days of the 80s into the present. I have relatives who work in your echelon of audio who know you and vice versa, and yet this is the first time I've heard you speak. Congrats on educating anyone smart/lucky enough to watch this video - for all the threats the industry and musical culture have faced from the homogenization of mainstream audio, good music reproduction is alive and well for anyone who wants it, on most budgets. And I'd love to know how many members of the jury went for a better hi-fi system after your ear-opener!

[@MarkZarecki]

I'm late to the party, but...Wow What a cool story! Thanks for sharing

[@neocollective]

Michael, great story and very well told !...I was watching the movie as you spoke...start writing it ! Too sad that MJ's state wasn't the one suing the record companies for trashing his work but I bet they don't care, they don't see the big picture in the long term.

[@terrytees]

Superb story, just goes to show that great recordings are never lost on the masses, unless there squashed to annihilation.

[@metallian2952]

Wonderfull story, did bring a smile on my face!

[@ianmedium]

That was... excuse the pun, Thrilling! :) what a fascinating insight Michael, thank you for sharing it and until you said it I kept thinking, I hope they paid him well for his time and knowledge.

[@raydm4015]

I really enjoy this story! Thank you

[@MrBonger88]

Great story and good for you on educating a few ( court room full) more people on how recorded music should sound

[@brewt1mer]

After seeing this vid I bought the 1987 cd of bad..and wow what a difference..it sounds amazing..I’ve found this with digital music I’ve been replacing modern CDs in my collection with the older 80s ones and the old ones sound so much better..the new ones aren’t even in the same ballpark .. don’t fret,I collect vinyl as well .

[@christianevans4449]

Amazing story, thanks!!!

[@joemartin6439]

You are a lawyer and a comic all in one package

[@dougg1075]

Your a mad scientist! Love it

[@audioheadcase1938]

Michael, I really enjoyed your story. You're really something ... you crack me up

[@djushuaia281]

Damn it...you´re great storyteller, man :))))))) loved every second...plz spread your word about the sonic quality of the work of MJ, Bruce, Rod, Brad(s), Grundman & Q ... I mean, all of todays modern music schools of pop is based on their decisions of the past 40 years

[@robertlakay88]

Fantastic story!

[@Steve-tk6fo]

That was a great story and testimony, Michael ! You were the home run king that day ! They were fools to expunge the truth from the record but, at least the jury got to hear it all.

[@TheVinylverse]

What a story! I would've loved to have seen their reaction when they heard it.

[@Symbol36]

WOW! Best story ever!!!

[@johnemendel3452]

How did you know I was about to eat dinner? lol. Love hearing this.