Unreleased Michael Jackson tapes found in an abandoned storage unit

By: Xianna Bengo - 2 mins ago

Former California Highway Patrol officer Gregg Musgrove was “treasure hunting” when he found a rare find from the King of Pop.

In a storage unit located in the heart of San Fernando Valley, a cache of cassette tapes and DAT cassettes containing unreleased Michael Jackson songs was discovered.

An associate contacted Musgrove regarding a storage unit he had recently purchased in Van Nuys, which sparked his quest for the recordings.

tapes
Photo Credit: Hollywood Reporter

According to Musgrove, the unit was previously owned by musician and music producer Bryan Loren, whose present location is unclear.

The tapes contain 12 unreleased songs that Jackson worked on between 1989 and 1991 before the Dangerous album was released.

“I’ve gone to all the fan sites. Some of [the songs] are rumored to exist, some of them have been leaked a little bit,” Musgrove told The Hollywood Reporter. “A couple aren’t even out there in the world.”

“I’m listening to this stuff, and I would get goosebumps because nobody’s ever heard this stuff before,” Musgrove added. “To hear Michael Jackson actually talk and kind of joke back and forth, it was really, really cool.”

Upon hearing the news, fans took to social media to share their thoughts about the said unreleased tapes.

Musgrove will probably be among the few individuals who ever hear these tapes, which is unfortunate for diehard Jackson fans. Earlier this year, he and the lawyer he hired presented their findings to the Jackson Estate.

For an unknown reason, the estate, which Musgrove claims conducted their own investigation into the tapes, refused to buy them. However, they did give him a formal letter indicating that the estate does not claim ownership of these particular cassettes. Yet the letter makes it clear that the estate owns the copyright to the recordings and songs, not him or anyone else who could later buy these tapes. In essence, the said tapes can never be released publicly.

“The Estate of Michael Jackson was presented with DAT copies NOT master recordings of Michael’s music, and we confirmed that the actual master recordings were in fact already located in the Estate’s vaults,” as stated by a representative for the Estate. “It should be clear to all that ownership and rights of exploitation to the recordings remain vested in MJJP Records and that nothing commercial or otherwise can be done with the DAT copies.”

The find’s precise value is still unknown, but Musgrove and the team assisting him think it’s in the seven-figure area. He intends to present it to the four leading auction houses in the near future.

Musgrove doesn’t currently have the actual tapes in his hands. They are under his lawyer’s supervision in a guarded facility.

 

Other POP! stories you might like:

Skincare brand expresses support for Maris Racal amidst controversy, receives divided opinions

2 more hotel workers charged for the death of Liam Payne

20-year-old Thai singer’s death sparks warning over dangers of neck-twisting massages

Sarah Geronimo’s ‘Good Luck, Babe’ performance draws criticism over lyric changes

Actor John Arcilla shares his take on the Jennings-Racal drama, supporters and critics weigh in

READ NEXT
Lara Andallo releases new single ‘I Might’
MOST READ
LATEST STORIES
Read more...
NEXT STORY