Janet Jackson - Discipline

[RhythmNative]

Rodney Jerkins said in the video blog that he'd like to produce an entire album for Janet alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

I know she's been given many chances, but I think that could be the saving of her. Jimmy and Terry writing the melodies and lyrics and Darkchild providing the beats and production. It could create a cohesive, and hopefully consistant record.

I don't think giving the label some of the blame is a long shot. Look at it this way, 'Feedback' and 'When I Grow Up' are virtually identical songs by the same producer. One has been a global smash. One hasn't.

 

[slimane]

I was listening to "Velvet rope" the other day and it made me depressed at what Miss janet has become. It is a BRILLIANT record with a clear concept...something she's been lacking over the past decade. ENOUGH with the SEX GRANDMA.

note

"All for you" - I am a whore

"2.0 yr" - I am aging whore i've still got it though remember the old days

"Dignity" - I am a robot whore

ETC

 

[paul lekakis]

It's true:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20228012,00.html

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003853412

Island/DefJam had nothing to do with the tour though, there's still a chance she comes over. It was organized by "Live Nation".

"Discipline" was her best work this decade ("Damita Jo" is a close second), I can see why Island/DefJam" should be blamed. They basically halted all kinds of promo to support Mariah full-time.

"Rock With U" could have been massive with good promotion, but they started a late support of "Feedback" instead. "Luv" could have been a May/Summer Smash, what did the label release? "Cant B Good" without a video. This reeks of fishy things going on behind the scences.

I really hope the Darkchild/Jam&Lewis thing will materialize, that would be hot.

 

[mikejmc5580]

I was listening to "Velvet rope" the other day and it made me depressed at what Miss janet has become. It is a BRILLIANT record with a clear concept...something she's been lacking over the past decade. ENOUGH with the SEX GRANDMA.

note

"All for you" - I am a whore

"2.0 yr" - I am aging whore i've still got it though remember the old days

"Dignity" - I am a robot whore

ETC

Singing about sex makes you a 'whore'? Lovely.

Much as I like Janet, I'm inclined to agree with Maureen that her creativity seems to be drying up. You can pretty much chart the downward spiral over her last few albums. On All For You she wrote about her personal life, Damita Jo was largely about sex, 20 Y.O. was quite proud to declare it was about nothing at all...and with Discipline she chucked it entirely and let others do all the writing. Is she carrying on because she still wants to do this, or is it just to prove a point?

 

[debord]

I second the opinion that 'Discipline' was her best work in about 10 years. Whatever has went wrong with Janet I don't think the material is to blame.

 

[paul lekakis]

Rihanna is broke, Janet released herself from a contract, Mimi's album campaign was fucked...

I don't know, after "LaFace Records" went into the gutter and left Toni Braxton and TLC with nothing but debts, it seems like the source of evil must be Island/DefJam chairman L.A. Reid...

 

[slimane]

He'll be alright. Pink's making a huge comeback into the US market at the moment is she not?

 

[SBK]

I love how artists spin it to make out they left.... she was asked to leave!

 

[RHOPJ]

I think perhaps Janet's creative well has run dry, shallow as it was. I'm not sure what it would take for her to regain her past glory. She could always just re-release her old hits time and time again; it worked for Michael.

Agreed. It's time for Janet to move on and make a living as a judge on a reality television show.

 

[slimane]

Singing about sex makes you a 'whore'? Lovely.


[/quote]

no, but you need some light & shade AND some TUNES. On "In the zone" Britney had the grubby "Touch of my hand" but she also had a couple of songs called "Toxic" and "Everytime" for example.

 

[slimane]

I think perhaps Janet's creative well has run dry, shallow as it was. I'm not sure what it would take for her to regain her past glory. She could always just re-release her old hits time and time again; it worked for Michael.

Agreed. It's time for Janet to move on and make a living as a judge on a reality television show.

Hasnt she got a dance based show coming out on MTV or something? Its been filmed during her tour? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

 

[debord]

Singing about sex makes you a 'whore'? Lovely.

no, but you need some light & shade AND some TUNES. On "In the zone" Britney had the grubby "Touch of my hand" but she also had a couple of songs called "Toxic" and "Everytime" for example.
[/quote]

And your point is? There isn't a single Janet album that only has songs about sex. Have you actually LISTENED to any?!

 

[Nunya B]

Did Janet's creative well ever have water in it?

She's told us how wet her well is time and time again.

Discipline is actually quite good, a 7.75/10 record if there ever was one. I blame Island- I mean, booking her on SNL to replace her with Mariah at the last minute? I would have demanded to be released from my contract after that too. That said, I think her last three albums have really put the nails in her coffin so she might as well not bother with new material. Now instead of being pioneering R&B artist Janet Jackson she's Janet Jackson who has a vagina and really wants everyone to know.

 

[mikejmc5580]

no, but you need some light & shade AND some TUNES. On "In the zone" Britney had the grubby "Touch of my hand" but she also had a couple of songs called "Toxic" and "Everytime" for example.

Ah yes Britney, that fountain of creative ability and endless lyrical topics. Her last album had about three songs on it that didn't essentially boil down to 'Hi, I wouldn't mind shagging you!'

 

[tommie]

It was actually Janet who claimed she was "sick" and Mariah did it in her place... rumour has it that the rift started between Def Jam and Janet over the second single - apparently Def Jam wanted Rock With You and Janet wanted Luv.

Honestly, I'm just starting to think Janet is a pain in the ass to work with.

 

[debord]

It was actually Janet who claimed she was "sick" and Mariah did it in her place... rumour has it that the rift started between Def Jam and Janet over the second single - apparently Def Jam wanted Rock With You and Janet wanted Luv.

Honestly, I'm just starting to think Janet is a pain in the ass to work with.

Well if that's true then Janet was completely right. Done properly 'Luv' would have been massive. 'Rock Wit You' was never going to take off in America.

 

[aqualuna]

I agree, Disclipine was her best record for me since the Velvet Rope, and Feedback was awesome, why it underperformed so badly in the UK has to be down to the (non-existent) promotion it received from Def Jam.

I really hope she finds a label who supports her and releases a successful comeback album. I can't help thinking though that Disclipine was/should have been that album, and after 3 flops in a row, she'll be doing a Paula Abdul/Dannii Minogue/Sharon Osbourne very soon*

*as in tell other people how to look and sing to sell records when you can't sell any yourself.

 

[debord]

I agree, Disclipine was her best record for me since the Velvet Rope, and Feedback was awesome, why it underperformed so badly in the UK has to be down to the (non-existent) promotion it received from Def Jam.

I really hope she finds a label who supports her and releases a successful comeback album. I can't help thinking though that Disclipine was/should have been that album, and after 3 flops in a row, she'll be doing a Paula Abdul/Dannii Minogue/Sharon Osbourne very soon*

*as in tell other people how to look and sing to sell records when you can't sell any yourself.

To be fair, any meaningful promo for the UK needed Janet to be over here since no one has bought her records here for years.

 

[mystical]

After her tour has been recieved OK she needs to sign with Live Nation tour for a while so people remember that she is good. Then release an album of the back of this 'good will'.

 

[tommie]

It was actually Janet who claimed she was "sick" and Mariah did it in her place... rumour has it that the rift started between Def Jam and Janet over the second single - apparently Def Jam wanted Rock With You and Janet wanted Luv.

Honestly, I'm just starting to think Janet is a pain in the ass to work with.

Well if that's true then Janet was completely right. Done properly 'Luv' would have been massive. 'Rock Wit You' was never going to take off in America.

I like both tracks, but honestly, Janet is in no position trying to throw her power around after three flop albums in a row. She should've happily obliged and then when it failed just go with Luv instead of completely pulling a hissy fit and burning all bridges.