Clarification of Answer by
justaskscott-ga
on
11 Sep 2004 22:03 PDT
Here is SKY's explanation, which he has given me permission to post here:
"In 1996, I pitched a project to Walt Disney Records of classic Disney
songs remixed in various rave styles, exploring the themes of the
original movies in an abstract remix context. The idea was to market
a CD, and 12" records, and a box set of picture 12"s and other items
under this new "brand", as well, and to have parties at the theme
parks in support of these. For me as an artist, it came from mixing
the two cultures I felt most at home in: the rave scene and
Disneyland, which I felt had a lot in common. In terms of rights, I
definitely own my arrangements as independent works seperate from the
original songs, but not the samples from the movies, which is why I
pitched it to them in the first place.
"Their director of product development, Harlod Kleiner, loved the
ideas and the music and put me to work refining the album - however,
the President of Walt Disney Records at the time, Carolyn Mayer-Beug
didn't care for what I was doing and kept making demands like using
music from newer movies, less sampling more studio vocals, keep the
whole verse chorus structure intact, the final straw being when she
demanded I do a "macarena" version of the tiki room... I decided it
wasn't worth the rest of my career to do something I couldn't be proud
of, so they hired someone else to do her ideas and released an album
called "Mouse House" (My proposed project was named "Mickey's House")
I have one track on their album, "Cruella DeVil", the rest is really
cheesy "children's wannabe techno dance".
"Needless to say, after this experience I was a bit brokenhearted,
having spent most of 2 years building my project. My favorite tracks
were "Spoonful of Sugar" and "When U Wish". "When U Wish" had
particularly offended Carolyn, with its overt message of discerning
right from wrong. I remember she said, "We can't say THAT." SO - I
pressed up a 12" with 4 of my unreleased Disney tracks and gave them
away to DJs and promoters. I figured this way someone had a chance to
hear the stuff, and they couldn't sue me if it was a demo that
happened to be on vinyl. At around the same time, Koolaid and I had
recorded "Jungle Bells" which was a jungle remix of Frank Sinatra's
"Jingle Bells" and it became a hit on Groove Radio, earning the "most
requested song on GrooveRadio" title. Through that, I'd developed a
relationship with Swedish Egil and Holly Adams and the other DJs, so I
gave them my Disney 12" and they started playing it.
"IRONICALLY, the director of product development at Disney, Harold,
contacted Swedish Egil with a proposal. He said they had a remix
album called Mouse House that needed "fixing" because it didn't have
that contemporary club edge, would he bring someone in and be paid as
a consultant? Of course, he said, "You should use SKY, I play his
remix of When U Wish all the time and people love it." To which
Harold replied, "Anyone but him. And stop playing that song - it's
unauthorized." So it wasn't really illegal, it was just unprofitable
to play it anymore, as Disney had hired him."
SKY also notes that he's put just put "WhenUWish" on his site, at
www.sky13.com/music.html . (I haven't heard it yet myself -- I'll
check it out when I'm back online next weekend.)
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