William Orbit: Some of the Best Songs Created for Madonna’s MDNA Went to Chris Brown

UPDATE #2
William Orbit’s final words on this matter…

To those that are wondering what’s going on with my recent MDNA comments. and to set the record straight, once and for all, here’s what happened:

I commented on an existing comment thread here on this facebook forum a week or so back. Many of you will recall. And even though there has been interest on this site to read and respond to these opinions, I really should have held back. I made the mistake of putting my thoughts online, when an email would have been more appropriate.

But, there were no ‘interviews’ (Huffington Post, Daily Mail etc) as has been reported elsewhere. I’ve not personally seen any of these ‘interviews’ but can only assume that the content has been cut-and-pasted from the original post then presented as a scoop.

That same day, and on receiving a dismayed email from Guy O, I followed up with a candid and much more to-the-point email back to him. Including a couple of other things that had been troubling me. It was just between us, and not public. As it should be.

I acknowledge that I erred in putting some of my concerns into the public sphere. No ifs and buts. I ought to know by now that even in a remote corner of the internet, if it mentions Madonna, it will be all over the place in seconds.

It’s certainly now all off my chest. The (unintended) consequence of all this is that it has stirred up strong opinions right across the spectrum. Some of which require me to swallow hard and take it on the chin. But what’s done is done. What’s said is said. Although it might reverberate for a little longer in the web universe, such being the nature of the beast.

From my POV, it’s same as before, striving onwards with projects, both musical and non-musical. There is so much to take care of, and never enough hours in the day.

Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

William

—

UPDATE
William Orbit tweeted afterwards…

The MDNA comments. I should not have said them publicly. I see that and I regret that I said online. Not fair to M.

—

William Orbit tweeted that there was a lively MDNA debate going on over at his Facebook page this afternoon.

William Orbit first posted an audio link of the first “Ray of Light” mix he did with Madonna after they recorded the vocals and, as he put it, “went berserk with his guitar”.
Have a listen…

He added that the guitar solo had been edited out later, because it was a little bit “unbridled” for the album.

A Madonna fan, Madonna Express Yourself, then mentioned what a lot of other Madonna fans are thinking: the lack of promo and the way the singles have been released, especially in the UK, have prevented MDNA to reach its full potential.

William Orbit responded…

I appreciate your analysis of the album release ‘strategy’ @Madonna Express Yourself. I wasn’t involved in its formulation in any way myself. All I will say is that certain thoughts about it that I see expressed online by committed fans such as yourself, were blindingly obvious to me from the very get go, well before the release. But I’m no Jimmy Iovine, with the ability to advocate my convictions forcefully, and as co-producer, co-writer etc am aware that it is not in my ‘job spec’.

But you won’t see me exactly jumping up and down with delight over the way that things have panned out. We were very pushed for time, due to a rather interesting and shall we just say, ‘traditional’ method of recording that the esteemed engineer Demo was partial to, and various pressing commitments that took up the artists limited time, such as perfume ranges and teen fashion contests and other such endeavours which are beyond my own limited understanding of pop star agendas.

The recording sessions for the six songs I did were hugely enjoyable for all of us. M was on form and better than ever with her singing and writing and musicality, and was having a great time. We had songs lined up that were breathtaking. You’ll hear some of them on Chris Brown’s new album, and they are the best ones, Kreayshawn’s (INCREDIBLE) new album, my own recently completed ‘Strange Cargo’ album. And some other surprising places. SNAPPED up by the artists concerned. Most of them, I believe, destined to become classics (let me know in a couple months wether you concur with that)

The team I assembled in NY for MDNA were, and are as good as it gets now. Writers and musicians and performers I picked because they take my breath away with their talent. And are totally of-the-moment in everything good that is going on in contemporary music at the moment. And usually hard to book because they are so in demand. And all of us fully committed to putting ourselves through extraordinary efforts to make MDNA the greatest album of the year.

But alas, the time wasn’t there. Great swathes of it taken up by the engineer and his assistant bouncing reverb tracks for hour after hour, night after night. Not to real tape or anything, where you could posit that there would be an advantageous sonic dividend (real tape can be magic) but all in the digital domain. A purely procedural thing. Although not a procedure I or any of my own colleagues in this game would want to squander time with.

I was just describing to a friend of mine, and whom I frequently work with Serban Ghenea (just look him up if you want to be awed) how it was done, and he thought I was kidding him!

There. I’ve said it. I did try to say it earlier but I must have not made the point with enough push, my way being to always say it with the music itself.

Over the years it’s become obvious to me that along with Madonna being the greatest pop artist of ALL time, her fan base are also the most ardent, cohesive, discerning and loyal fan base of any artist. Not saying that to blow smoke, is quite obviously true. Big respect. And long life to us all. And as you look at things in a ‘long term’ way (my way also) you always call it like you see it. And I’m with you on that too. Be honest and true, speak your heart and mind, and let the dust fall where it will.

So basically, i’d lie down in the mud if she didn’t want to get her shoes messed up (well, figuratively speaking, neither of us does a lot of Glastonbury mud tramping) it’s hard to be an effective knight when your hands are bound. I will submit to wisdoms that are possibly beyond my comprehension and that will play out to glory in the fullness of time. And get back to my own fervent canvas, and speak no more of the matter.

Oh, and if some bright spark at marketing central suggested a Hilary Clinton approach, ie, press ‘restart’ and get back in the studio for a couple weeks and do what they nowadays call a ‘re-pack’, I’d certainly put my hand up for that, whatever else I had going on. But realistically, there is only one person that could make that happen. And with the best songs in the world, and the best mixing, best ProToolsing, best team, best lyrics, best bananas, after this little screed I don’t suppose I should while away my hours staring at the phone! 🙂 But i feel better for saying all that. Debt free and not beholden. The thing about having little appetite for riches and fame, and no great tower of expectations, you haven’t got anything to be taken away. And having always been an outsider, outside in the cold, It’s always clear which way the wind is blowing. I was never inside any bubble long enough to forget how the wind blows, and changes, and ebbs and gusts, and dies away completely. As before a storm. And that a beautiful bubble might yield to even a the breeze from a humble fan.