Michael Jackson's mother has said 'some of the tracks on the album are fake'. Photograph: WireImage
A Michael Jackson release is rarely without controversy, and Michael, the singer's highly anticipated posthumous album which hits shops today, is no exception. As soon as its release was announced to the world, his dismayed mother Katherine Jackson suggested to Oprah that "some of the tracks on the album are fake", while Quincy Jones, the man behind Thriller, added to the chorus of disapproval, declaring that the new CD "should have all stayed in the vault".
It's a controversial album because, of course, its artist is dead, and the songs were formed from part-finished vocal tracks, recorded in 2007 at the request of his record company Sony. Three of the tracks were completed by the producer Teddy Riley, who worked on the 1992 album Dangerous with Jackson and was responsible for his hit Remember The Time.
Riley insists that his friend Jackson would have approved: "I'm confident he would have wanted his message out there, and that's what counts," he says. In fact, Riley is so pleased with the way Michael turned out that he's optimistic for even more posthumous releases. "They have enough [material]," he says. "Because Michael's songs are all about love, we could take vocals from here, put it with vocals from this. It's easy to do and I've demonstrated that." Producing songs in this way was a first for Riley, and he admits "it was quite interesting working on it and not having him to come in and do the vocals over".
Although that is one of the main arguments of the album's detractors, Riley has short shrift for his critics. "It put me in a position where I had to fight for my friend," he says, defending his role in its release. "I fought against his family – big time. The only reason I fought against them all and fought against the fans was to make them believe that this is Michael Jackson's vocals."
He says the family's objections were "disappointing" and that it should not have been a public matter, "especially when you're reaping the benefits". And he is equally dismissive of veteran producer Quincy Jones. "Look at his age. He can barely hear you talk. How the hell could he hear Michael? Anybody who says [it is not Jackson on the album], I do have a comeback, because you're not right. That's just the bottom line."