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Subject: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/03/07 at 10:58 pm

I wasn't sure if this belongs in 80s or 00s. It's about an 80s and album but it's also about a current event. meh.

December 1, 2007 will mark the 25th anniversary of the greatest pop album of all-time, Michael Jackson's Thriller. To mark the occasion Michael Jackson did an exclusive interview and photo shoot with the Ebony magazine. Here it is...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony0.jpg

Michael Jackson - In His Own Words
by Bryan Monroe


Sitting on the sofa next to Michael Jackson, you quickly look past the enigmatic icon's light, almost translucent skin and realize that this African American legend is more than just skin deep. More than an entertainer, more than a singer or dancer, the grown-up father of three reveals a confident, controlled and mature man who has a lot of creativity left inside him.

Michael Joseph Jackson rocked the world in December 1982, when he exploded on the pop music scene with Thriller, the rich, rhythmic, infectious album that introduced many Whites to a talent that most Blacks had known for decades, and shattered nearly every industry record on the planet. The historic project was yet another, albeit giant, step in a musical career that began 18 years earlier, at age 6, with his brothers in the Jackson 5. In his first major U.S. magazine interview in a decade and on the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson sat down with Ebony Magazine for a rare, intimate and exclusive conversation about the creation of Thriller, the historic Motown 25 performance, being a father, the state of the music industry and the force behind his creativity.

Here is Michael Jackson, in his own words...

Q. How did it all start?
A:
Motown was preparing to do this movie called The Wiz... and Quincy Jones happened to be the man who was doing the music. Now, I had heard of Quincy before. When I was in Indiana as a child, my father used to buy jazz albums, so I know him as a jazz musician.

So after we had made this move - we had gotten pretty close on the film, too: he helped me understand certain words, he was really fatherly - I called him after the movie, out of complete sincerity - cause I'm a shy person, especially then, I used to not even look at people when they were talking to me, I'm not joking - and I said, 'I'm ready to do an album. Do you think... could you recommend anybody who would be interested in producing it with me or working with me?' He paused and said, 'Why don't you let ME do it?' I said to myself, 'I don't know why I didn't think of that.' Probably because I thinking he was more my father, kind of jazzy. So after he said that, I said, 'WOW, that would be great.' What's great about working with Quincy, he let's you do your thing. He doesn't get in the way.

So the first thing I came to him with was from Off The Wall, our first album, and Rod Temperton came in the studio, and he came with this killer - he's this little Herman guy from Wurms, Germany - he comes with this... 'doop, dakka dakka doop, dakka dakka dakka doop', this whole melody and chorus, Rock With You. I go, 'WOW!' So When I heard that, I said, 'OK, I really had to work now.' So every time Rod would present something, I would present something and we'd form a little friendly competition. I love working like that. I used to read how Walt Disney used to, if they working on Bambi or and animated show, they'd put a deer in the middle of the floor and make the animators kind of compete with different styles of drawing. Whoever had the most stylized effect that Walt liked, he would pick that. They would kind of compete, it was like a friendly thing, but it was a competition, 'cause it breeds higher effort. So whenever Rod would bring something, I would bring something, then he would bring something, then I would bring something else. We created this wonderful thing.

Q. So, after Off The Wall, in the spring of '82, you went back into the studio to work on Thriller.
A.
After Off The Wall, we had all this No. 1 hits from it - "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "Rock With You", "She's Out of My Life", "Workin' Day and Night" - and we were nominated for a Grammy award, but I was just not happy with how the whole thing happened because I wanted to do much more, present much more, put more of soul and heart in it.

Q. Was it a transition point of you?
A.
A COMPLETE transition. Ever since I was a little boy, I would study composition. And it was Tchaikovsky that influenced me the most. If you take the Nutcracker Suite, every piece is a killer, every one. So I said to myself, 'Why can't there be a pop album where every...' - people used to do an album where you'd get one good song, and the rest were like B-sides. They'd call them "album songs" - and I would say to myself, 'Why can't every one be like a hit song? Why can't every song be so great that people would want to buy it if you could release it as a single?' So I always tried to strive for that. That was my purpose for the next album. That was the whole idea. I didn't want to just put any one out that we wanted. I worked hard for it.

Q. So, the creative process, were you deliberate about that, or did it just kind of happen?
A.
No, I was pretty deliberate. Even thought it all came together some kind of way, consciously, it was created in this universe, but once the right chemistry gets in the room, magic has to happen. It has to. It's like putting certain elements in one hemisphere and it produces this magic in the other. It's science. And getting in there with some of the great people, it's just wonderful.

Quincy calls me a nickname, 'Smelly.' Smelly came from - and Spielberg calls me that, too. Back then, especially back them - I say a few swear words now - but especially them, you couldn't get me to swear. So I would say, 'That's a "smelly" song.' That would mean 'It's so great that you're engrossed in it. So he would call me 'Smelly'.

But yeah, working with Quincy was such a wonderful thing. He let's you experiment, do your thing, and he's genius enough to stay out of the way of the music, and if there's and element to be added, he'll add it. And he heard these little things. Like, for instance, in "Billie Jean," I had come up with this piece of the bass lick, and the melody, and the whole compostion. But in listening, he'll add a nice riff.

We would work on a track and then we'd meet at his house, play what we worked on, and he would say, 'Smelly, let it talk to you.' I'd go 'OK.' He'd say, 'If the song needs something, it'll tell you.' I've learned to do that. The key to being a wonderful writer is not to write. You just get out of the way. Leave room for God to walk in the room. And when I write something that I know is right, I get on my knees and say thank you. 'Thank you, Jehovah!'

Q. When's the last time you had that feeling?
A.
Well, recently. I'm always writing. When you know it's right, sometimes you feel like something's coming, a gestation, almost like a pregnancy or something. You get emotional, and you start to feel something gestating and, magic, there it is! It's an explosion of something that's so beautiful, you go 'WOW! There it is.' That's how it works through you. It's a beautiful thing. It's a universe of where you can go, with those 12 notes.

(He's now listening to an early, 'writing' version of Billie Jean playing on an iPhone...

What I do when I write is that I'll do a raggedy, rough version just to hear the chorus, just to see how much I like this chorus. If it works for me that way when it's raggedy, then I know it'll work... Listen to that, that's at home. Janet, Randy and me... Janet and I are going "Whoo, Whoo... Whoo, Whoo..." I do that, the same process with every song. It's the melody, the melody is most important. If the melody can sell me, if I like the rough, then I'll go to the next step. If it sounds good in my head, it's usually good when I do it. The idea is to transcribe from what's in your mentality onto tape. If you take a song like "Billie Jean" where the bass line is the prominent, dominant piece, the protagonist of the song, the main driving riff that you hear, getting the character of that riff to be just the way you want it be, that takes a lot of time. Listen, you're hearing four basses on there, doing four different personalities, and that's what gives it character. But it takes a lot of work.

Q. Another big moment was the Motown 25 performance...
A.
I was at the studio editing "Beat It", and for some reason I happened to be at Motown Studios doing it - I had long left the company. So they were getting ready to do something with the Motown anniversary, and Berry Gordy came by and asked me did I want to do the show, and I told him 'NO'. I told him no. I said no because the Thriller thing, I was building and creating something I was planning to do, and he said, 'But it's the anniversary...' So this is what I said to him. I said, 'I will do it, but the only way I'll do is if you let me do one song that not a Motown song.' He said, 'What is it?' I said, 'Billie Jean' He said, 'OK, fine.' I said, 'You'll really let me do "Billie Jean?" He said, 'Yeah.'

So I rehearsed and choreographed and dressed my brothers, and picked the song, and picked the medley. And not only that, you have to work out all the camera angles. I direct and edit everything I do. Every shot you see is my shot. Let me tell you why I have to do it that way. I have five, no six cameras. When you're performing - and I don't care what kind of performance you are giving - if you don't capture it properly, the people will never see it. It's the most selfish medium in the world. You're filming WHAT you want people to see, WHEN you want them to see it, HOW you want them to see it, what juxtaposition you want that to see. You're creating the totality of the whole feeling of what's being presented, in your angle and your shots. 'Cause I know what I want to see. i know what I want to go to the audience. I know what I want to come back. I know the emotion that I felt when I performed it, and I try to recapture that same emotion when I cut and edit and direct.

Q. How long have you been creating all those elements?
A.
Since I was little boy, with my brothers. My father used to say, 'Show 'em Michael, show 'em.'

Q. Did they ever get jealous of that?
A.
They never showed it at the time, but it must have been hard, because I would never get spanked during rehearsals or practice. But afterwards was when I got in trouble. . It's true, that's when I would get it. My father would rehearse with a belt in his hand. You couldn't mess up. My father was a genius when it comes to the way he taught us, staging, how to work an audience, anticipating what to do next, or never let the audience know if you are suffering, or if something's going wrong. He was amazing like that.

Q. Is that where you think you got no just a lot of business sense, but how to control the whole package?
A.
Absolutely. My father, experience; but I learned lot from my father. He had a group when he was a young person called The Falcons. They came over and they played music, all the time, so we always had music and dancing. It's that cultural thing that Black people do. You clear out all the furniture, turn up the music...when company comes, everybody gets out in the middle of the floor, you gotta do something. I loved that.

Q. Do your kids do that now?
A.
They do, but they get shy. But they do it for me, sometimes.

Q. Speaking of showmanship: MTV, they didn't play Black folks. How hard was that for you?
A.
They said they don't play Black artists. It broke my heart, but at the same time it lit something. I was saying to myself, 'I have to do something where they...I just refuse to be ignored/' So yeah, "Billie Jean," they said, 'We wont' play it'. But when they played it, it set the all-time record. Then they were asking me for EVERYTHING we had. They were knocking out door down. Then Prince came, it opened the door for prince and all the other Black artists. it was 24-hour heavy metal, just a potpourri of crazy images.

They came to me so many times in the past and said, 'Michael, if it wasn't for you, they would be no MTV.' They told me that, over and over, personally. I guess they didn't hear it at the time...but I'm sure they didn't mean any pure malice .

Q. How does it feel to know you have changed history? Do you think about that a lot?
A.
Yeah, I do, I really do. I'm very proud we opened doors, that it helped tear down a lot. Going around the world, doing tours, in stadiums, you see the influence of the music. When you just look out over the stage, as far as the naked eye could see, you see people. and it's a wonderful feeling, but it came with a lot of pain, a lot of pain.

Q. How so?
A.
When you're on top of your game, when you're a pioneer, people come to you. It's there, who's at the top, you want to get at them.

But I feel grateful, all those record-breaking things, to the biggest albums to those No. 1s, I still feel grateful. I'm a guy who used to sit in my living room and listen to my father play Ray Charles. My mother used to wake me up at 3 in the morning, 'Michael, he'd on TV, he's on TV!' I'd run to the TV and James Brown would be on TV. I said, 'That's what I want to do'.

Q. Can we expect more of Michael Jackson?
A.
I'm writing a lot of stuff right now. I'm in the studio, like, every day. I think, like, the rap thing that is happening now, when it first came out, I always felt that it was gonna take more of a melodic structure to make it more universal, 'cause not everybody speak English. And you are limited to your country. But when you can have a melody, and everybody can hum a melody, then that's when it became France, the Middle East, everywhere! All over the world now 'cause they put that melodic, linear thread in there. You have to be able to hum it, from the farmer in Ireland to the lady who scrubs toilets in Harlem to anybody you can whistle to a child poppin' their fingers. You have to be able to hum it.

Q. So, you're almost 50 now. Do you think you'll be doing this at 80?
A.
The truth is, umm, no. Not the way James Brown did, or Jackie Wilson did, where they just ran it out, they killed themselves. In my opinion, I wish Brown could have slowed down and been more relaxed and enjoyed his hard work.

Q. Will you tour again?
A.
I don't care about long tours. But when I love about touring is that it sharpens one's craft beautifully. That's what I love about Broadway, that's why actors turn to Broadway, to sharpen their skills. It does do that. 'Cause it takes years to become a great entertainer. Years. You can't just grab some guy out of obscurity and throw 'em out there and expect for this person to compete with that person. It'll never work. And the audience know it; they can see it. The way they gesture their hand, their body, the way they do anything with the microphone, or the way they bow. You can see it right away.

Now Stevie Wonder, is a musical prophet. He's another guy I have to credit. I used to say to myself, 'I want to write more.' I used to watch Gamble and Huff, and Hal Davis and The Corporation write all those hits for the Jackson 5 and I really wanted to study the anatomy. What they used to do, they used to have us come in and sing after the did the track. I used to get upset 'cause I would want to see them make the track. So they would give me "ABS" after the track was done, or "I Want You Back" or "The Love You Save". I wanted to experience it all.

So Stevie Wonder used to literally let me sit like a fly on the wall. I got to see Songs in the Key of Life get made, some of the most golden things. I would sit with Marvin Gaye and just...and these would be the people who would just come over to our house and hang out and play basketball with my brothers on the weekend. We always had these people around.

In the next couple of paragraphs, some of the words are printed right in the fold. It's hard to read, so sometimes you'll see where a word should be, or even a phrase of words.

Q. How do you see the world today?
A.
I'm concerned about the plight of international phenomenon. I knew it was coming, but I have gotten people's interest sooner. But it's . It's been described as a runaway train; if we lose it, we'll never get it back. So we have to fix it, now. That's what I was trying to do with "Earth Song", "Heal the World" and "We Are the World", writing those songs to open people's consciousness. I wish people would listen to every word.

Q. What do you think about the presidential race? Who do think will win it?
A.
To tell you the truth, I don't follow that stuff. We were we don't look to man to fix the problems of don't. They can't do it. That's how I see it. Look, we don't have control over the tsunamis. We don't have control over the storms. We're all in God's hands. I think that we should take that into consideration. I just wish they would do something for the babies and children, help them more. It would be great, wouldn't it?

Q. Speaking of babies, as a father now, rewind back 25 years, is that the difference between that Michael and Michael today?
A.
That Michael is probably the same Michael here. I just certain things accomplished first. But I tug in the back of my head, the things I to raise children, have children. I'm enjoying it very much.

Q. What do you think about all the stuff that's out there about you, all the things you read? How do you feel about that?
A.
I don't pay attention. In my opinion, it's ignorance. It's usually not based on fast. It's based on, you know, myth. The guy who you don't get to see. Every neighbourhood has the guy who you don't see, so you about him. You hear those stories about him, there's the myth that he did this or he did that. People are crazy!

I'm just wanting to do wonderful music.

But back to Motown 25, one of the things that touched me the most about doing that was, after I did the performance - I'll never forget. The was Marvin Gaye in the wings, the Tempations and Smokey Robinson and my brothers, they were hugging me and kissing me and holding me. Richard Pryor walked over to me and said , 'Now that was the greatest performance I've ever seen.' That was my reward. These were people who, when I was a little boy in Indiana, I used to listen to Marvin Gaye, The Tempations, and to have them bestow that kind of appreciation on me, I was just honored. Then the next day Fred Astaire calls me and said, 'I watched it last night, and I taped it, and I watched it again this morning. You're a helluva mover. You put the audience on their ASS last night!' So later, when I said Fred Astaire, he did this with his fingers 'Who taught you to move like that?' And I said, 'I guess God...and rehearsal.'

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony1.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony3.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony6.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony4.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/street_walker/mjebony5.jpg

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/03/07 at 11:04 pm

Thriller was a cool album...I like a lot of the songs, however...that above picture really frightens me. :o :-\\

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/03/07 at 11:10 pm


Thriller was a cool album...I like a lot of the songs, however...that above picture really frightens me. :o :-\\

Oh good, then I'll put the rest of the photos from the shoot there too.

More to come with the interview by the way. I'm typing it up bit by bit. it gets very interesting. This is the first time Michael's really talked about Thriller in this much depth.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/03/07 at 11:13 pm


Oh good, then I'll put the rest of the photos from the shoot there too.




AWESOME!!! ;D ;)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: whistledog on 11/03/07 at 11:44 pm

Thriller was, is, and will always be the best thing Jacko ever did 8)

It's sad that this MJ, the classic MJ has gone :\'(

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/04/07 at 1:17 am

Is it sad that the "classic" Michael has gone, or is sad that you are no longer 15? Think about it.

I uploaded all the photos and the whole interview is there now. I think it's very interesting. He's very smart, and very well spoken.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Macphisto on 11/04/07 at 1:27 am

So is the party going to be at a Chuck E. Cheese's?

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/04/07 at 1:32 am


So is the party going to be at a Chuck E. Cheese's?

Dude, this is one of the greatest and most influential albums ever made. Time to stop being a jerk and recognise the significance of the anniversary of this historical album. You've got the man who created speaking in depth about how it was created and what inspired him, and here you are trying to be the class clown.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Macphisto on 11/04/07 at 1:34 am

Sorry, I'll try not to belittle the pedophile.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/04/07 at 2:17 am

Thanks for typing that up Zoso, it's interesing to read about that from his perspective. It occured to me that, as successful as he is, you don't really see that many interviews with him, at least nothing that really goes in-depth.

It's cool to hear a little about his background and influenced from his own perspective. I agree with what he and the interviewer were saying about how he really mainstreamized MTV (in fact, they both gave each other exposure if you think about it), and made black pop music more accessible. Even rap in some respects. I'm not even sure MTV would've survived beyond a kinda cool novelty for too long if Thriller hadn't come along. I see 1981 to very early 1983 as being their "infancy" stage where it was popular, but not really a cultural phenonemon yet.

I thought it was interesting that he said he wasn't that fond of pure rap for its lack of melodies everyone can remember, although his music and dancing, even fashion style (like in the "Beat It" video with the gangstas) really influenced it. Same with the fact that he said he plans to be in the business awhile longer, but not forever the way, say James Brown was.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Jessica on 11/04/07 at 9:33 am


Dude, this is one of the greatest and most influential albums ever made. Time to stop being a jerk and recognise the significance of the anniversary of this historical album. You've got the man who created speaking in depth about how it was created and what inspired him, and here you are trying to be the class clown.


There is no need to call someone a jerk just because they disagree with you.

No matter how much you like Michael or how great it is that Thriller has endured for 25 years, you're not going to get past the fact that he has been accused of a heinous crime. TWICE. Add that to the fact that he's obviously addicted to plastic surgery, has an affinity for hanging around little kids way more than normal, and he also makes his kids wear veils and hats and cover up like they're in Saudi Arabia. I'd say he's one bottle short of a six pack.

Anyways, yeah, Thriller was great. A shame he can't duplicate that success.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Paul on 11/04/07 at 9:45 am


Is it sad that the "classic" Michael has gone, or is sad that you are no longer 15? Think about it.


Probably a bit of both for me... :-\\

Groundbreaking album, without a doubt, but remember him this way...

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Brigitte on 11/04/07 at 10:38 am

Happy 25th Anniversary Michael! :) http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/bdaybiggrin.gif

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Philip Eno on 11/04/07 at 11:03 am

A classic then and still is a classic today. The video for Thriller is still voted number one.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: whistledog on 11/04/07 at 11:18 am


Sorry, I'll try not to belittle the pedophile.


;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ?????????????????????? on 11/04/07 at 11:21 am

Why Eboney? Isn't He White?

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 12:49 pm




So is the party going to be at a Chuck E. Cheese's?


Dude, this is one of the greatest and most influential albums ever made. Time to stop being a jerk and recognise the significance of the anniversary of this historical album. You've got the man who created speaking in depth about how it was created and what inspired him, and here you are trying to be the class clown.


dude you had to know that if you posted something about Michael Jackson you would some responses like this... at least it was creative and funny !  edited to add Karma Macphisto for making me laugh

Lighten up....

Why Eboney? Isn't He White?



Michael did!  ;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 11/04/07 at 2:07 pm


Is it sad that the "classic" Michael has gone, or is sad that you are no longer 15? Think about it.



Wow, 25 years!  Has it been that long?  I guess it has! 

No matter what Michael did in subsequent years, he was never going to sustain the "Thriller" level.  Nobody could do that twice, not even Elivs or the Beatles.  "Thriller" was a pop culture phenomenon unto itself.  It was beyond the sum of its parts.  I recall a year after "Thriller" peaked when the Jacksons released the "Victory" tour album, I was surprised it only sold about 2 million copies.  Only 2 million copies?  That's a major hit record for any R&B artist, although one-tenth the sales of "Thriller." 

The strange thing is I never bought a copy of "Thriller" even though I liked all the hits.  Of course, all you had to do was turn on the radio to hear them in 1983! 

I think MJ himself got delusions of grandeur.  We've all seen them in action.  He began to liven in his own fantasy world after "Thriller."

The press leading up to the release of "Bad" in 1988 said Jackson wanted to sell 100 million copies of "Bad."  That's when I knew he'd lost it.  Jacko mania had come and gone.  He did sell 8 million copies of "Bad," which is about what most pop superstars of the time, such as New Kids on the Block, were selling. 

I'm not much for nostalgia.  It's not sad to no longer be 15!
::) 

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Philip Eno on 11/04/07 at 2:29 pm


Why Eboney? Isn't He White?
Whose nose does he have now?

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 11/04/07 at 2:54 pm


Whose nose does he have now?


Some stand-up comic said now MJ has a vagina for a nose.
:P

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 3:00 pm




I think MJ himself got delusions of grandeur.  We've all seen them in action.  He began to liven in his own fantasy world after "Thriller."




yeah remember when they Michael a cake and called him the artist of the millenium and he took the decoration off the cake thinking it was an actual award  ;D


Whose nose does he have now?


I watched a special once (about the same time that reporter spent several days with MJ)  This program was on ABC or Fox about all of the plastic surgery he had... in the pics he looked like he was trying to emulate his favorite woman at that time.

After the first surgeries he looked like Diana Ross,  then one of his sisters more Latoya than Janet tho... then he looked like Liz Taylor.  Strange

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 3:08 pm


Is it sad that the "classic" Michael has gone, or is sad that you are no longer 15? Think about it.

I uploaded all the photos and the whole interview is there now. I think it's very interesting. He's very smart, and very well spoken.


No it's just sad... Michael was great in his day but if you think about... he's a lot like Brittany Spears now... no one in his corner to keep him real. If every one yeses you all of the time you learn no boundaries and unfortunately his celebrity has obliterated all the basic laws of human existence ....Your actions do have consequences so act wisely.

I wonder what adult Michael would have become if had been raised Mike Jackson in Gary, Indiana-  no Neverland Ranch, no Bubbles the Chimp, no Steven Spielberg and ET, no Webster's (sorry Emmanuel Lewis) no Macauly Culkins, and no Liz taylor 

How come no one ever says Bono is so well spoken?

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/04/07 at 4:18 pm

I will always have fond memories of Michael Jackson as he was. I know those days are over, but he did make his accomplishments and I agree there will never be another "Thriller."

Although, I wish he hadn't bought the Beatles music catalog ;D Because, when you mess with the Beatles, that's messed up.  ;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 4:27 pm


I will always have fond memories of Michael Jackson as he was. I know those days are over, but he did make his accomplishments and I agree there will never be another "Thriller."

Although, I wish he hadn't bought the Beatles music catalog ;D Because, when you mess with the Beatles, that's messed up.  ;D


You know I bet Paul McCartney is still kicking himself for giving Michael the idea!

I'm just glad Lisa Marie smartened up before he got his hands on the Elvis collection too...

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 11/04/07 at 4:58 pm




How come no one ever says Bono is so well spoken?


Because he's not.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 5:24 pm


Because he's not.


He seemed well spoken when I saw him on Oprah...

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/04/07 at 5:28 pm


You know I bet Paul McCartney is still kicking himself for giving Michael the idea!

I'm just glad Lisa Marie smartened up before he got his hands on the Elvis collection too...

Actually he does has a few Elvis songs. He owns Lieber and Stoller's songs. They wrote a fair bit for Elvis.

It's true, I expected a lot of half wits to make comments they thought were funny. But I'm glad most of you see this topic for what it is, an appreciation of one of the most remarkable albums ever made in pop history.

If you liked Thriller, you might be interested to know that Michael is releasing a 25th anniversary addition with 4 out-takes from the original album. The out-takes have been remastered to sound studio fresh. One of them, "Don't Be Messin Around" is going to have a single release, reportedly. I'm not 100% sure of the release date, but I think it'll be December 1 (when the original Thriller album was released). But I like that news. Thriller, one of the best albums ever, remastered with songs recorded during those sessions that have never been heard before. And you can count on flashy photos and written words by Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton and the man himself. It'll also be interesting to see how a song recorded in 1982, that's been remastered, goes chart-wise. If it's as good as the material on Thriller, then I think people will love the fact that there is a single out there that's actually good and they'll eat it up.

I can tell you what, he's setting himself up perfectly to release a new album or new material. He's reminding everyone why he was so popular in the first place, releasing a never-before-heard single that I can't see doing anything but brilliantly on the charts. He's really bringing himself back into the public conciousness very nicely. And I am more than glad we haven't heard a single negative report about him in years. People who concentrate only on his appearance will disagree with me, but I think the man that made Thriller is back.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/04/07 at 5:48 pm


Wow, 25 years!  Has it been that long?  I guess it has! 

No matter what Michael did in subsequent years, he was never going to sustain the "Thriller" level.  Nobody could do that twice, not even Elivs or the Beatles.  "Thriller" was a pop culture phenomenon unto itself.  It was beyond the sum of its parts.  I recall a year after "Thriller" peaked when the Jacksons released the "Victory" tour album, I was surprised it only sold about 2 million copies.  Only 2 million copies?  That's a major hit record for any R&B artist, although one-tenth the sales of "Thriller." 


I agree 100%.

Thriller was definitely his peak, because it did what no album up till that point had done, in more ways than one. Although he was legendary and influential enough to have superstar status up through 1992 or early '93, even that was nothing when viewed in comparison to how big he was then.


Oh, and yeah, the jokes got old a long time ago. I heard all of them by the mid '90s. Stop beating a dead horse. Think about it, it's pretty hypocritical if the people who make them believe him to be guilty. Seriously, making immature jokes or joining in on laughing about them wouldn't be very funny to someone who was a victim of the very crimes you believe him to have committed, would it?

You know what, I might not quite be as dedicated of an MJ fan as Zoso is (although I love his 1983-1992 music) or don't totally agree with him on everything, but I think he makes some very valid and intelligent points. I think trashing him with comebacks that a 10-year old could think of is pretty disrespectful.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/04/07 at 6:02 pm

Thanks Marty.

I think the jokes are old and tired too. What's worse is that if he really was child molester, would that be funny to anyone? What's funny about children being molested? It's not something to make jokes about. I think the fact that people can make jokes about it tells me they see no subtance in the allegations either. Because no one can truly find child molestation funny. Unless they're really sick.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Jessica on 11/04/07 at 6:11 pm


You know what, I might not quite be as dedicated of an MJ fan as Zoso is (although I love his 1983-1992 music) or don't totally agree with him on everything, but I think he makes some very valid and intelligent points. I think trashing him with comebacks that a 10-year old could think of is pretty disrespectful.


So this is okay?


Dude, this is one of the greatest and most influential albums ever made. Time to stop being a jerk and recognise the significance of the anniversary of this historical album. You've got the man who created speaking in depth about how it was created and what inspired him, and here you are trying to be the class clown.


Macphisto cracked a joke. Build a bridge and get over it.


Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/04/07 at 6:18 pm

Yeah okay, "jerk" is slightly impolite. I'm not excusing it necesarilly, but how many of us have said stuff in the heat of the moment that we didn't entirely mean or later regretted because of our initial anger? I think everyone on Earth has probably been guilty of that before. Plus, being slightly rude is still better than rehashing the same jokes since 1993.

I'm not gonna go into my personal opinions on Mike in that regard (I'm probably 50/50 on his guilt), but with all due respect, grow up.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Jessica on 11/04/07 at 6:32 pm


Yeah okay, "jerk" is slightly impolite. I'm not excusing it necesarilly, but how many of us have said stuff in the heat of the moment that we didn't entirely mean or later regretted because of our initial anger? I think everyone on Earth has probably been guilty of that before. Plus, being slightly rude is still better than rehashing the same jokes since 1993.

I'm not gonna go into my personal opinions on Mike in that regard (I'm probably 50/50 on his guilt), but with all due respect, grow up.


Yes, it was impolite and directed at another member. Isn't that against the rules of the board? And I don't think it was said in the heat of the moment because I don't see Zoso rushing to apologize for it. You may be sick of the MJ jokes, but they aren't harming anyone. I doubt MJ is crying over them. As for hurting victims of nasty assed pedos, I am not offended by it. Why should I be? Furthermore, if Zoso is so sure that MJ is innocent, then why get upset about an old joke? Michael's innocent, right?

It was a joke, and you and Zoso are getting your panties in a twist over it. Jesus Christ in a chariot driven sidecar. ::)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 6:32 pm


Thanks Marty.

I think the jokes are old and tired too. What's worse is that if he really was child molester, would that be funny to anyone? What's funny about children being molested? It's not something to make jokes about. I think the fact that people can make jokes about it tells me they see no subtance in the allegations either. Because no one can truly find child molestation funny. Unless they're really sick.


Pedophilia is not a funny thing. I think the fun is made at the expense of MJ not his victims. They have been through enough... two investigations one trial and still no justice... You may not know this but I work in law enforcement in Santa Barbara the mob scene outside the courthouse and the jubilation that soared through the crowd when he was acquitted was ridiculous. Having said that tho... Mike's eccentric behavior and you have to admit the boy is a little off begs to be poked fun at. Michael would do us all a favor if he went off and bought an island somewhere and never let us hear from him again... oh I think he would do those kids he's raising a great service too by staying out of the lime light and ... I don't know... maybe changing their names?

Enough of Mike lets go back and talk about Janet some more!

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/04/07 at 6:48 pm


You know I bet Paul McCartney is still kicking himself for giving Michael the idea!

I'm just glad Lisa Marie smartened up before he got his hands on the Elvis collection too...


I know. I guess they don't plan on anymore collaborations since that happened.

I guess Zoso confirmed that some famous Elvis material (which was writtern by Lieber/Stoller) has been bought by MJ, but hey, I guess as long as Elvis' own material is untouched, that's what counts.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/04/07 at 6:55 pm


Pedophilia is not a funny thing. I think the fun is made at the expense of MJ not his victims. They have been through enough... two investigations one trial and still no justice... You may not know this but I work in law enforcement in Santa Barbara the mob scene outside the courthouse and the jubilation that soared through the crowd when he was acquitted was ridiculous. Having said that tho... Mike's eccentric behavior and you have to admit the boy is a little off begs to be poked fun at. Michael would do us all a favor if he went off and bought an island somewhere and never let us hear from him again... oh I think he would do those kids he's raising a great service too by staying out of the lime light and ... I don't know... maybe changing their names?

Enough of Mike lets go back and talk about Janet some more!


You work for law enforcement in Santa Barbara? Maybe you should be the one living off on a secluded island. Millions of dollars of tax payers' money was spent of trying to make a case out of nothing. Tom Sneddon couldn't get Michael the first time around because the family were only after money to make their film. So he spent 10 years traveling the world trying to find someone else to pin child molestation cases on him. He finally found a family as twisted and money hungry as him. A family who couldn't keep their story straight and had a million credibility issues. he then tore up Neverland. Spent millions of dollars on investigation and found no evidence whatsoever. All this for a 10-year-vendetta. If I lived in Santa Barbara I would want Sneddon's head on a pole. That's tax payers' money he spent trying to put in innocent man in jail just to prove his point. Shame on Tom Sneddon and everyone who works for him. Disgraceful.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 7:13 pm


You work for law enforcement in Santa Barbara? Maybe you should be the one living off on a secluded island. Millions of dollars of tax payers' money was spent of trying to make a case out of nothing. Tom Sneddon couldn't get Michael the first time around because the family were only after money to make their film. So he spent 10 years traveling the world trying to find someone else to pin child molestation cases on him. He finally found a family as twisted and money hungry as him. A family who couldn't keep their story straight and had a million credibility issues. he then tore up Neverland. Spent millions of dollars on investigation and found no evidence whatsoever. All this for a 10-year-vendetta. If I lived in Santa Barbara I would want Sneddon's head on a pole. That's tax payers' money he spent trying to put in innocent man in jail just to prove his point. Shame on Tom Sneddon and everyone who works for him. Disgraceful.


there's more to the story than what you read online or see on tv  :-X

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/04/07 at 7:21 pm


You work for law enforcement in Santa Barbara? Maybe you should be the one living off on a secluded island. Millions of dollars of tax payers' money was spent of trying to make a case out of nothing. Tom Sneddon couldn't get Michael the first time around because the family were only after money to make their film. So he spent 10 years traveling the world trying to find someone else to pin child molestation cases on him. He finally found a family as twisted and money hungry as him. A family who couldn't keep their story straight and had a million credibility issues. he then tore up Neverland. Spent millions of dollars on investigation and found no evidence whatsoever. All this for a 10-year-vendetta. If I lived in Santa Barbara I would want Sneddon's head on a pole. That's tax payers' money he spent trying to put in innocent man in jail just to prove his point. Shame on Tom Sneddon and everyone who works for him. Disgraceful.


BTW hostile much... what are you an undercover member of the Jackson family trying to take us all down one by one... if so HEY CAN I MEET JANET!?!  ;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: coqueta83 on 11/04/07 at 8:04 pm

I think "Thriller" will always be one of the best albums ever made. Thanks for posting that interview, Zoso. Very interesting!  :)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/04/07 at 8:19 pm


there's more to the story than what you read online or see on tv  :-X
EXACTLY!
Back in 03/04/05 I was in touch with plently of people, not all Jackson fans, who devoted the majority of their time to researching this case. I also kept in close contact with people who lived in SB and went to the courthouse everyday, getting front row seats to all the testimonies. I know more about the case that most of the Santa Barbara law enforcement. But I don't need to argue with you anymore because, what the hell, he proved his innocence in court. I don't need to say anymore. The case is dead, finished. Michael Jackson is not a child molester. Done.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: whistledog on 11/04/07 at 10:53 pm


I think the fun is made at the expense of MJ not his victims.


I know I only make the jokes at MJ's expense.  The guy is seriously creepy.  No matter what a court of law says, Michael Jackson is guilty, and those who don't believe it, don't want to believe it

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/05/07 at 6:33 pm


Michael Jackson is not a child molester. Done.



Riiiggghhht and OJ's not a killer ... okay I'm done too.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/05/07 at 6:36 pm


  No matter what a court of law says, Michael Jackson is guilty, and those who don't believe it, don't want to believe it


http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/06/luxhello.gif

Okay now I am done!  ;)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: MrCleveland on 11/05/07 at 9:16 pm

It seemed that his career basically ended in 1991 when the scandal at Neverland Ranch happened.

But "Thriller" is scandal-proof! (Yes, I stole that from Chappelles Show.)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Brian06 on 11/05/07 at 9:43 pm

I don't know whether he's guilty or not, he's certainly suspicious and weird, that's all I can say. I do think some of the jokes are overused and old now, he's been an odd character for so long a lot of it well goes without saying. Remember being found not guilty is not to be taken as a proof of innocence, what it does mean is that the state simply didn't have enough evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, it does not prove him innocent however so questions will always remain, as there are in many cases. None of this though diminishes the fact that Thriller certainly was a great album.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/05/07 at 10:50 pm


From Jay Leno:

Michael Jackson is putting together a 25th anniversary edition of his Thriller album
And you know what's really ironic
Michael Jackson's face is scarier now than it was in Thriller...


NOW THAT'S FUNNY!  ;D


Okay now I'm done!

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/06/07 at 12:10 am


From Jay Leno:

Michael Jackson is putting together a 25th anniversary edition of his Thriller album
And you know what's really ironic
Michael Jackson's face is scarier now than it was in Thriller...


NOW THAT'S FUNNY!  ;D


Okay now I'm done!

Speaking of Jay Leno, I thought it was hilarious when he backed down like a scared little school kid in the playground when Michael's lawyer came on his show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV8eK7RTJEw  ;D (the interview starts at 2:00)

T Mez is the man  8)

And I love the way the people show their support for Mike at the start of that video. It's very heart-warming.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/06/07 at 12:41 am

Zoso, I am curious, but what other artists do you like besides MJ? Really, this is an honest question...

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/06/07 at 1:05 am


Zoso, I am curious, but what other artists do you like besides MJ? Really, this is an honest question...

Prince (until today)
Nick Cave
Silverchair
Powderfinger
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Queen
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye
The Beatles
Elvis Presley

As well as various artists, particulary 60s soul, 70s rock, 80s pop, 90s rock.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/06/07 at 8:20 am



Elvis Presley





Now see...we DO have something in common! ;) :D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/06/07 at 11:08 am

Hey Zoso...you would be proud of me...I am currently listening to some Michael Jackson "old school" tunes!! :D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/06/07 at 11:30 am


Prince (until today)
Nick Cave
Silverchair
Powderfinger
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Queen
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye
The Beatles
Elvis Presley

As well as various artists, particulary 60s soul, 70s rock, 80s pop, 90s rock.


Those are all good choices - sounds like we've got a bit in common, eh?  :)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/06/07 at 3:20 pm


Hey Zoso...you would be proud of me...I am currently listening to some Michael Jackson "old school" tunes!! :D


Off the Wall was one of my favorite albums growing up.... that and the song Ben represent- IMO- MJ at his best. 

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/06/07 at 8:34 pm

You know what, I'll always have some sentimental connection to the Thriller singles. I can't remember the first song I ever heard because there were so many around the same time, but they were some of the first (back in 1984 or maybe early '85, around the start of my tangible memories).

See, other than listening to the radio, one major way I discovered songs when I was around 3 was because my uncle made these mix tapes for my mom to listen to. There were MJ songs on them, which I associate with that time (some others include The Police, Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, "I Want to Know What Love is" by Foreigner, etc). I distinctly remember "Billie Jean" and especially "Human Nature" too. The line about "If this town's just an apple, then let me take a bite." For some reason that just always stuck with me when I heard it coming through our boombox at home one morning as I was getting ready for preschool, lol.

There's tons of little memories like that which I have with songs as well as lots of other things in my life. ;)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/06/07 at 8:46 pm


I don't know whether he's guilty or not, he's certainly suspicious and weird, that's all I can say. I do think some of the jokes are overused and old now, he's been an odd character for so long a lot of it well goes without saying. Remember being found not guilty is not to be taken as a proof of innocence, what it does mean is that the state simply didn't have enough evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, it does not prove him innocent however so questions will always remain, as there are in many cases. None of this though diminishes the fact that Thriller certainly was a great album.


Well said dude. :)

For what it's worth, while I've always been halfway torn on his guilt being true or not, I do think that his perception on reality is at least slightly skewed. He not only didn't really get to have a normal growing up experience by being a celebrity his entire life, but his dad was a real slavedriver. From what I've heard, he treated Mike horribly as a kid in terms of pressuring him to perform.

Now, that certainly doesn't excuse any wrongdoing (if he is in fact guilty), but it does make where he's coming from more understandable. There's no way it didn't have some effect on him. The effect I believe it had, is what caused part of his Peter Pan syndrome as well as just generally being a little eccentric. For example, I believe he really sees himself as a "grown up little kid" of sorts, and sees nothing wrong with spending all the time he did with them. I don't believe it's malicious though, he seems relatively innocent and a nice guy, like I said just a little out of touch with how his actions could be perceived by others.

To a point, I think his weirdness is part of what makes him unique and even likable. In the pre-1993 time it was more of a cute weirdness though. I guess what turns people off since then (whether or not it's true) were the scandals and just the common knowledge about him and younger boys, which turned it into a creepy weird.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Macphisto on 11/06/07 at 8:59 pm

I'd like to clarify what I said earlier about Michael.  A good point was made about joking about pedophilia.  I have to admit, it is definitely a serious topic.

But seriously, not admitting that Michael likes kids a little too much is like not admitting that O.J. is guilty.

What's next, "If I Touched Them" by Michael Jackson?

Another post was made to address the cases made against Michael and him still not being convicted of anything.  Let me put it this way -- Michael would've been a lot more likely to have been found guilty if the children he was with weren't put in their situation by opportunistic parents.  The gist of it seems to be that word got out about his "unusual tastes", and some families tried to use their children as bait.  It's pretty sick, but it doesn't change the fact that he has an "unhealthy" interest in children.

...and if you're looking for a California law enforcement agency to actually render justice, I got 2 words for ya....  Rodney King.

California has a reputation for promoting justice about as much as Congress has a reputation for promoting common sense.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: JamieMcBain on 11/06/07 at 10:12 pm

Wow, 25 years.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/07/07 at 7:50 am

Do you guys expect much from this unreleased song from the Thriller sessions that is being released as a single? Michael was on fire making Thriller, so I'm sure anything he made during that time is good. But it was left off the album, so I'm not so sure. I hope it has a really retro 80s sound tough. IMO, alot of people would love to hear that. I think if this single is promoted right it will do well. People love the Thriller-era Michael and they will love something that reminds them of that era. Not just the era for Michael, but the era for the entire culture. It'll be very nostaligic for people who were around then. I also think people are going to love that there is good music in the top 40 again. Imagine a song with an 80s vibe, as good, or nearly as good as the songs on Thriller, being played on radio and entering the charts today. That will be amazing. I really hope this is done right, with good promotion. It'll be really brilliant.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/07/07 at 12:41 pm


Do you guys expect much from this unreleased song from the Thriller sessions that is being released as a single? Michael was on fire making Thriller, so I'm sure anything he made during that time is good. But it was left off the album, so I'm not so sure. I hope it has a really retro 80s sound tough. IMO, alot of people would love to hear that. I think if this single is promoted right it will do well. People love the Thriller-era Michael and they will love something that reminds them of that era. Not just the era for Michael, but the era for the entire culture. It'll be very nostaligic for people who were around then. I also think people are going to love that there is good music in the top 40 again. Imagine a song with an 80s vibe, as good, or nearly as good as the songs on Thriller, being played on radio and entering the charts today. That will be amazing. I really hope this is done right, with good promotion. It'll be really brilliant.



when is it due out?

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/07/07 at 5:32 pm


Michael was on fire making Thriller


I thought that was during the Victory tour...

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/07/07 at 5:36 pm

^ I know it was in 1984, so that probably was it. It was during a shoot for a Pepsi commercial where the pyrotechnics malfunctioned, I believe. BTW, did you know that Paula Abdul choreographed their "Torture" video? This was when she was just starting out, and after she became known for choreographing routines for the Lakers.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 11/07/07 at 5:49 pm


especially "Human Nature" too. The line about "If this town's just an apple, then let me take a bite."


My sister and her boyfriend had that as their "song."
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/08/rudolf.gif

Coincidentally, I'm just finishing up an apple.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/07/07 at 9:24 pm



when is it due out?
No idea. You'd assume it'd come out on Thriller's 25th anniversary (December 1) but no official word yet.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/07/07 at 9:44 pm


My sister and her boyfriend had that as their "song."
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/08/rudolf.gif

Coincidentally, I'm just finishing up an apple.


haha..that's actually my very favorite song of his.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: xSiouXBoIx on 11/08/07 at 3:10 pm

^It's my favorite MJ song, too!

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/08/07 at 5:49 pm

My favorite MJ song is "Beat It"

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/08/07 at 7:33 pm


I suspect that this is Alan's favorite song as well....

wait this isn't the exercise board is it  ;)

sorry ;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/08/07 at 8:45 pm


My favorite MJ song is "Beat It"
For me, nothing beats "Billie Jean". It's perfect. It's the song that every pop songwriter before Thrillerp had been trying to make and every pop songwriter since has been trying to replicate. It's an infections dancefloor filler, an emotional heatbreaker and kinda sexy all at once. Not to mention it's cultural significance. The music video was the first by a Black artist to be put on regular rotation on MTV. It opened so many doors. The Motown 25 performance of this song was also significant because  he introduced a new style of song, a new look and a new dance move all within one performance. Although he'd been sporting that look and doing the moonwalk many times previous to this performance, this was the one that the public got to see. This is the performance the popularised the look and the moonwalk. So "Billie Jean" would definately have to be my favourite song from this remarkable album.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/08/07 at 9:16 pm

^ I agree. "Billie Jean" as well as his other singles had so much crossover appeal to where almost anyone could've liked them, and that's part of the reason he was so successful. For instance, I've heard that Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo on "Beat It" even got that song to get played a little bit on rock stations at the time.

Yeah, "Human Nature" is one of my faves too (and one of the more underappreciated singles). It's like a polished pop ballad, but in a way that feels like a warm love song, yet it's kinda upbeat too. I can't pick a one favorite, but I generally like the middle 5 songs from Thriller all in a row.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/08/07 at 11:41 pm


^It's my favorite MJ song, too!



awesome! karma to you! :)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/09/07 at 1:20 am

Does anyone agree it's fairly underrated in terms of the other Thriller singles? Like I only occasionally hear it on the radio, and it didn't have a music video either. So it seems like it's not known among most people the way "Beat It", the title track and "Billie Jean" are.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/09/07 at 1:25 am


Does anyone agree it's fairly underrated in terms of the other Thriller singles? Like I only occasionally hear it on the radio, and it didn't have a music video either. So it seems like it's not known among most people the way "Beat It", the title track and "Billie Jean" are.



yes, I totally agree. It's always been one of those songs that I can play over and over again, for some reason.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/09/07 at 2:07 am

I do too, it's fairly sentimental and pretty, but also just upbeat enough to be catchy in a pop way. Up until now, it reminded me of my preschool life c. 1985 and hearing it on the radio in the house, but from now on it's gonna remind me of you too whenever I hear it! :)  Heck, maybe it's cool that it's kinda underplayed in relation to the other Thriller singles. It makes it feel like one of "our" songs that we can share in common even more!

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/09/07 at 2:40 am

I think "Human Nature" is one of the most under-rated singles from the album because it didn't have a video. "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" were massive because they had videos too. He did make a video for "Human Nature" but never released it, or never completely finished it or something. I might be able to find a short snippet of it on YouTube, I know I've seen it before. It's a bit like "Take On Me", you know with the pencil effect and everything. I'll be back with the video, if I can find it.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/09/07 at 2:48 am

Here it is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ATtJTxHOEQU

It's only 17 seconds of it. It was intended to be the music video for Human Nature, but for some reason, wasn't. So this short snippet was shown as part of the Moonwalker movie/documentary whatever you want to call it.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Banks on 11/09/07 at 7:17 am

'I don't know whether he's guilty or not, he's certainly suspicious and weird, that's all I can say. I do think some of the jokes are overused and old now, he's been an odd character for so long a lot of it well goes without saying. Remember being found not guilty is not to be taken as a proof of innocence, what it does mean is that the state simply didn't have enough evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, it does not prove him innocent however so questions will always remain, as there are in many cases. None of this though diminishes the fact that Thriller certainly was a great album.'

Well said.

Jay Leno i hilarious. I mean, I like MJ and his music, but the guy is weird, no argument about that.

'Hey Zoso...you would be proud of me...I am currently listening to some Michael Jackson "old school" tunes!!'

The old tunes are THE BEST...Thriller and back to the Jackson 5 days!!!

'I think "Human Nature" is one of the most under-rated singles from the album because it didn't have a video. "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" were massive because they had videos too. He did make a video for "Human Nature" but never released it, or never completely finished it or something. I might be able to find a short snippet of it on YouTube, I know I've seen it before. It's a bit like "Take On Me", you know with the pencil effect and everything. I'll be back with the video, if I can find it.'

I LOVE 'Human Nature'. Its a brilliant song.

As for the video, what you see on the Moonwalker film isnt from the actual film clip of Human Nature. It was created for Moonwalker. However, there was a video produced and released, but it was quickly pulled. Now, the video featured MJ walking down a New York City street singing the song and 'shuffling' through some slow dance moves. He wears the yellow top he is wearing in the clip from Moonwalker. The image used for Moonwalker was taken from a photoshoot during the making of the video. These days most music video shows and chanels play Human Nature from the 1987 Yokohama concert. I do have the video on VHS somewhere (as I do have ALL of MJs videos from all his Epic/Sony albums and many from his Motown albums both solo and J5).


Ahhh Thriller...Its not my favourite MJ album...That honour goes to Off The Wall (and Triumph if you include The Jacksons albums as also being MJ Lps)...But it is a great album none-the-less. It brings back huge memories of the time...I was a massive MJ fan back then (and was until around 2000, though I still collect his music now) and every song was a revelation. Every note was sheer brilliance.

As for the 'new single'...If its another slow song, then I dont think it will do much...But if its a kick butt fast song...Like Street Walker from the Bad outtakes...Then it could hit the charts.

25 years!!!

Damn now I feel really old.







AN

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/09/07 at 8:03 am


Here it is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ATtJTxHOEQU

It's only 17 seconds of it. It was intended to be the music video for Human Nature, but for some reason, wasn't. So this short snippet was shown as part of the Moonwalker movie/documentary whatever you want to call it.



thanks for that link Zoso. :) That looked pretty cool. :)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/09/07 at 1:00 pm


I suspect that this is Alan's favorite song as well....

wait this isn't the exercise board is it  ;)

sorry ;D



;D

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Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: ultraviolet52 on 11/09/07 at 1:13 pm


For me, nothing beats "Billie Jean". It's perfect. It's the song that every pop songwriter before Thrillerp had been trying to make and every pop songwriter since has been trying to replicate. It's an infections dancefloor filler, an emotional heatbreaker and kinda sexy all at once. Not to mention it's cultural significance. The music video was the first by a Black artist to be put on regular rotation on MTV. It opened so many doors. The Motown 25 performance of this song was also significant because  he introduced a new style of song, a new look and a new dance move all within one performance. Although he'd been sporting that look and doing the moonwalk many times previous to this performance, this was the one that the public got to see. This is the performance the popularised the look and the moonwalk. So "Billie Jean" would definately have to be my favourite song from this remarkable album.




I like "Billie Jean" a lot, but I like "Beat It" because of Van Halen's guitar solo. It really adds dimension to the song because without that solo, the song just wouldn't be the same (he also did the main hook for it, too.) To be honest, a majority of the songs on the album are very high on my list, it's just "Beat it" seemed to gel with me a tad bit more than the others. 

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/09/07 at 1:31 pm


Here it is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ATtJTxHOEQU

It's only 17 seconds of it. It was intended to be the music video for Human Nature, but for some reason, wasn't. So this short snippet was shown as part of the Moonwalker movie/documentary whatever you want to call it.


That was pretty good, I actually can get a decent picture of how someone else might've interpreted the song. Too bad it didn't get fleshed out into a real video. It would've been cool if he did one for all seven singles, but "Thriller" especially was such a huge budget production, there might've not been time to film them. Plus, he was literally the biggest star in the world in 1983, with all the interviews, appearances and everything else he was busy with, so that's understandable.

I agree about it being generally less recognized because there wasn't a video. The four non-video singles (Wanna Be Startin' Something, The Girl is Mine, this one and PYT) tend to be in the same boat, and that's probably a big reason. Like, I'm sure they're pretty well known to even alot of casual MJ fans, and even to alot of big '80s music listeners, but they're not really a part of the pop culture phenomenon the way the "big three" are, due to their groundbreaking videos.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/09/07 at 9:45 pm

I might as well use this thread for the lastest Michael Jackson news. He flew back to LA yesterday to save Neverland. It's going to be closed down if he can't produce $23M by the end of the year. There's only one way to do that IMO, a couple of really huge concerts. Please, please, please. Surely Michael know that's the best and fastest way to make up that $23M. But he could end up doing something boring like selling his half of the Sony/ATV catalogue or something.

He also attending Jesse Jackson's 66th birthday while in LA. Here's some pics for you all so you can make jokes about his plastic surgery/skin disorder...

http://mjjpictures.free.fr/jesse/006.jpghttp://mjjpictures.free.fr/jesse/007.jpghttp://mjjpictures.free.fr/jesse/005.jpg
http://mjjpictures.free.fr/jesse/008.jpghttp://mjjpictures.free.fr/jesse/014.jpg

Hopefully you all even it up with some jokes about Larry King's age.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/09/07 at 9:51 pm

he looks fairly healthy and happy.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/09/07 at 10:31 pm


he looks fairly healthy and happy.
A BIG contrast from the last days of his trial...

http://michael.jackson.inreview.com/michael_jackson.jpg

As hard it is to see Michael to upset and so unhealthy, it's good to see how much he's improved since then. It just goes to show how hard to trial was on him and how determined he is now to make everything right again.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/09/07 at 10:34 pm


A BIG contrast from the last days of his trial...

http://michael.jackson.inreview.com/michael_jackson.jpg

As hard it is to see Michael to upset and so unhealthy, it's good to see how much he's improved since then. It just goes to show how hard to trial was on him and how determined he is now to make everything right again.



I will say one thing...the man has the shiniest hair I've ever seen..I wonder what kind of shampoo he uses? :D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/09/07 at 11:48 pm



;D

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Aw  it's the thought that counts....

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/09/07 at 11:51 pm


http://mjjpictures.free.fr/jesse/014.jpg

Hopefully you all even it up with some jokes about Larry King's age.


Are you sure that's Larry King... I thought maybe they rolled out his wax figure for the event...  :o

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/09/07 at 11:53 pm



I will say one thing...the man has the shiniest hair I've ever seen..I wonder what kind of shampoo he uses? :D



Its probably not shampoo but product.. the process for straightening hair is a long and involved one... he probably got the Chi hair straightening treatment cuz it looks more like CHI than a regular relaxer... Chi is super expensive but does a better job and lasts longer. I wish I could afford to have it done again...

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/10/07 at 12:11 am



Its probably not shampoo but product.. the process for straightening hair is a long and involved one... he probably got the Chi hair straightening treatment cuz it looks more like CHI than a regular relaxer... Chi is super expensive but does a better job and lasts longer. I wish I could afford to have it done again...



it's so darn shiny!!!! :D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/10/07 at 8:40 pm



it's so darn shiny!!!! :D


I know... the product and a really hot straightener can give that effect... he probably puts all kinds of oil tooo to make it look shiny... Unless he wears something on his head- I'd hate to see his pillow cases in the morning.  (I speak from experience!)

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 11/10/07 at 8:42 pm


I know... the product and a really hot straightener can give that effect... he probably puts all kinds of oil tooo to make it look shiny... Unless he wears something on his head- I'd hate to see his pillow cases in the morning.  (I speak from experience!)


;D ;D ;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/11/07 at 5:58 pm

Even though it's on Paul McCartney's Pipes of Peace album, does anyone think "Say Say Say" is pretty much an honorary Thriller song? I mean both were 1983, and it sounds almost identical to those songs! I think it's way better than their other duet "The Girl is Mine", although I forgot how much I liked that song until it came on my playlist this morning.

The video was good too, where Paul played a travelling salesman who sold a magical kind of strength potion. In the intro, MJ drank it and beat this burly looking dude at arm wrestling, lol.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/11/07 at 11:41 pm


Even though it's on Paul McCartney's Pipes of Peace album, does anyone think "Say Say Say" is pretty much an honorary Thriller song? I mean both were 1983, and it sounds almost identical to those songs! I think it's way better than their other duet "The Girl is Mine", although I forgot how much I liked that song until it came on my playlist this morning.

The video was good too, where Paul played a travelling salesman who sold a magical kind of strength potion. In the intro, MJ drank it and beat this burly looking dude at arm wrestling, lol.



I actually sounds like a perfect meld of Paul and Michael... .but there is more Michael in the score and in the chorus than Paul...

The video is good but isn't it just a little creepy that Latoya was cast as the object of MJs affection...I know it was just a video but still you never cast your sister as your crush... its just disturbing!

On a side note...
                        you think Heather Mills watched the video and saw
                                                     
                                                      Paul count all that cash  and then hand the bag full of money to Linda while singing...
                                               
                                                                                          "Take, take, take-  what you want"

                                                                                                                                & thought 'Thanks Paul I think I will?'  ;D


Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/12/07 at 12:00 am

^ I never thought about that before, but could be, lol. You know, I didn't know La Toya was in that video, so that's news to me. But um yeah, that does seem a little weird in retrospect. ;D

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/12/07 at 12:05 am


^ I never thought about that before, but could be, lol. You know, I didn't know La Toya was in that video, so that's news to me. But um yeah, that does seem a little weird in retrospect. ;D


can't miss her

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_9cM9JZaaIg

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Max Power on 11/12/07 at 8:46 am

He looked like Willy Wonka 2.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/12/07 at 10:43 am


He looked like Willy Wonka 2.


Hey! I think thats an insult to my hero! WW not MJ  ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams!  ~Willy Wonka, 1971

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/13/07 at 12:24 am


The video was good too, where Paul played a travelling salesman who sold a magical kind of strength potion. In the intro, MJ drank it and beat this burly looking dude at arm wrestling, lol.

I thought the point of the video was that they were both scam artists. Paul was the dude selling the "strength potion" and MJ pretended to be some random skinny dude Paul picked out of the crowd to try the potion. The scam was MJ was actually naturally strong so he could beat all the burly dudes and they'd both make money off of plain water or something that they pretended was "strength potion".

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/13/07 at 12:29 am


I thought the point of the video was that they were both scam artists. Paul was the dude selling the "strength potion" and MJ pretended to be some random skinny dude Paul picked out of the crowd to try the potion. The scam was MJ was actually naturally strong so he could beat all the burly dudes and they'd both make money off of plain water or something that they pretended was "strength potion".


Michael wasn't actually strong... Paul hawks the potion- skinny MJ comes along drinks it and does the classic MJ spin to show the potion packs a punch.... then MJ chooses the biggest baddest looking man in the crowd and beats him arm wrestling and Paul sells a butt load of potion.

Cut to:

Paul counting his money while riding in the bed of their truck... along the way just outside of town they stop and pick up MJ.  Then there is a clip of the guy Mike picked out of the crowd.  The scam was that both MJ and the big guy were plants.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Marty McFly on 11/13/07 at 2:59 pm

^ That's a really good analysis. :) I admit I never really picked up on much of that myself (and you know how much I tend to get into these things, lol). I'll have to watch the video again, because you're probably right.

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: snozberries on 11/13/07 at 5:18 pm


^ That's a really good analysis. :) I admit I never really picked up on much of that myself (and you know how much I tend to get into these things, lol). I'll have to watch the video again, because you're probably right.


I am  sh:ocked & appalled that you didn't pick that up!  ;) 

Hey the only reason I got it is because of my film analysis background. I watch every little detail in visual images and pick up on stuff no one ever notices... 

Subject: Re: Michael Jackson celebrates Thriller's 25th anniversary

Written By: Zoso on 11/21/07 at 8:32 am

About that Thriller 25 CD, keep your money. It's gonna be full of this crap: http://www.dailymotion.com/country:de/video/x3iuuz_akon-wanna-be-starting-something_music as well as remixes of Thriller songs by Kanye West and will.i.am. God help us all....

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