"Thriller" Live on the Victory Tour

wonderouzmj

Proud Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2017
Messages
2,738
Points
113
Does anyone know why Michael didnt perform that song in particular? I heard a fan once complain about it while watching fans leave the show disappointed about that song not being performed but i also did read that it was something about he didnt like how it sounded live but that may not be true. I cant remember the source.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

I also heard that MJ didn't like the way Thriller sounded live during the rehearsals at the time. Not to mention, the Jehovah's Witnesses were still on MJ's back about the Thriller short film, so they might have had influence on that to some degree.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

I also heard that MJ didn't like the way Thriller sounded live during the rehearsals at the time. Not to mention, the Jehovah's Witnesses were still on MJ's back about the Thriller short film, so they might have had influence on that to some degree.

I think that's what ultimately influenced Mjs decision. I don't think the choreography would've worked with his brothers. IMO bad tour first leg was his best thriller performance vocally.
It's possible his brothers didn't want to perform it either.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Several reasons,probably the biggest being that the Jehovah's Witnesses were still down his throat about the short film for it. Also he didn't like the way it sounded in rehearsals at the time with the live band he had to work with and maybe his brothers didn't want to perform that song in particular since the show was Michael's show at this point and they were just backup singers.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Honestly it would have been nice to see it but I'm glad they didn't
Look at Beat It for instance, it doesn't look right not having 5-6 dancers behind Mike, just him and his brother looks disappointing, I imagine that's how MJ felt too
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

The song needs dancers where he will find them, even in Beat It he didn't perform the full choregraphy
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Thriller, the album had 4 songs on the Victory Tour. I'm glad Thriller didn't make it onto the victory tour.
And it wouldn't have worked either without the dancers like others have mentioned. I'm annoyed that no song from the victory album was performed. At least Torture, the duet between Michael and Jermaine could have been performed. Really disappointing and a massive missed opportunity.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

'thriller' is an imaginative song with one Michael's best vocal performances. however, I can understand the Jehovah's witnesses objections towards it. I always thought that the spoken word at the end took it too far, and as a result I either listen to the version without it, or stop the cassette before it gets to that point.

I usually watch the short version of the film which omits the breaking and entering, and the werewolf transformation. this dispells the notion that michael was too 'clean cut' before bad..

it's all about the masterful routine, and his movements on the pavement with ola for me.

I'm surprised that it wasn't the opening number for the 'victory' tour, given the intro with the monsters.

it is difficult to imagine it without the choreography though. the shows in general had a raw feel to them, which worked in some cases like 'rock with you' and 'human nature'. for me, the entire tour boiled down to the freestyles at the end of 'Billie jean'. he did steps that he didn't do before or since!

having said that, I wish all the songs were performed in their original key, and that he included more we'll known current hits. such as: 'p.y.t', 'say say say', 'someone in the dark'... he even could have found a way to incorporate 'somebody's watching me' and 'farewell my summer love'.

seeing how it was a Jacksons tour, the j5 medley could have been expanded to include 'ABC', 'never can say goodbye', 'dancing machine', and 'Ben'. I would have traded 'lovely one' and 'things I do for you' for 'blame it on the boogie' and 'can you feel it'.

at the end of it all, I don't think it should have happened. Michael looked vex throughout the whole thing. it was clear that he outgrew that setup. the Pepsi commercial and ticket system damaged him, when he should have been reaping the rewards of his success.

the Motown 25 reunion was far more effective. it should have ended there...
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Thriller, the album had 4 songs on the Victory Tour. I'm glad Thriller didn't make it onto the victory tour.
And it wouldn't have worked either without the dancers like others have mentioned. I'm annoyed that no song from the victory album was performed. At least Torture, the duet between Michael and Jermaine could have been performed. Really disappointing and a massive missed opportunity.
I have no entire idea why they performed tell me I'm not dreaming instead of torture...& also state of shock...those were monster tracks. Then I wonder... what was the point of the tour because it did not promote victory not 1bit. More promo for thriller imo. The album cover was amazing to have all 6 brothers so you just knew it was going to be fire... the costumes & the snippets we saw back in the day... what never donned on me until i got older was that Jackie wasn't there but i know that reason now. Imagine if victory was like triumph 2.0. I really think of times changed & if Jackie was able to perform... they couldve done beat it & thriller with those 3 or Randy couldve filled in. It would've been so cool & epic but i do wonder if footage of the band rehearsing thriller for the victory tour was ever filmed. Or at least what it sounded like. & until we get a proper victory release.... the audio & drums alone are horrible vs bad & etc
64623409e4494266e8e0004ae063979c.jpg
 
Last edited:
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

They really should have at least done ONE song from Victory. And that should have been Torture.
It would have been great, thematically, to do right after Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming!
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

the reason given for 'thriller' not being performed is because Vincent Price was unavailable to do the speech. that's according to the book 'on the road with Michael', which covered the tour.

as for 'state of shock', I saw a news report where Mick Jagger was quoted as saying 'if he thinks I'm flying to america to sing one song, he's got another thing coming!'...

there was simply no unity during this time. the 'victory' album was more like a collection of individual songs from each brother, than a group recording. Michael didn't appear in any of the videos (I don't think Jermaine was in 'body', but I'll have to check that later). 'torture' was the only song they could have performed as a group. again, it could have been the opening that followed the monster laser battle. the video for that song was way more disturbing than 'thriller', so I can imagine the witnesses would be just as upset. I actually think it was smart to include 'tell me I'm not dreaming'. it was a current release, that was apparently supposed to be on the 'victory' album anyway.

the tour was a way to capitalise off the success of 'thriller'. even their mother Katherine described it as a 'encore' in her first book. people got to hear those songs live for the first time. if no songs from 'thriller' were performed, audiences would have been more disappointed than the absence of 'victory' songs. in fact, I remember the complaint being that there weren't enough 'thriller' songs!
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

I mean in the same breath as asking why NOT thriller, couldn't we say why give the other brothers solos? lol


I think they tried very hard to NOT make it a Thriller concert and have it a "Jacksons" concert/tour..
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

The height of Thrillers fame over-shadowed his brothers by that point. No one was paying the high ticket prices for Jermaines solo either lol. I can understand why some might of been let down because of the lack of thriller. Especially in 1984. If I had to choose between Billie Jean or thriller to be performed on the victory tour, I could live without thriller when it comes down to it. In the end it was technically supposed to be a "jacksons" show.
For several reasons posted above, I understand why thriller never made it on tour.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

the reason given for 'thriller' not being performed is because Vincent Price was unavailable to do the speech. that's according to the book 'on the road with Michael', which covered the tour.

why would vincent price tour with them to do that?
Same with mick jagger. None of these people were necessary to be there to do these things.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

why would vincent price tour with them to do that?
Same with mick jagger. None of these people were necessary to be there to do these things.
Well they probably said that because of van halen came once before. But the Vincent price thing is hard to imagine...i mean what what would he do other than thriller. Never did I imagine mick jagger to come on all shows but it wouldn't have been a factor. He couldve did a snippet of it & it would've been phenomenal!
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

the reason given for 'thriller' not being performed is because Vincent Price was unavailable to do the speech. that's according to the book 'on the road with Michael', which covered the tour.

as for 'state of shock', I saw a news report where Mick Jagger was quoted as saying 'if he thinks I'm flying to america to sing one song, he's got another thing coming!'...

there was simply no unity during this time. the 'victory' album was more like a collection of individual songs from each brother, than a group recording. Michael didn't appear in any of the videos (I don't think Jermaine was in 'body', but I'll have to check that later). 'torture' was the only song they could have performed as a group. again, it could have been the opening that followed the monster laser battle. the video for that song was way more disturbing than 'thriller',so I can imagine the witnesses would be just as upset. I actually think it was smart to include 'tell me I'm not dreaming'. it was a current release, that was apparently supposed to be on the 'victory' album anyway.

For real though. People talk about how thriller was disturbing and occult and what not but torture is far more out there. Actually Torture video scared me much more than thriller. I still get the heebie jeebies when i watch that video
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

For real though. People talk about how thriller was disturbing and occult and what not but torture is far more out there. Actually Torture video scared me much more than thriller. I still get the heebie jeebies when i watch that video

I know. 'thriller' achieved that balance of being scary and playful. 'torture' was actually gross in some places. I wonder what role Michael would have played, had he appeared in it?
'somebody's watching me' was just as bad. maybe worse...
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

why would vincent price tour with them to do that?
Same with mick jagger. None of these people were necessary to be there to do these things.

I can't really see them as being part of the tour. maybe just one off dates like Eddie van halen in Dallas, or Stevie wonder on the 'bad' tour?

I actually preferred 'beat it' without Eddie on the 'victory' tour. their regular guitarist (Greg white?) sounded and performed better.

even without the full group routine, it benefited from Michael's vocals and raw energy. did you see his star jump in Toronto? what about new York, where he stopped the band to call out a guy for not dancing? he was bold! he probably felt more free without the long cord microphone, during the last quarter of the show. not sure why they had those to begin with...
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Honestly it would have been nice to see it but I'm glad they didn't
Look at Beat It for instance, it doesn't look right not having 5-6 dancers behind Mike, just him and his brother looks disappointing, I imagine that's how MJ felt too

This goes to show that Michael leaving his brothers was the right decision. They were holding him back
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Several reasons,probably the biggest being that the Jehovah's Witnesses were still down his throat about the short film for it. Also he didn't like the way it sounded in rehearsals at the time with the live band he had to work with and maybe his brothers didn't want to perform that song in particular since the show was Michael's show at this point and they were just backup singers.

this.gif



For real though. People talk about how thriller was disturbing and occult and what not but torture is far more out there. Actually Torture video scared me much more than thriller.

"Torture" is just weird, no matter what angle we look at it from. Lol. I never liked the song, or the video.
Obviously Michael didn't like the video either, because he stormed out of the shoot and went to Disneyland.
This left the brothers with the only option of using some kind of a cardboard cutout stand-in. Hahaha!



The entire Victory Tour was a mess, with "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming" one of the few bright spots in it, IMO.
When Michael appeared on stage....it was just GOLD. I'm glad that song was included, over "Torture".
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

For real though. People talk about how thriller was disturbing and occult and what not but torture is far more out there. Actually Torture video scared me much more than thriller. I still get the heebie jeebies when i watch that video

Thriller was scary, and Torture was weird and disturbing. And speaking of Torture, I think it has one of Michael's greatest vocal deliveries ever ''Every little thing you find here, is simply for the thrill you're after'' - I love the way he sings that.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

And speaking of Torture, I think it has one of Michael's greatest vocal deliveries ever ''Every little thing you find here, is simply for the thrill you're after'' - I love the way he sings that.

Oh.....yes....I agree with you on this. You've jogged my memory about that part. Michael always made everything better.
 
Sometimes I listen to torcher just to hear the comparison of m ichaels voice to his brothers..

Listening I'm like.. "decent voice, catchy rhymth.. wait for it.. and BAMB! Michael comes in and takes it to another level again.. lol
 
Last edited:
I've also heard of Michael not liking the way Thriller sounded live for the Victory Tour somewhere, but of course, it may not be true. I'm not really surprised that Thriller made the setlist though. There are just flaws that won't make it work at all. If Michael "rehearsed" this song, I really hope he wasn't planning on his brothers not dressing up as zombies, that would just look strange and totally not terrifying. The choreography would just look strange since as mentioned, Beat It with just 2 of the brothers just doesn't look right and they didn't even do the choreography at all. Even if the vocals are great, songs like Thriller and Beat It with that complex choreography shouldn't even be performed if there are only 2 "dancers" on stage since especially on a smaller stage compared to Michael's solo tours, it won't look right. Billie Jean may have been the only song by Michael that worked because no one else is involved in dancing but Michael himself, especially with that moonwalk. But if Michael really rehearsed this song roughly, it would be interesting to see how it would have played out with the choreography and instrumentation, and maybe even the jacket he was planning on using.
 
Re: Thriller live on victory tour

Thriller was scary, and Torture was weird and disturbing. And speaking of Torture, I think it has one of Michael's greatest vocal deliveries ever ''Every little thing you find here, is simply for the thrill you're after'' - I love the way he sings that.

Same. Torture has some of my favourite MJ vocals of the Thriller era
Torture and Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming really show how great a singer he was compared with his brothers. The tracks catch fire when Michael starts
 
I've always heard pressure from the JWs was the main reason why it wasn't performed on the tour. A lot of people forget, but Michael publicly disowned the short film in the Watchtower newsletter a few months after it was released. It could've gotten him in more hot water with the elders if he had performed it on the tour
 
I've always heard pressure from the JWs was the main reason why it wasn't performed on the tour. A lot of people forget, but Michael publicly disowned the short film in the Watchtower newsletter a few months after it was released. It could've gotten him in more hot water with the elders if he had performed it on the tour
But would it really matter in the end since he left them anyway & wasn't the brothers non jw at this (1984) point.... they were having premarital sex??*??
 
I've also heard of Michael not liking the way Thriller sounded live for the Victory Tour somewhere, but of course, it may not be true. I'm not really surprised that Thriller made the setlist though. There are just flaws that won't make it work at all. If Michael "rehearsed" this song, I really hope he wasn't planning on his brothers not dressing up as zombies, that would just look strange and totally not terrifying. The choreography would just look strange since as mentioned, Beat It with just 2 of the brothers just doesn't look right and they didn't even do the choreography at all. Even if the vocals are great, songs like Thriller and Beat It with that complex choreography shouldn't even be performed if there are only 2 "dancers" on stage since especially on a smaller stage compared to Michael's solo tours, it won't look right. Billie Jean may have been the only song by Michael that worked because no one else is involved in dancing but Michael himself, especially with that moonwalk. But if Michael really rehearsed this song roughly, it would be interesting to see how it would have played out with the choreography and instrumentation, and maybe even the jacket he was planning on using.

I remember seeing a pic from the victory tour behind the scenes where michael was wearing a White version of the thriller jacket
 
Back
Top