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Lottie Rose - Michael's Hairdressers Daughter
Lottie Rose Michael’s haidresser’s daughter from 1981 to 1994,she is to the right of the photograph, the daughter is one of the girls and the others are relatives of Lottie’s
Lottie Rose: He would allow me to bring my daughter with me. She would stay the nights and slept in Michael’s bed. I would be working on him. At Neverland, because the drive was so long, I would stay and we would have our own little room.
Her daughter: I met MJ when I was 11 years old… Just so happens, I was at my mom’s hair salon on a Saturday when she received a phone call from Bill Bray, MJ’s right hand man at the time. He told my mom that MJ liked her work (she did the hair for the soft sheen print advertisements) they called soft sheen and they referred them to her.
My mom thought it was a joke until the limousine pulled up in front of the salon. She told me about MJ at the very last minute… I couldn’t believe it and went crazy while Bill was pulling the limousine around to the back of the salon. Let me tell you… it was the best night ever for an 11 year old.
Really nice guy, very friendly and the best part was that I practically had MJ’s attention all to myself.
He was not shy at all. In fact, I was very shy and afraid to meet him at first because he was MJ. However, he was very friendly and helped me to warm up to him.
MJ and I talked mostly about me and my friends, what we did for fun, where we liked to go, what it was like to go to the mall, favorite stores, amusement parks, favorite rides, going to the beach, movies and more… He would also call me at home from time to time to chat on the phone.
Michael loved to play practical jokes. He would tell my mom that Muscles or Bubbles was around, and then would rub her leg to make her think it was one of the animals. She would hop around and scream sometimes… was really, really funny!
Re: Positive websites and videos that celebrate MJ
Rob Hoffman on working with MJ in the 90's
n The Photo Rob Hoffman back row middle:
I was fortunate enough to work with MJ early in my career. He was an incredible artist. Talented beyond your wildest dreams. Extremely generous, and a hard worker. I actually went from a staff assistant at the Hit Factory in NYC to freelance engineer under Swedien and MJ. They were due to start in Los Angeles when the Northridge earthquake hit so they moved to New York. One room was all Bruce, the second room was the writing room. I started assisting Bruce's writing partner Rene Moore. I would track stuff with Rene, and Bruce would come in and tell me what I did wrong, sit in for a few hours and set us straight. After a couple months MJ arrived and the entire tour rig was moved in along with Brad Buxer, Andrew Scheps, and Eddie Delena. I continued to assist them until the whole crew moved to L.A., they decided to take me with them. I would assist Bruce during the day, and help out every where else at night - assisting, engineering, programming, and on one song playing guitar. We had two rooms at Record One, and two rooms at Larrabee where I met John. At one point in NYC we had just about every room at the Hit Factory. The crew was great, and I learned so much from all of them. I learned to engineer from Bruce Swedien, John, and Eddie, and got to sit in with producers like MJ, Jam And Lewis, Babyface, David Foster, Teddy Riley, and Dallas Austin.
I was actually asked to leave the project early on because there were too many people around and MJ didn't know me. Luckily, I was rehired about 10 days later. At the wrap party MJ apologized profusely, and expressed his gratitude. Truly the most sincere man you will ever meet.
Some random memories:
One morning MJ came in with a new song he had written overnight. We called in a guitar player, and Michael sang every note of every chord to him. "here's the first chord first note, second note, third note. Here's the second chord first note, second note, third note", etc., etc. We then witnessed him giving the most heartfelt and profound vocal performance, live in the control room through an SM57.
He would sing us an entire string arrangement, every part. Steve Porcaro once told me he witnessed MJ doing that with the string section in the room. Had it all in his head, harmony and everything. Not just little eight bar loop ideas. he would actually sing the entire arrangement into a micro-cassette recorder complete with stops and fills.
At one point Michael was angry at one of the producers on the project because he was treating everyone terribly. Rather than create a scene or fire the guy, Michael called him to his office/lounge and one of the security guys threw a pie in his face. No further action was needed . . . . .
During the recording of "Smile" on HIStory, Bruce thought it would be great if Michael would sing live with the orchestra. But of course, we didn't tell the players that. We set him up in a vocal booth off to the side. They rehearsed a bit without vocals in, then during the first take Michael sang, just about knocked them out of their chairs.
His beatboxing was without parallel, and his time was ridiculous.
His sense of harmony was incredible. Never a bad note, no tuning, even his breathing was perfectly in time.
Once, while we were taking a break, I think we were actually watching the OJ chase on TV, there was a news program talking about him being in Europe with some little boy. I was sitting next to the guy while the news is making this crap up. He just looked at me and said this is what I have to deal with.
I spent close to 3 years working with him, and not once did I question his morals, or ever believe any of the allegations. I wasn't even a fan then. I saw him interact with his brothers kids, other people's children, and at one point my own girlfriend's kids. I got to spend a day at Neverland with them. A completely incredible human being, always looking for a way to make all children's lives better. Every weekend at Neverland was donated to a different children's group - children with AIDS, children cancer, etc., and most of the time he wasn't there.
He was simply living the childhood he never had. In many ways he never grew up.
I was assisting Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis while they recorded the background vocals for "Scream" with MJ and Janet. The two of them singing together was amazing. Super tight, no bad notes. One part after another. When they took a break they sang the showtunes they used to sing as kids. Again, perfect harmony. Mj refused to sing the "stop f*ckin' with me part" because he would NOT curse.
I was the tape op for the recording of the background vocals on "Stranger in Moscow". Scared the hell out me. Michael was dropping in and out on syllables, rearranging the notes and timing as he put it down. No Pro Tools at the time, just 2" tape, and my punches.
I erased a live keyboard overdub that he played one night. He came in the next morning, replaced it, and never uttered another word about it.
I was there when Lisa Marie was around. They acted like two kids in love. Held hands all the time, and she hung out at the studio for quite a while. I never questioned their love for each other.
We recorded a Christmas song during the summer of '94 that needed a children's choir. Michael insisted that the entire studio be decorated with xmas lights, tree, fake snow and a sled for their recording. And he bought presents for everyone.
The last weekend of recording on HIStory he came to me and Eddie Delena, and said "I'm sorry, but I don't think any of us are going to sleep this weekend. There's a lot to get done, and we have to go to Bernie on Monday morning". He stayed at the studio the entire time, singing, and mixing. I got to spend a couple quiet moments with him during that time. We talked about John Lennon one night as he was gearing up to sing the last vocal of the record - the huge ad libs at the end of "earth song". I told him the story of John singing "twist and shout" while being sick, and though most people think he was screaming for effect, it was actually his voice giving out. He loved it, and then went in to sing his heart out. . . .
Later that night, while mixing, everyone left the room so MJ could turn it up. This was a common occurrence during the mixes, and I was left in the room with ear plugs, and hands over my ears, in case he needed something. This particular night, all the lights were out and we noticed some blue flashes intermittently lighting up the room during playback. After a few moments we could see that one of the speakers (custom quad augspuergers) was shooting blue flames. Mj liked this and proceeded to push all the faders up . . . .
MJ liked hot water while he was singing. I mean really hot !!!!! It got to the point that I would melt plastic spoons to test it.
Bruce and I were talking about walking to the studio everyday in NYC, and what routes we took. Michael looked at us and said we were so lucky to be able to do that. He couldn't walk down the street without being harassed. It was a sad moment for all of us.
The studio crew got free tickets to the Janet show so we all went right from work one night. About halfway through the show we see this dude with a long beard, dressed in robes dancing in the aisle behind. I mean really dancing . . . it was Mj in disguise. Kind of like the costume Chevy Chase wears in Fletch while roller skating.
He got one of the first playstations from sony in his lounge . . . we snuck in late at night to play the games that hadn't been released yet.
A couple people on the session hadn't seen Jurassic Park while it was out, so MJ arranged a private screening for us at Sony.
He was a huge fan of Nine Inch Nails Downward Spiral . . . .
I was lucky enough over the course of 3 years to have access to the multitrack masters for tour prep, videos, and archive purposes. To be able to pull these tracks apart was a huge lesson in production, and songwriting. A chance to look into the minds of geniuses.
Of all the records I've worked on, MJJ was the only company to give platinum award records.
One day we just all sat in the studio listening to his catalog with him for inspiration. He loved the process, he loved the work.
__________________
Rob Hoffman
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Michael Jackson - Carole Bayer Sager
10/06/1999 Quote from Carole Bayer Sager
In a recent interview with an American journalist, songwriter Carole Bayer Sager talked about her work with the King of Pop:
"I am keeping myself quite busy working with Carole King on her new album and with Michael on a few new songs. Musicians with their amount of genius push me harder in my craft. Michael is aware of the pressure to have a hit, and he wants this album to be spectacular and full of twists you wouldn't expect from him... Michael is a sweet genuine professional who I have worked with twice before. He sang on one of my albums ("Just Friends") and I helped him with Off The Wall ("It's The Falling In Love").
We wrote a song together with David Foster about the millenium. It will be a celebration of the changing times, a song for the future, which I suspect will be bright."
The song 'You Are My Life' on the Invincible album has Carole Bayer Sager as one of the cowriters.
The outtake tracks that Carole Bayer Sager co-wrote with Michael from the album Invincible are:
I Have This Dream (1999) (Michael Jackson, Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster)
Stop The War (1999) (Michael Jackson, Carole Bayer Sager)
Michael Jackson feat Carole Bayer Sager - Just Friends
Statement From Carole Bayer Sager On Michael Jackson's Passing:
"I am shocked, saddened and still in disbelief over the death of Michael Jackson, said Oscar-winning songwriter Carole Bayer Sager. "He was one of, if not THE greatest entertainer of all time, and was without question the ‘King of Pop.' He was also my friend. He recorded a song of mine on his 1979 ‘Off The Wall' album and in 1981 we sang a duet together. We spent a considerable amount of time together in 2001 at my home music studio and I saw him in a totally different light - as a nurturing and caring father. I was so honored that he dedicated that album to me.
My heart and prayers are with his family, his three children, my friend Elizabeth Taylor, and all us who are mourning the premature loss of his very precious life."
Re: Positive websites and videos that celebrate MJ
Michael Jackson - History Tour Rehearsals
Isn't it a thrill when you discover a video on YouTube of Michael that you haven't seen before ? I love it when that happens and it makes me wonder how much stuff is out there, maybe not even published on the web yet, of Michael footage ? I can never get enough of any of it. It is interesting to see the transformation that takes place between Michael the man, and Michael the artist. It reminds me of his words "The stage is a place where I feel safe. It's the world off stage that is unfamiliair and foreign to me."
Some small part in one of the videos is clearly from a Dangerous rehearsal or performance, but nevertheless tremendously enjoyable to watch of course!
~ MJJLaugh
Michael Jackson - HIStory World Tour Rehearsal Footage [Unknow Locality And Date
Michael Jackson - From Rehearsal To Performance: Billie Jean, Human Nature
Michael Jackson - History Tour Rehearsals in Bucharest 1996
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Sound Engineer - Memories of recording "Much Too Soon"
Michael in 1981, when he wrote wistful ballads like 'Much Too Soon'
It was recorded very early on during the HIStory sessions. I believe at the time we only had the very beginnings of Stranger in Moscow, maybe the first part of the groove on They Don't Care . . . . MJ as working at Sony studios with Brad Buxer most of the time, and the rest of us were over at the Hit Factory doing odd bits of work, and mixing. Michael came in one day and said he had an idea and needed a guitar player. So they called in a local session guy, Jeff Mirinov.
He sat with MJ in the iso-booth and Michael patiently sang every note of every chord, and the melody. He had the whole thing in his head. Once Jeff had it down, Michael came into the control room and sang live while Jeff did some takes. He used an SM-57 into Bruce's Neve 1084's into an 1176, silver face, set at 20:1 just to tame the peaks. The three of us sat at the console, and I believe we did about 5 or 6 takes. All of them amazing. We recorded to 2" 24 track analog of course (Studer), 3M 996 with dolby SR. It would have been transferred to Sony 3348 for archiving, and possible overdubs. But the song was shelved and never brought up again. I was pretty shocked, one of my favorite MJ songs of all time.
Pretty magical at the time, my first vocal session with MJ, Bruce driving the ship, and Michael nailing every take perfectly sitting next to me. Tough to beat that !
Co-written with longtime collaborator John McClain, “Much Too Soon” finds Jackson’s falsetto at its most tender, with a harmonica solo and strings adding a tone of regret. Jackson sings of the hurt of rejection (”And would you like to go with me/ And she answered no to me/ Well guess I learned my lesson much too soon”), but at bottom this one is about the sorrow over what might’ve been. Which is why it’s a perfect song to end the upcoming Jackson collection, Michael.
We can understand why this one didn’t make the cut for Thriller — but it is fascinating to know that, at the time he was recording the majestic dance-pop of his best-known album, he still had an interest in wistful ballads.
Jackson certainly recorded more provocative tear-jerkers than this. But it is high time for the Jackson camp to release forgotten songs like “Much Too Soon”. We just wish it had happened under different circumstances.
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John Isaac With MJ - Be My Eyes and Show Me Everything I Cannot See
Who is in the pic with Michael: Photographer John Isaac. A wonderful interview with John on working and spending time with Michael. Going to Neverland to photo Michael and Prince. On Michael's fans and a surprise Michael had for fans at the concert in Milan. John could not watch TII concert but sees Michael on a clear starry night.
"BE MY EYES AND SHOW ME EVERYTHING THAT I CANNOT SEE"
[Tran...slated and slight edits to make sense of translation] Q : The first time you saw Michael:
One day I received a phone call. The voice said: "You are John Isaac?" I said, "Yes" and asked who he was. The voice said: "Michael." I said "Michael," The voice said: "Michael Jackson . " I said, "Who" and hung up. A few seconds later the phone rang again, and Bob Jones was wondering why I had hung up the phone to Michael Jackson! I replied: "It was he really?" and handed the phone to Michael. He said he was a fan of my photographs. He bought a poster I created for UNICEF,on which appeared many children because he loved the pictures and wanted to meet me. He asked if I could go to Neverland and sign the poster. I said I could sign one and send it to New York, but he insisted that I go to Los Angeles. Three days later, they came to the Big Apple to film "They Don't Care About Us" (prison version) and he invited me and my wife Jeannette to go see the movie. So we went and we met. The next day he asked me to spend the afternoon with him at his hotel in Manhattan and looked at my photographic work.
Q: What is the best advice he gave you?
He once told me that I had a knack for photography and should continue to use it to help children around the world and to help the same cause. He knew how much I care about children. I took him to Brazil when they were finishing the video "They Don't Care About Us", and he said something I'll never forget ". John, be my eyes and show me everything that I cannot see." I was so excited that I made photos of children in the slums of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, while they were filming. I travelled in his private plane to Brazil, it was my first trip with him. Michael always supported me, he was aware of my provenance. One day he said we both came round to different places and that is why we both love children. (John Isaac was born in India and spent 20 years working as a photographer of the United Nations, covering countries such as Vietnam, Rwanda, Sarajevo ...).
Q: You've been to Neverland to take family photos of the first son of Prince Michael and Debbie Rowe. Please tell us more about this experience.
Debbie was not in Neverland it was just Prince and Michael and I took pictures of father and son. I took the pictures with Debbie at a hotel in Los Angeles. I've been twice to Neverland. I drove an electric cart around the farm, saw movies in the theater, climbed on the train. I felt like a kid when I was there! One afternoon we saw a movie together. I was in the suite of Liz Taylor. Michael was very philosophical, often talked about philosophy and life. He asked me to tell him things about the children I had photographed around the world. When I worked for the United Nations, many stories of pain and suffering of all kinds of children. He was always very compassionate towards the less fortunate children.
Q: What is your favorite memory during HIStory World Tour?
At the beginning of the tour in Prague, I think he wanted me to photograph on the stage while he was singing "Heal the World." I was scared up there in the spotlight with so many fans in front of me, my knees were shaking . Also I enjoyed meeting fans around the world while traveling with him. I must say that I met many fine young people. Michael would not have been who he was, if not all the wonderful fans who adored him so much. Being next to the King of Pop to visit hospitals and orphanages was something especially appreciated.
Q: How many photography sessions did you do with Michael Jackson?
I'm not sure how many there were, I know there were many. Some special calendars for Sony and other announcements. He also wanted to take pictures with children before each concert.
I also remember you told us that Michael had a surprise for fans at the concert in Milan on June 18, 1997: The photo of the hands of Michael and Prince on the screens of the stage.
Q: Michael decided to do this? What did he say?
He said it was one of the most special photos he had taken of him and Prince. I captured his hand taking the hand of Prince and he told me that he liked it so much he wanted to show the fans in Milan . It is one of my favorite too. Michael does not even appear, only his hand protecting Prince.
Q: What picture of Michael do you feel most proud of?
There are many photos that I like, but one I took during a rehearsal in Los Angeles which was published in a special Laurent Hopman - Captain EO Productions (program memory HIStory World Tour - Limited Edition). Michael is at center stage and all the dancers around with different poses, rehearsing. looks like a painting. Michael really liked this photo also. All dressed in casual clothes . I have no copy of this negative image because I gave all to Michael.
Q: Why does it sometimes take three cameras at the same time, Michael wanted some special pictures? It also seemed that he took more photos of fans than him ...
I remember that he wanted every moment of his life to be saved Sometimes he wanted a black and white and the other two cameras were color photos. Today, with digital technology, you can convert the color black and white with no problem, but with the old negative it was more complicated. also had three different types of lenses, so I could shoot quickly without having to change them. After a first selection on my part, Michael chose his favorite, he had good taste to select the photos! And Michael was delighted to see the photos of his fans. They were very important to him.
Q: How did you hear of his sudden death, what was your reaction?
I saw it on TV. I was very, very sad. I felt so sorry for starting so early. However, I know you're up there shining like a star. Every time I see a clear sky at night I see Michael.
Q: Have you seen the movie Michael Jackson This Is It? can you comment on that?
My wife bought me the DVD. I've only seen parts of it and I grieved so Michael's death that I could not keep watching. Maybe one day I will see it to the end
Q: What are your plans for the future John Isaac?
I am finishing a documentary about myself as a photographer in Japan I've been documenting on the survivors of the recent tsunami.While I was in Japan I met some of Michael's fans who were very friendly. In addition, Kodak House is preparing a permanent collection of my photographs in their museum. Unfortunately, I have no footage of what I took of Michael on tour or with Michael's baby. I gave them all to his managers.
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Michael Jackson with the Ramirez Family
In photos: Tamil Ramirez (left), with brother Billy and sister Lana (right) and King of Pop Michael Jackson, who signed this photo. “All the allegations against him distressed me. When you met Michael, he was just a nice bloke.” Mr Ramirez met Jackson while following his Bad tour in Australia. Mr Ramirez, 32, who works at a Darwin pharmacy, said that he lost contact with Jackson a few years ago. “I used to write to him but I haven’t for a while.” Jackson invited Mr Ramirez and his two sisters, Tamil and Lana, to his hotel room after reading how they had spent every cent they had to follow his concert circuit around Australia. They then visited him at Hayvenhurst and stayed with him for a while, the whole family.
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1000 Days of Missing Michael
March 21, 2012 was the thousanth day of missing Michael. So much to say on that subject but sometimes a song and a video can express it so much better than I can.
Michael Jackson 我們永遠愛你（I will always love you）1000 days of missing Michael Jackson
- music doesn't start until 0:18
A group on Facebook called '1000 Days of Missing Michael' arranged for 1000 roses to be delivered to him:
Inside Holly Terrace
People from 42 countries combined their efforts to make this a possiblity.
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Michael Jackson - Love's Gift
I think you know by now that I love to make youtube videos of Michael. They are simple one with just images as I still need to find out how to edit DVDs to cut snippets to use in my own videos. I thought of an appropiate title for the video: 'An Angel Among Us' ? Then I thought that the first few words of Rabindranath's quote would be very fitting. I hope you like it!
It is made from the heart, where love resides.
~ MJJLaugh
The poem by Rabindranath Tagore and a quote by him inspired me to make this video, as well as the music 'Becoming one of "the people" from the soundtrack for the movie 'Avatar.
"Love's gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted" - Rabindranath Tagore
Lover's Gifts: A Message Came
A message came from my youth of vanished days, saying, " I wait for
you among the quivering of unborn May, where smiles ripen for tears
and hours ache with songs unsung."
It says, "Come to me across the worn-out track of age, through
the gates of death. For dreams fade, hopes fail, the fathered
fruits of the year decay, but I am the eternal truth, and you shall
meet me again and again in your voyage of life from shore to
shore."
~Rabindranath Tagore
Re: Positive websites and videos that celebrate MJ
I love it. It’s beautiful. Full of grace. The pictures you’ve chosen correspond to the music so well. Your work really is a heartfelt expression of love.
Re: Positive websites and videos that celebrate MJ
Michael Jackson - "I Am Peter Pan In My Heart
“The Wizard Of Oz" has secrets that are just too much. Or "Peter Pan" – the whole 'lost boys' thing is just incredible. They’re not childlike at all, they’re really, really deep; you can rule your life by them. Or say 'child-like', because children are the most brilliant people of all, that’s why they relate to those stories so well. Fairy-tales are wonderful.”
― Michael Jackson
All children, except one, grow up.
Peter Pan
Opening words
When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.
Peter Pan
Spoken by Peter Pan
Every time a child says, 'I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.
Peter Pan
Spoken by Peter Pan
"Do you know," Peter asked, "why swallows build in the eaves of houses? It is to listen to the stories."
Peter Pan
I'll teach you to jump on the wind's back, and away we go.
Peter Pan
Spoken by Peter Pan
To die will be an awfully big adventure.
Peter Pan
"Do you believe in fairies? … If you believe," he [Peter] shouted to them, "clap your hands; don't let Tink die."
Peter Pan
"Pan, who and what art thou?" he [Hook] cried huskily.
"I'm youth, I'm joy," Peter answered at a venture, "I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg."
Peter Pan
When a new baby laughs for the first time a new fairy is born, and as there are always new babies there are always new fairies.
Peter Pan
Spoken by Wendy
So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land.
Peter Pan
You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where I'll always love you, Peter Pan. That's where I'll be waiting.
Peter Pan
Spoken by Tinkerbell.
"Second to the right, and straight on till morning."
That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland
Peter Pan
Artwork of Peter Pan at Neverland
Peter Pan picture at Neverland
A picture of Michael as Peter Pan on a electrical cart at Neverland
A fan made gift to Michael a wall hanging depicting his favourite characters.
Michael's copy of Peter Pan
Prince of Fantasy. Each character is wearing a White Glove. Presented to Michael from the Walt Disney Studio.
Peter Pan chair inscribed "From the Family of Love"
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Michael Jackson - Hardrock Cafe in Budapest
Hard Rock Cafe Budapest Now Open in Vörösmarty Square
Budapest, Hungary, December 14, 2011 – They have wowed crowds in London, shocked the masses in Paris and entertained fans in New York – now Hard Rock Cafe makes its debut in Hungary! Hard Rock International today announced the opening of its first cafe location in the heart of Hungary’s capital and bustling metropolis. Hard Rock Cafe Budapest is located at the corner of Vörösmarty Square and Váci Street. Located in the epicenter of the city’s most famous shopping and business district, the new Hard Rock Cafe Budapest is poised to become a must-see for both visitors and locals. The Budapest cafe is owned and operated by Bigosz Kft.
The four-level, 1097-square-meter cafe includes seating for 220, a vibrant bar, a live music area and Rock Shop. Memorabilia from Hard Rock’s iconic collection adorns the walls of Hard Rock Cafe Budapest, including items from legendary musicians from around the world, as well as today’s top contemporary artists. Key memorabilia items featured include: handwritten letters penned by Madonna, Michael Jackson’s platinum award for his Thriller album, an autographed grey suit jacket worn by Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, as well as clothing from Christina Aguilera and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and a concert poster The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Picture of young Michael 1976 with a funny hat :-)
This elaborate top hat with a green plastic flower sewn into the side was worn by Michael in 1976. The photo is by Weldon McDouglas, a friend of Michael's.
Michaels hat with the flower at Hardrock Cafe Budapest
[imghttp://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/560469_2579374343365_1824615934_1560885_1785304055 _n.jpg[/img]
The letter accompanying the platinum record for Thriller 25
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Michael Jackson - Siedah Garrett's Blonde Wig to Make Michael Laugh
Blonde Wig?
Saturday, March 24th 2012
Siedah Garrett recalls a memory of Michael from when she gets a little bored and wants to do something different…to make Michael laugh and she certainly does just that. Siedah says; “During one show on our ‘Dangerous’ tour, I decided to surprise Michael by appearing on stage wearing a blonde wig to sing our duet ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.’ Check out Michael’s reaction.”
If you look at the video you will see the footage where Michael is trying hard to contain himself.
Exclusive : Michael Jackson - I Just Can't Stop Loving You Buenos Aires 1993
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Michael Jackson - Some Rare Videos
Maybe you have seen these videos before, maybe you haven't. The reason I wanted to share these precious gems that I found today, is that they move me: seeing Michael happy and smiling when all the children come on stage to dance, when he visits an orphanage for the handicapped in Moscow just one day after the show.
Michael Jackson Rare.check out the moonwalk! Bad tour footage dancing with children
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Q&A: Bob Giraldi on directing "Beat It"
Director says Michael Jackson promoted peace and reconciliation through dance in music video
In 1983, Michael Jackson scored two simultaneous Top 5 hits with the songs "Billie Jean" and "Beat It", both taken from his hugely successful Thriller album. The music videos for both songs are now legendary and helped break down musical and racial barriers on then-nascent MTV.
At the time, executives at Jackson's label, CBS Records, famously accused the channel's programmers of excluding black artists and R&B music - an accusation MTV continues to deny. Regardless, "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" received heavy airplay and set a standard for production values and choreography in music videos that lasted until the music industry meltdown 20 years later.
In "Beat It", the 25-year-old pop star was cast as a peacemaker who uses dance to quell a knife fight between a two warring gangs. The video, which featured a cast of real-life gang members and choreography by Michael Peters, was directed by Bob Giraldi, who would go on to direct Jackson in two Pepsi commercials for BBDO, New York.
Giraldi recently spoke to Boards about working with Crips, Bloods and choreographers to make "Beat It".
How did you end up directing the video for "Beat It"?
As I was told, there was a certain spot that I directed in my early years as a commercial director for WLS-TV in Chicago, about two elderly blind people - a married couple - that didn't run from a neighborhood that all the other white folks fled from. It had become a very inner city, tough neighborhood and they chose to stay and throw a block party for all the young kids in the neighborhood. It was a commercial that Michael was really taken with - it was an emotional commercial, it was based on truth and he liked it a lot. So he wanted to meet and we met.
I wanted "Billie Jean" and he had just finished shooting "Billie Jean", but he said he had this track called "Beat It" and maybe I'd like to come up with an idea for that. In those days, you didn't compete [for videos]. There were no three bids - there wasn't a whole lot of politics. Record labels didn't have commissioners, it was a different business. It wasn't a business yet.
What did you base the concept on?
One of the things that is totally mistaken that I've read many times is that most people think "Beat It" was inspired by West Side Story and that's absolutely not true at all.
I grew up in Paterson, New Jersey - always an edgy town but full of people really trying to be so much tougher than they really are. It seemed to me this song of peace, this song of reconciliation that Michael had written was perfect for a quasi kind of rumble. I've read where, the two lead dancers - Michael Peters and Vince Paterson - when they had their wrists tied and held the switchblades, that came from West Side Story. That's not true at all. That came from a story I heard when I worked in a factory one summer. A real tough kid from Jersey told me that he'd witnessed two guys who had their wrists tied and they held switchblades, and only one came out - and not too well. It was based on that little fable.
Michael liked my idea and decided he was going to include the Crips and Bloods, which I thought was insane. If you see the video, you'll see guys that look like the real deal because they are the real deal.
How did you cast the real gang members?
It was Michael. He went out and he got 'em through, I guess, the LAPD's gang squad and he convinced them that, with enough police presence, this would be a smart and charitable thing to do; get them there to like each other and hang with each other for two days doing the video. I didn't like the idea because it was hard enough to direct actors and dancers, let alone hoods.
So he tried to use the video to foster peace between them?
Michael was always about peace. He was always about some sort of peace offering. That was his idea and the cops did go along with it and as history has it, we were almost shut down the first night because, as you know, film sets get to be very boring after the first hour.
I guess the Crips and Bloods started to get on each other's nerves - they are mortal enemies - and we had a few incidents and two cops came to me and said they wanted to close it down. I somehow convinced the cop squad guy to just let me [shoot the] dance. I was gonna hold the dance for the second night of shooting. I said, 'The only thing I can think that'll save this is to let me just blast the music. I have a feeling it'll calm everything down. Can't get any worse, just give me a chance.' And the cop was cool, he looked at me and said, 'OK, not much more.' I couldn't go much more because it was volatile - no question about it - and scary. So we were in that warehouse, change of plans we're going to do the dance, get Michael out of the camper, here we go.
What happened next?
The gang members couldn't dance so they formed the ring and watched. And the [dancers] all started to dance with Michael Peters and Vince Paterson. When Michael Jackson comes down and does what he does, I remember looking at the faces of all the Crips and Bloods lined up and their expressions as they listened to that music and watched those kids dance. Those kids were basically, most of them were gay... and when they started to dance, the Crips and the Bloods had that look like, 'You know what? With all our wars and vendettas and stuff, that's cool right there. That's something we'll never be able to do.' And that's what made that evening work.
Did Michael Jackson choreograph the video himself?
That is the one time that I can honestly say Michael Jackson did not choreograph. 'Beat It' was choreographed by Michael Peters - God rest his soul - a great, great choreographer who is no longer alive. He was an incredible street dancer, he choreographed that and Michael Jackson danced it and danced it beautifully. I think from that point on Michael Jackson probably was involved in the choreography in every single thing he did. 'Beat It' was a little bit more belonging to Michael Peters than people want to give credit for.
In those days MTV had an unspoken policy of not playing videos by black artists. What impact did "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" have when they came out?
It was taking video to another level with dance and choreography and the fact that Epic, CBS could put down on the desk that these two were the largest selling records in the world. It was hard for Les Garland and [Bob] Pittman to hold on to that original idea, which was [playing] new wave bands for white teens in the suburbs. Michael was given credit, and rightly so, for being the first really, truly crossover artist of our generation and the man who forced MTV by his genius to rethink it's platform.
What impact has "Beat It" and working with Michael Jackson had on your career?
I met a man who I have total respect for. One of the most interesting things he ever said to me, I'll never forget, we were arguing, he said to me in that very high-pitched voice of his, 'You use the F-word to much'. That always stuck with me. I thought that was smart to say at a time like that.
Michael Jackson - Beat It Interview 1983 Making Of
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