myosotis
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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson
Brad on the ending of Captain EO at Disney:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Captain EO
September 1986 - 29 years, 2 months and 20 days ago.
Tonight I went to EPCOT and saw Captain EO for what will likely be the last time in "Magic Eye Theater". It is slated for closing this weekend, and ironically I'll be in Boston with Brad Buxer and Michael Prince - more on that in a moment.
I don't know how many times I have seen EO, but it was the true beginning of my time - my nearly two decades - of working in and around the Michael Jackson team. I was both excited and a bit sad when we went into the theater tonight, but thanks to sitting with my 12-year-old daughter, I decided to enjoy it like it was the first time seeing it. We even sat in the front row at her urging.
I think I first saw the raw footage of Captain EO in early 1985. Matt Forger was working at Westlake Studios, and I got a job as a runner - a "gopher". I was so young and new to LA, finding my way in the music industry. A very young Michael Jackson would drive himself to the studio and buzz the back door until I let him in.
Looking back at it now it all seems so surreal, yet there he was, in his big white Chevy truck, working on Captain EO.
A few months earlier Michael had been producing an album for his sister Rebe called "Centipede". Matt Forger recorded much of it, and Michael offered his voice for some of the background vocals. As the album was winding down, Michael started talking about a huge project for Disney - a 3D movie - being produced by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He asked Matt and John Barnes to work on the music, which would need two pop songs. Soon they were in the studio again, working on demos in early 1985.
Matt remembers John came up with about six song grooves, which were quite simply called "Song 1", "Song 2", and so on. This was fairly typically for Michael. Most of the songs were simply ideas, waiting for direction and production. Only two of them started to emerge as leaders - "We Are Here The Change The World" and "Another Part Of Me".
Now - here is where it get's interesting. Matt did the bulk of the recording on those two songs at Westlake, then Michael delivered the music to Disney. Matt moved back to the Havenhurst studio to begin the pre-production of what would eventually become the "Bad" album. Michael split his time between Havenhurst and the EO filming for a couple months. Then the film went into post production for all of the special effects, and Michael focused on the "Bad" album. Special effects - according to Matt - took nearly a year to finish, then Matt returned to Westlake for the final mixes. Did you catch that? Special effects and video post-production for EO took nearly a full year. For a 17-minute movie.
On the weekend of Sept 12, 1986, my wife Debbie and I went to Disneyland and watched the fully-finished movie for the first time. Matt had even been brought down to tune the speaker system in the Magic Eye Theater at Disneyland. It looked, sounded and felt amazing. Disney even gave us T-shirts!
I remember the line stretched all the way down Main Street USA almost to the train station. I think the park was open for two or three continuous days - just to allow everyone to see EO for the first time.
29 years, 2 months and 20 days later I watched the movie again tonight - more than 10,000 days since it first opened. I didn't produce it or write the music, but I am proud to have been a very small part of EO.
As I walked around EPCOT thinking about EO, my mind couldn't decide whether to be happy or sad. I kept walking, and remembering.
A flood of songs and experiences started filling my mind. Hearing him sing "Man In The Mirror" for the first time. Seeing him perform at Madison Square Garden - with me standing just off stage watching his every move. Hearing his laugh at Neverland on the little train. Working on demos like "Jane" and "Family" and "Little Susie". Sharing meals. Holding Bubbles while he sang. Popcorn fights.
29 years, 2 months and 20 days.
I asked Brad Buxer tonight what Michael used to say about EO to him, and Brad reminded me of something very interesting. He said that when Michael loved something that he worked on - like EO - he was quietly proud of it. He didn't talk about it or bring it up in conversation, it was just good. When he didn't like something - like the video for "Blood On The Dancefloor", he would talk about it on and on. And on.
I kept walking.
Songs like "Streetwalker", "Dangerous" and "Someone Put Your Hand Out" kept floating through my head - as did "Moscow". Songs that I love, songs that I am proud of.
Michael and Neverland have been a significant, powerful part of almost all of my adult life. You want to know something funny? I wasn't a Jackson-5 or a Jacksons fan as a kid. I wasn't even a huge Michael fan in my teens - he was a voice on the radio, along with hundreds of other voices. Until 29 years, 2 months and 20 days ago.
As I look back on it, it makes sense that EO can't be at EPCOT forever. 29 years, 2 months and 20 days is a long time for those special effects to look somewhat relevant. Still, it made me happy to hear people cheer when Michael rose up on the elevator in his entrance scene. He wasn't the greatest actor of all time, but he had a very powerful presence. And he was - and is - loved.
When I was young I learned about men who had worked on skyscrapers in New York, or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and how they would point to them with their kids and proudly say, "I helped build that." Tonight, as I sat in the front row of Captain EO, I was proud to tell my daughter that I helped build that.
Yeah, maybe I'm a bit sad, but here's the thing:
The songs I worked on are here to stay.
The short films I was a part of are still works of art.
The time I spent with Michael, helping him record songs, build Neverland, dream about bigger projects, or simply being a friend, is irreplaceable. I miss him.
This weekend my friends Brad Buxer and Michael Prince will be joining me for a very special day of music and memories in Boston. "In The Studio With MJ" is coming to the Sound Museum this Saturday, from 11am to 7pm. You will hear, see and learn things you have never heard, seen or knew. I hope you will consider joining us if you are in the Northeast US. For the rest of you - have a blessed week, and do what you can to help Change The World.
Thanks Captain EO. I think you've earned a break after 29 years, 2 months and 20 days.
See you in Boston this weekend.
www.inthestudiowithmj.com/events
Brad on the ending of Captain EO at Disney:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Captain EO
September 1986 - 29 years, 2 months and 20 days ago.
Tonight I went to EPCOT and saw Captain EO for what will likely be the last time in "Magic Eye Theater". It is slated for closing this weekend, and ironically I'll be in Boston with Brad Buxer and Michael Prince - more on that in a moment.
I don't know how many times I have seen EO, but it was the true beginning of my time - my nearly two decades - of working in and around the Michael Jackson team. I was both excited and a bit sad when we went into the theater tonight, but thanks to sitting with my 12-year-old daughter, I decided to enjoy it like it was the first time seeing it. We even sat in the front row at her urging.
I think I first saw the raw footage of Captain EO in early 1985. Matt Forger was working at Westlake Studios, and I got a job as a runner - a "gopher". I was so young and new to LA, finding my way in the music industry. A very young Michael Jackson would drive himself to the studio and buzz the back door until I let him in.
Looking back at it now it all seems so surreal, yet there he was, in his big white Chevy truck, working on Captain EO.
A few months earlier Michael had been producing an album for his sister Rebe called "Centipede". Matt Forger recorded much of it, and Michael offered his voice for some of the background vocals. As the album was winding down, Michael started talking about a huge project for Disney - a 3D movie - being produced by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He asked Matt and John Barnes to work on the music, which would need two pop songs. Soon they were in the studio again, working on demos in early 1985.
Matt remembers John came up with about six song grooves, which were quite simply called "Song 1", "Song 2", and so on. This was fairly typically for Michael. Most of the songs were simply ideas, waiting for direction and production. Only two of them started to emerge as leaders - "We Are Here The Change The World" and "Another Part Of Me".
Now - here is where it get's interesting. Matt did the bulk of the recording on those two songs at Westlake, then Michael delivered the music to Disney. Matt moved back to the Havenhurst studio to begin the pre-production of what would eventually become the "Bad" album. Michael split his time between Havenhurst and the EO filming for a couple months. Then the film went into post production for all of the special effects, and Michael focused on the "Bad" album. Special effects - according to Matt - took nearly a year to finish, then Matt returned to Westlake for the final mixes. Did you catch that? Special effects and video post-production for EO took nearly a full year. For a 17-minute movie.
On the weekend of Sept 12, 1986, my wife Debbie and I went to Disneyland and watched the fully-finished movie for the first time. Matt had even been brought down to tune the speaker system in the Magic Eye Theater at Disneyland. It looked, sounded and felt amazing. Disney even gave us T-shirts!
I remember the line stretched all the way down Main Street USA almost to the train station. I think the park was open for two or three continuous days - just to allow everyone to see EO for the first time.
29 years, 2 months and 20 days later I watched the movie again tonight - more than 10,000 days since it first opened. I didn't produce it or write the music, but I am proud to have been a very small part of EO.
As I walked around EPCOT thinking about EO, my mind couldn't decide whether to be happy or sad. I kept walking, and remembering.
A flood of songs and experiences started filling my mind. Hearing him sing "Man In The Mirror" for the first time. Seeing him perform at Madison Square Garden - with me standing just off stage watching his every move. Hearing his laugh at Neverland on the little train. Working on demos like "Jane" and "Family" and "Little Susie". Sharing meals. Holding Bubbles while he sang. Popcorn fights.
29 years, 2 months and 20 days.
I asked Brad Buxer tonight what Michael used to say about EO to him, and Brad reminded me of something very interesting. He said that when Michael loved something that he worked on - like EO - he was quietly proud of it. He didn't talk about it or bring it up in conversation, it was just good. When he didn't like something - like the video for "Blood On The Dancefloor", he would talk about it on and on. And on.
I kept walking.
Songs like "Streetwalker", "Dangerous" and "Someone Put Your Hand Out" kept floating through my head - as did "Moscow". Songs that I love, songs that I am proud of.
Michael and Neverland have been a significant, powerful part of almost all of my adult life. You want to know something funny? I wasn't a Jackson-5 or a Jacksons fan as a kid. I wasn't even a huge Michael fan in my teens - he was a voice on the radio, along with hundreds of other voices. Until 29 years, 2 months and 20 days ago.
As I look back on it, it makes sense that EO can't be at EPCOT forever. 29 years, 2 months and 20 days is a long time for those special effects to look somewhat relevant. Still, it made me happy to hear people cheer when Michael rose up on the elevator in his entrance scene. He wasn't the greatest actor of all time, but he had a very powerful presence. And he was - and is - loved.
When I was young I learned about men who had worked on skyscrapers in New York, or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and how they would point to them with their kids and proudly say, "I helped build that." Tonight, as I sat in the front row of Captain EO, I was proud to tell my daughter that I helped build that.
Yeah, maybe I'm a bit sad, but here's the thing:
The songs I worked on are here to stay.
The short films I was a part of are still works of art.
The time I spent with Michael, helping him record songs, build Neverland, dream about bigger projects, or simply being a friend, is irreplaceable. I miss him.
This weekend my friends Brad Buxer and Michael Prince will be joining me for a very special day of music and memories in Boston. "In The Studio With MJ" is coming to the Sound Museum this Saturday, from 11am to 7pm. You will hear, see and learn things you have never heard, seen or knew. I hope you will consider joining us if you are in the Northeast US. For the rest of you - have a blessed week, and do what you can to help Change The World.
Thanks Captain EO. I think you've earned a break after 29 years, 2 months and 20 days.
See you in Boston this weekend.
www.inthestudiowithmj.com/events
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