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michael & tito interview from 1980

83magic

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its audio only. they discuss the making of the ‘destiny’, ‘off the wall’, and ‘triumph’ albums. michael discusses how he composes his songs, and if he plays any instruments. it’s interesting that young janet is parroting the questions to michael, even though tito is there. sometimes he forgets his own rule, and answers directly.. michael said that his next solo album would be in 1982. he knew what was to come..
 
Cool interview, heard it many years ago so not exactly new 🤷‍♂️ .
 
dethorro said:
What was the point of Janet repeating the questions? I don’t get it to this day.
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initially it was to protect himself from the media.

around this time, the jackson family were involved in a scandal where mother katherine (with the help of janet and randy) beat up joseph’s mistress. although michael wasn’t involved, he didn’t want to be questioned about it. having janet parrot questions prevented journalists from asking him anything inappropriate, due to her young age.

michael did this with many journalists up until 1983💜 he would also use latoya as an interpreter. strangely enough, I found those interviews to be more revealing when it came to his actual art.
 
filmandmusic said:
@zinniabooklover you heard this interview before?

I would like to see footage of Michael drumming, I cannot imagine it in my head, must look weird but fun lol
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I've heard a version of it, I tried to listen to it two or three times. I don't remember Tito being on it but I can't remember if I managed to get to the end. Maybe I missed his bit. This one I haven't listened to yet. Tbh, I didn't really enjoy the version I heard bc of all the back and forth with Janet, I just found it annoying. I do love interviews with Michael, especially early ones, but this one didn't work for me. I haven't listened to it for a couple of years, though. Maybe it's time for me to give it another chance.

I definitely want footage of Michael playing drums / bongoes / any kind of percussion. That would be awesome!

Lovely photos of Michael on that YT video. I think the version I accessed had a different photo.
 
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filmandmusic said:
@zinniabooklover you heard this interview before?

I would like to see footage of Michael drumming, I cannot imagine it in my head, must look weird but fun lol
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Just listened. I don't think I have heard this, didn't seem familiar at all. I loved it. The interviewer wasn't particularly good, imo, and I didn't like the irritating arrangement with Janet and the noise of the camera going off - not to mention doors being closed - all of that was really annoying. But the interview was gold. I don't think this is a section from the one I listened to. I think it's completely different.

@83magic - that was awesome! Brilliant find.
 
it’s interesting to know that michael had other talents, but I don’t understand why it’s so important that he played instruments. he was more than amazing at what he did. I couldn’t ask for more.
 
83magic said:
it’s interesting to know that michael had other talents, but I don’t understand why it’s so important that he played instruments. he was more than amazing at what he did. I couldn’t ask for more.
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I agree. The whole 'instrumentalist' obsession is weird, imo. Michael was a consummate musician. It begins and ends there for me. You might as well slag off Roger Daltrey just bc he doesn't write the lyrics that he sings and yet no-one does, afaik. Bc it wold be ridiculous. Roger Daltrey is a great vocalist and performer, imo. The fact that the lyrics are written by Pete Townsend, who cares?

Ngl, I love the photos of Michael at the drums but that's more about how much I love drums and percussion. And footage of Michael playing drums, I'd be up for that but that's more me wanting more footage of Michael working and performing bc it's so interesting and so fabulous. I mean, it's not me seeking proof that Michael was a 'proper' musician.
 
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I think ‘obsession’ is the perfect word to describe it.

I feel that dance isn’t respected as an art form. that’s where the entertainment and showmanship comes from. it’s something that michael spoke more passionately about than any of his other talents. I love michael’s music, but it’s his dancing that made him stand out more. I honestly wouldn’t be as much of a fan if he just stood onstage singing or playing an instrument (especially guitar).

it just seems like an attempt to impress rock critics, who never really liked him in the first place. he didn’t need them then, and he doesn’t need them now.
 
I find it interesting that MJ said that he would not release a new album "soon" yet he released Thriller in 82, only 2 years later! Yet his definition of "soon" would change after Thriller seeing that he did not release his Bad album until 87, making music critics label it as his comeback album! But that also misses all the other projects he did inbetween albums, plus his drive to always make a "better" album, also overexposure was a fear he had in the 80's.

I also find it fascinating that it was during the Triumph tour that MJ wanted to move away from the Jackson 5 material, exclaiming to his brothers during the Triumph tour "the number one reason I don't want to do the old stuff, number one it's old! number two the choreography is old! Jackie is old!" 🤣
Yet in his subsequent tours he would continue to do the old songs the old fashioned way until his last solo tour History, making a commentator of his HIStory tour concert in Honolulu jokingly remark he did a "Jackson 5 medley that's probably old enough to vote!"
 
flight85 said:
I find it interesting that MJ said that he would not release a new album "soon" yet he released Thriller in 82, only 2 years later! Yet his definition of "soon" would change after Thriller seeing that he did not release his Bad album until 87, making music critics label it as his comeback album! But that also misses all the other projects he did inbetween albums, plus his drive to always make a "better" album, also overexposure was a fear he had in the 80's.

I also find it fascinating that it was during the Triumph tour that MJ wanted to move away from the Jackson 5 material, exclaiming to his brothers during the Triumph tour "the number one reason I don't want to do the old stuff, number one it's old! number two the choreography is old! Jackie is old!" 🤣
Yet in his subsequent tours he would continue to do the old songs the old fashioned way until his last solo tour History, making a commentator of his HIStory tour concert in Honolulu jokingly remark he did a "Jackson 5 medley that's probably old enough to vote!"
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he also stopped enjoying touring during ‘triumph’ and said it would be his last. which might explain why that tour wasn’t international like the the previous one. same goes for ‘victory’, even more so..

in fact in 1979, right before the release of the ‘off the wall’ album, michael said that he had no plans to tour as a solo artist. I honestly think that music videos/short films became his favourite medium. it facilitated his perfectionism by allowing him to do multiple takes, just like in the studio. it was also a moment captured forever to be enjoyed over again, unlike touring.

I think he still enjoyed performing; after all, he described himself as a ‘stage addict’, but not the gruelling touring process. he also was afraid of overexposure as you mentioned. it’s astonishing to think that motown 25 almost didn’t happen because of that.
 
flight85 said:
I find it interesting that MJ said that he would not release a new album "soon" yet he released Thriller in 82, only 2 years later!
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2 years was a long time in that era. This was when most artists released an album every year. Before around 1973, the average artist released 2 or 3 albums a year, and in some cases non-album singles in addition to that. Some years the J5 had multiple albums in a year plus solo albums by Mike, Jermaine, & Jackie. During a 2 year period in the late 1960s, James Brown released 9 different albums. There were magazine articles saying that Stevie Wonder was taking too long to record Songs In The Key Of Life.
 
filmandmusic said:
@zinniabooklover you heard this interview before?

I would like to see footage of Michael drumming, I cannot imagine it in my head, must look weird but fun lol
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There is also this quote from Tatum O'Neal:

'Michael would hang out & jam sometimes w/ my brother Griffin...Griffin was like a musical savant; he played the piano, guitar, & drums beautifully. Michael would play drums, & outside on the deck, my father would be boxing to the rhythm'
 
Victorious said:
There is also this quote from Tatum O'Neal:

'Michael would hang out & jam sometimes w/ my brother Griffin...Griffin was like a musical savant; he played the piano, guitar, & drums beautifully. Michael would play drums, & outside on the deck, my father would be boxing to the rhythm'
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ooh, I haven't seen this quote before! Oh, I've got pictures in my head.

Thanks for posting this. :)
 
83magic said:
its audio only. they discuss the making of the ‘destiny’, ‘off the wall’, and ‘triumph’ albums. michael discusses how he composes his songs, and if he plays any instruments. it’s interesting that young janet is parroting the questions to michael, even though tito is there. sometimes he forgets his own rule, and answers directly.. michael said that his next solo album would be in 1982. he knew what was to come..
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What he says about Norman Whitfield (around 06:14) is funny, reminds me of how he created 'Give In To Me' himself!
 
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