THRILLER

At the Westlake Studios in Los Angeles in August 1982, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones began to work on the album Thriller. The two chose nine songs out of three hundred to choose from, and the production cost was to be $750,000.

In an interview with Alex Haley for Playboy magazine, Quincy Jones claimed it was going to be a hit. "I knew from the first time I heard it in the studio, because the hair stood straight up on my arms. That's a sure sign, and it's never once been wrong. All the brilliance that had been building inside Michael Jackson for twenty-four years just erupted. I was electrified, and so was everyone else involved in the project. That energy was contagious, and we had it cranked so high one night that the speakers in the studio actually overloaded and burst into flames. First time I ever saw anything like that in forty years in the business."

But once they heard the master, it was a totally different story. It sounded terrible. The mix was wrong, and Michael was totally upset, so much so , he ran out of the room , crying. The solution would be time consuming, but necessary. They had to remix EVERY song, taking two songs a week. After a labor intensive effort, Michael was very happy with the finished product.

Quincy, Ron Weisner, John Branca, and Michael sat and listened to the playback of the album. Michael though the music sounded terrific, and he was very optimistic about how it would be received.

"Mike, you know, the record market is off right now," Ron Weisner said.

"Yeah, Mike," Quincy agreed. "You can't expect to do with this one what you did with Off the Wall."

"These days, two million is a hot album," Weisner added.

"Yeah, it's a tough market. Nobody's having hits," Quincy added.

"Turn it down," Michael told the engineer. "What's the matter with you guys? How can you say that to me? You're wrong. You are dead wrong."

"But Smelly-" Quincy began.

"Look, don't talk to me," Michael said, turning away from Jones. "I've had it with you. I'm really mad. Don't ever tell me anything like that again. What kind of attitude is that to have? I'm outta here! Michael said, as he stormed out the door.

The next day, Michael telephoned Branca, and told him how angry he was that Weisner and Jones said the album would only sell two million albums. "There is no way. There is no way . This is a big album."

He told Branca to telephone Walter Yetnikoff and cancel the Thriller project. "If Quincy and Ron don't have faith in me, then let's just forget it. I'm not even going to let the album come out. Thriller is going to be shelved forever."

What people does not understand about Michael, is that he completely believed in everything that he did, in particular the Thriller album. He as much told Yetnikoff so, and wanted the backing of CBS, OR NOTHING AT ALL. "Listen Walter, this album is the biggest album of all time. I just feel it," Michael told him. "The music is that strong, So it had better be a success, and you'd better make sure of it."

After Yetnikoff assured him, Michael was satisfied.

Soon, we all would be too, and then some.

I'm A Man Now, Worth Something, Don't Forget That

On August 29,1979, Michael Jackson turned twenty-one. He was known to say, "When I become twenty-one, things will be different. I really feel that being a man is doing exactly what you want to do in this life and to do it successfully and conquer a goal. That's the whole thing in life, I guess, to do what you want to do. And is it's great, to share it. To me, Walt Disney is a real man. Charlie Chaplin, a real man. Fred Astaire, a real man. Bill Robinson, a real man. Because not only have they conquered goals, how many people have they influenced. Other people looked up to them. They made paths."
Michael and Joe had some words when Michael said that he wanted more control over his career. Joe did not think that Michael would follow through with his plans. Michael set up an meeting with a new attorney, not using attorneys that Joe used, to look over his affairs and follow where his money was going.
Michael's accountant at the time, Michael Mesnick, recommended John Branca, an entertainment attorney, to Michael. Michael and Mesnick did their studying before the meeting with Branca, and were ready for any line of questions.
Michael stated that he wanted to distance himself from his family. To be independent, especially from his father. He wanted his business , publishing and record sales reviewed.
After the meeting, Michael knew he had found his man, and let him know what he wanted to accomplish, one, to be the biggest star in show business. Second, to be the wealthiest. Branca was impressed by Michael's belief in himself, and he started to feel the same . It was time to go to work.
John Branca wold become, over the next eleven years, the most influential person in Michael's career. Many of Michael's associates would say if not for Branca, Michael would not be as successful as he had become. He negotiated every every business deal for him, became a friend and adviser.
One thing that Branca did was renegotiated his contract with CBS. Branca got Michael the highest royalty rate at that time, thirty-seven percent of hundred percent of wholesale. People like Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan were making that. In addition, an agreement was made with Yetnikoff and the Jackson's legal adviser, that Michael could leave the Jacksons anytime he wanted. He didn't have to record another record with his brothers if he didn't want to. Of course, the brothers were none too happy about this arrangement.
Michael wanted to be a cover story with Rolling Stone magazine. But, according to a letter sent by publisher Jann Wenner to Michael's publicist, Norman Winter, "We would very much like to do a major piece on Michael Jackson, but feel it is not a cover story."
"I've been told over and over again that black people on the cover of magazines don't sell copies," Michael said angrily. "Just wait. Someday those magazines are going to be begging me for an interview. Maybe I'll give them one. And maybe I won't."

Thank you J.Randy Taraborrelli, MICHAEL JACKSON -The Magic and the Madness pages 233-236.