Hot Rocks: The Michael Jackson Story (USP) Radio Broadcast Album *2LP Set* (USA)

Description:

United Stations Programming Network. Airdate 10/31/87.  Features two LPs (the second one is one sided) entirely devoted to MJ interviews and songs.  Comes in a yellow "Hot Rocks" jacket with cue sheets.  Steve O'Brien is the host.  Interview clips appear to be the same as taken from the Dick Clark radio show and Motor City Beat also released in 1987.

1) Michael talks about performing on stage: "It's a love that I have...you can't put it in words.  When the lights hits you, there's a certain spirit you feel, I just don't like coming off."

2) Michael talks about how they came up with the song "Rock With You", and how it was written by former "Heatwave" member Rod Temperton..."Quincy told him to write a song about "The Rock", which is a dance.  But we wanted to have a double meaning about "rocking" a girl and doing the dance, the rock, you know, a little nasty (laughs)...and he came up with the song, which was wonderful."

3) Michael talks about how he has to limit his time in public, and that he rarely goes out because "it becomes work instead of pleasure" and talks about how he tried disguises but they rarely work.

4) MJ talks about the first time he met Paul and Linda McCartney "I went to this party…and they said “You know we wrote a song for you…it's called Girlfriend, and they started singing it…Linda and Paul. (singing) “Girlfriend, gonna tell your boyfriend…” and we switched numbers.  So the next day I called them from Beverly Hills”

5) Michael discusses the criticism from the black community that Thriller was too focused on the "white" demographic: "I don't think in terms of color or race...I just write and it comes out..."

6) He talks about dance: "Dancing is the most wonderful thing of all time because people communicated through bodily movement before anything…Dancing is really showing your emotions through bodily movement…When I dance, I really feel it, I feel free, and I do what I feel."

7) Michael talks about staying active: "If I take a week off, I feel I'm loafing...I feel like I'm getting behind.  I like being active, I like to create.  I constantly come up with different songs and different ideas...looking and prying into the future with the sound of tomorrow.  Because music is constantly changing minute by minute...It's important not to become old hat...that's an old expression (laughs)" 

8) Paul McCartney talks about how Michael got into music publishing: "He came to me and was asking for advice.  I told him "You should get into music publishing...and videos (this was before he made Thriller)...He kept joking "I'm going to buy your songs one of these days"...He paid $50 million for them [the ATV Catalog]...not cheap!"

9) Michael talks about how 1981's Heartbreak Hotel was the inspiration for "Thriller": "Heartbreak Hotel was a stimulant for Rod Temperton...because he told me how much he loved Heartbreak Hotel with all of the sounds and the sound effects...I was trying to step into the future with that, Heartbreak Hotel...try something different with the drama and the sound effects of the music, and it worked."

10) Jermaine talks about what it was like to perform on stage with his brothers again during the Victory Tour.

11) MJ discusses how he deals with all the awards and achievements.  "They always excite me, the gold and the platinum...It's important not to take it too serious and not to reflect too much on the past…too much on the gold.  You can get bogged down with your achievements, instead of putting out great work…you can get lost in that, really.  Sometimes I put all of my gold and platinum records out and will look at them, and try not to take it too serious because there’s so much more I have to do, you kind of forget about that."

12) Michael talks about the pressure of having to always top yourself each time.  "They get harder, because no matter what you do...you're competing against your previous product and everyone is expecting more."  He talks about each Star Wars movie being compared to the previous one, and how the Bee Gees had to follow up "Saturday Night Fever."  He says: "You're trying to top yourself all the time, and it's hard...I believe in doing better work, as you grow, you should get better.  It's like that saying, 'I'm not getting older, I'm betting better.'"

13) Michael discusses challenges in his field: "It's a challenge, it's fun...to get paid for something you love to do is a treat...because a lot of people hate their work, and it's terrible...I'm having a ball!"

Songs: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Rock With You, She's Out Of My Life, The Girl Is Mine, Billie Jean, Beat It, Human Nature, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Say Say Say, Thriller, State Of Shock, Torture, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Liberian Girl, Bad

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