1976 to 1982
Michael: ”I was little back then, but I remember that Simi Davis introduced me to Quincy Jones.“ Michael’s friendship with Quincy Jones began on the set of the film Wiz and turned into a relationship of ”father and son”.
After Wiz, Michael called Quincy and said: ”Look, I’m planning to make a music album. Do you think you can suggest a few producers to me?“
Michael: ”I said it without any intention. My question was simple, but honest. We talked about music for a while. Then Quincy mentioned a few names, and after a bit of min-mining, he said: ”Why don’t you let me do this?“
Michael: ”I hadn’t really thought about it. So I stuttered.... ”Of course, it’s a very good idea. I’ve never thought of that.“.... Quincy still teases me about this story.“
With this phone call, the best and most successful team of the late 80s—Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson— began.
[Dream team: Quincy and Michael]
In December 1978, the Jacksons returned with a very successful album titled «Destiny». This album was their most successful work. On the album «Destiny», for the first time, control of everything was in the hands of the group itself.
Except for the song «Bale It On The Boogie», the rest of the tracks were written by the group. This album was considered their biggest success.
[Boogie is a blues music style with a fast rhythm played on the piano.]
The Jacksons also established their own production company called Peacock Productions.
In 1979, Michael turned twenty-one and gradually took control of his work.
Michael: ”The personal contract my father made with me to control me ended. And although it was a difficult decision, that contract wasn’t renewed. Did this decision change my relationship with my father? I don’t know what was going on in his heart, but it definitely didn’t change my feelings. I only wanted to have control over my own life.“
Michael moved to New York, where, away from his father’s reach, he could experience an independent life.
Michael: ”I wanted my first solo album [for Epic] to be the best thing it could possibly be.“
For the album «Off The Wall», Michael worked with a new producer—the legendary Quincy Jones—
Michael: ”I was very happy about the fact that a friend arranged my plans with a music company to record them. And that same person happened to be the best choice for producing as well.“
At first, the name of this album was going to be «Girl Friend». Paul McCartney and his wife Linda, even before they met Michael, had written a song with that title so that later they could perform it together with Michael.
Michael: ”Paul McCartney always tells people this story that I called him and said that we should, with each other’s help, write a few top songs. But the way we met wasn’t exactly like that.
Paul McCartney and I met for the first time at a party held at Harold Lloyd’s villa. He said: ”You know, I wrote a song for you.“... I was very surprised, and I thanked him. And at that same party, he sang the song «Girl Friend» for me.“
They promised each other that they would meet again soon. But different projects and life’s busyness prevented them, and for a few years they didn’t manage to talk about this song. Finally, Paul, contrary to the plan he had for this song, put it on his own album «London Town».
Michael: ”The strangest thing happened while making the album «Off The Wall». One day Quincy came to me and said: ”Michael, I have a song that’s exactly right for you.“ ... He played me the song «Girl Friend». Of course, he didn’t know that Paul McCartney had originally written this song for me. When I told him that, he was very astonished and felt pleased. After that, we quickly recorded the song and put it on the album. It was an unbelievable coincidence.“
Bruce Swedien, the engineer who worked with Quincy, completed the songs and their mixes. To this day, Bruce still works with Michael, and they are very good friends to each other.
[Bruce — Quincy — Michael]
The song «Don't Stop Till You Get Enough» is very important to Michael, because it was the first song that Michael wrote on his own.
Michael: ”This was my first opportunity. And it went straight to number one. With this song, I received my first-ever solo Grammy award.