"Phone rang, I picked it up and there’s this voice saying, ‘Yo, Eddie? That Eddie?’ There was lots of crackling and stuff. “I used to have this old phone system in the studio," he said on the experience. Michael Jackson never wrote a flat-out rocker before, but he penned Beat It because he wanted to write "the type of song that I would buy if I were to buy a rock song." After hearing the demo, producer Quincy Jones knew just who ring up for a guitar solo.įunnily enough, when Eddie Van Halen received that phone call from Jones, he thought it was a prank. (Image credit: Joe Giron/Corbis) Eddie Van Halen Sometimes that first pinch of spice is just enough. Various attempts at re-creating the guitar track were made at LA's Westlake Studio, but nothing could beat the magic of the demo. Engineer Bruce Swedien has stated that Williams recorded a pass at Jackson's home studio just after the song was written. Surprisingly, in the case of Billie Jean, that dash of sonic flavor, a fascinating mix of rhythm meets lead, was captured on a demo.
You don't need much of it, but the right amount gets the job done." Williams humbly referred to his playing as a "secret spice. Williams' clean rhythmic grooves informed much of Off The Wall, but it was on 1982's Thriller, and particularly the MTV gate-crasher Billie Jean, that the guitarist established his signature sound.
The "secret spice" in Off The Wall and Thriller David WilliamsĪlthough high-profile session pros such as Larry Carlton and Phil Upchurch played on what was to be Jackson's 1979 commercial breakthrough album, Off The Wall, it was David Williams, plucked from obscurity by producer Quincy Jones, who made the music sing and dance with a funky, in-the-pocket jangle that would be much copied through the years. On the following pages, we take a look at seven axemen - and axewomen - who provided both silky grooves and molten shred to Jackson's music, and who, in their own disparate ways, helped give him the sound by which he became The King Of Pop. The casting was carefully done - and even when steeped in the absurd, the results were, more often than not, glorious moments of rapturous beauty. The alchemy of personality in paring Jackson, as he rose from child superstar (then one of the most natural, least self-conscious performers to ever walk the planet) to troubled icon (by then one of the most calculating, self-conscious ever), with guitarists both world famous and unknown, is one of the more fascinating aspects one encounters when examining the late entertainer's oeuvre.
Michael Jackson died one year ago today, on 25 June 2009, just weeks before he was to begin a series of comeback This Is It concerts at London's O2 Arena.Īmid all of the expected tributes to mark such an anniversary, and they're all certainly warranted in this case, one thing usually goes overlooked: the music itself. Whether you followed his personal life gossip or not, it’s undeniable that Jackson was a musical genius, with a back catalog of melodies, lyrics and moments that people will remember forever.(Image credit: GARY HERSHORN/Reuters/Corbis) The world at his feet.and six-string power behind him Yet despite his untimely passing - and the often rocky relationship he had with the press - Jackson’s fans continue to embrace his music, and the legacy he left behind.Įvery June, on the anniversary of his death, and every August 29, the late singer’s birthday, fans will undoubtedly gather to pay tribute to their musical icon. The undisputed King of Pop was found unresponsive at his home in Los Angeles and died shortly after. It’s been almost a decade since Michael Jackson’s sudden passing at the age of 50. * Jackson passed away in June 2009 at the age of 50 * His solo career really took off after leaving Motown records and signing with Epic/Sony * The King of Pop released 12 studio albums, including two posthumously If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SPY.com may receive an affiliate commission.