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The making of Thriller (including how he ripped off 1999). Apologies if this has already been posted.
http://tinyurl.com/m786yz Click on '...Thriller: The Album' Interesting reading, here's the snippet about Prince... Brian Banks (synthesizers) "It was late in the evening one night when we were working, and Quincy came to us. We all knew how ‘Thriller’ was going – they were trying to get Vincent Price, they were doing all this stuff – but he wanted this huge chord sequence." He said, “There's this sound that I've got in my head. There's this underground, this new artist, that nobody's ever really heard of but he's great, he's hot, he's got this great song.” And he pulled out the album and it was Prince, '1999'. And you know the opening sound on that? Duh-da da, dur-duh-duh? Well, that was the sound – that big, bitey chord sound at the opening of '1999' – he wanted that, but bigger, for ‘Thriller’." | |
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jacko didnt write the song 'thriller'  | |
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He may have used 1999 as a keyboard inspiration, but to me a lot of Thriller (the song) was a rehash of Off The Wall - especially the "laughing/howling" people intro. |
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yep...always thought that too  | |
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Thriller "feels" older to me than 1999 for some reason... | |
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coolcat said: Thriller "feels" older to me than 1999 for some reason...
They both start out with a solid R&B base, but where Thriller still incorporates elements of disco, 1999 replaces those with New Wave. The result is 2 completely different sounding albums. |
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WOW! 2 of R&B biggest artists were inspiration (musically) 2 the biggest hit of the 80's: Thiller by Michael Jackson. The opening synth-part of '1999' inspired 'Thriller' opening synth part. Prince inspired 'Thriller' musically but, he wasn't the only one. Rick James inspired Thriller (musically) as well. Rick James 'Give It To My Baby' bass-line inspired 'Thriller' bass-line. Quincy Jones stated that in the past as well. Play them back 2 back and hear it. I bet alot of people didn't know also the musically Rick James inspired Thriller as well along with Prince. It's just 2 show how Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones wanted 2 be number one not just in R&B but in Pop as well. They wanted 2 take it 2 the next level and they beyond that. People don't understand (even Charle Murphy has said this in the past) that the biggest artists in R&B of the 80's were Michael Jackson, Prince, and Rick James. Just think, they all have one common link: 'Thriller'. [Edited 7/3/09 5:37am] | |
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^
Yeah, I've always found Thriller (the album) a ripoff musically of Street Songs |
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I think he changed his face to try to look like Prince to. Lighter skin, longer hair...  | |
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why does everyone want to take credit for what michael has accomplished. This stuff infuriates me. I have heard some prince songs that sound like he was copying the jacksons so should michael and tito get credit for that????? | |
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please give michael the credit he deserves,thriller was written by rod temperton,michael jackson had nothing to do with the lyrics or music in the song thriller | |
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riverdean7 said: please give michael the credit he deserves,thriller was written by rod temperton,michael jackson had nothing to do with the lyrics or music in the song thriller
The post is from a quote from Brian Banks (synthesizers). I think its common knowledge Michael Jackson didn't write Thriller. When the song came into the studio, MJ wanted the Synth's to be really punchy - Like 1999. Sounded pretty straight forward to me. Just interesting, that's all. [Edited 7/3/09 7:13am] | |
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Se7en said: coolcat said: Thriller "feels" older to me than 1999 for some reason...
They both start out with a solid R&B base, but where Thriller still incorporates elements of disco, 1999 replaces those with New Wave. The result is 2 completely different sounding albums. They do sound completely different... but there are similar elements... both albums incorporate rock and funk... both heavily use the Linn Drum machine. | |
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That's so dumb. The report is already false because Rod Temperton wrote "Thriller", not MJ. Rod also wrote "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You".
You wanna know what sounds like "1999" ? ? ? Go listen to Phil Collins' "Sussudio". Wanna know who ripped off "One More Chance" from The Jackson's Victory album? Go listen to Phil Collins' "One More Night". | |
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ernestsewell said: That's so dumb. The report is already false because Rod Temperton wrote "Thriller", not MJ. Rod also wrote "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You".
You wanna know what sounds like "1999" ? ? ? Go listen to Phil Collins' "Sussudio". Wanna know who ripped off "One More Chance" from The Jackson's Victory album? Go listen to Phil Collins' "One More Night". in all fairness Phil Collins is on record as saying that Sussudio was heavilt inspired by 1999. | |
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peppeken said: jacko didnt write the song 'thriller'
Uh HUH that was the guy from HeatWave, Rod Temperton. Q was always gaa-gaa about his songwriting. test | |
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80spfantwp said: ernestsewell said: That's so dumb. The report is already false because Rod Temperton wrote "Thriller", not MJ. Rod also wrote "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You".
You wanna know what sounds like "1999" ? ? ? Go listen to Phil Collins' "Sussudio". Wanna know who ripped off "One More Chance" from The Jackson's Victory album? Go listen to Phil Collins' "One More Night". in all fairness Phil Collins is on record as saying that Sussudio was heavilt inspired by 1999. That makes him an honest thief? test | |
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oh come on! A thief takes someone else's tune in it's entirety and casses it as their own without even a mention of whose tune it is! Inspired is something completely different. Crimson and Clover undoubtedly involves Jimi Hendrix influences...u gonna call out Prince as a 'thief' for that...? | |
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80spfantwp said: casses it as their own without
Never heard this word. whhat's it mean?  test | |
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A few points I would like to make.....
* Just because MJ wanted the intro chords to sound like 1999 does NOT mean he "ripped-off" 1999. The title of this thread is completely ridiculous. Just because you reference another piece of music for a certain type of sound or a certain type of vibe does not mean you are copying it. It DOES make it an influence in the song but that's completely different from "ripping off" a song. Once again, the title of this thread is dead wrong. * Also, I have no idea if the story is true or not, but assuming it is (and I have no reason to believe otherwise), that does not mean that Rod Temperton did not write the song, the lyrics, the melody, and the chords. MJ is talking about the arrangement of the song and how he wants it to sound. Just because Rod Temperton wrote the song doesn't mean he personally came up with every little note of music on the song. * I don't see this story as a big deal but it seems like a lot of people on here are making it seem bigger than it is... Musicians influence each other, that's how it goes. The Beatles and The Stones and The Beach Boys all influenced each other in a very direct way as well as people like Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Motown, etc. It's well known fact that Paul McCartney lifted the bassline from a Chuck Berry tune and used it as the bassline for "I Saw Her Standing There." That's music. I'm a H-U-G-E Beatles fan, Prince fan, and MJ fan, just so you understand where I'm coming from. * sms130: it's cool to know that Rick James "Give It To Me Baby" bassline inspired the "Thriller" bassline. I hadn't thought of that before but now that I remember how both of the basslines go, they are indeed very similar. That's cool. * Just cuz MJ was inspired by other recordings doesn't take away from the greatness of "Thriller" folks. It's naive to think that every thing on there just came from his mind with no outside influences, nobody works like that. I have no doubt that Prince has done the same thing thousands of time, just like any other musician. * I do see the connection between "Off The Wall" being an inspiration for "Thriller" (as someone mentioned). | |
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80spfantwp said: ernestsewell said: That's so dumb. The report is already false because Rod Temperton wrote "Thriller", not MJ. Rod also wrote "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You".
You wanna know what sounds like "1999" ? ? ? Go listen to Phil Collins' "Sussudio". Wanna know who ripped off "One More Chance" from The Jackson's Victory album? Go listen to Phil Collins' "One More Night". in all fairness Phil Collins is on record as saying that Sussudio was heavilt inspired by 1999. Phil has said that, but is it a slick way of saying "OOPS!", or was it really inspired by "1999" ? With the even bigger similarities between "One More Chance" and "One More Night", I wonder. (PS For Janet fans, she covered "One More Chance" on the B-side of "IF".) | |
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ernestsewell said: That's so dumb. The report is already false because Rod Temperton wrote "Thriller", not MJ. Rod also wrote "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You".
You wanna know what sounds like "1999" ? ? ? Go listen to Phil Collins' "Sussudio". Wanna know who ripped off "One More Chance" from The Jackson's Victory album? Go listen to Phil Collins' "One More Night". I thought i was the only one to notice that. | |
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The moog bass synth line is borrowed by Quincy from Rick James' "Give It To Me" - as he told the story in his GH liner notes. | |
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Harlepolis said: The moog bass synth line is borrowed by Quincy from Rick James' "Give It To Me" - as he told the story in his GH liner notes.
I seem to remember Louis Johnson working out the fingerings for that riff, so it must be duped on keys. test | |
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sms130 said: WOW! 2 of R&B biggest artists were inspiration (musically) 2 the biggest hit of the 80's: Thiller by Michael Jackson. The opening synth-part of '1999' inspired 'Thriller' opening synth part. Prince inspired 'Thriller' musically but, he wasn't the only one. Rick James inspired Thriller (musically) as well. Rick James 'Give It To My Baby' bass-line inspired 'Thriller' bass-line. Quincy Jones stated that in the past as well. Play them back 2 back and hear it. I bet alot of people didn't know also the musically Rick James inspired Thriller as well along with Prince. It's just 2 show how Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones wanted 2 be number one not just in R&B but in Pop as well. They wanted 2 take it 2 the next level and they beyond that. People don't understand (even Charle Murphy has said this in the past) that the biggest artists in R&B of the 80's were Michael Jackson, Prince, and Rick James. Just think, they all have one common link: 'Thriller'.
[Edited 7/3/09 5:37am] Never been a Rick James fan . . . . I don't want you to think like me. I just want you to think. | |
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ernestsewell said: That's so dumb. The report is already false because Rod Temperton wrote "Thriller", not MJ. Rod also wrote "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You".
You wanna know what sounds like "1999" ? ? ? Go listen to Phil Collins' "Sussudio". Wanna know who ripped off "One More Chance" from The Jackson's Victory album? Go listen to Phil Collins' "One More Night". THANK YOU! I don't want you to think like me. I just want you to think. | |
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Oh, how I love how now that MJ's dead, we can now start talking shit about how Thriller is a rip off of so and so. I am not going to sit down and try and figure out what base lines heard on MJ's masterpiece are re-workings of other tunes because I understand that creativity is not produced in a vacuum! My composition teacher has instructed me to take segments of classical music that I like and re-work them when composing - he is literally telling me to "rip off" other composers! But guess what? Beethoven, Mozart, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Thelonious Monk, The Beatles ALL did it. So you guys aren't discussing anything new.
One example of Thriller's is genius is MJ melding together various influences to brand a new style. Thriller is QJ and MJ creating a new American Pop music. Y'all got MJ twisted. | |
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chuckaducci said: Oh, how I love how now that MJ's dead, we can now start talking shit about how Thriller is a rip off of so and so. I am not going to sit down and try and figure out what base lines heard on MJ's masterpiece are re-workings of other tunes because I understand that creativity is not produced in a vacuum! My composition teacher has instructed me to take segments of classical music that I like and re-work them when composing - he is literally telling me to "rip off" other composers! But guess what? Beethoven, Mozart, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Thelonious Monk, The Beatles ALL did it. So you guys aren't discussing anything new.
One example of Thriller's is genius is MJ melding together various influences to brand a new style. Thriller is QJ and MJ creating a new American Pop music. Y'all got MJ twisted. | |
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the party bassline of Eye No rips off the party bassline of Thriller! My art book: http://www.lulu.com/spotl...ecomicskid
VIDEO WORK: http://sharadkantpatel.com MUSIC: https://soundcloud.com/ufoclub1977 |
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