MICHAEL JACKSON 101 BAD 30 MICHAEL JACKSON 101 BAD 30 &E Andy Healy MICHAEL JACKSON 101 BAD 30 . Andy Healy 2017 Dedicated to Michael for proving that great artists continue to push themselves to grow, for taking chances and pushing their art forwards. Under the Creative Commons licence you are free to share, copy, distribute and transmit this work with the proviso that the work not be altered in any way, shape or form and that all written works are credited to Andy Healy as author. This Creative Commons licence does not This special BAD Supplement is also dedicated to the producers, engineers, extend to the copyrights held by the photographers and their respective works. songwriters and musicians who helped bring Michael’s vision and music to life. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. By a fan for the fans. I do not claim any ownership of the photographs featured and all rights reside with the original copyright holders. Images are used under the Fair Use Act and do not intend to infringe on the copyright holders. &E BAD ow do you top the biggest selling Reteaming with producer Quincy Jones for album of all 30time? How do you top a what would become their final outing in their Hcultural phenomenon? How do you sonic trinity, development for the project top yourself? began in November on 1986 and proper recording commenced in January of 1987 These were just some of the questions that and continued through to July of that year. faced Michael Jackson as he prepared himself to record the follow up to the global Continuing to grow as a songwriter and smash that was Thriller. producer, Michael wound up penning 8 of the album’s 10 tracks and shared co-producer For Michael, the answer was, as it had always credits with Jones. It was clear that Michael been since the age of 5, to put in the work. To was growing in confidence and looking to spend hours, days, weeks, months and years expand his musical horizons. writing, crafting and perfecting the songs that would eventually form Bad. Of note is just how filmic the album is. Each song paints a visual picture and many contain But looking to top, match or even come in sound effects to further place the listener in a the same stratosphere as Thriller was going specific setting or mood with sound. Jackson to be a daunting task. But Michael was up to was also pushing the idea of developing the challenge. aural identifiers for each track. Not content with songs just starting on the downbeat, In the 5 years since the release of Thriller, he crafted instantly recognizable vamps to Michael had spend 2 years riding the crest build excitement before the music had even of that wave, recorded and toured with his began. Whether it’s the growl of “The Way brothers for Victory, developed and starred You Make Me Feel” or the emerging synth in Captain EO and set about writing another rise of “Another Part Of Me”, each track on landmark album. the album had one. Writing and recording with a trusted set of For all the pressure he faced in following musicians and collaborators at his Encino Thriller, Michael rose to the occasion studio, Michael reportedly produced over 60 delivering an album that is perhaps stronger songs for consideration for Bad. than its predecessor. And whilst it may not have outsold it (and really which album could) Bad did deliver it’s own landmark moments and birthed an unprecedented 5 consecutive Number 1 hits, well surpassing its predecessor haul of 2. PHOTO CREDITS More importantly though, Bad shows an artist still growing and pushing himself. Stretching I do not claim any ownership of the photographs featured and all rights reside with the original copyright into new territory and striving for more. And holders. Images are used under the Fair Use Act and for that fact alone, it should always be do not intend to infringe on the copyright holders. regarded as an overwhelming success. 30BAD 01 BAD nticipation has a sound. And level as MJ struts his stuff, reclaiming the it sounds exactly like the four funk from the imposters who clamoured A ascending synth stabs of the for glory in his absence. And who doesn’t opening vamp to ‘Bad’. As the first notes smile hearing “because I’m smoooooth” on the album they both mimic the building with those horns hitting all the right notes. anticipation of what Michael will deliver, as well as our expectations for bigger and Originally conceived as a duet with his better things. contemporary Prince, ‘Bad’ was initially worked on under the code name ‘Pee’ Against bristling accents that bubble (as in P for Prince). Brought into Westlake and brew under a climbing bass line, this Studio D to hear the track, Prince declared is Michael’s response to the speculation the song was a hit and didn’t need him on about whether or not he could equal, or it. Whether Prince wasn’t feeling the track, even top, the success of Thriller. With ‘Bad’ felt that there was no room to contribute, Michael throws down the lyrical gauntlet. or as he stated to Chris Rock that with When he declares, “And the whole the opening line “There’s a problem right world has to answer right now” it isn’t an there,” it wasn’t to be. A while we might overstatement, it’s a declaration of funk. lament the missed opportunity to hear two That line alone reflects the challenge greats in their prime trading licks, it ended and pressure of having to prove himself up being the right decision. once more. And he more than rises to the occasion. As a solo track ‘Bad’ allows Michael to stake his claim and own it from top to Underpinned by the crawling, taunting bottom. It is his statement, his answer to groove ‘Bad’ has Michael teasing out the the world, and remains rightfully so. lyrics as he spits out each line like venom. And with a promise of what’s to come he This is his answer to a questioning world boasts, “My friend you have seen nothin’.” who wondered, “Could he do it again?” “Did he still have it?” The musical progression of the track acts as a sonic groundswell with ebullient With this opening salvo he answered with organ and a synth bed that swarms and a resounding yes. And in turn, the whole carries the song to the chorus. Added world did answer sending the song and to the mix are Michael’s own vocals as album to the top of the charts around the instrument, tweaked and played back world. through the (at the time) state-of-the-art Synclavier mimicking the intonations of a For added funk, listen to the original album Wah-Wah guitar - credited as “How Now version that features sharp horn stabs from Brown Cow” in the liner notes. the first chorus through the remainder of the song. Removed from subsequent Add to the mix Michael’s harmonies pressings of the album to fall more in line stacked layer upon layer , doubled, with the short film, the original mix adds an tripled, quadrupled until they form the extra layer of funk that is undeniable. heavenly Jackson choir and even the dubious “really, really bad” lyrics slide their As album openers go, ‘Bad’ continues in way past the cringe meter with ease. the grand tradition of groove led instant classics of ‘Don’t Stop To You Get Enough’ Jimmy Smith’s blissful organ solo in the and ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’’ and middle eight takes the song to another still packs a punch 30 years on. 02 The Way You Make Me Feel ith a pure pop sensibility, ‘The remains light. Way You Make Me Feel’ is one of With a deep mix of musical layers from WMichael’s catchiest compositions. jagging synth strings to hot ‘n’ sexy horn His vocals are near flawless and there is blasts and of course that intoxicating a sense of joy in his delivery that is very shuffling swing beat, ‘The Way You Make reminiscent of the finest moments fromOff Me Feel’ is a high dose of elastic funk and The Wall. was destined to be a hit. From the opening growl of an engine Once again Michael proves there’s not starting up (tweaked and modulated a backing group that comes close to the by the Synclavier in the search for new beautiful harmonies he layers in the chorus. sounds) and the panned tom fills, energy Soft and sweet, these 16 voiced harmonies and joy are embedded in the track from float effortlessly above the track allowing the first measure. The tight shuffle beat for the grittier lead vocal to be more (inspired by Michael’s Mother, Katherine grounded in this raw appeal for love. who, when listening to Tears For Fears chart topping ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The Like a lot of Michael’s classic dance World,’ suggested Michael write a song numbers there isn’t so much of a bridge with an old time shuffle groove) provides present in the song but rather the creation an instant hook while Michael’s ad-libs of space to let the groove takeover. and the taunting “Go on girl” (which he Stripping everything back to the bare transforms into “gone girl” by the end of essentials the song grooves along in the the track) brim with a sense of unabashed middle eight with just the driving beat and joy.