br: Really?
Mj: Really, and then when the bee gees came out in the '70s, that did it for me. I cried. I cried listening to their music. I knew every note, every instrument.
Br: [sings] "this broken heart ..."
mj: [sings] "how can you mend ..."
br: [sings] "this broken heart ..."
mj: And [sings] "how can you stop the rain from falling down?" i love that. [sings with ratner] "how can you stop the sun from shining? What makes the world go 'round." i love that stuff.
and when they did saturday night fever, that did it for me. I said, "i gotta do this. I know i can do this." and we hit with thriller. And i just started writing songs. I wrote "billie jean." i wrote "beat it," "startin' somethin'." just writing, writing. It was fun.
br: Any posters up in your room when you were a kid?
mj: yeah. Brooke shields, everywhere. My sisters would get jealous and tear them off the wall.
Br: What are the great shows that you've seen, concerts?
Mj:
james brown. Jackie wilson. The real entertainers, the real ones, make you get goose bumps.
br: It was james brown? Where'd you see him?
Mj: We used to have to go onstage after him because he would come on and then we would come on amateur hour.
so i'd be in the wings studying every step, every move--
br: --on tv?
Mj: No, at the apollo [theater].
more to read at: "michael jackson feb. 2004"
Bookmarks