“It’s close to midnight — Something evil’s lurkin’ in the dark…”

When Michael Jackson and his super producer Quincy Jones set out to make Thriller, everything was written and produced with the intent to be the BIGGEST album of all-time.

His previous album “Off the Wall” also achieved huge success but it was not nearly enough in the eyes of Michael Jackson. With his next and 6th studio album “Thriller”, Michael set a goal to release an album in which every song could be a hit single. Out of over 800 songs that were submitted by the top song writers of that time, nine songs were chosen for the album. Michael also wrote four of the songs that were HUGE hits on “Thriller”.

The recording process began in April of 1982 and ended in November. Thriller was released on 12/1/1982, just in time for the busy Holiday season. On 2/26/83, “Thriller” hit #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Top LP & Tapes chart. It remained at #1 for a record 37 weeks. The album remained on the Billboard charts for another record of 392 weeks. Michael’s dream of having and album filled with hit singles was achieved with seven of the songs reaching #1 on the charts. All seven of those songs were eventually released as singles. In 1982-1983, you could not turn on the radio without hearing something from “Thriller”, and the music video for the song “Thriller” still holds the top-spot on MTV as the…

“Greatest Music Video Ever Made”.

Since you are reading my blog about music, I assume that you know a lot of details about Michael Jackson, so I am just reminding you that if you have not enjoyed this album lately or even in the last decade…

IT’S TIME TO GET INTO THRILLER

(and other Jackson related music and films)…ONCE AGAIN…“For no mere mortal can resist the evil of the thriller.”

My friends at DeepDiscount.com have the Thriller CD for a bargain here and the LP picture disc also for a great price here!

And now, here are a few of my FAVORITE and personal, Michael and Jackson Family Memories:

I was invited to the set of The Jackson’s: An American Dream. This was a five-hour mini-series released on ABC in 1992. It was filmed in Encino, California at the Jackson’s home and compound. We had a dinner break that included some of the Jacksons as well as Joe Jackson who gave me a tour of the private family archives and museum that was above their HUGE garage. I saw many personal items like baby pics, report cards, clothing, musical instruments, etc.

I also had the honor of visiting the Neverland Ranch a few times which was super interesting and fun. Michael had a train that took you around the massive property. He also had a full zoo, his own carnival rides, a state-of-the-art movie theatre, arcade, huge trampolines built into the lawn as you strolled through the massive grounds, creeks, the biggest BBQ you could ever imagine that fed hundreds of guests at a time….and an army of chefs that could cook and serve for those hundreds of guests in record time. Neverland was huge enough to have its own Fire Department on the grounds.

And, last but not least, I attended Michael’s 45th Birthday party! I have many more Jackson family related stories, but I will save those for another time when I focus on the rest of the rich catalog of this AMAZING Family.