Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Michael Jackson's news in English. Your updated reference for Michael Jackson's news in English language from all around the world. Rumors, gossip and true facts. And a lot of Michael Jackson's beautiful pictures.
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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 4 giugno 2021, 9:00

Brad Sundberg is with Debbie Sundberg.

Recording In The Land Down Under - Part 1
>>Thank you so much for all of the recent kind words and encouragement. I have been wanting to write a book for quite some time, and these TBT post are sort of my way of building the framework, exercising my writing and sorting through events. It means a lot that a handful of people enjoy reading them, so seriously, thank you.<<
In the fall of 1987 Michael Jackson was on his "Bad" World Tour in Japan, and I was working with Bruce Swedien at Westlake Studios in Hollywood on remixes and dance mixes for the "Bad" album.
Before each of the nine (!) singles from that album were released, Bruce would do a complete series of remixes and edits for dance mixes, video releases, etc., as needed for the record company. The "Bad" album production was part of my daily life for roughly two full years.
The irony wasn't lost on me that while Michael was preforming before tens of thousands of people in massive stadiums on another continent, Bruce and I were debating which ribs from Tony Roma's were the tastiest as we mixed and edited.
It was a bit of a funny time because we would see him on the news or on MTV performing the very music that we were fine tuning for upcoming releases.
As soon as we would finish a mix Michael's office would have FedEx pick it up and send it to whatever hotel he was scheduled to be at.
I had previously custom built him a mammoth portable entertainment system in giant cases which his crew would set up in each hotel so he could evaluate the mixes or video edits.
We never really expected to hear from him as Bruce essentially had final approval authority, but that was our process.
Mixing. Editing. Joking. Dinner. Repeat.
Then Bruce received a very interesting phone call.
It was Michael's office, and it sounded a bit urgent. Bruce got off the phone and looked at me and said, "Pack your bags, we're going to Australia!" Then he immediately picked up the phone and call his wife Bea to tell her the news.
Bruce had a warm and infectious laugh, and I could tell even he was excited about this!
My international travels to this point were basically Canada and Mexico. Australia may as well have been around the corner from Jupiter in my mind. I had studied it in school and liked Olivia Newton John and Men At Work, but that was about all I knew.
Bruce gave me a quick summary that we were going to Australia and New Zealand to record several of Michaels live concerts and then mix and edit them down into one massive live album. I immediately thought of "Frampton Comes Alive" and imagined this could be the biggest selling live album of all time. I couldn't stop smiling.
Details. So many details.
I had to find the recording trucks and studios.
In Australia.
And New Zealand.
With no internet.
I was making phone calls in the middle of the night so as to catch people during normal Aussie business hours and blindly try to decide if they were the right fit for a project like this.
It became nearly a round-the-clock endeavor to put all the pieces together.
And the clock was ticking.
Michael's office called me and asked about my passport.
"I don't have a passport, do I need one?"
There were a few moments of awkward silence then she responded, "Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. sharp go to Federal Building downtown. Go to office XYZ (not really the office number) and ask for Marty (not his real name). He'll be expecting you. Don't be late."
This was like Mission Impossible kind of stuff. I loved it.
I went to the instructed office past waiting rooms and lines full of people and was whisked into a small office with Marty.
I'm being honest in that I don't remember all of the details, whether or not I had to bring my own photo, etc., but I walked out and had my first US Passport delivered within about 24 hours.
And my work visas, which I had no idea what they even were.
To be clear there was nothing improper about this, rather large touring companies have the experience and inside track to get things done very quickly. Still, for a young guy in desperate need of a haircut to see red tape literally vaporized was pretty amazing.
Piece by piece the puzzle was coming together.
I was on a first-name basis with the studio and production teams we were building in Australia and New Zealand.
I was getting pretty good at knowing what time it was in Perth versus Auckland.
I was picturing myself holding koalas and chasing kangaroos and, yes, eating giant shrimp... on the barbie.
I was so looking forward to trying that experiment of water going down the drain different than it does in the US.
And I was reminded that November is summer time in the southern hemisphere, so I might even have a beach in my future! Bruce always used to remind me that I had the skin tone of an aspirin from spending so much time in dark studios, so this might be my chance to see the sun!
The dates were solid.
The studios and remote recording trucks were booked.
Bruce's equipment lived in about 15 huge Anvil cases so I could have it ready for the Cartage company with about six hours notice.
The passports and visas were in place.
There was just one thing left: The plane tickets.

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 6 giugno 2021, 8:26

In The Studio With Michael Jackson is at Disney's Hollywood Studios (351 S Studio Dr., Lake Buena Vista, FL).· Lake Buena Vista, FL, United States ·
Don’t forget, just 42 days until In The Studio With MJ arrives in Orlando!
In the meantime, we stopped by to check on Michael’s handprints at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Have a great Saturday!
Get your tickets at this link 🙁https://inthestudiowithmj.ticketbud.com ... ---orlando...) or head over to www.inthe studiowithmj.com.

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 17 giugno 2021, 22:04

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

But I Can't Hear The Rattlesnakes!
Driving to the ranch from my house took just under two and a half hours, depending on traffic. I had done the drive so many times I pretty much knew every pothole and curve winding from LA through Santa Barbara along the coast then up into the mountains.
Michael was very happy with all of the music systems we had designed for the amusement park, the trains, the hidden speakers in the landscape and trees, etc., but this current project brought with it some unexpected challenges.
Snakes.
To be clear, I've never really been scared of snakes. I learned "red touching yellow means a dangerous fellow, red touching black means poison he lacks" when I was very young, so clearly I was actually well-trained for dealing with them.
I had just never spent much time around them before my work at Neverland Valley Ranch.
The giant horse barn had been converted into a multipurpose facility where guests could see and learn about reptiles, and of course snakes were the stars of the show. You would walk inside and be greeted by terrariums filled with lizards, frogs, newts, spiders, etc. A voice (recorded by me) would welcome you from overhead speakers, then you would proceed through a curtain into the long hallway filled with giant snake enclosures.
The hallway ran the entire length of the bar and was perhaps 8' wide. On their side of the hallway were these amazing enclosures, raised about 3 feet off the ground so kids and families would be eye-level with the snakes. The exhibits were clean and very professional, like something you might see at a really nice zoo.
There were cobras and pythons and boas, each in their own custom habitat, complete with water features, plants, rocks and whatever landscape best reflected the region of the planet they came from. It was all very impressive, well designed and built.
The handler was a really great guy by the name of Mark (that's him, on the business end of a very large pyton), and he would bring snakes out for guests to see and (if safe) touch and hold. Feeding was of course a good time to visit if you like that sort of thing.
Beyond that there was soft music playing and frog and water sounds (also part of our design), but then I came up with another idea that Michael really liked.
The hallway was very dark and the snake enclosures all had soft lights to illuminate the snakes, so guests would be focused on what was in front of them.
I designed and built a system where every seven minutes it would trigger the sound of rustling ivy. (There was actually no ivy in the hall, rather I had recorded the sound by pulling an ice chest tied to rope through the ivy in my front yard, creating the illusion of movement.)
So every seven minutes sound of loudly rustling ivy would WHOOOSH past the guests from one end of the hall to the other, giving the sonic illusion that the giant snake had just wizzed past their feet.
It was very effective.
Maybe too effective.
Some guests would scream or jump in the air, afraid some 14 foot python was about to climb up their leg.
It was amazingly funny and Micheal loved watching guest's reactions.
So the reptile barn had a lot going on inside, but there was still one problem.
The rattlesnakes.
There must have been 15 or 20 rattlesnakes in a giant enclosure designed to look like the rocks of New Mexico. They were quite terrifying behind their thick pane of glass, and when guests would walk past they would rear up and start rattling... hence their clever name.
But you couldn't hear them.
Michael wanted to hear his rattlesnakes, so he asked what we could do.
"Well", I suggested, "we could put a microphone in with the snakes, and a speaker below the enclosure, so guests could clearly hear them.
"Yes!! Perfect!! Please do that!!" It was always fun when Michael was excited about one of my ideas.
Only now I had to actually do it.
The design was simple enough. A decent microphone, a preamp/mixer, an amplifier and a speaker.
The problem was we had to work around snakes who really would prefer if we were dead.
For reasons I can't explain, the only way under this long row of snake enclosures was a small opening at the far end, then you would have to crawl on your back 30 or 40 feet through support boards and pumps to get to where you needed to be.
All the while knowing there were a lot of very large snakes just over your head inside the enclosures.
I ordered all of the parts and scheduled a day for installation. We double-checked to make sure no guests were planning on coming to the reptile barn that day.
We crawled under the enclosures and started pulling wires, cutting holes and installing the speakers. We could actually hear the rattles through the bottom of the enclosure, just inches above our heads.
And of course we had the worst flashlights imaginable, like a Speilberg movie. We would bang the lights to get them working for a couple minutes, then they would flicker off, naturally.
Finally the wiring was done and I had to work with Mark, the handler, to get the microphone in with the snakes, who are in a bad mood even under the best of conditions.
There were too many to empty the entire display, and I didn't really want to look like a baby, so I put on my best game face and carefully suspended the microphone from above, aimed down at enough venom to really mess me up had things gone bad.
Then it was time for the test.
I always tested systems before Michael heard them, and I was really happy with how this turned out and I was excited for him to hear it.
I brought him in and the snakes all struck their pose and the loudest, clearest rattles you can imagine came pouring out of my speakers. It was perfect.
He loved it, and I am likely the only person on the planet to get a hug from Michael Jackson in gratitude for doing a stellar job of microphone placement on a couple dozen rattlesnakes.
Job well done, but as I was leaving he asked if I had ever put music on a horse-drawn carriage.
Enjoy your weekend...

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 23 giugno 2021, 8:47


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 24 giugno 2021, 11:25

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

TBT
>>I am posting my TBT story a bit early as we will be flying overnight to Iceland, then learning about an RV and trying to avoid lava, so it's easier today. Thanks for understanding.<<
FM (No static at all)
Recording studios are a bit of an oxymoron when you think about it. They are a pristine environment to record, mix and playback music, but very few people have music systems in the homes or cars that come close to the quality of equipment found in most studios.
So the artist, producer and engineer need to take that into consideration when they mix a song - it needs to sound good on a $100K playback system as well as a clock radio. It's not as easy as it might sound.
In other words, how can the production team "hear" the music the same way the public will hear it?
Most studios have small speakers which intentionally sound low-fi, but you are still sitting in a carefully designed control room with great acoustics, so it isn't really real-world.
This was an ongoing conversation during the production of Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" album. The songs sounded great in the studio, but Michael wanted to hear them... differently.
Sure, we made cassettes to listen to, but even those were "studio-grade", with professional cassette decks, high quality tapes, etc.
They were used for us to hear the mixes on the drive home, but Michael wanted something different.
He asked me, "Is there a way I can hear these songs the way they will sound on the radio?"
After giving it about four seconds of thought, I said, "Sure!"
Note to self Number 1: Don't give an assured answer to a high-profile client before you really think it through.
Note to self Number 2: Ignore Number 1, just figure it out like you always do.
Now, before you say something silly like Amazon, Google or YouTube - this was 1990, those didn't exist. It was like living in the Wild West comparatively, and we had to think on our feet.
Somewhere along the line I had read in an electronics magazine (yes, I actually read those) an article about building an FM transmitter, so I went on the hunt.
FM transmitters in the US are highly regulated and illegal to own and operate over a certain power output. In other words, you can't legally set up a "Pirate Radio Station" in the bedroom and flood the neighborhood 24/7 with your extensive collection of Abba and Carpenters' music.
But this fact only made it more exciting.
I found a supply house that would sell me a kit with most of the needed parts, but they would not assemble it because it was... illegal.
"How fast can you send it?" was all I asked.
It arrived and I immediately set to work in the tech shop at the studio following the directions, soldering and building.
OK, maybe I started that process but one of the skilled techs likely pushed me out of the way and it did most of the work themselves to avoid me being embarrassed, burned, electrocuted or a combination of all of the above.
Finally it was complete.
We plugged it in, the lights lit up, we fed music into it and... It worked!! The crazy thing worked!!
We built an antenna and set the broadcast frequency to FM 89.5 and I brought it into the studio where I showed it to Michael.
Michael had the patience of a sand flea when there was a new toy to test, so he asked me to play one of the recent mixes and ran to his car to try it.
Actually we all did.
We were working at Record One in Sherman Oaks, CA, and virtually everyone ran to their cars in the middle of the afternoon to set their radios to 89.5, and we all heard the newest mix on our car stereos, just like the public eventually would. It was a huge success!
Over the next couple days I continued to test my little transmitter and discovered that not only could we hear the mixes in the parking lot, but they were broadcasting a few blocks in every direction.
This could be a problem as people could hear unreleased MJ music AND the FCC could easily find us if they were looking.
I decided that we would have the transmitter shut OFF whenever we weren't actually evaluating a mix in the parking lot, so as to discourage locals from trying to tune in and minimize the risk.
Over the course of the album it was fairly common after Bruce Swedien would finish a mix that he and Michael would go out to their cars and I would fire up the transmitter and play the song back for them. It became a fairly effective tool for them to hear the music in a way that the general public would eventually hear it - on the radio. This way they could add a bit more bass, push the vocals, etc., to make the song sound as good as possible on a car stereo.
It was also a bit therapeutic to leave the dark studio and go into the fresh air for a few minutes and hear the music in a different environment.
Ironically my next project with Michael (the HIStory album) was recorded and (mostly) mixed in New York, where we all walked to the studio without cars for 15 months, so my little transmitter was no longer needed.
But whenever I hear songs from the Dangerous album (Black Or White, Heal The World, Will You Be There, Remember The Time, etc.), I sometimes think of my little FM transmitter and remember how I thought I might be arrested and tossed into FCC prison if we were found out.
But the album still sounds good in every car I've ever heard it in.
Enjoy your weekend...
>>>Don't Forget!!!<<<
Our first live "In The Studio With MJ" event in more than a year takes place next month in Orlando!
Tickets are on sale now at https://inthestudiowithmj.com/
Will You Be There?

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 6 luglio 2021, 8:05

In The Studio With Michael Jackson
tSeponso3rcehdu ·
Pull the curtain back.
Michael's music.
Michael's working style.
Michael's humor.
Michael in the studio.
Join me for a day of stories and memories.
See and hear things for the first time.
Experience what it was like to be In The Studio With MJ, in an actual studio where he recorded.
July 19th
Orlando, Florida
Tickets on sale now at www.inthestudiowithmj.com

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 13 luglio 2021, 18:45

In The Studio With Michael Jackson is feeling excited.

So much going on!!
The new segments for my seminar this weekend are really coming together - I can't wait for my guests to see/hear/experience them! We have been doing some late night editing and writing, and I think you will appreciate the result.
I can't go into much detail, but the new video content is like nothing you have ever seen. Seriously.
The premier is this weekend in Orlando at Living Frames Studios. As mentioned before, this is the studio where Michael did a few demos long ago when it was called BeeJay Studios. So... he once sang in the room where we will hold my event this weekend!
And if that isn't enough... my beautiful wife Debbie and I were guests on a Disney Dad Trivia show hosted by my buddy and fellow MJ fan Jared Bradshaw!! Feel free to check that out here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9mmOh4BLJ8. Please don't judge me too harshly when I get a couple Captain EO questions wrong...
I hope you are doing well as the world slowly recovers, travel resumes and we venture back Into The Studio With MJ!
Tickets are still on sale for this weekend at https://inthestudiowithmj.com/
Will You Be There?

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 15 luglio 2021, 11:39


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 15 luglio 2021, 21:12

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 28 luglio 2021, 16:54

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Fresh News Just In!!
A Sneak Peek as to what we've been working on:
Aug 14th
The Virtual Tour of Neverland - Livestream Event
Aug 28th (pending...)
In The Studio With MJ - The Return
New York City
To celebrate Michael's Birthday
(VIP pre-event the evening of the 27th)
Will
You
Be
There
?
Stay tuned for more info...

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 7 agosto 2021, 21:23

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Neverland.
It was amazing, pure and innocent.
It was a home, a refuge, a safe place.
It was filled with music, laughter and wonder.
There were times when I would walk through the park at night all by myself and think, "This place is incredible."
It was Michael's dream, and it took a lot of very dedicated, honorable and hard-working people to help him build it.
Get past the tabloids, fabrications, jealousy and lies and let me introduce you to a place where I was allowed to offer my talents, ideas, sweat and blisters to fill every corner of the ranch with music.
I'm proud of what we accomplished, and I'm proud to have been a very small part of making Neverland come to life.
Join me for my first-ever Livestream event as I take you on a virtual tour behind the scenes, on the rides and in the trees sharing stories about one of my favorite places on earth: Neverland.
The tour starts on August 21st at 1pm Eastern Time (New York).
Live interaction and Q/A with viewers through the event.
Will You Be There?


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 10 agosto 2021, 8:42

In The Studio With Michael Jackson
thSpo3nsoeremdh ·
Join me for my first ever Livestream event as I take you on a virtual tour behind the scenes, on the rides, and in the trees sharing stories about one of my favorite places on earth: Neverland.
The tour starts on August 21st at 1:00pm Eastern Time (New York).
Live interaction and Q/A with viewers through the event.
Early-Bird discount tickets still available for a few more days.
Will You Be There?

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 12 agosto 2021, 10:30

My first time to visit Neverland was likely around 1987.
Michael had recently purchased it and he wanted some music in his bedroom, so I made the long drive up.
There was no GPS or cell phones back then, rather I followed a map and maybe some scribbled directions, but I found it.
Who am I? My name is Brad Sundberg. I'm not a big shot, especially back then! But I met Michael during the Captain EO sessions at Westlake Studios where I was part of the engineer team, and we became friends. Eventually I became his Technical Director on a few notable projects, but I don't want to get ahead of myself.
The guard let me onto the property, and I found the house surrounded by a huge canopy of trees. I'm pretty sure I met Norma there, as Michael was traveling. Norma was Michael's personal assistant and ran the office. I knew her from the studio, so it was an easy meeting.
"Michael wants to put music in his room and he wants you to do it. He has this stereo but he doesn't like it because it is too complicated.
I immediately recognized the classic Bang & Olufsen stereo she was pointing at with it's huge angular remote. I had seen pictures of it in stereo magazines (yes, I read stereo magazines), but had never actually seen one in person.
I tried to figure out the remote and it was remarkably confusing. It was Danish sleek and cool, but confusing. (Sorry B&O!)
Michael was used to recording studios, where there is a round knob usually just to the right of the center of the console. That knob is usually labeled "Level" or "Monitors", and it's where he can crank it to 11 and blow up speakers.
He likes that big knob.
The B&O did not have a big knob, rather it was... complicated.
Norma stayed in the room with me but she was busy with a stack of files and papers she had brought with.
I looked around the room, and it pretty much looked like his lounge in the studio. Shirley Temple and Charlie Chaplin and boxes of tapes and movies and envelopes and Hollywood memorabilia and drawings and gifts from fans.
It was a lot of stuff, but that was Michael.
It took me a couple minutes but I figured the B&O out, but I knew I could build something bigger, louder, punchier and easier to use. So I made a few notes in my head and came up with ideas for hiding the speaker wires. I crawled under the bed (seriously) and checked out the closet to make sure I could drill holes and not do extensive damage.
And that was the end of my meeting.
I'm pretty sure Norma offered me a drink and then I was on my way back to LA.
Once back home I had to come up with a design and price.
There was no internet.
There was no Google.
There was no Amazon.
Instead, I made a few quick trips to some of my favorite stereo stores and decided to install a system based on a very large volume knob. I used a mix of consumer and professional gear, including a pair of Westlake Monitors (speakers) which I mounted on large arms on either side of his bed, so he could pull them in like giant headphones if he wanted. (Remember me going under the bed? That's why.)
Long story short, he loved the system. It was easy to use, sounded loud and amazing, and was one-of-a-kind.
It's funny, I can still hear that system in my memory.
And that's how my Neverland journey started.
He knew he could ask me to put music anywhere, on anything, and it would be done to his standards.
Amusement park train? Sure.
A carousel? Sounds like fun!
Around a lake? Why not?
A full-sized stream train? I'm in.
A horse-drawn carriage? Of course.
A petting zoo? No problem.
Bumper cars? Oh, this will be fun.
Each challenge got more and more interesting.
And here's the crazy thing: I was also working in the studio with him on projects like Bad, Dangerous and HIStory. We would talk about ranch projects while working on songs like "Give In To Me" or "Monkey Business". The whole era was incredible, watching him create iconic music AND continue designing Neverland.
It was so comfortable that he didn't need to ask for a lot of details in how I would build these systems, rather he would simply say, "Hurt me. I want it to hurt me!!" Those were my favorite marching orders.
I was maybe 24 years old when he asked me to build his bedroom system. Little did I know that I would keep making that drive to Neverland for nearly two more decades to help bring his amazing ranch to life.
It was a remarkable part of my life, and an amazing team of people worked together to make Neverland what it was.
It was more than a ranch.
It was more than a zoo.
It was more than a collection of rides.
It was more than most people can really imagine.
It was Michael's home.
It was Neverland.
Come on, let me show you around - I really think you're going to like the place.
Join me for our first ever Livestream Tour Of Neverland.
A mix of stories, vidoes, photos and special guests as I take you from the front gate to the back of the zoo - all with live interaction and Q/A.
August 21st, 1pm - 3:30pm Eastern Time (New York)
Early-bird discount tickets only available for just two more days.

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 22 agosto 2021, 8:24

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

We had such an amazing time doing our first Neverland livestream - thank you so much to all who attended! Here is the Neverland soundtrack list as promised - make your own playlist and enjoy!

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 2 settembre 2021, 8:28

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

A Day In The Life
Walking into Westlake Studio D in early 1987 still feels a bit surreal in my memory.
I was barely 24 years old, and Michael was just 29.
Studio D was at the end of a long hallway, with a little janitor's closet on the right. I knew that closet well as my early days at Westlake had me vacuuming floors, cleaning toilets and stocking the Coke machine.
As you walked by the closet towards "D", you could hear and almost feel the low frequencies coming from the massive SM-1 loudspeakers. Today the team was working on a song called "Hot Fever", but eventually the name would change to "The Way You Make Me Feel".
There was something about walking down that hallway and hearing only the sub-bass thumping bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum... and knowing that when I pulled open the enormous studio door the sound would almost blow my hair back.
It was energizing.
I opened the door and it took a few seconds for my ears to acclimate to the volume. Michael was sitting at the center of the console, with the volume control pegged. Bruce was upstairs on the phone with Bea, and Rod and Quincy were in the back lounge eating some chicken sandwiches that Quincy's chef had prepared, with thinly sliced jalapenos. They were amazing.
This was my happy place, and I was welcomed.
I had been working on a Taco Bell session in Studio C much of the day, but Bruce and Michel had made it clear that I could spend as much time watching and learning with them as I wanted whenever I wasn't assigned to other sessions, so Studio D became the best school I ever attended, with the best teachers imaginable.
This evening Michael was going to record vocals - my favorite type of sessions. There were no guests allowed on vocal days, but Studio D had a huge control room so at any given time you would likely find Quincy, Bruce and Rod, along with a couple other assistants - and me. Bill Bray or Miko Brando were often in the back lounge laughing and joking.
(Studio D was actually built specifically for this project. Studio A (in another building) was where "Thriller" had been recorded and mixed, but Bruce wanted a bigger room for the new album, so Westlake built the enormous Studio D.)
Everything felt right in the world.
As Michael was getting ready to start singing I did a few last-minute preparations:
>Test and clean the headphones (he would typically blow about one pair per week).
>Start heating Evian in the microwave and fill a hot-pot so he would have hot water when he sang. No tea, nothing special, just hot water.
>Turn on the little heater behind where he would stand as he liked the space to be warm when he sang, and he was always cold.
>Turn off all the lights in the studio (not the control room) except the music stand light.
>Test the microphone when Bruce was ready.
The tape machines had already been calibrated, the work tapes were all set to go.
Showtime.
Michael came into the studio and we joked as usual. He had some lyrics on a legal pad in his hand, along with a red Sharpie and a Life magazine.
The week previous when he sang he brought Bubbles the chimp and asked me to hold him (Bubbles) while he sang. As this was my first time holding a chimp it was a mix of cool and scary, knowing and feeling how strong he was in my arms. But today Bubbles was on a commercial shoot, so I didn't have to be part-time chimp-caregiver.
I poured a cup of coffee for myself and one for Bruce, and sat down in the back of the control room.
Bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum...
That amazing intro started to play.
"Hey pretty baby with the high heels on
You give me fever
Like I've never, ever known
You're just a product of loveliness
I like the groove of your walk,
Your talk, your dress..."
I sipped my coffee, fully aware that I was watching and listening to a master at work.
Michael started to giggle and Bruce stopped the tape.
"Let's pick that up at bar 32!" Bruce instructed into the talk-back mic.
Michael was like a machine, he would sing take after take after take, each one perfect.
Seriously, perfect.
You could hear his dancing through the vocal mic - he never stopped moving.
Every now and then he would refill his mug with more hot Evian and keep pushing.
The laughter never stopped.
The singing never stopped.
The magic never stopped.
Bruce managed the session like a Navy commander, making it almost look easy, but that comes with decades of experience.
The song was long.
Like really long.
Like nearly nine minutes long.
Bruce had decided from the beginning of the project that the dance songs would be this long so we would have enough material to create extended mixes, video mixes, international mixes, whatever the record company wanted - right from the start. So Michael would sing and sing and sing the entire length of the song. We didn't cheat and copy/paste vocals (sometimes called "flying" vocals), rather Michael sang each line and phrase over and over. This way it sounds live, fresh and real to the listener.
On this particular night Michael sang for more than two hours, stopping only to run to the bathroom a couple times. This was normal. Once he started to sing he just kept going.
Once Bruce was satisfied that we had enough takes to work with, he called Michael in for a listen.
Michael turned the volume back up to max, and we played the tape.
The giant SM-1 speakers exploded to life, pounding the song out like they wanted to hurt you. It was insanely loud.
"You knock me off my feet
(you knock me off my feet)
My lonely days are gone
(my lonely days are gone)
Ain't nobody's business
Ain't nobody's business..."
Michael was happy and jumped up and started to dance.
Bruce, Rod and Quincy were laughing.
The room was shaking to the point you could hear the light fixtures rattling in the ceiling. It didn't matter.
It was a moment frozen in time for me.
Michael dancing.
Speakers thumping.
A room full of friends.
A room full of legends.
A fresh cup of coffee.
The smell of chicken sandwiches.
Bruce's tape box holding the track sheet on the console.
Giant 2" analog tapes gliding on the Studer A-800 24-track.
A patch bay full of Bruce's custom blue and yellow patch cables, to remind him of Sweden.
Carefully taking Bruce's mic down and putting it back into it's Anvil case.
Staying late to help make cassettes and labels and work tapes for the next day.
Getting a tight hug from Michael as he left.
Knowing that I would be home after 2am and had a 9am session the next morning.
The calendar says the Bad album was released 34 years ago, but sometimes it feels more like 34 weeks.
Working on a project like Bad was a bit like keeping an amazing secret. Here was the small group of remarkably talented people (plus me!) in a fairly normal looking building in Hollywood working on music that is... timeless.
Knowing that the chorus "The way you make me feel..." would soon be playing on clock radios, record players, cassette decks and in concerts all over the globe.
Eventually I would learn that in communist nations pop music was forbidden, but the Bad album would be smuggled in and copy after copy after copy would be created and shared among fans.
But for a few precious months it was ours.

Immagine
Really, really ours.

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 10 settembre 2021, 7:01

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

TBT - Because some of you asked...
What does "Really, Really Brad" mean?
I wish I had an amazing story about this, but I guess it's a matter of perspective.
Pull out your trusty magnifying glass and pour over the liner notes of the "Bad" album, you will see a very long list of names of the various musicians, engineers, recording studios, and group that fall under the listing of "Special Thanks".
Wait... I'm assuming you know what liner notes are. Let me start over.
Back when albums used to be, well albums, there was a bit more to listening you to your favorite artist than just loading a music app on your phone.
It started at the record store. How many hours did I spend in record stores thumbing through bin after bin of every type of album imaginable? Not enough.
You would check your finances from whatever fast-food place you worked at and about 65% of your paycheck would go to buying music. The record store was a glimpse into something bigger than the mall - it was cool and filled with music from famous bands and far away places. It was the place you could buy the soundtrack of your life.
I would study album after album, trying to decide which one or two to buy. Finally upon deciding I would hand over my hard-earned cash and carefully bring my prize home.
You didn't just rip it open and drop it on the record player, there was more of a process. You would open it carefully up and start playing the record, then sit back and read every line of the liner notes. You would study the photos and imagine what the studios looked like. OK, maybe that was just me.
The liner notes often had the song lyrics, the musicians, artwork, etc. Basically whatever the artist felt like including. Some read like books, while others kept the process more mysterious. You would learn names, maybe favorite eateries near where the band recorded, and wonder what strange words like "cartage" and "Studer" meant.
Fast forward to when I got my first job in a real recording studio.
When I started working at Westlake Studios it was a big deal to have your name included in the liner notes of a just-released album. You might shrug if off in the studio kitchen in a failed attempt to act cool, but it meant a lot.
And you carefully checked to make sure they spelled your name correctly.
It was also helpful to hear how a certain drummer sounded or the mixing style of a particular engineer. Sometimes we would play albums in the studio and try to guess if they were recorded in London, New York or LA - just by how they sounded. The liner notes would usually provide the answer.
Having your name listed for the world to see on an album that you are proud to have been a part of was very rewarding in its own way.
Of course some liner notes use humor or nicknames or little treasures/surprises for the reader to discover. At the risk of sounding older than 27-ish(!) it's a bit sad that music has lost so much of this fun packaging.
So during the recording project that eventually became Michael Jackson's "Bad" album, he was singing the background vocals for the title track, "Bad".
Between takes he would keep singing to stay on pitch, and at one point it looked right at me and started to laugh and sang, "Brad, Brad, Really really Brad!"
And it sort of became a thing.
It was fairly common for him to walk into the studio after that and see me and immediately break into the chorus, "You know I'm Brad, I'm Brad, I'm really really Brad!"
Sometimes Bruce Swedien would even join in.
So it became a fairly fun and musical nickname around Westlake for a while.
I became Really, Really Brad.
To the best of my memory Jolie Levine was the project manager and she compiled all the liner notes for Michael's final approval. It was really a nice surprise to see that she had included some of the nicknames, including mine. I think it showed that we had a good sense of humor and a family-level of camaraderie. I was proud to be part of a very special team of amazing people.
From time to time even in later years when Michael would see me he would start to laugh and sing, "Brad, Brad, really really..."
You know the rest...

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 18 settembre 2021, 21:02

7 DAYS UNTIL NEVERLAND!!
A few weeks ago we hosted our first-ever Interactive Livestream Tour Of Neverland. We had guests from more than 20 countries join us for a virtual tour of Michael Jackson's remarkable ranch.
I was part of the creative team who built Neverland over the span of nearly twenty years. It was a place like no other, filled with music, adventure and innocence. And I'd love to give you a tour.
Join us next weekend for a virtual tour as I take you from the front gate to the furthest corners of Michael's home - Neverland Valley Ranch.
Will You Be There?

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 19 settembre 2021, 21:12

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

I took some time last night to build a few playlists on YouTube with the exact versions of the songs we played at Neverland. Listening to these songs instantly transported me back to a place that was so special, filled with so many wonderful people and good memories.
I hope you will join us for In The Studio With MJ - The Tour Of Neverland Livestream and play this music during the event (we can’t for copyright reasons), and that it will immerse you as we virtually travel from the front gates of Neverland all the way to the back of the ranch. We’ve got lots of exciting things planned and I hope to see you on September 25th. Enjoy!
Volume 1: Neverland Collection
https://youtube.com/playlist...
Volume 2: Neverland Collection
https://youtube.com/playlist...
Volume 3: Neverland Collection
https://youtube.com/playlist...
Neverland Quiet Hour:
https://youtube.com/playlist...

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 19 settembre 2021, 21:18


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 23 settembre 2021, 7:53

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Neverland was more than a place.
It was more than a dream.
It was more than a home.
It was more than a collection of rides.
It was more than 2800 acres of land.
It was more than most people could imagine.
There were manicured lawns and fountains and statues.
There were gazebos and pathways and waterfalls.
There was a reptile house and an inground trampoline and a go-cart track.
And there was music.
Lots of music.
From lots of speakers.
Like hundreds of speakers.
In shrubs.
In topiaries.
On trains.
On rides.
On a horse-drawn carriage.
In the trees.
In the house.
In the zoo.
In the ground.
But with so many speakers, the choice of what to play all fell on one person: Michael Jackson.
I would purchase various CDs to sample and get his feedback, and one by the the Neverland Collections were born.
This Saturday I will be presenting my full "Tour Of Neverland" Livestream at 1pm Eastern (New York Time), and we will be exploring Neverland from the main gate to the furthest corners of the zoo.
And we will discuss music and the systems we built to play it.
Explore the theater and the bumper cars.
Did you know that the JumboTron from the Bad World Tour ended up being a giant outdoor theater at Neverland?
Did you know that Michael and I listened to Pearl Jam on that giant JumboTron music system?
Did you know that there wasn't just one train at Neverland, there were actually two?
Did you know that Neverland employed more than 100 people?
Did you know that each year Michael would host a giant Family Day for the ranch employees to be able to bring their families and spend the day being guests?
Join me as we take a full virtual tour of the ranch and see the sights, hear the music and learn what it was like to visit one of the most famous places ever built: Neverland Valley Ranch.
Will You Be There?

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 25 settembre 2021, 20:55


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 2 ottobre 2021, 8:36

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Conspiracy people - connect the dots:
I first met Michael during the music production of Captain EO.
Captain EO was produced for Disney.
Today is the 50th anniversary of WDW.
Walt Disney was born in Marceline, Missouri, which is about six hours from Chicago.
There are six primary characters in Captain EO.
There are 12 Disney Parks around the world in six locations.
The studio address where EO was recorded is 8447.
8 + 4 + 4 + 7 = 23.
EO has 2 letters.
23 - 2 = 21.
Cinderella Castle at WDW is 183 feet tall.
A Mickey Ice Cream Bar weighs 3 ounces.
On opening day 50 years ago it cost $3.50 to enter WDW.
183 + 3 + 50 = 236
236 x 3.5 = 826
826 almost sounds like November 6 if you say it with a Mickey Bar in your mouth.
In The Studio With MJ is coming to Chicago on November 6, 2021.
Come celebrate Michael's amazing career and learn what it was like to work with one of the most creative people I have even known.
Nov 6, 2021
Chicago
Tickets on sale now at www.inthestudiowithmj.com
Happy Anniversary Walt Disney World!!

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 8 ottobre 2021, 8:08

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

TBT
5000 watts of music.
On a train.
No problem.
I got the call in 1993, early in the fall.
It was Michael Jackson, and it was always fun getting a call from him.
(Paraphrasing because it's been almost three decades.)
"Brad, it's Michael. I bought a train for the ranch!"
"But you already have a train."
"I know, but this is a real train! A stream train, just like the one at Disneyland! It's beautiful and I named it after my mother!"
"That's cool. I was thinking of getting a train myself, but since you have one I'll just ride yours. So how can I help you?"
"Music! Brad, I need music on the train! Can we put music on the train? With lots of speakers! Speakers everywhere!"
"Sure, let me figure something out. When does it arrive?"
"Ummm, soon. I have to get to a meeting, but the office will work it out with you. Thank you!"
So... I was tasked with putting music on a train.
First things first. Trains don't have power outlets, so we had to figure out electricity. I worked closely with the electricians at the ranch (Neverland), and it turns out they were tasked with covering the train in lights, so we were going to have to work together and figure out how much power I would need for my sound system.
In a very short time I learned about generators and power inverters and started using phrases like "5-Kw" in meetings with ease, hoping no one knew I barely knew what I was talking about. (Actually I did pick up on it pretty quickly.)
But we still had to make this thing work and sound as good as a train should. This was for Michael Jackson after all.
I wanted each seat on the train to hear true stereo with punchy, warm bass. In a normal setting that's easy enough, but a train does stuff like moving, bouncing, braking, getting wet, etc.
And generators don't always create the cleanest electricity.
Yes, electricity can be dirty, and dirty electricity sounds bad.
I'll spare you the endless technical details, but we succeeded in using a massive power conditioner to "clean" the electricity, and a rack of playback devices, equalizers, a mixer and insanely powerful amplifiers to push some 18 speakers and six subwoofers. We also made use of every audio person's best friend: transformers. Lots of transformers.
We spent about two weeks in the midwest at a train yard building this beautiful system with the help of a team of very talented train mechanics.
It was loud, clear and musical. It actually sounded great and was a great feeling of accomplishment.
Now here's the funny part.
When Deb and I were first married we wanted to try to be "grown-ups" when we had friends over for dinner, so we bought an obscure CD called "The French Album" by CBS Masterworks Dinner Classics.
Yes, I'm sure you've never heard of it.
But I played that album at Neverland a few times and Michael heard it and loved some of the songs from it. It's basically "approachable" classical music. So he asked me to create some custom CDs (think mix-tape) of some of his favorite classical and movie soundtrack music to be played all over Neverland. And several songs from our little "French Album" were part of those playlists.
So when the train was finally delivered to Neverland and was ready for it's test run, it was a cold and foggy night. A bunch of us were on it and before it left the station I fired up the music, and those familiar songs started to play.
The train eased out of the station, with steel wheels on steel tracks creating loud, almost comforting squeals as it picked up speed and settled into a nice rhythm. There is nothing like the sound of a chugging steam engine.
The combination of the sounds of the steam engine, the whistle, the wheels, the jostling cars and springs and tracks all mixed with my music perfectly.
I played a few of those songs a few weeks ago preparing for a Livestream I have been producing, and it's amazing how powerful music can be to transport you back to a time and place.
I can still hear those wheels.
I can still feel that damp, cold air.
I can still smell the steam coming from that beautiful engine. And I can still see the smile on Michael's face, and hear him say how much he loved the way it sounded.
It was more than just a train.
It was a labor of love, and I'm proud to have a small part of it.
<><><><><><><><><>
I am hosting a Livestream about Neverland Valley Ranch next Saturday specifically for my friends in Australia and Asia, which is why it starts at such an early time in the US. (Saturday morning at 6am EST!!) If you are interested in learning more about this incredible ranch and the people who helped bring it to life, I hope you'll consider joining us.

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 13 ottobre 2021, 15:51

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Calling Sydney!
Calling Tokyo!
Calling Melbourne!
Calling Osaka!
Calling Singapore!
Calling Perth!
Calling Shanghai!
The Virtual Tour Of Neverland is this Saturday!
Tickets www.inthestudiowithmj.com

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 25 ottobre 2021, 9:45

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Chicago
6 November 2021
11am - 7pm
A full day to immerse yourself in recording studio magic!
Experience Michael Jackson in the recording studio, at the very heart of his creative process.
You’ll hear music and behind-the-scenes stories.
You’ll see video and photographs.
You’ll learn how Michael interacted with his team and how they combined focus and discipline with creativity, fun, and food.
Learn how Michael wrote songs, and how they progressed from the original demo to the album version. Brad will explain and demonstrate how the songs changed and progressed along the way, as they were edited, remixed and restructured for various dance mixes, short films and live tours.
All of this takes place inside an actual recording studio, for a full multi-sensory experience that will leave you feeling as if you were really there. Each seminar is limited to an intimate group of people, so you can ask questions and share conversation with Brad and other guests.
The process of recording music with Michael was very complex, yet also remarkably simple and pure. Brad will take break songs down in a fun, easy-to-understand way that will take you “behind the scenes” of a recording session and explain multi-track techniques, vocal stacking, songwriting, etc.
You will learn that while the team had the most advanced techniques at their fingertips, having Michael behind the microphone required very little in terms of electronic wizardry.
As Bruce Swedien would say, “Less is more.”
Your ears will never hear Michael’s music quite the same way again.
Learn things you never knew.
Michael was remarkably talented, driven, patient, kind, a perfectionist, trusting – and very funny.
In a word – he was complicated.
He was a terrible driver who loved to drive.
He was painfully shy but loved to perform in front of enormous crowds.
He tried to eat healthy but loved fries, popcorn and ice cream.
He was often the first one in the studio and sometimes the last to leave.
He would work for days on end without a break then disappear without warning to Tokyo or London for a few days.
That’s what made him Michael.
My name is Brad Sundberg, and I spent nearly 18 years working with Michael on projects like Captain EO, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, Ghosts, tours, short films and even at his amazing Neverland Valley Ranch.
I hope you'll join me for a full day exploring the day-to-day working style, the humor, the creativity and the amazing talent of one of the most interesting people I have ever known.
His name is Michael, and I can't wait to introduce him to you.
Tickets on sale now at www.inthestudiowithmj.com
Will You Be There?

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: Making Music With Michael Jackson

Messaggio da soulmum » 12 novembre 2021, 7:26

In The Studio With Michael Jackson


Mattresses and Microphones
On November 7th, 1987, the third single from Michael Jackson's "Bad" album was released, a shuffling dance song called "The Way You Make Me Feel." During the production of the song it was referred to as "Hot Fever," but the title was changed later in the project.
The song was always one of my favorites, but like many things in MJ-world he still had a few ideas for it.
Michael had been on tour since mid-September '87 tackling Japan and Australia before taking a break and heading back to the US for Christmas. During that same time Bruce Swedien and I were still at the studio working on video mixes and dance remixes as the album continued to sell worldwide.
Just after the first of the year we got a call that we needed to meet up with Michael and the band in Pensacola Florida, where they were setting up to rehearse for the US leg of the tour.
My job was to pack everything up (recording equipment, tapes, microphones, etc.) arrange transit, book a mobile recording studio (built in the back of a semi-truck) from Nashville and have everything ready for Michael in Pensacola. Yes there were quite a few long nights.
The plan was that Michael was going to perform at the Grammys and he wanted to do a brand new intro for the newly-released song, The Way You Make Me Feel.
This will likely come as no surprise to you, but Grammy performances are almost always pre-recorded to minimize technical glitches. So we set up in the mobile recording studio next to the Pensacola Civic Center. Michael sang the arrangement to Greg Phillinganes, who then played the very simple yet beautiful keyboard part, which Bruce recorded as the foundation for Michael's upcoming vocals.
That done, it was vocal-time.
Michael was a remarkably easy artist to work with, but there was still a lot of planning and forethought to make sure the vocal sounded perfect for the performance.
The recording truck had a small vocal booth in the back, but it just didn't have the right sound for what Bruce was looking for.
Since the entire band, crew, security and support teams were in Pensacola for tour rehearsals, we had booked virtually an entire multi-storey hotel next to the Civic Center, so we had an idea.
Bruce and I had very limited access to Michael because he was working with the singers, dancers, band and crew prepping for the US tour, so we had to make the most of his valuable time.
We decided to turn one of the hotel rooms into a studio. We chose a room in a quiet corner, and I immediately started taking mattresses off the beds and standing them up against the walls, then using bedspreads to cover the windows for additional sound isolation. I created a reasonably sounding yet silly looking recording room.
It sort of looked like the wildest party imaginable had just taken place.
I set up Bruce's vocal mic, likely the Shure SM-7, and then ran microphone and headphone cables down the hallway and out the window down to the recording truck. We tested and retested, ensuring there were no hums or buzzes from our less-than-ideal studio setup.
Once everything was ready I was free to go into the Civic Center and watch Michael perform and fine-tune the show over and over again.
Finally we blocked out some time and he went into my padded wall vocal room and sang all of the background vocals and the lead vocal over the course of a couple hours. I was in the room with Michael while Bruce was out in the truck perfecting the sound.
Like any session with Michael there was an abundance of laughter and joking mixed with absolute vocal perfection.
We packed up all of the equipment and went straight to New York and set up at The Hit Factory West 54th Street to mix our work get ready for the Grammys.
Deb flew out to join me (it was our first time ever in NYC), and we watched the Grammys from the hotel room with many of the band members from the tour. The whole thing was a bit surreal, watching Michael perform on a global stage, singing the intro that we had just recorded a couple weeks earlier in a hotel room filled with mattresses.
The funny thing was that Michael loved that intro so much that he continued to use it all through the tour and the subsequent tours. It was even being used for the "This Is It" tour up until the day that he passed away.
When he really liked something, when the mix perfect, he would refer to that as Bible.
"That mix is Bible!", he would say. "Please don't touch it, please keep it exactly as it is - it's perfect, it's Bible!"
It's hard to believe we recorded the intro and he performed for the first time almost 35 years ago, yet it still stands up to this day.
In terms of vocal perfection and mix quality, to use the words of an old friend of mine - that's Bible.
Enjoy your weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qydalKHYHU

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 27 novembre 2021, 7:32

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Start the Holiday Season by treating yourself to our Very Neverland Christmas Livestream!
A completely different event than the Tour of Neverland - featuring new stories, interviews, photos and memories from both Neverland AND the Studio.
Join my friends and I as we share stories about Michael's approach to Christmas and celebrating!
It's a great way to get into the Holiday Spirit as you interact with fellow MJ fans around the world!
Sunday, December 12
10am Los Angeles
1pm New York
6pm London
7pm Paris
7pm Budapest
7pm Stockholm
8pm Vilnius
9pm Moscow
9pm Moscow
Tickets on sale now!!
https://tinyurl.com/2nxsn5n9

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 2 dicembre 2021, 10:19


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 7 dicembre 2021, 7:48

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Seven Batman golf carts
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Eight Super-Soakers
Seven Batman golf carts
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Nine custom carousel horses
Eight Super-Soakers
Seven Batman golf carts
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Ten studio albums
Nine custom carousel horses
Eight Super-Soakers
Seven Batman golf carts
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Eleven pairs of Florsheims
Ten studio albums
Nine custom carousel horses
Eight Super-Soakers
Seven Batman golf carts
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Twelve (plus one) Grammys
Eleven pairs of Florsheims
Ten studio albums
Nine custom carousel horses
Eight Super-Soakers
Seven Batman golf carts
Six Annies who are OK
Five brothers who sing
Four flower clocks
Three baby elephants
Two Westlake Studio Monitors and
A microphone in the Giving Tree.
You sang it didn't you?!
In just a few days we will present a Very Neverland Christmas Livestream!
Interviews.
Memories.
Stories.
Videos.
Photos.
Pour yourself an eggnog or a cognac and join us for a live interactive event filled with surprises!
Presented LIVE on Sunday December 12th
and again on Saturday December 18th.
Yes... live.
1pm New York Time

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 14 dicembre 2021, 7:54

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Yesterday's presentation of "A Very Neverland Christmas" was so much fun! The stories and memories shared by Brad Buxer, Judi Brisse, Violet Booker, David Esdaile and of course Big Al Scanlan were fantastic, funny and heartwarming. I was happy with how it all came together and proud of the hard work my daughter Maddie invested to create such a near-seamless show. The man in red even made a surprise visit!
We had such a great time that we are presenting it again LIVE this Saturday - starting at 1pm New York time!
If you are ready to get swept up in the Holiday Spirit with some of the coolest people I know, and celebrate the amazing friendship we shared with Michael, I would encourage you to join us this Saturday for "A Very Neverland Christmas!"
Tickets on sale now - Will You Be There? Only a few hours left to purchase with the early discount!

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 17 dicembre 2021, 7:18

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

"Brad... You're going to be Santa!"
Late summer 1994
421 West 54th Street
New York, NY
Hit Factory Recording Studio
6th Floor
Michael Jackson's HIStory project was in full swing.
We had studios operating in NY, LA, Atlanta and Minneapolis, sometimes as many as 13 rooms working at once.
Tapes were being shipped cross-country, choirs were being flown in, it was a lot of pressure as we pushed towards the finish line.
Then Michael had an idea.
He wanted to record a Christmas song.
A song composed by John Williams for the Home Alone soundtrack.
A song that... had already been recorded.
That didn't stop Michael - he wanted to record it.
We quickly recorded the music (it likely took less than a day), but the spotlight of the song is a kid's choir. We had already assembled a kid's choir in New York and I had the director's number handy. Michael asked me to book a date when the choir could come in, and sort out the details. Easy enough.
We scheduled the choir (about 20 kids as I recall) for a three-hour session about two weeks out.
To sing a Christmas song.
That almost certainly would not be on the album.
But Michael wanted to do it.
By now I had arranged for countless sessions like these, ensuring the room was going to be perfect, Bruce Swedien's microphones would be properly placed, etc. Not to sound flippant but this was my job and I was good at it. But Michael wanted this session to be a bit more special.
MJ - "Brad, we need to decorate the studio."
Me - "Decorate? I don't really think that's necessary as they will only be here for three hours."
MJ - "We need to decorate. For Christmas!"
Me - "I don't know if we can really find Christmas decorations this time of year in stores..."
MJ - "Brad, we need to decorate."
(At this point the camera fades out then fades back in to see a New York prop company filling the studio with fake snow, a sleigh, a bridge, a giant Nativity, Christmas trees, lights, lamp posts, etc.)
A few days later...
Me - "It looks like the decorating is a bit over the top. Everything else good?"
MJ - "We need catering for the kid's choir and their families."
Me - "Catering? They're only going to be here for three..."
MJ - "Yes, we need catering. And remember, their families will be here also so make sure we have plenty.
I arrange catering... a day or two passes.
MJ - "Are we ready for the Christmas choir?"
Me - "Ummm, yes. The studio looks like a winter wonderland and we have a great catering company lined up."
MJ - "What about gifts?"
Me - "You do realize it's not really Christmas, right? We don't need to get gifts - they will be paid union scale..."
MJ - "I've already decided what gifts to give them. Gameboys! With all the games and batteries!"
Me - "How many...?"
MJ - "Enough for each singer AND their brothers and sisters!"
(At this point the camera fades out and then fades back in to see Hit Factory runners chasing all over NYC buying Game Boys, games, batteries, and our production assistant Rachel wrapping them up in bright paper and bows in a lounge that we have converted into a wrapping room).
A day later...
MJ - "Are we ready for the Christmas choir?"
Me - "I don't know... you tell me. (my feeble attempt at sarcasm.) Yes, we are ready! We have the decorations, the food, the gifts - and we might even do a bit of recording!"
MJ - "We need a Santa!"
Me - "OK, slow down. I don't think there is any way we can find a Santa in New York in the summer. I'm sorry, but I don't see that happening."
MJ - "Brad, YOU are going to be Santa!"
Me - "I don't really see that happening, but let me see who I can calll..."
MJ - "Brad - YOU are going to be Santa!"
(At this point the camera fades out and then fades back in to see me in full Santa garb with my trusty elves Brian and Rachel, handing out gifts and having one of the most memorable days in a recording studio imaginable.)
Me - "Merry Christmas Michael."
MJ - "Merry Christmas Brad!"
If you want to see, hear and experience more of THAT session (in much greater detail), plus hear stories and interviews from me and many of my friends who also worked with Michael about real-life with Michael Jackson in the studio and Neverland, join me this weekend for "A Very Neverland Christmas" Livestream!
Saturday at 1pm New York Time - LIVE, with full chat interaction!
Tickets on sale now
Enjoy your weekend, and Merry Christmas!

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 6 gennaio 2022, 21:04

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

TBT
Thanks Bang & Olufsen!
I am proudly Scandinavian, and I have a lot of respect for B&O, but their Danish designs can be a bit much for some.
Let me back up.
This is a Bang & Olufsen stereo from the mid 80's, and in an odd way it had an impact on my career path. In fact it was a diving board for me to jump into the pool of business ownership.
You see, I was working with Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones on a project you would eventually know as the "Bad" album. I was very young and on staff at Westlake Studios, doing everything from vacuuming floors to setting up microphones - whatever the session needed.
I was part of the team (Michael seemed to enjoy having me around), and I was learning the ropes from some of the most talented people in the music industry.
Micheal had recently purchased a ranch, which he named Neverland, and he asked if I could help with with some music. He didn't go into a lot of detail other than to say that his system was too complicated and he was frustrated by it.
Fast forward a bit and I found myself in the master bedroom at Neverland, with one of his assistants from the office. There, on the bedside table, was a Bang & Olufsen stereo similar to this one.
I don't remember the exact words, but his assistant said to me, "Michael received this as a gift, and he has no idea how to use it. Can you please teach us how to use it or replace it with something easy... and loud?"
I picked up the giant "remote" and fumbled on the buttons and that giant volume wheel. It did work, but it was awkward. Who wants a remote the size of a clipboard?
And while it sounded nice, it was no where near the volume levels that we were used to in the studio.
So I came up with a plan.
I found preamp with a few buttons and a large volume control, and added a studio-grade power amp and a pair of Westlake Studio monitors, which I mounted on either side of Michael's bed.
It was simple, controlled with one knob, and ferociously loud.
He loved it, but occasionally he would hit the wrong button, so he would call me.
At 3am.
After the 2nd call I wrote out a cheat sheet and had on my bedside table so when he called I could remember the names of the buttons.
Ring... ring...
Deb - "Hello...?"
Michael (at 3am) - "Is Brad there?"
Deb (inches from me) - "Let me check..."
Michael - "OK"
Me - "....snore..."
Deb (covering phone, doing that yell-whisper that women can do) - "WAKE UP... IT'S MICHAEL... ON THE PHONE!!"
Me (forcing myself instantly awake) - "Hey Michael! What's up?"
Michael - "I didn't wake you did I?"
Me - "No!! Of course not!!
Michael - "Ok, good. How are you?"
Me - "I'm fine... what's up?"
Michael - "The music won't play. I'm sorry to bother you, can you help me?"
Me (fumbling for my cheat sheet) - "Sure... let's start at the beginning... is the power on?
And this would go on for a few seconds with me asking him to try this button or that one, until the music would blast through the phone at full volume.
Michael - "That's it!! Thank you!! Goodbye!!"
Job well done.
Shortly thereafter (I am not making this up), Quincy pulls me aside and says, "Braddy-Daddy, I can't run my #%@$ stereo system! Michael says you fixed him up, can you come to my house?"
Quincy had the EXACT same B&O system! I almost had to laugh, thinking maybe these were gifts from B&O after the "Thriller" album.
I built Quincy a system very similar to the one I build for Michael, and he was happy, even with the occasional phone call for support.
Keep in mind, this was around 1987/88.
They both kept calling, wanting more music in their homes.
I kept building music systems, studios, theaters, endless projects for both Quincy and Michael for the next couple decades.
I built playback systems for Michael's music videos.
I designed the music system for Quincy's 20,000 sf Bel Air home.
I built several recording studios in Europe for one of Michael's songwriters and a dear friend, Rod Temperton.
They introduced me to many of their friends and project after project kept coming.
Of course there are many pieces to the puzzle, but I always smile when I see an old B&O stereo system. To be fair, they make beautiful products, but musicians tend to want a giant PLAY button and a VOLUME CONTROL that goes to 11, and not much else.
So thank you B&O for being Danishly odd enough to launch my second career.

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 13 gennaio 2022, 21:33

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

World's Collide: Don't Stop Believin'
I had a little brush with covid last week and actually spent a fair bit of time writing and editing for what I hope to eventually turn into a book. I am feeling much better and happy to be free from my Covid Tower where I was isolated for the better part of a week.
On New Year's Eve we did what many people do and sat on the couch eating snacks and watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve something or other TV show. It was a bit funny because they were doing lots of throwback clips (many of which were actually enjoyable), all culminating with a live performance from everyone's favorite 70's band... Journey!
Well, Journey with that different singer, who is very talented and I'm sure he's a very nice guy.
But he isn't Steve Perry.
I started thinking about my brush with Journey, or rather with Mr. Perry.
Back in 1992 we had finished working on Michael Jackson's Dangerous album and he was preparing for his Mammoth 17-month Dangerous World Tour.
Over the course of the tour he would perform the show 69 times for more than 4.3 million people in cities around the world.
It was a huge tour, but this was before it ever started.
>>SIDE NOTE: This weekend I am going to New York to see MJ: The Musical live on Broadway, which I am told was based on the exact period of time as my story - when Michael was prepping for the Dangerous Tour.<<
I was brought on to prepare the songs for live performance, something we called "Tour Prep."
What this means is I would go into a studio with all of the project tapes, and work with Michael, the choreographers and the band musical director to edit the songs and change the tempo and pitch to match how they want to perform those songs in the show.
You see, when Michael performed many of his songs live, he wanted the tempo to be much faster for the audience to dance to, and the pitch (key) to be much lower so he could sing the songs live night after night with less strain on his voice.
Since I had already done this for the Bad Tour a few years earlier, this was all pretty familiar territory for me.
I'll spare you all of the technical details, but it's a fairly labor-intensive process with a lot of trial and error, running tapes back and forth from the studio to the rehearsal stage. At that time I'm pretty sure the band and staging was set up in one of the large sound stages at Universal Studios in Hollywood, and I was set up at Enterprise Recording Studios in Burbank, not very far away.
There was always good security at the entrance to the soundstage, and it was always fun to step inside and hear that roar of thunderous audio and see the giant staging, lights, band, singers and dancers. I would deliver my mixes to the Musical Director (MD) and then wait and watch Michael perform the new version and take notes for any changes that were needed.
Michael would eventually try the revised version with the band, then he and the MD would give me instructions to add an 8 bar breakdown after the 2nd chorus of a given song, or take the pitch down one step on another song.
Notes in hand I would return to the studio and make the changes.
I got to be pretty good friends with the front of house mixer (FOH - the guy who mixes the show for the audience, although I feel terrible that I can't remember his name), and I would sit with him and watch Michael and the team perform to an entirely empty room, working out every move, note and detail.
It was all a bit surreal, but any time I got to watch Michael perform live was not lost on me - particularly when I could walk freely around the room.
One afternoon I went up to the production booth and saw a familiar face behind the console. With lights flashing and 114db of sound hitting me in the face it took a moment to figure who it was.
Remember when you were a little kid in the grocery store and you would see your teacher? You knew who it was, but from where, and why are they here? It was one of those moments.
Then it clicked - it's Steve Perry! Holy smokes - Steve Perry is in the sound booth watching Michael Jackson perform the Dangerous set to an empty room!
During a pause between songs I introduced myself and let him know I am part of Michael's studio team, but I grew up on Journey. I may or may not have gone a bit fan-boy. We chatted about him coming from a small town in Central California, not far from where I went to high school and met Deb.
Steve was very nice and likable, and we talked about Michael's talent and how great the new show was coming together. He even joked that he would love to get Michael a few songs to listen to, but I smiled and said I couldn't deliver songs to Michael (true).
We parted with a handshake and I went back to Enterprise to continue editing and making requested changes.
And I may have played "Don't Stop Believin'" for a few days thereafter.
Enjoy your weekend...

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 19 gennaio 2022, 7:35


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 10 febbraio 2022, 19:30

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

TBT - Just Get To Denver
28 years ago this month (Feb 1994) I found myself testifying in a Michael Jackson song writing trial in Federal Court in Denver Colorado.
The lawsuit started when an unknown artist by the name of Crystal Cartier claimed that Michael had stolen parts of a song from her. A song that would eventually become the title track of his "Dangerous" album. Since I was one of the engineers that worked on the song "Dangerous", I was summoned to testify and tell how the song was created and recorded.
Me.
I used to get nervous answering a question in Sunday School, but Michael's legal team wanted me in Denver.
The courtroom saga was pretty interesting and I might tell that story next week, but this story begins with me having to get to Denver.
I had gone through the full deposition process, met numerous times with Michael's legal team, then just waited for the court date.
To add another minor detail to the story, we were living in Los Angeles at the time, about to start Michaels follow-up album (which would eventually be called "HIStory"), when the 1994 Northridge earthquake struck Southern California. It was a devastating quake, and Michael decided to move the entire project to New York.
So this is where the story begins, with me in New York in February of 1994, living in a posh old-lady hotel called The Helmsley Palace and working at the Hit Factory Recording Studios on West 54th.
In early 1994 in the eastern US it snowed. A lot.
One snowstorm after another.
During the very early weeks of the project we were still getting the studios set-up when one of Michael's attorneys by the name of Dawn paged me.
Yes, I was still wearing a pager back then.
She told me the trial date has been set and I needed to schedule my trip to Denver.
Easy enough.
Michael's travel agent (yes, those and pagers were still a thing) contacted me and scheduled me on a flight from JFK to Denver the next day. I'm pretty sure her name is Sylvia, which of course is perfect.
I woke up the next morning and packed my bag. It seemed kind of funny that I would keep my room in New York while I was staying in Denver so I didn't have to pack everything. Sort of like a hotel room version of Inception.
Then I noticed that I didn't hear anything from the windows.
No horns.
No sirens.
Silence.
Midtown Manhattan is never quiet on a weekday morning, so I looked out the window and saw a blanket of snow with more snow endlessly pouring down.
It was beautiful looking down Madison Avenue and almost seeing no movement, just billows of snow.
Then everything started to come into focus in my mind. How was I going to get to JFK if there are no cabs running?
I don't remember the exact sequence of events, if my pager went off or if I called Sylvia the travel agent, but I she told me that all flights from JFK had been cancelled and for me just to stand by while she kept working on options.
I spoke to one of Michael's attorney Dawn and suggested that maybe my testimony could be postponed due to weather, but she explained that is not an option. I needed to get to Denver.
My hotel phone rang again and this time it was Sylvia.
"I got you on a flight out of Newark, leave now, you've got to get over there as soon as possible."
I grabbed my bag and ran down to the lobby and out to the street to try and find a cab. The doorman explained that the cabs were not running the due to the storm. He said that Newark would likely be closing also and I might be best for me just to stay put and enjoy breakfast.
That not being an option I went outside and found a car service, which in New York terminology is basically fancy and more expensive cab. He had a big black Town Car and I told him I needed to get to Newark Airport.
He looked at this sky and his snow-covered car and said it'll be $100 plus tip. (Roughly $200 in today's currency accounting for inflation.)
That seemed a bit steep but my options were exactly zero so I jumped in the car.
I'm not exactly sure how we got to Newark but somehow we did and I walked into the terminal, which was chaotic and slick from the wet slushy snow outside.
Flight after flight was being cancelled - including my flight to Denver.
I found a pay phone and called Sylvia. She already knew my flight had been canceled and was waiting for my call.
"Get the Philadelphia! I have an early evening flight for you out of Philadelphia, but you have to get there!"
I tried to get info on commuter trains or buses, but the schedules were all over the place and I couldn't afford the risk of sitting a bus terminal and missing my flight, so I went to the rental car counters.
I explained my situation I said I wanted the biggest car they had and then I would drop it off at the Philly Airport.
They gave me a giant black four door American-made monster that had a good heater and windshield wipers and I started driving.
According to Google Maps (today) the driving distance between those two airports is 91.2 miles.
The problem is there was no Google Maps in 1994.
Or cell phones.
There were folding maps and road signs and nothing else.
On a good day this drive should take about 90 minutes, but so far this was not a good day, and my flight was leaving in three hours.
I learned to drive in California. I did drive in snow in the mountains from time to time, but I am by no means a seasoned snow driver.
I found my way to Interstate 95 and hit the gas. The snow was almost comical as it kept building up on my windshield wipers.
Of course the sun had set by then so I was driving in a snowstorm in the dark, naturally.
Then a giant semi truck passed me at a pretty alarming speed, splashing slushy snow all over the side of my car.
At first I was a bit scared and irritated, but then I saw him as my own personal Mad Max snow plow. This guy knew how to drive through snow and was clearly fearless.
I switched lanes and locked in behind him, staring at the lights on the back of his trailer as we blasted by cars and trucks, with me keeping a reasonable distance yet staying right with him.
Eventually I started seeing signs for the Philadelphia Airport and I found the turn off for rental car returns.
I do my best not to exaggerate, but the next several minutes were a bit surreal. I pulled up in front of the rental car return and gave my keys to an attendant and just said, "I have to go!"
I ran into the terminal and found the American Airlines counter and told the ticketing agent I had to get on the Denver flight, which was scheduled to leave in minutes.
She quickly checked my name and printed a ticket, then she said something into her radio and looked at me and said one word: "Run!"
I ran.
Not a brisk walk, I ran.
I was not going to get this close and miss this last flight out.
The gate was completely empty except for the agent who was holding the door for me. She had no idea what I have been through the previous many hours, but I was so grateful as I raced up.
She just smiled and said, "You made it!"
I collapsed into my seat, tired and hungry and hopped up on adrenaline. I had not been able to call Deb in hours, and I'm pretty sure I fell asleep before the plane even took off.
I made it to Denver and the next day we all met up at the courthouse to start the trial.
But that's another story...
<><><><><>
Upcoming Events!!
Feb 26, 2022 Mickey, Michael and Martinis Trivia Livestream with Brad and Jared! (Free!!)
March 5, 2022 Tour Of Neverland Livestream!
June 24-26, 2022 In the Studio With MJ - Los Angeles !
Tickets going on sale this weekend!

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 16 febbraio 2022, 15:38

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 22 febbraio 2022, 7:15


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 26 marzo 2022, 15:23


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 1 maggio 2022, 7:38


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 4 maggio 2022, 8:23


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 6 maggio 2022, 8:19


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 24 maggio 2022, 17:09

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

Counting down the days until LA! On June 24th Matt Forger will talk all about Captain EO and Thriller.
June 25th will be the full ITSWMJ seminar presented by Brad Sundberg.
June 26th will be the Tour of Neverland presentation, and special guests Steve Porcaro and Brian Vibberts will be there!
It’s going to be an amazing weekend you will not want to miss, hope to see you there!

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 10 giugno 2022, 8:57


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 19 giugno 2022, 10:13

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 27 agosto 2022, 9:01

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

A few things to discuss/announce, and I'll try to answer a few questions -
Live on Saturday:
11am New York
4pm London
5pm Paris
Oh, and my daughter Maddie is out of town so it's all on me - no safety net.
Only on Facebook.
What could go wrong?
Will You Be There?
www.inthestudiowithmj.com

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 15 ottobre 2022, 10:27


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 2 dicembre 2022, 8:20

In The Studio With Michael Jackson

WE'RE BACK!!
I have no idea why, but the wonderful team at FB unpublished my page for the past 2.5 weeks, with no real explanation. As of this evening I have been cleared of any violations and we are very thankful to be back!
Many people have been quietly working on my behalf, so I want to extend a sincere Thank You to each of you!
I launched another similar page which garnered more than 300 followers, but it's awfully nice to be back in the "big room". Thank you for your patience - I have genuinely missed being able to post from here!
The past is past, no need for further grumbling.
Instead... It's time for a long overdue TBT story.
I hope you're in the mood for a bit of a read.
<><><><><>
The Katherine - Aka The Big Train
>>Happy 40th Birthday Thriller!! Yes, I am aware that everyone is talking and writing about Thriller - which I will also do at some point - but I'm in a Christmas mood and this memory hit me last night, so I thought I might share it.<<
We started decorating for Christmas at my house.
The giant tree is up, along with the Nativity, garland, lanterns, little twinkle lights, little villages and things we have collected over the years.
I went upstairs to my music room last night and my daughter Maddie had set up the little electric train that runs around in a circle around a smaller Christmas tree.
The train was originally in Michael Jackson's lounge during the HIStory project in 94/95, but at the end of the project it was gifted to me and joined my family.
And there it was, quietly going around the little Christmas tree - with a few squeaks, but I like squeaks from a train. More on that in a moment.
I can't look at that little model train and not remember a very cold night back in the early 90's, at a very unique home called Neverland.
I had been helping Michael with countless music-related projects at Neverland since he purchased it in 1987, but on this particular night it was cold. So cold you could see your breath.
Neverland was located a couple hours northwest of LA, so it wasn't like Minnesota-freezing, but the night that I rode the Katherine for the first time it was memorably cold.
Many weeks earlier I found myself in Mt Pleasant, Iowa.
If you've never heard of it, don't feel bad because neither has 99.99999% of the rest of the world. But Mt. Pleasant has a very well-respected train history, and is home to a facility called Shop Services - part of Midwest Central Railroad.
Michael sent me and my assistant Bart to work on the train with the Shop Services crew, and it was a remarkable place.
The noise was sometimes like a factory, with huge locomotives being worked on. Welders and drills and hammers were all in use by some of the most skilled people I had ever met. They would take something that looked like it was on the way to a recycling plant and turn it into a beautiful machine.
Michael also sent the electricians from the ranch, as they knew exactly what he wanted.
There were painters and craftsmen all working together to take this amazing train and turn it into something spectacular.
My job was music, and I had designed a thunderous sound system with eight speakers per car (in true stereo), and three subwoofers per car.
Yes, subwoofers. This is Michael Jackson we're talking about.
It was hard work and it was cold.
We had to mount each speaker onto steel framing, and carefully pull the speaker wires under the car so as not to be seen or damaged.
We had to custom fabricate connectors to go between each car, as this is a train.
Everything was heavy, and drilling holes through plate steel was something I was not exactly an expert at - but the Shop Services guys jumped in and helped at every step of the way.
We also had to deal with very noisy electricity from the huge generator near my equipment. Yes - electricity can be very noisy, and that noise will ruin good sound, so I had a massive power conditioner to "clean" the electricity before it touched my equipment.
I chose equipment that could hopefully withstand being jostled around in a train - with sun, rain, steam and movement a constant factor.
We even designed a system where the engineer or conductor could talk into a microphone and the music would quickly "duck" in volume, so the voice could be clearly heard. When they were finished talking the music would slowly return to it's previous volume.
I think we had just under two weeks in Mt. Pleasant, with a mountain of work to finish. It was a few weeks before Christmas, and there were a few mornings with a light dusting of snow. Perfect for working on a train - thankfully the enormous shop had huge heaters to keep us warm.
The days in the train shop were long, but afterward we would have pizza or burgers together and swap stories. It was great getting to spend time with guys who were from totally different backgrounds and skill sets, yet took tremendous pride in their work just like we did.
I forgot to tell you one funny detail: Back in the early 90's Sony introduced something called the MIniDisc, and I installed one on the train as one of the playback options. A band called the Spin Doctors had released an album called "Pocket Full Of Kryptonite", and that was one of my primary test MiniDiscs. I can't hear that album now without making the connection to the Katherine - aka Big Train.
We finished our work, as did the electricians, and we all came back home while the Katherine went through her finishing stages of painting and polishing.
Weeks passed and I was busy with other projects when the phone rang. It was one of the Neverland team letting me know that the Katherine was being delivered and Michael wanted me there to test everything and teach the crew how to use my music system.
I made my way up the Neverland and parked my car near the train station.
This was my first time seeing the train since Mt. Pleasant, and she looked fantastic - almost regal.
She was lit up with thousands of little lights that the electricians had installed, and Big Al was learning how to operate her. A few of the guys from Shop Services had been flown out to test the train and teach the Neverland guys all the various things they needed to know. I was imagining these tough train guys driving through the gates of Neverland for the first time and what they must have been thinking.
It was always fun to see Neverland through the eyes of first-time visitors, something I know Michael loved.
I climbed aboard and went straight to my music system and started powering it up and giving it a test. Spin Doctors was replaced with a disc I had created specifically for and with Michael - The Neverland Collection. It was music hand-picked by him, in a very specific order. https://tinyurl.com/5mmbskkv
The steam was hissing from the various parts on the engine, along with all of these amazing thumping and chugging sounds that locomotives make while they are waiting to start moving. She wanted to go!
I started the music, set the volume and walked the train.
I didn't want my music to be so loud as to distract from the beautiful sounds a train naturally makes. I wanted Katherine to be the star, and my music to be one of the follow spots - making the star look as good as possible.
There was lots of talking and pointing and checking, but soon it was time for the test run.
I honestly don't remember when Michael arrived, but he was beaming and laughing with excitement. I sat near him and the train gently pulled out of the station.
Somehow there were blankets on some of the benches. The team at Neverland was second-to-none when it came to anticipating any need, and the blankets were a perfect example.
Now, I sometimes try to come across as having everything under control - and wrapping up in a blanket isn't really considered cool - but it was so cold I wanted to put the blanket on my head! I was happy to bundle up in it.
The train was really noisy, especially the wheels on the track, which let out endless squeals of steel against steel. The Shop Services guys explained that would diminish over time and the track settled and everything started smoothing out.
My music played on.
As we got towards the back side of the ranch I remember how dark it was, yet the train was lit up, warm and welcoming. We rounded the back loop and the noise was even louder. (I seem to remember they had to enlarge the loop a few feet as it was a bit too tight for the big train.)
We chugged back along the valley, with the lights of the trees and amusement park coming into view.
My music played on.
The rides were lit up like a county fair.The air was biting cold.The train was hissing and chugging.The squeal from the wheels was diminishing and fading into the background.The lights of the train were glowing.The music was sounding perfect. Michael was laughing and cheering.
It was pure magic.
To be there on that cold night was the best place in the world at that moment.
We made a few more loops before Katherine slowly came to a stop in the station, and it was time to get off.
The funny thing about a beautiful train like that is you want to ride it, but you also want to see it from a few steps back.
She was magnificent.
Have you ever been so tired that you needed to sleep, but also so excited (perhaps running on adrenaline) that you want to keep going? That was what that night was like.
The music played on, but we got off.
There was more work to do on another day, but now it was time to go home.
I got a tight hug of gratitude from Michael and walked back to my car.
Katherine had found a new home where she would be loved for years to come, and Michael was happy.
A moment in time.
A job well done.
What I wouldn't give to do it all again.
<><>><><><><><><><><>
Your attention please!!
Your attention please!!
I am bringing my full "In The Studio With MJ" treasure-trove of stories, music and fun to SAE in Zurich, Switzerland, next weekend! December 9th and 10th, 2022 you can join me and a room full of crazy music fans for my full presentation!
You will never hear Michael's music quite the same way.
Will You Be There?
Tickets on sale now - www.inthestudiowithmj.com

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 24 dicembre 2022, 8:18


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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 28 gennaio 2023, 9:23

#MJInnocent✊🏾Official
@MJInnocentUK

Breaking News…
MJI can reveal that during the ‘In the Studio with MJ’ led by #BradSunberg, taking place in Brussels today, Brad had his laptop & all resources stolen during the event incld rare & unreleased #MichaelJackson material. The event has been cancelled & police en route

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Re: Brad Sundberg seminars: In the studio with MJ

Messaggio da soulmum » 28 gennaio 2023, 9:26

#MJInnocent✊🏾Official
@MJInnocentUK

The culprit. His name is ‘Antonio Felix’ (pictured) goes as ‘MJSP’ on some platforms such as Soundcloud.

#BradSunberg is beyond devastated. His entire hard-drive was stolen..

The full quality of Chicago has leaked earlier.

Sending sincere comradery to Brad, from all at MJI..

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