#MICHAEL JACKSØN F O R E V E R !

[noramoya]

"I worked with Michael on two videos, Ghost being the first and Rock My World the second. Initially Mick Garris, a director whom I have a long working history with, was scheduled to direct Ghost but when the schedule changed he was unable to continue because of prior commitments. Stan Winston took over as director as well as visual effects guru and so I rang him up and said that Mick had wanted me score the video and would he consider doing likewise! I sent him some of my work which he loved and asked me to come in and meet Michael. Working with Michael was like a dream. The highlight of my musical career. He is one of a very small handful of people that one dreams about working with. Obviously a massive talent, a pop superstar and at the same time, a very respectful and gentle collaborator. We were very much on the same wavelength and he was thrilled with the music that I wrote for him. I will share one experience. The first ten minutes of the video is all me, musically. The first time I sat down with him to play a synthesizer mock-up of what would eventually be played by the orchestra, I was very nervous about what his response would be. We sat down in a studio, I put in the tape, and sweated for nine and a half minutes while Michael sat there engrossed. At the moment where he has finished summoning all the ghosts, the music has built to a massive climax on Michael and when we reached that moment Michael jumped out of his seat and shouted “yes!” After that, I knew that I was on the right track! Artistically, he didn’t make any requests of me. I met with him and Stan and gave him a brief idea of what I had in mind. I don’t usually go into a lot of detail trying to talk about music preferring rather to compose it and show it. The picture is what influenced me. I knew that I wanted it big and the initial budget was for a 60 piece orchestra and I told Michael that I didn’t think that he’d be happy with fewer than a 90 piece plus choir. I also knew I wanted it Gothic and dramatic - something that I thought would really compliment the film. He is a perfectionist, as are all of the greatest artists - it’s what sets them apart from all the rest. I also demand perfection from myself and the orchestra and so we both had the same goal. As far as changes, I made none. Michael would listen to a piece and say, “I have nothing to say!” We spent about nine days together. Two full days in my studio just the two of us, and then days when we had meetings, recorded the orchestra. For the first ten minutes after he arrived at my studio, all I kept thinking was, “I’m sitting here with Michael Jackson, I’m sitting here with Michael Jackson!” After that we were just two musicians working together in the studio.Everything that I wrote is in the film and the only piece that had his vocal on it was Descending Angels.Whatever I needed he made available to me.It was fantastic! Probably at the top of my list of working creatively with anyone. A big part of that was Michael being an incredible musician. The first time he came to my studio he said “look, if you have any questions, just call me any time of the day or night…He was a real gentleman and a sweetheart! For my part, I think that orchestral scoring is timeless. There are no synth sound effects that may sound dated down the road. I think that speaking for the project as a whole, everybody set out to do their very best and our only adversary was time. From the time that I came on, I had three weeks to deliver the score. The artistic direction had been set long before I wrote any music and so my job was to enhance the film to the best of my ability. I worked chronologically. The most demanding section being the first 10 minutes where the score is very much helping to tell the story and create the atmosphere as well as underline the action. I spent a lot of time on the Ceiling Dance piece. It had to be perfectly in sync with the dancing as well as the acrobatics of Michael and the ghosts. [...]Essentially, the film was close to being complete by the time I started to compose.The placement of the songs was tied to the storyline and so they were pretty much set. Footage had been shot and assembled and visual effect sequences like the dancing skeleton were being digitized. As far as the score, Michael, Stan and I decided on where to put music.I have no doubt that the songs influenced the approach but ultimately, Michael knew the story he wanted to tell and the tone in which he wanted it told. Michael was the greatest among some true legends and icons that I had worked with. A friend called me to tell me of his passing and I can tell that it was the start of an extended period of grief. Even though Michael hadn’t been very active for a few years I always believed that we would work together again and I was sensing that the moment was approaching. Coming to terms with the fact that nothing else was going to happen was very sad. [...]I don’t think that I can describe him in one word. He was a very complex being. To me the greatest performer ever, a huge musical talent and at the same time the most gentle of souls. Extremely thoughtful and respectful of others as well as extremely generous and caring.I learned from him that being tolerant and respectful of others, no matter who you are, allows your own star to burn a million times brighter." Nicholas Pike, composer remembering working with Michael Source:alchrista Note:Nicholas Pike composed the score for Ghosts, but Michael is also credited as co-composer or composer in three orchestral pieces: “Dance On The Ceiling”, “Descending Angels” and “Ashes To Ashes” from Ghosts.