Bruce Swedien - Thriller (Michael Jackson) | The story behind the song | Top 2000 a gogo
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- čas přidán 15. 03. 2018
- Award-winning producer Bruce Swedien talks about his work for Michael Jacksons 'Thriller'. A short documentary by Top 2000 a gogo (Dutch Public TV) from 2008.
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Many people will never understand that this guy and Quincy Jones were pure bliss for this record. It still amazes me when I listen to these songs with my headphones on. It's pure gold.
Perry Kettler To me, one of the best engineered/mixed/produced albums in popular music. You put it on and you’re like, ”Damn, this sounds good...”
@@tomasandrew9354 yeah man, exactly, it's magic.
What about Rod Temperton??? He wrote all the hits Rock with you etc.
@@stringer-ik1pc He actually wrote THriller also :)
@darrell mfume I didn't even know that. Thanks.
Bruce Swedien: "If the music can be good and inspire me, I'll kill for it"
Say no more!
May you rest in peace Bruce... The greatest sound engineer of all time!
No, that would be Bruce Botnick, Geoff Emerick, or maybe even Alan Parsons. 80's music is sterile, very little real engineering involved as so much of the recording was DI'd or isolated.
@@lucasoheyze4597🥱
stop talking bullshit @@lucasoheyze4597
No that would be george martin and then phil spector ect ect then maybe somewhere he's in the top 20 maybe
@@slottygw2wvw842 if you think The Beatles records sound better than Thriller or Bad, you need your ears testing immediately
@ 5:00 "If I knew what it is that I do... I think I'd be in a lot of trouble... because... then I would have reduced it to a science and you can't do that to the music." Brilliant !
Bruce was a *synesthetes*. He ACTUALLY could SEE music in the form of colours. This is why he was highly sought by huge acts (MJ, Stones, so on) to MIX their music. His mixes are as pure as it gets. Perhaps that quote makes even more sense now.
I remember when the record came out. This album set the world on fire and MJ was the biggest star in the galaxy at the time. I also remember people dressing up in MJ garb such as the leather pants and the red jacket with all the zippers. Ah yes, the 80s were the best time to be a kid and be alive.
How quickly we forget the thought that we all were going to be murdered horribly by Russian nuclear missiles and how the greedy asses were the ones that people idolized...
I had one of the jackets. I wish I still did.
I remember the time, too. The most successful album of all TIME up to that time was Fleetwood Mac's fine album "Rumours." There was this trend, after Springsteen did "Born In The USA," for all bands to make patriotic singles; Prince was a great success. This album made MJ a phenomenon. This video is one of the best you've done. Keep up the good work!
I remember when thriller was released, it was reported in the TV news as the first story. I dont remember any other album release being reported in the mainstream news.
David Smith And Bruce’s BITUSA wasn’t actually that patriotic at all! It was more or less just a description of a vietnam-vet’s feelings about being back in his country and the way US politics handled with those guys. Totally misunderstood at the times. Great song! Even for the dominant eighties-sounding production. The whole album is fantastic for that matter! Greetings from a big Springsteen(& E Street Band)-fan since his was twelve years old!
It is the art of production, editing and of course the talent of Michael. The stars were aligned and they delivered an album that is practically flawless, no fillers.
thats because michael spent so much time on his music making sure it was perfect and he cared and loved his fans, unlike todays music
@@lincthomas7178 You mean producers and engineers like Quincy Jones and Bruce Swedien spent so much time on his music. Without them Michael Jackson would have never made it.
@@aitortilla5128 yes, but he came up with the arangements and all the little bits
@@aitortilla5128 Michael wrote and composed his biggest hits. Without him Quincy and Bruce would have nothing to work with so F off
@@aitortilla5128whaaaa? Props to them for sure, they def. did their things, but MJ was already “made!” Ever heard of the Jackson 5?😂 I mean, that is a ridiculous statement. A star before his teens!
Makes me super nervous to see those masters just sitting on that shelf. They need to be put in a fireproof safe in a temperature and humidity controlled room in a heavily guarded location. Priceless.
He's entire studio is temperature controlled and full of cameras and alarms. Ive seen a documentary with him and I saw the cameras and air controls around the various rooms. Trust me, Bruce knows how to store reel to reel tapes.
and books from the 1400's are worthless & garbage
There millions of digital copies of those multitracks. No worries.
@@aceyage It doesn't sound quite the same though...
They need to be put in a bonfire.
I've heard Quincy mention Bruce Sweiden years and years ago.
I think one of the most underrated talents of Quincy Jones is his eye for talent. Swieden, Rod Temperton, Greg Philanganes are some of the all-time greatest behind the scenes Star Makers.
you managed to write the name of this talent wronng twice in one message
My god those masters would sell for millions...
Drew Liedtke
You seen my friend....
I want all the Master demo
How 'bout the sketches and notes?
Guess thats why they sold the album then huh
With the notes and his little drawing!!! That would probably double the value.
The story is about magic, and you think about money..
Every time when I listen to Michaels music I am always blown away by the mixing of the tracks and the sound quality. The art of mixing is always undervalued by a lot of singers and musicians. And often you can hear that.
96 mixes and came back choosing number (2) let that sink in!!!!!
@@grantmalone Yes, because I think Timbaland had to choose from and do 30+ mixes for Kanye West "Stronger"... Diligence!
@@grantmalone Ain't no more to it!
@@grantmalone I'd say that diminishing returns was the main factor. During the first and second mix they went into it with fresh ears and later came to realise that they had already gotten the best out of it. But then again, who knows.
Michael Jackson , Quincy Jones , Bruce Swidien amazing era and for me this Album is
The Master Piece all around The World !
And don't forget Rod Temperton.
This guy should have his own musical award. The "grammpy".
you see i think this mans has perfect pitch 4:34, he sing Starlight on pitch with Thriller, but there was silence in that room
RIP Bruce Swedien! You are one of the greats!
This album was a masterpiece.
"...I would have reduced it to a science... and you can't do that with music" Great point.
My dad had this boat of a car it was green color and we called it the Green Machine. My best friend lived down the street and he was the first to own Thriller. We would pick him up on the way to school and toss the cassette into the car's tape deck and listen all the way to school! It was just amazing!
rip bruce, thank you for everything
I’m obsessed with Thriller. The last 4 years of my life, I have immersed myself in it completely from a sonic point of view. It’s not even my fav album and I don’t care for about 4 tracks on it. I just love the stories of how it was created and the mythology
One thing great about these videos about the writing of the song is you learn something about the song writers behind the celebrity and realize that there is more to a celebrity then just him
I love the lights changed on Bruce when he said "Starlight."
RIP, Bruce; thanks for all the great music you recorded over your amazing career. -Tom, 2020-11-19 (Bruce died 2020-11-16)
Siiiiigghhhhhh
Bruce, Quincy, Rod, Michael.
Try and do what they did, then get on your knees and praise the legends that they were.
:)
Put the vinyl on, turn it up, and be amazed, inspired and humbled.
They don't make craftsmen like that anymore.
Legend has it that Eddie's guitar solo on Beat It was so hot the studio monitor speakers burst into flames while he played it. This is per Quincy Jones himself.
It's one of Eddie's best and it's not even a VH song.
Quincy said when they were mixing the album and the solo came, it was turned up and the monitors blew out . in a 1990 playboy interview
mind boggling , I hope he has digitised those master tapes in case of damage , fire etc..
I would put them in a climate controlled vault. He's got millions $$ sitting on just that one shelf.
Trust, Sony and the MJ Estate have come through and collected anything they considered worth digitizing. I doubt Mr Bruce had the only copies anyway.
crnkmnky a lot of those masters burned in a fire not long ago. And I guarantee you he made copies of those masters a long time ago.
I just love that mix. I use the thriller album to check any sound gear I got my hands on, since the 80s.
Brilliant
this video is a museum piece. Invaluable!
Best advice I got from Bruce (never met him mid you) was to keep the song/mix primitive. "No one ever walked out of a record store singing the mixing console."
yeh but all the big hits in the history of the world have great sonics and sound professional. Name one #1 hit that sounds like a cheap demo recorded through a telephone. Zero. So you need both really. The hit and the sonics of the recording to go with it. I Think I know what Bruce was getting at tho, it was more along the lines of "use great gear but don't sweat the small stuff that no-one cares about like 0.2db difference in reverb from verse 1 to verse 2".
@@DarrenGlen The early great hits of Chicago sound like a cheap, lo-fi demo. ...but what great songs/performance/vibe. And on the opposite side, Supertramp's Breakfast in America, I can take or leave the music, but the recording sounds so terrific, I'll always listen....so......
Rod Temperton and Michael Jackson were stolen from us before anyone was ready. We need them back because the likes of their talent and the voices of Luther Vandross and Donna Summer made the world feel the music
I love this dude. Imagine if he did the mix of Nevermind. Being a fan of Nirvana (Bleach & 7” s) before it came out, I couldn’t believe Butch sterilized the songs so much, all the nuances, noise, imperfections kind of erased that to me are part of their music. This guy gets it & emphasizes all of the glorious details & makes them shine & glitter. All this time I thought it was Q & I know he is part of the equation, but a lot of credit should really go to this man for how incredible he made the records sound in the mix besides of course MJ & the bad ass players. Sorry, voicing my aha moment. Much Love to Bruce! Love his humility & humbleness as well. 1 of 1
GENIUS! Those demo tapes are going to be worth serious bucks in years to come!!
They are probably worth more than any other piece of music on the planet already.
they already are, especially since MJ's death
This man is a living legend!
Sadly now just a legend. Bruce passed in 2020
I think the next big thing would be making the world listen to all those different types of mixes. That would blow everyone away.
masters are Priceless you can't put a value on them absolutely one-of-a-kind
Beautiful trio an unique artist Michael, Bruce, Quincy..thank you.
Tous les masters originaux sur bande analogique qu’il détient c’est un trésor. Lui on peut dire qu’il a vécu son métier à fond avec les meilleurs artistes et le meilleur matériel. Incroyable. Merci Bruce
Seriously underrated.
Who's listenin' in 1976?
Bruce did amazing work on Dangerous as well. I think he was a true friend to Michael.
Everything about the Thriller album is pure platinum. Bille Jean I think was the ultimate, even the video was pure brilliance.
Thriller was my first favorite song in this life when i was a baby. Thank you!
This man still get checks from this damn Album!!!
That vid always reminds me of Beverly Hills Cop when Axle walks past a dude wearing a full red leather MJ Jacket.......
Great comment!! Yes exactly
@@ogmangler8820 2......one in a red Thriller jacket and one in black as I remember :)
*Axel*
Yeah I think he looks at him and starts that laugh of his.
It's fascinating how some of the most important pieces in the music history of humankind, as these master tapes, are kept just like that, in a regular room, on a shelf and not in some vault protected from fire, flood, theft or something. Just laying around and "ha, there's the master of the Thriller...". Nothing against it, just saying :)
We've lost some of the most historically important music, film, artwork, and writings because they were stored in a vault somewhere that caught fire. It's probably better this way.
See: Universal Studios vault fire.
Also: Library of Alexandria
I would frame all the little drawings Michael did. Those are priceless as well as those masters!
LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More please
Wow! What a talented and gentle guy.
This album was wonderfully mastered amazing!!!!!!
No one had ever seen anything like it, that’s what made it so special.
I agree with a previous comment 'Rod Temperton' The song has to be written first
Michael Jackson is one and only hardworking amazing guys... incredible
3:43 He was drawing noses! muhaha
It was probably for the masks but it's still hilarious to me.
Great video, cool sound engineer.
He was obsessed with noses.
Love this channel.
I always wondered who invented funky fresh. I challenge ANYONE to make a song as timeless as Wanna Be Startin Somethin and include the lines "you're a vegetable" and "yee-haw" in the lyrics. That's talent.
A documentry of Bruce Swedien work could be 10 hours long and interresting the whole time.
I was hoping for more than five minutes of Bruce Swedien insisting he doesn't know what he does. A proper documentary is long overdue. Give the legends their flowers while they're here.
Its in the works.. called “Sonic Fantasy”.. coming soon
RIP Bruce Swedien
he died November 16, 2020 aged 86 :(
If you only knew how much I love this
It’s mostly toto on it, with MJ on vocals. And Steve Porcaro wrote Human Nature. And also Toto played it
@tim conway He means BULLSHIT! Nowadays there's a trend trying to dismiss/discredit Michael Jackson's legacy...sadly!
tim conway I think it’s bullshit anyway, just two white guys who seek there 15 minutes of fame. And they do it to the man who can’t defend himself anymore. But you now who’s even worse? Fucking Oprah Winfrey! First being all friendly with Jackson and now she’s acting as the conscience(right spelling?)of America by giving those two assholes a platform to act like fucking cry-baby’s. She did the same with Weinstein and Cosby. As long as she could use him, she acting out all hunky dory and taking pictures with them all smiley on party’s and everything and now that she understand it could hurt her career she quickly as lighting switches sides. With her shamefull bllshit time’s up-speech at the, what was it, Golden Globes? Emmy’s? Anyways, she’s such a fucking hypocrite! I say, all hail to MJ! And Bill Cosby!!
Nonsense. Michael WROTE Billie Jean, Beat It, Wanna Be Startin Something AND the Girl is Mine. In other words he wrote the biggest hits on the album. Human Nature while still a big hit paled in comparison to Billie Jean.
Yes, a member of Toto wrote the lovely song "Human Nature." Yes, several past and future members of Toto played excellent music on the album.
These are facts which absolutely do not take away from the effort of everyone else who worked their butts off to create this sonic masterpiece. Especially Michael Jackson, who did not just sing but _sang_ these songs, also arranging and producing several demos by himself.
What a loss to the music world R.I.P. Ron Temperton
Rod
What a loss to the music world. R.I.P. Rod Temperton and now RIP Bruce Swedien!
Without this guy and Quincy Jones Michael Jackson would have never made it.
No they still woulda made it, but it wouldn't have been as big. Bruce was just One piece of this team and everyone was equally as important.
Cant put one over the other.
This makes me so happy and so depressed that he's gone. I miss him so much.
In another interview he said "There is no compression on Thriller album. I didn't use any compressor. Compressors are toys just for kids"
Tape Compression
@@craigsanderson4330 DRC
I don't either
Rest In Peace Bruce 😞❤️
Bro was trying to draw his perfect nose on a piece of paper.
"If the music can be good and inspire me, I'll kill for it"
Someone should tell him that some things are best left unsaid.
legend!
VERY interesting show! GREAT 👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🤗🤗🤗
All time brilliance
Off The Wall is my fav. Especially _Workin'_ _Day_ _and_ _Night_ with the sick horns from Jerry Hey.
Countless lives were changed by this dude
Incredible
There is a strike of editing genius in that doc. :) Thanks for making us laugh !
My pleasure. Pascal
F$$$CKING AMAZING! This how real music was made. Yep, so many musical geniuses on this album. 92 mixes that’s insane, then number 2 was used!!! Been there as a producer. (If it ain’t broke don’t fix it).
People don't realise how good Quincy Jones and this guy Bruce Swedien were and how necessary producers are in music. Without Quincy Jones and this guy Michael Jackson wouldn't have been anyone.
But without Michael Jackson, who would Bruce or Quincy be??? Honestly, come on....you really think Bruce would have sold the album without MJ??? Geez, it's so complicated. They are ALL necessary.
Chris jT Umm Quincy was already established before MJ
Michael would've been "someone", but not as huge as he became. And the same is true for Quincy and Bruce.
Don't forget that this was a COLLABORATION.
@@SpaceCattttt tell us a hit pop song of Quincy J
@@kaafaa5944 Soul Bossa Nova. But that's not the point. You don't have to be a performing artist (which Quincy was) to be successful in the music business.
And Michael needed Quincy's and Bruce's help to make those albums sound as good as they do.
Without them, the songs would never have had the arrangements and production that made them huge.
Ndugu Chancelor played drums on Billie Jean and Louis Johnson played the bass! Really tight groove!
After THRILLER..IT BECAME SO MUNDANE AND TEDIOUS..
Woah!Starlight was supposed to be the original title?Now that's news to me.
czcams.com/video/kapwuo2v9Lw/video.html
Yup
Rest In Love legend
Interesting that 3 years after the supposed "death" of Disco, MJ and Kool & The Gang were still going strong.
They weren't Disco, they were R&B and Pop. They may have done a few Disco songs, but that wasn't their forte.
@bookmarkthis No, disco is a DISTINCT genre, even though there's some pop and RnB elements to it. Kool & the Gang and MJ WERE NOT Disco stars, even though they might have done a few disco songs.
@bookmarkthis Uh, the OP clearly implied that they were...
@bookmarkthis You're correct. "Disco", like most music genres, is mostly just a marketing term. Disco "died", but really it just evolved into new sounds, such as Chicago house.
That said, _Off the Wall_ is chock-full of "disco" beats, despite critics already declaring the genre was dead. 🕺
@Dante Whitley 👍 I'm not sure I've heard of that term. I assume it wasn't used much after "new wave" took over?
Let's not forget Mr Rod Temperton, Mr Boogie Nights of Heatwave who wrote most of these songs for this album.
But Michael wrote the biggest hits on the Album Bilie jean and beat it. He also wrote the girl is mine and Wanna Be Startin Something
Nice man 👍
Talented 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼
RIP Bruce. Died November 2020 from complications of surgery. Rip
fuck that , Rod Temperton's genius made it all possible
Mannnn I never knew any of this. #classic
What you do is art, as well as science. And thank you for doing it!
Two words: Rod Temperton.
Mark Rios
Such a genius. Did beautiful work in Heatwave as well
@@CraigMansfield Wrote Sweet Freedom, too.
Jerry Hey!!
Two words: Pee Dough
Templeton
Jeff Porcaro on the drums 🙏
Indeed! The one and only!
Porcaro was a genius
Andre Fadista Best drummer ever !!
Toto throughout the album. No matter how many fools claim they had nothing to do with the album.
@@lobitome fools who either can't read, or have never known the pleasure of holding physical liner notes for an album…
RIP Bruce 💔
I'd like to see interviews with the dancers of thriller & the girl that played along side him....
Bruce would have been a good candidate to do the voice for the thriller part that Vincent price did
Waaoooo! ❤️
Reunited with MJ.
Great song by Rod Temperton
Engineers are so underrated
Yes they play a vital role in the sonic sound of music
Classic.
Rod Temperton wrote it. Not Jackson. He also wrote Rock with you.
Yes, we know. And? Actually, at 4:33 he says "Ron" but fans know it was Worms.
@@brownin329 some fans know and appreciate the fact that it takes a team to produce this genius music. others have trouble processing this fact.
Yup
@@stringer-ik1pc you must be British... figures why you got something negative to say about something that concern you
@@stringer-ik1pc and yet it was the black man who made the money
I want to hear every version of Billie jeans intro
His voice is real Thriller👻🤩
Those MJ’s drawing will be worth thousands of $ if you auction it today
tens of thousands!!
bookmarkthis that would be after your uncle got ahold of them
bookmarkthis oh shit you have an uncle named Michael Jackson? That’s cool, he has the same name as the king of pop. Did you get him to like your comment or was that you again?
bookmarkthis looks like you’re playing thumbs up with your own comments. Kinda pathetic.