ראיון עם מייקל ג´קסון (חלק 2)
.החלק השני של הראיון -------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How do you respond to inaccurate articles about you? A: I don´t pay any attention. The fans know the tabloid garbage is crap. They always say to me, "Let´s have a tabloid-burning." It´s terrible to try to assassinate one´s character. I´ve had people come to me, and after meeting me, they start crying. I say, "Why are you crying?" They say, "Because I thought you would be stuck up, but you´re the nicest person." I say, "Who gave you this judgment?" They tell me they read it. I tell them, "Don´t you believe what you read." Q: Do these rumors persist because you don´t refute them? A: No. I´ve done so much in the past. I did the most watched TV interview in history with Oprah Winfrey (in 1993). But (the media) tend to want to twist what you say and judge you. I want to keep it on the music and the art. I think about some of my favorite people who ever lived. If I could stand face to face with Walt Disney or Michelangelo, would I care what they do in their private life? I want to know about their art. I´m a fan. Q: How do you shield yourself from being hurt by criticism? A: Expecting it, knowing it´s going to happen and being invincible, being what I was always taught to be. You stand strong with an iron fist, no matter what the situation." Q: Critics refer to you as the self-proclaimed King of Pop. Did you choose that title? A: I never self-proclaimed myself to be anything. If I called up Elizabeth Taylor right now, she would tell you that she coined the phrase. She was introducing me, I think at the American Music Awards, and said in her own words — it wasn´t in the script — "I´m a personal fan, and in my opinion he is the king of pop, rock and soul." Then the press started saying "King of Pop" and the fans started. This self-proclaimed garbage, I don´t know who said that. Q: The New York concerts marked your first U.S. shows in 12 years. Were you nervous? A: No. It was an honor to be back with my brothers again. The producer wanted a cavalcade of luminaries from different fields of endeavor. It was a great honor to have them salute me. It was heartwarming, a happy, fun occasion. Q: Would you consider another tour with your brothers? A: I don´t think so. I would definitely do an album with them, but not a tour. They would love to tour. But I want to move on to other things. Physically, touring takes a lot out of you. When I´m on stage, it´s like a two-hour marathon. I weigh myself before and after each show, and I lose a good 10 pounds. Sweat is all over the stage. Then you get to your hotel and your adrenaline is at its zenith and you can´t fall asleep. And you´ve got a show the next day. It´s tough. Q: If you don´t tour, how will you satisfy public demand as well as your need to perform? A: I want to direct a special on myself and do songs that touch me. I want something more intimate, from the soul and heart, with just one spotlight. Q: How did you react when Invincible topped the chart here and in a dozen countries? A: It was a lovely feeling. I cried happy tears to see all the love. Q: Invincible was several years in the making. Does your perfectionism slow the process? A: It did take a while because I´m never happy with the songs. I´ll write a bunch of songs, throw them out, write some more. People say, "Are you crazy? That´s got to go on the album." But I´ll say, "Is it better than this other one?" You only get 75 minutes on a CD, and we push it to the limit. Q: Did you approach Invincible with a single theme in mind? A: I never think about themes. I let the music create itself. I like it to be a potpourri of all kinds of sounds, all kinds of colors, something for everybody, from the farmer in Ireland to the lady who scrubs toilets in Harlem. Q: Has it become easier to write songs over time? A: It´s the most effortless thing in the world because you don´t do anything. I hate to say it like that, but it´s the truth. The heavens drop it right into your lap, in its totality. The real gems come that way. You can sit at the piano and say, "OK, I´m going to write the greatest song ever written," and nothing. But you can be walking down the street or showering or playing and, boom, it hits you in the head. I´ve written so many like that. I´m playing a pinball machine, and I have to run upstairs and get my little tape recorder and start dictating. I hear everything in its totality, what the strings are going to do, what the bass is going to do, the harpsichord, everything. Q: Is it difficult translating that sound to tape? A: That´s what´s frustrating. In my head, it´s completed, but I have to transplant that to tape. It´s like (Alfred) Hitchcock said, "The movie´s finished." But he still has to start directing it. The song is the same. You see it in its entirety and then you execute it. Q: After such a long absence, did you have doubts about your current relevance? A: Never. I have confidence in my abilities. I have real perseverance. Nothing can stop me when I put my mind to it. Q: After Sept. 11, you wrote a benefit song, What More Can I Give? What´s the status? A: It´s not finished. We´re adding artists, and I´m getting myself satisfied with the instrumentation. Q: Is it your belief that music is a tool for healing? A: It´s a mantra that soothes the soul. It´s therapeutic. It´s something our body has to have, like food. It´s very important to understand the power of music. Whether you´re in an elevator or a department store, music affects the way you shop, the way you treat your neighbor. (Prince hands Jackson a drawing. "I appreciate it," Jackson says. "Do you have to go to the bathroom?" Prince: "No.") Q: Invincible hasn´t enjoyed record-breaking sales. Does Thriller cast too big a shadow? A: Absolutely. It is tough because you´re competing against yourself. Invincible is just as good or better than Thriller, in my true, humble opinion. It has more to offer. Music is what lives and lasts. Invincible has been a great success. When The Nutcracker Suite was first introduced to the world, it totally bombed. What´s important is how the story ends. (Prince surfaces again with another picture. "What did you promise me?" Jackson asks. "To be quiet?" Prince responds, then retreats.)
.החלק השני של הראיון -------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How do you respond to inaccurate articles about you? A: I don´t pay any attention. The fans know the tabloid garbage is crap. They always say to me, "Let´s have a tabloid-burning." It´s terrible to try to assassinate one´s character. I´ve had people come to me, and after meeting me, they start crying. I say, "Why are you crying?" They say, "Because I thought you would be stuck up, but you´re the nicest person." I say, "Who gave you this judgment?" They tell me they read it. I tell them, "Don´t you believe what you read." Q: Do these rumors persist because you don´t refute them? A: No. I´ve done so much in the past. I did the most watched TV interview in history with Oprah Winfrey (in 1993). But (the media) tend to want to twist what you say and judge you. I want to keep it on the music and the art. I think about some of my favorite people who ever lived. If I could stand face to face with Walt Disney or Michelangelo, would I care what they do in their private life? I want to know about their art. I´m a fan. Q: How do you shield yourself from being hurt by criticism? A: Expecting it, knowing it´s going to happen and being invincible, being what I was always taught to be. You stand strong with an iron fist, no matter what the situation." Q: Critics refer to you as the self-proclaimed King of Pop. Did you choose that title? A: I never self-proclaimed myself to be anything. If I called up Elizabeth Taylor right now, she would tell you that she coined the phrase. She was introducing me, I think at the American Music Awards, and said in her own words — it wasn´t in the script — "I´m a personal fan, and in my opinion he is the king of pop, rock and soul." Then the press started saying "King of Pop" and the fans started. This self-proclaimed garbage, I don´t know who said that. Q: The New York concerts marked your first U.S. shows in 12 years. Were you nervous? A: No. It was an honor to be back with my brothers again. The producer wanted a cavalcade of luminaries from different fields of endeavor. It was a great honor to have them salute me. It was heartwarming, a happy, fun occasion. Q: Would you consider another tour with your brothers? A: I don´t think so. I would definitely do an album with them, but not a tour. They would love to tour. But I want to move on to other things. Physically, touring takes a lot out of you. When I´m on stage, it´s like a two-hour marathon. I weigh myself before and after each show, and I lose a good 10 pounds. Sweat is all over the stage. Then you get to your hotel and your adrenaline is at its zenith and you can´t fall asleep. And you´ve got a show the next day. It´s tough. Q: If you don´t tour, how will you satisfy public demand as well as your need to perform? A: I want to direct a special on myself and do songs that touch me. I want something more intimate, from the soul and heart, with just one spotlight. Q: How did you react when Invincible topped the chart here and in a dozen countries? A: It was a lovely feeling. I cried happy tears to see all the love. Q: Invincible was several years in the making. Does your perfectionism slow the process? A: It did take a while because I´m never happy with the songs. I´ll write a bunch of songs, throw them out, write some more. People say, "Are you crazy? That´s got to go on the album." But I´ll say, "Is it better than this other one?" You only get 75 minutes on a CD, and we push it to the limit. Q: Did you approach Invincible with a single theme in mind? A: I never think about themes. I let the music create itself. I like it to be a potpourri of all kinds of sounds, all kinds of colors, something for everybody, from the farmer in Ireland to the lady who scrubs toilets in Harlem. Q: Has it become easier to write songs over time? A: It´s the most effortless thing in the world because you don´t do anything. I hate to say it like that, but it´s the truth. The heavens drop it right into your lap, in its totality. The real gems come that way. You can sit at the piano and say, "OK, I´m going to write the greatest song ever written," and nothing. But you can be walking down the street or showering or playing and, boom, it hits you in the head. I´ve written so many like that. I´m playing a pinball machine, and I have to run upstairs and get my little tape recorder and start dictating. I hear everything in its totality, what the strings are going to do, what the bass is going to do, the harpsichord, everything. Q: Is it difficult translating that sound to tape? A: That´s what´s frustrating. In my head, it´s completed, but I have to transplant that to tape. It´s like (Alfred) Hitchcock said, "The movie´s finished." But he still has to start directing it. The song is the same. You see it in its entirety and then you execute it. Q: After such a long absence, did you have doubts about your current relevance? A: Never. I have confidence in my abilities. I have real perseverance. Nothing can stop me when I put my mind to it. Q: After Sept. 11, you wrote a benefit song, What More Can I Give? What´s the status? A: It´s not finished. We´re adding artists, and I´m getting myself satisfied with the instrumentation. Q: Is it your belief that music is a tool for healing? A: It´s a mantra that soothes the soul. It´s therapeutic. It´s something our body has to have, like food. It´s very important to understand the power of music. Whether you´re in an elevator or a department store, music affects the way you shop, the way you treat your neighbor. (Prince hands Jackson a drawing. "I appreciate it," Jackson says. "Do you have to go to the bathroom?" Prince: "No.") Q: Invincible hasn´t enjoyed record-breaking sales. Does Thriller cast too big a shadow? A: Absolutely. It is tough because you´re competing against yourself. Invincible is just as good or better than Thriller, in my true, humble opinion. It has more to offer. Music is what lives and lasts. Invincible has been a great success. When The Nutcracker Suite was first introduced to the world, it totally bombed. What´s important is how the story ends. (Prince surfaces again with another picture. "What did you promise me?" Jackson asks. "To be quiet?" Prince responds, then retreats.)