Draft: Thriller
Thriller memorialized
IN 2015, Marinelli sat for an interview with the BBC, reflecting on his memories and contributions to Michael Jackson's Thriller.[1] Tom Baylor had introduced Marinelli to music producer Quincy Jones. Marinelli and partner, Brian Banks were hired as session musicians working at "Studio B", at Westlake Studios in West Hollywood for the creation of Thriller. In addition to bringing in three truckloads of synthesizer gear, preliminary duties consisted of briefing Michael Jackson on the capabilities of the emerging technologies and sound creation / programming.[2]
Most instrumental parts of Thriller were played by session musicians as sequencing and digital synthesizers had yet to be introduced to the industry (???)[2] (Some parts required assistance as the performer played, while the programmer modulated the sound manually????) Template:Citation needed
The nine minute and two second BBC "Witness" podcast was followed by three How We Created It pilot vlogs for Marinelli's YouTube channel. In the first, Marinelli demonstrates how to recreate the falling star sound that opens the "Thriller" song, followed by a two part series called "Studio Stories".[2] Quincy Jones production assistant, Steven Ray, who was present at both studios, joins Marinelli to compare stories in 2020.[3] Marinelli and Ray continued recording episodes and was approached by Audivita Studios and a podcast distribution deal with David Wolf producing, Christian D. Bruun directing. Stories In The Room: “Michael Jackson’s Thriller Album” has published 72 episodes as of February 2024,[4] guest appearances include:
- Matt Forger (sound engineer)
- Lorraine Fields (Thriller zombie dancer)
- Larry Williams (keyboards and reeds)
- Greg Phillinganes (keyboards)
- Steve Porcaro (keyboards, composer on "Human Nature and "The Girl Is Mine")
- Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar and bass, no relation to Michael Jackson)
- The Waters Family (vocal ensemble, Luther Waters, Julia Waters Tillman. Oren Waters, and Maxine Willard Waters)
[4]
References
- ↑ "Witness History, Michael Jackson's Thriller". BBC. 2015-12-23. Archived from the original on 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
In 1982 the world's best selling album was released. Thriller included hits such as Beat It, Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' as well as the title track. Witness speaks to Anthony Marinelli who worked on the seminal album.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Carr, Dan (2022-11-30). "The synth sounds of Michael Jackson's Thriller (and how to recreate them in your DAW)". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on 2024-01-17. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
Looking for a more ‘cinematic’ sound, Quincy Jones enlisted synthesizer programmers Anthony Marinelli and Brian Banks, who bought every synth available at the time and turned up to Westlake Studios with three trucks full of instruments.
- ↑ "Blog". (/\/\) Anthony Marinelli // Music Forever. 2020-10-13. Archived from the original on 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Stories In The Room: Michael Jackson's Thriller Album". MJVibe. 2023-02-11. Archived from the original on 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2024-02-03.