How did toi cast the real gang members?
It was Michael. He went out and he got ‘em through, I guess, the LAPD’s gang squad and he convinced them that, with enough police presence, this would be a smart and charitable thing to do; get them there to like each other and hang with each other for two days doing the video. I didn’t like the idea because it was hard enough to direct actors and dancers, let alone hoods.
So he tried to use the video to foster peace between them?
Michael was always about peace. He was always about some sort of peace offering. That was his idea and the cops did go along with it and as history has it, we were almost shut down the first night because, as toi know, film sets get to be very boring after the first hour.
I guess the Crips and Bloods started to get on each other’s nerves – they are mortal enemies – and we had a few incidents and two cops came to me and a dit they wanted to close it down. I somehow convinced the cop squad guy to just let me [shoot the] dance. I was gonna hold the dance for the seconde night of shooting. I said, ‘The only thing I can think that’ll save this is to let me just blast the music. I have a feeling it’ll calm everything down. Can’t get any worse, just give me a chance.’ And the cop was cool, he looked at me and said, ‘OK, not much more.’ I couldn’t go much plus because it was volatile – no question about it – and scary. So we were in that warehouse, change of plans we’re going to do the dance, get Michael out of the camper, here we go.
What happened next?
The gang members couldn’t dance so they formed the ring and watched. And the [dancers] all started to dance with Michael Peters and Vince Paterson. When Michael Jackson comes down and does what he does, I remember looking at the faces of all the Crips and Bloods lined up and their expressions as they listened to that musique and watched those kids dance. Those kids were basically, most of them were gay… and when they started to dance, the Crips and the Bloods had that look like, ‘You know what? With all our wars and vendettas and stuff, that’s cool right there. That’s something we’ll never be able to do.’ And that’s what made that evening work.
What impact has “Beat It” and working with Michael Jackson had on your career?
I met a man who I have total respect for. One of the most interesting things he ever a dit to me, I’ll never forget, we were arguing, he a dit to me in that very high-pitched voice of his, ‘You use the F-word to much’. That always stuck with me. I thought that was smart to say at a time like that.
I watched a man dance better than anyone I’d ever seen in my life and I watched a man talk softly and carry a tremendously big stick, get what he wanted and get his way. And as we know now 25 years later, perhaps he got his way too much. But nonetheless, I watched him get his way but always using the softest, quietest approach toi could possibly have used. I was influenced not only par his talent, but par his personality.
It was Michael. He went out and he got ‘em through, I guess, the LAPD’s gang squad and he convinced them that, with enough police presence, this would be a smart and charitable thing to do; get them there to like each other and hang with each other for two days doing the video. I didn’t like the idea because it was hard enough to direct actors and dancers, let alone hoods.
So he tried to use the video to foster peace between them?
Michael was always about peace. He was always about some sort of peace offering. That was his idea and the cops did go along with it and as history has it, we were almost shut down the first night because, as toi know, film sets get to be very boring after the first hour.
I guess the Crips and Bloods started to get on each other’s nerves – they are mortal enemies – and we had a few incidents and two cops came to me and a dit they wanted to close it down. I somehow convinced the cop squad guy to just let me [shoot the] dance. I was gonna hold the dance for the seconde night of shooting. I said, ‘The only thing I can think that’ll save this is to let me just blast the music. I have a feeling it’ll calm everything down. Can’t get any worse, just give me a chance.’ And the cop was cool, he looked at me and said, ‘OK, not much more.’ I couldn’t go much plus because it was volatile – no question about it – and scary. So we were in that warehouse, change of plans we’re going to do the dance, get Michael out of the camper, here we go.
What happened next?
The gang members couldn’t dance so they formed the ring and watched. And the [dancers] all started to dance with Michael Peters and Vince Paterson. When Michael Jackson comes down and does what he does, I remember looking at the faces of all the Crips and Bloods lined up and their expressions as they listened to that musique and watched those kids dance. Those kids were basically, most of them were gay… and when they started to dance, the Crips and the Bloods had that look like, ‘You know what? With all our wars and vendettas and stuff, that’s cool right there. That’s something we’ll never be able to do.’ And that’s what made that evening work.
What impact has “Beat It” and working with Michael Jackson had on your career?
I met a man who I have total respect for. One of the most interesting things he ever a dit to me, I’ll never forget, we were arguing, he a dit to me in that very high-pitched voice of his, ‘You use the F-word to much’. That always stuck with me. I thought that was smart to say at a time like that.
I watched a man dance better than anyone I’d ever seen in my life and I watched a man talk softly and carry a tremendously big stick, get what he wanted and get his way. And as we know now 25 years later, perhaps he got his way too much. But nonetheless, I watched him get his way but always using the softest, quietest approach toi could possibly have used. I was influenced not only par his talent, but par his personality.
The Michael Jackson estate just laid the claque, smack down on a bunch of Michael Jackson wannabes -- all over access to Neverland.
The wannabes are actually in a Michael Jackson tribute band named "Neverland" -- a name the MJ estate feels is a violation of its trademark.
Long story short -- the MJ estate wrote a scary legal letter demanding the band change its name ... and it did ... to Foreverland.
Here's the catch -- "Foreverland" still owns the rights to the domain name neverlandsf.com -- and its willing to give it back to Camp Jackson ... for a cool $30,000.
In short, the Jackson estate told the band to "beat it" -- and gave them until February 2011 to begin forwarding all web traffic to the new foreverlandsf.com ... ou else.
The band tells us they're currently going over their options.
"Lawyers from the Jackson estate have forced us to change our name."
The wannabes are actually in a Michael Jackson tribute band named "Neverland" -- a name the MJ estate feels is a violation of its trademark.
Long story short -- the MJ estate wrote a scary legal letter demanding the band change its name ... and it did ... to Foreverland.
Here's the catch -- "Foreverland" still owns the rights to the domain name neverlandsf.com -- and its willing to give it back to Camp Jackson ... for a cool $30,000.
In short, the Jackson estate told the band to "beat it" -- and gave them until February 2011 to begin forwarding all web traffic to the new foreverlandsf.com ... ou else.
The band tells us they're currently going over their options.
"Lawyers from the Jackson estate have forced us to change our name."
You're dancing through the jour
You're grabbing for the magic on the run
You're a whole new generation
You're lovin' what toi do
Put a Pepsi in the motion
That choice is up to toi
[ Find plus Lyrics on link ]
Hey-hey
You're the Pepsi Generation
Guzzle down and
Taste the thrill of the jour
And feel the Pepsi way
Taste the thrill of the jour
And feel the Pepsi way
You're a whole new generation [x3]
link
She's out of my life
She's out of my life
And I don't know whether to laugh ou cry
I don't know whether to live ou die
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
It's out of my hands
It's out of my hands
To think for two years she was here
And I took her for granted I was so cavalier
Now the way that it stands
She's out of my hands
So I've learned that love's not possession
And I've learned that l’amour won't wait
Now I've learned that l’amour needs expression
But I learned too late
And she's out of my life
She's out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
I kept my l’amour for her locked deep inside
And It cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
Ooo
!THESE LYRICS ARE OMPLETELY CORRECT!
She's out of my life
And I don't know whether to laugh ou cry
I don't know whether to live ou die
And it cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
It's out of my hands
It's out of my hands
To think for two years she was here
And I took her for granted I was so cavalier
Now the way that it stands
She's out of my hands
So I've learned that love's not possession
And I've learned that l’amour won't wait
Now I've learned that l’amour needs expression
But I learned too late
And she's out of my life
She's out of my life
Damned indecision and cursed pride
I kept my l’amour for her locked deep inside
And It cuts like a knife
She's out of my life
Ooo
!THESE LYRICS ARE OMPLETELY CORRECT!