"The King of Pop"
- Group
- Threatened
- Posts
- 18,911
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Status
- Anonymous
|
|
Un racconto proveniente dalla pagina FB dedicata ai seminari.
Let's time-travel back to around 1986, the Bad era. One of the first things I discovered when working with Bruce, Quincy, Rod and Michael was the importance of food. I know this is going to sound crazy, but stick with me. There will be plenty of time for music, I want to discuss food.
Back then Quincy had a personal chef by the name of Jean-Luke. (Say it in a very French accent, with a soft, shushing "J"). Jean-Luke would occasionally bring in these amazing little chicken sandwiches, with home-made mayo and wafer-thin slices of jalapeno pepper. Beyond words.
Well, Michael was not going to be outdone, so he brought in the big guns: The "Slam Dunk Sisters", Catherine and Laura. They started cooking for Michael (who gave them the nickname) at Havenhurst just after Thriller was released. At the risk of sounding like a Food Network geek (guilty, sort of), they knew how to cook with love. The prepared simple comfort food that I'm sure Michael loved from a very young age. So as the Bad album got on track, Catherine and Laura continued to prepare Michael's meals.
Sometime early in the projected Michael thought it would be great if we stopped working for an hour or two on Friday afternoons and gathered in the studio for a giant family dinner together. You guessed it: "Family Friday Dinner" was born, and the Slam Dunk Sisters became our personal chefs.
I have spent more than a few minutes in my seminars and my writings describing "Family Friday Dinners" and the Slam Dunk Sisters. There is something very special about sharing a meal together with family and friends. Homes are built around kitchens. Holidays are celebrated with specific foods. Celebrations almost always involve meals, beverages and treats. Food is essential to survival, but it can and should be so much more. A great meal shared with family and friends is truly a memorable event.
So "Family Friday Dinner" during the "Bad" and "Dangerous" albums became the highlight of the week. It was what we looked forward to and often talked about. I remember clearly watching the security camera of the parking lot on the TV in the studio, and we would get so excited when we saw Catherine's car pull in Fridays; it meant dinner was very near.
Yes, the food was delicious, and I'll get to that in a moment. But it was also the times that my wife Debbie and daughter Amanda would sometimes join us, as would Bruce's wife Bea. Michael Boddicker might have his daughters there, and Frank Dileo would often mysteriously show up on Fridays. I don't think Bill Bray or Miko Brando missed too many "Family Friday Dinners" either. It was food, friendship, laughter and stories.
The food was, in Michael's words, "Country." Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, greens, fried chicken... and of course Catherine's amazing banana puddin'. (Although you can't see it... I am actually just staring into space for a few moments... sorry.)
OK, I'm back.
A few weeks ago I started thinking about the seminars at Westlake this June. I started thinking about reunions and homecomings, and what makes them complete. The answer? Food. Yes, there will be music and stories and memories... but there had to be food.
So... I came up with a crazy idea, and I made a phone call to a dear friend I had not spoken to in more than twenty years: Catherine. We talked and laughed and swapped stories, and finally I got up the courage to ask her a question: Would the original "Slam Dunk Sisters consider providing dinner for my VIP guests at the Homecoming, and snacks for everyone, so everyone could taste the food Michael loved so much? She started giggling and said YES!!!
So let me make sure you understand what is going on here.
On June 23, 24 and 25, we will be at Westlake Studio D, where we produced the Bad album and worked on parts of Dangerous and HIStory. We will be in the same room where Michael and Siedah sang "Man In The Mirror." We will be in the same room where Michael whispered the "Pillow Talk" at the beginning of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You." There is an endless amount of history in this room, but there will also be food. Food that Michael loved, prepared by the two women who prepared it for him and us countless times before. At the risk of sounding corny, this is your chance to hear, feel, see, taste and smell how it felt to be in the studio with us.
Now... VIP tickets are very limited, and those will include the full dinner plus and an extra 3-hours of music and stories. But I have asked Catherine to perpare EVERY ticket holder a light lunch and get the chance to taste her and Laura's food and meet them.
www.facebook.com/inthestudiowithmj/posts/261866933987208
----------
A quel tempo Quincy aveva un cuoco personale di nome Jean-Luke (ditelo con un accento molto francese, strascicando morbidamente la "J"). Jean-Luke occasionalmente portava questi incredibili piccoli sandwich di pollo, con maionese fatta in casa e fette sottilissime di pepe jalapeno. Assolutamente indescrivibili.
Beh, Michael non aveva intenzione di essere da meno, così portò i grossi calibri: le "Slam Dunk Sisters", Catherine e Laura. Avevano iniziato a cucinare per Michael (che aveva dato loro il soprannome) ad Hayvenhurst, subito dopo la pubblicazione di Thriller. A rischio di sembrare un fanatico del cibo (in effetti sono una specie), sapevano come cucinare con amore. Il semplice comodo cibo preparato che sono sicuro Michael amava da quando era molto giovane. Così mentre l'album Bad veniva preparato, Catherine e Laura continuavano a preparare i pasti di Michael.
A volte nelle prime fasi del progetto Michael pensava che sarebbe stato bello se ci fossimo fermati a lavorare per una o due ore il venerdì pomeriggio e poi riuniti in studio per una enorme cena di famiglia insieme. Avete indovinato: il "Family Friday Dinner" era nato, e le Slam Dunk Sisters divennero i nostri chef personali .
Ho passato più di qualche minuto nei miei seminari e nei miei scritti a descrivere i "Family Friday Dinners" e le Slam Dunk Sisters. C'è qualcosa di molto speciale nella condivisione di un pasto insieme con la famiglia e gli amici. Le case sono costruite intorno alle cucine, le vacanze sono celebrate con alimenti specifici, le celebrazioni coinvolgono quasi sempre pasti, bevande e dolcetti. Il cibo è essenziale per la sopravvivenza, ma può e deve essere molto di più. Un ottimo pasto condiviso con la famiglia e gli amici è davvero un evento memorabile .
Quindi i "Family Friday Dinner" durante gli album "Bad" e "Dangerous" diventarono il momento clou della settimana, quello che attendevamo e di cui parlavamo spesso. Mi ricordo chiaramente che guardavamo la telecamera di sicurezza del parcheggio sulla TV in studio e ci eccitavamo così tanto quando vedevamo entrare la macchina di Catherine il venerdì; significava che la cena era molto vicina.
Sì, il cibo era delizioso e ci arriverò in un attimo, ma erano anche i momenti in cui mia moglie Debbie e mia figlia Amanda si univano a noi, come faceva la moglie di Bruce, Bea. Michael Boddicker faceva venire le sue figlie e Frank Dileo appariva spesso misteriosamente il venerdì. E non credo che Bill Bray o Miko Brando si siano persi molti "Family Friday Dinners". C'era il cibo, l'amicizia, le risate e le storie.
Il cibo era, con le parole di Michael, "Country". Tacchino, purè di patate, torta di patate dolci, verdure, pollo fritto... e ovviamente l'incredibile pudding di banane di Catherine (anche se non si vede... sono rimasto con lo sguardo fisso nel vuoto per qualche istante, scusate).
Traduzione 4everMJJ MJFS
Edited by Arcoiris - 2/9/2014, 01:09
|
|
.
