adminNEW YORK. – When Michael Jackson first called Toto’s Steve Lukather to ask him to play on “Thriller,” the Grammy-winning session musician told the King of Pop to beat it.
“He called me at home at, like, 8 o’clock in the morning, and I didn’t believe it was him,” Lukather told The Post.
“So he called a couple more times, and I kept hanging up on him. And finally, I got a call from [(Thriller’ producer) Quincy Jones’ office going, ‘Yeah, that was really Michael.’ So I called him back and I’m like, ‘Aw Michael, I’m so sorry! I didn’t believe it was you!’ He goes, ‘It happens all the time.’ ”
Lukather would end up playing on the No. 1 smash “Beat It” and other tracks on the “Thriller” blockbuster, which became the best-selling album of all time after it was released 40 years ago on November 30, 1982.
With seven hit singles that led to a record-setting eight Grammy Awards in 1984, the vinyl-era LP that was seemingly in every household became a cultural phenomenon.
After the solo success of 1979’s “Off the Wall,” there was no mistaking the mission of Jackson and Jones, who was back behind the boards.
“The impetus was to have every song be a hit,” said Larry Williams, who played saxophone, flute and synths on the album. “That was the mandate.”
And after Jones listened to “some ungodly thousands of songs,” that mission was nearly accomplished: All but two of nine tracks on “Thriller” were released as singles – including “Billie Jean,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” and, of course, the title track — and all of them hit the Top 10.
It’s an achievement that even Jackson’s complicated legacy — from all the child molestation allegations made against the late superstar — can’t overshadow.
After the more R&B-focused “Off the Wall,” Jackson became a pop pioneer on “Thriller” with a crossover takeover that — whether he was bringing the funk or head-banging with Eddie Van Halen — defied both genre and race.
“It’s just (him) being a little more experimental and reaching out into some other directions,” said assistant engineer Mark Ettel. “He really was able to cross over and open things up for other black artists actually.”
Lukather “thought it was a smart move” for Jackson to rock out with a guitar god such as Van Halen on “Beat It.
“If anybody could pull it off, it would be Michael,” said Lukather, who “played everything except the guitar solo” on the track.
“Even though he hadn’t really dabbled much in the harder-edged rock stuff, I know he liked it.”
And Jackson showed his love for the Beatles when he paired up with Paul McCartney on “The Girl If Mine,” the first single from “Thriller.”
“That was the first track cut for the record,” said Lukather, who played guitar on the dream duet. “We started jamming on (Stevie Wonder’s) ‘I Was Made to Love Her,’ which is buried on a tape somewhere. Michael and Paul were singing, and it was just rocking. I just kept looking around the room going, ‘Oh my God, this is insane.’ It was very cool to be a part of that.” – New York Post.
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