This is Dangerous 30, a video series chronicling every detail
in the construction of Michael Jackson's most ambitious musical triumph, Dangerous.
Honoring the 30th anniversary since its worldwide release.
From the outset, Michael Jackson's next
single was never intended to just be a radio friendly creation.
With the provocative title 'In the Closet', Michael Jackson decided to, once again, use
the years of gossip headlines and controversy that followed him for his
own commercial advantage, that had proved successful with 'Black Or White'.
This time he alluded to the very public speculation over his sexuality,
knowing the press attention this would cause.
Jackson also intended to up the ante on this track by setting his sights
on the master of media hype and somewhat pop rival, Madonna.
Who was at the very peak of her pop powers at this time, and whose musical involvement
would only heighten public interest in the song.
Having just vogued her way around the world on the iconic Blonde Ambition
tour, all conical bras, Catholic imagery, hip-thrusting and simulated masturbation.
She said he wanted to write a song with me and I was curious.
He played me a bit of music.
It was a very unfinished track,
and he said that he wanted to call the song In the Closet.
And I said, really?. Given the position Madonna was
in at the time, slap bang in between
the 'Justify My Love' furore and right before 'Erotica' and the sex book,
it is probably not surprising that she didn't want to just tease the audience
with a provocative title, but take it up a notch. Madonna said in a 1991 interview.
The thing is,
I'm not going to get together and do some stupid ballad or love duet.
No one's going to buy it,
first of all, I said, 'Look, Michael,
if you want to do something with me, you have to be willing to go all the way
or I'm not going to do it'. With a sense of gusto,
Madonna claimed that she came into
the musical collaboration with clear ideas on the track's direction,
including more sexually provocative lyrics, and a video concept that would require
Michael Jackson to cut his hair as well as present himself in drag.
But when she expressed these ideas to Jackson, he deemed them to be far too
provocative and in turn canceled the whole idea of a collaboration.
I can't help it.
You can see how I am with the dancers.
I sort of have to get my hands in there and go, oh, you should do this.
You should wear that. You should cut your hair.
You should do.
And I gave him a lot of books to read and directors reels
because I think he's very talented, but I felt that he needed to be exposed
to more things than he had been exposing himself to.
So I tried to have an influence on him.
I don't know if he's going to heed any of my advice,
after all, he's done pretty well for himself
without me.
However, Jackson would continue working
on the track that appeared on the album, albeit without Madonna. Sung as a duet
with a female called 'Mystery Girl' on the album cover.
The elusive move was an attempt to conjure
up rumors that Jackson was, in fact, having a secret affair with an unnamed lover.
In tune with the lyrical content
of the song. The vocals were actually that of Stephanie
from Monaco, with Michael Jackson seeking a very particular voice and having had
the opportunity to hear Princess Stephanie of Monaco sing,
invited the Princess to come and record the spoken verses in the song.
The initial project, according to Stephanie of Monaco,
was to open a competition after the release of the single
with this question, who is the mysterious girl?
The project was later abandoned, but the album and the booklets
having already been pressed and printed, meant that Stephanie of Monaco was never
credited for her duet with Michael Jackson.
Instead of both artists appearing
in the track's accompanying music video, Michael Jackson enlisted Naomi Campbell
to make an appearance as his object of desire for the shoot.
An offer the highly in demand supermodel initially refused due to her packed out
fashion week schedule during the time of shooting.
However, she later agreed once Michael convinced her by announcing he would repay
her for all the fees she would have earned over fashion week.
Rewind, I was one of those ten year olds,
eleven year olds that saved up my pocket money to buy off the wall.
The album that folded out with Michael against the Wall in the tuxedo.
I used to play that album over and over and over again.
I would never believe in a million years I would be meeting him,
knowing him and being friends with him till the day he died.
To heighten the stakes,
world-renowned fashion photographer, Herb Ritts, was enlisted to co-direct
the music video, after shooting Madonna's 'Cherish' and Janet Jackson's 'Love Will
Never Do (Without You)' videos. Having worked together before, Michael Jackson recreated
the slick down ponytail and minimalistic attire he wore during his last Herb Ritts
shoot that appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in January 1992.
The location chosen was the Californian desert where a whole Spanish style church
left in ruins was constructed out of styrofoam.
The film was shot in sepia tone,
and its setting reflected the sparse and steamy nature of the track.
Naomi Campbell was instructed by the director to dance, caress,
and gyrate all over the characteristically shy Michael Jackson.
Throughout the shoot,
Campbell had no problem getting hot and heavy with the King of Pop.
While filming Herb Ritts was keen to push Michael, for him to express the sexual
nature of the song and break away from his Peter Pan image.
How did you loosen Michael up in that video?
Naomi. She did it? Oh yeah
They had fun with it and he really got into it.
She had her hands all over.
She had a major crush.
So it worked.
However, the video shoot was reportedly cut short when Michael Jackson refused
to continue after the supermodel aggressively came onto him off camera.
I remember Michael and her doing the video
and then she got nasty with them and he wanted it to end.
Why was Michael so freaked out about it?
I think because Michael was a bigger star than her.
Was he scared of you because when you were in the video you had to do sexy stuff.
I keep hearing that he's frightened of me
but I think because the director told me, Herb,
would would say, you have to touch him everywhere.
And I would say that he doesn't want to be touched.
It's unimaginable isn't it? It's like touching the Pope.
You can't touch me there,
and Herb would say you have to do it.
So I was like, in the middle,
like I had to do my job at the same time, but I didn't want to upset him.
Did he get upset?
No, he just got crazy.
He's probably frightened thinking I'm a nymphomaniac.
The videos world premiere took place
on April 23, 1992, on the Fox Network, and cables MTV and BET.
Reviews the next day commended the song itself, but were predictably confused
by Jackson's change in image, questioning whether the song's title meant
it was really about an affair between a man and a woman.
The provocative title in its accompanying
steamy video caused controversy when the video was banned by the South African
government, the government's Directorate of publication, saying the lyrics of songs
on Jackson's latest album were considered undesirable.
The government run South African Broadcasting Corp. said the Jackson video
was of a very sensual nature, which could offend viewers and therefore
the video will not be allowed for broadcasting.
Like any album Michael Jackson would
produce post 'Thriller', 'Dangerous' would follow a similar formula.
As part of this, a Jackson rock song would
normally crop up featuring a popular guitar player to give the track kudos
amongst more die-hard rock fans.
On 'Thriller', this was obviously Eddie Van Halen
on 'Beat It', and with 'Bad', the slot was taken by Steve Stevens on 'Dirty Diana'.
For 'Dangerous', it was Guns N Roses guitarist Slash's turn.
Guns N Roses being at the height of their popularity, it is no surprise that the King of Pop
invited Slash to play on the track 'Give In to Me'.
Although Jackson created a pop, rock, rap
crossover success with the creation of 'Black Or White',
this was his attempt of an authentic rock song for his latest album.
Written composed and produced by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell,
the hard rock ballad expands upon the premise of betrayal,
often featured in Jackson's work. Painting a nightmarish picture with its lyrics.
You always knew just how to make me cry
and never did I ask you questions why. It seems you get your kicks from hurting me,
Jackson howls. Guns N Roses guitarist, Slash, brought
the soulbearing nature of the song to life with his Les Paul guitar.
I got off the plane from Africa and drove to the studio, Slash remembers.
I basically went in and started to play it.
That was it. It was really spontaneous in that way.
Just another example of Jackson's ability to borrow elements from grunge rock,
a style unheard in his previous work, and give it heart.
As part of Michael Jackson's pursuit for an authentic rock hit,
the music video was shot by Andy Morahan, who had become famous for directing
a whole host of rock videos, including Guns N Roses 1992 smash hit
November Rain. Shot on June 25th, 1992, in Munich, Germany,
just two days before the opening concert of Michael Jackson's dangerous World tour,
the 'Give In To Me' video features Jackson performing the song on stage at an indoor
rock concert with ex Living Color bassist Muzz Skillings, Slash and Gilby Clarke,
as well as the band's touring keyboard as Teddy Andreadis.
Loud explosions are later heard with visuals of stylized electrical arts,
with Jackson dancing as they run down his body, the pyrotechnics appearing
in the video being computer generated and added in post-production.
I think the most gobsmacking exciting moment was when I
shot Michael Jackson and Slash together on that video.
He was the most incredible artist and performer at his height
and to actually- literally the first take we did with him,
I forgot to say cut,
I was completely dumb struck basically, and the track had finished but
I'm like, it was unbelievable.
He was like watching someone from another planet.
I mean, he was like ET grown up or something.
He didn't seem human.
When the music started, it was like putting batteries in the Ducell bunny.
He would literally electricity would cause through his body and he'd come alive.
The music video for 'Give In to Me' premiered immediately after Michael Jackson's
groundbreaking interview with Oprah Winfrey on February 10, 1993,
his first televised interview in over 14 years.
The landmark event drew in an audience of 90 million people.
During the interview,
Michael Jackson revealed for the first time his skin condition, vitiligo, and,
among other topics, spoke about the abuse he was subjected to at the hands of his
father. Because of the press attention these revelations caused,
the premiere of the video and subsequent release of the song were largely
overshadowed, becoming a moderate hit for the artist.
The haunting masterpiece, 'Who Is It'.
Finds Michael Jackson teeming with rage
and regret when his lover leaves him unexpectedly.
And she promised me forever that we'd live our life as one.
We made our vows. We'd live a love so true.
Jackson delivers one of the most urgent moments on 'Dangerous' singing
still I cry alone at night.
Don't you judge my composure because I'm lying to myself?
'Who Is It'
taps back into a familiar Jackson theme, paranoia.
Echoing previous classics like 'Billie Jean'
and Heartbreak Hotel, the telling of a man who was left
in despair when his lover suddenly leaves him. Learning that she was unfaithful
to him and wanting to know with whom she cheated with.
This reminds me so much of 'Dirty Diana'.
I think he recaptured that sound on this song.
I thought it would take someone like Quincy to get that sound,
but Michael came up with it. Riley said when asked about the track.
However, while Quincy Jones allegedly
shouted no squeaks motherfucker during the recording of 'Thriller',
here Jackson is off the leash, eliciting a gulping sob that sinks exactly
with the beat. Weaving his vocal ticks into the fabric of the production.
The accompanying music video was directed
by a young David Fincher, who had already shot videos
for Madonna 'Express Yourself' and 'Vogue' to name only a few.
Shot in Los Angeles, California,
with the helicopter scene filmed at the Neverland Ranch.
It begins with Jackson in what seems to be a hotel singing about his girlfriend,
portrayed by another English supermodel, Yasmin Le Bon.
He is distressed because he found a silver card with the name Alex on it.
It implies that his girlfriend is cheating on him with someone else.
As the story in the video unfolds, the girl takes on different identities
for her job as a high class call girl with Alex just happens to be one of them.
The video alternates between scenes of Jackson singing about his pain
to the girl changing into her different identities and taking care of her jobs,
mostly meeting with other men and even some women and sleeping with them.
Towards the end of the video, Jackson packs up his bags to leave town.
A helicopter comes to pick him up from his house.
The girl comes to see Jackson, and she asks his assistant,
who knows the situation and aided Jackson in his departure to let her in.
The assistant shakes his head, implying that he has left.
When she asks why he drops a flutter
of silver nameplates, including the one that said Alex from a slot in the door.
Jackson is then seen sleeping and smoke floats out the side of the screen.
Having lost her love and without any
alternative, the girl turns to her profession as a call girl again.
Her employer slaps her in the face,
and the video ends as the girl is seen being prepared for a new identity.
Critically, many characterized the track
as being somewhat of a sequel to his 1983 hit, 'Billie Jean'.
Chris Wilman of the Los Angeles Times, claiming that it recaptures some
of the slinky, insinuating feel of 'Billie Jean'
and Jonathan Bernstein, a writer for Spin, wrote that 'Who Is It'
was close skin to 'Billie Jean'.
However, the track wouldn't come close to recapturing the success Jackson
achieved on the charts with his former hit, with 'Who Is It'
becoming a minor commercial success for the Dangerous album after Michael's
impromptu beatboxing during his 1993 live interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Oh, boy, what could I sing?
'Who is it'
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