teacher of belcanto, Seth Riggs (Michael's vocal coach) interview

[Bee.]

Thanks for posting this.

These quotes are from either the late 80s or early 90s. But Seth's always been a very good friend of Michael's

Why do you keep on referring to that? You already stated that he is a very good friend of Michael's. I think that we get the picture. I would really like it if MJJC can do an interview with him and post it on the board. It would be a very interesting read.

 

[qbee]

I don't think he hasn't reached his potential and I don't think he needs to show us anything if he doesn't want to. He just doesn't show off or display the full spectrum of his talent, for whatever reason.

That is True

"People see some of the things I do and they say why don't you show this to the world.
People don't know you do these things! Well, maybe I will."
Michael Jackson

 

[mjdove]

Anyway, here's some quotes from Seth about Michael:



These quotes are from either the late 80s or early 90s. But Seth's always been a very good friend of Michael's. He also said in a documentary that working with Michael was like re-tuning a Ferrari, lol.

sorry, if I'm asking, it is not in reason that I do have any doubts, but I would like to know where those quotes come from, 'cause I want to translate them and use them on my site.

 

[144000]

That is True

"People see some of the things I do and they say why don't you show this to the world.
People don't know you do these things! Well, maybe I will."
Michael Jackson

i understand what is being said there, and i'm sure MJ found out new things he has yet to show the world. all i'm saying is, when he sang You Rock My World, i'm sure he didn't say..'hmmm...let me sing this song in a half assed manner to the world.'

 

[Chaos]

Thanks for posting this.



Why do you keep on referring to that? You already stated that he is a very good friend of Michael's. I think that we get the picture. I would really like it if MJJC can do an interview with him and post it on the board. It would be a very interesting read.

even if she does is it that much of a big deal to call her out on it?

no...

besides when you have people commenting on MJ its allways nice to know who they are as well as what their relationship with MJ and what not

 

[wannabestartinsomthin21]

LOL, the sad thing about Bee is, she keeps attacking me, but I've got her on ignore, so I don't see more then 90% of the crap she spews.

MJsDove, I can't recall where I got the quotes from, but they're real.

and vince, I didn't say Michael doesn't show his full ability as in he half asses anything. He never does that. He always puts a hell of an effort in to everything he does. But he pulls back and he never allows himself to show off or to really show the full extent of what he's able to do.

 

[helena22]

Thanx for posting the quotes from Seth Riggs, wannabestartinsomethin. I always enjoy hearing what people who have closely worked with him and/or spent time with him on a personal level. Most of 'em are more likely to say nice things most of the times unless they're bashful, but we can also get up-close, everyday picture of Michael. He's very selfless and devoted esp. when it comes to children... He never cease to inspire me to be a better person and better teacher.

As for the "He's not fully shown what he can actually do" topic, I think it might be that he prefers to keep his vocal simple yet soulful. You know, some singers like to brag about their techniques or feel the need to show them at the expense of overdoing it. If they pull it off and still let their songs enjoy some space so they can deliver the emotion to the audience, then great. This attitude, you can find more often in today's singers and young singers who's not been around for a long time.

But, when you get old and mature as a singer, you realize it's most important to be heard like you mean the lyrics and maintain the emotion rather than use songs to show off your skills like, "Look at me! I can do this! I can do that!" So, maybe that's one possibility about Michael's singing.

 

[mjsgirl4eva]

gret interview that's so cool he worked with him

 

[wannabestartinsomthin21]

Thanx for posting the quotes from Seth Riggs, wannabestartinsomethin. I always enjoy hearing what people who have closely worked with him and/or spent time with him on a personal level. Most of 'em are more likely to say nice things most of the times unless they're bashful, but we can also get up-close, everyday picture of Michael. He's very selfless and devoted esp. when it comes to children... He never cease to inspire me to be a better person and better teacher.

As for the "He's not fully shown what he can actually do" topic, I think it might be that he prefers to keep his vocal simple yet soulful. You know, some singers like to brag about their techniques or feel the need to show them at the expense of overdoing it. If they pull it off and still let their songs enjoy some space so they can deliver the emotion to the audience, then great. This attitude, you can find more often in today's singers and young singers who's not been around for a long time.

But, when you get old and mature as a singer, you realize it's most important to be heard like you mean the lyrics and maintain the emotion rather than use songs to show off your skills like, "Look at me! I can do this! I can do that!" So, maybe that's one possibility about Michael's singing.

I agree with that. Michael's as great a stylist as there is. I don't like singers who get too fancy or too busy. You can have a great voice, but not be a good singer. I'll probably get shot for saying this, but one singer who I think has this problem is Stevie Wonder. The man's a total genius so don't yell at me, lol. But his singing is too busy sometimes and it can make it less impactful to me. Michael has both a great voice and is a great singer. Beyond the fact that his style is totally unique and distinctive, he never, and I agree with what you said, he never feels the need to show off. He sings straight. The fanciest he'll get is by incorporating the vocal hiccups or yelps he does, but it always works with the rhythm of the song when he does it and is so perfectly in time with the beat and the rhythm that you don't even notice it. That's his brilliant timing at play. He never does over the top riffs which include nine million syllable add-ons to one word or over the top coloratura, even though he could easily. But he knows not to. And like you also pointed out, Michael's emotion as a singer is something amazing. The beauty of his voice in itself creates emotion, but also his phrasing, his delivery and just the passion he puts in to it. When the song is meant to be aggressive or angry, for example, Michael literally sounds like he's on the verge of explosion; like his teeth are ground and he can't hold back any longer. His phrasing becomes so sharp, chopped up and rapid fire, staccato, that you really feel the anger and the pain in his voice. Like you feel it, like you're experiencing it yourself. The same can be said for when he's conveying any other emotion. If a song has a sad or melancholy lyric, his voice becomes the softest and the sweetest, and it has a lilt to it which just goes right to your heart. Or if it's a dance tune with an upbeat lyric, his voice is phenomenally rhythmic, fast and has a break neck pace which just stirs an excitement in your soul. I don't believe you can say anyone is a better singer then Michael. He's not just technically perfect, he's emotively brilliant, since the time he was a child. Like that saying, with Michael, you don't know whether he's just the singer or the song, because he makes it so real.

There's a good quote from Frank Kogan, who is a music critic at The Villiage Voice. And he wrote this when "Invincible" came out, and it's totally true about Michael and one of the best descriptions of his voice and technique I've ever read:

"An odd thing about Michael Jackson is that he has a totally spectacular voice but he doesn't feel the need to amaze us with it. At all. His favorite technique for conveying passion is to choke off his words. On dance songs he makes his voice as hard and compact as the percussion, reducing himself to icy shards and chilly wails. And when he lets loose with dazzling gospel-like displays, he undermixes these displays, letting them play in the background while drumbeats or simpler vocals take the spotlight. Or he'll just put whispers in the front of the mix, while scaling heights in the distance."

 

[144000]

As for the "He's not fully shown what he can actually do" topic, I think it might be that he prefers to keep his vocal simple yet soulful. You know, some singers like to brag about their techniques or feel the need to show them at the expense of overdoing it. If they pull it off and still let their songs enjoy some space so they can deliver the emotion to the audience, then great. This attitude, you can find more often in today's singers and young singers who's not been around for a long time.

But, when you get old and mature as a singer, you realize it's most important to be heard like you mean the lyrics and maintain the emotion rather than use songs to show off your skills like, "Look at me! I can do this! I can do that!" So, maybe that's one possibility about Michael's singing.

that is what i was trying to say, but you worded it better.