Gavin Taylor filmed rare footage of Michael Jackson

Jul 2 2009 by David Whetstone, The Journal

Memories of Michael Jackson are stirred by two films – never publicly released – of the performer in concert. Gavin Taylor gives David Whetstone a private viewing

Click here to view Michael Jackson's life in pictures

MICHAEL Jackson is gone – but in one corner of Northumberland he is not likely to be forgotten in a hurry.

Indeed, yesterday he came explosively to life – only on screen, sadly, but sparking vivid memories for Gavin Taylor who, in the 1990s, filmed two Jackson concerts for the family of the famously well-heeled Sultan of Brunei.

You would never guess, from the gentle landscape paintings on his walls, that Gavin had worked with many of the biggest names in popular music – U2, Sting, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Bryan Adams, Quincy Jones, to name but a few.

One of his earliest jobs was filming U2 at Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado, for the live album Under A Blood Red Sky.

That was a test of his mettle, surely?

Gavin exhales sharply in agreement. “You’re only as good as your last show, so you have to keep the standard extremely high.”

The concert, immortalised through Gavin’s footage, has become a classic. He recently provided a director’s commentary for a remastered CD package.

But Michael Jackson is the reason we are here. The celebrated, if controversial, singer died a week ago in the run-up to a comeback series of 50 concerts at London’s 02 Arena.

In an upstairs viewing room lie the fruits of Gavin’s years’ directing landmark music programme The Tube – made by Tyne Tees TV for the fledgling Channel 4 – and all the spin-off films of major concerts that it generated.

A CD goes in the player and on the big screen at the end of the room comes the legend: “Jerudong Park Gardens 1997, New Year Celebration.”

Then, for the next few minutes, we are treated to a private viewing of Michael Jackson in his prime, wowing an invited audience to a special concert.