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
Gavin remembers he and Jackson spoke just before each of the two concerts, the first of them a break from his History tour.
“The first time we discussed the use of hand-held cameras on the stage during the concert.
“Because he’d been on tour, he had American cameramen with him and he said he felt more comfortable if they worked on stage rather than our cameramen. That was understandable.
“He was a very, very polite, gentle, sensitive person but with enormous talent.”
In 1996 and 97, says Gavin, Jackson was at the peak of his performing powers, but this is clear from the film we are watching.
“Just watch this,” says Gavin, fast forwarding to the end. “Even I didn’t know this was going to happen.”
At the very end of the concert, a huge tank trundles onto the stage, a soldier jumps out and points a rifle at the singer who then subdues him into a blubbering heap with a message of peace and love.
“He certainly knew how to put on a show,” says Gavin.
How did he feel when he heard the singer had died?
“I was surprised but I wouldn’t say I was shocked. I think he was under such a huge amount of pressure and he was also in a lot of pain.
“I met him in the peak of condition but he had grown skeletal. You can’t dance around on bones forever.”
Gavin is credited as video director on the private film we watch which is marked as a Sensible Music production for Goldcrest International.
Gavin was hired by Sensible Music’s Andy Zweck after impressing him with his film of Queen performing at Wembley Stadium.
Just two framed downstairs items give a clue to Gavin’s working life: the photo of him with the (real) Queen, taken after he directed the Royal Variety Performance and his Grammy nomination for best music video after he filmed Miles Davis and Quincy Jones (who produced Michael Jackson’s Thriller album) at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1993.
