2012年11月30日 - 超級搖滾樂手埃迪·範·海倫（Eddie Van Halen）在家庭錄音室裏接受了CNN的採訪，追憶了他為邁克爾·傑克遜（Michael Jackson）經典專輯《顫慄》（Thriller）的工作。這張世界歷史上最暢銷的大碟迎來了30周年慶典。
“就像昨天一樣，不是嗎？”他輕聲說道。“要是能再與他合作的話，一定會很有趣的。”範·海倫是經典歌曲《避開》（Beat It）中的驚喜嘉賓。這首歌是傑克遜專輯的第三首單曲。他閃耀的吉他獨奏在歌曲中持續了20秒，當年花了他半個小時來錄製。他是完全是免費獻藝，只為幫製作人昆西·鐘斯（Quincy Jones）一個忙，當時，他的範·海倫樂隊成員全都不在城內。
“我當時自言自語，‘誰會知道我在這個小孩兒的唱片上演奏過呢，對吧？沒人會發現的。’我錯了！”他笑道，“我大錯特錯。這首歌最後成為了年度唱片。”這個搖滾名人堂的殿堂成員向CNN講述了他和流行音樂之王的經典合作的幕後故事。
CNN：當昆西給你電話的時候，你認為是一個假冒電話？
Eddie Van Halen：我直接朝他發飆，我說，“你想要什麼，你TMD這個XX！”然後他說，“是埃迪嗎？”我說，“是的，你TMD想要什麼？”“我是昆西。”我自己想了想，“我才不認識誰叫昆西。”他說，“我是昆西·鐘斯啊，老兄。”我說，“啊，對不起！”（笑）
我問道，“我能為你做什麼？”他說，“你想過來在邁克爾·傑克遜的新唱片上演奏一二嗎？”我想，“好吧，‘ABC, 123’（MJ少年時的歌）和我。怎麼可能湊到一塊？”我依然無法100%確認那是他。我說，“我告訴你吧，我明天和你在錄音室見。”然後你瞧，當我到那的時候，確實是昆西，還有邁克爾·傑克遜和錄音工程師們。他們在做唱片！
CNN：昆西給你任何指示說他想要你做什麼嗎？
Eddie Van Halen：邁克爾到大廳的另外一邊的錄音室裏去錄一個兒童錄音去了。我想應該是《E.T.外星人》或什麼東西。於是我問昆西，“你想要我做什麼？”他說，“你想做什麼都可以。”我說，“你這麼說可要小心了。如果你瞭解我，對我說‘做什麼都可以’，你可得小心了！”我聽過那首歌後，我馬上就說，“我可以改動一些部分嗎？”我轉頭對錄音師說，“好的，從那個間奏那裏，這樣切割，到那個部分，到副歌之前，到副歌那裏，都去掉。”這花了他十分鐘時間來組合起來。然後我即興來了兩次吉他獨奏。 當我快要結束錄製第二個吉他獨奏時，邁克爾走進來了。你知道藝術家一般都是某種瘋子。我們都會有點古怪。所以我不知道他會對我做的一切做什麼反應。所以我在他聽之前警告了他。我說，“聽著，我把你歌曲的中間部分給改了。”
在我看來，他要麼會因為我亂動他的歌，讓保鏢把我踢出門去，要麼他會喜歡它的。於是他聽了，然後回過頭來對我說，“哇，太感謝你了，你不只是帶著激情過來獨奏一段吉他，而且是真的很關心這首歌，並讓它變得更好了。”他是個音樂天才，帶著童真。他是那麼專業的人，也是那麼可愛的人。
“就像昨天一樣，不是嗎？”他輕聲說道。“要是能再與他合作的話，一定會很有趣的。”範·海倫是經典歌曲《避開》（Beat It）中的驚喜嘉賓。這首歌是傑克遜專輯的第三首單曲。他閃耀的吉他獨奏在歌曲中持續了20秒，當年花了他半個小時來錄製。他是完全是免費獻藝，只為幫製作人昆西·鐘斯（Quincy Jones）一個忙，當時，他的範·海倫樂隊成員全都不在城內。
“我當時自言自語，‘誰會知道我在這個小孩兒的唱片上演奏過呢，對吧？沒人會發現的。’我錯了！”他笑道，“我大錯特錯。這首歌最後成為了年度唱片。”這個搖滾名人堂的殿堂成員向CNN講述了他和流行音樂之王的經典合作的幕後故事。
CNN：當昆西給你電話的時候，你認為是一個假冒電話？
Eddie Van Halen：我直接朝他發飆，我說，“你想要什麼，你TMD這個XX！”然後他說，“是埃迪嗎？”我說，“是的，你TMD想要什麼？”“我是昆西。”我自己想了想，“我才不認識誰叫昆西。”他說，“我是昆西·鐘斯啊，老兄。”我說，“啊，對不起！”（笑）
我問道，“我能為你做什麼？”他說，“你想過來在邁克爾·傑克遜的新唱片上演奏一二嗎？”我想，“好吧，‘ABC, 123’（MJ少年時的歌）和我。怎麼可能湊到一塊？”我依然無法100%確認那是他。我說，“我告訴你吧，我明天和你在錄音室見。”然後你瞧，當我到那的時候，確實是昆西，還有邁克爾·傑克遜和錄音工程師們。他們在做唱片！
CNN：昆西給你任何指示說他想要你做什麼嗎？
Eddie Van Halen：邁克爾到大廳的另外一邊的錄音室裏去錄一個兒童錄音去了。我想應該是《E.T.外星人》或什麼東西。於是我問昆西，“你想要我做什麼？”他說，“你想做什麼都可以。”我說，“你這麼說可要小心了。如果你瞭解我，對我說‘做什麼都可以’，你可得小心了！”我聽過那首歌後，我馬上就說，“我可以改動一些部分嗎？”我轉頭對錄音師說，“好的，從那個間奏那裏，這樣切割，到那個部分，到副歌之前，到副歌那裏，都去掉。”這花了他十分鐘時間來組合起來。然後我即興來了兩次吉他獨奏。 當我快要結束錄製第二個吉他獨奏時，邁克爾走進來了。你知道藝術家一般都是某種瘋子。我們都會有點古怪。所以我不知道他會對我做的一切做什麼反應。所以我在他聽之前警告了他。我說，“聽著，我把你歌曲的中間部分給改了。”
在我看來，他要麼會因為我亂動他的歌，讓保鏢把我踢出門去，要麼他會喜歡它的。於是他聽了，然後回過頭來對我說，“哇，太感謝你了，你不只是帶著激情過來獨奏一段吉他，而且是真的很關心這首歌，並讓它變得更好了。”他是個音樂天才，帶著童真。他是那麼專業的人，也是那麼可愛的人。
CNN：這次合作讓很多人驚訝了。
Eddie Van Halen：我永遠不會忘記，當謝爾曼橡樹區這裏的Tower唱片行還開著的時候，我當時去買東西，然後《避開》在揚聲器的播放。當吉他獨奏出來的時候，我聽見我面前的幾個孩子在說，“聽啊，這人在試圖模仿範·海倫彈吉他！”我拍拍一個孩子的肩膀，說，“那就是我啊！！”非常搞笑！
CNN：你對範·海倫樂隊的成員怎麼解釋的？
Eddie Van Halen：我只說了，“你知道。（聳肩）被逮住了！”“戴夫，你不在國內！”“艾爾，你當時不在！”我不可能給每個人打電話求批准。
很不幸的是，《顫慄》把我們自己的專輯《1984》擋在了排行榜冠軍位置之外。後來，就當我們的專輯終於馬上就要奪冠的時候，他突然拍攝百事廣告燒傷了，如果你記得的話。於是轟隆一聲，他又奪冠了！！
CNN：從那以後，是否有一張專輯能以同樣的方式撼動一切？
Eddie Van Halen：噢，我沒見過。
CNN：有些人說涅磐（Nirvana）樂隊的《別介意》（Nevermind）帶來了音樂分水嶺。
Eddie Van Halen：但依然趕不上《顫慄》。沒有跨界到吸引那麼多大眾。涅磐很巨大，但它並非吸引所有人。 我對邁克爾有很多尊重。我痛苦地想念著他。我會很好奇現在他會做些什麼。
CNN：我相信昆西說過，他給了你六排啤酒當報酬。
Eddie Van Halen：是的，差不多是那樣。實際上，我自己也帶了啤酒，如果我的記憶沒錯的話。
CNN：後來你還和昆西有聯繫嗎？
Eddie Van Halen：最後，昆西給我寫了封信，感謝我。信上簽名是：“草尼瑪的XXX” (The F-ing Blah Blah Blah)。我還留著。非常好笑。
Eddie Van Halen Deconstructs His Collaboration On ‘Beat It’
November 30, 2012
Eddie Van Halen was interviewed this Wednesday by CNN for a segment on Michael Jackson’s masterpiece album, Thriller. Watch their video below and read a transcription of their entire interview with Eddie. This video is scheduled to air on CNN today, Saturday and Sunday, (Nov. 30 – Dec 2). The air times are unknown.
(CNN) – Eddie Van Halen sits on a sofa in his home studio, smoking an electronic cigarette and reminiscing about the 30th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s masterpiece album, “Thriller.”
“It seems like yesterday, doesn’t it,” he says softly. “It would have been fun to work with him again.”
Van Halen was a surprise guest on “Beat It,” the album’s third single. His blazing guitar solo lasted all of 20 seconds and took half an hour to record. He did it for free, as a favor to producer Quincy Jones, while the rest of his Van Halen bandmates were out of town.
“I said to myself, ‘Who is going to know that I played on this kid’s record, right? Nobody’s going to find out.’ Wrong!” he laughs. “Big-time wrong. It ended up being Record of the Year.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer recently revealed to CNN what went on behind-the-scenes of his iconic collaboration with the King of Pop.
CNN: When Quincy rang you up, you thought it was a crank call.
Eddie Van Halen: I went off on him. I went, “What do you want, you f-ing so-and-so!” And he goes, “Is this Eddie?” I said, “Yeah, what the hell do you want?” “This is Quincy .” I’m thinking to myself, “I don’t know anyone named Quincy .” He goes, “Quincy Jones, man.” I went, “Ohhh, sorry!” (Laughs)
I asked, “What can I do for you?” And he said, “How would you like to come down and play on Michael Jackson’s new record?” And I’m thinking to myself, “OK, ‘ABC, 1, 2, 3′ and me. How’s that going to work?”
I still wasn’t 100% sure it was him. I said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll meet you at your studio tomorrow.” And lo and behold, when I get there, there’s Quincy , there’s Michael Jackson and there’s engineers. They’re makin’ records!
CNN: Did Quincy give you any direction about what he wanted you to do?
Van Halen: Michael left to go across the hall to do some children’s speaking record. I think it was “E.T.” or something. So I asked Quincy , “What do you want me to do?” And he goes, “Whatever you want to do.” And I go, “Be careful when you say that. If you know anything about me, be careful when you say, “Do anything you want!”
I listened to the song, and I immediately go, “Can I change some parts?” I turned to the engineer and I go, “OK, from the breakdown, chop in this part, go to this piece, pre-chorus, to the chorus, out.” Took him maybe 10 minutes to put it together. And I proceeded to improvise two solos over it.
I was just finishing the second solo when Michael walked in. And you know artists are kind of crazy people. We’re all a little bit strange. I didn’t know how he would react to what I was doing. So I warned him before he listened. I said, “Look, I changed the middle section of your song.”
Now in my mind, he’s either going to have his bodyguards kick me out for butchering his song, or he’s going to like it. And so he gave it a listen, and he turned to me and went, “Wow, thank you so much for having the passion to not just come in and blaze a solo, but to actually care about the song, and make it better.”
He was this musical genius with this childlike innocence. He was such a professional, and such a sweetheart.
CNN: That collaboration surprised a lot of people.
Van Halen: I’ll never forget when Tower Records was still open over here in Sherman Oaks. I was buying something, and “Beat It” was playing over the store sound system. The solo comes on, and I hear these kids in front of me going, “Listen to this guy trying to sound like Eddie Van Halen.” I tapped him on the shoulder and said, “That IS me!” That was hilarious.
CNN: How did you explain to the guys in Van Halen what had happened?
Van Halen: I just said, “You know. (Shrugs) Busted!” “Dave, you were out of the country!” “Al, you weren’t around!” I couldn’t call anyone and ask for permission.
Unfortunately, “Thriller” kept our album, “1984,” from going to No. 1. Our album was just about ready to go No. 1 when he burned his hair in that Pepsi commercial, if you remember that. And boom, he went straight to No. 1 again!
CNN: Is there an album since then that has shaken things up in the same way?
Van Halen: Wow, I don’t know.
CNN: Some people cite Nirvana’s “Nevermind” has one that caused a musical shift.
Van Halen: But still not like that. Not that crossed over to such a mass audience. Nirvana was huge, but it didn’t appeal to everyone.
I have a lot of respect for Michael. He’s going to be sorely missed. I’d be curious as to what he’d be doing right now.
CNN: I believe Quincy has said he paid you in two six packs of beer.
Van Halen: Yeah, something like that. Actually, I brought my own, if I remember right.
I don’t even think I’m credited on the record. It just says, “Guitar solo: Question Mark” or
“Guitar solo: Frankenstein” (the name of his guitar).
“Guitar solo: Frankenstein” (the name of his guitar).
CNN: Did you ever hear from Quincy again?
Van Halen: At the very end, Quincy wrote me a letter thanking me. It was signed, “The F-ing Blah Blah Blah,” which I still have. It’s very funny.
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