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"Right On!" Magazine Interview

Date confirmed in Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro” (article summary/quotes)

Michael sat down to talk to Cynthia Horner as The Jacksons debut album on CBS had been released and they were recording their second set of shows on their TV series. Their single ‘Enjoy Yourself’ had been performed exclusively on the Cher show on 10th October and there was a lot to discuss with old friend Cynthia Horner.

Highlights from the interview included:

On the new album:

“What’s nice about this particular album is the fact that it’s more mellow, more rounded out, and more for everybody. I do most of the leads but the other guys come in and out.”

During the wait to record with their new producers Gamble and Huff, due to the ending of their Motown contract, the brothers went camping in the California Sequoias and enjoyed games of volleyball.

Michael spent time writing new songs, horse riding and taking photographs.

What type of girls he likes:

“I like all types of girls. But I like quiet girls the best.”

On the fans touching him:

“In London they grab your hair. Here, they just grab.”

Michael confesses to loving Mexican food, but sweet potato pie is his favorite.

…In an interview for Right On magazine in December 1976 Michael said:

“[My parrot] Ricky loves girls. It’s true. He won’t talk to guys.”

Cynthia Horner, “Right On!” magazine editor, “Vibe” (June 25, 2011) (archived)

I met Michael back in 1976 and he was one of the shyest people that I’ve ever dealt with. It was a little difficult to interview him because even though as a professional entertainer he realized he needed the press, he wasn’t somebody that knew how to relate to the media in terms of being open with information. He was just super shy unless he was around his family. But he picked up the fact I was shy as well, so he kind of embraced me and we became friends. He and Prince were quite similar because Prince was shy as well. If you were a journalist he would give you the same monosyllabic answers that Michael did. But Prince would also speak in riddles a lot of the time; he was very evasive. He would never answer any of my questions [laughs]. He wanted to keep his privacy protected at all cost.