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Date confirmed in February 6, 1984 “Jet” magazine (“Jet interview, July 13, 1979”); further evidenced by the fact that “he had just completed his first solo album, Off The Wall” and “predicted the solo album would be a smash” at the time of the interview.

“Jet” magazine (February 6, 1984) (archived)

When JET visited [Michael Jackson] at his home on one of several occasions, he talked about his sources of inspiration.

He had just completed his first solo album, Off The Wall, for Epic records after leaving Motown. The wrap up of the recording had left him verbal and vibrant. He shuffled his mantle of shyness, muffled his mysticism and unbosomed himself in one of his rare taped interviews.

Michael was so proud of his collaboration with Quincy Jones that he predicted the solo album would be a smash. It was — exceeded only by the Thriller LP in which he was again teamed with the master musician and hit songwriter.

During ‘the interview, Michael made these observations about:

Quincy Jones, after the veteran musician said that he would produce "Off the Wall": "I said, OK, and I hung up the phone. I started jumping around and dancing... Quincy Jones is a wonderful personality, an incredible producer. He is a wonderful man. I love him and we have made history together and I’m thankful.”

Diana Ross, his lasting inspiration: “To me, she is a peacock... That’s what she is. She has so many colors. She’s not only a singer. She’s a philosopher. She teaches you all kinds of things. She told me to forget about the business side of business because we’re friends and that’s what counts.”

Berry Gordy, who groomed him and his brothers as The Jackson 5 at Motown: “I love him and I'll tell you why. I think it is so important what he has done to youth and their music. That music of his had people dancing in the streets with The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Smoky Robinson and all those groups. To bring joy to them, to keep them out of the streets doing nothing — but to inspire them through music, that’s wonderful.”

Stevie Wonder, who expresses pride of race in his music: “That’s why I love Stevie Wonder’s album called Songs In The Key Of Life .-. He has a song called Black Man and I just jumped up screaming when I heard that record because he’s showing the world what the Black man has done and what other races have done... He named it Black Man and all these people who have got the album sing it. And that’s the best way to bring about the truth.”

His brothers and sisters, for their part in his success: “I think brothers and sisters are a gift from God... When we grew up in Gary, we used to honestly wake up singing every morning—country songs, funk songs, Negro spirituals. And we started making harmony and singing and that love was there every day ... We joined together as a group and our father just kept rehearsing us and rehearsing us. That’s how it really started... I never took any singing or dancing lessons. Jermaine and Tito never had guitar lessons... We didn’t have to go around the neighborhood auditioning people. We were all there ..-and I’m really thankful for it.”

Fans who support The Jacksons: “My main love for what I do is the fans. I love the fans. When I’m doing a show and see the fans out there dancing and screaming, excited, and we’re bringing that joy to them, that’s what I love most... And it’s just the greatest feeling in the world. You're up there and you're giving them that energy and that love and they’re just throwing it right back at you. And it’s great.”

God, whose influence is exalting: “I really don’t write anything, to tell you the honest truth. I can say me but I really don’t think it’s from me. I think it’s from a much higher source than me. Songs come about in the strangest ways. I'll just wake up from sleeping and there is the whole song coming into my head and then I put it down on paper. a I don’t just pray at night. pray at different times during the day. When I see something beautiful--like when I’m flying, I say, ‘Oh, God, that’s beautiful.’ And I always say little prayers like that all through the day ... As you travel the world, you really believe in God even more... When we go overseas and I sit in the cockpit with the pilot and I watch the sun rise, 40,000 feet in the air. You just go crazy with wonder and say God created it… I do believe in God. I believe in the Bible and I am a Jehovah Witness.”