In the Studio with Brad Sundberg and MJ
An inspiring lecture with Brad Sundberg at Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam.
By Alessandro Ciniero
On August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 2025, Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam hosted three events featuring Brad Sundberg, a renowned sound engineer and technical director for Michael Jackson. The first session was exclusive to Abbey Road Institute students and alumni. This was followed by a two-day event open to true MJ fans, which included some of our students and staff. Brad contributed to four iconic albums and multiple tours. Sundberg travels globally, offering immersive lectures called “In the Studio With MJ,” sharing behind-the-scenes stories, unreleased insights, and rare recordings. In this article, I will discuss my personal experiences and feelings about these seminars from the perspective of a Michael Jackson fan.
I first learned about Michael Jackson in June 2009 when he died from an acute propofol overdose at age 50. I was 11 at the time and vividly recall the televised memorial service, the online buzz, and tributes from fellow artists. I wasn’t quite interested in his music until Christmas 2010, when I found the video game “Michael Jackson: The Experience” for Nintendo Wii under the tree. That changed my life. I became obsessed with it and played it again and again throughout the following year.
I discovered the incredible music videos of “Thriller”, “Billie Jean”, “Black or White” and “Ghosts” and spent hours on YouTube rewatching them. Although MJ has been part of my life since then, my interest shifted to other artists, and I pushed MJ’s music to the back of my mind. Until recently; on the 23rd of August, the seminar “In Studio with MJ” took place at Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam and brought me back to true love and admiration
Brad Sundberg technical director for mJ
Brad Sundberg is a seasoned sound engineer and technical director renowned for his extensive collaboration with Michael Jackson. He worked with Bruce Swedien and Bill Bottrell on albums like Bad, Dangerous, HIStory, and Blood on the Dance Floor, spanning from 1987 to 1997. Beyond studio work, he designed and installed advanced audio and video systems at Jackson’s Neverland Valley Ranch, including private studios and outdoor soundscapes. His career also features projects for Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, and Stevie Nicks, making him a highly respected figure in the music industry. Additionally, Sundberg is a voting member of the National Recording Arts and Sciences, known as the GRAMMY Awards.
Brad Sundberg at Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam Studio One, giving a masterclass
Michael Jackson’s breakthrough
When Michael Jackson met Brad in 1985, he was already known as the “King of Pop”. His music career began in 1968 as a member of the Jackson 5, one of Motown’s most successful groups. They were among the first African American acts to achieve crossover success with hits like “ABC, ” “I Want You Back,” and “I’ll Be There. ” Although he released some solo albums with Motown from 1972 to 1975, his breakthrough as a solo artist occurred with the disco-influenced album* Off the Wall* (1979), the first of three albums produced with Quincy Jones. Jackson aimed to create a record that did not sound like a Jackson 5 album but instead emphasised creative freedom and individualism.
In 1982, amid the ongoing backlash against disco music at the time, he shifted in a new musical direction, resulting in a blend of pop, post-disco, rock, funk, synth-pop, and R&B sounds, along with darker themes; Jackson aimed to create an album where “every song was a killer”. The outcome was Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. It was produced with Quincy Jones and recorded at Westlake Recording Studios with engineer Bruce Swedien.
Brad Sundberg and A new musical direction
Quincy, Westlake, and Bruce provided the environment when Brad Sunberg joined the production team for the next album, Bad, released in 1987. Jackson wanted to explore a new musical direction with Bad, aiming for a harder-edged and more aggressive sound. The production team heavily employed digital synthesisers, including FM synthesis, the Fairlight CMI, and the Synclavier PSMT, often layering different synths to produce new sounds.
The album Dangerous, released in 1991, marks a significant artistic shift for Jackson, with his music embracing more socially conscious themes and a wider variety of sounds and styles. It was co-produced by Jackson, Bill Bottrell, Teddy Riley, and Bruce Swedien, and was recorded across multiple studios in the Los Angeles area.
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double album released on June 20, 1995. It consists of the greatest hits album, HIStory Begins, in addition to his ninth studio album, HIStory Continues, which comprises new material written and produced by Jackson and collaborators. Its genres span R&B, pop, and hip hop with elements of hard rock and funk rock. The themes include environmental awareness, isolation, greed, and injustice. Several of the album’s new songs pertain to the child sexual abuse allegations made against Jackson in 1993 and Jackson’s perceived mistreatment by the media.
Brad Sundberg and Michael Jackson in the studio
Michael Jackson, Bruce Swedien, Brad Sundberg and his family in the studio
In the Studio with MJ
In the words of Brad Sundberg: “I first met Michael in 1984 while he was working on a Disney project called ‘Captain EO”. We got along well, and I joined his production team, working on the albums Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory. I was involved in tour production, special projects, recording, mixing, and more. During this event, I will break down those three albums, share insights and stories, and reveal what it was like to work alongside Michael.”
True MJ fans
Along with me in the room, there was a group of genuine MJ fans from various countries, different ages and backgrounds, all united by their love for his music. Brad almost always followed a chronological path, sharing stories of what happened during the making of an album and showing videos he had recorded with his personal camera at the time. Suddenly, you see Michael Jackson in front of you—moving, singing, joking, or producing—with a sense of wonder that every passionate person should have. It was a surreal experience to watch this behind-the-scenes footage and be captivated by Brad’s incredible storytelling. It felt like you were with him, vividly picturing every scene in your mind.
The most incredible moment for me was when Brad played the multitrack of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” and soloed Jackson’s vocals. Goosebumps ran all over my body; Michael’s voice was from another world. The next day, during the Sunday session, “Mixing and Stories” was a very different event from the full seminar. It was more interactive, allowing people to remix some of their favourite songs. Brad still shared some amazing stories, culminating in the sad final meeting with Michael Jackson in 2004. After a moment of silence and a sense of loss, the lecture ended with a playback of “Someone in the Dark”, a beautiful ballad that Michael Jackson recorded in 1982 for the E.T. audiobook. Some tears were shed, and a big round of applause marked the end of the day.
100 tracks
This seminar brought me closer once more to Michael Jackson’s music and the incredible artistry that influenced and continues to influence generations of artists. Furthermore, as a young sound engineer, it was very interesting to observe all the different situations that occurred in the studio. Most of the material was recorded and mixed during the analogue era, which required engineers, producers, and artists to adopt a different workflow. Nevertheless, Michael recorded 44 vocal takes and assembled them on tape, managing to create over 100 tracks for “Jam”. He was ahead of his time. Brad participated actively, admitting that “only when you put yourself in an uncomfortable position, you improve tremendously”. – Alessandro Ciniero
In the studio with Brand Sundberg and Alessandro Ciniero
About Alessandro Ciniero
Alessandro Ciniero graduated from Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam. Originally from Italy, he now lives in Amsterdam. He works as a technician at Abbey Road Institute and also works independently as a Foley artist and recording engineer, collaborating with engineers such as Matt Butler and others.
- Learn more about Brad Sundberg’s session: https://inthestudiowithmj.com/
- Remembering The Musical Genius Of Master Engineer Bruce Swedien:
https://www.grammy.com/news/bruce-swedien-obituary-thriller
