Moonwalk

Moonwalk
Author: Michael Jackson
Publisher: Crown Archetype
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2010-10-27
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0307774422

In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Michael Jackson tells the story of his life, in his words. In this intimate and often moving personal account of Michael Jackson’s public and private life, he recalls a childhood that was both harsh and joyful but always formidable. Michael and his brothers played amateur music shows and seamy Chicago strip joints until Motown’s corporate image makers turned the Jackson 5 into worldwide superstars. He talks about the happy prankster days of his youth, traveling with his brothers, and of his sometimes difficult relationships with his family over the years. He speaks candidly about the inspiration behind his music, his mesmerizing dance moves, and the compulsive drive to create that has made him one of the biggest stars in the music business and a legend in his own time. Jackson also shares his personal feelings about some of his most public friends…friends like Diana Ross, Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney, Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, and Katharine Hepburn. He talks openly about the crushing isolation of his fame, of his first love, of his plastic surgery, and of his wholly exceptional career and the often bizarre and unfair rumors that have surrounded it. Illustrated with rare photographs from Jackson family albums and Michael’s personal photographic archives, as well as a drawing done by Michael exclusively for this book, Moonwalk is a memorable journey to the very heart and soul of a modern musical genius.

Michael Jackson: Beyond the Moonwalk

Michael Jackson: Beyond the Moonwalk
Author: Daniel D. Lee
Publisher: SkyCuration
Total Pages: 308
Release:
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

"I wanted to do something special for Motown 25. That's where the moonwalk came from." - Michael Jackson Embark on an extraordinary journey through the life of Michael Jackson, the enigmatic artist who transformed the music industry and captivated audiences worldwide. "Michael Jackson: Beyond the Moonwalk" delves deep into the story of the King of Pop, exploring his unparalleled career, personal struggles, and enduring influence. One of the most thrilling moments in Michael Jackson's career occurred on March 25, 1983, during the television special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever," celebrating the 25th anniversary of Motown Records. As anticipation built, Michael took the stage, dressed in a black sequined jacket, black pants, white socks, and a single white glove—an ensemble that would become iconic. After performing a medley of hits with his brothers, the Jackson 5, Michael stepped forward to perform "Billie Jean." The opening beats were instantly recognizable, and the audience's excitement was palpable. As Michael sang and danced, his movements were precise yet fluid, each step perfectly in sync with the music. The moment that would go down in history came during the instrumental break of "Billie Jean." Michael paused, then began to glide backward effortlessly, creating the illusion of walking forward while actually moving backward. This move, later known as the moonwalk, left the audience and viewers at home in awe. It was a moment of pure magic, a demonstration of Michael's exceptional talent and his ability to captivate and surprise. From his early days with the Jackson 5 to his groundbreaking solo career, this comprehensive biography captures the essence of Michael's journey. Discover how he revolutionized the music video medium with iconic productions like "Thriller," "Beat It," and "Black or White," setting new standards for visual storytelling. Explore his collaborations with legendary producer Quincy Jones, resulting in timeless albums that blended pop, rock, R&B, and funk, pushing the boundaries of music and performance. The book also provides an unflinching look at Michael's personal struggles, including his battles with vitiligo, lupus, and addiction, and the intense media scrutiny that followed him throughout his life. It addresses the controversies that marred his legacy, including the child abuse allegations and the impact of the 2005 trial on his personal and professional life. Michael's significant humanitarian efforts and his profound impact on social issues through songs like "Man in the Mirror" and "Earth Song" are meticulously detailed, highlighting his dedication to using his platform for positive change. The biography also explores his lasting influence on contemporary artists and the music industry, demonstrating how his innovative techniques in music production, choreography, and performance continue to inspire new generations. "Michael Jackson: Beyond the Moonwalk" is not just a biography; it's a tribute to an artist whose contributions to music, dance, and culture are timeless. With rich detail and comprehensive research, this book paints a vivid portrait of Michael Jackson, celebrating his genius while acknowledging the complexities of his life. Whether you are a lifelong fan or a new admirer, this biography offers a profound and engaging look at the man who forever changed the landscape of popular music.

MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson

MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson
Author: Steve Knopper
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 448
Release: 2015-10-06
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1476730393

The definitive biography of Michael Jackson, a “vivid…gripping...authoritative account of a world-changing force of nature” (Rolling Stone), celebrating the King of Pop’s legendary contributions to music, dance, and popular culture. From the moment in 1965 when he first stepped on stage—at age seven—in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson was destined to become the undisputed King of Pop. In a career spanning four decades, Jackson became a global icon, selling over four hundred million albums, earning thirteen Grammy awards, and spinning dance moves that captivated the world. Songs like “Billie Jean” and “Black and White” altered our national discussion of race and equality, and Jackson’s signature aesthetic, from the single white glove to the moonwalk, defined a generation. Despite publicized scandals and controversy, Jackson’s ultimate legacy will always be his music. In an account that “reminds us why Michael Jackson was, indeed, a ‘genius’ entertainer” (New York Newsday), Rolling Stone contributing editor Steve Knopper delves deeply into Jackson’s music and talent. From the artist’s early days with the Jackson 5, to his stratospheric success as a solo artist, to “Beat It” and “Thriller,” “Bad” and “The Man in the Mirror,” to his volatile final years, his attempted comeback, and untimely death, Knopper draws on his “critical and reportorial savvy in assessing Jackson’s creative peaks and valleys,” (USA TODAY) exploring the beguiling and often contradictory forces that fueled Michael Jackson’s genius. Drawing on an amazing four hundred interviews—ranging from Jackson’s relatives, friends, and key record executives to celebrities like will.i.am and Weird Al Yankovic—this critical biography puts his career into perspective and celebrates his triumph in art and music. This is “a thoughtful look at an artist who grew up in a segregated mill town and who, for the rest of his life, made music to bring down walls” (Chicago Tribune).

Michael Jackson All the Songs

Michael Jackson All the Songs
Author: Richard Lecocq
Publisher: Cassell
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018-10-23
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9781788400572

The complete, definitive study of Michael Jackson's artistic legacy. This is the only book that tells the story behind every single song that the King of Pop ever released - from his formative years with the Jackson Five to his incredible and much-loved output as a solo artist. Over 200 songs, videos and revolutionary dance moves are analysed, uncovering the fascinating stories around their creation and allowing fans the chance to truly understand the artistry behind them. Written by two Michael Jackson experts - the creators of the MJ Data Bank and MJ Stranger websites and editor-in-chief of Michael Jackson magazine, Invincible - this is the definitive book for Michael Jackson fans.

In the Studio with Michael Jackson

In the Studio with Michael Jackson
Author: Bruce Swedien
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2009
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9781423464952

Recounts the author's career as an award-winning recording engineer and highlights his work with Michael Jackson on his most influential albums.

Man in the Music

Man in the Music
Author: Joseph Vogel
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 554
Release: 2019-08-27
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0525566589

For half a century, Michael Jackson’s music has been an indelible part of our cultural consciousness. Landmark albums such as Off the Wall and Thriller shattered records, broke racial barriers, amassed awards, and set a new standard for popular music. While his songs continue to be played in nearly every corner of the world, however, they have rarely been given serious critical attention. The first book dedicated solely to exploring his creative work, Man in the Music guides us through an unparalleled analysis of Jackson’s recordings, album by album, from his trailblazing work with Quincy Jones to his later collaborations with Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Rodney Jerkins. Drawing on rare archival material and on dozens of original interviews with the collaborators, engineers, producers, and songwriters who helped bring the artist’s music into the world, Jackson expert and acclaimed cultural critic Joseph Vogel reveals the inspirations, demos, studio sessions, technological advances, setbacks and breakthroughs, failures and triumphs, that gave rise to an immortal body of work.

Covert Processes at Work

Covert Processes at Work
Author: Robert J. Marshak
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2006-08-13
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1609943341

The first and only guide to diagnosing and dealing with the hidden or covert factors that can ruin even the most meticulously planned change processes. Organizational change initiatives often fail because they focus exclusively on the rational, overt aspects of change, overlooking the powerful role played by concealed or irrational factors. It’s well known that these covert processes—such as hidden agendas, blind spots, office politics, tacit assumptions, secret hopes, wishes and fears—frequently sabotage change efforts, but up until now nobody has offered a rigorous, consistent way of identifying and dealing with them. Drawing on over thirty years of experience as an organizational change consultant to global corporations and government agencies, Robert J. Marshak shows precisely how to bring these hidden processes to light and deal with their negative impact. Marshak identifies five different dimensions of covert processes, presents an integrated model to explain the ultimate source of all of them, and shows how to diagnose whether any covert processes might be at work in your organization. He then offers specific tools and techniques for engaging and managing these “under-the-table” processes and for creating the kind of organizational environment in which such hidden dynamics are unable to flourish. Covert Processes at Work is a comprehensive and practical guide that managers, leaders, and consultants can use to deal with the hidden dynamics that are often at the root of many organizational problems. “Adding these tools…will take both your practice and your clients to a whole new level of capability and impact.” —Karen Boylston, PhD, Managing Director, Duke Corporate Education

Quandaries of Belonging

Quandaries of Belonging
Author: Michael Jackson
Publisher: Union Bridge Books
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2020-12-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1785276425

Those who leave their homelands, either under duress or by design, will see them in a different light than those who have stayed put. Michael Jackson argues that the perspective of the expatriate may be compared with what ethnographers call ‘stranger value’. In moving between detachment and deep immersion, this bifocal perspective implicates a bicultural one, which is why Jackson has recourse to Māori traditional knowledge, not in order to impose a Eurocentric interpretation on them, but to show how cross-cultural conversations and interactions can promote new forms of sociality and coexistence.

On Michael Jackson

On Michael Jackson
Author: Margo Jefferson
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 162
Release: 2007-01-09
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0307277658

The renowned Pulitzer Prize–winning cultural critic brilliantly unravels the complexities of one of the most enigmatic figures of our time in this passionate, incisive, and bracing work of cultural analysis. Who is Michael Jackson and what does it mean to call him a “What Is It”? What do P. T. Barnum, Peter Pan, and Edgar Allan Poe have to do with our fascination with Jackson? How did his curious Victorian upbringing and his tenure as a child prodigy on the “chitlin’ circuit” inform his character and multiplicity of selves? How is Michael Jackson’s celebrity related to the outrageous popularity of nineteenth-century minstrelsy? What is the perverse appeal of child stars for grown-ups and what is the price of such stardom for these children and for us? What uncanniness provoked Michael Jackson to become “Alone of All His Race, Alone of All Her Sex,” while establishing himself as an undeniably great performer with neo-Gothic, dandy proclivities and a producer of visionary music videos? What do we find so unnerving about Michael Jackson’s presumed monstrosity? In short, how are we all of us implicated? In this stunning book, Margo Jefferson gives us the incontrovertible lowdown on call-him-what-you-wish; she offers a powerful reckoning with a quintessential, richly allusive signifier of American society and popular culture.

Dancing the Dream

Dancing the Dream
Author: Michael Jackson
Publisher: Random House
Total Pages: 164
Release: 1992
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0385403682

This title contains Michael Jackson's personal writings and over 100 photographs, drawings, and paintings from his own collection. The book is a personal view of the world around us and the universe within each of us.