About this item
"Joseph Vogel has brilliantly cracked the DNA, the code of the work, the artistry of Michael Joseph Jackson. This is the book I have been long awaiting -- a pointed, intelligent dissection of an epic body of work." -Spike LeeOver his four decades in the public spotlight, Michael Jackson dazzled audiences, broke down barriers, and transformed popular music. Yet his brilliance as an artist has often been overshadowed by the tabloid frenzy that surrounded his unusual life. Now author Joseph Vogel returns to to the albums, songs and videos that made the King of Pop a cultural force in the first place. From Off the Wall and Thriller, to Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and beyond, Vogel takes us deep inside Jackson's vast musical catalog. Each song is carefully considered, from well-known classics like "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" to lesser-known standouts like "Stranger in Moscow" and "Who Is It." Meticulously researched and documented, Man in the Music draws on hundreds of sources, including news archives, reviews, Jackson's own words, and interviews with key collaborators. With each chapter, Vogel takes the reader back in time, placing the music in its social and historical context, discussing its relation to Jackson's personal life, and revealing never-before-heard stories from the studio. Featuring a foreword by Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis and a wealth of color photos, this unique book provides the first comprehensive assessment of the "man in the music."
About the Author
JOSEPH VOGEL is the author of five books, including the critically-acclaimed Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson (Sterling, 2011) and the award-winning Free Speech 101 (WindRiver, 2006) . His work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Huffington Post and PopMatters, among other publications. His writing interests lie at the intersection of American culture, music, literature, politics and identity. Vogel is considered a leading authority on pop icon, Michael Jackson. In addition to Man in the Music - which Spike Lee described as having "brilliantly cracked the DNA, the code of the work, the artistry of Michael Jackson" - Vogel has written several other exclusive pieces on the artist, interviewed many of Jackson's close collaborators and been consulted as an expert by media around the world. He has been interviewed, quoted or featured by the Associated Press, NPR, Forbes, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Democracy Now, Spin, AOL Music, Entertainment Weekly, Yahoo!, The Root, and The Michael Eric Dyson Show. He has also appeared in several documentaries, presented at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and guest lectured at universities, libraries and conferences across the country. Vogel's books and articles have been translated into over a dozen languages. He currently resides in New York where he is a doctoral candidate and instructor at the University of Rochester.
