Joseph Vogel Libros

Analyzes every song and album of Jackson's solo career, from 1979's groundbreaking "Off the Wall" to his yet-to-be released material, placing the music in its social, historical, and cultural context.

Before Michael Jackson, white rock dominated radio, MTV and print media, black artists were relegated to second-class categories, and "pop" was a euphemism for "bubblegum" fluff. After Michael Jackson, pop became the umbrella term for all of popular music - and the artist made sure he was coronated its king. In this new collection, critically-acclaimed author Joseph Vogel (Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson) gathers together some of his most provocative and challenging work on the enigmatic icon. Featuring twenty original pieces, this fascinating mosaic explores a wide range of subject matter: from behind-the-scenes histories of Jackson's songs, to his cinematic ambitions, to his rivalry with Prince, to the ways in which he expanded the possibilities of pop.

Released in 1995, Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" was unlike anything heard before in popular music. Protest songs had long been part of the heritage of rock - but not like this. "Earth Song's" vision was more panoramic, its roots more primal. Its unusual fusion of blues, opera, rock, and gospel resembled nothing on the radio. A massive hit globally, it wasn't even offered as a single in the United States. Most critics didn't know what to make of it. Yet decades later, it stands as one of Jackson's greatest artistic achievements. In this groundbreaking book, Joseph Vogel traces the song's evolution, from its inception in Vienna in 1988, to its long gestation in the recording studio, to Jackson's final rehearsal in 2009. Situating the song within the historical context of the Reagan, Bush and Clinton eras, the book also explores the artist's broader humanitarian efforts, from his participation in USA for Africa to his Heal the World Foundation. Based on original research, including interviews with the song's key participants, Earth Song: Michael Jackson and the Art of Compassion offers a necessary reassessment of this powerful anthem and Jackson's audacious efforts to change the world.

In this slim new collection, critically-acclaimed author and journalist Joseph Vogel gathers together some of his most informative and provocative pieces on the late King of Pop. Featuring ten articles and a previously unpublished bonus chapter, this fascinating mosaic explores a wide range of subject matter: from the impact of race on Jackson’s career, to the ways he challenged and expanded the definition of “pop,” to behind-the-scenes histories of his songs. Based on original research and personal interviews with the singer’s close collaborators, Featuring Michael Jackson is a book no fan or music history buff will want to be without.