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Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson by Joseph Vogel, Anthony DeCurtis
chicageek's review
4.0
Me ha gustado, aunque no tanto como la biografía de J. Randy Taraborrelli que leí en 2014. Es un tipo de libro diferente, más centrado en su música que en su vida como tal. Pero gracias a él he podido conocer detalles sobre los discos y canciones de MJ que desconocía, aun después de tantos años escuchándolo. ¿Sabíais, por ejemplo, que los latidos de corazón que se oyen en Smooth Criminal son del corazón del propio Michael? :)
También me ha gustado ver cómo era el proceso creativo de cada disco, y la enorme cantidad de tiempo, trabajo y esfuerzo puesto en cada uno de ellos (tanto por parte de MJ como de sus múltiples colaboradores).
Es un libro tremendamente documentado y detallado, y quizás por eso a veces se hace pesado de leer. Pero en general me ha gustado, y la edición en papel también es muy chula, llena de fotos de MJ de todas sus épocas.
interesante para los más fans :)
También me ha gustado ver cómo era el proceso creativo de cada disco, y la enorme cantidad de tiempo, trabajo y esfuerzo puesto en cada uno de ellos (tanto por parte de MJ como de sus múltiples colaboradores).
Es un libro tremendamente documentado y detallado, y quizás por eso a veces se hace pesado de leer. Pero en general me ha gustado, y la edición en papel también es muy chula, llena de fotos de MJ de todas sus épocas.
interesante para los más fans :)
albyssa's review
5.0
I've just started reading this book, but I am amazed by the detail, the meticulous research, and the writing. I know I'm not going to be able to put this down.
idontlikebooks27's review
5.0
I was hooked from start to finish!! A really interesting look into the creative process of a genius from the very start of his career as a soloist, until his tragic death. Overall, a must read if you are a fan of Michael's.
the_escapist's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Abortion, Stalking, Addiction, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death, Violence, Police brutality, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Medical trauma
lisa_setepenre's review
5.0
Michael Jackson may be one of the most underrated artists of all time. It might strange when you think about it – after all, he is one of the most famous and successful artists of all, only coming second to Elvis and the Beatles. Yet most of discussion revolving around Jackson is centred mostly on his personal life and there in an "omg-isn't-he-weird" flavour. The focus on his music has taken a backseat since Thriller. You'll often find the claim that Michael Jackson peaked commercially and artistically with Thriller, and it's been a long downhill run since then – and you'll often find fans claiming that it's simply not true.
Vogel indeed adds considerable weight to this claim, showing Jackson branching out creatively and improving on what he had done before. Reading about the often over-looked Invincible (Jackson's only "flop" album) was particularly pleasurable.
The focus on Jackson's private life is minimal, provided only to give context to his music, and while it didn't try to redeem him, it also didn't pass judgement. This book is a testament to both Jackson's talent and professionalism.
A wide range of resources are used to provide a strong backdrop to Vogel's commentary. This includes critical reviews, interviews with those who worked on the records, biographies and the words of Jackson himself (apparently Jackson was to be interviewed for this book, but died before it could take place). Because Jackson was such a visual artists, the commentary extends to the music video (or "short film") for the songs. This makes for an interesting and sound analysis of Jackson's life work.
All in all, Vogel's beautifully presented volume is a very welcome addition to my library.
Vogel indeed adds considerable weight to this claim, showing Jackson branching out creatively and improving on what he had done before. Reading about the often over-looked Invincible (Jackson's only "flop" album) was particularly pleasurable.
The focus on Jackson's private life is minimal, provided only to give context to his music, and while it didn't try to redeem him, it also didn't pass judgement. This book is a testament to both Jackson's talent and professionalism.
A wide range of resources are used to provide a strong backdrop to Vogel's commentary. This includes critical reviews, interviews with those who worked on the records, biographies and the words of Jackson himself (apparently Jackson was to be interviewed for this book, but died before it could take place). Because Jackson was such a visual artists, the commentary extends to the music video (or "short film") for the songs. This makes for an interesting and sound analysis of Jackson's life work.
All in all, Vogel's beautifully presented volume is a very welcome addition to my library.
latifaah's review
5.0
A book recounting the wonderful creations of one of the most innovative minds of the 20th century. Vogel explores Michael Jackson's discography in an all-encompassing way, diving into details about every song on every album. Before dissecting a record, Vogel briefly introduces the eras themselves. For example, he'd briefly discuss Michael's life/whereabouts/challenges/creative visions in accordance to the period in which an album was released, which gives a semi-complete picture of many things such as the relevancy of certain songs, short films, etc. I suggest you prepare your MJ playlists and Vinyls before embarking on this creative journey, each new page and listen will reveal something new about the Man in the Music.
"Jackson loved experiencing art for its own sake (what he often called "the magic"), but he also wanted to understand its "anatomy." He wanted to understand everything about the way it worked, its history, what had withstood the test of time, what its possibilities were. Quincy Jones described him as a "sponge." 'He wanted to be the best of everything- to take it all in.'"
"Jackson loved experiencing art for its own sake (what he often called "the magic"), but he also wanted to understand its "anatomy." He wanted to understand everything about the way it worked, its history, what had withstood the test of time, what its possibilities were. Quincy Jones described him as a "sponge." 'He wanted to be the best of everything- to take it all in.'"
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