Interview mit Joe Vogel, Autor von "Man in the Music"

[Dreamerdancer]

Oh . entschuldige Lena, ich wollte kein Doppelpost reinsetzen.Ich freue mich auch schon wie irre auf das Buch, ich denke, das wird nicht das Letzte sein, was wir von Joe Vogel hören und insgeheim glaube ich, dass da auch noch was im Fernsehen von ihm kommen wird. Gut Ding will Weile haben. Es ist erst der Anfang.

[Memphis]

ich hoffe, dass er bald genauere infos über die angeblichen fast fertige 50 songs gibt. die angeblichen weitere 100 songs lasse ich jetzt mal weg, da sie mich aus musikalische sicht eher weniger interessieren.

[Puck]

Bei Amazon: Hueber - Englisch ganz leicht
beinhaltet: Übungsbuch, Begleitheft, 3 Audio-CDs, Satztrainer auf Audio-CDs
Viel Spaß damit

Vielen Dank liebe Sandra !
Und auch dir liebe RIP.

Ich lern jetzt mal.Ich schätze so in 10-20 Jahren werde ich dann original lesen können
Bis dahin freue ich sehr über jede Übersetzung auch über Teilübersetzungen.


Übrigens will ich den Earth Song auch heuer wieder jungen Menschen näher bringen.
Dank der Übersetzungen geht das ganz gut.

[Lena]

Gute Nachrichten:

Das Buch erscheint in Europa schon Ende September

Joe Vogel
JoeVogel1 Joe Vogel
Exciting news for UK/European fans: Man in the Music will be available on Amazon and in bookstores by late September!
8 Sept.

[cori79]

Eigentlich gehört es hier nicht zum Thema, aber es geht um Joe Vogel, der mit Fanclubs und unterstützt von Dr. Patrick Treacy diese weltweite Kampagne ins Leben gerufen hat.

http://twitdoc.com/upload/andjustice4some/open-letter-media-final-1.pdf

[Annika]

Hat er die Kampagne wirklich selbst ins Leben gerufen?

Meinem Verständnis nach sind Joe Vogel und Dr. Treacy "nur" Unterstützer dieser Aktion.

Diese Aktion, in der es darum geht, dass die Journalisten die Bezeichnung "J.acko" in Zukunft in bezug auf Michael Jackson nicht mehr verwenden sollen, geht meines Wissens von den Fans aus, die diesen blog betreiben: http://mjandjustice4some.blogspot.com/2011/09/open-letter-on-behalf-of-michael.html

Oder nicht?

[TrueCrypt]

Habe hier was reingestellt.....dürfte Euch interessieren ......

mit einfachen Worten gefühlvoll die Lieder auf Invincible beschrieben....Danke Chris, Freund von Joe....


INVINCIBLE GOOSEBUMPS

http://www.mjackson.net/forum/showthread.php?10272-Jackson-Family-Kleinigkeiten-%96-Presseschnipsel-News-Sammelthread-(keine-Diskussion)&p=472939#post472939

[Lena]

Joe Vogel-Artikel über das Dangerous-Album

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/148850-michael-jackson-dangerous-and-the-reinvention-of-pop

[Lena]

Buch-Review:

http://musicindustrynewswire.com/2011/10/01/min4491_090008.php#.TocWG3IbVXc.twitter

Book Review: Man in the Music
Sat, 01 Oct 2011 09:00:08 -0400 EDT
by John Scott G

REVIEW: From his smooth writing style to his commitment to interviewing nearly every possible source involved with the material, there’s a lot to like about Joseph Vogel’s new book on the King of Pop.

In fact, considering the poor quality of much that has previously been churned out on this topic, I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised by “Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson.” Perhaps the best thing I can say is that, after dipping into it, you may just discover that it is more than the sum of its parts.

You can read this book in two different ways. The first and most common method would be to immerse yourself; you can simply read from first page to last, like a novel full of bigger-than-life characters who turn out to be interesting individuals working with one of the giants of entertainment. But there’s another use for the book: you can dip into it again and again to check out what was involved in the inventive decision-making behind the creation of some of the world’s favorite and most successful songs.

Entertainment or Reference Work

This volume may be much too lively and entertaining to be considered a reference work. That reservation aside, the book is valuable on both levels and serves as an examination of the subject’s intense desire and will to produce music that existed as art while also achieving commercial success.

Reading this book, you will experience a strong “you are right there in the room with these people” feeling. Vogel has achieved a fine blend here; for example, there’s investigative reporting on the one hand, and then there’s transcribed oral history on the other. The result feels like a compact compendium of fact, emotion, opinion and perspective.

Having written about politics in his first two books, “Free Speech 101″ and “The Obama Movement,” Vogel may appear on the surface to be an unusual choice to tackle the subject of Michael Jackson. As it turns out, his ability to subtly weave a myriad of fact into a personal perspective is extremely effective; his talent to make you see and feel his own reactions and emotional connection with Jackson’s pop music makes this book even more of a success.

Creative Process

There is no need for me to go into the case for Michael Jackson as performer, songwriter or icon, but Vogel gives plenty of examples of the ways MJ affected musical and cultural shifts in the latter part of the last century and into the beginning of this one. Again and again, there are scenes where Vogel subtly puts you inside the moment so you can feel something of what it was like to experience the creative process. “Man in the Music” showcases Vogel’s attempt to place every part of Jackson’s muse into historical perspective. (Please note how I refrained from using the word “zeitgeist” in this paragraph.)

Everything in its Place

Seven of the eight chapters are organized around one of Jackson’s albums, and the stories are often revelatory as Vogel points out facts that are not top-of-mind even for Jackson fans. For instance, he notes that the overwhelming success of later albums sometimes eclipses the achievements of Jackson’s first solo effort, “Off the Wall,” yet when it was burning up clubs and radio during 1981 it was then the largest-selling album by a black artist in history.

Another fascinating section is Vogel’s description of the first official pre-release listening party for “Thriller.” Far from the moment of triumph everyone expected, “It was a disaster,” Quincy Jones stated. The first single had been released, the promotion campaign was ready, the public (and the record company) was clamoring for it, and they were dead in the water. It was only with intense dedication and perseverance that the tracks were re-mixed into the sonic perfection we know today.

However, once “Thriller” hit the scene, the discussion was no longer about Jackson being in a niche such as R&B or dance. With the monumental sales of that recording, popular music itself had been transformed. This was not only due to the indelible compositions and glorious performances, but also to “The A-Team,” as it was known: In addition to MJ himself, there were Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Bruce Swedien, and Matt Forger.

Technology in the Service of Art

In creating the landmark that was the “Thriller” album, the team was utilizing then state-of-the-art recording technology: 24-track analog. But they used it differently, and better, than anyone had ever done before. The songs on “Thriller” went beyond 24 tracks, often way beyond, so they synchronized multiple sets of 24-tracks, which in the album liner notes was called the Acusonic Recording Process.

The result was a lushness and complexity to the sound that prompted many in the recording industry to try emulating. As Vogel reports:

After “Off the Wall” and “Thriller,” when others in the industry heard the incredible richness and vibrancy of Michael Jackson’s albums, they tried to imitate this texturing by simply stacking parts. “There was a misconception,” says Forger, “that ‘Oh, if I play the same guitar part six times it will make it thick and rich’.” Instead, the result was often mushy and overproduced. “We didn’t use all these tracks just to record over and over again,” says Forger. “We used them so that Quincy could layer different sound characters together very strategically so that the textures that were created had this richness and depth.”

In another section of the book, Vogel puts into perspective the leap forward that was achieved by The A-Team, not only in terms of manipulating technology, but in the creative application of that technology:

It has often been said that groups such as the Beach Boys and the Beatles were the first to use the studio as an instrument. “What we did on ‘Thriller,’” says Forger, “was the extension of that. We were able to warp the technology and stretch it to such an extent that we were able to make the technology adapt to whatever it was Michael or Quincy creatively wanted to achieve. . . .” For Jackson, as with the Beatles, the studio technology always followed the lead of the music.

Unheard Music

Because of the thoroughness of Vogel’s research, there is a great deal of setting-the-record-straight in the book. Some of the more intriguing points involve the number of recordings Jackson made. Upwards of 100 songs would be worked on in order to find the ones that would appear on the albums. As Matt Forger put it, “With Michael, he never stopped creating. He wasn’t an artist who said, ‘Oh, I’ve got an album coming up, I better start writing songs.’ The songs were constantly flowing from him.”

Obviously, a great deal of unreleased material exists. For example, with “State of Shock,” a Top Ten hit for Jackson featuring a duet with Mick Jagger, there is also a demo featuring Jackson and Freddie Mercury. There are 25 more titles of unreleased songs listed in the book, often with interesting descriptions of the writers, producers, and performers.

Details

Vogel’s prose continually pushes you forward from one interesting point to another, from one arresting opinion to another, and from one eyebrow-raising conclusion to another. In some sections, you may find your head swimming from the social, political, artistic, and cultural ramifications emerging from Jackson’s music, movies, and dance moves. Without calling much attention to itself, Vogel’s writing is quietly incendiary and often rather delightfully subversive.

He also quotes seemingly everyone who was involved with the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson, from Michael Eric Dyson to Greil Marcus, from Jon Pareles to W.E.B. Du Bois, and from Stevie Wonder to TV Guide.

The conclusion of the book comes upon us much too fast, but I feel the most interesting summary actually occurs earlier in the work, during Vogel’s discussion of the “HIStory” album:


People were quick to scoff, mock, or offer advice. Yet very few could imagine what his life was actually like: the loneliness, abuse, exploitation, and constant expectations in the early years; working all day in the studio, while other kids played in the park across the street; not being able to leave the house without being mauled from the time he was ten years old; hiding in a dark closet because of the shame and fear of fans seeing him with acne and rejecting him; the looming presence of an abusive father who might yell at him or hit him for any perceived imperfection. . . while there are many layers to the enigma that is Michael Jackson, the trauma of his “lost” childhood is where it all begins. The rest of his life, in a way, was an ongoing attempt at recovery.

[achildsbliss]

ich hab lenas buchrezension mal übersetzt... kanns kaum erwarten, endlich das buch zu lesen

nun für euch alle der kleine "vorgeschmack"

Buch-Rezension: Man In The Music
Von John Scott – 1. Oktober 2011

Außer seinem geschmeidigen Schreibstil und seinem Engagement, mit nahezu jeder möglichen Quelle zu sprechen, die etwas mit der Materie zu tun hat, gibt es eine ganze Menge, was man an Joe Vogels neuem Buch über den King of Pop noch mögen kann.

Angesichts der minderwertigen Qualität von vielem, was über dieses Thema schon vorher am laufenden Band geschrieben wurde, denke ich, dass viele Leute von „Man in the Music. The creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson “ angenehm überrascht sein werden. Das Beste, was ich vielleicht sagen kann ist, dass Sie, wenn Sie tatsächlich darin eintauchen, entdecken werden, dass es um sehr viel mehr als nur die Summe aller Bestandteile geht.

Sie können dieses Buch auf zwei unterschiedliche Arten lesen: Die erste und wohl auch gängigste Art wird sein, in das Buch einzutauchen; Sie können das Buch einfach von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite lesen, wie eine Novelle, die gespickt ist mit überlebensgroßen Charakteren, die sich als interessante Menschen herausstellen werden, die mit einem Giganten des Entertainments zusammenarbeiten. Doch Sie können das Buch auch noch anderweitig nutzen: Sie können immer wieder darin eintauchen, um herauszufinden, was an der ideenreichen Entscheidungsfindung mitwirkte und was hinter der Schöpfung von einigen der meistgeliebten und erfolgreichsten Songs der Welt steckt.

Unterhaltung oder Nachschlagewerk

Mag sein, dass dieser Band zu lebendig und zu unterhaltsam ist, um als Nachschlagewerk angesehen zu werden. Lässt man diesen Vorbehalt außer Acht, ist dieses Buch auf beiden Ebenen nützlich und dient gleichsam dazu, den sehnlichsten Wunsch und den festen Willen eines Menschen zu untersuchen, Musik zu produzieren, die zu Kunst wurde und die gleichzeitig kommerziellen Erfolg erzielte.

Beim Lesen dieses Buches werden Sie sehr intensiv das Gefühl bekommen, „Sie seien genau jetzt in diesem Moment mit diesen Leuten in einem Zimmer“. Vogel ist hier eine sehr feine Mischung gelungen. Da gibt es etwa investigative Berichte einerseits, andererseits gibt es von dem ein oder anderen mündlich überlieferte Geschichten. Das Endergebnis fühlt sich wie ein kompaktes Handbuch von Fakten, Emotionen, Meinungen und Perspektiven an.

Nachdem Vogel in seinen ersten beiden Büchern „Free Speech 101“ und „The Obama Movement“ über Politik geschrieben hat, erscheint seine Entscheidung, das Thema Michael Jackson anzugehen, oberflächlich betrachtet, sehr ungewöhnlich. Wie sich herausstellte ist seine Fähigkeit, Myriaden von Fäden aus Fakten subtil miteinander zu verknüpfen, extrem effektiv; seine Begabung, Ihnen die Möglichkeit zu geben, seine eigenen Reaktionen und Gefühle bezüglich Jacksons Popmusik sehen und fühlen zu können, macht dieses Buch umso zu einem Erfolg.

Schöpferischer Prozess

Ich brauche nicht auf Michael Jackson als Performer, Songschreiber oder Ikone einzugehen, doch Vogel gibt zahlreiche Beispiele, wie MJ die Musik und Kultur Ende des letzten und Anfang des jetzigen Jahrhunderts veränderte. Immer wieder gibt es Szenen, in denen Vogel Sie auf subtile Art in den Moment versetzt, sodass Sie spüren können, wie es war, den schöpferischen Prozess mitzuerleben. „Man in the Music“ zeigt Vogels Bestrebungen auf, jeden Bruchteil von Jacksons Genius in einen geschichtlichen Zusammenhang zu bringen (beachten Sie bitte, wie ich es in diesem Absatz unterlassen habe, das Wort „Zeitgeist“ zu benutzen!)

Alles an seinem Platz

Sieben der acht Kapitel sind um ein Album Jacksons herum aufgebaut und die Geschichten sind oft aufschlussreich, wenn Vogel Fakten aufzeigt, die selbst Jackson-Fans nicht auf Anhieb einfallen. Beispielsweise hebt er hervor, dass der überwältigende Erfolg späterer Alben die Erfolge seines ersten Soloalbums „Off The Wall“ oftmals in den Schatten stellt, obwohl es 1981 Clubs und Radiostationen zum Überkochen brachte, damals war es das meistverkaufte Album eines schwarzen Künstlers in der Musikgeschichte.

Ein weiterer faszinierender Abschnitt ist Vogels Beschreibung der ersten vorab veröffentlichten Zuhörer-Party für „Thriller“. Weit vor diesem triumphalen Ereignis erwartete jeder, „dass es ein Desaster werden würde“, so Quincy Jones. Die erste Single war veröffentlicht, die PR-Kampagne stand, die Öffentlichkeit und die Plattenfirma lechzten danach und die Macher kamen total in Stress. Nur mit extremer Hingabe und Beharrlichkeit wurden die Songs in der akustischen Perfektion, wie wir sie heute kennen, abgemischt.

Als „Thriller“ erstmals ins Spiel kam, wurde nicht mehr davon gesprochen, dass Jackson eine Nische wie etwa den R&B oder den Tanz gefunden hätte. Mit dem monumentalen Verkauf dieses Albums war die Popmusik selbst transformiert worden. Und das nicht nur wegen der unauslöschlichen Kompositionen und der glanzvollen Performances, sondern auch wegen des „A-Teams“, das da war: Michael Jackson selbst, Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Bruce Swedien und Matt Forger.

Technik, die der Kunst dient

Bei der Gestaltung des Meilensteins „Thriller“ benutzte das Team die modernste Aufnahme-Technik: 24 Spuren analog. Doch sie benutzten sie anders und besser, als es je jemand vor ihnen getan hat. Die Songs auf „Thriller“ gingen über die 24 Spuren hinaus, oftmals weit darüber hinaus, also synchronisierten sie mehrere Sets, was in den Covertexten dann „Acusonic“ Aufnahmeprozess genannt wurde.

Das Endergebnis war eine Üppigkeit und eine Komplexität der Klänge, die viele in der Musikbranche dazu anspornte, es nachzuahmen. Wie Vogel schreibt:

Nach „Off The Wall“ und „Thriller“ haben andere aus der Musikbranche, nachdem sie die unglaubliche Vielfalt und Resonanz in Michael Jacksons Alben gehört hatten, versucht, diese Beschaffenheit der Songs nachzuahmen, indem sie einfach Teile „übereinander schichteten“. „Das hatten sie falsch verstanden“, so Forger. „Sie dachten: Oh, wenn ich den gleichen Gitarrenpart sechsmal spiele, macht es das ganze vielfältig und umfangreicher.“ Stattdessen war das Endergebnis oft breiig und überproduziert. „Wir benutzen diese Spuren nicht, um etwas immer wieder aufzunehmen“, sagte Forger. „Wir benutzten sie, damit Quincy unterschiedliche Klangcharaktere strategisch miteinander verknüpfen konnte, sodass die Struktur, die wir geschaffen hatten, diese Vielfalt und Tiefe bekam.“

In einem anderen Abschnitt des Buches setzt Vogel den Sprung nach vorne, den das A-Team erreicht hatte, nicht nur was die technische Handhabung angeht, sondern auch die kreative Anwendung dieser Technik, ins rechte Licht:

Oft wurde gesagt, das Gruppen wie etwa die Beach Boys und die Beatles, die ersten gewesen wären, die das Studio sozusagen als Instrument genutzt hätten. „Was wir bei „Thriller“ gemacht haben war eine Erweiterung dessen“, sagt Forger. „Wir waren in der Lage, die Technik derart zu verzerren und sie in einem solch großen Maß auseinanderzuziehen, dass wir diese Technik an alles anpassen konnten, was auch immer Michael Jackson oder Quincy Jones künstlerisch erreichen wollten.“ Bei Jackson, wie auch bei den Beatles, folgte die Studio-Technik stets dorthin, wohin die Musik sie führte.

Ungehörte Musik

Dank der sorgfältigen Recherche von Joe Vogel werden in seinem Buch eine Menge Dinge richtiggestellt. Einige der interessanteren Punkte beziehen sich auf die von Jackson gemachten Aufnahmen. Er arbeitete an mehr als 100 Songs, um dann die auszuwählen, die den Weg auf ein Album fanden. Wie Matt Forger es ausdrückte: „Michael hörte nie auf, Songs zu kreieren. Er war kein Künstler, der sagte: ‚Oh, ein neues Album steht an, da fange ich mal besser an, neue Songs zu schreiben! ‘Am laufenden Band kamen Songs von ihm.“

Offenbar existieren eine ganze Menge unveröffentlichter Songs. Von „State of Shock“ zum Beispiel, einem Top Ten Hit Jacksons im Duett mit Mick Jagger, gibt es auch ein Demo-Band im Duett mit Freddie Mercury. Im Buch werden noch 25 unveröffentlichte Songs mehr aufgelistet, oftmals mit interessanten Beschreibungen der Songschreiber, Produzenten und Mitwirkenden.

Details

Vogels Prosa treibt Sie immer weiter von einem interessanten Punkt zum nächsten, von einer fesselnden Ansicht zur nächsten und von einer nach oben gezogenen Augenbraue zur nächsten. In so manchem Abschnitt kann es Ihnen passieren, dass Ihnen vor lauter sozialer, politischer, künstlerischer und kultureller Auswirkungen von Jacksons Musik, Kurzfilmen und Tanzbewegungen schwindlig wird. Ohne darauf selbst extrem hinzuweisen, ist Vogels Art des Schreibens ziemlich aufwieglerisch und oft eher wunderbar subversiv.

Er scheint auch jeden zu zitieren, der in irgendeiner Weise mit dem Phänomen Jackson zu tun hatte, von Michael Eric Dyson zu Greil Marcus, von John Pareles zu W. E. B. Du Bois und von Stevie Wonder zu TV Guide.

Die Schlussfolgerung des Buches bricht viel zu schnell über uns herein, das interessanteste Resümee jedoch findet nach meinem Gefühl schon früher im Buch statt, nämlich während Vogel sich mit dem HIStory-Album beschäftigt:

Die Menschen sind schnell dabei, jemanden zu verspotten, zu verhöhnen und Ratschläge zu erteilen. Doch nur wenige können sich vorstellen, wie sein Leben tatsächlich aussah: Einsamkeit, Missbrauch, Ausbeutung und stetig hohe Erwartungen an ihn von Kindesbeinen an, jeden Tag im Studio arbeiten, während andere Kinder auf der anderen Straßenseite auf dem Spielplatz spielten, schon ab dem Alter von 10 Jahren nicht mehr in der Lage zu sein, aus dem Haus zu gehen, ohne zerfleischt zu werden, sich aus lauter Scham und Angst vor den Fans in einem dunklen Schrank zu verstecken, weil sie seine Akne sehen und ihn ablehnen könnten, die drohende Präsens eines missbrauchenden Vaters, der ihn für angebliche Fehler anschreien oder schlagen könnte… Es gibt viele Ebenen in dem Rätsel, das Michael Jackson ausmacht, doch mit dem Trauma der verlorenen Kindheit hat alles begonnen. In gewisser Hinsicht bestand sein ganzes Leben aus dem immerwährenden Versuch, zu gesunden.

[Lena]

Noch eine Buch-Review:
A Review: Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work Of Michael Jackson, by Joe Vogel

http://mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/issue/facing-the-challenge/article/a-review-man-in-the-music-the-creative-life-and-work-of-michael-jackson-by-joe-vogel

Yet of all the heartfelt statements and tributes, one of the most intimate and powerful eulogies came from Jackson’s longtime friend and peer from Motown, Stevie Wonder. Wonder, of course, never saw Jackson perform; he never witnessed the changes in his appearance; he never saw the music videos or costumes or masks. However, he knew Jackson on a much deeper level than most. And he heard his music. Michael, he often said, was a gift.

Some months ago, I was offered an opportunity by Joe Vogel to review his new book, The Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. I immediately agreed, because I knew it would be the first in-depth analysis of Michael’s artistry; the first major milestone to clearly define who Michael was and why he means so much too so many people. He told us that if we needed to be near him to listen to his music, because we would find his soul and love there. After June of 2009, I immersed myself in the sounds, lyrics and emotions of that unique voice; in that extensive body of work, and I found comfort amidst the storm of confusion and feelings of profound loss.

I thought I knew the music, but I have discovered that I had merely skimmed the surface—content with the familiar chords and visual excellence that had accompanied me through life. Joe has produced a study of Michael’s life work that reveals the intricate layers and details of a master at work, play, and collaboration in the medium he was born to inhabit. As Michael frequently opined, his music was already present in the Universe, and he was but a channel through which it came to us, from another place and Being who trusted this particular human to give His perfect, loving gift to a waiting world.

Let’s take a closer look at what Joe’s purpose, inspiration and goal was, as he embarked on what became a five year labor of love to detail, fairly assess and re-claim an artist’s vision and creative genius. He explains, “I wanted to write something historically and critically rigorous, but approach the subject with less cynicism and more curiosity. What was Jackson trying to covey? What did his work illuminate, challenge, provoke, express? How was it made? And what type of response(s) did he hope to elicit?”

The book’s preface, outlines Joe’s numerous sources of reference that enabled him to delineate the meticulous attention to detail poured into every song in every album beginning with “Off the Wall,” through to ”Invincible.” In Joe’s words, “In creating this book, I traveled deep inside that soul filled work. With each return visit, new and exciting discoveries unfolded. It is my hope that Man in the Music will inspire a similar experience for others, serving as a gateway into the creative world of one of the most unique artists of the past century.”

Freedom and liberation, with no boundaries between race, gender, nationality or culture, blended with unlimited imagination, drive and talent, and supported by the best, handpicked collaborators, produced some of the grandest and best loved music of the 20th Century. Because it is important to understand the context of the political, social and cultural forces present at the time of each release, Joe takes many of us back and informs others of the defining aspects of each era. As Michael evolved personally and professionally, we come to understand the impact and effects of what was occurring in the world around him. I particularly enjoyed these descriptions, because I could once again feel, and see in my mind’s eye, each decade and my own influences during those times.

In the summer of 1979, I was still in college and recall the disco craze, but it is “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” that triggers an auditory memory of dance and those minutes of pure joy pouring from the car or small, hand held radios. It was a primal reaction to the music and voice that was new and wonderful. Joe takes us to that time and place, and uncovers the sought after excellence that Michael achieved in this release, and the rest of that album. Still very young and visually joyful living in his talent, the cute little boy had grown into a beautiful young man, and we loved him. Joe takes us inside the process of musical craft, as Michael and Quincy Jones changed the future of music. I found myself listening once again to “Off the Wall” with new ears, trying to hear and identify different sounds, layers and meanings never appreciated before.

Released in 1982, “Thriller” triggers clear memories of Motown 25 and the impact of Michael’s performance. Even on TV, the magic of that moment is difficult to describe—those few minutes, for the first time since the Beatles, excited and stunned in its visual success. In addition, “Beat It” and “The Girl is Mine,” run through my mind in the context of that time. One revolutionary and the other warmly familiar, as McCartney had been for the past twenty years. My young children sang along, as Michael accompanied us everywhere.

Every song treasured, as Joe delves into the musical construction, composition and the artist’s mindset as described by his peers. If “Billie Jean” graces the airwaves to this day, it has to play loud, really loud, because its imprint demands nothing less. Joe guides us once again, with detailed gems of information and reflections from studio engineers, producers and fellow song writers. Bruce Swedien, was now an integral part of Michael’s team, and is responsible for much of the musical identity of each track on “Thriller.” Michael began the new decade as a shiny, new Prince of Pop, and within 3-4 years, morphed into the brightest cultural and musical tsunami since the Beatles. “Thriller” earned him most of his 8 Grammy’s in 1984, established him as MTV’s savior, and identified Michael as a force for change in social consciousness and racial tolerance through the power of his music and dance.

By 1987, storm clouds had formed over Michael’s career. Joe tactfully addresses media bias based on perceived, personal eccentricities. Music critics are gracefully admonished for superficial and unfair assessment after the release of “Bad” —their critiques primarily directed at the artist rather than his art. Through his book, Joe liberally contrasts various critical impressions—those fair, and those focused on extraneous matters that had nothing to do with the joy of “The Way You Make Me Feel” or the powerful message of “Man in The Mirror” —in-depth peeks into Michael’s heart and mind, his evolving social consciousness, and expanding awareness of his unique position to effect change is beautifully described. Each track on “Bad” is discussed at length, and offers insight once again into the restless mind of the creator who, with help from his friends and peers, made us feel young, empowered and inspired.

Critic, Christopher Sunami, writes about “Smooth Criminal,” “Through it all glides Michael, moving sometimes in unison, sometimes in counterpoint and sometimes in a complex relationship with the other dancers…Michael’s performance is mercurial, shifting instant by instant through movement vocabularies that other performers might spend years to develop and perfect. …He’s not so much dancing to the music as an ordinary person would. Rather, his dancing floats on top of the music, a dizzying progression of technological virtuosity.” To this writer, that short film is simply fluid sensuality emanating from a dancing man with unparalleled grace and originality…brilliant!

Regarding “Dangerous,” released in 1991, Joe states: “By turns, gritty, haunting and transcendent, it not only became the singer’s most socially conscious album to date, but also his most personal revealing. ….A dazzling musical Odyssey, “Dangerous” is Michael Jackson’s Song in the Key of Life: the work of an artist engaging with the world around him—and inside him—as never before.” Joe, skillfully guides our memories back in time to the days of Guns N’ Roses, U2, REM, Madonna and Nirvana. He describes the creative juices flowing in the studio that blended the talents of Bill Bottrell, Brad Buxer and Matt Forger, along with Teddy Riley, and Bruce Swedien. Buxer said of Michael, “Often, he would say, ‘Brad, get me a sound that hurts really bad.’” Joe adds that “Michael simply heard “music” in everything”

Between “Bad” and the release of “Dangerous,” Michael had purchased his new home, Neverland. He found solace, and was invigorated in the peace and solitude of that place, and further developed his love of reading and books. Joe beautifully describes what Neverland meant to Michael, what it offered him, and how he created his own world and began to embrace a universal spirituality with a more inclusive world view. “Secluded in Neverland, Jackson, now thirty-one, felt free to explore regions of his identity, worldview, and purpose that he never had before. When he wasn’t creating, he was reading voraciously: everything from the verses of Emerson and Wordsworth, to the biographies of Michelangelo and Beethoven, from the psychology of Freud and Jung, to Sufi poetry (Jackson’s personal library grew to more than twenty thousand titles, including numerous first editions of his favorite classics).” Dancing the Dream was conceived during this time. His spiritual adviser at that time, Deepak Chopra, commented on the “God feeling” that Michael brought to his performances. Joe explains, “…a transcendent, “ecstatic state” that dissolves hard lines, barriers and ideologies, and recognizes instead the unity of existence…”

It is compelling reading when Joe discusses Dancing the Dream, as well as his marvelous look at the art and interpretation of the “Dangerous” cover. “Straight through the middle of the cover is a track, suggesting that by following it inside, one might go beyond the mask and enter into the creative world and soul of Michael Jackson. The mask, in other words, is only the surface; in his music, one not only discovers his “essence,” but also the very purpose of his work, which is to pump life and energy into the world through the rhythms, melodies, and words of his songs.”

And the music? “Will You Be There,” “Who is It,” “Remember the Time,” “Keep the Faith”…days after Michael died, I was traveling with young teenagers and a three-year-old—we turned up the volume, opened the windows, and sang our memories of Michael loud and long. “Black or White” brought our little group together, as the youngest child laughed and clapped Michael’s legacy into the future. And that, I believe, was exactly what he would have loved.

In late 1995, Michael released “History: Past Present and Future Book 1.” Joe begins his review by acknowledging that:

“History” is Michael Jackson’s most personal album. From the impassioned rage of “Scream,” to the pained vulnerability of “Childhood,” the record was, in Jackson’s words, “a musical book.” It encompassed all the turbulent emotions and struggles of the previous few years: it was his journal, his canvas, his rebuttal”

Joe succinctly describes the critical response to “History” and the uproar over promotional decisions for the new album. More importantly, he speaks in depth about Michael’s painful experiences beginning in 1993, and how that experience so profoundly affected him. As always, Michael expressed his disillusionment and pain through his art. Social, cultural and individual responsibility, as well as the cruel power of the media, is highlighted in the lyrics of “They Don’t Care About Us,” “Scream” and “Earth Song.” Personal indignation and anger pound through “D.S.,” at the same time that “You Are Not Alone” and “Stranger in Moscow” speak to heartbreaking alienation, and a plea for understanding and emotional support Michael’s marriage to Lisa Marie Presley and the happiness he experienced, serves as a weighted balance against all the negativity in those years; how “Scream” was decided upon as an entry on the album, and Janet’s memories of that process are humorously relayed. Through Joe’s words, we meet a man who has now experienced humiliation, unfairness and deception on a global stage. Creativity and love became his saviors. Detailed accounts abound in the telling of how this was translated in the studio.

“Come Together” turned my head around at the stunning visual of Michael’s interpretation. It has been said that Michael featured the performance in Moonwalker, as homage to Lennon and gift to his son, Sean.

As Joe tells us, “John Lennon, Jackson felt was in many ways a kindred soul: someone who didn’t quite fit into conventional society, yet whose genius rested in that very unorthodoxy. It is only fitting then that Jackson picked “Come Together,” a song that famously defies all conventions, and openly embraces freedom from the strictures of language, authority, and ideology.”

It wasn’t until after Michael died that I became familiar with his marvelous short film, Ghosts. Even today, it continues to surprise and enchant, although what lies beneath the glorious dancing and fanciful story, written with Stephen King, lies what Joe explains as: “His best response to the public perception of him as some combination of spectacle, villain, and freak. If “Childhood” is, as Jackson once claimed, his most personal song, “Is it Scary” is the necessary counterpoint.” The release of Ghosts corresponded with Michael’s album “Blood on the Dance Floor,” along with the haunting “Morphine,” and one of my personal favorites, “Is it Scary.” Perhaps “Morphine” holds the heart hostage at present, because of current events. Joe relates:

“But “Morphine” is best understood as an experiment—both sonically and lyrically—in representing the experience of physical and psychological suffering and its temporary release (most literally in the form of narcotic pain relievers such as Demerol and morphine, both of which Jackson had been addicted to, on and off, since the early nineties). This experience is also brilliantly conveyed in the song’s form: About midway through the track, the grating beat subsides, symbolically representing the pacifying effect of the drug. “Relax; this won’t hurt you,” Jackson sings soothingly from the perspective of the drug/doctor.

Beyond the literalness of the drug, is Jackson’s persistent yearning to escape from pain, loneliness, confusion, and relentless pressure. In this brief interlude, he beautifully conveys the soothing, seductive, but temporary release from reality. There is a sense of pleading, of desperation before the high abrupt end, and the listener is slammed back into the harsh world of accusations and anguish. “

Michael’s last studio album, “Invincible,” was released in October 2001. Many new collaborators in addition to Teddy Riley were at various times involved in the creation of “Invincible,” along with Rodney Jerkins. Joe quotes Rodney, “He was super vocal,” recalls Jerkins. “He was so hands on. I’m talking about from the high hat to everything. The sound quality was so important to him. He looked at everything under a microscope, like, ‘The middle frequency is too much’—he was very technical. He used to always say, ‘Melody is king’ so he really focused in on melody.”

Joe discusses in depth the year’s long creation of “Invincible,” the forces that way-laid plans for its promotion including the events of September 11, and the conflict between Michael and the head of Sony at the time. Lacking Michael’s visual interpretations via short film other than “You Rock My World,” and without a backing tour, “Invincible” ultimately sold more than 10 million copies. It is a beautiful, moving, healing album infused with a mature, creative man’s musical genius that is elegantly described by the author. Beloved children and the joy of fatherhood and family, along with the always present desire and need to create, prompted healing and a resurgent confidence in Michael that is evident in tracks such as “Unbreakable,” “Butterflies” and “You Are My Life.”

Some months ago, I tried to express in writing what the song “Don’t Walk Away” triggers for me in some deep, emotional space inside. Listening again, I think it truly is simply feeling the tone; every syllable in every note and every lyric that Michael sings, is simply perfect. Longing, sadness, hope and regret all wrapped up in a beautiful melody that holds what Michael promised…his soul in his music.

The final chapter delves into Michel’s last years. As Joe describes: “Behind the scenes, however, a still compulsively creative and restless Jackson, told Ebony he was as busy as ever. Indeed, in the years after his 2005 trial, he wrote and recorded dozens of new songs. Some of these were made with longtime creative partners Brad Buxer and Michael Prince; some were with friends such as Eddie Cascio; and some were with contemporary artists and producers such as Will.i.am, Neff-U, Ne-Yo, RedOne and Akon. The new studio album was rumored to be as strong as ever; it was his proof that he hadn’t lost the creative magic. In his final years, he would also begin work on a classical album with composer David Michael Frank, and start preparations for his remarkable concert spectacle, This Is It, a fifty-show run in London’s O2 Arena that may have been the biggest comeback in popular music history.”

Joe speaks of Michael’s plans, preparation and total immersion in This is It and what he wanted to convey to the world. Michael’s death and the aftershock, is lovingly described as is the Memorial Service on July 7, 2001.

Joe’s words regarding Michael’s good friend and mentor, Stevie Wonder, quoted at the beginning of this review, seem particularly poignant because of Stevie’s unique experience with Michael. Without the surrounding stimuli that the rest of the world experienced, his primary sense of hearing no doubt magnified and personalized Michael’s musical gifts. Direct input of the sounds and feelings imbedded in the music may have gone directly to Stevie’s heart.

At Michael’s memorial, Joe speaks of Stevie’s eulogy for his friend:

“This is a moment that I wished I didn’t live to see come,” he says. “ In the medley that followed—an impassioned combination of “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer” and “They Won’t Go When I Go”—Wonder allows the music to simultaneously recover, lament, and testify. “No more lying friends/wanting tragic ends,” he sang in the latter song, as a hushed audience listened. It was a deep, gospel soul that conjured a very heavy, personal, visceral pain. It was a song about losing a friend, not an icon.”

Thank you, Joe, for this wonderful book and your hard work over so many years. Thank you for bringing Michael to the world as he truly will always be…The Man in the Music.

[Memphis]

oje, ich wollte ja noch mal nachlesen wegen den songs: glatt vergessen

[Lena]

Den Earth-song gibt es jetzt auch in phys. Form.

http://www.joevogel.net/earth-song

[geli2709]

Interview With Joseph Vogel

Tuesday, October 11th 2011


man-in-the-music-by-joseph-vogel-125x125.jpg Joseph Vogel is the author of the much anticipated book ‘Man in the Music: The Creative Work and Life of Michael Jackson.’ The book will be available on 1st November but we here at MJWN have been lucky enough to have a preview read and can assure Michael fans that this is a fascinating read that will have you instantly gripped. Joseph Vogel meticulously analyses each track of Michael Jackson’s solo career (from ‘Off The Wall’ onwards) and places each album in its social and historical context in order to explore the cultural significance and impact Michael made with each album and musical reinvention. So absorbing was ‘Man in the Music…’ that we just had to put some questions to Joseph to find out more about the work that went into this must-read book.

The objective of ‘Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson’ was to recover Michael Jackson “the artist”; what made you take this step and pushed you into action to do this?
I grew up with Michael Jackson’s music. It wasn’t a casual, “Oh, ‘Thriller’ played on the radio when I was young” — I mean, I grew up with him the way previous generations grew up with Bob Dylan or The Beatles where the music is inside you, where it has had a real impact on your life. So in 2005, when I was watching this circus unfold on TV around his trial, I decided to write the book. I wanted people to recognize the depth and richness and vibrancy of his work. Michael is such a complex, enigmatic figure, but I absolutely believe he was right when he said he “bound his soul to his work.” It is the best way, in my opinion, to understand who he was.

Working through every track of Michael Jackson’s solo career is no mean feat – where did you begin your restoration process of Michael’s creative reputation?
I skipped around a lot. I believe I finished drafts of ‘Off the Wall’ and ‘Dangerous’ first. But really, it was just a process of immersing myself in his work and if I had a thought about a particular song or discovered something new about an album from an interview or article, I would work on that.

Did you have the support of Michael Jackson’s Estate with your work and research? Did they welcome your academic approach to writing about Michael?
The Estate was very supportive. It said a lot to me about their genuine concern for Michael’s legacy, because my book wasn’t something that was going to generate millions of dollars like ‘This Is It’ or Cirque du Soleil. But they read a few chapters early on and John really liked it. He gave me some great feedback. It was funny, he would call or email and say things like, “You know, you might emphasize just how incredible it was at the time for ‘You Are Not Alone’ to debut at #1.” Or he would clarify certain details that he had personal knowledge of. It was clear that he was excited to see Michael really recognized and explored as an artist in print.

When writing about Michael’s lyrics and the instrumentation of his songs did you find it difficult to separate the music from the iconic images much of his catalogue is bound to?
Yes. And that’s why eventually I caved in and gave myself more work by assessing the videos and other visual representations as well as the songs. They are simply too intertwined to ignore.

You track Michael’s artistic journey in intricate detail and with sensitive analysis, such as his expressions of personal freedom on ‘Off The Wall’ and his Romanticist leanings on ‘Dangerous.’ Which era of Michael’s career do you find most fascinating and why?
I honestly think each album is fascinating in its own way. One of the signs of great art is that it gets better the more you dig in and explore. That was the case with Michael Jackson. You immerse yourself in an album and slowly it begins to reveal itself to you. You discover new things with every listen: new sounds, new patterns, new connections. So I feel like I fell in love with every album for different reasons. I love the sheer joy and energy of ‘Off the Wall;’ I love the contrasts of ‘Thriller;’ I love the bass lines and cinematic feel of ‘Bad.’ etc. etc. That being said, if I was forced to choose, I would probably go with the ‘Dangerous/HIStory’ era as most fascinating because it spans such an enormous spectrum of styles, emotions and ideas. I think those were Michael’s most complete, fully realized artistic visions.

The chapter of your book I found most surprising was your view of ‘Blood on the Dance Floor’ as a concept EP consumed with dark themes; was there anything in particular you uncovered in your research and analysis that surprised you?
There were many things. I was consistently amazed by how aware he was of his artistic decisions. Things didn’t happen by accident. He knew exactly what he wanted. So even on an album like ‘Blood on the Dance Floor,’ which he didn’t really want to do at first, once he was committed he was committed. He knew what he wanted to put together, the moods and textures and emotions he wanted to conjure. And he was very particular about all the details that were necessary to communicate what he heard and saw in his head.

The research that has gone into your book is second to none. Are there any books or articles in particular that you would recommend to Michael Jackson fans?
I have a Michael Jackson Studies page on my website where I listed many of the sources that were helpful to me. Probably my two favourite books are Michael’s ‘Dancing the Dream’ and Armond White’s ‘Keep Moving: The Michael Jackson Chronicles.’ (Click here to view Joe’s web site).
(http://www.joevogel.net/mj-studies)

You have also just released ‘Earth Song: Inside Michael Jackson’s Magnum Opus.’ That’s quite a statement! Why, for you, is ‘Earth Son’g Michael Jackson’s greatest work?
My more complete answer to this is laid out in the book. I just feel the song encompasses so much. There is so much power and urgency and passion in its delivery. I’ve probably heard the song a thousand times and I still get goosebumps every time I hear it. It is truly an epic song that will go down, I believe, as one of the most significant pieces of music of the past century.

If push came to shove, what is your favourite Michael Jackson album?
‘Dangerous’ was my favourite for a long time, but over the past couple of years ‘HIStory’ has moved into the #1 spot. They are very close though, as are the others. Michael didn’t make bad albums.

Interview by Kate Allen on behalf of MJWN with special thanks to Joseph Vogel

http://www.mjworld.net/news/2011/10/11/interview-with-joseph-vogel/

[achildsbliss]

hab noch was schönes von joe vogel gefunden
und zwar hier, ich glaub, wir habens noch nicht, oder?

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/148850-michael-jackson-dangerous-and-the-reinvention-of-pop

„Nevermind“- Nostalgie: Die Musik von 1991… 20 Jahre später

Michael Jackson, Dangerous und die Neuerfindung des Pop
Von Joe Vogel am 28. September 2011

Überlieferte Erzählungen sagen, dass Michael Jacksons „Dangerous“ Album das Ende einer Ära beschreibt: den Untergang von Pop und im Zuge dessen den Aufstieg von Grunge, Alt-Rock und Hip-Hop. Die meisten Kritiker wiesen darauf hin, dass der symbolische Wendepunkt stattfand, als Nirvanas „Nevermind“ „Dangerous“ von seinem 1. Platz der Billboard Charts verdrängte. Innerhalb weniger Monate hatte gedämpftes Gesäusel allen Überfluss und Extravaganz der 80er erstickt.

Kulturelle Wandlungen verlaufen natürlich nie so einfach. Einige Monate, nachdem „Nevermind“ den 1. Platz in den Billboard Charts gestürmt hatte, teilten sich Nirvana mit Rockern wie Def Leppard, Van Halen, Metallica und der bis heute größten Rockband Amerikas Guns N‘ Roses gemeinsam die Bühne der MTV Music Video Awards. Wenn man tatsächlich gezwungen wäre, einen kulturellen Wendepunkt beschreiben zu müssen, wären die VMAs von 1992 keine schlechte Wahl. Schaut man sich Nirvanas subversive Performance kurz nach dem Auftritt Def Sheppards mit seinem cartoon-artigen „Let‘ s Get Rocked“ an (Nirvana begann seine Performance mit ein paar Takten aus dem verbotenen „Rape Me“, bevor sie in die düstere Melodie zu „Lithium“ überging), so führte dies nicht nur dazu, die 80er lächerlich aussehen zu lassen, es machte sie nahezu überflüssig. Selbst die gewaltigen Guns N‘ Roses, die die Show mit einer spektakulären Performance von „November Rain“ beendeten, wurden öffentlich von Nirvana als „Gesellschafts-Rock“ und „Päckchen-Rebellion“ verspottet. Wenn es tatsächlich eine öffentliche Wachablösung gab, dann in dieser Nacht.

Michael Jackson, eindeutig die Pop-Ikone der 80er, erschuf in der Zwischenzeit mit „Dangerous“ ein Album, das genauso viel – oder genauso wenig – mit Pop zu tun hatte wie „Nevermind“. Stilistische Unterschiede gibt es offensichtlich genug. „Nevermind“ hatte seine Wurzeln im Punk Rock und Grunge, während „Dangerous“ zunächst im R&B und New Jack Swing verwurzelt war. Beide jedoch drückten ein auffallend ähnliches Gefühl der Entfremdung aus, viele Songs fungierten als eine Art konfessioneller Poesie. Vergleicht Cobains Text aus „Lithium“: „Ich bin so glücklich/ Denn heute fand ich meine Freunde/ Sie sind in meinem Kopf“) mit Jacksons Text aus „Who Is It“: „Es scheint egal zu sein/ Und es scheint auch nicht richtig zu sein/ Denn mein Wille brachte kein Glück/ Und ich weine nachts immer noch allein“. Beide Alben enthielten auch einen Anteil eingängiger Pop-Aufhänger und Refrains, während sie das Mainstream-Publikum mehr mit untergründigen Sounds versorgten. Beide Alben wurden gesungen von verwundeten, empfindsamen Seelen, die zufällig beide auch noch brillante Vermarkter/Mythenerschaffer waren.

Klanglich hatte „Dangerous“ wenig mit der Arbeit von Starkollegen wie Madonna, Whitney Houston und Mariah Carey zu tun. Sein Klangcharakter war unheilverkündender, grobkörniger, urbaner und industrieller. In Kurzfilmen wie „Black Or White“ erkundete Jackson gleichermaßen finstere Territorien und schockierte das Mittelklasse-Publikum mit rauem Ausdruck von Schmerz und Empörung über Rassismus. Paradoxerweise war es das Musikvideo des „Popstar des Establishments“, nicht das der Außenseiter Grunge Band, das nach dem öffentlichen Aufschrei über den kontroversen Schlussteil zensiert wurde. „Smells Like Teen Spirit“ war derweil derart in Umlauf, dass eine Führungskraft von MTV förmlich nur so heraussprudelte „sie hätten nun eine vollkommen neue Generation, an die sie verkaufen könnten“.

Der Punkt ist folgender: Im Gegensatz zu konventioneller Weisheit war Nirvana gegen Ende 1991 im gleichen Maße „Pop“ wie Michael Jackson – und Michael Jackson war genauso „alternativ“ wie Nirvana. Die Alben beider Künstler wurden von großen Labels veröffentlicht und hatten ähnliche kommerzielle Erfolge und Charterfolge, obwohl sie an vielen unterschiedlichen Erwartungen gemessen wurden. Jedes Album produzierte Hitsingles. Jedes brachte erinnerungswürdige Videos und Performances hervor, die Seite an Seite auf MTV gespielt wurden. Und jedes Album wurde weltweit mehr als 30 Millionen Mal verkauft.

„Nevermind“ erhielt natürlich von den Kritikern deutlich mehr Beifall, sowohl für seine kulturelle Bedeutung als auch für seine künstlerische Substanz. Doch 20 Jahre später gewinnt nun „Dangerous“ Bewunderer, da mehr Menschen über den belanglosen Unsinn hinweggehen, der damals in zeitgleichen Bewertungen so auffällig war. Nun schenken sie dem Inhalt des Albums ihre Aufmerksamkeit: seinen vorausschauenden Themen, seinem umfangreichen Bestand an Sounds und seiner panoramaartigen Übersicht über musikalische Stilrichtungen.

Das Fazit ist: Wenn „Dangerous“ tatsächlich als Pop-Album angesehen wird, dann hat „Dangerous“ die Parameter der Pop-Musik neu definiert. Wie sonst könnte man ein Album, das R&B, Funk, Gospel, Hip-Hop, industriellen und klassischen Rock miteinander verbindet, beschreiben? Ein Album, das einen Song wie „Will You Be There“ mit Beethovens 9. Symphonie und einen anderen Song („Dangerous“) mit etwas, das sich wie das Herz einer Stahlfabrik anhört, einleitet? Ein Album, das wechselweise paranoid, kryptisch, empfindsam, verletzlich, idealistisch, trostlos, transzendent und ängstlich ist? Selbst das Albumcover – ein Acrylgemälde des Pop-Surrealisten Mark Ryden, das eine zirkusartige Maske beschreibt, durch die Jackson sein Publikum betrachtet – kennzeichnet ein neues und tiefgründiges Bewusstsein.

... fortsetzung folgt...