Reading Michael Jackson

In this special Valentine's Day bonus episode we are reflecting on the full length of Michael's career through the many love songs he released throughout his lifetime! Join me for this career retrospective including clips of his hits, demo recordings, live performances, and deep cuts, lyrical analysis, and the non-stop intensity of what it means to be a female Michael Jackson fan. This episode is a break from our current season so sit back, relax, get comfortable, and get cozy as we indulge in all things Michael Jackson and L.O.V.E!

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Links to some of the songs, performances, and interviews mentioned in today's episode!

Interview with Marsha Ambrosius (Butterflies songwriter): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63TiZp9FXsM

Demo for "In the Closet": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLJy5FHW-tU

Mama's Pearl Live in Indiana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjT7TrwNyMw

Dream Away Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc958VceWCo

In this week's episode of Reading Michael Jackson we start with a brief discussion about the value of studying The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons discography for all Michael Jackson fans, before finishing our read of Chapter 3 of Moonwalk.

In this segment, Michael tells the story of the Jacksons initial transition away from Motown including the emotional struggle with losing Jermaine as a member of the group and establishing their own sound as the new rebranded "Jacksons." Michael shares what he learned from working on the Jackson's Variety TV show, collaborating with producers Gamble and Huff, before finally seeking permission from the Epic for the Jackson to produce their own album.

In the discussion portion, we reflect on Michael's very intentional approach to his own celebrity and the driving philosophy that too much accessibility to your audience will lead to over-exposure. These insights are significant in how we can understand Michael's later relationship to fame. We also review Michael's early relationship to songwriting and vulnerability in music, and more!

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With the surprise drop of the official trailer for "Michael," it's time for another bonus episode! Join me for an in-depth recap, analysis, and discussion covering everything we know so far about the narrative arc of the Michael Jackson biopic. I discuss everything from Jafaar's portrayal of MJ, to symbolism in the trailer, and all the reasons Michael Jackson deserves this specific biopic right now!

Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbtgEE6rkxw

Michael Jackson doesn't understand why the media write such negative things about him, but in Chapter 3 of Moonwalk he offers some of his own perspective on his volatile relationship with the press. Reflecting on his feelings about scandal and drug use, he makes a clear statement here about his future, and how he thinks he "turned out" given his upbringing as a child star. He spends the rest of the chapter telling the story of how the Jackson 5 rose to success, but ultimately left Motown in pursuit of creative freedom. In the discussion portion of this episode, we get deep discussing Michael's relationship to the media, the modern fandom's view of his changing aesthetics, the evolution of his relationship to drugs, and of course his artistic growth as. a child performer when he popularized "the robot" with his choreography for "Dancing Machine."

For questions or comments, please email [email protected]

This week, we close out chapter 2 with Michael sharing details of his life in the studio and on the road with The Jackson 5, delving into details about his vocal stylings, recording songs like "ABC" and "I'll Be There," his relationship with his brothers, the fun and frustration of touring year round, and his physical insecurities as an adolescent. We discuss all of these points and then some, including Michael's challenged relationship with fame, his singular talent as a child, his personal sensitivity, and more. With clips from a live performance of "Who's Loving You" and Michael's 1983 interview with Entertainment Tonight, this episode is a bit longer than normal but packed with deep discussion!

The Jackson 5, "Who's Loving You" Live at the Forum 1972:

https://youtu.be/VX6qbx4vGyw?si=gWu9szuc8T1radbx

Michael's 1983 Entertainment Tonight Interview:

https://youtu.be/z2WclC-UubY?si=cIzbSSTBTVSXabIZ

For questions or comments please email [email protected]

With the Jackson 5 officially signed to Motown, in the first half of Chapter 2 Michael recounts the early days of moving from Indiana to California, recording sessions, media training, and becoming a part of the "Corporation."

Including snippets of an interview with Michael's former Victory-era publicist Howard Bloom, in the discussion we review Michael's unique connection to art, and his ability to "see the infinite" in everything. We also discuss the complications and confusion with Michael's relationship to Diana Ross and the struggle he must have experienced composing an autobiography aimed to tell the truth of his life, while still grappling with the truth he'd been brought up to believe.

For questions, or comments, please email [email protected]

This week, as the opening chapter of "Moonwalk" draws to a close, we learn about the Jackson family's eager wait for their big break. Michael shares memories of his role as a big brother and his own memories of traveling to Detroit for the Jackson 5's 1968 Motown audition. In the discussion portion of this episode, we explore the dynamics of the Jackson family and the Jackson sisters' frustrations existing in the periphery of their brothers and the early responsibility Michael took on in order to understand the weight of a Motown audition. In discussing Michael's views on the great performers of this time, as well as cultural figures like Martin Luther King Jr., we also touch upon Michael's influence on music, popular culture, and the impact of his passing on the world.

For questions or comments, please reach out to [email protected].

In this third episode of Season 2, we dive deeper into Michael's childhood and early career, continuing our reading of "Moonwalk," pages 35-50. In this segment, Michael shares what it was like to work the night club scene in Gary and Chicago at the age of 9, recording with Steeletown Records, his early inspirations in James Brown and Jackie Wilson, and winning Amateur Night at the Apollo.

In the emotional discussion portion of the episode, we review not only the highlights from this time in Michael's life, but the disturbing confessions Michael shares about his early exposure to adult sexuality in nightclubs, and the relentless work expected of him as a young child. Though Michael frames many of these experiences as necessary to his growth as a performer, for those of us with "normal" childhoods in comparison, deep empathy for Michael's unique life can help us understand his choices as he grew older, and the passion he had for protecting children.

In this episode, I play a segment of the Jackson 5's first single, "Big Boy." If you are interested in listening to the full song, check out this link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiFN2DQqBFE

For questions and comments, please reach out to [email protected].

This week, we continue our reading of Chapter 1 of "Moonwalk." Spanning from pages 21-35, this week's segment covers the earliest days of the Jackson 5, including the infamous "broken guitar string" story, Joseph Jackson's discipline, and the intensity of performing at such a young age.

In the discussion portion of this episode, we dissect the complications of Michael writing and releasing a memoir about complicated family dynamics, his narrative of physical discipline and abuse, the hardships of performing at such a young age, and more.

As Michael Jackson fans, knowing what we know about the pain Michael experienced as a child and how that impacted him throughout his life, if he had to do it all over again, would we choose this path for him? Does Michael's incredible success and impact justify the means through which he achieved it?

For comments or questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

Today we are officially diving into Moonwalk! Starting with the touching forward by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, included in the original publication of Moonwalk, we begin Chapter 1, covering pages 1-21. In this section, Michael introduces himself, his family, and some of the challenges he has in telling this story. He not only identifies his earliest memories with music, but begins to explore the complicated relationship he had with his father, Joseph Jackson. Through this, he touches upon the scars he has from childhood, which remain a theme throughout Michael's life and central to how he tells his story.

In the discussion portion of this episode, we explore Michael's approach to storytelling and forming a narrative, as well as the early normalization of hard work for Michael and his brothers, as well as the pain he experienced as a child.

For questions or comments, please comment or email me directly at [email protected].