Michael Jackson and the Reinvention of Pop

This book is a compilation of articles written about Michael Jackson since his passing in 2009, with some modifications, as Mr. Vogel clearly states. While I have read them all individually over these years, it's great to have them all in one location, as there has been such a growth in appreciation for Mr. Jackson's work over the past several years. Mr. Vogel also lists his own personal top ten Michael Jackson songs and while at first blush I didn't agree with all, Mr. Vogel is so great at explaining lyrics, textures and nuances of music, that I soon changed my mind as to most of his choices. Surprisingly (but not to me) he listed Stranger in Moscow, with its poignant, emotional lyric, as one of his top ten. Vogel also references Hollywood Tonight, contained in the posthumous album, Michael (so controversial when originally released). I gained a new appreciation for HT from Vogel's background on this song. Personally, I would prefer to listen to Michael's unreleased demos all day, than to even one more overproduced posthumous song which, obviously, does not have MJ's personal stamp of approval. In the introduction, Vogel refers to current articles about Michael, the artist, becoming more objective, rather than the trivial and sensational rehashes we were forcefed in 2009. With Joe Vogel's help, and that of certain other informed, intelligent authors, hopefully the objective swing will continue. I found Featuring Michael Jackson to be a step in that right direction.

This book is a collection of the some of the most eloquent articles written on Michael Jackson since his passing in 2009. Among tons of memories, musings, speculations and attempts to reassess Michael Jackson's art over the last three years, the work of Joe Vogel stands out the most profound, articulate and substantial. He makes important points about Michael Jackson's artistry and cultural impact, sometimes even in quite unexpected areas (such as comparing Jackson's Dangerous album with Nirvana's Nevermind), but nonetheless convincingly. The books contains a number of pieces that had been published on various online media sites before, as well as a never before published chapter on Michael's childhood. This collection is a must-read for every Michael Jackson fan; and to those who are not familiar with Jackson's lesser acclaimed work, it will reveal new dimensions of the singer's persona and creativity.

Whether or not you already have Joseph Vogel's 2012 volume "Featuring Michael Jackson: Collected Writings on the King of Pop" which includes some of the previously published articles collected in this new title, it's worth investing in this new 2017 update because of the extra content included. There are 20 articles that were originally published in The Atlantic or Huffington Post. They range from brief discussions on some major anniversaries of albums like "Bad" and "Dangerous" to serious analyses of the cultural abuse of Michael Jackson by the tabloid media. No-one writes better on this topic than Joe Vogel. His observations are clear, to-the-point and irrefutable. They make this book, and much else he writes, worthy of referencing by students of Michael Jackson studies.

At this point, Joe Vogel can do no wrong in my eyes. His superb writing, storytelling skills & eloquence have won me over with Man In The Music (A MUST READ FOR all music lovers) and this new collection follows the same format. He presents behind the scenes stories for several songs (including recent releases Hollywood Tonight & Don't Be Messin' 'Round) pulled from interviews and discussions with Michael Jackson's associates. Joe Vogel's talent really shines when he gives voice to those collaborators, engaging and pulling the reader in and making him feel like he is privy to something really special. Often times, the reader feels like he or she is right there in the room with Jackson & the producers or co-writers, witnessing these creativity bliss filled moments. I hope Mr Vogel keeps writing about Jackson's masterpieces. His writings give us an exclusive behind the scenes peek of a creative genius at work.

Another winner by Vogel!! Bravo! No one captures the essence of Michael's artistry as well as Vogel does. This book had me listening to the 10 songs he writes about again and again to hear the layers of pure genius that is uniquely Michael Jackson. After you read this book you will run for your headphones to listen to these songs as loud as the speakers will go. I rarely listen to any other artist. Everyone pales in comparison to M.J. His work is as unique as he is and Vogel can guide you through it like no other author on Michael's work can. This was my third Michael Jackson book by Vogel and I cannot recommend it highly enough to fans and especially to critics. It really shows how shallow, racist, ignorant and pathetic the haters are for judging Michael by sensational tabloid trash. My hope is that positive truths about Michael continue to emerge as his art is rediscovered and appreciated until the end of time. I will always stand up for him. We all owe him that much, at the very least. Read this book!

Finally, a music critic who actually reviews the music Michael Jackson left, instead of dissecting, examining and prodding his private life to within an inch of sanity. Mr. Vogel's intelligent, well-researched and documented analysis of the music that made the world pay attention for nearly forty years and transcended every boundary and obstacle placed before it is long overdue. Kudos to Mr. Vogel. I have "Earth Song: Michael Jackson's Magnum Opus" and "Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson." "Featuring Michael Jackson: Collected Writings on the King of Pop" will take it's well-deserved place in my Joe Vogel shelf. A personal note to Mr. Vogel: Thank you. We have waited a long time for someone to treat Mr. Jackson seriously ... as an artist ... as a person. Our wait has ended. I'm just sorry it didn't end before he left us so that he could feel the respect.

Joseph really knows his MJ research! Pick this book up already if you haven't!!!

This book provides incredible insight into the phenomenal artistry of Michael Jackson. One of the most insightful chapters is on the song "Gone Too Soon". Michael Jackson was such a masterful artist. This is for fans and for those especially who don't know the incredible power of Jackson's music.

I personally enjoyed the Collected Writings on the King of Pop. It was a short book and I read it quickly but it was intersting to see how some of the King of Pop's ideas came to be. I would recommend to anyone that was interested in reading about Michael Jackson's music or to add to their collection.

J Vogel, I thank you for continuing to educating and enlightening the public to the legacy of Michael Joseph Jackson. He is a great man who gave, and continues to give so much to this world. Thank you for investing in something great!

This book is a compilation of articles written about Michael Jackson since his passing in 2009, with some modifications, as Mr. Vogel clearly states. While I have read them all individually over these years, it's great to have them all in one location, as there has been such a growth in appreciation for Mr. Jackson's work over the past several years. Mr. Vogel also lists his own personal top ten Michael Jackson songs and while at first blush I didn't agree with all, Mr. Vogel is so great at explaining lyrics, textures and nuances of music, that I soon changed my mind as to most of his choices. Surprisingly (but not to me) he listed Stranger in Moscow, with its poignant, emotional lyric, as one of his top ten. Vogel also references Hollywood Tonight, contained in the posthumous album, Michael (so controversial when originally released). I gained a new appreciation for HT from Vogel's background on this song. Personally, I would prefer to listen to Michael's unreleased demos all day, than to even one more overproduced posthumous song which, obviously, does not have MJ's personal stamp of approval. In the introduction, Vogel refers to current articles about Michael, the artist, becoming more objective, rather than the trivial and sensational rehashes we were forcefed in 2009. With Joe Vogel's help, and that of certain other informed, intelligent authors, hopefully the objective swing will continue. I found Featuring Michael Jackson to be a step in that right direction.

This book is a collection of the some of the most eloquent articles written on Michael Jackson since his passing in 2009. Among tons of memories, musings, speculations and attempts to reassess Michael Jackson's art over the last three years, the work of Joe Vogel stands out the most profound, articulate and substantial. He makes important points about Michael Jackson's artistry and cultural impact, sometimes even in quite unexpected areas (such as comparing Jackson's Dangerous album with Nirvana's Nevermind), but nonetheless convincingly. The books contains a number of pieces that had been published on various online media sites before, as well as a never before published chapter on Michael's childhood. This collection is a must-read for every Michael Jackson fan; and to those who are not familiar with Jackson's lesser acclaimed work, it will reveal new dimensions of the singer's persona and creativity.

Whether or not you already have Joseph Vogel's 2012 volume "Featuring Michael Jackson: Collected Writings on the King of Pop" which includes some of the previously published articles collected in this new title, it's worth investing in this new 2017 update because of the extra content included. There are 20 articles that were originally published in The Atlantic or Huffington Post. They range from brief discussions on some major anniversaries of albums like "Bad" and "Dangerous" to serious analyses of the cultural abuse of Michael Jackson by the tabloid media. No-one writes better on this topic than Joe Vogel. His observations are clear, to-the-point and irrefutable. They make this book, and much else he writes, worthy of referencing by students of Michael Jackson studies.

At this point, Joe Vogel can do no wrong in my eyes. His superb writing, storytelling skills & eloquence have won me over with Man In The Music (A MUST READ FOR all music lovers) and this new collection follows the same format. He presents behind the scenes stories for several songs (including recent releases Hollywood Tonight & Don't Be Messin' 'Round) pulled from interviews and discussions with Michael Jackson's associates. Joe Vogel's talent really shines when he gives voice to those collaborators, engaging and pulling the reader in and making him feel like he is privy to something really special. Often times, the reader feels like he or she is right there in the room with Jackson & the producers or co-writers, witnessing these creativity bliss filled moments. I hope Mr Vogel keeps writing about Jackson's masterpieces. His writings give us an exclusive behind the scenes peek of a creative genius at work.

Another winner by Vogel!! Bravo! No one captures the essence of Michael's artistry as well as Vogel does. This book had me listening to the 10 songs he writes about again and again to hear the layers of pure genius that is uniquely Michael Jackson. After you read this book you will run for your headphones to listen to these songs as loud as the speakers will go. I rarely listen to any other artist. Everyone pales in comparison to M.J. His work is as unique as he is and Vogel can guide you through it like no other author on Michael's work can. This was my third Michael Jackson book by Vogel and I cannot recommend it highly enough to fans and especially to critics. It really shows how shallow, racist, ignorant and pathetic the haters are for judging Michael by sensational tabloid trash. My hope is that positive truths about Michael continue to emerge as his art is rediscovered and appreciated until the end of time. I will always stand up for him. We all owe him that much, at the very least. Read this book!

Finally, a music critic who actually reviews the music Michael Jackson left, instead of dissecting, examining and prodding his private life to within an inch of sanity. Mr. Vogel's intelligent, well-researched and documented analysis of the music that made the world pay attention for nearly forty years and transcended every boundary and obstacle placed before it is long overdue. Kudos to Mr. Vogel. I have "Earth Song: Michael Jackson's Magnum Opus" and "Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson." "Featuring Michael Jackson: Collected Writings on the King of Pop" will take it's well-deserved place in my Joe Vogel shelf. A personal note to Mr. Vogel: Thank you. We have waited a long time for someone to treat Mr. Jackson seriously ... as an artist ... as a person. Our wait has ended. I'm just sorry it didn't end before he left us so that he could feel the respect.

Joseph really knows his MJ research! Pick this book up already if you haven't!!!

This book provides incredible insight into the phenomenal artistry of Michael Jackson. One of the most insightful chapters is on the song "Gone Too Soon". Michael Jackson was such a masterful artist. This is for fans and for those especially who don't know the incredible power of Jackson's music.

I personally enjoyed the Collected Writings on the King of Pop. It was a short book and I read it quickly but it was intersting to see how some of the King of Pop's ideas came to be. I would recommend to anyone that was interested in reading about Michael Jackson's music or to add to their collection.

J Vogel, I thank you for continuing to educating and enlightening the public to the legacy of Michael Joseph Jackson. He is a great man who gave, and continues to give so much to this world. Thank you for investing in something great!

I did enjoy the book ,short though it is. It gives a little more insight into how he worked and thought about his music. I guess I was hoping for a little more information but I would still recommend this to MJ fans.

This book is a collection of articles, features and reviews that Vogel wrote about MJ after his death, and which were originally published in reputable news magazines like Huffington Post and The Atlantic. These articles provide a serious evaluation of MJ that is reliable, accurate and insightful, beginning an important task which the mainstream media have so far largely neglected. The articles, which include material from interviews with some of MJ's closest creative collaborators, provide rare insight into MJ the creative artist, the cultural icon and the man. One of the most interesting and important subjects covered is the impact of race on MJ's career. Other articles go into behind-the-scenes history of MJ songs which have not been covered in Vogel's other books, including songs like Morphine, Blood on the Dance Floor, Gone Too Soon, Hollywood Tonight and demos from the Bad era. Vogel also looks perceptively at the cultural abuse of MJ and his musical response, and at MJ's singular (re)definition of pop. Overall, these articles begin to explore the complexity and genius of Michael Jackson, and to situate his life and work, their meaning and significance, in relation to larger social issues and dynamics. This book needs to be read by everyone, not just MJ fans, for - as this book begins to show - Michael Jackson's life and legacy have a wide and deep impact that transcends the man himself. MJ's life and work hold up a mirror to society. His memory matters, and it behooves us all to reflect upon how we, as individuals and as a society, choose to remember him.

This thought-provoking and very informative collection of writings by Joe Vogel is excellent! It is something that fans and non-fans will enjoy reading and offers them the chance to view glimpses of Michael Jackson's life and genius artistry in a refreshingly new and honest way. I found the chapter on Michael Jackson's childhood very interesting as it is written using many of his own words. You won't regret this purchase. I thoroughly enjoyed this read!

Love everything by Joseph Vogel! He knows Michael better than any author!

this author is so good at focusing on the songwriting of Michael... as the other asses choose to write stuff they made up... Michael is a legendary songwriter but they will not acknowledge that

I wish it wouldn't have taken his death to be appreciated :( Awesome insight a true collector item! If you weren't a Michael Jackson fan before, you will be now!

I recommend this book to all those who want to know about Michael Jackson's career in music and how the songs came to be written.

I really enjoyed reading these writings that provided interesting insights into the talent of this wonderful artist.

Now here is something worth reading. I love how Mr Vogel pays tribute to our dearest Michael. It's a good book to have if you are an MJ fan.

Everything that Joseph Vogel writes about Michael Jackson is fresh and relevant. One of our finest MJ scholars.

This book captures Michael as the artistic genius he was as well as the compassionate, loveable soul, who was so unfairly demonized by mass media. What a tragic loss for an unworthy society...

I love everything and anything that is on Michael Jackson. Reading the thought that Michael wrote was very personal for me, it gave you a glimpse of his genius

Love it can't wait to read

An excellent take on the songs that made Michael so loved around the world. Really enjoyed reading this.

The book is great, Thanks to Vogel one gets to know the Super star Michael Jackson was. Those who still don't appreciate his huge talent must read this book to know why we celebrate his great legacy. Music was not music after he made it brivate into our ears, until he recreated with amazing dances, and unforgettable lyrics.

This a very good book about what various editors have written about Michael Jackson and his music style. I was not aware of this, I thought it would be Vogels own critique, but is was a very short and sweet book, it took about an hour to read

I Love his Music a lot and I love him with all of my Heart he is my Favorite Ceblarty and his music inspires me to wright and sing own songs He will always be Loved by Me and will be in Heart for ever