Jackson - Moonwalk

Copyright 1988 by The Estate of Michael Joseph Jackson
Introduction copyright 2009 by Berry Gordy
Afterword copyright 2009 by Shaye Areheart

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

www.crownpublishing.com

Harmony Books is a registered trademark
and the Harmony Books colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

Originally published in slightly different form in the United States by Doubleday,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 1988.

Billie Jean written and composed by Michael Jackson. Mijac Music (BMI). Administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Human Nature written and composed by Steve Porcaro and John Bettis. 1982 Porcaro Music (ASCAP) and John Bettis Music (ASCAP). John Bettis Music administered by WB Music Corp. Bad written and composed by Michael Jackson. 1987 Mijac Music (BMI). Administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Ill Be There written and composed by Bob West, Harold Davis, Willie Hutch, and Berry Gordy, Jr. 1970 Jobete Music Co., Inc. Living Together written and composed by Dexter Wansel. 1976 Mighty Three Music (BMI). ABC written and composed by The Corporation (Freddie Perren, Fonce Mizell, Deke Richards, and Berry Gordy, Jr.). 1970 Jobete Music Co., Inc. Sugar Daddy written and composed by The Corporation (Freddie Perren, Fonce Mizell, Deke Richards, and Berry Gordy, Jr.). 1971 Jobete Music Co., Inc. Can I Go On? written and composed by Quincy Jones, Nickolas Ashford, and Valerie Simpson. 1978 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jackson, Michael, 1958-2009
Moonwalk.

1. Jackson, Michael, 19582009. 2. Rock musiciansUnited StatesBiography.

I. Title.

ML420.J175A3 1988 784.5400924[B] 88-384

eISBN: 978-0-307-77442-2

v3.1

This book is dedicated to
FRED ASTAIRE

NEW INTRODUCTION TO THE 2009 RE-ISSUED EDITION

Michael Jackson was not an artist who comes along once in a decade, a generation, or a lifetime. He was an artist who comes along only once, period. I had the good fortune of meeting him when he was nine years old. Even then there was something so compelling about him that, frankly, I did not know what to make of it. How could this kid have that effect on me? It was an effect so potent that I would immediately discard my misgivings about being in business with kid acts, and rush to create an environment for Michael and his brothers that would nurture and expand their talent.

Even then he had a knowingness about him. He knew he was special. He could dance and sing and act like anybodyhe just wanted to do it better.

He was driven by his hunger to learn, to constantly top himself, to be the best. He was the consummate student. He studied the greats and became greater. He raised the bar and then BROKE the bar. His talent and creativity thrust him AND entertainment into the stratosphere.

Moonwalk was the first time he told his story in his own words, reflecting on his life, how he thought, how he felt about things. This book is a unique opportunity to get to know the real genius of Michael and how this young kid from Gary, Indiana, propelled himself to become the biggest star in the world.

Moonwalk reveals so much of Michaels true self, but you have to read between the lines to really understand what he was all about. I must say, though, that he did have two personalities. Offstage he was shy, soft-spoken, and childlike. But when he took that stage in front of his screaming fans, he turned into another personality; a master, a take no prisoners showman. For him it was kill or be killed.

Besides being a creative master of writing, singing, producing, acting, and staging, he was also a thinker. And in order to protect himself, sometimes he created mental mechanismspersonalitiesonstage, offstage, in boardrooms, in his deal making, business plans, and self-promotion. Brilliant? Right! Genius? Damn right. He made it all happen. His personality may have been contradictory, but his core was always pure, beautiful, and loving.

When Michael and his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, and Marlon auditioned for me at Motown in Detroit that July day in 1968, they blew us all away with their incredible talent. Little Michaels performance was way beyond his years. After singing and dancing like James Brown and Jackie Wilson, he sang a Smokey Robinson song called Whos Loving You with the sadness and passion of a man who had been living with the blues and heartbreak his whole life. I couldnt believe it. As great as Smokey sang it, Michael was better. I told Smokey, Hey, man, I think he gotcha on that one. Smokey said, Me too. When Michael and his brothers performed it on the Ed Sullivan Show, there was no doubt that the rest of the world agreed.

I moved them out to California and they became part of the Gordy and Motown families. Those were great timeswe swam, we joked, we played games, we rehearsed. I put together a songwriting team, and we came up with four hit records for them: I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, and Ill Be There. The Jackson 5 was the only group in history to ever have their first four singles go to number one. We were thrilledespecially Michael. We had broken through a major barrier. For Michael, it was the inspiration to break all the rest. And he did.

We cast Michael with Diana Ross in a movie we produced called The Wiz and there he met legendary producer Quincy Jones. That collaboration yielded the greatest-selling album of all time, Thriller, along with Off the Wall and Bad.

By 1983 the Jacksons were no longer at Motown. However, the brothers reunited to perform on the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. After a high-powered, dazzling medley of their songs, Michael took the stage alone and proceeded to make pop history. From the first beat of Billie Jean and the toss of his hat, I was mesmerized. But when he did his iconic moonwalk, I was shocked. It was magic. He soared into orbit and never came down.

Though it ended way too soon, Michaels life was beautiful. Sure there were some sad times and maybe some questionable decisions on his part, but Michael Jackson accomplished everything he dreamed of. Even at nine years old, his passion was to be the greatest entertainer in the world. He was willing to work hard and do whatever it took to become what he indeed wasthe undisputed King of Pop the world over.

What kid wouldnt give his right arm to fulfill his wildest childhood dreams? Michael loved it allevery moment onstage, every moment in rehearsal. He loved creating what had never been done before. He loved giving all he had to his music and all he had to his fans.

I mean, Michael was awesome!Totally in charge. In fact the more I think and talk about Michael Jackson, the more I feel the King of Pop was not big enough for him. I think he was simply The Greatest Entertainer That Ever Lived.