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http://www.recordcollectormag.com/reviews/review-detail/612
This is no expos� or ‘putting things right’ for the scandal-hunter or reverent fan, from the authors of Michael Jackson: The Early Years, The Solo Years and Jacksons Number Ones, For The Record is a 400-page catalogue of every song Jackson has had any part in since he first entered a recording studio 40 years ago in November 1967, shortly after turning nine.
That the introduction alludes to Jackson’s ‘setbacks that would have ended the career of a lesser man’ shows the level of reverence. But then, if you’re interested in the minutiae of Jackson’s recording career, you’re likely not fussed on private life speculation. What will set your pulse racing are the likes of unreleased Jackson 5 Motown tracks, such as the rumoured Baby It’s Love duet with Diana Ross. For the universally known songs, all official remixes and related information is listed, and there’s even songs written for Jackson (as recent as the Pharrell Williamspenned I Don’t Know, finally released by Usher in 2001), whether he recorded them or not.
As long as a Jackson link exists, it’s here, though we have two minor quibbles: colour photos of records (and more of them) would have been nice, and some may prefer a chronological, as opposed to alphabetical, layout.
ISBN 0755202678
Chris Cadman, a friend of mine, and co-author of Michael Jackson - For The Record, sent me the book for review. I received it today, and am incredibly pleased with it.
This is a nice thick, 400 page hardback, with a wonderful photo of Michael featured on the cover. Written by Chris Cadman and Craig Halstead (authors of 3 other Michael books), it documents every known released, and unreleased Michael Jackson and J5 song.
Like their other works, it's an incredible guide for Michael collectors and fans alike. Cadman and Halstead are wonderful researchers, and have amassed a wealth of information in this work.
Along with track names you'll find chart details, lists of collaborators, single covers, poster images, magazine cover photos, release dates, and many interesting facts and other bits of information.
You can consider this the history book of Michael Jackson songs, and it will make for a great addition to any fans bookshelf.
I'd love to give this a more thorough review, but frankly, I wouldn't know where to start. It's a very extensive guide, and an incredible insight into Michael's recording career.
www.mjjvault.hosted-forum.com
Michael Jackson For The Record
The only way I can describe this book is a labour of love. You can feel the warmth, dedication, sweat and affection as you work your way through the pages and the wealth of information is just incredible. Many of you on here have heard me mention my sister a few times, sorry if it’s annoying but I love her dearly. I asked her for an opinion on the book, as she is a non-committed Michael Jackson fan. Her words, “These guys must have been up day and night researching and writing it”.
I didn’t have many books on Michael Jackson when I first joined this forum, perhaps a handful. I’ve been selective in my choice because of my monetary situation, but since joining this forum I’ve become more and more intrigued in extending my collection of literature. My collection as now tripled thanks to you guys on here.
Michael Jackson opens with a nice tidy acknowledgement and website section over three pages, followed by the introduction to the book.
1-2-3 is the first of the many entries, a new one on me immediately being very limited on The Jackson 5’s Motown era despite these guys Early Years book and Randy Taraborrelli’s excellently researched biography Magic And The Madness. For me this set a positive tone straight away. There’s a lengthy entry for ABC as there are for I Want You Back and I’ll Be There, ironically again all Motown Recordings. This serves as great reference point for a Motown novice like me.
All In Your Name written with Barry Gibb was another surprise I encountered as I worked my way through the entries. This was apparently the title commonly known as Prayer For Peace.
Because of the wealth of material in the book I find it very hard to review it but as you work through the entries you find the authors have listed every release imaginable from Medley’s like “Back To The Past Medley” - “Lulu’s Back In Town” (apparently captured on a home video film by The Jacksons) to many of their Jackson’s TV series performances. For me the surprises seemed never ending but for others with great expertise on Michael Jackson there may be only a few.
I don’t wish to give too much away because you may be waiting for your books to arrive, but if your are as impressed as I am you won’t be able to put it down. The covers stunning, its nicely presented and its easy to carry around. Furthermore it’s well worth the money. Buy it, put on the CD’s and sit back and enjoy the ride. Congratulations guys you pulled it off!
The invisible man
21st March 2007
This is a translation of the review I wrote for my German forum JacksonVillage. I thought the authors and the rest of the people here might want to read it. I dare anyone who doesn't have the book to read this review and still not want to buy the book.
The postman rang my bell around 30 hours ago and brought me my copy of "For The Record", the new Michael Jackson book by Chris Cadman and Craig Halstead.
I unpacked it right away, to have a look. The glossy cover with the wonderful picture of Michael gave me the first wow-effect.
The book really looks stunning, you can't put it any other way. Normal size of a hardback, so it fits real well with all your other books on the shelf.
So, where should I begin?
Of course, it was really weird reading Korgnex's and my names in the thank yous section. And the only German forum to be mentioned is JacksonVillage too!
Naturally I felt proud and hungry for the book!
So I turned page after page and read entry after entry. There were some interesting things right at the start. Like for example the fact that ABC (by the Jackson 5) was also called "1-2-3" at one point. Something that will please a member of our moderators team is that a song is mentioned by the name of "Bad Girl" which Michael wrote some time before 1993.
For those who don't know, one of the members of our moderators team is called "badgirl"
There are so many highlights there... What especially impressed me was the amount of information about the Motown-era. In those days there was no internet and "unreleased songs" actually WERE unreleased.
Songs are mentioned that Michael or the Jackson 5 did record, but never released. Or for example, a few songs that the Jackson 5 recorded before coming to Motown.
The owner of the tape (apparently only the one tape existed) brought it to a place to have it transferred to a more durable tape, for posterity. During the copying process one of the employees of the place must have run a copy for themselves too, because shortly afterwards, bootlegs of that tape started appearing.
You'll find this and many other interesting stories from the Motown days. Like for example the little story about how Michael ended up doing background - vocals for Joe 'King' Carrusco.
Something that really took me by surprise is the fact that the album Bad has a MJ - Prince connection that I was not aware of before. It's nothing major, no secret duet. But I ain't telling you what it is!
It's really great how much information you get about the songs. Not only who wrote them, when they were released and what chart positions they reached (respectively the UK charts, US-Billboard charts and US-R&B charts). A lot of the titles carry notes of when they were broadcast live, or when they were covered (with release year and chart position!!).
The songs Black or White and Billie Jean alone have notes spanning almost 4 pages respectively!
A lot of official remixes are mentioned too. I do not know how extensive the list is, because I don't care much for remixes, but it looks quite complete.
What I also liked a lot is the fact that book clears up that stupid rumour that "Dirty Diana" was supposed to be about Diana Ross in some way. The book explains simply what the song is about.
And here (like in other places in the book) the book justifies the reputation it got even before it was released:
No crap - just the facts!
The business with Michael's involvement with the Simpsons is explained - for example about the Simpsons songs he wrote (but was prohibited from singing!).
Then there's other interesting stuff, like for example the story of how the Diana Ross song "Eaten Alive" came to be. We all know Michael wrote it, right?
What we don't know is that Michael first heard this song as a demo version by the Bee Gees. They offered him writing credits if he would add something to the song. He ended up profoundly changing it and in the end Diana Ross recorded it!
It's also made clear that Michael has never recorded anything with Lauryn Hill - a rumour that has been around a few years and just wouldn't go away.
Do you know "Fall Again"? Do you know, why Michael wasn't able to finish recording the song? You'll find out if you read the book!
What I also found very interesting is that Get On The Floor was changed in 1980 (one year after being released on the Off The Wall album). All Off The Wall records pressed in or after 1980 (as well as all CDs) contain that newer version.
Something funny to finish off. Some of you may have heard about the "AlphaBits" commercials the Jackson 5 did? Well, it's explained here that there were different versions of these commercials. And three versions were recorded but never actually used!
That is exactly what I was talking about - this huge amount of information from the Motown days is simply breath-taking. The authors must have put so much work into this - it's incredible.
The research that went into this I see as an investment in the future because I can't see another compendium like this for Michael Jackson fans coming along again anytime soon.
It's like EVERYTHING is mentioned in there!
Even the recently surfaced "No Friend Of Mine" aka "Gangsta".
You also get some small bits of interviews with artists that worked on certain songs.
If I had to say, what sticks out most in my overall view of the book, I would have to say: dedication.
So much information, so much attention to detail, and so precisely gathered. There is no other word for it.
What you can tell from this very clearly is that these authors are great lovers of Michael's music. Or to put it another way: two real Michael Jackson fans!
Will we ever get an interview, in which Michael is only asked about his music, his songs and creative work?
Probably not.
And that is just one more reason, why this book should not be missing from any Michael Jackson collection. It's an outstanding work that documents an outstanding period of music history.
And two more things:
There is a section called "Rumour Has It". It sort of reminded me of the "Fake Songs" list that Krognex runs here at JacksonVillage. But here (in the book) not only fake songs are mentioned, but also those that nobody knows for sure if they're MJ songs or just rumours.
People who don't want to buy the hardback book, can go to www.cadman-halstead-musicbooks.com and buy the e-book version, which costs only about 9 Euros.
Especially interesting for those who do their own research on this subject, and those who are interested in this subject or deal with it a lot or want to write about it.
Apart from that, anyone can buy it at Amazon (only 25.50 Euros incl. postage) or just go to your local book store and order it there. You only need the ISBN which is: 0755202678.
What could I say to finish this review?
Oh yes:
I have read this book in less than 30 hours (including sleeping time), having read most of it in one day (yesterday) and the rest today. That is a record for me!
amazon.com/amazon.co.uk
From the moment this book was announced, I was excited at merely the idea of a detailed discography list of Michael's music. The book lived up to its expectations and more as it contains some very valuable and interesting facts and trivia about so much of Michael's (and also the Jackson 5/Jacksons) work. Some of my friends looked upon it as merely a reference book, but I for one got very engaged on reading up the trivia, interview quotes, and insights behind making the music and what working with Michael is like. Reference-only or not, it's worth buying because no matter how much of a Jackson guru you may be, you'll certainly find something enlightening in this book!
i want to give a soulful Salute&warm Applause to the Greatness that is Chris Cadman&Craig HalStead. this Book is the truth. Very in depth on MJ's work in the studio all the way back to 1967. This Book highlights pre Motown, Motown,CBS and then which became Sony Music. Highlights MJ's work with the Jackson five, solo as a child then at CBS as the Jacksons then Solo at Epic. very incredible and detailed. This is the Best Musical Book Written on the King of Pop to date period. I also would like to personally thank the writers for acknowledging myself and giving me a thank you. I feel this is the Ultimate Book for the MJ fan around the world. fantastic and so insightful.
These are some ideas we had originally for the front cover of For The Record which were designed by Yoann Galiotto. We eventually used a version of it for the back cover.
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ISBN: 07552 20678
Published by Authors Online Ltd (2007)
Hard Cover ~ 401 pages
RRP: £19.95 / $29.95
Michael Jackson first entered a recording studio in November 1967, just three months after his ninth birthday.
Two years later he and his older brothers scored their first hit, I Want You Back - and, despite set-backsthat would have ended the career of a lesser man, Michael's legion of fans remain as loyal today as they have ever been.
The aim of this book is to document the many songs Michael has been involved with over the years -as singer, as writer, as producer, or simply as the inspiration or subject.
The songs are listed numerically and alphabetically, and each listing includes the artist, release date and connection to Michael,together with other interesting information.
